"Kyah! Doctor?!"

"Doctor Ren. What do you think you're doing?"

"Sorry. I'm just having a hard believing Amiya's rabbit ears are real."

"They've always been real, Doctor! All Cautuses have rabbit ears!"

"Really now? I see."

"It seems your amnesia is even worse than we thought. Good grief."

- A conversation between Amiya, Ren, and Dobermann, after Ren recovered from dormancy.

ACT 1

SHOW TIME

CHAPTER 1

FOOLS ON THE RUN

"Are you feeling better yet, Doctor?"

"Well, could've been worse. I've recovered much of my strength for a start."

"If you feel that you are now capable of at least running, then let's move, Doctor Ren. We only have a few hours until the Catastrophe strikes, so we must make haste."

Heeding the canine woman's urging, Ren carefully stood up from where he was, right beside an entry point where a corpse of a white coated person once laid there before being incinerated by the Casters. Considering that he has recently woken up from "3 years of slumber", trying to get up on his lonesome is almost impossible. He had to rely on Amiya and Dobermann to support him as he trudged onto a nearby wall for him to rest on. That light skirmish his new cohorts had with the white coated people didn't even help much, but that at least gave him some insight in what kind of world he's in, apart from the fact that it's a fantasy and sci-fi world where kemonomimis and demons are real.

Speaking of the world, Ren figured it's a good time to give himself a recap of who he is now, along with what he knows of Terra's conditions.

- Take Your Time -

Ren is apparently Rhodes Island's leading field tactician on all of their missions as well as the head researcher in the neurology department. In the past, he was striving to run research on developing a cure for a disease known as Oripathy, a disease that is common throughout Terra's inhabitants, transmitted through exposure of Originium, an ore that is also common on the planet, being used in most of the technologies used all over Terra. One very easy example is the city he's currently standing on. Why that is an example, he will have to read up on it along with a few other subjects in an extensive manner. It's a good thing the Rhodes Islanders thought he was an amnesiac, even though this Doctor and him sharing the same name is out of sheer luck. According to Amiya, the reason he was placed in that Sarcophagus was for a recovery, and Ren preferred to keep it that way. He didn't want to drop a morale crusher bomb by saying that he was dead. What matters is that he is now "awakened", and now he and Rhodes Island have to escape from this city, Chernobog, before a Catastrophe struck, ignoring the fact that the city itself takes after the name of the Dark God of Ukrainian legend.

On the subject of Catastrophes, listening to Amiya's account, Catastrophes are natural disasters that plagued Terra for who knows long. The disasters mentioned can range from blizzards, thunderstorms, and even meteor showers, which surprised Ren at the start. On top of the scale of the disasters, no one knows when and where Catastrophes will strike, which prompted many countries to develop Catastrophe Warning Systems and mobile cities like Chernobog to preemptively evade the Catastrophe. Anything that gets struck by these Catastrophes will transform into wastelands and ruins infested with Originium, making them extremely dangerous for those who are free from Oripathy. Those who contract Oripathy end up in a class of people known as the Infected. Hearing of the general public's treatment of the Infected however is enough to make him curl his hands into fists and grit his teeth in rage to a point where he scared Amiya just a little.

'Philemon wasn't kidding when he said that this world is so fucked up.'

The problem now is that despite the incoming Catastrophe, Chernobog hasn't moved an inch. The amount of information he received during his recovery led him to begin casting suspicion on whether or not the whole system was sabotaged beforehand. If time permitted, he would split off from the extraction team and investigate whether or not the whole system has been hijacked. Of course, this would mean he would have to ask permit from Dobermann and Amiya as well, and he's better off following them instead of being forced to through the receiving end of Dobermann's whip. And he knew just how hard whips hurt through experience.

So instead of inquiring about the system, Ren decided to inquire about the next thing that knocked on his brain. The white coats. Speaking of coats, Ren has to be grateful that he was already clothed when he was found. A long greyish white coat along with a white shirt underneath with a bluish black pair of khakis, finished with a pair of black dress shoes along with the signature Rhodes Island jacket. He doesn't know why he has a respirator mask on him however, and it was very hard to take it off. Not to mention the hood making it uncomfortable for him due to his frizzy hair.

"Amiya?"

"Yes, Doctor?"

Amiya looked up at Ren as the extraction team moved in a steady formation. Vanguards and Snipers up front with Defenders and Casters out back. Ren, Amiya, and Dobermann are in the inner circle with a group of Guards and Medics. A rather standard formation, Ren thought. That gave him time to come up with a few formations in his head back when he rested. The executives wouldn't mind if their amnesiac commander somehow managed to regain his tactical expertise, right? It's been far too long!

But for now, white coats.

- Take Your Time -

"Who are those people in white coats? They seem rather aggressive." Ren spoke, opening with his inquiry,

"Ah. Those people in white belong to the Reunion Movement."

"Reunion. What are they all about?"

Hearing those words, it was the instructor's turn to chime in.

"Reunion can be described as nothing more than rebel group. Their objectives as far as they've announced is to bring about equality for the Infected, much like us."

"Considering that you said rebel group, I'm guessing that your opinion on them is not too high."

Ren's remark was enough to make Dobermann sigh.

"It seems your perception hasn't been dulled by your memory loss, Doctor. You are right. Despite their propaganda, all their actions so far have proven that they're nothing more than terrorists, causing chaos wherever they go."

"Nothing but beasts in sheep's clothing." Ren summed up in a dulled manner.

"Taking words right out of my mouth, Doctor." Dobermann lightly chuckled.

With pleasantries and questions out of the way, Ren went back into silence, mulling over the new information. So, Reunion. A new party has barged into the catastrophic mess that is his extraction. He was lucky that random goon was dispatched before he called for backup, though the possibility that he is just a scouting force is not far behind. Their retreat from the Sarcophagus facility has proceeded without a hinge, and there are no reports of more Reunion so far, so it's a good sign.

When it comes to his own opinion towards Reunion however, Ren can safely say that he's on a neutral side. On one hand, he was once a leader of a rebel group himself with an equally just goal, though on an entirely different spectrum despite leading to the same precept of justice. The Phantom Thieves wish to bring justice towards the rotten hearted adults and authorities who trample upon the masses. Reunion seeks to bring justice for the Infected who has been brought and treated so lowly by the general public. Huh, now that he ran the thought back, The Phantom Thieves and Reunion's objectives are actually quite similar, just with different targets.

On the other hand, Ren grew quite perplexed at Reunion's choice of undertaking. They wish to bring equality between the public and the Infected, yet they somehow went into terrorist action to serve justice. Considering the oppression that the Infected endured just for their condition, it wouldn't be farfetched to assume that the ailing masses hold an insane grudge towards their tormentors for their mistreatment, especially since their unjust actions also applies for children. The very thought made his anger resurface, which he thankfully reined in within himself before anyone found out. Hypothetically speaking, if Ren were to be discovered by Reunion instead of Rhodes Island and joined their ranks, his first action would be to gain trust from his higher ups as an obvious start, rise up among the ranks, then attempt a whole reform of Reunion or at least redirect their rage towards more worthy targets.

For now, the die has been cast, and fate decrees that he joins Rhodes Island when he awakened. And as their leader, he's bent on leading them through the dark times ahead with his experience he had as leader of the Phantom Thieves of Hearts.

- Take Your Time -

The current situation however, it made him mutter.

"Damn. I wish I had a weapon of my own or something."

"Doctor? What did you say?"

Amiya's remark surprised Ren. Guess he had been muttering out loud. He supposed it wouldn't hurt to tell the bunny girl about it.

"I'm just thinking I would be far safer if I had a weapon on me."

"It's understandable, Doctor. But I don't think I have any weapons on me right now. I only have my Arts to defend myself." Amiya answered his thoughts with her rabbit ears drooped down.

"I see. It's alright. I just prefer to have something to defend myself in case we get caught off guard. I don't want to be a burden to anyone." Ren explains his reasons, rubbing Amiya's head as if to soothe her. Dobermann, however…

"You make a good point, Doctor. Are you sure about this, however? You know what you have to do if you choose to wield one." The instructor stared at the doctor intently, as if testing him.

"I know what I have to do, Dobermann. I may have lost my memories, but this can also be seen as a fresh start for a man. And I think it's fine to learn how cruel the world is right at the start, right?"

Ren's response made Dobermann's lips curve into a little smile. She may be unable to see his face, but the instructor can feel his resolve, akin to one of a soldier ready to face the battlefield and come out alive.

"A sound argument, Doctor Ren. Alright then. Amiya may not have a weapon, but I do."

Shuffling around the pocket of her long dark pants, Dobermann pulled out a dagger complete with its protective sheath, passing it to Ren. The doctor pulled the dagger out of its sheath, inspecting it. It was a relatively simple dagger, with a handle made from leather and a sharp edged blade. The dagger seemed as if it hasn't been used much, given he's able to see his reflection off the bevels of the blade. The edge however has grooves on them on multiple sides. Make no mistake, this was an army knife. With that in mind, Ren can only reminisce about back when he was a trusty friend with Munehisa Iwai, the former yakuza who was the owner of the airsoft shop where Ren would get all their weapons and armor. At first, he had doubts about getting acquainted with him due to how shady he was. But in the end, he was a man who wanted to care for a child he had no choice but to adopt, and now lived a good life with his son Kaoru. Kaoru himself would help out in Iwai's shop every once in a while. And sometimes he would encounter the boy having a bright smile.

"Doctor? You are spacing out." Dobermann spoke up, snapping Ren out of his musings.

"Ah. I'm sorry. I'm just lost on how well this dagger was made. Pretty good for a starting weapon. Why do you have this on you when you have the whip?"

"Hah. I never thought you'd be interested in weapons of all things. This dagger is a safety measure in case my whip, durable as it is, breaks in battle. A soldier must be prepared in any place, at any time, in any situation."

"Couldn't agree more."

Ren let out a small laugh, shrugging contently as they continued to walk in a brisk pace with the extraction team. The instructor gave off the vibe of someone who has served in the military, and Ren wouldn't be surprised if he was right on target. Amiya on the other hand is a professional, and seemed to be highly devoted to him for some reason, likely because of his 'past self'. However, that doesn't dismiss the fact that she is a child judging by her looks, which concerned him. He hoped she wouldn't do anything reckless in the future. If she falls, Rhodes Island's morale will plummet beyond repair, and he'd be damned before letting Amiya die when she still has a future ahead of her even if it looked bleak, this he vowed silently.

"Instructor Dobermann. We're approaching the exit."

The voice belonged to Yato, the masked horned leader of Ops Team A4 leading the Vanguards up front. Ren heaved a sigh of relief as he heard her words. Soon he'll be out of his tomb and grace himself with as much sunlight as possible, if only he wasn't the target of a rescue mission. Still, he has to keep an eye out for anyone unscrupulous, such as Reunion. The fact they managed to find the Sarcophagus is alarming enough, but he decided to keep his chin up and hope for the best.

'Alright, Ren. You're finally going to get out of your awakening spot and reach the outside world filled with broad daylight. I'm sure the situation outside can't be far worse than the situation inside, right?'

- Take Your Time –

Oh, how wrong he was. Oh, how he wished he could take his thoughts back.

"How…How could this be…?" Thus spoke the baffled Dobermann.

"Ah! This is…" Thus spoke the fearful Amiya.

"What the hell is happening here?!" Thus spoke Ren Amamiya, in pure disbelief.

Oh, the situation was far, far, FAR worse than he could have imagined!

The situation that Rhodes Island were greeted with as they exited the Sarcophagus facility can only be described with a single word.

Chaos.

Pure, unfettered, unadulterated chaos.

The very sight of riots, fires, guardsmen, and white coats painted the whole scenery around the streets around Chernobog. Fire surged forth as people from all echelons of society ran about as if crazed, running away to the southern side of the street. On the northern side, hordes of Reunion are charging against a squad of Guardsmen who are holding the line as hard as they could. Anyone who is sane enough can easily tell that they won't last much longer against the white coated rebels, however. Ren's eyes darted at the scenery around him, and all he can think of are the flashbacks of when Mementos fused with Tokyo. Instead of people disintegrating into nothingness much like in the Avengers, this time the civilians are being pulled out into the streets left and right only to be killed out of scathing fury. Hateful words, screams of terror, cries of plight, and bellows of vengeance joined together into a cacophony of torrential suffering that rang through his ears. If he hadn't had this stupid mask on, he'd have approved his throat's ejection request and puked right on the spot not only because of the noises, but also because of the smell of ashes, corpses, and fresh blood. The human forcefully swallowed whatever bile that was within him and breathed in and out to calm himself down, reminding himself just how messed up Terra is.

"Why… why is Reunion attacking the civilians?!" Came Amiya's distraught voice. She too was not looking too well, judging by her expression.

"The wolves in sheep's clothing have finally bared their fangs like I suspected. You can see now why I view Reunion as such, Doctor Ren." Dobermann looked at the carnage around her as she spoke, glancing at Ren in a look of pity mixed with contempt. Their actions gave a sign that Ren will have to put Reunion in as a hit list candidate.

"As much as I like to agree with you right now, which I do, look. Over there."

Ren pointed over to the northern road, and everyone turned to face where his finger lead. There, the Ursus Guardsmen are holding the line against Reunion at all costs.

"The Ursus Guards…They're in battle against Reunion?" Came the voice of an inquisitive Feline medic.

"Why would they do that! Challenging their military is paramount to suicide!" Exclaimed a Guard Operator.

"No… It's more like the Guards are being pushed back. Look at how much Reunion are coming at them!" Amiya looked with worry at the Guardsmen.

"Indeed. Their fierceness can only mean that their assault has been planned from the start. It's possible that Reunion's attack covered the entirety of Chernobog now. They've even managed to infiltrate the facility the Doctor was kept in."

Dobermann stated the situation in a matter of fact. With that, Ren's thought quickly raced on what to do. Helping the Guards won't do much in staving off Reunion's attacks when the numbers are absurdly high for the latter. Not to mention the Catastrophe and the riots that will impede their progress if they dallied any further.

In the end, the correct move is so damn obvious.

"You've all managed to reclaim me, so all we have to do right now is head back to your extraction point, right? As much as I want to help fend off Reunion with the Guards, we have to move now while they are buying us precious time. Especially since Dobermann told me that there's a Catastrophe in a few hours."

Ren's suggestion garnered nods from both Amiya and Dobermann.

"Not only perception, but also your decisiveness. It honestly makes me wonder if your amnesia is only partial, Doctor." Dobermann remarked with amusement.

"I agree with Doctor's words, Instructor. Everyone, let's move out!"

"You heard the Doctor, everyone! Move your asses while the Ursus Guards are holding the line! We have no time to waste!"

Under Amiya and Dobermann's command, the Rhodes Island extraction team begin their march in a hasty pace, leaving no room for slowing down as they walked on the main street, sometimes shifting through alleys under the Instructor's command for the shortest route. Amiya looked at the Doctor with a plethora of emotions in her mind. On one hand, she's relieved that he seemed to get back into the swing of things. On the other, she's worried for his mental state. She didn't miss the moment when Ren held his tilted his neck upward and let out a sigh as if he's swallowing something. Amiya can't blame him for feeling nauseous while watching the bloodshed and hearing the screams occur all around him. He only just woke up after 3 years, after all, and it's not the most pleasant sight to see in the dark morning. As their retreat continued, turning into another alley, the rabbit girl silently vowed.

'Doctor, I will protect you, no matter what!'

Ah. How beautiful it is when two people unknowingly vowed to protect each other.

- Take Your Time –

Ren decided to made a mental note. Restart daily exercises and pull ups once he's all safe and sound at Rhodes Island's headquarters, if they even have a fitness center.

The extraction team just had a brief skirmish with a small Reunion squad. Or rather, Amiya chose to enter a skirmish as the squad dragged a civilian out to be killed. in which Ren volunteered to personally deal with, with the support of Ops Team A4. At first, Amiya was all for it until Ren said he's going to get his hands bloody as well, in which Amiya hastily objected to his wishes. Dobermann stood in defense of the Doctor, however. She saw this as a chance for Ren to prove himself, to see if his tactical acumen is still all geared up as well as his resolve to fight when he asked for her weapon.

What both Dobermann and Amiya don't realize however, is that the Doctor has a neat trick in his sleeve. The Third Eye, a gift Ren got from "Igor" when he started his first Journey. This ability allowed Ren to perceive the area around him in a much greater clarity, being able to see the position of enemies in the vicinity no matter where he is, find areas where he can move about with his acrobatic agility, and locate things and places that prove to be of interest. It's almost like a far enhanced natural infrared vision, and even after his days as a Phantom Thief are over and done with, this skill proved to be useful in everyday life, especially in this situation.

What Ren didn't account for, was the fact that his new body was a bit on the sluggish side. Sure it has some bulk in it, but it was lacking on stamina. Then again, he is apparently a researcher now and just woke up. By the time he pulled his knife out of a Reunion soldier after literally kicking it straight into his skull after slashing two other Soldiers on their throats, he was sitting down on the asphalt, catching his breath while gasping.

What he also didn't realize is that his endeavors in battle will be saved as Battle Records, to be used as material for other Operators. Even if he knew though, he was sure there would be no harm in letting people learn from him.

It wasn't an exaggeration when the other Operators on the extraction were outright impressed by Ren's battle prowess, Dobermann included no less. While the offensive forces secure the area while the medics tended to the members of A4 Ops Team, Dobermann went over to Ren after seeing the Ops Team members, kneeling next to him.

"You must be exhausted, Doctor."

"Hah…hah… No shit. I wasn't much of the mobile type back then, huh?" Ren spoke amidst his short breaths.

"No. Back at the Ark, when you're not leading our field missions, you would always hole yourself up in the office, doing paperwork or conducting research on Oripathy 24/7. With that said, what you did there is worthy of praise. While your knife techniques are unorthodox, you dealt with them with ease. Noir Corne and 12F can attest to your leading skills as well. It seems I'll need to reevaluate my thoughts on your overall capabilities."

Dobermann's words prompted Ren to weakly smile from beneath the mask. He felt his spirits getting a boost from it.

"I'm pleased to hear that. Where is Amiya?"

"She's over there."

Ren shifted his head to face where Dobermann is looking as they stood up. From the glass pane of his mask, he can see Amiya tending to the woman that was dragged away, except she left the area with a fearful expression. Amiya returned to the two, with an expression the Doctor can't describe as she made her report.

"She's alright, it's just…"

"Her expression. She was scared. Why is that?"

Amiya's expression became forlorn, and Ren immediately caught on. Before Amiya can answer, the human raised his hand to stop Amiya before speaking.

"Amiya. You're an Infected as well, aren't you?"

The rabbit girl solemnly nodded as she began to speak.

"Yes, Doctor. But it's not just me. Dobermann and most of the others around us, we're all Infected as well. I don't know if Instructor Dobermann told you this before already, but Reunion is also made up of Infected people as well."

The irony was not lost on the human Doctor. An organization bent on saving Infected just clashed with another organization with a similar goal, except the latter happened to be vengeful terrorists. But…

"That still doesn't explain why she is scared of you, Amiya. If we were part of Reunion, it would be normal. But I thought we were a peaceful folk."

"You can thank Ursus itself for that."

Dobermann spoke up, prompting Ren to look at her.

"Why so?"

"You should know that Ursus has doled out the most hellish treatment for the Infected, Doctor Ren. The civilians have been taught to fear the infected through their propaganda, and the Infected always gets mistreated by the nobles and the military. In fact, the people of Ursus celebrate the hunt of Infected as if it was an achievement."

"… You're not bullshitting me, are you?"

Ren questioned Dobermann calmly, yet she and Amiya didn't miss the amount of venom that was dripping from Ren's words. Dobermann adopted a stern look just to level with him, while Amiya feared that the instructor may have struck a nerve within the Doctor. She didn't know what happened to him back at the Sarcophagus, but it seemed that the concept of cruel injustice is a sore subject for him, as if it wasn't sore enough.

As for Ren himself. Well, let's just say that the whole damned country of Ursus is now on his hit list.

"I'll be honest, Doctor. There are a number of people in Rhodes Island who dislike Ursus's treatment of the Infected, whether they themselves are Infected or not. But for now, we can't do anything about them. The best we can do now is strive for the cure for Oripathy, as well as deal with all the problems hounding the Infected as a whole."

"With you around now, Doctor Ren, I hope we'll be able to stop Oripathy and end this cycle of suffering. Even if you lost your memories, you can get them back, right?" Amiya looked at Ren hopefully.

"Right. Even if I'm now an amnesiac, after hearing both of your words, I feel that I have finally found my purpose, back at least. Thanks, you two."

The two executives nodded with a smile. Feeling a tad happy that their Doctor has his steeled conviction all in full display, ready to face the world with them.

"Rebels of their own right. It seems you have found worthy allies. Hahahaha…"

A voice rang about in his mind, which in turn gave Ren a mild headache. The Doctor held his head to soothe his pain with a grunt, getting an alarmed look from Amiya.

"Doctor! What's wrong?!"

"I'm fine, Amiya. Don't worry. More importantly, how much time do we have left?"

"We have at most 3 hours, Doctor Ren." A response in which Ren nodded to.

"Alright. Dobermann, I think you know what to do."

"Indeed. Everyone, gather up! We're moving to our meeting point!"

Under Dobermann's command, the Rhodes Island extraction team began their retreat once more southward. Unbeknownst to them however…

"We've detected some unknown variables. Notify the others."

Under the command of the girl in a hood, a Reunion soldier began moving out as a messenger while her squad began moving in pursuit.

"We're going after them."

- Take Your Time –

The second complication to the came to Rhodes Island in the form of a battle between another squad of Ursus Guardsmen and more Reunion soldiers. Before they reached that area, a news report was broadcasted on a big screen as they passed through. Ren still has the news feed imprinted on his head word by word.

"Thanks to the swift response and teamwork of the Chernobog Military Police, the situation is largely under control. The incidents in most areas have already been contained. Currently, the Military Police have surrounded the thugs who had taken over Vaschuk Prospect. As you can see, this senseless violence is about to be put to an end. Please do not panic, stay indoors, and await another victory from Chernobog. May the glory of Ursus bless the Emperor and his people!"

"I can't believe the government still has the audacity to lie to the public while THIS is happening right in front of our very eyeballs."

Ren looked upon the battlefield upon him as he scoffed at the earlier news report. Victory for Chernobog his ass. It's so painfully clear that this damned city will soon be a lost cause. Dobermann can feel her eyebrows twitch at Ren's comment due to how right he is. As for the battlefield itself, Ursus has Reunion beat in the arms department. But when it comes to morale and numbers…

"I can't believe this is happening! The Ursus Guards are being overrun!" Exclaimed a Sniper operator, clearly baffled by the fact.

"Save your surprise for later, soldier. The situation however is not going in our favor as well. I see enemy blockades up ahead, not to mention the condition of the road. At this point, sneaking to our meeting point is almost impossible." A single bead of sweat dropped from the instructor's forehead as she assessed the situation.

"What are we supposed to do then? Wait for the battle to recede before moving? We don't have the luxury of doing so."

Ren too was trying to assess the situation as well. The enemy blockades won't be much of a problem with their numbers and capabilities, however, the only issue is trying to get to them in the middle of the battlefield. The skirmish is still going strong, and there are very few routes that they could take. The drone scouts that Rhodes employed still hasn't come back yet as well. Safe to say, Ren is stumped for the first time. Right when he was about to say something, however…

"Doctor, gather Ops Team A4! Our scouts found a Reunion force heading to our team!" Amiya spoke with her new report.

"Again? We can never catch a break, can't we?" Ren can only sigh.

"Afraid not. Everyone, prepare for combat!"

Dobermann's alert immediately sent the extraction team on battle mode. Gathering Ops Team A4 which included Yato, Noir Corne, a Defender Oni, 12F and Rangers. 2 lizard men of the Savras race who are both Caster and Sniper respectively. Once they stood in line, battle ready before him, the Doctor pulled out his army knife and uttered his signature line.

"It's show time."

- Take Your Time –

Ren chose to make a second mental note. Get a gun if possible.

Screams of anguish rang from the Reunion side as Yato and the guards slashed through the Reunion Soldiers one by one. When one was seemingly about to land a hit on a Guard, they would be met with an arrow piercing their bodies as Rangers and the other Snipers provided cover for their defense while shooting down wayward enemy Monster drones. When the Shielded Soldiers came around, the simple Defender-Caster formation was employed while Ren ordered Yato and Rangers to retreat behind Noir Corne after joining on the bloodshed. With the Defenders offering their full protection, Amiya and 12F with the Casters rained a hail of Arts from the backline, shredding through their armor and leaving their bodies full of burn marks and holes, allowing Yato, Dobermann, and Ren to mop up the remaining enemy troops.

In the end, it was a sound victory on the open streets.

"This was a great battle. It was all thanks to you, Doctor. Your commands guided us to victory, not to mention your adept battle skills." Yato spoke her praise to the Doctor.

"Thank you. Honestly it makes me flustered that you think of me so highly. Though, seeing those drones makes me wish I have a ranged weapon of sorts." Ren acknowledged the oni guard's praise, rubbing the back of his head as he chuckled lightly.

"If you'd like, Doctor, I can teach you on how to wield a bow. You know this old man is still in the game, and you have the makings of a great Hunter in you!" The elderly Rangers offered his tutelage, in which Ren hastily shook his hands as a gesture of denial.

"It's alright, pops. I'm more inclined to a gun more than a bow."

"Haha! It is fine, Doctor. There is no harm in favoring one over the other. Though, you seem to have gained some spunk. Feeling young again after resting so long, Doctor?"

"Probably."

Ren's dismissive answer elicited a laugh from the so called Grandpa Rangers, which made Ren laugh with him along with Yato. Sadly, the pleasantries were cut short.

"Who are you lot? Why are you here at Chernobog at this time?"

The Guardsmen from earlier approached the Rhodes Island team with one of them, possibly their leader given his red shield shooting them a scrutinizing stare. All Operators and Ren turned to look at them with the sole human uttering a word that best describes their situation.

"Fuck."

"Answer me! Are you lot spies?!" The captain called out to them in a more threatening tone

Ren grew silent as he glared at the Guard Captain. Discounting a few individuals back in Tokyo such as Sae, Zenkichi, and perhaps even the infamous Akechi, Ren has never liked the authorities. In the old world, Ren took a neutral stance with the cops and barely dealt with them at all except during the times some wise guy decided to rob him, in which the whole stage would be recorded on CCTV under Futaba's supervision while he personally dealt with and dragged the sorry fool to the police complete with solid evidence.

Here, however? He is nothing more than a stranger to the authorities of Terra. Add that to his already big negative opinion on Ursus, and he's had half a mind to rip off the captain's helmet and literally shove his knife up his ass if their whole deal wasn't revolving around stealth and not gaining any attention. Any wrong move and Rhodes Island would be put under the watch of the whole government. Thankfully enough, Amiya spoke up before he had any ideas. It didn't go well however, seeing that the captain went on high alert at the bunny girl's Infected state. Dobermann quietly scooted over to Ren's company, her voice a whisper.

"Be ready to back her up. If they show any signs of hostile action, we may have to fight."

"Way ahead of you…wait."

It was at that moment a haze of smoke enveloped the area.

"This smoke. Dobermann?"

"I can sense it too. Everyone, be on guard."

Everyone heeded Dobermann's advice as they're on alert mode once more. Amiya however…

"Sir, please understand! We share a common enemy here!"

Ren decided to activate his Third Eye, and that allowed him to see a silhouette in the distance approaching. Multiple silhouettes even.

And they are all red.

"Amiya! Get back!"

"Doctor?!"

"Wh-what?!"

Rushing over to Amiya's side and pushing her back aside despite her surprise as she fell on her butt, Ren drew his knife and barely clashed with the assailant, knife against knife before he pushed the coated figure back and kicked the figure straight in the stomach into unconsciousness.

The Ursus Guardsmen however were not so lucky as they suffered a back attack, causing the death of 5 Guardsmen. The captain immediately rallied his troops against the oncoming attack while Ren quickly pulled Amiya up.

"Are you alright, Amiya?"

"Yes, Doctor. Thanks for saving me." Amiya replied with a flustered face.

Nodding over her reply, Ren turned to face Dobermann.

"Dobermann! What's happening?!"

"Another Reunion squad, but this one's a cut above the rest! Be careful, Doctor, Amiya! That girl over there is different compared to the others!"

Ren and Amiya turned to face who seems to be their ringleader, the one currently leading her troops to battle the Guardsmen. Denim trousers, a t-shirt with letters printed on it, a black hood jacket, and a sharp knife on her hand complete with its sheath tied on her arm. Her face teems with indifference, and a furry tail as red as her hair can be seen.

"Go. Kill them all."

Her soldiers assaulted the Guardsmen under her orders, and Guardsmen began to fall one by one. The thickening haze didn't help them either. Amiya pleaded to the captain…

"Sir, we have to retreat quickly! If we don't, all our escape routes will be-"

…Only for her to be cut off by a scathing reply.

"Get lost, Infected."

"Eh? But-"

Before Amiya can say anything more, she felt a warm hand on her shoulder. She turned to face the Doctor, who shook his head.

"He's made his choice. I know better than to object to that."

Amiya can only nod reluctantly as they moved away from the Guard Captain who continued to rally his soldiers. Ren quietly muttered in an inaudible tone as they went back to Dobermann who issued a retreat command.

"Whether they die or not is no longer our concern. Their lives are their own, and they brought this upon themselves."

- Take Your Time –

The rescue team with all the time they were given by the Guardsmen holding back the hooded girl's soldiers reached the borders of Southern Chernobog. The situation over the border is not even better compared to the central area. Totaled cars, toppled busses, destroyed electricity poles and abandoned buildings. It was almost like a concrete wasteland. Awaiting them there was…

"Ace!"

A man ran over to them on their lonesome. A Defender with the markings of a veteran on him with his scars. Donning his shades, he addressed the newly arrived team.

"Glad to see you all made it in one piece."

"This isn't the rendezvous point. Ace, why are you here alone?"

Dobermann's remark confused Ren for a second. However, it seems fate won't let him indulge in his musings.

"They're the ones who escaped from the central area! Don't let them get away!"

Reunion soldiers can be heard northward. Their forces are closing in, and fast.

"Damn it! Team E2! Inter-"

"I thought I said that we need to retreat as quick as possible. Intercepting enemies is not within our luxury." Ren quickly cut Dobermann off much to her slight surprise, seeing the numbers that are coming at them.

"Doctor Ren over there is right, Dobermann. We have no time to waste! Everyone! Follow me!"

With the veteran defender as their guide, the extraction team moved with haste to avoid the Reunion forces searching for them with fervor. Shifting through numerous alleys while keeping watch of the soldiers on their tail. The only issue is…

"Reunion. They're everywhere." Amiya summed it up in the most concise manner.

"True. It seems impossible to elude them. We haven't even reached the rendezvous point yet."

"Ace, where's your team?"

Before an answer can be given, voices can be heard from behind as they returned to the main street.

"There they are! Kill them all!"

"They're coming again!"

Dobermann quickly readied her whip, while Ace turned to face Ren.

"Doctor, please give us your orders, just like old times."

Ren grew silent at Ace's words, trying to find the proper words to answer him. The veteran defender grew perplexed at his silence.

"Uh, Doctor Ren?"

"Ace?"

The voice came from Amiya.

"I'm sorry, but… the Doctor has amnesia."

"I…I see."

Ace's tone became solemn as he turned to look at Ren with sympathy.

"I'm sorry to hear of your condition, Doctor."

"It's fine, Ace. I've come to terms with it." The human responded as he shook his head.

"That's good. Has your skills as a tactician suffered because of your memory loss though?"

"Doctor's decision making is still as sharp as ever. Also, he took it upon himself to learn some new skills during our retreat. He calls it a fresh start of sorts." Amiya answered Ace, much to Ren's relief.

"Really now? I'm eager to see what skills he has earned then. I will follow your orders then, Doctor."

"Alright. Now, let's go deal with them."

The veteran nodded as both he and Amiya went over to Dobermann, weapons ready while Amiya readied her dark Arts. Reunion forces are beginning to rush at them.

"Done talking yet? I'm about to snap their heads soon enough."

"Doctor, what will be your orders for now?"

To give out proper orders, one must properly judge the situation, which is why he quickly assumed Third Eye mode once more. Through his vision, he quickly saw that there were troops positioned on the buildings and alleyways, Rhodes Island troops given their green signatures. So, Ace's team has been lying in wait for the Reunion troops in anticipation in case they were being chased. He has to give Ace credit for his intuition. An ambush that swirls into a pincer attack would be a powerful tactic in wiping the floor with Reunion.

"Doctor!"

"Ace! Reunion will be right in front of us at any minute!"

With the battlefield in mind, the choice is clear.

"Dobermann, order all teams to intercept Reunion. Ace, on my mark, give them a call." Ren spoke as he raised his knife.

"Very well, Doctor. All teams! Prepare to intercept the enemy! Leave them no quarter!" Dobermann heeded his words, preparing the Rhodes Island teams to mobilize.

"Understood. On your mark." Ace responded, rather confused but decided to leave it be, sensing that he knows what he's talking about.

"Doctor, what should I do?"

Amiya looked up at the Doctor, wondering what she should do since she was given no command. Ren patted her head much to her chagrin and spoke.

"You'll be with me. Once I give the mark, we'll move with Ace and dispatch Reunion together. Understand?"

"Uuuu… Alright, Doctor. But don't do that right now!" Amiya spoke with a pout, leaving Ren to laugh at how cute she is right now.

Reunion on high speeds, the ambush team prepared, and the extraction team moving in to intercept. Once he saw that they've bypassed the back team, in line of fire…

"Now!"

Ren aimed his knife at Reunion. That was the mark if Ren's call wasn't enough.

"Team E3! Strike!"

At Ace's call, the ambush troops were put into motion, assaulting the demoralized Reunion forces from behind while crossbow bolts rained upon them from the buildings, led by Guard and Greythroat. A mild grin was plastered on Ren's face as he witnessed the central regiment of Reunion being struck from the front, back, and sides. The pincer attack was a success. Dobermann took a moment to realize what just happened.

"Team E3… I see now. They've been waiting for us to pincer the enemy from behind."

Ace nodded in affirmation, watching the battle ensue before him.

"Yes. Ever since our communications have been jammed, we've begun operating near the rendezvous point. That way, should something happen to me or the scout, we can still carry out the operation."

"Simply put, you came here alone while your team secured the area." Dobermann aptly summarized Ace's words."

"Exactly. Getting rid of all threats at the rendezvous point is our top priority. Going out here to check on you guys is a real risky endeavor. Teams exist to improve the efficiency of our tactics, and not the other way around. With that said…"

The veteran Defender trailed off as he turned to face Ren, clearly looking amused.

"I had a hunch when you told me to give a call, Doctor Ren. But I'm surprised that you somehow managed to find out where my team was. Is this one of your new skills that Amiya mentioned? To be able to discern the location of nearby allies and enemies even if they're not in clear view?"

Ren flinched a bit under Ace's question, but quickly schooled himself back into his usual calm demeanor, choosing to answer dismissively.

"You could say that."

Ren's reply caused a slew of expressions from Ace, Dobermann, and Amiya. Safe to say, they were amazed. He probably should have never answered.

"Really? That's amazing, Doctor!"

"Heh. I don't know how you managed to do it. Maybe some secret trick you have, but I will agree with Amiya here."

"Indeed. That ability will allow us to plan more effectively in future battles. You've been blessed with quite a gift, Doctor Ren."

Blessed is not really a proper word, considering who gave the gift in the first place. Nevertheless, all their words of admiration and approval made Ren uncomfortable. Hence, he decided to change the subject.

"We can discuss this later after we deal with these Reunion guys. Amiya, Dobermann, Ace, back me up."

"Understood, Doctor!"

"I was wondering when you'll give us the go command."

"Very well. Let's show them what Rhodes Island are made of, Doctor!"

"Right!"

With their morale high and the skirmish in full swing, Ren readied his knife, then charged into the battlefield with his new company.

"Let's go!"

- Take Your Time –

Third mental note of the day. Scratch candidate. Put the Reunion Movement on his hit list.

The whole skirmish can be said as another normal battle, albeit with a few new arrivals. On top of the usual Soldiers, Shielded Soldiers, and Monsters, Ren encountered hordes of spiked slugs that drove him off the rails out of disgust. And he decided to shove in his uncomfortableness by killing them as fast as possible. It's a good thing that as front liners, they're absolute chumps. The Snipers and Casters made short work of them with the help of the Vanguards. No one will miss those grotesque critters.

What really made Ren draw the line towards Reunion was that they employed living HOUNDS to assault them. Ren always had a soft spot for animals due to his time with Morgana, so the fact that he has to commit multiple crimes of animal violence that would have landed him on Earth's PETA's Most Wanted List pissed him off. How did he cool down? By lashing out against the Reunion forces in a frenzy. Slicing, dicing, kicking, and punching his way under the cover of the other Operators in a fervor beyond compare. By the time he was done, he was standing right next to Amiya as he stared upon a dead Hound below him, its surveillance equipment smashed to pieces. His knife was dripping blood, more stains marked on his clothes, and his whole body is trembling.

"I can't believe this…they… they!"

"Doctor, are you alright?"

The worried Amiya gently held the Doctor's shoulder. Ren turned to face her, and Amiya can clearly feel the emotions within his eyes. Amiya can feel Dobermann's pain as she looked upon the hound corpses when she went over to him, with Ace consoling her. But Ren's state is on a whole new level. Fury, anguish, and fatigue all joined into one painful note of lethargy. Amiya noted the time Ren shifted into a whole different demeanor when the canines came. As soon as they dealt with them, Ren wasted no time in moving ahead and laying waste to the Soldiers with the others, raging with the ferocity of a mad dog. As if it wasn't serious enough, Ren immediately slumped into the ground, which concerned the bunny girl greatly.

"Doctor?!"

"No, no, no, I'm not alright, Amiya. Just, let me rest for a while."

"…Okay."

And so Amiya watched over the Doctor who tried to recollect himself. She can tell that he did not enjoy this at all.

"Doctor, there's something on your mind, is there?"

"It's… it's just… I can't believe Reunion would resort to enslaving innocent animals like this, even if they're Infected." Ren spoke in a dull tone.

"I understand your concerns as well, Doctor. Instructor Dobermann is also having the same issues as well, as well as many others. Sadly, There's nothing we can do about it, other than give these poor ones a good rest."

"Nothing other than that?"

Amiya shook her head sadly, and Ren sighed out of sheer fatigue.

"Doctor…"

"Amiya. I'm sorry for worrying you." Ren's words made Amiya wave her hands.

"It's alright, Doctor. It's fine to feel this way once in a while. Everyone does."

"I see. Well, there's nothing else that can be done."

Ren stood up slowly as he stretched his arms out, turning to face Amiya.

"Amiya, can I count on you to help me should this happen again?"

"You need not say it again, Doctor. You can count on me whenever!"

"Good girl."

Amiya's earnest reply earned him another headpat from Ren. This time, all she can do is smile bashfully, her rabbit ears all perked up.

"Ehehe…"

"It seems you mostly recovered, Doctor."

Coming from their side was Dobermann, smiling lightly at the display before adopting her usual serious look.

"Everyone is waiting for you two. Our time is running short."

Amiya looked at Ren with a bright demeanor as the latter faced their extraction team, now with Team E3 in the mix.

"Doctor? Shall we go?"

"Yes. Let's."

- Take Your Time –

The next skirmish would occur when a Reunion squad is blocking their way on the shortest route. It resulted in a surprise attack that made the whole battle another easy one. Considering their numbers, if this was an RPG, Ren supposed he went up a few levels by now. However, now is no time to think on fantastical what-ifs. Right now, the Rhodes Island extraction team is crossing by a park, which was also touched by the chaos of Reunion's invasion. According to Dobermann, once they reached the exit, they'll have reached the next rendezvous point, where Team E4 and Nearl, their leader on Ren's assumption, will be waiting for them.

However, Ren can't shake away the sense of unease within him. If the dark shadows growing around them isn't any indication, the clouds above them that have begun gathering above along with the windless air is another giveaway that something bad will happen real soon.

"Something is coming."

"Yes. It would seem the Catastrophe is about to fall upon us. We only have an hour and 30 minutes left." Dobermann spoke in a matter of fact.

"In that case, we really don't have time to dally, Dobermann. We must move quickly."

"But what if Nearl and her team got attacked? It would be bad for us! Plus, we can't contact them all!" Came the exclamations of a Vanguard Operator.

"Calm down. I know Nearl long enough to know that she won't fall that easily. Paranoia won't get you anywhere. When we cross the bridge, we'll go scout the premises." Ace's words proved to be convincing enough to quiet the Vanguard op.

That's one problem out of the way. But here comes another.

"A thick haze?"

"Where is this… Oh no."

Ren knew immediately what this entailed. Shifting his Third Eye and drawing his knife, he can see a lot of red signatures coming towards them at high speeds from behind.

Hell, There's one coming towards him right now.

"Everyone, be on guard!"

"…Kill them all."

Ren's warning came not a moment too soon, for he soon clashed blades with another knife-wielding assailant. The entire extraction team prepared themselves at just the right time. Multiple hooded soldiers came at them all at once. Enemy bolts came from behind, which were either deflected or blocked by the Defenders' shields. It soon turned into a brawl between Rhodes Island and their Reunion pursuers.

As for Ren, he was making leeway in fending off the person who tried to strike him down, trading blows while clashing blades before making space from each other. Under closer inspection, Ren can see his attacker's features. Red hair, hooded jacket, knife sheath on her arm.

"You're that girl."

'Rhodes Island. I've finally caught you."

The girl wasted no time in rushing at Ren, knife at the ready.

"This time, I'll grind your bones to dust!"

"Over my doubly dead body!"

Making deft use of his agility, the Doctor side stepped over the redhead's attack, grabbing her attacking wrist and swung her into a throw, rushing after her to do a follow up attack. The redhead recovered swiftly however, and rolled away from his frontal kick, resuming her attack with a dashing slash which was blocked with Ren's knife. Amiya who was busy fending off the assault under the protection of Noir Corne, was surprised to find Ren currently trading blows with their leader.

"Doctor!"

"I'll be fine! Just handle the others!" Ren hastily replied as he once again blocked the leader's knife.

"Alright! Just be careful!"

Amiya returned to dealing with the redhead's minions. As for Ren, she is not showing signs of letting up. Another trade of blows ensued. Knife for knife, kick for kick, fist by fist. It quickly turned into a stalemate between the two of them. It's only a matter of who gets worn out first. As they clashed blades once more, the red head spoke as the screech of steel rang in their ears.

"…Hmph. You held out this long." She spoke with a tone of indifference.

"If you think this is tiring you, why don't you just leave and save us both the trouble?"

"Never."

"He's right, you know."

A new voice entered the battlefield, which prompted everyone to stop. Even the redhead as she leapt away from Ren, in which he proceeded to do the same.

"I came over here as soon as word came, Crownslayer. And here I am, seeing that you're in my hunting grounds, with your fighting buddy somehow still alive. Are you actually struggling?"

The redhead, now known to Ren as Crownslayer, spat at the question. The tone of the voice seemed to belong to a boy, a rather high pitched one.

"None of your business. Why are you here anyway?"

"Isn't it time you handed them over to me?"

As the haze subsided, the owner of the voice came into view to everyone present. A young boy, donning a white shirt, white pants, and a silvery wad of hair on him. He had a joyful face as he entered the scene, along with his contingent. Ren's mind can only utter a single sentence.

'I have a staunch feeling that I will hate this kid. A lot.'

I like reading comments, so let's answer a few notable ones!

bahrithariq: Personas 1 and 2 are real underrated given their deals, only recent remembrance is the OSTs in Persona 5 Strikers. Also, replace Makakaja with Cadenza (Without the heals, and add Makakaja on top of it). If I didn't have Fuu-ki, I'd be fucked.

Kerrowe: Nothing. It would be the greatest supernatural irony ever.

Rambukala: I only managed to get to Risk 4. Them Red Avengers and N-Defenders are assholes.

Real EWF: *breathes deeply* ...Goddamn you, man.

So, here we are, with a new chapter finally diving into Arknights, written as I listen to One Winged Angel Rebirth on loop every single day. He wasn't wrong when he said this works on anything.

By the time this is published, new contracts will have been added onto the Permanent Site on Operation Blade. More contracts, more challenges, more pain for newbies like myself. Fun. Even though I E2'd Myrtle under a 50 days. F2P BTW.

The obvious deal with writing crossovers is keeping characters in character (duh). So I'll need you readers and reviewers to help me in making sure I'm doing the Terrans and Earthlings justice by alerting in the comments. I'd be willing to say that I did well, but I can't be too certain.

Next chapter would be the scuffle with Mephisto. Everyone's most tragic and hated psycho kid. How would you wish for this scuffle to play out? Express your ideas on that food for thought in the comments!

Also, second guessing game because someone in the reviews guessed my plans (Was it really that obvious?). Apart from Morgana, I plan to bring another Phantom Thief later on for the starter party! Who do you think it will be?

3rd guessing game! In Ren's first skirmish, Ren did a Yakuza 0 Heat Move! Guess the style he went with!

And as always, take your time.