Kizuna and Lien Route

**Kizuna and Lien Route**, indicated by **M3**, is a route featured in *AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES - nirvanA Initiative*. Due to being on **Side Mizuki**, it is marked as a blue route on the flowchart.

The Kizuna and Lien Route is a branch of the story focused on the nebulous connection between the Half Body Serial Killings, the Horadori Institute of Genetics, and the secret society Naixatloz. In the middle of it all is also the rocky relationship between Kizuna Chieda and Lien Twining, which ends up revealing something surprising about the case.

**Kizuna and Lien END** is the fifth Normal Ending of the game, based on the order of achievements.

## Story Overview

***WARNING!!***
***This article contains spoilers for*AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES - nirvanA Initiative *from this point on.Proceed with caution!***

### Re-opening the HB Case

The appearance of half a corpse at Tokyo National Stadium re-opened the Half Body Serial Killings case that had gone cold for six years. Mizuki Date was placed in charge of the case and Psynced with the previous investigator, Kuruto Ryuki, to see what she could learn from him. She didn't learn anything besides the supposed real name of the culprit, **Dahlia Boat**, and so took to the Stadium instead to investigate the crime scene. There she confirmed that the body had the same face and cause of death as the right half of Jin Furue's corpse from six years ago. She had also confirmed earlier that the body's DNA matched the samples taken from Jin's organs. While going over the scene, she discovered that Shoma Enda's one-wheeled robot had been used to move the body, which gave her a starting point for the investigation. Mizuki began to search around the city for Shoma.

At Yoyagi Park she found Kizuna Chieda and Lien Twining, who were suffering through some relationship issues. Kizuna thought Lien only stayed with her out of guilt, while Lien wasn't able to convince her that he loved her even now that she was disabled. Aiba advised Mizuki not to intrude on their problems, and the two continued on. Mizuki also stopped at Central Hospital to learn more about the first victim of the case, Jin Furue. According to the nurse, Jin had a visceral disease, which put him in the hospital a lot, but was cured by the time he was killed. He was also very shy when he was a child, and seemed like a completely different person when she read about him in the present.

Afterwards, while driving, Mizuki received a call from Gen Ishiyagane telling her that Shoma had been seen around Horadori Institute. Mizuki broke in and tried to take out the researchers, but found herself surrounded. That's when the Masked Woman made a surprise appearance and helped her knock out the guards. After they were done, Kizuna wheeled onto the scene, asking what was going on. The trio left the institute and moved to Yoyagi Park to talk. Kizuna wouldn't say why she was at the institute, but told Mizuki that Shoma was camping and would be back in town later. She also talked about how often Lien took her to the park, and about how his antics to try and cheer her up had made her love the park even more.

The Masked Woman said that the reason she was at the institute was because she was investigating the rumors of its shady practices, and implied that Horadori Institute had done "something" to her. She wouldn't talk more about it, but she did tell Mizuki that the director of the institute, Chikara Horadori, had an affair with the president of Naixatloz, Tokiko Shigure, and got her pregnant. She kept the child against his wishes, so Chikara convinced her to give the child to one of his friends in exchange for a prestigious position at Naix. When Mizuki asked whether the child could be the culprit of the case, Tearer, the Masked Woman said that the child had already passed. Mizuki then demanded to know why the Masked Woman had shot at her when the corpse first showed up at the Stadium: the Masked Woman didn't answer, but did point out that the bullets had been rubber and claimed that she wasn't Mizuki's enemy.

The Masked Woman then took her leave, and Mizuki Wink Psynced into Kizuna to learn why she was at the institute. For some reason, Kizuna knew about Chikara, and that he had succeeded in an "experiment". Mizuki took Kizuna to ABIS HQ and performed a regular Psync to learn more. In Kizuna's Psync it was shown how depressed Kizuna had been feeling ever since the explosion six years ago left her disabled. It also focused a lot on her relationship with the woman she called "Big Sis", who had lived with her for six years before being adopted by another family. At the end of the Psync, Mizuki discovered a diary from Kizuna's father that talked about the inhumane experiments conducted at Horadori Institute. Kizuna took Mizuki to Aioen afterwards and handed over the diary, which revealed that Mizuki had been one of Chikara's genetic experiments and had been adopted by her supposed birth parents when she was three years old.

### Continuing the Investigation

Spurred by the new knowledge of her birth, Mizuki got Lien to help her break in to Horadori Insitute to learn more. Instead she found a secret underground room. Investigating the room revealed a previous altercation where one figure, "X", knocked a second figure, "T", to the ground with enough force to knock out their tooth. It also revealed a mechanism that opened the floor and summoned the slicer that was used to chop the victims of the case in half... and, on top of it, the left half of Tokiko's Shigure's corpse. Mizuki left Lien with the body and continued deeper into the extra room that was revealed by the mechanism. Inside she found the Underground Cell that was revealed to be both Tearer's room and his prison. By reading his diary, she learned that the people who imprisoned Tearer had been stealing something from him; that Tearer had learned about Naix's teachings from his "mother", and that chopping the bodies in half was in service of the Nirvana Initiative; and that "T" was Tearer's first victim, making him Jin Furue.

While going over her new info back at Boss's Office, Mizuki was told by Boss that the slicer contained the DNA of a mysterious fifth victim alongside the four that were known. Mizuki went to Aioen Orphanage to check in with Lien, to see if he'd noticed anything she hadn't. While there, she discovered that Kizuna and Lien were still having issues with their relationship, and this time decided to help them out. She dug out the time capsule that the two of them had buried six years ago, which re-affirmed how much they cared about each other. Kizuna apologized for trying to push Lien away and confessed that she loved him. In the ensuing celebration, Lien said something strange, so Mizuki Wink Psynced into him to see what he knew. Lien had opened a lock for someone and discovered something that was disturbing for the both of them. Mizuki kept this in mind as she left the happy couple and continued the investigation.

At the Kumakura Office, Mizuki learned from Moma Kumakura that a child had gone missing from Aioen decades ago, and that Chikara was rumored to be the kidnapper. Moma also revealed that Chikara had went around the country doing DNA examinations on children, and speculated that it was all part of an experiment to combine two bodies into one. Mizuki also managed to find Shoma at his house, and while he didn't know who had used his robot at the stadium, he did reveal that he used to be a member of Naix years ago.

Afterward, Mizuki went to Ikume Shrine to collect her information and found a sinister group of Naix members there. She got into a fight with them and was assisted with the sudden appearance of the Masked Woman. After the battle, the Masked Woman collapsed, and Mizuki took her to Aioen to recover. The Masked Woman talked about how she was raised at Aioen, and every so often would be taken to Horadori Institute for experimentation. After the institute temporarily shut down, she was taken in by a family who raised her from 9 to 15. The experiments left her blind in one eye and with a weak heart, but also gave her superhuman abilities, which Mizuki realized was like herself. The Masked Woman refused to talk more, not wanting Mizuki to get involved in things, but then her heart acted up and she collapsed to the ground.

This time, however, Mizuki and Aiba took advantage of the situation and brought the Woman to ABIS to Psync with her. Inside her Psync they saw first-hand how despicable Chikara's experiments had been, basically amounting to torture. They saw how the Masked Woman would do anything it took to protect one of the other experiments, who was represented in the dream as a toy bunny. In order to stop the experiments and track down their victims, Mizuki and Aiba entered "**Almighty**" into Chikara's computer, the word he'd used to describe his son when they were first born. From this they were able to discover that Shoma had also been experimented on by Chikara, and that his aging had been significantly slowed down as a result.

### M2: Lien's Struggle

After the Psync, Masked Woman confirmed that Chikara had been experimenting on children in order to achieve immortality, and had basically succeeded when he'd managed to slow down Shoma's aging. Mizuki went to the Enda Residence to talk to Shoma about what she'd learned. The two of them commiserated over both being experiments, and then Shoma opened up about information related to Naix: back when he'd been a member, he saw Tokiko reading something in the Naix Cathedral, something important enough that Tokiko threatened him to keep him quiet. Mizuki tried to enter the Cathedral but found that the only entrance was locked, so instead she went to Yoyagi Park to find Lien and get his help. However, at the park, a strangely cold Kizuna suddenly dumped Lien without explanation, with her father giving him breakup money as recompense.

Mizuki tried to ask for his help anyway but Lien refused, saying he didn't want to commit any more crimes. Mizuki Wink Psynced into him and saw a continuation of his Wink Psync from the previous day, this time with the revelation that the disturbing thing that Lien had found was related to the HB case somehow. Mizuki changed her priorities and took Lien to ABIS to Psync with him. In Lien's Psync it was shown how much he struggled to find happiness as an ex-con, and how being with Kizuna made him happier than he'd ever been in his life. Mizuki cracked open the **Gold Safe** and Lien's happiness was suddenly destroyed by the reminder of the explosion, his inability to protect Kizuna, and Kizuna dumping him. However, Mizuki and Aiba worked together to restore his confidence in himself and remind him of his talents and his genuine love for Kizuna.

### M3: The Secrets of the Cathedral

Mizuki confronted Lien after the Psync, realizing that she hadn't actually learned any new information. Lien still refused to use his lock-picking skills to help Mizuki with the case. Suddenly she got a call from the Masked Woman, who sent over a video which was strangely similar in format to a Wink Psync. In the video it was revealed that Kizuna's father forced her to dump Lien by threatening to press false charges against him. Mizuki used this video to convince Lien to open up the Cathedral's lock, and the two of them made their way down to its depths.

While looking for Tokiko's file, Mizuki discovered the right side of a corpse hidden away in the cathedral's pedestal. The corpse's face was composed entirely of synthetic chitin, making an identification impossible. However, she did learn that it had the same time of death as the left-sided corpse at the stadium. She continued to look for the file, to see if it had any answers, and found it hidden away in a safe. She broke open the wall and pulled out the file to give it a read-over.

In the file, and the ensuing explanation from Aiba, many things were discovered: Tokiko and Chikara's son was Jin Furue; Jin had inoperable tumours in the right side of his body; Tokiko and Chikara kidnapped a child called Uru Somezuki from Aioen, and transplanted his organs - and eventually his face - into Jin; the left side of Jin Furue's face was his own, with a unique %-shaped birthmark that Chikara wanted to keep, and the right side was Uru's face; the left side of Uru Somezuki's face was his own, while the right side was synthetic chitin; the guilt of her actions caused Tokiko to attempt suicide, but she survived, and in doing so lost all emotion and fell completely into Naix's idealogy; the slicer was created by Chikara as an initial idea to swap Uru's organs with Jin's before he decided that transplanting the organs was a more reasonable idea; the corpse at the stadium and the corpse in the cathedral were both Uru, while the corpse at Studio Dvaita six years ago was Jin with Uru's organs (and the left half of his body still missing).

All of this still left one big question: Uru was Tearer, but Uru was dead, so what did that mean for the case?

### M3: Ending

Mizuki and Lien went to Aioen after the Cathedral, where Kizuna awaited. Knowing that her father would never accept him, Lien offered to elope with Kizuna, saying he would serve as her wings now that she couldn't walk. He told her that he would do whatever it took to make her happy - and, in turn, would be happy himself. Kizuna agreed, and asked Lien to take her higher and further to the ends of the earth. Lien scooped her up in his arms, and the two of them performed Half to Whole with Lien serving as her legs.

As the two of them celebrated, Aiba reminded Mizuki that the case wasn't yet solved... and, more pressingly, that a group of armed men were approaching on their location. The mercenaries had been hired by Kizuna's father to steal her away, and didn't have compunctions about killing Lien and Mizuki. Once again, the Masked Woman made a surprise entrance, and worked together with Mizuki to take the mercenaries out. However, a stray bullet caught her mask and caused it to break apart, revealing her true identity: a woman who looked exactly like Mizuki, but with a bright blue left eye.

Kizuna recognized this woman as her "Big Sis" while Lien recognized her as "Quartz", his partner and bodyguard during his thieving days. The unmasked woman told Mizuki to hold off on questions, and instead urged Kizuna and Lien to take her bike and get out of there before the mercenaries recovered. Mizuki wished the two eternal happiness as they drove off, with Kizuna wishing happiness back for her "two big sisters". Mizuki again tried to get the unmasked woman to explain everything, but she pointed out that the reinforcements for the mercenaries had arrived. Frustrated, Mizuki got the unmasked woman to promise to spill everything after they were done, and then the two set off once more to fight side by side.

*"My love. Is eternally... Undying!"*
## Chapters in this Route

* 2/10 Converge Chapter 0 - A Strange Tale
* New Investigation (Branch B) 🔒
* 2/10 Mizuki Chapter 0 - Alone
* 2/11 Mizuki Chapter 1 - Pass Mildly Away
* Nostalgic Idol
* 2/11 Mizuki Chapter 1 - End Where I Begun
* 2/12 Mizuki Chapter 2 - Traveler
* Necessary Intervention
* 2/12 Mizuki Chapter 2 - Left Behind
* 2/13 Mizuki Chapter 3 - The Expense of Spirit
* Neurotic Inception (Branch B) 🔒
* 2/13 Mizuki Chapter 3 M2 - All Living Things
* 2/14 Mizuki Chapter 4 M2 - Of Arms and Of Man
* Novel Ingress (Branch B)
* 2/14 Mizuki Chapter 4 M3 - Bid the Soldiers Shoot
* 2/15 Mizuki Chapter 5 M3 - Sweet Silent Thought

## Trivia

* While Kizuna and Lien Route has two locks, it is possible to sequence break them if the player knows beforehand which passwords to input.
* While the events of Kizuna and Lien Route aren't canon to Resolution Route, most of the important events are replicated in Resolution, with the only major difference being that Mizuki is not present to witness them in Resolution.

## Navigation

 Locations | **Tokyo**
*Chiyoda District*: Police Headquarters (Boss's Office, Psync Room, Interrogation Room) • Sunfish Pocket • Sekiba High
*Chuo District*: Horadori Institute of Genetics (Underground, Hostage Room) • Naixatloz Japan Branch (President's Office, Cathedral)
*Koto District*: Harbor Warehouse District • Date Residence
*Minato District*: Studio Dvaita • Aioen Orphanage • Ikume Shrine • Kumakura Office • Sejima Residence • Central Hospital
*Shibuya District*: Lemniscate Entertainment Offices • Yoyagi Park
*Shinagawa/Kabasaki District*: Matsushita Diner • Sagan Residence • Enda Residence • Kabasaki Chemical Plant
*Shinjuku District*: Golden Yokocho (Marble, Brahman World Cuisine) • Misetan Department Store • Tokyo National Stadium
**Side Ryuki:**
Dispossessed • Anyone Imagines • Ought to Know • Nothing to Be Done • Go • Farewell
**Komeji and Shoma Route:** Joy for Anguish • I Found Me • Past Its Ken
**Explosion Route:** Smiles for Tears • Well-Known • The Mind of God • Not All A Dream • She Was the Universe
**閭｡陜ｶ荵句､｢邱ｨ Route:** 遐ｴ邯ｻ逋ｾ蜃ｺ • All This Happened, More or Less
**Side Mizuki:**
Alone • Pass Mildly Away • End Where I Begun • Traveler • Left Behind • The Expense of Spirit
**Gen and Amame Route:** All Living Things • Of Arms and Of Man • Who's There • All That We Are
****Kizuna and Lien Route**:** Bid the Soldiers Shoot • Sweet Silent Thought
**Resolution Route:** Hell • Visions • In Truth • Births • The End of Craving • Braver Than All Flowers