Part 17: From Hell With Love

DUNGEON 18 - AVICI HELL

BGM: Otherworld Dungeon (Astral World)

Last time I got duped by Kyouji and sent to hell. They're nice enough to send a welcoming crew.



PRETA: Hey, looks like somebody new is here. This is Avici Hell. Once you're here, you're never getting out.

I don't like the sound of that. Wait, Avici Hell? Otherwise known as neverending hell or the lowest circle of hell? Where have I heard that...


Well I'll be. He may be an asshole, but at the very least Kyouji does what he says he will. I like guys with a strong sense of duty.



This dungeon could be considered another form of hell because it's basically just one big warp puzzle. Not to the point of annoyance that Chinatown was, but somewhat close. It even has everybody's favorite "walk back into where you just warped to" warps.



It seems that even though we were stripped of our body, we still have our GUMP and our demons. Hope that's not too much of a problem for you, Kyouji. Though he did say this was the spare one that he left with Victor...Eh, not my problem.



A nice aspect of this dungeon is its extremely low encounter rate - if you're lucky, you might be able to get through without running into even one demon. There's no new demons here, and most of the demons aren't at that high a level anyway. We do get to see the return of Preta and Slime, who haven't appeared since the very first dungeon.

There's a few more denizens of hell to talk to, as well as two heal spaces for our convenience.



PRETA: I used to be a human, y'know~. But since I've been here for so long, I turned into this creature.



PRETA: Hee-ho, hee-ho, I'm lost~
Hee-ho, hee-ho, inside the~
Hee-ho, hee-hoo, warp maze, ho~

Oh no, Jack! What'd you do to get sent down here?



PRETA: I was sent here because of all the sins I committed in my life.

Why'd I get sent to Avici anyway? I haven't done anything bad, except I guess rob a museum blind for my own profit. I guess this shows the true extent of Kyouji's powers.



After fumbling around for a bit, I make my way to my destination.

BGM: Sanzu River



: ...Who came all this way through Avici Hell? I see, it's the soul of Naoto Shibata.



: Now I must ask of you: do you wish to return to your physical body?

>YES
NO

C'mon, Charon, what kind of question is that?

: It is regrettable, but the Sanzu River can only be crossed one way. Return to Avici.

Argh, no!



Alright, let's try again. No, Charon, I came all this way just for a little chat.



: Well then, I will recognize those who passed through Avici just to speak with me.
: Since you came all the way here, I will tell you the truth of your death. Your passing was no accident; in fact, it was I who carried it out at the request of Kyouji Kuzunoha.

Kyouji Kuzunoha: screwing me over since the very beginning.

: After he died at the hands of Sid Davis, his soul was trapped in the pseudo-Astral Plane. Though he could not carry out his work as a Devil Summoner, he still wished to carry out his duties. Just before Sid killed you, I was to take your soul and place it into his body. All this just to fulfill his duties as a Devil Summoner...
: But the fact still remains that you were used as a sacrifice, Naoto Shibata. However, you traveled through Avici with your own power, so I will allow you to cross back into the world of the living. The soul of Kyouji Kuzunoha, can you hear me?



: Charon, I'm a little busy here. What do you want?
: ...Hey, why is Naoto there?! Don't tell me he actually went all the way through Avici?
: Are you still unable to return to your body?
: Shut up, I've almost got it. Just a bit more and I'll get my body back.
: You cannot. Your soul and body have been separated for too long. You have truly died.
: By the way, the soul of Naoto Shibata crossed through Avici alone. You said that he would make a poor substitute, but it seems that's not so, doesn't it? Since you cannot return to your body, you will have to let Naoto Shibata take over.



Truth bombs dropping so hard that even Kyouji is rendered speechless.

: I will take your silence as indication that you have accepted your fate. Naoto Shibata, return to the human world in the body of Kyouji Kuzunoha.

Sorry, Kyouji! Have fun body-hopping again!





: ...Kyouji...Kyouji!



: Thank god, I was worried...A lot happened after you went to the pseudo-Astral Plane. Kumiko Hatano left, almost like she was possessed. Then you seemed to be having a nightmare, it was so sudden that you startled me.
: You started muttering about the coin locker, then started yelling something like "I have to go back, I have to go back."
: Are you okay? Can you stand up? Come on, let's go back to the office.

BGM: Kuzunoha Detective Agency



: Hey, don't worry about paying me back or anything. I'd say I still haven't finished repaying you for saving me back at the museum.

Ah, the museum reminds me that I haven't talked to Redman in awhile. To the internet!



>Cannot access the server while system maintenance is being performed.

But how will I get vaguely worded advice from my boy Redman? I guess I'll have to find somebody in Yarai Ginza to tell me what to do next. Maybe Marie?



: It's getting so dangerous around here now. I'll have to get away from here for awhile.

Hey, wait!



>Nobody's here...

Dammit, this means she's not going to give me all the money she cheated me out of with that "agent's fee" stuff she pulled. Alright, let's try Club Ezekiel.



GIRL IN BLUE: That Kumiko Hatano sure has terrible taste in men. First she goes to Seaside Park with some loser, and now she's hanging around Chuou with some dark-skinned creep.

I resent that first part, but thanks for the info. Still hanging around Chuou, are you, Sid? Let's get that book before we head out.



>You're at the coin lockers.
Which locker do you want to open?

You actually expect me to remember your birthday, Kumiko? Only one of these actually corresponds to a date, so let's get into locker 0130.





>Opened locker 0130. You got the book "A Discussion of Ancient Japanese Civilization." Inside the book is a memo from Professor Azuma, which reads: "Beneath the earth, below the hills where birds dance around in the heavens, turn the stone plug and release the water." Got the professor's notes.

What's with video games and people leaving cryptic messages? Is Azuma actually going to remember what the heck he meant when he wrote that? Now then, let's head to the one place in Chuou we haven't been - the park in the middle.



BGM: Sid Davis



: I've been waiting for you, Kuzunoha. No, I suppose I should call you Naoto Shibata.



: Kuzunoha...sorry, Shibata. I have your girlfriend Kumiko Hatano here. She is completely unharmed, and I would like to return her to you that way. If you want me to do so, then listen to me. I know you have that book, and the memo inside it. I don't want the memo back, I just need you to do what it says.
: Once you do so, then I will let her go. Do you understand, Shibata? Come meet us inside the park when you're done.

Sid, if you want to be lazy and make me do all the work for you then just say so instead of dancing around the issue. That's kind of your thing, isn't it?

Now then, that memo leaves us with a bit of thinking to do. But just a little bit. The kanji for "Hibari" in Hibarigaoka means "skylark" while the "oka" part means "hills," so that solves the first part. The "beneath the earth" part means the sewers, so our destination is somewhere within the Hibarigaoka sewers.



As always, the Hibarigaoka sewers is basically the same as any other. Our destination is on the third floor, but there's a certain man we need to meet for the last time.



BGM: Doctor Thrill



: The Zoma I put all my soul into is finally complete. You could even call its body a weapon of its own, kekekeke.



: Oh, here ya are. You'll be breathing yer final breath right here. My Gargantua 8 is gonna completely destroy you. This Special Remix Version's based off of the super-ultra strong art of kenpo.
: Well then, time to call it out!! Demon of flesh!! Gargantua 8!!



GARGANTUA 8: Oraoraoraaa!!

BOSS #20 - GARGANTUA 8

VS Zoma Gargantua 8



Aside from his JoJo-esque cry, Gargantua 8 is known for his ruthless physical power. His regular attack can knock off a chunk of HP, but the move to really watch out for is Diablo de Corps. It hits three times for some major damage and can even inflict Shock if you're unlucky. In one of my runs, it took out Rei in a single turn. Luckily in this run he decided to attack me and Yoshitsune, both of whom reflected it right back at him. Without Diablo de Corps, Gargantua 8 isn't much of a problem.

His other two moves are the Almighty attack Megidola and the buff-erasing Dekaja. It was a mighty fine try, Thrill, but unfortunately it wasn't enough.



:...I-It lost...I can't believe my Gargantua 8 lost. All the Gargantuas up to 8 lost.
: I'm gonna quit this whole Zoma-building mess. Jeez, I'm just so sick of it. Well, this is goodbye...

Spoiler: he does not quit the "whole Zoma-building mess" and reappears with a new one in Soul Hackers. At least stick to your principles, Thrill.



And one of the better reasons to fight Thrill appears: another Dolly Kadmon. If you already have a Zoma or Hero, then fighting Thrill will result in another Dolly Kadmon to use. I'll be putting this one to use next update.



Alright, now to get to the stone plug or whatever the heck Professor Azuma's metaphorical note meant. It's out of the way on the third floor.



Okay, so I guess the Hibarigaoka sewers aren't exactly the same.



>It appears to be a stone hut built in ancient times.
There's a stone plug. Turn it?

Oh what, it was actually a stone plug? Either have all of the note be a metaphor or none of the note be a metaphor, Azuma. Let's turn it.



There she goes! And that does...what, exactly?

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Next update: Can a dungeon truly be called a dungeon if there's no annoying gimmicks?