Part 4: Thank You For Being a Friend

Thank You For Being a Friend

Let's solve this murder case!

Like I said during the last update, the town has eerie music and everyone hides inside.




You can talk to all of the residents, but there is only one family that will make you progress.



You have to talk to the woman in here.

"Pardon me Mamm...Could you please tell me anything you know about recent troubles?"

"And you are?"

"My name is Ryle, and I came from Lavas Ville of north. I am a traveler, also a swordsman."

I like to think that he hands her a business card.

"It happened about 5 days ago. My husband and his co-worker found a stone with rare colors."

"A stone? Where is it right now?"

"There's an old mine called Dannyon Mine. Southeast from here."

"So you mean these mysterious killings started after the stone was discovered?"

"Yes...so we asked Factoria Castle for help. But they didn't send anyone to investigate."

"The king denied the request?! Bakana!(how could this happen!)"

"......The nobles only cares for themselves. They wont even notice our demise...."

Eat the rich

"Those idiots! If the killing goes on, they will become the next targets!"

I like this line of reasoning. You should only help others so that nothing happens to yourself and not because it's the right thing to do.

"Forget about them. I will go to that mine myself!"

"Please DON'T! It's too dangerous!!"

"If we don't stop the killer now, soon people will desert the city! And I will do it if the nobles won't."

Now you're thinking like a true hero! After a few more words, the woman hands out the key to the mine and I can keep on trucking.


In we go.


This dungeon is equally easy to navigate as the last one was. There a few dead ends with treasure, but that's about it.


The first chest is directly above the entrance.


I give that to Caris as it also reduces speed a bit. And defense is more useful for her.


The next part of the mine pretty much consists of looking where the tracks lead.

Of course, I also encounter more trash mobs.

Vipers are nothing special. They have an entangle attack that never succeeded and may also be able to poison you? At least they drop Antidotes upon death.

The next chest is pretty neat...

...as it contains a 1000 monies!


It's pretty convenient that the rope is lying in a chest a few steps away.


More walking happens.

"Damn...I hate these wiggly caves!!"

"Looks like there's no end of this pathway."

There sure is, and we're almost there.

There is a savepoint here, and you can climb down if you have found the rope.


I expected spelunking to be more exciting.


I should be careful what I wish for...

But no worries. These are just stronger bats with more evade and a health-leech attack.

Eventually, I reach the end of the mine.

The game played a spooky sound right here....

"Was that from mysterious stone? The one which the lady told us. But what a strange feeling..."

"It's the dark wave emitted by evil spirits such as wraths. But why are they HERE?"

The more interesting question is how does Ryle know these things?

"What are we gonna do? Go forward?"


A choice pops up here. If you remember the first choice with Caris, you should know that she isn't fond of overconfident machos. So the first line is right.

"Although it'll be dangerous ahead, but we should go forward. We'll retreat later if we must."

"We're facing wraths you know. They might take over one of us!"

"They are emitting such strong dark wave which means they already have taken over some monsters' body. So don't worry. They can take over ours."

Ryle is apparently a fully trained Ghostbuster now?

"Huh?"

"If the wrath leave the monster and take over one of us, the monster will attack us. So why would it become the prey on purpose?"

"Ah, that's right."

"Anyway let's avoid battles if we can, we came here to gather the information. Not to fight."

"OK!!"

Att:12 >>> 14

Our heroes automatically move into the cave..


"This is the stone! I can see the dark waves coming from within for sure..."

"!! Watch OUT! I sense something!"




Ahw, shit...

Okay, this is one of those cool fights that you can't win. Ryle magically knows that the Soul Eater is too strong to beat, but still wants to observe its power for 5 turns. Surviving is really not hard as both characters have defense buffs, so let's just advance time..



Caris gets away, but suddenly..

..Ryle gets attacked!

"Ooh! Arg-!!"

"Huh? Ryle!?"

"Arrg! (This SOB! It's pulling me in! So I'm it's next target...)"

Slowly but surely, Ryle gets pulled towards the stone...

"!! Now I get it. No wonder the Soul Eater attacks only 1 person at a time!"

"It has range limit and taking over 1 body takes a lot of energy from far away. So if other person interfere from far place like Southern Cray, it can't pull the victim to here!"

Must. not. think. too. hard. about. sense.

"Caris- ! Run to the Blue Bridge! I'll hold it up till then!"

"Wha...What on earth are you talking about!?"

"Go...quickly! If you stay here, it'll get both of us. So just go!!"

"But...Ryle!!"

"Don't come any closer!!"

"!!"

"Can't let you die here! Go...NOW!!"

"Somebody....please help us!"


This isn't going good at all!

"Urggg! Watch me! I'll hold you back until she's safe!! I won't give up that easily!! Arrg-!!"

SUDDENLY!


Whaa?

"CLARE RAY-!!"



And the Soul Eater dies with a loud shriek.

"Oowa!"

"Ryle!! You ok!?"

"Ah, but who used the spell!?"



Cue dreamy music...


I never understood this kind of dress. It must be uncomfortable and hella cold outside the sun.

"....Orubia!?"

"Oh Dear Ryle..."

"Orubia! How did you come here?"


The whole gang is here!

"...."



"You saved me just in time!! I was about to being devoured."

"My GOD-! I was SO, SO, SO, SO WORRIED about you!"

Totally got her in the bag

"I'm sorry....But it was man's job to protect...."

"To die in the eyes of girl. Is that it!?"

"OK! I got it! I won't do it again~ It's too much for me either!"

"....."

You know, with all the hate I'm giving Caris, this reaction is actually interesting and not a cliché.

"....Let's leave this place first."

Yeah, let's do that. And thank you for talking, Latyss. It really means a lot to me.

This events spits out one VP and two attraction points for each girl, I'll show their standing when we're back in town though.



"Why not right now?"

"It's early evening already."

"Eeh? But the sky is still bright."

She has a point!

"No! I meant...We need to rest."


Yeah, sure. Why the hell not!?

"You see?"

"How did it get dark so fast?"

"...."

"Can I get some sleep now? I'm so tired..."

Since this is the first time with the whole crew, let's take a look.

This screen isn't that informative, so have a look at the skills for the other two girls.


Orubia has healing, water and holy magic. Nothing special right now, but she's useful later due to being flexible and getting much stronger healing.


Aside from a small heal skill, Latyss has access to ice and wind magic. And, jfyi, that blast spell is the one she would have learned in the first dungeon. So she'll get it even if you don't take her.

Since both of them lag behind, I grind a level for each of them. Have their standard attack animations!


It's a neat detail that the battles have a slight color tint to match the previous bit about it being early evening.



Latyss learns the Freeze Wave skill, and I also encounter the next form of the Dasher. You're really glad about that, right?



"The hell with your name!! Because of your KIND, this game has become a comedy!"

Or a tragedy?

"I'll stride! No matter what they say! AIM to the TOP! (copy right/Gunbuster)"

"Better get rid of this moron before it does anything stupid~"

His pattern is the same, a few turns of buffing and then he does his big thing.

"Don't expect me to be as weakling as the Dasher! Now take this! "Aero Dash"!!"

"What THE?!"



"Superrrrrrr Daaaaash- !!"

"It's heading this way!"

"I don't think so! *dodge* "

"Noooooooooooo-!! *disappeared into the horizon* "

"Go hit a rock or somethin. You idiot!"



At least he gives a bit of Xp and money this time.

Well, going back to town will flow into much more talking and we've had enough of that for now. Also, plot things are looming on the horizon and I want to pace that right. But don't worry, the next part is recorded&edited so I probably post it on the weekend.