I became a heart-stealing thief in Azure Files

The platform's pillars, walls, and other areas that could be used as cover are riddled with bullet holes and signs of repairs...

The floor is clearly pitted and uneven, obviously remnants left by modern kinetic weapons.

Now... he understood somewhat why [Ghena] was called 'Demon King's Castle'.

Something seems a little off about this place...

Even the most chaotic and lawless areas aren't this extreme...

Feeling dismayed by the chaos in Gehenna, Amamiya began contacting Chinatsu Himiya, whom she knew, while also observing the surrounding situation.

It seems that Chinatsu Himiya is busy with something and didn't reply immediately.

Taking advantage of this extremely brief moment of free time, Amamiya began to observe the 'street scene' of Gehenna Academy—and then he could only sigh that everything here seemed to be filled with the savage and primitive 'laws of nature'.

"Survival of the fittest."

This natural law was almost taken to its extreme at the academy called Gehenna—Amamiya looked around and it seemed that there wasn't a quiet spot on the entire street.

It was very lively, but the so-called "lively" atmosphere was a mixture of various shouts, gunfire, explosions, and other sounds unique to modern warfare.

While waiting for contact, Amamiya tried to walk around and observe the local customs and culture of Gehenna.

Following the sounds of gunfire, Amamiya carefully leaped dozens of meters to the roof of a low building, hiding in the hiding place indicated by the [Third Eye] while observing her surroundings.

The nearest sound of gunfire came from an area that looked like it might have once been a shopping mall.

Amamiya could see several short-haired girls wearing hats similar to military caps and red 'Disciplinary Committee' epaulets on their shoulders, leading a girl with silver twin tails and a healthy wheat-colored complexion, engaging in a firefight with several students armed with various light and heavy weapons.

On the other side of the firefight was a girl with black highlights in her bangs; a girl who looked like she was about to cry while holding a shotgun, but showed no mercy when she went at it; a white-haired girl with a mischievous smile on her face... and a 'temporary team' composed of several other students.

The reason why this group was judged to be a temporary team was that Amamiya only saw 'tactical coordination' and tactical skills that were different from the others in the three students who looked rather special.

'So that's the Disciplinary Committee where Chika works...? Does that mean the Disciplinary Committee exists to resolve these disputes?'

'It must have been really tough...'

Seeing the white-haired girl with wheat-colored skin and twin tails being shot repeatedly and forced to retreat several times, Amamiya felt a pang of pity.

It seems that... these students can indeed easily resist firearms, as well as attacks from various kinetic weapons or explosives, but that doesn't mean that firearms cannot cause them any harm.

'In other words... these Gewatos superhumans who seem unharmed even after being directly shot at... are only seemingly unharmed; they actually still suffer some damage...'

'However, to reduce the damage of a gun attack that would normally tear a gash in a body to the level of 'being hit by a small pebble'... that's quite an exaggeration.'

If we interpret it using the concept of Persona resistance... their "gun resistance" shouldn't be "ineffective," but rather "resistance"?

Seeing that these 'Disciplinary Committee members' were all injured, including the girl with twin tails, Amamiya decisively switched to her Persona.

When a powerful Persona is summoned, it often unleashes an astonishing aura—which is so conspicuous that one might easily become the target of concentrated fire.

Therefore, Amamiya did not summon a powerful Persona, but only summoned... a female figure wearing a 'twelve-layered kimono'.

【psona - Kaguya (Arcana: Moon)】

[Description: A celestial being described in "The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter." Legend says she is a beautiful woman who appears from a glowing bamboo stalk.]

Because of her beauty, she attracted many suitors. Faced with these advances, she posed a series of difficult questions, stumping her suitors. Ultimately, she returned to her homeland—the City of the Moon.

"The elixir of Penglai... never mind."

"Medi Lama".

Amamiya hesitated for a moment before deciding not to use the 'Great Recovery' skill, which was not only spectacular in its effects but also capable of bringing the dead back to life and reviving the dead.

A cluster of emerald green light, accompanied by the legendary 'Kaguya-hime' fanning herself with her folding fan, drifted into the distance before landing precisely on the group of 'Disciplinary Committee members'.

These emerald green dots were inconspicuous in the chaotic battlefield, but they remarkably healed the injuries of the disciplinary committee members who had already been wounded, and also restored their strength.

After providing temporary support to the disciplinary committee members, Amamiya immediately looked towards the other side where the battle was taking place—

The incident occurred in an area that used to be a restaurant.

The reason it was "in the past" is because Amamiya saw some features of the billboard that had been blown to pieces and the remains of the collapsed building.

One side in the firefight was a group of disciplinary committee members led by a remarkably mature-looking blue-haired girl...

On the other side was a team composed of several girls, each with their own unique characteristics.

One of them was a girl with red hair in pigtails, holding an assault rifle in each hand;

There was a white-haired girl with tiny demon wings, wielding a sniper rifle;

There was also a blonde girl with an exaggeratedly good figure and goat-like devilish horns;

And... a chestnut-haired girl with 'argali horns' who was eating during the fight?

What is this... the Demon Squad?

Amamiya was quite surprised, and at the same time noticed that the girl who was tied up by these 'terrorists' was probably being held hostage... Even this girl who was tied up and sitting in the vehicle with a look of utter despair had a pair of long horns that resembled 'devil horns'.

"The incident over there is currently of unknown purpose, but it can be speculated to be a robbery and shootout involving a shopping mall..."

"A terrorist attack with hostages taking place here..."

Amamiya was sweating profusely while watching it.

"Most of the girls living in Gehenna have characteristics similar to 'demons'..."

"And they do indeed live in a rather chaotic area..."

"So, calling this place 'Demon King's Castle' doesn't seem so wrong after all."

With a sigh in his heart, Amamiya was about to make his move, secretly giving those disciplinary committee members a good whack... when he was stopped by the notification sound of a new message on his phone.

I took out my phone and glanced at it; it was a message from Chika Himiya.

[Chika: Sensei is coming to visit Gerhena... That's great.]

[Chinatsu: However, we are currently dealing with a special situation and cannot meet with Sensei immediately... Please wait near the station for a while, Sensei...]

Amamiya replied with "Okay" and then began to wait.

After seeing the 'miserable state' of Gerina's disciplinary committee members...

Amamiya became increasingly curious.

The one who maintains order in such a chaotic area... the "Disciplinary Committee Chairman".

Just who is this... important person?

Chapter Nineteen: The 'Imprisoned Princess' of the Demon King's Castle

Amamiya's sense of anticipation didn't keep him waiting for long.

Just after he gave the disciplinary committee members who were fighting on both sides a boost for the fifth time, restoring their condition and stamina, the two firefights that occurred near the station had no choice but to come to an end.

Perhaps, the other side in the conflict has discovered that the fighting spirit and perseverance of these disciplinary committee members seem exceptionally strong today.

They seemed to have inexhaustible stamina and logistical support that was virtually impervious to any injury.

Continuing to stalemate with a team like this is definitely not a good option.

Thus, Amamiya, who was 'observing', saw that both the team that 'took hostages' and the team that might be 'robbing a shopping mall' chose to 'retreat tactically'.

The disciplinary committee members, under the guidance of their two instructors, began to clean up the battlefield with their well-trained discipline.

They brought in drones, small excavators, and other logistical equipment to begin digging through the building debris, attempting to conduct search and rescue operations or sorting and recovering various materials from under the rubble.

Meanwhile, some of the disciplinary committee members put handcuffs, leg irons, and other police restraints on the students who were 'knocked down' in the fight and unable to get up again.

In Amamiya's view... handcuffing "dead people" is actually a meaningless act.

Of course, he couldn't be so foolish as to believe that those 'students' who were knocked down by firearms and ultimately couldn't get up were really dead.

Through the observation of the "third eye," Amamiya could clearly see that the knocked-down "students" actually still had fairly healthy life reactions—only these life reactions were much weaker and calmer compared to the disciplinary committee members.

"In other words... even firearms, if subjected to a large number of attacks in a short period of time... these students with superb physical abilities will be knocked down and stunned."

In addition, Amamiya noticed something particularly interesting.

—The halo above the heads of those students who are 'knocked down' will also 'extinguish' as ​​they lose consciousness.

It's like... something that exists alongside the student's personal consciousness... uh, "smart LED lights"?

Could that mysterious 'halo' be the source of their incomprehensible power?

After watching the disciplinary committee members clean up the battlefield and put the captured students into the car, Amamiya finally felt completely relieved.

In his view, maintaining order and upholding justice in even the most chaotic places is actually an extremely difficult thing.

Amamiya has always held those noble souls in high esteem and will help them whenever he can—even if they have no connection to him whatsoever.

Almost the instant the disciplinary committee members finished their work, Amamiya's phone vibrated again.

Upon opening it, sure enough, it was another message from Kagami Chika.

[Chinatsu: ...Sorry, Sensei, I've taken up some time.]

[Chika: Things are mostly settled... I'll inform the chairman about your visit now.]

Based on what I saw at the 'firefight scene'...

Without even thinking, Amamiya knew exactly what this Chinatsu Himamiya was busy with.

Without a doubt... she must have been involved in handling one of these firefights.

Amamiya also got to see the 'Disciplinary Committee Chairman who maintained order amidst the chaos', the 'big shot in the Gehenna region'.

……

Amamiya lowered her head, observing the white-haired girl before her, who wore a fur-trimmed coat and possessed a petite yet imposing presence.

A black pencil skirt, unique clothing with gold trim, knee-high stockings and boots, and a fur-trimmed coat that seemed to belong to a tough woman who had climbed to the position of "female marshal" through war merits...

All of this was integrated and blended into a girl who looked no more than thirteen or fourteen years old, yet it didn't seem out of place at all.

Thanks to the convenience provided by the 'third eye', Amamiya learned the girl's name and some basic information before she introduced herself.

[Assistant: Hina Sorasaki / The 'Imprisoned Princess' of the Demon King's Castle]

[Arcana: The Trial (XX.Judgement)]

[Assistance Relationship: Not Unlocked]

"The 'Imprisoned Princess' of the Demon King's Castle... That's an interesting, albeit strange, title. Does it suggest a contrast between her inner and outer self?"

"you……"

A gentle breeze stirred the girl's long, snow-white hair, and the pair of exaggeratedly large black 'demon wings' behind her fluttered slightly.

"You are...the one who recently came to Kivotos...the sensei from Sharai?"

Her cheeks were delicate and pretty, yet she possessed a maturity and discernment far beyond her years… She appeared fragile, but her strength far surpassed that of ordinary people…

Amamiya bowed slightly as always, giving a gentlemanly gesture of touching his chest.

"Yes, I am Sensei, currently working at Xia Lai."

"..."

After observing carefully for a few seconds, the white-haired girl slightly curled the corners of her lips and gave a polite smile: "Hello... Nice to meet you. I am Hina Sorasaki, the head of the disciplinary committee of Gehenna Academy."

After a few seconds of hesitation, she continued, "...I don't know why, but I felt a... very similar feeling from Sensei."

"I feel like Sensei is probably just like me... always busy."

【~???~】

"Do we bind ourselves because of so-called duties and responsibilities, thus losing almost all our freedom? In some ways, we are indeed very similar."

After a few seconds of silence, Amamiya smiled and said, "My name is Amamiya. Nice to meet you."

The Judgment, the penultimate card in the Major Arcana, is the most important card in the Fool's journey from "The Fool" to "The World." It is also the final judgment that a "Follower" must endure.

The upright Judgment symbolizes the success of arriving in the "world," and represents inner growth and change.

The reversed "Judgment" card signifies a lack of clear judgment in one's career; a slump; a lack of goals; and no progress.

When dealing with such a contradictory and complex assistant of Arcana... the most crucial element is only one thing: sincerity.

Only by giving your heart and soul can you survive the "judgment" and reach the end of the world.