Dante

Dante (ダンテ, Dante) is a recruitable guest character from the Devil May Cry franchise, and is only available in the updated release of Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne, titled Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne Maniax. In the re-release of Maniax, titled Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne Chronicles alongside Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. King Abaddon, Raidou Kuzunoha the XIV replaces Dante as a recruitable character.

Appearances

 * Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne: Fiend Race

Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne
Dante is first mentioned in pre-Conception Tokyo, where he is described by a passerby as a "strange foreigner wearing a red cloak and carrying a big sword". After the Conception, he survives, and his role of being a demon slayer comes into light. Dante makes his first formal appearance after Hito-Shura escapes the Shinjuku Medical Center, where he observes how different Tokyo looks from what he originally heard (according to him, the current state of Tokyo doesn't look like a place where one would get sushi).

He would later show up in Ikebukuro, territory of the Mantra demons. After Hito-Shura prevails in the Mantra's court of strength, the Candelabrum of Sovereignty starts to flicker wildly. Noticing the change, Hito-Shura soon sees Dante, who leaps down from the highest level of the tower and suddenly forces Hito-Shura into battle.

After taking some lumps, Dante loses the drive to fight for the moment and takes an interest towards Hito-Shura, as the latter doesn't seem to be like any demon he has encountered before. Dante reveals that he was hired by an "old man" to hunt down some demons, including Hito-Shura. He also holds a Candelabrum in his possession, but was never told what it was for. Dante then proceeds to tell Hito-Shura to keep himself alive, as the former would like to experience the thrill of the hunt again when he becomes stronger.

Dante slowly became suspicious of his employer's motives, and begins investigating the Labyrinth of Amala on his own. Upon venturing to the Third Kalpa, Hito-Shura will encounter Dante once again, and the latter attempts to convince him to turn back. If Hito-Shura says no, Dante will begin to chase and attack Hito-Shura throughout the Kalpa, playing a practical cat-and-mouse game where he resets door switches and guards exits for the next two levels. If he catches Hito-Shura, Dante will attack him or his minions, then retreat. Hito-Shura would then find himself back at the entrance hall, where Dante will taunt him from afar. He would then engage the Hito-Shura in another battle should the latter slip through his fingers. With his loss, Dante hands over the Candelabrum in his possession, dismissing it as "nothing but junk". He would then go on ahead to resume investigating the Labyrinth of Amala.

Upon Hito-Shura's entry to the Fifth Kalpa, Dante will be waiting within and would begin explaining the details he gathered about the old man's actual intentions. He would then offer his services to Hito-Shura, as he no longer feels like continuing to perform the dubious tasks asked of him by his former employer. If Hito-Shura decides to hire Dante, the latter would flip the same double headed coin from Devil May Cry 2. Should Hito-Shura call tails, Dante would take half of his total Macca. But if he calls heads, Hito-Shura will only have to pay Dante a paltry sum of 1 Macca. Dante will remain on standby at the entrance of the Fifth Kalpa if Hito-Shura decides not to hire him just yet.

Dante's presence is permanent upon joining Hito-Shura's ranks. He can never be fused with any demon, and despite having an entry in the Demonic Compendium, Dante cannot be summoned from there during a New Cycle.

Off-hand, Dante expresses wry amusement over the irony of a demon hunter being hired by a demon, calling it the "joke of the century". Even so, Dante goes through with it, intending to see how the ultimate war against God in this chaotic world would eventually play out. Unfortunately, Dante's fate is never shown in any of the endings.