"Okay...here we are." Jack said as they flew across the sky as they saw a number of floating land masses. "Aureole, the Air Country." he said as they saw people literally walking on the air from mass to mass.

"Wow...people actually walking on air." Mona said.

"Yeah. As for our target, the Wind Emerald, it can be found inside that tower." Jack said pointing at it.

"So we just fly over and steal it? Seems simple enough." Skull said.

"You'd think so...however…" Jack said pointing to the gigantic bird flying around it. "It's guarded by a fearsome monster."

"What an amazing creature…" Fox said.

"It had to be a giant bird…" Queen said.

"Yeah...that's why you guys are gonna distract it while I sneak in and take the jewel." Jack said.

"Does he always make you do the hard stuff, Joker?" Crow asked.

"Not usually. However since this is a monster, he can't steal its abilities meaning we need to deal with it." Joker said.

"I see, then let's get this done. I'm itching to fight." Crow said.

The Phantom Thieves broke off from Jack as they got the giant bird's attention. It flew right at them, shrieking for a fight.

Crow leaped onto the top of Mona and grabbed his mask.

"Now is as good a time as any to show them the new tricks I picked up after coming back from the dead." Crow said ripping his mask off and summoning Hereward. "Hereward, Rebellion Blade!" he called, as Hereward dealt colossal almighty damage to the bird. "HAHAHAHAHA!"

"Damn! Where the hell did that come from?!" Skull asked.

"Crow's new Persona isn't like anything we've seen from Robin Hood or Loki." Oracle said.

"It's due to the merging of them both, ascending to its 3rd form." Crow said calmly. "Or perhaps it is because I was brought back. I really don't care which it is." he said. "Just know that I will not let my life be controlled by someone like Shido ever again!"

The bird screeched before firing off lightning from its wings, which Mona narrowly evaded.

"Annoying bastard… make it learn its place, Hereward!" Crow said as Hereward used Debilitate before following up with Laevateinn, dealing a critical hit as it was dazed.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but nice hit, Crow!" Oracle said.

"Hmph, I think it's learned its lesson." Crow said. "Weakling." he said walking back to the other Phantom Thieves.

"Geez...that was brutal." Jack said coming back with the jewel.

"I'm only like that whenever we fight monsters or shadows." Crow said. "It's a sort of… psychotic fury that came with Loki. But there's no need to be worried outside of fighting. I'd say our business is finished here anyway."

"Well...congrats. Now uh...let's go before it decides to call for its pals." Jack said as they started rocketing away from the tower.

Meanwhile, back in Ignia….

"Yes, he was here." Solaris said as he was talking to Ira. "He waltzed into my office and made off with our country's most sacred treasure, the Fire Ruby. One of my men informed me he would be targeting the other kingdoms next. By now, he's likely robbed both Aquaria and Aureole. That leaves five other countries for them to plunder."

"Uh-huh, I see." Ira said, looking at a screen of a PDA he was holding. "Let's see… says here that each of the nations have their own thing they specialize in. You guys do warrior, Aquaria has culture down, Aureole has the best air control, and so on and so forth. Be honest with me, commander: which would be the hardest country for this guy to steal from?"

"Hardest...there's actually two that fit that: Illumus and Shroud." Solaris said.

"And why's that?" Ira asked. "From what this brochure says, Illumus should be one of the most peaceful countries, shouldn't it?"

"It's not because of the people...it's because of the country itself." Solaris said. "They only appear during certain times of the day. Illumus appears during the day while Shroud only appears at night."

"Like the sun and moon…" Ira said, growing wistful for a moment before shaking his head. "Anyway, considering that, then I guess I'll just have to get to them first."

"Hahahahahaha!" Solaris laughed. "You really think someone like you can steal the sun and moon stones?"

"Who said I'm stealing them?" Ira smirked. "I'll just get to them first, wait for them to show up, then get what I want from the leader. It's as simple as that, really."

"And what makes you think the people of both countries will let you wait for them, especially so close to their stones?" Solaris asked.

Ira then grinned as the room the two were in was bathed in a blood-red aura, causing the Ignia commander to feel cold, hard, fear.

"They won't have a choice." Ira stated simply before the aura faded and he got up smiling. "Well, thanks for the tip, commander! You'll be forgiven one sin for that. Hahaha!" the boy laughed as he walked out the room, Solaris shuddering after he was gone.

"(That… that aura… it was pure rage, yet he wasn't angry in the slightest.)" Solaris thought. "(What is he…?)"