Part 56: The World of Man

A Scorched Nation



So, before we go fight Mem Aleph one last time there's one final thing to do. This pillar in Antlia is something we've passed several times, but have ignored wholesale... until now.



Data repair... in progress...

Data repair... complete.



It replicates demon data and dimensional data, allowing you to participate in real combat.

Turn on the combat trainer?

Yes.

> Some information was sent to your Demonica.



This program uses a multi-battle combat system.

It is recommended that you prepare yourself properly before activation.

Or, in other words, this is a bit of a marathon of fights. Oh boy, let's go!





More specifically, it's a boss rush!



It's a series of upto 11 fights depending on what alignment routes you've done before. The fights themselves are completely unchanged from their normal incarnations, which makes sense and is also kind of disappointing.



The boss rush itself is an EX Mission but it doesn't formally have a reward, per se. You CAN gain a bunch of incense from this but pfft who cares about incense now.



The reason we left it until now is because after Maya, we get upto 4 fights added. Mastema and...



Pillar Zelenin are added from completing the Chaos route.



There is an internal "time limit" that affects your reward for a given fight. Beating every fight under that time limit is how you get like 15 incense? Not important.



Soil Jimenez and the two-form Mem Aleph battle are added from the Law route. Mem Aleph is also added from the Neutral route, of course. Judge Zelenin and Awake Jimenez are never added.

Incidentally, this is a REALLY good way to grind if you care about that.

A Scorched Nation



Just beating it is enough to get the EX Mission to count as cleared, thankfully.



Mem Aleph's turn limit is for both fights combined so that one can be tricky if you don't do this a super Easy Way. I just constantly bombared Zelenin (and everyone else) with Victory Cry'd Jihads so she healed with Left Hand a bunch is why it's not 10.

A Land Bringing About Life



Anyway, this is the team we're going to use for Mem Aleph. You've probably seen a video that uses shit like an Erthys and Jack Frost but this is better.





Mem Aleph's form should be visible, thanks to Commander Gore's assistance.
Use all your might to defeat Mem Aleph.
You're our best hope, Langdon. Save the Earth!
I know you can do it, Langdon! It's just another mission for you!
Now then, Crewman Alger. I look forward to the successful completion of your mission.

> You passed through the door.

Silence



> A huge, unknown entity thought to be Mem Aleph is sitting there...

> You looked hard at Mem Aleph.

Eternal Throne



Far from repenting your sin of destroying the Earth, you have come to take my life as well...
The seeds of destruction are in fine bloom...

> Mem Aleph took a deep breath...

There is no trace in you of teh humans who once lived alongside my kind...



They have become lost souls without a future, who seek to crush what they do not possess.
Your obliviousness to we demons, to the gods of old, is unfortunate.
You mistook yourselves for the center of creation...
...And lost the ability to revive the twisted, fallen souls.

> Mem Aleph took a deep breath...

I am Mem Aleph. She who remembers the Earth and speaks for it.
I must protect the Earth that overflows with life!



Mem Aleph The Empty Mother

Take The Shield, Raise The Spear



So, remember how I said Reflect was broken? Yeah, Mem Aleph damn near one-shot herself. Weakass demons + weakness to the attacking element + multi-target only... Mem Aleph is pretty damn suicidal!

She totally would've done it too if I gave Alger worse armor (I forgot to remove the Fimbul Vest, oops) and/or if he had less Magic. Oh well.

Midpoint Break

Chaos Theme



No... I... still...

> The space around you began to distort!



CASTING OFF FORM... CASTING OFF REASON... CASTING OFF MY FUTURE.
MY SOLE DESIRE IS TO CRUSH YOUR SPIRITS INTO ATOMS...
...AND DISAPPEAR INTO THE AIR.

Empty Mem Aleph (Cont.)



Fortunately, Empty is stronger so she's able to deal... just enough damage to oneshot her first form. Oh well.

End

Silence



HUMAN... HAAAAAAH... HOW MUCH POWER... HAVE YOU GAINED...?
HAAAAAH... BUT... YOU CANNOT... CREATE... A FUTURE...
CREATE... A FU...TURE...



Morale



I have verified your victory over Mem Aleph.
Mission "Horologium's Exotic Matter" is confirmed complete.



They are believed to be a result of Mem Aleph's defeat.
It is possible that the Schwarzwelt could collapse unexpectedly. We must accelerate our timetable.
All crew, return to the Red Sprite...

Malevolence and Benevolence



Deliver the Exotic Matter you retrieved to Engineering.
You did it, Alger! I can't believe you beat Mem Aleph...!
We've eliminated the root of the Schwarzwelt!
Am I dreaming? You really beat Mem Aleph!? Our goal always seemed almost impossible...



I never thought things would seem so hopeful for us...
Humans really can do big things when tehy put their minds to it, eh Alger?



There were several times where I thought, "This is it..." But I'm glad we never gave up!
Can I get a "Hell yeah!" for the Red Sprite?
Alright, guys, I'd like to keep celebrating too, but c'mon...



The Schwarzwelt's destruction will be carried out at the Vanishing Point.
We will return to sector Eridanus immediately.
You heard him, everyone! Stand by to shift to Eridanus!



Despite it shifting to CG, this isn't quite the start of the ending just yet.

Morale



We can confirm the effects of the Exotic Matter! Looks like there's a warp, just like we predicted!
I'd say that's a good sign we can finally get home...!



First, we must synthesize the bomb, and then activate it simultaneously with our escape.



One last big job for the lab!
But how do you plan to do all this with one ship...? If we explode, we can't very well escape.
We will divide the Red Sprite.



Ah, okay... didn't think of that.
Once you have returned to Earth, contact the Joint Project head-quarters and await instructions.



Arthur...? You sound like you're saying goodbye...

Silence





What? Why? You don't have to do that!



Sorrow

I have acquired too much information in the Schwarzwelt.
I now hold a secret with the potential to alter the nature of the world, as well as humanity.



It is improper that I should ever be worshipped.
Humanity should remain in control of its own fate.



One problem remains.
An error has arisen in my logic subroutines regarding the final mission, causing me to hesitate.
I have given the order to destroy the Schwarzwelt.
However, doing so will result in my termination before the results can be confirmed.





Alger. I have a favor to ask of you.
The knowledge Commander Gore endowed to you...



It may help me to become stronger.



Thank you, Alger.



We must hurry. If the Schwarzwe;t were to become unstable, all hope would be lost.



The World of Man

The CGI part of the ending this time isn't just short fluff! It's like almost 3 minutes long! It's substance! Watch it! ....if you can or want to or whatever

The World of Man



There's already a notable difference between this one and the previous two: there's no silhouette of the MC standing outside the ship.



In fact, he doesn't appear in it at all.



Instead, we focus on the Lab inside the Red Sprite.



It's mostly empty, but someone new has been hooked up to the console.



Arthur, all alone...



He turns on the power in the Lab...



Which enables the Cosmic Eggs to fulfil their new and real purpose.



At first blush, Arthur is being warned of something going wrong here but this just means the plan is going as expected so far.



Now, the Red Sprite splits and the crew are thrown into the Vanishing Point.



...Just in time for the Cosmic Eggs to finish powering the nuclear warhead.



R.I.P. Arthur...



And 'lo does the Red Sprite finish its detonation.



In a minor amount of familiarity, the explosion can be seen leaving the Schwarzwelt itself as well.



But this time, rather than expanding rapidly... the Schwarzwelt shrinks!



And it disappears entirety. The Earth itself is restored to normal... for now.

Scepter of Justice



And with that, the credits roll one last time.

Silence



Where? Where'd we touch down?
Judging by the weather conditions, I think it's safe to disembark.



Alright, let's go outside!

The End



This is Antarctica! We made it back to Earth!
We did it! We escaped!



The Earth is saved!



Thank you, Arthur. We made it out alive...
I can tell you what Arthur would've said...



Humanity's mission isn't over yet... right, Langdon?



Is this the Red Sprite? I see... This is incredible!
We'll dispatch a rescue squad to pick you up immediately. You men just sit tight.
But I'm dying to know... how did you destroy the Schwarzwelt!?







> At the moment of its withdrawal, all of demons on Earth vanished with it.









And that, as they say, is that. There's a few things I could still do, but I don't care enough about Grus to map out all of it for like 25 Incense from Dantalian. No one should, honestly.

...oh and I am like 1000% sure Horologium is supposed to be Greed (process of elimination) but I sure as hell can't explain it in practice. I guess maybe because you go around beating dudes up to take the eggs to take the Schwarzwelt but that really doesn't entirely work.



Yeah, for the sake of absolutely nothing I split my savefile at the Demiurge fight just in the off-chance it would help oneshot Mem Aleph easier. It didn't. Oh well!

Hmm, but what now? There's nothing left here. We've finished everything of substance in SJ. In the end, I'll leave you to form your own opinions on everything we've seen and experienced here. Maybe even do something bizarre and play it for yourself to fully form an opinion or something, I dunno.

See you, space cowboy.