Part 13: Invasion! The Sacred Mountain of Autumn (L)

On Reimu's route, it's Shizuha who starts the chapter.

Their beauty lies in the transience of their end. So they're neither lonely nor sad.

Shizuha looks around.

...But it wouldn't hurt to sing for them once in a while. Nobody's watching either... the eeeeelegance of faaaaallll~.

I thought I'd find you'd here, sis.

The eeeeelegance of faaaa- a, ahem. Minoriko, is something wrong?

Shouldn't I ask you that? That was a strange voice you were letting out... well whatever. More importantly, have you read the tengu's newspaper today?!

Let me see... "Crafty Humans Invade Youkai Mountain! The Tengu Alliance Handily Beats Them Back!" is today's headline.

The problem is the next line! We're introduced as "two goddesses victimized by the humans"! We're laughingstocks! We even look pathetic in the pictures.

The rest of the conversation is the same from there.



Chapter 19 is where Lunatic stops fucking around. A good chunk of my units are coming in unupgraded from a route split, and as you might recall being unupgraded is a death sentence on Lunatic.

So if you're looking at that picture and wondering why I brought in Elly instead of Rumia, well let's just say I am not the brightest bulb.



This time all of the enemies deploy danmaku at once. This means really harsh penalties.



By the time Komachi shows up, the enemy force has polarized to match my two groups.



And then all of Reimu's enemies gave up on hitting her and rushed my tanks.



Skip to the Akis. Their actual combination attack is still a total joke, but their chained regular attacks pack a punch.

If I come home with a god's head, Yuuka will definitely praise me. Prepare yourself!

How are you going to do that with that kind of uncertain motive? I'll turn the tables with sweet potato power!

And how are you going to do that with that kind of uncertain motive? If it's love versus sweet potatoes, love will prevail!



I mean look at this. If Meiling hadn't been defending she would have taken over 2000 damage. Meiling.

So if you're the goddess of autumn leaves, does that mean you can make them turn red?

...? That was a sudden change of topic.

Well, I'm just wondering why you don't make them red all year round. Yuuka can also make any season's flower bloom whenever she wants, but she never takes advantage of it.

I wouldn't know for certain, but it sounds like that person appreciates the four seasons. The autumn scenery has meaning because it's only in autumn. If the leaves were always red, they wouldn't be special!



Since Meiling is fresh off the shelves, she only has one Support Defend. Shizuha takes the chance to snipe Elly.

Everyone, avenge me!



I had a brain fart here and thought Alice was in range to get Aki kicked. I ended up wasting her Alert on a pointless battle.

So you've come again. If you're looking for leaves, I'd be happy to show you a nice location.

That's very nice of you. But right now, I have to help sort out the shrine's affairs first.



At least Marisa hit her 51%.



And that's the Bonus.

I wonder if some autumn crops would make a good souvenir for the young mistress?

Well of course they would. If you want, I can split some of my fruits with you.

Really!? But then again, if I carry too many things around, Sakuya will get angry... when we return, could I meet with you again and then take the fruits?

If that's how it has to be. Now, I'll need a box to keep these from spoiling...

Or I could send you back right now!

Meiling is really intent on getting Flan a souvenir.

I figured autumn leaves would make a good a souvenir for the young mistress.

How admirable. But when it comes to souvenirs, most people bring food.

That's true. Hmm, how troublesome. The young mistress has very difficult tastes, so which should I bring... Oh, I know, I'll just bring both!

...I suppose there's that option too.



The double Aki assault takes down Meiling too, though to her credit she lasted all three attacks.

I'm no match for them, I have to retreat!



Shizuha's constantly casting Focus, which makes beating her far more frustrating. Better to take out Minoriko.

You two are always together, huh. I bet you know everything about each other.

Of course. We trust each other so much that we feel stronger just by being near each other.

...Hm, so it's that kind of thing. Guess I can't make fun of your feelings.



Support Attack chains easily get around Strike'd counterattacks too.

Your skin is so pale. I'm going to drill you in farmwork!

...Where did that come from? Manual labor isn't my strong point, so I'll have to decline.



This is the only part of Amaterasu that kind of looks like the original bullet pattern. Still not sure what Sanbondo was thinking with it.



Reimu goes for the kill...



and makes it! I can't believe this actually shocks me now.

I had Dai cast Cheer too, so Reimu shoots up to level 18 like her Normal mode counterpart.



Seeing as I only have one tank now, splitting up is a no-no. Good thing the AI is aggressive enough on this difficulty to charge me.



And great thing the AI focuses on the protagonist, because both of the crow tengu with Fury try to attack Reimu and get crippled for their troubles.



Those eight squares regenerate health, so Keine lands on one. Since Supports only work if everyone's on the same plane, that means everyone else also lands.

Also danmaku penalties are stacking like crazy.



Komachi blows all of her resources casting Strike and healing herself to full, then targets Tengu A.



Two finishers slice half her health off.



And Reimu goes for broke.

Last time was one thing, but this this time I'm getting my article!

Shut up and get out of my way!







And then everyone rushed Dai.

...Um, have you seen a fairy enter this mountain? She has a green ribbon, and wears blue clothes...

A fairy? A single one is nothing to look out for. Besides, even if I did know, why should I tell you anything?

...Y-you're awful. You didn't have to go that far...

H-hey, don't cry! You're making me feel terrible!



How do you get graze damage from a sword slash?

Please take care of the rest!



The crows all either attack Komachi, who they eventually kill,

Sorry, but I'm going to go relax in the back.



or Keine, who they bounce off of.



Alice deploys a Hourai doll, who immediately drops a bomb. It's weak enough to cripple the already hurt enemies instead of outright killing them.



I make another doll and send her around near the other to help draw fire.

The rest of the turn is spent trying to finish off the crows. I didn't want the bomb to kill them so I could get larger Power boosts from killing them, but unfortunately the RNG did not want to cooperate.

You sure are persistent. Are you mountain youkai scared of us or something?

Of course not. Lady Kochiya ordered us to watch for you lot, so we will not let you pass!

That shrine maiden did? If she's pushing you around like that, she must be a big deal.

Incorrect. We are cooperating with them for the sake of the mountain, not bowing our heads to their every decision!

Oh, and Marisa shot at Tengu B too.



Thanks to Support Defend, the Hourais managed to draw three attacks.



Sakuya even finally triggers Counter and ganks a crow before it can waste one of Keine's Support Defends.

It's interesting how your shield can release danmaku. Where might I be able to buy one?

This was made with kappa technology. A human could never obtain one.

My, how unfortunate. I suppose I'll just have to force you to hand yours over then.



Tengu B should go down next turn.



Mokou blows the last of her SP on Strike. After Marisa and Reimu use it via Support Attack to kill the last two crows,

I wonder if you other tengu have more backbone than the crows?

To run your mouth like that, you must not be aware of our might.

I'll make you eat those words.





she smokes Tengu B. Two tengu left.



One goes down to Killing Doll + Shanghai Doll followed by Artful Sacrifice (all those dolls, wow)





the other goes down to Sakuya's World and a double team. If you're curious, yes, Marisa got hit. She barely lived at 72 HP.



Seriously, if you're unupgraded you're useless on Lunatic. So good thing all of Marisa's team are heading down another route split before I can upgrade them!

------

The game has stopped. Thank you for your efforts.

...In the end, Nitori is a mountain youkai. She battles Marisa for no personal benefit.

But Marisa has become attached to Nitori, so she has her own plan. Along with Alice, she tries to talk things out... I'm a little worried about what might happen.

In any case, let's meet again in Chapter 20 of Fantasy Maiden Wars P: "The Other Shore of Friendship".

(Translation Rough Draft)