Chapter 05 - Forest Zone

Make your way back to the cave entrance where you'll find Jackass and a new access point. It appears that she also got the transporter running so you can finally teleport to any location that has an active access point. A much-needed feature to eliminate all the cumbersome backtracking. Use the access point to fast travel to the Machine Village and speak with Pascal. Go through all the options and he'll eventually mention the forest kingdom. So now that you have a lead, follow the destination marker to the commercial facility.

There, climb up the escalator to check both ends of the balcony for item boxes with Animal Bait in them. Walk toward the gate next to the steps leading up to the elevator. After 2B fails to find an exit, move away from it and the pod should alert you to hostile presence. Defeat the machines then go after the one that's running away. This is Emil. You will interact with him a lot more later in the game, but for now you'll scare him off and he'll blow a hole through that gate you couldn't access earlier. Moving into the forest, defeat the new enemies to add their unit data to your library, then go activate the access point further ahead.

The hostiles here also drop some really useful plug-in chips like Deadly Heal and Max HP Up. Stack up on these to either sell or fuse later. If you have the Photographs sidequest currently active one of the locations needed for it is around here. Use the access point to teleport back to the Resistance Camp and complete the mission before coming back here if you like. Back in the forest, move forward until you reach a clearing with a large group of enemies. Clear them out and proceed toward the large chasm by the waterfall. There are ledges down below you can drop onto and reach a new area as shown in the image below.

At the very bottom of the canyon is a machine that gives the quest Lord of the Valley if you choose to spare her. You can try to do this mission now but be warned that the final enemy is a level 50 machine that can take quite a long time to kill. Should you decide to go for it however, make sure to avoid being grabbed by the thing at all costs (it will lean forward and extend an arm in an attempt to grab). This move can kill in one hit. Also don't forget to grab the Phoenix Dagger from the larger item box down here.

Make your way back up once you're done and upon returning to the waterfall area, look around for a dark spot marked by a glowing flower. Go there to find a large box with the Dragoon Lance inside. Now move along the edge of the chasm and you'll find what looks like a narrow bridge on the minimap. Jump off the ledge to reach it and cross to the other side then climb the steps toward the castle's courtyard, where you must defeat a giant machine to proceed. By the way, be sure to slaughter the White Moose if you see one around the castle grounds as the meat sells for a really, really good price. Continue forward and activate the access point, enter the castle.

The enemies here drop another very useful plug-in chip in the form of Offensive Heal. Equip one as soon as you get them and stack up more to fuse later. Move right to the third screen and jump across to the balcony for a Small Recovery. Hop off to ground level and head left to the second screen to collect a Melee Defense L. Go back, climb up and exit right. Moving on to the 5th screen, drop down one level and dash left to score a Melee Attack Up S. Go down another level and go right. Kill the enemy and keep going right until you reach the library.

Move along to the third screen and climb to the top of the stairs. There's a platform to the left that you can jump dash to and reach the item box at the other side. Follow the path to the right back to the library and climb up the ladder. Exit to the left then to the right back to the library. Open the item box here for Volt-Proof Salve. Go back and head left. The ledge to the left leads to the Royal Chamber where you'll find another access point. Ignore this for now and exit through the ledge one level below instead. Pull the crate back so you can access Masamune's weapon shop. This is the only place that can upgrade your weapons to level 4.

Anyway, continue to the end of the royal chamber after saving for a battle with YoRHa unit A2. This is another one of those encounters where winning isn't necessary. All you need to do is cut her health down to a certain point and she'll leave. Equipping the Offensive Heal plug-in chip is a big help by the way. Take a shortcut out of the castle by following A2 out via the broken wall in the royal chamber. That should do it for this chapter.