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

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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.

I want vengeance! Kill Hikawa.

Stand aside?? Hell no, kill him, it's payback time!

1.

2.







3.





4.

About the choice:



(Kick Hikawa's butt)

I'll vote to just watch because I'm butthurt about being distracted a bunch of days and those jerks voting to not joing Chiaki. Let me see if I can get enough people to register and vote the same just out of spite, yay.

I feel you pain.

Still, I vote to join the teacher. I mean, as much that I hate her character for being chaotic stupid that Hikawa dude had it coming for a long while

1 vote for Shijima, 5 votes for neutrality. Neutrality it is.

Update 27: Fifth Kalpa



I am deeply disappointed in you. How can you allow yourself to be swayed by this woman...? I've left you alone thus far, but now there is no point in letting you live. My faithful servant Samael will take care of you.

















Samael, the Poison of God. As far as archangels go, this one is really strange. It's unclear if he ever fell, but even those sources that claim he remained a part of the heavenly host attribute really questionable qualities and actions to him. Among other things, he's said to be the serpent that tempted Eve, the husband of Lilith after she left Adam and an angel of death.



As a boss, he's not all that hard, if you can counter God's Curse, his unique spell.



What it does is attempt to put a random Mind- or Nerve-based status effect on all of our demons. The Fiends are safe because of their immunities, but Reggie can only gain one immunity via Magatama (we equipped Iyomante for the Mind immunity), and Uriel has no status effect immunities at all. This means Reggie will occasionally have to spend an action on using Sacred Water or other recovery items.

Another really annoying property of this spell is that it's never resisted, technically speaking. Instead, demons who're immune to its effects automatically dodge it, but dodging status effects doesn't reduce the attacker's AP pool. Because of this, Samael can always follow up God's Curse with Beast Eye and two castings of Rakukaja. Have Dekaja ready, or it'll take very long to kill him.

For damage dealing Samael uses his basic attack and Megidola. Both don't do that much damage after you Debilitate him. Speaking of debuffs, Samael has both Dekaja and Dekunda, but rarely uses them. Setting up Tarukaja and Debilitate is a very good idea.

Focused physicals are the way to win this fight quickly. Samael has a passive skill that gives him a chance to counter-attack with his basic physical for free whenever a physical attack hits him, but it stops being a major issue after Debilitating him, and the Harlot is immune to physical damage at all times.



Fighting Samael can take a while because a lot of actions are lost on Dekaja and removing status effects, but we're never at any real danger, as he's very bad at actually dealing damage to the party.



But, it's too late. You cannot stop the advent of my god.













I always knew the Japanese parliament building was a home to a portal leading to eldritch dimensions of infinite nothingness.

]









































Frankly, I was expecting something even more stupid, given Hikawa's taste in suits.



You have no nipples. Why don't you have any nipples, Hikawa?



Ahriman, or Angra Mainyu ("destructive spirit"), is the embodiment of all darkness and evil that opposes Ahura Mazda in Zoroastrianism.

Guided by the wisdom of god, I shall create a new world, the kingdom of stillness. Eternal prosperity is possible through my power alone...



BGM: Yahiro no Himorogi





All possibility has dried up in this world... But, there must be a world out there where freedom prevails... I wasn't strong enough, but... it seems your will is greater.



Hurry... to Amala Temple... This will show you the way to Kagutsuchi... The pilgrimage to creation ends there... If you so desire, you may create a world of freedom... however you see fit...









The final dungeon of the game can now be entered. However, the ending is not set in stone yet.





The old gentleman still awaits our final decision. We should complete the last Kalpa.



First, we take a short detour and visit the Third Kalpa again. The last Magic-checking door is opened. In the Mystical Chests behind it we find Soma and a Bead Chain.



With that deed finally done, we enter the Fifth Kalpa, where we immediately bump into an old acquaintance.





...You know, I have to admit. You've got guts. I'm impressed that you made it this far.



What the... But... The candelabra... The golden key... How... Why... What... Oh, screw it all.





A demon hiring a demon slayer... It's the joke of the century, don't ya think?



BGM: Joint Struggle



I usually charge an outrageous amount of money. But in this case, I'll make an exception. Let's flip a coin.



If you win, just give me a dollar... Oh yeah, it's Macca here, isn't it? Give me 1 Macca then. But if you lose... you'll have to give me half of what you've got. Call it. Heads or tails?
Heads.

It's that coin from DMC 2.

Okay, you get the special discount price of 1 Macca.

Reggie paid 1 Macca to Dante.



...So, what's your name?
[Tell him.]

Reggie introduced himself to Dante.













This is what our new party member looks like. Dante's phenomenally good at destroying random encounters because of how many damage types he's capable of inflicting (physical, Force, Electricity, Almighty), especially after he learns Son's Oath, which gives a permanent 50% damage boost to all his attacks. Unfortunately, he lacks Focus, buffs and debuffs, which makes him a sub-optimal choice for fighting late game bosses.

Since his skill set cannot be modified in any way, and I'm a bit of a control freak, we won't be using him.



Right after the room where we encountered Dante is a ladder leading deeper.



Demon: This is where the women loyal to our master gather. You have done well in not disappointing him. But, if you underestimate us, you will not live to regret it!

The B1 floor of the Fifth Kalpa is essentially a harem. Female demons of all levels can be encountered on this floor. Some of them we haven't seen yet.



Couldn't find the concept art of her current design, but that's Kali on the left. She's the Hindu goddess of time, change and death.



Lilith, the original wife of Adam. She was created from earth like him, refused to acknowledge his supremacy and chose to left Eden.



In the Irish mythology, Scathach is the one who taught Cu Chualainn how to fight and gave him his spear, Gae Bolg.





Sati, the first wife of Shiva. Her father disapproved of the marriage, and after a particularly heated argument with him Sati decided to put herself on fire with the sheer force of will. She was reincarnated as Parvati and married Shiva again.



There are two Mystical Chests (containing a Magic Mirror and a Balm of Rising) and two Cache Cubes (containing a Chakra Drop and a Bead) on the floor.



As you can see, there are two ladders leading below. We'll take the eastern one first.



The eastern half of the B2 floor has this demon door.

Voice of the door: If you are a true demon, then you may see what lies beyond this door.



The door lets us in, but nothing appears to be in the room. If we go for the true demon ending, things will change a bit. The room is still a good place for grinding: high level demons like Surt, Aciel, Mada and Mot spawn here.









Activating a switch in this section unseals a Burial Chamber.



One grave belongs to Mithra, and one is still unoccupied.



The Trumpeter learns Makakaja. It will serve us incredibly well in the next boss fight.



Let's explore the western half now.









This switch gives us access to the ladder leading to the B3 floor.



Soul: Would you like me to measure the movements of your soul?
Sure, go ahead.
Soul: Imagine you are in the mountains... and you see a human about to be attacked by a wild animal. The animal begins to maul the defenseless human! As a fellow human, your heart would compel you to chase away the beast and rescue the victim. Ah...! But, now you're a demon! Suppose you kill the animal with your newfound strength... You crush it barehanded! The human would then fear you, since you had proven yourself more powerful than a wild animal! With your demonic strength, you can no longer be human. You are more dangerous than a wild animal...

Once again, this soul delivers.



Demon: Are we fallen ones to blame...? Or is it the fault of those who cast us down...? I wonder what our master thinks... I'd like to ask him one of these days.



This is a small floor, and we soon find another ladder.



Demon: They test various attributes and may even kill a demon if they are inclined to do so. Some will ask for specific demons. If you want to go on ahead, be sure to bring a variety of demons with you.

This floor is a trickier version of the Third Kalpa. Stat requirements to open demon doors are higher. The main character and Dante can't be offered for evaluation. If a demon you offer doesn't pass, he's killed and the party is teleported to the beginning of the floor.



Have Uriel step forward?

Yes.
Voice of the door: Your comrade's strength is admirable indeed... You may pass.



Behind the strength door we find another demon door. This one can only be opened by the Pixie who joined us at the hospital or her descendants.

Have Blob step forward?

Yes.
Voice of the door: You have with you a mighty comrade... You may pass.





Blob: !!









This is our reward for not sacrificing or dismissing the Pixie.



I've been right here by your side from the very beginning.



I'm Pixie of the Fairy clan. Please take care of me...





This is our new Pixie. The skill set is nothing to write home about (although it can be customized with Mitama fusion, unlike Dante's), but the stats are exceptional. The Pixie can open all doors on this floor, except the ones that require specific demons.

She also makes a great sacrifice. All that XP it takes for a Pixie to reach level 80, multiplied by 1.5, will be transferred to a demon you fuse.



Have Black Frost step forward?

Yes.
Voice of the door: Your comrade's luck is admirable indeed... You may pass.

The Luck-checking door leads to a small optional area. There's a Cache Cube with a Bead in it, but, more importantly, there's another demon door here.



Have Black Frost step forward?

Yes.
Voice of the door: You have with you a comrade as black as night... You may pass.

Only Black Frost can open this door.



The reward for getting in is 5 Great Chakras and 5 Beads of Life. This literally doubles our supplies of these two valuable items.

To get to the end of this Kalpa, you have to be able to open a Magic- and an Agility-checking doors. The Pixie can open both.



Reggie learns Gaea Rage. This is the best physical AoE in Nocturne, and it can rip most random encounters to shreds. Just make sure the enemy doesn't reflect physical damage. That can lead to a very embarrassing game over.



Demon: I CAN FEEL GREAT POWER FROM THIS DOOR, WHICH LEADS BELOW... SOMETHING EVEN STRONGER THAN BEELZEBUB... IF YOU CHOOSE TO PROCEED BE CAREFUL.



It is time we faced this update's main attraction.



Will you enter?

Yes.



The familiar sound of the SMT I Law theme can be heard.



I can see by the darkness in your soul that your have chosen to disregard my warning...





I cannot turn a blind eye to the fallen angel's abominable plan... to foster the birth of a new demon.







Listen, Fiend! Foul demon whose soul is tainted with darkness!









I am Metatron! I am one with god! ...By his will, I shall destroy you!!

Metatron is the highest of angels, the voice of God and the scribe of Heaven.







BGM: Metatron. My favorite boss theme. Love the bits of Law integrated into it.



Metatron's AI goes through three phases.



In the first one, he only attacks. He has his basic attack, Megidolaon and a number of Expel-based attacks, like Holy Wrath and Mahamaon. Immunity to Expel on all demons is mandatory. Metatron doesn't use any buffs or debuffs on his own, but he'll remove all our support spells pretty much instantly. We avoid using them for now.

At first, we stick to physical damage. Reggie does Focused Deathbounds, the Harlot Focuses her basic attack, the Trumpeter just attacks, Uriel heals. It's not the best way to damage Metatron, as he's resistant to physical damage (Ice and Almighty are the only attack types he takes full damage from), but it saves MP, which we'll need in the latter two thirds of the fight.



His attacks stay the same in the second third, but he gains Tarukaja and Makakaja. He also becomes less trigger-happy with Dekaja and sometimes won't bother removing our buffs for 7-10 turns. We take advantage of this and keep Makakaja and Rakukaja going at all times. Metatron still uses Dekunda very undomesticated snowmanly, so Debiliate is out.

Reginald casts Dekaja to remove Metatron's buffs, uses MP recovering items to keep the party in fighting shape and casts Glacial Blast when there's no need for the other two functions. The Trumpeter casts Mabufudyne, the Harlot uses Beast Roar, Uriel heals.



Metatron becomes really dangerous when he enters the third phase.





The eye laser is Fire of Sinai, an Almighty spell that can hit multiple times. Get hit twice without Rakukaja protecting you, and you're dead.

Metatron also gains Debilitate, but he rarely bothers to use it.

Our attack pattern stays the same, except the Harlot now has to take a break from attacking to cast Dekunda sometimes.











The key to victory is the same as to the Beelzebub fight: don't get lazy about healing.



We can get to the bottom safely now.



The last ladder is behind the door.



It brings us back to the place where we got our first taste of combat and defeated our first Preta.



Soul: Yours is existence unbound by this world, and for that reason, you have infinite potential. Will the battle with god occur as our master wishes...? Or, will we forever remain in waiting, while history repeats itself? ...I have thought about this at great length. May I ask you a question?
Go ahead.
Soul: Very well. It is true that all living things must perish... Bound by the invisible threads of fate, humans die tragic deaths... Does that seem fair to you? If you lost a loved one in a horrible accident, would you curse god? ..................There's no need to answer. But, if you feel that fate has cheated you... then go and see our master. Yes... Though long frozen, time shall flow again... towards the final battle.



This is it, the final decision.



Taking this elevator will lock us on the way to the true demon ending. Reggie will accept the old gentleman's proposition and become the champion of Chaos. The final battle will begin, and the cycle of death and rebirth that all worlds go through, taking countless human lives with each rotation, will stop.

But is it the right choice to make? We know nothing of the old gentleman's own vision of the universe and of the world he wants to create on the ruins of the old order. Should we ignore him and face the final trial alone, owing allegiance to nobody, in an attempt to fulfill the dream Ms. Takao entrusted us with?

You decide.

What are our options if we decline? I haven't been paying attention

It's meant to be a blind jump, to a degree. With Reasons antagonized and the old gentleman ignored, the main character will be the one deciding the future of the world. What he decides depends on his reply to Aradia's questions in Yoyogi Park.

There's only one answer to this question:

Ride the lift

True Demon

Do not be someone else's lackey! Forge your own path.

^
Black Cat's alt spotted.

I choose that you make a separate save here and show both endings... Nah, that would be powergaming. Therefore, I say that Reggie should go and have a little chat with the old gentleman...

As awesome as being a true demon would be... We are the servants of no one.

Save beforehand and exploit to show both/multiple endings like a real OG.

I mean, yeah, Lucifer is alright...but can he compete with making your own way and spawning a new reason-god-thingamajig....the great and mighty aphatmc~, and remaking the world into HEAVAN WITH HIS MIGHTY BONER THAT LOOKS DOWN ON THE EARTH!?

No. The purpose of the LP is to spread the word and get people to play the game.



4 votes for the true demon ending, 2 for neutrality. The decision was made.

^

Since this is THE decision, shouldn't you give the codexers a little more time to decide the fate of Earth? Although we know the outcome will be the same...

No, because I'm halfway through writing the next update.

Update 28: In which an offer is accepted

Yeah, I'm really schizophrenic about naming updates. Sue me.



Down we go.



























We have long awaited this moment, in the everlasting flow of Amala.





Demons watching from the peepholes start cheering.











The cheering stops.



All of the demons are celebrating the birth of the new demon of darkness, hoping that you and the fallen angel will break the chains, and defeat the Absolute One...

BGM: Mission



We, the ones cast into darkness, shall face those that live in the light... The final battle is about to begin. But first, you must return to your world and increase your strength... by defeating the humans who are vying for control of creation, and Kagutsuchi, the source of creation.



























We're being sent back to grind some more levels and break an oversized light bulb before we can start the end of the world. Sounds like fun.



He shall release the hidden power of the Magatama that you have received.





and now, it is time for you to receive the heart of a demon, as my master wishes.

















Would be cool if the tattoos stayed red for the rest of the game. They don't.







Neither do the eyes.



See? Back to normal already.





The audience is over.







Awww, daddy's proud of us.











...Go... to where... Kagutsuchi... awaits... Show... me... the beginning...

The voice could no longer be heard.

We're back at the hospital room where we started the game.



This is the power we were given. Marogareh, our first Magatama, can now teach us the Pierce skill. The description says that it's a passive skill that allows the user to ignore all kinds of physical resistance, except reflection. It's not quite true. In reality, all skills that take HP to use benefit from it, no matter the damage type. For example, Pierce allows Magma Axis to damage foes that resist, null or drain Fire.

A funny thing about this skill is that you don't really need it, unless you go for the true demon ending. If you do so, it becomes pretty much mandatory for completing the game. More on that when we get to the final battle.



Soul: And now, you have been born a second time...

Yes, yes, very symbolic, we get it.



What is the best place to visit immediately after completing the Labyrinth of Amala? The Labyrinth of Amala.



Voice of the door: If you are a true demon, then you may see what lies beyond this door.

This door used to lead to an empty room.



It's not empty anymore. Within various containers here we find 3 Deathstones, 150000 Macca, 3 Magic Incenses, 4 Jades and 25 Lucky Tickets. Chaos certainly pays. Lucky Tickets will be covered in the next update.



We get plenty of XP while running around in this room in order to get the best loot from Mystical Chests. The Trumpeter learns Dekaja.



Reginald gets Pierce. Glacial Blast is told to stop taking up space because Gaea Rage + Pierce works on almost everything.



Seriously, why use anything else when you can do this?



Mastering Marogareh also changes Reggie's title. He's neutral now, I believe.





The final act is about to begin.









Voice: ... The Yahirono Himorogi that you possess... It shall provide a stairway to creation for the strong... and a tower of certain death for the weak. Fate awaits you within... If it is your will, then go inside...





We have no unfinished business left.





























REGINALD BEAM!































Shijima's Obelisk is being driven into the ground by the weight of the new tower.













This is quite a surprise, isn't it, my little master...?



Those who yearn for creation will come streaming into it.



The only thing left for you to do is to vanquish Kagutsuchi and wait for the final battle... My little master says that when the time comes, he will go with you to the battleground. Until then, keep up the good work. My little master and I are looking forward to it...









Let's have a look at the Obelisk's new surroundings.

BGM: World Map ~Last Area~



The place certainly looks and sounds climatic.



It's easy to miss, but the Obelisk has two entrances now. We'll take the northern one first.



It hides the way to the previously inaccessible elevator to the B4 floor. What's down there?



The Chakra Elixir. It restores 25% of any demon's MP and can be re-used infinitely. It's highly useful in longer boss battles, but alas, it can't be used outside of combat, so it's not a real substitute to Mana Refill.



The southern door is the door on 132F that we could open before, only to see kilometers between it and the ground. The Obelisk is quite a bit lower now, so it's the new main entrance.



Soul: the only place in Tokyo that is connected to Kagutsuchi. Everyone went upstairs...



4 elevator rides later, we're at the room where we first met Aradia. It serves a new purpose now.







Voice: Show me your heart... All I see is darkness inside you... No light remains in your heart, and your purpose is in defiance of my will... If you dare, then come before me with the three stones of treasure...



The ending is fixed. 500 floors of dungeon crawling await.

Except the Bando Shrine, my favourite dungeon in the game...