I became a heart-stealing thief in Azure Files

—The things you buy in another world are actually edible, and they can even have effects that ordinary items cannot, such as 'restoring energy'.

But buying things in another world isn't so easy.

Because the shadows do not recognize "currency" in the real sense, they often need to use various "currencies" that they approve of for equivalent exchange, and whether these "currencies" are accepted and valid is defined by them.

Add to that their wicked nature, born of evil intentions... If you really want to buy something from them, you'll often end up losing out, like "spending thousands of dollars on a basket of snacks."

Amamiya didn't actually intend to sell anything; she was merely using the act of selecting goods as a cover to listen to the conversations of these shadowy figures.

"Ibaraki," another shadowy figure with a gourd of wine hanging from his waist said discontentedly, "Stop being so mysterious, just say what you have to say."

"Shuten, don't be in such a hurry. I'm about to tell you a very special 'shocking secret'..."

Shuten-dōji responded with an "Oh," and said, "What earth-shattering secret? It's not just another grandiose scheme that turns out to be all bark and no bite, is it?"

Ibaraki chuckled mysteriously, "This time~ I guarantee it'll be big news!"

"I heard it from the Tengu. She told me that the legendary 'Smiling Strategist' is going to take this opportunity to challenge the legendary 'Legendary Onmyoji'..."

Shuten-dōji's movements visibly paused, then he raised an eyebrow in surprise: "...You heard this from the Tengu? Their intelligence is always reliable."

"Challenging the legendary 'Onmyoji'... How interesting. Isn't the 'Smiling Strategist' afraid that his scheme will be exposed by the 'Legendary Onmyoji,' resulting in a double loss?"

Ibaraki mimicked the tone and manner of what he had heard back then: "The exact words they relayed to me were like this:"

"Trust is an indispensable part of human nature for ordinary people, and even a legendary Onmyoji is no exception. This time, we plan to use trust as a tool, disguise ourselves as a shikigami of a legendary Onmyoji, and conduct a clandestine investigation to uncover the secrets of this legendary Onmyoji..."

……

That was basically the end of the conversation; anything beyond that was just meaningless gossip.

Amamiya shook her head and muttered to herself, "Nothing really suits my taste..."

Upon returning, he immediately took Ajinko and Tsukuyomi and retreated to a corner where they could observe the food stall without attracting attention.

"Did you hear anything?"

Thanks to his extensive experience in other worlds, Amamiya had a basic understanding of the conversation between the two 'legendary monsters'.

The reason for asking this question was to test Azuko's 'knowledge of phantom thieves' and Tsukuyomi's associative abilities.

"I can understand most of it."

Yajin chuckled gently, but didn't immediately reveal her guess. Instead, she looked at Tsukuyomi.

How does Tsukuyomi understand this?

When asked this question by Azuko, Tsukuyo immediately made a soft "ee" sound out of nervousness, and her long, drooping rabbit ears twitched back and forth nervously.

"I...I...have some ideas..."

"The 'legendary Onmyoji' we're talking about... probably refers to Sen...Jok from the real world...?"

"And 'the legendary shikigami of the Onmyoji'..."

Based on Tsukuyomi's experiences with other worlds... being able to deduce to this extent is already quite impressive.

Akiko chimed in, "It refers to 'the students who will be acting with Jok at that time'."

Amamiya concluded with a summary.

"And the disguise... naturally refers to the 'Smiling Strategist' planning to impersonate a student I know well, and then try to get close to me."

"The tone that 'Ibaraki' imitated should be the tone that 'Karasu Tengu' used when relaying messages."

The term "Karasu Tengu," when considering customs, traditions, and related knowledge, actually refers to a type of shadowy entity that is extremely adept at transmitting information and intelligence.

If we were to use the Greek pantheon, it would be Hermes.

If we were to use the Roman pantheon, that would be Mercury.

Egyptian mythology features Thoth, Norse mythology features Hydamir...

In short, the 'Crow Tengu' is not a valuable clue worth pursuing.

If the investigation is determined to follow the 'Crow Tengu', then it was a mistake from the start.

Akiko looked at Amamiya, tilted her head and winked: "So, what are Jok's plans?"

Amamiya then looked at Tsukuyomi.

"Ninjas walking beneath the 'Shogunate City' not only face the threat of 'samurai,' but also constantly have to deal with 'legendary great demons'... Doesn't that sound rather romantic, like something out of a bygone era?"

"Tsukuyo, this is your chance."

"Prepare for a surprise attack on 'Ibaraki'."

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Tsukuyo's "Persona"

"Tsukuyo, this is your chance."

……

Under the bright, cold moonlight, in the deserted streets with a clear view, the girl who had been 'entrusted with an important task' by Amamiya still had a hint of surprise on her face, which had become somewhat comical due to the excessiveness of the task.

Tsukuyomi, who was dispatched by Amamiya to "slay the legendary great demon," was momentarily stunned, thinking, "Huh?! Me... me?!"

Watching the legendary great monster walking under the moonlight, the 'giant ninja girl' hiding in the shadows took a deep breath.

The more impractical something seems, the more you should try to do it...

To find possibility in the impossible, to create possibility...

He roams the shadows, steadfastly upholding his beliefs as a ninja...

With her eyes closed, Tsukuyomi tried to feel her inner self slowly and inexplicably calming down.

She heard the rustling of the grass and sensed the bustling city noise gradually fading away from her.

After all the sounds ceased, they were replaced by the heavy thumping of footsteps approaching from afar in the darkness.

The book "Wan Chuan Ji Hai" states: "The foundation of superior ninjutsu is nothing more than 'possessing both wisdom and courage'."

"When anxious, one must not lose one's 'wisdom'; when the thought of retreating arises, one must not forget one's 'courage'."

"Remember, if you feel fear when necessary, it is a disgrace to a ninja."

"Now that you can distinguish between strategic retreat and cowardice... why should you feel fear?"

An unfamiliar voice entered my ears, accompanied by a pain that could not be described in any specific words.

The girl, who was holding onto the wall and gritting her teeth, struggled to keep from falling and soon became covered in cold sweat.

She looked up, but could only barely make out a huge figure dressed in black, with a hidden blade on one arm and a samurai sword in the other.

He looked down at me from above, his eyes calm, yet burning with a fiery, golden light.

"Stand up, Ninja mixed with cold Qi Er Er Si Ba. Si Jun, Yang."

"You've always believed that diligence can make up for lack of talent and lead to unexpected victories, haven't you?"

"Don't panic..."

"I heed your heart's voice, and come from the sea of ​​your heart to lend you a helping hand."

Taller than myself...

Those drooping rabbit ears were so long that they could hang down to her chest, yet they lay naturally and smoothly against her back...

As she gradually grew accustomed to the tearing pain in her soul, Tsukuyomi slowed her breathing and met the gaze of the towering figure directly.

"Hehe...not bad."

"You can no longer be called a ninja."

"But he already possesses enough talent..."

"Ninja..."

With a clang, the ninja sword in his hand was drawn, and the 'gentleness' that this tall and mature ninja displayed vanished in an instant, replaced by an equally fierce aura.

"Obey the command of your lord... Face the formidable enemy head-on and stand alone!"

"Listen carefully, my name is..."

"Nagamon Shou Fujibayashi."

"I was once the head of the Fujibayashi family, one of the three Jonin families of Iga..."

"I hope you will use my strength wisely and serve your Lord faithfully."

"I am you, and you are me..."

Tsukuyomi, who was met with a sharp blade of light, did not feel any sharp cutting sensation.

On the contrary, she felt her body... or rather, her clothes, become much lighter.

The original school uniform, reminiscent of the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons, has been transformed into one that looks bulky but doesn't hinder movement at all when worn...

Her outfit, predominantly light purple with a dazzling array of floral prints, can be described as "extraordinarily colorful."

“Hmm (six)% clothes (seven); thoughts of the past#...”

The pain returned, and following the source of the pain, Tsukuyomi groaned and subconsciously raised her hand to grab it.

Then, she grabbed a mask on her cheek, its face painted with vibrant colors and patterns, yet still unable to conceal its eerie nature.

This mask appeared without warning, just like the phantom thief's costume that 'grew' out of his body along with the sharp, incoming blade.

"what……!"

With a cry of pain, Tsukuyomi forcefully tore off the mask with its bright red, blood-like eye patterns.

The eerie blue flames automatically surrounded her, instantly absorbing and burning away the 'blood' that seemed to have been sprayed out when the mask was removed, skin and all.

"I am you, and you are me...!"

"bring it on--"

"Nagamon Warder of Fujibayashi!"

'call……'

Amidst the howling wind, the translucent figure solidified into a tangible form.

Amamiya and Akiko, who were observing from a distance and were ready to summon their Personas at any moment, breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing this scene.

'Sensei, that's...'

"Fujibayashi Nagato-no-kami is a legendary ninja known for his exceptional physique, though not for his ninjutsu, but who believed that 'practice makes up for lack of talent.'"

Amamiya explained simply.

【Psona - Fujibayashi Nagato no Mamoru (Arcana: The Hermit)】

[Introduction: Also known as 'Fujibayashi Masayasu'. A representative figure of the Fujibayashi clan, one of the three great Jonin clans of Iga. He is also a 'legendary ninja'.]

Legend has it that this 'ninja' was once considered 'unable to become a true ninja' and 'unable to properly fulfill the duties of a ninja' due to his robust physique. However, Fujibayashi Nagato Mori disagreed. After bidding farewell to his parents with, "Father, Mother, please rest assured, I will become an excellent ninja. I'm setting off...", he began his ninja training.

Through sheer willpower and diligence, Fujibayashi Nagato Mamoru became a legendary ninja, on par with contemporary legends like Hattori Hanzo.

It is said that even when severely wounded, He still possessed extremely swift reflexes, and His swordsmanship was masterful and unstoppable.

In his final battle, seeing no chance of victory and knowing that death lay ahead, he refused to back down, embodying the ninja's belief of "doing what is known to be impossible."

As Amamiya recalled the life story of this 'legendary ninja,' a fleeting thought arose in his mind: 'It really makes sense.'

Tsukuyomi's 'physique' is not limited to the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons... but in the entire Giwatos, only Hasumi can compare.

Standing at a full 1.8 meters tall, with a timid and weak-willed nature, he was the least proficient in 'ninjutsu training' in the ninjutsu research club, yet he still persevered in his efforts—

Aside from the fact that he is 'timid and weak-willed', the other characteristics are very similar to those of 'Fujibayashi Nagato no Kami' in the records.

'The legendary... ninja...'

Hiding in another bunker, Akiko watched the 'awakening' scene with a sense of nostalgia.

At that time, the members of Arius's squad... also awakened their own unique personas in a beautifully illustrated yet bizarre other world.

'Prepare for reinforcements.'

'Um. ’

Azuko responded softly, pressing her fingers between her cheeks and the wolf mask, where a ghostly blue flame flickered.

'This situation shouldn't require the appearance of the "Ultimate Mask"...'