Part 108: Mission 43 (Union Route) - The Return of the Sorcerer - Part 1
Back to the Union Route, where the Black Lodge’s riding out to R’lyeh with their fully armed and operational battle Cthulhu. Kurou, Dancouga and Eida are deploying as event units, so here’s how we’re going:
Joe/Amalgan
Aesap/Lux
Joey/Rennie
Kurou/Kiki
Mike/Ozma
Burn/Marvel
Shou/Tsubasa
Mazinkaiser/Canaria
Alto/Luca
Dr. West/Hebi
Arnie/Saya
Fei-Yen/Michel
Damian/Klan
Tactician: Ruri (once again, keep her set in if you’re on track for the Demonbane secret.)
And do note that this is the cutoff point for Heroman's kill count to be over 200 if you're going for that secret.
Off we go.
SRW UX - Rebellion Against Fate
: It’s been a long time coming, but it’s time to hammer the final nail in the Black Lodge’s coffin.
: I wish we could have the Tatsumiya team helping with this, though…
: They’re busy fighting other enemies right now. We’ll have to make do by ourselves.
: We’ve received word from Maj. Ronin that the Union’s Pacific Fleet’s been dispatched to help us, so that should offset our diminished forces somewhat.
: However, the evil god is shielded by a mighty magical barrier. Conventional weapons will, at best, slightly hamper its movement.
: Meaning we just have to hit it with UNconventional weapons, then.
: Heh, I guess that’s what it boils down to.
: That makes us the last hope of mankind. We gotta make it happen!
: Hell, yeah. Bring out your evil gods or whatever, my sword’ll chop ‘em up but good!
: Sheesh, look at them. Everyone’s really fired up for this, huh?
: You say, like you’re not feeling the exact same way. : Maybe, maybe. : But you know me. I only really feel ‘fired up’ when I'm burning as bright as can be.
: I hear ya. And we’ll burn like there’s no tomorrow when we get out there!*Door opens.*
: Well, well. I must say, it’s quite reassuring to listen to you all.
: W-Winfield! Are you feeling better already!: Oh, I couldn’t well lay in bed while everyone else is risking their lives in combat.
: But...: Winfield, don’t you have another task to see to?: But, my lady, as head butler of the Hadou household, I…: If you’re concerned for us, don’t be. We promise we’ll come back safely.: So, I want you to go and fulfill your own assignment. : …: Very well, my lady. I shall see to it with every fiber of my being!
: It’s almost time, guys. We should get ready to depart.
: Our destination’s the Pacific Ocean… the undersea metropolis of R’lyeh!
: Hmph, these puny humans mean to challenge the Great Cthulhu? How quaint.
: Augustus… What is your take on the Demonbane?
: You mean about the power it displayed when it killed Tiberius, hm?: That unit was meant to be on par with a Deus Machina, but what it did was far beyond that level.: It was almost like… like…: Like the Grand Master. Am I right?: …: Hah… Well, you needn’t to concern yourself with that.: Especially since your life is about to come to an end.: What?!*Zaaaaap!*
: Gwaaaaaaaaargh!: Hmhmhm…: H-Have you gone mad, Augustus…?!: As you would say, this world is rife with malice and betrayal.: Farewell, Vespasianus.: C-CURSE YOU!!*Cast Big Magic Missile!*
: Hahah… AHAHAHAHAHAHA!: At last… At long last, the power of God is mine! The ultimate power, which none may oppose, which can bend even fate to my will!: That power now belongs… TO MEEEEeeeee! (Here goes Wakamoto!)
: Me, the overlord of the entire world… AAAAAUUUUgustuuuuus!!
(Nero): Ar…gh… (Nero): Fate does not bend to you… The only one who can touch upon the will of the heavens is… (Nero): Kurou… I’ll put your and your friends’ strength to the test. Hurry up and come to me…
Location: Dragon’s Hive – Command Center
: The Dancouga and R-Daigun’s combination mechanism? (on TV): Yeah, we want you to unseal it. (TV): We’ll be tackling an ancient god, so we’d rather not take any chances.
: I understand the situation, but, unfortunately, I cannot grant your request.
(TV): Why?!
(TV): You’re not seriously giving us the run-around now, of all times, are you?: Oh, now that’s just mean. This just isn’t something we able to help you with…: The fact is that it wasn’t our call to seal the combination mechanism away. It happened on its own…: This is purely conjecture, but it might’ve been the Dancouga itself who wanted it that way.: The Dancouga itself…? (TV): The hell’s that supposed to mean? That the Dancouga’s rejecting us as pilots?!: Eeh, I wouldn’t say that either…: Hm, I get it. What you’re saying is that we’ll need to get the mechanism unsealed ourselves?: Alright, we’re up for it!: I figured you would say that. Good luck – the future of Earth is in your hands.: You better have a good bonus ready for us once this is done.*Bloop.*
: *Sigh*… Our budget’s already tight enough as it is… I’ll have to run some numbers.: …: Are you really sure about this?: Don’t worry. They’ll pull through, just as they did before…: They’re a hardy, dangerous crew, after all. They thrive in extreme situations.
Location: Pacific Ocean
Demonbane OST – A Burst of Justice
: Cthulhu, dead ahead! Distance: 5000! We’ve several hostiles incoming!
: The Quarter and the Demonbane’ll break through their lines! Order all troops to intercept the enemy troops and head towards the fortress!
: That’s Cthulhu?! It’s even bigger than I thought…!*Woooooommmm.*
: Hrgh… What is this miasma?!
: ‘Tis Cthulhu’s! The minds of those lacking in magical fortitude cannot withstand it, so do not allow it to engulf you! 
: Hrgh… We’ve come too far to let an Aura like this do us in!
: Push forward and bust the enemy formation!
: All units, spread out! Formation Planet Dance!
: I’m on it! Come on, Tobikage!
: Outta my way, ya mooks! We’ve got bigger fish to fry!
*Blaaaaaaast! And tentacles!*
: Aah! They got the Elshank…!
: Wh-What in blazes are these tentacles?! We cannot move…!
: Eida, we’re going in!
: I got it! Danblade Twin!
: Haaah! Dankuuzan!*Cut!*
: W-We’re free! No problems across the ship!
: Thank you for the help!: We’re not letting them nab the Elshank! Hold on and we’ll clear the path for you!*Alarm!*
: It’s…! We’ve several flying humanoids headed our way!: Nightgaunts! Be wary – they mean to drag you into the Great Abyss!
: We’ll drop them before they get their claws on our ship! Speedy targets…
: Are our specialty!
: Go, you two! Aura Slash!: Deeeeeyaaaaa!*Booooom!*
: Now! Attack Cthulhu’s outer shell!: Kurou, use the God-Beast Bullets I gave you!
: God-Beast Bullets… You mean these?!: Aye, ‘tis special ammunition which function as a medium for Gods to manifest in this world! Fire at will!: Okay! Ia, Cthugha! Ia, Ithaqua!
: Here’s a God-Beast fire sale just for you, monster! Come and have your fill!*Blaaast! Skreeeeee!*
: We’ve confirmation that thirteen layers of its barrier have disappeared! It’s now vulnerable to physical attacks!: Don’t let this opportunity escape us! Shove a Macross Attack down its throat!: All of you who bear pride upon your wings, CHARGE!
: Here goes! OOORYAAAAA!*BLAM!*
: Cthulhu’s outer shell has been broken!: Everyone forward! We’re headed right for the heart of that thing!: Here we are, Black Lodge!: We are the sword that’ll destroy you, and our blade’s right against your throat!: The strongest grimoire and sorcerer duo in the world is back!
Mission 43 – The Return of the Sorcerer
: A sea of blood… Now that’s some bad taste in interior design.: We are squarely within the heart of the enemy fortress! Keep your wits about you!
: Indeed. A moment’s distraction shall bring nothing but a quick death. You would do well to steel yourselves.: Hrm, he’s already recovered from his wounds?!
: You are the only ones capable of quenching my thirst for combat now that he is gone.: I challenge you, Ultimate Cross, Master of the Necronomicon!
: He’ll trail the Way of the Shura to the bitter end… he fights for nothing but the thrill of battle!: You’re just a bigger version of that Lu Bu fella. ‘Course, that don’t sound like a bad lifestyle to me…
: You sad, sad man… Blood is not something that can sate the thirst you feel.: Our path is clear! Only the stillness of death may bring peace to one who has degenerated into a Shura!: We’ll put you down for good, Titus! Come here!: Everyone, our victory or defeat today will determine the future of our world!: Destroy all the Anticross and halt this metropolis’ rise to the surface! Attack!
Don’t lose a ship, Kurou, Aoi or Eida – you don’t need to down all the Destroyer Robos, mind, as just taking out the bosses’ll do the trick (but you want the money and kills, no?).
You already know what to expect of Titus – accuracy and powerful hits – so approach as you did before. Do remember that he’s NOT immune to debuffs, so Dr. West and Mike in the Kaima can really do a number on him. SP management is the name of the game, as we’ll have plenty of stuff to get through, so reducing his stats’ll help with that.
One thing to take note is that, for whatever reason, the mooks are particularly lazy today: they’ll only attack what gets in range, but will never actually move from their starting spots. If you’d rather play it safe, angle your guys up a wing of their formation, wipe it out, and then move on to the next. Titus won’t sit by, however.
Secret Alert! Demonbane secret – 10th step: set Ruri as your tactician and take out Titus with Kurou.
SRW UX - Deus Machina
: Ooh, we’ve got a full house today. Nice! Hey, galaxy, listen to my song!
: Let’s go, Doctor!: Here’s my Love Heaaaaart!!
SRW UX - A Bird’s Song
SRW UX - Love Survivor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAFLnKHHmF4
Oh, and Titus had the decency of showing off his best attack this time. As you can see, it HURTS.
SRW UX - Deus Machina
: HAHAHA! Those blunt sticks of yours won’t even scratch my paintjob!: Come see how you and your stupid top-knot do! Seppuku! Harakiri! Kamikazeeeee! (West is just yelling random words, but this taunt was originally done by Elsa when she fought Titus in the Leica route of the VN.): Hmph, I see your eccentricity hasn’t diminished since your betrayal…: However, I trust you realize the consequences of mocking me, hm…?: Waah… He’s really mad behind that pokerface of his-robo!
SRW UX - LEGEND OF KAISER: Pilots of the devil… I trust you will make for fine opponents to an adept of the Way of the Shura!: You looking to take a tour around Hell? Well, the customer’s always right!
: Ante up your Way of the Shura and we’ll see if it beats our Way of Hell!
SRW UX - The Will of Man Awakens
: You’ve abandoned your humanity to hunt humans, all in a quest for power… yet you’re still not satisfied. How far can you fall, demon?!: The way of the blade is the way of the Shura, and, thus, my goal is but one: power beyond measure! Crumble before my might, human!
SRW UX - Dunbine Flies
: Hold nothing back. My flesh may have been wounded, but I remain more than well-equipped to face you!: I’m fully aware of how powerful you are. Believe me, holding back is the last thing I’d do!
: Yeah! He’s going to chop every last bit of that evil Aura Power of yours!
SRW UX - My Fate
: If all you care about is raw power, then why can’t you earn it in a way that’s just?!: Fool… It’s because the way of righteousness could never provide the power I seek that I cast everything aside in my quest!
SRW UX - Tobikage Appears!
: We have crossed blades on several occasions, but this will all but surely be the final time…: Yet none of us wishes for this to be our end. That is what makes this such a blessed moment: it allows us to pour our very souls into this clash!: Bring it on, you wannabe samurai! I’ll make a very final pile of slag outta you!
SRW UX - Roulette
: If you’re that strong, then why do you only use it for battle?!: Power thrives only between the clash and reaping of lives. What problem do you see in such a pursuit?: The problem is that it’s wrong… Power isn’t meant for fighting! It’s to defend those who can’t defend themselves!
SRW UX - Deus Machina
: Master of the Necronomicon. Mine is the blade of a man who’s reached the apex of combat, and you’ll experience in full the might with which I wield it!: Bring it on! I’ll repay you for Winfield’s injuries twice over!: Realize now that power attained through demonic means is utterly meaningless, villain!
Titus drops another Goubine Helmet.
: Hah… Hahahahah…: I delved into the realm of inhumanity in a bid to quench my thirst for battle, yet what did I find there…?: Nothing. Nothing but the endless, insatiable thirst.: The only fleeting moments of relief came from you… and him…
: …: That man, he… he gave out such a lonely aura at the end…
: (Live by yourself, and die by yourself…): (That’s the fate that awaits a Shura, huh…): Oh, dear… Even Titus turned out to be UUuuseless.
: You’re…!
: You have done WEEEeeelll to make it this far – especially for an imitation Deus Machina and a gaggle of mere huuumaaannns.
: What, are you going to fight us by yourself? Sure you don’t want to call out any allies for help?: Alliiiees?: Ha… BWAHAHAHAHAHAH! HAAAHAHAAHAAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!: What’s so funny-robo?!: I have no more NEEeeed of allies! I shall be the only one to dominate Cthuluuuu! BWAHAHAHAHAAaaa!
: Wait, don’t tell me… you killed the other guy?! : You have been blinded by the power of this evil god, and lost your very self… You are a fool!: SIIIiiileeence! He who stands before you is no longer Augustus of the AAaannnticross!: I now command the power of the Great OOOoold One! Even a god bows before me, and, soon, so will the entire WOOoorllld!: You stand before the KAAaaiiiserr of Earth! AAAAUGUSSSTUUUUUS!!
: “Kaiser of Earth”…?
: Ohoho… You’re calling yourself a Kaiser right in our faces? Now them’s fighting words! (I understand the original VN translation had Augustus name himself EEEMmmperor, but here they specifically added Kaiser furigana to 皇帝.) : But I’m afraid your reign’ll be a very short one, Augustus. You can’t beat us!: Ye false Kaiser, wallowing in malice and treachery… We shall oust you from your throne!
Legacy of Gold (Augustus)
Pilot Skills:
Sorcerer L7
Grimoire L7
Prevail L8
Support Attack L3
All Attack L3
Mech Features:
20% HP Regen
Augustus voice actor: Emperor Norio Wakamoto (other roles: Tekkaman Omega, Moon WILL, Einst Regisseur, Maier Branstein, Charles Britannia, Shapiro, Coach Ota, Cell, Nobunaga, Megatron, and more, more, more.)
Augustus is all about blasting your guys with his big guns, and they pack an appropriately mean punch. His stats are also, like the other Anticross, on the high end, BUT, like Titus, he isn’t immune to debuffs, so it’s not difficult to defang him.
As you’d expect from something that looks like this, the Legacy of Gold is quite hardy – especially with Wakamoto’s Prevail – so also tag him with Armor Down, as you’ll still want to preserve a decent amount of SP. Finally, he can only use his strongest attack at range 3-8, so if you close the distance, he’ll have to rely on his weaker one, which has a full 1100 less power (but is more accurate).
And do note that Augustus comes accompanied by two Dagons (as strong as the ones we fought at mission 26), so don’t let them tag YOU with debuffs. Leave Kurou nearby to distract the guy and have your more evasive guys take out the buggers.
Secret Alert! Demonbane secret – 10th step: Also take out Augustus with Kurou.
And there’s this, too.
SRW UX - Deus Machina: The DEEeemonbaaane?! The destroyer of EEeeviiil?!: You’ll have to forgiiiive me if I don’t find myself particularly AFRAAaaiiid! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAA!: Do you take us to be the same as we were afore? How many Deus Machinas, how many spawns of your evil god do you think we felled to reach this place?: Keep on getting high on yourself, you crook! I’ll have your bot’s gold plating torn off and ready for selling in two shakes!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnKnnMvGWZA
“Kurou Daijuuji and Al Azif… You are no longer any match for MEEEeee!” > “Observe the power of a Great OOooold OOOoone!”
SRW UX - Deus Machina: Never did I expect you turn out to be such a nuisance when you made off with your life, Doctoooorr.: HOOooweever, that ends here. Your hunk of juunnnnk could never defeat a god!: See, this is why I can’t stand buffoons!: This is the fruit of my gigantic, limitless intellect, the Super West Invincible Robot Type-28 Special!: Yes, a buffoon of your meager brainpower could never understand the super delicious, hyper magnum, gorgeous precision that went into its creation…: Much less the special, deluxe, galactic power it possesses—: What he’s getting at is that it’s an incredible robot and it won’t be beaten by the likes of you-robo!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVnc8GleFIA
And have a video for his other attack, if only so we can have more Wakamoto.
SRW UX - Love Survivor: A Kaiser is meant to be a leader to his people! Anyone who’d look down upon others is not fit for that title!: BWAHAHAHAHA! A mere HUuumaannn dares insult me? I’ll show you a power that exceeds even that of the gods themmseeelvesss!
SRW UX - A Bird’s Song: I am far different from the MOOoonnn WIIiiiLL your team defeated!: Yes, I am the ruler of all that exists in this world! Augustus, the KAAaaiiser of Earth!
: Psh, shows what you know.: He’s got absolutely no clue, and here he is, lording it over us. I'm actually kind of embarrassed for him, really.: I hate to break it to you, but… you are just like Moon WILL.
: Yeah, especially with that god-complex and that ‘I rule over EEeeverything’ shtick!: And there’s no way in hell we’re getting dropped by a guy like that! Let’s go wild!
SRW UX - Lion: I am the Kaiser of Earth! And it’s my DUUuutyyy to free the souls of bacteria like you from their BIIiiindinnngs!: Yeah, well, that role doesn’t suit you in the slightest! This impromptu show of yours sucks, and it’s time someone brought down the curtains on it!
SRW UX - Believe ver. HD: Your SOOoonng is no more than child’s play face my godly POOooweeers!: You really like yelling, don’t you? But you should know that only makes it obvious how insecure you are!
SRW UX - The Will of Man Awakens: I can feel the light of life irradiating from within you. It displeeeaaases MEEEeee! I, the Kaiser of Earth, shall judge you myself!: We’ve absolutely no reason to accept your judgment! You see lives as nothing but toys, and it falls on us to put people like you down!: You’re not worthy of calling yourself a Kaiser! You’re just scum, and Hell is where you’re headed!
SRW UX - Deus Machina
Augustus drops another SEKIGAHARA Game Software for us.