Komeji and Shoma Route

**Komeji and Shoma Route**, indicated by **R2**, is a route featured in *AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES - nirvanA Initiative*. Due to being on **Side Ryuki**, it is marked as a red route on the flowchart.

The Komeji and Shoma Route is a branch of the story focused on the connection between Horadori Institute of Genetics and the Half Body Serial Killings. It also places a heavy focus on the complicated relationship between Shoma Enda and his father, Andes Komeji.

**Komeji and Shoma END** is the first 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!***

### Investigation of Jin Furue's corpse

The half corpse of Jin Furue mysteriously appeared in the middle of a livestream at Studio Dvaita, signalling the start of the Half Body Serial Killings. Kuruto Ryuki, who was present for the body's appearance, was put in charge of the case by Boss. He interviewed everyone else at the scene, including Andes Komeji, the host of the show, but no-one claimed to know anything about the body. The biggest clue that Ryuki had to go off was the QR code embedded in the corpse, which took him to a video entitled Fray to Free.

The next day, Ryuki went around questioning everyone who had been present at the scene. He learned from Moma Kumakura that Komeji apparently had dealings with the yakuza. He found Komeji at Misetan and the two went into the Ferris wheel to talk more. Ryuki didn't learn anything pertinent to Jin's murder, but did learn more about Komeji's background; about his reputation as a quiz king, his divorce from his wife, and about his son, Shoma Enda. When he tried to ask about the yakuza, Komeji panicked and denied any connection to them. Elsewhere, Ryuki was told by Ota Matsushita and Amame Doi that the Fray to Free video was similar to Bats490, a different video released half a year ago as part of an ARG.

While compiling his information, Ryuki received a call from Mizuki Date, who told him that her classmate, Shoma, had solved the Bats490 video, and thus might have some information that could help Ryuki. Ryuki went to the Enda Residence and was able to convince Shoma to open up to him. Ryuki learned that Shoma was a prodigy in robotics engineering, had a crush on Mizuki, and seemed to have a difficult relationship with his dad. Shoma then told Ryuki that solving Bats490 had given him a hidden message that pointed to the Horadori Institute of Genetics.

Ryuki followed the lead and met Chikara Horadori, an eccentric scientist and director of the institute. He told Ryuki that his lab had recently created PURGE, a genome editing technique that could be used to cure previously uncurable genetic diseases. Not only that, but it could potentially be used to prevent someone from dying of old age, essentially giving them a form of immortality. When asked about Bats490, Chikara denied any connection to it, but a Wink Psync showed him watching the video. Ryuki took him to ABIS and Psynced with Chikara, revealing that Bats490 had been created by the secret society Naixatloz.

Ryuki arrived at the Naix Japan Branch and met Tokiko Shigure, who denied any connection to Jin Furue's murder. She confirmed that Bats490 had been created by Naix, and that Chikara was an ex-Naix member, but also said that it had no connection to Fray to Free. Ryuki left Naix and continued his investigation, discovering how the body had appeared at Studio Dvaita and that Chinpei Wagai had been blackmailed by a man called Tearer to let him use the studio, allowing Tearer to set up the corpse. While pursuing this line of investigation, Ryuki discovered the half corpse of Chikara at Sekiba High.

Two days later, Tama discovered that Shoma had lied about where the hidden message in Bats490 pointed to. Ryuki went to Misetan to look for him and found Shoma at the park alongside his father. Ryuki took Shoma into the Ferris wheel and tried to ask him about the code, but Shoma lied and said that he hadn't even solved it in the first place. He also explained that he'd gotten into an argument with Komeji and ran away from home. He was getting bullied at school because of his father being a failing comedian, but Komeji refused to quit his job because he didn't care if people mocked him for it. However, while Shoma claimed to hate his dad, it was clear that he paid Komeji a lot of attention.

Unable to get Shoma to open up, Ryuki tried his father next. Komeji didn't know what Bats490 was, but also insisted that Shoma wouldn't lie without a good reason. When asked about the argument, Komeji brought out a torn-up origami medal. Shoma had made it for when he was little, but had torn it up during the argument, which Komeji was heartbroken by. Komeji admitted that his lack of success at his job was what caused his divorce, and put Shoma through inexcusable hardship. He then tried to open up to Ryuki about something, but wasn't able to-when Ryuki Wink Psynced into him, he learned that Komeji was being hounded by various loan sharks for all the payments he was due. Ryuki suspected that Komeji didn't confess because he was dealing on the black market, and thus couldn't get the police involved, but Komeji refused to say any more about it.

Later on in the day, Ryuki visited Horadori Institute after hearing from Lien Twining that there was supposedly a hidden room there. Instead Ryuki found Komeji armed with a pistol. Komeji tried to run but Ryuki pinned him down and took him to ABIS to Psync once it was clear that Komeji wasn't going to talk. In Komeji's Psync, Ryuki confirmed that Komeji was struggling with debt, and that the loan sharks had even threatened to take Shoma and sell him overseas if the payment wasn't made in a month. Komeji decided to **Protect Shoma** instead of raise the money, and chased Shoma throughout the Psync until they arrived at the Ferris wheel. There, Shoma mysteriously vanished, and a confidential file from Horadori Institute was left in his place.

### R2: Rescuing Shoma

After the Psync, Ryuki decided to talk to Shoma directly to learn about his connection to Horadori, and enlisted Komeji's help in exchange for overlooking his possession of a firearm. The two of them made their way to the Enda Residence, where they found a note saying that Shoma had been kidnapped and Komeji "knew what to do" if he wanted Shoma back. Komeji claimed that Tearer had been the one who took Shoma, but was too panicked to elaborate further. Tama located Shoma's GPS at the Harbor Warehouse District, and they set off to rescue him.

At the warehouse district, a tied-up Shoma was being taken away by Horadori researchers. Komeji tried to stop them and was easily taken out, leaving Ryuki to take down the attacking researchers. They were able to get Shoma into a van and drive off, but Mizuki arrived on the scene and used her strength to knock the van off-course. Shoma was safely extracted, but seemed distraught as Komeji fawned over him. The father and son held back as Ryuki and Mizuki continued to fight the researchers, but were unable to stop a group of them from advancing on Shoma and Komeji. Komeji shielded Shoma with his own body and took the researcher's punishment as he exclaimed that Shoma was more important to him than his own life, and that he wouldn't let the researchers lay a finger on him. He was saved by the sudden appearance of the Masked Woman, who easily dispatched the attacking researchers.

Mizuki and the Masked Woman continued the fight while Ryuki, Shoma, and Komeji attempted to retreat to Ryuki's Limousine. However, Shoma ended up tripping, and a researcher attempted to shoot him in the back. Ryuki rushed forward and grabbed Shoma, taking the shot to his shoulder. The three of them ended up backed against one of the warehouses, held at gunpoint by multiple researchers. All hope seemed lost, but then a familiar Ford Falcon GT drove onto the scene and knocked over the attackers. Kaname Date exited the car and used his pornography-powered reflexes to take out the rest of the researchers. Everyone regrouped and made their way to the Date Residence.

Date gave Ryuki first-aid, but implored him to get to the hospital as soon as possible. Ryuki ignored the warning and questioned everyone in the room about Shoma's disappearance and their reasons for being at the warehouse. Tama called Date and Mizuki there, while the Masked Woman had been tailing the Horadori researchers for her own purposes. It was during this time that Ryuki learned via Wink Psync that the Masked Woman had a terminal diagnosis. Date also talked about what he'd learned about Horadori from Lien, with Date and Ryuki concluding that Horadori Institute, Naix, and Tearer were all connected somehow.

Komeji mentioned that he'd lost something at the warehouse, but it was more than worth it to get Shoma back. It was also revealed that Komeji was a patron of Sunfish Pocket, but he insisted that it had nothing to do with his financial troubles. Ryuki moved on to Shoma next, who didn't know why he'd been kidnapped but also refused to talk about his connection to Horadori Institute. Ryuki decided then to Psync with him to learn about what he knew, which Shoma agreed to after being convinced by Mizuki. Ryuki, Tama, Komeji, and Shoma all made their way to ABIS.

In Shoma's Psync it was revealed that Shoma had a lot of mental trauma, and had fallen victim to Naix's indoctrination and believed that the world was all a simulation. However, deep down, he still loved his father deeply, and wanted to smile and laugh like he used to. By completing the Psync, Ryuki and Tama were able to heal some of his wounds and allow Shoma to rediscover his love for comedy and his father. However, they didn't learn about Shoma's connection to Horadori, so after the Psync they took him and Komeji to Misetan to talk more.

### R2: Ending

Inside the Ferris wheel, Shoma opened up about everything: Chikara Horadori had been performing genetic experiments on him for months, and basically threatened to kill him if he told anyone. The hidden message in Bats490 lead to the Naix Cathedral, where Tokiko indoctrinated him into the Naix philosophy. The reason he lied about the message leading to Horadori Institute was to throw immediate suspicion off himself, and also to annoy Chikara. Shoma also remembered that Tearer had spoken to him while he was kidnapped, and had told Shoma his name: Dahlia.

Dawn broke as Shoma and Ryuki exited the Ferris wheel and met back up with Komeji. Komeji apologized for everything that he'd put Shoma through, and vowed to quit his job as a comedian and get a regular job at a company. However, Shoma told him not to, saying that he loved his dad's comedy and that he wouldn't let anyone make fun of him anymore. He revealed that he'd picked up the torn-up medal that Komeji had dropped at the warehouse, and taped it back up while at the police station. Shoma gave it back to Komeji, saying that he was proud to be Komeji's son. Komeji broke down in tears, thanking his son. As Ryuki watched, Komeji got up on stage and performed his comedy routine for Shoma, who laughed and called him the best comedian in the world.

The case was still unsolved. Komeji and Shoma still had a lot of problems to work through. Ryuki still had to get to the hospital. But as he watched the father and son, he knew that everything would be fine.

*"As long as they have smiles..."*

*"Their world will be saved."*
## Chapters in this Route

* 2/10 Converge Chapter 0 - A Strange Tale
* New Investigation (Branch A)
* 2/10 Ryuki Chapter 0 - Dispossessed
* 2/11 Ryuki Chapter 1 - Anyone Imagines
* Nefarious Institute
* 2/11 Ryuki Chapter 1 - Ought to Know
* 2/12 Ryuki Chapter 2 - Nothing to Be Done
* Naixatloz's Intentions
* 2/12 Ryuki Chapter 2 - Go
* 2/13 Ryuki Chapter 3 - Farewell
* Need Info (Branch-B)
* 2/13 Ryuki Chapter 3 R2 - Joy for Anguish
* 2/14 Ryuki Chapter 4 R2 - I Found Me
* Nested Insecurities
* 2/14 Ryuki Chapter 4 R2 - Past Its Ken

## Trivia

* At the end of Komeji and Shoma Route, Ryuki learns Tearer's first name, while he learns Tearer's last name at the end of Explosion Route. This could imply that Komeji and Shoma Route is intended to be finished before Explosion Route, which is supported by Komeji and Shoma Route being the first one listed in the game's script, and Komeji and Shoma END being the first listed ending achievement.
* Komeji and Shoma Route, alongside Destination Atami END, are the only routes that don't enter into 2/15.

## 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