Super Robot Wars UX Part #62 - Mission 26

Part 62: Mission 26 - Route Split

We open up aboard the Elshank, off the coast of Japan, where our folks pass on the news they just got to Ishigami: the team that stayed behind at Innsmouth, plus the entire HOTEL they were in, have completely vanished! Quite mysterious, and Joey doesn’t understand how that could happen without a single trace of evidence left behind.
Rachel reports that an analysis of the area hasn’t helped identify the cause of this, but Denton notes that a nearby air base detected space-time vibrations ripping across the area – the wavelength of those vibrations were very similar to the ones we collected when the Aura Road previously opened. In other words, it’s very likely half our team got sent to Byston Well.
Mike remembers our problems with the Hojo folk before, and Kazuki really hopes everyone’ll be okay. Ishigami understands our concern but notes that the world’s in a constant state of flux – we need to keep up our work to try and keep it all together, at least until we’ve more to go on.

That means carrying out our investigation into the Machina at Shimane – specifically, he wants us to look into this set of ancient ruins. We need to confirm whether a Machina was truly sighted around there. Domyoji’s attention is caught by those ruins, and Rachel remembers that he’s the local expert in folklore, occultism and whatnot – she and Denton aren’t in on that, so Domyoji can take charge of that.
That’s fine (though he warns that he’s not THAT knowledgeable), and Soubi and Joe figure we’d best send some escorts along, as there’s no telling when the Katou Organization might try something. In that case, Ishigami’ll assign the JUDA units to handle that, while the standby folks are free to enjoy our girls’ big show at the music festival. This is Fei-Yen’s first live outing, so she hopes to see us in the crowd!
Kouichi speaks up to ask if the festival area and the ruins are far from each other. Not very, no, but why does he want to know? N-No reason… inwardly, though, he figures he could make it in time for Miu’s show (and doesn’t notice Kizaki staring).
Now, one last thing: where are Richard, Saya and Arnie? Well…

It’s that time again but, thankfully, the remaining route splits are only doubles and are FAR shorter than the last one.

Aboard The Ship Route
Tobikage
SEED Destiny
Dancouga Nova
Fei-Yen
Linebarrels
Macross Frontier
Heroman

Secret Alert x4
Take this route for these secrets: Heroman (2nd step), Frontier (3rd step), Linebarrel (3rd step), Tobikage #2 (3rd step). Also a purely cosmetic Tobikage secret.

Transported to Byston Well Route
Dunbine
Wings of Rean
Fafner
00 Gundam
Demonbane
SD Gundam
Mazinkaiser SKL

Secret Alert x7
Take this route for these secrets: Fafner #1 (last step) and #4 (1st step), Demonbane (4th step), Wings of Rean #1 (3rd step) and #2 (only step), 00 Gundam #1 (3rd step) and #2 (1st step). Also a cosmetic Dunbine secret.

I already have both these routes flags raised, but I’ll be keeping the Byston Well Route purely for the Wings of Rean #2 secret. It’s one of three secrets in the game that are exempt from the “perma-unlocked” rule, the other two being the abovementioned cosmetic ones. This one, however, is quite useful, so there’s no reason not to go for it.

So, Rich and co. were also taken to Byston Well. Romina and Rennie are sure they’ll find their way back here safely, though.

Speaking of, cut to Byston Well, Al is all but certain that it was magic that transported our team here – there are trace energies still around the hotel. Apparently, the sorcerer behind this stunt waited until we fell asleep to cast the spell. So, the Black Lodge is behind this, then? Maybe, but Soushi and Saya find everything odd: if the plan was to strand us all in Byston Well, why did they let half of our team escape the trap?
Ennea shrugs that thinking won’t really change things for us, and suggests we just wait until Cham and Erebos return before deciding what to do – they should be done gathering intel any moment now.
Shangxiang scratches her head as to how quickly the girl’s familiarized herself with our teammates, but Kurou’s more worried about Leica, who also got dragged here with us. The sister’s not sure what to do, but Ruri’s certain Kurou and the Demonbane’ll keep them all safe. No pressure.

And the Ferario return right then, bringing news that the Hojo Army has been continuing its campaign against the rebels throughout Herikon – several of their villages have been razed to the ground. Lux isn’t happy to hear what her father’s forces are up to, and Zhou Yu figures Sakomizu’s taking a more aggressive approach in the interest of solidifying his power-base before launching that invasion of the Overworld he’d been planning.
Liu Bei can’t believe he’d bring such pain to his own people in a bid to unify his rule of the land, and Setsuna sees that the guy’s as fixated with the Overworld as he was during our last encounter. Lux wonders what it is that’s pushing him to go this far.

Mind you, there’s another curious rumor the Ferario have heard: “Apparently there’s this really strong Holy Warrior Lady fighting around here. She’s been piloting an Overworld machine and defending the rebel villages from the Hojo forces,” Cham relates. A Holy Warrior Lady, like Marvel?
“I’m not as strong as Shou, mind you, but all Overworlders have strong Aura Powers, so pretty much anyone has the potential to come to be a Holy Warrior,” she notes. And since she’s piloting an Overworld unit, Shou figures this woman must’ve been transported here like we were. Still, this is a Holy Warrior with enough strength to give the Hojo Army pause, so who could it be, Aesap wonders?
Whatever the case, Scarlet knows one thing for sure: while King Sakomizu refuses to give up on his plans to invade the Overworld, he’ll always be a knife at our collective throats. That being said, the Wings of Rean shoes remain squarely with us, so Lux doubts he’d be able to get topside (Zhuge Liang seems doubtful). Inwardly, she thinks: “It can’t be a coincidence that I found my way back to this land. I’ve a duty to see through here, and that is…”

On this side, Scarlet unlocks her second tactician bonus: +10% attack power to All Attacks.

On the other route, Richard and the others are safely aboard the Elshank and Ishigami asks that Saya and Arnie assist the JUDA folks with the Machina investigation. Arnie is curious, however: what are these ruins where the Machina was pinged in?
“According to Japanese legend, it’s the gateway to the underworld… the ruins are called Yomotsu Hirasaka,” Moritsugu notes, and Arnie isn’t too keen on being headed towards the literal Gates of Hell.

The Frontier singers have finally crossed the Pacific and arrived at Shimane, and Sheryl’s beat after the long trip. Ai-kun’s bopping around, Ranka figures he’s hungry too. Mind you, Sheryl had told Grace that she was going back to the Fleet – only Ranka is signed up for the festival, after all.
Oh, it’s fiiine; all of her gigs and whatnot have been cancelled, so it’s not like she has anything better to do. Plus, Alto and the others are coming here, so Sheryl figured she’d see the show with them. Hmhmm. And what about her health?
That’s Brera’s cue to pull Ranka away with an excuse that they need to check the stage.