Nanashi and Asahi don't even have time to grieve before the monitor in the bar comes to life, revealing Krishna and Maitreya. They reveal that they've placed a mystical seal, the Tokugawa Mandala, over Tokyo, locking down all demon summoning. The claim that humanity has become too "dependent" on gods and demons, and the Mandala has been activated with humanity's best interests in mind.
Senri: Oh forgive me for being skeptical!
Krishna once again claims that Shesha will return again at the next full moon, and Flynn will become a Godslayer to lead the souls of humanity into the new universe that will hatch from the Cosmic Egg. He bids everyone farewell as the broadcast ends... and suddenly, Abe appears, claiming he's brought a message from Lucifer!
Fujiwara then calls to tell the Hunters that... Abe will be arriving soon. Abe reveals that Lucifer believes he knows of a demon that can cancel the Tokugawa Mandala - the Buddhist saint Tenkai, who is currently sealed in a block of stone at the Midtown building in Roppongi. Abe hands Nanshi a strange disc, which can apparently summon Tenkai, then takes his leave...
Nadja: Oh man, he looks like he's gone catatonic again.
Spriggan: DERH, HIT IM WITH SOMEFING!
Melchom: I don't think the paper will work this time.
Titan: Good thing I found this steel beam then! Is one whose Magnetite can command a Titan really so weak? HAAAAAAA-
Nanashi: You misunderstand me... I'm not catatonic again. I'M FUCKING PISSED. You know that little boy that was always standing in front of that grate? The one that loved Hunters so much? They found him. A demon dragged him through the grate and impaled him on a spike on the other side. I've found bodies of other people I know, too. I just needed to get my bearings before settling this score... but first? You all owe me some explanations. Why the Hell do demons do these things? And why do I seem to be at the center of it all? I've just accepted it so far, that's been my whole life. But now I need to know why...
Thoth: Aright, sit down. All we've been through with you, we owe you that much. Both yer questions have the same answer: Magnetite.
Nanashi: Yeah, I've heard you use that word before. You keep saying I have a lot of it, and that's why you all like me so much... but what is it?
Centaur: Nihihi! Why it's the very stuff of human brainwaves of course! The astral energy produced by the most powerful force in the universe: human thought! We demons are creatures of the same energy, and we require Magnetite to maintain our forms in the physics world!
Thoth: That's why demons eat humans, ya know - they want that Magnetite in their brains to keep their form!
Melchom: But demons contracted to a summoner can consume Magnetite directly from them. Also, a strong-willed person can have many thousands of times more magnetite than a normal person. You, for example, can control hundreds of demons with no issue. A very weak-willed person, though? Two or three strong demons and they wouldn't even be able to get out of bed. Your levels of Magnetite? Well they're off the charts! That's why we're so interested in you! There have only been a few others like you throughout the cosmos.
Nanashi: Wow, so I'm special or something? I'll admit that kind of perks me up. And demons don't eat humans because they hate them? Huh.
Tonatiuh: Quite the contrary! Most demons in the olden days were quite fond of humans. Your observation of the world around you gave us our purpose. When the qualia of many thousands of humans observed the world in the same way, they gave form to a demon.
Thoth: All humans want explanations fer the big questions. We existed to provide them.
Ogun: How things began.
Baldur: And how they'll end.
Valkyrie: The promise of a better world after death.
Brigid: The meaning of natural forces.
Inti: The power of celestial objects.
Ares: Victory in battle.
Diana: The bounty of the hunt.
Nebiros: Wicked villains to cause strife.
Virtue: And heroes to triumph over them - we gave you all these things because YOU needed to know why they were.
Thoth: That's all gone now, though - a lot of us were on the wane even before, but now after the disaster people just care about survival. They don't understand us anymore, so we gotta maintain ourselves in a... less glamorous way.
Chimera's lion head: SORRY.
Nanashi: No, that's... really interesting to hear. I was the same. Never really asked "why" all my life... all this stuff just is. Humanity and demonkind, both victims in different ways. Thanks for sticking by me... in other news I just got a bunch of quest requests. I think I should do them now; who knows what'll happen if I leave them alone with that seal still up. You all in?
Melchom: Wouldn't miss it for the world, kid!
At this point the construction on the bridges is complete, opening up all of Tokyo to us - the last areas to open are the northern part of the city, including the Ikebukuro district, and the southern districts on the bayside. Both areas have the same wild demons which are likely slightly stronger than you are now, so they're good training.
Succubus: Wooooooooow, so you're the Magnetite stud muffin I've been hearing about? Sign me up! You know what they say, kid - there's no substitute for... experience...
Nanashi: Uhhhhhhhh how old are you?
Succubus: Eh, 1200 years young or so but who's counting?
Silky: 'Oh no no no no that simply won't do! You mustn't consort with women like that, so dirty! Here, let me clean you off!
Nanashi: Gah! That doesn't seem any less sexual to me!
Macabre: Achachachacha! Dirty or clean... sexual or prudish... does it matter? The end comes soon... let us dance the night away!
Character notes: The legendary Horny Devils of Medieval European lore, the Distaff Counterpart to the Incubus. Succubi seduce men in their sleep, with the victim seeing the sexual encounter as merely a dream. Like Incubi, it's thought that they originated to "explain" premarital sex, just for men this time, to avoid having to damn people to Hell. Sh'es an ailment specialist with, of course, Sexy Dance.
Personality notes: What do you think her personality is? Come on.
Character notes: A helpful member of The Fair Folk from Scotland, she appears in your house at night and does cleaning and other housework. Silkies are in effect "assigned" to families, and they will protect their family at any cost. Healing and Ice specialist, including getting Diarahan, yay!
Personality notes: A well-meaning busybody.
Character notes: Based on the Danse Macabre, the belief that on certain nights the dead rise from their graves and dance, dragging any living person who sees them into death with them. He's a Phys specialist with his ever-present signature move, Blight!
Personality notes: Fatalistic, Dancing in the Ruins type.
Nanashi: Man I'm feeling really good about having all that Magnetite now. Let's see here... first up we have 'West Entrance Park Security.' Says there's some weirdoes in the Shinjuku park, uh oh.
The West Entrance Park is the same place Chemtrail was found in IV Vanilla. It seems to be some sort of demon farm, as it's filled with Food-race demons and nothing else. Unfortunately, your way forward is blocked by Wormwood at every route.
Nanashi: Geez, there's nobody around here. Was that request a prank, or...
Macabre: Achacha, no... I sense the very stuff of decay here!
We wander around the parts we CAN explore for a while and eventually Nanashi steps into a warp that transports him to the other side of the Wormwood! In front of the fountain, we find the group of people the request was made about - a bunch of people from all factions, Ahura-kai, Gaeans and so on, all chanting "MA-RU MA-RU MA-RU-O!"
Hariti: Oh dear, I know THIS presence...
A very fat man dressed like a rapper steps forward from the crowd, identified by another as "Grand Member Maruo." Maruo explains his philosophy to the crowd - it doesn't matter who you are or what side you take in the demon conflict - all that matters is being yourself and doing whatever you want! Eventually a riot starts up, as the crowd gets more and more riled by Maruo's speech. Move to stop them and the mob attacks!
MINI-BOSS: HORDE MARUO FACTION
Level 40. Resist Gun, Weak Light
In a complete reversal of what's usual for human enemies, these guys are weak to Light rather than nullifying it. They're also PROFOUNDLY annoying opponents who specialize in making your life status ailment Hell. They have all unique moves which are essentially re-skinned versions of moves you can get - Ideals of Maruology is Lullaby, Maruology Anthem is Panic Voice, and so on. Luckily they're pretty weak defensively.
When the Horde goes down, Maruo himself steps up, reassuring them that their failure to defeat Nanashi doesn't mean he doesn't love them. Aww? Maruo then challenges us himself!
MINI-BOSS: HUMAN MARUO
Level 43.Null Light, Resists everything else
Yeah, that's right, you won't be able to do anything more than scratch damage to this guy, because of his power of being himself!
Diana: Is this... thing's blubber really so resilient?
He has a whole bunch of reskinned ailment-causing moves, just like his followers - Maru-Maru Dance (Sexy Dance), Being Myself (Bind Voice), and Good Night, Baby (Dream Fist). He also has As I Wish, a Phys move similar to Megaton Press.
After three turns, Maruo... gives up, wheezing for breath.
Succubus: Uhhhhhhhhhh, scuse me?
He's too board to continue the fight and so decides to go home. His followers, of course, praise him for being true to himself and they all leave. This entire sequence is, by far, the funniest thing in the game.
Nanashi: What?
Alraune: Ohhhhhhhhhohhhhhhoohhhhh did I mess that fat guy? He looked like he had sooooooooo much... blood. Ah well, maybe I'll just... snack on you, you scrumptious little Magnetite kid!
Nanashi: Why do all these lady demons want to jump my bones?
Kikimora: No, they legitimately want to eat your Magnetite; I thought you were listening back there?
Ogre: Ah dinnae think we can trust a human to listen to us. Their wee brains are too linear!
Nanashi: Hey, I was listening just fine, and you guys need my "wee brain" to stay corporeal, so can it.
Character notes: German for "Mandrake," she is a character from a French novel based on the legend of the mandrake plans, described in the demon Mandrake's entry all the way back at the beginning. A mad scientist, wanting to see whether evil is caused by nature or nurture, took sperm from a hanged criminal and impregnated a prostitute. The prostitute gave birth to a daughter, Alraune, who proved to be a very, very bad seed indeed. Gun and ailment specialist.
Personality notes: Has her vaguely sexual blood-obsessed personality from IV Vanilla.
Character notes: A creature originally of Medieval French lore that rapidly spread throughout the European continent. Ogres are cannibal giants that while much larger than humans are much stupider as well, and a common theme in Ogre stories is human brains triumphing over Ogrish brawn. They are also like onions. Phys specialist, including getting Dark Sword, which hits twice and inflicts Mute.
Personality notes: Shrek. Just Shrek.
Horkos: That green fellow smells BUONO!
Mithras: Well he's a derivative of yours... where is that Asura, anyway?
Next quest we have is "Pursue Hunter Hunters," which sets us against a group of Dormarth demons in the Nicho neighborhood of Shinjuku. This is just east of the East Entrance parkway. There are four flashing icons on the map, each of them is actually three Dormarths, and when all four are defeated, a fifth will appear in the center of the area. They claim they're collecting souls for the Divine Powers. So let's get to work!
MINI-BOSS: BEAST DORMARTH x15
Level 43. Weak Wind, Resist Dark
These gals are really, really weak, no beating around the bush about it. Their only damaging move is Frenzied Chomp, and they also have Bind Voice and the ever-obnoxious Macca Beam, which subtracts a percentage of your money!
Nanashi: Gah! I was saving that for special fusions!
Melchom: No no no no NO! Never bring your money where Dormarths can see it!
Fight back with Mazanma for easy press turns. Sukuna-Hikona is a big help here, with his Needlestorm!
Sukuna-Hikona: Back, evil beasts! Back I say! I'll not have the Powers collect my countrymen's souls
After defeating the last of the Dormarths, one is still alive. Suddenly, a purple god with bat wings appears! He reveals that he was the one who sent the Dormarths on their soul collection mission, and the souls were actually going to him, not the Powers.
Baldur: LOOOOOOOOOKIIIIIIIIIIIII!
Valkyrie: This truly must be the end, then...'
Loki reveals he was just doing this to mess with the Powers, kills the last Dormarth, and attacks us!
MINI-BOSS: TYRANT LOKI
LEVEL 46. Null Ice, Resist Wind, Weak Light, Resist Dark
Loki is actually pretty tough. His magic stat is through the roof and he has all four third-tier elemental spells, meaning there's no real easy way to prevent him from getting extra turns. He also has Pulinpa to cause Panic and waste even more of your turns. Even so, a Light or Dark weakness is crippling due to these elements being stronger than the others. Keep up the buffs and Hamaon and he should fall before long.
Nanashi: Wow, he was tough. All that just for a prank?
Hel: Heheheheheh... that's my father for you. Ever slippery, ever a gadfly. You'll see him again...
Asura: Shurahahahahaaaaaah! You won that fight against a major god with aplomb, boy! Pleased to meet you - I am the destruction god Asura!
Mithras: Oh, FINALLY.
Asura: Sirs Mithras, Horkos, and Morax. How magnificent to see you all again! It seems in this world too humanity's soul is being polished with strife! Magnificent!
Ouroboros: No... that is not all that's here... this child... he is one of those immune to fate... just like that one...
Mithras: Gaaaaaaah- Madame Ouroboros! Please forgive me for not noticing you there at first!
Nanashi: I feel like there's some kind of story I don't know here...
Dionysus: Well then, I may as well slip in myself. I am the Olympian Dionysus! Come now; must you really consort with these thuggish tyrants? There is a bevy of wonderful food and drink to be sampled in this world!
Nanashi: You mean fake stuff made from demon meat?
Character notes: The "bad gods" of Hindu lore, Asuras are often depicted as many-headed, many-armed giants. They are the eternal foes of the Devas, the good gods. In the earliest scriptures Asuras and Devas could both be good or evil, but over time Asuras became depicted almost entirely negatively. What's interesting is that in Persian lore the good gods are called "Ahuras" while the evil gods are "Daevas," which some anthropologists believe indicates a violent split in Indo-Iranian prehistory. Phys and Fire specialist.
Personality notes: Has his aggressive SJ personality that wants to "polish" humanity.
Character notes: Originating in Greek lore, an Oroboros is a serpent that bites its own tail, forging an eternal circle symbolizing infinity. Similar motifs are found all over pagan Europe, such as the Norse World Serpent Jormungand. Ourobori are important symbols in alchemy as well, and the hardest boss in SMT Strange Journey... Almighty specialist.
Personality notes: Again, has her SJ personality.
Character notes: The Greek god of wine, and despite this seemingly narrow vocation, he was one of the most important gods. He was the son of Zeus and Semele, a princess who was one of Zeus' few mistresses that he sincerely loved rather than just wanting to bang. Hera tricked Zeus into killing her while she was pregnant, but Zeus saved Dionysus and incubated him within his thigh, from whence he was born. Being a god who cheated death, he was seen as a Messianic figure.
Personality notes: A high-class gourmet, wishing to just forget about the conflict and sample finest foods.
Next up is "A Shadow of Former Days," tasking us with retrieving an advertising flyer from the Minami Sunamachi district, weird. To get there we need to head to the big highway in the southern part of the city, then follow it all the way east. Minami is the lone "civilized" area here, but it's completely uninhabited except by demons and choked with poison mist. The demons from the attack on Kinshicho relocate here afterward, so you can get them any time now, including...
Anzu: Hey kiddo! Howzabout we forget whatever little quest you're on and just, I dunno take a cruise on the bay? What, I'm not doing anything suspicious? Don't I look trustworthy!
Pabilsag: Ah, my old nemesis! Stand back, young one, let me take care of him!
Nanashi: Nah, it's cool; we need every demon we can get. Plus I wanna make this guy do penance for Kinshicho. And I saw THAT one there, too!
Xiuhtecuhtli: THOOOOOOOOOOUUUUSANDS OF YEARS AGO I WAS CONSIDERED THE LORD OF FIRE, BACK BEFORE THE INVASION CAME AND WE WERE ALL DISPLACED. I REMEMBER IT AS THOUGH IT WAS YESTERDAY, ACCEPTING A SACRIFICE OF HUMAN HEARTS ON MY ALTAR. IT WAS RAINING THAT DAY AND-
Nanashi: Alright, alright, gross. Come with me.
Manticore: Is this poison getting to anyone else or is it just me? Ugh my sinuses? I can't take it anymore. Anyone have some Claritin?
Chimera's goat head: But aren't YOU poisonous you whiny little thing?
Manticore: I dunno, am I? All I know is that by dose hurts...
Character notes: A wicked bird god of Mesopotamian lore, the eternal nemesis of the gods Enlil and Ninurta, aka Pabilsag. He's best known for the episode wherein he stole sacred tablets from Enlil while the latter was bathing, but Ninurta shot him down and returned the tablets. Phys and Elec specialist
Personality notes: Transparently shady guy who insists he isn't doing anything shady; think Sakon from Majora's Mask.
Character notes: There great Aztec god of fire, honored for providing the fires that enable humans to cook food. His official holiday was notorious for perhaps the grisliest form of Aztec human sacrifice - the sacrificial captives were roasted alive. Fire and Gun specialist.
Personality notes: Tells really long convoluted stories, in the style of the Cybernetic Ghost from Aqua Teen Hunger Force.
Character notes: Another Chimeric creature of the Ancient Near East, Manticores are man-eating beasts with human faces, lion bodies, and scorpion tails. the last of which is fatally poisonous. In some legends the victim dies instantly, while in others they can be saved if treated in time. Gets ailment-inflicting Phys and Gun moves, as well as Acid Breath, which drops both defense and agility, very handy.
Personality notes: Despite being poisonous, he's very sickly and wonders if he may be allergic to himself.
There's also a Terminal here... but sadly we can't use it now due to the Mandala.
Ogre: Ah foond that thing the bloke wanted. Was stook on one a' them iron wagons.
Nanashi: A... car. Weird. Weird someone would want this thing so much, too... Whatever, let's go drop it off.
So do that. Now we head to Midtown, the building where Mestema was in IV Vanilla. Tenkai is still sitting there in his petrified state from when Flynn defeated him. Nanasho holds the disc up to him and his voice rings out...
Hariti: Good old Tenkai... a true architect of the faith.
He explains that he was the one who placed the Tokugawa Mandala in the ancient past, but he released it and it seems the Divine Powers have activated it again. The focal points of the seal are in five temples to the Buddhist god Fudo Myo-o around Tokyo, where there sits a sacred jar full of Aether, absolute concentrated Magnetite. To deactivate the seal, one must simply close the jars.
Nanashi: Alright... what's the catch?
However - being so close to that much Aether at once is extremely dangerous. It's human emotion in its rawest form, after all, and being too close to it can easily drive a person mad. Gaston, of course, callously suggests sacrificing one of the party. Nozomi naturally objects, when suddenly... Toki appears!
Nanashi: Oh hey, To- Toki. Wow.
Jack the Ripper: Here we go again...
Toki explains that she was tasked with assisting the mission by Mii and Kei, and that her priority target right now is Maitreya. She has been trained to maintain composure in situations like this, and volunteers to seal the jars herself.
Nanashi: Is that really such a good idea? She could get hurt... or go even more nuts.
Regardless, she insists and we're off.
Asura: Before you go, young one, some more powerful demons wish to meet you. Evidently my own and Maia Ouroboros' entry to your party has prompted them to make their move. Shurahahahaha!
Asherah: Enough, you oaf. If fate has truly chosen you, I am eager to see what you've got. Sherahahahaha...
Lord Nandou: The stars speak of you, young one... how could I not volunteer!
Sarasvati: I have heard you have contracted Sister Parvati... well then, let's see how this goes!
Character notes: The mother goddess of Canaan, she was wife to the chief god, El. Like many other major goddesses, she was worshipped as a bringer of fertility to both humans and crops. It's believed that before the Israelites fully embraced monotheism, she was sometimes depicted as YHVH's wife as well. Fire and Gun specialist.
Personality notes: Distaff Counterpart to Asura, like in SJ.
Character notes: A Taoist god representing the asterism Southern Dupper, part of the constellation Saggitarius. He formed a duo with Beiji Xian Weng, the deification of the Big Dipper, and together they judge the dead. Fire and healing socialist; he's the first demon with Samarecarm, which revives a demon to full health!
Personality notes: Speaks largely in metaphors related to stars.
Character notes: The grand Hindu goddess of water, music, and art, she is the wife of the demiurge Brahma and a member of the Tridevi, along with Parvati and Lakshmi. She is worshipped as the one who brings the fertility of the river, and as a muse to artists everywhere. She's normally an even-tempered goddess, but never make her angry... She's an Ice specialist.
Personality notes: A dignified and professional artist.
Nanashi: AlRIGHT, that's what I'm talking about! Let's go kick some divine tail!
