Part 70: Episode 6: Part 12: Hollow Victory.

Episode 6: Part 12: Hollow Victory.


Here's the blade art we got from beating 'Rosa'. Pretty nice way to weaken your opponents if they have high DT.



We get our usual cue in the recovery room. Kavax is here, so I go speak to him.



When it is scorched it turns into steam and flees into the sky.
When it is touched with extreme cold it forms a solid crystal armor that is slippery to grasp.
It changes its very nature in order to survive.
No sword can harm it. No force can wound it.
Water absorbs all, even the illest of poisons. Yet it suffers not. It lives on despite those who invade it.



I guess...

No you don't. Not yet. You will though.
With that, and some comments by other rhoon that we're up against the Arena's #1 Jackrat that the audience loathes, we head out for our fourth bout.







The crowd is VERY excited and shouting for Rhue at this point.



Exmus and Marasha showed up this time.

MALICE: Big Hat, EVERYBODY is looking forward to this bout!
The two men fighting tonight are a story of contrasts.
The crowd loves one, and simply despises the other!

HENRY: Indeed, Rhue is facing perhaps the most hated man in the history of the Arena.

MALICE: Oh, there's no question Big Hat! Rhue is fighting the #1 jackrat of the Arena tonight!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uWwvQKGjLI



The crowd starts booing. A lot. And very loudly.




"I own you people! You're nothing!!
Come on down, who wants a piece? Come on!
I didn't think so!"



I was sure you were dead...

Sorry, I'm not.
Now, let's get this fighting over with so I can go get my paycheck!









We wanted Kygar down in four, and I did it in one.





HENRY: And this crowd is loving it!
Is there any stopping this man, Malice?

MALICE: I'm telling you Big Hat, Exmus had better start preparing for a war, because Rhue is coming to get him!

HENRY: Could a title shot be on the horizon for Rhue?! We'll find out next week!



"That reminds me, are you ready for your plunge against Kavax next week?"

Don't remind me! I hate that punk...

So you are ready?

He's so quick... I hate fighting him... fights like a flaming coward!

The people are expecting you to face him for the title. There will be an outcry if I deny him a title shot much longer.

...

Of course, Rhue is undefeated... It could be said that he deserves a shot at the title as well.

I don't like him much better than Kavax, just by the look of him. Still, better him than Kavax.

You don't have to fight either just yet.

What?

We could have a match between Kavax and Rhue next week.
It could be the main event and decide who gets the title shot the following week.
It would be a grueling battle. And to ensure Rhue's victory, we'll see about getting Kavax a little sick before the plunge.
After Rhue squeeks (SIC) out a win against a weak Kavax, you can crush him the next week.

Excellent! I love it! We must announce this decision tonight!



This is what we got from Kygar. Meh.



There's no one in the recovery room this time so let's just head straight out.


Wow! Three pairs of gouts of flame!





HENRY: Here we are getting ready for the big one! It's main event time here at the Arena!

MALICE: Can you feel the excitement in this place?! I swear, you can feel the tension in the air!

HENRY: Indeed, you could cut it with a knife!
The question that's weighing on everyone's mind is whether or not Kavax will be able to defeat Rhue here tonight!

MALICE: He became ill a few days earlier and is still not at 100% He's a fighter though, and he will be getting some support from the fans.
People being poisoned so they can't fight as well, if at all, has been a recurring theme, hasn't it? Rhorn and Hadar, the reps of the two factions in Episode 4... The play implied Kura poisoned Kava so The Guided would be able to kill him more easily... before Rhue improvised... And now we have Kavax.

HENRY: Both men are fan favorites and I think the crowd will be split tonight over who to cheer for.

MALICE: Probably so! This is the first time in a long while where I'm at a loss for who the crowd will favor.
Both these boys are incredibly popular! The fans will be pleased to see either of them face off against Exmus!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPU8OAjjS4k


HENRY: And so here we are! The main event of the evening!
The stakes are high, a title shot at the current grand champion Exmus is up for grabs!

MALICE: The pressure is on, Big Hat. The question is, who will crack first?
This one is going to be a brutal, see-saw like, grueling type battle!

HENRY: And here we go!



The light dims...






Kavax does this thing where he has his right arm out to the side and wiggles it.


Then he pumps it in the air.


He does it again here.


...
Why's Rhue looking so grumpy, hmmm?


Kavax puts up a decent fight. He has decent DT and he hits hard.



We want to beat him in five passes, which I manage on my -second- attempt. On the fifth pass.







MALICE: Rhue ran right through him. I can't help but feel bad for Kavax. He was certainly not healthy enough for this fight.

HENRY: So it's Rhue versus Exmus! Championsip gold is on the line next week!
Don't miss it! This is Big Hat Henry and Masked Man Malice saying so long!



Speaking of... We've been earning Step 4 Blade Arts from this when we're still missing two of the Step 3's.



In the recovery room, Kavax says he's looking forward to watching us plunge Exmus, and then we head out.









MALICE: It's going to be tough for Exmus to break that eye. But if any one can do it, it's Exmus.
He's the champion for a reason. And that reason has to do with him being the very best rhoon in the entire Arena!

HENRY: That's true. He is an experienced veteran of the war box, and I don't think Rhue will be able to suprise (SIC) him with anything.

MALICE: I agree.
I'm somewhat sad to say it, but I think Rhue is going to end up on his back looking up a the lights tonight!

HENRY: Time will tell what fate has in store for Rhue tonight.
Isn't this crowd something else though? This whole place is shaking! They simply adore Rhue!

MALICE: They sure do. Maybe he'll be able to draw on their support and pull out a victory, but I'm going to stick with my previous prediction.
His winning streak will end here tonight.

HENRY: Everybody hold on to your sets this is going to be a wild one!

MALICE: The champ is in the building!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bq8-ZszK1o







Lights whirl around Exmus...




He whirls his sword around like Strata did.





Exmus is a bit better than Kavax and hits... really hard. We have 6 passes to beat him for the optimal fame bonus.









He's in complete shock!







MALICE: And he won so easily! I can't believe it! Is there no one who can touch this man?!

HENRY: This Rhue is something else! What a show of strength he put on tonight!

MALICE: I get the feeling that he's going to be champion for a good long while, Big Hat.

HENRY: Indeed!
Who knows what the future holds for the Arena with Rhue as the champion!

MALICE: This is the beginning of a new legacy. This is huge! I hope everyone has enjoyed this evening as much as I have.

HENRY: I know I have. This was really a special night!
Looks like we're out of time for today, but we'll see you all back here next week!
This is Big Hat Henry and Masked Man Malice signing off! Goodnight!


And with that we're dumped back into the Grand Palace main hall. Marasha doesn't speak to us or anything, no one does. If that seems like an underwhelming conclusion... well it is. But this sidequest is just the first of a couple steps that'll culminate in the hardest plunge of the series. Or second hardest. Depends on how you look at it.

Let's head back to the House of Pnoe so I can show you some things...







Everyone's been wondering where you've been hiding.

I haven't been hiding. I'm a busy guy.

Well, just so you know, you've got a title defense to make.

But I wouldn't blame you if you didn't show up.

Whose the opponent?

The newest sensation of the arena. You're going to have your hands full.

Maybe I'll drop by the arena and see this "new sensation".

You do that.
They leave.

What a blowhard.

Yea.
This title defense plunge is actually not mentioned in the walkthrough at all. I think it was added after the walkthrough was 'finished', in later versions of the game. Maybe. Been too long for me to remember clearly. It's a definite contender for the hardest plunge though. Might actually be the case... but it's not as satisfying as what the walkthrough has listed as the hardest.






Handy.





Okay, so earlier in the game The Girl or Castor or a random NPC, talked about how there should be paintings on this bare well of the House of Pnoe. Well, paintings start appearing there as we complete sidequests. There's at least one that doesn't have an associated painting though. The very next one we'll do, in fact.



This lady gives us this for being one of the most popular rhoon of all time. She also gives you it if you become even more hated than Kygar.


We get a hint about the sidequest we'll be doing AFTER the next one.



This guy gives you items if you guess the number he's thinking of correctly. Then he vanishes.



"If you would like to take one of your lady friends on a date you can find the reservations in the main room of his mansion, on the counter to the right of the fireplace."
We do actually get to choose who to take on a date, and as much as I'd like to let you vote since I like all the candidates, I can't let you do that since only one candidate in particular lets you unlock the third ending. But I do intend to show one important conversation from one of the other dates, since it's... important to not one, but two different characters.



Note: No, I don't think I have. Maybe she
doesn't exist...

Not yet, but I'm sure the portal stone will help us locate her soon.







This is the sidequest that doesn't get a painting. It's what we'll be doing next.

Finally, there's some notes in the arena areas.

Note: It's a nice crowd. Isn't it? Sometimes I wonder why know one has done anything like
this before. At least from what I've seen no one's done it. But I don't play many games
these days. I have the time, I just choose to spend it doing "productive" things I guess.
Note: I'm sure many people feel I've wasted my time with The Way, but I don't know if that can
be said. I really won't know till the end of my life I suppose. Or maybe not until after.
Luke


Note: What no one sees, no one knows.


Note: Sometimes I feel stopped. Nothing is moving forward except time.
Tension mounts. Walls break. Inspiration floods the plain.

Note: Why leave this woman here? No one ever sees her and yet she's still here.
Why hesitate to delete her? I don't know. My plans always grow greater and greater
and I thought I'd need her. But now new things occupy my mind.
Note: So I'll just let her stand idle, unseen, and unkown to the average person.
But maybe she'll occupy someone else's mind someday.
Luke


Note: Masked Man Malice... That has to be the most brilliant thing ever.................................. no.

Luke

Note: BIG HAT HENRY. He's probably bald. So maybe he decided his thing could be
wearing big hats. The truth is that he smuggles illegal items and he uses his big hats to
conceal them. We only see one hat because I was too tired to make others.
Note: What???!!! You make hats? I used to. That's pretty crazy. No, the word is... I forget
the word. Oh well.
Note: Luke

the end