Part 71: Stratum 2: Temptation
Very little is known about Morpheus, but he was said to be a master of disguise and a trickster of amazing skill.- excerpt, Legend Cycles of the Ancients
The Airy Path
We started out towards the sky, it should give us a good view of the other two paths as well.

The Majin were waiting for us, of course.
Video- Temptation

Click For Video with Commentary

Ally Team:
Weve added the Count and are sitting Komori. I hate to do it to the guy but we need the slot and hes the odd man out with his weak healing. Plus side is that the Count is a great healer and we can probably safely two-heal from now on with him and Yuri.
Enemy Team:
Same things we saw last time we were here, three Cursed Souls, two Jade Sylphs, two Caprus, and two Uro Lumen. We arent allowed to capture the Cursed Souls if we want the refugee, so if we overkill them well execute them instead.
Deployment:

Our front is now Alexei, Rondemion, and the Count, theyre our most durable characters.
Tactical Objectives:
- Murder the Cursed Souls
Map:


I assure you I wont be a burden to the campaign.




We push Rondemion up to lure in some Cursed Souls, theyll blow up when we so much as look at them with him so we kind of want to milk them with other people.




Wh-Why do you possess that librum!?


We push everyone up as far as we can, the Majin here are no threat at all and I have nothing but contempt for the threat they pose.



Rondemion sits and waits, I want the Cursed Soul to get closer to my lines.




The Count dishes out a librum strike whose brutality belies the pitiful animation, taking off most of the Cursed Soul on his sides health. We throw some Malus magic into it with Nena to get her free experience, and throw around a lot of buffs in the backfield. The Cursed Souls finally engage, doing laughable damage to Rondemion and the Count and managing to Disease the latter. We blast Rondemions with some earth magic then pull away so Alexei can finish the job. Meanwhile the Counts falls to another Malus followed by a brutal spell from Vivian, who levels up.

She gets the Seal spell here, its one of the more useful status spells because its pretty likely to land. Alexei smashes his Cursed Soul as well, and we execute the two Bound Majin with Velnor and the Count. If you dont care about capturing Majin executing is an interesting way to milk out even more experience because you get pretty substantial amounts of experience for it. Rondemion moves up to meet the last Cursed Soul and casts on it. The Count finishes things off with his own magic, which is good because a Caprus is coming in as well. I buff the Counts speed, which means hes getting turns all over the place.


While were here, why not try capturing them in the librum?
We pour magic and attacks into the Caprus in order to drag it into overkill range. Meanwhile the nearby Jade Sylph starts casting on Rondemion, who is unmoved by its pitiful efforts to injure him. Caprus falls to a brutal combo from the Count and Rondemion, which again is good because an Uro Lumen from above is starting to move in. We cast on it and slap it with the Counts librum, nearly killing it. Rather than give it a chance to respond, Rondemion smashes it with his axe, silencing it before it can make a single attack. Now we start pouring attacks into the Jade Sylph while Rondemion shifts to deal with the Caprus thats now coming from above as well. After our best efforts have weakened the Sylph, we destroy it with a Sacra II from Yuri, who levels up.

Nothing new from Yuri, but her A rank in Light is pretty damn strong for this level. Weve got the Caprus down a bit with Rondemion between an earlier swing and his magic, which again is good because the other Uro Lumen is coming.


I grow weary of your incessant babble Begone.
We take the last Caprus down to single digits. Meanwhile, the Uro Lumen Seals Rondemion, its no big thing really. We start weakening it with Vivian and Velnor, making good progress. Meanwhile the Caprus attacks the Count, and he levels up from it.

We kept weakening the Uro Lumen, which did manage to Fracture Vivian. It then pulled back, which is actually pretty good. Caprus then falls to a Combo from the Count and Rondemion, who levels up from the effort.

The mans new weapons have really paid off, hes able to dish out beats of epic proportion. The last Jade Sylph joins the fun now, but its really all over. I manage to organize things to land a Combo on the Uro Lumen with Rondemion and Nena, getting her a level out of it. I then start messing around weakening the Jade Sylph. I even land a Seal on it with Vivian, so it cant even keep picking on Alexei.



The thing finally falls to a Combo from Velnor and Rondemion, and Velnor levels up. We then get Alexei his level from the capture. Map over.
Battle Result:
Levels:
Rondemion 13->14
Duphaston 10->11
Alexei 8->9
Velnor 9->10
Yuri 8->9
Vivian 7->8
Nena 7->8
Majin:
Caprus Lv 9 x 2
Jade Sylph Lv 9 x 2
Uro Lumen Lv 9 x 2
Gold:
2250
Refugee:
Misty
At least the Counts not totally useless.
Video- Temptation Lead Out

Click For Video

My skills cannot hold a candle to those of the Legendary Hero.






Perhaps, oh I dont know, maybe you are hiding something from him, and he has managed to discover it ?





And Im sure Rondemion doesnt mind!

(Ill need to increase my efforts on the other, though )
Komori seems pretty concerned about his kid.

Komori: Have you talked to Nena lately?
I think shes a lovely girl with a bright future!
Your little girl Eriel is special, too. Shes so talkative with everyone.
Not like my Nena. I worry about her shyness sometimes.
Shes always been afraid of talking to people.
So if you see her, try to get a conversation going! She needs to learn!
Alexei eats enough for several men, I guess its all that armor.

Alexei: Have you tried the food Iryth cooks at the tavern yet? Its incredible!
I wonder if shed like to work at the Valdian Knights headquarters ?
The Count is a really weird guy and Im not sure what his angle is.


Ares has just been mopping up and securing areas for us, but I think Beseks still proving exciting.

Ares: Sorry, but Im just about to go explore Besek some more
Maybe next time. Ill be around.
It seems Amelie came here to find some solution to her worlds problems.


Amelie: I feel bad being under your hospitality this whole time.

Are you here for the Eternal Poison?
Do you think it will save your country?
Amelie: Well, Im looking for anything that could help me.
Maybe I can find a powerful Majin who I can bring back to take care of them.
Then, my people wont be in danger!

And it never gets less strange to be talking to a rabbit.


Kuni: I dont believe ya!
Look! Yer draggin yer feet !

Kuni: No, not dragon feet! Yer draggin yer feet!
Havent ya heard that sayin before?

Kuni: Hm, I guess folks dont say that round here.
Thats so strange.

Kuni: Huh, what? I missed that.
That woman we saved earlier was carrying a huge trunk, someone elses luggage I think.


Misty: N-No, its not that

But if somethings wrong, speak up.
Misty: Oh, okay!

Misty: O-Okay

I have to go, but Ill check on you later.
Misty: Uh, um !
Th-Thank you for saving me!

Were resting up for our next assault on Besek now. I suspect things are going to start getting more challenging from here on out.
- unknown