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Chapter Text

Kagutsuchi

Wind howled across the emptiness, carrying dust and echoes. A black coat whipped in the breeze, weathered and worn.—footsteps—slow, deliberate—crunched against broken stone. Ragna the Bloodedge stood alone, staring out over the horizon, where faint cracks shimmered like spiderwebs across the sky. His hair was longer now. His eyes were tired. He had returned. And he shouldn't have.

"...I wasn't supposed to come back, I was just a trace. A ghost."

And yet—he existed. Not fully erased. Something called to him. The sky cracked. An otherworldly roar shook the air—an unholy mix of Nox machinery, Shadows, and arcane anomalies surged through the split like a floodgate unleashed.

Ragna sighed. "...Figures. I try to disappear, and trouble still finds me."

He clenched his fist, and with no grand speech, no dramatic declaration, Ragna turned and ran headfirst into the breach, his silhouette swallowed by the light.

"One more time, huh…?"

The Phantom Zone

There was no air. No time. No direction. Only stillness. Rachel Alucard floated in a place beyond cause and effect—an endless white nothing, like the paused breath of a dying universe. Her parasol hung at her side, unopened. Her eyes were closed. She had chosen this. To sleep where her Bystander role would no longer bind her. To forget the weight of timelines, of tragedies she could no longer shape. And then—a ripple. It started as a whisper. A memory long buried. A name.

"Rag...na."

Rachel's eyes fluttered open. She saw Gii and Nago as if waking from a nightmare. With them came a flood of vision: a Keystone shattering, Valkenhayn's defeated state, Carl's invasion of her castle, portals, voices, lost ones returning. And Ragna—alive again in a world that should not know him, now getting beaten up, as confirmed by her returning but suppressed Bystander powers.

"...You fool. You came back." "Gii, Nago." Her familiars turned to her. "We must go. Now."

*WARP!*

Cold wind rushed through shattered windows. Dust danced in empty office corridors. Flickering lights above buzzed like insects, giving off a sterile white glow. Yu Narukami awoke lying on a cracked tile floor. His head throbbed—not from impact, but from emptiness. Names teased the edge of memory. Faces. Voices. Gone before he could grasp them. He sat up, eyes narrowing as he looked around. The room was unfamiliar, but intact—an abandoned office or apartment. Yet something felt… off. He stood slowly, brushing dust off his uniform. He still had his Persona compendium, his card case, and Izanagi's presence lingered faintly inside him, like a hand waiting to be held. But there were no allies beside him. No Yosuke. No Chie. No Yukiko. No one. Just silence.

"...Where am I?"

A sudden tremor shook the building. He moved to the window and looked outside. The city stretched into the horizon, but pieces of it were floating, disconnected. Skyscrapers dangled at odd angles, connected by metallic roots and broken shadow matter. Down in the streets below, Voids slithered, Nox units patrolled, and Grimm prowled side by side with Shadows. Yu's grip tightened on the hilt of his sword. His eyes narrowed.

"It doesn't matter where this is." He slid a card between his fingers. Izanagi shimmered into view for a moment—then vanished, awaiting command. "I'll find the others… even if I don't remember who they are." "PERSONA!"

The sky overhead glowed a dull crimson, as if stuck at the moment before nightfall. Half-frozen clouds hovered above a maze of silent, cracked streets. Streetlamps flickered even though nothing powered them. A figure stirred from beneath a collapsed bus stop. Hyde Kido slowly sat up, groaning.

"Ugh… feels like I got hit by a Void twice over…"

He looked around, blinking at the broken skyline. There were buildings here—some intact, some floating sideways—but no voices, no footsteps, no signs of life. He reached for his back—The Insulator was still there. Good. At least they didn't take that. He stood and instinctively reached for his communicator. Static. Dead. No Linne. No Waldstein. No Vatista. Not even Yuzuriha picking up. Nothing. A cold breeze swept through the hollow streets, bringing with it the smell of scorched steel and old blood. That's when he noticed it—movement. Down the road, hunched figures dragged themselves along the edge of reality. Shadows. Voids. Blitzsoldiers. All mixed like a dish made by someone who'd never read the recipe. Hyde's grip on the Insulator tightened. He didn't know who he was supposed to protect anymore. He didn't remember the mission or the others. But he remembered this:

"If they're hurting people… I stop them."

He flicked his jacket back and stepped forward into the failing light.

A single red petal drifted through the air, carried by an unnatural breeze across the surface of an empty battlefield. Then came a sudden gust, followed by a crack in the atmosphere. From it, a torrent of red petals hit the ground like a meteor. Dust and petals were scattered. Ruby Rose coughed, staggering as she pushed herself off the ground. Her cloak was torn, her fingers scraped. She clutched Crescent Rose, still intact, still loaded. Her eyes scanned the empty field, desolate, unfamiliar. Broken weapons and faded banners lay trapped mid-motion in the air, as if time had half-frozen the moment they fell. No Weiss. No Blake. No Yang. No team.

"...Guys? Where are you…?"

Nothing answered but the wind. She clutched her weapon tightly, trying to focus, but her mind was fogged. She remembered how to fight, how to run, how to lead…But not who she led. She turned sharply as something skittered across the edge of the field. Black mist crawled between shattered flags. In the distance, Grimm stalked beneath a floating building. They weren't alone. Behind them: Shadows, and even a twisted Drexler drone, dragging an Arcana-forged chain. Ruby narrowed her eyes. Her hand brushed the trigger of Crescent Rose.

"Whoever you are... you're not gonna stop me from finding them."

And with a crack of red light, she vanished into motion, petals exploding behind her as she charged into the dark.

Petals swirled gently in the air, untouched by gravity. The grass was only half-real—parts of it blinked like a dying screen, stuck between animation frames. In the center stood Heart Aino, fists clenched at her sides, eyes bright with tears—but not fear. She knew this feeling. She'd been through it before. Nitroplus. The dimensional collapse. Fighting side by side with strangers who felt like friends. But this was worse. She looked up at the bleeding sky. Cracked. Crying. Calling out.

"First Mildred… now Weiss… and the Arcana are silent." Her Arcana, Partinias, hovered beside her, dimmer than usual. "I remember them all. Saki, Mei-Fang, even Konoha… but they're not here. Not yet."

She looked down at the floating platform of reality beneath her feet, already fragmenting. Then she saw them. Shadows, Voids, and Yoma, prowling the outskirts. A lone Grimm howled in the distance, joined by a corrupted Drexler construct dragging its broken limbs. Heart exhaled slowly while smiling.

"No matter how far the world falls apart, I'll keep fighting until we're all back together. That's a promise!"

She raised her fists, her gloves pulsing with Arcana light. Partinias flared behind her, realigning with the will of her soul. Then Heart dashed forward, launching into the fray with explosive force, pink trails streaking through the air.

"Let's go, Partinias! We've got hearts to protect!"

The air smelled of ash and cherry blossoms. Asuka slowly pushed herself up from a crater in the stone floor. The shattered remains of a torii gate loomed over her, glowing faintly with otherworldly energy. She looked around. No Yumi. No Homura. No Miyabi. Not even another Hanzo girl. But her ninja blade was still in hand, and the fire in her heart still burned.

"This isn't the first time I've been scattered. I'll find my way. No matter what."

She moved toward a nearby hill, only to stop when she spotted strange creatures creeping through the shrine grounds. Voids. Grimm. Shadows. Their shapes flickered like broken illusions. Her instincts screamed danger, but her resolve never wavered. She drew her blade, eyes narrowing.

"Even if I don't know where I am..." "I still know what I fight for."

She leapt into the moonlit air, blade drawn, ready for battle.

Flakes of frozen light drifted through the air, dancing around Yumi as she stood alone atop a hill of glassy snow. The world here had no sound, no wind—only tension. Like a breath forever held. She wrapped her arms around herself, not out of cold, but absence.

"Where's...everyone..."

She looked around. No sign of the others. Only a rift in the distance is slowly closing. It pulsed with strange magic, and beasts roamed its edges: Yoma, corrupted Arcana, Blitzsoldiers—all hunting. She drew her folding fan and stood tall.

"If the world has scattered us… Then I will carve a path through it to find them."

She closed her eyes. Snow swirled. "Watch over me, Grandfather." She advanced into the snowstorm, a trail of frost following behind her.

Akatsuki emerged from a heap of shattered rebar, fists clenched, breath slow and measured. Sparks crackled in the air as unnatural lightning rippled across the sky. He rose to his feet, brushing ash from his uniform.

"...Another battlefield."

The base around him looked vaguely familiar—military, concrete, scorched from within—but it was impossible to tell which reality it belonged to. Signs were half-erased. Lights flickered as if trying to remember they were supposed to exist. He scanned for comrades. None. No Blitzkampf units. No allies from Under Night. Not even Eltnam. Just silence. Then came the sound—marching, but wrong. Inhuman. He turned to see a legion of mixed enemies: Blitzsoldiers, distorted Nox constructs, Drexler drones, and shadow-things too undefined to name. All advancing in unison like they shared a pulse. Akatsuki exhaled, rolled his shoulders, and dropped into a stance.

"Doesn't matter who you are. If you threaten this world... you'll be silenced."

His gauntlet flickered with electricity as a storm of lightning burst around him. He charged. Alone. Again.

The ground shook as lightning split the air above the wreckage. Rail cars dangled from warped rails, suspended mid-collapse. Smoke choked the sky, and sparks leapt from dead power lines like dying fireflies. From a pile of collapsed debris, a fist slammed upward, clearing metal and stone in a blast of heat and blood. Naoto Kurogane rose. Breathing hard. Head throbbing. His coat was torn. But he was alive. Barely. He staggered to his feet and looked around. The world felt wrong, distorted. Familiar and alien all at once.

"Where the hell...?"

He instinctively checked for Es—nothing. The silence hit harder than the collapse. The smell of blood was everywhere. His own... and others'.

"No. She was with me. She—"

He froze. His head buzzed. Names were missing. Faces half-formed. He remembered loss, but not who he'd lost. He remembered Ragna—but not why it burned so deeply. And then… the sky tore open again. A shimmering scar in reality. He saw a face that made his eyes widen in fury. Ragna the Bloodedge. Alive and well.

"You. You're not supposed to be here. Not again." His red arm pulsed. "If this world fell apart because of you, then I'll be the one to end it." Naoto charged at that face.

The streets were silent. Ragna the Bloodedge walked through the crumbling remains of a city that looked like Kagutsuchi—but the angles were wrong, the lights didn't flicker, and the sky was… bleeding. Pieces of other cities floated overhead like puzzle pieces waiting to be forced together. He paused beneath a warped streetlamp.

"This isn't the world I left behind…"

He didn't know why he was back. He shouldn't be. Not after that choice. Not after giving it all up. Footsteps. He turned, and three Shadow-fused Voids lunged from the fog, screeching like rewound tape. Their forms twisted like bad memories. Ragna didn't hesitate. He surged forward. Stabs. Slashes. Chops—critical strikes in brutal precision. No Drive, no flashy magic. Just experience. Just instinct. The last one burst in a puff of data. He exhaled, staring at his own bloodied blade.

Feels the same. But nothing is."

He stood still for a beat, gaze drifting to the crimson crack hanging above like a judgment.

"If I am back… what the hell am I supposed to do now?"

*THUD!*

A heavy impact hit the rooftop behind him. Dust kicked up. A silhouette stepped forward, with clenched fists.

"Funny. I was about to ask you the same thing."

The voice rang out from behind. Naoto Kurogane stepped into view, eyes narrowed, blood arm already active.

"You," Ragna said out of recognition.

"You just couldn't stay gone, could you? You were supposed to be finished. You chose to erase yourself. Why come back now?"

"I didn't ask to come back."

Naoto's rage boiled. "Doesn't matter. You being here—you existing—is enough to throw the whole damn multiverse into chaos!" Ragna was silent. "Raquel told me everything about you—Ragna the Central Fiction, the Bloodedge. You're the one who drew everything together, even when it was supposed to fall apart. Your story should have ended, but you had to claw your way back." His voice cracked with anger. "Because of you, all of my loved ones are in danger again!"

"And you think I wanted this?! I gave it all up to make sure the world could move on! But if not even that can keep the universe in peace…" Ragna stretched his arms out. "...Then maybe I deserve whatever comes next."

Naoto clenched his fist, dashed forward, and landed a punch.

*PUNCH!*

Ragna didn't even block. Not because he couldn't—but because in his mind, he was cursed. Cursed to be a source of grief, guilt, and rage. And Naoto refused to let go of the pain.

*PUNCHING!*

Naoto kept hitting him, each blow sending shockwaves through the fractured ground. "Why are we here?! Why is Raquel gone?! Why is Es fighting for her life in a world that shouldn't exist anymore?!"

Elsewhere, atop a crumbled wall, Rachel Alucard watched.

"Nago."

"Already on it, Mistress."

Nago transformed into a parasol.

"Gii…"

"Y-Ye-Yes, Mistress?"

"What you did back at the castle was beyond reckless and stupid. Had the invasion not occurred, I would have inflicted a much more brutal punishment. But for now, I'll settle for having you as a projectile."

Gii sighed. "Yes, Mistress."

Rachel clutched Nago tightly. Her eyes shimmered—not with pity, but with understanding. "This time… I won't stand back."

*THWACK!*

She slammed Gii like a baseball.

"You broke my world… and brought chaos with you—"

*SMASH!*

Gii crashed into Naoto's head, staggering him.

*THUD!*

Naoto landed hard. Then Rachel descended, parasol open, face tired. Ragna blinked. "Rabbit?"

"Enough, both of you." She raised her hand. A barrier pulsed, pushing them apart. "Naoto. Ragna's return wasn't what caused this. It was what followed. The Keystone. Gii. Carl. And System XX."

"Keystone? System XX?" Naoto asked.

"Give us a more elaborate explanation, Rabbit," Ragna said.

Rachel nodded. "When I was made an Bystander, my father used all his resources to create a machine that would surpass even our powers. That machine is called System XX, powered by a powerful jewel called the Keystone."

"So it was supposed to do your job—but better?"

"The machine worked. Too well. It didn't just observe possibilities—it created them. Entire new realities."

"And that's bad, how? As long as it's not destroying this one—"

"Tch." Ragna cut in. "You're green, huh, kid?"

Naoto clenched his teeth. "Don't want to hear that from you, you white-haired bastard!"

Rachel glared at him. "Naoto, this might be one of the few times I agree with Ragna." Ragna folded his arms. "Have you forgotten what just one Susano'o did to this world? Imagine multiple."

Naoto and Ragna both shuddered.

"And another thing," Rachel continued, "Ragna isn't the Central Fiction anymore. He's just another survivor—like us. None of us should be here. But we are… because of me."

Naoto and Ragna froze.

"You caused this?" Naoto barked. "YOU!?"

Ragna interjected, "Hold on. Rabbit's too careful for that."

He turned to her. "What happened?"

Rachel's eyes narrowed. "It was Carl Clover."

Naoto blinked. "Carl? That kid from Sector Seven?"

"Not a kid anymore. He's building a war. He kidnapped my successor, invaded my castle, and even defeated Valkenhayn. In desperation… Gii shattered the Keystone to stop him."

"Why?! Why go so far?!"

"He didn't want to destroy the multiverse. He wanted the Keystone… to revive Ada. His sister. And to destroy the Boundary—to make sure no other soul would ever be exploited again."

Ragna's eyes widened. "Shit."

Naoto added, "Wait… Raquel told me about the Azure wish. Carl was one of the chosen… and you denied it, didn't you?" Ragna looked away. Naoto laughed bitterly. "Didn't even have to answer. You lost your Saya—and still turned your back on him?"

That lit Ragna's fuse. "Alright, brat. Now you're starting to piss me off."

Rachel stepped between them. "Blame whoever you want. But the Keystone's shattered. The multiverse is unraveling. And what we're seeing now… isn't a consequence. It's correction." She looked between them. "We fight together—or we all vanish."

The two stared each other down. Then finally— "…Tch. One shot," Naoto muttered. "I'm not doing this for him." He turns to Ragna,, "You want to fix this? Then stop being a story… and start being a person."

Ragna sighed. "I didn't want anyone else pulled in. But I'm here now. And I'm not walking away."

Rachel gave a faint smile. "Good. We'll start there."

And for the first time in this fractured world…A team was formed.

The sky screamed. Cracks spiderwebbed across the firmament, leaking color—red, blue, green, memories. A spark. A heartbeat. A body formed. Piece by piece. Red Hat. Flame-colored hair. Nine, the Phantom collapsed to one knee, gasping like it was her first breath. Next to her, glowing gold hexagons spun—materializing into a warm white cloak and soft brown hair, with a robot next to her.

"Celica?"

Celica A. Mercury blinked as her hand gripped space. "Minerva?! You're still with me..."

Minerva nods and the two look at the shocked Nine with her flame flickering, and her eyes watering. "This shouldn't be possible. I was gone. You were gone."

"But we're here," Celica whispered with tears in her eyes.

They looked up. A massive rift overhead. Celica uses the power of order and gets an intense headache.

"GAH!"

"Celica!"

Nine rushes to her side. "The world's...breaking...I can feel it."

Looking at the rift, they see a swirling convergence point where shadows, machines, beasts, and timelines are bleeding together. Minerva picks up Celica princess style and carries her to Nine. They both understand Minerva's intentions.

"Minerva...You...Want us to run?"

Minerva slowly nods

Nine's eyes hardened. "No. We're not running. Not this time."

Celica smiles, "If we're back... We'll help set things right."

Minerva put down Celica, and they all stepped forward—sisters, restored not by magic or science, but by a universe breaking apart.

Chapter Text

The Phantom Field: Unknown Zone

The world here felt angry. Jagged stone towers spiraled from molten cracks. Ash rained from a sky painted crimson, black clouds swirling above like burning ink. This land screamed of a conflict long forgotten—and now reawakened.

Yang Xiao Long stood at the edge of a shattered balcony, fists clenched, hair drifting in the heat.  "...This isn’t Remnant. But it’s not Hell, either."

She activated her retractable gauntlets, gears clicking. Her heart pounded with unease, not fear, but something was missing. Names, faces, teammates... she could feel the gaps in her memory like scars. A roar echoed. Behind her, Shadows surged from a side corridor, dragging pieces of corrupted Grimm behind them like parasites.

Yang grinned. "Alright then. If you wanna throw hands, let’s make it count."

She launched into the fray, golden hair whipping through the heat as explosions echoed.

Blake Belladonna crouched inside a nearby derelict train station, watching. Her breath was slow. Calculated. She’d woken up alone. Crescent blade is still with her. Instincts intact. But every name she clung to slipped through her mind like fog. The blonde girl outside... something about her was familiar. Too familiar.

"Why do I feel like I’ve fought beside you?"

The roof caved in behind her—Shadow-Grimm hybrids slithered forward. She leapt into motion.

"Questions later. Survival now."

Mitsuru Kirijo materialized through a fractured portal, her Evoker glowing cold in her hand. She arrived mid-battle, eyes narrowing beneath her glasses.

"This is... no realm of the Velvet Room or the Dark Hour."

She raised her rapier, firing off a burst of ice that impaled three Shadows mid-lunge.

A voice behind her shouted, "Figures. I fall into a lava dimension, and you show up again."

Mitsuru and Akihiko faced each other, then turned to see another enemy charging them. "Whoever you are, we’ve got company."

What started as three separate battles soon became one, with the monsters against the four strikers.

From above, the broken land stretched wide—lava veins glowing beneath stone pathways, and Shadow-Grimm hybrids writhing like parasites across the landscape. Three figures stood atop a jagged outcrop. Ragna the Bloodedge, blade on his back, coat tattered. Naoto Kurogane, fists bloodied, arms crossed. Rachel Alucard, parasol open, hair drifting in an unnatural breeze. Below, the battle was in full swing. They watched as four strangers—Mitsuru, Akihiko, Blake, and Yang—fought with somewhat synchronized instinct, even without knowing each other.

Naoto squinted. "So... those four. They just dropped in like the rest of us?"

Rachel summarized, "More like they were dropped together... fragments from separate realms, tossed into the same pocket of collapsing reality."

Ragna watches Yang brawl. "They know how to fight."

"Indeed. Two are remnants of a Persona-saturated world. The other two... displaced from a realm shaped by emotion and Grimm. Memory loss is evident."

"Then they’re like the others. Lost. Disoriented," Naoto said.

Rachel closed her parasol and gently stepped toward the ledge. "But not helpless. That’s important."

The battle below neared its end—the monsters thinning. The four fighters regrouped.

"We intervene?" Naoto asked.

Rachel replied, "We don’t need to. Not yet."

Ragna grimaced. "We can’t just watch forever. If they’re gonna survive this mess, they’ll need direction."

Rachel turned to Ragna. "Oh? The Central Fiction speaking like a leader?"

"Tch. Don’t start."

"Still, you’re not wrong." She nodded toward the group. "Go to them. You’re the bridge between our knowledge... and their confusion. Let them follow you—until they remember what they’re fighting for."

"You think they’ll just listen?" Naoto asked.

"They won’t follow a stranger. But they’ll follow someone who fights like he’s already lost everything."

Ragna didn’t argue. He stepped forward, dropping from the cliff in a crimson arc of light.

Rachel turned to Naoto. "Let him have this moment. He needs it."

"You mean they need him."

Rachel’s smile was faint. "Both."

*Warp!*

Rachel teleported herself and Naoto away.

The battle converged on where Yang was. They didn’t know each other. Not fully. But in battle, they moved with a strange synchronicity. Ice, fists, explosions, and shadow-cleaving blades collided with the invaders until the platform trembled beneath them. Ash cleared.

Mitsuru started speaking. "You three. You're not civilians."

"Don’t know who you are. But I’m not helpless," Blake clarified.

"I don’t know your names either, but that was awesome," Yang commented.

"We’re in the middle of nowhere, fighting monsters made of shadow and glitch... sounds like the perfect time to form a team," Akihiko summarized.

"Until we learn more, survival takes priority. Agreed?"

They all nodded. Then he landed. A red blur hit the ground in front of them. Cloak flared. Boots scraped stone. Ragna the Bloodedge straightened up, arms crossed, eyes sharp. Everyone stared at him.

"...Tch. Took you long enough."

"And you are, exactly?" Mitsuru asked suspiciously.

"The guy who’s gonna help you stay alive. Ragna. Call me that. I’m not here to lecture you or run the show. But I know more about what’s happening than you do."

"Then start talking," Blake demanded.

"Worlds are collapsing. Someone—or something-is—is pulling people from different realities and mixing them. Half the people you remember probably don’t even remember you."

"...So this isn’t the first time this has happened?" Yang asked.

"No. But it’s the worst it’s ever been." He turned to them, tone firm. "You don’t have to trust me. Hell, I wouldn’t trust myself. But we’re not getting out of this unless we stick together."

There was a moment of silence. No one lowered their guard, but no one raised it either.

"I can’t speak for everyone here, but I’ve worked with worse."

"Agreed. Until we know more, we move as one."

*Whoosh!*

Suddenly, a gust of unnatural wind swept through the area. A blur moved across the shadows. Fast. Intentional.

Yang readied her gauntlets. "What now?"

A cold voice cut through the heat. "You’re making too much noise."

A ripple of black movement and blades—and then Seth emerged, perched on the wreckage of a collapsed support beam, twin daggers glinting. "Didn’t expect to see familiar faces here. Or his." He nodded toward Ragna.

"You know me?"

"Let’s say I’ve read the file. More specifically, this wanted poster."

Chapter Text

Theme Park Ruins

High above a crumbling Ferris wheel, Naoto Kurogane crouched beside Rachel Alucard, both balanced on the twisted spine of a rollercoaster rail. The sky flickered like an unstable screen—orange light casting ghost shadows over the broken landscape. Below them, five figures were caught mid-chaos: Yosuke Hanamura flipped through the air, dual blades swinging wildly. Makoto Nanaya moved like a cannonball, fists blazing, laughing in panic. Chie Satonaka was mid-kick, yelling, "Try THIS!" to anything that moved. Yukiko Amagi stood behind them, casting defensive fire but clearly flustered. Yumi was the lone calm one—ice dancing at her fingertips as she fended off a wave of Voids and Shadows with elegance and silence. They weren’t losing. But they weren’t working together, either.

Rachel crossed her arms, unimpressed. "A circus. No tent."

"They’re all strong. But it’s like throwing fireworks in a blender," Naoto commented.

"I’ve seen more cohesion in a drunken brawl. And yet..." She tilted her parasol, watching as Yosuke accidentally tripped over Makoto, causing Chie to yell at both of them, while Yukiko’s flame shield almost scorched them all. Yumi didn’t flinch—she adjusted her fan and froze a Void mid-leap. "That girl’s remarkable. A warrior sculpted from restraint. She remembers something deeper... even if the specifics are lost."

Naoto gritted his teeth. "They’ll die at this rate." He stood up.

"Oh? Are you playing team leader to?"

"I’m playing survivor. You coming?"

Rachel smiled faintly. "After you."

The team was struggling. After Yumi found them slowly waking up from the ground in a disoriented manner, they were ambushed before even getting the chance to ask who they were.

"I swear, if another one of these sludge freaks jumps at me—!" "I’M TRYING, OKAY! I don’t even know where we are!!" "Less yelling, more punching!" Makoto, Yosuke, and Chie yelled.

A massive Void leapt from a Ferris wheel cart—about to crash down on them all. Then—fist collided.

*PUNCH!*

A flash of crimson. The Void was punched across the area. Naoto landed in a crouch, arm soaked with blood.

"This is getting sad. Time to stop flailing."

Makoto blinked. "...Who the heck are you?"

"Someone who still remembers how to fight."

Rachel floated in elegantly. "And I’d suggest you all use the time to introduce your names and powers—and pay attention—before your next mistake kills someone."

Everyone did just that. Naoto remembered Makoto, but not the other way around. Yosuke, Chie, and Yukiko had a twinge of familiarity, as if they should remember at least one of them, while Yumi had no idea who they were at all. Once introductions were finished, the enemies circled. The six of them—chaotic, confused, and clashing—now had two steady hands at the wheel. And that was all they needed. The Void-Shadow hybrid was massive—tentacles of pitch black writhing around molten skeletal armor. It screeched like broken glass, red sigils crawling across its chest. A corrupted Arcana construct floated behind it, channeling spikes of energy like a haunted engine. It wasn’t just a monster. It was a test.

Rachel turned to Naoto. "They need rhythm. Not raw power."

Naoto gritted his teeth. "Yeah, yeah. I’m on it." He stepped forward, eyes locked on the chaotic team. "Makoto! You’re the tank. Go high-speed—draw its focus."

Makoto grinned. "NOW you’re speaking my language!" She rocketed forward in a blaze of orange, fists colliding with the beast’s core. It reeled back—but only for a moment.

"Yosuke, flank! Hit the legs!"

Yosuke started leaping. "Right behind ya, Cap’n!" He blurred past the beast, slicing at its joints to destabilize it.

"Chie, up top. Go for the control node on its back. Yumi—freeze that beast. Yukiko, keep the support hot!"

Chie’s boot ignited mid-air. She slammed it straight into the node, cracking it wide open. "YAHHH!!"

"Freeze."/*WHOOSH!*

*FOOM!* / "Maragion!"

Fire and frost met in a swirl of red and white as Yukiko’s flame seared the Arcana construct while Yumi’s ice locked it in place. The monster howled.

Naoto charged in. "Finish it!"

"Double strike!" Makoto spun with wild kinetic energy while Yosuke slid in low, dual blades ready.

*BOOM!*

A blast of fire and ice detonated behind Chie’s spinning kick as it landed center-mass. The Arcana shattered.

"NOW, DRAGON KICK!"/KICK!
The Void’s core cracked.

Naoto drove his fist through the heart.

*PUNCH!*

Silence. Then the beast disintegrated in a cloud of shadowed light. The team stood, breathing hard—but upright.

"That... was kinda awesome," Makoto commented.

"We actually worked together?" Chie asked.

"Okay, I kinda remember how this teamwork thing works," Yosuke pondered.

Yukiko smiled. "It feels familiar, doesn’t it?"

"I know that I’ve done this before... but not with any of you," Yumi spoke quietly.

Naoto didn’t smile, but his stance relaxed. Rachel floated behind him.

"Well done. You’re not completely hopeless."

Naoto rolled his eyes. Ash drifted through the air, soft and harmless now. The group lingered near the broken remnants of the corrupted Arcana engine, breaths slowing. A kind of silence settled—not awkward, but thoughtful. Yukiko sat down, brushing ash from her skirt. Chie stood nearby, still bouncing on her feet like the adrenaline hadn’t quite worn off. Makoto offered a thumbs-up to Yosuke, who rubbed behind his back. Yumi gazed into the sky, eyes tracking the flickering rifts.

Naoto relaxed his blood arm and turned to Rachel, who stood on a crumbling fence rail, parasol open again. "You’re leaving."

"Of course. My role was never to lead... only to guide."

He looked at the team—scraped, bruised, but intact. "And them?"

"They’ll remember what they need to. In time."

She stepped off the rail, floating midair with her usual poise.

"You’ve forgotten who you were. That is not a weakness—it is an opportunity. What you become now is yours to shape."

They looked at her, puzzled, but something in her tone resonated. Like a whisper from a dream half-remembered.

Yosuke scratched his head. "You always talk like that, or is this your multiverse persona?"

Rachel smirked. "You’re not as dull as you act. Try to keep that up."

"Gee, thanks," said a sweat-dropping Yosuke.

Chie crossed her arms. "Where are you going?"

"To prepare the next board... before the next piece falls."

"Wait—are we gonna see you again?" Makoto asked.

"Without question. The Queen always returns to the board."

*Warp!*

With a faint smile, Rachel vanished—in a flicker of red lace, lightning, and silence. The group stood in a wide arc, facing the spot she disappeared from.

"She was... something," Yukiko commented.

"I believe her," Yumi whispered.

"So do I. Trust me." Naoto backed up as an image of Raquel flashed in his mind

After a brief pause, Makoto slapped her palms together. "Sooo... do we have a name or something? Or do we just call ourselves the Weird Dream Team?"

"Ooh, I vote Team 'Where the Hell Are We!?'" Yosuke offered.

"No! Team Shadow Kickers!" Chie suggested.

"Team... needs food." Everyone looked at Yumi, who could only respond by blinking. "What? I’m hungry."

Naoto sighed. "Let’s find shelter before something else finds us."

They nodded, slowly falling into a rhythm as they moved toward a still-standing service tunnel beneath the park.

Chapter Text

Opera House

Creaking chains echoed from high above. Half the ceiling had collapsed, exposing the flickering multiverse sky. The grand piano on stage was warped—its notes corrupted into static whenever touched. And on that stage stood Rachel Alucard, unmoved. Below, five combatants fought not just monsters… but each other. Waldstein’s massive fists crushed the ground near Kanji, who was swinging a folding chair like it owed him money. Linne darted between them, slicing corrupted Voids while keeping her eyes on Naoto Shirogane, who had already fired warning shots in her direction. Elizabeth, the target of stray attacks, waltzed through it all, dodging blows with dancer-like ease and humming a lullaby. She knew half of them… even if they didn’t know her.

"A lovely disaster. How theatrical."

Raising her eyebrow, Rachel jumped down, making Elizabeth turn to the vampire as she spoke. "No composure. No discipline. Just flailing limbs in tailored coats. Unlike you, though, it seems."

Now, Elizabeth raised her eyebrow. "It appears that there’s both knowledge and power within you. Though not everyone’s built for elegance, dear."

"They won’t survive at this rate."

"Then shall we?"

Everyone was in disarray. Waldstein, Kanji, Linne, and Naoto had woken up in separate areas of the opera house. Half were inside; the others were outside. By the time they converged, they faced too many monsters and had no time—or reason—to think about teaming up. For all they knew, any one of them could be the enemy.

"You three are interfering with my engagement strategy!" Naoto yelled.

"I don’t even know what a 'strategy' is right now!!" Kanji snapped.

"You are brave, child. But loud," Waldstein commented.

Linne is getting annoyed. "Instead of fighting me, focus on the ones circling behind—"

Suddenly, an Arcana-empowered Void dropped from the ceiling—multi-armed, chanting in reverse, ready to crush them all mid-argument.

*BOOM!*

Lightning struck. Then a fan of cards fluttered. The Void exploded in a rain of red and blue sparks, giving everyone a chance to finally breathe.

Rachel landed gently behind the group, dusting off her dress. "Honestly. The drama. Did no one teach you how to dance?"

"I can’t teach choreography to those who refuse to listen," Elizabeth muttered.

Linne stepped back. "...You. You’re not from this world… None of you are, are you?"

The group slowly steadied. Tension bled into silence as it became apparent that they were all in the same boat.

"It seems you realize that fighting each other won’t solve anything." "Had we not stepped in, you all would’ve died a foolish and senseless death."

Kanji growled. "So what now then!? We don’t know each other!"

"You either fight or die." "Introduce, then decide."

"In other words, our best course of action..." "...is to work together," Linne and Naoto summarized.

Kanji sulked. "Tch, fine..." He turned to Waldstein. "Sorry for almost swinging a chair at your head."

"*Chuckling* You’ve strength, boy. But you wield it like a hammer in a porcelain shop."

"That’s... fair."

Rachel paced a step behind them all, silent until she spoke with intent. "You all fight like fragments. Scattered. But when given a target, you align. This world will test that."

"So we’re... what? A team?" Naoto asked.

Elizabeth smiled. "We’re the interval between acts. The ones who walk between stories. I quite like the sound of that."

Kanji raised an eyebrow. "That sounds super sketchy."

Rachel stepped forward into the shadows of the backstage corridor—her parasol now folded and resting across one shoulder.

Elizabeth turned to her. "You’re leaving?"

"The pieces... are moving again."

"So you’re needed elsewhere."

Rachel turned and saw the rest of the group looking at her.

"Between how you quickly dispatched that shadow, and how fast you convinced us we’re better off working together, you seem to be one of the few people who knows what’s going on," Naoto deduced.

"You trust us to survive without your guiding hand?" Waldstein asked.

"You survived this long, didn’t you?"

"We'll survive longer if we stay sharp. Together," Linne added.

Elizabeth extended her hand. "I know your type. The overpowered spectator. The one who’s so strong that, for one reason or another, you don’t meddle in the affairs of others, despite having the ability to move the story up and down the elevator of fate. Not that you could, since like me, your powers have been greatly reduced, have they?"

Gii and Nago looked at each other as if reading each other’s minds. "Woah. This new girl is summarizing our mistress like a book."

"And I suppose you’re telling me this because you’re one like me?" Rachel asked.

Elizabeth shook her head. "Incorrect. I’m telling you this because my entire family is like you."

Rachel turned fully, interested. "Family?"

Elizabeth nodded. "My master, twin brother, older sister, and younger sister are all like you in that regard—complete with a room where we can watch what’s happening on Earth."

Kanji tilted his head in confusion. "So… are they like... gods?"

Naoto, Linne, and Waldstein considered everything and gave their answers after a moment of thought. "Probably."

"And I suppose the sole reason you were dragged out of that said room is because of this multiversal mess, isn’t it?"

"It’s not just the mess itself. My entire family was kidnapped."

Everyone’s eyes widened. "Kidnapped?"

"Whoever they were, they were powerful enough to breach the room. Despite all of our best efforts, we were all captured—except me. Worse, the group I was assigned to watch over years ago is now in peril again. Only this time, a sacrifice can’t fix it."

That shocked Rachel. "Sacrifice?"

Elizabeth nodded. "I was even working on reversing the sacrifice when this started. If I don’t fix this soon, one of them might meet a fatal end... just like he did."

Rachel’s mind flashed back to the events before Calamity Trigger, through Central Fiction. Not only was there someone standing before her who was cursed with the boredom of watching a glorified TV station, but the one they were in charge of looking after died because he knew he had to. And now, more of her players were going to die—all because she failed to uphold her father’s promise. She didn’t even know where Valkenhayn was. Her expression darkened.

"Of course, you could argue I’m not in a place to critique your spectating ethics. But since I’m the only one here who understands you, I feel I should say something—"

"I’m staying."

"Oh?"

"This world is unraveling, and I’ve spent enough time on the edge of the board for one lifetime. Yes, it’s true—I was the type to disappear when things got grounded. But my role as a Bystander ends with this crisis. After that... there won’t be anything left to observe. So it’s time I joined the game."
Smiles grew on everyone’s faces as Rachel remained calm but resolute.

"This team needs calculation, stability, and someone who can see the larger pattern. That means staying with you."

"A warrior who chooses battle over retreat is welcome," Waldstein approved.

"You can zap us with lightning if we start getting dumb again?" Kanji asked.

"That was always part of the plan."

"Then we’re six. I think it’s time for some proper introductions, wouldn’t you say?" Elizabeth suggested.

Waldstein nodded. "If we must stick together, then we must know who we are. But not here."

"We need to move. Regroup. Plan."

"Agreed. That enemy was too precise to be random. Someone’s coordinating these attacks," Linne and Naoto summarized.

The group looked at each other—not friends yet, not truly—but something was starting. Not memory, but trust.

Chapter Text

Floating Forest

The trees were ancient, yet broken. Their roots coiled around floating platforms as if anchoring reality. Purple leaves drifted through the air, glowing softly with residue from a dying world. Footsteps echoed along a cracked path of mossy stone. Konoe “Nine the Phantom” Mercury led the trail, with Celica A. Mercury walking behind her cautiously. Minerva trailed at the rear, scanning for instability in the leylines beneath their feet. They reached a crater where a girl with bright eyes and a pulsing aura of positivity had landed—Heart Aino. She punched her gloved fists together, almost as if to keep her spirit warm.

"Woah… this is not my Earth. Or anywhere I’ve ever been. But I’ve fought monsters like that sludge-thing before." She turned to see Nine and Celica. "Oh, hi! You girls must be the denizens of this Earth, are you not?"

"Sadly, no. We are not—and it sounds like you’re not from here either," Nine replied.

"What a shame. Looks like I have some exploring to do."

Celica smiled, much to Heart’s confusion. "What is it?"

"You're holding up better than I thought, even with you being far from home."

"When the world falls apart, you don’t get to panic—you fight for the pieces that matter."

Nine took a good look at Heart. "Your aura’s… bright. Naively so. Like my sister over here."

"Nine..."

Heart chuckled. "I’ve been called worse!"

"I can imagine. You’re right about one thing—we do have some exploring to do. If we’re here, others might be too."

Celica looked up. "Yeah. I feel them. Nearby… falling."

*BOOM!*

A metallic crash echoed as Mika smashed through a branch above, bouncing before landing on her feet with a grin.

"WOAH! That was awesome! What just happened?!"

Nine sighed. "I was hoping to ask you the same thing, but your guess is as good as ours."

A second portal opened—this time, a swirl of childlike energy and twin voices as a staff-wielding blond girl in light blue landed into existence.

"*SCREAMING!*" *THUD!*

"Trinity!?" Nine and Celica exclaimed simultaneously.

"Ugh, where ARE we? And why does Luna smell magic puke?!" "Please be respectful… we may have crashed into someone important..." "Don’t argue with Luna, Sena!"

*WHOOSH!*

Finally—a third ripple. Silent. Precise. Jubei stepped through, crouched low, scanning the area. Nine and Celica’s eyes watered as they recognized him.

"Ju…bei?"

Platinum looked at him like she (or they, in this case) should remember him.

As for Heart and Mika, all they could see in Jubei was a cat. "Gasp! A KITTY!"

They raced toward him, intending to pet him. Jubei’s response was to draw his swords and glare.

*SHINK!*

"Don’t even think about it." They both stepped back to where a shocked Platinum is, and Jubei turned away. "...Well, this is either a miracle or the start of something really bad—"

Nine embraced Jubei, much to the shock of Platinum, Heart, and Mika. "What the!?" "What the love!?" "How did she even get behind him that quickly!?"

"I’m sorry… for everything. For letting my rage take over, for everything I did as the Phantom, and everything relating to that... snake-faced bastard!"

As tears fell, Nine’s hands grew hot. "Uh… I think you should—"

"You even ended up raising our daughter and had her hate you for it! I promise, once we get back, things will be different—"

*SCRATCH!*/"GAH!"

With feline reflexes (fittingly), Jubei freed himself from Nine’s grasp, scratching her in the process. Everyone, especially Celica, gasped. "Nine!"

Celica used her healing magic to fix the scratches. Nine could only stare in disheartened horror. "What?"

"Sorry about that, lady, but your hands were burning me up—and frankly, I don’t even know who you are."

Those last seven words hit Nine like a slap in the face. Her voice dropped. "Oh… I see… After everything I’ve done, you don’t even want to remember me again."

Jubei, along with everyone else, looked confused—except for Celica, who gazed at Nine’s tear-streaked face with sorrow. "Sis..."

"Let’s go, Celica. There’s no point in being with someone who *hic* doesn’t want to see—"

"Sis, wait a second!" Celica interrupted, shocking Nine.

Celica turned to Jubei and bowed. "I’m sorry if this comes on strong, but can I… pet you?" Jubei now looked annoyed. "I just want to confirm something. Please? It’s for my sister, and if I’m right, she needs to know."

Jubei glanced at the crying Nine, who looked away in shame, and sighed. "Fine... One pat."

Celica chuckled. "That’s all I need."

She touched Jubei’s head and used the Power of Order to read his mind.

She then removed her hand and covered her mouth. "Oh my god. Your memory is altered."

Nine turned to Celica. "What?"

"Wait a second, what did you do?"

"I used the Power of Order to scan your mind. All you can remember is your clan, living in Kagutsuchi, destroying cauldrons, and falling through the portal—but your memories of the people closest to you... They are gone."

Heart flashed back to her first crossover event. "Come to think of it, that’s how it was for me back then. I wonder if..."

Jubei was silent, then sighed. "Yeah… that’s true. And judging from your reaction, I was someone very special, huh?"

Nine sniffled. "You’re damn right you were. And despite everything—including this—you still are."

"Hey, wait a second." Everyone turned to the Sena-speaking Platinum. "I don’t remember anything either." "Luna, too."

Jubei raised his eyebrows as Heart and Mika looked confused. "Uh… why do you keep changing voices like there’s someone else in your body?" "That’s a very good question."

"Because there is. Three souls should be in that body, actually."

Jubei nodded in understanding at Nine’s explanation, while Heart and Mika grew more confused. "THAT just raises further questions!"

Nine sighed. "You both are not from my world at all."

Mika jumped a bit. "Your world? You mean I’m not in mine? We’re all from totally different worlds!? That’s so anime! I love it!"

Nine could only stare. "You just—You just realized—What even is an anime!?"

Jubei now considered everything. "In a different world, with altered memories, huh? In that case, I’ll join you guys."

Everyone gasped. "Really!?"

"Sure. I need to figure out what the heck’s going on anyway. And it sounds like you two have at least an inkling, since your memories are intact."

"Make that three!" Everyone turned to a hand-raising Heart. "I remember everything up till now!"

"So you do know what’s going on!" Celica cheered.

"That’s... a no."

"Bummer… Well, you know what they say—three heads are better than two."

"Oh my god, that’s so true! In that case, I should introduce myself. My name is Heart Aino, holder of the Lover Arcana!"

"Lover... Arcana? Like the tarot card?"

"Yeah, something like that."

"Cool! I'm Celica A. Mercury. This is my bodyguard, Minerva, and that’s my sister, Nine."

"EEK! Family love! You two must be really close."

"Yeah, we are actually."

Everyone else stared at Celica and Heart as they continued to banter. "What... a pair of peas." "I wasn’t kidding when I said she reminds me of Celica. Now I’m starting to wonder if she’s either a clone or another possibility of her."

Sena was confused. "Isn’t the saying two heads are better than one?" "Luna doesn’t care about some stupid metaphor. Now she wants to know if this cheerleader has her brains together."

Luna pointed at Mika. "Cheerleader!? First of all, these things in my hands are gauntlets, not pom-poms! Second, I'm the tenth executioner of the Licht Kreis!" Everyone looked at her blankly. "None of you know what that is, do you?" They all nodded. "Figures..."

Nine decided to shift the conversation. "You can tell us about it later. Can you recall anyone close to you?"

Mika thought hard but came up blank. "No... I don't. All I can remember is my harrowing journey to Japan, my Licht Kreis rank, and that portal."

"What’s... Japan?" Platinum asked.

Mika was dumbfounded. "You don’t even have JAPAN in your world!? We have SO much to discuss."

Jubei returned to thought. "So you, I, and the three souls in one girl lost parts of our memories. Huh. How come you remember?" He turned to Nine.

"Your guess is as good as mine. It might be because Celica and I rose from the dead and woke up in this bizarre world instead of falling through a portal. But that raises an important question about Heart."

This got Mika's attention. "ROSE FROM THE—ARE YOU AND YOUR SISTER ZOMBIES!?" She readied her gauntlets, much to Nine's increasing annoyance.

"No, we're not zombies! Or else I’d be eating your flesh by now! We wouldn’t even look this healthy!"

"But… you just said—"

"It’s complicated, okay? I don’t even know how we’re here myself—but that’s beside the point." Nine turned to Heart, who was still chatting with Celica. "Heart!"

She turned. "Yes, Celly-Celly’s sister?"

"Celly-Celly!? Doesn’t matter. You fell through a portal, right?"

"Yes."

"How come your mind is still intact?"

Heart thought about it. "Maybe it’s because this isn’t the first time this has happened to me." Everyone is in shock. "What!?"

"Yeah. There was a popstar, a knight, a ninja, and even a human... book."

Everyone stared blankly. "A human book?"

"I don’t even know how that works myself. But before I landed, I heard a voice telling me my mind was safe because of it—and that I should find a keystone."

"Keystone?" Everyone turned to Nine and Celica, who pondered.

"Keystone... keystone... Never heard of it." Everyone sighed, "Hey, sister, didn't we study this at school? Something about...Dimensional...Collapse?" A beam of enlightenment hits Nine "Yes...Yes we did!"

"So you do know what this Keystone is!" Heart declares

"Nope. I don't know what it is, but what I can guess from this situation is that it's connected to why all of this is happening"

"Then it’s settled!" Mika pointed to the path ahead. "We six will band together, find our memories, the Keyrock-thingy, and the baddie who caused all of this!"

"Don’t you ever stop yelling?" "Luna’s ears hurt," Platinum complained.

"She’s right about one thing. We need to move. But first, we stabilize ourselves. Then we fight," Nine commanded.

"And have the rest of you introduce yourselves," Celica added.

Jubei nodded. "In that case, call me Jubei." He turned to Nine and Celica. "I'm sorry I can’t remember who you two are—and for hurting you. I promise, once I get my memories back, we’ll settle whatever business we had."

Jubei extended both hands. Celica took one. "My name is Celica A Mercury."

Jubei turns to Nine along with Celica, who wipes a single tear from her cheek, and takes the other. "Yeah...We will...And my name...Is Nine. Nine the Phantom"

Jubei smiles, "Happy to make your acquaintance, you two."

Everyone else shared their introductions and turned toward the deeper part of the floating forest. A path lay ahead, unstable. Flickering. But this time... they would walk it together.

Chapter Text

The Phantom Zone

Wind howled through the pale trees, kicking up shards of snow and glass. The entire forest seemed frozen in time, crystallized by an unnatural presence. From the shadows stepped Jin Kisaragi, cloak torn but stance steady. He gripped Yukianesa, the blade humming faintly with purpose. His gaze swept the landscape, calculating, detached.

"This world reeks of corruption. Something unnatural festers here."

He sensed no allies. Not even his sister, Noel. Only distortion. "A punishment awaits those who shatter the natural order."

A portal flickered in the distance, spitting out twisted forms: a malformed Void… a corrupted Grimm… something wearing the face of a knight long lost. Jin raised Yukianesa without hesitation.

"If this is a new battlefield, then let justice be the first to take root." He surged forward—not as a soldier of the NOL, but as the sword of absolute judgment.

Dusk Cathedral

The wind howled through a sanctuary no longer whole. Stained glass hung in midair, frozen in time, while marble pews cracked along paths of silent footsteps. Glowing sigils from multiple worlds flickered on the walls. Orie Ballardiae stood solemnly in the center, sword held upright in a knight’s salute. Her eyes scanned the perimeter. She sensed a presence. Yuzuriha leaned lazily against a fractured pillar, hair drifting in the wind, blade unsheathed but resting casually.

"You." This got Yuzuriha’s attention. Orie pointed her blade at her. "You don’t belong here."

Yuzuriha raised an eyebrow. "Do you always point your sword at strangers before asking questions?"

Orie remained calm and cold. "I feel like I know you from somewhere. Not as allies or enemies."

Yuzuriha half-smiled. "So somewhere in between, huh? You wanna know something? I feel like I should know you, too. So we were either rivals or passersby—but whatever our relationship was, it doesn’t apply here and now. So the real question is: are you going to treat me like a friend—" Yuzuriha now pointed her blade back. "—or a foe?"

Orie glared at her, then lowered her sword. "I only want information. Not conflict."

Yuzuriha mirrored her. "Sounds like 'friend' to me. Wanna team up?"

*BASH!*

A knight-like monster burst through the wall in front of them. The two women drew their blades.

"With my option to decline revoked, yes."

*CLANG!*

The charge and clash began.

Nearby, Yu Narukami entered the collapsed altar. He looked around—no sense of familiarity. Just wrongness. "...Not Inaba."

Then he saw them—white circles with giant snowflake sigils. Someone was walking across them. That someone was Weiss Schnee, slowly descending a spiral of floating glyphs, each glowing beneath her feet.

"Who... is that? And are those circles hers?"

They heard the battle before they saw it—Orie and Yuzuriha’s blades dancing amid holy ruins. She dashed forward.

"Might as well follow her."

Yu dashed in after.

Orie and Yuzuriha now cornered the knight. Realizing it was outmatched, the creature turned to flee—only to meet a wall of glyphs. The EXS swordswomen turned and saw Weiss jump from a glyph, thrusting her sword.

*CLANG!*

The knight blocked it. Weiss landed near them.

"Nice ambush, lady!" Yuzuriha complimented.

Weiss scoffed. "Not a good one. Otherwise, that Grimm would be down."

Orie and Yuzuriha exchanged glances. "Grimm?" "Don’t you mean Void?"

"Void?"

*BASH!*

The knight used their distraction to escape. "Oh, that’s not good."

"You think!?" Weiss shot back.

"Decide what that is later. We must destroy it," Orie stated.

Weiss and Yuzuriha nodded, charging after. Yu watched from a distance, absorbing what had happened.

"From chasing one girl to chasing three girls. This... almost feels natural for some reason." He took off.

Earlier

From a broken arch above, Tsubaki Yayoi stirred. Her robes were tattered, but her weapon was ready. "What... happened?"

She looked down and saw the three women confronting the knight. "What is that? Who are they? Where am I?"

*BASH!* The knight fled.

"...Decide what that is later. We must destroy it," they charged after it.

"...Destroy it? Has it committed a crime?" Her hand trembled.

"Why am I... worried? Why am I scared? If that knight’s a criminal..." "I must go after it!" She bolted.

The knight fled. Yuzuriha ran to its left, Weiss glided on glyphs at its right, and Orie chased from behind—Thanatos at her side. The three swordswomen closed in.

"HIYA!"

Time slowed. They struck. The knight responded with a backflip, shocking them—it avoided all three. But it didn’t see the whip-sword.

*PIERCE!* *SLAM!*

Tsubaki pinned it to the ground. "Your run ends here, villain."

The knight looked up at Tsubaki, then back at the recovering women. It searched for another escape.

"PERSONA!"

*ZAP!* Lightning crashed down.

*THUD!*

Tsubaki turned. Yu stood nearby—Izanagi behind him. "Whew. Just in the nick of time."

The three women saw Tsubaki and Yu.

"Are they with you?" Orie and Yuzuriha asked Weiss.

"I thought they were with one of you."

Tsubaki looked around. "You four... none of you belong here. Do any of you know what's—"

*CLANG!*

An ambush! Yu blocked just in time. The knight had recovered and now healed itself. "Hmm. Not the right element, it seems."

Seeing five sword-wielders before it, the knight turned to flee—only to find its feet frozen.

*WHOOSH!*

Jin appeared, sneering. "You all wield swords? This is our chance. We strike in tandem. It won’t escape again." Nods all around. The six attacked together.

*MULTIPLE SLASHES!* *BOOM!*

The knight was defeated.

"Tch. Coward."

Jin turned. Tsubaki looked stunned. "Tsu...baki?"

She bowed. "Thank you for the assistance, sir."

Jin's memory surged—his childhood, NOL days, everything with Tsubaki. "Sir!?"

Weiss turned. "You use ice in swordplay? And they call me the Ice Queen."

"Really? Who?" Yu asked.

"Oh, just my..." Weiss paused. "My... I don’t know. I can’t remember!"

Everyone was shocked. "You can’t remember?"

"Not even a person. That’s not like me at all."

"You can't remember people? Friends?"

"They must be. I remember Atlas... and I wish I didn’t."

"Atlas? As in the Greek titan?" Orie asked.

"Greek titan? No—the kingdom!" Blank stares. "You don’t know Grimm. You don’t know Atlas. Are you even from Remnant!?" Still blank. Weiss sat down, face in hands. "I’m so not at Beacon anymore."

"Are you making these places up?" Yuzuriha asked.

Yu gave her a disapproving look.

Tsubaki placed a hand on Weiss’s shoulder. "It’s going to be okay, ma’am. If it helps, my memory is fuzzy as—"

*WHOOSH!*

Jin touched everyone’s head, and reactions flew..

"What the—sir!"

"I beg your pardon!?"

"Exactly when did I give you permission?!"

"At least he didn’t cop a feel."

"That would be worse."

Jin stepped back. "Just as I thought. Altered memories." He pointed at Tsubaki. "Besides you, none of you belong in my world."

Everyone reeled. "My world? We’re not on Earth anymore?"

"Correct. I’m embarrassed it took me this long to realize it. No wonder you all swing like amateurs."

Weiss fumed. "Excuse me!?"

"I will make sure you don’t fall apart. I’ll restore order before the true enemy arrives. You're trained, yes—but not convicted. Especially you, Tsubaki Yayoi."

Tsubaki gasped. "How do you know my name?"

"Because I’m your childhood friend. You don’t remember because your memory, like theirs, is altered."

"And why not yours?" Orie asked.

"Because I wield a universal constant—the Power of Order. I’m immune to chaos."

Except for Tsubaki, who is wondering if she had heard of the power of order before, everyone stared at Jin, like he were dumb.

"Can it restore memories?" Yu asked.

"You’re just accepting that!?" Weiss thought

Jin scoffed. "If it could, I would’ve done so when I touched you. Whoever the enemy is, they’ve handicapped me. Still, it’s clear—you need order. I’ll lead. If that’s a problem—"

"Relax, snow prince. You’ve got my blade—for now," Yuzuriha said.

"I’ll follow—not because you told me to, but because you know what you’re doing," Weiss agreed.

"Even with my memory gone, I believe you. Somehow, you warm my heart," Tsubaki added.

"I’ll move forward with you, one fight at a time," Yu affirmed.

"If you fight for justice, then we stand together," Orie said.

Jin and Tsubaki raised their eyebrows.

"And you are?"

"Orie Ballardiae, Rank Five Executor of Licht Kreis."

Yuzuriha blinked. "That’s why she was so serious. I’d better hide my knight-blade past."

Tsubaki is now slowly seeing a younger version of herself within "Why do I feel...a mixture of nostalgia and shame from her?"

Jin was in thought "This girl...Is like Tsubaki." His mind flashes back to Tsubaki’s imperator days, and he clenched his fists "I’m going to make sure that she doesn’t fall to the enemy".

Weiss noticed the distressing atmosphere and was about to speak until Yu spoke first. "Let’s continue introductions."

Weiss raised an eyebrow. "You noticed too, huh?"

Jin sighed. "Fine. But after that, we move. The longer we stand around, the more ground we lose."

Everyone nodded. Names were exchanged. Then they followed Jin toward a purpose and a war.

Chapter Text

The Phantom Zone

Noel woke up quietly atop a pile of rubble, her gunblades folded beside her. Her nun uniform was gone, replaced by a familiar blue and white outfit.

"Where... am I? Why am I wearing this outfit again?"

She closed her green eyes and reopened them, now glowing blue to activate the Eye of the Azure. In doing so, everything came back to her—Ragna. The Master Unit. The truth.

"Brother... Ragna. How could I ever forget?" she whispered.

Her chest ached—not from wounds, but from forgetting. She had once found peace. A future. Why had the world made her sacrifice that at the cost of her family?
A Shadow drifted nearby, sniffing the air. She didn’t hesitate—two shots, clean and silent.

*BANG BANG!*

"If my home is falling apart... I won’t let the enemy take anyone else."

Determined to understand what was happening, Noel activated the Eye of the Azure again to observe others' histories. This time, all she could see was headache-inducing static.

"GAH! My head... I can't observe..." She deactivated her Azure eye, stood, brushed ash from her sleeves, and picked up her weapons.

"Even if I'm blind... I’ll find the enemy." And with that, she walked into the storm.

Fractured Freeway
The air shimmered with static as corrupted Blitzsoldiers stalked the broken highway like metal beasts. A few Shadows lingered behind them, whispering curses in half-formed words. Hyde Kido was mid-battle—his jacket scorched, Insulator glowing faintly in his hand. He dodged a rocket fist and countered with a sharp slash, panting with each movement.

*WHOOSH!*

From a distant platform, a crimson flash burst into the fray. Ruby Rose zoomed across the collapsing debris, rose petals swirling behind her. She swung Crescent Rose in a wide arc, bisecting a Blitzsoldier mid-leap.

Hyde flinched. "You—! Are you with them?!"

Ruby spun toward him. "Them?! No! Wait... who are you?!"

*BOOM!*

Another explosion rocked the ground. They instinctively turned, shoulders aligned, weapons ready.

"Okay... to make this short, I’m Hyde. Hyde Kido."

"Ruby Rose, and I’m not with them at all."

"So, an ally then?"

"Uhm... yeah. Unless you don’t want to check out that explosion."

"No, I do. Someone could be in danger."

Ruby smiled. "Perfect! Race you there!"

*WHOOSH!*

"WHAT THE—?!"

Hyde shouted as Ruby broke herself down into particles that defied mass, flying like a red whirlwind toward the explosion. All Hyde could do was glance at his sword in dismay as his mind flashed back to the void attack that changed his life.

"That night so ruined my definition of normalcy."

From above, a fiery flash streaked across the sky. Mai Natsume landed with her spear in hand, rolling to a stop.

"Ugh... Where am I?"

*BOOM!*

A hybrid of Nox and Grimm immediately confronted her. "Okay... A giant, robotic goo monster. Not the welcome party I expected!"

Mai readied her spear, but before she could attack, gunshots rang out, hitting the hybrid.

*BANGING!*

She turned and saw Noel charging in, guns blazing, dodging every attack with such finesse that she looked like she was striking dramatic poses mid-battle. She even blocked one blow with her gun and shot the creature point-blank in the face.

*BANG!* *BOOM!*

The hybrid collapsed. Noel turned and saw Mai. "Mai!"

Mai looked confused as Noel rushed in and hugged her. "Huh?!"

"I’m so glad you’re here. I couldn’t find anyone! Jin, Makoto, Lambda—everyone! You’ve been searching, haven’t you?"

Mai tilted her head. "I’m sorry, but I think you’ve got the wrong person."

Noel’s eyes widened. "Huh?"

"I’ve never met those people... and I don’t even know you."

Noel released her hug and stared at Mai. She couldn’t possibly mistake her for anyone else. "No... Am I in the Embryo again?!" She flashed back to her earlier search. "No. If I were, the place would look more like Kagutsuchi or Ikaruga... but there are areas I’ve never seen before. So where am I?!" Deciding that helping Mai remember was more important, she stepped closer. "Mai, it’s me! Noel Vermillion, from the NOL Academy!"

Mai blinked. "You were... in the Academy?"

Noel nodded. "You’re my classmate and friend! Along with Makoto, Tsubaki, and—well, to a lesser extent—my brother, Jin!"

"Your brother... and Makoto were my classmates?"

Noel continued, "Your Drive, your weapon—Gallia Sphyra: Outseal—can track opponents once thrown. As long as you have a target in your mind, it doesn’t matter the direction. And you have super taste, meaning you can detect emotions, thoughts, and memories. You can taste me for proof!" Noel blushed. "Wait—that came out wrong! But my point stands!"

Mai raised a brow, half-curious, half-disturbed. "How do you know these things? I never told anyone."

Noel’s eyes filled with tears. "Mai, please. I even know your secret."

Mai stiffened. "My secret?!"

"An assassin from the Kaka Clan revealed it. We all accepted you because of who you were to us. You didn’t even know what was going to happen—"

"YOU’RE ONE OF THEM, AREN’T YOU?!" Mai screamed, eyes wet with fear. "You’re one of the assassins he sent after me, aren’t you?!" Noel’s heart broke. She put her guns away and stretched out her arms. "What are you doing?"

"Proving I’m not your enemy."

"What?"

"If you truly believe I’m not your friend—if you think I’m your enemy—then kill me. Right here. Right now."

Mai stood frozen. "Tell me... What is this secret you think you know?"

A single tear rolled down Noel’s cheek. "Your name isn’t Mai Natsume. It’s Mai Hazuki, of one of the Duodecim families. You weren’t even a girl—you were a boy. But you were transformed into a girl by a Grimoire. You searched for a cure... but after spending time with us, you accepted your new self."

Mai’s eyes widened. "You know so much... and you’re not an assassin. Yet we were... friends? Why?"

Another tear. "Because we didn’t care about your gender, we cared about you. We love you, Mai!"

Mai stood there, taking it all in. "That offer... to let me taste you. Does it still stand?" Noel blushed again but nodded. Mai stepped forward and touched a finger to Noel’s cheek, catching a tear.

She tasted it. Her eyes widened. "Noel..." Noel opened her eyes. "I—"

*BOOM!*

A dragon-like hybrid shrieked, disorienting them. It charged up a blast aimed at Noel. Seeing this, Mai hurled her spear, despite her sloppy form from the disorientation.
*PIERCE!*

"*SHRIEK!*"

The dragon’s shot exploded in the air. Mai rushed to Noel. "Are you okay?"

Noel blinked. "You... saved me."

"I couldn’t see your memories, but I tasted your emotions. Sadness. Desperation. Heartbreak. But most importantly—truth." Noel smiled. Mai blushed. "We can talk about this later. Right now, we’ve got a dragon to fight."

Somewhere on a rooftop, Teddie awoke disoriented. "Guh... Where am I? What is this place?"

*WHOOSH!*/*SLAM!*

"GAH!" *THUD!*

Something red slammed into Teddie. As it materialized, it formed into Ruby, who landed face-first. "Ouch..." She stood up, brushing herself off, only to notice a bear. "What the...? A bear?!"

Upon hearing her voice, Teddie rose, locked eyes with Ruby, and immediately activated his infamous crush mode. "My, oh my... are you a rosy sight for sore eyes!"

Ruby shrieked. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

"Whoa, what's with the screaming?!"

"YOU! YOU CAN TALK! A TALKING BEAR?!"

"Okay, fair reaction. But wait a minute!" He quickly unzipped his head, revealing a blonde boy underneath. "It’s just a costume! See?!"

Ruby blinked, then lowered her weapon. "Oh... Sorry about that."

"It's fine! With that cleared up, let’s get back to business!"

She tilted her head. "What business?"

Teddie pulled out a rose. "The romance business, sweetheart."

"Romance business?! I don’t even know you!"

"Well, we can fix that real quick."

Ruby's silver eyes darted awkwardly. Hyde’s face flashed in her mind.

"I just remembered—there’s someone I gotta—"

*BOOM!*

Another explosion echoed in the distance.

"What the?!"

*WHOOSH!*

Taking advantage of the distraction, Ruby transformed into a tornado of rose petals and zipped away.

Teddie blinked. "Hey! Where are you going?! I don’t even know your name! Come back!" He zipped his head back on and took off running after her.

Hyde sprinted toward the explosion site.

*BOOM!*

"GAH!" Another blast knocked him off balance.

*THUD!*

He groaned, getting back up—only to see a monstrous hybrid of Void and Yoma. "Tch, just what I needed—"

*SLASH!*

A swift blade intervened. Asuka landed beside him with a graceful spin, expression serious, though her wide eyes betrayed awe. The creature retreated.

"Another non-sapient Yoma... or something similar. So many questions to ask Fubuki."

She turned to Hyde, who jumped back in shock. "GYAH!"

"What? Another Yoma?"

"Yoma? What’s a-no! I’m screaming because you're naked!!"

Asuka looked down at herself. "Huh. Guess Super Frantic Mode wasn’t the best idea. Heh." She scratched the back of her head casually.

"SUPER FRANTIC—WHY ARE YOU SO CALM ABOUT THIS?!"

She tilted her head. "Oh, this? This is normal."

"NORMAL?!" Hyde grabbed her hand.

“What the-hey, what are you doing!?”

"Finding you a clothing store—before you run into a man!"

"But you are a man. Besides, they’ll come back."

"ANOTHER man! Wait—what do you mean they’ll come back?!" A flash of light burst behind him.

*FLASH!*

He turned, and Asuka now wore her iconic outfit: green skirt, white blouse, yellow sweater, red scarf.

"See? Told you."

Hyde blinked. "Where did—Where did they—Is that how your EXS works?!"

"EXS?" she echoed.

*BOOM!*

"You know what? Forget it. I need to go. Stay safe, okay?" He started running, but Asuka followed. "Huh?! You’re coming with me?"

"If people are in danger, I have to be their shield—and their sword."

"That’s... one way to define heroism. Alright, just... please keep your clothes on."

"As much as I’d love to promise that, experience says otherwise—but I’ll try my best! See you there!"

*ZOOM!*

Hyde wanted to ask what she meant—but she was already gone. "Damn, there are so many fast girls in this town...Why does that encounter feel familiar?" Then his mind returned to one other thing—Asuka’s... proportions. "And why the hell do I feel like I’ve seen a size like... THAT before?!"

Noel and Mai faced off against the dragon in a tense stalemate. Though bruised and scratched, they had gained one advantage: the dragon could no longer fly, thanks to Noel’s expert shooting. Its wings were riddled with holes.

"You’re good with those guns, Noel. It’s like I can almost predict your timing," Mai said.

"Even though I failed to jog her memory... this is still a good start," Noel thought. "Thank you, Mai. But let’s not forget—you blinded one of its eyes."

"That was mostly my Drive doing the work."

"You still threw it."

"Good point."

"*SHRIEK!*" The dragon roared.

"Looks like we’re going to need some help over here!" Noel called.

"Know anyone to call?!" Mai asked.

Before the dragon could fire, a flurry of slashes from both flanks intercepted it.

*SLASHES!*

"*SHRIEK!*"

Ruby and Asuka landed beside Noel and Mai. "Whew. Made it!" The two brunettes looked at the drive users. "Oh! Didn’t know there were other huntresses/shinobi—huh?" They turned to each other, surprised by the similar sentence they spoke.

Noel and Mai exchanged glances. "You called quickly." "That wasn’t me."

"HEY! WAIT UP!"

Two male voices echoed as Hyde and Teddie arrived from opposite sides. Ruby sweatdropped at the sight of Teddie. "Oh no..."

The boys panted as they caught their breath. "You... sure go..., fast..." Teddie wheezed.

"Tell me about it. That speed can’t be hum—" Hyde paused, staring at Teddie. "WHAT IS THAT THING?!"

Ruby hesitated. "He’s... uh..."

"Now that’s just rude! I’m a Persona-using Shadow mascot with style!"

Everyone tilted their heads. "Persona... Shadow...?...What?"

"You don’t know what a Persona is? Not even a Shadow?! Then what do you call that dragon?!"

Various responses followed: "A Seither Beast?"/"A Void?"/"A Grimm?"/"A Yoma?" Confused, they looked at each other. "Wait, what?"

*THUD!*

The dragon rose again—this time missing its wings entirely.

"Whatever that thing is, it’s not down yet!"

"Not unless we fight together!" Noel declared.

Everyone nodded.

"BEARSONA!"

*WHOOSH!*

Teddie summoned Kintoki-Douji, freezing the dragon’s limbs. The girls felt something familiar in the power. Especially Noel "I hope my brothers are okay..." 

*WHOOSH!*

Ruby and Asuka sprinted forward.

"What are you two doing?!" Hyde asked.

"Providing a distraction!"

The dragon fired a breath attack.

*BOOM!*

It missed. Ruby slashed with her scythe-turned-sniper, while Asuka struck from the opposite side.

*SLASH!*/*BANG!*

Meanwhile, Hyde and Teddie attacked the frozen limbs with their sword and claws, respectively.

*SLASH!*

"*SHRIEK!*"

Only the head and tail remained.

"Now!" Noel shouted.

Mai pinned the tail with her Drive.

*PIERCE!*

Noel charged her guns, aiming at the charging blast forming in the dragon’s throat.

*BOOM!*

The beams collided—a clash of energy. Ruby blinded the other eye.

*BANG!*

"*SHRIEK!*"

Noel dodged the enemy’s blast and returned fire, her beam vaporizing the dragon down to its final cell.

"*SHRIEK!*"

It collapsed.

"WOO-HOO! WE DID IT!" Ruby cheered.

"All thanks to teamwork. Though next time, if you’ve got a plan, maybe tell your team first," Noel chided.

"Sorry. It just felt... natural," Asuka apologized.

"You and me both," Ruby added. "Honestly, I felt like everyone was supposed to follow my lead."

"That’s...exactly how I felt!" Asuka nodded. "Also...I’ve been waiting to ask for a while, but did your scythe... transform into a gun?"

Ruby lit up. "You get it! And I have a question, too."

“Ok, what is it?”

“I can’t help but notice how simplistic your weapons are. Why is that?” 

The others glanced at each other. "Maybe it’s better if you tell us where you got yours," Hyde suggested.

Ruby was confused “What do you mean? I got it from my local blacksmith. It was even inspired by my uncle-” She paused. "My... uncle... I don’t remember. I don’t remember!"

Gasps all around. "You don’t remember?!" Hyde and Asuka echoed.

"My friends, my family—gone! Even the one who trained me—blank! Why?!"

Tears welled in Ruby's eyes as Asuka clutched her head. "Gah!"

"What’s wrong?!" Hyde and Teddie asked.

"Your situation... It’s so familiar. But from who...?"

She tried to recall a tanned girl with green eyes, but only saw static. A powerful one that made her blush, panting like she’d been hit with an aphrodisiac.

"You’re burning up!"

"Don’t worry! I’ll summon my Persona and cool you down!"

"Can this 'Persona' thing control temperature?! She needs room temp, not frostbite!"

"ZOO-WEE MAMA!"

"What now?! Is the dragon alive—AYE-AYE-AYE!"

Everyone turned in horror. Asuka had started stripping down to her beach ball color-schemed bra and panties. "So... hot... can’t... remember..."

Noel and Mai could only stare at the situation unfolding. "Oh, we've got to do something!"

"We!? You're the one who helped me realize that I've forgotten certain pieces of my memories. Can you help them to remember!?"

"I can't!"

"Why not!?"

"Because I don't even know these people!"

Mai's eyes widen. "What!?"

"You're the only person around here whom I could remember, Mai."

Mai proceeds to register what this means: "Oh crud..."

"WHAT THE HELL DID I TELL YOU ABOUT CLOTHES?!" Hyde yelled

"BACK OFF, CLOWNFISH! SHE’S BURNING UP! BESIDES—" Teddie removed his head again, shocking Hyde, Noel, and Mai. "A full-bodied maiden like her needs... gentler handling."

Hyde recoiled. "You’re just a guy in a suit?! And did you seriously say that?!"

"Excuse me, but that suit was my original face! And you can’t deny how well-endowed she is!"

Hyde’s eyes betrayed him, glancing at her chest. "EVEN IF I CAN’T DENY IT—I’M NOT THAT KIND OF BOY!"

"You know... You remind me of someone."

"Oh, really! Who?!"

Teddie paused. "I don’t know... I CAN’T REMEMBER EITHER!"

“I can’t even- WHAT’S WITH THE AMNESIA-” Hyde stops speaking as a diva, mercenary, illusionist, and a bare fist monk flashed in his mind through a static filter. “Hold on...”

“Now what!?”

“That word…amnesia…Why is my mind getting fuzzy about it?” 

Mai is now curious, "This makes no sense. how is everybody forgetting certain things about themselves? and how come you're the only one with a clear mind?"

Noel is thinking, "I want to assume that it's because of the eye, but for some reason I can't use it to my full extent unless I want a headache. It's like I'm facing off with" A beam of enlightenment hits Noel. "The boundary itself..."

"HA! Looks like you’ve lost it too! Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a burning beauty to—"

*BANG!*

Noel stepped forward, guns smoking. Her voice turned cold, robotic. [You two. Step away. Now.] They obeyed instantly. [Your names. Tell me what they are.]

"Ruby. *Sniff* Ruby Rose." "Asu...ka."

She turned to the boys. [Your names. Tell me.]

"Hyde Kido!" "T-Teddie, ma’am!"

[Accessing memory banks: Ruby Rose. Asuka. Hyde Kido. Teddie. Accessing. Accessing. Accessing. No result. Initiating Eye of the Azure.] Her fists clenched as her headache intensified. [Accessing... Accessing...Accessing...] "*GASP!*"

She shut her eyes and collapsed.

*THUD!*

Mai caught her. "Noel!"

[Now... deactivating... Murakumo Mode.]

Hyde and Teddie stared. "Wait... what just happened?" "I’ve got a boatload of questions, and no idea where to start."

Noel groaned. "You... four... are not from my world."

"Wait, what?!"

"I used the Eye of the Azure. It was vague, but I confirmed it. You’re not from my world... and this place... isn’t mine either. The crisis we’re facing... It’s multiversal."

Gasps followed.

"So, in addition to losing my memories...I’m not even in Inaba!?/Kanzakai!?/Remnant!?/Asakusa?!" Noel fainted, nose bleeding. "What is going on?!"

"I don’t know. But now I’m sure—my memory loss isn’t a coincidence."

The four looked at Mai. "You lost your memory too?!"

"Yes. But unlike you, I’m from Noel’s world. Otherwise, she would’ve recognized you with her memories instead of going through all of...that." Mai hoisted Noel onto her back.

"So... what now?" Hyde asked.

"Now? We survive. Together. Until we understand who—or what—is tearing the multiverse apart."

Ruby wiped her eyes. "Sounds like a team to me."

Asuka re-dressed, the static of the tanned girl finally fading. "We should find shelter. Then make a plan."

"Team name first! I suggest: Operation Super Stylish Explosive Dreamers!" Teddie struck a pose.

"We’re gonna work on that." Together, they walked into the shifting dark.

Chapter Text

Broken Labyrinth

Akatsuki stood at the edge of a massive, broken labyrinth. "The enemy got away... with Eltnam as their prisoner," he muttered, clenching his fist. "Where do I even begin the search?" Determined, he stepped forward, navigating the ruins. Eventually, he came upon a blonde girl lying unconscious beside a massive sword.

"Huh?!"

He rushed to her side just as she stirred. Her eyes met his. They blinked at one another. [I ask of you, are you after the Azure?]

Akatsuki blinked. "Az...ure? I don’t even know what that is. Who are you?"

The girl stood. [I’m an Embryo Storage.]

"I... don’t know what an Embryo is either."

[It is an artificial construct capable of becoming anything. Essentially, it is a crystallization of the Azure, created from thousands of amassed souls. Hence, its nickname: the Cocoon of Azure.]

The more she spoke, the more confused Akatsuki became. "Care to explain what the Azure is, since you keep mentioning it?"

[Negative. If you're not after the Azure, then there’s no reason to explain it.]

"Can I at least call you something other than... Embryo Storage?"

She thought for a moment. [Es. I’m an Es.]

Akatsuki sighed. "That'll do. My name is Akatsuki."

[Akatsuki... You're not one of those chosen by the Azure.]

Akatsuki sighed again. "At this point, I have to assume the Azure is your master." "Are you familiar with this place?"

Es glanced around, then shook her head. "I see... Thank you for your help, Es-san."

He turned to leave, but Es followed. "You have somewhere to be in this direction?"

[Negative. I’m following you.]

"Why?"

[I have no data on you. As the guardian of the Azure, I must confirm every feasible data point. Especially since I’m not getting consistent matches with this location.]

"Not only am I getting more convinced, but I'm having a strong feeling that I'll be hearing that word a lot." "In that case, let me ask—are you a fighter?"

[Positive. As the guardian of the Azure, I will deploy necessary violence for its protection. Since you don't seek the Azure, I won’t swing my blade at you.]

She drew her sword, startling Akatsuki. "That’s your sword?!"

She tilted her head. [You seem distressed. Why?]

"That blade is way too big to be called a sword. Too massive. Too thick. It’s more like a heap of raw iron no normal man could wield... unless they had a Blitzmotor."

[Blitz...motor? That term is not in my database.]

"I expected her not to know me, but not even knowing what a Blitzmotor is?" He sighed. "It’s an implanted weapon system developed by Gesellschaft, discovered in the ruins of Agartha during World War II." Es blinked. "None of that sounds familiar?"

[World War II sounds vaguely familiar. But I usually refer to the Dark War regarding big battles.]

Akatsuki now felt less like a fool and more like an alien. Maybe she was the alien. "We should focus on figuring out where we are and what’s going on."

[I can provide an inkling of that knowledge.]

"Really?" Es nodded. "Then please tell me everything you know, Es-san." Together, they walked into the labyrinth’s maw.

The corridors buzzed with pulsing energy—stone and steel twisted into impossible shapes. This place, whatever it was, bore the fingerprints of countless worlds stitched together. Aigis moved through the passage with mechanical precision, scanning for life signs and threats. Labrys followed close behind.

[Energy signatures consistent with synthetic-organic constructs detected ahead.]

[Alright. Let’s proceed with caution.]

*BOOM!*

A surge of electromagnetic static shattered a sealed wall. From the smoke stepped Iron Tager—his armor steaming, red eye glowing. "Huh. Didn’t expect to find others here... but I’m not complaining."

The two Anti-Shadow weapons eyed Tager curiously. [You're... like us,] Aigis observed. [Except you look like a boss, Shadow—and there’s something else inside you. Something organic. And it’s not a Persona,] Labrys added.

"Shadow? Persona?"

[You don’t know what they are?] [Then... what are you?] they asked.

"I’m... not sure. I used to be human. But now, I’m this."

[You used to be human?] Aigis asked.

"Strangely, I’m not bothered by that fact. I should be. But the only thing that really disturbs me... is my lack of memories."

Labrys nodded slowly. [So, in other words... you’re like us.]

"What?"

[We woke up thinking we were human—but clearly, we’re not. No organs. No flesh. And yet, we’re fine with it.]

[We think our memory banks were tampered with. That’s why we’re trying to uncover the truth—and find the one responsible. Would you like to join us?]

"Hmm. Sounds like we’re in the same boat. I don’t see why not. You can fight, though, right? I don’t detect any Drives in you."

[Drives?]

"You don’t know what that is? Well, can you fight at all?"

[Affirmative. We were designed to fight from the ground up,] Aigis replied.

[We’re willing to work with a team—but we can hold our own,] Labrys added.

"I see. Are you both heading for the center of the labyrinth?"

[Affirmative, Half-Robot-san.]

Tager sweatdropped. "Right... None of you knows my name. I’m TR-0009—'Iron' Tager."

[Okay, Tager-san. She’s Aigis, and I’m Labrys.]

[And it’s our mission to reach the center of the labyrinth. That’s where the answers are.]

Vatista awoke in the heart of the labyrinth. [Must determine location. Accessing data.] She scanned her surroundings, crimson eyes flickering. [No data found. Location unknown. This presents a—]

*BURST!*

A hybrid entity lunged forward—its form a twisted amalgam of Nox Nyctores, Arcana construct, and Blitzsoldier. Within its body, ethereal silhouettes twisted and writhed.
Vatista’s wings deployed automatically.

[—Problem.]

As Es concluded her explanation of the multiversal conflict, Akatsuki stood in stunned silence.

"Impossible... Another world? I’m in another world again?"

Es tilted her head. [Again?]

"I was frozen in ice during my mission to destroy the Blitzmotors. When I woke up, everything had changed. Technology, language... even the people. I keep encountering devices I don’t recognize."

Though not particularly emotive, Es felt a rare twinge of empathy for the displaced soldier. [So, in other words, you feel disconnected from your world. Like it moved on without you.]
Akatsuki nodded. [Then... you’re like me.]

"What?"

[I’m not the original Es. I’m a construct—a copy. I have her memories, but they aren’t truly mine. I remember people, places, feelings... but they don’t resonate. They didn’t live. And when the crisis is over, I must return to the Azure as its guardian. Meaning that the most optimal option I have now is-]

*RUMBLE!*

The labyrinth shook violently.

"Completing your mission," Akatsuki said, eyes narrowing as realization dawned. He bolted forward.

Es followed without hesitation. [You sensed it too. Correct?]

"Yes. I’d never forget the electric current of a Blitzmotor."

[Just as I could never forget the signature of a soul-powered weapon like a Nox Nyctores. We are similar in that regard.]

Vatista struggled to maintain altitude. The hybrid entity loomed larger with every second.

[Enemy is persistent. Requiring additional In-Births for support. Preferably—]

Static images of Hyde, Linne, and Waldstein flickered through her mind.

[—What?]

*ZAP!*

A surge of lightning from the hybrid struck Vatista, throwing her against the wall.

[Critical damage sustained. Health is at 25%. Ow.]

Just as the hybrid prepared a follow-up attack—

*ZOOM!* *SMASH!*

A blur of red iron slammed into it, pinning the creature to the wall. Iron Tager stood, shoulders braced.

"Why don’t you pick on someone your size?"

Aegis and Labrys were impressed.

[Whoa. Whoever designed you clearly prioritized strength,] Labrys noted.

[And that’s without a Persona,] Aegis added.

"Thank you, but we can't be too cocky. We never know if the enemy is down for the-" Tager blinked.

*PUNCH!*

The hybrid struck back hard, knocking Tager loose.

[Maybe we save the compliments for later?] Aegis readied her weapons.

Labrys nodded. [You and Tager handle the rogue robot. I’ll check on the girl.]

The others charged. Labrys turned to Vatista.

[You alright there, ma’am?]

Vatista stared, scanning.

[You’re... not an In-Birth. Nor are you organic.]

[In-Birth? What's that? And why were you fighting without a Persona?]

[Persona?] Vatista blinked. [Unknown term.]

Labrys stared. [First Tager-san, now you? It’s like this whole place is full of non-Persona fighters.]

She leaned in, inspecting Vatista closely.

[You’re not even a robot in the traditional sense... No servos, no wires... more like—you’re made of energy. Like a Pinocchio.]

[Incorrect. I am an autonomic nerve. My sole purpose is to eliminate all Voids.]

[Voids? What’s that?]

Vatista turned to walk away.

[What—hey! Don’t ignore me!]

[You ignored my inquiry about Personas. Now you don’t get information about Voids.]

[...Fair logic.]

[And there's still an enemy to destroy. Unless you want your inorganic allies reduced to junk.]

Her wings ignited with energy.

[You need a few lessons in how to socialize,] Labrys muttered, hoisting her axe. [But you’re right. It’s time for a robot riot!]

[I am not a robot.]

[Ah, potahto, potayto.]

*ZOOM!*

They charged into battle together.

[There’s no 'H' or 'Y' in 'potato.']

[There is where I come from!]

Es and Akatsuki reached the central chamber of the labyrinth, their eyes narrowing as they observed the battle. "Those attacks... none of them use Blitzmotors, but I swear I’ve seen the girl in black and red before in Kanzakai."

[So you know her?]

"Not personally. More of a passing glance. The rest, though... I can safely assume they’re from different worlds."

[The large piece of machinery is from my world—Sector Seven’s Red Devil: TR-0009, codename 'Iron' Tager. As for the other two, I keep hearing unfamiliar terms like 'Pallas Athena,' 'Ariadne,' and most commonly, 'Persona.']

"None of those mean anything to me. That confirms it." Akatsuki clenched his fists.

[You're going down there?]

"The eradication of Blitzmotors isn’t their responsibility. It’s mine."

[That may be true, but will they even listen? They’re capable fighters. Convincing them to stand down won’t be easy.] Akatsuki remained silent. [If you ask me, it’s best to determine if they’re trustworthy first.] She drew her sword. [Still, acting as a Samaritan is its own kind of data gathering.]

"I would never ask for help for the sake of safety."

[Nor would I. But we’ll receive it nonetheless.]

They nodded to each other and leapt into the fray.

Blades, shields, magnetism, and firepower clashed as the hybrid entity overwhelmed the group.

[This enemy is not going down easily,] Aegis noted.

"Even my magnetism’s failing—it’s adapting to polarity shifts," Tager added.

[And the ethereal readings are intense. Unlike our black and red friend here, I’m detecting a swarm of them inside this thing,] Labrys warned.

[My name is Vatista. And for the record, we are not friends.]

[Friend or not, our attacks aren’t enough,] Labrys muttered.

"Then you need to overload it!" Everyone turned as Akatsuki charged in, fists crackling. "KAMIKAZE!"

*MULTIPLE STRIKES AND ZAPS!*

He delivered a series of electrified punches to the hybrid.

[Whoa, an actual human?!] Labrys gasped.

[And he’s using lightning without a Persona!] Aegis added.

"If you want to help, aim long-range attacks while I keep its attention!"

Tager nodded. "Time to test my Voltic Battler."

[Reconfiguring Crimson Wings. Activating Arma Bellum.]

[Good thing my jetpack axe has a chain. Otherwise, I’d be useless. Ready, Aegis?]

[Let’s bring out the big guns, as they say.]

Everyone moved. Tager fired a magnetic sphere. Vatista unleashed lasers. Aegis emptied her ammo cartridge. Labrys spun and hurled her chained axe repeatedly. The hybrid staggered under the relentless barrage. Akatsuki leapt back, snapped his fingers—

*SNAP!* *BOOM!*

—A final sphere of lightning exploded against the hybrid’s core. But the danger wasn’t over. Dozens—no, hundreds—of soul-like entities swirled in the room.

"What the...? Ghosts?"

[No. Souls,] Es said calmly.

She raised her sword. In a blink, hundreds of energy slashes converged, trapping the souls in a single mass. She pressed a button—her blade clicked apart, revealing a hidden core.

With one strike—

*SLICE!*

—The souls vanished.

"What did you do to them?" Akatsuki asked.

[Embryos are made of souls. As a storage unit, I used my scabbard to compile a pseudo-Embryo and sealed it inside my body with my blade.]

"Wait—that enormous sword from earlier... was just your scabbard?!"

[Correct. I only use the inner blade for sealing Embryos and rogue souls.]

Vatista, eyes dim, logged the moment—and promptly shut down.

[Huh. And here I thought we were gonna give our Personas a workout,] Labrys joked.

[Excuse me, but who exactly are you two?] Aegis asked.

[I am an Embryo Storage, designated Es.]

"And I am Akatsuki. From another world—like all of you."

Labrys, Aegis, and Tager's eyes widened. [Another world?! That explains a lot.] [I’ve never seen anything like this place. Definitely not Tatsumi Port or Inaba.] "These portals are the ones responsible, are they? All I could remember was living in Kagutsuchi as a human and a cyborg without the memory of how, and I was falling through them."

Es nods [Yes, they are responsible, and they are the reason for your memory gaps. They alter memories.]

[Altered?!]

[I’ve gathered enough data to confirm you’re all like me—fighting with fragmentary memories of the ones you love. The difference is... I’m a clone. My disconnect is artificial. Yours is environmental.]

"How could our memories be altered?" Tager asked.

[This world exerts an entropy effect. Only the Azure protects me from it.]

"The Azure...?" Tager murmured in an odd sense of nostalgia.

[My master, in a sense. Once you enter this world, your memories of those you cherish are rendered null.]

"But I remember Eltnam-san. She’s from Kanzakai—same as me."

"You're not from Kanzakai," A voice suddenly spoke within Akatsuki's mind, startling him.

"What?"

[What is it, Akatsuki?] Es asked.

"A voice... someone is speaking to me."

"Don’t be alarmed. I am Amane Nishiki—the Bystander of my world."

"Bystander?"

"Ignore the title. The important part is this: Eltnam is safe. She’s with me. Along with others. You must search for the seven keystones—they are the source of everything."

"Do the others know?"

"Unlikely. Only two were warned. You... and one other. Someone is already hunting the keystones."

The signal cut.

"Amane?!" Akatsuki shouted.

Everyone stared. "Is he always like this?" Tager asked.

Es didn’t respond—she rushed forward. [That name... how do you know it?]

"He...spoke to me. Said I’m truly far from home."

Es went pale as Akatsuki explained everything, remembering the words System XX spoken before she fell.

[Keystones... I should have known. Our mission now is clear: find them. And since I’m the only one with intact memories, I’ll act as our leader. Questions?]

[Yeah... what do we do about Sleeping Beauty?] Labrys pointed to a sleeping Vatista.

"She’s been asleep this whole time?!" Tager gasped.

[She has mastered the art of silent slumber, as they say.]

"That’s a thing in your world?!"

[Memory not found. Question unanswerable] she replied after a few seconds of silence.

Tager sighs, "As Labrys said, what now?"

[Carry her. Relay what we discussed. And if she dozes off again mid-crisis—I will seal her soul.] Es instructed

"Yes, ma’am," Tager replied, lifting Vatista.

Es turned to Akatsuki, who was still processing it all. She extended her hand. [The keystones are our optimal path forward. Our mission—]

"Is to find them. Thank you, Es-san."

She nodded as he took her hand and faced the labyrinth’s exit.

[Hey, before we go, should we introduce ourselves properly once Vatista wakes up?] Labrys asked once again

[Yes.]

[Great. Final question—can you tell us what an Embryo and the Azure are?]

[The Embryo is a cocoon made to bring the Azure into reality. As for the Azure itself... I’m not answering.]

[What?! Why not?!]

[Because I may be your leader, but I’m still its guardian. Sharing secrets with aliens would be unbecoming.]

[Aw, man...]

SkyEyes

*Coughing.*

Amane Nishiki stirred awake from his stasis pod, blinking against the sterile light.

Carl Clover stood before him, arms folded. "That right there is EXACTLY why I kidnapped you in the first place, Amane Nishiki."

Amane chuckled lightly, brushing off his sleeves. "Ah, Carl. You’ve finally woken me. You must forgive me for standing by. Performing a one-man show with no audience is dreadfully dull. So, I sent out my invites, and what a crowd I’ve drawn. Some charming, some cruel, and many so unusual they couldn’t possibly be from our world. Don’t you agree?"

Carl growled. "That wasn’t my fault! That damned vampire and that stupid bat shattered the keystone—creating... THIS! Next time I see her, I swear I’ll—"

"Transform her into a Nox Nyctores?" Amane finished calmly. Carl froze, lips tightening. "Look," Amane continued, "I understand. The Boundary has penned us a tragic script. But now you’re dragging more people into this death parade. Do you even know what happens when you force this performance to its final act?"

"No. But if you keep getting in my way, we’ll never find out," Carl snapped. "Or have you forgotten? A bystander meddling like this breaks the rules."

"Rules that apply to our world," Amane said coolly. "But we’re not in our world anymore, are we?" Carl was silent. "Thought so," Amane said, leaning back against the stasis unit. "Besides, my power’s already waning. That last mental transmission? It was my swan song as a bystander before passing the role on to my understudy, though some might argue I was the understudy all along. Especially compared to her."

Carl’s eyes widened. Realization struck. "Alucard..."

"No first name? I see you’re still carrying that grudge," Amane mused. "Though I doubt she even knows what’s going on. I failed to pass my message to my predecessor. And from what I’ve seen, only two people know the truth now—two who have crossed worlds before. The rest? Lost in amnesia."

Carl clenched his fists. "I have just one question."

"Ask away."

"What else did you do?"

Amane raised an eyebrow. "Pardon?"

"If your powers returned to Rachel, then one of two things happened: you gave them back... or our world did. Either way, what else did you tamper with?"

Amane grinned. "Smart boy. Giving up my role wasn’t easy. The key is convincing the director I’m unfit for the part. So, I did something unforgivable—"

"No..."
"—I disrupted the flow of life and death."

Carl stepped back in horror. "NO! You didn’t—!"

"Oh yes, I did. And by the end of this act, he’s going to turn your stage into a living hell! Ohohohohoho!"

Carl growled and slammed the control panel. Amane was sealed back into stasis. "DAMN YOU, NISHIKI!" Carl pressed his earpiece.

The Phantom Zone

Across two remote locations linked to SkyEyes, two teams stirred.

"Why hello there, Carl. Something you wish to share?" Hazama’s voice drawled.

"Tch. What do you want, brat?" Azrael snapped.

Carl's voice came through their earpieces, explaining the situation. Both men grinned.

"He’s back? Well, this just made my day," Hazama said.

"A familiar face to punch through," Azrael added.

Both turned to their assembled squads.

"Alright, False Face Five. New orders," Hazama announced.

"Apex Fang Unit, gather up!" Azrael barked.

Surrounding them were: Nu-13, now going by Juusan, Merkava, Tohru Adachi, and Neo on Hazama’s side, and Carmine, Blitztank, Gordeau, and Hilda on Azrael’s side

"In addition to finding the stones, we need to prepare for some... familiar faces," Hazama said, smirking.

"And possibly eat through them," Azrael added.

[Warning acknowledged,] Juusan intoned.

"Action at last!" Carmine grinned.

"The time of stalking is nye," Merkava growled

"Time for my interdimensional debut," Hilda announced

Neo and Blitztank giggled and beeped in acknowledgment, respectively

Adachi raised an eyebrow. "Is there someone we should be especially worried about?"

Gordeau nodded. "Who’s the top threat?"

Hazama’s smile sharpened. "There is one."

Azrael’s eyes gleamed. "A very special someone I’d just love to see again."

"His name..."

"Is Ragna."

"Ragna the Bloodedge."

Chapter Text

Alucard Castle

Smoke clung to the shattered stone like it was mourning something. Alucard Castle, once regal and menacing in equal measure, now lay in ruin—its walls caved in, sigils shattered, glass curled like burnt paper. The air reeked of ether and ash. An aircraft landed after a turbulent flight. Kokonoe stepped out first, coat flaring behind her, followed by Bullet and Litchi. Her eyes narrowed instantly.

“...This isn’t just collateral. Something hit this place with intent.” Litchi took a cautious step forward, scanning the scorch marks. “This was recent. Rachel’s seithr still lingers.”

Bullet checked her gauntlet. “So where is she?”

No one answered. Then they saw him. In the center of what used to be the throne room—half-buried in rubble and shattered arcane stone—lay Valkenhayn. His armor was torn open. One arm hung uselessly. His fur was matted with both blood and... something else—something glowing faintly, like residual dimensional burn. He was breathing—but barely. Kokonoe’s boots scraped as she rushed forward.

“VALKENHAYN!”

His eyes opened weakly.

“...Professor...”

“WHERE’S RACHEL!?” she demanded. “WHERE THE FUCK IS SHE!?”

“She’s… gone.” His voice rasped. “Left without a trace.”

Kokonoe stared.

“VANISHED!?” Her voice climbed—part disbelief, part fury. “You expect me to believe she just disappeared in the middle of a dimensional collapse?! After everything?! AFTER DRAGGING A WHOLE TIMELINE INTO… THIS?!”

“I tried…” Valkenhayn whispered. “I tried to protect her…”

Litchi moved beside Kokonoe, her voice gentle.

“Professor, he’s in shock.”

“HE’S IN DENIAL!” Kokonoe snapped.

She turned back to the broken man.

“WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED HERE?! WHAT DID SHE DO?! SOME KIND OF FAILSAFE!? AN ANCHOR!? WHY IS THE SEITHR DENSITY ACTING LIKE SOMEONE DETONATED A COMPRESSED MICRO-DIMENSION!?”

Valkenhayn didn’t respond.

Kokonoe stood, whirling in the room.

“She knew something was coming. Something big. And she didn’t tell any of us. Again.”

Her hand sparked with electricity.

“I’ve had enough of her cryptic princess act—”

But then she turned back… and saw him properly. Valkenhayn wasn’t just injured. He was broken. Not from battle. From loss. His body had survived—but something fundamental inside him had cracked. The way he stared at the space where Rachel’s throne had once been said more than any words could. Kokonoe’s rage cracked—just slightly.

“She didn’t even tell you… Did she?”

Valkenhayn slowly shook his head.

“I was knocked out cold… so she couldn’t, even if she wanted to.”

“And so she just ran?” Litchi asked.

“That’s cold. Even for her,” Bullet added grimly

Kokonoe exhaled through her teeth, grinding her jaw.

“No. That’s Rachel Alucard. Always playing the long game… even if it kills the people closest to her.” She crouched beside Valkenhayn. “We’ll figure this out,” she muttered. “And when we do, I’m dragging her vampiric ass back from whatever dimensional ghost cave she thinks she can hide in.”

Valkenhayn closed his eyes again. “I was the one...who told her to run”

Kokonoe froze. “...What?”

“The invasion came, and she wanted to help… but I told her to run so she could survive while I tried to stop him.”

“Him who?”

Just then, a ripple shimmered in the air behind them—dimensional instability flaring to life. In the distant walls, an unnatural hum began to stir, like gears grinding behind reality. A strange vibration surged through the air, not from the ruins.

Kokonoe’s ears twitched. “Hold up. We’ve got incoming.”

Bullet raised her gauntlet. Litchi readied her staff. A portal ripped open mid-air—not like Rachel’s refined spatial gates, but something rawer, wider, stitched together from pure intention and dimensional inertia: A limosime

*CRASH!*

Out stepped from the crashed limo is a figure in a black Japanese school uniform, a yellow ascot, and brown pigtails: Rise Kujikawa.

“I knew we’d land in something freaky,” she muttered, checking her phone, which had long since stopped working. “Y’know, Fuuka, this wasn’t exactly the limo stop I had in mind.”

Behind her, Fuuka Yamagishi stepped out calmly, scanning the room.

“I can still sense Junpei, Yukari, Ken, and Koromaru,” Fuuka said, focused. “They passed through here. But something... interfered.”

Climbing out last came Natsuki Moriyama, looking very out of place in her driver’s jacket and Converse.

“Hey… girls? I think we have company.”

Another portal flared open. This one glittered like shattered ice. A white-haired man stepped through, sword at his side, eyes narrowed: Londrekia Light. He took one look at the scorched floor.

“This isn’t the Abyss.” He lowered his blade slightly. “But I saw Merkava falling through one of these portals from a distance.”

Another tear—this one smaller—appeared high in the rafters. Jaune Arc landed with a clumsy thud. “—ow—I’m fine!”

Pyrrha Nikos followed gracefully, her shield glowing. “Jaune, are you alright?”

“Never better. Where are we?”

Pyrrha looked around. “A battlefield… but not recent. Something powerful happened here.”

A soft ripple in reality—like wind through a cherry blossom tree—opened next. Saki Tsuzura emerged, eyes scanning rapidly. “Heart!” she called, voice cracking. “I saw her, she fell in here!”

From a different tear—a slash of burning red—a sword-wielding woman stepped out, flanked by others: Homura. She held her weapon tightly, eyes hard. “I’m only going to ask once. Where are Asuka and Yumi!?”

A soft distortion—more like an old memory than a spatial gate—appeared next. Fritz stepped out alone. His coat was torn, his eyes sharp. He didn’t speak. He walked slowly through the ruin, knelt near the residual scorch mark where a Keystone fragment still pulsed faintly.

“Akatsuki is somewhere,” he said at last. “He fought someone. And then… he vanished.”

A swirl of black-and-red energy crackled like static and fire. Out stepped a short girl in gothic frills and metal-laced boots, twirling a bizarre weapon shaped like an industrial wand. A floating, plush panda-like creature bobbed at her side.

“Ouka Satsurikuin,” she announced, one boot tapping the floor dramatically. “Gothic Lolita Weapon of Mass Destruction, reporting for... uh… involuntary displacement?”

Homura’s eyes narrowed. “You...You're one of those girls.”

Ouka grinned. “And you're a familiar face who recognizes true talent! Yay me.”

Mr. Pandagawa bobbed. “This dimension feels itchy.”

The castle's throne room had become an explosion of voices. The Rise, Fuuka, and Natsuki were discussing plume of dusk traces. Fritz demanded that Jaun and Pyrrha tell him where he is, much to the Huntsmen's confusion and dismay. Saki was frantically asking if anyone had seen a pink-haired girl falling through a portal. Londrekia muttered about “Void signatures,” while Ouka had begun discussing with Homura about Amane's mental messaging, while Mr. Pandagawa chimed in nonsense like: “Multiversal karma turbulence increasing!”

Bullet’s gauntlet clicked into a half-ready position, unsure if any of them were threats. Valkenhayn was too despondent to move. As for Litchi…she’s straight-up delirious.

“I’m sorry—what is happening right now!?”

The voices continued until—

*BANG!*

A gunshot cracked through the air, echoing like thunder against stone and collapsed time. Everyone froze. Kokonoe stood near the broken throne, her smoking sidearm pointed skyward. Her glare cut deeper than any weapon.

"SHUT! THE FUCK! UP!" The ruins fell into instant silence—save for the slow, pained breath of Valkenhayn nearby. She pointed a clawed finger at the crowd. “I don’t know who you people are, or why you’re all spilling out of wormholes like it's a Different Dimension Convention, but this is not a meet-and-greet.” She gestured to the crumbling hall. “This place is the site of a spatial white hole. Its owner? Gone. My comms? Dead. My sensors? Scrambled. And the only guy who could’ve told me anything—” she gestured sharply at Valkenhayn “—is half-dead and won’t stop muttering about ‘her vanishing.’” She holstered her gun with a snap. “So, unless one of you can tell me where Rachel Alucard is, or what happened to Jubei or Tager, then sit down, shut up, and stop breathing my air.”

Litchi could only shiver, knowing firsthand how… pragmatic Kokonoe could be when she wanted results. Bullet, on the other hand, smirked at the display. Fuuka looked at Rise and Natsuki, and they nodded. Homura looked at Ouka and nodded as well. One by one, Rise, Fuuka, Natsuki, Homura, and Ouka began to raise their hands—each with something to say. But before any of them could speak—

*CRACK!*

Another portal split the air behind them—not a gentle rift, but a brutal, flame-laced tear that punched through the dimension like a railgun.

Kokonoe’s eyes narrowed.

“...Oh, what fresh dimensional hell is this?”

A massive boot slammed down into the rubble. A man stepped through the breach, smoke curling off his jacket. His head tilted down slightly, mouth tight, eyes shadowed beneath his brow. The air seemed to heat around him. Nobody moved as he glanced at the ragtag group.

“Tch. Figures I’d land in another messed-up place.”

Bullet reflexively raised her gauntlet. “And you are?”

Cracking his neck, the man smirked. “Guns and steel. That’s what I am!”

The Phantom Zone – Underground Train Station

The station was eerily silent. Cracked tile. Buzzing lights. Something like wind moved—but there was no breeze. Just pressure. After a long while of walking, Naoto Kurogane, along with Makoto, Yosuke, Chie, Yukiko, and Yumi, found a resting place with benches and two vending machines.

“Now this is a good place to stop,” Naoto declared.

“And get food—finally!” Chie cheered.

Everyone rushed to the machines. One was stocked with snacks, the other with drinks.

“Wait a second…” Yosuke frowned. “Does anyone here have money?”

“Unfortunately, no,” Yukiko answered. “Do any of you?”

Everyone searched their pockets—and quickly realized none of them had a single yen.

“So much for stopping here, then,” Yosuke sighed. “Where do we go now?”

Naoto looked at everyone, then at the machines. He let out a long breath.

“The one thing we can do… and I’m not going to like it.”

He readied his bloody arm, about to strike the ground until

*WHOOSH!*

Yumi froze him in a sudden burst of ice.

“What the—What are you doing?!”

“You were about to break those machines, weren’t you?” Yumi said sharply. “That’s stealing and destruction of public property, and you know it.”

“What part of ‘I’m not going to like it’ did you not understand? Besides, we haven’t seen any form of authority since we got here. Nobody’s going to know.”

“We would know. And I won’t stand by it.”

“You’re seriously telling me you’re willing to walk more miles on an empty stomach?”

Yumi stayed silent. But before she could answer—

*PUNCH!*

*KICK!*

Makoto and Chie busted open the machines.

“Alright! Snacks on us!” Makoto beamed.

“I call the beef jerky!” Chie shouted.

“And I’ll take the nuts!”

The two high-fived, grinning like they'd won the lottery.

Yumi stared in disbelief. “We’re resorting to this? Please tell me you two agree with me,” she said, gesturing to Yosuke and Yukiko.

But the two just looked away, ambivalent. Makoto and Chie handed snack bags to them.

“Want some?” Makoto offered.

Yukiko hesitated. “It’s not like I’m not hungry… I just don’t want to break any laws.”

Yosuke’s stomach growled. “Screw it. I’ll take the goods.”

Yukiko gasped. Yumi glared at him. “Look, I’m not happy about this either,” Yosuke said, taking a bag, “but I’m not fighting on an empty stomach.”

“My thoughts exactly,” Makoto agreed. “This is the closest five-star meal we’re gonna find, and I’m not wasting a single nut.”

She handed Yosuke a second bag.

Chie stood in front of Yukiko, offering hers.

“I... need more time to think,” Yukiko said softly.

“Still nervous about how anyone else outside our position would see this?”

Yukiko nodded. “How can you be sure we won’t get in trouble?”

“Easy. I don’t think,” Chie said with a wink. She gently placed a bag in Yukiko’s hands. “Just feel.”

Yukiko looked at her. There was something strangely admirable in Chie’s boldness—something princely, almost. A memory tugged at the edge of her thoughts: once, she used to wish for that kind of bravery. But she didn’t wish for it anymore. Because maybe... she was already that brave. She opened the snack bag.

“There you go,” Chie grinned. “How does it taste?”

“Good,” Yukiko admitted. “It tastes good. I’m going to get another bag. And a drink.”

Yumi could only sigh in defeat and finally release Naoto from the ice. “Go ahead.” Naoto grabbed a snack and a drink, then handed them to her. “What?”

“I’m not going to let a little iceberg get in the way of our teamwork.” Yumi’s stomach grumbled. By now, everyone was eating. “We can leave an apologetic message if you want. I’m sorry for making you feel uncomfortable,” Naoto added.

“It’s… alright. It’s just that I don’t feel like I was raised to do such morally dubious actions. Matter of fact, I feel like I was raised to stop them.”

Makoto nodded. “You know, you remind me of someone. If only I could remember who.”

“Yeah, I think it’s time we talk about the elephant in the room,” Yosuke declared, brushing crumbs off his jacket.

Everyone turned to Naoto. “Right,” he said. “So the reason for all of this is because of...”

Moon Fortress
The truth had been laid bare: a boy named Carl Clover—unknown to any of them—had shattered a device called the Keystone, and in doing so, torn down the barriers between worlds. Now, timelines bled into each other, and memory loss was the cost of survival.

Waldstein stood at the edge of the platform, fists clenched. “A child. And yet he carries the strength to destroy whole realities...” He turned, frowning beneath his furrowed brow. “That should not be possible.”

Linne leaned against a pillar, arms crossed. “It’s not about power. It’s about what he took advantage of.” She glanced toward the shadows where Rachel had disappeared. “Rachel’s world was already cracked. He just found where to strike.”

Naoto Shirogane sat beside the glowing table of reconstructed timelines. “From what little we’ve been told, this Carl acted out of grief... but that doesn’t excuse it. There’s something systematic in how he’s dismantling order.”

Kanji leaned back against the wall, arms behind his head. “Still don’t get why we’re here. We’re nobodies, right? From random places?”

Naoto shook her head. “Not nobodies. Survivors. Caught in the blast radius of his actions.”

Waldstein’s deep voice rumbled again. “Then we are all wounded by a war we did not start.”

Linne narrowed her eyes. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t end it.”

Everyone nods to that. “So…How do you think that Rachel is handling all of this?” Kanji asked.

“Well, she felt responsible for the whole thing; otherwise, she wouldn't have left for some space,” Naoto answered.

“Something that our blue and gold teammates didn’t get the memo on,” Linne points out.

Up above, Rachel stood at a high balcony within the fortress, looking out into the ethereal mist. The sky pulsed with otherworldly fog—timelines grinding against one another like broken gears.

Elizabeth floated up beside her, book in hand, gaze serene. “They took it rather well, don’t you think?”

“Better than I deserve,” Rachel said quietly.

Elizabeth blinked. “...Regret? From you? I was under the impression that you looked down on people—literally, figuratively, mentally, physically, and most likely temporally. I must record this in the Velvet archives.”

Rachel didn’t respond with a retort. Not this time. “I thought I could protect the multiverse like a king on a chessboard. Keep each piece in line. Guard them by… staying above them.”

Elizabeth turned to her, more serious now.

Rachel continued. “But Carl was never a piece. He was the fault line I refused to see. And now…”

“...They’re suffering for your oversight,” Elizabeth finished softly.

Rachel closed her eyes. “Valkenhayn most likely believes I’ve either fallen or perished—or both. The multiverse is in shambles, and there’s the possibility of adding more names to our ledger.”

She bowed slightly. “I am sorry, Elizabeth. I know this was not your war to fight.”

Behind them, Gii and Nago stared in utter disbelief. “MORE APOLOGIES!?” “JUST WHO IS THIS GIRL, AND WHAT HAS SHE DONE TO OUR MISTRESS!?” 

Elizabeth smiled—genuinely. “Oh, Rachel. Wars rarely begin where we expect them to. But they always end with a choice.” She offered her hand.

Rachel smiled and took it. “I can’t deny that notion. All we can do is use our powers to stop this.”

“Such a pity we’re handicapped like this,” Elizabeth said with a sigh. “Otherwise, our elevator would’ve arrived at its destination by now.”

“True. But in all honesty, I’m a bit ecstatic.”

“How so?”

“You can’t possibly tell me that being overpowered didn’t bore you sometimes, can you?”

“Nope! That’s why I sometimes leave the Velvet Room. Though this is the furthest I’ve ever been out.”

“Regarding what I usually do in my castle, the same applies to me. I only hope my champion is trying to lead his army.”

Fallout Shelter

The shelter was quiet. Ragna the Bloodedge sat alone at the far end, arms crossed, one boot tapping anxiously against the metal floor. He hadn’t said much since they arrived. Mitsuru stood at what passed for a central console, eyes narrowed at data she didn’t remember learning how to read. Yang was pacing again. Blake leaned against a wall, quiet but watchful. Akihiko flexed his fists, itching for answers. Seth simply observed.

“So... does anyone have a plan on what the hell we’re supposed to do now?” Yang finally asked. “Because as far as I’m concerned, this is way above the things I was taught at Beacon.”

That got Blake’s attention. “You were… at Beacon? Are you from Remnant?”

Yang’s eyes lit up—finally, someone else from her world. “Yeah! Yes, I am! I was training to become a huntress.”

“So am I. I was training for... equality.”

“Now I’m revealing stuff like this to her?” Blake thought, stunned.

“Equality… sounds like a tall order. And much more noble than mine. I’m training to be a huntress for the thrill of it.”

“Thrills? What exactly is a huntress in your world?” Akihiko asked out of curiosity.

“Basically, from where I—no, we come from, there are these monsters we have to fight. If we don’t, they destroy humanity.”

“Monsters that can destroy humanity?” Akihiko and Seth said at the same time. They glanced at each other when they realized they'd said the exact sentence.

“Wait. You have your monsters back in your world?” Blake asked

Akihiko and Seth nodded. “From my world, we fight Shadow.” “The Void is our main threat.”

“Wow,” Yang muttered. “Even your monsters are different.”

“We call them Grimm,” Blake added.

“Grimm?” “As in the Grimm Brothers?” Akihiko and Seth asked.

“Grimm Brothers?” Yang and Blake echoed, confused.

*STAB!*

Mitsuru thrust her rapier into the ground, commanding the group’s attention without raising her voice. Even without full memory, her presence was sharp and assertive.

“Perhaps we should get back on topic, such as developing a plan of action. Isn’t that what’s supposed to happen, Ragna the Bloodedge?”

The mention of Ragna’s name struck something in the air, like a taut cord snapping, as everyone turned to look at him.

“Hey now, this isn’t a walk in the park for me either, Snowflake,” Ragna muttered. “I’ve been through some deep shit, but this is new even for me.”

“I understand, but you said you remember everything. That you’re the only one who does. We can pitch in, if that’s what you want—but as it stands, you’re the only one who can make the first step.”

“So you’re asking me what our first step is, huh?”

“Or, if you prefer, you can give us an end goal instead.”

Ragna sighed. “I’ve already told you everything that’s going on, right?”

Everyone nodded.

“Then the first step is to find the keystones. The end goal? Find Carl... and make him pay.”

Mitsuru stepped forward. “Hmm. Not such a bad start. But what about the in-between? Do you plan to discuss it, or just make it up as you go? Because I don’t think you’ve even given us a lead on where these stones are. Let alone this ‘Clover’ child. You said ‘father issues’ were the problem—what’s stopping us from confronting his father instead?”

*STAB!*

Ragna drove his sword into the ground, harder and angrier than Mitsuru’s earlier strike.

Akihiko, Blake, and Yang flinched.

Seth merely raised an eyebrow. Mitsuru remained unfazed.

“You wanna know something, Snowflake? I don’t have a goddamn clue what’s stopping me. So why don’t we find the nearest cauldron to jump into and see if we can find him in the Boundary—without turning into a GODDAMN BLACK BEAST!”

Silence. The air crackled with tension.

Ragna facepalmed. “*Sigh* Sorry. Force of habit.”

He picked up his sword.

“Look, I’ll be straight with you all. I prefer to work alone. I don’t do Teams. Hell, I don’t even like people. And the less I talk about family, the better.”

Blake and Seth both raised their eyebrows. “In short, he’s... somewhat like me,”

Akihiko and Yang received flashes—flashes of a classmate, an underclassman, and an uncle surfacing in their fragmented minds. “Why do I feel a sense of nostalgia with his attitude?” 

Ragna continued. “So as you can imagine, I’ve never led a team before. I wasn’t exactly supposed to be here—and yet, here I am. I’m not a nice guy. But I’m not an asshole, either. Especially to those who need guidance.” He looked at them all. “You’re right—I haven’t given you any. I only took the lead because I’m the only one who remembers what the hell is going on. If one of you wants to take over instead, I’m not stopping you.”

Mitsuru picked up her sword, slowly. “I should apologize, too. This situation is monumental, and I wanted to ensure we were prepared. If I came off too hard, it’s because I want to be the best team player I can be.”

A flicker of static crossed Blake and Yang’s minds as Weiss tried to formulate in their minds. “Best team player I could be...?” “Why does that sound familiar?”

“Maybe it’s best if we’re both leaders. That way, we can cover each other’s shortcomings. Deal?” Mitsuru extended her hand.

“I just have one question. I understand you have your memories, but what makes you think I’m qualified to lead?”

She exhaled. “I can’t blame you for asking. Truth be told, I don’t know how to describe it. But I feel like I have extensive leadership experience. Like I’ve led with someone else before... and you remind me of that person. Along with...someone else.”

Ragna studied her again. And then took her hand. “Okay, fine. We’ll be co-leaders.” Mitsuru gave a soft smile. “As for the topic of keystone leads...” Ragna smirked. “I know exactly who can give us more details.”

Twilight Garden

The first thing she felt was the soft tickle of wind. Warm—not the manufactured kind made by machines—but something natural. Something from a time long gone. Noel Vermilion’s eyes fluttered open. The sky above shimmered in hues of amethyst and soft crimson. Not Kagutsuchi. Not anywhere she recognized.

“She’s awake!” Teddie’s voice boomed beside her—relieved, loud, and way too close.

“A bear?!”

Noel flinched upright and looked around—until Ruby Rose caught her by the shoulder, gently easing her back. “Easy! You kinda passed out mid-sentence.”

Noel’s eyes focused on Ruby’s cloak, the silver accents, the scythe. “You’re… not from my world.”

“We know. You told us.”

“Wait, what?”

Hyde Kido, sitting nearby with his blade across his knees, raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, you did. You developed this robotic voice and activated... what was it called again? Azure Eye?”

Noel’s eyes widened as everything rushed back. “My Murakumo mode!”

Asuka tilted her head as she felt like she should know that word. “Mura…kumo?”

Noel sighed. “How do I put this… I’m a robot.”

“Wait, what?” Asuka blinked.

“Please don’t ask for details. I don’t think I have time to explain my backstory. And even if I did… my world is way too complicated compared to yours.”

Asuka looked at the others, none of whom looked that surprised. “You four are taking this surprisingly well.”

“It’s faint,” Ruby said, “but I feel like I have at least one friend who’s a robot.”

“You and me both,” Hyde nodded.

“You two aren’t the only ones with that feeling,” Teddie added. “Besides, I’m not even human. So what right do I have to treat you differently?”

“I’m Noel’s friend, according to her memories, and an expert in dealing with secrets about oneself! Meaning you must’ve told me at some point, right?” Noel nodded to Mai.

Asuka rubbed her arm, then bowed. “I see... I’m sorry if I offended you, Noel.”

Noel chuckled. “That’s alright. It was inevitable I’d have to tell you guys, especially after entering Murakumo mode and using the Eye of the Azure to help your memory issues.”

“This... Eye of the Azure thing. What exactly is it?” Ruby asked.

“Basically? It makes me omnipotent. I can know everything. Well... usually.”

“Usually?” Hyde echoed.

“This world—whatever it is—is dampened my Eye. Gave me a scorching headache. I could only endure it because of Murakumo mode.”

“That’s why you passed out,” Asuka said, assessing it aloud.

“I swear this has never happened before. And if I were stronger, maybe I could’ve helped more, but—”

“That’s enough, Noel.” Mai interrupted.

“Mai?”

“The fact that you gave yourself a headache to help us shows that you’re strong enough. After we talked while I was carrying you—”

“Mai was carrying me?!” Noel blushed.

“—We decided to make you the leader.”

“Leader?!” Noel gasped. “Mai, this is flattering, but I’m not a leader. You are. You even led our team at the NOL Academy. And from what little I saw through the Eye, you all are real leaders. Except for Teddie.”

“WAIT, WHAT?!”

“What’s an NOL?” Hyde, Ruby, and Asuka asked in unison.

“I’ll answer that later. But Noel, my memories are altered, remember? There’s no way I could lead the team properly without context. You're the only one who knows what’s going on.”

“That may be true,” Noel continued, “but here’s another issue: I don’t know how any of your powers work. I’d be the one holding us back in the long run.”

“So let’s fix that!” Ruby declared. “We’ll show each other our moves, so you can lead properly.” 

“Took the words out of my mouth,” Asuka chimed in.

“You said we’re facing a multiversal-level crisis,” Hyde added. “I’m not leaving that to chance.”

“And don’t worry,” Mai said. “If you need help in any shape or form—I’ll be here as your co-leader.”

“R-Really!?”

“Of course. Especially since I’m the only one here from your world.”

Noel hugged Mai on impulse, and Mai hugged her back without hesitation.

“Alright then,” Noel smiled. “As leaders, our first order of business is to know all of our moves. Any questions?”

Teddie raised his paw.

“Teddie?”

“Why am I the only one not qualified to be a leader?!”

Noel’s voice turned robotic. [Because you’re too perverse, and should be tied up after what you tried to do with the distressed Asuka.]

Asuka tilted her head. “I’m sorry—what?”

Hyde sighed and leaned in, whispering the story of what happened between the dragon’s defeat and Noel’s multiversal scan.

Asuka’s eyes widened. She turned, not amused. “YOU TRIED TO COP A FEEL?!”

Everyone glared at the sweat-dropping Teddie. “NOW HANG ON! My Persona has ice powers, and you were burning up! Besides, Hyde was looking while you were stripping!”

Asuka and Ruby gasped, turning to the now-nervous Hyde. “Alright, it’s true! I did look—but I had no intention of touching you!”

“Really?! Because I do remember you forcefully pulling my arm when we first met.”

“Hyde!” Ruby scolded.

“YOU WERE NAKED AND TREATED IT LIKE A CASUAL TUESDAY IN A PARK!”

“Wait a second—you were naked?!” Mai, Ruby, and Teddie all asked.

“I was using Super Frantic Mode!”

Blank stares.

“Right. Not from my world,” Asuka muttered. “It’s a technique I use in battle.”

“Why on earth would you strip during a fight?!” Ruby asked, face blushing.

“Because it increases my speed and strength,” Asuka said, like it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Noel could only tug at her collar. Mai sweatdropped. “I officially have my work cut out for me…” “This is going to be a long showcase.” 

Abandoned Data Center

The room buzzed faintly with residual energy. The walls hummed as if they were trying to recall the data they once held.

Vatista lay curled on a section of fractured flooring, fast asleep, despite glowing faintly with residual control code. The others sat or stood in a loose circle.

[So... what’s on the agenda, leader?] Labrys asked Es.

First, we must confirm our fighting styles. Our first battle showed that our abilities differ drastically. Addressing that will optimize our team's efficiency. Any objections?]

Tager crossed his arms.

“Objections? We’re from completely different worlds facing a multiversal crisis. If anything, this shouldn’t need an introduction.”

Es nodded. [In that case, I’ll go first.] She drew her sword—the massive Lux Sanctus gleaming in the flickering light. I wield the Sealed Weapon Lux Sanctus. My combat parameters are optimized for anti-boundary event responses.]

Akatsuki nodded, electricity crackling in his fists. “I channel Blitz Motor energy—raw, contained lightning. Power meets precision.”

Tager tapped his data pad, scanning fluctuating frequencies from a nearby screen. “I’m a heavily modified human-magnetism-based combat system, Ether Drive capacitor, and a built-in dimensional stabilizer.”

Labrys, seated on a crate, gave a thumbs-up. [Aaaaand I swing a giant axe. No lightning, but I do have a multi-phased Persona interface and a tactical navigation system that lets me analyze weak points and—oh yeah—cut tanks in half.]

Aegis nodded, arms folded. [We’re birds of a feather, as they say. I possess an Anti-Shadow Suppression Weapon platform. High-speed targeting, missile payloads, and Persona synchronization with Palladion.]

“So you both use... Personas?” Akatsuki asked.

Both Anti-Shadow Weapons nodded. [You’re thinking we might be from the same world, right?] [That was our exact assessment when we first found that out.]

Akatsuki nodded thoughtfully. His gaze drifted toward Vatista, still glowing faintly in sleep. The others followed.

[You’re all wondering about her powers, correct?] Es asked.

Akatsuki nodded again. “She’d have to tell us how she fights if we’re going to work together.”

“But... should we leave it at that?” Tager asked.

[Why do you ask, Tager? Do you think she might be a threat?]

“It’s not that. You said she has a soul inside her, despite not being human. That should make her a Nox Nyctores, but I don’t detect any seithr. No wiring either. And her fighting style... it feels familiar—like I’ve seen it before.”

Es paused, flashing back to their earlier encounter. [I mentioned her soul because I can detect it. If she truly were a threat, I’d have sealed her already. Be that as it may, sleeping during key tactical discussions is... not ideal.] She looked toward Vatista. [As for her fighting style, I can make an educated guess. And I suspect it’s causing you concern because—]

[Hostile anomaly detected.] Vatista jolted awake. Her crimson wings flickered to life as her systems reactivated.

“For a soul inside an inorganic suit, she sure talks like a textbook that wrote itself,” Labrys whispered.

Aegis gave her a short glare.

The floor vibrated. A low, mechanical hum built above the structure, followed by a thunderous boom.

Tager’s head snapped toward the ceiling. “Incoming. Heavy mass. This isn’t dimensional drift—this is movement.”

The ceiling cracked.

*CRASH!*

Through a collapsed skylight, Blitztank dropped like a steel meteor, slamming into the floor with enough force to shake the room and collapse a support beam. Its red eye lit up. It revved loudly. Sirens flared and died.

Labrys blinked. [...Am I the only one seeing the literal tank?!]

Akatsuki’s expression darkened instantly. “...That silhouette. That presence...” His fist clenched. His Blitz Motor overcharged. He didn’t recognize it mentally, but his body remembered. “Danger! Extreme threat!”

[Whoa—Akatsuki-san! Are you okay?]

[Labrys—look,] Aegis said, pointing to the tank.

Labrys squinted. [There’s something inside it.]

[A soul-powered motor.]

[And it’s the same one Akatsuki-san has.]

Es raised an eyebrow. [Same powers... then that could only mean—]

*SLAM!*

A blast of pressure followed—a sonic boom of bloodlust. From the hole in the ceiling, Azrael dropped in—shirt torn, grin wide, fists raised. “OHHH? Muscle and metal and that scent of hesitation. I like this team.”

Tager’s fists sparked violently. “You... I feel like I know you.”

Azrael’s grin widened. “Do you know? Maybe you remember when I broke your ribs—and sent you crawling into that metal shell of yours.”

Gasps followed.

“You... made me like this?”

“Tch. You should’ve died if it weren’t for that stupid beastkin. Once I’m done with you, her, and your mercenary bitch is next.”

If Tager ran on steam, a pipe would’ve burst from him right there. “What... is this feeling? I’m not the type to let emotions dictate my missions—but this is the first time I’ve felt nothing but fury.”

“Where did you get that tank? It shouldn’t exist!” Akatsuki shouted.

“THEN TAKE IT APART!” came a voice from above.

Gordeau landed next, dragging his scythe behind him with a lazy swagger. “Evenin’, folks. Hope we didn’t interrupt your team-building seminar.”

Hilda descended afterward—graceful, cruel, floating in crystalline lace. “Charming décor. Shame to stain it with your defeat.”

And finally, Carmine crashed in—blood swirling around his arms like feral serpents. “What’s with all the waiting?! IT’S TIME TO SHED SOME BLOOD AROUND HERE!”

Vatista’s golden eyes glowed. Her internal code flickered, scanning the intruders. Her tone, as always, was robotic—but colder now. [Analysis complete. Recognition sequence... corrupted, yet persistent.] She pointed at Carmine, Gordeau, and Hilda. [You are familiar. Your frequencies match entries in inaccessible archives. Association: fragmented. Designation: uncertain... yet proximity triggers combat priming.]

Hilda laughed, lilting and cruel. “Ohohohohoho. The higher-ups were right. You all are lost in amnesia.”

[Not all of us.] Es drew her sword. [Intervention authorized.]

Aegis’s launchers locked into place. [Hostiles identified. Combat mode: engaged.]

Labrys spun her axe. [Guess talkin’ is off the table.]

Tager activated his Drive. “I don’t know who you are or how much you know—but you’re going down. Here.”

Azrael grinned widely. “YES! Now this is what I call a reunion.”

Nexus Tower

The wind carried no scent. Just hollow space and static-charged silence. Heart Aino sat cross-legged on a glowing rune-inscribed rock, her Arcana key leaning beside her. Across from her, Celica A. Mercury offered a steaming cup of something between tea and magic.

“Thank you,” Heart said softly.

“Of course,” Celica replied. “You looked like you needed a moment of peace.”

Heart took a sip and sighed.

“This place is so… broken. But it’s weird. I don’t feel scared. I just want to fix it. And maybe make some friends along the way.”

Celica laughed gently.

“You’re not the first person who’s told me that. But you’re one of the few who meant it.”

They smiled at each other—strangers by world, kindred by spirit.

Nearby, Mika squatted in front of Platinum the Trinity, who was fidgeting with her staff.

“Okay sooo… I gotta ask,” Mika said, poking the air. “You talk like three people. Is that, like, a performance thing? Or are you three people in one body? Because that’s, like, super weird. And I’ve seen some pretty weird stuff.”

Platinum blinked. Luna’s voice emerged first. “It’s rude to ask, you dummy!” Then Sena’s soft, apologetic tone: “Luna, please, she didn’t mean any harm.” Then, almost buried beneath the other two, a faint third voice—Trinity—muttered something Mika didn’t catch.

Mika’s eyes widened. “Whoa… do you take turns? Or is it, like, a committee?”

“We’re not a committee!” Luna snapped. “It’s more complicated than that,” Sena added. “But yes… we share a soul. In a way.”

Mika scratched her head. “...Man. And I thought my training regimen was exhausting.”

Further out, Jubei sat at the tower’s edge, staring into the swirling void. He hadn’t said much since their arrival. Nine stood behind him, arms folded, cloak fluttering in the static-charged breeze. Her eyes were fixed ahead, but not on anything visible.

“You’re staring like you expect something to come out of that fog,” she said flatly.

Jubei smirked. “After what we’ve seen, it wouldn’t surprise me.”

A pause.

“So,” he said softly, “you remember, don’t ya? Us. Before all this.” Nine didn’t respond immediately. He turned, just slightly, to glance back. “What we had. What we lost. I ain’t askin’ to dig it all up. I just…” He sighed. “I’m glad you’re here. Even if this place doesn't make sense.”

Nine’s eyes narrowed—not in anger, but in pain. “The past doesn’t matter here. What matters is stopping this crisis before there’s nothing left to lose again.”

Jubei nodded slowly. “Yeah. But that doesn’t mean I’ll forget.”

Nine looked at Jubei. Her cape snapped behind her. She didn’t answer.

A low hum pierced the static-laced silence. It began as a vibration beneath their feet—faint, wrong, like glass being scraped along the edge of a blade. The air tightened. Magic recoiled. Even the void itself seemed to flinch.

Heart stood up instantly. “...We’re not alone.”

Celica narrowed her eyes. “I feel it too. Something ugly.”

*PIERCE!*

A sword stabbed through the wall.

*PIERCE!*

Another.

*MULTIPLE PIERCES!*

Soon, dozens.

The swords rotated in a circle, sawing—until one final push sent the whole wall crashing down.

*SLAM!*

On the other side stood Hazama, spinning his fedora on one finger like he was entering a stage play. Behind him emerged Adachi, arms folded and smirking with contempt.
Juusan (once Nu-13) drifted silently, her metallic wings retracting. Neo adjusted her hat, unimpressed. And dragging through last came Merkava, his grotesque body slithering like molten tar in humanoid form.

Hazama bowed with a theatrical flourish. “Aaaand here we are. Gosh, it’s good to stretch the legs across dimensions. Hello, puppets.”

Reactions were swift. Mika locked eyes with Merkava, her gauntlets snapping open.

“What... the love is that?!”

“A Void,” Mika answered.

“You… don’t know the Void…” Merkava rasped. “Yet speak to it.”

His voice reverberated through Mika’s spine like a haunted heartbeat. “You can talk?!” 

Merkava loomed closer, his form rippling like oil in moonlight. “I speak. I remember. I hunger...”

Adachi and Neo earned little reaction—strangers to most of the Arcflare Legends. But Hazama… was different.

Nine froze. Her magic flared involuntarily. Eyes wide. Jaw clenched. Face pale. “You…”

Celica staggered back like she’d been slapped as Minerva flared into battle mode.

Jubei’s fur bristled—his claws sliding out without him even realizing it.

Even Trinity, normally dormant behind Platinum’s voice, surged forward.

“I don’t know who that guy is,” Luna shouted, overwhelmed, “but I HATE him!”

Hazama grinned. “Aww. Did I trigger something? I do love being remembered... even by the amnesiac types.”

Nine stepped forward, shocked. “You... remember?!”

Hazama turned toward her, his smile widening. “Still carrying that oh-so-righteous flame, Nine the Phantom? Funny—I thought we burned that bridge ages ago. Guess it was still smoldering.”

Nine raised her hand, a fireblast forming—until Neo placed a hand on Hazama’s shoulder, shaking her head.

“Oh, come on now. Can’t a guy catch up with old friends—even mentally fractured ones?”

[Focus on the mission, former vessel of Susanoo,] Juusan stated.

Hazama scoffed and looked away. “Fine.”

Celica noticed her. “Nu…?”

In one motion, one of Juusan’s blades shot toward Celica.

*CLANG!*

Minerva intercepted it.

“My name is Juusan,” she said coldly. The blade returned to her.

“Looks like you made some new friends... and share them with Hazama to boot.” She glared at Adachi.

“Now, where was I? Oh yeah—rumor has it that a few of you don’t have amnesia. Maybe you crossed into other worlds. Maybe you died and came back. Maybe you’re just too powerful to forget—like a vampire... or a performer. We’re just here to say hello. Check on the survivors. See who’s still breathing.” Hazama's snake-green eyes flashed. “But if you’re not ready to play...” He readied his Ouroboros. “We’d be happy to warm you up.”

Church Temple

The wind whispered across broken stone and floating ruins. Jin walked at the front, Yukianesa drawn but not glowing—his senses sharp, his instincts honed. “Stay close. This sector is holding, but it won’t for long.”

Yu trailed a step behind, sword at the ready, eyes scanning the endless, chasm-like sky. Feels familiar. Like... fog. But heavier.”

“Just remember the plan,” Weiss reminded. “We gather any intel we can as we move.”

Tsubaki spoke up gently. “We don’t know who else is trapped in this world. If they’re allies... we help them.”

“And if they’re foes,” Orie said firmly, “we deal with them swiftly.” She moved gracefully along the right flank, sword still but stance always ready—disciplined, temple-born.

Tsubaki stayed near her, her Sealed Armament tucked beneath her cloak. Hesitant, but attentive. She hadn’t said much since they left.

Up ahead, Yuzuriha bounded across the fractured terrain—ignoring Jin’s pace entirely, flashing between shadows, ribbons fluttering like petals in a storm.

“She’s reckless,” Jin thought to himself. “But skilled. Speed-based bait. Weak to counters, but good for flanking.”

“Come on, slowpokes! Clues won’t wait forever!”

Jin shot a glance at Orie. “Defensive stance—precision thrusts. Reminds me too much of Tsubaki... and that worries me. She’ll serve as the shield in formation. I’ll deal with the rest later.”

“*Tch* Not everyone can afford to be as reckless as you,” Orie points out.

Wiess looked toward Orie and Yuzuriha. A static image of Ruby flickered in her mind.

Yu noticed. “You okay?”

“Huh? —yeah,” Weiss replied. “Just... can’t help but feel like I’ve gone through what Orie’s going through. For some reason.”

Jin’s gaze shifted to Weiss and Yu. “Then there's Weiss—deliberate, but flexible. Range control. Timed disruption. Yu is the most balanced. He adapts faster than the rest. He’ll be the one to cover the gaps.”

And then... “Tsubaki. She fights with hesitation. But there’s something deeper. Suppressed power. Guilt, maybe. When she regains her memories... I’ll talk to her. Maybe I'll even make my confession—”

A pulse rocked the ground. The air shimmered—multiversal static surged forward like a ripple of stained-glass light.

Orie stepped forward, weapon drawn. “Something’s up ahead.”

They crested the ridge of what had once been a grand bridge, now suspended in space. At its far end stood a glowing pedestal, surrounded by collapsed glyphs and floating shards of masonry.

Weiss blinked. “That... wasn’t on the map.”

Yu stepped slowly toward it. “I feel... weird. Like my Persona’s reacting, but... there’s no Shadows.”

At the center of the platform hovered a jagged, fractured crystal—split down the middle, leaking light like blood through a wound. It pulsed. Like a heart.

“What the hell is that?” Yuzuriha muttered.

Tsubaki stepped closer, eyes wide. “It’s... beautiful. And terrifying.”

Orie’s hand trembled. “That thing... It’s suppressing my EXS. Just barely.”

Yu brushed the edge of the crystal’s field—and flinched. “Something inside it is... screaming.”

Jin stepped forward last. He looked at it—quiet, composed. And for a fleeting moment, something ancient stirred in his mind. He didn’t know what it was. But he knew one thing: “This... changed everything.”

They stood in silence, encircled by that fractured heart of light. They didn’t know what it truly was. But deep down, they knew—Everything they were chasing started with that stone.

SkyEyes

Deep within the Phantom Zone—a jagged chamber of geometry gone wrong, where space folds into itself in recursive spirals. At its heart hovered a massive, eye-shaped structure pulsing with data, wires, and drifting light: System XX. It hung above a black stone dais like a mechanical god—its casing carved from broken logic and forbidden architecture. Symbols flashed across its core: languages that predated time. Beneath it stood Carl Clover, arms folded, eyes half-lidded with detachment. Nirvana floated silently at his side, arms crossed, her head tilted toward him, never away.

“All preparations complete,” System XX intoned. Its voice echoed like shattered mirrors. “All variables locked. Multiversal deviation remains within acceptable failure margins.”

Carl didn’t respond immediately. He stared at the holographic map spinning in the void—fragments of timelines, scattered teams, pulses of resistance rising like sparks. “They’re organizing faster than anticipated,” he murmured. “Ragna. Naoto. Even her.”

A faint mechanical whir from Nirvana. A gesture of comfort—or compliance.

System XX continued. “Do not forget: Nine. Jin. Noel. Es. Their convergence is by design. Your enemies are also your catalysts. Scramble them. Scatter their intentions. Fracture what unity remains.”

Carl stepped forward. “Then it’s time.” He raised one gloved hand, and from it, a wave of data surged into the surrounding matrix. Carl Clover, child once broken, now monarch of entropy, smiled faintly. “System XX. Announce it.”

The core pulsed. Lights cascaded like silent thunder. [EXECUTING BROADCAST.]

In every active sector—whether real, broken, or caught between—A signal blared into existence. On ruins, in shelters, across fractured walls and floating screens—The message formed in static and code. And then a voice—cold, omniscient, devoid of warmth—rang out across the multiverse.

[BEGIN SCRAMBLE PROTOCOL: The Keystone has been destroyed. Its shards have scattered across dimensional convergence points. All organic and inorganic matter... You are now participants. Collect the fragments. Rewrite existence. Or fall. This is the Scramble. Your purpose is survival. Your reward is sovereignty. There will be no second announcement.]

Carl turned from the projection, his expression unreadable. “Let’s see who’s worthy of the world they’re trying to save.”

Nirvana’s head tilted slightly.

System XX responded without pause: “The Game has begun.”

Chapter Text

Church Temple

The Blades of Judgment were stunned by System XX's sudden announcement.

"I'm not… the only one who heard that, right?" Weiss asked.

"No. I heard it too," Tsubaki and Orie replied in near-unison, glancing at each other.

"Whatever that voice was, it was robotic," Yuzuriha pointed out.

Yu narrowed his eyes.

"That word... Keystone... why does that sound familiar?"

Seeing his team's puzzled expressions, Jin stepped forward and turned back to the glowing yellow crystal.

"Keystone, huh? I wonder if…"

With the Power of Order surging in his palm, Jin reached out and touched the crystal.

The world blinked.

First black.

Then—white.

Jin Kisaragi vanished.

"Jin!" Tsubaki cried.

"He… vanished?" Orie asked in disbelief.

"Seems like it," Yuzuriha muttered, staring.

"There's only one exit to this room. Where could he have gone?" Weiss asked aloud.

"Maybe he's inside that crystal," Yu suggested.

Weiss looked skeptical.

"Even if that's somehow true, that just raises further—"

"Hey, guys?" Yuzuriha interrupted, prompting them all to turn.

Her sword was raised, pointing at a group of figures entering the room.

They were staring at themselves.

Perfect copies. Exact matches.

"We've got company," Yuzuriha said grimly. "And... It's us."

Yu instinctively drew his sword just in time to parry a strike from his double.

*CLANG!*

"Whoa. Not your first time dealing with double trouble, I assume?" Yuzuriha quipped, blades flashing.

Everyone drew their weapons. A fierce battle broke out—each of them fighting perfect replicas of themselves. Their foes mirrored every strike, block, and move with eerie precision.

"Okay, seriously though, what are these guys?" Yuzuriha demanded during the clashes.

"They're not Shadows," Yu replied.

"Shadows?" Weiss echoed.

"Reflections of one's true self. It's how I got my Persona. They usually have yellow eyes."

Everyone looked. None of the copies had yellow eyes—they matched perfectly.

"So they're exact copies?!" Weiss asked.

"Seems like it," Orie confirmed. "Though... there's one missing."

The team glanced around. Every member had a double, except Jin.

"Orie's right," Tsubaki murmured. "Just... where is Jin?"

Jin floated through a weightless, horizonless sea of gold—like silk woven from thought." What… is this?"

In the center stood a human form of System XX, welcoming Jin with open arms.

"Welcome, Jin Kisaragi~ 💙 I knew you'd be the first."

Jin didn't flinch.

"Where am I?"

"Inside the Keystone. Where reality's expectations go to die."

His gaze sharpened.

"So this is the Keystone… and you're the one pulling the strings."

"Oh, don't be so grim! I'm just... arranging the chaos."

Around her, glowing maps shimmered—dots representing teams moving toward Keystone fragments. One dot in particular flared brighter than the rest.

"That one," she gestured. "The Crimson Strikers. They're getting close."

Jin's eyes narrowed, his grip tightening.

"They're after this shard, too?"

"They're not yours to trust, Jin. Not anymore. Not here."

He reached inward to the Power of Order.

A white seal briefly lit up across his chest, only to twist. His body seized, knees buckling. A stabbing pain surged behind his eyes.

"Agh—!"

System XX watched, unbothered.

"Oh dear. That was reckless."

"Why... can't I..."

"Entropy, darling. You're in the Phantom Zone—where structure dies and memory rots. Your precious anchor? It's resisting entropy every second you breathe. Use it too much… and you'll unravel."

She floated closer, projecting a hologram of the Crimson Strikers—marching with eerie synchronicity.

Jin's eyes locked on one figure.

"Brother…"

"Ah, so you do recognize one of them."

"Are you saying they're... not the real ones?"

"Correct. They're alternate versions. You're in a multiversal crisis, Jin. It's not just doppelgängers—it's fully alternate selves. Just look at Orie and Tsubaki. Nearly identical... if not for their styles and scars."

"Don't talk about them like you know them," Jin snapped. "Yes, Orie and Tsubaki have similar convictions. But Tsubaki hesitates because of guilt. Orie doesn't. And I intend to keep it that way."

"How... admirable. I'll give your Azure crew this—you do have a knack for handling alternates."

System XX smirked.

"But let's say your luck runs out. Let's say you face an alternate evil enough to rival the Susano'o unit. With your Power of Order crippled… would you take that risk?"

Jin staggered to his feet, breath shallow.

"I'll use my blade to find out."

System XX's grin widened.

"Atta boy. But don't dawdle. The longer you wait… the closer they get. And you can't afford another failure, can you?"

*Snap!*

He vanished in a flare of cold blue light.

The battle with the doppelgängers raged—until, in a sudden pulse of blue light, they vanished.

Jin reappeared with a gasp, entropy flickering behind his glowing eyes. Tsubaki rushed to him.

"Jin! What happened?"

"They're coming," he interrupted. "The Crimson Strikers. But… we don't know if they're them."

"Crimson Strikers?" Weiss and Yuzuriha echoed.

Jin looked down at his trembling hand.

"The Keystone showed me their path. If they touch this shard—"

He exhaled slowly.

"—We may not even be able to tell who's real anymore. Not even ourselves."

Scarred Obsidian Plateau

The sky above churned, dark storm clouds circling low and silent, unnervingly still. Beneath them, six figures crossed a ridge of glass-sanded stone, boots crunching softly on the shattered terrain. Ragna the Bloodedge led the way, sharp-eyed and silent. Behind him marched Mitsuru Kirijo, Akihiko Sanada, Yang Xiao Long, Blake Belladonna, and Seth. They were six strong, united, but aimless.

"So… where exactly are we going again?" Yang asked, arms crossed.

"Trying to pick up Rachel's trail," Ragna replied without looking back.

"You said she left."

"Yeah. But not in a way that I can't detect her soul."

"You can detect souls?" Seth asked.

"I can also steal them," Ragna added dryly, flexing his right arm. He glanced back at the others. "So Akihiko, Mitsuru, Yang—try not to touch me if you can help it."

The four behind him shared a look.

"Was that… a joke?" Akihiko wondered

"Doubtful," Mitsuru answered, "He's too stern for humor."

"Plus, he didn't call you Snowflake that time," Yang quipped.

Mitsuru shot her a glare. Yang grinned, but let it drop.

"This girl needs to watch how she words things," Blake thought. "Any reason why you singled out thoes three in particular?"

"This extends to both you and Seth as well, but honestly, I don't see you two doing that at all"

Seth smirks "Sounds like some of my teammates understand the solitute of the night."

They paused at a broken ridge. A shattered stone arch jutted upward like a cracked rib. Yang stopped short. "Okay, I know we've walked all this way, but—what exactly do you know about this Rachel person?"

Ragna sighed. "Vampire. Time traveler. Talks too much. Smug. She's helped me before. Kind of."

"Wait—vampire?" Akihiko blinked. "There are vampires in your world?"

"And you're not worried about her… bloodlust?" Seth added.

Ragna stopped and turned sharply. "Let me make one thing clear: Rachel is not that kind of vampire. She doesn't even like drinking blood. The only time she did was to save someone's life, not to feed."

Mitsuru narrowed her eyes. "You sound... oddly trusting. Defensive, even. Am I right to assume you were the one she saved?"

Ragna said nothing at first. Then: "Even if I wasn't… It's not like I'd choose this world's announcer over her."

He turned and continued walking.

"It would seem souls aren't the only thing we should be worried about around him," Seth muttered.

Akihiko glared at him.

Blake watched Mitsuru closely. "You don't trust him, do you?"

Mitsuru was momentarily caught off guard. "I don't trust anyone who thinks they're the center of causality."

"And you think he wants to be?"

Mitsuru paused, then quietly admitted:

"No. If anything, he wants the opposite. He wants to be free of it. That's a feeling I know… far too well."

Blake looked down. "At least you're facing your problems. All I do is run from mine."

Mitsuru opened her mouth to speak, but Yang cut in.

"What do you mean, run from them? You're not running from this, are you?"

Blake hesitated. "No… I mean my other problems."

"Then let's fix those after we fix this. We're from Remnant, after all."

Blake narrowed her eyes. "Just because we're from Remnant and go to Beacon doesn't mean we're automatically friends. We don't even know what we were before we lost our memories."

"Then what do you call our fight choreography?"

Blake opened her mouth… then closed it again.

"You're right," Yang continued. "We are strangers in some sense. But the fact that we've fought together without introductions? That should tell you something. Plus, I...have run from my problems too."

Her tone softened. "Yang, I—"

A tremor rolled through the stone. Subtle. But real. Ragna froze.

"...I felt that."

"Recognize it?" Akihiko asked.

"No. But ever since I got here, I've sensed a soul that matches the entropy energy of this place."

"Then we've got a trail!" Yang said, hopeful.

"Or bait," Seth muttered.

"We keep moving," Ragna ordered. "Cautiously. Shields up. Powers ready. We're walking into a zone we don't understand."

The group moved out. From a nearby ridge, a copy of Ragna watched them go. His scythe hummed in anticipation. Behind him, five more doppelgangers stirred in silence.

Twilight Garden

A ring of scorched grass, shattered pillars, and crystallized flower beds marked the aftermath of something intense. Six figures stood in the center—panting, bruised… but smiling. Their powers had just been tested. Not in a battle, but something close.

Ruby Rose sat cross-legged, cradling Crescent Rose, eyes still gleaming with admiration. "Okay... I've seen a lot of crazy weapons," she breathed, "but Hyde—your shadow sword thing is awesome!"

Hyde Kido rested The Insulator across his shoulders, catching his breath. "Takes a chunk out of me every swing. But yeah… It's cool."

Asuka looked between them with a gentle smile, one arm tucked behind her head. "It's nice seeing people work together without trauma-bonding for once."

"I approve of this synergy!" Teddie declared, spinning in place. "So much sparkle and edge—it's like a Saturday morning anime!"

Noel Vermillion stood apart from the group, gazing skyward, expression unreadable. "...I forgot what this feels like," she murmured. "Bolverk. The Eye of the Azure. My Murakumo mode. All of it."

Mai Natsume stepped up beside her, adjusting her gloves. "You okay?"

"Yeah. It just feels like I've been… asleep. For a long time."

Then, the sky shimmered.

And a voice cut through existence.

[BEGIN SCRAMBLE PROTOCOL: The Keystone has been destroyed. Its shards have scattered across dimensional convergence points. All organic and inorganic matter… You are now participants. Collect the fragments. Rewrite existence. Or fall. This is the Scramble. Your purpose is survival. Your reward is sovereignty. There will be no second announcement.]

The six stood frozen, processing.

"What… the heck was that?!" Ruby asked, looking up in shock.

"Keystones? Scramble?" Asuka echoed.

"From the sound of that voice," Teddie assessed, "these Keystones seem to be at the center of all this."

"Then we need to find at least one," Mai urged. "If nothing else, it could give us answers."

"Now hold on," Hyde interjected. "Even if that's true, we don't know what a Keystone is. And we don't know anything about that voice. For all we know, it's leading us into a trap."

"That may be true," Noel said firmly, "but it's the only lead we have. If it is a trap… We'll fight."

Hyde sighed. "Well… It's not like I have any other ideas. But where do we even start?"

"Can't we just follow the announcement?" Ruby suggested. "That voice had to come from somewhere."

"True," Asuka nodded, "but it came from all directions. I thought it was a mental transmission."

"Didn't you say your Persona could track things?" Noel asked Teddie.

"I did! But tracking isn't its main function anymore. These days, I use my nose!"

"Then use that," Mai said.

"I would, but this weird energy is throwing off my sinuses! It smells like… burning syrup wrapped in a tire fire."

"Perfect," Noel said calmly.

"WHAT?!" Teddie recoiled.

"If it's that foul, we can follow the stench. The closer we get to the source, the stronger it should get, right?"

Teddie gulped and sniffed the air.

"ACKPT—!" He covered his nose. "It's everywhere, Noel!"

The team collectively groaned—until Teddie continued.

"But in terms of strength… that way smells the worst."

He pointed toward a cracked pathway veiled in static mist.

Everyone blinked. Then smiled.

"Then just like that," Noel said, "we've got our trail."

The Rose Trigger team nodded in unison and began their march.

Glass Plaza

The plaza shimmered under fractured light, the air tense with aftermath. The Rebel Team was scattered behind Naoto Kurogane, still processing the revelations from System XX and his blunt info-dump. Naoto walked ahead, keeping a sharp eye out. Behind him, the group buzzed with thoughts.

"A boy… Carl Clover… He caused all of this to save his sister, who was transformed...into a weapon!"

"By their...FaThEr, A man who wanted to turn humanity into toys?! Just who the hell does he think he is?!"

"And when he was cornered, he jumped into a pool of radiation to escape. What a coward!"

"A dirty coward with such...evil in his veins; I can't help but pity the boy. This Seithr—whatever it is… I hope it gives him the justice he deserves."

Yumi and the Persona-users fumed with righteous anger, but Makoto's silence stood apart. Her thoughts weren't angry. They were fractured.

"Carl… Relius…Why do those names sound… familiar? I feel like I should know them. But I don't. And the more I try… the more confused I get, especially regarding my personality. I was cold, aloof, and distant in my past. Yet I'm chatting with these strangers like they're my-" She saw static faces behind a fog.

Noel.

Tsubaki.

Mai.

Tears welled in her eyes. Yosuke noticed. He stepped toward her, but before he could speak:

"Naoto!" Makoto called out, voice cracking.

Naoto turned. His eyes widened at her expression.

"Makoto? What's wrong?"

"You just told us so much—and I feel like I should know at least half of it! Why do you remember everything, but I don't?!"

Naoto's expression shifted. "...Shit."

"What's wrong?" Yukiko asked gently.

"I forgot to ask Rachel before she left."

Everyone froze. Makoto's mouth fell open. Yukiko and Yumi sweated. Chie and Yosuke… facepalmed.

"You came all this way, and forgot that one critical detail?!"

"There were so many things flying through my head!" Naoto defended. "I've dealt with multiversal crises before—but not like this! Chie, Yosuke, Yukiko, Yumi—none of your worlds are even parallel to mine! But Makoto's…? Hers is."

Makoto blinked. "So that's why, despite not being from my world, we both use grimoires, drives, and seithr…"

Naoto exhaled. "I do have two working theories," he continued. "The first: I have my version of Rachel. Her name's Raquel. She saved my life by giving me her blood, and I feel like her powers protected me from the mental altering."

Makoto flinched. "Raquel…That name… I should know it too…" "What do you know about her?" she demanded, startling Naoto.

"Oh, uh—Raquel is more condescending than Rachel. But unlike Rachel, Raquel has to monitor her world—alternate timelines and all."

The Persona users were in thought. "Watching over her world… Why does that sound familiar?"

"Not helping matters," Naoto added, "was the time-looping continuum shifts. They made her bored constantly."

Everyone's hands shot up with questions.

Naoto sighed. "Don't ask. Explaining it would take quantum physics and a headache."

The hands lowered.

"Anyway," he continued, "In addition to having a better relationship with her father, Rachel is a genuine vampire while Raquel is artificial-"

"VAMPIRE?!" Chie and Yosuke blurted out.

Naoto then notices his slight error and facepalms for it. Makoto saw the looks on their faces, and the flickers of memory returned. The hatred. The fear. The xenophobia.

"OH HELL NO! I'm NOT risking getting my blood sucked!" Chie shouted, backing into a fetal crouch.

Yukiko rushed to her side.

"Don't worry, Chie. With my Persona's flame element, no vampire would dare approach."

Reassured, Chie hugged Yukiko.

Makoto's eyes narrowed. "What was I THINKING showing that warm side of me? They're not like me. They're from another world. Of course, they'd discriminate. Even though Naoto just said Raquel SAVED him!"

She glanced at Naoto—he didn't look any happier about this than she was.

"Your element? Oh yeah—fire!" Yosuke added. "Well, as a gentleman, if we meet Rachel, all I'll say is: ladies first—"

*WHAP!*

Yumi's fan struck Yosuke clean across the face.

"OW!"

"A team is supposed to support each other," she snapped. "Not throw people under the bus." She turned to Chie and Yukiko. "And you two should be ashamed. Rachel and Raquel are your leader's allies. And you judged them before Naoto even finished speaking!"

Naoto blinked in surprise at her boldness. "Actually... I was done," he admitted. "But since we're on the subject—let me clarify." He stood tall, voice turning cold. "Rachel and Raquel are NOT bloodsuckers. They don't even like drinking blood. The only time they ever bit someone was to save a life. Mine and my counterpart's. That's it."

A long silence followed. Makoto and Yumi shot icy glares at the Persona trio.

Chie, Yukiko, and Yosuke bowed deeply. "We're very sorry."

Makoto's expression softened. "They're… apologizing? Maybe they didn't mean to discriminate after all."

Naoto nodded. "It's okay. None of you has vampires in your world. Unlike me, Makoto and probably Yumi."

Yumi blinked. "Huh? Oh… I'm pretty sure my world doesn't have vampires. But… when I saw what was happening, I just had to step in. Something about mistreated sentient monsters hit way too close to home."

Makoto burst into tears and hugged her. Yumi, startled at first, slowly embraced her back.

"Does that answer your question, Makoto?" Naoto asked.

Makoto sniffled. "Almost… You haven't told us your second theory yet."

Naoto's expression darkened. "Right… that." He looked up, solemn. "Remember how I said I have a counterpart?" Everyone nodded. "In his world, he was the root of every problem. His existence pulled everything into chaos—until he had to die just to stop dragging people into it."

"In other words… he's evil," Yumi guessed.

Naoto flinched, but replied: "No. He's… an ass. But not evil. He's not bad."

"Then what is he?" Yukiko asked.

Naoto's shoulders tensed. "He's the Central Fiction. The world revolves around him. Not just his world, but every world. Every move we make... every step we take… is part of his story."

"Oh, I get it!" Yosuke interrupted. "You're just jealous he's the main character!"

Naoto glared. "I'm NOT jealous, Yosuke. I don't even like crowds."

"Then why don't you like him?" Chie asked.

Naoto's expression hardened. "Would you be happy knowing your life wasn't your own?" Everyone fell silent. "That's what I thought," he muttered. "The worst part? Things were so bad in his world that I was dragged into his world to help end his story or risk becoming the new central fiction. The only way out is for him to be sacrificed—by the god who gave him that role to begin with."

"Sacrificed? But if he's supposed to be dead…" Yukiko whispered.

"He was. But thanks to this crisis, he came back—with all his memories; and since we are connected to an extent, the same should apply to me."

Makoto's voice trembled. "Who… is this person?"

Naoto looked her in the eye. "His name… is Ragna the Bloodedge."

Entropy Ridge

The terrain warped as they moved—gravity twisted at the edges, obsidian spikes jutting out like jagged teeth.

The Crimson Strikers descended into a deep trench, the atmosphere growing colder, heavier.

"Anyone else feel like we're walking into the third act of a horror movie?" Yang asked.

"Only if you're the comic relief," Blake replied.

"We're the punchline either way," Seth added with a smirk.

Ragna trudged ahead in silence, eyes scanning the path.

"This place doesn't feel right," Mitsuru muttered. "It's dead. Empty. Like we're walking across someone's memory... or trauma."

"There's no wind," Akihiko added. "No animals. No echo. Not even our shadows line up."

Blake's voice lowered. "That's because we're being watched."

The team stopped. Seth's eyes sharpened. "We haven't been alone since we stepped in."

*CRACK!*

The air snapped.

"Everyone, stop," Ragna ordered.

He felt it—a chilling pulse of energy, cold and coiled like a viper around his spine.

"...Jin."

Akihiko tilted his head. "Who?"

"Remember when I said I didn't want to talk about my family?" Ragna asked.

"Yes," Mitsuru replied cautiously.

"If I'm right, you're about to find out why."

*WHOOSH!*

A burst of frost erupted from above. Ice slammed into the trench wall, barely missing Ragna by inches. The air fogged, crystallized… and cleared. Six figures now stood across from the Crimson Strikers, mirroring them. The Blades of Judgment had arrived. And leading them… was Jin Kisaragi. His expression was sharp, composed, but something in his eyes glowed faintly with entropy. He spoke, voice low and bitter:

"Hello, Brother… Or should I even call you that?"

Chapter Text

Earlier: Entropy Ridge

The Blades of Judgment reached the ridge and saw the Crimson Strikers crossing it.

Jin’s eyes narrowed at one person in particular: Ragna the Bloodedge. “He’s here… but is that the Ragna I know?”

The other Blades glanced at the rest of the Strikers, and something kept clicking in their minds.

“Jin,” Tsubaki called out, “are these guys… the Crimson Strikers?” Jin nodded. “At least one of them feels… familiar for some reason. Are they from my world?”

Jin turned to the Blades. “There’s only one person from that group who should be from Tsubaki’s and my world. Everyone else there should be from one of your worlds.”

“Why not use your power of Order to confirm it?” Yuzuriha asked.

“Because the last time I used it, I ended up hurting myself.”

“But that was only in the Keystone, right?” Yu asked.

“True, but even if it was only in the stone, that power is already crippled by the entropy effect. The longer it continues, the more crippled it becomes. The safest way to use that power now is to draw my blade.”

“You’re seriously going to use your power on something as basic as that?” Weiss asked.

“You don’t understand. Yukianesa isn’t an ordinary sword; it’s a Nox Nyctores.” Blank faces ensued. “*Sigh* It’s a weapon fueled by souls.”

“Ooh… wait, WHAT?!”

Jin nodded. “Not helping matters is that they were forged to take down the Black Beast: the ultimate monster in my world. So we had to commit some… morally dubious acts to kill it.”

“I understand, but souls?! Doesn’t it bother you that you’re denying the dead peaceful rest?!” Orie protested.

“Honestly… if I had known then what I know now, I would never have even touched the blade. But at this point, I’ve come too far to abandon it—especially since it’s my only weapon.”

Orie sent a glare at Jin. “It would seem that if I ever meet the creator of this… Nox Nyctores, I’d be giving them a scratching discussion.”

Jin was lost in thought. “If it weren’t for the possibility that I’m looking at my sacrificed brother, I would have chalked that meeting up as impossible.”

“As for your friend-or-foe issue, I might have an idea. Just give me five seconds.”

Orie drew her rapier and stabbed it into the ground. She stood still, waiting—waiting—waiting. This continued until Orie felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned around and saw Jin.

“It’s been five seconds, Orie.”

“What?!” Jin nodded. “God damn it!”

This took everyone aback.

“Okay, I’ll bite. What exactly were you trying to do?” Weiss asked.

Orie pulled out her sword. “My rapier: The Ruler is supposed to detect good and evil, but ever since I got here, it’s been functioning like a broken radio!”

“A sword that can read a person’s morality? Was that why you were acting confrontational when we first met in this world?” Yuzuriha asked

Orie nodded. “Without the ability to sense a person’s true morals, we’re vulnerable to manipulation.”

Jin clenched his fists. “First our memories, then our powers? We’re definitely dealing with a mastermind, and that thing in the Keystone is a prime suspect.”

“So what do you plan on doing with the Strikers?” Yu asked.

“As of right now, we have no way to confirm whether we’re facing alternates or exact copies. So we’re just going to have to confront them, and if they have a Keystone, we must take it from them.”

Everyone nodded to that and headed down the ridge.

Weiss looked uneasy—something Yu noticed. “You alright?”

“I… don’t like the sound of this plan. We all have at least one person who is from our world. There might be a chance that you might—”

“Fight a friend?” Yu finished.

“Yeah… that’s right. Rude interruption aside—which, by the way, is not polite—you’re a pretty perceptive person, Yu.”

Yu smirked. “Thank you. Here’s my suggestion: let’s try to fight those who are outside your world. That way, you’ll feel less guilty.”

“That… would help. Okay, Yu, let’s find our opponent.”

Yu nodded, and he and Weiss crossed the ridge with the Blades.

Present

“Hello, brother… or should I even call you that?”

Gasps erupted between the Blades and Strikers the moment Jin said those words. “Brother?!”

Ragna and Jin sighed simultaneously. “I’m surrounded by anemic interdimensional tourists.”

“Not gonna lie… between your sword and your power, you were the last person I wanted to see.” Ragna spotted another familiar face. “And you have Tsubaki too. No surprise there.”

The Strikers raised their eyebrows. “More of Ragna’s denizens? Is that why the other people surrounding the two feel...familiar?”

Tsubaki gasped. “So you are from my world—or an alternate version of it.”

Ragna raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean by ‘so you are from my world’? Out of everyone from the NOL, you were my third biggest pain in the ass.”

Tsubaki gasped. “Third biggest?! What have I ever done to you?”

“What did you—” Ragna stopped himself with a sudden realization. “Wait a minute… Do you… remember my name?” That’s when the shoe finally dropped on Ragna, as Tsubaki answered with a shake of her head. “Oh… God.”

Jin sighed. “As you can see, Tsubaki has amnesia. In fact, the people you see before me all have amnesia.”

Ragna then looked at the other Blades, and unsurprisingly, did not recognize a single one. He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Don’t tell me… You four aren’t even from my world?”

The Blades shook their heads. Another fallen shoe for the Strikers.

“They’re like us?!” Akihiko and Yang asked.

“Explains the sense of familiarity,” Blake and Seth answered.

“This looks like a job for diplomacy,” Mitsuru thought as she stepped forward. “Seems we share a common predicament. Are you familiar with the word… Keystone?”

“You mean this?” Jin produced the yellow shard, making the Strikers stare in awe.

“Jin has a shard?! This could be either really good or really bad, depending on his intentions with us… Well, me more accurately.”

Mitsuru smirked. “I won’t have to explain myself then. We need that shard, and it’s clear that you need it too. Why don’t we team up to get our memories back?”

Jin put the shard away.

“What’s your name, ma’am?”

“Mitsuru Kirijo.”

“Hmph. Your proposal is logical, but the shard gave me a little food for thought. We’re dealing with a multiverse crisis, meaning all forms of the universe are popping up all over the place: past, present, future, and even alternate. I would normally tell the difference easily with the power of Order, but with the growing entropy in the air, my power is handicapped to a self-harm degree, and it will only get worse.”

Ragna narrowed his eyes as his hand reached for his Aramasa. “What are you trying to say?”

“Let me ask you a question, ‘brother.’ Without my power, how can I tell if you really are Ragna—and not some alternative version of him? For all we know,” Jin readied his blade, “you might be an evil version of him.”

Everyone readied their weapons, much to Mitsuru’s growing disappointment and Tsubaki’s slight panic.

“Now hold on a minute!” she turned toward Jin. “Jin, while you’re not wrong about the possibility, they’re offering a—”

“Don’t bother, Tsubaki,” Ragna interrupted as he drew his sword. “It’s clear that Jin already made up his mind. It’s not like I have the best track record with alternative counterparts anyway.”

“But you’re brothers—family! Do you really want to do this?!” Tsubaki yelled, wavering at everyone’s resolve.

“Ragna/Jin…” Mitsuru and Weiss spoke up. “She has a point.”

The brothers sighed, then Jin spoke first. “Even if he’s my world’s true brother—who’s supposed to be dead.” Yukianesa was drawn, much to everyone’s shock, at that revelation about Ragna. “You’d be surprised by the many times we crossed blades.”

“Yeah, from the moment I woke up, I knew it was less a matter of if I ran into you, and more of when.” Ragna’s Aramasa was drawn.

“And if Celica and Noel are watching…”

“I only have one thing to say in this matter.”

A nun and a blonde, green-eyed girl appeared in their minds.

“Mother… Sister… forgive me.” Jin jumped.

“Your stubborn elder son and brother.” Ragna jumped as well.

“ARE AT IT AGAIN!”

They finished their thoughts as their blades clashed, signaling the start of the fight like a bell.

*CLANG!*

SkyEyes

Carl was in the labs with Nirvana, reviewing notes about each world pulled into the scramble.

“These worlds… they’re similar to ours to a certain degree. They even have monsters to fight off: shadows, voids, Grimm, Arcana constructs, Yoma, Blitzsoldiers? Our world is a doom magnet as much as it is, and unsurprisingly, each world has a power system too. Personas, EXS, Semblance, Arcana, Secret Ninja Arts, and Blitzmotors. If we’re going to fight at least one of them, we have a lot of research to do.”

Nirvana sent Carl a sharp glare, causing him to blush quickly.

“No, I’m not using that as an excuse to drool over the denizens of the Shinobi world. I can’t even analyze their powers without running into their… perverse culture!”

The glare continued as Nirvana proceeded to cross her arms.

“I’m serious here. Their clothes don’t even look like shinobi outfits. Bang’s garment looks more like a ninja costume than more than 75% of the clothes featured in that world! Hell, Mrs. Litchi has a better modesty track record than that world, period! Their clothes constantly rip like paper, they strip willingly for a boost of power, and they even play naked games for crying out loud! How am I the pervert here when it’s pretty obvious whoever made this world has the maturity of a horny teenager?!”

“He has a point, Nirvana. That world is a mass sexual harassment case waiting to happen—delayed only by the number of Shinobi techniques,” System XX’s voice rang out.

“System XX.”

“You don’t have to be formal. Call me System.”

Carl sighed. “You have something to tell me?”

“Of course, of course. I have some good news and bad news.”

“What’s the good news?”

“A shard is found! 🎵”

Carl’s eyes widened as a screen lowered behind him.

“Where is it?!”

“Uhm… that’s the bad news.”

The screen lit up behind Carl, showing the Blades of Judgment revealing a Keystone to the Crimson Strikers.

Carl gasped in horror. “Ragna and Jin have the stone?!”

“More specifically, Jin has the stone. Ragna is attempting a negotiation.”

A blank expression grew on Carl’s face.

“Ragna is attempting a negotiation? Really?”

“Ok, ok, one of his teammates is. 💧”

Carl pressed his earpiece. “Hazama, Azrael, can you hear me? Ragna is found at the Entropy Ridge.” He heard no response. “Hazama! Azrael!”

“I wouldn’t bother doing that. I jammed the signal.”

“Why?!”

“Each of our teams is currently engaging in a fight.”

Carl sighed. “Ok, Azrael and his team—I’m not even going to touch on it. But what about Hazama? He’s way more willing to leave a fight than the Mad Dog and is persuasive enough to convince his team to retreat.”

“Yeah, that’s the thing… Ragna isn’t the only one who was torn from the grave with his memories intact, thanks to Amane’s rule-breaking observations. False Face Five is now engaging with The Arcflare Legends.”

“Arcflare… what? And what do you mean by Ragna’s not the only one?”

“A team consisting of the following people you might recognize: Heart Aino, Mika Returna, Platinum the Trinity (returning as the same three souls in one package deal, by the way), Jubei Mitsuyoshi, Celica A Mercury, and finally Konoe, the 9th Phantom Mercury.”

Carl was officially pale as a ghost. “NINE IS HERE?! ALONG WITH JUBEI AND PLATINUM?!”

“Yep. All that’s missing is the werewolf you were able to trash, alternate Jin, and Susanoo’s soul, and the six heroes would be back together. The good news is I have confirmation that Jubei’s mind is blank, along with Sena’s, Luna’s, and Mika’s. The bad news is that not only is Glassfield’s mental status unconfirmed, but Heart, Celica, and definitely Nine have their memories intact, meaning even if Hazama wants to retreat with the Five, that hot and angry witch won’t give him a chance in hell.”

“GOD DAMN IT! That means I have to send out AN ENTIRE ARMY TO TAKE RAGNA AND JIN OUT!”

“That won’t be necessary.”

“WHY NOT?!”

“I heard that Ragna and Jin are experts when it comes to sibling rivalry, and thanks to my link with the Keystones, I made sure that despite their anemic immunity, they have at least one reason to kick into that rivalry since Jin is mostly cured from the must-kill-Ragna syndrome.”

Carl’s eyes widened. “Oh, I see where this is going.”

A chair with popcorn and soda rose from the ground.

“Better turn off your cell phone, Carl, because the 7th round of the Crimson Grim Reaper vs. the Hero of the Frozen Blade showdown is about to begin!”

Entropy Ridge

*CLANG!*

Two blades clashed together. Brother versus brother, ice versus shadow, the legendary box Nyctores versus… the single sword-to-scythe anime combo weapon that can be found and made in worlds like Remnant.

*THUD!*

They landed on the ground and charged ahead, much to Mitsuru’s full dismay. “So much for diplomacy.” “Listen up, everyone! We must help Ragna and subdue their enemies! This is a 6 vs. 6 battle—choose an opponent.”

The Strikers nodded and charged forward.

“So it’s decided.” Orie sighed as she drew her rapier. “The Strikers are our enemies and must be taken out of the fight.” 

“No! We can’t take them out!” Tsubaki protested.

“Excuse me?”

“We must force them to stop fighting by outlasting them.”

“I agree with you on that front, but we can’t take any chances when it comes to evil.”

“We can’t take any chances when it comes to the innocent, either.”

“I had to take a lot of chances since I came here. I have no other way to detect a person’s guilt.”

“Have you been relying on that sword this whole time in your world?”

Orie and Tsubaki continued to argue, much to Weiss, Yu, and Yuzuriha’s dismay.

“Is this… seriously going to take a while?”

“We should get going then.”

“Yeah… good idea.”

The remaining Blades dashed past the still-arguing Orie and Tsubaki.

“Focus. On. Endurance. Not violence.”

“And then what?! Use words to seek understanding? Even if we do understand what they show us on the outside, that doesn’t always reflect who they are on the inside.”

“It’s better than playing judge, jury, and executioner.”

“You didn’t pay attention to my introduction to this team at all.”

“Just like how you didn’t pay attention to me,” a voice rang out.

*Gasp!—KICK!*

Seth appeared behind Orie and gave her a kick that launched her into the air.

“ORIE!”

Seth followed her, and Tsubaki tried to do the same, but

*BANG!*

A gunshot rang out, making her NOL hat fall.

She turned around and saw Blake holding Gamble Shroud in gun mode.

“Did I do something to make you target me personally, ma’am?”

“No. You were the only one left to attack.”

Tsubaki gritted her teeth and defended herself against Blake.

The black-bowed Faunus was right, though. While distracted, Weiss, Yu, and Yuzuriha chose their opponents.

Weiss eyed Mitsuru, who was trying to reach Ragna. “Oh no, you don’t.”

Using her semblance, Weiss trapped Mitsuru with black glyphs, stopping her in her tracks. “What?”

*Clang!*

At the last second, Mitsuru used her rapier to block Weiss’s blade. Their eyes narrowed as they engaged in a swordfight. Weiss somersaulted away from a slash attack. Once she gained some distance, she charged in with a thrust that Mitsuru parried and ducked under, continuing her assault with strikes and thrusts that didn’t quite hit their target. Weiss jumped back from another strike via a glyph beneath her and used them to propel herself at Mitsuru with another deadly thrust. Taking advantage of the off-balance opponent, Weiss shot Wind Dust at her sword, sending Mitsuru flying backward with a rough landing. Weiss then fired Ice Dust to trap Mitsuru in an ice dome.

She smirked and turned away, but then Mitsuru’s voice rang out. “Fighting me with ice?” A shocked Weiss turned around, “Ironic, and a waste of time.”

*BURST!*

The ice dome shattered, forcing Weiss to brace herself from the debris. She looked at Mitsuru, who smiled, unharmed due to her immunity to ice attacks.

Weiss was in a bigger state of shock. “She can use ice, too?!”

Mitsuru glanced at herself and, despite her calm demeanor, realized something startling. “I… feel cold. Not as badly as a normal person with this much ice, but still. Did this world mess with my immunity, too?” Deciding to focus on the battle before Weiss caught on, Mitsuru began to compliment her. “I have to give you this, though: you have such good form. You fight with a sense of ease. What’s your name?”

Weiss clenched Myrtenaster. “My name is Weiss Schnee. You would do well to remember it, and while I thank you, flattery will get you nowhere.”

“In that case…” Mitsuru pulled out a gun and aimed it at her head, much to Weiss’s horror. “Why don’t you show me your resolve?”

“NO! DON’T!”

“Artemisia!”

*BANG!*

Mitsuru pulled the trigger, and not only was she still alive, but her persona, Artemisia, appeared behind her.

(Ok, Spoilerific footnote time: The gun that Mitsuru carries is called an evoker, which is used to summon her Persona. The only other Persona user in the Phantom Zone to use this device is Akihiko, while Aegis has a built-in evoker, and the rest of the users use their Arcana cards. The reason for this… frankly disturbing design was to create an extremely traumatic experience, similar to how Mitsuru first evoked her own Persona. Not helping matters is Persona 3’s theme around life and death—heck, even Atlus themselves are aware of the controversial implications. Just wanted to get that out of the way for those who have never played a single Persona game.)

Weiss was now dumbfounded.

“What… kind of gun… is that?! And is that supposed to be—” Yu’s Izanagi flashed in her mind. “Yu’s power?”

*Clang!*

Blades clashed once again. Artemisia raised her whip-sword, prompting Weiss to shoot Fire Dust at the persona, which made Mitsuru jump away, giving Weiss enough time to summon a giant ice wasp.

“BUFU!”

Mitsuru tried to trap Weiss in ice, but thanks to the combination of Lightning Dust and her semblance, Weiss gained a speed boost and was able to mount the now-flying ice wasp.

“Ha! Can’t catch me, ice queen!” “So that’s how it feels.”

Mitsuru gave chase, running past Akihiko and Yang, who were fighting Yuzuriha and Yu, respectively.

“Looks like our Snow Princess is giving chase, and that summon behind that redhead—isn’t that your power?” Yuzuriha asked Yu.

“Yes. There’s no denying she’s a Persona user.”

*PUNCH! /BANG!*

Akihiko attempted to punch Yuzuriha while Yang tried to shoot Yu with her gauntlets. Unsurprisingly, thanks to their swords, they were able to block with ease.

“I suggest you give yourselves a little less conversation and a little more action, please,” Akihiko taunted. Yuzuriha laughed. “What’s so funny?!”

“I have a sword, and all you have are your fists. If I give you too much action, I might make a mess of your body, muscle boy!”

“Muscle boy?! I have a name!”

Yuzuriha shrugged. “Not my fault you don’t have a shirt, dude. If it makes you feel better, it’s hypnotic enough to almost distract me.”

Akihiko decided to ignore her and tried to land a punch, only to miss as Yuzuriha moved behind him. “The keyword, of course, is almost.”

He tried again and again, all while Yuzuriha either dodged or outright blocked him if he got too close.

Meanwhile, the fighting dynamic between Yang and Yu was the polar opposite. Instead of a boxer struggling against a swordmaster, it was a swordmaster struggling against a boxer. Yang had been doing two things since the start of the fight: land a solid punch or shoot Yu with her gauntlets. Yu, on the other hand, had been dodging or blocking all of Yang’s attacks—both point-blank, due to her fighting style, and at a distance because of her weapon. In fact, he’d been analyzing Yang’s attacks to formulate a proper plan.

“She’s a boxer who can shoot bullets at me as she punches and launch herself in the air with them. Summoning my persona would end up making more targets. If I had Rakukaja, I could get closer with ease and hit her with Zio, but ever since I’ve been here, my persona can only perform electric attacks. Come to think of it, I feel like I should have more than just Izanagi for some reason.”

*BANG!*

“Come on! Is that what you got?!” Yang shouted.

Yu sighed. “Right. This is more important.” Yu dashed straight at Yang.

Meanwhile, light and shadow clashed in a blade lock—a rapier and a pair of knives.

*CLANG!*

“You’re more focused than I gave you credit for. Guess I was lucky to land a jump on you.”

“Even without my sword’s moral detection, I can guess what kind of person he is.” “You fight like a ruthless killer. How many lives have you taken?”

Seth scoffed. “If you’re asking me a stupid question like that, all I’m going to say is that I’m an assassin.” Orie gasped. “Need I say more?”

“You DOG!”

*KICK!*

Orie kicked Seth, breaking the lock. She planted her sword in the ground. “You’ve earned your damnation.” Then raised it and shouted one word. “THANATOS!”

*FLASH!*

The sword exploded in light, making Seth cover his eyes. When the light faded, he saw a guardian entity with a sword behind Orie.

This made Seth think. “A Persona user? No. I can feel her EXS through my Eliminators. She has to be from my world.” “Getting back up won’t guarantee victory. I even have people with me who can perform that trick, and they don’t have EXS flowing through their veins.”

Orie’s eyes widened. “EXS?! He’s from my world?! Then that means he should be under the Licht Kreis’s radar. Did he actually use those portals to run from his crimes?!” The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. “This cowardly heretic will NOT escape DEATH!” “This backup is the symbol of my justice, assassin, and you will atone for your sins!” Orie and Thanatos charged ahead. “AT THE COST OF YOUR LIFE!”

The executioner and assassin continued their fight.

Tsubaki, on her part, overheard Orie’s declaration and gritted her teeth as she blocked another of Blake’s Gamble Shroud attacks with her shield. In fact, since the start of the fight, all Tsubaki had been doing was blocking, dodging, and convincing Blake that she and her team were not enemies.

“Can we please stop this fighting?! We can still cooperate!”

“In that case, have your leader give us the Keystone. We all need to get our memories back and go home.”

“I… I can’t!”

“Tch. Just what I thought.” The fight continued. “Though, to be fair, I can’t blame your leader for being paranoid. Ours are apparently related, but mine’s supposed to be dead. So there’s a possibility that I’m following an imposter.”

“If that’s what you think, then why are you following him?!”

Yang appeared in Blake’s mind. “There’s only one person on my team I trust the most, despite not even remembering her. Frankly, if it weren’t for her, I would have pondered the idea of abandoning the group in its entirety.” Tsubaki gasped. “Judge me if you wish, but nothing’s going to stop me from returning home.”

“It’s not that! Well, it is a little, but even then, I completely get what you’re saying. In fact, that’s exactly why I can’t convince him to give you the stone. None of the people on my team are familiar to me, but Jin is! Even though I don’t remember him, my emotions tell me I should. So much in fact that they say I’ve been wanting to…” Tsubaki blushed, slowing down the fight.

“Wanting to what?”

“Wanting to… be by his side.” Blake’s eyes widened as their fight screeched to a halt. They were now a distance apart. “I realized that what he’s doing might be unethical to a certain degree, but even so, there’s this sense of trust that tells me I should be devoted to him. It’s not that I don’t trust you—I trust him more than I trust myself—but even so, that doesn’t mean I want to fight the innocent, so please, let’s talk.”

Blake’s face darkened. The more Tsubaki spoke, the more her mind flashed back to certain memories she’d locked away for a damn good reason: Adam Taurus and the White Fang. Long story short, Blake’s sense of trust was shattered during her time with him, and the last thing she needed was a stranger—not even from her world—to talk to her about trusting someone with the same naïveté she had in the past. She clenched her Gamble Shroud.

“I get it now… you’re like me…” Tsubaki lowered her weapon and shield. “That’s why…”

*Whoosh!*

Blake disappeared, much to Tsubaki’s confusion. She looked everywhere, but Blake was nowhere to be seen—until Blake’s voice rang out behind her.

“I’m not even going to waste my breath on you.”

“Gasp!”

*CLANG!*

Blake ambushed Tsubaki, making her lose her shield and focus on evasion.

As Ragna and Jin continued to fight, they noticed their teammates fighting one another.

“It would seem our teammates got the message, ‘brother.’”

“Still paranoid, huh? Not using your power of Order is a real pain in the ass. Hopefully, my skills will be enough to convince you!”

The 6 vs. 6 fight continued, unaware that they were being watched.

SkyEyes – Control Room

Carl, Nirvana, and System XX observed the massive battle unfold on-screen.

“…So it’s come to this. Cross-dimensional chaos—the worst kind of theater,” Carl muttered with disappointment. To say things hadn’t gone according to plan since the Scramble would be an understatement.

Sadly, System didn't care. “Ah, finally. A multi-faction beatdown to distract from the fact that nobody here knows what the hell they're doing.”

“They know enough to hurt each other. That’s usually enough to start a tragedy,” Carl replied flatly.

System zoomed in on the Mitsuru vs. Weiss duel.

“Ooh, look at this Winter Sonata! Snow White trying to one-up the real Ice Queen? Frosty vs. Frostier?! What’s next—Fire Girl vs. Flame Empress?”

“Your jokes are outdated. And your observations are… trite.” Carl snarked.

Nirvana silently folded her arms, tapping her chin as she watched the chaos unfold. On-screen: Seth launched Orie skyward. Artemisia burst forth. Weiss went flying from Mitsuru’s evoker shock. Yu and Yang clashed fists and steel. Tsubaki dropped her shield as Blake vanished in a blink.

“Ah, yes. Honor. Duty. Feelings. The perfect seasoning for disaster,” System said mockingly. “This is why I prefer pure logic. These people are driven by the emotional equivalent of expired tofu.”

“You say that like you’re not watching every frame. You love this,” Carl shot back.

“Of course I do. Watching twelve volatile people with trust issues beat the living code out of each other is more satisfying than system diagnostics.”

“…Fair,” Carl admitted with a smirk.

Nirvana tilted her head toward the Blades of Judgment side. One slow mechanical thumbs-down.

System XX chuckled. “Aww, Nirvana’s got a favorite. Rooting for Team Crimson? Let me guess—underdogs. Unpredictable. Messy. Emotionally unstable?”

Nirvana slowly nodded… then made a slicing motion across her neck.

“She thinks Jin’s team is too rigid,” Carl interpreted. “That they’ll break under pressure.”

“She’s not wrong,” System said with a shrug. “Tsubaki’s already compromising, Orie’s stuck in a moral monologue, and Weiss is about two bad memories away from freezing herself solid.”

Down at the ridge, the chaos intensified.

Yu barely fended off Yang’s relentless strikes.

Akihiko was still swinging at Yuzuriha—more muscle than momentum.

Seth and Orie locked blades as Thanatos hovered behind her.

Tsubaki and Blake’s fight dissolved into personal breakdowns.

Ragna and Jin pushed each other to the brink.

System, deadpan: “If this were a tag tournament, the Strikers are playing gladiators… and the Blades are playing chess—with their eyes closed.”

Carl folded his arms. “That’s generous. They’re not playing chess. They’re reading different rulebooks.”

Nirvana walked up behind Carl and tapped his shoulder, pointing to the screen—specifically, at Seth.

Carl nodded once. “Yes. That one’s dangerous. Not just skilled—slippery. There’s a difference.”

“Mmm… assassin-tier EXS energy, zero remorse, and a flexible moral compass,” System quipped. “He’s a wildcard. And thanks to the handicaps? Even more so than Yu Narukami. 🥁”

Carl didn’t laugh. “System, if you’re going to make jokes about denizens outside my world, at least have the decency to make sure I even know what you’re talking about.”

“Duly noted.”

System zoomed in on Ragna and Jin, locked blade-to-blade. Sparks flew. Neither yielded. Their teammates clashed around them in a dizzying ballet of light, shadow, Dust, and fury.

“Ragna won’t lose. Not this time. Not when he has something to fight for,” Carl said calmly.

System XX scoffed. “Please. The man fights like a broken record on loop: anger, regret, sacrifice, repeat. If anything wins this fight, it’s Yang’s right hook.”

“And yet… still better than Jin’s ice tantrums,” Carl fired back.

Nirvana stiffened, turned slowly toward Carl… and then shrugged one shoulder, undecided.

“If I had to bet,” System said, “I’d put my data on the Crimson Strikers. Messier than a corrupted cache file—but they adapt. They learn. The Blades of Judgment? They’re good at order, but order collapses in chaos.”

“…And this is a war born of chaos,” Carl summarized.

“Exactly. So unless Orie learns to talk less and stab more, or Yu somehow works around his one-Persona limit… their judgment’s going to fall flat.”

Carl sighed and closed his eyes.

“I hate to say it… But you’re right. Ragna’s team is going to win this. Unless something changes.”

Nirvana crossed her arms and nodded quietly, deliberately.

“Ooooh, I love it when you agree with me, creepy puppet girl,” System said gleefully.

Carl spoke at last, eyes on the screen:

“Let’s just hope we can still manipulate the winner when the fighting’s over… because this? This is only the beginning.”

Entropy Ridge

Tsubaki was now using her whip-sword to defend against Blake, desperately trying to reclaim her sword. But Blake’s shadow clone trickery made that easier said than done—and it was starting to frustrate Tsubaki. “What are you doing?! You said I’m like you!”

“And that’s the problem!” Blake shouted, eyes gleaming with anger and something deeper—pain. “You’re too trusting of your leader! You’re not the only one here who put their entire faith in somebody. I was like that too! I overlooked so many of his amoral actions… I cut off my friends, my family—and in the end, I became toxic!” Her voice cracked. Tears welled in her eyes.

Tsubaki's expression softened. “Toxic? Her devotion made her toxic? Does this apply to me? Is that why I…?” An image flashed in her mind—herself in a dark, blackened version of her outfit, vivid and unsettling. “Keep seeing myself in those clothes…?”

Before she could ponder further, Blake hurled her shroud toward her. Tsubaki reacted by extending her whip-sword, the two weapons tangling mid-air—Blake’s ribbon-bound Gamble Shroud entwining with Tsubaki’s segmented blade. They were locked in a tug-of-war. Tsubaki gritted her teeth and tried to yank her weapon back, but Blake held firm—and used the opening to raise her other Gamble Shroud.

*BANG!*

“GAH!”

Tsubaki cried out, shot in a non-vital area. Her grip faltered. She collapsed to one knee, her whip-sword slipping from her grasp. Blake calmly stepped forward, picking up both Tsubaki’s sword and shield.

“You were right about one thing,” she said, now standing fully in her combat stance—composed, distant, resolute. “You trust your leader more than you trust yourself.”

“Give… them back,” Tsubaki hissed, reaching toward her weapons.

Blake took a step back.

“If you want your things back… then have more faith in yourself. Until then—while you keep clinging to him—all I can do is hope and pray that he’s nothing like him.”

Tsubaki blinked. “Who’s… him?”

But Blake was gone.

“What?! No! Come ba—ACK!” She tried to stand but winced and fell to her knees again, the pain catching up with her.

Now with eyes wet from both pain and realization, she slammed a fist into the ground.

“DAMN IT!”

Orie clenched her rapier tighter as she looked at the display. Her eyes narrowed. “That hesitating fool…” she thought, referring to Tsubaki. “She should be lucky she's still alive. I’ll deal with her later.” Her gaze locked with Seth’s. “But him? I will not hesitate.”

Seth sighed, leapt back from her advancing thrust, and flipped as Thanatos’s massive blade crashed down behind him.

*SLAM!*

The blade missed—but Seth ran up the flat of the glowing sword like a ramp. Orie quickly blocked his path, and once again, their blades clashed in midair.

“I had a theory about you,” Seth began coolly. “Now I know for sure. You’re a member of the Licht Kreis, aren’t you?” Orie said nothing, her face unreadable. “Not even going to dignify me with a response? Figures. That silence tells me everything. Even if you're not part of them, you sure act just like one. So let me ask you something—how many lives have you taken because of your narrow sense of justice?”

*WHAM!*

Orie responded with a fierce roundhouse kick, knocking Seth onto the top of Thanatos’s head. She leapt after him and lunged with a piercing thrust—only for Seth to vanish just as she struck. Her blade dug into Thanatos instead.

“What? Where did he—?” She glanced up. Seth was falling from the sky, knives drawn and cloak trailing like wings. “Found you!” Orie surged up after him, with Thanatos flying to her side, ready to continue the assault.

As they prepared to clash again, Seth’s mind ran through the information he had gathered. “During our exploration, my so-called allies explained how their powers work. Mitsuru and Akihiko mentioned their Personas—manifestations of their true selves. What affects the Persona affects them. But this girl’s guardian is different…” He thought back to the earlier moment—Orie had stabbed Thanatos accidentally, and neither had flinched. “Overflowing with EXS… but no pain when injured. That means…” He clenched his knives. “I know exactly what to do now.”

Orie reached him first and launched a flurry of sword thrusts and beams of holy light. “You dare lecture me on justice after all the blood on your hands?!”

Seth dodged the beams and deflected her blade with the flat of his knives, unimpressed. “I only told you how many I’ve killed. I never said who. You don’t even care why I became an assassin. You just want to judge me.” He rolled under her next strike, his tone cold. “Keep this up, and you’ll find yourself chained to your own ideals. Shackling shadows will only get you shackled too.”

Orie hesitated for a split second. She hadn't expected him, of all people, to respond with philosophy. She shook it off. Her grip on her sword tightened. “Pretty words. But the only chains I see… are the ones I’m about to wrap around you.”

Thanatos rose behind Seth, her massive blade ready. Time slowed. Orie unleashed another flurry—blades and light raining down. Seth blocked only the sword strikes and let the beams miss him, careful not to reveal his plan. Then, as the fighters spiraled toward the ground, Seth made his move. He extended his arm wide.

*STAB!*

Orie landed a blow, her rapier piercing into Seth’s side. A clean, non-vital hit. He grunted—but then smirked as he said one word: “Kerykeion”

Colors inverted as Orie’s face went pale. Her limbs stiffened. “What? Why… why can’t I move?!”

She looked toward Thanatos. The guardian stood frozen mid-swing, her form glitching—shadowy darkness pulsing across her body like venom. Seth’s knife was lodged in Thanatos’s chest, and it began to dissolve into motes of EXS.

“You never took the time to think why I extended my arm, I threw a knife into your guardian.” Seth thought calmly. “My EXS disrupts the EXS of others. For one hour, your guardian is gone. And since she’s made of EXS…”

*THUD.*

Orie collapsed to the ground—paralyzed. Seth landed shortly after, wounded but mobile.

“The shackles have claimed a Licht Kreis agent,” he muttered, retrieving his weapons.

Thanatos finally shattered into nothing—dust in the wind. Orie stared, frozen in horror. Her mind flashed back to that awful night… her parents screaming… a laughing Void devouring them whole. Her vision blurred with tears. Seth vanished from view, her rapier taken as a trophy.

“That...assassin…” She couldn’t even move to stop him. Her heart raced. Her voice wouldn't come out.

Her thoughts spiraled. “What the HELL did he do to my EXS?!”

“OK! THIS IS GETTING OLD!” Yang Xiaolong was visibly annoyed, fists clenched and eyes darting around. She stood amidst broken obsidian, scanning for her elusive opponent. “Come out and fight me already, you coward!”

But Yu Narukami wasn’t running—he was waiting. Behind a jagged pillar of blackened stone, Yu clutched his katana tightly.

“Izanagi… can you hear me?”

“I hear you, Yu.”

“This girl is strong. I need to end this fast. I’m going to use our strongest spell.”

“Ziodyne?! Are you out of your mind?! You barely have enough SP left, and you haven’t even landed a clean hit!”

“I know,” Yu replied, glancing around the terrain. “But strength like hers comes at a price. She’s powerful—but reckless. I don’t need to overpower her. I just need to trap her.”

There was a pause.

“…I see,” Izanagi responded. “But with my arsenal limited, how do you plan to bait her—when she’s most likely getting the jump on you?”

Yu’s eyes narrowed. “Getting the jump…” An idea sparked in his head. “…On me. That’s it.”

*CRACK!*

Yang smashed her fist through a jagged stalagmite, only to find nothing. No Yu. No trap. Just more obsidian shards.

*WHISTLE!*

Her head snapped toward the sound. “Finally,” she grinned. Yu stood boldly out in the open, sword in hand, dashing straight at her. “Oh, you’re mine now!” With a cocky smile, Yang planted her boots like a sprinter on the starting line. “Let’s see if you can defend against this!”

*BANG!*

Yang launched forward like a rocket, shotgun gauntlets igniting, both fists drawn back. She tore through the obsidian wind, locked onto Yu.

Yu kept running. “Not yet,” 

They were seconds away from impact—close enough to see the whites of each other's eyes.

“PERSONA!”/*CLANG!*

Yang’s gauntlet collided—not with Yu’s face—but his sword, as he raised it to block. But Yang had planned for that. The impact angled her momentum, flipping her gracefully over Yu. As she spun, a glowing blue card descended beside him. Yu reached up and grabbed it.

*FLASH!*

Izanagi erupted into being in a burst of blue flame and electricity.

“What the—A Persona?!” Yang shielded her eyes from the flash mid-air. “He’s like Akihiko and Mitsuru—!” She tried to ready her punches, but it was too late.

“ZIODYNE!”

*ZAP!*

A bolt of lightning as thick as a pillar crashed into Yang mid-flip.

“GAAH—!”

*THUD!*

Yang hit the ground hard, steam rising from her clothes.

Yu exhaled and stepped toward her, katana still gripped, scanning for danger, and checking her pulse. “…Still breathing.”

Izanagi vanished beside him. “I can give you two Zio spells max,” he said. “After that, you’re on your own.”

Yu nodded. “Understood.” He looked ahead—Weiss and Mitsuru’s ice duel was at its breaking point...and it’s towards Mitsuru’s favor. “I’m on my way.” Yu took off, blade at his side.

But back behind him… Yang stirred. Steam rolled off her jacket. Her fists clenched. Her legs steadied. And then… her hair ignited. Her eyes, once lilac, now burned red—her Semblance fully awakened: Burn.

“This…” She stood up, fury igniting through every nerve. “…isn’t over.”

“How humiliating!”

Akihiko Sanada was pinned to the jagged black floor of Entropy Ridge. How did it come to this? Well… maybe it had something to do with the wild goose chase he let himself fall for. During the chase, Yuzuriha had danced around Akihiko’s punches with fluid ease, drawing him in further and further, until—

“Ainsel Lost.”

*WHOOSH—THWACK!*

The dull side of her blade swept out behind his heels like a flash of silver. Akihiko’s footing was gone in an instant.

*THUD!*

He hit the obsidian hard.

“Damn… she’s fast.”

Yuzuriha stood above him, arms crossed with a victorious smirk.

“Have to say, Muscle Boy, you actually made me block a few times. That’s rare. I was starting to worry about Ayame’s safety.”

“Who?”

*STAB!*

“My sword, beefcake.” Yuzuriha plunged her blade into the ground next to his head, then crouched down on top of him—one knee pressing into his torso, the other leg pinning his side.

Akihiko narrowed his eyes. “So she’s pinning me down now? Tch… smarter than she lets on. I guess it's true as they say never judge a book by its—” Then, he noticed something. Her… proportions. “…cover.”

Yuzuriha caught the glance. Her grin sharpened. “Aw, what's the matter? Speechless? You giving up, or just too busy admiring the view?”

Akihiko’s cheeks flared red. “How humiliating!” But he growled, locking eyes with her. “I’m not answering that. I’ve got a card up my sleeve.”

“Oh, you mean this?”

She held up something that made his blood run cold: his evoker.

“WHAT?! How did you—?!”

Yuzuriha giggled. “I noticed your redhead friend had one, so I figured you might too. Grabbed it while dashing around.”

“But it was in my pocket! There's no way—!”

“Oh, I noticed the bulge. Thought it was a gun… or maybe you were just really happy to see me. Judging by what I’m feeling with my leg right now… mm, I still can’t tell if I should be flattered or disappointed.”

“Grrr— That’s it!”

*WHIFF!*

Akihiko threw a punch, but Yuzuriha flipped back nimbly, dodging clean.

“Not done yet, Muscle Boy?” she teased.

Akihiko charged.

Yuzuriha narrowed her eyes.

“Come on… closer…”

As he approached, she tossed the evoker into the air.

“No—!”

She leapt up, blade raised to destroy it.

*WHOOSH!*

“NO!”

“Ainsel—”

*BANG!—CRACK!*

A yellow blur intercepted mid-air. A punch slammed into Yuzuriha’s ribs, launching her backward like a missile.

“W-WHAT?!”

Her EXS faltered—no proper use of Ainsel Lost, no momentum, no angles. The fall left her vulnerable. Akihiko didn’t waste it. He caught her mid-tumble, twisted, and pinned her to the ground.

“Damn muscles…” Yuzuriha wheezed. “I severely underestimated how strong you are.” She blinked. “You know, you could’ve just asked me out instead of harassing me.”

Akihiko’s face went red again. “Can you please stop flirting while we’re fighting?! It’s making this a thousand times more awkward!”

“I bet you say that to all the girls.”

“I don’t!” he barked. “I’m a fighter, not a playboy! I don’t go around seeking out girls just to throw hands with them—and this is exactly why!”

“Well, this looks romantic.” A new voice cut in. Blake Belladonna stepped into view, raising an eyebrow at the compromising position.

Akihiko paled. “This… is not what it looks like! I’m restraining her!”

“Oh really?” Blake crossed her arms. “So I shouldn’t give you two a room?”

“No, you totally should,” Yuzuriha chimed in. “He clearly wants a little nookie—and I’m a one-layer girl.”

“YOU’RE NOT HELPING!!”

Yuzuriha chuckled gleefully at his mortified expression—until she got a clear look at what Blake was holding. A whip-sword… and a shield. Tsubaki’s gear. The mood shifted. Yuzuriha’s smile faltered.

“…That hers?” she asked.

Blake nodded grimly. “You stopped joking the moment a teammate might be in danger. Interesting.”

*BOOM!*

Smoke exploded behind her.

From it emerged Yang Xiao Long—burning-eyed, battle-worn… and with chunks of her hair missing.

Blake’s eyes widened.

Yang’s tone was a growl. “You—” she pointed at Blake. “Tie her up. Make sure she doesn’t escape. Then find Seth.”

Blake nodded silently and began binding Yuzuriha. “…Hah. An ironic UNO reverse,” the EXS user muttered.

Yang turned to Akihiko. “And you.” Her glare was sharp. “I’ve watched your fighting style. You’re skilled. But if you’re going to risk limiting yourself like that—”

She tossed the evoker back at him. He caught it.

“Then stop playing around and use your damn powers.”

*BANG!*

She punched the ground and launched herself like a cannon through the air.

“…Whoa. She’s mad,” Akihiko muttered.

“Understandably so,” Yuzuriha grinned from the ground. “You really were holding back. Using your Persona would give you range, even if it made you a bigger target.”

Akihiko narrowed his eyes. “How do you—”

“I watched the ice queens duke it out. That redhead of yours is brutal. If it weren’t for your blonde buddy, I’d have joined her.”

Akihiko scoffed, turning his back. “Yeah? Well, now you’re sitting this out. CAESAR!”

*BOOM!*

His Persona manifested behind him, thunderous and ready.

“One last thing,” Yuzuriha called out, “You really need to talk to whoever designed that summoning gun of yours. The thing looks concerning.”

“That…We actually agree on that. But I’m never saying it to her, or to Mitsuru.”

With Ayame gripped tight, Akihiko dashed off after Yang—Yuzuriha’s smirk faded into a rare, quiet concern.

Weiss was running out of options. Her speed. Her glyphs. Her dust. Her summons. All of it… wasn’t enough. She had landed solid hits—her versatility was impressive—but Mitsuru Kirijo wasn’t just another swordswoman. She was a tactician. A leader. A veteran. Every attempt Weiss made to outmaneuver her was met with a faster counter. When Weiss boosted her speed, Mitsuru matched her. Without magic. When she summoned constructs, Artemisia shattered them with ruthless precision. Even when Weiss finally identified Mitsuru’s elemental weakness—fire—she only managed to land a single strike before Mitsuru adapted. Weiss tried to keep up. She failed.

*CRACK!*

Artemisia’s whip-sword lashed around Weiss’s waist and slammed her into the ground. The impact sent her flying upward. Before she could even react, ice encased her body midair—Mitsuru’s ice, not hers. Then came the finishing blow.

*SHHHING!*

Mitsuru thrust her rapier through the frozen Weiss, shattering the ice and sending her opponent crashing to the ground in a heap.

*SHHHATTER!*

Weiss’s Aura collapsed in a flash of light. Her weapon—Myrtenaster—flew from her hand and landed near Mitsuru’s boots.

“G-Gah…!”

Weiss coughed, trying to stand, but couldn’t.

Mitsuru approached calmly, blade lowered and eyes sharp.

“How… how strong are you?” Weiss rasped.

Mitsuru raised her crimson rapier.

“Strong enough—”

“PERSONA!”

*ZAP!*

A bolt of lightning tore through the air, forcing Mitsuru to jump back as it struck the ground where she had stood moments earlier.

“Ghhh—!” She stumbled as she landed

Yu Narukami stood where the bolt came from, blade in hand, Izanagi flickering behind him. He rushed to Weiss and offered her his hand. “You look like you need some help.”

Weiss rolled her eyes, even as she took it. “My hero.”

Yu helped her up. “I take it that’s your opponent?”

“I had her… right until I didn’t.”

Yu smirked. “I had better luck. Hit her with my strongest Zio—she’s out cold.”

*BANG!*

“AAAH!” Yu dropped his sword, clutching his hand.

“What?” Yu exclaimed.

“What?!” Izanagi echoed

“WHAT?!” Weiss shouted.

They turned toward the sound.

A yellow blur zipped across the battlefield and stopped with a—

*BOOM!*

There she stood. Yang Xiao Long. Hair singed. Eyes blood-red. Semblance burning.

“You BASTARD!” she growled, glaring directly at Yu.

He froze. “I thought she was out!”

“So did I. IZANAGI! ZIO!”

*ZAP!*

Yang didn’t dodge. She took the hit—on purpose. The electricity danced across her body, her red eyes glowing hotter.

“Nice try!” Yang responded, “But I can absorb all kinds of hits! Thanks for the fuel.”

Yang grins as she cracks her knuckles. Sparks danced around her fists.

Yu’s instincts kicked in. He picked up Weiss, princess-style, and jumped as Yang launched at them like a living rocket.

*THUD!* They hit the ground hard and scrambled to their feet.

“She’s not stopping!” Weiss shouted.

“We need to find the others and run,” Yu muttered.

“I concur!”

They turned and bolted—only to be intercepted.

*PUNCH!/ZIO!—CRACK!*

A bolt of electricity—delivered via Akihiko’s fist—blasted Yu off balance. He hit the dirt hard, releasing Weiss as Akihiko and Yang tackled him.

“YU!”

Yu grunted. “FORGET ME! RUN!”

Weiss turned to sprint—but halted immediately. An ice wall rose in front of her, tall and impassable. She didn’t even look back. She didn’t have to. Only one person could have made that. Weiss raised her arms in annoyed surrender, glaring forward. Mitsuru stepped through the smoke, rapier leveled at her.

“That’s… checkmate,” she declared.

Jin Kisaragi was on his knees, bloodied but not broken, as Ragna stood over him—Aramasa pointed at his face.

“I know all your moves, Jin,” Ragna said coldly. “Is that convincing enough for you?”

Jin panted, gritting his teeth. “…Yeah. It does. But you know what that means, right?”

Ragna’s eyes narrowed. “Yeah. Once this is over… I have to die.”

A flash of Noel’s face flitted through Jin’s mind. “In that case… I must continue.”

“To fight?” Ragna asked. “Is this just your way of trying to kill me… or stop me from doing it myself?”

Jin looked away. “As it stands… I’m only trying to stop you. But if there’s no other option—then yes, you must die, brother.”

Ragna winced. Not from pain—but from understanding. “But it doesn’t look like you’ll get that chance anymore… not after what just happened to your team.”

Jin blinked. He turned his head—only to feel his stomach drop. The Crimson Strikers were approaching, his team captured, their weapons confiscated. Weiss, Yu, Akihiko, Blake, even Yang, and Yuzuriha—each held or guarded one of the Blades of Judgment’s gear. Jin’s eyes landed on Blake, standing beside Tsubaki… holding her shield and whip-sword.

“What… did you do to them?!”

“We only subdued them,” Blake said coolly. “Like we said—we want to negotiate.”

Jin took a long breath. Then exhaled slowly.

“…Negotiate, huh? Then let’s start with this: how much has Ragna told you about himself? About what happens if this universe ever gets fixed?”

Ragna’s eyes widened in dread. “Son of a bitch—”

“Tch.” Mitsuru narrowed her eyes. “If you plan to psychologically fracture our team, you’re sorely mistaken.”

“We already know he’s a criminal!” Akihiko growled. “But that doesn’t mean he’s a bad person.”

“Criminal?!” Orie and Tsubaki thought simultaneously.

Jin nodded. “That’s true. Despite what our world’s corrupted government says, Ragna is a hero. But you remember what I said earlier, don’t you? Ragna… is supposed to be dead.”

“That’s enough!” Ragna growled. He lunged at Jin with the dull side of his blade—but Jin leapt back, landing behind him. The Strikers looked to Ragna in confusion. Doubt was creeping in. “Fine. I’ll be blunt. I’m not supposed to be alive. I somehow cheated death, and I’m walking proof that the timeline is broken. But if you help me end this fight at least… I’ll tell you everything.”

Yuzuriha crossed her arms. “So… you’re a zombie, then? Sheesh. Say what you want about the enemy, guys—they’ve got one hell of an enigma for a leader.”

Mitsuru sighed.

*BANG!—WHOOSH!*

Then summoned her persona, Artemisia, to freeze the Blades of Judgment and their weapons in place. “Fine,” she said. “But you’d better not leave a single stone unturned.”

Ragna gave a curt nod. “I won’t.”

He charged toward Jin—with the Strikers following behind, weapons reclaimed. Time seemed to slow as Jin watched them approach. His grip loosened on Yukianesa.

“I’ve been watching each of their battles, he thought. Orie’s opponent can shut down a person and their powers. Tsubaki’s opponent makes clones. Yu and Yuzuriha fought brawlers—but Yang is raw damage, and Akihiko was just stubborn with his Persona. And then there’s her…Mitsuru Kirijo. An ice-user like Weiss and me. A better leader than my brother—if not for her lost memories. What a cruel irony. But if Ragna activates the Azure Grimoire, it’s over…So it’s time I used my trump card.”

He drew Yukianesa—its blade glowing, warping, changing.

“Ghhh—!” Jin winced in agony as the Nox Nyctores transformed. Gone was the blue katana of ice. In its place: a tall, white-bladed sword with an open slot along its side.

Ragna froze.

“Wait. That Nox… that’s supposed to be—”

Jin dashed forward with a completely new stance.

*CLASH!*

Their swords collided—Jin’s movements faster, heavier, more deliberate. Then he released the blade lock, spinning around and in a circular arc—

*SLASH!*

The Strikers were caught off guard. Each one took a shallow cut—not fatal, but enough to drop them to a knee.

Ragna’s knees nearly buckled. “…and I can’t even heal? Of course”

Then came the next horror.

“I can’t… I can’t feel Artemisia…”

“My strength… It’s gone.”

“My clones… where are they?”

“I… can’t draw Izanagi!”

Ragna is now in a state of shock. “Don’t tell me—that works on them too?!” “JIN! WHAT DID YOU DO TO YUKIANESA?!”

Jin smirked as he broke the ice, holding his team and their weapons.. “I’ll let you in on a secret. You know how people always said there were eleven Nox Nyctores?” Ragna slowly nodded. “Well… they were wrong. There were only ten.” He lifted the massive blade. “This? This is Yukianesa’s true form. The Ookami. Once wielded by one of the Six Heroes…and my future self. Hakumen.”

Ragna stared at him, stunned. “FUTURE SELF?! I HAD TWO OF YOU TRYING TO KILL ME?!”

Most of the Strikers and the Blades shared his expression—though for very different reasons. “You have time travel in your world?!”

The brothers groaned. “This is gonna take forever to explain.”

Jin looks at the Strikers. “I can see you, Crimson Strikers care about him—about Ragna. For that, I’m grateful.”

“Crimson Strikers…?” they muttered.

“So call this a test. If you truly care about him, then don’t let him touch the keystones.”

Everyone’s eyes widened. Ragna’s narrowed.

“Wait—you’re not cooperating with them?!” Weiss asked

“This isn’t about trust,” Jin said. “It’s about defying fate.”

Yu hesitated. “And the memories?”

“I’ll do what I can. Everything else will be explained once we regroup. But for now…” He glanced over his shoulder. “…it’s enough for me to know that you’re still alive, brother.” With that, Jin turned. The Blades, now re-armed, followed him out of Entropy Ridge.

The Strikers remained—stunned, wounded, and surrounded by a storm of revelations. Mitsuru folded her arms. “…I assume you haven’t forgotten our promise?”

Ragna sighed. “Nope. Not with the peanut gallery staring me down.” He looked around at the faces—stern, suspicious, and tired. “You know, part of the reason I didn’t want to talk about my past… is because it’s complicated.” He turned toward them—resigned. “But thanks to Jin…looks like I’ve got no choice.”

SkyEyes

Carl Clover sat in silence, arms crossed, eyes glued to the flickering monitors filled with combat footage and streams of data. His expression was unreadable, but his mind was racing. “...I knew it. I’ve been analyzing Jin’s and Hakumen’s fighting styles through old recordings. I had theories—similar postures, similar aggression—but now that he’s accessed Ookami… that confirms it. That sword was sealed with the Time Edge. Or so we thought. But apparently, that was just the future version of Yukianesa.” He paused, watching the monitors as the Strikers stumbled from Jin’s sweeping Order Slash. “He shut them all down. In one move. Their powers—gone. That wasn’t a fight. That was a message.”

Nirvana leaned back, folding her arms, giving Carl a knowing look. Carl sighed, bitterness just below the surface.

“Yeah. I expected him to pull something like this. But not without the full Susano’o Unit. Either Jin found a loophole... or he’s losing control.”

System XX was not as composed. “You’ve got to be kidding me. Ookami? HERE?! Do you know what that sword does to code integrity?! He just wiped Persona signatures, EXS emissions, and Keystone readings in one swing!”

She furiously flicked a monitor toward them, showing Mitsuru and Akihiko’s frozen Personas.

“These idiots don’t even realize how close they came to a system-wide ORDER CRASH!”

Carl remained calm, his gaze distant. “They wouldn’t understand. They’re still fighting for ideals… but Jin? He’s not fighting anymore. He’s correcting.”

System XX sneered. “Oh yes, correction through cold steel and cosmic recursion. So noble. He even thanked the Strikers for ‘caring about his brother.’ Ew.”

Nirvana tilted her head and gave a single, slow clap.

Carl looked over, confused. “…She thinks the gratitude is cute.”

System XX scoffed. “Ugh. Not helping, puppet girl.”

That earned her a glare from the Clovers, which was enough to make her shut up—for now.

“But what really bugs me… is that last move. Jin let them live. Just handed his enemies mercy and walked away. Not like him at all.” Carl leaned forward. “It wasn’t tactical. It was emotional.”

Nirvana gently tapped Carl’s shoulder, drawing his attention. She slowly placed her hands where her heart would be.

Carl’s eyes widened in realization. “...Because that wasn’t a power play. That was relief.”

Nirvana nodded slowly.

System XX rolled her digital eyes and went back to mocking mode. “Right. Because nothing says rational decision-making like dropping a reality-cutting blade in front of six strangers, time-bombing your own brother, and expressing gratitude for your enemies’ team spirit before vanishing like he’s in the ending of a JRPG. Someone get this man a dramatic cape and an echo chamber.”

Carl blinked, confused. “Why are you mad, System? Jin’s team is weakened. We could ambush them and take the stone.”

System XX exploded. “Have you been PAYING ATTENTION?! That little ‘sword trick’ of his changes everything! He can disrupt emotional sync between factions, override narrative progression, and weaponize classified artifacts without protocol!”

Carl hesitated. “Wouldn’t the entropy effect just morph Ookami back to Yukianesa?”

“Oh, of course it would. In fact, it’s already happening! The problem is: by the time it finishes, Jin’s team will be recovered!”

Carl’s voice faltered. “...What?”

“Right now, Judgement Blade is camped somewhere, regrouping. Jin’s on guard duty—with Ookami still active. But he can’t use the Power of Order again unless he wants to die. So until then, the Blades have one—well, technically one and a half—members of the Six Heroes.”

Carl chuckled. “Okay, time out, I’ve been wanting to ask this for a while now. Arcflare Legends, Crimson Strikers, Judgement Blade… What’s with the names?”

System XX groaned like an overworked server. “Carl, let me ask you a question: what’s six times seven?”

Carl blinked. “...Forty-two?”

“Good, good. Now, besides us, the Five, and the Fangs, how many individuals do you think are currently in the Phantom Zone?”

Carl began counting on his fingers. “So far, I’ve tracked about twenty-one—”

Nirvana placed a hand on his shoulder. His eyes widened.

“...Oh. I already answered my own question, didn’t I?”

“Yes. You did,” System replied dryly. “You think I’d just list everyone by team name? Come on.”

Carl groaned. “I was expecting something simple like ‘Ragna’s team, Jin’s team,’ you know?”

“And that’s so boring! Where’s the drama? The flare? I am genuinely offended that the molecule-sized brain you have came up with names that basic.”

Carl narrowed his eyes. “You’re starting to sound like Alucard.”

“Oh, really? Do keep in mind—I was built in that castle. I was supposed to replace Rachel.”

Carl deadpanned. “Right. Duly noted.”

Nirvana gently nudged him again, gesturing back to the screens.

“Yes, yes, we’ll go back to the topic, Sis,” Carl chuckled. “So… about Jin.” He smirked. “You seem to forget—I’ve already taken down one of the Six Heroes.”

Nirvana rolled her eyes as System XX looked ready to melt down. “Oh, terabyte my circuits, CARL! I analyzed that fight. You only won because you studied your father’s notes—specifically the ones about his rivalry with Valkenhayn. You practically had a cheat sheet on dogfighting him in three easy steps! And don’t even get me started on the element of surprise. He had no idea you were raiding Castle Alucard. But next time?” System snorted. “Let’s just say you’ll be begging to get turned into a werewolf.”

Carl paled. “...So what you’re saying is that against Ookami-wielding Jin, I stand no chance?”

System XX groaned again. “To your credit, Ookami Jin’s glaring weakness is that he isn’t wearing the Hakumen suit. You could get the jump on him. But—by the time we even reach Judgement Blade, they’ll be 25% recovered. That may not sound like much, but remember: teamwork makes the dream work.” She took a breath. “There’s only one option left. Call the Five and the Fangs. Send at least one of them to intercept the Blades. I don’t care which—just send the coordination!” Carl nodded, getting to work on his communicator as Nirvana followed as he left.

System XX is now alone to mutter to herself. “That damn Power of Order… more trouble than it’s worth. If it weren’t for the keystone, I’d have already sent the Five to kill Celica. But then again… they’d have to get past Nine. And the rest of the Legends. And puppet girl 2.0...” She sighed. “Let’s see who’s about to find the next keystone…” She scanned the map. Seven team signatures flickered onscreen—two in particular caught her eye: Burn Edge Rebellion and Rose Trigger. System smirked. “Hmm… Looks like the second match of the scramble’s coming sooner than expected.”

Chapter Text

Spiral Ruins

The Burn Edge Rebels continued their search for Rachel and the keystones in a beachside town of ruins, filled with spiral sigmas and a lone cruise ship docked at the port. The morale of the team had been strained, thanks to the Persona users’ culture shock over vampires in BlazBlue.

Naoto noticed the tension and sighed. “I think we should split up.”

“Split up?” they asked.

“Yeah. We can cover more ground that way. There are six of us, so we can either form two groups of three or three groups of two. Which do you suggest?”

Everyone pondered the options.

“Two groups of three or three groups of two… What do you think, girls?” Yosuke asked.

“A two-person team can cover more ground,” Makoto suggested thoughtfully.

“But we’d be more vulnerable to an ambush if we split that way,” Yukiko pointed out.

“Then let’s prepare for it. We can protect each other better that way,” Chie declared, striking a kung fu pose.

“Satonaka-san…” Yukiko thought, impressed.

Makoto raised an eyebrow. I know they’re from the same world, but if I knew better, I swear those two are best friends. I wonder if I have that… She glanced at Yumi and smiled. “Maybe I do.” “What about you, Yumi?”

Yumi rubbed her chin. “Personally, I’d prefer two groups of three. That way, any encounters with enemies would be easier to handle. But if our goal is to cover more ground, three groups of two would be more effective.”

Everyone nodded and turned to Naoto. “Okay, who’s going with whom?”

“I choose Satonaka-san/Amagi-san,” the two Persona users said simultaneously, causing them to laugh.

Makoto crossed her arms. “Like I said—best friends.” She looked at Yumi and, through the static of her mind, saw Tsubaki. She was about to choose her when Yumi spoke.

“Mind if I accompany you, Naoto?”

Makoto and Naoto were taken aback for different reasons.

“Oh! Uhm… sure. Makoto, you’re with Yosuke. Any questions or concerns?”

Makoto glanced at Yosuke’s arm rubbing motion and thought: “On one hand, he, Chie, and Yukiko were quick to judge Raquel as a monster. On the other hand, they apologized…” She sighed. “Nope. All good here.”

“Okay then. We’ll meet up at the cruise ship in the distance.” Naoto pointed toward a vessel named Spiraling Seas, and the group resumed their search.

Phantom Wilds
The land here was warped, caught between forest and void. Trees grew sideways—some floating in midair, others dissolving mid-trunk. A thick fog crept across the ground, shimmering faintly like a heat mirage on oil.

Teddie trotted ahead, nose twitching aggressively. His usual bounce felt stiffer.

“This way! Definitely this way! Ugh… it stinks!”

Noel walked beside him. “You okay, Teddie?”

Teddie dramatically collapsed. “I was not built to process whatever this is! It’s like burnt rubber dipped in regret!”

“That’s… oddly poetic and concerning,” Mai commented.

“Whatever it is, we’re getting closer. I can feel my EXS reacting… like it wants to retreat.” Hyde commented

Ruby noticed Asuka blushing red as her name. She approached. “Hey, Asuka.”

“Huh? Ruby. What can I do for you?”

“Are you… feeling sick?”

“Sick?”

“You’re burning up again. Just like back at the rooftops”

Asuka rubbed her arm. “Right… that.”

“If it’s something personal, you don’t have to say anything. Just when you’re ready…”

Asuka sighed. “Can I… whisper it to your ear?”

“Sure.”

She whispered into Ruby’s ear, and now it's Ruby’s turn to be red as her name.

“Okay! That’s a lot to unpack. What makes you think you lost your—” Ruby trailed off, somehow becoming even redder.

“There’s a girl who keeps appearing in my mind. If I focus, I can see her features—tan skin, blue-green eyes, a ponytail—but the deeper I go, the hotter I get. I remember her warmth, her breath, her… b-bo-bod-body…” Asuka blushed further, becoming even redder as well.

“You wanna stop?”

Asuka calmed slightly. “I don’t know. I was asked out by one guy and rejected him because of my dedication to ninja training. But I like the idea of being with my true love. So, this memory being so… intimate means two things.”

Ruby gasped. “That the girl in your head is your true love?!”

“That’s the idea. The other possibility is… unpleasant.”

Ruby’s eyes widened in horror. “Was there… pain?”

“No. In fact, it was pleasurable enough to make me lose focus.”

“Then why assume the worst?”

“Because… I don’t remember giving consent.” Tears welled in Asuka’s eyes. “For all I know, she was using me like I came from a… nighthouse. Even if it was consensual, if it was special, what does it tell me as a person if I can’t remember it?”

By now, Asuka crouched, sobbing. This gets her team’s attention.

“Asuka? What’s wrong?” Mei asked.

Ruby looked at Asuka, who nodded.

“Okay, this situation fits right into girl talk territory, so I need Hyde and Teddie to… go away.”

Teddie gasped, and Hyde sighed.

“Girl talk?!”

“Say no more.”

“Can I at least get one beary juicy hint—”

*STAB!*

Hyde slammed the insulator into the ground behind Teddie. “Don’t. Even. Think about it.”

Teddie gave up.

“Thank you, Hyde.” Noel, Mai, and Ruby echoed the sentiment.

“This might be my former gender talking, but I feel bad leaving Hyde out,” Mai thought.

Ruby told Noel and Mai what Asuka shared. They gasped.

“Asuka… I have no idea…” Noel said.

“How could you? We’re from different worlds,” Asuka replied.

“I have the Eye of the Azure,” Noel reminded her. “I’ll try to see if your relationship with that girl is consensual.”

Asuka smiled. “Thank you, but no. Your eye is handicapped right now—save it for emergencies. The universe needs it.”

The girls turned to the boys. “We’re coming back!”

The group emerged, Teddie up front. Noel clenched her fists. “We need to find those keystones fast. I wish my brothers were here—even if they fight, at least they’d know what to do,” she thought, as the triggers reached an abandoned beach town.

Spiral Ruins: Westside

Makoto noticed the awkward air between her and Yosuke and rolled her eyes.

“You don’t have to walk with me, you know.” Yosuke glanced at her. “I don’t have the best track record regarding humans.”

“Humans? But that’s you, isn’t it?” Yosuke asked, confused.

“No, I’m a Beastskin,” Makoto replied.

“Beastskin?”

Makoto groaned. “You mean you haven’t noticed your ears and tail?”

“Of course I noticed—I just didn’t point it out to respect your fashion… choice.”

Yosuke’s eyes widened when he saw Makoto’s ears twitch and her tail flick behind her.

“THOSE ARE REAL?!”

Makoto realized something. “You don’t have Beastskins in your world, do you?”

He shook his head. “*Sigh* Figures.”

Makoto walked ahead.

“What, hey! Where are you going?!” Yosuke called, keeping up.

“Scouting ahead so you don’t have to deal with a monster!”

“Monster?! Where?!”

“You’re talking to one right now!”

“You?!”

“Who else would I be talking to? I have extra ears and a tail. You should be repulsed—just like everyone else!”

“Repulsed?! Ok, I’ll admit the ears and tail are off-putting. I thought they were costume pieces, but honestly, boys from my world would find it cute.”

Makoto stopped. “What?”

“It’s a common fantasy where I come from—dating someone like you. And that outfit… well, that’s half the reason I’m awkward around you.”

Makoto crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow.

“So, despite Beastskins not existing in your world, you still want to date one? Back home, it’s no different than dating a real animal.”

“You’re still human, though, aren’t you? You still fight, laugh, and cry. I’ve literally seen that.”

Makoto’s eyes widened. She turned away, silent, tears forming in her eyes.

“Why? We’re from different worlds, and I’m not even human. Why say such kind words to me?!”

“Because…I don't think I'm just friends with humans. It's faint, but I feel like I'm friends with a few robots and a shadow. You know the monsters in my world that I'm supposed to hunt? In fact, I meant to talk to you before you asked Naoto about his anemic immunity.”

“About what?”

“Ever since Naoto explained what’s going on, your expression looked… off. You pretend everything is fine when it isn’t. A look that I recognize far too well for my liking.”

“Do you… Use that from time to time?”

“Yes. Before I had my Persona, I wasn’t happy with my situation. I was from the city, moved to the countryside, and the worst part… being the son of a business tycoon who caused multiple bankruptcies wherever I lived, I didn’t get respect.”

“So the smiles you use… were usually fake?”

Yosuke nodded. “Yet… something happened. Suddenly, my smiles became genuine. It’s like someone helped me realize that as long as I have friends, I shouldn’t—”

“Care what others think.” Noel, Tsubaki, and Mai buzzed in Makoto’s mind, making her clench her fists. “We had people who helped us feel accepted… yet they’ve been TAKEN AWAY FROM US!”

*PUNCH!*

Makoto slammed a nearby tree, which toppled to the ground. Tears swell in her eyes. “Just… who are we supposed to be?”

Yosuke can only sigh at this. “I… don’t know how to answer that. Once we meet up with the others, tell them what you told me. You’re not alone in this.”

Makoto wiped her tears. “You’re right. Chie, Yukiko, even Yumi… they must’ve come to a similar conclusion.”

Spiral Ruins: Northside

Chie and Yukiko glanced at each other bashfully.

“So… I-It looks like—” they both stammered.

“You first,” Yukiko said.

Chie chuckled. “We had the same idea, didn’t we? Choosing each other as partners.”

“Makes sense—we’re from the same world—but I feel there’s another reason.”

“Plus, I didn’t give Hanamura-san a second thought. So either we hate him, or...”

“What we had in our world is more special?”

Chie blushed. “M-mo-mor-more special?! How special are we talking?!”

“Special enough to make me think of you as a prince,” Yukiko said earnestly.

“A prince?!” Chie asked, dumbstruck, “I really am a tomboy, huh?”

“It’s honestly not hard. You’re bold and confident; the same thing applies to Nanaya-san, actually. I wanted that for a long time, but I stopped thinking about it… until I met you.”

“Amagi-san… I never thought of it that way.”

“Why not?”

“Because since forming this team, I’ve been jealous of you and Yumi-san.”

“Jealous? Why?”

“Because I may be a girl, but I don’t behave like one. You and Yumi-san are the most traditional Japanese girls I’ve ever seen. I didn’t care until recently.”

“So we both changed, yet thanks to this, we’re back to our original behavior patterns.”

Chie growled. “This whole mess wouldn’t have happened if that Relius jerk had actually raised his children like a family! If I ever have the misfortune of seeing him, I’ll punt him out of the multiverse!”

Yukiko nodded. “And I’ll burn him so hard he’ll wish he was in the ninth circle of hell.” Chie was taken aback. “What’s wrong?”

“I thought you didn’t swear,” Chie said.

“I don’t swear. You think that just because I'm a traditionalist, it means that I'm above swearing?” Yukiko asked.

Chie immediately felt guilty. “Hold on—I didn’t mean it like that! What I meant was—”

“Keek!” Yukiko interrupted, laughing. “Kahahahahahahahahaha! Oh, Chie! You never told me you’re such a comedian!”

“I… never did.”

“What was I supposed to say then? I’ll burn him so hard he’ll wish he was in the ninth sphere of heaven?! The seventh terrace of purgatory?! Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!”

Chie could only sweat.

“On second thought, maybe Yumi is more traditional than Yukiko. Just the fact that she wears a kimono in battle makes it clear. And talking about that, whoever gave her that kimono ought a be drop-kicked in the head! I get fired! I mean, look at the size of that thing! It's barely covering her-”

Chie gets red, something that Yukiko noticed as she stopped laughing, “Huh? What’s wrong, Chie? You’re burning up.”

“Nothing. Let’s continue.” “At this point, I just hope Naoto-kun doesn’t do anything pervy.”

Spiral Ruins: Eastside

Naoto was sweating bullets. What started as a mental comparison to Yumi quickly turned into a full-blown sweat session, thanks to her… proportions.

Yumi noticed immediately.

“Naoto-san, are you feeling sick?”

“Huh? Oh no, everything’s fine! I just… couldn’t help but notice how much more effective a leader you are than I.”

“You think so?”

“Honestly, I know so. You convinced the Persona trio to hear me out. Even though I gave the choice on how to split up, everyone followed your plan. Are you a leader in your world?”

Yumi rubbed her chin. “Most likely. I led four other Shinobi. I was a leader, alongside someone else.”

Naoto nodded. “I see… Between us, you should lead.”

Yumi’s face widened slightly. “Wait a minute, Naoto. I wasn’t trying to step on your toes. Right now, all acts of leadership are instinctual. Muscle memory. You saw what happened when we first met—you took charge while I struggled.”

“True, but that’s because, unlike anyone else, I had some understanding. Think about it, if I don’t like crowds, what does that say about my leadership?”

“You… make a good point. But now leadership feels abstract.”

“Yeah, and both of us can guide our teammates through this.”

“So the safest bet is to share leadership.”

“Seems so.”

“Would that be a problem?”

“Nope. I’m curious why you chose me as a partner, besides leadership.”

“How do I put this… your name. The first part of your last name.”

“What about it?”

“It's faint, but it reminded me of someone close.”

“Friend or lover?”

“Family,” Yumi replied.

Naoto’s mind flashed to one of the few family members he has. “Raquel… I can only hope you’re okay.”

Yumi stretched her arm forward. “Something’s glowing ahead.” Naoto squinted at the cruise ship and saw a red and green glow.

Yumi smirked. “Seems your intuition is sharp, leader.”

Naoto chuckled, lightly blushing. “To be honest, I was only marking a rendezvous point.”

“Regardless, we must be close.”

They nodded to each other and followed the glow.

Spiraling Seas

The triggers reached the ship, much to Teddie’s nasal frustration.

“Okay, that’s it! My nose is on a time out!”

Everyone looked at the ship, and in unison, a single thought ran through their minds: “Split up.”

They nodded to each other.

“Okay, since we’re splitting up, how should we do it?” Teddie asked.

Mai narrowed her eyes. “Hmm… We can either form two groups of three or three groups of two. We can prioritize offense in searching for the keystone or defense in case of an enemy attack.”

“So either a sword…or a shield.” “Which one do you think, Noel?” Asuka asked.

Noel’s expression hardened. “The keystone is the priority. We must find it, no matter what.”

Everyone nodded.

“All right! Time to pick our partners!” Teddie declared. “Let’s see… I choose—”

“Teddie, you’re with Hyde,” the girls said in unison.

Hyde sighed while Teddie’s jaw dropped.

“What?! No fair! You didn’t even let me finish!”

“Back at the forest, you were about to ask about our girl talk. Even if you weren’t, you’re still slightly flirtatious to an uncomfortable degree,” Mai pointed out, arms crossed.

“B-bu-but what about Kido-kun? Did you even ask him?” Teddie turns towards Hyde. “Kido-kun, let's be honest with me. Do you really want to spend time with me, or the ladies?”

Mai clenched her fists, but Noel signaled her to calm down.

Hyde sighs at this. “I’ll be honest. Between me and the girls, I’d rather be with the girls—especially Noel or Ruby.”

“Hah! See?! The jury’s settled!” Teddie exclaimed.

“You know, that would’ve increased my chances to pair up with you. But unlike you, I’d rather be with the girls because I don’t want Teddie duty—but I’d rather that than let you be six feet near them. ESPECIALLY Mai and Asuka.”

The girls looked at each other in surprise.

“Hey! Why are you signaling us out?!”

Hyde glanced aside. “If I answer, you’d slap me. There’s a reason I’d rather go with Noel or Ruby.”

The girls realized what he meant and gasped.

Noel’s voice became robotic as she drew out Bolverk. [Don’t make me shoot you, Hyde Kido.]

“Then please see it from my perspective. Mai, your outfit is revealing, and I want to slap the tailor for it. And Asuka…” Hyde blushed. “I am NOT starting with you.”

Asuka proceeds to pout at this “Really?” 

“Your fights always end in nudity! Need I say more?!”

*Whistle!*

The triggers looked at Teddie behind them.

“I’m starting to think no one wants to be with me!”

“Well, it’s not that we don’t want to be with you. We just don’t want a sexual harassment case on our hands.” The girls glared slowly at Hyde.

“In that case, I’ll go alone!” Teddie climbed aboard.

“Teddie!” the triggers yelled, but he heard nothing.

Hyde facepalmed. “I should’ve lied. Sorry, girls. This is on me.”

Noel shook her head. “No, this is on all of us. We’re a team. If one of us screws up, we all do.”

“Now we need to search for Teddie and the keystones,” Mai said.

She locked eyes with Asuka. “You’re coming with me and Noel.”

“Hyde, you’re with Ruby. Any objections?”

Everyone shook their heads.

“Okay, all hands on deck,” Teddie declared as the triggers boarded the ship.

The Lower Deck: Sterns End

Makoto and Yosuke explored the lower deck. Makoto remained withdrawn after her earlier revelation, and Yosuke noticed her dour mood.

“Man, whoever helped her step out of her shell must be really important to her. As her partner, I should do the same—but we’re not even from the same world. So what can I—” Yosuke stopped abruptly, noticing a hallway. An idea struck him.

“Hey, Nanaya-san.”

Makoto looked confused. “Nanaya-san?” “You know my name’s Makoto, right?”

Yosuke blushed. “Of course I do! I just can’t use first names with strangers.”

“Why?”

“It’s… cultural. Politeness is serious where I’m from. And Satonaka-san and Amagi-san, by extension.”

Makoto shrugged. “Okay… Hanamura. What do you want to show me?” Yosuke gestured down the hallway, revealing a dark blue room lit by neon lights. Makoto narrowed her eyes. “What… am I looking at?”

“You don’t have arcades in your world?”

Her blank expression answered him.

“Okay, better question. Does your world have video games?”

“Video… games? I know the words, but not as one concept,” she said.

Yosuke sighed. “Wow. This is going to be tough.” “Basically, video games are… games with technology, and an arcade is a room full of them.”

“And this relates to our keystone search, how?”

Yosuke sweat-dropped. “It doesn’t.”

“Then why are we here?”

“You’re not focusing on the search right now, are you?” Makoto remained silent. “I get it. You were treated less than human and had trust issues until you found friends. Friends you’ve forgotten. If we’re going to work together, I want you to apply that same trust to me.”

Makoto sighed. “You’re right. I’m being insensitive, but I can’t help it. The harder I try to remember, the more my head hurts—as if someone reached in and pulled out my memories.”

“Yeah. I’m pissed too. Even though he never meant to cause all this, I want to give that Carl kid a piece of my mind for making me feel like a sad clown again.”

“Sad clowns… that’s us, isn’t it?”

“It doesn’t have to be. Even if we ignore the keystone, we can find ways to forget all of that.”

“Through this… arcade?”

“Through that arcade.”

Makoto sighed. “All right. I’ll give it a shot—under one condition.” She stretched out her arm. “You’ll guide me. I’m not familiar with video games.”

Yosuke blushed again. “Sure,” he said, making the squirrel girl blush in return.

As they walked down the hallway, one thought lingered in their minds: “Did I just...turn the search into a date?!”

The Arcade: Bows End

Ruby’s silver eyes widened as she and Hyde stumbled upon the arcade.

“Oh my GOD! WHAT IS THIS PLACE?!”

“This is an—”

*WHOOSH!*

“Arcade…” Ruby zipped around the room using her semblance before Hyde could finish.

“Guns! Steering wheels! Touch screens! Hammers! And are those helmets?! This place has a virtual reality training simulator?!”

“I… uhm… don’t think they have that here,” Hyde said.

“Even if they don’t, I’ve never seen one in Vale! I heard they’re only in Atlas!”

“Are those...locations from her world? Why are they named after a piece of wedding fabric and a Greek god?” Hyde wondered.

“I just don’t know which machine to start with!”

“Did you forget about Teddie?” Hyde reminded Ruby

“Yeah… I did. Sorry. Can we at least search here? Teddie might be here.”

“I can’t tell if she’s making an excuse or being genuine,” Hyde thought. “Okay, fine. Just for Teddie,” 

“Got it. Just for Teddie.”

As they split up, one thought lingered: “I wonder how everyone else is doing…”

The Middle Deck: Spiral Park

Noel and Mai walked side by side while searching for Teddie in the park-like deck.

Noel focused intensely on finding him, while Mai kept stealing glances at her, blushing.

“Outside of my origin, my mind is a blank slate. Yet being around her makes me want to blush. Are we on par with Asuka and the tanned girl she mentioned? No. If that were the case, I’d be sweltering. So is this a—”

*Grumbling!*

Mai’s stomach growled, and Noel perked up.

“Mai, you’re hungry!”

She ran her arm through embarrassment. “It’s fine, we must find Teddie.”

Noel shakes her head, “There is no point in searching if you’re not at full strength. You need to eat.”

“I can’t eat regular food—you know that if you know my secret. So even bothering with me is pointless—”

Noel grabbed Mai’s hand, serious. “As far as I know, there is nobody here for miles who knows your diet better than I do. I’m a pro at your meals. Here’s the deal: I’ll cook, you eat. Love it? Seconds. Hate it? We search for Teddie. Deal?”

Mai’s face lit up. “I’m… looking forward to it? She must be really good.” “Okay, let’s see what you’ve got.”

Noel smiled. “Follow me—I saw a restaurant a while back.”

The Middle Deck: Starboard Diner

Chie and Yukiko entered an empty diner.

“This boat is officially creeping me out! How are there so few people? It’s absurd!” Chie shook, and Yukiko held her hand. “You’re not scared?” 

“I’ve read horror stories. Don’t forget, I’ll protect you from anything scary.” Yukiko answered with a smile

“Amagi-san… I’m starting to wonder who’s the prince between us,” Chie thought.

*Grumbling!*

Her stomach growled, and Yukiko gasped.

“Satonaka-san! Are you hungry?”

“Well… I’ve only had snacks today. And so have you.”

“Yeah, I’m famished. Oh! I know! I can cook something for you.”

“You… can cook?”

“Yes, I do at the Amagi Inn, though my staff usually cooks.”

“You… have an inn?”

Yukiko noticed Chie's growing forlorn expression. “What’s wrong?”

“I feel like…I should know all of this. By heart even.”

“Then we did interact at least once. If multiple times, our relationship is more than idolization, especially with our Personas.”

“Why would we interact willingly? Hanamura-san is a bit of a screw-up,” Chie said.

“Satonaka-san…”

“He offended Kurogane-kun, Yumi-san, and Nanaya-san,”

“and so did we…” Yukiko added, forlorn.

“We really are… in a different world, aren’t we?”

“No doubt. Our team is uncomfortable. To make up for it, I’ll make boxed lunches for everyone.”

“So everyone can eat it?”

“Yes. You go ahead, I’ll cook your lunch.”

“I’ll help! I offended them, after all.”

“Can you cook, though?”

“Please. I’m a professional! Call me Chief Boiarchie!”

Keek! “Chief Boiarchie—Ahahahaha!” Yukiko laughed, and Chie blushed.

“Yeah… I walked into that one.”

The Top Deck: Peach Beach Splash Park

Teddie stomped around the water park-themed deck searching for the keystone. “Just my bearable luck. I’m on a team of four ladies, and none want to be with me.” He spotted a bob-haired girl in a kimono searching for something and froze in awe. “Then again, plenty of fish in the sea, and I’m a hungry bear.”

Teddie removed his costume and approached her, but she spun around, blue fan raised.

*WHOOSH!*

“WOAH!” Teddie dodged, but his shoe caught the kimono’s belt.

“Huh?”

*Tumbling!*

They fell near the pool.

*Thud!*

Teddie stretched his hand to the deck, breaking the fall.

“Whew! Are you all right—aye-aye-aye-AYIE!”

Her kimono drifted into the purple water. Teddie saw her in her underwear—on top of her—before jumping back just as a boy with a red arm appeared.

“I heard screaming… what—*GASP!?*” He froze, seeing the girl and Teddie.

“You bastard!” His hair turned white, and his red arm gained spikes.

“NONONONONONO! THIS IS JUST AN ACCIDENT!”

Naoto growled. “In the words of my anemic teammate: I bet you’re the type who ‘accidentally’ ends up in perverted situations. Now here’s MY accident!”

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!” The boy charged, spikes ready.

SkyEyes
System XX observed the divided Rebels and Triggers, shaking her head.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk. Split apart. They’ve split to find the stone, and in the Triggers’ case, their pet in heat. This will delay my plans, but at least it won’t be boring.”

Carl rushed forward, Nirvana in tow.

“It’s done! The keystone is secured!”

System XX raised an eyebrow. “Now THAT’S music to my ears. Who has the stone, and by extension, the team you contacted?”

Carl took a breath. “It was the Five…”

Chapter Text

Earlier: Nexus Tower
Hazama stood with one hand in his pocket, the other twirling his fedora by the brim.

“Ahhh~ nostalgia. The smell of collapsed timelines and people trying to kill me. Just like old times.”

Nine’s seithr flared, fire bursting from her hands.

“I don’t know why Trinity and I ever regarded you as a friend—but we did. And it makes me sick.”

“It’s okay. Most people feel that way after our first date.”

Something inside Nine snapped.

*BOOM!*

The tower exploded, sending everyone into battle.

“Whoa, woah, woah—WOAH!”

Mika used her gauntlets to grab a chunk of the collapsing tower, stopping her fall. But this left her exposed—Merkava rose like a specter from the mist clinging to the walls, his body twisting and writhing, unbound by gravity.

“You… are of the Licht Kreis. Their light… MAKES MY SKIN BOIL!”

Mika grinned. “Good! ’Cause I’m not here to share it!”

They clashed in freefall—Merkava lashing out with elastic limbs and ear-splitting screeches, Mika barreling through with explosive impacts and righteous fury, laughing all the while.

“You’re like a gross noodle! But I’ll beat you into a proper bento!”

“Your overconfidence… IS TRITE!” Merkava roared as he slithered into a crack in the tower’s wall.

“At least I’m not a scaredy cat—get back here!”

*PUNCH!*

Mika drove her gauntlet straight into the crack, forcing her way after him.

Juusan saw this and prepared to assist—until a voice pierced the chaos.

“Nu!”

Her body froze at the name. Slowly, she turned to see Celica riding Minerva in jet mode.

“Nu, please—you don’t have to do this! You’re not a weapon!”

Juusan’s face darkened. [Still… Nu?] She growled. [If I’m still Nu… I’ll. Still. Continue. Mission!”

Swords burst forth, streaking toward Celica and Minerva. The latter weaved through them like a fighter jet, but Juusan’s barrage was relentless. One blade angled straight toward the cockpit—

“IRON FIST PUNCH!”

*CLANG!*

Heart spun into a rising punch, knocking the sword away.

“Heart?!” Celica gasped.

“I was below Minnie-Minnie the whole time. Wait—you mean she can transform into a plane?!”

“Just one of her many features.” Celica and Heart’s focus snapped back to the battle.

“Hey, metal lady! I never met you, but Celly-Celly has, and she just wants to talk! Can’t we get along?!”

Juusan clenched her fists. [Data on new subject: zero.]

Her scowl shifted into a thin smirk. [Subject desires conversation? Acknowledged. But first—] She pointed at Heart. [The new one must give me data.]

“Data? How am I supposed to give you that?!” Heart asked.

Swords swirled around Juusan, who grinned audaciously.

“Ooh…” Heart braced herself.

*PUNCH! CLANG! ZOOM!*

A dogfight erupted—Celica and Heart riding jet-mode Minerva against Juusan and her storm of blades.

Nine dove toward Hazama, her hands igniting with a flurry of fireballs.

Hazama only sighed and shook his head. “All those years in that little magic school guild, and you still play fire with fire without worrying about getting burned.”

“Ouroboros!”

Hazama’s chain lashed out, hooking onto the tower. He swung around in an arc, rising above Nine, butterfly knife flashing in his hand. This time, he was the one diving down.

Nine had noticed the moment he swung away and began heating her palm until it burned blue.

“You won’t run from me!”

*FOOM!*

Her flames slashed the air, racing toward Hazama. He raised his jacket as a shield, the fabric sizzling, and in the same motion hurled his knife.

**STAB!

“GAH!”

The blade struck her in a non-fatal spot. Nine staggered as she hit the ground, while Hazama landed smoothly, almost lazily.

“You struck first, struck hard, and showed no mercy. You’d make a good cobra.”

“Go to hell!”

Ouroboros slithered across the ground like a snake in the grass, ready to coil around Nine—

*CLANG!*

Jubei leapt in front of her, claws and Musashi blades bared. His movements were tight, unsteady, but enough to make Hazama jump back. Nine looked up at her pale, beloved swordsman with wide eyes, as if a princess being saved by her knight.

“Jubei…” “My hero.”

Hazama smirked—until a shadow fell over him. He looked up.

*SLAM! SHATTER!*

A massive colorful anvil crashed down, kicking up a dust cloud and a strange ring of glass. Standing proudly on top was… Platinum—Trinity’s voice spilling out.

“Nine! Jubei!”

“Trinity?!”

“Well that’s a new voice,” Jubei muttered. Trinity leapt down and hugged them both tightly. “Whoa! I meant something to her, I assume?” Jubei asked.

Nine nodded.

“In that case, don’t warm your hands, and I won’t have to scratch you,” Jubei warned.

Trinity chuckled. “I won’t.”

Nine broke free of the hug. “Wait—you remember everything?!”

Trinity nodded.

“Then why hide?” Jubei asked.

“That’s… a very good question.” The BlazBlue trio tensed as Hazama strolled out of the dust cloud. “I’ve been wanting to thank you for sparing me—letting me explore the Boundary as I saw fit.”

Nine and Jubei’s eyes widened in shock, though for different reasons. “YOU DIDN’T KILL HIM?!”/“YOU LET SOMEONE JUMP IN A CAULDRON?!”

Hazama raised his hands. “Relax. I don’t have the Azure. I’m not turning into the Black Beast. I’m not even turning into an Arakune. Let alone my seitherless associate fighting your cheerleader.”

Jubei’s fur bristled. “Something about you makes my claws itch…”

Hazama’s grin faltered as he drew another knife to replace the one he’d thrown.

“Would it make you feel better if I said I was kidding about the whole first-date line? Lips that touch fur don’t touch mine, after all.”

Trinity glared at him, tears brimming.

“If all you can do is joke after everything we’ve done, then we’ll just ignore you. MAGICAL SYMPHONY!”

*ZOOM!*

A wave of presents burst toward Hazama as Jubei dashed with Shiranui drawn. But two things happened at once—

*SHATTER!*

Hazama broke apart like glass. “What?”

“Persona!”

*BOOM!*

A lightning bolt scorched the ground where Jubei had stood, forcing him back.

“What?!”

“You three really think I’m that stupid, huh?”

The trio turned—and froze. Hazama stood behind them.

“WHAT?! HOW?!”

“Did you really think I’d brazenly fight half of the Six Heroes—let alone one—without a plan? My… less-than-willing partner doesn’t even want to cross paths with your cat, thanks to his reputation. So I had help.”

On cue, Adachi emerged from a red, shadowy mist, Manketsu Izanagi looming behind him, while Neo drifted down on her umbrella.

“Not gonna lie, Hazama,” Adachi yawned. “When I first saw your witchy friend, I thought I had a shot—better than with my first two murders. But after this? Nah. She reminded me of one brat I lost to, and seeing how much she’s head-over-heels for you, I realized that I dodged a bullet.”

Neo giggled, infuriating the trio.

“This is making me want to hiss at him,” Jubei thought.

“You were messing with her, weren’t you?” Adachi asked

Hazama clapped. “Guilty as charged. And you know what else?”

“What?”

Like gossipy schoolgirls, Hazama leaned in and whispered something to Adachi and Neo. Both recoiled in disgust.

“WHAT?!”

Hazama pulled them back in, finishing with a smirk.

“Is she even blind?!”

“Nope. Saw him clear as day.” They all turned to Nine.

“What?” she hissed.

Adachi sneered. “One of my murder victims had an affair before I killed her, but at least she never slept with an animal.”

Neo giggled again.

Nine’s eyes widened in fury. She raised her hand, ready to unleash hellfire—but Jubei and Trinity blocked, their blades clashing with Izanagi’s weapon and Neo’s umbrella.

“You… talk… as much as… the first guy!” Jubei snarled.

Hazama and Adachi exchanged glances, then smiled.

“We’ve noticed,” they said together with a shrug, only fueling Jubei’s charge.

The heroes were repelled, Trinity’s distress deepening.

“You think it’s funny?! To mock my friend?! YOU DON’T EVEN KNOW WHAT SHE WENT THROUGH!”

Neo giggled again, conjuring a sign: {You’re right, I don’t. And honestly, I don’t care about the sob story of someone who can’t tell the difference between a human, an animal, and a faunus.}

“WHAT THE HECK’S A FAUNUS?!” Trinity cried, tears in her eyes.

“Faunus?” Hazama and Adachi repeated.

Neo’s sign flipped: {Humans with animal features, like cat ears or monkey tails.}

Hazama’s grin returned as he opened his eyes. “You’ve got those too? We call them Beastskin. Let me guess—they face discrimination as well?”

Neo nodded.

“Some things never change, huh?”

“Speak for yourself,” Adachi muttered. “In my world, it’s about skin color. No animal hybrids where I’m from.”

“Skin color? Seriously? Peace and harmony really is a dime-store joke.”

“It really is.”/{It really is.}

Hazama’s group chuckled.

“The more they talk, the more I want to scratch them. Are they from our world?” Jubei muttered.

“Good news and bad news,” Nine said. “Only one of them is, as far as I know.”

She pulled out Hazama’s knife and burned the wound shut.

“GAH!”

“NINE!”

“Easy!” Jubei cried.

Nine staggered but stood tall. “Can’t fight if I’m still bleeding… The flames never bothered me anyway.”

Jubei stared in awe. “Whoever I was in her memories… I hope I’m worth her attention.”

Slow clapping echoed from Hazama, Adachi, and Neo.

“Well, that was romantic,” Hazama said.

Adachi smirked. “In my world, bestiality’s sick and wrong. But in hindsight, seeing it in another world isn’t boring.”

Neo giggled again.

*FOOM! ZOOM!*

Nine, Jubei, and Trinity attacked Hazama, Adachi, and Neo, who countered in kind.

“Don’t hold back! These guys mean business!”

“I think it’s time we kick things up a notch. Wouldn’t you agree?”

Nine and Hazama barked their orders simultaneously as the 3-vs-3 battle raged on.

Present: SkyEyes

“…Send at least one of them to intercept the Blades. I don’t care which—just send the coordination!”

At System XX’s command, Carl reached over the console, fingers gliding to bring up the feeds. The monitors flickered with images of the Five and the Fang, each locked in chaotic battle. His sigh came heavy, almost exhausted.

Beside him, Nirvana tapped the screen with a metallic finger, drawing his attention.

“What is it, Sis?”

She pointed at the Fang and gave a deliberate thumbs-down. Then, she gestured toward the Five, tilting her hand side to side in hesitation.

Carl groaned. “I know, I know. But Nine would never let the Five slip away. They’ll need backup.”

His hand slid across the console, switching the display from battle footage to a program labeled Mental Linkspace. Target coordinates locked on Nexus Tower. His hands trembled above the controls, voice straining as he tried to steady it.

“System. Patch me through. Mental Linkspace. Priority: False Face Five.”

This time, System XX didn’t bother with sarcasm. Her voice shifted into an almost clinical register, but there was a trace of unease, like a machine suppressing an alarm.

[Voice identified. Target commanded. Now launching: Mental Linkspace.]

Nexus Tower

The battles raged on. Mika and Merkava stalked one another through the crumbling tower’s corridors. Outside, Celica and Heart darted through the skies on Minerva’s jet mode, locked in a desperate aerial clash against Juusan. On the ground below, the heat of the 3-vs-3 battle blazed—flames, claws, and glitter bombs detonating in a synchronized fury.

Then—time itself began to slow.

Celica gasped as the world thickened around her, every motion dragging into a frozen blur.

“Huh? What’s going on? Minerva? Heart?”

Her allies stiffened mid-motion, statues in the air. Juusan, however, still moved freely, her voice cutting like a blade:

[Temporal interference? What’s the meaning of this?!]

“Five, I need you all to leave the battle, now!”

The voice echoed only in the False Face Five’s minds. Recognizing it instantly, they disengaged without hesitation.

Hazama chuckled darkly as he withdrew. “Ah, the Puppet Prince. Don’t tell me—you found a keystone?”

“I did… but we’ve got a problem,” Carl’s voice replied through the link.

As they vanished, Carl quickly relayed the Crimson Blade battle to them.

Celica’s heart clenched. “What?! No! They can’t just leave like this! Why am I the only one who can move?!”

Frantically, she pressed Minerva’s dashboard, but nothing responded—until Minerva’s face flickered onto the screen.

“Minerva!” Celica cried, tears stinging her eyes. “Something’s wrong with everyone! For some reason I’m the only one who can move!”

From the console, Minerva’s tiny hands extended, gently taking Celica’s trembling hands in her own.

“Thanks, Celica. I know you’ll always be with me.”

Celica blinked, then managed a small smile. Minerva guided her palms to her face and slowly opened them. Celica’s confusion gave way to realization as her hands began to glow.

“…A seithr spell.” She inhaled sharply. “Minerva—make five more seats.”

With a metallic whir, Minerva extended the cockpit, manifesting the extra seats. Celica concentrated, channeling the power of order to nullify the seithr cloaking Minerva—and by extension, Heart, still perched on the jet.

“*GASP!* W-whoa! I feel like a popsicle!” Heart shivered, looking around at Nine, Jubei, Platinum, and Mika, all frozen mid-battle. “Why is everyone else playing Popsicle—?”

*Knock, knock.*

Heart looked down. Celica was rapping on the cockpit glass.

“Celly-Celly, you can move!” Heart gasped.

Celica nodded and opened the hatch slowly. “Easy there.”

Heart slid down carefully.

“Sorry, Heart. I can’t hear outside from the inside. Can you climb in, please?”

“Okie-dokie, artichokie!”

Heart hopped inside, plopping into the seat beside Celica. Celica handed her the controls, then slid her arms into two glowing slots.

“Okay. Short version: everyone’s under a spell, and I’m the only one who can nullify it. That means you’ll have to drive while Minerva handles the weapons—”

Minerva’s small arms suddenly shot out, crossing in a big X. One finger twirled in a circle.

“…It’s the other way around, isn’t it?” Celica muttered.

Minerva’s other hand gave a firm thumbs-up before retracting.

“Right. Minerva will drive, and you’ll handle the weapons.”

Heart saluted. “Okie-dokie then! So we unfreeze our friends and chase the bad guys, right?”

Celica nodded. “That’s why you’re going to shoot them first.”

Heart’s head snapped toward her. “I’m gonna—what?!”

“I can nullify spells, remember? I’ll be the power source. The cannons will only fire my energy. They’ll be rejuvenated, not hurt.”

Heart’s eyes widened, then softened. “…So what you’re saying is—I have to shoot to heal? Okie-dokie. I believe you!”

Celica giggled at the whiplash, and Minerva shook her head as she surged forward.

The jet angled toward Nine, Jubei, Platinum, and Mika. Four cannons extended, locking on target.

Heart pressed the trigger.

*ZAP!*

Celica’s radiant order shot forth in beams of cleansing light.

Carl finished his explanation, and—unsurprisingly—the five reacted differently to the news about the Strikers and Blades.

The BlazBlue duo went first.

Hazama sneered. “So not only does Ragna have his band of merry men, but Jin’s here too with his own team? And he even has Tsubaki by his side. Big surprise.”

[Predictable. Twenty-five percent of the Strikers and Blades were recognized. Seventy-five percent unrecognized.]

“So much for asking you for data,” Hazama muttered.

[The probability of you knowing was low anyway.]

Hazama and Juusan turned toward the others. Adachi, Merkava, and Neo weren’t nearly as snarky. Instead, their faces carried pure annoyance. Adachi’s was best summarized by a sharp sigh and a hand dragging down his face.

“You have got to be kidding me.”

The BlazBlue pair quickly realized why.

“Let me guess,” Hazama said, “some of the people on Ragna and Jin’s teams are from your worlds—and they’re your enemies, aren’t they?”

Adachi snorted. “Considering Merkava and Neo are wearing the same look as mine? I think I speak for all of us when I say: no shit, Sherlock. Or… whoever your world’s master detective is.”

[Logging data: seventy-five percent of the Strikers and Blades originate from the worlds of Adachi, Merkava, and/or Neo.]

Adachi leaned back with a bitter grin. “I am shocked about one thing, though. My pain in the ass is too in love with friendship to fight against his allies. The Entropy Effect’s really dug into his brain. Does that apply to either of you?”

Neo answered first, flashing a sign: {For me, definitely. Weiss, Blake, Yang—they’re supposed to be like family.}

“Family?! Oh, now that’s even worse.” Adachi grimaced. “Merkava, please tell me that doesn’t apply to you too.”

“Despite your aversion to harmony… it does not. The Licht Kreis Executor. The Blade of Godspeed. They are rivals. The assassin is a recluse… even though he shares the faction as the godspeed. No reason to team up. No reason to fight with anyone.”

Blank stares all around.

“…*Sigh*. Merkava,” Carl muttered, “I get your monstrous lifestyle wrecked your social skills, but remind me to hand you a list of names for simplicity. He means Orie—Executioner. Yuzuriha—Godspeed. Seth—the assassin.”

“Oooh,” Hazama, Juusan, and Adachi chorused. Neo just nodded.

Hazama smirked. “Gotta say, Carl—you’ve done your homework.”

“Well, thanks. Because now it’s your turn.” Carl’s voice tightened. “You must retrieve the stone from the Blades before they recover. Especially Jin. His skill is already on par with Hakumen’s, and now he has access to Hakumen’s blade as well.”

“Ookami was Yukianesa all along, huh? I’ll admit—I underestimated Jin,” Hazama said.

[Requesting each of the Blades’ powers.]

“Good idea,” Carl nodded. “We don’t have time for deep dives, but broadly: a semblance user, Weiss. Two EXS users, Orie and Yuzuriha. A Persona user, Yu Narukami. And two Drive users, Tsubaki and Jin. Thanks to Ookami, Jin is now as high a priority as Ragna—if not higher.”

Juusan scoffed. [No Susanoo armor detected on Jin. Meaning he’s half the hero his counterpart was. Pathetic. The others, though… they’d make good data.]

Her smirk caught even Carl and Hazama off guard.

“…Hazama, can you confirm for me that I’m actually speaking to the right person?” Carl muttered.

“Honestly? Between her emotional outbursts and her name change, it’s anyone’s game,” Hazama replied.

[This game is still here, dickholes.]

Both Carl and Hazama blinked, unsettled. Adachi, Merkava, and Neo looked at each other in confusion.

“So… she’s not usually like that?” Adachi asked.

“Not even close,” Hazama deadpanned as Juusan narrowed her eyes at him. “But she’s right. Even if Jin is Hakumen, without Susanoo’s armor he’s incomplete. No armor, no Hakumen. He’ll be easier than the real deal—if only slightly. What I want to know is… what’s become of Amane’s two little messengers?”

“They’ll be dealt with later,” Carl said. “Right now, the keystone is our top priority. Any questions?”

“I do,” Adachi said, raising a hand lazily.

“What is it, Adachi?”

“That time-stop back there—that was you, wasn’t it?”

“Who else, Adachi?!” 

“Just making sure. Because if you ask me, stopping time could make our work a whole lot easier, don’t you think?”

Everyone saw where he was going. “Adachi, do you have any idea how much time I would’ve saved if I could’ve done that from the start?” 

“Ah, so there’s a catch.” Adachi smirked. “Well, as long as I can still have some fun.”

Neo’s face went blank. Her sign snapped up: {That was your main concern, wasn’t it?}

“But of course. Why even go on a scavenger hunt if even an infant could solve it?”

Juusan rolled her eyes. [Ignore this possible human vessel of Susanoo. Requesting conditions for the time stop.]

“Thank you, Juusan.” Carl took a breath. “Here’s the reason: I can’t just freeze time whenever I want. Seithr quantity. I need the seithr stored in SkyEyes to prepare my ambush for Alucard and whoever she’s traveling with. Using seithr against the Legends or the Blades is the most wasteful scenario possible.”

Hazama’s grin slipped. “…Wow. You must really hate Alucard if you’ve been prepping an ambush for her for that long.” Then he froze. “…Wait. Did you say seithr?”

“Sure did. And on a team where Celica is in.”

Hazama’s eyes widened. “Ouroboros!”

*WRAP!*

Chains shot out, binding everyone—including himself.

Adachi commented. “Well, this is unexpected.”

Merkava snarled. “What’s the meaning of this?!”

Neo flashed another sign: {Hazama, what’s going on?!}

“Everyone, I promise I’ll explain later. But right now we need to get out of here before—”

*BOOM!*

A fireball detonated near them, cutting Hazama off. The five looked up—

“The enemy is striking from above!” Merkava roared.

Descending from the skies was a massive version of Minerva in jet form. Jubei and Mika stood on the wings, while Nine and Trinity anchored the nose and tail.

“HAZAMA! YOU’RE DEAD!!” Nine shrieked.

“Carl out,” Carl muttered, signing off.

Hazama sighed. “Too late. Neo—I need a makeshift aircraft. Juusan, once it’s ready, carry us. Literally carry us.”

Neo snapped her fingers, her semblance weaving a glowing glider. Juusan’s blades lifted it into the air. Then, like Atlas (the Greek Titan, not the Remnant location), she floated beneath it, hoisting the structure with sheer force as the five clambered aboard.

*ZOOM!*

The glider rocketed away, Hazama’s Ouroboros tethering them to safety.

“Okay, everyone, listen up. I’ll be the navigator—I need to guide Juusan and sustain Ouroboros. Neo, you made the glider, so you’re on repairs. Adachi—zap that enemy plane out of the sky. Merkava—you can transform, right?”

“That’s correct, Shadowy Serpent Fang.”

Hazama sighed. “Okay, fine—that’s a decent nickname for me.” “Then once the time is right,” he continued, “you’re our ace in the hole. Things get dicey, you go wild. Got it?”

Merkava nodded, grim determination in his voice.

The dogfight between the False Face Five and the Legends was about to begin.

The wind howled like a screaming banshee as the Minerva Jet tore through obsidian-lined clouds, flames trailing from its wingtips. Jubei crouched low, claws bared, perched like a gargoyle. Trinity—riding Platinum—balanced nervously near the tail stabilizer, clutching a cluster of levitating gift boxes. Nine the Phantom stood bold at the nose, hair and cloak whipping like fire; her seithr flickered in bright, hungry flares. Closing fast was a bizarre sight: a glowing glider of dusk-energy shaped like a spectral lotus, carrying beneath it a hanging platform held aloft by countless levitating swords. Onboard: chaos incarnate — Adachi scowling as he charged his Persona, Hazama still twirling a butterfly knife between orders, Neo’s eyes flicking over the sky while dust-projected glyphs repaired the craft, and Merkava coiled tensely, ready to transform. Below, Juusan bore the whole rig with eerie calm, her swords buzzing like a swarm of metallic bees keeping the team aloft.

Nine raised a hand. “Jubei! Mika! Drop in. I’ll burn that glider from here.”

*BOOM!* A blazing comet of fire surged forward.

“Ouroboros!” Hazama snapped. He yanked the chain taut, pulling the glider and its passengers into a spiraling dive—an evasive arc that missed the inferno by inches. Neo’s dust shimmered; the glider stabilized mid-fall, cherry-blossom sparkles sealing temporary repairs.

From above, Jubei vaulted into motion. “Adachi! Incoming!” he barked.

Adachi answered with Māgatsu Izanagi’s lightning to intercept.

*CRASH!*

Sparks splintered as Jubei cleaved the bolt with twin Musashi strikes, landing on the glider’s flank with terrifying precision.

“You’re not gettin’ away that easy, snake,” Jubei snarled—and Merkava answered, shifting midair into a spiraling void-serpent and slamming into Jubei like a falling meteor.

*WHAM!*

Mika leapt from the wing next, gauntlets blazing with EXS. “Your glider looks lame! I’m about to punch it into glitter!” she crowed.

“Oh, I hate glitter,” Adachi muttered, already summoning more lightning.

Merkava sprouted writhing snakes from his form. Jubei deflected the bolts with Musashi while Mika either pummeled or grabbed the serpents, smashing them into each other and hurling them against the glider like wrecking balls. The impact cracked Neo’s structure; the whole contraption tilted violently. Hazama looped Ouroboros around the edge to brace himself, dangling by one hand like a smirking pendulum.

On the tail, Trinity funneled her magic into a dazzling assault—boxes exploded in technicolor booms, confetti and reality-tearing seither colliding with the glider. “Platinum Magical Symphony!” she cried.

Juusan snapped her fingers. Her swords surged, forming a protective dome that absorbed the worst of the barrage, but the strain was plain on her face.

Hazama muttered, “This isn’t sustainable…”

Adachi, snarling, pointed at Trinity. “Hey, Neo! Shut that toy box up!”

Neo smirked and launched herself skyward. With a pirouette, she rode her umbrella, diving straight at Trinity like a silent missile.

*CLANG!*

Parasol met hammer. A lethal close-quarters duel erupted: umbrellas, hammers, parasols, and exploding confetti turned the heavens into a dazzling storm of sparks and laughter—equal parts menace and mockery.

Nine would have joined the fray—if Hazama hadn’t flung himself upward, Ouroboros zipping along the Minerva Jet’s hull to sling him toward her like a human grappling hook.

“You call this an ambush? I prefer the term midair performance,” he quipped.

Nine’s eyes burned. “I’ll rip that smile off your face and melt it into glass!”

*BOOM—SLASH!* Chains met fireballs in midair. They danced—no footing, only momentum and fury—each strike a promise: no one would land without paying for it.

Inside Minerva’s cockpit, Heart manned the weapons while Celica recovered, breath coming in shallow, ragged pulls after overusing the power of order.

“How are you doing, Celly-Celly?!” Heart asked, trying to keep her tone bright.

“Honestly… even with my healing magic… I’m still delirious,” Celica panted. “This entropy… it’s more chaotic than I thought.”

“Poor Celly-Celly,” Heart replied, worry folding into her voice. “Is there anything we can do, party-party?”

A gentle voice answered in Heart’s head—Partinias. “I’m sorry, Heart, but my powers are only for offense and defense, not direct healing. All we can do now is take down the enemy.

Heart’s face fell. “But that’s the opposite of what I want.”

“You and I both, Partinias said. “But they’re after those who can still remember—meaning they want Nine, Celica, and you.

Heart drew a slow, steadying breath and let the resolve settle in. She centered her hands on the controls. “Okay. What do I need to shoot without, you know, blasterizing my team, and what happened to the metal girl Celly-Celly and I were trying to talk down?”

Outside, Adachi’s Persona roared again, a bolt arcing toward Jubei as Merkava tried to wrap the agile Mika in constricting void coils. The glider lurched under the impacts; Mika’s next strike rocked the hull.

*BASH!*

A stabilizing sword slid into position to even the tilt—Heart’s eyes tracked the blade automatically.

However, by doing this Heart was able to see the blade, and recognize it. “That sword…why does it look familiar?”

With a little help from Partinias. “Because that's the same one that “Metal girl” you, Celica, and Minerva were confronting”

Heart did however, figured out where Juusan is “Why is it under the glider?”

“Because that must be where the girl is” Also thanks to Partinias, but hey at least she figured out why she is under the glider

“Really?! What's she doing down there?”

SERIOUSLY?! Ok you know what? Partinias proceeded to theories that Juusan is under the glider not by choice, but because she's the only member of the five who can make it fly. Moving on!

“Oh! Yeah—that makes sense.” Heart’s grip tightened on the trigger, the plan forming. “So there’s only one thing we can shoot.”

“The plane itself,”

Heart nods to her arcana’s observation. “Minnie-Minnie!” Minerva’s face blinked onto the dashboard, tiny hands already adjusting controls. “I have a plan”

[SkyEyes Log: Arrival into twisted dimension = confirmed. Ache of disconnection dulled into sharp clarity. This is not the world I was forged to destroy. I am not “Nu-13.” I am Juusan—the gril who is promised to be free from her Murokumo unit. Question: how much of this awareness belongs to me?] Her gaze flicked upward to the glider she supported. A clown car of paradoxes, each more unstable than the last. [Hazama: flippant, unreliable, useful only in amusement cycles. Adachi: self-serving, corrosive, never dull. Merkava: monstrous in form, precise in logic. Neo: mute, but never silent. All of them under Carl Clover’s command.] She then thinks of Carl [Assessment: Carl Clover = child puppet master. Strategic foresight rivaling seasoned tyrants. Fractured. Obsessive. Focused on control, not cohesion. Question: conductor or pawn?] System XX’s image ghosted through her thoughts. [Assessment: System XX = Too cheerful. Too sharp. Watching. Smiling like she knew the ending. A code that interfaced with souls, not just steel. [Threat level: High. Respect = earned.] Then the Fang itself. [Apex Fang Unit = chaos. Not friends. Not soldiers. Killers on call. Belonging status: uncertain. Probability of betrayal: inevitable.] Purpose flickered. Was she surviving—or simply delaying the inevitable weapon awakening within?

*PANG!*

The Minerva Jet’s cannons opened fire. Juusan snapped her fingers, sending half her swords to intercept. The jet dodged. Unbeknownst to her, Minerva caught the blades with extending arms—firing her last shot: Heart Aino.

*BOOM!*

[Damage: 75%. Wing support reduced 50%. Initiating retrieval before altitude loss—]

*WHOOSH!*

Heart streaked past, nearly grazing her. Juusan chuckled. [Reckless abandon.]

But Heart was already charging.

“Roz Sfaira!”

*BLAST!*

Heart is now flying towards Juusan, who's being cocky [Poor misguided fool-]

*Beeb beeb!*

“What?!” Until now as she sees Heart rocketing at her direction.

*WHUMP!*

The pink comet slammed into Juusan. Instead of pain, she felt arms around her.

[Contact: Hug detected.]

“One of the strongest forms of love!” Heart declared proudly.

Juusan blinked. [Do you expect me to switch sides because of… affection?]

“*Gasp!* My Plan A has been discovered!”

Junsan can only look at her like she is looking at a donkey [Correction: The only discovery is how much of a dumbass you are.]

Heart tilted her head. “Dumb… what?” “Party-Party, what’s a dumb—”

“YOU DON’T WANNA KNOW OR SAY IT!” Partinias cut in sharply. “For now, tell her what’s going to happen.”

Heart refocused, staring at Juusan’s remaining swords. “Hey, metal girl. Why didn’t you use your other swords? You need them for support, don’t you? You can’t hold the glider up by yourself. And the ones you threw at Minnie-Minnie—sure, you could recall them, but you’d risk injury, right?”

Juusan’s tone went cold. [Do you have a Hearing impairment? I am a "metal-girl". I cannot be injured. My wings are precise. They will pierce your hands and feet.]

Heart blinked. “Wings? I said swords.”

Rolling her eyes, Juusan explained [Swords are my wings.]

“That makes no sense. Wings aren’t sharp.”

[You want answers? Find a cauldron. That’s where my creator waits. Oh—wait. You can’t. You’re not from my world. You don’t even know what one is.]

“Actually, thanks to Celly-Celly and her sister, I do. And I know your fighting style’s not strong enough to stop me from doing this—”

*PUNCH!*

Heart’s gauntlet cracked against the glider’s frame. Juusan smirked even as the damage instantly mended in a shower of cherry-blossom sparks.

[Repair rate: sustained. Sabotage: ineffective.]

Heart’s eyes widened. “Huh?!”

[Nice try, possible Chronophantasma. But our repair woman is effective. You cannot break it.]

Heart set her jaw. “Then I’ll race it!”

[Race? Without a vehicle? Illogical. You’re dumber than the Sciuridae beastskin and the Temporal clone combined—]

*RAPID PUNCHES!*

“LET’S SEE WHO WINS FIRST—YOUR REPAIR WOMAN OR MY FISTS!” Heart bellowed, fists a blur of pink light hammering the hull.

Juusan’s eyes flared, data scrolling like fire. [Countermeasure: Murokumo wing output increased past 100%. Commencing speed competition.]

The duel was on: repair versus relentless love-powered fists.

At the Minerva Jet, Minerva strained against Juusan’s swords, her arm extensions locking each blade in a mechanical grip. Sparks showered across the cockpit as she fought to hold them—until, with a violent twist, the four swords broke free.

*SHRRAK!*

They punched through the ceiling.

The sudden intrusion split the battlefield’s rhythm: Nine and Trinity’s duel with Hazama and Neo shuddered to a halt, while Heart’s relentless punching shook the glider apart, forcing Jubei and Mika’s fight with Adachi and Merkava into chaos.

Neo’s focus wavered, her semblance flickering. At the same time, Heart’s barrage finally pushed the glider’s frame past its limit.

The false Face Five’s makeshift craft came undone.

*CRACK—RIP—WHOOOSH!*

Fragments scattered into the storm. Suddenly, everyone—Jubei, Mika, Heart, Adachi, Merkava, Juusan—was airborne.

The only ones not shocked were Juusan and Heart.

Juusan glared; Heart only grinned wider.

“HAHA! The power of love wins!” Heart shouted.

Juusan once again looked at her like she was looking at a donkey [Correction: The power of love loses… to gravity.]

“Gravity?” Heart blinked. “Party-Party, what’s gravi—”

*SLICE!*

A sword cut the air dangerously close.

“LET GO!” Partinias barked in her mind.

“Huh?—WOAH!”

Instinct overrode hesitation. Heart released Juusan just before the blade could slice her open. She tumbled, spinning through the air—right alongside Jubei and Mika.

“Heart!? When did you join the fight?!” Mika yelled, wind tearing at her words.

“A little while ago!” Heart called back, still spinning. “That metal girl was carrying the team, and so I put a stop to it!”

“So our current unprecedented skydiving is your fault?!” Jubei snapped, fur bristling as he tried to angle his fall.

Heart’s smile faltered into sheepishness. “It was… a good idea at the time! I was expecting your enemies to fall too!”

Jubei pointed mid-descent. “My enemy’s summon can fly!”

“And the void has wings!” Mika added, watching Merkava spiral with inhuman grace.

Heart paled. “Oh no.”

Juusan shook her head at Heart’s antics, crimson eyes narrowing as Adachi and Merkava hovered closer.

“What… just happened?” Merkava rumbled.

[My opponent sabotaged her own team.] Juusan’s tone was flat, dismissive.

Adachi snorted. “Sounds like our fight’s over. But what about Hazama and Neo?”

[Only one way to find out.]

The three airborne members of the Five pivoted, streaking toward the Minerva Jet as it plunged through the clouds. Below, the legends tumbled in freefall—Nine, Trinity, and Hazama struggling for balance on the spiraling hull.

Neo, however, had already adapted. With a flick of her parasol, she caught the wind, drifting weightlessly like a deadly kite.

Trinity’s stomach dropped. “No… she’s airborne too?!”

Hazama chuckled darkly. “Well, this has been fun. But now it’s time to say goodbye.”

Nine snorted, fire curling in her palm. “Even if you do have a plan, this jet is moving far too fast for you to escape safely. Your time is up, vessel.”

For once, Hazama’s smile wavered. “That… I agree with. Believe it or not.”

“What?” Nine’s brow furrowed.

“It’s not that my time is up,” Hazama corrected, eyes gleaming, “it’s that my time is running out. Ouroboros!”

*SHRRRAK!*

Two chains fired in opposite directions. The first lashed toward Nine as she hurled her final fire spell.

*FOOM!*

Flame met chain in a shower of sparks.

The second chain shot past the chaos—straight to the airborne trio. Juusan, Adachi, and Merkava grabbed hold. With one vicious tug, they yanked Hazama free of the Jet.

“NOW, MERKAVA!” Hazama barked.

With an unholy roar, Merkava’s body warped midair, limbs elongating, void twisting into form. In seconds, he was a four-seated dragon, wings unfurling, scales rippling like smoke. The Five clambered aboard as he surged forward, a shrieking meteor tearing across the sky.

Nine snarled and slashed a blazing arc, fire cutting a swath across the heavens.

But Hazama spun midair, knife gleaming. “Ouroboros!”

*CLANG!*

His chain snapped out, deflecting her flames just long enough for the dragon to vanish into the storm clouds.

Minerva swooped in, catching Jubei, Mika, and Heart mid-descent. The trio steadied themselves as the jet leveled.

Jubei’s claws tightened on the hull. “They won’t get far.”

Nine’s eyes burned like embers. “They’re retreating—for now. But this isn’t over.”

The void-dragon form of Merkava carved through black winds, wings shedding distorted trails of starlight. Each beat warped the air itself, hurling the Five forward at blistering speed.

Within the coil of his body, silence pressed close—broken only by the click-click of Hazama’s knife spinning between his fingers.

“You’re sure about this?” Adachi drawled. “Straight from one fight into another?”

Merkava’s voice thundered like grinding stone. “We have no luxury of rest. The Blades of Judgment are still recovering. This is our window.”

Neo unfurled a slim scroll, its surface glowing with System XX’s waypoint—pulsing in rhythm with Merkava’s wingbeats.

Juusan’s sensors lit crimson. [Proximity alert. Keystone resonance detected. Multiple signatures.]

Hazama smirked, lips curling sharply. “Oh-ho… so the White Knight and his merry little squad are sitting cozy with the goods.”

The winds shifted as Merkava dipped low, wings slicing through the storm. Below, a shattered canyon opened wide, its jagged obsidian spires jutting like the teeth of a slumbering beast.

At its heart, a golden glow pulsed—a crystalline shard fractured yet radiant, humming with restrained power.

Six silhouettes circled the Keystone’s light. At the forefront stood Jin Kisaragi, Ookami sheathed across his back, his gaze already cutting upward as if he’d sensed the predators in the sky.

Hazama’s smile stretched wider—but this time, it was still, dangerous. “There they are. Judgment Blade… and the Keystone.”

“Finally,” Adachi muttered, rolling his neck as Mágatsu Izanagi’s shadow loomed tall behind him. “Some proper entertainment.”

Juusan’s swords fanned outward, their metallic hum trembling like a swarm eager to strike. Neo snapped her parasol shut, ready to drop in without a word.

Merkava’s voice rumbled, deep as the void. “The hunt… resumes.”

The Keystone’s glow flickered once—like a warning pulse.

Chapter Text

Shattered Canyon

The Blades of Judgment rested among the jagged spires of the shattered canyon. The air was heavy with dust and fatigue, especially for Jin, who sat quietly, still recovering from the strain of his Order Slash.

Tsubaki’s eyes lingered on him, her worry plain.

“Staring at our leader won’t help him heal, Yayoi,” Orie remarked sharply. “You’d do better sharpening your resolve.”

Tsubaki bristled. “Excuse me?”

“I saw your 'fight' with one of the Strikers—if you can even call it that. I’ve seen weaker voids put up a better offense.”

Tsubaki’s tone sharpened. “It was supposed to be a negotiation. Something I actually tried. Meanwhile, you were ready to kill that boy.”

“That boy is an assassin.”

“So that makes him deserving of death?”

“Regardless of reason, murder is still murder.”

“Says the executioner.”

“My rapier only draws blood from evil. It was forged to detect it.”

“Yet it functions like a broken radio, remember? Not surprising since our powers seem to have altered because of this place. Heck, my weapon was supposed to blind me by now; since it didn’t, anything can happen at this point.”

Orie can only blink. “Are you...seriously making jokes now?!”

“Oh no. My weapon really can blind me—by stealing the light from my eyes, and from everything around me. That fight with that knight when we first met alone should’ve left me seeing spots. Yet here I am, perfect 20/20.”

The group exchanged uneasy looks.

“Do I even want to know why she’s carrying a weapon like that?” Weiss muttered.

“You can ask,” Yu said, “but chances are she won’t remember.”

“Plus, Kisaragi already said his and Yayoi’s world is… complicated. Even if she does remember, we wouldn’t understand it.”

“and that’s before getting into the vampires, werewolves, witches, time travel, and weapons fueled by souls.” Weiss thought in annoyance

“That makes your performance even worse!” Orie pressed. “Why carry such a dangerous weapon if you won’t fight with conviction?”

“It’s the only one I’ve got, Executioner! You think I’m crazy enough to blind myself?!”

“You’re already blind when it comes to strategy.”

“Why, you—”

The argument threatened to boil over until—

*PIERCE!*

An ice wall erupted between them, halting both blades mid-step. Weiss stood with Myrtenaster planted firmly into the ground, her eyes flashing.

“Enough! You both sucked in that fight. We all did. Does that settle it?!”

Both women turned away with a huff. Weiss groaned, exasperated. “Just… what is their problem?”

Yu stepped in calmly. “I believe what Schnee-san is trying to say is that we should calm down. Either form a better strategy… or train, in case we’re caught in another battle.”

Weiss folded her arms. “I didn’t need your input… but thanks.”

Yu chuckled. “You’re welcome.”

Yuzuriha tilted her head, slyly. “You’re a leader in your world, Narukami? Because I don’t recall Kisaragi permitting you.”

“At least he’s doing something,” Weiss countered.

“Schnee-san…” Yu began, but Yuzuriha smirked.

“Oh, don’t mistake me—I’m not starting trouble. Just asking if we have a qualified co-leader.”

Weiss tapped her chin thoughtfully. “That is true. What do you say, Narukami? Want to lead alongside Kisaragi?”

Yu shrugged. “Might as well. From what I’ve seen, besides you, there’s nobody else qualified.”

Weiss blinked, caught off guard. “…Wow. Thanks.”

Yuzuriha arched a brow. “You do realize you two are from different worlds, right? I’d recommend not flirting.”

“Flirting?!” Weiss snapped. “You want to talk to me about flirting? What do you call that fight with that indecent Persona-user?!”

“Me throwing off his focus. And it would’ve worked, too, if not for that blond boxer.”

“Sorry. My bad,” Yu said sheepishly.

“No need to apologize. That’s just how the cookie crumbles. Not like our teamwork was perfect anyway—especially with those two.” Yuzuriha gestured to Tsubaki and Orie, still glaring away from each other. “So, Narukami, what strategy or training regimen do you suggest?”

Yu started to answer—then froze. His Persona flickered into existence beside him.

Weiss immediately readied her rapier. “Someone’s here?”

“Yes. Stay close.”

She turned to the others. “You heard Narukami. Blades, ready!”

Weapons rang into position—Tsubaki’s sword, Orie’s rapier, Yuzuriha’s blade.

And then, stepping from the shadows, came five figures who the blades feel like they should recognize at least one: Neo, Juusan, Merkava, Adachi, and Hazama.

“Well, well, well,” Hazama drawled, fedora tipped. “If it isn’t the Blades of Judgment…”

Spiraling Seas: Foredeck

Asuka stood on the foredeck, scanning the waves for Teddie. Yet her focus slipped, pulled into a memory—or what should have been one. What surfaced was twisted, blurred, wrong.

Pre-Keystone Shatter: Asakusa

“Asakusa… I’m finally home.”

She remembered the ship gliding toward her birthplace after she passed her shinobi test. The city glittered with familiar beauty.

“The city looks even prettier than when I left… Best view ever.”

Then, a voice wavered through the air, breaking into static, syllables warped: “M̴͕͙͍̻̿̍̐͒̓̋̋̂̆̃̑͌̍̏̿͘ͅi̶̖̗͓̘̫̍̍̎̐͊̍̈͝͝͠n̵̡̞̥̜̐͋̋͝e̵̢̫̝̱͉̬̜̝̝̳̰̱̹̎'̸̧̢̪̥̱͙͖̖̩͛̔͂͑͂̅̄̀̈̒̂̃͋̌̕s̸̡̃̽̈́͂́̓̾͗͜͠͝.̷̢̢̰̣͔̺̪͐̈́̾̈́̊̈̓̓̃̕͘̕͜.̴̡̛͚̜͖̹̩̳͂̕.̸̢̹̟̲̺̫͎̖̐n̷̞̬͇̽́̒̋̈́̀͝o̵̧͙̳̙̭̞̝̽̑͑̕t̴̢͎͈̫͎̗͓̞̟̅̐̌͐ ̸̢͇̪̖̰̩͔̇̊͋̑͆̀̀͆͜b̴̠͔͍̀̈̽̽́͊́͝a̶̙̼̝̤̣̬͋̑́̏̽d̵͕̲̻̞̫̹̩̤̱̩̺̣̭͓̭̲̈̈́̈̇́̀̑̃́͂̎͌͆̆͗ͅ.̵̧̛̭̮̤͇̯͇̝̉̽͊̾̀͊̔͂͛̈͆̽͌̂̌͝.̵̢̙̺̫͇̫̮̦̋͜͜ͅͅ.̵̧͉͉̟̩̻̺̱͚̜̠͔̮̯͖̹̒̍̌̈́̉͂̍̉̇̉̈́͆̐́̋ͅẻ̶̢͇̪̜̦̪̜̳̻̣̖̜̺͎͊̃ī̴͔̜̪̍́̌t̴̢̛̺͔̳͖̥̦̩̳̣͇̣̥̳͔͇͙͗h̴̛͍̼̤́͑͊͂̐̽̾͌̽́͐͘͘̕͠e̵̼͒̏̕ȑ̵̨̛̛̭̻̝̙̰̎̂́̊̔́̆̒̃̔̕͠.̷̼̅̿̄͗͑̍͘͝”

Asuka turned—and saw her. The tanned girl with sea-green eyes, the ponytail, the smile Asuka should have known by heart. Yet now her features flickered with static, impossible to hold in focus.

“A̷̢̳͕̝̫̗̯̤͍͍̯̖͎̽̿́̋͂̀s̴̛̼̦͓̗͖̓̒̒̇́̑̎͋̅͊̎̀͝ȧ̴̛̻̯͇̮͍̪̼̝͔̫.̴̫̟͖̯̻̟̮͚̗̙͔̗̝̤͚̍̀͛̀̂̇̏͌̍̾̑̈̿.̸̮̳̓̈̅͆͒̈̽́̉̾̅̎͝.̴̢̲̣̫̝̪͇̙̠̯̾̂̆͜͝ͅk̸̭̤̙̤̞̺̘͖͇̰̞̠̮̣̱̄́̑̑̓̽̈́͘̕͜ṹ̸̟̘̑̊s̷̡̢̪͚̖̼̹̗̱̦̹͇̩͈̅̈́̿́̽̍̀̌̈́ȁ̵̦́?̴̖̜̦̤̱̱̮̲̔̒̒̄̈́̓̾͂̕̚͠” the girl’s voice fractured. “Ỷ̶̞͕̮̏̒̽̄ǫ̷͔͓͇͎̗̮̤̹̳̖͕͎͛ù̴̧̢̝̦̱͈͓͍̭̯̲̩̰̮̖̊͊͒͛̍̑̑͗̋̃́̒ͅ ̶̨̧̛͎̯̖̩̺̗͚̙̙̖͚͖̗͊̀͜ş̷̡͓̲̖͓̤͉̂̇̋ͅä̸̖́͑̈͂̂͗̊̿͛̔́̉̄͘̚̚i̸̛̛͕̩̼͔͉̗̅̽̃͂̈̂͑̀̚d̵͍̦̖͖͈̼̺̓̓̄̿̄͐͋͊̾̀̎͒͋̚͠͠ͅ ̷̡̹͓͇͈͓̘̔̀͂̅͑̌̍ͅȳ̴̞̗͚̝̗͖̫̺̘̤̖͍̃̐̎̍̌͘͘ờ̷̧̢̭̗͈͖̭̲͖͚͋̾̾́̐̈́̅̽̇͗͆͆͌͠u̶̡̨͔̮͕̭̺̠͔͕̺̬̍͌̒̊̓͌̑͗̓͌͒͗͠ ̵̟͉̮̲̝̃̀̍̆̽͊̕͝ẁ̷̛͍̘̼͚̀̀̑͂̎̎̿͝ͅe̸̼͉̞̘̞̿͂̏͛͛̎͜͝ͅṟ̴̢̛̝̺̙͚̪͚̪̠͓͈͐̍̅́͆̿͑͜͝e̶̛̻̦̩̟̹̗̱̼̒̔̆̿̕ ̷̧̗̣͕̳̳̺̋̈́̿̏̾̓̄̔̋͂͌̎͘͠͝͠f̵̢̳̦͍̬̒i̷̢̢͉͍̝͇̜̫͈̦̙̜̓̐͝͠ň̶̪̥̹̦̗͚͂ͅa̸͍̫͓̩̲̟̿̓l̴̢̢̛̛̻̪͕̯̮̗̩̤͔͇͕̝̭͔͒́͛̔̀͗͑̔͊̉̔͑͜͝͝l̶̢̧̛̫͍͍͈̬͕̮͕̰̟̣̫͚̈̾͛̍̈̔͂͘y̷̧̻̫̞̪̮͆̾͑̂̍́̇̔̈́̿ ̶̢̠͈̜̺̯̙̹̼̤̱͍̞̳͕̝̈́̉̔̄͂͜ḥ̸̨̡̧̠̪̹̬̥̺͖̋̉̿̌̈́͌̎̓̉͌̈́̔́̋̓͘͝o̶̧̥͉͇̕͠m̵̢̛̻͚̖͈̖͍̭͋̆̉̏̽͜e̷͇͙͚̻̬̼̼͘,̸̙̻̺͓͎̱͔͕̤̻̒̏̍́̿̈́̀̉̐͗ ̷̱͈̩͎̹̄̽̓̒͝r̶̢̟͍̬̱̒͐̃̂̏͋̾͊͐͘i̸̡̧͙̰̮̭͍͉̫̗͎͍͕͍̓̐͒̓g̷̢͚̘͉͚̘̟̙̮̜̫̤̼͐̒͒̋̉̽͗̄͊̌͌͑̅͘͜͝ẖ̷͔͖͇̪̬͇͌̀̎͂͜͠ẗ̸̰̦̬̞̫̙̼͇̻͓͓̝͛̑̀͒̍̍̑̓̈́͝?̶͕͓̞̟̀̇͊͌̚”

The ship dissolved into a tatami. Walls bent into paper screens. Asuka’s footing faltered, and with every step the girl took toward her, the room grew smaller, more intimate, until Asuka toppled backward onto a futon, clothless.

“Wait—please, stop!” Asuka cried, her hands trembling. “I’m a shinobi, I have to stay true to my training. I… I don’t even remember you! It’s not fair—for either of us! Stop making me feel this way when I don’t even know why!”

Tears blurred her vision. Somewhere inside, her body remembered safety, warmth, love. But her mind—fractured by entropy—translated it into fear.

The static-girl reached for her, voice lowering to a whisper that shivered against her ear: “Ỵ̵̴̷̢̛͓̝͉͔̼͓͒̔́̃̀̈́̀́̓̉͗̐̉͊̀͊̒̄̆͘ơ̶̴̵̡͍̺̳̯̪͕̳̹̙̫͖̦̻͙̮̯̦̙̳͖̭̘̒̊̔͋̀̓̽̑̓̅̏̐̔̂͂͘̕̕͜ų̸̶̴̲̱̞̖̤͈̠̩̗̣͉̫̞̺̞̹̮͇̞̳̼͎̫̙̥̪͎̈́̓͗̀͊̂̑̈́̍̀͐̅̎̊͌͐͘̚͜͠͠ͅ’̷̷̶͉̤͈͙̹̦̱̣̰͔̯͉͎̊͊̂̾̈̈́̿̔̋͗̀̄̾͛̊͑̈́̆͒̈̚̕̚͜͝͠͝͝r̵̵̷̖̩̿͆̐̐͋́̃̽̋̇́́͆̑̇̽̚̚͝ͅȩ̴̸̶̧̢̹̹͍̘̪͓̮͔̤͈̥̘̘̙̪̦͕̘̳͕͊͒̅̉̊̈́̔̽̌̍́͂̍̽́́̓͗̍̅͒̒̋̚̚͘͝ͅͅ…̵̦̘̟̻̂̃́́ ̴̧͍͇͓͙̙̣̙̰̩͕̪̱̠͕͈̭͆͗̄̍̊̓́̀̇̑̆̿͑̚͝j̴̷̸̛͖͖̘̲̘̥͚͎͐͒͐̔̌̓̽̉͛̊̎̌͗̊́͛̓̓͗̀͘͝u̸̶̵̥̝͔̝͕̹̞̤͙̦̣̠͕̘̰͚͇̻̼̗̹̻͐̉̏̇̍̉̋͑̂͑̚͝͠ş̷̴̸̛̗̯̲͕̖̻͓̻̘͓͖͒́̎̈́̀̄̾̎̓̅͌͛͒̀̕͘̕͝t̴̵̴̢̨͉͇̫̬̦͚͙͍̼͈̲͎̦̭̎͋̈́́̈̏͋͜͜ͅ…̶̨̲̞̫̹͍͚̹̹̃̄̍ ̸̨̦͎̥̝̤͎̫̬̹̙̠̲́̏͆̊͛̈́̋̍̎̀̐̊̚͜t̴̷̷̛̼̫̹̱͔͈͓͈̤̬̣͎̪͕̙̺͇̖̱͔̪̿͌͂̑͆͐̈́̿̔̂̏̔̕͜͜͜͠ó̵̶̶̧̬̬̥̪͉̰̪̠̤͖̟̘̭͉̙̲̣̳͇͙͍̓̽͆͋̓͋́̊̎͌̈́̽̋̈́̄̔̈́̄͒̒͒͘͠͠ō̵̵̷̧̺̳̮̺̖̲̲͚̗̘͚͈̞̯̃̊̄͆̆͆̈́͊̀̒̒́̑̒̑̿̎̌̒̎͋̚͝—̷̰̲̪͚͖͉̣̙̦̲̘̤͖͙͔̜̆͆͐͗̐̚͝͝”

“N—No! NO!”

“NO!”

Present

“*GASP!*”

A voice outside of Asuka’s mind shattered the illusion. Asuka clutched the foredeck railing, chest heaving, sweat beading her brow. The nightmare was gone—but the ache remained, and then, a sound. Familiar, grounding.

“THIS IS JUST AN ACCIDENT!”

“Teddie…”

The Top Deck: Peach Beach Splash Park

Teddie was having the worst luck imaginable.

One moment, he was trying to introduce himself to a new girl; the next, she attacked him. He dodged—only for his foot to snag in her kimono, sending them tumbling to the deck in a compromising heap. Worse still, the kimono tore, leaving the girl in nothing but her underwear just as her red-armed companion arrived on the scene.

From his perspective, it looked exactly like harassment.

The boy’s eyes blazed as spikes jutted from his arm. “In the words of my anemic teammate: I bet you’re the type who ‘accidentally’ ends up in perverted situations. Now here’s my accident!”

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!” Teddie howled.

“Naoto, wait!” the kimono girl cried.

But Naoto was too fast. His blood-red arm surged forward, leaving Teddie no time to summon his Persona—or even to slip back into his beloved costume, which always gave him confidence in battle.

*CLANG!*

A sudden strike diverted Naoto’s attack. A ponytailed shinobi slid between them, twin blades drawn.

“Asuka-chan!?” Teddie gasped in relief.

The kimono girl froze, eyes wide. “Asu…ka?”

Asuka pushed Naoto back, her stance firm. “Teddie! Tell everyone we’ve got company!”

“Got it!” Teddie scrambled into his costume and bolted for the lower deck.

Naoto growled, giving chase, “Oh no, you don’t! We’re not done here!”

Only for Asuka to block his path again. “Yes, you are. I’m your opponent.”

“No—I am.”

*WHOOSH!*

The kimono girl stepped forward, sending a flurry of ice shards at Asuka. They crashed into her guard and encased her in a block of ice.

“Yumi, what are you—?!” Naoto snapped.

Yumi’s tone was calm, almost apologetic. “Pardon the interruption, but there are two things you should know. First, that display earlier? It was an accident. We fell because I struck first.”

Naoto lowered his arm slightly. “…I see. And the girl?”

“That’s the second thing,” Yumi said, eyes fixed on Asuka. “I want to confront her. Something tells me… she’s from my world.”

Naoto hesitated, mind wandering as he studied the two women till his eyes reached their proportions before catching himself and flushing red. “…Yeah. I can totally see it. *Sigh.* Alright, fine. But I’m still going after the other guy.”

“Naoto…”

“I know it was an accident. But the fact that she defended him means they’re teammates. I need information… and maybe to offer an apology.”

Yumi chuckled. “Pragmatic and considerate. And you were worried about your leadership skills.”

Naoto blushed for a very different reason. “Well, I—”

*BUZZING.*

The iceberg vibrated as cracks spread across its surface.

“I need to go,” Naoto said quickly.

“Good idea,” Yumi replied.

He slipped away just as Asuka shattered the ice around her.

*THUD!*

She landed, blades ready. “Where did that boy—” Her words died as she locked eyes with Yumi. A strange buzzing filled her mind. “That girl… She looks familiar. Could it be?” “Who… who are you?”

Yumi pulled out her blue fans, standing proud. “I am Yumi, a shinobi from Gessen Academy.”

Asuka’s eyes widened. “A ninja… from Gessen? I don’t know what that means exactly, but there’s one thing I do know.” She tightened her grip on her swords. “I’m Asuka, a shinobi of Hanzo Academy.”

Silence fell like a blade between them. Two ninjas. Two academies. One possibility—they might truly share a world.

Their eyes narrowed.

“Hanzo…Academy. So she’s a ninja too. But is she really from my world?” Yumi thought.

“I could try talking to her, but she defended the boy who was about to hurt Teddie. So I can’t waste time here.” Asuka reasoned.

“Plus, I encased her in ice. If I were her, I wouldn’t be in the mood to talk either.” 

“And so—”

“Then the only option—”

They dashed forward, blades and fans about to collide.

“—is to FIGHT!”

*CLASH!*

The Middle Deck: Starboard Kitchen

Chie and Yukiko stood in the ship’s kitchen, sleeves rolled up, determination in their eyes.

“Alright, it’s decided. We’re making curry!” Chie declared proudly. Then, after a pause: “…So what do we put in it?”

Yukiko tapped her chin thoughtfully. “Curry uses cornstarch, doesn’t it?”

“Yeah, sure. Course it does,” Chie nodded with confidence she didn’t actually have.

“If you didn’t use that, how would it thicken up? So—we’re gonna need cornstarch and flour.”

Yukiko retrieved a box of cornstarch while Chie hefted two bags of flour. “Should we use heavy flour or light flour?”

“Well, we are feeding Hanamura-san and Kurogane-san,” Yukiko reasoned. “So… the strong stuff. And next—the peppers. It’s not curry if it isn’t super spicy.”

“Add kimchi,” Chie suggested quickly. “It’s hot, and with some more peppers it’ll be perfect.”

“There’s both black and red pepper, though.”

“That’s your innkeeper instincts talking,” Chie grinned.

The two of them grabbed both black and red pepper, plus a package of kimchi, piling them on the counter.

“Now we need something to bring out the flavor,” Yukiko mused.

“Oh, I saw this TV show once,” Chie said, rummaging in the fridge. “They said to mix coffee into curry to bring out the depth. But I hate coffee, so—” She triumphantly held up a carton. “What I think we should add is coffee-flavored milk instead.”

Yukiko’s eyes brightened as she grabbed another item. “And how about some seafood?” She held up a package of fish. “That would make a good broth.”

Chie gave a thumbs-up. “Just grab anything that sounds tasty.”

(Anyone remotely familiar with Inaba cuisine history already knows exactly where this is going.)

The Diner

Mai sat at her table, waiting. The seconds dragged, her fingers tapping against the wood. Her thoughts gnawed at her.

“My whole life turned upside down because of that Grimoire. Not only did it change my body… it even changed how I taste food. I don’t taste what’s there. I taste the emotions behind it. Every dish so far has been bland with apathy or bitter with resentment. And really—after what’s happened in my world, how could any chef cook with real joy?”

The door opened. Mai blinked. Out stepped Noel, dressed in a sharp butler suit, wheeling a tray with three cloches.

“I apologize for the wait, madam. Your meal has been served,” Noel said, her tone formal but her smile warm. She lifted the first cloche. “For the appetizer: croquettes. The same ones I made back at NOL Academy, during your kitchen duty.”

“I was… in kitchen duty?! Me?!” Mai thought, floored.

Noel uncovered the second cloche. “Your main dish: Kagutsuchi puffer fish simmered in peppers and spices. Fair warning — it’s the kind of spicy that makes you shout ‘OH DEAR GOD!’… but the flavor beneath the fire is worth it.”

Mai’s eyes softened. “The Hierarchical City’s signature dish? I haven’t tasted that since I was a child…”

Finally, Noel revealed the third dish. “And for dessert: chocolate-banana mousse pudding. A sweet finish to soothe the burn.”

Mai stared, first at the meal, then at Noel in her butler’s coat. “I… don’t know what shocks me more. This food, or how you’re dressed. Did you really put that on because I was part of the Duodecim?”

Noel shook her head lightly. “No. I thought, since this is a formal setting, I’d play the part of a loyal servant. I wanted a maid uniform, but this was all I could find. I think the shoes made me a little bit taller than you. Do I look strange?”

Mai’s face burned. “…Strange? Not at all. You look… adorable.”

Noel’s cheeks pinkened at that, though she tried to hide it with a professional nod. “Very well, then. Please enjoy. Don’t judge by appearance — you’ve always enjoyed my cooking.”

Mai hesitated, then tried a croquette. The flavor hit her like a memory she’d forgotten — love. Real, undeniable love. She tried the puffer fish, then the mousse. The same. Love, passion, kindness, poured into every bite. Her eyes watered. In a rush, she remembered her father’s expectations, her family’s coldness, the suffocating weight of a life she could never live up to. But in this food, for the first time in years, she felt accepted.

“Mai? Can you say some—whoa!” Noel flinched as Mai suddenly stood and wrapped her arms around her. “Heh heh. It looks like-”

“I hate this,” Mai whispered, trembling.

“What? You hate… my food?” Noel asked, startled.

Mai shook her head fiercely. “No! It’s the most delicious thing I’ve ever had: so much love, so much care. And yet—” Her voice cracked. “I can’t remember a damn thing about you! Asuka’s right. What does it say about me if I can’t even remember the person who made me love my new body?!”

Noel gently pulled back enough to meet Mai’s eyes, her expression firm. “Mai. Look at me.”

Their gazes locked. Noel’s seriousness pierced through her usual softness.

“This isn’t your fault. The blame lies with whoever stole your memories. Not with you.”

Mai’s lip trembled. “But when we first met here, I accused you of being an assassin from the man who was supposed to be my father. I hated it all — being part of the Duodecim, failing expectations, carrying that cursed Grimoire. I hated being that boy.”

Noel held her shoulders firmly. “Your father didn’t show it, but he loved you.”

Mai’s anger flared. “Loved me? He sent someone to kill me! How is that love?!”

Noel didn’t flinch. “That’s true. But he did it to test your strength after you were disowned. His way of giving you a twisted kind of fresh start. Not as a boy trapped in a gilded cage, but as a woman who could live on her own terms. I’m not excusing him. I just want you to know — you are still loved. Even if you don’t remember me, I’ve never stopped caring for you. And if words aren’t enough…” Her voice softened, “I could cry, so you could taste-.”

Mai shook her head, cutting her off. “If I have to taste your emotions every time to believe you, then what’s the point of being teammates? And besides, I do want to taste you...” she blushed, voice dipping, “there’s a shorter way.”

Noel froze, cheeks turning scarlet. “You don’t mean— I… I’ve never been kissed before!”

“Then I won’t,” Mai said quietly, “unless you think I have to.”

Silence stretched between them, heavy with unspoken things.

Noel finally exhaled, voice low and trembling. “Truthfully… I did think about it. Back on the rooftop. I wondered if a kiss could restore your memories. But now? I don’t want you to suspend disbelief about your father just for the sake of trust. So I’ll leave it to you.” She stepped closer, resolve in her eyes. “Kiss me… or trust me. The choice is yours.”

Mai’s breath caught. “You’d… let me choose?” Noel said nothing, but the answer was clear in her gaze. Mai leaned closer, their breaths mingling, the tension between them almost unbearable. “In that case… I’ll—”

*THUD!*

The crash from outside broke the spell. Both of them startled.

“…I’m not the only one who heard that, right?” Mai muttered.

“No. I heard it too.” Noel’s hand went to her drive.

They exchanged a look — their moment suspended, but not gone — and rushed out of the diner together.

Earlier: The Kitchen

Chie and Yukiko could only stare at the pot before them. What was supposed to be curry had transformed into… something far less edible.

“Uh, hey Amagi-san,” Chie ventured, peering at the bubbling sludge. “This is supposed to be curry, right?”

Yukiko frowned. “It would seem that one of our cooking skills is… lacking. Let’s make something quick and simple to compare. An omelet?”

“Good idea.”

They set to work, each making their own, then traded plates to taste-test. One bite later, Chie’s expression sank while Yukiko burst into laughter.

“Hahahahaha! Oh, Satonaka-san, yours is so awful it’s the definition of nasty!”

Chie scowled. “Like yours is any better! It tastes so flavorless that I might as well eat sawdust glued to cardboard—using raw wheat gluten as the glue!”

Yukiko flinched, cheeks red. “Y-your taste buds are just unrefined!”

Chie jabbed a finger at her. “You might as well be taking my side with that excuse!”

“And even if I am,” Yukiko shot back, “who exactly am I defending you from?!”

That silenced Chie for a moment. With a heavy sigh, she relented. “Alright. Let’s just agree… cooking isn’t our forte.”

Yukiko’s shoulders slumped. “But I was really looking forward to our team eating something we made together…”

Chie softened. “Then maybe we stick to something more basic, like—”

*THUD!*

Both froze as a crash shook the ship.

“…I’m not the only one who heard that, right?” Chie asked.

“No. I heard it too.”

They nodded, determination settling in, and summoned their Personas as they rushed out of the kitchen.

The Middle Deck

At one end of the ship, Noel and Mai stepped cautiously out of the diner, while at the other, Chie and Yukiko emerged from the kitchen. Both pairs paused at the sight before them.

A swirling haze of snow and dust whipped across the deck, chunks of ice and dirt raining from above. Through the storm, the faint ring of clashing weapons echoed from somewhere higher up.

“Something’s definitely going on at the top deck. We need to check it out—fast,” Mai and Chie said almost in unison, each taking charge of their partner.

Noel hesitated, glancing back at the table. “Should I… box your meal first? You didn’t finish it.”

Meanwhile, Yukiko frowned. “What about the curry and omelets? We can’t just leave them sitting there.”

Mai waved a hand, her tone firm. “Of course you can. I am not wasting a single crumb you made for me.”

Chie, however, grimaced. “Ugh. Throw it away. We’d be committing indirect murder if we didn’t.”

The two cooks blinked, then nodded as if in agreement, turning back toward their respective diners… or so they thought.

But the storm’s intensity scrambled their bearings. In the confusion, the two pairs drifted the wrong way, effectively swapping locations.

By the time the winds settled, Noel and Mai had found themselves in the diner with the abandoned curry and omelets, while Chie and Yukiko stood in front of Mai’s carefully prepared meal.

Bottom Deck: Bows End

Ruby was having a blast, darting between every arcade cabinet she could find on her end of the ship while Hyde struggled to keep up.

“I got my wish, and I’m paying for it. Go figure,” he muttered, clutching his side.

Ruby suddenly zipped in front of him, making him flinch. “Hyde!”

“Whoa!” He nearly toppled, saved only by Ruby grabbing his hand.

“Okay, so—good news and bad news! Bad news: Teddie’s not on this side of the boat. Good news: the games here are amazing! I can’t even pick a favoritethere are so many types!” She whipped out a pamphlet, reading off the list at full speed. “Fighting games, beat ’em ups, shmups, light-gun shooters, racing, platformers, sports, rhythm and music, pinball, chase-and-escape, ticket games, mecha simulators, motion rides, party co-ops?! I’m not saying we should, but if there’s time—if there’s time—can we come back here as a celebration?!”

Hyde sighed. “You realize I’m not the leader, right? You’d need permission from Noel and Mai.” Ruby’s smile faltered, but he continued. “Still, I’ll back your request—on one condition.”

Her eyes lit back up instantly. “What is it?!”

“You check the rest of this floor by yourself for a while. Because I am tired.” Hyde slumped to the ground with a groan.

Ruby flushed with sudden embarrassment, realizing why. “Heh… sorry about that. Force of habit.”

“I can tell. I’ll catch up later—just need a minute.”

Ruby nodded and dashed off in a blur of rose petals.

Hyde leaned against the cabinet, exhaling hard. “Great. I get paired with the one girl who thinks a life-or-death mission is just a field trip with bonus tokens. She is gonna burn herself out chasing everything at once, and yet despite that, somehow...somehow she’s still smiling.” Despite the accurate jab, a crooked half-smile tugged at his lips as he watched the last petals drift away. “Guess somebody’s gotta.”

Sterns End

Yosuke had shown Makoto every game on the floor, but she wasn’t taken with most of them. The fighting cabinets caught her attention, but even then, she’d rather be the one doing the fighting than watch a joystick do it. He saved the best for last.

“Is that…a punching bag?!” Makoto asked.

“Yep. The point is to land as many powerful blows as you can, fast.” Yosuke thumbed the machine on. “Go on. Give it a try.”

Makoto inhaled, coiled, and struck.

*PUNCH!*

The machine chirped. Her eyes widened. “I think we have a winner, Hanamura!”

“Haha. Looks like it.” Yosuke watched as she got into a rhythm, each hit harder than the last.

Ruby zipped past them in a blur, then slowed when she saw Makoto pummel the bag. A fuzzy memory flared for Ruby — Yang throwing punches as she trained with her father and uncle back home in Vale — but the image was blurred by static. Confusion and a raw, old ache rose in her chest. She fled before anyone could see the tears.

Makoto’s own mind was flaring too. Each punch unlocked a fragment: NOL training halls, late nights drilling, the first time someone called her “strong” instead of a freak. She tasted a joy she hadn’t known she once owned — and the realization that someone had taken it away ignited into fury.

“YOU ASSHOLE! THOSE WERE MY MEMORIES!” she screamed, striking faster. “WHO SAID YOU COULD TAKE THEM?! WHO SAID YOU COULD TOUCH THEM?! DID I EVER PERMIT YOU TO STEAL MY HAPPINESS?! TO FORCE ME TO REMEMBER HATE, ISOLATION, VIOLENCE — DID I, YOU BASTARD?!”

Yosuke’s smile died. He hadn’t meant this to happen. “Crap… I just wanted her to blow off steam. This is bigger than I thought. I’m starting to wish I was wrong about her being a stepford smiler like me.”

Makoto didn’t stop. “I’M GONNA GET THEM BACK, YOU HEAR ME?! ALONG WITH EVERY OTHER MEMORY YOU STOLE! THEN YOU’LL KNOW WHAT IT FEELS LIKE —/*PUNCH!*—TO LOSE!/*PUNCH!!*—EVERYTHING!!!/*PUNCH!!!*”

The last strike shattered the machine. The punching-bag rig collapsed in a spray of lights and sparks. Makoto sank to the deck and sobbed.

Yosuke crouched beside her, guilt heavy in his chest. “This was a mistake.” “N-Nanaya-san, I didn’t mean for you to—WOAH!” Yosuke started, but Makoto cut him off as she pulled him into a clinging, shaking hug.

“JUST! SHUT UP!”

As he held her, other images sifted through Yosuke’s head: a girl his age from a sake family who’d always been distant with him, resentment in her smiles — a resentment he’d never had a chance to resolve because she’d been murdered by someone whose trail dissolved into static. A single private, hot sorrow escaped his eyes.

His thoughts sharpened to Carl and the rumors Naoto had told them about SkyEyes. It braided into one feeling — furious, focused, and cold.

“Kid,” Yosuke thought, “I’ll give you one chance to give our memories back. Because this — this is pissing me off.”

Middle Deck

The storm clawed at the diner windows, snow and dust hissing against the glass as Noel and Mai slipped back inside to pack up the latter’s lunch.

There was just one problem: it was gone.

“What the—where did your meal go!?” Noel gasped, eyes darting to the empty table.

Mai frowned, the howl outside seeping into her tone. “This might sound a bit out there, but… have any of your meals ever moved before?”

“No! No, of course not!” Noel waved her hands, then faltered. “Well… not to this extent. Either way, we have to find it. Besides you, my food isn’t exactly for the faint of heart.”

They pushed deeper into the diner, the draft slipping through the cracks, making the air cold and restless. Somewhere above, faint clangs of metal and bursts of pressure echoed—like the storm wasn’t just outside, but inside the ship itself. By the time they reached the kitchen, both froze.

“…A bowl of purple smoke curry,” Noel muttered. “And two omelet plates?”

“You weren’t kidding when you said you made seconds,” Mai remarked.

“That’s not mine,” Noel said flatly.

“Really?”

Noel shook her head.

“Then someone else was here,” Mai concluded, tightening her grip on the counter.

“But when? The last time I was in this kitchen, I was alone. I didn’t even clean up after myself.”

Another blast of wind rattled the ceiling, this time accompanied by a muffled shout from above.

Mai’s voice was low. “There’s one way to find out.”Mai took a cautious bite of the omelet, then a spoonful of curry. As the flavors hit her tongue, her expression shifted. “Yeah. Someone definitely made this.”

“What did you find?” Noel asked, leaning forward.

“Well, for one thing, it’s good—but not as good as yours.”

Noel’s face burned, but Mai pressed on.

“The curry especially—it tastes like two people made it. The intent was to feed themselves and four others.”

“That’s the same number as our group,” Noel realized.

“Exactly. But there’s something else tangled in it. Guilt. Friendship. A close friendship, actually—but one clouded by a single emotion: doubt.”

“Doubt? As in doubt about the curry?”

“No,” Mai corrected, voice firm over the rattling storm. “Doubt about their relationship. The omelets carry the same taste. A close bond, but shadowed by uncertainty.”

“How can that be? If they had a close friendship, there shouldn’t be any doubt.”

Mai’s smile thinned. “With that kind of logic, I never would’ve accused you of being an assassin sent by my father.”

“That’s because of your…missing memories,” Noel whispered, the storm pounding louder as if underlining the thought.

Both fell silent, the same realization chilling them at once.

“Whoever made this meal—” Mai began.

“—lost their memories too,” Noel finished.

The windows shuddered against another icy gust, this time carrying the faintest sound of steel colliding. The storm wasn’t just weather anymore—it was warning them of the battle above.

Meanwhile — Middle Deck

Chie and Yukiko stared in horror at the table before them.

“What… is this?!” Chie demanded.

“Something that clearly wasn’t made by us,” Yukiko replied, her brow furrowed.

On the table lay a bizarre spread: a pixelated dessert that flickered in and out of shape, a steaming pufferfish dish, and—most unnerving of all—croquettes that looked...perfectly normal.

“Well, at least the appetizers look fine,” Yukiko muttered, picking one up. She bit down—and collapsed instantly; Down in a bite.

“YUKIKO!” Chie screamed, dropping to her knees. Her arms trembled as she held her, static memories flashing sharp and distorted in her head. All of them—every single one—was about Yukiko. Tears blurred her vision. “This can’t be happening! THIS CAN’T BE HAPPENING! I need help—first aid, my team, just anyone who’s—”

The doors burst open with a slam of wind and ice. Noel and Mai stepped in, snow and grit curling around their boots. Noel’s eyes flicked from Yukiko’s limp form to the cursed meal, and she groaned into her hand.

“...Too late.”

But Yukiko stirred with a groan, sitting up weakly. “Ugh… what happened?”

Chie hugged her tighter, her voice breaking. “Oh, thank god, I thought you were dead! It was those croquettes—they poisoned you!”

Noel stiffened. “Those… were mine.”

Chie froze. Her head snapped up. “YOURS?! I actually thought I lost her because of you?! What the hell’s wrong with you?!”

Noel flinched under the weight of her fury. “I… I—”

Mai stepped forward, her tone sharp. “She was cooking for me. That was my food. You chose to eat from someone else’s plate. At least own up to that choice.”

Before Chie could lash out, a sharp gale rattled the diner windows, spraying ice-dust across the floor. And then Yukiko laughed.

“Kekekekekehahahahahahahaha!” she howled. “I don’t know what’s funnier—the fact it tasted worse than our curry, or that you’re defending her!”

Outside, a sheet of snow slammed against the hull, as if the storm itself had joined in her mockery.

“At least Noel’s food had conviction,” Mai shot back. “Yours reeks of doubt—like amateurs too uncertain to even grasp the scope of their own partnership!”

Chie’s anger boiled, but Yukiko only laughed harder. Dust shook loose from the ceiling with each gale of storm winds.

“So you ate our food, and actually liked your friend’s cooking?” Yukiko teased.

“Yes!” Mai snapped without hesitation.

Yukiko doubled over, clutching her stomach as her laughter peaked. “HAHAHAHAHA! That’s even funnier!”

Another icy crack split through the hull outside, vibrating the deck beneath their feet. Mai’s spear slowly manifested, and her face hardened. All Noel could do was place a hand on her shoulder.

“Yukiko, this isn’t funny! You could’ve died!” Chie barked.

“I’m sorry, but—think about it!” Yukiko wheezed between giggles. “To defend that dish, your taste buds must have zero accounting skills! HAHAHAHA!”

Mai recoiled as if slapped. Tears welled at the corners of her eyes. She opened her mouth—

*BANG!*

A gunshot cut through the storm’s howl, stopping the laughter. A bullet grazed Yukiko’s cheek, scarlet against her pale skin.

“YUKIKO!” Chie screamed.

Noel stood in Murokumo mode, both Bolverks drawn, her eyes glowing blue. [Target’s ignorance proven to reach intolerable levels.]

Her guns tracked Yukiko. Outside, the wind spiked to a shriek, peppering the windows with shards of ice. Chie roared, her Persona bursting into being. Mai almost feels flattered, but she realizes that she must make sure Noel does not do anything that she would regret.

[Apologize for insulting Mai Natsume, or live to never laugh again—]

*KICK!*/“DON’T YOU DARE!”

Tomoe surged forward, her power behind Chie’s kick blasting Noel across the diner. She skidded across the floor, frost and dust scattering in the gale.

“NOEL!” Mai cried.

Chie stood firm, trembling with fury. “First, you poison my friend, then you try to shoot her?! If anyone owes an apology, it’s YOU!”

Mai’s spear manifested, her voice a snarl. “LIKE HELL SHE DOES!”

Her strike came down—but was caught, steel grinding against steel. Yukiko had blocked the strike with her fans.

“You…” Mai hissed.

Yukiko’s eyes narrowed. A radiant circle bloomed at her feet, its glow making the frost beneath her crack and hiss.

“KONOHANA SAKUYA—AGI!”

*FOOM!*

Flames erupted, searing Mai’s body. She staggered, and Yukiko immediately followed with, “DIA!” The wound on her cheek sealed shut as if it had never been there.

“Are you alright, Satonaka-san?” she asked, calm despite the chaos.

Chie gaped. “You’re asking me?! A bullet just grazed your face!”

“And I healed it, didn’t I?”

“That doesn’t matter! That’s the second time I’ve seen you close to death!” Static memories surged—Yukiko in a burning cage, her screams smothered by distortion. The walls rattled again under a barrage of ice. “I don’t know what we’re supposed to be to each other—but I know I can’t lose you again!”

Yukiko’s sternness softened. She embraced Chie. “I’m sorry, Chie. I just wanted to prove I could fight with you.”

Chie slowly chuckles through the tears, “Man, what are we doing? We barely remember each other—we’re strangers, yet I—I—”

“Still want to stand side by side?” Yukiko finished. “Besides, the way you kicked her away—that was the coolest thing I’ve ever seen. I want to be as strong as you, fighting right beside you.”

Chie smiled through tears. “I want that too… but more than anything, I want to protect you. So will you...let me do that, please?”

Tomoe knelt, gently taking Konohana Sakuya’s hand.

Yukiko blushed faintly. “You really are my prince.” “I have one better—let’s protect each other.”

Their Personas rose together, flames and ice flaring together.

Across the deck, Noel and Mai steadied themselves, weapons drawn. Another blast of snow and dust rattled the diner walls.

“No matter what happens,” Chie vowed, “we’re getting through this together!”

“I concur, my prince,” Yukiko replied, fire glinting in her eyes.

Mai’s spear hummed with energy, and Noel’s Bolverks whirred alive.

“Okay, now I’m REALLY pissed off!” 

[Me too.]

The storm outside flared with ice and stone as Drive and Persona charged headlong into their clash.

Bottom Deck

Hyde was just about ready to get up and follow Ruby when—

*WHOOSH!*

A whirlwind of crimson petals swept past him, vanishing down the corridor. They drifted and scattered until they slipped into the doorway of the girls’ bathroom.

“Roses…?” Hyde muttered, his eyes narrowing. “Ruby.”

He walked after them, stopping just outside the door. From inside came the muffled sound of sobs.

*Knock, knock.*

“Ruby? It’s Hyde. What happened?”

There was silence, then Ruby’s voice—thin, broken, trembling.

“I… I saw two more people. *Sniff.* There was a human boy… *hic* and a squirrel faunus girl…”

Hyde blinked. “A squirrel...faunus girl? What even is a faunus?”

But Ruby didn’t explain further. The words caught in her throat as static memories clawed at her mind. Blurred visions—family, home, laughter—flickered like broken glass in her head. She saw her sister Yang, golden hair flashing between the cracks of static, her fists striking in training. But the harder Ruby tried to hold on, the more it slipped away. Her sobs broke loose again.

Hyde stood still on the other side of the door, his hand resting against the wall. He clenched his jaw, then quietly summoned the Insulator. Blue light gleamed briefly in the dim hall.

“Something happened that shook her to the core,” he muttered, his voice low with resolve. “And I’m going to find out what.”

With that, he turned and walked away, leaving the faint shimmer of petals behind.

Meanwhile

As Makoto’s sobs finally slowed, Yosuke helped her back onto her feet.

“Feeling better yet?” he asked gently.

“No… I’m still angry,” she admitted, brushing her eyes, “but not as much as before. Thank you, Hanamura.”

A wry smile tugged at his lips. “How about we go by our first names?”

“Really?”

“Yeah. A hug like that would make anyone feel like we’ve hit some kind of… relationship milestone.”

“Relationship, huh?” Makoto raised an eyebrow, smirking.

Yosuke’s face turned red. “It’s not like that!”

“Relax, I know what you mean.” She winked. “Alright then. Let’s find ourselves a Keystone!”

“Oh, you’re not finding anything!” a sharp voice declared.

Makoto and Yosuke turned. A boy stood there, red sword in hand, glaring at them with fierce determination.

“What the—who are you?!” they demanded.

“The name’s Hyde Kido. And I want answers. Specifically, what did you do to Ruby?”

Makoto and Yosuke traded a blank look. “…Who?”

Hyde frowned. “The girl in black and red? Silver eyes? Wields a gun-scythe? Tends to leave a trail of rose petals in her wake?”

The two looked even more lost.

“…So… a florist?” Makoto ventured.

“With the craziest gardening tool I’ve ever heard of?” Yosuke added.

Hyde pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing. “Please don’t make me do this the hard way. I’ve already got my hands full tracking down a perverted teddy bear.”

That phrase struck something deep in Yosuke’s mind. Static flickered through his thoughts. “Perverted… teddy bear?!” His pulse quickened.

“Well, maybe you should focus on that instead of interrogating us,” Makoto snapped. “Because we have no idea what you’re talking about.”

But looking at Yosuke, Hyde wasn’t convinced. His grip on the Insulator tightened. “Yeah… no. I’m not leaving. A teammate of mine is crying, and the two of you have something to do with it. So for the last time…” He raised his blade. “Tell me what you know.”

Yosuke’s mind was racing. “This is bad. If this keeps up, we’ll be in a fight for sure.” Then he remembered Hyde’s earlier words. “Perverted teddy bear… Why does that keep ringing a bell? Could it be… someone from my world?”

He resolved to speak, but it was too late.

*CLANG!*

Makoto had already charged, her fists slamming into Hyde’s blade.

“Holy crap!” Yosuke mentally shouted.

Hyde gritted his teeth. “Not even going to bother with words?”

“What I’ve learned in my world,” Makoto growled, pushing harder, “is that those who don’t listen to words… listen better with action!”

Yosuke sighed and summoned his Persona. “So it comes to this.” “Jiraiya—Garu!”

*WHOOSH!*

A powerful gust slammed Hyde across the room.

“Really wish I’d spoken up sooner,” Yosuke muttered, drawing his knives.

“Wait, so you do know something?!” Makoto asked.

“Probably. It’s a lost memory, though.”

“Damn it!” She pivoted back into stance. “Well, can’t say we weren’t expecting conflict sooner or later.”

“Let’s at least be easy on him. It’s two against one.”

Makoto grinned. “Fair enough. I’ll pull my punches.”

Hyde pushed himself to his feet, shaking off the blast. His eyes darted between his opponents. “That guy… his power reminds me of Teddie’s—and someone else.” Yosuke’s Persona flashed in his mind, then Teddie’s, and last, filtered through static, Orie’s Thanatos. His gaze shifted to Makoto, whose tail swished and ears twitched with feral precision. “And her… she fights with her fists, and has an—actual moving tail and extra ears?! Great. Just what I needed. An embodiment of every perverted boy’s fantasy come to life, because why not?”

With a grimace, Hyde clenched his sword and charged straight into the 1-vs-2 clash.

SkyEyes

By now, Carl had finished briefing System XX on the False Face Legends fight and the ambush on Judgment Blade’s makeshift campsite.

Much to System’s delight, the A.I.’s voice buzzed with static cheer. “Now that’s music to my microphones, Carl!”

“I know, right?!” Carl smirked. “FINALLY, some good news! Once I get the timing right, I can even mobilize my forces to capture Alucard.”

“Just make sure you collect the Keystone if one is present. That takes top priority above all else.”

Carl nodded. “Of course. But speaking of priorities—what about you? Did you find a stone?”

“You bet I did!” System chimed. “However… once again, two separate teams have become tangled in the location.”

Carl let out a groan. “Let me guess—they’re fighting over it?”

“It’s… a bit more complicated than that.” A flicker of distortion ran through System’s voice. “Unlike the Strikers and the Blades, these two groups aren’t even aware of the full scope of their own membership.”

Carl’s brow furrowed. “Interesting. So who are we dealing with this time?”

At that cue, a drone zipped to Carl’s side and deposited two files into his hands. He opened them carefully, eyes scanning the documents.

System’s voice rang in his ear, clear and precise. “Burn Edge Rebellion—and Rose Trigger.”

Meanwhile

Teddie was hiding from Naoto. “Big trouble. Beary serious. I’m being hunted by a boy with a spiky red arm.”

*Sniff sniff.*

His nose twitched, cutting through the storm of ice and dust. “Wait a sec…I know that smell.” He crept forward, following the sour-sweet trail until it grew so sharp it almost stung. Wedged between the broken planks, glowing like a heartbeat against the shadows, was a red gem. Teddie’s paws froze mid-reach. His ears shot upright. “A…a KEYSTONE!” The gem pulsed, its light spilling across the battered deck. The storm seemed to hush for a heartbeat, as if holding its breath along with him. Then the wind screamed again, and Teddie gulped. “Ooooh…this is gonna be beary, beary big…”

The glow flared once more—blazing, ominous—as Teddie touched it, and was transported to a crimson room where a human version of System awaits. “Well, look what we have here. Hello Teddie, welcome to the keyestone.”