Spoilers for the entire game below.

I stitched together a complete map with all rooms revealed. I placed icons over it for every puzzle piece, collectible item, and hidden passage. I tried to include all doors, NPCs, and some other objects, but it got tedious so I stopped. Let me know if I missed anything else.


Here's a link to a copy on my Google Drive in case you're having trouble viewing the large image file on Steam.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bGue2uIZBVyMX_8HwX8uxqPa59NUh5SE/view?usp=sharing

https://www.twitch.tv/videos/2360259880

• What follows is my own original research. I have not watched any other runs or consulted with the community in any way.
  
• I don't claim any records.
  
• Please consult the speedrunning community, if there is one, for official rules, categories, and timing methods if you plan on competing with others besides yourself.
  
• I will probably not update this guide with new strats or categories.
  
• My timing begins on selecting a new file, and ends on the final input before the game credits are displayed.
  
• This is for fun, so have fun.

• Go to Boss 1: Dark Dragon, easy 2 cycle kill
  
  • Lv00 -> Lv02
• Unlock Lux and Skill Tree in next room on left
  
  • Need 16 more XP for Lv3 to unlock Warp - kill a few enemies to have it by the time you obtain Key Card Lv1
    
  • NOTE: If you can find a way to do it without Air Dash, warp to starting room now to obtain Violet Saber. Else, we will obtain it instead when we reach Lv11, which will be after boss #3.
• Get UR Type I
  
  • (reasoning: +7% Atk for next 4 bosses, ~5 second detour)
• Get Knife
  
  • (reasoning: very strong weapon near the route that's not behind a puzzle piece door, plus we can warp here when we need to go in this direction after boss #4 anyways, ~10 second detour)
• Go to Train Station to Area 02

• Go to Holy Union HQ and hit all event triggers (watch the minimap)
  
• Exit town and go east to Phoenix Gardens
  
• Get upper-right tile in 2x2 room with samurais for easy warp later
  
• Go to kitchen room to find Hanzo and Key Lv1
  
• Warp to 2x2 samurai room and go northeast though Key Lv1 Gate
  
• Go north to boss room
  
• Boss 2: Phoenix
  
  • 2 phases, no RNG at all
    
  • Kill boss with Knife
    
  • 1 cycle on phase 1 possible, but it forces you to watch the transition anyways and will restore 1 HP and
    
  • Let Phase 1 come down the screen a bit before killing it, as Phase 2 starts right there
    
  • Get a full charge Lux hit at the start of both phases (start charging for phase 1 before entering save room)
    
  • LEVEL UP Lv4-Lv8
• Cutscene at east end of Area 02 (FYI the demo ends here)
  
• Return to HQ for next mission and to unlock side missions

• Warp to room southeast of HQ entrance and proceed east across the newly available platforms to access Underwater Lab
  
• Cutscene trigger at start of area
  
• Go thru dark rooms
  
  • Before going left towards pendant, go right into water room with wooden door to reveal the top-right tile
    
  • Warp back left two rooms and go left to get Aromatic Pendant
    
  • Warp back right to the 2x2 room to skip door puzzle
• In first elevator room, take elevator up, then warp to bottom screen to skip puzzle and exit right
  
• Grab $300 in last elevator
  
• Boss 3: Akuru
  
  • 2 phases, no RNG
    
  • End phase 1 with boss doing the laser while the left side for the fastest phase transition
    
  • Note that phase 1 has a heavy framerule, you just have to wait for the phase transition and can't speed it up further beyond that
    
  • LEVEL UP Lv8-Lv11
• Unlock Air Dash immediately
  
• Warp one tile upward for $400 in secret room, warp to bottom and move box
  
• Use terminal to get Key Lv2 and drain water
  
• Warp to GAME START to get Violet Saber, equip immediately
  
• Return to HQ and hit all the event triggers
  
• Goto Castle Deck entrance

• Get Lightning Rod on the way (to sell for $700)
  
• Go to next trigger for Key Lv3
  
• Go thru the only Lv3 gate in the game
  
• Go to terminal trigger (west)
  
• Fight Boss 4: Majin to unlock T2 skills
  
  • Double Jump requires 12 points into the one branch, plus 3 for Teleport means Level 15, can't get yet
• Activate Power Distribution Unit in next room

• Warp to Area 1 where the Knife was, go through Lv1 Door
  
• Slow puzzle room to next event (Hanzo) west of next save point
  
• Warp to Area 2 HQ, go to infirmary trigger
  
  • WARNING: Shopkeeper becomes unavailable at this point for a while
    
  • Check that money >= $11,170, else grab some of the nearby cash bags
• Warp to Area 2 East Train Station, enter train when ready
  
• WARNING: Warping to anywhere in Area 01 or Area 02 becomes unavailable for a short while after boarding the train.

• Doggo stealth to get Jail Cell Key
  
• Event at entrance
  
• Go to Merchant one room below, receive Handgun
  
  • Unlocks Shop 2
    
  • Close the shop menu ($500 reward)
    
  • Equip Knife
    
  • THEN Sell Violet Blade ($7,100), Lightning Rod ($625), Handgun ($200)
    
  • Total cash on hand should be >= ($24,600)
    
  • Buy Metal Type IV for $13,800
    
  • Buy Combat Knife for $10,800
    
  • If you don't have enough, goto next event for an extra $500, then come back
• Talk to scientist
  
• Go to entrance event to unlock Equipment Slot 2, and Quest Set 4
  
• Equip Combat Knife and Metal Type IV
  
• WARNING: DO NOT EQUIP ANYTHING THAT YOU HAVE ALREADY SOLD IF THEY STILL APPEAR IN YOUR INVENTORY. This is a bug, the Handgun may appear to still be in your inventory, and the game will crash if you try to equip it.

• SAFE STRAT: Get Save Point right outside the movie theater
  
• Go to Red/Blue Gate Toggle, and press it to close Red Gates and open Blue Gates
  
• Warp to the previous elevator and proceed thru opened blue door along lower path
  
  • Note: Technically you can still visit Area 01 and Area 02 by walking back and taking trains, but you still can't warp. Taking the Area 03 South Train Station from the other side will not trigger the boss, interestingly enough.
• BEFORE BOARDING TRAIN get **Submachine Gun** and equip it
  
• Enter the Area 3 South Train Station and prepare for boss fight
  
• Fight Boss 5: Leviathan
  
  • Warping in Area 1 and Area 2 is restored now
    
  • LEVEL UP: Lv11-Lv19
• Unlock: Double Jump, High Jump

• With Blue Gates down, go to Area 01 west through the open blue gate

• The elevator is weird to warp to, so enter the room with the locked door early
  
• Get MA Titanium Type IV
  
  • Can also get DX Type III nearby if you couldn't afford Metal Type IV, but only 10% Atk vs. Metal Type IV's 15% Atk
• Get Laboratory Key
  
• Warp to the locked door room
  
• Password 1204 then get D-Virus Solution
  
• Warp back to Peacekeeper HQ
  
  
  • Talk to scientist
    
  • Warp southwest to 2x2 room and proceed west to Area 03 - Recycling Center entrance
  
  

• SAFETY SAVE recommended
  
• Get System Disk 2 along the way
  
• Run to the Rotary Control Room in the center of the zone
  
  • Warp cheese in first water room using Save Room (safety save)
    
  • CEILING CLIP in rotary room, skipping control room!
    
  • Go to next event trigger for boss fight, placing Lux in previous snow room to start fight with a 10-count
    
  • Boss 6: Baifu
    
    LEVEL UP: Lv19->Lv25
  
  
  Majin Form Backtrack
  
  
  • Go west and down the elevator
    
  • Walk all the way to Area 3 West Train Station (south tram is disabled)
    
  • Destroy spikes, wooden doors
    
  • In Area 2, break door and spikes to keep going left to event trigger
    
  • Boss 7: Shin
    
    • Gimmick fight with yourself, survive for 60 seconds then use Lux
  
  
  Area 01 - Final Gauntlet
  
  • OPTIONAL: Unlock skills Resurrection and Knockback Recovery
    
  • Go to Area 03 South Train Station and board it
    
  • On train, go right and use Lux
    
  • Warp to Area 02 Holy Union HQ, goto top right room and use Lux
    
  • Go left to use Lux outside Baal's Quarters, then enter
    
  • Inspect BOTH spots
    
  • Warp back to Area 01 Medical
  
  
  • CAUTION: Brutal rooms ahead, consider warping out frequently to save/heal as you make progress
    
  • In the big room, take the bottom path to go toward the event trigger
    
    • WARP TRICK: Go up first, then cross the UV, then warp, move forward, and warp again behind the door
      
    • SAFETY SAVE
  • Warp to the center proceed to the event trigger in the top-right
    
  • Use Lux on the server, PC to "Power on the server" to receive Key Lv4
  
  
• Warp to the center of Area 1 M and proceed through the Lv4 door
  
• Go right for boss
  
• Boss 8: Victor
  
  • Easy cheese, crouch and stab to death
• Safety Save
  
• Get Carbon Fiber Spear in hidden passage and equip it
  
• At final vending machine, buy x2 MP things, x3 Miracle Mix, x10 Ice Cream
  
  • This is for safety, cut this down as you get more confident, or also buy x10 Turbo Regenerator if you need more.
• Go to boss room
  
• Boss 9: Baal
  
  • Phase 1: Two targets, 2 HP bars - hover with the Carbon Fiber Spear to trivialize it, don't hold onto Lux for long due to the UV attacks
    
  • Phase 2: Center target - Super easy, hover with knife
    
  • Phase 3: Demon form - stay inside Lux for safety and mainly use the submachine gun
    
  • All targets have 34,000 HP
    
  • Use healing items if you get hit, use Miracle Mix if Phase 3 red thing curses you
• Climb the rubble with the awkward physics for the final scripted hit - NOTE you can skip a lot of the climbing by high jumping and airdashing around after Phase 3 finishes
  
• Interact with the two ghosts in the next room
  
• Time ends at last input - when the screen crossfades to sunset, then Baal walks to the left edge, after one dialog box

GG