And Ren is on edge, expecting an attack, but the misery of seeing Akechi like this weighs so heavily on him that his reaction time is just a little slower than it could be. He twists to the side but only manages to fall against the—ropes, tentacles, he doesn't know—whatever they are, they cage him in on either side, restricting his movement.

Trapped, he calls on Raoul, and a riot gun cascades down from the ceiling in a burst of golden chaos, targeted not at Akechi but at the black things keeping Ren in place. At the same time, he draws his dagger and tries to slash at them. His body thrums with adrenaline and fear; a sharper, more painful fear than he's ever felt in the Metaverse before, except for one time in December, in the engine room of Shido's Palace.