Eons ago, they were among the greatest of races in existence, possessing power worthy of gods. Exiled, they were stripped of their power and their place in the world. They have existed in isolation. Pure. Disconnected. Alone. Stagnant. But now, the time has come for them to return. The old rules no longer apply. And the hierarchy of power in the universe is about to change. The heralds of this change are the Nahobino, the high school student who fused with a demon and seized the empty throne of God, and the Tarnished, the adventurer who ushered in a new age for the Lands Between! In a collaboration between BeastMan14 and Laquearius, let's find out who is DEADLIEST!
The Nahobino[]
| “ | I shall devote all my strength to you so you may stave off your own death.
— Aogami
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” |
The normal life of Tokyo student Kei Amemura ended when he was pulled into Da'at, a demon-infested netherworld. To survive, Kei fused with a demon named Aogami, becoming a hybrid called a Nahobino. Exploring Da'at, the Nahobino uncovered a harrowing truth: Da'at was Earth, ravaged by a war between God and Lucifer. Lucifer won, but God, with his dying breath, created a replica of Tokyo to protect humanity. The Nahobino joined Bethel, an organization committed to safeguarding humanity, and helped destroy the remnants of Lucifer's army. However, Bethel faced a dilemma: divine decree prohibited any Nahobino's existence. Thus, Kei was living proof of God's demise. Bethel split into factions, each vying to install their own Nahobino upon God's Throne of Creation. Kei reached the Throne, holding reality's fate in his hands. He decided to purge the world of all gods and demons forever, ensuring humanity alone would forge the future.
Weapons and Equipment:
- Energy Blades: The Nahobino can transform his hands into blades formed of demonic energy at will. These blades are exceptionally durable, capable of blocking bullets and breaking through giant crystals. While he can transform both hands simultaneously, the Nahobino typically prefers to wield a single blade. With the use of magical energy, the Nahobino can increase the length of his blades, sometimes growing them to several times his height.
- Akiha-Gongen Talisman: A gift from the gods of Japan, the Akiha-Gongen Talisman protects its bearer from fire. It allowed the Nahobino to pass unscathed through the flames of Surt, which were so intense they incinerated angels on contact.
- Spyscope: A gift from the Norse goddesses of fate, the spyscope can reveal combat-related information about a single target to the user. This includes abilities, hidden weaknesses, and elemental resistances. It can be used an infinite number of times.
Powers and Abilities:
- Expert Swordsman: Having inherited the instinctual martial prowess of his demonic partner, Aogami, the Nahobino is an expert with his energy blades. He favors a graceful and acrobatic style, characterized by sweeping strikes, fluid leaps, and dance-like dodges. The Nahobino's skills measured up to the best of Da'at's demonic warriors; he matched the famed hero Fionn mac Cumhaill in a brief contest, and the renowned samurai Yoshitsune praised his prowess.
- Superhuman Physicality: The Nahobino's physical abilities are nearly unmatched in Da’at. He has defeated numerous demons in arm wrestling, including the gargantuan boulder-heaving Hecatoncheires. He can leap over entire railcars with grace and speed, or deflect revolver bullets with his razor-sharp reflexes. His body is immune to electricity and resistant to holy magic, although wind-based attacks and unholy magic are his weaknesses. He has shrugged off blows that annihilate lesser beings; a strike from Lahmu’s tentacles, which can instantly kill angels with a single strike, only stunned him. He even endured Shiva's Tandava, which creates a catastrophic column of explosive energy several meters wide. With magical energy, the Nahobino can increase his physical abilities, becoming capable of unleashing dozens of strikes in seconds and moving so fast that he creates a whirlwind, tearing through enemies like a living tempest.
- Proto-fiend Skills: Fueled by limited magical energy reserves, the Nahobino wields a repertoire of unique spells. He can call down lightning bolts or shoot them from his fingertips. He may conjure a freezing tidal wave that sweeps the battlefield, or open a portal that spits a poisonous unholy mire, tainting the land below. The Nahobino also commands raw almighty energy, which he can channel into his fingertips, infuse into his blade, or project as a barrage of divine arrows. Support-wise, the Nahobino may envelop his allies in divine flames, briefly enhancing their physical abilities, or temporarily reduce one enemy's attack power. He can envelop his party in a protective barrier, blunting incoming attacks. To heal minor injuries, he can conjure restorative water within his palms, while a sacred chant can fully revive an incapacitated demon.
- Demi-fiend Skills: As a reward for besting him in a duel, the Demi-fiend granted the Nahobino access to a portion of his immense abilities, drawing upon his deep reservoir of demonic energy. With these skills, the Nahobino can attack with a barrage of ethereal fists, or unleash an eruption of mystical javelins from beneath his enemies, impaling them with explosive power. The most devastating of these abilities allows the Nahobino to summon a catastrophic explosion directly from beneath his opponents' feet, shattering and scorching the battlefield.
- Magatsuhi Gauge: The Nahobino's party gradually absorbs demonic energy called Magatsuhi during battle. The Nahobino can also produce some Magatsuhi by performing a brief magical dance. Once the Magatsuhi reserves are charged, the party will have some health and magical energy restored, and will be able to activate a single powerful Magatsuhi skill. Each demon possesses a Magatsuhi skill, but not all apply to combat. The Nahobino himself has Omagatoki: Critical, which can be initiated by any party member and temporarily amplifies the party's attack power. Moreover, the Nahobino can activate the Magatsuhi skill of any active demon.
- Miracles: By attaining a god's Glory, the Nahobino achieved Miracles, the power to subtly bend reality to his advantage. Miracles cause the Nahobino's party to gain magical energy and Magatsuhi when they are defending. Other actions will also generate Magatsuhi, including ambushing foes, delivering decisive blows, or suffering an ally's incapacitation. Miracles also grant the Nahobino a dreadful aura, so overwhelming that enemies on the brink of death may beg for their lives. This aura also temporarily weakens a random attribute of every enemy the Nahobino faces. Conversely, when the Nahobino summons a demon, a random one of the demon's attributes is temporarily strengthened. Miracles' most direct effect is the Estoma Field, a Magatsuhi-fueled force field. When active, this barrier surrounds the Nahobino and prevents enemies from coming within striking distance.
- Levitation: The Nahobino can levitate above the ground for a few seconds at a time. He integrates this ability into his fighting style, either by enhancing his striking and dodging while wielding his blades or maneuvering out of the path of his own widespread spells.
- Telekinesis: The Nahobino can manipulate physical objects through sheer force of will. However, his telekinetic powers are relatively weak and can only influence small objects, such as a demon's hand.
- Demonic Senses: Aogami grants the Nahobino access to his technologically and magically augmented senses, allowing him to precisely detect the presence and exact location of magical and mundane entities, even across a sprawling metropolis like Tokyo. He also allows the Nahobino to see things imperceptible to mundane eyes, such as Lucifer's true form.
- Sky View: Aogami is connected to an Earth observation satellite. The Nahobino can synchronize his vision with the satellite's video feed at any time, providing him with a bird's-eye view of his surroundings.
- Demons: The Nahobino has persuaded numerous demons to join his cause. Powered by limited magical energy reserves, demons possess dangerous spells and high physical power, rendering them unbeatable to ordinary humans without magic or specialized weaponry. The Nahobino keeps his demons in incorporeal form and can summon them to his side at will, though only three may be active at once. Bound by contract, the Nahobino's demons will not continue to fight on his behalf if he falls.
Once the angelic leader of Bethel, Abdiel fell from grace. The Nahobino killed her and recreated her as a demon. Appearing as a winged woman wielding a lance-like sword, Abdiel can unleash dozens of strikes in an instant. Throwing her sword causes a devastating explosion of holy magic that may instantly kill those weak to light. She can conjure a tornado, summon ethereal fist-like constructs, or call down a lightning bolt so powerful it harms those immune to electricity. Abdiel is resistant to wind-based attacks and electricity and weak to unholy magic. Holy magic used against her is reflected at the caster. Her Magatsuhi skill, Shield of God, temporarily envelops Abdiel's party in a force field, greatly reducing incoming damage.
Amanozako is the Japanese goddess of fury and the Nahobino's navigator in Da'at. She appears as a diminutive woman with bird-like wings. Amanozako's magic can call down bolts of lightning or unleash a violent jet of wind. She can also fully heal her entire party, or drain enemies' life force and magical energy to restore her own. When Amanozako is physically attacked, her assailants risk triggering an unholy blast that temporarily reduces their attack power. When summoned, Amanozako reverses all magical enhancements and debilitations on the battlefield. Amanozako is immune to wind-based attacks and resistant to holy and unholy magic. She will reflect electric attacks directed at her back to the attacker. However, she is susceptible to fire and ice.
Artemis, the Greek goddess of the hunt, appears as a levitating maiden with a wrist-mounted crossbow, which fires massive bolt barrages. A masterful martial artist, she employs techniques that weaken her enemies' defenses or leave them dazed. Magic-wise, Artemis can attack with ice crystal torrents or summon her father Zeus's thunderbolt. She can amplify her party's attack potency or sing an enchanting song that forces enemies asleep. Artemis is immune to ice and electricity and resists holy and unholy magic. When Artemis's defenses are enhanced, Artemis's flawless purity prevents attacks that should penetrate these resistances from doing so. Fire is her weakness. Artemis's Magatsuhi skill is Eternal Prayer, which revives and fully heals all her allied demons, summoned or not.
Fionn mac Cumhaill is an Irish mythological hero who led a band of warrior-hunters. After the Nahobino earned Fionn's respect, Fionn decided to follow the Nahobino as his new king. Fionn appears as an armored man wielding his famed sword, Mac an Luin. As a master swordsman, Fionn can use his blade to unleash a concussive wave or fire a devastating beam of energy. By licking his thumb, Fionn gains great wisdom, becoming a sorcerer who can accurately target individual demons with explosive bursts of fire and ice. Fionn's enduring soul allows him to survive a lethal blow and be fully healed once per battle. Fionn is immune to ice, fire, and holy magic. However, he is vulnerable to electricity.
Idun is the Norse goddess of youth. She appears as a hovering young woman holding a basket of golden apples. Idun can heal a demon while cleansing their afflictions. Her charming spell can beguile an enemy, turning them against their allies. Her apples' power can heal her entire party and temporarily boost their attack power, agility, and durability. Idun also wields bursts of holy magic, which may instantly kill foes weak to them, and tornadoes, but they are comparatively weak. She is resistant to wind-based attacks, immune to holy magic, and susceptible to electricity. Idun's wounds automatically regenerate somewhat after each battle. Her Magatsuhi skill is Eternal Prayer, which revives and fully heals all her allied demons, summoned or not.
Khonsu Ra, the new Egyptian god of the sun and moon, appears as a levitating man in a falcon mask. He can fire telekinetic blasts and launch giant fireballs so intense they burn fireproof enemies. He can envelop enemies in holy light, potentially annihilating those weak to holy magic, or conjure explosions of almighty energy. Khonsu Ra is resistant to electricity and wind, and immune to fire, physical attacks, and spells that seal away magic. Holy magic heals him. He is weak to ice. When Khonsu Ra returns to the stock, he enhances the next spell of the demon replacing him. His Magatsuhi skill, Omagatoki: Charge, allows spells used by allies that increase their next attack's power to work twice.
A spirit from Mesopotamian mythology, Lahmu is a giant floating mask enveloped in tentacles, which can easily crush or impale humans. Within is Lahmu's true body: a gecko-like creature attached to the interior by the tail. Possessing high magical energy reserves, Lahmu's magic attacks include thunderstorms, giant hailstones, smoke clouds especially effective on confused enemies, and laser beams that lower enemies' agility. He can also inflict confusion and conjure unholy magic that may instantly kill opponents weak to darkness. Lahmu passively enhances his allies' power with skills they are proficient in. He is resistant to wind and ice and immune to unholy magic, but susceptible to fire. Lahmu's Magatsuhi skill, Impaler's Glory, amplifies his next attack to pierce through resistances.
Mephisto or Mephistopheles, a demon in the Faust legend, is a levitating sword-wielding man. He can draw his sword so quickly he appears not to have drawn at all. Mephisto can conjure fiery explosions, empower attacks to pierce through resistances, or launch an unholy orb that may instantly kill those weak to darkness. He may seal enemies' magical abilities, bolster allies' physical prowess, or trap foes in a disorienting haze, weakening their defenses. Mephisto passively amplifies allies' power when targeting weaknesses of enemies afflicted with ailments. He is immune to physical attacks, healed by unholy magic, and weak to holy magic. His Magatsuhi skill, Omagatoki: Savage, temporarily makes his party's abilities twice as strong while consuming twice the magical energy.
The Tarnished[]
| “ | A Tarnished of no renown. Cross the fog, to the Lands Between, to stand before the Elden Ring. And become the Elden Lord.
— Elden Ring opening narration
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A knight exiled from their homeland and left to wander the Lands Between, little is known about the life of the Tarnished before they were revived in the aftermath of the Shattering, the violent civil war of demigods that decimated the lands. As the Shattering yielded no victor, the guidance of grace was extended to many Tarnished, this one Tarnished in particular caught the eye of the mysterious Melina, a maiden who gave them the ability to summon the spectral steed, Torrent. She would later bring them to the Roundtable Hold, a gathering place for Tarnished, where they received instruction from the Two Fingers to collect the fragments of the Elden Ring and become the new Elden Lord.
Now with a purpose, the Tarnished ventured forth, first slaying the vile Godrick the Grafted before journeying to Liurnia of the Lakes and defeating Rennala, the previous wife of the last Elden Lord. Their victory over Rennala brought them into contact with Ranni, her daughter, who had her own intentions for the Lands Between and subsequently enlisted them into her efforts. This alliance teamed them with Blaidd, a half-wolf and Ranni's sworn protector, and the two were able to slay another shardbearer: the mighty Starscourge Radahn, legendary warlord turned into a specter of himself by the scarlet rot, who fell in an epic combat festival. Things go well until the Two Fingers catch wind of Ranni's plot, killing her followers and attempting to force Blaidd to kill her, only for the half-wolf to go insane from resisting their influence and force the Tarnished to put him down. Having gathered enough shards, the Tarnished traveled to the capital city of Leyndell and battled Morgott, the one demigod who stayed loyal to the Golden Order that once controlled the kingdom, for the right to the throne, only to discover that the Greater Will has abandoned the Lands Between, barring access to the throne.
Melina, seeing little other options, directs the Tarnished to the Mountaintop of the Giants, where they slay the giant defending the power of the Fell God. Channeling the Fell God's power, Melina sacrifices herself to burn the Erdtree and leaving the Tarnished alone in Farum Azula, a sky temple dedicated to the dragons that once ruled the land. They venture through the crumbling temple, ultimately slaying Malekith, wielder of the Rune of Death, and use the Rune to burn away the thorns blocking the path to the throne. They make their way once more to Leyndell, where they defeat both Gideon Ofnir, a spymaster and reluctant ally who had been driven mad by the Greater Will, and Godfrey, first Elden Lord who had returned as part of Marika's plot to install him as Elden Lord once more. With all challenges defeated, the Tarnished's final fight is against the Elden Beast, the physical manifestation of the Elden Ring and the final line of defense for the Greater Will, and brings it down. They then summon Ranni, who destroys the Elden Ring, supplants Marika as a goddess, and takes the Tarnished as new Elden Lord.
Ushering in the Age of Stars, Ranni purges the remnants of the Greater Will and Golden Order from the Lands Between before leaving on a thousand year journey, leaving the Lands Between free of the influence of the numerous deities that have controlled it for centuries. Before departing with her, the Tarnished follows the trail of Miquella, the last of the demigods, into the Land of Shadow, meeting his followers as they follow his trail of discarded humanity. They ultimately discover that Miquella has resurrected Radahn as part of a divine ascension ritual, and once again puts down the demi-god, now in his prime, before slaying Miquella, putting a stop to his efforts to bring about the Age of Compassion.
Weapons and Equipment:
- Greatsword: A coarse lump of iron in the form of an ultra greatsword, the Greatsword is designed with overwhelming brute strength in mind, with skilled users mowing down foes with it's incredible weight and battering down the defenses of even the most monstrous foes. It deals slashing damage, and is large enough that it can be used as an effective shield while being wielded two-handed. It negates the majority of physical damage and blocks half of magic, fire, lightning, and holy damage.
- Ash of War: Savage Lion's Claw: An equipped skill that also enhances the strength of the Greatsword's attacks, the Savage Lion's Claw allows the Tarnished to somersault forward with a powerful, if reckless, downward slash, with the option to burn FP and launch an additional attack if they have an opening to do so.
- Demi-Human Queen's Staff: Once gifted to the queen of the demi-humans in an effort to encourage peace, the Demi-Human Queen's staff is a unique glintstone staff in that scales to both strength and intelligence, allowing those of lower intellect to still effectively cast spells. It can also be used as a blunt weapon, dealing a small amount of strike (think bludgeoning) damage with each strike.
- Dryleaf Arts: Taught to the Tarnished by the renowned martial artist Dryleaf Dane after proving themselves as a champion of great determination and character, the Dryleaf Arts is a combat technique that allows the user to fight without a weapon, favoring long combos with ferocious strikes/kicks that deal strike damage.
- Ash of War: Hoarah Loux's Earthshaker: An equipped skill acquired by the Tarnished from their memory of the legendary warrior Hoarah Loux, better known to most as Elden Lord Godfrey, the Earthshaker increases the power of the Dryleaf Arts strikes and gives them the power to let loose a mighty roar, stunning nearby foes, before slamming their hands into the ground to unleash a shockwave, with the option to burn extra FP for a follow up with a slam that splits the earth again, dealing massive physical damage and having a high chance to stagger foes, leaving them open for a critical hit.
- Young Lion's Armor Set: A heavy armor set recovered from the memory of the Tarnished's battle with Radahn in his prime, the Young Lion's set heavily increases the Tarnished's resistance to physical damage while moderately increasing resistance to magic, fire, lightning, and holy damage.
- Talismans: Special accessories that give the Tarnished a variety of passive buffs both in and out of combat. The Tarnished can wear up to four talismans, with the chosen four in this case being:
- Crimson Amber Medallion +3: Made directly from the primordial sap of the Erdtree and worn by Godfrey during his rule as Elden Lord, the Crimson Amber Medallion +3 is the strongest form of the Amber Medallion, increasing the Tarnished's overall health by 10%.
- Great-Jar's Arsenal: A charm in the shape of a great jar overflowing with weaponry, the Great-Jar's Arsenal was given to the Tarnished by the Great Jar of Caelid after they completed it's combat trials. The Great-Jar's Arsenal greatly increases the Tarnished equip load, giving them the strength to carry around heavier equipment without being slowed down.
- Pearldrake Talisman: Designed in tribute to the ancient dragons that once protected their lord, the Pearldrake Talisman increases the Tarnished's resistance to elemental damage (this includes magic damage, despite the name).
- Two-Handed Sword Talisman: A talisman depicting the elite champions of the Horsent that valiantly stood against Messmer's invasion, the Two-Handed Sword Talisman increases the damage of attacks dealt by two-handed weapons.
- Flask of Crimson Tears: A special flask modeled after the holy chalice that once held the tear of life, the Flask of Crimson Tears restores most of the Tarnished's health with a drink, though they have a limited amount of drinks that can only be replenished by resting at a site of grace. For this match, the Tarnished will have four uses of the flask.
- Flask of Cerulean Tears: A special flask similarly modeled after the holy chalice, the Flask of Cerulean Tears restores the Tarnished's FP, the resource that allows the Tarnished to cast spells and use Ashes of War, with a drink. For this match, the Tarnished will have two uses of the flask.
Powers and Abilities:
- Master Combatant: Through a mixture of stubborn resilience and sheer combat skill, the Tarnished is potentially the singlemost dangerous warrior in the Lands Between, having carved their way through every challenge they face to become the Elden Lord. On top of defeating each of the rune bearers, an assortment of powerful demigods such as the legendary swordswoman Malenia, Blade of Miquella and the undefeated general/gravity spellcaster Radahn (both in his rotten, berserker form and in his prime), they've slain towering dragons, otherwordly eldritch abominations, entire hordes of foes singlehandedly, beaten both Radagon and Godfrey, the two Elden Lords prior to their ascension, and even killed the Elden Beast, the living incarnation of the concept of Order. The Tarnished's fighting style is a mixture of overwhelming and crushing foes with brute strength and chipping away at more formidable enemies (or those simply too far away to hit) with a variety of spells.
- Tarnished Physicality: The Tarnished can take a genuinely superhuman amount of physical punishment while dishing it out in return. They've been hit with every possible form of damage over the course of their journey and often shrugged it off, from lightning attacks from the lord of dragons to being hit point-blank with magma to being crushed under the foot of an enormous giant and (with a little luck) even survived being in the radius of the asteroid-like atmospheric re-entry of Radah, which kicks up a massive shockwave and obliterates the surrounding arena upon impact.
- Skilled Spellcaster: On top of their skill with a blade, the Tarnished is also a moderately skilled spellcaster, favoring offensive sorceries that enable them to deal damage from a distance. By the end of their journey, the Tarnished was able to equip up to 4 spells for use at once. These included:
- Gravitational Missile: The Tarnished fires off a gravitational projectile that unleashes several pulses, dealing damage to enemies and pulling them in with a chance to stagger them before exploding, dealing heavy magic damage. The projectile can be charged up, burning extra FP in return for more pulses, a wider radius, and more damage on the final explosion.
- Glintstone Nails: Taught to the Tarnished by High Priest Count Ymir, the Tarnished fires off six magic nails that move in track their target while moving in a jagged formation before exploding on impact with the target. This spell can be charged, causing the nails to deal more damage on impact.
- Thops Barrier: The lifelong work of disgraced Carian sorcerer Thops, Thops's Barrier creates a temporary shield that deflects spells. By burning FP, the Tarnished can continuously create barriers, allowing them to deflect volleys of magical attacks with a short windup.
- Loretta's Greatbow: A sorcery used by the Royal Knight Loretta, Loretta's Greatbow creates a magic greatbow that fires off a powerful magic arrow that explodes on impact. It can be charged to deal additional damage.
- Mimic Tear Ashes: Once per battle, the Tarnished can summon the legendary ashen remains of a failed attempt by the Eternal City to create their own lord. The Mimic Tear Ashes takes the form of the summoner, copying their stats and abilities, to fight alongside them, operating independently to fight as it sees fit. Mimic Tear is unique for ashes in that summoning it consumes health rather than FP, and it completely duplicates the Tarnished equipment, including weapons, spells, talismans, and any consumables on their person, though it only has one use of each Flask. The Mimic makes up for it's lack of true sentience by having triple the Tarnished's HP, unlimited FP, and one and a half times their total stamina while being immune to poison. The Tarnished can only summon ashes when it's near a rebirth monument.
X-Factors[]
Experience
The Nahobino's life became a constant struggle for survival after entering Da'at. He had to constantly battle and negotiate with demons, each with wildly different abilities. The Nahobino was drafted into Bethel to fight Lucifer's army, eventually storming Lucifer's successor's fortress and killing him. The Nahobino used his downtime to test his strength against the Demi-fiend, an otherworldly warrior commanding his own demons, narrowly emerging victorious. When Bethel collapsed, he fought the resulting factions and slew three pantheon leaders: Odin, Shiva, and Zeus. In the Empyrean, he defeated two other Nahobino and encountered Lucifer himself. After a grueling battle, the Nahobino overcame Lucifer, earning the right to reshape the world.
A veteran knight even before their revival, the Tarnished's journey to becoming Elden Lord has been near constant combat with little time for rest or peace. From the moment they stumbled from the crypt, they've battled all manner of creature, from hostile wildlife to well-trained enemy soldiers to all manner of magical and eldritch horror just to earn the right to challenge the demi-gods, who range from powerful magic wielders to towering legends of the battlefield to demonic entities empowered by the Outer Gods. Even after collecting the shards, they proved themselves as the strongest Elden Lord in history by defeating both Godfrey and Radagon in short order before slaying the Elden Beast, a manifestation of both Order and the wrath of the Greater Will. Even after this, the Tarnished continued adventuring, killing the last of the demigods in the Land of Shadow alongside defeating the original keeper of the Frenzied Flame and Bayle the Dread, forefather to all drakes.
Tactics
A key factor in the Nahobino’s success was his talent for leadership and battlefield tactics. He has an innate knack for reading the flow of combat and swiftly devising strategies, often in the heat of the moment. By analyzing enemy weaknesses, recognizing attack patterns, deploying the right demons at the right moments, and knowing when to press the attack and when to defend, he has consistently outplayed foes far more powerful than any of his allies individually. This strategic brilliance was vital in his battles against the Trumpeter, Shiva, the Demi-fiend, and Lucifer, who could eradicate the Nahobino’s entire party in an instant if given the chance.
While they are, to a degree, content to take orders and tips from others along their journey, the Tarnished learned very quickly that mindless fighting will not get them very far. The Tarnished is quick to identify attack patterns and openings from all their opponents, enabling them to more easily avoid/deflect powerful attacks while tanking through weaker ones or simply keep distance and spam magic attacks. This analysis was often vital to surviving their more chaotic battles, as the heavy-hitting attacks of their enemies would quickly kill them otherwise.
Training
Having been an aloof and bookish student, the Nahobino had never received formal combat training before being thrown into the demon-infested Da’at. To survive his inaugural battles, he relied on the demonic instincts he inherited from his fusion with Aogami, leaving experience to be his primary teacher. However, Bethel Japan granted him access to a virtual reality training system that contained combat data from his fiercest battles, allowing him to re-experience those clashes whenever he wished. The Nahobino made extensive use of the trainer, honing his timing and experimenting with various tactics until he discovered the most efficient methods of defeating even the most powerful demons.
While little is known about the exact history of the Tarnished, they did receive some level of training as a knight, showing a natural aptitude for weaponry and heavy armor, while their greatest teacher has been experience and persistence. Their numerous fights (and even more numerous deaths) have gifted them a natural knack for the relentless nature of combat and given them a chance to develop a better sense of timing, an eye for small opponent details, and memorization, while they've also been taught combat skills and magical abilities in a more limited capacity by allies turned mentors such as Bernhal, Sellen, and Ymir.
Notes[]
- The Nahobino is as he was during his final battle with Lucifer in the true neutral ending of the Canon of Creation in Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance while the Tarnished will be as they were following the Age of Stars ending in Elden Ring and shortly after the events of Shadow of the Erdtree.
- The battle takes place in a ruined castle. After an accident while traveling through leylines, the Nahobino finds himself in the Lands Between, where he encounters the Tarnished. Bad experiences with extradimensional travelers lead the Tarnished to assume the Nahobino is an enemy, and the taciturn Nahobino offers no evidence to the contrary.