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37% Persona: The Phantom Masquerade. / Chapter 44: The Queen's Test.

Kapitel 44: The Queen's Test.

(Ya'll, I have found the absolutely most perfect second form for Tartuffe. Ever since beginning the story, I have had a few ideas floating around in my head but today I stumbled upon it by accident while listening to random videos.

It's probably not going to appear until the start of the last third of the story, but hoo boy. Imma start placing hints about it throughout the rest of the story, though I'll be surprised if anyone actually guesses it before the reveal. Anyways, ramble over, enjoy.)

— — —

Outside, the Phantom Thieves shuffled anxiously, their eyes scanning the imposing facade of the bank. Suddenly, one of the large golden piggybank statues began to shift, unveiling a hidden staircase beneath it.

Exchanging bewildered looks, their attention snapped to Ren's grinning face peeking out from the passage, waving them over.

"What the eff?" Ryuji blurted, drawn to the secret entrance, his gaze tracing the ladder into the bank's hidden depths.

"A secret entrance?" Ann echoed, curiosity piqued as she peered down.

Ren, with a playful shrug, joked.

"What can I say? I am a man of many talents." He let out a short chuckle before gesturing for the team to follow.

Guiding them through the hidden path, Ren led the group into the bank. They navigated a series of unguarded stairways, their steps hushed and cautious. Before long, they found themselves at an elevator, its doors opening silently to beckon them deeper into the heart of Kaneshiro's palace.

Ren had used the influence he had over the guards to order them around to watch over specific areas of the top floor, giving the group just enough room to sneak past all of them. Like shadows in the night, they all moved without alerting anyone.

After reaching a safe room on the lower floors, Ren and Mona informed the group of their plan to secure an infiltration route: to sneak from security room to security room, disabling all of the cameras and alarms on their way.

"What about the cameras on this floor? They should still be active, no?" Shiho questioned, recalling the cameras they had snuck past after exiting the elevator.

"I found a loophole in the camera system in one of the manuals. Mona showed me how to exploit it to shut them off for about a minute, without setting off any alarms. So, I can clear a path for us to move undetected." Ren revealed as he pointed to one of the manuals they had brought down.

Makoto looked lost in thought for a moment as she grabbed the map.

"There is an area hidden from the map."

Their attention shifted to Makoto as she pointed out what she had found.

"The structure of the top floor and this floor are all pretty consistent. But if you look over here, there is a part of the map where there should be an extra room, but there isn't. There's probably something hidden there."

"Could it be a will seed?" Shiho speculated, the possibility igniting a spark of intrigue among the group.

"If that's the case, we absolutely need to check it out." Mona said, his eyes gleaming with greed.

Ryuji, catching onto the conversation's direction, turned to Ren. 

"Hey, you still got that crystal from Kamoshida's palace?"

Ren nodded, producing the crystal from his pocket, its glow dim but present.

"Yes, I haven't used it since it takes a lot of time to recharge, but judging by the brightness, it probably has about two or three uses right now. I'm sure there's gotta be a way to refine them into more useful items but for now we have to save it for emergencies." 

After thinking for a moment he placed the crystal in the table before adding.

"Someone else should hold it since I have my other personas as backup."

The Thieves discussed it for a moment before deciding to give it to Shiho. Since she would stay in the backline, she would have a full view of the battle ahead and could use the crystal to save anyone who needed it.

— — —

The task of neutralizing the guards overseeing the security system unfolded with a familiar rhythm. Ren would make his way in and make sure that no one would be able to disturb them, and then the group would barge in and attack once the coast was clear. Working together, they were able to keep the uproar contained in the room.

After that, Morgana expertly navigated the security system, disabling any of the cameras and alarms that covered the floor. However, since this area was separated from the rest of the bank via an elevator and a strong metal vault door, the entire floor was effectively prevented from reaching the rest of the bank, which opened another option for them. To use this floor as a battleground for Makoto to get some practice with her persona.

The Phantom Thieves embraced the chaos as they engaged every shadow that crossed their path. The cacophony of battle echoed through the corridors, with the roaring sounds of Johanna filling the air as Makoto used her persona as both a battering ram and a source of nuclear blue flames.

"Queen! Look out!" Shiho's warning pierced the chaos as two twin-headed lions, their bodies a menacing blend of feline grace and draconic ferocity, surged past Ryuji, targeting Makoto. In the heat of the battle, Mona's code name, Queen, given due to her new status as a strategist and Ren's second in command, echoed through the air.

With urgency fueling her actions, Makoto summoned Johanna. The persona's engine roared to life, swerving dramatically, positioning Makoto squarely against the incoming assault. Her reaction was swift, yet the dual fireballs unleashed by the lions allowed her no escape; she could only shield herself with Johanna as the flames enveloped them.

Grimacing from the searing pain, Makoto revved Johanna, propelling them into a counterattack as she became enveloped in a wave of healing light. But the agile lions dodged with a graceful leap, forcing Makoto to overshoot her mark. Without missing a beat, she shifted her focus to a bizarre humanoid horse entangled in battle with Ryuji.

"Skull, focus on the lions! The halls are not wide enough for me to maneuver Johanna to fight them! " Makoto shouted as she rode past the blonde-haired boy before lifting the front of her bike and crashing against the horse-like shadow. Surprisingly, rather than being sent flying off the bike, the full force of the attack was passed to the unfortunate shadow. Showcasing the true strength of Johanna's powers.

Ryuji's eyes snapped to Shiho as the lions redirected their fury towards her.

"Damn it, Captain Kidd!" he bellowed, summoning his spectral captain to steer his ghostly ship toward the threat. Cannons ablaze with sparking energy aimed directly at the lions.

Simultaneously, Shiho's composed demeanor hid her readiness. As Circe materialized behind her, a disorienting wave of magic ensnared the lions, turning them against one another in a fiery frenzy of confusion and self-assault.

Amid their self-inflicted chaos, a tempest of thunder and lightning, heralded by Captain Kidd's imposing ship, descended upon them.

 

"Megido," Shiho whispered, as Circe's silver gaze hardened, unleashing orbs of purplish-silver energy that detonated upon impact, erasing the lion shadows from existence.

Meanwhile, Makoto's relentless pursuit of the horse-like shadow through the labyrinthine hallways intensified, eventually ending in the shadow's defeat. 

"More incoming!" she alerted, her voice laced with urgency as she spotted additional foes converging on their position.

Makoto revved the engine in Johanna as some sweat began to form on her forehead. 

Johanna's eyes burst open with one more rev of the engine before a massive wave of purplish energy shot towards the approaching white lion surrounded by a group of different colored oni. The massive wave of energy caused around half of the approaching forces to slow down and look around in confusion, almost as if they had forgotten what they were doing.

But the white lion, undeterred and furious, unleashed a colossal fireball at Makoto. In a flash, Mona intervened, his wind summoning a barrier that collided with the inferno, birthing a fiery vortex that spiraled harmlessly away from Makoto.

Away from the battle, Ren nodded at Mona.

"Good call. She wouldn't have been able to dodge the flames, and it would've just spiraled downhill from there." he remarked, his voice calm yet focused.

Beside him, Ann's worry broke through the tension.

"Are you sure we shouldn't step in? It's starting to look bad."

Ren shook his head, responding with confidence.

"No, she hasn't requested us yet, and I still think she can handle it. Remember, we dealt with things like this in Kamoshida's castle and Mementos. If we step in when things get hard for her, we will only weaken her in the long run."

Ren had previously entrusted Makoto with the choice to select her combat support for this specific floor's assault, resulting in her choosing Ryuji for his melee prowess and Shiho for her strategic magic support.

Initially, she had hoped to deal with each group of shadows individually, but the heavy roar that came whenever she used Johanna ended up catching the attention of the other guards across the floor.

"Though, she should be more mindful not to leave the rest of her team behind." Morgana chimed in, his eyes never leaving the unfolding battle.

Heeding Morgana's critique, Ren raised his voice to bridge the distance. 

"Queen! Remember, you have a team!"

Caught in the momentum of her solo charge, Makoto's focus was abruptly redirected by Ren's reminder. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw her teammates navigating through the chaos, lagging behind Johanna's swift pace. 

With adept control, she executed a swift 180-degree turn, the bike's tires screeching against the floor as she made her way back to her team. This maneuver wasn't just a simple retreat. It was a strategic repositioning, allowing her to evade an incoming onslaught of fireballs and ice shards with precision.

"It is a shame that this isn't an open space," Morgana mused, eyeing the battlefield with a tactician's gaze. "If it were, she wouldn't struggle so much with changing directions."

Once she had reunited with the rest of her team, Makoto let out a few heavy breaths before wiping the sweat off her forehead.

"Siren, your skills in crowd control surpass mine. I need you to focus on the white lion and keep it at bay. It appears to be the strongest one. Ryuji and I will tackle the other shadows. Also, look for any chance to sow confusion among them, too." she instructed with urgency, her strategic acumen shining through as she directed their next move.

Shiho, understanding the gravity of her role, nodded firmly. With a focused call, she summoned Circe, who, casting a confusion skill, managed to throw the formidable white lion off balance.

With a shared look of resolve, Ryuji and Makoto prepared for their assault. Ryuji summoned Captain Kidd, and with a firm grip on the spectral ship, he charged alongside Makoto towards the advancing shadows.

As Ryuji and Makoto charged forward with Captain Kidd leading the vanguard, their combined assault against the shadow horde was a spectacle of precision and raw power. Captain Kidd's spectral ship cleaved through the shadows, its cannons blasting apart any resistance with lightning, while Makoto, riding Johanna, weaved through the chaos, her persona constantly releasing explosions of chaotic blue energy across her path.

The white lion, momentarily staggered by Circe's skill under Shiho's command, found itself unable to rally its forces. The confusion sown among its ranks turned the tide, allowing the Phantom Thieves to capitalize on their disarray. Shiho, from her vantage point, continued to manipulate the battlefield, her persona's skills keeping the lion and its minions at bay and disrupting any attempts at coordination.

In this orchestrated chaos, the group of shadows dwindled rapidly under the relentless assault until the white lion let out a large roar, making one final stand. However, by that point, it was too late, as the three Thieves focused their attacks on it, causing it to turn into dust not long after.

Once the battle was over, Ann, Mona, and Ren rejoined the group. Arriving just as Makoto, with a final act of resolve, dismissed Johanna. She sank to the ground, her breaths coming in heavy gasps. The battle had tested her limits; throughout the chaos, she had been besieged by a relentless assault of sharp winds, ice, and fire. Yet, she persisted, guiding Johanna through the fray with unwavering determination until the very end.

Ryuji had also sustained some injuries, but for the most part, he had been able to use his persona as a shield, and with his high durability, he was able to shrug off most of the damage. Finally, Shiho, while physically unphased, was also letting out a few heavy breaths. The continuous exertion of her skills had taken its toll, leaving her feeling a profound fatigue that went beyond the physical.

"Are you okay?" Ann's voice was laced with worry as she knelt beside Makoto. Calling forth Carmen to begin healing the team.

"Yeah, just give me a moment," Makoto managed between breaths, her determination shining through the exhaustion. 

"You all did great in this fight," Ren said, offering a smile of approval as he, too, called upon Angel, amplifying the healing energy enveloping the team.

"Honestly, I didn't expect you to do so well on what's practically one of your first proper fights." he admitted, drawing a smile from Makoto, her fatigue momentarily forgotten.

Ryuji, leaning against a wall, managed a tired chuckle as he said.

"Looks like we made it through another one, huh? What do you think of your first horde, Makoto? I remember the first time we had to deal with one. All because someone accidentally fell off the beam we were walking over." he recounted, humor lacing his voice, drawing an embarrassed look from Ann.

"I already said I was sorry, okay? Plus, that time, we didn't even beat them all, we ended up running after Shi- I mean- Siren confused them." Ann retorted, her blush deepening at the memory.

Laughter filled the room as the Thieves relocated to the safety of the security room. Morgana ensured the rest of the floors hadn't been alerted by the battle, letting out a sigh of relief after noting that no alarms had been raised.

Once the group had finished recovering, they would head over to check out the location Makoto had pointed out before continuing their infiltration into the Palace's depths.


Kapitel 45: The Seeds of Gluttony.

Recovering from their battle, the group silently navigated through the bank's labyrinthine corridors, guided by the map toward the anomaly Makoto had identified. The anticipation hung heavily in the air as they moved, the quiet halls amplifying the sound of their footsteps. 

When they finally arrived at their destination, they were greeted by an imposing door, its surface draped in bills with Kaneshiro's face, an ostentatious display that could only herald the presence of something significant within.

Upon opening the door, the group's gaze fell upon a singular, skull-like seed bathed in a crimson glow, situated at the room's heart. Unlike the chaotic clutter of Kamoshida's castle, this room was meticulously organized, the seed deliberately placed as if it were an object of reverence.

"Are you all ready?" Ren's voice broke the silence, his hand hovering over the eerie luminescence of the seed. With the group's affirmative nods, he gently made contact.

Instantaneously, reality twisted around them, but instead of plunging into the monochrome world similar to Kamoshida's warped desires, they found themselves enveloped in a world drained of vibrancy, its colors dull and muted.

Center stage in this world was a younger Kaneshiro, ensnared in the midst of a drug deal with some teenagers in a shadowed alley. His eyes darted around, clouded with paranoia as he handed them the bag. The moment the teens had the bag in their hand they all darted out of the alleyway without paying.

Kaneshiro tried to run to catch up to them, but the moment he left the alley and was greeted by the busy Tokyo streets, he stopped.

"Damn it!" His frustration erupted as he walked back into the alley and kicked one of the walls letting out a few pained curses afterward.

He looked lost in thought for some time before grabbing his wallet and checking how much money he had before letting out another round of curses.

A few minutes of pacing back and forth passed before he resorted to his phone, initiating a call that transitioned the scene to a club where Kaneshiro, now visibly anxious, faced the ire of a tattooed man.

"What the hell do you mean you lost it?" the man barked, his voice a menacing rumble.

"They took it from me. The streets were so full that I didn't want to make a big scene and draw the attention of the police," Kaneshiro said with some shakiness in his voice.

The tattooed man's heavy sigh preceded a stern ultimatum.

"You have three weeks to pay me back what you owe. I don't care how you get it, but if I don't see my money then, my boys are going to teach you a lesson." he threatened, punctuating his warning with the flick of a cigarette at Kaneshiro.

The memory morphed once more, revealing Kaneshiro battered and bruised, his figure drenched by the rain. The tangible fury and despair as he paced were abruptly diverted by the approach of a man in a suit, an umbrella his sole shield against the storm.

"You look like you could use a hand." The man's voice resounded through the heavy rain. A small mischievous grin appeared on his face as he extended a hand.

The man's offer, voiced amid the relentless downpour, marked a pivotal moment in Kaneshiro's life. It was one that the Phantom Thieves could only glimpse before the vision faded, returning them to the reality of the seed-encased room.

"So we were right… He wasn't the mastermind behind it," Ann articulated, her tone laced with revelation as she stared at the seed now dormant in Ren's grasp.

Mona, his features etched with contemplation, added.

"That man in the rain, he might be the same one I saw before, the one who met with Kaneshiro. It's hard to be sure, but…"

"For real?" Ryuji interjected, his curiosity piqued. "Could he be the one pulling the strings?"

Ren shook his head with some uncertainty.

"It's hard to tell, but maybe if we find the rest of the seeds, we can get a better picture."

With a collective nod, the group moved on, their resolve hardened by the glimpse into Kaneshiro's past. The Thieves made their way past the secure vault doors that separated them from going deeper into the Palace. A vault that was supposed to be impenetrable, but thanks to the keys they had obtained from the security guards before they were able to sneak right past.

Past the vault doors, there was a gigantic glass bridge suspended over what appeared to be a river of money. With money cascading from the ceiling just outside of the bridge. Though at first, sneaking past the glass bridge would've been seen as impossible, the group was able to exploit a small gap to sneak outside of the glass bridge into the metal rafters that covered the outside of the bridge, using the falling bills as cover.

Surprisingly, the second will seed was not too far from the glass bridge, and thanks to their unconventional approach, they were able to stumble upon it hidden beneath a cascade of falling bills.

Just like the first, the seed was in a secure and pristine room. However, this time the light it emitted was a deep blue. 

As Ren's touch connected with the deep blue seed, the ambiance around the Phantom Thieves transformed dramatically. They found themselves engulfed in a memory, but unlike the muted tones of the first, this vision burst with vibrant, saturated colors that nearly overwhelmed their senses.

Here, Kaneshiro was the picture of success, his attire lavish, reminiscent of the opulence Ren had first seen him in. At his side, women clung to him, their eyes gleaming greedily at the sight of the money-filled briefcase on the desk.

"Boss, we found the kids you were looking for. What do you want us to do with them?" A voice broke the colorful silence.

Kaneshiro paused, the vivid hues momentarily losing their intensity as he pondered, then declared with a cold laugh.

"I want you to ruin them and their families." It was a command that underscored his complete transformation from a desperate man on the margins to a kingpin reveling in his untouchable status.

"Girls, how about you buy yourselves something nice?" Kaneshiro then turned to the women, offering them a stack of cash. Their response was immediate, their squeals of delight punctuated by kisses on his cheek, showcasing the power his newfound wealth afforded him.

"You!" Kaneshiro's attention shifted to one of his underlings. "Go bring some of our 'workers.' I want to have a party." His order was a display of his dominion, his intent to celebrate his empire of corruption.

As Kaneshiro reached for a bottle of wine, the memory shifted, revealing him pacing restlessly in his room, a stark contrast to his previous demeanor. His hands fidgeted, and his eyes darted to the clock frequently.

"And here I thought you would've learned to stop being so paranoid," a man's voice echoed, signaling his entrance into the room. Kaneshiro's nervousness dissipated at the sound, replaced by a momentary relief.

"But, I have reports that someone is looking into us. This Nijima prosecutor is working with some detectives. She's looking over our records, and if she is as good as the rumors, they are going to find something wrong." Kaneshiro confessed, the worry evident in his voice.

The man, dressed sharply in a suit that barely concealed his Yakuza affiliations, exuded an air of authority as he casually took a seat. 

"Little piggy, when are you going to stop whining?" he chastised, his tone condescending as he uncorked a bottle of wine and took a swig directly from it. "I told you we have people to deal with it, so just do your job and keep making us money. You know what will happen if you don't…" he said with some annoyance.

The vibrant colors once again faded to a dull palette as Kaneshiro's hands trembled.

"You… you aren't going to send him after me, are you?" The fear in his voice was palpable.

The man's chuckle was dismissive. 

"Do you know how much of a hassle it is to cause a mental shutdown? Stop being an idiot and just get back to work, okay?" His words, though meant to reassure, carried an undercurrent of threat.

As the vivid hues of the memory dissipated, leaving the Phantom Thieves back in the somber reality of the vault, a moment of clarity washed over them.

Makoto, deep in thought, connected the dots to her own personal experiences. 

"I remember my sister coming home angry after she was pulled off the case. It makes sense now... since they have the SUI director on their side." she reflected, her gaze fixed on the blue will seed.

After discussing for some time, the group pressed on. Their journey through the bank's labyrinthine depths eventually led them to a large set of stairs. At the bottom, Kaneshiro was engaged in conversation with one of his security guards, oblivious to the Thieves' presence.

If their intention were to cause a mental shutdown, this would be a great chance for an assassination. However, that would not accomplish anything. 

While Kaneshiro was simply a pawn in the game, he held the keys to bringing down the entire criminal organization he led. They just had to make sure Kaneshiro would be able to spill all of the information he had before whoever was completing the mental shutdowns had a chance to stop him.

As Ren stared at Kaneshiro, a plan formed in his mind, and a smile crept onto his face. He told the rest of the thieves to hide, and after apologizing to Makoto in advance, he made his way down the stairs.

Walking with confident steps and a big smile on his face, Ren shouted.

"Boss!" His call redirected Kaneshiro's attention squarely onto him.

"Akira? What are you doing here? Weren't you supposed to be searching for the Nijima girl and her friends?" Kaneshiro asked with some confusion.

Shaking his head, Ren wove his tale.

"I already caught her. I had a friend hack into her phone and found some… interesting things. Needless to say, she's now under my control." Ren claimed. 

"And where is she now?" Kaneshiro inquired, intrigued by Ren's bold assertion.

Ren responded with a confident smirk. 

"Boss, you underestimate me," he proclaimed theatrically. "The moment I learned of your interest in BOTH Nijima sisters, I took action. Trust me, by the end of the month, they'll be at your disposal. It's taking me a bit longer to get the older one."

Kaneshiro's response was a chuckle, a sound mingled with amusement and a hint of respect. 

"You know, I usually can't stand brats. But you, kid, you're different. You actually get things done." he praised, momentarily swayed by Ren's convincing performance.

"You know, boss. I was wondering whether you could show me the way to your treasure room. As I made my way down to inform you of my progress, I couldn't help but be amazed at how secure your bank is. I am honestly honored to work under someone who built something like this." Ren said, stroking the man's fragile ego. Having looked into the source of his distortion, he knew just how to play him.

Kaneshiro looked slightly hesitant, and noticing this, Ren added.

"Boss, to tell you the truth, I don't come from much money, so you are an inspiration to me…" Ren began to speak, with each sentence making Kaneshiro more and more comfortable with him.

— — —

The Phantom Thieves, who hid near the top of the stairs, couldn't help but look down with curiosity. They were far enough that they couldn't really hear what they were saying, but they could at least somewhat differentiate by their facial expressions. This was mostly thanks to the pair of binoculars Ren had insisted they carry with them in their list of infiltration tools.

"He's making that face again," Ann remarked, a light laugh escaping her as she adjusted the binoculars for a better view of Ren.

"What face? He looks the same to me. If anything, he seems like he's enjoying this," Ryuji countered, squinting in an attempt to discern the subtle nuances of Ren's expression.

"You can't tell? He's clearly pissed off. I bet he's trying to butter Kaneshiro up. " Ann said as she turned to look at Ryuji.

Mona, barely containing his amusement, added his own observation. 

"Guys, I think Kaneshiro is blushing." 


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