Part 40: The Wisdom Bow

Last time on Hyperdimension Neptunia, Neptune and her friends found the Dual Revolver, which I still think is a bit silly. And I really must send her out after that narrator, doing his job and mine is hardly ideal.



Ooh, it’s probably something very, very interesting!
Should we ask? …Hey, what’s going on?
Producer: This is an event which produces masters of idols.
The top three girls among the contestants will be chosen and then their fans will produce and raise them into great idols!
You should try out for it, too. I’m sure they’re still accepting entries.
An idol… trio? Are we really good enough to be masters, though?
I think we gotta try! I betcha we’ll win!
You think so? Are you sure? Well, we’re the main characters, so maybe we will!
Oh, for sure! Don’tcha think, Iffy? We’re gonna be celebrities and stuff!
Idols… celebrities… Ugh. Not like my opinion matters. I mean, the idea’s not bad, but why us…?
We need to think up a group name right away!
Okay, let’s do this thing!

I have no idea why they though this plan would work out.



I didn’t really expect anything different, but it doesn’t feel good as a girl to get rejected so quickly…
It’s okay… We’ll just continue on with our journey to save these people’s world…
…How sad.

Moving on to important things, they just found some random cave to search.



Yes, she said that’s all she knows for now.
So if this cave is a ruin, there’s a chance it’s here, right? Can I doodle on the walls? Would that make it more ruin-y?
I-I… don’t think it really works like that…

That randomly picking caves continues to work is baffling.

Video- “Orochi”

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Guild Fugitive: St-Stay away! Get back! I’ll use this, if you don’t do exactly as I say!
Is that…? It’s one of Arfoire’s discs. Those things are everywhere!

I guess I won’t complain.



This way seems to work for Neptune.



We’re not going to kill you. Why would you think we’d do such a thing?
Guild Fugitive: O-Okay. Sorry. I thought you were one of the Basilicom’s pursuers.
Basilicom’s pursuers? Are you a Guild member? Don’t worry. Your goddess won’t let another purge happen again.
Guild Fugitive: Our goddess? She’s finally arisen… Ten years after the purge… She’s finally…
You’ve been in here for ten years? You’ll get sick and stinky if you stay in such a dark place. Go outside! It’s safe now.
Guild Fugitive: N-No, I-I’m fine. I like it here. It’s private. So, don’t tell anyone about me.
You can have this, if you promise to keep my secret. It’s said to have belonged to the hero, Gheytz.
System Message: Obtained ‘Wisdom Bow: Handle.’
The hero, Gheytz… One of the four ancient heroes? If so, we totally just lucked out.
This is a hero’s weapon? Looks like the grip to something. I don’t know if we can trust this guy, though.
Guild Fugitive: Then, let me tell you where the rest of the pieces are. I found this in a small shrine while wandering in a forest.
I’m sure the rest of the parts remain somewhere in that forest.
Am I still untrustworthy?
We have to trust you. We can’t drag you with us… But make sure you go outside sometimes to get fresh air, though!

These blogs continue to baffle and annoy me. At least they mostly seem to be short.



I have no idea why a forest on Leanbox was snowy. It’s like there is only one type of forest in Gamindustri.



Oh, pssh, c’mon, the Lost Forest? How bland can you be? Getting lost in thick forests is such an old trick.
Watch it, or you’ll jinx yourself and get lost first. Grandpa always said ‘security is the greatest enemy!’

Also these enemies they’re fighting, while admittedly unique, are starting to look nothing like their names suggest.



As it happened, they saved a somewhat unscrupulous fellow when they slew that monster… thing.

Video- “Bow Parts”

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Who’re you? Where’d you come from? We weren’t tryin’ to save you.
Merchant: Oh? But by defeating that monster, you most certainly did save me.
Now I won’t be late for my meeting with Sir Turquoise!
…Huh? You know the Aristocrat leader? Whatcha goin’ there for?
Merchant: I heard he’s obtained some sort of rare item! Say… would you like to purchase this here bow?
You want us to buy it…? You’re charging someone who saved your life?!
Merchant: Well, excuse me! Then, how about I offer a discount? It’ll be a very special deal.
Nep-Nep, I think we should stay way from people like this… They’re crooks!
Merchant: What an outrageous assumption! I’m only taking an opportunity to sell this bow, worth next to nothing, at a high price!
How could you…?! I’m glad you’re being honest, but we’re not going to buy anything from you.
Merchant: Ha! Thanks. Honesty is my only strong point.
Ugh, no thanks! Nobody in my party is an archer anyway. Right, Iffy and Compa?
Merchant: Oh, don’t be like that. It’s good to have an item just in case. Whaddaya say? It’s cheap, but the quality is top-notch!
Get outta here, old cootie-bag! We don’t want it. We’re gonna have really mad faces on if you keep being a pushy jerk.
Just leave, unless you like pain. Would you like us to give you the same treatment as that monster?
Merchant: Eek! Please d-don’t. Fine, you can have it. I just found it on the ground anyway.
…Phew. He’s gone, but he left something weird behind. Is this really a bow? He said he found it on the ground.
Looks like a stick to me. Let’s just take it, I guess. Didn’t go as planned, huh?
System Message: Obtained ‘Wisdom Bow: Lower Limb.’
Didn’t he say the Aristocrat leader’s got a rare item? I wonder what it is.
Sir Turquoise, right? Worth checking out, at least.

I can’t believe he tried to sell them a stick. I guess the next piece turned out to be owned by a friend of theirs.



We actually came to ask a favor. We’re looking for an ancient hero’s weapon. Know anything about it?
Turquoise: Hoho, a hero’s weapon, eh? You must be talking about the Quartet Arms. I’ve been looking for those, myself!
I had something appraised by a traveling merchant the other day. I thought it was part of the hero Gheytz’s weapon, but no.
I think we met that crooked man. You shouldn’t trust what he says at all!
Turquoise: Then there’s still a chance it’s real? Please, take a look at this.
It looks like a normal string, but I believe it belongs to the Wisdom Bow.
The giant bow used by Gheytz to pierce the heavens. This simple material and shape… It is just as recorded!
That’s not really enough to know, but if it’s true, then the part Mr. Caveman gave us could be real, too…
Turquoise: Oh, that’s definitely the Wisdom Bow’s handle! Now we need the upper limb to complete the bow.
Can we borrow the string? You can have the entire bow after we’re finished with it.
Turquoise: Sure, that sounds like more than a fair exchange. Let me give you sexy things one more tip.
Gheytz is said to have earned tremendous assets from his inventions after fighting the goddess.
I heard there’s a shrine on Leanbox somewhere dedicated to him. I hope that helps you.
I see. You’re saying the last part may be there?
Turquoise: It’s possible, although you’d have to find the shrine first.
System Message: Obtained ‘Wisdom Bow: String.’

That guy was also pretty bad. They ran into something weird on the way to search for the shrine.



Oh, did a meteor strike here or something?
Pilot: As suspected. Yes, this is the site where a meteor fell.
Oh, what’s up dude? Where’d the meteor go?
Pilot: It exploded into pieces as it hit the ground.
But… the crater remains as the world’s wound…
The world’s wound… Compa, do you have a jumbo-size band-aid?
Pilot: The damage has spread to the neighboring lands. We’re at war with them and facing an economic meltdown.
A country-wide order was issued to the citizens to participate in war. I’m on my way to report to duty.
Oh. Well, g’luck! I’ll cheer you on from here, I guess.
I will, too. Don’t ever give up the fight!
Make sure to come back alive for sequels.
Pilot: Thanks. Farewell!
…He’s gone.
Let’s stay away from this area.
True. We should take a different road.
Yep. I don’t wanna die yet!

After wasting time with that for a while, they got back on track.

Video- “Wisdom Bow”

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We might find Gheytz’s shrine up ahead!
I’m not sure it’s supposed to be that easy. We could take a look, I guess.
Nep-Nep, look, a cute monster-wonster! Let’s take a funny picture with it!
Monster: Wh-What’s your deal? Busting in here with that jibber-jabber. This’s my territory. Get out! Later!
It’s running away! W-Wait, the picture’s gonna get all blurry…!
Nep, what’re you doing? Get back here!

And I told them it would be in a ruin. It’s not my fault they went there last.



Wait for us, Nep. Whoa!
Haaah… A-Are you two all ri-…Ohhhh!
Looks like we found it. Gheytz’s shrine. Look, there’s a pedestal and glass case in the back.
Can I open it? I’m gonna. Here I go. Opening it! Whoa.
…Nothing happened. No alarms or traps… Geez, you’re even making me get worked up. Anyway, it’s empty.
Wait. It’s hard to see in the dark, but there it is! The other half of the bow. It matches perfectly with what we’ve got!
System Message: Obtained ‘Wisdom Bow: Upper Limb.’
We did it. That’s the complete Gheytz Wisdom Bow. Good looking out, Compa!
Heehee, you sure pulled your weight too, Iffy!
What’s up with praising Compa? I found this place, y’know? She wouldn’t have seen it if I didn’t come here to begin with!
System Message: Obtained ‘Gheytz’s Wisdom Bow.’

It’s fine, though.



Next Time on Hyperdimension Neptunia: The Trust Spear. The last of the Quartet Arms!