Part 125: Episode CXIX: You Think Big

Episode CXIX: You Think Big


Music: Field of God-Dog ~ Village of The Dog God



Following that interlude, we are now deposited in Inugami Village. Our destination is the Inugami estate to go see if we can figure out where Kato might be doing some timey-whimey shit in Japan. So without further delay, let's head there.



Haha! Well... a lot of stuff's been going on, and...
Hee hee. Oh, has it?! Well, it's never a bad thing to get a little happiness back into your heart.
That is one way to put it...
Actually... We've got another favor we'd like to ask you.
A favor? Go ahead! I'm pretty sure I know what it is, anyway.
Can you help us find Special Agent Kato? We could stop what he's up to if only we knew where he was...
What exactly is he up to?
And... who is that, exactly? I can see magical events transpiring. I do not have a directory of every person you have ever met.
A friend of mine from a previous adventure. He... isn't dealing with the loss of a loved one particularly well. Times two... He decided to destroy the world. You know how it goes...
...I'm not going to pry on the phrasing of any of that.
He's going to destroy the world by distorting the flow of time. There's a good chance he already started getting the magic ready. We've gotta find him quick and stop him!
We may have just left him to do his own thing for the better part of a month...
I see... Yuri.
Yeah?
You're ready to fight, then? Fight your friend?
...Yes.
He's in Asuka, east of here...
Asuka?
Yes. The Stone Platform in Asuka.
Mother, I thought the Stone Platform was just...



But it's not an Imperial mausoleum. It's an altar to the God of Destruction.
Which one...? There seems to be a new one every day.
The Japanese one, naturally.
...Naturally.
A place steeped in mystical energy that's linked to Yamato. I'm not surprised Kato chose that place as his base for warping time-space.



<nods> That'll be the battleground, then.
<nods>
Be careful! Now the power of the destructive souls that lie dormant in Yamato is the power Kato controls.
Assuming I'm correct in his intentions knowing only the vaguest of details and local geography.
<nods> Okay, I got it.
Now that it's decided, you should res today and build up your strength. Forget the battle, just for one night.





Time to head out. When Yuri reaches the town square, most of the gang is assembled to depart. Except...



<looks around> Awroo, awroo!
Huh?
Karin's not here...

<folds arms> Oh, yeah. I saw her this morning... Where did she go?
......
I'll have to look around for her.
There are like two destinations in town and I just came from one of 'em.



We're now tasked with finding Karin. Spoilers: She's in the only other place of note in the town, the shrine. But our party is loitering about town now and we can speak with them in a rare occasion. So let's see their thoughts.



Kids these days... Wandering off for private cutscenes, no doubt. Scandalous!



Have any of us even been seen eating anything this entire journey...?
Yes, of course.
When was the last time you remember?
I uhh... you know. Umm... That one time!
Uh-huh...
I'm on a diet.



You want to help me look, big guy?
No.
...Alright, then.



Awroo!
<scratches head> She hasn't been this way, huh...?
Awroo, awroo. (No, and I am to prevent you from leaving the village until you find her.)



Come to think of it, she seemed a little strange ever since the queen's garden. I didn't want to say anything, but...
She did keep gasping and sobbing when you and Roger performed that ritual. It was creeping us all out a bit...



Anyhow, let us return to the Fountain of Sukune with the rotten rice bowl ventriloquist ever at the vigil at its gates.

Music: ENDS





......
How do you feel?
<shrugs> I'm not getting any better. It's just like Nicolai said. There's no way to break this curse.
Nothing to punch. Nothing to kick. No incantations. Just a weird tree with me growing out of it in my soul. Bum deal.

Yuri starts walking toward Karin.



Don't come any closer.
Huh?
Stay there.
Uh... all right.



......



I'm sorry.
It's okay.
You're just being a little weird, is all...
Anyway, I decided even if I can't break this stupid curse, it'll be all right...
......



When it happens, and my soul fades away, I know that my memories... they'll live on inside all of you...
Do you mean it?
And that cross I gave you and stuff. I guess... we kind of talked about this already...
<nods> Yeah. There's nothing I can do, anyway.
Guess I'll just die.
......
But you know what? Before I lose my soul... While I'm still who I am... I'm going to settle things with him!
!!
Other than that, there's not a thing that I can do about it.
I need one more good punch. And that's a heck of a jaw to punch...
<nods> .......
Yuri!
...Yeah?


NEW Music: Karin (It took us this long for Karin to get theme music?!)



I-I've loved you ever since I met you!
?!
(Frick.)
I still do!! I always will!! I know I can't match up to Alice! You're such a dummy, I know you never noticed!
Karin, I...
No, it's fine! You don't have to say anything!
......
(Will do.)
I always knew in my heart that you felt the same way about me too.
......



<wipes away tears> That's why I risked my life. Because I loved you. And now that you know that... that's enough for me...



And Yuri just awkwardly stands there. End of scene. I do not think... this is a two-way feeling, Karin... You might need to let this one go.


Music: Field of God-Dog ~ Village of The Dog God





But with that, our business in Inugami Village is concluded! We'll be back here in the End Game. But for now...



The final actual location of the main plot of the game has unlocked -- The Asuka Stone Monument. And we do need to actually head there and confront Special Agent Kato to unlock all the End Game content of Shadow Hearts: Covenant. So let's just get to it. No sense in waiting, yah?


NEW Music: The Fate ~ Cluster Amaryllis (This is the only time this ever plays. Go listen to it. It's great!)


Video: Click Here for the Bulk of the Remainder of the Update. (You should watch this. It's the best cutscene in the game.)





Buh gawd! Is that Special Agent Masaji Kato's music playing?!





He just been here chillin'! He chill! A true rival character bro will chill before becoming an end boss villain. Kato is a good bro.





So you've come...
That's right.



Hmph. <smiles and nods>



Did you meet... Alice?
Yeah. Thank you.
It was... a roundabout meeting. But I'm OK with it now...
That's good to hear.



You still plan to destroy the world?
.....
Yes.



I plan to remake this world by bringing us 100 years into the past.
100 years?
Yes, 100 years.



When the people that have warped this world had not yet been born.
......
Are you going to stomp on babies...?
...That is not what I am going for. I'll go back to that time.



Then I will be able to guide this world to a whole new future.



<smirks> You think big.
I'm not really following. But it seems ballsy.



<chuckles> So you're satisfied with the miserable state of the world? You're happy just to let things continue the way they've been?
No, I'm not. The future I want is the one that I create for myself. ...Even if it costs me my own soul.
So you fight because of... your beliefs?
No...



Because of... my destiny. <smirks>



<THE KATO INTENSIFIES>













And, you know, a circle of ominous stone pillars erupts from the earth. Always the pretense to good things arriving, as we all know.







The actual son erupting with energy to trigger an event? Never gone wrong with that one. Solar flare? Eclipse. Never been a bad event surrounding such an occurrence. Sunshine and rainbows all the way down.





...Soul of the Ancient Gods! Soul of the Land of Nippon!! Return beyond the Gates of Time!!









Yoriwara, vessel of Yamato. I'll be there at its peak!
<nods>



108 tolls of the bell. Space will be torn and time warped!
I got it.







And thus Kato teleports away like some theatrical vampire to go become the final boss of the game.



Welp. The Vessel of Yamato -- The Final Dungeon of Shadow Hearts: Covenant is now here!

Music: ENDS



Technically, we can just leave now and could conclude the chapter. But much like the Neameto Float in Shadow Hearts 1...





We do need to enter the final dungeon once to trigger a shit load of flags for the End Game. As in... all of them. Doing this leads Yuri back to the Graveyard once more...

.
Music: Holy Mistletoe ~ Graveyard



<nods> Yeah.
Do you think you'll find it? The answer?



And soon too.
That's good. So will you tell me next time I see you?
It could be a multi-choice answer, you know.
That is... ominous.
Just saying what I know.
Could you... elaborate?
......
No.
......
...That's fair, kid. You've done enough
You got it.
<nods> Good.



And with that, Jeanne vanishes and we end up in The Vessel...


Music: Deep in Coma ~ Battle in Japan





Jeez, it's huge!
It's like being inside a star...
It's so beautiful...
I am low-key freaking out right now. You...?
Awroo... (This is not cool...)



Okay, everyone! Let's go!



Yep! Let's go! The fuck out of this dungeon!



Holy shit is there a lot of End Game content now unlocked. I could finish this LP in five updates if I just powered through to the end. It's going to be about twenty-five... Hopefully, I won't drop dead by the end of that, but we'll see! Thus ends the lead up to the End Game of Shadow Hearts: Covenant. Tune in for... some wacky ass shit and tying off every single extra-curricular activity we have remaining as Shadow Hearts: Covenant continues!






Video: Karin's Confession


Video: Asuka Stone Monument Confrontation (Go watch this!)