AN: Another chapter down. I hope you all enjoy it.

FF – Thanks hnh058513. I'm not aware of what Tactica adds, and I don't have plans to include it or Sumire. Or Maruki. Or Strikers, for that matter. Well, unless an idea for a cameo comes to me.

AO3 – Thank you SaulAxel and LuckyGunnerMat. SaulAxel, I kind of feel like Urano doesn't really have the right mindset for a Palace. While she has her vices (i.e. books), she works to maintain a (mostly) healthy life as a functional, law-abiding member of society. LuckyGunnerMat, I don't know about cameos, but Lessy and nasty medicine are mentioned this chapter.

April 13 – Wednesday

Yuuki Mishima's PoV

Yuuki woke up that morning dreading the volleyball rally later that day. And Kamoshida proved that dread to be rational, assaulting Yuuki with volleyballs and even making him catch one with his face.

There was a silver lining, though. He was told to go to the nurse's office after the volleyball to the face, ending his torment. Additionally, the student who offered to take him to the nurse's officer was a girl! An actual girl!

Sure, Urano Motosu had a reputation as a rude weirdo who basically ignored the world around her when she was reading (which was often), but she was still a girl! And one that might like him, if her offer was anything to go by!

"Getting a volleyball to the face… That must've really hurt," said Motosu sympathetically.

"I-I-It's no big deal," stuttered Yuuki, trying to act tough. "It looked worse than it was. Besides, I'm used to taking hits like that."

"Used to it…" repeated Motosu, sighing as if she'd expected his response. "I've been wondering… Why do you and the others on the volleyball teams put up with Kamoshida's abuse?"

Yuuki felt his heart stop. He also felt a bit disappointed, realizing that this was the reason why she'd offered to bring him to the nurse's office.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about!" he stammered out. "Kamoshida doesn't abuse us at all! Perish the thought!"

Motosu gave him an unimpressed look, making him wince. 'Perish the thought'? Nobody speaks like that!

"You're a terrible liar, huh?" she said bluntly. Yuuki lowered his head. "So, are you going to answer my question? I mean, sure, the principal is on Kamoshida's side, but what about your parents or the police?"

"…Because everybody already knows," he answered. "The principal… our parents… probably even the police… They all know, and they all keep quiet about it."

Kamoshida brought results. He improved the reputation of Shujin and of everyone in the volleyball team. Compared to that, who would care about a few battered students? Especially a zero like him.

"Did Kamoshida tell you that?" asked Motosu, growing angry.

Huh? What did she mean by that?

"Was Kamoshida the one who told you that everybody knows about the abuse?" she clarified, having noticed his confusion. "Because there's no way that every single member of both volleyball teams has such terrible parents. I bet that he just lied to you because he was afraid that you guys would spill the truth and ruin his scheme."

That was just ridiculous. As much as Yuuki would've loved to believe Motosu, there was no way that Kamoshida was afraid of them. He told her as much, and she sighed again.

"Yeah, I guess it's pretty hard to believe when you're one of his victims," she admitted. "But don't worry… Kamoshida's reign will soon come to an end!"

As Motosu made that declaration, the two finally arrived at the nurse's office. She said goodbye and returned to the rally.

"'Kamoshida's reign will soon come to an end'?" murmured Yuuki as he thought about the nice-looking girl. "If only…"

Whatever Motosu was planning, he hoped she doesn't get in too much trouble when it failed.

Ryuji Sakamoto's PoV

"Ughhh…" groaned Ryuji, panting. "Damn, my legs are all tight…"

Contrary to his complaint, he did feel a bit better. Running had allowed him to burn the frustrated energy that had built up in him due to the volleyball rally.

"My… legs… feel… like… jelly…" gasped out Urano. Surprisingly, she was even more exhausted than he was despite not having a leg injury. Apparently the not-cat had been right about how out of shape she was.

"Maybe you should start with a lighter workout," suggested Ryuji, recalling his pre-Kamoshida experience exercising. "Build your way up to the runs I do."

"That… sounds… like… a… good… plan…"

As Urano struggled to catch her breath, he told her about Kamoshida's treatment of the track team. It might've been because of his runner's high, but Ryuji even talked about his deadbeat dad, who Kamoshida used as ammunition against him.

"Thanks to that, the other guys on the team treat me like some kind of traitor. And they aren't wrong. Because of me, they all lost their shot at the championship."

"Is it… really…?" started Urano, only to be cut off by a familiar voice.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" asked a hostile voice. Ryuji looked over and saw three of his former teammates.

"Nakaoka… Takeishi…" said Ryuji. He couldn't remember the third guy's name, though.

"…Running, huh?" said Nakaoka. "I saw you from the window. What, you gonna try crawling back to the track team? Or maybe you're just trying to impressive your girlfriend with your former glory."

"Not his girlfriend…" interjected Urano, somehow still winded. "He's not my… type at all… He's just helping… me get into… shape in exchange… for some tutoring…"

Urano had come up with that cover story after their encounter with that Okumura girl on the rooftop. She'd said it would also justify Makoto's presence, since they could claim the student council president was helping Urano with her tutoring.

Still… it kind of stung that Urano was so bothered by people assuming that the two of them were dating. Especially when Nakaoka and the others rubbed salt into Ryuji's wound by laughing at the rejection.

"Anyway, this was your secret training spot, wasn't it?" asked Nakaoka once the laughter died down. "Well, it's our spot now. You know, us. The former track team."

"We don't even have a locker room anymore," added Takeishi. "Thanks to someone I know."

"Is that someone named Nakaoka or Takeishi?" said Urano sarcastically, having finally caught her breath.

"…"

Her words were so unexpected that Ryuji and his former teammates all need a second to process them. But once that moment passed… well… Urano had kicked the beehive.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean!?" erupted Nakaoka, taking an aggressive step forward. He shifted between glaring at her and at Ryuji. "Did this loser even tell you what he did? You better watch out, or he'll hit you the second he gets pissed off."

"I heard his dad was the same way," added the third ex-teammate. "Like father like son, right? Now that's some scary shit."

"Hey!" yelled Ryuji, his shock replaced with anger. His right hand curled into a fist. "That's got nothing to do with this!"

"Doesn't it?" retorted Nakaoka, turning to Urano. "Everyone was going through the same bullshit with Kamoshida. The beatings… the exercises… but we put up with all of it for the track team. But no… Ryuji here had to fuck all of that up! Do you understand now?"

He glared at her, as if challenging her to defend Ryuji…

"Yeah, I do. Basically, when Kamoshida started going after Ryuji personally, you abandoned your teammate to be Kamoshida's personal punching bag. Then, when that selfish and cowardly decision backfired, you decided to conveniently ignore your own inaction, blaming the victim instead of the abuser because he was the easier target."

…and Urano accepted that challenge, then won by a mile. Yet again, she had rendered everybody speechless with surprisingly venomous words.

It was a good speechless for Ryuji, though. He didn't really blame his ex-teammates for not opposing Kamoshida (not like siding with him would've done any good), but still… something about Urano's statement lifted a weight off of Ryuji's back.

.

Rank Up!

Confidant: Ryuji Sakamoto. Arcana: Chariot. Rank: 2.

.

"…Whatever," Nakaoka finally said. "I've said all I had to, and it isn't my fault if you won't listen. I'm outta here!"

He stomped off, followed closely by his two teammates. Ryuji could faintly hear the three of them argue as they left, but he decided to just stay out of it. Like they'd said, he wasn't their teammate anymore.

"…Wow," said Ryuji as he watched them go. He looked at Urano. "Thanks for having my back. I'm glad you were here with me."

"There's no need to thank me," she brushed off, calmer now. "Those guys were just annoying me with their selfish attitudes. Plus… I think I just made them even angrier at you than they were before."

"That's still better than if I'd been here alone," replied Ryuji. He frowned, sighing. "When he started talking about my dad, I nearly smacked that guy… I haven't changed at all. Heck, the only reason I calmed down was because you stood by me. I kind of wish the track team had done that back when I punched Kamoshida."

Maybe then, he wouldn't have screwing everything up. Then again, maybe things would've turned out exactly the same. Besides, it didn't feel right blaming Nakaoka and the others for his own short-tempered mistake.

"You miss the track team, don't you?" asked Urano, giving a small smile. "Do you want to go back to them?"

"…A little bit yes, and a little bit no," answered Ryuji. He felt a bit embarrassed to finally say it out loud. "C'mon, don't ask me tough questions like that. I'm not very smart, y'know! Anyway, it doesn't matter now. That's all in the past! I'm only thinking about the future now! That's what we're gonna do – build the future! We gotta think positive thoughts!"

Ryuji offered a high-five, which Urano accepted.

.

Rank Up!

Confidant: Ryuji Sakamoto. Arcana: Chariot. Rank: 3.

.

"Yeah," agreed Urano, growing enthusiastic. "We'll steal the Treasure, expose Kamoshida, and get your grades up!"

"Alri– Wait, what!? Wasn't the tutoring just a cover story!?"

"Of course not. It would look suspicious if we didn't hold any tutoring sessions." She made a scary smile. "Also, if I have to exercise my body, then it's only fair that you have to exercise your mind."

"How is that fair!? Studying has nothing to do with the Palace!"

Ryuji didn't wait for a reply. He immediately turned away from Urano and sprinted with all his might.

"Misery loves company, Ryuji! Misery. Loves! COMPANY!"

That afternoon, Ryuji ran faster than he ever had on the track team.

April 14 – Thursday

Urano Motosu's PoV

While I was on my way back from school, I overhear a familiar voice talking on the phone.

"Will you please give it a rest!? I told you, I'm not feeling up to it… Wait, what…!? That's not what you promised! And you call yourself a teacher!? This has nothing to do with Shiho! Ah…"

The phone call ended, and Ann Takamaki curled up into a ball, looking miserable. "Shiho's… starting position…"

She was the girl who I'd let enter Kamoshida's car alone, even though he was very suspicious. And, judging by what I'd overheard, my theory about her being that pervert's favorite victim was correct.

"Are you okay?" I asked Takamaki, approaching her.

"Wait… were you listening?" she asked, getting up.

"Not on purpose," I replied.

"Haven't you heard of privacy?" snapped Takamaki.

"Sorry," I apologized. She had every right to be angry, given what the phone call was clearly about.

However, she just sighed.

"…No, I was out of line. Sorry," said Takamaki, her anger gone. "So how much did you hear…?"

"Enough to confirm what I already suspected," I admitted. "Kamoshida is blackmailing you through your best friend's position on the volleyball team."

"What you suspected?" she repeated, her tone becoming hostile again.

Oh. She probably thought I already knew when Kamoshida offered her a ride Monday.

"Something about him made me feel uneasy, and you looked upset after getting into his car," I explained. "I decided to investigate a bit after that. I… I'm truly sorry about leaving you alone with him. I should've done more."

Takamaki's expression softened at my apology.

"Don't be sorry," she said. "There was nothing you could do to stop Kamoshida. He… he just doesn't… doesn't take no…"

Takamaki began to sniffle, and her eyes started tearing up.

"Let's go somewhere safe," I suggested. We were still in public, and I didn't think Takamaki would want any more rumors about her. In fact, a few people were already starting to stare.

Fortunately, she agreed, and we moved to a relatively empty café in the underground walkway.

One emotional conversation later…

"Poor Lady Ann," lamented Morgana as Takamaki left. He'd apparently developed a precocious crush on her. However, after noticing the knowing smirk I was giving him, the not-cat cleared his throat and attempted to change the subject. "Still, that's the second time you've told someone that you're going after Kamoshida. You do remember that phantom thieves are supposed to be stealthy, right?"

"Urgh," I went, grimacing. Morgana had lectured me yesterday for telling Mishima, yet I still hinted to Takamaki that Kamoshida's days were numbered. "At least I was subtler this time."

The not-cat gave me a deadpan look that screamed 'that isn't better.'

"Seriously… How are you supposed to lead the Phantom Thieves (temp.) if you can't keep a secret?" questioned Morgana, sighing.

"Wait, lead!?" I exclaimed, baffled. "What are you talking about? You're the leader. I'd still be completely clueless if it weren't for you."

"Maybe," he replied, though he didn't seem to believe it. "But teaching isn't the same as leading. Besides, for a while now, you've been the one to make every major decision. After all, I certainly wasn't the one who decided that stealing Kamoshida's Treasure was Plan B."

I thought back on the past few days and realized that Morgana was right. Even during the conversation about preparations for infiltrating Kamoshida's Palace, he'd deferred to me on when to return to the castle.

"Why do I have to be the leader, though?" I complained. Leading would definitely cut into my reading time. "Couldn't you or Makoto do it?"

"Makoto doesn't have the experience," retorted Morgana. "And do you seriously think that Ryuji would listen to me?"

I couldn't argue with that.

"Also," continued the not-cat. "You've got some pretty good, if unpolished, leadership skills. I mean, you saw through Kamoshida's fake kindness, recognized Ryuji as a possible ally even before knowing his name, and helped Makoto regain her will to fight and awaken her Persona. Not to mention how you just calmed Lady Ann down from the verge of tears and got her to bear her heart to you."

I couldn't argue with that either.

"Urgh," I groaned. "If I'm leader, then I need to polish my skills, don't I?"

Goodbye, more of my reading time. Sorry, but my team was counting on me, and there's no way I could enjoy your company if I was preoccupied with the guilt of letting them down.

"Hmm… Now how do I improve my leadership skills…?" I mused. Leadership… leadership… "Aha! I could attend that politician's speech Sunday night. I still have the flyer in my room."

"Good idea," praised Morgana, making me puff out my chest in pride. "Buuut… aren't you forgetting about something?"

Huh? Oh, right! I'd gotten sidetracked by the encounter with Takamaki, but I still needed to visit Doctor Takemi's clinic!

Tae Takemi's PoV

"I need some medicine," said Motosu upon entering Tae's clinic.

"Oh?" responded Tae, raising an eyebrow. "And here I thought you were here to give me an answer about being my guinea pig."

Though she made a joke, internally Tae was confused by the girl's request. What was this unusual girl up to?

"I'll do it if you agree to sell me medicine," replied Motosu immediately.

Tae studied the girl closely. If Motosu had looked like the grief-stricken relative of dead patient back in Leblanc, then her current expression was that of a doctor fighting to save their dying patient.

Tae had seen that look more than enough times to recognize it, including earlier that day when she caught a glimpse of her reflection while thinking about Miwa. Of course, as soon as the doctor thought about her former patient, she could no longer refuse.

"…Alright," Tae agreed. While the doctor definitely had questions, Miwa didn't have enough time left for her to be picky about test subject. "Just head into the examination room for now. I'll sell to you afterward."

It didn't particularly bother Tae that she was using medication as a bargaining chip. Medicine was meant to help people, after all, and securing a guinea pig for her clinical trial would allow Tae to cure many patients.

That being said, Tae did still question Motosu a little bit before committing to the deal and giving the girl the trial medicine.

Motosu claimed that needed the medicine because she was trying to get into better shape but was getting really sore. It was an obvious lie, even if the girl's exercise and consequent soreness were real.

When Tae pressed her, however, Motosu held to her story. The most she would admit was that her actions were 'to help her friends." It was a cryptic statement to say the least, though likely an honest one given how open the girl was with her emotions.

Also, Motosu got flustered when Tae commented that she didn't expect the girl to be a drug dealer, which both amused the doctor and allowed her to dismiss the possibility that the girl intended to misuse the medicine.

Tae still had questions, but she decided against asking them. Developing a cure for Miwa was her priority, and she didn't want to drive away her new guinea pig by being too nosy. Tae gave Motosu the trial medicine and teased the girl about how it might kill her. Motosu responded by immediately gulping it down and passing out.

"…Welp. Game over, I guess."

Motosu spent most of the examination unconscious, only briefly waking up in a daze to ramble about someone named Lessy being cute and not a 'grun,' whatever that meant.

Afterward – once Motosu was finally lucid again – Tae gave her a brief scolding. The doctor also explained the that medicine had knocked Motosu out because it was made to produce a foul smell upon contact with gastric acid, prompting the girl to grumble about Tae being a sadist.

"What was that? Did you just say you wanted all of the medicine I give you to be flavored like that?"

"Eep! I'm sorry!"

After savoring Motosu's reactions for a bit and extracting a promise not to let the general public know about her original medicines, Tae carried out her end of the bargain.

Motosu left the clinic with a heavier bag and a lighter wallet. Although… Wow, was Sojiro a doting father! There's no way that his daughter got so much money from waitressing, even accounting for the tips that a cute girl like her would get.

.

I am thou, thou art I…

Thou hast acquired a new vow.

.

It shall become the wings of rebellion

That breaketh thy chains of captivity.

.

With the birth of the Death Persona,

I have obtained the winds of blessing that

Shall lead to freedom and new power…

.

Confidant: Tae Takemi. Arcana: Death. Rank: 1.

April 15 – Friday

Urano Motosu's PoV

We were in the middle of Mr. Ushimaru's class when it happened.

"Hey… What's that…!?"

"Wait… She going to jump…!"

"Suzui…?" said Mishima, provoking a reaction from Takamaki.

"Shiho…?" she whispered, shooting to her feet.

Mr. Ushimaru ordered everyone to remain seated, but Takamaki ignored him and sprinted out of the classroom. Getting a horrible gut feeling, I chased after her. We ran to the windows outside of the classroom, where a crowd of other students had already gathered to watch.

One moment, Suzui was teetering on the edge of the school's roof. The next, she was jumping. The whole world felt like it was moving in slow motion as her body dove toward the earth, until a sickening 'thump' forced everything back to regular speed.

"No… Why…?" gasped Takamaki, horrified. "Shiho…!"

She raced down the hallway with a desperate vigor. I tried following after Takamaki again, only to lose sight of her as she slipped through the swarm of students gathering at the courtyard where… where Suzui had landed.

However, Ryuji and Makoto arrived moments later. Together, the three of us were able to push our way through the crowd and watch as Suzui was placed on a stretcher by paramedics (somebody must have called emergency services instead of just gawking).

The sight made me feel a bit lighter – Suzui was alive, at least for now – though my relief was soured when one of the emergency responders asked for somebody to ride with Suzui and the teachers declined with weak excuses. It was obvious that they just didn't want to be associated with the suicide attempt.

A girl had just attempted suicide and was in critical condition, yet all those disgusting cowards cared about was their own reputations. Fortunately, not everybody was that selfish.

"I'll go!" declared Takamaki. The moment the paramedic accepted her offer, she rushed over to Suzui's side. "Shiho… Why…?"

"Ann…?" answered Suzui. She was still conscious, albeit dazed. "I'm sorry. I… I can't take this… anymore…"

"Shiho…?" replied Takamaki, confused. She leaned in, and Suzui whispered something that I couldn't hear. Nonetheless, Takamaki's next words made it obvious what Suzui had said. "…Huh? …Kamoshida!?"

"Ngh…" groaned Suzui, finally passing out.

"No… Shiho…!?" wailed Takamaki in a heart-wrenching voice.

As the paramedics took Suzui and Takamaki to the hospital, I dimly registered Ryuji and Makoto talking about Mishima's reaction to the suicide attempt. They decided to chase after him, but I remained behind, barely keeping myself together.

…Her best friend… Almost dead like Shuu…

Principal Kobayakawa sent us back to our classrooms, telling the teachers not to let any students go home yet. He obviously wanted to keep news of Suzui's suicide from spreading for as long as possible, which fed the dark emotions building in me.

… Suicidal like Futaba… All because of Kamoshida…

"Morgana…" I muttered. The not-cat shifted in my bag, indicating that he was listening. "Instead of changing Kamoshida's heart, maybe we should just kill him…"

That monster deserved a bloody carnival.

"What!? No!"

Morgana's PoV

It wasn't easy, but Morgana was able to avert a bloody carnival for the second time. He'd needed to use Futaba as ammunition, reminding Urano that a Metaverse-induced mental shutdown was how Wakaba had been killed. That remark had snapped the bookworm out of her bloodthirsty mindset, and she immediately abandoned the idea.

Unfortunately, he ran into more trouble during the after-school meeting of the Phantom Thieves (temp.). As they hadn't been able to visit the rooftop for obvious reasons, this meeting was instead held by some vending machines on the first floor.

Apparently, Makoto and Ryuji had squeezed out of Mishima that Suzui's suicide attempt had been prompted by Kamoshida sexually assaulting her. The blood rushed to Ryuji's head, and he confronted the pervert in his office. Makoto and Mishima followed and backed him up, not that it did much good.

Kamoshida responded by gloating about how there was nothing that any of them could do, especially since Suzui was in a coma and her prospects of recovery were poor. He also threatened to report all three of them at the next board meeting and get them expelled, putting the Phantom Thieves (temp.) on a deadline.

Suffice to say that everybody but Morgana was itching to infiltrate Kamoshida's Palace immediately.

"We gotta hurry up and go to that world and beat the shit outta that asshole!" declared Ryuji furiously.

"We aren't ready!" retorted Morgana sharply. "Don't you remember the plan? We spend until Monday preparing, then enter his Palace."

"Our circumstances have changed, Morgana," stated Makoto, also agitated. "With all due respect, surely we can at least begin Palace exploration."

"Please," scoffed the not-cat – urgh, now he was saying it! – only growing more frustrated. "It's pretty obvious that you three aren't in any mood to be stealthy. We won't be able get any meaningful exploration done until you've had some time to calm down."

"Maybe you're right about not going today," conceded Urano, her head the coolest after their earlier talk. "But Makoto's also got a point. The two of us were able to explore Futaba's Palace just fine without any guns. We could move up entering Kamoshida's Palace to tomorrow or Sunday."

"'Just fine'?" repeated Morgana, his temper boiling over. "'Just fine'!? We almost died against that sphinx! The only reason we're still alive is because we got lucky and Futaba was able to control her Palace as it's Ruler!"

Urano, Makoto, and Ryuji were cowed by Morgana's outburst, but he wasn't done.

"Heck, we only made it to that point because part of Futaba wanted us there, changing her heart! And there's no way in hell that Kamoshida is even remotely conflicted about wanting us dead! So, yes, I think we need to do everything we can to prepare, because I DON'T WANT ANY OF YOU TO DIE!"

The not-cat was left panting after his speech. Fortunately, it seemed he got through to his teammates.

"…I suppose we did get a little hasty," admitted Makoto. "We created our original schedule for a reason, one that still applies."

"Yeah," agreed Ryuji. "It's not like getting Kamoshida now or getting him in a few days'll be that different."

"…I should really know by now to listen to you, Morgana," said Urano with a self-deprecating smile.

"Obviously," replied the not-cat confidently. He puffed out his chest with pride. "After all, I am the expert here."

Internally, though, he felt no small measure of relief that everybody had listened to reason. He'd meant what he said about not wanting them to die. They were his friends. Even Ryuji.

.

Rank Up!

Confidant: Morgana. Arcana: Magician. Rank: 3.

.

"So then," spoke Urano. "If we're all in agreement, let's stick to the original plan and start on Monday. Kamoshida won't know what hit him!"

"So you are up to something," spoke a beautiful voice.

In hindsight, maybe having a meeting in such a public location was a mistake.

Ann Takamaki's PoV

Once Shiho began receiving care from the hospital, Ann was brought back to Shujin. During the drive, she remembered a comment that Motosu had made yesterday about Kamoshida's days being numbered.

At the time, Ann had dismissed it as an attempt to cheer her up. Looking back, however, it sounded like Motosu might be planning to do something to Kamoshida. It was possible that Ann was mistaken, but she felt desperate and vindictive enough to check as soon as classes ended.

Luckily, Ann's suspicions were immediately confirmed when she found Urano (who was with Ryuji, Niijima, and… a cat?) and overheard her speak.

"…in agreement, let's stick to the original plan and start on Monday. Kamoshida won't know what hit him!"

"So you are up to something," blurt out Ann, startling all of them. They relaxed after a moment, no doubt realizing that she had no intention of turning them in. Her gazed flitted over Ryuji and Niijima. "I guess that mean the rumor that you two are getting expelled is true, too. Everyone's talking about it…"

"That asshole's at it again…!" grumbled Ryuji. He glared at her, clearly in a bad mood. "So you came all this way to tell us that?"

Ann just glared right back at him. She was in a much worse mood.

"If you're going to deal with Kamoshida… let me in on it too," she answered, surprising Ryuji. Motosu and Niijima didn't react, having probably already guessed she would say that. "I can't just sit back and do nothing after what happened to Shiho!"

Motosu looked hesitant, but the same couldn't be said of the others.

"This has nothing to do with you…" rejected Ryuji. "Don't butt your head into this…"

"But it does! Shiho's my–"

"And how would she feel if you died or got arrested?" interrupted Niijima. "Because if things go poorly… That's what will happen to us."

"I don't care!" shouted Ann. She looked to Motosu, hoping to find an ally. "Please! You have to understand how important this is!"

"…I do…" admitted Motosu, giving Ann a spot of hope. "…But Ryuji and Makoto are right. How would Shiho feel, finding out that something happened to you because you were trying to get revenge for her?"

"…How would Shiho feel?" echoed Ann, feeling something snap in her. "Shiho's in the hospital because of that monster! Do you understand how it feels… being completely powerless as your best friend is dying, while the one responsible is getting away scot-free!?"

When she made that accusation, Motosu recoiled as if somebody had struck her. A part of Ann took some sadistic pleasure in driving a splinter of her own pain into the bookworm, but only a small part. It was Kamoshida who she truly wanted to make suffer.

"I'm sorry, but my answer is still no," said Motosu. Her voice sounded strained, like she was holding back a jumble of emotions…

…but Ann was too furious to care. She shot the three of them withering looks and stormed off.

She would get revenge of Kamoshida, though, whether they liked it or not. Besides, she already knew that whatever they were planning started on Monday.

AN: Just to clarify from the conversation about Urano being the leader, Morgana was skeptical about Urano remaining clueless about the Metaverse. He suspects that she would've figured it out sooner or later.

That's all for now. Bye!

Confidants: Morgana (Magician, Rank 3), Igor (Fool, Rank 3), Sojiro Sakura (Hierophant, Rank 2), Ryuji Sakamoto (Chariot, Rank 3), Tae Takemi (Death, Rank 1).