Part 103: December 7: Sanzo's Worst Mistake

-The Path is Open-


The finalized design for Tohru Adachi. He was designed as someone who has a position of authority, yet is dull-witted and thick-headed.


The initial draft of Tohru Adachi's design. Since this one made him seem too suspicious, his design was changed later to the one seen in the game.



> You've fully recovered from yesterday's events. You should go over to the TV world with everyone after school.


If Rise-chan couldn't find him, I really doubt someone with a dried-up nose like me will be much help. Hmm...Mmmmmm...I do smell Adachy-baby in here, but the fog is completely covering up his scent...
Teddie...You can't do it either?
Wh-When you look at me with those eyes...I get this feeling...I've gotta sniff him out no matter what!
This is my time to shine! Mm...Hrmmm...Ooh, I'm getting something!


Teddie...?




Huh...? I sense it from...thisaway.
Is it Adachi!?
Ummmmmm...How do I put it...It's kinda hazy, but at the same time, it feels like I've got a whopper on the line...
I don't get it...
Veeery suspicious...This definitely smells. But that's weird...If I remember right, that's where Sensei, Yosuke, and Chie-chan came from when I met them for the first time...
When we first...? Where was that?
Ohhhh...You mean that creepy-ass room where all the faces on the posters were cut out?
Yep...there's someone there!
Teddie! You really are amazing!
I-It was just dumb luck. It's because that's where I first sensed Sensei and the others. That's why it kinda smelled over there...
Ahh, I see.
Wait--did you say it smelled? Wasn't that the room where Yosuke had to go to the bathroom, and...
Huh? You're saying...he peed his pants there!?
E-Ewww...! I don't wanna hear it!
Oh, you lie so bad! Dude, I did not piss my pants!
Chie! Quit spreading random rumors about stuff like that!
Uhhh, well, it happened so long ago...My memory's kinda fuzzy, you know...
Oookaaay guys, enough fuzziness! Follow me, the master of fuzzy logic!...Heehee.
S-Snrk...
Haha, I haven't heard you crack up in a while, Yukiko.
...Though I really wonder sometimes about your sense of "humor."

> A cheerful mood has returned to the group, thanks to Teddie. And you've taken another step toward the truth...



-Who's There?-


I noticed her first...and she just had to run off and have an affair...Who's there!?


Give it up!
I don't know what you're talking about.
You're not lying your way out of this one, dammit! Just being here proves it! Answer us! You're the one who threw Ms. Yamano into the TV, aren't you!?
It was an accident. She started struggling...What else was I supposed to do?
I called her out to the lobby because I wanted to ask her something. And then she started getting hysterical on me...


And what's this "something important" you called me out here for?


What they say on the news isn't true, is it? All that talk about you having an affair and whatnot...It's all a lie, right?
Why do I have to explain myself to you...?
I see...So you don't deny it. You caught my eye, but it turns out you're another worthless bitch...
What's wrong with you? D-Don't make me call for help!
Ugh, shut up, shut up, shut up.
I think you need to see what it's like to fear for your life...It'll get your head straight.
Wh-What're you going to do...!?




Ha...hahaha...Wow...So people can go completely inside...

-Who's There?-


That...happened in our lobby...?
I learned about the Midnight Channel through some rumor. You hear a lot of fishy stories like that on the force. But it was pure coincidence that I touched the screen and discovered my power. I burst out laughing when I found out. I knew right away that this was going to be interesting!
So you tested it out on Mayumi Yamano.
Nah, it was nothing like that. I'm a very sincere fellow. I was just trying to punish the stupid bitch a little for betraying me. Yeah, putting them inside the TV was never the plan...But y'know, both Mayumi and that dippy high school girl struggled for no reason...
Then you were responsible for Saki-senpai's death!
Saki...? Oh yeah...her name was Saki Konishi or something like that. At first, I just called her in 'cause of work-related stuff. Her being the one who found Mayumi's body and all. And naturally, if there was any chance she'd seen something, I'd need to know, right? So I was all set to be a nice guy to her, and then that bitch...








Huh...So I'm not good enough for you?
Well, I know how to deal with girls like you...
N-No...!




When I was in school, I wasn't allowed to do anything but study my ass off...I was supposed to be the best of the best, and instead they stick me in the boonies...
But I guess I got this sweet power to make up for it. *chuckle* Life's not so bad after all.


Yeah, like that'll happen. *chuckle* As if I'd walk into a deathtrap like that...

-Who's There?-


You son of a bitch!
C'mon, gimme a break. I didn't know it was dangerous inside the TV. It's not like I was trying to kill them. I mean, I'm sure they hit on Namatame, not the other way around. A council secretary will one day rise to public office himself. Mayumi and that high schooler were just gold digging. They got exactly what they deserved. I didn't do anything wrong at all.
Shut the hell up! You knew from what happened to Mayumi Yamano that people die in here!
*sigh* So what if I knew?
Did you trick Namatame?
Nah...He called the police in the middle of the night, just after they found that Saki girl's body. The rest of the force had their hands full with the double homicide, and it happened that I was the one who took the call.
Namatame said the police refused to take him seriously...You were responsible for that, then.
Oh, quite the contrary. If anyone else had taken the call, sure, but I actually did believe him, y'know...?


And now you're seeing a girl in a kimono on that weird program, and you think she'll die too. Is that right?
Namatame-san...Do you seriously expect us to believe something like that?
B-But...it's true! If there's any way the police can protect her...
Listen...There's no way the police are going to make a move based on a fantasy story like that.
...It does sound interesting, though...
B-But...
Oh, I have an idea...
If you really want to save her that much...Why not do it yourself? Like...
You could shelter her somewhere. Some place where no one could find her.
Where no one could find her...?
Save her yourself...You can do it.
I'm busy, so I'm hanging up now. Bye.

-Who's There?-


Of all the people who could've received Namatame's call, it ended up being me. Talk about luck! All I did was give him a little push...And he completely bought into his vision of this world. The more people you guys saved, the more he'd kidnap...Both sides had the best of intentions, so the game of cat and mouse would never end...Haha, it was awesome.
You gotta be shittin' me!
Why...? What reasons could you have for doing that!?
Reasons...? None, really. I could do it, that's all. And it was fun...I guess that's my reason?
Y-You murdered people just for the fun of it!?
C'mon...All I did was put people in here. I didn't murder them. And Namatame did most of it. I had nothing to do with any of you.
You're just dodging the blame!
Yeah? Then how would you prove it? "He put people inside TVs?" Haha, you think the police are that stupid?
Grrrrr, what a jerkwad...!
I do admit, though. I never thought you guys would manage to track me down. I like that. Games like this gotta have surprises or they get boring fast. It's like when I dealt with that Kubo kid. That was fun, too.
Then...you mean to say that Mitsuo Kubo's disappearance was your doing as well?
I did sense something odd in his course of action...If he had special powers and wanted attention, why resort to a regular copycat crime?
But that wasn't the case...Kubo had no such powers. In fact, he was thrown in by you. Am I correct?
It had been a while since I last put someone inside the TV, so I really got a kick out of that one.
Why did you do that...? And...how come Mitsuo didn't say anything about you...?
Haha, you think that didn't occur to me before I did it? C'mon, I'm a detective. I led him through to a room at the station with a TV, switched off the lights, and did it quick while he was still startled. As long as he didn't see me push him in, and no one else did either, no one would believe him...even if he survived. Of course, I don't think the Kubo kid ever figured out what happened, haha.
Wait, the police station...?
Yeah...he turned himself in pretty quick, actually. This was back when we didn't even know enough to issue a search warrant. But the other officers decided it was just a prank, so they pawned him off on me. I didn't blame them...I mean, a kid coming and saying "I did it all! It was me?" Who'd believe him? But it looked bad...I didn't think anyone would come forward and take the blame for all the incidents. The police were desperate to pin it on anyone...If this kid really did it, they might have announced the case was closed. And if that happened, Namatame would stop "saving" people. I couldn't let that happen, or the game would be over. That's why I told the others I sent him home. I came up with the idea to put him inside the TV on the spot.
The game would be over...? You threw him in just so your fun wouldn't end!?
You gotta have some excitement in life, don't you agree? But then you guys put your foot in it again and ruined my fun. Thanks to you, Kubo was arrested again, and everyone acted like he was the true culprit behind it all. Tch...Couldn't they see how badly he copied the crime scene? It worked out in the end, though, because good ol' Namatame kept saving people. I guess the guy started to develop some kinda messiah complex, huh? What an idiot.
This is all a game to you...How dare you murder people...murder Saki-senpai for such a stupid reason! You bastard...I'll never forgive you!
You can keep your forgiveness. Our world will probably become just like this place soon enough anyways. Didn't you notice? The fog's leaking out. Everything on that side's pretty much screwed...The two sides will merge soon, and then there'll be no difference, no "sides" anymore.
Wh-What the hell's he talking about...?
This isn't his real body...
The real Adachi is somewhere else.
But this guy feels different from an ordinary Shadow...It doesn't seem like he's going berserk...
Wow, you can tell that much? This me is just around to greet you guys and thank you for wasting your time by chasing me in here. I'd say this world has taken a real shine to me...I feel like it's given me everything I've ever wanted. And the monsters don't attack me at all. Maybe they can tell we have the same goal...?
The Shadows'...goal?
By the end of the year, Inaba will disappear completely into the fog. Soon, this place will be reality. I'll be in this world, so if you want me, come and get me. This world has a mind of its own. We'll see which of us it favors.
Keep your bullshit to yourself. It's about time you shut the hell up. We'll finish this right now!


What a chump. Didn't I just tell you the real me is somewhere else? I'll be expecting you all...We'll put an end to this.
Get back here, you...!!

-Deduction-


The rest of his confessions were consistent. We'd best proceed under the assumption that it's no lie.
It felt like...he's gained some strong power after coming here.
Not only that...Maybe he got taken over by that power.
So what he said about the two worlds becoming one...That's really gonna happen?
Didn't he say that it would happen by the end of this year!? What happens then!?
I think he means...this world will engulf the human world. The people in town are acting weird. It's like when the Shadows that emerged from people went berserk. If the fog gets even thicker and this town is completely shut off from the outside world...Then...the other side might become full of Shadows, like over here...
You mean, everyone's gonna turn into Shadows...!?
Dammit...Damn that bastard! Why...? We went through so much to get here...And now it turns out he was pulling our strings this whole time!?
No more.
Yeah...It's about time we finished this. I don't want to feel this way ever again.




I sense Adachi's presence from that direction...He's taunting us.
Bring it on! Let's go kick his ass, right now!
Wait! I suggest we prepare ourselves first. We can't let him stab us in the back, ever again...We must face him with all the power at our disposal, and defeat him without fail!
I'm a little worried what he means, "by the end of the year"...But now's not the time to freak out! Let's get prepared! Let's get OVERprepared and leave footprints all over his stupid smug face!

> By pooling all your strength, the path to the truth has been opened...


Senpai, please don't go on alone. I understand that it must hurt, since you seemed to have a personal relationship with him.


He might be calling to you.
Wait, never mind! Forget I said that!
We're all going together, okay!?
Promise us.

> The unexpected true culprit has finally been confirmed...Before the end of the year, this town will be swallowed by the fog. You must finish things before then. You resolve to be fully prepared before facing Adachi...

Here's a video for the following scene, as requested.




He might be calling to you...
We're all going together, okay?
Promise us.

> ...What should you do?

If you want to complete all the Social Links, you must take this choice. Otherwise Jester will be closed off for good.



> If you leave now, you may be able to make it in time before Junes closes. You decide to go to Adachi's alone. Junes, Electronics department...





> There's no sign of anybody around. Is Adachi here?


This is a problem.



-Who's There?-




You couldn't even bring your wannabe detective friend?
I need to talk to you.
To...what, change my mind?
Don't kid yourself.




Friendship, effort, victory...You guys love that stuff.
I believed in you.






I don't have anything to say to YOU. If crimes could be solved by appealing to morality, we wouldn't need the police! The person you believed in was a version of me who only existed in your head. You decided on your own to believe in me, and that decision betrayed you. Why complain about it to me?
You're a sad human being.
About time somebody said it.



That too.




You can't shoot me.
Wow, very optimistic! Is your brain rotting or something?

*BANG*





> You smell the acrid scent of burning gunsmoke...


I won't miss next time.

> It didn't seem like a threat...But you don't think you can talk to Adachi anymore. You feel that your relationship with Adachi has changed dramatically...

-Strength of Heart-











Another Thoth trump, like Aeon. More commonly known as Lust. The eleventh Major Arcana in Crowley's deck, in place of Strength. Represents dominance, loss of self-control, and the thrill of power.

Any Jester Personas in your Compendium will also switch over to Hunger here.

-Who's There?-


You can go back to your friends and bring them all here...Or you can die now.
I guess regular revenge is boring, though.
Let me see where your detective work takes you. It's always good for a laugh. You're so persistent! Look at all that youthful vigor you've got. Come on, "leader," bring all your friends back here.

He asked for it.





> The entrance is closed...It seems Adachi is blocking you. That Adachi wasn't the real him, either. Unless you come back with your friends, you won't be able to reach Adachi...You must go back for now...


Welcome back.


It's okay, I understand. I'll keep it a secret from the others, and I won't ask about Adachi for now.
But come on...you should trust us more.

> Yosuke seems a bit sad...

Anyway, I'm glad you're safe. Ahem! "Attention, customers, it is now closing time. Please visit us again tomorrow."

> You couldn't get through to Adachi. The day that the town will be swallowed by the fog should be near the end of the year...You must reach a decision by then...You must prepare yourself as completely as possible.