Demi-fiend

Hito-Shura (人修羅), also known as Demi-Fiend is the protagonist of Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne. Following the tradition of Shin Megami Tensei series, he is a silent protagonist; his personality and Reason is based on the player's choices and actions.

Appearances

 * Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne: Protagonist
 * Digital Devil Saga: Avatar Tuner: Ultimate Boss

Creation


The protagonist of Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne was originally a Japanese high school student, who had gone to Shinjuku Medical Hospital along with his friends to visit one of his teachers, Yuko Takao. En route to the hospital, he encounters strange events related a cult, namely the Gaea that had been spreading rumors of the beginning of Conception. The protagonist later runs into a journalist named Jyoji Hijiri during an unplanned stop to Yoyogi Park. Hijiri reveals that he is investigating the activities of the Gaea cult, and proceeds to give the protagonist a soon-to-be-published issue of "Monthly Ayakashi Magazine". He also seemed to be on his way to the hospital.

Upon meeting up his friends in the Hospital and searching the seemingly abandoned rooms for Yuko (though Chiaki opted to stay in the lobby and read the magazine instead) Isamu later gives him the access card for going through the basement area. Some of the rooms within the facility have set-ups evident of cultist activity. The protagonist later encounters a man named Hikawa in one of the rooms, who sees the protagonist as a potential hindrance. Attempting to kill him, Hikawa proceeds to summon a demon, but was interrupted by Yuko, threatening to exclude herself from Hikawa's plans if he kills the protagonist. As Yuko leaves the room, she asks the protagonist to follow her to the rooftop. He encounters a young child and an old nursemaid in mourning garb while walking to the elevator, both of whom disappear when the protagonist tries to approach them. Upon reaching the rooftop, Yuko Takao confesses that she had led the protagonist there so that he could survive the Conception. She tells him to stay calm, and asks him to find her after the Conception so she could explain everything that would happen afterwards, and also resolves to "become his strength".

No sooner has she said those words, an ominous wind blows, and a concentration of negative energy builds. Every living being outside is killed, black flashes of lightning obliterates random structures, and the earth begins to rise, wrapping itself around a bright blue sphere of energy suspended at an unreachable height. The world has turned itself inside out, and the sky can no longer be seen. This is the Vortex World, the apocalyptic state of chaos where the old world ends, awaiting a new beginning.

The protagonist encounters the young child and his nursemaid again. To allow the protagonist to survive in a now demon-ridden world, the nursemaid subdues the protagonist and the child drops a Magatama--the essence of demonic power-- into the protagonist's eye, allowing the parasite entity to merge with him and resulting the birth of the Hito-Shura - a being with the body of a demon and the heart of a human.

Having his body transformed into a demonic body with glowing tattoos and a horn growing from his nape as proof of ingesting the Magatama, Hito-Shura now has an incredible destiny on his shoulders: He is to either create the new world by supporting a Reason, deviate from the process completely to return the world to normal, or completely shed his humanity by embracing his demonic self and end the process of the world's destruction and rebirth.

As a result of his parasitic fusion with the Magatama, Hito-Shura becomes capable of performing a variety of demonic feats, ranging from using powers granted by the Magatama to conversing with other demons. He can possibly recruit them to his side as allies if he can utilize proper skills of negotiating, taking into account the demon's behavior and the phase of Kagutsuchi, which affects them in the Vortex World.

Role in Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne


After his transformation into the Hito-Shura, the protagonist awakens in the morgue of the now demon-ridden Shinjuku Medical Center. Hito-Shura eventually meets a Pixie, who decides to work with him in exchange for taking her to Yoyogi Park. In the Maniacs version, after being sidetracked in the Amala Network while on the way to Ginza, he was transported into the Labyrinth of Amala. Looking into a strange peephole, he meets an old man in a wheelchair and a lady in black mourning garb. The latter lauds Hito-Shura's strength and gives him the Candelabrum of Sovereignty, requesting him to seek out the other candelabra which were stolen by the Fiends. If Hito-Shura accepts this request, Hito-Shura must face the many fiends under Lucifer's command who will engage the Hito-Shura in battle, hoping to obtain his Candelabrum, including a demon hunter named Dante. If he declines, the Labyrinth of Amala will be forever closed to him.

Throughout his journey in the Vortex World, Hito-Shura slowly realizes his role in the creation of the new world, and how he has significant influence on which of the the established Reasons created by various factions and tribes will come into being. Even if Hito-Shura gains new allies and comrades, he also slowly loses his friends, Isamu and Chiaki, who become hardened after realizing that they possess the potential to shape the world to their liking. Aside from Chiaki and Isamu, many other individuals hope to establish the Reasons they've created in the Vortex World as well, and actively seek out Hito-Shura's cooperation.

The only human who has been an ostensible ally of the Hito-Shura in the person of Hijiri, eventually loses his mind and tries to pursue the path of creation as well, but ends up being abducted and killed by Isamu, used as a sacrifice for his sponsor god, Noah. Chiaki on the other hand, invades Asakusa and kills Futomimi, the leader of the Manikins, using the Magatsuhi in Mifunashiro to gain the blessing of Baal Avatar. Yuko Takao, who promised to protect the Hito-Shura, secretly tries to create her own Reason while working under Hikawa, but is led astray by her lack of composure and Aradia's deception. She later dies as Hikawa summons his sponsor god, Ahriman.

As she slowly fades away, Yuko tells Hito-Shura that even if she failed in pursuing her ideal world, she is not really worried, for Hito-Shura can create the world as he would see fit, without the influence of anyone. Yuko passes the Yahirono Himoragi on to Hito-Shura, prompting him to have the Tower of Kagutsuchi descend. With the time of creation drawing near, Kagutsuchi beckons the holders of the Reasons to stand before him after proving their worth by defeating the opposing factions and offering the three stones.

Once Hito-Shura enters the Tower Of Kagutsuchi, His heart will be read, and whatever path of creation he supports will be final.

Reason of Musubi
If Hito-Shura supports Isamu's Reason, he will not fight Noah in the Tower Of Kagutsuchi, but the latter will instead be bested by Baal Avatar. Upon defeating Kagutsuchi, Hito-Shura receives a message from the late Isamu, who passes on the responsibility of creating the world based on his ideals of individuality.

The prerequisites of unlocking the ending for Musubi requires Hito-Shura to support Isamu's resolutions every time they meet up.

Reason of Shijima
Hito-Shura can choose to ally with Hikawa's Reason, a philosophy based on stillness, unity and suppression of human desires. In the end, Hikawa acknowledges Hito-Shura's role as the true 'creator' of the world as stated by the Scripture Of Miroku. His story is just the beginning, and that the world is all in his hands.

The prerequisites of unlocking the ending for Shijima requires Hito-Shura to support Hikawa's resolutions every time they meet up.

Reason of Yosuga
If Hito-Shura supports Chiaki's Reason, they will still fight in the Tower Of Kagutsuchi, because Chiaki wants to see if Hito-Shura is strong enough to facilitate the creation of the world where might makes right. In the end, Chiaki appears as a ghost, acknowledging Hito-Shura's strength and being a better ruler of her envisioned world. She requests the Hito-Shura to take good care of the world, fading away afterwards.

The prerequisites of unlocking the ending for Yosuga requires the Hito-Shura to support not only Chiaki's resolutions everytime they meet up, but also Gozu-Tennou's, who was the first to actually establish the Reason of Yosuga before Chiaki inherited his will.

Demon Path
Hito-Shura does not necessarily have to support any of the Reasons of Musubi, Shijima, or Yosuga. Hito-Shura can decide to end the metempsychosis of creation and leave the Vortex World as it is, a desolate, barren land populated by demons. This is the 'Demon' Neutral Ending, in which the Hito-Shura does not have to face Katsuguchi. Lucifer later pays the Hito-Shura a visit, where he lauds the Hito-Shura's resolution of creating a world fit for demons.

The prerequisites of unlocking the Demon Path ending requires the Hito-Shura to reject all three Reasons or support more than one of the Reasons. Furthermore, the Hito-Shura must respond to Aradia's questions with fear.

Neutral Alignment
In the Neutral Alignment path, Hito-Shura faces a furious Kagutsuchi during their encounter, who accuses Hito-Shura of being seduced by 'freedom', similar to that of the "Fallen Angel". In the end, after destroying the creator of worlds, the Hito-Shura recreates the Vortex World into the how it was prior the Conception: Hito-Shura's demonic powers will wane a little, every human being is reincarnated, including Chiaki, Isamu, Hijiri and Yuko. Sending Hito-Shura a message, Yuko apologizes for her judgment of humanity's supposed failure, and admits that her disillusionment was out of place. She acknowledges Hito-Shura's strong resolution, and that his actions have inspired her to keep on living, regardless of how the world will turn ouyt in the future. On his way to visit Yuko, the protagonist once again encounters Hijiri, Chiaki and Isamu, with Yuko's message ending with a "Thank you!".

Lucifer would later remark that the Hito-Shura's decisions of creating a world of freedom are reminiscent of his own. However,since the act is in essence a defiance of God's will, Lucifer advises Hito-Shura to keep his demonic powers, as one day, the "true enemy" will come after him, just like what happened to Lucifer himself.

The prerequisites of unlocking the Neutral ending requires the Hito-Shura to reject all three Reasons or support more than one of the Reasons. Furthermore, the Hito-Shura must respond to Aradia's questions with courage.

Rejection


In the Maniacs version, the Hito-Shura can choose to ignore all of the Reasons and Alignments. To do so, Hito-Shura must accept and fulfill the old man's request of retrieving all the Candelabra and venture into the deepest area of Labyrinth of Amala. God would soon fear Hito-Shura's vast capabilities and Lucifer's influence towards him. At some point, Metatron would warn the Hito-Shura to stop meeting up with Lucifer. Regardless of his answer, Hito-Shura can still venture into the Labyrinth.

Deep in the Third Kalpa, Hito-Shura will be forced to play a cat-and-mouse game with the demon hunter Dante, who resets switches upon tagging Hito-Shura and guards the exit when all the switches have been set. In the last section, they will fight once more, and Dante will give up the Candelabra to Hito-Shura upon his victory.

In the Fourth Kalpa, Hito-Shura will encounter Beelzebub upon reaching Hell's Hall. He promises to lend assistance if he passes the test of strength by fighting him as his true form, the "Lord Of the Flies". Metatron is enraged that Hito-Shura chose to ignore his warnings, and decides to kill him later on at the Fifth Kalpa.

Should Hito-Shura manage to reach the deepest area of the Fifth Kalpa and meet up with the old man, the lady in black will express her gratitude to the Hito-Shura. For the demon race, Hito-Shura has willingly thrown away the last vestiges of his humanity to become an agent of chaos, joining forces with the 'dark angel' in the battle against the absolute one. She alo tells Hito-Shura that he will soon be reborn, this time as a True Demon. After Hito-Shura receives a surge of demonic powers from the old man, the platform sinks into the red waters with him still on it. The old man looks at him and smiles, having succeeded in his plans of creating the strongest demon among demons.

Hito-Shura awakens once more in the Shinjuku Medical Hospital morgue, and unlocks the final skill of the Marogareh Magatama, Pierce in the process. As a True Demon, Hito-Shura can no longer accept the influences of all the other Reasons.

The 'True Demon' Path ends with the Hito-Shura killing Kagutsuchi, destroying the chains of the Conception and freeing all the worlds from the control of God. With the cycle of rebirth put to a complete halt, the universe collapses and everything is thrust into darkness. Lucifer will reveal that he has been watching him all this time in the guise of both the young child and the old man. While he is pleased with the results, he still wants to see if Hito-Shura is truly capable of leading the way to vanquish the true enemy. Lucifer assumes his true form and thrusts Hito-Shura into battle to test the limits of his power.

Emerging victorious, Hito-Shura becomes one of Lucifer's greatest generals, commander of the legions of chaos in the final battle against God.

Digital Devil Saga: Avatar Tuner
Hito-Shura appears in Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga as a powerful Ultimate Boss. He can only be challenged by starting a new cycle. Hito-Shura can be found in the Anahata underground, where he pulls the party into the Amala Network. Hito-Shura possess a devastating attack Gaea Rage, which easily deals over 10,000 damage upon all characters. Should Serph's party enter the battle with skills or equipment which would shield from any of his attacks, Hito-Shura will start the battle with Gaea Rage, killing all present characters instantaneously. The Hito-Shura also summons two demons alongside one at a time, namely: By defeating Hito-Shura, the party will awaken in the chamber, noticing a dying message written on the floor: "Death's vastness holds no peace. I come at the end of the long road. Neither human, nor devil...all bends to my will". Players will also net the Amala Ring after defeating the Hito-Shura, an accessory that can be obtained in the sequel.

Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne
While the Hito-Shura's main skills are gained via the player's choices with the Magatama, he bears the distinction of having an innate conversation skill which does not take up a skill-slot, Talk. As the main character, the Hito-Shura is also the only one that is capable of using items during battle.

Trivia

 * Though unnamed, the Hito-Shura is known by the name Naoki Kashima (嘉嶋 尚紀) in the radio play of Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne.
 * According to Chiaki's put-down line at the start of the game regarding the Hito-Shura's hobbies, it is hinted that he has some interest in video games and the occult.
 * Hito-Shura's eye color differs depending on his current form: his eyes are greyish-blue while still human, yellowish while he becomes a half-demon, and if he chooses to become a true demon in Maniacs, his eye color becomes red, the symbol of his lost humanity.