Part 54: The Last Battle

For this little interlude before the headquarters + final dungeon + ending(s) updates, I'll show off what it's like to use big animals. Ayda's here because whatever.



Getting drunk is a good idea.

Let's head to Muse. The areas around Muse and Rockaxe have gotten new enemies, and Rakutei Mountain has palette swapped strongest versions of the monsters that used to be there.



This is a great Unite, but of course it makes you use two characters instead of four. These CopperSuns drop Rage Runes, if you wanted them.







Feather picks up the enemy, drops it, then Sigfried rams into it.



Muse is now open again with shops and such (though not all of them are available), but it's completely barren otherwise, due to all the people getting sacrificed. Clive's story continues here, and its conclusion is in the last village of the game, Sajah Village, at 20 hours. You can get a recipe in the Rare Finds of the item shop, and the Fury Runes still exist in the Runeshop.



Three?!?! THREE FURY RUNES?!!

YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES.



A couple people will give us some items, like the Silver Armor. It restores HP and gives a Darkness resistance.



And a free Flowing Rune in the runeshop upstairs.



There are too many Old Books in this game.



These palette-swapped Amazonians are new, and this one in particular, Shui Lin, drops Flowing Runes. They can do a delta attack which runs train on the big monsters because they have absolutely shit defenses. We can also go buy a Calf in Highway Village but farm animals whatever.



Oh my that's nice. The actual shop has Knight Armor, which is stupid expensive and only available to certain characters but it also gives +58 defense.



You can also go down to the basement to get the last Old Book in the armor/item shop now.



Now we head back through the castle, a nice touch being that the game recognized that the flag's been replaced.



This is White Priestess, from the White Saint Rune.





And the Shining Wind Rune, which does .5x damage to all enemies, but 1x damage to flying enemies. It's also mistranslated as “Shinning Wind” in the Rune menu.



Our reason to come back here is to see Gorudo's office, an oft-missed area in Suikoden II.



It has some rare Earth Armor.



And one of the last Recipes. Also this place doesn't allow you to use an Escape Talisman fuck youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu

If you missed Turtle Plans #3, you'll want to go get Futch and Humphrey as you can't ascend Rakutei Mountain without them, the mist will bar your way again and Azure won't use his Bright Shield Rune on his own.



hmm, so Gilbert has a family.



Ooh la la.



: They probably decided that they can't defend from attacks in Greenhill and Matilda at the same time. But one thing is for certain, as soon as they regroup, they'll attack again. As your strategist, I counsel that we take the fight to them... we attack Highland and eliminate the whole root of the war.



: The Highland Army and Jowston City-State have gotten too big... the Holy Kingdom of Harmonia to the north, the Toran Republic to the south, the great sea to the east and the Grasslands to the west... in order to keep this land, we've had no choice but to fight. History has proven that. Human wisdom has its limits. Lord Azure, give us the order to invade Highland.





Azure collapses as he leaves the Great Hall, and Freed Y notices him. The scene changes.





: We're still stronger than them!! The outcome of the war has not been decided!!



and passed down from generation to generation in the Blight family, swear your oath, oh King of Highland.



: Oh noble 'Beast Rune', I sacrifice to you the blood of she who is dearest to me... my wife... Jillia Blight!!!





Man, everyone's dying nowadays.



Just kidding.



: It went well. Too well...

He, too, collapses.



We return to HQ, where our friends are surrounding us. They decide to let Azure get some rest.



My big sister just died, Eilie.



We then head down to the fourth floor to witness a conversation between Apple and Shu. She asks if he knew that her plan on attacking Muse before was going to fail, he tells her that she had a fifty-fifty chance at best.



: Also, I figured between you and Klaus, even if we lost, the damage wouldn't be too bad.



No, you can just remain useless



Before she leaves, he tells her to pick a card on the table.





Foreshadowing?



You're cuter when you use slingshots



better than the whole Kasumi thing in the last game



The next morning, we assemble again, to lead our soldiers to the Highland capital, L'Renouille.







Leon Silverberg is heading the charge, I guess the mistranslation of his mortal wound was false info. Thanks, translators.





: Bah, I always get the dirty jobs.



Shu heads off to his last mission.



This battle has no interaction, we just watch it proceed.



They have no idea what Shu has planned.



He thinks that's the crux of the plan.



Leon believes Shu isn't man enough to put himself in danger.



We watch the Highland army advance...



Viktor then lights the fucking forest on fire. He's a goddamn arsonist by this point.







The fires of war rage on and on.



: I forget. To me, it's ancient history.

: You little brat... but you forgot the #1 rule in 'the book': Don't put yourself in danger...

: I had to throw away 'the book'... you read it too many times.

: What's that supposed to mean...



: I'm not impressed... listen to me, punk. History doesn't flow! It moves... in leaps and fits! Sometimes it must be pushed along by men like us. If a bit of suffering is the price to pay, then pay it we will!

: Are you saying that's why you helped destroy the Scarlet Moon Empire, and why you're helping Highland now?

: This country needs the firm hand of Highland to guide it through the sea of history. Just like you!! You disgust me!! You had talent, but you used it wastefully. To me, you're the very definition of garbage!!

: Unlike you, I don't think I'm some sort of god who can use people like pawns!!

This is my favorite back-and-forth in the game. Two men who, ironically, BOTH use people like pawns, even though Shu claims otherwise.







Shu claims it was a miscalculation; he was ready to end his life here.



But for now, all that's left is to march on the capital. Shu puts Apple in charge as he goes to rest.



The final war battle begins.



He meant Han, I'm sure of it. And yes, this is the first mention that Han Cunningham is in this war, even though he's been there all along. He's also the lead unit in the battle, and has the highest DEF, 16.







Enter the city with any of your units to win the battle, you don't need to wipe out the whole enemy force.



Yuber gets bored and leaves in the third turn.





Exactly.



One of the most annoying things about SII war battles is the enemy's penchant for waiting. All the way until you're right at their doorstep. The AI is just retarded. The big difference here is that the enemy gets healed on their capital city, so you have to either draw them out or take them down.



Ah Fire Spears... so broken.





Lucia falls first. It's only when they get attacked with magic do they start to actually do anything.



And then Culgan immediately after.





Now we COULD do that, but we're going to wait.



But first there's one last place to visit.



These guys can drop the Mother Earth Rune.



In the northwest of Highland is Sajah Village, the last town in the game. This is where Clive's sidequest ends.



Its Rare Finds is awesome. You can find the Windspun Armor, the Horned Helmet, the final Lamb, and most importantly the Golden Hammer, which allows us to max out our weapons at 16. You can also buy Crimson Capes, the strongest buyable accessory, here.



This is one of the few glimpses we get of the repercussions of Jowy's actions. He has let down his country, even though he doesn't realize it.



GO DUCKS.



In the southeast of this area is Tenzan Pass. We'll be returning here later. To the southwest is Kyaro and the North Sparrow Pass, which I might return to to collect Double-Beat Runes, we'll see.

So now we have a choice:

1. Fight through the final dungeon and last boss with Team Squirrel.

Or

2. Fight through the final dungeon and last boss with Team Fuck This Game Open (Azure, Bob, Killey, McDohl, Mazus, Luc).

Artwork:



Han Cunningham

The hero of the Highland-Jowston War 20 years before the Dunan Unification War. Continued to serve Highland behind the scenes, but has made a reappearance after hearing that Genkaku's son is his enemy.