Chapter XV: Resolutions and Preparations


The day before the planned attack on Ward 24, Shu discussed with his classmates about using their Voids against Gai during the coming battle. Besides Shu's classmates and Funeral Parlor compatriots, Yuko and Ito offered to join the resistance against GHQ and Da'ath.

"You two wish to join us in the final battle?" Shu asked Yuko and Ito.

"If you'd permit us since we fought with you before," Yuko said, offering her and Ito's services to rejoin the resistance.

"We wish to see this country finally liberated from GHQ's tyranny," Ito firmly stated.

With a strong nod, Shu smiled. "I'm glad to have you two rejoining our ranks."

During the pre-war briefing, Heath, Akiko, and Walter's parents arrived after receiving word of their children's whereabouts. The parents had a heartfelt reunion with their children. Most of all, Hifumi came with the hopes of reconciling with Akiko once and for all.

"Mom, dad? What are you two doing here?" Heath asked Hifumi and Skyler.

"To see you two of course! We haven't seen each other in months!" Skyler responded as he embraced his two teenage kids.

"Not by choice, dad. They had us locked behind those stupid walls," Akiko said, returning a loving embrace to her father.

"We're just glad you're safe, you two," Hifumi addressed her kids. As Hifumi approached them, Heath hugged her but Akiko cautiously stood her ground. She then noticed an older couple, Mitsuyo and Satoshi Togo, behind Hifumi. "Grams? Gramps?"

"Heath, Akiko, we're glad you two are ok," Satoshi addressed his grandchildren.

"You can't imagine how worried we were! We never thought you'd get out of those horrid walls!" Mitsuyo tearfully cried out.

"They came here just as worried about you, Akiko," Hifumi said as she confronted her daughter. "Listen, I know we haven't always seen eye to eye, especially nowadays."

"Mom."

"Listen, Akiko. I just want to say that I'm sorry. I truly am," Hifumi said with eyes full of tears and a loving smile. As Akiko peered into her mother's eyes, she saw they had genuine affection and care. They weren't as frigid as before. "Akiko dear, I've had to do a self-reflection about how I've been and treated all of you. I blamed the wrong people and took out my frustrations on the ones I loved. Makoto, your father, and even you, Akiko."

"I…I…" Akiko stammered as she met the warmth of her mother's embrace. She could feel the genuine affection her mother was displaying.

"I don't ask for forgiveness but please know I'm doing my best to be a better person. All I ask is for another chance to reconcile."

Upon watching Akiko and Hifumi's interactions, Heath, Skyler, and Hifumi's parents closely watched them. Discerning Akiko's befuddled look, they could tell Akiko didn't know how to take Hifumi's sudden demeanor change. Akiko was seeing a woman she hadn't seen since before the Lost Christmas disaster.

"Mom. No, mother, is that really you?" Akiko asked as she discerned Hifumi's warm and loving eyes. "It is you, mother!" She happily cried with tears as daughter and mother hugged and reconciled their differences.

"I'm sorry for all I've said to Aunt Makoto."

"No, I'm just glad to have the old you back."

"That frigid side of me is gone now but I know it will take some time for emotional wounds to heal."

"Everything's going to be ok now, Heath and Akiko," Skyler reassured them.

"You're coming home safely now," Mitsuyo tried persuading her grandchildren. In response, Heath and Akiko dismissively nodded, surprising the older woman and her husband.

"We can't do that, grandma Mitsuyo. Our friends depend on us to help them stop GHQ. I also want to fight alongside sis and Ayase. This battle coming up is important and we have to fight to protect you all," Heath replied.

"That's exactly what we're worried about. You shouldn't have to fight in a war to protect us," Mitsuyo said.

"Ayase? You mean that classmate of yours?" Satoshi asked his grandson.

"Mr. and Mrs. Togo-Jones? I'm surprised to see you here!" Ayase's voice blurted out when she greeted Heath and Akiko's parents. As he turned around, he saw Ayase talking to Hifumi, Skyler, and Akiko.

"Aren't we glad you're ok, Ayase," Skyler genuinely smiled toward the girl.

"Same to you and your wife, Mr. Jones," Ayase kindly replied as Heath approached her. "Heath? I was just having a word with your parents."

"Yeah, I can see that. Do you want to see my grandparents?"

"Sure."

Upon reuniting with them, Walter hugged his father and mother, Jacob and Madeline Robertson-Rossignol. Jacob is a tall, slender man with short platinum blonde hair with the back of his hair being wild and disheveled. Jacob's wardrobe is mostly black clothing, consisting of a black dress shirt with an unopened spot revealing a white shirt and dark brown boots.

Madeline is a tall woman, not quite as tall as her husband Jack, and has neck-length platinum blonde hair. She is seen garbed in a dark red long-sleeved coat with a short-sleeved white shirt underneath, black slim jeans, and coffee brown boots.

"I'm glad you're safe, Walter," Madeline lovingly said to her son.

"We're glad you've been managing to do well with your friends," Jacob said to Walter.

"We wouldn't have survived without supporting each other," Walter said.

"Aren't our kids a resourceful bunch, Jacob?" Skyler called over to his long-time friend.

"Indeed they are."

"Hell yeah they are," a man's voice interjected, quickly garnering attention from Skyler, Jacob, and Madeline. A smile adorned Skyler's face when he recognized this man's casual tone. When Skyler and his entourage faced the man behind the voice, they saw a tall red-haired, brown-eyed man with hair so long he had it worn in a ponytail. He is seen wearing a coffee brown coat with a green shirt underneath, dark blue jeans, and brown dress shoes.

"Kaito, wow, how long has it been?" Skyler addressed the red-haired man.

"Are you forgetting about little old me? Geez, I can't be that hard to find," a woman added in a playfully sardonic tone. As Skyler and his friends glanced over to Kaito's opposite, a short-statured, green-eyed young woman with long blonde hair tied in pigtails arrived. She came dressed in a long-sleeved navy blue dress with a black coat, purple-and-black knee-length stockings, and black boots.

"No way, how can I miss you, Rachel?" Skyler said, chuckling and shaking his head.

"I can't believe we're together again," Kaito added as his smile faded. "Though, it's not quite the reunion he hoped for."

"It's missing the heart of the team," Rachel said with sadness in her voice.

"Leonard, I can't believe it's been 10 years since we lost you, my friend," Skyler said as he, Kaito, Rachel, Jack, and Madeline prayed for Leonard and his family.

"By the way, I brought my brother Owen and his friends. They're on another ship," Rachel said, breaking the brief moment of silence following the end of the prayer.

"Oh, so Shinya, Reiko, and Li-Ming are with them?" Skyler asked Rachel.

"Yeah, and along with our son," a woman with neck-length dark brown hair and amber eyes spoke up as she walked up beside Kaito. The woman is seen wearing a light purple coat with a long-sleeved green shirt under it, beige dress pants, white dress shoes, and a blue beret cap.

"He should be fine with everyone else on the other ship, Rebecca," Kaito reassured his wife, who nodded and kissed his lips.

"My husband and our daughter are on the other ship as well," Sumire asserted as she approached Skyler's group.

"Along with our son," Ren spoke out as he and Ann arrived to meet with Skyler and Hifumi.

"Likewise with my daughter and Ryuji's boy. The kiddos are all safe," Futaba added, walking not too far behind Ren and Ann.

"Everyone's here but not Makoto?" Ann noticed the obvious absence of the ex-SIU Director.

"What's this about me not being here?" Makoto calmly chimed in as her friends and the others turned around and were taken aback by her sudden appearance. "You thought I'd miss the last chance to help dismantle GHQ?"

"Makoto! You came!" Ann cried out happily.

Upon making eye contact, Makoto and Hifumi confronted one another and had a brief stand-off. For a moment, it looked like another outburst would occur. However, Makoto offered a handshake to the former Shogi player. Having reconciled with her daughter, Hifumi faced another unresolved dispute.

"Makoto."

"Hifumi, I'm sorry."

"Me, too," Hifumi smiled as she and Makoto finally resolved their issues with a handshake and a hug.

Seeing this, Skyler's smile broadened proudly for his wife and friend, ending their dispute once and for all. The Phantom Remnants, too, were proud to see 'Queen' and the Shogi master settle their differences.

"I know Leonard and Haru would be happy to see this," Skyler added.

"Yeah, I'm sure they are, Skyler," Makoto replied as she, Skyler, and Hifumi interacted and hashed out their differences.

"I'm so happy for them," Akiko watched proudly. "Mother and aunt Makoto have settled their disputes."

"It's a Christmas miracle, isn't it?" Walter added.

"I was hoping this day would come. I'm glad to see it happen with my eyes," a voice belonging to Otoboshi added as she walked in carrying her pet owl Yukinko and watched her love partners, Skyler and Hifumi, settling their differences with Makoto. Otoboshi had her hair let loose and hanging down.

"Hey, I'm glad you could be with us, Otoboshi," Heath addressed his legal guardian.

"I've been waiting for the day for your mother's smile to return and she didn't disappoint me, Skyler. She has such a beautiful smile," Otoboshi said, keenly eyeing Hifumi's radiant smirk.

Amid the reunions and reconciliations, Shu passed along by until he came across the Phantom Remnants.

"I'm glad you all could make it safely. With you here, Phantom Remnants, I like our chances better. My friends have already been prepared for the attack on Ward 24," Shu openly spoke with Ren and his group. When he and Ren made brief eye contact, they shook each other's hands.

"We're indebted to you since you gave us back our Metaverse powers," Ren said. "Even if it's just an extension of our old Metaverse abilities."

"Yeah, thanks to that Void Genome of yours," Makoto said.

"You've got one hell of a gift, kiddo. Thanks a lot," Futaba nodded.

"I'm glad I could at least restore you to your prime for one last battle," Shu acknowledged.

"I fought him, Ouma Shu. I fought your old friend Gai," Akechi revealed to the Void Genome user, who listened to every detail about Akechi's brief run-in with Gai. "Don't let your guard down with him, Shu. He's deadly, and he even caught me off guard with the grand design of his abilities."

Glancing down at the crystallized arm that used to be organic, Shu's mind immediately flashed to Gai cutting off his arm.

Clenching his crystallized hand tightly, Shu firmed his resolve. "Don't worry. I know too well how this new Gai fights. I won't make the same mistake around him."

"Shu, I hope you'll ensure Heath and Akiko will come out of this ordeal alive," Skyler said as he and Hifumi approached him.

"We want all of you to come back safely. Ayase and Inori, too," Hifumi said.

"Thank you, but you have to believe in Heath and Akiko's survival instincts. They've been able to adjust well, and they will come back safely. I can promise you that," Shu calmly reassured the Togo-Jones couple.


Elsewhere in the ship, Ayase and Tsugumi confronted the Hooters, who were the former track mates of Ayase and also tormented her before. Having been humiliated by Tsugumi, the leader of the Hooters, Hitomi, confronted Ayase and apologetically spoke with her.

"Please forgive us for all the crap my friends and I put you through," Hitomi offered her sincerest apology. On top of learning Ayase was a Funeral Parlor member, she found out that Ayase fought for Japan's freedom using primarily an Endlave. Having realized and accepted Ayase's heroic feats, Hitomi knew she couldn't compete with Ayase anymore. "With all I've heard, I've found a new respect for you, Ayase."

Furrowing her brows, Tsugumi scoffed. "I don't know about this. Ayase, what do you…?" Before she can finish asking Ayase, Ayase wheeled over to Hitomi and gave her a tight handshake, which she helped Hitomi turn into a fist bump.

"Do you remember? We used to do that every time we met for practice and our track meets?" Ayase asked, helping to jog Hitomi's memories.

"Yeah, that takes me back. Thanks, Ayase. I thought you'd never forgive me."

"It's all in the past. We live and learn as we grow," Ayase said with a resolute smile.

"Thank you, Ayase," Hitomi said.

After hearing about the Tennouzu battle, Hitomi and her group were shocked and horrified when Ayase described the atrocity and the casualties. When they found out the deaths were the direct result of Arisa's actions, they conveyed utter disgust for the former student president. Arisa's evil actions were more than enough to disgust Hitomi.

"I can't believe that rich whore was responsible for all of that, and I actually looked up to her," Hitomi nodded with contempt for Arisa.

"You know what they say, 'you should never meet your heroes.' Yeah, she couldn't get over Gai and showed us her true colors," Ayase frowned, reproving Arisa's actions and betraying them all.

"By the way, did I catch you talking to Souta earlier?" Tsugumi sneakily grinned as she pointed to Hitomi.

"That guy that showed me and my crew around the ship? He was pretty nice and kinda cute," Hitomi said, slightly blushing as she immediately brushed off Tsugumi's teasing. "Hey, what's it matter to you? And what is he to you?"

"He's a friend of ours. Maybe you'd like to get better acquainted with him?" Tsugumi asked.

"You'd do that?" Hitomi queried in bewilderment.

"Sure! I'll take you to see him," the hacker offered.

"I'm sure you'll like our friends, Hitomi. We're an interesting ragtag group, and we're going to whip GHQ's ass and win Japan's freedom," Ayase said, winking at Hitomi and the Hooters.


When most of the passengers passed out for the night, Funeral Parlor and their associates were already hard at work. During preparations for the final battle, Funeral Parlor, having gained data from Ayase's training with her Void months back and accessing the remains of the Steiner, built a special light-armor battle suit for Ayase to wear. This suit is called the Karmesin.

Coming out of a dressing room, Ayase faced a mirror and glanced over the Karmesin suit she wore. It was a full-bodied white armored suit with a black fabric outfit under it; the white armor covered most of her body sans the waist where the black fabric was shown. The same black fabric suit is seen inside her white armored forearms and shoulders. Bright red marks embellished all over her white armor. The model's body armor was based on Ayase's Steiner 2.0. The armor's metallic shoes are based on her Void shoes.

"Karmesin," Ayase muttered.

"Karmesin means crimson, fitting since that's your uniform color," Heath interjected as he and Tsugumi walked in to check on her. "It looks good on you, Ayase."

"Thanks," she replied kindly as Tsugumi checked over the Karmesin suit.

"Everything looks fine. It'll be ready for combat use, Aya," Tsugumi informed her friend, who nodded.

"We can't wait to see that armor in action," Heath said.

"Me, too," Ayase said. Now with her past training and all of her combat experiences, she feels she can fully fight on her own two feet without needing her Endlave to fight in the upcoming war.


Later on, Shu's group and the Phantom Remnants met with more guests. They saw a group that they already fought alongside against some Cryptical Nues. It was Sophia, Akane, Akane's husband Joaquin, Miki, and Horkew. They were also accompanied by several newcomers.

"Miki, it's you!" Hifumi called out to a woman with shoulder-length dark chocolate brown hair and reddish-brown eyes. Greeting Hifumi, Skyler, and the Remnants, Miki arrived wearing a long-sleeved blue dress shirt, pearl white long dress, shin-length dark gray stockings, and brown shoes.

"Hello again, Togo Hifumi. You and Skyler are looking well," Miki politely addressed the couple. "Are your kids here, too?"

"They are. Won't they be happy to be acquainted with you," Skyler nodded.

"Hi, everyone!" A woman with long brown hair with several streaks of silverish white. Accompanying is an older man with faded brown hair with patches of white hair and glasses. "I'm glad you're all doing ok these days, Phantom Thieves."

"Ren, Sumire, Ann, Makoto, Futaba, and Akechi, good to see you again," the man with the glasses greeted them again.

"We're glad you managed to find us, Ichinose and Maruki," Ren replied.

"Ren? Is that you?" A voice with a slight cybernetic tone chimed in. Upon hearing and recognizing this familiar voice, the Phantom Remnants saw an adult woman whose appearance was familiar to them. She was smaller than the last time they saw her. She was now taller than most of the Phantom Remnants.

"I still can't get over your new body, Sophie," Futaba referred to the android's Phantom Thief name.

"I showed you test screens of Sophia's new body but you all got to see the new Sophia in action. I can't take all of the credit for Sophia's modifications. Konoe Akira helped me to build Sophia's new body," Ichinose smirked.

"Konoe Akira, huh? That's a name I haven't heard in a long while," Ren smirked.

"By the way, it's an honor to meet Funeral Parlor," Maruki acknowledged Shu and his group's presence. When he approached them, he met Shu first. "I can already tell from a glance that you're the leader of this crew. There's something about you that reminds me of Ren."

"So, you knew the Phantom Thieves, too?" Shu queried.

"Indeed, Ouma Shu. And is that Ouma Haruka?" Maruki noticed Haruka standing behind Funeral Parlor.

"Yes, hello Dr. Maruki," Haruka openly answered him.

"Do you two know each other?" Shu asked them.

"Not personally but we scientists like keeping tabs on each other," Maruki genuinely smiled as Ichinose shook Haruka's hand and interacted with her.

Maruki then shifted his eyes toward Ayase, Heath, Akiko, and the other Funeral Parlor members. "Each of you reminds me of the Thieves. It's as if you've picked up the fight against corruption right after the Phantom Thieves. Now, you all are fighting in the same war." When he glanced over Funeral Parlor and the Phantom Remnants, the now older and wiser man smiled from ear to ear. "I wish you all luck and hope you can restore Japan's freedom."

Having been fitted with a new physical, adult body, Sophia also received new android modifications. Despite her new 'aged' look, she retained the m-shaped bangs and the ahoge hairstyle. Her floating seven red hearts were now tied into long pigtails. She is seen wearing a long white one-piece, long-sleeved dress coupled with black high-heel boots.

"I'm glad you're all here so I'm able to assist you again. How was my performance with my new body?" Sophia asked the Remnants.

"We really like the new you, Sophie!" Ann added cheerfully.

"Yeah, now we can interact better with you in person," Sumire added.

"I hope you have more to show us in action, Sophie," Makoto stated.

"I have yet to show all of my new modified weapons, Makoto," Maruki said as he confronted Ren.

"Hey, you've gotten older, Maruki."

"Likewise to you, Ren. You look more like a man than we first met," Maruki smiled, revealing wrinkles on the sides of his cheeks, which were added signs of his older and wiser age. "I'm saddened Rumi was one of the casualties of Lost Christmas."

As Ren and Maruki shook hands and hugged, Sophia interjected and poked her face in front of the Phantom Remnant's face.

"You look tired, Ren. May I suggest you get some sleep?"

"We could use it before the big fight ahead for us," Ann concurred.

"I'm glad to see you again, Sophie," Ren said to the android.

"Me, too, Ren! But, I do miss our other friends."

"Makoto! Over here!" A voice belonging to a young woman called out to her. When Makoto and her friends pivoted ahead, they identified a woman with long, back-length dark brown hair garbed in a black long-sleeved hoodie, a dark ash gray long dress, a thigh-length light gray stocking on her right leg, and long, shin-length military boots.

"I'm glad you're ok after we dealt with those freaky monkeys, Akane-chan," Makoto said with relief.

"You can drop the -chan, Makoto. I'm not a child anymore," chuckled Akane, who was seen with an Ainu man, with a quarter of Spanish descent, wearing a brown vest over a light blue short-sleeved shirt, dark blue jeans, dark brown boots. The Ainu man has wild, shoulder-length reddish-brown hair, and light green eyes.

"You were a good hand, Joaquin," Makoto addressed the unnamed man, who nodded.

"Thank you."

"Wow, who would've thought little Akane would grow up and marry such a handsome man," Ann giggled.

After hugging Makoto, Akane winked. "As you can already tell, I'm not the same Akane you all used to know. I've been trained for combat and brought more firearms for this fight."

"Yes, and as you've already seen, I'm quite skilled in combat, too," Miki added as she took out a dark blue butterfly mask. "In honor of the Phantom Thieves, I'm bringing my alter ego Shinchū to this fight!"

"Horkew! Over here!" Joaquin called over a canine-like creature, who quickly bolted over and jumped on him and Akane. Much to everyone's surprise, this wasn't a domesticated dog. It was a wolf.

"Whoa, you brought a wolf on board?!" Tsugumi exclaimed.

"B-But wolves are supposed to be extinct in Japan!" Heath cried out. "How did you manage to find one?"

"Well, you're right. The Hokkaido wolf is an extinct wolf species but Horkew was cloned by scientists. He was supposed to be planned for an exhibit for a zoo but they let me have him to see how well he adjusts under domesticated care," Joaquin explained. "I was born in Hokkaido and the land used to be a historic range for this wolf species before my time. As an Ainu, my people revered the Hokkaido wolf as the deity Horkew Kamuy."

"Horkew Kamuy means 'howling god'," Ayase stated.

"Another species saved through the cloning process. Sounds like your mom and her team's work," Akiko whispered to Shu.

"It sure does."

"You heard right. Horkew is the first Hokkaido wolf clone and I'm glad he appears healthy. We hope to revive the Hokkaido wolf project after this war," Haruka spoke out.

"Horkew has become our companion and family pet since then. From what I gather, more Hokkaido wolves are being cloned and planned to be in that zoo exhibit whenever it opens," Akane said.

"Let's just hope we all survive this war if we want to see that zoo realized," Heath said.

"We will survive this, Heath," Ayase reassured him.

Shu nodded in agreement. "As long as we stay united and don't falter, we'll pull through this."

"Indeed you will, Void Genome wielder," another voice but belonging to an older-sounding gentleman chimed in.

Much to the Phantom Remnant's surprise, especially Ren, they saw Igor and Lavenza, the two inhabitants of the Velvet Room, appear before them. This is one of the rare instances when the Velvet Room duo appeared in the real world.

It was Igor who spoke as the long-nosed, freakish-faced age-old entity briefly spoke with Funeral Parlor and the Phantom Remnants.

Lavenza's appearance has changed since she last interacted with Ren and his friends. She is now taller and gained a bit of girth in her chest and hip areas. Her eyes, once youthful and modest, became sharper and mature. Having grown out her hair, it is now as long as her body.

"My dear trickster, how age has been kind to you despite these rough years," Lavenza smiled over to Ren.

"And you grew a whole lot, Lavenza," Ren smirked.

"Trickster, we wish you and the Void Genome wielder luck on this crucial war ahead for you and your friends," Igor said.

"Thanks, Igor," Ren nodded.

"Yes, thank you," Shu bowed his head.

Akiko whispered to Walter. "Hey, that guy has a really long nose. He looks like a freakin' kiwi bird."

Walter scoffed. "Be nice, Akiko."

Heath turned over to Ayase and whispered. "Never thought we'd see otherworldly people, huh?"

Ayase shook her head. "Honestly, I've accepted that anything can exist."

As Shu's group and the Phantom Remnants walked the guests into the boat, they met four more guests. They met a brown-haired Caucasian young boy, who is the son of a United States admiral, named Richard.

The young boy, wearing a navy blue coat, was seen accompanied by three black-haired Native American young women in their late-teens and each with long braided hair locks in the middle of their long hair. The leader of the three Native trio is Jessica, who has long, back-length black and braided hair. The middle woman, who is named Kai, has long, back-length black hair, green feathers tied with knots in her hair, and a red tribal mark embellished on her forehead. The third woman, named Danielle, is the youngest and the shortest of the trio; she has long black hair fashioned into a twin-tailed hairstyle and wears black ink marks across her cheeks.

"Hello, we've come on behalf of the United Nations to help you in the battle," Richard openly addressed Funeral Parlor and the Phantom Remnants.

"Good evening, we are the Native Trinity," Jessica introduced herself and the other two.

"Oh, so they must be your legal guardians, Richard?" Shu asked the younger boy.

"Well, actually they're my wives and my harem," Richard modestly responded, which elicited shocked reactions from Funeral Parlor and the Phantom Remnants.

"But, you're… younger… and they're older than you?!" Ayase exclaimed.

"This is totally messed up," Akiko remarked.

"Now, now, let's not judge, sis," Heath muttered.

"We're honored to fight alongside you, Funeral Parlor," Jessica, Kai, and Danielle said in unison.

"Thank you. It won't be long until you'll see action. Get ready," Shu stated.

"Yes!" The Native Trinity responded together.

"We're also Endlave pilots, and we've given our trusted Endlaves individual names. My Endlave is named Soul Shadow," Jessica stated.

"I've named my Endlave Thunderbird," Kai revealed.

"And mine is named Grizzly Bear," Danielle said.

"Since you three brought your Endlaves, you've helped lessen my load since I'll be fighting in the front line alongside Shu," Ayase said.

"Well, you four better get some rest. Have you four found a room?" Shu asked Richard and the Native Trinity.

"We have. Thank you very much, Ouma Shu," Richard said, bowing his head as he escorted his three wives toward their quarters. Before leaving for their quarters, the Native Trinity saw Horkew running by them.

"Wasn't that a wolf?!" Kai exclaimed.

"It is but I thought Japan didn't have any more!" Danielle shrieked.

"Yes, it was. He belongs to my husband and me," Akane answered as she collected Horkew.

"You know what wolf means in Navajo? Mai-coh," Jessica said.

"Really? Wow, that's interesting," Akane said with intrigue as Joaquin briefly interacted with the Native Trinity, sharing stories about the Ainu culture and comparing them with Native American cultures such as the Navajo. He became fascinated when learning the differences between their cultures.


After speaking with Akane and Joaquin, Richard and his three wives entered their quarters. After closing the door, Richard watched Jessica stripping down next to clothing. Likewise, Kai and Danielle stripped down to their birthday suits. As Richard kneeled in front of his wives, they leaned down and planted a kiss on his lips as they engaged in a four-way kiss fest behind closed doors.


Later that same evening, when most everyone had fallen asleep, Miki was brought into a break room where she met and played Shogi with Akiko. Walter, Akiko's parents & grandparents, Otoboshi, and Yukinko were also present watching the evenly contested Shogi match.

"Wow, you're just as good as your mother, Akiko. I'm impressed but I shouldn't be surprised," Miki assessed Akiko during their gameplay.

"Thanks. I may not be as regal and calm as my mother but I've inherited her other qualities, including her gaming skills," Akiko said, noticing Hifumi trying to coach her during the next play. "Thanks, mother, but this is my game, ok?"

"Fair enough," Hifumi answered, backing off.

"I don't see why you didn't enroll her in Shogi competitions," Mitsuyo suggested.

"Because Akiko didn't want to," Skyler simply stated.

"That's too bad."

Satoshi asserted. "It's Akiko's choice dear. If she wants to play for fun, then she has that right. Let her choose to compete professionally when she feels up to it."

"You have the right idea, gramps," Akiko muttered while focusing on her next move.

"By the way, Walter, have you and Akiko gotten intimate with each other yet?" Otoboshi curiously asked him.

"What? No, we haven't been that close."

"Oh, c'mon. You can't bullshit a bullshitter. I doubt you two did anything behind those Loop 7 walls for several months without losing your minds. So, did you score with Akiko or not?" Otoboshi asked, causing both Walter and Akiko to blush madly, which was the big red flag that elicited an overly shocked reaction from everyone else.

With a contorted facial reaction that looked like something from a grudge movie, Hifumi gawked at her daughter and Walter. "...YOU WHAT?! DON'T TELL ME IT'S TRUE?! MY SWEET AKIKO… DID YOU REALLY HAVE SEX WITH WALTER?!"

At the same time when Hifumi screamed, Yukinko shrieked loudly in alarm.

"Don't tell me this is true, Walter!" Mitsuyo pointed and waved a finger at Walter.

"Listen, I.. we didn't…!"

"Did you at least have protected intercourse?" Satoshi asked Walter.

"You know what they say about unprotected sex between young couples, right?" Otoboshi said, sneakily grinning in a sing-along tune.

"I can assure you we didn't have unprotected sex if that's what you're implying!" Walter yelled out.

"Ugh, did you just have to openly admit it?" Heath groaned, facepalming at Walter's admittance to the accusation.

"OH MY GOD, TEEN PREGNANCY!" Hifumi screamed aloud, causing the others to cover their ears.

Covering her blushing red face, Akiko screamed inside her hands. "MOM! I PROMISE WE USED PROTECTION!"

Watching Akiko unable to bring herself to finish the game, Miki shrugged. "I guess you want to forfeit the game to me then?"


Somewhere in another private room, Shu met with his stepmother Haruka and discussed Shu's pivotal role in the final battle. Murphy is in the background watching their discussion.

Worried about her stepson's condition, Haruka warned Shu that his overuse and quick development of the Void Genome is causing health deterioration, including the danger of going blind and the cancerous Apocalypse Virus breaking down his physical being. While his ability to manifest Voids has greatly benefitted his friends and allies, it came at the overall cost of his well-being.

However, Shu, despite being warned, vowed he would bring Inori back and ensure GHQ, as well as Da'ath's downfall.

"Then, you've made up your mind then," Haruka sadly sighed with tearful eyes. "I don't agree with what you're doing but I understand since you are a Void Genome user now."

"I'm going to stop Gai and Mana, mom. And I promise to bring Inori back."

"That's all well and good but there's no guarantee you can save Inori, son," Haruka said.

"I know but that's not going to stop me from saving her," the Void Genome user firmly stated.

"I hope you do save her, Shu. Before you go, I want to show you something," Haruka said, showing Shu an egg that she managed to retrieve from Ward 24. It was a dinosaur egg, which then hatched and revealed a baby Fafnir rex. Its appearance was more akin to a T. rex variation than the original Fafnir rex Shu fought before.

"That's a…!" Shu was taken aback by the Fafnir rex chick chirping and shaking the cracked eggshell off it. "This thing looks familiar. It looks like that monster I killed before I joined Funeral Parlor.

"This one's DNA is domesticated and not designed to be a bio-weapon like the original Fafnir rex. My scientist team and I made sure this one will grow to be an ambassador for our planned extinct zoo," Haruka reassured him as she gently patted the baby Fafnir rex's forehead. "We hope this Fafnir rex will be raised to be a proper animal instead of a biological weapon."

As Shu approached the baby Fafnir rex, he cautiously put his hand toward it. He hesitated and withdrew his hand.

"It's ok, Shu. It won't bite. I promise."

"Alright," Shu nodded as he reached over and caressed the baby dinosaur's face, gently moving his fingers across its forehead. After a few stitches, the baby Fafnir rex chirped happily, taking a liking to Shu.

"There see? He likes you, Shu. Do you want to give him a name?"

As he gently patted the baby Fafnir rex, Shu smiled. "His name will be Sougo."

"Sougo? Yes, I like it. From now on, little one, you will be Sougo."

Sougo chirped in response and leaned his head closer for Shu to pet him more.


Later that night, after his talk with Haruka, Shu went to sleep early before the big battle. In his dreams, he entered an ethereal realm where he reunited with the spirits of his parents Kurosu and Saeko first.

"Shu, we're proud of you, my son," Kurosu genuinely praised the Void Genome wielder's efforts and growth as a hero.

"You've made a wonderful group of friends, Shu. How I wish I could meet all of them. How I could've lived to see you grow," Saeko smiled proudly for her son.

"Yes, now you have a chance to stop Shuichiro where I've failed," Kurosu regretfully added.

"Shu, you have the power to stop GHQ. We believe in you," a voice that Shu recognized encouraged him. When Shu turned, he saw Jun appear before him. "I have no regrets for you killing me, Shu. Thank you for looking out for my brother Yahiro."

"Shu! Keep your spirits up! We're all cheering for you and the others!" The cheerfully radiant voice belonging to Hare captured Shu's attention. As he turned the other way, he saw a white rabbit hopping toward him. The white rabbit then transformed into Hare.

"Hare?!" Shu called out tearfully. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I have no regrets sacrificing my life to ensure my kind king lived to see his kingdom standing. My death did cause you to turn toward a slightly dark path but you've found a new light and regained that kindness I liked best about you. Kindness is your greatest quality, Shu."

"Everyone. Thank you. Mom, dad, Jun, and Hare. I promise I won't let any of you down," Shu openly vowed to them.

"You better not, kid!" The loud and boisterous voice belonging to Dan Eaglemen hollered, catching Shu's attention.

"No way, you're here, too?!" Shu blurted out with a dumbfounded look.

"You did me a favor taking down that smarmy clown-faced freak, kid! Bring down those GHQ bastards in the name of AMERICA!" Dan boisterously hollered and saluted Shu while fireworks went off behind him.

Chuckling, Shu saluted. "Right, I'm not going to fail! This one's for all of you!" As he woke up, Shu became more motivated than ever before to not only save Inori but liberate Japan from GHQ entirely and restore his nation's freedom.


Unbeknownst to Hifumi and her family, Heath and Ayase were about to explicitly engage in their love affairs behind closed doors. As they sat on Ayase's bed, the young couple stared deeply into one another's eyes while holding hands.

"Listen, Ayase, I'm glad I've gotten to know you."

"And here I thought our relationship wouldn't go beyond just simple friendship."

"So, have I passed your test?"

With that, they had the same thought and leaned forward at the same time. When their lips met, they shared a passionate kiss behind closed doors and without anyone knowing. Seemingly picking up where Ayase's mother and Heath's father left off many years ago, Ayase and Heath doubled their efforts to make sure nothing interrupts their momentary privacy.

Following their passionate kiss, Heath and Ayase took their clothes off, fully exposing their nude bodies toward each other. Upon holding each other, they felt their bodies press against the other. Heath's fair and soft skin rubbed against Ayase's rougher and slightly darker skin. The different skin sensations and complexions added some contrast to their intercourse, making their experience more pleasurable. As they examined one another, they were allured by what they saw. Ayase sat in front of Heath not just naked but in his eyes looking like a radiant goddess. From his view, Ayase was more beautiful without her clothes.

When she saw him blush, Ayase scoffed as her cheeks flushed. "What the hell are you gawking at? Are we going to do anything or just stare at each other all night?"

"I just thought we could drag this out a little…" Before he could finish, Ayase silenced him with a finger to his lips and planted another kiss, which Heath went along with as they engaged in another passionate kiss. As Heath kissed her, Ayase's lips felt soft and luscious. Compared to his, Heath's lips were soft but also dry. His dry lips moistened once he kissed Ayase. During their kiss exchange, Heath noted Ayase's long, slender legs and her bare feet in front of him. With a sly smirk etched on her face, Ayase pulled him into an embrace and gave him a close-up of her breasts, smothering his face with and jiggling her breasts.

Wondering how Heath will react, she noticed a pleasant grin on his flushed face. She knew full well he wanted a close-up view of her body. He earned enough of her trust to see her nude body and breasts up close. Then, they started licking each other's feet. And while Heath was able to feel ticklish sensations from Ayase licking the soles of his feet and his toes, she couldn't feel anything due to her disability. She hated her legs and feet not being able to feel anything. She wanted to know the pleasures of being able to sense anything Heath was doing with her.

Licking her feet, he tasted a beautifully scented aroma that filled his nostrils. His nose even touched and smelled Ayase's toes. During the foot licking, one of Ayase's toes stuck inside Heath's left nostril where he smelled the same beautifully fresh scent. After forcing Ayase's toe out of his nose, he saw Ayase softly moaning and her face turning bright pink.

"Ayase…"

"Why are you stopping, idiot? Keep it going," Ayase remarked while their feet licking lasted a little longer. With Ayase and Heath licking each other's soles, they earned each other's trust by becoming soulmates. When Ayase licked Heath's feet, the taste she got was not quite a fresh scent but still a pleasurable scent that attracted her.

As Ayase loosened her hairband and let her hair down, Heath became allured with her appearance. "What?" She asked in befuddlement.

"You look even more beautiful with your hair down. Could you maybe keep it down for the rest of this?"

Blushing, Ayase played with her untied hair and scoffed. "So, you like my hair being down? Why didn't you tell me you like it?"

"Because you just showed me," Heath replied as Ayase leaned over and kissed his lips. While the couple engaged in passionate kissing, they held each other in a lover's embrace. Slowly pushing his manhood inside Ayase, he heard her let out a loud gasp.

"Ayase, sorry I didn't…"

"It's ok. I trust you. And guess what?" She said.

"What?"

"You passed my final test with flying colors."

Having been given Ayase's reassurance with her body, Heath mounted Ayase on his lap. As he pushed his manhood into her, Ayase threw her head back and moaned softly. Following a few thrusts into her, Heath felt his manhood throbbing inside Ayase and climaxed inside her. Ayase's upper body shuddered pleasurably from the warmth of Heath's seed.

As the couple embraced, they shared another passionate kiss. Their sweaty bodies lay on top of each other. Through the rest of the night, Ayase and Heath slept peacefully in each other's loving embrace. By the time they awoke, they kissed passionately. Unlike what happened with Ayase's mother and Heath's father, neither Ayase nor Heath were planning to leave each other behind.

"I won't leave your side, Heath. After this war is over, I want us to stick together."

"Yeah, and I promise you'll walk without a Void again."

Hearing this, tears fell from Ayase's eyes as a loving smile smeared across her face.

"I hope so, Heath. I want to believe."

"Believe." As he said this, they fell back under their sheets and kissed.


Shu wasn't the only one to dream about meeting spirits coming back for encouragement. The Phantom Remnants, alongside Miki, Sophia, Akane, Joaquin, and Horkew reunited with the spirits of the other Phantom Thieves. The Phantom Remnants were brought to tears when Morgana, Ryuji, Yusuke, and Haru's spirits appeared before them.

"Now is that any way to react to seeing old friends again?" Morgana chuckled, uplifting the scenery with his clever humor.

"Yo, dudes! Man, y'all look older now. Has it really been 10 years?" Ryuji queried while trying to keep track of the time that passed on after his death.

"Morgana, Ryuji," Ren smiled, taking his glasses off while wiping his tears away.

"You two numbskulls! I missed you!" Ann cried out with tears flowing.

"We've all missed you dearly," Sumire tearfully smiled.

"You've all been missed dearly!" Sophia cried out.

"Hello, my friends. It's good to see you all. Futaba, my dear, you've aged gracefully like a fine piece of quality art," Yusuke said.

"You big dummy, still going on with that artistry talk," Futaba muttered with a sad smile.

"Mako-chan, my love, it's been so long," Haru waved to her wife. "I can sense that anger you harbor has mostly left your broken heart."

When Makoto walked over, she and Haru's hands touched and they grasped each others' fingers. Touching Haru was enough to bring Makoto to tears.

"I see you still have the keepsake our Leonard gave you for your birthday," Haru noticed a Buchimaru keychain on Makoto.

"Yeah, I do. I'd never give this up," Makoto showed off her Buchimaru keychain hanging on her left hip, which is a tragic keepsake given to her by Leonard eight years after her birthday. Ever since receiving it on April 23, 2021, she treasured the keepsake as a remnant of her humanity.

The spirits were brought into the Phantom Remnants' dreams thanks to Igor and Lavenza's intervention. Sophia and Akane were also ecstatic to see the fallen Thieves again. They commented on how much Akane has grown since they last met. Morgana and Horkew briefly interacted as the monster cat praised Horkew for succeeding him.

During the Phantom Thieves' reunion, four other spirits materialized: Sae, Sojiro, Shiho, and Zenkichi.

Upon seeing her father Zenkichi, Akane quickly embraced him.

"Dad, I can't believe it's you."

"And you've grown into a beautiful and strong young woman, my Akane," Zenkichi smiled, lovingly hugging his daughter.

"Here, you've met Joaquin before you died but he's grown a lot just like I have and this is our family wolf Horkew," Akane introduced Zenkichi to the aforementioned.

"Damn, you've grown a ton, Joaquin. Thank you for looking out for my daughter," Zenkichi said.

"It's an honor, sir. I think we were going to meet again and then… you know what happened."

"Yes, it was an unforeseen disaster sadly," Zenkichi then paused and knelt to pet Horkew. "How fitting your pet would be a wolf, Akane."

"Sis, it's really you!" Makoto called out to Sae as the Niijima sisters reunited with an embrace.

"My little Makoto. No, you're a career woman now and SIU Director I hope?"

"I'm afraid not. I was let go but I'm taking part in the fight to help my friends and Shu's group end GHQ's injustice."

Sae nodded. "We're pulling for you, Makoto." Then, she and Akechi quickly made eye contact and reunited to share words.

"Hello, Niijima Sae."

"Akechi, you look tired as all hell."

"That's an understatement, and yes I've gotten older. I'm not that junior ace detective that tagged along with you. I've had plenty of time to reflect on my past transgressions and thought about you. I'm sorry for betraying our trust."

Nodding, Sae's firm expression softened. "You've done enough for me to forgive you, Akechi."

"Thank you, Sae."

"So, you were the infamous junior detective. You're not looking much like an ace anymore," Zenkichi scoffed audibly as he and Akechi interacted for the first time. "I heard you betrayed the Phantom Thieves before but have since spent the rest of your life trying to make amends. I think you've done well. Between us, we never knew each other. Normally, I'd bust you for breaking the Phantom Thieves' trust, but you and they are involved in a matter far more important than what happened in the past. Taking down GHQ and restoring this country's freedom is high up on the priority list."

"Agreed, and I'm glad we could have this conversation, Zenkichi," Akechi said as he buried the hatchet with Sae and settled differences with Zenkichi.

As Sojiro interacted with Ren and Futaba, it was a tearful and happy reunion.

"You've grown into quite the stud. I bet you took all my advice to heart?" Sojiro chuckled. "You even grew out some facial hair on that baby chin of yours!"

"Heh, I guess you did rub off on me, dad," Ren grinned.

"Dad, I missed you," Futaba teared up as she hugged Sojiro.

"Thanks for taking care of the cafe in my place, Futaba. You've done well," Sojiro said with a loving smile.

"But, it's gone after those Loop 7 walls crushed it."

"Your lives are more important than that rundown place. And if you kiddos have been wondering how I've been doing in the afterlife? It's not too bad. Morgana has kept me company on the other side."

"So, you've heard him talk?" Ann asked him.

"Yep, why didn't y'all tell me Morgana could speak?"

Morgana snickered. "Heheh, believe me, he was shocked when he heard me talk. And he not once has called me a monster cat, unlike someone else I know."

Ryuji scoffed. "Damn even when we're dead, you have to get one on me."

"It was done out of love, Ryuji. We all miss being with Ren, Lady Ann, and the others."

Wiping tears from her eyes, Ann had a bittersweet smile. "I miss you all, especially you, Shiho." She and her best friend embraced.

"I'll never forget about our bond and what you did for me, Ann," Shiho humbly said.

"You can leave this battle with us and Funeral Parlor. We're going to take down GHQ and its tyrannical sovereignty. This country is long overdue for freedom," Ren vowed to make things right on behalf of his fallen friends.

After receiving encouragement from their loved ones, the Phantom Remnants and their associates awoke with renewed determination to ensure GHQ sees its final dystopian days.


The day finally arrived. It is now December 24, 2039.

Everyone who decided to fight in the war was amassed outside the ship and faced their enemy's location. Hundreds of kilometers from them is the tyrannical symbol of GHQ's sovereignty: Ward 24.

Emerging from his quarters, Shu came out wearing mostly black attire, including a black long-sleeved coat. The black scarf, which was the symbol of his tyrant stint, has been replaced with a dark maroon scarf. Walking out with the help of her Void, Ayase came out wearing her Karmesin battle armor.

Heath and Akiko walked out garbed in new outfits. Fully dressed for combat, Heath is garbed in a white-and-black striped unbuttoned hoodie with a light gray shirt under it coupled with black jeans with tears above the knees, and black tennis shoes. Akiko's outfit consisted of a black-and-white striped hoodie coat trimmed with black coupled with a black short skirt and shin-length black boots.

As she watched Shu and his group head out, Haruka commented. "Now I understand why your name is Shu. Your name means 'together', and right now you and your friends are standing together to overthrow GHQ's dictatorship that has gripped us for 10 years."

Before they advanced, Funeral Parlor verified that the 256 Leukocyte satellite threat was a bluff meant to encourage fear and subdue the United Nations. With this clarified, Shu's faction can reach Ward 24 without issue.

"We're here, Gai. We're not going to turn back now," Shu adamantly declared, firming his and everyone's resolve for the upcoming war for freedom.

Kickstarting the war, Gai utilized his Leader's Rifle Void, which combined Yuu, Arisa, and Kenji's Voids to forge a super-powered bow that unleashed a storm of arrows. Each arrow filled with the Apocalypse Virus, which quickly spread and infected many United Nations warships.

Unnerved by Gai's first attack, Shu, Ayase, Heath, and Akiko grimaced but remained firm in the face of their enemy.

"There's no turning back for us now," Ayase firmly stated, raising and clenching her right hand into a fist.

"No way. We're bringing them down hard," Heath added.

"Damn straight," Akiko concurred.

"Then, let's give them hell. Hang on, Inori. I'm coming!" Shu said, adamantly vowing to defeat Gai & Mana, but most importantly to save Inori from their possession.

As Shu's faction clashed directly with Gai's, the total number of Shu's combatants, including the individual warriors and their forces, consisted of 108 people.

Taking charge of their friends and allies, Shu and Ayase were the acting leaders. Funeral Parlor and their allies consisted of 18: Heath, Akiko, Argo who is now wielding Oogumo's launcher cannon, Tsugumi, Walter, Shibungi, Fyu-Neru, Haruka, Kurachi, Yuko, Ito, Aneko, Yoshitsugu, Masaru, Subaru, Jessica w/her Soul Shadow Endlave, Kai w/her Thunderbird Endlave, and Danielle w/her Grizzly Bear Endlave.

The Phantom Remnants consisted of 11: Joker, Panter, Queen, Oracle, Crow, Violet, Shinchū, Sophie, Akane, Joaquin, and Horkew.

The other forces comprised 77 individuals within Funeral Parlor, the Kuhouin Group, the United Nations, and the Endlave Jumeau.

Under Gai's leadership, he also has Mana on standby before her awakening. He also has Yuu, Keido, Arisa, Kenji, Darly w/his Gespenst Endlave, Rowan, Sasaki, Arima, and Ryōko. In Daryl's situation, with his Void is removed he is forced to invoke his murderous personality again by piloting the Gespenst Endlave.

Gai's ground forces consisted of Anti-Bodies, normal & infected Endlave Ghost Units, and various Da'ath Members. GHQ also assembled their remaining experiments and Beasts of Eden, which all waited for Shu's faction inside Ward 24.

Within moments after leaving the ship, Shu's forces with Funeral Parlor, the Phantom Remnants, the Kuhouin Group, and the United Nations managed to reach Ward 24. Bombarding their way through toward Ward 24's entrance, they fought off Anti-Bodies, Endlave Ghost Units, various Da'ath members, and experimental monsters.

From the distance, they also spotted the Aragami riding the same white pterosaurs as before. The giant pterosaurs are seen flying over Ward 24, preparing to dive down and attack intruders that get close. However, with assistance from United Nation forces, Shu's forces were able to fend off the Aragami and their Sigrúndactyl beasts.

"Easy now, Rossweisse," Sasaki calmly reassured his flying beast.

"We'll get another chance to finish them inside headquarters, Helmwige," Arima said to his beast.

"That's right and then we'll kill them all, Waltraute!" Ryōko declared.

Riding Fyu-Neru as a segway past numerous GHQ ground forces and Da'ath members, Shu headed straight into Ward 24 with his entourage, including Ayase, Heath, and Akiko, as he yelled out. "Gai, I'm taking you and GHQ down!"


A/N: The finale is upon us. This chapter served its purpose in addressing and resolving the family feud between Akiko and Hifumi. Hifumi also hashed out her differences with Makoto. It also brought us a reunion with the Phantom Remnants and a few of their old colleagues (Maruki, Ichinose, and the Velvet Room duo), and a heartfelt reunion with the spirits of the other Phantom Thieves and confidants. So, for Persona readers, this is closure for most of the Remnants.

And on the subject of reconciliations, Hitomi and her group made up with Ayase and Tsugumi. Hitomi even shows she has standards when conveying her disgust for Arisa's recent actions.

The chapter also provided more Heath and Ayase moments, including as you would guess, a sex scene. And I know there'll be someone put off by that. Oh well. Deal with it or skip it. Speaking of sex, did anyone get a good laugh out of Hifumi's reaction with her sweet Akiko losing her virginity?

This chapter also revealed more extinct animal revivals, including Horkew the Hokkaido wolf. And during Shu's heartfelt talk with Haruka, we're introduced to Sougo, which shows us an infant Fafnir rex that's not engineered to be a war machine.

Speaking of reunions, Shu got his spiritual reunion with his parents, Hare, and Jun, which sadly never happened in the show. And did anyone call the 'American Hero' Dan Eagleman making another appearance? :P

This chapter also introduced a few more participants for the Ward 24 siege: Richard's Indigenous girlfriends Jessica, Kai, and Danielle, who all came equipped with their Endlaves. And while their names were already mentioned in summarized scenes in Chapter XIV, this chapter introduced Miki, Akane, Joaquin, and Sophia with their 'onscreen' character profiles.

All There in the Manual - Chapter XV

-Shu's homeroom teacher alongside others like Yūki, Kana, the four unnamed Roppongi High students, and their dog are also in the different ship that Shinya and the others are in to be safe.
-Richard/Jessica/Kai/Danielle also has an unseen rival foursome: a young blond-haired European boy the same age as Richard and three Egyptian girls that are the same age as Jessica/Kai/Danielle. So it's like an American brown-haired shota boy/three teenage Native American girls (New World) vs. a European blond-haired shota boy/three teenage Egyptian girls (Old World). Mainly their rivalry with both sets of girls is related to Endlave competitions. If imagine the three Egyptian girls' appearances, they'll look like Nitocris, Scheherazade (for the leader of the three's appearance), and Queen of Sheba from the Fate series (And counterparts to Jessica/Kai/Danielle's appearances looking like South Dakota, Massachusetts, and Alabama from Azur Lane). The Egyptian girls' Endlaves are named Merneith (for the leader's Endlave), Hatshepsut, and Nefertiti.
-Miki (AnGC) is married to Kento (AnGC), and Kento (AnGC) is another survivor of Lost Christmas, they have a son who attends Kosei High School.
-The 108 combatants that are part of Shu's faction references the 108 symbolism meaning in Buddhism of Japan's New Year's Eve.

With that, the final arc has arrived. Three chapters and an epilogue left to go. How much will the protags have to endure before they reach Gai and Mana?

Until then, post your comments and send a review while you're able. Later, readers!