The Movement on the Board

**The Movement on the Board** is the tenth episode of the Infinite Dendrogram anime.

## Plot

Veldorbell recalls his past as a famous composer and his despair at being unable to fulfill his dream of composing a heroic epic since he knows nothing of heroes. While he regrets not being born in the age of knights or the world of myth, he comes into contact with *Infinite Dendrogram*. Impressed by its tagline, he becomes a Master, viewing it as a world close to his own ideal and place where he can find what he has been looking for.

Meanwhile back in Gideon, Marie Adler is having trouble dealing with Veldorbell’s attacks. Analysing the situation, she realizes that he is using three different types of skills, a vibration field that defends against attacks, sound-based hypnosis, and an ultrasonic scalpel. She surmises that Veldorbell’s Embryo must be a Type Legion with multiple skills, a type she is bad at dealing with. Complimenting his music she asks him if it is because of the job skills of the King of Orchestras, to which he replies that he composed the score himself. Impressed, Marie asks why someone like him is in a robot production clan and he replies that it is because Franklin might become a hero one day. Seeing Marie’s confusion, he elaborates that his dream is to see the birth of a hero. He then reduces the range of his vibration field. While Marie believes it to be due to running low on MP, Veldorbell orders Percussion to go solo, while tuned by Wind and Strings. Now convinced that Veldorbell is about to launch another attack, Marie tries to approach him but is attacked by a low frequency high volume sonic attack inaudible to humans. She quickly realizes the attack is from above, where she sees a fourth Legion, a harpy playing the piano. Seeing this, she deduces that Veldorbell’s Embryo is based on the Town Musicians of Bremen, which Veldorbell confirms. He then attacks her with Percussion. As she takes damage from the attack, Marie has a flashback to her past.

Marie recalls when her manga *Into the Shadow* was canceled when her publisher went under. She was soon offered a deal at serialization from another magazine but soon discovered that she was suffering from writer’s block and could no longer write her main character, Marie Adler. Despairing, she prayed to God for help to allow her to continue writing. Soon after, she remembered the existence of ‘’Infinite Dendrogram’’ and intrigued by the premise of a virtual life filled with new possibilities, she became a Master and based her avatar after Marie Adler and began roleplaying as her. Though she hasn’t continued her manga, she can feel the Marie within her breathing again, which is more than enough reason for her to continue playing the game.

After Percussion’s attack ended, all that remains is a huge crater. Veldorbell uses the skill **Sound Search** to confirm Marie’s death. Finding no trace of her, he deactivates **Heartbeat Palpitation**. Looking at his status window, he sighs at the cost of using this skill and takes out a potion to recharge. Before he can do that, he is attacked from behind by Marie, which destroys one of his defensive items. She then follows up with a rush of blows before Veldorbell can reactivate ‘’Heartbeat Palpitation’’. While Marie queries whether he is now out of defensive items, Veldorbell is astonished by her survival, to the point that he asks what she is. Though Marie dodges the question, she thinks to herself that although her ultimate job skill **Art of Vanishing** perfect stealth ability is powerful, it costs a great deal of SP. Ejecting a bullet inscribed with a picture of a girl from her Embryo crest, she declares her intention to finish Veldorbell off right here, to which he replies that he cannot die here since history is about to be made in the Kingdom and that he needs to see it with his own eyes, or he will never complete his masterpiece. Surprised, Marie muses that they are similar. Transforming her revolver into a pistol, she declares that she will kill him anyway. Veldorbell curses her impudence and activates his ultimate job skill, **Final Orchestra**. Marie quips back that it is merely part of her character while loading her special bullet into her revolver. The two activate their Embryo ultimate skills, **Arc en Ciel – Daisy Scarlet the Explosion Death** and **Bremen – Wind**. The clash causes a huge explosion. When the smoke clears, Veldorbell has been blown backward, his Embryo destroyed, while Marie and the girl from her bullet stand before him. Stunned, he asks why she is still alive, after hearing **Wind'**s music that causes death to all who hear it. Apologizing, Marie reveals that she did not hear the music, as Daisy Scarlet blew away the atmosphere surrounding them, causing the sound to be unable to reach her, which only shocks Veldorbell further, causing him to refer to her as a philistine as she raises her pistol and finishes him off. Shortly after, Mr. Franklin sees Veldorbell’s signal disappear from his map. Realizing that someone of Veldorbell’s strength would not have gone down easily, he comes to the conclusion that the Superior Killer won’t be able to attack him any further. Barring any further irregulars, that only leaves a handful of Superiors in the city and Ray as his enemy. Thinking back to their first meeting, he regrets giving him an animal ears potion and wishes that he had given him an instant death potion instead as revenge for ruining his assassination attempt on Liliana Grandria. He quickly puts the thought out of his mind, as he has already prepared the RSK to deal with Ray.

Hugo Lesseps opens his eyes at the impressed sound of Franklin’s voice, as the man appears with Elizabeth S. Altar over his shoulder. Merrily kicking over one of the Frozen Masters and causing them to break apart and vanish, he tells Hugo that he should have done the same, to which Hugo replies that he was saving ammo. Franklin then asks what setting Hugo is using and he replies that only Masters affiliated with the Triangle of Wisdom can pass through, though the members of the Royal Guard had also gone through. Franklin praises his forbearance, as killing tians outside of war would lead to being put on the wanted list. Walking past Hugo, Franklin asks him to change the setting so that Ray can pass through, since he intends to settle things himself. Franklin is soon greeted by the members of the Royal Guard, led by Liliana, who declared their intention of freeing Elizabeth. As the group unsheaths their swords, Franklin asks if attacking him is OK since he has Elizabeth right with him. Liliana replies in the affirmative, since the Royal Guard are bound by magic that makes them unable to hurt royalty. Since turning her blade on her princess pains her heart she asks him once more to release her, to which he refuses. She then activates Grand Cross, which instantly destroys his Lifesaving Brooch. Thanking his lucky stars for equipping it, Franklin’s thought turn back to Marie and he sighs at how much he is spending today. As Theodore Lindos calls for the Royal Guards to charge at him, Franklin raises his right hand containing his Jewel, and summons the RSK, an ominous purple creature that looms in front of him.

Hugo thinks back to her life as Yuri Gautier, the second daughter of an upper class French family, consisting of a prominent businessman father, an actress mother and her beautiful and intelligent older sister. Though their life seems perfect, her father’s abuse of her mother casts a shadow on her family, which eventually becomes an irreparable break as her sister, who had learned traditional pottery from their grandfather after the death of their pet iguana, left her family once her father destroys her work due to deeming it unfit for a wife, followed closely by her parents' divorce. Yuri’s childhood is filled with a desire to protect her mother and sister, embodied by her dream of being a brave knight from a play, a wish she eventually gives up on. Half a year after her parents divorce, she learns of *Infinite Dendrogram*. Wanting her character to be the embodiment of her dream, she becomes Hugo Lesseps, a knight dedicated to protecting helpless women.

Hugo is shook awake from his daydreaming by a worried Cocytus, who tells him it is not too late to stop participating in Franklin’s plan. Hugo refuses since this is the best way to avoid the greater casualties of war between the Kingdom and Imperium and that they are only targeting Masters. When Cyco comments that it is still rough on him, he tells her that his personal goal is to help Franklin and that he is willing to renounce his role as Hugo, just as he notices the arrival of Ray.

Looking at a sign which reads “No Masters shall pass beyond the point”, Ray asks whether Hugo wants him there or not, something Hugo says he is unsure of. Upon being asked where Franklin is Hugo tells Ray that he is past the gate, fighting the Royal Guard. Hugo then tells Ray that he is free to pass, but Rook Holmes, who has accompanied him, is not, telling a confused Ray that Franklin wishes to fight him personally, though he refuses answering any other questions. Rook tells Ray to go ahead and leave things to him, since Hugo being a friend of his will only lead Ray to regret if he is too late to help out the Royal Guard. Thanking Rook, Ray rushes ahead, only to be surprised as Hugo’s Magingear takes up its stance, Apologizing for going back on his word, Hugo asks Ray for an exchange of blows, which he agrees to. Hugo’s attack is foiled by Ray’s Counter Absorption and he is pushed back by Vengeance is Mine. As Ray rides past him, Hugo muses that using up one of his precious stocks of Counter Absorption is a fatal blow to Ray in his fight ahead. Cyco’s attempt to comfort Hugo as he writhes in disgust at his own schemes is cut off by an ambush from Rook and Babylon. Brushing off Hugo calling him a coward, Rook tells Hugo that it is his own fault for being lost in thought, which surprises Hugo, since it’s coming from a friend of Ray. Rook agrees saying that is why he admires Ray and that he also hates Hugo, which surprises Babi, as it’s the first time she has heard Rook utter those words. While Hugo tries to laugh off Rook’s assessment of him, Rook continues, telling him that he truly is loathsome, being uppity and indecisive, just like a certain someone. Hugo continues to brush off Rook’s words, intending to put an end to him there as a Master of the Triangle of Wisdom and Franklin’s thorn, while Rook desires to win as Ray friend and as himself. The two name themselves as they begin their battle.

Beyond the gate, Franklin admires the RSK as it decimates the Royal Guard, though he finds its attack power somewhat lackluster. Running out of options, Liliana and Sir Lindos combine their Grand Cross attacks on the creature, which while impressing Franklin has no effect on it whatsoever, which further shocks Sir Lindos. Franklin pities them for being Paladin, sword wielders with the holy element, but his thoughts are cut off as a burst of flame engulfs the RSK, heralding Ray’s arrival, delighting Franklin. Telling Liliana that the kidnapping of a child leaves a bad taste in his mouth, he brandishes his sword at Franklin, declaring his intention to crush him, which further excites the mad scientist. Remarking that people as earnest as Ray are unusual in Infinite Dendrogram, Franklin dearly looks forward to breaking Ray. Ray points Nemesis at Franklin, intending to finish him off for his crimes, while Franklin bounces his words back at him.

## Characters

* Marie Adler
* Veldorbell
* Mr Franklin
* Elizabeth S. Altar
* Hugo Lesseps
* Cocytus
* Liliana Grandria
* Theodore Lindos
* Ray Starling
* Rook Holmes
* Babylon
* Marilyn
* Nemesis (in Black Blade form)