Part 21: PART TWENTY: OKAY, SO, NO WEAPONS PLANT THIS TIME

Doesn't that happen in the normal game, though? Like, constantly?


Thanks for the support. And, don't you worry about it not ending. Surprisingly I haven't missed a beat yet.

Speaking of which, this next one took nearly 400 screenshots to cover. And with Kega refusing to use non-gigantic file types, that amounts to almost half a gig of data. What the fuck.



PART TWENTY: OKAY, SO, NO WEAPONS PLANT THIS TIME



Well, we're back at Zosa.



And we still have our gigantic drill tank. God, how I wish "Drill" was an attack option.



East of Zosa is the next town. Surely they'll have a variety of goods for sale!



Well this hardly seems like a decent city.



Especially with all the Zombies running around.

: Well, now I feel like a dick for mentioning it earlier.



Nevertheless, as a wise man once said (and I paraphrase): "What's the big deal about the undead? They didn't do so well the first time."



Slaughtering the rotting, stumbling remains of townsfolk apparently isn't all that rewarding.



: It's just like the architecture at Ryuon! Ew!



: Uh...can we please leave now?

: Yeah, it's not like there's even anything worth looting.

: I know! What a gyp!

: You guys! That's sick!

: This really is a...grave situation! Ha ha...er...actually this is pretty horrible.



: I don't really mind the cold so much after that...



: Still, you turn that darn heater on right now!



A little bit farther east is the next town.

: Can we skip it? I don't wanna touch any more zombies.



: Nuts.



: There's a strange illness going around and we're in a terrible state.



: Well, maybe us pumping meseta into their economy will help?



: Wow, that's expensive.

: You should probably get one, what with your lagging defense.

: I'm happy that you care, but...ow, my pride.



: Booooring!



: it's safe here either!



: Apparently it's been totally destroyed by an illness! I hear it's a zombie town now.

: Was it the T-virus? I've heard things about that one!

:We've got to take this matter seriously here!




: It used to be the inn, but the innkeeper has made it a public clinic out of the goodness of his heart.



: But because there are so many ill, the innkeeper is letting us use it. Such a wonderfully warm-hearted person! I'd say it's beyond the call of duty!



: At this point, the only thing to do is inject life energy into them to prolong their lives a little...That's why all these people from Esper have come.



: Get a haircut!

: We have come from the 'Esper Mansion' southeast of here.



: our place to be used, but...With all these empty rooms, the townspeople would have looked at me reproachfully! How upsetting...Darn!

: Indeed, how terrible it is to be respected by everyone in your community and now have endless publicity for your business! You poor son of a bitch!



: from ourselves, but...



: ...what the fuck are you doing?

: This patient needs life energy! Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaam!!

: Holy shit, are you actually an esper, or are you just the neighborhood retard with a bad haircut?

: Whaaaaaam! Wait, no whammy! No whammy!

: Let's...uh...go upstairs.

: I'd rather not, for some reason.

: Oh, pish posh! What's the worst that could happen?

: ...pish posh?



: Tower appeared.

: See, just as I told you. That tower must be the cause.



: And stop standing on the walls! Ugh...

: Raja...Quit joking around!

: Chaz! This is no joke! He's got a tremendous fever!

: Well that's a shame. This is the funniest thing he's ever done.

: Chaz!

: Quickly! We must carry him to a bed!



: Wow, Dezolians are shiny.

: He'll die if we leave him like this!

: Ha, ha, ha...I don't believe it.

: This isn't any laughing matter, Chaz! I don't think I can take losing another friend...

: I'm sorry... I just meant that, annoying as he is, he was always such a hardy and youthful guy for his age. It's...actually kinda shocking.

: Rika, you're aware of it too, aren't you?

: Rune...You know we shouldn't be so cryptic around Chaz.

: I've sensed it ever since we came to Dezolis, but it feels particularly strong here!

: Yes!

: What is it? What are you two talking about?

: Chaz, listen carefully... This feeling is the Black Energy Wave!

: The Black...That's the thing that killed Alys, isn't it? Oh, god, Raja doesn't stand a chance!

: Alys took a direct, focused hit from it. This isn't quite as bad, at least. It's probably...coming from the Garubek Tower. And it's pretty close!

: Darn! I mean, damn!



: Guh...huh..hoo...why didn't I just tell the guys downstairs? I hate running up these things!



: Kyra...Kyra has headed for The Garuberk Tower by herself!

: Kyra?

: She's a girl of exceptional courage from our group! But...this is too reckless! There is a forest of carnivorous trees surrounding the tower!!

: Chaz!

: Right. We can't let her go alone! Where is this forest?

: It's northeast of town!

: Okay, let's go!



: You just won't give up, will you?

: Why do you make it sound so derogatory? Please, hang in there, Raja!

: He'll be alright. Let's go stock up. I've got this tingling sensation that there's awesome things to be had.



: the illness and has closed shop. He used to sell a strange-smelling perfume called something or other.

: Damn! Okay, fine, let's go.



: I feel sorry for them, but we had to burn and bury the bodies of all the people who became zombies.



: Who Are Victims Of Illness'... Oh, god. The thought of a zombie Raja is terrifying!



: Well, no time for that now! Let's roll!



Here we are, just below Garuberk Tower. There's some trees in the way, and despite us having a tank with giant motherfucking drills on it, we can't get through.



: Is that Kyra?



: Alright guys, let's clean house!



: Way ahead of ya.



: Um...they grew back.

: Well, shit.

: I suggest that we rescue this 'Kyra' and retreat for now.



: Yeah, good idea!



: Well, at least to the boundary of their tile graphic, anyway. There's no end to this! We've got to retreat!



: My name is Kyra Tierney. Who are you all?



: Doot-dee-doot-doo, pay no attention to the blue haired man...

: At any rate, I'm glad you're safe!

ANOTHER THANKFULLY SKIPPED SUMMARY LATER

Seriously, this game is good about that.





: I felt I had to do something to make it all right! It just made my blood boil to see all those people in such pain...But those carnivorous trees, they were far tougher than what I heard...

: Yeah...I wonder if there's a better way to tackle them?

: I may know a way...Our leader should be able to tell us! Our...chief of Esper Mansion...



: About two thousand years ago...He, along with a heroine called Alis, saved Algo and has come to be known as a legendary wizard!

: Wait a minute! Are you saying that a person from two thousand years ago is still alive?

: It's said he is still alive in the deepest depths of the Esper Mansion! But they won't let anyone except top-ranking people enter the mansion. That's why I've only seen him once, and from afar at that, during some ceremony! But...you can even recognize from afar - he's intelligent...graceful...classy...just a wonderful person! I've no doubt that he would know of a way to tackle this problem!

: Hmm...He's been alive for two thousand years...

: You don't believe?

: I've known Espers for all of ten minutes. Sorry I'm not part of the cult yet.

: The reverent Lutz is an unparalleled magician whose feats have given rise to many a legend!

: I'm sure they don't mention the part where he hid in a cave until someone brought a government summons to him forcing him to save Algo.

: I'm sure the master even knows the secrets to immortality!

: I wonder if that could be true?

: Logically speaking, it must be something like cryogenic hibernation.

: Whatever the case may be, we just can't leave the people of Meese in their misery. We must try to get an audience with Lutz!

: Yes! Hey, Chaz, let's go and see if we can meet this man, Lutz!

: I'll be your guide. Let's go!

: All right. Let's go the Esper Mansion!

: Let's go to the Esper Mansion, you mean.

: I do?



Yeah, again, the game is a bit wonky with editing. There's some PS4 beta images floating around out there, and I've seen people laughing at the errors in them, and...well, seems that half of them are still in the game and a lot of the 'phans' didn't even realize it. Whoops!

Anyway, south back to Meese, and then southeast-ish.



Seriously, how awesome would it be to mow through enemies with this?



Oh, right, new party member. You know, it's almost like she's the offspring of Rune and Alys in that she's a slicer tossing magic user. But, before I accidentally set off any silly theories, no, she's not actually their kid. I mean, they're not THAT old.

Honestly, though? I don't see what all the fuss is about. I mean, sure, she's brave and cool and all, but she's not that useful. Actually, I kinda forget she exists most of the time.

Still, she adds to the team's 'adorable' quotient, so I'll stop complaining!



Anyway, the Esper Mansion is east from here.



Oh, right, N-Sphere is actually a group instant kill that seems to always work! Silly me.

: Blarghable!



We're heeeeere!





: So...purple floors and painfully light blue walls, then?

: Yup. Why do you think I volunteered to go to Meese?



: of late, it's been quite unused!

: Oh, how absolutely terrible. Eh.



: There's a rumor of a sacred sword which has been passed down in Algo since ancient times! It is said that it will increase the power of its wielder manyfold!



: There's a rumor about the sacred sword Elsydeon which has been passed down in Algo since ancient times! It is said that it is located somewhere here in Dezolis!

So, there's an ancient, mystical sword that has been passed down through the ages and yet hasn't existed in any previous Phantasy Star games? Okay, sure.



: statue of a heroine I saw in Termi.



: She kinda looks like that other statue that looks like that other statue. I think I'm sensing a trend.



: Hello!

: He's going to rob us, isn't he?

: Apparently he used to be a thief.









Yeah, that's a pretty damn nice haul.



: If Lutz is alive, why doesn't he appear, especially at a time like this?


Alright, let's go to that inner sanctum thing.



: Since when do I need permission!?

: Well, when we picked you up you said you had to be a top rank just to get into the mansion, and...

: Open the door for us!

: That I cannot do!

: You pigheaded oaf!

: Let her enter!

: How dare you! I cannot...Hey! Oh, it's...it's you! Forgive my rudeness! Please enter!

: Rune...?

: What can I say? I'm just that damn good.

: ...right.





: It would appear that this courtyard is a bit arbitrary.



: Forget the formalities. I'm going in.

: Oh, yes, of course...As you wish.



: there is a room called Lutz's room.

: That's right. So now, the time has finally come...At last we're going to meet Lutz! Oh dear! Are my clothes clean? How's my hair? Oh, what shall I do. I'm so nervous!

: I wonder what kind of person he is? What do you think, Chaz?

: Hmm, Lutz... The legendary magician...Probably makes Rune look like a total chump!

: Just you wait, you little shit.



: Eh...what's going on? No one's here...Reverent Lutz! Please show yourself!

: Maybe he's on the toilet.



: What?



: That can't be! I saw him with my very own eyes! Besides...besides...we all are believers, aren't we? We believe in the legend of Esper, that Lutz lives on and is leading us, don't we?! That's why...that's why we're all trying so hard...he has to exist!

: Kyra! Calm down...It's true that Lutz is no longer of this world. But even if his physical body is no more, his spirit lives on.

: What?



: memory in the Telepathy Ball.

: Then... you're saying that this ball is Lutz?

: No. He's not here now. But if the chosen person appears, then Lutz's will and memory will be transferred to that person.

: Chosen...?



: Wait!

: Rune...is Lutz?!

: That is correct. Rune Walsh... Is the fifth Generation Lutz.



: You're not built like a little girl or anything! And you go out of your way to face evil, without even being ordered to!

: As I said before, I'm just that awesome. Listen, Chaz.



: calamaties occur every one thousand years. That's because a personification of evil called Dark Force is resurrected every thousand years! Up until now, every time it occurred, a courageous person would defeat the evil to maintain peace.

: But we definitely did defeat Dark Force at Kuran. Yet, there's no sign of abatement of these abnormal conditions in Algo!

: So what's going on?

: Algo was shaken a thousand years ago by the explosion of Parma. The delicate balance we were able to maintain was severely upset. This might be the result of that. The Black Energy Wave can still be felt.

: Are you saying that Dark Force is still alive?!

: That...I don't know.



: The only thing to do is to defeat it! I have chosen you, Chaz.

: Me?! I thought you hated me?

: I do! But you naturally learn light-elemental skills for some reason. I have chosen you as the soldier to fight the inevitable decisive battle!

: Why...Choose... Me?

: I felt that you are a man of potential. Well, I use the term 'man' loosely. We will soon find out if my judgment was correct, Chaz.

: Oh, great!



: We'll keep on cooperating with each other, right?

: Ah, yeah. You call what we do 'cooperating?'

: Anyway! We've got to go to the Garuberk Tower! That's where the answer lies!



: But if you use the 'Eclipse Torch' you will be able to destroy it.

: OK, our destination is decided! It's off to the Gumbious Temple.

: The Dezolisian temple is located in the mountain valley west of here.

: We're off. Come on, Chaz, stop looking so dazed!

: How disappointing that Lutz would be so insensitive!

: Sorry about that. I've always been like this!

: Waaaa.



So, Rune is the fifth person hold the title 'Lutz'. Noah was the first, on account of him being named 'Lutz' in Japan and having his name changed for no reason over here. As usual, this leads to a billion fan theories about Noah teaching some random guy named Lutz or something, and it's just a big dumb clusterfuck from there. Also, Lutz has a serious Alis fetish, apparently, if all these statues are to be believed.

Also, try as I might, I can't shove this wall open. Damn.



: So...let me get this straight. You're, like, space Jesus?

: Yeah, I guess you could say that.

: This is so depressing...



: So, like, does this make you, like, really old? Do you hate the music kids listen to these days?

: No, idiot, I'm not personally 2000 years old. But, then again, Lutz the third had this really awesome band back in the day, so...yes.



: So, then, like, could you tell us about Alis and stuff?

: Oh, man, the things Lutz and Alis got up to! Lemme tell you about this one time where-

: We're here!

: Ah, I'll tell you about it later.





NEXT TIME ON PHANTASY STAR 4

Robot genocide! Uppity Priests! And three guys with the power of 'having long arms!'








: Man, I'll never get tired of this!