Part 14: Down With the Master

After finishing up Chinatown, I head back to the detective agency and immediately get assaulted with info. Can't a guy catch a break around here?

BGM: Kuzunoha Detective Agency



: Kyouji, listen to me for a second. I noticed something about the seals. It looks like there's a pattern to their locations.

When did you even have time to look over this stuff? Are you doing it in your spare time in the middle of dungeons or something?

BGM: Cornered



: The first seal was near the vacant lot in Mt. Kasagi...



: The second was at Hikawa Shrine...



: The third was at the museum in Seaside Park...



: And the fourth was at East Asia TV in Yarai...



: If you connect them all...you get the four points of a magic circle.



: That means the fifth point should be in Hibarigaoka...Most likely in the Tendou mansion.



: Let's go find the fifth seal over in Hibarigaoka.

In MegaTen games, I suppose it is wise to look for ritual magic symbols to find your next destination. Looks like it worked for the bad guys, at least. Alright, let's do what Rei said and head on over to the mansion.



I pointed it out the first time we went to Hibarigaoka, but the Tendou mansion is the fancy-schmancy Japanese-looking castle. Wonder what his neighbors think.



: Yo, look who showed up. I'll open the gate up.

Kyouji! Look who's actually being useful. I guess inhabiting the body of a known punk has its perks. The mansion's gate slooowly opens up (and this animation will play every time you leave and come back in).



: Come on, hurry up and get in.

DUNGEON 15 - TENDOU MANSION
New demons:
Tattooman Da Peng Barbatos Titania
Yurlungur Hypnos Python Vetala
Kanaloa

BGM: Otherworld Dungeon (Tendou Mansion)

This is my favorite dungeon theme in the entire game, and as such it comes highly recommended. Since "Tendou" means "Paradise," I often see this track referred to as "Paradise Mansion," which is actually a pretty cool name.



I also really like this dungeon's aesthetics, and it's not very often that an RPG has you in a Japanese mobster's place. The shoji screens open up into rooms with patterned walls, though sometimes it's easy to pass by doors since they blend in with the wall.



Even the staircases and elevator are elegant.

But, as much as I like this dungeon's looks, the dungeon itself is another story.



The entirety of the second floor is a COMP-free zone filled with warps, there are two separate dark zones, and fourteen pitfalls spread out over seven floors.

There are some gang members and lowly thugs standing around. Their overall attitude makes it seem that this dungeon and the demons inside are something they're used to.



PUNK: Hah? What're you lookin' at, dumbass?! Lookin' for trouble or something?!!



GANGSTER: The boss wanted youth. You know, the eternal kind. It changed him, made him go crazy. He had all the women and money he could want, but I guess it wasn't enough...I still don't know what he's really after.



PUNK: Whaddya want, huh?! I oughta bust your face up! You little shit!!



GANGSTER: The boss really changed. He didn't used to be anything like this...

There's also some other "thugs" around.



Tattooman is the only new one, though both Killer Chopper and Hooligan make their reappearance. It's hard to tell, but Tattooman does indeed have a tattoo of Jack Frost flipping you off with the words "Go To Frozen."



Golden birdfish Da Peng and rainbow gummy snake Yurlungur almost always showed up together. Da Peng is annoying because he's incredibly resistant to physical attacks, the monster actually made me go through menus to get to magic! I picked up Yurlungur because c'mon he's a cool rainbow snake.



Python shows up, his sprite looking a lot more blue than in later games. Barbatos, on the other hand, is the same color that he will continue to be for MegaTen games to come.



Vetala's design for this game is pretty much the same as his Shin Megami Tensei II appearance, but he goes through a drastic redesign for Soul Hackers. Interestingly, he shares a design with Nalagiri, though in a different color.



The last to show up in my run-through was Hypnos. This design was used only in Devil Summoner, but Hypnos himself showed up as a boss in both Megami Ibunroku Persona and Persona 3.



And onto the last floor. It amuses me that the boss felt the need to have an incredibly long hallway between the elevator and his room. Perhaps to give lower members time to think on what they'd done to deserve having to see the boss.



Nice taste in screens, though.

BGM: Conversation



TENZAN: What underling sent you?



: Did you come here knowing that I am Tenzan Tendou, head of the Tendou-gumi? You deserve some respect, makin' it all the way up here, but I'm not going to go easy on you. Hurry on up and die.



Boss #17 - TENDOU



BGM: Boss Battle

VS Haunt Tendou



Tendou isn't too much of a problem overall. He marks the first appearance of Outsider's Law, a medium Almighty attack that seemed intent on never hitting my party half of the time.



Venom Flash is the most annoying because it can cause Poison. Poison causes a sharp decrease in physical power, and since Tendou is strong against magic, we really need those physical attacks to hit hard.

He can use the useless Vampire Kiss, which causes Vamp. This would be bad except he's a boss and we're going to be thrown right back outside afterwards to heal. The last trick up his sleeve is Dekaja, which nulls all buffs. Good thing he never used it.



: Guh, I can't regenerate...More blood...I need more of the blood my underlings collected for the golden statue...I can still fight...if I get that blood...



Surprise! Our favorite priest is here.

: That will be all, Tendou. Your role here is over. There is no need to waste any more energy.
: You and your followers bought land and destroyed the seals. You became vampires to collect blood. You have completed your job.
: Even if you traded blows with this Devil Summoner again, there is no way you would win. You cannot fight, and you are of no use to me.
: All that's left is to return to being that pathetic old man you once were, and die. Well then, farewell.

Er, Naoto and Rei, you could probably run after Sid. I mean, you managed to kick his butt last time, so I have confidence in you. I guess it's too late now...



: ...So this is death...Dammit, all this time I've danced to their tune and now I'm just gonna die...



And we're kicked out. Perhaps some of his underlings escorted us off the premises? Either way, it's back to the detective agency for us.

BGM: Kuzunoha Detective Agency



: ...Is Mr. Kuzunoha the private detective here? I'm Hatano. Please help us look for our daughter! I beg of you! Our daughter Kumiko has been kidnapped.

Again?

: You were at our house during that commotion the other day, and we don't know who else to ask. Kumiko was kidnapped by someone calling himself Sid Davis. Please! Please help my daughter!

Whoa, Sid's a busy man. I guess he works fast.



: This is a request from me as well. We went to the police, but they didn't listen to us at all. Just please. Please save our daughter. We'll pay whatever you ask for.



>Will you agree to help find Kumiko?
>YES
NO

Man, they musta missed me basically macking on Kumiko on their front doorstep. Of course I'll help!



: Thank you so, so much. Please do anything you can to save her.
: We're so glad you decided to help, Mr. Kuzunoha. Somebody said they saw her in the Chuou district...

Now this is what I wanted. I finally get to be a detective, just like Kyouji claims to be! I can gather clues, talk to people, piece things together...

...Actually, maybe I'm more suited for the devil-busting business.

______________

Next update: We break into a government office.