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決戦! 魔王城!! Decisive Battle! Magus Castle!! Magus' Castle
魔王城 A.D.600 Magus Castle Magus's Lair

The castle is large and imposing. Bats hang from the twisted trees nearby. Frog steps forward.

カエル「ここが…… Frog: This place.... Frog: This can only be...

2-22 魔王城 (Magus Castle) plays. The bats flutter out of the trees and toward the moon, partially hidden behind a huge gargoyle atop the tallest tower. The bat from the cave is still following Crono.

カエル「魔王城だ……! Frog: It's Magus Castle...! Frog: Magus's castle...!

Inside, no music plays. There don't appear to be any monsters, but neither is there any sign of any way to continue inside. The party checks the hallways to the left and the right, which, oddly enough, seem to have humans in them, some of whom are very familiar. After exploring both side halls, a save point appears in the main hall. Sort of. When Crono touches it, it disappears, 2-23 錯乱の旋律 (Melody of Derangement) starts playing, and a shadow with a familiar shape fades in....

カエル「ビネガー! Frog: Vinnegar! Frog: Ozzie!

The bat flies up and hovers next to Vinnegar as he comes into clear view.

ビネガー「よ~く来たグレン、いや
  今はただのカエルだったな。
  今度はそやつらが、サイラスのかわりと
  いうワケか?
  だが魔王様は今大事なぎしきの
  最中だ。
  このワシが相手をしてやる。
  外法剣士ソイソー、空魔士マヨネー。
  そして!

Vinnegar: Good job getting here, Glenn.
No, wait, you're just a frog now.
So this makes those guys your
substitutes for Cyrus this time?
But Magus-sama is in the middle of
an important ritual at the moment.
I'll take you on.
If you can beat the Dark Arts Swordsman
Soysaw, and the Void Mage Mayonnay.
And!

OZZIE: Welcome, Glenn! Or should I say,
 Sir Froggy! Mwa, ha!
 Say, looks like you got some
 replacements for Cyrus!
 Magus is a tad busy right now.
 You'll have to take up your business
 with me...
 ...the swordsman, Slash, and Flea, the
 magician...
 And...!

Soysaw (soy sauce) and Mayonnay (mayonnaise) fit into the same sauce pun theme that Vinnegar and Tarta do. My spellings are chosen to look like they're supposed to sound without being completely unbelievable.

The bat flies away, and monsters appear, surrounding the party.

ビネガー「この魔王城の
  100の魔物を倒せたならばな!
Vinnegar: The hundred monsters here in Magus Castle! OZZIE: You'll have to defeat all 100 of
 the beasts in Magus's castle...!

Thankfully, physical attacks work fine on most of the monsters in the castle. Melody of Derangement keeps playing even during the battle, as it does throughout most of the castle. After the party beats this bunch, the bat comes back to stalk Crono again. In the western hallway, there are now skeletons, and larger monsters overseeing them.

おどれ、おどれ。
こよいはわれら魔族の神がこうたんなさる。
Dance, dance.
Tonight, the god of we Demons will be born.
Dance, DANCE!!
For tonight our leader is to be born!

The bat flies away as the creature notices the party.

お、いけにえが来たか! Oh, so the sacrifice has come! Ah!
Here comes the sacrifice!

Simple battle. The bat returns afterwards. Futher ahead, some skeletons are alternately stabbing each other as another big monster looks on.

ホネとなっても殺しあうとは、おろかな
生き物よ。
Such foolish creatures, killing each
other even after they've turned to bone.
Only a moron would try to kill
something that's already dead!

The bat flies away as the creature notices the party.

お前ら人間はな! You're humans! H...humans!

Another simple battle. The bat returns afterwards, again. Further in, there are what appear to be five humans. Most won't talk, but the apparent leader....

助けて下さい……。 Please save us.... Please help...

She turns around and becomes obviously skeletal.

このくるしみから! From this agony! Relieve us of this misery!

The bat flies away again, as the others shed their disguses. The party is suddenly surrounded by skeletons, and have to fight through, though this fight is even easier than the last two. After the battle, a voice is heard, without the bat returning.

「ほう……
俺がやったムクロどもを
たやすく……。

"Oh...?
How easily you dealt with
the corpses I slew....

Hmmm...
How did you get past my...cadaver
pals?

The screen fades out briefly, then back in to reveal a tall humanoid. His head is blue and resembles a goblin's.

カエル「ひさしぶりだな。
  外法剣士ソイソー……!

Frog: It's been a while.
Dark Arts Swordsman Soysaw...!

Frog: It's been ages,
 Sir Slush!...

The childish insults are pure fabrication and out of character. Frog and Soysaw actually seem to have something of a professional respect for each other.

The bat returns briefly, then leaves again when the dialog resumes.

ソイソー「お前がここまで来るとは
  思いもしなかったぞ、グレン。
  お前もあの時、サイラスがいなければ
  同じ運命になっていたのだ。
  先ほどのムクロ達とな!

Soysaw: I never even supposed that
you might come this far, Glenn.
If Cyrus hadn't been there back then,
you would have had the same fate as well.
The same as the corpses earlier!

SLASH: That's SLASH, you slimy dolt!
 Still playing the comedian, eh Glenn?
 You'd be singing a different tune if
 Cyrus hadn't been there with you
 last time!
 You'd have fit right in with those
 boney fellows you just busted up!

Boss battle time. Soysaw fights bare handed, even though he's supposed to be a swordsman. He doesn't hurt very much... but when his hit points run out, he retaliates with a weak fire attack against the party, then starts talking again.

ソイソー「やるやる。
  ひさかたぶりに、本気で行くか。

Soysaw: Pretty good.
Guess I'll get serious for once.

SLASH: Now, let's get to business.
 This is going to do me a world of
 good!

Soysaw seizes a sword from the wall and pulls it from its sheath.

ソイソー「だがサイラスぬきのお前に……
  私がやれるかッ!?

Soysaw: But without Cyrus, will you...
be able to take me!?

SLASH: And with no Cyrus to protect
 you, you're mine!
 You dare to oppose me?!

The battle continues, tougher than before. Soysaw zips around the room, and uses an attack similar to Crono's Whirlwind Slash to hit several characters at once. He'll also strike one character with an jumping slash from overhead, similar to Crono's Full-Power Slash. There's also a wimpy normal slash, but don't expect to see it very often. Later into the battle, he starts counterattacking with a multi-slash attack, too.

ソイソー「見事……!
  だが魔王様のため戦いやぶれ……
  わが人生にくいなし!

Soysaw: Well done...!
But to fall in battle for Magus-sama....
My life is without regrets!

SLASH: Unbelievable...!
 But falling in the line of duty for
 Magus...
 ...leaves me with few regrets...!

Soysaw fades out, leaving behind a save point and his sword. The bat flies back, too.

ソイソーとうを手に入れた! Got the Soysaw Katana! Got 1 Slasher!

Crono and the others go back and check the right hallway, which has some strange sights. First up are four children standing around a treasure chest.

ほしい?僕達のたからもの……。
そのかわり、僕達と……
あそんで! あそんで! あそんで!
Want it? Our treasure....
Play with us in exchange....
Play! Play! Play!
Do you want our treasure...?
In that case, will you...
Play with us!
Please!
Pretty please!

The bat flies away, and the kids turn into those mutant goops from the future that need to be killed with magic (the treasure is a Barrier Ball). The bat returns after the battle. In the next room is....

...King Guardia, if Marle is in the group....

マールディア……
私が悪かった、城にもどってくれ……。
Marledia....
It's my fault, come back to the castle....
Princess Nadia...
I was wrong!
Please return to the castle...

The bat flies away.

死体となってな! As a corpse! ...as road kill, my dear...!

...Taban, if Lucca is around....

おお、ルッカじゃねーか。 Oh, if it isn't Lucca. Well, if it isn't Lucca!

The bat flies away.

まだ生きてたのか! You're still alive!? You're STILL alive, my dear?!

...or Lucca(!), if Robo is in the party....

ロボ、あんまりムチャしちゃダメよ。 Robo, you mustn't overdo it. Robo, don't waste your strength!

The bat flies away.

どのみち私がこわしちゃうけどね! I'll break you regardless, though! No matter what you do, I'll break you!

In any case, it turns out to be a group of monsters in disguise, and the party has to fight them. They're not too tough, especially if you kill the mage first. The perpetually orbiting bat returns after the battle. Further along is Queen Leene, or at least a lookalike.

カエル、ぶじでしたか。 Frog, you're safe? Frog, you're safe!

The bat flies away.

ならば、私が殺してあげます! In that case, I'll do you a favor and kill you! I guess we'd better do something
about that!

It's an identical battle, and the bat returns afterward. Further along the corridor is an imitation of Crono's mother Gina.

クロノ、お祭りから帰らないと思ったら
こんなトコにいたのね。
Crono, you didn't come home from the festival,
and now here you are in a place like this.
Crono! So THIS is where you've
been since the Festival!
You had me worried sick!

The bat flies away.

そんな悪い子は……
死になさい!
Such a bad boy....
Die!
Children THIS naughty...
...deserve to be punished!

Yes, it's yet another battle, just like the others. The bat returns afterward. At the end of the hallway is a strange creature. The bat flies away again.

カエル「空魔士マヨネー!? Frog: The Void Mage Mayonnay!? Frog: The magician, Flea, I
 presume?

Normal battle. After being hit once, the creature retaliates by dropping the attacker's MP to zero (killing it with a counterattack avoids this), then dies. The bat flutters back.

カエル「今のはマヨネーではない……
  本物は!?

Frog: The one just now wasn't Mayonnay....
Where's the real one!?

Frog: Wait!
 That isn't Flea...
 Where's the REAL Flea?!

The bat moves differently from usual.

「フフ、ここよ、ここ……。 "Huhu, here, right here.... Mwa ha...
Here, over here...

The bat flutters in front of the party and changes into a youthful female form, with a long pink ponytail and a swirling white cape.

「お見限りネ、カエルちゃん! "Give it up, Froggie! Giving up, little tadpole?!
マール「何、このコ? Marle: Who's this girl? Marle: Who IS this person?
ルッカ「誰よ、アンタ! Lucca: Who're you!? Lucca: Hey!
 Who ARE you?!
ロボ「コノ方は? Robo: THIS person is? Robo: Who is this fiend?

方 (kata) is actually a respectful way to say "person", nothing like "fiend".

Frog draws his sword.

カエル「ゆだんするな!
  こいつが空魔士マヨネー!
  ただの女ではない。

Frog: Don't get careless!
This one's the Void Mage Mayonnay!
She's not just any woman.

Frog: Keep your guard up!
 This is no ordinary woman!
 Meet Flea, the magician!
マヨネー「ムキーッ!
  ど~せ、あたいは男ヨ!

Mayonnay: Mukiiii!
Hey, I AM a guy after all!

FLEA: What the...?!
 Hey, I'm a GUY!

Mayonnay uses the same feminine-tough あたい as Ayla did earlier.

マール「男なの、このコ! Marle: A guy, this girl! Marle: THAT is a GUY?!
ルッカ「ゲ! 男なの、アンタ!? Lucca: Geh! A guy, YOU!? Lucca: Say what?!
 That's a guy?!
ロボ「外見はあきらかに女性としか
  思えマセンガ……。

Robo: I CAN think nothing BUT that the
appearance is obviously female....

Robo: But its exterior is that of a
 female...

Mayonnay assumes a provocative pose and blows kisses.

...which isn't exactly normal male bahavior, and the speech is feminine too... actually, on second thought, the speech gives me the impression of someone (like a cross-dresser, perhaps) trying too hard to sound girly and horribly overdoing it. Worse than when Ranma pretends to be a real girl, and that's pretty bad already, as I recall. Anyhow, thank Japan for screwing with your concept of what is and isn't female (see also 女装 and ふたなり).

マヨネー「フフン、けど女でも男でも
  強い者は美しいのヨネ~。

Mayonnay: Huhun, but male, female,
either way, the strong are beauuutiful.

FLEA: Male...female....what's the
 difference?
 Power is beautiful, and I've got the
 power!

I'm embarrassed at how long it took me to realize that the exaggerated ヨネ (yo ne) that Mayonnay tends to end sentences with is the same sound as at the end of his/her/its name, so it's actually wordplay as well as sickeningly cutesy....

Mayonnay yawns showily.

マヨネー「サイラスちゃんがいなくなって
  さみしーのヨネ、カエルちゃんは。
  オマケに、そんなにみにくい姿に
  されちゃって……や~ヨネ!

Mayonnay: With Cyrussie gone,
you must be lonely, Froggie.
And turned into such an ugly form
to make things worse... yuk!

FLEA: Poor little Froggie! You must be
 lonely now that Cyrus is gone.
 And to be turned into something so
 hideous!
 Dreadful!

Mayonnay stops the showy yawning and stands normally.

マヨネー「けど、せっかく新しいお友達と
  あそびに来てくれたんですもの……

Mayonnay: But you've gone to such trouble to
come play with me with your new friends....

FLEA: But since you've brought your
 new friends over to play...

Mayonnay crouches and draws the cape around her... him... whatever... self. Boss Battle 1 finally starts playing.

マヨネー「み~んなまとめて
  おもてなししてあげるのヨネ~!

Mayonnay: I'll settle everything and
show you my hospitality!

FLEA: ...I'll show you all a good time!

The room fades out to be replaced with a scrolling starry backdrop. The carpet is still there, for whatever reason. Mayonnay has many special attacks, most of which end in hearts just to make them more annoying, but isn't unusually hard for a boss.

マヨネー「あ、あたいがやられるなんて……
  魔王様~ッ[heart]

Mayonnay: H, how could I be beaten...?
Magus-samaaaaa [heart]

FLEA: How can this be...
 Sir Magus...

Mayonnay fades out, and the room returns to normal. A Magic Capsule appears on the floor. The bat, of course, doesn't return anymore.

Yes! No more bat! Now I can stop mentioning it flying away before every single battle and back once the battle ends! Though you can beat Mayonnay before Soysaw, and if you do, the bat won't be there for Soysaw's side of the castle. You won't have the Soysaw Katana to fight Mayonnay with, though.

Now that both Soysaw and Mayonnay are beaten, a save point appears in the main hall. Sort of. This time, it's actually a teleporter, and leads to a third, central hallway. Monsters stand guard here. Battle starts playing when the battles start, and keeps playing, even between battles, for the rest of the hallway. Vinnegar stands at the far end, blocking a stairway that leads upward.

ビネガー「来たか…… Vinnegar: So you're here.... OZZIE: I grow tired of this!
ビネガー「ソイソ~ッ!! Vinnegar: Soysaw!! OZZIE: Slash!!
ビネガー「マヨネーッ! Vinnegar: Mayonnay! OZZIE: Flea!

Frog draws his sword.

カエル「ざんねんだったなビネガー。
  ヤツらはもう助けには来れん。

Frog: Too bad, Vinnegar.
Those guys can't come help now.

Frog: Sorry, Ozzie,
 but they can't help you now...
ビネガー「こ、このケロケロ野郎…… Vinnegar: Y, you ribbit bastard.... OZZIE: You fly eating, tongue flicking...!
ビネガー「ビ……
  ビネガー ピ~ンチッ!!

Vinnegar: V....
Vinnegar PINCH!!

OZZIE: Oz...
 Ozzie's in...a jam!!

Vinnegar runs away, up the stairs.

カエル「逃がさん! Frog: I won't let you get away! Frog: Thou can'st not run!

Upstairs, Melody of Derangement resumes. There are a series of conveyor belts, with large blades moving up and down over them. Crossing the first one, the party sees Vinnegar, turning a crank.

ビネガー「ウエ~ルカム……! Vinnegar: Weeelcome...! OZZIE: Welcome...!

After the party crosses two more, Vinnegar speaks up again.

ビネガー「フフ、やりおる。
  だが、これではどうかな?

Vinnegar: Huhu, not bad.
But I wonder how this is?

OZZIE: Mwa, ha...
 How's this ?

Vinnegar turns the crank faster, moving the conveyors and blades faster. Crono and the others cross anyway, and reach Vinnegar.

ビネガー「ぜ~は~ぜ~は~ぜ~は~…… Vinnegar: gasp pant gasp pant.... OZZIE: Urghhhhhh...
ビネガー「ぬうッ! バカな……! Vinnegar: Nhuu! It can't be...! OZZIE: What the...?!
 Impossible...!

Vinnegar flees through a door in the back. The conveyor belts and blades stop moving. The door leads to the outside of the tower. It's sort of like Donkey Kong, but with rolling monsters instead of barrels, and you can't jump. Hitting a roller starts a fight with it and any other monsters that are floating around nearby. Another door leads inside farther up the tower. Vinnegar stands next to a crank on the far side of this room. If you step on the wrong (completely unmarked) spot, Vinnegar turns the crank and opens a trapdoor underfoot. The first time the party falls down, they have to fight a group of skeletons. Once the skeletons are dead, there are some treasures to collect, including a Magic Capsule in one corner. After that, it's just figuring which of the four save point lookalikes is actually a teleporter that leads back to the room above. Two of the others are monsters that don't fight back, and the third is a real save point. Open trapdoors stay open, so each only works once. The party eventually reaches Vinnegar.

ビネガー「ぜ~は~ぜ~は~ぜ~は~…… Vinnegar: gasp pant gasp pant.... OZZIE: Urghhhhhh...
ビネガー「ぬうッ! バカな……! Vinnegar: Nhuu! It can't be...! OZZIE: What the...?!
 Impossible...!

And he retreats again. This door leads to another outside area, much like the first, except that there are now ground monsters, and the rollers here explode when killed. There is again a door back inside higher up the tower. In here, there are holes along the walls, with chains extending down into them. When the party passes certain chains, they start moving, pulling up monsters to fight. Battle plays from the beginning of the first fight, and continues even between battles. At the far end is Vinnegar, turning a crank. When the party beats the last set of monsters....

ビネガー「ぬうッ! バカな……! Vinnegar: Nhuu! It can't be...! OZZIE: What the...?!
 Impossible...!

He turns the crank furiously, but nothing happens. The music fades out.

ビネガー「ぜ~は~ぜ~は~ぜ~は~…… Vinnegar: gasp pant gasp pant.... OZZIE: Urghhhhhh...
ビネガー「ちいッ! うちどめか! Vinnegar: Dammit! Is this the end!? OZZIE: Grr... This takes the cake!

Vinnegar retreats upstairs. Melody of Derangement resumes. Upstairs, monsters ambush the party from behind statues, and Battle plays plays continuously from the beginning of the first battle. After one more staircase, they find Vinnegar again, this time with nowhere to run. Four cranks are nearby.

ビネガー「ぜ~は~ぜ~は~ぜ~は~…… Vinnegar: gasp pant gasp pant.... OZZIE: Urghhhhhh...

You know, he must not be in very good shape, despite all that running (away) he does...

カエル「ねんぐのおさめ時だな
  ビネガー。
Frog: Time to pay the piper, Vinnegar. Frog: Thy time hath cometh, Ozzie.

He draws his sword and holds it threateningly. The others also ready their weapons.

ビネガー「グゲゲ……
  だが魔王様は、すでに
  呼び出しているだろうよ……
  ラヴォス様をな!!

Vinnegar: Ghgehgeh....
But I'll bet Magus-sama
is already summoning....
Lavos-sama!!

OZZIE: Harharhar...
 I'm sure Sir Magus has already
 called for reinforcements...!
 Wait until Lavos arrives!!

He reaches an arm out menacingly.

ビネガー「やられはせん、やられはせんぞ!
  ワシのバリアーはあらゆる攻撃を
  うけつけぬのだ!

Vinnegar: I won't be beaten, I WON'T be!
My barrier rejects all attacks!

OZZIE: I shan't be defeated!
 No form of attack will break MY
 barrier!

Boss Battle 1 starts playing. Vinnegar raises his arms, and encases himself in what looks like a block of ice. If anyone tries attacking him, the damage is pathetic, and Vinnegar taunts....

「ど、こ、を、ねらってる ばかめっ Where. Are. You. Aiming? You damn fool. What are you aiming at, you fool?

...a wave of energy blasts from the barrier, damaging all allies. So they try hitting a crank instead....

ビネガー「ギエ~ッヘッヘ!! Vinnegar: Gyeh, heheh!! OZZIE: Hahahahahaha!!

...and a trapdor opens to the left of the party. Attacking directly is still useless, so they hit another crank....

ビネガー「どこをならっておる! Vinnegar: Where're you aiming!? OZZIE: Watch where you're aiming!
 Guwa, ha, ha...

...and a trapdoor opens to the right of the party. Attacking directly is still useless, so they hit a third crank....

ビネガー「ギエ~ッヘッヘ!! Vinnegar: Gyeh, heheh!! OZZIE: Hahahahahaha!!

...and a trapdoor opens in the midst of the party members, but not where anyone is actually standing. Attacking directly is still useless, so they hit the last crank....

ビネガー「ギエ~ッヘッヘ!! Vinnegar: Gyeh, heheh!! OZZIE: Hahahahahaha!!
ビネガー「ン!? Vinnegar: Huh? OZZIE: Eh?!

...and a trapdoor opens under Vinnegar. He falls in, and hits the ground some distance below with a loud cracking sound.

The third party member remarks.

マール「な~んだ、たいした事
  なかったね!
Marle: Huh, that was no big deal! Marle: That was a breeze!
ルッカ「何だったのよ、あいつ…… Lucca: What was that guy's problem...? Lucca: That guy was totally bent...
ロボ「何だったんデショウ?
  あのビネガーは……

Robo: What COULD his problem have BEEN?
That Vinnegar....

Robo: What was that guy's
 problem?
 That Ozzie...

Two apparent save points appear. One is an actual save point; the other is a teleporter to continue in.

カエル「いっこくをあらそう!
  急ぐぞ、魔王のもとへ!

Frog: We're in a race against time!
Hurry, to where Magus is!

Frog: We must hurry to
 Magus's place!

The teleporter leads to a simple staircase outside. An eerie chanting is heard, and bats swoop down from above.

Remember how Vinnegar said there were 100 monsters in the castle? Not counting the fake save points, the rollers on the two outdoor ledges (they never stop coming), and Magus, Vinnegar, Mayonnay, and Soysaw themselves, these bats, the final monsters before Magus, bring the total to exactly 100. Amazing.

At the bottom of the stairs is a doorway. The room inside is dark, and the chanting is louder.

「ダ・ズマ・ラフア・ロウ・ライラ…… "Da zuma lafwa roh laira.... Neuga, ziena, zieber, zom...

There's no apparent meaning, so I went with a phonetic approximation.

The party walks into the room. Blue flames appear to either side of the path at regular intervals in the otherwise dark room as they pass by.

「つむがれよ、天と地のはざまに…… "Be woven betwixt heaven and earth.... Now the chosen time has come...

The party continues into the room, and the flames keep appearing as they pass by.

「この大地の命と引きかえに……! "In exchange for this earth's life...! Exchange this world for...!

Or possibly, "in exchange for this earth's fate..."; the term usually means life but does have some alternate uses. Perhaps more importantly, it's unclear who is exchanging the earth's for for what. The obvious meaning, at this point in the game, is that he's offering up the earth's life to this Lavos creature he's creating, but anyone who's played through the game knows that not only did he not create Lavos, he actually furiously hates it. More likely, he seeks to offer something to Lavos in exchange for Lavos giving up its hold on the earth's life... and not a friendly offer, since the only thing he seems to want to give Lavos is death.

The chanting suddenly stops. The flames continue ahead of Crono and the others, circling around an area just ahead. A circle that looks magical comes into view, ringed by the blue flames, and Magus is standing in its center. Frog pulls out the Grandleon.

カエル「魔王ッ!! Frog: Magus!! Frog: Magus!!

The others also draw their weapons. The Magus doesn't even turn around.

I'm quite disappointed in how the NA version handles this scene. Magus is supposed to be calm and detached, for one thing....

魔王「いつかのカエルか……。
  どうだ、その後の人生は?

Magus: The frog from that one time...?
How's your life been since then?

Magus: I...it's that stupid frog!
 Kissed any princesses lately?!
カエル「かんしゃしているぜ。
  こんな姿だからこそ……

Frog: I'm grateful.
It's BECAUSE of such a form....

Frog: I rather enjoy this form.
 And I oweth it all to you!

He waves the Grandleon.

カエル「手に入れた物もある! Frog: That I have what I've got! Frog: I have something for you!

2-24 魔王決戦 (Magus Decisive Battle) begins playing. It's rather creepy, but a more energetic kind of creepy than the castle music. And [editorial_comment]it's one of the best tracks in the game, which has great music to begin with[/editorial_comment].

魔王「ほう……。
  きさまがグランドリオンを……。
  だが今度は他の者達が、足手まといに
  ならねばいいがな。

Magus: Oh...?
You have the Grandleon....
But this time, others would
do better not to hinder me.

Magus: Ah...!
 The Masamune!!!
 I bet you're just dying to use it!

The above line is particularly poorly handled in the NA version. Far too many exclamation points, and it completely leaves out Magus's line about how it would be better for everyone to just leave him alone and let him finish.

The Magus stops talking for a moment. His black cape billows out behind him as a breeze is heard.

魔王「黒い風が、また泣き始めた……。
  よかろう、かかって来い……

Magus: The black wind has again begun to howl....
Very well, come at me....

Magus: The black wind begins to
 blow...
 Okay...give me your best shot...

He finally turns around, cape drawn about himself.

魔王「死のかくごが出来たのならな! Magus: IF you're prepared for death! Magus: If you're prepared for the
 void!

He blinks out, then reappears on the edge of the circle, and the battle begins. Magus casts a variety of spells, and also may attack a character physically with a scythe. Physical attacks do little damage to him, and Magus responds to nearly every form of attack by using a barrier change skill that makes every element except one heal him, and casting a spell (Thundaga, Icega, Faiga, or Dark Bomb) of the element corresponding to his new vulnerability. The exception is hitting him with the Grandleon. Like all physical attacks, it doesn't hurt much, but....

グランドリオンで、魔王の魔法防御がダウン Magus's magic defense is down from the Grandleon. Masamune decreases Magus's M def.

The basic strategy is to hit him with the Grandleon, then attack with his vulnerable element. Repeat, healing as needed. After taking enough damage, Magus changes his attack pattern. He stops reacting to attacks, instead keeping the same vulnerability. Soon after, he casts something....

魔王は防御をとき呪文をとなえだした Magus lifted his defense and begin chanting a spell Magus risks casting a spell!

All attacks now deal normal damage, and Magus takes no other action for a while. But unless he goes down quickly, he finishes casting his spell....

ダークマター / 魔王の最大暗黒魔法 Dark Matter / Magus's greatest darkness magic Dark Matter / Magus's strongest attack!

All allies take massive dark-elemental damage. Magus will continue preparing and casting Dark Matter until he falls, but he shouldn't last much longer. The music fades out, and the flames go out one after another. Magus drops to the ground, keeping himself upright only with difficulty.

魔王「くッ、きさまグランドリオンを
  そこまで……

Magus: Y, you, that far, with the
Grandleon....

Magus: W...what have you done to
 the Masamune...?

The candelabra and demonic statue behind him ripple strangely...

The third character responds.

マール「な、何!? Marle: Wh, what!? Marle: What the...?!
ルッカ「こ、これは!? Lucca: Wh, what's this!? Lucca: What's happening!
ロボ「強大なエネルギー反応デス! Robo: It IS a powerful energy reaction! Robo: It's a large-scale energy
 reaction!
カエル「ラヴォスってヤツか!? Frog: That Lavos thing!? Frog: Could it be...Lavos?!

Frog and Crono draw their swords, and even Magus turns to look.

魔王「まずい!
  今、眠りからさめられては……

Magus: Not good!
Being awakened from its sleep now....

Magus: Bad timing...!
 Don't wake up on me now...!
マール「眠り?
  あなたが生み出したんでしょ!?

Marle: Sleep?
You brought it forth, right!?

Marle: Wake up?
 YOU'RE the one who CREATED him!
ルッカ「眠りって!?
  あんたが作ったんじゃないの!?

Lucca: Sleep!?
Didn't you make it!?

Lucca: What do you mean?!
 Didn't you CREATE him?!
ロボ「眠り?
  記録によれば、ちょうどこの時
  ラヴォスはたんじょうしたと……

Robo: Sleep?
According to the records, Lavos
WAS born right at this time....

Robo: What do you mean?
 According to my records, Lavos was
 born here, at THIS precise moment...
魔王「おろか者どもが!
  私は呼び出したにすぎん!
  あれは太古の時より地中深く存在し
  この大地の力を吸いながら
  ゆっくりと成長を続けているのだ!

Magus: Fools!
I did nothing more than summon it!
It has existed deep underground since
ancient times, and is leisurely continuing to
mature as it absorbs this earth's energy!

Magus: You fools!
 I only "summoned" him!
 He lives in the inner earth, absorbing
 the land's power and growing ever
 stronger!
マール「何ですって!? Marle: What did you say!? Marle: What?!
ルッカ「じゃあ、この時代に
  生まれたわけじゃ……

Lucca: Then that means it wasn't
born in this era....

Lucca: So, he wasn't born in this
 period...
ロボ「では、ワタシの時代の記録は
  事実ではないと……

Robo: Then that means the records
of MY era are NOT factual....

Robo: Then my data must be
 incorrect...
カエル「何だ、この感じは!? Frog: What's this feeling!? Frog: What's going on?!

Lavos's Theme beigns to play.

マール「ゲ、ゲート!? Marle: A, a Gate!? Marle: Th, the Gate?!
ルッカ「ゲ、ゲート!?
  それも巨大な……!

Lucca: A, a Gate!?
And how enormous...!

Lucca: A g, Gate?!
 It's huge...!
ロボ「ありえマセン!
  ありえないサイズのゲートの反応デス!

Robo: This can NOT be!
The Gate reaction IS of unthinkable size!

Robo: Impossible!
 A Gate this large should not exist!
魔王「おのれ、きさま達さえ
  現われなければ……!

Magus: Damn you, if only you
vermin hadn't appeared...!

Magus: You!
 If you hadn't shown up...!
マール「クロノッ!! Marle: Cronoo!! Marle: Crono!!
ルッカ「す、吸いこま……! Lucca: W, we're being sucked...! Lucca: We're being drawn in!
ロボ「強大な重力デス! Robo: The gravitation IS very strong! Robo: It's an enormous gravity
 well!
カエル「うおおーッ!! Frog: WHOA!! Frog: Whoa...!!

While making weird Gate-like noises, the room distorts more and more, and something Gate-like, but not exactly a Gate, opens in the middle of the room. Everyone is sucked in. It shuts, with a hideous Lavos scream. The scene fades out....

Incidentally, beating the Magus in A.D.600 affects Medina in A.D.1000, but not by much. Basically, they no longer refer to Magus at all, instead heaping all their praises on Vinnegar, but everything else is still the same. On another side note, the distortion apparently either destroys or otherwise displaces Magus Castle, because there's no trace of it after this event.


The sound of a bell is heard.

「クロノ……
  クロノ!
  クロノったら!

"Crono....
Crono!
Hey, Crono!

Crono....
Crono!
Wake up, Crono!

Fade in to reveal Crono's bedroom. Marle stands next to the bed, where Crono is sleeping, and the cat lies on the floor. Morning Sunlight plays.

マール「いつまでねてるの?
  しごとおくれるよ。

Marle: How long are you sleeping?
You'll be late for your job.

Marle: Honey...you'll be late for
 work!

Marle walks over to the window and opens the curtains. Crono squirms in bed.

マール「ああ、リーネの鐘があんたに
  気持ちよさそうに歌ってる。
  クロノ!
  これ以上父上のお世話にも
  なってられないんだから
  ちゃんとはたらいてよね!

Marle: Ahh, Leene's Bell is
singing so pleasantly.
Crono!
We can't just keep depending
on my father for support, so get
to work like you're supposed to!

Marle: I'd forgotten how beautiful
 Leene's Bell could sound!
 Crono!
 We can't keep sponging off my dad!
 Go out and get a job!

Marle walks away from the bed. Someone keeps talking, but it doesn't seem to be Marle anymore...

「クロ!!
  クロ! クロ!
  クロ! クロ!
  クロ! クロ!
  クロ! クローッ!!

"Cro!!
Cro! Cro!
Cro! Cro!
Cro! Cro!
Cro! CRO!!

Crono!!
Crono! Crono!
Crono! Crono!
Crono! Crono!
Crono! Crono!!

The scene fades out, and hopefully you've figured out by now where and when Crono really is....



Previous Chapter: Fight! Grandleon

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