(Thursday, 5/19)
Meanwhile, in the inner world, Yami was speaking with Sachi and Asuna.

Sachi: wow that's what a palace looks like?

Yami: yeah

Asuna: that's strange but disturbing how we never see the dark side of someone.

Yami: well that's what people do. Hide that dark part of themselves until you crack the fake smile that's where they reveal their true colors.

Asuna: freaky...I don't mean to say it but can you summon out me, Sachi, Gudako, Gudao, Luna, and Yui?

Yami: okay but I have to send you out of the complex.

He closes his eyes, teleports them out of his inner world, and sends them out of the complex.

Yami:*sighs* at least I gave them details on this universe...

He sees Makoto sitting down on the chair while she is doing some homework for her classes.

Yami: oh, Makoto. How are you today?

Makoto: I'm kinda stressed out for a bit since the principal asked me for some tasks.

Yami: he asked her to look into the Phantom Thieves.

He looked at her while she was studying but she didn't look happy but dejected.

Yami: I understand that you want to protect the students but that fat man is holding your future if you don't obey him. Oh, how about we go out for a bit? Take a breather.

Makoto: okay if you're gonna-

Yami: be careful, I'm aware of it Makoto.

So both walked out of the apartment complex as they walked around Shibuya. Yami and Makoto went to a bakery shop and Makoto grabbed a donut while Yami grabbed a soda bottle. He pays for the two items as Makoto asked Yami.

Makoto: so Yami. What got you to go to Tokyo?

Yami: well I told Sae that I need to look for my mother. I got clues that she was in Tokyo. But nothing else had gotten closer to finding her. I need to relax for a while. She's the only family I have left.

Makoto: she is?

Yami: yeah my father, my brother, and my sister were dead.

Makoto: my god...

Yami: my sister along with my mother told me before they were gone: you must live on to see the better tomorrow.

Woman: hey stop that thief!!

They see a thief running with the woman's purse which has her stuff. Yami then finished his soda, throwing it away as he spoke to Makoto.

Yami: call the police as I chase that guy.

She nodded as she took out her phone then Yami chased the thief.

He went right as the thief had slammed bikes to the ground but Yami jumped over them. He sees an empty bottle, grabs it, and throws it at the running person.

Yami: that slows him down.

He went to the left as he dodged some pedestrians so he wouldn't be slowed down. He sees another glass bottle but kicks it to the man's head. He jumps over a hole where some construction workers are working on.

Yami: he's good but I'm more faster.

He uses a bit of lightning to go faster to catch him. Both fell on the ground as they quickly got back up.

Thief: let me go!!

Yami: not unless you give that woman's purse back!!

The Thief was ready for a fight so was Yami. Everyone was recording the whole thing while Makoto was watching but still recording it.

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The Thief throws a punch but Yami easily dodges it as he has his stance ready. He did an upright stance with a high guard put up. The thug punches but Yami blocks them, he pretends that the punches hurt.

He quickly steps away but he rushes towards the thief as he throws a couple of punches but Yami dodges them but weaving each punch. He did give the thief 5 punches, a left uppercut, and a right hook punch.

This surprises Makoto with how effective Yami is doing. He waits for the man to get up while he taunts him as he shadowboxes in place.

This got the man aggressive but blocked any attacks Yami did a relentless barrage of feint punches on a cowering enemy that finished off with a kick.

Makoto: no way...

Yami: no excuse me.

He grabs the purse and hands it to the woman as she thanks him. The police arrived as Yami told them what happened and they arrested the man.

Man: once my boss hears this, you're screwed!!

They drive off as the crowd cheers Yami rubs his head in embarrassment. Makoto went towards him with a shocked look.

Makoto: how did you do that?!

Yami: oh I learned it from a game series that I played. Don't know what's it called, Like A Dragon? No, can't be it anyway.

Makoto: gotta go back to the complex before my sister sees this.

They went to the train station and got in to get back to the apartment. While in the hallways Yami sees them as he speaks their names.

Yami: Asuna, Sachi? What are you doing here?

Sachi: oh Yami!! We've been looking for you!

Yami: why are you doing here?

Asuna: well we gotta find a place to move in so we heard about this apartment complex.

Makoto: uh do you know each other?

Yami: oh um well you see... they're my girlfriends and my children.

This shocked her but made her sad which Sachi and Asuna saw.

Makoto: wait you said children?

Yami: yes and I took care of them before searching for my mother.

Makoto sighed as they went back to the room. Luckily Sae wasn't at home which gave them more time to get an ice pack and bandages on the arms.

(Timeskip)(5/19 Thursday)(Madarame's Palace)

Skull: Are they seriously gonna be able to pull this off? She was sayin' stuff like, "I'll just seduce him with my acting," but that sounds out of her league...

Joker: true but she gotta try her best.

Skull: Plus we ain't got one sign this place is gonna open. Isn't Madarame comin' home soon? On top of that, even if Mona's able to unlock the door, how's he gonna show to Madarame? Also if anybody sees it, they close the door so we only have a few seconds. At this point, only a miracle can happen.

Joker: it will work.

Skull: I want to think that but we have a few moments.

While they were waiting a person with a fox mask was waiting for the time for certain people to get in Madarame's Palace. He was already in the palace before Joker and Skull were even there.

????: just a moment.

Skull and Joker went into the palace as they dealt with Shadows but without Mona and Panther they were outnumbered but they were doing okay. They arrived at the control room and turned off the security so they didn't have to deal with it. So they came back as they heard screaming.

Ann: NOOOOOOOOO!!

They looked up to see Ann/Panther, Mona, and Yusuke falling but Panther landed on Yusuke.

Ann: I'm so sorry!!

Yusuke: that's....fine....I had worse. Wait...Takamaki?

Then he looks at Joker, Skull, and Mona.

Yusuke: you two!? Where are we?

Ryuji: we're inside Madarame's Palace.

Yusuke: Sensei's...palace? No...

Ann: it's gonna be hard to understand it Yusuke.

So they walk around the palace Yusuke is shocked to see what Madarame's true heart looks like.

Yusuke: so this is sensei's...heart? Ah!! This painting!!

Ann: do you recognize it? We were thinking these might be his past pupils or something...

Yusuke: But... why are these paintings of them here?

Mona: Tech, those aren't paintings. They're the pupils themselves.

Yusuke:!!!

Ryuji: Madarame saw-'em as objects, so that's what they are in here... Oh, and uh... we found yours too.

Yusuke:...

Mona: we'll talk about this later. We need to get out of here.

So they rushed the hallways until they arrived at the Infinite Spring. As they were going to escape two shadows appeared.

Mona: the exit is right there!!

Then they heard a distorted laugh behind them. Quickly turned around to see Madarame's shadow who dressed as a shogun wearing golden clothing.

Ryuji: talk about bullshit clothes!! First a king, now some kinda shogun!?

S.Madarame: welcome to the museum of the master artist Madarame...

Yusuke: huh? Sensei? Is that you? That attire...

Ann: disgusting.

Yusuke: This is all one big lie, isn't it?

S.Madrame: my usual ragged attire is nothing but an act. Besides, a famous person living in that shack? I have another home... under a mistress's name, of course.

Ren: this is absurd.

S.Madarame: Hahahaha!! How naive!!

Yusuke: if the "Sayuri" was stolen, why was it in the storage room? And if you had the real one, why make copies!? If it's you, sensei... please tell me!!

S.Madarame: Foolish child. You still don't see? The painting being stolen was just a false rumor I spread!! It was all a perfectly calculated staging!!

Yusuke: what do you mean!?

S.Madarame: let me see... how does this sound? "I found the real painting, but it can't go public... you can have it for a special price, though..." Haha!! How's that for preferential treatment!? Art snob'll eat it up and pay good cash at that!!

Yusuke: w-what!?

S.Madarame: the value of art is pure illusion. What's the matter with providing that illusion to eager customers? Thought a brat like you would even come up with such a brilliant scheme!!

Ryuji: you keep going on and on about money this, money that... no wonder you ended up with this museum!!

Ann: you're supposed to be an artist, right!? Aren't you ashamed of plagiarizing other people's work!?

S.Madarame: Art is nothing but a tool. A tool to gain money and fame!! You helped me greatly as well, Yusuke.

Ryuji: god. Pisses me off. That's your teacher.

Yusuke: to think I was under the care of this wretched man!! You are unforgivable!!!

S.Madarame: Men!! Dispose of these thieves!!

Ann: get back!!

Yusuke: how amusing...

Ann: huh?

Yusuke: It seems that the truth is stranger than fiction, hm?

Ann: Kitagawa-kun!?

Yusuke: I wanted to believe it wasn't true. I had clouded my vision for so long. My eyes were truly blind, blind, and unable to see the true self behind this one horrible man!!

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????: HeeHoo!! That's so cool, Hoo!!

Ren: a Jack Frost?

Jack Frost: you'll meet the most badass man, you'll ever get to meet!! Hoo!! He's really good at combat!! HeeHoo!! He's scary too!! Heehoo!!

Up on the roof, there's a young man wearing a fox mask standing as he smirks to see them.

????: and there's our thieves right now. Let's see what you all got.

He jumps through the ceiling windows shattering the glass and lands between the Phantom Thieves and of S.Madarame along with his men.

S.Madarame: who are you!? Another intruder!?

????: nice meeting you, Phantoms Thieves. But don't take this too personal.

Then the battle with the young man begins.

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Ryuji summons Captain Kidd, casting out Lunge damaging the mysterious man. Ann casting out Tarunda lowering the man's attack, Yusuke with his newly awaken persona Goemon casting out Sukukaja buffing Ren's agility, Ren and Mona summoned Archangel and Zoro while casting out Giant Slice and Garu.

The two attacks damaged the young man but he chuckles as he spoke to them.

Masked Man: I'll give you ten minutes to decide. Which would you all rather end up in? A coffin or a dumpster?

He takes out an item to get rid of the debuff as he takes out his sword Rebellion slashing at Mona taking damage from the sword slashes.

Ren: what the!?

Yusuke: what kind of power does he have?

Masked Man: motivation....Gunslinger!!

He switches styles as he takes out two pistols. He jumps on the air and shot barrages of bullets like rain.

Masked Man: come on!! You can do better than taking hits!!

Ren who summoned out Arsene as he used Eiha. This gave him one more chance as he switches to Kopppa Tengu as he used Gun Skill "Snap". The Masked Man takes the hit as a magenta aura surrounds him.

Ryuji: uhhh why is there a magenta aura surrounding him?

He rushes towards Yusuke who tried to attack but the masked one dodges the attack easily and he was getting punched quickly. Ann who uses her SMG Trooper. He sees it and rushes up the wall which shocked them all that he can run the wall.

Masked Man: Game Over!!

He lands the ground as he uses his energy to make the ground shake and causes a huge explosion which taken down the Phantom Thieves.
(Battle theme over)

S.Madarame: yes!! Finish those thieves!! Kill those brats!!

Then the Masked Man takes out his pistol and had the barrel to S.Madarame's forehead.

S.Madarame: eep!!

Masked Man: I don't remember you doing anything for me to kill them. Why should I listen to the Shogun of Vanity? Right Azazel?

Masked Man: would you like to play hide and seek with me?

S.Madarame felt something that he even ever felt or even the thought of. It was fear as he walks away along with his security. His face went back to normal as he heals the phantom thieves back to full HP and MP.

Ren: woah...that was something...

Ryuji: what are you?

Masked Man: Kitsune, call Yusuke Fox.

Yusuke: Fox? I think that can work.

Kitsune: best if you leave and plan.

Ann: wait how did you got here?

Kitsine: I have my ways.

He gave Panther a bow and a kiss on her cheek which made her blush. Mona gotten a bit jealous but knows that he can't mess with Kitsune. He sees Kitsune takes out a sushi and hands him the seafood.

Mona: thanks?

Kitsune: I must leave. We might see each other soon.

He vanished as they leave the palace. With their encounter with Kitsune and him not their enemy they have to plan on Madarame's palace.

End of Volume