A community member discovered a complex sidequest in Final Fantasy IX that remained hidden from Western players for 13 years following the original release of the Square Enix title on PlayStation. The discovery came to light through the translation of an official tome published in Japan, revealing an intricate chain of events involving the Nero family that required constant backtracking from the final dungeon to Lindblum, an effort few players would have imagined making during the game's final stretch.
The discovery after 13 years
The secret was brought to light by GameFAQs user The_Kusabi_, who was reading through the pages of the Final Fantasy IX Ultimania guide. This official 600-page volume was published by Square Enix exclusively for the Japanese market and was never officially translated into other languages. Despite being documented in that book at the time, the existence of this side quest evaded all Western guide writers and players since the game's debut in the year 2000. The language barrier was the main obstacle that prevented this content from being known globally for over a decade.
The sidequest revolves around the Nero brothers and demands an unusual level of patience, even by the standards of the time. To initiate the process, the player must first enter the game's final dungeon, where the climax of the story takes place. Once inside, speaking to the Nero brothers in Lindblum triggers a series of progression flags tied to the main plot.
How the Nero family quest works
Progression does not happen automatically; it is strictly tied to specific plot points and boss battles within the final dungeon. In total, there are 16 advancement points available throughout this stage of the story. To complete the secret successfully, the player must make the long journey back to Lindblum to speak with the Nero brothers a minimum of 9 times across those available windows. It is a tedious process that requires meticulous planning.
Each consecutive visit gradually alters the scene as more members of the family gather in the room. Because the final dungeon represents the game's climax and requires constant travel back and forth across the world map, the vast majority of players never suspected there was any reason to backtrack at such specific moments. It is a quest design that rewards extreme curiosity and persistence.
The game is well known for featuring multiple secrets of immense complexity that have kept the community alive for years. Among other curious details in the PlayStation title is an alternate dialogue line in the opening sequence that only appears if the player answers the same question incorrectly 64 times in a row. Similarly, the game is notorious for the requirement to obtain the powerful Excalibur II sword, a legendary weapon that can only be acquired by rushing through the entire adventure from start to finish in under 12 hours of total playtime, a challenge that remains a speedrunning standard for the most dedicated players.