The story begins with three armed individuals (Wolf, Lion, and Panther) attacking the main protagonist, who acts surprised that the group would consider stopping them from engraving the ██████. Lion remarks that their master's plan entailed something that isn't a City taboo but rather an act that nobody would consider. The group then realizes that their target had somehow replaced their head with that of a clock, and had lost their ability to speak. As the trio attacks the protagonist, they realize that they are losing hold of their memories. Panther suggests that the target won't be telling them the "star's" location now that they can't speak. But before the group can finish them off, a large bus appears and hits Lion. A woman named Faust gets out and asks the protagonist to repeat the phrase "Follow your star." In an instant they felt several chains piercing their body while Faust tells them: "Dante, from this day forth, we are bound to your time." Before they can ask who she is referring to, eleven other people get out of the bus with the intent to defend them. Faust insists that Dante follow her instructions to learn to lead them.
Despite their efforts managing to stun Lion, the people who came to save the protagonist are all killed by Panther. Faust asks Dante to follow the star before she is finished off, leaving them and the attackers wondering why they would throw their lives away so easily. Suddenly a red-eyed man appears and wounds Lion and Wolf, leaving Panther to carry them back himself. After they retreat from the Red Gaze's ambush, he asks Dante for a little time to rewind. Dante feels an excruciating pain throughout their torso as the people who died suddenly come back to life, their wounds being undone while Dante falls unconscious.
Dante wakes up to find themself on the bus itself, where the red-eyed man asks how they feel. He realizes he can't understand what Dante is saying, so he introduces himself as Vergilius before asking a little girl named Charon to continue driving the bus. Dante shakes their head when asked if they remember anything, and Faust comes forth to ascertain that "Dante" really is their name. Dante realizes that she could hear their words instead of ticking noises, and she explains that they can speak with their mind to any of the "Sinners," the people who had tried to defend them earlier.
Vergilius asks the Sinners to properly introduce themselves to Dante: Gregor, Rodion, Sinclair, Yi Sang, Ishmael, Heathcliff, Don Quixote, Hong Lu, Ryōshū, Meursault, Outis, and Faust. Vergilius explains that Dante is to be the executive manager of the Sinners and take them to the Inferno. Dante doesn't understand what Vergilius means by this, but the latter insists that Dante had to listen if they want their original memories and head back. Dante hesitates, but Faust promises them that they will be able to engrave the Aspect. This word strikes them as familiar, so Dante instinctively agrees to carry out the mission.
Charon points out that thugs are surrounding the bus, which Faust built and named Mephistopheles. Vergilius suggests that Dante use them as practice for commanding the Sinners. Ishmael questions the point of fighting the Rats and assumes her contract was falsified, but Faust elaborates that Mephistopheles requires fuel that can produce a "byproduct" that Yi Sang uses to produce an "Identity" from his invention. In other words, a Sinner's personality and memory is temporarily overwritten by a stronger persona from the "mirrored world." Charon soon states that the road is now clear, causing Dante to complain that they've been fighting more than they needed to. Vergilius elaborates that Dante needed to walk before running, and that while it their duty to manage the staff, it is Vergilius' job to guide Dante. Dante complains about him being untrustworthy, but Faust refuses to translate that for Vergilius. Dante asks where they're going, and Vergilius disappointedly insists that he already told them.
Tropes
- Curb-Stomp Battle: All the Sinners get killed off in the very first fight, leaving Vergilius to save Dante so they could revive them.
- Justified Tutorial: Faust has to explain the more basic mechanics due to Dante forgetting how to lead a team in battle.
- You Are in Command Now: Dante is convinced to act as the Executive Manager of the Sinners in exchange for being able to get their memories back and engrave the Aspect.
