Mundane Troubles

Mundane Troubles is the second part of the Trailblaze Continuance chapter Crown of the Mundane and Divine. It automatically begins after completing When the Stars of Ingenuity Shine.
==Steps==
#Tell Asta about Ruan Mei's departure
#Go to Herta's office to find out what's up
#Sit on the chair and start to backtrack your memories
#*Sub-mission: Memory Backtrack
#Face Dr. Ratio's interrogation
#Get Arlan's assistance
#Try to get some evidence out of Wen Shiling
#Return to the seclusion zone and collate your findings
#Listen to Dr. Ratio collate the findings
#Screwllum seems to have something to tell
#Track the Escaped Infernal Fire.
#Try to touch the fire wall
#Track the Escaped Infernal Fire.
#Capture the escaped infernal fire
==Gameplay Notes==
*This mission requires the use of Dr. Ratio, and provides him for use as a Trial character.
==Trial Character==
==Dialogue==
===Tell Asta about Ruan Mei's departure===
;(Approach marked location)
:(Trailblazer): (Is Asta not here...? I'll go let Herta know.)
----
:
===Go to Herta's office to find out what's up===
:(Trailblazer): (Herta... was attacked?)
:(Trailblazer): (Anyways, let's go to her office to see what's going on.)
----
;(Approach marked location)
:(Trailblazer): (...Huh?)
----
;(Cutscene plays)
::Asta: Mr. Screwllum, this was a premeditated attack...
::Screwllum: Conclusion: Their target was the space station. But their strategies... are still unknown to us.
::???: That's right.
::???: Which is precisely why we need .
::???: The last one to lay eyes on Herta's puppet before the attack...
::???: ...was .
::(Trailblazer): And you are...?
::Asta: This is Dr. Ratio of the Intelligentsia Guild — a delegate from the IPC.
::Dr. Ratio: only just woken up — dazed. may need...
::Dr. Ratio: ...a few pointers.
;(Cutscene ends)
----
: Dr. Ratio: Ah, we cross paths again. Do you remember me? Of course, why would you? Memory is such a fickle thing, after all.
: Screwllum: (Trailblazer), you must have many questions. Please be patient, Asta will explain it all to you.
: Asta: You probably know the gist of things already. A few system hours ago, one of Madam Herta's puppets was attacked by an unknown perpetrator. We don't know the location of the puppet, and we can't pinpoint its signal.
: There was no surveillance?
:: Asta: No. The attack happened on a base outside the station — beyond the surveillance cameras' range.
: Where is Herta right now?
: Asta: She's away on a visit. This issue didn't seem to trouble her much.
: Screwllum: She received an invitation from the IPC before the attack occurred.
: Dr. Ratio: Ah, the Technology Department. Charming little place, isn't it? Madam Yabuli does possess some semblance of competence, but her subordinates? Oh, they're a riot — brimming with enthusiasm yet utterly devoid of intellect. It's as if evolution halted prematurely for them.
: Dr. Ratio: They want to start some new collaborations with Herta and have graciously extended an invite for me to play the role of science consultant. It's delightfully amusing. I can't wait to witness firsthand how these geniuses from the so-called "Super Smart Club" squander the IPC's vast resources.
: Dr. Ratio: However... this attack was timed a little too well. I can't help but wonder if someone leaked this information, and the attackers seized the opportunity. Herta's aloof response to these juvenile provocations? Almost as intriguing. What a delightful little puzzle.
: Asta: I've long heard that you're one of the best researchers in the Guild, Dr. Ratio. We are honored to have your assistance.
: Dr. Ratio: Save your flattery. Time is hardly a luxury we can squander. To debate the merits of mere mortals in the company of an actual genius? Quite the paradox, if you ask me.
: Dr. Ratio: Excuse me, (Trailblazer), tell me — what were you doing the last time you saw that puppet?
: ...Probably running errands for Herta?
:: Dr. Ratio: Don't play the fool. Think.
: ...Listening to Asta complain?
:: Asta: Huh? I—I do remember that happening... I think?
:: Dr. Ratio: Don't play the fool. Think.
: ...Walking the dog with Arlan?
:: Asta: Huh? Invite me next time!
:: Dr. Ratio: Don't play the fool. Think.
: (Trailblazer): (I think I was...)
;(Begin sub-mission Memory Backtrack)
===Sit on the chair and start to backtrack your memories===
:
;(After pausing the challenge)
;(Talk to Asta, optional)
: Asta: Don't worry. We're just ticking the boxes to understand what happened. You don't really think we suspect you, right?
;(Talk to Screwllum, optional)
: Screwllum: Reuniting under such conditions... Affirmation: Unpleasant.
;(Talk to Dr. Ratio, optional)
: Dr. Ratio: A portrait of internal turmoil. You look troubled. Do you need help?
: Dr. Ratio: Do try to think for yourself.
====Memory Backtrack====
:
: Herta: ...Oh, right, I need your help with something else. That Curio's gone missing, and I can't just forget about it. Go find it for me when you have the time. I'm sure you can manage that, can't you?
: Herta: Let me describe it again, in case you forgot: It's an ■■■■. It's alive, but it doesn't have a body.
: Herta: Send me a signal when you see traces of it.
: An ■■■■?
: (Trailblazer): (I think she mentioned something important, but I can't remember.)
: (Trailblazer): (If only there were some hints, then maybe...)
: Herta: Anyway, keep up the good work. I need to go out for a bit. Go ask if you want someone to help you.
----
;(Proceed to Explore the related memory "Asta's troubles" through the Memory Bubble)
===Face Dr. Ratio's interrogation===
;(After completing sub-mission Memory Backtrack)
:
: Dr. Ratio: I commend your stamina for recounting that interminable tale — you must be exhausted. My ears certainly are.
: Dr. Ratio: So, to sum it up, the last time you laid eyes on Herta was in her office. She sent you on a wild goose chase for some trinket, the Curio, after which you knew nothing else until Lady Asta contacted you.
: Dr. Ratio: If that's the narrative you're sticking to, then indulge me: Who, pray tell, can substantiate this captivating drama?
: Herta?
: Asta?
:: Dr. Ratio: A second-hand account, she wasn't at the scene. Hearsay hardly counts as compelling evidence, now, does it?
: Screwllum?
:: Screwllum: Apologies. Herta did not mention this to me.
: Screwllum: Affirmation: We can ask Herta herself.
: Dr. Ratio: Well, if you lace up those boots and start sprinting now, you might just catch the IPC shuttle in four system hours. But as it stands, not a single soul can corroborate story.
: Screwllum: Mr. Ratio, your style of questioning would seem to have a preconceived bias.
: Dr. Ratio: Apologies, it's an unfortunate habit of mine. When one is immersed in academic research, skepticism comes far more naturally than belief.
: Dr. Ratio: It is also the most efficient method, judging from my experience — seeking answers with a negative hypothesis in mind is still valid research. It can still help us reach the truth.
: Dr. Ratio: If is truly innocent, can clear name with answers.
----
;(Questioning Starts!)
: Dr. Ratio: Based on your story, you met with Herta because she specifically wanted you for an assignment.
: Defend
:: (Trailblazer): If you knew Herta, then you wouldn't find it weird...
:: Dr. Ratio: Don't interrupt other people. Did no one teach you manners?
:: (Trailblazer): ...
;(Next)
: Dr. Ratio: And the assignment involves a Curio that doesn't even have a name.
: Defend
:: (Trailblazer): (Herta didn't mention the name of the Curio. We were talking about something else, and she just mentioned it in passing...)
:: (Trailblazer): However, she did give a thorough description of the Curio. I didn't make that up.
:: Dr. Ratio: True. You wouldn't be able to make that up.
:: (Trailblazer): (Why do I feel like I'm being looked down on...?)
;(Next)
: Dr. Ratio: Herta's collection — an endless trove of trinkets and baubles — and yet she singles out one nameless, ordinary Curio? It's hard for me to imagine she would treasure one Curio so much.
: Defend
:: (Trailblazer): Sure, but you're the one saying 
:: Dr. Ratio: Say what you want to say.
:: Screwllum: A correct observation, if I may add.
: Recall
;(Submit wrong Cognition Chasm or refute the wrong argument)
:: (Trailblazer): I remember now. Back then... back then...
:: Dr. Ratio: That's enough pretending. Please be quiet.
;(Submit )
:: (Trailblazer): The Curio isn't the point. Herta was only addressing it because of its relation to the .
:: Screwllum: I would imagine the Curio is the creation of a genius. Affirmation: It holds some special meaning to Herta.
:: Dr. Ratio: Yes... that seems logically sound.
:;(Proceed to next section)
;(Next)
: Screwllum: I doubt Herta is interested in the Curio itself.
: Ask again and see what happens...
----
: Dr. Ratio: Then you said: You asked Asta for help with the lost Curio.
: Defend
:: (Trailblazer): Yes, to get more information about the Curio.
:: (Trailblazer): I didn't get a direct answer, but Asta recommended I seek out a researcher who could help.
;(Next)
: Dr. Ratio: However, she decided to hold her tongue until now?
: Defend
:: Asta: Mr. Ratio, it's because...
:: Dr. Ratio: I'm asking , Lady Asta.
:: Dr. Ratio: Your testimony went out the window the second you started being secretive.
;(Next)
: Dr. Ratio: So what's the story? Are you full of fanciful fiction, or is Asta the one hoarding secrets like they're going out of style?
: Defend
:: (Trailblazer): Asta isn't trying to hide anything. It's because of her position... .
:: Dr. Ratio: What could be more important than Herta's safety?
:: Asta: ...I agreed for Mr. Ratio to become involved in this, I should consider him one of us.
:: Asta: It's okay, (Trailblazer). You can tell him.
: Recall
;(Submit wrong Cognition Chasm or refute the wrong argument)
:: (Trailblazer): I remember now. Back then... back then...
:: Dr. Ratio: That's enough pretending. Please be quiet.
;(Submit )
:: (Trailblazer): The space station has been very distrustful of its higher management ever since the Antimatter Legion's invasion.
:: (Trailblazer): Another severe incident would further intensify suspicion and cause great internal strife.
:: Dr. Ratio: Oh. So that explains why Lady Asta approved of my participation. After all, the Intelligentsia Guild's representative wouldn't be linked to the space station but would still share the IPC's position.
:: Dr. Ratio: They wouldn't be partial to anyone, but would still act for the space station's benefit — two birds with one stone.
:;(Proceed to next section)
;(Next)
: Screwllum: Conjecture: Asta chose to stay silent.
: Ask again and see what happens...
----
: Dr. Ratio: Researchers' disappearances you say... Yes, I've heard the responsibility of sorting out that mess has been thrust upon Arlan, head of the Security Department.
: Defend
:: (Trailblazer): Yes, I ran into Arlan when looking for Adler.
:: Dr. Ratio: Adler?
:: (Trailblazer): A Level II Researcher. According to the Department of Ecology head, he knows more about Curios than anyone else. He happened to be helping Arlan investigate the disappearances.
:: Dr. Ratio: Well, did he enlighten you?
:: (Trailblazer): Adler seemed to have had an idea at the time, but he never contacted me again.
;(Next)
: Dr. Ratio: Clearly, though, it bears no connection to Herta's puppet being attacked.
: Defend
:: (Trailblazer): (No connection? I disagree — there should be evidence linking them together. If I review ...)
: Recall
;(Submit wrong Cognition Chasm or refute the wrong argument)
:: (Trailblazer): I remember now. Back then... back then...
:: Dr. Ratio: That's enough pretending. Please be quiet.
;(Submit )
:: (Trailblazer): No. If I recall correctly, Asta said: "One of Madam Herta's puppets was attacked by an unknown perpetrator. We don't know the location of the puppet, and we can't pinpoint its signal."
:: (Trailblazer): "Don't know the location..." isn't that the same as missing?
:: Dr. Ratio: She did say that, but then what? You need to provide evidence to show incidents are linked.
:: (Trailblazer): There should be evidence. Arlan discovered something odd when he was investigating the disappearances.
:: (Trailblazer): The space station's automatic fire-suppression system was momentarily activated around the time the disappearances happened. Arlan mentioned that each victim disappeared due to spontaneous combustion...
:: Asta: Huh? But there are no signs of a fire anywhere in the space station...
:: (Trailblazer): That's what's so odd about it — but this information has an additional layer of importance.
:: (Trailblazer): This may not be direct evidence, but if the system also recorded the fire-suppression system activating when the puppet was attacked...
:: (Trailblazer): ...then there's ample evidence to indicate that these two cases are linked.
:;(Questioning Ends)
;(Next)
: Dr. Ratio: Cut the act. You're perfectly aware of the point I'm making.
: Defend
:: (Trailblazer): Doubt me all you like. I'm just an outsider who got unexpectedly dragged into this mess.
:: (Trailblazer): You and I are no different — we both stumbled into this, but you decided to assume the role of interrogator.
:: Dr. Ratio: Oh? Your point being?
;(Next)
: Screwllum: Correction: There may be a correlation.
: Ask again and see what happens...
----
: Dr. Ratio: ...If these two incidents were caused by the same person, then the suspicion put on you would decrease... provided that this fire-suppression record does exist in the system.
: Asta: We'll see in the main control room. Let's go... Huh? What was that?
----
:
----
: Asta: This is...
: Dr. Ratio: A declaration of war and an announcement of what's to come — they have set their sights on you. The Legion's impact remains, and the Annihilation Gang is already paying a visit. It almost seems like this space station is more suited for the Path of Destruction than Erudition.
: Screwllum: This "Duke Inferno," Ifrit, is a lifeform that hails from Fetora — a world long since destroyed. His race, the ever-burning fire demons, regard Nanook as their emperor and savior, but the Aeon has never cast their gaze upon them.
: Dr. Ratio: A group of pitiful lunatics. I like Dr. Primitive's assessment of them: "The value Nanook sees in the Annihilation Gang is perhaps far less than what one might see in a child who deliberately broke a vase."
: Dr. Ratio: The fire demons have a cruel temper and instinctively ignite and destroy items. Ifrit is particularly evil and cruel, even among his kin. The Ever-Flame Mansion he heads is even the archenemy of the Jepella Brotherhood, despite both groups belonging to the Annihilation Gang.
: Asta: Jepella Brotherhood... I've heard that name somewhere...
: Screwllum: On the Stellaron Hunters' wanted posters, they stand accused of inciting the Jepella Rebellion — the uprising that caused the downfall of the Brotherhood.
: Dr. Ratio: The Jepella Palace crumbled in the scorching flames, and Ifrit's power has grown by the day ever since. Would you believe it to be merely a coincidence?
: Dr. Ratio: Something similar is about to happen here. Spontaneous combustion? For him, it's as routine as me finding fault in everything. The disappearance of researchers and the puppet were all part of the plan. And after that...
: Dr. Ratio: That video will soon circulate, and this station's fate? Flames, nothing but flames.
: Screwllum: The destruction of "trust."
: Dr. Ratio: I'm afraid more than trust will be destroyed here.
: Dr. Ratio: We need to start acting now if you want to survive. You — come with me.
: Me?
: Just me?
: Dr. Ratio: You have a superior strategy? Pray tell. Do we set the two of them loose, turning whispered fears into full-blown pandemonium?
: Asta: If we did that, we'd be at a disadvantage... I'll stay here and try to contain the news as best I can. Please investigate the issue quickly.
===Get Arlan's assistance===
;(Talk to Screwllum, optional)
: Screwllum: This "Duke Inferno," Ifrit, is a lifeform that hails from Fetora — a world long since destroyed. His race, the ever-burning fire demons, regard Nanook as their emperor and savior, but the Aeon has never cast their gaze upon them.
;(Talk to Asta, optional)
: Asta: If we did that, we'd be at a disadvantage... I'll stay here and try to contain the news as best I can. Please investigate the issue quickly.
----
;(Talk to Arlan)
: Arlan: Not good... this is serious. The Security Department will do whatever we can to help you.
: Dr. Ratio: A list of the missing researchers and their details.
: Arlan: ...Sure, but the Security Department already combed through their backgrounds and personal relationships — we didn't find anything odd. The Annihilation Gang are a group of diehard thugs — they might be attacking indiscriminately...
: Dr. Ratio: A list of the missing researchers and their details.
: Arlan: O—Okay...
: Dr. Ratio: Take it. Remember these names — find a friend who's tuned in to the gossip around here and tell them you want to know the relationship between these people.
: What do you have in mind?
: Dr. Ratio: I don't know. That depends on your friend.
----
:
----
: Arlan: What else do you need me to do?
: Dr. Ratio: Take me to the one who knows the most about Curios within the Department of Ecology, if you would be so kind.
: Arlan: H—He disappeared too...
: What happened?
: Arlan: I didn't really notice at first — Adler's difficult to get a hold of at the best of times...
: Arlan: ...but it's been a few system hours, and I still can't reach him. Even the surveillance cameras can't find any trace...
: Arlan: The last time I saw him was in the master control zone. He was with Wen Shiling from the Department of Implement Arts.
: Dr. Ratio: Lead the way. You said Adler was on the verge of a discovery, yet couldn't confer his knowledge. Intriguing and frustrating, to say the least.
: Dr. Ratio: If his disappearance is also related to the case here, then maybe he really did stumble upon something important.
: (Trailblazer): (True... the keywords that got Adler thinking were "Energy Lifeforms." Duke Inferno is also an energy lifeform. Coincidence?)
: (Trailblazer): (We need to investigate this...)
----
:
;(Obtain )
===Try to get some evidence out of Wen Shiling===
;(Talk to Arlan, optional)
: Arlan: I didn't really notice at first — Adler's difficult to get a hold of at the best of times...
: Arlan: ...but it's been a few system hours, and I still can't reach him. Even the surveillance cameras can't find any trace...
: Arlan: The last time I saw him was in the master control zone. He was with Wen Shiling from the Department of Implement Arts.
----
;(Talk to Wen Shiling)
: Wen Shiling: That jerk! Jerk, jerk, jerk!
: Wen Shiling: Fine — disappear! I don't ever wanna see your face again!
: Who got you so upset?
:: Wen Shiling: Oh, it's you! It's Adler... Adler disappeared! *sob*
: What did Adler do to you?
:: Wen Shiling: Adler, he... he disappeared... *sob*
: Wen Shiling: H—He's been acting really weird recently — always researching stuff like spontaneous combustion, supernatural activities...
: Wen Shiling: He doesn't even answer me when I speak to him. H—He was talking to himself...
: Dr. Ratio: What did he talk about?
: Wen Shiling: He kept saying the word "phrase."
: Dr. Ratio: Phrase...
: We'll get him back.
: Wen Shiling: Who said I want him back!?
: Wen Shiling: But if you want to find him... he was reading this booklet the last time I saw him.
: Wen Shiling: I don't know exactly what he's searching for, but I hope it can help you...
----
:
----
: Dr. Ratio: Your countenance suggests tragedy.
: (Recount Pamela's findings.)
: Dr. Ratio: So the researchers who disappeared were at the forefront of challenging management. Isn't that a curious puzzle piece?
: Dr. Ratio: I finished browsing through this booklet while you were replying to messages. It recorded the lives of a few Genius Society members — I'd say it contains some interesting information.
: Dr. Ratio: It's time to go back and chat with Lady Asta and Mr. Screwllum.
----
:
;(Obtain , , )
;(Talk to Wen Shiling, optional)
: Wen Shiling: Adler, he... he disappeared... *sob*
===Return to the seclusion zone and collate your findings===
;(Approach Asta and Screwllum)
: Asta: You're back.
: Asta: I've been monitoring the Dark Web — I barely managed to stop the video from spreading. The incident hasn't grown any bigger — for now. How are things with you?
: Dr. Ratio: Less than promising, or to use a different phrase — we're in deep trouble.
: Dr. Ratio: We're running out of time, let's retrace our steps and evaluate the situation. From the data we've collected, there are three avenues we can explore...
----
;(Delineation Starts!)
: Dr. Ratio: First, Adler's disappearance. He must have come across some vital information.
: Discussion
:: Asta: Adler also...
:: Screwllum: You think that Adler's discovery drew the enemy's attention.
:: Dr. Ratio: Indeed. And I already know what he found.
;(Next)
: Dr. Ratio: The next angle is what the victims have in common — distasteful as that discussion may be.
: Discussion
:: Asta: Distasteful discussion?
:: Dr. Ratio: A mere glance at their background would indicate they share no commonalities.
:: Dr. Ratio: However, after browsing through their online records, (Trailblazer) discovered they all wield influence on the space station's Dark Web.
:: Dr. Ratio: Lady Asta must know what this means.
:: Asta: ...
;(Next)
: Dr. Ratio: Last, is the abilities of Duke Inferno and the secret of spontaneous human combustion.
: Discussion
:: Dr. Ratio: (Trailblazer) probably already knows about this.
:: Dr. Ratio: The fire demon of Fetora, the Duke of the Annihilation Gang... .
: Present Evidence
;(Submit wrong clue or present evidence for the wrong statement)
:: (Trailblazer): I understand. So the answer is... is...
:: Dr. Ratio: Tenuous connections. Enough of this nonsense.
;(Submit )
:: Dr. Ratio: During prior unrest instigated by the Ever-Flame Mansion, some testified to seeing "miscreants materialize from the inferno."
:: Dr. Ratio: The flickering tongues of Duke Inferno's fire carry a certain property, and this property... is the secret behind spontaneous human combustion.
:: Dr. Ratio: Look — the answer is right there.
:;(Proceed to next section)
;(Next)
: Screwllum: The link between the three is...
: Ask again and see what happens...
----
: Dr. Ratio: This booklet describes a kind of fire that can phase through dimensions, claiming it "burns through worlds, leaving numerous scions of flame behind".
: Discussion
: Screwllum: It's the Phase Flame, the creation of member #29, Sserkal. She was an amazing genius. Intelligent, kind, and humble.
: Screwllum: However, she lived for a mere 29 days on the human calendar. Such a pity.
: Screwllum: The Phase Flame shifted into a different phase as soon as it was created. When it returned to this phase, Sserkal had already passed away. It then continued to shift through phases, making its capture impossible.
;(Next)
: Dr. Ratio: The kindling of this unique flame... must be the missing Curio that Herta's been searching for. And Duke Inferno is evidently spawned from it.
: Discussion
:: Screwllum: Somebody was once able to glimpse the traces of the Phase Flame, and obtained a wisp of its kindling. Herta kept it and lent it to Ruan Mei for her research, but the kindling was lost in the process.
:: Screwllum: If Ifrit is a scion of the Phase Flame, then the entire incident is now clear as day.
;(Next)
: Dr. Ratio: I fear that is the truth Adler discovered.
: Discussion
:: Dr. Ratio: Undoubtedly, the Curio Herta asked (Trailblazer) to find was the Phase Flame.
:: Dr. Ratio: And Adler already discovered the through the concept of "energy lifeforms."
: Present Evidence
;(Submit wrong clue or present evidence for the wrong statement)
:: (Trailblazer): I understand. So the answer is... is...
:: Dr. Ratio: Tenuous connections. Enough of this nonsense.
;(Submit )
:: Dr. Ratio: Wen Shiling said Adler kept muttering about a "phrase" before he disappeared.
:: Dr. Ratio: It probably should have been "Phase." He saw member #29 Sserkal's research topic in this booklet and verified his hypothesis.
:: Dr. Ratio: As a scion of the Phase Flame, Duke Inferno would naturally share similar capabilities. Full-on phase shifting may be a bit too ambitious for him, but teleportation? That's likely more his speed.
:: Dr. Ratio: That is the truth of the spontaneous human combustion — the researchers didn't disappear — they were "moved."
:;(Delineation Ends)
;(Next)
:Screwllum: (This piece of evidence is indeed more convincing...)
: Ask again and see what happens...
===Listen to Dr. Ratio collate the findings===
: Dr. Ratio: We don't know where the victims went, but Duke Inferno's plan is now clear.
: Dr. Ratio: And the sudden and consecutive disappearances provided the best environment for chaos to fester.
: Dr. Ratio: Once the seed of unrest has sprouted, he will then send out an announcement for an imminent attack. It will push the crisis from the dark into the light, catalyzing it into new growth and bloom.
: Dr. Ratio: The next step would be to ignite the spark. Look at those researchers who disappeared — what would happen if someone realized their similarities? I need to say no more.
: Asta: It was all a premeditated trap to stir up chaos on the space station!
: Dr. Ratio: ...We're running out of time.
----
:
----
: Asta: Th—This...
: Screwllum: ...No. It isn't enough.
: Dr. Ratio: Indeed. It needs one more spark.
: Asta: What do you mean?
: Dr. Ratio: If you limit your involvement to this, there's still room for excuses. If it were me...
: Dr. Ratio: ...I wouldn't give you the chance.
----
;(Cutscene plays)
::Screwllum: Could it be...?
::Asta: What is it?
::Asta: Huh?
::Asta: F—F—Fiiiiiiiire!
::(Trailblazer): Asta!
----
: Screwllum: Stay calm. Asta was merely teleported — her life was not in danger.
: Screwllum: Based on firsthand experience, I have ascertained that Ifrit's flame is simply a splinter of the primordial Phase Flame — lacking any phase-shift ability. Logic: Asta is still within the confines of the space station.
: What do we do now?
: Dr. Ratio: That flame must still be somewhere inside the station. Find it, and we'll find a way to bring her back.
: ???: Hahaha... a splinter, you say? The arrogance of the gifted is charming, in its own way.
: ???: Try then, if you must.
===Screwllum seems to have something to tell===
: Dr. Ratio: It seems that Duke Inferno didn't deign to personally grace the space station. He merely cast infernal fire into our midst to wreak havoc among the researchers. When the fire fizzles out, his malevolent plans will vanish without a trace.
: Screwllum: I will head to Herta's office and activate the folded space in the Curio storage room. With some changes to its parameters, I can use it to block the fire's teleportation routes and seal it inside the station.
: Screwllum: Mr. Ratio, please go with (Trailblazer) and contain the fire.
;(Enter Exploratory Excursion The Escaped Infernal Fire)
===Track the Escaped Infernal Fire.===
: Dr. Ratio: The infernal fire is also a form of energy lifeform. The imaging device will pick up its trace. Follow it.
;(Talk to Screwllum, optional)
: Screwllum: I will head to Herta's office and activate the folded space in the Curio storage room. With some changes to its parameters, I can use it to block the fire's teleportation routes and seal it inside the station.
: Screwllum: Mr. Ratio, please go with (Trailblazer) and contain the fire.
: Dr. Ratio: The infernal fire is also a form of energy lifeform. The imaging device will pick up its trace. Follow it.
----
;(Approach marked location)
: Dr. Ratio: The way is awash with flames! It must have just teleported!
: Dr. Ratio: Be careful — get ready to dash into the fire.
;(Open Folded Space Tutorial)
===Try to touch the fire wall===
;(Touch the fire wall)
:
: Dr. Ratio: See, it's still in the space station. Like Screwllum said, it cannot escape from here.
: Dr. Ratio: Do you know what to do with cornered prey? Hunt it to the death.
===Track the Escaped Infernal Fire.===
;(Approach infernal fire)
: ???: The fire is dying... This place is... strange...
: Dr. Ratio: It's still resisting. The fold in the space has shifted. I can deduce its escape route with a mere glance.
;(Approach infernal fire)
: ???: Human... why? This has nothing to do with you...
: Dr. Ratio: The flame is getting weaker. Duke Inferno can't maintain it anymore.
;(Approach infernal fire)
: ???: What... is your goal...?
: Dr. Ratio: Seems like this chase is about to end.
===Capture the escaped infernal fire===
;(Approach infernal fire)
: Dr. Ratio: It's over.
: ???: Ignorant fools blindly chasing the firelight — not knowing that the blessings of Destruction already lie at their feet.
: ???: It is little wonder that even the descent of the savior's Legion was unable to cleanse this place. I will acknowledge my brashness... for now.
: ???: But next time, expect no intermediaries. I will come to personally offer you the demise of your sins with infernal fire.
: ???: ...
: Dr. Ratio: The small fragment of consciousness in there is gone. Duke Inferno has discarded this fire...
: Dr. Ratio: ...Oh? No. Hold on...
----
;(Cutscene plays)
;(Begin battle against )
:Dr. Ratio: Ah, the banal theatrics of stalling. Let's not, shall we?
;(Wave 2: )
:Dr. Ratio: So this is the extent of "miscreants materializing from the inferno"? Seems like Dr. Primitive wasn't wrong.
;(Wave 3: )
:Dr. Ratio: The fire is weakening, it's preparing to flee. You — keep your eye out for Lady Asta's whereabouts.
----
;(Cutscene plays)
;(Challenge completed)
:;(Obtain , , )
----
: Screwllum: Good work. You did very well.
: How is Asta?
: Screwllum: Rest assured, Asta only had a fright. She is recovering in the Clinic.
: Screwllum: While you were chasing the enemy, the Security Department also found the missing researchers. Affirmation: They are all safe and sound.
: How did you find them?
: Screwllum: It was all thanks to Adler.
: Screwllum: They fell into a spatial Curio and could not leave until the Department of Ecology's most knowledgeable Curio expert solved it from within.
: Screwllum: Many of them were shaken by their experience when Arlan found them, but they are otherwise fine.
: Is it over?
: Screwllum: Yes. It is over.
: Why do I feel like you didn't do much...?
: Screwllum: This business is over, and I believe the space station will be able to deal with any internal aftershocks. In Herta's stead, I thank for your efforts, .
: Screwllum: But there is one mystery that remains unsolved...
: Screwllum: Haha, and that is something I must deal with myself.
----
:
----
;(Cutscene plays)
::Screwllum: I've been waiting.
;(Cutscene ends)
----
: Dr. Ratio: Fallout from this incident remains. Surely you have plenty of pressing matters to attend to? Or is the safety of the space station beneath your concern?
: Screwllum: Answer: That is exactly why I came. After all, the principal figure in this whole affair... is right here.
: Dr. Ratio: Haha... When did you start to doubt me?
: Screwllum: "When one is immersed in academic research, skepticism comes far more naturally than belief."
: Screwllum: I've had the same bad habit as you since the beginning, Mr. Ratio.
: Dr. Ratio: I must say, I'm quite honored, Mr. Screwllum, but do explain — why opt for silent wisdom when you already had the pieces of the puzzle?
: Screwllum: For curiosity's sake. Affirmation: I made the same decision as you. To accompany and observe.
: Dr. Ratio: Oh... and when did you become convinced?
: Screwllum: Objectively speaking, aside from some minor spiritual trauma, no researchers were hurt in this attack... which never aligned with the Annihilation Gang's modus operandi.
: Screwllum: Logic: A third party saved them.
: Dr. Ratio: Had I not fortuitously acquired a spark of the Phase Flame and intervened in Duke Inferno's teleportation, those people would already be space waste — floating past the windows here.
: Screwllum: You are more candid than I calculated.
: Dr. Ratio: But still behaving within your calculations, no?
: Dr. Ratio: One last question. Screwllum, genius though you are, can you deduce why I did this?
: Screwllum: I cannot be sure. I can only hypothesize. Helping the weak hints at the merciful instinct of a medical doctor, but maintaining a cool, detached observation reveals the strictness of a scholar...
: Screwllum: ...and pulling the strings from behind the curtain is akin to laying down the gauntlet to a genius.
: Dr. Ratio: The ruler of Planet Screwllum is indeed well-versed in the human mind. It's a pity you are as much in the ivory tower as other geniuses — you still got one thing wrong.
: Dr. Ratio: To stand aside and observe is the best treatment one can give. There is a disease called "foolishness" that is harder to cure than any ailment.
: Dr. Ratio: The Path of Erudition has neither reason nor logic. While geniuses wander among the stars, the ordinary can't even trace their footsteps. Those less gifted have no choice but to walk alone, enduring a lifetime of tumbles and triumphs...
: Dr. Ratio: ...but even a life marked by failure is a life worth living — it is only in moments of solitude and despair, when help is absent, that fools grasp how to pick themselves up.
: Dr. Ratio: I have a fastidious nature — I cannot stand fools, idiots, or imbeciles. Seeing them fills me with dread. Regrettably, this space station is just like the Intelligentsia Guild — devoid of geniuses and filled with mediocrity.
: Screwllum: You wish to uproot the researchers' blind worship of geniuses.
: Dr. Ratio: I am only laying out my questions. As for the answers... They'll find them themselves.
: Dr. Ratio: Pursuit tinged with negativity is still pursuit, and it is capable of leading us to the right conclusion. For the masses of the mediocre to reach a level of awareness — this is a necessary rite of passage.
: Screwllum: You are indeed more like a "medical doctor" than a scholar.
: Dr. Ratio: As for the spark I leave behind...
: Screwllum: I believe Asta will deal with it properly.
: Dr. Ratio: It is also a lesson I left for her.
: Dr. Ratio: With that, I take my leave. I look forward to future encounters with such brilliant minds. Let's hope they're as memorable as those we had today.
----
;(Cutscene plays)
::Dr. Ratio: A farce, full of trivial concerns.
::Dr. Ratio: Ultimately, they're just...
::Dr. Ratio: ...mediocre minds.
;(Cutscene ends)
;(Visitor Verification)
:;(Dr. Ratio has become a visitor to the Express. You might come across Dr. Ratio when you return to the Express)
;(Mission completed)
;(Unlock Achievement Divine Verso, Mundane Recto)
===Post-Mission===
;(Receive message from Herta)
==Gallery==
Trailblaze Continuance Mundane Troubles - Heritor Newsflash 1
Trailblaze Continuance Mundane Troubles - Heritor Newsflash 2
Trailblaze Continuance Mundane Troubles - Dr. Ratio's Interrogation
Trailblaze Continuance Mundane Troubles - Ifrit's Flame Teleports Asta
Trailblaze Continuance Mundane Troubles - Ifrit's Flame Flees
Trailblaze Continuance Mundane Troubles - Asta Returns
Trailblaze Continuance Mundane Troubles - Screwllum Confronts Dr. Ratio
Trailblaze Continuance Mundane Troubles - Ending
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