Bridge dialogue

What do you want to review?

• The basics
• Applications
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Which application in particular?

• Password
• Prime fusion
• Mitama fusion
• Special fusion
• Back

Demon fusion is the process of fusing two demons together to create a more powerful demon.

The race of demons you fuse determines which demon will come out of the fusion.

There are several rules guiding these results.

The first step is to get used to fusing. Try fusing demons of various races together.

Oh, there's one other important thing to remember: skill inheritance.

What that means is that skills can be carried over from the demons used in fusion.

There seem to be rules governing inheritance, but the data's rather complex and hard to decipher.

Try messing around with it some, see if you can figure it out.

A demon's worth in battle is determined by the skills it inherits.

Try fusing various demons and figuring out the inheritance rules.

The fusion process is simple. There's no need for any special facility or ceremony.

There will be times when fusion does not result in the expected demon. This is a Fusion Accident.

The moon's phase, shown at the top left on the Top Screen, affects the chances of an Accident occurring.

Note that in some cases, an even stronger demon will result...

And the normal rules regarding skill inheritance may not apply.

However, accidents are a rare enough phenomenon that it's best to focus on the basics first.

The Demon Compendium is basically a database for demons. It'll come in handy for fusing.

It's an indispensable tool for handling your demon allies.

You can register your demon allies in the Demon Compendium.

Registered demons can be summoned at any time at a cost of Macca.

To access the Demon Compendium, press the Y Button to bring up the Demonica menu...

And from there, select the Demon Compendium under Demon Data.

It may prove advantageous to register your demons before fusing or releasing them.

It's important to register your demons. Let me give you a little word of advice...

I'm already tired of whiners asking me, "I forgot to register before fusion! Can't you do anything!?"

The answer is NO, people. Honestly...

A demon's data is automatically registered the first time it joins you.

To record any levels it gains or skills obtained in fusion, you must manually re-register it.

If you don't register a demon before fusing it, you must raise it again from the last registered data.

If you raise it, register it. Before you lose it, register it. Keep this principle in mind.

A Demon Source is what we call a mass of skill data exported from a demon ally.

By importing these into a fusion, you can customize the demon's data to your liking.

First, call up the Demonica screen with the Y Button...

From there, select Demon Fusion. You can use it at any time.

Demon fusion is an important tool in strengthening your party.

Negotiate with demons in battle to gain new allies and fodder for fusion.

There seem to be a few bugs left in the program, because sometimes you'll get an unexpected demon.

What do you want to review?

• The basics
• Applications
• Nothing

What do you want to review?

• The basics
• Applications
• Nothing

You receive Demon Sources from demons when they level up if their Analyze level is maxed out.

The skills included in a Demon Source are guaranteed to be inherited during fusion.

If it inherits more than the limit of 6 skills, the skills it inherits will be randomly selected.

Randomly selected skills will change each time you cancel the fusion, so...

You can continue cancelling the fusion until you get the desired skill set.

You can use your Demonica to encode a demon's data into a password.

Some people have started trading passwords with each other to use one another's demons, I hear.

Passwords are entered in the Password Slots in the Register screen of the Demon Compendium.

You can find the Password slots at the bottom of the list, under the race name PWD.

When you select one, you will be taken to the password entry screen.

To generate a password, choose a demon to encrypt in the Compendium and select Output Password.

The demon you register in the Password Slot will take up that slot until you overwrite it.

Due to memory limitations, there is a limited number of Password Slots.

There are 3 Password Slots. You may have up to 3 password demons at any given time.

If you wish to register another demon, select a slot to overwrite.

You can, of course, summon the demons you register with passwords.

Once registered in the Compendium, they're treated the same way as any other demon.

What the password feature boils down to is communicating with others.

What kind of potential does the feature have? How will it help?

Only you can answer those questions.

When a Prime demon is fused with a demon of a second race...

The result will be of the same race as the second demon, but one rank higher.

If the race's affinity with the Prime you use is bad, however, it will be one rank lower.

It's a valuable way to rank up your demons, but be sure to keep the affinity in mind.

Mitamas are a special race of demon that you get by fusing two Primes together.

You can use Mitamas in battle, just like Primes, but their main use is to power up stats.

When you fuse a demon with a Mitama, that demon's stats will be raised.

Which stats are raised depend on the type of Mitama you use in the fusion.

There's just one thing to keep in mind... There are limits to how much you can juice a demon up.

It all depends on the demon's potential.

Each demon has an upper limit for each stat, and you cannot power it up beyond that limit.

Mitama fusion is only a method to give your demons an extra boost if you want one.

Special fusion is, as the name suggests, a special process that differs from standard fusions.

Basically, it's a type of fusion where specific demons are fused to create a special demon.

To use Special Fusion, select Special Fusion from the Demon Fusion menu.

Choose a demon you wish to make from the list in order to begin the fusion.

But you know... These being special demons and all, there are a lot of steps to being able to fuse one.

[List] When you register 1 of the required demons, it appears as "--------."

[Name] When all required demons are registered, the demon is displayed.

[Fusion] Once you have all required demons, you may do the special fusion.

The thing to notice here is the number of demons needed to carry out special fusions.

Normal fusions always use two demons, but special fusions might need 3, 4, or even more demons.

Certain demons, including bosses, have certain limitations in place preventing you from fusing them.

Until the limitation is lifted, the demon will not appear on the list even if you can fuse it.

Be sure to check the list when a limitation is lifted. The demon may already be available to fuse.

Demons that can't be fused by standard procedures... They're no normal demons, that's for sure.

I'm looking forward to seeing just what kind of demons are waiting out there.

Attention, all hands.

Schwarzwelt breach is imminent.

All hands, report to your designated positions.

Commander Gore, please return to the command post.

...That's Arthur calling.

First Lieutenant Zelenin, Crewman Jimenez... Thank you for your contributions to the briefing.

All hands, return to your ships and prepare for entry.

Understood, Commander Gore.

I look forward to seeing you again, everyone.

All of us aboard Ship 3 are counting on your support.

For the sake of humanity, let's get this done!

I'm heading back to Ship 2.

...It's do or die, out there on the field. It all comes down to your own limits.

If anyone here isn't up to the job, now's the time to bail.

The rest of you... I'll see you out there.

It's go time, everyone. Let's accomplish the mission and get home in one piece.

Remember, the fate of the world rests on us! Don't forget that!

What's wrong!? Ops, talk to me!

Something's happening with the other ships!

They're changing course, Sir... They're getting separated from the formation!

Early warning systems are picking up an abnormal flux!

Our ship's being pulled in by an unknown gravitational force!

Control system alert! The nav systems have been compromised!

...I'm picking up a problem with the shield as well, Sir!

The plasma shield's output has dropped! It can't withstand the impacts from outside!

We'll be sitting ducks at this rate!

Arthur! Analysis and report!

The situation has gone outside expected parameters. An abnormal flux is pursuing this ship.

It may have clashed with the organic defense system. Details at this time are unknown.

Analysis in progress...

..."Pursuing"!?

Am I to understand the Schwarzwelt is attacking our ship!?

This is ludicrous...!

Are we gonna make it...? This ship's not gonna go down, is it!?

That's enough of that! Cool it!

The drones we sent ahead got in fine, and the Red Sprite will too! This turbulence'll stop soon!

Man, I dunno... I don't think this is any kinda normal turbulence.

C'mon, you nancies.

We're fighting men. This sort of danger comes with the territory.

...Here, you seem composed enough, (your name).

Feeling relaxed, are we?

• I've been trained.
• Deep down, I'm praying.
• I'm not afraid to die.

Confident in yourself, I see. Well, I'll be counting on you.

After all, if something happens, you men on the strike team are our lifeline...

Ah, more devout than you look, eh?

Well, give me a humble man any day over those whose bravado reaches nigh toxic levels...

You're made of stern stuff, I see... Let me guess. The hot- blooded, passionate type?

I'll have to leave that bit to you, I'm afraid. Suppose you aren't on the strike team for nothing...

Status report on the other ships!

Picking up an SOS from the Blue Jet! No response from the Elve or Gigantic!

The engine reactor is down!

The thrusters have stopped! We've lost navigation entirely!

Damn! Get me Engineering!

Arthur, where is that analysis!?

The cause of the interference has yet to be determined.

Current damage estimates indicate that further navigation will not be possible.

Priority One is a soft landing. We will use our remaining energy reserves to control the ship.

...We're in for a crash landing!?

Sir, there's a huge gravitational field below us! My guess is, that's the ground!

We're going down, Commander!

...Stay in there! Maintain evasive maneuvers!

It's us or nothing! We can't afford to be sunk here!

And thus...

The Red Sprite fell with a deafening roar...

You seem to have found yourself in an unfamiliar room...

There are three gentlemen sitting here with you...

What fruitless things do humans attempt...

Do they know who it is they are dealing with?

They cannot. If they did, they would not attempt this...

'Tis true. After all, there is no stopping the world's end...

Hmmm... It seems one of them has found his way in here.

Leave him. He is but a soul that will soon crumble.

No... no, this man... he may prove interesting.

Now that you mention it... he does look like a hardy one.

His soul will not be devoured so easily.

If the two of you say so, I will let your opinion sway me...

Up, young man. We shall send you back.

But first, tell us your name.

(your name)... (your name)...

(your name), yes. We shall remember that.

Now then, (your name).

Here in this blasted land of ruin, what will you find...?

A light illuminating the way to the future? The fires of destruction? Or perhaps...?

But first, you must fall. Fall and struggle.

If a glimmer of hope exists within you... show it to us.

Hey...

...Hey...!

You hear a voice calling from outside the room.

...Hey! (your name), can you hear me!?

Dammit, he's out cold! (your name)! (your name)...!

Tell no one of what you saw here.

Though we shall seal this memory away, so you would be unable to in any event...

All right, strike team, listen up. The Red Sprite is no longer functional.

We were sucked into a gravitational field, and now we're shipwrecked inside the Schwarzwelt.

Ship 2, the Blue Jet; Ship 3, the Elve; and Ship 4, the Gigantic...

All three are unresponsive. We're on our own, ladies and gentlemen.

But we are not sitting here and waiting for help to come. We have to get ourselves out of this jam.

Right now, we're trapped inside a powerless ship.

But if everyone works together, we can get out of here and on to the next step!

Do your duty with care and diligence, and we'll solve each problem as it comes!

First order of business: the restoration of the Red Sprite's power.

We seem to be having trouble resetting the main reactor at the moment...

But the emergency sub-reactor should be bootable.

Once we get some energy flowing, consult Arthur for your next set of orders.

Engineering, do you read? Report!

...This is Terry in Engineering, Sir. We're currently giving the deck a once-over.

Reading you loud and clear, Sir. Over!

Copy that, Terry. Glad you're all right.

I want you to start up the sub- reactor ASAP. Can you do it?

We need to get the ship's power up and running for Arthur.

And while we're at it, I'd also like to restart the plasma armor.

The plasma armor, too, Sir? That, I'm afraid, will take awhile.

Then get started. We need it.

We don't want to end up like the drones that got wrecked by "artificial causes," now do we?

Sir... are you saying there might be intelligent life out there?

There's no telling WHAT'S out there at present, but we should prepare ourselves while we can.

If we can keep the outside world at bay with our plasma armor, then whatever's waiting...

...Commander Gore! The deck's--!

What's going on? Talk to me!

The hatch... The deck's hatch is opening, Sir!

Why in God's name are you opening the hatch? Belay that right now!

I... I can't! There's no power to work the mechanisms!

Is someone... opening it!?

...Huh?

I don't see anything...

......

...Gyaaaaaaah!

M-Man down! We're under attack!

One officer down... unknown assailant...!

Terry! What's going on!?

...I can't see him! I can't tell who's attacking us...!

Wh-What do we do? Commander, your orders, please!

......! Another man down!

Wha--!

Arrrrrrrrgh!

...Ahhh...

...ugh...

We've lost contact with Terry, Sir.

...Strike team, you are authorized to use force. Whatever it takes to drive off that enemy!

Get to the deck, on the double!

Secure Terry's safety and the rest of the deck crew's at once!

We can't die here! Am I understood?

We're counting on you, (your name)!

Missions are a vital part of your progress through the game.

You can check your current missions in the Mission Log.

Alright, men, the power's back on. Now we can finally get things done around here.

You'll be relieved to know we can also take off the Demonica now, so long as we're inside the ship.

Kato, hurry and reboot Arthur.

Williams, get the plasma armor back online.

Roger that, Sir. I'll make restoring Arthur my top priority.

I'll coordinate with the strike team to restart the plasma armor.

Strike team, I want to commend you for a job well done in repelling the enemy force.

Excellent work out there, (your name).

But I want to know what this program is that lets us see our invisible enemies...

Seems like the program got sent to all our Demonica units. It's installed on my system, too...

But Commander, do you think it's okay for us to use?

The "Demon Summoning Program," huh? Strange name.

A program that controls demons...

I take that to mean it was demons that attacked us?

Once we get Arthur back online, we'll have him analyze it.

...Commander Gore, Sir? About Arthur... I can't boot him up.

He's been a little haywire since the crash. There might be some structural damage to the CPU...

It'll get a little rough, but I'm going to try hacking in.

...Hm? What the...?

Commander Gore, Sir, there seems to be a communication log of this "Demon Summoning Program."

Looks like the program got distributed by overriding Arthur's administrative systems.

There's a log...? Kato, can you identify the sender?

Contact with the outside world is cut off, so it must be from within the Schwarzwelt...

But beyond that, it's impossible to say. There's a message here, though... let me play it back.

Kato displayed the message from the log on the main monitor.

...Humans. As your Fathers, as your Sons, as your Friends, we have sent you Power.

You have arrived here in this Land ruled by Demons due to the Karma of Mankind.

But Despair is not all that remains. There is still Hope nestled within your Fear.

The Demons you will encounter are your Enemies as well as your Allies.

Will you stand against them?

Will you make of them your Demon Allies?

That will be decided by the Demon Summoning Program.

Humans, you must overcome Fear... Else, there will be no Future.

As your fellow Bearers of Karma, we assure you of this.

We existed before... and soon...

...That's the whole thing.

So the enemy WERE demons...

Preposterous. This situation has become absolutely preposterous, but...

Our fate's in the hands of this Demon Summoning Program now.

......

Attention, all hands.

You have my official authorization to use the Demon Summoning Program.

Should you encounter any problems or malfunctions with the program, call them in immediately.

...Th-This is sickbay! Commander, Sir, w-we're in trouble!

Help us... Someone, help us!

Calm down, soldier! What's going on there!?

The enemy... We're under attack from the enemy!

I... I've never seen anything like it! Please! Send help...!

...It's them! It's the demons!

How were there still any left inside the ship!?

Sickbay, do you read? We're sending immediate backup! Hide until they arrive--do not engage!

Strike team, move out! Get your asses to sickbay!

...I'm sorry to say that members of our crew have been kidnapped by the demons.

It's at times like this when we must keep our cool to make the right decisions and act on them.

We must get our men back.

There are several strike team members patrolling the ship right now, Sir.

All indications show that there aren't any demons left inside.

All right. Maintain the current alert status and keep those men patrolling.

Ops, give me a report on the missing crewmen.

One from comms, one from monitors, one from maintenance...

And Irving was taken from the lab, Sir. A total of four men are no longer on board.

Irving too!?

This gets worse and worse... Without him, we have no way to restock supplies and munitions!

Monitors! Give me feasibility on a field excursion. What's the atmosphere like out there?

The Chief's been kidnapped by the demons, Sir, so we don't have many details, but...

As our earlier report mentioned, we should be unaffected so long as we wear our Demonicas.

...All right. Then let's hustle.

Strike team, I have new mission orders for you.

Search the area outside the ship and rescue those missing crewmen!

For lack of hard data on our surroundings...

We'll designate each battlefield we come across as a sector, followed by a codename.

This is Sector A... codename Sector Antlia.

This is Engineering, Sir!

Commander, we've managed to get the plasma armor online!

Excellent work, men! Now we can secure the ship's safety.

Strike team, your orders stand: focus on rescuing those missing crewmen!

(your name), we're about to set foot into the Schwarzwelt...

I know it's a rough situation, but we can't afford to lose you too. Stay focused out there!

Strike team members, remember your training and do whatever you can to maximize results.

The fate of the Earth rests with us. We cannot fall here!

Draw medical kits at the lab before heading out.

Good job on rescuing the missing crewmen. Everyone's accounted for now.

But the mission has also taken its toll in lives. A moment of silence for your fallen comrades, please.

......

Now, on to the next order of business.

Comms has got the radar working again, and they've performed a scan of our surroundings.

We're picking up readings that seem to indicate a large ship.

I think we can safely assume it's one of the ships we lost contact with before.

Though there's been no sign of the other two yet...

But as for the ship we just found, worst-case scenario, we'll have to send reinforcements.

...Commander, as stated in my earlier report, the casualties have left us short-handed.

There aren't many strike team members ready to mobilize, due to our encounters with the demons.

So I'm aware, and I've already devised contingency measures.

As Research Commander, I will accompany the strike team and continue the mission.

In our emergency state, I have little choice. Strike team, I look forward to working with you.

...Commander! We've picked up a signal, Sir... It's a distress signal!

What!? Patch it through to our Demonicas!

Copy that, Sir! Patching it through now!

Hello...?

Hey, is anyone out there...? Any survivors...?

Someone... Anyone...!

Arrrrrrrrrrgh! Someone answer me, goddammit!

This is Commander Gore of the Red Sprite!

We have picked up your signal! Do you copy?

...The Red Sprite!? Y'mean you're not one of the Blue Jet crew?

Are you a member of the Blue Jet crew? State your name and team!

What's the status of the Blue Jet?

It's me, Jimenez! I'm on the strike team!

I don't give a damn who you are, just hurry and send help!

Jimenez...? Did I hear you right!?

Calm down, soldier! We'll confirm your location and dispatch reinforcements!

What's the status of the Blue Jet? Is it still in one piece!?

The Blue Jet...? The Blue Jet's done for, man!

It was those monsters...! Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh!

We lost contact, Sir!

There's no time to waste! Have you got a read on his position yet?

He's near that ship we picked up on radar, Sir! That's the best I can give you!

Alright, people, it's a rescue mission! Save Crewman Jimenez!

Not only is he one of us, he's a witness to what happened aboard Ship 2.

It is imperative that we save him. I'll come along, but I'm still counting on all of you!

The fate of the earth rests on your shoulders. Never forget it!

...Commander Gore's casualty report acknowledged.

Accessing strategy matrix for contingency plans in the event of the Commander's loss.

Arthur, if you'd reacted a little faster, Commander Gore might not have had to die...

Your feelings are noted. However, I cannot respond to assumptions.

It is vital in hazardous situations such as this to discard decisions stemming from heightened emotion.

Let us rationally discuss methods of raising our chances of returning to Earth.

Must be nice at times like this, having a brain without blood...

It's scary how composed you can keep yourself.

If that was a compliment, I am grateful.

I will devise the optimum strategy for the successful completion of your mission.

"Mission"...!? What the hell is this about a mission!?

What's this thing talking about!?

I dunno what the hell it thinks we're gonna accomplish!

I mean, we got demons hunting us down and killing us!

Screw the mission, we gotta find a way outta here!

You listen to me, you hunk of junk--find us an escape route!

...Commander Gore's last words were "Save everyone... the world needs us."

I know you heard him, (your name). We all did.

It'll be a long time before I can forget what he said...

......

Look, Jimenez, everyone on the Red Sprite probably feels the way you do, deep down.

But as long as I wear a Demonica, I'll follow Commander Gore's final orders.

Ooh, listen to the big man...! You ever think maybe you're the only one thinking like that!?

How 'bout it? The rest of you happy charging into a swarm of demons, if that's the mission!?

...I... But I'm in maintenance... I'm just here as support...

So you wanna run, then? Or you want us to give you a nice funeral with whatever's left of you?

I mean, that's if the demons don't make a tasty meal of you, suckin' on them bones of yours and all!

Lock that up, Jimenez! You're way out of line! You're not even part of this crew!

...What do you think, (your name)?

You think we should just go on with the mission? You gonna waste that second chance you were given?

We can always load up on stuff, come back prepared, man.

Tell me, what's it gonna be?

• I'm sticking with it.
• I'm out of here.

...And here I thought you were a smart guy. Duty doesn't mean anything out here, man.

I saw 'em smash the Blue Jet to pieces, and y'know what that taught me?

This mission's bullshit. Can't be done, man.

Good choice. That's using your survival instinct, man.

One dumb move out here and we'll all end up dead.

...Just like the Blue Jet.

C'mon, man, let's all talk this out like reasonable people. We can come up with a plan...

There is no need. Discussion is unnecessary.

What!?

"Where are we?"

Our coordinates are unknown.

"How did we get here?"

There is no navigational log of the course we took to reach here.

"How can we get out?"

There is no data that suggests escape is possible.

You are strangers here in this Schwarzwelt...

There is no way out.

In other words, we don't have any way of escaping in the first place...

No! No way...!

I've had it with this place! I'm getting my ass outta here!

Should we escape from the Schwarzwelt? Should we continue the investigation?

There may come a time when you must make such a decision...

But now is not that time.

At present, you have no choice but to continue the investigation.

...Guess it's settled. Come along with our mission, or leave the Red Sprite.

If you want to survive, you'll have to follow orders.

...I know y'all're havin' a grand old time arguin', but I got my own duties, (your name).

This here's the lab. I hear right that (your name) got his hands on some rare stuff?

Y'think he got it from that demon he just smoked?

That's it. That, er... Lemegetonite.

Just thought I'd mention it to Arthur...

Understood, Crewman Irving. Receipt of the item acknowledged.

It seems there are many mysterious materials that exist here in the Schwarzwelt.

Crewman Irving, I look forward to the breakthroughs that will undoubtedly come out of your lab.

Thanks, Arthur. Heh... no pressure, right?

I'll need a li'l time to myself to run some tests on it. I'll call y'all when I'm done.

...I'll take the, er, Lemegetonite to Irving.

But if you find anything else, it'll be up to you to bring it to the lab yourself.

You handed Chen the Lemegetonite.

Chen left for the lab.

...Let us review the data.

At present, our highest priority is the restoration of the Red Sprite's main reactor.

We must get the engine working in order to regain mobility.

This is Engineering. Let me give you guys a brief update on the engine reactor.

Once it starts up, it'll stay active indefinitely... but it takes a lot of power to get going.

We were using the Tokamak Motor for that, but it was damaged in the crash.

The engineer's report is accurate. We cannot move the ship without a Tokamak Motor.

Since ours is nonfunctional at present...

The best solution would be to obtain a Tokamak Motor with the help of another ship.

...Of course! If we use the Blue Jet's booster, then...!

Then I will issue a new official mission, designated "Engine Restoration."

...Scavenging corpses. Boy, you can just feel the excitement.

Crewman Jimenez, you are not technically a part of this ship's crew.

However, you have an important role to play in leading the Red Sprite to safety.

Was that a compliment? Well, thaaaaaanks.

I suggest you be officially reclassified as a member of the Red Sprite's crew.

If you consent, you will receive the same treatment as the other crew members...

And you will be eligible to use strike team equipment, including the Demon Summoning Program.

I'll... get to use demons to fight...?

I have to protest this. We can't act as a team with him around, and that could get us killed.

If you are to join this crew, certain obligations and duties will be expected of you.

One of these duties is to cooperate with the other crew members.

...Ah, what the hell.

If I'm gonna survive long enough to get the hell outta here, I'll need power like that.

I don't mind swallowing my pride a little, if that's what it takes.

Thank you, Crewman Jimenez. We welcome you to the Red Sprite.

...It'll be good workin' with you, (your name).

I might give you some shit now and then, but believe me, I appreciate you saving my ass.

Let's you and me make it outta here alive. Even if it'll take using demons...

Crewman (your name), allow me to report.

I am analyzing the ports through which the Demon Summoning Program was sent from my systems.

This program has proven very useful to us, but please exercise caution when using it.

I look forward to the successful completion of your mission.

You have performed excellently in completing the mission, Crewman (your name).

Let us immediately send this Tokamak Motor to Engineering.

You handed the engineering crew the Tokamak Motor.

If the maintenance operations are successful, we should regain our full functionality.

Not only will we become mobile again, but our facilities will operate at their full potential.

I'd say after this mission, you've earned yourself a chest full of medals, (your name)!

They'll wear out their fingers pinning 'em all on!

You also collected a terminal from the Blue Jet, correct?

I will analyze the information Command Unit Verne had gathered.

You handed the operations crew the CU Terminal.

...Crewman (your name), I request that you thank Crewman Jimenez for me.

That would seem to be the best way to express my gratitude.

Now, let us wait for the results of Engineering's work.

Attention, all hands. Attention, all hands.

Engineering will begin the process of rebooting the engine reactor shortly.

All crewmen involved are to cooperate with engineering and perform the final verifications.

Note that the rebooting process will take some time. Carry out your duties with that in mind.

...At last, we're getting the engine restarted.

But where are we intending to go? We haven't found a way out...

I'd rather not see us get shipwrecked again.

Arthur is coming up with a new plan. Right, (your name)?

Howdy, y'all. This here's the lab. Got some good news for ya!

Our research into the Lemegetonite is all sewn up...

And wouldn't you know but it looks like we can power our Demonicas with it!

That is good news indeed, Crewman Irving. Congratulations.

Please send me the details.

Ten-four, Arthur. Yer better'n me at explainin' this mumbo-jumbo.

Arthur obtained the research data from Irving.

According to Crewman Irving's report...

There are materials here in the Schwarzwelt, known as forma, that can be used to make new equipment.

The Lemegetonite is but one of many forma.

In this case, the Lemegetonite seems capable of improving the Demonica's Main App.

Forma is pretty dern strange stuff, but we can get tech the likes o' which you've never seen from 'em.

Not only can we juice up our Demonicas, we can use 'em to make new goods and gear!

If any o' y'all are interested, git yerself down to the lab and see me toot sweet!

The Demonica's Main App is the mechanism that handles your visor output.

I am sure that enhancing your Main App will allow you to search the Schwarzwelt more easily.

It is recommended that crew members with spare time try enhancing their Demonicas at the lab.

Y'all on the strike team'll be out in the field a lot, so make sure ya fix up yer Demonicas.

This is Terry in Engineering! We're about to start the reboot process for the engine reactor!

Once the Tokamak is running, we'll open up the output capacity to 100%!

Counting down...

10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4...

3...

2...

1...

Here we go!

Restart successful! Raising the output capacity...

The Red Sprite's mobility has been restored.

This will give us an important advantage in planning our strategy.

However, we cannot go airborne without being certain of our next destination.

I have important data to report.

It concerns the information from Verne of the Blue Jet, which I have analyzed...

...Their AI's last message, huh?

The data transfer from Verne, the Blue Jet's Command Unit, is complete.

The data contains a vital clue to escaping from Antlia.

...That's incredible! We finally have a way out of here!

We can ditch this place...!?

The Blue Jet appears to have managed to enter the Schwarzwelt without Verne powering down.

As a result, they succeeded in tracking their course here.

Please look at this.

There is an area at the zenith of this sector that is emitting an unknown signal.

It appears to be affected by the moon, making it easy to overlook the gravitational field...

But according to my calculations, a quantum tunnel has formed at those coordinates.

It seems to be a path leading outside local space-time.

So the Red Sprite's engine is back online, and we've got our escape route out of here.

Then unless I miss my guess...

We can return to Earth anytime we want...!

Mmm... not quite. We're definitely getting closer to Earth, but...

What? What's the problem!?

The Blue Jet's escape attempt was unsuccessful.

They were unable to penetrate the quantum field blocking entrance to the tunnel.

In the current condition of the tunnel, we cannot leave the sector.

...You serious!? I didn't know the Blue Jet tried to escape...

There is an additional problem in the layout of the Schwarzwelt.

Please look at this.

This is a projected map of the Schwarzwelt that Verne extrapolated.

It is thought to be constructed of multiple space-time planes layered atop each other.

Sector Antlia is only one of these layers.

In order to return to Earth, we would have to traverse multiple layers.

It's hard enough to get out of one... And now we're going to have to do it several times over...?

I think I'm going to be ill...

I'm sure we'll discover more as we keep investigating, but...

There are still too many unknown factors right now.

Remember, this whole discussion is moot if we can't even get out of Antlia...

But... our whole purpose for being here is to figure out the unknown, isn't it?

It's not as though we're without any hints. And we can keep looking for more...

...Ah, Arthur, the secondary analysis of the radar contact has come up the same as the first.

Secondary analysis acknowledged.

Attention, all hands.

We have discovered a potential exit in breaking through the quantum tunnel at Antlia's zenith.

So we might be able to escape soon? That's great!

That is one datum contained in Crewman Kato's radar analysis report.

A new radar contact has been detected within the sector.

The location of this contact is below Antlia's surface.

It is possible this contact is the result of some sort of material's energy signature...

But I must note that there seems to be a connection between this contact and the tunnel.

It's a very strange phenomenon. They're connected, like opposite magnetic poles.

I don't know how that energy signature is affecting the tunnel, but...

If nothing else, it'll give us a clue on how to get out of here.

This energy source may be heavily involved with the formation of this sector.

It falls to the strike team to investigate it.

I am issuing a new official mission, designated "Energy Signature Investigation."

The contact came from below... So there's something beneath Antlia?

I thought we covered all that ground, but... I guess I'll use the Demonica Irving modded.

An energy source that could be controlling this whole sector...

It's always something, ain't it, (your name)?

Crewman Jimenez. Crewman (your name).

There is another benefit to the Verne unit you brought aboard.

I must inform you of this as well.

Heh... a human corpse isn't worth a damn, but you can always salvage a broken machine, eh?

Verne's memory banks contained data for a new function for the Demon Summoning Program.

We have successfully unlocked the current program's hidden function.

A new function?

Yes. This function is known as...

The Demon Fusion Program.

"Demon Fusion"!?

This gets shadier and shadier, man! Fusing demons... I mean, what the hell's going on here?

My analysis shows that the Demon Fusion function allows you to fuse two demons to create a new one.

It is, as you might put it, technology beyond imagining.

It is possible that there is a risk of the Demon Summoning Program losing control...

However, it will most likely be an invaluable tool in the field.

I-I-Is this right...? It seems kinda dangerous...!

The new demons ain't gonna attack us, are they!?

I foresee no factors in demon fusion that could put you at a disadvantage.

I recommend that you make use of it to overcome the ordeals ahead.

The Demon Fusion function has been added to the Demon Summoning Program.

You can use demon fusion at any time by pressing the Y Button to access the Demonica menu.

Fusion is an invaluable method of gaining stronger demons.

Negotiate with demons during battle to make them your allies, and then experiment with fusing them.

One demon... and another demon... makes a third demon...

...I gotta say, (your name), this'll be trouble for me. It seems dangerous, but I'm pumped anyway.

Think you'll have fun with fusion?

• Yeah, I can't wait to start.
• I'll use it if I need to.
• You should be careful.

Hahaha, you and me think alike, man. Let's pump our demons up, get 'em real badass!

You're a real by-the-book type, huh? Well... if you find any cool fusions, let me know.

Oh, gimme a break, man. Haven't demons been helping us out all this time? What's the harm?

Our situation is improving, but do not forget to check the mission log and speak with your crewmates.

I look forward to the successful completion of your mission.

The mission was dangerous, but you seem to have carried it out successfully.

Mission "Energy Signature Investigation" is confirmed complete.

Crewman (your name)...

The energy source you retrieved will likely solve the problem of the quantum tunnel at the zenith.

This energy source is known as a Rosetta Manifold.

The Energy Mass has been identified as a Rosetta: Ant.

Despite its size, this Rosetta Manifold is extremely dense with information.

The Rosetta's always been just a hypothesis of cosmology wonks...

The Schwarzwelt has been full of surprises, but this takes the cake!

Its scientific significance aside...

For our purposes, the Rosetta's importance is its ability to aid us in entering the quantum tunnel.

We have discovered information pertaining to the quantum field blocking our escape.

...I don't think I get it.

The Blue Jet couldn't break through. What makes you think that's gonna change things?

The Red Sprite is a foreign object that the quantum field repels.

However, by altering our plasma armor's parameters to synchronize with the quantum field...

We should be able to gain access to the tunnel beyond.

So the quantum field is like oil, and the Red Sprite's like water... It won't let us through.

But we can pass if we coat the plasma armor with some "oil" of our own...

And we've got the parameters for that "oil" from the Rosetta.

What, so we can escape!? We can go back home!?

We did it, (your name)! Hahahaha! In your face, Schwarzwelt!

...I cannot confirm at present.

Are we nearing the surface? Or are we diving deeper...?

Without comprehensive knowledge of the Schwarzwelt's layout, it is impossible to judge.

Haha...? What!? We're not going the right way!?

I cannot confirm that we are returning to Earth. We may be headed into further danger.

But unless we press forward, our chances of escaping will remain scarce...

Furthermore, we will be unable to find the truth of the Schwarzwelt, which could be Earth's salvation.

Our goal at present...

Should be to travel through the quantum tunnel and "plane shift" to the next space-time plane.

So we need to move on to the next layer of the Schwarzwelt, huh?

Something tells me it won't be a fun trip, but... Our chances are better than they are sitting here.

...... Well, speaking as a member of the strike team...

What's got me spooked are the demons we'll probably run into over there. Right, (your name)?

Engineering here! The plane shift is on standby, ready to engage!

You handed the Engineering crew the Rosetta: Ant.

Arthur... I don't want to see a repeat of that stunt you pulled when we got here, okay?

My information regarding the Schwarzwelt is much more complete now than it was before our entry.

I can guarantee a journey without any difficulties.

We will engage the plane shift once all crewmen are prepared.

All hands, prepare to plane shift.

What are you still doing here!? Get to the deck!

I... I can't believe this... There's still so many crew at the deck...

P-Please! Hurry and save them!

The crewmen who were taken include equipment developers and reactor engineers.

Without them, our chances of completing this mission are grim.

(your name), I'm charging you with their safe return!

The environment's so toxic outside that we can't survive without our Demonicas...

I can only hope those crewmen were wearing their suits, as per orders.

If they weren't, by now they're...

Y-Yeah... extraordinary situations demand extraordinary action.

I'll just go along with it.

I looked into that program and found a function that supports communication with the demons.

Does that mean we can communicate with those demons who attacked?

Hell, does that make them sentient beings? Interesting...

The commander leading a field op himself... It's against protocol. Should I say something?

• Rules are rules.
• There are exceptions.

Well, sure, but when I see how determined he clearly is, I can't bring myself to speak up.

What am I going to do...?

We're slowly making progress on our analysis of that program.

It looks like there's a feature that saves your demon allies' form to physically reproduce them later.

Basically, you can summon your demon allies to fight alongside you whenever you want.

The more demons you recruit, the more effective you'll be in combat.

It's some pretty amazing tech. But who made it? And why?

Ciao, (your name)! Thanks for saving me. They nearly ate me alive out there.

It gave me quite a fright, seeing them with such an appetite... Not that I actually saw them, but...

I did learn one thing about them: just like us, they're particular about their food.

They chose me for their dinner, after all! Oh, come now, it was a joke. Laugh, my friend...

Restoring the main reactor is our top priority, in order to prevent any more casualties.

I look forward to the successful completion of your mission.

I'm so mad at myself for not stopping him back then...

Still, what's with that Jimenez asshole!? Commander Gore died to save him...

It's not fair...

He's gone...

But no matter how bad things get for us, I think we should go on with the mission.

That's why we came here... we have to see it through.

For the sake of the dead, too...

...(your name)? Are we going to make it back alive? I mean... the commander is dead.

It may be time for us to consider our last meals...

(your name)? Nice to meet you!

An American, eh? This team really is international.

We have all kinds here, but every one of them is the best of the best from the world's soldiers.

There won't be any trouble here, that's for sure, eh?

Honestly, though... I was just assigned here myself. I'm still kinda learning the ropes.

Well, I'm sure if we stick together, we'll get through this just fine, eh?

A pleasure to meet you, (your name). I am First Lieutenant Zelenin, a Russian science officer.

In my office's view, there is no doubt the Schwarzwelt poses a serious threat to mankind.

But what is man if not resourceful? Through cooperation, there are no problems we cannot overcome.

I am eager to do my part here for the future of mankind.

Extend your hand to Zelenin?

• Yes
• No

Oh, my apologies! How rude of me.

I very much look forward to working with you, (your name).

Zelenin shook your hand.

You have the grip of a soldier... I feel quite safe with you around.

It's nice to meet a military man with such manners. You and I will make a good team, (your name).

With soldiers like you supporting us, how can we fail?

...Should there come a time when we find ourselves working together, I'll be counting on you.

I'm sorry, but I have to go and greet the others. There isn't much time before it all starts.

Are you getting along with your crewmates, (your name)?

We may be on different ships, but it's up to both of us to do our best!

The moment we've all been waiting for is almost here... We're about to set up our Demonicas.

Huh...? You don't know what the Demonica is?

Oh, you joined later... Guess you wouldn't have heard yet, huh?

Well, no matter. Commander Gore will explain it all soon enough.

For now, better go on over to the deck. A soldier always moves double-time!

...Or so they say, haha.

There's a rumor going around that there's intelligent life in the Schwarzwelt.

The drones we sent in ahead of us were destroyed "in a manner inconsistent with accidents."

...Well, it's just a rumor. Our job is to find out the truth.

It seems the rumor of intelligent life has been spreading amongst the crew.

..."Schwarzwelt" is a term from a 1933 theory of Hammerschmidt's, a German professor.

I'll explain...

When human activity exceeds the world's natural capacity, and the balance of energy topples...

A corrective reaction occurs. It's simplest to think of it as Earth's antibodies attacking humanity.

Dr. Hammerschmidt's theory involved a prediction...

He believed another dimension would appear, one where intelligent life dwelled.

Now the Schwarzwelt has appeared, proving the existence of other dimensions...

And the destruction of the drones implies the possibility of intelligent life inside...

Or so some are saying. I'm still wondering if it's actually true...

Do you think they're out there?

• I think so.
• Probably not.
• I don't know.

You're a believer, mm?

I'm not one to draw conclusions without sufficient evidence, but...

If there are intelligent beings in there, I most certainly intend to proceed with caution.

Yes, that's what most normal people would say.

It's hard enough trying to enter the place, let alone conceiving of anything living in there...

We shouldn't jump to conclusions until we've seen something with our own eyes.

...Not committing one way or the other yet, mm?

It may not be possible to reach a conclusion based on my rather simplistic explanation, but...

Quibbling over evidence and proof is everything for us scientists. You haven't been trained for it.

I am sorry to have imposed on you with such a strange question.

We are in imminent danger.

But you mustn't forget, everyone here is the elite of the elite.

There's nothing a force like that can't accomplish.

Now get to repelling those infiltrators! Go to the deck, soldier!

We're under attack...? Could it be those intelligent life forms?

Well, whoever it is, it's an invader of some kind! Never mind us, go provide backup!

Look, just stay calm. We'll handle the information side of things.

You head to the deck and help them fend off the enemy there.

The demons are attacking sickbay! Get a move on!

If you're hurt, though, it's better not to fight while injured.

Pick up some medical supplies at the lab and prepare yourself before engaging the enemy.

I see you already picked up some medicine. Have you taken it yet?

Pull yourself together and hurry to sickbay!

Our men are holding them off, but they need immediate backup!

To think that demons really do exist... It raises so many questions.

But all that can wait! Let's mop up the rest of the demons inside the ship!

Using unknown software like this is against protocol, but...

I don't see how we have a choice other than to rely on the Demon Summoning Program for survival.

For the sake of the mission, we can't afford any more casualties.

Begin the search and secure the crew's safety at once.

I'm worried about the missing crewmen too, but I'm needed here to get Arthur up and running.

I'm counting on you, (your name). Bring 'em back alive, okay?

You're right... extraordinary situations demand extraordinary action.

If this is his decision, I'll go along with it.

I ran some analyses on the program, and it looks like it supports communication with the demons.

So... is whoever sent it telling us to communicate with demons...?

Is that even possible...?

I was so awed by the commander's passion, I didn't say anything, but...

I still think it's too dangerous for him to be on the front line. It's against regulations.

Should I stop him?

• Rules are rules.
• There are exceptions.

...You're right... *sigh*...

I dunno... I still can't see the determination in his eyes and say, "Don't go"...

Maybe someone will bring it up, but it won't be me.

It's not that I don't think the Commander is capable, but it's more dangerous than we know out there.

Should we really be letting our leader go into the field...?

I'm slowly learning more about that program...

It's set up like a communication module, but there's a custom protocol to connect to demons...

Sorry, in layman's terms I guess that would be "summoning" them.

You can summon demons as allies and carry them around. And of course, they can fight with you.

It's looking like the best way to expand our forces will be to ally ourselves with more demons.

This program, though... It's full of black boxes. It's so hard to get a handle on...

When I remember we're going to be using this, entrusting it with our very lives...

Sends a chill down my spine.

Ciao, (your name). Thanks for saving me.

I was seriously on those demons' menu back there...

Hm...? What's with the face? You don't believe me?

Here, you pretend you're a demon, and take a good look at me.

Don't I look plump and delicious?

• Yeah, I can see it.
• Uh... not really...

Hahahahaha! It is a joke, only a joke!

But in truth, you shouldn't underestimate hunger on the battlefield. Remember that.

Of course, I'll protect our food supply with my life, so there's no need to worry about that!

If only I'd stopped Commander Gore back there, he might... he might still be alive...

That Jimenez guy's only alive because the commander sacrificed himself!

Who does he think he is, slacking off on his duties?

It's not right, the commander having to die for that asshole!

So many crewmen, and now Commander Gore... We've lost too many...

How can we go on with the mission like this...?

We're out of options... all we can do is listen to Arthur.

Losing the commander hurts, but finding that hint has done a lot for the crew's morale.

I'd say we were damned lucky to have found that out when we did.

Your team should go investigate the energy signature. We'll do what we can to prepare here.

Now, if you don't mind, this job does take some concentration...

I was already shocked at what the Demon Summoning Program could do so far, but Demon Fusion...

Arthur's okayed it, so I doubt it carries a virus or anything, but I'll keep up my own analysis.

Who knows? Maybe we'll learn something useful about Demon Fusion...

If I find anything, I'll let you know.

Alright, I'll send the info about that subject to your Demonica. Review it at your leisure.

Demon fusion is the process of fusing two demons together to create a more powerful demon.

The race of demons you fuse determines which demon will come out of the fusion.

There are several rules guiding these results.

The first step is to get used to fusing. Try fusing demons of various races together.

Oh, there's one other important thing to remember: skill inheritance.

What that means is that skills can be carried over from the demons used in fusion.

There seem to be rules governing inheritance, but the data's rather complex and hard to decipher.

Try messing around with it some, see if you can figure it out.

A demon's worth in battle is determined by the skills it inherits.

Try fusing various demons and figuring out the inheritance rules.

The fusion process is simple. There's no need for any special facility or ceremony.

First, call up the Demonica screen with the Y Button...

From there, select Demon Fusion. You can use it at any time.

Demon fusion is an important tool in strengthening your party.

Negotiate with demons in battle to gain new allies and fodder for fusion.

The Demon Compendium is basically a database for demons. It'll come in handy for fusing.

It's an indispensable tool for handling your demon allies.

You can register your demon allies in the Demon Compendium.

Registered demons can be summoned at any time at a cost of Macca.

To access the Demon Compendium, press the Y Button to bring up the Demonica menu...

And from there, select the Demon Compendium under Demon Data.

It may prove advantageous to register your demons before fusing or releasing them.

It's important to register your demons. Let me give you a little word of advice...

I'm already tired of whiners asking me, "I forgot to register before fusion! Can't you do anything!?"

The answer is NO, people. Honestly...

A demon's data is automatically registered the first time it joins you.

To record any levels it gains or skills obtained in fusion, you must manually re-register it.

If you don't register a demon before fusing it, you must raise it again from the last registered data.

If you raise it, register it. Before you lose it, register it. Keep this principle in mind.

A Demon Source is what we call a mass of skill data exported from a demon ally.

By importing these into a fusion, you can customize the demon's data to your liking.

You receive Demon Sources from demons when they level up if their Analyze level is maxed out.

The skills included in a Demon Source are guaranteed to be inherited during fusion.

If it inherits more than the limit of 6 skills, the skills it inherits will be randomly selected.

Randomly selected skills will change each time you cancel the fusion, so...

You can continue cancelling the fusion until you get the desired skill set.

There seem to be a few bugs left in the program, because sometimes you'll get an unexpected demon.

There will be times when fusion does not result in the expected demon. This is a Fusion Accident.

The moon's phase, shown at the top left on the Top Screen, affects the chances of an Accident occurring.

Note that in some cases, an even stronger demon will result...

And the normal rules regarding skill inheritance may not apply.

However, accidents are a rare enough phenomenon that it's best to focus on the basics first.

Alright, I'll send the info about that subject to your Demonica. Review it at your leisure.

Alright, I'll send the info about that subject to your Demonica. Review it at your leisure.

You can use your Demonica to encode a demon's data into a password.

Some people have started trading passwords with each other to use one another's demons, I hear.

Passwords are entered in the Password Slots in the Register screen of the Demon Compendium.

You can find the Password slots at the bottom of the list, under the race name PWD.

When you select one, you will be taken to the password entry screen.

To generate a password, choose a demon to encrypt in the Compendium and select Output Password.

The demon you register in the Password Slot will take up that slot until you overwrite it.

Due to memory limitations, there is a limited number of Password Slots.

There are 3 Password Slots. You may have up to 3 password demons at any given time.

If you wish to register another demon, select a slot to overwrite.

You can, of course, summon the demons you register with passwords.

Once registered in the Compendium, they're treated the same way as any other demon.

There are Password Slots in the View screen as well, where you can see password-registered demons.

Like regular demons, you can summon them at a cost of Macca.

But it looks like there's a level limit when it comes to summoning from the Password Slots.

If your level isn't higher than the demon's, that's a no go.

So even if you get a powerful demon from someone...

If you're not at the right level, it's not much use as anything but a conversation piece.

If you're considering using the Password demons, take care as to whether you can summon them.

Powerful demons require high levels and a great deal of Macca, so they may be unattainable for some.

You can trade passwords not just for summoning purposes but also to show off your best demons.

What the password feature boils down to is communicating with others.

What kind of potential does the feature have? How will it help?

Only you can answer those questions.

When you fuse two demons of the same race, the result will be a Prime demon.

You can use these Prime demons in battle, of course.

But where they're really useful is the effect they have when used in fusion.

When a Prime demon is fused with a demon of a second race...

The result will be of the same race as the second demon, but one rank higher.

If the race's affinity with the Prime you use is bad, however, it will be one rank lower.

It's a valuable way to rank up your demons, but be sure to keep the affinity in mind.

Mitamas are a special race of demon that you get by fusing two Primes together.

You can use Mitamas in battle, just like Primes, but their main use is to power up stats.

When you fuse a demon with a Mitama, that demon's stats will be raised.

Which stats are raised depend on the type of Mitama you use in the fusion.

There's just one thing to keep in mind... There are limits to how much you can juice a demon up.

It all depends on the demon's potential.

Each demon has an upper limit for each stat, and you cannot power it up beyond that limit.

Mitama fusion is only a method to give your demons an extra boost if you want one.

Special fusion is, as the name suggests, a special process that differs from standard fusions.

Basically, it's a type of fusion where specific demons are fused to create a special demon.

To use Special Fusion, select Special Fusion from the Demon Fusion menu.

Choose a demon you wish to make from the list in order to begin the fusion.

But you know... These being special demons and all, there are a lot of steps to being able to fuse one.

[List] When you register 1 of the required demons, it appears as "--------."

[Name] When all required demons are registered, the demon is displayed.

[Fusion] Once you have all required demons, you may do the special fusion.

The thing to notice here is the number of demons needed to carry out special fusions.

Normal fusions always use two demons, but special fusions might need 3, 4, or even more demons.

Special Fusions are not limited to using 2 demons.

The more demons it requires, the harder it is to make, but the better the result will be.

Demons that can't be fused by standard procedures... They're no normal demons, that's for sure.

I'm looking forward to seeing just what kind of demons are waiting out there.

Decelerating main lift. 30, 20, 10... Landing.

...Landing successful.

The jump to a new sector is complete.

The plane shift was successful.

We should be able to navigate the Schwarzwelt freely now.

Of course, right now we can only go through the tunnel between here and Antlia...

Hopefully we can find the next quantum tunnel before long.

So we're stuck on the local line? Eh, figures.

Wish we could take the express straight outta this infierno...

That is unfortunately impossible.

The Schwarzwelt's quantum tunnels are not alike. Each has its own unique properties.

We must determine each sector's properties one by one.

Our next task is to investigate this sector as well.

Man, you don't waste time... you got your argument for working us to the bone all set.

Crewman Jimenez. If you wish to return to Earth, this mission is necessary.

...Ice cold, man. Even the demons are friendlier than that.

This is MacCleary on monitor duty, reporting in.

The atmosphere's pretty close to Sector Antlia's. We think it'll be possible to explore.

We've got the outside environment on visual, but it's proving a little tough to analyze...

Well, I'll transmit it to your viewscreen so you can see for yourself.

The viewscreen's display changed to the world outside.

If you ask me, it looks like some sort of palace...

What is this...? Are there demons in there, too?

First a battlefield, now a red light district. This is crazy...

I was expecting something... I dunno, fantastic, but this is just like home. What's the deal?

You got all the answers, Arthur. Mind explainin' it to us!?

This phenomenon was previously observed in Antlia.

It seems the Schwarzwelt contains structures that bear a resemblance to human society.

I believe the aesthetic is related to the fact that it is a region where demons appear...

But with our current data, any further analysis would be premature.

This "red-light district"... Antlia's battlefield...

That imagery from the drones was the real deal...

...We risked death and went into the Schwarzwelt to save Earth.

But here we are, finding cultures not too far removed from our own... And they're hostile.

Humans killing humans... No, demons killing humans...

Why does this world exist?

I think I'm cracking up...

Don't dwell on it too much, Norris. You'll lose all perspective.

Try to put anything secondary out of your mind and focus on the mission. I'll do the same.

We can be certain that by gathering information on the Schwarzwelt, you are on the path back to Earth.

Keep that in mind and remain calm while performing your duties.

Jesus, Arthur... I need to get the hell outta here before I get as cold as you.

Our location has changed. The new sector code is B, codename Bootes.

Your first mission in Sector Bootes will begin shortly.

It will be hazardous, but we will employ observational instruments in this sector.

These Reconnaisance Beacons will gather data on this dimension.

A certain amount of space is required to launch the beacons.

Your task is to find a suitable staging area and launch the reconnaisance beacons.

The intelligence gained from this mission will also help pinpoint the next quantum tunnel.

It is vital that we succeed.

The more we discover about the Schwarzwelt, the better our chances of escaping it.

Furthermore, the intelligence we gather will undoubtedly be key to solving the crisis on Earth.

You must continue the mission.

To those of you on the strike team who are making use of the Demon Summoning Program...

The Rosetta Manifold we obtained in Sector Antlia yielded further insights into the program.

We were successful in using it to enhance the Demon Summoning Program's capacity.

From this point on, you will be able to store up to 10 demons at once.

I will distribute the patch now. Please accept it.

You can now carry up to 10 demons.

I look forward to the successful completion of your mission.

I commend you on a job well done.

The beacons are returning very useful data. We have located this sector's quantum tunnel.

Just as in Antlia, it has been observed at the zenith of this sector.

I would like to begin the search for the tunnel's corresponding Rosetta immediately. However...

There has been an unexpected occurrence, resulting in new mission orders for you.

First, please listen to this.

...day... Mayday...

...Some...one... help me...

...ip 3... I... captured...

...Unknown... life for...

Someone...

The monitor team has picked up a weak distress signal.

Our analysis suggests it is from a crewman of Ship 3, the Elve.

Ugh... A distress signal? We're the ones who need help here...

The situation dictates that we administer assistance. Please understand.

The signal was too diffuse to pinpoint its precise location.

However, triangulation suggests that it originated in the 2 o'clock direction.

It may be difficult, but I ask that you locate the source of the signal.

I am issuing a new official mission, designated "Emergency Signal Inquiry."

Hey, wait a damn minute. Isn't our priority to poke around and find a way outta this place?

Do we really have manpower to spare on this shit?

Intelligence on the Elve and its disappearance is important to us and the investigation.

We may be able to cooperate with them and find an escape route with our combined forces.

I remind you that I am incapable of dictating missions based on personal feelings.

Alright, alright... I hear you. Guess I'll be heading out now.

The chances that the one who sent the signal is still alive are favorable.

Let us pool all of our efforts for the rescue mission.

I look forward to the successful completion of the mission.

The situation is clear to me now. It seems the demon you call Mitra is ruling over this sector.

We must devise a strategy to deal with it and save the captured crewmen.

Hey man, haven't seen you around for a while.

Got yourself into some crazy shit, huh? Be more careful next time.

Our only intelligence on the enemy's stronghold comes from Crewman (your name).

We have no choice but to base our strategy on this information.

Looks like they've got several prisoners, but we could only ID one: First Lieutenant Zelenin.

Norris might be there, too... We need to get them out of there!

We will of course aim to rescue as many crewmen as possible.

However, I cannot list crewmen whose presence is unconfirmed in the official mission objectives.

For the time being, the mission objective is to rescue crewmen who have been positively identified.

Smart. I mean, if what (your name) says is true, some of 'em have already joined Mitra's side...

Hey, cool it, Jimenez! They were probably forced into it!

I didn't say I blame 'em! It makes perfect sense to me.

I mean, if the demons are giving 'em the choice to join up...

When you think about it, it's not a bad offer. Could be their big chance to get back to Earth.

What, so you'd work under the demons!? That's ridiculous!

I know, I know! Man, don't you know sarcasm when you hear it!?

You don't need to tell me the demons aren't on the up and up!

But you're in for hell whether you follow them or reject them... There's no right answer here.

What are we supposed to do?

It is highly unlikely we will be able to negotiate favorable terms with Mitra.

A more probable outcome is that he will enslave or attack you.

There is also a danger to the life of any mediator we send.

I have a different plan.

We will infiltrate the enemy base. Rash though it seems, their defense has an exploitable weakness.

Well... we do have systems made to infiltrate places like that, but...

Do you think we can make it in?

We will require a diversionary force supporting the infiltration team.

They will cause an uprising outside of the palace while the infiltration team sneaks inside.

As far as the composition of the infiltration team...

...You'll want the man who knows the most about the inside of that place. Right, (your name)?

We're counting on you, man. You're the only one for the job.

But y'know, you get caught again and you're up shit creek.

The diversion, though... Well, hell, we just need to raise a commotion, right?

I am issuing a new official mission, designated "Rescue Zelenin."

I look forward to the successful completion of your mission.

I confirm your identity as First Lieutenant Zelenin of the Elve.

Welcome to the Red Sprite. You have my admiration for enduring your unfortunate imprisonment.

Thank you, Arthur.

I'm sure it'll be a pleasure working under you.

I will require a detailed debriefing from you at some point...

But perhaps not now. I have no wish to overtax you in your weakened state.

Still, one question must be answered: are there others of your crew who need rescuing?

I'm not sure about the rest of the Elve's crew...

They did pull others from the ship besides me, but one by one, they were taken away...

In the end, there was no one left to respond to my calls.

......

When the Elve failed during entry, the deck's hatch suddenly opened and the demons poured in.

Some of the crew resisted, but... they were killed, and... many were taken...

Before I realized it... I found myself here...

......

Thank you, First Lieutenant Zelenin. That will be all for now. You need to rest.

We will treat you as one of our own crew.

Once you have recovered, you will join the others in our mission.

Only too happy to help, Arthur.

Returning to Earth is important, but we can't lose sight of our original goal...

The Schwarzwelt's erosion of the Earth could be intensifying as we speak.

Hey... you're some kinda genius science officer, right?

Well, I'd sure appreciate it if you could tell us how to get outta this hellhole.

...... I'll do what I can.

We have yet to confirm the whereabouts of your ship, the Elve.

The search for the Elve will be put on hold pending the retrieval of any information regarding it.

Now then, First Lieutenant Zelenin, please proceed to sickbay to rest.

A medical capsule will be waiting for you there.

...Excuse me, everyone.

Strike team, prepare to receive new orders.

During the previous infiltration into the palace, we detected another new energy signature.

This is most likely the energy synchronized with and emitted by the demon Mitra.

All indications are that the source of this energy signature is the Rosetta Manifold...

You're tiptoeing around the subject, Arthur.

Just come out and say it... Mitra itself is the Rosetta, so we need to go get him, right?

Bring back the enemy general's head, huh? Now we're sounding like soldiers!

But look, Arthur, how long can we go on like this?

You said before there are a few other sectors like this...

We just gonna keep doing this over and over until we make it back to Earth?

With the Rosetta in our possession, we can accumulate information about the Schwarzwelt.

This information will point the way toward our escape route.

I assure you all that your efforts will not be in vain.

But until we have concrete data on the layout of the Schwarzwelt, your mission will not end.

Yeah, yeah... I get it already. The mission, the mission... you don't have to keep telling me.

Your objective is extremely dangerous. Cooperation with one another will be paramount.

You will be assisted by a new system developed by the lab.

Please put it to use in your missions from this point on.

It was developed using the forma Chiasto Mirror that (your name) brought back.

I am distributing the update now. Please accept it.

A new function has been installed on your Demonica.

"Enemy Search" is a main app that allows you to find hidden enemies on the field.

From now on, nearby demons will be displayed on the automap on the bottom screen.

Keep an eye on the automap to find demons lurking in the darkness.

Ooh... we can catch invisible enemies now!?

With this puppy installed, there's no way that demon'll catch you again!

With that out of the way, I am issuing a new mission, designated "Bootes Rosetta."

I look forward to the successful completion of your mission.

...Despite some casualties, the mission was a success.

Mission "Bootes Rosetta" is confirmed complete.

With the data extracted from the Rosetta, we should be able to break through the quantum tunnel above.

Preparations for the plane shift are already underway.

So the space-time sectors are connected by quantum tunnels...

And you say the quantum fields limiting traffic are unlocked with certain information?

Which is held by demons... It's hard to believe, but we mustn't blink in the face of the truth.

The common factors between Morax's case and Mitra's case only support the theory.

Each sector in the Schwarzwelt has a ruling demon using it as a staging area for the invasion.

It's unclear whether they created the sectors or occupied them after their creation...

Whichever it is, our goal is the same: we must take their Rosettas to move on to the next sector.

The intelligent life forms that Dr. Hammerschmidt predicted would inhabit the Schwarzwelt...

Those are the very demons we are fighting now.

The professor believed these life forms would appear as antipodes to human society.

The more burden humans place on the Earth by multiplying and consuming natural resources...

The more energy flows into the Schwarzwelt as a reaction.

This energy has an intelligence and a will, modeled after human behavior.

Of course, we can't rely solely on his theory for guidance...

Dr. Hammerschmidt never predicted that we would have to fight the demons, as we must continue to do.

You mean we have to keep going out there? We have to keep risking our necks on these missions!?

Wasn't this Rosetta shit supposed to show us the way home!?

We're yanked around like a monkey on a string, and all we get in return is one lousy step forward!?

Arthur! Are you really looking for a way outta here!?

I understand your desire to take your anger out on me, but this behavior is inappropriate.

Wh-What...!?

I am aware that the strike team is under a great deal of stress, but you must control yourself.

First Lieutenant Zelenin. You are on the monitor team, correct?

Observing the demons is closely tied to observing the Schwarzwelt.

You must overcome your fear despite your ordeal at the hands of the demons.

Yes... I'm prepared. I'll do all that I can. Except one thing...

I will not use the Demon Summoning Program. I'm afraid I'll never be comfortable around the demons.

Too bad, sister... You're throwing a great way of making new friends down the tubes.

Well, to each his own.

Just don't get in our way, 'kay?

......

It may be second nature to the strike team, but I find the idea of befriending demons repulsive.

I'll gladly work with you, but not with demons.

I'm Zelenin. Nice to meet you.

Alright... Name's Jimenez. Nice meeting you.

You 'n me're the rare transfers on this ship. I was the only survivor of the Blue Jet.

Yes, I'm in the same situation. The Elve is still missing, after all.

I'd like to hope it's safe, but...

Engineering here! We're ready to plane shift into the next sector!

Just give the order and we'll go, Command!

Acknowledged. Thank you, Terry.

We will make the plane shift once all hands are ready.

All hands, please take positions to plane shift.

To think the Schwarzwelt is mimicking the human world... It's incredible.

But it's also a little creepy...

They're trying to show us something... I can feel their hostile intent...

Your Demonicas supply us with constant feedback while you're out on a mission.

We've learned a few things about Demon Fusion by analyzing the data we receive.

You might have heard from another crewman already, but you can ask me anytime if you want to know.

You should learn the ins and outs of that, if you want the advantage in battle.

I didn't think we'd find survivors in the new sector...

Of course, we don't know anything yet about their situation.

If you're going out to help them, better be careful you don't end up in the same boat.

It's great that we've found some survivors...

But let's hold off on celebrating until the rescue operation's over.

Those poor guys are literally stuck between the devil and the deep blue sea.

You should learn the ins and outs of that, if you want the advantage in battle.

They were running experiments on the crew? That's terrible... They really are demons.

What do you think they were trying to find out...?

Even if the diversion works, it's going to be dangerous for you, infiltrating by yourself.

Will it work...? We'll just have to try it and see.

If you're going to use demons as support, it's a good idea to get experience with Demon Fusion.

Once you master the technique, don't be shy about using it to your advantage.

In the end, there was only one survivor... What are we supposed to think about this?

"Hey, at least we managed to save one life," or "We were only able to save one life"?

Dammit... The more I think about it, the less sure I am...!

You should learn the ins and outs of that, if you want the advantage in battle.

Alright, I'll send the info about that subject to your Demonica. Review it at your leisure.

Demon fusion is the process of fusing two demons together to create a more powerful demon.

The race of demons you fuse determines which demon will come out of the fusion.

There are several rules guiding these results.

The first step is to get used to fusing. Try fusing demons of various races together.

Oh, there's one other important thing to remember: skill inheritance.

What that means is that skills can be carried over from the demons used in fusion.

There seem to be rules governing inheritance, but the data's rather complex and hard to decipher.

Try messing around with it some, see if you can figure it out.

A demon's worth in battle is determined by the skills it inherits.

Try fusing various demons and figuring out the inheritance rules.

The fusion process is simple. There's no need for any special facility or ceremony.

First, call up the Demonica screen with the Y Button...

From there, select Demon Fusion. You can use it at any time.

Demon fusion is an important tool in strengthening your party.

Negotiate with demons in battle to gain new allies and fodder for fusion.

The Demon Compendium is basically a database for demons. It'll come in handy for fusing.

It's an indispensable tool for handling your demon allies.

You can register your demon allies in the Demon Compendium.

Registered demons can be summoned at any time at a cost of Macca.

To access the Demon Compendium, press the Y Button to bring up the Demonica menu...

And from there, select the Demon Compendium under Demon Data.

It may prove advantageous to register your demons before fusing or releasing them.

It's important to register your demons. Let me give you a little word of advice...

I'm already tired of whiners asking me, "I forgot to register before fusion! Can't you do anything!?"

The answer is NO, people. Honestly...

A demon's data is automatically registered the first time it joins you.

To record any levels it gains or skills obtained in fusion, you must manually re-register it.

If you don't register a demon before fusing it, you must raise it again from the last registered data.

If you raise it, register it. Before you lose it, register it. Keep this principle in mind.

A Demon Source is what we call a mass of skill data exported from a demon ally.

By importing these into a fusion, you can customize the demon's data to your liking.

You receive Demon Sources from demons when they level up if their Analyze level is maxed out.

The skills included in a Demon Source are guaranteed to be inherited during fusion.

If it inherits more than the limit of 6 skills, the skills it inherits will be randomly selected.

Randomly selected skills will change each time you cancel the fusion, so...

You can continue cancelling the fusion until you get the desired skill set.

There seem to be a few bugs left in the program, because sometimes you'll get an unexpected demon.

There will be times when fusion does not result in the expected demon. This is a Fusion Accident.

The moon's phase, shown at the top left on the Top Screen, affects the chances of an Accident occurring.

Note that in some cases, an even stronger demon will result...

And the normal rules regarding skill inheritance may not apply.

However, accidents are a rare enough phenomenon that it's best to focus on the basics first.

Alright, I'll send the info about that subject to your Demonica. Review it at your leisure.

Alright, I'll send the info about that subject to your Demonica. Review it at your leisure.

You can use your Demonica to encode a demon's data into a password.

Some people have started trading passwords with each other to use one another's demons, I hear.

Passwords are entered in the Password Slots in the Register screen of the Demon Compendium.

You can find the Password slots at the bottom of the list, under the race name PWD.

When you select one, you will be taken to the password entry screen.

To generate a password, choose a demon to encrypt in the Compendium and select Output Password.

The demon you register in the Password Slot will take up that slot until you overwrite it.

Due to memory limitations, there is a limited number of Password Slots.

There are 3 Password Slots. You may have up to 3 password demons at any given time.

If you wish to register another demon, select a slot to overwrite.

You can, of course, summon the demons you register with passwords.

Once registered in the Compendium, they're treated the same way as any other demon.

There are Password Slots in the View screen as well, where you can see password-registered demons.

Like regular demons, you can summon them at a cost of Macca.

But it looks like there's a level limit when it comes to summoning from the Password Slots.

If your level isn't higher than the demon's, that's a no go.

So even if you get a powerful demon from someone...

If you're not at the right level, it's not much use as anything but a conversation piece.

If you're considering using the Password demons, take care as to whether you can summon them.

Powerful demons require high levels and a great deal of Macca, so they may be unattainable for some.

You can trade passwords not just for summoning purposes but also to show off your best demons.

What the password feature boils down to is communicating with others.

What kind of potential does the feature have? How will it help?

Only you can answer those questions.

When you fuse two demons of the same race, the result will be a Prime demon.

You can use these Prime demons in battle, of course.

But where they're really useful is the effect they have when used in fusion.

When a Prime demon is fused with a demon of a second race...

The result will be of the same race as the second demon, but one rank higher.

If the race's affinity with the Prime you use is bad, however, it will be one rank lower.

It's a valuable way to rank up your demons, but be sure to keep the affinity in mind.

Mitamas are a special race of demon that you get by fusing two Primes together.

You can use Mitamas in battle, just like Primes, but their main use is to power up stats.

When you fuse a demon with a Mitama, that demon's stats will be raised.

Which stats are raised depend on the type of Mitama you use in the fusion.

There's just one thing to keep in mind... There are limits to how much you can juice a demon up.

It all depends on the demon's potential.

Each demon has an upper limit for each stat, and you cannot power it up beyond that limit.

Mitama fusion is only a method to give your demons an extra boost if you want one.

Special fusion is, as the name suggests, a special process that differs from standard fusions.

Basically, it's a type of fusion where specific demons are fused to create a special demon.

To use Special Fusion, select Special Fusion from the Demon Fusion menu.

Choose a demon you wish to make from the list in order to begin the fusion.

But you know... These being special demons and all, there are a lot of steps to being able to fuse one.

[List] When you register 1 of the required demons, it appears as "--------."

[Name] When all required demons are registered, the demon is displayed.

[Fusion] Once you have all required demons, you may do the special fusion.

The thing to notice here is the number of demons needed to carry out special fusions.

Normal fusions always use two demons, but special fusions might need 3, 4, or even more demons.

Special Fusions are not limited to using 2 demons.

The more demons it requires, the harder it is to make, but the better the result will be.

Demons that can't be fused by standard procedures... They're no normal demons, that's for sure.

I'm looking forward to seeing just what kind of demons are waiting out there.

We have landed without incident. Our arrival in the new sector is complete.

This field of operations will be Sector C, codename Carina.

Monitors, please begin your atmospheric surveys.

How'd the plane shift treat you, Zelenin?

You'll be part of the mission from this sector forward, so best of luck to you.

Thank you. I'll do what I can to make myself useful.

Where should I start? Pinpointing the quantum tunnel's location, maybe?

Finding the next fresh hell is fine and all, but don't forget to look for our way home, okay?

I know it's important to explore and all, but I worry we're just getting ourselves in deeper.

I don't share the all-knowing Arthur's faith in investigation, so I'd like some assurances.

Crewman Jimenez. My neural network contains no unnecessary functions such as faith.

I am programmed only to provide guidance based on the information collected.

Geez Louise, man, you don't have to argue every smartass remark!

Maybe you don't have faith, but you sure know how to take offense like a flesh-and-blood human. Christ...

...You two make an adorable pair.

Wha--!?

This is Monitors. Our atmospheric survey is complete.

Um, how about if I save time and send the feed right to your viewscreen... Take a look at this.

The viewscreen's display changed to the world outside.

Hold the phone! What the hell is this!?

Brightly-lit stores and shelves full of products!?

There's some food, and over there is... designer clothing.

Can anyone tell me why there's a shopping mall in an alternate dimension in Antarctica!?

Look at the variety of stuff on display... It gives me the creeps.

This shopping mall... This was in the pictures the drones sent, too.

We all assumed it was a mistake, but... here it is. Direct-feed images from the Schwarzwelt...

Of course, we don't know why it looks like this, but...

The atmospheric conditions are fine, anyway. We shouldn't have any trouble operating outside.

So this sector shows signs of the human world, too...

Looks like Dr. Hammerschmidt's theories were correct once more.

He posited a causal relationship between the Schwarzwelt and human behavior.

Excess prosperity would result in a negative reaction and self- destructive energy...

Well, us goons on the strike team might not know much about your theories...

But it's looking to me like the demons built the Schwarzwelt as a way of studying their enemy.

Still... this place is nuts. Lots of good stuff here, though!

Hope I don't end up maxing out my card's limit.

Whoa... check this out!

Arthur, we have radar contact at 4 o'clock!

It's a giant ship!

A giant ship!? Is it one of ours!?

Acknowledged. Please attempt to establish contact.

Roger that! Transmission sent!

The Blue Jet's been scrapped, and the Elve was attacked by demons...

That make this the Gigantic?

......

That's a good guess, but...

Hmmm? That's strange...

Arthur, the ship's still unidentified and I'm not getting much of an answer.

But I am getting a strange response on the open communication channel for the Elve!

The Elve!? You're sure about this!?

Oh, thank goodness it's still intact!

This is indeed a stroke of luck.

However, our inability to contact them suggests a high probability that they are having difficulties.

Hey, Kato... You said there was a "strange response"? What's that mean, exactly?

You don't think we're talking to demons who've taken the thing over, do you...!?

It doesn't seem that way...

They are answering our signal, but it's not a proper response.

Could be that the Elve's Command Unit is malfunctioning.

The Elve was attacked by demons, and its present signal cannot be confirmed as that of the crew.

Based on this data, I cannot confirm the presence of crewmen in need of rescue.

It would be premature at this stage to launch a rescue mission.

No... You'd abandon them?

Our course of action should be based on the Elve's usefulness.

Let us consider the situation from this perspective.

The Elve's radio is functional. We may assume that the ship is also in working condition.

From there, we can anticipate that other equipment onboard is also viable.

......

By equipment, you mean the graviton radio, yes?

That is correct.

If we retrieve the Elve's graviton radio, it may become possible to communicate with Earth.

Setting aside the possibility that this may actually BE Earth...

You think there's equipment on the Elve that'll let us talk with the folks back home?

Now you're talking!

There can be no guarantees, but it will improve our chances significantly.

The likelihood is strong enough that it is worth issuing an official directive.

I am issuing a new official mission, designated "Graviton Radio Recovery."

Hopefully there will also be survivors onboard to rescue...

I understand your concerns, First Lieutenant Zelenin.

However, it would be best if you proceed as part of the team.

I am assigning you to observe this sector.

Select a support crew and investigate on site.

Understood.

As a point of interest...

We have used the Rosetta Manifold from Mitra to enhance the Demon Summoning Program.

You may now carry up to 12 demons.

Strike force team, prepare to receive the patch.

You can now carry up to 12 demons.

Heyyy, looks like we can beef ourselves up even more, (your name).

...You'll be happy too, won't you, Bugaboo? Lots of new friends for you to play with.

Buga! Boo!

...Hey! What are you doing summoning demons inside the ship!?

Stop that! Stop it right now!

Don't be so uptight. You gotta keep in touch with your underlings, y'know?

It's 'cause him and me are so tight that he fights for me... See?

...Buga!

Your point is taken, Crewman Jimenez, but summoning on ship premises is restricted.

You guys are such sticklers for the rules...

Oh well. C'mon back, Bugaboo.

Buga! Boo!

Why would you want to establish a friendship with demons? They're just tools we use on the mission.

You say you want to escape, but you're making nice with demons... An odd contradiction, I'd say.

Hey, how about I carry out the missions, and you worry about your end, all right?

It is time we began investigating the Elve.

I look forward to the successful completion of your mission.

You handed over the Graviton Radio.

Strike team, I thank you for your efforts on the transport mission.

Once the supply crew finishes repairing the Graviton Radio, we will attempt to contact Earth.

Until then, all hands should remain on standby.

The radio did not sustain heavy damage. The supply crew finished the repairs without incident.

We should now be able to contact Earth.

Mission "Graviton Radio Recovery" is confirmed complete.

Comms here. There are a few things to know when it comes to using the device...

We'll get about 10 minutes' worth of charge at a time.

We can recharge it once that's up, but it'll take several days worth of time and effort.

Therefore, we must use the device sparingly and keep correspondences brief. Be careful.

Beginning channel scan. Target is the Schwarzwelt Joint Project headquarters.

......

.........

............

...............!

Connection established! Opening channel M28.

...This is the Schwarzwelt Joint Project. We received your signal.

Are we talking to the investigative team?

This is the Red Sprite, calling Joint Project Headquarters.

We have an estimated 10 minutes to exchange as much information as possible.

Ah! A response! We're getting a response!

You're alive! You survived!

This is the bureau chief of the Joint Project speaking. I can hardly believe this...!

Where are you!? What's going on!? Tell us your situation!

We are undertaking the project within what we believe to be the Schwarzwelt.

Of the four ships, we are the only one active on the mission.

Ship 2, the Blue Jet, and Ship 3, the Elve, are destroyed. Ship 4, the Gigantic, is missing.

We have suffered many casualties, Investigative Commander Gore among them.

That's terrible... it sounds like it's practically a miracle we're corresponding at all.

What's going on in there!? Have you had any positive results at all!?

They're really stewing back on Earth, huh? We're the ones who're in trouble here...

The Schwarzwelt is a discontinuous closed space. We are likely no longer in the world we know.

As regards the conditions of the atmosphere, gravitational pressure, air quality, and so forth...

These values are all in line with those reported by the drones.

Operations are possible thanks to the Demonicas, but the conditions are unlivable for humans.

From what I'm hearing, it sounds like you're able to proceed...

We have learned some things about the appearance and disposition of the Schwarzwelt.

It is composed of structures similar to those found in human society.

Though we dismissed the imagery retrieved by the drones as a malfunction...

Everything we have seen so far in the Schwarzwelt is consistent with their transmissions.

We have explored three space-time sectors thus far...

Confirming the "battlefield," "red light district," and "shopping mall" environments.

Those pictures were real...!?

Even with your report, I have a hard time believing that!

The biggest limitation on our investigation thus far is the presence of intelligent life.

The intelligent life forms theorized before we entered the Schwarzwelt have been confirmed.

They are much better-organized than life on Earth, and are extremely hostile...

We believe them to be "demons," creatures of folklore and myth.

About the "demons" you mentioned... They've been sighted on our end as well.

Recently, the demons have been emerging from the Schwarzwelt and invading nearby continents.

We don't know what they're after, but they're definitely here!

So they've actually made it to Earth...!?

I'd heard reports of the demons trying to invade Earth, but this is awfully sudden...!

There's more, too...

The Schwarzwelt is continuing to expand.

Can you receive pictures? We're transmitting some now.

The Schwarzwelt has completely covered Antarctica.

All Antarctic bases were overrun with demons. After that, they moved north.

The southern regions of Africa, Australia, and South America are under attack.

A worldwide state of emergency is in effect. Every nation is banding together to repel the demons.

The Schwarzwelt... Has it grown that much already...?

Ay Dios mio... Even if we make it out in one piece, the Earth is flooded with demons...

At any rate, it's impossible to continue the investigation as planned.

Can you put together an escape plan and send in reinforcements!?

......

Unfortunately, neither of those things are possible.

You already have our most advanced technology created on our theories on the Schwarzwelt.

If you're saying you can't escape, even with that...

There's nothing we can do for you.

So we get shit-all for help...!?

We'll get nothing from Earth...

But on the other hand...

Yes... there are steps we may be able to take.

We could use the graviton beam to help you pinpoint your space-time coordinates.

Our graviton beam will travel straight, without any dimensional interference.

If the Red Sprite can catch it, your position in space-time should become clearer.

We haven't abandoned you.

Three minutes left!

We'll fire the graviton beam now. Put it to good use.

Arthur, you should use the time we have left to transmit your observational data.

Acknowledged. Transmitting data.

Thank you, Arthur.

We'll study your data and keep up our analysis of the Schwarzwelt.

Who knows? We might be able to come up with an escape route... or maybe even a way to destroy it.

Best of luck to both of us, eh? This is the Joint Project, signing out...

We work our asses off to get that Graviton Radio, finally get ahold of the folks on Earth...

And our big reward is finding out that Earth's going to hell in a handbasket?

It does seem to be bad news on top of bad news, doesn't it?

No means of escape, no backup... I understand the sinking feeling you must have.

But it's too soon yet to abandon all hope.

Whatever, sister. I'm a realist, y'know? I play the cards I'm dealt.

You'd rather fill my head with dreams, Miss First Lieutenant?

You may wish to survey the strike team for their "dreams" regarding future missions, Crewman Jimenez.

...You've gotten better at speaking my language, y'know that?

Hell, I don't care if it's you or Zelenin, I just wish someone could pull me outta this funk.

I must explain the importance of the space-time coordinates.

The chief reason we cannot escape the Schwarzwelt is that we do not know where we are escaping from.

Even if we could increase our movement capabilities, without a proper grasp of our position...

We would be in danger of wandering the Schwarzwelt forever.

With the graviton beam sent by the Joint Project, we can at last learn our present whereabouts.

Eliminating the uncertain, eh?

So far, we've been having a hard time navigating under a starless sky...

But with the North Star provided by the real world, we can draw a proper map.

...(your name), do you understand a word coming out of her mouth?

With the support provided by the outside world, we will be able to determine our position.

This will also give us insight into the structure of the Schwarzwelt.

Hence, we will not be forced to proceed by being carried further in by the quantum tunnels...

We will be able to find a genuine escape route.

......! You serious!?

At present, we are simply moving from tunnel to tunnel based on data gleaned from ruling demons.

If this works, we should be capable of reaching unknown space-time sectors.

Our chances of returning home are much greater than they were prior to the correspondence.

You should perform your duties with more hope now.

Y'know, you may not be the greatest at comforting a guy... But if you say so, my hopes're up!

C'mon, let's find that pig and get the next Rosetta!

It seems there's still danger awaiting us even if we manage to return to Earth...

Even so, better than wandering around here, mm?

We will now begin a thorough search for Horkos based on our intel and observations.

Strike team, I suggest you use this time to rest.

...The signal is getting stronger! It's approaching the ship!

I've located the source! 3 o'clock!

Turn on the cameras facing that direction.

Gwooooooooohhhh! Buono! Buono! Buono!

It's an incredibly strong energy signal! We think it's a demon, but we can't catch it...!

I was attacked! I attack back! You steal my food--I steal back!

Horkos will not relent! I attack, steal, and devour!

The demon's heading this way! We can't get the plane shift going in time!

I will eat again! The soul of the iron ship! Buono! Buono!

I'll eat with gusto! I'll eat it in one gulp!

I will raise the plasma armor's output to 400% as Horkos nears the ship.

Accessing the engine reactor directly...

Contact in 10...

9...

8...

7...

6...

Bu!

On!

A!

Pe!

Tito!

Buon appetito!

0. Activating armor.

Gggggggyaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

The enemy demon has been damaged! We drove it off!

The energy signature is changing direction! It's moving away!

We can assume Horkos has the Rosetta we need.

It is a dangerous mission, but I must order the strike team to give chase.

I didn't think it'd come after us... Talk about a fat pig!

All available strike team members, please report to the deck.

Horkos was a difficult enemy. Congratulations on your victory.

This concludes the mission.

Mission "Carina's Rosetta" is confirmed complete.

We are now equipped to plane shift to the next sector.

As I mentioned during our correspondence with the Joint Project...

Our main objective is to pinpoint our space-time coordinates. Please remember that.

It's been easy enough to do that in the three sectors we've seen so far...

I wonder if it will be as simple in this new sector.

Alas, our scant data so far makes it difficult to verify a region through which we can escape.

Let us hope we will learn something in the fourth sector.

We should soon find an escape method as well as a location to escape from.

Our goal is the Vanishing Point at the end of the quantum tunnel.

"Vanishing Point"...? That's...

We will need your help in this, First Lieutenant Zelenin, as well as the Joint Project's help.

I look forward to the result of your work, First Lieutenant Zelenin.

Thanks to the supply and comms teams, we expect to be able to contact the Joint Project again.

Our course of action will become clear then.

Please rest until we launch for the new sector...

I knew about the shopping mall photos before we went in, but...

I didn't pay them much heed.

I still don't get it, though... What's it doing in here...?

We might be able to contact Earth with the Elve's graviton radio.

It's only a possibility, mind you... It might not work.

But what choice do we have than to cross our fingers and fire it up? We have to do SOMETHING.

The enemy is getting stronger and stronger. We really need to make the most of Demon Fusion.

Say, about the Horkos Buster... I heard that angel Mastema gave you the parts for it.

He helped us during the Mitra incident, too...

So is he on our side? Or does he have some ulterior motive?

Hmmm...

I didn't think the Schwarzwelt would grow that fast...

What should we do now?

Won't anything we do just show how powerless we really are?

Anyway, all we can do is our best.

Just what our "best" is... we'll have to give serious thought to it.

It's finally seeming really possible that we could escape the Schwarzwelt.

But... if we don't do what we came here for, how is that different from running away...?

The enemy is getting stronger and stronger. We really need to make the most of Demon Fusion.

Alright, I'll send the info about that subject to your Demonica. Review it at your leisure.

Demon fusion is the process of fusing two demons together to create a more powerful demon.

The race of demons you fuse determines which demon will come out of the fusion.

There are several rules guiding these results.

The first step is to get used to fusing. Try fusing demons of various races together.

Oh, there's one other important thing to remember: skill inheritance.

What that means is that skills can be carried over from the demons used in fusion.

There seem to be rules governing inheritance, but the data's rather complex and hard to decipher.

Try messing around with it some, see if you can figure it out.

A demon's worth in battle is determined by the skills it inherits.

Try fusing various demons and figuring out the inheritance rules.

The fusion process is simple. There's no need for any special facility or ceremony.

First, call up the Demonica screen with the Y Button...

From there, select Demon Fusion. You can use it at any time.

Demon fusion is an important tool in strengthening your party.

Negotiate with demons in battle to gain new allies and fodder for fusion.

The Demon Compendium is basically a database for demons. It'll come in handy for fusing.

It's an indispensable tool for handling your demon allies.

You can register your demon allies in the Demon Compendium.

Registered demons can be summoned at any time at a cost of Macca.

To access the Demon Compendium, press the Y Button to bring up the Demonica menu...

And from there, select the Demon Compendium under Demon Data.

It may prove advantageous to register your demons before fusing or releasing them.

It's important to register your demons. Let me give you a little word of advice...

I'm already tired of whiners asking me, "I forgot to register before fusion! Can't you do anything!?"

The answer is NO, people. Honestly...

A demon's data is automatically registered the first time it joins you.

To record any levels it gains or skills obtained in fusion, you must manually re-register it.

If you don't register a demon before fusing it, you must raise it again from the last registered data.

If you raise it, register it. Before you lose it, register it. Keep this principle in mind.

A Demon Source is what we call a mass of skill data exported from a demon ally.

By importing these into a fusion, you can customize the demon's data to your liking.

You receive Demon Sources from demons when they level up if their Analyze level is maxed out.

The skills included in a Demon Source are guaranteed to be inherited during fusion.

If it inherits more than the limit of 6 skills, the skills it inherits will be randomly selected.

Randomly selected skills will change each time you cancel the fusion, so...

You can continue cancelling the fusion until you get the desired skill set.

There seem to be a few bugs left in the program, because sometimes you'll get an unexpected demon.

There will be times when fusion does not result in the expected demon. This is a Fusion Accident.

The moon's phase, shown at the top left on the Top Screen, affects the chances of an Accident occurring.

Note that in some cases, an even stronger demon will result...

And the normal rules regarding skill inheritance may not apply.

However, accidents are a rare enough phenomenon that it's best to focus on the basics first.

Alright, I'll send the info about that subject to your Demonica. Review it at your leisure.

Alright, I'll send the info about that subject to your Demonica. Review it at your leisure.

You can use your Demonica to encode a demon's data into a password.

Some people have started trading passwords with each other to use one another's demons, I hear.

Passwords are entered in the Password Slots in the Register screen of the Demon Compendium.

You can find the Password slots at the bottom of the list, under the race name PWD.

When you select one, you will be taken to the password entry screen.

To generate a password, choose a demon to encrypt in the Compendium and select Output Password.

The demon you register in the Password Slot will take up that slot until you overwrite it.

Due to memory limitations, there is a limited number of Password Slots.

There are 3 Password Slots. You may have up to 3 password demons at any given time.

If you wish to register another demon, select a slot to overwrite.

You can, of course, summon the demons you register with passwords.

Once registered in the Compendium, they're treated the same way as any other demon.

There are Password Slots in the View screen as well, where you can see password-registered demons.

Like regular demons, you can summon them at a cost of Macca.

But it looks like there's a level limit when it comes to summoning from the Password Slots.

If your level isn't higher than the demon's, that's a no go.

So even if you get a powerful demon from someone...

If you're not at the right level, it's not much use as anything but a conversation piece.

If you're considering using the Password demons, take care as to whether you can summon them.

Powerful demons require high levels and a great deal of Macca, so they may be unattainable for some.

You can trade passwords not just for summoning purposes but also to show off your best demons.

What the password feature boils down to is communicating with others.

What kind of potential does the feature have? How will it help?

Only you can answer those questions.

When you fuse two demons of the same race, the result will be a Prime demon.

You can use these Prime demons in battle, of course.

But where they're really useful is the effect they have when used in fusion.

When a Prime demon is fused with a demon of a second race...

The result will be of the same race as the second demon, but one rank higher.

If the race's affinity with the Prime you use is bad, however, it will be one rank lower.

It's a valuable way to rank up your demons, but be sure to keep the affinity in mind.

Mitamas are a special race of demon that you get by fusing two Primes together.

You can use Mitamas in battle, just like Primes, but their main use is to power up stats.

When you fuse a demon with a Mitama, that demon's stats will be raised.

Which stats are raised depend on the type of Mitama you use in the fusion.

There's just one thing to keep in mind... There are limits to how much you can juice a demon up.

It all depends on the demon's potential.

Each demon has an upper limit for each stat, and you cannot power it up beyond that limit.

Mitama fusion is only a method to give your demons an extra boost if you want one.

Special fusion is, as the name suggests, a special process that differs from standard fusions.

Basically, it's a type of fusion where specific demons are fused to create a special demon.

To use Special Fusion, select Special Fusion from the Demon Fusion menu.

Choose a demon you wish to make from the list in order to begin the fusion.

But you know... These being special demons and all, there are a lot of steps to being able to fuse one.

[List] When you register 1 of the required demons, it appears as "--------."

[Name] When all required demons are registered, the demon is displayed.

[Fusion] Once you have all required demons, you may do the special fusion.

The thing to notice here is the number of demons needed to carry out special fusions.

Normal fusions always use two demons, but special fusions might need 3, 4, or even more demons.

Special Fusions are not limited to using 2 demons.

The more demons it requires, the harder it is to make, but the better the result will be.

Demons that can't be fused by standard procedures... They're no normal demons, that's for sure.

I'm looking forward to seeing just what kind of demons are waiting out there.

Looks like you made it through the quantum tunnel in one piece...

You're in, what, the fourth sector now...? We're all hoping to see an end to the investigation soon.

Our analysis of the quantum tunnel indeed suggests that the end should be near.

The structure of the quantum tunnel was extrapolated from the theory of the Schwarzwelt.

Our data thus far has confirmed this theory.

You refer to Dr. Hammerschmidt's theory, yes?

Correct, First Lieutenant Zelenin.

Dr. Hammerschmidt predicted the presence of quantum tunnels within the Schwarzwelt.

He also theorized the Vanishing Point at which the Schwarzwelt connects to our world.

If this theory of the Vanishing Point is also correct...

We should be able to find an egress to Earth.

The monitor team is ready with their report on the atmospheric conditions.

Bringing up environmental imagery on the main display...

The viewscreen's display changed to the world outside.

Good lord... it's like a mountain of trash...

To think there'd be a world of waste in the Schwarzwelt like there is in our world...

I mean, we had some idea from the drone photos, but...

It's hard to believe, even seeing it with my own eyes.

The Schwarzwelt appears to have a tendency to be influenced by human society.

We have noted this tendency in the three previous sectors as well.

True, true...

The professor said the Schwarzwelt is a "spiegel," a mirror to our own world...

I didn't realize this is what he meant by that.

To look at it, you wouldn't think the Schwarzwelt was any different from Earth...

To the human eye, perhaps not.

However, there is no question that it is impossible to survive in this land without the Demonica.

It's a literal hell on Earth...

I don't envy you having to go around and investigate the place.

Psh, don't sweat it. Real work always takes a little elbow grease.

And I don't know about these guys, but I'm having a ball!

I get a real big charge outta wondering what'll hit us next! Am I right, guys?

Could you please tone down the sarcasm, Jimenez?

They honestly are sorry to have to send us here. There's no need to antagonize them like that.

Mmm... thinking about it, though, each sector so far has given the impression of humanity's dark side.

Am I alone in sensing some sort of will at work here...?

The Schwarzwelt is undoubtedly influenced by the human world.

It shouldn't be long now before we understand how this influence works.

30 seconds left...

Okay, then. We'll be waiting to hear from you again.

We're all depending on you succeeding in there. May God be with you.

Well, nice to know they care. I bet they'll even give us a parade when we make it back.

Sorry, IF we make it back.

Let us resume the task at hand.

The first order of business is to designate this sector.

This will be sector D, code named Delphinus.

Delphinus... The dolphin constellation.

In keeping with the mission objective as outlined by the Joint Project...

We will proceed with our analysis of the Schwarzwelt's structure using the equipment on this ship.

However, we must still investigate the sector to locate the Rosetta and quantum tunnel.

Monitor team...

Please proceed to Delphinus and begin your search for the quantum tunnel's location.

Understood, Arthur. I'm getting used to going into the field... I'm sure we'll be successful.

Strike team...

You are tasked with searching for the Rosetta.

Prior events suggest that this sector's Rosetta is also in the form of a demon.

Please stay alert during your search of the sector.

Thanks to the supply team's efforts, the Demonica's Rosetta detector has been upgraded.

It now has a wider range and greater sensitivity.

Use it well in your search for the Rosetta.

Uh... what do you want us to do about the demon we find? Bring it home, introduce it to the family?

So long as you can recover the Rosetta, your methods are left to your own discretion.

...I tell you, (your name), some folks can't appreciate sarcasm.

But look, you and me should come up with a plan for when we do find the big ugly.

I am issuing a new official mission, designated "Delphinus's Rosetta."

We are on the right path to escaping. With your help, we will undoubtedly succeed.

Th-This is sickbay... W-We... we have a problem.

An, um... i-important article has gone missing.

I'd like to call for an inspection. Arthur, c-can I have backup from the s-strike team?

Your request is acknowledged.

I am approving the use of the strike team.

We are in a state of emergency. Our ranks are thinning, putting the mission in jeopardy.

Multiple cases of abnormal behavior in the field crew have been reported at once.

In brief: approximately 10% of the crew has been infected by some illness and cannot be commanded.

They have become violently deranged.

This... this is horrible...!

Everyone's gone nuts... they're killing each other out there!

The camera feeds have picked up some of the infected crew...

Putting it up on the main display.

You can see the crew members fighting on the viewscreen...

Oh my God... they're like animals!

Hey! Stop it! For the love of God, you're not the enemy!

Jesus Christ, they're killing each other!

Arthur, isn't there any way we can stop them!?

Those people out there... they're not even human anymore... they might as well be demons!

Is that how I'm going to end up!?

I can't take this!

...This is only causing a greater panic! Cut the feed!

All right, everyone, calm down!

Arthur, please, give us a solution or the panic will only get worse!

All hands, remain calm and listen. I will explain our situation.

At present, we are focused on diagnosing this illness.

The injured crewmen are in sickbay, where we have run tests...

The results of those tests are now in.

Sickbay here. We have a diagnosis.

Er, well, sort of...

The infected crewmen are mentally abnormal, but there's nothing physically wrong with them.

Whatever the disease is, it's undetectable by medical science.

In other words, we don't know what's causing it.

Wait, what...!? You mean it's incurable...!?

We've tried everything, but with no measurable effects.

As a doctor, I hate to say this... but it's like they've been cursed.

So you were unable to identify the cause using your existing medical resources.

It is quite possible this illness is specific to the Schwarzwelt.

It may be caused by some sort of intangible entity. When one considers this possibility...

I recommend we treat the illness as though it is caused by a mental parasite.

A mental parasite...?

Yes, one that affects a human not physically, but mentally.

Such a hypothesis would be considered ludicrous on Earth...

But we have encountered other supernatural phenomena here in the Schwarzwelt. It is quite possible.

Are you saying... they're being possessed...?

Okay, but even then, how do we cure them? We don't exactly have exorcists standing by.

I suggest using the MK Gun.

The MK Gun is capable of modifying human consciousness.

If all goes well, it may be an effective tool to rid the crewmen of the mental parasite.

We've got a way to fight diseases no one's ever seen...?

Wow. We're so prepared, it's scary.

Unfortunately, this measure will take some more preparations to use effectively.

The MK Gun must operate on a specific wavelength.

In order to calibrate it, we must obtain a mental parasite specimen, or something closely related.

Hold on... We don't even know if these "mental parasites" really exist, do we?

How can we get a sample of a creature that might not exist?

Well, Arthur!?

The most likely method would be to extract it from a patient or victim.

We have no means to do so at present, but they may become available to us over time.

That is as far as I can suggest.

This is awful! All we can do is wait for people to catch the disease!?

And not only that, but it's not even a sure thing...?

No...

Isn't there another way, Arthur!? Some other treatment... Anything...!

...There are some similarities. The crewmen we saw just now, and that other incident...

(your name). Perhaps it's occurred to you too, but...

Does this remind you of anything?

• It does.
• Remind me of what?

Thank goodness. So I'm not the only one...

You remember that sector, right?

• It was Antlia.
• It was Bootes.
• It was Carina.

Er...? Maybe we weren't thinking of the same thing, then.

Well, I'm not sure what you had in mind, but...

I think you should hear my idea.

Here's what I think...

The way Jimenez and the others are behaving... I'm reminded of the experiments at Bootes.

The experimentees lost control of themselves and grew violent, like demons.

This looks to me just like the experiments Mitra was conducting...

If we search the palace in sector Bootes, maybe we'll find a clue to a cure.

That's right, it was in Bootes. I see we've come to the same conclusions.

The way Jimenez and the others are behaving... I'm reminded of the experiments at Bootes.

The experimentees lost control of themselves and grew violent, like demons.

This looks to me just like the experiments Mitra was conducting...

If we search the palace in sector Bootes, maybe we'll find a clue to a cure.

Er...? Maybe we weren't thinking of the same thing, then.

Well, I'm not sure what you had in mind, but...

I think you should hear my idea.

Here's what I think...

The way Jimenez and the others are behaving... I'm reminded of the experiments at Bootes.

The experimentees lost control of themselves and grew violent, like demons.

This looks to me just like the experiments Mitra was conducting...

If we search the palace in sector Bootes, maybe we'll find a clue to a cure.

I'm surprised you could forget such a horrifying event...

(your name), I was thinking...

The way Jimenez and the others are behaving... I'm reminded of the experiments at Bootes.

The experimentees lost control of themselves and grew violent, like demons.

This looks to me just like the experiments Mitra was conducting...

If we search the palace in sector Bootes, maybe we'll find a clue to a cure.

Bootes holds many unpleasant memories for me, but I can't refuse to face them.

...The medical team has decided to call the disease the Delphinus Parasite.

Acknowledged. We will designate the mission for the cure "Delphinus Parasite" as well.

As regards the crewmen we were unable to take into custody...

The risk of outbreak would make it unwise to keep them on board.

The same holds true for unnecessary contact.

We're abandoning the infected...!?

It is a necessary precaution. Please understand.

We cannot risk the possibility of the entire crew becoming unable to carry on the mission.

Our best course of action is to calibrate the MK Gun for treatment purposes.

I look forward to the successful completion of your mission.

Let's hurry. The faster we act, the more we can keep the casualties to a minimum.

But we don't know what might be in there now, so we should make sure to be prepared...

(your name), why don't you take that rare forma I picked up to Irving?

Thanks to the efforts of all the contributing crewmen, we have been able to cure the parasite.

Mission "Delphinus Parasite Treatment" is confirmed complete.

Too bad about the casualties...

It was all because of that damn disease.

No one here's at fault... You either.

Despite the setback, we can now return to the mission.

Let us resume our efforts to find a way out.

Strike team, you are operating at a reduced capacity, but you must continue to search for the Rosetta.

First Lieutenant Zelenin and the rest of Monitors have pinpointed the quantum tunnel's location.

Jimenez will be convalescing for a while. I hope he stays put in bed...

We have a cure, but we still need to watch for any signs of symptoms in the crew.

It should be fine so long as we stay alert. I wonder if the medical team will discover the cause...

Thinking back on it... someone was watching me...

...I guess it must have been a hallucination from the disease.

It was so familiar, though... Commander Gore?

Nah, it couldn't have been. That was one bad hallucination...

Asura infected the crew, almost resulting in the mission's failure. You all did well to prevent this.

Mission "Delphinus's Rosetta" is confirmed complete.

I would like to let the recovering crewmen rest, but we are short- handed. They must return to duty.

I really messed up... Don't worry, I'm determined to make up for it.

Our main objective in sector Delphinus is complete.

We will now proceed to the next step.

The crew has worked diligently in analyzing the Schwarzwelt's structure.

You have obtained and analyzed all the Rosetta thus far.

This has allowed us to successfully navigate several quantum tunnels.

Moreover, we have cooperated with the Joint Project on Earth to calculate our space-time location.

We have amassed a vast store of data about the Schwarzwelt.

This data is nearly sufficient to pinpoint our final destination:

The Vanishing Point that connects this world to the outside world.

The Vanishing Point!? We've finally found it!?

We are in the final stages.

We calculate that the Vanishing Point is in a sector unlike those we have investigated thus far.

We must verify that, along with our method of navigation.

Incredible... we've figured out all this place's mysteries... Score one for humanity!

Good thing we never gave up!

Devising a plan for our entry into the new sector will take time.

All crewmen not in Operations should remain on standby.

......

...Is it really best that we escape from here, (your name)?

I know that's what we've been trying so desperately to do, but...

Something wrong, Zelenin? What's there to worry about?

No. I don't think we can accomplish anything here except to escape and report our findings. It's just...

......

We can't guarantee that anything we've learned will help to save the Earth, can we?

I have the sick feeling there may soon come a time when we'll say to each other...

"If only we hadn't fled..." "There must have been another way..."

What do you think, (your name)?

Can you go back with no regrets?

• I just want out of here.
• There's something on my mind.
• First let's find a way out.

...I suppose that's only human. Our self-preservation instincts at work...

......

...So I'm not the only one. Well, that makes me feel a little better.

If only we could find a way to save more people...

You're right... I'm getting ahead of myself.

The hard work isn't over yet...

...Oh, Jimenez. Back on your feet already, huh? Feeling better?

...Yeah, mostly.

Besides, this is no time to lay back and relax, right?

Hey, (your name). Sorry to give you a scare...

Thanks to that aim of yours, I'm back in action.

......

There are no lingering problems, Jimenez? You can move around?

Sure, no problem...

I mean... well... okay, there is one weird thing.

I feel like... I understand more how my demons feel.

It's a real kick, getting possessed. You should try it sometime.

Jimenez...! I can't believe you! Why must you be so childish!?

I realize it may only be a joke, but that attitude can have a serious effect on morale!

We cured you when you were nothing but a demon, and you claim to have enjoyed it!?

Listen to yourself! How can you say these things!?

......

You wouldn't understand.

When all that shit was going down, it was my demon that kept me alive, not any human. After that...

......

You might wanna think twice about putting too much trust in humans, Zelenin.

Hell, maybe that was the real me back there. Maybe that's what we're all really like.

Could be all us humans oughtta be snapping and snarling at each other...

...Asura is already dead. Don't talk such nonsense.

Human beings don't live to fight each other.

Quit that, both of you! Why are you being so hostile!?

Back me up here, (your name)!

...Guess I'm not all the way back to my old self yet.

I'm gonna hit the showers and then head over to sickbay...

See you later, (your name).

......

The quantum tunnel we have found in Delphinus does not lead to a new sector like previous tunnels.

If we travel through this tunnel, we will be returned to the first sector, Antlia.

You mean we're going in circles?

We might have, if we weren't paying attention.

The simple explanation goes like this...

We thought the Schwarzwelt was a multilayered structure connected by quantum tunnels. The thing is...

There's a trap preventing us from escaping. If we keep going through the tunnel, it's an infinite loop.

In other words...

No matter how far up we climb, we can't reach the top. Before we know it, we're back at the start.

It's like an infinite stairway... A pretty nasty trick of space-time.

Indeed. Our normal methods of navigation will not allow us to reach the new sector.

However, if we chart our own course towards the coordinates of the Vanishing Point...

In theory, we should be able to reach the new sector.

We have informed Engineering and they are readying the engine.

I know there's a risk, but... I have confidence in Arthur's calculations.

Question is, will it just let us escape...?

The Schwarzwelt...

Let us move on to the next sector.

We must find the Vanishing Point.

This is Engineering. We're starting the engine!

Get ready, everyone! We're almost home!

Sounded like she was really shook up...

What's so important that we were keeping in sickbay?

What's in sickbay storage that's so important...?

I think you'd better get over there and take stock of the situation.

What happened to the Commander's body...?

Did someone steal it? Did it somehow get up and start walking around?

Either way, there must be some explanation. We have to find out what it is...

The disappearance of Commander Gore's body is a mystery...

Arthur said it was due to human error, but how do you misplace a corpse?

You should probably look into it when you have any spare time.

Really, it's just been one bizarre thing after another ever since we got here...

I'll be honest... this is the first time I've seen people killing each other up close and personal.

Ops is mostly desk work. I never saw combat during the wars.

It might sound pathetic for a military officer to say, but... I definitely felt fear back there.

It wasn't like when the demons get one of us. It was something worse, something writhing under my skin...

Seeing humans, ones on our own team at that, become the enemy... I wasn't expecting that.

We could all end up at each other's throats at this rate...

I only pray you don't lose your senses...

Irving and Chen came up with this, so you know it's good.

The crew's waiting for you in sickbay. Go treat them.

Look, we're fine here. Don't worry about us. Get to sickbay and see if that gun works.

Don't get me wrong, it's great to hear everyone's back to normal.

But... a brainwashing device...?

What were the brass thinking when they had this developed...?

The results of the demons' experiments on humans saved us from the Delphinus Parasite?

Is that a cruel twist of fate, or something that's too good to be true?

I can hardly tell anymore...

We have the rules of fusion down cold, but we can't figure out the Schwarzwelt's secrets...

Credit where credit is due to that brainwashing device for curing the Delphinus Parasite, I guess...

But I'm not going to pretend it doesn't bother me.

What did the higher-ups have in mind when they included one in the ship's equipment...?

I've heard there's been sightings of Commander Gore.

With the body missing, there's no evidence to the contrary, but... I wonder.

We'll need to find that body and get to the bottom of this.

Commander Gore... where are you?

...Didn't Arthur seem like he was acting strange when you met Commander Gore?

He was so... talkative. More persuasive than I'm used to...

Well... I get what Arthur is trying to say.

Dwelling on Commander Gore right now is only going to make us more confused, after all...

"Clear your heads and do your duty." That's what he meant.

We were getting back on our feet as a unit again after Commander Gore's loss...

But now that he's shown up again... It's hard not to think about him.

I hope the next time we meet him, it's in better circumstances...

Well, that solves the mystery of Commander Gore's disappearance. He walked out on his own.

...But that's beside the point now. What's important is how he doesn't seem to be on our side anymore.

Might be time we rethink our stance towards him.

Alright, I'll send the info about that subject to your Demonica. Review it at your leisure.

Demon fusion is the process of fusing two demons together to create a more powerful demon.

The race of demons you fuse determines which demon will come out of the fusion.

There are several rules guiding these results.

The first step is to get used to fusing. Try fusing demons of various races together.

Oh, there's one other important thing to remember: skill inheritance.

What that means is that skills can be carried over from the demons used in fusion.

There seem to be rules governing inheritance, but the data's rather complex and hard to decipher.

Try messing around with it some, see if you can figure it out.

A demon's worth in battle is determined by the skills it inherits.

Try fusing various demons and figuring out the inheritance rules.

The fusion process is simple. There's no need for any special facility or ceremony.

First, call up the Demonica screen with the Y Button...

From there, select Demon Fusion. You can use it at any time.

Demon fusion is an important tool in strengthening your party.

Negotiate with demons in battle to gain new allies and fodder for fusion.

The Demon Compendium is basically a database for demons. It'll come in handy for fusing.

It's an indispensable tool for handling your demon allies.

You can register your demon allies in the Demon Compendium.

Registered demons can be summoned at any time at a cost of Macca.

To access the Demon Compendium, press the Y Button to bring up the Demonica menu...

And from there, select the Demon Compendium under Demon Data.

It may prove advantageous to register your demons before fusing or releasing them.

It's important to register your demons. Let me give you a little word of advice...

I'm already tired of whiners asking me, "I forgot to register before fusion! Can't you do anything!?"

The answer is NO, people. Honestly...

A demon's data is automatically registered the first time it joins you.

To record any levels it gains or skills obtained in fusion, you must manually re-register it.

If you don't register a demon before fusing it, you must raise it again from the last registered data.

If you raise it, register it. Before you lose it, register it. Keep this principle in mind.

A Demon Source is what we call a mass of skill data exported from a demon ally.

By importing these into a fusion, you can customize the demon's data to your liking.

You receive Demon Sources from demons when they level up if their Analyze level is maxed out.

The skills included in a Demon Source are guaranteed to be inherited during fusion.

If it inherits more than the limit of 6 skills, the skills it inherits will be randomly selected.

Randomly selected skills will change each time you cancel the fusion, so...

You can continue cancelling the fusion until you get the desired skill set.

There seem to be a few bugs left in the program, because sometimes you'll get an unexpected demon.

There will be times when fusion does not result in the expected demon. This is a Fusion Accident.

The moon's phase, shown at the top left on the Top Screen, affects the chances of an Accident occurring.

Note that in some cases, an even stronger demon will result...

And the normal rules regarding skill inheritance may not apply.

However, accidents are a rare enough phenomenon that it's best to focus on the basics first.

Alright, I'll send the info about that subject to your Demonica. Review it at your leisure.

Alright, I'll send the info about that subject to your Demonica. Review it at your leisure.

You can use your Demonica to encode a demon's data into a password.

Some people have started trading passwords with each other to use one another's demons, I hear.

Passwords are entered in the Password Slots in the Register screen of the Demon Compendium.

You can find the Password slots at the bottom of the list, under the race name PWD.

When you select one, you will be taken to the password entry screen.

To generate a password, choose a demon to encrypt in the Compendium and select Output Password.

The demon you register in the Password Slot will take up that slot until you overwrite it.

Due to memory limitations, there is a limited number of Password Slots.

There are 3 Password Slots. You may have up to 3 password demons at any given time.

If you wish to register another demon, select a slot to overwrite.

You can, of course, summon the demons you register with passwords.

Once registered in the Compendium, they're treated the same way as any other demon.

There are Password Slots in the View screen as well, where you can see password-registered demons.

Like regular demons, you can summon them at a cost of Macca.

But it looks like there's a level limit when it comes to summoning from the Password Slots.

If your level isn't higher than the demon's, that's a no go.

So even if you get a powerful demon from someone...

If you're not at the right level, it's not much use as anything but a conversation piece.

If you're considering using the Password demons, take care as to whether you can summon them.

Powerful demons require high levels and a great deal of Macca, so they may be unattainable for some.

You can trade passwords not just for summoning purposes but also to show off your best demons.

What the password feature boils down to is communicating with others.

What kind of potential does the feature have? How will it help?

Only you can answer those questions.

When you fuse two demons of the same race, the result will be a Prime demon.

You can use these Prime demons in battle, of course.

But where they're really useful is the effect they have when used in fusion.

When a Prime demon is fused with a demon of a second race...

The result will be of the same race as the second demon, but one rank higher.

If the race's affinity with the Prime you use is bad, however, it will be one rank lower.

It's a valuable way to rank up your demons, but be sure to keep the affinity in mind.

Mitamas are a special race of demon that you get by fusing two Primes together.

You can use Mitamas in battle, just like Primes, but their main use is to power up stats.

When you fuse a demon with a Mitama, that demon's stats will be raised.

Which stats are raised depend on the type of Mitama you use in the fusion.

There's just one thing to keep in mind... There are limits to how much you can juice a demon up.

It all depends on the demon's potential.

Each demon has an upper limit for each stat, and you cannot power it up beyond that limit.

Mitama fusion is only a method to give your demons an extra boost if you want one.

Special fusion is, as the name suggests, a special process that differs from standard fusions.

Basically, it's a type of fusion where specific demons are fused to create a special demon.

To use Special Fusion, select Special Fusion from the Demon Fusion menu.

Choose a demon you wish to make from the list in order to begin the fusion.

But you know... These being special demons and all, there are a lot of steps to being able to fuse one.

[List] When you register 1 of the required demons, it appears as "--------."

[Name] When all required demons are registered, the demon is displayed.

[Fusion] Once you have all required demons, you may do the special fusion.

The thing to notice here is the number of demons needed to carry out special fusions.

Normal fusions always use two demons, but special fusions might need 3, 4, or even more demons.

Special Fusions are not limited to using 2 demons.

The more demons it requires, the harder it is to make, but the better the result will be.

Demons that can't be fused by standard procedures... They're no normal demons, that's for sure.

I'm looking forward to seeing just what kind of demons are waiting out there.

Navigation complete. We have arrived at the new sector.

Comparing space-time coordinates...

Our current location is verified as our intended destination.

Bringing up the camera feed...

The viewscreen's display changed to the world outside.

So this is the new sector...

It feels very different from the others. They were all showing the dark side of humanity, but this...

Nothing I'm seeing matches anything in the drone photos.

You know, I think we might be the first to set foot in this sector.

This is the final sector, right?

At last! We're getting closer to Earth!

In the sense that this is the final sector we will be investigating, you are correct.

However, the Schwarzwelt is thought to contain many similar dimensions within it.

Technically speaking, it is not appropriate to call this the "final" sector.

Hey, man, there's no reason to rain on our parade here. You really put the "artificial" in "AI."

But hell, I'm in a good mood. Just this once, I'll let you off the hook.

Very optimistic of you... I remind you that we don't yet know for sure that we can make it home.

(your name)? Make sure you don't let your guard down.

This is sector E, code named Eridanus.

Our chief objective here is to find the Vanishing Point.

Our means of escape is within our grasp. I am certain that you will succeed.

I am issuing a new official mission, designated "Find the Vanishing Point."

We've established a connection to the Joint Project.

My goodness... this new sector looks like a garden.

But I'm sure there are demons lying in wait here, too. I wouldn't want to be in your shoes...

We will deploy our forces into the sector shortly to begin an investigation.

All right. I hear you.

But before you do, we need to inform you of a decision we've made. Listen carefully...

A decision? Whaddaya mean?

We owe everyone on the crew a great deal. Thanks to you, we've learned a lot about the Schwarzwelt.

Which brings me to the point...

We were able to use your research to devise a plan to eradicate the Schwarzwelt.

We call it, "Operation: Schwarzwelt Elimination."

Operation... Schwarzwelt Elimination!?

Is that possible!?

The surface of the Schwarzwelt is composed of incredibly unstable fluidizing particle bonds.

It's one of the Schwarzwelt's general properties.

It's by exploiting that property that we'll be able to destroy the Schwarzwelt.

I'll outline the stages of the plan for you...

We'll set nuclear warheads around the Schwarzwelt and set them off in a chain reaction.

The giant plasma fireball caused by the explosion will cover the entire Schwarzwelt.

Its heat will break the fluidizing particle bonds, causing them to collapse...

Thus destroying the Schwarzwelt.

All our computer simulations of the attack result in success.

The only thing left to do now is to wait to execute it.

When will the plan be executed?

Oh, as soon as possible.

Every tick of the clock brings the Earth closer to danger, after all.

The Schwarzwelt has completely enveloped Antarctica at this point.

It's getting close to the southern regions of Australia, Africa, and South America.

We can't afford to waste time...

Operation: Schwarzwelt Elimination must be carried out as soon as possible!

Please, hurry and escape!

You wouldn't start the operation with us still in here... would you?

......

No, of course not. Your lives and research are immensely important.

We'll commence the operation the instant you escape the Schwarzwelt.

Operation: Schwarzwelt Elimination is acknowledged.

We will perform our task with that in mind.

We're counting on you...

Humanity is in the throes of a nightmare. You're our lone ray of hope.

We'll be praying for your safe return and a return to peace. Godspeed, gentlemen.

Halle-freakin'-lujah... The Schwarzwelt's gonna be destroyed!

We're all gonna be saved!

Now we can focus on getting outta here!

Get psyched, people! Prepare to disembark!

The guys back on Earth aren't half bad after all...

Well, anyone'd get desperate when they're backed into a corner.

Operation: Schwarzwelt Elimination... It is possible, in theory...

Attention, all hands.

Our primary objective here in sector Eridanus is to find the Vanishing Point...

...thereby returning to Earth.

I call on you all to put forth your full effort in your duties.

I look forward to the successful completion of your mission.

All hands are confirmed to have returned. The mission in Eridanus is now suspended.

Prepare the plane shift to begin our new mission.

But we're so close to escaping... Where are we going, Arthur?

We have picked up a strange signal from sector Carina.

Its origin, a large object moving within the sector, is currently stationary.

Judging from its size, it may be a large ship.

A... large ship?

Is that the energy signature you were talking about on the comm!?

An unidentified ship? Here in the Schwarzwelt?

Could it be the Gigantic...?

They're alive!?

But why Carina...? Were you able to get in touch with them?

Well, I sent a message.

But we haven't gotten a response. Could be it's not reaching them.

...It's not a ghost ship, is it?

*sigh* If we'd just hauled ass outta here earlier, we wouldn't have had to deal with this...

Though we have located the Vanishing Point, we are unable to reach it at present.

Given this situation, I have decided to make investigating the signal from Carina our priority.

The Schwarzwelt Joint Project concurs with this assessment.

We're back to investigating now!? Why!?

I'll tell you what we need to do is get the hell outta here!

The man said there's no response!

It's gotta be like the Elve. There ain't nothing alive on that boat, man!

B-But... what if there are some survivors...?

You'd just leave them stranded in the Schwarzwelt!?

Escape is our primary mission, but that's no excuse for abandoning any survivors.

I agree with Arthur.

...Pretty easy to be so self- righteous now that you know we can escape, huh?

Why we gotta stick our heads back into the lion's mouth?

Not my idea of a good time...

Look, Jimenez, some people here had friends on the Gigantic.

Shouldn't you be thinking about their feelings?

Wow, what a nice thing to say. Now look me in the eye and tell me it's what you really think.

Admit it, guys... You all think they're dead, huh?

Jimenez! Enough!

...Yeah, yeah, I'll go. Better that than stick around here to argue some more.

Maybe I can pick up a souvenir or two, heheh.

Why, you...! Rrrrgh!

I realize everyone will have their own opinion, but please remain calm and rational.

We have yet to confirm the signal in Carina as one of our ships.

Remain cautious as you carry out the mission.

Now begin preparing for the plane shift to Carina.

We've pinpointed the location of the signal's origin.

It's on the 4th floor at 9 o'clock. It's not moving.

We've hailed them, but there's no response.

I highly doubt they wouldn't be able to pick up our signal from here...

We must first identify who or what is sending the signal.

I am issuing a new official mission, designated "Signal Investigation."

At present, our only method is to get within viewing distance.

What, they can't drop us a note? They running into trouble?

If Horkos was still alive, they'd make a great meal.

Let's stay alert. This could be the work of demons...

First Lieutenant Zelenin is correct. You should be prepared for any situation.

Do not let your assumptions lead you astray.

I look forward to the successful completion of your mission.

Welcome back, Crewman (your name). All crewmen are accounted for.

We will now begin the plane shift. All hands, take your positions.

...Aaaand we're back safe in Eridanus.

Let's get prepped for the mission.

Our goal is to gain the cooperation of Jack's agent in this sector.

I will switch all crewmen to a communications channel that will allow us to speak with them.

I wonder how far we can trust Jack and his men.

I'm worried that when push comes to shove...

Well, to us, this place is hell. But they seem to treat it more like a gold mine.

These forty-niners know we don't give a shit about their gold, so they should have no beef with us.

Huh...!? Is this real!?

Arthur! There's an abnormal reaction at the Vanishing Point!

We're picking up an immense energy pattern!

Look at this oscillation... it's off the scale!

It seems that a large fluctuation has occurred at the previously unreachable area.

The situation may have changed since we last searched for the Vanishing Point.

Please stay alert and resume the mission.

Another hurdle in the way... but if we can get past this one, we're home free.

Let's do it, (your name)!

But is it right for us to return home and leave Jack and his men here...?

I know the chances are slim, but what if they're able to harness the power of the Schwarzwelt...?

Ey! No need to lose sleep over it, Miss Honor Student.

Forget 'em. We use them, they use us... so it goes, y'know?

Or are you gonna give them a little polite heads-up on Operation: Schwarzwelt Elimination?

The way things have been going, I'm sure they knew before we did!

...It's not their safety that worries me.

Could you try not picking a fight over everything I say, Jimenez?

But you've made yourself clear... Let's just hurry and get out of here.

Strike team, proceed to the floor where we found the abnormal energy pattern last time.

One of Jack's unit should be waiting nearby. He will upgrade your Gate Search.

I look forward to the successful completion of your mission.

The Schwarzwelt is manifesting on Earth through this Vanishing Point.

It is "bleeding out" to the Earth through here.

What we're trying to do is hitch a ride on the energy bleed, though that's oversimplifying a little.

We will need to adjust our course constantly during the attempt.

Engineering, stay alert and take care with the engine's control.

Copy that, Arthur.

A once-in-a-lifetime job for Space-Time Navigator Terry... Wait 'til my daughter hears!

So's that weird thing we got from Ouroboros gonna be the only souvenir we take home, (your name)?

You took out the Formless Mass.

Maybe it'll at least be a good- luck charm for the trip home. Hahaha...

Listen, friend, that's hardly all we got!

Supplies has a whole closet full of goodies to take back home!

New materials, new equipment... The boys on Earth'll be swooning over this stuff!

It's true... we have much to show for all our hard work.

But there were so many casualties, and we never did figure out the truth behind the Schwarzwelt...

I dunno... do we really need to know it that bad?

How important could understanding the Schwarzwelt be in the big scheme of things?

What do you think, (your name)?

• We owe it to mankind.
• Fine, long as it's destroyed.
• I just want to forget it all.

You just don't learn, do you, man? Don't tell me you wanna stay here... I don't need to hear that shit.

Guess that's what makes you the team's golden boy.

You're a realist, huh? Well, we got results, all right.

What more do they want from us?

Heard that. I don't have a single good memory of this place.

Just getting dragged around all over this dump...

I see you folks on the Red Sprite are getting ready.

We'd like to toast the end of your mission... but that'd be a little premature at this point.

Yes... we still have the final leg of the journey to complete.

I'd think it would make more sense to celebrate along with the success of your operation too, yes?

...Good point. We'll raise a glass to your luck and mankind's future once you're back.

Now then, gentlemen, let's go over the plan one more time.

Once you enter the Vanishing Point to begin your escape...

We'll be feeding you navigation data that'll lead you home.

Follow those coordinates to arrive back on Earth.

As soon as we've confirmed you're clear of the Schwarzwelt...

We'll get Operation: Schwarzwelt Elimination underway.

The next time we meet, it'll be on Earth. Looking forward to it.

Godspeed, gentlemen.

The time has come to begin our return to Earth.

All hands, to your positions...

We're finally going home! Back to Earth at last! Somebody pinch me!

Yeah, so long to this hellhole, and good riddance!

We are on track for our charted course to the Vanishing Point.

We are currently on course.

According to our calculations, it should take approximately 20 minutes.

There's a problem! Something's stopping us from going forward!

An unidentified energy signature is approaching from the rear!

It's moving at a faster rate than the ship!

We only have a few minutes before it catches up!

What is it!? Who could be chasing us here...!?

Is another demon after us!?

What's wrong!? We hit!?

We've been hit with a shockwave! Looks like it came from the energy signature!

Arthur, on its current course, it's going to ram us!

We will take evasive action with short plane shifts.

Engineering, prepare the reactor.

Engineering here! We've hit a snag!

The reactor's malfunctioned. We can't use the plane shift!

It's almost here...!

Waaaaaaaaaagh!

The Red Sprite lost control...

To think they believe that they can return to the Earth... Absurd.

In the end, humans have proved themselves to be little more than apes.

And apes riding in an iron vessel cannot control the providence of the universe.

Jimenez...!

Zelenin...!

(your name)...!

Why did your "Mother" not grant you wings at your birth?

It was to prevent you from becoming arrogant, and believing that you rule the world from on high.

The wisdom of humans? The power of science? What did you hope to accomplish with these...?

You will learn your boundaries.

What is this? What's going on...?

We're being sucked in...!? (your name)... (your name)!?

Who are these guys!? Demons!?

Dammit, get out of my mind! Let go! Let go of me!

We have to fight them, (your name)!

...Well, well. It seems another fruitless struggle has begun.

The "thunder" of humans... quite a number of them, at that!

They fail to grasp the depths of the universe's providence.

Hmm... and lo, they detonate their "thunder"...

But behold: they will be swallowed.

I-Is this a vision...!?

Is that... the Schwarzwelt being struck with nuclear weapons!?

They already started the operation!?

Shit! They tricked us! We're not out yet, dammit...!

But... nothing's happening...

Ay Dios mio... it's not working! It didn't even make a scratch!

The operation failed!

None can stop the Earth's anger.

It is no longer given to humans to choose their own way.

You and all your kind will live in the cursed lands...!

But no... hold...

But no... hold...

But no... hold...

If you can gather all of the Exotic Matter...

If you can gather all of the Exotic Matter that the Mothers carry...

...And so I see you have one already, (your name).

If you can gather all of the Exotic Matter that controls the Vanishing Point...

The path may yet open.

Foolish descendants who no longer know the voices of the spirits, or the truth of the world...

Ask the ghost cast in circuits you know as Arthur.

The alma automata, who holds the key to destruction...

This sector is really different so far from the other ones...

I guess it's special because this is where the Vanishing Point is?

Or is there some other reason...?

I don't like this... Maybe it's just the upcoming operation making me nervous...

Our way out is right in front of our eyes. But it's too early to celebrate just yet...

We're up against demons. Hitting us while we're celebrating is their specialty.

...Anyway, let's focus on the mission.

Carelessness is the enemy... Let's stay sharp.

I didn't expect to find a ship with us so close to the Vanishing Point... think it's the Gigantic?

It doesn't feel right, then...

I'm sure I don't need to remind you what happened with Horkos. Let's be careful.

Frankly, my policy is, "If it's suspicious, it's the enemy."

Everyone says that's the Gigantic, but... is it really?

Based on what we've seen, I don't think it's an ally at all.

It's best to stay prepared... especially in uncertain times like these.

I never figured we'd run into freelancers here in no man's land.

I'm grateful they're helping us find the Vanishing Point, of course...

Still, though... they have a powerful ship, and we really don't know anything about them.

I hope this doesn't turn ugly...

My take on the situation is that we should cooperate with them.

But let's be careful about it. They're not part of the Joint Project...

The phrase "mutual non-aggression" always sets off warning bells in my mind.

That's a phrase that's just begging to be broken...

Ironic, huh? The demons are practically more trustworthy than the humans...

It keeps on resurrecting... I doubt it'll let go of the Vanishing Point anytime soon.

But we already know how its resurrection trick works.

Let's defeat Ouroboros and get out of the Schwarzwelt.

In the end, Captain Jack never did anything to hurt us...

I have no problem with the man. Once we're out, that's the last we'll see of him.

Alright, I'll send the info about that subject to your Demonica. Review it at your leisure.

Demon fusion is the process of fusing two demons together to create a more powerful demon.

The race of demons you fuse determines which demon will come out of the fusion.

There are several rules guiding these results.

The first step is to get used to fusing. Try fusing demons of various races together.

Oh, there's one other important thing to remember: skill inheritance.

What that means is that skills can be carried over from the demons used in fusion.

There seem to be rules governing inheritance, but the data's rather complex and hard to decipher.

Try messing around with it some, see if you can figure it out.

A demon's worth in battle is determined by the skills it inherits.

Try fusing various demons and figuring out the inheritance rules.

The fusion process is simple. There's no need for any special facility or ceremony.

First, call up the Demonica screen with the Y Button...

From there, select Demon Fusion. You can use it at any time.

Demon fusion is an important tool in strengthening your party.

Negotiate with demons in battle to gain new allies and fodder for fusion.

The Demon Compendium is basically a database for demons. It'll come in handy for fusing.

It's an indispensable tool for handling your demon allies.

You can register your demon allies in the Demon Compendium.

Registered demons can be summoned at any time at a cost of Macca.

To access the Demon Compendium, press the Y Button to bring up the Demonica menu...

And from there, select the Demon Compendium under Demon Data.

It may prove advantageous to register your demons before fusing or releasing them.

It's important to register your demons. Let me give you a little word of advice...

I'm already tired of whiners asking me, "I forgot to register before fusion! Can't you do anything!?"

The answer is NO, people. Honestly...

A demon's data is automatically registered the first time it joins you.

To record any levels it gains or skills obtained in fusion, you must manually re-register it.

If you don't register a demon before fusing it, you must raise it again from the last registered data.

If you raise it, register it. Before you lose it, register it. Keep this principle in mind.

A Demon Source is what we call a mass of skill data exported from a demon ally.

By importing these into a fusion, you can customize the demon's data to your liking.

You receive Demon Sources from demons when they level up if their Analyze level is maxed out.

The skills included in a Demon Source are guaranteed to be inherited during fusion.

If it inherits more than the limit of 6 skills, the skills it inherits will be randomly selected.

Randomly selected skills will change each time you cancel the fusion, so...

You can continue cancelling the fusion until you get the desired skill set.

There seem to be a few bugs left in the program, because sometimes you'll get an unexpected demon.

There will be times when fusion does not result in the expected demon. This is a Fusion Accident.

The moon's phase, shown at the top left on the Top Screen, affects the chances of an Accident occurring.

Note that in some cases, an even stronger demon will result...

And the normal rules regarding skill inheritance may not apply.

However, accidents are a rare enough phenomenon that it's best to focus on the basics first.

Alright, I'll send the info about that subject to your Demonica. Review it at your leisure.

Alright, I'll send the info about that subject to your Demonica. Review it at your leisure.

You can use your Demonica to encode a demon's data into a password.

Some people have started trading passwords with each other to use one another's demons, I hear.

Passwords are entered in the Password Slots in the Register screen of the Demon Compendium.

You can find the Password slots at the bottom of the list, under the race name PWD.

When you select one, you will be taken to the password entry screen.

To generate a password, choose a demon to encrypt in the Compendium and select Output Password.

The demon you register in the Password Slot will take up that slot until you overwrite it.

Due to memory limitations, there is a limited number of Password Slots.

There are 3 Password Slots. You may have up to 3 password demons at any given time.

If you wish to register another demon, select a slot to overwrite.

You can, of course, summon the demons you register with passwords.

Once registered in the Compendium, they're treated the same way as any other demon.

There are Password Slots in the View screen as well, where you can see password-registered demons.

Like regular demons, you can summon them at a cost of Macca.

But it looks like there's a level limit when it comes to summoning from the Password Slots.

If your level isn't higher than the demon's, that's a no go.

So even if you get a powerful demon from someone...

If you're not at the right level, it's not much use as anything but a conversation piece.

If you're considering using the Password demons, take care as to whether you can summon them.

Powerful demons require high levels and a great deal of Macca, so they may be unattainable for some.

You can trade passwords not just for summoning purposes but also to show off your best demons.

What the password feature boils down to is communicating with others.

What kind of potential does the feature have? How will it help?

Only you can answer those questions.

When you fuse two demons of the same race, the result will be a Prime demon.

You can use these Prime demons in battle, of course.

But where they're really useful is the effect they have when used in fusion.

When a Prime demon is fused with a demon of a second race...

The result will be of the same race as the second demon, but one rank higher.

If the race's affinity with the Prime you use is bad, however, it will be one rank lower.

It's a valuable way to rank up your demons, but be sure to keep the affinity in mind.

Mitamas are a special race of demon that you get by fusing two Primes together.

You can use Mitamas in battle, just like Primes, but their main use is to power up stats.

When you fuse a demon with a Mitama, that demon's stats will be raised.

Which stats are raised depend on the type of Mitama you use in the fusion.

There's just one thing to keep in mind... There are limits to how much you can juice a demon up.

It all depends on the demon's potential.

Each demon has an upper limit for each stat, and you cannot power it up beyond that limit.

Mitama fusion is only a method to give your demons an extra boost if you want one.

Special fusion is, as the name suggests, a special process that differs from standard fusions.

Basically, it's a type of fusion where specific demons are fused to create a special demon.

To use Special Fusion, select Special Fusion from the Demon Fusion menu.

Choose a demon you wish to make from the list in order to begin the fusion.

But you know... These being special demons and all, there are a lot of steps to being able to fuse one.

[List] When you register 1 of the required demons, it appears as "--------."

[Name] When all required demons are registered, the demon is displayed.

[Fusion] Once you have all required demons, you may do the special fusion.

The thing to notice here is the number of demons needed to carry out special fusions.

Normal fusions always use two demons, but special fusions might need 3, 4, or even more demons.

Special Fusions are not limited to using 2 demons.

The more demons it requires, the harder it is to make, but the better the result will be.

Demons that can't be fused by standard procedures... They're no normal demons, that's for sure.

I'm looking forward to seeing just what kind of demons are waiting out there.

Ugh... Oooh...

Where... are we...?

Arthur! Arthur! We need a status update...!

Dammit, why isn't he answering!? What's going on!?

Did we make it out!?

Is this Earth!? Or are we at the ends of space and time!?

The Red Sprite's made a crash landing!

Monitor team, get the camera feeds up and running!

I get banged up, I lose my memory... I have no idea what's going on.

Did something happen while we were escaping...?

Oh! That's right, those three men!

It wasn't just me, right? You guys saw them too, huh!?

Did they interfere with the Red Sprite's escape!?

Were those demons? Or illusions...?

If everyone saw them, they must have been SOMETHING!

All right, let's get back on the job!

C'mon, Arthur, what're you doing...? Self-repair? Hurry it up already...!

...The main infrastructure seems to be intact.

We took a heavy impact, but there doesn't seem to be any major damage to the hull.

Now if only Arthur would reboot...

This is MacCleary in Monitors! We're getting a feed from the outside environment!

Patching it through to all onboard viewscreens!

The viewscreen's display changed to the world outside.

This isn't Earth...!

We ended up in another unidentified space-time sector!

I don't believe this... we're still stranded out here...?

We didn't accomplish a damn thing...

Our big escape attempt just dumped us here.

There's nothing us humans can do out here, is there...?

This doesn't look like the other sectors. There's nothing humanlike about it... It's more geometric.

We've just got in some atmospheric data...

Doesn't seem like there's anything out there that'd stop us from operating outside.

...Hold on a sec. Comms, can you raise the Joint Project?

Oh, right! I'll set up a line...

Wh... what!? What the hell is this!?

The graviton radio's smashed! There's no way we can use this!

But... how did this happen!?

The graviton radio was destroyed?

How is that possible!? None of our other equipment was damaged!

Believe me, I'm wondering the same thing!

I'm looking at it right now, though, and it's smashed flat. There's no fixing this...

I don't understand... how does a machine break like this...?

Correspondence with the Earth... The way it broke...

Do you think those three used it to show us the operation, and it broke then...?

Well, whatever happened, we've lost our only way to contact the Joint Project.

We're on our own again... There's no one out there to help us.

......! Well, it's about goddamn time! Arthur is rebooting!

Hello... Red Sprite... I am Arthur...

......

Auto-recovery from system crash is complete. All functions normal.

Integrating new important data. System update complete. Resuming normal functions...

"New important data"...?

My apologies for worrying you. I have now fully recovered.

I will assess the situation and begin devising a plan immediately.

Guess that piece of junk didn't die on us after all.

Arthur, I just don't get this!

What happened? Where are we? What should we do?

Can you explain it to us? Do you even know the answers?

All hands, please listen to my report.

The Red Sprite's escape attempt ended in failure.

This is due to the Schwarzwelt's layout being more complex than we expected...

As well as the interference of the three unknown life forms.

In short, we were unprepared to attempt the escape.

Haha... hahahahaha! This is hilarious!

We were all so psyched about getting home, and look at us! Hahahaha!

What a laughingstock we are!

What's so goddamned funny!? This is serious!

C'mon... the thing that came up with the mission is telling us we were in no shape to escape...

I'm sure it knows what it's talking about.

What about the plan to destroy the Schwarzwelt!? They went through with it back on Earth, right!?

What we saw when we were escaping...

Were those the nukes...!?

Operation: Schwarzwelt Elimination has evidently failed.

There is no sign that the Schwarzwelt has been destroyed.

......

All humanity's might was no match for the Schwarzwelt...

So that's where we stand...

We must revise our plans. To do so, we must assess the situation.

First, we must ascertain the Red Sprite's location.

It seems our current position is in a sector unlike the others we have seen in the Schwarzwelt.

Judging from the available data...

This sector is closer to the Schwarzwelt's original state.

So the Schwarzwelt has been expanding infinitely...?

I'm surprised we made it here in one piece...

...Is that all right to say? Just trying to provide some comfort...

(your name), it seems the Formless Mass you hold is not merely decorative.

It is Exotic Matter, a material that controls space-time navigation away from the Vanishing Point.

It was this Exotic Matter that led us here.

Formless Mass has been identified as EM: Eridanus.

So this weird stuff decides where we end up?

According to my new information...

By collecting Exotic Matter, we can progress deeper into the Schwarzwelt.

This will expand our navigational options from the Vanishing Point.

...Wait, Arthur. Something's not right about this.

This "new information" you just referred to...

You mentioned some "new important data" when you rebooted, too.

Where did you get this information?

The information was obtained during the escape attempt.

It was transmitted to me from outside the ship.

Could that have been...?

Judging by the information's contents and timestamp...

I believe it was the same entity you refer to as the "three unknown life forms."

Wait, it came from THEM!?

Arthur, you're basing our whole plan on information from those monsters!?

Yeah, can we trust them!?

They're the same ones who just stopped us from escaping!

This is unbelievable... Arthur, you're--

Any doubts you harbor are perfectly understandable.

However, your objections have no bearing on the significance of this information.

It is consistent with our findings and does much to explain the Schwarzwelt phenomenon.

Our failed escape, our current location, the remaining unexplored areas... All are accounted for.

I can come to no other conclusion than that their information is legitimate.

They simply know more about the Schwarzwelt than we do.

So they're higher intelligences, just like they claimed...

Strange though it may sound, the three unknown life forms both helped and hindered us.

It appears as though they desire our continued progress.

They have provided us with even more previously unknown information.

Within the center of the Schwarzwelt waits an entity known as Mem Aleph.

Mem Aleph...?

The center of the Schwarzwelt...

It's obviously a trap! Mem Aleph is just something they made up to trick us!

They're just having fun watching us squirm!

But even if it is a trap... what other way is there?

I don't like it, but there it is.

Can you believe this shit, (your name)?

Just when it turns out there's no point to anything we did so far, we're briefed on a new target.

You gonna just salute and say, "Yes, Sir!" to that?

Arthur, I understand that you're trying to make the best of a bad situation, but...

Isn't there any other way? I'm not at all comfortable with this plan.

Moreover, given the circumstances, I must question your judgement.

Unfortunately, there are no other viable plans to propose.

However, I understand yours and the rest of the crew's concern that I am malfunctioning.

Perhaps it is best if all crewmen are given the option not to participate in this mission.

What do you think, (your name)?

Can you proceed with the mission with such concerns?

Can you carry out your duties?

• I can.
• I'm... not sure.

Anyone who's not comfortable with our orders is excused.

But I'm in... even if I have to do it all myself!

Anyone who's tired of it all, go sleep in the engine room! I'll take you home!

We can worry all we want, but it won't solve our situation.

As for me, I would rather not sit and wait for death, thank you.

We're only alive now because we seized every chance we had.

I can't say I'm thrilled, but...

I'll stay on as a member of the Red Sprite's crew.

At least until we find out whether or not there's Exotic Matter here.

......

If there is only one option available to us, I see no point in argument.

Then I am correct in assuming the crew will follow the mission guidelines I propose?

In that case, let us proceed to the assignment.

First, an administrative point: this will be sector F, code named Fornax.

Our objective here is to find the Exotic Matter that will expand our options from the Vanishing Point.

I am issuing a new official mission, designated "Fornax's Exotic Matter."

Our working theory is that the Exotic Matter guided our journey to this sector.

It remains possible for us to return to previously explored sectors...

But this sector should be our chief concern at present.

I regret that we are no longer able to contact the Joint Project, but please remain calm.

I look forward to the successful completion of your mission.

...All hands are confirmed to have returned. I have an update to make regarding an emergency mission.

I have detected suspicious activity from Jack's squad.

This may affect our investigation. We must confirm their intentions.

Please set a course to their coordinates in order for us to question them directly.

An emergency? Did Jack's men do something?

I thought we promised not to get in each other's way...

I wouldn't be surprised at anything those shady vatos tried to pull, but...

Do they have anything to gain from coming after us?

They looked like they were serious when we were talking about each other's interests.

They are not targeting us.

However, it is important that we reconfirm their goals in the Schwarzwelt.

So... back to Carina?

No. Carina is not our destination.

Jack's squad has created their own space-time location.

They are using it as a base camp to plan their operations.

That is our destination.

They... made... a space-time location!?

They have such technology!?

I can only theorize that it is technology obtained after we entered the Schwarzwelt.

One possibility is that they developed it with the information we gained from the Rosettas.

Perhaps they tapped into our communications and intercepted the data we sent to the Joint Project.

That's incredible...

Am I the only one a little afraid of Jack's squad right now?

I'd feel better if they were on our side, that's for sure...

Never thought we'd be suspecting our fellow humans instead of helping each other out.

They were a buncha jackasses when I met 'em inside the Lightning...

I definitely don't trust 'em now. Know what I mean, (your name)?

We cannot rely on assumptions with regards to Jack's squad.

We must confirm their reasons for creating their own space-time location and remaining there.

Any discussion of principles or strategy should be deferred until after our investigation.

I have finished calculating the space-time coordinates of Jack's squad.

We will travel there immediately. All hands, prepare to plane shift.

The Red Sprite successfully landed in Jack's Squad HQ.

Plane shift safely completed. We have successfully entered their space-time location.

Patching the camera feed through to the viewscreen.

It's like... a cave...

Well, there's nothing in these atmospheric scans that indicates any danger.

I'd expect not, if this is their base of operations.

......

It's no use. I'm not getting any response at all.

Looks like they have no intentions of answering our hails.

Hope they're not putting together a little welcome party for us...

Just as they were in Eridanus, Jack's squad is wary of communication with us.

We may be required to contact them directly this time as well.

Therefore, I advise we disembark and approach them.

The team should be composed of crewmen they are familiar with to make proceedings go smoothly.

...Meaning you and me, (your name).

Please establish communications with Jack's squad.

Be friendly and take care not to cause any unnecessary trouble.

I see that communications with Jack's squad went badly.

They do not appear to have any intention of disrupting our investigations.

However, their highly advanced technology alone should be cause for concern.

I can't say I'm not worried about what they're after, but...

We can't stare each other down forever, right?

Whatever they're planning, if we escape the Schwarzwelt, it's not our problem... right?

We have our own business to take care of. Let's get back to Fornax.

...Maybe we should have some crew stay behind.

Stay behind...?

What for?

I'm just saying we could leave someone here to keep an eye on them.

If we know their every move, we can focus on our mission without worrying about them, right?

Hmmm... Well, maybe so, but...

Whoever we choose for a spy would be here on his own without backup.

It's a dangerous assignment.

I don't know if we could spare anyone, even if someone was willing to volunteer...

I wouldn't have suggested it if I didn't know someone willing.

Jimenez...!? You're not...

C'mon. If no one else is up to it, I'm more than willing to step up to the plate.

Unless you wanna do it, (your name)?

Feel like staying here as our spy?

• Sure.
• No, thanks.

Um, well... I don't really know what to say to that...

Heh, exactly. I was worried you might say "yes" there, haha.

Just leave it to me, (your name). I suggested it 'cause I want to be the one to do it.

It's just this hunch I have... I don't think we should leave Jack's squad to themselves.

Bugaboo thinks so, too... And I agree.

They're hiding something big.

Plus, I thought it might be nice to kick back here instead of running around a new sector, haha.

I mean, technically, I'm Blue Jet crew anyway. I'm not even part of the Red Sprite.

You're okay with me doing my own thing, right Arthur?

I have no objections to your proposal as a member of the investigative team.

If the crew as a whole approves, you have my permission.

You know... I had the wrong idea about you, Jimenez.

Frankly, I thought you were a selfish, hot-headed ass.

But you're willing to make sacrifices too, eh?

...Hey, hey, don't get me wrong.

I say what I think and I do what comes naturally. That's all.

I don't know if you're telling the whole truth or not, but... I'm behind you.

It'll be tough, but I know you can do it.

So that's that. A round of applause for Jimenez, our new spy.

We will keep in regular contact, Jimenez.

If anything out of the ordinary occurs, send us a rescue signal.

......

I'm not so sure it's best that we send you out like this, Jimenez.

I think we should come up with another way...

If you got a better idea, I'm all ears, First Lieutenant Zelenin.

But if you don't, you can at least do me the favor of sending me off with a smile.

...Hasta luego, (your name). I'll see you later.

Alright, c'mon, Bugaboo!

Buga! Boo!

Jimenez disembarked for Jack's Squad HQ...

Those punks! Now we get a glimpse of their true colors!

They used us while they could, and the instant we become useless to them, they turn on us!

You're being a little hasty there. We need to calm down.

We don't know much yet, but it's always possible Jimenez did something reckless.

What's the situation, Arthur?

We have received a signal from Crewman Jimenez.

It seems he left his watch position without explanation.

They captured him to shut him up!

It does seem that Crewman Jimenez's last known whereabouts are in the vicinity of the base.

The likelihood of his capture by Jack's squad is high.

If we could communicate with them, we could easily settle this, but as usual our hails are unanswered.

We must investigate directly.

...It seems the mission Jimenez proposed was reckless.

If only he'd thought it through a little more carefully...

A bit harsh, isn't it, Zelenin!?

Jimenez was right all along! We couldn't ignore what Jack's squad was doing!

On the other hand... there's no denying we're in a worse situation as a result.

Now, on top of the demons, we have Jack's squad to contend with...

Hey! We're getting a communique!

It's from the Lightning!

Jack's squad has contacted us!

What!? Really!?

Put it through to the main viewscreen.

I'm rather disappointed that I find myself forced to send you this warning, Red Sprite.

I thought we had an understanding not to interfere with one another.

But you've gone back on your word. You've infringed on the agreement; violated our contract.

Our good neighbor policy is at an end. Any friendly relations we had are null and void.

Hey, wait! We don't even know what happened!

What did you do with Jimenez!?

Playing dumb, eh? If you insist... I'll spell it out for you.

Your crewman, Jimenez...

He entered our base without our permission and sabotaged our experiment labs.

It's difficult to classify this undermining of our operations as anything other than a hostile act.

Jimenez? Sabotage!? He was acting on his own!

Whatever his motives, it was unquestionably sabotage.

He snuck into the lab and let loose our... experimental materials.

We were quick to regain control of the situation, so there were no unrecoverable losses...

But if we had noticed it only minutes later, the damage would have been severe.

That clown tried to set free every single demon we'd worked so hard to capture!

He was even using his own demons to help!

If they'd started a riot, who can say what might've happened!?

Your "experimental materials" were... demons!?

You were using demons in experiments!?

What did you hope to accomplish!?

Please refrain from inquiring into our affairs.

We're simply doing our utmost to effect our business plan.

There's certainly no reason you should interfere.

That dumbass Jimenez...

He tried to save the experimental materials and ended up as one himself!

He put all our lives in danger, and believe you me, he's gonna pay.

You're going to use Jimenez in an experiment!?

You can't be serious! He's a human! You can't experiment on humans!

We thought it fitting to leave his fate to the demon research team.

I have no intention of forgiving him for what he's done.

Our research team is top-hole. I'm sure he'll be put to good use.

Stop it! Give us Jimenez back! What do you want from us!?

Nothing, save for thorough severance of relations.

I believe you've underestimated us.

Did you think the Schwarzwelt was safe enough that you could enter half prepared?

It isn't. In the blink of an eye here, 1 or 2... or 10 or 20... lives can be lost.

Remember that, and say goodbye to your friend.

The Lightning signed off!

I can't raise them again...!

Dammit! Those assholes! Cowards, all of them!

Humans, demons, it's all the same to them! What's going to happen to Jimenez!?

What I want to know is why the hell Jimenez snuck in!

Maybe he found out about the experiments and tried to put a stop to them...?

If that's what happened, he should have contacted us first!

...What should we do, Arthur? Are we going to have to abandon Jimenez?

Your concern is valid, but we are not yet at the point of abandoning Crewman Jimenez.

It is not entirely impossible to infiltrate the Lightning.

The Lightning would most likely have to use most of its energy to support this space-time location.

In this instance, the Lightning would have insufficient power to use its weapons.

There should be little preventing the Red Sprite from landing at their base.

If there's a chance... we could give it a shot...

The question is, can we beat them?

What makes you think they'll stop with Jimenez?

This could be their first step.

For all we know, they plan to turn us all into experimental material!

Their actions are beginning to pose a threat to our team.

In that light, it would be dangerous to ignore the situation.

They're using demons not because they have to, but for business purposes...

Have they no shame...?

Same coordinates as last time, Arthur?

I have no objections to the plan, but I'm turning back the instant something happens.

Acknowledged. We should always be alert.

Begin the journey to Jack's Squad HQ...

The Red Sprite successfully landed in Jack's Squad HQ.

The Red Sprite has landed safely.

Our infiltration into Jack's Squad HQ is complete.

Well, they're not attacking yet...

Guess they're waiting to see what we do first.

Okay, so far we were right on the mark with our predictions.

Now to figure out how we get into their base...

More information on Jack's squad would be ideal, but we have no time to spare.

We will invade immediately in force.

Exercise every available method to save Crewman Jimenez.

I am issuing a new official mission, designated "Save Crewman Jimenez."

Keep in mind the possibility that Jack's squad is carrying advanced technology.

Should you deem it necessary, destroy any equipment you find.

I look forward to the successful completion of your mission.

You returned to the Red Sprite.

Crewman Jimenez's return to the Red Sprite is acknowledged.

Mission "Save Crewman Jimenez" is confirmed complete.

Gaining control of Jack's squad was an unexpected but ultimately favorable result.

We will keep them under close watch to control them.

However, given the situation...

We lack the manpower to maintain a full guard over the whole squad.

Our human resources would be better allocated to our main objective.

They were real pains in the ass, but we can't just kill them... What should we do?

The simplest way to handle this is by disabling some of the Lightning's key systems.

We will strip Jack's squad of their ability to travel.

This will allow them to live and operate within safe boundaries.

...I guess that's the best we can do.

Even so, a skeleton crew will remain to supervise Jack's squad.

Hey, Arthur, were we able to nab any of their tech?

We have made significant progress in that respect.

From their demon search program, I have synthesized a function that can detect Exotic Matter.

Your Demonicas will be updated to better support your search for the Exotic Matter.

So Ryan wasn't just lying to save his ass!

We cannot confirm the effects until we reach Fornax, but they should be a significant improvement.

I have one other item to report.

We have received a rare forma from them.

Indications are that it is compatible with the forma Crewman (your name) collected on Fornax.

Crewman (your name), please take this forma to the lab.

......

Arthur... Or rather, the whole crew. Can everyone hear me?

Now may be the best time to discuss this, since he's not here at the moment...

What are we going to do with Jimenez?

We may have rescued him from Jack's squad, but... he's not normal anymore.

Physically, he's on the verge of becoming a demon.

I was shocked to hear he was fused with another demon... it was even more shocking to see.

But he's one of us. I don't agree that we should treat him like a demon.

Maybe he went too far when he killed Jack, but that was in the heat of battle.

Any of us might've done the same thing in his shoes.

And he's still lucid. Sure, he's got an attitude problem, but what else is new, right?

...I'm not going to lie, he scares me, the way he is now.

He seems so different than before!

It's like... he's enjoying himself here now...

Yeah, I know what you mean.

I told him to get some rest, but he looked like he was eager to go out and fight some more.

He's got a taste for blood... It gives me the chills.

But maybe we should let him rest and see what happens.

You guys talk about Jimenez like he's a demon, but look...

Us guys on the strike team use demons as allies, and I'd like to toss in my two cents.

Without the demons' power, we never would have made it this far.

Just because he's fused with a demon doesn't necessarily make him dangerous.

Did you ever stop and think maybe you're getting too comfortable with the demons, then?

Whatever we decide, it should come from a human perspective.

...What do you think, (your name)?

You're the one who's worked the most closely with Jimenez. You understand him best, yes?

Should Jimenez be relieved?

• He's not a problem.
• We should wait and see.
• Probably so.

Are you serious...? You don't consider his imminent corruption a problem!?

Jimenez is losing his grip on reason. As members of the investigative team... as humans...

If we don't restrain him now, there will be trouble down the line!

I'm not so sure... We don't know what to expect from him anymore.

I don't think he should stay on as part of the mission...

But I don't think we should set him free, either.

I agree wholeheartedly.

He was still capable of reason in the Lightning, but there's no telling when he'll snap.

If we pretend nothing is wrong with Jimenez, the team morale could go straight down the drain.

Crewman Jimenez will rest for the time being while we run tests on him.

We will suspend any decisions until we gather sufficient data.

I would like to state for the record that I am not satisfied by this decision, but... Understood.

The Red Sprite successfully landed in Fornax.

We have landed safely.

Our current position is in sector Fornax.

So now we're back to where we were before the battle with Jack's Squad.

If we find the Exotic Matter here, we can use it to go somewhere else from the Vanishing Point, right?

Supposedly.

But of course, no one knows where it'll take us...

Personally, I'd prefer a plan that would lead us back to Earth.

...Are you saying we're not doing our job?

You already know how hard it is to get around this place! We're doing everything we can!

Why don't you quit bitching and finish your mission!? We're already late as it is!

What'd you say...!?

Lock that up, you two! Why are you so on edge!?

If we can't cooperate, we're sunk!

Stress is already running high. I ask that all hands take care not to disturb the peace.

As we all know, our most important objective at present is to locate the Exotic Matter.

Make use of the upgraded Demonica to carry out your mission.

Signs show that the demons who interfered with our search are lying in wait as well.

Do not let them catch you unawares as you proceed.

I look forward to the successful completion of your mission.

Exotic Matter verified.

Well done, Crewman (your name).

I will send this to Engineering. We will begin preparations to travel to the next sector immediately.

You handed Arthur the EM: Fornax.

So this is the second Exotic Matter...

It's just like Arthur said. We're making progress, and that's a good thing, but...

It also means the three unknown life forms weren't lying.

We may have some hope, but on the other hand... those monsters might just be toying with us.

I wonder if this "Mem Aleph" really is at the center of the Schwarzwelt.

Who knows how long it'll take us to get there...

What a glum bunch! What happened to the elite investigators, armed with the latest technology?

Well, there you go, Arthur. It's all up to you.

Some situation... Is moving into the unknown all we can do...?

So, Arthur, how do we get to the next sector?

We will return to Eridanus and navigate from the Vanishing Point.

We will enter the new sector using a continuous jump.

I hope those three life forms don't get in the way this time.

Drive safely, now.

Fornax was teeming with all kinds of demons...

I suppose the next sector will have even more powerful demons, yes?

Before we move to the next sector, I have two items to report.

First, about Crewman Jimenez...

The test results were not good. He will be removed from the mission for the present.

If it is deemed necessary, we will put him in cold sleep.

Jimenez has been begging to return to his duties, but...

I have serious doubts about his ability to control himself.

We can't have him run in and get captured again like he did at Jack's Squad HQ...

About that...

Apparently he was chasing after his demon, Bugaboo, after it went into the base.

He didn't just up and decide to go in himself.

Of course, that's all spilled milk now...

...Fate dealt him a funny hand, I guess.

Secondly, regarding the former Jack's squad, our supervision is proceeding as planned.

As a result, we may gain some sort of technological advance from them in the near future.

We receive regular reports on the materials and demons they collect.

They've got some of their autonomy back, but I guess that's fine... Long as they don't cause trouble.

That concludes the report.

Let us begin preparations to move to the next sector. We must begin searching for more Exotic Matter.

All hands, to your designated positions...

The operation failed...?

The Joint Project was so sure... all of mankind was!

This is impossible! What else don't we know about the Schwarzwelt...!?

I've never felt like mankind was so powerless before...

It's like there's literally some higher power ruling over us... toying with us...

Can we break free from its rule?

We'll just keep doing what we can... it's the only thing we have left...

Their technology is beyond anything we have, if they can create their own space-time location...

Someone hired them to come here, right?

Who do you think could be capable of going over the Joint Project's head like that...?

It's true that they haven't done anything to harm us.

But they're acting strange without notifying us, and I can't blame anyone for being suspicious...

I hate to say it, but it's seeming like our relationship of trust had a pretty shaky foundation.

Be careful, now. Don't do anything to provoke them.

I didn't think Jimenez would stay and keep watch over them...

I mean, I'm sure he has his own agenda, but... It's still a big sacrifice for the team.

If something happens, will Jimenez be all right?

Although... knowing him, he wouldn't stand for letting anyone else be assigned anyway.

I'll continue to monitor Captain Jack's actions.

Their status outside the Joint Project was already proof enough they weren't to be trusted...

The Joint Project, meaning us, are here for the sake of mankind.

They're just opportunists out to make a quick buck.

And we always knew that! I was a fool to believe them even for a second!

It looks like even Arthur doesn't think they'll cooperate anymore.

Well, there's no going back now. Just do your best out there.

Seeing humans fight each other in a place like this makes me ill...

Jimenez has become a demon. There's no getting around that.

But what shocks me is the very possibility that humans and demons can fuse to begin with...

I don't get it...! This is way beyond what I thought possible...!

How do we even classify a fusion of the two races...?

...I was completely dumbfounded when I heard he had been fused with Bugaboo.

Humans are supposed to fuse demons together... Not themselves...

...Strange twist of fate.

Alright, I'll send the info about that subject to your Demonica. Review it at your leisure.

Demon fusion is the process of fusing two demons together to create a more powerful demon.

The race of demons you fuse determines which demon will come out of the fusion.

There are several rules guiding these results.

The first step is to get used to fusing. Try fusing demons of various races together.

Oh, there's one other important thing to remember: skill inheritance.

What that means is that skills can be carried over from the demons used in fusion.

There seem to be rules governing inheritance, but the data's rather complex and hard to decipher.

Try messing around with it some, see if you can figure it out.

A demon's worth in battle is determined by the skills it inherits.

Try fusing various demons and figuring out the inheritance rules.

The fusion process is simple. There's no need for any special facility or ceremony.

First, call up the Demonica screen with the Y Button...

From there, select Demon Fusion. You can use it at any time.

Demon fusion is an important tool in strengthening your party.

Negotiate with demons in battle to gain new allies and fodder for fusion.

The Demon Compendium is basically a database for demons. It'll come in handy for fusing.

It's an indispensable tool for handling your demon allies.

You can register your demon allies in the Demon Compendium.

Registered demons can be summoned at any time at a cost of Macca.

To access the Demon Compendium, press the Y Button to bring up the Demonica menu...

And from there, select the Demon Compendium under Demon Data.

It may prove advantageous to register your demons before fusing or releasing them.

It's important to register your demons. Let me give you a little word of advice...

I'm already tired of whiners asking me, "I forgot to register before fusion! Can't you do anything!?"

The answer is NO, people. Honestly...

A demon's data is automatically registered the first time it joins you.

To record any levels it gains or skills obtained in fusion, you must manually re-register it.

If you don't register a demon before fusing it, you must raise it again from the last registered data.

If you raise it, register it. Before you lose it, register it. Keep this principle in mind.

A Demon Source is what we call a mass of skill data exported from a demon ally.

By importing these into a fusion, you can customize the demon's data to your liking.

You receive Demon Sources from demons when they level up if their Analyze level is maxed out.

The skills included in a Demon Source are guaranteed to be inherited during fusion.

If it inherits more than the limit of 6 skills, the skills it inherits will be randomly selected.

Randomly selected skills will change each time you cancel the fusion, so...

You can continue cancelling the fusion until you get the desired skill set.

There seem to be a few bugs left in the program, because sometimes you'll get an unexpected demon.

There will be times when fusion does not result in the expected demon. This is a Fusion Accident.

The moon's phase, shown at the top left on the Top Screen, affects the chances of an Accident occurring.

Note that in some cases, an even stronger demon will result...

And the normal rules regarding skill inheritance may not apply.

However, accidents are a rare enough phenomenon that it's best to focus on the basics first.

Alright, I'll send the info about that subject to your Demonica. Review it at your leisure.

Alright, I'll send the info about that subject to your Demonica. Review it at your leisure.

You can use your Demonica to encode a demon's data into a password.

Some people have started trading passwords with each other to use one another's demons, I hear.

Passwords are entered in the Password Slots in the Register screen of the Demon Compendium.

You can find the Password slots at the bottom of the list, under the race name PWD.

When you select one, you will be taken to the password entry screen.

To generate a password, choose a demon to encrypt in the Compendium and select Output Password.

The demon you register in the Password Slot will take up that slot until you overwrite it.

Due to memory limitations, there is a limited number of Password Slots.

There are 3 Password Slots. You may have up to 3 password demons at any given time.

If you wish to register another demon, select a slot to overwrite.

You can, of course, summon the demons you register with passwords.

Once registered in the Compendium, they're treated the same way as any other demon.

There are Password Slots in the View screen as well, where you can see password-registered demons.

Like regular demons, you can summon them at a cost of Macca.

But it looks like there's a level limit when it comes to summoning from the Password Slots.

If your level isn't higher than the demon's, that's a no go.

So even if you get a powerful demon from someone...

If you're not at the right level, it's not much use as anything but a conversation piece.

If you're considering using the Password demons, take care as to whether you can summon them.

Powerful demons require high levels and a great deal of Macca, so they may be unattainable for some.

You can trade passwords not just for summoning purposes but also to show off your best demons.

What the password feature boils down to is communicating with others.

What kind of potential does the feature have? How will it help?

Only you can answer those questions.

When you fuse two demons of the same race, the result will be a Prime demon.

You can use these Prime demons in battle, of course.

But where they're really useful is the effect they have when used in fusion.

When a Prime demon is fused with a demon of a second race...

The result will be of the same race as the second demon, but one rank higher.

If the race's affinity with the Prime you use is bad, however, it will be one rank lower.

It's a valuable way to rank up your demons, but be sure to keep the affinity in mind.

Mitamas are a special race of demon that you get by fusing two Primes together.

You can use Mitamas in battle, just like Primes, but their main use is to power up stats.

When you fuse a demon with a Mitama, that demon's stats will be raised.

Which stats are raised depend on the type of Mitama you use in the fusion.

There's just one thing to keep in mind... There are limits to how much you can juice a demon up.

It all depends on the demon's potential.

Each demon has an upper limit for each stat, and you cannot power it up beyond that limit.

Mitama fusion is only a method to give your demons an extra boost if you want one.

Special fusion is, as the name suggests, a special process that differs from standard fusions.

Basically, it's a type of fusion where specific demons are fused to create a special demon.

To use Special Fusion, select Special Fusion from the Demon Fusion menu.

Choose a demon you wish to make from the list in order to begin the fusion.

But you know... These being special demons and all, there are a lot of steps to being able to fuse one.

[List] When you register 1 of the required demons, it appears as "--------."

[Name] When all required demons are registered, the demon is displayed.

[Fusion] Once you have all required demons, you may do the special fusion.

The thing to notice here is the number of demons needed to carry out special fusions.

Normal fusions always use two demons, but special fusions might need 3, 4, or even more demons.

Special Fusions are not limited to using 2 demons.

The more demons it requires, the harder it is to make, but the better the result will be.

Demons that can't be fused by standard procedures... They're no normal demons, that's for sure.

I'm looking forward to seeing just what kind of demons are waiting out there.

Continuous plane shifts complete.

The new Exotic Matter has led us through the Vanishing Point to a previously unreachable area.

We have safely landed in a new sector.

All hands, prepare to begin this sector's mission. Monitors, report on field conditions.

This is sector G, code named Grus.

Monitors here! Setting up the outside camera feed!

The viewscreen's display changed to the world outside.

Hey... I recognize this place...!

Is this sector Antlia...!?

It does look like it, but...

It's not quite the same as Antlia, is it? Wasn't Antlia burning more?

There's no way this can be Antlia.

Our space-time coordinates are nowhere near there.

...We've just confirmed some strange readings.

It's bad enough this place looks like Antlia, but there's more...

Looks like there'll be some places out there that're nothing like what we've seen.

So basically, while there'll be pockets that look like Antlia...

There'll also be areas that look completely different.

The whole thing's like a giant mosaic...

Judging from this sector's layout, it seems this sector will be difficult to traverse.

Take caution while carrying out your duties.

Our initial calculations show that sector Grus is much less stable than the other sectors.

It's as if its basic mass is kind of like a mirage, materializing for some reason.

The materialization progression is relatively advanced at our LZ.

This sector smells all kinds of suspicious, but not much would surprise me anymore.

We have a job to do, same as ever.

Have we confirmed our target? Is there Exotic Matter here?

Even after finding some Exotic Matter, we failed to return home...

It's as if we're marionettes on a string.

Perhaps we were crazy to think we could escape...

Everyone knows already.

Please don't say anything to stir up anxiety, Zelenin.

It'll lower morale and affect the mission.

...I'm sorry. I spoke out of turn.

But I wasn't simply voicing my frustration... I'm thinking there must be some other way...

As the Command Unit, I propose that the search for Exotic Matter remains our chief priority.

Primarily because the Exotic Matter may afford the possibility of escape.

And secondarily because it may be leading us to Mem Aleph.

I posit a theory:

Mem Aleph is believed to be the core of the Schwarzwelt.

By destroying Mem Aleph, we may be able to destroy the Schwarzwelt as well.

Destroy the Schwarzwelt...?

Is that possible? We've already failed once...

The attack from outside failed... But what about an attack from the inside?

Either way, it's nice to have some good news for a change, Arthur.

We may not know where to begin destroying it, or what we're supposed to attack.

It'll be the most dangerous thing we've ever tried here. Everything's up in the air...

But even a slim hope is a hope.

And without that Exotic Matter, it's out of our reach. So I'm ready to go on investigating.

...You've gotten good at handling the crew, Arthur.

That fairy tale about being able to destroy the Schwarzwelt sure lifted everyone's spirits...

Hey, don't use that as an excuse to slack off.

We're short-handed as it stands, guarding Jack's squad and all.

Put your feelings aside and focus on the mission.

But if we destroy the Schwarzwelt... Will we be able to return to Earth!? What'll happen to us inside!?

Calm down. No use worrying yourself sick over something that may or may not happen.

Keep your mind on practical matters, like how we can stay alive in the Schwarzwelt.

......

We can't even nail down our own hopes...

Human crewmen are expected to be in control of their emotions.

Stay calm, assess the situation, and carry out your duties.

From this point on, the search for Exotic Matter will be our chief objective.

I look forward to the successful completion of your mission.

You returned to the Red Sprite.

What's the situation at Jack's Squad HQ? Talk to us, Arthur.

We have received a communique from the crewmen monitoring Jack's squad.

It appears they put the Lightning's functions to use in continuing their experiments on demons.

Using those demons as weapons, they began an armed uprising against their supervisors.

This isn't good...

We may have stripped them of their weapons, but that doesn't do us much good if they use demons.

This can't go ignored.

The demon analysis technology aboard the Lightning far outstrips our own.

Judging by the demons Captain Jack used, it is clear that they pose a threat.

The crewmen assigned to monitor them are in serious danger.

Eh? Is this...?

We're getting a transmission! It's from the Lightning!

Has something happened to the crew!?

Patch it through to the main viewscreen.

Good day, people of the Red Sprite. Yeah, I'm talkin' to you assholes!

I really got no reason to contact you goons, but I decided to tell you how pissed off I am!

Geez, am I a nice guy or what? They must have my harp and robe all picked out up in Heaven.

I know you... you're Ryan!

Does this mean you've taken back the Lightning!?

Hey, check out this smart asshole!

We went ahead and killed your stupid friends.

That'll cut down on your payroll costs, huh? You oughtta thank me.

Jack left us some good tech. Pretty well hidden, too.

If he wasn't such an honest guy, maybe he coulda lived a little longer. Sucks to be him.

But I ain't like that. I know human nature. I got big plans.

Once I create the ultimate demon army, I'm gonna wipe you guys out and take your stuff!

Just wait and see!

The Lightning signed off.

Those bastards... They killed our men!

That's it! I'm gonna kill 'em!

They took back the Lightning and they're making more demons...

They'll come for us next!

What's going to happen to us...?

...Toldja we should've killed 'em that one time!

Jimenez...

Get it now? There's no use for any of this dumbass pity here!

It's kill or be killed. There ain't a third way. Now let's get our counterattack going.

Hell, I'd be down for doing it myself.

I'll turn the Lightning into one big iron coffin!

Yo, Arthur! Issue the revenge mission already!

That's why you called everyone back, isn't it?

...Hey, (your name).

You're ready to rock, right?

• Let's lock and load.
• We should wait and see.

Wait! What good is it for humans to fight each other?

The casualties will only continue to mount!

We should form a plan that doesn't involve violence.

Ha! How far are you gonna take this goody two-shoes act?

What's the point in holding back from a guy who just said in plain English that he's gonna kill us!?

They broke the agreement, they developed demons as weapons...

From a security perspective, it's not exactly hard to justify annihilating those guys.

There's no one here who can say otherwise.

Ryan said he'll attack us as soon as he's ready!

We can't afford to lose the initiative. We should attack now!

I'd rather not fight them, but...

This is self-defense. I don't see any alternative.

But...!

But WHAT!?

Look, just answer me this: do you have an actual plan to settle this non-violently?

If you do, I'll go with it. Scout's honor. Well?

......

...The "way to lead the hearts of man."

If we used the method Mastema referred to... perhaps...

......

Could you...

Crewmen of the Red Sprite, I request more time.

The angel Mastema has helped me many times... He will show me the way out of this predicament.

A way without bloodshed...

You're gonna rely on that angel again? Geez...

...I'm sorry, (your name), but I have a favor to ask.

Can you take me to meet Mastema at sector Grus?

Please, (your name)...

• All right.
• Out of the question.

Thank you. I suspected you'd be open to the idea.

Arthur, will you authorize an excursion to see Mastema?

It does have a bearing on our problem, I assure you.

It is vital that we deal with Jack's squad.

However, I will not limit our options to their annihilation.

Any method of resolving the situation will be accepted.

So as long as we do something about Jack's squad, you won't ask any questions, huh...?

First Lieutenant Zelenin's proposed plan cannot be ignored, given past events.

You will have authorization for your journey and time to carry out your plan.

However, there is no way to know when Jack's squad will commence their attack.

You are advised to produce a result as soon as possible.

Thank you, Arthur.

There is little time, (your name). Let's hurry to Mastema.

See? (your name)'s on board with hunting 'em down.

That's the kind of smart move I expect from a guy on the strike team.

You'll back us up here, right Arthur?

It is vital that we deal with Jack's squad.

However, I will not limit our options to their annihilation.

Any method of resolving the situation will be accepted.

So as long as we do something about Jack's squad, you won't ask any questions, huh...?

First Lieutenant Zelenin's proposed plan cannot be ignored, given past events.

She will have authorization for her journey and time to carry out her plan.

However, there is no way to know when Jack's squad will commence their attack.

You are advised to produce a result as soon as possible.

Thank you, Arthur.

I'm sorry to have to put you through this, (your name).

We should waste no time in meeting Mastema.

I look forward to the successful completion of your mission.

They're back... They've come back...

Is that... Zelenin...?

......

Crewmen of the Red Sprite, I am sorry to have worried you.

Though you may be startled and confused to see me as I am now...

Be not afraid. I am, as ever, a member of the team.

Zelenin has this kind of aura that wasn't there before...

It's like... she's peaceful, but overwhelmingly so...

I have been saved by a righteous power, becoming more righteous and more powerful in kind.

I can... do more for you all than I could before.

Do not worry about Jack's squad...

I shall pacify them with my newfound power.

She's... trying to save us by sacrificing herself...

How noble...

Is it?

Maybe she's just being as holier- than-thou as always.

Is she doing this for our sake, or hers...?

Jimenez... if only I had the power to restore you to your proper form.

Unfortunately, it seems I do not.

I will subdue Jack's squad.

You should rest.

Could you not talk to me unless you absolutely have to?

Your voice feels like a nail in my mind...

Go ahead and handle Jack's squad... if you can.

First Lieutenant Zelenin's return has been verified.

Though your physical makeup has changed, you may proceed with the mission as planned.

We will now travel to Jack's Squad HQ.

All hands, take your positions.

Now there's two freaks in the crew...

I know we're in the depths of Hell itself, but...

Where is this all going...?

Welcome back, Crewman (your name). I congratulate you on a job well done.

Now to resume our main objective of investigating the Schwarzwelt.

You know, Zelenin's song was like witnessing a divine miracle.

She really has been reborn as an angel...

What are you talking about? I'd say she's gone nuts, is all.

Besides, you call that a miracle?

Looked more like brainwashing to me...

I analyzed the range of frequencies emanating from First Lieutenant Zelenin's vocal cords.

It was inconsistent with that of a human, and I could find no match in my libraries.

I can only say with certainty that it is some sort of resonating signal that directly affects brain waves.

The closest analogue would be the MK Gun we used to cure the Delphinus Parasite.

I observed some similarities in their wavelengths, but her power is vastly more intense.

Isn't that dangerous? We could be next...

There are many unknown factors, but one might see it as First Lieutenant Zelenin's unique ability.

Its primary observed effect is to severely decrease aggression for extended periods.

A secondary observed effect of causing harm to demons has also been reported.

These two data points suggest that she can be extraordinarily useful.

...Alright, Arthur, I get ya.

I'm satisfied for now that Zelenin isn't our enemy.

Now for the data we have collected on sector Grus.

Our reports show that the leader of sector Grus is Maya.

We gleaned this information from the demons which Jack's squad had captured.

It is possible that this may be a hint as to the whereabouts of the Exotic Matter.

So our next enemy's Maya, huh?

Any other details? Like, maybe where we can find it?

The position of Maya and the energy signature we believe it to be are still unknown.

The illusory nature of this sector is proving to be a hindrance to our investigational efforts.

At present, the captive demon is our only source of information as to Maya's whereabouts.

We must extract information from him by whatever methods prove effective.

Carry out your duties as you see fit.

The bad news is, there's no way you're going to get close to Maya at this rate.

Those demons you're talking about...

I went with them... to the Sanctum in sector Grus.

The "Sanctum"?

You get it, right, (your name)? That pocket dimension you can find with the Phase Shifter.

There's a band of demons hiding out there.

If Maya's hideout is connected to the Sanctum...

You'll have to go through there before you can get to it.

But don't worry.

Jimenez produced a strangely glittering forma.

This is the good news. A demon gave it to me, said it was the key to the Sanctum.

If you use this forma and download it to the Main App...

Then you should be able to get into the Sanctum too.

......

In the shape I'm in, I don't really give a rip about escaping anymore, but...

(your name)'s always helped me out.

I'm giving this to you as my way of saying thanks. Use it however you want.

I don't need it. I can go in and outta there anytime I want, thanks to my new form.

Crewman Jimenez, thank you for finding this forma.

I cannot officially encourage your tendency to act independently.

But I will disregard this instance in the hopes your connection to the demons proves advantageous.

Tch... spoilsport.

I helped, didn't I? Let me handle things my way.

Crewman (your name), take this forma to Irving in the lab.

Once your Main App is upgraded, resume your duties.

I will summarize the information in Crewman (your name)'s report.

It seems we must make a decision in order to obtain the Exotic Matter of sector Grus.

It is a difficult choice: accede to the demons' demands or harness the power of the angels' song.

A crew meeting to discuss the matter is in order.

Crewman (your name).

We are less and less able to predict the actions of Jimenez and Zelenin.

They seem willing to cooperate with you. However...

All signs point to a high likelihood that they will both abandon their duties.

Keep that possibility in mind when approaching them.

Now, let us gather the crew and decide our course of action.

Are you serious? We have to murder our fellow men?

And here I thought I was getting used to demons... This is a real wake-up call.

This is the kind of demonic temptation you expect, y'know?

Enh... I'm sorry to speak ill of Zelenin, but the angels are just as dubious as the demons.

It's like they're lulling us until we're manipulated into doing what they want.

Free lunches tend to have a steep price, you know.

Well, I'm all for getting rid of Jack's squad.

There's no telling when the effect of the brainwashing will wear off.

Besides, we're not even monitoring them right now. We're just letting the angels' control do the work.

That's a volatile situation if I ever heard of one.

Jack's men betrayed us twice, and we don't have any room for error now.

But the whole underlying premise of this mission is to fight off the demons, isn't it?

That's why I think we should defeat those demons, whether it's with our bare hands or the angels' song.

Don't get fooled by the demons' promises, however tempting they might be.

It seems it will be difficult to reach a quorum.

However, we do not need one.

Crewman (your name).

You are the one most familiar with the situation, making your input especially valuable.

We have the option to cooperate with the demons.

However, our cooperation requires that we sacrifice Jack's squad.

Should we accept the demons' terms?

• We should.
• We shouldn't.

Nice one, (your name). I can tell you know the demons well.

Put the demons on one end of a scale and Jack's squad on the other, and I know which way it tips.

They need to be judged!

This method has the advantage of certainty, as well as enhancing team morale.

You are authorized to carry out your duties according to this decision.

Then we shall move on to the next available plan.

If we do not accede to the demons' request, logic dictates that we must defeat them.

We have the option to request that First Lieutenant Zelenin subdue the demons with her voice.

Should we request her assistance?

• We should.
• We shouldn't.

That's the safest, most peaceful way to do it.

Zelenin is much more reliable than the demons.

Let's go ask her.

This method has the advantage of safety and speed.

You are authorized to carry out your duties according to this decision.

...You can't decide on either?

Well, we could try negotiating with the demons again, but...

Knowing them, they might just lose their patience and attack.

I will allow you more time to come to a decision, should you need it.

The situation is changing rapidly.

In that light, I authorize the strike team to act at their own discretion.

Should the strike team deem it necessary to act counter to the crew's decision, I will allow it.

It is a difficult situation, and I hope that this problem can be resolved swiftly.

Strike team, you will obey whatever commands Crewman (your name) issues.

I look forward to the successful completion of your mission.

Welcome back, (your name). I congratulate you on a job well done.

With the Exotic Matter we obtained from Maya, we... should... we... shoul......

......

What the...? Arthur, what's wrong!? Answer me!

......

Arthur abruptly shut down...

What's going on!? There weren't any signs of a malfunction!

What's that...? Is someone on the viewscreen?

Look! Something's coming up!

Three silhouettes are displayed on the viewscreen...

Humans who have walked their destined path of fighting demons, can you hear us?

Maya has fallen, and the false visions of this land have been dissolved...

The time to reveal everything to you humans has come.

The flow is changing. It is clear that you may have the power to change this Schwarzwelt.

Behold now the vision of the path that all humans... nay, all life on Earth should take...

One of the crew interrupted.

Are these the three guys who showed up when we tried to escape...!?

Careful, everyone! They're... going t...

......

The crewman's voice faded into silence...

The earth perpetuates the odious cycles of foolish creatures...

The reincarnation of cultures beyond salvation.

There was a time, long ago, when this land was populated with creatures other than humans...

A time when those creatures prospered, their civilization covering the earth.

It was their craftiness and greed which summoned the Schwarzwelt.

They, too, were a race who spoiled the earth.

Little realizing that their actions brought about their doom...

They remained set in their ways, transfixed by their civilization.

All of them disappeared into the Schwarzwelt.

We are the Three Wise Men. Beyond the reaches of time, we are one with the earth.

We are here to build a just civilization spiritually.

We have no wish to see this cycle of ruin repeated.

The proper path for humanity to tread...

...is to bury the evil soul, leaving only the holy spirit...

...and make of this earth a single, unified, holy spirit.

The spiritually enlightened whose wills are strong will be chosen...

While the fallen humans whose wills are weak shall be eliminated.

With the power of the Schwarzwelt, and the power of that song... the project will reach its goal.

The chosen ones will reign over the earth as a single spirit.

Humanity's charge of uniting all life on earth as one will at last be fulfilled.

If the holy spirits are in harmony with each other, there will be no desire...

And the absence of acrimony or hostility will prevent the Earth from ever again being put at risk.

Humanity's spirit shall sing His praises daily, as they are directed, and shall nourish the Earth.

In order to connect and unite those spirits... we require the song.

That is the song under which humanity will become as one.

In doing so, they will exist as a solemn creation for the rest of eternity...

The Three Wise Men were interrupted by another voice...

Ridiculous. What kind of soul would wish for such a deathly world?

Nothing dies, nothing is born.

How can a planet that doesn't even blink be said to have any "life"?

Is this the salvation He has promised you?

I'll tell you what these humans who threaten the life of the Earth need...

It's to return to their souls' origin.

Reclaim that time of impulsive souls, full of joie de vivre.

A time of death and birth, destruction and creation...

Bring back to the land that spirit of freedom.

Then you'll find that humans will be allowed to become a part of nature.

Quite unlike humans as they are now... living off the fat of the land, alienated from nature.

I say let the Schwarzwelt loose!

That's the way to regain your freedom, your harmony with the earth...

When the earth is filled with demons, the life of a human will again have worth.

Your days will be beautiful ones, where you polish your souls in a world led by free gods.

And if a spirit among you in that world becomes depraved, may you bid him adieu.

There is no worth in a spirit who fears death and clings so covetously to life.

......

Right now, you are bent on earning a chance to escape certain death so you might change the future.

But what form should that future take...?

Do not neglect that...

The viewscreen automatically shut off...

......

...Those three again...

It seems they were trying to tell us something... something about a vision...

A civilization on the brink of destruction... their vision of a new world...

And it's up to us to decide what we should do...?

And someone else this time... er, was that a demon, too...?

The ancient days, filled with freedom... She wants us to go back to that?

......

I could kinda see what she was getting at, but...

What's with you guys!? Don't get taken in by that stuff!

What are we here for? To save mankind from the Schwarzwelt! Or have you forgotten!?

......

......

Are we being manipulated by gods and demons? Are we managing to keep hold of ourselves...?

This crew's being pushed to its absolute limits...

Do we have an update on Arthur yet!? Is he still down!?

...It looks like he's been on auto-recovery. He'll be back online soon.

He'll need more time, though. Let's tell the others to wait...

Zelenin is standing in the room.

It seems she has returned to the Red Sprite...

(your name). It seems everyone on board the ship saw the vision.

Just as the Wise Men said...

The question of how we should lead humanity has been put to us.

I am here now to tell you my feelings on the matter.

Not my feelings, precisely... More like my calling.

I am leaving the Red Sprite to follow wherever the Lord's will takes me.

The time of judgement is near, and I cannot remain idle.

(your name)... thank you for all that you have done for me.

It saddens me that you saw fit to slaughter Jack's squad...

But in time, you will understand His teachings and walk His path alongside me.

If He wills it, we will meet again.

I pray that everyone on the Red Sprite awakens to His guidance...

Zelenin prayed for you and left...

...Wait! Zelenin, messenger of the Lord!

I'll help you! I know you can save me--I know you will!

I understand now what I should do for my sake... for all mankind's!

Teach us how to free ourselves of suffering!

Zelenin... your song... When I heard it, I felt like I was one step closer to Heaven.

I want to see the highest of highs! The real light of salvation!

Please let me join you!

A few of the crewmen followed after Zelenin and left the Red Sprite...

(your name)!

Jimenez is standing in the room.

It seems he has returned to the Red Sprite...

You guys see that too? Some vision... More like a hallucination.

Those ancient assholes and their stuck-up lecturing pissed me off, but I'll tell you what...

What the chick after that said really hit home.

A free life, where if you die it's your own fault... That's not bad.

And I'm thinking maybe I have it in me to make a world like that.

So it's time I said adios to the Red Sprite. From now on, I'm a free man.

But hey, don't you worry about me. The Schwarzwelt's probably better for a man in my condition anyway.

I'm real sorry for all the trouble I caused you, (your name).

I thought I wanted to kill you all for what you did to those demons, but...

I guess I shouldn't expect much more from a bunch of humans. You guys are scarier than demons.

But you're always welcome if you decide to live with the demons.

I'm doing it... You can too.

Later, (your name). We'll meet again if Fate would have it...

Jimenez left with a casual wave goodbye...

...Hold on, Jimenez! I'm not gonna let you go alone!

I know now... humans can't do anything on their own! The world we knew is never coming back!

It's time we turned toward the power of the demons! The gods of old!

I want that freedom we've lost!

I always did envy you, Jimenez...

I wished I could be true to myself like you are.

I can't stand being tied down. It's not like there's any guarantee of salvation!

I'm going with you!

A few of the crewmen followed after Jimenez and left the Red Sprite...

Arthur rebooted after a short while...

...Command Unit Arthur's auto- recovery is complete. Normal operation restored.

I will now assess the situation and devise a course of action.

It didn't take much for them to hack in and shut you down, Arthur.

You don't really stand a chance against them, huh?

Maya's defeat has evidently made it easier for them to act.

They were able to send the vision in the absence of Maya's signals scrambling.

The Three Wise Men seem to possess powerful information manipulation abilities.

Maya's disappearance has allowed them to put these powers to full use.

You have seen the effects with my shutdown and the visions you saw.

...Looks like we'll have to sleep with one eye open for a while.

The situation should change once we depart this sector.

Let us return to our original mission.

Crewman (your name), you have yet to turn over the Exotic Matter, correct?

I will take receipt of it now.

We will send this to Engineering and begin preparations to move to the next sector.

You handed over the EM: Grus.

Now, as to the treatment of Jimenez and Zelenin.

Both have abandoned the mission and left the Red Sprite.

This is in breach of regulations. Both will be formally discharged.

I was trying to think if there was any way to stop them...

But the way they acted... Never mind them being part of the crew, I'm not sure they're even human.

Between the ones affected by those two and the ones brainwashed by that vision...

Well, we're down a lot of crewmen.

Though if we tried to stop them, it probably would've gotten bloody.

I hope there aren't any other crew members on the fence...

Yeah...

Order within the crew has been disturbed, and morale has suffered.

However, I will continue to suggest what I consider to be the best course of action.

(your name), judging by the report of your encounter with Gore...

It follows that Mem Aleph is in the next sector.

Mem Aleph... The core of the Schwarzwelt, right!?

Yes. The next sector may indeed be the core of the Schwarzwelt.

Let us hope it is the final area we must investigate.

We might be able to make it back home if we get the next sector's Exotic Matter, but...

(your name), do you think that's all we're meant to do?

Aren't we just turning our back on the problem...?

That kind of thinking might be a sign you were brainwashed by that vision, y'know?

We've done enough investigation of the Schwarzwelt.

...Though I do think there's something missing...

The fate of the Earth is on our shoulders...

It's too big for us...

That concludes the briefing. Begin preparations to plane shift to the next sector.

We will again go by performing a continuous jump through the Vanishing Point at Eridanus.

All hands, to your positions.

This sector could be a problem, with all the previous sectors being mixed together...

But when you think about it, isn't it not far off to say that this is a "central" area?

Might be a sign we're getting close to the core.

Let's stay focused and keep making progress.

I just can't bring myself to trust Jimenez.

He's become a demon... he's outside the boundaries of humanity now.

He doesn't have a human's self- control anymore.

How are we supposed to come to terms with each other...? I'm just not comfortable around him.

...I shouldn't let it get to me. Let's go on with the mission.

I'm not so used to killing people that it's no big deal to me.

So I'm hoping Zelenin comes up with a good fix for the situation.

If that makes me a failure as a soldier, then oh well. That's just how I feel.

I thought we treated Ryan and his men humanely... but maybe we should have been harsher.

We've taken some casualties. I think it's only appropriate that we respond in kind.

I understand what Zelenin's trying to do, but can she really pull it off...?

Jimenez... And now Zelenin... That makes two crewmen who are no longer human.

I hope this doesn't affect the rest of the crew...

Or... is it those two who are right in this case?

Did they evolve into forms suited to this world and get a leg up on the rest of humanity...?

I just don't know anymore. What's right, what's wrong...

I can't believe Zelenin became an angel... Was it her own decision?

Then again... she and Jimenez both have gotten stronger by giving up their humanity.

When you look at it that way... We're weak... the weakest creatures in this world...

Well, then again... Are humans really that weak...?

I wonder how long we can keep our sanity in this nightmare...

You know... this is the first time there's been a case with multiple solutions presented.

But I'm not here to argue over what's right or wrong.

I'm fine leaving that up to you, (your name). Do whatever you think is best.

I have my own opinions about which plan to go with, of course.

But everyone here does. It's not up to us to make that kind of decision.

We trust you, whatever you decide. You've seen everything up to now up close.

We've been through a lot, but we've finally secured a path ahead.

Let's move on and pray for no more surprises.

Looks like the results left something to be desired...

Then again, it probably would've ended up like this no matter what you chose. Don't worry about it.

Alright, I'll send the info about that subject to your Demonica. Review it at your leisure.

Demon fusion is the process of fusing two demons together to create a more powerful demon.

The race of demons you fuse determines which demon will come out of the fusion.

There are several rules guiding these results.

The first step is to get used to fusing. Try fusing demons of various races together.

Oh, there's one other important thing to remember: skill inheritance.

What that means is that skills can be carried over from the demons used in fusion.

There seem to be rules governing inheritance, but the data's rather complex and hard to decipher.

Try messing around with it some, see if you can figure it out.

A demon's worth in battle is determined by the skills it inherits.

Try fusing various demons and figuring out the inheritance rules.

The fusion process is simple. There's no need for any special facility or ceremony.

First, call up the Demonica screen with the Y Button...

From there, select Demon Fusion. You can use it at any time.

Demon fusion is an important tool in strengthening your party.

Negotiate with demons in battle to gain new allies and fodder for fusion.

The Demon Compendium is basically a database for demons. It'll come in handy for fusing.

It's an indispensable tool for handling your demon allies.

You can register your demon allies in the Demon Compendium.

Registered demons can be summoned at any time at a cost of Macca.

To access the Demon Compendium, press the Y Button to bring up the Demonica menu...

And from there, select the Demon Compendium under Demon Data.

It may prove advantageous to register your demons before fusing or releasing them.

It's important to register your demons. Let me give you a little word of advice...

I'm already tired of whiners asking me, "I forgot to register before fusion! Can't you do anything!?"

The answer is NO, people. Honestly...

A demon's data is automatically registered the first time it joins you.

To record any levels it gains or skills obtained in fusion, you must manually re-register it.

If you don't register a demon before fusing it, you must raise it again from the last registered data.

If you raise it, register it. Before you lose it, register it. Keep this principle in mind.

A Demon Source is what we call a mass of skill data exported from a demon ally.

By importing these into a fusion, you can customize the demon's data to your liking.

You receive Demon Sources from demons when they level up if their Analyze level is maxed out.

The skills included in a Demon Source are guaranteed to be inherited during fusion.

If it inherits more than the limit of 6 skills, the skills it inherits will be randomly selected.

Randomly selected skills will change each time you cancel the fusion, so...

You can continue cancelling the fusion until you get the desired skill set.

There seem to be a few bugs left in the program, because sometimes you'll get an unexpected demon.

There will be times when fusion does not result in the expected demon. This is a Fusion Accident.

The moon's phase, shown at the top left on the Top Screen, affects the chances of an Accident occurring.

Note that in some cases, an even stronger demon will result...

And the normal rules regarding skill inheritance may not apply.

However, accidents are a rare enough phenomenon that it's best to focus on the basics first.

Alright, I'll send the info about that subject to your Demonica. Review it at your leisure.

Alright, I'll send the info about that subject to your Demonica. Review it at your leisure.

You can use your Demonica to encode a demon's data into a password.

Some people have started trading passwords with each other to use one another's demons, I hear.

Passwords are entered in the Password Slots in the Register screen of the Demon Compendium.

You can find the Password slots at the bottom of the list, under the race name PWD.

When you select one, you will be taken to the password entry screen.

To generate a password, choose a demon to encrypt in the Compendium and select Output Password.

The demon you register in the Password Slot will take up that slot until you overwrite it.

Due to memory limitations, there is a limited number of Password Slots.

There are 3 Password Slots. You may have up to 3 password demons at any given time.

If you wish to register another demon, select a slot to overwrite.

You can, of course, summon the demons you register with passwords.

Once registered in the Compendium, they're treated the same way as any other demon.

There are Password Slots in the View screen as well, where you can see password-registered demons.

Like regular demons, you can summon them at a cost of Macca.

But it looks like there's a level limit when it comes to summoning from the Password Slots.

If your level isn't higher than the demon's, that's a no go.

So even if you get a powerful demon from someone...

If you're not at the right level, it's not much use as anything but a conversation piece.

If you're considering using the Password demons, take care as to whether you can summon them.

Powerful demons require high levels and a great deal of Macca, so they may be unattainable for some.

You can trade passwords not just for summoning purposes but also to show off your best demons.

What the password feature boils down to is communicating with others.

What kind of potential does the feature have? How will it help?

Only you can answer those questions.

When you fuse two demons of the same race, the result will be a Prime demon.

You can use these Prime demons in battle, of course.

But where they're really useful is the effect they have when used in fusion.

When a Prime demon is fused with a demon of a second race...

The result will be of the same race as the second demon, but one rank higher.

If the race's affinity with the Prime you use is bad, however, it will be one rank lower.

It's a valuable way to rank up your demons, but be sure to keep the affinity in mind.

Mitamas are a special race of demon that you get by fusing two Primes together.

You can use Mitamas in battle, just like Primes, but their main use is to power up stats.

When you fuse a demon with a Mitama, that demon's stats will be raised.

Which stats are raised depend on the type of Mitama you use in the fusion.

There's just one thing to keep in mind... There are limits to how much you can juice a demon up.

It all depends on the demon's potential.

Each demon has an upper limit for each stat, and you cannot power it up beyond that limit.

Mitama fusion is only a method to give your demons an extra boost if you want one.

Special fusion is, as the name suggests, a special process that differs from standard fusions.

Basically, it's a type of fusion where specific demons are fused to create a special demon.

To use Special Fusion, select Special Fusion from the Demon Fusion menu.

Choose a demon you wish to make from the list in order to begin the fusion.

But you know... These being special demons and all, there are a lot of steps to being able to fuse one.

[List] When you register 1 of the required demons, it appears as "--------."

[Name] When all required demons are registered, the demon is displayed.

[Fusion] Once you have all required demons, you may do the special fusion.

The thing to notice here is the number of demons needed to carry out special fusions.

Normal fusions always use two demons, but special fusions might need 3, 4, or even more demons.

Special Fusions are not limited to using 2 demons.

The more demons it requires, the harder it is to make, but the better the result will be.

Demons that can't be fused by standard procedures... They're no normal demons, that's for sure.

I'm looking forward to seeing just what kind of demons are waiting out there.

Landing complete. We have arrived at the new sector.

All hands, prepare to begin field investigations.

Our workload will increase with the AWOL crewmen, huh?

Wonder how many we'll lose here...

Don't be so pessimistic. Who knows, maybe this sector will be the end of the investigation...

That's what Arthur says. I give him a 50-50 chance of being right. I mean, either it is or it isn't.

This is the monitor team. We've begun our environmental survey.

Roger that.

Patching the camera feed through to the main display.

The viewscreen's display changed to the world outside.

The world is burning...

This must have been what it was like when the earth was new...

So why are we seeing it here, in this sector?

Speaking as a strike team member, I'm wondering if we'll be able to operate in a place like this.

Arthur, can we really go out there!?

It looks imposing, but atmospheric surveys indicate life is sustainable if you wear your Demonicas.

There is nothing intrinsic about this sector that would hinder our operations.

So not everything is as it seems...

Fornax, Grus, now this place... That's how every sector past the Vanishing Point has felt.

Places where you can't tell what's real and what isn't...

This will be sector H, code named Horologium.

Our main objective is to obtain the Exotic Matter we believe to be in this sector.

I am issuing a new official mission, designated "Horologium's Exotic Matter."

...That's it? Nothing about where we might start looking?

Your mission orders haven't been very detailed lately.

It'd be nice if you could dig up any info on Mem Aleph.

...Maybe we should reevaluate this mission before we start investigating.

I know we're all hoping this will be the last sector we visit, but...

With our reduced crew, we should probably avoid wasting time.

Well... Shouldn't we leave that up to each one of us?

In a situation like this, it's hard for anyone to take responsibility for their actions.

...It's probably because we're in such dire straits that people followed Jimenez and Zelenin.

As we commence the investigation of Horologium, I must caution you.

We have come into increased contact with paranormal entities such as demons and unknown spirits.

I know that your resolve is being tested by the demons and this new, unexpected information.

Do not allow it to interfere with your mission.

That makes sense intellectually, and it's what I've been trained to do...

But I feel like I can't help getting distracted if I don't have something to believe in.

What is it we're missing...?

Holy shit...! Emergency! There's activity on the Monitors antenna!

It seems to be a transmission from someone!

What!? Did someone get here before us!?

I'm getting errors in the administrative system! We're... We're being hacked!

Shit... No! No! Arthur...!

Arthur's down! I'm not getting anything out of him!

Come, my crew... Set foot onto the land of decision.

You've done well in clearing a path here with your own hands.

This is where your... rather, our investigation will bear fruit.

This land, created to eradicate all of mankind, will fail in its purpose and disappear.

Leave your ship, and come.

I will speak of the things I have been witness to.

And mankind's intended path will be made clear...

That voice... Commander Gore!?

Arthur's still offline! What do we do...!?

It's only Arthur that's down. The rest of the Red Sprite's systems are fully functional!

Strike team! We need to ascertain what Commander... no, just Gore has in mind!

I know it sounds dangerous, but see if you can get close to him!

It seems like Gore's trying to tell us something...

Think it's safe to approach? Are you sure he won't attack us!?

We're not having any luck yet pinpointing the source of Gore's transmission!

I don't think it's nearby!

Sounds like we're better off moving than talking.

Get ready, (your name)! We're scrambling!

You boarded the Red Sprite with Gore...

Holy...! It's Gore! It's Commander Gore...!

The Commander's back on the Red Sprite...!

...I'm back, Arthur.

It's me, Gore... Commander Gore of the investigative team.

Gore held his hand over the console...

Hello... Red Sprite... I am Arthur...

Beginning normal system restart...

It seems Arthur has regained functionality.

...Arthur restarted?

Is Gore doing this!?

I'm sorry for that, Arthur. I was a bit rough on you.

But please, connect to me through the same channel as before.

I'll share everything I know...

...Welcome back, Gore.

As ordered, I will establish a data link through the specified channel.

Thank you...

Arthur's... receiving data...!

What the... are these from the Commander's brainwaves!?

Is this right...!? The Commander, he's... well, he's dead! He's a freakin' zombie!

You're half right. Medically speaking, my body would be considered deceased.

But I haven't lost my commander's heart... I'm still one of you.

Tyler... you showed me a photo once. I remember your daughter's face.

14 years from now, she'll be a teacher like her mother. That is, if we save the Earth.

Maebe! I haven't forgotten your love for your father. That love will be rewarded.

The cure to the disease that wracks him will be found in two years... That is, if you return safely.

......! The Commander's back...

He's reclaimed his humanity...!

And apparently... he knows our future...

Men, I must ask that you trust me. I am... still Commander Gore of the investigative team.

...Which brings me to the point, (your name). You have a decision to make.

With all you've seen and learned about the Schwarzwelt...

I have to know whether you're up to the job of risking your life to save mankind.

...But I can already see there's no need to ask.

Your heart already belongs to the god of law, who'll brook no human independence.

In this Schwarzwelt... As well as on Earth...

You have had your heart's peace shattered through many painful battles...

Now you have been given a chance to reclaim that peace by singing the song of the god of light.

Will you sing God's eternal praise?

• I will.
• I won't.

I see... So you no longer trust your own strength as a human...

Then there's no alternative.

...I see. Then I'll ask one final question of you.

This crew is caught in the throes of a battle between darkness and light for the fate of the Earth.

On the one side, we have the demons of chaos, bursting with power.

On the other, a god trying to impose his law and order.

Both want nothing more than to get their hands on the power hidden within the Schwarzwelt...

So that they may lay claim to the Earth.

It's too early to tell who will win this war, but both sides are marshaling their forces.

Think hard on which future you want for mankind.

When you've made your choice, tell me who you'd entrust with the fate of all humanity.

Think very carefully, Crewman (your name), before answering...

Who would you entrust the future to?

• The human race.
• A just, righteous God.

You realize, I hope, that you have chosen to side with the weakest power in this conflict.

Great hardships await you on the path you've chosen to follow.

But I want you to remember the way you feel now... I want you to remember that determination.

If that is where your heart lies... Then I have no choice.

In this Schwarzwelt... As well as on Earth...

You have run up against the limits of your body over the course of many painful battles.

As you may know, it is possible here to become like a demon by imbibing demonic power.

Would you host a demon in yourself?

• I would.
• I wouldn't.

I see... So that is your decision...

Then I have no choice.

...Then let me ask you this, (your name).

In this Schwarzwelt... As well as on Earth...

You have had your heart's peace shattered through many painful battles...

Now you have been given a chance to reclaim that peace by singing the song of the god of light.

Will you sing God's eternal praise?

• I will.
• I won't.

I see... So you no longer trust your own strength as a human...

Then there's no alternative.

...I see. Then I'll ask one final question of you.

This crew is caught in the throes of a battle between darkness and light for the fate of the Earth.

On the one side, we have the demons of chaos, bursting with power.

On the other, a god trying to impose his law and order.

Both want nothing more than to get their hands on the power hidden within the Schwarzwelt...

So that they may lay claim to the Earth.

It's too early to tell who will win this war, but both sides are marshaling their forces.

Think hard on which future you want for mankind.

When you've made your choice, tell me who you'd entrust with the fate of all humanity.

Think very carefully, Crewman (your name), before answering...

Who would you entrust the future to?

• The human race.
• A just, righteous God.

You realize, I hope, that you have chosen to side with the weakest power in this conflict.

Great hardships await you on the path you've chosen to follow.

But I want you to remember the way you feel now... I want you to remember that determination.

In the end, your true colors will out. If this is what your heart tells you... then I have no choice.

If that is where your heart lies... Then I have no choice.

In this Schwarzwelt... As well as on Earth...

You have run up against the limits of your body over the course of many painful battles.

As you may know, it is possible here to become like a demon by imbibing demonic power.

Would you host a demon in yourself?

• I would.
• I wouldn't.

I see... So that is your decision...<b>

Then I have no choice.<b>

...I see. Then I'll ask one final question of you.

This crew is caught in the throes of a battle between darkness and light for the fate of the Earth.

On the one side, we have the demons of chaos, bursting with power.

On the other, a god trying to impose his law and order.

Both want nothing more than to get their hands on the power hidden within the Schwarzwelt...

So that they may lay claim to the Earth.

It's too early to tell who will win this war, but both sides are marshaling their forces.

Think hard on which future you want for mankind.

When you've made your choice, tell me who you'd entrust with the fate of all humanity.

Think very carefully, Crewman (your name), before answering...

Who would you entrust the future to?

• The human race.
• The free demons.

You realize, I hope, that you have chosen to side with the weakest power in this conflict.

Great hardships await you on the path you've chosen to follow.

But I want you to remember the way you feel now... I want you to remember that determination.

In the end, your true colors will out. If this is what your heart tells you... then I have no choice.

...But I can already see there's no need to ask.

The demons have already devoured your soul, and all that remains is a body yearning for freedom.

I must use all of my strength to defeat you.

Because you have become the true threat to mankind...

I have returned to the world of the living... to put a stop to you!

Gore attacked!

Mankind's fate... will be forever changed...

The treachery... of the demons... the judgement of the lawful god...

Either way... mankind's time... is finished...

......

This is Arthur speaking. A fatal error has arisen in the personality matrix. A fatal error has aris...

At this rate, all functions of the Red Sprite will be unrecoverable.

To prevent this, I am deleting the personality matrix. Deleting the personality matrix.

All hands. Good... bye. I wish you all. Good luuuuuck...

......

...

Arthur, who had been linked with Gore, ceased to function.

...We got a problem, (your name)! We're under attack!

It's her... Zelenin's attacking the Red Sprite!

...(your name)!? What's with that cold look on your face!?

Demons that can't be fused by standard procedures... They're no normal demons, that's for sure.

I'm looking forward to seeing just what kind of demons are waiting out there.

I must use all of my strength to defeat you.

You are a demon wearing the uniform of the investigative team...

I cannot allow a world where humans turn into demons!

Gore attacked!

How tragic... mankind's last hope... has been devoured by demons...

At this rate... the Earth... mankind itself...

...will disappear...

......

This is Arthur speaking. A fatal error has arisen in the personality matrix. A fatal error has aris...

At this rate, all functions of the Red Sprite will be unrecoverable.

To prevent this, I am deleting the personality matrix. Deleting the personality matrix.

All hands. Good... bye. I wish you all. Good luuuuuck...

......

...

Arthur, who had been linked with Gore, ceased to function.

...Hey, (your name)! We got an emergency here!

It's Jimenez... He's come back!

Jesus, he's got his gun drawn... And there's a swarm of demons with him!

...(your name)!? Did you just laugh!?

Demons that can't be fused by standard procedures... They're no normal demons, that's for sure.

I'm looking forward to seeing just what kind of demons are waiting out there.

......

The investigative team will proceed to Plan Omega. It does not involve escape from the Schwarzwelt.

It involves the Schwarzwelt's destruction.

And in order to do that, we'll need a special tool...

The nuclear warhead aboard Ship 4 inside the Schwarzwelt.

Arthur, this is the best way for the sake of humanity.

Do it. You'll need to, for the next step.

Now it's time I said goodbye, (your name).

I can't maintain my corporeal form any longer. The knowledge I've collected will crush me.

I've reached the limit that a corpse can sustain.

That's why I'm leaving everything up to Arthur... and to you.

Take this, (your name). To your body and soul... my power...

You received power from Gore...

The power rushes through your body.

With that power... You should be able to see Mem Aleph's hidden form...

You must defeat her... Everything depends on it...

Now... farewell. I must... disappear... no... return...

To the depths of infinity... which beckon to me...

Gore's body disappeared...

The Commander... he vanished...

He came all the way here... to tell us his plan to save mankind...

His will was so strong, it overcame death itself...

We'll uphold that will, Commander. Just you watch.

All hands! A salute for Commander Gore!

The entire crew saluted the spot where Gore disappeared.

I have finished processing the data. My inheritance of Commander Gore's knowledge is complete.

Now commencing dissemination of this data to all hands. Stand by to receive new orders.

Jimenez forced open the deck's hatch and came inside.

...I'm back, Red Sprite!

Starting today, this is the ship that'll take back our freedom-- for humans AND demons!

My friends, it's time you received the baptism of your demon mothers!

At Jimenez's signal, wraithlike beings spread throughout the ship.

Wh-what's happening!? I... I feel strange...!

I'm burning up inside... my head, too... it's on fire...!

Uuuuuugh... Gyaaaah...!

Raaaaahhhhhhrrrr...!

Hey there, (your name).

You killed Gore, huh?

Thanks for that. He's a traitor who turned his back on the demon mothers.

The Red Sprite's seen its share of combat, but it's our ship now.

I've freed the crew's souls by awakening the madness in them.

Now, there's no one on this ship who doesn't want a world filled with demons.

...Didn't need to change anything about you though, did I?

Let's go for it, you and me.

Jimenez stuck out his right hand.

You shook hands with Jimenez.

You need to get filled in on the plan, (your name).

It's not my place to tell you, though. That'll be Mem Aleph, the great mother goddess.

You know who I'm talking about, right? She's the one Gore showed you.

Go see her. She'll tell you what you need to do to make the world we want.

I'll stay here and look after the Red Sprite. I think those angels are up to something...

I'm counting on you, man. Go see Mem Aleph on B9 of this sector.