Megami Tensei (女神転生, Goddess Reincarnation), commonly abbreviated as MegaTen, is a Japanese console role-playing game metaseries which was originally based on the novel series Digital Devil Story by Aya Nishitani. This twenty year old trilogy was never exported from Japan, and is the original source of the massively successful series. A blogger by the moniker of Masakado was kind enough to translate the first two novels of the series, and in an effort to spread awareness of these translations and the source material, we've edited the two translated novels and made them easily available in an downloadable format. We also have a $100 bounty on the third novel. The person who translates the third novel, the Favorite Edition Demise of the Reincarnation receives a $100 bounty.
-Zehava
Reincarnation of the Goddess e-download
Warrior of the Demon City e-download
Showing posts with label Aya Nishitani. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Aya Nishitani. Show all posts
Monday, December 13, 2010
Warrior of the Demon City
e-download
Remarks
Digital Devil Story 2: Warrior of the Demon City(デジタル・デビル・ストーリー2 魔都の戦士) is the second book in the trilogy authored by Aya Nishitani.
The consequences of summoning demons into the human world have not ended with the defeat of Loki. The Demon Summoning Program has created a link between the demon world and the human world, allowing greedy humans to bring forth the great evil god of ancient Egypt. Akemi Nakajima now has a greater enemy to face, as he tries to protect the woman he loves and the world he lives in, both now at risk because of him.
Table of Contents
Return
Quickening
Set Summoned
He Who Calls
Conflicts
Demon City
Remarks
Digital Devil Story 2: Warrior of the Demon City(デジタル・デビル・ストーリー2 魔都の戦士) is the second book in the trilogy authored by Aya Nishitani.
The consequences of summoning demons into the human world have not ended with the defeat of Loki. The Demon Summoning Program has created a link between the demon world and the human world, allowing greedy humans to bring forth the great evil god of ancient Egypt. Akemi Nakajima now has a greater enemy to face, as he tries to protect the woman he loves and the world he lives in, both now at risk because of him.
Table of Contents
Return
Quickening
Set Summoned
He Who Calls
Conflicts
Demon City
To Space
Return – Chapter 1
In Massachusetts, there is an old port town called Salem. During the nineteenth century, it flourished as a fishing harbor, but its fate fluctuated along with the American fishing industry. Currently, less than a tenth of the population from the apex of its prosperity lived there, eking out a meager existence in the food processing industry. In the center of the town, the boat-free canal filled with muddy water flowed out into the bay. Along the canal, the summer sun’s rays reflected off the white paint peeling off the boards of old houses, relics of the town in more prosperous times.
On one block stood a cheap brick hotel, built before the First World War, yet still standing despite never having been renovated. On the second floor, there was a room devoid of furniture other than a bed and telephone, and the only sound to be heard was the rattling of an ancient GE air conditioner's compressor. The man in this room ignored it and focused on the handheld computer in front of him. He was probably close to fifty years old, wore a black cloak over a yellowed old flaxen robe, and worn leather boots on his feet. His shoulder-length silver hair fit his medieval sorcerer's garb perfectly.
The man's name was Isma Feed. He was the younger brother of Charles Feed, the famous engineer and magical researcher of MIT. In contrast to his elder brother, who had founded his organization, the International Satanist Garden, so that alchemy and magic could further science and society, Isma's purpose in life was to master dark sorcery and the black arts for nefarious ends. People who knew Isma were deathly afraid of him. As he hunched over the display, his eyes darting across the screen like a hawk, Isma resembled a demon in demeanor.
Isma's handheld computer was connected to the telephone jack, and was communicating with ISG's AI, Craft, online. Scrutinizing the latest data Craft had given him, Isma narrowed his eyes in thought, and his long, bony fingers tapped the keyboard.
> IS THAT TRUE?
The artificial intelligence responded immediately.
> MAYBE.
With a deep breath, Isma cut the connection to the AI.
"It's tough to believe at face value, but there doesn't seem to be any doubt that a young boy in Asia really did succeed in summoning a demon with a computer." As he murmured, somebody knocked on the door.
"Come in."
Turning off his handheld computer, Isma turned his head toward the door, still leaning against the back of his chair. The elderly innkeeper opened the door with an awkward, bitter smile on his face.
"Please excuse me. There is someone here who insists on seeing you..."
Not letting the old man finish, a huge sharp-eyed man entered the room, motioning the old man to leave with the barrel of his drawn handgun.
"The great magician Isma Feed. I've finally found you." The man's voice was thick with barely concealed hatred.
"You're...James, from the FBI, are you not? I applaud your efforts in finding my whereabouts, but this is certainly a rude manner in which to greet me. I presume you intend to arrest me--on what charges, may I ask?" Isma stood up slowly, a sarcastic smile on his face.
"As you may know, we're not famous for our subtlety down at the FBI. And if I were to cite each and every one of your crimes, it would take all day."
Despite the strength of his words, the man's voice trembled ever so slightly, as if intimidated by Isma's stare.
"Come quietly. I don't want to have to drag your corpse around." Bluffing, the man cocked his pistol and pointed the barrel at Isma's chest.
"Well, dealing with your corpse wouldn't bother me one bit..." Isma's pale blue eyes glittered with cold light as he stared at the man.
Despite his seemingly overwhelming advantage, the man could not speak, and simply met Isma's gaze. Silence filled the room; a large bead of sweat trickled down his temple. Presently, Isma started walking toward the man, his robe dragging behind him like it was wiping the floor clean.
"Stop! Don't come one step closer!" Crying out in a dry voice, the man readied his handgun and took a step backwards.
"James, if you wanted to take me on, you should have called for backup first. Of course, one person or three people, the result would still be the same."
Isma's cold eyes glimmered. As they did, the barrel of the gun slowly started to move on its own, sliding along the filthy wall as if to wipe it clean.
The man grabbed his right hand with his left, trying his utmost to stop it. As if it were being twisted by a powerful, invisible force, his right hand slowly but surely pointed the gun at his face.
"Stop, please stop. Argh..."
The sour, chilly taste of the gun barrel filled his mouth, forcing his saliva and cries down his throat. As both his hands fought each other for control of the gun, the man bent backward and looked up at the ceiling.
The low sound of the gunshot shook the room, and the man fell backward, his blood and brains spilling on the floor through the hole in the back of his head.
"Joseph, as usual, please clean up afterwards.” Taking a glance at the mangled body, Isma spoke to the elderly innkeeper cowering in the corner. “I am going to Japan. This time, it may end up being a long trip."
Crushing globs of brain and blood under his leather boots, Isma disappeared through the door, leaving reddish-black footprints behind him.
Return – Chapter 2
Kuniritsu, Tokyo.
It was summer vacation. Jusho High’s plaza was empty. The blazing sun, now slightly less fierce, quietly illuminated the building. Housewives and students tried to avoid the sun’s rays as they walked beneath the rows of gingko trees lining University Avenue even as they cast curious glances in the school’s direction.
A week ago, the school's CAI room had been destroyed. The entire class that had been taking a lesson inside had vanished.
"The entire class colluded together to destroy the facility, and then ran off somewhere." That was the explanation their instructor, Ohara, had given.
No one could have imagined the truth behind the incident, a symbol of the growing violence that had been plaguing the school.
One of the students at the school, Nakajima Akemi with his handsome feminine looks, had been an object of jealousy amongst the other male students. Blessed with genius computing ability, Nakajima had discovered the similarities between computer theory and magical theory, and succeeded in summoning the digital data of the demon Loki with his computer. Using Loki's power, Nakajima had attempted to exact revenge on the students who had wronged him. Living inside the CAI room's computer as a digital construct, Loki had granted Nakajima's wish by taking control of the students attending lecture there.
Meanwhile, Loki secretly achieved a physical body of his own, and had deemed Nakajima a threat. The beautiful teacher Ohara, given to Loki as an offering, became enthralled by the demon's charm, and learned to operate the demon summoning program in Nakajima's stead. Soon, Loki had slipped from Nakajima's control, a man-eating beast enamored of brutal killing sprees. Feeling a deep responsibility for the results caused by his curiosity and desire for vengeance, Nakajima summoned the demon beast Kerberos and challenged Loki. He was defeated, but an unlikely ally appeared during the battle.
The Japanese goddess Izanami had possessed Shirasagi Yumiko, a transfer student with a crush on Nakajima. In the indescribably harsh battle, the CAI room had been reduced to ruins. Izanami had teleported the wounded Nakajima and Yumiko to her burial place, Asuka. Loki had headed to Asuka in hot pursuit.
Of course, no one could have possibly known the true circumstances of the incident, and in a typical sensationalist manner, only the surface end results made it to the mass media.
"Elite Class Destroys Classroom and Disappears!" That and similar titles were making the headlines of the weekly papers.
Until the police concluded their investigation, the CAI room was off limits. Though considerably diminished, a stench difficult to withstand still wafted through the rubble-strewn room. A suspicious figure lurked within the miraculously undamaged machine room, separated from the rest of the classroom by cracked plate glass. Deep red fingernails massaged the terminal's keyboard. The LED light of the disk drive flashed busily. It appeared to be copying either a long program or a huge amount of data. The copying finished. Ten large 8-inch floppy disks had been filled. The woman breathed a sigh of relief.
"Ohara-sensei, are you done yet?"
Reluctantly opening the door, the janitor looked around the area before sticking his head into the machine room.
"If they find out I let you in here I could get in big trouble."
"I'm really sorry. I'll be done in just a minute." As the woman spoke in a nasal tone, the janitor grudgingly pulled his head back. Softly clicking her tongue, she returned to her typing. A message displayed on the screen.
> PROGRAM "DEMON" DELETE YES OR NO?
The computer was asking whether or not she wanted to delete one of its programs.
> YES
The woman slowly entered the command and pressed the Return key. As she did, the magnetic tapes of the host computer emotionlessly spun and clattered, before soon grinding to a halt. The demon summoning program that Nakajima Akemi had written vanished without a trace from the Jusho High computer system.
Resting his elbows on the concrete fence surrounding the school building, Isma Feed stood like a shadow. He was dressed the same as he had been in Massachusetts, black cloak draped over a yellowing flaxen robe, and wearing black leather boots. Despite his unusual appearance, the people passing by on the street appeared to pay him no heed. They were not avoiding him deliberately; rather, they did not even realize that he was standing there. Isma had surrounded himself in a magical field. The ability to hide one's presence within a magical field was thought to be the specialty of the Japanese Onmyojis, but its roots were actually far older, and had been mastered by ancient Mayan magicians. For Isma, a descendant of those same magicians, hiding his presence was an easy task. But his eyes, turned to the school building, were full of discontent.
I can't sense anything. There seems to be no doubt that the boy named Nakajima summoned a demon, but I can't feel any demonic presence...
Isma had noticed the similarities between computer theory and magical theory years ago. He had thought the reason that it was so difficult to summon demons into the human world was that it was easy for the weather and the earth's magnetic field to interfere with the environment necessary to successfully perform a summoning. He had theorized that if one were to create a strong magnetic field within a computer, it would be possible to eliminate said outside influences. He had been attempting to do so himself. However, upon learning from the ISG databanks that a young man in Japan already succeeded in doing so, he immediately flew to Tokyo.
Looks like I'm just going to have to take the time to search out Nakajima Akemi myself.
Disappointed, Isma slowly turned around and started to walk away, when he heard a pleading voice say "Sensei, please keep all this a secret..."
Turning around, he saw an ordinary-looking middle-aged man calling to a woman carrying a large bag. The woman waved her hand irritably and started walking toward Isma.
She was a very alluring woman. Her beautiful symmetrical body emitted feminine charm and could easily belong to a model. Her hot yet somehow dark gaze could not help but kindle desire in any man that saw her. But that was not all. Isma sensed something from Ohara that set off his instincts as a magician. A smile formed on Isma's lips as his eyes traveled up and down her body.
A demon really DID come to the Assiah world. The demonic life within that woman's body is the proof.
Isma blinked twice, three times rhythmically. Perhaps it was a gesture to drop the magical field surrounding him, but Ohara stopped in her tracks as if struck by lightning.
Ohara's love for Loki was special. Nakajima Akemi had given her as an offering to the demon Loki in June. At the time, the digital Loki had made love to her in a virtual world. The voluptuous Ohara was no stranger to sex, but the intense, nearly-fatal ecstasy she felt from sleeping with a demon had brought out the innate feminine devilishness within her to its utmost extremes. Soon Loki gained the ability to take form in the human world and had materialized. Ohara belonged to him heart and soul, and she became impregnated with his child.
But after chasing Nakajima to Asuka to kill him, Loki had seemingly vanished off the face of the earth. Believing it impossible for a demon as powerful as Loki to be defeated by one as weak as Nakajima, Ohara had tried to use the demon summoning program over and over again, but she had gotten no response from Loki. Instead, a different demon calling himself Set had appeared.
Furthermore, the critical CAI room had become off-limits after the incident, so she no longer could use the computers there freely. Ohara had finally copied the demon summoning program, but she had no idea how and where she could run it to find Loki. While mulling over what to do next, she noticed Isma and stopped in her tracks.
"Yod, Heh, Vav, Heh." The words of the spell that Loki had cast left Isma's lips.
"Who are you...?"
Ohara was entranced by the mysterious, shining, blue eyes of this oddly-dressed foreigner. Isma closed those eyes halfway and whispered "Let's go."
Isma silently started to walk. As if pulled by an invisible line, Ohara followed after him.
Return – Chapter 3
The Seito Plaza Hotel was amongst the high-rise buildings by the west exit of Shinjuku station and was known for having large numbers of foreign guests. A short, bald man with a red face entered it that night, seemingly out of place. But his body gave off a glittering energy, and as he passed, the other guests all turned toward him as if on cue. Jogging past the lobby, the man headed to the elevator.
His name was Shimazaki Ryunosuke. He was an infamous tycoon, known for his shrewd buying and selling of conglomerates using foreign capital. The more than three hundred companies under his control were said to make over 50 billion yen in a single day. Shimazaki was also known to have deep connections with the current ruling political party. Who could he be visiting here, alone and without his secretary? Spat out by the elevator as it stopped at the fifteenth floor, Shimazaki stepped in front of the door to room 1504.
"Loki is a demon. A demon can't die!"
Shimazaki heard the hysterical cries of a woman and slowed a bit. He doubtfully pulled a memo out of his pocket and checked to make sure he was at the right room; Shimazaki reluctantly knocked on the door.
Shimazaki had known Isma previously and could recognize him on sight. With barely a greeting, as soon as he had entered the room Shimazaki was asking if a demon had truly been summoned. With a slightly offended look on his face, Isma went over the details of what he knew and had learned from Ohara.
"So then, instead of Loki, a demon named Set has now been summoned?" Shimazaki's question was hurried and impatient.
"According to Ohara-san, it would appear so..." Isma looked back as he spoke. Ohara was trying to open the door and leave.
"Where are you going?" Isma's gaze stopped Ohara in her tracks.
"That's none of your business now is it?" Ohara's tone was confrontational.
"I won't have you running out on your own and ruining things. Stay right here." His stare affixed on Ohara, Isma moved toward her, a step at a time.
"I don't take orders from you!" As she spoke, Isma's large, bony hands grabbed her by the back of the neck. Ohara's eyes opened wide.
"Just what do you think you can do on your own? True, we don't know for sure that Loki is dead. But even if I let you continue to play with the summoning program, with your limited computer knowledge, you'd only end up getting killed by Set!" As he admonished her, Isma threw Ohara to the floor like so much useless rubbish.
Crawling on the carpet, Ohara glared up at Isma, her eyes full of humiliation and bewilderment, the white nape of her neck marred with reddish-black marks from his fingers. Acting like nothing had happened, Isma turned and continued to speak to Shimazaki.
"Shimazaki-san, I would like you to hurry and prepare a computer for me."
"Of course, Saint. I'll ready any machine you want, be it an IBM supercomputer or a Cray 1. In exchange, if you could let me use the power of the demon as well..." Rubbing his hands together, Shimazaki looked at Isma.
As Isma responded with a sarcastic smile, his eyes drifted to Ohara, who was crawling towards the door in another attempt to escape.
"Don't you get it yet!?" Isma chanted a spell in a low voice.
"Yog-sothoth Ya Rubikay Hara."
Ohara let out a cry like an animal and rolled around the floor, her hands frantically clutching at her throat. Her shining, manicured nails sunk into the flesh of her neck, and blood flowed from the wounds.
"Ohara, the mark on your neck will not vanish easily. As I continue to cast my spells, you will feel a tightening pain as if you were being hung from the gallows."
Isma's harsh, merciless words sounded like a far-off echo to Ohara as she writhed on the floor in agony.
Return – Chapter 4
Nakajima was standing still, alone in Izanami's burial chamber deep below Asuka. After enjoying a brief reunion with Yumiko, brought back to life by Izanami's power, the goddess had taken her off the land of Yomi.
As Yumiko had been drawn into the battle with demons against her will, Izanami wanted to give her the ability to least defend herself; Nakajima had been ordered to return to the human world. Still sensing Yumiko's presence, he was reluctant to leave; as he was mulling about, his ears started to ring slightly. Looking up, he realized that at some point the crimson walls of the tomb had disappeared. He was surrounded by an empty void, almost like outer space.
What's going on?
All of a sudden, Izanami's voice sounded in his head.
"Stand up. And think of the person that needs you the most. Return to her."
Realizing that Izanami was using her power to return him to the human world, Nakajima immediately pictured Yumiko in his mind. In front of him, white mist swirled around and formed into the face of a human.
"Yumiko!" As Nakajima called out, the face dissipated back into white mist.
"Nakajima-kun, there's someone that needs you much more than me." Yumiko's familiar voice whispered an admonishment into his ears.
Soon after, he heard another familiar voice, painfully crying out his name. Nakajima reflexively covered his ears with his hands.
"Akemi, Akemi..."The voice calling to him became louder and louder, and Nakajima felt as if he was getting smaller as the voice became more clamorous. The white mist condensed again, into the face of a beautiful woman that looked quite a lot like him – his mother.
"Stop! I don't want to see you!" Nakajima cried out like a petulant child. Nakajima's antipathy toward his mother, a woman who hardly ever bothered with her family, might have been strong enough to completely overwhelm his ego. But the billowing mist gradually started to envelop him.
"No!" As Nakajima desperately resisted, the mist's movement slowed slightly, and his mother's beautiful face looked down at him with sadness in her eyes. Her kind stare opened his stubborn heart like the unraveling of ropes binding a body down.
"Mom..."
The minute the word left his lips, his body became as a drop of condensation in a mist and he was wrapped in a feeling of pure ecstasy. The mist enshrouding Nakajima quietly moved toward the void. There was no distance or time there.
I want to stay like this forever... Nakajima thought.
He became aware of an image in the nothingness. The outlines of white walls and a familiar room's lighting formed, and the profile of his mother entered his field of vision.
"Mom..."
As Nakajima automatically called out, he felt all the blood being pulled out of his body along with a floating sensation like being in a weightless environment. His body was hit with a twisting shock as he was tossed somewhere. He moaned and sat up; he had been returned to the human world from Izanami's burial chamber.
A familiar sofa and sideboard stood before him. There, in his living room, his mother sat, dejectedly twirling her disheveled hair with her fingers, making no effort to fix it. Her face looked so young that she was often mistaken for Nakajima's older sister, but now it was full of creases and wrinkles; she looked almost twenty years older than she had before. Nakajima's mother looked up and saw him in front of her. She gaped at him in amazement.
As soon as she confirmed that this was indeed her son, she let out a wail of anguish, rushed over to Nakajima, and hugged him madly, crying all the while.
Nakajima realized just how much taller he had grown than his mother. The difference must have been there for several years, but during that period, he had lived with his mother without making the slightest physical contact with her. Nakajima hadn't really looked at her as his mother. For the first time, he was starting to feel that reality. He suddenly felt a great love for her.
As he patted his sobbing mother on the back, Nakajima spoke to her softly.
"I'm sorry, mom..."
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