Apocalypse: so fun it's worth repeating - Let's play SMT III

[KalosKagathos]

5 votes, all against.

The next update will probably be tomorrow.

 

[spekkio]

 

[KalosKagathos]

Or today.

 

[KalosKagathos]

Like, right now.

 

[KalosKagathos]

Update 23: Mifunashiro

Oh well... I guess I'll have to finish this myself.

Pretty lame, for the last words.

Whoops, another artifact.

Prettiest death ever?

With this much Magatsuhi, there won't be any problem.

He is outside of the flow of time, a being without a name... He is the god of absolute solitude. ...But, it might be inconvenient for him to remain nameless. Let's see, a drifting god... How about Noah? Come forth, Noah...

Noah's not solid yet, but what the hell, have some concept art anyway.

What do you think of my god, Reginald? Awesome, huh? The world of Musubi will soon be here... No longer will people be able to interfere with each other's lives. Everyone will be happy...

A choice was made. Next time we see Isamu will be as a boss.

Power: ...Finally, a Reason has been conceived.

Dominion: Lady Chiaki is on the move. Our god of Yosuga will soon descend upon us at Asakusa.

Asakusa, huh?

There are no Manikins on the street.

There's only one place they'd go to in case of an emergency.

This doesn't look good.

At all.

The door leading deeper into Mifunashiro is now open, and we can see the birthplace of Manikins with our own eyes.

The dead and the wounded aside, it's quite beautiful.

First, several words on what Mifunashiro is like as a dungeon. Enemies include Sudama, Sarutahiko, Shikigami, Shiki-Ouji, Virtues, Dominions, Titans and Manikins (we are trespassing, after all). Both Hama and Mudo spells can come flying our way, so Tetraja is nice to have here, as the main character can't be protected from both with Magatama. Loot's extremely limited and boils down to a Magic Mirror and several Life Stones you can find in Cache Cubes, and a Medicine you can find on a dead Manikin.

Male Manikin: Are we all going to die...?

Male Manikin: A demon-like girl came to steal our Magatsuhi...

Male Manikin: Is... that true...?

Male Manikin: Futomimi... chased after her...

Demon: All that's left is to finish off that arrogant mud puppet, Futomimi...

Lower levels, below the waterfalls, are even prettier.

Male Manikin: No... No matter how hard we try... we are no match... for demons, or for humans... We should have... run...

Female Manikin: ............Because we tried... to... take part... in creation...

Male Manikin: I... I can't... I can't fight... Th-There's n-no way I could beat a d-demon... I don't wanna die... I don't wanna die!!!! I know...! Y-You're a good demon, right...? Th-Then, save me! B-Beat those other demons!

Leave it to me.

Couldn't bring myself to refuse.

Male Manikin: Then... I'll be hiding in here, so hurry...

Water is really nice in this game.

Power: You are much different from those mud puppets who can only talk about creation.

Dominion: A world without hierarchy, where everyone lives equally in peace... *chuckle* As followers of Yosuga, it is not to be tolerated.
Power: Exactly. We must destroy their hopes before a monstrosity such as that even begins to take shape... Don't you agree?

Yes, I do.

We shouldn't harm our standing in Chiaki's eyes before it's absolutely necessary.

Dominion: After we finish off the mud puppets, Lady Chiaki's god shall descend upon us. I hope we can meet again for that magnificent sight...

Male Manikin: ...Up... ahead... A girl... and... Futomimi...............

Will you step into the light?

Yes.

Rated A in Japan.

Return to earth, mud dolls!!

I have a nagging suspicion that the Atlus cutscene director discovered color inversion for the first time during the development of Nocturne and liked it a lot.

Dreaming a dream of power... That's your sin.

If you don't stop this woman, we will be massacred!

This shrug is so full of win.

As long as we have to deal with this pettiness, it will be impossible to create a beautiful world.

Do you, Codex?

Same rule as with Isamu's request applies: if you agree, I'll antagonize Hikawa, but will still carry out a voting regarding the true demon ending.

There's a short term consequence this time, too: your answer determines the boss you fight here.

 

[spekkio]

Noah - the God of Hikikomoris...

Rated A in Japan.

Oh, and:

Reggie undertands the EXTREME girl, but he doesn't agree.

 

[Crooked Bee]

We understand... but we don't agree.

 

[Jaedar]

I feel a bit sad for the manikins, so I want to side with them. Even if they are all dead :/

 

[lightbane]

So what the hell happened to that girl to be so inane? Still, even if she has a point, her Reason is too extreme, a world like the one she wants is a contradiction, therefore, tell her to go back to the kitchen.

 

[KalosKagathos]

So what the hell happened to that girl to be so inane?

Let's see, a haughty rich girl witnesses the end of the world and almost all mankind, finds herself inside a bizarre sphere world inhabited by demons, has her arm cut off by a psycho with a knife, decides that the only way to survive is to man up, but takes the strength fetish too far in the opposite direction.

I dunno, sounds plausible to me. Another cutscene or two dedicated to her would make the change smoother, but she has motives to act the way she does.

 

[KalosKagathos]

4 votes, all against. A short update showing Chiaki's reaction and the last Fiend will be today.

 

[Mrowak]

4 votes, all against. A short update showing Chiaki's reaction and the last Fiend will be today.

Fucking dammit, pussy 'Dex had taken over their minds again... How can you not see the glorious REASON in voting to side with the girl!?

 

[KalosKagathos]

Update 24: The Trumpeter

Why were you given a demon's body? You don't know the answer yourself, do you? You're not needed anymore... Goodbye.

If you pay attention, you can see that Chiaki is slowly advancing towards Futomimi in the background.

But let's talk about these three.

The bishiest one is archangel Raphael. The name means "Healer of God". Most of his exploits revolve around healing and binding demons, and he's regarded as a patron of doctors, the ill and, for some reason, lovers.

Archangel Gabriel. The name can be translated as either "Hero of God", or "Man of God" (this thread is now about SMA). Gabriel is commonly depicted as a messenger of God, as she was the one who foretold the birth of John the Baptist and Jesus to their parents.

Uriel, the "Fire of God". Pretty much all that is known about him comes from apocrypha, and he's usually regarded as a guardian of Eden and a patron of poetry.

As it was the case in the Fates fight, the three work as a group. Uriel does physical attacks and uses Beast Eye to give more action points to the other two, Gabriel provides offensive support with Expel-based AoEs, Raphael protects his comrades with Tetrakarn and can bring them (but not himself) back to full health with Diarahan.

The fight is as straightforward as they get: we Tarukaja and Debilitate to the max, then kill Raphael, Uriel and Gabriel one by one, in that order. Each of them only has around 3000 HP, so they die incredibly fast after they're softened up with debuffs. As they have neither Dekaja, nor Dekunda, there's no reason not to utilize this tried and true strategy.

After their swift and inevitable defeat they become available for fusion, but more on that later. In the next update, most likely.

Reggie discards the now useless Sukukaja (Debilitate provides all the accuracy/evasion advantage you're ever going to need) in favor of Divine Shot. It's a single target physical attack that will complement Focus very nicely.

The Pale Rider learns Blight, which allows him to spread Poison around. While we're here, I made a mistake in one of the previous updates, I'm afraid. Pestilence only instantly kills poisoned enemies, it doesn't inflict Poison by itself. It's still one of the most affordable Almighty AoEs in the game, though.

But, he won't get in my way again.

This Magatsuhi will allow me to affirm my Reason...

It's a... gundam grasshopper?

I am Baal Avatar, paragon of virtue and might, bringer of glory.

The name Baal literally means "Master" and can refer to multiple Semitic gods, but this Baal seems to be based on Hadad, a dying and reviving rain deity, judging by the incantation spoken by Chiaki.

I see the awakening of opposing forces... One has already emerged in Sannou, and another is about to rise in Ginza at this very moment!

We're but one god away from a full-scale faction war.

Baal mentioned Ginza, so that's the next stop.

Soul: Something happened! They must've been doing something!

Nihilo demons who left the town when the Mantra attack started are back.

Demon: ...I mean, Shijima. It will be shrouded in silence.

Demon: Commander Hikawa is the supreme ruler of the battle for creation. We may be a late entry, but that's because we were preparing for an incredible god.

Demon: A painless world because emotions do not control it. The only ones that can live there are beings that have spiritually surpassed humans and demons... That's right... We will all become gods!

Madam Nyx: I hear he's after the large amount of Magatsuhi at the Diet Building... It's ironic that a human is using demons to his bidding, rather than the other way around.

Soul: I saw them near Yurakucho Station, past the Tokyo Tower!

And that's where we're going.

It's on the other side of that long bridge, next to the back entrance of the original Nihilo HQ.

It's the last of them, and he's nowhere near as bad as you might expect.

Will you stay here?

Yes.

Are you sure?

Yes.

Sorry.

...I watched as you prevailed over many adversaries. I am the Trumpeter... It is I who will announce the end of time. I have come to see if you are worthy... of entering the final battle, where my trumpet will sound.

Like the other high-level Fiends, the Trumpeter is based on the Book of Revelation; specifically, on seven unnamed angels, the sound of whose trumpets announces all kinds of disasters.

Show me your incomparable strength! ...Let me see the raging heart of a demon! Give me your all!

You must take the last candelabrum to the bottom of the abyss and meet our master there. That is, of course, if you can defeat me... the last of the Fiends.

For the future of all demons of chaos!!

Behold the salvation from my god!!

Hey, that's pretty nice of him!

This is less so.

First, let's start with the basics: the Trumpeter has all the best elemental AoEs in the game: Maragidyne, Mabufudyne, Mazandyne, Maziodyne, plus Megidolaon. He can boost his magical damage with Makakaja and remove your buffs with Dekaja. He lacks Dekunda, so Debilitate can reduce his stats very quickly. Other than the standard both immunities to Expel, Death and status effects, he has no strengths or weaknesses. Note that if you get any smart ideas and attempt to abuse this by reflecting his magic with Makarakarn, he'll switch to almighty attacks, which bypass all protection. Debilitate will still reduce their damage severely, but they won't be reflected.

Now, the gimmicks. The Trumpeter has two unique skills: Holy Melody and Evil Melody. Holy Melody picks the demon with the lowest HP and completely restores his HP and MP, regardless of what side he's on. Evil Melody kills the demon with the lowest HP. It doesn't work on the Trumpeter himself, but it does on the main character, and it can't be resisted by any means at all.

That was the bad news. The good news is that he uses these spells in a predictable fashion. Remember he said something about eight breaths? Eight turns after the start, Evil Melody will be used for the first time. 4 turns after that Holy Melody will be used again, and after that he'll be alternating between these two spells every four turns.

The conventional strategy that every guide will tell you is to bring several demons at 1 HP with you and summon them before any of these spells is used. People who write those guides must suck badly at this game. You see, the spell you want to watch out for is Holy Melody, not Evil Melody. Holy Melody can bring the Trumpeter back to full health and mana, while Evil Melody is a minor inconvenience at most. If you're counting turns, it's very easy to make it so a demon other than Reggie is killed. If everyone's at full health, have a demon use a physical skill that will reduce his health. If Reggie has the lowest health in the party, heal him with a Bead. Recovering from the death of a demon is as simple as using a Balm of Rising and summoning him again on the following turn.

Now, we have much less control over Holy Melody because we have much less control of the Trumpeter's HP. How do we deal with it? We don't. We rush the bastard within 12 turns, before he can use it. We set up four Debilitates in 2 turns, then have everyone spam their best attacks: Glacial Blast for the Black Rider, Focused Divine Shot for Reggie, Focused basic attack for the Pale Rider, Prominence for the Throne. The Throne heals the party when necessary, which isn't very often, as the Trumpeter's damage and accuracy have been reduced to next to nothing.

The Throne is killed when Evil Melody is used. We bring him back on the next turn.

Reggie's crotch laser Divine Shot finishes the job on the turn after that.

Another thing: I'm fairly confident that if you use Dark Might or Bright Might to grant the entire party automatic criticals, you can kill the Trumpeter before even Evil Melody is used, as it allows you to Focus and attack on the same turn. For an infamously difficult game, Nocturne sure is broken as hell at higher levels.

The Black Rider gets Megidolaon (mega Almighty damage to all targets).

The Throne learns Holy Wrath, which is Expel-based, halves the HP of all enemies and doesn't have any problem with accuracy, unlike Godly Light.

Next time: the Fourth Kalpa.

 

[Jaedar]

That was... disappointing. You defeat the four riders of the apocalypse, and then you fight a glorified news anchor?

 

[Crooked Bee]

Aren't the seven Trumpeters the same as the seven Angels of Presence, who are in turn the same as the Archangels? They ain't just "glorified news anchors".

Oh, and cool update as always, KK.

 

[KalosKagathos]

Update 25: Fourth Kalpa

Before we return to the Labyrinth, let's explore the station a little bit. It has two platforms: one to the east, one to the west.

The eastern one is an optional area full of Cache Cubes. They contain a Muscle Drink, a Medicine and a Bead. One of them is a trap that triggers a fight against 4 Loa. Defeating them gives you a Magic Mirror.

The western platform connects to a tunnel that leads to the Diet Building.

Soul: I just saw a human woman! She was headed for Kasumigaseki. She was creepy, like she was possessed by something... She was hot, though!

Ms. Takao is on Hikawa's trail.

As usual, there are two subway tracks. We'll take the northern one.

Looks like a dead end.

Shige: After years a pokin' around, I finally located the treasure right here! But... The earth here's as hard as a rock turtle with frostbite! So, I can't dig, ya dig? ............!! Ya got demons with ya!? Hoo-doggie! Could ya spare one a them demons a yers! If ya do, I promise ta split the treasure with ya! C'mon! Lemme have a demon!

My demon's your demon.
Shige: Really!? Hoo-doggie! Thanks! *whistle* How about Blob?

No, not that one.

The demon you give him will die. No matter what, don't give him the successor of the Pixie.

Shige: *whistle* How about Shikigami?

Yeah, go for it.
Shige: Hmmm... It looks a might weak to me... Better take in a few winks. This is gonna take awhile!

The Strength score of the demon you give him determines the amount of time it will take to dig the tunnel. We're in no rush.

The southern track leads to the Diet Building, but we won't go that far in this update.

Instead, we'll make use of the large terminal located here and teleport to the Labyrinth of Amala.

Will you try to open it?

Yes.
Voice of the door: Your strength is worthy of praise! You may pass.

Reggie's Strength is 20, which allows him to open another door in the western section of the Third Kalpa.

Here we find two Mystical Chests: one with a Bead Chain, one with a Great Chakra.

Demon: The Emperor has returned!! I want his autograph, hee ho, so I'm gonna go look for him!!

The Jack Frost who warned us about Dante mentions something very interesting. The interesting takes form in the second third of the Dante's playground, in the room with two switches.

Mysterious voice: Heeeeee hoooooo! I guess I'm a little too late. I tried so hard to get here, too!

Black Frost: The "Emperor of Kabukicho" has finally made his comeback!! Um, if you're wondering how I managed to make a comeback... that's a secret. Don't ask me why I shrank in size, either. Okay, hee ho? Anyway, once again I'm aiming to be the best! If I tag along with you, hee ho. I think I can become super-cool and super-strong! So, let's go! Heeeeee hoooooo!!

This is the playable version of Black Frost. Incredible stats for his level, wide assortment of attacks, and exceptional resistances that will only get better as his levels up, since the last 3 skills he learns are Void Mind, Void Nerve and Void Curse. Unfortunately, there's just no room for him in our party, but he'll have his taste of greatness and glory at the end of the Fourth Kalpa.

Speaking of which.

Will you light the Candelabrum of Knowledge?

Yes.

Will you light the Candelabrum of Majesty?

Yes.

Will you light the Candelabrum of Beauty?

Yes.

Will you light the Candelabrum of Godliness?

Yes.

Soul: Not only is it dangerous, it's VERY dangerous!! I mean, it's EXTREMELY dangerous!!! If you still insist on going, I won't try to stop you, but... Make sure you go straight. Don't ever, ever turn left! Okay? ...Please believe me.

What is this insane horror that awaits us behind the door?

It's a cursed zone. Meh. Estoma and Trafuri will keep you safe here. Contrary to the soul's advice, left is exactly where we'll go first.

We end up in a long cursed hallway, but if you can survive it, which isn't hard, the rewards are many: two Cache Cubes with 25000 Macca each and a Deathstone.

There's also a Burial Chamber with graves of the Specter and Sakahagi.

Soul: It can take you to different places like the vault or the maze, but... I'm warning you, don't go through it when Kagutsuchi shines the weakest. ...Why? Whaddya mean, "Why?"! If you wander into the Wicked King's room, you won't come out alive!

Finally, a soul tells of the 12 Meters of Eternity, a passage the destination of which seems to depend on the phase of Kagatsuchi.

The Deathstone we just found is used to fuse the Harlot. Any fusion that results in a Tyrant works when performed on half Kagutsuchi. We fuse together Beiji-Weng and Baphomet. Beiji-Weng is fused from the Black Rider and Ose, Baphomet from a Chatterskull and a Kodama.

Hohohoho! Listen carefully! I am the Fiend The Harlot! Now, entertain me!

Pleased to meet you. I am the LPer The KalosKagathos.

We give the Harlot Mana Refill and a stat boost with the help of a Kusi Mitama, fused from an Erthys and an Aeros we summon from the Compendium.

If you don't go left in the cursed zone and proceed forward instead, you quickly end up in a safe area.

Demon: ...Who is he? Sorry, I can't give out his name. But... He's so noble, we call him the Lord of the Flies! I can't stop thinking about him...

Makes sense.

Shady Broker: ...I'll sell you something special. Interested? Here's what I'm selling... a demon that wields an assortment of powerful attack spells. It's a charming and dependable companion! I'm asking 50000 Macca. I know it's kinda high, but it's well worth the price... So, you want it?

No thanks.
Shady Broker: That's fine. If you change your mind, feel free to come back anytime.

What he's selling is a Mothman with all kinds of offensive magic on it. It suffers from the same problem as the Arahabaki sold above: too low-level to be used as a party member, too high-level to be used as fusion fodder.

Soul: The curse will be lifted if the king is defeated, so... If, by some miracle, you manage to defeat him, you might want to go back and revisit each Kalpa. You know those golden doors that are in different parts of the Labyrinth? I heard there's a guy who knows how to open them. If you're lucky, maybe you'll run into him. ...Of course, I highly doubt that you'll last long against the Wicked King, let alone defeat him.

Defeating the master of the Fourth Kalpa will remove all cursed zones and allow us to reach somebody who knows how to access the final Kalpa of the Labyrinth of Amala. Actually, we've already reached him in a previous update, but he won't tell us anything until the Wicked King is dead.

A bottle of Soma is all the loot this part of the Kalpa has to offer.

Soul: It's only a short distance to the other side, but every time you enter, you end up somewhere else... You'll see what I mean once you try it yourself...

The Fourth Kalpa can be the shortest one, if you head straight for the Wicked King's Hall. However, there are 3 other places the 12 Meters of Eternity can bring you to, and it pays to explore them.

The first of them is the Hell's Vault. You end up here if you enter the 12 Meters on half or full Kagutsuchi. It's a teleporter maze with plenty of good loot lying around. The only thing that complicates it a bit is inability to toggle the auto-map, but the maze is symmetrical, making it easy to memorize.

Numerous Mystical Chests and Cache Cubes found at the Vault contain a Bead of Life, a Great Chakra, a Bead Chain, 2 Attack Mirrors and a Deathstone.

Then there's this soul.

Gramps: Everybody runs right by here just like you, not even giving a second glance to a poor old guy on the side by the road. It's a shame what this world's coming to... You folks oughtta get your priorities straight. Ya see, sometimes you just need to relax and pay no heed to the time.

This is a devious trick question. Say no, and he'll get angry at you and won't let you pass. Say yes, and he'll answer that you understood nothing and won't let you pass. The solution? Wait for about 2 minutes before selecting the answer, then agree.

Gramps: Oh... I can see that you've been listening. You're in a hurry, aren't ya? You should be on your way. Come back anytime if you'd like to talk to me again.

The room he's guarding has another Deathstone, 100001 Macca and 5 Smoke Balls.

The Throne learns Debilitate and evolves.

The Fire absorption is toned down to mere immunity, but the weaknesses to Ice and Death disappear. Stats are also given a boost. More importantly, Uriel is necessary for getting other Seraphs.

After leaving the Vault we end up near the soul of an old man.

Soul: If you want to go back, then return through the 12 Meters of Eternity. It's really strange... From the other side, the phase of Kagutsuchi determines where you'll end up, but from this side, you can only return to the entrance.

All locations you can access with the help of the 12 Meters eventually bring you here. From here you can return to the starting point. But before that, let's go a bit further.

Soul: It looks like you can get to the other side from the Kalpa above, so... Why don't you try to make your way across?

This way lies the Fifth Kalpa, but to unlock it we'll need the Star Key, and for that the Wicked King must die first.

Reggie learns Deadly Fury: a physical AoE with high base damage and high critical hit rate. A very good skill in random encounters, surpassed at its job only by one another.

All the Macca we removed from the inventory Hell's Vault allows us to purchase the Sophia Magatama. Sophia nulls Expel and teaches healing and resurrection spells and Expel-based attacks.

Entering the 12 Meters of Eternity on any odd Kagutsuchi phase brings you to the Road to Hell. It may seem like an ordinary hallway at first, but...

...there's a fake wall on the right.

A Deathstone is behind it.

Another fake wall located next to the Deathstone leads to the final resting place of the Amala Temple bosses.

Then we have the Hell's Maze, accessible by using the 12 Meters on 2/8 and 6/8 Kagutsuchi.

Manikin: Once you're inside, you can never get out. But, if you do find a way out, please let me know!

The Manikins and soul imprisoned here must be really dumb if they can't figure out the Maze. It's a 5x5 square grid. You start at the south-western corner. Doors connecting the rooms of the gird are one-sided and can only be opened from the west or the south. In the north-eastern corner is a teleporter that returns you to the starting point. The exit is precisely in the center. To reach it, you have to open 3 doors leading east and 3 doors leading north, in any order.

Manikin: Have you talked to either of them? Oddly enough, it feels like I've met them somewhere before...

However, the Maze hides a little secret. There are two curious souls imprisoned here, one in the north-western corner, the other one in the south-eastern corner.

Soul: I contributed to society by doing just that. My company grew as a result, and became highly regarded. Do you think my life was a success?

Yes.

Soul: So much anger... All because of that boy... Even to this day, I still ache for revenge.

Soul: Do you think it's wrong to kill until your heart's content?

Yes.

The Harlot learns Dekunda.

Soul: ...Just kidding. You think this is the exit? There was a guy who escaped from here, with something he called the Afterlife Bell. He was saying that the bell has the power to resurrect the dead. If that's true, I wonder if he's come back to life in a cemetery somewhere...

A cemetery? If you remember, we saw one on our journey.

It's south of Ikebukuro.

Something is in its hand. Will you take it?

Yes.

You obtained the Afterlife Bell.

Soul: The Manikin over there died... He died the instant he became human. You see, humans can't live in the Vortex World... May his soul rest in peace...

With the Afterlife Bell in our possession, we can learn something about the Vortex World from the Lady in Black.

Will you look inside?

Yes.

My master is resting right now.

It's called the Afterlife Bell. It has the power to resurrect wandering souls. I thought it was still hidden in the Labyrinth of Amala... A Manikin must have stolen it and fled, in hopes of returning to the Vortex World.

do you know how Manikins are born? They are originally fragments of human emotions... that acquire physical form and become sentient.

It was a necessary step toward the rebirth of the world...

Weak emotions disappeared instantly, but strong ones remained...

Earth. They merged with the earth and took shape one after another. For some, they became what they longed to be... For others, a side of them that they abhorred surfaced.

they might join you and help you during your journey, even if it's only for a short while. It's worth a try. ...I think it's time for you to go back, Reginald. There are still things you have to do...

You've figured out the identities of those two souls, haven't you?

Soul: I should have taken revenge back then, for what that boy did to me.

Soul: Would you be willing to lead my wandering soul to salvation?

Yes.

You rang the Afterlife Bell. Its pure tone fills the air...

Soul: Ah... I can see... my black heart... A new shape surrounds it... I am in a place... that gives rise to many demons.........

Sakahagi, a Manikin born from the suppressed murderous tendencies of a respectable businessman, is now available for fusion as a level 45 Foul.

Soul: I never felt bad about it, and I don't regret living that way, either. But... when I met that girl, the words just slipped out of my mouth... "Everybody has kindness in their heart." Why the hell did I say that? Maybe I was just curious what warmth and kindness feel like... If I could live my life again, I... I'd wanna be the kind of person who is liked by everyone.

Soul: Hey, by any chance... Would you be able to guide my soul from here?

Yes.

You rang the Afterlife Bell. Its pure tone fills the air...

Soul: I guess it's time to say goodbye to this place... The part of my soul that I was missing... The "me" that I really wanted to become... It's gonna wait with other demons for a new life.........

Futomimi, a Manikin born from the last shreds of remorse felt by a serial killer, is now available for fusion as a level 63 Kishin.



We're going to finally face the Wicked King. The conventional boss killing strategy of buff stacking doesn't work on him, so we'll have to fuse a custom party.

What we'll need to survive his attacks:

1. Immunity to Death on all demons.
2. Immunity to Force and Electricity on at least one demon.
3. Mediarahan on one demon.
4. Tetrakarn on a different demon.
5. Lots and lots of Chakra Drops.

What we'll need to deal damage to him:

1. Prominence.

Almighty attacks work, too, but they cost more MP to cast.

We Brainwash a Dominion, upgrade it to a Throne with an Aquans bought at Rag's, then fuse it with a Troll.

Laksmi is the consort of Vishnu and a goddess of wisdom and fortune.

Laksmi is then fused with a Lilim into Berith, who is fused with Ose. The Erthys we get is registered in the Compendium.

Then we fuse Kin-Ki from Sparna and Quetzalcoatl, upgrade it once with an Erthys to Sui-Ki, then one more time to Fuu-Ki. That's our healer.

Then we use the magic of repeated Mitama fusion (two Kusi Mitama, one Saki Mitama) to grant Black Frost Tetrakarn, Prominence and a massive stat boost, turning him into our main damage dealer in the upcoming fight.

An aside: while gathering fusion materials, Uriel learns Heat Wave. There are better physical skills out there, but it's still better than the basic attack.

As we were told at the very beginning of the Kalpa, the Hell's Hall is reached by going through the 12 Meters of Eternity on New Kagutsuchi. It's a huge cursed zone, so Estoma and Trafuri are mandatory.

This is the final look of our Wicked King slayers. Reggie has Anathema equipped for the Death immunity it offers.

Will you enter?

Yes.

BGM: Chaos. Another track taken straight from the original Shin Megami Tensei with no adjustments made to it. Kinda wish they used the SMT II Chaos theme instead, but oh well.

For this feat, I shall grant you audience. Come forward.

With the angel of darkness, I lead the demons of chaos. ...I am Beelzebub, ruler of death and warden of souls.

Beelzebub, the Lord of the Flies. Different occultist authors held different opinions on what exactly it is he does, but they had almost universal consensus on one point: he is second only to Lucifer in the hierarchy of Hell. There are various theories surrounding the name. The one that seems to make the most sense is that it originally was Baal Zebul ("Master of Heaven") and belonged to one of those numerous Semitic Baals I alluded to in the previous update. Later, the corruption Baal Zebub ("Lord of the Flies") appeared as a derogatory nickname, and the Christians ran with it.

I've heard about you. With the power given to you by Lord Lucifer, you are trying to create a new demon, correct?

When all the candelabra have been returned to their rightful places, a new demon of chaos will be born... I have no idea how he talked you into collecting them, but... I've got to say, you're quite gullible.

I've got to agree. Why would anyone sane do all this crap?

Remember this, Reggie... The demons of chaos are all waiting for that moment... the moment when the new demon is born, and Lord Lucifer makes his final decision...

To bring about that glorious event, I would gladly assist you. But, you must first demonstrate that you are worthy of my help...

Unleash the demonic power given to you by Lord Lucifer!!

BGM: Beelzebub

The Harlot's large model can lead to some awkward camera angles in fights against larger bosses.

Ahem. Beelzebub starts out as a very easy boss. He has 2 action points and no Beast Eye or Dragon Eye. He attacks with his basic physical, Mazandyne and Mazionga. Nothing too bad, especially after a couple of Debilitate and Rakukaja spells. He's hard to damage because he's resistant to everything except Fire and Almighty, but Focused physicals still do good damage after a bit of buffing.

Feel my power, Demi-fiend!!

Problems start after you reduce his health by a couple of thousands, which should come very fast with buffs.

First of all, he starts using Dekunda and Dekaja with Dante-like frequency, rendering buffs and debuffs completely useless. He also gains 3 new attack options. First, he can Focus now, pushing the damage of his basic attack above 600. It can't kill the Harlot and Black Frost because of their resistances, but it can kill the main character in one hit, ending the game instantly. Second, he gets Megidolaon. That's around 200 points of damage to everyone with no hope of resisting. Finally, Death Flies.

]

Almighty damage to all targets and instant death to everyone not immune to Death. Oh, and since the engine considers the spell to be an Almighty attack, Tetraja won't save your ass from the instant kill effect, you need innate resistance for that.

So how do we survive all this with no buffs to help us? We cast Mediarahan every turn. Every single one, no exceptions. Two Megidolaons or a Megidolaon followed by a physical attack deal over 400 points of damage, and everyone not at full health when that happens is extremely likely to be killed. When Beelzebub Focuses, Black Frost casts Tetrakarn. You can't afford to take a Focused attack from him, as it can always target the main character.

With this done, we can survive. Beelzebub can reduce the entire party to red health, but it's not quite enough to kill us, and anything that doesn't kill you can be undone with Mediarahan.

On the offense, we do the following. The Harlot spams her basic attack. It deals only around 100 damage because of Beelzebub's resistance, more if it crits, but every little bit counts. Fuu-Ki uses Prominence, but only if everyone is at full health (the only way it can happen is when Beelzebub uses a physical attack as his first action and it gets reflected). Otherwise, he casts Mediarahan. Reggie spends almost all of his actions on keeping Fuu-Ki and Black Frost high MP with Chakra Drops, but also does an occasional Focused attack (the basic attack, not Divine Shot or Deadly Fury; those cost HP to use, and Reggie's turn comes after the healer's). That's 300 more damage. Finally, Black Frost uses Prominence whenever Beelzebub isn't Focused, which is often. This is the main offensive tool in the fight, and it can deal from 250 to 500 points of damage, depending on how many times it hits.

The fight is incredibly long and tedious (I had to use 16 Chakra Drops), but if you put safety above damage dealing, you'll wear him down eventually.

The Harlot learns Focus. It would save us several turns if she had it during the Beelzebub fight, but it worked out well even without it.

What is it Beelzebub was guarding?

A treasure room. Inside we find 66666 Macca, a Strength Incense, a Magic Incense and 3 Diamonds.

Of course, the real reward is the removal of all cursed zones.

Demon: THEN, YOU SHOULD LOOK FOR THE STAR KEY! IT CAN UNLOCK THE GOLDEN DOORS. IT'S SOMEWHERE IN THIS LABYRINTH, WHERE IT USED TO BE CURSED... THERE'S ANOTHER DEMON WHO KNOWS WHERE IT IS. IF YOU CAN GET THE STAR KEY, MAYBE YOU CAN MAKE IT TO THE BOTTOM!

There's another Deathstone here. Sure is a lot of them in this Kalpa.

Now, if you remember, there was a cursed zone at the Second Kalpa.

Soul: You can go now.

Demon: My drinking buddy is somewhere up in Tokyo having a drink. He's got the key that opens the golden doors.

There aren't many bars in the Vortex World.

Loki: Oh... You again. What? The Star Key...? Heheheh... It's in my stomach... As liquor, of course. I sold it to a curious Manikin. ...I needed the money, since my room was raided. ...Know what I mean? Heheheh...

The ironing is delicious.

It's called the Star Key. But, I'm not interested in it. I'm only interested in man-made items. So, I'll give it to you if you'd like. Do you want it?

Yes.

I see. Okay then, here you go.

Reggie received the Star Key.

Well, I hope you enjoy the rest of your shopping.

That was much easier than I thought it would be.

We manage to open the last Strength-checking door at the Third Kalpa, but all that's behind it is an alignment-checking door that we can't open now.

You used the Star Key.

The golden door at the Third Kalpa brings us to a warp zone.

Jump in?

Yes.

It connects to the Fourth Kalpa.

From here, we can unseal the locked door on the other side of the 12 Meters of Eternity.

We have finally made it.

Will you look through it?

Yes.

I promised earlier that I would answer all of your questions, sparing no detail...

In truth, my master gave them to those whom he deemed worthy.

What a shocking reveal.

If you listen to what I have to say, I am sure you will understand...

Their battles have affected every living being in existence. Demons and humans are no exception; they have simply been cogwheels in the infernal machine called war. ...And the war still rages on, even as we speak.

...and enter the final battle against the forces of light.

He believed that by challenging and overcoming death, the demon would become the fruit of destruction, the black hope that we awaited for so long. ...That is what he and my master planned. The Fiends and the Labyrinth of Amala were ordeals meant to test you. One Fiend challenged you, unaware of the truth, while another Fiend fell to you, dreaming of a future of chaos. Yes, this was all in preparation for the final battle...

A demon with the strength to become the champion of chaos...

Will you lend your strength to us, for the sake of all who live in darkness? I cannot force you to help us. ...If you choose to walk the path of a human, then there is no need for you to return here. But, if you have doubts about the laws of the universe... about fate, or the providence of the Absolute One... then you should come to us, at the very bottom of the Labyrinth. There you shall be born again as a full demon, body and soul...

...one who is drifting, being kept alive by fate. It is my master's wish that you listen before deciding upon a path to take.

Think back to when you first met him, to when the Conception occurred...

As he was heading to the hospital where you already were, the Conception began... and his life ended. Did it not seem odd to you, that he was in the Vortex World unaffected, unchanged?

He was a being toyed with by fate, condemned to carry the burden of atonement forever.

to record the balance of events through all the ages. A task as endless as scooping water out of the sea with a cup... He was condemned to wander the infinite span of time.

But, that privilege was taken away from Hijiri. Though his body may perish, his soul will remain unsaved; he must continue on with his task. He lives a cursed eternal life, just like a demon.

That is your punishment for your unforgivable sin..."

It's never made clear just what sin Hijiri committed and what his original incarnation was, but the most likely candidates are Aleph, the protagonist of SMT II, who killed YHVH's avatar, and Adam, the one who performed the original sin (and whose reincarnation the protagonist of SMT I was).

Do you understand now? By the will of Amala, he was given a life of torment... and emerged in the Vortex World, without realizing that he had died.

That is probably because you have the potential to affect the course of the new world. So by accompanying you, he has unknowingly been fulfilling his destiny.

He believes that he survived the Conception, and has acted accordingly. As for the result of his efforts... you already know the outcome. In the body of a Manikin, Hijiri challenged those vying for creation... and he lost his body once again.

but his will can never be freed, and his sin never redeemed...

The story of Hijiri has two purposes: it shows that the Absolute One is more than a bit of a dick, but it also serves as a warning, showing what happens to those who oppose him.

If you do not wish to be ruled by destiny... If you would prefer to walk with demons on a new, untrodden path, then please come visit my master. You can open the door ahead with the candelabrum I gave you. ...Will you come meet my master?

I will.

Don't worry, it's not an ending-defining choice yet. We still have one Kalpa to complete.

I will open the way to the last door; please use the candelabrum and come see us. We look forward to seeing you soon.

Jump in?

Yes.

Will you light the Candelabrum of Sovereignty?

Yes.

Only one Kalpa remains. However, we won't be exploring it in the next update. The reason I unsealed it is to open a shortcut to the large terminal at the entrance. Instead, we'll wrap up our business in the Vortex World: see what's behind the heavy door in Ikebukuro, meet the guardian of the temple in Ueno and poke around the Diet Building.

 

[Crooked Bee]

Kewl.

The solution? Wait for about 2 minutes before selecting the answer, then agree.

Just wanted to say I really, really hate this kind of shit.

Beelzebub, the Lord of the Flies.

Yay, it's just like that thing my LP will be talking about. If it ever gets that far, that is.

 

[spekkio]

Great update as always. Kalos-sensei.

In before the Hivemind voting for the True Demon ending...

 

[Jaedar]

So if we go for the true demon ending, we become this demon that has the power to win the war all on his own? Did I get that right?

 

[lightbane]

So Hijiri is pretty much the japanaese Nameless One? Good to see that He continues to be an overreacting jerk as always.

 

[KalosKagathos]

Just wanted to say I really, really hate this kind of shit.

Nobody stays and listens.

So if we go for the true demon ending, we become this demon that has the power to win the war all on his own? Did I get that right?

Not on his own, the Demi-fiend will just tip the scales.

 

[KalosKagathos]

Bump.

 

[KalosKagathos]

Bump.

 

[KalosKagathos]

Bump.

 

[KalosKagathos]

Update 26: Diet Building

The first of our many destinations in this update will be Ikebukuro.

Remember the door in the jail? Reggie's Strength is high enough to open it now.

This is the Holy Grail, if you're building a physical damage dealer out of the main character. Gaea boosts Strength and Vitality by 10 when equipped, resists physical damage and teaches Gaea's Rage, the single best physical AoE in the game. The downside is that it makes the main character weak to Force, Expel and Death, which is a lot of weaknesses for one Magatama.

Let's see how the treasure hunter we met in the previous update is doing.

Not bad.

Shige: I owe ya, lil' buckaroo! We'll split the treasure, as promised! There's four chests ahead, so pick two of 'em.

Ahead are two Cache Cubes and two Mystical Chests. The Cubes carry 10000 Macca and an important item called Kimon Stone. Inside the Chests are a Sapphire and a Great Chakra. We'll get the Kimon Stone even if we don't choose it decline, so we take the Chests.

Shige: Yer more useful than a cat in a barnyard fulla mice! Here's a little somethin' fer ya! It was in one of ma chests, but I don't reckon I need it. Ya might be able to find a use fer it.

You obtained a Kimon Ball.

The game refers to it as the Kimon Stone in all other cases. No idea why it's suddenly a Ball here.

The Kimon Stone is needed to unseal the Northern Temple.

It's a good idea to equip the Gehenna Magatama before entering.

The Kimon Stone began to shine.

Will you enter?

Yes.

Bishamon, Bishamonten, Vaisravana, the eldest of the Four Heavenly Kings. He's the guardian of the north and the master of yaksha.

He's also the patron of the adorable Kenshin-chan.

The concept art I posted doesn't actually belong to Bishamon (it's the SMT I art for the lesser 3 Heavenly Kings), but it's the one his Nocturne design is based on.

I have heard rumors of you. ............But, I sense something different about you... You are not an ordinary demon, are you?

That's right.

Ha! I knew it! Then, show me what power you possess!!

Do you accept Bishamon's challenge?

Sure.

I will show you my power!

Bishamon's a breeze. His offensive power is incredible at the start, with Hassohappa, his physical AoE, possessing high crtitcal hit rate and being capable of dealing over 400 damage to a single target. He's not all physical brawn, too, and can deal high Fire damage with Prominence as well.

Alas, he suffers from the same flaw Thor did: he lacks Dekaja, Dekunda, buffs and debuffs. After 4 Debilitate and Rakukaja castings, you're completely safe and can concentrate on counter-attaking. Here, another inadequacy of Bishamon becomes apparent: he's weak to Ice. Reggie can cast Glacial Blast, and the Pale Rider knows Mabufudyne, so there's no shortage of extra actions in this battle.

He gains Focus halfway through the fight. If you didn't boost your defense or reduce his attack before, you're in serious trouble, but we did both.

A very easy win.

Just as he said, your powers are far greater than what I have imagined. Now, like my comrades, I must lend my powers to him. I would like to fight you again, but... I must be going.

Take this.

You obtained the Magatama Gundari.

Drains Force, weak to Electricity, teaches Force-related skill and a good single target physical skill.

If you have enough power to obtain all of these... Then, you will be able to set foot into the world I am going to. If that should happen... then we shall meet again!

We have no more business here. We should see how Hikawa's doing.

This time, we'll explore the tunnel more thoroughly.

Soul: It's a maze in there. Plus, there are steep slopes. You'll slide right down to the bottom! If you jump in unprepared, you might die of starvation, or worse...

Slides like this one are this dungeon's token gimmick.

You can go down a floor using them, but you can't go back up. Well, in theory. In reality, there's usually a ladder nearby.

We meet a new demon type inside a trapped Cache Cube.

Cerberus, the three-headed dog that guarded Hades in the Greek mythology. He was caught by Heracles as a part of the Twelve Labors, only to be promptly returned back where he belonged. Eurystheus was just that much of a coward.

You may wonder why the picture doesn't look anything like the description I gave, and there's a story behind it. Unknown to some, the Shin Megami Tensei series was originally based on some novels that never made it outside of Japan. Megami Tensei, released way back in 1987, was based on the first novel, but all direct plot links were abandoned when the series got the Shin prefix in 1992. Still, some references to the novels remain, and the look of Cerberus, who served as a friend to their protagonist, is one of them.

Cerberus helped the protagonists of SMT I and II as well, and in a reference to this, entering a Cathedral of Shadows on new Kagutsuchi with him in the party changes the music to the SMT I Jakyou Manor theme. This is why bringing Orthrus, Cerberus' younger brother, there triggers the SMT II Jakyou Manor music.

Moments like this is why I play this game.

Automatic criticals are fun.

Surviving the ambush awards us with a Megido Rock. We also find a Bead of Life, a Soma Droplet, a Pearl, a regular Bead and 2 Life Stones in this dungeon.

Another newcomer is Rakshasa.

In Hinduism, Rakshasas are a race of violent flesh-eating humanoids who appear in various epics as expendable cannon fodder for heroes to defeat. Think orcs, except Indian.

Curiously, this demon is called Vetala in the Japanese release of Nocturne. Vetala are specters who possess dead bodies. Why the name was changed for the Western release, I have no clue.

The Harlot learns Bolt Storm. It's not guaranteed to hit all targets like Maziodyne is, but the multi-hit potential makes up for it.

Our short spelunking trip ends when we discover another subway station.

Demon: But, you're best off not goin' near the Diet Building. If you get in the way of Commander Hikawa... *gulp* Or, are you here to 'help' Commander Hikawa?

Yes.
Demon: You are, eh? But, are you good enough!?

You'll see what she means by that question soon.

Demon: I see... But, there's no need to help. We have 'their' protection. I won't tell you to turn back, but from here on out, I can't guarantee your safety...

Damn. And here we were getting used to the peace and safety of undead-infested tunnels.

A Vitality Incense is sorta hidden in a niche nearby.

Fresh air again.

Useless junk is to the south.

Our actual destination is to the north.

Wish my house was like this.

Voice: Our god shall descend upon us, and we shall acquire our Reason. Leavest not, and thy life shall be the price. Begone, lost sheep...!............

I thought we were bros with Hikawa. No matter, there's no such thing as too much XP.

A large terminal is one floor above.

Now, there are 4 doors accessible from the main hall: 2 on the first floor and 2 on the second floor. The 2 on the second floor and the eastern door on the first floor are locked. This leaves the western door on the first floor.

Statue: Thou shalt not pass this area.

The statue reveals itself to be...

...Surt.

In the Norse mythology, Surt is a giant the flames of whose sword will consume the world when Ragnarok comes.

As you probably expect, Surt is all about Fire-based attacks, to the point that his basic attack deals Fire damage (coincidentally, this makes him the best demon to use against Beelzebub, as it can still be Focused, but we've already defeated him). In fact, the only non-Fire-based attacks he has are Tempest, a physical AoE, and Hell Thrust, a single-target physical skill.

Standard tactics can be used safely here: Debilitate, Rakukaja, then hit him with your best spells (Surt's resistant to physical damage) until he's dead.

Statue: Looks like this might turn out to be interesting after all... I think I'll play around with him!

We have access to the west wing now.

Soul: Oh, what to do...? Yosuga? Maybe Musubi?

Politicians are politicians even in the afterlife.

Demon: Finally... Finally, the Reason of Shijima will be conceived!

The obsession with high places possessed by everyone important in this game continues.

Uriel reaches level 76. It is decided that Heat Wave is not very useful without Focus, and Megidola replaces it.

Soul: The Nihilo demons suddenly arrived, and now the halls are all messed up! ...It's okay to go this way, right? It's not a picture, is it...?

Remember the statue said it was going to play around?

The playground's on the second floor.

See the corridor ahead?

The second floor of the west wing is full of paintings like these. Touching any of them except this one results in being forcibly teleported by the statue, so let's not touch them.

Soul: If you don't have the eyes to tell the truth from the lies, you'll be tricked over and over. Beyond the truth waits the demon in charge of this place. That's why I pick the lies...

The doors you can see at the left of the image are painted. Touching them teleports you.

We get on the other side of one of the doors near the entrance. It can be unlocked from here, giving us a nice shortcut to the terminal.

The Harlot learns Beast Roar, the last of her skills, getting access to Almighty damage.

It can be easy to miss where the next sub-boss is hiding at first. Looks like a dead end, right?

Wrong.

Will you enter?

Yes.

Statue: The Magatsuhi in this building is already ours. All we have to do now is summon our god, and we will receive the Reason of Shijima! I will not allow you to meddle with our commander. I, Mada, will personally hand you a ticket to hell!

Another easy sub-boss.

In Hindu mythology, Mada is an Asura possessing the powers of intoxication.

Intoxicate is the name of his unique skill that has very high odds of inflicting Panic on all targets. Mind immunity is very important here, if you don't want to lose a lot of actions on removing it. For damage dealing, Mada has Hades Blast and Fire-based attacks.

He can also summon Pazuzu for healing, but it also gives you a weakness to Ice to exploit for bonus actions, and we'll need those, as Mada drains physical damage, preventing the standard Focus cheese. With two characters having Ice AoEs in our party, this is hardly a problem.

Casting Debilitate 4 times, then going crazy with Mabufudyne and Glacial Blast leads to an easy victory.

Mada was guarding the balcony, which connects to the east wing.

Soul: Hikawa and another human - a woman - took that to the top. ...W-What kind of world is Hikawa planning to create?

Statue: Not only Surt, but Mada as well... Be it so, he shan't travel far! With my magic, he shall forever wander these halls!

The trickery of the next statue is pathetically harmless, even by the pretty low standards set by Mada.

It all starts with a rather cool optical illusion.

But the statue runs out of imagination after this.

Voice: With my power, thy path hath been closed!

At some points the statue cuts off the path either ahead or behind of you, and you have to find a different way, which is usually just around the next corner. How's that supposed to stop anyone?

Soul: I'll be free if the demon here is defeated, so someone beat him! I don't care if only one type of attack works! Just try everything, dammit!

This soul, confounded by such devious magic, mentions something interesting about the statue's resistances.

We unlock another shortcut.

The statue awaits here.

Voice: ...Truth and falsity are but light and darkness. Dost thou have the capacity to find my true self? Thou shan't escape from this labyrinth, lest thou seest the truth...!

Now we have to guess which statue is the boss. Guessing wrong comes with a dire penalty: you're teleported out of the room. Yeah.

You can tell which statue is the enemy by looking at the floor: it doesn't leave a reflection.

Mot: I shall smite thee down myself! Our world of Shijima draws nigh!

Mot was a Semitic deity of death, the one that killed the reviving Hadad.

As a boss, he's a one trick pony, making him highly easy to counter and defeat. He has 2 actions by default, but can turn them in 4 half-APs by casting Beast Eye twice. What does he do with them? Two things: Makakaja and Megidolaon. He can also remove debuffs with Dekunda, but buffs are safe to use.

The strategy to try first is obvious: cast Rakukaja 4 times to reduce the damage done by Megidolaon, keep removing Makakaja with Dekaja, spend the rest of actions on healing and dealing damage. It works. Almost. If Mot decides to spend all 4 half-actions on Megidolaon, it leads to a party wipe, even with 4 Rakukajas in place. The best way to counter this is by using Sukukaja, but we don't have it (yes, I'm not a learning animal).

Instead, we'll alter the strategy a bit by introducing Debilitate to it. Just like Dante, Mot will always remove it, leaving him only one action to spend on Beast Eye, so no more than 2 Megidolaons will come flying our way. That's very much bearable.

As for damage dealing, only Electricity works, but he's explicitly weak to it, so the damage is high. Technically, physical damage works, too, but Mot enjoys the same abnormal 90% or so resistance to it that Kin-Ki and Black Frost did.

Fighting Mot is a war of buffs. If you have them, you should win.

The way is clear.

Several random encounters later, Reginald learns Deathbound. Physical damage to random targets. The multi-hit potential of this attack is the reason why it replaces Divine Shot as the move used for killing bosses.

The Trumpeter can be fused now.

Any Tyrant fusion works when performed on full Kagutsuchi. We fuse Pazuzu with Beiji-Weng. Pazuzu is obtained by fusing Decarabia with an Angel. Beiji-Weng is fused from the Pale Rider and Decarabia.

I am the Fiend Trumpeter. With the echoes of my trumpet, your enemies shall perish...

Pretty much all skills he needs he either starts out with or learns naturally. All we give him is Mana Refill and Tetraja, the latter one just for the next sub-boss.

With Mot dead, we can get to the second floor of the east wing.

Here, Uriel learns Radiance, an Expel-based AoE. Unlike Holy Wrath, the damage it deals is fixed, rather than percentile, so it can kill.

Will you enter?

Yes.

The conference room. A perfect place for the last sub-boss.

Mithra. Started out as a patron of contracts in Zoroastrianism and ended up having his own religion that was a major rival of early Christianity.

Mithra: Reginald, I shall hereby prosecute thee! Just as the prophecy says, Reasons are appearing and this Vortex World is nearing the time of creation. A new world shall be created, no matter which Reason prevails... 'Tis a joyous occasion!

Mithra: It is forbidden! Demons shan't create the world! Reginald! It is my duty to ask thee questions to test thine alignment.

Mind the fourth wall, please.

Mithra: Reginald, dost thou accept that thou art a demon?

Of course I'm a demon.

I mean, duh.

Mithra: Then Reginald, dost thou accept that thy heart is demonic?

No, it's not.

Not yet, at least.

Mithra: Infidel! This cannot be forgiven! I shall stamp thee out of existence!

Mithra is poor man's Daisoujou. He has access to both Mahamaon and Mamudoon, which is why we gave the Trumpeter Tetraja, but it's all he can do, other than a few physical attacks. He doesn't have any draining or ailment-inducing attacks. He doesn't even have any resistances beyond the standard boss ones.

We cast Debilitate 4 times, then throw everything we have at him. He doesn't last long.

We can leave the room now.

The last shortcut.

Here's the elevator we've been trying to reach all this time.

Not much of a choice, is it?

The sixth floor offers a clear run to an important-looking door.

Will you enter?

Yes.

Defying all laws of nature, the entire hall is rotating around the altar in the middle.

There was not really freedom. All that existed was greed, and that is what corrupted the world.

Were they not present - abundant, more accurately - in the previous world? Why did you not pursue your goal back then?

Did you think they would be able to do what you couldn't? Or, did you want them to feel the same agony of defeat that you felt?

More artifacts. Sorry.

So it was you who sided with Yuko. Don't bother trying to interfere. You are powerless within this warded area. Just watch quietly as my god descends from above.

Aradia: Woman, we shall set out for the new land.

I have to stop Hikawa, or else... both the previous world and the new world will die.

This space will be consumed by the nothingness shortly. Now, sacrifice yourself to my god and fulfill your duty as the Maiden...

Who disturbs us!? It's quite a surprise to see you here, Demi-fiend. I don't know what you were thinking, but... I have no intention of fighting you. Now, I'd appreciate it if you'd stand aside and cease with the interruptions...



Should we stand aside? Hikawa's about to sacrifice Yuko; should we just watch? It's the choice that will either win Hikawa's favor or turn him against us.

The next update will show the aftermath and the Fifth Kalpa, regardless of this scene's result.