Demon-Hunting Cross Brigade

Removed Content / Feature

This article contains information no longer in-game, and are thus historical records of MapleStory.

Demon-Hunting Cross Brigade (JP:降魔の十字旅団 romaji: Kōma no jūji ryodan) was an Epic / Blockbuster related to the Cross Brigade, the JapanMS-original version of the Silent Crusade / Cross Hunter. It was a storyline that took place after the Cross Brigade Headquarters and the Tower of Trials, and was about the player working together with their rival (Starling / Sheryl or Crow, depending on the player character's gender) to thwart the Black-Blooded Demon Brigade. Throughout the story, you uncover various truths about the Cross Brigade and its origins.

After completing the blockbuster, the Major Boss Cross would be available, which would allow players to receive various Level 150 - 160 accessories.

Demon-Hunting Cross Brigade was available in JapanMS and TaiwanMS, but it has been removed from the game. TaiwanMS removed the Epic along with all Cross Brigade-related content (Cross Brigade Headquarters, the Tower of Trials, the Demon-Hunting Cross Brigade Epic, and the Cross Boss Battle) in its v.234 Patch, replacing it with the KoreaMS version of the Silent Crusade. To allow players to obtain the accessories, the Cross Hunter Battle Box was added to Wence's shop for Crusader Coins. With the 2023 revamp of the Silent Crusade and the coin shop removal, the box was added to Laku's shop for  Monster Park Commemorative Coins. JapanMS removed the boss and all Cross Brigade-related content in the NEXT Update's v.435 Patch in favor of the KoreaMS version, adding the similar Devil's Box to Laku's shop.

Story

Act 1

Attacking the Hideouts

After the incident at the Tower of Trials, the Cross Brigade continued its fight against the Black-Blooded Demon Brigade. During one battle at the Demon Brigade's base in Kritias, the Crusader and Sheryl rushed through the battlefield. Sheryl reminded the Crusader that their role was vital, as the entire operation would fail if they did. The pair then rendezvoused with Captains Maia, Sofia, and Schnizer at the entrance to the enemy base. Schnizer briefed them once again about their mission, which was to search and destroy all enemies, though he added that they had an additional new objective. He explained that analysis had shown that there was a high possibility of the enemy's strategies and plans being in the base, and so the Crusader and Sheryl had been tasked with recovering it. The Crusader then spoke with Wence, who told them that while he tried to keep his composure, many had been saying that it seemed as though he had a thirst for vengeance lately. He added that he couldn't deny it, as it was actually true, explaining that the Black-Blooded Demon Brigade had crossed the line by killing so many Crusaders during their battles around Maple World. He told the Crusader that the Tower of Trials incident had seemed like a diversion, and so they had foolishly let their guard down. He then wished the Crusader good luck on their mission. The Crusader and Sheryl then began their infiltration and fought through the enemy ranks. As they pushed through, Sheryl wondered why the Demon Brigade would build a base in Kritias, to which the Crusader speculated that it might have to do with the high concentration of magic in the land. They then vowed to defeat the Demon Brigade before they polluted Maple World with their demonic energies. The pair then pushed ahead and encountered a holographic map of Maple World. Sheryl realized that the map was what Maia had asked them to investigate. Suddenly, the hologram began flickering as enemies began appearing. The Crusader realized that the Demon Brigade was attempting to erase the data. The pair quickly defeated the enemies and secured the map before Sheryl radioed in and reported that their mission was a success.

Five days before the start of the main operation, the Crusader and Sheryl met with Wence and several other high-ranking Crusaders. Wence presented the holographic map and explained that after analyzing the various landmarks on the map, the intelligence department was 94% confident about the location of the Demon Brigade's hideout amongst three possible areas. Maia suggested that they continue gathering intelligence until they could be 100% sure, but Sofia told him that they should just attack all three locations at once. Schnizer noted that the strategy was exactly like something that she'd propose, to which Sofia hotly asked him what he meant by that. Schnizer explained that he personally agreed with her strategy, though he pointed out that the idea wouldn't go well with their soldiers, who were already exhausted from the last operation. Sodane then proposed that they send a small, elite force instead of a large group, as it would attract less attention when the Demon Brigade was already increasing its defenses in response to the map getting stolen. He suggested that they analyze the map and launch targeted strikes at the enemy's openings before they got the chance to recover, and added that they could use the teleportation devices that he had developed for infiltration. However, Wence rejected using Sodane's device and threatened to tell everyone what had happened to the rabbit that Sodane had used to test the device. Maia noted that aside from the device, Sodane's plan seemed sound and asked the other captains what they thought. Sofia replied that, though sneaking around wasn't the style of the Second Division, she agreed with the plan. Schnizer concurred and told Sofia that she could command the Second Division as she pleased once they successfully infiltrated the enemy hideout.

Maia then suggested keeping the infiltration team the same as the previous mission and asked the Crusader if it was fine with them. The Crusader immediately agreed, though Sheryl seemed displeased with being stuck with them again. However, Maia laughed that the Crusader was the perfect partner and asked Sofia if she remembered the good old days, to which Sofia asked Maia if he remembered being beaten up by her. Schnizer ignored Sofia and Maia's bickering and told the Crusader and Sheryl to be careful. The pair then began their mission of infiltrating the Black-Blooded Demon Brigade's base in Minar Forest, which included both a watchtower and a facility for soldier mass production. As the cold weather and high winds made the area a natural fortress, the Demon Brigade had occupied the area and controlled many of the monsters in the ice peaks. The pair then fought through the enemies, including copies of Lord Skeleton and Manon that the Demon Brigade had duplicated, and successfully destroyed the base. Next, the pair infiltrated the Demon Brigade's facility in Aqua Road, where the demons were experimenting with extracting magical powers at the bottom of the sea, as well as injecting that extracted magic into monsters, thereby turning them into soldiers for their army. The pair fought past the enemies, including several copies of Lord Skeleton, and lifted the corruption upon Pianus, thereby disrupting the Demon Brigade's experiments. Finally, the pair traveled to Edelstein and entered the Verne Mine, which had been abandoned by the Black Wings before being remodeled into a Magic Stone laboratory by the Demon Brigade, with the Magic Stones generated during the experiments being said to be able to move and fight as if they were alive.

Acanthus Arrives

On the flight to Edelstein, the Crusader noted that if they succeeded in destroying the facility, it would mean that the Demon Brigade would lose all their hideouts, to which Sheryl told the Crusader to save that type of thinking for when they actually finished the mission. Suddenly, enemy projectiles began attacking the Crosshawk, the Cross Brigade's special plane for operations. Sheryl asked the Crusader if they were alright, though she grew flustered when the Crusader noted that it was cute that she was worried about them. As the barrage continued, the Crosshawk sustained heavy damage and soon crashed down. After making sure that they were alright, Sheryl wondered whether it was the Black-Blooded Demon Brigade that had shot them down. The Crusader noted that if it really was the Demon Brigade, then there was no way that they hadn't seen where they had crashed. Suddenly, Proserpin arrived and noted how the rumors of the Crusader and Sheryl falling in love on the battlefield were quite romantic, adding that she was quite jealous. Sheryl then vowed that her words would be her last before being killed, to which Proserpin laughed and replied that if that was the case, then she would change her last words accordingly by ordering her soldiers to kill Sheryl and the Crusader. Though Sheryl noted that the number of incoming soldiers was staggering, she refused to be brought down and vowed to destroy Proserpin. Together, the pair then fought through the reinforcements, though they soon became overwhelmed by the sheer number of enemies. As Sheryl fell to the ground injured, Proserpin mocked her by asking if she was tired already. Though the Crusader promised to protect her, Sheryl asked how they proposed to do that when there were so many enemies and when she was already injured. Sheryl noted that they would soon get captured, but the Crusader then told her that they would create a distraction so that she could escape.

Sheryl was dumbstruck and asked why the Crusader would go to such lengths after how many times she had insulted them, adding that she already owed them for helping her in the forest against Gerector. The Crusader replied that she didn't owe them anything and that their only motivation was to make sure that she didn't get hurt. The Crusader then told her to get ready to run, but just then, a flash grenade detonated, blinding them both. When they regained their vision, they saw that a battalion of Crusaders had arrived to reinforce them. Proserpin realized that it was time for her to retreat, though she promised that they would see each other again, adding that the nightmare wasn't yet over, as nightmares always started with hope. After Proserpin vanished, Sheryl wondered why so many Crusaders had arrived, as a large-scale attack hadn't been part of the strategy. The Crusader asked one of the soldiers which division they were a part of, to which the soldier explained that they were part of Acanthus, an unofficial independent division of the Cross Brigade. He then asked the Crusader if they and Sheryl were affiliated with headquarters. Sheryl explained that she hadn't been in contact with headquarters in years, and that they were working with the First, Second, and Fifth Divisions under Captains Schnizer, Sofia, and Maia. She added that she had never heard of Acanthus before, just as Captain Letia of the Acanthus division arrived. The Crusader was surprised to see that Letia was a young, cute girl as she greeted everyone. Though Sheryl tentatively greeted her, she told Letia that she first needed to get her story straight, as she had never heard of any sort of independent division before. As the Crusader reproached Sheryl for her rudeness, Letia laughed and told the Crusader that it was alright, as she had heard a lot about Sheryl's abilities and how methodical she was. She promised to answer any questions that Sheryl had, though she asked to pause the conversation until they finished the mission. The three of them then proceeded to the entrance of the Black-Blooded Demon Brigade's hideout, which they noted was unguarded as a result of the battle taking place outside. Sheryl realized that it was their chance to infiltrate the hideout, but the Crusader pointed out that she was injured and suggested that she rest while they went in alone. The Crusader then entered the mine and cleared out the entire base.

Black Blood Citadel

After the operation, the Crusader attended another meeting, where Maia noted that the mission had been quite dangerous because of the Black-Blooded Demon Brigade's strong defenses. Wence told Sodane not to blame himself for coming up with the operation, as the adversity that they had encountered had been quite unexpected. He added that analysis on the Crosshawk would reveal more about the weapon that had shot it down, which they would be able to look at soon. The Crusader concurred with Wence and told him that they should focus on some of the positive, unexpected developments that had happened during the missions, such as Letia. Maia officially thanked Letia for her division's help during the operation, though Letia dismissed it as merely her doing her duty as part of the Cross Brigade. Sofia added that though she hated the idea of members of the Second Division being helped by someone else, she admitted that it was better than them dying. Letia laughed and noted that she was glad that her division, which had started out as a vigilante group, had proved useful. Sheryl pointed out to Sofia that it seemed too early for them to let their guard down, as she had never heard of an independent division called Acanthus in the Cross Brigade before. Maia noted that they were practically the same as an independent division, as he himself had lost contact with headquarters years ago. Letia told Maia that if that was true, it would mean that Acanthus was the last division to have spoken with headquarters, which had officially licensed them as an independent group. She added that they must all have many questions for her, which she promised to answer truthfully, jokingly adding that they could interrogate her or even give her truth pills.

The Crusader first began by asking Letia about her identity. Letia explained that she was the daughter of a millionaire in Edelstein and that she had been a wealthy orphan after her parents had been killed by monsters long ago. When the Crusader asked her how she had come to join the Cross Brigade, Letia explained that it was natural that someone whose family had been killed by monsters would want to join an organization like the Cross Brigade after hearing about how it would defeat powerful monsters in order to bring peace to Maple World. She told the Crusader that she had gained merit within the organization, which had allowed her to get permission to create a unit that operated in Edelstein. The Crusader then asked whether she was in contact with headquarters, to which Letia replied that she herself wanted to ask that question of them. She explained that in truth, she had lost contact with headquarters for some time, and though Acanthus had wanted to reach out to the other divisions, they had refrained from doing so after considering that there must be a reason why headquarters had kept Acanthus secret from the rest of the Cross Brigade. When the Crusader asked why she had chosen to reveal herself now, Letia explained that she couldn't call herself a comrade if she were to have stayed hidden while seeing a fellow Crusader in trouble. She added that it didn't seem like a coincidence that she had witnessed the Crosshawk crashing, and that it seemed like a sign for them to work together. Sofia approvingly noted that Letia seemed more reliable than headquarters, with Schnizer adding that it seemed like headquarters was in a position where they couldn't contact anyone. Letia explained that headquarters were involved in some sort of conspiracy, and that they all were caught up in that conspiracy. Maia then told them that after having looked into the three locations on the map, he had concluded that all three of them had been traps. Schnizer told them that he would have said that it had been too easy to break into the hideouts, though he didn't want to minimize the infiltration group's struggles by saying so. Sheryl replied that she didn't mind him saying so, though she was frustrated to realize that they had been walking into a trap.

Letia then revealed that the Black-Blooded Demon Brigade's headquarters were in El Nath, where they had occupied the abandoned Lion King's Castle and enveloped it inside a magical aura, thus turning it into Black Blood Citadel. Sofia noted that while it was frustrating to have been caught in a trap, she welcomed it if it meant that they could seize the Demon Brigade's headquarters. She then told Maia to issue his next orders, adding that she was going all-out this time. Maia laughed that it would be better to follow her aggressive style this time around before ordering everyone to prepare for battle, adding that they would finally get their revenge. At the entrance to the Lion King's Castle, Maia noted that the castle, which had once been terrifying, had now become disgusting because of the Black-Blooded Demon Brigade. Sheryl resolved to show the Cross Brigade's strength, claiming that it would be even more terrifying. Maia then ordered all forces to attack as the Crusader and Sheryl fought past the monsters in the courtyard. The Crusader and Sheryl then broke through into the Audience Room, where they encountered Proserpin. Proserpin laughed that though she had said that they would see each other again, she hadn't anticipated that it would be so soon. Sheryl angrily told Proserpin that she ought to actually consider her last words carefully this time, though Proserpin merely laughed that she wouldn't give them any time to think before attacking. The Crusader and Sheryl fought in a fierce battle against Proserpin and her forces before defeating her.

Proserpin cursed herself for having underestimated them, but she laughed at the Crusader for thinking they had won by explaining that the concept of an end didn't exist, as the eternal nightmare just repeated itself over again. She then teleported away, and though the Crusader was annoyed about Proserpin escaping, they were glad to know that they had successfully captured the Demon Brigade's headquarters. However, Sheryl told them not to get ahead of themselves, as they had merely gotten the upper hand in the battle. Back in the courtyard, the pair rendezvoused with the captains, where they found Sofia calling Maia ‘darling' and asking how she had fought, to which Maia laughed nervously and reminded her that Schnizer was watching. Sofia turned to look in panic at Schnizer, who noted that her usual personality was more than enough, adding that seeing her behave that way was scarier than the castle itself. He joked that the day was happy enough that Sofia's hidden side could show itself. The Crusader was pleased to see that they had won and that no one had been seriously injured. However, Sheryl told the Crusader once again not to get ahead of themselves, as the Black-Blooded Demon Brigade hadn't yet disappeared, even though they had the upper hand. Maia agreed with Sheryl and told them that they needed to capitalize on their victory by preparing for the battles ahead. Letia agreed with Maia, though she noted that they could stand to indulge in their victory just a little bit longer. Maia replied that they had already indulged enough, as nothing on the battlefield could be enjoyed more than victory itself. However, Letia disagreed and told Maia that if they didn't rest mentally and physically, they wouldn't be able to rid themselves of their fatigue by the time of the next battle. Sofia testily asked what it was that Letia was trying to say, to which Letia explained that she wanted to invite them to her mansion for a banquet to celebrate their victory.

Letia's Banquet

Some time later, the Crusader and the other captains gathered outside Letia's mansion. Maia felt awkward, as he had only been going with the flow when he had agreed to her invitation before ordering the others to enjoy themselves, though he warned them to conduct themselves appropriately. As Sodane put his teleportation device down, Wence joked that he might throw it away one day before laughing that he'd reveal one day what had happened to the poor rabbit. Sofia then told the Crusader that Sheryl was looking for them at the back of the mansion, and so the Crusader headed over in order to meet her. Sheryl asked the Crusader what they were doing, to which they told her that Sofia had mentioned that she had been looking for them. Sheryl immediately denied it and told them that they had been fooled by a prank. However, when the Crusader started walking away, she called them back and asked what they were doing. The Crusader then asked what was wrong, and though Sheryl hotly denied that anything was wrong, she eventually relented and began explaining that there was something. However, she told them that she couldn't say it when she was so thirsty, and so the Crusader got the hint and went inside to get her a drink. Meanwhile, Maia and the other captains made a toast to Letia for all her help and support. Letia grew flustered at the praise and told everyone that she was instead grateful to them for their support.

At everyone's insistence, she began giving a victory speech by first asking whether they knew what Acanthus meant in the language of flowers before explaining that it symbolized revenge. She told everyone that Acanthus was her favorite flower and the name of her division. Maia noted to himself that for a child who had lost her parents, revenge would likely be her greatest joy. Letia noted that her father would have been delighted, adding that it was a shame that he couldn't see today. To everyone's shock, Letia then called for all Crusaders to die. Suddenly, the Black-Blooded Demon Brigade arrived and swarmed the mansion. As Maia asked why she had betrayed them, Letia asked if they had already forgotten her father, whom they had killed. She then shed her captain's disguise, revealing clothing made in the image of her father, Gerector. Wence told Letia that her father was a member of a vicious patronage group that gambled with the lives of Crusaders and asked if she really sought to get revenge for such a man. Letia replied that she knew what kind of man her father was. However, she added that, regardless, he had still been her father and asked if she needed any more reason to seek revenge. She explained that though she had no ties to the patronage group, she would still reap her vengeance, and that the target for her revenge was only one person, while everyone else's deaths would be for the sake of the Black-Blooded Demon Brigade. Sodane then realized that Letia had been the one who had shot down the Crosshawk. Letia explained that both she and the leader of the Demon Brigade wanted to destroy the Cross Brigade in one fell swoop, and so they had teamed up together. She revealed that he had allowed the Edelstein hideout to serve as bait so that she could set the trap. Just as Maia wondered whether Letia had been corrupted by the succubae, Sofia told him that she couldn't see Sheryl anywhere. Letia laughed that she would look for her and the Crusader, which was just as well, as the Crusader was the target of her vengeance.

Act 2

Inside the mansion, the Crusader was shocked to find that the entire building was on fire and wondered whether the Demon Brigade was involved. The Crusader rushed to the second floor while avoiding the flames and debris, where they rendezvoused with Sheryl, Wence, and Sodane. After Sheryl explained the truth about Letia, the Crusader wondered why she would want revenge for a man like Gerector, to which Wence noted that Gerector must have been a good father to her, despite his other flaws. Sheryl replied that she could empathize with Letia's thinking, though Wence added that such thinking was dangerous, as it would only make the chain of revenge endless. Sodane then interrupted and explained that the exit to the second floor had been blocked. The Crusader suggested that they check other parts of the mansion, as there had to be some exit that was still available. Upon leaving the room, they overheard Letia searching for them. Letia wondered aloud whether they had discovered the secret passageway in the basement and resolved to check. Though the Crusader believed that it was a trap, Sheryl declared that she wanted to settle things with Letia, and so she decided that she would go anyway. The group then ran through the collapsing mansion and entered the basement passage. Sheryl sensed a magical presence, causing the Crusader to realize that the Black-Blooded Demon Brigade was on its way. The group then fought through the incoming enemies and soon entered a library where Letia was waiting for them. Letia laughed and thanked them for saving her the trouble of looking for them. Sheryl cursed both parent and child and asked how many more Crusaders needed to die for them to be satisfied. Letia asked if she hadn't heard and explained that the only one that she wanted revenge on was the Crusader, while all the others were just stepping stones for her to reach her goal. The Crusader then asked why she had hurt so many others instead of just targeting them alone, to which she explained that the price of power wasn't cheap, and so she had decided to wipe out the Cross Brigade for the power to get revenge. Sheryl then threatened to end her right there, but Letia explained that if Sheryl were to shoot her, the entire basement would explode, as she had set a bomb to go off upon her death.

She then decided to make things more interesting and set a timer for the bomb. She explained that the library contained valuable information on the Black-Blooded Demon Brigade and presented them a choice to either get revenge on the Demon Brigade by saving as much information as they could before the room exploded, or to get revenge on her by chasing after her at the cost of the information being destroyed. As she retreated, Sodane wondered whether Gerector had gotten the same kind of thrill by gambling with their lives. The Crusader decided that they couldn't let Letia go, even if it meant that they had to give up on the clues in the library. Sheryl then decided to follow her instincts and rushed after Letia in order to punish her for trapping the Crusaders. The Crusader was conflicted about letting Sheryl go alone, though they also worried about the library exploding if Sheryl were to kill Letia. However, Wence proposed an alternate solution and told them to defuse the bomb while he and Sodane looked for as many clues as they could. Sodane found the detonator and noted that it almost seemed as though Letia wanted them to defuse it. He then told them to find and destroy the timer installed throughout the room. Sodane noted that both Gerector and Letia seemed to be bomb makers and told the Crusader to go on ahead. Before they left, Wence gave them a letter that he had found that was addressed to Letia, just in case it would be useful. The Crusader told them to come back alive, to which Wence told them that it had been an honor working with them in case the worst happened, though the Crusader told him not to say such things. The Crusader then scaled up the passageway, but just as they reached the top, they heard an explosion and realized that Wence and Sodane had likely been killed. They then headed outside, where they saw Letia standing over a wounded Sheryl. Letia laughed that Sheryl had been so blinded by revenge that she had followed her like a moth to the flame. The furious Crusader told Letia that, though they had initially felt sorry for her, they had realized that she was no different from her father. Letia replied that she didn't care what they thought of her, as she was having fun and didn't want the game to end.

Letia then revealed that she had been specifically ordered to bring Sheryl in alive, and that she had been given permission to do whatever she wanted with the other Crusaders. However, as she wanted to continue having fun with the Crusader, she had decided to keep them alive in order to break them and challenge them to find her. She then disappeared with Sheryl and left behind a copy of Lord Skeleton and several Demon Brigade soldiers. After the Crusader defeated all the monsters, they rendezvoused with Maia, Sofia, and Schnizer. The Crusader regrettably told them what had happened to Wence and Sodane, as well as that Sheryl had been kidnapped. Though they felt guilty for having fallen for Letia's tricks, Maia told them not to blame themselves. Sofia agreed and added that she was glad that they were alive. Maia noted that many soldiers had been killed, and that it was almost safe to say that they had been annihilated, but Schnizer told him not to say that and pointed out that they were all still standing. He realized that Letia had left in a hurry, meaning that she was likely on some set schedule. He then wondered whether there were any clues around that could help them figure out where she had gone. The Crusader then realized that they still had the letter addressed to Letia that Wence had given them. Maia hoped that the letter was important enough that Wence and Sodane's sacrifices wouldn't have been in vain before opening it. Upon reading its contents, the captains were shocked at its contents. The Crusader asked what had happened, to which Maia explained that the one who had written the letter was Cross, the first Brigadier General of the Cross Brigade, who had died years ago.

Act 3

The Founder

Reading through the contents, the group learned that Cross had instructed Letia to come to Serana's tomb upon finishing her mission, adding that his plan would soon be completed. Sofia told the Crusader that Cross was the founder of the Cross Brigade and the predecessor of the current Brigadier General, Richter. Schnizer added that Cross was legendary and that even now, there was no one who could match his prowess with a gun. However, Sofia revealed that Sheryl's abilities were very close to Cross's skills. Maia then pointed out that Cross was now a dead legend whose story had been erased from the Cross Brigade. The Crusader asked why Cross had been erased, as they assumed that he had died in battle. Sofia explained that after the tragic death of his wife, Cross had given in to accepting magical energy in his grief, which the other leaders of the Cross Brigade couldn't ignore. She added that what made it even worse was that his wife, Serana, had also been a Crusader, and that she had been killed by a Master Monster. Schnizer added that the place they were heading to was Serana's tomb, a place of tragedy. Maia noted that he had never thought that he'd end up returning there, though they had no choice if they wanted to verify that Cross really was the sender of the letter. The group then traveled to a remote forest where Serena's tomb lay. In the distance, the Crusader spotted a large Magic Stone hanging over the entrance to a cave. Sofia noted that security was ironclad, as Black-Blooded Demon Brigade members were everywhere. The Crusader then told Sofia that there was something that they had been wondering for a while, and asked why she was so obsessed with Sheryl. Sofia was surprised that they interpreted it as an obsession, but nevertheless, she confirmed that she would go to any lengths to protect Sheryl. She explained that the sadness in Sheryl's eyes reminded her of herself when she was younger, which inexplicably made her want to protect Sheryl. The Crusader noted that she acted like an older sister, to which Sofia explained that though she didn't know how Sheryl viewed her, she considered Sheryl to be her real sister, as they had been together ever since Sheryl had joined the Cross Brigade. However, she added that she understood herself well enough that she knew that her harsh personality would never allow her to admit her real feelings. She confessed that she didn't plan to share her feelings with Sheryl, as she was content with just serving as her strict captain, as she didn't want people to see her as a grieving captain who had lost her sister.

Just then, Maia noted something in the distance and pointed out Letia and a tied-up Sheryl at the entrance of the cave. The group then charged in and fought through the Demon Brigade soldiers before encountering Proserpin once again. The Crusader demanded to know where she had taken Sheryl, to which Proserpin noted that they had finally arrived, as she had been wondering whether Letia had toyed with them too much. She then told the Crusader that they seemed like a smart person, and so she had an offer for them. She explained that accepting magic would allow them to become stronger, which would allow them to bring about the justice that they desired. However, the Crusader refused to fall for her words and told her to return Sheryl to them. Disappointed, Proserpin then attacked the Crusader, who managed to defeat her. As the Crusader and the captains began entering the cave, Proserpin told them to be prepared, adding that she had already warned them. Inside the cave, the group discovered Sheryl, whose hair and clothes had turned black and purple. Sofia called out to Sheryl and told her that they needed to escape quickly, but to her shock, Sheryl pulled out her gun on them. Maia immediately realized that Sheryl had been hit with a magical aura. The Crusader called out to Sheryl and told her to calm down, as it was just them. Sheryl began faltering, noting that her head was throbbing. The Crusader once again called out to her and asked her to remember them. Realizing that the magical hold on Sheryl was too strong, the Crusader decided that they had no choice but to fight her. However, Sheryl easily overpowered the group and bound them with magical chains. Just then, Letia appeared and laughed at the interesting turn of events. She then mockingly asked the Crusader how it felt to fight someone that they cared deeply about. The Crusader realized that corrupting Sheryl had been part of both Letia and Cross' plan. Letia explained that she hadn't actually planned to bring them so far, but she noted that Cross would be amused with what had happened, adding that the captains would make for excellent demonic bodies that could serve as captains of the Black-Blooded Demon Brigade.

Memories of Cross

Suddenly, the Crusader was unexpectedly transported to a bright forest in Maple World, where they wondered where everyone else had gone. In the distance, they found a man standing near the Maple Tree and attempted to get his attention, though they were surprised to find that he couldn't see them. Just then, a woman arrived and greeted the man as Cross. Cross greeted her as Serana and noted that the autumn leaves reminded him of his early adventures. The Crusader then realized that they were looking at the memories of someone else. Cross then told Serana that they were facing a tough battle against magical energy and explained that if they couldn't control that energy, then they couldn't protect Maple World. Though Serana told him that he didn't have to do everything alone, Cross replied that it was up to him to protect Maple World from magical energy. Serana told him that she understood, though she added that as long as they could fight side-by-side, she would be happy. The Crusader realized that Cross and Serana were deeply in love, though they knew that tragedy would soon strike. Serana then asked Cross whether he had thought of a name for their organization, to which he explained that he had decided to name it after his own name, which he explained had actually been suggested by Richter, who had gathered many talented individuals, including several wealthy sponsors. Suddenly, the memory froze as the Crusader felt magical energy enveloping their entire body. The Crusader then destroyed the traces of dark energy in the frozen memory, which transformed it into a different scene set in Perion, where the Crusader saw Cross and a different woman standing in front of a Master Monster Portal. Cross asked the woman, whom he addressed as a Lieutenant, to explain how the portal worked. The woman told him not to address her so formally, to which Cross apologized before addressing her as Proserpin. The Crusader was shocked to learn that Proserpin had once been a Crusader.

Proserpin then told Cross that the portals had been built all across Maple World in order to seal Master Monsters before asking him whether he knew what a Master Monster was. Cross answered that it was a monster that had been artificially injected with magical power in order to seal it. He added that a characteristic of magical power was that it was naturally drawn towards more powerful demons, though Proserpin realized that he had merely been reciting her report. Nevertheless, she told him that he was right and added that because of the portals, the magical power would stop spreading across Maple World and would instead just affect the monsters in the immediate area, which would be much more manageable. Cross believed that they would fully be able to control magical power in Maple World with the portals, though at the cost of sacrificing the monsters that had been turned into seals. Proserpin noted that he was too kind, as she herself had no feeling about sacrificing the monsters. Cross pointed out that monsters were living beings as well and that it would have been ideal to simply coexist with them. However, he understood that demonic energy was created through the greed and corruption that existed in people's hearts, and as such, feelings would always exist, and there would be no end to the creation of demons. However, he hoped that the desire that brought forth demons would be superseded by the desire for peace. Cross then asked Proserpin what they should call the portal, to which she suggested that, as it contained Master Monsters, it should be called a Master Monster Portal. Cross agreed to the term and told Proserpin that he wanted to keep the portals secret, as they contained strong demonic energy within. Suddenly, the memory froze once again, and the Crusader destroyed the traces of dark energy within.

The scene then changed to show a Lord Skeleton monster standing before an injured Cross and a deceased Serana, who had been killed during a mission to get the Master Monster Portals under control. Once again, the scene changed to show Cross speaking with Proserpin. Cross read aloud the report that covered Serana's death before discussing with her about what had been omitted from it. Proserpin noted that the rampages caused by the Master Monster Portals had been because of Richter and his patrons, as they had used the credibility built up by the Cross Brigade in order to expand their business and earn a huge amount of money, and that they were hoping for the war to never end. Cross wondered whether Richter and his patrons were responsible for causing the Magic Monster Portals to go out of control and immediately blamed himself for allowing it to happen. Proserpin then warned Cross to take care, as Richter may be targeting him next. After she left, Cross voiced aloud his regrets that he hadn't been able to keep his promise to Serana about being together forever. He then wondered when the Cross Brigade, which had been created to bring about peace, had fallen so far. The Crusader was shocked to learn what kind of person Brigadier General Richter was and wondered whether Gerector's gambling with the lives of Crusaders was the cause of his behavior, which explained why they hadn't been able to contact headquarters. Suddenly, the scene froze again, and the Crusader noted that their head hurt even more than it had when the previous memories had frozen. They realized that the memories were likely being constructed within their consciousness itself. After the Crusader fought through the dark energy, the scene changed to reveal Cross in Magatia. The Crusader noted that this time, the memory felt a lot sadder. Suddenly, Cross was attacked by Gerector and his dog, Coco. Gerector then called for Cross's death in order to usher in the new era for the Cross Brigade. Cross asked him whether Richter had sent him, which Gerector confirmed before explaining that Richter was a good business partner and a true friend to the sponsor group, adding that he wasn't a pacifistic dreamer like Cross. He then mocked Cross about Serana's death before adding that their child would grow up in his new Cross Brigade.

Gerector then told Cross's story would become a tragedy, with everyone believing that he had succumbed to demonic energy after being overwhelmed by grief over his wife's death, adding that he and the other patrons would be hailed as heroes for killing such a Crusader who had gone mad. An injured Cross begged him to spare his children, to which Gerector replied that his children would be safe and happy as long as they never knew the truth about their father. The memory then went dark as Proserpin's voice was heard. Proserpin thanked Cross for allowing her, a demonic creature, to live as a human and vowed to repay his kindness by flooding him with demonic energy in order to save his life, thus reviving him as the King of Demons. As the memory froze, the Crusader felt their head split in pain. Realizing that they had to get rid of the demonic energy, they fought through the traces of darkness before awakening in an abstract memory with forests. The Crusader then encountered a corrupted Cross as they realized that they had been inside his consciousness. Cross noted that magical energy was quite mysterious, as it was even the medium through which memories could be conveyed. He then asked the Crusader what they had thought of his memories, to which they told him that while they truly sympathized with what had happened to him, they asked him to see that they and the others weren't the Crusaders that he knew, and that thanks to him, they had even been able to learn who the true enemy was. They then asked Cross to work together so that they could defeat the patron group, but Cross told them that, as the core of the organization was rotten, there was no way that he could believe that its members were any different. He explained that after having become the King of Demons, he understood human corruption innately, pointing out how Richter, in spite of having once been pure-hearted, had torn his family apart and how Gerector had played games with the lives of Crusaders. He then revealed that he planned to cover the entire world in demonic energy in order to control everything, as darkness ceased to be darkness in a world without light. However, he told them that before he did so, he had to first meet the last of his kin, Sheryl.

The New Cross Brigade

The Crusader then awoke back to the real world, where Cross, Letia, and Sheryl faced the Crusader and their tied-up allies, who had also witnessed Cross' memories and had realized the truth. As the captains expressed their shock, Letia realized that Cross had asked her to reunite him with his daughter. Cross told Letia that though her father had torn his family apart, she had helped reunite them. Letia explained that he should have told her earlier, as she was nothing like her father and would have treated Sheryl with more respect if she had known. Cross then decided that Letia deserved a reward and called in Proserpin, who immediately attacked her. Cross revealed that there was no way that he could ever ally himself with a descendant of the patrons that he hated. A terrified Letia told him that she had nothing to do with the patrons, but Cross replied that her being the daughter of Gerector was enough. He then laughed and told her that his having given her power to carry out her revenge was enough and noted how much fun she had been having toying with the Crusaders' lives like her father. He explained that they had been made square and that from now on, he would use her in order to get information about the patrons and the rest of the Crusade so that he could get his own revenge. He then declared that he would corrupt the Crusader and the other captains with demonic energy so that they could go after the patrons together. The Crusader once again appealed to him by explaining that, though they sympathized with him, it wasn't what Serana would have wanted. Though Cross told them to shut their mouth, the Crusader told him that their love for Maple World was as strong as his, and that if he was unwilling to turn back, they would purify him. Cross laughed and asked how they proposed to do so when they were bound by demonic energy, when, suddenly, a flash grenade detonated, after which Wence and Sodane appeared and freed the Crusader and the captains. The Crusaders were overjoyed to see that they were alive and asked how they had escaped, to which Wence explained that it had been because of Sodane's infamous teleportation device.

The Crusader then faced Cross, and after a fierce battle, they managed to defeat him. Suddenly, Cross and the Crusader were both teleported inside his memory of the autumn leaves, where Cross was shocked to see the spirit of Serana, who explained that his heart's strong desire to see her again had allowed her to manifest, though she herself wasn't real. Serana then told him that while she sympathized with his suffering, his plan to cover the world in demonic energy would go against their promise. She then reminded him of the words that she had told him long ago, which were that he didn't have to do everything alone, and that if there was someone who embodied the ideals of the original Cross Brigade, then he should support them as much as possible. She told Cross that she believed that the Crusader shared his pure ideals, and that she fully believed in them. She then entrusted the Crusader with carrying on Cross's will and asked them to take care of Sheryl. In the real world, the Crusader awoke to an uncorrupted Sheryl and the captains approvingly telling them that they had seen everything. Cross then awoke to find that all the Magic Stones had been destroyed, as the Crusader's pure heart had purified the demonic energy inside both the stones and in Cross's heart. He then thanked the Crusader for helping him come back to his senses before explaining that he and Serena would be together again, as the demonic energy that had been keeping him alive had been purified. He first requested Sofia to continue taking care of Sheryl like a real sister would. Next, he asked Maia to lead the Cross Brigade in his place. He then apologized to Sheryl for not being able to spend more time with her before thanking Proserpin for her help and asking her to aid the Cross Brigade. He then told the Crusader that he would do everything in his power to seal the Magic Stones in order to keep the world safe. He then used the last of his power to teleport everyone out before the destroyed Magic Stones exploded.

The Crusader then grabbed onto Sheryl before arriving at safety, where they spent four days unconscious in the hospital. Upon awakening, Sheryl helped walk outside, where she genuinely thanked them for everything. Maia then arrived and told the Crusader that everyone who had been injured at the mansion was recovering. He then thanked the Crusader for everything that they had done before revealing that their real enemy was the Black Brigade, the organization led by Richter and the patron group, all of whom had the power to use magical energy. Though the Crusader felt disgusted with themselves for working under such people, Maia told them not to be, as they were the new leaders of the Cross Brigade. He then led them outside, where Sofia and Schnizer stood alongside a legion of Crusaders. Maia then revealed that after having discussed it with the captains, they had unanimously elected the Crusader as the Brigadier General of the New Cross Brigade. Though the Crusader was hesitant, Maia reminded them of what Serana had said about them embodying the will of Cross' original ideals. He then introduced Proserpin, who had been made the new captain of the Sixth Division, comprised of the forces of the Black-Blooded Demon Brigade. Proserpin explained that she hoped to make up for having turned Cross into a demon by leading the rest of the former Demon Brigade into carrying out his will. As the Cross Brigade prepared to carry out their new mission, the Crusader thought to themselves that they would do their best, just as Serana and Cross believed in them to do.

Shortly after, the Crusader met with Maia, who asked how they were handling their new role. He explained that carrying out their new responsibilities would help them acclimate before adding that the Cross Brigade would need to start over, as they had no money or resources. He explained that the former hideouts of the Demon Brigade had reported that the Black Brigade was on the move and explained that while each captain was in charge of its own area, they were severely short on manpower. He then asked the Crusader to help the captains with some of their missions, after which Sheryl agreed to tag along, as she believed that only she could keep the new Brigadier General in line.

Gallery

Monsters

• 
  黒血の兵士
  (Black-Blooded Soldier)
• 
  黒血の指揮官
  (Black-Blooded Commander)
• 
  黒血のリザードマン
  (Black-Blooded Cornian)
• 
  黒血のスケルゴサウルス
  (Black-Blooded Skelegon)
• 
  魔性に汚れたボーンレッドドラゴン
  (Demonic Manon)
• 
  実験廃棄物ボーンクラピ
  (Experimental Byproduct Bone Fish)
• 
  魔性に汚れたシャクラー
  (Demonic Shark)
• 
  魔性に汚れたワルメンボウ
  (Demonic Pianus)
• 
  生きている魔性石
  (Living Demonic Rock)
• 
  ミニ魔性ゴーレム
  (Mini Demonic Golem)
• 
  魔性ゴーレム
  (Demonic Golem)
• 
  プロセルフィン
  (Proserpin)
• 
  Fire
• 
  魔性の神官
  (Demonic Priest)
• 
  黒化したシェリル
  (Dark Sheryl)
• 
  黒化したクロウ
  (Dark Crow)
• 
  魔性エネルギー
  (Demonic Energy)
• 
  実体化した魔性エネルギー
  (Materialized Demonic Energy)
• 
  具体化した魔性エネルギー
  (Manifested Demon Energy)
• 
  クロス
  (Cross)
• 
  誘導弾
  (Guided Missile)
• 
  誘導弾
  (Guided Missile)

NPCs

• 
  魔法地図
  (Magic Map)
• 
  記憶の魔性石
  (Magic Stone of Memory)
• 
  シェリル
  (Sheryl)
• 
  クロウ
  (Crow)
• 
  ウェンス
  (Wence)
• 
  ソダネ
  (Sodane)
• 
  ソフィア
  (Sofia)
• 
  シュナイザー
  (Schnizer)
• 
  マイア
  (Maia)
• 
  ハートマン
  (Hartmann)
• 
  十字旅団兵士
  (Cross Brigade Soldier)
• 
  プロセルフィン
  (Proserpin)
• 
  レティア
  (Letia)
• 
  レティア
  (Letia)
• 
  シェリル
  (Sheryl)
• 
  クロウ
  (Crow)
• 
  クロス
  (Cross)
• 
  セラナ
  (Serana)
• 
  クロス
  (Cross)
• 
  セラナ
  (Serana)
• 
  プロセルフィン
  (Proserpin)

NPC Portraits

• 
  NPC Portrait of Starling
• 
  NPC Portrait of Starling
• 
  NPC Portrait of Starling
• 
  NPC Portrait of Crow
• 
  NPC Portrait of Crow
• 
  NPC Portrait of Crow
• 
  NPC Portrait of Cross
• 
  NPC Portrait of Cross
• 
  NPC Portrait of Cross (past)
• 
  NPC Portrait of Cross (past)