Part 126: Soulless Army Boss Rush!
Update 126Let's continue with that chain of quests.
First, let's gather some more information on Kasumidai
Tsunatsugu:"What I'm about to ask you to do is more dangerous--a lot more--than all the other jobs I set out for you. We already sent in a few summoners of our own, but none have returned. However, thanks to their sacrifices, we did at least locate the new distortion in the Capital... Out of all the onew we found, there is one location that none of the summoners return from. "
Well no fucking duh.
Tsunatsugu:"We're on the same page, then. Not a doubt in my mind about it. We've sensed a very strong, very dark presence to the east of the Capital. Nothing but a demon feels like that, and it's most likely the cause of this whole mess. There's a big crew of summoners from the military all doing their part to stop this phenomena. But you have the most difficult job... We need you to find and defeat the demon that's causing the trouble. I'm sorry to press such a dangerous task upon you, but I can't count on anyone else. "
Well that was not exactly the most information filled thing I've seen so far, but probably my fault for not asking "where is it". Eh, let's see if Sadakichi is more helpful.
Inner voice:"Lt. Tsunatsugu seems unusually hasty. He may be in some serious trouble I'm unaware of. If you're able to help him out, would you mind doing so?"
Well, that was not exactly all that helpful either. But eh, let's see if we can get some clues or solve this by our own this time.
They said to the east, and there's only a couple of things there.
For example, this mysterious area.
A lonely telephone booth. In a tiny island. SUSPICIOUS! Especially if one has played the previous game, since there is an entire dungeon there.
"That eerie feeling's coming from underneath this island... If you punch the passcode into that phone booth there, it should take you underground. Try out that passcode, Brian."
We don't have the code! Must acquire more information.
And that is definitely a good idea.
Tsunatsugu:"Hmm... Beneath Cannon Battery #4... That's where the army's Subterranean Shipbuilding Facility used to be. After the big mess there, the army closed it down and changed the entry password. How do I know? Oh, Officer Sadakichi told me. He used to be undercover in the army, so you know it's gold. Well, I'll start digging into the password problem a little. Come back and let me know the moment you find anything."
Sadakichi:"I'm sorry, but I can't tell you that. It's confidential. THat information is far too sensitive to pass my lips... If you understand what I'm trying to say..."
Inner Voice:"I've been investigating the Subterranean Shipbuilding Facility's password... Unfortunately, barely anyone, even in the army's top brass, knew it. I did get a couple of sections of the password, but they're letters, and I thought it was an 8-digit number. "
Super Grand Extreme Information Output?
Oh. Then, uh, 3, 1 and 0?
Inner voice:"That's all I've learned. I'll keep looking into it."
Tsunatsugu:"It doesn't use the numbers 4 or 9, and of the numbers that are in the password, none of them are used twice. That's all we've dug up so far."
So, it uses 8 of the numbers from 0 to 9, but not 4 or 9, so that only leaves 2, 4 and 7 to be ordered.
Tsunatsugu:"And of the numbers that are in the password, none of them are used twice. That's all we've dug up so far... Maybe you should ask Officer Sadakichi. He might know more. He handles all the reports, so maybe he knows something we don't."
Good idea!
Sadakichi:"The sum of the first and second digit is 10. The sum of the seventh and eighth digits is also 10. That's all I have for now. I'll keep looking into it."
Probably. No number is repeated, first two and last two are 10, 4 and 9 are not used, 310 and 56 are used somewhere.
So, it could be 73105628 OR 73105682 since both satisfy the conditions. No combination can start with 5 or end with 0, so it is either of those ones.
It is this one.
}Excellent.
Time to kick ass.
Leftovers?
We haven't seen this kind of enemy for a while now. Yomi-Kugutsu! Soulless Soldiers! Mechazombies!
They all got pretty interesting gas masks and capes, interesting enemy for the first game.
"!">A spiraling vortex of energy approaches...
Isn't there a statue of this dude in Kasumidai?
Oukuninushi:"I see that you are the ones who prevented the Dark Prince's resurrection... If he had risen, we could have turned this nation at once into the land of the dead. This will put a delay in the plan... "
Hell, Raidou is going to do more than just DELAY the plan.
Oukuninushi:"... You would not understand. We of the Kunitsu created this land before the Amatsu crept in and stole it from us."
It's not SMT if there are no silly jabs against that, you know.
Oukuninushi:"My sundered aspects, Ounamuchi and Oumononushi... They were confined in separate parts of this land. Even my anger was subdued and tamed... Only my friend Sukuna-hikona retained his anger while observing this new world. Sukuna-hikona helped me come to a realization... This is a world where the unknown is shunned and hated for the profit of so few. The world simply never changed... "
And was a very, VERY annoying boss.
Oukuninushi:"I... failed to realize, at the time. That it was all a ploy of the Amatsu... That is why I rise again now to reclaim the world that once was ours. "
And not the animated dead of Nebiros and Belial!
Oukuninushi:"Death makes all living things equal. It is impartial... Unbiased. Is it not said in countless stories and lore that it is the one fate even the gods cannot avoid? A world infinitely close to the void is a world of true equality. I shall make this world the netherworld! And you, Kuzunoha... You, too, shall be a citizen of my deathly utopia!"
Oh my, a boss fight. How original.
This fight is silly, since it first puts you to kill all the bosses from the previous game.
Being that most of them were demoted to silly regfular enemies EVEN in the previous game, and that Raidou is rather overlevelled in this playthrough, it is not a challenge. At all.
Mishaguji is still gross as hell, with its cursed emission and whatnot.
And in the end, Oukuninushi himself makes act of appearance.
Oukuninushi:"What gives you the right to impede our efforts to build a utopia out of this soiled world!? Come, puppet of Amatsu! I'll build our utopia on your bones!"
I'd say that "living in the world and not wanting to see it become a dead wasteland/let everything die" counts as a rather good reason to NOT let them complete their plans.
Not for long, though.
About time, a silly Ice strong attack.
Doesn't matter. Victory! And thus completing Tsunatsugu's last case file.
Hm, so he was possessed?
Oukuninushi:"I see. Kuzunoha... Thank you for stopping me. But you have only succeeded in dispelling the fury of the other Kunitsu from my body... I am afraid that their curse... Will neverr disappear. "
Oukuninushi:"I see now. Someone else received the spirits' curse. Hold a moment."
Oukuninushi:"I was unable to remove the curse, but... I did succeed in sealing it away for a time. Roughtly one hundred years... Given the short lifespan of a human, that should be sufficient time. Go see this person and tell him that his curse is lifted. "
"Thank you."
Oukuninushi:"Kuzunoha.. I have a final request. There are those like me who wander this land, lost in their anger... Others similar to Sukuna-hikona and myself will appear."
So after the beatdown, should Shinado be spared? Bah!
Well, there it goes.
Yes.
Tsunatsugu:"My devil summoning powers have returned, too! I can't thank you enough for this, Raidou. Here's a little something for you."
Tsunatsugu:"There is a custom where a samurai entrusts his katana to the one he would lay down his life for. So... You know... I want you to accept this katana. Again, thank you Raidou."
Excellent. Now all of Tsunatsugu's cases are DONE.
And in other news, all floors of the Training Hall are accesible. All of them.
So it is time to find a Mada to get that case file.
And loyalty grinding produces yet another advance.
Though, I think Morningstar is better than Supernatural Sage. Could be worse.
There it is! It only took like half an hour and like 5 unintelligible bastards.
Mada:"And she said if I ever met Raidou Kuzunoha, I must deliver a message to him. But now that I see you... Well, you know me, chief. I'm such an energetic, fast-paced, no-frills kinda guy... I forgot her message! You seem like the kinda guy who's got all the answers. What should I do?"
Mada:"I'll go tell her what you suggested and get her to open a case file. Be sure you check on it, okay?"
Well, there it goes. Next: More case files still, and going back to the eye-searing place.