Chapter XIX: Persona's Ascendancy vs. the Angel of Control
Distorted Chiyoda, Tokyo (千代田区, 東京)
As the ascended the Phantom Thieves took on the Knights of Control, Shin-Io, Sion, and the Revenants took their fight against the main source of the entire conflict: Yaldabaoth ΩX.
"Come then, show me the power of Shin-Io, Togo Hifumi!" Yaldabaoth ΩX blissfully challenged the divine being.
Without hesitation, Shin-Io flew toward Yaldabaoth ΩX. At the same time, the Angel of Control charged headlong with the goddess as they exchanged a quick flurry of fisticuffs. Shin-Io's physical strength escalated to divine heights as every punch and kick coming from both shook the fabrics of the world's reality.
As he dodged a punch from Shin-Io, Yaldabaoth ΩX fired his Ω Arrows of Light at her. Shin-Io easily evaded the light arrows, which instantly destroyed buildings on contact. Summoning her ko-naginata, the goddess conjured bolts of lightning and unleashed a divine lightning bolt toward Yaldabaoth ΩX. Yaldabaoth ΩX swiftly evaded Shin-Io's devastating Tengoku Divine Thorn. When she tossed another, he manifested a barrier, which nullified her attack completely.
"Very good, Shin-Io! Your new divine strength has put you on my level, but can you keep this up?!" Yaldabaoth ΩX taunted her as Shin-Io took on a battle stance.
"Datenshi!" Sion roared as he charged with his Queenslayer and Hanemukuro. Delivering a double slash attack, the Revenant pushed him away with force. Then, he lunged forward, conjuring his Frenzied Fire Gift and blasting him with it. With bated breath, the Revenant whispered. "Alright, let's see how this Envoy of Matthew works."
Having taken damage from Sion's attack, Yaldabaoth ΩX fired energy blasts at his Revenant clone, but Sion ran forward while evading him. In that instance, Sion imbued a white light from his aura into his Queenslayer blade. Making a speeding dash for Yaldabaoth ΩX, he dove forward and cut through the Angel of Control's aura with his glowing white blade. After shattering his defenses, Sion slashed Yaldabaoth ΩX's upper body while delivering fast and consecutive slashes. After knocking him back with his Will of d'Artagnan, Sion flew at Yaldabaoth ΩX again, intending to repeat his attack, but the Angel of Hope flew out of the Revenant's reach.
Sion raised his glowing blade. "How do you like that, Datenshi?! Not even you can handle my new power now!"
Suddenly, Louis jumped Yaldabaoth ΩX from behind, readying his now glowing white Enduring Crimson sword. Before Yaldabaoth ΩX can make a barrier, Louis delivered an upward slash with his Blade of Athos technique. When the Angel of Control tried grabbing him, Louis performed his Phantom Assault Gift, vanishing into a mist and struck him with another upward slash. Louis then blasted him with Fire Storm, attempting to burn the Angel of Control. However, Yaldabaoth ΩX formed another barrier, nullifying the flaming projectiles.
With Yaldabaoth ΩX's guard lowered, Yakumo, while opening his arms, manifested a projectile wave shaped like a canine's jaws. With a hand wave, his powerful jaw-like force collided with Yaldabaoth ΩX. Quickly overpowered by Yakumo's Jaws of Porthos, Yaldabaoth ΩX's barrier was broken again. As Yakumo fiercely attacked him with his jaw-shaped wave, Yaldabaoth ΩX repelled him with his Ω Rays of Control. As Yaldabaoth prepared another attack, an energy bullet collided with his body, causing him to turn around.
As he whipped around, he saw Mia firing a barrage of white beams from her Bayonet rifle. With her eyes laser focused on the Angel of Control, Mia fired her Bullets of Aramis. Defending himself, Yaldabaoth ΩX stopped her long-ranged beams with his Ω Arrows of Light. As a few light arrows headed her way, Mia manifested her Ice Armor Gift, casting an ice wall to neutralize most of his projectiles.
Suddenly, as Yaldabaoth ΩX heard blood-curdling roars, he saw Jack, now a giant Drake, diving toward him. As the Drake conjured its Hound-Type Blood Veil, the two hound heads served as extra heads to fight its enemy with. When the three-headed dragon collided with Yaldabaoth ΩX, it delivered a triple bite attack, snapping and biting down on the Angel of Control. After inflicting its Slavic Fangs, its extra heads became wings again.
Recovering from the dragon's triple bite attack, blue flames spewed from the dragon's mouth and bathed overYaldabaoth ΩX. Conjuring another barrier, Yaldabaoth ΩX resisted its Fafnir Breath, which had enough potent fire to damage the Angel of Control. Then, Eva, still in her Successor of the Throat form, collided with and unleashed a whirlwind attack on Yaldabaoth ΩX. She then cast tornado-like projectiles. Yaldabaoth ΩX effortlessly wiped them tornadoes out with beams.
Just then, Shin-Io quickly cast her Tengoku Divine Thorn and blasted Yaldabaoth ΩX's back. With a swing from her ko-naginata, she swiftly knocked Yaldabaoth ΩX away into a high rise building. As the Revenants regrouped with Shin-Io, the silverish white-haired goddess turned and instructed them.
"Not only have I granted you Envoy forms, but I've given you abilities to manifest Successor forms."
"Whoa, can we really?!" Mia cried out in shock.
"That's going to come in handy against this guy," Yakumo added.
"Indeed, I'm curious what our Successor forms will be like," Louis mused.
"There's only one way to find out!" Sions said as a white aura enveloped him, causing his body to grow.
"Hey, something's happening to Sion!" Eva called out.
"It's time," Shin-Io acknowledged as she and the Revenants witnessed Sion's transformation.
Sion transformed into an 11-foot tall, bipedal allosaur-like theropod. Sion's skull grew with his allosaurid head, becoming narrow and disproportionately large. The allosaurid has dark gray scales covering most of its body, black stripes covering its back, and a cream underbelly. Attached to its base arms are cream membrane-like plumage made of skin, which doubled as wings. Tufts of black feathers covered the edges of its arms and the entire base of its tail. Ten small spikes are formed across Sion's back, five on the left side and five on the right. The fierce theropod let out a loud snarl which became a deep bellow.
"Sion has invoked his alternate beast form: the Successor of Julius Deinos," Shin-Io revealed.
"Whoa, this is not a dragon!" Yakumo exclaimed.
"It certainly isn't!" Louis added.
"Based on this body structure, it's a dinosaur," Jack scanned the 11-foot tall, bipedal allosaur-like theropod Sion has become.
"Louis, it's your turn," Shin-Io said as her golden eyes glowed in conjunction with a white aura materializing over the Revenant.
Suddenly, Louis got down on all fours. His fearsome yelling turned into a deep lion's roar. A white aura enveloped the Revenant's body as he grew into a 6.5-foot tall Barbary lion with dark golden feathered wings.
Shin-Io noted Louis's beast transformation. "Louis Amamiya, you are the Successor of Babylon Leo."
"A dinosaur and a lion. I wonder what we'll turn into," Yakumo deduced as he and Mia waited for their turn.
Just then, Mia dropped her rifle and got down on all fours. The white light spread over Mia, transforming the blonde-haired Revenant into her beast form. Her grunts became snarls. Mia transformed into a 5.5-foot tall snow leopard with its tail ending with a scorpion's stinger. It also has wasp wings and antennas. Uncoiling her stinger tail, Mia howled with ferocity.
"Embrace your inner beast, Mia Karnstein. You are the Successor of Alexandra Panthera," Shin-Io identified the scorpion-tailed, winged snow leopard.
Finally, Yakumo snarled as he got down on all fours. Much like Louis and Mia, his body became shrouded in white light. The light transformed him into a 6-foot tall Doberman Pinscher with the massive build of a dire bear. His four legs could be described as having the amalgamated build of a Doberman and a bear. Shield-like wings adorned his back. The bear-like Doberman let out a deep roar.
Shin-Io muttered. "Shinonome Yakumo, you are the Successor of Persian Ursine."
"Now, Revenants, use your Successor forms to their fullest and defeat the Angel of Control!" Shin-Io called out, beckoning the Successors to assemble around her as they faced off with Yaldabaoth ΩX.
"I'm quite impressed, goddess. You've even managed to bring out my clone's fullest potential. I never would've imagined he and his colleagues could invoke Successor forms. I'm curious to see where they stack up against my full strength!" Yaldabaoth ΩX roared as he fired hundreds of Ω Arrows of Light toward his opposition.
Shin-Io and the Revenants shifted and evaded Yaldabaoth ΩX volley of projectile arrows, which rained down all over the vicinity and wiped out numerous buildings. Several arrows even pierced through the fabrics of the distorted reality, raising Shin-Io's alarm.
"We must focus on taking down Datenshi before his power collapses reality!" Shin-Io alarmed the Revenants.
As Yaldabaoth ΩX dove toward the group, Shin-Io manifested a pale blue sphere from her ko-naginata. Tossing her Tengoku Star, she quickly countered the Angel of Control's Supernova. As both spheres collided and exploded, it caused a shockwave that disrupted the dimensional fabrics of the distorted reality.
Letting out a genuine laugh, Yaldabaoth ΩX openly complimented the goddess. "How admirable that we're able to duel on equal terms. I wonder, how effective the Thieves' Persona's Ascendancy powers are? Will it be enough to defeat my Knights?"
"I suppose we'll be the judge of that, Datenshi!" Shin-Io rebuked as he and the Successors rushed and attacked Yaldabaoth ΩX.
The fights between the ascended Phantom Thieves and their Lost counterparts escalated forth, causing both sides to push each other's limits.
A battle between the hackers erupted outside an empty office building. Running on a high platform, Al Azif ΩX lured Acedia Oracle to a new location. Acedia Oracle fired electrical laser beams from her tentacles, but Al Azif ΩX forged a reflection, which bounced the lasers toward the Knight. Acedia Oracle swiftly evaded and tossed her tentacles, attempting to ensnare her prey.
"Not this time, freak!" Al Azif ΩX retorted as she used her newfound speed to escape from the jellyfish's grasp. As she whipped out her laser sword, she cut through the deadly tentacles, narrowly escaping the Knight's grasp.
In retaliation, Acedia Oracle unleashed more electrical laser beams and bubble traps on the hacker, but Al Azif ΩX used her Techno Force technique, nullifying her opponent's attacks. Scanning the jelly monster with her visor, Al Azif ΩX pinpointed the Knight's weak spot, exploiting it and using her hacking abilities to neutralize the jellyfish.
"Bingo! Time to dismember you!" Al Azif ΩX declared, utilizing her Detective Eye to scan and expose Acedia Oracle's weakness.
She then called forth multi-colored projectiles, producing bright flashing colors that blinded the Knight. With her DJ Laser Storm, she shifted the multi-colored lights around Acedia Oracle, unleashing a barrage of multiple beams, tearing apart the weakened Knight's body parts, including her tentacles. With a massive laser beam, she obliterated the jellyfish monster as it exploded into gooey pieces.
Removing her visor, Al Azif ΩX smirked. "Alright! That'll teach you!"
Elsewhere in a flower garden, Lucy ΩX fended off Gula Noir with her ax and evaded the crustacean abomination's leg strikes. Channeling her new power through her ax, the weapon glowed with light. The ax converted into something resembling a 17th Century German Axe Pistol. Brandishing her newly produced weapon through ax training, Noir readied her newly conjured weapon and fired her Buster Axe technique, cracking open and cutting through the Knight's armored long legs.
"There! How do you like that?!" Lucy ΩX cried out as Gula Noir roared, jumping and leaping down, causing an earthquake. And amid this earthquake, it launched black shards toward Lucy ΩX.
Lucy ΩX flew up, completely evading the spiked projectiles. Gula Noir then charged, attempting to slash at her meal with her enhanced pincers.
Swinging her ax, the ascended Beauty Thief deflected the Knight's vicious attacks. Then, Lucy ΩX cast her Ω Psycho Force. At that exact time, the Knight fired her Controlling Psycho Force. As both psychic forces collided, they ignited an explosion that shook the entire vicinity and repelled both warriors back.
As Lucy ΩX recovered safely, Gula Noir rose and attempted to strike again. In response, Lucy ΩX readied her two artillery cannons and fired Ω Triple Down. The particle beams blasted through the Knight's upper woman body and her lower crab body while nullifying Gula Noir's recovery skills. As Gula Noir howled in pain, Lucy ΩX's eyes widened and cast another new technique: the Psychic Burst. Using her psychic power, she caused the Knight to expand and explode in a bloody, grotesque manner. Pieces of flesh, intestines, broken crustacean armor and black blood rained over the area before ultimately dissolving and fading away.
Stepping on a lump of flesh that used to be the upper woman body's face, Lucy ΩX coldly muttered. "Adieu."
Gorokichi ΩX fiercely engaged Irritum Fox in a life or death duel. Irritum Fox unleashed dark spheres made out of black ink at his opponent. Gorokichi ΩX leaped and evaded the spheres. Then, Gorokichi ΩX swooped down and delivered consecutive katana slashes on the Knight. The Knight blocked it with his brush katana as their closely contested battle pressed on.
With his brush katana, the Knight fired ice shards made of blackish-light blue paint at Gorokichi ΩX. One of the shards slashed Gorokichi ΩX's right shoulder, but he endured the wound and evaded the rest of the shards. Gorokichi ΩX unleashed an Ω Diamond Dust, hitting Irritum Fox with freezing damage. Just as the ice was going to freeze him solid, Irritum Fox broke free from the ice.
Rushing headlong with Gorokichi ΩX, Irritum Fox unleashed a massive amount of paint bombs and ice shards at the ascended Phantom Thief. In response, Fox performed a few katas and produced nine clones of himself. Fox utilized his new Fox Shadow magic, allowing him to delve into his newly acquired passive abilities. The Knight targeted each clone and wiped them out, leaving only one. As the Knight slashed through Gorokichi ΩX, the ascended Thief's body melted into black ink.
In a shocking twist, Gorokichi ΩX emerged from a black ink pool behind Irritum Fox. Readying his katana, the Knight turned and attacked. Gorokichi ΩX blocked his opponent's katana and slammed the Knight. Then, in response to Irritum Fox's second barrage of ink bombs and shards, Gorokichi ΩX summoned an icicle brush that reflected the bombs and ice attacks at Irritum Fox. As Irritum Fox tried to evade them, the volley attacks came too fast and dealt necessary damage to the Knight.
With his Knight counterpart weakened, the ascended Phantom Thief rushed forward. He took a single step and dashed, delivering a powerful forward-charge with his katana and slashed through Irritum Fox with his Divine Glaive technique.
After finishing up, Gorokichi ΩX sheathed his katana. A loud cry was heard. Irritum Fox cried out of being sliced in half until his cleaved body dissolved into black ink.
"And the curtain falls," Gorokichi ΩX bowed.
Flying around on his nimbus airship, William ΩX howled with exhilaration as he evaded Ira Skull's mouth blasts. Then, living up to the name of the Monkey King, the ascended Phantom Thief repeatedly pummeled him with his staff. Attempting to take out his opponent's legs with his large arm, Ira Skull narrowly missed William ΩX, who jumped up and smacked Skull Ira down.
"Hehe, hell yeah! Take that, ya big hairy bastard!" William ΩX boasted, laughing at the Knight.
As Ira Skull quickly recovered, William ΩX unleashed an Ω Thunder Reign. Responding to the ascended Thief's attack, Ira Skull discharged an electrical field from his body. However, William ΩX's attack bypassed Ira Skull's electricity absorption and damaged the Knight. Bellowing in pain, Ira Skull created a shockwave by slamming his fists into the ground, and coupled with the shockwave, he sent lightning strikes at William ΩX. Casually dodging, William ΩX manifested a yellow electrical aura around his body, which multiplied his flight speed. After activating his Electrical Kaio-Ken, he somersaulted and backflipped from the ape's devastating attacks. He brandished and swung his staff for Ira Skull's face, but the Knight bit down the staff and nearly broke it in two.
"That all ya got?!" William ΩX used his physical strength to throw the large Knight off his balance. After slamming Ira Skull down, William ΩX used Ω God's Hand, pummeling and sending Ira Skull upward into the sky.
"You're going down!" William ΩX charged up a familiar technique from his hands.
The ascended Phantom Thief amassed a golden ball of electricity in his hands. Pushing his hands forward, he unleashed an Electric Kamehameha at Ira Skull. Attempting to block the attack, Ira Skull's defenses were broken by the divine power, overwhelming the large gorilla. As the beam swallowed him, Ira Skull roared a blood-curdling cry before being completely obliterated.
"And that's all she wrote!" William ΩX posed with a V for Victory sign.
Fighting off Avaritia Mona steadfast in an empty train station, the ascended Phantom Thief mascot delivered scimitar slashes while phasing in different directions. Almost thrown off by Diego ΩX's tactic, Avaritia Mona seized him with accurate timing and landed heavy claw strikes into Diego ΩX before throwing him to the ground. Rolling away from Avaritia Mona's second claw strike, Diego ΩX used Ω Salvation to heal himself.
Screeching, Avaritia Mona phased himself into a shadow and moved around through some interior walls, looking to throw off Diego ΩX's guard. The shadow burst from the wall, reverting to his normal form. The Knight feline hybrid lunged for his intended meal. However, Diego ΩX saw it coming and blocked Avaritia Mona's jaws with his scimitar. Diego ΩX pummeled him with a barrage of strikes. Avaritia Mona retaliated, unleashing claw strikes with his hands and feet. With every attack, he unleashed shockwaves, which Diego ΩX endured and took some damage.
Diego ΩX unleashed Ω Panta Rhei, damaging and sending Avaritia Mona flying back with a powerful wave.
"Now to finish this!" Diego ΩX charged himself up with electrical light green energy before leaping upward toward his target.
The ascended Phantom Thief mascot performed a Lightspeed Drive, slashing through Avaritia Mona multiple times akin to an All-out Attack. Avaritia Mona shrieked in pain as the constant beatings caused gaping holes to appear on its body like swiss chess.
Pushing fast, Diego ΩX speed blitzed through Avaritia Mona, bombarding him with explosive fireworks and sparks. After performing his Phantom Hanabi, sparks and fire exploded out of the Knight's body.
After a final slash, he split the beast right down the middle, causing parts of his body, bones, and intestines to pop out and explode into dust.
After cleansing the Knight's remains with green electrical blasts, Diego ΩX landed on the ground and gave a triumphant smirk. "The end!"
Enhancing her whip with mystical flames, Celestine ΩX rushed and struck Luxuria Panther with it. Evading the fiery whip, Luxuria Panther leaped, delivering swift claw strikes and spewing venomous flames at Celestine ΩX.
Forging a firewall barrier with her whip, the ascended Phantom Thief repelled the Knight's opposing flames. Snarling, Luxuria Panther swiped with her tail, unleashing sharp spikes at Celestine ΩX. As she evaded them, Celestine ΩX called forth two black dog heads wearing spiked gray collars, which were similar in design to Hecate's dogs and Sion (and Yakumo's) Hound-Type Blood Veils. Celestine ΩX beckoned her black dog heads to attack as they unleashed Cerberi Fangs, inflicting a vicious bite and burning her with their fire imbued fangs. Countering Celestine ΩX's attack, Luxuria Panther unleashed Controlling Blazing Hell, shrouding her opponent in flames.
Despite taking damage, Celestine ΩX immediately brushed off the dark flames and intensely glared at her enemy.
"I'm not giving up yet!" Celestine ΩX yelled as a fiery veil shrouded her whole body. At the same time, her aura glowed in wisps of divine ember. Similar to a fiery variation of Heat Riser, she cast Habanera Riser, which powered her up and boosted all of her states.
Moving at increased speeds. Celestine ΩX dove toward Luxuria Panther and landed an excruciatingly painful-looking headbutt, which cracked the Knight's skull. Then, Celestine ΩX threw her whip, ensnaring the Knight's neck with it. She quickly lassoed her around and repeatedly slammed Luxuria Panther to the ground. As Celestine ΩX let go of her whip, Luxuria Panther charged once again. The Knight fell into her trap.
Lobbing a pillar of flames at Luxuria Panther, the ascended Phantom Thief unleashed an Ω Blazing Hell and obliterated the Knight into nothing.
Sighing with relief, Celestine ΩX struck the ground with her whip and passionately yelled. optimistic outlook. "A beautiful rose has thorns!"
Screech roaring from the sky, the crow dragon dove toward Hereward ΩX and expelled dark flames at him. Hereward ΩX blocked the flames with his dual swords and then bravely charged at Cavum Crow while delivering combo strikes.
Cavum Crow countered by pecking and biting down on Hereward ΩX, but the ascended ex-Phantom Thief blocked his Knight counterpart's beak mouth. Hereward ΩX quickly slid down across Cavum Crow's body and slashed apart one of the crow dragon's three legs. Letting out a pained cry, the crow dragon flew high up and shook Hereward ΩX off. As Hereward ΩX landed firmly on the ground, the Knight launched sharp black feathers from his wings, but Hereward ΩX unleashed his Loptr Tornado and reflected the feathers with a gust of wind energy.
After his own feathers were sent back at him, Cavum Crow expelled fireballs from his smaller two mouths and burned his feather projectiles.
Readying himself, Hereward ΩX evaded Cavum Crow's dark flames and black feather barrage. While dodging the flames and feather barrage, Hereward ΩX fired his Twilight Arrows to take out the remaining black feathers.
The crow dragon Knight swooped down and conjured a dark hole. As he passed through the hole, he burst out of another warp hole and slammed Hereward ΩX upward. In response, Hereward ΩX let out a scream full of sonic waves, which damaged and neutralized Cavum Crow. After paralyzing him with his Hvedrungr Roar, Hereward ΩX swooped down and delivered a barrage of sword strikes through the Knight. Finally, he invoked his newest technique, Ω Rebel's Blade, and delivered a critical blow to the crow dragon.
As he landed on the ground, Hereward ΩX turned to see Cavum Crow being ripped to shreds as his wings, remaining talons, and beak fell to the ground. In an instant, the Knight exploded into dust and faded away into oblivion.
"Enjoy the taste of defeat!" Hereward ΩX declared.
Like skilled martial artists, Agnes ΩX and Invidia Queen exchanged fisticuffs and kicks alongside blocking each other's melee strikes. Even during this heated exchange, neither of them took direct damage.
Agnes ΩX then sidestepped and kicked down Invidia Queen, and then kicked her face. Invidia Queen recovered and fired back with her Controlling Flash Bomb, enabling her to beat down Agnes ΩX with flashing combos. Charging her hands with nuclear energy, Agnes ΩX retaliated and punched her with her Nuclear Fist, shattering Invidia Queen's body armor. The ascended Phantom Thief then punched her down.
"Is that all?" Agnes ΩX gritted with a fierce glare, scowling like an enraged beast.
Springing back up, Invidia Queen let out a battle cry and charged at her adversary for another attack.
"Guess that's a 'no' then," Agnes ΩX charged at her Knight counterpart. When the Knight charged for an attack, Agnes ΩX cast Ω Checkmate, cutting down on Invidia Queen's attack, defense, and agility abilities temporarily.
Despite being weakened, Invidia Queen unleashed her Controlling Atomic Flare. In response to the Knight's direct attack, Agnes ΩX delivered an Ω Atomic Flare. When both divine nuclear energies collided, the fighters grappled with each other's hands and attempted to push each other away. Gaining some leverage over her enemy, Agnes ΩX then pushed the force back as the nuclear energy engulfed Invidia Queen.
The Knight barely blocked out the energy, but she was caught by surprise when Agnes ΩX unloaded with a flurry of heavy punches. After performing her rapid fist barrage, the ascended Phantom Thief delivered another Nuclear Fist and punched through Invidia Queen's chest.
Then, Agnes ΩX ripped out the Knight's heart, noticing vein threads still attached to the heart. With a scowl, she crushed it with her bare hand. Letting out a blood-curdling scream, Invidia Queen's body dissolved into energy and faded into obscurity.
"Justice has prevailed," Agnes ΩX turned around and looked behind the view, calmly stating her victory.
As they landed on an ice skating rink, Ella ΩX and Tristitia Violet skated while dancing around the other. They swiftly collided and traded a flurry of blade strikes. As the Knight dove for a strike, Ella ΩX gracefully sidestepped Tristitia Violet's attack. The ascended Phantom Thief jumped high into the air and imbued white light through her rapier.
"You're good, but I've gotten much better since our last performance!" Ella ΩX boasted, showing off her glowing rapier.
While she danced across the dance, Tristitia Violet unleashed a stream of powerful light from her ballet dance. As the light beam headed for Ella ΩX performed her Ω Sword Dance, cutting through Tristitia Violet's attack. Then, as he flew down, Ella ΩX performed her attack on the Knight, who moved away. As she went for her Controlling Sword Dance, the ascended Phantom Thief slid away and came up behind the Knight. When Tristitia Violet turned to attack, Ella ΩX swiftly cut off the Knight's left leg.
Screeching with pain, Tristitia Violet stumbled back, nearly falling down. She then jumped up and went for a flying kick. Jumping over the Knight, Ella ΩX performed Ω Masquerade, landing a critical blow through Tristitia Violet's chest. Having been dealt a devastating blow, Tristitia Violet's body shattered like glass. Seizing the opportunity, Ella ΩX struck Tristitia Violet with her glowing rapier. After expelling the Knight with divine white light, Tristitia Violet shattered like glass as her shard remains turned to sand and faded away.
Finishing her skating dance performance, Ella ΩX posed with her rapier. "What doesn't kill me just makes me stronger!"
Both Raoul ΩX and Superbia Joker flew around while striking with their daggers and swords a couple of times. Superbia Joker fired an energy beam from his cannon, but Raoul ΩX evaded and damaged his Knight counterpart with a Riot Gun. Raoul ΩX phased behind Superbia Joker and slashed him with his dagger, but the Knight blocked Raoul ΩX's dagger with his sword. They clashed blades a few times before withdrawing.
"Come forth!" The ascended Phantom Thief summoned his Titania and Queen Mab Personas. Much to his surprise, he realized he can conjure more than one Persona during a battle, which is a new ability acquired by Persona's Ascendancy. "Well now. This should be interesting."
However, Superbia Joker showed little concern and readied to fire his cannon.
"Try this!" Raoul ΩX manifested Fairy Sphere, conjured by the power of his two Personas, and lobbed it at Superbia Joker. However, Superbia Joker used his Ghostly Wail-like scream that repelled the mystical sphere. Letting out a horrific bawl, Superbia Joker summoned blue flaming energy swords, which surrounded Raoul ΩX.
As the swords flew at and tried to slash their intended target, Raoul ΩX countered most of these attacks. As the Knight kept manifesting swords, Raoul ΩX called forth four Personas: Pale Rider, White Rider, Red Rider, and Black Rider. The Horsemen helped their master by evaporating Superbia Joker's swords. Ordering the Horsemen of the Apocalypse to attack the Knight, Raoul ΩX called for the Four Horsemen Strike, beckoning his four riders to charge and deliver devastatingly blood slashes on Superbia Joker. During this assault, Raoul cast Ω Phantom Show, neutralizing his Knight counterpart with sleep paralysis.
"Had enough?!" Raoul ΩX shouted at the Knight, who was critically damaged by the four riders. "Then, I suppose you're ready for the power of a Devil Hydra?!"
In an instant, blue flames erupted and shrouded Raoul ΩX. As the flames engulfed his face, Raoul's visage appeared, howling a fiendish laugh. The flames burned away his garb. Then, the ascended Phantom Thief's body grew until he reached a 25-foot tall, three-headed dragon. All three of its heads are red and black. The middle head has a longer set of horns facing frontward and another set of horns protruding from the back of its head. The middle head's visage resembles a draconic variation of Raoul's face. The other two heads sport the matching red and black colored schemes. Its body structure became shaped like a wyvern's than a traditional European dragon. Sprouting from the dragon's back are two black and red demonic wings. The beast's black legs end with red bird-like feet and talons. Its long black tail ends with three smaller tails. The three heads produced bellows that sounded like high-pitched crackling roars.
After Raoul ΩX let out a loud demonic roar, his mouths charged up dark energy beams. He unleashed these divine beams, the Sinful Neutron Blast, from his three mouths and targeted Superbia Joker. After breaking out of his sleep paralysis, Superbia Joker charged himself to full power and fired Midnight Cocytus, a devilish-faced energy beam. Both attacks collided into a devastating beam struggle.
Attempting to disorient his opponent, Superbia Joker attempted to push back using his Ghostly Wail-like scream. However, Raoul ΩX easily resisted with his willpower, giving him the driving force needed to push back the beam energies toward Superbia Joker. When the destructive energies collided with him, the Knight let out a horrific scream while the attack obliterated him in deep sinew. As the energy wave cleared away, nothing was left of the Knight.
Turning back to his humanoid form, the ascended Phantom Thief stood while casting Ω Victory Cry to fully recover himself.
Striking a victory pose, Raoul ΩX hollered. "The show is over!"
With the Knights of Control permanently removed, Yaldabaoth ΩX was the remaining enemy left to contend with. Needless to say, Shin-Io and the Revenants' limitations were tested by the ascended Angel of Control's divine power.
After preventing him from warping reality, the Angel of Control fought off the Revenants' Successor forms. After smacking Yaldabaoth ΩX's face with his feathered tail, the Successor of Julius Deion stomped its hind legs, creating a seismic wave that plowed through the earth beneath the Angel of Control. After knocking Yaldabaoth ΩX back with his Vasto Quake, the Successor of Babylon Leo unleashed a powerful roar with enough force to shake half a mile of land. The lion's Vapula's Roar repelled Yaldabaoth ΩX and sent him crashing into a building.
As he recovered, Yaldabaoth ΩX was met with a swing from the Successor of Alexandra Panthera's metal tail. As the Angel of Control forged a barrier, her Ose's Vespula Strike cut through his barrier. Then, the Successor of Persian Ursine knocked him around with powerful claw swipes and unleashed his Savagery of Marchosias, which is an energy wave shaped like a large bear. After the bear spirit drove Yaldabaoth ΩX back, Shin-Io, Jack, and Eva went for an assault.
Having taken enough blows, Yaldabaoth ΩX blasted them back with golden rays. Although Shin-Io was able to nullify his beams with her divine aura, the Revenants weren't as fortunate as the Angel of Control's attacks knocked them out of their Successor modes.
"Enough of this. Time to end you all," Yaldabaoth ΩX coldly muttered, conjuring and attempting to throw another Supernova at the group.
As Shin-Io prepared to defend the Revenants, a projectile shattered Yaldabaoth ΩX 's attack. Shin-Io and the Revenants quickly faced the opposite way as Raoul ΩX appeared before them. The ascended Thief's Ω Sinful Shell thwarted the Angel of Control from finishing off Shin-Io and the Revenants.
With great timing, the other Phantom Thieves arrived and assembled next to Raoul ΩX, who is seen crossing his arms and intently facing his friends' opponent.
Managing to smile behind his mask, Yaldabaoth ΩX chortled. "You've all finally come united."
"We're burning and crashing your plans to destroy our reality for good!" Celestine ΩX growled.
"Yeah, man!" William ΩX protested. "It's gonna take more than that goddamn Persona of yours to bring us down!"
"We won't let you ruin a new future ahead of us!" Agnes ΩX snarled with ferocity.
"Give it up, Datenshi! It's only you now!" Sion called him out.
"You see, Datenshi? We stand united as long as we're at this status, a single one-man army can't defeat an experienced battalion," Shin-Io referenced their battle like a strategy game, even to the point of applying strategy game metaphors.
"Then, let's all end this together!" Yaldabaoth ΩX announced, adamantly responding to the goddess' statement.
"And that we will do so!" Raoul ΩX pointed his rifle at the Angel of Control, declaring the heroes' final strike.
Before attacking Yaldabaoth ΩX, Al Azif ΩX performed Ω Support, restoring everyone's full powers and curing her allies of their injuries and ailments.
Leading the large, Raoul ΩX, Sion, and Shin-Io hastily collided with the Angel of Control. However, as Yaldabaoth ΩX launched beams toward them, the trio phased away, throwing off the Angel of Control.
The first to attack is Gorokichi ΩX, who launched himself straight into Yaldabaoth ΩX and slashed him with his Divine Glaive. In retaliation against his swift sword attacks, Yaldabaoth ΩX fired swords from mid-air, targeting Gorokichi ΩX. The ascended Phantom Thief deflected and wiped them out with his katana. He then cast Ω Myriad Blooms, increasing his colleagues' attack, defense, and agility abilities.
Following up on Gorokichi's ΩX boost, William ΩX charged up his Electric Kaio-Ken. Increasing his power and speed, he flew headlong and slammed into the Angel of Control, pummeling him with a few combo attacks consisting of a flurry of jabs, body shots, and kicks, and then whacked Yaldabaoth Ω from behind, sending him upward where he pummeled him more.
"Yo! Get a load of this, old timer!" William ΩX shouted out as he fired an Electric Kamehameha at the Angel of Control, but Yaldabaoth ΩX quickly recovered and raised his right handed palm, blocking and dissolving the energy beam. As the Electric Kaio-Ken started wearing off, William ΩX fell fatigued, leaving him open for the Angel of Control to attack.
"Are we done playing, boy? Because I am," Yaldabaoth ΩX scoffed, conjuring light arrows out of thin air.
"Hey, your guard is down!" Diego ΩX called, hitting Yaldabaoth ΩX with his Lightspeed Drive. He then followed up and performed his Ω Miracle Rush, granting him a boost as he pummeled the Angel of Control with multiple strikes.
As the Angel of Control turned to counterattack with a divine beam, the ascended Phantom Thief quickly made an evasive counter, turning into a gust of wind and phasing away from the attack.
"Ok, make some room, everyone!" Al Azif ΩX hollered.
Al Azif ΩX summoned a round of energy ballistae, similar to the ones used to bring down Cognitive Wakaba. The energy ballistae fired laser bolts in all directions and bombarded Yaldabaoth ΩX with them. After being blasted by the omnidirectional beams, Yaldabaoth ΩX withstood these laser bolts and fired his Ω Arrows of Light to wipe out the ballistae.
"Hey, you guys take it from here!" William ΩX cast Ω Soul Injection on Agnes ΩX and Lucy ΩX, giving them both power boosts.
As they held each other's hands, Agnes ΩX and Lucy ΩX flew together as they targeted their enemy. While still holding hands, they delivered dance-like physical blows, consisting of kicks and body slams into Yaldabaoth ΩX.
"Throw me up, Haru-chan!" Agnes ΩX called out.
"Ok!" Lucy ΩX complied, spinning around and throwing Agnes ΩX upward as Agnes ΩX pummeled the Angel of Control with her Nuclear Fists. Every single shot exploded with force, pummeling Yaldabaoth ΩX hard.
Providing support for her girlfriend, Lucy ΩX unleashed Ω Psycho Force on Yaldabaoth ΩX, inflicting further damage to his divine form. As he recovered, Yaldabaoth ΩX quickly unleashed a shockwave, which was about to hit them, but Lucy ΩX conjured a shield around herself and Agnes ΩX. After Lucy ΩX cast her Ω Life Wall, she saved them from Yaldabaoth ΩX's destructive power.
"Let's see if your shield can take another," Yaldabaoth ΩX repeated his shockwave attack, which shattered Lucy ΩX's barrier. As the powerful energies came to engulf them, a firewall materialized and saved the duo with great timing.
As the duo turned, they saw Celestine ΩX not too far from them with her hands imbued with flames.
"You two are lucky I came just in time!" Celestine ΩX cried out.
"Thanks, Ann. Ready, Haru-chan?" Agnes ΩX asked her girlfriend.
Lucy ΩX nodded. "I am, Mako-chan!"
Both Agnes ΩX and Lucy ΩX combined their energies. A dark blue wave formed around Agnes ΩX. A pink one materialized over Lucy ΩX. Once their opposing colored auras coalesced, they combined their powers and unleashed their combo attack, the Daiyamondo & Pāru Flash, which collided with, engulfed, and folded Yaldabaoth ΩX up with destructive energies that ripped through his divine body. After being damaged, Yaldabaoth freed himself from the effects and recovered from the couple's combo attack.
The Revenants made their move and assisted the ascended Phantom Thieves. Quickly turning back to his Successor of Drake form, Jack fired his Fafnir's Breath at Yaldabaoth ΩX. Celestine ΩX assisted the Successor of the Drake, unleashing her Ω Blazing Hell as their fire attacks converged into a flaming sphere and set Yaldabaoth ΩX ablaze. Having been covered in flames, Yaldabaoth ΩX quickly subdued and dissolved the flames with his aura. While his guard was down, Celestine ΩX conjured fiery crossbow-like arrows out of thin air and launched her Agni Bolts, which collided with Yaldabaoth ΩX.
"You're up!" Celestine ΩX cast Ω High Tension on Louis, Mia, Yakumo, and Eva, giving them energy boosts to carry out their assault. She also granted Raoul ΩX a slight boost as he planned out his next move.
Utilizing the boost he was given, Louis went for his Blade of Athos, but Yaldabaoth ΩX moved away. Mia then shot him with her Bullets of Aramis. As he was shot with rounds, the Angel of Control deflected a few of her energy bullets. Eva went for a tornado attack, but Yaldabaoth ΩX evaded contact with her. Then, with a swing with his Oni Blade, Yakumo smashed the back sections of Yaldabaoth's armor. Unleashing an energy wave, the Angel of Control repelled the Revenants.
"Don't think for a minute we're done yet!" Louis snarled, his eyes gleaming bright red.
"Even a god-like being such as yourself isn't wholly omnipotent. And we know so judging by the damage you've taken," Yakumo elaborated on Yaldabaoth's armor and body damage.
"We've taken a maniac who thought he could play god and he fell to us," Mia said.
"And you're about to meet a similar demise," Eva stated.
As he turned to attack the Revenants, Yaldabaoth ΩX manifested a golden energy wave to wipe them out. Then, Hereward ΩX phased in front of the Angel of Control, attacking him with a combination of sword strikes. After hitting Yaldabaoth with his Ω Negative Pile, Sion assisted his new ally and helped him attack Yaldabaoth with his two swords. After slashing the Angel of Control with his Queenslayer and Hanemukuro, Sion bombarded Yaldabaoth with his Frenzied Fire.
Then, after burning Yaldabaoth ΩX, Sion raised his glowing Queenslayer and went for his Will of d'Artagnan, but the Angel of Control fired his Ω Arrows of Light at his adversaries. With great timing, Ella ΩX flew in between Sion and Hereward ΩX. Conjuring a white see-through veil in front of them, she cast her Ivory Veil, which nullified the arrows and provided a barrier for them.
"Thank you, Sumire," Sion expressed gratitude for her saving them.
"It's my pleasure, Sion," nodded Ella ΩX, who saw more arrows hitting her veil as it started to dissolve. "It's not going to hold up much longer!"
"That's fine! I'll take it from here!" Sion shouted as he came out of the veil and flew upward to attack Yaldabaoth ΩX.
After knocking Sion away with a shockwave, Yaldabaoth ΩX hastily flew high into the air and conjured magical bullets and missiles from golden rays of light.
"Now, let's end this!' Yaldabaoth ΩX launched his magical weapons and arms at the group, but at the last moment, Raoul ΩX fired rounds of his Ω Sinful Shells, which collided with and destroyed Yaldabaoth ΩX's roaring projectiles. After cleansing the air of the weapons, Raoul ΩX cast Ω Megidolaon, combining it with Shin-Io's divine power as their powers converged and dealt more devastating effects to the Angel of Control's body.
"Now guys, All-Out Attack!" Raoul ΩX called out as the other Thieves gathered together with him.
The ascended Phantom Thieves (Raoul ΩX, Celestine ΩX, Agnes ΩX, Lucy ΩX, Diego ΩX, William ΩX, Gorokichi ΩX, Al Azif ΩX, Hereward ΩX, and Ella ΩX) amassed and jumped high into the sky. The ten Thieves then initiated their Ω All-Out Attack, swiftly delivering countless strikes in every direction without restraint. Instead of a crimson background like with a normal All-Out Attack, a backdrop of the Solar System appeared, rotating the spatial view of Earth (representing Raoul ΩX), Mercury (representing Diego ΩX), Venus (representing Celestine ΩX), Mars (representing William ΩX), Jupiter (representing Gorokichi ΩX), Saturn (representing Al Azif ΩX), Uranus (representing Agnes ΩX), and Neptune (representing Lucy ΩX), Pluto (representing Hereward ΩX), and Sedna (representing Ella ΩX) before rotating back to Earth while repeating the imagery process.
The power scale from the combined attack would have easily killed a Palace Ruler such as Shadow Shido and the original Yaldabaoth at their peaks, but Datenshi, combined with Yaldabaoth, ended up a different case. During the vicious beatdown, Yaldabaoth ΩX attempted to defend himself and absorbed the impact blows, but he felt the devastating effects from each reality shattering hit.
Shin-Io, Sion, and the other Revenants stared in awe at these urban legends coming together and attempting to overthrow a god.
Eventually, as he was being pushed to the limit, Yaldabaoth ΩX had enough and let out a powerful shout, sending a colossal explosive wave that shook the fabrics of the distorted reality and forcefully repelled his enemies back.
"THAT'S FAR ENOUGH! NOW, ALL SHALL BE ERASED!" After yelling with unbridled fury, Yaldabaoth ΩX recovered and raised his energy, charging up for a powerful attack. As the area darkened around him, a background Big Bang image of a spatial view of the Sun and supernovas materialized behind him. Having pushed him far enough, the heroes realized they have provoked the wrath of the God of Control's vessel.
Then, Yaldabaoth ΩX unleashed a stronger and deadlier variation of his Ω Rays of Control, which not only targeted the Thieves and their allies but obliterated their surroundings, including various infrastructures. Most of the group attempted to evade and block. Al Azif tried forging a shield for herself and her friends with a barrier. However, one by one, the Angel of Control's rays struck them and knocked them. Half of them were sent crashing to the ground and others landed in skyscrapers. Nearly all of them were knocked unconscious and dealt with grievous wounds As more beams rained down to kill the defeated heroes, Shin-Io recovered quicker than the others and used her divine energies to dissolve Yaldabaoth ΩX's beams. Having saved her friends, Shin-Io recovered Sion and Raoul ΩX.
"Hifumi, Io…" Sion muttered as he started to stir.
"It's ok. I'll heal you and Joker," Shin-Io said, facing Raoul ΩX, who fortunately landed near them during Yaldabaoth ΩX's furious assault.
After healing them, she, Sion, and Raoul ΩX stood united as the only three left standing against Yaldabaoth ΩX. A trifecta consisting of an ascended trickster, a goddess, and a revenant to save their reality.
Without delay, the trio jetted into mid-air and engaged their common enemy in an aerial battle.
"Yes, it's down to you three against me, as it should be," Yaldabaoth ΩX adamantly stated. "What power, and that you three still resisted…!" Yaldabaoth ΩX boasted in awe. The first two words from him came directly from the present timeline Yaldabaoth, whom the Thieves already defeated.
Shin-Io gave a stern look to her enemy. "This game has only just begun."
Brandishing his Queenslayer and Hanemukuro, Sion intensely glared at his opposition. "With enough power to resist! Even if I'm just a clone, I have the same drive as my original self to help my comrades. For that, I've grown a newfound appreciation and respect for the human race."
"And we'll remind you how we humans can work together to overcome any adversity!" Raoul ΩX declared, readying his dagger to use against Yaldabaoth ΩX in a fight to the finish.
As the final phase escalated forth, Yaldabaoth ΩX quickly fired two Supernovas from his hands, but Shin-Io nullified them with a clear barrier. Both Raoul ΩX and Sion phased toward the Angel of Control and slashed at him. Yaldabaoth ΩX countered and unleashed large 10-foot long divine swords from mid-air called Godslayer Blades at both. Summoning his Ogre-Type Blood Veil, Sion's ogre claw caught and destroyed some of them, while Raoul ΩX fired his Ω Cosmic Flare and destroyed the remaining Godslayer Blades. Amid the attacks, Raoul ΩX's attacks damaged Yaldabaoth ΩX 's right wing.
Irked, Yaldabaoth ΩX recovered from his injury and fired a pale golden divine beam at the three. Unable to conjure something as powerful to defend themselves, Raoul ΩX and Sion evaded the incoming attack. The ascended Thief quickly then conjured four Personas. They are Michael, Raphael, Gabriel, and Uriel.
Upon seeing the four archangels, the God of Control within Datenshi recognized them as the elite four fighting on his behalf. Now, they were being used against him.
"You dare to invoke the archangels that once served me?!" Yaldabaoth ΩX charged, firing golden beams at the four archangels.
"Ravage your former master!" Raoul ΩX commanded as the archangel Personas avoided the beams and flew headlong toward the Angel of Control.
As the archangels quickly flew around him, they battered him with short-ranged strikes and projectile. Yaldabaoth ΩX retaliated with his Godslayer Blades, but the archangels crushed them with their divine powers. Once the archangels converged, they cast their ultimate technique, Archangel's Rebellion, and blasted their former master with it.
"You have the nerve to turn my archangels against me! For that, you must pay!" Yaldabaoth ΩX bellowed furiously, distraught by the betrayal from his elite four. He fired another pale golden beam at his adversaries. The archangels, protecting Raoul ΩX, absorbed the impact of the attack and were quickly blasted away.
As the beam came toward the trio, Shin-Io protected her two friends and unleashed a white divine beam. Coupled with her telekinesis, she directed her attack toward Yaldabaoth ΩX's and locked him in a power struggle. The effects of the clashing powers were enough to crack the fabrics of existence around them.
"Do you see, Togo Hifumi? Our powers are breaking the fabrics containing this distorted universe and it won't be long until your reality collapses!" The Angel of Control called out. "Yes, once we all perish, I can finally be reunited with my beloved. I can hear her now calling for me."
"But, you have no reason to wipe us out! Let us reunite you with her!" Shin-Io retorted.
"It's too late," a subdued Yaldabaoth ΩX sighed.
Eventually, the two godly forces began to implode, but the hope from Shin-Io's strong will pushed back Yaldabaoth ΩX's vengeful power, surprising the Angel of Control. Her divine energies pushed through and collided with him. After Shin-Io's power damaged him, Raoul ΩX morphed into his Devil Hydra form and flew headlong with the Angel of Control, slamming his head into Yaldabaoth ΩX's body.
In response to the Devil Hydra's blow, the Angel of Control conjured a giant Yaldabaoth construct to fend off the three-headed dragon. Following a brief physical struggle, the Angel of Control retaliated with his Ω Divine Judgement, attempting to obliterate the Devil Hydra with a divine beam. However, Raoul ΩX fired a Sinful Neutron Blast, which stopped his beam attack and obliterated the construct. The effects of the attack collided with and critically injured Yaldabaoth ΩX. He quickly spotted Sion riding on the back of the three-headed dragon.
As the dragon's middle head bit down on his opponent's right arm, Sion jumped off and lunged. He delivered a quick slash across Yaldabaoth ΩX's chest. As the dragon withdrew his bite, Yaldabaoth ΩX desperately tried defending from the Revenant's relentless counterattacks. He continued slashing at Yaldabaoth ΩX with his Queenslayer and Hanemukuro. After striking him with two consecutive Will of d'Artagnan strikes, the Revenant pivoted behind Yaldabaoth ΩX, ripping apart both his left mechanical wing and mask off before kicking him away.
As Yaldabaoth ΩX fell to the ground with fatal injuries, Raoul ΩX morphed back to his humanoid form and conjured the Persona he received when he first became a Phantom Thief.
Raoul ΩX conjured a dark red garbed aristocratic thief, named after legendary gentleman thief Arsène Lupin, emerged from a pillar of the blue pyre that wisped around him. Arsène conjured a black tall hat and put it on his head. The Persona's face was concealed in a black mask with ghoulish red eyes and a ghastly mouth. Two long black horns trimmed with red pointed forward. A long cape stretched out from his back and split into two massive dark feathered wings; each with a wingspan as long as Arsène's own body.
Upon seeing this Persona, Yaldabaoth ΩX muttered at his presence. "Unbelievable."
"Datenshi. It ends here. Pillage him, Arsène!" Raoul ΩX calmly declared as he readied Satanael's rifle. Shin-Io and Sion floated behind the ascended Phantom Thief as they witnessed him commit the deed.
Arsène launched an Ω Eiha, imbued with Shin-Io and Sion's essences. The divine Curse blast shot Yaldabaoth ΩX as it ripped through his heart, body, and his soul.
History repeated itself like four years ago. The leader of the Phantom Thieves delivered the finishing blow. With Yaldabaoth's armor shattering from his body, Datenshi's eyes widened in a calm expression, accepting his defeat.
Then, a flash of white light erupted and swept throughout the distorted reality, engulfing everything and everyone in it. Everyone's view was blinded by the flashing white light. Finally, everything went dark and silent.
Top of Shueisha Inc. (株式会社集英社)/Distorted Chiyoda, Tokyo (千代田区, 東京)/August 9, 2020 (2020年8月9日)/7:45 AM (JST)
In the aftermath, a day has passed since the heroes endured this final battle.
The recovered Phantom Thieves and their allies landed on top of a publishing book company. Looking on from afar behind them are the Spiritual Gamblers, Mina, Kyosuke, and Nekomata, who all survived the battle with the remaining Yokai army. Yumeko is back to her normal self and looking quietly serene.
Raoul ΩX is seen carrying the dying Datenshi with the rest of the Thieves and Revenants surrounding him. The leader of the ascended Phantom Thieves calmly placed Datenshi on the ground. Datenshi's eyes stared at the distorted sky and gave a calm smile.
"This is fascinating. What a beautiful world despite the grays created by human beings," Datenshi muttered from his dying breath.
Sion showed Datenshi a rare moment of sympathy. "Despite what you've done, I'm beginning to understand why you did what you did. Your existence is tied to the harsh realities of survival like us. Having to struggle and fight for your own survival."
"For once, I agree that our civilization could have been that beautiful, but that is sadly not entirely true," Shin-Io calmly commented with a sympathetic expression.
"We've fulfilled our divine job as tricksters to inspire society to prove you wrong. But, we know you were reminding us there are still corrupted adults around. We'll grow up to manage," Raoul ΩX offered his statements.
The rest of the group have silently expressed some respect for their worthy opponent.
With a serene smile, the life and color in Datenshi's eyes began fading. He mustered up enough energy to draw his dying breath. "I genuinely regret my existence, yet am satisfied with the final challenge against you all. Phantom Thieves, Revenants, and Spirit Guardian wielders… I've foreseen a rewritten coexistence once the world is restored. I bid you farewell."
With the Angel of Control's final words, Datenshi's body began to fade away. Splitting from Datenshi was the Osakan soldier's spirit, who had been finally freed from the corrupt Amrita. He smiled at the heroes before turning to leave. As Kanashī Seishin's spirit wandered, Shin-Io conjured a dimensional portal for Seishin's soul to be sent to his dimension's afterlife, reuniting him with his wife and old acquaintances at last.
"Farewell, honored spirit," Mina muttered, giving him a prayer along with Kyosuke.
"Goodbye, Datenshi," Yumeko said.
Just then, the Thieves and the others saw the Revenants beginning to vanish.
"It looks like it's our time to go, Sion," Louis stated. "Farewell to you, Phantom Thieves, especially you, Queen and Noir." He gave a polite bow to the two aforementioned Phantom Thieves, bringing a smile to Lucy ΩX's face and making Agnes ΩX blush.
"We were honored to fight alongside you, my friend," Jack nodded over to Sion.
"Take care, man," Yakumo saluted Sion.
"Hopefully we'll see each other again," Mia added.
"Farewell, Sion," Eva smiled.
"By the way, Akechi?" Louis addressed Hereward ΩX. "You showed us valor fighting Datenshi with us. Maybe you aren't so bad."
Mia furrowed her brows. "Just make sure and stay on good terms with the Phantom Thieves, or else." She cocked her bayonet, causing Hereward ΩX to flinch a bit.
"Right," muttered Hereward ΩX.
As Louis approached Sion, he patted his shoulder. "Don't look glum, my friend. It will be over soon." With that, Louis and the other Revenants waved to the Thieves and Gamblers. "And it was an honor fighting alongside you all."
Speaking on their behalf, Raoul ΩX addressed the Revenants. "Likewise, and thank you."
"Io, no, perhaps you want to be referred to as Iofumi?" Louis addressed Shin-Io.
Shaking her head, Shin-Io gave an affectionate smile. "Just Shin-Io is fine now."
"Take care of our Sion."
"I will. Thank you, my friends," Shin-Io said.
After biding their farewell, the Revenants faded away.
"They might have been cognitions, but we'll never forget them," Diego ΩX reassured everyone's somber moods.
Suddenly, all eyes faced Sion as he, too, slowly began fading away. Closing his eyes, Sion just smiled, resigning to his existence being removed as well.
"SION! NO!" Shin-Io yelled out towards him.
However, Sion turned to Shin-Io and the others with a genuine smile.
"Remember me. Remember the feelings and memories we all shared. Thank you all, my friends."
Within his final words, Sion's body disappeared into ashes. The clone of the unnamed Revenant ceased to exist before everyone's eyes. Touched by Sion's last words, everyone became deeply saddened with mournful looks. However, Shin-Io looked up with a determined and hopeful expression.
"No. There's one thing I must do," Shin-Io calmly stated as she floated in mid-air with a pure white aura surrounding her. Closing her resolute, yellow eyes, Shin-Io used her reality warping powers to repair the distortions and damages within Chiyoda. Her healing essence spread far to the edges of reality and the physical universe.
As Shin-Io continued to heal the universe, she tearfully thought of the memories of the urban adventure in her mind: Her first encounter with Sion. Them exploring Tokyo and meeting Yumeko & her friends. Meeting the Phantom Thieves. Their vacation in Osaka, including their fun times at Universal Studios Japan. Meeting the cognitions of Sion's Revenant friends. Hifumi and Sion's sexual intercourse. And, finally, Shin-Io's final goodbyes with the Revenant before he faded out of existence.
Fulfilling the wishes, Shin-Io used her last powers to restore the world to normal. As she finished her process, Shin-Io reverted to Togo Hifumi. Her civilian clothes returned. The silverish white hair became her natural dark brown again. Her golden eyes turned back to their normal green. Having restored their reality to normal, she was freed from her goddess role.
With Shin-Io's power dissipating, the Phantom Thieves became depowered and returned to their normal civilian selves. The Phantom Thieves and Hifumi were bewildered by the changing surroundings.
In the blink of an eye, everything was normal. The results from Shin-Io's rebuilding of their reality have been fulfilled. The skies are back to a beautiful, clear blue. All the buildings that were damaged and destroyed have been fully restored. The innocent civilians killed during the conflict are back to life. The sun has shone again like a new morning, as a bird's view of all of Chiyoda is seen.
"I can't believe it's over," Ren muttered. He noticed Hifumi with her back turned to them. "Hifumi, are you going to be ok?" As he approached her, she turned with a serene smile on her face.
"Yes. Now, let's all go home."
Chapter Soundtrack
Shin Megami Tensei 25th Anniversary Soundtrack - God Killer - vs. Yaldabaoth ΩX and the Knights of Control.
Shin Megami Tensei IV FINAL OST - CD 2 Track 10 (F8 Evil Incarnate) - vs. Yaldabaoth ΩX.
Neurotech - Infra Versus Ultra - 01 (Infra) I- Last stand against Yaldabaoth ΩX, leading to Raoul ΩX summoning Arsène to deliver the finishing blow.
Shin Megami Tensei IV Apocalypse OST - Gradual Farewell - Seishin's final words, as his spirit returns back to the afterlife in the Akane-no-Mai-Vein dimension and reunites with his wife.
Code Vein OST - Human Qua Human - Sion fades out of existence. Shin-Io restoring the world.
A/N: So, we're officially a chapter from closing Book I. Persona's Ascendancy gets to show their dominance and beat their Knight counterparts. Sion and the Revenants show off the full extent of their Envoys of Vein form and reveal their Successor forms.
Then, we have the final battle with Yaldabaoth ΩX. Though he met his demise, the Angel of Control didn't go down without putting up a fight. And, it was a fight he managed to give the powered up Phantom Thieves and Revenants.
Who wasn't hyped to see Ω All-Out Attack play out the way it did? It was an epic move to behold.
In the end, in a moment tributing Raoul finishing off Yaldabaoth with one shot, Arsène returns to deal the finishing blow.
The Angel of Control bids his farewell and reunites with his loved ones in the other dimension's afterlife. As short lived as Datenshi's onscreen presence was shown to be, he was a good antagonist to write. With Seishin removed from existence, Sion follows and gives his farewell. And then reality is restored thanks to Shin-Io's power.
And with that, the conflict is over and one chapter short from the end of Book I.
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