As night fell, the Special Task Force arrived at the Fortress of Meropide.
"Thank you for your hard work. Just leave the crates here," Neuvillette said with a nod.
"Yes, sir!" Chevreuse saluted crisply before departing with her team, their orders being to remain on standby outside.
"Let's see what we've got here... Ah, these look like they're worth a fortune," Wriothesley remarked, taking the manifest and clicking his tongue in amazement.
"Thank you for agreeing to the Court of Justice's request, Wriothesley," Neuvillette said.
"No problem. It's mutually beneficial. You gave me what I wanted, and I gave you my endorsement. A fair exchange. Besides, I'm genuinely curious to see firsthand what this Phantom Thief White Cat is capable of."
He'd heard that even multiple Vision holders attacking her simultaneously couldn't breach her defenses even slightly. In the Fatui, she'd undoubtedly be Harbinger-level material.
Wriothesley glanced at Clorinde.
"Even the strongest Champion Duelist can't defeat her. I might have nightmares after meeting her."
Clorinde asked flatly, "You think you can beat her?"
"You're joking, right? Of course not. I'll just hide behind Paimon. She's so chubby, she'd make a perfect meat shield."
"Huh?!" Paimon's expression twisted.
Wriothesley chuckled. "Just kidding. Anyway—"
"The Fortress of Meropide will now enter a temporary lockdown. Repeat: The Fortress of Meropide will now enter a temporary lockdown..."
The announcement blared over the intercom.
He crossed his arms and surveyed the surroundings.
"Where's Phantom Thief White Cat? Did she flake out?"
Logically, Phantom Thief White Cat should have already infiltrated the Fortress of Meropide before the lockdown began, lying in wait for the opportune moment.
...But such assumptions were bound to be wrong.
Focalors smiled faintly. "The banquet has already begun. The treasure is the delicacy, and this Fortress of Meropide is the banquet table. The moment has arrived. She can't possibly stay away."
"...You sound like you're really looking forward to this," Paimon remarked suspiciously.
"Just your imagination."
Focalors asked curiously, "What brings you two here? Did you accept a quest?"
"Sort of!" Paimon explained. "We weren't planning to capture Phantom Thief White Cat, but the quest involves helping stop her."
Stopping ≠ capturing.
In other words, they could just join the fun and get a hefty food allowance. Why not?
The broadcast continued: "All personnel, please... hold your breath."
Huh?
Clorinde frowned. The voice had changed.
"Then listen."
Is this it? Lumine and Paimon looked around, but the Phantom Thief was nowhere in sight.
"Do not blink, do not speak—"
The lights began to flicker.
Seriously? She can control the lights even here in the Fortress of Meropide? Lumine and Paimon exchanged astonished glances.
Then the lights dimmed completely, plunging the space into darkness. Only the broadcast voice echoed in the pitch-black void.
It was a song.
A beautiful, melodious voice drifted through the shadowy space.
Tap— A single footstep drew everyone's attention. As they looked up in unison, a flash of white caught their eyes.
It was the Phantom Thief!
Clorinde drew her sword and gun, shielding Focalors.
Even in the darkness, the flash of white stood out. Perched high above, a hint of amusement flickered in her crimson eyes.
"Long time no see, everyone. How have you all been?"
Neuvillette murmured, "Phantom Thief White Cat..."
Wriothesley raised an eyebrow. "So she's been waiting for the right moment all along..."
"Waiting for the right moment? Heh, that's certainly true. After all, a perfect opening act always needs the perfect timing. But Monsieur Duke seems to think I've been hiding somewhere here."
A snap of her fingers cut through the lingering echoes of the song.
In an instant, Luna vanished before their eyes.
Her voice drifted from behind them. "But what if I told you I just arrived from outside the Fortress of Meropide?"
How did she get behind us?! Lumine and Paimon whirled around in shock.
"Can you even teleport?" Wriothesley asked, spreading his hands in mock exasperation.
Luna smiled enigmatically, offering no reply.
...Could she really do that? Clorinde wasn't sure. After all, the Phantom Thief White Cat's abilities had always been shrouded in mystery.
"The warm-up act is over. It's time for the next act to begin!"
The song from the loudspeaker faded into silence.
Though the lighting system hadn't been restored, it was no longer needed.
The light was in Luna's hands.
"That's..." Wriothesley narrowed his eyes.
"A mask?" Clorinde murmured.
A dazzlingly Radiant Mask floated in Luna's palm, its radiance capable of banishing any darkness.
"Do you know the source of the world's most beautiful light?" Luna asked. "The light of the heavens? No. The light of the waters? Wrong again. The answer is the light of humanity."
"And I am your shadow, the dark cloud looming over Fontaine's skies, the unforgivable sin, the crime of stealing divine power, an offense that can never be erased."
"Justice stagnating is the birth of sin, the evolution of sin."
Luna donned the Radiant Mask, its power merging with her being. Her hair tips shimmered with a dazzling glow. She unfurled her cape, the crimson fabric swirling around her, obscuring her form with each graceful turn.
As the scarlet cloak itself began to glow, she raised her hand and plunged her sword into the ground.
The crisp clang of metal against stone signaled the drama's impending climax.
Anemo gathered beneath her feet, stirring her garments and hair into a swirling dance.
Her radiant hair tips and piercing gaze froze anyone who met her eyes in a trance.
Beautiful, noble, dreamlike—even the most skilled artisan could never replicate such a masterpiece.
Luna placed both hands on her sword hilt, a smile playing on her lips. "When you return, tell the Court of Justice and the world that their negligence has granted me eternal life and everlasting indestructibility."
"Also tell them..."
"Tonight's treasure is now mine!"
The lights returned to normal.
Wriothesley and Neuvillette exchanged glances.
"Even so, I can't let you run rampant here."
Wriothesley donned his gauntlets, and Lumine drew her sword as they charged toward Luna.
Luna remained motionless, standing with graceful poise. She raised her hand slightly and snapped her fingers.
Snap! With a snap of her fingers, the stage machinery whirred to life. A phantom carriage materialized from thin air, barreling toward them, blocking Wriothesley and Lumine's path.
The carriage doors swung open, revealing twin pistols crackling with purple energy, their barrels trained on them.
Pull the trigger!
A torrential hail of Electro Element bullets erupted, faster and more numerous! Even if they blocked the initial barrage, ricocheting bullets would still rain down on them from all directions.
Yet, they precisely avoided Focalors and Clorinde.
Wriothesley frowned. "Your trajectory calculations are terrifyingly precise. Are you some kind of humanoid machine?"
"Once you've shot enough people, you'll know exactly where to pull the trigger," Luna replied.
The joke fell flat.
Wriothesley and Lumine split up, flanking Luna from opposite sides.
Clorinde sprang to her feet, landing atop the mock carriage.
All three launched their attacks simultaneously!
Wriothesley activated his gauntlets, channeling ice energy into a piercing punch that blasted a path forward with explosive force.
Lumine roared, "Violet Shadow!" and unleashed three swift slashes of her Electro-imbued blade, creating trails of crackling afterimages.
Clorinde narrowed her eyes, her body dissolving into an Electro shadow as she flashed across the battlefield, unleashing a relentless barrage of gunfire from every blind spot, converging on Luna.
She held nothing back.
The Phantom Thief White Cat wasn't an opponent who could be defeated with half measures!
Faced with this coordinated assault from all angles, Luna channeled Anemo Element into her feet, instantly leaping into the air to evade Wriothesley's ice punch and Lumine's Electro sword strikes.
Twisting mid-air, she stepped on the void and surged forward with sudden acceleration, narrowly dodging every bullet from Clorinde's barrage.
Not a single shot hit...
"Has her power grown even stronger?" Clorinde's brow furrowed deeper.
Could this form actually be her enhanced state?
Her Elemental Power output and control are on a completely different level compared to before!
Luna manipulated her Ice Threads, the remarkably strong yet supple strands wrapping around the crate as she directly pulled it toward herself.
Summoning her Storage Space, Luna effortlessly made the chest vanish into the opening.
"Looks like the dozens of locks the Court of Justice set up were completely useless," Focalors sighed.
If you can just take the chest, what's the point of even having locks?
Luna smiled. "Not entirely. I can use it as a little puzzle to entertain myself back home. I've been feeling rather bored lately."
"If you're bored, why not come visit Palais Mermonia?"
Luna smiled. "Miss Focalors, aren't you afraid I might steal you too?"
"Come and try if you dare," Focalors retorted, folding her arms.
Clorinde sighed in exasperation. "Please don't provoke the Phantom Thief White Cat."
She was perfectly capable of doing exactly that, as Furina could attest.
Clorinde raised her sword again. "The Fortress of Meropide is now completely sealed off. You have no way out—unless you break through the walls."
Wriothesley: "Did you really have to say that right in front of me? Hey, don't break anything! Repairs are expensive!"
Clorinde's expression remained impassive. "Please don't trigger the Phantom Thief White Cat's rebellious streak."
Whatever I tell her not to do, she always does it.
"Oh my, do you all really think of me as some violent woman? Destroying things just because I feel like it?"
"Isn't it?" Clorinde asked.
"Isn't it?" Focalors echoed.
Luna smiled faintly. "Indeed it is. But letting the criminals here escape isn't the outcome I desire, nor would my dear someone be pleased if they were to drown."
"Allow me to demonstrate my magic for you all."
"Please don't blink, for a miracle is about to unfold—"
Luna raised her cloak, concealing her form. An illusory curtain descended, shrouding her entirely. When the curtain parted, she had vanished.
Where did she go?
Clorinde focused her senses. "Her aura is gone."
It was as if she had disappeared into thin air.
But how could that be?
"Monsieur Wriothesley, the Phantom Thief White Cat has appeared outside the Fortress of Meropide!" an aide shouted as he rushed in.
Wriothesley exclaimed in surprise, "She actually teleported out?"
Even if they could capture the Phantom Thief White Cat, could this small Fortress of Meropide truly contain her mountain of a presence?
She comes and goes as she pleases, doesn't she?
Outside... that means she's in the water? Clorinde thought.
Just then, she noticed Neuvillette finally move.
"Where are you going?"
Neuvillette murmured, "To answer her challenge."
"You're going into the water?"
"No... I'm going somewhere beyond the gaze of others."
He could freely manipulate water as long as he could sense it, controlling it without needing visual guidance.
But unless absolutely necessary, he preferred not to reveal his powers or identity.
Wriothesley suggested, "How about the restroom?"
"A good idea."
"...Are you serious? I was just joking."
"Is that so?"
"Yes."
Neuvillette nodded slightly. "...I still don't understand the humor in your jokes."
Arriving at Wriothesley's office, Neuvillette closed his eyes, sensing Luna within the water.
"If this is what you desire... then let's see what you're capable of."
He tapped his cane.
Let's see if you can safely retreat with the treasure under the full power of the Dragon Sovereign.
-
Luna sensed danger closing in.
This honed instinct, developed long before she gained her power, had always saved her life.
Now, she felt the Hydro Element surging, shifting, and gathering—rushing toward her!
Just as expected.
Anemo Element Burst! Luna immediately accelerated, charging toward the surface.
The piercing sense of danger clung to her relentlessly. She didn't dare look back; even a moment's hesitation would mean being swallowed by this force!
The pain didn't matter; she was indifferent to it.
But she didn't want to tear the Phantom Thief Outfit Chiori had made for her.
!
Several chains of condensed Hydro Element shot toward her!
But in the instant before they could bind her, Luna's figure abruptly teleported ahead.
[Short-Range Teleportation: Teleport up to 10 meters instantly. Cooldown: 5 seconds.]
This was the preparation she had made, the skill she had purchased with her last remaining Points.
To escape Neuvillette's grasp alive, nothing less would suffice.
What a pity. Even the Hydro Dragon Sovereign can't catch me. After all, only one person can truly capture me, Luna thought, leaping out of the water.
"There she is!"
The Special Task Force stationed on the shore spotted her.
But then they noticed something was wrong.
Rumble—! The sea churned violently. Countless streams of Hydro Element converged into pure, straight lines, striking directly at Luna, who was leaping through the moonlight.
"Waaah?! What's happening? Is this Lady Focalors using her power?" Turenna exclaimed.
Chevreuse lowered her musket, muttering, "No..."
It's likely the Chief Justice's power.
"Everyone, take cover! Don't get caught in this!"
"Y-yes!"
This was far beyond what they could handle.
Luna didn't dare underestimate the assault. She repeatedly used Anemo Element to accelerate her dashes through the air, combining them with short-range teleportation to evade the relentless barrage of water cannon blasts.
Getting hit by even one of those would be no joke. My clothes would get torn!
"This is just unbelievable..." Turenna murmured.
Chevreuse watched the scene. "Which part are you referring to?"
"All of it! Such power is beyond human comprehension, yet Phantom Thief White Cat... is dodging through it all without a scratch!"
Chevreuse murmured softly, "Indeed..."
This situation was simply beyond their capacity to confront.
Has White Cat grown even stronger...? Chevreuse wondered inwardly.
Neuvillette closed his eyes, murmuring thoughtfully.
"Truly remarkable. To have withstood this much, completely unscathed..."
Power, skill, experience, instinct—any one of these lacking, and Luna would have been struck. Yet now, she was gradually retreating.
"Then let's try this instead."
He tapped his staff.
The exploding water droplets seemed to freeze in mid-air.
Countless towering waves pierced the heavens, transforming into an emblem of judgment across the night sky. The torrents surged downward with a force that seemed capable of obliterating everything in their path.
Escape was futile. Luna could sense it had already locked onto her.
If that's the case, then face it head-on!
"Ignite!"
Luna raised her hand, and the spiraling flames erupting from the Greatsword of Passion illuminated the night sky.
Channel all my passion into this, and at the same time—
"The time for applause has come!"
The Golden Stage materialized, and the moment of ovation had arrived!
Golden radiance flowed down the blade of her one-handed sword, extending further under the enhancement, transforming it into an ultra-long golden blade.
I'll block you with these Twin Swords!
Gripping her Twin Swords tightly, Luna spun and slashed downward!
The instant the golden light and fiery radiance collided with the surging torrent, a searing heat wave and billowing mist erupted, sweeping outward in all directions.
"White Cat?!" Chevreuse's heart clenched as she peered into the fog.
Silence descended.
Turenna muttered, "Could she have been...?"
"..."
As Chevreuse remained silent, the torrent unleashed by the insignia burst through the mist and gently settled back into the water—a violent arrival followed by a gentle departure.
A white blur darted across the moon.
"It's the White Cat!" Turenna exclaimed in surprise.
Snapping out of her daze, Chevreuse focused her gaze. There, unmistakable against the night sky, was Luna.
Though drenched to the bone, she appeared unharmed.
The moment she countered the torrent, Luna had activated her pocket watch, enabling her to move faster than the water itself and evade the attack with ease.
Thank goodness, Chevreuse thought inwardly.
Sensing Chevreuse's gaze, Luna winked playfully before vanishing into the night.
"Looks like we failed again," Turenna sighed.
"Yes, but we'll try harder next time."
"...Do you really think we can catch the Phantom Thief White Cat?" Turenna murmured.
Chevreuse stood up. "Don't give up. Justice standing still is the birth of sin. We must push forward."
"...Right!"
We can't afford to give up!
Focalors chuckled, crossing her arms. "Didn't catch her?"
"No," Neuvillette shook his head. "She's become remarkably strong, able to completely evade my attacks. Before long, she might even be able to challenge the Fourth Seat of the Harbingers..."
With that, he turned to leave.
"Where are you going?" Wriothesley asked.
"Back."
"Back to do what?"
"Work."
"Sigewinne made you a milkshake. Don't you want it?"
After a long hesitation, Neuvillette nodded.
"I do."