Part 56: Mission #53: Sorry, Kazuki, Your MIDAS is in Another Castle!

Well, the Bulls are playing another playoff time. By rules of this thread, it must be time for another update. Glory be to Derrick Rose.

Mission #53: Sorry, Kazuki, Your MIDAS is in Another Castle!



So, in case you're wondering what happened to the rest of Kuroi's troops...



Lukav and the Imaginary Numbers have killed them all.
: Damn... Lukav...
: Kuroi's squad is quite impressive. But it isn't good enough.
: We don't intend to defeat you. We're here to slow you down.
: Fools. You gain nothing by buying time. You're wasting your lives.
: The lieutenant will get here! Until then, we'll do our job!
Yeah, it looks like the party has managed to fuck things up again. You see, Kuroi might have been able to take Lukav out, especially with that super-tank he stole, but, we elected to stop him and break his tank. So, now, Lukav looks like he's about to escape again thanks to the actions of the party!
: Fine. So be it!



: Where is he!?
: Lukav!
: Kazuki, over there!
: Those are special forces wanzers...
: Lieutenant...
: Kazuki? I knew you'd be the one after me...
: Lukav, you're not getting MIDAS!
I guess Lukav will just have to satisfy himself with possession of the scientist who knows how to make more MIDAS bombs.
: Too bad. MIDAS will soon be in my hands. No mere human could hope to stop me.
: Get off your high horse, Lukav! I'll be the one who'll stop you!
: Real Number. So devoted to your dead master. How irrational. Why are you so concerned about the dead? You're a failure.
: Are you done!?
: Such eyesores. Stay out of my way!



Kazuki, Pham, Alisa and Liu get the call. I feel like I'm cheating every time I use Liu...but, I simply do not have the willpower to avoid using the beam rifle whenever possible. I'm just a man, damn it! I have needs, well, need. The need to see Liu vaporize the enemy with beams of light, specifically. Also, the need to see the Hawks sent back to hell, or Atlanta, whichever one's worse. Let's hope both get fulfilled tonight.



Lukav's new ride. It comes equipped with some sort of twin beam cannon system in the form of those wings, a cannon, which it holds in one hand, and an empty fist. Realistically, it's not really so tough, since the Beam weapon is actually weaker than Liu's weapon, and cannons are pretty shitty all around.



God help me, I truly dislike that grenade launcher. It takes power away from Kazuki's weapon arm, and the accuracy of the launcher is too shitty to make any real use of it.



Liu does his best Amuro Ray impression, except with less angst and more bloodlust! The goal of this mission is killing Lukav, who's all the way at the other end of the level. There are a bunch of Imaginary numbers in the way, so I figure I'll take them out first.



I just don't think the Schwanzerchen has what it takes to be a melee wanzer.



More Lenghe 1s with fists? And they're upgraded more than ever before? Well, don't worry, with a well-equipped squad of properly constructed wanzers, everything should be fine. Still, Ryogo manages to force-eject this fighter, leading to...



The force-ejections cut both ways, which doesn't really make it less irritating, but does make it feel less cheap.



Now that is is a shame. Damage Fix 400 means that this attack, which probably would have hit for about 750, is going to be capped at 400. The solution? Well, technically, if I leveled Liu up enough, he'd do more than 800 damage in a single attack, thus making it impossible for Damage Fix 400 to activate.



Then again, 400 damage from long range isn't bad...



I know you guys like your wanzers with as many weapons as possible, but using low-HP body units makes the game quite a bit harder, especially in the end game.



Come on, Ryogo, show me your spirit! It's totally unacceptable that you only lead the Imaginary Numbers by 10 at the half! You've got to show better defense in the low-post or else that Lenghe is going to keep picking us apart!



Better.



At this point, I decide the Schwanzerchen simply isn't going to make it, drastic measures need to be taken. More on that a bit later...



It turns out that the Passionfruit and the SupprtFire are better than I gave them credit for, so long as they have a bruising wanzer that can take hits backing them up. Unfortunately, the full list of wanzers I have on hand that fit that criteria is as follows: White Devil. That is all.



Oh no, a Lenghe 1 triggering Melee III, that's bad...is exactly the thing I would be saying if it weren't the wanzer whose pilot I had killed earlier. I decide to cut bait on the Schwanzerchen and have Kazuki eject into the vacant Lenghe 1. Sorry, Deceitful Penguin, but I didn't have much choice.



Of course, I was using the empty hand, so as not to accidentally destroy my prize. Oh, well, that was the last of the Imaginary Numbers, time to kill Lukav.



Lukav uses his Shining Twin Beam Miracle Cannon!



I knew the day would come when the party would be forced to confront tit guns...I just didn't think it'd be so soon. So, who wants to see the amazing strategy I used to beat Lukav and his mighty cannons?



Step #1: Have Liu fire his Beam rifle. Step #2: There is no step #2.



One shot, one kill. Body Smash will kill any enemy in one hit. Arm Smash and Leg Smash are limited as some enemies don't have arms or legs, but every enemy has a body, and every body can get smashed.



Victory. Now, the MVP...I mean, Liu killed a boss in one hit! My hands are tied. He wins MVP.



: Give it up! It's over!
: ...Is that so?



And a nearby boat starts firing off missiles.



I don't suppose Lukav is planning to shower us with missiles of friendship?



: I respect you for that, but you can't win so easily.
: What are you saying?
: Kazuki, something's headed this way at high speed! ...Omigosh! It's a cruise missile!
: What!?



Wait! Maybe it's just a meteor shower...so bright that it can be seen in daytime...and descending rapidly towards us...



You know, the first few times Lukav managed to make our victories completely meaningless, it was funny, now...now it's just sad.



Maybe the next branch will go better...



The party lives! Somehow! Apparently, while the party can be taken down by most normal weapons, they are invulnerable to all cruise missiles.
: Look out! The other one's headed on its way!
: Kazuki, hurry!
: Are you trying to kill yourself!? C'mon, work with me!
If I had known how you guys building wanzers would go, this definitely would have been the thread title.

Next Time: Back to Square One!