Part 49: The Altar

...Mercer...
A frontal assault is an option, but we have no idea what's in there...
...Please, let me try talking to him first.
Heather, that would be too dangerous!
I don't think he would attack me... But, if I can't talk him out of this... then you can take more drastic measures. Nurse Thompson, Dr. Stiles... I know I'm asking a lot, but... would you two follow me in? I'll need you to confirm whether or not there's anything dangerous in the room...
I'll do it, Heather.
Right. We'll back you up.
Well then... let's go.
Good luck to you all... especially you, Miss!



...Is that you, Heather!? They managed to track me down quickly. BUt I never expected you to be here.
You have to stop this madness! You're surrounded! There's no way you can escape!
Mr. Mercer, will you please just turn yourself in? Even you must see that whatever you've been planning... It's over. What you were trying to achieve... Challenging the limits of the human body... Creating doctors who could use the Healing Touch... All of that may not have been so wrong.
But the method you chose to use... GUILT... It will never change a life for the better. The only thing GUILT does is destroy. It doesn't have the power you think it does.
The Healing Touch... The ability enhancement drug... You're right, I did pursue those things. But they're not what I was really after. Now that I'm cornered... I have nothing to lose. I'm here solely to achieve my one true goal.
...What the--!?



So THAT's why he's doing all this!

...wait...

Everything was for this moment. Of the four Neo-GUILT, there is one that can grant me my wish... This GUILT can return Tracy to consciousness. The road to get here has been a painful one... But, without a doubt, this improved GUILT has the ability I've sought after. Bythos... It is the profound, that which can penetrate the depths of the mind... Tracy, this will bring you back from darkness...
So everything you've done up to this point... It's all been for her...?
Father... -I can't believe this... You put countless lives around the entire world in jeopardy, just to save Mom!?
Heather, you don't know how deeply it pains me to see her like this.
What would Mom say if she knew you sacrificed other people in order to wake her up!? You'll only make her suffering worse!
...We'll see about that.



What!?
Oh my God...!
All I have to do is activate Bythos by injecting this stimulant... And her eyes will gaze upon me once again...
No, Mercer! Stop! GUILT isn't capable of that!
You'll be no different than Heinrich! GUILT does not bring people happiness!
Now, Tracy... Awaken! *injects*
Father!!
...I'm sorry it took this long, Tracy. Now, please... open your eyes. My love... Wake up... ...... Tracy...? Why isn't it working!? Tracy!!

*Flatline sound*

we're losing her!
Look what you've done! You haven't saved her; you've put her life in danger!
Mom!

Welp. That was definitely a good try, but I really don't know why you think putting a thing that causes lacerations everywhere will revive a person in coma

Tracy! I know you can hear me now! C-Come on... Please...! Heather, wh-what are you doing!? Let go of me!
Get out of the way! We're going to save Mom! Dr. Stiles! Please...!
Angie, we're going to start the operation as soon as we figure out where to incise! Get set up!
Right away!
This cannot be! Tracy...! Why has Bythos failed!? No... It's not over yet... There's still another way...



There are lacerations on her left lung, presumed to be casued by the Neo-GUILT, "Bythos."
It's that GUILT Ms. Fisher was infected with...!
D-Doctor... My Mother has been in a coma for three years. Will she be strong enough to endure the surgery...?
Don't worry. We'll save your mother!
Doctor...! Thank you...
There are two objectives for this operation:

• Treat the lacerations on the left lung.
  
• Eliminate Bythos.

Please use the laser on Bythos's core, and extract the core while it is separated from the tissue. Let's do this, Doctor... for Heather's sake.
Right. We'll give it our all!



Operation Video


We're going to get started, Heather, do your best to stay strong.
I will! I'll support you two as much as I can!



Our vitals are capped at 70, so this operation is MUCH harder than before.

Treatment of the wounds is complete. But this is where it really begins...

*Convulsions*

Convulsions have occurred...! Bythos is emerging!



Bythos itself is the same as when we first fought it: hard as balls.



Do you know that a DS receiving multiple touch inputs will only register the spot in the middle of the? It's good to know this so you can play games like Hotel Dusk and Last Window on an emulator.

Well, that same quirk can also be utilized to almost instantly teleport Bythos' core even on an actual DS. See if you can figure out how.



This operation is very special to me is that this is the only operation I never beat on Hard. The X operations are on Extreme, so they don't count.



I decided to play without using the aforementioned teleport exploit, and I managed to get this far only to hit a spore during this last removal and then lose soon after

I haven't managed to get that far since



However, with the help of emulator slowdown, I can actually finish this operation without teleporting

...I don't consider playing this game on 0.75x speed as cheating. Even with that, playing with a mouse is still challenging

There is no chiral reaction. Bythos has been removed. Well then, let's close her up!
S-So... my mother is going to make it...?
Yes, she'll be just fine.

*After suturing*

Operation complete. Heather... You must be relieved...





One final XS for the road (because god knows I'm not going to XS the final operation )



Notice how the person in the tank is now gone.

I'm glad your mother is still with us, Heather. I just... wish we could do more.
It's OK, Doctor... She's always been my inspiration, even in a coma. I'm just glad that she's still alive.
......



...What?
Didn't you take him into custody when he ran out of here!?
No, no one has stepped outside the lab!
Where could he have gone!? This isn't good! We need to find him, fast!