Part 5

We interrupt your regular schedule of GB streams to present you this update.

------

The first bit shows up in both routes.




Music: Dark Clouds

Full Text


Music: What's the Strategy?

Full Text

------





Kanako and Suwako join immediately after the chapter starts.



Talk about your long nights, this one's ridiculous... But I guess it's fine if everyone's having fun.

...! Someone's coming!



I spent most of my money maxing out Magic Team's Mobility and Weapons, so the gods didn't get much on the upgrade front.



They did get some vital skills though; Kanako picked up Support Defend, and Suwako grabbed Ignore Size. I also set their personal skills because for some silly reason all player units new to FMW3 don't have any on.

Kanako equipped Virtue of Wind God, which buffs the Hit/Evade of nearby units by 12% (to you SRW vets, it's Command). And Suwako got Earth God, which doubles the effect of terrain bonuses.



There's water all over this map, so Alice, Sakuya, and Patchouli put on shells.



Suwako starts with an item that was dummied out of FMW2: Pyonta. It's really Suwako's Blessing (and really really Earth God's Blessing), but seeing how I changed Kanako's I guess I have to follow suit here.

Though FMW3's larger windows do give more space for english text...

Anyway, Pyonta bumps up a unit's Land and Water terrain rankings to S. This is of questionable use on Suwako, who already has a S in Water and has a S in Land in most of her attacks, so I actually have her swap with Kanako and put on the Shimenawa.



One last thing to note before I start: none of the teams you guys picked had names.



We came from the outside world, so to us, some things are still magical to behold.

Yeah, we get a ton of fireflies here.

Is it the mountain youkai? There's an awful lot of them.

Hm? Hey, there's a youkai among those fireflies.

Perfect. We can ask it some questions.

Excuse me. You seem to be leading these bugs.

I'm Wriggle, and I represent them. Who are you all?

An ordinary magician and some friends.

Bwah...?

If you know anything about this incident, firefly youkai, then speak.

Who died and made you queen... Are you talking about the long night?

The fireflies are loving it. Actually, I'm worried that they're loving it too much. They're gonna run themselves ragged.

I couldn't care less about the well-being of bugs.

I can see talking isn't going to get us anywhere. Let's just blow 'em all up.

I don't think they've done anything wrong...

Pest control is part of my job. When I see bugs flying around, I swat them.

...This swamp is home territory for us. If you want a fight, I'll give you one. Don't blame me if you end up cowering in terror!


The bonus for this chapter used to be much more elaborate (defeat three enemies while underwater IIRC), but thankfully Sanbondo realized it was dumb and changed it.



The river on this map is actually animated! There are also little fireflies everywhere.



Magic Team charges right into the fray.



And after overkilling that fairy by like 1500 damage, Alice and Marisa both level up. Alice got Triumph, and Marisa Magic Thruster level 2. Both are greatly appreciated!



Suwako doesn't have Accel for some reason, so Hina is actually a pretty good partner for her.



Oh, and one of the things you'll see with some of the new characters in this game is that they seem to have been designed to be in the back row. Suwako has barely any post movement attacks, so unless she runs around spamming Assail she's not getting much done on player phase. Kanako is in a similar situation, though it's at least expected for her.

Nitori, Lady Yasaka, this place is great!

Kappa...? Why are you in a place like this?

Well, we don't see water so pretty that often, so we kind of got distracted... morning never came either, so I guess we dozed off.

They must have been washed away by their own river. I hope you've learned something from this.

Anyway, looks like my hopes for a waterfront encounter with kappa came true. This is my chance for revenge for that time you girls confused me.

Huh?

Music: A God Plays with Their Whole Heart and Soul



Suwako's main attack stat is Ranged, so Two Bows etc and Long Arms and Long Legs don't hit that hard. Combine that with the enemy kappa's S rank in Water, and I get this sad sight.



Speaking of sad things, I found out I was wrong about the Three Fairies: they can't combine if any of them are in a team. Well, unless said fairy's teammate is one of the other two anyway.

It's been quite some time since my last incident investigation. I'm a bit tense...

Huh. Alice, is it just me or do you have more dolls than usual?

I made more combat-capable children, so I brought them with me for this investigation. I'm a magician, after all, so I'm experimenting with and studying all sorts of things at the moment.

So this is what you were working on while we were refitting the ship.

Thinking out your magic and playing it safe sure is like you, Alice.

I'd be quite troubled if something went wrong. It's common sense to prepare the foundation first.



And then Alice got an upgrade.



She gets two new attacks, Doll's War and Return Inanimateness. The former is a post-movement attack she can spam if she doesn't feel like wasting Artful Sacrifice ammo (even though it's based off her weaker Melee stat, Magic Team hits so hard it often doesn't matter for most grunts), and the latter is her answer to enemies that reduce laser damage.



Alice then spawns in three Hourai Dolls because I wanted to try out Puppeteer. It gives her a 8% boost in Hit/Evade for every doll within 2 tiles, so she's getting a +24% to Hit/Evade now.



She proceeds to blow kappa up.



Enemy AI goes a little nuts with the dolls. They're really weak, so you'd think they'd be high priority targets, but oddly enough I've seen them ignored just as often as I've seen them attacked.

Hourai Dolls have Support Defend, and combined with Puppeteer's boost (it affects both Alice and the dolls) these Hourais can probably last for a while.

I thought this was just some bug, but she can hold her own.

We can't get careless. She might send deadly poisonous insects at us!

That's right! You haven't even seen my-

!?

Hey, something wrong?

The bugs are running... Is someone over there?

I do sense a strong presence approaching.

This power could only be...

Ahh, I knew those lights were danmaku.

Music: The Flower that Marks the Changing Seasons (Ver. I)

This song was based off a rejected track from FMW1, hence the name.



I guess a flower youkai knows how to pick up the scent of battle.

Marisa, it's-

Is that you, Lady Mima?!

Marisa and Alice. I haven't seen you since the Underworld.

Of all the places to run into you again...!

And Yuuka, for that matter. Did you lose something here?

My, my. You're being awfully rude.

(They didn't even acknowledge us...)

(We should've stayed home and played with building blocks or something.)

Long time no see, Lady Yuuka.

You're looking well, Sakuya. How are the flowers I left at the mansion?

Blooming beautifully, of course. Meiling tends to them.

"Lady Mima"? You must be Marisa's teacher. It's nice to meet you.

Ah, you know of me?

We've heard some rumors, and we know Marisa's proud of you.

...Lady Mima, if you were okay, why didn't you get in touch with me? I was really worried, you know.

When have I ever done that? You hardly have any reason to expect me to.

But still!

Um, can we save the touching reunion for later?

We're here to investigate this incident.

Yuuka, investigating an incident? Are you for real?

Is it that odd? With an incident this big, there are bound to be interesting figures to meet. You all, for one.

Hoho, you have a very immodest tone for one addressing gods. How amusing. Will you be lending us a hand?

Whoa, hold it. Lady Mima's one thing, but Yuuka?

Aren't you the one that said the more, the merrier? That goes double in this case.

Hmph. I don't care for your highhanded attitude, but I'll let that go for now.

That settles that. Glad to work with you, and we'll work extra hard!



The first thing Yuuka should do is cast Drive,



then nuke a bunch of fairies. Unless she gets a critical she won't kill any, but Elly and Kurumi can handle things from there.

Music: Enter the Aluren



Meanwhile Mima is going to just be flying around blowing things up with her single () post-movement attack.



Her Absolute Magic Barrier nullifies all damage under 2400... which is pretty much everything in the first half of the game.



Getting back to my main units, Suwako heads east to deal with all of these bats.



And two kappa are blown up for good.



I also decided to check if Alice got the experience/PP from anything a doll kills. She doesn't.



Anyway, Mima blows up the third kappa.





After stalling a turn so I could clean up the rest of the grunts, I lay into Wriggle.

To think that my first battle would be with such a minor youkai...

Quit complaining. If you want to gather faith, you've gotta keep things simple.

Hey, I can hear you...

Yes, yes, I'm aware. Keep it simple, hm? Once I defeat someone as plain as you, I'm sure I'll gather some simple faith.

Music: -Fleeting Flame- Firefly Soul



I think this is the first thing Kanako's done all chapter. It's kind of hard for slow units to get things done when Magic Team is running around exploding things.

Now then, it's time to begin the pest control.

Hey, I may be a bug, but why do you think I'm a pest? There are lots of helpful bugs too.

I suppose that was rude of me. But they do say that there's only one soul in five times as many bugs.

...I knew you were just making fun of me.



Sakuya, Wriggle had a 0% on you. Kind of unnecessary!

Bugs sure have it nice. I'd like to live doing whatever I want too.

Hold it right there. I'll have you know that a bug's life isn't a comfortable one. It's a bug-eat-bug world where even children aren't safe.

I guess, but aren't you totally in tune with your nature too? You've only got one way to live.



Wriggle went down to critical in just two battles, so I had Komachi and Star finish her for some levels.

Rgh, you're really relentless...

Sorry, this is the only thing I have to give to insects.

But fireflies are so pretty. It's such a shame to exterminate them.

All you talk about is how this relates to you... If you think bugs are just there to be admired, you've got another thing coming!

You're still going? I'd rather get back to our investigation.

I guess foolishness is a trademark of younger youkai.

...Now I'm mad. I'll gather all the bugs, and-

!

Careful, everyone! I'm sensing an incredible amount of something!

You caught on too late. This whole area is surrounded by my friends. See us soar and wriggle in the darkness, and learn the true terror of bugs!





A fuck ton of bugs spawn in.



The camera doesn't center itself on Wriggle when the pattern first forms. I could have waited till the second turn, but I don't really want to wait through a massive enemy phase.



Nightbug Storm spawns in something like 30 bugs. And if any of them are standing in the field, they'll get Support Attack and Support Defend.

I guess the idea is that they'd overwhelm me, but unless I started the spell with nobody available there's pretty much zero chance they'll even get an enemy phase to attack. There's really not much point even bothering to swat them either, since they only give 2 PP each.

Oho, an insect youkai~.

Ack, you gave me a really sour look.

Not at all. Flowers and bugs go hand in hand in nature. But I make an exception for ugly bugs that harm flowers.

But some bugs have to be like that to survive.

Then they can at least do me the favor of living out of my sight. Whether it be in this world or the underworld, I don't mind. I couldn't care less if they live above ground or beneath, as long as I don't have to see them.

You're so unreasonable!

Music: Beauty of Nature



So I'll just take down Wriggle right away.



Yuuka still has a 50% Double Image because why not.

It's been quite a long time since I last fought on the surface.

The surface...? Are there youkai in other places?

There's a vast world underneath, with many people you know nothing about. They live in a cruel environment, together with the grudges that have sunk into the darkness.

Compared to them, you might say that you're quite blessed.

Is... that so.



Koakuma, this youkai could be useful. Let's capture her.

I thought you'd say that...

If she can gather and control bugs for me, I'll never have to worry about magical ingredients again.

No way, I'd never help you with something like that!



I kind of wish Forest Blaze did increased damage.

So you can control bugs. You seem to be quite the strong opponent.

I've never been called that before... You're kind of stiff. Do you hate bugs or something? They're living things too, isn't that kind of cruel?

I-it's not like that. Although ugly things are a little...



I could have had Marisa lead to drop Wriggle immediately, but I wanted to give the kill to Meiling.



Or at least that was the plan, but I forgot I had Kurumi move earlier. So no Cheered kill for Meiling.

But there's still one unit left. And she even has Gain!

As a moon fairy and a youkai of the night, I think we'd get along nicely.

I haven't heard of many fairies that were energetic during the night... Anyway, are you fine with nocturnal bugs?

No. I really hate it when bugs are buzzing near my ear when I'm trying to sleep!



Considering just how many units I have under level 30, I'll be seeing 1000+ XP drops from bosses for a while yet.

Wriggle drops yet another Firefly Gem, so I'm set now.

I'm finished...

Trying to overwhelm us with sheer numbers? Nice try.

Gathering a bunch of rabble will avail you naught.

Gotta hand it to her, though. She's got some pretty extensive control over bugs.

That could make for some awesome pranks.

So, what now? Should we start by hearing Wriggle out?

I shall accept this course of action as the best way to discover new leads.

Okay, Wriggle. We're the victors, so we're conscripting you.

...War veteran gods sure see things differently.

You know, I don't even feel like arguing anymore.

Yuuka? Are you and your band really joining us?

We met up, so we might as well stick around and chat. This should be a nice opportunity for Mima.

Now that you mention it, it very well may be.

Lady Mima?

Okay, let's rest up in the thicket over there. I'd love to hear all about what Sakuya and the others have been up to.



------

The game has been paused. Thank you for your hard work.

Lady Patchouli, Miss Alice. I've brought tea for your break.

Thank you.

You forgot the lemon, but I suppose I'll make do.

Hey, I'm here too. Why don't I get a cup?

Marisa, you come here to take books as you please and never return them. Don't expect us to be a water faucet for you too.

Well somebody's not getting a tip.

I wouldn't accept one from you anyway.

...Koakuma seems to only be rude to Marisa.

She still has a grudge from before, when Marisa stole her mug. Although for growing girls, it's common to mean the opposite of what they say...

Huh?

Th-that's not it! You're misunderstanding!

...So did you nail it?

Obviously.