How to Beat or Spare the AI

Short answer

For System Override, enter the normal AI battle and defeat it. For Short Circuit, refill the transparent cup with water before entering the Core; after speaking to the PC-shaped AI box, walk to the bottom-left outlet, equip the filled cup, and use the water on that outlet.

When to do it: Prepare the filled cup before the final Office/Core transition, then choose the outcome immediately after the AI box conversation.

What you need: Maximum Office progression/Core access; the spare route requires the transparent cup filled with water before the transition.

Missable or risky: Yes. Entering the Core with an empty cup or completing the normal battle can close the peaceful route for the current save.

Confirmed details

Steam lists System Override for defeating the AI and Short Circuit for avoiding its fight.

The peaceful trigger uses ordinary water and an environmental outlet. It is separate from the long Office telescope, Morse-code, and hidden logic-room secret required for Ending C.

The cup should visibly contain water before entering the Core. The usable outlet is toward the bottom-left after the conversation with the PC-shaped box.

This page separates documented requirements from route advice. Names, achievement conditions, platform details, and item counts are checked against the linked Steam records; navigation is cross-checked against recorded gameplay. If an update changes a room, prompt, or trigger, use the verification note below before assuming the save is broken.

Step-by-step solution

Step 1 — Before entering the Core, locate the transparent cup, refill it at an available water source, and verify the filled state in inventory.

Step 2 — Create a backup before the final Office transition. For System Override, proceed into the regular encounter and defeat the AI using the prompts shown in the current sequence.

Step 3 — Wait for Steam to record System Override, then restore the backup and reconfirm that the transparent cup still contains water.

Step 4 — Enter the Core, complete the conversation with the PC-shaped AI box, and walk toward the bottom-left instead of initiating the normal battle path.

Step 5 — Select the filled cup and use it on the electrical outlet. Allow the alternate resolution to finish and verify Short Circuit.

Common failures and softlock risks

An empty cup is not enough. Refill it before the Core transition and visually confirm the water.

Do not confuse the Ending C Office secret with the Short Circuit route. Solving the Morse and logic rooms does not award the boss-avoidance achievement.

If the outlet has no useful interaction, confirm the AI conversation is complete, move to the bottom-left edge, and reselect the filled cup before restoring the backup.

Recovery rule: stop before crossing another chapter boundary. Confirm the current objective, cycle every usable inventory item, and retry the interaction from a clean room entry. If the trigger still fails, close the game before restoring a known-good save; copying or replacing live save files while the game is open can overwrite the recovery state.

Version and verification

The achievement conditions, pre-Core water requirement, post-conversation timing, and bottom-left outlet interaction were cross-checked against Steam, the launch pacifist guide, and recorded AI outcome footage.

Last verified: July 31, 2026, against the launch PC build, Steam achievement records, linked Steam Community guides, and recorded full-game footage. Endacopia can vary some puzzle clues between runs, so follow the clue in your own save when this page explains a method instead of a fixed answer.