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* FanNickname: ''Persona 0'' for the game itself, because many of the concepts introduced in ''Shin Megami Tensei: if...'' would eventually be expanded upon in the original ''VideoGame/{{Persona|1}}'', and Tamaki (the formerly anonymous main character of ''if...'') even became a character in both the original ''Persona'' and the ''VideoGame/Persona2'' duology.
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Not a prequel.


** Calling the game ''Persona 0'' is this given that the player character (who is confirmed to be female and named Tamaki Uchida) appearing in the first two ''Persona'' games confirms it's a prequel to the CashCowFranchise. A large joke at the game's expense is that it enjoys next to no popularity in the west, more so than the already obscure original ''Persona'' game.

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** Calling the game ''Persona 0'' is this given that the player character (who is confirmed to be female and named Tamaki Uchida) appearing appears in the first two ''Persona'' games confirms it's a prequel to the CashCowFranchise. ''Franchise/{{Persona}}'' games. A large joke at the game's expense is that it enjoys next to no popularity in the west, more so than the already obscure original ''Persona'' game.''VideoGame/Persona1''.
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* SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped: At the end of the day, the game is effectively the story of an attempted school massacre by a student who ultimately lost his cool and plunged himself into hatred and despair after so much of his life went wrong. While Hazama uses demons instead of knives or guns to get revenge on those who wronged him, and his actions are never shown to be in the right, one can really empathize with the fact that he could have been halted on his path to madness and being bully himself had there been more of an effort to make him fit in and loved. This is especially clear on Reiko's route, where within Hazama's exterior is effectively a child throwing a (violent and unjustified) tantrum, and her ending where she chooses to comfort her brother and stay behind with him as his mind returns to normal is often preferred by fans as a result.
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I fixed up Memectic Mutation.


** Calling the game ''Persona 0'' is this given that the plyer character (who is confirmed to be female and named Tamaki Uchida) appearing in the first two ''Persona'' games confirms it's a prequel to the CashCowFranchise. A large joke at the game's expense is that it enjoys next to no popularity in the west, more so than the already obscure original ''Persona'' game.

to:

** Calling the game ''Persona 0'' is this given that the plyer player character (who is confirmed to be female and named Tamaki Uchida) appearing in the first two ''Persona'' games confirms it's a prequel to the CashCowFranchise. A large joke at the game's expense is that it enjoys next to no popularity in the west, more so than the already obscure original ''Persona'' game.
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** [[spoiler: Then there's the fact that the first "Demon Emperor" form that he fights you with looks an ''awful lot'' like [[VideoGame/Persona3 Akihiko Sanada's Caesar Persona]], and the Demon Emperor seems to come out of him in a manner visually reminiscent of a Persona in later titles... just a ShoutOut from a later title back to ''If'', or?...]]

to:

** [[spoiler: Then there's the fact that the first "Demon Emperor" form that he fights you with looks an ''awful lot'' like [[VideoGame/Persona3 Akihiko Sanada's Caesar Persona]], and the Demon Emperor seems to come out of him Hazama in a manner visually reminiscent of a Persona in later titles... just a ShoutOut from a later title back to ''If'', or?...]]
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* EnsembleDarkhorse: Reiko is by far the most preferred of the partners. This makes sense, as she represents the Neutral route, which is also the most popular in the series (and also unlocks some extra content if followed, such as [[spoiler: the [[VeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon Mindscape of Hazama]]]]).

to:

* EnsembleDarkhorse: Reiko is by far the most preferred of the partners. This makes sense, as she represents the Neutral route, route [[spoiler: though her ending mysteriously has the ''Law'' theme playing after she comforts Hazama]], which is also the most popular in the series (and also unlocks some extra content if followed, such as [[spoiler: the [[VeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon Mindscape of Hazama]]]]).



** There's also the question of [[spoiler:exactly how much of the game happens, or is, in Hazama's mind. The idea that everyone was transported ''there'' instead of the demon world makes some sense, considering that the ritual Hazama performed probably couldn't have given him the kind of power it did, as well as the fact that Lucifer is conspicuously absent.]]

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** There's also the question of [[spoiler:exactly how much of the game happens, or is, in Hazama's mind. The idea that everyone was transported ''there'' instead of the demon world makes some sense, considering that the ritual Hazama performed probably couldn't have given him the kind of power it did, as well as the fact that Lucifer is conspicuously absent. Though the whole ''point'' of the ''If'', ''Devil Summoner'' and ''Persona'' timeline is the events of the first SMT not happening, meaning that there's probably a good reason behind the scenes why Lucifer and YHVH play no role in this game.]]

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* ScrappyLevel: The gimmick to the Domain of Sloth is that the students and faculty of Karukozaka High are being made to excavate something. You can help them out a little bit, but in the end you have to wait for a long number of full lunar cycles before you can find what you need to continue. Since you need to move around the dungeon to advance the lunar cycle and this triggers constant random encounters, this takes ''hours'' of pointless, directionless grinding. Many players stop here out of sheer boredom. To top it all off, it was [[https://pastebin.com/tyC1dDMr originally going to be even worse]]: it was going to take ''12'' full lunar cycles instead of 6. [[FridgeBrilliance In other words, this level is just the bane of lazy people.]] Or a sign of [[{{Padding}} lazy game design]].
** Immediately after that, you have to go through the Domain of Envy (on Yumi and Reiko's routes), which combines everything people hate about Megaten dungeons in one sadistic package. Dark rooms where you can't see any of the walls! Pit traps! Conveyor belts dumping you into pit traps! Teleport mazes! One-way doors! Entire floors where you can't use the COMP, which means no checking the automap, summoning demons, or negotiating with enemy demons! ''And none of them are marked on the automap except the dark rooms!'' All of this would be bad enough by itself, but to top it all off, not only do you lose your partner at the beginning of this dungeon, you have to fight not one but ''two'' bosses, one of them without your partner. At least it's only six floors...
** Players on Charlie's route don't get off easy either. Sure, they don't have to go through the Domain of Envy, but they ''do'' have to go through the Domain of Wrath. It features almost all the gimmicks from the Domain of Envy, but trades the no-COMP floors and dark spaces for fetch quests, ''worse'' teleport mazes, and lots and lots of damage floors.

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* ScrappyLevel: ** The gimmick release of the translation patch gave more exposure to the actual dungeons of the game, and with this, the Domain of Sloth is that the students and faculty of Karukozaka High are quickly shot up to being made to excavate something. You can help them out a little bit, but in the end you have to wait meme for a long number of full lunar cycles before you can find what you need to continue. Since you need to move around the dungeon to advance the lunar cycle and this triggers constant random encounters, this takes ''hours'' of pointless, directionless grinding. Many players stop here out of sheer boredom. To top it all off, it was [[https://pastebin.com/tyC1dDMr originally going to be even worse]]: it was going to take ''12'' full lunar cycles instead of 6. [[FridgeBrilliance In other words, this level is just the bane of lazy people.]] Or a sign of [[{{Padding}} lazy game design]].
** Immediately after that, you have to go through the Domain of Envy (on Yumi and Reiko's routes), which combines everything people hate about Megaten dungeons in one sadistic package. Dark rooms where you can't see any of the walls! Pit traps! Conveyor belts dumping you into pit traps! Teleport mazes! One-way doors! Entire floors where you can't use the COMP, which means no checking the automap, summoning demons, or negotiating with enemy demons! ''And none of them are marked on the automap except the dark rooms!'' All of this would be
its ridiculously bad enough by itself, but to top it all off, not only do you lose your partner at the beginning of this dungeon, you have to fight not one but ''two'' bosses, one of them without your partner. At least it's only six floors...
** Players on Charlie's route don't get off easy either. Sure, they don't have to go through the Domain of Envy, but they ''do'' have to go through the Domain of Wrath. It features almost all the gimmicks from the Domain of Envy, but trades the no-COMP floors and dark spaces for fetch quests, ''worse'' teleport mazes, and lots and lots of damage floors.
concept as a forced multi-hour grinding session.


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* ThatOneLevel:
** The gimmick to the Domain of Sloth is that the students and faculty of Karukozaka High are being made to excavate something. You can help them out a little bit, but in the end you have to wait for a long number of full lunar cycles before you can find what you need to continue. Since you need to move around the dungeon to advance the lunar cycle and this triggers constant random encounters, this takes ''hours'' of pointless, directionless grinding. Many players stop here out of sheer boredom. To top it all off, it was [[https://pastebin.com/tyC1dDMr originally going to be even worse]]: it was going to take ''12'' full lunar cycles instead of 6. [[FridgeBrilliance In other words, this level is just the bane of lazy people.]] Or a sign of [[{{Padding}} lazy game design]].
** Immediately after that, you have to go through the Domain of Envy (on Yumi and Reiko's routes), which combines everything people hate about Megaten dungeons in one sadistic package. Dark rooms where you can't see any of the walls! Pit traps! Conveyor belts dumping you into pit traps! Teleport mazes! One-way doors! Entire floors where you can't use the COMP, which means no checking the automap, summoning demons, or negotiating with enemy demons! ''And none of them are marked on the automap except the dark rooms!'' All of this would be bad enough by itself, but to top it all off, not only do you lose your partner at the beginning of this dungeon, you have to fight not one but ''two'' bosses, one of them without your partner. At least it's only six floors...
** Players on Charlie's route don't get off easy either. Sure, they don't have to go through the Domain of Envy, but they ''do'' have to go through the Domain of Wrath. It features almost all the gimmicks from the Domain of Envy, but trades the no-COMP floors and dark spaces for fetch quests, ''worse'' teleport mazes, and lots and lots of damage floors.
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* ThatOneBoss: Vine, the boss of the [[NoobCave Domain of Pride]]. [[ShockAndAwe Zionga and Mazionga]] deal far too much damage at that point in the game, and Elec-resistant armor for [[WeCannotGoOnWithoutYou the protagonist]] isn't available until the following dungeon.

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* MemeticMutation: "If? If what?"

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* MemeticMutation: HarsherInHindsight: When one gets down to it, Hazama's story actually happens a lot in the real world sadly, where an abused student feels the need to become an abuser themselves and seek revenge on those who wronged them in violent ways. While Hazama may use demons, real world versions of him use knives and guns, with studies into school massacres and bullying being propelled ''just a few years'' after Hazama's villainy was used as a fantastical plot.
* MemeticMutation:
**
"If? If what?"what?"
** Calling the game ''Persona 0'' is this given that the plyer character (who is confirmed to be female and named Tamaki Uchida) appearing in the first two ''Persona'' games confirms it's a prequel to the CashCowFranchise. A large joke at the game's expense is that it enjoys next to no popularity in the west, more so than the already obscure original ''Persona'' game.
** Akira's route is pretty much treated as the ''Manga/{{Devilman}}'' route due to it being one giant reference to the series, Akira himself even sharing the main protagonist's name.


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* SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped: At the end of the day, the game is effectively the story of an attempted school massacre by a student who ultimately lost his cool and plunged himself into hatred and despair after so much of his life went wrong. While Hazama uses demons instead of knives or guns to get revenge on those who wronged him, and his actions are never shown to be in the right, one can really empathize with the fact that he could have been halted on his path to madness and being bully himself had there been more of an effort to make him fit in and loved. This is especially clear on Reiko's route, where within Hazama's exterior is effectively a child throwing a (violent and unjustified) tantrum, and her ending where she chooses to comfort her brother and stay behind with him as his mind returns to normal is often preferred by fans as a result.
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* MemeticMutation: "If? If what?"
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%%* ThatOneBoss: Vine.
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%%* ThatOneBoss: Vine.
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Most of the info about Hazama's Chapter's plot on this wiki was made up by an editor on the Megami Tensei wiki: https://megamitensei.fandom.com/wiki/Talk:Shin_Megami_Tensei:_if..._Hazama%27s_Chapter#Story_is_False


** Some of these questions are answered in ''Hazama's Chapter''. [[spoiler: The Demon God Emperor is actually [[UsefulNotes/{{Zoroastrianism}} Zurvan]], a demon who tried to overthrow Lucifer and warped Hazama's mind for its own goal. Lucifer can give Tamaki the Ring of Light to free Hazama from its control.]]

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* ScrappyLevel: The gimmick to the Sloth dungeon is that the students and faculty of Karukozaka High are being made to excavate something. You can help them out a little bit, but in the end you have to wait for a long number of full lunar cycles before you can find what you need to continue. Since you need to move around the dungeon to advance the lunar cycle and this triggers constant random encounters, this takes ''hours'' of pointless, directionless grinding. Many players stop here out of sheer boredom. [[FridgeBrilliance In other words, this level is just the bane of lazy people.]] Or a sign of [[{{Padding}} lazy game design]].

to:

* ScrappyLevel: The gimmick to the Domain of Sloth dungeon is that the students and faculty of Karukozaka High are being made to excavate something. You can help them out a little bit, but in the end you have to wait for a long number of full lunar cycles before you can find what you need to continue. Since you need to move around the dungeon to advance the lunar cycle and this triggers constant random encounters, this takes ''hours'' of pointless, directionless grinding. Many players stop here out of sheer boredom. To top it all off, it was [[https://pastebin.com/tyC1dDMr originally going to be even worse]]: it was going to take ''12'' full lunar cycles instead of 6. [[FridgeBrilliance In other words, this level is just the bane of lazy people.]] Or a sign of [[{{Padding}} lazy game design]].design]].
** Immediately after that, you have to go through the Domain of Envy (on Yumi and Reiko's routes), which combines everything people hate about Megaten dungeons in one sadistic package. Dark rooms where you can't see any of the walls! Pit traps! Conveyor belts dumping you into pit traps! Teleport mazes! One-way doors! Entire floors where you can't use the COMP, which means no checking the automap, summoning demons, or negotiating with enemy demons! ''And none of them are marked on the automap except the dark rooms!'' All of this would be bad enough by itself, but to top it all off, not only do you lose your partner at the beginning of this dungeon, you have to fight not one but ''two'' bosses, one of them without your partner. At least it's only six floors...
** Players on Charlie's route don't get off easy either. Sure, they don't have to go through the Domain of Envy, but they ''do'' have to go through the Domain of Wrath. It features almost all the gimmicks from the Domain of Envy, but trades the no-COMP floors and dark spaces for fetch quests, ''worse'' teleport mazes, and lots and lots of damage floors.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* ScrappyLevel: The gimmick to the Sloth dungeon is that the students and faculty of Karukozaka High are being made to excavate something. You can help them out a little bit, but in the end you have to wait for a long number of full lunar cycles before you can find what you need to continue. Since you need to move around the dungeon to advance the lunar cycle and this triggers constant random encounters, this takes ''hours'' of pointless, directionless grinding. Many players stop here out of sheer boredom. [[FridgeBrilliance In other words, this level is just the bane of lazy people.]]

to:

* ScrappyLevel: The gimmick to the Sloth dungeon is that the students and faculty of Karukozaka High are being made to excavate something. You can help them out a little bit, but in the end you have to wait for a long number of full lunar cycles before you can find what you need to continue. Since you need to move around the dungeon to advance the lunar cycle and this triggers constant random encounters, this takes ''hours'' of pointless, directionless grinding. Many players stop here out of sheer boredom. [[FridgeBrilliance In other words, this level is just the bane of lazy people.]]]] Or a sign of [[{{Padding}} lazy game design]].
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* EnsembleDarkhorse: Reiko is by far the most preferred of the partners. This makes sense, as she represents the Neutral route, which is also the most popular in the series (and also unlocks some extra content if followed, such as [[spoiler: the [[VeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon Mindscape of Hazama]]).

to:

* EnsembleDarkhorse: Reiko is by far the most preferred of the partners. This makes sense, as she represents the Neutral route, which is also the most popular in the series (and also unlocks some extra content if followed, such as [[spoiler: the [[VeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon Mindscape of Hazama]]).Hazama]]]]).
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* EnsembleDarkhorse: Reiko is by far the most preferred of the partners. This makes sense, as she represents the Neutral route, which is also the most popular in the series (and also unlocks some extra content if followed, such as [[spoiler: the [[VeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon Mindscape of Hazama]].]]

to:

* EnsembleDarkhorse: Reiko is by far the most preferred of the partners. This makes sense, as she represents the Neutral route, which is also the most popular in the series (and also unlocks some extra content if followed, such as [[spoiler: the [[VeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon Mindscape of Hazama]].]]Hazama]]).
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* EnsembleDarkhorse: Reiko is by far the most preferred of the partners. This makes sense, as she represents the Neutral route, which is also the most popular in the series.

to:

* EnsembleDarkhorse: Reiko is by far the most preferred of the partners. This makes sense, as she represents the Neutral route, which is also the most popular in the series.series (and also unlocks some extra content if followed, such as [[spoiler: the [[VeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon Mindscape of Hazama]].]]
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


** Some of these questions are answered in ''Hazama's Chapter''. [[spoiler: The Demon God Emperor is actually [[{{Zoroastrianism}} Zurvan]], a demon who tried to overthrow Lucifer and warped Hazama's mind for its own goal. Lucifer can give Tamaki the Ring of Light to free Hazama from its control.]]

to:

** Some of these questions are answered in ''Hazama's Chapter''. [[spoiler: The Demon God Emperor is actually [[{{Zoroastrianism}} [[UsefulNotes/{{Zoroastrianism}} Zurvan]], a demon who tried to overthrow Lucifer and warped Hazama's mind for its own goal. Lucifer can give Tamaki the Ring of Light to free Hazama from its control.]]
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


** [[spoiler: Then there's the fact that the first "Demon Emperor" form that he fights you with looks an ''awful lot'' like [[{{Persona 3}} Akihiko Sanada's Caesar Persona]], and the Demon Emperor seems to come out of him in a manner visually reminiscent of a Persona in later titles... just a ShoutOut from a later title back to ''If'', or?...]]

to:

** [[spoiler: Then there's the fact that the first "Demon Emperor" form that he fights you with looks an ''awful lot'' like [[{{Persona 3}} [[VideoGame/Persona3 Akihiko Sanada's Caesar Persona]], and the Demon Emperor seems to come out of him in a manner visually reminiscent of a Persona in later titles... just a ShoutOut from a later title back to ''If'', or?...]]

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* EnsembleDarkhorse: Reiko is by far the most preferred of the partners. This makes sense, as she represents the Neutral route, which is also the most popular in the series.



* FanDarling: Reiko is by far the most preferred of the partners. This makes sense, as she represents the Neutral route, which is also the most popular in the series.
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None

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* FanDarling: Reiko is by far the most preferred of the partners. This makes sense, as she represents the Neutral route, which is also the most popular in the series.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* UnfortunateImplications: One of the dungeons you visit is determined by your partner's gender: Envy for female partners, Wrath for males.
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* WhatTheHellCostumingDepartment: Those blue/green/white striped pants and skirts easily make If's school uniforms one of the tackiest in fiction.

to:

* WhatTheHellCostumingDepartment: WTHCostumingDepartment: Those blue/green/white striped pants and skirts easily make If's school uniforms one of the tackiest in fiction.
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* WhatTheHellCostumingDepartment: Those blue/green/white striped pants and skirts easily make If's school uniforms one of the tackiest in fiction.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
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** Some of these questions are answered in ''Hazama's Chapter''. [[spoiler: The Demon God Emperor is actually [[{{Zoroastrianism}} Zurvan]], a demon who tried to overthrow Lucifer and warped Hazama's mind for its own goal. Lucifer gives Tamaki the freedom pendant to free Hazama from its control.]]

to:

** Some of these questions are answered in ''Hazama's Chapter''. [[spoiler: The Demon God Emperor is actually [[{{Zoroastrianism}} Zurvan]], a demon who tried to overthrow Lucifer and warped Hazama's mind for its own goal. Lucifer gives can give Tamaki the freedom pendant Ring of Light to free Hazama from its control.]]
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

Added DiffLines:

** Some of these questions are answered in ''Hazama's Chapter''. [[spoiler: The Demon God Emperor is actually [[{{Zoroastrianism}} Zurvan]], a demon who tried to overthrow Lucifer and warped Hazama's mind for its own goal. Lucifer gives Tamaki the freedom pendant to free Hazama from its control.]]
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

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* UnfortunateImplications: One of the dungeons you visit is determined by your partner's gender: Envy for female partners, Wrath for males.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* ScrappyLevel: '''''SLOTH'''''. Fucking hellchrist, the god damned dungeon of '''Sloth'''. The gimmick to this dungeon is that the students and faculty of Karukozaka High are being made to excavate something. You can help them out a little bit, but in the end you have to wait for a long number of full lunar cycles before you can find what you need to continue. Since you need to move around the dungeon to advance the lunar cycle and this triggers constant random encounters, this takes ''hours'' of pointless, directionless grinding. Many players stop here out of sheer boredom. [[FridgeBrilliance In other words, this level is just the bane of lazy people.]]

to:

* ScrappyLevel: '''''SLOTH'''''. Fucking hellchrist, the god damned dungeon of '''Sloth'''. The gimmick to this the Sloth dungeon is that the students and faculty of Karukozaka High are being made to excavate something. You can help them out a little bit, but in the end you have to wait for a long number of full lunar cycles before you can find what you need to continue. Since you need to move around the dungeon to advance the lunar cycle and this triggers constant random encounters, this takes ''hours'' of pointless, directionless grinding. Many players stop here out of sheer boredom. [[FridgeBrilliance In other words, this level is just the bane of lazy people.]]

Changed: 81

Removed: 88

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* ScrappyLevel: '''''SLOTH'''''. Fucking hellchrist, the god damned dungeon of '''Sloth'''. The gimmick to this dungeon is that the students and faculty of Karukozaka High are being made to excavate something. You can help them out a little bit, but in the end you have to wait for a long number of full lunar cycles before you can find what you need to continue. Since you need to move around the dungeon to advance the lunar cycle and this triggers constant random encounters, this takes ''hours'' of pointless, directionless grinding. Many players stop here out of sheer boredom.
** [[FridgeBrilliance It would appear this level is just the bane of lazy people then.]]

to:

* ScrappyLevel: '''''SLOTH'''''. Fucking hellchrist, the god damned dungeon of '''Sloth'''. The gimmick to this dungeon is that the students and faculty of Karukozaka High are being made to excavate something. You can help them out a little bit, but in the end you have to wait for a long number of full lunar cycles before you can find what you need to continue. Since you need to move around the dungeon to advance the lunar cycle and this triggers constant random encounters, this takes ''hours'' of pointless, directionless grinding. Many players stop here out of sheer boredom.
**
boredom. [[FridgeBrilliance It would appear In other words, this level is just the bane of lazy people then.people.]]

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