Thieves in the Shadows

Chapter 17: The Illusory Popess

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Shinjuku, Japan

It was raining cats and dogs in Shinjuku. Clouds covered up the moon, leaving neon signs as the only source of light. People bustle inside nearby restaurants or stores seeking warm solace. Some were lucky to be wearing raincoats or casting umbrellas to keep them dry as they went about their nightly business.

One of them isn't so fortunate. Among the bustling people is Makoto Nijima, who is trying to avoid bumping into people and running at the same time. The brown-haired girl was pale-faced and soaking wet. But she didn't seem to care about her current state at all. Her eyes are wide and alert, scanning the crowd as if looking for someone. A few looked her way before shrugging her off.

"Did I lose her?" Makoto whispered to herself. "Or is she out there waiting for me?"

Still, on alert, she retreated into an alleyway. She gently rubbed the back of her head before wincing. It still hurts from the physical altercation she got into. Especially every time she talked. Her shoulder ached as well. Trembling hands gripped a manilla folder that has stains of water from when she was running through the rain.

She couldn't believe everything that happened to her because of it.

A few hours ago…

"Hey, Makoto."

"Hey, big sis. What's up?"

"I'm sorry to ask this, but how far are you from my law firm?"

Makoto is walking down the sidewalk with a shopping bag in one hand. It was her last day before she had to go to the Metropolitan Police Academy to begin her training. She wanted to buy the latest Buchimaru merchandise. There was a sale that was going on and she wanted to get something before she had to live in the dormitories. The brunette had always been a fan of Buchimaru ever since she was a child.

"I think I'm just passing by," Makoto answered as she keeps walking. "I still have the key. Why?"

"If it's no trouble, could you order me some take-out?" Sae asked. "I'm about to work overtime and I could use a good lunch."

"It's not trouble, sis," Makoto assures her with a small smile. "I can pick something. Would you like Ramen?"

"I don't see why not…and one more thing."

"Yes?"

"I'm proud of you. And I know that dad will be too."

The Nijima sisters lived together in the same house. They used to live alongside their father since their mother died long ago. He was a police officer, which meant he wasn't around much. The caused a wedge to form between the sisters and their father, straining their relationship. It got worse when tragedy struck, and their father was killed in the line of duty by a truck. This forced her sister to juggle between handling court cases and caring for her younger sister.

For a time, Sae viewed her and her dad as a burden. Someone useless to her. Makoto didn't like how her older sister had to shoulder the burden. Because of this, she studied hard to get into a top-notch university and relieve herself once she graduates. But over time, she became submissive and did what was expected of her. Her teachers, her classmates, and even her sister and her associates don't take her seriously. To everyone, she was nothing more than a glorified tool.

Then everything changed when she met the Phantom Thieves. Principal Kobayakawa asked her to investigate them after Suguru Kamoshida's confession. Regrettably, she was aware of Kamoshida's crime but kept quiet because of her powerlessness. She got her proof after Ryuji declared out loud in the courtyard that they were the Phantom Thieves. Instead of giving the proof to the principal, she decided to see their justice by reforming Junya Kaneshiro, a mafia boss that has been extorting students. Feeling useless, she acted as bait so that they could trail Kaneshiro. That lead them to be blackmailed with photos of attending an adult-exclusive nightclub for 3 million yen within 3 weeks. If they couldn't pay it off, Makoto would be forced into prostitution, even adding that he might keep Sae as his slave.

When she heard how Kaneshiro was planning to extort her sister, she finally had enough. Her resolve awoke her Persona, Johanna. She stopped denying that she was nothing more than a tool for the higher authorities and vowed to fight for what she believed in. She was done being an exemplary student and became more honest with herself. Ren had become a bigger influence on her life.

Speaking of Ren, she had yet to receive an update about his status. As far as they know, he is still missing. It has already been past forty-eight hours and they should've started a search. Somehow, she can't shake the feeling that they aren't going to search at all.

"I hope he's alright," Makoto said as she exits a fast-food place. After several minutes, she arrives at her sister's law firm. She visited it a few times ever since Sae became a successful defense attorney, mostly to drop something off. Her sister figured that it's a better way to fight for justice than being a public prosecutor for the Tokyo District Special Investigation Department. A division that is independent of the police department.

Makoto spoke with a secretary that directed her to Sae's office. According to her, she had to move to a different floor thanks to an accident caused by a coworker. She walked to her sister's desk and placed the bag of food on her desk. Just as she was about to leave, she noticed the open file on the desk. Rather, the label on the tab.

"Huh?"

It was the file for the Phantom Thieves of Hearts case. Ever since their debut, her sister has been put in charge of investigating the mental shutdowns and the Phantom Thieves. It had information on everyone in the Thieves and their collaborators. Papers with photos clipped to them, each depicting an individual. There was even an old calling card designed by Ryuji before Yusuke took over designing them. But something was telling her that this scenario felt wrong.

"Why is this out?" Makoto wonders as she picked it up and read through the contents before closing it. She knew she shouldn't be looking at it, but something was odd. "This should be in the file room."

Just as she closed it, she felt the hairs on her neck stand on end. She turned around and nearly jumped out of her skin. Staring at her is a woman her age in a black leather tank top that exposed her midriff and black pants. Her blonde hair is tied into a short ponytail. But what freaked her out is the fact that she came out of the wall.

"Wow…I'm impressed that you managed to notice me," the girl said. "A shame too…I would've preferred to do this without any witnesses.

"A-are you a g-ghost?" Makoto stammered. Despite her attempt at bravado, her fear of ghosts is getting the better of her. The intruder seemed to have noticed this.

"Don't worry…I'm something far worse than a ghost," she said, which did nothing to ease her terror. Her face hardened with seriousness. "Now give me the file."

"Who are you?" Makoto demanded, clutching the file to her chest, and backing away. "How did you get in here?"

"Somebody you don't want to mess with. As for how I got in, how do you think? Now I'll be asking one more time…give me the file."

Makoto narrowed her eyes. Placing the file on the desk behind her, she squared her shoulders and hips, extended a leg, and held her hands with open palms. This is the Aikido stance known as hanmi.

"So, you want to do this the hard way," the girl sighed. "I don't know what to applaud…your bravery or stupidity."

With that, she lifted her shoulder and threw a fist at her. Aikido is a martial art where users attack by using an opponent's strength and speed against them. It was one of the things that those who wish to join the police force undergo. Acting on her reflexes, she moved out of the way of the fist. Gripping her forearm with one hand, she used her other to push on her arm as she flipped the girl over on her back. She crashed into the desk, which shattered into a million splinters. Office supplies were scattered across the floor.

"I need to apologize to big sis," Makoto muttered, clearly not expecting her to cause this much damage. "Hopefully she won't be mad at me."

The girl in front of her began to stir. Makoto didn't know what to do in this situation. On one hand, she wanted to restrain her and call for the police. But from the looks of it, she must be a metahuman with the ability to phase through anything. Due to almost no metahuman activity, she wasn't even sure that they would have any means of restraining her. If she went to anyone in this building for help, they might get hurt. That left only one option.

Run.

Grabbing the Phantom Thief file, she bolted from the office. In her haste, a few papers slipped out, but she didn't stop to pick them up. AS she left the office, the intruder recovered from the counterattack.

"Okay…that I wasn't expecting that," She muttered. Just as she picked herself up, she noticed that a few of the papers in the file had fallen out. One caught her eye. Picking it up, she read the first words that caught her interest.

"Makoto Nijima…is she related to Sae Nijima?"

Makoto is running through the hallways. Her breath was beginning to become ragged as she entered the elevator and button mashed the closed doors button. As it descended, questions were running through her mind. Why was she interested in this file? From the way she said it, it can't be anything good. Nothing about stealing confidential information is good. Finally, the elevator stopped on the ground floor, and she exited without a moment's hesitation.

The brunette didn't get far as she felt something collide with the back of her head. Makoto cried out as she fell forward, the file flying out of her hands. The pain she got from her chin meeting the floor was nothing compared to the pain at the back of her head. At the corner of her eye, she saw the intruder staring down at her.

"Not bad," she appraised. "But if you want to evade your pursuer, you might want to try something less obvious."

"You went through the floor," Makoto managed to get out. "Your power allows you to phase through walls."

"That's not all I can do," she answered vaguely. "To be honest, I was going to let you go. But now that I've seen your name in the file…I must kill you. Don't take it personal…but you thieves really should've minded your own business."

At the end of that sentence, Makoto felt pressure being applied to her head. Makoto gritted her teeth from the concussive force as she tried to no avail to get her foot off. It was like her head is being put through a hydraulic press. It felt like her skull was going to crack.

Then, a miracle occurred. The elevator dinged as it opened to deposit more passengers. The intruder turned her head just in time to see the occupants gasp at the scene before them. Seizing her chance, Makoto gripped her by the ankle and threw her off her head. Scrambling to her feet and ignoring her cry of surprise, Makoto ran across the hall and out of the Law Firm.

The intruder groaned as she got up. Irritation welled up in her. That was twice that she let a target getaway. Granted, she wasn't aware at first, but it was infuriating, to say the least. A metahuman losing against a powerless girl. She won't get a third time. Ignoring the people still in the elevator, she moved to pursue Makoto until she felt a voice in her head.

"Sublime…report."

That was the voice of her team leader, Threshold. He was the one who managed to get a lead. A lead by the name of Ren Amamiya. After some research, they found out that he went on a trip to Markovia. Like nobody would cross-reference the airport database for his passport and plane ticket. Interestingly, he faded into the wind. But that didn't mean they didn't have any other sources.

Deducing that they knew his identity, they cracked down on the local authorities. They publicly announced that they captured the leader of the Phantom Thieves of course, so they had to know his identity. Of course, they made sure that nobody is aware of what they were doing. Especially after Threshold massacred nearly the entire Public Security Intelligence Agency to get Amamiya's name.

Their analysts picked up another name of interest on the passenger list. Nijima. As in the former Prosecutor Sae Nijima, the lady who oversaw the Phantom Thief case. Sublime was selected to infiltrate her Law Firm and see if she still had any information. Dragging her over to Threshold is a last resort, as it usually ends with somebody's head blown up.

He wasn't going to like her progress so far.

"Our hunch was correct. Sae Nijima still has a file on the Phantom Thieves," Sublime reports. "I managed to get several names off it, but I lost it."

"How could you lose it?" Threshold telepathically said, vocalizing his anger. "That file contained important information!"

"I didn't exactly give it to her!" Sublime snapped. "Besides, she's Sae Nijima's sister, Makoto. She's one of the people in the file."

"So, she's with the thieves," Threshold said. "These changes nothing. Although we're going to have to make a few alterations according to orders from command. To the rest of the team, find Makoto Nijima and eliminate her. If possible, recover that file. We need to ensure that there aren't any rats that we missed."

She felt Threshold's presence leave her mind. She was about to pursue Makoto Nijima when she noticed a phone on the ground. The screen is cracked, but it lit up as it received a text message. Picking it up, she read it.

Haru: Mako-Chan, do you have any plans this evening? There's a party that I would like you to attend. It's to celebrate the opening of my café."

Sublime pondered the name as it rang a bell. It belonged to a Haru Okumura, heiress to the Okumura foods conglomerate. Not to mention her name was also in the file that Nijima girl took.

"Sublime to Threshold…"

Present

She had been running ever since.

Makoto lost her phone so she couldn't call the police for help. She memorized the route to the police station when they were planning a trip for a traitor and murderer among them. But when she tried to get there, the intruder was at the entrance. It looked as if she had been expecting her to go there. Luckily, she got away before the intruder could see her.

But somehow, she always found her. Makoto saw enough movies to stay near crowds. If she made the body count unacceptable for her to strike. Frankly, she was surprised that she survived this long.

The brunette looked down at the file she still held in her hands. The file on the Phantom Thieves. Her would-be killer was determined to get her hands on this. But she only tried to kill her when she knew that she was in the file as well. It's only a matter of time before she found her again.

"I have to get rid of this," Makoto said determinedly. "Everyone in this file could be in danger. No…they ARE in danger!"

If she is going to die, it will be to protect her friends. Looking around, she found her solution. Nearby is an iron barrel filled to the brim with rainwater. Without thinking twice, Makoto submerged the file into the water making a splash. When it is wet enough, Makoto began tearing it apart. She didn't stop until everything in the water is completely shredded. Seeing the floating scraps of paper breaking down in the water brought her a sense of peace.

She was so absorbed in her thoughts that she didn't notice someone approach her from behind. It wasn't until they placed a hand on her shoulder that Makoto became alert. The brunet whipped around, ready to face her death at the hands of her assailant.

"Makoto?"

But it wasn't her pursuer. It was her sister, Sae Nijima. The ashen brown-haired woman is dressed in her usual black business suit with a matching turtleneck. In her hand, she carried a black umbrella, which is how she is still dry.

"Big sis…?"

"Where have you been?" She demanded. "Why haven't you answered my calls? I've been looking all over Tokyo for you. My meeting was over a few hours ago…"

The elder Nijima was cut off when Makoto suddenly hugged her. The brown-haired girl's face is buried in her elder sister's chest. Before Sae could react, she heard sniffles and felt her sister's body shaking as she hugged her for dear life. Her face softened when she realized she was crying.

"Makoto…what's wrong?"

"I'm sorry big sis…" Makoto sniffled. Her tears were staining her sister's suit. "It's just…I'm just so glad to see you…"

A few minutes later, the Nijima sisters are facing each other at a table in the nearest Big Bang Burger. After taking a few deep breaths to calm herself, Makoto told her everything. From when she dropped off her lunch at the office to run for her life from a metahuman assassin.

"Somebody was in my office?" Sae said, thoroughly beyond shock. "And she tried to kill you?"

"Yes…but only after she found out that I was in the file," Makoto answered. "I tried to go to the police, but she was there, waiting for me. I didn't think she noticed, so I was able to get away. I lost my phone…and I've been running ever since…"

Makoto stopped talking. While she knew there was nothing, she could do against a metahuman, she felt pathetic. On the other side of the table. Sae pounded the table with her fists, gritting her teeth in anger. Anger at how somebody tried to kill her sister. It took her a few moments to regain her composure, but she silently vowed to make whoever tried to kill her sister pay with everything she had.

"Makoto, I am so sorry," Sae said apologetically, taking Makoto's hand in hers to comfort her. "I should've disposed of that file as soon as the case was closed. Can't believe I held onto it all these years. If I did, you never would've had to go through that."

"It's alright, sis," Makoto assured her.

"I'll contact some friends in the police," Sae firmly declares. "Have them put an APB out for her. You'll need to describe the course. But I don't know what we can do…the Japanese police aren't exactly trained to deal with metahuman criminals."

Nobody could fault that logic. Tokyo has been isolated from the world of superhuman activity. Aside from the mental shutdowns, the Phantom Thieves, the metaverse, and everything. It never made the news, but some people knew what happened. They just choose not to reveal anything. Either out of fear of being sent to the psychiatric ward or the information being abused and giving rise to more supervillains worse than the Antisocial Force.

She was broken out of her thoughts when a shadow fell over their table. It came from outside. Makoto turned her head to see a man standing at the window. He wore a dark blue trench coat with a green suit underneath. His black hair is messy and matched his goatee.

He was looking at her.

Then, without warning, the glass shattered as a giant hand grasped her by the neck. Makoto struggled to breathe as she heard the restaurant's occupants give outcries of alarm, the nearest shielding their faces from glass shards. But that didn't stop the man from yanking Makoto out of the restaurant and releasing his hold on her neck. Makoto soared through the air until her back hit against another glass window. That shattered from the impact of her body as she finally lands on the floor of another restaurant.

The alarmed occupants gave out cries of terror as the man stepped through the broken window. Somehow, he was bigger than when she saw him at the window. The panicked people began to exit out, but the man ignored them. His focus was on the girl lying down before him. It didn't take a genius to figure out that the man is after her life. That the man is probably working with the girl back at the office.

"H-How…"

"Your emotions left imprints for me to find," the man said stoically in a Spanish accent. "Very clever in hiding among the crowd to evade us. But this time, senorita, the plan has changed…so it won't work again."

Before she could even move, the man grabbed her by the leg. Once again, he yanked her through the air, but this time, he did not let go. He slammed her against the floor before yanking her back up. His grip on her leg was so tight he could easily break it with his size and strength. By the time he was done, Makoto was a bloody heap of flesh that was barely alive and bleeding. Bits of glass and debris were stuck to her skin as she bled on the floor.

"MAKOTO!"

Her vision and hearing were disoriented, but she knew her sister's voice. Barely alive, she tried to find her, but couldn't move her body. If she did, it might've sped up her death. She heard screaming and foundations being smashed. It must've been her killer who is causing all of that. To her despair, she heard her sisters among them.

"Sis…" Makoto croaked weakly. She couldn't even move her body. It even hurts to breathe in this state. It hurt all over.

Then, she heard someone else approach her. Somebody rushed to her side and knelt. Her vision temporarily cleared enough to make out a familiar face. It was a young man with short blonde hair she knew is dyed.

"Makoto!" That was Ryuji Sakamoto's voice. Her mind must've been addled by the thrashing because she's seeing him in his metaverse attire. His anguish turned to rage as he turned to face her murderer. "You son of a bitch!"

Her mind must've been messed up because she saw his arm turn into a cannon. Her vision swam as he advanced on her killer. Her vision began to darken and what little life she had faded away. So are the sounds of the fighting, screams, her senses and even her pain is fading. Soon, she is drifting into a void.

Is this what it's like…to be murdered…to die…being helpless and pathetic…

"Will this be your final prayer?"

"Johanna?" Makoto weakly asked. She recognized the voice of her Persona anywhere. But why was she hearing her in the real world? This isn't the Metaverse.

"Will thou pray for the salvation of your soul…or will thou pray for a second chance to save those that need it desperately?"

Makoto didn't understand what is going on, but she knew that she can't die. She didn't want to die. Nobody wants to die. There is so much that she wanted to do, and her friends are in danger. Her sister is in trouble. Even if she is powerless, she wants to help them.

"Please…" Makoto croaked. "I have to help everyone…"

"Ask and you shall receive," Johanna said. Once again, she felt pain, only this time it was throbbing in her head. "I am thou, thou art I…our father who art in heaven, I beseech thee. Grant this child the strength to save your children from those who would rob them of paradise. Thy will be done."

A flash of blue briefly illuminated the restaurant as Makoto felt something familiar on her face. With bloody and broken hands, Makoto gripped the mask and pulled it with all her remaining strength. Her weak fingers felt like they could break, but her newly found resolve steeled her. With a sickening squelch, it was torn off with some of her skin.

It was only a few moments before the flames emerged.

"YOU BASTARD! YOU FUCKING BASTARD!"

Ryuji is beyond furious. No… murderous rage would be the better term to describe the state he is in. His vision is red and focused on the giant of a man on the streets.

Ever since they split up, he had been wandering around in Shinjuku looking for any of his friends. He didn't know why he wound up in Shinjuku, but better start somewhere. Without his phone, it proved to be a bigger chore in this life-and-death situation.

He was there when that big metahuman had thrown someone out of a building. It was brief, but he caught a glimpse of the woman's face. The face of one of his friends. Former class president Makoto Nijima. Also known as Queen of the Phantom Thieves.

Seeing his friend in trouble, he immediately donned his Phantom Thief attire and rushed to where she was. The big man was too busy roughing up bystanders to notice him. When he saw the state that Makoto was in, he lost it. He fired cannonball after cannonball at the man who made his friend like that. To his annoyance and surprise, he seemed to be getting bigger by the minute.

"Nice threads, amigo," the man said. His bulging muscle beginning to tear through the overcoat. "Know where I could find the sastre?"

"Wrong time to talk about that punk bitch!" Ryuji yelled as his cannon fired again. He was still getting used to his new powers, but his cannon arm seemed simple to use. Just point the barrel at the enemy and pull the trigger. At least that's what he worked out so far, but he didn't care. This guy must pay for putting one of his friends in that state.

"Is shooting cannonballs the only thing you can do?" the man asked as his big hand blocked another cannonball coming to his face. It exploded in his hand, but he was perturbed.

"I was about to ask the same thing," Ryuji snapped. "Is it just me or are you getting bigger."

"That's just the effect of my powers," the man replied as he cracked his neck. "Names Powerhaus. What's your name, vigilante man?"

"The names Skull! The name of the guy that's going to kick your ass to the curb!"

"Dios Mio…only a newbie would put up bravado," Powerhaus groaned. "Supongo que es así."

"Bring it on you pansy," Ryuji retorts. "I've beaten down assholes that are way bigger than you!"

But at that moment, a flash of blue followed by a wave of force came flooding out of the restaurant. Both combatants held up their arms to shield their faces from the light and heat. After a few seconds, it subsided. A heavy silence hanged in the air as both stared into the darkness.

"Could it be…" Ryuji held his breath. He saw this phenomenon before. Each member of the Phantom Thieves underwent an awakening to their Persona. First came ripping off the mask, which hurt like hell, and then comes the flames. He wasn't much of a thinker, but the process that gave him his powers must be similar. And he knew that there was only one persona nearby who went through it just now.

Then he heard footsteps coming from the darkness of the restaurant. It sounded more like metal against a tiled floor. From out of the restaurant came his friend, Makoto. One look at her attire and he knew that she had gone through the reawakening.

"Makoto!" Ryuji cried out in relief. "Holy shit, am I glad to see—"

Makoto wordlessly held up a finger to his face, silencing him. One look at her face and he meekly backed off. Golden eyes were focused on Powerhaus. He looked completely surprised that the girl he killed is now walking towards him. If it weren't for the fact that Ryuji yelled out her name, he wouldn't have known it was her.

"Qué demonios? I killed you!"

"Our father who art in heaven," Makoto spoke in a two-toned voice, ignoring him. She put her hands together as if in prayer. "Grant this misguided soul mercy…for I will not."

Though Makoto isn't in control of her actions now, she can see things beyond what any normal human could. In the air, trails of energy are being drawn from the panicked crowd of onlookers towards the hulking metahuman. He was powering himself up by eating their emotions. At some point, he'll reach his maximum capacity and be forced to release the energy. Of course, she didn't have that long.

But that didn't mean there aren't any more weaknesses. There were other ways to take down a giant. No matter the material they used to make a wall, there is always a weak point. Several.

Taking a deep breath, she closes the distance at a breakneck speed. Powerhaus didn't have time to react as she let out a flurry of punches. Both her fists are giving off an azure glow. It wasn't just random punches either. They are targeting weak points. The knees, shins, ribs, nose, throat, nose, jaw, and even the groin area are being hit multiple times. The big villain felt as if he was being hit with a thousand sledgehammers at once. Every repeated blow felt like his bones could break any moment despite his immense durability.

Finally, Makoto drew back her fist, which gave off an even brighter azure glow and threw it at his solar plexus. Upon impact, a bright flash of blue light exploded outward. Once again, Ryuji had to shield his face to avoid getting blind. After a few seconds, he lowered his arm to look at the sight.

Her punches have taken their toll on Powerhaus' body. His suit and already torn-up trench coat are nearly destroyed. Black and blue bruises riddled his body like bullet holes, the most prominent being the one at the center of his torso. The whites of his eyes are shown as they are rolled to the back of his head.

"Amen," Makoto said emotionlessly before turning on her heel and walking away. Ryuji snapped

"Yo! Mako—I mean, Queen," Ryuji quickly amended, remembering to call her by her code name while in that outfit. He had a shit-eating grin on his face. "That was wicked! You are the fist of the phantom star!"

Makoto didn't say anything. Normally, when she hears him call her that, she would lash out. Ryuji noticed this and waved his hand in front of her face to see if he can get a reaction. She didn't respond at all.

"Hmm…how long does it take for the possession to end?"

At that moment, the golden glow in Makoto's eyes faded. They returned to their regular reddish-brown. The stoicism on her face became one of confusion as if she woke up from a deep sleep.

"Huh? What happened?" Makoto muttered, blinking her eyes.

"You kicked ass, that's what happened," Ryuji said gleefully, drawing her attention.

"Ryuji?" Makoto asked, narrowing her eyes at his outfit. "Is that you? How did we get into the metaverse?"

"We're not in the metaverse, pres. This is the real world."

"The real world?" Makoto asked before it all came back to her. Her going to the law firm to drop off lunch for her sister. Then running around Tokyo to avoid an assassin out for her life. Finally, meeting up with her sister and getting mauled to death by a big metahuman assassin.

Wait…her sister…where was she?

"BIG SIS!" Makoto cried out. She whipped her head around left and right. The destruction wrought by Powerhaus had resulted in casualties. Bodies littered the street like rag dolls. To her horror, some of them are dead. She nearly threw up when she saw the smashed head of a chef. It looked like the assassin didn't think twice about killing any witnesses. If he can be called an assassin. This made her worry for her sister more.

When she finally found her, her heart lodged in her throat. Her sister is crumpled up against a broken-down wall. Her suit is torn, revealing cuts and bruises. The biggest one looked to be on the side of her face like she was slapped by a big hand. Blood trickled down her mouth and onto her damaged suit.

"SAE!" Makoto cried out in anguish as she rushed to the elder Nijima's aid. Her leg was trapped beneath a piece of rubble. With her newfound strength, she removed it and knelt at her sister's side. The leg that was trapped beneath it was broken, and there was a bone sticking out, which made her stomach lurch. Pressing two fingers against her wrist, she found a pulse much to her relief. It was faint, but she was breathing. But she looked more dead than alive right now.

"Shit!" Ryuji cursed when he saw her state. He searched the nearby bodies for a phone. It gnawed at him that he is desecrating dead bodies, but he pushed that aside. When he found one, he dialed 119.

"Hello! Yes, I'm at Shinjuku and we have someone in need of help! Like the best kind you can provide!"

"Please…please hang on…" Makoto cried out hoarsely, close to tears. She put a hand on her sister's shoulder. Suddenly, her gloved hand glowed again. This time, it spread across her sister's body. Makoto watched with shock as her injuries began to fade away. Cuts closed, preventing any more loss of blood, and even her bruises faded away. Sae's leg twitched and twisted as the bone and flesh knitted themselves back to their normal state. When Makoto pulled her hand away, the glow faded. There were still some injuries that haven't healed, but they aren't life-threatening.

"Queen…we got to go!" Ryuji said. "I dialed 119 and they're sending…huh. Wasn't she banged up just now?"

"I think I healed her," Makoto said. "I don't know how, but I healed her."

"I think I know," Ryuji said. Makoto was about to ask when they heard a klaxon. Looking down the street they saw the flashing red lights of an ambulance. But they also saw a flash of blue, symbolizing the police.

"Damn it!" Ryuji cursed turning to Makoto. "We have to go!

"No!" Makoto threw his hand off and hugged her sister. "I'm not leaving here until she gets to the hospital!"

"Queen, the police are coming too!" Ryuji tried to explain, gesturing to the pile of bodies and the unconscious assassin. "Who do you think they are going to blame for this? Especially when multiple people saw us fighting that guy! After what happened here, everyone's going to be out for blood!"

"But my sister-!"

"MAKOTO!" Ryuji yelled out her real name, silencing her. "I hate this as much as you do but there's nothing more, we can do for her. If we stay, we're only putting her in more danger. Let the police handle it here. I'm not bright like you, but I don't think they'll be stupid enough to attack her under their protection."

By they, he must mean the assassins Makoto realized. That would mean that he was also attacked and that they are all in danger. Makoto looked back at the eldest Nijima and realized that all their loved ones must also be in danger. Tonight, she came way too close to losing her sister. If these guys are after her, she'll get hurt to get to her. She hates to admit it, but Ryuji was right.

Makoto leaned forward and hugged her like it would be the last time she saw her.

"I'm sorry big sis…"

At this point, the police have exited their vehicles. They began cordoning it off from any nearby civilians while checking the bodies for any survivors. One of them spotted Sae Nijima's prone body and called for a medic and more ambulances. Two of them rushed over to her with a stretcher and gingerly positioned her body on it. Soon, they carried her into a waiting ambulance and drove away. That won't be the only ambulance at the scene.

But not one of them noticed the two thieves that disappeared into the night.

[~][~]

Greetings and Bienvenu readers.

As you probably guess, Makoto has been running for her life. Then she encountered an assassin and underwent her reawakening. But you may be wondering why an assassin would brazenly attack his target and expose himself. I can only tell you that it's part of the grand design and you will find out why soon enough. Rest assured Sae will survive the ordeal that she went through because of Powerhaus.

I'll admit, it was a chore deciding Makoto's powerset. Johanna was known for her unrivaled intellect, which is something Makoto already has. And it's difficult to make her powerset based on a priestess when Makoto's personality and outfit are pretty much the opposite of a priestess. It wasn't until I read about the DND Monk, Bayonetta, and the Immortal Iron Fist that an idea came to mind. As you can guess, Makoto can manipulate chi (or Ki in the case of Japan). Think of her as a post-apocalyptic priestess who can both heal and dish out violence.

Before we close, here's the rundown on Makoto's assassin, who is another member of DV8:

Hector Morales/Powerhaus:

Abilities

Emotional Mass Augmentation: Hector possesses the ability to turn emotions of himself and the people around him into increased muscle mass which gives him superhuman strength.

Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed the chapter.

Until next time.