Part 123: Grade Shop & Alternate Duke Conversations

Beating the game dumps you back to the title screen and unlocks the Ex New Game option.



Using the Ex New Game option, you can load any file that has beaten Duke to restart the game from the beginning while inheriting various things. I already played though this LP using this option, but let's explore it a bit more now:



Here's a full list of Grade Shop options:

Most of these options are beneficial, but some are actually detrimental and intended as challenge run sorta things. It's a cool way to handle NG+ and I kinda wish other games would have similar systems.

How much does it cost to buy a full set of options?



A whopping 18450 Grade. By the end of a regular playthrough, you'll most likely only have a thousand or two. There's ways around that, and we'll get to that later.

The PS3 version adds, among two options for Flynn's and Patty's individual transfer of Artes and Skills, an option for 1000 Grade to transfer the "Fell Arms skill level". What exactly that means we'll get to once we have all the Fell Arms, but fans of the Tales series can probably guess what it is.


Now, if you decide to continue the clear data save instead, it'll drop you off over here, right before the final boss:



But with stats and items that reflect the status of your party after the final battle.

The elevators over here are still not active. To unlock the left one, you have to go up to Duke, but make a sharp left after entering the area before triggering the fight:



This confused me a bit the first time I played the game.

The other elevator to the right, however, is still locked. We'll get back to that later.




While we're still up here, there's a neat thing in this final encounter with Duke. You may have noticed how, at some point in the conversation, the game switched over to having just Yuri talk with Duke. That's because Yuri was leading my party at the time. By having someone else lead in the first character slot, you can get different conversations! Some of them are more substantial than others, but it's a very nice touch either way.

So let's take a look at all those conversations, shall we?


Watch the alternate scenes! / Baldurdash








I want to carry on their bravery...!
You must understand by now. The Children of the Full Moon are not suited to living in this world. It is your duty, then, to die here as your ancestors did, with courage.



Their courage came from refusing to give up hope, and their pride in defending this world.
...Words are cheap.







Try to defeat me! Come!





However, the past Children of the Full Moon saw in their deaths, humanity's final hope... Are you prepared to die for your cause, as they did?



Even with you. You aren't the enemy we should be fighting.
A future for everyone, together... That would be good...
Then...



But...!
The best path for an enduring world is to return it to its natural state.



At this point, the scenes join back together, and the post-battle scene is always the same. The rest of the scenes follow a similar pattern.








The world may change, but its people will not. I cannot allow the world to change simply because humans will not change themselves.











Come!







Humph. How unfortunate. I wish our paths had crossed earlier. Perhaps we would have met now under different circumstances.
Would you have agreed with the way we did things?
...No, it could never have worked. We have walked different paths from the very start.
Then, I guess we have to fight...
The best path for an enduring world is to return it to its natural state.










...Actually, it was more like love.
In the end, though, they were not worth risking your life to save.
What are you, stupid? It's not about "risking my life."









Though I must endure the scorn of youth, I will risk my life to protect this world!







I probably would've said the same thing when I was still in Aspio.
I have no intention of betraying who I was.
I'm not ashamed of who I was, either.



We don't just change. We continue on from that point.
Such wishful thinking...
Humph. Call it whatever you want. So? Are you gonna give up, or not?



Too bad...








...Yet our feelings for this world are no different. How odd.







...I'm gonna put my foot down this time. Since I got my heart set on livin', and all.





Come!





The mighty hero of the Great War's gotten rusty if he's losin' ta li'l ol' me.
Our paths have parted ways... in the ten years since that war.
Those different paths aren't yours or mine.



...There has only ever been one path for me... I must keep my promise to Elucifur... And so I will return this world to its natural state.








We started from the same place...





...
So... You don't even see yourself in the future you envision...
...My existence, as well, may one day bring ruin to this world.
How nice of you to sacrifice yourself.











How can someone be so strong... ...Even when they've decided to give up their life for the world...



You actually want to live. You want to keep those feelings alive.
Heh heh. I also promised a fallen friend to return this world to its natural state.












Such valor and wisdom deserve praise.



However, be that as it may, your choice is one of folly. In the world I would create, you would go on living. Still, you would risk your life to stop me?
Woof!













Woof, woof!



Oh, if you were human...what power you would have had...
Grr, woof!
But I will show you far greater power. I am sorry for what I must do...



Yes, there's actually a conversation for Repede.

The remaining two are PS3 version only.












...Your dear friend was taken from you, and you began to detest humans. That fault lies with the empire.
If you know that, then why are you in league with the empire?
To change it. So that someone like you will never again be created by its wrongdoings.



Human law holds no meaning for me. I obey only one thing: The providence of Terca Lumereis.
Nevertheless, I cannot overlook your actions!





Very well. Then this is inevitable.





Do you truly believe you can change it? This empire that sees only what it wants to, and the people in it.



Even if it's not in my lifetime, I'm sure someone will carry on my will. And one day, for sure...



If I were alone, you could be right. But I'm not alone. I have friends by my side. Sometimes, we may fight, but we can also join hands. They're right there for me to take me down a peg if I ever get too big headed. And that's why!
Ideals, words... They're all empty. I will protect the world from this threat myself! I will use all my strength against you to see it so!










If you're planning on taking them from me, then I'll fight to stop you! That's all there is to it!
How gallant. I would not have expected such words from a girl your age.
Thinking about it will do me no good. I just don't have that kind of patience.
However, just as you have people you wish to protect, I also have something to protect. If you insist in standing in my way, we must fight!
That suits me just fine. But I'll go ahead and tell you now, we're going to win this fight. Now, let's hurry up and get started.





But you shall regret both on the road to hell. Come!







You're not the only one suffering here. You've seen your share of hard times, but now you're just mixing up your pain with the world's pain. We will never lose to the likes of you!
Are you accusing me of letting my own personal feelings color my judgement? Do not overstep your bounds.
If you still want to go, we're ready for you! We'll fight until you can't get up anymore. But rest assured, I'll leave you your life.
I promised my friend that I would protect this world. For that promise, I'll be satisfied even should I have to sacrifice this very body.





And with that, we'll conclude this update. Next time, well, we've already beaten the game, so all that's left is sidequesting!