Thus gathered have the stones to raise a mountain.

Yet where lies the green, its placement so rightful upon the mountains? A glacial cold permeates a corner of heart mine.

Rocks are mired in the grasps of the red thing still.

Unchanged are its motions, swinging and lashing the rocks with abandon—or casting them far away.

Yet, the head that had once wavered so is visible no more.

Nay, the stone is now rooted steadfast into the earth, and the rotund sphere has transfigurated into a deltoidal triangle;

an accurate assessment would state as such—while the head remains still, the wavering has ceased.

What stable form, what stalwart balance it has attained.

Indeed, at the edge of change was evolution found for this entity.

Yet even evolution is no deliverance from torpidity.

The entity’s tranquility, a consequence of electing immobility with stability, is no assiduity at all.

I know not what movement shall it take at the end’s end.

Should its motions cease, so too shall it suspend its sentience.

When, in the end, all comes to cease, it cannot be said any longer that it lives.

How unideal, how odd.

Such is all I have to say.

- The fluid sac has grown large on the previously observed insectoid entity with a translucent body.

- With the increased volume of internal fluid in this entity, it may be distinguished from the previously observed entities by the fact that the outline of its organs are no longer clearly visible.

- For the same aforementioned reason, it has been observed that using its internal fluid as a means of attack, proportionally speaking, no longer shrinks its reserves significantly.

- A new organ that connects its head to its back has been observed. It is reminiscent of scales, waves, or diaphanous veil.

- A new behavioral pattern has been observed in which it consumes an unknown substance from human brains via a passage that may be assumed to be an oral organ.

- It was speculated that the entity was using parts or blood of the said organ as nutrients, but such was not the case. However, increase in its internal fluid has been observed immediately after the consumption.

- The fluid filling its body cannot properly be defined within the confines of chemical compositions. On sight and on touch, the fluid has a distinctive property of strongly stimulating the memories of negative past events.

- … Mental state that may be evaluated as ‘negative’ has been continuing long after contact.

- It still remains unpleasant.

Bloody hell, why’s it gotta be my job to write this report?

I didn’t feel like writing it myself, so I was going to ask someone to do it for me. Had I known this was going to be my responsibility, there’s no way in hell I would’ve accepted bein’ his assistant or whatever.

… Well, what have I got to say? Looks like he’s just as much of a pain in the arse as he was as a human.

His outfit didn’t change much, but his neck got stretched out like some broccoli with eyeballs in its head.

Oh, maybe the outfit did change. There were those shadowy hand-like things stuck all over ‘im.

He’s… putting up quite the challenge. Shootin’ laser beams from his head…

Absorbing something and siphoning our energy…

Oh, and he’s been observing us through the whole mess, too. I guess these habits die hard, even after he's distorted.

And once he observed us for a while… how should I put this? Yeah, his attacks hurt more. As though he’s analyzing our weaknesses.

… And that’s pretty much it for the changes. Bloke’s just as irritatingly eloquent as ever.

You know what, though? He sure is bloody pompous, but I don’t know if he really is that much of a bastard.

I’ve been feeling something familiar goin’ on between the researchers here while I worked as his assistant.

It’s like a bond, of sorts… kinda like… the same family-like solidarity I’ve felt before when I was a part of that Backstreets Syndicate.

And… if we’re being honest here, even you lot don’t ever take my suggestions seriously, do you?

But he does. Whatever dumb suggestion I make, he listens earnestly. Sure, he’ll shut me down, but at least he’ll listen before he does and explain why I'm wrong. He doesn't just look away pretendin’ I didn’t say anything.

He’s not gonna bite it from a Distortion or whatever experiment this is.

So… let’s bring ‘im back.

It’s what we do best, innit?

→ Damn, now that’s unexpected. I thought you two’d be like oil and water. I guess you grew pretty fond of Hohenheim, huh?

→ We’ve all been too hard on him, that’s why… Alright! Heath, if ya need anyone to lend ya an ear, come to me. How’s that?

→ Rodya, aren’t you the one who always 'ignores' Heathcliff's inputs…?

→ W-well, that’s because Dante told me to~

Grandmother was a very capable person.

Unlike myself, who was only ever a passive witness, she… never let hesitation stop her from planning, judging, and conveying her will to the world.

Even when the prisoners in the depths of Hongyuan were sacrificed in the pursuit of immortality,

even when her warped sense of resentment brought about the annihilation of the Kong family…

... she never hesitated. I don’t suppose she ever felt any remorse about it, either.

Because she would’ve had no doubts about herself, that all she did was for the betterment of Hongyuan and Daguanyuan.

Compassion is a weakness. Emotions are obstacles.

That must be why she deemed my suffering necessary, why she deemed it my destiny.

I suppose, in grandmother's mind, that was... 'what Hongyuan needs'.

An iron rule that wields powerful Boluses and domineering presence of the Heishou Packs.

To inherit the memories of our founder, to follow the elders’ will.

Hongyuan was… a powerful Wing. The sight of these lands was monumental and awe-inspiring.

But I’ve watched the sceneries that lie within over and over again.

A cold, suffocatingly dry land. A devastated land that surrounds you with the sounds of falling… things.

I know it’s futile to look for any semblance of warmth in the City. I’m not naive.

But… I intend to depart this land in the pursuit of that very warmth anyway, futile as it might be.

Are you watching, grandmother? Hongyuan, the land you loved and cared for so much… will not crumble, in spite of your worries.

But… it will change.

I doubt Xichun’ll allow your choices that has wrought inequity and brutality in this land to continue to affect it under her rule.

You probably can’t hear or see me very well anymore, but…

I want to impart my last farewell and share my final, final feelings about everyone.

Goodbye, grandma.

Goodbye, revered elders.

I wish for nothing but the utmost, eternal peace for all of you in the interminable Avīci Naraka.

Recording the information gained from an encounter with the entity.

Previous experiences with Walpurgis Nights, particularly in cases in which Lobotomy Corporation Headquarters was the destination, have been battles against entities known as 'Ordeals'. However, this scenario in which its participants are to be placed in a containment breach situation provides an opportunity to encounter an Abnormality contained within the Headquarters.

As such, this record will, while reflecting as much of the information that was contemporaneously available with the Abnormality's containment, explore the contrasts with the Risk Level assignment system devised by LCE.

According to extracted information, this entity was labeled 'The Knight of Despair', a humanoid, sapient, and sentient entity.

A notable aspect of this Abnormality is that it possesses a particularly direct connection to other Abnormalities, each of which will be briefly touched upon later in this report...

... and it seems that this group of Abnormalities all called themselves 'Magical Girls'.

At this moment, it is difficult to access information that holds answers to questions such as 'what does this 'Magical Girls' terminology refer to?', or 'have they once truly existed?' However, encountering all of these entities and extracting information from them should prove to be an avenue from which one might learn more about the lesser-known part of the City's truths.

According to available records, the Headquarters once managed O-01-04—The Queen of Hatred—and O-01-64—The King of Greed—, in addition to the entity in question, O-01-73—The Knight of Despair.

All 'Magical Girls', were categorized into the Risk Level WAW, and it seems that LCE has labeled the Knight of Despair a WAW-04 entity.

Referring to records of its management procedures, the conditions for a containment breach incident with this Abnormality are rather specific, which means that it does not occur often. Therefore, it is possible to understand how some might come to conclude that it does not actually pose any particularly high level of danger...

... however, significant casualties are expected once it does escape.

It can be rather confidently said that, from the available information, this entity should be ranked at least WAW-05 or WAW-06... However, it appears that the availability of the suppression method, which has already been made available in written form, has influenced LCE's designation.

A predictable conclusion drawn by the minds of those who do not face these dangers in the field.

It seems that all information that can be garnered and enumerated prior to the actual encounter has been recorded.

Concluding the report.

→ Uhh... this report seems particularly personal.

→ Hey, I've been thinking... does it seem to you guys that Fau seems to get a lot more invested when it comes to LCE-related things?

→ That is patently untrue. A clear misunderstanding.

→ Nah~ Misunderstanding my foot. Remember when we stopped by for that regular check-up? You guys all saw her bickering back and forth with that Hohenheim dude, right?

→ Another misunderstanding. Hohenheim is not someone of any importance, at least not enough to 'bicker' with Faust. He is always hovering somewhere underneath her radar.

→ Hmmmmmmm~ Ya sure? Ya two sure looked super clo(the entry continues, but it is obscured by what appears to be visual noise.)

→ Did she just... take her writing privileges away...?

Recording the information gained from encountering the entity in battle.

This report will cover the peculiarities that have been observed in our encounter.

The entity primarily carries out projectile attacks utilizing numerous pointed blades with levitational qualities. There does not appear to be any limit to how many swords can be summoned at once; as long as the Abnormality maintains the will to engage in battle, it can summon as many as it wishes to.

Another aspect of note is that it possesses special versions of the floating summoned swords, distinguished from the others by their size... and they seem to be the key to suppressing this Abnormality.

It has been discovered that, by challenging those swords, the Abnormality's powerful defensive abilities could be worn down.

... This is a pattern that has not been recorded from the Headquarters in the past.

It seems that Lobotomy Corporation at this particular period in time focused more on preventing the Abnormalities from escaping to begin with, instead of devising ways to suppress them once they have breached containment.

Until today, this information has not come to light, as our primary enemies in previous Walpurgis Nights have been Ordeals. However...

... if we are to encounter more of these scenarios in which we visit the Headquarters to suppress escaped Abnormalities, a careful approach, not dissimilar from the one we employ in encounters with new Abnormalities, must be engaged.

As LCE has overlooked such particularities, and has gone through a seemingly improvisational methodology to label this Abnormality's specific Risk Level, a request for reconsideration of their judgment-making process must be made in the near future.

We also intend to report our observations of the unexpectedly allied Abnormality O-01-04, The Queen of Hatred...

... however, it is uncertain whether any more meaningful information can be gathered from this scenario. Nonetheless, a close level of observation will be maintained on the entity.

Concluding the report.

→ I have also perused the past records, yet... it appears that a great majority of those records explore the Abnormality's emotional states.

→ Looks like the Abnormality used to bestow this thing they called 'Blessing' to an employee of its choice. The blessed employee's death or insanity seems to be what causes the Abnormality to breach containment... Which means that the employee it blessed must be...

→ Dead. Obvious, innit?

→ ... So, uh... Y-you know, the Miss Magical G— Sorry, Abnormality, made me think... What if this group of Abnormalities were actually trying to help the e-employees?

→ You know who you sound like? Someone hypnotized by Mermaids. Abnormalities are Abnormalities. They might look like they're being helpful for a bit, but at the end of the day, they're just dangerous monsters.

→ It may employ an unknown power to empower the sway of emotion; were the rational minds of the archivists who created these records put to sleep in favor of the purely emotional, then... one may surmise that they were already corroded in part.

Recording additional information that could be learned about O-01-04, The Queen of Hatred.

Very little progress was made in this scenario past passive observation. It seems that this scenario was not designed to allow for an extended period of exchanges with the Abnormality.

Gathering from records of the Headquarters in the past, it seems that, coupled with O-01-73—The Knight of Despair—breaching containment, the activation of the Second Warning is the condition to have her join the employees in battle as an ally.

While this may constitute a 'containment breach' in a more literal sense... as this entity voluntarily returns herself to the Containment Unit, they did not consider this particular breach to be of any danger.

On the other hand... the Abnormality grows violent and escapes, becoming an enemy, upon prolonged period of inactivity. It is very unique in that regard.

Its shape becomes serpentine, completely divorced from its current state, and attacks the employees once it truly breaches containment.

It is quite unfortunate that there is no current way to verify that form for ourselves in this scenario, precluding us from garnering further intelligence.

The best course of action at this moment, therefore, would be to use what fractured information is available to us to prepare for possible future scenarios.

In addition, it is imperative that LCE is urged to take such variables into consideration when designating their Risk Levels.

Concluding the report.

→ Oi, uh. Lass, I'm just the messenger here, but she's tellin' me that it's almost like you've got some kind of vendetta against Hoh—(the entry continues, but it is obscured by what appears to be visual noise.)

→ Damn, she banned both of them.

As it seems that all had forgotten to leave a record of this entity, I begin this recording.

Despite her bizarre and twined form, Miss Mayors retained reason in her speech.
As that appearance is what she had sought long to achieve, while this may be but a long-expected culmination of inevitability, she did not lose her reason, no.
That may be why she seeks to convert us still.
To borrow Miss Amiya’s choice of words, it seems that Miss Mayors believes this to be an avoidable battle.

Seaborns are that which so readily devote themselves to practices of altruism, dedication, and self-sacrifice for the survival and prosperity of their community.
From a certain perspective, one may even say that they retain a beauty most unmarred.
However, this understanding is availed to us only by the insight with which Miss Mayors had enlightened us.
Had that insight eluded us, naught else but fear would have gripped me when the tidal wave of monstrosities beyond understanding crashed into us.
Of course, that is but a lone perspective of mine.
For some, it may have been curiosity; for others, awe.
Witnessing the infinity of life itself brings to mind the recollection of a fellow who once said that the qualities of a technology are defined by its user.
All who make the City their home know that life and ecosystem have both become parts of the nebulous “technology,” after all.

(Sounds of rushing waves)
They say that defining the unearthed nature of humanity as good is fine.
They say that defining the unearthed nature of humanity as evil is also fine.
They say that defining the nature of inhumanity as good is also fine.
Yet, is it fine to define the nature of inhumanity as good, and to attempt to graft that goodness to humanity?
… A difficult question.

I know not where we are, still.
A distant Outskirts, a different side of a Mirror, or an oneiric labyrinth?
What clues that exist are far too scattered, far too scarce.

What is certain, however, is that Terra is unlike the City.
To seek understanding of the unfamiliar is a toil, an unpaved path;
thus, it is reasonable to believe that we have yet to comprehend Terra.
The same could be said of Miss Mayors.
Her clues to understanding the City are far too scarce.

Thus, let us refrain from hastening to seek the conclusion to a question so convoluted.
The City is well within our understanding; thus, for our return, we shall suffice.

After employee Alyssa maintained a steady stream of aggression on the organic material assumed to be the entity's head (hereafter, "the apple"), the Ebony Queen's Apple mounted a powerful counterattack.
The apple, upon its destruction, regenerated after a certain amount of time had elapsed.
An overwhelming majority of employees who registered the sound made by the regenerated apple expressed varying degrees of psychological distress.
- Hohenheim, Chief Researcher

Once we destroyed one of its arms, its other arm underwent a rapid overgrowth before attacking us with the increased mass.
Though this entity's durability isn't anything impressive, you're going to regret if you rush in to destroy its parts without observing it more closely.
- Alyssa

An employee fell into panic after conducting Insight Work on the Faelantern for over 40 seconds.
Observation: As soon as the Attunement level of the E.G.O gear extracted from the Faelantern exceeded 75% within the facility, the entity escaped from its containment unit.
I do believe we'll need to overhaul the Attunement manual, Boss. The accident wouldn't have happened had I provided the employees with a more accurate guideline.
- Marton

This is the first time we've observed an entity breaking containment using E.G.O gears extracted from it as a medium of escape, Marton. I have failed to properly scrutinize and evaluate the relevant variables. Ergo, if anyone should bear responsibility for Researcher Corby's death, it would be me.
- Hohenheim

The entity rips open and enters a dimensional door in regular intervals. However, it has been confirmed to return should another being enter the containment unit.
Its Work Preferences shifted based on which color of dimensional door it had entered immediately prior.
Seriously, I won't soon forget that shocked lightheadedness I felt when I saw that the entity had disappeared not 5 minutes after we placed it in the containment unit...
I heard that some... of our colleagues have been using that property to prank the newcomers.
We should probably give them a stern warning.
- Marton

Once again, the combat test result corroborates the LCB's report.
Of course, the entity seems to have gained a few new properties that make suffering some damages inevitable even if we were to do everything right. Must have something to do with boss's [Redacted in Accordance with the LCE Information Confidentiality Clause] research.
- Alyssa

When an employee succumbed to panic inside the containment unit, a swath of pink cloth wrapped around them, transforming them into entity F-04-10-13-a.
Entity F-04-10-13-a retains the ability to perform most actions its host was capable of prior to transformation. For that reason, one must first ascertain the host's original identity when suppressing it.
This is an unforeseen variable born of the illogical aberrancy of the beings we call "Abnormalities."
The rationale behind such a conclusion can be construed from the fact that Researcher Amanda was far from the sort of individual deficient in self-control—even on that day, she adhered to the protocols of the manual to the letter.
- Hohenheim, Chief Researcher

It has been decided that all Managerial Work on "Pink Shoes" will be suspended, pending additional research and experiment on the mutation triggered by this Abnormality.
- Marton

Recording the information gained from an encounter with the entity.
Article 11, Paragraph 2 states that I am to categorize it as an Abnormality.
When first faced with the Sinners, the Abnormality showed no signs of hostility. Instead, it initiated direct communication through the psyche.
Out of all the languages I knew, the Abnormality appeared to use my most commonly spoken one. I did not see any sound-producing organs such as the mouth or vocal cords in motion.
“Bring Snow White.” This is what the Abnormality said. A report on the former L Corp. I analyzed after disengagement suggests that it has a connection with F-04-42.
In addition, I discovered a corpse that seemed to belong to the staff that arrived here before us for preliminary investigation. Their ID confirmed that they were from the Operations Planning department, so we retrieved the remains and left the scene before a battle could break out.
Concluding the report.

Recording the information gained from encountering the entity in battle.
Article 11, Paragraph 3 states that I am to designate its risk level as WAW. This is based on the managerial procedures retrieved from the branch facility.
I will describe its behavior during combat.
It attacks using growths of vines. It wraps its vines around itself as well, forming a shape that resembles a dress; it is possible that it believes itself to be a “noble”.
Its vines are used in a variety of ways, such as persistently stabbing one Sinner and rising from the floor to injure multiple Sinners.
In addition, its sturdy exterior made it difficult to damage.
In one battle where many Sinners were lost, we managed to remove one of its arms. (As I could most aptly describe.) I found then that it could no longer perform the attack that targeted every Sinner.
I will record any additional discoveries I observe in future encounters.
Concluding the report.

Recording an additional significant discovery.
We were able to remove its head during an encounter.
While we did not initially consider the head a target as its height was considerably higher than the Sinners’ reach, Heathcliff’s unstoppable advance provided a helpful clue.
We were able to successfully destroy the head. Although Heathcliff’s head was destroyed as well, it should be a negligible loss as it is a renewable asset.
It continued to move and attack despite the lack of a head, but we found that its exterior significantly softened.
Removing its “limbs” became a much more manageable task.
Even though the head grew back after a period of time, the removal of its arms and legs in the meantime freed us from the threat of powerful attacks for the rest of the operation.
Concluding the report.

I was ordered to describe facts about this in detail.
So I observed.
Placed on a wooden pedestal that seemed as though it was woven from fibers of muscles was a large stone plate.
As I approached it, its compartments of bricks began to rattle.
Seized by curiosity, I attempted to step closer for a better look...
Alas, my colleagues strongly discouraged me from doing so, so I turned away.
One thing I can say with confidence is that it was likely a tool for predicting a date of some kind, judging from the many letters carved on the bricks.
Such is all I have to say.
→ Those letters are from an ancient language. If Yi Sang's depiction is correct, that plate is almost certainly a calendar.

I had an opportunity to engage it in combat.
Though it may have been less than pleasant as an observer to see the object of study sustain damage, more discoveries could be had in the behaviors it displayed during battle.
It summoned a number of flesh dolls wearing stone masks made of what I believe is the same mineral as the plate.
By 'offering' these dolls to the plate, I was able to observe a change in its shape.
The rattling bricks gradually widened, and I could see red muscle fibers and strange spatial extensions...or such.
I can't say for sure how drastic the change will be, but an observable trend is that it's becoming more and more ominous.
Such is all I have to say.
→ Why the hell did you put me in instead of those masked blokes? You damned clockhead, I'll #%^&@[The rest is neatly censored with a correction tape.]
→ Dante made the right choice. From what I can see, it seems that those flesh dolls, or "clay dolls," can't be offered up while they're alive. The only other option we have is to sacrifice Sinners.
→ And why does that have to be me @(##$[The rest is neatly censored with a correction tape.]

I had an opportunity to be offered to this.
I am about to describe the disconcerting, wet, and abnormal experience here.
I took unwavering steps forward as the choice was reasonable. I had no reason to fear, for I would be brought back to life even if I were to perish.
I did not feel the death, so to speak. Though I have experienced death many times in battle, I was not subjected to the sort of pain or flashing disarray that normally accompanies a demise that time. It simply felt as though I was being transported to a different location.
It may be the universe or some other dimension.
My own body and voice couldn't be perceived by my senses. Perhaps my eyes had gone and I became part of that place.
There, I may have seen the end. You could say it was a doomsday I witnessed.
No perhaps I may have been the end and the doomsday I was present at the end but not existent and while it may be misleading to say that it was there but even still I witnessed man and sky and earth tear into thousands of pieces
[The rest is neatly censored with a correction tape.]
→ I had Yi Sang talk with the recovery staff from After Team for a moment. His psychological corruption seems rather severe. Dante, I think we should refrain from making our observers directly experience these events from now on.

Recording the information gained from an encounter with the entity.
Article 11, Paragraph 2 states I am to categorize it as an Abnormality.
Article 11, Paragraph 2, Addendum 3 states I am to categorize it as a subordinate entity of the stone plate Abnormality.
It wore a mask that resembled a crude diver's helmet. It appeared to be made of a stone with high hardness, its exterior well polished.
Correction: rather than polished, it appears to have been "made that way". I was unable to detect any signs of artificial processing.
Its body resembled muscle fibers. The lack of skin or other protective surface makes it appear highly fragile, but a large number of these entities are expected to be more difficult to deal with.
Concluding the report.
I will report findings from a direct confrontation next time.

I encountered the entity in battle.
Article 11, Paragraph 3 states I am to designate its risk level as TETH.
I will describe its behavior during combat.
The entities appear to use their thin yet elastic body for quick attacks.
They often charged into Sinners and grabbed their target tight. They were difficult to remove, and a few lives were lost due to their persistence.
As stated in the previous report, the entity appears to be closely related to the stone plate Abnormality. When the entities were killed and 'offered' to the stone plate Abnormality, a change in the plate's shape could be observed.
In addition, the masks of these entities gradually changed accordingly.
Faust is curious. I should make it my next task to study the extent of this transformation.
Concluding the report.
→ Um, hello, aren't you forgetting to mention the part where they hug us and belch fire? One of them burnt all my hair.
→ Hey Faust! Can't we sell these heads to an antique shop? Don't they look pretty pricey?

I observed the full extent of its changes.
Its mask had two forms it could assume.
While not as impressive as the four states the stone plate Abnormality could take, there was an undeniable connection between them.
It seems to be able to generate fire from within the mask. An autopsy after battle revealed no combustible materials stored inside, suggesting that the fire was not created via physical means.
No further discoveries were made.
...A shame, Faust was hoping to learn more things.
→ You made me stand guard for hours while you dissected their bodies, try to be happy with what you got.

Recording the information gained from an encounter with the entity.
Article 11, Paragraph 2 states I am to categorize it as an Abnormality.
Article 11, Paragraph 2, Addendum 3 states I am to categorize it as a subordinate entity of the stone plate Abnormality.
It wore a mask that resembled a crude diver's helmet. It appeared to be made of a stone with high hardness, its exterior well polished.
Correction: rather than polished, it appears to have been "made that way". I was unable to detect any signs of artificial processing.
Its body resembled muscle fibers. The lack of skin or other protective surface makes it appear highly fragile, but a large number of these entities are expected to be more difficult to deal with.
Concluding the report.
I will report findings from a direct confrontation next time.

I encountered the entity in battle.
Article 11, Paragraph 3 states I am to designate its risk level as TETH.
I will describe its behavior during combat.
The entities appear to use their thin yet elastic body for quick attacks.
They often charged into Sinners and grabbed their target tight. They were difficult to remove, and a few lives were lost due to their persistence.
As stated in the previous report, the entity appears to be closely related to the stone plate Abnormality. When the entities were killed and 'offered' to the stone plate Abnormality, a change in the plate's shape could be observed.
In addition, the masks of these entities gradually changed accordingly.
Faust is curious. I should make it my next task to study the extent of this transformation.
Concluding the report.
→ Um, hello, aren't you forgetting to mention the part where they hug us and belch fire? One of them burnt all my hair.
→ Hey Faust! Can't we sell these heads to an antique shop? Don't they look pretty pricey?

I observed the full extent of its changes.
Its mask had two forms it could assume.
While not as impressive as the four states the stone plate Abnormality could take, there was an undeniable connection between them.
It seems to be able to generate fire from within the mask. An autopsy after battle revealed no combustible materials stored inside, suggesting that the fire was not created via physical means.
No further discoveries were made.
...A shame, Faust was hoping to learn more things.
→ You made me stand guard for hours while you dissected their bodies, try to be happy with what you got.

It happened while I was passing by a jungle.
It was a dense green wilderness full of tall flowers and trees, as well as outlandish bees and butterflies.
You can find all kinds of unfathomably strange creatures in a place like that.
For example... That flower.
It's said that a plant can't normally move on its own. One it takes root, it stays there for the rest of its life.
That's what people consider a major difference between plants and animals.
But those "plants" were like a pack of rabid beasts.
A group of them charged at us, raising their teethed flowers like it was their head.
Their roots morphed into limbs that no longer serve the original purpose, and there didn't seem to be any space in their bodies for storing nutrients.
Yet, those scrawny stems were hungrily seeking the missing sustenance.
Continuously shoving things into the mouth, despite being unable to absorb any of it...
What an odd creature that was.

It resembled a rock.
I am uncertain how an object of its mass is able to move. Its appearance could not be any less adherent to laws of science, but when I look back, it might have been an inherently scientific object after all.
It would levitate in the air and stay still.
It rolled its eyeball lodged in the center. And when it felt like it, it would ram into some persons.
I am not yet sure what motivates it to move. Even so, I wonder if it's necessary to learn its reasons at all.
It's possible that this pebble is alive.
No one would call it an organism, but by the same token, I may not be alive if no one refers to me as such.
Perhaps it was simply a matter of laziness.
We were lazy to think that it mustn't be what it thought to be.
That pebble is probably a lazy living being.
And the same could be said of me.

You want me to talk about that pointed thing, aye?
Thing's shaped like a dried tentacle... There was some kind of red liquid in the middle.
Smacked it a couple times with my bat, and the lanky thing was a bit more durable it seemed.
Bigger problem, though... That thing's got a weird way of attacking.
It prods poor sods with its long snout, and... It starts shooting that red water into the body!
It gives me a heartburn like I had some hard stuff on an empty stomach... 's irritating...and suffocating...
A-Anyway, it makes you feel all weird. Makes you mad over wee stuff.
Some even blew up after getting hit by that juice. I really don't want that happening to me.
→ Weren't you always prone to getting mad over the smallest things?
→ Don't piss me off.

Last time I wrote an observation log, I was a kid, so I'm not sure if I'm up to this, but...
I guess orders are orders.
So, uhh... Start with describing its appearance?
Hm, alright. That was an apple.
A huge, grotesque apple with limbs.
Personally speaking, doesn't it freak you out when a food item gets all massive or starts walking on its own? Is it just me?
I went off-topic there. Anyway, that apple was golden. Definitely not something out of your average orchard. Mmm, right. It's what you call an Abnormality, yeah?
Then yeah, that apple Abnormality was strutting all by itself.
So I... I was getting a growing urge to chop that apple. It was almost magnetic. Hard to explain.
...Well, you won't find a lot of people who hate apples as much as I do. I guess that's on my unusual past.
We decided to fall back for now since we had too little intel to try and fight.
We'll probably take on it at some point, so I'll write down more when that time comes.
→ How disorganized. Were your reports as terrible during your military service?
→ Vergilius instructed us to write these however we wanted. Dante agreed with that, too.
→ …If Executive Manager is fine with it, I won't object.
→ [A cigarette burn is left on the paper.] S.P.C.
→ Seriously, some petty complaint that was.

Man, that was tiring.
It kept healing itself or whatever, it just wouldn't fall after we sliced, tore, smashed, and did all kinds of damage to it.
Fighting it was pretty simple... Well, it's not like all of us got out unscathed, though. What it does is run into us for a body slam. Not too hard to deal with once you're used to it.
I think I get its schtick after fighting it a few times. You see, it's got a golden aura floating around it, yeah?
But the aura was gone after the apple recovered several times.
Maybe that's its threshold of regeneration.
I'll let manager bud know about this. It might be what helps end this tedious struggle.

…[What appears to be foul words are scribbled out.]. This is why you put me in charge of the observation?
Did you know this crap would happen and…
Yeah, no. There's no way you could have…
None of us could, this was our first time.
Gah… When I blew that golden apple up, it split open.
Then some [What appears to be foul words are scribbled out.]ed branches popped out of the crack, and… That thing, that bastard…
It took Yuri…
And with that new nutrient, a swarm of maggots piled up inside…
"Metamorphosing" into a hideous face.
Haha, funny, isn't it. I was feeling a sense of kinship with that crawler. I guess it's because we were both pests…
Realizing that, I just couldn't stay calm. I had to tear that detestable face apart to find peace.
And then, and then...
→ Gregor was struggling to maintain his cool in his writing, so I relieved him of his pen. He didn't have much else to offer in terms of information, anyway.
→ Those maggots squirmed harder than I expected when I scorched 'em with my cigarette. Does this count as intel?

Last time I wrote an observation log, I was a kid, so I'm not sure if I'm up to this, but...
I guess orders are orders.
So, uhh... Start with describing its appearance?
Hm, alright. That was an apple.
A huge, grotesque apple with limbs.
Personally speaking, doesn't it freak you out when a food item gets all massive or starts walking on its own? Is it just me?
I went off-topic there. Anyway, that apple was golden. Definitely not something out of your average orchard. Mmm, right. It's what you call an Abnormality, yeah?
Then yeah, that apple Abnormality was strutting all by itself.
So I... I was getting a growing urge to chop that apple. It was almost magnetic. Hard to explain.
...Well, you won't find a lot of people who hate apples as much as I do. I guess that's on my unusual past.
We decided to fall back for now since we had too little intel to try and fight.
We'll probably take on it at some point, so I'll write down more when that time comes.
→ How disorganized. Were your reports as terrible during your military service?
→ Vergilius instructed us to write these however we wanted. Dante agreed with that, too.
→ …If Executive Manager is fine with it, I won't object.
→ [A cigarette burn is left on the paper.] S.P.C.
→ Seriously, some petty complaint that was.

Man, that was tiring.
It kept healing itself or whatever, it just wouldn't fall after we sliced, tore, smashed, and did all kinds of damage to it.
Fighting it was pretty simple... Well, it's not like all of us got out unscathed, though. What it does is run into us for a body slam. Not too hard to deal with once you're used to it.
I think I get its schtick after fighting it a few times. You see, it's got a golden aura floating around it, yeah?
But the aura was gone after the apple recovered several times.
Maybe that's its threshold of regeneration.
I'll let manager bud know about this. It might be what helps end this tedious struggle.

…[What appears to be foul words are scribbled out.]. This is why you put me in charge of the observation?
Did you know this crap would happen and…
Yeah, no. There's no way you could have…
None of us could, this was our first time.
Gah… When I blew that golden apple up, it split open.
Then some [What appears to be foul words are scribbled out.]ed branches popped out of the crack, and… That thing, that bastard…
It took Yuri…
And with that new nutrient, a swarm of maggots piled up inside…
"Metamorphosing" into a hideous face.
Haha, funny, isn't it. I was feeling a sense of kinship with that crawler. I guess it's because we were both pests…
Realizing that, I just couldn't stay calm. I had to tear that detestable face apart to find peace.
And then, and then...
→ Gregor was struggling to maintain his cool in his writing, so I relieved him of his pen. He didn't have much else to offer in terms of information, anyway.
→ Those maggots squirmed harder than I expected when I scorched 'em with my cigarette. Does this count as intel?

A bunch of creeps walked out of that container box.
Wearing tin cans on their heads, torsos made up of some sort of plastic...
It's hard to explain. It was like someone arbitrarily put together pieces of random toys.
On top of unmatching colors, some straight up lacked frames to cover up the mechanisms.
They weren't all machines, either.
Between the parts, I saw bits of flesh and dried blood...
Just what is going on inside that box?
→ Umm... Maybe it's a type of automated prosthetic procedure device? A company my father considered buying was… N-Never mind. Forget I said anything.
→ Abnormalities are not real devices. I recommend against trying to make ties with existing things.

They're tough. These things are way tougher than they look.
I thought they'd be as easy to deal with as children's toys, but I way misjudged... I thought I'd seen my share of extraordinary things throughout my career of unpleasant jobs, but it looks like I still have much to see and learn.
There has to be a human inside… but they acted like broken killing machines. Their upper body rotates all the way round, and their arms moved weirdly, too.
And most of all… It's like they're incapable of feeling pain.
I heard some alleys in the Backstreets provide a surgery that fries pain receptors. Could this be similar?
→ As I repeatedly assert, Abnormalities are entities of their own category. You shouldn't construe them with the City's standards, Ishmael.
→ And yet Abnormalities physically exist in this realm. If the properties of a thing aren't determined by the laws of the space it exists in, can it truly be said to exist?
→ The hell are you yapping on about?
→ I don't believe it's necessary for you to understand, Heathcliff.
→ Huh? Is my name written here somewhere? How'd you know it was me?
→ …Funny. [A cigarette burn is left on the paper.]

I think I have an idea now.
When I approached the fainted tin men, I heard mechanical noises. It sounded like things were being fixed within.
If I had to guess… They seem to be equipped with devices that automatically repair their bodies.
But, the device didn't seem capable of carrying out more than five repairs.
Only trouble is that they grow stronger each time they're fixed up…
We should find a way to deal with them and stop this repair mechanism from getting to work. Until then, we'll have to bear with their five lives…
Oh, by the way:
How do you think the 'human' parts inside are being repaired?
→ Do not question the physics of Abnormalities.