Neo Tokyo entire questline NPC dialogue

Tomfoolery · Jun 2, 2020

Hi everyone, I had too much time so I went to do the entire Neo Tokyo Questline (again) and typed out the entire script lul. Enjoy reading

(It's 19,256 words in total btw, in case anyone was wondering)

My name is Asia, and I am the protector of Zipangu at Kamuna.
(Asia flashed a smile.)

Oh… I see that you have been making proper strides.
<Grit… you were right…>

I remember when you first stepped into Maple Island looking very green to say the least… and here you are, standing right in front of me looking every bit like a true Mapler. As someone that closely followed your path, I feel… a rush of satisfaction seeing you all grown up.
(Asia begins to well up)

…I apologize for speaking in a way that makes you feel that I know you more than I really do. I’m sorry.

My task is to determine who actually has power, and who is in need of one.

And in the end, my ultimate goal is to find the person that is capable of rescuing Zipangu from destruction.

This land right here is the lowest, most distant land you’ll find in Kamuna.

I will now give you a dose of truth on Zipangu.

Zipangu… … Zipangu will be destroyed a 100 years from now.

…Yes, Zipangu will one day completely disappear from this world without a trace. I saw it with my own eyes how this ball of distortion appeared from the sky and completely swallowed up Zipangu as a whole.

Zipangu in the ancient days was a hotbed for black magic, and I am a magician in Zipangu who grew up learning the intricacies of the black magic.

At the time, Zipangu had strong ties with Magatia, sharing valuable information with one another. You may be living in an age where science rules the world, but back in the day, Magatia was home to various studies regarding black magic.

Magatia, the forefront of magic powers. That’s where I met a wizard, who taught me everything and… in the end… I was able to acquire a special power that allowed me to achieve immortality.

It was the magic that no one could achieve until then. I used it wisely for the sake of Zipangu. As time went on, however, new generations came and went, and immortality became an outlawed practice. All of a sudden, I was considered an outcast, embraced by no one. I lost everything; fame, fortune, country, you name it, I lost it. In the end, I went into seclusion in the mountains of Zipangu, eager to use my power of immortality to view the apocalypse, the day the world ends for good.

But the apocalypse… came much, much sooner than I anticipated.

The moment Zipangu got swallowed up by a giant distortion and vanished, I used a time-warp magic to enter the world after the vanishment. And that’s where I found it.

That’s where I found the truth of Zipangu.

It turned out that the history of Zipangu is chronicled in a single book.

The history of Zipangu was just a re-enactment of the contents listed in the book.

The fact that a supernatural book that chronicles every move of every resident of Zipangu exists… the book that’s called Acacia Chronicle…

I don’t know about you, but I was furious. Furious at the thought of my life being pre-determined by this miniscule copy of a book…

In that world of distortion, I was able to get my hands on Acacia Chronicle, and started reading it.

And then I realized…

I realized that Acacia Chronicle did not include informations about me.

I was someone that did not exist, according to the book.

It might be that the reason why I was freed from the curse of Acacia Chronicle was because I was able to form a close bond with someone outside Zipangu, which in the end led me to achieve immortality.

It also remained to be seen whether Acacia Chronicle can be subject to change in contents for revised editions.

So my plan was to return to the past and alter the history myself, so the part where the distortion appeared in the book would be destroyed at the last minute, and prevent Zipangu from a certain destruction.

But in the end, I realized that tampering with the past, even if it meant saving Zipangu, would be a foolish act. Altering the past through the book would most certainly wipe out the very existence of all those people that would be born in the future.

In the end, I came to conclusion that the best course of action would be to alter the history of Zipangu RIGHT BEFORE the destruction.

The problem is that altering the history is not a one-time deal. History has its ability to revise itself, so even if I alter a portion of it, the history would try to remedy that by returning to its pre-alteration stage.

Today, I spend my days observing Zipangu which is right on the verge of destruction, with the starting point being Kamuna.

And… one more thing…

I see a huge wave of history revision coming soon, and it’s such that even I can’t do anything about it.

I am fully aware that since this is all about Zipangu, it’s only right that a resident of Zipangu should take care of this in-house.

Unfortunately, The Spell of Acacia has prevented Zipanguans from directly altering the history themselves.

For the future of Zipangu…

(Asia suddenly gets down on her knees)

I would like for you to help us save Zipangu, the one that is unaffected by The Spell of Acacia. Will you? (Accept/Decline)

Thank you, Mapler… thank you… (Asia breathes a heavy sigh of relief)

With the kind of power you possess, I have no doubt in my mind that you are capable of holding your own against the powerful foes from era.

That being said… I want to see the extend of your power with my very own eyes.

I had been in search of someone that possessed immense talent and power for the past few thousand years. The era where Zipangu is on the verge of destruction is a scientifically-advanced era where the monsters you’ll face against are beyond your wildest imagination.

To find someone that’s capable of battling those monsters, I formulated a test that’ll weed out the bad candidate.

Zipangu used to be divided by a number of forces, each hoping to conquer and unify the land.

The force that was the most prominent was the one that based itself on Ninja Castle. With the outstanding soldiers they call Ninjas protecting the castle, Zipangu under the Ninja Castle was peaceful to say the least.

This should have been the beginning of an era where peace and tranquillity rule the land, but that wasn’t the case. A goblin that noticed the immense power of ninjas decided to enter the body of the castle lord and wound up taking over the Ninja Castle.

For the next 10 years, the lord of the castle that was controlled by the goblin made life here miserable, but one day, a brave Samurai appeared in Zipangu and proceeded to defeat the goblin, bringing peace back to this place.

In the history of Zipangu, monsters and goblins that possess the special powers of Ninjas have been notorious for their immense power.

The goblin in the Ninja Castle, I believe, is a good indicator of gauging the powers of prospective candidates that will later battle the monsters of the future.

I also realized that the goblin, which had reigned supreme for 10 years, does not affect the course of the future of Zipangu if defeated by an individual that is unaffected by The Spell of Acacia.

I prepared the Worm Hole at Mushroom Shrine, which will allow one to travel to the past, and brought residents of the Maple World to the Ninja Castle to test out their strength and see whether they were strong enough to battle the monsters from the future.

If you cannot defeat the goblin in the castle, then you will not be able to even compete against those monsters from the future.

I am sure you are plenty strong enough, but I want concrete proof that you can do it.

Please defeat the Ninja Goblin at the Ninja Castle and bring back the following items as proof: 300 Ninto Scrolls, 1 Samurai Knight Armor Piece, and 1 Toad Oil.

Good to see you back, Mapler. How did you fare against the goblin?

Brilliant. Now I know for sure that you are more than capable of battling the monsters of the future from Zipangu.

I will now allow you to visit Odaiba in the year 2100… Please be careful when you visit the future Zipangu.

This will not enable you to open the door to Zipangu’s future, and take part in altering the history of this great town.

I have a mission for you right now that I’d like for you to accept immediately. Are you ready?

Now I’ll talk to you about Zipangu, which is on the verge of total destruction.

It’s an era where technology rules the day. The scientists created artificial intelligence in order to better the lives of everyone, but they have since been overflooded, and as a result, the world is now at the hands of these creatures.

In short, that’s how the future of Zipangu is like.

The central city for the future Zipangu is called Tokyo. By then, Zipangu would feature a level of technology unlike anywhere else in the world of Maple, what with the technological advancements made with artificial intelligence and robots.

And then, a revolutionary new artificial intelligence, simply called AI, was developed.

AI was supposed to represent all that’s good and peaceful in Zipangu.

The truth, however, was a bit different…

With this amazing level of intelligence, the AI’s soaked up knowledge at an alarming rate. So fast that they decided to go against Zipangu and its residents.

The group of AI’s built forward era weapons and proceeded to destroy everything in its path. Zipangu was in serious trouble as a result of these AI’s.

The army had been constantly losing the battle against the AI’s, but the Zipangu Tech Lab came through by inventing a barrier using electronic pulse, and the army succeeded in successfully containing the revolting AI’s in Tokyo using the barrier.

They also succeeded in developing army robots, which was then put on the frontline to combat the opposition. They were almost successful in wiping out the opposition when…

The great distortion came and completely destroyed Zipangu as a whole.

What I have told you is the true history of Zipangu.

But then, I finally found a way to prevent the destruction of Zipangu.

That meant having to figure out what The Distortion was.

Unfortunately, I was unable to figure out the true nature of The Distortion, but after carefully studying the Acacia Chronicle, I learned that it’s a core energy from another dimension summoned by the firearms.

And… I also found out that if the army robots were developed earlier than listed on the Chronicle, then The Distortion may not appear afterall.

The chronicle mentioned how the development of army robots went through prolonged delays because of numerous errors, along with some interferences from outside.

In order to prevent the total destruction of Zipangu, we must find a way to speed up the completion of army robots so they can eliminate the opposition before The Distortion makes it all a moot point.

The year that Zipangu is destroyed is at 2102.

I want you to travel forward to 2100, two years before the destruction.

The Chronicle points out that the Operational Unit, a secret unit developed by Zipangu Tech Lab, gets stolen by the AI army.

This caused a major delay in the development of the army robots, which in the end triggered the destruction of Zipangu.

You will be sent to 2100 at an area called Odaiba, where you will meet the AI army that’s transporting the stolen unit.

Your task is to retrieve the stolen unit from them.

After you retrieve the Operational Unit and bring it back to Zipangu Tech Lab, it will expedite the development of the army robots, which will enable the army to destroy the opposition before The Distortion. (Accept / Decline)

Thank you.
If you want the details of Operational Unit, you should head over to Odaiba and ask the soldier in the area for information.

He’s one of the members of the special task force whose mission is to retrieve the unit. He’s also considered the best soldier in all of Zipangu.

An advice from him will be invaluable.

Now I’ll teach you how to travel to different time periods.

The blue crystal located at the bottom floor of Kamuna channels Asia’s powers, allowing for Time Warp. Warping through time to different places and periods will require Asia’s blessings.

(Asia held my hand and placed it on her chest. She then closed her eyes.)

The future of Zipangu,

the peaceful future of Zipangu,

lies solely in your hands.

No one else’s but yours.

And…

I sincerely pray that you come back in one piece. May the spirits of Zipangu be with you.

My name is Ponicher, and I’m directly related to Fornice, who saved Zipangu from imminent danger way back in the past.

What? A person??

This is unbelievable. A survivor in BWZ? This is unreal…

(The guy kept his distance from me, wondering how I even got here in the first place)

Who are you? And what are you… wearing?

Answer me right now, or else. (The man draws his gun and is pointing at me!)
…
What? You’re going to help me retrieve Operational Unit? How do you know the unit in the first place? I did not receive a word that I had backup available for this mission. Are you really a backup?

State your platoon and the code immediately!
…
State your platoon and the code immediately!

(Just then, a flying robot creeps up on him.)

Oh crap! (He managed avoid the first shot)

(He may not be in a set, stable position, but he still fires away at the robots nonetheless. This guy is quite a shooter…!)

(But with a neverending stream of enemies rushing him, his bullets does not even make a dent. To make matters worse, one of the robots shoots a laser beam, which knocks down his gun.)

Not here… not here…

I can’t die here. I can’t die here! (The man then throws a grenade in the air, which explodes and causes the whole area to be covered in smoke)

(Everything seems to be wiped out from the explosion. Just then, one of the robots that survived the explosion emerges from the smoke and flies straight towards the man.)

No! (With the man preparing for his last breath, I use my skills to eliminate the rushing robot.)
…
…Why… why did you help me?
…
You’re not answering. That’s okay.

The unit… holds the key to the survival of not just this country, but the whole world.

The problem is, the enemies understand the importance as well, and they stole it from us. That’s why I’m here trying to retrieve the unit.

There’s no need to hide the fact now. This unit is essential to turning the tide in this battle, and I have been given a mission to enter BWZ and retrieve the unit.

I don’t know what you are here for, but if you insist on helping me, then…

I won’t ask where you came from, or the origin of that power of yours.

Don’t assume that I trust you wholeheartedly just yet. The moment the unit is found, and I see that you turn your back on me…

I will make you regret making that decision for the rest of your life. (Accept/Decline)

Now here’s the summary of what had transpired with the unit.

Two days ago, Zipangu Tech Lab, which is located at Tsukuba, was ambushed by enemies. In the process, they took away what was our ray of hope, the unit.

Zipangu Tech Lab is an institution where various studies involving national intelligence takes place, and is instrumental in developing BWZ.

You don’t know what BWZ is? What have you been doing all this time…?

What we did was find a way to contain Army of Blaze, the army of robots that grey by itself in Tokyo, by using a Form of electronic pulse barrier called BWZ (Baroque Wall Zone). We also had to make a tough decision of leaving a lot of people inside the boundaries of BWZ as well.

Tokyo has been in isolation from the rest of the world ever since. It’s been two years now…

Breaking through the BWZ requires a concentrated dose of high-level energy, and it’s not easy to penetrate by any means, but that doesn’t mean BWZ has been immune from enemy attacks.

But this time, a huge army of Core Blaze penetrated through BWZ and ambushed Zipangu Tech Lab. This has never occurred before.

Zipangu Tech Lab was built to withstand such attack, but the sudden ambush caused 80% of the whole facility to be destroyed.

Because of the concentrated dose of high-level energy that penetrated through the barrier, the satellite that was floating above Tsukuba was also destroyed. That’s the reason why I don’t know the full details to the case.

The army was quite formidable, but instead of returning to BWZ, it left the area and took the sea route out.

I believe they avoided Moriya’s last line of defense. I have a feeling they are just as damaged as we are.

I was given the mission of retrieving the unit, and was busy chasing the squad that ambushed the lab at Kasumi Kaura. I was able to infiltrate one of the tankers that was crossing the ocean, but I didn’t have enough time to search everyone inside.

And in the end, I had return to BWZ empty-handed.

This right here is a Photo Town that has long been called Odaiba.

You may spot armored combat vehicles roaming around the area. It’s Afterlord, a halftrack of a member of Army of Blaze. It might be a halftrack, but do not underestimate its ability to fire bullets.

The tanker carries plenty of Afterlords, and one of them is sure to be carrying the unit.

I’d like nothing more than to destroy each and every one of them, but with flying robots like Overlord hovering above, I will be subject to massive fire if I do just that.

First, we must destroy Overlords to decrease their numbers, then we need to make sure to hide our tracks so we don’t get caught.

Your mission is to destroy Overlord.

Frankly, I am quite amazed by your abilities, my friend.

Come to think of it, I remember seeing this girl who possessed a similar Form of mysterious powers I just saw from you. I haven’t seen her lately, but…

Nevermind, that had nothing to do with you. Just forget about it.
I have successfully destroyed everything surrounding Odaiba. I am sure they now have set their sights on that area after what I’ve done.

Next up, we need to spot the Afterlord that’s carrying the unit with it.

Unfortunately, the unit is not attached to any forms of GPS, so the only way to find it is by destroying everything we suspect is carrying the unit. (Accept/Decline)

But I have to warn you, you’ll have to control your massive, mysterious strength, because otherwise, you might destroy the unit as well.

The more I think about it, the more it amazes me. How in the world did you get so powerful? Are you hiding a small weapon in your pocket?

And… you’re still not saying anything.

Well, that’s alright. It gives me a rush to see you completely annihilate those robots.

No such luck here. How about you? Did you find the unit? I am afraid if the battle continues, then the Mechanized Unit of Maverick may appear.

-Gives operational unit-

Great work!

We can save the world with this!

Thank you…!
Great, now return to the tanker and we shall escape BWZ. Our identities have probably been red-flagged by the enemy forces, so we better get out of here now before the backup unit gets to us.

(As we reach the deck of the tanker, the surface begins to violently swirl.)

Wait a minute, what’s going on?

(The gate below the feet begins to open. Inside an empty oil tank, we can see a huge block of gold shining brightly in the dark.)

Ah… that is…

(The giant elevator begins to ascend, and a sharp, bright piece of metal appears on the deck)

Vergamot…

Take cover! (The man hides behind a container.)

Is that it… is that really it… this probably means the Tech Lab, which boasts the most formidable defense in all of Zipangu, has been destroyed.

That right there is Vergamot.
This incomparable mobile fortress directs and controls the ground unit of the Army of Blaze. Yes, the head of the ground unit.

I hear that it has a high level of mobility, but… I also heard that it had been directing its army away from BMZ…

I think this is about it.

Frankly, I am not powerful enough to face Vergamot by myself. I suggest you run for cover, because I am going to destroy the unit right here. If I can’t safely retrieve it back home, then my mission is to destroy it.

What?

Take the unit and run. This is not some weak robot that a mere mortal like you can handle.

Even with a tremendous amount of mystery power you have, Vergamot will be unlike anything you’ve ever faced. It’s miles above facing Afterlord.

Now I want you to listen
Before the whole BWZ, the unit I was in was ordered to seek and destroy Vergamots in order to block the enemy forces below Vergamot from a certain invasion.

We stationed 3 divisions of Zipangu soldiers at west Tokyo and prevented the enemy forces from invasion. What they didn’t know was that it was a trap. While the enemy forces were focusing on west Tokyo, the special unit went straight to the center of the province and ambushed Vergamot.

At the time, no one stood even remotely close to Vergamot, but we put it within our target range, and started attacking it in full force.

I was very confident that we’d emerge victorious from this battle.
That’s because our unit was the special ops unit that consisted of the very best members from each unit.

Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. According to the Center of Intelligence, we were able to cause some damage with our firepower, but Vergamot not only possessed a superior set of army, but also possessed a dominant set of weapons that we just couldn’t overcome. Our unit had to retreat.

We also severely underestimated their ability to track us down. A giant trailing missile fired by Vergamot reached us while we were retreating

I wound up being the only survivor from that massacre.

I am sure you might be aware by now. There’s no way to run away from this. The only way we can do this is by destroying the unit.

What?

You have company?
Someone that possesses a similar set of mysterious powers as you…?

What… what is this…?

(The man started to ask Vergamot to check on its state. Vergamot didn’t answer one bit.)

Wait, is it currently charging?
I believe it might have spent too much energy firing away all those lasers at the last battle. If it is indeed charging right now, then it’s going to be completely immobile for the next few moments. This is our chance!

But I am sure the location of the unit has already been shared by the enemy forces. The moment they find out where it is, it’s over. We are going to be ambushed for sure while transporting the unit.

(The man started crawling the ground, and saw the remainders of Afterlord.)

A dummy unit…?

I actually have a great idea. Listen up.

The unit consists of RNB (Relation Number Board) on the outer panel, and a chip set on the inner panel. The signal that’s sent from both sides go through a signal filter and becomes a singular radio wave. This radio wave will determine whether it’s the unit we’ve been looking for or not.

All we’ll need to do is replace the chip set, which is the main part of the unit, with a fake one that emits a similar signal. Vergamot will then be chasing that one instead, believing that the unit is not tampered.

In order to create the fake chip set, we’ll need the latest electronic parts.
(The man then starts looking around Odaiba). Thankfully, this place looks like the sample market for the electronics.

I need you to gather up Calculating Domino through Afterlord, and Conductive Polymer Gain and Macromolecule Actualater through Overlord.

I’ll build the perfect replica chip set to complete the making of the Dummy Unit.

Each part is very intricate and delicate, so it won’t be easy for you to find the parts, but really there’s no other way. Please gather up those parts before Vergamot awakes. (Accept/Decline)

I need you to gather up Calculating Domino through Afterlord, and Conductive Polymer Gain and Macromolecule Actualater through Overlord.

Oh no, Vergamot looks like it may wake up any minute. Hurry!

-Give items-

The framework is already complete. All I need to do now is assemble the parts.

(Vergamot’s sensor begins to glow red)

We’re okay for now. It may be waking up, but the core system that controls the robot requires more time to get it going.

As long as the system isn’t triggered and the robot receives instruction from the satellite to attack us, we’re okay.

(Vergamot’s upper body part seems to start moving. Looks like the robot is trying to look around.)

Finished! Here’s the dummy unit!
Oh, and…

Do you think you can handle it?

Even if it calls for backup, you may be able to singlehandedly defeat Vergamot.

Alright, understood.
I’ll let you take care of this area. I’ll take the chip set and completely turn the tide on this war.

Oh, I forgot, I didn’t tell you who I was.
My name is…

Ponicher.
I’m directly related to Fornice, who saved Zipangu from imminant danger way back in the past.

One day…

One day, we’ll meet again.

Are you ready to fight Vergamot? It’s almost fully powered up! You have to decide now!

Alright! Let’s hope this goes well… (Accept/Decline)

We did it!! Vergamot down! I can’t stress enough how big of a victory this is. The commanding unit for all ground forces of the Army of Blaze is down! It’s time for celebration, Hero of Zipangu!

Ah, you’re back! I’m so glad you’re back safe! (Asia gave me a sign of respect.)

That was incredible! The soldier was able to come back with the chip set. We were then able to restore Operational Unit and completed building the ultimate robot.

With the completion of the ultimate robot, we were able to form an intrusion unit for BWZ and annihilated the army of robots.

And because the army crumbled in such a short amount of time, the distortion that completely destroyed Zipangu did not make an appearance, either.

We basically saved Zipangu from imminent danger by fabricating a past. I am not sure if you completely agree that this is the best way to go, but you should know that without your help with this unit, Zipangu wouldn’t be here right now.

What you did was saving the future of Zipangu with your action.

There will always be efforts by the future to restore the path of the past, but we should be fine for the foreseeable future.

When Zipangu encounters trouble, then
(During Asia’s talk, the whole Kamuna began to violently shake up.)

Wait… this… this is…

(Asia immediately grabbed Acacia Chronicle and began reading the chapter of restoration of Zipangu’s past)

No way… this is way too early for this.

I can’t believe the history is already trying to right the course. This has never happened before. Hear me out.

I see that the history is already undergoing an expansive period of restoration.

<This period of massive restoration has never happened before. Why now…?>

(Kamuna is shaking noticeably less now, but Asia is already turning pale while desperately clutching to Acacia Chronicle.)
…
Please listen.

The ultimate robots that held hope for Zipangu’s future have succumbed against the army of robots. This means… Zipangu is already heading towards imminent distortion.

They were supposed to be the most powerful set of weapons from Zipangu. It was supposed to be much more powerful than Vergamot, which controlled the ground unit, and Nibergen, which controlled the skies.

And Acacia Chronicle mentions how it lost the battle.

The ultimate robot…

The pilot of our ultimate robot… has been murdered.

This kid’s life has been wiped out while the future of become a pilot of Tokyo before the army of robots revolted had yet to be determined.

This... was not an accident.

It’s just that the important part is not listed here in Acacia Chronicle… which means that the only way to find out is to actually visit that era.

<Why is it not listed here…?
Is it something that’s from outside the boundaries of Acacia…?>

…I’m sorry.

I’m sorry to ask you this, but we’ll need your help once more.

I want you to head over to Tokyo circa 2095.

It’s a time warp where we don’t even know what exactly what went on before that.

I sincerely apologize for sending you through a time-warp where everything’s uncertain.

Let me know when you’re ready.

Are you ready for the warp? (Accept/Decline)

Okay. I will now allow you to visit a Park in Tokyo in the year 2095…

The crystal’s settings have all been taken care of.

The warp will be quick, so I’ll brief you on your mission right now.

Tokyo in 2095 is a peaceful time period where the robots have yet to turn on people.

The city will be destroyed 2 years later when the AI’s decide to revolt, but the boy who will one day become the pilot of the ultimate robot will be living the life completely oblivious to his destiny.

But… the very existence of that boy is completely wiped out.

I want you to head over to Tokyo circa 2095 and protect the boy.
According to Acacia Chronicle, the boy’s very existence gets wiped out at the Tokyo Park. The time warp will take you to the park, so as soon as you locate the boy, please protect him from imminent danger.

The “imminent danger”… is not listed here on Acacia Chronicle.

I feel terrible that I keep asking you to take on such dangerous missions, but… please do what you can to save Zipangu.

Hey, get away from me!! (The boy seems to be screaming at the robot that is rapidly walking towards him)

Do not lay your hands on Marr! (Looking up close, a little girl was crying standing behind the boy)

(With the unsettling noise of a caterpillar, this robot that appears to be from a factory is approaching a number of boys. I found a split opening, and ran away from that crowd.)

Ah… you are…!

(I used a skill to annihilate the robot that was threatening the boy.)

That was incredible…

Do you want to help us?

Thanks!!!
I was wondering, why was that factory robot after me…? All I was doing was walking home with my sister, and was just passing the park…

It started off as a single robot, then it turned two, then three, and those robots surrounded me at the park. Even after I ran away from them, no one came to save us, not even the cops.

But… you came!

We’ll need to get out of here right now, but in order to break out of the robots’ watch, then we’ll need a radar.
Here’s a radar I made that detects heat.

What we’ll need to do is find an area where it’s not as heavily watched with the radar, and use that spot to escape the guard. I honestly have no idea how far they’re going to catch us.

(This looks like the kind of decision-making the adults make, not a kid like him)

Ah, my dad is an engineer at the Tech Lab, so this is nothing new for me.

Unfortunately, I dropped the radar while running away from the robots, but it should be here somewhere!

One of the robots might have picked it up, so what I want you to do is destroy those robots in the process if you can find the radar for me!

Oh, my name is Dida, and here’s my sister Marr. I know this isn’t easy, but good luck! (Accept/Decline)

I will take care of Marr. She’s my sister.

And you, I want you to find Twisted Radar for me!

(Seeing this little boy making wise decisions even in imminent danger got me thinking that something’s not right. This might be a dangerous situation, but the enemy robot is just a working robot from a factory. The robots from Odaiba were much more powerful than them. This boy should be plenty strong enough to pass through them, but… why did Asia believe this is changing a huge course of history?

(But then again, this factory robot… seems to be only targeting this boy. Why only him? Is this just a coincidence…?)

Alright, let me take care of this area! (The boy removed a smoke grenade from his bag. Seriously, who is this kid??)

I can see them through the radar! Wait, I see even more here…! (The boy grabbed his sister’s hand and used his body to deftly avoid the robot.)

This is it! Thanks!!!

(The boy turned on the radar, and sees a light bending nearby. It must be one of the factory robots)
There doesn’t seem to be much on the east side. Let’s expand the coverage for the radar.

Wait a minute…

The only set of boundaries I see made by the robots is here in this park.

And I don’t see any cops around here. The Zipangu Army can pay a visit here, no?

Beep beep beep beep beep! (An alert goes off from the radar)

What, what is this?

Beep beep beep beep beep! (A number of dots begin appearing 5km from the park)

Wait a minute, this is quite a lot!

Beep beep beep beep beep! (Now 4 km from the park)

Wait, this is fast, and it’s coming this way.

My instincts tell me this is not good. (His sister may have sensed that her brother’s not feeling well, and held on to him tight.)

Marr, it’s okay, it’s okay.

(I’m thinking, if this is imminent danger, then there’s only one thing I can do.)

Do you want to help us?

But I can’t let a stranger be in a dangerous situation like this!

Why… why are you risking your life to save us…?

(“You…”
I begin to talk to the boy.)

(“You… are the future.”)

(“Yes… the future.”)

The future…?

Beep beep beep beep! (The dots are not 300m from here)

The heat signatures are getting closer, and fast! They are now 200m away! Where can we hide?! There is no way… *Dida squeezes Marr’s hand* Don’t worry Marr, everything will be fine!

Why are you risking your life to stay here with us?! Are you truly going to protect us? (Accept/Decline)

But why… brave stranger… Please just protect Marr! 100m away! Look! There they are! What are THOSE?!

Thank you… stranger. What can be said? You have protected Marr… I can never repay you. But I promise you this, I will give my life to protect Marr, and other innocent people like her! For as long as I breathe, I will fight the cold, heartless robots!

Welcome welcome! (Asia is happily running towards me)

Thank you so much for protecting the boy. Thanks to your help, the pilot won’t be disappearing anytime soon, but the wave of restoration is still being felt here.

First I’d like to brief you on the aftermath of your encounter at the park.

The revolting robots are definitely a work of someone outside the boundaries of The Spell of Acacia.

The police and the army were actually heading towards the scene to stop the invasion of robots, but they were brutally wiped out by the same army of robots you faced there.

(That’s why we were isolated…)

The one responsible for the “tweaking” of the history is probably…

The same as us who has access to time warp, someone who is capable of restoring the history.

The Army of Robots you faced was a new platoon that was formed AFTER the destruction of Tokyo called Maverick Platoon of Robots. Those robots didn’t even exist back then… which means they were sent from the future.

Yes.
They are sent by the one who wants to expedite the process of Zipangu’s destruction

Do you have anyone in mind…?

No, no one for now.

I know the situation is unstable to say the least, but the good thing is that we now know who we are up against. I was most worried about not knowing the cause of such restoration efforts of the history.

And… I am afraid a new wave of restoration is under way.

For the sake of Zipangu’s future, will you accept the mission of protecting the restoration effort? (Asia gets down on her knees while asking the question.)

Thank you, Mapler… (Asia breathes a heavy sigh of relief)

Now, here’s the mission.

In Tokyo, you’ll encounter a vast land called Akhibara.

Just because Tokyo got destroyed, that doesn’t mean every resident that was inside BWZ got wiped out.

A number of soldiers and members of the resistance movement built a secret command room in Akhibara and have been in operation against the Army of Robots.
The solider that helped you recover Operation Unit have infiltrated BWZ once more, got in touch with the member of the resistance group, and got hold of the existence of the secret command room.

This secret command room will play a pivotal role in saving Zipangu from destruction.

Now that the command room got hold of the world outside the barrier, they formulate a plan with the Zipangu Army to turn the script on the way against the Army of Robots.

This plan allowed the ultimate robot Dida was operating to enter BWZ and destroy the Army of Robots.

This would not have been possible without the secret command room.

But…

The secret command room is now exposed to danger.

Because of that pilot, the Army of Robots now caught wind of the room.

Seeing the importance of the room, I think the Army of Robots sent their own best platoon to take care of the situation.

Vergamot, the one that controls the army on the ground, may no longer exist, but this platoon operated completely independent from the rest, so even when they don’t use one of Vergamot’s robots, they still perform at more than 100%.

I will not allow you to visit Akhibara in the year 2102…

I want you to head over to the command room, where you’ll meet many soldiers that are on your side. Team up with them and eliminate the opposition.

You’ll find the commander at the secret command room. I know this will be a tough battle, but I believe in you.

May the future of Zipangu

Rest in the dependable shoulders of you.

You are the only hope.

The only hope for Zipangu’s survival.

And…

I sincerely pray that you come back home alive.

You…

You’re alive! You’re alive!! (Ponicher tightly embraces me.)

Do you remember me? The soldier that fought with you two years ago at Odaiba!

I did receive a word saying that Vergamot was destroyed, so I knew you’d be alive and well… but to see you again in person…!

Thanks to your work, I was able to retrieve the unit and bring it back to the Lab.

I can tell you this now, but the unit was the essential piece required to build the ultimate robot to destroy the Army of Blaze.

The ultimate robot that will bring a source of hope for the residents of Zipangu has been completed. Graviton Flame will be the one that will once and for all end this battle against the Army of Blaze.

Hmmm? What is it?
(I had to tell Ponicher, who was still clearly giddy for seeing me, the danger that’s about to him the command room)

What… what?

A platoon from the robots are on their way here?

Mitchell, set the monitor at the cameras outside the room!

(The monitor shows an invading army of robots, but only for a few moments because the monitor lost feed from the camera and began playing noise. The camera must have been attacked.)

I can’t believe we have been caught. Is that…

Eruwater of the Task Force?
We are currently in a mission, so all my comrades are stationed all over Tokyo. Right now, the command room is totally vulnerable to any attacks. We’re too shorthanded to battle them right this minute. It’s the one task force that can perform tasks without support from Vergamot, with the purpose of destroying this area.

We’ve been caught red-handed. We can’t do anything about this.

What can we do now…?
I can’t call in my comrades because of our own tasks to complete. What can we do… come on, think think!

(With a rush of courage running through my veins, I looked straight into Ponicher’s eyes.)
…
…Ah… okay. I got it.

Are you going to not even make me think twice about this…? (Ponicher makes a faint smile.)

I’m going to go out there and battle along with you! I am not going to run away this time! No way! They are mine!! (Accept/Decline)

I will get ready for the battle. You, I want you to meet Commander Garuda. He has a plan that will surely turn this war around in our favour.

Are you the one responsible for defeating Vergamot? Welcome, welcome. On behalf of Zipangu, I salute you on your courageous effort.

Thank you. (The commander gave me a heartfelt salute.)

You must be not from Zipangu. Your power suggests you’re from the world of Maple, the world we used to be part of…

Well, that’s not what matters now.
Here’s the situation.

Four years ago, after the destruction of Tokyo, I was left in here at BWZ. I found a comrade that survived the destruction, and decided to form a resistance movement.

Our movement included nonsoldiers as well. Our activities led to Akhibara after a while, where we had so many electronic equipments that we were able to set up a hidden command room.

I renovated a coffee shop and made it into a secret command room within BWZ, making this spot the focal point of the resistance movement.

During that time, we were able to contact Ponicher, who successfully infiltrated BWZ. This allowed us to contact Zipangu Army.

I was ecstatic to find out about the ultimate robot they were building, Graviton Flame.

Once the army penetrates through BWZ and bring Graviton Flame at the forefront, the way will end once and for all.

And we are currently performing such task with the Zipangu Army even as we speak.

But alas… I feel a rush of oppositions heading our way.

Eruwater of the Task Force. They are quite something. The surveillance squad encountered them before entering BWZ, only to be completely destroyed by the task force.

The one that commanded the battle against Eruwater is here. Captain Maricias will give you the details on their task force.

Good luck.

My name is Maricias. Nice to meet you.

I know this is not the most ideal time to meet and greet, but please understand the circumstances.

I know this may sound rude, but for a kid like you to destroy Vergamot…

Oh, it doesn’t mean much, I’m just amazed that you were able to destroy it with… that. I can’t thank you enough for your work as well. A lot of my comrades lost their lives because of it, so I personally thank you for… a revenge of sort. (Maricias gave me a heartfelt salute.)

You seem to be interested in finding out more about Eruwater of the Task Force. I’ll let you peek into my book on Eruwater.

Eruwater is an independent task force made out of female Andromaids that can move independent of Vergamot’s commands. You can say they are the most powerful task force in all of Army of Blaze.

Those female robots are Androids that are adept at handling concentrated dose of high-level energy. They are not only adept at long-range battles with their fire-shooting ways, but they are also adept at melee combat with their beams. They also have the ability to fire concentrated dose of high-level energy in an instant, so if you are caught in a battle with them, more than likely you won’t come out alive.

They are all individually talented Androids, but since they operate as one unit, they sport a great teamwork. Once they have their hands on you, you won’t be able to escape their grasp.

I am sorry I may have brought some uncertainties to your task with this kind of information.

But don’t worry. There IS a way where we can take away their abilities to combat.

There’s a Eruwater that operates as a commander that steers the task force. They may all look the same, but each one of the Eruwaters are given a specific number.

The number 0 is the commander. Once you take out the commander, the Eruwaters cease to operate temporarily, but afterwards, their escape program will kick in and they will begin to operate independently from one another.

What you’ll need to do is this. (Accept/Decline)

Destroy the commander of Eruwater of the Task Force, and bring me it’s transmitter. We will then use the transmitter to order each and every one of the Eruwaters to self-destruct.

So how was it? Did you find the transmitter?

Brilliant!
Now wait for me as I re-program this transmitter. Noran, here’s the transmitter. Please re-program this for me. (Noran seemed genuinely shocked that we were able to bring in the transmitter. The threat of Eruwater can be felt from his reaction to the transmitter.)

!

Setting complete. We’re now going to order each and every one of them to self-destruct.

But then again, I can’t help but be amazed by your ability to do this. I still can’t believe you defeated Eruwater on your own.

This means we’re no longer in an emergency mode. We now will focus on our…

Beep beep beep beep. (An alarm has gone off at the commander room)

Enemy spotted at the facility! 900m away! 880! (The supporting AI is sending our real-time alerts through the speaker)

Wait this is…

(Watching from the monitor, a host of Captain Maricias can be seen rushing in)

(The monitor then flashes a male figure that is surrounded by gold aura. He takes steps towards the command center. There are firearms aiming towards the man in gold in various spots, but he moment the man walks by, the firearm explodes and burns into pieces.)

(Captain Maricias is watching this in utter disbelief.)

(The man who doesn’t even worry about the firearms aiming at his way takes one look at the camera. He must be aware of where the cameras are. He then flashes a dastardly smile that comforts no one watching the scene on the monitor. Captain Maricias, who has her back turned against us, dishes out commands through the operator.)

The weapons are destroyed! Mitchell, close out numbers 1 through 3. Now!

Close out gate number 2 and 3!

(The man approaches the closed gate, yet does not stop his tracks. After almost running straight into the gate, the man flashes a blue light and disappears into the darkness.)

He’s gone! Activate the heat sensor within the facility!

Enemy spotted! Enemy spotted! Approaching Gate 2!

No way… is he just walking right through the gate?

(The neverending alarm does not penetrate anyone in the room. Only one person seems ecstatic from the development. That’s because… that skill is from the world of Maple!)

Enemy now spotted up close. Everyone except the soldiers evacuate the facility immediately!

You, I want you to head to the top of the building! There, you’ll find a device that will trigger firewall around the facility! Go!

(I look at Commander Garuda in the eye, and nod once in agreement.) (Everyone head over to the top of the building immediately!)

Commander Garuda: Head over to the top of the building immediately! We have to stop the intruder AT ALL COSTS!

Go now, soldier! There is no time to waste!

-Kills Dunas-

Incredible work, soldier! That… man… or thing, whatever he was, was truly something else. I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s as if he knew where all our traps, cameras and outposts were. Just walked right past them, blew up our defences with the snap of two fingers. Who knows If he’s even gone for good… But at least for now, the facility is safe. Your assistance has been invaluable.

I am so glad you are alive and well… (Asia is on his knees.) WTF TRANSGENDER

(I asked Asia about the man spotted in Akhibara that performed a skill from the world of Maple)

I am sorry I kept mum about that matter. I was kind of suspecting it when the history was re-written to include the pilot’s life, but I wasn’t able to really pinpoint it back then.

But after seeing him, I knew.

His name is Al Dunas Madren.

He was a friend of mine who studied magic and swordfight with me, hoping that one day, the two of us will contribute to the rise of Zipangu. And now… he’s back, but this time as my enemy.

…(Asia opened his eyes ever so slightly.)

During the days of Ancient Zipangu, a Black Wizard descended upon us. Three kids requested that they be taught by the wizard, and after a long, arduous training, each one of them mastered a special form of magic.

One mastered the magic of immortality;
one mastered the magic of past life
and one mastered the magic of time warp.

As the three saviors of Zipangu, the three eagerly spent their abilities serving the residents. Zipangu experienced growth unlike any other time period, and everyone assumed that the day of peace in Zipangu would last forever.

But secretly, one of the three knew. He knew that he would be the only person that wouldn’t be able to witness the future of Zipangu firsthand.

That was the person that had the ability to time warp. The one with immortality stays around forever, and the one who mastered the magic of past life will live in memory, even after his body deteriorates. The two… would seem to live happily ever after.

The one with the time warp was devastated, and cursed his powers… to the point where…

He was lusting over what I had, the power of immortality.

Dunas, who had the power of past life, and Ashray, who had the power of time warp, were lovers. I don’t know what Ashray saw with her powers and all, but I am sure it must have been a future she didn’t envision getting.

She wanted the power of immortality, but I refused to give it to her. That’s because I remember our master telling us that the three powers balance out, and not one of them should disappear, for it will destroy the balance of Zipangu.

She disappeared from that era soon after.

And… thousands of years later,

I, the immortal one, finally ran into Ashray.

in Tokyo at 2102.

(During Asia’s talk, Kamuna began to rumble with alarming authority. Asia gazed up on the sky, and smiles faintly, perhaps in sadness.)

I see that the hatred still remains, Dunas. (Or so, Asia whispers to himself.)

I am sorry, but I feel that the restoration of history seems to be in full effect yet again. It’s probably him. (Asia pulls out a copy of Acacia Chronicle.)

Year 2102, the year where Mission: Tokyo Fleet Ambush is in effect. He wants to directly destroy it.
We don’t have much time. I am sorry I brought you into this, but please head over to Tokyo immediately. (Accept/Decline)

Thank you, Mapler. I will give you all the details once you successfully come back from the mission.

The big restoration of history takes place in Tokyo of 2102.

Your efforts have saved the secret general room at Akhibara from destruction, which triggers the Zipangu Army to go ahead with the big plan to destroy the Army of Blaze, but he might have told the army of these plans in advance.

Basically, the Army of Blaze was ready for it and ruined whichever strategy the resistance group was making.

I want you to head over to the command room at Akhibara first to gather up some information. The detailed briefing of the mission will be revealed there as well. After that, head over to Kamuna and time-warp to the era we just discussed.

I can’t say he underestimated us all this time, but since you have proved to be a worthy opponent, he’ll be back this time with a vengeance. This may get awfully dangerous in a hurry. Please take care of yourself.

Oh you’re back!
The command room is saved thanks to you!!

This will allow us to move forward with the plan. Other members are currently spread out all over Tokyo taking care of their duties.

I see.

You have the right to know exactly what this mission is about.
Here it goes.

Now that we have completed building the ultimate robot, all we need to do is penetrate Tokyo with it, and the battle will be over.

The one problem that’s hard to overcome is BWZ.

The very barrier we set up to seal up the Army of Blaze is what’s preventing the Zipangu Army from invading Tokyo. We have no chance, as long as the army is unable to penetrate through BWZ.

But then one day, we were able to receive good news. Thanks to Ponicher, we were able to establish a viable communication to the outside world, and we were able to contact the creator of BWZ. I believe he’s a survivor of Zipangu Tech Lab.

According to his story, the surface of BWZ is coated with tough shields, but the shields on the upper area are thinner, and it can be destroyed by using a high dose of concentrated energy to penetrate through the barrier.

The skies of BWZ is filled with enemy aircrafts, and penetrating it will require a great sacrifice of sort.

That being said… we absolutely have to do this.

We joined forces with the firepower of Zipangu Army, and we summoned a spacecraft right outside the BWZ skies.

Our strategy is to board the ultimate robot on Old Fox Flagship, and try to penetrate BWZ through the sky, and as we make our way down, we set up an army of invaders ready to pounce the moment we touch the ground. Once we do, we unveil Graviton Flame.

There’s a great chance that the speedy flagship of Army of Blaze, Nibergen, may appear. We also expect heavy fire from the ground as we attempt to penetrate through the barrier.

In order to increase our odds of succeeding in this grand plan, we have our members spread our (out?) all over Tokyo, armed with heavy artillery.

It would be nice if you could join us on this…

(I’m not going to provide ground support, rather, I’ll be warping from Kamuna to the skies of Tokyo, directly to Old Fox Flagship, and personally defend the ultimate robot. Better return to Kamuna right now.)

I am the AI that provides support to Old Fox.

Detected the heat of Nibergen 8000 meters from the starboard. A battle is expected, so eliminate Maverick Platoon of Robots and prepare for counterattack.

I repeat, detected the heat of Nibergen 8000 meters from the starboard. A battle is expected, so eliminate Maverick Platoon of Robots and prepare for counterattack. (Accept/Decline)

Eliminate the Maverick Platoon of Robots and report results.

I repeat, eliminate the Maverick Platoon of Robots and report results.

Report the progress in your battle against Maverick Platoon of Robots.

The level of firepower for Maverick Platoon of Robots decreased to 20%.

A battle against Nibergen now permitted.

Attention. Attention. Starboards sensors have detected the vessel designated Nibergen. Engage immediately. I repeat, engage immediately. (Accept/Decline)

-Kills Nibergen-

The vessel formerly designated Nibergen has been disabled. Threat levels minimal. Redirecting power from shield-generators to normal systems.

Unbelievable. Your heroic efforts allowed us to safely descend to Tokyo.

Dunas did not appear in the skies of Tokyo, but I do not believe that he’s given up just yet. (Asia looked far away, as if contemplating what to say.)

You…

You have the right to know exactly what’s going on. Let’s continue the conversation we had the other day.

The three of us that were taught by the Black Wizard, Dunas, Ashray, and Asia, each acquired a special skill and served as the protector of Zipangu, overseeing the success of this great town.

Dunas, who mastered the magic of past life;
Ashray, who mastered the magic of time warp;
And myself, the one that mastered the magic of immortality. These were three very different sets of special powers, but only two of them shared something in common.

I could live the life of an immortal. Dunas, with his magic of past life, will live in memory, even after his body deteriorates. Since the memory lives on, you can say the memory at least is immortal.

Only Ashray was going to die and disappear, eventually.

Dunas and Ashray were madly in love.
There’s no way to tell what she saw in the future with her power to time warp, but I’m sure it was a future she didn’t envision having.
Having encountered an inconquerable wall called immortality, she was distraught and started to curse her unique powers.

And…
she wanted my magic of immortality.

She wanted the power of immortality, but I refused to give it to her. That’s because I remember our master telling us that the three powers balance out, and not one of them should disappear, for it will destroy the balance of Zipangu.

She disappeared from that era soon after.

And then, thousands of years later, the future of Zipangu in my lifetime turned into an utter nightmare. The Artificial Intelligences that the good people of Zipangu created to keep the town in peace overflowed, and they turned their backs on humans, eventually resulting in their own army of robots.
My magical powers became outdated to that of generations past, so I had a really difficult time facing these robots in front of me. The destruction of Tokyo was well on the way, and I did not resemble anything that of what I was; a protector of Zipangu.

Then…
I found her.

I finally found Ashray. She was…

From the day Ashray disappeared, she was down in Tokyo battling the army of robots all by herself. She fought for Zipangu even as she rapidly deteriorated. (Asia begins to tear up just thinking about her)

I found her, damaged shoulders and all, still casting spells to battle against the army of robots. I immediately came to her defense.

That’s when Ashray finally told me. The army of robots summoned a high dose of concentrated energy from this dimension, and she saw it in the future that it would trigger the end of Zipangu.

The reason she requested my powers of immortality was so that she could save Zipangu.

I wept openly in front of her. The thousands of years I spent being bitter towards her melted away immediately. I felt so ashamed. All this time, I assumed she wanted that power so she could be with Dunas. All this time, I thought she was just being selfish.

She pulled out all stops trying to prevent the destruction of Zipangu, but in the end came to one conclusion.

In order to prevent the destruction, a magician must insert one’s self with a high dose of concentrated energy, and prevent the destruction from taking place. We’re talking about the amount of energy that would completely annihilate Zipangu. It will take a huge toll on the body, so much so that only the immortals can handle it.

I kept asking Ashray why she didn’t tell me all this, since I was ready to do anything for Zipangu.

Her answer was that “I couldn’t trust your power of magic.”

She then flashed a smile.

I couldn’t stop crying.

I agreed to her deal and gave her my power of immortality. She exchanged it for her power of time warp. Because we merely exchanged our special powers, we didn’t upset the balance that our master stressed.

Then, once that high dose of concentrated energy appeared, she tried to wholly absorb it, to no avail. This ball of energy was much, much more powerful than anything we ever imagined…

This uncontrollable ball of energy then swallowed up Zipangu as a whole, and the place disappeared without a trace.

After the destruction, Ashray and I were wandering all over the world when we discovered the existence of Acacia Chronicle. She then gave me the final strategy.

Re-writing History.

Her plan was to use the power of time-warp to rewrite history.
It was a last resort, indeed.

Re-writing history.
For her, this would mean nothing more than to trap her in a world of unknown.

I disagreed with her on this, but she was indeed a protector of Zipangu until the very end.

I couldn’t say no to her undying will to save Zipangu, so I used the magic of time-warp to return to the past.

And after much studying, I was also able to acquire the power to control time. This was an extension of the research that Ashray initiated, one that she worked on because I was unwilling to give her the power of immortality.

This gave me an ability to freeze the time flow of a designated area. I was able to freeze time for Kamuna, and was able to acquire an immortality of sort here, since the time stopped.

This was all done to prevent the destruction of Zipangu. I began the effort to rewrite history, beginning with Kamuna. (Accept/Decline)

Soon, I was able to figure out what Dunas was about, he of the magic of past life.

The reason Ashray disappeared all of a sudden may be to get over Dunas, but I don’t think she was able to see EVERYTHING.

He requested that Ashray be free from Zipangu purgatory, but that would mean the destruction of Zipangu.
I respected Ashray’s wishes.

He was relentless in his pursuit to free her. I am sure he loved Ashray to death. He even promised that he will repeat his past life over and over again in order to save Ashray in the future. (Asia had a sad expression on his face while talking about this)

If I could exchange places with Ashray, I would do it in a heartbeat, but… (Asia puts his head down in resignation) I do not have the power of immortality, and my power of magic does not even compare to that of Ashray’s. I can’t overcome her ball of energy.

I demanded that Dunas change his mind on this.

But he was just as stubborn as we were. He even raised his sword on me. That marked the end of our thousands of years-long relationship.

He entered Kamuna and began instigating battles with his magic. He may not be as powerful in magic as Ashray, but he is plenty powerful in his own right. The old me would have succumbed to him everytime we’d go on a battle.

But I wasn’t the old me anymore, thanks to Ashray and her power of magic. With her powers running through my veins, I was able to defeat him. I used the power from the woman he dearly loves to defeat him. How ironic…

Put into the corner, he used the power of past life. Basically, it was his ability to teleport his spirit onto a different living being. He would repeat the past life, and slowly accumulated more power and EXP. One day, he’ll emerge from this better and stronger than me.

If I leave it to continue, then his desire and will would just pass around and grow by the minute.

So what I did was create my owl spell of purgatory. What I did was bound the travelling spirit with magic, and contained Dunas’s spirit to a spell, so once I bound up his spirit here on the grounds of Kamuna, he would never be able to die, which means his spirit can’t latch on to another body.

I have sealed up his spirit at a far corner of Kamuna.

Yes, his spirit is still here. (Asia then looks around, as if in search of something.)

The problem is, he reappeared in the future.

It was his undying desire. His strong desires have made its appearance in the future.

(The grounds of Kamuna begins to shake violently)

No, this is not an act of restoring history.

This means the seal is about to be broken, with you being the target. I’m sorry I keep putting you in tough situations.

(Asia murmurs something to himself) I will not let your thoughts be dragged into the future, for the sake of Zipangu and for myself…

You must defeat Dunas’ spirit… I have sealed it here in Kamuna, but he is trying to break the seal! You must stop him now! (Accept/Decline)

You managed to keep Dunas sealed here in Kamuna… for now. I thank you, let us pray he does not try anything more.

-New Quest-

…You… you are…!

…Welcome. I suppose you heard my voice. Thank you. I have a favour to ask of you. Can you do it for me?

Yes, you might be aware of it, but… he’s back again. Yes, Dunas.

This time, it’s Shibuya in 2102. On that strategy to destroy the wall of BWZ using Old Fox Flagship and descending Graviton Flame, the Army of Blaze countered with a fast battleship, Nibelung.

Thanks to your heroic efforts, Graviton Flame was almost ready to land on the ground… when Dunas appeared once more. The two are already locked in a battle. We simply do not have any time to waste.

You were once able to defeat a mysterious magic monster. The magic monster that sealed up the spirit of Dunas. And now, his willpower is attempting to break the seal as a whole, so I’ve been taking measures to prevent that from happening.
That being said, these measures were only to temporarily weaken him.

His spirit is still contained inside a beast in Kamuna, but if he had the willpower that he did back then, then it would be no trouble for him to break out of the seal, at least his memory. That would mean that… if his memory can teleport to any time period, then he will be able to affect the history of that particular period, like the time he ambushed the command room in Akhibara on the year 2102.

Just defeating him physically would mean nothing more than for him to transfer to another body with his memory, which means Zipangu will be destroyed someday, no matter what. The only way for us to prevent that from happening… would be to create an even more powerful spell that eternally binds the spirit.

But with my diminishing power, sealing up the spirit won’t be proven powerful enough. We’ll need to enlist the help of our friend.

Our friend, Gritto.

If I combine my powers with hers, then we will be able to create a spell that will be multiple times more powerful. The problem is that I won’t be able to leave Kamuna, which means… can you please go to see her for me instead? (Accept/Decline)

(Asia breathed a heavy sign of relief)
…Thank you so much.
Now I’d like for you to hand this to her. (He stuck out a handwritten letter and gave it to me.) This letter debriefs everything that have taken place in regards to this. Hand this to her, and I assure you she will provide some form of help. Good luck.

Oh… you are…?

That letter… I feel a faint bit of magic from it. Which means…

(I handed her the letter I received from Asia. Gritto read through it, then closed her eyes, as if trying to mask the pain.)
……I had a hunch that something was taking place far away from here, but… I didn’t suspect it’d take place in the future…

For her to count on me for this means the situation has reached a point where something has to be done. Okay, I’ll help you in any way shape or form. OH ASIA IS A WOMAN NOW

But it’s a fact that just like her, I am not allowed to leave the premise of this land. That’s why… I’d like for you to hand this to her. (Accept/Decline)

(Gritto seemed to faint for a bit, then corrected herself. She doesn’t look too well… is she alright?)
I’m sorry. I just expended a huge amount of magic at once, so… but don’t worry about it.

Now go immediately. The item I handed you contains a significant amount of my magic powers. This should help her with her binding spell. Please give it to Asia immediately. It’ll be of much help.

(Asia seemed quite happy to see me as she rushed a bit to greet me.)
Hey, you’re back! I’ve been waiting for you, and… you knew that already. Now, what did Gritto say?

(I handed Gritto Asia? the crystal ball I received from her) Oh… this… this is… indeed the magic powers of Gritto. I can’t even fathom just how powerful this is… which means she is…

(Asia looked quite concerned for Gritto’s well-being, so I told her what she said)
…So that’s what she said………….Okay I got it. Let’s start the binding spell immediately.

I will begin the process of building up the spell. As for you, I want you to head over to Shibuya in the year 2102 and defeat Dunas once more.

I will now allow you to visit Shibuya in the year 2102… I am not sure how that time period is unfolding as we speak, but… the pilot of Graviton Flame… yes, that pilot you saved at the Park back in 2095, Dida, should be there. Let him brief you on their current situation, and work accordingly to stop Dunas from causing great harm to Zipangu.

And… I was unable to locate the whereabouts of Dunas’s memory, so… once you defeat Dunas, please… please return to Kamuna and let me know, okay?

(Shibuya is now in complete ruins. As I stood there flabbergasted by what unfolded in front of my eyes, I hear a voice coming from nearby.)
……You… you are…!?

Ah…wow, so I see you again here…!

(I lent my shoulder to Dida. He then knelt down on one knee)
Thank you… it’s good seeing you again, but I didn’t envision it’d be like this…
(As I looked around in horror, I see a giant robot that heavily resembled Graviton Flame destroyed to pieces.)

What happened? Well… as you can see, the joint forces of the resistance movement and Zipangu Army was soundly defeated… by that guy!
(As I looked at the spot he was pointing at, there ‘that guy’ stood. Yes, it was really ‘him’, alright. Dunas!)

……I remember him as well. Seven years ago at the park, you saved me from trouble. Thanks to your help, I was able to survive and fight for Zipangu to this day.
(He doesn’t seem at all troubled by that strange change of events 7 years ago…!)

Ponicher told me that you were from the world of Maple with a strange set of skills. Seven years ago, I wasn’t even aware of that, so I found it strange that you left without a trace soon after saving me. Now I understood what he meant, since I saw your combat abilities firsthand. (He flashed a bright smile at me, with his eyes almost closed. Come to think of it, where did Marr go? I asked him of Marr’s whereabouts)

…Okay, the enemies will start moving soon. We do not have much time for stories anymore. Let’s get down to business (Eh? He sounds like he’s trying to move on to another topic.) (Accept/Decline)

I am aware of Akhibara and you battle against Nibelung as well. Thanks to your help, we were able to prevent Niberlung of Core Blaze from stopping us. We were even successful in landing Graviton Flame here in Shibuya. We battled and defeated the army of robots from Core Blaze, and reached all the way to the last stop… and that’s when he appeared.

Everything fell apart with one swing. I can tell something strange is going on, because seriously, how was our whole army helpless against a single person?
The unit that was floating around him… I believe that core was responsible for expanding his combat abilities, while also protecting him in the process. Without it, then we would have stood a change…!

The operational core used for that unit… I believe that’s the same one used for Graviton Flame as well. We enlisted the help of the best soldier available at the time, Ponicher, and retrieved the unit two years ago… and now, two years later, the unit was still firmly attached on Graviton Flame, so… how did he get a hold of that as well?

Graviton Flame is currently immobile. Even Old Fox Flagship received extensive damage when it descended into ground level, and it’s completely useless right now. The one bright spot right now… is that you’re here.

I am telling you, you’re our last hope of saving Zipangu. Please… please help us.

…Thank you. Really, thank you so much for your amazing work…
(Dida knelt down once more.)

Watch out, because he seems… much more powerful than before. Do not underestimate him! (Accept/Decline)

(I noticed a shadow of Dunas flashing from afar… I really have to finish him off this time, once and for all…!)

-Goes back to Asia after killing Dunas V2-

Oh hello! You’re back safe! (Asia gave me a salute.)

Now I think not many know this, but Neo Tokyo actually has 2 different questlines. The quest you choose to complete here will affect the rest of the story and the outcome of the future of Zipangu.

So how was battling against Dunas… …!?
(I reported to Asia everything, from defeating Dunas, to Dunas somehow finding a way to acquire the operational unit.)

…Is that so…? Dunas getting his hands on the operational unit…? But why… and how did he do that in the first place?

(He remained silent for a bit, then shakes his head in bewilderment)…I’m sorry. I really do not have any clue where this is going.

(As soon as Asia mentioned that, Kamuna violently shook again) No way…!

(Asia hurriedly brought out the copy of Acacia Chronicle, and started reading.)
……This finally means Core Blaze has begun to move.

Core Blaze is a name for the AI that caused the destruction of Zipangu. It was initially built as a sign of peace for this area, but over time, these AI robots begun to recognize acknowledge their own self, and soon they revolted against people. That Core Blaze is now on the move.

The moment Core Blaze was created, it was set up at the tallest building of Roppongi, Roppongi Mall. That spot is currently served as home to Core Blaze, the army of robots. I think that’s where Core Blaze began to lose itself. Now we really don’t have much time.

In any case, for soundly defeating Dunas, its memories are currently on the way back to the grasp of barrier it was initially set it. The preparations for the binding spell is complete. Once the time is right, I will start the spell of re-bounding Dunas’s spirit. In the mean time, I want you to immediately defeat Core Blaze…!

I must warn you, Hero of Zipangu, that according to my best reading and understanding of the Acacia Chronicle, what you do next will have severe impacts on the course of the future. Are you certain that you wish to walk down this path? You must bring Core Blaze down immediately!
[Completing this quest will seal your fate, and affect the rest of the storyline.] (Accept/Decline)

Thank you. In year 2102, Roppongi Mall serves as the enemy headquarters, which means we can’t just go in there ourselves. I advise you to head over to that era, and enter the mall through an underground path. Since the mall is in the headquarters, you may encounter a number of monsters you will have never seen. None of them should ever be underestimated. Good luck!

(I re-entered Shibuya of 2102. What I see down there is… Dida!) …… You are……!

…Ah, so you’re sent here to defeat Core Blaze. Seriously, I’m so sorry…(As he uttered those words, Dida couldn’t bear looking at me in the eye)

The enemy headquarters is located at the center of Roppongi Mall. Of course, you won’t be able to enter there face-on. At the main lobby, an army of robots called Imperial Guard stand by, serving as security. Your first task is to enter the building while faking those robots out. (As he mentioned these, Dida handed me a single copy of globe.)

The truth is, there have been underground pathways that leads from Shibuya to Roppongi Mall. Using this will allow you to enter the building without being noticed by Imperial Guard. This is the map that’ll lead you to there. It’s just a straight line, so you should have no trouble entering there, but I’ll give you the map nonetheless.

My Hero! I assume Asia has already warned you about the fact that whatever you do next will send ripples across the very fabric of our reality, and the future. Are you certain that you wish to proceed here? Otherwise, you can turn back, and speak to Asia once more.
[Completing this quest will seal your fate, and affect the rest of the storyline.] (Yes/No)

Normally, this would be a passage I’d like to guide you to, but this injury will make me a nuisance to your trip. You go ahead first, I’ll follow you soon after. I am actually looking for something. (Accept/Decline)

Now… please be careful.

Welcome…!
(Asia seems more than a bit surprised)

(I notify her of my successful battle against Core Blaze)
Is that right…? So Core Blaze is now no more…(Asia gives me a serious look) This would mean Zipangu would be…

(Right then and there, Kamuna began to shake like never before)

Wait……!? What’s with this……!? This is much more violent than anything I’ve ever felt……!
(Asia frantically took out Acacia Chronicle and began to read. The more she read into the book, the paler she got)

……………..No… this cannot be……………!
(What exactly just happened, I asked Asia)

……The Final Enemy is here.
(Final enemy!?)

Acacia Chronicle does not mention how it appeared, but… I suspect the enemy was summoned from the 2nd dimension.
But Core Blaze is an army of robots, one that can control machines, but they aren’t capable of summoning a being from another dimension. How did this happen?

(Asia faintly shakes her head)…We…really don’t have time for answers right now.
Here’s my one last cry for help. Please help us…. In any way you can (Accept/Decline)

Thank you so much…
Ah, please wait for a bit. I may be able to find some clues through Acacia Chronicle. Let me read into this book a bit further.

(Asia quickly skims through the pages of the chronicle)
…I have a feeling… Auf Haven has appeared at the top floor of this building. She has seemingly been summoned from another dimension… and she brings energies from that twisted place. It is infecting the environment here, seeping into every molecule and atom and is tearing them apart! Zipangu and this Other Dimension are beginning to merge into one!

Please make your way to the top of Roppongi Mall, and stop Auf Haven at all costs! She has the appearance of a beautiful woman, but her power is what I’d call unparalleled.

Me: (Auf Haven is finally defeated! And from what I see down there… is that the 2nd dimension? Is that the merging of this dimension and Zipangu??)

This… this will allow me to finally meet Ashray.

(I hear a voice from somewhere. This… this is…!! I keep looking around, wondering if anyone is going to pop out, but all I see is my comrades.)

Ah… Ashray, so she’s… there.

(Wait a minute, this voice of sadness… is this really… Dunas!? But where??)

(If Dunas was involved in this, then the one that helped summon Auf Haven may have been Dunas as well. Regardless, there’s no way to spot Dunas)

(The view of the 2nd dimension begins to fade away. The merging of Zipangu and the dimension probably stopped the moment I defeated Auf Haven)

(The building started to shake violently. This building may not last much longer. I told my comrades to escape immediately. If I emerge from that exit, then we’ll be able to exit and return to Kamuna)

Voice from Somewhere: Marr! Marr! Where are you? Where are you???

(Wait… so that’s Dida’s voice!? So he had been in search of Marr!? If so, then why is he looking for Marr here right now? Anyway, not only that, but the building is already on the verge of collapse. Staying here may cause much more problems than leaving. Do I have to return to Asia…?) (Yes / No)

(The floor under my feet collapsed. I can’t stand waiting here anymore. If I don’t return to Asia right now, then…!)

……! Hello! Are you okay? I can’t believe you’re really alive after this!
(When I woke up, Asia was next to me with a look of concern. Was I knocked out all this time…?)

Thank goodness you collapsed AFTER reaching here. I see that with the rough shape you’re in, I figured you finally defeated Auf Haven. (I told Asia everything I knew)

…I suppose that summoning Auf Haven probably did require a help from Dunas. If you think of it that way, that solves a piece of puzzle.
But why was Dida looking for Marr? I’ll have to read into Acacia Chronicles for more information. In the meantime, you should really tend to your injuries for today. Thank you, thank you, and thank you.

It’s been a while. How have you been? (Asia greeted me with a peaceful smile on her face) (Accept / Decline)

You look very healthy. Thank goodness. Oh, and have a seat. I’d like to share with you what happened to Zipangu afterwards…
(Asia closed her eyes and began to talk)

After all that you went through, Acacia Chronicles reported the following: …With the defeat of Core Blaze, the creation of the high dose of concentrated energy otherwise known as The Distortion was no more, which saved Zipangu from certain destruction. With BWZ also disappearing, the residents of Zipangu has slowly migrated back to Tokyo. It may take years, but it won’t be long before Tokyo returns to prominence.

Dida and Ponicher, the members of the resistance movement in the commander room of Akhibara has moved in to Zipangu Tech Lab working. The biggest change that took place, however…

Thanks to a member of the Maple World contributing mightily to the history of Zipangu, in this case you, Zipangu is now free from the binding spell of Acacia Chronicle, which means the Chronicle itself disappeared for good.

Again, I can’t thank you enough for saving our town as a member of Maple World.

This will conclude that dark period of time where this single book determined the future of Zipangu.
This… also means my duties to Zipangu is now complete. (Asia gently closed her eyes)

No one knows now what the future holds for Zipangu, least of all me. What I do know is that it will now be in the hands of the residents of Zipangu, not a book.

I’m worried about Ashray now. The ball of concentrated energy that she had with her… thanks to your work in preventing it from seeing the light of day, it disappeared forever, along with her.

The sad thing is, she does not have the ability to travel through time, which means she’s still stuck in that world of nothing right after the destruction of Zipangu. (Asia’s eyes began to well up at the thought of that)

I… I would like to keep Ashray’s company… along with Dunas. I don’t know how long it’ll take, but I will one day figure out a way… to rescue her from that world of nothing, that purgatory.

(As she made that statement, Asia flashed a smile of peace. Her eyes did not contain the sadness that always seemed to be with her. All I could see is her determination to save her friend.)

So how did it go? What about Dunas……!?
(I wound up telling the story of myself defeating Dunas and how he somehow found a way to acquire the unit.)

…I see… Dunas with the operational unit… but how did he get it exactly?

(She then bit her lips and thought for a bit, then just shook her head.)…I’m sorry, but I really cannot pinpoint where it might have come from…!
(The moment Asia ended her conversation, Kamuna shook again)
No way…!

(Asia hurriedly brought out the copy of Acacia Chronicle, and started reading from it.)
……It’s finally time for Core Blaze to make his move.

Core Blaze is a name for the AI that caused the destruction of Zipangu. It was initially built as a sign of peace for this area, but over time, these AI robots begun to recognize acknowledge their own self, and soon they revolted against people. That Core Blaze is now on the move.

The moment Core Blaze was created, it was set up at the tallest building of Roppongi, Roppongi Mall. That spot is currently served as home to Core Blaze, the army of robots. I think that’s where Core Blaze began to lose itself. Now we really don’t have much time.

In any case, for soundly defeating Dunas, its memories are currently on the way back to the grasp of barrier it was initially set it. The preparations for the binding spell is complete. Once the time is right, I will start the spell of re-bounding Dunas’s spirit. In the mean time, I want you to immediately defeat Core Blaze…!

No way!
(Asia placed her hands on the magic pentagrams, and started reciting a spell)
……I knew it……!

Dunas… Dunas… I think this time, instead of memories, his whole spirit managed to escape…!

…I believe you may have spent too much time getting back here after defeating Dunas. The fatigue that should have set in was cured as well, so he wound up basically tearing apart the binding spell.
Dunas…where is he…!?
(Asia gazed upon the sky)

I am concerned about the whereabouts of Dunas, but with little to no clue, there’s not much time we can waste right now. I will be busy chasing his spirit’s whereabouts here, and you… I need you to go defeat Core Blaze immediately…!

I must warn you, Hero of Zipangu, that according to my best reading and understanding of the Acacia Chronicle, what you do next will have impacts on the course of the future. Are you certain that you wish to walk down this path? You must pay visits to a handful of persons around Maple World, to find out more about Core Blaze and the Army of Blaze.
[Completing this quest will seal your fate, and affect the rest of the storyline.] (Accept/Decline)

Thank you. In year 2102, Roppongi Mall serves as the enemy headquarters, which means we can’t just go in there ourselves. I advise you to head over to that era, and enter the mall through an underground path. Since the mall is in the headquarters, you may encounter a number of monsters you will have never seen. None of them should ever be underestimated. Good luck!

I must warn you, Hero of Zipangu, that according to my best reading and understanding of the Acacia Chronicle, what you do next will have impacts on the course of the future. Are you certain that you wish to walk down this path? You must pay visits to a handful of persons around Maple World, to find out more about Core Blaze and the Army of Blaze.
[Completing this quest will seal your fate, and affect the rest of the storyline.]

(I re-entered Shibuya of 2102. What I see down there is… Dida!) …… You are……!

…Ah, so you’re sent here to defeat Core Blaze. Seriously, I’m so sorry…(As he uttered those words, Dida couldn’t bear looking at me in the eye)

The enemy headquarters is located at the center of Roppongi Mall. Of course, you won’t be able to enter there face-on. At the main lobby, an army of robots called Imperial Guard stand by, serving as security. Your first task is to enter the building while faking those robots out. (As he mentioned these, Dida handed me a single copy of globe.)

The truth is, there have been underground pathways that leads from Shibuya to Roppongi Mall. Using this will allow you to enter the building without being noticed by Imperial Guard. This is the map that’ll lead you to there. It’s just a straight line, so you should have no trouble entering there, but I’ll give you the map nonetheless.

My Hero! I assume Asia has already warned you about the fact that whatever you do next will send ripples across the very fabric of our reality, and the future. Are you certain that you wish to proceed here? Otherwise, you can turn back, and speak to Asia once more.
[Completing this quest will seal your fate, and affect the rest of the storyline.] (Yes/No)

Hey… you’re alive and well!
(Ponicher rushed to see me. He seemed very happy to see me. I showed him the remainder of operational unit.)

Wait, so this is… a part of the unit that provided support to the man that demolished Graviton Flame?
This is undeniable the same as the unit I retrieved from enemy forces 2 years ago. Noran! Please take a look at this right now!
(Ponicher hurriedly gave it to Noran. Noran nodded in agreement, and began to investigate the debris.)

…So did you find out anything? ……Really, okay, that’s good. Keep investigating!
(Ponicher returned to me and started telling me something)

I know you brought this to me just now, and… I realized that the unit number is different from what I retrieved 2 years ago. This means the unit you brought right now is a copy unit! Even so, how did he end up with it?

After the retrieval, the operational unit was probably in the safe hands of Zipangu Tech Lab. It’s darn near impossible to copy the unit. The only opportunity I can think of is when it was in the hands of Core Blaze before I took it from them…

(Ponicher bit his lips. He believed that it was copied while it was in the hands of Core Blaze. Anyway, I better parlay all this to Asia right now.) (Accept/Decline)

(I had to leave Ponicher so I could report what I just reported back to Asia.)

Ah, you’re back. So what happened? (Asia looked at me in the eye while asking that question)

(I relayed what I heard from Ponicher to Asia)
……A Zipangu soldier did all that…?

…If you think about how he did it, there is a way to control Core Blaze as a whole to your liking. Core Blaze is the brain behind the Army of Core Blaze. With that power, it can control the robots nearby and order them to form a copy of the unit. I mean, that’s how the device that collected Nano Plant came about in the first place.

The three of us, myself Dunas and Ashray, received special powers unique from one another as protectors of Zipangu, but we also met up in our spare times studying each others’ powers. It reached the point where even though we didn’t exactly master all three fields of special magic, but we were able to learn parts of the other two that we didn’t master. Even Kamuna is the product of all those times studying others’ powers. It’s a creation borne out of the power of time-warp I exchanged with Ashray, along with the power of time stoppage that I acquired on my own.

Of course, I am also aware of the power of resurrection Dunas has. From what I know, the memory and the spirit cannot be transferred to anything that never had life to begin with, like machines and objects. This means stealing Core Blaze as a whole is pretty much impossible.

Which means… the only other way to do it is for us to take control of Core Blaze… it’s an AI with self-awareness, so if we somehow successfully affect its identity, or…

(Asia seems to be in a deep thought, then shakes her head)
…I am sorry, but that’s all I can think of for now. I suggest you ask this to someone who knows more about Zipangu than myself.
(Someone that knows Zipangu… that would be a resident of Zipangu. If I ask a resident, would that person actually know about this?) (Accept/Decline)

That’s true… if you find any clues, please let me know immediately.

(I asked Ponicher if there’s a way to control Core Blaze)

A way to control Core Blaze…? Oh yeah, Noran! Maybe he’ll know!
(He then briefed me on Noran)

(According to Noran, Core Blaze has total access to all robots and machines in Zipangu, and has ability to control them all. This means no one actually has access to Core Blaze itself. But, if I can find someone that helped built Core Blaze, then maybe that person might know more about it.)

This is where we are now, but… Core Blaze used to be the symbol of peace for Zipangu. It was built with the purpose of eliminating all that’s bad that was triggered by environmental pollution. This meant that it was way too powerful for people to handle, which was the reason why we also limited access to the kinds of information Core Blaze would be exposed to.

……Well, there’s no reason to hide now. I respect your unending ways to help Zipangu in all angles, so I will tell you this now. The person responsible for overseeing the development of Core Blaze is…

Dida’s dad.

You should ask him yourself for details, since this is all I can tell you about this matter. (Ponicher turned his back and returned to his colleagues). (Accept/Decline)

(Wait a minute… so Core Blaze’s father… is in fact, Dida’s father as well?? I hurriedly went to see Dida)

(I visited Dida once more)

…How was it? Thanks to your appearance, he went AWOL. The thing is, I have a feeling Core Blaze is now making a move. (Dida looked at with a faint smile on his face)

What? Are you saying that my dad is the one responsible for building Core Blaze……? Why? How? (As Dida pretended to calm down, I brought up the possibility that Core Blaze might be controlled by someone)

(Dida seemed to have someone in mind, as he bit his lips and put his sword away.)
…………Okay… I have a feeling this is something you must know.

Back in 2093, Core Blaze is created as a symbol of peace. As you stated, my dad was responsible for building this robot.
Marr and I had been entering my dad’s lab from an early age. As I grew up watching Core Blaze, I felt ecstatic when it was finally released, as if I built that thing myself. (Dida flashed a faint smile, reminiscing on the past he clearly misses dearly).

Core Blaze was fed with data such as the standard of peace, the current problems of Zipangu, and other forms of unbiased data. From there, to better understand the situation, Core Blaze allowed itself access to all kinds of machines and devices for further information.

In the eyes of Marr, Core Blaze probably looked awesome. Marr knew Core Blaze had an ability to conversate, so she kept on talking to it.

To make sure that no third person enters an incorrect information, only a select few individuals had access to Core Blaze’s knowledge. Of course, Marr and myself did not have such rights.

But I am sure Core Blaze noticed that the concept of peace that was instilled in it was being related to others, in its daily conversation with young Marr. Once it realized its own identity, it really began to enjoy its conversation with Marr. It was as if it believed that Marr’s words were Zipangu’s words as a whole.

(Come to think of it, I didn’t ask what Marr was up to these days. When I asked Dida of Marr’s whereabouts, his face turned to ashes)
……Marr……

…Marr is currently in coma.

Back in 2097, 2 years after the army helped us, Marr was stricken with a disease caused by pollution, and fell into a deep coma, which is where she is right now.

And… Marr’s life support is…
Core Blaze.

…It was what Core Blaze wanted itself.
A sense of responsibility for her life, and the desire to eliminate the cause of pollution, so the doctors can diagnose Marr’s illness, and ultimately snap her out of the coma. Two months later, that’s when all hell broke loose for Core Blaze.

It probably noticed it firsthand that one of the main reasons for pollution was the rapid ascend in the field of IT. And the fact that even though the residents of Zipangu knew deep down that the field was causing pollution, they never really provided a solution to remedy the problem. That’s when Core Blaze made the decision…

The decision to eliminate Zipangu as a whole.

It’s hard to determine whether this is real or not, since it’s my opinion based on what I saw the past few years. I can also say that there’s no other plausible cause for this sudden change of events.
The so-called experts provide various problems and explanations for this mess, but… they were all covered during the development stage of the robot, and I believe those were all effective.

…Marr can be currently found at Roppongi Mall, the enemy headquarters. I plan on heading there right now… to rescue Marr.
(Dida is heading towards Roppongi. What should I do? Should I report this to Asia…?) (Accept/Decline)

(I bid adieu to Dida and returned to Asia)

…What is it? Have you found some new information on this?

(Asia came to me excited, so I told her everything I heard from Dida)

Ah… so the pilot’s younger sister is…
(I found out that whenever Asia murmured like that, she would then stop and fall into a trail of deep thoughts)

…What I can suspect is that if Dunas can take Marr away, then there’s a way to deceive and control Core Blaze by telling it that you’re Marr’s doctor.
I’m sorry, but I can’t give you a guarantee that this will work.

Wait… El Nath’s… if we’re talking about El Nath’s Alcaster, then it might be a different story. He’s the one that mastered both the field of magic and alchemy. He even took care of me back in the day when I was connected to Magatia. For someone who has knowledge of controlling a living being, he probably also has expert’s knowledge on spirits as well. (Accept/Decline)

Please go talk to Alcaster about this matter.
(Asia seemed very cordial and proper in her request)

Eh? Who are you?
(As Alcaster stared right into my eyes, I asked him about the possibilities of acquiring the ability to resurrect)

Hmmm? You’re asking for a method of resurrection? (As he made that statement, the last word seemed slightly high-tone, providing evidence that he’s intrigued by the prospect.)
You’re the kind of person that’s rare these days, a young kid that’s interested in learning the methods of resurrection. Okay, I will give you as much information as possible.

Resurrection usually refers to an act where after the body expires, the memory stays intact as the spirit transfers to another body. Yes, this means no such transfer can occur unless the body expires. However, that does NOT mean the new body has to be that of a newborn.

If the body is devoid of spirit, or if the spirit is severely weakened, it is possible that your spirit can enter that body and control it like it’s your own.
(What…!? I couldn’t believe what I just heard, so I paid extra attention to what Alcaster had to say)

The body that absorbed your spirit becomes one with the spirit’s identity, which means the spirit can control the body’s mind and thought. Basically, your spirit can control the body’s every move by being one with the body. This all works as long as the body is healthy. If the body is damaged, then the moving part does not work.

(So… this is how Asia’s theory is backed up…! Dunas basically stole the comatose Marr’s body, and pretended to be Marr’s doctor to give out orders to Core Blaze as if it’s the words of Zipangu that it is adhering to…!)

(I’ll need to notify this to Asia ASAP, or else…! Should I say goodbye to Alcaster and return to Asia immediately…?) (Accept/Decline)

(I bid adieu to Alcaster and returned immediately to Asia)

So how was the conversation? Were you able to meet Alcaster…!?
(She must have been very concerned, from the way Asia greeted me. I told her everything I heard from Alcaster)

I see… so it is possible… (Asia’s voice begins to crack, and looks down on the ground).

Now it makes sense…
So you mean Dunas is currently inside Marr, pretending to be her doctor and in effect controlling Core Blaze……!

…Dida’s theory is that Marr’s sickness brought chaos to Core Blaze makes more sense now. Every piece of puzzle fits now.
(Since the AI lost control after Marr fell into a coma, it’s only true that it would listen to the words of Marr’s doctor. I didn’t know what to say, so I just waited for her to continue.)

So… THAT’s why Maverick appeared at the park back in 2095!
(WHAT…!?)

…The Army of Core Blaze had been gathering up Nano Plants to destroy BWZ. Nano Plant is a condensed form of energy from space. Now combine that with the knowledge of magic from Dunas, and the vast amount of knowledge on technology saved up by Core Blaze, and it would be possible to build a time-warp device of their own.

I know this may sound preposterous, but I am pretty sure that even during the time I was at Magatia, the magic of time warp had been in the works. That’s how I learned mine, as well. There’s really nothing that’s considered impossible.

But unlike the time warp that uses the magician’s own power of magic, time-warping an object devoid of magical powers like Maverick would have required massive amount of energy. Did you… notice anything strange when you were battling Maverick at a park in 2095?

(With Asia’s question, I begin to jot down the memory lane and… maybe I have! Maybe that energy-transferring device I found at the park was… for that…?)

What I think is that after expending most of the energy in Shibuya in 2102, he recovered through Kamuna, and moved his whole spirit back to the past before I was able to re-contain the spirit with the spell. That’s how he transferred the comatose body of Marr, and began directly giving out orders to the out-of-control Core Blaze as her “doctor”…!

(So Dunas is still alive… at Roppongi…in 2102…!!! That’s when I knew and breathed in a sigh of relief. It is now time to end it all with one last battle!) (Accept/Decline)

In 2102, Roppongi Mall is the enemy headquarters, which means you can’t directly enter the premise. You must first head to Shibuya of 2102 and take the underground passage that leads to the inside of Roppongi Mall. Being that it’s enemy headquarters, you may encounter enemies that you’ll be unfamiliar with. Do not underestimate any one of them. Best of luck to you!

…You… you are…!

Normally, this would be a passage I’d like to guide you to, but this injury will make me a nuisance to your trip. You go ahead first, I’ll follow you soon after. I am actually looking for something. (Accept/Decline)

Now… please be careful.

Welcome…!
(Asia seems more than a bit surprised)

(I notify her of my successful battle against Core Blaze)
Is that right…? So Core Blaze is now no more…(Asia gives me a serious look) This would mean Zipangu would be…

(Right then and there, Kamuna began to shake like never before)

Wait……!? What’s with this……!? This is much more violent than anything I’ve ever felt……!
(Asia frantically took out Acacia Chronicle and began to read. The more she read into the book, the paler she got)

……………..No… this cannot be……………!
(What exactly just happened, I asked Asia)

……The Final Enemy is here.
(Final enemy!?)

Acacia Chronicle does not mention how it appeared, but… I suspect the enemy was summoned from the 2nd dimension.
But Core Blaze is an army of robots, one that can control machines, but they aren’t capable of summoning a being from another dimension. How did this happen?

(Asia faintly shakes her head)…We…really don’t have time for answers right now.
Here’s my one last cry for help. Please help us…. In any way you can (Accept/Decline)

Thank you so much…
Ah, please wait for a bit. I may be able to find some clues through Acacia Chronicle. Let me read into this book a bit further.

(Asia quickly skims through the pages of the chronicle)
…I have a feeling… Auf Haven has appeared at the top floor of this building. She has seemingly been summoned from another dimension… and she brings energies from that twisted place. It is infecting the environment here, seeping into every molecule and atom and is tearing them apart! Zipangu and this Other Dimension are beginning to merge into one!

Please make your way to the top of Roppongi Mall, and stop Auf Haven at all costs! She has the appearance of a beautiful woman, but her power is what I’d call unparalleled.

Me: (Auf Haven is finally defeated! And from what I see down there… is that the 2nd dimension? Is that the merging of this dimension and Zipangu??)

Marr! (A familiar voice greets my ears. That’s… Dida! What’s he doing here……!? Heading towards the direction Dida is running to, a girl that I just saw is lying down on the ground. Maybe she is…)

Marr… are you alright? (Dida picked up the girl that was horizontally spread out. The face… her old face was definitely there, but she looks like life has been sucked out of her. Did she…? Panicking, I ran to Dida’s side)

It’s you…! Thank you for finally defeating it. (Dida held Marr in his arms, and started murmuring something.)

Ah… what I was looking for was… Marr. In order for me to free Marr from Core Blaze’s grasp, I figured the only time I could do it is to remove her during your battle. I feel like I used you for this. I’m so sorry…

……! I don’t think we have enough time for chit chat. (Dida takes one look at Marr. Because her life support, Core Blaze, is destroyed, it may have also affected Marr as well. Her breathing began to get heavy. We can’t leave her like this! We must leave this place immediately, or else…)

This… this… this will finally let me meet Ashray

(All of a sudden, I hear a voice. This is… no way… is this Dunas!? Dunas’s voice is indeed being called out from inside Marr…!!)

Ah……Ashray, so she was there… all this time.

(A heartbreaking voice. As I look around, right on the boundaries of 2nd dimension and Zipangu, I see a shadow that resembles that of a person. Who is that…!?) (Yes / No)

…It was Dunas. I actually wanted to meet him… (Marr’s body began to faintly glow, with a ball of crystal floating one by one. It began to dance towards the shadowy figure, as if pulled by it, and lit up the shadow of that being. Wait… that lady is…!)

(The building starts to rumble even louder. The whole place is shaking very violently.)

(The view of the 2nd dimension begins to fade away. The merging of Zipangu and the dimension probably stopped the moment I defeated Auf Haven)

… I really don’t think there’s much time left. (Ashray begins to fade away, with her hands firmly grasping onto the spirit of Dunas) Asia… please stay healthy. And… thank you all.

(Ashray and the spirit of Dunas seemed to have been sucked back into the dimension. I was then snapped out of that view by Dida’s screams) This place looks like it’ll collapse any minute now. You need to escape immediately!

(Holding Marr onto his arms, Dida begins to run. The building is beginning to fall apart. Staying in this premise any longer will prove to be dangerous. Do I have to return to Asia?) (Yes / No)

(The floor under my feet collapsed. I can’t stand waiting here anymore. If I don’t return to Asia…! I told my comrades to escape immediately. If I emerge from that exit, then we’ll be able to exit and return to Kamuna)

……! Hello! Are you okay? I can’t believe you made it! (When I woke up, Asia was next to me with a look of concern. Was I knocked out all this time…?)

Thank goodness you collapsed AFTER reaching here. I see that with the rough shape you’re in, I figured you finally defeated Auf Haven. (I told Asia everything I knew)

……! Ashray……Ashray!? Is that true!? (Asia came up to me with a serious look, but he must have then noticed something, because he started looking down a bit.)

I’ll… read into it through Acacia Chronicle. For now, you should just tend to your wounds. Again… thank you.

It’s been a while. How have you been? (Asia greeted me with a peaceful smile on her face) (Accept / Decline)
You look very healthy. Thank goodness. Oh, and have a seat. I’d like to share with you what happened to Zipangu afterwards…
(Asia closed her eyes and began to talk)

After all that you went through, Acacia Chronicles reported the following: …With the defeat of Core Blaze, the creation of the high dose of concentrated energy otherwise known as The Distortion was no more, which saved Zipangu from certain destruction. With BWZ also disappearing, the residents of Zipangu has slowly migrated back to Tokyo. It may take years, but it won’t be long before Tokyo returns to prominence.

Dida and Ponicher, the members of the resistance movement in the commander room of Akhibara has moved in to Zipangu Tech Lab working. The biggest change that took place, however…

Thanks to a member of the Maple World contributing mightily to the history of Zipangu, in this case you, Zipangu is now free from the binding spell of Acacia Chronicle, which means the Chronicle itself disappeared for good.

Again, I can’t thank you enough for saving our town as a member of Maple World.

This will conclude that dark period of time where this single book determined the future of Zipangu.
This… also means my duties to Zipangu is now complete. (Asia gently closed her eyes)

No one knows now what the future holds for Zipangu, least of all me. What I do know is that it will now be in the hands of the residents of Zipangu, not a book.

I’m worried about Ashray now. The ball of concentrated energy that she had with her… thanks to your work in preventing it from seeing the light of day, it disappeared forever, along with her.

The sad thing is, she does not have the ability to travel through time, which means she’s still stuck in that world of nothing right after the destruction of Zipangu. (Asia’s eyes began to well up at the thought of that)

I… I would like to keep Ashray’s company… along with Dunas. (Asia looked down for a bit… as if she was feeling the spirits of Dunas that’s been sealed up underground…)

I don’t know how long it’ll take, but I will one day figure out a way… to rescue her from that world of nothing, that purgatory.

(As she made that statement, Asia flashed a smile of peace. Her eyes did not contain the sadness that always seemed to be with her. All I could see is her determination to save her friend.)

THE END.

Asia is transgender. That is all.

Rayrayray · Jun 2, 2020

Wow, you're such a dedicated gamer
Thanks for the whole story, finally got a chance to know what exactly happened on neo tokyo.
(I am under-leveled to finish the whole quest)