The Phantom Thieves vs. Yoshiki Kasukabe. Ever since they laid eyes on him, this fight was a long time coming, but it wasn't going to be so easy. Yoshiki sat above his lofty throne, looking down at everyone while the entire layout of his room changed, with parts of the floor rising high and pushing the Phantom Thieves back to the door they came from. The blockade was going to prevent them from having such an easy time. Not only that, but the room was filled with Aizen Squad members as well. "Welcome to my Fortress of Love!" Yoshiki proudly exclaimed.

"He's blockading us..." Dragon grit her teeth. "I could manage a shot, but I'd need higher ground."

"Bastard! He should come down and fight us himself!" Skull cursed. Their guns and Personas weren't going to reach with that distance.

"Not to mention all of the friends he decided to call in." Wolf said while slinging his greatsword over his shoulder. "Then again, it doesn't surprise me. People like him only know how to fight dirty."

"I'm detecting some buttons in the area." Oracle reported. "If you step on those, it should elevate some platforms so you can reach him!"

"Stand back, Toshiro-san." Violet said while holding an arm out. "We'll take care of this." Toshiro nodded and made sure to stay out of harm's way. When it came to the actual fighting, he was simply out of his depth there.

"Doesn't matter what he throws at us." Joker said while pulling at his glove. "We've overcome bigger walls than this. Let's do this!"

"Don't think you can hide from my sight!" Yoshiki grinned as the green gem on his forehead began to glow. From it, a beam shot forward at high speeds, causing the Phantom Thieves to split before they were caught in the attack. "Come, you filthy, rebellious worms! I'll show you the all crushing might that my love has to offer!"

"I'm getting real sick of this guy and his love talk!" Viper hissed. She could spot a few Aizen Squad members approaching her, so she summoned Nua by her side. The serpentine woman slithered around the Aizen Squad members a few times, and she made use of Agilao from Pyro Jack to entrap them within a fiery cyclone. "Don't get in my way!" But the moment she heard a gunfire, she quickly ducked behind cover. "Hey!?"

"He's going to try and overwhelm us with sheer numbers!" Fox found himself cutting down a few Aizen Squad members. A larger one dropped down in front of him, swinging its fist in his direction. He blocked the strike with his blade, only to slide back a few feet. He still felt the impact, but retaliated instantly by slashing the ground at his feet. This caused a trail of ice to freeze the feet of the large Aizen Squad member, allowing Wolf to follow up with a heavy slash to take it down.

"Fortunately for us, we have quality over quantity!" Oracle said with a grin. With the power of Al Azif, she made sure to give everyone a substantial attack boost via Matarukaja. "Give 'em hell!"

"Gladly!" Queen drove forward on Agnes, using her increased power to plot through a number of small Squad members. They were no match for the ferocity of Queen and her bike. She drifted, sideswiping plenty of Aizen Squad members in the process.

"Say no more!" Skull was glad to rush ahead, summoning William to barrel down a number of Aizen Squad members. As he did, he made his way towards one of the buttons in question. When he stepped on it, the platform rose. "Whoa, these do work!"

"This is how we get closer!" Dragon planted her staff on the ground, extending it and allowing herself to rise up along with the platform. She made sure to stick behind some cover. With her sniper rifle, distance didn't matter. She only needed the elevation, and now she could shoot at Yoshiki with ease!

"You think I can't see you?" Yoshiki spoke with a grin. One of the golden hands on his back launched off, growing in size until it became massive.

"Dragon, watch out!" Oracle wanted. "Incoming!"

"Huh?" Dragon looked up, only to see a large golden hand coming towards her. With wide eyes she tried to leap back, but the impact of the hand caused a powerful shockwave that threw her into the air. "Gah...!?" She tumbled around in the air a bit, but she was caught by Panther, who landed on the ground safely. "Thank you...!"

"No problem! Are you alright?" Panther asked. Dragon shook her head in response and she set her down. "Thank goodness. I didn't know those hands on his back actually had use!"

"I told you before when I first met, didn't I?" Yoshiki said with a mocking laugh. "I can see you!"

"Then see this!" Erina twirled her spear around in her hand before throwing it right towards Yoshiki! The ruler scoffed at this action as his golden hand swatted it right back at her! She was able to catch it, but then, Crow and Noir appeared in front of Yoshiki with his sword at the ready.

"Take this!" Crow and Noir slashed at Yoshiki's body but his golden hands were able to block the attack. Crow and Noir still held their ground until they were pushed away.

"He's strong..." Noir landed on the ground without issue, lifting her eyes towards Yoshiki. Reaching him was taking effort, and he was annoyingly competent at repelling their attacks as well.

"You urchins came up with your noses pointed all high, but you cannot even touch me!" Yoshiki mocked them once again. He watched as Dragon threw her staff at the ceiling, causing it to get stuck. That made Yoshiki laugh. "And just what do you attempt to accomplish with that?"

He would soon find out. Joker's grappling hook latched onto Dragon's staff, which gave him the mobility and momentum needed to clear the hurdles before him. He swung around towards Yoshiki as his mask burned away, Raoul appearing beside him. "Eiga!" A blast of curse magic shot towards Yoshiki. While he saw what was happening, he didn't register it until it was too late, and the blast struck him directly, causing him to let out a groan of agony.

"Direct hit!" Violet cheered.

A shockwave pushed Joker backwards, while Dragon's staff returned to her. When Joker landed on the ground, the layout of the room changed once again. "Damn you...!" Yoshiki grunted. "You'll now have a taste of my All-Seeing-Eyes!"

"You got a hit, but it wasn't enough." Erina grunted. It felt like they were so close, yet so far!

"Assuming by his growing rage, those tactics are effective." Fox pointed out.

"If we keep this pace, we can take him!" Mona told the others.

"Let's go! Ain't nothin' gonna stop us!" Skull was eager to get back into the action and dashed ahead.

"Skull, WAIT!" Oracle tried to warn him, but it was too late. Skull stepped past a camera, and the moment he did, a golden finger dropped down above onto the Phantom Thieves. They barely had time to react and the resounding impact resulted in a shockwave that blew them all away. "Ow..!"

"W-What the hell!?" Skull winced.

"Why did you rush ahead!?" Viper groaned. That hurt a lot more than she wanted to admit!

"If you run past those cameras, he'll lock onto us instantly..!" Oracle explained.

"Now, receive my LOVE!" Yoshiki held his hands into a heart. And then, a gigantic pink heart shot from his hands towards the scattered Phantom Thieves. They all spread out in separate directions to avoid it, but it was still dangerous.

"Gross, gross, gross!" Viper squirmed in disgust. "I don't want to hear about an old man's love!"

"It's the last thing I want as well." Noir dragged her axe along the floor as more Aizen Squad members appeared in front of her. She spun around, creating a cyclone of psychic energy around herself. The Aizen Squad members tried to shoot at her, but the bullets bounced off her use of Psio. Before they knew it, they were sucked into the tornado and launched into the air.

Violet and Mona saw their chance. By using the airborne Aizen Squad members as footholds, they bypassed the need for the platforms and launched themselves to higher elevations. Right as they did, however...

"I see you!" Yoshiki pointed ahead, and one of his golden hands flew towards Mona and Violet. Just before it could reach them. Dragon's Aegis appeared in front of them, shielding them from the attack while she sponged the damage herself. "What?"

"You will not be harming my friends so long as I stand!" Dragon declared, much to Yoshiki's annoyance.

"Diego!" Mona spun around as his Persona appeared. With a quick slash of his saber, Mona created a twister of wind that propelled Violet further into the sky. With this newfound momentum, she flipped around while summoning Ella.

"Let's dance, Ella!" Ella and Violet spun around in the air, multiple beams of light raining down on Yoshiki in the process. He brought up his golden arms to defend himself from the attack. Despite that he was sitting as a stationary target, he was not going to allow them to think he was an easy hit! His golden arms were capable of withstanding the hit. One of them even launched away from his body again, as Mona unknowingly stepped into the line of sight of a camera. The noble thief realized it too late and was blown away by the explosion of the golden hand, but he was caught by Queen.

"These cameras are a problem. They're everywhere!" Wolf pulled his guns out and started shooting them down. He took a few out, but they were quickly replaced with even more cameras, much to his annoyance. "Damn!"

"We can't brute for them, who knows how many he has." Toshiro grunted. There wasn't anything he could do without getting in the way. Unlike with the Marie battle, nothing in Yoshiki's throne room could be used against him. "Where did Ichinose-san and Sophie go..." They were two short because Ichinose had an idea, and he was hoping they'd show up soon to help turn the tide...

Violet landed on the ground after her attacks failed to land on Yoshiki. The moment she did, she was surrounded by large Aizen Squad members, which attempted to grab at her. She was briefly concerned since she was ambushed, but Panther, Skull, and Dragon knocked away the enemies. They were going to bounce back, and they were prepared for it. "Thank you!"

"Attack him once more, follow my lead!" Dragon said without warning. Violet nodded and Dragon jumped into the air. "Take this, Shining Excalibur!" Bella appeared in front of her, swinging her sword right at Yoshiki. It was once again blocked by Yoshiki's many arms.

"Are you a fool!? You can't defeat me with such straightforward tactics!" Yoshiki said with a menacing grin.

"I know!" Dragon held her own grin.

This time, Violet snuck underneath Yoshiki. Ella appeared behind her once again, firing a number of Kouga beams into his chest. Each beam struck the ruler directly, causing him to grunt in pain. "Take this!"

"Gaaah!" Yoshiki once again forced the Phantom Thieves back with another shockwave, damaging them all in the process. Each time they made progress, they were blown away. At the rate this was going, they would end up taking too much damage to finish him off!

"Dammit, again?" Skull winced. Yoshiki's attacks hit hard and he was hitting them too frequently. "He's just standin' still!"

"Yeah, and he can push us away when he feels cornered." Joker grit his teeth. They were making progress, but not fast enough.

"Haaaah...haaah..." Yoshiki was already panting pretty hard, despite the fact he had only been struck twice.

"He's not very durable, is he?" Erina noted.

"Of course he's not." Crow took a few breaths to steady himself.

"To think you would perform such an act not once, but twice. I commend your persistence." Yoshiki admitted calmly. "HOWEVER!" His voice suddenly rose, booming across the throneroom.

"Damn, he's loud." Viper rolled her eyes.

"You are all impertinent! Impudent! Insolent! Ill-mannered pest!" Yoshiki shouted to the Phantom Thieves. "You're standing before the one and only authority on love, Lord Yoshiki himself! SHOW SOME DAMN RESPECT!"

"This guy wouldn't know love if it killed him." Wolf said with a scowl.

"EVen the saintly Buddha can be ruthless as a daimyo! When he doesn't sing, his rage will deliver you to mindless bliss!" Yoshiki shouted.

"What the hell is this guy talking about!?" Skull looked to the others for an answer.

"I have no idea, but he's definitely pissed." Panther said. "But if we have to keep doing it like this, I don't know if it will ever end..."

"Look out!" Oracle shouted while pointing above them. Multiple hearts were starting to rain down on them.

"Take this! MY FURY OF LOVE!" Yoshiki held his hands into a heart as he said this. The hearts crashed down on the Phantom Thieves in an never ending rain. Dragon was during her best to defend against the onslaught, taking heavy damage as a result. Eventually, Panther decided to veto this and grabbed onto her, diving to the ground and stopping her Aegis. That sort of attack did leave the Phantom Thieves a little worse for wear.

"Damn..." Crow sucked his teeth. "If I have to hear about love one more god damn time...!"

"Ow..." Violet whimpered a bit in pain. This was a stark reminder that despite their performance and sub-personas making up for the difference, they still weren't at full power in this part of the Metaverse.

"Hohohohoho!" Yoshiki laughed at the sight before him. "So weak! you're all so weak! You can't even stand up to my love!"

"Damn it." Wolf hated this. "Didn't think he'd actually be something of a problem..."

"All that bravado and this is all you have to show for it!? How miserable you all must be!" Yoshiki laughed as he spoke. They managed to damage him a few times, but that was nothing compared to what he could do to them!

"He's so strong." Erina held her arm, glaring towards Yoshiki. "If only we could make some consistent headway here!"

"Between his all seeing eyes, his blockade, and the forces he keeps throwing at us, he's brick walling us with this defensive formation." Dragon hated to admit how tight Yoshiki's formation was as well. "We just need to make an opening..."

"It's no use! No use, I say!" Yoshiki boisterously declared. "Prostrate yourselves before me, and DIE in the name of love! Then, and only then. in my everlasting kindness, will I forgive you!"

"Enough with the love shit already!" Skull would rather die then do any of that.

"We just need one opening." Joker grunted.

"We don't have time..." Queen grimaced.

"No! We can't lose like this!" Toshiro grit his teeth. But what could he do...!?

"Hohoho! Oh, I do pity you cretins!" Yoshiki had a pleasant smile on his face. "Allow me to finish you off quickly."

"I won't allow it!" Dragon said while standing in front of everyone, as she usually did. "You will not take anyone's life so long as I stand here!"

"Then you can be first!" Yoshiki didn't care who died first. If Dragon was going to volunteer, so be it! "For the crime of leading my son astray, I sentence you to die in my all-encompassing love!" Just as he was about to charge up an attack, the screens around his throne room started to turn to static. "What?"

"Testing, testing! Is this thing on?"

"That voice...!" Joker's eyes widened. Soon, every screen in the room was replaced with the logo of the Phantom Thieves and their infamous phrase: Take Your Heart.

"Ichinose!?"

"What is this!?" Yoshiki looked around.

"Lord Yoshiki Kasukabe. You pride yourself on the pretext of all encompassing love. You claim your actions are all out of love, but it is my firm believe that you don't know the first thing about it. Your empty heart knows nothing but selfishness and a lust for power. You have stolen, cheated, and lied your way through your career. You have damaged your son and forced unimaginable guilt onto him. The Phantom Thieves are here to show you the error of your ways. That wretched heart of yours is going to be stolen, and your throne is going to be overtaken."

"W-What is this...!" Yoshiki glared to the Phantom Thieves, who were all wearing annoying smiles on their lips now.

"It's a calling card." Joker said while fixing his glove. "It means the Phantom Thieves aren't leaving here without winning."

"How arrogant! The Phantom Thieves think they can steal MY heart!? My heart is the embodiment of LOVE!" Yoshiki wasn't going to hear any of this nonsense! He was going to fire another beam at them, but then the doors burst open. Before he knew it, two yoyo's slammed into his head, causing him to cry out in pain as the beam he fired ran along the ceiling. "W-Who did that!? I...I couldn't see it!?"

"Of course you couldn't!" Ichinose and Sophie, but they weren't alone. Behind them were Yuki and a number of civilians that wanted to join the fight. "Did you like my Calling Card? I've always wanted to do that!" She had such a wide grin on her lips, patting herself on the back for such job well done. "Those golden eyes on your back are linked to a separate camera feed, one that's powered by its own energy source. After all, you wouldn't trust anyone to operate it. Sophie and I found it, and we saw everything that was going on! And now...you're flying blind, aren't you?"

"You...!" Yoshiki couldn't believe this.

"Your eyes can't see anything anymore." Sophie said while placing her hands on her hips. "Ichinose hacked those cameras, so the only thing you can see now are the Phantom Thieves' logo, the symbol of your defeat!"

"You're the one that needs to accept fate, Yoshiki!" Yuki said while stepping forward.

This surprised Toshiro. While he expected Ichinose and Sophie to show up, he wasn't prepared to see Yuki make a return. "Mo-I mean, Yuki, what are you doing here!? And the others...!"

"We're here to lend a hand! Allow us to fight alongside you!" Yuki exclaimed.

"That's right!" A rebel said excitedly. "We're gonna prove we're not spineless!"

"We can't let you guys have all the fun! DOWN WITH YOSHIKI!"

"We've got reinforcements!" Oracle pumped her fists into the air. "This is just what we needed!"

"Now's our time for a reverse pin!" Dragon grinned. This was the opening they needed!

Yuki walked over to Toshiro, placing a hand on her chest. She knew her actions were worrying him, and yet.. "My apologies - I tried to reason with them, but they wouldn't listen. Of course, please know I share their sentiment."

"You guys really came to help?" Toshiro felt overwhelmed for a moment.

"Yes - and it was only possible thanks to your courage." Yuki smiled warmly towards Toshiro.

Feeling invigorated because of this, Toshiro felt a second wind coming to him. Everyone else felt the same way. "Okay, listen up, everyone! We're going to take Yoshiki down and put this nation back into the hands of its people!"

"YEAAAAAAH!"

"Okay everyone, NOW!" Yuki pointed right at Yoshiki. When she did, the rebels swarmed him. Because his golden eyes were hacked, he could only literally watch as he was rushed by his own citizens! They leapt onto him, not giving him a chance to breathe! He was trying to pry them off of him as desperately as he could.

"Welp, looks like you don't got the people to do your bidding anymore! Sucks to be you!" Skull laughed.

Yoshiki eventually pried the rebels off of his body, his angered gaze moving straight towards Yuki. "Yuki. This is how you repay me for showing you my love? Instigating a rebellion? We had a special love. But you do realize there are some things I can't forgive, yes?"

"I'd NEVER ask for your forgiveness!" Yuki glared right back at Yoshiki. "I'm rebelling because you deserve it!"

"It's time to pay your debts, Yoshiki." Fox said while gripping his blade. "No, there's a more fitting phrase for this moment. Lay it on him, Joker!"

"Checkmate." Joker said with an annoying smile.

"The time for revolution is here, Yoshiki! We're going to dethrone you once and for all!" Erina declared.

"You brainless twits can't do anything besides showing off your morals, can you!?" Yoshiki snarled.

"I understand that must be difficult for you to grasp the concept of morality. Especially for someone like you, that doesn't have any to begin with." Wolf shot back. "A man that burdens their own kid with the death of a parent...there's no mercy in this world for people like you."

"And then we have these FOOLS, parroting with you, dancing along with your tune! I'm surrounded by absolute idiots! And the lives of idiots are wasted anyhow. So I may as well..." Yoshiki's mask once again came off, revealing his angered self. "REDUCE YOU ALL TO NOTHING!" And right after he said that, a beam of light and an arrow of curse exploded against either side of him, jostling him about violently. "AGH!?" Crow with Hereward, and Sophie with Pandora attacked him at once. When did they get so close!?

"For your twisted heart, Yoshiki, this is the end of the line!" Sophie pointed her hand forward, firing off a strong bullet that collided against Yoshiki's side, causing him to recoil violently.

"What are you waiting for!?" Yoshiki shouted at his soldiers, commanding them to attack. "If you don't move right now!" That was enough to incite fear into the hearts of the soldiers. They tried to move, but they were quickly overwhelmed by the rebels, and the fact that Ichinose shot a rocket at them, forcing them to scatter. This allowed the Phantom Thieves to rush ahead. Thanks to the rebels, and Ichinose, the cameras were useless, so they could just run straight through!

"That's so much fun." Ichinose grinned. She then handed the rocket launcher to Toshiro. "Your turn."

"HUH!?" Toshiro's eyes went wide. "I don't know how to use one of these! The recoil's gonna destroy me!"

"You'll be fine." Ichinose literally handwaved Toshiro's concerns aside. "You're apart of this fight too. So just take the shot."

"Gah..." Toshiro felt the pressure, but he did also want to help in a fight somehow. So he took the weapon and had such terrible aim with it. He didn't know what he was doing... "Here goes...nothing...!" And he fired. Just before he did, Erina realized his aim was off, so she smacked Toshiro with the butt of her spear to adjust his angle. This did mean he was knocked off his feet from firing the weapon, and the rocket exploded on the wall next to Yoshiki. "I still missed..!"

"Hah!" Yoshiki looked back at Toshiro's failure of a shot. "I expected nothing less from my idiot of a son-!" And as soon as he turned around, he was getting punched in the face by Queen. Her fist hit his chin, snapping his head violently to the side. One eye was clenched shut, and he soon saw the rest of the Phantom Thieves on top of him. He couldn't see them coming...and he was about to pay for it. All of them jumped him at once, multiple gunshots coming from all angles, and there wasn't anything he could do about it.

"This show...IS OVER!" Joker and Raoul appeared side by side, slamming their feet into Yoshiki's chest. "Phantom Judge!" The impact resulted in a large explosion of course magic that destroyed Yoshiki's throne on the spot. This made the man himself collapse on the ground as well.

Yoshiki slowly stood up, hunched over and panting heavily. "Toshiro...damn you...!" As he spoke out angrily, the screens began to return to normal. It was fitting timing.

"Father. It's over." Toshiro could acknowledge that they won. Despite the pain his father put him through, Toshiro couldn't bear to see his father like this. "Any more, and..."

"What!?" Yoshiki lifted his head, glaring towards Toshiro. "Any more and what? Tell me, does this satisfy you, Toshiro!? Thanks to your selfish hypocrisy, you've incited more conflicted and bloodshed!"

"I've...what...?" Toshiro said slowly.

"Don't play dumb with me!" Yoshiki gestured to the cameras that went back to displaying the conflict happening within the Kingdom. "Feast your eyes on THIS!" And it displayed a violent civil war. The rebels were being pushed heavily by the Aizen Squad. While the Phantom Thieves were fighting Yoshiki, the fighting outside took a turn for the worse.

"Set the city ablaze! We'll smoke their asses out!" An Aizen squad member ordered.

At this horrific sight, Yuki gasped. "Oh no...!"

"How could they do something so awful...!" Noir grimaced.

"And you only have YOURSEVLES to blame for this whole tragedy, you heartless fiends! A revolution? Don't make me laugh!" Yoshiki berated the Phantom Thieves and their foolish actions. "You took up a cause that suited your purposes, but you never considered who would suffer for it! And now you've fanned the flames of a tragic WAR! Do you truly call this justice!"

"...!" Toshiro gasped. People were getting hurt because of him.

Sensing that weakness in Toshiro, Yoshiki pounced for the verbal kill. "Should I tell you what you really are? Delusional provocateurs. Nothing more. Beneath that poorly constructed moral facade of yours, you're only doing this to feel the high of self-righteousness!"

"Look who's talking!" Joker shot back. "It still needs doing. Everyone who's fighting is doing so of their own voliiton. We never dragged them into this fight. They willfully took it up, because they knew YOU had to be taken down!"

"Hoho, that's how you see my actions, is it?" Yoshiki managed to laugh. "Are you suggesting that you're willing to accept responsibility for throwing my country into chaos? Admit it - you never even considered the fate of the citizens you claim to represent!"

At that moment, Crow shot at the weakened Yoshiki, causing him to grunt in pain. "Don't piss me off. You're saying whatever you please and trying to pass it off as fact."

"I bet this is how he talked to Toshiro when growing up." Wolf narrowed his eyes. "Using his position to force his opinion onto his own son and accept his words as the truth. When the truth of the matter, is that this world is going to be a lot better when you're not in it."

"That's right! As violent as it may see now...things will get better!" Erina added.

"That's only in your puny little mind! Face reality for once!" Yoshiki growled.

"Seize them as they flee! Get those fires going!"

"Hold your ground! Keep your weapons up! We'll fight them as long as we life!"

"Put your weapons down! Do you wanna get cut down!"

"No, stop, please! I have a child...! AAAAAH!"

Toshiro was feeling the pressure. "N-No..."

"Toshiro, keep calm. It's hard, but it's going to be okay." Sophie said to encourage Toshiro.

"For the sake of your argument, let's say I WAS an egotistical ruler." Yoshiki looked down upon them all. "The people went about their lives, and they were content were they not?! But you ingrates...you ingrates ruined the entire nation! Fools! Truly the work of fools! If this isn't a farce, then I don't even know the meaning of the word."

"You don't know anything, then!" Violet shouted.

"You just acted as if you knew what was in everyone's best interest." Viper rolled her eyes. Yoshiki's word and arguments fell on her deaf ears. "Because those people sure as hell didn't look happy."

Yoshiki ignored the words of the Phantom Thieves. He stared right at Toshiro. "You remember that day, don't you, Toshiro? You spurned my love and rebelled against me. Selfishly demanding your mother take you out while she was ill."

"N-No, stop...!" Toshiro pleaded.

"You killed your mother because of your own selfish wish! What sort of monster kills their own mother?! One can scarcely imagine the betrayal she must have felt!" Yoshiki twisted the knife.

"THAT'S ENOUGH YOSHIKI!" Yuki spoke up. "I won't tolerate anymore of this slander!"

The sight of this made Yoshiki chuckle. "Well, well...isn't this delightful? Well then, let's move onto the final act of this farce, shall we? Can't you see, this pathetic revolution ends...NOW! DIE, TOSHIROOOOOO!" Yoshiki mustered up the last of his strength, and the gem on his forehead fired a beam straight towards Toshiro. It moved so quickly, it felt like it was moving in slow motion for everyone else. Toshiro was too stunned to move...so Yuki pushed him out of the way,

"...!" Toshiro gasped, watching as Yuki stood in the way of the beam. "Mother...!"

And then the beam...

Struck a large shield.

Yuki closed her eyes in anticipation for an attack that never came. When she opened her eyes, she found that she was on the ground, staring at Hifumi's back. That young woman tanked the entirety of the beam, with steam coming off of her body. "W-Wh...?"

"H-Hifumi...!?" Toshiro's eyes were wide.

"W-WHAT!?" Yoshiki looked the most surprised out of everyone.

Hifumi had one eye clenched shut. The beam did break through her Aegis, and did pierce her thigh as a result. But she looked to Yoshiki with a defiant smile. "Did you not hear me before? I told you...while I still stand, you will not be killing anyone." She then looked back to Toshiro with a softer smile. "And I told you, that I would protect your heart along with everyone else. I never go back on my word."

"That's our Dragon!" Ann held such a prideful grin.

"She's so cool..." Mika watched in awe. Hifumi really was something else. Everyone else didn't even bat an eye at Hifumi's actions. This was exactly what they expected her to do, and they knew she could handle it as well. It was all worth it to see that shocked expression on Yoshiki's face.

"This is the result of our revolution." Erina turned to face Yoshiki. "You can't bend or break us, no matter what you try! Even if it's hard, even if people get hurt...they're doing it because they want a better tomorrow! They're putting their lives on the line for something they believe in, and that's something you will never understand!"

Dragon walked forward, her green eyes burning with determination. She wasn't alone, as Wolf, Crow, and Fox were alongside her. "If you think you can get the last laugh, you were sorely mistaken."

"You're going to feel the pain of all the people you've hurt." Zenkichi's mask burned away as Valjean stood behind him. Gorokichi, Hereward, and Bella appeared behind their respective users as well.

"Take solace in the fact that this Kingdom will see better days without you in it." Yusuke narrowed his eyes at the shocked Yoshiki.

"There's a special place in hell for people like you. Looks like you'll be going ahead of me." Akechi wore an irritated smile. He was itching for this moment.

"The only one dying today is you! Through no one's fault but your own!" Hifumi pointed her hand forward. On that command, Valjean, Gorokichi, Bella, and Hereward all fired attacks at Yoshiki. Considering he used the last of his strength, there was nothing he could do about it.

All of the attacks exploded against him at once. Yoshiki let out a cry of agony in the process. He started to fall to the ground once more, his eyes rolling back. "GAAAAAH! N-NOOO! HOW...How could this...!?"

"Get lost. This world has no need for you." Ren spat. Yoshiki didn't have any clever words. Before he hit the ground...he faded away.

"Whew..." Hifumi let out a heavy sigh. She stared to tip backwards, but Ann caught her.

"I've got you." Ann said while giving Hifumi a proud grin.

"Yuki-san! Toshiro! Are you okay?!" Sumire rushed over to the two of them. Ichinose was helping Yuki up, while Sophia helped Toshiro up.

"Y-Yes, we're okay..." Yuki said with a soft nod. "T-Thank you so much..."

"Are you insane?" Ichinose scoffed. "Throwing yourself into that death beam. You would've died if that hit you."

"I know." Yuki said with a soft smile. "But that was simply a risk I was willing to take. Because I needed to protect my son...to protect Toshiro."

Toshiro's eyes widened. "S-So you knew...!?"

"I had a feeling when I first laid eyes on you." Yuki admitted. "And then it all came rushing back when we were in that room together."

"I'm so sorry..." Toshiro felt the guilt eating away at him. "There's so much I want to say to you! I just..."

Yuki shook her head. She knew what was on Toshiro's mind. Yuki walked forward, taking a hold of Toshiro's hands. "Please try to remember...how much I loved you."

Everything flashed white for a moment. They could see a memory of Toshiro's playing, when he was younger. Young Toshiro, walking hand in hand with his mother, Yuki. "C'mon, this way! This way!" The young Toshiro exclaimed.

"Ehehe...you're quite energetic today, aren't you, Toshiro?" Yuki spoke with a fond smile.

"Yeah!" Young Toshiro said with a nod. "Hey, Mom? Promise you won't let go of my hand. I want to stay by your side so I can protect you!"

How could Yuki not smile at that? "Thank you, Toshiro. You're my trusty little knight. But I haven't been outside for a while. So let's take it slow for now, okay?"

"Oh sorry...!" Little Toshiro realized the gravity of the situation. Of course his mother would be a little weak... "Um, Mom? Are you sure you're not mad at me for bringing you here?"

"Of course not. Nothing makes me happier than being able to spend time with you like this, Toshiro." Yuki reassured her boy with a warm, loving smile. "Operation Super Sneaky Escape was a big success?"

The young Toshiro giggled. "Did you have to give it such a weird name?"

"Hehe. You know, Toshiro. It was thanks to your courage that I was able to come here today. Because you worked up the nerve to take me here, I was able to have such a pleasant day for me." Yuki said warmly. "Can you do something for me?"

"Okay! But what?" Young Toshiro tilted his head.

"From now on, never be afraid of doing what you think is right. Having the courage to stand up for someone is something you should cherish. Please, never forget it. Promise me, Toshiro."

"Okay, let's make a pinky promise!" Young Toshiro giggled.

The memories came flooding back to Toshiro. "That's right...I...I promised her..."

"And because you gathered the courage to do something, this country was able to change." Yuki said with a warm smile. "We were able to speak like this again, because you let me fight by your side. Never regret taking a stand. Be proud of what you did. Of who you are."

"Mother...was I able to keep my promise...?" That was the one question Toshiro was wondering. It was lurking in the back of his mind for such a long time...

"Of course you were." Yuki responded with a nod. "And I'm very proud of the man that you are turning into. You even made some extremely dependable friends." She then turned her head to the others. "Shouldn't you be letting everyone know the good news?"

"Huh?" Erina blinked once, then realized her role in this. "Oh right...!" She quickly ran outside, standing at the very top of Yoshiki's tower, while waving her summoned Flag of Liberation. "Yoshiki has been defeated! The one who plunged this country into darkness is no more! Hold your heads high - the time has come to step into a brighter future! It's because all of you took a stand that we are victorious today!" The fighting came to a stop, and the people began to cheer.

"We won? Won WON!"

"I never thought I'd see the day...!"

"There's no time to dawdle! We have to let everyone else know!"

With that declaration of victory, Erina returned inside. "Er. Was that okay?"

"You couldn't have put it any better." Morgana reassured her.

"You can tell how happy they are, even from here." Ryuji said with a soft laugh.

"And to think, Yoshiki was trying to convince us that we were wrong." Ren shook his head at the thought.

"That's how people like him operate." Zenkichi crossed his arms. "When backed into a corner, people like that try to twist the situation in their favor. If they can't win, then you're in the wrong. I see he had no issue putting that sort of pressure on Toshiro while growing up. That'll mess any kid up..."

"..." Ichinose's hands into into her pockets. She didn't have anything to add at all. She just glanced at Toshiro and Yuki.

"But the town is in ruins, and a number of people are injured as well." Haru frowned.

"It looks even worse than I could've anticipated..." Hifumi rubbed her arm. This was the true result of a war. It was a pretty gruesome. "A real war is nothing to laugh at..."

"I guess we didn't get the full picture until now. It wasn't as easy as kicking Yoshiki's ass and calling it a wrap." Ryuji sighed.

"This was the best outcome." Akechi said while glancing outside. "And victory was the best way to repay those who fought on our side."

"Akechi..." Haru said his name softly. His words were...

"It's okay." Yuki said as she placed a hand on her chest. "We will take this chance to rebuild. Now that Yoshiki is gone, this land will know peace..."

"That's right!" A rebel spoke up. "There were some casualties. But, but still! Taking a stand definitely wasn't a mistake!"

"Really?" Sumire smiled a bit. But then she heard the rapid footsteps approaching their way. "Wait, do you hear that?"

"Oh no. I know what this is." Futaba gulped. Her fears were right, as a number of rebels came flooding into the castle, surrounding them. "We've been surrounded! A second time!"

"We just had to thank you!" A rebel said happily.

"We needed to tell you how very grateful we are to all of you for opening our eyes!"

"Oh, we really didn't do much..." Makoto said with a modest tone. "On the contrary, seeing the town and all its people like this is..."

"Even so...! To regret what we did would be to deny what everyone else what they fought for!"

"You guys..." Erina felt a tear welling up in her eye. "I'm sure everything will turn out alright. Just hold onto that courage of yours!"

"Yes ma'am! Well then, we should get back to the town's reconstruction! Let's get to it!" With that, the Rebels rushed out as quickly as they arrived.

At the sight of them leaving, Yusuke couldn't help but laugh. "Seems they don't have a moment to waste, do they?"

"We should be going too." Makoto then looked towards Yuki. "Will you...be coming with us?"

Yuki shook her head. "My place is here. I'm afraid I would slow you down if I came with you." She looked to Toshiro. "You have a lot to do , don't you? Even if I'm no longer with you physically, I'll always be on your side, Toshiro."

"Mother..." Toshiro placed a hand on his chest, and gave Yuki a nod. Yuki smiled at Toshiro, and slowly left. Toshiro had to watch the memory of his mother leave, but he did so with a smile on his face. Now that he was reminded of the love she truly had for him. What he did back then...it wasn't a mistake...He then turned to the Phantom Thieves. "Before we go, I'd like to express my gratitude to all of you. My mother, my father...I was only able to face them because you guys gave me a push. So, I should thank you for that."

"You're welcome." Ren said with a faint grin. "You did most of the work. We just made sure you weren't led astray. This world is out to get you, and we're not gonna let that happen."

"Thank you." Toshiro said with a slight nod. "Hifumi, your actions...you saved the memory of my mother. I can't thank you enough for that. I don't know what I would've done if she took that fatal blow for me." Hifumi wore a sheepish smile at Toshiro's earnest gratitude. "And you, Futaba. Your words resonated with me the most."

Futaba pointed at herself. She wasn't expecting a special thank you. "Oh? Um. Okay...!" She stiffened up a bit because of it.

"Thinking of my mother has always been painful, but it's time I faced history head on." Toshiro said firmly. "The truth may be different than what I saw here, but I've decided to stop running from things."

"W-Well I think that sounds great! It's important to not run from those things, ya know? You've got my support!" Futaba's delivery was a little awkward, but she meant every word. "But you've really learned to talk the talk, haven't you, Pops?"

"Even an old-timer like me knows how to get real." Toshiro said smugly.

"Don't let him get too much of a big head. But it's a good thing he finally admitted he's old." Ichinose teased. Toshiro, however, just took it in stride.

"I have to thank you as well. That surprise of yours really helped out." Toshiro told Ichinose.

"I knew Sophie could handle the heavy lifting. I just wanted to help out." Ichinose did seem proud of herself, though.

"That calling card of yours was magnificent. I have no complaints." Yusuke had to give credit where it was due. Ichinose was practically glowing.

"Should we be praising her this much?" Sumire said with a playful smile. "But really, it was a great help!"

"Thank you, thank you. I'll take all these compliments." Ichinose was riding this high.

"Good to see you standing on your own two feet. I could barely imagine that when we first saw you in that jail cell." Zenkichi chuckled a bit. Again, Toshiro took it in stride. His mood was high, so he would react to these comments appropriately at a later date.

"Can we get outta here now?" Mika pointed at the door. She was standing near it, arms crossed. "I really hope this door gets us out of here. But it's not that easy, is it..."

"It never is." Ren looked at her with a grin. "You've been along for the ride now. You know how it goes." He didn't even have to say it. Mika already knew that they weren't done yet...

"We have no idea what's on the other side." Morgana warned everyone as they approached the door. They could encounter anything...

"Yeah." Ren nodded, placing his hand on the door handle. "Here we go..."

With the defeat of Yoshiki behind them, they could only push forward. Just what would await them on the other side of this door?