Part 177: Mission 44 - The Falling Sun - Part 1
Chapter 44 – The Falling Sun
Dalton commends Aphrodia for wiping out the Earthlings' little band so easily but she responds that they were merely observers: the real threat is yet to show itself. Dalton isn't afraid of ZEUTH breaching his front lines but Aphrodia suggests he don’t underestimate us, especially since we defeated Teral.
Dalton sniffs that she shouldn’t bunch him together with that incompetent but Aphrodia cuts the talk as we’ve just arrived.
Oliver quickly spots the Artificial Sun up ahead and Raita’s having a hard time seeing around with all the steam flowing around here. Despite the enormous heat spreading throughout the area, Quinstein’s told Jamie that the thing is still warming up.
Things are only gonna get worse which means we need to wreck it before that but Aphrodia doubts we can pull it off – this Artificial Sun is the epitome of all Aldebaron tech!
Marin demands to know how she and her ilk can still call themselves people after going along with an operation like this. She orders him to shut up and yells that she won’t be choosy when it comes to securing the S-1-ians’ future.
As Rubina observes the battle, Heizaemon tags the Artificial Sun as our sole priority and to keep an eye out for some very likely enemy reinforcements.
Banjou takes a quick look at this corrupted “Sun” and deems its existence to be impermissible and Toshiya’s eager to lay the smackdown on these aliens who’d try to destroy even our world’s nature.
As the battle begins, Apollo seems to have noticed something but, when Sirius asks, figures it was just his imagination. Maybe not, as some hidden child is watching the battle and wonders whether the wingless or the aliens will be the winners.
Rena can sense his innocent eyes upon us…but it’s that innocence that makes the dangerous.
So! We have the objective for this stage: Destroy the Artificial Sun! Despite being seemingly simple, this stage is anything but. The Battle Mastery hints at just how much of a mess this stage is going to be. Defeat all enemies, then defeat the Artificial Sun. In all honesty I should stop describing stages as giant messes, because they're all going to be them from now on. We've hit endgame, so expect crazy reinforcements, shocking plot revelations, and more and more secrets coming into play from now on.
So here's the first wave of enemies. It's not much so far, the usual mix of Eldar, S-1, and Gaizock enemies we've seen before.
So, let's take a closer look at our objective for this stage.
Space Warrior Baldios
The Artificial Sun
Huh. Well, as you can see, the Artificial Sun itself is not a particularly dangerous unit. It doesn't have any skills or even a Squad Leader Bonus. It won't move and its only attack is a fairly weak ALL. No, all th eArtificial Sun happens to be is a giant mass of HP you need to break down. The hard part, of course, is accomplishing everything else you need to this stage while still destroying it.
So let's begin the charge!
The game's stopped messing aroung, regular grunts will often have 10K HP, and will hit appropriately hard.
Of course, I'm well prepared for them.
Go Shinn!
Go Luna!
Yes I did change the Impulse's theme to Vestige. Ignited has had 42 stages.
Folks keep on moving up, this is just the first round, these beginner octopus things are quickly being taken down.
Seriously, kill them.
Great! And to top it off Boss hits his next level of Prevail.
With that, I'm ready for the next turn.
Most of the enemies don't move during the enemy phase
This includes Aphrodia. But she's close enough to shoot at us soo...
Aphrodia figures the time is right and releases Rubina in a goddamn Midifoo. Rubina wastes no time in radioing in to the ZEUTH and Duke and Hikaru explain of Emperor Vega’s peace-loving daughter.
She informs us that she’s bringing many of the captured humans aboard and requests we cover here until she can exit the battlefield.
Kouzuki gets in touch with Kappei and informs that him and Michi are also in the UFO; he knows he ain’t got any right but asks our help. Of course, Kappei doesn’t hold a grudge and tells them to get going while we hold the mooks at bay.
Aphrodia puts out an enraged-sounding broadcast but, when asked, states that the operation takes priority and orders her men to ignore them.
Negross has seen enough of her duplicity and enters the area. Seems he had a hidden microphone set up in her office, so he heard all about her plan with Rubina.
He’s had a big beef with her for a while now, ever since she was shot down but Marin allowed her to escape – a clear violation of the Aldebaron code which proclaims death to those who show or are shown mercy by the enemy. She should know, as she wrote the damn thing!
Now she compounds her crimes by shielding the traitorous princess but, still, Negross knows she’ll avoid punishment because of Gattler’s affection…yet, when his Negross’ own brother showed his back to the enemy, he was executed as per that code and that’s why he will not tolerate Aphrodia’s actions.
He's not planning to execute her, though, as that would only invoke Gattler’s rage. Instead, he's come to make sure that she fights for the Aldebaron. That's just fine with her as she's always planned to fight for a future for the people of S-1, with or without Negross keeping tabs.
ZEUTH still need to shoot down that artificial sun, but now they've got to defend the saucer too. Toshiya’s certainly not about to let these people get killed after they finally managed to escape.
Rubina tags the exit point and starts moving, Duke promising to get them all out of here.
Then Rubina moves off, we really need to watch out for her because...
SECRET ALERT: Make sure Rubina survives the stageENDING POINT ALERT: Rubina survives. +1 Ending Point.It's a bit tricky, because she's in a really weak unit. Fortunately, there's a shortcut. If we shoot down Aphrodia or Negross then she will automatically escape.
Right, my turn again. I'll clear out some of the grunts this turn, and take out Aphrodia the next. So go Quattro!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VZNQ-nMd8I
Team Quattro's back and it's great.
Are you ready to watch me spread out and run around everywhere?
21% odds.
I have 13 people that can cast Trust. Little accidents like this aren't that much of a problem.
Your turn Ryouma!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6XaeXcJ4zQ
"GETTA BEEEAM!" Few men can match Akira Kamiya in screaming.
Then Renton finishes it off.
Kamille's a bit less impressive then Team Quattro now.
Using Center Formation to wear down these things one at a time for the sake of more Will.
That was supposed to kill it.
Oh well, some PP for Sara.
As well as the games EXP scaling in action. A single kill gets her a level because, well, she's just barely now in the 40s. At endgame. Seriously.
And then wow, Tetsuya just crushes this group.
Then Marin doing the rest gets Enil level 6 Counter.
The Legend's Tri is post move, unlike Rey's old one. Which is weird. I mean, he has innate Hit&Away and I'm fairly sure the Legend is pilot locked to him, so I don't really see the point of it.
I try to save some energy for Duke, and this happens.
Problem solved!
Toshiyua's turn!
So, on to the next turn!
Some all attack spams on counters gets Mazin Power up for Tetsuya.
Toshiya doing some scratch damage got him enough EXP to get Prevail Level 8 and more importantly, Valor(35)! Incidentally, this means that God Sigma's pilots have learned all their spirits. Julie has Scan(1), Analyze(20), Sniper(30), and Fury(35), with Kiraken having Guts(35), Trust(30), Gain(15), Guard(30), and finally Drive(50).
I think God Sigma is, like, the only multi-pilot machine to not have access to Accel. Oh well, that's what squadmates are for.
And Aphrodia aims for Marin
: Aphrodia! This war is only going to end with the Earth and S-1 wiping each other out!
: Silence, Marin! We have to move fast or they're going to take even more drastic measures!: Aldebaron must seize the advantage before that happens! And you will not slow us down!: So you're working for Gattler! You're a heartless monster on the inside, just like him!
: Then I won't hesitate, not for a moment! Prepare yourself, Aphrodia!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHJLdJEChRk
Negross aims at Rubina.
Oh geez. Yes, Rubina can't last another turn. Time to take out Aphrodia this next player phase.
We're in range of the Artificial Sun now, so it takes aim at random people each turn. This time Ryouma gets targeted.
: Damn it, you aliens! You want to wipe out all humans now?
: Well, it's not happening! We're going to save the planet and everyone on it!
Ichitaro doesn’t detect any damage whatsoever on the Artificial Sun but it’s not because it’s that hardy: Marin figures the whole thing is protected by a Subspace Field. It distorts space-time around, meaning our attacks get nullified before they even reach it.
There won’t be any victory here unless we can destroy the thing and, worst case scenario, Heizaemon’s ready to throw the King Beal’s engines into the red and ram the ship at the thing to overpower the shield with the explosion. An extreme measure but, with billions of lives on the line, it’s one he won’t discard.
First things first, we need to thin out the nearby enemies to make charge towards the Artificial Sun.
Shinn's SEED starts up at the start of the turn. Adding in one other wrinkle, the Artificial Sun currently can not actually be hurt.
Time to take down Aphrodia.
Banjou casts Spirit to get things ready!
Not bad
Now it's Shinn's turn to do his thing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZphVdS3dzc
I love these two, just saying.
Tetsuya and Company's time to shine.
That gets Kouji's Mazin Power going.
One of these days, Aphrodia...
Pow! Straight to the moon!
This teaches Apollo his sixth level of ESP, and Michiru her final level of Prevail plus her final Spirit Command, Bonds(55).
Her ship’s sinking, so Aphrodia calls for an evacuation but one of her men tells that their escape pods aren’t working – seems like someone tampered with them. Aphrodia immediately assumes Negross is behind this, in a bid to kill her.
Her ship explodes but, surprisingly, Ichitaro’s detecting her alive but unconscious at the crash site. Hoping to get some info about the enemy, Heizaemon orders her recovered.
The momentary disruption in the Aldebaran chain of command gives Rubina the chance to flee, but Hanae also detects something else coming: it’s a bunch of Zeravire and one’s headed straight for Rubina's ship!
All seems lost until the Gran Knights burst onto the scene; Sandman orders the Gran Knights to flap their wounded wings and he doesn't have to tell Toga twice, who blows the Zeravire away.
Sandman flashes Rubina his pearly-white smile and tells her to leave the rest to us. As she leaves, Toga apologizes to everyone for making them worry and Runa and Mizuki are piloting with him.
Seems like Mizuki rescued her from the battlefield after she was ejected from the G-Driller and, speaking of, Banjou was certain she would return to the Knights. Mizuki shrugs and says the agent lifestyle is too boring for her tastes.
Loran’s very impressed with Eiji managing to bring all of them back along with Toga and it seems to Garrod that the guy’s more than just the yelling Gran Knight. Either way, Kouji figures Gravion should be able to fight well enough for 4 pilots but Toga corrects him and says there are 5 of them.
Runa say Leele is over in the G-Shadow, still comatose, and while that sounds dangerous to Sochie, Sandman says Toga’s taking care of her and requests we let her fight as one of the Gran Knights again.
Seems to Banjou that Sandman’s made a personal breakthrough and he credits it to a “goddess of victory” opening his eyes (Raven has a very satisfied look on his/her face).
As for what the Gran Troopers are doing here, Faye is still mumbling about wanting to prove that she’s better than Toga. Alex knows she just wants to fight alongside our cool super robot army... she snaps that that’s HIS reason for coming along.
Mizuki tells her to admit that she wasn’t happy with the Federation’s selfish antics; seems to Umee that she’s, indeed, a decent kid and Sandman adds that she’s also a warrior trying to defend Earth.Sandman, with his glinting smile, adds that he's counting on her, and Faye tells him he'd better prepare to be surprised.
Tria, the maid, apologizes that they couldn’t fully repair the Gravion in time but Eiji’s sure they can make up for it with skill.
: Fellows of the Gran Knights! Show me your newfound fighting spirit!
: Flap your heroic wings and soar towards the future!
: Yow, that guy’s as crazy as ever. 
: No… his elegant attitude is absolutely deserving of praise.
: Indeed, he’s a true gentleman!
: You’ll have to explain what exactly you define as “gentleman” first... 
: Are you ready to go, Gran Knights?
: Hell, yeah! We gotta make up for being late to this party!
: We’re counting on you guys, Gran Knights!
: Psyche yourselves up! You can do anything if your spirit’s into it!
: God Gravion’s still not 100%, so don’t push your luck, though!
: We’ll back you up if things go bad, so just go for broke!
: (Everyone’s cheering us on…their emotions, giving me strength…)
You get it now, Toga? You ain’t a monster for feeling their vibes.: You’re just our friend!
: Let’s go, people! We are ZEUTH… the sword that’ll defend Earth!!
So we have Gravion back! Yay!
First let's start clearing out more enemies.
There we go.
After clearing out a bunch of squadmates, let's show off one of Xabungle's attacks!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjFgjBsBp4A
Ready to be blown up completely by someone else.
Got to clear the way further.
Another midboss made grunt!
Darn it Pala. You were so close!
Baldios stage, so more Baldios
Goooo Toshiya!
Duke's ready to take out another one.
Renton moves upwards.
Gain switches off to the lead for a Valor boosted Tri attack.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmRLsG3eAzk
Yes, I am ignoring the Zeravire at the moment.
A counterkill kickstarts Gainer's Overskill. Then...
Apollo senses something again and now he’s sure someone’s sneaking around. He calls him out and Futaba decides to call off the hide and seek.
Jun tags him signal as that of a legit Fallen Angel but his appearance is just that of a child which surprises the Elements. He's impressed that Apollo could spot her despite being one of the wingless... unless he's that "Wings of the Sun" guy that Touma keeps talking about.
Speaking of whom, he's rather peeved that Futaba's snuck out of Atlandia again – Otoha takes this as further proof of how the door to their prison is opening. Johannes remembers the days – a hundred million and two thousand years ago - when the kids would merrily hunt the wingless until the sun would set.
Touma has a less sentimental view as what they view as childlike innocence is likely to strike the Wingless as a threat: Futaba hasn't learned yet to separate the pleasures of hunting from actual war. "Johannes sees no problem with the child having his fun but Moroha's worried that Futaba will kill too many humans and waste their precious Prana. Johannes shrugs that children will be children and Moroha can only sigh that he’s always so soft on the child.
Still, Johannes points out that the only way Futaba managed to get to the battlefield is because a seam opened in their endless prison - the world will soon be torn and, when it happens, Atlandia will be free.
Once it is, they've got to use the powers of the Tree of Life to sweep their world clean of the hateful power gripping it, lest paradise collapses once again.
Touma tells Futaba to "play" to his heart's content and stir up the world...
Futaba’s already at it, summoning a bunch of Cherubims to join the game and he even takes to pilot one of them.
Sirius is a bit taken aback by the enemy being a child but Apollo says that makes no difference – it’s a Falen Angel, so we gotta take it out. Tsugumi and Silvia don’t like it, either, but Apollo protests that they’re all kids too (Brunom says: I always forget that Apollo and co. are about 13 years old… Doc Says: Apollo's 13?!
).Silvia’s asks if the idea of fighting a kid doesn’t pain him at all…but he answers that he’s felt his share of pain once the angels killed Baron, so he’s got a score to settle with them now. His pain’s strong, too, as Eureka can sense the emotion directly.
Regardless, Quattro and Jamil see that the angels are going to attack both us and the aliens, throwing the battlefield into chaos.
: Get ready, Fallen Angel! Kid or no, I ain’t holding back!
: Oh, yay! A game with the wingless, those from another world and the Wings of a Sun! Let’s have some fun!
So yeah, we have a mass of Fallen Angels to deal with now too! Just in case you thought this stage wasn't big enough yet.
Dizer Full Power activates as a nice bonus.
Another Counterkill starts the Element System.
Infighting!
Roger taking some scratch damage helped give Joesph his eighth level of Prevail.
Then Marin blowing up a Big Octo starts up Quattro's Psychoframe.
The Artificial Sun makes its move.
: What's the point in killing people and wrecking the environment like this?
: I'll put a stop to you! This machine's going down!
Futaba immediately goes for Apollo.
: Hahaha! Over here! Over here! Come on, where are you going?: Dammit! We don't have time to deal with this brat with all these lives on the line!
: Do you even know how many people are dying because you didn't know when to sit down?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmBZlbKAjn4
Meanwhile, all the Fallen Angels line up to take shots at Roger and Duke. Not much else happens until the next turn.
Gengoroh sees that we’re being delayed and time’s quickly running out, so Heizaemon decides to go for it and orders Ichitaro to push the King Beal’s Ion Engine into the red – ramming speeeeeeeeeeed!
Wait, no, Hanae detects even more things coming from above and Toga sees it: more Zeravire!
: What the hell…there’s so many of them! Things are looking real bad for Earth now!
: Sandman…!: For this many Zeravire to appear…the core of the Genocidron System has, indeed, come to Earth?
: That’s correct, Sieg!
: That voice--!: My brother…Hugi Zeravire!
: Beautiful…you’re beautiful, my Zeravire army!: Come, Sieg! Resist, with all your insignificant might! Show me this “humanity’s strength” that you believe in so! : Guys…!: You got it! We’re all ready to go!*Gravion charges the newly spawned Zeravire*
: Toga!: That’s crazy, Gravion! You can’t take them all on by yourself!
: Crazy or not, we’re still going for it!
: We’ll buy you as much time as we can! Go for the Artificial Sun!
: Gran Knights… We’ll all lay down our lives if that’s what’s needed to defend Earth! : Well said! Your determination’s abundantly clear!: Sandman! 
: You struggle in vain! Your land will be razed by this corrupted Sun!
: A true Sun is never ruined...!: Indeed, the Sun is a light that guides us to our future! : Shine, new Sun! Illuminate this earth with your beauty!
: Someone’s coming down here!: That’s--!
: It destroyed all those Zeravire in a second…!
: The hell…?! Did the Sun really come over?!
: Whoaaaaaa, badass! What is that?! The Fire—or, even, Great Gravion?!: No…! Its name is Sol Gravion!: Sol Gravion…!
: Maximum instantaneous energy, 3.2 billion tamgraneld… Elgo rating, 500 Gran…: Curse you, Sieg! How dare you install the Gran Σ as the core of this Sol Gravion?!*Sol Gravion moves over to God Gravion.*
: …: Wh-who’s that?*Changes clothes!*
: …
: Ah…
: Helloooo! Is everyone safe?
: Eina!: Eina…is it really you?!: Yes, in the flesh! I just came back from the Moon along with the Sol Gravion!
: The MOON?!
: How did that happen?!
: Wait… that explosion with the Zeravire didn’t throw you all the way up there, did it?!: Jeez, we were all really worried! What were you doing in a place like that?! 
: And you look so different… there’re a lot of questions, especially with you just showing up out of nowhere with this “Sol Gravion”…: Well…it’s a very long story but, at the time of the explosion, my memories were transferred to “another me” on the Moon…
: Wait, no… the one on the Moon was the real “me”…that’s it! : Master Sandman said you were all in trouble, so he told me to come back… 
: Did you get all that…?
: Not at all…
: Whatever, it doesn’t matter! Let’s just be glad she’s OK!: Eina…thank goodness… I thought you’d died because of me…: Master Toga… my life is with you, now and always. : And Gravion will be invincible as long as I, a Proto Gran Diva, am here!
: ELGO FOOOOOOOOOOORM!
: Warm…is this the warmth of human kindness?
: My body...it’s surging with energy...!
: Is that Eina’s power?!
: By magnifying the pilot’s willpower, a tremendous amount of Elgo power is unleashed… : That...is the Sol Gran Divas’ System!: Eina…: That’s right!: The system has a bidirectional flow between it and the pilot’s brain. : The Elgo power, resonating with Eina’s emotions, becomes a mind field which affects everything in physical space.: The Divas and Eina’s love will power the Super Gravity God’s rebirth!
: Ah…uuh…: Leele!: You woke up!
: Leele…: Welcome back, Leele!
: Thank you, Eiji...and everyone else, too. : Leele…lend us your power once again.: Yes! : Now, the power of two Gravions is one!
: They did it…! A firm, blazing, handshake between the two Gravions that can melt even the South Pole’s ice! 
: We don’t want it to melt!: Gran Σ… hateful machine! Even now, the pain and suffering of the Llambian people whom you’ve destroyed haunt my dreams…!: However, I have but to end you here and they’ll all vanish!
: What, more?!: There’re so many…much more than a moment ago!
: Here we go, guys! It’s time to unite the strength of these Gravions with ours! : Fellows of the Gran Knights, be the Crimson Fang that burns away the darkness! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOxqKqtAWo0
: WOOOOOOW! That was AWESOME!!
: That’s…the supreme Gravion…?!: No…I dare say that it’s…: The Accursed Gravion!: I don’t think God Gravion can hold on any more!: Everyone, come into the Sol Gran Divas!
: Alright!
: Hold on, Eiji! You go into the Geo-Mirage!
: The Geo-Mirage is the kernel of the Sol Gravion. Eiji…its power is yours to wield. : Leave it to me, Leele! What kinda man would I be if I turned that down?: Let’s go! Elgo Break!!
: Flame Emperor Combination! 
: Descend, Flame Emperor! Sol Gravion!!: Let’s do this, people! Time to give ‘em all a taste of our Sol Gravion!!: You got it!: Fellows of the Gran Knights and warriors of ZEUTH. May there be light in your struggles!
: There he goes again...
: Makes sense that a friend of our boss would be hard to get a hold on...
: (The Gran Σ’s awakened… Sandman…your own battle will soon begin.)
: Gramps! The attack from both Gravions destroyed the Artificial Sun’s field!
: The grand Sun overthrew its corrupted copy…!
: Now all that’s left is to deliver the coup de grâce!: And there’re still plenty of guys that didn’t eat our attack!: Leave the remaining Zeravire to us!: Time’s running short, though! The Artificial Sun’s going to be fully operational in 3 minutes!
: More than enough! We’re gonna finish what the Gran Knights’ started!
: Quickly! The lives of everyone on Earth are riding on these three minutes!The next half will be tomorrow!