Chapter Text
She slowly opened her eyes, only to find herself in a completely white and luminous space, devoid of any objects or landmarks. She tried to scream but found she couldn't feel or express anything. After glancing around in confusion, she turned and finally noticed an odd figure standing before her, a peculiar old man with an elongated nose. His bald head gleamed, but he had long, white hair flowing down his back, an unusual look for a man.
He wore a black suit, a white shirt, a black tie, and white gloves. Yet, the strangest thing about him was his enormous grin, stretched all the way to his sharp, pointed ears behind his overgrown nose. Was he a Faunus?
"Welcome to the Velvet Room… or at least, the frame of what it should become," the man finally spoke. His voice was soft yet gentlemanly, fitting his eccentric appearance. Oddly, his grin never faltered, nor did his jaw move while he spoke; only his lips shifted slightly. OK, that grin is scarier than she thought. "This exists between dream and reality, mind and matter, young lady. My name is Igor, and I am here to assist you in the journey that lies ahead."
She tried to respond again but failed.
"My apologies," Igor said, inclining his head slightly. "The room is incomplete for now, so you can only see and hear." He gestured to his left, and a woman materialized from the whiteness of the room. She appeared to be a mature woman with silver hair and striking yellow eyes. She wore an outfit resembling a military uniform, though it was entirely velvet blue.
"This is your Attendant for this room," Igor explained.
"Pleasure to meet you. My name is Susan," the woman said, giving a polite nod before stepping back to let Igor continue.
"Typically, we allow our female guests to choose between male and female Attendants," Igor continued with a note of regret, "but due to certain… complications, we could not provide a male Attendant at this time."
"I trust we will meet again soon, and we'll have a more thorough discussion then," Igor concluded.
As he finished, her eyelids grew heavy, and soon, she drifted back into slumber.
[Prison Cell Velvet Room]
Ren Amamiya, a third-year high school student in Japan.
Last year, Ren's life was turned upside down when he was falsely accused of assault after intervening to help a woman in distress. With a criminal record attached to his name, he was cast out of his home, expelled from school, and abandoned by his friends. Anyone else in his position might have given up on helping others entirely.
But Ren was different.
Before he realized it, he had become the leader of a group of vigilantes known as the Phantom Thieves of Hearts. Alongside his newfound friends, he faced countless challenges and embarked on thrilling adventures to change society. Ren's journey eventually reached its end.
However, for one who chooses to remain on the path of the Fool, the journey is never truly over, even if they reach The World.
Ren opened his eyes and immediately noticed a chain hanging from the ceiling. His eyes widened in surprise as he scanned his surroundings. The same hard wooden bed, the same grim toilet, left no doubt. He was back in his cell in the Velvet Room.
Lying down, Ren raised a hand in front of his face. He saw the familiar red glove and black sleeve. This confirmed it; he wasn't a prisoner of fate this time.
Sitting up slowly, he swung his legs off the bed and stood. Exiting the cell, he was met with the familiar sight of Igor, the long-nosed man, and Lavenza standing at his usual desk.
"Welcome back to the Velvet Room, Trickster," Igor greeted with his ever-present grin. "It hasn't been too long since our last meeting."
"Hello, Igor. Hi, Lavenza," Ren replied casually, offering a small wave. "Please don't tell me another God has decided to pop up," he joked with a smirk.
"Quite the opposite," Igor said, catching Ren off guard. His grin didn't waver as he continued. "Gods are meant to guide humanity, to provide counsel in times of trial. However, when they fail in their duties, they become false gods."
Scratching the back of his head, Ren raised an eyebrow. "Why do I feel like this isn't going anywhere good?"
"My master, Phil… " Igor began, but Ren interrupted with a sharp gesture.
"Hold up! You're not the master here?" Ren exclaimed, eyes wide in disbelief.
"Of course not. My master once guided Persona users on their journeys before. However, upon realizing humanity no longer needed his assistance to ascend, he chose to remain unseen," Igor explained calmly.
"Alright… carry on," Ren said, waving for Igor to continue, now more intrigued than confused.
"We'll get to that, but first, it's best we awaken the others," Igor said. With a snap of his fingers, the other cell doors vanished.
"Lavenza," Igor called, and the attendant nodded. With a small motion, she pressed a button, and the shrill sound of a prison alarm echoed through the space.
"Who set off the alarm clock? And why does my bed feel so hard?" a familiar female voice groaned. Ren turned toward the sound and saw Ann Takamaki sitting up on a prison bed, rubbing her eyes groggily.
"Panther, your voice is too loud…" another familiar, sleep-laden voice muttered. Ren turned again, this time spotting Futaba, still lying on her bed, half-asleep.
"Futaba?!" Ann suddenly snapped awake, realizing something was wrong. She bolted upright, finally noticing the bars and unfamiliar surroundings. "Wait, why am I in prison?!" she shouted, jumping off the bed in panic.
"Takamaki-san, I don't believe we are in an ordinary prison," a familiar voice with a poetic, samurai-like cadence said. Ren turned toward the source and saw Yusuke emerging from his cell, dressed in his Phantom Thief attire but without his mask.
"This is the place we appeared in when Yaldabaoth erased us from reality!" said another familiar voice, calm and authoritative. Ren turned to see Makoto stepping out of her cell, also in her Phantom Thief outfit but unmasked.
"Yusuke! Makoto! You're here too?" Ann exclaimed, her voice full of surprise as she leaned out of her cell, still oblivious to the fact that she was also wearing her Phantom Thief outfit without her mask.
"Why would Inari and everyone else be in my room?" Futaba grumbled, sitting up on her bed and adjusting her glasses. She blinked a few times, fully waking up, only to notice her attire and the unfamiliar surroundings. Her eyes widened in shock, and a cold sweat broke out. "I think I'm still dreaming. Goodnight!" she declared, promptly lying back down and pulling the covers over her head.
"Futaba, wake up! This isn't a dream!" Makoto shouted, stepping into her cell to shake her awake.
"Um, excuse me, did I walk into the wrong room last night?" a soft, sweet voice chimed in, filled with nervous politeness. Ren turned again and saw Haru stepping out of her cell, also in her Phantom Thief outfit and without her mask. Her cheeks were slightly flushed with embarrassment. "Oh! Everyone's here!"
"Not everyone," Yusuke noted, glancing around and counting heads. "We're still missing two."
A light, hesitant voice echoed from one of the cells. "I'm sorry if I'm intruding… but where am I?" The group turned to see Sumire Yoshizawa, stepping out nervously, dressed in her Cendrillon outfit but without her mask. Her eyes were wide, scanning the room with a mix of curiosity and confusion.
"Yoshizawa-chan?!" Ann exclaimed, rushing over. "Wait, you're here too?"
"Everyone's here… even Sumire?" Futaba whispered.
"Sumire, you've been pulled into this too," Ren said, his voice calm but concerned. "Look, this isn't an actual prison, and I'll promise to explain later,"
"A-alright… I'll follow your lead, Senpai," Sumire replied, taking a deep breath to steady herself.
A loud snore, akin to the growl of a wild animal, suddenly echoed through the prison. Everyone turned toward the sound to see Ryuji sprawled out on his bed, snoring like a bear in hibernation. His blanket had been kicked to the floor, and his pillow was awkwardly propped up vertically beneath his head.
"That's definitely Ryuji," Ren said with a chuckle as he stepped into Ryuji's cell, joined by Ann and Yusuke. "Rise and shine, Skull," Ren said, giving Ryuji's shoulder a few light pats.
"Just five more minutes, Mom," Ryuji mumbled, swatting at Ren's hand without opening his eyes.
"Ryuji!" Ann shouted at the top of her lungs, her voice so powerful it shook the entire prison. Everyone jumped back in shock.
"Ahhh!" Poor Ryuji yelped as he tumbled off the bed, landing face-first on the cold floor with a loud thud.
"Looks like we should be more worried about the doctor now," Ren said, glancing at Ryuji, who still had stars spinning above his head.
"MEOW!" A loud, echoing meow suddenly filled the entire prison.
"Well, that's Morgana," Ren muttered as he walked off alone to investigate. He reached Morgana's cell and stopped in front of the door. "Morgana, I know this might seem a bit strange, but… " Ren's sentence trailed off mid-speech, his surprise cutting him short.
"I'm not surprised about appearing in the Velvet Room! I'm surprised by this!" Morgana shouted, his voice tinged with frustration, as he stepped out of the cell.
Morgana was not a cat or a mascot, but as a tall, lithe young man with sleek black hair, pointed cat ears, and striking blue eyes. He wore a fitted black tailcoat embroidered in subtle silver filigree, black gloves, and trousers to match. Around his neck was a vivid green scarf, and a long, elegant tail swished behind him.
"MORGANA?!" Everyone shouted in unison, even Futaba and Ryuji, who were still struggling to process what they were seeing.
"Okay, now I'm definitely sure I'm dreaming!" Futaba exclaimed, her voice shaking with disbelief.
Before anyone could say another word, the sound of a chainsaw echoed through the room. Their heads whipped toward the noise, only to see Lavenza holding a running chainsaw, which, thankfully, she quickly turned off.
"Now that everyone's here, we can begin," Igor said, snapping his fingers. A semicircle of chairs appeared in the room, arranged neatly and close together. "Please, take a seat. We have much to discuss."
Exchanging wary glances, everyone eventually moved to sit down.
"Alright, Igor, explain," Ren urged, gesturing for him to proceed. Igor gave a slight nod before continuing.
"Beyond our world, there exist countless others, each bearing its own similarities and differences..." Igor began, but a loud throat-clearing interrupted him.
"We're all familiar with the multiverse theory, so skip to the important part, please," Futaba cut in, arms crossed. Igor paused, studying her for a moment, then nodded.
"Very well, Hermit," he replied, turning his attention back to the group. "My master, Philemon, during one of his journeys across the cosmos, discovered a world where the people face dire threats, not from their Gods, but from the darkness festering within their society."
The group exchanged serious glances, sensing the gravity of his words.
"The balance between two races, humans and the Faunus, is strained, teetering on the edge of collapse. Prejudice, exploitation, and fear have festered, leading to unrest and violence. This fragile peace is further endangered by the rise of a powerful figure known as the Queen of Darkness, who seeks to plunge the world into chaos," Igor explained.
"What is she trying to accomplish?" Ann asked, leaning forward, her brow furrowed with concern.
"She desires the end of all things. Yet her reasons are more complex than simple destruction. Once, she was an ordinary mortal whose suffering transformed her into a being driven by despair. Her motivations are tied to humanity's failures, to understand themselves, to unify, and to confront their shared darkness," Igor continued.
"The people of this world aren't just facing external threats from creatures known as the Grimm, monsters born from the darkness within, but also from within their own society. Corrupt leaders, division among races, and the growing influence of those who exploit fear for power have left them vulnerable. The Queen of Darkness thrives in this chaos, manipulating humanity's divisions to her advantage," Lavenza added, her voice calm but resolute.
"Who are the Faunuses?" Haru asked, raising her hand.
"Faunuses are humans with animal traits, ears, tails, or heightened senses. Despite their contributions to society, they have been subjected to severe discrimination and inequality. This tension is one of the key issues plaguing their world," Lavenza replied, gesturing to Morgana, who flicked his ears with a grin.
"So, to sum up: we've got a world divided by race, plagued by internal and external threats, with a Queen of Darkness bent on destruction, and a society incapable of seeing past their hatred. You want us to help them, don't you?" Ren asked, his voice steady.
Igor's yellow eyes gleamed. "Precisely. This world teeters on the edge of salvation or ruin. My master believes that with the right guidance, they might yet overcome their fate. You, Phantom Thieves, have proven your ability to challenge corruption."
"It's a choice. If you refuse, we won't send you on this mission," Lavenza clarified calmly.
"But what about our normal life here?" Sumire asked. "I can't just abandon my gymnastics for an unknown amount of time,"
"Everything will return to its original state once the mission ends, as if nothing ever happened. If you wish, we can even erase your memories of the journey," Lavenza answered again. The Phantom Thieves exchanged looks.
One of their most important rules was that every member had to agree on a mission; otherwise, it would be canceled. Though their silent exchange lasted only moments, it carried the weight of hours of unspoken discussion.
If they accepted the mission, they risked nothing. But for the people of that world, everything was at stake. The answer was clear. But…
"Sumire, are you coming with us?" Ren asked her.
Sumire looked at the ground for a few moments and looked back at Ren. "I want to help those people too, and besides, this experience with Phantom Thieves can help my gymnastics,"
"So, everyone agrees," Morgana said.
"What do we need to do?" Ren asked, and the rest of the Thieves nodded in agreement.
"You must guide this world toward salvation by any means necessary," Igor stated. "There are many layers to this conflict, social, personal, and existential. While your primary goals are to confront the Queen of Darkness and ease the tensions between humans and the Faunus, much of what you need to uncover will remain hidden until you experience it yourselves."
The group exchanged glances, their excitement tempered by the weight of Igor's words.
"The Nav app has been installed on your phones, granting you access to the collective unconscious of that world," Lavenza continued. "However, unlike your past missions, the rules there are different. The boundaries between reality and the unconscious are thin, allowing you to summon your Personas even in the real world." At this revelation, all the Thieves buzzed with excitement.
"But I must warn you; once you step into this new reality, your powers will revert to their original awakening states or maybe even weaker, and Trickster will likely lose all the Personas he has collected over the year," Lavenza cautioned, causing shock to ripple through the group.
"That's not a problem," Ren's sudden response drew everyone's attention. "We climbed up from the depths of the abyss. A few months of weakness won't stop us." His calm confidence brought smiles to everyone's faces.
"That's what I would expect from The World, even if he has chosen to remain The Fool," Lavenza said with a smile.
"Most of the preparations for your journey have been made, including some funds, real weapons, and a hideout to get you started, but we can't make identities for you in that world, so you have to do it yourself. You'll soon materialize in the Atlas Kingdom, near a city but far from prying eyes," Igor added.
"And our master sent a gift for you," Lavenza added, and then a cane materialized in Lavenza's hands. "This is Arsene Lupin's cane," Lavenza stepped closer and gave it to Ren.
"Thanks," Ren took the cane and examined it. It was just like his Arsene Cane Dagger, but unlike its dagger version, it was an actual cane. "Does it shoot lasers?" Ren Joked.
"No, but this cane has a simple feature, which I think the basic knowledge you gained from each of your Personas should be enough to use it, and identical to a criminal boss," Lavenza explained, and Ren started checking the cane for hidden switches. Who knows, maybe it does shoot lasers.
The chime of the Velvet Room's bell echoed softly. "It's time."
Suddenly, the Thieves felt their eyelids grow heavy, and one by one, they drifted into a deep, quiet sleep.
[Atlas – Deep in the Wilderness]
Joker opened his eyes to find himself standing in a snowy, wintry forest blanketed in white. Quickly turning around, he spotted his entire team standing behind him. Their masks had reappeared on their faces, signaling that from this moment on, they'd need to address each other using their codenames.
"Is everyone okay?" Joker called out.
"We're all good!" the Phantom Thieves shouted back in unison, though the biting cold was evident in their trembling voices. Panther, in particular, seemed to be struggling due to her weakness to ice, while Fox remained unfazed due to his resistance to ice.
"We should move toward civilization before we freeze out here," Noir suggested, rubbing her hands together for warmth.
"I'm definitely on board with that!" Panther agreed, her voice shaking from the cold.
"Mona, can you still transform into a van?" Skull asked. However, Mona didn't respond.
Instead, Mona's ears twitched suddenly, as if picking up on something. Everyone stared at the Not-Cat in confusion until his eyes widened in alarm.
"Enemies incoming!" Mona shouted, drawing his saber from his belt. The others followed suit, unsheathing their melee weapons, now reverted to the basic weapons they had at the start of their journey.
Out of nowhere, a wolf-like creature emerged from the bushes. Its fur was darker than the blackest night, and it wore a bone-white mask adorned with crimson patterns. The beast charged straight for Panther.
"I'm not your dinner!" Panther yelled, cracking her whip at the wolf. The strike landed squarely on its head, throwing it off balance and causing it to skid across the snowy ground. As it slid closer to the group, Noir stepped forward and, with one decisive swing of her axe, severed the wolf's head. The creature's body dissolved into ash and disappeared into the air moments later.
"That must've been a Grimm," Queen said, staring at the spot where the wolf had disintegrated.
"Don't drop your guard, there's more coming," Mona warned, prompting the team to ready their battle stances.
From all directions, dozens of Grimm wolves burst through the trees and underbrush, encircling the Phantom Thieves in seconds. Despite being surrounded, none of them seemed concerned. If anything, they were ready to take on the challenge.
"Ravage them!" Joker commanded, and the team sprang into action as one.
Panther rushed toward the nearest pack of Grimm, cracking her whip in wide, sweeping arcs. Her first strike shattered the jaw of one wolf, the second splintered the mask of another, and the third and fourth brought a third wolf to its knees. For her finishing move, she pulled out her Scorpion SMG and fired, taking down the Grimm with a clean shot before it dissolved into nothingness.
As the strike team's Heavy Hitter, Skull charged toward a pack of Grimm, swinging his steel pipe straight into the leader's head. The sheer force of the blow caused a shockwave, sending three nearby wolves flying. With the leader disintegrating into ash, Skull shifted right, swinging his pipe like a baseball bat, launching one Grimm into another. Both vanished into dust upon impact.
"Home run!" Skull shouted, grinning proudly as he rested the pipe on his shoulder.
However, Skull had completely forgotten about the last remaining Grimm. The creature emerged from behind him, raising its claw for a strike. Skull heard its heavy breathing just in time, turning around and blocking the attack with a swift reaction, locking them in a tense clash.
"Amateur!" Mona yelled, slicing through the wolf's claws with lightning speed, giving Skull the opening he needed to finish the fight. With a vertical swing, Skull crushed the Grimm's skull, reducing it to dust.
"Whew! Thanks, Mona, you really saved me... Wait, did you just call me an amateur?" Skull paused mid-thanks, suddenly remembering to complain.
"Oh, no need for thanks. Just pay me back with some tuna when this is over," Mona replied before darting toward another pack behind them.
Mona, still adjusting to his new body, decided to push his limits. For his first attack, he leaped high into the air, slashing upward with his sword. His blade cut clean through a Grimm from its stomach to its chest. Mid-air, Mona realized he'd jumped several meters higher than expected. His new body was clearly stronger in every way.
For his next move, he descended on a second Grimm, slicing its head off with a downward slash. He then flipped backward, and while still airborne, fired a large slingshot, launching the final Grimm deep into the forest.
Meanwhile, Fox, the team's samurai, weaved through the wolves with incredible speed. His movements were so fast they blurred beyond human perception, slicing through the Grimm before they even realized what had happened, leaving them in shredded pieces.
After cutting down several Grimm, Fox stopped in front of another pack and sheathed his katana. "This is my new technique," he announced in a calm but commanding tone. He slightly unsheathed the blade and then slid it back into place.
Clink.
As the katana was fully sheathed, several slash marks shimmered in the air, their light trailing behind the speed of his strikes. In an instant, the entire pack was sliced apart, turning into dust.
If you asked any of the Phantom Thieves who the strongest member was, they would all confidently say Joker. But if you asked who the most dangerous was...
BOOM!
"Gomen nasai!" Noir apologized with a bashful tone, before starting to fire a revolver grenade launcher. For reasons unknown, Noir's grenades were always more powerful than standard ones. Not only did they explode more violently, but they also ignited like Molotov cocktails. What made Noir the most terrifying, however, was how she hid her bloodlust behind an innocent, girlish smile... or perhaps she herself didn't even realize how much bloodthirst she had inside herself.
Whether it was a bad idea or not, Oracle had hidden behind Noir. As the only member of the group who couldn't even throw a punch, hiding behind someone was probably the wisest choice. The advantage of this was that no danger could get close, but the downside was that her ears were nearly deafened by the constant explosions.
On the other side, while Noir was busy blowing everything in sight to pieces, Queen charged toward a pack of five Grimm. She sent the leader flying with a single punch, crashing it into a tree. Upon impact, the Grimm turned to dust, and the tree split in half. The second Grimm attacked from the right, aiming to bite her, but Queen took a step back, using her elbow to smash the Grimm's head, turning it to dust as well. The third Grimm came from the left, attempting to strike with its claws, but Queen used Shiho Nage, a four-way throw. She grabbed the Grimm's claw, pulled it toward her, and then, spinning it in the opposite direction, tossed it. But instead of releasing the Grimm, she held onto its claw, causing it to crash near her. With a punch, she finished it off.
As Queen turned to handle the remaining Grimm, suddenly a rapier sliced through the air just beside her face, piercing the skull of a Grimm to her right. Queen spun around to see who had made the shot, only to find Violet jumping down from above with a Backflip, firing an Antique Rifle at the last Grimm's head before landing in a Super Hero Landing pose.
Queen turned, looking at Violet in surprise. Violet, slightly startled, quickly stood upright.
"Sorry, I guess I shouldn't have... kill-stealed," Violet apologized, brushing the snow off her coat.
"No, no, it's just that I was surprised by how much you two look alike," Queen replied, turning back to look at Joker.
The star of the show, Joker, sprinted toward the first Grimm he spotted. As he approached, the Grimm swung down with a vertical slash, but Joker easily evaded it by performing a one-handed front handspring over its shoulder, driving his dagger deep into its back. The Grimm dissipated into dust. Without missing a beat, Joker dashed toward another Grimm. As he neared, he slid beneath its swing, cutting through its underbelly with his dagger, reducing it to dust.
Unfortunately, the next Grimm was larger, more spiked, and seemingly smarter. As it lunged at Joker, he raised Arsène's cane to block the attack. Locked in a power struggle, one thought crossed Joker's mind.
"You're the alpha of the whole pack, aren't you?" Joker smirked, straining to maintain his composure. He scanned for an escape route and noticed the handle of the cane slightly separating from the main body. His eyes flicked to the handle, catching a glimmer, and realization struck.
Letting go with his left hand, Joker shifted to the right as Grimm's jaws snapped down to his left, narrowly missing him. In a swift motion, he pulled the handle from the cane.
Shwing!
A blade emerged from within the cane, and Joker plunged it into Grimm's eye, driving it all the way through its head. The Grimm disintegrated into dust like the others.
With the Alpha defeated, the remaining wolf-like Grimm became disoriented and confused. A perfect opening.
"Strike!" Joker commanded.
The Phantom Thieves launched into the air, transforming into black streaks that attacked the Grimm relentlessly. Within moments, they landed in front of the Grimm horde, backs turned to their enemies. Each Thief struck their signature pose, and all the Grimm dissolved into dust simultaneously.
"Phew! That was a bit too rough for a welcome party," Skull said, wiping the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve.
"At least I'm warmed up, but we should find the nearest town before we freeze," Panther added.
"Oracle, locate the closest route to civilization," Queen ordered as Oracle raised her hand to remove her mask.
"I don't think that'll be necessary," Fox interjected, pointing to the sky.
The group turned their gaze upward, spotting several flying vehicles heading in an unknown direction.
Mona squinted at the crafts and noticed an emblem: "SDC."
"SDC? What could that mean?" Mona murmured aloud, ensuring the others could hear.
"I don't know, but we're not going to figure it out by standing here," Joker said. The others nodded in agreement. "Mona, see if you can transform into a van."
At Joker's command, Mona stepped forward and leapt into the air. In a puff of smoke, he transformed into a van, landing gracefully on the ground. The Phantom Thieves exchanged smiles, ready for their next move.
[A few minutes later]
The Phantom Thieves were all aboard the Phantom Mobile, chasing after the flying vehicles. Queen had taken the driver's seat, with Ann as her co-pilot. The rest of the team sat in the back, engaged in various conversations. Joker and Violet were seated together near the rear of the van.
"Senpai, why are your eyes red?" Violet asked, her tone curious as she stared at him in surprise.
Joker blinked in confusion. "I don't feel any irritation in my eyes," he responded, tilting his head.
"No, I mean the color of your pupils. They've turned red," Violet clarified.
Ren, startled, quickly reached for his phone, but instead of his usual device, he pulled out something that resembled a futuristic smartphone.
"What is this?" Ren muttered, tapping the screen. A translucent HUD appeared, showing all the usual apps he used, except for a few noticeable differences. For instance, YouTube had transformed into DustTube.
"What's that?" Violet asked, leaning in closer to examine the device in Joker's hand.
"Some sort of futuristic phone," Oracle chimed in from the front seat, holding up a similar device. "I did a bit of basic research when we arrived and found out through an ad that these are called Scrolls."
"And apparently, our phones have been converted into these Scrolls," Joker added. He tapped an app with a mirror icon, and the screen transformed into a reflective surface. Joker examined his eyes in the Scroll's mirror and noticed that his normally gray pupils had turned red.
"It really suits you, Senpai," Violet said with a sweet smile, and Joker returned the gesture with a grin of his own.
"I should test something," Joker said. In an instant, blue flames engulfed his body, and he reappeared wearing his third-semester winter outfit. Ren glanced at the mirror again and noticed his eyes had reverted to their original gray.
To be sure, Ren scrolled through the apps on his Scroll and found the app he was looking for. The Metaverse Navigator, with its creepy logo. Ren powered off his Scroll, and slid it back into his pocket.
Just then, Queen slammed on the brakes, causing everyone to lurch forward.
"Queen, what's going on?" Fox asked in shock as Joker reverted to his Metaverse outfit once again.
"You all need to see this!" Queen exclaimed with her voice tinged with disbelief.
One by one, the Phantom Thieves stepped out of the Phantom Mobile and stared in awe, and a bit of shame, at the sight before them.
In the distance lay an enormous city, sprawled across a vast, snowy plain. The upper half rested on a massive floating platform suspended over a crater. Within the crater itself, another city could be seen, its smaller buildings sprawling outward in stark contrast to the grandiosity above.
"It's magnificent, but…" Noir began, unable to finish her sentence.
"This beautiful view hides a heart as dark as the Shadows," Fox muttered, placing a hand on his forehead and shaking his head in dismay.
"Oracle, look into this and tell us exactly what we're dealing with," Joker instructed. Oracle nodded and quickly began searching through Atlas's information archives.
"Got it! These two cities are part of the Kingdom of Atlas, and wow, they're like night and day. The lower city is called Mantle. It's old, close to the ground, and filled with factories and laborers. Most people there are poor and frustrated with their situation because the upper city, Atlas, hoards all the wealth and resources. Atlas is a floating, high-tech city built on a massive platform above Mantle. It's the military and technological powerhouse of the kingdom, home to the wealthy and the elite. The class divide between the two cities is enormous, and it's created a lot of tension. Mantle is industrial and grim, while Atlas looks modern and luxurious. Basically, it's two completely different worlds in one kingdom," Oracle explained, finishing with a deep sigh as everyone else absorbed the information.
"Just as I expected," Skull muttered angrily under his breath.
"We're here to fix things, but before we can, we need to find a way into the city without being noticed," Panther suggested.
"Before anything else, we need to establish identities for ourselves, or we'll run into trouble," Queen pointed out, unaware that Oracle had already taken steps to address the issue.
"Good news and bad news," Oracle announced, immediately drawing everyone's attention. "The good news is that the digital security system here is laughably weak, I hacked through it with no problem."
"And the bad news?" Fox asked.
"All identity records are stored physically. Without direct access to their system, I can't register our identities," Oracle explained.
"Then we wait until nightfall; it's not that far off. Once it's dark, we'll slip into Mantle undetected and find a hideout…" Joker's words were cut off as the sound of a scroll notification chimed. He quickly checked the alert, and a set of coordinates popped up on his map. "…Velvet Room just sent us the location. We'll find it first, then locate the building where the identity records are kept and infiltrate it," he finished.
"So for now, we're basically phantoms," Mona muttered.
"That shouldn't be too hard, but we do need to integrate into society as soon as possible," Noir noted.
"I think our priority should be finding a way into the city," Joker suggested.
"Uh… can't we just use Mementos to get in?" Violet asked. The entire group stared at her, eyes wide.
"Why didn't I think of that?!" Joker exclaimed, smacking his forehead with his palm.
"Wait, are we even sure that our Mementos and this world's Mementos are the same?" Panther asked, curiosity in her voice.
"Let's find out," Joker said as he activated MetaNav. "Keyword: Mementos."
"Beginning Navigation."
[Mementos – Atlas Region]
"This… This isn't Mementos!" Panther exclaimed, shock evident in her voice.
"No, it is. It's just… not our Mementos," Queen corrected, though with less surprise.
The sky was blood-red, the environment dark and twisted, with massive, vein-like structures protruding from the ground. But unlike their Mementos, this one was entirely structured after the city, no, even more than that. Beyond Atlas itself, floating islands drifted in the distance, some standing independently, while others were tethered together by immense, pulsating crimson veins.
"This Mementos is completely overlaid on the real world… I think that's because of the thin boundary between the collective unconscious and reality," Mona murmured, scratching his chin in thought.
"Well, that works in our favor. We can move through the city without being seen," Joker remarked.
"Alright, then let's get inside as soon as possible," Skull said, rolling his right shoulder.
"We should stay on guard for Shadows. We have no idea what kind of mythical beings we might run into," Queen warned. The group nodded in agreement.
The group once again boarded the Phantom Mobile and headed toward Mantle. After nearly half an hour, they reached the wall and came to a stop. One by one, they stepped out of the vehicle, while Mona shifted into his new form.
Standing before the wall, they gazed up at it in silence, only to realize it was far taller than it had appeared in the real world.
"Was it always this tall?" Fox asked coolly, pressing his hand against the wall to assess its height.
"This must be a reflection of the people's belief that nothing can get past this wall," Mona said with his hands on his hips as he studied the structure.
"I doubt the Grappling Hook can reach all the way up," Queen remarked.
"Then how are we supposed to get inside?" Noir asked with a hint of concern in her voice.
While the others started discussing possible options, Joker silently scanned the surroundings. His eyes landed on a strange pedestal made of vein-like tendrils, a glowing red object resting atop it. He approached cautiously, reaching out to touch it, but hesitated at the last second. He had no idea what might happen.
"Oracle, what is this?" Joker asked while pointing at the pedestal.
Oracle moved closer, examining it carefully. "This… I think it's some kind of puzzle activation mechanism, but I can't figure out much more than that. It probably isn't dangerous, though," she explained.
Stepping aside, Oracle let Joker take her place. With little hesitation, he placed his hand on the glowing spot.
Immediately, three Grimm resembling crows materialized in front of the pedestal and began flying in a circular pattern. Reacting instinctively, the group drew their guns, taking aim and bracing for an attack, but the crows simply continued their rhythmic flight.
"I think this puzzle is a moving target challenge," Oracle said before scratching her cheek.
Joker merely shrugged in response before swiftly taking action. With pinpoint accuracy, he shot down each crow without missing a single shot. As the final one vanished, the pedestal glowed brighter, emitting pulsating waves of energy.
At first, nothing else happened. Then, suddenly, numerous vein-like tendrils converged, intertwining to form what looked like a single rail line. The blood-red rail stretched from the thieves' location across the wall to a floating island on the other side, and further beyond to another island outside the city.
"Uh… what exactly is this supposed to do?" Skull asked, eyeing the grotesque structure.
Joker stepped closer, gripping the rail experimentally. The moment his hand made full contact, he felt an immediate connection to it. Without warning, the rail pulled him, launching him upward along the track. Within seconds, he had cleared half the height of the wall. Before he could ascend too high, he let go, flipping midair before landing smoothly in front of the others.
The moment Joker landed, a glowing blue orb materialized in front of him. He extended his hand beneath it, and as soon as it touched his palm, the orb solidified into a stone, settling into his grip.
"A Healing Stone… and a path toward the sky. Interesting," Fox mused, resting his hand on his chin.
"So every puzzle creates a new path and gives us a reward… just like a video game," Skull remarked.
Suddenly, Violet approached the rail and began examining it.
"Violet, what are you doing?" Panther asked curiously.
Violet didn't respond. Without warning, she jumped onto the rail with both feet and started grinding along it at high speed, leaving the others staring in shock, except for Joker.
"I guess we're supposed to rail grind, like how Sonic does," Joker said before following Violet's lead.
In just a few seconds, he reached the same floating island where Violet had landed, rolling smoothly onto the ground. However, she wasn't paying any attention to him. Instead, she stood frozen, staring in one direction. Joker walked up beside her, following her gaze, until he saw it.
At that moment, the rest of the Phantom Thieves arrived, landing beside them.
"Hey dude! What are you…" Skull started, but his words trailed off as his mouth dropped open in shock.
"Is that a… raptor?" Noir asked in disbelief.
"A raptor with pterosaur wings," Queen clarified.
"I thought dinosaurs didn't exist in this world," Fox said, just as surprised.
"That's not a dinosaur. It's a Shadow that's taken the form of a Grimm," Mona suddenly spoke up. "I can sense that it's a Shadow, but why does it look like a Grimm… I have no idea."
"Maybe we should just leave it alone and walk past it…" Skull suggested, but…
"That might seem like a good idea at first, but if we want to activate the rest of the rail, we have to take that Grimm down," Oracle revealed. The group let out a collective, sharp inhale at the realization. "The good news is, it's not that strong."
Joker took a deep breath. "Alright, I'll…" He stepped forward, ready to fight, but before he could take another step, Queen held out her hand, stopping him.
"Sorry Joker, but I'll handle this!" she said firmly with a little half smirk.
"You sure?" Joker asked.
"Yes, I'm completely sure!" Queen replied without hesitation.
"Then go ahead and make me a dinosaur sandwich," Joker said with a smirk before stepping aside, letting her take the lead.
Queen cracked her knuckles and stepped toward the winged Raptor. The Grimm took notice of her presence and let out a fierce roar, but Queen didn't even flinch. The Raptor lunged forward, diving straight at her.
As soon as it got close enough, Queen leaped into the air, effortlessly dodging the attack. While still airborne above the Raptor, she delivered a powerful punch right to the center of its skull. The impact sent the Grimm crashing onto the ground, sliding on its stomach before coming to a stop. Queen landed gracefully at the same moment.
The Raptor quickly scrambled back to its feet, roaring again, this time in frustration, before taking to the skies. It flew in rapid circles, gaining speed while trying to disorient its opponent. Then, after a few moments, it swooped down at Queen once more.
But once again, it failed.
This time, Queen caught the Raptor's neck in a firm underhook and, using the momentum from its own dive, slammed it headfirst into the ground, creating a massive shockwave.
"And KO!" Oracle announced excitedly, mimicking a martial arts referee.
"Now that was a proper counter DDT!" Skull cheered from the sidelines.
The Raptor began to dissolve into dust within Queen's grasp, slowly fading out of existence. At first, she glanced around in confusion at its disappearance before recalling that Grimms vanished upon death. Shrugging it off, she stood back up just as the rest of her teammates gathered around her.
"That was some fine work," Joker complimented.
"Honestly, that thing was way too weak," Queen replied.
Suddenly, several vein-like tendrils snaked across the ground beneath their feet, drawing everyone's attention. Instinctively, the group lifted their feet, either in disgust or caution, to avoid stepping on them. The veins slithered toward the spot where the Raptor was standing, gathering together to form a red, gambling diamond-shaped crystal. At the same time, the rest of the rail line materialized ahead.
"What is that?" Panther asked curiously.
"Not sure, but it doesn't seem dangerous," Oracle replied.
As always, Joker stepped forward without hesitation and picked up the crystal. But then, something else caught his eye.
"Money?" he muttered in surprise, bending down to pick it up. "500 of… whatever this currency is."
"It's called Lien," Oracle corrected. "It's pretty similar to Yen."
"Alright, let's head into the city first," Joker said before hopping onto the rail. He began gliding down toward the floating island below, with the rest of the Phantom Thieves following right behind him.
When the Phantom Thieves entered the city, they were confronted with a whole new scene. The people in Mementos, the world of Remnant, were walking around as black spirits, or perhaps shadowy forms. What was new, however, were the black doors lining the streets, resembling divine forest gates made of red wood, and large stone gates decorated with ivy patterns that glowed with an eerie blue light.
"This is definitely a lot different from our Mementos," Panther remarked.
"What do you think these doors and gates are for?" Fox asked, keeping his gaze fixed on them from a distance.
"We'll check out Mementos later. For now, we need to figure out how to adjust to the real world," Joker said as he counted his money. "We currently have 500,000 Lien, all of which will be our Phantom budget."
"Then we should find a safe place, head into the real world, and make our way to the location we've set up," Mona explained the plan, and everyone agreed.
"Hey, I think that building over there looks good!" Panther pointed to a building behind Joker, and everyone turned to look at a tall brick structure that offered easy access to the other buildings around it.
"Alright, Thieves, let's head to the hideout!" Oracle shouted, hopping onto Necronomicon. She shifted her Persona into another dimension to stay hidden from view and moved toward the building along with the rest of the group.
They all left Mementos and moved toward an abandoned neighborhood in the city, unaware that this journey wouldn't be one they would experience alone.
[?????]
She opened her eyes again. When she opened them, she expected to find herself in her room, but once again, she was in the strange dream, though this time, it wasn't in the white room. Where she was now looked like a Bullhead transport ship, but instead of passengers, it was filled with various weapons, everything from a sword that could transform into an automatic weapon, to a rod that could turn into a flamethrower.
She looked around, realizing she was sitting on the only chair in the room. After scanning the rest of the space, she noticed a small window, about the size of her face. She stood up from the chair and moved toward the window. Outside, there was nothing but a vast, black sea with strong yet calm waves, and the room, or perhaps the Bullhead, or maybe the armory, was flying just above the waves.
She pulled away from the window and looked toward the center of the room.
"Huh!" She gasped, shocked for a moment, but quickly realized there was nothing to fear. Still, it was surprising because the figures in the room had not been there just moments ago.
"Welcome to the Velvet Room!" Igor greeted with his usual smile, while Susan, standing beside him, bowed.
"Your contract is complete, meaning you are now officially a guest in this room," Igor said.
"Congratulations, young flower," Susan added with a small smile.
"What contract?" She asked.
"Hehehe," Igor chuckled softly, then raised his finger. A thin object appeared between his index finger and thumb. Igor turned his hand and showed a digital screen. "Does this remind you of anything?"
[That night, in a dark room in the city of Vale]
She sat behind a desk in a dimly lit room, the only light coming from a lamp that illuminated the desk and a small part of the surroundings. Across from her sat two adults, a man and a woman.
The man looked like a middle-aged man with tousled silver hair and thin brown eyes. He had a light complexion and sharp facial features. Interestingly, he had black eyebrows, suggesting that he may have had black hair when he was younger. He wore shaded glasses and a small purple, cross-shaped pin on the cowl around his neck. His outfit mostly consisted of an unzipped black suit over a dark green buttoned vest and green shirt. He also wore black shoes and long, dark-green pants. In addition, he carried a cane.
The woman appeared to be middle-aged, with very light blonde hair tied back in a bun, with a curl hanging down the right side of her face. Her eyes were bright green, and she wore thin, oval glasses. She had dangling teal earrings that matched a pendant on her collar. She wore a white long-sleeved, pleated blouse with a wide keyhole neckline and gauntlet cuffs that flared in pleats at the wrist. Her lower body was covered by a black, high-waisted pencil skirt with bronze buttons, and black stockings fading into brown. She wore black boots with bronze heels and a cape that was purple on the inside and black on the outside. The cut of the cape was stylized to end in flames and arrows, with a row of diamond-shaped bronze beads on the back. Above this line of beads was an emblem of a tiara, her personal symbol.
The man placed a scroll in front of her. "Once you sign this contract, you can participate in the entrance exam. If you pass, you will officially become a student at my Academy," he said, then pulled a pen from his jacket and handed it to her.
She accepted the pen, pulled the contract closer to herself, and examined it. Below the contract was a blank line where she had to write her name.
'Ruby Rose, that's my name,' she thought to herself, then wrote it on the contract.
She handed the contract back, and the man looked at it with a smile.
"Ruby Rose, welcome to Beacon," the man said.
"Thank you, Professor Ozpin," Ruby replied.
*SHATTER*
I am thou, thou art I...
My vow stands renewed in defiance of fate.
In breaking free of endless cycle,
thy heart's resolve is made manifest.
With the rebirth of thee Hierophant Persona,
thou hast obtained the winds of blessing,
which shall guide thee beyond the grasp of fate.
"Is something wrong?" Ozpin asked with surprise.
Ruby quickly looked around in confusion and then stared at Ozpin again. "Did you hear that voice too?"
"What voice?" Ozpin raised an eyebrow and asked.
"I don't think it matters," Ruby shrugged and replied.
[Present time, in the Velvet Room]
"That's the contract I signed to participate in the Beacon entrance exam!" Ruby said in shock, not expecting to see the contract in Igor's hands.
"By signing this contract, you've agreed to take control of your own fate," Igor said, and then the contract vanished from his hand. "From now on, the Velvet Room will support you and your journey with all its strength."
"Do you mean becoming a Huntress?" Ruby asked uncertainly.
"More than that," Igor replied, and then several cards appeared in his hand, floating in front of Ruby, their faces turned away. "You draw power from the Arcana, and the Arcana comes from the heart. With a stronger heart, your power grows. So seek the hearts of others," Igor explained, and then his Hierophant card spun around and showed itself to Ruby.
Suddenly, all the cards gathered and entered a book in Susan's hands.
"Our time is up," Igor said, and Ruby's eyes began to feel heavy. "We will meet again soon, Silver Light. Beware that the first step is your longest."
After those words, everything went dark.
[In a Realm Beyond Space and Time]
In a luminous white expanse with a starry sky stretching infinitely above, a lone figure stood at the edge of the endless realm. A well-dressed man clad in an immaculate white suit, a black shirt underneath, and a long ponytail. His face was concealed behind a white mask adorned with a violet butterfly wing pattern on the right side.
Extending his hand, a glowing blue butterfly emerged from beneath his sleeve, fluttering upward before gently landing on his fingertip.
"What is the duty of a god?" the man mused. "A god creates, grants life, and, in the end, destroys. The natural cycle of most worlds. But why does a god create life? The answer is simple, yet…" He turned around. "You, who observe this world… Are you merely a spectator? Or something more? So, have you ever asked yourself: What is a god without worshipers? I am Philemon, your guide on this journey. But first, I have a question: are you willing to follow this journey?"