Max got up in the morning and got on his shujin uniform.
Since Peter isn't part of the school he can't come in and if they get another foreigner student it will look pretty suspicious.
So since Peter is staying at his place he gave him some cash to do what he wanted since unlike him Peter has more free time.
With that he left his house and went to shujin and to the class room.
However he got a text from Ryuji and the others.
"Ryuji: so are we going to that place again or what?"
"Max: yeah we are. Also I we have someone else joining us."
"Akira: who?
"Max: let's say he's an old friend."
"Ann: whatever the case we got the equipment we are ready."
"Akira: me and Morgana negotiated with a doctor near Leblanc and we managed to gain some medicine."
"Max: as long as it doesn't end up killing us before the shadows then it will be fine."
"Ryuji: I'm so pumped we're going to put an end to that bastard kamoshida."
However the teacher noticed max not paying attention and called him out.
Ushimaru: hey Fournier pay attention in class!
Max snapped at attention and ushimaru threw a chalk stick at him.
However max's reaction Time was super human so he was planning to show his dominance in the school of assholes.
He grabbed the stick between his fingers and in an instant he threw it back at the teacher but instead of aiming for him he aimed at the board.
Which when the stick made contact with it. It made a dent in the board along with the stick breaking to pieces.
Everyone were stunned by the action especially the teacher and Ann,akira.
Max: If you lectured me that's fine but.
He let out some of his killing intent and the Ushimaru felt a chill down his spine along with max giving him a sturn glare.
Max: but I won't take any form of abuse and I appreciate if you don't do that to me.
Ushimaru just nodded with a hint of fear and turned around not wanting to deal with Max's anger.
But along with the students started to mutter about Max's actions.
Ann and akira were a bit surprised by max's actions and how he was so nonchalant about it.
After that little scene class went through quietly and it was now after school.
Max called Peter and told him that they were about to enter the palace.
He responded with saying that he's on his way and max made sure to send the address to the school.
After that he made his way to the rooftop and he met up with the others.
Morgana: alright we made some progress on infiltrating the palace and we will need to be careful.
Ryuji: hell yeah! We will find that treasure and beat that asshole.
Max: hold on my friend is on his way here and I want him to help us out.
Ann: so this friend of yours is an exorcist too?
Max: yup he's my age and he's somewhat easygoing and he's a good team player.
Morgana: but why did they send another one from America to Japan?
Max: he said that his foster mother came to help Miguel and let's say that they have some history.
Ann: what kind?
Max didn't answer instead put his index fingers together and separated them over and over.
It took a while but Ann Morgana and akira got the picture all but Ryuji.
Ryuji: what does that mean?
Max: nothing.
Peter:Sorry I'm late.
The group turn around and saw peter standing on the top of the rooftop and it caught the four by surprise.
Max: nah you actually came pretty early.
Peter jumped down and walked over to the group.
Peter: so these are the guys huh?
Max: yup. Guys this is Peter. Peter. Akira Ryuji,Ann and Morgana
Peter: nice to meet you all.
Akira: same here. Glad to see member to the group.
Peter: well since I'm stuck here I might as well do something and of course I won't leave my buddy hanging.
Max: alright we should be ready let's go to that alley and go to kamoshida's palace.
Morgana: alright then let's go.
They made their way to the palace and before they went in max and the others noticed that akira was standing off in a corner.
He approached akira and the moment he did akira came back to his senses.
Max: akira are you okay?
Akira: huh? no I'm fine I just spaced out for a second.
Peter: you sure that seem pretty odd.
Akira: I'm promise I'm fine.
Ryuji: if you say so we don't want something bad to happen to you.
Ann: actually before we go I'm curious Peter right? What's your ability.
Peter: my ability? It's not special I can clone myself and all clones are equally as strong as me and not to mention of one of my clones get destroyed I can get their memories. And one other trait is that if I have one clone out I can basically survive being killed.
The group aside from max were surprised by Peter's ability sure I'm might not be powerful but his ability sure is useful.
Peter: before you start thinking that the me standing before you is a clone no my clones have a certain range. And the farther away they are the more my link with them will disconnect and it will vanish.
Ann: still that's pretty useful and it will give us extra man power.
Morgana: indeed it he's definitely an extra trump card. Now come on let's get this over with.
They made their way towards palace while solving some puzzles and beating shadows with Peter's clone ability it made clearing the shadows.
However in a church like area of the place they encountered an arc angel shadow.
The opponent was strong and Ann was determined to make kamoshida pay for what he did so when the team were somewhat injured.
Ann's flames healed them and managed to beat the arc angels however Ann suffered fatigue thanks to her pushing her limits.
They had to find a safe room for her to recover.
Luckily they didn't have to leave the castle she just needed time for her energy to recover.
But they managed to get to the top of the castle and they got inside a treasure room.
However what was more eye catching was the cloud looking thing in the middle of the room.
Peter let out a whistle at the amount of gold if this treasure wasn't all fake he would have stolen all of them.
But from what max told him most of the things here are fake.
Ryuji: holy shit this room is full of gold!
Morgana: sorry to disappoint you but all of this isn't real.
Ann: well even if it was I wouldn't be interested in all of this it's all make believe in kamoshida's head.
Max: so the floating cloud is that the treasure?
They walked over to it while Morgana jumped on a piece of gold.
Morgana: yup this is it. the treasure.
Peter: so from what max told me to get this treasure thing to appear is to send a calling card.
Morgana: yup we warn the rulers so that they become self aware of their desires.
Akira: I'm guessing that it's a subconscious protection of your desires.
Morgana: yeah we will have to let them know so that it can manifest.
Max: well if that's the case we will use these.
Max took out a small piece of paper that was folded.
He passed it to akira who read it.
"This note will disappear the moment you finish reading this"
He didn't read it out loud but when he read it it disintegrated into the air.
Ryuji: what was that? It just vanished!
Max: yeah I ask for an order of custom made special paper that disappears the moment someone finishes reading it whether it's mentally reading it or out loud it disappears.
He took out another piece of paper and displayed it so that everyone can see it.
Max: and one useful thing is that it's tied to my own spiritual energy so I can sense when someone is reading it that way I can be an alarm clock if kamoshida reads it. It also helps that we won't get any traces back to us since it vanishes.
Morgana: wow that might be pretty useful.
Akira: so. Who's going to write it?
Ann: let me. I want the bastard to realize that his sins are catching up with him.
Max: alright then stop by my house and me and Peter deliver the letter to his office.
Ryuji: you're sneaking in to the school?
Max: me and Pete have good skills in the sneaking part.
Morgana: well if you say so we will trust you on that.
Max: and besides this kills two birds with one stones we can get kamoshida to get over cautious. And I can get information on the principal.
The shujin students looked at max.
Ann: what do you mean?
Max: well I think I can trust you guys because I think you realize that something is shady in your school.
Akira: wait are you saying that your a spy?
Max: a spy that is investigating on what's going in this school. A gym teacher is going rouge and the principal doesn't do Jack about it. An ex teacher of shujin who joined the EXO corporation enformed that a student of his committed suicide and she requested to find out what's going on.
Akira: I see well in that case we won't stop you in a wierd way we also deserve to know what's going on.
Max: glad that you can understand.
(Akira felt a sense of trust coming from max)
Morgana: alright enough with wasting time. let's get that calling card ready.
Ann: Morgana's is right. We found the treasure now all we have to send that card and we can end kamoshida's reign and make him pay for what he did.
Max: well if you say so let's get out of here.
With that they went out of the palace and into the real world.
Like Ann said she would come to max's house to write on the paper to sent it to kamoshida.
After she was done she trusted max and Peter to deliver it to him.
And later that night the two exorcists went to shujin and they stuck the calling card on kamoshida's computer with tape so that he would easily noticed.
After that was done they got to the principal's office and max stuck a small listening device on the bottom of the desk so that he can get information about kobayakawa.
The device is linked to his phone so it will sent him a recording when it picks up voices.
With that done they got back to his house and waited for the next day.
It was a normal morning at shujin and kamoshida expected to have another day of the school as his own castle of course it was a metaphor but still it was close enough.
However when he got to his office he saw a note stuck to his computer.
He grabbed it and read it.
"To kamoshida we decided that your sins will no longer be tolerated and so we will take your desires. Today. Hope you are prepared to face the consequences"
From the phantoms.
The gym teacher felt a surge of anger and he was about to rip the paper to pieces in a fury.
However before he could do that the paper started to vanish leaving no trace that it was ever there.
The gym teacher didn't know how to even react at this but what was clear is that something or someone is trying to ruin his reputation and he won't have that.
But when he calmed down he got his cockyness back along with his confidence that he was untouchable.
However deep in his heart his shadow was other wise convinced.
S.kamoshida: those brats think that they can steal from me!? Well let's see them try. I'll show you what happens when you fuck with the king.
Max akira and Ann were in the class doing paperwork and all around it was boring.
However max felt a tingle in his spiritual energy and he figured that kamoshida was grabbing the note and reading it.
He mentally ordered moline to grab his phone and sent out a message to the group saying that kamoshida got the note and soon enough it will be go time.
The 3 could have sworn that they felt a distortion in the air but they didn't pay any mind to it.
It was now after school and the crew were ready to end the king's tyranny.
Max: is everyone ready?
All of them nodded and akira and him made eye contact and they each smirked in anticipation.
Max/akira: it's showtime.
They made their way to the same treasure room and unlike before the glowing cloud was replaced by a giant crown.
Ryuji: this is the treasure?
Peter: yeah not gonna lie I was expecting a gold medal since he's an athlete right?
Ann: whatever it maybe let's get it out of here honestly I'm getting pissed off just looking at it.
Akira: Morgana any idea-
They noticed that Morgana was drooling looking at the crowd while muttering treasure.
Ryuji got behind the cat and smacked him in the black of the head to snap him out of it.
Ryuji: get your head in the game cat.
Morgana: ow! Don't call me a cat! Anyway about the crown. Mmmmn.
Max decided to test something black matter appeared in his back and shifted into clawed hands and grabbed the crown.
He tested the weight in his black arms and he didn't feel strained.
Max: my black arms will carry it. It will save us the transportation effort.
Morgana: looks like it. I guess I was right in getting you guys on my side. Nyahahah.
Ryuji: alright enough chit chat let's get this crown out of here.
While max carried the crown the others kept watch.
It was only when they got out the treasure room that something happened.
Fake Ann: go go let's go kamoshida.
There was striking sound and a volleyball hit the crown hard enough to get it out of max's black hands.
Max: damn!
A figure jumped from the top balcony and landed near the throne and it was kamoshida's shadow who extended his hand and the crown was turned into a small version.
S.kamoshida: I won't let anyone take this. This crown proves that I'm the king of this castle and the core to this world.
Ann saw her double ganger and she was once again disgusted at how kamoshida sees her as.
Ryuji: look at that the perv actually came out to face us.
S.kamoshida: please I just made it easier to find you brats. I'll dispose of you right here right now.
Peter: that's our line you asshole.
S.kamoshida: what a simple miss understanding.
Ann: miss understanding!? How the hell is this a miss understanding!?
S.kamoshida: If you haven't noticed the school and parents who want to share my acoplishments. Students who have the strive to become winners they willingly protect me so that we all benefit from it.
Akira: what? Benefits?
S.kamoshida: imbeciles like you brats just can't understand that. And that girl who tried to kill herself.
Max was about to rush at kamoshida because if one thing exorcist honor is to respect the dead.
Sure spirits aren't considered undead but still they were once humans who died and where reborn as spirits.
And exorcists honor a code to respect the dead those who don't cause trouble anyway.
But he was stopped by Ann.
Ann: true she was an idiot letting you manipulate her and trying to commit suicide.
She clenched her fist and looked at her shadow in a bowling anger stare.
Ann: but I'm more of a dumbass for not realizing that she was suffering.
She then turned her glare towards shadow kamoshida.
Ann: no matter what kind of fool someone is. They don't your permission to live their lives!
S.kamoshida: drop the act peasant there's nothing wrong with using my gifts for my own gain. I'm a cut above all other humans.
Ann: above? You mean beneath your nothing more than a demon obsessed with your damn desires!
That comment triggered something as the ground beneath kamoshida started to bubble red and black liquid while he was laughing like a maniac.
S.kamoshida: that's right! I'm not like you! I am a demon who rules this world!!!
Kamoshida sunk into the puddle and a giant splash and kamoshida got bigger and a figure started producing saliva.
Ryuji: what the hell!?
The figure was revealed to be kamoshida in a mosterus form laughing all the while.
S.kamoshida: I'm allowed to do whatever the hell I want.
Akira: lets finish this!
Max: about time.
He disappeared in a burst of speed and he covered his arm spiritual energy and compressed the energy.
When his fist made contact with kamoshida it sent the shadow flying while crashing into the thrown and sending to the other wall.
Max landed on the ground satisfied with his damage.
He looked back at the other who all but Peter had a surprise expression.
Max: I had to have a head start.
Ryuji: fine by me let's kick this asshole's ass.
They rushed at the recovering kamoshida and they did an all out attack on him.
However kamoshida retaliated by whipping his tongue it hit a few of them.
Moline appeared and max landed at the tip of her tail and with a strong swing she threw max into kamoshida.
He got out the sword from the bag on his back and imbued it with spiritual energy.
When he got close to kamoshida he swung down and he ended up slashing kamoshida's chest gushing out black blood.
When max was about to land he saw akira running towards kamoshida.
He stuck out his hand and hive fives him passing the baton to him.
Kamoshida was about to stab akira with his knife bit before he can Ann and ryuji struck at his knees.
Knocking the shadow at his knees.
Two peters rush at kamoshida and each of them slashed at his eyes blinding him.
Before he can thrash around moline wrapped herself on kamoshida exposing his stomach.
Max was running along side akira and the two jumped at the shadow.
Akira had cursed energy wrapped around his dagger and max concentrated the energy on his blade.
And at the same time they slashed at kamoshida leaving an x mark.
The two ended behind the shadow and they each took out their gun and fired finish off the king.
While the king was dissolving into his human form the crown fell off his head and rolled on the ground.
Luckily the crown went small.
However before they could grab it kamoshida grabbed it and ran away.
Except he didn't have anywhere to run.
Ann: what's wrong? Aren't you a great athlete?
Kamoshida: it's always been like this all of those god damn hyenas forced their expectations on me! I'm this all for them! What's wrong for demanding a reward for that!?
Peter: that doesn't mean you can ruin the lives of people who didn't do anything to you.
Max: and not to mention you drove a girl to suicide you don't deserve shit you bastard.
Ryuji: yeah not to mention you broke my leg because you triggered me!
Ann gained a dark look in her eyes and walk away from the group.
Ann: are you scared? Right your experiencing exactly what shiho did. I'm pretty sure she was also scared except she didn't have a choice but to jump.
What are you doing to do? Jump or would you rather die here?
Ann's hand started to create a fire ball and kamoshida grew terrified.
Morgana: it's your call to finish him off.
Kamoshida: no please I beg you just forgive me-
Ann: shut up I bet everyone else told you the same. But you took everything from them!!
She threw the fireball at the ground near kamoshida who shrieked in terror.
Kamoshida: I give up. I accept death. You want this right? Take it.
He threw the crowd and akira caught it but they honestly didn't know how to feel sure they won but it feels somewhat empty.
Kamoshida: go ahead and finish me off. You do that and my real self will go along with me.
Max looked at Peter who gave him an "I'm getting this look" this whole moment is important because the shadow said that if we killed him then the real kamoshida will suffer a mental shutdown.
So this confirms the method the killer is a metaverse user. And how he manages to kill his targets is by killing the shadow.
So if they were going to continue the investigation then that means they might have to spare the scum bags and force a Change of heart.
However max noticed that Ann was creating another fire ball and threw it at kamoshida who didn't struggle.
The other two yelled her to stop but max saw that throw was off and he put two and two together and realized she was faking that shot.
Ann: if your mind shuts down you can't admit your crimes.
Max walked up next to her.
Max: if you were actually aiming for him I would have stop you and besides we need to see how the change of heart works.
Ann: I know I'm not planning on sticking to his level.
Kamoshida: I lost. What am I supposed to do now?
Ann: confess your crime all of them and pay for your sins then when you're in a prison cell think about what you did.
Kamoshida started be surrounded by a white glow and started to disappear.
Kamoshida: alright. I'll leave now and return to my real self I swear I'll-
Before he can finished he disappeared completely.
And the castle started to collapse.
Morgana: let's get out of here this place is about to collapse!
Moline approach the ground and opened her mouth.
Max: everyone get inside!
Akira: wait you want us to get inside her mouth!?
Max: her stomach is a pocket dimension get in or haul ass your choice!
Peter and max entered and the 3 students and cat were hesitant to go inside but they felt another shake and reluctantly they entered moline's mouth.
However instead of a stomach they entered a white void with weapons and other items scattered around.
Ryuji: holy shit what is this place?
Max: this is a pocket dimension that moline has in her stomach this is where I store my weapons and I keep some other stuff.
Peter: like questionable magazines?
Max in response socked him across the head to shut him up.
Ann: aside from this how do we get out?
Max: just wait until moline gives us the all clear and don't worry we won't get digested. Spirit don't have a normal digestive system.
After that a hole opened revealing an alleyway and they got out.
Metanav: you have returned to the real world welcome back.
The 3 shujin students took out their phones and saw the message.
Ann: so I guess we can't go there anymore.
Morgana: what about the treasure?
Akira checked his pockets and pulled out a metal.
Ryuji: what the? A metal?
Max: so I guess the crown was just a figurative metal in his mind.
Ryuji: an metal huh? Oh I get it he won that metal and thought he was all high and mighty.
Ann: so this means that kamoshida will have a change of heart right?
Morgana: probably.
Peter: what do you mean probably!?
Morgana: this the first successful example for me too! But there's no denying that this effected kamoshida quite a bit.
Ryuji: isn't there a way to check?
Max: I can get some scouts to observe him.
Akira: yeah I think that would ease our minds.
Peter: so now that the asshole is dealt with we just have to wait.
Ryuji: well we got him but what if he shuts down?
Max: if that happens we can't do anything to fix it from what I've heard some exorcist who have abilities to enter minds they reported that a person who suffered a mental shutdown are basically walking corpses with no desires and no purpose. In other words there like a hollow husk.
The group went silent for a minute but Peter recovered first.
Peter: well anyway we have a job to do and that was to catch the culprit and stop these incidents.
Ann: actually I don't think you guys told us why is this such a big deal to the exorcist community.
Max: its because victims are dying and in return more spirits are born both pure and lost souls and more lost souls mean more deaths and that with the mental shutdowns incident will have some serious consequences. So Seijiro asked Miguel for help and now we are here.
Akira put his hand on his chin and started to think about max's response and he can see why exorcist take their jobs seriously lives of both humans and spirits are at risk.
Ryuji: well I'm beat see you guys tomorrow and hopefully we don't get in trouble.
Ann: agreed now that we dealt with kamoshida I'll probably sleep better and shiho might recover faster.
Max: oh crap I completely forgot how is she? Is she hurt?
Ann: no she's just mentally scarred.
Max: shit.
Ann: don't worry once kamoshida confesses to what he did she will get better.
With that the group separated and max and Peter were walking back to Max's house but Peter was curious about ideas on how the change of heart will go.
Peter: so if this change of heart actually works what exactly is going to do to benefit us?
Max: well two things. one: if the effected one confessed every then it can give us plenty of information and but that's depending on the person. And two: that could be a double edged sword we get information but likely kamoshida confessing his crimes will get out to the public and likely the killer will know that he or she isn't the only metaverse user.
Peter: I get it. so your saying that once kamoshida spills his guts the killer is going to be on us.
Max: yeah and we have no idea on who it is. Obviously it can't be akira or Ryuji or even Ann even though she has her reason to kill kamoshida. However morgana has amnesia and it's possible that he was the culprit but we will get information before we suspect the cat of anything.
Peter: so once kamoshida talks we are on the killers sight and they will be watching us.
Max: we will cross that bridge when we get there. Right now let's just go home and rest.
Peter: let's have a bite first I'm hungry.
Max: didn't you eat breakfast?
Peter: yeah but I didn't eat anything else I was waiting for your signal.
Max: well let's go to big bang burger I think you wil get filled up fast.
Peter: I don't believe you.
Max: you want to bet?
Peter: oh your on.
The two exorcists went to big bang burgers to eat till full.
However this was the beginning of what's about to happen.