I became a heart-stealing thief in Azure Files

As the familiar white orb of light crashed to the ground, causing turmoil and roars, Amamiya shielded Hifumi and Serika from the impact, feeling a pang of nostalgia in his heart.

There was a time when this was the highest level of offensive magic I could master.

Later, "Armageddon" (also known as the Final Battle, the Battle of Doomsday, or the Battle of Good and Evil) became a special kind of supernatural power.

(PS: In Persona 3 Remake, the special ability Armageddon deals *9999* universal damage to all enemy targets, but after activation, the user's HP and SP are reduced to 1. One of the highest damage special abilities in the entire game.)

"Huh...huh..."

Despite unleashing two bursts of power in quick succession, Hoshino still entered a weakened state after her 'awakening'.

A wave of exhaustion washed over her. She gritted her teeth and trembled slightly as she tried to hold on, but in the end, Hoshino couldn't withstand the overwhelming fatigue and collapsed backward.

Instead of falling to the ground, she was supported by two hands, one supporting the back of her neck and the other supporting her knees.

"Is everything okay?"

The girl, panting heavily from exhaustion, focused her mind and looked up at Amamiya at a unique 'tilt' as she was caught in a princess carry-like motion just as she was about to fall.

"...No, it's nothing."

After remaining silent for less than a second, she tilted her head and gave a smile that was hard to decipher, whether it was one of helplessness or some other emotion.

"Oh dear... I want to say that... but I think I'm really exhausted this time~~"

"Two more Personas have awakened today... Everyone must be exhausted, so it's not advisable to continue exploring... Let's stop here for now and stop this exploration once we find a safe house."

Amidst the girls' silent farewell, Amamiya decisively ended today's exploration plan.

After leading them to a safe house, Amamiya recorded its coordinates and then used a special 'infiltration device' from the other world to teleport everyone back to the evacuation point.

"Infiltration Item - Home Track: Returns you to the extraction point when you entered the hall. Can only be used in the other world."

"Why can the track take everyone back to the entrance? We've thought about that before... Perhaps it's because everyone has the understanding that 'following the track will lead home'? Because of that, using the track will work, thus returning us to the temple's exit—which, for us, is the entrance to the temple world."

After bringing everyone back to the entrance to the other world in a 'strange way', Amamiya decisively clicked the 'Return to the Real World' button.

"Let's go back. We can start planning more thoroughly next time we explore."

Chapter 52 Nomiya & Ayane & Shirako: Senpai, what about my chance to awaken?

"Wow☆~ I never expected that Serika-chan's Persona... would be 'Princess' from the storybook~"

"Furthermore, Celery Sauce's 'phantom thief outfit' has a very unique style that's somewhere between a stage costume and a princess dress~"

“S-Stop talking…”

"Speaking of which... is it because Serika is unwilling to admit defeat to 'Hifumi-san' that her awakened outfit is also a costume similar to a performance outfit?"

"No, no, that's not true..."

It was evening, in the club activity room of the Countermeasures Committee.

The club room, brightly lit at dusk, seemed to possess a different kind of vitality and energy compared to not long ago. The girls laughed and joked, teasing each other and discussing their experiences exploring the other world that day.

Due to the unexpected turn of events surrounding the 'Awakening of the Persona', the temple did not continue its exploration...

The good news is that the countermeasures committee has added two 'persona manipulators'.

After discussing the information they had gathered from the other world, the girls on the countermeasures committee finally focused their attention on Amamiya.

Driven by curiosity, Ayane was the first to speak, voicing the question that had been on her mind.

"Speaking of which... Serika and Hoshino-senpai's 'awakening' back then was quite different, wasn't it... And why didn't Hoshino-senpai's clothes change when he summoned his Persona?"

Having already had some contact with and understanding of the other world, she is now particularly curious about profound philosophical questions such as the other world, Personas, and the relationship between the two.

"One reason for this is... that Hoshino's Persona is 'temporary,' not her own will, but merely an external aid, so it doesn't affect her own will at all... which manifests as 'not being able to transform into the Phantom Thief's outfit.'"

After carefully considering Hoshino's micro-expressions, Amamiya continued, "Hoshino's Persona was 'so powerful' from the beginning, which also stemmed from this—because it wasn't her own willpower, but a 'strange and powerful willpower' that was willing to cooperate with her."

“The Personas used by Hifumi and Serika are part of their own ‘personality’... Therefore, this power initially seems weak and has no potential to affect reality. But as their will gradually grows, the Personas will become stronger and gain more power.”

"Relatively speaking... the Persona that Hoshino temporarily acquired is more like a 'Guest character' in an RPG game, possessing powerful initial stats but lacking any room for growth or development—after all, it's not his own."

Ayane nodded repeatedly and quickly scribbled notes in her notebook.

"...So that's how it is. The knowledge of other worlds that Sensei described always sounds novel and unique, no matter when you listen to it."

Hoshino pursed her lips slightly. Although she looked unusually energetic and showed no signs of sleepiness or feigned laziness, she did not join the discussion about Personas.

The other girls on the countermeasures committee were also very 'thoughtful' in not reopening their senior's wounds.

After thinking for a moment, Ayane raised her hand and asked the question she most wanted to know.

"That 'Persona' power... Sensei, do we... also have the aptitude?"

Ayane's words sounded somewhat uneasy, and there was a clear sense of unease in them.

Amamiya wasn't incapable of understanding her feelings at that moment...

The other members of the countermeasures committee are gradually becoming 'outstanding', gradually becoming special...

In comparison, she can only provide support in ordinary battles... Will she be gradually abandoned as she gradually distances herself from others?

“Yes.” Amamiya nodded earnestly and seriously, her gaze sweeping over Shirako, Ayane, and Nomiya, who were looking on with curiosity, unease, or contemplation, before answering earnestly, “You are all very talented children.”

There will be an opportunity for 'awakening'.

Amamiya really wanted to say that the special enemy group, the "Shadow Countermeasures Committee," actually had the opportunity to awaken the Personas of everyone on the committee...

However, Hoshino suddenly appeared out of nowhere. She gained the approval of the "Gardenia Dream" statue and temporarily acquired a power far exceeding the current level of the hall, and then instantly killed the other targets.

If Hoshino hadn't intervened, Nomiya, Ayane, and Shirako would have had a chance to awaken their Personas through this pressure and their 'battle with themselves'.

Celery is a very good example.

She had already undergone a significant change in her mindset, so in that 'battle with herself,' she was the first to awaken her personality mask.

Hoshino rubbed his cheeks, then suddenly slumped his chin onto the table, sighing helplessly.

"To be honest, it feels like we just caused a huge scene today... Aside from gathering some useful intelligence, it seems like we didn't accomplish anything else—"

Amamiya smiled knowingly and accepted Hoshino's remark: "Did you really think you didn't do anything?"

“This ‘exploration’ is meaningful… For example, severing the threads connecting those microscopic landscapes in another world might have an impact on Caesar in the real world… Who knows?”

Seeing Hoshino's sudden 'eyes light up', Amamiya left behind this ambiguous riddle, decisively stood up, and left the girls of the Countermeasures Committee with a departing figure pushing open the door.

"It's getting late, everyone should rest for today... Remember to keep an eye out for 'hot news' related to Caesar tomorrow~"

Walking alone through the deserted campus of Abydos Higher School, Amamiya strolled through the star-studded night, occasionally glancing up at the stars and the strange 'geometric shapes' scattered across the sky.

'Next, we need to prepare for the release of the announcement letter…'

'It seems necessary to contact Beritas again and request their technical support.'

With the plan for the advance notice in mind, Amamiya decided to take a stroll through the nearby streets and area to relax.

The Abydos Wing area at night is teeming with various 'hidden dangers'.

There are hardly any native Kivotos residents left living in this area, so most of the land is desolate and lifeless with endless yellow sand.

After circling around the area, in order not to waste any more time, Amamiya decisively took out the Shitei no Hako, knocked on the glass of the tablet, and awakened the AI ​​girl who was sleeping inside.

"Alona, ​​are there any areas nearby worth checking out? Or have you detected any unusual signals?"

'Huff...huff...wait—wh-what?!'

The tablet first played the sweet, peaceful breathing of a sleeping girl, then suddenly turned into the panicked sound of someone 'being woken up'.

After the screen lit up, Amamiya saw a 'water-blue sea sprite' running around on the screen, seemingly preparing something.

Reaching out and poking her particularly sensitive cheek through the screen, Amamiya said irritably, "Hey Alona... what are you doing?"

The AI ​​girl, whose white hairband swayed after being poked, seemed to calm down and moved closer to the screen.

"Arona was forced into hibernation simply for the sake of keeping the Shittin Box operational..."

"Sensei..." The AI ​​girl's voice carried a hint of resentment, "Is there anything Alona can help you with..."

"I'm free right now, so I'd like to see if there's any area nearby worth exploring."

"Arona, can you help me search for any shops or other interesting information nearby?"

On the screen, Arona looked at her with disdain, as if to say, "Sensei, is this all you have to tell me to do?"

"...The shop, right? Alona will search for it on Sensei right away..."

Despite her displeasure, Alona obediently began the search as Amamiya had instructed. Her behavior was characterized by rambling and incoherent rambling, as if she were performing some strange form of calisthenics.

"...Ah, found it!"

Suddenly, Alona stopped what she was doing, her mouth slightly open, her tone tinged with surprise: "Huh... there's still a ramen shop operating here?"

After a moment of surprise, Alona probably thought of some delicious food and couldn't help but lick her lips. Then she realized that this action was inappropriate and glanced at Amamiya through the screen with a mixture of panic and embarrassment.

"Ahem... Alona found a ramen shop nearby for Sensei that has a very good online reputation."

"It's called [Shiba Seki Ramen]... Sensei, want to check it out?"

(Cage #3 Yiqi | B Four Noon Master 9 Chapter 53 Spindle Before Weaving - "The Tower")

Following Alona's navigation, Amamiya arrived at the 'Shiba Seki Ramen' that she had searched for.

In the dead of night, the streets and alleys finally became less lifeless, and a few lights began to gradually illuminate the darkness. Although the gentle light was weak, it could still be a heartwarming beacon in this dark night filled with yellow sand.

'Finally, it feels a bit more like home...'

Strolling through the dimly lit streets at night, Amamiya felt no sense of vigilance or unease about the lurking dangers. On the contrary, he felt exceptionally lively and cheerful.

After all... it's not just danger and crime that lurk in the shadows, but also the phantom thieves who punish them.

Amamiya, who was also used to spending her days at night, wandered the city streets at night, somewhat reminiscing about the nights she used to live in Shibuya, Tokyo.

It's a pity that there aren't any maid-teacher (Sadayo Kawakami), punk doctor (Tai Takemi), chess girl (Hifumi Togo), or journalist (Ichiko Oya) here—people who are also adrift in the city.

"Chai Guan Ramen... this should be it."

After glancing up at the 'Japanese ramen shop' style sign, Amamiya lifted the curtain and stepped into the Shibaseki ramen shop, which was still open at this time.

"Yo—welcome. Hmm? A new guest..."

"Welcome to 'Chai Guan Ramen'. The shop may be small, but I can guarantee that the ramen here is the best in the region. Just tell me what you'd like to order."

What greeted Amamiya was... a cute-looking guy wearing a ramen shop uniform and smoking a pipe... Big Yellow?

It looks cute, but the middle-aged man's voice... gives it a strange sense of incongruity.

After nodding to General Shiba, Amamiya casually picked up the menu on his table and glanced at it.

It truly lives up to its reputation as a ramen shop... They sell ramen in various styles and flavors as their 'main dishes'.

Of course, it's not all ramen. There are also some 'snacks' that might be related to ramen, such as fried tofu, sushi, and taiyaki, but overall, ramen is the main focus.

"One... no, two servings of classic Shiba Seki ramen, please."

Thinking of Alona, ​​who was also waiting for food, Amamiya changed her mind halfway through her sentence.

"Alright, please wait a moment, sir..."

After saying that, General Chai went backstage to get busy. Meanwhile, Amamiya took the opportunity to open her phone and glance at the [Beritas] group chat to see if there were any new messages from these genius geeks.

[Group Chat - Beritas]

[Chihiro: We've made some progress regarding the 'Shu Mystic Arts'...]

[Chihiro: [Document - Message from the Number Secret Technique]]

[Sunny: Sorry, Sensei... We tried our best, but there's still too little information about the number of secret arts. This is all we could find.]

[Maki: If this helps Sensei, remember to treat me to a meal next time!]

[Note: Maki has been muted for one minute by Chihiro (administrator)]

[Note: Chihiro retracted a message]

Xiaoyu: ...

[Chihiro: In short, this is all we can do at Beritas. If Sensei needs further intelligence gathering, I have someone I'd like to recommend Sensei to get to know. She's the head of Beritas, and currently also the head of the "Special Phenomena Investigation Department."]