Empress' Research is an Aku-centered "questline" involving numerous stages and missions. It is a key part of progression because of how many features are gated behind it, most importantly Imminent Disaster and The Aku Realms.
Part 1: Empress' Research[]
The first part consists of two tiers of three groups of maps that appear during a specific hour of each day.
The first tier is unlocked after completing Empire of Cats Chapter 3; each map contains four stages and disappears when you clear a stage, so it will take a minimum of 4 days to finish Tier 1.
The second tier consists of the "Wicked Cat" maps, which will pit you against Aku versions of the first three Normal Cats. Each appears after clearing a specific Tier 1 map and shares a schedule with the one that was required to unlock it. Unlike the first tier, these don't disappear and only contain two stages per map. Players can only clear each Tier 1 and Tier 2 map once per save file.
Each group awards 50 Cat Food via Catnip Challenges. Complete all three groups to receive an additional 50 Cat Food and move onto Part 2.
| Group | Tier 1 | Tier 2 | Schedule |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Arcane Confluence | Wicked Cat |
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| B | Servant of Darkness | Wicked Tank |
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| C | Demon's Park | Wicked Axe |
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Part 2: Empress' Call to Arms[]
There is only one map in this part: Unleashing the Cats, which appears after clearing all Part 1 stages listed above. It has no time limit and contains only one stage, which disappears when cleared, so it can only be beaten once per save file. By completing this map, you will receive 100 Cat Food via missions and unlock several new features, including the first map of Part 3:
- The Aku Realms: A new area in Empire of Cats containing a wide range of enemies. Every Aku Realm stage you complete reduces the level handicap imposed by the Aku Altar by 1. Clear all Aku Realm stages to receive one-time rewards of 1 Gold Catfruit and 1 Platinum Ticket.
- Mount Aku Invasion: A bonus stage that appears in Mount Aku/Mount Fuji after clearing all other Aku Realms. Clear to unlock Jagando Jr. and strip the Aku Altar of its ability to disable + levels.
- Temptation's Symphony: An Advent Stage from which you can unlock Pied Piper Cat, who is able to break Shields and weaken Aku enemies. Appears on the 9th, 10th, 23rd, and 24th of every month.
- Imminent Disaster: The 39th sub-chapter of Uncanny Legends. Requires Spacetime Distortion to be cleared before it can be challenged.
- Empress' Report 1 and Empress' Excavation 1: See below.
Part 3A: Empress' Report[]
This part sees a return to the four-stage maps that appear for two hours a day. There are a total of five maps this time, one unlocked after the other, and they have several rewards including Catamins, Legend Catseyes, Battle Items and Aku Catfruit Seeds. Each reward can only be claimed once; completing all maps in this part awards 3 Platinum Shards via missions.
| Map | Schedule |
|---|---|
| Empress' Report 1 |
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| Empress' Report 2 |
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| Empress' Report 3 |
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| Empress' Report 4 |
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| Empress' Report 5 |
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Part 3B: Empress' Excavation[]
The rewards and mechanics here are similar to the Empress' Reports, but the last prize of each map is an Ancient Egg that has a 100% chance to drop. Unlike the other Empress' Research stages, Empress' Excavation focuses around Behemoth enemies, those being Wild Doge, Angelic Beast Rajakong, Cumulus Gallus, Infernal Pegasus Deonil and Crocodylidae Kurocroc respectively.
| Map | Schedule |
|---|---|
| Empress' Excavation 1 |
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| Empress' Excavation 2 |
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| Empress' Excavation 3 |
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| Empress' Excavation 4 |
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| Empress' Excavation 5 |
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Missions[]
| Requirement | Reward |
|---|---|
| Empress' Research 1: Heretical Spellbooks Clear "Arcane Confluence" and "Wicked Cat"! |
Cat Food +50 |
| Empress' Research 2: Agents of Aku Clear "Servant of Darkness" and "Wicked Tank" |
Cat Food +50 |
| Empress Research 3: Sorcery's Cost Clear "Demon's Park" and "Wicked Axe" |
Cat Food +50 |
| Complete all Empress' Research 1~3 missions! | Cat Food +50 |
| Empress' Call to Arms: Liberate the corrupted Cats! Clear "Unleashing the Cats" (The gates open...) |
Cat Food +100 |
| Empress' Report: Aku Research Clear Empress' Report 1-5 stages 5 times each. |
Platinum Shards +3 |
Trivia[]
- The titular empress is, of course, Empress Cat, who opened the gate to the Aku Realms.
- Several enemies were introduced in these maps before they appeared in The Aku Realms or Uncanny Legends, including Cerberus Kids, Aku Gory, Miz Devil, Medu-san and Deathkory.