Medusa: All I'm saying is, that happy-go-lucky approach will never result in true art. You have to be willing to pour your blood, bone, and soul into your masterpieces.
Sarasvati: Oh, piffle. What is art if it does not fulfill you and your viewers? Besides, I had devotees up until the Disaster; your pantheon died out centuries prior!
Medusa: Low blow, you high-and-mighty young miss. True art is not to be understood by the plebeians! Only the intelligent should be able to appreciate it!
(Meanwhile...)
Asura: Shurahahaha! I clearly made the right choice signing on with young Nanashi! I am intrigued by this god inhabiting his mystic slate, as well; his agenda to give this rotting world a good scrubbing sounds right up my alley!
Mithras: That may be, but I sense something... off. Something he's not making clear to us down here...
Horkos: BUONO! Nanashi returns!
Nanashi: Alright, everyone nice and rested? Good. We're knocking over those Fudo temples now. Closest one to here is Ryokuji. Let's get this done with!
The Fudo Temples are marked with flashing arrows on the map, and form sort of a semicircular shape with each other. Each one is essentially visible from the previous one, and as Nanashi said, the closest one to us is Ryokuji. Inside, the air is choked with a red mist and a statue-like demon stands in front of the jar. He introduces himself as Bishamonten, the Vengeful, and the jar as the one that holds the essence of Wrath. Obviously, he's not gonna let us close it!
MINI-BOSS: KISHIN BISHAMONTEN
Level 50. Weak Fire, Resist Ice, Null Light
The Kishin are a fair bit weaker here than they were in IV Vanilla, but that's not to say they can't still be difficult. Bishamon here enjoys de-buffing both your attack and defense stats with War Cry, then piling on highly-damaging moves. He's the first enemy demon encountered that had Hades Blast, the third-tier hits-all Phys move, which can definitely hurt. Phys resistance is very helpful here.
Asura: Shurahaha! This war god is every bit the worthy foe!
Asherah: Sherahahaha... like I'm letting you get all the credit.
When Bishamonten falls, Toki heads toward the jar. As she gets closer, however, feelings of unbridled rage come over her! She rants and raves about how much she hates being the Ring of Gaea's assassin, before finally managing to get to the jar and shut it.
Nanashi: Oh, wow... that was... kind of scary. Rather sad she hates her state in life so much, though...
Ishtar: Well now, well now... if it isn't the young Magnetite child... it seems everything that has been said of you is accurate if you can topple Bishamonten. But you need some... motherly guidance, no? Come, I shall take you unto my bosom!
Jueyuan: I'm pretty sure everything she just said was a double entendre.
Frost Ace: Not so fast, ho! There will be no molestation on my watch-ho! I have ascended beyond a mere Jack Frost! I am the valiant Frost hee-Ace!
Character notes: The grand Mesopotamian goddess of love, fertility, and war. She was one of the most important gods and was known as the Queen of Heaven; perhaps her most famous myth involves her descending to the underworld to rescue her husband, the harvest god Tammuz, from her nemesis Ereshkigal, queen of the dead, a drama that repeats every years representing the changing seasons. She was also vindictive and feared for her ability to turn those who offended her into animals. She gets an equal helping of Light, Almighty, and healing moves, including Judgment, which does serious damage to Neutral demons; great for Hordes.
Personality notes: A Mrs. Robinson type who constantly makes double entendres.
Character notes: Another wholecloth creation, Frost Ace is the strongest Frost we'll be getting for a while and has the distinction of being the only recurring demon in the series to make his first appearance in the Devil Children/DemiKids spinoff aimed at young children. He's Jack Frost as a powerful superhero; 'nuff said. Ice and Phys specialist.
Personality notes: A valiant, upstanding hero... but still a Frost.
Nanashi: Alright then! Kyoseijin Temple is just north of here! We off!
Kyoseijin is choked with a blue mist and features another Deva, Jikokuten the Apathetic, guarding the essence of Sloth. He's not going to let us pass either.
MINI-BOSS: KISHIN JIKOKUTEN
Level 50. Weak Elec, Null Wind, Resist Light
Jikokuten is a bit weaker offense-wise than Bishamonten, as he's only got Javelin Rain, one tier down from Hades Blast.He still has Zandyne and Mazanma, though, and has the most powerful de-buff skill, Debilitate, which drops all stats! He's very vulnerable to electric moves, though, which my dudes like Chimera were more than happy to supply!
Chimera's lion head: WROOOOOO! TAKE THAT YOU DOODOO HEAD!
Chimera's snake head: Can we not and say we did, maybe?
Ishtar: I never liked men with too many muscles anyway...
As before, Toki makes for the jar, but is overcome by great feelings of Sloth. She laments that she's just a slave of the Gaeans and wants to rest, but she fights it yet again and seals the jar.
Nanashi: You know i used to just think she was cute, but now I'm starting to seriously feel for her. I though my live was hard.
Dominion: As the Good Book says - never stick it in crazy.
Nanashi: Oh... you changed again.
Dominion: Ahaha, yes sir! I have ascended to the Fourth Choir! The First Sphere is so close I can almost taste it.
Melchom: "Never stick it in crazy" is absolutely not in the Bible. I think we demons know it better than you angels do...
Dominion: Fight me. Literally fight me.
Cu Chulainn: Cuhahaha! I applaud your pursuit of young Toki! Trust me, I've had crazier.
Nanashi: Don't I know you?
Cu Chulainn: I was Setanta, but now my training is complete once more! Thanks to you and Lady Scathach. She's still as ravishing as ever!
Scathach: Oh come now, I'm nae that good...
Character notes: The Fourth Choir of Christian angels, filling a role one might call "upper management;" in short, they're the middlemen between God's inner circle and the lesser angels. Elec and Light-user.
Personality notes: He gets ever haughtier as he evolves...
Character notes: The greatest hero of Irish lore and protagonist of Celtic mythology's most famous epic, The Ulster Cycle. He's the son of the sun god Lugh and the queen of the kingdom of Ulster; he was born Setanta, but became known as Cu Chulainn ("Hound of Chulainn") as an adult. He defended Ulster from the attacks of Queen Medb of Connacht, but she eventually got the better of him by forcing into a position where he had to break one of his two geis, or mystical promises; she offered him dog meat, and two of his geis were to never eat a dog and never refuse a request from a woman. From there he hit a downward spiral until his rival Lugaid killed him with his own spear. As a last request, though, Lugaid let him strap himself to a stone so he could die standing up. Also quite the ladykiller. Phys and Wind-user.
Personality notes: Traditionally gallant but a notorious flirt.
Nanashi: Let's see... Hakujoin Temple, northwest of here.
Inside Hakujoin in a white mist and another Deva, Koumokuten the Devourer. The jar he guards contains the essence of Gluttony.
MINI-BOSS: KISHIN KOUMOKUTEN
Level 50. Null Elec, Weak Wind, Resist Light
Koumokuten in rather simpler than the other two as he can't de-buff you (instead using Sukukaja to increase his own speed), and attacks with Ziodyne, Mazionga, and Tatanomachio, the third-tier high-crit-low-hit move. Tear him to screeds with Wind; there's not much other strategy here. Cu Chulainn's Floral Gust is very helpful here.
Cu Chulainn: Thus your ashes scatter to the four winds; I shall not have you get in the way of a lady fulfilling her duty!
Toki approaches the jar, but her will is getting weaker from dealing with the other two and she doubles over in hunger. Gaston of all people races to help her, but finds himself subject to agonizing pain.
Nanashi: Holy shit, I think he's actually dying. Not that I care about that guy too much, but...
Thankfully, Toki hauls herself to her feet and seals the jar. Gaston actually tells her he owes her his life!
Frost Ace: Hee-holy crap; is that actual character development from HIM?
Alice: Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! That Kishin guy just died in front of me! How about you Mister Summoner? If I come with you, will you die for me?
Nanashi: Uhhhhhhh...
Nebiros: Nehahaha! That's my girl!
Fuxi: Don't go with her! She's the bringer of the end!
Zhong Kui: Ah they say everyone is. Remember me, kid? You're so much stronger than even the other day when we fought! I'd be proud to call myself you demon.
Nanashi: Always kinda liked you. Glad we're on the same team now!
Character notes: The protagonist of Lewis Caroll's legendary Alice duology of novels, who here appears as a creepy ghost girl who leads humans to death in SMT. This is apparently borrowed from another figure called "Alice" who was a Boogeyman-type spirit. She's a Dark specialist who has a skill unique to her, Die for Me!, which is the first fourth-tier damaging spell you can have. She's a must-fuse.
Personality notes: As per her personality in prior games.
Character notes: A Chinese protective god who specializes in destroying demons and evil spirits. Like several other Chinese gods, he was once a human, but killed himself in despair after he failed to become an Imperial official. his spirit then became something of a spiritual bodyguard to the Imperial house of China, and from there he was seen as a god. He's a Phts specialist and, deliciously, keeps his turn-reducing move, Imposing Stance.
Personality notes: Extremely helpful and protective.
A little to the north of here we've got Nansekiji, choked with pink mist and guarded by Zouchoten, the Desired, overseer of the essence of Lust.
MINI-BOSS: KISHIN ZOUCHOTEN
Level 50. Null Fire, Weak Ice, Resist Light
I think we might actually have been doing these temples backwards because Zoucho is pretty handily the least dangerous guy here. He has Agidyne and Maragion, but his Phys move is just Dream Fist. Chill him to da bone!
Illuyanka: A TRIFLING MATT- OOH IS THAT A FUDO STATUE? ALWAYS WANTED ONE!
Toki seals the jar and, umm... well it's the jar of lust, an, huh...
Succubus and Incubus: Sweeeeeeeet.
Silky: Avert...
Kikimora: ...your...
Azumi: ..eyes!
(The three of them cover NANASHI'S face)
Hallelujah wants to stop, as Toki is being utterly ravaged by the Aether, bot Nozomi of all people says she won't listen to reason anyway so we've got to press on. Toki ponders the nature of lust as she leaves, quipping that she's too young for that.
Night Stalker: Never too young to learn!
(PELE crams CHAGRIN down NIGHT STALKER's throat)
Pallas Athena: Tis truly sad, seeing young girls fall to such temptation. There is so much else women should to with their lives...
Medusa: You! That's exactly what you said when you cursed me!
Pallas Athena: Well you and my dirty old uncle defiled my temple, what else was I to do!
Kikuri-Hime: Come on, people, no fighting!
Rukh: Ugh, summoned, really? I just wanted to kick back and eat elephants. Really?
Airavata: You need to watch what you say around elephants, whippersnapper. We NEVER forget...
Nanashi: Sweet, giant bird. Wonder if I could fly around on him.
(MAKARA's heart audibly breaks in the background)
Character notes: One of the greatest of the Greek gods, Athena was patroness of wisdom and the strategic side of war, with her brother Ares governing the blood-n-guts side. They hated each other. She was one of the more moral Greek gods but still had her spiteful side, such as turning Medusa and Arachne into monsters for minor slights against her, but she was also known as a sponsor of great heroes. She was more or less second-in-command of the gods after Zeus and by Roman times, where she was known as Minerva, came to be worshipped in a trinity with him and his wife Hera. She's a Phys and support user and is the first demon with the magic-reflecting skill, Makarakarn.
Personality notes: An absolute stickler for morals and proper conduct; a drill sergeant, sorta.
Character notes: In Arabian lore, a Rukh is a massive bird that lives in the Indian ocean. It's so huge that its favorite food is elephants. Most famous for its appearance in the legend of Sinbad the Sailor, who fought one. Yet another Phys specialist and user of "claw"-type skills.
Personality notes: Really lazy and just wants to do the bare minimum of things.
Final temple is Okuji, to the east. We have a very different-looking Kishin here, a female with three heads and six arms. She introduces herself as Marishiten the Superior, guardian of Pride.
MINI-BOSS: KISHIN MARISHITEN
Level 50. Null Fire, Resist Light
As you can see she's got no weaknesses but few resistances as well, so just buff through the roof and hit her with whatever. Her preferred element is Gun, which she strangely has no resistance to, so bring someone that can nullify that to make her waste her turns.
Xiuhtecuhtli: THIS BATTLE REMINDS ME OF THIS REAAAAAAAAAAAALLLY LONG CONVOLUTED STORY ABOUT HOW XOCHIQUETZAL BORROWED TEN MACCA FROM ME AND NEVER...
Tetrakarn is helpful too, which I had on Chimera.
Chimera's snake head: Yeep, that attack almost hit me! I'm too old for this!
Once the demon is defeated Toki, as before, makes for the jar and is overcome by vanity, demanding to be praised for all her hard work. She fights through it and seals the jar for the last time, before slipping into unconsciousness.
Nanashi: Wow. What a gal.
Pachacamac: Hah. I coulda done it in half that time. But I didn't 'cause I was at Destinyland. But I coulda!
Orcus: Thou could not even supply food for thy people, thou oaf!
Pachacamac: Hey, creating stuff's tricky! Wouldn't expect some death god to understand!
Character notes: The supreme god of the city of the same name in pre-Inca Peru. He was kind of a dick who was very neglectful to the first humans, letting the first man starve to death and killing the first child when the first woman complained to him about this. He governed both earth and sea and was later taken into the Inca pantheon, where he was see as either a form of the creator god Viracocha or else an inferior, evil rival of his, similar to God and the Devil, which is probably why he's in Vile. Wind specialist.
Personality notes: A total loser slacker who just happens to be a god.
Character notes: He is the Roman and Etruscan counterpart to Horkos, the Greek death god and punisher of oaths, and has much the same portfolio of attributes. While he was never too big a deal in Greece, he grew in importance in Roman times and was occasionally seen as the same as the main god of death, Hades/Pluto. In that interpretation, he's actually the only first-generation Olympian in the game. Kinda sad. Dark and buff specialist.
Personality notes: Speaks in stereotypical old-timey Shakespeare talk.
The ground trembles as the Mandala at last breaks. Everybody seems calm... but then the aura of a huge female demon appears over Toki's prone form! "Kill it now!" Navarre shrieks.
Incubus: T H I C C
The demoness introduces herself as "Innanna, Mother of All," and demands Danu return the power she "stole" from her. Danu manifests from Nozomi and refuses, saying the Fairies need that power. Nozomi pumps her shotgun.
BOSS: LADY INNANNA REMNANT
Level 55. No weaknesses or resistances
Glass Cannon ahoy! Innanna will start her turn with whatever Ma-dyne your party is weakest to, so be sure to cover your weaknesses well. After that she'll just... cherry-tap you with the basic elemental moves of each type for the rest of her turns. She has no other moves and pretty low health for this point in the game. This battle can be easily testing if Marishiten left you with low health, but remember ONLY her first attack of a given turn is an actual threat. Oh, and be sure to be at full health or close to it once this battle ends...
Cu Chulainn: A very curious woman...
Once defeated, Innanna makes for Toki's body... only to be impaled on the Spear of Michael by Gaston! Gaston thus repays his debt and proves he's actually not a complete waste of oxygen.
Sarasvati: Truly the world's wonders are endless! I must paint this moment!
What's more, Toki actually thanks him, proving she's not a robot either. The quest is considered complete at this point, showering us in XP... which is great because Maitreya suddenly bursts in!
Incubus: Gaaaaaaaaah! Shoot it!
Maitreya proclaims that in breaking the Mandala, Tokyo has been given back to the demons. He has traveled through 5,670,000,000 dimensions before returning to this one and is so disappointed in what he's found. It's time to cross blades with the Future Buddha!
BOSS: DEITY MAITREYA
Level 55. Resist Phys, Weak Gun, Weak Fire, Resist Ice, Null Light, Resist Dark
How's that for SMT bullshit? Three-man boss rush with no saving, okay then. Maitreya here obviously has a lot of resistances but two weaknesses is pretty rare for a major boss. Being an enlightened being however he has a multitude of gimmicks for use on us. First off? Never ever let him Smirk, ever. He will attempt to strike Ice weaknesses with Mabufudyne, unluckily for you as most Fire users are weak to Ice, and once he Smirks he will use his unique move, 5.67 Billion Hands, which is an almighty attack that's weaker than Megido when not Smirking, but stronger than Megidolaon when he is. Needless to say this can easily wipe you.
Silky: I shall shield you from this ice! You might catch cold!
If you bring something that nulls Ice, he seemingly won't use Mabufudyne at all. He can also attack with Hades Blast and Oni-Kagura. However he's rather weak defensively; hitting his weakness will do upper-mid three-digit damage regularly. Once 2200 HP is taken off, Maitreya will take your partner hostage. You can either free your partner, resulting in Pace points and a boost to the Assist Gauge, but also a buff for Maitreya, or attack them both to deal heavy damage to Maitreya, but earn Anarchy points and drops the Assist Gauge. I chose the former and just canceled the buff with a Dekaja stone.
At around this point he'll pull out his second trick, "Enlightenment," which "protects his weakness" for one turn. You might think this means they get changed to resistances or something. Ahahahaha no. They get changed to Drains, meaning using them during this turn will cause you to lose all your Press Turns. Focus on buffing on turns that he has this up. With 4000 HP depleted, he asks who you fight for, as you have been branded a traitor. "For the people of Tokyo" gets Peace points but buffs Maitreya, "For myself" gets Anarchy points and buffs us and Maitreya, and saying nothing just buffs Maitreya.
Nanashi: I'm fighting because I want to end you.
Keep buffs up and attack his weaknesses, and eventually Maitreya will fall. Like Innanna, he seems to have rather low defense. Even so, I'd rank this as likely the second most difficult mandatory battle in the game, just because you're likely drained from the prior boss rush. As Maitreya crumbles away, he blames his loss on not practicing enough observation and reflection, which is pretty funny. He also ominously proclaims he will return by the "Mother of All's grace"...
Nanashi: Yowza, those were some heavy-duty demons. I hope you feel like I've avenged you, Boss, wherever you are...
Toki tries to get to her feet, but collapses. Nanashi catches here.
Nanashi: Whoa there!
Nanashi's inner voice: Off to a gallant rescuuuuuuuuuuue!~
Toki takes her leave, but rather awkwardly proclaims we'll meet again. Gaston senses something "off" about her. Regardless, it's time to turn in for the night...
