Part 30: Mission 15 (America Route) - The Invaders - Part 2
: Looks like that was the last of the attacking Skrugg. 
: The ones within the manor have also pulled back.
: All thanks to that guitar attack! You guys really saved our bacons!
: And now we just have to deal with the two Anticross…*Tiberius is flung though the manor’s window, into the city!*
: Hrrgh…!
: That’s…!
: Haah, haah… Finally, I got that freak outside… Urk!
: Mr. Daijuuji…!
: Look at him… he’s hurt all over!: You... you piece of FILTH!: Rise, Belzebuth, my Deus Machina! Gorge thyself!
: It’s… a Deus Machina?!
: A mechanical God, given form by sorcery…!
: Heheheh! Oh, save your surprise for after you see this!
: The Skrugg we just beat are back…?! What’s going on?!
: R-Rrr… aaah…!
: Psh, those guys’re like zombies. Is that some sort of spell he’s using?!
: That power… is he—?!: Sorry, princess… I’m gonna have to borrow the Demonbane again…: Mr. Daijuuji, you’re too injured! Fight in that condition and you’ll…!: I’m still… going to fight!: Mr. Daijuuji…!: If we let a psycho like that run loose… we risk losing everything...! So, I…!
SRW UX - Deus Machina: I need the Demonbane!: Mr. Daijuuji… you’re…!: Now come! Thou art the innocent blade…! DEMONBANE!!
: You dare face me with one foot in the grave?! I’ve always hated stubborn men!: Shut the hell up! I’m coming for you, ya squid!
: He reminds me of Shou…: Shou…?: He’s a man who gets outraged by the sight of evil… A man who’ll fight to the very last drop of his life, no matter how wounded he is.: A man who’ll fight to the very last drop of his life, no matter how wounded he is…: (He’s just like my grandfather…)
: Kurou, the power we attained last battle, the Mirror of Nitocris, is now available to you!: Use the illusions it creates well, and it will serve us nicely as decoy! : Got it! Let’s go, Al!
What Al means is that, on top of everything, the Demonbane now has a Mirror Image ability (max of 30% chance to evade, determined by the difference in Skill stat). We just need to down Tiberius to end this mission, but, as always, make sure to go after the Skrugg if you’re getting kills for secrets.
Belzebuth (Tiberius)
Pilot Skills:
Sorcerer L3
Grimoire L3
Prevail L2
Support Attack L1
All Attack L1
Mech Features:
20% HP Regen
Tiberius voice actor: Kazuki Yao (other roles: Judau in ZZ, Shinobu/F.S. in Dancouga stuff, Franky in One Piece and a ton more).
Can you say debuffs? Because Tiberius is packing a bunch of those: his weakest attack will apply Attack Down, whereas his best one debuffs your morale AND immobilizes the target. Not nice.
Tiberius’ offensive stats are on par with Garan, though he’s nowhere as good a shot and has about 28k less HP and defenses. He’ll hit harder, mind, as both his weapons come packing S on Earth, so lead with your dodgier units and make sure you don’t get tagged. 20% HP regen isn’t insignificant against a midboss, but your guys should be able to down him on one round to avoid any surprises.
One way to get yourself an easy boost is to gather up your people outside his range (he’ll focus on Kurou, of course) and pop Setsuna’s Trans-AM Burst when he moves in. Surprisingly, he’s not immune to debuffs, so you can really put a big stat difference between him and our guys.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsXnJRHRI0g
This Skrugg decides to get clever sniping at Kurou, but we get clever back with the power of smoke and mirrors!
I’m guessing these buggers have abysmal Skill since we’re proccing these effects so often today (or the RNG Gods are really smiling down on me).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4z3fq6W2XM
Richard laughs in the face of your Spec Down debuff!
SRW UX - Shangri-La
SRW UX - Deus Machina: Barely alive and you’re still coming after me? Aren’t you a tough one.: Shut the hell up! Don’t talk, don’t even breathe the same air as me, freak! Your smell alone makes me sick to my stomach!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7KJmDkgIfc
“We’re facing an Anticross now – no holding anything back!”
SRW UX - My Fate: How’d you like fighting the dead? Would you care for seconds? Because I can make that happen.: Erebos, Cham said the souls of dead humans go to Byston Well, right? Then the corpses he’s controlling…
: Right, they’re just pitiful, soulless puppets… Aesap, you can't let him get away with this!
SRW UX - Envoy from Jupiter
: Black Lodge… You’ve so much power, so why do you use it only to destroy? : Why, I think that answer should be pretty obvious! It’s because that’s much more fun than the alternative!
SRW UX - JOEY AND HEROMAN: Ooh, aren’t you a cute little boy? Maybe I’ll take you as my plaything. 
: I-I’ll be alright…! I’ve got Heroman here with me! I don’t have to be scared of this guy!
SRW UX - Future-Bound Fighting Spirit: A merc, eh? You work to make some cash, we work to sate our desires… I’m sensing a pattern here. Come on, let’s all get along!
: When I fight, it’s to protect the lives of others! I’m nothing like you!
SRW UX - Life Goes On: Controlling the dead… I can’t believe sorcery can even do something like that!: Hmhmhm, is there someone you’d like brought back? Just leave it to Uncle Tiberius. I’ll raise that person as a nice zombie for you!: There’s no bringing back the people we’ve lost… which is why I fight for those that are still around!
And Tiberius gives us an Eida’s Disc (+10 Defense and Ranged, +5 Evasion)… this raises worrying implications that I’m not comfortable thinking about!
: Hrrmmmm! That hurt… THAT HURT!
: What?! All those wounds just vanished in a second…!: These regenerative abilities, the power to resurrect the Skrugg… I was right, his power stems from…!: That’s right. I’ve gained immortality by way of my grimoire, De Vermis Mysteriis!: And now I’ll use this power to teach the lot of you a lesson! CTHUGHA! 
: Aaaiiieee!: Th-That attack was…!?: These magical energies are being drawn from some of my fragments…!: 'Tis the power of the pages depicting the Great Old One, Cthugha – the divine manifestation of the flame that dwells in the star Fomalhault… : So the enemy managed to their hands on more of your fragments…?!: That, we did! Now behold the power of a Great Old One!
: Ph’nglui mglw’nafh Cthugha Fomalhault!: N’gha-ghaa naf’lthagn. Ia! Cthugha! (
: Wh-What the hell is that huge ball of fire?!: Estimated temperature over 10000 °C…?! That’s as hot as high-density plasma! If something like that detonates…!: Hahahaha! This is a flame that can scorch the very heavens! And now it’ll turn everything here to cinders!!
: DAI GURENZAN!
: GIIIYAAAAAAA! It buuuuuuuurns!: Wh-What just happened?!
SRW UX - The Legend of Mirisha
: You say such a paltry flame can scorch the very heavens? Do not be ridiculous!
: What the hell…! He dispersed that ball of plasma with a single attack?!: A tiny Gundam…! He’s another person from Mirisha?!: Now, Kurou! Commit this demon to the underworld!: I-I know, but… We need to hit him with something stronger than his regen, or he’ll…!
: Mr. Daijuuji! Try the Lemuria Impact, if you would!: “Lemuria Impact”?!: The Demonbane’s First Point-Blank Sublimation Spell; it’s its strongest attack, blasting the enemy with endless heat! I’m dang sure it’d do the job…!
: P-Please wait a second! We’ve never even tested that thing!: And if it isn’t controlled properly, it may destroy not just the Demonbane, but all of Arkham City…: No, we’re doing it! I believe in Mr. Daijuuji!: I’ve faith in the small yet unmistakable justice that lies within him!: Princess…!SRW UX - Sublimation of a Destroyer
: Activate the Hilanipla System and encrypt the Words of Power! Form the Naacal Code!: Roger. Words Al Mankib, Al Dua, unlocked!: Words Al Yad, Al Yava, and Ibṭ Al-jawzā, unlocked!: Naacal Code, encrypted! We’re good to go!: Haaaaaah…!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUpR6gnUie8
Captions are available. FYI, we don't actually unlock this weapon yet.
: Gwaaaaaargh! Th-These goddamned BRATS!
: He’s still regenerating?!: That’s… UNFORGIVABLE! How dare you hurt me like this…?! : Your mission is complete. Withdraw.: ?! That voice was…!
: Hmhmhm, it has been some time, no…?: Master Therion!: You can’t be serious, Grand Master! How can I not kill my enemy and still call myself one of the Black Lodge?!
: Hrgh… Oooorgh!
: I’ll say it again, Tiberius. Withdraw. : Y-Yes, Grand Master! Forgive me!: Remember this, worms; the next time we meet, I’ll personally make your lives a living hell! 
: The Lemuria Impact, hm? That was quite the amusing display.: I sincerely hope you’ll stay this course, Kurou Daijuuji…
: That was Master Therion… the Grand Master of the Black Lodge?!: Much as I regret to say it, he may have saved us today…: I-I don’t care… the princess is safe… that’s good en…ough…*Collapse.*
: Kurou?! Get a hold of yourself, Kurou!
: Haah, haah…!
: I have been ordered to withdrawn. You never told me your name, though.: I am Winfield, head butler of the Hadou manor…: Winfield, the warrior. I confess I did not expect to find a man of your caliber here…: I shall eagerly await our next encounter…*Warp away.*
: Titus, the Anticross… a fearsome opponent, indeed…!
: Is this all right, Grand Master?: Is what all right, Augustus?: Al Azif has recovered more of her fragments, new foes have emerged against us, and the Hadou manor is still intact…: Our actions today did nothing but empower the other side…: Whether her fragments lay in mine or in Kurou Daijuuji’s hands, it will all be the same in the end.: After all, we’ll eventually need Al Azif to be complete...: I agree with you, but…: Do not concern yourself with trivialities, Augustus. As for the Hadou manor… you could say that was just a small game.: And regarding the appearance of that unforeseen visitor, I say this could make things even more entertaining than we expected. Am I wrong?: …
: (It’s as if you want the enemy to get stronger… What are you thinking, Grand Master…?)
: Hrgh… W-Where am I?!: Mr. Daijuuji! You’re awake, thank goodness!
: Princess…
: I swear, what were you thinking doing something as reckless as that in the state you were in?! Do you enjoy being a nuisance to us, fool?!
: Hahah, you say that, but we all saw how worried you were until not long ago.: Oh… I’m really sorry I worried you, Al.: N-Now, do not misconstrue any of this! I was worried simply because I would have to find another sorcerer if you were gone!: Hah, is that right?: Mr. Daijuuji, thank you… If you hadn’t saved me, I…: Nah, you don’t need to thank me… besides, I got the Demonbane wrecked again.: That doesn’t matter. I realized something as I watched you fight.: You may just be the person my grandfather was looking for… someone who, with unyielding faith in a small yet definite justice, turns to wield the sword that smites evil… : Princess…: Mr. Daijuuji, I am entrusting you with the Demonbane. Please take good care of it.: Yes, princess. I, Kurou Daijuuji, vow to see to it to the best of my abilities!: Aw, it’s so great to see everyone getting along!: Indeed. This is a major step towards our victory.: (Yeah, things are better for us… but what about Joey and his friends…?)
: …: (I can’t even bring myself to try and ask them to cheer up…)
: Damn it, we’d just found a way to fight back against the Skrugg and they pull something like this?!
: Will and Nick got captured and turned against us… It still doesn’t feel real…: Is fighting them the only option we’ve left...?
: “Fight”?! But they’re humans!
: Yet, they’re presenting themselves as enemies. We have a duty to defeat them.: ?! Soushi, you…!: …
: No, there’s still hope for them!: Prof. Denton…: Will and Nick looked like they were in pain while they were retreating. And I think that pain was caused by their mind-control loosening somewhat.
: Meaning their human memories still remain?
: This is purely conjecture at this point, mind you. But if their memories do remain…: Then there’s gotta be a way to bring them back to normal, right?!: So we can save my brother and Nick?!: Yeah, I’m sure we can if we just work together…!
: Absolutely… Those two are being controlled and forced into battles against their will… and we can’t let it go on! We will save them!: Thank you, Joey… Thank you all…: …: (But if we do wind up fighting other people… when that happens, I…!) 
: You want to come with us…? You, warlord Cao Cao, one of the big shots in Romance of the Three Kingdoms?
: Aye. You see, we were flung into this world by the grand power of the heavens…: Therefore, we concluded that the gateway may open once more if we are capable of reproducing a power of such scale that it rivals that of the heavens. 
: (A gateway to another world… It’s like the Wings of Rean and the Aura Road…)
: Well, you’d sure have plenty of battles to try out your theory hanging out with us…: But you oughta know that we’ve heard a lot about you from Liu Bei and Sun Quan, Lord Cao Cao. : Liu Bei and Sun Quan? : I see. So they have, indeed, also come to this world…: They did. And they’re cooperating with other allies of ours right now.: They are…?!
: You were fighting against those two during the Battle of Red Cliffs, yes? May I ask what you plan on doing when we eventually rendezvous with them?: A unified Mirisha is my ideal. And should any stand against said ideal, be they friend or family… then I shall cut them down!
: Y-You…!
: However, the opposite is also true. Should you be willing to walk at my side, then your past and origins matter not to me.: (The way he thinks is just like…): (King Sakomizu…): In other words, so long as we do not actively position ourselves against you, you will be satisfied?: You may look at it that way, aye.: Alright, then. We’ll take you up on your offer.: M-Mr. Richard…!: That said, since we’ll all be working together, I trust you won’t have a problem following the team’s orders and strategy, yes, Lord Cao Cao?: Hmph, very well. I look forward to beholding your skill.: …: I believe I could also be of use in regards to said strategy. Regardless, it is a pleasure to accompany you…: Yeesh, first Zhou Yu, then Zhuge Liang, and now we have Sima Yi teaming up with us...: That makes all of the three rival strategists in Romance of the Three Kingdoms, right?: Yamashita’s going to freak out when he hears about this!*STOMP!*
: Wh-What?!: Aesap, Lux, we’ve got a big problem!: What is it, Erebos?! Did something happen?!: It’s the Nanajin! It just started going crazy out of the sudden…!: The Nanajin?! What’s going on…?
*Swooooosh.*
: H-Hrm…: I-I’m… alive…? Where… Where am I?!: Marvel! Cham! What happened to me…?!
And we’ve got Sima Yi, who’s got the same first tactician bonus as Ylbora. He’s not the big prize here, of course…
Cao Cao Gundam (Crimson Frame)
Pilot Skills:
Soul of the Three Sovereigns
Prevail L3
Support Attack L1
Counter
All Attack L1
Commander L2
Spirit Commands:
Sense
Focus
Fury/Direct Hit
Mech Features:
Sword
10% HP and EN Regen
Squad Bonus: Accuracy +5, Melee weapons + 100 (Accuracy +20, Melee +200, Crit +15)
Cao Cao’s voice actor: Kenji Nomura (other roles: Euzeth in 2nd OGs, Iron Tager in BlazBlue, Orcus in Gundam IBO and many more)
Right out the box, Cao Cao’s the strongest of the three main SD Gundams. Liu Bei gets ahead due to his combined attack, but this guy’s got him beat solo and has Sun Quan beat in everything. Stat-wise, he’s better than the two on everything except Skill (Sun Quan is better).
As far as his attacks go, he’s a melee fighter through and through but, like Sun Quan, his current best attacks are pre-movement. You could give him Hit & Away if you like, but do know that he’ll get around this issue later in the game – pairing him up with someone with the skill until then could be a nice compromise.
As with the other SD Gundams, his weapons have decent-to-heavy EN costs, so take appropriate measures there: EN Save, upgrades, squad bonuses, etc. More EN means more fuel for the Cao Cao conquering machine!
Liu Bei and Sun Quan are already great units and Cao Cao just as great, so you absolutely want to save him a spot in your team.
Oh, and there was one convo we missed:
: Heheheheh… you’re never catching me with those stupid moves!: That voice… why do I feel like I’ve heard it before?