Part 73: Mission 30 - Grand Quickening - Part 2
: We’re not making any headway here! Isn’t there anything we can try?!
: He emerges for a split second when moving to attack us, so if we could just get a good hit in at that moment…
: Only he’s also taking care to stay well out of our shooting range.
: He knows our forces inside and out. We’re going to need to try something different to deal with him…
: We already have that “something”, I say. Our team has a sharpshooter not found in any previously collected data.
: …! You’re right - Maya!
: Hm, she might just be able to take him by surprise…
: But the situation’s too dangerous to deploy her! And trusting a critical mission to a pilot with no combat experience is just…
: I’ll do it.
: Toumi…?!: Shouko and the others always carried out their missions despite all the pain they had to go through. : And I’m here to do the same.: But…!
: Alright, then I’ll play bait and bring him into the open!
: Joe?!: That way Maya won’t need to worry about keeping tabs on where he might pop out! Sounds better to you, Soushi?!: But if you do that you might…: No time for nagging, dude! You ready, Maya?!: I am.*Joe runs up north.*
: What’s the matter, Ylbora?! I thought we were gonna settle things today! You ain’t killing me with bug bites, ya know!
: If you’ve that much of a death wish, I can just as well kill you first!
: Hrrrgh…!: N-NOW!
: Hm…!
: They managed to counter the Zerokage’s camouflage attack?!
: Alright! The bot’s stopped zipping around!
: Hrm… Joe, you worm!: Heheh, sucks to be you… Ylbora…: But that won’t stop me from claiming your head! Prepare to meet your end, Joe!*Flash!*
: Tobikage?!: Impossible! It shouldn’t have any strength left to do anything!
: …: Tobikage… I get it. You’ve always been there too…: …: You’ve always been protecting the Elshank alongside us…
SRW UX - Tobikage Appears!: Come on, TOBIKAGE!
: Now Joe’s inside Tobikage…!: They’ve merged just as I did with Zerokage?!: It’s like I’m moving my own body… Alright, I got this!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_BNqHLBCH0
: Kch…! You’ve pushed your strength to new heights by combining with Tobikage, eh?: That’s what makes you a fitting prey for the Zerokage! Face me, Joe!: Bring it on, Ylbora! I’m pulling the plug on your party! 
And, bam, Joe’s earned his upgrade and is now in control of Tobikage… which, in turn, actually makes the bot weaker since Joe doesn’t have AI Tobikage’s massively inflated stats! But, hey, that’s a good power boost for the guy – especially with his new Ninja Awakening skill, which grants a 10% damage boost over 130 morale.
Same goes for Ylbora and the Zerokage: the bot’s got better baseline stats than Tobikage, but can’t hit as hard. Ylbora hulking out has also given him Ninja Awakening, so keep that in mind when engaging. And, of course, he also has an All Canceller and Bunshin no Jutsu, so you really should come packing strike, especially as Ylbora’s HP dips.
Secret Alert! Tobikage Secret #1 – 5th step: And there’s also this. Joe has to shoot down Ylbora again.
Fafner Mark Sieben (Maya Toumi)
Pilot Skills:
Synergetic Code L3
Support Attack L2
Support defense L1
All Attack L1
Gunfight L3
Spirit Commands:
Strike
Focus
Alert
Mech Features:
Gun
Norn System
Siegfried System
Squad Bonus: Ranged Weapons’ attack +100, Accuracy +5 (Ranged weapons +200, Accuracy +20, Range +2, S in Air)
Maya’s voice actress: Marika Matsumoto (other roles: Rikku in FFX, plus a bunch of TV dramas).
One of the best snipers in the game (won’t say she’s the best since it’s a very close race), Maya stacking the highest natural Gunfight across all our guys plus a Synergetic Code that, like Kazuki’s, goes all the way to L9 means she’s getting a ton of boosts to an already top tier stat pool (+2 from her Squad Bonus, Snipe and Gunfight means she can hit from miles away, too).
She doesn’t have Hit & Away now, which is irksome, but she’ll actually learn it later in the game – if you’d rather save the Skill Part, pair her up with someone that has it. Lockon, Michel, Yamashita and Miku would be naturally good fits, especially with the latter two’s lack of flight.
As for the bot, the Mark Sieben’s the polar opposite of the Mark Fünf, in that it’s all about keeping distance with MASSIVE reach in all weapons except the Mine Blade. Her two Dragon’s Tooth shots go up to, respectively, 1-6 and 3-10 range (without Snipe)! It follows the B pattern in its weapon upgrades, so it can easily stay relevant for the entire game – especially with more stuff it’ll pick up – meaning Maya ought to be a priority pick for any team.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnHmVpvZh0A
Of course, the bot isn’t really upgraded and the mooks all have about a 30+ morale lead on her… blah.
Regardless, we’ll deal with Ylbora first since he’s closer and then wipe the floor with Grathan.
SRW UX - Tobikage Appears!
SRW UX - The Gate of Neidhöhle Opens
SRW UX - Deus Machina
SRW UX - Envoy from Jupiter
SRW UX - Tobikage Appears!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ByFODJ0MQI
We get a Rainbow Carrot from him (Evasion and Defense +10, Skill +5).
: Try as you might, you’re still no match for the Zerokage and I!
: U-Uurrgh!
: W-We can’t be beaten… not by someone as empty as him…!: Tobikage, are you still good to go…? Rrgh…!
: What’s the matter, Joe?!
: …! Don’t tell me that attack you took before…!: That’s the end of this battle, Joe. And now to hammer the final nail in your coffin!: Yl…bora…!
: Joe, everyone…: Grr…!*Runs off.*
: Damian, where’re you going…?!
: Damian, don’t! We’ve just recovered the Kurojish!
: Right, we haven’t even started repairing and resupplying it!
: Besides, you couldn’t get the thing to move before, right?: This isn’t a matter of “can or can’t”! I have to make it happen!
: Damian…: …: Everyone’s out there risking their lives in battle. I can’t take just watching them go anymore!: I wanna lay my life on the line like they’re doing – for Karen and my friends!
: B-But…
: Kurojishi, please! Give me the power I need to do that!
: O-Ooorgh!
: Joe…!: You might’ve merged with Tobikage but that didn’t do anything to change the outcome of this battle!: Farewell, Joe…!
: Hrk… Who?!
: …: The Kurojishi?! It can’t be – Joe’s over there…! SRW UX - Love Survivor: Well, Joe’s not the only one who can control the Kurojishi!
: Damian… it answered to your heart?!: Let’s combine, Joe! We’ll take him out in one swing!: Your timing couldn’t be better! Here we go!
: Hmph, and how do you think combining into the Juuma is going to help you beat the Zerokage?!: Damian’s spirit managed to get the Kurojishi moving! Like hell we’d get dropped by garbage like you!
: Th-That’s…?!: Haaaaaah!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_tUSAQ08D8
: Gwaaaaargh!
: Th-They beat the Zerokage in a single attack…! Was the Juuma always this strong…?: (Th-That was… I see it now…!): (That attack’s shed light on everything! The Zerokage and the Tobikage are…!): (Then what I must do is…!)
: You’ve lost, Ylbora! Put down your weapons and accept it!: …: My struggles aren’t over yet…! Should you set yourself before the Zerokage again, I’ll make sure none of you live past that encounter!: And that applies to you, too, Your Highness!: …?!: Farewell!
: How could he say such a thing to the woman he once served? He has degenerated wholly into a Shura…!: (He’d never treated Romina as an enemy before, even during all those past battles…): (Ylbora… what the hell are you thinking…?)
Kurojishi (Damian)
Pilot Skills:
Ninja L6
Ninja Awakening*
Support Attack L2
Support Defense L2
Break Morale Limit*
Predict*
Dash*
All Attack L2
Infight L4*
Spirit Commands:
Gain
Invincible
Strike
Spirit
Damian’s voice actor: Masamichi Sato (other roles: Portos in the anime version of the Three Musketeers, and a handful of small roles here and there).
Damian’s stats as a pilot are about on par with Joe, just a little bit lower, but you might’ve noticed something with that pilot skill list: Joe, when combined to a Ladorian machine, passes ALL his skills on to the main pilot (the ones tagged with a *), making them waaaay stronger than before. And you can trigger that combination at will – no need to fiddle with HP %s anymore – so long as Joe and the receiver’s morale are over 120.
This, in turn, actually makes it a worthwhile proposition to have Joe tag in with any of them when it’s time to tango with a boss because, in terms of raw firepower, the Kuuma matches Tobikage (and has a MAPW) and the Juuma and Kaima are outright stronger (the latter being the strongest). After all this time, we can finally have fun with those units!
But that’s for later – Grathan has got to go now.
SRW UX - Tobikage Appears!: The Kurojishi answered my will to help the others…: So now it’s my turn to answer the Kurojishi in kind! We’re doing this, bud…!--
: I’ll admit I underestimated you, Damian! I’m amazed someone other than Joe and his cronies can get those machines working!: The Kurojishi heard my call and decided to help – help me put a stop to your evil and keep my friends safe!
SRW UX - Linebarrel: You’ve got no pattern recognition skills, do ya? Don’t you get tired of getting trounced after your new plan goes south?: I’m all out of second chances…! I have to destroy you now or my future’ll go up in smoke! Die, UX!
SRW UX - Future-Bound Fighting Spirit: My mind isn’t set on not losing today… No, it’s screaming that I HAVE to win…!: This hasn’t anything to do with my status as a commander! I’ll wipe you from the face of the universe as a proud warrior of The Boom Army!
: We’ve a duty to see done just as much as you do! And we’ll make damn sure ours doesn’t bend before yours!
SRW UX - Love Survivor: Not content with Planet Ladorio, you set yourselves to invade our second home… And in that case…!: That’s rich, but it won’t be long before that spirit of yours comes crashing down!: Just as it did when we laid waste to Ladorio…!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QKRBcPMcSI
Putting this video here so you can hear Houchu Otsuka go nuts. We also get a pair of Alex’ Sunglasses from this (Melee and Accuracy +10, Evasion +5).
: Madness! This backwater planet can’t be where it ends for me…!: That’s what you get! All this happened because you went and put that fake Tobikage together! : And we managed to grow even stronger thanks to that!: Blast you all… Are you telling me the Zerokage caused something to awaken within the Tobikage?!: (…! N-No, that’s not what happened…! Can it be that…?!): (If I’m right, then the Tobikage is… the Ninja Legend is…!)
: This is the end of the line for you and your evil, Grathan!: No, no! I cannot let you people leave here alive…!*Grathan blasts forward!*
: The enemy battleship has shifted its vector towards the Elshank!
: He’s going to ram them?!: Gameran, evasive maneuvers!: You’re coming with me to Hell, ROMINAAAAAaaaaaa!*Dodge!*
: Gwaaaaaargh!
: Grathan’s ship is careening towards the earth… It’s over…
: …! No, wait! There’s someone there!
: E-Ennea?!
: What’s she doing in a place like that?!
: Ennea, watch out! RUN!
: …: Kurou, I…
*(The) BOOOOOOOM*
: ENNEAAAAAAAA!: E-Ennea… why…
: We were… We were all talking, and playing together just a couple of hours ago… *sob*
: What the hell happened…?! Why was she there in the first place?!
: We’re not sure. One moment she was aboard the ship with us, and the next thing we knew, she was gone…: Then why didn’t you keep an eye on her?! She was just a little girl!
: Are you suggesting Lu Xun’s at fault here?! None of us thought she’d leave the ship with a battle going on!: That’s not the goddamn point…!
: Enough, Kurou!: …?!: Say someone is to blame, what then? It will not bring Ennea back!: What you are doing now is simply lashing out at our comrades.: …
: We managed to turn that fight around, but this doesn’t feel like a win at all…: …: Could you still bring yourselves to fight if you knew that all this is pointless…? : (That’s… that’s what Katou said!): Is this what you meant…? Ennea…: Kurou…*Door opens.*
: E-Everyone, we’ve a situation! Come up to bridge!
: Wh-What’s gotten you in that much of a hurry, Shaff?!: We… we just got a transmission…: A transmission from Emperor The Boom!: Wh-Whaaat!?
: I am Annex, Emperor of The Boom Empire and ruler of the galaxy.: So he’s the emperor…: And I saw that you bested Grathan. However, that was hardly the full might of The Boom Army.: Did you reach out to us just to act as a sore loser? You must not have much to do with your time.: Hmph, I appreciate your attitude. This wouldn’t anywhere as amusing without it.: No, what I reached out for is to ask that you decide, right now, what you’ll do: will you continue with this exercise in futility or will you surrender?
: Surrender?
: Your comic timing could really use some work, ya blueberry!: Hmhmhm… will you be saying that after seeing this?*Beep.*
: Th-That’s… the main The Boom fleet?!: There’ll be no victory for you against my all-mighty fleet and the Zerokage. Don’t you think, face the alternative, that it’s in your best interest to capitulate?: Planet Ladorio fell to that fleet in the blink of an eye. If it comes here, the same might just happen to Earth…: O-Oh, no…: What will it be, Ultimate Cross?: … SRW UX - Rebellion Against Fate: Did you honestly expect these childish threats to sap our will to fight?: Excuse me…?: Time and again my comrades and I have stared death in the eye and found a way to prevail. : There isn’t a soul within the UX that would waver when faced with a powerful foe – not after everything we have been through!: Your Highness…
: Plus, a buncha enemies means we get to wreck even more stuff! And ain’t that just dandy?: So, if you were looking to get us shaking in our boots, your plan just backfired big time, boss!: Oho…
: Plus, I’m not so sure that your video of that huge fleet’s legit.
: Indeed, assembling a large mass of troops in order to intimidate your enemy into surrendering is quite the bog-standard tactic.: But even if you do have all those forces, we’d still never bow down to invaders!: We’re going to fight you to the bitter end, The Boom!: As you will… I’ll enjoy watching you batter yourselves against my fleet. I look forward to us meeting in person.*Bloop.*
: We’ll never yield either Earth or Planet Ladorio to you…!
: They dare spurn the Emperor’s benevolence? They won’t live to regret this day!: But the confidence they displayed there… Indeed, they must have found the ninja. : …: The Ninja Legend… the story of how, in ancient times, The Boom Army had invaded Planet Ladorio, only to be wiped out in mere moments by one such being…: And that power is within their grasp…?: However, now we have the Zerokage at our disposal. And we’ll put you to excellent use, Ylbora.: Your Majesty, words cannot express how honored I am that you would not only grant me the Zerokage, but a flagship and the title of commander.: I trust you will not disappoint. Don’t forget that Romina’s life depends solely on your actions.: Yes, Your Majesty!: (I’m certain what I felt when I crossed blades with Tobikage was…): (I have to make sure… I have to know whether it’s Zerokage or Tobikage that are meant to save Her Highness!): Emperor Annex The Boom… the big bad finally steps into the limelight.: We cannot allow the tragedy of Planet Ladorio to befall another world.: And, so, I ask that you lend us your strength, Joe… or, better put, the Legendary Ninja.
: Wait, Joe’s…?!: Yes, there’s no more questioning it. Joe merged with Tobikage…: This proves that he’s the legendary ninja we sought!: ...: (That sensation I got when I was fighting with Ylbora…): (If I’m really the ninja, then what the hell did I feel…?)*Alarm!*
: Wh-What’s going on?!: We’re picking up an urgent transmission from Mr. Kojindani of the WSO! I’m putting him through!
: UX, you must head towards the Machine Island on the double!
: Did something happen, sir?!: The Gravity Generator was supposed to have been stabilized, but we just picked up its Final Alarm once again being broadcast!: If it’s not stopped, it’ll break down and the gravitational collapse will eradicate all life on Earth!
: C-Collapse…?!
: Copy that… set a course… for Machine Island…: Maj. Richard…?: Haah, haah… I-I’m fine… : I’m just a bit woozy…*Heatbeat.*
: …?! Graargh…!*Faint.*
: M-Major!: …: Major! Stay with us! MAJOR!After this battle, the Fafner trio has added up 159 kills and 8 Triple Dog uses, so tag that secret requirement done way ahead of time. And here are the convos we didn’t get today:
: Not only did the Zerokage merge with someone, the Tobikage did too?! Is this also part of the Ninja Legend…?!: But it doesn’t matter – there’s no turning back for me! I’ll snuff out all your lives even if I have to die for it!: Come on, then, Grathan! My and the Tobikage’s combined power’ll put a definitive end to this annoying little relationship of ours!--
: Whatever is going on inside your head, I’ll treat you as I would any other enemy if you present yourself as one.: That’s good, because I’ll do exactly the same! Now draw, Reiji Moritsugu!