Part 35

Chapter 31



Alright! Finally, we get to control Edge.





Normally I don't bother stocking up on items unless it's a Challenge Dungeon, but considering Ninjutsu healing kind of sucks and the Tower of Babil can hurt, it's a good idea to be prepared.



Also, Metal Boomerangs are an upgrade from Edge's current katanas, plus it means he can live in the back row. Not that he actually needs to, but it reduces damage and makes him as evasive as a, well, ninja.



I told you to not worry about me. I made it back last time, didn't I?
But Cecil and the others aren't with you now.
They are. They most certainly are.

I thought that last line was kind of neat. I don't know why, it just is.






We're back at the Cave of Eblan.




The monsters are a joke here and are mainly here to show how much of a badass Edge is now. Edge will be killing almost every enemy here in one hit.





Edge will leap right to the enemy, smash them over the head with his boomerangs, and proceed to fail to steal.

Smash and Grab has a horrible success rate, but it doesn't stop me from using it every turn.



The hilarious thing is that much better hand armor shows up in the next room.



Hey, Smash and Grab does work sometimes! Too bad all I get from the cave are Gold Needles and Potions.



This is Edge's sole source of healing. This will be noteable for a future Tale. Here, I don't even bother healing for the entire cave.



The Rune Armlet is a point of defense weaker than those Mythril Gauntlets, but it carries a hefty magic defense boost, as well as Silence protection and slight Intellect/Spirit boosts. Definitely prefer this one.

Time for a quick cutscene!



(You were buried out of sight...just as you requested, Father. A ninja to the end... Don't you ever get lonely, all the way down there? That tower has been set into motion once again...)



(I swear I won't let anyone go through that again!)



It's been seventeen years, but Edge is now reliving everything that's happened back then. This is a rather touching moment, and for everything wrong this game does, I think everything involving Edge is done quite well.



Anyway, the entirety of the cave is uneventful. Edge kills stuff, stuff dies, Edge loots treasure. The usual stuff.



Well, that and we get a new sword. Since we still have a Metal Boomerang equipped, there's still no reason not to keep Edge in the back row.








Get used to seeing the apparition of Rubicante. He sort of follow Edge around everywhere.

They really have one of the most complex bonds of both games. They were enemies, almost even rivals, and Rubicante is responsible for the destruction of Edge's home and indirectly responsible for destroying his parents. Rubicante even feels remorseful for the latter event, since he didn't keep a tight enough leash on that crackpot Lugae.

Yet there's also a bit of respect between the two of them, and their weird bond actually develops a bit in this game. Rubicante's apparition will warn and even help Edge from time to time, and considering all the other crazy shit this game does, the game handles the Edge/Rubicante thing very well.

Again, for all the stuff this game does wrong, I think they did a fantastic job fleshing out Edge. Definitely most improved character in this game, and as someone who wasn't a fan of Edge in the original, I'll say that Edge is easily my favorite character in this game.



Edge started this battle off with five enemies or so. I think he only got hit once or twice. He evaded all the other attacks.

Edge is pretty damn awesome gameplay-wise as well.



Before I tackle the tower, I rest up. Full Moon lowers Attack, but Smash and Grab bypasses that since it's an Ability.





Alright, let's get to the good stuff!



If you wanted to, you can run away crying to Eblan if the cave scared you. The cave is a joke, but the tower can actually be a bit dangerous if you're not prepared.




That trick never gets old.



There's several scripted battles in this place.






In each one, you encounter a group of monsters stronger than usual, only for a ninja to jump in and cast a spell that monster is weak to.



Only for it to do incredibly pathetic damage anyway.

Tsukinowa!



All these guys do is cast Tornado before I take them down.



Mysidia's magic has nothing on our ninjutsu.
Of course.

That's bullshit and even Edge knows it. You didn't even break 200 damage on an enemy weak to your technique!

Let's go, Master!

One annoying aspect about this dungeon is that every time you regain a ninja, the music stops completely. It's stupid.



Another annoying thing is the game rearranges your party every time you regain a ninja. It mostly makes sense, but why the hell would I put Edge in the front when I can take advantage of the back row?



There's also weapon upgrades here for each of our ninjas. We'll get a new axe, spear, and katana as well.






Izayoi!



Flamehounds hit hard, though their Blaze spell didn't bother me much. Still, focus your attacks one at a time and you should be fine.



Hopefully you won't treat me like a woman any longer, Master.
Are you serious?
I place my status as an Eblan ninja above my gender.




This game has set feminism back seventeen years.



Gekkou's upgrade for when we get him.






Zangetsu!



Holy shit, I actually stole something useful! I mean, Izayoi still sucks with a bow, but hey, I can exploit elemental weaknesses!



I may be old, my lord, but I am well experienced.
I see that.

Zangetsu doesn't even have anything substantial to say. Tsukinowa bashes Mysidia's magic, Izayoi's all NINJA POWER, and Gekkou actually has something important. Zangetsu? "I'M STILL OLD!"



At least he gets a new spear.






Gekkou!




Both of these guys used Icestorm. It hurts.





There's no reason not to use Human Kite. Zangetsu is completely useless without it.



We're dealing with an unknown enemy, Master!
Unknown?
I think they arrived here on a meteor from the heavens.
They what!?

Unlike the other idiots, Gekkou actually has something important to say. Note that the other ninjas don't actually share their discoveries, mainly because their discoveries are stupid and are no help. Gekkou, to his credit, not only learns something important but actually shares it with Edge.

Maybe I should be giving Gekkou more credit. Not the other three, they all suck, but Gekkou actually has intelligence in a game full of idiots. Hell, he might be one of the smartest people in this game.



Plus he isn't a complete joke like Zangetsu. Even Tsukinowa the kid ninja doesn't get knocked out by random encounters. Zangetsu goes down twice.

God dammit, Zangetsu!



Instinct would tell you to give this one to Edge, but then he'd have to be in the front row. Give it to Tsukinowa to help his damage output. He needs it.



We're near the end. You can again exit if you need to, but at this point there's no reason to leave.





Who?
You know her?



Goodness. She's still only a young girl.
So, what's our next move?
We must avoid a frontal attack at all costs!
If you say so, then she must be very powerful indeed, Gekkou.
Watch yourselves, everyone. We must act carefully.

Hilariously, despite Gekkou's really, really good advice, we will proceed with a frontal attack on her.



Another weapon for Izayoi. I'm not a fan of Whips, so I stick with the Bow for now. Not that I'll actually need it, of course.





Who...who's that!?



What!?








See? Rubicante may have burned down your home and indirectly murdered your parents, but he's still a bro, and bros watch out for each other.





So of course we ignore Gekkou, Rubicante, and Edge's parents and fight her anyway.

Some rats have burrowed their way in, I see.
You're the one who doesn't belong, I'd say.
Master! Don't provoke her!

Seriously, how the hell is it that one of the Eblan Fucking Four ends up being one of the smartest characters in the game?



Why have you activated this tower? What is your reason for this?
There's no use explaining to an inferior species.
What did you say?
How dare you make fools out of us!



You have some sense, I see.
Maybe so...but you do realize that humans have the power to adapt.
Adapt?
Don't let your guard down, Master!
In that case, it would be smart for me to settle this quickly.
What?







That's right. Despite everyone's warnings, we're fighting the Mysterious Girl. This will certainly end well.




Especially after she summons Ifrit.

Ifrit!? Rydia... What's happened to Rydia!?



Ifrit will spam Firaga on your party, which will do quite a bit of damage.



You know, if it hits. Edge is just that damn good.



You're not going to hurt Ifrit at all, so focus your attacks on Mysterious Girl.



Eventually, Ifrit uses Hellfire to end the fight.



You may die now.
Not if I can help it!



And they just... all slide back. Okay?






You think?



(My mother and father...and the image of Rubicante...)



And this is when Edge decides to take advantage of this game's fondness of recycling old content.



Oh?




Edge uses his Smoke technique to let everyone escape...

Giving up your only way out... Incomprehensible.



...straight to the Crystal Room.



It's a dead end!
Master! Why did you take us here!?
Do you have a plan?

These guys really like to hear themselves talk.




Things haven't changed here, either!



Remember that trap door? Because Edge sure did!





The gang all falls below.



This place is like some kind of ninja stronghold!
Amazing, Master!
She's coming for us!





And thus we begin one of the most bad-ass parts of the game.



Every encounter you get is with Ifrit. I never bothered even trying to fight him both times I played, so I don't know how much he'll fuck your shit up if you stay. All I know is, I ran the fuck away every chance I got.

Between Ifrit constantly popping up and the boss theme blaring the entire time, and you've got something that actually feels tense. You're running as fast as you can away from this near-invincible beast that will utterly destroy you if you're caught. And it's pretty fucking awesome.



Of course, along the way, the Eblan Four is constantly bitching.



Every time you run away, one of them says something.



Suffice to say, it's a bit annoying and kind of ruins the mood.



And they don't go through one round, either.



There's a second cycle of dialogue.



Score!



Seriously, if there's one way to ruin the tension, it's to have these morons constantly speaking.



After every single time you run, no less.



That said, it still doesn't ruin an awesome scene.



Do you know what time it is?

That's right, Flashback Time!












Well, no airship.



It's a dead end!
There's no choice but to fight it out!
Master!
Ifrit!






Ah. So you've finally accepted the inevitable.
I have to admit you got me. There is one thing I'd like to know before I die, though.



Baron is gathering all of the world's Crystals by the order of King Cecil.
Huh, I see. Well, now there's no doubting it at all.



Yeah, I kind of figured that one out.



!?
Your superior kind wouldn't know it...but our kind have a little something called instinct!



In Edge's case, his instinct is to jump out into the abyss below.










Like lemmings, the Eblan Four follow suit. Not without shouting random nonsense, of course.



You are the worst villain ever.



And so Edge and his disciples plummit to their deaths.





Or randomly land on the Falcon. You know, whatever works.



Where are we?
An airship!?




You gotta love Edge. He randomly lands in an airship after gambling his life, and the first thing he does is makes a half joke/half pick-up line at Rydia.

He's definitely matured a ton, but he's still the same ol' Edge.



Naturally, Rydia's confused as hell as to why five people just randomly fell onto the airship.

History is repeating itself, Rydia. We were cutting pretty close to the edge this time around, though.
So that...that was a complete gamble on your part, Master?
How could you be so reckless with your own life!?



AHAHAHAHAHA

He just fucking ignores his disciples' bitching and proceeds to faux-flirt with Luca.








Yeah, like we're going to learn somebody's identity today!

And that's Edge's Tale. As much as I hate the Eblan Four, it's still a pretty awesome tale. You start off using the four alone to learn a bit about them (and why you should hate them), then you've got Edge getting some solid character development, then finally we have Edge using his knowledge of the past to get one up on the Mysterious Girl. And it all works out fine. I guess.

Next time, I'll go through everyone's Bands (there's so damn many that they need their own update), then Edge's Challenge Dungeon.