Part 5: Meeting the Liberation Army

I don't give a shit

Hey wait a minute, you look familiar...



Cleo: Hey, you! Who do you think you are?

Who are you? And what's this “Young Master” business?



Gremio: What did you say?

Cleo: Any more of a fuss, and we're in big trouble.

Gremio: Young Master, get away while we hold them off.



Use your heads, would fugitives of the law be hanging 'round here? They couldn't be that stupid.



These soldiers are dumb as shit.





uhhhh what?

Marie: Hey! It's that guy!





Viktor: No big deal, I was just wondering how to pay for my meal, and...

Cleo: You did that just to bilk the...

Viktor: Come, come, let it go, eh? Thanks for helping us out.

I have no idea who “us” is but at least we got out of that situation scot-free.



Looks like we can't leave Gregminster yet either. Hmm.



Gremio: We're not rebels!

Viktor: I couldn't care less either way. Incidentally, how do you plan to escape this place? I have an idea, if you'll care to listen. I'm used to these kinds of things.



We have to, like any choice in the game, so pick the bottom choice.

Viktor: Leave it to me, but on one condition. It's no big deal. If you succeed in escaping, I'd like you to meet someone. A small request, alright? So we have a deal. Let's go. First, we must go to the palace gates. Don't worry, I won't hand you over to the Imperials.



We get another person on our entourage, one of the most beastly characters in the entire series, and one of the fan favorites.



Viktor is a fucking tank. Incredibly powerful sword, high defense, all of that. His downside is that he's stupidly slow, and will miss his attacks quite often. We can work around this, though.











Cleo: How did you do that?

Viktor: No big deal. I just gave him a little gift. Imperial soldiers act tough, but they have a big weakness to money. That's the state of things in the Imperial Capital. Corruption is everywhere. Everything's about to fall apart at the seams.

Cleo: That's too bad.



Viktor: Why should I use my own money to help you get away?

Gremio: What do you mean? Hey! My wallet! When did you...

Viktor: Here you go. I suggest you keep a better eye on it. And now for our little promise. You haven't forgotten, have you, little fella?





Let's do this shit.



Viktor breaks the “non-cliche equips” rule of our characters at the moment, using a standard longsword. That will, however, change in the future.



Viktor: Well then! It's about time to go to work. I need to go make some arrangements. I may be late, so take a look around.



Cleo: I have no idea. So what shall we do now? I'd love to take a shower...

let's dick around Lenankamp for a bit.



There's new armor for all our heroes, which is always helpful. It's a good idea to visit EVERY shop in EVERY town for a reason we'll be explaining later. And by visiting, I mean perusing their wares, even if you don't buy anything.



There's some weird, creepy dude here in Lenankamp.

Krin: You know how monsters sometimes leave behind those urns? Well, sometimes you find valuable things in them, hee hee. If you take these things to an appraiser, hee hee...

I'm sufficiently weirded out.



I suppose we should check out that inn soon.



But first, sharpening! Weapons get different names as they are sharpened, but only at certain levels, and these are different for different characters. Cleo now has an Air Moon Sword compared to her original Air Sword, Gremio still has his Axe although it's stronger, and our main now has a Dragon Fang Staff. Different smiths can only temper to certain levels, and right now we can only reach level 5, of a max 16.



Also, blacksmiths can temper rune pieces onto weapons to give them elemental attributes. Our first, as I explained earlier, adds a thunder element to the weapon. You can also take these off if you decide you put on the wrong fragment. The more fragments you put on a weapon, the more you receive from that particular element (Water, for example, restores your health per turn, the more fragments put on, the more HP received).



I doubt we'll run into her. Sorry, ma'am!



When you choose to stay at the inn, you learn about the “special preparations” Viktor had to go make.

Suikoden Tunes – Theme of Tension ~ Ensemble Version



Cleo: But we didn't make any other plans. Let's wait a bit longer, and if he doesn't show, we'll head north. Perhaps Master Teo can help us.

Gremio: …. Cleo, why... Pahn...

more crashing can be heard





That didn't take long. These guys are more efficient than the FBI.



Gremio: I knew we shouldn't have trusted him!

Cleo: This doesn't look good. They'll find us for sure.



We can take 'em down. No sweat!

Gremio: I... I, Gremio, will protect you with my life, Young Master...





Suddenly, a secret entrance behind the grandfather clock!





Odessa: Everyone's waiting. Follow me.



Gremio: What's going on here?

Viktor: I didn't think I'd give myself away so soon. Oh well, now that you've met Odessa...

Cleo: Odessa? The name rings a bell...

Gremio: You don't mean... the Rebel Army...



Odessa: Let me introduce myself. I am Odessa Silverburg, leader of the Liberation Army. How do you do?



Viktor: That's right. Prepare yourselves for a surprise. This here is the son of the great general Teo McDohl. And a fugitive to boot. Don't you think he'll make a great asset to the Liberation Army?

Gremio: You've got to be kidding! Why should Young Master join the Rebel Army?!



Flik: So he says.

Viktor: Well, umm... maybe... we... can convince him, right? He has nowhere to go, anyway.

Odessa: I guess we've all been fooled by Viktor as well. Whenever he takes a liking to someone, he just drags them in. But they do appear to be hunted by the Imperials, and the town's full of soldiers... you may stay until things blow over. Whatever decision you make is up to yourselves.



Hey! Cleo's on board, guys!

Cleo: On the other hand, what will Master Teo think?

um, obviously he would be quite fucking angry



aren't you an affable fellow



Flik: Well then, remember the name. The quiet one there's Humphrey the Swordsman. And that's Sanchez. We three are pretty popular in the Liberation Army, you know.



I've always found Sanchez to be the oddball in this entire game. He's like seventy years old but he's palling around with twenty-year-old rebels. Strange.



well, anyway, let's try to leave.



Except for the dying dude on the stairs blocking our way.



Anyway, the other day, the Imperial Guard came and captured our bosses, Varkas and Sydonia. Lady Odessa, please. Help Varkas and Sydonia. That rotten Grady of Rockland has strung them up to starve to death.

Cleo: Outrageous! Execution without trial? Even by Imperial Law, that's illegal.

Odessa: That's awful...

Flik: But Odessa... Imperial surveillance has been intense lately. We need to keep a low profile.

Odessa: I'm aware that we're understaffed. But the bandits have asked for our help. We can't let them down.



Odessa: What do you mean, it's your fault?

black screen recant the story time

Viktor: I see. Well, even if you didn't know what you were doing, you still have to claim responsibility, eh, Miles? You must rescue Varkas and Sydonia. I'll help, too.

Cleo: I agree. I don't plan to betray the Empire, but what Grady has done is unforgivable.





Before we go, we change Viktor's Taia Sword to the Shiko Sword so he can be even more beastly.



Next time: Undoing something we did not even an hour ago.

Artwork



Viktor – Tenko Star