Part 42: Episode 4: Part 14: The Night The Clock Died.

Episode 4: Part 14: The Night The Clock Died.

I'm updating a bit quickly, even for me, but the update after this is the finale of Episode 4, and I'm too damn excited, so the next update wont be far behind. Finishing Episode 4 and starting Episode 5 will have a -lot- of exciting stuff going on.



Yep, Sorya was the one the points I censored go to.





Don't look so happy to see me. Looks like someone had some company last night...
Why are you on the floor?

Cause we're just friends and she didn't want to be alone last night.

Really? You're quite the gentleman Rhue dear.

I'm a little suprised (SIC).
Getting to the point. Entrego has invited you to "The Scene" for an all day party.

But what about the grand tournament? I'm pretty sure I have a match today.

Silly boy, there are no matches today. There's a one day break between the first two rounds and the last two.

See you there.







This series of transitions is really fucking bizarre. So is the idea of an all day party we don't get to see even part of.

It was okay. What's the occasion?

ENTREGO: Tonight is a very special night. Tonight will be your final assignment.
Sorya and Stoyko will be leading the effort.

What about Red Zero?

ENTREGO: She will not officially be a part of tonight's activities.
She has other matters to attend to.

So what is our goal tonight?

ENTREGO: It's the loftiest in the history of the Arastotzi.
Tonight we will be assassinating a Vigilance Council member.

(That is lofty! How are we going to pull something like this off?)

ENTREGO: Zedicus, the head of the Council is involved in a private meeting with someone this evening at the main hall.
Security is tight, but it's at the lowest level we will ever see.
We have an insider who will allow us to access the facility through a back door.
Just follow the orders of Sorya and Stoyko and there shouldn't be any problems.
Having our main force disguised as Guided should help to the (SIC) infiltration effort.
When you finish, report back here and then you can go and pay your little dancing violet friend a visit.

(Then this is really it.)

ENTREGO: Now get going.

And with that, Rhue leaves and we're treated to a slow pan over the city.









Alan hitting on a... nun???











What do you mean?

I mean that in the event that the target escapes us, you have to be positioned to intercept "it" on the opposite side.

Kill anyone in your path. No mistakes dears.

I did, in the end, decide to record this brief dungeon and the scenes within. Some real important stuff here, so don't skip it!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLTGZ79LlYI













Cut the crap. I want my visit.

ENTREGO: I will forgive your rudeness one last time due to the services you have rendered.
What a load of bullshit lol.
Rest asuured that everything has already been taken care of.
Go to the tower, the Arm of Estrana, and they will grant you your visit.
I have made arrangements so that you can go at anytime you like.

...
Rhue leaves without a word. I suspect he realises how he and Lexus were setup but it's never stated.



And we fade out on that.



"Even if it is raining."

We get to explore roughly 66% of the city now and it's all empty cos of the rain! For whatever reason, Rhue refuses to explore the western half of the outer city, but almost all the inner city is good, but for some places that are blocked off by Guided/Vigilante Council guards. There's actually a couple optional things to do.



Like chase ghosts. This is right near the Val Parra Cafe.



She flees north EXTREMELY quickly.



There's three spots to visit for a scene like this...



You can see people at our penultimate destination this update, the strip behind the market where we plunged Ansgar. Anyway, this ghost flees eastward with great speed.





Near the third spot is this gravestone...



Stupid lightning! The Lexus you can barely see here takes off north with frankly absurd speed.



Can't believe lightning ruined two screenshots in a row.

Anyway, now on to the market place.



(Uh oh, this could be trouble.)

SHADOWLORD: Thanks, that guy sucked.

.... No problem.



Whipface?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

(They were ordered not to mess with me? Must be one of those Arastotzi benefits.)
If you recall, the Blue Scarves gang was said to even have their own Dancing Violet equivalent... This actually will come up, too.



Just enjoying some illegal activities, heh.
Some of the people here mention they can only gather here like this when the government/city is having some kind of crisis. Some wonder what all the guards and officials are up in a fuss about right now.

This Rosmar guy has been beating everyone tonight!

(I could take him.)

I'm thinking about challenging him myself, heh.
Too bad! We'll do it first!



You're in a pissy mood as usual. You must have lost to Traziun.

I have no problem with losing to Traziun. He deserves to be in the semi-final round unlike you!
Let's face it, the only reason you're in the semi-finals is because of luck. You didn't even have to lift a finger!
It's true, this has been a rather bizarre tournament arc where Rhue didn't have to even do his two rounds. He only did the two qualifiers!

You can say whatever you want, but I'm not the pushover I was when we last fought.

You know, I was hoping never to see you again, but I think I just changed my mind.
I've never gotten the chance to pay you back for scarring my face until now.
So why doesn't our great grand tournament semi-finalist show everyone how it's done?

...

Unless you're afraid of course. Which would be understandable. You know you can't beat me.



He may also literally beat you after winning too. He's done it before.

Then walk to your spot and we'll get this show started!
I do so...



You have no idea what you're up against.



The first pass is literally the best thing I could hope for besides a critical.







Rosmar's got some damn good DT though, so a Step 4 injury is somewhat unlikely barring max damage rolls, plus risk attack and/or critical hit.



He says this after a couple passes when he's under 50% hp and Rhue's still sitting up on high. Rosmar does deal hefty damage though, and he even has Step 3 Blade Arts, which we have 0 of. Optional plunges of the skippable or allowable loss varieties tend to be real ass kickers if you haven't found most everything up to that point. Rosmar manages to do a few Step 1 injuries on Rhue, while Rhue does a Step 2 or 3 to him pretty much each round. And even then, he still puts up quite the fight.



A bunch of passes later, Rhue's HP is actually getting pretty low, but we deplete Rosmar's first. First time in a long time we haven't just won from a Step 4 on the first or second pass.



And that's our last Step 2 Blade Art. Can you believe we're at the end of Episode 4 and we only just got the last step 2 blade art? Christ. There's 3 more steps with 5 each!!!



...

Nothing? I thought so.

You're going to get your tail whipped tomorrow.

You've already underestimated me once. You're stupid to do it again.

No, I just fought you. I know what you're capable of.
But you're facing Strata. He's twice as good as I am.

You can't win.

You don't know anything. I'm tired of your voice.
So we leave Rosmar behind.



Sorry!



I'd be angry at how bad this initially seems, because Jagged Edge, the Step 1 blade art is 1-6 damage, but having two slots with damage boosters is really good, since 5 damage can mean the difference between a step 1 injury and a step 2. Or 2 and 3 and etc etc. Also most of the Step 1 and 2 Blade Arts SUCK ASS anyway.

So with all that done... next we head to...



The base of the Arm of Estrana.

There'll be a time when the inescapable need to climb this tower will dominate the rest of Rhue's life and everything he does, and it'll have a different name at that time... but for now, it's just about time to see Cetsa.

the end