LogFAQs > #962825937

I re-enter the cave and dispatch a chain encounter handily - even with bats. I run into the Dire Foe and notice Magilou sitting in the corner, losing her religion:
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/6/0/3/AAR0ZFAAC83j.jpg

After I take down the Dire Foe (despite Velvet being dead at the end of it whoops), the advantage encounters are suddenly super easy. But the others... still not so. And then I run into the Dire Foe again and go all berserk (get it?) on it, including SOMEHOW getting off Annihilating Crash despite its guarding:
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/6/0/4/AAR0ZFAAC83k.jpg

THAT was a great screengrab. It legit looks like a Phoenix. I win this fight too - though it's a close call. There was also a chain encounter not too long after that which was brutal, especially once Eleanor subbed out for Rokurou and he died almost immediately. I note while Velvet's just corpse-like with ONE enemy left that Rokurou is just falling back and being useless. Perhaps it's an AI problem since his strategy is set to "Close Combat" and "Aggressive." This is why Rokurou isn't in my party like ever. His equipment isn't upgraded but he's learning skills, at least - that I haven't forgotten. But he's falling back too much when I, as Velvet, am whacking everything in sight and comboing like a madwoman. It's been true in this stupid cave.

Magilou starts overdramatizing her freezing in this cave, and Velvet threatens to leave her behind if she turns into an icicle. This interaction perfectly describes these two. I mean, Magilou is the one who shouts "READY, STEADY... EN FUEGO!" and "Is it hot, or is it just me?" in battles all the time so she could maybe light something under her ass. I have yet another Dire Foe encounter and yet another Rokurou substitution where he's dead before I even notice.

At least he makes up for it as a character, because he's ALSO a troll and asks Laphicet what bathing with Velvet was like. Uhhh... you DO realize he's her nephew... RIGHT? Seems like it might've been a test: He didn't want to go in because he doesn't want to be treated like a little kid, and thus he wants to respect Velvet's privacy. And he shouldn't be, because he certainly acts very mature. Rokurou... needed the laughs, because he's feeling tense about facing Shigure. We don't even know if Shigure is actually here, though. Melchior sure is, and he'd probably insist on being the only one so Velvet's plan would fail. Like... did it not occur to the party that the bad guys might've been anticipating this, so they only sent one legate?

We exit to a pass. There could be a flanking attack, but Rokurou assures us that Shigure is ahead. Riiiight. Why did we not see him, yet keep having him mentioned so much? A surprise is coming. For me... it was the sheer amount of monsters and the subsequent game over I got fighting a chain encounter in this mess. YUCK. At the very least, I have a quick save mid-dungeon, so I only lost like 45 minutes of progress as opposed to the entire night. I'll rectify this tomorrow.

Enjoying this harder difficulty because it's making me at least work to win battles. Shame there's like zero strategy still.