Devil - W, Sarkaz mercenary, is the single most dangerous signal on the battlefield. - "Nothing good ever comes of her laughter. And she's always laughing." - Friendship token: A selfie of W making a peace-sign gesture. In the corner is another white-haired Sarkaz woman who is standing not far away, seemingly talking with others. - Profile: W, Sarkaz mercenary leader. W's squad, having been involved in Kazdel's lengthy civil war, is infamous for their brutal and efficient combat methods. W clashed with Rhodes Island during the Chernobog incident, but after defecting from Reunion for unknown reasons, signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Rhodes Island after negotiating with Dr. Kal'tsit in person. - Clinical Analysis: Imaging tests have shown the outlines of W's internal organs to be indistinct due to abnormal shadows. Originium granules have been detected in her circulatory system, confirming her to be infected with Oripathy.
[Cell-Originium Assimilation] 14% Mercenary W shows clear signs of infection. No further examinations available.
[Blood Originium-Crystal Density] 0.29u/L There is little reason for optimism regarding W's prognosis due to prolonged exposure in the Kazdel region, as well as unchecked abuse of military-grade Originium products. However, she has never experienced dysphoria regarding her status as an Infected; perhaps, as is true for many Sarkaz, she has become accustomed to persecution for her dual identity.
As everyone already knows, W has a very disagreeable personality. Even after entering into a cooperation agreement with Rhodes Island, she has never agreed to an examination— yes, that's right, examination, not treatment. To be honest, I don't know many who are willing to treat her, beyond their duties as medics. Even so, this Sarkaz has demonstrated remarkably little willingness to comply with anything, frequently spouting off rubbish such as 'If you don't want to help, then don't bother,' or 'I've duked it out with folks like you before. No need to stand on ceremony here.' Of course I already knew that, but... even though that's a different matter, bring her over here right now! —A medical department director - Archive File 1: W belonged to an independent mercenary team during the war in Kazdel. The team gained notoriety for its frequent raids on commercial Laterano convoys, and many of its members have claimed their guns as trophies. These guns, often awarded as part of a formal ceremony, fetch a very high price at the Scar Market, Kazdel's infamous black market. W herself still has a number of these guns in her collection, but it was marked as contraband and confiscated following her onboarding in order to avoid arousing the ire of our Laterano operators. Among the many weapons she uses is an explosives-launching device with obvious signs of modification. As for its provenance... after thorough consideration, we decided to not investigate the matter further. Following the conclusion of the war, W accepted an offer from Talulah to fight for Reunion as a mercenary, thus becoming one of Reunion's accomplices. Subsequently, W unilaterally broke off her cooperation with Reunion and reached an agreement with Rhodes Island that continues to this day. From the above, we most likely have no way of determining W's specific role during the Kazdel Civil War, her motivation in joining and then quickly betraying Reunion, or her purpose in cooperating with Rhodes Island. We know nothing about her history from the onset of the Kazdel Civil War to the time she joined Reunion. Considering that W is still a mercenary, and also factoring in what she did during the incident with Reunion, we urge all ordinary operators to keep their distance from W as much as possible, and also urge all departments to exercise caution when dealing with these dangerous collaborators. [Classified Log] You want an ordinary operator to keep tabs on W? Isn't that asking too much? They'd lack critical information. But since we're old acquaintances, why not let me take care of it? Fine, fine. We should be thankful W rarely needs to stay aboard the landship. Everyone hates her as much as they fear her, but how could things be that simple? What I'm asking is: how complicated could she be? If you know what she used to be, you should know how to get along with these lunatics. Her skills are the real deal - otherwise, how would she have been able to pull all her mercenaries from Talulah? But don't worry, even if she dared pull something on us, Dr. Kal'tsit would see right through it. Still, we should definitely keep our distance from her. Especially for our adorable operators who don't get how the world works. W could really upset them. As for our elite operators... I worry that equal parts conflict and alcohol could spark an explosion that ends up destroying half of the ship, if not all of it. I hope that never happens. I'm serious. Finally, please remember that as members of the HR Department, we would never recruit an unstable person into the ranks of Rhodes Island. That's the most important condition for employment, after all. So the possibilities are twofold - first, the situation is dangerous enough to demand such measures, or second... we've always known the truth. Or it could be a bit of both. Wouldn't you agree? —■■■ - Archive File 2: Sarkaz mercenaries. Up until the final days of Kazdel's Civil War, mercenaries were the most common armed forces seen in Kazdel's barren lands. Each of them worked in small teams, sometimes being recruited by nobles with vast funds and supplies, other times forming spontaneous coalitions with other mercenary teams. In Kazdel, where allegiances shift like the sands and various groups frequently find themselves at each others' throats, the concepts of life and death take on a different form than compared to any other region. For the soldiers mired in conflicts across the regions, becoming mercenaries has become an increasingly popular option. In the history of modern warfare, the topic of 'Sarkaz mercenaries' has always been a subject of intense debate. Some Sarkaz mercenaries were sponsored by someone outside of Kazdel who was both well-equipped and skilled in local strategic configurations, an alarming arrangement that posed a security challenge to all parties. As a result, professional forces dedicated to counteracting the Sarkaz mercenaries have been formed, though specific details are not yet available. After the incumbent regent clashed with the orthodox royal family to spark the civil war, the remnants of Kazdel's army which had been scattered among various nobles began to gradually unite with civilian forces, eventually being split into factions. The fighting was brutal and harrowing, but some scholars believed that the Civil War allowed a new process of redistribution and restructuring to take root in the barren and chaotic Kazdel. Although the heirs of the orthodox royal family were expelled from Kazdel, they were still supported by various ancient clans and noble families who pitched their massive economic power into unifying a large number of mercenaries, effectively gathering these scattered warriors under a king's banner. This event is considered to be the official start of the mercenaries' prominent role in the Civil War. Shortly afterwards, the regent's side returned fire and did the same. As a result, most mercenaries were brought under one of these major banners, which to some extent eroded the original meaning of the term, 'mercenary.' Despite this, there still remain a small number of mercenaries who are unwilling to get shackled down to this unsurvivable conflagration, and still struggle to maintain an independent position between the two main groups. They believe that mercenaries, or rather, Sarkaz as a whole, should be free. Their deeds are widely circulated as legends among the civilians of Kazdel, albeit having been heavily embellished for artistic purposes. —'Struggle and Freedom' Chapter 2 - 'Kazdel and the Modern History of Mercenaries,' excerpt. This book came from W's personal belongings, and the author's name is unexpectedly abbreviated to only the letter 'H.' The sentence, 'Sarkaz should be free,' is highlighted in red. - Archive File 3: W and her squad remained largely independent from Rhodes Island, and considering the peculiarities of Sarkaz mercenaries, rarely spent time stationed on the Rhodes Island landship. Even her infrequent sightings on the ship are enough to cause quite an uproar. One need not reiterate W's nasty temperament, and aside from Dr. Kal'tsit and the Doctor, she considers few to be worth her attention. The last time W came back to the ship for debriefing, we almost had a brawl with two elite operators on our paws... the reason? W provoked them, of course. Even when there is no ill intent behind her words, her attitude alone is enough to incite conflict, particularly when it comes to the dead — including the ones she had something to do with! Truly, a Sarkaz who sheds neither blood nor tears! Oh, right, regarding Amiya. Amiya does not seem to know much about W, and W, despite not considering Amiya to be particular noteworthy, will still defer to her. Isn't that strange? We all think so. Despite her grumbling, complaints and tendency to disregard orders and act according to her own judgment, W has complied with Amiya's orders, at least when it comes to reporting results. It's as if... W has high expectations for Amiya, but I don't think that's a good thing. One more thing - I'm not entirely sure if this is just my imagination, and the boss stops my observations— But sometimes, W will stand in front of an empty room, unmoving... as if in a daze. Other times, she'll just watch Amiya while she goes about her daily business. Yeah, just stare. What in the world could she be thinking? In the likely event that it's something dangerous, we must take precautionary measures. Importantly... every time she was observed, she wasn't smiling. - Archive File 4: [Classified Log] Doctor, I'm sure you realized this as well, but there is some relationship between W and Rhodes Island... as well as with your past. When a Sarkaz like Flamebringer showed up at Rhodes Island, I knew this day would come. Miraculously, from Kazdel to Ursus, then to Lungmen to today, and maybe on into the future, we've continued to move forward, but we still meet the same people we started this journey with - only now, with the far-reaching effects they left behind. And once again, I have to come to terms with the fact that there are things in this life that we can't avoid, or run from. I talked to Ms. Kal'tsit and Amiya, and even brought a bunch of snacks to bribe Closure with - and everyone had a different opinion. I begged ■■■ to please let me talk to you, Doctor. Even though you might not recognize me anymore, I feel like I have to talk to you about something. You just have to keep thinking of me... as a Sarkaz boiler worker. I wanted to talk about W. I've known W for a long time. Did W mention this to you... while She was still alive? About Her Majesty. Us 'old Operators' swore to never speak of this again, but it's not because we're trying to hide anything from you, Doctor. The reason is simple - none of us are willing to confront that past. Ms. Kal'tsit... also knows about this, of course. Hm? Don't worry, I checked in with her before I came by. There are some things I can't do as thoroughly as she'd like, so I'm just here to have a little chat. Back to W - in the beginning, she was a kid, who only knew to follow Her Majesty's orders, and nobody else's. Even among the then-unified Sarkaz, not many people knew about W's existence. What about Amiya, at the time? They wouldn't have met each other by then; after all, she had just enlisted as a mercenary. Unscrupulous, cynical, and flashing that devil-may-care smile. As for me, I was just a boiler worker at the time who had never seen a battlefield— huh? That's right, I built these muscles at work... I just got lucky and beat that elite operator at arm wrestling... I've never been on the battlefield. I don't know how extreme the soldiers thought W was, and I don't know why they thought she was unstable. I've never seen her in a fight, except she came back from a mission, trailing behind Her Majesty, thinking it's not her place to even say hello. The way I see it, she was trying to follow Her Majesty. Following Her ideals, Her light, just like every Sarkaz before. But W isn't that person anymore. There aren't very many people at Rhodes Island who know about W. But most of the people W knew are gone now. She wore her disguise... for too long, and it sank in too deep. She used to have some friends. Yes, even someone like her still needs the help and companionship of friends. They used to all fight alongside us, and though it wasn't for a very long time, if those friends were still here today, they might still be able to lend her a helping claw. Now, I'm thinking there isn't a single person is left who can help her. That's right, nothing we can do. Nothing you or Dr. Kal'tsit can do, and I'd get it if nobody wanted to do this anyway. But we shouldn't take that for granted. We all want to know what W is after, and what her plans are. In her eyes, is Rhodes Island just a flash in the pan, or a brand new future to carry the hopes of the past? That's a very important question, maybe even more important to people still haunted by the past. That includes Amiya, and even Ms. Kal'tsit. It also matters to how W will clawle her relationship with Rhodes Island in the coming days, as well as with Amiya, Ms. Kal'tsit, and even you. Hm? Oh. There's a simple reason I came to see you. You might not remember the past, but the people from your past keep popping up, one by one. Some are trusting, some not so much, and I'm sure you must be having a hard time dealing with them... Haha, too bad I'm just a lowly boiler worker with no place to worry about the Doctor of Rhodes Island. Ms. Kal'tsit and Amiya may be able to take good care of you, and also keep Rhodes Island in steady, continued operations. But W... is nothing like them. Whether she's coming at you, or the other way around, I just hope both of you can keep calm and don't be hasty. I wanted Amiya or Ms. Kal'tsit to tell you this stuff, or at least have it delivered by ■■■. Everyone gave up and let me do it, but truth be told, I'm also pretty nervous. I mean, I'm just your typical, run-of-the-mill Sarkaz. I can't do crazy Magic or swing big swords and axes - if anything, I'd just drop them on my hooves. The best I can do is to take care of my own work. All I hope... is that Rhodes Island can keep on trucking across the world, safely. Hm? You have a question for me? Theresa? You... where'd you hear that name? ... Theresa, huh? Maybe it won't be so long before you have to truly face your past. - Extra Record: 'So you didn't actually...' 'Death is a great way to get people off your trail. It was his idea to sneak out and meet you here, that's all.' 'So when do we go to Victoria? Wouldn't want to keep our usurper waiting.' 'The situation in Victoria is a lot more complicated than you think. Don't have that much info on Theresis, you know?' 'Still not enough for you?' 'Maybe for you. But for Rhodes Island? Not even close. Do you want to get everyone killed?' 'Fine, fine... since you're so eager to give this a try, I thought you... Oh, did you just want to go help that guy?' 'I want you to sit quietly for now. It's not time yet.' 'Oh... in other words...?' '......' 'How about that? To think we'd be get all these clues about Londinium just by hanging out at Rhodes Island for a bit. How could Kal'tsit be that unprepared?' 'You've done your homework, so stuff like this happens. After all, you also 'get along' so well with the Doctor.' 'Piqued your interest, huh?' 'Not really. I'd like to head back and see Ascalon, if I get a chance.' 'Are you going to Rhodes Island yourself?' 'Sure am. I'm looking forward to seeing what you do next, so try your best to not die when you leave Victoria. We still have a lot of unfinished business.' 'It's okay, don't worry about it. We'll tie up all our loose ends someday.' 'Hmph... You'd better uphold your end of the deal. I'll be waiting. ' - Character from https://www.arknights.global/ Commissioned by me - https://inkbunny.net/AryaJaeger Drawn by - https://www.deviantart.com/lexx2dot0
