Part 39: CHAPTER 10: The Old Fox - [Part II]

Back at last. This time we have to give the old man a tour of the city and get into a few fights along the way.


Some historical notes:

Shogi has been played in Japan for around 500 years, but it's built on earlier Chinese, and before that Indian, predecessors. Few young people know how to play today, but of course major tournaments are still held and courses are available. (As an aside, Japan has exams and official rankings and mastery levels for everything - from abacus use to swimming to playing the harpsichord - not just karate and judo.) Given the greater number of possible moves compared to chess, computer programs have taken a longer time to develop. You can read plenty about shogi at wikipedia.

If you're interested in shogi, the program I mentioned in the video is available on PC here: http://www.shotestshogi.com/

If you already know how to play and want a serious challenge (for free!) follow the instructions to get Shogidokoro here: http://www2.teu.ac.jp/gamelab/SHOGI/SPEAR/spear.html




There are only a few more loose ends to tie up on the sidequest front. We'll start off today with a bounty.



This is [Arashiyama Yuuzarou] and he's a murderer. The notice says he can be found in Gion at night.



In fact he's hanging out at the Suiten Inari shrine where we had our fighting tutorial in the prologue.

Hey, you're that guy from the Tatsuya, right?

Shouldn't you be hiding?

Nah, I'm tired of running. I just wish I had a drink. Hey, think you could get me one?

He'll take anything from the sake shop. Fortunately, I stopped in and bought some before coming here.

Here you go.

Hey, I knew you were good for it!

Fade to black while he chugs the bottle.

Delicious! Just one drink makes the whole world brighter.

Alright, time to come with me.

Whazzat? You can't order me around! I won't go down without a fight!

(Guess he's an aggressive drunk.)

C'mon, let's go!



He goes down easy enough. It's not the most exciting fight since we're in Gion and so limited to hand-to-hand. We can't even snatch his sword away.



Ahh... *snore*

Yes, that's Arashiyama for sure! Here's your reward.

Received [1 ryou 5000 mon].



And something else for your trouble.

Received [Oni Bone].

Got 1500 Experience Points

Now, as long as we're in Gion we can do two easy kakemawari jobs - the very last of the game.



The letter comes by pigeon just outside the Tatsuya. The writer says he's been cooped up inside a pleasure house for three days and he's starving. Kiryuu's task is to deliver some food. Anything will do.



This is probably the easiest job because the place is just across the street from us.



(Is this the place? I'll try calling out to him.)

Hey! Are you in there?

[VOICE OFFSCREEN]: Uhh....

You're the one who hired me to bring you some food, right?

[VOICE OFFSCREEN]: Yes.

Why are you closed up in there?

[VOICE OFFSCREEN]: .......

You don't want to say? Fine, whatever. Here's your delivery.

I chose to give him some grilled dango I had lying in the bottom of my storage box. It can be anything except sake though.

Is that enough?

[VOICE OFFSCREEN]: ...yes.

Received [2000 mon].

Alright, I'm leaving now.



Got 1500 Experience Points

Of course, no sooner do we arrive back home than....



...we get our final contract.



It's from the same guy. He says he's still stuck at the shop and this time he wants us to deliver a woman's hairpin.



It can be any hairpin and we have a sackful of them by now. You get pins of varying quality as rewards from sidequests, random encounter drops and, if you somehow avoided all those, you can buy fairly cheap ones at the Arigataya market.



(Huh? Looks like there's a note here.)

>Did you bring it, Kiryuu-san?
>Would you mind giving it to the
>girl standing across from the
>dojo down the street?
>She'll be expecting you.
>Tell her "The weather's lovely
>today," and she'll know who
>you are.
>Thank you!

.......



She seriously is just two steps away.

(Is that the yuujo he wrote about?)



Uh, the weather's lovely today.

! ! ! !

*SLAP!*

Ow!

It's you! You're the one in the letter!

Letter?

Don't play dumb! This is you, isn't it?

Received [Letter].

(What the hell's going on?)

(It says: "Greetings! Ever since the first moment we locked eyes my mind has been filled with nothing but that sweet face. Some way, somehow, I hope we can be together. I want nothing else so much in the world. Please accept this gift as a token of my affection. Please let us be together - me, and your adorable kitty cat. As a signal, a man will come and discuss the weather. I will be waiting at Gion Inari.")

I'm not even the one he wants! He's after my damn cat! Of all the stupid....

.......



May as well follow up at Gion Inari ourselves.



We just need to check behind the shrine.



Huh?

Are you the one who hired me?



You got me in a lot of trouble back there!

W'ahh! S-Sorry! But what.... about.... the cat?

What the hell do you think you're doing!?

I guess.... it didn't work.... That's.... too bad.

Tell me what's going on.

I love cats. I come to Gion so often because there are so many cats living here. One day I saw a cat that looked very ill. It belongs to that woman, but I'm afraid it might die soon. That's why I snuck into the pleasure house to rescue it, but I got caught. So I asked you to help me out since they know my face there now. I've caused so much trouble. Please take this as my apology.

Received [1 ryou].

But I won't let this failure get me down. I'll continue to do everything I can for the cats of Gion.

Huh. Well, I don't quite know what to say, but you seem like a compassionate man. Sorry things didn't work out for you this time.

Thank you.

(Some people even devote their lives to cats. It's hard to believe.)



Got 1500 Experience Points

One more bounty to get in this chapter, which will make 18 out of 20.



This is [Toyokichi of the Kuromon Family]. He's the head of an infamous gang with over a hundred members. The board says his base is near Sanjuusangendou and he's usually found at night.



Easy enough to get here. Since this only happens at night we'll need to come here after the kidnapping but before we go to Kiyomizudera. But what the hell? Haruka can wait, right?

(I don't see the Kuromon gang. Maybe they're inside?)



Huh? Who the fuck are you? I never seen you 'round here before. You got some serious balls talkin' to me!

(This guy must be part of the Kuromon Family. What should I say?)

Three choices:

1. I came to join your gang.
2. I'm here to take out the Kuromon Family.
3. I'm lost.

May as well get right to the point.

I came to put an end to the Kuromon Family. I could cut you in two before you could blink, so if you value your life you'll bring me to your friends.

Ha... Ha ha! Threaten me all you want. I won't talk.

(Guess I'll have to be more forceful.)



This is your last chance.

W'ah! Alright! I'll call them out!



What's going on?

Who's that?

Captain, this guy says he came to take out the whole gang!

All by yourself?

Unless you hand over Toyokichi I can't let anyone else go.

So that's it. You a bounty hunter? You look more like a joke to me.

Let's fuck this guy up!

The boss'd take you out in one blow, but we'll let the boys have a little fun with you first.

C'mon guys, get this bastard!



What follows is similar to the 100-man battle at Shibusawa's, except we can use our real swords this time. The enemies use katana, kodachi, bokutou and unarmed styles too for variety. Toyokichi won't appear until you've taken out several dozen of his henchmen, so that kodachi HEAT action comes in very useful here. In the video I make sure to take out all 100(?) goons first. It's just a shame some of the best HEAT actions don't work on Toyokichi himself.



(Whew! That was a lot of guys!)

That's definitely Toyokichi.



Wow. You really took them all out, didn't you? Are you sure you're just a ronin?

Yep.

If you say so. Thank you once again for all your help. Here is your reward.



Received [1 ryou].

And as promised, here's another prize.

Received [King's Amulet].

This sucks. It gives +5 fire defense, but makes enemies more aggressive.

Got 10000 Experience Points

Now, since we clearly have an action stage and a boss battle coming up next time, let's pay a visit to the blacksmith.



I'll spare you the shopping list this time, but this is the [Oni's Fang], or Demon's Fang, if you prefer. Forge it from a base [Nameless Katana] with 15 ryou, a [Tiger Fang] and an [Oni Hair] with the guide from that merchant at the Sanjuusangendou who sells the Tengu masks. Except for those instructions we've had all the other ingredients since at least Chapter 7.

The [Oni's Fang] is flat out the most powerful sword in the game, with a fully tempered ATTACK score of 110 and POWER score of 250. Compare that to our current [White Lion Tachi] with 85/110. The only catch is it has a SPEED rating of slow. Keep in mind that until now I've never used anything slower than "fast" and still can't always block incoming strikes quickly enough. Fortunately, the speed stat doesn't affect Kiryuu's running or dodging.



We could also make this, the [Nue Killer]. One ingredient is blacked out, but it's available cheap at the weapon shop from this chapter. This sword is the best Enchanted Sword in the game and the only one not connected to that sidequest from last time, but its SPEED is still only medium and it can't be upgraded. It probably has some kind of magical effect like the others, but I can't tell what, so it's obviously not a very useful one. On the other hand, it only costs 1 ryou.



Whatever. We'll take the fully upgraded and massively expensive [Oni's Fang]. Mainly because it has a partner:



This is the [Oni's Claw], and it costs 6 ryou, a [Nameless Kodachi] base, another [Tiger Fang] and an [Oni Bone]. Once again, the only thing we had to wait for was the instructions at the Sanjuusangendou. Upgraded 4 times, we get:



So let's try these on.



Before stats.



After stats.



Pose!

So it may seem like if you can work around the slowness these would be the best swords possible. After all, the [Oni's Fang] has the best POWER stat (for blocking and guard-breaking, if you don't remember) in the game, including greatswords. However, in practice it's overkill. No enemy in Kenzan has a breaking point nearly that high. Even with a POWER of around 120 you'll still stagger pretty much any opponent. And there are several swords with a better ATTACK (damage) stat as well as faster speed that exceed that threshold. One of those becomes available next chapter.

Well, we're all caught up at last and ready for the showdown at Kiyomizudera. See you next time.