No one's POV
After defeating Kaneshiro, everyone went back to Leblanc to see what was in the case and fix up Morgana.
Makoto: This place is oddly calming. Have you learned anything new?
Nhzual: Nope. It's a rotary lock. It's gonna need a combination.
Makoto: A rotary lock, hm?
Makoto then sat next to Nhzual and pulled over the briefcase and opened it with the right combination, surprising everyone.
Nhzual: Or you can just do that.
Yusuke: How did you get that?
Makoto: I memorized the combination when he opened it before.
Makoto then opened the briefcase and everyone saw it was full of money.
Ryuji: H-How much is it?!
Makoto: If one stack is one million...
Nhzual: Then it should be thirty million in all.
Morgana: What?!
Ryuji: Oh man! It'll be deluxe pork soup combo for me from here on out!
Yusuke: Not to bring down the excitement, but does this money look real to you?
Nhzual then picked up some of it and it was fake money.
Nhzual: Yup. It's fake.
Ann: Children's Bank?!
Makoto: I guess it's just all for show.
Ryuji and Morgana: No way!
Ann: Still, didn't it turn out well? We beat Shadow Kaneshiro and we totally busted this case.
Makoto: What do you mean? An achievement? Or maybe satisfaction?
Ann: Both!
Makoto: To think the reward for the Phantom Thieves is a sense of accomplishment!
Yusuke: A sense of accomplishment is good enough for me. Perfect. We're not normal Phantom Thieves.
Akira: We're the Phantom Thieves of Hearts.
(Timeskip)
Currently, Nhzual, Akira and Morgana are in their room and Morgana was talking about Kaneshiro.
Morgana: That Kaneshiro truly was an evil stain on society. Same with Kamoshida, and Madarame too. They hurt and exploited others just to satisfy their desired...Still, there were people around them who noticed their terrible deeds, weren't there? I wondered why they turned a blind eye...Why doesn't anyone help?
Nhzual: There's to many factors to take account of when it comes to that.
Akira: Nhzual's right.
Morgana: Is that so...Humans are so weak...Humans...Hey, do you both think I'll really be able to be a human? When I touched the Treasure...Some memories came b. I tried to force myself to forget, but... I really may not be human...
Nhzual: Eh, I'm sure you are.
Akira: Yeah, just gotta be confident.
Morgana: Talk about lukewarm responses. Now that I think about it, I gotta be human. I am the core of the Phantom Thieve, after all!
Nhzual: Yeah, you're our mascot.
Morgana: I am not a mascot!
Magician Rank 5
(Timeskip)
Currently, Nhzual is standing in front of the body of water again and he started looking around.
Nhzual: Here again...
???: You have formed bonds with those people...your friends...
Nhzual then looked back and saw the shadowy figure, holding a a katana, and a glowing yellow eye from before.
Nhzual: You...
???: Despite the bonds you form with them, it won't bring them back...
The area then completely changed and looked around and saw he was standing on a bridge.
Nhzual: ...
???: It won't bring her back...
Nhzual then looked behind him and saw a car that was on fire with burning bodies inside and tears started streaming down his face and he fell to his knees.
Nhzual: No...
The shadowy figure then walked up to Nhzual.
???: I can take you to them..I can take you to her. All you must do is take my hand.
Nhzual just looked at the figure and started reaching his hand towards him and as his hand nearly touched his, another hand grabbed Nhzual's arm and pushed him back and he looked up and saw a girl with brown hair standing in front of him and his eyes widened.
Nhzual: M-Mina-
Suddenly, a ringing could be heard in Nhzual's head and he opened his eyes and saw that he was in his bed in Leblanc and that his phone was ringing.
Nhzual: That dream again...
Nhzual then reached over and grabbed his phone and saw Makoto was calling him and he answered it.
Nhzual: Hello?
Makoto: Hello? It's me, Makoto.
Nhzual: Oh..I couldn't tell from the Caller ID.
Makoto: Were you sleeping?
Nhzual: Nah, it's fine...
Makoto: Are you sure? Your voice sounds really raspy.
Nhzual: I'm fine, really. I was just getting up. Was there something you needed?
Makoto: There's something I feel I should tell you. Please let Akira and Morgana know as well.
Nhzual: Sure. What is it?
Makoto: Kaneshiro contacted me.
Nhzual: He did?! What did he want?
Makoto: He said he's calling off our debt. It seems he's disposed of all three photographs as well. And, um...My sister and her team have already taken him into custody.
Nhzual: Well, that was fast.
Makoto: It appears they didn't want him to...disappear, if you know what I mean...
Nhzual: Yeah, I do. Wouldn't be surprised if his group did try something to silence him.
Makoto: Does this mean we were successful in changing his heart?
Nhzual: Hard to say for sure yet, but I feel like we're on the right path.
Makoto: I see. What about those psychotic breakdowns that Kaneshiro mentioned?
Nhzual: No clue, we can only assume he was taking about the incidents that have been all over the place. It could definitely be related to the other person who's been going into Palaces...
Makoto: True...That said, all we can do now is wait until Kaneshiro's change of heart becomes clear to us. Thank you.
Nhzual: No problem.
(Timeskip)
It's been a few days and Kaneshiro had finally confessed to his crimes and everyone had met up.
Ryuji: Hell yeah! Kaneshiro finally confused! People been making a huge deal of it!
Yusuke: It's difficult to accept that authorities are taking the credit for his arrest.
Ann: But on the net, it's total Phantom Thief fever.
Ryuji: it's all coming together for us!
Yusuke: The long standing belief in us is suddenly turning around.
Ryuji: I knew people would come around!
Morgana: But hopefully all this excitement doesn't place us on the police's radar.
Ryuji: It'll be fine. No way they'd find out about that other world.
Morgana: I'm also bothered by what Kaneshiro said at the end.
Ann: That we're not the only ones who can enter Palaces?
Akira: If that's true, we can't ignore it.
Ryuji: But this is Kaneshiro we're talking about. He could be talking out his ass...
Everyone: ....
Ryuji: Hey, where's Makoto? We need her advice at a time like this.
Ann: And where's Nhzual? I didn't see him leave today.
(Elsewhere)
Back at school, Nhzual is standing outside the principal's office as he followed Makoto and she told him that she was calling off her investigation of the Phantom Thieves. And when she walked out, she saw Nhzual.
Makoto: Nhzual? What are you doing here?
Nhzual: I was curious, so I followed you. To be completely honest, I had a feeling he was the one who put you up looking into us.
Makoto: Yeah...He promised me a recommendation letter to the college of my choice if I figured out who you guys were.
Nhzual: Do you regret it?
Makoto: No. not only did I see for myself how just you all were, but I got amazing friends as well, as well as find a place where I belong.
Nhzual just smiled at Makoto.
Nhzual: Well, I'm glad we could help you out.
Makoto: Also, Nhzual. Thank you again.
Nhzual: For?
Makoto: Despite me investigating you all, blackmailing you and even getting you hurt...you still were so kind to me.
Nhzual: Well, I could tell you weren't a bad person, just someone being forced to do something they didn't want to do. Plus I got a really awesome friend as well.
Makoto then looked at Nhzual blushing and she smiled at as the two of them left the school together.
(Present)
Currently, Nhzual is still sitting in front of Sae as she was still interrogating him about the Kaneshiro incident and she looked at him furiously.
Sae: Don't be ridiculous! This new ally you gained was Makoto?! Just tell me truth!
Nhzual: I'm already telling you the truth, but seems you can't handle it..,
Sae: Makoto...That's preposterous. If what you say is true...Was Makoto also running from the police when you were arrested?!
Nhzual: Who knows?
Sae: Now that I think about it...she did start taking a lot about the investigation from summer onwards...
Sae then looked at Nhzual.
Sae: Makoto aside. You mentioned one other important detail. Did Kaneshiro really say there was someone using the Meta verse besides the Phantom Thieves?
Nhzual: Yeah...
Sae: Those words could just be taken as you shifting blame to this other person, you know.
Nhzual: It's the truth...
Sae: ...But why would you fabricate such an elaborate story and then shift the blame elsewhere? There are two possibilities. Either you're simply been trying to confuse me with your lies...Or everything you've stated is true. Have you honestly been telling me the truth from the start?
Nhzual: What reason would I have to lie to you?
Sae: Does that mean you're placing your trust in me? Then again, I am investigating a"thief who steals hearts". Very well. No matter how absurd it may seem, I'll reevaluate my stance on believing you for now. In return, speak the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. It's a fair deal...is that acceptable?
I am thou, thou art I... Thou hast acquired a new vow.
It shall become the wings of rebellion that breaketh thy chains of captivity.
With the birth of the Judgment Persona, I have obtained the winds of blessing that shall lead to freedom and new power...
Confident
Sae Niijima
Arcana Judgment Rank 1
Sae then looked at her watch.
Sae: We're running out of time. Let's move on to your next target...Actually, I should rephrase that. They targeted your group first, didn't they? The identity of your opponent...is this.
Sae then flipped the page of her binder to show a green card which said "Medjed"
Sae: We have no pictures. Even their names and identities are unknown. If what you told me is true, they this "Nav" thing you've mentioned wouldn't have worked in this case. How did you target them? Tell me everything.