Is That the Best You Can Do?

Synopsis
Geffen, late in the afternoon.

Roan decides to train himself for their returning expedition inside Geffen Tower while Maaya and Yuufa do their share of the chores. Meanwhile, an Assassin and a Hunter (see Episode 02) just arrives from the Orc Village.

Later on, Takius finally recuperates from being poisoned earlier with the help of Yuufa. After receiving some food Yuufa prepared, Takius answers Yuufa's questions. The Magician tells Yuufa that entering Geffen Tower is her duty and her goal.

Night falls, and the party regroups in front of the entrance to the Tower before heading forth.

Unlike the previous expedition, the journey inside the dungeon is smoother, with the help of Roan's Fire Katana. He manages to finish off the Argos and Whispers that approach them with ease. The remaining Whispers soon decide to use their ability to be invisible and they attack the party without fail. Takius then advises Yuufa to use Ruwach; this summons a flame which reveals the presence of the Whispers, which Roan defeats with his weapon.

They proceed to unexplored grounds. In her search for rare items, Maaya encounters a Jakk, which chases her; this creates a cat-and-mouse chase which brings them to an unusual place. Roan manages to finish the pursuit by defeating the Jakk, with Yuufa's Increase Agility to help.

Roan and Yuufa have no idea where they are; Takius tells them that they are in Geffenia. They stand in front of a large gate, which Takius refers to as the gate "where the ghost sleeps". She then proceeds to open the gates despite Yuufa's worries. When the door becomes ajar, a powerful gust of wind knocks them off their feet.

They find themselves in the middle of a thick fog; Takius watches as a flaming horse emerges from the fog. Yuufa, Takius and Yuufa regroup and Takius identifies the horse as a Nightmare. Meanwhile, Roan finds himself alone elsewhere in the middle of the fog. He meets an exact copy of himself.

Takius receives a powerful charge from the Nightmare and is barely saved by Yuufa. They try to flee the wrath of the Nightmare; on the other side of the battlefield, Roan thinks about the identity of the ghost which has been causing rumors in Geffen and he notices the similarities in their fighting style. Roan decides to attack and experiences the gap between their power; he falls on the attack of his enemy. The next few attacks were parried easily and he falls another time.

Maaya watches in horror as the Nightmare behind them transforms into a half-horse, half-Grim Reaper creature. Takius tries to fire a Frost Diver to the Nightmare, but this was cleaved aside. Maaya is then targeted by the Nightmare; Takius defends Maaya and takes the blow of the attack.

Meanwhile, Roan experiences being humiliated by the ghost as it tells him of not possessing any strenght despite the power of his weapon. Roan tries to attack the ghost once again, finally succeeding in knocking back the ghost. The ghost shows its true face and attacks Roan one more time; the Assassin from earlier appears and blocks the attack of the ghost. Roan identifies him as Iruga from their past journeys. The Assassin then prepares to fight the ghost as it shapeshifts to copy his form, Roan then realizes that the ghost he was fighting was not a normal ghost, but a Doppelganger.

Takius is still unconscious after receiving an attack from the Nightmare and Maaya was still surprised in being saved by Takius. As the Nightmare charges once again, a Falcon appears to distract it. A Hunter appears, using her bow to fire Double Strafes upon the Nightmare. She asks Yuufa to use Heal to Takius and she asks for some assistance from Takius.

Roan watches as the Doppelganger receives a beating from Iruga, who finishes it off using a Sonic Blow. The Hunter fires a final shot at the Nightmare and Takius casts the killing spell, a Lightning Bolt piercing through the Nightmare.

The fog settles down and the party reunites with the two strangers. Yuufa rushes to her long-lost Nii-san, much to the annoyance of the Hunter. Meanwhile, Maaya goes to ask Takius for the reason why she saved her; she answers that it was merely common sense, leaving Maaya somewhat disappointed.

In a distance, a large creature with a goat's features appears, remarking that things are becoming interesting with their defeat of the Doppelganger.

Referbacks
references to previous episodes

New Characters

 * Kafra Glaris - among the members of the Kafra Association, she is the most mature-looking. She also portrays a mentor-like attitude.
 * Kafra W - she is the most energetic and childish among the Kafra.

New Abilities

 * Ruwach - an Acolyte skill, it unleashes a light that reveals hiding and cloaking players and monsters within range.
 * Double Strafing - an Archer skill, ranged attack, that fire two arrows at once.
 * Sonic Blow - an Assassin's signature technique, it unleashes a flurry of attacks towards an opponent with blinding speed.

New Monsters

 * Jakk - a monster shaped like a norman with a pumpkin head. It likes to chase girls who are good-looking, mistaking them for their "one true love".
 * Nightmare - a creature shaped like a horse with purple flames for a tail and mane. It can also transform into a monster whose upper half resembles a Grim Reaper.
 * Doppelganger - a powerful creature originating from Geffenia. It has the ability to shapeshift into its enemy's form.

Ragnarok Online References

 * Geffenia is the ancient city located directly underneath the present Geffen. It is rumored to have been destroyed in a mysterious event, and becomes a haven for sinister creatures like Nightmares and the Doppelganger. In the online game, it is a dungeon area accessible by traversing the lower levels of Geffen Tower.