"I will become the God of this new world!" -Light Yagami, "Death Note"

WARNING LETTER

Sayu Yagami knew for the longest time that her brother, Light, was a genius. Actually, calling him a genius would be insulting. She wasn't sure what word she could use to describe Light, aside from being smart and handsome. He obviously had inherited their mother's looks back when she was younger, if the photographs that hung on the wall meant anything.

From a young age, she loved her brother dearly. When their mother had passed away, it was up to Light to take care of her. Their father was always home late, either because he was so busy with work or because he was assigned to a dangerous case. Her earliest memories had always been about Light, being the one taking care of her.

Sayu knew that her brother had trouble with his newfound position, forced to take care of her by himself. Sometimes, she wondered if Light hated their father. One time, she even asked him, but Light answered that he didn't. Even though he worked tirelessly and was almost always at work, he knew that his work was important, but he still loved his children all the same.

After all, he always made sure to make time for them on holidays, on his days off and on their birthdays.

Even so, Sayu often wondered if, maybe, the stress of remaining at the top of his class and taking care of him was starting to take it's toll. It's been small little signs, but every now and then, she would catch Light acting a bit...off. Sometimes, she'd catch him in his room, talking to someone that wasn't there or glaring at a spot where there was nothing. Just a wall.

And the copious amount of apples. Last time she checked, he was never really into fruit. Especially not to this level. Really, why was he buying them by the basket full these days?

At first, she tried to mention it to her father, Soichiro, but she was never entirely sure how to go about it. For all she knew, she could just be exaggerating. It didn't change the fact that Light was starting to suffer. At some point, she told him to try and take it easy, telling him that she caught him staring at the wall like he saw something there. She didn't know why, but for some reason, Light looked started and maybe a bit shocked.

"Okay." he told her with a charming smile. "I'll cut back on the studying."

After that, she caught him glancing at something from the corner of his eye. Something that she couldn't see.

Sayu wondered if maybe she should tell her brother to go the doctor, if he really was seeing things?

During all of this, people had been talking about the deaths that were happening all over the world. Suddenly, criminals were dying of heart attacks, one after another. Being the daughter of a detective, especially the current Police Chief, she knew that it couldn't possibly be coincidence. Especially if what she was hearing was right. People were saying that someone called Kira was responsible for it all. When she looked them up online, all she found was occult nonsense, but there had to be something that established all that nonsense, right?

Thinking on it, Sayu wondered if this was her father's current case. On those lines, she grew worried for him. They had lost their mother, and she didn't dare think what could happen if they were to lose their father next.

Other than Kira, however, she was hearing about another group. Unlike the deaths of criminals, this one was more low key. The only reason she even started to hear about it was because of her classmate Kagami-kun.

Sayu – The Phantom Thieves of Hearts?

Kagami – Yeah. I heard about them online. You heard about that teacher who confessed to sexually harassing and abusing his students, right? Supposedly, he had his heart stolen by them.

Sayu – How is that even possible? Stealing a person's heart… Did they brainwash him?

Kagami – I don't know, but they have their own website. The Phantom Aficionado Website! Did you want me to send you a link?

Sayu – Huh? Why?

Kagami – A lot of people send requests for the Phantom Thieves to steal people's hearts, or "take their distorted desires" as they claim. You said that your brother was acting really weird, right?

Sayu – Hold on! You're not suggesting that I ask them to take my brother's heart, are you?

Kagami – Hey, I'm not saying he's a criminal or anything! I'm just saying, maybe the Phantom Thieves can take away his stress. Here. I'm sending you the link.

Sayu looked at the website after Kagami-kun provided her the link. Looking at the forums, she saw that there really were people asking them to steal people's hearts, posting names and all. It was kind of scary, but it also made her wonder why nobody has heard about them yet. Or rather, why the news hasn't reported about them yet. If they were capable of this, it was strange why they haven't been made public.

Maybe they just wanted to remain anonymous?

Recently, however, Sayu has been going to the request forum, mindlessly just looking at what people asked the Phantom Thieves to do. So many people with so many wishes, so many hearts that they claimed were distorted.

Her eyes focused on the text box at the bottom. Words were already typed out on it, but she hesitated. She wanted to believe that whoever she heard in Light's room was not her brother. She desperately wanted to believe that wasn't he brother she heard in there, screaming like a lunatic.

But she was the daughter of Soichiro Yagami. She looked at things much in the same way he did, even if she didn't fully understand it. As she looked at the text box, she thought back on her view of Light. Her darling brother who could arguably be considered to be her father figure whenever Soichiro was absent. Light was kind and caring with grand dreams, wanting to attend the police academy after he graduated so he could become a detective.

What she heard in his room during that announcement… It sounded like her brother, but it couldn't possibly have been him. It couldn't.

Sayu stared at the text box again, biting her lip as she bowed her head. Then, after a long period of silence that lasted for hours, she pressed [post].

"Please, bring him back..."

CHAPTER 01: Thieves vs. God, Part I

Ren Amamiya stared out the window listlessly, bored out of his mind while he listened to Ushimaru give the class the same lecture he's heard at least a few times before coming to Shujin Academy. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Ushimaru wind up his arm and tense, refusing to allow his body to move, even when he saw the chalk go flying straight at him.

In a second, the chalk struck his forehead, causing his head to reel in pain while he rubbed it. "Eyes at the front, Amamiya!" the old war hawk bellowed. "Are you even paying attention?!"

"In my own way..." Ren replied meekly, earning a few laughs from the students around him. Up front, Ann Takamaki giggled, shooting him a small look of amusement, which he returned with a sheepish smile.

"You could have dodged that, you know." Morgana quipped from inside his desk, poking his head out. "Also, your phone went off."

Ren silently thanked Morgana and took out his phone. Sure enough, there was a message.

Mishima – Hey, Ren! We need to talk after school! Meet me at the stairs!

The curly-haired teen raised an eyebrow. It was short, but straight to the point. Usually, Mishima would be raving on and on about a new request that was posted on the Phan-site. The fact that it was written like that made him curious.

Tucking his phone away, he patently sat through the rest of the lecture, all the while pretending to listen to Ushimaru's lectures. Honestly speaking, though, he was bored out of his mind. If he wanted to, he could teach this class.

Then again, who'd want to take lessons from a delinquent with a criminal record?

TAKE YOUR TIME

Yuuki Mishima was waiting by the stairs as he said he would, though Ren could tell that he was anxious. He was shifting from one foot to another with an uneasy expression, staring at his phone, likely the new request he had in mind. When he heard someone approaching, the blue-haired fan boy looked up and found Ren walking toward him.

"There you are!" Mishima cried, only to quiet down when he noticed how loud he sounded and wince, noting the odd stairs he was getting. Ren tilted his head. "Sorry 'bout that. Kind of nervous. Someone posted this new request, and, well… I thought it was better if I showed you in person."

"What is it about?"

"That's..." Mishima sucked in a breathe, running a hand through his hair. "Okay, so, you saw what happened on the news yesterday, right? About how Kira tried to kill that detective guy?"

He didn't just see it, he's been hearing about it. All over Shujin, everyone was talking about Kira and L's battle of wits, with the unseen killer continuing his crime spree and the detective working with the police, trying to catch him. It was something to behold, but a small part of him felt a bit disappointed that any and all talk about the Phantom Thieves in Shujin was now pushed away in favor of a battle between a cop and crook. That would change once Madarame confessed his sins, or so he hoped.

"Well, ever since, there's been a ton of talk on the Phan-site forums." Mishima said in exasperation. "And I mean, a lot! People have been asking the Phantom Thieves to either go after L or Kira. Seriously, it's insane. Let me tell you, keeping track of all those requests is a pain in the ass. But, there was this one request that sounded really weird. I thought it was best I showed it to you."

Mishima held out his phone, allowing Ren to read it. It was a request, but something about it made him feel uncomfortable.

"I need to talk to the Phantom Thieves, or at least someone who knows them. I think…"

The rest filled him with disbelief as he raised an eyebrow, looking at Mishima, who seemed to share his sentiments. "It's one of the weirder ones I've seen, but something about it just..."

He understood his friend's dilemma. On the one hand, it seemed like just another joke, but on the other hand…

Ren looked at Morgana, who nodded. "Let's call the gang up."

TAKE YOUR TIME

"...looks like a joke to me." Ryuji Sakamoto scoffed as he read the request, clearly not believing a word of it. "I mean, really? I think my brother is Kira?"

"The way it's written has me concerned." Yusuke Kitagawa offered his thoughts. "They're asking a meeting with us. And the timing of the request only makes me even more worried."

Ann nodded. "Yeah..." she said shakily, looking down at the ground. "I still can't believe what happened. How-how does that even happen? Killing someone with a heart attack, I mean?"

"Does it have anything to do with the Palace?" Ryuji asked.

Sitting on the railing, Morgana shook his head. "I doubt it." he said, shooting down the idea. "Based on our successes so far, one of two things happen in the Palace when you confront the Shadow. Either A, you take their treasure and they reform, or B, they're killed and suffer a mental shutdown."

"It's still eerie." the resident painter of the Phantom Thieves shook his head. "To be able to kill someone with a heart attack. I hope whoever this Kira person is doesn't go after Madarame."

That had been a chilling thought on Ren's mind, ever since he began hearing about Kira. With his apparent stance on criminals, what would happen to Kamoshida in prison? When he thought about that, he developed a knot in his stomach, fearful of what would happen. The man may have destroyed whatever chance he had of a normal life at Shujin, on top of being a horrible individual, but even he didn't deserve to die.

Ann looked at Yusuke with sad eyes. Even though he had seen Madarame's true face now, he still cared about his father figure. "Well..." She rolled her shoulders and looked at Ren. "What do you suggest, Ren-kun?"

Mulling it over, the frizzy-haired teen gave his answer. "We'll talk with them." he answered. "The way it's word doesn't seem right."

"I agree." Yusuke nodded, folding his arms. "And besides, we can always use the Metaverse Navigator to see if they have a Palace or not."

"I dunno..." Ryuji still seemed unconvinced. However, as the decision had already been made, he instead shrugged his shoulders and went along with it. "But whatever. So, did they say where they wanted to meet?"

"Big Bang Burger." Morgana quipped. "Mishima's already making the arrangement. You know, on the off chance this is actually legit, we might have found a bigger target than Madarame and Kamoshida put together."

"Indeed." Yusuke nodded. "If the person of subject truly is Kira...then we would be dealing with a full-fledged murderer."

"Man...now I'm anxious." Ryuji grimaced. "Plus, the guy can kill you without having to be there. I don't know about you guys, but I'm kind of scared shitless right now."

A sentiment shared by everyone present. However, there was still no real guarantee that they were actually Kira, but the idea was both terrifying and tantalizing all at the same time. To make Kira confess his crimes and reveal his methods would surely land them in the spotlight, but at the same time, the stakes were much larger. With Kamoshida, Ren risked expulsion and being thrown into juvie and Ann left to fend off Kamoshida by herself. With Madarame, they risked being arrested on ground of breaking and entering, and who knows what would happen to Yusuke then? But with Kira? They could end up dead for all they know.

Ren believed that they should approach this as carefully as possible. If this really was a request to take Kira's heart, then they needed to be as careful as possible. That is, assuming this wasn't some kind of prank. Either way, until they had proof that said otherwise, he treated this as if it were the real deal.

"Speaking about Kira, what do you guys think about that L guy?" Ryuji asked, wisely deciding to change the subject. "If we make it big, do you think he'll investigate us too?"

Morgana hummed, flicking his tail. "Could be. From what I saw on the news, he's certainly impressive. What kind of person is this L, anyway?"

"I looked him up online during break." Ann said. "Turns out, he's the smartest detective in the whole world. He's solved a lot of cases that have had the police stumped, but he's also shrouded in mystery. Nobody knows how to contact him. They don't even know what he looks like, either! He's also pretty weird too, since he only takes on cases he's interested in."

"In other words, a faceless investigator." Yusuke mused with a wry grin. "And he's facing off against a killer who is also unseen. It feels as if we're in the middle of a mystery novel."

"And whoever's identity is exposed first will lose." Morgana finished. "Goodness, the idea of it all is certainly exciting to think. In the meantime, though, let's head to Big Bang Burger."

TAKE YOUR TIME

It was about ten minutes after they had arrived that the person who made the request appeared, looking around nervously. To their immediate surprise, the person in question looked quite a bit younger than them, being nothing more than a Junior High student. Ryuji muttered about how this was definitely a prank and that they had gotten their hopes up for nothing, but Ren thought otherwise. She seemed frightened and anxious, constantly looking around as if expecting something to pop out at her at any moment.

When she saw the group sitting at a table near the back, with Morgana safely hidden in the frizzy-haired teen's bag, she seemed to recognize them, no doubt because of the message Mishima sent her. Cautiously, she made her way to the table and addressed them.

"Um, e-excuse me." she said meekly. "Are you...the liasons I was told about on the Phan-site?"

Yusuke nodded. "That would be us." he said, confirming her question. "You're the one who made that strange request on the forum, correct?"

"Y-yes." Shyly, the girl took a seat. "My name is Sayu Yagami. I'm a second year at Kuroshima Middle School."

"It's nice to meet you, Sayu-chan." Ann smiled sweetly. "I'm Ann Takamaki, second-year at Shujin Private Academy! These are my friends, Ryuji Sakamoto and Ren Amamiya!" The blonde grinned at her and raised a hand in greeting. Ren, meanwhile, bowed his head to her politely while adjusting his glasses. "And this guy is Yusuke Kitagawa, from Kosei High."

The resident painter of the group smiled and bowed. "It's a pleasure." he said. "Would you care for something to eat, Yagami-san? You appear to be quite anxious."

"I'm..." Sayu hesitated for a moment, considering taking up their offer before she shook her head. "No, I'm fine."

"She seems quite jittery." Morgana noted, staring at the girl intently.

Ren nodded in agreement. If she was so nervous, it meant that her request was indeed a serious one. Of course, there was the chance she was exaggerating or misunderstanding her situation. At any rate, once she gave them the name of their target, they could answer the question as to whether or not this was indeed a hoax.

"Yagami-chan." Ren began, folding his hands. "About your request..."

Sayu flinched, but nodded. "I know it sounds crazy." she admitted to them. "I mean, it must be. I don't know if it really is true or not, but...something about my brother recently doesn't feel right. It feels like he's...changed."

"Changed?" Ann asked. "Changed how?"

"Our mother died when we were young." Sayu explained. "She was diagnosed with cancer. Our father is a member of the police force, so he wasn't usually around often, but he always made attempts to spend time with us." A fond smile spread across her face while she stared at her hands, sitting in her lap. "Light wanted to become a detective, so he studied non-stop. He was always at the top of his classes, even though he spent most of his time looking after me. He was like a perfectionist. Everything about him had to be perfect. I'm not sure if that was because of the stress of taking care of me and studying to stay at the top of school, or maybe just something else."

"But you said he started changing." Ryuji recalled. "How do you mean? Did his grades start dropping or he came home late or something?"

The girl shook her head. "No. Every now and then, I catch Light looking at things that aren't there. It's like he's staring at something that I can't see. A few times, I see him talking to someone in his room, but there's no one else inside. And there's his smile whenever I tell him about my worries. It feels...wrong. Like it's forced or something." Sayu bit her lip, gripping the edge of her skirt. "Now that I think about it... Light started to change around the same time the Kira killings began."

"Really?" Ren took note of this. So his behavior started to change since Kira's first victim. "Can you tell us of anything else?"

"Well...he's been holding himself up in his room more often, only leaving for meals or to go to the bathroom. And when I pass by his room, I can hear his TV talking about the Kira cases." Sayu's face then shifted into an expression of discomfort. "Then, when on the day when Kira killed that man on live television... I actually heard Light screaming when I was about to tell him dinner was ready."

"Screaming?" Ann tilted her head. "About what?"

"He said..." Sayu sucked in a breath. "He said that he was going to be the god of a new world, and that anyone who opposed him was evil."

Everyone turned still. They all looked at one another. Suddenly, any pretense of this being a joke was out the window. Yusuke frowned heavily, leaning forward and propping his elbows on the table. "And that's why you think your brother is...?"

"Y-yes." Sayu's lower lip trembled, her eyes watery. "I want to believe Light. I want to believe that I'm just blowing things out of proportion, but...!"

Ren held up a hand. "We understand." he told her. "Your brother. What's his full name?"

"It's Light." Sayu sniffled. "Light Yagami. Please... Tell the Phantom Thieves to steal his heart, or whatever it is they do. I want..." She sobbed slightly, wiping away the tears in her eyes. "I want my big brother back."

TAKE YOUR TIME

"...well. That turned into a shit show fast." Ryuji broke the silence after they had left for their hideout, that being the Shibuya overpass. To say that they were disturbed about their newest heist would be a major understatement, especially after what Sayu Yagami had told them. "I mean, whether this guy is Kira or not ain't the point anymore. You HAVE to have some screws loose to call yourself god."

Ann nodded. "No kidding." she said in agreement. "Ren-kun, you asked Mishima to do a bit of digging on this Light guy, right? Has he found anything?"

"As a matter of fact, he has." Morgana bobbed his head, jumping up to his perch. "Turns out, Light Yagami really is the perfect student. When he was in middle school, he won first place in the national tennis tournament and graduated at the top of his class with full honors. He's even got a recommendation to someplace called To-Oh University by the time he finishes high school."

Yusuke's eyes widened in shock. "To-Oh University is one of the most academically profound universities in Japan!" he cried in shock. "You would have to be a genius of some kind to receive a recommendation there!"

"There's more." the not-cat creature continued, narrowing his blue eyes. "Mishima also found some stuff about his family. Soichiro Yagami was a Lieutenant in the Japanese Police Department in the Drug Unit before he was transferred over to Homicide and made Lieutenant. After that, he became the Police Chief of the National Police Agency. His wife did die of cancer, with Sayu being only five years old at the time."

"Man..." Ryuji shook his head. "Talk about crazy." Then a thought passed his mind. "Wait a second. His dad is some big shot in the police?" Morgana nodded. "And Kira's been killing criminals, right? If Light Yagami really is Kira, then could he be using his dad to find criminals to kill?"

The thought brought chills down their spine. It certainly was feasible. With a position as high as Police Chief, especially in an government organization like the NPA, then it was little wonder how so many criminals were dying so fast. It was terrifying to think about.

"The more we talk about this, the more likely Light Yagami could truly be Kira." Yusuke frowned. "I think I speak for everyone when I say that caution is advised. This is not some mere criminal we're after."

"Got that right." Ryuji nodded before he looked at Ren. "Okay, leader. Let's see if what kind of Palace this guy has." Ren nodded and took out his phone, fiddling with it before the screen became swallowed, revealing a black and red eye with a star as a pupil.

"To do this, we need the name our target, their base of operations and what kind of distortion they possess, do I have that correct?" Yusuke asked, receiving nods from all four. "We already have the name. Light Yagami."

[Match Found.] a synthesized voice called out as a ripple echoed across the world around them, temporarily distorting reality.

"I think this confirms we have a new target." Morgana huffed, standing up. "What about his base of operations? The Yagami Household?"

[No match found.]

"Maybe Osaka Castle?" Ann offered. "It's a famous landmark, and it's also considered to be a holy place."

[No match found.]

Yusuke frowned. "We can't simply guess. First, we need to use the information we have. Both on Kira and Light Yagami. Let's think for a moment. From what Yagami-san has told us, her brother is a perfectionist, correct? And as Kira, he believes that all criminals should be condemned to death, regardless of who they may be. What do you suppose we can gleam from that?"

"Well, if it's about criminals, then maybe a police station?" Ann offered.

[No match found.]

"Guess not. But how about prison?"

[No match found.]

"Dang it."

"Maybe we should focus on the execution part." Morgana advised. "What could be a place for people to be executed?"

"Like what, and executioner ground?" Ryuji asked.

[No match found.]

"...how about gallows?" Ren suggested.

[Match found.] Another ripple across reality emerged, this time stronger.

Yusuke's face twisted into disgust. "Despicable."

"Alright, that's two. But we still don't know his base of operations." Ann said. "If not his house, then where? Kamoshida's was the school and Madarame was his shack, so what would his be?"

"Well, the guy's got an ego if he thinks he's god." Ryuji deadpanned. "Maybe it's something crazy like the whole world or something."

[Candidate found.]

"Wait, are you serious?!"

Ren stared at the Metaverse Navigator in surprise. To think that Light Yagami's distortion consisted of the entire world as mere gallows. It was disturbing as it was perhaps saddening. Just what on Earth could have caused him to become so distorted? At this, though, he merely shook his head. He supposed they would find out, once they infiltrated his Palace. He looked at the Phantom Thieves, all of whom showed great disturb by the information that was now in their grasp.

"He seriously thinks the whole world's his?" Ann muttered. "The hell kind of messed up mind does he have?"

"We're about to find out." Yusuke said, looking at Ren. "Shall we begin, leader?"

Ren nodded. He then pressed the [connect] button his phone. The world then twisted and warped, engulfed in black and red as the real world became swallowed in distorted imagery.

[Beginning navigation...]

The world around them changed. People vanished, leaving the overpass and the street down below desolate and lifeless. The glass windows became cracked, some already destroyed with shards scattered about on the floor. The pavement became caked with dry red stains, nooses hanging from the ceiling while bizarre writing was scribbled all over the walls. The sky overhead had become dull gray, overcast with angry clouds. Rain pelted the world around them, drenching the streets. Some buildings had been reduced to crippled states, collapsed and spilled out on the streets and reduced to large heaps of rubble.

It was a cold world that was revealed to them. Worse, scattered all over the streets were wooden stations, all armed with silver blades hanging and looking ready to drop on some poor soul. Upon closer inspection, the world below was not truly lifeless, as there were people rummaging about. However, they were all dressed in white robes, mindlessly roaming and heading to a place in the distance with candles in their hands.

The Phantom Thieves' appearances had changed in response to being faced with such a bleak world. Ryuji's modified uniform was overwritten by leather, covering him from head to toe with a red ascot around his neck and a metal skull mask over the upper half of his face, yellow gloves fit tightly on his hands. Ann was clad in skin-tight red suit with several zippers lining her body, and exposing an ample amount of cleavage with a decorate tail hanging out. Over her face was a red feline-like mask, complete with pointed ears and a small snout. Yusuke's attire became more traditional high-collared jumpsuit with white shoulders and puffed sleeves, a kitsune mask over his face. Ren's was perhaps the most stylish, bearing a black tailcoat over a black waistcoat with golden accents, black pants and brownish black boots. Over his face was a white avian-styled mask.

Morgana was the most radical, as his form changed into that of a cat-like cartoonish being with a humanoid-like body with an oversized head, a yellow ascot around his neck and a utility belt around his waist.

"Jesus...!" Skull gasped, seeing the Palace that represented Light Yagami - Kira's distorted heart. "Would you look at this?! I thought Kamoshida's was messed up, but damn!"

"Talk about depressing..." Panther grimaced, holding her hands over her chest. "It feels so lifeless. Stifling, almost."

"It's morbid, I'll admit." Fox nodded. "There is a certain beauty to it, however bleak. Still, those people in the white cloaks. Are they cognitions?"

Morgana bobbed his head. "Most likely." he said seriously. "If he thinks himself as God, then they would be his loyal followers."

"Where are they even going?" Skull asked.

Joker looked forward, following the trail of white cloaks. Studying the distance, his eyes narrowed. Faintly, he could make out something in the distance. It was thin and long, extending high into the sky. "Maybe whatever's out there in the distance." he suggested before he turned on his heel. "C'mon, let's go. We can't waste any time."

As he walked away in a confidant stride, Fox tilted his head. "I must say, it's a startling transition." he said. "The difference between Ren in the real world and Ren here in the Metaverse is a stark one indeed."

"I know. We've seen it several times and we're still surprised by how he behaves." Panther replied.

"That's our Joker, for you." Mona cheered. The group then followed Joker, leaving the Shibuya overpass.

TAKE YOUR TIME

The streets somehow appeared to be even more bleak up close, now that they stood in the center of it all, following the crowds of Kira Worshipers. "Seriously, this is creeping me out..." Skull grouched, hands in his pockets. "You'd think they could hold a conversation."

"They only appear to care about worshiping Kira and nothing else." Fox stated. "It certainly speaks volumes about Light Yagami's character. However, I'm surprised we've yet to encounter any Shadows."

"True..." Panther hummed as she looked around. All she saw were decaying buildings and streets flooded with white, machines of death lining the streets as if they were decorations or street lamps. "By now, we usually encounter them."

"We're already in our Metaverse Attire, meaning Light Yagami already sees us as threats." Mona said with cautious eyes, scanning the streets for any sign of a threat. "I bet he considers anyone who isn't a worshiper of Kira to be an enemy, judging by what Sayu told us."

Joker nodded. He did claim to be god and that those who opposed him were evil. Since they were the Phantom Thieves, they were indeed enemies to him, though whether he was aware of what they had in mind was up for debate. He was pretty sure that Light Yagami didn't even know the Phantom Thieves even existed, given that only a handful of people seemed to believe in them and that he was pre-occupied with his own activties, killing criminals. Looking at the gallows, Joker took notice of the red stains that marked the pavement, creating streaks and paths, all leading to whatever stood in the distance.

'Just what could it be...?'

When they reached an intersection, Joker stopped abruptly, causing everyone to stop as well. "Joker?" Panther asked. "What's wrong?"

Joker didn't reply. Instead, he narrowed his eyes as he brought out his knife, a hand already reaching for his mask. Realizing what this implied, everyone else brought out their own weapons: a club for Skull, for Panther a whip, a katana for Fox and a scimitar for Mona. In the middle of the passing white cloaked followers, a group of black cloaked individuals emerged, all wearing pure white masks with slanted slits and a cross on the forehead.

"Guess we're meeting the welcoming party." Skull grinned. "I was starting to get worried this would be a piece of cake!"

"...you are not among the shepherd's flock." one of the black cloaked figures said in a warped voice as red veins began to spread across their bodies, masks cracking. "You are blasphemers, sent to lead our sheep astray!" Their forms exploded in gory fashion, reduced to spewing out black and red muck before reforming into new shapes: red-clad soldiers with pure white wings from their backs, spears in hand and a black mask hiding their face. "The condemned have no place in Paradise!"

"Ravage them!" Joker called out as his mask burst into azure flames, expanding and flowing behind him and forming into a solid shape. "Arsene!"

The flames dispersed, revealing his Persona in its glory. It was a tall, lanky figure dressed in a red suit with clawed hands and bladed boots. Black wings unfurled from its back in a grandiose manner. It's face was a black mask with a blazing grin and slanted eyes with protruding horns. On its head was a tall top hat.

With a cackling laugh, dark energy gathered around its claws as it slammed it into the ground, proceeding to send the wave of power straight at the Powers. They backed away, evading the blast before they split apart, aiming to strike the group from different sides, only to find that the other Phantom Thieves were not as helpless as they thought they were. They were promptly introduced to their Personas, with one Power getting a personal greeting as a wooden ship smashed into its body at full force, knocking it into a building. On said ship was a skeleton, dressed in the garbs of a pirate with a cannon on its right arm and an eyepatch over one of its sockets, a yellow blazing eye glaring out at the Shadows.

Behind Panther, a beautiful woman emerged from her own flames, clad in a beautiful dress that greatly emphasized her assets with a black mask over her face, similar to the one Ann Takamaki herself wore. In hand was a chain, which led to two men in suits with heart-shaped masks over their heads, armed with speakers. In the Persona's mouth was a smoking cigar, which lit up as it blew out smoke from its mouth, creating a wave of flames that nearly burned another Archangel to cinders, narrowly avoiding it.

"Come to me, Goemon!" Fox called out as he deflected an attack from a Shadow with his katana, his Persona manifesting behind him. Dressed in an elaborate yukata with a white kabuki mask painted over its face and a large pipe with a blade attached sitting in its mouth, the Persona glared down the Power before it swung its pipe at it, bisecting it in half and reducing it to mere gunk on the pavement.

Mona jumped over an attack, leaping off an Power's head before bringing his cutlass down on another, slicing off its head and sending it spiraling back to the ground. As he landed among the cognitions of Kira's followers, he slammed his paw into the ground as his bright blue eyes glowed, a magnificent aura flowing around him and forming into a burly shape: a black clad figure with a hulking form, wielding a sword far too small in spite of its size. "Zoro, show your might!" Morgana ordered as his Persona created a "Z" with a swing of its rapier, creating a gust of wind that knocked the Archangel back, knocking into its comrade.

Seeing an opportunity, Joker immediately took advantage and called for Arsene to launch up, swinging its leg at the two disoriented Shadows. The end result was them being sliced in half, separated from their torsos and becoming black splatters on the ground. At this moment, the Shadow that Skull had knocked into the building reappeared, charging straight at the white-masked thief. It went in for a thrust, only for Joker to side-step and kick it in the back of the head, knocking it to the ground and whipping out a pistol from his person, unloading all the bullets in his clip.

Seconds later, the Shadow went lip and became a puddle on the ground. Rolling his shoulders, Joker looked behind him to see Skull slamming his club into the last remaining Shadow. It didn't kill it, but that was not his intention as he purposely left it disoriented and allowing for Panther's Persona to reduce it to ashes, consuming it in fire.

By the time the dust settled, the only people left were the worshipers, who had paid no mind to the battle whatsoever, and the Phantom Thieves, who were victorious. Hefting his club to his shoulder, Skull rubbed his nose and grinned. "That wasn't so hard." he said as he looked to his companions. "Those guys were freakin' weak. Madarame's Shadows were stronger than this. This'll be cakewalk after all!"

Fox sighed, shaking his head. One of these days, he swore Skull's overconfidence would be the death of him. Just as he was about to open his mouth to retort, he suddenly went still and went for his katana. "...Skull?" he called to his friend. "You may wish to look behind you."

Skull looked over his shoulder and paled. The other Phantom Thieves stared in shock and disbelief, as the sky was now filled with white-winged creatures, all wielding weapons and staring down at the Phantom Thieves with contempt and loathing. "...Mona?" Panther called out weakly. "Um, I think now is a good time to turn into a car!"

One Shadow released a loud primal roar, followed by the others, quickly sounding into what could only be considered thunderous cries of the damned as the Shadows all charged at the group. Mona was already in motion, body consumed in a puff of smoke before a large black van took his place, bouncing on the concrete before its doors swung open. Quickly, the Phantom Thieves dived inside, with Joker at the wheel.

"Floor it man!" Skull cried in a panic. The leader didn't need to be told twice as he slammed his foot on the accelerator. The transformed Mona took off like a rocket with the white winged creatures trailing behind.

Normally, doing this would be dangerous in such a crowded street. Even if they were cognitions, they were still technically people. Even so, Joker had no choice but to plow right through them as he attempted to avoid the Shadows hot on their heels. "Fox! Panther!" he shouted from the driver's seat. "See if you can slow them down!"

The back doors were pulled open as the two thieves took out a rifle and sub-machine gun respectively, firing off as many rounds as they possible could. While they were not trained to handle weapons like these, their experiences in the Palace and in such situations more than made up for it. Shells began to litter the floor, falling and bouncing while bullets soared through the air like a storm, gunning down any Shadow that got too close.

Joker kept his eyes trained on the road, finding that the next intersection was blocked by the remains of yet another collapsed building. Gritting his teeth, he yelled at his friends in the back. "Hang on!" He spun the wheel, making the transformed Mona swerve as it attempted to avoid crashing into the pile of rubble, sliding into another street.

"We're going to run out of bullets at this rate!" Skull shouted. "We gotta sake 'em!"

"And how do you propose we do that?!" Fox shot back, sniping another Shadow in the head and destroying it. "There's far too many of them!"

"Why the hell are there so many Shadows around here anyway?!"

"This Kira guy must really not trust anyone for his Palace to be this alert!" Mona exclaimed.

"Well, no shit!" Skull cried.

One Power got too close for comfort, sending a spear straight at them. The two managed to evade it, but it nearly struck Skull's private region, making him pale. Mona yelped, letting out a growl. "Watch it back there!" he shouted indignantly. "You think I don't feel that?!"

"We're still in Shibuya, right?" Fox asked. "Joker, try heading into the alleys! We might be able to lose them in there!"

"Can we even fit in an alley?!"

"We don't have a choice!"

Joker smirked. "Hang on!"

He made a sharp turn that nearly turned over Mona, but the transformed thief managed to stay upright. He hit the accelerator again and shot forward.

TAKE YOUR TIME

"The criminals are somewhere in this area! Find them and execute them!"

The Shadows were now throw into a crazed frenzy, searching high and low after they had lost sight of the Phantom Thieves. Unknown to them, the group was hiding out inside a small apartment store building with the front barred with turned over shelves and karts. The group had taken the opportunity to rest inside, slightly tired and exhausted in spite of the fact that they had only taken part in a single battle. The excitement of the chase had drained, leaving them all tired.

"Dammit..." Skull panted, resting on the floor. "How many Shadows were there? Is this guy always on high alert or something?"

"It would appear to be the case." Fox surmised, sitting in a nearby chair while Joker provided a small drink for him, procured earlier before their infiltration into the Palace. It was always handy to have some rations on hand, after all. "Still, the number was quite alarming. On the plus side, however, it seems we're getting closer to the structure in the distance. It appears to be some kind of tower."

Mona, who took a spot up on the counter, folded his arms. "From the security, I think it's a fair assumption that as we get closer, we'll encounter more and more Shadows." he said. Skull grimaced, not liking the possibility. While they were no strangers to fighting, getting involved in too many in quick succession would tire them out far too quickly. "Even if they're weak, they make up for it in sheer numbers."

"This is one hell of a Palace." Panther commented off-handedly. "To make matters worse, we have to travel all across Tokyo to do it! This sucks!"

Joker put a hand to his chin, deep in thought. What Panther said wasn't wrong. They wouldn't be able to navigate the entire city and reach the tower, not in their current situation, with the Shadows now on high alert. They needed to act discreetly as possible. A thought came to his mind, which made him frown. Would it be feasible?

"What if we used the subway?" he offered.

"You mean, the trains?" Skull cocked his head. "Uh, maybe? Assuming they aren't out of service."

"With how distorted this place is, I'd be surprised if they were running." Fox huffed before giving it another thought. "However...perhaps we could use the tunnels to our advantage. Assuming the trains aren't working, we may be able to move about more freely there. The tunnels do cover all of Japan, after all."

"Yeah, assuming they're not collapsed to hell."

"It still sounds like our safest bet." Panther said sternly. "All we have to do is head to the nearest train station and avoid being seen by the Shadows. It sounds easy enough."

"Assuming we don't run into opposition." Mona countered, hopping off the counter. "But, it does sound like the safest bet right now. We won't be able to run around the streets with the Shadows being on high alert. Let's wait until things die down, then head out again."

"Sounds like a plan." Skull said. Then he groaned and rolled his neck. "Wouldn't I give for a Safe Room right about now...?"

TAKE YOUR TIME

In the real world, while the Phantom Thieves pursued the distorted version of Light Yagami, the teen himself was at home studying, sitting at his desk with his notebook out in front of him. In hand was a ball-point pen, which was constantly moving back and forth across the pages as he worked while his TV blared the news. Occasionally, he'd look up and see the news before returning to his notebook.

However, he wasn't alone in the room. Sayu had been correct in her assumptions, but she was ignorant to the reality of the situation. If she had touched the notebook, she would have seen it herself. The creature that was sitting on his bed, snacking on an apple.

"Hey, Light." the creature, the Shinigami known as Ryuk, asked as it took a huge chunk out of the apple, gnashing its fangs before swallowing. "How come you haven't killed that FBI agent yet? You already have his name, don't you? Why not kill him right now?"

Light raised an eyebrow and looked at Ryuk with scrutiny. "If I did that, L would know something was happening." he stated, going back to his notebook. "It's better if I wait it out. I can kill Raye Penber any time I want, but it'll have to be at least a week after the bus hijacking."

"Heh. If you say so..." Ryuk shrugged. Truly, the Shinigami didn't understand why he was so adamant about not following through. But he did raise a somewhat valid point. If he kept killing, L would constantly be after him. However, he couldn't help but feel a tingle down his spine, thinking about what kind of fun he'd see as he watches Light work. Honestly, he had never seen a human quite like this. You would be hard pressed to find someone who would use the Death Note in such a manner, especially towards a goal like this.

A human, claiming to be God?

'I wonder what IT would think, about a human wanting to be God.'

It was certainly an interesting prospect. For now, he'll see how things will play out. Still, was it just his imagination, or was Light unusually on edge? It was weird, seeing him uptight. Usually, he'd be confident. The fact that he was facing off against a supposed superior detective did little to deter him at all. In fact, it made him act even bolder, though the appearance of the FBI made him act cautiously.

Whatever the case was, Ryuk supposed it didn't matter. Just as long as things remained interesting.

"Now, in other news..." the news anchor said. "It's been a month since Suguru Kamoshida, a former alumnus of Shujin Academy and gold medal Olympic sportsman, confessed his crimes during a morning assembly. For those who aren't aware, Kamoshida sexually assaulted female students who were members of the school's volleyball club while abusing the male members, including those outside the club. Curently, Suguru Kamoshida is facing life imprisonment with no chance of parol. However, they are strange rumors going around that his confession was in part due a group calling themselves the Phantom Thieves of Hearts."

Light paused, looking at the news with a raised eyebrow. "Phantom Thieves...?"

"Based on obtained evidence, these Phantom Thieves claimed that they would steal Kamoshida's heart, making him confess his own crimes. However, there is no official confirmation of such individuals existing."

Ryuk laughed. "Phantom Thieves, stealing hearts?" he asked, suddenly finding himself amused. "Now that's a new one!"

Light huffed. "Probably a bunch of attention grabbers, nothing more." he said, waving a hand. "I have better things to put my attention on."

"You going to kill that Kamoshida guy?"

"He confessed to his crimes, didn't he?" the brown-haired honors student replied. "I only kill criminals who are serving a life sentence, have been escaping the law or are already waiting their execution. He's scum, that's for sure, but if he's willing to try and turn a new leaf over, I won't bother with him." A brief pause, then a chuckle. "Besides, even if I don't kill him, maybe an inmate will. Sex crimes aren't exactly well-liked in that part of Japan, even among other criminals."

"You don't say?" the Shinigami said, giggling to himself before he finished off his apple. "Still, though... On the off chance these so-called thieves exist, what'cha gonna do?"

"What?"

"You said you were trying to become God and you were gonna kill all criminals, plus anybody who gets in your way, like that Tailor stand-in who got thrown to the wolves and those FBI guys pretty soon. If they get in your way, are you going to deal with the way?"

"That's a rather stupid question." Light huffed, setting his pen down as he turned to address Ryuk. "Of course I will. But like I said, they're probably nothing more than a bunch of idiots who think they were why this Kamoshida confessed his crimes." He narrowed his eyes, studying Ryuk. "Unless there's something else you're not telling me again."

This had not been the first time Ryuk had withheld information from him. When he contemplated what to do with Raye Penber before he discovered how he could force the man to give up his name, Ryuk had told him about the benefit of the Shinigami Eyes, which came at the cost of half the user of the Death Note's lifespan. He wouldn't put it past him to hold back further information from him, all simply for the sake of convenient entertainment. Still, he was a necessary presence, since he needed Ryuk's Death Note to enact his own plans.

The Shinigami merely chuckled and waved a hand. "Let's just say...the Death Note isn't the only power that can affect the world and leave it at that, shall we?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You'll figure it out~"

Light glared at Ryuk, scowling before clicking his tongue and returning to his work. If only he could write Ryuk's name in the Death Note. It would've saved him the trouble, though maybe he could bribe him instead with apples? 'Enough.' his mind decided, picking up his pen. 'I have better things to do rather than worry about crap like this.'

TAKE YOUR TIME

Avoiding the Shadows had not been an easy affair for the Phantom Thieves, but they had managed to hide by knocking out a few Kira followers and taking their cloaks, blending in with the surrounding occultists. It took a bit of navigating, being utterly lost in the surrounding area, but they were eventually able to find the subway they needed.

"No trains." Skull noted the obvious as he hopped down to the tracks. "Hell, I don't even see any train tracks, either."

"Even if there were trains, I doubt they could run." Fox told him, pointing up to the roof of the subway. They were cracked, already on the verge of falling apart by the seams. They were only barely holding on thanks to steel beams and bits of framework still clinging to life. "We'd best take care not to do too much damage if we fight in doors. One stray blast, and we could potentially cause a cave-in."

"Hey, guys!" Panther called the group over, pointing at what appeared to be a map of the subway tunnels. "Here! I think this is a map of all the routes here in Japan!"

Mona frowned. "Hm...they're all converging at that point in the center." he said, pointing his paw. "Where is that?"

"That's in Kanto." Joker answered. "It's where L deduced where Kira was when he confronted them."

"Which means that's where the tower is." Fox surmised. "But why a tower? What purpose?"

"Probably to symbolize how he stands higher than others as a God." Mona suggested. "Or it could be for another reason. Wasn't that Ushimaru guy talking about something called the Tower of Babel?"

Joker nodded. "It was created in the hopes that everyone could be closer to God." he answered smoothly. "But God wasn't flattered in the least and destroyed it. As a result, the common tongue was split."

"Which means we're the ones who'll have to bring the tower crumbling down, right?" Skull asked, receiving strong nods of agreement in turn. As a result, the muscle of the group grinned and slammed his fist into his palm. "A'right, then let's hurry up and get to the tower!"

"Wait a second." Panther frowned. "The tunnel we're in is Aoyama-Itchome. That's close to our school. If we're going by distance, then the tower's all the way over at maybe Tokyo or Chiba."

"And the chart practically has the tunnels acting like a maze." Fox noted with some concerns. "It will take some time to navigate all of this."

"We're just going to have to wing it." Mona said. "For now, let's look for a Safe Room, now that we have a general idea of the layout of the place."

Joker nodded in agreement. It wouldn't do them well to get tired simply by trying to make progress. Besides, they had already made plenty. For now, all they needed to do was secure a starting point. As they departed from the entrance, however, he soon realized that they weren't alone as he and the others stopped, already taking out their weapons when Shadows suddenly emerged, circling around them.

"Dammit!" Skull cursed. "Here too?!"

"There they are. The criminals who dare stand against God." one Shadow announced with anger before they all revealed their true forms. They were all Powers, all save for one, which was garbed in emerald green robes and wielded a sceptor and donned a helmet with wings. "Execute them! In the name of God!"

Joker clicked his tongue before he smiled widely, putting a hand over his mask. He felt a charge rush through his body, as if he suddenly swelled with newfound strength. He had been looking forward to trying out this Persona! "Come forth!" As two Powers rushed at him, they subsequently found themselves being destroyed by bolts of lightning, which danced around Joker like a barrier. The source was a Persona, vastly different from Arsene, as it wore a long coat with a black-and-red plaid pattern, the sleeves of its arms and boots colored crimson as well as the headband around its silvery mask. Peering out were two yellow eyes, which burned like coal in the darkness of the tunnels. In hand was a large blade with a long handle, resembling a naginata of some sort. "Izanagi Picaro!"

The Rogue Persona raised its blade and swung it in a cross-like fashion, quickly eliminating any Shadows within its range. Skull and Panther proceeded to summon their own Personas, Captain Kidd emerging from a sea of blue flames and aiming his cannon at them while Carmen merely sent her puppets out, using their chains like whips to wrap around their necks before bringing them to the ground, pinning them beneath her feet before she promptly set them ablaze. Fox and Mona, meanwhile, charged at the Shadows with weapons in hand, the latter being quick and agile as it blocked their spears with expert swordsmanship before jumping up, using one Power's shield as a springboard and slicing off the head of another Shadow.

As Izanagi Picaro receded, Joker took aim and fired at the Principality, only to find the Shadow deflecting his bullets with ease before she raised her sceptor, sending down spears of light his way. Acting quickly, he backflipped away and then charged at her with his knife. Once he was within range, he swung, aiming for her wing, but was blocked and promptly shoved back. He summoned Izanagi Picaro again, which sent a bolt of lightning at the Shadow. Unlike before, it couldn't deflect and was thrown into the wall, causing the tunnel to shake.

"Joker, be careful!" Fox cautioned. "One wrong move, and we could send this place crashing down on our own heads!"

"Yo, Fox!" Skull cried out. "Duck!" The masked teen didn't need to be told twice, trusting his teammate. "Blow 'em away, Captain!" Slamming a foot at the head of his ship, Captain Kidd took aim and shot a yellow bolt of electricity, striking the Shadow dead on and stunning them, allowing Fox to spin around and bisect it, separating it from its torso.

As he put a hand to his mask, Fox smiled gratefully. "You have my thanks, Skull! Now, come!" Goemon emerged promptly, slamming a heel into the ground and striking pose. At this moment, a chilling air danced around Fox before it solidified, forming into spears that were sent flying, going straight at the gathering Powers, which were promptly skewered and fell to the ground. "Now, Mona!"

With a grin, Mona jumped up, bouncing off the head of a stunned Shadow and whipped out a slingshot, taking aim and shooting all the metal balls he had in hand, piercing through the red-plated armor and destroying the Shadows with ease, leaving them as black stains on the ground. As he landed, a Shadow loomed over him, though he merely smirked as Zorro manifested a second later, slashing the sneaking Power right down the middle.

"Hmph. Amateur!" With that, the battle soon drew too a close.

TAKE YOUR TIME

After the group had taken the moment to rest, they ventured down the long stretching tunnel. Occasionally, they would encounter resistance in the form of Shadows, who approached them with the intent to kill. Thankfully, however, compared to the state of things above ground, the Shadows were far fewer in number. Soon, they happened to reach a small branch in the path, though in between was a small room, labeled as Maintenance. Mona was excited to inform them that they had managed to find a Safe Room, allowing them a moment of respite as they lounged inside, going over their plans.

"Alright, we've established a point of entry." Mona went over. "But the path to getting to Kira's Tower isn't going to be easy. From what we saw on that chart, we could easily get lost. We'll need to prepare extensively."

"Aw, come on. What's there to worry about?" Skull asked with a light-hearted grin. "The Shadows are freaking weak. We can take care of them, easy!"

Panther shook her head, giving the muscle of the group a glare. "Just cause the Shadows are weaker than they were in Madarame's Palace doesn't mean this'll be cakewalk, Skull." she reprimanded, putting a hand at her hip. "Don't forget who's Palace we're inside of!"

"I'm still amazed at the extent of Light Yagami's distortion." Fox remarked with a look of worry. "His talk of becoming the god of a new world aside, his view about the world is quite disturbing."

"He thinks the world is rotting..." Joker guessed. "Or something along those lines."

"Rotting, huh..." Skull muttered, losing his passionate fire for a second as he stared at the ground glumly. "Well, he ain't wrong there. There's lots of shitty adults in the world, but that's no excuse to become a shitty person yourself."

"While on the subject of Kira," Mona brought up. "What do you suppose will happen to Sayu-chan once we steal Kira's heart?" The group stared at him quizzically. "Her mother died when she was young, and Kira's been practically raising her for her whole life. Their father is the police chief of the Police Department. If we steal Kira's heart, and he turns himself over to the police..."

The implications were enough to bring about a disheartening silence. They had never thought about it, but when they had, they soon realized the implications. Not only would Sayu's older brother and parental figure be thrown in jail and likely executed, but it would have to be done at the hands of her own father, who would have no choice but to perform his duty out of moral obligation to his job. Kira-no, light Yagami was a murderer who needed to be punished. The severity of his crimes, even with his confession, would not be enough to stave off the chopping block.

"...we can think about this later." Joker told everyone, voice even. He couldn't afford to show weakness, not in front of everyone. He was their leader, the one who was meant to keep their spirits up. He had to pull himself forward, even if he was on the verge of breaking down. "Let's head home."

"Amen to that..."

"Hey." Sojiro Sakura greeted Ren gruffly as the frizzy-haired teen entered Leblanc. Surprisingly, rather than the passive face the old man had grown used to seeing, he instead found a young boy looking lost and in need of direction. "Hmph. That's a strange face you've got."

"How so?" Ren asked.

"You look like you have no idea what you're doing." Sojiro told him bluntly. "What's on your mind, kid? Aren't you getting straight A's?"

Ren Amamiya, in spite of his status as a social pariah in the eyes of Shujin, did take his studies seriously. However, you would very rarely find him to be studying. It was like he was a natural genius, or if you were to ask Morgana's opinion, the perfect thief. He was at the top of all his classes, and his otherworldly endeavors had more than showed off his well-toned physique and capability in gym class. And if Morgana was to be believed, there were a few female students who appreciated the view, even if his muscles were mostly hidden behind baggy clothing.

"It isn't about studying." he told his guardian as he took a seat at the counter, face pensive. "I was just thinking... If you want to help someone, but you end up hurting them in the process, is the risk really worth it?"

Sojiro blinked, staring at Ren with an odd look. He wasn't expecting a question like that. However, it did bring to mind the circumstances behind his reason for being in the cafe in the first place. "You aren't getting yourself into trouble, I hope?" he asked sternly. Ren shook his head. He knew the rules behind his stay quite well. "Don't tell me your sticking your nose into someone else's business."

"I can't help if I want to help someone." Ren defended himself. "But I am behaving myself. It's just..." He sighed. He wasn't entirely sure how he was supposed to word this without causing a lot of confusion? Shaking his head, he groaned and put his head in his face. "I just feel so lost and I have no idea which way is up."

Sojiro stared at him for a moment before sighing. It seemed like his ward just couldn't help himself. And now he's got himself in quite a conundrum. It wasn't any of his business to get involved. As far as he was concerned, he was just supposed to make sure the kid didn't cause any trouble, both for him and for himself. He was on probation, after all. One wrong step, and he could find himself tumbling in the worst way possible. Still, he supposed it was good for the boy to be thinking about others, as well as the consequences. "...well, I'll bite." Sojiro eventually shrugged as he went to go brew the boy a cup of coffee. He looked as if he needed it. "What did you get yourself involved in now?"

"A friend of a friend." Ren gave him the abridged version. He sincerely doubted he would believe that a mere high school student and honors student was Kira. "Her brother's been acting weird, and she thinks he might've gotten himself involved in something bad. She does think she could be imagining the whole thing. From what I got, her brother's been the one taking care of her."

"No parents?"

"The mother died and their father rarely comes home." he replied. "So her brother doubles with his own life on top of looking after her, and despite all that, he's at the top of his classes."

Sojiro hummed thoughtfully. It's not the strangest story he's heard of. "If he is getting himself involved in something, it's probably just from the stress." he suggested. The light flickered off and he pulled the mug away, setting it down on the counter for Ren to take. The frizzy-haired teen accepted it gratefully, taking it into both hands. "I can kind of understand the stress about taking care of someone by yourself. It isn't exactly easy."

"The Boss sounds like he speaks from experience." Morgana noted curiously, Ren nodding in agreement. However, he didn't dare press further, lest he found himself without a home.

"Still." Sojiro shook his head, giving Ren a small glare. "Just don't get yourself into too much trouble, you hear? Last thing I need is for whatever your getting yourself mixed up knocking at my front door!" Ren nodded. The old man grunted, but otherwise remained amicable. "Anyway, if the brother is getting himself into trouble, he's the one who has to deal with the consequences. But, if you really can't help yourself, then at the very least, you should try and understand why he's getting himself involved in that kind of thing in the first place. Then you can decide whether or not you'll be helping someone or hurting them."

The teen nodded, gratefully accepting the advice.

Light Yagami was a mystery that he didn't fully understand. There were so many mysteries about him that he needed to learn. How exactly had Light Yagami become Kira? How did he possess the ability to kill someone with a heart attack? What made him desire to become a god? All of those questions were plaguing his mind, but he knew full well where the answers were. Inside his Palace, where he was truly God and the Angels were primed to strike down all sinners. Such a bleak world showed how Light Yagami saw the current world around him, but how had he come to reach such a conclusion? With each new question, the more eager Ren was to explore that world and take those secrets.

A small smirk began to develop, unseen by Sojiro as he thanked him for the cup of coffee and went upstairs to his little abode.

'Taking God's heart, huh?' the Wild Card couldn't help but think. 'This will be fun!'

TO BE CONTINUED...

"Yes. Before that happens, we will take this country!" -Ren Amamiya, "Persona 5"

Days Until
Raye Penber's Death
7

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Special thanks to Daemon of Wrath for helping me bring you this first chapter. Please enjoy, and place your bets on who will triumph: the trickster or the godly wannabe!