They stared each other down for what felt like an eternity, none of them daring to make a move.
"Long time no see. So, you survived somehow…" Akechi finally said. "I'm actually impressed."
"Course she did! And that's not all! We know all about how you're Shido's right hand man, and the Black Mask!" Ryuji boasted.
"So you managed to piece it together…" Akechi trailed off. "A shame. I went to so much effort to prosecute the fools that Shido ordered me to induce mental shutdowns and psychotic breakdowns in. I would solve those incidents in a way that would point away from him, and I was dubbed the Ace Detective."
"Pfft, more like… Ace Detective." Futaba scoffed.
Akechi ignored her remark, focusing solely on Makoto.
"You truly are interesting… Polite and composed, but underneath that part of you hides a will of steel. An unyielding desire for justice. And the strength and cleverness to seize it." Akechi complemented.
"... I always thought there was something off about you." Makoto told him. "But I didn't think it was anything more than a forced politeness at first. Serial murder was never a consideration until quite a while afterwards." Makoto answered.
"Yes, maybe if the circumstances of our lives had been different, you would have made an excellent rival. Or a friend. Or maybe something else entirely." Akechi acknowledged.
"It doesn't have to be this way, Akechi!" Ren pleaded. "Don't you see? Shido's just using you, just like how he uses everyone else!"
"Perhaps, but the difference is…" Akechi began, gesturing to the SIU director's body with his foot. "Unlike everyone else, Shido needs my services. No one else can replicate what I do."
"So then did all the time we spoke really mean nothing… I know that, in Sae's Palace, your intention was to deceive and capture us, but did you not feel anything for us?" Ren asked.
"I tried to kill your leader, what do you think?" Akechi scoffed. "What, do you really think we could be friends after everything that happened?!"
"Joker…" Futaba muttered. "He's the one who…."
"I know… I know that we can't really go back to how things were." Ren admitted. "But I just can't understand why you would go this far for Shido!"
"And what about you?" Akechi asked, turning towards Makoto. "What are your thoughts?"
"... There's a part of me that really, really wants to beat you." Makoto admitted. "But right now, Shido is our main target. So I'll give you one chance to get out of our way."
"Hah… Even after everything, you'd let go of your chance at revenge to stop Shido." Akechi asked. "I'm almost envious… The way you're able to not be chained down by the past or human relations…"
"Right now, for the entire country's sake, it's more important that we bring Shido to justice." Makoto told him.
"... I wonder why I couldn't have met you a few years earlier." Akechi said. "But it's too late at this point, isn't it? There's no point in talking about hypotheticals, is there?"
"Can't you at least tell us why you would cooperate with Shido?!" Haru cried. "Why would you possibly carry out all of these murders for him?!"
"Cooperating…?" Akechi questioned. "Oh no, that's not my intention at all. All of this is to make Shido Masayoshi, my father, acknowledge me! I will have my revenge for all of the suffering he caused me and my mother."
"Shido is your father?!" Yusuke gasped.
"Then… The man you mentioned… The one who abandoned your mother…" Makoto trailed off.
"Was Shido. I'm his bastard child. The son of the prime minister to be and a woman in the sex industry. My very existence is a mistake. An unforgivable sin in the eyes of Shido and society." Akechi stated.
"But… What about your mom?" Futaba asked.
"... Her life turned for the worse after she had me. She cared for me as best as she could, but I could see the pain and regret in her eyes whenever she looked at me." Akechi continued. "And no one had a shred of empathy for a single mother, especially someone with her profession. They had apathy at best… and contempt at worst. It all became too much for her one day, and she took her own life. So I was left alone to be tossed around from one abusive foster family to another, until I was finally able to take care of myself."
"That's horrible…" Ann whispered.
"Akechi…" Ren trailed off.
"I resented my father, but he was already a high-ranking official at the time. I could do nothing… Until I found the cognitive world."
Akechi gestured around him, a twisted smirk appearing on his face.
"Some god or some demon gave me this chance! I had never felt I had any control of my life until that point! Finally, I could have my revenge!"
"But why?!" Ren shouted. "If all you wanted was revenge against Shido, then why help him at all?! Why did so many people have to die for your revenge?! Revenge that you could have taken at any time?!"
"That's simple… As much as I hate Shido, I hate the rotten society that allows people like him to exist even more." Akechi scowled. "The society that elects terrible and rotten men like him while putting down and discriminating against single mothers and orphans! The society that has the gall to call itself collectivistic and stress the importance of family!"
"But not all of them believe that!" Haru argued. "You can't just kill people because of what you think they believe!"
"Haven't you seen? Every single poll, every single prediction… They all say the same thing. These people desire Shido to rule them, and who am I to go against the will of the people?" Akechi smirked. "I'll help to give them exactly what they want… because it's exactly what they deserve!"
"Shido would've never gotten this powerful or that popular if you hadn't helped him!" Ryuji pointed out.
"If he didn't get the Prime Minister position, some other power-hungry fool would have gotten it, and nothing would change." Akechi frowned.
"If they knew about Shido's crimes, there's no way that they would vote for him!" Morgana pointed out.
"I wouldn't be so sure about that." Akechi stated. "Surely you realize just how many people in the upper echelons of society are criminals, yes? This palace shows that quite clearly! And there are plenty more that aren't in Shido's inner circle. People that I've had to kill on Shido's commands. I just viewed it as me removing the rot of society, just like the Phantom Thieves."
"But we're not murderers!" Ann stressed.
"The method doesn't matter, as long as it accomplishes my goals. There's nothing salvageable about our society as it is, So I'll let Shido destroy it, bit by bit, and once I've taken care of him, I alone will remain, to rule over the ashes!"
"But that's insane!" Futaba cried.
"Call it what you want… This is the plan I've decided on." Akechi said with conviction.
"… And did you, at any point, ever stop to think about how your actions caused innocent people to suffer? To become orphans… just like you?" Makoto asked.
"… So what's the alternative? You change Shido's heart and then everything magically fixes itself?" Akechi scoffed.
"Shido's the one at the top of this entire conspiracy!" Ann shouted. "So of course taking him down will stop this!"
"I can't believe I allowed myself to be outsmarted by people as naive as you." Akechi replied.
"... So this is why my father had to die?" Makoto asked. "He and everyone else… Had to die for the sake of some deranged revenge fantasy."
"If that's what you want to call it… Then sure." Akechi grinned.
"What a warped way of thinking… It's almost pitiable." Yusuke shook his head. "But regardless of your reasoning, we won't allow your plan to succeed."
"This time will be different!" Haru told him. "I won't run away… I will stop you!"
"We won't let you kill anyone else!" Futaba shouted.
"We're going to stop you and Shido!" Ann exclaimed.
"I've been fighting my way through the cognitive world longer than any of you have had your powers!" Akechi boasted. "What makes you think you stand a chance?!"
"You sure talk big, but there's only one of you facing all of us!" Ryuji pointed out.
"There's no way we'd lose to you!" Morgana claimed. "You're just a little brat that wants to burn everything down because you don't get your way!"
"I know that you've suffered a lot… But that's not an excuse to make other people suffer!" Ren shouted.
"Suffer? All I want is to see how they like the taste of their own medicine!" Akechi cried. "Let's see how they like being ostracized and excluded! Let's see how they like it when their leaders ignore their cries as they're left to drown outside this arc!"
Akechi glanced around, his eyes darting from one side to the next before landing on her.
It was strange. She was about to face her father's murderer, and yet, she found herself strangely calm. Maybe, it was because she finally felt like she could understand Akechi.
As much as she hated his reasoning, knowing what it was brought an odd sense of closure.
JUSTICE CONFIDANT: RANK 9
And with that closure, came resolve.
The resolve to see justice prevail, and to take him down.
"You really think you can beat us?" she asked. "Come and try it, then."
Both of them gestured towards their masks, the battlefield instantly exploding into chaos.
"Alilat!" called Akechi. "To me!"
Rather than take on the Persona's attributes, Akechi summoned a Shadow to his side.
"Mother Harlot!" Makoto shouted.
An imposing black and red pillar floated in front of Akechi, her own Persona staring them down.
"Ice Age!" They both shouted at the same time.
Huge chunks of ice collided against each other, completely shattering upon impact, and the few bits that managed to get through causing no damage.
"Interesting…" Akechi noted. "I've never seen a Persona like that before. Not that it matters. You still won't be to-
CLANG*
Akechi swiftly blocked a strike from Haru's ax with his blade.
"Are you that eager to see your father again?" Akechi mocked.
"… When my father lost himself… When he gave into his desire for money and power, I found the strength to rebel against him." Haru softly said. "A shame that the same couldn't be said about you."
Akechi's face twisted into a scowl, his wild strikes keeping Haru at bay.
"You-Urk!"
He glared at Ren, his Persona sending a Debilitate spell at him.
"Ha!"
Haru struck again, his weakened reflexes leaving him unable to get away unscathed.
"Mamudoon!"
Akechi grimaced, gripping his sword arm, now sporting a fresh gash.
His shadow was surrounded by a dark energy, several nails threatening to impale it.
Akechi moved to intercept, but was swiftly intercepted by Yusuke, the latter's speed allowing him to keep pace.
With no protection, the shadow was swiftly impaled by the nails, shattering apart.
"So, you had a perfect counter this time…" Akechi trailed off. "Heh, beginner's luck. Let's see you handle this one! Baal!"
A dark-skinned shadow holding a chalice and wearing a helmet with two large horns appeared before Akechi.
"Odin!" Makoto shouted.
"Another new one? Well, it doesn't matter." Akechi scoffed. "Fafnir!"
A metallic dragon appeared next to the other shadow, letting out a fearsome roar.
"Now then, let's try this!" Akechi grinned.
The two shadows stiffened before wildly thrashing and being enveloped in a red aura.
"W-What's going on?!" Ann gasped. "What's he doing to those shadows?!"
"He's causing a psychotic breakdown in them! It's just like back in Okumura's palace!" Morgana cried. "Everyone, be careful! There's no telling what they'll do now!"
Their movements erratic, the shadows swiped at Makoto and Yusuke, both of them barely dodging.
Baal chased after Makoto, while Akechi and Fafnir went after Yusuke.
Bolts of lightning and gusts of wind slammed into Fafnir, courtesy of Morgana and Ryuji. They did little damage, but gave Yusuke a precious few seconds to breathe.
"Thunder Reign!" Makoto shouted.
The shadow retaliated with a wind spell, the area between them awash with dazzling greens and yellows.
Suddenly, the shadow charged through, taking a stray lightning bolt in order to get in close.
She tried to strike it with Odin's spear, but the shadow narrowly dodged, striking her 3 times in rapid succession, each hit accompanied by a ray of energy.
"I've got you, Queen!" Morgana shouted, healing her wounds from afar.
The shadow's eyes moved towards Morgana, preparing to charge towards him.
"Ultra Charge!" Futaba cried. "Kick his ass, you guys!"
Makoto found herself empowered, swiftly preparing another Thunder Reign.
Odin's spear fell from the sky, impaling Baal in the chest before acting as a lightning rod, calling down devastating bolts of lightning.
The shadow stopped moving, dissolving into ooze.
Yusuke, having been charged as well, unleashed a powerful Bufudyne.
Fafnir roared, unable to move as it was slowly buried under a storm of snow and ice.
"Queen!" he yelled.
"I've got it!" Makoto nodded. "Ongyo-Ki!"
She struck at the frozen Fafnir, slicing it apart through the ice, the pieces falling to the ground and shattering.
Yusuke, meanwhile, rushed towards Akechi, sword at the ready.
Akechi raised his sword to parry, the two swords clashing for the briefest of moments as Yusuke sped past.
"W-What?!"
Tink*
With the boost in strength from Futaba, Yusuke sliced clean through the tip of Akechi's sword, watching as it harmlessly fell to the ground.
"H-How is this happening?!" Akechi shouted. "You… You dealt with both shadows?!"
"Yeah, she's a real Baal buster!" Ren shouted.
"Shut up!" Akechi snapped. "I'll rip you all apart! Raphael!"
This time, Akechi gestured with his mask, summoning what was undoubtedly one of his own Persona. It had purple skin and blond hair, flying with angelic wings, and wielded a sword.
It looked similar to one of the Persona he had used against her in Okumura's Palace, but she was sure there would be some differences.
"Ishtar!" Makoto called. "Maziodyne!"
Akechi narrowly avoided the lightning before boosting his power with Heat Riser.
She could feel an intense power coming from him after the booster… Only for it to immediately go away as quickly as it appeared.
"Who was that?!" Akechi snared, only to immediately be blasted with fire.
"Gotcha!" Ann grinned, having easily removed his boosts with Dekaja.
"Panther, let's go together. Just get rid of any boost he tries, and I'll keep us healed!"
"You got it!" Ann nodded.
The girls charged, flinging fire and lightning at him as they did so.
Akechi deftly dodged, screaming commands. "Sword Dance!"
A dozen swords materialized in the air before raining down on them.
They did their best to dodge the swords, but one of them managed to nick Makoto and the other one knocked Ann down.
Makoto quickly healed them both before continuing to close in on Akechi.
Akechi pulled out a gun, intent on finishing her in one blow.
Right before he could strike, however, Panther's whip struck his hand, causing him to drop the gun.
Makoto flicked the gun across the ground with her foot, pivoting to try to strike Akechi with a spin kick.
He managed to duck in time, but quickly had to get out of the way of fireballs sent his way, courtesy of Ann.
Too concerned with the fire, he didn't notice Makoto rearing back her fist and slamming it into his face through the smoke.
"This isn't over! I'll massacre you with my own two hands!" Akechi snarled. "Thor!"
"Chi You!" Makoto summoned.
"Wild Thunder!" Akechi screamed, his Persona letting loose chaotic streams of electricity.
The electricity surged, but strangely, it didn't hurt her at all.
Because something had gotten in its way.
"Wha-"
BANG*
Akechi narrowly avoided a shotgun blast, glaring at a smirking Ryuji sitting atop a cloud.
"Heh, you ain't so tough." Ryuji mocked. "Those big, bad shadows of yours dropped like flies, but at least they put up a better fight than y-"
"Shut your mouth!" Akechi yelled, recklessly charging for a physical attack.
Makoto calmly walked in front of Ryuji, watching as Akechi moved to cleave her in two with the remains of his blade.
He struck as hard as he could… and had his blow reflected back at him.
"Ahhh!"
Akechi landed on the ground, struggling to pick himself up.
"Gigantomachia!" Makoto shouted.
Shockwaves of energy rattled the floor, threatening to split it apart. Energy erupted from the floor, Akechi screaming in agony as he was flown across the room.
Slowly, the team approached the cloud of smoke that enveloped the area, Makoto's eyes widening as she saw clearly through the smoke.
Despite the onslaught of attacks he had been subjected to, Akechi was still standing.
The battle had taken its toll, to be sure. His clothes were dirty and tattered, his breathing was heavy, and he gripped his left arm, which seemed to be in worse shape than his right.
But he was still standing.
"So, that power can induce mental shutdowns and psychotic breakdowns… That was all caused by your Persona, huh?" Morgana deduced.
She noticed that as well, although it seemed to be from a different Persona than Robin Hood.
Akechi finally dropped to his knees, the pain proving too much.
"A power as vile and disgusting as that is exactly the type of thing I'd expect to come from your heart." she scoffed.
"I'll kill you…" Akechi winced, struggling to pick himself up. "All of you!"
"Just stop this!" Ann shouted. "You have a perfect chance to stop Shido now!"
"... I don't think burning everything to the ground will really make you happy." Makoto stated.
"You ain't gotta follow Shido's orders right now, man!" Ryuji shouted.
"Akechi, please…" Ren trailed off.
"Shut your mouth! I'm not some puppet!" Akechi yelled. "I act… of my own volition!"
"Shido's really strong… I can sense him all the way out here." Futaba mentioned. "I… Don't think you'll be able to beat him by yourself."
"Do you really hate Queen and the rest of us?" Haru asked. "Do you really hate all the people of this country? Surely, that can't be true, can it?"
"Shut up!" Akechi growled, climbing to his feet by sheer will. "I won't have you patronize me! I just… want to know…"
"Know what?" Ren asked. "What do you want to know, Akechi?"
"How?!" Akechi screamed, directing his envious gaze towards Makoto. "How are your Persona stronger than mine?!"
"Come on, man! Use that big detective brain of yours!" Ryuji yelled, growing frustrated. "Even you gotta realize that 8 is bigger than 1!"
"Don't mock me!" Akechi warned. "I know about strength in numbers. Shido has plenty of allies and pawns. He didn't need friends to gain power, and neither did I."
"So what, you're just like Shido, then?!" Ann accused. "You're only in it for yourself, and you don't care about anyone else?!"
"I'm nothing like him!" Akechi snapped. "… The circumstances of my birth… the identity of my father… I could never trust anyone with these secrets. And I could never risk it!"
"You trusted me." Makoto pointed out.
"And look at what happened. You're willing to face me in battle." Akechi scoffed.
"Don't try and turn this around on us. You tried to kill our leader!" Haru exclaimed.
"... Well, either way, we would have ended up clashing sooner or later, being on opposing sides." Akechi pointed out. "But still… It doesn't make sense! Allies are one thing, but you're using Persona I've never seen before! With power even greater than mine?! How?! A few months ago, you were just some stupidly naive little sycophant! WHAT CHANGED?!"
He spat his words out with sheer hatred, but she he had to admit, there was a part of her that was wondering that as well. She prepared and prepared and prepared for this fight, because she knew that even with everyone together, the fight would be difficult.
Or so she thought.
While she was happy that she was winning, she couldn't help but wonder why her Persona were stronger than this when he had had more than 3 years to hone his skills as a wild card.
But then she realized… The Persona that she was using now were only able to be summoned by her because she had strengthened her bonds with the others. It took the combined power of herself and her confidants to summon them.
But Akechi… hadn't done anything like that.
Ever since he had gotten this power, he had focused solely on himself. On his goal to kill Shido at the right time, and anyone else that was in his way.
His 'mask' as the charismatic detective prince was just an act, and he never let anyone see what was underneath.
In other words, ever since he had obtained his powers...
He had never formed a genuine bond with anyone.
"… How pathetic."
"What?!"
Akechi glared even harder at her, eyes bloodshot as they saw the judgmental look on her face.
"When I started fighting you, I thought that I'd be a lot angrier. That my hatred for you would be so much stronger." Makoto muttered. "And I am angry. I do hate you. But now that you've explained your motivation… Now that I've fought you, I know that…"
It was hard to describe how she was feeling right now.
She didn't think it was pity. It was more so… clarity. Like she really understood what was happening.
Akechi knew and agreed with what he was doing, but in the end, she wondered if he even realized…
"You're just another of Shido's pawns, in the end." she stated. "And this is checkmate."
"What?!"
"Let's just knock him out and lock him up somewhere." Makoto suggested. "We don't have any more time to waste with him. Shido's our real target."
"Y-You…!"
There was a sudden flash, Akechi's attire changing for a split second. Red and black tendrils of energy surrounded him, almost as if it was drawn to him.
"Hold on! What was that?!" Ren gasped.
"The black mask…" Yusuke trailed off.
"I was wondering why he wasn't wearing it before." Morgana frowned.
"Hahahaha… Now this is a surprise! I never thought I'd have to go all out against you!" Akechi grinned.
Despite his words, she could tell that his anger and surprise from before were genuine. We really thought they would stand no chance against him before.
"I could tell… You weren't satisfied with our little duel from before, were you?" Akechi chuckled. "You wanted nothing more than to reduce me to a bloody stain then and there, didn't you?"
"... So you're going all out now?" she asked. "Is that what you're saying?"
"You and I are going to strike and strike again until one of us is dead!" Akechi gleefully declared. "Right now, I can't focus on Shido or society or any of that other shit! I only care about killing you! I'll prove that I'm better than you!"
"Come, LOKIIIIIIIIIII!" Akechi shouted, calling forth an even stronger Persona than any of the others before it.
A massive pillar of red light swallowed Akechi, and at the top was what she presumed to be his strongest Persona.
It had a black and white striped pattern, with a fearsome blood red blade.
"It's crazy… All these different Persona… I can't believe he's got the same powers as Queen!" Morgana shouted.
"No friggin' way… This bastard is making himself psychotic!" Ryuji shouted.
As the red pillar of light receded, she noticed that Akechi's attire had suddenly transformed. Gone were the red and white he was dressed in before, replaced with the sinister black that she had seen before.
Even his sword, left shattered in his hands, reformed itself into a menacing blade that matched his Persona's.
"AHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
Akechi gave a blood curdling laugh as he prepared for a big attack.
"Stop him! Now!" Queen ordered.
Yusuke and Ryuji charged ahead, ready to intercept while the others backed them up from behind.
"Megidolaon!" Akechi screamed.
"Everyone, move!" Makoto demanded.
"Brace yourselves!" Morgana warned.
A massive explosion of almighty energy sent them flying across the deck, the ship itself creaking as it desperately fought to stay afloat.
The Thieves found themselves skidding across the deck, narrowly avoiding falling off the boat.
Akechi charged forward like a rabid animal on the hunt.
Ryuji quickly flung out several bolts of lightning.
A few managed to hit their mark, but seemingly did little damage.
Akechi rushed forwards, easily overpowering Ryuji and knocking him to the ground.
Yusuke attacked to try and intercept, but Akechi effortlessly managed to push him back.
Yusuke's speed allowed him to land several blows on Akechi, but his wild frenzy continued, knocking Yusuke out of the fight.
It was like the damage was barely registering against him.
Morgana tried to heal them, but with a simple snap of his fingers, Akechi snapped his fingers, dark tendrils of energy forming underneath Morgana before striking him.
Ann tried to step in, but Akechi shrugged off her fire and whip, closing in and striking her down as well.
Haru quickly set up a Tetrakarn right before Akechi struck. For just a moment, Akechi finally seemed to falter a bit, but he quickly recovered, striking Haru down with a beam of light.
"Ahahahaha! Weak! Weak and pathetic!" Akechi crackled.
"Queen! It's now or never!" Ren shouted.
"Right! Let's go, Joker!" Makoto shouted.
Akechi fired off another beam of light, but before it hit its mark, both of them were able to get out of the way.
Both of them had climbed atop Anat, who had already transformed into a motorcycle.
They circled around Akechi, dodging any strike he dished out while firing off several gunshots and magic attacks.
Right as Akechi was about to strike them with magic, Ren grabbed ahold of her and brought out a grappling hook.
He shot it, grabbing ahold of an object above them and lifting them both into the air, both of them firing off additional gunshots and magic attacks as they rose higher and higher.
"I'll kill both of you in one strike! LAEVATEINN!" Akechi screamed.
Finally, at the apex of their accent, they both dove down, back-to-back as they descended, striking Akechi right in the face with a diving kick, right before we could strike them with his attack.
Akechi skidded across the ground until his head collided with a wall.
He let out a groan, trying to pick himself up off the floor, but ultimately failing.
Cautiously, she started healing the others, realizing that the fight was now over.
"Akechi… That's enough." Ren insisted.
"... I know." Akechi muttered. "Well… What are you waiting for? Once Shido confesses his crimes, you'll all be viewed as heroes. And everyone will learn all about my past and crimes as well…"
Akechi paused for a moment, thinking over everything in his life that had led him to this moment.
"I didn't want to be just another worthless orphan in everyone's eyes… I had to rise above that…" Akechi began. "And I was willing to do whatever it took to do so…"
"But you didn't have to do it this way…" Ryuji frowned. "You've got those amazing powers, just like our leader."
"You're strong." Ren admitted. "It took all of us to take you down. With that strength, you might have been able to stop a lot of criminals… Maybe even Shido himself, eventually."
"But you've only been using that power for your own self-benefit." Haru pointed out.
"... So what are you going to do to me now?" Akechi muttered.
"Well, we told you that we don't kill." Ann said. "But we'll probably have to tie you up for now."
"We'll come and retrieve you once we've stolen Shido's treasure." Yusuke told him. "And then decide what to do with you then."
"Idiots… Keeping me alive will only complicate things." Akechi replied, surprised at their mercy. "I just don't understand you people at all…"
"What a shame…"
Immediately on alert, Makoto turned her head, only to see…
"What the?!" Ryuji gasped.
"Another Akechi?!" Yusuke exclaimed.
"This has to be Shido's cognition of Akechi!" Futaba realized.
The cognitive Akechi was dressed in Akechi's regular detective attire. I was eerily similar to the real Akechi… Except for the lifeless look in his eyes.
"Everyone, get ready!" Makoto ordered.
Tired as they were, everyone still stood ready for battle.
But instead of charging them, the cognitive Akechi simply turned his head.
"I'll deal with the rest of you later." he promised.
The cognition reached into his pocket… And pulled out a real gun, pointing it right at the real Akechi.
"Captain Shido's orders… He has no use for failures." the cognitive Akechi claimed. "To be honest, he was going to kill you soon after the election anyway, but this works just as well."
"You're lying! He needs me!" Akechi protested.
"Did you truly believe you would be spared after all the death you've caused?" the cognition asked. "You know far too much about Shido's actions to be kept alive. You are replaceable."
Slowly, the real Akechi rose to his feet, gun trained on him the entire time.
"Hahaha… I thought Shido might have a few precautions in his Palace in case I turned on him." Akechi weakly laughed. "Killing me with a puppet that looks just like me… Sounds like something he'd do…"
"You're correct. I would do anything Shido asks." Akechi responded monotonically. "But aren't you a puppet as well?"
The real Akechi turned, glaring at the cognitive one.
"So, so desperate to be acknowledged by your dear old dad." the cognitive Akechi mocked. "To be loved, even? Yes, from the very beginning, you've been nothing but a puppet."
"So Shido knew all along?!" Makoto asked.
"Akechi, don't listen to him!" Ren shouted. "Prove him wrong!"
"Stop squabbling." the cognitive Akechi commanded. "Or do you want me to take care of you first?"
Suddenly, multiple shadows appeared around him. Normally, the regular shadows wouldn't prove to be much of a challenge, but in their current exhausted states…
"If you all care so much, one of you can volunteer to take his place." Akechi offered.
"Damn you…" Ryuji cursed.
"What's wrong? Don't you all love putting your lives on the line for other people?" the cognitive Akechi mocked. "Although, I suppose I'm not much different. I'm going to take all the blame for our captain. I will die for him."
"So this is what he really thinks about you…" Futaba muttered.
"You know…" the cognitive Akechi began. "I think I'll give you one last chance. Help me kill them."
The real Akechi slowly prepared an attack, Makoto bracing herself in preparation.
"... Megidolaon."
The cognitive Akechi immediately turned to the shadows.
"Stop him, now!"
Realizing that something was wrong, the cognitive Akechi fired off a bullet, hitting the real Akechi in the shoulder.
But it was too late, the Megidolaon striking in the deck, centered on the real Akechi's location.
The shadows were immediately wiped out, the cognitive Akechi getting launched towards the edge of the deck.
"You're wrong about one thing…" Akechi muttered. "I'm no puppet."
The cognitive Akechi quickly stood up, shooting Akechi again in the chest.
Before they could move to help, Akechi charged forwards, running off of pure adrenaline.
He crashed into his cognitive version, knocking the gun out of their hands and threatening to knock him out off of the ship.
"HEY!"
The real Akechi turned towards her, a serious expression on his face… mixed with a hint of fear.
"If you're not going to let me have my way… Then you'd better take down Shido, got it?!" Akechi shouted.
"But… You'll…" Makoto trailed off.
"Heh… As if I'd die in such a pathetic manner." Akechi smirked. "There's no way… Not until… We've settled our match."
"Bastard…!" the cognitive Akechi cried, starting to prepare a magic attack. "I won't-"
With one last push, Akechi shoved both himself and the cognitive version of himself off the side of the ship.
Immediately, they rushed over, but the only sign that they had been there was Akechi's blood, the red mixing with the blue of the water, leaving a trail deep into the ocean.
"His signal's… gone." Futaba muttered.
"Could he have… left the Metaverse using his phone?" Ryuji asked.
"Doubtful. In the water, with the cognitive version of himself struggling against him…" Morgana trailed off.
They stood in silence for a while.
"Even if he did…" Ren trailed off. "Queen, his wounds…"
"I know." Makoto replied. "I know."
They stood there in silence for a minute or two longer.
"Everyone… We need to keep moving." Makoto finally said. "Let's take a break to rest and heal, and then we'll take Shido down."
"Right now?!" Ryuji asked. "Ain't there anythin' we can do."
"Nothing, except for stopping Shido from
Everyone rushed into the safe room, practically collapsing onto the couches and bed.
That fight had almost completely drained her, but she had to persevere.
Today was the only day they could change Shido's heart, and she couldn't afford to waste the opportunity.
"Hmm…"
She saw Haru and Futaba sitting by themselves, so she walked over to them.
"How are you feeling?" she asked.
"About Akechi?" Haru assumed. "I… Sympathize with him, and the situation he found himself in. But I can't see myself ever forgiving him. Nor can I see myself forgetting what he did… To do so, I feel, would be an insult to all of his victims."
"I… When he was talking about being an orphan, it felt similar to what I went through." Futaba muttered. "Being passed around from person to person, but always being viewed as a burden. Could I… Have ended up like him?"
To be honest, she had wondered the same thing herself.
"It's… Not good to focus on what ifs." Makoto told her. "What matters is who we are right now."
"Yeah… I guess you're right, Queen." Futaba nodded.
Glancing around, she saw Ren staring off into space, thinking to himself.
"Joker…"
"Oh… Hey, Queen." Ren nodded.
Silence fell over them for a few minutes.
"I know that… He did a lot of bad things, but I didn't want him to die…" Ren whispered.
"I know you didn't." Makoto muttered.
"I- It's not that I thought he should get away with it, but-" Ren trailed off.
"It's fine! It's… fine." Makoto cut him off.
It stung a little, seeing him express a bit of sympathy for her father's murderer, but…
"I… get it." Makoto forced herself. "I… understand."
That was just the type of person Ren was. It was part of what she loved about him.
"I just… didn't want him to go out like that. It would have been better if… We had saved him. Then, he'd be alive, but able to face justice." Ren finished.
Maybe that would have been the best case. Certainly, for all of the other victims of Akechi's crimes, and for everyone who lost friends or family.
Still…
"I'm not really sure if… He wanted to be saved." Makoto answered.
"Yeah… I guess you're right." Ren admitted.
She would have plenty of time to sort through her feelings later. For now, they had something far more important to do.
After a few more minutes of resting, they left the safe room.
Now only Shido stood in their way…
Makoto's Confidant Progress:
THE FOOL - Ren Amamiya: Rank 10 MAX
THE HUNGER - Igor: Rank 9
THE CHARIOT - Ryuji Sakamoto: Rank 10 MAX
THE MAGICIAN - Morgana: Rank 9
THE FAITH - Eiko Takao: Rank 8 BROKEN
THE TOWER - Chiaki Yasui: Rank 9
THE SUN - Shiho Suzui: Rank 10 MAX
THE MOON - Takayo Tachibana: Rank 9
THE HIEROPHANT - Sojiro Sakura: Rank 10 MAX
THE TEMPERANCE - Naoya Makigami: Rank 9
THE STAR - Hifumi Togo: Rank 10 MAX
THE DEVIL - Mitsuhide Matsuoka: Rank 9
THE HANGED MAN - Munehisa Iwai: Rank 9
THE DEATH - Yohei Kiritani: Rank 8
THE EMPEROR - Yusuke Kitagawa: Rank 10 MAX
THE EMPRESS - Haru Okumura: Rank 10 MAX
THE LOVERS - Ann Takamaki: Rank 10 MAX
THE HERMIT - Futaba Sakura: Rank 10 MAX
THE STRENGTH - Caroline and Justine: Rank 9
THE JUSTICE - Goro Akechi: Rank 9
THE PRIESTESS - Kasumi Yoshizawa?: Rank 6
THE FORTUNE - Phantom Thieves of Heart: Rank 8
THE JUDGMENT - Sae Niijima: Rank 7
THE COUNCILLOR - Takuto Maruki: Rank 9
Are the Phantom Thieves just? 19.3%