(They all dash towards Joker, as he dashes onto them.)

.....

(Both sides are nearing to each other, Crow readies his sword to attack Joker.)

Joker: .....Hmmph-

(Joker jumps ahead. He firmly grips to Crow's shoulder and stylishly leaps over him, being taken into surprise.)

Dark Crow: !?

(As he does it, Arsène is summoned and punches Crow away.)

Dark Crow: GH!-

(Joker lands, with Maruki in front. He then goes for a slash on him.)

Maruki: !

(Before Joker's dagger can reach onto him, he quickly uses Azathoth's tentacles to protect himself. His dagger pierces through the tentacles, leaving Maruki unharmed. Joker then goes for another slash.)

Fox: No!

(Fox instantly gets into Joker's way and parries his dagger, exposing Joker's body. Fox then quickly takes an advantage and summons Goemon to strike him.)

Joker: !

(He quickly commands Arsène to intervene. The Persona kicks Fox's left leg, causing him to slip.)

Fox: GUH!-

(Noir, standing from Joker's left side, takes the advantage by swinging her axe onto Joker.)

Joker: !

(Arsène pushes Noir away from him, failing for her axe to land a hit.)

Noir: HUCK-

(She hits the wall. Crow gets back up and quickly uses Loki alongside Mona summoning Zorro. The two Personas are about to attack Joker.)

Joker: !..... Maeigaon!

Arsène: Hmph!

(Arsène then quickly places his hand on the ground, and the cursed spell appears on the ground in a circular form, reaching enough to affect everyone but Joker.)

Mona: Agh!-

(Crow remains unaffected thanks to Loki nullifying the spell's effect. Joker then jumps away and over Crow, he lands in front of him. Crow quickly faces to him as soon as he turned to his back.)

Dark Crow: HMPH!

(Crow performs a slanted overhead slash on Joker.)

Joker: !

(Joker enters into a defensive pose, with his hand being on his mask. He radiates a blue aura around his body as Crow's sword pierces through him. As the sword trails through his flesh, a blue flame follows before dissipating, revealing his wounds to have quickly closed up.)

Dark Crow: !?

(Arsène quickly crouches down and punches Crow's solar plexus.)

Arsène: SHAH!

Dark Crow: GAAH!-

(Crow is sent flying, he hits Maruki on the way. They both land and skid to the ground before getting back up.)

Joker: Heh...

(Joker smirks at them as the two get back up whilst Haru and Mona face at him. Oracle is seen to be staying near the door that leads to the recreation building. With her Persona guarding her.)

Oracle: "Gah! I know how strong he is but I never expected it being used against us. I can tell from our experiences that Ren wouldn't be the type to let his enemies land a hit!"

Fox: I can tell. It's been years since we were in battle and I observe that he's fighting like how he used to be.

Dark Crow: Yeah, four years can put a dent in your fighting prowess. Absolutely no way he'd return to his peak form from years back in an instant.

(Oracle commands Necronimcon to scan Joker and analyze his traits..... The results then appear, taking her in shock.)

Oracle: C-crap!

Dark Crow: Why?

Oracle: It's not just that- but the effects of the Shadow's spirit has increased his strength by ten-fold!

(Everyone becomes alarmed by the imparted information.)

Dark Crow: What the!?

Mona: Damn! This is really bad then!

Maruki: There must be a way to disrupt him!

Oracle: The only good news is that his Persona is still weak to ice, but- we all know he wouldn't fall for that.

(Joker lets out a grin as he glares at the rest in front of him.)

Dark Crow: Then I may have an idea.....

Oracle: What is it?

Dark Crow: We take advantage of his own stamina. We're bigger in numbers and knowing Ren doesn't want to get hit, we could overwhelm him. He's gonna be constantly looking out for any attacks to stop.

Fox: Meaning that will tire him out.... Are you sure? What if we accidentally hurt him, or even kill him?

Dark Crow: I have my faith, just watch his moves. If he's starting to slow down then we could pin him down. And this is where you come in and finally shut him down with your Persona!

Oracle: "Taking advantage of his strength, like some kind of rope-a-dope?..... Okay..... I hope this works."

Mona: Well in this case we have to save all of our strength for this without holding back!

(Fox glares at Joker.)

Fox: We will not be deterred! Come!

(He enters into his stance.)

Joker: Hmph.....

(He dashes to him, as the other dashes back.)

Fox: HaaaaAAA!

(Fox's katana and Joker's dagger clashes. As they relent their blades away, they go for another clash with their attacks at a different direction. The momentum builds up as they repeat, slowly entering into a fast paced showdown. Fox tries to slash him down whilst Joker quickly defends himself with his dagger.)

Fox: HMMPH!

(Fox goes for an upward slash, but Joker backflips away. Joker lands, he looks back up to Fox.)

Joker: !

Fox: HAA!

(Fox goes for an overhead slash, Joker quickly stops it with his dagger.)

Fox: G-ggrrrrrr

(They're both still, while trying to fight each other's forces.)

Maruki: Debilitate!

(Maruki's tentacles quickly slither out and wrap around Joker.)

Joker: ACK-

(As the tentacles are wrapped around him, Joker's overall power becomes weakened. Maruki lets go of him, Joker becomes staggered and vulnerable.)

Joker: *huff*....*huff*...

Fox: HMPH!

(Fox tries to slash him down.)

Joker: !

(Joker noticed the katana that's about to pierce through him, he quickly side-rolls to his left, giving way for the katana as it hits the floorboard.)

Oracle: "It didn't do a thing! Joker's power levels is still strong enough!"

Fox: Tch!

Dark Crow: Damn!

Joker: Heat Riser!

(Flashes of colorful lights appear under Joker, his overall power return back to normal.)

Joker: Again.

(The same lights appear again, his overall power is now doubled.)

Oracle: "Oh no! He's gotten worse!"

Maruki: Don't let that discourage us- Azathoth!

(Azathoth's tentacles quickly stretched themselves as they reach to Joker.)

Joker: !

(He sees the tentacles that are about to grab him, he quickly jumps away.)

Joker: Hmph!

(Joker then fires out his grappling hook, it latches the ground near onto Maruki's foot. The grappling hook quickly detracts, reeling Joker in. As he nears to Maruki, he kicks him with added strength thanks to its velocity. Maruki is sent flying away and hits through the door near Oracle as Joker lands back to the floor.)

Oracle: Maruki!

(Joker stands back up.)

Noir: HUAAAAAAA!

(Noir swings her axe onto Joker from behind.)

Joker: !

(Joker quickly rolls ahead, dodging the axe as it becomes planted into the ground. He quickly stands back up and looks at Noir.)

Noir: Ngh-

(Noir tries to remove her axe. Joker takes the advantage, he quickly steps onto the axe's handle with his left foot as a platform.)

Noir: !?-

(He lifts himself up with his left leg, and goes for a sideward kick on her left cheek with his other leg. Noir instantly used Milady to protect herself from the kick. But she is still sent away, letting go for her axe. She lands to the ground.)

Noir: Gaaaah-....

(She tries to stand back up, dazed and vulnerable. Joker takes the advantage and sprints to her, he jumps and goes for a finishing slash. Noir's senses returned, she quickly looks up and sees Joker about to land on her with his dagger.)

Noir: !?

Dark Crow: HMMPH!

(Crow intervenes, getting into Joker's way using his sword to stop his dagger and protecting Noir. The two fight each other's force, with their blades grinding at each other. Noir's eyes widened in awe, seeing Crow protecting her.)

Noir: .....

Dark Crow: N-....NOW!

Noir: Psiodyne!

(Milady appears, she quickly grabs Joker's head and instills her psychedelic spell onto his vision.)

Joker: UGH-...aaaAACK-

(His vision becomes colorfully psychedelic, as his ears ring loudly and endures a massive pain in his head, disorienting him greatly. He slowly staggers back as he puts his hands on his head.)

Dark Crow: Laevateinn!

(Loki appears and tries to slash down Joker.)

Joker: !

(Joker's sight and hearing quickly return back to normal, he hears the spell Crow summoned.)

Joker: Brave Blade!

(Arsène appears. As Loki's sword is about to reach onto Joker, Arsène quickly uses his long metallic nails to parry away Loki's sword by making a backhand swing.)

Dark Crow: Robin Hood!

(Robin Hood appears, he fires his arrow onto Joker.)

Joker: !

(Joker dodges it by making a cartwheel flip to his right.)

Mona: Garudyne!

(Zorro draws out a letter "Z" with his sword, the strong gusts of green-colored wind goes out from the letter and tries to blow Joker away.)

Joker: Uck-

(Joker tries to stand still as the strong winds blows onto him, he covers himself with his arms.)

Joker: Arsène!

(Arsene dashes to Zorro, piercing through the strong winds, he makes an oncoming side-kick onto him. Zorro is sent away, interrupting the wind spell.)

Joker: ......

(Joker puts his arms away.)

Joker: !

(He sees Fox about to make an attack on him using his katana. Joker quickly uses his dagger and stops Fox's attack.)

Fox: Bufudyne!

(Goemon appears and tries to summon shards of ice on Joker. One of the ice shards pierces into Joker's body.)

Joker: GAHH!

(Joker quickly drops his knees in agonizing pain.)

Fox: Now!

(Goemon goes to take down a vulnerable Joker with an oncoming punch.)

Joker: UGAACK-

(Joker completely drops to the ground..... but he rolls to his left and quickly gets back up. Maruki barges through the door and quickly enters back to the hallway.)

Maruki: Go!

(Maruki puts out his right hand as Azathoth's tentacle quickly stretches onto Joker and wraps around him.)

Joker: GH-

(Maruki closes his right hand, Azathoth grips Joker firmly, making him unable to free himself. Azathoth then sways around, slamming Joker onto the walls and the floor.)

Joker: GAHAACK-

(It then goes for another slam. But Joker quickly uses Arsène to cut Azathoth's tentacles, Freeing himself.)

Maruki: GUH-

(Maruki spits out blood. With the momentum coming from the supposed-slam, Joker is about to hit the wall. But he uses his feet to kick away, redirecting himself to the floor. He then rolls forward on the moment he lands.)

Maruki: Freidyne!

(Maruki summons a nuclear spell, a blue dome-like appears around Joker that's about to explode. Joker quickly dodges away before the explosion occurs.)

Joker: *huff*.....*huff*...

(Maruki looks at Joker as he withdraws his Persona.)

Joker: .....

(Joker slowly looks back, Seeing Crow and Fox enter into their stance again with their swords while they glare at him.)

Joker: ..... Hmph

(He puts back his dagger..... and pulls out his pistol. Everyone becomes alarmed.)

Everyone: !?

(Joker begins firing at Crow.)

Dark Crow: !-

(But Captain Kidd appears, taking everyone's attention as he quickly shields Crow from the bullets.)

Joker: !

Fox: Ryuji!

(Skull enters through the classes building's door and quickly moves ahead to the middle of the two.)

Oracle: "Skull! Are you okay?"

Skull: Never better!

(Joker glares at them.)

Dark Crow: He has his gun out, But we can't get equal. That'll hurt him.

Fox: Yet he has the upper hand.

Mona: We need to find a way!

Skull: Don't worry, the Captain can bite the bullet..... Tarukaja!

(An orange light glows under him, strengthening Skull. He quickly dashes to Joker, with his right fist up.)

Everyone: !

Skull: HaaaaaAA!

(Joker fires at an oncoming Skull, But Captain Kidd blocks the oncoming bullets using his ship.)

Skull: URREYA!

Joker: !

(Skull lets out a strong right punch onto Joker's face.)

Joker: GH!-

(Joker is staggered away, dropping his gun but quickly recovers.)

Skull: HMPH!

(Skull goes for another punch with his right.)

Joker: !-

(As Skull's fist nears to his face, He quickly dodges his to left and grabs Skull's wrist followed by pulling him to his back.)

Skull: !

(Joker then quickly hits the back of Skull's head with his elbow.)

Skull: GH!-

(Crow dashes to Joker.)

Joker: !

(Joker notices him, he quickly pulls out his dagger. Crow goes for a slash on Joker, but he deflects it before the two repeatedly clash their weapons at each other.)

.....

.....

Dark Crow: Hmph!

(Crow parries Joker's dagger. The sheer force he put out was enough for Joker to be staggered, Exposing his body. Skull notices it and takes the advantage, he and Captain Kidd grab Joker from behind.)

Joker: !-

(He goes for an overhead throw to the floor.)

Skull: URRRRRYA!

(Before Joker hits the ground, he quickly uses Arsène to punch Skull away. Freeing himself from being grabbed.)

Skull: Ugh!-

(Joker sticks the landing to the floor, remaining focused and undeterred.)

(Skull hits Crow, the two then tumble on the ground.)

Joker: *huff*....*huff*

Fox: Tch.....

(Fox and Mona run ahead to Joker.)

Mona: Go, Zorro!

(Zorro dashes to Joker, he goes for an oncoming set of slashes to him. Joker backflips away to dodge Zorro's sword.)

Maruki: Go!

(Azathoth quickly fly out to Joker, it then wraps around his right foot.)

Joker: !?-

(Maruki pulls in Azathoth, Making Joker slip and fall to the floor face-forward.)

Goemon: HMMMPH!

(Joker quickly hears Goemon and anticipates danger. He quickly summons Arsène.)

Arsène: SHAH!

(He punches Goemon's exposed body, being sent away. Joker then quickly rolls to his right with force, swinging his right leg as soon he is supine, leading to Maruki being slammed to the wall on his right and letting go of Azathoth. It then quickly retracts back, as Joker stands up.)

Joker: *huff*...*huff*

(Panther and Queen quickly arrive back to the hallway from where Oracle is.)

Queen: !?

(Joker looks at the two.)

Panther: J-Joker?!

Oracle: "He's a Shadow, be careful!"

Skull: Gah-ahh...

(Skull and Crow get back up.)

Dark Crow: *huff*...*huff*...

Joker: .....

(He glares at the two women.)

Panther: W-....why?...

Queen: How do we stop him? We can't hurt him that much.

Dark Crow: We've been trying that for a while now..... It seems it'll take all of us do this.

Skull: Tch!

Fox: I agree.

(Maruki gets back up.)

Maruki: *huff*....*huff*...

Joker: ......

(Joker, being placed on the middle, slowly looks at both ways as the Thieves ready themselves to fight him despite their reluctance. Oracle taps Necronomicon's on-screen buttons, and it makes a brief glow as her spell is cast. Each of the Thieves have their wounds and bruises healed up.)

Maruki: *huff*..... Thank you.

(Joker continues looking slowly at both his directions, he smirks.)

Joker: Heh.....

(He cracks his neck as colorful lights flashed under Joker once more, his increased strength being prolonged.)

Joker: ..... Come at me.

Dark Crow: Tch!

(Crow's eyes sharpened in anger as he glares at Joker.)

Dark Crow: LET'S GO!

(Each side charge to Joker as he smirks at them. The moment both side are about to clash at him, Joker jumps away and lands on one side as the other are now compiled into one. Joker pulls out his dagger as he glares at everyone.)

Skull: Tch!

(He then taunts by pointing his dagger to them and smirks as he tilts his head.)

Dark Crow: Tch!..... Heat Riser!

(Colorful lights briefly flash under Crow. All of the Thieves ready back to their battling stance...)

.....

.....

.....

.....

.....

.....

(All of them release out their Personas onto Joker. With his overall strength increased thanks to the power of a Shadow and the spell he cashed, he quickly dodged all of the incoming attacks while using Arsène to punch them away. All of the Thieves then run to him but he quickly throws out a smoke bomb, the smoke disperses and render him invisible. They try to fight him off through the clouded area.)

.....

.....

.....

(But it had no effect, as Joker already had the upper hand. He begins to quickly take down each of the Thieves in quick succession. Dodging, shielding or absorbing all the spells they threw out as he quickly makes rapid, calculated strikes, slashes and kicks followed by countering each of the member's attacks by wrangling their arms into submission. As time goes on with the smoke being dissipated, All of the Thieves have been mercilessly knocked down.......

..... all but Crow.)

[4:57 AM]

(The hallway being full of each of the Thieves knocked out to the ground, Joker's dagger clashes and grinds against Crow's two swords.)

Arsène: HMPH!

Dark Crow: GH!-

(Arsène kicks away Crow......)

.....

(He recovers.)

Joker: Tch!

(Joker dashes to Crow and readies his dagger for an attack.)

Dark Crow: !

(He makes a swing, but Crow blocks it with his serrated sword held with his right hand. He then goes to swing into Joker's exposed body with the other.)

Joker: !

(Joker pushes Crow and backflips away.)

....

(Crow then dashes to Joker, The two repeatedly clash each other's weapons.)

Joker: ARSÈNE!

(Arsène dashes out and goes for a roundhouse kick on Crow.)

Dark Crow: LOKI!

(Loki is summoned out and blocks Arsène's kick. He then grabs both leg and neck then slams him to the wall.)

Joker: Tch-

Dark Crow: HMMMPH!

(Crow goes for an inward swing onto Joker with his serrated sword.)

Joker: !

(Joker quickly reacts by slamming Crow's elbow with the back of his right hand.)

Dark Crow: URGH!-

(Crow staggers out from pain. His body lowered.)

Joker: Hmph!

(Joker kicks away the crimson sword, it flies through the hallway. Its tip hits the floorboard, planting itself there.)

Dark Crow: Tch-

(Crow recovers, and quickly takes a step back.)

Dark Crow: UrrRYA!

(He goes to make another inward swing with his left.)

Joker: !

(Joker's eyes widened, seeing the incoming photon sword. As the blade is about to hit him, Arsène's hands appeared around Joker's as he grabs for the blade and stops it. The blade makes a loud hissing noise as smoke emits through.)

Dark Crow: !?

(Crow's eyes then widened up, seeing Joker stopping the blade. The two are caught into a clash once again.)

Dark Crow: Urk-....urrkkk!

Joker: .... Tch- NOW!

(Arsène's entire self then appears. He makes a sweeping kick onto Crow, slipping into the air. Joker quickly slams him down back to the ground.)

Dark Crow: GAH!-

(Joker then puts himself onto Crow's downed body, he grabs and turns Crow's head to his left and holds it to the ground. He then puts up his right fist and clenches it.)

Joker: .....hmmMMPH!

(Joker repeatedly punches Crow's mask, forcing his fist way through to his face.)

.....

(His mask begins to crack up as Crow begins to lose his consciousness but tries to stay awake.)

.....

.....

Joker: HMPH!

(Joker delivers his last punch, breaking through the mask and hitting Crow's face, rendering him unconscious.)

.....

(He lets go of his head and stands back up. He catches his breath as he looks at the other Thieves who are lying on the ground.)

Joker: .....

.....

.....

(He smiles, as he tilts his head. He then walks away.)

.....

.....

.....

..... (Crow's fingers briefly twitched.)

Dark Crow: ..... Ugh-.....

(His eyes slowly open...)

Dark Crow: Gah-.....

(He then tiredly gets up to his knees, carrying the entire weight of his battered body as his mask falls apart. He looks ahead)

Dark Crow: *huff*....*huff*..... !

(He sees Joker leaving the vicinity.)

Dark Crow: *huff*......

(Crow looks down out from exhaustion, combined with a sense of frustration and desperation. Blood drips out from his mouth along with the array of wounds around him. He grits his teeth as he clenched his left fist. Robin Hood and Loki are summoned together, albeit both in a battered state as their bodies flicker.)

Dark Crow: Ghh!-

(He slams his left fist to the ground out from anger.)

Dark Crow: *huff*.....R-...REN!

(Crow gets back up to his feet.)

Joker: !?

(Joker quickly stops as soon as he heard Crow's voice echoing through the hall. He turns to his back, seeing him.)

Dark Crow: I-...

(Joker gives off an annoyed expression, feeling as if a cretin in his eyes refused to die despite his efforts. He then walks back to Crow and pulls out his dagger to finish him off.)

Dark Crow: I know-..... you're in THERE!....

(Crow looks back up at him.)

Dark Crow: REN!

Joker: !?

(Joker quickly stops the moment he sees Crow's face, his eyes widened.)

Joker: .....

Dark Crow: I know this isn't you..... Ren!.....*huff*..... You're the leader of The Phantom-..... Thieves Of Heart!

Joker: ..... !?

(Joker suddenly begins to receive a massive pain on his head.)

Joker: GAH!-....ARrggh!-...

(He drops his dagger as he puts his hands on his head and slowly staggered back whilst enduring the pain.)

Dark Crow: And even for a thief, you helped us guide the way and-...... you never back down on whoever steps down on you. You never turned your back to those who fight with you! You went on to fulfill my promise!

Joker: !!!

(Joker's memories of him during his days as a Phantom Thief in the team's early years, began to quickly flash right before his eyes.)

Dark Crow: Ghh!-

(Crow drops with his left knee, struggling to preserve his strength. While Mona, seen to be lying down with the others behind Crow, slowly awakens.)

Mona: ugh....

(He looks up, with his vision being blurred.)

Mona: .....

(His vision clears up, He sees Crow on his knee and Joker backing away in agony.)

Dark Crow: You made me change a lot of people's lives, those who are deemed for death! You did it because you wouldn't want others suffer like yours! And not just that...... But my ways for the better too! You don't know how much guilt and regret I lived just because I denied who I truly was- GHH-...

(Crow coughs out blood.)

Dark Crow:....*huff*....Remember- who you-....a-are, Ren!

(Mona's eyes widened as he heard Crow's words.)

Mona: !

(He recalls back to the ambush days ago.)

Mona: (I knew it! Akechi's bring Ren back in the same manner how Ren did to Sumire! It all boils down to memories! It's all about making it remember our truest selves since that's the closest thing to both heart and mind! And a Shadow can't have both!)

S-..... Samarecarm!

(Zorro is summoned out, he raises his sword. Each of the downed Thieves glow with an aqua-blue light and butterflies flying around.)

.....

.....

(Everyone regains their consciousness. They all slowly get back up to their feet.)

Mona: REN! Listen to Akechi!

(Each of them noticed Crow and Morgana with Joker slowly backing away.)

Skull: ....?

Morgana: I wouldn't want to see you come down to the path you solely despise! I've been at your side for many years and I know that you're better than that!

Joker. UGAAAH!-

(Joker drops down to his knees, as the pain worsens.)

Skull: What the!?

Mona: If it weren't for you, I wouldn't know what purpose I would have in my life! It didn't matter if I were a human or whatever I am, You were there when I was lost! Just like Ryuji and the rest!

Queen: !

(Queen's eyes widened as she understood the situation.)

Queen: Ren! You were the only one to made realize my dream and goal! You made me something more than myself, Becoming a police officer is my pathway in being a commissioner. And it's thanks to you that I see things differently now!

(Joker drops his head to the ground, Skull's eyes widened briefly as he gets the clearer picture..)

Skull: Oh I get it now! Yo! Had it not been for your sufferings, we wouldn't have formed and destroyed who wronged and abused us! Without you, I never would have conquered my fear and tie up my ends!..... Even if I got into some fricked up shit, you still fought with me in the end!

(He begins to scream more in pain, Oracle summons Necronomicon to analyze him. The Shadow readings in Joker's soul fluctuate. Oracle is taken into surprise.)

Oracle: ! W-what? His....taking damage in his inner self?....It must be working!

(Everyone then else follows through, as their Personas began to slow appear behind them with no implication of command, but rather the strength of their heart that's about to resonate.)

Fox: Ren..... even if I had went off track on my path in art, You stood with me and get me back. You made me chase my goal further. I didn't wanted to be Madarame, but to be myself and the best of it. You taught me ways of resilience I never knew it resided in my heart! You move forward through any form of adversity no matter how uncertain the fate is.

Noir: It was thanks to you that I have gained a lot of confidence and wills to live on!...... If I had not met you and Mona, I wouldn't know where I'd be..... Even after all these years, I almost lost myself especially after I didn't even have the chance to fulfill my dreams that I talked about, but you were there!..... and I never gave up!..... You gave me a sense to live on with purpose even if it means nothing came into play! I may be nervous of my returning involvement with the company, But I still have hope to change things in it for the better, just like how we supposed to as the Phantom Thieves, and it was thanks to you!....

Oracle: I wouldn't know that I would live another year and so on if I hadn't met you! You resurrected me! I learned to trust again, and you gave me a strength to fight with you so we can see the world as a better place..... To this day, when I think of you and everyone else, I feel the power to struggle through! And yet deep down, I would hate to lose you forever just like how I lost mom! You're the best person to have ever come in my life along with my dad! And with this power we have, only deaths will do us part! But I'd rather die with you and everyone else!

Ann: Ren...... ever since what happened with Shiho, You and Ryuji were there for me. The Phantom Thieves..... it gave me the courage to fight on whoever is big or strong, I never ran away anymore. You and Shiho are my light! And I wanted to return the favor by being one too for everyone!...

Maruki: *huff*..... Amamiya...... if it weren't for you, I would have never ran away from the truth. Life will always be full of struggle, but it's also sets a standard for purpose, it molds the person that can surpass who we used to be. And it's a way to have joy if one conquers it. I know because Rumi wouldn't want that, even if she were gone..... she wouldn't want to see me like this. Each and one of us carried on..... because of you. A perfect world may be perfect.....but it will never be real!

Joker: GHHACK-

(A flood of Joker's memories years ago, ranging from the bonds he forged throughout his probation, the forming of the Phantom Thieves and the subsequent memories of taking down big names who plague life. Meanwhile, in such a strong moment of expressing their hearts, their Personas slowly fly upwards with their arms spread out and their heads facing up. Taking everyone but Crow's attention.)

Queen: What.... The?

Panther: What's happening?

(They all began to slowly disperse into blue particles, losing their forms before a bright white flight flashed before them. As the light fades, it revealed all of their Personas in their evolved form. With Zorro being Diego, Captain Kidd being William, Carmen being Célestine, Goemon being Gorokichi, Johanna being Agnes, Necronomicon being Al Azif, andMilady being Lucy.)

.....

Skull: Woah.....

Queen: Our Personas..... they evolved once more.

Mona: As it should be.....

Dark Crow: *huff*.....*huff*..... Ren!-......

(Both Robin Hood and Loki began to fade away, as their particles dispersed and began to float around the air.)

Dark Crow: *huff*..... I wouldn't afford to lose you now! Because you're the only one who's able to walk through hell in many ways we can't! Get out from it, don't submit to the very thing you're meant to defy!Because we still have a fight to finish, and Sumire is waiting!

(A bright white light flashed above Crow briefly before it reveals that the two Personas have merged and evolved into Hereward.)

Joker: !?

(Joker's eyes quickly widened up, as his heart made a loud pound. His heart then stopped beating, as he remains still.)

Joker: ......

......

[6:05 AM]

(Joker is remained still, after all the efforts from the Phantom Thieves to bring him back.)

Joker: .....

..... ACK!-

(He briefly spits out blood, taking everyone into shock as they witness a brief horror to it.)

Everyone: !?

(He completely drops to the ground, as he slowly reverts back to normal. Everyone becomes alarmed.)

Dark Crow: REN!-

(Crow quickly tries to get to Ren, he launches himself and rushes to him but quickly drops to the ground due to his injuries. Everyone else revert back to their normal forms, as they rush to Ren.)

.....

(Ryuji grabs hold of Ren and places him on his arms.)

Ryuji: REN!?

Morgana: Mediarahan!

(Diego raises his sword, healing everyone's wounds up including Ren.)

Akechi: Gah-.....

(Akechi gets up, he rushes to Ren.)

Akechi: Damn it- Ren, Wake up!

Ren: .....

(Ren still remains unconscious, everyone watches as their hope slowly descends.)

Futaba: Please, R-Ren!

(Futaba clutches to Ren's body.)

Maruki: Come on buddy!

(All of them try to wake Ren up, Futaba begins to shed few tears followed by Ann.)

Ren: .....

.....

Ann: N-no!....Please!..

Makoto: Ren? Ren!?

Morgana: Hey, Ren! Get up! Ren!?

(With no sign of response, the tension slowly worsens. Everyone struggles to be composed, whilst everything on Ren's body is being weighed down.)

Futaba: Ren! Please don't go yet! I can't bear the thought of you leaving yet when we need you the most! I can't lose another in my life- So please- R-Ren.... Wake UP!

Yusuke: Come on! I will not allow myself to live a life with regrets again just like the rest of us! Do not bring back the pain we ridded off!

Makoto: I-..... I need you back! We need you back! We've been kept in the dark for too long!

Ryuji: Wake up man! We still got unfinished business here with these Sauveurs pricks! If you die on us now then they win! And you know we don't like it when the winners are bastards! So get the HELL UP!

Haru: P-Please Ren!..... Ju-Just wake UP! Not in the moment where we need you NOW!

Akechi: Ren! Ren!?

.....

.....

.....

(The grim reality is slowly about to set in, as they began to be in disbelief. Ann is slowly about to break down as she covers her mouth. Futaba's eyes mildly twitched, trying to disprove Ren's fate with Haru expressing the same, being frozen. Ryuji clenched his fist in anger, as the thought of the Sauveurs came into his head.)

Ann: No-...... NOO!

Ryuji: Tch-....

(Ryuji turns away as he shuts his eyes out from pain. He then punches the wall at full force, cracking the cement.)

Ryuji: FUCK!

(Maruki lets out a pained expression as he looked away. Akechi expresses the same as he shuts his eyes, tilted his head and holds his breath with his lips shut tight.)

.....

.....

.....

.....

(The sun rises..... the clouds and the sky slowly becoming purple. The light casts through the windows, with the shadows appearing. And yet the Phantom Thieves of Heart remain still in their emotions.)

.....

Ren: ..... Ngh-

(Ren's eyes twitched, along with his fingers as he briefly groaned. His consciousness slowly begin to stir back within him, catching everyone's attention. They all looked at him.)

Everyone: !

Futaba: R-Ren!?

.....

.....

(Everyone in the room is frozen, holding their breath in disbelief as their eyes slowly widened. Ren's eyes slowly fluttered opened, as he groaned briefly again. His mind, disoriented.)

Ren: Ugh.....

(The tension has shifted greatly into being disavowed. A surge of relief floods the room, with everyone's sense of heavy despair quickly dying down from their happiness. Ann wipes off her tears.)

Ren: .....

(Ren's vision is blurred. He slowly looks at everyone as it slowly clears up. Yet he's still able to discern anyone he sees.)

Ren: Y-..... you guys.....

Ryuji: GOD- Damn it man! I thought we'd lose ya!...

Ren: Ugh-...

(Ren slowly stands back up as soon as his vision clears as everyone else follows. He briefly loses his footing.)

Ren: Unfh-

Ryuji: Woah-

(Ryuji catches Ren, preventing his fall.)

Ryuji: Are you okay?

Ren: Y-yeah..... I feel..... really lightheaded....

(Ann quickly hugs Ren.)

Ren: !-..... Hey.....

Ann: *sniff*..... I'm glad you're alright.

(Ren gently lays his hand on Ann's blonde hair, comforting her. She then lets go.)

Ren: What..... happened? .....

Ryuji: Long story man..... We-..... We just gotta need to get rest first, especially you.

(Ren's eyes quickly widened as soon as a recent memory came into mind.)

Ren: Wait- Aoyama, where is he?!

Ryuji: Huh!?

(Futaba summons Al Azif, and checks her radar.)

Futaba: .....

(The radar is clear.)

Futaba: No one around here.

Ren: Are you sure?

Futaba: Yep.

Morgana: Even if he is, it's best we get the heck out of here.

Ren: Ungh- you're right.

Akechi: Let's go. It's a mission accomplished.

(Ren smiles for a brief moment followed by everyone else with the situation being resolved. Ren removes Ryuji's arms from himself.)

Ryuji: You sure you can walk by yourself?

Ren: Yeah, I'm fine.

(Ren looks at Akechi.)

Ren: Akechi?

Akechi: Yeah?

Ren: Were you..... leading the pack?

Morgana: He sure is! A damn fine one too if you ask me.

(Ren smiles with regard.)

Ren: Thanks.

(Akechi smiles in response, feeling a sense of worth combined with the satisfying feeling of the situation being resolved. Ren gets ahead of Akechi as they walk away from the abandoned school.)

.....

.....

.....

(Aoyama and Kyosuke silently appear from the distance, watching The Phantom Thieves walk away.)

Aoyama: .....

Kyosuke: One month of toying with them, and just like that? We already lost our greatest asset~.

Aoyama: Impressive..... they already have exploited the Shadow's weak point.

Kyosuke: Quiet a critical one. They're already now a step ahead, and closing in on us. I hate to be the one to bear this feeling but-

Aoyama: I know.

(Aoyama turns to his back, and takes a step away from Kyosuke with a stern look.)

Aoyama: We're already coming to a disadvantage.

Kyosuke: Indeed~.

Aoyama: Then it's time..... the gloves are off.

(Hearing Aoyama's words, Kyosuke looks to his left.)

Kyosuke: I love the sound of this.