Most of the early game quests in Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance explicitly tell you where you need to go, but you’ll find a few exceptions. A prime example of this occurs when you meet the Nozuchi in a corner of West Shinbashi, who presents you with the “Beastly Battle of Wits” quest.
To complete this quest, you’ll have to solve three “riddles” the Nozuchi presents to you. However, each objective is different from the last, which can turn you around if you aren’t paying close attention.
Before we dissect each phase of the Beastly Battle of Wits, know that some combat is involved to complete this quest. There’s no major boss battle here, mind you, but the combat can catch you off guard if you’re under-leveled. The strongest monster you’ll face here is level 18, so use that information to decide if you’d like to tackle other quests to level up first.
With that out of the way, here’s how to complete each phase of this quest.
Beastly Battle of Wits Step 1: The Question
After accepting the quest, talk to Nozuchi again. It will present you with a multiple choice question pertaining to the teachings of Buddha. Fortunately, the stakes for this question are very low. If you get the answer wrong, you can talk to Nozuchi again and pick a different answer with no consequence.
That said, if you want to save yourself the trial and error, the correct answer here is “An empty path.”
Beastly Battle of Wits Step 2: Where to find the Sangaku Beads
For the next phase of the quest, Nozuchi will ask you to find some Sangaku Beads that it has hidden. By talking with it, we can ascertain that the beads are hidden on “a hill of green,” and we’re looking for a dead end in the Shiba region. Also, by talking with Nozuchi again, we’ll learn that the “green” we’re looking for refers to the monsters you’ll find there (as opposed to any greenery you may find in this barren desert).
If you look through the monsters you’ve encountered to this point, you’ll figure out that the green spirits Nozuchi refers to are Kodama. So, if you look for a hill in the Shiba region where Kodama lurk, you should find the Sangaku Beads.
If you’d like a more explicit hint, here’s the exact location:
It’s to the left of the Shiba Leyline, so you won’t need to travel too far to get there. Look for a sparkling object on the ground, and the Sangaku Beads will be yours.
With the beads in hand, return to Nozuchi for the final phase of the quest.
Beastly Battle of Wits Step 3: How to make Nozuchi walk
Dismayed at how easily you solved its previous riddle, Nozuchi will challenge you with what it thinks is an impossible task; make it move. Though it will gloat about how you’ll never accomplish such a task, the solution is actually rather straightforward. You’re about to enter combat, so save your game before continuing.
To make Nozuchi “walk,” attack it as if you were trying to enter combat with any other monster on the overworld. Nozuchi won’t take too kindly to your sword smacking it in its…nose…and will promptly attack you, along with a couple of its friends.
How to beat Nozuchi in Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance
As mentioned at the beginning of this guide, fortunately Nozuchi isn’t too tough. Two lower level Kodamas will aid it in battle, so AoE attacks will come in handy here. The Kodamas are capable of healing, so focus on taking them out first.
Fortunately, both Nozuchi and Kodama share weaknesses to Fire and Ice. Nozuchi also has a lightning weakness, which your protagonist can exploit if you’re still using the Zio spell he started with. Nozuchi does resist physical attacks, so if you’re using any physical-focused party members, have them target the Kodamas.
If you just focus on exploiting weaknesses, you should come out on top. Just be careful that you aren’t using any party members that are weak to Force (Wind), as the enemy party can exploit this hard and gain easy extra turns in the process. As a general rule of thumb, battles can go south very quickly in Shin Megami Tensei if you don’t mind your resistances.
After you resolve the battle, the Nozuchi will reflect on its ways and bring the Beastly Battle of Wits to an end for good. Your reward for your efforts is the Virtuous Neutral Periapt, which unlocks the Omagatoki: Momentum Magatsuhi skill. Congratulations!
