August 27th, 2017.
Night had fallen on Osaka as the country reeled from what had happened. Akira Konoe, the CEO of Madicce, had publicly declared the truth behind EMMA, the root of the change of heart epidemic sweeping the country. Followed by his admission that Jyun Owada was the one behind it all, funding a secret lab in Okinawa to research how to use this to control the country. And how he led to the death of the Director of the lab. All under his nose.
What followed next was him admitting that Owada used Shuzo Ubukata's death to frame the Thieves for a false crime in an effort to consolidate power for himself and specific members of PubSec. Ending with him stepping down from CEO of Madicce temporarily as he offered to help the police bring in Owada and his cronies. An offer that was soon helped with by those of the Kirijo Group as a manhunt for Owada and the corrupt officials of PubSec began.
As for the Thieves, they were content with sleeping. Exhausted but proud of freeing Konoe from his unwanted burden of being a Monarch. What he would do with himself after this, they did not know. But for Ren, he was happy that he had rescued his Uncle. Which is why, when his head hit the pillow in the Motorhome, he was eagerly awaiting a long night of sleep.
Yet all that changed when he felt sand and dust blowing against his face as a low wind howled around him. Opening his eyes, he found himself staring into a vast wasteland of brown rock. Giant craters mark the land, with large gashes cutting into the ground.
"What the… is this a dream?" Ren asks before noticing a familiar feature resting on his face. It was his mask, with him quickly realising that he was standing in his Thief attire. "Am I in the Metaverse? But how? We all went to sleep in the Motorhome…"
"It would seem something is afoot, Ren." Raoul speaks to him as he manifests next to Joker. "This place… there is a darkness here. One that we have not yet seen."
"A darkness?" Joker asks, glancing back over the place. "Well, this place does look like it had a giant battle happen here. But where is here? And, how can you manifest yourself here, Raoul?" Raoul shakes his head, unsure how he can do so. Joker could only hum to himself as he did a mental dive, finding that he only had Raoul with him and no one else from his roster. While taken aback by this and pleading that this wasn't another Kingdom situation, Joker takes a step forward before he suddenly steps on a metallic object at his feet. Glancing down, it looked to be some kind of sword, yet the blade was cut in half, and the colour was almost faded away.
The rest of the sword fared no better, but Joker could still make out a circular guard around a handle that looked to be made of black wings. While an effigy of what looked to be Arsène rested above the hilt. The colours that made it up had almost faded away to nothing, while rust had built up all over the blade, replacing the colour that once surely covered it. And hanging at the bottom was a small link of chain that had been sliced in two.
"What is this?" Joker asks, picking it up with his right. Raoul looks over his shoulder, eyeing the blade with interest before letting out a low hum.
"An ancient weapon, perhaps. One that must have borne witness to the battle that raged here. And the passing of its wielder…" Raoul replies before glancing around. "…Ren… we are not alone here." Spinning on his heels, Joker places the broken sword in his left hand as he grabs his knife, only to pause when he sees Mona waddling up to him. Holding a broken sword in his paw as Diego floats behind him.
"Joker? What are you doing in my dream?" Mona asks, tilting his head.
"Your dream? I thought this was my dream." Joker replies, shaking his head before glancing at the blade in Mona's paw. Similar to the one he had, it was broken in the same parts, while Zoro took up the spot above the hilt. The guards around the handle are shaped like his cape.
"How are we dreaming the same dream?" Mona asks, shaking his head. "Is this a prank from Master Igor and Lady Lavenza? But nothing here resembles the Velvet Room!"
"Tal vez, this is not a dream, amigo." Diego responds as he and Raoul look at each other in suspicion. "Raoul, mi camarada. You, too, can materialise here?"
"So it would seem." Raoul replies, glancing around. "Ren, I advise that we move. I do not think we are safe here."
"Yeah, so do I…" Joker replies, glancing down the only path open for them. With little else to do, Joker and Mona walk down the craggy path, seeing more evidence of battle around them. Eventually, they reach a deep chasm where strange tornados circle and churn, almost tempting the two to leap into them. While standing not far from them were Skull and Panther. With William and Célestine hovering beside them as they turn to look at them in surprise.
"Joker? Mona? You guys are here too?" Skull asks as the two groups converge.
"Yeah, we are." Joker replies before glancing at their hands. Seeing them both also holding broken blades, similar to him and Mona. And once again, stylised after Captain Kidd and Carmen. "You guys found those as well?"
"Yeah." Panther replies, holding it up in her left hand. "I dunno why but… I don't want to drop it…"
"This place is strange seas… never have I felt such sorrow from one place…" William remarks, glancing around.
"There is a story here. A deep, dark story." Célestine remarks, looking to the ground. "It is honestly… troubling."
"Wait, if we are here, then does that mean the others are as well?" Mona asks, tilting his big head.
"Maybe." Joker replies, glancing back at the tornados. "But first, let's get past those storms." While uncertainty hung over them, the group proceeded onward past the raging tornados. Surprisingly, they did not generate any suction at all, allowing them to easily pass them without issue. Where they soon found themselves in another part of the valley, still finding nothing but barren rock. Even the sky was still a dull orange, exasperating the gloom of the area.
Until they found two more of their members waiting at a cavern's entrance. Fox and Queen, with Gorokichi and Agnes beside them. Or, in Queen's case, riding on Agnes as they turned to look at them in surprise.
"Joker? You guys are here as well?" Queen asks, getting off Agnes as she and Fox walk up to them. Agnes showing that she could drive herself as she and Gorokichi followed them. And just like the others, they too were holding a strange sword like them. Stylised after Goemon and Johana.
"Yeah." Joker replies, glancing between them. "Just what is going on?"
"I wish we could answer." Fox replies, shaking his head. "Frankly, I am more concerned about where we are."
"This land reeks of death." Gorokichi comments, taking a breath of his cigar. "This place… is cursed."
"We have not yet ventured forward, for we all feel uneasy at the path before us." Agnes comments, turning around to face the cave entrance. Almost like it was beckoning them to enter, as a light glowed at the far back.
"Well, there's nothing behind us. Just more wasteland with tornados." Panther reveals, shaking her head. "And what is up with these broken swords?"
"I do not know, but their design is unlike anything we have yet seen." Fox comments, glancing down at the sword in his hand.
"Either way, we only have one path open for us." Joker remarks, looking at the passageway. "Let's just hope we can find some answers at the end." It wasn't much, but with no other option open to them, the Thieves moved through the cave. Feeling the oppressive nature around them grow thick as they continue on, while the light at the end grows brighter. But the moment they left the cavern mouth, they found themselves pausing in shock.
All around them, as far as the eye could see, were countless swords sticking into the ground, easily numbering in the millions if what they were looking at was real. Each one had a unique design and colour, yet all of them had one thing in common. They were dull, rusty, and lacking a spark of life that they should hold.
"What happened here?" Mona asks, glancing around as the Thieves walk down the road between the rows of blades.
"Was there, like, some huge fight or somthin'?" Skull asks, looking around him. Joker remains silent, taking in the sight around him as a deep feeling falls over him. One of sadness, rage, anger, despair… so many negative emotions ran around him that it almost made his head spin. Just when it seemed like it would be too much, they reached a four-way intersection.
A literal giant cross in the centre of this field of swords. Standing in the middle were Oracle and Noir, while Al Azif and Lucy hovered beside them like guardian angels. And just like them, in their hands were broken blades based on Necronomicon and Milady.
"Joker!" Oracle calls out as Al Azif hovers above her. "Do you know what's going on?"
"We're just in the dark as all of you." Joker replies as Raoul flies up to Al Azif.
"This place… I am unfamiliar with this land…" Al Azif remarks, hovering close to Raoul.
"The countless blades around us leaves plenty to the mind." Lucy remarks, hovering close to Noir. "The question is, how ancient is this field of battle?"
"And who were the participants?" Noir asks, looking around. "And… why are there so many?" Joker remains silent as sounds of footsteps from their right draw them to the eastern path. Where to their surprise, Outlaw, Spring, and Shadow were approaching them. Once again, holding broken swords in their hands while Blondie, Persephone, and Chiyome hovered beside them.
"Okay… I think it's safe to say that none of us are dreaming…" Outlaw comments as the two groups converge.
"Are we really in the Metaverse?" Spring asks the team as she glances around. "We haven't seen anything that resembles a shadow…"
"These lands remind me of the great plains. Only more desolate and gloomy." Blondie remarks, glancing around.
"There is no sense of life anywhere. This place is truly dead. Even the domain of my husband had some life to it…" Persephone comments as Shadow walks up to Joker and Queen.
"I've had a bad feeling ever since coming here. I feel as though we are being watched."
"But by whom, we have not yet found out." Chiyome adds before glancing up the northern path. "And we are not alone." At that, all eyes turned north, finding to their shock, Crow, Violet, and Athena walking towards them. And just like them, they had broken swords in their hands as Hereward, Ella, and Themis flew alongside them.
"This is rather peculiar." Crow remarks, looking at everyone. "Why are all of us here?"
"That's what we want to know." Spring replies, shaking her head.
"Is it just you guys? No one else is here?" Violet asks, with the team shaking their heads. "I see…" Athena silently glances around everyone, noting the strange broken weapons in their hands. And how each one was seemingly designed around their initial Persona.
"All of us are holding broken swords, and they are all based on our initial Personas… but why?" She questions them as they all glance at the sword in their hands. Or… were they really swords? The style was similar to the countless ones all around them…
"Dunno… I just felt like I had to pick it up." Oracle comments, swapping it between hands.
"You felt compelled? Interesting." Themis comments. "Is it the same with all of you?" The Thieves all nodded their heads at one and the other, while Ella let out a concerned hum.
"I wonder… why only us. Why not the others?" She asks Hereward, who lets out a huff, placing his giant bow on his back.
"Perhaps someone is playing a cruel joke on our other halves. Why else would they do this when our other halves are resting?" Hereward remarks, folding his arms. The Thieves all glanced at one and the other, while others looked at the field of rusted blades all around them. An unsettling feeling falling over them all.
"I don't think we should stay here." Joker remarks to the others. "Let's head down this path and-" Before he could finish, a strong wind kicked up. Forcing the Thieves to cover their eyes as sand and dust were kicked into the air. As for the blades in their hands, they disintegrated into light, stunning them all before the sound of footsteps echoed towards them.
They glanced down the west path, seeing nothing but a storm of sand, until a figure started to emerge. Leaning forward with hands behind their back, yet wearing a thick black coat with a silver zip going all the way down the front, while two silver accessories dangled from the collar. Black boots and leggings could be seen under the coat while the hood was up, covering the figure's face in darkness. Hiding everything.
"Who is that?" Mona asks, bringing out his Claiomh Solais R falchion.
"My guess is he is the one responsible for bringing us here." Crow remarks, grabbing his Hinokagutsuchi II beam sabre. While Joker readied his Paradise Lost R dagger in a reverse grip, Raoul returned to his mask alongside the others. Yet, Joker could feel something was different about Raoul. It was almost like… he was afraid.
Raoul? What's wrong?
Ren… this foe… is no ordinary foe.
"Hey! Are you the one responsible for bringin' us here!?" Skull shouts, pointing his Imprisoned Mjölnir mace at the man. Yet, he received nothing in reply. "Staying quiet, huh? Why don't I make you answer!?" Skull shouts as he rushes forward at the man. Yet, he remains silent, bringing his right hand out, showing that his hands were encased in black gloves as though he were handing something over before throwing his hand up.
What followed was a giant wall of rock that rose right under Skull as he was suddenly sent flying into the sky. And it wasn't just him either… as just as the other Thieves stood in shock at what just happened to Skull, they soon found themselves being thrown up as a giant tower of rock erupted under them. Trapping them in the sky on a giant circular arena as they all groaned in response to the sudden change in location.
"Everyone okay?" Joker calls out as everyone gets to their feet.
"We'll live." Queen replies, shaking her head as she grips her Gordio blades.
"What the hell was that!? He just summoned a tower of rock from the ground!" Outlaw shouts, joining his Deus Xiphos twin swords together. Before anyone could reply, the man suddenly appeared on one end of the platform, far from them. Still holding his hands behind his back.
"It would seem he wanted us here." Fox remarks, Usumidori R katana at the ready. Not wasting time, Oracle quickly got to work scanning him just as the figure raised his right hand again. Before blinking in surprise, her eyes confused.
"Huh? I can't see his name or level? And… no Arcana?" She asks, puzzled, as the man continues to hold his right arm out. "This has never happened before…"
"Oracle?" Spring asks, holding her Gáe Bolg spear in one hand. Oracle looks at her in silence before turning back to look at the man as he continues to do nothing. Until the sound of lightning, accompanied by the sound of a sword slicing through the air, echoes from him, just as what looked to be flames of dark purple and black race away from his right hand. Morphing into a weapon, but not one any of them recognised.
"What is that?" Shadow asks, spinning her Varja kunai in one hand as the weapon glistens in the sky before the very clouds around them turn grey and dark. As though a storm had rolled in, turning the orange wasteland around them to a dreary grey.
The weapon that appeared in the man's hand was a large sword-like blade with a spiky, black guard resembling demonic wings, a horned, demonic head just above the handle, two barbed shafts, and teeth resembling a battleaxe split into three almost claw-like protrusions. Its shaft and head are adorned with several twisting, silver patterns. It also contains two demonic, blue eyes with a cat's eye iris, with one on the head. While the other was on a keychain that hangs from the bottom of the handle. A black diamond with the second eye on top of it.
The man seemed to savour it for a second before holding it high in his right hand, pointing at the Thieves, while his left hand was held out towards them. Signifying his readiness for battle.
"Oracle, what are we dealing with?" Athena asks, spinning her Lawbringer tonfas as Oracle got to work analysing his weakness. Only to suddenly pause as her hands started to shake.
"This is… how?" She says numbly, glancing over at the man as she starts to feel afraid.
( watch?v=DxxG9TCwgq0 : ?)
"Oracle?" Noir asks, shouldering her Fleurs du Mal R axe. "What's wrong?"
"Guys… this person… has no weaknesses…" She says quietly, eyes locking on the figure. "He resists everything… including Almighty…"
"What!?" The Thieves shouted as one, as a chuckle echoed from the man, yet he remained silent.
"Not only that, but he absorbs Curse!" She shouts in alarm, just as the man suddenly leaps into the air, blue lightning cracking up his left arm. "Look out!" Oracle's warning came just in time as the figure blasted them with blue lightning. Striking the ground hard before landing softly back on the ground just as Violet came in with her Sword of Sinai II rapier. But just as she was about to land a hit, the man vanished, suddenly appearing in front of Fox before striking him with his weapon.
His hits were surprisingly heavy and fast, managing to stun Fox as, with every hit, black stars seemed to dance around before vanishing as he unleashed a multi-hit combo on Fox. Before following it up and blasting him with fire right in front of him. Knocking him out in a single strike.
"Fox!" Noir shouts, rushing at the man and swinging her axe at him. Only for him to teleport again behind her and grab her by the back of the neck before blasting her with lightning. Sending her unconscious as he throws her onto Fox.
"What the!? How strong is this guy!? He's just one-shotting us!" Skull shouts as he summons William, grabbing the man's attention, and channels Fighting Spirit into them before having to duck out of the way of another blast of fire as Panther charges forward, whipping her Dainaraka Whip at the man who once again teleports behind her. Panther spun round, ready to dodge the fire or thunder, but instead, she was met by a blast of ice. Freezing her in place before the man slams his weapon at her. Shattering the ice and sending her out cold.
"Panther!" Queen shouts, hopping onto Agnes as she charges forward, drawing his gaze of interest. "Atomic Flare!" She shouts, blasting the nuke magic at the man who stands in the fires as though it were but a breeze. Joker brought out Jose's Wishing Star, glancing at Queen as the two got ready to use their Showtime attack, only for the man to blast Joker's hand with ice. Knocking the star out of his hand and freezing it solid to the ground.
"The Wishing Star!" Joker shouts in alarm before ducking under a blast of lighting. The sparks tingled against his skin as he shuddered. "What kind of magic is that?! It's not from a Persona!"
"What is with this guy! His stats are through the roof!" Oracle shouts as she retreats into Al Azif for safety. The man looks at her for a moment in surprise before slamming his blade into the ground. Around him, boulders fly into the air before shooting towards Oracle. Forcing Al Azif to take drastic evasive manoeuvres while Joker and Shadow try to strike at him from behind. "Since when was Earth magic a thing!? What else can he use!? Water magic!?" Oracle shouts as Al Azif struggles to dodge the incoming projectiles just as Joker and Shadow reach the man.
Yet, the man seemingly dashes away with an aura of darkness around him before landing next to Outlaw. Pointing his blade into the air, he summons rocks around him that injure Outlaw before the cloaked man unleashes a three-combo strike on Outlaw. Knocking him out just as Mona healed Fox and Noir back up.
The man sees this and aims his left hand at them, shooting orbs of darkness at them as Joker leaps in to take the hits, thinking they are Curse-based attacks. Yet, they were not, as every hit landed on him with powerful force, sending him to his knees as he clutched his stomach in pain. "What the… wasn't that Curse Or Dark?" He asks through gritted teeth as Spring patches him up with a heal.
"Did he just ignore Joker's resistances?! Or was that not Curse or Dark magic?!" Spring shouts, ducking under a thrown piece of rock before ripping her mask off. "Kougaon!" She cries, sending a spear of light at the man, striking his back. That seemed to sting him as he turned to face her before rushing at her in a dark aura. Forcing her to duck away from his three-point combo before he vanishes into the ground. "Where did he go!?" Spring shouted, looking around for him before looking downward. Before, she was suddenly struck but a giant purple hand with white-clawed fingers, slashing at her and sending her tumbling to the ground.
"Phantom Show!" Joker shouts, trying to send the man to sleep, yet he easily dodges the attack and lands a heavy hit on Joker, moving into a very long combo before striking him in the chest. Almost sending him off the edge were it not for Queen grabbing him at the last second. "Thanks…"
"Don't mention it." Queen remarks, helping him as they glance at the man as he sends Outlaw flying with another attack with that hand of darkness. "Just what is he?"
"Judgment!" Athena shouts, blasting the man with her ultimate skill and healing the Thieves while waking up those who were still unconscious. The man seems to glare at her as he unleashes another dark barrage, forcing Athena to dodge the strikes as Fox charges in from behind and slashes him with a Brave Blade. Yet, it seemed to do little as the man turned around and struck at him. Forcing him back before, Fox ducks under a blast of fire.
"Debilitate!" Crow shouts, slamming the man with the spell, which seems to take hold. "Now, Mona!"
"Miracle Rush!" Mona shouts, summoning the automated boxing glove and hitting the man in the face. Managing to knock him to one knee, leaving him open to the Thieves' favourite tactic.
"All-Out Attack!" Joker calls as the team attacks from all sides. Yet as they jumped away, it felt as though they did not do as much damage as they had hoped, as the figure looked at them before raising his weapon. And at that action, a giant flower sprung above his head as vines circled him while motes of light fell on top of him.
"WHAT THE FUCK!? HE JUST HEALED HIMSELF!" Oracle screams from Al Azif as the man seems to chuckle at her before teleporting back towards the Thieves and unleashing another quake to separate them before unleashing another multi combo on Skull, then quickly pivoting and blasting Outlaw with ice, followed by leaping into the air and slamming the ground with lightning.
"Bufudyne!" Fox shouts, blasting the man with ice before leaping to the side to avoid a retaliation blast of fire. Gunshots ring out as Joker, Queen and Athena open fire with their pistols and revolver. Dealing damage, but it was almost minuscule, as the man simply turned to them and teleported behind them before blasting them with a quake. At that moment, Joker starts to glow red from seeing his family get thrown away like rag dolls, feeling his Theurgy start to come alive along with grabbing the man's attention.
"Let's see if you can handle this!" He leaps into the air as Raoul forms behind him, conjuring a scythe of darkness before tossing it to Joker and blasting the area around the man with countless black feathers. Covering him in feathers as Joker comes down, scythe above his head, just as Raoul creates another one for himself. "Scythes of Eternal Darkness!" Joker screams, slicing down from above as Raoul comes in from the side. Forming a cross pattern of Curse energy as the countless feathers all explode as one. Leaping away, Joker was shocked to see the man still standing after taking his Theurgy, as he raises a hand up and beckons him to come closer. Almost taunting him to attack.
"You want some more?! Then here's some more!" Mona shouts as he glows red, Diego forming behind him. "Wheel of Life!" Mona shouts, leaping into the air as he spins around into a ball, Diego encasing him in wind until he glows in a shining green sphere of wind. Suddenly, he shoots forward at the man, slamming into his chest before spinning up into the air as Diego rushes forward. Slashing with his sword to create a Z-shape pattern, Mona races back down. Slamming himself into the figure, just as the Z explodes into a wall of wind.
This time, the man leaps away, definitely hurt from the attack but not to the point that it was slowing him down as he charges forward and unleashes yet another hard-hitting combo on the Thieves before leaping away. Athena and Noir try to attack him at the same time, yet he forms a dark shield around him that blocks their attacks before unleashing a shock wave that knocks the two of them away. Almost through them off the edge of the arena.
"Knock it off, asshole!" Skull shouts as he glows red, William forming behind him as he charges forward with lightning rushing off him. William charges up his arm cannon as Skull leaps into the air and slams his mace down. "Almighty Judgment!" Sending out a shockwave that stuns the man in an electrical binding just as William fires his cannon. Enveloping the man in the blast and leaving a scorch mark along the ground. The man shakes his head for a moment before raising his weapon and healing himself yet again.
"How many times can he heal himself!?" Violet shouts as the man suddenly brings his left hand up. Flexing his fingers before pointing his open hand at the field under them. A storm suddenly envelops the weapons under them, dragging them up into a whirlwind of blades that raced through the air like a snake.
"Watch out!" Shadow calls, catching Spring in a dive as the blades bear down on them. Slamming into the ground and forcing the Thieves to dodge as they come around for another pass.
"No you don't!" Oracle shouts, placing herself into the path and activating her Final Guard. Tanking the hit as the blades bounce off her like rain. The man looks at her, his face impossible to read, before looking back at the Thieves. Suddenly, a giant X symbol appeared under the feet of some. The glow, impossible to miss, forced the Thieves to dodge as the X shapes erupted into pillars of fire. Then, he quickly teleports into the air and rains down meteors on the party, forcing them to dodge as much as they can.
Until a condensed ball of fire formed between Joker, Mona and Skull, detonating in a large explosion that sent the trio rolling towards the edge. Before they fell off, they grabbed the side to stay on, seeing just how much of a drop they would have had. Especially with all the blades piercing the side, it would have been painful as well.
"That's it!" Panther shouts, glowing red with Célestine behind her. "Can you handle the heat!?" She whacks the ground with her whip, sending forward numerous lines of fire towards the man before encircling him with the flames. Célestine hovers behind Panther, channelling a large orb of fire between her hands, while the two dolls with her are similarly ignited and rush forward. "Infernal Hellfire!" With that, Célestine throws the orb at the man just as the two dolls leap onto him and detonate in a vicious blast.
"If the heat is too much for you, then feel the biting chill of winter!" Fox calls out as he glows red, with Gorokichi forming behind him. Letting out a plume of smoke from his pipe, Gorokichi summons a storm of ice that envelops the ground and freezes the man's legs in place. Fox falls into an Iaai slash stance before quickly dashing across the ground five times, leaving ice saplings over the man before he slowly sheaths his Katana. "Crystal Bloom!" He calls, the final click of him sheathing the katana causing the sprouts to detonate and envelop the man in a ball of crystallised ice. The internal pattern resembles the branches and leaves of a Sakura tree in bloom before shattering.
The man staggers back a bit, seemingly stunned at being hit by two powerful moves, before chuckling once again as he summons another tornado of blades to attack the Thieves. Only this time, he chose to ride on top of them. Blasting down ice and fire while forcing them to dodge out of the way before he leaps off and slams his blade into the ground. Sending out a dark shockwave that sent almost everyone flying off their feet.
He once again teleports in front of Athena, unleashing his three-hit combo just as Crow and Violet attack him from behind. Only to rush into another earth spell from the man as he summons pillars of rocks around him once again. Knocking Crow, Violet, and Athena back.
"Hang in there, guys!" Oracle shouts from inside Al Azif before having to duck out of the way of another swarm of blades. "This is starting to get annoying! I'm REALLY wishing Edelweiss and the others were here right now!"
"AARGH!" Skull shouts as he comes in from above, William behind him. "God's Hand!" He shouts, sending the attack into the man's back. The attack seemingly caught him by surprise, and he stumbled for a moment before turning around and grabbing Skull by the throat. Skull's forward momentum briefly chokes him as he grabs the man's arm. Before, he was hit with a double blast of ice, freezing him solid and dropping him to the floor as he turned around to block Fox's strike. Before blasting him in the face with fire, sending him tumbling back towards the edge, but not enough to knock him off. But more than enough to ignite Queen's anger as she summons Agnes to her side.
"That's enough!" Queen shouts as she revs the engine on Agnes, grabbing the man's attention as she glows red. A tunnel of atomic fire forms between Queen and the man, trapping both in the tunnel of blue fire as Queen steps on the gas. Sending Anges towards the cloaked man as she rides the flaming walls around them. Forming a barrier around her as they drive right into him at full speed. "Atomic Hollow!" Queen shouts, slamming right into the centre of the man and into the wall of blue fire behind it, enveloping him in a nuclear blast as Queen drives out of the tunnel unscathed.
Yet, he seemed to dash out of the fires with no problem, slamming into her with a rapid strike before quickly dashing towards Outlaw and Joker with the same speed. Almost becoming a black blur to their eyes as he dashed around the place, hitting them with his strange weapon as dark red lightning streaked behind him.
"Just what is this guy!?" Panther asks as Spring uses Me Patra to unfreeze Skull. "He just won't stay still!" Almost as though he heard he, the man sends a rolling fireball her way, forcing her to stand and absorb the blast to spare Skull and Spring the strike. Then, he jumps once more onto the wave of blades, dashing across the sky as he rains lightning down onto the ground.
"He really likes to use that attack, doesn't he!?" Outlaw shouts, ducking under the swarm of blades before letting out with a Bullet Hell. Yet, his rounds failed to get near him as the man soars into the sky.
"Then let's use it against him!" Noir shouts, glowing red and once more grabbing the man's attention. Behind her, Lucy materialises into being before lifting several rocks with her mind. She throws them forward as Noir leaps in front and slices them in half, turning them into homing psionic missiles that lock onto the mysterious man. Noir lands beside Lucy as she opens her skirt to reveal her guns, charging them all up as she takes aim at the man. "Psycho Impact!" Noir shouts as Lucy unleashes the blast. Hitting the man just as the psionic missiles slam into him. Detonating mid-air and disrupting the long chain of blades. Forcing him back onto the arena.
Yet, he did not stay for long, as he suddenly jumped into the air and shot a dark beam into the ground from his blade. Detonating a large pillar of fire that forced the team from the middle as smaller pillars of fire surrounded the platform.
"Did we enter the second phase?" Fox asks as random spurts of flame cover the arena.
"If we did, then here's a boost!" Oracle shouts, buffing the team with her version of a party-wide Heat Riser. "Sorry it took so long. I had to dodge all those damn blades!"
"Don't worry about it!" Joker calls back up as the man teleports before them again. "Okay… what have you got now?" Joker asks, but he immediately wishes he never did as the man unleashes a cluster bomb of explosive fireballs. Detonating right in the team's face and sending them backwards towards the edge. A few of them did fall off but were grabbed by the others as they hurriedly pulled them up.
"Samarecarm!" Athena shouts, healing the team as they quickly jump to their feet, just as the man unleashes another blast of fire at them.
"Life Wall!" Noir shouts, buffing the team and negating the blasts. That seemed to draw a curious hum from the man.
"You like sending out scatter bombs, huh?" Outlaw asks as he starts to glow red, with Blondie forming behind him. "Well, how about this, then! Rain of Metal!" He aims his rifle at him while around him, golden constructs of the other Thieves' weapons appear. Even of those who were currently not with them as he, Blondie, and the materialised guns all open fire at once. Slamming golden rounds into the man just as the explosive weapons fire at the figure. Enveloping him in a large blast that sent him a few steps back before he started to gather energy into himself.
"Everyone, brace!" Joker shouts as everyone raises their guard as the man continues to gather energy around himself. When it seemed like he had enough, he detonated it, sending out a flash of blinding, searing light that tore into the Thieves. Sending them to their knees while blinding others. It was quickly followed up by the man sending out shards of ice at them, managing to freeze Mona, Athena, and Queen before they could do any healing. Spring, who was one of the people blinded by the flash, felt anger rising inside her as she began to glow red. Not that she could see, given her current ailment. Once more, grabbing the man's attention as she slams her spear into the ground.
"Healing land, hear my call!" She cries as Persephone forms behind her. Generating a calming orb of green and blue mixed with white as she poured energy into it. "Mend our wounds and heal our ailments! Blessing of Light!" At that, Persephone sends the orb into the air as Spring, despite being blind, takes her bow out and fires an arrow at it. Hitting it dead on and unleashing the healing water held inside. Washing over the Thieves as their wounds are healed and the aliments plaguing them removed.
The man seemed amused by this as he generated a ring of dark green orbs around Spring. Circling her as he summons more meteors to rain down from above. As the team focused on dodging, Spring was suddenly teleported to another part of the arena, where the cloaked man unleashed his multi-hit combo on her, knocking her out cold with one last hit before turning back to the others and dashing towards them. Firing lighting as he goes, forcing them to separate as he engages Crow. Who manages to block his three-hit combo before retaliating with a Riot Gun.
While Mona rushed over to heal up Spring, Violet charged towards the man with her gun. Firing as she ran before having to jump over the man's dash attack. Watching as he slams into Joker and sends him tumbling to the ground before he blasts Queen with fire at point-blank range, scaring both and damaging their outfits to the point they were showing skin. All around her, she could see everyone's clothes had taken damage, with large gashes and marks peppering their suits, but thankfully nowhere embarrassing. Even Panther and Fox's tails had been cut in half at some point, not that either of them had noticed. But more than that, she could see that they were all getting exhausted by the battle.
"We can't keep going like this…" She comments to Crow, who joins her side. Watching as Athena blocked a few of the man's attacks before he ducked away from Skull's mace.
"I know. Any longer and we might not be able to survive." He grits out as he starts to glow red. "It is time we ended this fight!" He draws his gun, charging forward as Hereward forms behind him. Drawing his bow as he gathers energy within. Crow blasts the man with Almighty shots, staggering him in surprise before lashing out with his blade and leaping backwards. Gathering Almighty energy in his hands, just as Hereward lets his arrow fly. "Worlds End!" He shouts, blasting the man with the two Almighty attacks. The smoke cleared, showing that he was now holding his head in his hands as he shook his head to clear away the impact before healing himself once again. "Again, with that healing!" Crow shouts in annoyance as the figure blasts him with dark energy. Sending him sprawling over the ground as Violet blasts him with Kougaon. Forcing him to duck as he fires back with a fireball.
Violet leaps backwards, the fireball singing the coattails of her outfit as she lands on her knees. Glowing red, she stands up tall as Ella forms behind her. Once again, the man looks at her in intrigue, as though he was studying both her and her Persona.
"You don't like the light? Then how about this!" Violet shouts, rushing forward as Ella skates around her, sending out orbs of light that land around the man in a circular pattern. One orb lands in front of Violet, who kicks it at the man and latches onto him. Violet then dashes to the other orbs, kicking them at him until he is covered in the glowing spheres of light. Before aiming her rifle at him, Bless energy circles it as Ella forms behind her with a sphere of her own Bless energy. "Light of the Heavens!" Violet shouts, firing her gun as Ella unleashes the sphere of energy at the man. Enveloping him in a pillar of light as the spheres on him detonate in tandem.
The blast managed to send him flying, but not by much, as he managed to reorient himself mid-flight and counter with another barrage of meteors. Forcing the team to dodge in the increasingly confined space of the arena. He suddenly finds a kunai wrapping around his weapon before Shadow pulls it out of his hand. Or tried to, as she inadvertently pulled the man down with it before he let go of the blade. He glances at her, dashing down towards her as the weapon vanishes, but Shadow isn't concerned about that. She was more focused on getting him to charge at her.
"I've got you." She remarks, glowing red as Chiyome forms behind her. Before the man could reach her, both of them vanish into shadows, giving the man pause before Chiyome slashes across his back. Followed by Shadow throwing her kunai into his chest and pulling herself into him to kick him. Sending him backwards into Chiyome's waiting blades. "Shadow Blades!" Shadow cries, disappearing from sight as Chiyome throws the man towards the ground. Where Shadow reappeared, psionic blades metallising around her before dashing forward like arrows. Skewering the man before denoting in psionic energy.
But the man only laughs at her as he lands on the ground, as he resummons the blade to his hand, surprising Shadow. Sending out a wave of ice towards her before following up with a blast of fire towards Crow. Before jumping into a pool of darkness and rapidly rushing towards Noir, leaping out at her with the claw made of darkness once again. But it was when he turned to look at the group of Joker, Skull, Panther, and Mona with Oracle hovering nearby that he did something drastic.
The blade in his hand began to shift and change. Enlarging in size before, it took on the form of a giant shoulder cannon resting on the man's shoulder.
"WHAT THE HELL!?" Skull shouts as dark energy begins to charge inside the cannon, prompting Oracle to rush in and protect them with a Final Guard just as he unleashes the devastating attack. The blast slams into Oracle's Guard, instantly sending cracks all over it before the shield itself blows up. Sending all five of them sprawling over the floor, with Joker landing next to the Wishing Star. Still frozen from the earlier attack.
The man then turns his attention to Queen, Fox, Noir, and Spring, charging the cannon once again before firing another shorter blast. This time, a giant sphere of energy instead of a continuous laser blast. But it was still enough to send them sprawling from the attack as the man turned the cannon back into a sword before generating a giant meteor from under him. Sending it directly to Crow, Violet, and Outlaw.
The trio barely had time to dodge as it came in much faster than the last one, sending them flying as they landed heavily on the ground. The man lets out a chuckle, looking at his work before noticing someone is missing. But before he could realise it, Athena was already in his face. Glowing red just like the others, as Themis hovers behind her.
"Dodge this!" She shouts, unleashing a furious assault of punches and kicks as Themis holds the scales up high. Quickly changing from Bless and Curse before settling on between the two. The scales settle on a balance between the two as Athena launches one more kick at the man, propelling herself back as one arm glows in Bless magic while the other glows in Curse magic. While Themis generated a Sphere of Almighty magic with her free hand.
"Divine Judgment!" Athena shouts, sending the two blasts of energy at the man, with Themis sending her blast towards him. All three connect as one, erupting in a giant plume of Bless, Curse, and Almighty energy. While a shockwave races out from the blast, healing not just her but all the others as they stand as one.
And as Joker stood up, he saw the Wishing Star had been freed from the ice, it glowing so vibrantly that is threatened to blind him. Not that he cared as he picked it up before glaring at the man as he shook his head. No doubt readying himself to use another healing spell.
But they would not let him do so.
"It's time we finished this!" Joker shouts, holding the star high as everyone looks at him with burning determination, before glaring back at the man as he looks up. His face is hidden from view.
"RIGHT!"
"IT'S SHOWTIME!"
As one, all fourteen of the Thieves leap into the air just as the curtains come down. A mix of red and black with blue lining. Changing the arena to a cityscape at night, with trees around the man who stood in the middle of a garden. He looked around in surprise, wonder, and fascination.
Unaware that Outlaw is behind him in the trees. He joins his twin blades together, encasing himself into an aura of golden fire before leaping at the man and unleashing a wild and ruthless attack with his twin blades. Striking from every angle and not giving him a chance to breathe. Leaping into the air and unleashing a powerful Gun attack on the stunned figure.
But as Outlaw jumps back, Crow dashes in. Following up on Outlaw's attack, he glows with a grey aura, slashing around the foe before leaping back after casting an Eigaon at the man. And just as Crow jumps back, Fox dashes in, glowing with a blue aura, and encashes the figure in ice before slicing it to pieces, jumping to another point as Skull comes in from above. Lightning trails behind him as he glows a blinding yellow, as he slams his mace right into the man. Lightning rains down around him, striking the opponent while the lighting runs through the ground from the falling lightning, travelling up the man's legs in tandem with Skull's mace before Skull, too, leaps away.
At that, Mona charges in. Glowing a black light, slashing all around him before conjuring up a fierce tornado of wind. Sucking in the figure and pelting him with debris while kicking up a cloud of dust that he vanishes into. Then, Joker dashes in through the smoke, leaping over him and unloading an entire clip into the figure's chest before kicking off him and blasting him with a Megidolaon spell while glowing red.
And while this happened, Violet walked up to the man, glowing in a silver aura. Before, she suddenly bolts forward and dances around him in a whirlwind of blades, throwing him off guard before leaping away. Shadow dashes in after her, glowing a deep purple as she slashes around with her kunai before using her mind to slam the mysterious stranger into the ground before leaping away.
But as she does, Noir charges in, glowing a deep pink as she spins her axe around. Creating a mini tornado that sent the foe flying right towards Panther. Glowing a fiery crimson as she whipped the ground, sending pillars of fire towards him, detonating and sending the stranger flying into the air. Where Spring, glowing a forest green, slashes at the figure from different directions before kicking him right to the ground.
As he fell to the ground, Queen appeared above him. Glowing a brilliant cyan, she punches him right in his hidden face, earning a small grunt before sending him hurtling to the ground and landing with a hard impact, detonating in nuclear fire on impact.
Where Athena was waiting for him, glowing a dark blue as she channelled an orb of light magic between her hands before punching it towards the mysterious stranger. Enveloping him in a cage of light as the thirteen Thieves form a star around them.
Then Oracle came in, glowing a brilliant white as she formed the fourteenth point in the star, typing away at a keyboard and forming several bombs around the light sphere before detonating them. At the smoke cleared, the figure was still moving through the smoke, but greatly slowed as the injuries were finally making their way through. At that point, all fourteen of the Thieves slammed their weapons into the ground. Or, in Oracle's case, slammed an open-handed palm. At that moment, the centre of the star, holding the figure in a field of energy, detonates in an explosion comprised of all the elements the Thieves had used. Managing to earn a surprised yell from the man in a voice that sounded surprisingly old.
And as the smoke cleared, the Phantom Thieves could see that he was now kneeling on one leg, breathing hard. An opening that they had waited for during the entire fight.
"ALL-OUT ATTACK!" Joker commands as the Thieves unleash their combined strike on the figure. Slashing in from all directions as Oracle drops a bomb on him in tandem. The Thieves leapt away as it detonated, earning a gasp from the man as he was sent flying back, only to land on his feet, yet it was clear he didn't have much fight left in him, with Joker putting it all on one last shot.
"Sinful Shell!" He shouts, Raoul appearing behind him and concentrating Almighty energy into Joker's gun, empowering the round as he fires it. Blasting the man with the shot, it exploded into a cloud of silver partials. The man, exhausted, finally kneels in defeat, planting his sword into the ground. The pillars of fire surrounding them vanish. As for the Thieves, they were too tired to even stand, as they all either collapsed to one knee or downright fell onto their backs or butts.
"Did we… do it?" Panther asks as she breathes heavily, lying on the ground.
"I think so…" Fox replies, equally exhausted on his back, as Oracle tries to bring up her screens.
"I still can't get a reading on him… just who is he?" She asks with deep breaths. It was then that the mysterious man let out a long, deep laugh, grabbing all eyes as he raised his hidden head at him.
"Very well done." He remarks, standing up and dismissing his weapon. Placing his hands back behind his back, much to the team's shock.
"You gotta be kiddin'… he can still stand?" Skull asks in shock, shaking his head.
"No fair…" Outlaw groans as Joker forces himself to stand. Which turned out to be a bad idea as his legs almost gave out instantly. He had really pushed them to their limits.
"Such an interesting power… now I know what it is they awoke to." He remarks cryptically, even as small motes of darkness peel off him.
"What are you talking about?" Joker asks, trying to keep himself standing.
"This world is to be connected, so very soon." The man remarks, confusion to the team.
"Connected?" Mona replies.
"Tied to the darkness. A union that will see this world completely eclipsed…"
"This world? What are you talking about?" Noir asks, not understanding the man's words.
"There is so very much to learn. And you, all of you, understand so little."
"Is that so? And what makes you think we are unable to learn?" Crow counters, but the man shakes his head.
"It would be a meaningless effort. One who knows nothing can understand nothing." He tells them, the motes coming off him in increasing number. "It would seem our time is up for now, but rest assured we will meet again very soon. Oh, yes, VERY soon…" He lets out one last chuckle at the Thieves before vanishing into darkness just as the Thieves' vision is encased in light.
But instead of finding himself waking up, Joker found himself watching something else play out.
A trio of warriors, clade in armour with billowing capes, standing in the same spot where he and his family were. All of them held weapons similar to that man they fought as they glared out towards the distance. Where two figures were approaching them through a storm. But before they could appear, the scene cuts to one of the figures, the tallest one in brown, rushing at them before cutting again with him and getting hit by a wall of rock and sliding across the ground before lighting came raining down and striking him. Damaging his armour.
It then cuts to another part of the fight, showing the same snake attack of blades chasing after one of the warriors, one in blue, before cutting to another in green who was holding his blade with a reverse grip. Forcing him to jump over the attack before they crashed and rolled over the ground. It cuts again to the orange warrior, who was caught by the storm of blades, while the warrior in blue looked on in worry. Until a storm of blades erupted from the ground, sending them flying. As they landed heavily on the ground, their helmet shattered.
The one holding their blade in a reversed grip checks on them as they stand back up, sending a blast of light at the warrior currently caught in a storm of blades. Changing into a shield that protected them before exploding, sending them flying onto a platform where a person was waiting. Yet, the figure appeared to be out of frame or out of focus as it soon cut to the reverse-holding warrior attempting to strike them. Only for the figure to vanish and reappear behind them, grasping their helmet so hard they started to crack it.
The one who had landed looked on in shock before trying to rush over and save the green warrior. Until they were bombarded by countless flying blades, sending them falling to the ground below. Before, the vision soon cut to the young warrior being held over the ledge and frozen solid, before they were coldly dropped to the ground. Slamming against the rocky wall as their blade is shattered, landing on the blue warrior who catches them.
It was then that the vision began to glitch out, with it trying to show someone doing something, summoning a blue light from behind the clouds with one final shot of the taller warrior tearing his helmet off. The vision only showed their blue eyes before they turned into a golden honey yellow. A much darker colour than when someone awakens to a Persona. And darker than that of a Personal Shadow's eyes.
It was at the end of that vision did Ren finally woke up with a start inside the Motorhome, breathing heavily as he looked around. Around him, the rest of the Thieves were also breathing heavily. Well… the ones who were with them anyway.
"Finally! You guys woke up!" Isara shouts from on top of the table. "We've been trying to wake you guys up for the past hour!"
"Past hour?" Sumire asks, rubbing her eyes as she glances at the clock. It was early in the morning of the 28th.
"It looked like you were all having a terrible dream. You were all sweating and moving about in your sleep." Sophie comments with a worried look at her parents, Ren and Makoto. "We tried to wake you up, but none of you could hear us."
"I see… we're sorry to worry you, Sophia." Makoto tells her, picking up Ren's phone holding the A.I. "But… I don't think what we experienced was a dream…"
"Huh?" Isara replies, tilting her tiny guns at them. Even if she was a model tank, she could still animate.
"Seriously, what was that place?" Futaba asks, shaking her head. "A wasteland where our Personas could materialise, strange broken swords and a crazy strong person who not only used Fire, Ice, Elect, and Earth magic but also some form of Curse or Dark magic that bypassed Joker and Crow's resistance to it, while he resisted everything, INCLUDING Almighty? AND he could heal himself while summoning more blades to his side, all the while teleporting all over the place? It felt like he was using hacks!"
"What? Someone who could do all of that? But nothing can resist Almighty!" Isara remarks, shaking her turret. "And you were all locked in a fight with this person?"
"Yes, and it was a hard battle… I still feel the exhaustion as though we were there physically." Yusuke remarks, shaking his head. "But, it was what he said at the end that has me worried."
"You mean how 'this world' is goin' to be connected? What the hell was that all about?" Ryuji remarks, shaking his head.
"It was like he considered himself not a part of our world. Does that mean…?" Ann remarks with uncertainty.
"That he was an alien? But, he sounded like an old man." Mishima comments while Shiho rubs her arm.
"Does that mean… we still have more foes to deal with?" Shiho asks with uncertainty.
"I don't know. That place, it… did not feel like the Metaverse at all." Hifumi replies, shaking her head. "Maybe we all had some sort of combined dream that was connected to the Metaverse? Like when we all had that dance party in the Velvet Room? I can't think of anything else to explain it."
"I feel we have more questions than answers at this point." Haru adds, rubbing her arm. "Also… did anyone else see a vision at the end before we woke up?"
"You mean three warriors in armour fighting someone? Yeah, I saw that." Morgana confirms, scratching his neck. "But, that's all I got from it. It wasn't clear on anything else."
"It was a strange vision, to be sure." Akechi replies with a frown. "What was it trying to tell us?"
"Thinking about it now won't help us." Sae remarks as she walks into the main galley of the Motorhome. She had been sleeping in the main bedroom and only now just joined them. "It is possible we're dealing with things beyond our control. Perhaps those in the Velvet Room would be able to shed light on this."
"Maybe… I'll try asking them when I have a chance to visit the Velvet Room." Ren replies, glancing at his phone as Sophie looks back at him. "I… don't think we should tell anyone about this until we know more. I would rather not worry them about something that could have been just a crazy dream we all had."
"If that's what you think is right, Joker." Morgana replies before letting out a yawn. "Anyway, let's try to get back to sleep… we've had a long journey until now…"
"Yeah. Goodnight, everyone." Ren agrees before leaning back with Makoto resting her head on him, his phone placed between them as the rest of the Thieves fall asleep. The craziness of that dream leaves their minds as they return to slumber.
But unknown to them, they were being watched. For inside a vast space of darkness, standing on a large circular platform of stained-glass, a cloaked figure watches them through a portal as he lets out a chuckle.
"How intriguing… after all these years, I think I finally understand what that power is. Such a unique power, separate from the one that I know of, yet can easily coexist with it." He turns behind him to look at the figure behind him. "And that it also revolves around one's inner darkness. Such a control I never thought was possible. These Persona users… how they intrigue me, my friend."
A tall man with his entire lower body a deep black, with his lower legs connected with reverse knee joints. Two wings on each shin emerged from the back, while his feet were styled like stilettos with clawed toes. While his left hand was also the same colour as the rest of his body, his right arm and neck were instead pure white. With both hands with clawed fingers, while his head with both white and black. His lone red eye seemed to weep a yellow tear, yet it looked painted on, while a yellow image of a bleeding heart was on his chest. Pierced by three metal bars of different lengths.
"Such a power interests you despite your current plans?" The being asks, with the man letting out a deep chuckle as he looks at him.
"Do not be surprised. I am always evolving my plans. My great design will be accomplished, no matter what. I just need to adapt to these recent developments that I have been unaware of until now." The man replies, turning to him. "After all, we will both benefit from this."
"Yes." The being replies, grasping his hand. "I had hoped my interventions would bring about their end and the destruction of that pitiable world, yet Philemon would always find a way to stop me. No matter if it was Nyx, Ameno-sagiri, Izanami, Yaldabaoth, my puppet Maruki, or that fool Salmael… Philemon and his Persona users have always stood in my way. And they will succeed again once more here. But he has failed to realise that there are more powers out there that I can use. More than what I can find in that world. In the end, his attempts to protect his world will be in vain."
"Indeed. If left unchecked, these Persona users will become a thorn in my side as well. It is wise that I adapt." He replies, walking towards the being. "Our joining of powers, will see our plans to fruition. Together, we will see this universe remade in our image. The coming war will wipe the slate clean and offer us all a new start. One which we can determine for ourselves. Nyarlathotep." The man finishes grasping his left hand into a fist as Nyarlathotep lets out a deep laugh.
"Indeed. A world of our desire, one where we are free to do whatever we want! And in helping me with my lifelong goal, I will help you with yours… I am thou, thou art I." A beam of darkness connects the two as the man removes his hood. Revealing the bald head of a man with dark skin, pointed ears and a grey goatee. And piercing dark honey-yellow eyes. Grinning darkly, red chains envelop Nyarlathotep as he willingly takes the form of a Persona. "Let us see what lies at the end of this journey…"
"…Xehanort."