Survival of the Resistance

Chapter 1: Rescue Mission

Brown Bess: Hey, Kyōdō. I've brought (Player Name).

Kyoudou: Thank you. Now we've assembled all the members who will participate in this operation.

Springfield: Oh, is it just the five of us?

Kyoudou:That's right. There are other people on different missions, and we need to leave our forces here to defend our base.

Charleville: That's also true. So, what's our mission plan?

Kyoudou: We will rescue Mr. Cormac Godwin, the leader of our Resistance branch who has been missing for several months.

Springfield: Ehh!? Aren't you the leader of this branch, Kyōdō?

Kyoudou: Officially I am the acting leader… You may be aware that our former base was attacked by the World Empire.

Brown Bess: …Ah, I heard those at the Resistance here are the ones who managed to escape.

Charleville: But the people at the base during the attack were…

Kyoudou: Yes. Mr. Godwin was one of those people at the base at that time, and since then, his whereabouts are unknown…

Kyoudou: But, I finally caught hold of his whereabouts. Look at this map… He's being held in custody in this World Empire base here.

Kyoudou: And… he's scheduled to be executed the day after tomorrow.

All 3: ...!!

Charleville: That's an awfully terrible situation…

Kyoudou: This is an urgent matter, but this is also a good opportunity. Even though it’s a small base, it would be reckless to enter with such a small group, wouldn't it?

Kyoudou: However, the execution site where the shooting is carried out is outside of the base. It's possible to invade if you can evade security.

Kyoudou: There's about 10 soldiers at most— when they arrive at the execution site, that’s our best chance to rescue Mr. Godwin.

Brown Bess: I see. It would certainly have a much higher success rate than if we attacked the base's detention facility.

Springfield: But we only have one chance… ugh, I'm feeling a little nervous…

Springfield: …But now's not a good time for that! Alright! Mr. Godwin, we'll definitely save you!

Brown Bess: Right. With the power of Absolute Nobility, we'll certainly accomplish this.

Charleville: Hold on, hold on. First of all, we need to be smart with covert operations. That should be a last resort if things get dangerous.

Charleville: Bess, it seems like not even you fully understand the power of Absolute Nobility, so don't be reckless, alright?

Brown Bess: Reckless…? If we hesitate when the time comes, we'll all be defeated and it'll be the end.

Brown Bess: How can you call yourself noble as a Noble Musketeer if you're always thinking so negatively?

Charleville: ...!

Charleville: Good grief~ Bess, you're so hardheaded… think a little more calmly.

Brown Bess: What did you say…!?

Springfield: H-Hold it, you two…! It’s not good to fight at a time like this!

Charleville: Ahaha… sorry, it's just my usual thoughtless remarks. Don't mind it, Springy. You too, (Player Name)?

Charleville: Right. Well then, let's make a solid plan and prepare for success.

Chapter 2: Humans And Guns

Charleville: Kyōdō, where are we now?

Kyoudou: We're only about one fourth of the way there… We're going at a good pace, and we'll arrive at the execution site tomorrow night as planned.

Kyoudou: There should be an abandoned town nearby. Let's take a break when we arrive there.

Charleville & Springfield: Roger that!

. . . . . .

Kyoudou: You lot and (Player Name) should have lunch now in the shade of a nearby house.

Brown Bess: Where are you going?

Kyoudou: There should be a well on the outskirts of town. I'm going to check to see if it still works.

. . . . . .

Charleville: Hey, (Player Name), do you want some bread, too? There's also jam. I made it with rhubarb from the forest.

Springfield: Wow~ it looks so red and tasty! It looks like strawberry jam. Give me some, too!

Charleville: Alright… Ah? Bess, where's your lunch?

Brown Bess: ...it's this?

Charleville: This… carrots just as is!? You're going to munch on raw carrots!?

Brown Bess: Is that a bad thing? Raw vegetables will last longer than if they are poorly cooked. We didn't have much time before departure.

Springfield: Eeh, it's fine if you don't cook them as elaborately as Big Bro Charle, but you can do a little more… right?

Charleville: Right? See, when you say England, you think of pies, don't you?

Brown Bess: No, that's too elaborate. It's not suited for the battlefield.

Charleville: Ahaha, definitely… Hey, are there any famous dishes in your hometown, (Player Name)?

Charleville: Come to think of it, I've never properly heard you talk about your hometown, so I'd like to know more.

Springfield: Ah… (Player Name), what's the matter…?

Charleville: I’m sorry… did I ask something bad?

Springfield: …Eh, the World Imperial Army destroyed your hometown, too…?

Charleville: Your family as well… I see.

Brown Bess: ......

Brown Bess: There's nothing particularly special about it. That's what fighting is all about. You leave your country to go to the front lines.

Brown Bess: Even in my era, there were plenty of people who lost their family. All of them felt lonely.

Charleville: That's… it's true, but for (Player Name), it's a different era and different way of life.

Brown Bess: Right. However, the fact they are a human being fighting remains unchanged.

Brown Bess: And… we guns are the partners of each and every human who fights.

Brown Bess: I've fought in that era for over 100 years, and I fought as man's partner… we fought together as comrades in arms.

Brown Bess: The same goes for (Player Name)… That's not all.

Brown Bess: Now, I have this body as a Noble Musketeer, too… I'm sure I can help much more than I could before.

Charleville: …Uhm? In other words, "even if you don't have a family, I'm here for you, so don’t worry" is what you're trying to say, Bess?

Brown Bess: ...Eh?

Charleville: I was surprised to hear you say such an intense thing out of the blue! Really, you're so indirect, Bess!

Brown Bess: Huh…!? T-that's wrong! No, it's not wrong, uhm…!

Springfield: Ahahaha, Brown, your ears are all red!

Charleville: Hehe… Bess is so cute! Ahahaha!

Chapter 3: At the Execution Site - I

Charleville: …It's dawn. I wonder what time they'll get here.

Kyoudou:: It shouldn't be too late. The World Empire commonly carries out executions in the morning.

Charleville: I-I see… Well then, it’d be best to get in position early. Let’s go over our movements one final time.

Springfield: Yeah… There's at least five, at most ten, soldiers coming to the execution site.

Kyoudou: Yes. They should have the people they're executing lined up against that wall.

Kyoudou: Brown Bess and I will be at the execution site, and Charleville and (Player Name) will stand by outside.

Charleville: When the time is right, I'll throw this hand grenade onto the road and detonate it to attract the soldiers.

Brown Bess: I'll take care of the rest of those left at the execution site. Kyōdō will look for an opening and rescue Godwin.

Brown Bess: Spring will stay at the halfway point and back one of us depending on how many soldiers there are. You're fast.

Springfield: Yeah, leave it to me! If it's the same number of soldiers, I'll support Big Bro Charle.

Brown Bess: Right. If I attain Absolute Nobility, I can handle a few soldiers. I'll take care of that.

Springfield: Roger that! …If there's more than 5 enemies… I think I'll get a little nervous.

Charleville: If you don't take them down on the first shot, you'll have to endure enemy gunfire before you can reload…

Springfield: I need to awaken Absolute Nobility quickly so that I can help (Player Name) and everyone else…!

Charleville: …T-that's right. But for now, let's work steadily in the limits of what we can definitely do.

. . . . . .

Kyoudou:: …(Player Name). Do you have a moment?

Kyoudou:: Let me pose a hypothetical. If the operation fails and Godwin or I get shot, take the surviving Noble Musketeers and escape.

Kyoudou:: You are the only hope the Resistance has… With you, the Resistance can rise again.

Kyoudou:: ……I'll leave it to you.

Chapter 4: At the Execution Site - II

Brown Bess: …Here they come. The number of soldiers… there's six of them in total. We can't be too careless, but we're able to deal with it.

Brown Bess: …Wait. Did Godwin have a bad leg? From the looks of it, we'll have to carry him while escaping…

Kyoudou: No, that wasn't the case before… That way of walking, is his tendon cut in one leg…!?

Brown Bess: Anyway, give the signal to Charle…!

Soldier A: …! An explosion!? Hey, go check it out!

Soldier B & C: Yes!

. . . . . .

Soldier E: Move the prisoner to another location for now!

Soldier E & F: Gah!

Soldier D: W-what!? A smokescreen…!?

Soldier D: Ghh...!!

Brown Bess: The Brown Bess is a light four kilos. A gunstock makes a splendid blunt weapon, you see?

Brown Bess: …Well, I suppose this fellow that dropped dead can't hear me.

. . . . . .

Soldier A: Gunshots!? I heard them from the execution site… This is a diversion! Turn back!

Soldier A & B: ...!

Soldier C: What...!?

Charleville: I won't let that happen… that's right. I'll leave the last one to Springy…

. . . . . .

Springfield: …! Darn it, I missed…!

Springfield: W-what do I do, I'll hurry and load it one more time…

Charleville: Springy! Don't stand up! Get down!!!

Soldier C: Damn you, Resistance!!

Springfield: ...!!

Brown Bess: Spring! Dammit!

Soldier C: Where are you aiming? You can't hit me with that old gun! Die, all of you!!!

Brown Bess: Bastard…! I'll never allow you to stand again!

Soldier C: Gahhhh—!

Charleville: Springy! Come on! Spring!

Kyoudou: Let's all get out of here! Run into the woods! Mr. Godwin, this way!

Brown Bess: Charle, could you carry Spring on your back!? Godwin needs support!

Charleville: Yes, I’ll take Springy! Hurry!

Chapter 5: Noble Musketeers

Kyoudou: Haah, haah… Let's hide here for now. How is Springfield doing?

Charleville: I can't stop the bleeding… What do we do? His face is so pale. He might die…!

Brown Bess: Calm down! (Player Name), we'll leave it to you.

Springfield: ......

Charleville: Haah… This will wake you up in a while, Springy…

Godwin: His wounds healed…!? Are your hands the miraculous hands that heal wounds…?

Kyoudou: If a Noble Musketeer is injured, (Player Name) is able to literally "treat" them by healing them.

Godwin: Noble Musketeer…? Kyōdō, who the hell are these people? N-no. That aside, you. Your wounds are bleeding…

Charleville: (Player Name), could you lend a hand? I'll bandage him up… Thank you for helping Springy.

. . . . . .

Godwin: …Firstly, let me thank you again. Kyōdō, everyone, I truly thank you for rescuing me.

Godwin: To be honest, I still don't understand what all this is. If you don't mind.. tell me your names first.

Brown Bess: I am Brown Bess. I am a musket born in the 18th century that is said to have built the British Empire.

Charleville: I'm Charleville, the first French musket to be officially adopted.

Godwin: Brown Bess and Charleville…? Of course I notice the names, but are you saying you're guns?

Brown Bess: Right. The personification of antique guns, awakened by (Player Name)— We are Noble Musketeers.

Charleville: By the way, over here is Springfield, America's first domestically-produced gun.

Charleville: He was modeled after me after the American Revolutionary War, so he's like my little brother~

Godwin: What a thing to say… Am I dreaming…?

Kyoudou: No wonder Mr. Godwin is bewildered. Even now I sometimes wonder if this is a dream…

Kyoudou: As you can see, their existence is real and they are lending us their aid…

Kyoudou: And it's (Player Name) who has the special power to awaken them.

Godwin: And it's difficult to believe, but… Brown Bess' power at the execution site…

Godwin: And the miraculous treatment a moment ago… I've seen two miracles with my own eyes. I have no choice but to believe.

Godwin: …Kyōdō. What is the state of the Resistance right now?

Kyoudou: The existence of the Noble Musketeers has changed things dramatically. In small skirmishes, our victories have increased more.

Godwin: Is that so… The Resistance that was as good as dead in the Great Political Purge has gone this far…

Charleville: The Great Political Purge…?

Brown Bess: …Tell us about what happened to the Resistance.

Chapter 6: The Surviving Resistance

Godwin: What happened to the Resistance, huh… Tracing it back, it's a long story.

Godwin: It all began with World War III— the destruction that began with world superpowers spread throughout the world.

Godwin: Nuclear weapons destroyed the land and nature, and when the conflict ended, the world's population was reduced to about a half…

Charleville: ......

Godwin: After many… far too many victims, finally, a ceasefire agreement was made.

Godwin: People who had come to their senses after the madness of war declared a complete abandonment of weapons so that the same mistakes wouldn't be repeated twice.

Godwin: This was led by an organization of representatives from each nation and headed by the World Emperor— The World Imperial Government.

Godwin: The World Imperial Government held a multitude of disarmament conferences, in which each country went forward in abandoning or reducing their armaments and seizing weapons from civilians.

Godwin: But… The World Imperial Army, equipped with military forces to carry out treaties and arbitrate armed conflict, became a relative power…

Godwin: Before long, the World Imperial Army began to engage in barbaric acts under the guise of implementing perfect peace.

Godwin: Military invasions of countries that refused to enter treaties, oppressing countries that have fallen into chaos from civil war in order to put them under direct control…

Godwin: …Around that time, Resistance activities began in various places, due to the sense of danger that a World Imperial Government military control was beginning.

Godwin: The World Imperial Government gradually tightened surveillance, uncovering, and oppression of the Resistance, but we did not bend the knee.

Godwin: However, the second World Emperor ascended to the throne… and the real nightmare began.

Brown Bess: Is the current man who is the World Emperor the second one?

Godwin: Yes. He began conducting a thorough crackdown against the Resistance and other members of rebellions.

Godwin: That was the Great Political Purge that happened 3 years ago— where new missile models were being dropped on rebel states and areas where the Resistance was hiding.

Godwin: I managed to somehow escape disaster, but Resistance leaders in many countries were captured and executed…

Kyoudou: ......

Godwin: I was escaping the World Imperial Government's gaze and was desperate to survive… Around a year ago, I finally restarted my Resistance activities.

Godwin: Although our comrades were increasing little by little, there was no glimmer of hope in battle at all. At that time, I was captured…

Godwin: However, things have changed a lot during the time I was locked up in jail.

Godwin: …Kyōdō. I am getting older, too. With this leg, I can’t take command of the frontlines… Here is the right time.

Godwin: I'm retiring. Of course, if there is anything I can do, I'll do all in my power to help… You'll lead the branch from here on out…

Kyoudou: Mr. Godwin...

Godwin: (Player Name). Please take good care of Kyōdō for me… I feel something marvelous from you.

Godwin: I feel a warm hope welling up deep inside my body… that’s the power I feel.

Godwin: The great antique guns that built history together alongside man… you all, please help them both.

Brown Bess: Yes. From the moment I was awakened as a Noble Musketeer, I have been (Player Name)'s knight.

Brown Bess: That has been my intention from the beginning. And I will always be, as long as I have this body.

Charleville: I'll do the best I can for (Player Name), too.

Charleville: He's asleep now, but… of course, Springy will, too♪

Godwin: …Thank you. I sincerely wish you all a bright future.

Chapter 7: Springfield's Dream

Brown Bess: How's Spring? It seems he'll wake up soon…

Charleville: Yeah. Hey, Springy. How long are you gonna sleep?

Charleville: …Uwah, his hands are cold! He's always so warm, though… Is that because it's cold here?

Charleville: Somehow… it's like returning to an object, and it's a bit scary.

Charleville: Springy. I’ll warm your hands up, so stop dreaming and get up quickly.

Charleville: Here, Bess, you take that hand and breathe on it.

Brown Bess: Hm…? Haah… like this?

Charleville: Yes, yes, like that. Haah…

Springfield: ......

. . . . . .

???: Now, look! This is America's first musket gun.

???: On the lockplate is the brave and free eagle, and the armory, Springfield!

???: Ah…! It's different from the Brown Bess or Charleville, it's a real American-produced gun…

???: Yes! This thing'll certainly help make America a stronger and bigger country…!

???: Yeah! It's the best partner to go forward with us!

Springfield: (Everyone has their hopes for me…)

Springfield: (I can feel their happiness and hard work and everyone's expectations…)

Springfield: (I want to be strong… for everyone's sake…)

. . . . . .

Springfield: …Ah, where am I…

Charleville: Springy! Thank goodness you finally woke up…!

Springfield: Big Bro Charle… was the operation a success? After halfway through, I don't exactly remember what happened…

Charleville: Your bullet missed, so you got impatient and got up to reload, right? That's where you got shot.

Brown Bess: …Goodness, we were seriously scared at the time…

Springfield: Ah… yeah, I remember now… (Player Name), sorry for making you worry.

Springfield: And thank you for your treatment.

Springfield: Haah~… I was in a hurry and I did something completely wrong… Ugh…

Charleville: Now, then, next time you'll be more careful—

Springfield: Right! I’m gonna train a whole lot more, go on a bunch of missions, and get super duper strong!

Charleville: Eh? Springy!?

Springfield: To protect (Player Name), I need to become a cool Noble Musketeer quickly!

Brown Bess: Hey, Spring… It's good to be motivated, but don't be too hasty.

Charleville: Right. Even this time, one mistake and we wouldn't be able to retrieve you.

Springfield: That's… I understand. But don't I have both of your support?

Charleville: No, it's not that we don't support you, it's just that…

Charleville: I mean, how you can think like that after what you just went through is a mystery to me…

Chapter 8: The Winds of a New Era

Godwin: …What a beautiful sunset. I never thought that day would come where I'd see the beautiful outside world with my own eyes again.

Godwin: I'd like to thank you again. Everyone, thank you so very much.

Godwin: I'll be in hiding for a while and I'll move from place to place, but… I'll talk about you all wherever I go.

Godwin: Hope is the greatest strength a person can have. Undoubtedly, the Resistance will gain much more strength from here on out.

Kyoudou: I'll miss you… as the one entrusted to take over after you, I'll work with great pride, Mr. Godwin.

Godwin: Indeed. Then, if I find an antique gun, the first thing I'll do is contact your base.

Resistance Member A: Sorry to keep you waiting!

Godwin: Oh, my convoy has arrived. Well then, I bid you all farewell for now… Please stay in good health.

Brown Bess: You as well. Don't get arrested again.

Charleville: Hey, Bess, don't say it like that!

Charleville: …Monsieur Godwin, Bon Voyage!

Springfield: Take care, Mr. Godwin! It would be great to see you again. Ehehe.

Springfield: Right! Let's return to the base, then!

Springfield: Hey, Kyōdō, what's the next mission? I'd like to get more familiar with more missions and become more useful!

Brown Bess: It's still too soon for you. You need to become more secure and independent…

Springfield: Hey! You nag too much, Brown! You don't have to worry so much, I'm fine!

Brown Bess: Unfortunately, there's not enough evidence to convince me of that statement at this point now.

Springfield: Hmph~! You're such a blockhead, Bess! So stubborn!

Brown Bess: …! That goes for you, too!

Charleville: Ahaha, they’re both at it again.

Charleville: But… just yesterday he almost broke, and now he's already asking for the "next mission", Springy is so fearless.

Charleville: But I was so afraid I felt like my heart was going to stop.

Charleville: …I wonder if Spring also has something like that in common with Brown…

Charleville: Ah… no, it's nothing. Come, let's return to the base quickly, (Player Name).

(Translation Source)