My Theory To Share; A third route focused on the Twisted Sword.

[Deaddropping]

So I had this thought since chapter 2 and seeing the continuation of the snowgrave route in chapter 4 has cemented it a bit for me. As it says on the tin, I think there is going to be a third route you can take that focusing on the Twisted Sword being used on Kris.

The actual sequence of events; Play a snowgrave route until you buy the Thorn Ring from Spamton, then spare berdly without equipping the ring to Noelle. Therefore you keep the ring. Gather all the shadow crystals so it can be crafted in chapter 6.

The evidence;
-We get the information about the TS at the same time as the TR (technically even before, since you can visit Malleus before going to cyber city). It was putt in long before the sword could be used and never removed. Toby has it in as a deliberate hint.
-To keep the thorn ring, you have to abort the snowgrave route. Noelle takes it with her when she leaves. Judging by what happens in chapter 4, we aren't going to be removing it without aborting the run if that is even possible.
---I also doubt we can simply pop it off just to craft it into the sword. The game mechanics do not just exist for their own sake, Toby is showing that they are an interaction with the world - characters comment on item use, and even refuse to have items taken. Even such a simple thing as removing it to craft breaks that and creates a window where she is not under the control of the player or whatever else has influence through the ring.
-I should acknowledge that data miners determine Noelle can equip the twisted sword, and the prophecy elements show what could be her with a sword, but I am still not sure about those. They prophecy art is also an artistic and not wholly accurate rendition, just look at the picture of Lancer.
-It is also worth noting that the description of the pure crystal and Seam's dialogue after beating the knight imply that the pure crystal is made from all the shadow crystals you get. If the sword was tied specifically to the snowgrave route, why do we get one from spamton on the regular route too? (there will probably be other things we can choose to craft with the pure crystal too, but I am just making an argument.)

Why would this be a thing; if the properties of the thorn ring, in the light and the dark world, apply to Kris, it will have several knock on effects. The biggest one I can imagine is the Twisted Sword reinforcing the souls hold on Kris, preventing him from removing the heart. Actions he takes outside of the players control could be prevented. Why we would want to do this is unsure, but seeing as he is in cahoots with the knight that is at least something to work against.

[Ame-kun]

In chapter 3, the game you can play in the S-rank rooms is apparently called the 'sword route' internally. Obviously, that gives you a shadow mantle at the end and not a shadow crystal, but the 'boss' of sword route is still highly mysterious, and just kind of runs off after giving us the mantle, saying they have 'lots of work to do'. It's entirely possible that the twisted sword might be a possible thing you need to get to continue 'sword route', since beating the ch3 boss and getting all the shadowcrystals is a /lot/ harder without the mantle.

[⚧︎Moro]

while i could see the twisted sword representing a "third route," i don't think it'd give us MORE control over kris- while the thornring provides a "trance up" effect that allows us more direct control over noelle, the twisted sword provides "trance down." wouldn't that imply the opposite effect?

[Deaddropping]

Originally posted by Moro:

while i could see the twisted sword representing a "third route," i don't think it'd give us MORE control over kris- while the thornring provides a "trance up" effect that allows us more direct control over noelle, the twisted sword provides "trance down." wouldn't that imply the opposite effect?

trance up/down is new information to me, where did you get that from? If this is accurate... Hmm... if what happens with noelle is trance up, would the trance down effect then free kris from needing the soul entirely?

[кот-слизень]

I don't think that Twisted Sword will be used for the third route. My assumption about Twisted Sword is that we will give it to Noelle. Using cheats, people have discovered that Noelle can equip two different swords (JingSword and Black Shard), one of which has a special phrase when equipped. Considering that the shadow crystals are partially related to the weird route (possibly even showing the future of the weird route), as the second crystal cannot be missed, obtaining the third crystal (almost) requires completing a mini-game that is clearly related to the weird route.
What if Seam makes us a Pure Crystal from the shadow crystals, and after combining them with the ThornRing, we get a powerful weapon that retains the abilities of the ThornRing and is also a melee weapon that we can give to Noelle?
Yes, the characteristics of the "trance" reduction are still not entirely clear, but who said that "trance" is a control option? Perhaps as this parameter decreases, Noelle will make more conscious decisions about killing (like special forces committing war crimes against terrorists of their own free will), and Noelle will no longer forget her bad actions, but she will not consider them bad...