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Update 23: Manhunt
Faye, why don't you ever think things through?
I heavily farmed the Take points in the 2nd Stratum so I could stock up on Amritas. Lots of Amritas. Why?
Because this is the party that was voted in. 
This is the kind of party that you don't want to be using in EO3. Let me highlight the problems with it. There is a Farmer in the party. Asteria is my only damage dealer. Akatsuki can instantly kill enemies, but it's not guaranteed and there's a really limited number of times he can do that. Zodiacs can hit hard if you build them right, but they can only do that for so long, unlike physical attackers such as Arbalists and Gladiators. I also lack AOEs, which will make things even more painful.
Faye. We are hunting down someone who has managed to kill hundreds, if not thousands of explorers.
Uh huh?
So please tell me why you thought that we should bring along someone who has little to no combat experience, and only knows how to harvest materials in the Labyrinth!
W-Well, I thought she could help us navigate the place. I mean, Farmers are good at stuff like that. Right?
But if we bring along a Farmer, it's going to be be tougher to fight off monsters. And uh, I'm not sure if we can pick up the slack on that front.
I-I'm sorry. I'll do everything I can to help.
Whatever. Let's just go.
I'm so mad about this party that I feel like beating up a crocodile.
I still have Hellfire which can function as a pseudo AOE.
AHAHAHA! This is for all the pain and suffering you've inflicted in EO2! Wait crap, I didn't mean to kill it!
See? We can handle the monsters in here. That croc was nothing! Alice didn't have to help!
Yes, but remember that we can't use the Inferno Script as much as we want. It needs time to recharge.
Ugh, I wanted the gold drop. And I didn't even get its normal drop.
There's another thing I want to use Hellfire on, so I'm going to deliberately drag out this fight so I can.
Darkness has enveloped the world!
No, that would be the acid eating away at our eyes.
It can take from 7 to 20 turns to fully charge up a character's Limit Gauge. Fortunately, it only took 8 turns for Hellfire to charge up. Oh and Asteria got a level up.
Ice Mastery now provides a 4% damage boost for Ice attacks.
Soon, Tidehunt will be feasting on roasted fish.
As I found out later, Provoke is worthless against Sea Wanderers. So don't bother with it.
Faye's gonna try to wake up anyone who falls asleep on the front row.
These two have nothing to contribute, aside from boosting Hellfire's damage even more.
And it's go time! 
How did this go? Right, ATTAAAAACCCK! 
Hmm, I'm not sure if I got its attention.
Taste my fist of justice...
Watch out, cause today's... fry-day...
Where did we put the Therica Bs!?
...Crap.
I'll distract it! HA! Uh, did that hurt?
Not the time to be taking a nap!
Really!? I was having an awesome dre-oh right, beating the crap out of a fish.
So here's the thing about Sea Wanderers. The way their AI works is that they'll use Lullaby one one turn. When they attack, they'll only attack sleeping party members. Some enemies have a special targeting method for some of their moves. Enemies who try to go after party members that fall under a specific condition can't have their attacks provoked.
Let's try that again.
You aren't touching them on my watch...
Seriously? I am also out of Therica Bs.
It took until the 6th turn for everyone to get a rude awakening.
Hopefully this one will stick.
YEEEEESSS! Oh this is gonna be great!
HELL... fire?
Uh, that was not a lot of damage.
Crud. And the other Sea Wanderers are about to join in. When that happens, one of them will start beating the crap out of your team while the others spam Lullaby or Ancient Curse. And the sleep stuff wasted a lot of my time, so Charge Tactic wore off, which didn't help. Only one thing left to do.
The plan has failed! The plan has failed! Abort! Abort!
Thank goodness Sidney isn't here. Faye, how about we retreat before we become fish food?
Yeah uh, that sounds like a good idea.
Quickly! Before the fish consume us!
I probably could have killed it if I had a much better team. Oh well, we can kill them later.
Now, though, the girl is nowhere to be found. It seems your search for her must go on...
Huh, she's not here.
Considering that we survived her trap, it would have been foolish for her to stick around.
The report said she opened up a path around here, correct?
Yes, right where the trees have fallen over.
She really did this?
Yes. We must be cautious if we catch up to her. Who knows what else she's capable of.
Olympia was blocking the path that actually went further into the Stratum all this time, so we're in unexplored territory now.
You’re explorers, aren’t ya? I do a little item trading down here on the side.
The guard frantically rummages through his pack and hands you the bottle he produces.
Here, have a Medica on me. So, ya interested in buyin’ anything?
The Medica and Ariadne Thread could be nice if you really needed them, but the Rapier is not worth it at all. The Rapier only costs 1920 en to buy from Edie, and it can be made with materials from the next floor. It is not worth the 4000 en.
Thanks, but no thanks. We don't need any of that.
I see... If you do happen to need something down the line, I’ll still be here.
The guard then hurries to pack up his wares to get out of your way.
Here's a one way passage.
Now it's a party!
Party Heal is even weaker than Line Heal, having a healing power of 50%. But it affects the entire party, so that's very helpful. At this point, it heals for around 51 points of HP, so it's pretty handy to have. With that said, I don't recommend maxing this out as soon as possible. Depending on what you want your Monk to do, there's much better skills for them to invest in, and Party Heal is more like something that should be used in emergencies than anything really vital.
What the heck is that?
I honestly have no clue what that is.
A swirling tide is flowing out into the air, stretching upwards. You gaze at it for a while in puzzlement. When nothing happens, you return to your journey.
Well that was pointless.
But here's a shortcut to the stairs.
We're mostly done with the 6th floor, aside from the chests and the Moon door.
When the young man notices you, he walks over unhurriedly, his countenance serene.
Yep. We're hunting her down.
How are you faring in the search for her?
Kujura’s icy gaze is fixed upon you as he slowly raises a finger to point deep into the Labyrinth.
The sentries are mobilized to search for her as well. We have made little progress yet. A number of them, however, have reported that fish creatures prevented pursuit of the woman. My men are no match for the foul fish of the Grotto. I leave this to you, Tidehunt.
The young man finishes his short speech, points to the southern door, and moves to leave.
I’ll be posted at the sentries’ base camp in the hall ahead. Alert me if anything comes up.
It seems an ideal roost from which to devise a plan and issue orders from.
Find the sentry patrolling this area; he may have information for you. ’Ware the Labyrinth.
The young man diverts his icy gaze from you and begins his trek to the southern campground.
You must continue forth, as outlined in the mission, and find Olympia.
...Ah, it’s you. Yes? Has something happened?
The young man directs his typical calm stare at you, awaiting a response.
What do you know of this Olympia?
I’ve heard rumors of a girl who helps explorers in the Labyrinth, supposedly called Olympia...
The young man gazes down at his hand and furrows his brow, as if trying to remember.
...It’s a story I first heard over ten years ago. I know not how much truth there is to it. We’ll learn much once we capture the girl and interrogate her. Best of luck.
Did you really send that many sentries after her? I know she's dangerous, but I highly doubt that bringing an army is necessary.
You ask about the sentries here hunting for Olympia, at which the young man smiles wryly.
Flowdia exaggerates, showing the extent of her anger. An entire company for this is excessive. I exercised my own judgement and brought only a squadron.
The young man mutters darkly about the administrative difficulties of a large force...
Most went into the grove past this ridge. They may catch her trail, if not the woman herself.
Kujura looks you in the eye before continuing...
To be frank, I don’t think much of their chances. Should you come across them, give them your aid.
Once the young man asks his favor, he averts his gaze, indicating that the conversation is over. Leaving this place seems equally tempting as an attempt to resume speaking with the young man...
Thank you for helping us. We'll try to be careful.
I see. Then continue your search for the woman.
Once the young man asks his favor, he averts his gaze, indicating that the conversation is over.
You consider following Kujura’s advice and probing into Olympia’s whereabouts.
Huh? There's nothing here. That can't be it.
There's a sentry over there. Maybe he can tell us something.
But you won’t find the woman you’re looking for this way. It’s a dead end ahead. Though if there’s no road ahead, now I’m wondering where everyone who headed that way went...
There is definitely something we have overlooked.
Everyone, over here! I found a shortcut!
Nice job, Alice. See? Told ya she'd be handy!
Ha ha. Thank you.
Faye, anyone could have-oh forget it.
That's a big, um, dragon. Should we fight it?
Even with the Inferno Script, I don't think we're a match for it. It's probably best if we-oh dear, it noticed us.
MOVE!
Phew! I think it stopped chasing us.
Ah. It seems that dragon is just territorial. It gave up the moment we got too far away.
There's sure to be more of those creatures around.
But as long as we don't provoke them, we should be fine.
Scaled Dragon
Behavior: Stays in one spot. Chases the party if they get too close, but goes back to its initial spot once they get out of range.
Aggressive: Yes.
HP: 1552
TP: 621
STR: 28
VIT: 28
AGI: 28
LUC: 24
TEC: 30
Attack Type: Slash
Exp: 6809
Item Drops:
-Drop 1: Water Spine - 75% Drop Rate. 1 needed for Book of Enoch (Book. Must be restocked.)
--Dragon bone sturdy enough to be used for construction.
-Drop 2: N/A
-Book: Speed Book - 1% Drop Rate.
Description: Its powerful jaws can easily crush human bones. It is also more agile than it may seem.
Damage Resistances: Slash: 100% Strike: 100% Pierce: 100% Fire: 100% Ice: 100% Volt: 150%
Ailment Resistances: Sleep: 10% Confusion: 10% Plague: 10% Poison: 122% Blind: 10% Curse: 10% Paralysis: 10%
Bind Resistances: Head: IMMUNE Arm: IMMUNE Leg: IMMUNE
Other Resistances: Death: 10% Petrification: 10% Stun: 50%
Skills:
Charge: Uses the Head. Doubles the power of the next attack.
Charge In: Uses the Legs. Deals 110% Strike damage to the entire party.
Scaled Dragons can't be killed too easily because Atlus was smart enough not to give them a Fire weakness. And it has a high TEC stat to reduce the damage even further. Charge plus Charge In pretty much equals a game over. A Hoplite with Line Guard is necessary to lessen the damage from its attacks, along with a lot of healing since Charge In is an AOE. Fortunately, it doesn't always use Charge In after using Charge. Charge In by itself isn't too threatening as long as you have a way to reduce Strike damage and have a lot of heals ready.
Hey, careful there! A terrible monster’s roaming around the crossroads up ahead!
The sentry gravely informs you that an armored dragon slew five of his comrades at a stroke... You thank the sentry for warning you before continuing on ahead.
Looks like we did the right thing by running away. Thank you for the warning.
When you get into Scaled Dragon territory, just run. Also try to make sure that you aren't close to getting an encounter, so that they'll join in on a fight.
Coral Octopus
HP: 268
TP: 71
STR: 22
VIT: 19
AGI: 19
LUC: 23
TEC: 18
Attack Type: Strike
Exp: 666
Item Drops:
-Drop 1: Tough Tentacle - 30% Drop Rate. 1 needed for Ivy Anklet (Boots.) 2 needed for Three Quarters (Light Armor.) 8 needed for Head Guard (Accessory.)
--Octopus leg that secretes pinkish fluid when boiled.
-Drop 2: Sharp Knob - 10% Drop Rate. 1 needed for Ballista (Crossbow.) 3 needed for Sword Shield (Shield.) 5 needed for Heavy Mace (Mace.)
--Protrusion used to pierce enemies when charging.
-Gold: N/A
Description: An octopus that spews an addling ink. It is cautious and constricts its prey before the kill.
Damage Resistances: Slash: 100% Strike: 100% Pierce: 150% Fire: 50% Ice: 100% Volt: 100%
Ailment Resistances: Sleep: 100% Confusion: Plague: Poison: Blind: Curse: Paralysis: 100%
Bind Resistances: Head: 50% Arm: 50% Leg: 50%
Other Resistances: Death: 100% Petrification: 100% Stun: 100%
Skills:
Mud Ink: Uses the Head. Attempts to Head Bind a single target, and has a 50% chance of succeeding.
If you're using a Zodiac, you may have noticed that they're quite the wrecking ball, and are making a lot of the battles in the 2nd Stratum tolerable because of how easily they destroy everything in their path. Or maybe your healer is the main reason you're surviving these fights. Coral Octopi will make fights a lot more complicated by taking them out of the equation. They hit a bit hard, but their main role is to shut down any support classes in your party by binding their heads. Their regular attacks follow the normal targeting system, but when they use Mud Ink, their AI specifically has them target the back row most of the time. You know, the place where people usually put their squishy classes like mages and healers. You can counter this by putting them into the front row, but that leaves them open for the other enemies.
The team isn't doing well, HP wise.
Let's fix that.
Gather round!
Many thanks.
How soothing.
Your talents surpass your loveliness.
TEC based attacks sadly don't get a damage boost from hitting sleeping enemies. But considering how strong they are, that's understandable. Besides, would you want to be on the receiving end of that?
Antifire decreases Fire damage by 25%.
B4 Chop Point:
Sturdy Timber: 60% Gather Rate. 1 needed for Rapier (Rapier.) 5 needed for Lance (Spear.)
-Timber so resistant to heat that it will not burn.
Indigo Pith: 40% Gather Rate. 1 needed for Brilliance Belt (Accessory.) 5 needed for Sarissa (Spear.) 1 needed for the quest Deep Blue.
-Perennial plant harvested for the blue dye it yields.
Abyssal Twig: Rare. 1 needed for Serpentinelock (Gun.) 5 needed for Beidana (Sword.)
-Feels like coral and is very light, but unfit for crafting.
Common Gather Periods: 1 to 10.
Rare Gather Periods: 1 to 5.
Try to make sure that you get an Indigo Pith for a quest later. Now there's a few ways you can go from here. I'm gonna head left first.
There's nothing much aside from this handy consumable.
Amrita IIs restore 100 TP, but you can't buy any more of these until the 4th Stratum.
I'm doing my best!
Hmm, I suppose you are.
Keen Eye makes all FOEs show up on the map for 15 steps at level 3.
Getting it to level 3 unlocks this handy skill.
Rain or Shine nullifies the effects of damage and mud tiles. It's a very handy field skill in certain Strata. I'm gonna level this up, since I might as well have Alice use for something. And because damage tiles start showing up in the 3rd Stratum. I should note that Farmers are the only class who can nullify damage tiles. Monks do have a skill that can lessen the damage, but they can't outright nullify it. A level 10 Monarch March also works, but you won't get the heal from it.
Izuna now deals 221% damage, and has a 42% chance to petrify enemies.
That's us! Find anything yet?
One of the sentries gazes sharply around while talking to you.
So about that woman we’re all searching for... Our team hasn’t found a single thing. Which means you might turn up something at the southern area the other team headed towards.
The sentry then excuses himself, citing exhaustion from a long shift patrolling.
King Starfish
HP: 308
TP: 72
STR: 25
VIT: 19
AGI: 20
LUC: 19
TEC: 26
Attack Type: Pierce
Exp: 575
Item Drops:
-Drop 1: King Core - 40% Drop Rate. 1 needed for Therica A (Item) and Perception Book (Book.) 3 needed for Rapier (Rapier) and Viking Helm (Helmet.)
--King's core that glows green due to its magic powers.
-Drop 2: N/A
-Gold: Cilial Sucker - 80% Drop Rate. Kill with Pierce. 1 needed for Slip-ons (Boots.) 3 needed for Advance Choker (Accessory.)
--Sharp, pointed sucker that siphons off nutrients.
Description: The king of the starfish found in the abyss. It absorbs its prey to replenish its stamina.
Damage Resistances: Slash: 100% Strike: 150% Pierce: 100% Fire: 100% Ice: 50% Volt: 100%
Ailment Resistances: Sleep: 100% Confusion: Plague: Poison: 100% Blind: 122% Curse: 100% Paralysis: 100%
Bind Resistances: Head: 122% Arm: 100% Leg: 100%
Other Resistances: Death: 100% Petrification: 100% Stun: 100%
Skills:
Life Absorb: Uses the Head. A single target Almighty attack that deals 115% damage. Heals the user for 70% of the damage dealt.
Bloody Supper: Limit Skill. Requires a King Starfish, Red Starfish, and a Blue Starfish. Does not use a body part. An AOE Almighty attack that deals 130% damage. The King Starfish is healed for 50% of the damage dealt.
King Starfishes can be tricky enemies to deal with since their attacks are unresistable. If you see them paired up with any allies, kill the King Starfish first! If you kill off the adds, he'll start summoning starfish so he can initiate Bloody Supper. And then your party will be on the receiving end of a very painful attack.
So you are the leader of these accursed starfish! Hello there Mr. King. You will die painfully! Or peacefully. I'm not sure how painful being turned into a statue is.
Almighty attacks just have a red overlay. Nothing too special. Almighty is the 7th damage type in this game. It's basically a neutral damage type, nothing in the game is weak or resistant to it (aside from the Pasarans.) It can be handy for dealing with enemies that have a lot of resistances, but against enemies with weaknesses, you're better off trying to exploit those.
If you're strong enough, you can take out the adds easily, and I do suggest doing that if you can, since that'll stop Bloody Supper.
Overall, if you know how to handle them, they're not too tough. But stay on your toes.
How many of these dragons reside in this Stratum!?
Remember, just keep moving and they'll stop chasing us!
...Listen, though, if you have the time, can you do me a favor?
Sure, what do you need?
Thanks, it’ll be a big help. One of the guys took a different road, and he’s still not back. I’m kind of worried. If you find him, could you tell him to check in back at base camp? I’d look for him myself, but I’ve got another man down just past here. I’m counting on you.
We'll make sure to look for him. Wait, how do we know if we found him or not? All these sentries look the same.
I guess we'll know when we find him.
You can talk to him again for more dialogue.
And a shortcut back to this point. Which is good because I'm about the leave the Labyrinth in a bit.
Uhhh, I think that's enough for today. How we go back? Before we join those guys.
We could use a break.
Her name’s Olympia. I hear a lot about her, but she’s never come to this inn. Does she just always camp out in the Labyrinth...?
Come to think of it, no one has ever reported her coming to Armoroad at any point.
That's really weird. Like, not even once?
No. Hmm.
I’ve heard that guards have been dispatched to the Undersea Grotto. You members of Tidehunt will be accompanying the guards on this investigation, correct?
Yes. We're taking a bit of a break right now before going back.
That watery forest is hazardous. You’ll need top-of-the-line equipment in order to survive.
I... can't tell if that was genuine concern, or another sales pitch.
Thankfully, unlike Therica Bs, Therica As don't need to be actively restocked.
...What?
Um, okay then.
U-U-Um, yes! It's very good!
Yeah, I knew it was! That kid will grow up to be a master among fishers, for surely!
Hey there! Want any dinner? Though you’re paying, mind ya...
...Ahhhh. I’m the kinda guy who can get drunk off water!
That's... nice. Yes.
I hope you're not too drunk to eat this.
This stuff is so delicious... It just doesn’t get better than a good meal. Heheheh. Thanks for buying me stuff all the time! Heheh... This time, I’m going to let ya in on the secret of the Icicle Fang. Brrr, they’re cold! Isn’t it nice how clear and shiny they are? I’m cradling this thing in my arms every night. The tusk comes from a High Walrus. Ya can’t wrench it off unless its head is fixed in place! That’s the secret in a nutshell. You’ll keep that secret, right!?
Finally, something I'm not needed for.
Ooh, how about this one?
*munch munch* Hrmm... I love the way this crunches! Here’s my problem, though! I try and I try, but I can’t sweep the Missy here off her feet!
Your point being?
Not the advice I was expecting.
I can tell ya don’t care at all... Fine, alright! I probably wouldn’t care either if I was ya! Anyways, get a load of this. It’s a Cilial Sucker. Came from the center of a starfish. If ya stab a starfish boss with a spear or something, you win the prize. Give it a try, you’ll see. Just make sure not to tell anyone...
That's better. And way ahead of you.
Heard about the type of starfish that’s larger than normal? It has this certain je ne sais quoi... They’re called King Starfish. They exhibit some interesting behavior you don’t see much in the wild. When a King Starfish is present with two other types of starfish, they begin to cooperate. They perform a complex, intricate set of actions allowing them to attack and heal simultaneously. I’d say they have a much better understanding of each other than humans do. Hahahah!
Does he have a grudge against the human race or something?
Oh, this sounds interesting!
You are accepting this request? This was made by that famous old lady Horas. Are you knowing who she is? She is the last great master of ”Armoroad Dyeing” style.
What is that?
”Armoroad Dyeing” is an art form known for its deep blue color, like the ocean waters. This special blue shade is only coming from the Indigo Pith in the Labyrinth. So, I am needing you for to be bringing 1 Indigo Pith. You can chop it in B7F. I am finding myself counting on you again, yes? Away you go, explorers!
We already have one right here!
Ah, I am welcoming you back! You have been working hard, I see. Huh... So that beautiful blue color comes from this ugly stick? Oddness... I will be making sure to give this to Horas! She will be much happy! You will be much happy too, now that I am giving you this reward!
That's a lot of exp for a simple fetch quest.
Ice Mastery provides a 5% damage boost to Ice attacks.
I suppose studying the habits of the creatures down there would be a good use of our time.
Ugh, really?
You are accepting this request? It is from that researcher, Scott. You know, the weakling? Apparently, something is the strange about a swarm of starfish on B7F. Have you been hearing the rumor that the starfish are gathering every night? Very mysterious! Scott is wanting you to be looking and seeing just what the starfish are up to! You will be needing to go where the starfish are at night and watch them like hawkings!
Now that I’m Guildmaster, I can’t just swing my sword around... ...Hey! Your armor clasps are loose and your ankle bracers are making a funny clink... Oil them already.
Oh dear. Thank you for the reminder.
Yes. There's a dilemma we have to deal with.
Ah, being troubled is the privilege of the young. Old people don’t have the life left to find solutions. There is a saying, “Wait, and the waves will calm.” Not that charging in is necessarily wrong, either. Think it over, maybe. Watch the sun set over the ocean with your friends, and then come back to it.
Nah, we're fine.
Ah... Perhaps you just need sleep. Forgive me for being presumptuous. But remember, proper rest is essential to both the sailor and the explorer.
If you want to set things right, find her again and get the truth out of her. It’s the only way to avenge those who died in vain! We in the Senatus are counting on you. So why are you still standing around here?
Uhhhhhhh. Good point. M-Move out!
Back on the 6th floor:
The girl hurries over to your guild as soon as she sees you.
Greetings! Eh, what's wrong?
I heard you were the ones to find the ancient fish’s nest the other day. This has to do with that. Please don’t tell Agata where the nest is! I have an awful feeling about it... Promise me you won’t!
The girl pleads desperately, then darts off without a response from you.
You aren’t quite convinced... You resolve to return to what needs to be done for now.
...What was that about?
We should speak with her again to get more details.
Also there's one of the Pasaran spawn points.
The diminuitive ninja notices you and comes toward you, waving excitedly.
You guys found out where on the 6th floor that ancient fish lives, right? You gotta let me know! I’m begging you!
Says the boy, but the astrologer behind him is giving a haunted, pleading look. You recall her previous worry that you will tell Agata the location of the ancient fish’s nest... You hesitate to lie to the boy, but is the truth really what’s best for him...?
Uhhhh...
Well? What do we say to him?