Part 104: Day 41 - Gameplay Again Again Again

Day 41: Gameplay Again Again Again

Music: neutral 2




Well, this has been an eventful day, hasn't it?

We've accomplished a great deal in a relatively short amount of time. However, we cannot proceed forward if we stay here at the beginning of the week.

Yeah, it's finally time to move forward. Places to be, robots to beat.

Attempt to beat.

WhiteNight won't be able to save you this time. I know what's going on.

Calm down, you two. We have to get through this day before you get back to your tiff.

Yesod's right. This isn't the time for this. We need to get this train moving again. And since someone isn't brave enough to break company policy…

I see no reason to harm any part of this elegantly designed shell we live within.

That means we carry forward. Chesed, get Twee ready. She'll be taking point with WhiteNight.

Of course~





I wonder how you'll react today? Don't disappoint me.

Before we go any further, there's something I should note about our mission for the day:



It's already done thanks to our previous day 41s, and it's so long that it actually leaves the interface area.



Let’s make the best of today as always~

Where's Twee gotten off to?

I saw her running towards Records earlier.

Huh... Wonder why?

The manager's decided to assign her to WhiteNight. She's been equipped for maximum durability, so there should be no problem~



Honestly… this is overkill. To start with, Twee takes 0.2x any Pale damage WhiteNight deals. Then, CENSWORD restores HP equal to 40% of the damage taken, and the Mimicry gift also gives an additional 5% boost to the damage healed by CENSWORD's effect, making that 40% into 42%. This means she will effectively be taking only 0.116x the damage she otherwise would from WhiteNight's attacks. Defensive modifiers are always multiplicative, and slapping a few onto Paradise Lost is where things start to get absolutely nuts.



Let's all do our best today!

I'm really glad to be out of that old outfit.

It's because of all your own hard work. Feel proud that you've made it!

Heck yeah!

So that means nobody needs any training here anymore, right?

That's correct!

Great, then let's just take the day off.

Wait, is that why you came over here?!

It's not a problem, is it? We've worked hard-we should have a vacation.

Can we… do that?

Well… nobody actually has any training to do. I don't see why not! Let's relax as much as we can today!

Sweet.

Meanwhile, Twee begins her work with WhiteNight.



Why art thou like this?

I just want to fluff your wings some, maybe harvest a feather. It's not a big deal-right?

Thou shalt have no such favor from Me.

His movement put him back in Behavior Adjustment's spot again, causing the same glitch as before.



Meanwhile, the Clerks in Records get cleared out as insurance against Bad WhiteNight results.

Talow, you seem a bit off. Everything okay?

Oh, fine, just fine. Just need to talk to the manager later.

I've heard he's pretty chill-it should be okay, right?

We'll see. First I may as well get some work done.



These two will be providing a good amount of our energy as we farm for their E.G.O gifts. Luckily, nothing really happens today.



Yep, nothing at all.

Manager, are you trying to get everyone in the entire facility killed?

I brought us to the next meltdown level, didn't I? Twee'll take care of it.



Hold on, I have to take this.

You make it very hard to have faith in you, sir.

I know.



Really don't see how a joke about hobbies wound up getting me put out here…

_{I thought you'd like to take up birdwatching!}

Not a great joke.



And voila. We're already back up to blue. See? No problem, I've got that guy figured out.

While you were busy with figuring him out, the King of Greed is in my hallways!

What? That's impossible, I never recieved a… Hokma!

Yes, A?



Would you mind explaining this?

Oh, this?



I'm afraid I have no idea how they survived either, A.

That isn't what I mean, and you know it.



The King of Greed. You didn't say anything.

Ah, yes. WhiteNight has been brought under control, so there was not a reason to work with you any longer.

But you said-

That protocol prevented me from taking action until tomorrow. And I haven't acted. I've done nothing at all, A.

Wow. He's got you there~

Please don't sound impressed. Gebura, coordinate a strike force.

Already done. Figured you'd ask.



Queen of Greed is easier to deal with if we slow it down, so Tylana and Mr.Black's Smile E.G.O are very good at opening it up to everyone else.

Between us we should have this, right ma'am?

Most likely! This one's not that dangerous even if she does leave, though. Just make sure not to follow after it.



Not that she'll get a chance, ma'am!

Sure enough. Not bad, Gaia.



Violet Dawn.

Oh I just had an idea. Let's have Mizu field test the new weapon.

You gave a highly experimental weapon… to Mizu?

If it exploded, she'd probably be fine?

Point taken.



What's that? You wanna do something special? Okee-dokie, let's do a special!

Mizu's first attack with the Paradise Lost E.G.O is its special attack, usable only when WhiteNight is in the facility. Whenever this attack happens, it generates a unique yellow shield over the user. This shield blocks the first 100 damage the Agent would take, regardless of damage type.



The attack itself is a big black scythe swipe over the area where she's attacking-we can see it over Mountain's cell, though it shows up a bit better when we're not all the way down in Extraction. It also hit from the other side of one of the longest hallways in the game.



Its normal attack comes out quickly, hits the entire room at once, and restores the user's HP/SP with every hit. It's very difficult to see the red scythes/spears coming out from underneath the Violet Dawn on the left, but this is a good idea as to just how long the range on this weapon is. It's easily one of the best defensive weapons in the game for having both its range and recovery ability-and in Lobotomy Corporation defensive strategies tend to be much more powerful than offensive ones.



Do you need help?

Nah, I can handle a moldy tablet by myself anytime.

If you say so.



Violet Done.



Is there any way we can use the energy from last time to just… skip ahead a bit?

Unfortunately not. As we garnered that energy in the future, it is not available here and now.

So future me has it and won't share.

That is… not precisely how it works.

I know. Shame, really. I wanted to call it early.

That excited to meet your end by my hands, are you?

If the others couldn't beat me, what makes you think you can?

You've spent more than half of your time today on pause, and this isn't even anything unusual.

That's a distressingly good point.

Don't worry, sir! Even if you fail over and over and over again, I'm sure you'll pick yourself back up like always!

...thank you, Malkuth.

Anytime!



Come to think of it, it's been a while since we've had to redo days…

It was rather comforting to have a generally normal flow of time.

Um… it's not like time has much meaning here anyways, does it? Our work is the same seven days a week.

Still, it's awkward to watch someone die and have to look them in the eye the next day.

For you, too? I've managed to get over it… the key is to just not look anyone in the eye.

Is that why you're always napping so much?

Ehh… could be.



Mmm… I don't get what Mizu sees in you. You just sort of jiggle menacingly.

_{She tastes like strawberry!}

Taking your word for that one, thanks.

While we have Mizu working here, we don't really want to do too much of that-she can't heal from regenerators with Paradise Lost equipped, so eventually she'll get worn down.



…Very eventually. For all normal purposes she'll be just fine.



Well, it was just one day but we managed to get almost everything we wanted to done.

Didn't really like how I had to go birdwatching. Three times.

You're fine, it's just Punishing Bird-it's a total softie.

Vacation days are so relaxing. I don't ever want today to end.

That's how it goes, I'm afraid. Let's just get the paperwork done and-

Already did it. I keep a couple prefilled reports just in case.

Should you be doing that? If the Sephirot found out you could get in trouble.

Eh, it's not that much worse than having a vacation on the clock.

She's got a point there.

Fine. Let's finish up and head off to the lockers, just us three-

Hang on a second! We're not done yet!

Huh?

Justice! None of my Justice training's done, I haven't even started it yet. I can't be done with training until I finish it!

Oh… come to think of it, that's right. In that case, get over to Safety. A couple works with Blue Star should get things in order quick enough.

...That means we've got to come up with actual paperwork. None of mine have any works on them.

No problem, we'll take care of it in the meantime. You get to work.



Since this loop is a keeper, we need to start actually training our Agents again. That means Elle is going to Safety for now.



Violet Noon. One of the major threats of a late game Violet Noon is the monuments landing on a bunch of Clerks at once, killing them en masse and freeing multiple Abnormalities at once.



The solution is to pause the second we change over, and quickly Execution bullet everyone within the same room. Elle will be fine, of course.



Unlike that fish, this time around I can use my special technique! The lot of you should be thankful you have someone this skilled around.

Which special technique was that again, ma'am?

I can boost Red damage! All of your attacks will be stronger thanks to the great Dimi.

...don't tell her. It's easier if she thinks she's important to the plan.

Yes ma'am.



Sweet, we're over the hill. Let's have Twee work with WhiteNight until it's time to stop.

Why's that, Manager?

Have you seen that E.G.O gift? I want that.



...Why are we back here?

Hiding from them. If you're smart, you will too.

...why?

The darkness within this place ebbs forth. Can you feel it? Deep within your soul?

Indeed! Either that or it's indigestion! HAHAHAHA!

I'm going to go work with Blue Star.

Yes. Go fast.



In here, it's nice and quiet… Just me, and the hum of a star.



Are you suuure I can't have a wing of my own?

Thou art not worthy, for thou showest Me not the least respect.

Aww, but you're so fluffy!

Disappear from My sight.



Manager, this seems as though it could be a problem.

Naaah. It's fine.

It shalt not be for thee. Not for long.

Who the hell let you back into this… Hokma!

He isn't responding. I believe he may be preparing for tomorrow.

Right. Cut his comms then, that should solve it.

Thou shalt not simply be able to ignore My radiance forev-

It is done, manager.

Thank you. Gotta say, I'm... not looking forward to this.

Nevertheless, you shall be equal to this task. That is your duty as manager, and you've thus far never failed to deliver.

Yeah. Good point, Angela.

Hey, boss. I interrupting something?



Nah, go ahead.

I'm just going to ask… are you done? Are we moving again?

Huh? Oh-yeah, barring anything unexpected we shouldn't be having to rewind any more from here.

Good. We're close enough to a confrontation with that bastard robot that I can taste it, and collapsing the building on itself gets boring after the fourth time you do it in a row.

_{Collapsing the…} I'll ask tomorrow. Can't leave the baby alone.

No, I suppose you can't.

What'cha talking about?



Wha?!

I just asked what were you talkin' about. Seemed interesting.

How long were you standing there?

Whole time.

Then I guess you already know, huh.

I know basically enough to have about a million questions.

Ask Bishop, then. I'm sure he'd love to act like a real detective for once.

But you're the one who-

Gotta go, urgent page.

Wha-hey!



Twee…

I did my best! _{It was not very good.}

Well. This seems like a good time to end the day. Good work everyone!

Since WhiteNight's QC only decreases after its work cooldown clears, if we're feeling cheeky we can try to sneak in more works until we get a Bad result at 1 like this. He's quite forgiving to work, really-very fitting for a savior.



Everyone made it home safely. That means I win, right?

No! There was an Abnormality that escaped, so things definitely went wrong!

Mmm… Okay. We can call it your win, then.



And of course, Elle finished her Justice training.

I'm just glad the day's finally over. Let's get the next Abnormality settled and get some rest, everyone.

Music: never frozen bottom flows


We've seen all of these before, so I'll skip the formalities. Instead, I'll point out a nice feature the game gives us: Abnormalities whose names we know will show up on their boxes on this screen. This means we don't have to remember a bunch of numbers unless we really want to!



Anyways, the last Magical Girl has been without her friends for way too long, and our facility can definitely handle her by now. Let's fix that.



Next time, on Lobotomy Corporation: Hokma tries to kill us (again) because he's an AI and this is a video game.