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[François]

: Kei? Kei! What are you doing? What's going on?
: At the very least, I should get you out of here so you don't have to!
: What are you talking about? Kei!!
: There's no time! ...Farewell, Francois...



*: Toraport is a spell that returns you to the last Terminal you saved at. The last Terminal I saved at was in Shinjuku.









What the hell? Is that a nuclear explosion?





No... It's... not.





Holy crap!







I'm... I'm alive. What is this place? It's... strangely familiar.

: I am En-no-Ozuno.
: Err, hello.
: ...Let's see now, there are two more who have found their way here as well.

Two more? Are those...?

: You know them both quite well. Find them and return. When all three of you are here I shall fill you in on the details. If you are injured or want to rest, my minions Zenki and Goki will take care of everything for you. You can find both of them in the rooms next to me.
: Okay, I'll be right back.

I don't feel like bugging this strange bathrobe man any further, especially if I have friends waiting for me somewhere.

*: En-no-Ozuno is a famous Japanese mystic, born in 643 AD. He's the founder of Shugendo, an ascetic religion that incorporates many East-Asian beliefs, including Shinto, Buddhism and Taoism, among others. It is practiced even today, though the rituals apparently include a lot of sitting on top of mountains and not eating so I don't think it can be described as very popular.



Huh. This is the strange dream place where it all began, but this time it's not a dream. The walls don't even move anymore. I'm here for real.

*: So I'm all alone. My minions are gone; they must have been left behind. This isn't good news for my combat capabilities since all I can do is hit things with a stick and use items, but at least I have my inventory, with five incenses stockpiled for healing (four Luck and one Magic).



*: Literally one step later, I run into four of my strongest former ally. Ouch.

: Hey, maybe you've heard of me. I'm Francois! One of your friends helped me kick Thor's ass!
: I'll take good care of you, little boy!
>Apsaras is teasing you.
: Ooooh, I'd like that!
: Don't get cocky with me. You're a Devil Buster, aren't you?

I lower my weapon.

: I've... busted devils, yeah. But only, you know, bad devils.
: You've got guts, kid. Tell me what you want.

*: She comes with me for a Magic Stone and about a thousand yen.

: I'm all satisfied now. I'll do whatever you want me to do.
:

*: I immediately run into three Azumi. Not as potentially dangerous, but they could easily Shock Apsaras and I. I try to make friends, but fail.

It's three rounds before can even summon Apsaras. By the time she arrives I'm at 25% health. A few rounds later she's healed me a bit with with Me-Dia, and I've managed to take one Azumi down, but I'm still in danger. That would have been a good moment to use an Indulgence... but it just so happens I had bought a Kodokuzara at the Gaia Temple: that's a Bowl of Insect Blood, which casts Mudo on two enemies.

It works. Woo! Yay for insect... blood.

...let's carry on.



*: I save and try to go get me some healing next door. A lone Kinnari tries to stop me.

This is where the difficulty curves hits a speed bump. Not only do I start my party from scratch, but most demons here are at least couple of steps tougher than anything I've faced so far.



*: Fortunately, there's free healing. I think I'm confident enough to explore, and it's not like I have anything else to do.



Lv16 Majuu Tangie
The Tangie is a shapeshifting water spirit that usually appears as a horse or as a merman, in Scottish folklore. That doesn't sound too scary, but it drowns and eats people. I'm not sure how it relates to the image here, but eh, shapeshifters, right? It hits fairly hard, but it's annoying to fight because of its ridiculously high defense. It can increase its rather low accuracy with Suku-kaja, put up a Wall of Water, and use a special Crush attack.


: Ah, Francois! It's been quite a while! I'm happy to see you again!
: The feeling is mutual, girl. Say, you want to come with me again?
: I am at your service...

Score!

...though... "It's been quite a while?" What is she talking about?



*: Oops, I forgot to take the in-battle screenshot. In any case, I try to chat because... you know... it's getting, uh, nipply in here. But it's the full moon. Dang!

Lv19 Majuu Nekomata
A cat that has obtained supernatural powers through old age or meeting some other requirement, such as tail length. It's got a bunch of wacky legends attached, but mostly it's said to kill its female owner and shapeshift to take her place. Even killing them can be dangerous as their ghosts are also very powerful. Here they are quick and versatile, with a two-hit Claw attack, Zanma, and a very effective Marin-Karin.
: Also, nipples.
Also nipples. I don't often mention particular animations, but Nekomata are winking.


: Well if it isn't Francois! I see you're still alive and kicking!
: Hey, am I glad to see you. Care to help me out with the kicking?
: I am at your service...

Man, thinks are looking up.


Lv19 Chirei Bucca-Boo
Bucca-Boo are Cornish goblin-types from ancient pagan religions of the area. They're excellent fighter-mage types with great attack power and Bufula, Maha-Bufu, and Raku-kaja. They're extremely dangerous to encounter, so I suggest befriending one as soon as possible.


Lv16 Chirei Tsuchi-Gumo
Tsuchi-Gumo are half-spider half-man creatures, apparently originating from legends about a mountain-dwelling people of the Japanese Alps now lost to history. They hit fairly hard and can poison or bind you; they can also cast Hanma, which isn't a big deal if you don't have undead with you. They're pretty tough, but they are weak to Zan, so you can put a Nekomata to good use.

*: We find some Nue here.


Lv15 Youjuu Nue
They hit hard and can paralyze or panic you, so it's best not to let fights drag for too long. Charm is fairly effective against them, so I usually have someone cast Marin-Karin, or get Ame-no-Uzume to Sexy Dance.



*: I get her back too. Man, if I'm getting all my old buddies back, I regret spending big bucks on that Apsaras. Though maybe I'd have died a bunch by now if I hadn't.

Ooh, there's a Jakyou Mansion. I'll see if I can collect anyone else before trying to fuse more.


: Kaneda! You made it!
: Who's there!?
: ....Francois!! So you're here too? What is this place...
: I was sent here by Resistance Kei. How did you get here?
: I was searching for Kei, when all of a sudden this blinding white light engulfed me... The next thing I knew, I was here. Anyhow, that doesn't matter now, let's try and find a way out of here!
: Excellent idea, my man. Let's go.
>Kaneda joined the party.

*: He's basically how we left him. Still, it's nice to have another party member. I can only summon three demons at once, but humans don't count against this limit, so even if he's a few levels behind he's still going to help a lot.

I run into a forced ambush with four Apsaras, but they give my 1680 yen because I'm with their friend. I wonder if that's where I would have found my old Apsaras had I not hired another already. In any case I made my money back, so I can't complain.

Wait, I do meet my old Apsaras a bit further on, but she doesn't recognize me. Oh well.


: Tetsuo! What's going on? Are you alright?
: Francois!? Is that you!? Thank God!
: First Ozawa slips through my fingers, then I get teleported to this weird place out of the blue...
: Ozawa got away? Damn it.
: Shit, this just isn't my day!! In any case, the demons here are pretty tough, and I'm really asking for it if I try to take them all on by myself. So, I'm coming along with you!
: Welcome back, man.
>Tetsuo joined the party.

*: I give both Tetsuo and Kaneda some of my spare San-setsukon, which are straight upgrades from their old Spike Rods.

Heheh, I'm getting the band back together. Feels great! I needed that.

All that's missing now is the cute female bassist.

...and Spartoi. Huh.


Lv15 Yousei Gandharva
Gandharvas are Hindu nature spirits, usually with bird or horse features. They are the husbands of Apsaras-
:
...and play the music to which their wives dance. They're not the toughest creatures here, with relatively low HP and stats, but they know Lullaby and Happy Dance so they can be fairly annoying.

*: Well, I've explored the entire map.



The two open exits at the north and south are sealed doors:



I hit the Mansion to see if I can get anything new. I did manage to get a Nekomata and a Kinnari to join up.

Kinnari + Unicorn =

Lv22 Jaryuu Worm
This might be a random giant worm, but according to its family, this is more likely a Lindworm, a sort of wingless, limbless dragon from various European folklores. It's incredibly strong, with a Constrict attack that causes damage and the Bind status, and a Tail swipe that hits an entire group of enemies. Unfortunately, it has low HP, low defense, and is weak to fire, so that power comes at a cost.

Jaryuu are evil, bestial dragons or related draconic creatures, predatory but not particularly wise or intelligent. They are Dark-Chaos.

*: ...Wait.

Jaryuu are Dark-Chaos. But I can still summon Worm.

Killing Thor balanced out killing Gotou. I'm Neutral-Neutral again.

I leave the Mansion, and immediately recruit a Tsuchi-Gumo. Hmm.

Tsuchi-Gumo + Nekomata =

Lv22 Seijuu Hakutaku
"Hakutaku" is the Japanese name of the Bai Ze, a strange creature from Chinese legend. It's a bizarre multi-eyed, multi-horned bovine (or lion) with the face of a man. It is believed to have met the Yellow Emperor (the legendary founder of Chinese civilization) and have revealed to him how to recognize and protect himself from every type of supernatural creature in the world. It's a very good physical attacker and back-up healer.

Alright, time to go back to En-no-Ozuno.

This update continues in a few minutes!

[François]

: Very well. Let me start by telling you where you are. This is the Kongokai. From your point of view, it is a place much like the afterworld or the Abyss. As for the world that you were formerly in, it is no more. The destruction of Tokyo has sparked worldwide nuclear holocaust. Civilization as you knew it is gone.
: You maniacs! You blew it up! Ah, damn you! God damn you all to hell!
: How did this happen? What is the earth like now? Is it destroyed?
: There is no reason to worry. Despite the scale of the destruction, humanity has somehow managed to survive.
: Then please send us back!
: Are you sure that's such a good idea? The world is not like it used to be. It might even be a worse place to be than the Abyss, with the destruction and chaos that runs rampant there.
: That only makes me want to go back even more, to defeat the demons and bring peace back to the world!
: I second that.
: If you insist, it is possible to return to your world. If that is what you wish, then will you hear my plea first?
: Of course. It's the least I can do. If your companions hadn't helped us then we'd be dead by now.
: Very well. There is a spring within the Kongokai. I would like you to retrieve some of the Soma that is flowing from it. If you don't hurry up, the spring will dry up, and you will have to wait for it to start flowing again. I have opened the south gate. I'm counting on you.

*: Soma is an ancient drink used in certain Hindu rituals, though its original ingredients are now unknown. One might think of it as a sort of ambrosia, a drink for the soul. Here it's basically an Elixir, restoring one party member's HP and MP to full.

We can open the south door now. Man this place is big.


*: En-no-Ozuno's image is flickering here, like some sort of projection.
Even if it is you who is commanding the demons, binding them to your will, the demons you summon will still exert influence upon your alignment. Choose your minions wisely.

*: Hmm. I did not know that. Makes sense.


*: More illusions.



Ooh, there we are.

>Soma is flowing from the spring. Will you take some?

Heck yeah!

*: A bit later I find Spartoi! Yeah!


: Eh? A dream? I didn't have any strange dreams like that.

Just a memory, I suppose.

: You must decide your own path. You are the only one who can open the doors to your future. What is the right thing to do? What is the wrong thing to do? There is no one right answer to these questions. Each person must find their own individual answers. In the end, it is you who must decide what is wrong, and what is right. As you make these decisions, your alignment will change to reflect them.


: In these dark times, God is humanity's only hope... there is none other to whom we can turn to!

*: Four Nekomata show up. First round, they charm Worm. We almost die, and Worm doesn't survive. I may have my party back, but I still can't afford to let my guard down.

: How would you answer if someone asked you, "Do you feel like killing demons in cold blood?" Be careful of which demons you choose to kill.



*: We end up doing a lap around the area and returning to the south gate again. The funky doors in the corners are one-way passages, and the outer exit in the east is sealed.

: Alright old man, we gots the stuff.
: Oh, you've brought it with you! Thank you!
>You handed over the Soma. En-no-Ozuno drank the Soma.
: ...Hmm, that's still not enough. Could you go back and get some more for me?
:

*: I go back and get some more.

: Oh, you've brought it with you!
: Yyyyeah. Should I fetch your newspaper now?
: Thank you. I do not need any more Soma. You can keep that for yourselves.
: ...Thanks, I guess.
: By the way, there are two phantasms that live here in the Kongokai. I hear they carry rather powerful weapons. Go and find them, and bring them back here. All right?
: Yeah, sure, whatever, man.

I don't know how to get out of here anyway, might as well get on his good side. Plus, weapons sound good.

: I have opened the gate to the north. However, Francois must go there alone.
: What!?
: I have other tasks that I would like Kaneda and Tetsuo to do.

Alright then.

*: I find Angel again in a room on the other side of the north gate, but my party is full, I have enough Law demons already, and to be honest everyone else is stronger.





Holy shit, it's Dracula from Castlevania 2!

: It seems your alignment differs from my own! Then you must die here!



*: It opens with Maha-Agi, almost killing Worm. Dang. It seems resistant to physical damage as well. I replace it with Bucca-Boo to cast Bufula; it Freezes him but doesn't do a lot of damage. I try a Molotov Cocktail, but fire doesn't work all that well either. Daaaaang. I replace Hakutaku with Nekomata to try Zanma, but no dice either. This is a slugfest.

Whew, after like a dozen rounds, it runs out of HP and drops the Guillotine Axe. The weapon has a massive 40 attack power, 2 accuracy, and hits once. Only Chaos-aligned males can use it.

Lv? Choujin Phantasm
An illusion of some sort. There's not much to it. I don't know why it's even a Choujin at all.

We keep exploring.


: At the very least, I should get you out of here so you don't have to.


: ...




: It seems your alignment differs from mine! I cannot allow you to live!

*: This guy knows Maha-Zanma instead of Maha-Agi, but the rest of the fight is mostly the same. I summon Spartoi in the back row so he can buff our attack at least, and the fight is over much faster. We obtain the Kodachi of Light. It has 35 power, 28 accuracy, hits once, and can only be equipped by a Law-aligned male. Le sigh.



*: I go back to heal my wounds and present the weapons to En-no-Ozuno. That was a colossal area, especially considering I got at least one random encounter every 1-3 steps. This is the first dungeon where I've had to switch demons in and out as some died and others ran out of MP and such. On one hand, it's hard and takes concentration. On the other hand, I really really love this. It's extremely old school, the enemies are a definite challenge, I need to pay attention to elemental vulnerabilities and manage my items and use status ailments and buffs wisely and and and it's just so wonderful!

: I see you've returned, Francois.
: It wasn't a walk in the park, but I've got the weapons.
: I'm glad to see you made it back all right!
: Geez, you took forever! Glad to see you're in one piece though.
: Good job, everyone. Francois, this is for you.
>Francois received Mikazuchi's Tachi.

*: 30 power, 20 accuracy, hits 1-3 times, can only be equipped by Neutral males. It's more than twice as strong as my old San-setsukon. Score!

: Wow, thank you!
: You are now ready. It is time for you to return to your world, if you so choose. I have opened the east gate. You may return whenever you wish.

*: Kaneda and Tetsuo are back. Kaneda can equip the Kodachi of Light, and Tetsuo gets the Guillotine Axe. Whatever their tasks were, they've made their choices. Kaneda is the Law Hero, and Tetsuo is the Chaos Hero.

It's finally time to get the hell out of here. I've got some money, awesome new weapons, a full complement of powerful allies, and enough magnetite to be accompanied for a long, long time. Let's see what we can do for what's left of mankind.


: ...But first, you must defeat us! If you cannot defeat us, we will not let you pass!
: Another trial, eh? Bring it the fuck on!

*: I remember Goki being the healer, so I concentrate on him first. He mostly buffs their physical offense while Zenki attacks. And... what an attack. He hits twice for over 100 damage; Kaneda and Tetsuo die in the first two rounds and I lose a demon every other turn. Apsaras gets one turn alive to buff our defense, and that lets us survive one hit.

Eventually Worm kills Goki, so we turn to Zenki. Fortunately Bucca-Boo's Bufula freezes him reliably, so we chip away at his HP for a while.

Wow. The fight went a lot faster than the Phantasm battles, but it was a bloodbath.

Lv? Zenki & Goki
Can't find much on these guys. There's a manga about a certain Enno Ozuno using a demon named Zenki to defeat an evil goddess, but other than that I couldn't tell you.


: ...But don't be shocked when you see how much it's changed...
: What the hell, man? Your buddies killed half of my friends!

*: En-no-Ozuno vanishes. Kaneda and Tetsuo get back up, good as new.

Err. Alright then. I guess we passed the test.

Let's go.

Let's go home.

[Classic]

On the plus side, it's marginally less bleak than 2200's California!

[Brentai]

Lv? Zenki & Goki
Can't find much on these guys. There's a manga about a certain Enno Ozuno using a demon named Zenki to defeat an evil goddess, but other than that I couldn't tell you.

I have no idea what this site is but here you go.

Condensed: They're the original red oni/blue oni pair, husband and wife, whom Ozunu punked for eating too many people and so they became essentially his apostles.  Gotta admit, having two giant goddam cannibal ogres behind you is a lot more impressive than twelve fishermen.

[François]

I have no idea what this site is but here you go.

*: Wow, I don't know how I managed to miss that, they're kind of a big deal. I suppose I shouldn't have looked for them separately. Thanks!

Okay, so we're in Yoyogi Park. Or... what's left of it.

Well, there's no point in dwelling on this. Let's see if we can find survivors nearby.

*: We take the northern path out of the park, but don't make it very far.



I see some things haven't changed much.

: I haven't eaten anything in days! Come on, please!
>Will you give the man some money?
: Yeah, man, sure. Here, have 200 yen.
: Don't waste your money! He's probably just a bottom-feeder too lazy to get a job, and will just spend it on booze and drugs!
: Dang, Tetsuo, it was already hard enough for midgets before the nuclear apocalypse! Did Ozuno make you read Ayn Rand?
>Francois handed some money out to the man.
: ...What the hell is this shit? Give me some Makka, you cheap bastard!
: Makka? What are you talking about?

: You cheapass son of a bitch! I hope you get turned into one of Ozawa's Shinjuku slaves!
: Ozawa's... slaves?
: What, you don't know about Shinjuku? Go north of here, then head west.



*: The game actually displays your money and slowly reduces it, thousand per thousand, right down to zero.

: Wha... ba... huh?
: Get the hell out of here, you jerk!
:

Someone has had the time to institute a new currency. Just how long have we been gone?

*: From now on, the money symbol is the Makka symbol.

This is the last thing I clearly remember from when I played the first time. In fact the very first of many obvious gameplay glitches I encountered from this point on was that I actually got to keep all my money. Of course, it was harmless, but soon afterwards stats and spells got scrambled and some plot flags failed to turn on or something, and I got so annoyed trying to make sense of it all that I stopped playing. (Meaning, of course, that this is where this LP becomes legitimately blind.)

That said, it's a good sign for this run. BSnes has fixed all the graphical glitches so far, and the money glitch is absent.

I have to confess: I went on a shopping spree before going to see Thorman the second time because I knew I was gonna lose all my cash before long. I also kept the extra San-setsukon enemies dropped instead of selling them right away. I did lose all the cash I made in the Kongokai though, which amounts to about 15000 yen. I probably would have lost more had I been uninformed (because I mostly asked demons for magnetite instead of money)... but it still hurts. I have Bucca-Boo, Worm and Rusalka summoned already, but if I didn't, I couldn't afford to summon them. Ozuno resurrected Tetsuo and Kaneda, but Apsaras, Hakutaku and Ame-no-Uzume are still dead, and I can't afford to have them raised yet.

Aaaaanyway. We keep going out of the park, when...


>Francois heard a woman's scream.
: Where are you? Guys, let's go, quick!
: Hey, Francois, are you all right?
: ...didn't you hear the scream just now?
: What? A scream? I didn't hear anything...

>A woman's voice echoed within the recesses of Francois's mind....
: I... never mind. Let's get out of here.

Could it have been Kei? Did she make it after all?

Either way I have nothing to go on, but that beggar mentioned Ozawa. Let's find out what we can first. North and west, huh?



Ouch.



Lv27 Datenshi Berith
Berith is a Great Duke of Hell (apparently we've graduated from Marquis), commanding 26 legions of demons. He knows much about the past, present, and future, and can turn any metal into gold. He's also enamored of the sound of his own voice; reportedly, he once possessed a nun and proceeded to recite the name of all the demons possessing her with him, and when he was done he was so disappointed that he had nothing else he wanted to say that he started naming the saints who would be most helpful in banishing each and every one of them. He's a very good physical fighter with a decent Agirao, Plinpa, and the Critical skill. He's also immune to fire.

Well, so much for ridding the world of demons, huh. Great job, Thor.



This is what's left of Shinjuku. Not a pretty sight.


: Huh, that it is.
>A single Mesian's image fills the screen of the Auroravision viewer.
: ...Have faith in God!
: Wow. God's got some balls having his people say that sort of thing not one mile from a GIANT NUCLEAR CRATER.
: Heaven on Earth in the form of the Thousand Year Kingdom awaits you! Only those who have not forgotten their love for God will be allowed to go there!
: Oh please, spare me from this bullshit! I see that intolerant proselytizing is still alive and well. This is a waste of time. Come on, let's get out of here.
: Wait, maybe we can get some good information out of this. Lord knows we could use some help in getting our bearings here anyway. Let's hear what they have to say.
: As much as it pains to me admit it, you're right, Kaneda.
: ...Our job is to live faithful lives in dedication to God and do his will. We have seen the global devastation that the world has suffered since the great war 30 years ago.

*record scratch*

: THIRTY YEARS?!
: What th... Did you hear that...!? Thirty years!?...
: Nope, I heard it all right! Is this really 30 years in the future? Did we spend that much time in the Kongokai!?
: The destruction 30 years ago was a test for humanity, sent by God himself. Through the efforts of those that show that they can withstand the trial, yet still not lose their faith in God, the world is truly giving us an omen of its being rebuilt! Belief in God is of the utmost importance, faith is everything...
>The sermon continues.

God.
Damn.

Let's go to Shinjuku, see if we can't hear real people talking for a change.



*: Shinjuku's ground floor got a real post-ap makeover. On the plus side it has extremely rocking new music. I should make another intermission post soon, there's a lot you gotta hear.

The ground-level area at the eastern entrance has a new corridor and location. We meet a Dryad on the way, which causes me some relief as it seems the game is no longer actively trying to rape me. For now.




: Uh. Hello? What's going on here?
: OK, here's the deal. "Item Exchange" is a one-for-one deal. You give me one gem, I give you one item. [He give you the list of items.] ...and that's it for Item Exchanging. "Seirei Exchange" is a three-for-one deal. You give me three gems, and depending on which gems you give me, I give you a different Seirei in return. [He gives you the list of Seirei.]
: So. You're a slaver.
: Pretty much. Cool beans, huh?

*: And that's the real use of gems. Three gems seems expensive for one Seirei, but some of them are kind of a pain in the ass to fuse, and doing so requires at least two empty demon slots. Of course, some of the items you can trade for are rare and powerful as well; for example, you can get a Soma in exchange for a Pearl.

I don't get anything right away though. We go downstairs.



*: Huh! Looks like this area wasn't that affected by the nukes. It's even still automapped.


: Well, I would hope so, after THIRTY YEARS.
: Our holy land, the Cathedral, is on the verge of being completed. It shall serve as the throne of God himself when he descends to Earth from the heavens! Once the Cathedral is complete, the Thousand Year Kingdom governed by God will become reality at long last!


: So Ozawa's really in charge now. Man, this feels like a Back to the Future situation. On the plus side, he's an old fart by now. And he probably isn't married to my mother.
: But is the trade-off worth it?
: That's an interesting conundrWHAT THE HELL ARE YOU CRAZY OF COURSE IT'S NOT WORTH IT


: He's the new Gotou, then.
: He defers to them, and in exchange, they cannot enter Shinjuku or attack it. It's like a classic service for protection exchange.
: So that's what they call rackets these days.


Master Ozawa directly appointed me to this position himself. As long as I'm still here, Shinjuku will remain a safe place to live!
: Oh, I don't doubt it. Say, where are your deputies? You know, Indian, Telephone Worker and Biker.
: ...
: Or did they join the Ozawa Navy?

Hell, if that wimp is all the protection Shinjuku has, I bet even I could take over.


: With the kind of wares you got, maybe it's both.
: ...
: I kid, I kid. Now, what's your biggest weapon?

*: Guns! At last I can start packing some heat!

This is the first time I come across a gun shop, but apparently, the mysterious stuff the Antiques merchant in Kichijoji deals in is actually firearms, not drugs. That said, I have never figured out how to get him to sell me anything.

This guy sells a M16 Rifle (43/5, hits 2-8 times, male only) for 7000, a SPAS12 (55/8, hits 2-4 times) for 10000, plus Poison and Nerve Bullets. I have only 781 macca right now, but I'm gonna unload my ancient crap on him.

...San-setsukon are worth 1000 instead of 10000 as I expected, and the currently-useless Rosary (I'm no longer Lawful) I bought for 15000 sells for 380. Ha! Looks like I'm not beating the system after all. I can't even afford the cheapest gun at 7000. Nerve Bullets are only 350 though, so I grab some for Kaneda, Tetsuo and I (in advance).


: Actually, to tell the truth... some of them really WERE dug up. So yeah.

*: I can afford some of the stuff here, which is around the same grade as the equipment Kei had when she joined up. I kind of want to save up for the M16, but the Berith fight outside showed me that I could really use the defense upgrade if I want to continue tanking in the frontline. I get Jet Boots (4 defense, 9 evade, +1 Speed), Cyber Arms (5/2, +2 Strength), a Thunder Guard (14/3, I hope it protects from Zio), and a Fritz Helm (6/0). Kaneda gets my hand-me-downs because he still has Kichijoji equipment.

: Why don't we get cool new future stuff too? I know you've got some money left over.
: I hate to agree with Kaneda, but he's got a point.
: Hmm, you're right, guys, that's a little unfair. Let's discuss this. But first, it's a little chilly in here, and I'm still bleeding from our last battle. Give me a moment to quickly heal my wounds and then conjure up elemental forces to create some flames out of thin air.
: ...
: ...
: Uh... Err...
: OH WAIT. I CAN'T.
: Please enjoy your new equipment with our blessings, Francois.
: Thank you. That's very kind of you.



*: Heyyyy, I haven't shown you the old drugstore, have I? It didn't really have anything I wanted to buy, just some crappy HP recovery items. The junk store is the post-apocalyptic equivalent though, with items that cure Poison, Paralysis, and Stone. I'm probably gonna buy some of those sooner or later.


: But I can't... I'm afraid of what will happen to me if the private police catch me trying to leave town...
: I doubt they're all that interested in women, if that's your worry.

*: I just realized there really aren't any demons down here. Except for mine. That hasn't been the case for any place since the invasion started. Aaaaand my demons have been eating up magnetite for nothing. I return them to the computer, but with a heavy heart; they'll cost me between 400 and 700 makka each to get back.


: Power is everything! In order to conquer and overcome in this harsh new world, it is of the utmost necessity! But God does not have that kind of power! The only one with both that kind of power and the courage to use it fairly is Lord Lucifer!

*: We find the old Shinjuku terminal. It's in good working order and allows me to save, but I don't have any teleport destinations.

I check out the basement where the Resistance used to hang out before Yuriko found them out.


: Or did Ozawa send you here?
: Uhhh... yeah... yeah! He, uh, he thinks he might have lost his wallet here and sent me to look for it.
: Well, I don't care if you are! You're still not passing! The only one I'll let by is Ozawa himself!



*: Wendigo, huh? I bet it's weak to fire, and Tetsuo just learned Agirao...

Okay, yeah, first round, Tetsuo deals 277 damage. Ha!

Lv28 Jaki Wendigo
The Wendigo is a Native-American monster, specifically from Algonquian tribes. It's a malevolent humanoid creature associated with winter and famine, and whose most common attribute is antropophagy. In fact, it's sometimes said to be the form that humans take when they turn to cannibalism. They are giant creatures who grow in proportion to the size of their meals and are therefore never satisfied. They're tough bruisers with arguably lacking stats for their level, though they know Bufula and Maha-Bufula.

And in the spot where the Resistance HQ was...


: Ozawa arrests those who refuse to obey him, then tampers with their minds to brainwash them. I'm Psychodiver, and I'm the tool to which he achieves that end. When he learned of my psychic power, he more or less made me his slave. Day after day, he forces me to enter the minds of people and twist them to do his will. When I'm not doing that, I'm sitting here, caged up like an animal. But I can't say no, or else the demons Ozawa's all buddy-buddy with will kill me. Ah... God, I can't take this any more......!
: What a scumbag. I wonder if something made him snap, or if he was always like this. Maybe someone stole his scooter. Did you...?
: Don't look at me!
: Heheh, sorry to subject you to the whining, kid. I complain, but it's better than being dead.
: ...arguably.
: ...Hmm, Francois?
: What? Do you know me?
: Your aura sticks out like a sore thumb, kid! Talk about your abnormal vibes!
: Hey, I haven't looked at my porn stash in thirty...
:
: ...years... uh... You know, forget I said anything.
: I'm sure you're just dying to know what the hell is going on, so I'll clue you in. Your spirit is inseparably tied with that of another... your "destined partner" so to speak. And that partner is in some deep, deep trouble right now.
: Kei!
: You better go save her as soon as you can. If she gets any worse, your prognosis is not good either.

That voice I heard at Yoyogi Park, it really was Kei's! So she's still alive, somewhere!

...and thirty years older.

Aw, who the hell cares about that! I always wanted to chase a woman across time!
*: Really?
Well, no. But it's a cool thing to say!

*: Next time: we finish exploring Shinjuku and see if we can find out where Ozawa's holed up by (how else?) hitting the bars. Also, the booze of 2022 Tokyo: does it glow SCI-FI BLUE, or FALLOUT GREEN? Stay tuned!

[McDohl]

Ever since the nuke went off, I've been much more interested in this.  I hope you don't mind that I told the Talking Time kids about this.

[François]

*: I can honestly say that I am not in the least bit bothered by publicity of any sort. Hello and good day to all Talking Timers and other such Talker Times!

Aaaaaand we come back to our party investigating post-apocalypse Shinjuku.



Now we know how he does it, too.


: So, business as usual, then.
: Heyo!
: ...
: The building is teeming with them, and those foolish enough to venture inside couldn't take two steps before falling to the hordes within. Not only that, but I feel an incredibly strong presence from the top of each of its two towers. I wonder who, or what, could be up there?
: A wizard white, and a terrible flame-wreathed eye.

*: I find the Jakyou Mansion again, and for a moment, I panic. There are demons missing in my list! Did I dismiss them instead of returning them again?

Oh no, wait, they're just dead. Derp! Can't fuse dead demons. They don't even show on the lists. Whew! And while I think about it, I'll drop by the Healer's Dojo next door and see if I can get them to do something about it.



: AAAAAAUUUUUGH~~~


*: Okay, so... no. That fight against Zenki and Goki cost me a lot more than I expected. That's the drawback of having powerful allies, I guess. Man, if I was still Lawful I'd get hell of discounts at the Church.

The easy way out is to dismiss the corpses and hire some replacements. I haven't ruled out this solution, but I'd really like to keep Hakutaku and Apsaras if I can help it, and Ame-no-Uzume's Sexy Dance is rare and still quite useful. Plus, who knows how much it'll cost me to recruit new allies? Resurrection isn't cheap, but it's just money; new demons out there can ask for Orbs and even gems. I guess I'll have to check out what critters I can find on the surface before I make my decision.

That said, I go back to the Mansion and fuse Spartoi and Nekomata.


Lv23 Juujin Werecat
A... a weredog for cat people. I suppose. She's a quick little fighter with a two-hit Claw attack.
: And n-
...nipples, yes. Isn't that getting old already?
: Nope!

Spartoi was beginning to get a little fragile for my tastes, and Werecat can cast Taru-kaja too. I liked Nekomata for Zanma and Marin-Karin, but Kaneda and Rusalka can hold the fort on these fronts.

Okay, back to the investigation.


: Damn you Ozawa! I hope you die!
: That's the spirit!
: ...Uh-oh! There aren't any of the private police around here, are there? If they hear me talking like that, they'll cart me off and have me brainwashed!
: I don't think they'll try anything funny while I'm around, so feel free to speak your mind, kid.


: Since nobody who packed up from Shinjuku to move there changed their mind and decided to come back... at the very least it's not as bad as it is here, I imagine.
: Yyyyeah, you keep believing that.

*: Before hitting the bars and disco, I visit the old Yakuza offices. There are demons in the upper floors, including Lemures, Pishasha, Werecats, and...


Lv18 Shiki Corpse
I don't know what to tell you here. Corpses! Yup. They've got craploads of HP for their level and pack quite a punch, along with Death Touch and a Paralyze attack; they could make great allies if you manage to fuse them early. They are also the strongest member of the Shiki family, so that's probably the last we see of those. Unfortunately, I don't think any of the Seirei rank down Shiki, so you can't get one easily from a Lv1 Zombie.

...holy crap, the second head from the top... It's a creeper!


Lv24 Youki Momunofu
An ancient Japanese war god, servant and protector of the deity Arahabaki. These guys are old; we're talking about pre-Shinto times here, between the third and seventh century. They're pretty scary fighters right now; each of them hits almost as hard as Worm does but is much more durable. As if that wasn't dangerous enough, they know Suku-nda, Taru-kaja and Tetraja (which apparently protects from energy drain attacks).


Lv31 Datenshi Sytry
Sytry is a Great Prince of Hell, commanding 60 (!) legions of demons. He appears in the form of a winged leopard, is capable of causing people to fall in love like some sort of demonic Cupid, and... he can make people naked. There you go, the Lesser Key of Solomon lists a demon that specifically gets people to take their clothes off. I'm not sure what else I can add to that. Tells a lot about whoever wrote it, huh? Well, apart from that, Sytry is effin' scary. It hits extremely hard, has over 200 HP, and it knows a couple debuffs and Maha-Agion. Ouch. With its Magic score, it can easily one-shot anything that is weak to fire, and cripple anything that's not resistant. Too bad I can't have one yet, ridiculous nudity powers notwithstanding. If I meet more than maybe two I just use an Indulgence because seriously.


: Heyyyyyy-
: No good can come of this, but you've never listened to reason before, so...
: -yyyy baby!
>The demon is ignoring you.
: I know it's probably before your time, but I'm sure you've heard about Thor's ass being whupped by a mighty warrior. That... was me.
: Oh, so you're Francois. Now I'm interested...
: I'd treat it as a personal favor to me if you were to contribute to my war chest...
: What, so we're begging now?
: Shush, we're fund-raising. So what'll it be, dear?
: OK, here you go!
>Francois got 1760 Makka. Man-Eater left.
: Whuh? How'd... how'd that happen? She's an undead cannibal!
: Dude, the Earth has been through a nuclear apocalypse. Almost everyone's wearing these full-body cloaks; I bet most men over 15 got more wrinkles than a scrotum leather accordion.
: And we just happened to spend the last 30 years outside of time. We might just be the sexiest males in the world!

Kaneda doesn't have an answer to that. I think we broke his brain with awesome.

Lv22 Yuuki Man-Eater
Again, I don't have much to go on regarding mythological background. There's certainly any number of stories involving housewives telling their husbands not to cheat on them with strange hot girls because they're probably undead dong-eating monstrosities. Here, they hit hard, have a paralyzing attack, and know Sexy Dance, which can wreck your day. Fortunately, their magic defense is low and their HP is feeble for their level. It's exactly... 69. Oh, Atlus.


: Yeah, we're old friends of your boss. I'll think he'll be happy to see us.

We'll be happy to see him, in any case.


: Welcome to Shinjuku. My name's Ozawa, and I run this town. The only thing I care about is keeping this a place where everyone can live in peace without worry.
: You're Ozawa... THAT Ozawa, aren't you! Don't tell me you've forgotten who I am!!
: Sorry son, I don't have a clue what you're talking about... Now  if you'll excuse me, I'm a busy man. Come back some other time.

He doesn't remember us.

Why would he? He's met us twice, half a lifetime ago.

I expect Tetsuo to jump him, but he looks more shaken than enraged. He's not an idiot. Ozawa's a tyrant, but if he's the only thing that stands between the people of Shinjuku and the bedlam of the surface world...

Still, protection or not, if I find out that he's the one hurting Kei, I don't think much of his chances of survival.

*: The game doesn't let us attack Ozawa. He's a tyrant, but he's probably the least of our problems right now. I think my next goal is to investigate the Tokyo Government Building, but I still have the rest of Shinjuku to check out...

...in the next post. Coming extremely soon!

[François]

*: We get into a bunch more fights on the way back down, but the Nerve Ammo I bought is really, really helpful, even though Kaneda still has his single-shot pistol. It's starting to feel like the good old days, with my hitting things, Tetsuo burning things, and Kaneda fixing things.


Lv27 Gaian Hakai-zo
No idea. Going from an online Japanese-English dictionary, I can advance that "Hakai-zo" could mean something like "one who enforces the Buddhist precepts", and it'd make some sense, but I can't guarantee the validity of this theory. In any case, they are mean mofos. They have the unremarkable stats typical of humans so far, but their Magic is decent, and they know Zanma, Zionga, and a free, multi-hitting Fireball skill. Great spell-slinging allies if you can get 'em.

By the time I get back to the main level, I've made 10000 makka. I go back to the gun store and buy an M16 for myself. The M16 is weaker than the SPAS12, but it hits 2-8 times whereas the latter hits only 2-4 times.

I don't think I've mentioned this yet, but when firearms hit several times, they hit only once per target; any additional hits are lost. On the other hand, melee weapons that can hit multiple times can hit the same target repeatedly, and are therefore much better for single-target damage. When I use my gun, it's because I want the ammo to cause a status effect, not because I care about the damage.

Alright, that's enough futzing around. Let's hit the bars. I start with the old Resistance hangout.


: Trying a stunt like that is risky though. If you get caught trying to skip town, the police will shoot you on sight!





*: Wow, either this is rotgut garbage, or makka is worth a lot more than yen used to. In any case drinks still aren't worth the cash; for example, Magical Fizz restores exactly 2 MP.

So, to answer last update's question: new names, same old brown crap. Man the post-apocalyptic future sucks.

: Well, at least I've still got this ratty old shop. Thanks for your patronage!

*: Next up, the old US Army bar.




: Yeah, I bet.
: That's quite something, considering that state of the world as it is now.

*: Roppongi's got many embassies (Thorman's office was technically there), but it's also known for its many restaurants, nightclubs, cabarets, hostess bars and other sundry strip clubs. Apparently the Yakuza are being driven out of there these days, but back when the game was released, they more or less ran the place.

: Under Ozawa's orders, we protect the peace of Shinjuku!
: At any cost, huh?
: If it weren't for us, you'd all be in a demon's stomach by now! I'm sure you're plenty grateful for our services, yeah? So bring us a drink!

: We're the police! We protect the people! We are your only shield from the demons! Thank us! Worship us!

: It's because of Master Ozawa that people can live here without being attacked by demons. So maybe he's abusing his power a bit, but who am I to complain? After all, it's better than being dead.
: I think my watch is broken. It's still coward o' clock.

: Damn those bastards, always drinking for free...... But I'm not about to stop them, what with the private police and the brainwashing that goes on here. Nobody in this town dares oppose Ozawa with the forces he's got under his control.

One way or another, that'll change soon enough.

*: And at the old JSDF haunt...



: The only reason I can sit here and drink my booze in peace is 'cuz Master Ozawa governs the town and keeps demons out!

: I've heard that there's this girl that came to Shibuya, who everyone is saying is the new Messiah. But recently I haven't heard a thing about her or what she's doing. I wonder what's up? Was it just a rumor?

That couldn't possibly be Kei... could it? Or Yuriko maybe? I wouldn't put it past her to fool an entire religion.

Or maybe it's a woman I've never met. Stranger things have happened!

: Is there something you want?
: Lots, but I doubt you can give it to me, old man.
: Oh wow! Is that what I think it is?
: Huh? Wha...?
: It is! You've got genuine Yen from before the great destruction! And in near-mint condition! Hey, will you let me have it? I'll pay good money for it.

*:

: Let me think about it for a minute...
: Come on, please?
: Yes take all of it take it all take take take!
: Great! Here's your makka! A pleasure doing business with you!

*: He gives me about 1500 makka, which is around one tenth of what I had "lost". Man, and I was thinking I was the clever monkey.

: Now my collection of ancient currency is even bigger!
: And my collection of modern currency has increased as well!
: I don't need you anymore, go away!
: Err, right, right. Goodbye.

: There used to be this drunk that hung out here. Said he could project himself into other people's minds. Kind of a weird guy, but his money was good.

That must have been Psycho Diver.

: Haven't seen him lately actually. Too bad, he was one of my best customers.

Note to self: if you spontaneously develop psychic powers, don't brag about it at the bar where the gestapo assholes hang out.

: Yaaaaah! I'm a COP!!
: Good for you, buddy.
: Suspicious guys, dudes who oppose Master Ozawa... I ARREST 'em!! People that try to escape, I KILL 'em! Yaaah!
: That's nice. I'm sure your mom's really proud of ya.

*: I guess that's where the game sums up the situation for the slow people in the audience. It's starting to turn up the "Fist of the North Star" dial something fierce. As long as I get to be Kenshiro, I don't have a problem with that.

Finally, the old disco.



Hey, it's Grace Jones!

*: It costs 50 makka to get in.

: Hey, come in and make yourselves comfortable. You heard about Roppongi, how everyone who goes there never comes back?
: Yeah, here and there.
: It's rumored because it's safe there, but I wonder. There was one guy who actually came back here after going there.
: My interest is piqued.
: The guy was white as a sheet and looked like he'd been to hell and back. He just escaped with his life, apparently. He was such a wreck, he only barely managed to say one thing... "The count fears the pot..." Dunno what the heck it means, he may have just been driven completely insane. But I wonder what's going down over there, you know?
: A Straight Edge convention, I guess.


: ...
: I'm surprised you're not saying anything.
: I just realized I have a hair fetish.

: The only way to survive in a world so overflowing with demons is to learn to coexist with them peacefully! In other words, Master Ozawa has the right idea!

: Yaaah! I'm a COP!! Suspicious guys--
: Yeah, yeah, heard you the first time. Are you following me?

: They say that there's an even bigger, better disco at Roppongi. Even so, I like it here in Shinjuku just fine! I don't want to be killed by demons! And thanks to Ozawa, I don't have to!

: Don't be fooled by the rumors floating around. Don't even go near Roppongi! People say it's a nice place to live, but it's just a city of the dead, teeming with zombies!
: That would seem to be more consistent with the general state of affairs, yes.

*: I go downstairs in the disco basement.

: You guys are from out of town, aren't you?
: Nnnnot really, but let's pretend I am, it's less complicated that way.
: Have you heard about Ozawa? He's the one that's running this town.
: It's hard not to hear about him.
: Did you know how he keeps his stranglehold on power here? It's not through upright and virtuous ways, that's for certain!
: I... gathered that.
: Essentially, Ozawa struck a deal with the demons, and is using their power in order to keep the town under his control. Rumor has it he answers to an even more powerful demon though.
: Hmm...
: In exchange for protection from the demons, the townspeople are forced to follow Ozawa's orders and not oppose his will. If anyone DOES try to disobey him, Ozawa's police force will cart them off and have them brainwashed. Well, actually, while they call themselves a privately hired police force, they're really nothing more than a bunch of thugs that are working as Ozawa's underlings. Ozawa pretty much leaves the town to them, so behind his back they do whatever they want... extorting the townspeople and causing disturbances themselves. ......Oh shit! One of them's coming now! I gotta get out of here! If we're both still alive, I'll see you later!
: Hey you! What was that man with you just talking about!?
: About respecting the authoritah, sir!

Asshole's too drunk to identify sarcasm anymore. And I was itching for a fight, too!

Oh well. In any case, the man confirmed that something is pulling Ozawa's strings. As much as I'd like to crack the fucker's skull, it'll just make things worse. If we're going to take care of the situation, we need to go after whoever he's dealing with. And my best bet to find out who that is, is to question Ozawa himself again.

*: Before going back to his office, I'm returning to the surface to make some money and raise all my minions if I can. I don't want so spend too much on summons, so I only get Bucca-Boo to help us out. There's lots of Gaian Suicide Squads out there, for some reason.


: Nice machine, man. The post-apocalypse always has the coolest bikes.
: Give me 961 makka.
: What? Hell no. You idiots should be bribing me.
: What are you doing here?
: Minding my fucking business, like you should.
>Executioner Rider left.
: Losers.

Lv20 Gaian Executioner Riders
Presumably, the assholes in charge of catching the Shinjuku citizens who try to make a break for it. They're fragile, but fast and actually rather strong, with a two-hit Bash skill.


Lv27 Youjuu Atsuyu
They've got immense strength and know Agirao, but they're not particularly tough otherwise. Consider having your lower HP allies defend though.



*: Heh, there's what's left of Gotou's old HQ. Homey!


Lv28 Majuu Stonka
A bull monster from Bulgarian legend; its skin was hard as bronze and was so heavy its steps sounded like thunder. It had a habit of killing peasants and their horses, so a peasant disguised himself as a horse and stabbed it with a golden sword. I'm not sure how the horse disguise helped, but there you go. They're incredibly durable and strong, with a multi-hit Rampage skill and Bind Voice, and they would be a colossal threat if they weren't weak to fire and therefore vulnerable to Tetsuo incinerating them in one shot.


Lv30 Jaryuu Cocatrice
A strange creature from medieval European folklore, born of an egg laid by a rooster and incubated by a snake. Of course, bizarre misshapen chickensnakes aren't the most intimidating critters in the world, but touching one, or looking at one (or even being looked at by one) will get you turned to stone. Here, they're more like giant angry birds who, not content with having the expected petrification attack, boast the highest attack power of any random encounter I've seen yet. Fortunately they don't have too much HP and are weak to fire (whew!)


Lv23 Yousei Kelpie
A water spirit from Celtic folklore, taking the form of a strong black or green horse, perpetually wet and with kelp in its mane. They're said to entice people (usually children) to ride them, whereupon they capture them thanks to their adhesive skin, then run underwater to drown them. Here they're average fighters, remarkable mostly for their Sibabu and Makajama, with which a group of Kelpie can more or less disable your party in short order. They also know Toraest.


: Hey, so we still have Ren Faires, and in Japan, no less. Things can't be so bad after all!
>Temple Knight is watching you warily.
: Look, I don't want no trouble.
: Are you of the Mesian Church?
: I... uh... I can't say I've really made up my mind about it.
: Why not join the Mesian Church? You will surely find salvation!
: I'm not ready to enter a long-term relationship yet. It's not you, it's me.
: Are you an agent of the Gaians!? Die!
: Yeesh, jealous much?

Lv22 Mesian Temple Knight
Warriors in the service of the Mesian Church. Their stats are okay, with relatively high Strength and Speed for humans, but their spells are the real threat. They know Suku-nda and Taru-nda, therefore allowing a group of them to make your physical fighters more or less irrelevant; unfortunately, they also know Makajama and can shut down your spellcasters as well. It's best not to fuck around with these guys.

Mesians are the human followers of the Mesian Church, willing soldiers in God's army. They are Law-Neutral. I suspect "Mesian" should have been translated "Messian", on account of their hope in God's Messiah, but what do I know?


Lv15 Machine Bit Ball
I guess these are some sort of robotic drones keeping watch around Shinjuku. They didn't show up in the Devil Analyze and I took them all down with one clip of my M16 before they could do anything.

*: I finally have enough money to raise everyone. Whew! It was even more expensive than I expected because raised demons are returned with 1 HP and 0 MP.

Now I can go see if Ozawa has any answers for me. I hope I won't have to kill him to get them, not yet anyway, but I'm ready for anything.

: What can I do for you?
: Ozawa! You haven't changed a bit! You're as corrupt are you always were! You dominate and claim your power by suppressing the weak, just like you did 30 years ago!
: Ho ho, what kind of nonsense are you talking about, boy? Are you saying you don't like the way I do things?
: Have you gotten senile? It's pretty obvious we've figured you're still the two-bit scumbag you've always been.
: Think! Those who obey me can survive in this dog-eat-dog world without worry. What's the harm?
: Shut up! I'm not going to let you get away with this!!
: Foolish child, why won't you listen to reason? ...I suppose I have no choice then. Master Takeminakata, get these brats out of my sight!



Uh-oh.

Senile or not, the guy's been summoning demons for 30 more years than I have.

[François]

*: Takeminakata gets the first hit in. He reduces everyone to one third of their max HP. Ow!

: It's no good! He's too strong! We can't beat him, let's run!
: Damn it all! And after finally making it this far...
: We're not making it any further if we stick around, man. We'll find another way.



We start going back to the mall, but...


: Good God, are you insane, Tetsuo!? If you fuse with a demon, you'll no longer be human any more! What good will defeating him do if you have to throw away your humanity to do it?
: Kaneda! You wouldn't understand... If you'd have gone through what I have, maybe you'd see my point of view...

The human/demon fusions we've seen up to now don't have the greatest track record for protecting the innocent... but I bet they were douchebags to begin with. I hate even contemplating the option, but seeing what happened with Pascal and Pixie, I can't help but believe that the sort of power Tetsuo's talking about would be the only thing that'd give us a shot against Ozawa's giant purple goon.

I sure wish there was another way though, that there was more time. Unfortunately, with every moment that passes, more human faces get stamped on by Ozawa's boot. Damn it! Maybe I'll think of something else on the way to the Mansion...



...nope.

*: I don't seem to have much of a say here. There's nothing happening anywhere else.


: I want to disagree with you, to tell you that you're making a bad decision... but I've been using the power of demons all along. Not in the same way, but...
: I need more strength to defeat Ozawa... No... To fight and survive in this dog-eat-dog world! I'm going to fuse myself with a demon to achieve that end!

*: The fusion list shows up, but I don't control the cursor; it cycles randomly through all my allies.

: Jaryuu Worm! I choose you!
: ...are you serious?
: What do you mean?
: Of all the creatures available to share your existence with, you choose the giant snake-worm thing with teeth the size of your forearms and and and... and... you know what? Good choice!
: Are you ready to go through with this?
: Hit me up, doc.
: I'm not a doctor-
: Hit. Me. Up. Doc.
: Alright, alright! One half-human abomination, coming right up!
: Goodbye, buddy. See you soon.









Apparently, Tetsuo + Worm = Totally Sweet Ninja Warrior! I knew it!

: I've done it! I've finally gotten the power I've always wanted! Nobody will be able to pick o... defeat me any more!!



*: Holy. Shit.

Lv33 Choujin Tetsuo
Kind of an impressive stat sheet, eh? I had built him up to be a quick mage-type, now he's got more Strength and HP than me. He has new spells too: Estma (prevents encounters with demons whose level is lower than yours until the next full moon), Makala-karn (reflects all enemy spells for one turn), Maha-Agion (!), and Mudo. He's a beast, in more ways than one.

On our way back up to see Ozawa, he one-shots an entire group of Pishasha with Maha-Agion.

Okay, let's see if we can take on that thing now.

: Back for more, are you? It's always the same -- give them an inch, and they take a mile! You kids remind me of a group of troublemakers I dealt with a long time ago...
: "Dealt with?" Are you serious? You ran away every time we... you met!
: ...and you look like them to boot!
: Ozawa! You won't beat me this time!
: Why do you insist on opposing me?
: We don't have time to recite your list of crimes here, but let's just say you being a pissant idiot asshole for over thirty years has a lot to do with it.
: That's it, I've had it with you. I'm going to have Psychodiver brainwash you and turn you into my slave. Master Takeminakata, please capture these upstarts!
: Master Tetsuo, please open fire!
: Hah! I've got what it takes to take this sucker on now!



*: We use our surprise round to buff up. Tetsuo puts up Makala-karn, just in case, Bucca-Boo uses Raku-kaja, and Werecat uses Taru-kaja. I do 18 damage per hit, Kaneda 10, and Rusalka 8. Next turn, Tetsuo's Mudo fails (I had to try, it would have been hilarious), Bucca-Boo's Bufula hits for 8 damage but Freezes the fucker, and the rest of us strike. We're doing fine, and I predict we'll continue to do fine as long as Bucca-Boo's MP holds up.

...and we do. In all six rounds, Takeminakata didn't lay a finger on us. Huh!

Kaneda and I gain about 11000 EXP, which dings us up three levels! (Tetsuo gains only 2300, since he's already much higher level now.) Takeminakata drops Bizen-Osafune (35/10, hits 1-3 times, anyone can equip it). It's a bit stronger than Mikazuchi's Tachi, but half as accurate; I think I'll just keep it around in case my alignment changes.

Lv43 Kishin Takeminakata
According to Shinto, there was a time where gods born in heaven (including Amaterasu Omikami) sought to unite the land under their rule, and were opposed by gods of the earth. Among those who fought against them were the god Okuninushi and his sons, among which was counted Take-Minakata. Long story short, Take-Minakata had the first sumo match ever, lost to Take-Mikazuchi, got his arms cut off, and ran away to get married to a lake goddess who, one can only assume, didn't mind doing her own yardwork. Apparently he still has his arms here, but in later installments of the series he is indeed Torso Boy. I wish I could tell you about his strengths and weaknesses, but we completely schooled the poor bastard.

Kishin are fierce warrior deities, associated with battle but mostly seen as guardians and protectors. They are Light-Chaos.

: My...my god, you beat Takeminakata! I can't believe it......
: You were a nobody back then, and you're still a nobody now.
: Please, I'm sorry, I was wrong! D-don't kill me... Please!



: ...

*: Will we?

This certainly has an alignment effect, but I'm not sure how exactly. Sparing a man's life because he begs us to may seem like a Lawful thing to do, but Law-types haven't been paragons of mercy so far, and on top of that Ozawa himself has proved himself to be quite an agent for the Chaos agenda. I think it's best to answer honestly, according to whether we're the kind of person who would stone-cold kill an old man or not.

On top of that, I'm making this question a two-parter by tacking on a more general alignment question here. More and more we're being asked if we're Gaians or Mesians by random demons, and either way if we're going to start working towards an alignment, it would seem this is a good time to start paying attention to what I kill.

So, this is probably not a final decision, but at this point, judging from what we know, do we lean towards siding with God and the Mesians, or with the benevolent (?) demon overlords and the Gaians? Or do we tell both factions to go suck the proverbial genitalia?

Does Ozawa live or die? Do we pick a side?

Find out next time!

Or before next time if the voting comes to an obvious landslide, whatevs.

[Classic]

I suspect the Minakata, strong as he is was, isn't the demon master that Ozawa was a douchebag on behalf of. If you've got any delusions of serious heroism you need to let him live for no other reason than to have him crawl back to his master and hopefully reveal him.

[Koah]

I'd spare him, but then again, that's just me.

You said earlier that if you go Law/Chaos that you can't recruit demons of the opposite alignment, right?  Because if that's the case then it sounds like you're better off staying Neutral so you can hire demons from both sides.  Might miss out on items like the Rosary, yeah, but you can still use both factions' inn analogues and if you run into anything that you'd need the Rosary for you can just recruit them and talk to other demons while you have 'em to get out of fights, so...

[Classic]

If that is your strategy then [spoiler]killing him[/spoiler] is the best option because soon [spoiler]being a decent human being and using an item to release kaneda's kei from agony[/spoiler] definitely gives you [spoiler]LAW[/spoiler] points.

But iirc, there are lots of opportunities yet to swing your alignment one way or the other, and a late-game chokepoint where you have the option to confirm your path in whichever direction you want [spoiler]although if you're law you can't defect to chaos and vice versa.

[François]

*: Alright then. So we try to remain Neutral for now, and...

: ...My sword is the sword of a god. Your blood's not worthy of it. Get out of here. If I ever hear about you again, I'll have you eaten.
: Hey, are you serious!? You're actually going to look the other way and spare him? Do you honestly think he's going to reform his ways after what he's done?
: Who cares if he does? He's been beaten like nobody beat him before. The people hate him, he's caused his overlords, whoever they are, to lose control of Shinjuku, and I doubt the Mesians would give him the time of day. We don't need to add to the pile of corpses.

Without another word, Tetsuo chops Ozawa's head clean off in one effortless swing of his Guillotine Axe, leaving a deep crack in the cement floor. Vive la révolution!



: Dude, what the hell?



: Congratulations, you've killed an old man.
: ...Francois! Kaneda! Listen, you guys are great, but let's face it. The world has changed, and you have to fight for your very survival.
: That doesn't mean you have to let the world change you! Don't you realize what we've got? How special we are? We don't have to play by the new rules!
: Your soft-hearted approach is at best going to slow me down, at worst get us all killed! With the power I've gotten through fusing with that demon, I don't really need to rely on you to survive any more either...
: What... what do you mean?
: I think it's probably best for me to go it alone from here on. See ya!



>Tetsuo left.

: TETSUOOOOOO!

*: Yeah, that was bound to happen. It would have been out of character for Tetsuo to agree to spare Ozawa, and in terms of game mechanics, he was getting almost as broken as Kerberos was.


: I guess you're just gonna have to start learning how to beat demons instead of people. Crazy world, eh?

Man I hope the people around here are going to be alright. Ozawa was a bastard, but at least he made the trains run on time.

Err, I mean, he kept the demons out.

In any case, I'll look around to see how Free Shinjuku takes the news of its liberation, and we might as well get that Psycho Diver guy out of jail too.

*: Leaving the offices, we almost get murdered by a couple of Sytry. I miss Tetsuo already. Back to the mall, we're jumped by five Suicide Squad goons. Door's open, boys!

I go to the Dojo to heal up, and hit the Mansion.

Hakutaku + Werecat = Atsuyu

Atsuyu's stronger and tougher than Worm was, and its Agirao gives me a source of fire damage to compensate the loss of Tetsuo, even though its Magic stat sucks and it only has enough MP to cast it four times.

...As soon as we leave the Mansion, Atsuyu gets incinerated by four Fireball-spewing Hakai-zo. Dammit! The fucker at the Healer's Dojo charges me over 4000 makka to raise it and 500 to heal it to full, putting me in the poorhouse again.

I for one can't wait for Choujin Obama's health care plan to come to fruition.


: Yeah, anarchy! That's what this place needed!
I'm going to avenge my friends!

*: A Suicide Squad asks me if I'm a Gaian. Technically, I'm not, but it turns out I hang out with Lawful demons all the time, and if I want to keep my Neutral cred I have to balance it out somewhat. In any case, he likes my answer and gives me almost 2000 makka. Gaians, fuck yeah!

...two steps later, four Suicide Squads try to kill me. Gaians, fuck no!

Oooh, I start meeting actual random Rusalka, in groups of at least five. This would be horrible if I didn't have one with me.


: That's right, kid! The secret police has no authority to harass you now!

Nope, no police, only hordes and hordes of mighty demons and gruesome shambling piles of rotting undead corpses.

Can't help but feel a little conflicted here.


: I JUST SAID I'M CONFLICTED, WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME PEOPLE


No longer will Shinjuku be safe from the demons!
:


: Well, it's now or never. Good luck!

*: We run into seven Momunofu, which I think is the largest single group we've ever seen, outside of the mobs at Kei's "execution". Fortunately we ambush them, and between my Nerve Bullets, Kaneda's new Plinpa, Rusalka's Marin-Karin and Ame-no-Uzume's Sexy Dance, four of them get charmed and the others are panicked or sleeping. What could have been a scary-ass fight is suddenly made palatable. God bless SMT for having useful status ailments!

I do get a later Momunofu to join me though, which is a welcome Chaotic addition to the group. Plus I won't get bothered by crowds of them anymore. And a bit later...



*: 55 power, 5 accuracy, hits once, only Neutral males can equip it. That's kind of an awesome weapon, considering I got it for free; it's better than the Guillotine Axe in every way. I don't think it matches Mikazuchi's Tachi in terms of maximum damage output, but at least it's going to be more consistent. I'll try it on for a while.

If there's a benefit from all the demons running around now, it's that I start making some real money at last. I even have enough to upgrade Kaneda's dinky Beretta to a SPAS12 shotgun. His Kodachi of Light is really not that great compared to what Tetsuo and I got from the Kongokai, and demons weak to Zan are few and far between, so he can really use the extra punch even if it has less hit potential than the M16 I got for myself. Plus, if I need him to disable several enemies, his Plinpa costs only 2 MP.

Visiting the bars...


...I guess that's comforting.

: Geez, all the money I spent in bribes to Ozawa has gone down the drain!
: That's what you get for supporting fascism, tovarisch!


: Yaaaah! I'm a NORMAL CITIZEN! I do HONEST WORK! Yaaaah!

: Since Ozawa died, the former private police don't dare set foot in here. What with all the money and booze they bullied off me and my customers, they realize there'd be hell to pay if they came back here!


: If they dare come around here again, I swear I won't let them leave my sight alive!

: Hah! Serves that damn Ozawa right! He finally got what was coming to him!

: Even if you tried to escape Shinjuku and go to Roppongi and Shibuya, there's a good chance you'll fall prey to a demon on the way. It's still dangerous to even try it!

*: At the police chief's old room...


: Does a Tsuchi-Gumo shit in the woods?
: Good question.
: Well, I... uh... Hmm. Let's just read the letter, shall we? "To Francois:"... huh? "I did some detective work, and learned that the police chief was the one who was doing all of Ozawa's dirty work, sending his officers out to bully and brainwash the people of Shinjuku. It's too dangerous to let someone like that live! So I took care of him. Don't worry about him any more." And... it's signed... Tetsuo!
: Damn, he doesn't waste any time.
: So much for squeezing a lead out of the guy. He did have it coming, though.

*: And finally, the disco.

: Eh? Master Ozawa's dead?
: Don't worry about it, there's a new powerful man of danger in town.
: So you changed your mind about hair?
: What? No! I was talking about Tetsuo! He's half worm, who knows what crazy shit he's into now?

: I had thought that Ozawa was on the right track, but...

: Hmm... Maybe I should move to Roppongi after all.
: Feel free to brave the atomic wilderness! Please mind the rogue biker gangs!

Alright, we're done here. Let's get Psycho Diver out of jail and move on. I just hope Tetsuo hasn't gotten to him first.

: I knew you guys were coming here. I could feel your aura from a mile away. Practically nobody ever comes down here, thanks to Ozawa. He keeps this place strictly off-limits.
: It just so happens Ozawa came down with a particularly virulent strain of that new "being the first against the wall when the revolution comes" disease that's been running around. Tragic, really.
: What? You killed Ozawa!? Hot damn! That means I don't have to sit in this stupid cell any more! Thanks, kid! 'Cause of you, I'm finally free after all this time! Wooo-hah! Man, I wanted a nice cold drink of some nice hard liquor for so long, it was driving me crazy! First stop: the bar! Time to go get smashed out of my mind!
: Watch out for the... demons...

He's gone. Hmm. Maybe we should catch up to him. The last thing we need is for some demon to get his hands on an alcoholic psychic brainwasher.

*: On our way back out...



Lv40 Gaian Oni-joro
Like the Hakai-zo, I'm not sure what they are, but "joro" returns hits for prostitutes, noblewomen, and... err... watering cans. (And "oni" is a generic word for demons/ogres but most of you know that one already.) So, "Demon Courtesan" is a good bet, I think. I'd like to tell you about their stats in detail but I ended up using a Smoke Bomb to escape the fight because they were absolutely raping me, and not in a way that I enjoyed. They have a multi-hit needle attack that does massive damage, a very strong single-target poison needle attack, a multi-hit "waves of electricity" skill, and even their normal attacks hit like a truck. I didn't even manage to kill a single one in three rounds, and I definitely would not have lasted a fourth one.

Needless to say, I want one. It's... not for a while, though.

Back at the bar...


: It's thanks to you that I can even be here too!
: All in a day's work, my good man.
: ...I'm never using my power to enter another person's mind again! I never really wanted to use it in the first place!

Aaaand he's just boozing it up. So much for hoping he had a lead on anything useful.

Well, here we are. We've changed the world a little. I don't know if it's entirely for the better, but at least things are moving, and given how bad things are, any change must be good, in the end. Plus Ozawa had it coming. I'm almost glad Tetsuo offed him.

So, there are three areas of interest right now. There's the nearby town hall, which apparently has been taken over by demons. There's mysterious Roppongi, whence no sane people return. And there's Shibuya, home of the Mesians.

Hmm.

Just a few hours ago I heard in this very bar about the female Messiah of Shibuya. In fact, the guy who told me about her is still here, talking about it to whoever is too drunk to get away from him.

If there's even the least hint of a chance that this woman might be Kei, then I have to check it out. I know she needs my help, and I haven't heard of other women standing out. She was leader of the Resistance; she had presence. She must have made an impression on people, and there's no way she would have just disappeared and let the world go to hell without putting up a fight.

To Shibuya, then!

Wherever that is.

*: By the way, the length of this update in no way correlates to the length of gameplay it chronicles. Exploring post-Ozawa Shinjuku didn't take as much time as clearing out the Kongokai did, but it was kind of in the same ballpark, and it was at least as hard. When I mentioned the ridiculous encounter rate in the first post, I wasn't kidding. It's a good thing I like the combat so much, because there's craptons of it.

[Classic]

Hey man, guess what?
Gaian and Mesian foes? They're human enough that the demon summoning program doesn't work on them.

[Brentai]

Lv40 Gaian Oni-joro
Like the Hakai-zo, I'm not sure what they are, but "joro" returns hits for prostitutes, noblewomen, and... err... watering cans. (And "oni" is a generic word for demons/ogres but most of you know that one already.) So, "Demon Courtesan" is a good bet, I think.

You got a little screwed there because it should be jorou or joroo (I'm not assed to go back and see what this game's format is for long vowels... I think it's just ignoring them, with confusing resultsit should be jorou) but otherwise yeah, you're on target.

Note that it's courtesan to oni, not a courtesan that is an oni.  Meaning they're human ladies that made a certain... bargain for more power, and now you can probably roast a whole turkey in there if they don't rip your face off first.

[François]

Hey man, guess what?
Gaian and Mesian foes? They're human enough that the demon summoning program doesn't work on them.

That makes all sorts of sense! Some of them keep asking me if I'm looking for a companion... but they do just take my money and leave. I guess that if the game let you recruit them, the ability to make Choujin at will would be pretty damn broken.

On the plus side I kind of don't want Oni-Joro(u) anymore.

...for a moment I figured that "Oni-Joro" was eight characters and they cut the off the "u" to fit some limit, but no, they had Ama-no-Sakugami and Takeminakata in there. Oh well!

[François]

: Intermission!

Wait, where's Jack... Frost...

Oh God.

:

Let's... let's carry on.

1- More music!


Remember the new Shibuya music I mentioned? Here it is. I'm not entirely sure if it's meant to play where it does, since it's labeled "Ginza" on the soundtrack, it only plays on the ground level instead of the main underground level, and Rag says he's "Ginza's joaillier couture", whatever that means.


This is the Kongokai track. I love the main melody of it. It has a mysterious feel, but it's not dark or scary; it reflects where the game really starts showing you that the invasion may be the deed of destructive entities looking for conquest and domination, but there are wiser, more peaceful, and maybe even benevolent forces at work as well.




Respectively, the short Law, Chaos, and Neutral alignment themes. The Law theme (my personal favorite) has been used mostly for encounters with Kaneda and Thorman, the Chaos theme for encounters with Tetsuo, Gotou, Ozawa and post-betrayal Yuriko, and the Neutral theme for Steven, En-no-Ozuno, Kei and the Resistance, and the old man in Inogashira Park. I like how the Law and Chaos themes project an image that, in a way, is at odds with the Mesians and Gaians' respective goals, but still fits them entirely.


The post-apocalyptic overworld theme. You'd kind of expect something sinister and hopeless, but no, it's quite the opposite. As bad as things have gotten, here we are. We're alive. It's a new beginning, a chance to make things right at last. And it's completely different from the first overworld theme.


And because I like it so much, here's the arranged version of the new overworld theme found on the official soundtrack. Some of the arrangements on there are shitty beyond words, but this is arguably the best one, and it's pretty damn great.


The Game Over music. More about that in the following section!

2- More random thoughts!

***: It's clear that the game doesn't think highly of Christianity, what with the Judeo-Christian demiurge being the series' primary antagonist and all. To a typical Japanese person who lives steeped in Shinto and Buddhist religious concepts, I guess Christianity is all about wiping out a nation's native belief system and replacing it with the One Jealous God. In general terms, it's always been a source of strife and conflict. It's hard to argue with this view, but on the other hand, by focusing only on the fundamentalist, militant aspects, you don't get to see Christian orphanages or hospitals or homeless shelters (though even those have been tainted more than their share, I suppose). Eh... I'm not trying to defend anything here or spark a debate on religion, I guess I'm reflecting on how the game may be justified in focusing on the negatives exactly because its creators haven't really been exposed to what positives there are.

***: It's probably obvious, but I'm spelling it out anyway: Tetsuo was a bullied kid. There's no two ways about it. Ozawa was not the first to beat him up. "Nobody will be able to pick o... defeat me any more!!" "If you'd have gone through what I have, maybe you'd see my point of view..." Yeah. And heck, look at him!



He's got a camo trenchcoat, he's packing a submachinegun, and when we meet him he's already wearing military-grade armor. I kind of don't want to go there, but it almost feels like he was this close to shooting up his school. In a way, the demon invasion probably saved his life.

***: The word "God" slips in as an interjection a few times in some characters' speech, which I find unexpected and I'm tempted to blame on the translation for it, but Kaneda does it so much that I'm led to believe he might be actually be Christian himself, like approximately 2% of Japanese people. It'd make a lot of sense in any case, with his alignment and all. And hey, while I'm talking about him, might as well get some artwork in too:



***: The Kongokai is an actual concept in Buddhist cosmology, as the dwelling place of the Five Wisdom Buddhas, each one an embodiment of one of the qualities of an enlightened soul. It's also known as the Diamond Realm, and is frequently depicted in mandalas.

***: The weapons in the first part of the game were mundane store-bought objects, but we're starting to get into some serious mythical territory lately. As far as I can tell, Mikazuchi's Tachi belonged to Take-Mikazuchi, the god who beat Take-Minakata in the first sumo match, and the guy was also one of the wielders of the legendary sword Kamudo. The Bizen-Osafune dropped by Minakata could be any of the swords crafted by a certain school of swordsmiths (established in the town of Osafune in Bizen province, natch), many of which are priceless national treasures today.

***: I keep being blown away by how much easier the game is than I remembered. All the bosses gave me ridiculous amounts of trouble back when I first played, especially Thor, but this time around they've been almost trivial, and the real threat comes from random encounters. I honestly haven't died once yet. I'm really quite careful now though, and I've had experience with later games in the greater series, especially III, so I kind of know what I'm doing more than I used to. I think stat distribution might have something to do with it too. I didn't invest so heavily in Intelligence the first time, so negotiation was much more difficult and I certainly couldn't have avoided as many battles as I do now.

***: To lose the game, all human characters must be dead, dying, or petrified. Alive demons won't save you, but as long as you've got any human still kicking, you're good to go. This is much less punishing than in Nocturne, where you got a Game Over if your one guy got punked by a random Hama or Mudo, but it still boots you to the title screen... in an interesting way. There's the music I've posted above, and then...











"Do not be afraid"!?

This is goddamn terrifying! Holy shit! It fades to white and returns you to the title, but to be honest back when I saw that sequence regularly I hardly ever let the game go this far because NO NO NO I DON'T WANNA GO THERE YET AAAAAAUGH LET ME GO BACK LET ME GO BACK NOOOOOO FUUUUUCK NOOOOOOOO

***: And that's not the only way the game can end. Whenever you save at a Terminal...









I usually saw that just before going to bed too, so it was kind of an extra dose of creepiness I could have lived without.

And on top of that, when you save and quit anywhere else (like with Steven or Zenki), the following text slowly appears, character by character, then disappears and repeats forever:





3- Ailments!

I've been mentioning various status ailments for a while now, and I figured it's about time I described exactly what it is I mean when I do. Like the spell section last time, this is gonna be somewhat technical. There's a lot of standard RPG mainstays in the list but most of them have some quirk of interest.

First off, there are the incapacitation ailments. Most of them can be cured with the Patora family of spells.
   -FREEZE/SHOCK: Can be caused by any cold or electricity attack, as long as they do at least one point of damage. They usually wear off at the end of the turn, but may last a little longer. If they're inflicted on a creature that has already acted this turn, chances are they will basically have no effect.
   -HAPPY: Usually lasts a few turns, but doesn't always prevent action. It's caused by the Hapilma spell or skills such as Ame-no-Uzume's Happy Song.
   -SLEEP: Usually lasts a few turns. I don't think you're guaranteed to wake up if you're damaged. It's caused by the Dolminer spell, or by skills such as Gandharva's Lullaby.
   -BIND: Very similar to sleep, but I don't think it lasts longer than the combat, and it probably works on a different resistance. It's caused by the Sibabu spell or skills such as Worm's Constrict.
   -PALYZ (Paralyze): It's either permanent, or so long-lived it might as well be. In addition to preventing you from acting, it causes you to take damage when moving around outside of battle. You need a Dis-Paral item or Parala-Di spell to cure it. No spells cause paralysis, but skills such as Man-Eater's Paralyze Kiss do.
   -STONE: Permanent. It's almost as bad as being dead, except you keep your HP and MP when you come back. It's caused by skills such as Cocatrice's Petrifying Bite. I know that in Nocturne it makes you extremely vulnerable to Force-element attacks, but I'm not sure if that's the case here. You need a Dis-Stone or the Petra-Di spell to cure it.

Then, the two death ailments.
   -DYING: Your typical 0 HP incapacitation. Dying demons are immediately unsummoned; this frees you up to summon another one right away, but it also means you can't resurrect them in battle (can't target demons not in your active party) and that you need to pay to resummon them. The Recarm spell family will cure DYING, as will several items.
   -DEAD: This one doesn't actually happen very often. As far as I know, it results from being hit by a Mudo spell (or similar death curse effect), or from using the Ricarmdora spell which sacrifices the user to restore the rest of the party to full. I faintly remember that it can also happen when resurrection effects critically fail, but this is extremely rare and probably depends on the moon phase. As for resurrection, the base Recarm spell never cuts it; you need to use Samaricarm (which still has a chance to simply not work) or visit a healer.

And the rest:
   -PANIC: Victims may act at random or skip their turn. Patora cures it. It's caused by the Plinpa spell or skill such as Fukei's Panic Voice.
   -CHARM: Victims always attack their allies. It often lasts a few turns. Patora cures it. It's caused by the Marin-Karin spell (notably the only ailment spell that only targets a single foe) or skills such as Ame-no-Uzume's Sexy Dance (which targets an entire group and can therefore be incredibly devastating).
   -CLOSE: Victims can't cast spells. It tends to last a long time, and will linger after battle. Patora cures it. It's caused by the Makajama spell.
   -POISON: Your standard "lose HP with every step" ailment. I think it's permanent; you need a Dis-Poison item or Posom-Di spell to cure it. It's caused by skills such as Lady Zombie's Poison Claw.
   -FLY: A rare curse; it cripples all your stats, but causes your evasion to shoot through the roof. I don't know much about it.
   -FROG: Another rare curse; like Fly, but without the evasion boost. Haven't seen it yet either.
   -CURSE: A generic curse from cursed equipment. It can have various effects.

Each ailment has a specific effect appplied to the enemy icons at the top of the screen, so you can tell who is affected by what. For example:



-The first on the left is for Panic and Charm.
-The empty gap on the second spot is Dead or Dying.
-The prone figure in third place is not an ailment, but tells you that the creature has low HP.
-The lying figure third from the right is Sleep.
-The figure second from the right is the default healthy icon.
-There is another icon not shown here, that represents Freeze, Shock and Bind. It's similar to the default but has its arms lowered.

Whew, I think I'm done for now! Next time, we rejoin our party at one of the Shinjuku bars, before they leave for Shibuya.

[Koah]

Oh boy, another theology discussion I can dick up!   But seriously though.

It's clear that the game doesn't think highly of Christianity, what with the Judeo-Christian demiurge being the series' primary antagonist and all. To a typical Japanese person who lives steeped in Shinto and Buddhist religious concepts, I guess Christianity is all about wiping out a nation's native belief system and replacing it with the One Jealous God. In general terms, it's always been a source of strife and conflict. It's hard to argue with this view, but on the other hand, by focusing only on the fundamentalist, militant aspects, you don't get to see Christian orphanages or hospitals or homeless shelters (though even those have been tainted more than their share, I suppose). Eh... I'm not trying to defend anything here or spark a debate on religion, I guess I'm reflecting on how the game may be justified in focusing on the negatives exactly because its creators haven't really been exposed to what positives there are.

Christianity, on the whole, has so many concepts which differ from Japan's native faiths that it's... well, alien and almost sinister-sounding compared to their own, which is probably the reason why they don't have reservations about using it as such (see also: Final Fantasy Tactics, Breath of Fire II, Vagrant Story, That One Game).  It's doubtful that it's done out of malice; they just needed a scary foreign faith that differed from their own.  If it helps, just see it as the Occidental equivalent of how western gurus talked about the "secrets of the Orient" in the 60s and 70s.

Plus I have it on good authority that the developers of the Megami Tensei series have said that "God is not the source of all evil in the MegaTen universe." Then there's the aspect of how it's "Law versus Chaos" and not "Good versus Evil;" both the Mesians and Gaians have good and bad points to make, all told.

Not sure how relevant some of that is to anything, but there you go.

[Classic]

In the MegaTen series you get the impression that the devs have someone who "studied" theology and/or mythology on staff. The SMT YHWH is a lot more "old testament" than most Christians would imagine him. There is a good/evil (or maybe it was light/dark?) axis in the game, showing roughly where the various supernatural entities lie on the spectrum between gods and devils. In general a more god-like being is going to care for, or be interested in humans as other individuals. Though, what "caring for" means is up to their own alien precepts.

[François]

Yeah, I see your points, guys. I mean, one can argue that God and his crew are ruthless fascists*, especially from game's absolutely syncretic point of view, but on the other end of the scale, we've got Ozawa's puppet dictatorship which is more or less the same thing but without the promise of a thousand year paradise. If Gotou, the prototypical Gaian, had gotten his way, I think it's fairly obvious that the entire country, if not the entire world, would have ended up like Shinjuku.

And still, even through all that, everyone wants to fix the world. They just happen to fundamentally disagree on how to do it. At face value, Gotou and Thor both wanted some sort of utopia for humanity; they only ended up as villains in this playthrough because we (I?) decided that either way, the cost was too high.

*: Especially when you consider that in Nocturne, the Tenshi are with Chiaki's Yosuga reason, the "might makes right, destroy all unnecessary things" alignment.