| Operation | Story |
| Previous DH-ST-2 | Next DH-5 |
| Characters | |
| Backgrounds | |
 1  2 | |
| “ | Rhodes Island's operators also show up at the venue to watch the competition. The Round 2 Triathlon begins, and LUNG wRATh are once again encircled by other teams. | ” |
| <Background 1> | |
|---|---|
| [The crowd cheers as D.D.D. hosts the opening of the second round of Dossoles Warrior Champion.] | |
| D.D.D. | First, let's get a little music going! Alright, you've been waiting for two days, and now we're on the brink of the championship's Round 2–the Triathlon! |
| |
| D.D.D. | The rules are simple as could be. First you run, then you ride, and finally you swim! Obstructing competitors? No problem! As long as one of your teammates finishes, you pass! Shortcuts are fair game, but careful of who's lying within the alleys! They're not gonna roll over and let you through! Furthermore, if you reach the finish, but the cycling and swimming checkpoints never saw you, then that's not gonna count! In other words, contestants, nothing's stopping you from spinning around and diving in at the start line–if you wanna be the laughing stock of the whole city. If you're someone who's got it made and you wanna hitch on a low-altitude aircraft, sure! But, if the audience doesn't like that, you might just get booted out at the votes! Further, as fifteen teams directly passed Round 1, along with one team being revived thanks to audience voting, sixteen teams in total made it out. Thus, eight teams will pass Round 2. That's the first eight teams to make it who get the right to pass! Well, then, let's invite those sixteen teams up onto the stage! |
| <Background 1> | |
| [Rhodes Island Operators Eyjafjalla and Sideoca, both wearing their summer attires, are walking through the beaches of Dossoles.] | |
| Eyjafjalla | What a beautiful sea... |
| Sideroca | It really is. Looks like we wasted nothing coming to this city. How about we sit down right here, then. |
| Eyjafjalla | We could also head back. I'm worried we'll be a nuisance to the others here... |
| Sideroca | Don't let it weigh on you. This city doesn't seem to mind the Infected too much. Though it's very plainly not because they're open-minded, but because they don't care... Besides, we have Sussurro with us. We'll be fine, right? |
| Sussurro | Yes. I'm well aware of Eyjafjalla's condition. In my honest opinion, you should worry more about yourself than if you're troubling anyone else. You spend more time indoors than the average person, and that doesn't just have repercussions on your body, but your mental health as well. That's why I, as a doctor, endorsed bringing you here, Eyjafjalla. Everyone should have the right to enjoy the sunshine. |
| Sideroca | Absolutely. They ran into some trouble, but I heard over the screen that the Doctor took a group on vacation somewhere. It's only right that Eyjafjalla and the rest of us get one too. |
| Eyjafjalla | No, I came voluntarily to carry out geological research, and if I hold up everyone else... |
| Sideroca | Aw, come on, now, don't you worry so much. We came here on legitimate grounds, too. Rhodes Island wants to set up a branch office here, and we've never been able to get the mayor's approval. Amiya's had us come here as a liaison. So you just relax and enjoy the competition. |
| Eyjafjalla | Mhm. Thanks. |
| Sideroca | Oh, right. Where's Projekt Red? |
| Sussurro | I don't think she's coming here. She went off alone somewhere. |
| Sideroca | Fine. She's been like this since forever. I'm used to it. |
| [Sideroca notices that the remaining participants of the DWC are heading up to the stage.] | |
| Sideroca | Oh, look! They're up, they're up! |
| [Back to the stage...] | |
| D.D.D. | Let's welcome–LUNG wRATh! |
| [The crowd cheers for team LUNG wRATh.] | |
| Ch'en | ...... |
| Lin Yühsia | ...... |
| Ernesto | Ahaha. |
| Lin Yühsia | Maybe we should split up? |
| Ernesto | The Triathlon's extremely long. We'll lose contact fast if we all do our own thing. Save for any teams sending lone people off to obstruct others, it's principally as a joint effort. If you two have no opinions along that line, then I suggest we work together. |
| Ch'en | No objections. |
| Lin Yühsia | That's acceptable. So long as you don't hinder me in a fight. |
| Ch'en | And the very same to you. |
| [Back to the R.I. Operators...] | |
| Sideroca | Who knew? I thought I was seeing things when I first saw her on the TV, but Ch'en really is here too. On her own vacation, I guess. After the competition's over, let's go say hello to her. |
| Eyjafjalla | Okay. |
| Sideroca | Brilliant. You two can watch, I'll go buy you some food. Stay right here and don't wander off, okay? |
| Sussurro | Alright. |
| [Back to the stage...] | |
| D.D.D. | And that's your introduction to all sixteen teams. Just like Round 1, you audience-siders get the chance to place your bets here and splash in even more competition joy. All spectators are invited to register your info on the government site, and you can make yourself a little extra cash! For specifics on how it'll work, refer to your government-issued competition guides. During Round 2, you'll find our honored guest in a slightly different place. Mr. Pancho's already headed for the cruise ship to prepare Round 3, so he'll be talking with you via video feed. Alright, the contestants are all at the ready line! Let's have Lady Candela up for us to fire off the Round 2 salute! |
| [Candela enters the stage...] | |
| Candela | You have fun, all you youngsters. I declare–Round 2 has officially begun! |
| [...and fires the flare gun that marks the start of DWC's second round.] | |
| <Background 2> | |
| Ernesto | It looks like we're being watched again. |
| Lin Yühsia | Let's finish this quickly. |
| “ | LUNG wRATh smoothly goes through the footrace section. Swire and Hoshiguma chat about the cruise ship in the middle of the sea and the presenter's identity. | ” |
| <Background 1> | |
|---|---|
| D.D.D. | They've been the target of collusion from the very start of the event, but LUNG wRATh have once again put on a marvelous breakthrough act. Mr. Pancho, you mentioned how this team was struggling to mesh in Round 1. What do you think of them now? |
| [Pancho, who is onboard the cruise ship in the middle of Dossoles' sea, patches himself in to the audience.] | |
| Pancho | Cooperation troubles don't get resolved in one night. But obviously, these two know about the problem, so they've clearly divided up their combat. This time, it's a lot more nimble than the fighting in Round 1. |
| D.D.D. | Good to know. So, does that mean their chance of victory has shot up? |
| Pancho | Still hard to say. The other contestants'll have their own countermeasures. |
| D.D.D. | That's true. Trying to hold back LUNG wRATh normally has already proven ineffective, so let's hope the other competitors can show us some new tricks! |
| Hoshiguma | Heh, they're right. And the mood between them's eased a bit too. Wonder if anything happened. |
| Swire | So it comes from the Iberian period, no wonder... |
| Hoshiguma | Hm? Missy, that's not the competition. What are you looking at? |
| Swire | Information on this cruise ship. |
| Hoshiguma | What's so interesting? Did you just say Iberia? |
| Swire | Yeah. The ship's actually a relic from the age of Iberia. |
| Hoshiguma | That early...? Actually, thinking about it, there's no other country that would have stuff like this. |
| Swire | Mhm. And Mayor Candela paid big money to buy it off the Iberians, and for the tech to remodel it. And all this just to have the thing floating out on the city's sea. I don't think there's another person across the whole world who'd do that. |
| Hoshiguma | That sure is some level of luxury. Speaking of which, Missy, weren't you looking into this Mayor the past two days? Any findings? |
| Swire | Findings... they're still pretty basic so far. This Candela Sanchez, in some sense, is someone who can stand shoulder to shoulder with Chief Wei. |
| Hoshiguma | She's that powerful? |
| Swire | Yeah. It's not exactly the same, but they're both completely wrapped up in their cities, and both have a tight grip on the reins of government. As a member of the L.G.D., I would absolutely never say I admire someone who builds a city like this. But as a daughter of the Schwire family, I have to admit, a builder like that is a real tough customer. If we're saying this city's base is much more solid than it seems, then its superstructure is even crazier than it seems. Agents of three governments come flooding into this city every day, and the news will sometimes report on disputes, even small-scale conflicts, between them. But the thing is, nobody cares. They come here as an open secret, respect an unwritten code of conduct, and revel in a joy they could never have outside. Can you picture it? The first time the three sides clashed, Mayor Candela showed up for sure, and used some method we could never imagine to "talk them over." And after that, anyone who came to this city had to keep by the rules she set. But I just don't know what it was. Leverage? Or a political bargaining chip? |
| Hoshiguma | Lady Candela has enough armed force on hand to defend this city, that's for sure. But beyond all of that, I feel like there's a real simple answer, Missy. Haven't you already realized? |
| Swire | Realized what? |
| Hoshiguma | Here's what it is–alcohol, sugar, coffee, and entertainment. |
| Swire | How could those things possibly... |
| Hoshiguma | It's a time-old tale, Missy. The frugal convert to extravagance, but it's a nightmare to go the other way. Forget old boys who've been spoiled rotten since childhood. You could even take me. If I suddenly lost something I was real used to and felt was real nice, I'd be struggling for sure. Not to mention after losing it, I'd have to make do with junk instead. Sometimes, people's wills just bend like paper, and what Bolívar's like now really doesn't help. If you told me this place was full of people with firm wills, I wouldn't believe you. |
| Swire | ...... |
| Hoshiguma | It can't have been that smooth as first, but as time went on, nobody could stand up to reject it all. All of this has become some sort of status quo. But I'll also acknowledge, for being able to decide straight from the start that this was how this city would come to manifest, this Mayor really is phenomenally powerful. Powerful to the point that it's frightening. |
| <Background 2> | |
| Lin Yühsia | There's a curve ahead. Do we take a shortcut? |
| Ch'en | No need. According to the map, we get the most shortcuts on the cycling section. If someone's going to try something, it'll probably be around then. |
| Ernesto | Don't forget, Ms. Candela has her underlings guarding the shortcuts. They're probably more dangerous than any dangerous terrorists. If the other side didn't make a move during Round 1, I can only assume they'll be even more cautious during Round 2. |
| Ch'en | Mm. We'll see as things come. |
| <Background 1> | |
| Hoshiguma | Come to mention it, Missy, does this MC seem familiar to you? |
| Swire | Hm? Now that you say it, it's like I really have seen them somewhere before. |
| Hoshiguma | Mmm. I feel like I've seen her somewhere, too. |
| Sideroca | She's D.D.D., you know. |
| Hoshiguma | D.D.D.? Oh, now I remember. She's that real famous DJ, right? I saw a poster once. What's she doing here as a presenter, huh. Mm? Wait... Sideroca? What are you doing here? Out on a mission? |
| Sideroca | You could say that. It was a mission in Bolívar, helping Eyjafjalla with some geological research on the side. We heard there was a city here, and once we were all done, we put in for a vacation here. How about you? Came with Ch'en? |
| Hoshiguma | No, we came for a different reason. You seem pretty in the know. You a music girl too? |
| Sideroca | Not really. A lot of operators are into her, and I've learned some things by osmosis. Right, you want to come over and sit with us? |
| Hoshiguma | What do you say, Missy? |
| Swire | Alright. I was getting a little bored of the competition anyway. Eyjafjalla's here too? |
| Sideroca | Yep. She's out here so we can get her to relax for once. |
| Swire | Wow, then that's perfect–I've never met her before. I intend to give her a proper hello. |