April 1, 2000Genso Suikoden: Soul Eater 3 (幻想水滸伝 ソウルイーター ⟨下⟩, Gensō Suikoden Souru Ītā Shita lit. Genso Suikoden Soul Eater End) is a book published by Kadokawa Shoten in 2000.
It is the third part of a three-party light novelization of the events of Suikoden. It covers the events of the game from events in Lorimar to the end of the game.
Summary
Are the misfortunes plaguing Tir the work of the Soul Eater’s curse? Determined to uncover the truth behind the rune’s power, Tir, Viktor, Flik, and their allies journey to Lorimar—only to find the region overrun by the undead. Zombies, skeletons, and other horrors roam under the command of Neclord, a general who has become a vampire through the power of a rune.
To stand a chance against him, Tir and his companions must seek out a legendary weapon hidden deep within the fabled Cave of the Rune. But what awaits Tir inside is something he never expected...
Finally, 108 companions gather, and fate leads them to the final battle.
The touching ending of "Suikoden".
Content list
| Page # | Title | |
|---|---|---|
| Chapters | ||
| 15 | 22 - The Man Who Pursues the Night 夜を追う男, Yoru o Ouotoko | |
| Four months after his battle with Teo, Tir is still concerned about the Soul Eater and seeks answers. Hearing of events in Lorimar and seeking potential new allies, Tir and his party make for the Warriors' Village only to learn the new imperial general in the region is an immortal vampire called Neclord. | ||
| 34 | 23 - Journey to the Past 過去への旅, Kako e no Tabi | |
| Tir and the others journey to Qlon Temple in the hopes of finding a way to defeat Neclord. Fukien reveals the Cave of the Past. The party enter and find a sword only to be thrown into the past when Viktor tries to grab it. | ||
| 56 | 24 - Yet Another Battle もうひとつの戦い, Mōhitotsu no Tatakai | |
| Tir and the others witness the destruction of the Village of the Hidden Rune. Returning to the present, Viktor obtains the Celestial Sword and asks to fight Neclord alone. | ||
| 72 | 25 - Knights of the Dragon's Den 竜洞騎士団, Ryū Hora Kishi-dan | |
| With Viktor on his quest to defeat Neclord, Tir returns to Toran Castle where an alliance with the Knights of the Dragon's Den is proposed. Tir, Humphrey, and Flik are forced to sneak in through the Dragon's Den when they are denied entry to their domain. | ||
| 89 | 26 - Sleeping Dragons 眠れる竜, Nemureru Ryū | |
| After sneaking in, Tir's party is confronted in the Dragon's Den by Milia. Discovering that the dragons are in a deep sleep, the party is brought to see Joshua and offer Liukan's services. | ||
| 108 | 27 - Final Reunion 再会の果てに, Saikai no Hate ni | |
| Tir, Milia, and the others land in Seek Valley in search of the Moonlight Herb. Confronted by Windy and a mind-controlled Ted, the power of the Soul Eater restores his autonomy long enough to fight off Windy's control. He commands the Soul Eater to take his soul and dies in Ted's arms as Windy is forced to retreat. | ||
| 130 | 28 - The Speed of the Dragon Knights 竜騎士の捷, Ryū Kishi no Shō | |
| Futch takes off to Gregminster Palace to try and obtain a Black Dragon Orchid. He succeeds but is attacked by Windy while leaving. Black dies and Futch must leave the Dragon Knights, but the dragons are saved, and the Dragon Knights align with the Liberation Army. | ||
| 156 | 29 - Surprise Attack 奇襲, Kishū | |
| Returning from the Dragon Knight's Domain, Tir listens to Mathiu's plan to train the Liberation Army. Bringing a cadre of former imperial officers, the training exercise is revealed to be an all-out attack on the Northern Checkpoint. | ||
| 176 | 30 - Castle in the Sands 砂上の城, Sajō no Shiro | |
| Successful in taking the Northern Checkpoint, Mathiu undertakes a mission to Moravia Castle. The City-States of Jowston invade Senan, forcing Kasim Hazil's surrender along with the arguments of his fellow generals. | ||
| 195 | 31 - Water and Fire 水と炎と, Mizu to Honō to | |
| With spirits high, the Liberation Army is ready to strike at Gregminster and choose the Floating Fortress of Shasarazade as their entry point. With Milia's help, a fleet is prepared and Sonya Shulen's naval fleet is decimated and the general captured. Before victory can be celebrated, it's revealed that Mathiu was stabbed by the traitor. | ||
| 224 | 32 - 108 Stars 一〇八星, Ichi Rei Hachi Hoshi | |
| With the traitor in the midst revealed, the Liberation Army's morale threatens to fracture but Mathiu is able to turn the situation around. Sonya is convinced to join the Liberation Army. With the final battle looming, the power of the 108 Stars performs a miracle. | ||
| 241 | 33 - Invasion of the Imperial Capital 帝都侵攻, Teito Shinkō | |
| The Liberation Army set out for Gregminster and the final battle of the Gate Rune War. Yuber's demonic tactics and Windy's monsters push the Liberation Army to the limit. Pesmerga is able to thwart Yuber, giving the Liberation Army a chance at victory. | ||
| 267 | 34 - The Golden Emperor 黄金皇帝, Kogane Kōtei | |
| Gregminster is breached but the Imperial Army refuses to back down. Tir has to get past Ain Gide. Atop Gregminster Palace, Barbarossa refuses to surrender and using the Dragon King Sword, transforms into a Golden Hydra. When all hope seems lost, the prayers of the 108 Stars turns the tide. | ||
| 293 | 35 - The End 終焉, Shūen | |
| Defeated, Barbarossa still refuses to surrender but accepts his fate. Windy attempts to make her final stand but it stopped by Barbarossa, revealing he was never under her control. With Barbarossa and Windy lunging from the roof of the palace, the war is over. Tir, Viktor, and Flik disappear in the fighting. | ||
| 317 | 36 - Departure 旅立ち, Tabidachi | |
| Half a year has passed since the end of the war and Tir travels the land struggling with his feelings on all that happened. Lonely and fearful of his rune, Tir is approached by Leknaat who reveals he can prevent it. Joyous, he reunites with Gremio and begins a new journey. | ||
| 324 | Afterword あとがき, Atogaki | |
| An afterword from Genso Suikoden: Soul Eater author Hori Shinjiro. | ||
| 328 | About the novelization of "Suikoden" 小説版『幻想水滸伝』によせて, Shōsetsu-ban "Gensō Suikoden" ni yosete | |
| An afterword from Suikoden series creator Murayama Yoshitaka. | ||
| 332 | 108 Stars Complete Character List 108星全キャラクターリスト, 108 Hoshi Zen Kyarakutā Risuto | |
| A list of recruitment information for the 108 Stars in Suikoden. | ||
Differences from the game
- The party does not witness Tengaar being taken away by Neclord. They arrive after the fact and are brought up to speed by Zorak.
- Viktor asks to be allowed fight Neclord alone. As such, Hix asking to join the party, and all events in Neclord's Castle are omitted.
- As such, Viktor's version of those events happen concurrently, off-screen, with the depicted journey to the Knights of the Dragon's Den.
- The spy within the Liberation Army is depicted sending a message to Gregminster from Toran Castle.
- Tir spends time with Futch, learning more about the Dragon Knights.
- Hix and Tengaar are waiting at the castle when Tir returns from the Dragon Knights, telling him Viktor defeated Neclord and departed.
- Viktor is shown speaking to Anabelle, having traveled north after defeating Neclord off-screen. She asks him to start a mercenary group in Jowston to fend off Highland. He demurs for the moment, but delivers a message from Mathiu that the empire's northern border will soon be undefended.
- Alen and Glenshiel lead the attacks on the Fortresses of Duha and Rakan. In the game, Lepant and Humphrey lead those attacks.
- Mathiu's plan to be brought to Moravia Castle by Griffith happens in secret, with the rest of the Liberation Army being caught unawares.
- Viktor returns during the events of Moravia Castle. He is never captured. As such, Taggart never journeys to Toran Castle. Warren is mentioned offhandedly as someone Mathiu knows who joins after events there.
- The Battle at Floating Fortress Shasarazade is a naval battle with Anji's lake pirates playing a key role.
- After being attacked, Mathiu bolsters morale by making out that his wounds were a feint to lure the empire into overconfidence. He later reveals that was a lie.
- Pesmerga and Yuber both play pivotal roles in The Last Battle. Yuber attempts to retreat into Gregminster but is barred by Ain Gide for his desertion.
- Ain Gide is felled by the arrows of the besieging Liberation Army, his upright body surrounded by the corpses of soldiers he managed to fell before dying.
- Tir attempts to use the power of the Soul Eater to stop the rampaging Golden Hydra, who fought off even the Dragon Knights, but is stopped as the power of the 108 Stars defeats the hydra instead.
- Tir disappears along with Flik and Viktor while escaping Gregminster Palace. He attempts to journey alone, to avoid the Soul Eater's curse claiming people, but a conversation with Leknaat gives him hope he can avoid this and he reunites with Gremio.
Murayama Yoshitaka's afterword
When I first set out to create Suikoden, I had no experience and little knowledge of RPG development—but there was one thing I was certain of:
The world of Suikoden would allow for everything.
That applied to its systems, its story, and its worldview.
So when Suikoden, which began as a video game RPG, expanded into the realm of novels, it felt natural to me. I welcomed it.
Of course, there are differences between a game and a novel, and I was excited to see how those differences—new perspectives, fresh ideas, and added depth—would shape the world of Suikoden in new ways.
Then, the long-awaited manuscript arrived.
Reading it, I found myself fully immersed—not as a creator, but as a reader. I was thrilled to learn more about the inner lives of characters whose stories couldn’t be fully explored in the game, and I could almost feel the tension of the battlefield come to life.
The scene where Viktor and Flik’s troops charge under Mathiu’s orders? That was something I could never quite capture in the game, no matter how much I wanted to. I was deeply moved—or maybe even a little jealous. (Like me, the author, Hori, is a fan of Romance of the Three Kingdoms and similar works. You can tell he had a great time writing those moments, and I have to admit, I envy that.)
And Yashioka’s illustrations? They’re fantastic and really capture the spirit so well. (I even mistook the single image of Valeria as a personal tribute...)
I’m also grateful to our editor, a dedicated Suikoden fan, whose keen eye and rigorous attention to detail rival even my own as the original creator.
This novel introduces new interpretations and settings, shaped by Hori’s own vision. They don’t always align perfectly with mine, but that’s something I embrace.
Just as Suikoden is a world of many different perspectives, I respect the novel’s unique take on its lore. In fact, I believe these variations only serve to deepen Suikoden’s world.
Rather than a single, rigid truth, I prefer a world rich with diversity, contradictions, and different values.
Fantasy thrives when many people contribute their own ideas and imaginations. My hope is that the world of Suikoden will continue to grow, shaped by many hands, for years to come.
Genso Suikoden Production Team (KCE Tokyo)
Director Murayama Yoshitaka
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