Canto IV: The Unchanging (2024)

The Unchanging is the fourth of the Story Chapters, and follows plot elements set up in Intervallo I: Hell's Chicken.

This Canto released in three parts, and was the first to have its release split up in this manner. Part 1 included 27 episodes and released with the June 1st, 2023 update, Part 2 released a week later on the 8th and went up to episode 48, and Part 3 came out a week after that on the 15th and would conclude the story.

Summary[]

The LCB discover an Abnormality suddenly rampaging through District 11, and manage to suppress it. Following this, they reach the K Corp. building and meet its Branch Manager Dongrang, who is also an acquaintance of Yi Sang. He promises to give the Golden Bough to the sinners as per their "contract". However, the building is suddenly attacked by terrorists known as the "Technology Liberation Alliance", who hijack the building and the machines within to force the K Corp guards in killing the LCB. The Sinners are forced to deal with the Bots sent by the TLA, L Corp E.G.O. users, and even a Workshop/Office hybrid that were payed by a mole to act as backup for the TLA, with said mole suddenly being assassinated by a Shi Association member. All the while, the Sinners learn more about both K Corp.'s dark side and Dongrang's callousness.

Following the mole's death, the TLA's leader, Dongbaek, another acquaintance of Yi Sang, reveals herself to have the Bough, and stabs him through the heart before leaving. After Dante saves Yi Sang, the sinner admits his most distressing moment was being brought back to life. Continuing forward, the Sinners confront Dongbaek at the top of the building, where she reveals her intent to destroy the source of K Corp's healing ampules, stating their danger. Dongrang's assistant Samjo tries to prove their safety, only to die when he dives in a vat full of it. After Dongbaek loses to the Sinners in combat, Dongrang reveals the source of the ampules; a massive eye that cries when witnessing cruelty happen, such as the massacre of Calw and the aforementioned rampage of the Abnormality, which was released by the TLA for K Corp not giving into their demands. As Dongrang berates Dongbaek's failings, she begins to distort, only to instead gain a personal EGO and keeps fighting the Sinners. She loses again, and Dongrang uses the Golden Bough she dropped to kill her as a form of mercy, since N Corp and Gubo have been building a new League of Nine, killing any old members that don't join. As she turns into petals in front of Yi Sang, the death is recorded and played for the Tearful Thing.

The Bough however resonates with Yi Sang, causing the building to become distorted, and all the K Corp Security and TLA members are revived as zombies. Fighting their way past them, they reach a gate that leads into a dungeon based on Yi Sang's memories of the League of Nine, and the Sinners are forced to act out the other members to progress. During the play, quite a few things are revealed; First, that Yi Sang was the one who created a "mirror" that could peer into other worlds, and would become the Sinners' Identity system. Second Dongrang meanwhile was the one who sold out the rest of the League, as he was "scouted" by T Corp and did so to escape their grasp, leaving the other members to slowly be picked off until Dongbaek destroyed their base with fireworks. Third, the Tearful Thing was once a human who traveled with K Corp's previous Manager, who was turned into it to grant their wish of being able to help people, but was then repurposed when Alfonso took over. Finally, Yi Sang, with no where else to go, and believing he could never "fly", went with Gubo to N Corp, where he was regularly drugged and used to help advance N Corp's works. Eventually, Yi Sang managed to work the courage to escape.

After reaching the bottom of the dungeon, Dongrang, who had been struggling with his own guilt brought by his betrayal of the League, suddenly distorts, but then manages to reverse the process and gain a personal E.G.O. by casting away his guilt, wanting to kill Yi Sang so his copy of the "mirror", the one that makes the Thing cry, can be the only one left standing. Dongrang nearly wins, but Yi Sang gains helps from not only Hong Lu and Dante, but his alternate self Sang Yi's words of encouragement. This allows him to temporally upgrade his E.G.O., killing Dongrang. However, with Dongrang dead, the contract is null, and the only way to gain the Bough now is to have the LCB's memories of the incident erased. Only Dante manages to walk away with the memories intact due to being immune to the process, but keeps this to themselves. Yi Sang, while unable to remember, still possess the growth he gain from the trials, and now begins to live once more. During a victory party over the third Bough successfully retrieved, Dante meets Demian again, who quotes "The Little Prince" before leaving. The last scene has Dante's clock head begin moving towards midnight.

Synopsis[]

CANTO IV STORY EPISODES, PART I

CANTO IV STORY EPISODES, PART II

CANTO IV STORY EPISODES, PART III

Enemies[]

• K Corp. Security
• Brazen Bull
• Technology Liberation Alliance
• Rosespanner Workshop
• T Corp. Collectors (Past)
• Who Denies All