Tokyo Psychic

It's amazing that so many outstanding girls like him.

I remember my family had tentatively asked her if she was interested in dating before, and then they came up with a few candidates, including this "Ren Amamiya".

Just because he is the so-called Persona?

Xian Juanxin stopped in her tracks, her curiosity growing.

I remember that "Goro Akechi," who was lying on the operating table and subjected to various experiments, was also a Persona user. How come I don't recall him having even one particularly close person? Even Masayoshi Shido, whom he served, always kept his distance...

No, I have to go back and see what they're talking about.

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196. Perhaps it's a battleground (two parts)

Time never stops.

Send everything to its end in an equal manner.

The future's glory is finite; those who wish to protect it, please cherish it.

[One year—let's journey into this time that has been given anew.]

Trust your own heart, and even in the most ordinary days, keep moving forward with unwavering determination.

【...】

When my consciousness was blurred, I suddenly heard a void voice lingering in my mind.

In a space where matter, spirit, and all concepts gradually evaporate, the "eyes" cannot see light, the "ears" cannot hear sound, the "nose" cannot smell, the "mouth" cannot utter a single syllable, and even the "skin" loses its sensory abilities...

In a place where even the concept of "death" is slowly fading away, familiar words and glowing butterflies become the only reference points that allow Shiomi Kotone to feel that she still exists.

then.

She has truly woken up.

After a long period of time when I almost forgot how to walk, how to speak, and even the feeling of "being alive".

Shiomi Kotone lay on the rooftop of the teaching building, gasping for breath like a drowning person who had suddenly found a tiny bit of oxygen in the sea.

A girl with golden hair sat on the edge of the rooftop, bathed in sunlight, looking at Shiomi Kotone who had appeared out of nowhere with an almost terrified expression.

"Who are you?! Who are you?!"

That day, the eldest daughter of the Tsurumaki family was simply invited to the island by the company's employees under the pretext of "vacation" to conduct an acceptance ceremony for the company's latest assets.

Tsurumaki Shin just wanted to get a better view of the school from the rooftop... but unexpectedly, she encountered a genuine paranormal event.

Shiomi Kotone noticed the terrified look on Tsurumaki Kokoro's face and wanted to answer her question, but when she opened her mouth, she couldn't utter a single word.

She hasn't spoken for over a decade.

......

"Name?"

"Shiomi Koto".

"age?"

"17 is old."

"..."

The interrogation was tantamount to a trial. After confirming that the girl who had appeared out of nowhere posed no threat to their young mistress, the researchers and security experts on the other side of the bulletproof glass all breathed a sigh of relief.

After that, due to her special illness, Shiomi Kotone began to recuperate on this familiar yet unfamiliar artificial island, and became very close friends with Genmaki Kokoro.

......

Let's go back to the present.

Kotone Shiomi is the third contractor recorded in the history of the Velvet Room.

According to the date in this world, it was 2015. Earth once faced an enemy capable of directly destroying an entire civilization—the extraterrestrial life form "Star Eater" Nyx.

This is actually a gigantic extraterrestrial life form that was born in the distant past and has been dormant ever since.

Although it is a living entity and shares the same name as the Greek goddess of night, Nyx is actually composed of matter born under completely different physical rules from those on Earth, and it emits special signal waves that induce suicidal impulses in life on Earth.

In modern society studies, scholars who have entered the real world have given it a series of names such as "Ghoul" and "Mother Planet of Death".

This extremely dangerous life form, with an astronomically small probability, collided with the newly born Earth 40 billion years ago. The collision was so violent that Nyx's soul and body separated. A fragment of Earth fused with Nyx's body, forming the present-day Moon.

Nyx's soul then resided on Earth. The primitive life forms on Earth, driven by the instinct for survival, desperately evolved to resist Nyx's spirit, until they developed a shared information level similar to a spirit—

This refers to the "collective unconscious realm," or... the "sea of ​​the mind."

To this day, cognitive science, a discipline involving the supernatural, is built upon this ancient and unbelievable fact.

The spiritual realm that cognitive science continuously studies and explores is the "sea of ​​the mind" formed by this collective unconscious.

But no one knows that the ancient life that created this treasure once intended to fall to the earth along with itself, destroying all of human civilization.

It was the contractors of that generation of Velvet Room who successfully awakened the power of the [Universe], and at the cost of their lives, that miraculously repelled Nyx temporarily, averting the destruction of the world.

And now...

This savior, who should have sacrificed himself, reappeared before Akira Kurusu.

Wakaba Mutsu looked at Shiomi Kotone with eyes full of awe and worry.

"Does that mean... the world is about to be destroyed?" Wakaba Mutsu asked Kurusu Akira in a very soft voice.

Having awakened his Persona less than a month ago, Ruoye Muku finds it hard to believe that he is about to take on the responsibility of saving the world as a Persona user.

For a moment, Akira Kurusu didn't know how to answer Mutsu Wakaba's question, since the world he and Kotone Shiomi belonged to had indeed been destroyed.

After the two time-traveled, the "Shiomi Kotone" of this world, whose name is Yuuki Ryou, successfully completed her destiny six years ago, also at the cost of her life, and then "sealed" Nyx.

However, before meeting the "Shadow Watcher" of this world, he himself did not know what the situation of "Yuki Ryou" was, and could only vaguely explain to Wakaba Mutsumi, "Nyx is still on the moon."

Shiomi Kotone stood beside the counter, smiling as she looked at the young couple, though a hint of confusion and doubt lingered in her eyes.

Having the same intuition as the Velvet Room Contractor, she clearly sensed that Wakaba Mutsumi's feelings for Kurusu Akira far exceeded the scope of normal high school romance.

More importantly... she sensed Wakaba Mutsumi's "abnormality".

This child is special.

"Lian?" Xi Jianqin tilted her head and addressed the unfamiliar boy with some awkwardness—his appearance had changed a lot, but his soul seemed to still be that of the boy who stood alone at the entrance of the club building, proud and holding his head high.

As she was explaining to Wakaba Mutsu, Kurusu Akira looked up at the girl who had guided her growth to this day—her appearance was still the same as many years ago, but her soul burned brightly like a torch in the night, clearly more dazzling than before, which made Kurusu Akira feel an indescribable heart palpitation again.

Because a flame always needs to burn something to continue...

It will eventually go out.

Akira Kurusu wanted to use a more affectionate or intimate form of address, but the words involuntarily came out as the usual form of address, "What's wrong, Shiomi-senpai?"

Kotone Shiomi laughed happily, "Really... it's been so long since I've heard you call me that."

"...It has indeed been many years."

"Aren't you going to introduce her?" Shiomi Kotone looked at Wakaba Mutsu next to Kurusu Akira, then her smile faded.

Even though Wakaba Mutsu had already introduced herself, she insisted that Kurusu Akira introduce herself again—Shiomi Kotone was clearly not asking about the romantic relationship between Wakaba Mutsu and Kurusu Akira; this "introduction" referred to "them."

Akira Kurusu tried to organize her thoughts for a moment, but realized she probably couldn't explain that she wasn't suffering from chuunibyou (middle school syndrome), so she said somewhat dejectedly, "...The Phantom Thieves of the Mind."

For the first time, the leader of the Phantom Thieves felt ashamed to talk about his secret little group.

"The Phantom Thieves of the Mind?" Shiomi Kotone was suppressing a laugh.

With her eyes lowered, Wakaba Mutsu stood obediently beside Kurusu Akira, as quiet as a doll that couldn't speak.

Kotone Shiomi observed Mutsuka Wakaba discreetly. In the brief few minutes of their first meeting, the girl's emotions changed by more than a dozen times with very subtle fluctuations.

But such scrutinizing observation could not possibly escape the mind thief's fighting instincts.

The seasoned Persona always acts faster than he thinks in such situations—he instinctively grabbed Wakaba Mutsu's hand and pulled her behind him.

Wakaba Mutsu was stunned for a moment, her pupils trembling violently.

Her innate talent made her extremely sensitive to changes in her environment and the attitudes of others. When Shiomi Kotone appeared, she already realized that this girl was far more important to Kurusu Akira than anyone else...

Ruo Yemu was prepared to do everything possible to avoid making the other party dislike her, and even to go to great lengths to please her.

However, Akira Kurusu's choice completely exceeded Mutsu Wakaba's expectations.

She didn't know what to say or what she could say. She could only nervously hold Lai Qixiao's hand back. She didn't want to cry in front of others, but tears kept welling up in her eyes.

"Mumu?" Akira Kurusu turned around and looked at Mumu Wakaba behind her.

On that delicate face, her slender eyebrows were furrowed together. She tried hard to appear as if she wouldn't make Lai Xixiao worry, but tears kept falling down her face.

Shiomi Kotone's fist suddenly clenched.

The bittersweet feeling that welled up in her heart at that moment was an experience she had never had before.

This is incorrect.

I have no reason to be angry or hostile towards this child.

Shiomi Kotone took a deep breath, forcing herself to regain her composure.

"She really depends on you."

“I helped her before.”

"Just like we were back then?"

Akira Kurusu fell silent.

Shiomi Kotone understood Kurusu Akira's silence, and the smile on her face finally vanished completely.

After a while, she asked Akira Kurusu, "If it's a Phantom Thieves group, there must be more than one, right?"

Still silent.

The atmosphere in LeBronley became indescribably oppressive and awkward.

Just as the wind chimes by the door rang, Genjuro Shin pushed the door open with a big smile and entered, "Haha, what are you all talking about?"

The atmosphere from before quietly dissipated.

Everyone looked at each other in bewilderment. Finally, Shiomi Kotone reached out to Kurusu Akira, wanting to pat his head—only then did she realize that Kurusu Akira was already much taller than her.

So she could only say somewhat helplessly, "You've really grown up."

Shiomi Kotone turned to look at Tsurumaki Kokoro, "Kokoro, where am I staying tonight?"

"My villa is quite big, Kotone can stay as long as she wants." Kotone was clearly smiling, but it made Tsurumaki Kokoro feel quite scared, so she dared not laugh anymore and answered in a soft voice.

"I understand." Shiomi Kotone took out her phone, exchanged phone numbers with Kurusu Akira briefly, and then turned and left without hesitation.

Before leaving, she stood at the door and waved to Akira, "I'll come find you with the 'Shadow Patrol' after I've put my luggage away."

......

The only guests left.

LeBron became quiet very quickly.

As the shop door closed, the crisp tinkling of the wind chimes lingered with the girls' laughter.

Akira Kurusu looked down at the phone in her hand, where Shiomi Kotone's phone number was clearly displayed on the screen.

The girl's appearance disrupted all his plans and thoughts.

Just as Akira Kurusu was caught in a complex mix of emotions, she was suddenly bumped hard by Mutsu Wakaba.

Of course, Wakaba Mutsu couldn't possibly bump into Kurusu Akatsuki.

But Akira Kurishi always has to look back at her situation.

As soon as he turned around, the girl threw herself into his arms, tears streaming down her face.

Despite being the girl who was least skilled at and dared not express her feelings and opinions, she now tightly hugged Lai Xixiao's shoulders and desperately stood on tiptoe until her lips touched the corner of his mouth.

Akira Kurusu leaned down slightly and hugged Mutsu Wakaba's trembling, hot, slender body. She wrapped her arms around Akira Kurusu's neck as if she had forgotten all her shyness and reserve, asking her favorite boy for a kiss.

The girl, as exquisite and silent as a doll, now looked like an ordinary young girl falling in love, her eyes filled with infatuation and obsession. Even her usually indifferent face was softened and wavering. The burning heat that melted away barriers and surged out of her heart was like magma, enveloping Akira without warning, and then slowly solidifying to completely cover him.