"Ann."
"Huh?"
As they crouched and moved along the wall into the Palace, Ann Takamaki, who was following behind Taichi, suddenly spoke in a very low voice.
"Just call me Ann."
Ann explained. "Thank you for everything with Shiho, and for supporting me just now. So, just call me by my name."
Exchanging names! In Japan, especially in high school, exchanging names is a serious matter. Only close friends or lovers call each other by their first names. Ann doing it now meant she had accepted Taichi. Of course, it was as a friend.
"Ann... then you can just call me Taichi," Taichi mumbled, feeling a little awkward. "Even though I just warned you, Ann... when you see Shadow Kamoshida, don't act recklessly. Use reason to suppress your anger."
"Just stand behind me and curse him with all you've got. Do not charge in. If we can't react in time, you'll die."
"...Curse him? What do you mean?" Ann asked, confused.
"I mean, use the foulest words you know to curse him out."
"I agree with that," Morgana said, having slowed down to join their conversation. "Until we find the Treasure, fighting Kamoshida will serve no purpose other than to vent our anger. But if you let your anger control you and get pulled into a fight you can't escape, you'll be in serious danger."
"Okay, I'll remember," Ann nodded. But then, as if she was still worried, she poked Taichi in the lower back. "If I can't control my emotions and try to charge in... Taichi-kun, please hold me back."
[Tch, you're so soft! Kid, let me use your body, and I'll tear through this place for you!] Mordred tried to tempt Taichi again to let her have some fun.
'[I'm not planning to fall out with these high schoolers. So as for tearing through this place, let's save that for the final battle in this Palace. Mordred, be patient. You'll get your chance to cause some chaos.]'
Taichi was very aware of his own strength. Relying on the sharpness of his weapon and the sturdiness of his armor, he could handle the weak Shadows, but fighting the Palace's master... with his combat reactions and talent, he'd be useless. Most importantly, he was afraid of pain and couldn't handle his body being attacked. So he planned to let Mordred take over during the final battle after the Phantom Thieves sent the calling card. As for whether Mordred would give his body back... aside from X being able to help Taichi take it back in a second, Mordred's personality would prevent her from doing such a thing. Even though she'd rebelled against Artoria and caused the downfall of Britain, she still had the pride of a Knight of the Round Table. She might be a renegade, but she would never be a demon.
The Western-style king's castle felt a bit small. Or perhaps, the rooms inside this 'Palace' that Kamoshida had created were just cramped. Everything about it screamed of cheapness and stinginess. Added to that was the dim, dark lighting... It was probably due to Kamoshida's low social status, making him unfamiliar with high society. In any case, Taichi felt less like he was in a 'Palace' and more like a love hotel.
Ren Amamiya, who was leading the way, suddenly stopped.
"What is it? Did you find something?" Morgana scurried to his side and asked.
"I can hear Kamoshida's voice," Ren replied, pointing to a large door not far away.
"Huh? You can? I don't hear anything," Ryuji said, wiggling his ears, trying to catch Kamoshida's voice. He heard nothing.
"You'd make a great Phantom Thief!" Morgana said, looking at Ryuji with disdain, then his eyes lit up as he looked at Ren. He was literally glowing. Ann Takamaki was so startled she took a step back.
The five of them crouched by the door and peeked through a crack. Kamoshida's strange, distorted voice came through.
"...Hurry! Find the intruders! The damned thieves are getting more and more arrogant, breaking into my Palace without permission!"
"Ahhh~ Professor Kamoshida in a rage, so handsome!"
"Hiss—" Ann Takamaki wrapped her arms around herself, shivering. "What is that voice? I feel like I've heard it somewhere before."
Ryuji turned his head, looking at Ann with a strange expression.
"Of course it sounds familiar. It's your voice," Ren replied.
"Huh?" Ann Takamaki blinked in confusion.
"Kamoshida created a 'Shadow Ann Takamaki' in his Palace," Ryuji explained. "Except for the personality, that girl is exactly the same as you in every way."
"Ann... that's a great figure," Taichi said, taking off his helmet and peeking in. He couldn't help but give Ann a thumbs up.
"Huh? What?" Ann, who was at the very back and hadn't gotten a look yet, pushed Ryuji away and peeked through the crack. "...What?! What's going on in there?! Why is that 'Shadow Ann Takamaki' shamelessly wearing something like that and openly clinging to Kamoshida?!"
"Who's there?!"
Ann's voice, which had come out of her because of her emotional shock, instantly caught the attention of the Shadows inside. The Phantom Thieves were exposed.
"You're too loud!" Taichi immediately put his helmet back on and raised his greatsword, protecting Ann. "But I understand why!"
"Arsène!"
"Captain Kidd!"
"Zoro!"
The other three immediately charged in perfect synchrony.
"Tch! It's you guys again! You've already gotten this far?!" Shadow Kamoshida's face darkened as he looked at Ren, Ryuji, and Morgana. When his gaze landed on Ann's face, he paused, and then a thick, lecherous evil filled his eyes.
"Oh my! Oh my! You've delivered another princess to me! You little thieves!"
"Go! Slaughter the thieves! And capture the princess!"
At Kamoshida's command, the armored Shadows surrounding him immediately charged toward the door.
"Now is not the time for a head-on fight, everyone! Strategic retreat!" Taichi warned, trying to keep the hot-blooded Phantom Thieves from getting trapped.
"Wait! Take down that shameless Shadow who has my face first!" Ann wailed.