We're almost there. Takehaya should be waiting at the peak.
This is the final regular segment of the dungeon. We'll be switching up the party for the next boss, but as you can see for the time being I'm still using the same party as defeated Tiamat.
The final Bloom wall Dragons are Demon Dragon Vs. Naturally, they're very beefy. 15,946 HP, resistances to Fire, Ice, and Aerial, etc.
As you can see, dealing with one took me... a while. There's four in total on the map, but you don't actually need to beat all four to get through or get both treasures. I only fight two.
This isn't just space loot, it's like, triple super duper space loot. Crazy.
Curiously, there are actually two different roaming Dragons here. The southernmost is a Criminal Dragon V, and the other two are Massive Dragon Vs. I didn't get it on this run, but naturally, these drop the final megaphone, which I just went and loaded up the game to get to fact check myself here. The rest of the ultimate weapons are the same, but Mio's is called the Pilgrim's Alarum, and it's a palette swap of the Polka-Dot Mic. Its stats are +133 ATK and +104 MAT. It's +5 ATK on the Ray Gun, but curiously, it's 2 points lower on MAT than the Wildcat Mic... which means that the Wildcat Mic, as far as I'm concerned, was actually Mio's best weapon all along, postgame included.
Anyway, this Dragon right here? It's the last regular Dragon I fight in the entire LP, barring that Criminal Dragon V I just loaded up months later off recording. For old times' sake, here's a few highlights.
Whapow! One more down.
You mind if I take a break for a second? Getting pretty rough out here.
No, that's alright. Of course.
It would behoove you, the player, to save before going any further.
See, uh... we have a bit of a roadblock in front of us.
Oh my god.
What the hell are you doing here?!
Come on! Why are you in our way?
I died like a dog. I never got the chance to fight you clean—no sorrow, no pain, no interference. That's what I really want.
...?
Ah, yes. You aren't acquainted. Aitelle, this is Shouji Sakuraba, former commander of SECT11. Shouji, Aitelle.
Heya. Sorry, I'm gonna be sticking my nose in one last time.
You do realize we are, at this very moment, attempting to ensure the fate of humanity, right?
I guess that means it's just in-character for me to do this.
You're the worst, dude. I mean you're just literally the worst.
So true bestie. He's literally the worst.
Yeah, I—
HAWAAAAAAAAAAAAAH?!
W-whoa!
Waaaah!
Gyaaaaah!
What.
Where the hell did you come from?!
Wow. I mean a girl goes and blows herself up for you guys, I mean literally detonates herself, and this is the response she gets.
I mean there's no 'welcome back SATSUKI', no 'gosh, SATSUKI, we really miss you, it's great to see you, how's the food in the informational realm' or anything. Way to make me feel appreciated.
This one said she wanted to tag along too, so I brought her.
S-SATSUKI. It's... it's you.
In some approximation of the flesh, it's the beautiful SATSUKI! Thought I'd stop by and say hi, seeing as how it's probably the only chance I'll get.
SATSUKI...
Aww, hey, c'mere, Sumie, let Mama give you a hug. You beat Fomalhaut. You did a really great job, like I told you, okay?
It's good to see you, SATSUKI.
Yes, it's... I certainly didn't...
AND YOU. MY LITTLE RICHTER BOY.
look at my little boy turning out to be such a badass.
I gotta be real with you here I'm really glad I had you around as my second 'cause there was like some internal stuff going on there that may have made that whole heroic sacrifice thing not go as well as it was supposed to if you weren't there and man that would've made me feel really awkward and guilty
BUT IT'S FINE IT'S FINE. Whoooooooosh! Water under the bridge!
SATSUKI, I'm very glad to see you, but please understand that I say this with no malice towards you—
What the fuck was that?! Come on!
what's wrong koron. is someone a widdwe angwy at me. is someone being a widdwe bit of an angwy baby at me.
You're no longer part of my girlfriend's brain, so understand that I have far fewer compunctions against attacking you if need be.
The point is we're happy to see you.
SATSUKI, I—
Hold that thought? I think this guy's getting impatient.
You can talk once I'm done.
...
hoooo.
Okay! I can do this!
Attagirl! Gimme that knife you got.
What, you're helping?
If this is Unit 13's final mission, then I want a piece! I'm a member of Unit 13 too!
Heh. That you are.
Then let's do it together one last time!
Sumie Kazuki and SATSUKI's reunion show, a one-time only event!
Then get ready to eat lead! Enjoy the battlefield!
I always did want a chance to beat you up on the front lines.
Surprise! I figured, why not take just one fight to have both types of Tricksters in the party at once, especially against an enemy Trickster? We'll be handling this fight with Sumie, SATSUKI, and Koron.
This is perhaps not the best party for this fight. Shouji has 15,022 HP, and in terms of defenses and HP he's a definite downgrade from what's come before him. However, Shouji is an offensive monster, capable of dealing incredible piles of damage whenever he wants—this is essentially an upgraded version of the double-action Shouji mode that I opted to skip over by killing him first back in Chapter 4. He's immune to Hack, Curse, and D-Depth, none of which are particularly bad for our party but can really be nasty for certain parties.
Let's get things rolling with some bufferoonies, I say!
This is me busting out a Navi Cake. I really, really need not to die.
Oh, yeah! I'm feeling it!
Here is one of the largest problems with this fight. On his first action, Shouji will pop Furious Roar, which is a 50% buff to all of his physical damage for the first five turns of the battle. He'll only do this once, but this means that the first five turns of this fight are a make-or-break barrage that define your ability to handle it.
WHOA WATCH OUT
You should've watched out yourself.
Yeah...
Wide Shot is a 2-hit AOE with only 60% accuracy. This is a good thing, because it does a lot of damage.
Piss off!
Getting Paralysis here is a big deal.
It's time to go nyoom!
There you go!
Ugh! Nice shooting.
All told, this does about 1600 damage.
Just in case.
Owww
Halo Shot is a high-priority 1.2x damage double-hit with high accuracy. As you can see, it one-shot Sumie. This is what we in the business call bad.
Hahaha! C'mon, I'm just getting started!
You know, lest you forget that even Shouji's basic attack hits twice.
Oh my god, piss off! Sumie, you okay?
What is this guy's actual problem oh my GODDDD
SHUNK
Ugh! What the?!
You've been Scorpiowned, loser.
Hahaha! Man, I'm glad I got to fight you for real. Nice shooting!
I'm not. Go away!
Eat shit.
think i might try that whole critting thing again too
Leave! Oh my god! Go away!
Hrk!
You have no idea, I mean you have legitimately no idea, how big of a deal these two paralysis procs were. Taking two turns off of dealing with Furious Roar is a HUGE deal.
Die!
Sorry, can't. I'm already dead.
Owww
Man. You have problems.
Simply get owned.
Venom Boost's rate of damage increase actually goes down the number of Tricksters you have in your party, even if they're using Guns. Still, Venom Boost is Venom Boost.
Heh. Fuck you.
schwink.
Ugh. Oh, man. This really hurts, you know that?
Hah... Yeah. You guys really are the real deal.
THANK YOU. OH MY GOD, THANK YOU.
DAH! DAH! DAH!
I can do buffs, too! Bento power!
Flag Special to crank up the defense. I'm not taking any chances here.
yeah this is what i've got here
In case he gets any funny ideas.
Ugh!
Not down, huh? Must be getting tired.
Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa!
Ricochet is a move that Shouji is extremely unlikely to use in Chapter 4 until after he moves to his second phase. It's a random-target 3-hit with high priority but only 60% accuracy.
you know, behavior like this is why you don't have friends
True.
Almost there, Sumie! We got this!
I AM SO TIRED OF THIS GUY
Man, but I'm having the time of my life over here!
FUCK OFF!
I don't even know how this happened but this didn't even target anybody. I think it was still set to target Sumie or something??? I don't know.
It's okay, Sumie. I hate him too.
Leave, you goddamn prick! Leave!
C'mon! I'm not done fighting yet!
YEAH YOU ARE IDIOT
Yeah... I am. Idiot.
Memento of Shouji. Holds a soldier's pride.
Aaaaand that's a wrap! Thanks for coming to our show tonight! Did you imagine who's on the bass? It's! Miss! TWISTERRRRR!
Please stay dead now. None of us like you.
Hawawawawawaaaa
This fight took me over half an hour and over a dozen failed tries.
Thanks. Sorry to have bothered you one last time, but I think I can finally move on now.
We'll do a better job of it than you ever did. You were an important man to SECT11, and I recognize your ability, but also, you're a pain in our collective asses. Goodbye.
Heh. Yeah. Izumi's in good hands, isn't she. Later days.
Well, that was fun, but I oughta get going, too.
SATSUKI, um... I just...
thank you. thank you for everything. There's so much I could thank you for, I don't think I could ever run down the list. If it weren't for you, I'd... never have gotten this far.
I promise I'm going to live happily. And I'll make you proud. Okay?
I already knew you were gonna, I just wanted to give you a hug.
Do you ever think about how thanks to Sumie, the Royal Historian of the Lucier's personality is now that of an obnoxious gamer otaku?
I'M SO MUCH MORE INTERESTING NOW!!! IT'S POGGERS!!!
I really hope you don't wind up bothering whoever gets stuck with you next.
And hey. Sumie. Listen. There's one last thing I forgot to tell you before I went.
SATSUKI put her hands on Sumie's shoulders.
I'm you, and you're me. But... I'm me, and you're you. Never feel ashamed of living your life for yourself. It's the thing I like most about you.
...yeah.
OKAAAAAY
Later trails, everyone! Congrats on the datefriend, Richter, congrats on retirement, Youka, congrats on being your funny little self, Koron, congrats on your sexy new venue and increasing popularity, Mio, and congrats on existing, Orochi! As someone who's been the cause of quite a few existential crises herself, I sympathize.
Yeah, please understand that we're all happy we got to see you again and sad you're going again so soon, it's just kinda hard to think of things to say because of the particular circumstances.
Yes. I hope my sentiments are appreciated despite a lack of solid words.
What they said.
you guys're precious.
Much like the rest of the spirits, SATSUKI vanished into a blue light.
Bye-bye. Take care.
please understand that SATSUKI is still in the next three screenshots, for structural sake i feel the need to take them anyway
This is the final fast travel point, so I kind of had to poke it with SATSUKI in the party or else I'd have to run all the way back here from Ikebukuro for no reason. ANYWAY,
...We are almost there. Only one obstacle remains in our path. And yet...
It's fine. He's not a big deal.
...What?
No, seriously. It's fine.
Huh?
Well, see, there is also, of course, the problem that humanity will be subject to further Dragon invasions.
One in 2100, and one much further along the line, from Haze. These two are certain.
Yes, but—
Wait.
Really? Are you being real with me here?
...
Orochi Hosokawa, Human Dragon. I am born of love. I am the half of the will of Hypnos destined to nurture mortals, to care for them. Hatred is not meant to be part of me.
However, satisfaction very much is, as is desire. Therefore, I wish you luck, and bid you, as they say, 'get his ass'.
These are probably going to be the last chests we open in here.
Okay. SATSUKI's counting on me, so let me get it real good here. Ahem. Okay.
L O O T ! ! !
Oh my god, this is actually happening.
No way. It's not even my birthday, Orochi.
I knew you'd be happy.
Ordinarily, I would caution us not to take this next battle too lightly.
However, I can't help but be a bit excited myself.
Hm? Wherefore am I physical? This is unusual. Has some lifeform caused a distortion within the cosmos again? I am trying to recuperate strength here, you lowly worms—
Wha—
Hey, Niara. I'd say 'long time no see', but for you it's been a pretty short while, hasn't it?
Sup, shitbag? Remember me?
Wha—wha—wha—wha—wh-wh-wh-wh-w-w-w-w-w-w-w-w-w-w-VFD?!?!?!?!?! And her cadre of humans?! And—and one of the women of Hypnos?!?! What is the meaning of this?!
Oh, simple. We're going to kill you.
I drew Ame-no-Ohabari.
T-that sword—! What is the—it—
Y-you! You are... What is this?! Tyrant?! VFD was Tyrant?!
My name is Orochi Hosokawa, the Human Dragon. Carve it into your soul in the instants before your obliteration. This blade, forged of mine own heart, will render you null just as it did Fomalhaut.
I don't get to land the killing blow this time, but ready to have some more fun, Niara?
What? Pfft. You are bluffing. 'Render me null'. Hah! What a pathetic jest. I—
Niara paused for a moment, as if checking.
Oh. Fomalhaut has been erased. VFD, who is truly Tyrant after reincarnation, has obliterated him with a blade forged of the same metal as tore my wing off, from her own heart. And now she and her humans are here.
Yes, that's the situation. We're here to meet someone, but we have a bit of time for you first.
...
by the way i'm a catgirl now
GET AWAY FROM ME!
The whole point of this blade is its ability to kill True Dragons.
Let's make sure it can do it again!
Tsujigiri, or 'crossroads killing', is a practice from the Sengoku period that was later outlawed in 1602 (though that didn't stop people) wherein samurai, upon receiving a new blade, would test it on a passerby, often at nighttime.
Anyway, here to claim his series perfect attendance award is Niara! Illusory Monarch Niara is our semifinal opponent, the last barrier to the final battle. He has much the same tricks he did in the first game—in fact, he has exactly the same tricks, they have not been altered at all. He has less HP, at 19,270 HP, and his defenses aren't that great, but his offensive stats are tied with the final superboss at 323. Pretty high! That said, it's Niara. After a game full of more complex and brutal enemies than this guy, he shouldn't be that big of a problem.
How dare you?! I will destroy you, mortals! I will scatter you to the winds!
Hmmph!
Aww, what, that was it?
Feel my wrath, manipulator!
Ow.
Prepare yourself.
There we are.
Okay but he's not actually unthreatening, he is a True Dragon.
Of course.
Ugh! This woman... Once again her fists vex me!
Burn and die!
As a refresher, Black Blaze is an AOE Fire attack that can inflict Burn.
Ugh!
Take this!
Niara shrieked in pain.
AAAAARGH! Get that thing away from me!
She's actually going to do the opposite of that.
There you are, everyone.
Perish!
Do not heal her! Stop that!
I don't think I will.
Fine! Experience the light that will spell your oblivion!
Gahahahahahaha! Pathetic mortals! I am a god! You cannot—
WHY ARE YOU STILL MOVING?!
Okay. So she's at 1 HP, right? That's actually not from Death's Door. Niara actually brought her down to 1 HP. Death's Door proceeded to proc on the Burn damage. Lol.
Engaging garbage collection!
Hey check out all this healing I'm doing!
How DARE you mock me so?!
I've set a Trojan! I'm going to see if I can't hack him!
You pathetic little worm! Tremble in fear!
As a refresher, Nihil Gaze can inflict Sleep, Freeze, Downer, and Poison. Trash Pickup is going to get rid of all of these.
Gahahahaha! You will break under my onslaught!
Ugh! What is—?!
EEYAAAAAAAGH! No! No! This blade will not be the death of me!
Hey, Niara, wanna see a new toy I got?
No! I do not!
Too bad!
Humans! You worms! You writhing maggots! Once I return, your entire planet shall fall before me! I will devour it whole in one gulp!
Yeah, yeah, keep talking.
Gahahahaha! The taste of your blood shall be divine!
You know, you always did talk too much.
I do not wish to hear that from you! You and your nonsense posturing that fascinated the Progenitor so never impressed me!
Aww, is someone mad he's not the favorite?
Silence.
You are all entirely unacceptable!
AAAAA--AAAAAAAA-A-A-AAA-AGH!
The sound of his cries were beginning to break up.
Incidentally, the way Niara's leadup to his final attack, True Dragon Meteor, works, is that once he uses Killer React>True Dragon Fang>Nihil Gaze in that order on his transition to his second phase, you're essentially on a timer. Aside from Extra Turn actions, which don't count, you have 8 of his actions after that until he starts charging up True Dragon Meteor. So, from here, he'd need to take 7 more actions to even start charging.
Begone from here! Begone! Leave my sight! Leave me be!
Your death is at hand.
This guy never had a shot.
He never even had a gun. I have the guns here.
Pow!
HOW DID YOU EVEN PUNCH ME
Orochi! Now!
May this beast of gold/leave this world forevermore/by my blade's command! Mate in 16!
That time, my blade struck through his flesh, and pierced straight through his heart.
I—I—!
Amidst the explosions of the information that comprised him detonating right in front of us, Niara's body shattered and vanished into a flash of pure white light.
Exquisitely detailed, with gold leaf.
Bye-bye, Invader! For real this time!
Emille...
Until we meet again, I hope that this at least satisfies you a little.
That's for everyone you killed last year, asshole.
really couldn't have happened to a nicer guy.
We really did it. We really beat him this time!
Our victory in the First Dragon War is now complete.
Everyone...
Thank you. On the behalf of all the people of Hypnos, and all those whose planets were devoured by him... Thank you. I cannot possibly express my gratitude.
We've finished the Lucier's battle, too. No longer will this planet be beholden to his whims.
Everyone. Thank you.
...There's just one more battle left to fight.
Once again, we appeared at Fomalhaut's stardust staircase.
Hey. So... you're Ulania, right? The last queen of Atlantis.
...This is the legend of the ocean empire Atlantis, twelve thousand years old. The end of a war... and the end of those the queen loved. The battle between the hunters and Niara lasted for three days and three nights. By the time the battle had concluded... it was already all over.
Waiting for your answer, here, in this moment. Sumie Kazuki... were they happy? Did they perish satisfied?
...
Yeah. They did, Your Majesty. The five of them were all proud as hell. They left a message for me... so that's how I know.
In the year 2021, someone much like that Queen was born, to unite with those much like the ones that Queen loved—welcomed, at the end of a long journey. I wear her face now. However—
You're Ulania, not Marina. In a way...
She's you, and you're her. But you're you, and she's her.
She's going to be okay, Ulania. Marina might have been born from you, but she won't be put into the same situation you were. She'll grow up to be a proud woman.
I mean, you don't even actually look the same. So don't worry about it, y'know?
If it does turn out that any of you survived—however, whenever, or wherever—any Atlantean Lucier will be welcome with the Lucier of the modern age. I promise. I'll be there—or someone like me.
...Sumie... I-I...
...
No. I have spoken enough. Everyone... thank you. Thank you all.
Maybe I, too, will see you again.
And one last passing spirit—the spirit of the last queen of Atlantis—passed from our eyes, into the depths of space.
Next time...
...the end of Sympathy for Chisa Inomiko.
--------------------------
Man, you seriously killed another god? I mean you already killed him but you really killed two gods.
Hey, well, you know how it is.
I literally don't.
Crazy, right?
You two... You're really something else.
So, those Lucier kids.
Sumie oversaw them being woken up. There's a few dozen of them at the moment, and Citron and the rest of Sumie's friends from Manzoku have been helping find them places to stay.
Oh! That town's okay?
I've only been there once or twice, but I feel like you couldn't destroy Manzoku if you tried. It's a weird town.
That's good. I mean... It's nice, you know? Even if it's a weird town, that there's still at least one town pretty much standing from the old Japan... It's nice.
Yeah. Sumie's been taking to the work pretty well. Since she's basically the closest thing there is to an authority on the subject, she's basically picked up a bunch of new followers.
Geez. A psychic politician and the head of an entire species. What a power couple.
...Man. There's so much more I wanna ask about, you know? So many more people to ask about. I mean, I've been sitting here listening for basically an entire day straight now, so I better feel like I get it, but now I'm starting to feel like I've known these people my whole life, right?
Maybe I'll swoop in there and put the moves on Neko. I hear she's single.
Yeah, good luck with that one.
But I know I can't ask any more questions. We're just about there.
Yeah. We've just got one more part left to go. Thanks for listening.
