Part 12: Zone 2 - Japhet

Hello, welcome back! Last time we'd just cleared the residential district of some troublesome ghosts, and learned from the Judge that his insane brother Valerie is waiting for us on the roof of the library.

Music - Desperately Safe





: I... I don't dare go there ever again...

There's nothing else left for us in this zone, we've been locked out.



Time to go deal with a cat.

Music - The Walls are Listening





: Well, don't be too loud, please.

I don't think you'll be able to hear us from the roof, but I'll try I guess.





There's nothing new here. We walk in silence to the fourth floor.



This is the room where we first met Valerie, claiming he was Japhet, and where he dropped Omega. The barrier keeping us from progressing higher has been removed.



This next floor has a highlighted bookshelf. Let's check it out.



The page numbers aren't sequential, which strikes me as immediately suspicious. We'll be writing them down.



Music - The Walls are Listening (Cliff Mix)

Heading out the door takes us onto a long balcony on the outside of the library. It's got an odd sort of atmosphere out here, like the sort of place where you'd expect to feel your hair blow in the wind, but there isn't any wind at all.





By "entertainment" I'm fairly sure this book is referring to the world's best amusement park.





As soon as I take one step away from this bookshelf, a burnt jumps at us.



I'm not sure why the valzong-burnt are up on this floor. Maybe being this close to Valerie made them pop.



Another bookshelf just by the next door up.





The fifth bookshelf is to the right of the fourth. It's easy to miss since the exit was back there.



We're attacked one last time on our way off of this floor.



But they're all enemies we've seen before.





I don't like the picture these books are painting as we climb higher.







Another balcony. The sky is looking darker, and-





Okay, what the fuck is this



I... Thanks? Thanks, Batter.



I have no idea what to say about the whale. He's a random encounter on the upper floors of the library. He's not particularly hard to kill, and for some reason he doesn't change the music when you fight him. Also he's a fucking whale.



Well, okay whatever let's keep going.



A-ha! A room we can use the numbers we've been collecting in. I spy one last bookshelf in the corner there though.



I don't like this story.



I've got our numbers down, so let's enter them.



Perfect. The final door is open.



Oh my, Zacharie! Hello!



This line creeps me out pretty badly.



From Zac we buy two Solid Symbols and two Humerus Epidermis defense items for our Add-ons, a Mini-Woo tunic for the Batter (I didn't know about the secret one in the water when I recorded this update), and 3 Aura of Perception defense items for the entire party.





A symbol.



We've found Valerie, waiting at the highest point. The Judge steps out to speak to him directly.



: Valerie?That ... is the name of the cat. You are mistaking me for someone else. I am Japhet the fire bird, guardian of zone 2!

: Stop with these paranoid delusions, dear brother! Come with me to zone 0. I have built a cellar where we can forget our sorrows...

: I am not your brother! I do not even belong to any race of predators! Take a look at my real face, you poor, smelly cat!

: Va... Valerie??



: Unable to even chew through a little bird, until the end.

: ...

: Whatever. Japhet, I am here to destroy you, you who claim to control the specters.

: I was waiting, Batter. I will not go down without a fight.

: ... Valerie...



Music - Pepar Steak

And so we have learned the secret of Valerie's madness. His body has been taken by Japhet the fire bird, who has been using him as a puppet this whole time.



: I did everything for them! They are like my own, countless children... And like all disrespectful children, they need to be punished.



The scan info is the same as our previous fight with Japhet/Valerie.



I spend some time trying to poison him, but he's immune to it.



He's still attacking us with Alto, which causes around 60 damage and has a chance to inflict the Mute status on the target. After three turns, he transforms.



: Yes, I have sinned, I admit it, but my responsibilities are far beyond those of a mere mortal.



Japhet is becoming more aggressive.



He now uses a more powerful attack, Soprano, which does around 100 damage per strike. After the Batter's sixth turn, something changes again.



: No matter. I am ready to die. But first, prepare yourself to see my true form.

BOSS MUSIC - Minuit A Fond La Caisse



: I am the millennial fire bird. Let the battle begin.





Japhet is a disgusting monster wearing the ragged remains of a dead cat around his neck. We have no choice but to purify him.





We hit him with all we've got. We can't poison him, so we'll just beat him senseless instead.



Japhet's most powerful attack is Head-Voice, which does around 180 damage. With our current health, this is a hell of a blow.





Optimized Blur lands a brutal strike. Good work Omega.



This. This is Japhet's bastard attack. Tenor deals 100 damage, like Soprano, but it inflicts Poison.



Poison in this game is insanely damaging. It's a constant drain on your health, all the time, super fast.



I managed to have Omega heal the poison of off Alpha, but Japhet muted him immediately after. I completely failed to notice this.



Here's the moment where I opened Omega's competence menu and realized he was muted. This situation is bad fucking news.



Time for emergency healing.



In my panic I used a Belial's meat rather than the meat specifically for healing poison, which was sort of a waste but whatever, Omega didn't die.



Back on track.



And just in time as Alpha strikes



the mightiest blow



Music - No Music













It is an incredible victory. Every member of our party gains a level, and we now possess the access card for zone 3.



: You can be proud to have accomplished your mission, Batter...

: Valerie...

: You've been defeated, Japhet, guardian of the second zone. This land is now pure.





Music - The Race of a Thousand Ants (Safe Mix)



We fade in on the baby once again.



: The... The bird... He left too...



Music - Silencio



We're left once again on the world map. Special thanks to Vilkacis for providing the boss info on Japhet.

Next time we'll be heading to zone 3. Until then, my first notebook page is full. Here are my notes up to this point in the game:



I hope to see you again for zone 3.