Phantom Thieves of Hope - A Danganronpa X Persona 5 Story.

Chapter 98: Between Clues and Confusion

Anti HERO - Persona 5 Strikers

Massive gears clanked overhead, rotating in perfect sync, while conveyor belts lined the floors, stretching across the massive room like arteries pumping mechanical life into every corner. The air buzzed with the hum of machinery, filling their ears with an overwhelming static.

It was dark, save for the faint glow of red and yellow hazard lights lining the walls and the occasional flash of sparks flying from a half-assembled robot arm in the corner.

"Geez, this place is a maze," Razor muttered, eyeing a set of metal crates that looked like they were strategically placed to form a dead-end.

"We'll figure it out," Leprechaun said, sounding more confident than he looked as he studied the walls, covered in intricate circuitry. "There has to be a way through here. We just need to solve...whatever this is."

He pointed to a large control panel that stood in the center of the room. It was covered in an array of buttons, switches, and levers, each labeled in a language none of them recognized. Mozart sighed, stepping closer to the panel and running her fingers over the controls, as if that might somehow bring the solution to her.

"Nope. Not even gonna try," she pouted. "Any ideas, Sleuth? You're great with puzzles, right?"

The group turned to Shuichi, who felt the heat of their hopeful stares. He swallowed, nodding slightly as he approached the console.

"I can't promise anything, but I'll give it a shot," he said, his voice a little strained with pressure.

After all, this wasn't just some puzzle on paper. This was a Palace, a distortion of reality. Anything could happen if he got it wrong.

His fingers hovered over the switches, examining each one as he thought through every possible combination, trying to detect some sort of pattern in the chaos. He flipped a lever cautiously, watching as a small light flickered green for a second, then blinked off.

He furrowed his brows, undeterred, and tried pressing a button this time, only for an alarm to blare through the room. He jumped back as a flashing red "Error" message appeared on a screen above the console.

Fortunately, the Phantom Thieves had already taken out most of the Shadows in the area. Had they not done that in advance, they would have for sure come running. Which luckily gave Sleuth more time to think.

"Ugh...it's trickier than I thought," he admitted, scratching the back of his neck in embarrassment. He could feel his cheeks warming under the scrutiny of the others.

"Don't worry, Shuichi!" Highwayman stepped up, patting him on the shoulder reassuringly. "If anyone can figure it out, it's you."

"Yeah," Sandbox added, smiling gently. "It just takes time. Maybe there's something we're missing. Like...a clue hidden somewhere nearby?"

"Aren't you the one with the scanner?" Lab-Rat pointed out. "Why don't YOU solve it?"

"Hacking into the entire security system isn't as easy as you make it sound," she retorted. "I can try to look for structural weaknesses and data streams, but that could take forever."

"We believe in you, Sleuth!" Usami hopped forward, tilting her head as she scanned the panel with wide, curious eyes. "This puzzle looks tough, but that only means the solution will be that much more satisfying!"

Sleuth nodded, taking a deep breath. He'd felt his fair share of pressure as a detective, but something about this situation...the high stakes, the constant beeping and clicking of machinery, the eyes of his friends...made it even more daunting.