2/8 MOON
Nanashi wakes up the next day to find Asashi standing over him again with a new assignment - the hotshot Samurai Merkabah promised to send down have arrived in Tokyo now, and our group has been assigned to escort them from Ueno to Kasumigaseki.
Nanashi: Samurai, greeeeeaaaaaaaaat. Right back to the scut-work...
Around Ueno we can also talk to the NPCs, who mention that this particular group of Samurai is exceptionally arrogant even by their standards, and the leader is one of the most unpleasant people they've ever seen!
Momunofu: Goddamn Mikadoites...
Power: Don't take the Lord's name in vain to insult servants of the Lord.
Momunofu: Huh. Guess that is pretty ironic... I still hate you.
Regardless, enter the Hunter Association to find a group of Samurai who, unlike Flynn and Isabeau, wear white uniforms. One of them carrying a spear steps forward from the crowd and introduces himself as "Sir" Gaston, commander of the Samurai's new elite unit, the Crusaders! Navarre recognizes him... as his "dear little brother!"
Nanashi: Whoo. Boy. This is gonna be fun.
Gaston overhears Asahi mentioning Navarre and remarks that he actually hates his brother for running away from Mikado and disgracing the family name! He seemingly can't see Ghost Navarre, either. He also proclaims he wields the Spear of Michael, one of the only weapons capable of harming Shesha, and the glory of slaying the great serpent shall be his.
Suparna, perched on Baphomet: Yup. Snakes suck.
He demands to be taken to Kasumigaseki. So, off we go.
Nanashi: By the way, all, recruited some of those guys from the tower. Say hello, everyone.
Kelpie: Wow kid, you smell like some serious Tuatha De. I also smell Peallaidh. That asshole coin' anything to ya?
Peallaidh: It's my CHOICE to smell like this, MAAAAAAAAAN...
Character notes: A type of Celtic faerie that resembles a horse but lives in water. It's said they can control water and will usually drown anyone who tries to ride them. Once someone mounts a Kelpie, their skin becomes adhesive and they drag you down into the depths... he is strangely a healing specialist, and also gets the odd skill Trafuri, which is a guaranteed escape from battle. I've never really used this skill.
Personality notes: Essentially the same as his SMTIV personality, including really hating Peallaidh.
Tsuchigumo: Gyiiihihihihi... Nice digs ya got here kid... ya better watch your nice stuff closely, gyihihihi...
Character notes: A Japanese yokai that looks like a spider with a human face. The term was originally a slur used agains people who lived in hiding because they wouldn't pledge allegiance to the emperor, but over time became known as a monster, perhaps manifested by the resentment of those people. He's an Elec socialist and gets Mazionga, the hits-all medium-tier Elec move.
Personality notes: Shady guy that seems to always want to steal stuff.
Raiju: WRZZZZZZZOOOOAAARRZZZZZZ! YOUDIDZZZZZ WZZZZZELLLZZZZ TO CZZZZZALLLLZZZZ ONZZZZ ME!
Nadja: I have no idea what he just said.
Character notes: Yet another beastie from good ol' Japan, a Raiju is a creature made of lightning that runs through thunderclouds, and sometimes comes to Earth through lightning bolts. He's said to be the pet of Raijin, one of Japan's several thunder gods. Go on, guess his specialty.
Personality notes: Voice crackles with electricity.
Inferno: GAUUUGHHHHHHHHHH! GAAAAAAAHHHHH IT HUUUUUUUURTS!
Jack Frost: Hee-holy crap, I'll save you!
Inferno: 'STAAAAAAAAAUGGGGGGGHP DOING THAAAAAAAAT! IT HUUUUUURTS BUT I'M SUPPOSED TO BE LIKE THIIIIIIIIIIIIS!
Character notes: This is said to be the spirit of someone who burned to death, with the name coming from the Italian word for "Hell." I'm not sure if it has a mythological basis beyond that. Again, just try to guess his abilities...
Personality notes: Acts like he's in constant pain, but insists he's "supposed" to be that way.
Any way, back to Kasumigaseki. The destination is the same elevator as before. Gaston tells everyone else to stay out of his way in achieving glory, then struts down the passageway. The other Crusaders follow - but not before apologizing for their leader's arrogance.
Power: See, child, not all of the Chosen are bad.
Momunofu: Don't let him seduce youuuuuuu...
Following this, the group gets a call that the Shesha Radar is now ready, so now we're heading down to basement 4, where Matsuda, glowing with pride, installs the app in our phones - and wouldn't you know it, the radar immediately goes off - Shesha has been detected in the Shibuya district, Tokyo's largest neighborhood. The Association called with an assignment to destroy Shesha and information that the bridges to Shibuya are now repaired.
Mithras: You ever feel like, I dunno, someone's guiding us along? Something even higher than a god? Al lot of this stuff seems really convenient, you know?
Morax: NO, I TOTALLY GET IT. BWOOOOOOOOOH!
Pyro Jack: 'Well you know I have hee-habsolutely no-ho idea what you're talking about... Heee-hooo...
The party attempts to sneak out to steal the glory from Gaston for themselves... but unfortunately, he's followed them. Claiming he's ditched his comrades for being useless, he forces his way into our party, so new guest character! Yay?
Gaston only uses melee, and while he's very powerful, he has a significant drawback - he will occasionally "jump in" to a battle and make an attack in place of you - using one of your Press Turns. Yes, he can even do this on demons that null or repel Phys attacks, costing you even more turns. Oh joy...
Cross the bridge to the south of Kasumigaseki to reach the Shibuya and Roppongi regions. Before we enter the main Shibuya area, though, there's a domain at the cemetery near here that's the target of the quest "Lend A Demon Hand to Children," because apparently some zombies have been hoarding milk that children need here. Okay then.
MINI-BOSS: GREEDY HORDE
Level 39. Weak Light, Null Dark.
Hit it with Mahama and it dies. In general Hordes' extreme vulnerability to multi-strike attacks makes them extremely easy. Give goof XP though. The only real danger with this one is Mudoon, the heavy-tier Dark move.
Baldur: AHAHA! No fell corpses shall keep BALDUR THE BRAVE from aiding the little ones!
Thoth: Hoo-wee. Them zombies smell bad. How's it goin' kid? I'm ol' Thoth. They say I know stuff. Howzabout it? Wanna take me with?
Character notes: The omniscient mood god of Egyptian lore who holds all the world's knowledge, he's usually depicted as a baboon, as here, or an ibis. He's valued as a wise counsellor by all the gods, and among his more notable deeds include reading the sins and virtues of the dead at judgment, and helping Osiris and Isis devise tactics for defeating the wicked Seth. He's a Light specialist who later gains Megido, the first Almighty, or Non-Elemental, move in the game.
Personality notes: Still the same helpful old coot that was so popular in my SJ blog.
Ogun: Well now well now well now well now - so this is the kid that's been taking the Hunter world by storm? Oh I would never miss this party for the world!
Character notes: The West African god of war and metal. He's said to be the embodiment of the ideal man and was the first of the gods to descend from heaven to Earth. The slave trade brought him to the Americas, where he became venerated in new African-American faiths such as Vodou. Zealots are another annoying accident-only race like Undeads so I just rang him up from a previous file, heh heh. He gets a variety of skills, many related to ailments, including everyone's favorite, Blight.
Personality notes: A wild and party-loving but still noble god with a Caribbean accent.
Nanashi: Oh, hey, it's one of those zombies. Sorry I keeled your friends, lady, but what do zombies need milk for, anyway?
Churel: Oh, it's okay... you have to do what you have to do to live... but to make it up to me you could... take me with you and let me eat you brai- I mean let me fight for you.
Nanashi: I swear you guys are going to be the death of me. Again.
Character notes: A type of Hindu zombie created from a woman who dies in childbirth. They look like beautiful women, but they have no mouths and their legs face backwards. Like Muu Shuwuu, she charms men and then eats them. Dark specialist, and your own first source of Mudoon.
Personality notes: Puts on a super-innocent act that's really easy to see through.
Shibuya is far messier now than it ever was in SMTIV. A barrier blocks the way from the entrance to the 108 Building, with the only gap in it blocked by Wormwood that can only be opened from the other side. In other words, we're going around. Head down the stairs to the underground district to find utter devastation, just like in Shinjuku.
Nanashi: Gah... Always need to remind myself not to enjoy this damn job too much... you never know when you might run into, well, this...
Halphas: No shame in loving what you do, kiddo!
Nanashi: Well since you guys are nigh-admitted terrible influences on me I'm gonna say 'shut up.'
Hit up the Terminal and then head up the eastern stairs, spitting us out in the eastern shopping district. There are new demons around here, naturally, but my stock was full for most of this sequence so we'll be getting to them next time. Take the second set of stairs back down here into the luxurious Mark City apartment building (which really exists by the way), then up and out again into Dogenzaka, which you might recall was the location of Tayama's club where he handed out the Red Pills.
Spriggan: DERHHHHHHHH, MY DIZZY HURTS.
Tell me about it. Our destination, Miyashita Park, is pretty damn hard to find. Now we've got to go through the whole in the fence to the east, spitting us out on the other side of the barrier at the 108 building. Break the Wormwood so you don't have to... do all that again, then head out the northeast exit. You can also climb a platform on the 108 Building itself to find the Lady of the Fount if you need her. Follow the next area to the north to find a tiny little easily missed exit, finally, finally entering Miyashita park to meet the Endless One.
Poltergeist: Dun dun DUNNNNNNNNNN!
Switch your partner to Gaston if you haven't yet, and charge in!
BOSS: SNAKE SHESHA
Level 40. Resist's everything, but weak to the Ame-no-Habakiri and Spear of Michael
This time we'll really be fighting Shesha, and while he hits like a runaway steamroller as well he should, he's not actually all that difficult if one knows what to do. Obviously you should have Ame-no-Habakiri equipped and Gaston as your partner. Fill the rest of your demon slots with buff and de-buff specialists. You should eventually reach the point by using lots and lots of buffs that you're doing far more damage to Shesha that he does to you.
Thoth: I knew all about this ol' snake, of course. Sure is a tough nut ta crack...
Shesha himself has a few new tricks. He'll still usually waste his first two turns of four on "do-nothing" moves, and in addition to Seismic Yawn and Venomous Flare he's picked up Serpent's Hunger, a Phys move that inflicts Poison, Charm, and Bind all at once, and Earthquake, which is Phys damage and a chance of Daze to the entire party. This last is probably his most dangerous move as it can easily leave you with a dead-weight party for a turn. Once sufficiently damaged, Shesha will curl up, preparing to heal himself to full again. When prompted, ask your partner to attack him to stop him from doing this and beef up the Assist Gauge!
Raiju: MAYZZZZZZZZZZBE THERE IZZZZZZZZZOMETHINGZZZZZZZZ TZZZZ THIZZZZZ FRZZZZZZNDSHIP THZZZZZZZNG...
When Shesha is at critical health, Gaston will leal in and impale the serpent with the Spear of Michael. This will hold him in place... but not kill him. That, of course, is Nanashi's to do.
Nanashi: Aaaaaaaaaand STAY DOWN!
And the great serpent falls.
Gaston is incensed; how dare you steal his glory! Nozomi tries to encourage him that there's no shame in depending on, and fighting for, others, but Gaston's not having any of it - he wanted all the fame for himself. Awfully Chaotic for a Law rep, no?
Nanashi: Huh, new message from the Association. Looks like another meeting...
Ares: Oh my! What a time to finally come across the little hero! Truly he has the strength of Atlas!
Brigid: While I concur, Olympian, strength is nae everything, remember.
Melchom: Whoa whoa whoa! Those are some serious bigshots! Ares of the Twelve Olympians and Brigid of the Tuatha De! It's all in who you know, kid, and you seem to be making some very good friends!
Character notes: Greek god of war and the first of the Twelve Olympians to appear in the game, Ares was the son of Zeus and Hera and a Hate Sink even by the famously Jerkass standards of the Greek gods. He loved war for the blood 'n' guts and nothing else, but was also cowardly and ran away from any foe he couldn't instantly crush. His Roman form, Mars, was a good deal more honorable and was seen as the divine ancestor of the kings of the city. Phys specialist.
Personality notes: Boastful bodybuilder type.
Character notes: The great Celtic goddess of fire, daughter of Dagda and granddaughter of the Lady Danu. Yes, that Dagda and Danu. She was sometimes depicted as one goddess, and sometimes as a collective of three sisters, and was rarely seen without her magic goblet of fire (not that one). One of the most beloved gods of pre-Christian Ireland, she was syncretized with Saint Bridget to appease the populace so they wouldn't technically have to stop worshipping her. Equal parts Fire and healing specialist.
Personality notes: A wise young goddess with an interesting connection to the plot...
Ares: Aha, young one! You triumphed over that dragon just as Father Zeus slew the dread Typhon! Make poses with me!
Nanashi: Uh...
Brigid: Your strength is impressive, true, but that's not why I'M here. Pleased t'meet yeh, kid... I believe you know my father.
