Minotaur: This is indeed a grave situation. The Black Samurai, a foe capable of besting even myself, is on the loose once again. If she is not dealt with, war between the Unclean and the Easters Kingdom of Mikado shall begin once again! My master, Aquila, charged me with keeping the two cities separate, now I have allied with his descendant to ensure that this status quo persists. I feel more powerful than ever, and yet I am unsure that this Son of Aquila shall comply. I do not believe he will FAIL, but he may well do something no one has yet predicted...
Gabby assigns a secret mission that none of the other Mikado officials are to know about: the four Prentices are to assassinate the Black Samurai. Isabeau is disturbed by the prospect of being asked to kill a human.
Incubus: Oh, grow a pair, chickie! On second thought, don't; that'd be weird.
Samyaza: The nerve! I shall not have a minor demon such as you deprecate the lady Isabeau!
Brigid: I'd rather noither of you go near a woman again, t'be sure...
On the way out, a Master Samurai approaches the group, informing them that Tayama, the leader of the Ashura-kai himself, has requested an audience with the four at Shibuya, the largest district in Tokyo. Burrgoughs assigns this as a main quest, meaning it must be completed. But first, some quests.
The first is "Eggs for One Hundred," which I'd actually done before this but forgotten to mention. Flynn is assigned to bring back a giant Rukh's Egg from the first observation platform in Naraku, and of course, the Rukh doesn't take too kindly to that.
=MINI-BOSS: RUKH=
Level 20. Null Gun, Weak Fire
This miniboss is a pain. He's stronger than his level indicates due to having Mazanma, which can hurt if you're still wearing the Black DEMONICA (like I was). Makarakarn can help, as can Fire moves. Win to obtain the egg.
Next we have "Demon-Haunted Man," also set in Naraku. You have to stop a Bai Suzhen who's been stalking some poor sap. She's on the Second Stratum, just south of the entrance.
=MINI-BOSS: BAI SUZHEN=
Level 35. Weak Fire, Null Ice
You know, I honestly can't remember much of what she does. If you have fire, you'll do fine, though she does have Mazionga which may earn her some extra turns if you have team members weak to Electric. After you win, she tells you her story, about how she became a demon to get revenge on a horrible boyfriend. You may either kill her or spare her; I chose to spare her because that earns a Chaos point which I needed; as a sidenote, do not believe GameFAQs regarding this quest; they have the alignment choices backward.
Flynn: Meeting Tayama himself... I cannot say I am looking forward to it, after hearing all he has done from Kuebiko and Okuninushi.
Take-Minakta: Psst, summoner, speaking of my dad, he's right behind you!
'Okuninushi: Minakata... gotten yourself shackled to a summoner again? I had hoped you would have learned from last time, but it seems I have to keep an eye on you as well.
Flynn: My apologies for slaying you, Sir Okuninushi. I now see that perhaps you were right.
Okuninushi: Well, you shall see...
As you can see, I've made some demons. Qing Niuguai and okuninushi are Phys specialists, both hitting hard but Qing Niuguai, just like his boss fight, trading accuracy for Crit percentage. Brigid is very useful as she comes with Mediarama, the medium-strength multi-target heal spell. Get this on Flynn as soon as possible and make lots of demons with it!
Brigid: Well, if yeh can't keep yuirself healed I suppose I'll have to do SOMETHING... By the by, Samurai, there's a monkey on yuir head.
Flynn: What on Earth is a mon... key?
Thoth: Ya don't mind, do ya, son? I think ya summoned me in yer sleep last night.
Suparna: I mind. My spot.
Kanbari: Monkeys're my least favorite thing. No bathroom hygiene at all...
Horkos: YOU DO NOT SMELL BUONO YOURSELF.
Tsuchigumo: Chrrrrt... hygiene sucks... chrtt...
Ubu: ...are you my daddy?
Tsuchigumo: I demand a -chrttt- DNA test!
Thoth and Kanbari are the lowest members of the "Deity" and "Enigma" races respectively. Deities are the most powerful Neutral-aligned race, and Thoth comes with the first Almighty skill in the game, Megido... or at least it would be if I hadn't already gotten the better Megidoplasma from Plasma. Enigmas are oddball demons with diverse sets of skills, and are better for support than offense.
Thoth: You don't count. He bought you.
Plasma: Shhhhhouuuuuur grapesssshhh...
Proceed to Shibuya. You can get there by heading to the very south of Shinjuku and entering the underground passage you find there. The Ashura-kai member will let you through. Go immediately west to enter Shibuya. When you get there, Tayama will call you via... a Samurai's gauntlet?
Flynn: Wait, how could he have...
Tayama reveals he has a Master Samurai held hostage (this is, incidentally, the only Samurai other than the main four who is seen in Tokyo, even though they were all told to go there). You have been betrayed. Tayama reveals he will only let your ally go if you do a certain job for him at Club Milton, deeper into the city.
Flynn: Damn it... it appears all I had heard of Tayama was true, and then some! It seems we have no choice but to do what he asks.
Time to explore Shibuya, and there are a very large amount of demons to be had here.
Inferno: ERAAAAAGH!
Flynn: Egad! Someone help that man!
Setanta: Yo, Hunter-bro! Remember me? Don't mind that guy, that's just what he looks like.
Inferno: RAAAAAUUUUUGH!
Lilim: Like, hiya Samurai-guy!
Flynn: Eeee! Get back... wait, are you one of mine?
Lilim: What a wimp... you'll never measure up to the Mother's standards like that! *giggle*
Flynn: Mother...?
Morax: Bwoh hoh hoh... are you in for a shock...
Basilisk: BWAH!
Samyaza: Jesus Christ!
Power: How dare you, you fell being, use the name of our Savior in vain!
Flynn: Wow. You... transformed again.
Momunofu: For some reason I hate this form even more than the last one...
Basilisk: Did I scare ya? Did I did I did I?
Samyaza: N-no, of course not. I am an Overlord, foolish child!
Basilisk: Uh... uwaaaaaaaaah!
Vidofnir: Er-errrr-errr-errrrrr!
Sandman: Who woke me up and how should I kill them?
Dis: No, no, no, Sir Vidofnir, as bleak as things seem these days, now is not the time. Forgive my friend, gentle sprite; I shall put you back to sleep.
Sandman: Thank yeeeaaaawnnn...
Kuda: Ooh! A Samurai! C'mere, I'll be your friend...
Flynn: Must... buy... miso...
Kelpie: Yo, Hunter! Remember me? The group back at Ueno sent me to help ya, as thanks for getting rid of Pea... llaidh...
Peallaidh: Problem, Kelpie?
Kelpie: ERAAAAAAAGH!
Samyaza: Oh! What beauty be this! Maiden, please avail me the honor of your name!
Skogsra: It's... Skogsra... but really, don't bother... nobody ever stays...
Goblin: Want I should punch this guy, Skogsra?
Skogsra: *sigh* No need... any attention's good, I suppose...
Flynn: Need... more... miso...
(IPPON-DATARA pries KUDA loose)
Flynn: Wow, seems the family has grown quite a bit. Wait... family? Did I just say that? Regardless, if this Tayama is as dangerous as Okuninushi says, I'll want all the allies I can get against him.
Okay, demon rundown. Inferno: Fire-user; Setanta: same skills he had as a boss, very powerful; Peallaigh, ditto; Kelpie, debuffer; Skogsra, wind-user; Kuda, ice-user; Dis, excellent Sleep specialist; Basilisk, Poison and Bind specialist (thankfully, Stone isn't in this game); Lilim, another Wind specialist who also gets Sleep moves; Vidofnir, Elec-user (gets Mazionga, very cool); and Goblin, attack buffer.
Proceed to the Underground District once you're done exploring. As Shibuya is the largest district of Tokyo, it has the largest underground district, too. Your destination is the Dogenzaka neighborhood, which you could get at part of from the overworld, but not the part you want. To get to the main part of Dokenzaka, we must go through the Underground. There's a Hunter Association here, and some treasures to collect, some of which require crawling through air ducts.
Kanbari: YEUGGH! Hygiene, people!
Of course, there's a Terminal here too. Go inside to find the Terminal Guardian... this time in drag!
=MINI-BOSS: OROCHI=
Level 33. Null Fire, Null Ice, Weak Elec, Null Light, Weak Dark
The Guardian talks up this Orochi as something big, but he's severely hampered by the fact that he only gets one move per turn, unlike most other bosses. Unload the Zionga and it should be over in two rounds. You can now travel to Shibuya by Terminal.
(FLYNN takes pause to notice INUGAMI, SHIISA, and a third, shaggier dog demon barking at each other)
Frost Ace: Hee! It's my dog, Jack! You found him-ho! How do you like my new look, by the way, Samurai-ho?
Flynn: Well, that is a most excellent vest at lea... must... buy... miso...
Kuda: *snicker*
To proceed, head to the subsection of the district labeled "District C." Head up the stairs here to reach the West Entrance, then head underground again. This is Mark City, the poshest underground town in all Tokyo!
Incubus: Swan-ky!
Okuninushi: I'd imagine only those who have adequately greased Tayama's filthy palm are permitted to live here...
You can hear some gossip here, but proceed up and you'll finally be in Dogenzaka. There are some pretty good relic spawns along the way, so grab those before meeting Tayama's henchman at the end of the area to receive Flynn's task: a powerful demon called the Koga Saburo has barricaded off Club Milton, Tokyo's premiere distribution center for Red Pills. If the demons can't get their pills, they'll go back to eating humans again, which is no good.
Flynn: I'm... uneasy... about... this... job... But... I... love... miso...
(MINOTAUR pulls KUDA off and punches her in the face)
=MINI-BOSS: KOGA SABURO=
Level 35. Weak Ice, Repel Elec, Null Light, Null Dark
This is another of the more complex minibosses, and like Xi Wangmu may be closer to a true boss. Koga likes buffing his agility to the max with Sukukaja, then spamming Fatal Sword, and he has the multi-strike version, Javelin Rain, as well. Cancel his buffs if you have to, but in reality the fight is fairly simple if you come in with Bufula and Ice Breath. Still, Javelin Rains hurt, and the buffs mean he'll nearly always hit, so Tetrakarn if you have to!
Defeating Koga Saburo turns him into a block of stone for some reason. Note that the henchman grabs something, which Flynn can't see, off the boulder. The henchman then makes a joke that Tayama may very well give the Master Samurai back as a corpse, causing Jonathan, of all characters, to go ballistic!
Power: Hua, he is a true warrior of the Lord...
The henchman relents and gets the group an appointment with Tayama at the Hills, the tallest building in the district. Head there to meet the big boss face-to-face for the first time!
Flynn: I think I had better desummon you all; no offense, but I would not want you to kill this Tayama before we can negotiate.
Enter the building and Flynn will automatically take the elevator to meet Tayama. Alone among Tokyo's citizens, he lives above-ground. He explains his motives to the Prentices: Tokyo descended into anarchy after the Bad Thing 25 years ago, so he stepped up as leader and decided to create a "mutually-assured destruction" scenario by hooking the demons on Red Pills, which only his resources can produce. He also claims to be raising the next generation of children in the building, even showing a video, which you should easily note that something seems... off about.
Further, he explains that he controls the Yamato Perpetual Reactor, a particle accelerator that provides all Tokyo's electricity since the Bad Thing happened. But someone else wants to control the electricity, and monopolize it for her own ends. Tayama's final job before he releases the Master Samurai is to assassinate this person: Yuriko, leader of the Ring of Gaea!
Will Flynn accept a mission to murder an uninvolved person? What secrets is Tayama hiding? Will Tuschigumo get his day on "Springer?" Stay tuned to find out!
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