Once upon a time, there was an ayakashi in some other world. That ayakashi was empty because no one knew who they really were. They became chief of youkai because they were wished to be that way. They scared people who were out at night because that's what youkai do. People began talking about their deeds as a weird, funny story as the legend of the Night Parade. But then one day this ayakashi gave up their role as youkai head for some reason, and Gorozaemon could do that because that class was originally only ever a temporary thing for them. They were no one from the beginning, so nothing could tie their life down. Gorozaemon then crossed the rainbow bridge of summoning and came to Tokyo...
Flashback
Gorozaemon: ...soooo who are you guys?
Christine: Nobody in particular, just like you. Welcome! We are the the Yurakucho Entertainers.
Gorozaemon: So... are you theater people or something?
Christine: Indeed, we entertain people. We are nobody, so we offer ourselves to the stage to perform plays. We are actors, dancers, clowns, stage creators and prop makers, magicians and story writers.
Gorozaemon: Oh, so you're like me. There's one bit that doesn't track though. How did we get to "we are nobodies" to "let's entertain other people"?
Christine: Let me ask you a question then. Why did you lead the Night Parade?
Gorozaemon: ...heh, because I wanted to enjoy myself most of all!
Christine: Even though you have no true self back in your old world?
Gorozaemon: (frown)
Christine: Beg pardon, that wasn't meant to be sarcasm on my part. I'm like that too. I am no one. I was born only to play on the stage, so I perform my art for someone Not Yet in This World.
Gorozaemon: Oh I get it. Because you are nobody, you've decided to entertain someone (re: yourself) who isn't here?
Christine: ...we are nobody, so we can become anybody.
Gorozaemon: Look at you saying sophistry and lies with a straight face!
Christine: Because that is who we are. So, how about it? Doesn't our show sound like fun?
Present
Gorozaemon: I summon the Night Parade! Come to me!
Demons: RAAAAHHH
Sahagins: HISSSS
Mermaid A: wait what
Mermaid B: is this a fight?
Tribal: Holy shit this is awesome!
Wrestler: Yeah! I don't get what's happening, but WOO!
Other Randos: NIGHT POOL PARTIES ARE AWESOME
Gorozaemon (narrating): People believe the ayakashi they don't understand to be empty. They frighten and scare, and if they get people to widen their eyes in fright they feel a sense of presence as they look back at themselves. And so they decided to try living for entertainment. When other people express emotions, they feel they are there as well in some form. They're still empty though, which is why I left the role of Youkai Head I was playing as and came to Tokyo. And then I came to know myself here. It was because I was empty that I can do what I want.
Gorozaemon (narrating): If I don't have anything I want or want to be inside myself, I can just keep looking. The people who can't be the way they want to be are funny! If I'm the one who decides who I am, then I'll live to entertain my self who isn't here! That's who I am, Sanmoto Gorozaemon!
Gorozaemon: HAHAHAHA! Scream! Laugh! I am THE Sanmoto Gorozaemon! I am no one and an Entertainer youkai who can't be anyone!
Monster noises as youkai kick their ass.
Wrestler: Whoa!
Mermaid A: OMG HIT TWEET INCOMING
Mermaid B: TIKTOK HERE I COME!
Tribal: YOU'RE SO COOL GOROZAEMON
Gorozaemon: How's that for an opening act? If you're still not interested, can I offer you a knuckle sandwich? HA!
MC: This is great! Now we just need to lead him over...
Shirou: MC, we're doing great with the monsters!
Kengo: SUPER THUNDER KICK! (hits Jormungandr)
Kengo: Okay, I got his attention! Touji, you're up!
Touji: Samurai X Slash!
Ryouta: I've got support handled! Get back if it gets hairy here!
Smoky God: Such dependable friends you have. Time for me to dance.
Jormungandr: AAAAAHHH
MC: Yes, he's inside the stage area now!
Shirou: We'll hold off the small fry! I can't tell you to not do anything crazy, so tell me about everything later!
Kengo: We're counting on you, partner! And ask the old man if he can fight me!
Touji: You of all people could be in this and smile. It's fine, go all out!
Ryouta: Later! Let's pick up on our food tour afterwards!
MC: *(inhale)* Our turn. Let's do this, Jormungandr!
Yamasachi: Dang your friends kick ass. And damn Jormungandr is huge!
Smoky God: His size really is beyond the laws of the world.
Zo: Being up in the stars sucks if you're alone.
Heracles: That means we have one thing to do.
Jormungandr: RAAAWR
MC: Yeah! Fight me, Jormungandr! (readies sword)
BATTLE START (more happens later)
The memoryless Jormungandr had a sudden thought as he had fun in Tokyo: how did he live his life before now? Well that is the story of an adventure that happened some time in the past somewhere else. It happened in the world of Yggdrasil, a world where multiple faiths were connected mixed together. Laws that were only slightly different from Tokyo's ruled three, and there was a different tale there of the hero saving the people. One of the people in the hero's party was the great Sea Dragon King Jormungandr, who went on an irreplaceable journey and found irreplaceable love. But that is a different story, of dear memories for Jormungandr. And the Sea Dragon King wondered: what if there was a self that didn't have those memories? And he answered that he could look and act exactly the same, but he would be someone else entirely.
Present
Nyarlathotep: Yurakucho Me!
Nyarlathotep 2: Aoyama Me!
Gorozaemon: Jormungandr, you're just like Nyarlathotep!
The God of 1000 Forms Nyarlathotep belongs to either the Aoyama Missionaries or the Yurakucho Entertainers. Or maybe some other guild altogether because each of his individual bodies has their own will. His artifact lets him exist in multiples.
Jormungandr: MINDLESS ROAR
And Jormungandr can create copies of himself with their own minds too. The only difference between the two is the number they can make. Jormungandr can go beyond a thousand, into infinity and beyond. Also, Jormungandr doesn't have an artifact like Nyarlathotep's. He's doing his thing through the Law of Reproduction. He likes collecting strong elements to reproduce even more, which is also why he was chosen to be one of the Walls. His memories were removed and his self was put to sleep.
The people inside the Walls of Tokyo theoretically cannot surpass them because they are designated to be the minority. Jormungandr was put to an everlasting nap and made to be the border for Tokyo Bay. If anyone were to try to go past Tokyo's rules, he would appear automatically and mindlessly as a System piece to stop them. However...
Christine: That was how it was supposed to be, up until he appeared on this stage.
The stage chosen this time is Shangri La, the world whose faith holds escaping from endless reincarnation and awakening as the most sacred thing you can do. And because of mysterious scheming, Shangri La is connected to the old waterway in Yurakucho that leads to Tokyo Bay. A miracle occurrence from among an infinite number of nights that made Jormungandr awaken! Without his memory anyway.
Gorozaemon: MC, Jormungandr and I are both originally people not a part of the mortal world, although the details are different. Since we're supposed to be outside the world, we have the ability to leave whenever. Same goes for you. Your sword is something that used to be part of you.
MC's sword is the Proof of Existence of the 23 heroes who went past the world. If they give up their power and role, they'll probably leave the world again. It's just like how dragon lizards can cut off their tails and run away.
MC: Plot Sword activate!
Jormungandr: !?!?
MC: Did it work? Oh no, my sword!
MC butterfingers and loses their grip on their sword, then gets pulled into a crack in the wall in the sky, UFO abduction style.
Oz, Heracles, and Yamasachi: NO!
The rest of the party tries to run after MC, but they cannot approach the wall because of the majority rule System.
Smoky God: ...right, you are someone who will one day leave Shangri La and leave me behind. If you are alone, you can surpass any wall because your nature is a drifter... But Gorozaemon you can do something, right?
Gorozaemon: Yep!
Gorozaemon activates their mask artifact, the manifestation of the unproven and the existence of nothing, those believed to not exist anywhere in the world. The world's law runs on majority rule, but this only applies to those the laws recognize as existing. If the world thinks you don't exist, then it can't force you to obey it. Therefore the System of majority rule cannot do anything to Zero even if they are the collective will of everyone in the world.
Gorozaemon: And that's why I can come get you, MC! Now grab my hand! It's too early to leave the show yet for anyone!
The thing that connects the dragon to the world is both shackle and a safety cord. Also...
Gorozaemon: There's still so much stuff to enjoy here! We aren't letting you get off that easy!
MC: Gorozaemon, are you and the Entertainers friends or enemies?
Gorozaemon: What do you think? I just see myself as an Entertainer. If the show's good, then whatever! Hahaha!
MC: ...Gorozaemon! (grabs their hand)
Gorozaemon pulls MC back, and the spatial rift closes itself back up eventually.
Jormungandr: Uhh...oh right this is Tokyo. I...or We...
Yamasachi: You're awake! We were so worried! ...when did you suddenly put on clothes? Oh whatever!
Zo: Let's get back to partying! There's still some good meat to chow on!
Heracles: Yes, we can restart the festivities now. I swear to host to my utmost abilities.
Jormungandr: ...
Jormungandr: Gahaha! You heroes of this world really are something to take us down in one hit! We'd love to spend more time here but we don't have much more of it, it seems.
Surprised party reaction shot. Jormungandr starts releasing light particles.
MC: But why!?
Jormungandr: We are the Sea Dragon King Jormungandr, the world serpent of Yggdrasil. The power of your sword has released our memories from that wall because we have awakened with our will.
Smoky God: You're a different Jormungandr than the one MC and friends were playing with earlier, aren't you?
Jormungandr: Indeed. Since our memories were sealed, we have no connection to that other self. If we were to fuse, discrepancies would arise. He is currently sleeping within us.
Yamasachi: explain this to me like I'm five?
Gorozaemon: Man, being an entertainer is rough.
MC: Oh, Gorozaemon! / ...thanks.
Gorozaemon: ...mwehe... so Jormungandr, you're going back to outside the world, right?
Heracles: What!?
Yamasachi: What are you sayin' Goro!?
Smoky God: ...
Zo: ...
Jormungandr: Yes, demon king of another world. (thinks about the white stone opponent back in Yggdrasil)
MC: ...but why all of a sudden!?
Jormungandr: We did not come to Tokyo because we had wished so, meaning it is logical we would have to leave when we regain our will...it is unmistakably Loki's schemes that brought us here. It must be Father who...never mind that actually. The point is that there's someone else who matters greatly to us, and they aren't here. (thinks of Yuuji)
MC: Nooo! / ...oh, sad but okay.
(C) Jormungandr: Gahaha! You understand things quickly.
Jormungandr: To repeat ourselves, we are a different person from the Jormungandr who was with you earlier. It is natural he has no memories because he is a newborn life. He just unconsciously copied our original memories and acted as such.
MC: What? Are you pretending all that stuff about manly man heroes and flipping out into rampages didn't happen?
Jormungandr: !!
Jormungandr: Don't know, ask him! HAHAHAH!
Yamasachi: W-who's going to pay me back for my nice jinbei...? Oh whatever! Are you really disappearing?
Jormungandr: Yes.
Heracles: But why?
Gorozaemon: Because he's the one who created all those monsters.
Jormungandr: Yes. As long as we are here, so will the monsters keep appearing near Yurakucho.
Smoky God: Jormungandr...
Jormungandr: Gahaha! You, Smoky God! Thank you for the other Jormungandr! If this miracle night never occured, our memories would have stayed sealed inside that wall. Okay, time's up, bye--
MC: Wait! One last question! / ...
(AB) Jormungandr: Hmm?
Gorozaemon: ...did you enjoy Tokyo?
Smoky God: Yes, as the host and sponsor of the party, I'd like to know too.
Jormungandr: ...well...
Yamaschi: Yeah, never mind you already had a wish! What'd you think about now!? I had fun, even after everything. What about you?
Jormungandr: ...
Jormungandr (narrating): When I woke up, I was here in an unknown land seeing unknown people. Such new and familiar memories... and such sad memories. They were fun, so much that I didn't want to give them up even if there were memories back home I can't let go of either. I cannot call these new memories mere fiction.
Jormungandr: Sheesh, this is why we wanted to leave already. The wall won't disappear unless one of us is dealt with.
Yamasachi: We'll figure something out. We'll put everything we have into it!
Panning shot of the party
Yamasachi: I dunno if I'm talking to you or your other self, but I wanna ask what you think.
Zo: The big idea is what you want to be, right guys? And H-Heracles?
Heracles: Yes, I learned that from you.
MC: ...please tell us. Don't you have any regrets in Tokyo?
Jormungandr: ...of course there are! There's you guys! And new heroes I haven't met yet! We haven't had our fill of this world yet!
And yet there are feelings he can't let go of in his home world.
MC: Okay...I won't say goodbye then. Curtail call is still a while away.
Gorozaemon: Nice!
MC: You can make more bodies, right? You just need to split souls after that...
Jormungandr: ...oh! You come up with the wildest ideas! Yes, we were thinking that it would be a shame for that other self to stay asleep within us. Look after him. We will come back again someday. So we can brag about our lover from there! Gahaha!
Yamasachi: Cool! Ya better not forget or I'll kick your ass!
Zo: Heh, the walls will be easy to get over compared to coming up to the stars! We'll see ya soon!
Heracles: Yes, next time we meet I will guide you to your satisfaction!
Smoky God: We'll need another party then. I'll have it set up!
MC: Okay, that's settled then. Here we go, Noble Phantasm activate!
Jormungandr's Soulsphere
Jormungandr (narrating): This really is a miraculous moment.
Jormungandr: Okay bye, new me. We leave Tokyo to you. You won't be as strong as us, or else you'll be taken in by the wall.
Jormungandr: Oh okay, Us. See you again! ...oh, is it okay for me to be a part of you?
Jormungandr: HA! Didn't they say it already? You can decide that for yourself!
End of Episode
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