[Joker: Weapons? Nah, I don't need them. I can handle it myself...]
Ren typed with one hand while slurping his noodles with the other, holding chopsticks. But just as the hot noodles entered his mouth, his eyes shot wide open as if struck by a sudden realization.
He rapidly tapped the screen, deleting the reply he hadn't yet sent to Hare. Then, putting the now-ignored instant noodles aside, he picked up the phone with both hands, composing a new, serious reply.
[Joker: Let me ask first, Hare. When you say weapons, you mean actual bladed swords, or firearms that can shoot and kill enemies, right?]
Under Ren's eager and expectant gaze, Hare, on the other end, quickly sent the reply he anticipated.
[Hare: Of course. If they're called weapons, they'd naturally be that type... If you want some less common types of weapons, Joker, that's possible too, but you'd need to wait a while for delivery. You wouldn't be able to use them in tomorrow's exploration.]
Hare replied matter-of-factly, seemingly assuming Ren wanted some niche weaponry beyond standard swords and guns.
[Joker: Then I'll have to trouble you, Hare. I definitely need your help ordering some weapons. I'll pay you back later.]
Heart pounding with excitement, Ren sent his confirmation to Hare.
Although Mementos had the unique rule of turning model guns into real firearms and toy swords into actual blades—with higher realism translating to power closer to the genuine article—a replica could never surpass the power of the real thing!
Besides, real firearms weren't limited to the specific environment of Mementos. They would give Ren a near-guaranteed one-hit-kill self-defense capability even in the real world.
Why settle for models when you could have the real deal? Who plays with toys when you have actual guns?!
Ren didn't have much money on him right now, but that was fine. He could just "stock up" in Mementos, gathering materials to give to Hare to sell. A few runs like that should definitely be enough to pay off the weapon debt... right?
After all, this is the real world now, not a game, Ren reminded himself. Can't just joyride in the Mona-van mowing down Shadows for cash. He wasn't actually sure if farming money was still possible in Mementos.
If worst came to worst, Ren figured he could resort to some less conventional methods, utilizing his true Phantom Thief skills to rob the rich and help the poor (himself). For example, find some gangster scum like Kaneshiro who amassed wealth through crime, induce a change of heart, and have him "donate" some funds to a struggling individual like himself.
Whatever it took, he, the great Phantom Thief Ren Amamiya, would definitely not commit the sin of failing to repay his debts!
[Joker: Pick the highest performance types possible for the weapons. First, a Japanese sword [Katana]. Preferably with some kind of attribute boost effect. Prioritize Electric or Ice effects, then Strength or Magic boosts. If none of those are available, a plain one with high attack power is acceptable too.]
Ren's fingers flew across the screen as he listed his desired weapon specs for Hare. He was about to learn Hokushin Itto-ryu from Mei-senpai; a katana would naturally be the best fit for that style. If Hare hadn't messaged him, Ren's backup plan was to emulate Pancake Boy [Akechi] and buy a toy laser sword from a street shop. If he had to use a toy, a lightsaber was obviously cooler and probably stronger than a regular model sword.
[Joker: I don't know much about guns, so just get me a pistol suitable for beginners. Same preference for attributes as the sword, but ideally, they should complement rather than overlap. If the sword is Electric/Ice, then maybe Fire or Brainwash for the pistol?]
[Hare: ...]
After receiving Ren's messages, Hare sent back a string of ellipses and fell silent for a long moment.
Finally, her reply appeared before Ren's eyes.
[Hare: I don't quite understand what you mean by those attributes, but I relayed the request, and she said it's no problem.]
Seeing Hare's confirmation, the tension Ren had held while waiting instantly evaporated. He let out a long sigh of relief and sank back into the soft sofa.
With Hare's help, his arsenal was getting an immediate upgrade to at least mid-game levels, saving him a lot of trouble. Equipped with new gear, his chances of successfully conquering tomorrow's Palace would surely be much higher.
The only remaining concern was storing the weapons in the real world. If he carried a real sword and gun around, getting through subway security checks would be impossible. He'd have to rely on taxis, but Japanese taxis were notoriously expensive. Which brought him back to the original plan: grinding for cash in Mementos was absolutely necessary.
By the time Ren finished his chat with Hare, the steaming shrimp noodles on the table had gone cold. But Ren, in high spirits, happily ate them anyway.
"Rested enough. Time to keep working on getting stronger."
After clearing the trash from the table, Ren stretched languidly, ready to continue his training. To conserve stamina for tomorrow's Palace exploration, he decided against practicing the basic kendo Mei had taught him.
Personas are the power of the heart. The stronger the user's spirit, the stronger the Persona becomes, potentially even leading to evolution. Therefore, mental training was essential. Techniques like Maruki's mindfulness exercises from the game could restore SP and even boost attack power.
While Ren couldn't access Takuto Maruki right now, Mei had taught him a mental training technique earlier today, similar to those exercises: the meditation method of Hokushin Itto-ryu. This meditation wasn't related to basic kendo practice but focused on cultivating and sharpening mental strength, which was why Mei had taught it to him early on.
Ren theorized that this kendo meditation could similarly restore his SP, perhaps even enhance his attack power. Practicing it when he needed to conserve physical energy would definitely be useful in battle, improving his SP recovery rate and efficiency!
Following the method Mei had instructed, Ren sat cross-legged on the living room floor. He gently closed his eyes, placing his hands in the Dharmadhatu Meditation Mudra [A specific hand position] on his lap, his chest rising and falling rhythmically with his breathing.
As he deepened into the kendo meditation, the chaos and stray thoughts in Ren's mind gradually cleared, leaving behind a state of lucid clarity. His entire body relaxed profoundly.