Chapter 16 : [End of] School (4)

"DUDE! That's so not cool running away from me!"

".. With a face like yours? everyone will run away from you."

Ann to the rescue. But I wonder why are you guys here…

"UGH! You don't have to say it in my face!"

"ANYWAY~ See? Isn't this place just nice and comfortable? Rather than the rooftop that's full of dust! And moss?"

… Yep I'm right, They're going to make this into a base… Can I NOPE it?

"Ummm… you see, Ann… I don't think you should be he–"

"OH! Is this Ann!? My, my… My boy's keeping all his friends to himself! "

My flag sense is tingling!

"Mother?"

"Yes sweety! It's been quite a while and you didn't even give your mommy a hug?"

We Met literally every day! But nevertheless, I still hugged Jeanne. She's about my height. So the hug is rather… romantic? If seen from a bystander point of view.

"SHE'S YOUR MOTHER!? DAMN, SHE'S H-"

*BONK*

"Language!"

Nice hit Ann!

"Not cool Ryuji…"

Even Ren pitches in, while doing the thing with his glasses, I swear I can hear a *glass shining SFX*.

"Miss. Jeane, My Name's Ann, I was wondering if I can be a model for your agency!"

That's too forward. And where's your card? Isn't this the part where you give her your card! And stop fidgeting! It seems amateurish!

"Ara ara … well you do have this aura in you… Tomorrow, afternoon, after school, come to my office. Tell the Front desk you're Liam's friend—"

And JEANNE!? WHY ARE YOU HELPING THEM ?

*breath in* *breath out*

Yep nothings wrong here… I'm pouring a drink for myself, a classic vodka on ice. With orange juice. I placed the glass in the bar. And proceed to wash my tools out first… before returning to it… finding it empty… OK, Who the hell — Oh, it's you huh cat… I saw a drunk cat having a hard time being a cat. It even tried to stand up… heh, serves you right!

*Thud*

And down it goes.

"Huh? Morgana? Since why are you moving like that?"

The cat dances around on one feet. Before falling flat into the floor. Yeah, serve you right.

*Swosh*

A portal opened… WAIT WHY A PORTAL OF ALL THINGS!? F***! SOMEONE'S MESSING WITH ME RIGHT?

"EH?"

"What?"

"Woah!"

*Hiccup~!*

"Oh my, What have we here, A bunch of thieves and outlaws inside the bar. Good work on finding a client Little liam."

F*** you, Rodin!

"Little red, I think we have a problem in the north pole, if you don't mind…"

"Of course Rodin, Is Cereza there too?"

"She's at the south pole. With Erika, of course… I was planning on taking Liam, but since you're free, and Liam's with his friends… I think we should leave the younguns to it."

Rodin said like it's nobody's business… YOU PLANNED THIS DIDN'T YOU!? That smirk is not helping your case Rodin!

"I'll be back by dinner Liam, I heard from Nemo Bakery that you're getting better! Will be anticipating it!"

"Sure thing mom. "

My mom's hair extended, clothes gone, and her business clothes changed into a jumpsuit. With four pistols, and that familiar pauldron that I made.

"Mom."

"Yeah?"

"Stay safe."

She smiled at me as she entered the portal with Rodin. Leaving me with 3 gobsmacked teenagers… Ok, how do I salvage this…

===

"Liam!"

"Ann?"

"Don't Ann me! EXPLAIN!"

"He's definitely banging your m—"

*Bonk*

"Shut it!"

Ann is quarreling with Ryuji. It gave me time to think about a response. Morgana's still dancing, while Ren… Eh? He's looking in a certain direction. Don't tell me! There's a velvet room entrance here! S***!

Let's see, how do I unfuck myself from this…

"LIAM!"

A hand grabbed my shirt as I swayed back and forth!

"Y-y-y-YEAH?"

I'm getting dizzy…

"E-X-P-L-A-I-N!"

"Let's see…. Nope!"

"Eh? What do you mean, No?"

"You saw something you don't understand doesn't mean that you're entitled for an answer!"

"EH? Where's the logic in that!?"

"And where's the fun of me telling you! Isn't that right… Trickster?"

I looked at Ren when I muttered my last sentence, I'm not speaking it out loud, instead I'm merely moving my lips. OH, Ren's sharp. As his face turned to a shocked face, that only means that he heard what I said.

"YOU!!!! UGH! I'm telling Alice!"

"Ehhh? What's this gotta do with Alice?"

"Nothing! I'm just snitching on you to her!"

"!?!?"

I can't say I understand the logic, but whatever you say Ann.

"DUUDEE, IS THIS GENUINE SAKE? CAN I HAVE SOME?"

And then there's Ryuji…

"Only if you pay."

"Stingy, HEY! Why are you giving Ann free drinks?"

"Are you a girl?"

"No…"

"Are you a girl whose asset is her body, and is going to work for my mother?"

"No…"

"Are you a g—"

"Ok! I get it! Damn stingy!"

"I'm glad to be of service…"

And the drink I gave Ann is nowhere near the price of that sake… So there's that.

===

And so, after failing at getting anything from me, The group finally picks a table to settle down on and talking rather loudly…

"So, are we going in today?"

Ryuji's getting into the point it seems. Well it's still early in the morning, you still have the whole day to do it.

"Yeah… I mean we sent the calling card, Morgana said that it's our only chance! I say we take it, for what he did to Shiho, and Liam!"

Ann insisted… Why am I on the victim list? I mean even if he tried I'll still whoop his ass!

"Eh? Liam's fine from what I see. I mean that dude's totally fine! I don't know how, but he is! But it sure is sus with how fine he is…"

I'm right here man…

"So what do you say Ren? Should we go? Or should we postpone it?"

"We go today."

It seems that it's decided they'll go today. And … wait… why are you taking out your phone here! Wait a moment! OI OI OI I SAID WAI—

===

And I ended up on… wait this is not kamoshida castle like I remembered! The castle itself is now a fortress… with a shadow guard stationed on the walls… oi oi oi … what the hell is this!

[Oi what are you doing? I was almost pulled into the— Oh…]

Yeah… my bad Mori, it seems that I'm pulled by these bastards into the metaverse.

[Oh, interesting… So this is what's it's like in the Metaverse… Is this someone's mind… judging from the fort, it must be someone who wants authority.]

You said you're not pulled here, then how are you seeing what I'm se— oh…. In my hand is a ruler… a plastic one… and the number 0 is replaced by an eye… yeah real subtle there. Can't you at least… like the form of your coffin?

[Fine.]

Suddenly the ruler in my hand turned into a coffin, Reichenbach… and why does my vision have a Crosshair? Eh? A monocle… nice… at least it looks classy.

"Eh? Liam! Why are you here too? And what's with that getup?"

I looked around me… I dressed like the old moriarty with a cape, shirt, vest, and cane… damn… I look like a badass…

"huh? You have a persona too?"

… Are you a persona?

[A sentient autonomous stand is a more appropriate term.]

"No Ryuji, I do not"

"But how come you change your getup when you're inside? it makes no sense! "

"Yeah! you're terribly sus!"

Said the talking cat who's still tipsy.

"Hey… can I go back out? I kinda don't want to be he—"

"Hold it right there! You're in the territory of Kamoshida the great!"

A shadow popped out of nowhere. It approached me.

I simply kicked reichenbach towards it

Bang

But it seemed that I used too much force as Reichenbach didn't stop at the shadow, it carried the victim towards the wall.

Crack

As cracks form around the impact location

"Intruders here intruders here"

"Eh? Dude! We gotta run!"

"Oh you guys go, I'll give you guys a hand since this is your first heist and all."

"Eh, how do you know?"

"You talked so loud, I would be suspicious of the ones who didn't know!"

I sent them away.

Thud thud thud thud

Loud sounds of marching army creeps ever closer

"I looked back to find shadows, a lot of horse mounted and themed ones."

Oh well, killing chickens is getting boring anyway! And, since they're not in their mind as well.

"Moriarty"

[You're a slave driver you know that?]

Oh shut up and help

[Fine.]

The coffin turned into a triangular ruler.

I throw it towards the horde.

[You do know that's not how yo–]

I catch up to the ruler as i vaulted over a shadow

I pump a bit of mana towards the ruler as it turns into wires.

Moriarty has a unique skill…. Cough magic bullets. 6 in total a day. Each of these bullets is actually condensed mana.

So if I pump mana towards these wires…

They begin to coil around every single one of the shadow. and then i pulled. The string which is overcharged with mana turns unbelievably sharp.

Splurt

The ground turned black with all these… black sticky liquid…

Oh quite handy

[You brute that's now how you use it!]

"Well if it aint broke don't fix it is what i say…"

[A ruler is supposed to be a measuring tool not a tool to butcher]

"Sophistication will get you killed"

[Ignorance will get you killed!]

"Tch fine. I'll use it the way you want."

Reichenbach turns back to a ruler. Not the usual one, but the ones soldiers used to use for artillery.

I was wondering what I should shoot, but then I saw a monster that looked pink and had a crown on its head. You know what, sure!

After calculating the angel. I turned it back into a coffin. The coffin suddenly grew bipods… you know what I'm not going to question it.

I loaded up a bullet into Reichenbach. Which now looks more like a coffin with two large bipods holding it in an angel.

Artillery support coming right up!

F*** - Bang! (WN: If you get this reference… you're awesome)

===

We made it unseen. After leaving Liam, who did a splendid job creating a distraction. The castle is all but empty, making our jobs much easier.

"Hey ren, you think Liam will be fine"

"Totally! I mean, did you not see the guy move! Well you may not know but his posture is good. And that's coming from a track guy"

"With you saying those words ryuji i can't help but worry more"

We went to another set of stairs…

"Sigh, why must it be stairs…"

"Keep at it, I'm sure we can make it! But I'm curious, why is this liam so important to lady ann?"

"Well not for me, but for shiho… yeah im doing this for her "

"If you say so…"

Morgana looks… jealous? Ohoho is this a love triangle I spot? Well Morgana you have to try harder.

"Watch out!"

Bang!

a volleyball landed on my position a few moments ago

"Thanks ryuji. But how did you–"

Before I could finish my sentence another one came, then another , then another.

"Hahahaha! look at what the cat dragged in!"

Kamoshida appears before us, floating by the chandelier in this wide and spacious room.

If i remember correctly this should lead to the treasure…

"Psst! joker that thing on his head it's the treasure"

Eh that crown… well it does look like it's worth a few.

"Kamoshida your days are over one way or another"

Ryuji provoked kamoshida spontaneously. I threw Morgana to the side hoping that Kamoshida didn't see.

It appears that morgana succeeded the stealth check as kamoshida is preparing some sort of attack at ryuji

"Oh some confidence you have there… would be a shame if I —"

Bang!

I pulled the trigger at the crown on his head, the crown fell down backward.

"I got it! meowwwww! treasure!"

Morgana did get the treasure but… why are you just licking it?

I threw my whole body to the right! I'm glad I did! a volleyball my size slams through the wall where I was a moment ago.

"Tch i missed! But no more playing around!"

The crown on morgana's paw flies towards kamoshida at a fast speed, Morgana who's struggling

And kamoshida started to grow tall and pink.

"Get ready for a fight!"

===

We've been dancing around the vast hall, as it's now riddled in holes.

"WHAT? This the best you got? Can't you take a SPIKE!"

Kamoshida spiked a ball towards me, I threw myself sideways once more.

"Tch! I missed! "

We're holding on and withering Kamoshida down.

"Jack! Agi!"

I summoned my persona, as it send flames towards Kamoshida.

"HAHAHA~! If that's all you got, I might as well have won!"

A trophy suddenly appears, filled with the lower portion of a humanoid… gross. A fork and knife appears at Kamoshida's hand as he helps himself with a serving from the trophy.

"Ah! So Good!"

"Huh? He's healing, Joker, we have to do something!"

You don't say Ryuji… You don't say…

"I have an idea, I can try to snatch the crown from kamoshida, while you guys are fighting him! What do you say, Joker?"

Morgana suggests an interesting idea…

"Go for it"

I ran up towards Kamoshida with my dagger, I switched Jack o Lantern with Arsane.

"OH What's this! You want another SPIKE!"

Another spike is coming my way, I slide downwards, as the ball barely brush passed my hair.

"ARSANE!"

Arsane, with his signature form, appears before me. As we both attacked Kamoshida at the same time, he brought both his hands upwards to block us. But this was a Feint, I Sent Arsane downwards, swiping the trophy away from Kamoshida.

But suddenly

*LICK*

YUCK! WHAT THE HELL IS THIS! I CAN'T MOVE!

"HAHAHAHA! YOU DON'T TASTE BAD! MAYBE THOSE WITH A PECULIAR TASTE WILL LIKE YOU! THEN ALLOW ME TO–"

*BANG*

A sudden blue light Engulfed Kamoshida, as what a sonic boom knocked me backwards. WHAT IS THAT!

The dust settles and what is left is Kamoshida… looking black and smoking! Ann, Ryuji and Morgana are ready and have encircled Kamoshida.

"This will end it!"

We rushed in to finish the job.

===

Liam POV:

"And… that's a solid hit!"

[Sigh… you can do better can't you?]

"I can … but why should I ?"

[True…]

"Anyway… are you physically here with me or…"

[No, I'm at a set for Moriarty season 2… That's why I was surprised…]

"… YOU GOT A SEASON 2?"

[Someone has to get money for the household…]

I really want to hit this bastard…