Landslide Tea Ceremony Battle: Gudaguda Neo Yamataikoku ~ The Man Returned from Hell
Prologue: The Man Returned from Hell
A little light in a void is helping to guide souls to the end of the light. Now that Yamataikoku is gone, it's helping in taking care of the wandering souls still left about. That being said, they're starting to grow bored and tired of this job, even if it's the duty of the second Queen of Yamataikoku. In that moment of loneliness and emptiness, they see a faint light elsewhere. It's...lies, an omen of evil and darkness. But that shouldn't be. The souls of the people still around at the end times back then should've all gone to the light. But someone who the light recognizes confirms that was not the case.
Yamanami Keisuke:
A pleasure meeting you,
Second Queen of Yamataikoku, Iyo-sama.
Scenery change to a field to which Gudao has just rayshifted alongside Nobu, Okita, and Okita Alter. In Okita's own lazy words, it's "the comeback of Yamatai or something". Da Vinci also seems pretty nonchalant about it and leave you to take care of it while she grabs some tea. Majin wishes she had a snack before going. Either way, there's something off about this Yamataikoku, like it's way more "remaining" than it should be. Himiko (who's still in Chaldea) doesn't really know what's up yet either, so she'll get back to you. The rest of Chaldea wishes you good luck, with Nobukatsu telling Okita to give her life to protect Nobu, and Mashu being disappointed she didn't win the raffle for the party selection. Granted, that's hardly the best way to pick your party, is it.
Someone's tugging on Nobu's cloak, but it's not Majin asking for snacks, it's not Okita, and it's not Gudao who wishes to see the splendor of the feudal moe lords. It's actually some random kid, who's covered in scratches and keeps pulling on Nobu asking her to come. You decide to go with her, and Okita goes to carry the kid since she used to be very popular with children, but the kid pulls away. Instead, they let Majin carry them because she smells better, and has a longer sword and longer hair (obviously).
Soon enough, you run into a girl fighting some sort of wolf-headed man. You quickly learn the girl is Iyo, who was fighting to protect the little girl. It seems the wolf-man is ardently opposed to Iyo as a symbol of Himiko's kingdom in Himiko's absence. Nobu shoots the wolf-man as a distraction, while Majin jumps in with the little girl still on her back. As Majin clashes swords with the wolf-man, she feels something's wrong with his blade. The wolf-man calls for wolf-henchmen to assist him, and they cover themselves in a strange black mud which Iyo warns you against touching. As Iyo's name is revealed to the gang, she also reveals that she recognizes Nobu, at which point Nobu also realizes who Iyo was in the last Yamatai event (but with more of a body now). Either way, you fight the mud-covered beastmen and the wolf-headed man.
You beat up the wolf-headed man, who recognizes that you're definitely strong enough to have defeated the "evil god", and who then decides to escape. Okita won't let him go so easily, which he already anticipated. A strange darkness appears, and Okita is fast to protect Iyo. However, the act of defending others without a care for oneself is as much a weakness as it is a strength. Because, the target isn't Iyo, it's the little girl. A wolfman appears behind her, but before she can be struck by its claws, Majin takes them down. In the exchange, however, Majin's hand has become engulfed in that same darkness. The wolf-headed man, recognizing his defeat, is engulfed in the black mud and disappears.
Iyo's extravagant outfit disappears into a more plain one, and she collapses to the ground. You need to get her somewhere safe, but Majin is...eating something? Apparently she bought dumplings from a vending machine nearby and is just munching away at them now. The vending machine is right outside of some tea ceremony hut, which Nobu is really having a hard time with. "Just because it's a singularity doesn't mean whatever goes!" she says.
You decide to make use of the place since no one's there, but as you approach Nobu falls into some sort of trap door. An old lady (in voice, but not appearance) recognizes Nobunaga and the "twist of Fate" before her, as well as the fact that you have an injured person with you. She introduces herself as Sen no Rikyu.
Section 1: Let's GO to the next world!
Rikyu has helped with healing Iyo, and is now conversing with Nobu. She hasn't seen Nobu since the incident at Honnoji. Nobu isn't sure if Rikyu is even a Servant, but more importantly, wonders how the hell they could be a woman, although Gudao wonders if that's really something Nobu is in a position to ask. Rikyu says the form itself is trivial, but since this is how it is right now, she doesn't have much of a choice. Rikyu gives you all some amazing tea to help you calm yourselves after this, and then suddenly says your time is up. The tea must have been poisoned, in a way that went straight to the Servants' Saint Graphs, because Okita suddenly feels really sick. Except...Okita didn't drink any tea. Nobu surmises that it's not the tea (which she and Majin drank) that's poisoned, it's the very air inside the building, and so Rikyu once more offers Okita a cup of tea to ease her staying.
Basically, the space here is filled with a poison you can't see, and which would take out even a Servant if left untreated. Rikyu's tea does wonders in treating it and keeping people healthy though, so it's fine. That's also why there's a vending machine outside, to attract people to buy the health potion tea, but she hasn't had much luck with that. Okita then thinks Nobu must've been able to see the poison, since she drank the tea right away, but Nobu says that if she was that cautious there's no way she would've died at Honnoji. Gudao, on the other hand, is a dumbass for just gulping it down immediately.
More currently, Rikyu was summoned here before you were, and she noticed this is a place where even Servants have a hard time maintaining their existence. She had to set up the teahouse, which is her Bounded Field, and create tea with Magical Resistance-bonus to be able to operate outside. Still, even if she were to go outside, there's the wolfmen roaming about. Majin doesn't care much for this exposition, and just wants to eat, and so Rikyu brings out the meal, which seemingly consists of a bunch of "tea nobbu".
Okita:
Alright, that's it! This singularity is just another one of Nobu's messes.
Let's just go home Master, nothing good will come of this!Nobu:
I don't think there's ever been a Singularity that was my fault.
No wait, was there one?
Rikyu explains that the tea nobbu are mysterious creatures who wander the land, but take kindly to being given tea. Still, what are they even doing here? Well, Iyo can explain that, now that she's up and about thanks to the magical tea. She reintroduces herself as Iyo, second Queen of Yamataikoku, and the wolf-headed man you fought earlier as the King of Kuna (lit. "dog people"), the Beast Sword himself - Kukochihiko.
The scene changes to show Kukochihiko somewhere else, also drinking tea to keep himself maintained in the land, but complaining about the taste. Another person is there, saying they don't care if it tastes good, as long as it keeps them alive. But if Kukochihiko wants to be swallowed by the mud of the land, he's free to stop drinking the tea. The mysterious person asks how it went before, to which Kukochi relates his meeting with Chaldea. Even having been told about them, the mysterious person doesn't believe anyone can maintain themselves in this place, even if they're a Heroic Spirit, without being swallowed by the mud. However, Yamanami, who is also there, doesn't think it's gonna be that easy. After all, he would know, having fought with both Chaldea and Kukochi before.
Kukochi berates Yamanami for lacking loyalty, referring to the finale of Yamataikoku when he betrayed Serizawa. The mysterious person says they do not care about this squabble, because they know all too well the farce that is loyalty. Yamanami is to do as he is told, and if he means to betray them, then he does best in knowing what that would entail. But Kukochi wonders what they're gonna do about Chaldea now.
???:
I'll just meet them head on.
I, here in this new Yamataikoku, Jibu-no-shō.
Or should I say, Ishida Mitsunari.
TIP
(TL note: Jibu-no-shō is actually the title of a court official position, but ever since the edo period it came to basically always refer to Ishida specifically.)
--ARROW--
You think back to the events of Yamataikoku and meeting Kukochihiko back then (he was that skeleton-looking creep that possessed Serizawa). He should've disappeared back then, but him being back here might have to do with what this place is. Iyo explains it along the lines of this being a sort of limbo, between the actual realm of the dead and Yamataikoku, where dead souls come on their journey to the afterlife. Except, it's like, offset, or not where it's supposed to be. So Iyo's job this whole time has been to help the souls stuck in this place, having lost their way, into the afterlife. At the same time, it seemed that the spirits of the haniwa nobu from last time were also stuck here, and that they began to live here instead. Also, since this is the road to the afterlife, that means the child you've been taking care of is actually...
She quickly introduces herself as Shusha (or at least she thinks that was her name), and she explains that there was something very important she had to do and somewhere she had to go, but she can't really remember. She couldn't go alone back then, but then she ran into Iyo who said she would help. Iyo thinks she might mean to go to a realm far away, called "Nirai Kanai" (TL Note: in a group of Okinawa and Amami religion called Ryukyu Shinto, Nirai Kanai is both the place where all life originates, the equivalent to heaven, and where the gods live). Obviously, you agree to help, and the tea is set to work for at least another day. Of course, it'd be too much of a hassle to come back here to refresh the effect, so Rikyu will simply accompany you, and so will the teahouse.
This is the Rikyu Scramble, the great goal of Rikyu while they're here to reach out with their way of tea to many more people, but in a totally new way. Suddenly, the teahouse flies into the air. This singularity is made up of islands separated by an uncrossable sea of mud, so the GO-AN (or "GO hermitage", as it would be translated) as she calls it will
move around instead. They make a reference to Hideyoshi's "portable tea room", but Rikyu says that was merely a prototype for this.
Just one more thing: when you want to use this place, you have to pay up. Even though she's also a Servant and needs your help, this is non-negotiable. People just don't respect what comes to them for free, and this is a fundamental principle of human civilization since ages past. However, rather than pay with money, you'll collect ingredients and tools to make tea, so that Rikyu can eventually make the perfect cup of tea which will maintain you here with just one cup.
Also, before you leave, Iyo asks about Himiko, saying this would all be done in a jiffy if she was here, and then getting all bubbly and whatnot thinking about it, but unfortunately you're not able to establish communications with Chaldea at the time.
Section 2: Standby Chanoyu
Kukochihiko and Mitsunari are still in their dimly lit room. Kuko is performing some sort of ritual, calling for his ancestors, for beasts, for curses, impurity, and lamentation, as the darkness engulfs him. He comments on how it's been so long since he was in a human body that it's really unusual. Mitsunari asks "how much longer", to which Kuko can't give a definite answer, but it might be a long time. Since Mitsunari isn't well-versed in magic though, he just lets the topic be for the time being. Instead, they change the topic to Chaldea, and Mitsunari says that with the network set up across the Singularity they'll fit them in no time.
Just then, Yamanami enters and reports that he's located Chaldea. They have just opened up business in a teahouse. Mitsunari doesn't think he quite caught what Yamanami said, and asks him to repeat.
Yamanami:
They've opened a teahouse and started doing business.
Mitsunari:
What?
Cut to Chaldea, who are now selling tea in the middle of nowhere. Turns out, the GO-AN, which requires a lot of magical energy to operate, is a Noble Phantasm born of the same concept as Rikyu, which means that it is powered by the very thing Rikyu herself desires. In this case, Rikyu is short on cash.
Back with Mitsunari, reflecting on what the hell Chaldea are doing. Kuko wonders why they would collect money, but Mitsunari says it's simple: because they need it. Just as an army needs food, it's something vital you can cut off. In other words, Mitsunari and company just need to be the one to collect that money.
Back with Chaldea after a hard day's work, everyone's having a cup of tea while Iyo and Rikyu do some expositioning. Basically, the souls of the dead stuck in limbo are building some sort of new nation here (hence "New Yamataikoku"), since there are so many stuck here without having crossed over into the light. Iyo says that even though she was helping with ferrying the dead this whole time, there was no way she could've made sure no one slipped by her attention when she was all alone. But then, Rikyu says, Jibu-no-shō appeared in the land. Nobu reflects on how it's supposed to just be some court official position, but Rikyu says it refers to Ishida Mitsunari, who was by Hideyoshi's side. Although, Nobu might know them better as Sakichi (a childhood name of theirs).
Basically, Mitsunari is not only a good follower of Hideyoshi, but he's obviously just a really good leader, considering he made this place into a proper country in such a short time. As far as domestic administration skills go, he's probably the best of those who served under Hideyoshi. Either way, Nobu is convinced Mitsunari is getting their power from the grail and that he's the bad guy here. Furthermore, in just 10 more days at this rate of work you'll have enough magical energy to move along.
The next morning, Iyo wakes everyone up with a lot of yelling, telling them to come outside. Right outside, a new teahouse has opened up! It's the "Ishida Teahouse"! How could they have possibly built that overnight? Regardless, the people think it tastes the same, so why not just go with the cheaper one? Ishida's teahouse are competing by lowering their prices through mass production, while Rikyu and co are barely above the production cost, so if they go any lower they won't make any more magical energy. Well, Nobu says, if you can't lower prices, you have to win with added value, or: "RENEWAL".
Cut to Ishida who explains the concept of profits and losses in a business, while Kuko asks why do all this and not just go kick their asses. Mitsunari has a flashback to his time serving Hideyoshi, in which Hideyoshi simultaneously praises his work, but also berates him for not doing something better for himself. Mitsunari says he doesn't care about people's opinions or political followings, just loyalty to Hideyoshi. Hideyoshi thinks Mitsunari will never change, and never make any real friends. Back in the present, Mitsunari simply explains that Chaldea is operating within the laws laid down by him, so he has no right to do anything but this. Just then, a wolfman comes into the room, giving a sales report about rapidly declining sales figures...
Turns out, Chaldea has started selling a bunch of merch with their tea, like the Shinsengumi outfit set, or the Honnoji flaming set, or the Majin set. They're calling it the "First Himiko Teahouse". Iyo thinks it should've been named after her, but she's just not popular enough with the populous. Instead of complaining, she should just go stock the vending machines out front. Meanwhile, some beastmen are saying the tea is shit, using false accusations to cover up them trying to destroy the teahouse. Rikyu is fast to force them back, telling them that there's no commotion to be allowed within this establishment. With her help, you defeat the rowdy boys.
Back with Mitsunari, he can't believe they lost, when the tea was the same quality (if not better) but cheaper. The scout details all the campaigns Chaldea pulled, but Mitsunari seems baffled, since it's so obvious all this stuff is just to make more money for the company. Either way, this whole idea was Mitsunari's fault. He figured better quality and lower price would win out, but people are as stupid as ever. The scout says next time he'll get them good, but Mitsunari is not amused. Losing out in a battle of teahouses is one thing, but to assault someone in their own establishment and then dare show their face here again? That's simply against the law. The scout is taken away by the guards for their crimes.
Yamanami is to take on Chaldea instead, but Mitsunari isn't so stupid as to just send him in as is. Instead, he'll set it up so he's bound to succeed. The darkness envelops Mitsunari, and then Yamanami. Kukochihiko explains that it's the same darkness as in Yamataikoku, but more pure, since it's coming straight from the ancestral beast. Of course, since Mitsunari endured as much, it should be no problem for Yamanami. The darkness subsides, and Yamanami feels the power surge within him. Mitsunari says to ask Kuko for pointers no how to make use of it, as Mitsunari himself needs to prepare to receive "that man". Kuko says not to worry about that, setting out right away to display how to use the power granted.
Section 3: Zuquuun to your heart
TIP
(TL note: really not sure if the ズキューン in the title is an onomatopoeia for a gun firing or an explosion type noise, or if it's a kissing noise, or if it's a jojo reference. who knows, really. It's also some makeup brand I think, which has their brand in english a lot, and that's what I used here while I know it's most likely not the right one, but it was in english, so there you go)
Another flashback to Mitsunari serving Hideoyshi, where Mitsunari asks if it's okay to leave Rikyu free like this. Hideyoshi says it's fine since their tea still has some uses. Mitsunari, on the other hand, thinks it's wrong that Rikyu have been profiting of their work, or more specifically, that this work has involved weapons and military supplies rather than just tea. But it makes Hideyoshi money too, and Rikyu really helped him out in the past, so he can't just clank down on it too much. As Hideyoshi leaves, Mitsunari vows that he won't let Riyku have their way forever.
But then, Hideyoshi comes back, and all of a sudden, demands the death of Rikyu. Mitsunari is, granted, pretty baffled. Why have them killed out of the blue like this? Gathering evidence is one thing, but to just go ahead and do it without solid proof may cause distrust among the other officials. But Hideyoshi just says "there was just something about that business stuff you were talking about!"
Back with Chaldea in present time, you've reached your destination, but there's an insanely heavy fog. You can't see anything, but everyone seems to still be there, except for Rikyu, who apparently went to get tea ingredients or something. Before long, the fog lifts. The place you find yourselves in is actually that village you built up during the last Yamatai event. Iyo says that should be impossible though, considering it was definitely destroyed. An old Japanese man comes up to you and seemingly recognizes Iyo, at which point lots of other people surround you, praising Iyo. You definitely feel something's wrong here.
You have a big feast, and then get a place to rest. Iyo also feels there's something the matter here, but Nobu just thinks "If there's food, I eat, and if there's a bed, I sleep" and so naturally, she goes to bed. Okita, Shusha, and Gudao all get sleepy too, but Majin says she'll stay up so it's okay to sleep. However, a darkness seems to engulf Nobunaga. Then it moves to Okita, and suddenly it's just about everywhere. Iyo clamors for you to come to your senses, grabbing a hold of you, as the world suddenly transposes into one of complete darkness and mire.
Iyo's touch seems to have protected you, and you quickly recognize this as the place of the final showdown with Kukochihiko last time. Iyo explains that this is a long lost (supposedly) spell of the Kuna kingdom, passed down amongst the people who worship the beasts, in which a mental interference magecraft draws people into complete darkness and erodes their very minds. The senses are dulled, the mind relaxed, and the spell is completed upon entering a state of sleep. You point out that Iyo knows a lot about it, and she just says she's sort of a specialist in the subject. Either way, the really bad stuff is what comes next: those stuck here now have their grudges exposed and manifested to attack you.
Iyo says she's about to get serious to protect you, and she shoots a tiny ball of light against an enemy which does, uh, a whole lot of nothing.
Iyo:
S-sorry, I'm weaker than I thought. I guess my wounds aren't healed yet.
Or maybe it's because of my lacking below-Heroic-Spirit Saint Graph?
She keeps comparing herself to Himiko, and finally says that if only someone contracted with her at least it would solve her magical energy shortage. At least with a proper contract she would be able to act roughly as a normal Servant. Naturally, you form a contract with her, she manifests her cool outfit from before, and she immediately assaults the enemy.
Iyo:
Wisdom of everlasting darkness, to me!
The grudge-filled man turns into a ghost and disappears in the light spawned by Iyo. In its place, Kuko appears.
Kukochihiko:
Trying to escape again... Priestess of Ruin...
Just as you abandoned our people of Kuna, you've abandoned the people of Yamataikoku; cast away all...
Iyo realizes this is nothing more than a construct of her mind, keeping her within this realm of darkness, and so she must defeat it to be free. At first, she thinks to fight it all along, but obviously, Gudao is there to help.
You defeat the illusion, but it leaves behind some real ominous dialogue lines, like:
"No matter how hard you fight, you can never escape your destiny."
"You are the horror which brings ruin to all, doomed to never find the way of light..."
You grab a hold of Iyo and zoom out of that place, leaving behind all the other peopel stuck in that hell hole. You find yourself in some sort of cave, because as it turns out, the village and all the people you saw earlier were all fake, illusions conjured by the evil land into your susceptible minds. You meet up with Majin who seems to have had no trouble at all with sleeping, and Shusha, who did fall asleep, but when the adults around her all started fighting she just ran away and woke up. It's just Okita and Nobu left, and while Iyo says it's a pressing concern to get them out before they become entirely mentally crippled, you wonder how bad it can really get.
Cut to Nobu's "dream", where she's at Honnoji, but talking to Ranmaru about being betrayed, even by Ranmaru herself, except, she obviously knows this isn't real life, and asks the obviously fake Ranmaru if she really thinks she's that dumb, cutting her down in the process. Ranmaru turns into a ghost, and it quickly cuts back to the cave where the rest of you are just standing around Nobu, watching her laugh and thrash around in her sleep. Since she's obviosuly in no trouble, you decide to focus your efforts on Okita. Okita's "dream" seems to consist of dead Shinsengumi members thinking it unfair that Okita remains alive. But, Okita too cuts down the foes in front of her. "It's because you're weak," she says. She's not sure what's going on but if they stand in her way she'll just cut them down.
Instead, she meets Yamanami. While he greets her rather friendly, she immediately tries to cut him, but misses slightly. He says he's totally the real thing, and though he may have "died" back then, he's returned from hell now. So they can totally have a conversation. Or actually, Okita just uses her NP on him immediately, thinking he's some sort of imposter. Yamanami now knows why Serizawa didn't want to make an enemy of Okita, but he also realizes this was his own fault, since he handled the spell so poorly. As Okita goes for the killing blow, shadow emerges from Yamanami once more. He says it really was good to see Okita again, before he disappears, and Okita wakes up with a jump, bashing her head against Nobu's. Iyo is understandably pretty bummed about how everyone got out on their own but she had to try her hardest even after getting a proper contract.
You hear a voice from outside, and go out to meet Yamanami there. Finally you're able to talk properly, since it seems you're one of the few people to be able to hold Okita back. She asks why he's here, and he reiterates that he's back from hell. Iyo asks how he could use that long lost spell from the Kuna kingdom, since there should be no practitioners left, to which he simply says his master gave it to him, namedropping Kukochihiko. Nobu thinks it's about time to off this guy, and pulls a gun on him, but misses, and Yamanami teleports away using the darkness.
Turns out Nobu wouldn't actually have been strong enough to fight, she was just bluffing to seem strong still. More importantly, what's up with a mage in the shinsengumi? Shouldn't they all just be Sabers and Assassins, and that one Berserker? Okita says there weren't any in life, but Yamanami was always the intellectual among them, so if Kuko was his master, then maybe. They ask about Kuko's current appearance, and Iyo explains that was how he looked before he was consumed by the darkness, when he was the hero of the Kuna kingdom.
Iyo:
As well as...the way he was when he was my teacher.
Section 4: Those in waiting have come, and have not come
There's a flashback to a part of Yamanami's life, when he was having dinner with a lady, Akesato. She eats merrily, but Yamanami seems to have something weighing heavily on him. Akesato also seems vaguely questioning of being involved with the Shinsengumi, if nothing else but for the fact that so many of them just seem violent.
Yamanami's issue seems to concern what he will do now, and where he will go. Akesato asks why he doesn't just go back home, since isn't that the only place he really can go to, after all? Either way, Yamanami says that's it for today, and Akesato is a bit upset that he's leaving already. She really likes him, and thinks he's easy to deal with. But she makes him promise to return soon again.
The flashback ends with a date: 2nd year of the Genji era, 22nd day of the 2nd month (March 22nd, 1865).
"Yamanami Keisuke's escape"
Yamanami wakes up with Kukochihiko waiting on him. The wounds sustained from Okita's attack have been healed with some dark magic that strengthened his Saint Graph, but Kuko asks if he already had a scar on his arm from before this. Yamanami confirms it, calling it an old wound that haunts him to this very day. Kuko seems surprised that even as a Heroic Spirit you can't escape the karma from a past life.
Yamanami points out how helpful Kuko has been, and he can hardly believe it's the same monster as in their past meeting. Kuko asks about Serizawa, and more specifically why Yamanami cut him down last time. Yamanami says it was merely what they would have seen as just. He doesn't think he made the wrong decision, but he's not sure it was the right one either. In the end, he's nothing more than another traitor, Kuko says, and Yamanami can't help but agree.
Back with Chaldea, everyone's real sleepy but you're trying to pick up from Iyo's ominous cliffhanger. How could it be that Kuko was Iyo's teacher if he was from Kunakoku which was in conflict with Yamataikoku? Shouldn't her teacher have been Himiko?
Iyo explains that she's not a native of Yamataikoku, and that she received her initiation as a priestess in serving the beast god of Kunakoku. It was only after she was discovered by Himiko during the conflict of the nations that she came to Yamataikoku, and Himiko subsequently unified the lands and destroyed Kunakoku. So why did she get to take Himiko's place?
Kukochihiko appears, saying that she is literally a priestess of ruin, and a priestess of treachery. However, he's not here about that. He's delivering a message from Jibu-no-shō, who wants to speak with the Master of Chaldea. They have set up camp down the road, and guarantee your safety. Mitsunari is someone who always keeps his promises. Even in cases like with the teahouse where a subordinate went off on their own, Mitsunari was swift to deliver punishment.
But Nobu and Okita are steadfast in declining, and what ends up happening is that you use the teahouse for the meeting so that it's on your terms instead. Rikyu decides to leave before the meeting, since they died because of being wrongfully accused of a crime by Hideyoshi and in part by Mitsunari, so she'd rather just not be there. Nobu thinks this is kinda sus, and tells Okita to keep an eye on her. Iyo will attend the meeting, and Majin will stick with Shusha to protect her just in case.
And so, Mitsunari arrives. The atmosphere is tense, but Mitsunari prepares tea according to proper rituals (using tea and tools provided by you) to ease the spirits. He asks if Nobunaga remembers him, but Nobu says she can't remember every single peasant that worked for Hideyoshi. Mitsunari is quick to retort by saying that while he served Hideyoshi, the unification of the country was succesful, something not even Nobunaga achieved, and as such he asks Nobu to refrain from saying stuff like that. Nobu asks Mitsunari to drop the bitchy tone, but he says there's no way you can trust someone who just changes the way they are whenever they talk to someone else.
Either way, the point of the meeting is to talk with Gudao. He starts by introducing himself again, then to apologize for the damage caused at the teahouse, saying he has already punished those guilty and you are free to file a claim for compensation of the damages later. Iyo actually seems surprised since she expected more of a bad guy.
However, more to the point: Mitsunari demands of you to withdraw from the Singularity. If you do, no further actions will need to be taken. Of course, you can't do that, and so negotiations have now fallen through. Nobu thinks it's stupid that they even came here, when surely they knew the answer already, but Mitsunari makes it very clear that there is an order to things, and they're simply going through the motions. In this new Yamataikoku, no matter how evil you are, you will only be dealt with in accordance with the laws laid down by Mitsunari.
Nobu throws out some more insults after Mitsunari says that no one can surpass the greatness of Hideyoshi, not even Nobunaga herself (and also demeans nobu a bit), and one of these insults involves a "you're the one without any friends, aren't you?" Iyo interrupts to ask what Mitsunari's goal is here, specifically asking about the lost souls wandering the place. Mitsunari explains that they will become the foundation for this new Yamataikoku.
Ishida Mitsunari:
We will bring them together, and make them loyal subjects of that man.
The king of the new Yamataikoku---
Toyotomi Hideyori-sama.
Nobu is like "who??" and Mitsunari says that you would just DARE disrespect his name, but when Gudao makes it clear they know who it is, Nobu explains she was still just messing with Mitsunari.
Ishida Mitsunari:
Whatever, speaking with you is making me lose braincells.
Mitsunari leaves, and it is clear that the next time, it'll all be settled on the battlefield instead.
Elsewhere, Yamanami is in some temple, watching something. He seems to realize that they were pretty literal when they were talking about a "beast god", and that for the sake of "that guy", they need to get a move on.
Section 5: Priestess of Ruin
Shusha is enjoying herself picking flowers with Majin during the meeting, when she suddenly stops to ask "I wonder why I like flowers?" Majin obviously thinks this is pretty weird, and even Rengoku makes a remark about the bizarre mood. Upon hearing this, Shusha is just amazed the sword can talk, and she beggins tugging on it. She thinks Rengoku is super cool, and while he agrees that you'll be hard pressed to find a sword as cool as him, he won't let her touch him just because she says that. Hearing this, Shusha makes a 180 and instead thinks Rengoku is stupid, to which Majin agrees completely.
Changing the subject, they talk about how Shusha has somewhere she needs to go. She says there's something that's been waiting for her there, for a really, really long time. That's why she has to go, and why she won't moan about it. Something very important is there. She asks Majin if she doesn't have a place to go, to which Majin replies that she's sort of already been there. Shusha thinks that makes her better than herself already, but Majin isn't so sure. Still, Shusha is certain that Majin did a lot of good in her days. Nobu calls the two of them back to the teahouse, and Shusha runs ahead. Left behind on the field, Majin asks Rengoku to lend his strength in order to see Shusha's journey through to the end. She thinks Shusha's journey must be one filled with hurt, and so for as long as possible, she would like to ease that for her. Rengoku at first seems confused as to why this would be, but suddenly seems to realize, and agrees wholeheartedly. After all, guiding a lost child is nothing compared to the usual.
Back in the teahouse, you catch everyone up on the situation. Nothing happened with Shusha and Majin, and Okita didn't notice anything strange about Rikyu. The one thing Nobu notes is that Mitsunari seems strangely confident, despite the fact that he must know of Chaldea's strength in the previous Yamataikoku. Yamanami enters the room, and says that obviously Mitsunari must possess some sort of trump card. Before things get rough again, Iyo steps in to explain. Turns out, Yamanami is actually a mole in Mitsunari's operation, so he's really with you guys. He apparently came here along with the other lost souls after Yamatai, and was found by Iyo. Nobu says that's totally TPO (TL note: TPO stands for "Time, Place, Occassion" and was originally fashion-specific for how you should dress best, but has been adopted in other industries in Japan to hammer in how important it is to take everything into account and change things up based on the circumstances). Either way, he's been investigating the others as a sort of atonement for last time, and he specifically asked Iyo to not say anythin to you in order to keep appearances up.
As for what he's found out: Their goal is to reinstate the legitimate leadership of the now deceased Toyotomi Hideyori, Hideyoshi's heir. Nobu asks if he's already here, or if they plan to summon him as a Servant, to which Yamanami says that the ambition is to serve Hideyori in a manner wherein he is much greater than he could ever have been in life. To do this, they plan to use the "ancestral beast", a primordial beast older than even Yamataikoku, which has survived since the Age of Gods. Iyo explains that the ancestral beast is something that was rejected even by the Kunakoku, who made use of the beast magic. And more importantly, Iyo was its priestess.
Flashback to Iyo and Kukochihiko talking in some cave. Kuko hands Iyo some meat, and tells her to eat it. Since she is the ancestral beast's priestess, her body, down to the very last particle, is to be a vessel for it, and so she must live for it, and feed for it. She is a Priestess of Ruin, inheritor to the powers of eternal darkness which brings curses, disease, and destruction to everything nearby simply through their existence.
Kukochihiko:
Curse them... Curse this cave, curse me,
curse the people of Kuna who put you in this cave,
curse yourself for having been born into this world;
only then will you harbor the power of the ancestral beast within yourself,
and be reborn as the ruler of ancient beasts.
If Himiko is not defeated, there is no future for our kingdom.
The Queen of Light threatens us all...!
Iyo simply complies with a sad countenance.
Back in the teahouse, Iyo continues to explain how she was born a cursed, unholy child, veiled in the powers of eternal darkness. A priestess of ruin whose powers are said to cause destruction to everything around her. This power in turn led to her being found by Kukochihiko, and being turned into the vessel for the ancestral beast. For a really long time, she was locked in that cave, where no light could reach her. Naturally, this is just making her sound more and more like a certain queen...
Another flashback, in which Iyo doesn't want to eat anymore meat. She wants to experience other foods. She questions her own birth. The birth which killed both her parents, and caused an epidemic that wiped out the entire village. All those people died just because she was born. Again and again, she questions her own birth, and the only conclusion she can come to is that she has to keep eating the meat. But then, the walls of the cave crumble, and in steps Himiko. She's looking for Kukochihiko, but stops when she finds Iyo. She senses some similarity between the two of them, although Iyo stinks like an animal and just completely looks like a wreck, so Himiko is quick to get her out of there. Iyo says she can't go, as she's a priestess to the ancestral beast, but Himiko says that just seeing the sunlight will change her mind. Even if she brings destruction to everything around her, Himiko doesn't really care about that, and she thinks Iyo's power is kinda amazing. There's no such thing as good or bad powers, it's all in how you use it. For example, Himiko always makes it rain, but at least that helps with growing rice. Upon hearing about rice, Iyo understands Himiko is also from Yamataikoku.
Flashback ends, and finishes her story by saying she became a disciple of Himiko after she destroyed Kunakoku. In the end, only Himiko and her brother knew the truth about Iyo, which is why she was able to take the throne after they were gone. As for Kukochihiko, having lost his priestess, he apparently tried to use himself as a vessel for the ancestral beast, turning him into the horror you're used to. Last time, he should have been returned to the light by Himiko's powers, but something obviously went awry.
As for now, you just have to wait for the right moment to have Yamanami betray Mitsunari. Nobu may not be proud of it, but she's been betrayed lots of times, since it was commonplace during her time, and it's just one of the best strategies. Yamanami says that Mitsunari's forces will be deployed across the area, spread out, with Yamanami on the right flank. You should just pretend you're actually surrounded, and then make your move once Yamanami begins his plan. Now, he has to leave before he arouses too much suspicion. But before that, he asks Okita why she's not wearing her haori, to which she simply says she's having a bit of a bad day for it.
In Mitsunari's camp, they're discussing the strategy. Yamanami will have the right flank, Kuko the left, and Mitsunari the middle. This is known as the Kakuyoku, or "crane's wings" Kuko wonders why they don't just go in with the whole army at once since there's such a massive difference in numbers, but Mitsunari says not to underestimate Nobunaga, who is equivalent to a whole army on her own with her guns. Still, one thing seems to worry Mitsunari more than anything else. This foggy area and terrain reminds him of the greatest and final battle in his life: Sekigahara.
Section 6: Decisive battle! Dark Sekigahara
Flashback to Keichou 5, 15th day of the 9th month (October 21st, 1600). Sekigahara, Ishida Mitsunari's headquarters.
We see Mitsunari trying to manage the battlefield, but Kobayakawa, alongside many others, are seemingly missing from the battle or refuse to move. Mitsunari sends envoys to urge the other loyalists to make a move, as the battle has already begun full-scale. The fate of the Toyotomi clan depends entirely on this battle. A soldier reports that Kobayakawa's troops have finally gone on the move, except...they've turned on Otani's forces (an ally of the loyalists). Not only that, but the forces of Wakisaka Yasuhara, Ogawa Suketada, Akaza Naoyasu, and Kutsuki Mototsuna all turned as well. All those people who had pledged allegiance to Toyotomi had now turned to the other side, all the while acting as if their loyalty was preserved.
And then Mitsunari realizes. Hideyori. He immediately sends a messenger to call for Hideyori. If only he would take his rightful place, then Ieyasu would have no claim. With his power, they will definitely win this battle, and Mitsunari will defend his future with all he has. The scene ends with Mitsunari laughing hysterically, as it fades out (and for some reason his nameplate here changes from 石田三成, Ishida Mitsunari, to 石田三, Ishida Mitsu. Might just be a typo?)
Back with Chaldea on the appointed battlefield, Nobu is certain you'll win, but you tell her not to jinx it. She'll handle the front, as she excels with numbers, while Majin will handle the left wing and Kukochihito. Shusha will stay with Gudao, who alongside Okita and Iyo will handle the enemy's right wing. Though you notice that Okita isn't there, and Rikyu says she wasn't feeling well, so she's resting before the battle. While she's here, Rikyu offers to help, and asks what she should be doing (though it'll cost you, obviously). Nobu says just to send the tea nobbu with her, since she should be able to lead them well.
Speaking of, a tea nobbu appears and starts talking. Turns out Rikyu taught them to be somewhat intelligent, in order to help with the tea business. It reports that the left wing has drawn first blood, or in other words, the battle has begun. All you can do now is to follow through. Once a battle begins, there's no choice but to finish it. You head out onto the battlefield, even without Okita. Iyo is a bit concerned for Okita, since Nobu said those who desert will lose their heads, but Gudao is just like "she really needs to lay off with the beheadings", and Shusha saying she'd feel bad for anyone who was beheaded. Iyo says that at this rate Yamanami will have to commence his plan even before Okita gets here. She notices that Yamanami is already there, but when he attacks Iyo, she appears genuinely surprised. Yamanami speaks to his troops, saying it's a good thing Okita isn't here, and that they should capture Chaldea's Master.
[In this battle you have to use Iyo, and there's no support Iyo to use. There are 99 enemies (6 enemy waves), and Yamanami has unremovable, permanent "0 damage taken" buff. Simply defeat 10 enemies to end the battle.]
On the other wing, Majin is fighitng Kukochihiko, noting how strange his blade is. It's as if there's some great power concealed within. Kuko notes that Majin is definitely the most dangerous among Chaldea, to which she says Nobunaga should be way more dangerous, but Kuko seems to have implied something else.
With Nobu, things seem to be going well, but she's worrying over the fact that Yamanami is still fighting on the left wing. Did he betray you? It appears that both the right and left flanks are being pushed back, and so Nobu will retreat as well. The tea nobbu says Nobu will be beheaded, but fighting to the death on the battlefield is for idiots, she says.
Rikyu appears, and Nobu asks if this was her handiwork, but she says it was merely the result that was hers (rather than the means). She's sure that Nobu already figured out she was playing both sides. Nobu then thinks she's here to distract her further, but she says it's nothing so grand. She simply wants to make Nobunaga a product. An immense pressure comes down on Nobu, as she sinks into darkness, and Rikyu bids a brief farewell to the Demon King of the Sixth Heaven.
--ARROW--
[Majin solo quest, she has a lot of buffs including no offensive class disadvantage]
Majin cuts down numerous soldiers, as she's perfectly suited for this kind of battle. But wars aren't all about cutting down the opponent. Yamanami appears, and Majin at first says "oh it's our insider", before adding "oh maybe I wasn't allowed to say that", but Kuko doesn't care, because Yamanami is here with something that will stop Majin in his tracks. He has taken Iyo and Gudao hostage. Yamanami tells her to drop her weapon, or he can't guarantee the survival of either, and even though you tell Majin to run, she obviously lays down her blade. Kuko immediately goes in for a killing blow, and Majin falls to the ground. Yamanami berates him, saying she was disarming herself, but Kuko points out that she's so strong, and so able to wipe them out single-handledly if given the chance, that even being cut by his beast sword, she's not yet dead. Either way, Yamanami remarks, Mitsunari ordered them all to be rounded up.
--ARROW--
Mitsunari, all smug like, asks Nobu how it feels to lose a battle after such remarkable confidence. He asks if you have any words for the traitor, Yamanami, and though you ask him for a reason, he simply stays quiet. It's not so surprising, considering he once again betrayed his friends by pretending to be their ally. When asked why you were captured instead of killed, Mitsunari says you are bait. Bait for the plan required to foster a thousand years of prosperity in New Yamataikoku. You're to be thrown into the dungeon, and given just enough tea to survive. Nobu says he better not regret not killing you when he had the chance, to which Mitsunari says he would gladly be given a reason to regret not killing the demon king, and then proceeds to laugh maniacally again.
Back on the Border, they are just about to get communications up and running again. Chacha wonders if they've already resolved the singularity, and Mashu passingly points out that Izou wasn't in the raffle for Servants to go because he still hadn't paid off his debt to Crane for his costume. The interest is so high he's now just gone into hiding, but Ryoma paid for his bonds and he and Oryou had to go track him down. That's why none of the Tosa people are in this event.
Communications open, but on the screen is Rikyu introducing herself. Mori says there's no way that little girl is Rikyu, but she recognizes him, at least, and provides an anecdote to prove it's really Rikyu speaking. She then says there's someone else here to explain an urgent matter to you. Yamanami appears on screen, to Hajime's surprise. Yamanami didn't recognize Hajime first, since he wasn't wearing a haori either. Either way, Yamanami explains that Chaldea's Master is in danger, being captives of Mitsunari, who is trying to establish a new Toyotomi dynasty in the new Yamataikoku. He asks Chaldea to send reinforcements, and Rikyu will provide exact coordinates.
But before that, even though time is of the essence, Da Vinci has some clarifying questions. She asks about the atmosphere in the singularity, and Rikyu explains that, yes, it's difficult for even Servants to exist there, but her tea can neutralize the effect. Himiko then asks about New Yamataikoku, and Rikyu just says that she must be the predecessor to Iyo, who's also a captive. But no time for questions, really, because Mitsunari is about to welcome the new lord of Toyotomi. This makes Chacha perk up, since that would be... Rikyu confirms it: The legitimate heir and son of the Toyotomi clan and of Toyotomi Hideyoshi---the very same Hideyori.
Communications cut out, leaving Chacha almost enraged. If Hideyori is alive there, then she must go. They need to reishift her immediately. Da Vinci tells her to calm down and to focus on Gudao, but Chacha won't have it, with flames growing around her in her rage. Mori knows that the only way to stop her when she becomes like this is death, and so he cuts her down. He'll apologize to Gudao later. Well, actually, she barely survives so he takes her to the infirmary for now. Either way, had he not cut her down, her Saint Graph would have transformed into something completely different. As for the operation at hand, Hajime points out Yamanami's outfit, which Hijikata seemingly also took note of, and more importantly, with Gudao out of the picture, you need someone to lead the Servants. Mashu passes the question to Gordolf, who looks on in nervousness.
Section 7: Sword of the Beast
Rikyu asks Mitsunari if she did well during the call, to which Mitsunari says that mentioning Hideyori's name would force Chacha to react. This, in addition to having Yamanami appear on the call, is all just part of baiting Chaldea into the Singularity, as it would be difficult for them to just trust Rikyu. Thankfully for them, Yamanami is real good at selling out his friends. Yamanami just wonders if Akesato is safe and sound, and Mitsunari says that a hostage is useless if dead. As long as Yamanami follows orders, her life is guaranteed. Mitsunari turns to Rikyu, making sure she understands the same applies to her, and then leaves the room.
Rikyu sighs at how Mitsunari is just as good at annoying people as he was in life. Yamanami asks why Rikyu serves Mitsunari. Rikyu, being a merchant, merely sides with the one who has the upper hand. She couldn't see herself selling out everyone else just for the sake of a single girl, like Yamanami. The profits wouldn't be balanced at all. Yamanami seems to understand it's Rikyu's doing that Akesato is held hostage to begin with, and Rikyu confirms that she was the one who found the girl wandering around here and handed her over to Mitsunari. It seems that this place, this Singularity, gathers souls that have unfinished business in life. As such, Akesato was most likely here looking for Yamanami. Much the same applies to Yamanami himself, to Mitsunari, and to Rikyu. They are ones who clinged to their lingering attachments from life; the losers of history. It is, for all intents and purposes, a landfill.
Rikyu leaves to see to it that Chaldea doesn't die from lack of tea. Outside, it seems that someone had been eavesdropping. The scene cuts to dark and we see the sprite of the girl from before. She doesn't say anything, but she seems to have appeared in Gudao's dream. And without uttering any words, tears stream down her face. Gudao wakes up again, having apparently passed out due to lack of tea, and now having being given some more. You ask about the girl in the dream, but Nobu just says this isn't exactly the time to be dreaming about girls. Majin is still out cold, in a state that appears much like death, except since she's a Servant she would've disappeared if she was really dead. Iyo can't seem to sense any magical energy reaction from her either. She does, however, recognize that the large scar across the body is from Kukochihiko's sword of the beast. It's a sword originating from the beast god, a cursed tool from Kunakoku that sets the curse of the beast upon men. It causes them to lose their reasoning and turn into beasts. Nobu can't deal with this, imagine having someone named "[Alter Ego] Okita Souji Alter (doggie)"! Either way, since the sword is veiled in Mystery from the Age of Gods, not even Iyo can deal with it.
You'll have to let Majin rest for now, while you figure out how to escape. Even if you managed to get out of here, you'd need tea to survive, and you're currently only being given the bare minimum. But then, Shusha lets out that if it's tea you need, she has lots in her bag. Turns out Okita had packed a lot of tea for Shusha before the battle "just in case". Nobu now realizes that Okita didn't desert them (although she could've totally still had a stomach ache since she's sick all the time), but she was planning for this all along. With this, you'll last for several days. Now you just need to contact Chaldea, so you ask Iyo if she can contact Himiko directly, like Himiko did for you earlier. Iyo says she doesn't have that kind of skill, and you urge her to just try her best because she'll never know unless she tries, and so she does, and...it doesn't work. Then again, if she had the same kind of power as Himiko, then Yamataikoku would've probably never fallen.
Just then, Kuko appears, asking Iyo and Shusha to come with him. They follow him, so as to not cause any trouble for the rest of you. You consider whether you should just drag Majin's body along, but then you hear her voice, stating that "the adjustments are finally done", as she stands up, now in her first ascension outfit instead.
--ARROW--
Mitsunari is ready to usher in Hideyori. Kuko says the priestess and the sacrifice have both been sent to the altar, so all that remains is to conclude the ritual. Mitsunari feels compelled to thank Yamanami for all he accomplished for them here. But she knows how he must feel. For most people, compassion trumps reason; no different from beasts. People might speak highly of loyalty and the likes, but in the end it's all about the self. Every person is a masked beast, waiting for the opportunity to betray the world. That's why Mitsunari is such a stickler for the law, to bind the beastly nature of men. Still, he doesn't need the others to agree with or see his reasoning; he knows what's right and what needs to be done. With that, they leave for the altar, to resurrect the ancestral beast of Kunakoku, and for the advent of the new lord of the Toyotomi clan.
In the dungeon, Rikyu has brought Akesato some tea. The latter seems pretty chummy with Rikyu, all things considered. Seems that all she remembers is dying and then appearing here, but she does love the tea. Rikyu also seems to be this friendly in case there's ever a situation where they can help each other out later on. Akesato asks for some food, and Rikyu says she'll be back with some after she attends some other business. Akesato does, however, seem to realize Rikyu has some ulterior motive. In the end, all she can think about is Yamanami, and how he never came back to her after that day, perhaps because he died. Suddenly, Okita appears to have sneaked into the dungeon, introducing herself as a friend of Yamanami.
Back in Chaldea, in the infirmary, Chacha has woken up again. She asks Mori if he thinks Mitsunari holds a grudge against her. Mori doesn't seem to think so, considering how Mitsunari took it upon himself to fight Ieyasu at Sekigahara. Surely it would have been the opposite if there was a grudge to be held. But she elaborates, saying it would be because while Mitsunari said he would fight for Toyotomi, Chacha refused to involve Hideyori in the conflict. Because of that, Mitsunari was left alone to fight. That battle was the beginning of the downfall of Toyotomi, and in the end, at Osaka Castle, Hideyori had to die because of Chacha. Mori seems to think that doesn't matter, it only matters what happens next. Chacha feels that she has a responsibility to fulfill here by going to Hideyori and Mitsunari, and with that, Mori tells her to be on her way, then. Hajime enters the room, declaring Gudao is in danger, and that the Shinsengumi will support Chacha in the operation.
On the bridge, Da Vinci explains that they can only send three people as reinforcements. Chacha insists she has to go, and when asked about the wound, she says Mori took it easy on her so she's fine, but he interjects, saying he didn't go easy on her, it's just that mothers who act for their children are practically unstoppable. Hajime will join in as escort for Chacha, and the third Servant will be Himiko, considering it's Yamataikoku and now there's Iyo as well. For a bit, Mashu seems reluctant to send Chacha to take care of Gudao, but eventually concedes, wishing her luck with both Gudao and her son.
To deal with the atmosphere of the Singularity, Da Vinci has engineered a sort of forcefield they can deploy. Now, they're ready for reishifting, except, as Hijikata points out, there's the matter of the coordinates...
--ARROW--
We appear to get a flashback to the time just before Rikyu committing seppuku. An official is there to get them, but they only speaks about how unfair this is. The official, however, only says that the crimes of bribery for their own profit were clearly exposed by Mitsunari. But Rikyu won't have it. Screw Mitsunari, and screw Hideyoshi too if he's gonna act like this. What's wrong with a merchant making money for themselves? This world Hideyoshi is creating, a world without war, it will reduce the people's faith in him, and eventually they will come for him, they say. The official puts an end to their ranting, and they cut their belly clean across. (I should point out for the sake of theories here that Rikyu in this scene doesn't have a sprite.)
The scene draws Rikyu's farewell poem on screen:
"I raise the sword, this sword is mine, long in my possession, the time is come at last! Skyward I throw it up!"
Amidst the pain of cutting one's own guts, and seeing them spill out, Rikyu appears to descend into madness. In the blood spilling out, Rikyu sees the corpses of a discarded monkey and a dog. "Fear and tremble the setting sun," they say. Monkeys and dogs alike should fear the sun setting over hell.
The official deems Rikyu it an unseemly sight, and someone is ordered to cut Rikyu down once and for all.
This was Tensho era, 19th year, 2nd month, 28th day (April 21st, 1591). Sen-no-Rikyu's seppuku.
Back in the singularity, Mitsunari and co are nearing the place where the ancestral beast was sealed. Mitsunari explains to Iyo that they're to be sacrificed to awaken the ancient god, and that originally back in the day it would've just been Iyo, before Himiko intervened and ruined everything. Shusha is apparently added now because Rikyu had told Kukochihiko that the beast god prefers the "children of men". Rikyu says Shusha exhibits the best traits for this, and says Mitsunari would surely understand, but Mitsunaria merely says he doesn't know the requirements for this, and doesn't care as long as it fulfills their goal.
Soon enough, Chaldea will walk into this trap, he says, and just as well, Chacha enters right then. Chacha asks for Hideyori, and Mitsunari says he'll be here soon enough, now that the last sacrifice is here. Chacha is embraced by darkness, unable to move. Mitsunari makes some quip about how Chacha's demeanor turned the people away at Osaka, but soon enough they realize something is wrong. Surely, Chacha didn't come here alone from Chaldea. Chacha says that Mitsunari never was that great of a fighter, and especially not when they couldn't notice this much. Hajime appears behind Mitsunari, and probably takes him hostage (hard to tell just from the sprites tbh). Kuko moves in to stop them, but Yamanami blocks his advance. Mitsunari asks Yamanami if he knows what this means, to which he simply responds that he does, and then calls out Okita from hiding. She has already evacuated Akesato to somewhere safe. Apparently even Hajime is here because of some directions from Yamanami (which I guess was subtly hinted at in the other scene, idk), and he is then quick to grab Shusha and get her to safety. Shusha thanks the shady old man, and Mitsunari tells Kuko to perform the ritual with just Iyo. But Himiko bursts in next, apologizing for being late. Since they apparently knew from Yamanami's words that this would be a setup, Hajime and Himiko shifted the coordinates a bit, and circled around the area first. Chacha was just bait, after all.
Mitsunari asks Kuko and Rikyu to help, but Rikyu seems to have other plans. Such a pathetic display, truly. So confident in victory, Mitsunari went ahead with the plan, only to find himself surrounded by traitors again. It really is Sekigahara all over again. In the end, no one will follow a person like Mitsunari. Who would dare tear a country apart under someone of such mediocre skill? Mitsunari attempts to cut down Rikyu, but his sword passes through their body completely, shifting amidst black mud. While Rikyu quips about how Mitsunari can't even put a mere tea master down, Hajime suggests you get away while the enemies are fighting amongst themselves.
But Yamanami and Okita are both stuck. It's not the darkness this time, but something heavier. Rikyu says she hopes you will all enjoy the tea ceremony and entertainment she has prepared for you.
Sen no Rikyu:
Yes, the execution of Toyotomi Hideyoshi's head of the Go-Bugyō---
Jibu-no-sho, Ishida Mitsunari.
I speak on behalf of all of Japan when I ask that you, Ishida Mitsunari, atone for your sins here and now.
Mitsunari says he's hardly the one who Rikyu should be punishing. The order for seppuku was based on her own misdeeds, and issued by Hideyoshi himself. But Rikyu merely reiterates, as if Mitsunari didn't understand what was being said: she is speaking on behalf of all the people in the land. Once more, Mitsunari seems to think this is some maniacal representation from Rikyu's side, and Rikyu can't believe he's so dense.
Sen no Rikyu:
Are you really saying you did not notice as soon as you saw this face? I guess that's a given.
But seeing it now, can you still make high claims about all your justice?
The black mud engulfs Rikyu, and she turns into the girl we've seen two times past. Mitsunari wonders what's going on, but Rikyu asks if he really still doesn't recognize her face. But he does. He's definitely seen that face somewhere before. Finally, he remembers.
Sen no Rikyu:
By order of your Lord, the emperor, you had me executed, treated like nothing more than an animal---
I am Komahime of the Dewa province.
Section 8: Ancestral Beast
Flashback to Hideyoshi's life. He's talking to Mitsunari, asking what he thinks about Hideyoshi hand over the title of Imperial Regent and Japan itself to Hidetsugu. Mitsunari at first seems a bit shocked, but with a smirk across his face says it's a good idea. Hideyoshi says that with the death of Tsurumatsu, he has no other heir to succeed him, and so he will adopt and raise Hidetsugu. Mitsunari, still smiling, says there's no better candidate to succeed Hideyoshi than his own nephew. Hideyoshi feels that if Mitsunari agrees, then there's no denying it. He is now to serve Hidetsugu as if he were the real son of Hideyoshi, and Mitsunari swears to give the Toyotomi clan his life.
Hideyoshi feels tired, so he leaves Mitsunari with his own thoughts. Having lost Tsurumatsu, Hideyoshi had supposedly fallen into a depression, and Mitsunari is sure that if Hidetsugu would succeed him, all would be well for the Toyotomi.
Cut to sometime later (still in the flashback), with Hideyoshi making a succinct declaration: "execute Hidetsugu". Mitsunari can't believe what he's earing. But Hideyoshi reiterates. Kill Hidetsugu. Whether he's actually done wrong or not doesn't matter, as the planning of an insurrection against Hideyoshi put him in a bad light. In other words, he's having Hidetsugu, the imperial regent, executed under false claims. But having him killed just like that might be a bit too much, so Hideyoshi says to have him killed "nicely" (in other words, seppuku) at Mt. Koya. Beheading him, like they did with Rikyu in the end, would also work but seppuku is just much better. Mitsunari tries to object, but Hideyoshi leaves again. Mitsunari is sure that if they go through with this, all the generals will turn their back on the Toyotomi. But his train of thought is cut short, by Hideyoshi coming back, since he forgot one last thing:
"Kill everyone related to Hidetsugu."
Everyone. Women. Children. No exceptions. It's an insane request. There are too many people who follow Hidetsugu. But Hideyoshi reminds Mitsunari that man is but a beast. No matter how much you dress them up, they remain beasts at heart. And the only way to subdue such beasts is to spill its blood. Besides, this is a necessary punishment for Hidetsugu to repent for his ways. Yes, have him commit seppuku, then have his head exhibited at Senjogawara. Since there are too many of the rest of them, just cut them down then and there, and bury them by the riverbank. Place the head in a tumulus to act as a resting place. Those were the orders of Hideyoshi, as he left Mitsunari to take care of the rest once more.
This was the 4th year of the Bunroku era, in the 7th month, 15th day (August 20th, 1595). Toyotomi Hidetsugu's seppuku.
In the same year, in the 2nd day of the 8th month (September 5th, 1595), all those related to Hidetsugu, including young lords, daughters of the wealthy, concubines, waiting maids, and wet nurses, were all, without exception, decapitated.
Back in the Singularity, in the cave, just after Rikyu has revealed herself to be Komahime. They give a very brief recap on Komahime (she came to marry with Hidetsugu and was executed before that could even happen), but Mitsunari says something like this was inevitable. Hideyoshi had another son, Hideyori, and if things kept on going the way they were, the whole clan would be split between Hidetsugu and Hideyori. It must have been a difficult decision for Hideyoshi too. But Rikyu thinks this is another example of how Mitsunari doesn't understand people. There's no way Hideyoshi would have made such a difficult decision, she says. He was someone who was all for the vices of man, after all. Someone who was for consuming the world as he went through it. But Mitsunari disagrees, thinking him someone who wanted to create a peaceful Japan out of the war.
Sen no Rikyu:
And for that purpose, the suffering of the weak and frail is to be discarded?
Mitsunari thinks it's just a matter of course that for a political leader, giving up the few for the sake of the many is a necessity. That's exactly what Rikyu is talking about. The weak are consumed by the strong. That's the order of nature, and of man. A beastly nature. And so, it's only natural that they, the weak, should crave for the strong. Rikyu begins to burst with the darkness from before, and Himiko immediately realizes what this power is. All those weak souls trapped in this life with nowhere to go were taken into Rikyu's body over a long period of time. They, all together, form this "darkness", a mixture of everything in the world. And this darkness is what will call forth the ancestral beast.
Something in the cave begins to rumble, and Kukochihiko is ordered to get the sacrifices ready. Mitsunari tells Kuko to stop Rikyu, but of course he's failed to understand that not even Kuko is on his side. All this time, Mitsunari was bragging of victory, while being surrounded by traitors on a mountain of corpses. And so, Kuko takes Iyo, the Priestess of Ruin, and Shusha, the descendant of the child of the sun, and darkness engulfs them. Chacha seems to pick up on the name used for Shusha, and Rikyu says it's not a surprise if she doesn't recognize the kid.
Sen no Rikyu:
Are you as heartless as Ishida, or are you so concerned with other things that you've forgotten your own dead son?
And then in clicks. That's Tsurumatsu (who Chacha calls 捨 (Sute) btw), the firstborn of Chacha who died at a young age. The true heir of the Toyotomi clan. He's been wandering this place for a long time, Rikyu says. Turns out that anyone would fit as sacrifice, really, but Rikyu had decided early on it should be this child. Because "it would be the most painful". Chacha says if there's a grudge towards her, then she should be sacrificed, not Tsurumatsu, but Rikyu clarifies that she has nothing against neither Chacha nor Mitsunari. The only person she resents is Hideyoshi, who could not empathize with the pain of others. The man who trampled over the woman he loved, his trusted advisor, his infant son, and everyone else. And so this is an attempt to remind him of the pain others felt. In this place, not even Hideyoshi can touch them. The things he love the most will be desecrated, and he will be helpless to stop it. The ultimate payback.
Nobu appears, giving a signal to Majin (who she calls "Alter-man"), and Okita points out that even her voice changed, and Hajime points out that if you look close enough you can see her breasts got smaller too. Regardless of her appearance, she blasts away the darkness. She can't keep it away for long though, so you have to hurry. Everyone starts moving, except Iyo, who is already getting drawn into the ancestral beast. But Himiko gives her an apology for making her work overtime for so long, and promptly pushes Iyo out of the darkness, taking her place within. She's sure Iyo will lead the people down the right path this time. After all, she is Himiko's successor.
Rikyu utilizes the immense pressure ability from before in order to stop us from escaping, but when Chacha sees Shusha in pain, she immediately lets loose her Noble Phantasm, the crystallization of the burning castle. Nobu asks her to stop, since if she does that... Shusha seems to remember Chacha is his mother, and she apologizes to him. At least they'll burn together.
--ARROW--
Most of you have made it out, taking up hiding elsewhere. Akesato is also with you, but that doesn't really matter. With Chacha consumed by flames, it'll be hard for you to take down Rikyu, as powerful as she was, and once the ancestral beast manifests, it'll bridge the gap to the netherworld and turn everything into an eternal darkness. Also, as an aside, Majin is like this for the moment because since she's "out of order", Rengoku is actually controlling her body. Basically, to get her back fully, you'd need to heal the damage from the sword of the beast, and you can't do that without taking out the source. Iyo says that curse is the black blood which flows from the ancestral beast, the very concept of "impurity in death", which affects the lost souls. Also, turns out the "poison" in the atmosphere is an exact match with that.
So, the way the ancestral beast was dealt with in the past is that it was sealed, apparently using the sword of the beast and the priestess of ruin. For now, Kuko has the sword, and the priestess isn't very reliable. But you need a plan. However, there's not much you can do here. The Shinsengumi can't really go up against something from the Age of Gods, and you can't just blow away a concept. While you try to brainstorm, you offer to make a cup of tea, and then it hits Nobu. Rikyu said the tea neutralizes the poison. Of course, it won't be enough with just a cup or two.
Mitsunari enters the room all of a sudden, almost burned to a crisp. Before anything else, he tells you to take care of Chacha, who is unconscious in his arms.
Back in the cave with Rikyu, Himiko is telling Rikyu all about how strong Chaldea is and how we will kick her ass. She also wonders why Kuko, who accepted the light back then, is doing this now, but it seems it's only natural that the weaker they are, the more they crave power when it's in reach. Kuko decides that using the priestess of the sun alongside Shusha as a sacrifice will work fine, and begins the ritual. And so the ritual begins, and the darkness stirs.
Section 9: Landslide Chanoyu Battle
We get a flashback to Komahime's life. She's speaking to her mother, Shakumyōei, who is saddened that she has to send her little girl so far away. She laments that she and her husband weren't able to refuse this offer from Hidetsugu. But Komahime says there's no need to cry. After all, when she's the consort of Hidetsugu, she'll be fortunate without equal in Japan. On top of that, Kyoto is so beautiful she couldn't even sleep last night thinking about it. Her mother still asks her to take care, and Komahime sets out on her journey to meet her would-be husband, bidding farewell to her mother and hometown alike.
Back in the Singularity, Gudao and Nobu have gone to confront Rikyu, seemingly alone. The ancestral beast has climbed out of its dark pit and begun to transform the world into one of darkness. Regardless, you won't know if you can stop it unless you try. Nobu is gonna go all out from the very onset, so you supercharge her with a Command Spell and make sure to protect yourself from her flames. The flames begin to surge. No mystery will be able to withstand the power of the Demon King of the Sixth Heaven. But Rikyu thinks there's a caveat to that; that the Mysteries Nobu counters are those circulated by people. Nobu's government was one that dispelled old beliefs in the coming of a new age, but that was something man-made. She can't shine a light on a darkness that has always been there. Furthermore, the ancestral beast's body is being fueled by the minute, while Nobu is burning her own body. There's no doubt which will last longer.
But this is just the beginning of the plan. Nobu calls for Iyo, and alongside her, Yamanami (who's changed into his haori now) appears with Okita and Hajime (both also in their haori now). The Shinsengumi try to cut down Rikyu, who avoids it with the power of the black mud. Obviously they seem to just be trying to buy Iyo time. Rikyu says it's pointless, since Iyo is someone who brings ruin to those around her simply by existing, and there's no escaping that, and not even Iyo denies this. However, she thinks back to when she was saved by Himiko, and how she had heard that there's no such thing as a good or bad power, it's all about how you use it. In other words, this is her time to make good use of her power. She enters her other ascension and begins chanting.
Iyo:
The first heaven holds a perpetual night, our ancestors beasts, the stars fall, and the heavens sink...
---Divine Pearl of Dusk-Shadowed Moon!
The ancestral beast moves towards her, and appears to swallow her whole. Rikyu thanks her for sacrificing herself like that, but soon enough, a light is emitted from the beast.
Iyo:
Yeah...I'm the Priestess of Ruin, and the illegitimate child of the Inverted Moon, who harbors the power of everlasting darkness.
This body calls forth a dark light which brings ruin to all, in the radiance of darkness, and not even the beast god is an exception!
In other words, it seems that she'll take the beast down with herself. Rikyu moves to stop her, but is interrupted again by the Shinsengumi warriors. Yamanami has now also found even more strength, since Akesato is here to cheer him on. Even so, Rikyu thinks Iyo's suicide attack is pointless, since the pit of everlasting darkness is a bottomless one. Even if Iyo temporarily reduces the godhood of the beast, it'll eventually feed on enough to reconstitute itself. That is to say, Rikyu doesn't even need to beat you, just stall. But Nobu reminds her that this is just the beginning of the plan. With that, you use your second Command Spell, this time on Rengoku Alter.
In the name of the Counter Force, Rengoku will stop Rikyu. Boundless power surges from the Command Spell into the body being controlled by Rengoku, as he activates the Noble Phantasm.
But Rengoku seems to not have hit neither Rikyu nor the ancestral beast, just the walls of the cave. But that was exactly the intention. Nobu says this is it, and suddenly green tea gushes out of the hole made by Rengoku. Mitsunari appears, apologizing for letting Rikyu wait, but he had to prepare this tea ceremony before he could come. And now, she'll get a taste of her own medicine.
There's a flashback to slightly before you confronted Rikyu, discussing the plan. Rikyu's tea has the power to neutralize the black blood of the beast, so all you have to do is fill that black pit with a bunch of tea. Of course, it's the size of a small lake, so there's no way you would be able to do that, but Mitsunari seems to have an idea. He asks Nobu if she remembers Hideyoshi's siege on Takamatsu. Nobunaga remembers that it happened at least, since it was at the same time that she died at Honnoji. But basically, it involved Hideyoshi diverting a river to flood the castle. In other words, you just do that somehow. Rengoku, with the help of a Command Spell, will be able to carve out the path necessary in an instant, so you're just relying on Mitsunari to produce that much tea. But he tells you to trust him, because all the tea distributed in this world was managed by Mitsunari at Rikyu's request. He just has to gather up all the surplus tea here.
Still, Hajime doesn't seem to trust him completely yet, and Mitsunari understands that, but he has also come to a realization that he was so preoccupied with the Toyotomi that he didn't see that his actions led to the downfall of the clan. So, as soon as this is over, he'll accept his punishment. You trust him, and even Chacha, who's barely awake, says that Hideyoshi once said that he had never been betrayed by Mitsunari, not even once. Chacha apologizes for what happened at Sekigahara, but Mitsunari says it's completely his fault for going up against Ieyasu without knowing his own power. He has always regretted not being able to make up for it to Hideyoshi and Hideyori in the afterlife.
Chacha:
My Lord wouldn't care about something like that. After all, he always used to say:
"I'm so very proud of Sakichi, like my very own son"
Chacha's somber words let you know it's fine to trust Mitsunari, and so the only thing left is to figure out Iyo's part of the plan. Cut to the cave (still during the flashback), where Gudao has found Iyo somewhere it seems. She had been thinking (or dreaming?) about Kukochihiko, about how he fought for Kunakoku, about how their kingdom was a poor one that could only sustain itself by robbing those around it. They couldn't feed everyone, but they didn't want to deprive anyone either, so the kingdom fell. But Kuko came back in order to atone for himself, by way of Iyo. She suddenly hears Himiko's voice, saying something about Kukochihiko, and with renewed resolve, Iyo says you need to go and do this.
And so you're back to present time. Iyo is subduing the beast's godhood, and the dark pit is filled with tea. Rikyu can't stand it, and her fury grows larger.
She commands the beast to devour Mitsunari, who's frozen in place, when suddenly, someone saves him. It's Kukochihiko. He, as well as Himiko, have been brought back by Iyo's power. Kuko says he's not doing this to help you guys, especially not Himiko. He was just helping Mitsunari: his friend. Now, with the priestesses of light and ruin, Kuko's sword powers up as man and beast intertwine. Himiko also uses her power to purge darkness, and Iyo hers to covet a darkness where not even time can reach. The three of them together create a powerful light that assails the ancestral beast.
Rikyu is devastated. Her fury and her darkness alike are being washed away. She won't let powerful people like you rob her, a weakling, of this grief and the blackened world. This is your chance to put an end to this, and with your last Command Spell, everyone, Nobu, Rengoku, the Shinsengumi, and Iyo charge forward.
Iyo kicks the shit out of the beast, and Nobu tells Rikyu to fall into the pit of darkness alongside it. But before that, Chacha has something she needs to do. Rengoku throws her into the pit of darkness in order for her to get Tsurumatsu out. Mitsunari won't fail them again, so he reaches his hand into the pit, which burns it immensely, but everyone else join in with helping him, and you manage to get Chacha and Tsurumatsu out safely. The mother consoles her child, and Nobu sees to the departure of the ancestral beast; a god whose powers are no longer needed in the world of man.
The fight is over, and Kuko begins to disappear, as it's time for him to return to the light. Iyo thanks him, but wonders how he managed to come back in the first place. He responds by saying that he didn't come back technically, he just borrowed someone else's body and put his head on it after he was pushed into hell. In other words, Serizawa's body. Kuko also apologizes for taking advantage of Mitsunari, who at first wants to retort saying he was the one who took advantage of Kuko, since he's nothing more than a...but he stops himself. In the end, he was nothing more than a friend.
Akesato also begins to disappear (or fade, rather, since she's not a Servant), and before she does, she thanks Yamanami for coming today, just as she did back then. He then realizes that she's the reason he was even summoned here, and she disappears. You need to get out of here soon too, as the place is collapsing (and Nobu really wants something better to drink than tea). Finally, Tsurumatsu is about to disappear. Chacha is sad that he can't go with his mother, but she understands it has to be this way, and Sute assures her that he's strong enough to go on his own. He's her son after all.
But then, something moves.
Sen no Rikyu:
---I won't let that happen!
I won't let you get away!
Section 10: Farewell to Niraikanai
Rikyu is still alive, and she won't let Tsurumatus escape her wrath against Hideyoshi. As the strong devour the world in front of them, the weak cry out in despair.
She takes Tsurumatsu into her own body, taunting you to come get him. Now she has taken him, just as Hideyoshi once took her. You all try to move in on her, but she forces you back with the same magic as before. You wonder how she can still access the black blood powers, until you realize: this is just how she is. How many souls must one person take into their own body in order to accumulate such hatred and vengeful thoughts? Hers is the wrath of all the nameless who left the world, with no one to plead to, and no one to ask for strength. Those who existed only to be trampled.
They ask why Tsurumatsu has to be dragged into this. He didn't have anything like that happen to him, he just died shortly after death. And that's her point. This world is one where we are born without reason, and die without reason, and it is a mistake. Thus, return all to darkness. Peaceful, tranquil darkness. And so, with her own hands, she paints the world black.
Everything is consumed by darkness, and suddenly you find yourself standing in the lifestream from FF7---I mean, in some green, glowing river. Rikyu is there in her first ascension, seemingly back to normal, preparing tea. She says this is Niraikanai, the place whence souls return after death. It is the beginning and the end, where light and darkness come together and unravel. She hands you a cup of tea, and says drinking it will relieve you of your suffering. That of bearing the world on one's shoulder, being forced to keep on going until the very day you fall down and die. A world that allows or necessitates such a being's existence should not be allowed. That's why she wants to relieve you, and in order to prevent this whole thing repeating itself, she wants to turn the world into darkness.
Gudao, as the anime protagonist they are, respond with a simple question: what's fun about a world of darkness? That fun and enjoyment would trump the tranquility she fights for is at first baffling, but she soon snaps out of it. If that's all the reason you stand before her now, then so be it. But her rage will not subside.
Her third ascension, separate this time, appears with the name Komahime, telling Rikyu this has gone on for long enough. But Rikyu can't stand for it. She was born of no crime, and was killed of no crime. An unrequited soul which was trampled on by the wars of man. Someone has to take on the anger of these people who cannot voice it for themselves. And for that reason, Rikyu is prepared to kill gods and Buddha alike in heaven. But Komahime makes it clear she doesn't bear such a grudge. Of course, she holds some resentment, but not all-encompassing. She's sad she had to leave her family, but she adores the scenery she once experienced. She was simply born, and she simply died, but the moments alive in that beautiful world...those were truly enjoyable.
Rikyu still seems to have a hard time grasping this, and Komahime says it's been fun being with Rikyu in this place too, and she's grateful that Rikyu would go so far for the sake of others. Rikyu feels it's a bad look that an old person like her is being told off by a kid, so she sips her tea, and remarks on its poor taste. How did she never notice the tea she brewed was so bad? But Gudao points out that the tea they first got here was delicious. Rikyu talks about how tea is something to be shared and enjoyed, and somewhere down the line she took the wrong path. She will return this body to Komahime, and as for Tsurumatsu, she brings him out safely. Now, she'll go with Komahime into the light of Niraikanai once and for all. She asks you to apologize to Mitsunari and Chacha for her, and as she disappears, you tell her that next time you'll serve her tea. And so, her grand tea ceremony concludes. At least she had some fun.
With the disappearance of Rikyu (but not Komahime, since she got her body back), Nobunaga, Okita, and the rest appear beside you. It seems that they had been stuck somewhere else, "drowning" in the black tea. Mitsunari recognizes that this is now the actual Komahime, and he apologizes for what he did in life. He should have had the courage to stop Hideyoshi's orders. But Chacha says it's her fault Hideyoshi even got to that point, and that all of the Toyotomi's sins are on her. However, Komahime simply ask that they both stop and apologize to themselves. More importantly, Tsurumatsu is up again.
TIP
(I should point out during this whole scene, Chacha's nametag is changed to "Yodo-dono")
He says he finally made it to where he needed to go, and when Chacha asks why he had to come here, he simply says: "Because my brother is waiting for me." He says Hideyori has been waiting for him this whole time, saying that if they didn't go ahead, their mom and dad wouldn't be able to rest peacefully. Tsurumatsu had to go on ahead, or his brother would be stuck crying here for a long time. So he'll do this because he loves his family, and he's a big boy now, so he won't cry. Chacha asks to hold him one last time, and she embraces his tiny little body, praising him for doing such a good job. She's so proud of him. In return, he thanks her for never forgetting him. In the distance, someone else calls out to him:
Hideyori is beckoning his brother. He tells his mother than neither of the two hold any grudges towards their mother, as she was a kind mother who went against the rules of the time for the sake of her children. They were happy to have been born to the parents they had, and now they'll leave them finally.
Toyotomi Tsurumatsu:
Farewell mother, and take care!
The children disappear, and even Nobu praises them. With this settled, Mitsunari can finally feel at ease, and so he begins to disappear. He promises to inform Hideyoshi of his boys' end. But Chacha makes a slight correction. It's not "them" and "him" with those boys and Mitsunari, because to Hideyoshi, Mitsunari was just as precious deep in his heart. And so, accepting that Hideyoshi will be proud of him too, Mitsunari disappears, and Chacha is so very proud of all her boys, even him.
Everything starts to crumble, and you finally let Iyo and Himiko take you home.
--ARROW--
Back in Chaldea, some of the other Sevants laugh at how weird it is to beat the enemy with tea, while Yamanami talks it out with Hijikata, and Mori checks on Chacha's wound from earlier. Rengoku says Majin is still not back entirely, but it probably won't take long. Iyo is asking Himiko what some machine does, and she explains you press the button and tea pours out, and Iyo just keeps asking about every other thing.
Iyo has been talking non-stop since she got here, probably since she was stuck in nowhere for such a long time all on her own. Suddenly, she asks Himiko how "far she got" with Gudao, since apparently Himiko had told her that she's going to Chaldea to "go on a date with her Master". Himiko is all flustered and denies it, so Iyo says in that case, she's free to make a move, and she formally introduces herself to you.
Digression: A GudaGuda Chanoyu Tale
Nobu is all up in arms because Komahime is in Chaldea, serving tea. Mashu had stumbled upon this golden tea room and met her there. Apparently she had felt a bit left out just watching through "Rikyu's eyes" that whole time, and since she missed the opportunity to just have a chat with you, she just sort of tagged along in the reishift back here. Oh, also she brought you the Grail you forgot back there. Nobu is ashamed at Chaldea's security, but nonetheless accepts the tea. It's unbearably sweet though, because Komahime always thought Rikyu's tea was too bitter, so she tried to change it up (which means she just dumped a ton of sugar into it). Nobu says it's shit, and suddenly Komahime changes into Rikyu (as in, her first ascension form) who says it's important to be flexible in preparing tea, but this is just over the line. Just as suddenly, she changes back into Komahime, who explains that apparently Rikyu returned to her mind, and so basically they have the power to just change back and forth between the two at will.
Rikyu says it's a pleasure to see you again, and while Nobu begs her to leave, she says she's here to repent for the shitty tea Komahime served. She can't pass on until she rectifies this tea-disgrace. Basically, she'll just stick around to teach Komahime to eventually make you good enough tea that she can be proud of. Mori appears and at fist seems angry that you trust Rikyu, but then starts talking about how he got to stab Chacha and how he'll stab Rikyu if it comes to it. However, Komahime is kinda scared, since if Rikyu gets stabbed that means she also gets stabbed.
Next Iyo appears, wanting to greet Komahime, and Nobu asks if she can't just make Rikyu disappear. However, Iyo makes a nice little reference to the ending and says that just like with her, for Rikyu it's all about using her powers for the right thing.
THE END
Post-Story & True-Epilogue: Let's Settle It! Japan's Strongest Master of Tea Ceremony
Komahime is practicing making tea, but it's still really bad. Even having good ingredients, the best tools, and Rikyu teaching her doesn't seem to help. She figures she has absolutely no talent for this stuff, and just wants to give up and get tea from a vending machine instead (which Rikyu feels ashamed of). Suddenly Yamanami enters the room all stressed. On the bridge, they explain to you that the Singularity has somehow reappeared, even though it was supposed to have collapsed completely already. Da Vinci says it's probably something to do with the remaining black blood, but a bit different this time. She also shows you an image:
The whole place has been flooded by tea. Mashu points out that the thing in the middle looks like a "tea pillar" (茶柱), which is basically when you have a tea stalk which floats upright in your cup, and is considered a lucky sign. Regardless of what it is, someone appears on the intercom (using that Nazgúl sprite and no nameplate). It greets the Servants of Chaldea, thanking for their help in New Yamataikoku. Nobu remarks that the voice sounds pretty robotic, and Da Vinci seems to think they're modulating their voice. You ask who they are, and they say you can just call them "Mysterious Tea Master X". Nobu is (just like me fr) getting sick of all these mysterious X's and whatnot. TeaX says that in this reinstated world, they'll hold the "Grand Kitano Tea Ceremony Budō Gathering" (北野大茶湯武道会)!
Mashu explains what the Grand Kitano Tea Ceremony is (just check the link above) and says she learned about this because she became interested in tea when you were out fighting the ancestral beast, so she just went to the library and hit it up. However, she didn't find anything related to Budō (basically refers to martial arts) with it. TeaX says it'll be an event to determine the strongest master of tea ceremony. Nobu says there's no way she'll go to something as shady as this, but TeaX tries to lure you in by showing another Grail. But this is a grail which has been used to hold tea, so it's a Holy Tea Grail. Anyone who drinks tea from this would surpass Servants by a landslide (titledrop almost).
Rikyu gives some more info on this, among other things how it was supposed to last 10 days but ended up only lasting 1 for unknown reasons. Rikyu basically says that the reason was actually because the fighting was so fierce the tea masters were injured. That competition was a fierce battle of spirits, so you can't just go at it as some normal tea brewing. Still, she's surprised anyone nowadays know about that. Regardless, your only real choice here is to enter into the competition, and you at first think Rikyu should go for obvious reasons, but she declines. She's already retired, and it's time for newcomers to pave the way. That means Gudao, but of course she'll send someone she trusts to know a lot about tea with you: Komahime. She's shy and doesn't want to go, but Rikyu keeps swapping her back, and eventually Da Vinci just reishift you before she has a chance to object further.
The Iron Man of Ochazuke (「お茶漬けの鉄人」)
Hijikata is going crazy because he wants some pickled daikon radishes on his Chazuke (rice with green tea poured on it), and he will accept nothing else. Komahime is unsure though, since it seems even his eyes are glowing red from overdosing on salt. Yamanami thinks there's something wrong too. No matter how much Hijikata might like this food, he'd never go this far, and Komahime thinks it's the power of the Holy Tea Grail. Basically, it's turning people into "mad tea masters", and she also thinks it's warped his facial features to something really ugly. But Okita clarifies that's just what he looks like. Hijikata keeps screaming for his daikon on tea so you fight him.
The Master and Expert (「達人と達人」)
Li Shuwen and Rikyu are just staring at each other. Eventually, Rikyu makes some tea, and Li drinks it. He says it's very good, so good that he wouldn't care if it was poisoned. To show his gratitude, he'll beat you up. Rikyu thanks him, and says Komahime will be the one to take the hit, and then the two girls bicker about that, since Komahime obviously neither wants to get hit, nor is she particularly good at fighting. You ask Iyo what she thinks, and she just says that both she and Himiko had to make use of their fists (and feet) now and then too, so Komahime better just step up.
Yamatai Teahouse (「邪馬台お茶屋敷」)
Okuni is here! Apparently she fell asleep in the cold mountains and wound up here somehow, and Okita thinks she basically just died. Komahime recognizes Okuni and is apparently a huge fan, though she never got to see a performance in life. She'd be super happy if Okuni had some discounted tickets for sale. Okuni asks if Komahime would like two go on stage with her, since she obviously appears to be a diamond in the rough, and while she's apprehensive at first, Komahime soon agrees.
Komahime plays some ghost who's come back to haunt Yamanami because he broke some cherished tea cups, and even Iyo has some (halfassed) lines. But Komahime isn't hooked on playing a grudgeful spirit. She would've more liked to be a tragic heroine or something. Yamanami also isn't sure about this script, but Hajime and Okita, watching from the side, seem to really enjoy his part in this. Okuni tells them to shut up, because it's time for the big climax: the fight between Komahime and Yamanami.
Tea Ceremony without Virtue (「仁義なき茶の湯」)
Ryoma and Oryou are here, and they've set up a branch of their business here too. Actually, they came here shortly after you did, and was part of the tea distribution chain. They were part of why Mitsunari was able to gather up all the tea so quickly. Ryoma explains that Mitsunari was fair under his own law and respected the people of the land, to the point where a lot of people helped out with the tea in the end. He also explains that he's here mostly because (and it cuts to a scene to explain this actually) Izou has set up the "okada clan" to take over the tea business after Mitsunari is gone. He has some chibi nobbus to help him, and says he was tricked by Ryoma into coming here to help them move tea. But now Mitsunari is gone and he can sell all the tea and not even pay taxes. You're in the same room as him all of a sudden, and while you think he was a bad guy for this, he says he did it to fight the oppressive regime of Mitsunari (or at least, that's what the robed guy who gave him a power boost said). Oryou says if he just worked hard he would've paid off his debt by now, but he won't have it. He'll be rich selling bootleg goods here, so then you fight.
Visitors from a Meteor (「流星からのお客様」)
Somehow, you've gotten lost in a desert. You're really thirsty, and Iyo is about to give you some tea when Ranmaru pops out of nowhere and says it's her duty to serve tea to her Lord. Komahime thinks Ranmaru is cute, and introduces herself. Either way, Ranmaru just came here from a few galaxies over and brought some Metero Matcha for you. Rikyu wonders what kind of tea it is, but before you can get an answer, Iyo sees something in the sky heading towards you. It's something shiny falling. You duck, and one of those black giants from GudaGuda3 appear, except it's green and screaming about matcha. It's the legendary meteoric tea beast that destroyed the matcha galaxy long ago. Ranmaru thinks maybe it followed the scent of the tea she brought. Nobu thinks these developments are just too out there, and you should just get this over with. Komahime on the other hand is just happy to see how eccentric everyone at Chaldea is.
Come Home, Alter-Chan (「帰ってきてオルタちゃん」)
You find yourself in a white space, which Rengoku explains is basically like the mental space of Majin. Basically, Majin hasn't come back yet precisely because this place is all blank. Apparently she's actually stuck in some rock instead, which they show a picture of. It's probably because of the Holy Tea Grail, but you can't access this thing from the outside, so you have to deal with it from inside here. Chacha just walks up to the picture and knocks on the rock, calling Majin down for dinner like a good mom. There's no response, so you think of other ways to get her out. You assemble a musical group of summer Nobu, Komahime, and Iyo. They play some incredibly dissonant music (unfortunately I can't find it on atlas), mostly because of Nobu's guitar being real out of place. But suddenly, Majin comes out. And then another one. And another one. The music was just too much and it messed with her internal systems, like white blood cells attacking a virus. You just have to beat them up to reduce the available resources. Also, Rikyu tells you that they might look the same but if you pay close attention you can notice a slight difference (basically the E one has a glimmer at her feet).
Perfect Day for GudaGuda Tea Ceremony (「ぐだぐだ茶の湯日和」, unlocks after all the others)
You head to the place where the tea ceremony competition is to be held for real, but you don't see any signs of TeaX. Suddenly they appear, congratulating you on beating all the other strongest candidates. Komahime demands them to reveal themselves, and they say they are the original champion of the contest: "Super Sen no Rikyu". But wait, that doesn't make any sense, does it? Rikyu is supposed to be fused with Komahime? Turns out, when she checks, Rikyu is nowhere to be found inside her. Using the power of the Holy Tea Grail, Rikyu no longer needs to borrow the body of Komahime. She'll use its power to wipe out all these trash teachers and leave only the best of the best around. They're still sorry about the whole ancestral beast thing, the only reason they're doing this is because of that damned matcha latte that Komahime drinks from the vending machines all the time. She tried to be accepting and patient of new forms of tea, but no matter how you look at it, matcha latte is matcha latte. Such a thing just shouldn't exist in this world. Even though it's all about flexibility, there's definitely a limit to what should be done. So, she will defeat you here and wipe out matcha latte from the world! Of course, you'll oppose her since matcha latte is delicious, but you have to stop shortly of killing her, so Komahime isn't dragged down to hell with her.
You beat her, and she collapses to the ground. But it's all in vain.
Super Sen no Rikyu:
As long as matcha latte exists in the world, another will take my place.Nobunaga:
No, I really don't think there is anyone else who hates matcha latte this much.
Okita asks Nobu to shut up for a bit even if she's totally right, and Rikyu asks Komahime that, when the time comes, she protects the world with proper tea. In the end, she asks that Komahime serves her teacher tea one last time. And so, Komahime prepares some tea while Rikyu waits patiently. She serves it, and... Rikyu perks up, then turns to Iyo and Yamanami, ordering them to taste it. They too perk up. It's delicious! She's done it! Gudao tries some too and it really is amazing! Komahime doesn't think she was doing anything differently, but Rikyu can tell she finally relaxed her body that was all stiff and stressed out over trying too hard to make a good cup of tea. No matter how good you are, you can't make good tea like that. She says that this was all a charade for this purpose (obviously there's no such thing as a grand tea ceremony martial arts battle), and it was so elaborate so that you could have some fun in the meantime, though she might have gotten carried away slightly. But Komahime doesn't think you can just leave it here. Even if the intent was to get her to relax, there are just some things that cross the line. Rikyu turns to you, and clinging to you, begs you to help her out of this situation. But you throw her under the bus, and Komahime bids her a nice trip to hell.
Some time later, somewhere else.
You're all having a picnic. Himiko asked the sun-related servants of Chaldea to make sure the weather was nice today, and you've found a nice blanket to sit on. Nobukatsu has laid down his cloak for Nobu to sit on, while Mori serves the food, and Majin pulls Rengoku around, full of energy after sleeping so long. Rikyu thanks you all for coming to her grand tea ceremony. People drink tea and eat food and have a good time talking, while Gordolf complains about sitting with his legs like the Japanese people do on the ground. At least he gets to enjoy his afternoon tea. Yamanami remarks on how strange it is to finally have tea with the Sakamoto, and Oryou tries to serve them tea made from frogs, but he just says to go feed it to Izo. Chacha also made some tea, with some added sugar for those who don't like the bitterness. Some others also made their own tea, and they all have their own unique qualities (though Rengoku would rather people just say it tastes bad if it tastes bad).
Majin also takes the opportunity to thank Rengoku for helping Shusha, even if she herself wasn't able to be there. Mashu also made some tea for you, and some biscuits too. Even Medusa shows up(!) wanting in on the tea action. Iyo wants to go try some other tea with Komahime, who says she'll catch up shortly. Once Iyo leaves, Komahime takes the opportunity to wholeheartedly thank Rikyu for this. And not just this as in the picnic. She is someone so frail they could never be a Servant, and now the day has come when she got to experience all of this. It's truly been a once-in-a-lifetime thing that made her heart soar. Mashu comes over to tell them Gudao pushed over the kettle, and they go to help. As the cherry blossom petals swirl around them, Komahime thinks back on her family, on the sorrowful things she left behind in life, and how despite all that has happened...Komahime is having a good time.
THE ACTUAL END