Flynn: This situation gets shiftier and shiftier. A Samurai's mission is justice; to be sent to extrajudicially kill someone who genuinely has done wrong makes me uneasy enough, but being ordered to murder someone uninvolved is inexcusable! I did not ask to fight this Tayama's battles for him, and I am starting to believe he deserves justice as much as the Black Samurai does. I shall comply with his request solely to pursue leads on my true target, the Black Samurai, and nothing more. From there, I shall find another way to rescue my fellow. There HAS to be another way...
The Ring of Gaea is headquartered in Ginza District, and the only way there is through Tokyo Station. Remember when I told you to remember that place? Yeah. Head there and speak to the Ring of Gaea man guarding the door; you can tell him you want to join the Ring (for Law points) or that you've come to kill Yuriko (for Chaos points); strangely, both work fine; as the Ring prizes strength above all else, answering the latter will make the guy genuinely interested in seeing if you've got what it takes! Either way, a miniboss battle starts.
=MINI-BOSS: GAEA MAN AND MOMUNOFU x2=
Gaea Man: Level 36. Resist Gun, Resist Dark.
Momunofu: Level 35. Resist Phys, Weak Force
You've got three opponents here. the Gaea Man is considerable tougher than the level 12 street brawlers you've no doubt faced at this point, and the Momunofu resist normal physical attacks and can Charge their own attacks. The solution? Why, Mazanma of course! Wind Breath helps too if you got Skogsra, And at this point I'd also made a Churel with Mazanma.
Churel: I call his brain when we beat him! Brainssss...
Flynn: Non-lethal only, please.
Tetrakarn can help, but you shouldn't really need it. These guys seem to have a lot of HP, though, so unlike most minibosses this'll probably take longer than three rounds. The Gaea Man will be impressed upon being defeated, and let you into Ginza!
Moh Shuvuu: You're actually going through with Tayama's favor? You simpering little bitch! Failure as a human! Failure as a human!
Vouivre: You are most uncool, Mr. Hunter. Me, Moh, and Bai're going shopping. See you never!
Flynn: ...did they just quit?
Minotaur: Pshaw. They're teenage girls. They do things like this every other Thursday. Let them have their fun.
I forgot about Vouivre last time; she's also from Shibuya. Has Zionga and Blight, so she's pretty useful.''
Ginza's really cool. The main part of it consists of an underground district, and since you're considered strong enough to join the Ring, all the shops, the Hunter's Association, and even the Terminal are fully available for you to use. There are, however, several aboveground sections that are closed off, at the four-district crosswalk up the stairs. These are well worth your time to unlock, and require a sidequest to unlock that we may do immediately.
Dantalian: There is exactly a 96.74285% chance taking on this quest will prove harmful to your wallet!
Flynn: Thanks for the heads-up!
First, head to the west door at the crosswalk. The guard here measures "power" in wealth, and requests 5000 Macca to be able to get into the western district of Ginza. Pay him and go through. In here you'll find some relic spawns and an underground passageway. Head into here to reach an annoying area full of poison gas.
Flynn: Bluh-!
Zhen: Aaaaah, refreshing!
Minotaur: Apologies, Sir Zhen, but I concur with the Son of Aquila.
This area nevertheless has some chests with good stuff, including the awesome Battle Earring. Follow it to the end and go up a grate to find an area that thankfully has no poison. In here you'll meet two men. The first refuses to talk to you at this point, as you're not "powerful" enough, but the second will sell Flynn a Gold Card for 10,000 Macca. Take it!
High Pixie: Dear me... I can't see Sir Melchom being too happy about that...
Flynn: Hm?
High Pixie: You don't recognize me? Apologies; I have taken on a new form, but rest assured I have been with you since the beginning.
Flynn: Oh, you're that Pixie! Great to see you've improved!
High Pixie's quite versatile and has Mazanma, meaning she's a good choice for the fight at the beginning of the area. Head to the woman guarding the south gate, and give her the Gold Card and 50,000 Macca to be let into the south area. In here you'll find more relic spawns and an item called the Platinum Card, which can be used to get into the east gate. The sentry here will mention the coveted Black Card, the only way to get into the north gate, and there is currently a Challenge Quest posted that can get you one. Accept this quest and head back through the underground passage (yes, through the poison again), where you'll find that the second man from before will finally talk to you. He will sell you a Silver Coin for 100,000 Macca. Swap this for the Black Card at the bar, and quest complete!
(MELCHOM is lying on the ground, stock-still, with his mouth open and tongue sticking out)
High Pixie: Oh dear, it seems Sir Melchom has had a heart attack.
Dantalian: Fear not; there is a 75.645321985679% chance he will recover.
So, what was the point in all this spending? Well, for one, these areas have the best relic spawns in the game, meaning it's relatively simple to make back your money. Farming relics here is, after the Macca DLC, the most efficient way to make money in the game. Second, this quest gives access to the Ginza Shopping District, which has the best shops is the game with extremely high-level prices.
Vouivre: Yo! Failure-as-a-human! Told ya the shopping was great around here! We bought this awesome vest, but it doesn't fit any of us, so you can have it!
Flynn: A DEMONICA suit? This is just like the Black DEMONICA, except sturdier.
Dwarf: Fine piece 'a' smithery, them suits. Whoever made it must've been doing dangerous stuff.
The armor shop here sells numerous things, including armors that Drain and Repel elements, as well as the DEMONICA suit, the armor of Sinclair Drake and all his friends, which has no weaknesses and Nulls Gun; accordingly, it's one of the best armors in the game and can easily be taken to endgame. In particular, it's a lifesaver against one powerful optional boss much later on.
Lailah: Goodness gracious me! You girls strutting around in your skivvies throwing Macca at whatever you like; how are you ever going to raise a family that way?
Moh Shuvuu: Don't want kids, you old bag.
Lailah: Heavens! It is perscribed by the Lord that all women are to raise families, and all men provide for them! Anything else is unnatural! You, Blessed Samurai, you will be father to heroes some day...
Jueyuan: Oh great, one of them Family Values Crusaders...
Mayahuel: hllw thr smmnr. plse dnt et me.
Flynn: I'm sorry?
Mayahuel: srry, jsy mking shr. hv hd bd xprncs.
Flynn: ...I can't hear you from inside that... seed... thing.
Vidofnir: 'I can peck her out, if you want!
Flynn: No need... you might... hurt her.
Baldur: Ah ha ha... I have been invoked! You are in the presence, Young One, of Baldur, LORD OF LIGHT!
Horkos: WEREN'T YOU KILLED BY A PLANT ONCE?
Baldur: Have off, Unclean being! I once competed to rule this cosmos!
These are some of the demons that may be made through fusion around this point. Baldur and Lailah are Light specialists, while Mayahuel is an Elec specialist; I gave her Plasma's ridiculously-broken Elec Move, Plasma Discharge. There are also, of course, wild demons around here...
Mishaguji: Mamedanuki! Fancy seein' you around here!
'Mamedanuki: Well, if it ain't me old college roommate, Mishaguji! How ya been!
Flynn: You two... know each other?
Mishaguji: Friend, when we were in school the two of us wrote the BOOK on stud service! Demonesses lined up for us, and we were gentle lovers in return!
Gu Huo Niao: Excuse me while I go vomit...
Apsaras: For once, Gu, you and I are in total agreement...
Ose: WROOOOOAAAR! THIS THING KEEPS LICKING ME! I SWEAR I SHALL CUT IT TO RIBBONS!
Pisaca: 'GEUUUUUURGGGGHHHHH...
Corpse: You... Samurai... I remember... become... one...?
Flynn: Egad... it's one of... those things. Where did he come from?
Yoshitsune: Permit me to explain. There are some demons who for one reason or another simply cannot leave the expanse, and others whose existence only comes about via leaving it, shall we say, incorrectly. It takes a certain amount of random chance to bring such demons into the material world. I am one of them, as is that unfortunate fellow there.
Flynn: Interesting. So you're something of an "accident," then? Who are you, may I ask?
Yoshitsune: I am General Yoshitsune, once a mortal warrior, like yourself. I speak for all those demons whose route toward the mortal world has been closed off. Many of us are in the same position; we were real people, once, and as such we are stuck between life and death. We hope to find a summoner to return to the mortal world we once defended, but it is more difficult for us than for others.
That was basically just a big long way to explain that there are some demons who are only available via Fusion Accident, including Corpse and the entire Famed race, of which Yoshitsune is the weakest member. As you can imagine these are a pain to get (I took four days to get them all) but on the upside, you only have to get them once and the'yre saved to the Compendium for good (I did this on my Law run) and they keep whatever skills the accident randomply gives them, which are often quite powerful. My Corpse, for instance, has Blast Arrow, a medium-strength, multi-target Gun spam!
(While FLYNN is hearing this explanation, PISACA crawls down the unconscious MELCHOM's throat, then out again. Strangely, this revives him)
Melchom: So... much... money... gone... That tasted terrible, by the way...
Pisaca: YOU'RE WELCAAAAAEEEERGGGHOME!
Bai Suzhen: By the way, me and the girls spent 200k more on a nice suit for Mr. Summoner while you were out!
(MELCHOM faints again)
Kikuri-Hime: Oh you poor thing! He needs medical attention right away!
Yurlungur: $#@&^((*! @#$^!((^ must buy miso...
As far as the wild demons go, Ose has Blight and eventually learns Javelin Rain, Kikuri-Hime is a pure healer, Mishaguji is a debuffing specialist, Yurlungur has Ice Breath, and Pisaca specializes in Binding. Once everything is completed here, leave through the underground district and out to the world map again. You should find here the Tsukiji Hongwanji temple, headquarters of the Ring of Gaea.
Lailah: Heading into a bad of Filth like this, most disgraceful. I've even heard many of these Gaean types don't even wait until marriage!
Power: Excellently put, Milady!
A "Brawny Man" stops the four Prentices and informs them they will need to take the entrance test to proceed. Furthermore, they must all take it separately, meaning Flynn may only have his demons for help. The test consists of taking a lit candle, fighting through hordes of demons, and reaching the center of the temple without it burning out.
Truth be told, this is pretty easy. The temple is a short maze with some teleporters, though thankfully not nearly as annoying as the Eridanus teleporter maze in SJ. Also note that the temple has its own unique demon population, who are too bloodlusted to join you normally, but they can, however, if they beg you for mercy, as Kingu did.
Kingu: Yiii, close shave, that. Feels weird to be helping the people what killed me now, but ah well, all i a day's work for a demon.
Truth be told, I don't really remember what directions are "right" here and I don't particularly feel like looking it up; this maze is easy to beat without a guide. At the end, though, is one final test: a female Ring of Gaea member requests that you defeat her demon before proceeding.
=MINI-BOSS: TARAKA=
Level 40. Null Light, Null Dark.
Big, big Beef Gate. Taraka likes to use stall tactics, as her main goal is not to kill you but force your candle to go out. She can buff her attack into the stratosphere with Tarukaja, use Makarakarn to limit the amount of attacks you can use against her, and isn't weak to anything. However, she's got nothing to cover Phys and Gun damage so use that to your advantage. Winning nets you the ability to enter the main temple, where a statue of a strangely familiar goddess lies...
Mithras: Well, I have not seen HER in a while...
A Gaean man then approaches. He reveals he known you were sent by Tayama and drops the party into the "Passage of Ethics." However, Yuriko will still see them if they can pass one last challenge. The Passage consists of three chambers, and at each one a difficult moral dilemma is posed to the party. Whatever you answer to this question will "reveal your true self."
Question 1: You are the ruler of a country. You have called upon your people to gather en masse for a game. Among those who attend, one is extraordinarily tall. What would you do? If you would exclude this person for the sake of fairness, go right. If you accept one's height is merely a part of their individuality and include this person, go left.
Flynn: Well, that's just silly. Of course, the correct answer is left.
Dwarf: A message from all short people: #$@& you.
Question 2: You are the chief of a village which has lived the same way for 1,000 years. One day, a man visits your village, carrying with him revolutionary technology. This technology would greatly ease your people's lives, but would also do away with their current lifestyle. What would you do? Go right if you would expel the visitor in order to preserve the lifestyle you have always known. Go left if you would welcome the visitor in order to adopt his technology for your village.
Flynn: This is trickier. It is known the technology would be beneficial, but I have seen firsthand the consequences of upending a society. Right it is.
Question 3: The love of your life lies in front of you, unconscious. There is no hope that they will ever wake again. You have already tried many things, to no avail. What would you do? If you would care for this person for the rest of your life, go right. If you would stop all treatment and allow this person to perish naturally, go left.
(Yes, they seriously just dropped a right-to-die debate into a video game)
Flynn: ... this is the worst question yet. Thus far, Jonathan has always gone right and Walter left, and yet even they cannot decide this time. The decision is mine. As I did for Issachar, I shall here go left.
You can actually take either path on any of the questions, this is just the path I took to best get Neutral, which is conveniently also how the Real Life me would answer these questions. You now have access to Yuriko's chambers, and waiting for you is... the Black Samurai!
Flynn: Gah! We've been set up yet again! This time I'll make sure it's done right!
The Black Samurai reveals that she IS in fact Yuriko, and repeats her wish for the citizens of Mikado to receive "knowledge and wisdom." She explains that her ultimate aim in this was to upend the order of things in Mikado, and restructure its society, which she sees as eternally stagnant. Then, her body begins to mutate, revealing that she is a demon, the legendary Lilith!
Lilim: *giggle* Hi Mom!
Lilith continues her Motive Rant. It turns out she wasn't actually trying to turn humans into demons after all, and the books she distributed were simply ordinary books that present alternatives to the classist Mikado society. The people's rage at discovering there IS another way is what turns them into demons. Jonathan will hear no more of this "blasphemy," but Walter, eager for a chance to throw off the caste system, is seemingly taken in, even parrying Jonathan's strike to Lilith! Walter then runs off, leaving the other three behind.
Flynn: How could Walter believe this nonsense... more importantly, why am I starting to believe it?
Lilith simply make one request of the party: before they make their decision to kill her, investigate the Hills building. In its basement, Tokyo's darkest secret will be laid bare!
What is this secret Lilith speaks of? Is Jonathan and Walter's friendship over? What did Mishaguji and Mamedanuki do in college? On second thought, don't answer that last one.
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