I became a heart-stealing thief in Azure Files

Upon hearing the voice, the girl with red eyes and black and white highlights, wearing a hoodie, turned her head to the side with a slightly helpless expression and observed Aru.

"President... are you alright?"

"No, it's okay..."

She squatted down, supporting herself on her knees, and rubbed her ankles. Then she realized that doing so would dirty her coat, which she was wearing to enhance her style, so she quickly stood up again.

"Today is the day I become the 'phantom thief,' an important day... I can't let myself lose face in front of Sensi..."

Kayoko: "..."

Through the rain, her gaze met Amamiya's.

“Um… President, Sensei has already seen it.”

Aru: "Huh?!"

Squinting hard, the nearsighted but refusing-to-wear 'idiot president' finally noticed... a blurry figure sitting under a bench at a bus stop not far away.

Sensei witnessed this incredibly awkward scene...

Waaah... what to do, what to do...

That being said, it shouldn't affect the operations in the 'other world', right?

It's unclear what kind of mental activity Amamiya was going through, but as Amamiya watched, Aru suddenly straightened up, her coat still dripping with water, yet she acted as if nothing had happened, gracefully approaching and then stopping in front of him.

"sen, seni... I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."

Beads of sweat trickled down her forehead, and she silently prayed repeatedly, feigning indifference as she straightened her back and said, "I've waited so long to prepare for the day I 'become a phantom thief'!"

"If I can also become a phantom thief under Sensei's guidance... the future of the convenience store will be bright!"

Aru's reaction left Kayoko, who was following behind, speechless, reminding Amamiya of a classic meme: "The future is bright (despair)."

My heart is pounding with panic, but I have to pretend nothing happened, Aru, you idiot.

Amamiya resisted the urge to pat the silly president on the head and stood up, extending his hand to Aru with a serious expression: "Even if you become a phantom thief... the funds to maintain the agency's operation still need to be obtained by defeating shadows in another world. I'm sure the president is already prepared for that."

Arle proudly raised her head, gave a soft "heh," and then decisively grasped the hand that Amamiya had extended.

【~???~】(Aru)

"Of course!"

"Whether it's gangster activities or phantom thief activities..."

"By accumulating strength step by step, climbing to the top and becoming an existence that no one can reach—this is the way of survival for Convenience Store 68!"

Amamiya withdrew her hand and chimed in with a perfectly cooperative remark: "That's quite ambitious, President Aru."

"Hehehe..."

Alu chuckled in a low, smug voice, clearly quite pleased with herself.

After a 'gangster-style etiquette meeting' that fits Aru's personal vision, Amamiya casts a sympathetic glance at Kayoko while Aru is lost in her delusions.

'The future of convenience stores... is predictable.'

After expressing his feelings, Amamiya sent a hint to Kayoko.

'When we infiltrate the other world later, we'll need to complete the 'tutorial battle' first...'

【~??~】(Kayoko)

Kayoko blinked, indicating that she understood.

Then, she took the initiative to start a conversation.

"Sensei, is this infiltration mission the same as the last one?"

As she spoke, she turned her gaze to the "Sanctuary Tower" that was right next to her.

The last time she came here, the opportunity that awakened her Persona was when Amamiya brought her to the vicinity of the Sanctuary Tower to participate in the investigation of the "other world" corresponding to the Federation Student Council area.

The Impression Space corresponding to the Federal Student Association is a decadent civilization style, with a 'sea city' composed of various marine life, coral reefs, luminous crystals and other elements.

Although it had been a while since she had entered the other world corresponding to the Federation Student Council, Kayoko still vividly remembered that azure world where she was submerged in a deep sea.

The city that sank to the bottom of the deep sea is said to be called "Atlantis".

"Yes, the same as last time... the main task is to infiltrate and gather information."

Amamiya took the initiative to start the conversation and began to quickly assess the surrounding environment.

The choice of the thief's 'infiltration point and escape point' also requires careful consideration.

After all, the Phantom Thieves had a history of being filmed returning from another world to the real world, so Amamiya didn't start sneaking in on a wide street in broad daylight.

With the eager and excited Aru and the equally prepared Kayoko, Amamiya arrived at a nearby small park.

Having confirmed that the forest concealed the electronic devices, Amamiya opened the [Otherworld App] on her phone.

The red-and-black eye icon began to rotate, quickly transforming into a black and red vortex that spread outwards from the phone to a smaller area.

Having entered another world before, Kayoko familiarly squinted her eyes and began to concentrate on fighting the dizziness that followed.

Meanwhile, Aru, who was eager to see how she entered the other world, ended up in trouble.

She only felt a blur before her eyes, then the rain stopped, and the whole world was completely distorted by black and red fluctuations.

Then something even more amazing happened—the stagnant rain lines reversed and flowed back into the sky.

The salty sea breeze rushed towards her face, and before she could even marvel at how time seemed to have reversed and the sky seemed to have turned upside down, she felt a brief sense of suffocation.

After the slight feeling of drowning subsided, Aru found that her previously blurry vision had suddenly become clear—but correspondingly, everything she saw had a distorted feeling, as if disturbed by the ripples of water.

Her vision was opened wider than ever before. After clearing the area, what appeared before Aru was a magnificent, splendid, golden, and silver-inlaid... lost city of a fantasy world.

Aroo opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but suddenly realized that she, Sensei, Kayoko... were all soaking in the water.

Although there is a noticeable water-like resistance when moving, it is amazing that you don't have to hold your breath and can breathe freely.

Also... Kayoko's clothes...

A black gothic-style lace-trimmed long dress, black stockings, a pocket watch at the waist, a magician's top hat on the head, and a 'cat half-face mask', gleaming loafers... a thin metal chain and a pocket watch hang from the hem of the dress at the waist, and her long hair is combed.

It's like... a completely different person.

What beautiful clothes...

Is that a Phantom Thief outfit?

This outfit suits Kayoko very well and looks very natural on her.

But perhaps because her style was too eye-catching and dazzling... Kayoko herself felt a little awkward.

At that moment, Aru understood—why Kayoko was unwilling to summon her Phantom Thief costume even when 'encouraged' or 'begged' by the members of Convenience Store 68.

It's just so...unique.

Wearing such clothes in another world is already incredibly eye-catching... but in the real world, the probability of being the center of attention would probably exceed 100%.

The thought of awakening her 'persona' and becoming a 'mask user' filled Arle with longing.

What will my own 'phantom thief outfit' look like...?

While she was in a daze, Amamiya and Kayoko had already taken out their pistols and melee weapons, respectively.

"Let's continue our exploration from last time."

Chapter 51: Kayoko's Most Handsome Episode

Atlantis.

This once glorious ancient civilization, due to its arrogance, angered the gods, incurred divine punishment, and ultimately sank to the bottom of the sea under a "great earthquake".

The 'shadows' living here mostly appear in the shapes of various marine creatures.

The lower-level ones are starfish, octopus, or anglerfish with glowing heads and sharp teeth that 'hunt for prey' and look a little scary.

Higher-level 'Shadows' often appear in half-human, half-fish forms, such as siren, mermaids, and merfolk.

After arriving at the 'rotten shipwreck' from last time, Amamiya, along with Kayoko and Aru, who was nervously and curiously observing their surroundings frequently, stopped for the time being.

After carefully dodging a patrol of high-ranking merfolk carrying 'coral treasure chests' covered with various corals, starfish, and seashells, Amamiya led Aru and Kayoko deeper into the shipwreck.

Despite its dilapidated state, the "Ark," which has been decaying for an unknown period of time, still faintly reveals traces of its former glory.

"Do you remember this place?"

Looking around the interior of the 'shipwreck room', which had a unique fantasy world style, Amamiya asked the girl in the gothic dress phantom thief outfit standing next to him in a slightly sentimental tone.

"remember."

In response, Kayoko deftly flipped and dived down, pulling out a clam shell containing a pearl from the bottom of the sunken ship.

These seemingly gorgeous 'scene decorations'... have no value in being taken out of the other world—even if they were, they would become worthless decorative plants, strange trinkets, and the like.

What truly brings value are the spoils plundered from the shadows after they have been defeated.

When Kayoko last came here for an event, she noticed the mahogany treasure chest filled with gold-rimmed mahogany chests, the mahogany treasure chests scattered with gold coins, and the various magnificent-looking 'treasures' piled up around the chests.

I was quite shocked and even pleasantly surprised when I first saw it...

But after becoming a 'mask user', wearing a phantom thief's outfit and a Persona to resist the 'distortion' of this other world, Kayoko felt... that this didn't seem so strange after all.

After tossing the clam shell back into place, Kayoko looked up at the top of the sunken ship.

This incredibly large wooden sailing ship was probably lost in an accident or broken in two by some force, with its bow and stern sticking up and its cabin buried in the sand.

I am currently in the position of the broken and upturned bow of the ship.

Looking up from this angle, you can perfectly appreciate the deep blue seawater light that shines through the gaps in the decaying bow and is refracted by the seawater.

Based on her experience in the other world, Kayoko had a hunch that if she continued to rise, she would definitely be able to find a 'waterless zone' that had not yet been submerged.

And these 'waterless areas'...

Amamiya chimed in at the opportune moment: "It's a 'safe house in the cracks of cognition'."

Just like the hall's owner's 'cognitive blind spot', or the 'waiting station' of the Shibuya Impression Space in the past, because it is a cognitive blind spot, which is beyond the reach of cognition, it can also become a safe zone.

"These treasures...can't we take them out of here?"

Although she wouldn't suffocate, Aru was still a little curious as she could feel a slight drowning sensation.

Kayoko went to explore another world and brought back all sorts of spoils; she had seen quite a few of them.

Aru still has a vague concept of the special 'collectible value' of loot from another world.

If you can pick any treasure chest and take it out, and you can unlock it... then the convenience store will truly have a bright future!

"It would be great if I could take it out with me..."

But even if you can take it out and sell it... the president will soon spend it on all sorts of 'knife handles' and it will be gone in no time.

Out of 'politeness', Kayoko did not say the rest of her thought aloud.

She turned to Amamiya, who was constantly surveying her surroundings: "Sen... no, Jok, is the main mission this time to explore this 'shipwreck'?"

"Um……"

Amamiya withdrew his gaze and gave a vague answer: "Yes, but not entirely."

If I'm not mistaken... this 'shipwreck' should be the unfinished temple of Huayana, right?

Because the palace is not yet fully completed, or rather, under repair... we can only look around inside the shipwreck for now, and we can't find any valuable information or clues at all.

"Devil, can you figure anything out?"

Touching the brim of the magician's hat, Kayoko carefully considered her words before offering her 'observations and feelings' from the journey.

"When I arrived, I saw some... 'shrimp soldiers and crab generals' transporting various 'building materials'."

"The patrol frequency here is also more frequent than the last time I came."

"...Are they secretly preparing to repair something?"

"Repair...this ship in front of us?"

Although it's a bit unbelievable... but other worlds can't be judged by common sense. Using the analogy of reality and the other world, and substituting it into something similar, Kayoko's red eyes brightened slightly: "If it's to correspond to the real world... it must be some kind of secret..."

Glancing at Aru, who was completely bewildered and couldn't understand a word she was saying, the girl paused for a moment, rationally swallowing back her guesses.