Hakugyokurou is down to its last territory, so let's go ahead and finish this.
Is this the most number of unique enemies we've faced in a battle yet? Lyrica's constant group healing got kind of annoying, but I managed to defeat all her allies in time. Interestingly enough, I discovered that the battle automatically ends if the only remaining member of one side has committed to using an attack that does no damage. Is this the only one of its kind? I can't remember.
We follow this up with a second battle that was fairly unnoteworthy. Master Spark pretty much blew away everything when it went off.
But now we come to the moment we've all been waiting for: it's time for Yuyuko to take the stage.
BGM: Bloom Nobly, Cherry Blossoms of Sumizome ~ Sengoku Arr. ~
Yuyuko's special will halve any number of opposing characters' HP at random. It's pretty nasty if she gets lucky with it at the start of the fight, but towards the end its effectiveness is greatly diminished.
Our party did get hit by Lunasa's Melancholic Music right off the bat, which was pretty annoying. However, we still just barely managed to finish off everyone, including Yuyuko, before our battle counter was completely drained.
Youmu: Ahh, impossible...!
Yuyuko: My, we seem to be at the end of our rope...don't we?
Yuyuko Saigyouji, the master of Hakugyokurou, had been defeated, and the Hakurei Army, on the verge of victory, gave chase after...But the supposedly cornered Yuyuko had a faint smile on her face.
Reimu: Alright, we've won the battle. How about you all be realistic and accept your defeat?
Hm...Hehehe...How naive of you, Reimu. I still have my final card to play!
L-Lady Yuyuko, what are you...!?
Marisa: Ack...Hey Reimu, this ain't lookin' too good.
Anyone can see that! Such a powerful aura...!
This is the remaining power of the youkai cherry tree of the Saigyouji...And you shall feel its wrath!
**********
BGM: Bloom Nobly, Cherry Blossoms of Sumizome ~ Sengoku Arr. ~
And just like that, we're thrown into another boss fight without any time to catch our breath!
The most dangerous thing about this fight is probably the fact that we go straight into it without any opportunity to heal our characters. Any character can be used regardless of whether or not they've acted earlier in the turn, but they still keep any damage they may have taken prior to this fight. That means quite a few characters were no longer in tip-top shape. Those that can heal themselves or others would thus be very useful for this situation.
Yuyuko herself is now sporting much higher HP, which means much stronger attacks. However, they're still nowhere near as punishing as Suika's, so any dedicated healer like Eirin should be able to keep up with her damage output. My strategy was to have Eirin spam her healing spells every turn, which worked out given Yuyuko's relatively low speed. The stat debuffs that resulted did hamper our ability to damage Yuyuko (our attackers ended up doing only 30-50 damage per hit), but we weren't in danger of losing anyone.
Occassionally, Yuyuko would get lucky with Invitation to Death. However, the mere fact that it can't kill anyone still gives us plenty of time for Eirin to heal us back up. Plus, we got extra turns to heal whenever Yuyuko targeted Keine, who was only taking about 100-150 damage per hit from her.
Eventually, this war of attrition would end in our favor.
**********
Yuyuko: Everything's spinning~...*plomp*
Youmu: Lady Yuyuko, please get a hold of yourself!
Reimu: Yeesh, you really took this all the way to the end...This should confirm our victory. You have no more tricks up your sleeve, surely?
I suppose so~...Going any further may well end up making the garden even worse.
Ah, now that you mention it...Wahhhhhh!?
Marisa: Ah-ah, it looked so clean and fresh when we arrived too.
...Do your best cleaning it up, Youmu.
*sob sob*
Wow...even I'm feeling sympathy for her. If you had just accepted defeat earlier, this wouldn't have happened.
Absolutely not, the Saigyouji Clan has not lost! ...Yes, the reason for the defeat is all due to my unworthiness. I shall commit harakiri as my apology!
Alright, stop that right now. Besides, even if you perform harakiri, the only thing that will change would be you going from half-dead to entirely dead.
Ehh, is that so...? Ooh, I cannot even commit harakiri to atone, I really am worthless...I cannot show my face to my master.
If you have the time to be depressed, use that time to further yourself. You're still young after all.
...That ain't too convincin' comin' from someone who looks real young herself, despite her age.
Anyway, you all are losers, so you have to follow the rules. You all are our prisoners.
To have to live with the shame of being a prisoner...Surely performing harakiri is a better fate...!
I said stop it already. Ahh, Yukari, I'll put my trust in you to take revenge for me~.
We'll blow her away too!
"Hakugyokurou Hades" has been defeated.
Yuyuko Saigyouji has been taken prisoner.
Youmu Konpaku has been taken prisoner.
**********
Yukari: Ran, how are the preparations going?
Ran: They have been completed. We're ready to start at any time.
Superb.
The Yakumo Residence was usually a place with a carefree and warm atmosphere, but the mood was clearly different today. The banter that they used to engage in seemed a distance memory.
Reimu has finally seized all the territories available. We are the only ones that are still in the game.
Yes.
We shall be their final opponents. I don't think I need to say this, but there will be no need to hold back or show mercy. Fight with all your might.
Understood.
How about your shikigami?
She is awaiting my instructions.
I see, I'll leave her actions to you, then.
Ran bowed deeply as Yukari walked away. Yukari continued walking towards the balcony, and looked up to the sky wearily.
The climax is finally here...This will close the curtain on the game. Who will fall first, Reimu...you, or me? Let's have some fun and find out.
Her eyes gazed upwards at the sky, with her folding fan covering her mouth. The decisive battle between Reimu and Yukari was about to begin.
"Yakumo Clan" war has been declared.
**********
Wow, the Yakumos sure don't waste any time! They immediately get to work attacking our newly-acquired Hakugyokurou.
We don't have quite a fully leveled team remaining, but of the few characters we do have there are certainly a few who can pull their own weight. The attacking force looks pretty meager, so we have no problem repelling them.
**********
Turn: 68
Ouki: 7936
Ryumaku: 116/143
Actions Available: 3
Our Territories:
Hakurei Shrine
Defense: 250/250
Cost to Develop: 27 RES
Night-Blind Road
Defense: 160/160
Cost to Develop: 33 RES
Faintly Dark Path
Defense: 175/175
Cost to Develop: 33 RES
Magic Forest Entrance
Defense: 180/180
Cost to Develop: 33 RES
Magic Forest Border
Defense: 160/160
Cost to Develop: 33 RES
Magic Forest Interior
Defense: 210/210
cost to Develop: 9 RES
Road of Reconsideration
Defense: 190/190
Cost to Develop: 30 RES
Muenzuka
Defense: 215/215
Cost to Develop: 6 RES
Human Village
Defense: 310/310
Cost to Develop: 36 RES
Garden of the Sun
Defense: 175/175
Cost to Develop: 33 RES
Nameless Hill
Defense: 205/205
Cost to Develop: 9 RES
Misty Lake
Defense: 225/225
Cost to Develop: 9 RES
SDM Gate
Defense: 230/230
Cost to Develop: 12 RES
Great Library
Defense: 195/195
Cost to Develop: 21 RES
Clock Tower
Defense: 210/210
Cost to Develop: 12 RES
SDM Top Floor
Defense: 225/225
Cost to Develop: 9 RES
Lost Bamboo Forest
Defense: 205/205
Cost to Develop: 9 RES
Hidden House
Defense: 195/195
Cost to Develop: 6 RES
Eientei
Defense: 230/230
Cost to Develop: 12 RES
Blossoms Barrier
Defense: 220/220
Cost to Develop: 9 RES
Hakugyokurou Stairs
Defense: 200/200
Cost to Develop: 6 RES
Hakugyokurou
Defense: 235/235
Cost to Develop: 9 RES
Enemy Territories:
Yakumo Residence
Army: Yakumo Clan
General: Yukari Yakumo (leader)
Defense: 310/310
Prisoners: