Odium/Story

AreaStory

Main Story

Occupation

In an unknown location, Senya commanded her Lab Tech bot to play a recording marked TB-0024. The bot warned that the source of the recording was unverified and asked for confirmation if she still wanted to hear it, despite it posing a risk to system integrity. Senya commanded it to play the recording anyways, which prompted the bot to project a hologram of the Angler Company logo and play back a recording of Nicky's phone call with their father as he fell off Karote. As Senya listened to Nicky's accusations, the bot interrupted and explained that it was receiving an emergency call from an unknown caller. A surprised Senya wondered whether it was from her father, and whether he had detected that she had hacked into communications. Senya was unnerved by Nicky's claim that he had been programmed by their father and realized that the Angler family was just a group centered around their father, with even his children referring to each other as siblings merely for show. Senya told the Lab Tech bot that she didn't care whether Nicky had thought of her as family, as family was merely another code type to her. Nevertheless, she told the bot that she hadn't wanted him to break the way that he had. In response to her words, the bot merely replied that it didn't recognize her command, to which Senya laughed to herself that she was trying to have a chat with a glorified record player, adding that she must have picked up a bad habit from the old robots in Hotel Arcus. Just as she told the bot that she would rather talk to it than Laha, Laha herself entered the room and demanded to know what she was mumbling to herself about when their father was trying to get a hold of her, adding that she hadn't called Senya all the way just so that she could putt around in a corner.

Laha then explained that their father had found something useful, for which he was on his way to Odium personally. Senya noted that it was good timing, as one of Darmoor's Apostles was on her way there too, adding that between their father and the Apostle, the blocked door being guarded by Odium's dolls would open soon enough. An annoyed Laha then ordered Senya to follow her if she understood the situation, as their father was waiting. Meanwhile, the Adversary was called to Edelstein by Claudine, who explained that she had something important to share. At the Secret Plaza, Claudine greeted them warmly, noting that it had been a while since they had last spoken. She then laughed and added that she would have thought that they would be less busy after saving the world. Nevertheless, she thanked them for their actions, as Edelstein was now at peace because of them. Claudine then explained that the Resistance had been trying to keep Edelstein safe and quiet. She told the Adversary that even after the Black Wings had been driven out of Edelstein following the Black Heaven incident, the threat of the Black Mage had forced them to divert their attention from rebuilding the town, despite them having reclaimed Edelstein and the Verne Mine. She explained that they had been putting off taking care of the city because of that, but with the Black Mage's defeat, everyone was now working together to finally start the rebuilding effort. However, Claudine admitted that they would never have everything quite the way it had been. She explained that aside from the property damage, the looting, and the mine having output issues, the people themselves had changed. She told the Adversary that many of their colleagues had gone missing, been injured, gone rogue, or been killed in the fight against the Black Wings and the Black Mage, with all of them leaving empty chairs, both big and small.

Nevertheless, Claudine added that they still had to keep going anyways, vowing that they would fix and recover whatever they could. She explained that no matter how hard it was, they now had their freedom and their peace, and so she believed that everything would be okay. Just as she noted that they had many people to thank for securing that freedom, she caught herself and laughed that she was talking as though everything was over when the Adversary was still out fighting. The Adversary explained that even with the Black Mage's defeat, there were other threats that still existed. They added that any help from the Resistance could make a great difference, just as it had during the war against the Black Mage. Claudine paused hesitantly before explaining that the Resistance had come together for individual freedom, not for any great cause. She added that they had only just gotten that freedom back, and so asking them to help outsiders now was just too soon. However, she conceded that it would be good to think about bringing freedom outside Edelstein together, as no one could empathize with oppression better than they could. Claudine then realized that she had gotten off-track and explained that the reason why she had called them was because the Resistance had finished their check-up on Cosim, whom the Adversary had brought in after the mission to Karote. Claudine and the Adversary then went to the medical room, where the other Resistance leaders greeted them.

Checky then asked Wendelline whether he was right in his assessment about Cosim. Wendelline confirmed that he was right, adding that Cosim needed a doctor, not a mechanic. She told the group that she had never seen anything like Cosim before, as his internal organs looked as though they had been created out of machinery and assembled together to function like human organs. However, she added that no human could possibly have survived the damage that he had sustained. Upon taking a closer look at Cosim, the Adversary was surprised to see that his grey hair and round pupils were oscillating between their current state and the blue hair and diamond pupils that Senya and Nicky had. Checky admitted that Resistance technology wasn't always top-of-the-line, adding that his repairs hadn't been effective. He explained that it was a miracle that Cosim was functioning at all, likening his injuries to a busted heart or crushed lungs in humans. Belle added that it also seemed that most of Cosim's injuries had been sustained in an explosion. She explained that though Cosim was supposedly a child of the Angler Company founder, she found it strange that the Company founder wouldn't take better care of his children. She noted that Cosim's damage was old, meaning that he should have had plenty of time to have gotten repaired. Elex then suggested that it was possible that the explosion had made that impossible. Brighton agreed, adding that Cosim could have been damaged in the same explosion that had destroyed Company headquarters.

The Adversary asked Brighton whether he thought that Cosim might have been involved in the explosion, to which Brighton noted that Cosim seemed to have a habit of getting involved in things. Suddenly, the Adversary recalled how T-Boy had said the same thing about Cosim, and how he had been sure that Cosim would help them. They then wondered what that said about Cosim and the Angler Company. Claudine told the Adversary that according to rumors, the Company had been facing a run of bad luck. She then asked whether Neinheart had told them anything about it, to which the Adversary replied that Neinheart had mentioned that the Cygnus Knights were also looking into it. Claudine explained that when they had attempted to interrogate Cosim, he hadn't provided any clear answers, especially about the Company. However, she believed that he might talk to them and allowed them to speak with him privately. The Adversary greeted Cosim and thanked him for helping them at Karote. When they asked whether he was feeling better, Cosim replied that everything was fine, and that the rest of his damage needed to stay unrepaired. Cosim explained that his body had been designed by “that man”, adding that he would function as designed if he were to return to peak condition, and so it would be best for him to remain in his damaged state. He then explained that he was not the only one who had been damaged, adding that the same explosion had critically damaged the same man. When the Adversary asked whom he was referring to, Cosim told them that it was the man whom Nicky had spoken of, causing them to realize that Cosim was talking about his father.

The Adversary then asked to clarify that he was referring to the explosion at the Angler Company headquarters, which was the same explosion that had driven the Company underground. However, when they asked him whether he had anything to do with the explosion, Cosim remained silent on the matter. He then explained that his father had lost his power source in the explosion, and that he needed a vast quantity of energy in order to recover. Cosim added that his father would do absolutely anything to restore himself to full functionality, even sending his broken children into harm's way, knowing full well that they would be targeted if any of them were spotted and caused rumors to spread that the Angler family was still alive. He explained that just as he had feared, the God-King of the High Flora, Gerand Darmoor, had personally sought out the Company after hearing the rumors. Darmoor had then told the Angler family about the existence of a new Adversary in possession of a Seal Stone. Cosim then paused and told the Adversary that they had a visitor.

Just then, Brighton entered the room and explained that someone from the Cygnus Knights had just arrived who wanted to speak to them urgently. The Adversary stepped out and was surprised to find that Oz had arrived at the Secret Plaza. Oz greeted the Adversary and explained that the Cygnus Knights' reconnaissance team had just returned back from surveying the wreckage of Karote, and that they had reported that the tower had rebuilt itself. Belle noted that it made sense, as the destruction of Guardian Kalos meant that there was nothing stopping the tower from remaining complete. She then asked if it meant that the laboratory was open now. Oz explained that it was possible, and that she also had more bad news. She explained that right after the Glory Guard had retreated after defeating Kalos, their scouts had spotted anglerfish-shaped airships moving in on Karote. She added that if the scouts were right, it meant that the Angler Company was moving in on Odium as they spoke. The Adversary then recalled what they knew of Odium - that it was a laboratory hidden in the sky where most of the Adversaries had been born. Though they still weren't sure who had built it, or why, or even what had happened there, they remembered how T-Boy's father had mentioned that the experiments in Odium had been painful. They recalled how the researchers of Odium had used living beings as tools, and how they had literally thrown their experiments out the laboratory if they were defective.

They then recalled how after some time, the researchers had eventually emptied the laboratory and left forever, which was how Odium had been shut down, possibly forever. The Adversary also recalled how T-Boy had called the researchers ‘old geezers'. Oz then told the Adversary that she had sought them out because of a fugitive that she and the Blaze Wizards had been chasing. She explained that they had lost the fugitive's trail right near Karote before revealing that the person whom they had been trailing was Kaling. The Adversary then recalled that Oz had once mentioned that there was a chance that Kaling was associated with Darmoor. As Darmoor and the Company founder were doing business together, they noted that they would finally be able to see how Kaling fit into the mix. Oz then explained that the Empress had sent her in order to aid them, as well as to ask the Resistance for their help too. Claudine suggested that Brighton, a fellow mage, accompany Oz and told them that they ought to hurry, as even with the dimensional boundaries between their worlds broken, the deserts of Grandis would still take a while to get to. Cosim then appeared and told them that he could help them with that, as he could teleport four people to Odium right away, including himself. The Adversary asked if he would be alright, as he was still recovering. Cosim replied that though he wouldn't be able to stay for long, he would still be functional enough for the journey.

Cosim then teleported them to the top of Karote, where Oz marveled at being able to see such a large artifact. Brighton agreed, adding that any magician would be excited to see something like Karote. He noted that Guardian Kalos had to have been quite formidable to knock the tower down over and over again. The Adversary then noticed a series of steps that led to the entrance of Odium. Cosim told the Adversary that he wouldn't be able to go any further, to which the Adversary asked if he was worried about running into his family. Cosim confirmed their suspicions, though he told them not to worry, as he had called someone stronger to help them, adding that they would find him inside the door. Before he left, Cosim also warned the group about the mechanical dolls that the researchers had created to filter out intruders. When Oz asked him what he meant by ‘filter out', Cosim explained that the researchers hadn't simply abandoned the laboratory, but rather, they had converted all of Odium into a machine that could continue running without them, with the dolls being placed to eternally watch over the laboratory. Oz realized that if the researchers' guards were still in Odium, then their research might still be there too, as she couldn't think of any other reason why they would still maintain the laboratory. She then asked Cosim whether by ‘dolls', he meant to say golems, to which Brighton added that he had been thinking of androids, as well as the implications of their operation. He noted that it took a considerable amount of energy to power just one mechanical doll, let alone an army of them, and wondered what could possibly be powering them all. He then added that it reminded him of what Gelimer had wanted from the Verne Mine.

Oz also wondered why the researchers had even left in the first place, as it would have been far simpler for them to have stayed if they had wanted to keep Odium operational, rather than building and powering so many dolls. She noted that the researchers must have had a good enough reason to leave. Cosim then explained that, in a sense, the dolls were merely components of the larger machine, and that Odium's backbone was somewhere deep inside the laboratory, with only the researchers knowing where or what it was. The Adversary realized that Cosim was talking about Odium's power source. They then recalled how he had mentioned that the Company founder had lost his power source, and that his children were searching for a replacement. Brighton realized that the Angler Company was likely attempting to steal the power source for the Company founder. Oz noted that the Company founder also wanted the power of the Adversary, as Odium was where Adversaries had been made, meaning that the founder's goals could be related to that too. Brighton complimented Oz for her sharp thinking and told her that he was glad that the Cygnus Knights had sent her out, adding that he believed that she would help them out a lot. Cosim then told the Adversary that he had shared everything that he knew and wished them luck, adding that he hoped to see them next time.

After Cosim teleported away, the Glory Guard arrived in Odium, which was filled with holographic plants and several Guardians that the Adversary recognized from Karote. Oz recognized the Guardians from Neinheart's report, which had explained that the researchers had made them to bring in potential Vessels of the Adversary. The Adversary noted that the Guardians looked slightly different, though they realized that it was likely because the ones that they had seen in Karote had been modified by the Company founder. As they moved closer, they realized that the Guardians had been reprogrammed to obey the Angler Company. Just then, the Guardians detected a life force and moved in on a man with cybernetic Anima features in the form of rabbit ears and a tiger tail. The Guardians analyzed the man and detected no anglerfish insignia on him, which caused them to identify him as an enemy. As the Guardians began to attack, the man cried out for help and the Adversary decided to save him. However, Oz reminded them that according to Cosim, there were no humans left in Odium, meaning that the man was just a mechanical doll. However, the Adversary replied that regardless, the man had called out for help. Brighton noted that they were about to face a battle no matter what, and that they might as well help if they could. The Glory Guard moved in and destroyed the Guardians, after which the man thanked them for saving him. The man then asked the Adversary who they were and how they had come through the door before realizing that they were a Vessel, adding that there was one amongst the intruders as well. He realized that the Adversary was the one who had defeated Guardian Kalos and introduced himself as Alter, one of the Constables who looked after Odium.

He then greeted them as the Vessel of an Adversary, explaining that he was under the impression that their kind had gone extinct after the researchers had decommissioned every model at the end of the war. Confused, the Adversary asked him which war he was talking about, to which Alter explained that it was the war to slay the last god left in the world, adding that they must have heard of it. The Adversary then realized that Alter was referring to the war against the Ancient Gods. Alter told the Adversary that after the Ancient War, the researchers had disappeared in accordance to the will of the world, hoping to wash away the sins that they had committed in the laboratory. Alter also explained that the researchers had left Kalos and the other Guardians on watch, while the Constables maintained order, as they had hoped that it would be enough to keep their technology out of the wrong hands. However, after Kalos had fallen, strange airships had appeared in the sky, with the intruders somehow knowing exactly what they were looking for. He explained that the intruders had spread out and had taken the residential district with precision tactics and coordination, reprogramming the Guardians to turn on the Constables. Brighton asked if the technology in the laboratory was still intact, to which Alter replied that the intruders had only taken the residential district, with the laboratory still remaining secure. He explained that several Constables had barricaded themselves inside, where they were devising a strategy to retake the residential district. However, he added that the intruders had captured multiple Constables, who were being interrogated as they spoke. He explained that he had managed to escape from their interrogations, though he expected that the intruders would soon find him.

Alter told the Adversary that he had hoped to find a way to reboot the Guardians and restore their previous firmware, though he had instead run into them. He noted that a Vessel arriving in Odium at such a moment was a highly improbably contradiction, and that the researchers would have called it destiny. The Adversary then told Alter that there was a corrupted Transcendent in the world down below, and that they had come in search of the power of the Adversary in order to stop him. Alter suggested that they visit the residential district as their first stop, explaining that the other Constables would accept them as he had, as they were a true Vessel, and one from outside the laboratory, at that. Alter then asked the Adversary to clear a path, and so the Adversary fought through the Enhanced Olivine Guardians and the Enhanced Diamond Guardians. Just as they began moving forward, Oz heard the sound of machines approaching. Alter realized that the intruders had arrived and suggested that they hide. They then saw Senya and Laha appear with fortified Angler Company robots. Upon witnessing some of the Guardians exploding, Laha noted that she had thought that someone was destroying the Guardians, though she was unimpressed to find that they were merely self-destructing because of conflicts in their systems, adding that the researchers were foolish for having made so many ‘junk robots'. Laha then asked Senya whether Darmoor's Apostle was here yet, adding that since she knew how to enter the laboratory, they ought to call her and quit wasting their time.

Senya told Laha to be patient, reminding her that their father had warned them not to push Darmoor, as he was an important client. She added that their father's words were applicable to Darmoor's people as well, and that while she didn't care whether Laha destroyed all the Constables, she reminded her sister to watch her attitude, warning that there would otherwise be trouble. She also reminded Laha of what their father did to things that he couldn't control, to which Laha angrily told Senya to be quiet, threatening to rip out her memory chip and toss it into the sea before storming away. As Senya watched Laha leave, she noted to herself that she was sure that their father had heard their conversation. Alter was shocked to know that the enemy knew of a way to open the door, and that they wished to destroy all the Constables. Just as Oz began wondering who the Apostle of Darmoor could be, Senya called out to the Glory Guard and asked them to reveal themselves, promising that her sister was gone. She then brightly smiled at the Adversary and asked how they had been, noting that she hadn't expected them to arrive so soon. She then knowingly asked whether somebody had helped them along, though she added that they likely wouldn't tell her who it was anyways.

The Adversary ignored her question and instead noted that the girl whom she had been speaking with was her sister. Senya introduced her sister as Laha Angler, adding that they likely hadn't met before. She joked that Laha was a simpleton who never listened to her, adding that, as an older sister, she worried about Laha a lot. She noted that her little brother didn't listen either, though he had at least been cute. She admitted that his face had been ugly, though she regretted making fun of him for it. The Adversary then realized that Senya was referring to T-Boy, and that if the Company didn't retrieve him, then it likely meant that he hadn't survived the fall off Karote. Senya then warned the Adversary that they should stay out of Laha's way, as Laha wasn't one to use her words to express herself. She then noticed Alter and recognized him as a doll created by the ‘old men'. She laughed that the Adversary was the same as they had been back in the desert, still getting attached to lifeless objects. She then amusedly noted that they ought to stop trusting people before thanking them for cheering her up. With that, she decided to take her leave, explaining that she was busy enough with her father's work that she would look the other way while they left, adding that they wouldn't change anything by sticking around anyways.

Alleyway Incursion

After Senya left, the Glory Guard headed into the residential district, where they encountered two more Constables with mechanical Anima features named Sya-sya and Kaya. Alter introduced the Adversary as a true Vessel, to which Kaya noted that their presence indicated an unprecedented level of activity in the world down below. Sya-sya added that Guardian Kalos and his subordinates were down, the laboratory was under threat, and a true Vessel had appeared, causing her to wonder whether the researchers were aware about those developments. Alter then asked Sya-sya and Kaya to let the other Constables know that they were all in danger, as he had overheard the intruders mention that they had found someone who could reach the laboratory, meaning that they had no use for the Constables anymore. Sya-sya was shocked, realizing that it could only mean that they had brought one of the researchers, noting that such a thing would be impossible. Kaya noted that it wasn't necessarily impossible, and that if it was true, then they were all in danger. Kaya asked about the Constables in the laboratory, as well as the test subjects inside. Alter replied that their investigation was still pending, after which he suggested to the Adversary that they enter the laboratory together, as it would help them in their research to learn more about the power of the Adversary. He also added that he would be unable to reach the laboratory without them. The Adversary asked where the laboratory was, to which Alter pointed out the gold-roofed complex in the distance. He explained that the researchers slept in the red-roofed buildings in the residential district and worked in the gold-roofed complex. He told the Adversary that in his caretaker duties, he had spotted traces of the researchers' work still in the laboratory, which he believed would contain the answers that they were looking for.

Alter then explained that there used to be stairs in the center of the village that led up to the laboratory, though the Constables in the laboratory had deactivated them as part of their barricade. Though there was another way inside, he explained that the path was blocked by Angler Company robots. With no other choice, the Glory Guard decided to head the long way, where they found a huge number of Company robots occupying the route. The Adversary then suggested that Brighton and Oz attack from both sides, while they and Alter distract the enemy. The Adversary then fought through the robots, with Alter noting that their combat skills were practically immeasurable. Suddenly, Laha arrived and smugly declared that she had been right to think that something was off. She recognized the Adversary as the famed warrior of the Alliance who had been giving her family difficulties. However, she laughed and added that she wasn't mad about it, as she hated her family anyways. Upon seeing how unimpressive the Adversary appeared, Laha expressed her disappointment in her siblings for failing to defeat them. Laha proudly proclaimed that she was different from her siblings, adding that her father should have sent her in the first place. She explained that she was 100% android, and that if she had been sent instead, not only would Kalos have been subdued, but unlike Nicky, she would never have allowed the Adversary to escape. Her face then contorted in anger as she declared that Nicky had gotten off easy. She promised the Adversary that if they ever ran into her father, they would undoubtedly wish that they had died at Karote. The Adversary then yelled for Alter to get back as Laha shot a blast of energy from her exosuit. Laha claimed that her attack had been self-defense, as she had been ordered to guard the door to the gold-roofed complex. She then told the Adversary that whatever happened next was on them before threateningly declaring that she wasn't as careful as she should be with human bones. However, she promised that she wouldn't kill them, at least not yet.

The Adversary then faced off against Laha and managed to defeat her after a fierce battle. Laha was shocked that she had been beaten, and upon realizing that they didn't even have the Godsphere, she declared that they had no right to even call themselves an Adversary before mocking them, claiming that they weren't as special as they were said to be after all. Laha angrily asked what her siblings and her father saw in them when Oz and Brighton rushed to the scene and found the Adversary and Alter facing off against Laha. Alter then told them to hurry, as they now had a chance to open the door. He told the Adversary that since they were a Vessel, no door in Odium would stay locked for them. Just as the Glory Guard opened the door and headed inside, Alter asked the Adversary to let the other Constables know that the residential district was still in danger. The Adversary immediately realized that Alter was planning to face Laha alone in order to buy them time and urged them not to. However, Alter told them that he had done nothing but stay behind them ever since they had met. He then asked to be allowed to correct that error and fulfill his duties as a Constable. Upon realizing that the door had been opened, Laha angrily ordered Alter to get out of her way, though he continued distracting her long enough for the Adversary to make it through. From a distance, Senya observed what was happening and thought to herself that she had, after all, warned them not to cross Laha before silently noting to her father that they were on schedule.

There's Nobody Left

Meanwhile, the Glory Guard climbed up the steps to the laboratory and encountered three Constables named Na-Sol, Haram, and Aro. Na-Sol was shocked that they had gotten through the door and demanded to know whether the intruders had sent them. The Adversary explained that the Constables had sent them from the residential district in order to request reinforcements. Na-Sol recognized that the Adversary was another Vessel and realized that their presence was why the door had opened. However, he then asked the Adversary whether they expected him to believe that they had met more Constables in the residential district, as they hadn't had any contacts from the residential district since they had shut down the stairs. He added that the last Constable who had escaped from there was sick with guilt over it as they spoke. Suddenly, Master Tai Yu appeared and told Na-Sol that though he understood how he felt, he cautioned him against jumping to conclusions. He then added that he could personally vouch for the Adversary. Noting that it was their first time meeting, Tai Yu warmly greeted them. Tai Yu explained that he was nobody special, and that he had just happened to be passing by when someone had asked him to lend them a hand. An unconvinced Brighton sardonically asked whether he just happened to be in the area, though the Adversary pointed out that Cosim had mentioned that he would send someone else to help them.

Tai Yu explained that he bumped into Cosim frequently during their work for the elders. He added that though the ‘old geezers' wouldn't like him helping the Adversary, there was nothing that he could do about it, as he could afford to deal with the consequences later if the Adversary was the one in trouble. Na-Sol then asked whether it was true that there were still active Constables in the residential district, to which Aro mentioned that they ought to tell Winnie, as he would be happy to hear it. However, Na-Sol nevertheless believed that the residential district was a lost cause, adding that false hope wouldn't do them any good. Oz then explained that the Angler Company was trying to open the door to the laboratory by interrogating the Constables in the residential district. Brighton added that since their interrogation had failed, the Company had brought in someone from outside. Oz and the Adversary then concluded that Kaling was the one whom the Company had called in.

Na-Sol was surprised, adding that he had never thought that he would hear that name again. Haram was equally shocked and noted that it couldn't be her, as the elders had sealed her before they had left. Aro then realized that her seal must have degraded over time. When the Adversary asked if they knew Kaling, Aro explained that Kaling was one of their creators, and that she had been the sweetest person in the laboratory when they had known her. Realizing that the Adversary didn't know about Kaling's history in Odium, Aro explained that the other researchers had left journal entries about her, and that they might find something useful if they could wade through the mess in the laboratory. She clarified that by ‘mess', she was referring to the guards that the researchers had left behind. Brighton noted that it was obvious, as the researchers wouldn't have left guards if there wasn't anything to protect. Aro explained that the guards also functioned as cleaners, which meant that they might have paper records mixed between them. She then gave the Adversary an intercom to stay in touch before they headed inside. Before the Adversary left, Aro told them that the records from April, June, and November were the most pertinent ones.

The Adversary first obtained the record from April, which described how, in accordance to the will of the world, the researchers had been tasked with putting an end to the rampages of wild, unaccountable gods. The researcher explained that in order to confront the last god standing, they would unite the Godsphere with their Adversary of the gods, whom they would awaken in Odium. The researcher then wrote that though most of their Vessels came from outside Odium, some Vessels had been found amongst the researchers, such as Kaling. The researcher noted that despite Kaling's scientific achievements, they had doubts about whether Kaling would be compatible with the Godsphere, and whether her body could withstand all the trials. The researcher described how they had once asked Kaling whether she was sure that she wanted to undergo the experiments. They had explained that the experiments would be extremely dangerous, and that she might live in pain for the rest of her life, if she lived at all. They had also told her that she would almost entirely lose her sense of self, such as her experiences and her memories of the people whom she loved, until there would be nothing left. In the research notes, the Adversary read that there was a critical flaw in their methods, which was that Vessels in Odium lost their egos and, over the course of the repeated experiments and harsh trials, everything that made them human would be stripped away from them, such as their individuality and their values, with the sole exception of their desire to become an Adversary and their tenacity to fulfill their assigned destiny. Kaling had happily told the researcher that though she understood the risks, there was no one in Odium who wanted peace more than her, adding that if she could contribute to even one step towards attaining that peace, she was content with becoming a test subject. The researcher then described how they had found themselves believing Kaling when she had told them that she would be okay.

The Adversary then obtained the record from June, in which the researcher wrote about how they had discovered that Kaling had created four small robots, which she had excitedly explained would be sent to the world below and consume fiends. She admitted that though the robots were small, they would become bigger by consuming little fiends, such as magpies and rats, until they would have hundreds stored inside them. The researcher had then asked what she was planning to do by gathering so many fiends. Kaling had replied that she would perform a new kind of experiment. She had explained that they had both the Vessels and the Godspheres, meaning that all they needed was a power source to make the Vessels stronger, adding that they would be able to create an extremely powerful Adversary through the combined life force of all the fiends inside the Four Perils. The researcher had written that they shouldn't have been surprised, and that they should have known what would happen. However, they had also written that no one had wanted to believe that Kaling - the best of them - had already begun to change, despite it being clear through her talk about creating sentient machines with their own egos designed to consume in order to gain power.

The Adversary then read the final entry from November, in which the researcher had confronted Kaling, who had completely lost her sense of self because of the experiments. The researcher had told Kaling that people had started calling her four robots – Hundun, Qiongqi, Taowu, and Taotie – the Four Perils, which had become monsters that were hurting people all across Grandis. The researcher had told Kaling that her experiment was a failure and had ordered her to stop immediately. However, Kaling had told them to be silent, claiming that they had no right to decide whether her experiment had been a failure. She had mocked their belief that the Four Perils were hurting people all over Grandis, claiming that it hardly mattered when Grandis had a new war every other day. She had explained that Grandis was a deathtrap, and that it would have been the same, even without her robots. Kaling had then told them to stand down and wait for a bit longer, claiming that her research would pay off once she combined the power of all the fiends, challenging them to call her experiment a failure then. In the notes, the researcher had written that Kaling's experiment had been left unfinished, as before the Four Perils could gather enough power for her, the last remaining Ancient God had been forced into slumber at the end of the world. With the era of the Ancient Gods coming to an end, all the researchers - even the ones who had turned a blind eye to Kaling's experiments - had agreed that the Four Perils needed to be stopped. The researcher wrote that Kaling had been sealed away in a place that the researchers could not reach, and in a way that left no trace. The researcher had then written that the Four Perils had been cleaned up by one of the last Vessels of Odium, with their research ending with yet another sin.

Having finished reading all the records, the Adversary returned back to Tai Yu, who noted that judging by the look on their face, they had finished reading about Kaling. The Adversary asked him whether he already know what had happened in Odium, which Tai Yu confirmed, adding that he had been there before. Upon recalling that he had arrived in Odium before they had, the Adversary realized that Tai Yu was a Vessel. Tai Yu confirmed their suspicions, though he added that he was a defective Vessel. The Adversary noted that the research journal had mentioned that a Vessel had stopped the Four Perils and asked if he was the one who had done it. Tai Yu was amused that the records had noted all that down, though he claimed that it was ancient history now that Kaling and the Four Perils had awakened once again. He revealed that Kaling had already acquired two of the Four Perils, though he added that the good news was that she would never have all four of them at once, as the elders had taken care of one, while the other had been sealed inside his apprentice, joking that his pupil was friendly enough to have won him over. Aro then interrupted and asked the Adversary about what had happened in the residential district, explaining that the last Constable who had escaped wanted to speak with them. Aro introduced them to Winnie, a Constable who looked like a little boy. Na-Sol explained that Winnie was the one who had deactivated the stairs between the town and the laboratory, and that he had been by himself until the Adversary had come along. Na-Sol began telling the Adversary that Winnie still hadn't told them what he had seen in the residential district when Haram interrupted.

Haram told them that before they continued, he wanted to tell them that the Constables were ready to help, and that they were even planning to power the stairs back up fairly soon. Na-Sol added that though they were merely dolls built to serve a purpose, they had all been together for a long time, and so they needed to look out for each other. Winnie then spoke up and asked the Adversary if they were the one who had mentioned that there were still Constables in the residential district. When the Adversary confirmed that there were, Winnie accused them of lying, claiming that it was impossible. He explained that when he had shut down the stairs, he had seen all power to the residential district being cut, resulting in not just the lights shutting down, but the Constables themselves. He then noted that despite having been in Odium for so many years, none of them had any idea that the entire residential district's power switched off if it wasn't connected to the laboratory. Elsewhere, a powered-off Alter, lying motionless amidst the other dormant Constables, suddenly opened his eyes, which glowed pink. Winnie explained that because of the power being cut, it wasn't possible that the Adversary could have met any Constables there, adding that any Constables that were still intact would have been in sleep mode. Oz insisted that they had, in fact, met several Constables, including one named Alter, whom she explained had helped them reach the laboratory. A surprised Aro replied that all the Constables knew each other, and that there was no one named Alter in Odium. Confused, Brighton wondered how that fit with all that they had seen in the residential district. Oz pointed out that the Angler Company had tried hacking Kalos, and that though the Company hadn't been successful, they had managed to take him over for a short time. She noted that the Constables were physically weaker than Kalos, meaning that their cybersecurity might be weaker too, such that the Company could have taken them over completely.

At her words, Brighton realized that everything and everyone whom they had seen in the residential district had been controlled by the Angler Company. The Adversary immediately realized that they had been tricked, but just as they began warning the Constables not to power the stairs, the stairs were suddenly powered on as Kaling appeared, floating down from the sky on her umbrella onto one of the roofs. Kaling greeted the Adversary and noted that it was their first time meeting in-person. Kaling thanked the Adversary for helping her return to Odium, and to express her gratitude, she offered to show them around, noting that the elders had left some rejects in the laboratory. She then summoned a horde of failed test subjects from inside the laboratory and told the Adversary that they could play with the monsters instead. As she turned to leave, she laughed that she was off to reclaim the power that had been stolen from her. After the Adversary defeated the Disintegrating Test Subjects and Failed Subjects, Na-Sol asked if they were alright before explaining that someone had activated the stairs from the residential district as soon as the Constables had finished restoring power to them. He added that he had no idea how Kaling had done it, as the only stair controls were up where they were currently at. He noted that the stairs had been made to protect the laboratory, and that putting controls down below wouldn't make any sense. Tai Yu explained that though Kaling was a Vessel, she was also contaminated, meaning that the elders' security systems would have picked that up immediately. However, he realized that the elders' security measures only applied to doors, which would remain closed to her, but as stairs couldn't be closed, they would have connected for her after recognizing her as a Vessel.

Oz wondered why Kaling had waited for so long to connect the stairs, to which Brighton pointed out that it took an immense amount of energy to make anything move at such a scale. He noted that when the stairs had been down, the lights had gone out and the Constables had stopped moving, causing him to realize that the stairs were also a power conduit. The Adversary pointed out that the Angler Company was likely looking for the source of that power, though they wondered what it was that Kaling wanted. Oz recalled how Kaling had mentioned that she wanted to get back the power that had been stolen from her. The Adversary, realizing that they had been used, apologized to the Constables for opening the door to the intruders and putting them all in danger. However, Na-Sol told the Adversary not to blame themselves, as he and the others had also been responsible by mistakenly hoping that the other Constables might be down below. He explained that they had abandoned all the Constables below after sealing the laboratory, and that none of them except Winnie had been ready to admit it. Tai Yu then asked what their next move was, to which the Adversary decided that they would go after Kaling. Tai Yu agreed to come with the Glory Guard, adding that he might be able to lend a hand.

Hundun Laid to Rest

Inside the laboratory, Kaling continued searching for her target. She noted to herself that it now made sense why there wasn't a trace of him anywhere, even in places that no one was ever meant to find, and even down in the darkest little secrets. She added that even the most knowledgeable information networks had been unable to track down Hundun, the last of the Four Perils. Kaling told herself that she had thought that the elders might have had a hand in his disappearance, but she was furious to find that they had used her monster as a battery. She then approached Hundun, who was sealed inside an enormous container that drained his energy and funneled it through a power network to sustain Odium's operations. Kaling noted that Taotie, who had latched onto Hoyoung, was now just dead weight, but she believed that Darmoor would be able to help her make up for the gap that Taotie left. She then addressed Hundun and claimed that he was different, as he was the strongest of the Four Perils, adding that she was glad that she had never given up on him. Suddenly, she inspected him closer and was furious to find that the elders had fused him with the Godsphere. She angrily asked out loud whether the elders had forgotten what happened if the Godsphere was placed inside a being that was unprepared to accept it. Just then, Laha arrived and noted that she had wondered where Kaling had wandered off to.

Kaling turned to find Laha arriving with several Angler Company robots. Laha explained that she hadn't known about the part of the laboratory that they were in. She thanked Kaling for opening the door to the laboratory, after which she pointed out that Kaling had promised the Company anything relevant to the power of the Adversary, and that Kaling was trying to take it for herself. However, Kaling retorted that the Company had promised her anything to do with the Four Perils. Laha then attacked Kaling and pointed out that Kaling herself had mentioned that Hundun was fused with the Godsphere, which had transformed him into a power source large enough to sustain Odium. She then added that her father would have made taking Hundun their first priority if he had known about it. An angry Kaling asked Laha if she thought that she could cross an Apostle of Darmoor and get away with it before asking where the Angler family's loyalty and business sense had gone. Laha retorted by asking Kaling when she had been planning to reveal that the Four Perils were part of the Adversary experiments, adding that in regard to her family, Senya would probably try to stop her, and so she told Kaling that they ought to wrap up before her sister arrived.

As Laha and Kaling began to fight, the Glory Guard and Tai Yu fought through the Company robots and test subject rejects before arriving at the heart of Odium, where they were surprised to find Kaling and Laha fighting. The Adversary realized that the laboratory would collapse from the damage if Kaling and Laha weren't stopped. Just then, Oz noticed Hundun inside the large container, causing them all to realize that he was Odium's power source. A surprised Tai Yu explained that the monster was Hundun, the last of the Four Perils, to which Oz noted that he had mentioned that the researchers had taken care of him. Brighton also noted that Tai Yu had been surprised to see Hundun, meaning that he hadn't known about him. Tai YU explained that though the elders had their weak points, they also had their own sense of duty and morality. As they had known that their experiments had done harm to people, they had wanted to make things right and atone for their sins after the Ancient Gods had fallen dormant. However, he noted that the elders had perhaps decided that they hadn't been at fault for the Four Perils. However, the aghast Adversary pointed out that even if the elders hadn't been responsible for Hundun, they had still used a sentient being to power their laboratory.

Just then, Hundun spoke from his prison and echoed the Adversary calling him sentient, asking if that was really the first descriptor that came to mind. As Laha and Kaling continued battling, Hundun projected a hologram of himself and created a bubble around the Glory Guard so that they could speak privately. He laughed and told the Adversary not to mind Kaling and Laha, whom he called fools, explaining that it was them whom he wanted to speak with, as he had been waiting quite some time for them to arrive. Hundun explained that with the stairs down, his power hadn't been able to reach the residential district, but once they had set foot inside the laboratory, they had been in his domain. He recognized the Adversary as not only a Vessel, but one that had been completed once before. He explained that even in his current state, he had been able to see many of the things that had been happening in the world below. Hundun then asked the Adversary how they were still intact, pointing out that completed Vessels traditionally had a much different destiny. The surprised Adversary asked what destiny he was referring to, to which Hundun began scanning them in order to find the answer himself. Upon finishing, Hundun was shocked to find that they were an Adversary who had gotten off the Path while maintaining their ego, causing him to wonder whether that was even possible. Oz noted that Hundun seemed to know quite a lot, to which Brighton asked Tai Yu whether he had anything to say about it. Tai Yu explained that as Hundun had been conscious and powering Odium since the end of the Ancient Gods' time, he had likely assimilated all the knowledge left in Odium, adding that he might even know secrets that only the elders knew.

Hundun noted that such knowledge was poor compensation for his lifetime of so-called service to them, adding that though he had cursed his lot for many years, if meeting the Adversary had been part of that lot, then it might have been worth it. He then told the Adversary to come closer before telling them that he would give them what Kaling and Laha had come for. He then presented a circular blue gem, which he explained was the last Godsphere of Odium. He noted that it was also what the Adversary had been after - the power to go against the gods - adding that there was no other reason for a Vessel to come to the laboratory. He explained that though its power had degraded over time, it still had the same spark, and that the elders had treasured it greatly. He then revealed that the Godsphere was what had kept his power cycling through Odium, and that it was what was keeping him alive, which meant that he would die after the Adversary accepted it. The Adversary asked him why he would willingly give it away, to which Hundun explained that he had been imprisoned for eons, and that retaining his sentience had caused him to suffer even more. He added that Kaling's return posed a threat to the world and to himself, and so his sentience had given him a choice to decide what purpose he would give his life to, which he had decided would be to make trouble for Kaling.

Upon seeing the Adversary's hesitation, Hundun reminded them that they needed the power of the Godsphere to save the world. The Adversary realized that he was right, and so they accepted the Godsphere from Hundun, causing them to immediately be transported into an inner dimension within the Godsphere - an expansive void with a dark black-red sky and a singular door in the middle. The Adversary noted that they had been pulled inside a space that the Godsphere had created, causing them to wonder why the Godsphere had done so. Suddenly, a brilliant orange flame appeared before the door that spoke to them in an indistinguishable voice. The Adversary wondered briefly whether the voice wanted them to follow it before deciding that sitting around wouldn't do anything. Walking through the door, the Adversary found themselves in a ruined, burning coliseum, where the spirit of the First Adversary appeared before them as a man wielding weapons of the four original job branches: a warrior's sword, a magician's staff, an archer's bow, and a thief's dagger. After a fierce battle, the Adversary managed to defeat the First Adversary, causing their surroundings to burn away as they experienced a vision between the Vessels of Odium.

One the Vessels - a woman the uniform robes of the laboratory - stated that she hadn't wanted such an ending, while the other Vessel - a man wearing armor - retorted and told her to stop trying to avoid death, noting that they had all been with death since they had first been created. The woman angrily asked the man how he dared to call her a failure, while the man reminded her that they existed to annihilate irrational power, and that none of them were an exception to that fact. As the two spoke, more and more Vessels appeared on each of their sides, with armored warriors appearing by the man's side, and robed Vessels on the woman's. The woman noted that after having suffered so much throughout her life, she refused to die in such a meaningless way. However, the man simply reminded her that she needed to fulfill her purpose. Because of his words, the woman soon decided to tell the researchers of Odium that she could do more, and that the researchers could still keep going with their experiments. As she spoke, more and more of the Vessels by her side became failed experiments, taking on the monstrous forms of the Disintegrating Test Subjects and Failed Test Subjects that the Adversary had fought in the laboratory. The man then declared that his death was a noble one, and that he would accept it. However, the woman replied that even after she died, she would never forgive the researchers for what they had done, though the man noted that such was simply their destiny.

Suddenly, however, all the Vessels in the vision turned to look at the Adversary with monstrous eyes, speaking aloud at once and asking them how they were still intact, just as Hundun had wondered. The woman asked the Adversary whether they had believed that they would actually succeed, while the man told the Adversary that they, too, were destined to fail and end up like the other Vessels. The woman then noted that even if the Adversary were to succeed, their fate had already been decided, just as the man asked the Adversary whether they truly understood what it meant to gain the power of the gods. The woman then asked the Adversary whether they thought themselves to be special, declaring that they were no one, just like the others. After hearing the words of the Vessels, the Adversary replied and told them that they, too, had spent a long time thinking about what it meant to be the Adversary, and that there had once been a time that they hadn't been able to come up with an answer until the very last moment. However, they noted that that wasn't the case anymore, declaring that they had the good-hearted desire to live and protect everyone, for which they would fight against their fate once again. As the Adversary spoke, the indistinguishable voice of the First Adversary in the flames spoke as well, with the Adversary telling the Vessels that their words didn't hurt them at all, adding that all they had come for was the Godsphere. Suddenly, the broken coliseum transformed into a beautiful, grassy field, with the glowing form of the First Adversary appearing and transforming into the Godsphere, which the Adversary grasped in their hands.

As they did, they were transported back into the laboratory, where Hundun laughed that they had made a wise decision, adding it was just like a Vessel who had strayed from the Path to make that choice. He then reminded them that the Godsphere was well-worn and that it would take a highly specialized expert to restore it. Hundun's barrier then shattered as he noted to himself that he had done all that he could. He then thought to himself that even if his body fell into Kaling's hands, he would do no more harm, as his body was merely ordinary matter without the Godsphere. He then wondered what the elders would think of the Adversary, adding that his only regret was that he wouldn't be able to see their faces, as he believed that the Adversary would be able to upend the old order in a way that he never could, which he considered to be a pleasant thought for the end of his long life. As Hundun began losing his strength, the power being supplied to Odium was cut off, causing Kaling to stop her fight with Laha, who angrily asked when the Glory Guard had arrived. Upon noticing the Adversary, she was even more furious to find that they were in possession of the Godsphere. Meanwhile, Tai Yu told the Adversary that there were people who could help restore the Godsphere in the realm of the sages. He then opened up a scroll, which created a large golden hanging scroll of a mountainside before them. Upon seeing the Adversary's amazement, Tai Yu explained that the realm of the sages, Shangri-La, wasn't normally accessible to most, as there was a spell in place that kept it from outsiders.

A furious Kaling ordered them to stop and unleashed dark magic upon them, but the Glory Guard successfully managed to enter the picture and disappeared before her attack reached them. Just then, Senya arrived with several Angler Company robots and asked Laha if she was happy now, adding that her actions were the very reason why she had been meant to stay put until their father arrived. Senya then pointed out that the Adversary was gone with the Godsphere, and on top of that, Laha had angered their client, adding that she was disappointed in her. A terrified Laha then noticed her father, Alter, approach from the shadows. Kaling was surprised to find that Alter was the Company founder, noting that he looked different from what she remembered. She then realized that his body had been destroyed in the explosion, and that he had created his new body in the form of Odium's Constables. Alter greeted Kaling as an Apostle of Darmoor and apologized on Laha's behalf for her ungracious actions. He noted that children could be quite unruly when they weren't being supervised, to which Kaling told him that Laha had claimed to have acted on his orders.

She then asked whether he intended to become enemies with Darmoor, to which Alter explained that there had been a misunderstanding, as he had never authorized Laha to attack her. He then conceded that Darmoor deserved more than a simply apology before approaching Laha. Laha pleaded with her father, claiming that she had only done it for his sake, to which Alter reassured her that he knew that, as he had designed her to bring him exactly what he had wanted, adding that she didn't need to make excuses for that. He noted that it was commendable of her that she had wanted to bring him the Godsphere and all the power of Odium, adding that he knew that she would never let him down like her brother. Upon hearing his words, a terrified Laha promised him that she wouldn't, adding that she only did what he had made her to do. Alter then thanked her before ripping out her mechanical heart and destroying it. He then asked Kaling whether she was satisfied, adding that Hundun was hers to take, and that he believed that even without the Godsphere, she would find some use for it. Kaling warned Alter that his next mistake would be his last, adding that he ought to consider himself lucky. As Kaling turned to leave, she noted to herself that she had finally gathered all the monsters that she needed, and that all she needed now was the Godsphere. Alter then ordered Senya to have the androids haul out all the technology left in the laboratory, as he believed that they would be able to get something out of what the elders had left behind.

Meanwhile, the Adversary awoke to the sight of Oz, Brighton, and a smiling Tai Yu. The Adversary asked if they were really inside a painting, which Tai Yu confirmed before welcoming them to Shangri-La, where the elders had imprisoned themselves. Following this, the Adversary was able to craft the Sacred Symbol of Odium with the power of the Erdas, strengthening their resistance to Gerand Darmoor's magical aura.

Side Quests

Note: The following quests are set after the events of the Odium storyline. As Shangri-La and Arteria take place immediately after Odium, it is assumed that these side quests are canonically set after Arteria at minimum.

Kaya and Seri

In the residential district, the Adversary encountered Kaya, who explained that the Constables were still suffering from side effects of the Angler Company's hacking, which occasionally prevented them from moving. He told the Adversary that he needed to go see his sister, Seri, who had lost her memories in the aftermath of the hacking. The Adversary offered to go in his stead, and so Kaya gave them a power source and asked them to bring it to Seri. He also asked them not to mention that he couldn't move, nor to draw attention to Seri's memory loss. The Adversary then went to see Seri, who thanked them and asked whether anything had happened to Kaya. As Kaya had asked them not to tell Seri about his inability to move, they made up an excuse that he was on urgent business. Seri told them that she was grateful to the entire residential district for taking care of her with her memories gone, adding that Kaya was a good friend to always help her. The Adversary noted that it made sense, given that Kaya was her brother, to which Seri replied that she didn't think that Kaya was her sibling, but rather, just a close friend. Suddenly, Seri began malfunctioning and began repeating that it was all her fault, noting that her head felt like it was about to split with all her memories. Kaya then rushed over and told her that it wasn't her fault, and that no one blamed her. Just then, Seri collapsed as Kaya asked the Adversary where the power source was. The Adversary gave the power source to Kaya, who plugged it into his sister. Kaya then blamed himself, claiming that he would have come in person if he had known that his body would soon move.

Kaya explained that when the intruders had invaded, the Constables had cowered in fear of the darkness cast by the large airships. After the Constables had lost power, he had been laying inert when he had overheard a conversation between Senya and Laha about hacking into a Constable who was said to be particularly kind, as Laha was having trouble hacking into the others. After the intruders had been repelled, Kaya had discovered that Laha had hacked into Seri, which was why her memory had gone blank from the time that she had been forced to help the intruders. Kaya explained that Seri had repressed her memories out of guilt, and that when she had been forced to remember them, she had collapsed as she had now, which was why the residential district had decided to keep her happy and safe. He explained that soon, Seri would awaken with no memories again, and though it pained him that she wouldn't remember him, he believed that it was worth it if she was happy. He then left to inform the Constables and asked the Adversary to take care of Seri if she awoke while he was gone. After Seri woke up and explained that she had no idea who Kaya was, the Adversary sadly noted that while the Angler Company had been unable to take the Godsphere, they had left scars on the village that would never heal.

Dad Has Not Returned

The Adversary encountered two Constables named Miya and Hanho. Hanho greeted the Adversary and explained that they were analyzing the intruders' hacking, as some of the Constables were still under the Company's influence. However, as they were running out of power, some of the Constables were considering scrapping and recycling the others. Just as Miya began to say something, Kaya arrived and told the Adversary that Sasha had been looking for them. Miya then interrupted, but another Constable named Bonnie scolded Miya and told her not to bother the Adversary. The Adversary noted that Miya had been created in the form of a child. They then gave her the holographic ball that she had dropped. Miya thanked them and explained that the ball was special to her because it had been created by her father. She then explained that though the intruders had left, her father had still not returned, and so she was living with her grandmother, Bonui. She told the Adversary that after the power source of the laboratory had disappeared, her father and several other Constables had gone to find a way to replace it. The Adversary agreed to find her father and tell him that Miya missed him, and so Miya explained that her father was Haram. The Adversary then went to the entrance of the laboratory and told Haram that Miya wanted him to come back. Haram explained that he also wanted to see her, and that his heart had been broken when Winnie had blocked the stairs, as he had felt that Miya might have been able to make it to the laboratory if they had allowed just one more person to follow.

However, he explained that he now understood that if they had left the stairs open for anyone else to follow, it would likely have been one of the intruders that followed, and that Winnie had only made the choice that the researchers of Odium had hoped for. He added that Winnie had likely been filled with even more grief after seeing his reaction to losing Miya, and that his lack of hesitation to power the stairs, which had allowed Kaling to enter, was his fault. He then wondered why the researchers had given them feelings, as mindless puppets without emotions would have been enough to perform their duties. He also wondered why the Constables had been created as a mix of children, adults, and the elderly, noting that some had even formed families. Just then, Na-Sol yelled for Haram to come and help, and so Haram asked the Adversary to help them collect power sources from the leftover Angler Company robots. After the Adversary collected enough power, Haram asked them to deliver a battery with power that he had saved up in order to power Miya's holographic ball. The Adversary asked if it would be alright, as he needed that power to function. Haram replied that he was okay with it, as Miya was more precious to him than anything else. The Adversary then gave the power source to Miya for her ball and told her how much her father missed her.

System Recovery

At the entrance to the laboratory, Na-Sol greeted the Adversary and explained that everyone was hard at work to repair the village, though he added that it would take some time to replace the power source. He told the Adversary that the intruders had hacked many systems of Odium, and that they had also planted several viruses. Though a system reboot would take care of the viruses, he explained that a reboot wasn't possible, as the system would be momentarily vulnerable in the few moments that it was offline. He explained that the hacked security units were attempting unauthorized entry into the system, but as the Constables were busy getting the system back online, he asked the Adversary to check on the units for him. The Adversary fought and investigated the security units inside the laboratory, but found that there was nothing wrong with them. Upon returning and reporting back, Na-Sol explained that he had traced the error to the specimens inside the laboratory, which had been affected when the intruders had attempted to extract the technology that lay dormant inside Odium.

In order to stop the contamination from spreading any further, the Adversary defeated the Disintegrating Test Subjects and Failed Subjects. After they returned, Na-Sol explained that he had been able to reboot the system, and that he had found research journals hidden within the system, though information about the author didn't exist. He suspected that the fact that it had appeared after a reboot meant that it was meant to have been revealed at such a time. The Adversary read the first record, which detailed that some of the completed Vessels were exhibiting behavior outside the predicted range, as they had been pushed to their limits. The second record detailed how the researchers had successfully created Adversaries by fusing Vessels with Godspheres, though the side effect was that their Adversaries lost their sense of self, which the researchers called contamination. The third record detailed how their plan was going smoothly, as the Adversaries, who were single-mindedly driven towards their goal, were defeating the Ancient Gods one by one. The final record detailed how the war had been won and ended with: "We're concerned about the contamination of our research subjects. We have decided to hide ourselves away. Don't look for us."