, Record: Rebellion's Illusion is an event in NieR Reincarnation. It covers part one of a mysterious momentary convergence of two worlds, preceding Record: Rebellion's Reality. Joker and Queen suddenly find themselves working with Hina Akagi as a suicide phenomena takes hold of many residents of Shibuya, including one of Hina's close friends. This tale was released as part of the NieR Re[in]carnation X Persona 5 Royal crossover.
Story[]
Part 1[]
"Hi there."
"It's been a while since we last talked."
"So, uh..."
"I've decided to kill myself."
"In Shibuya."
"With other people who are suffering just like me."
Once upon a time, in a place called Shibuya...
Concrete shimmers under the glare of a scorching midsummer sun. Social media is abuzz with news of a particular club. This group, comprised of young people, invites their peers to participate in planned mass suicides. Giant television screens, symbols of the area, display a nonstop feed of news related to the group.
Atop a nearby building stands a man and a woman dressed in black. They gaze at the hustle and bustle of the city below. One of them, the woman, looks quizzically at the man next to her and poses a question:
"Why do we look like this if we're in Shibuya?"
"Weren't we just in Mementos?"
She leans over, quietly observing every corner of the metropolis below. Suddenly, a voice rings out behind them.
"Wait! Just stop and think for a moment!"
The man and woman turn around to find a girl dressed in a high school uniform. Out of breath, she looks at the black-clad pair with wide, worried eyes.
"Please don't do this," she blurts out. "You don't have to die. No matter what horrible things have happened, I know you have a reason to live. So let's just talk, okay?"
There is desperation in the girl's voice as the words gush forth. The roof of the building is the perfect place from which to jump. The pair regarded the girl with suspicion at first, but now realize her misunderstanding. The woman keeps a distance from the girl as she turns to the man. "She seems friendly enough, don't you think?"
Relief washes across the girl's face; she's clearly happy they're talking and not taking some other terrible action.
"You want to talk, right?" confirms the man. "Then let's talk. We have something we want to ask you."
Part 2[]
The high school girl and suspicious-looking duo make for an odd trio indeed. After bringing together some desks and chairs that lay discarded on the roof, they begin an uneasy conversation. Having seen their unusual outfits, the girl feared the pair was participating in the suicide club that has been the talk of the town. She goes on to explain how she received a message from an old friend the other day. A friend who is now a member of the club.
The girl's reeling head is filled with a single thought: finding her friend and ensuring she lives.
The man and woman, however, seem unaware of the club's existence. Now that the girl realizes they do not intend themselves harm, relief washes over her like a wave.
Having heard her tale, the woman leans in and speaks. "Now it's our turn to ask questions. This is Shibuya, right?"
The large screens that serve as the symbol of the area are clearly visible from atop the roof. Why would the woman ask a question with so obvious an answer? The girl hesitates, unsure of the intent behind the question.
Just then, a cacophony of screams fly from the crosswalk below. The trio look down from the roof as panic fills their hearts. They behold a horrid sight, one which leaves them at a loss for words: Young people are gathered on the roof of another building, poised to leap. And in the center, the girl spies her childhood friend. She has taken the lead, and the rest seem keen to follow. There isn't time to save her. It is impossible.
――And yet, she will try.。
As the girl thrusts her hand into the air, the world...shifts.
Space collapses. Scenery crumbles.
The girl is overwhelmed by a vertigo so powerful it threatens to steal away the memory of her very name.
The man and woman take a wary step back; they have seen this phenomenon before.――
Oh yes. They know it very well.
Disregarding their companion's panic, they exchange the briefest of glances. The woman then speaks:
"Feels like we just infiltrated a Palace, doesn't it?"
Part 3[]
The high school girl regains consciousness and recalls her own name. Beside her are the man and woman in black. Before her is a world enveloped in darkness. Floor, walls, and ceiling, they are surrounded on all sides by massive tanks of water. It's as if she has been transported to an aquarium. The young people who had so recently been ready to leap off buildings have transformed into merfolk who now swim gracefully through the water.
Unease grips the girl's heart in its fist, but the woman seems familiar with such worlds.
"Let's pin down this situation," she says calmly.
"We went from an unfamiliar Shibuya to this place. The question is how—and why?"
The man in black says nothing, preferring to calmly observe the situation. If he has a guess, he keeps it to himself.
As they each come to terms with their confusion, a question lingers in the girl's mind:
――What happened to my friend?
The moment she asks it, she hears her friend's faint cry.
"No... Stay away from me..."
For some reason, the girl is the only one who can hear her. The voice almost seems to be pushing her away.
Suddenly, the merfolk leap from the tanks. They glare at the girl, spitting venomous words from their mouths.
"Get out of here!"
The merfolk seem to find the girl unpleasant. They abruptly lunge at her, yet the girl remains frozen in place. As a scream erupts from the depths of her throat...――
The man and woman leap in front of her. They stand ready, weapons in hand, prepared to fight back against the merfolk.
A sword draws beautiful arcs in the air.
The muzzle of a gun flashes brilliantly.
They are at home in battle, easily dodging and parrying whatever attacks the merfolk deploy. Soon the enemy falls, and the woman begins to piece the puzzle together. The merfolk attacked the girl, and the Ruler of this space seems to know of her as well. The man turns to the girl and says:
"We also know of this world. Let's negotiate."
"Negotiate" is not a word she hears every day, and it only increases her panic. But the man doesn't hesitate.
"We want to return to our original world, and we need information from you to do that. Give us an answer if you're willing to negotiate."
A thought comes to her then:
She can follow her friend's voice with these two in tow. Perhaps doing so will unmask the truth of this incomprehensible space—and even prevent her suicide.――
"I will help you," says the girl. "But first, I need you to help me."
As the girl makes her bargain with her new companions, she realizes she does not even know their names.
Part 4[]
The high school girl and the pair clad in black weave through the merfolk's obstacles as they follow the voice of a missing friend. In the depths of this space, they find a round, pearl-like object resting within a clamshell. And to its side is a beautiful mermaid with tears streaming down her face.
But the new form does not fool this girl.
This is her friend. She is alive.
With all her heart, the girl begins her plea.
"Please, you don't have to die. You can still change your mind.
――You're not the only one whose life has been difficult."
She then begins to tell of her own past hardships. After her parents divorced, her days were lived hand-to-mouth. Her father began to suffer from a severe mental illness. Her reality became one of despair—yet while she often found herself wishing for release, she had never been able to take decisive action.――But now, in her desperation to save her friend, the girl lays bare all her old wounds.
Yet her friend is unmoved. This is a world for those who choose death. Those swimming in the tanks are people who were unable to overcome their despair.
"You are strong of heart. You do not belong here. Why did you come to this place?"
Her friend speaks in an anguished tone.
Suddenly, she begins to grow and swell. Before the girl knows it, she is staring at the gaping maw of an enormous monster. The man and woman ready themselves. The other merfolk bow reverently to the monstrous friend. When that happens, the woman speaks.
"She must be the Ruler of this space."
While the girl cannot comprehend what this place even is, she understands her friend is leading the suicide club. The friend—now a monster—glowers at the intruders. "Oh, I see... You've come to take my Treasure."
The man starts. "A Treasure—and a Ruler? That means..."
The friend wraps her arms around the pearl as if protecting it, causing cracks to emerge in the tanks all around them. As water begins to rush in, she glides easily against the current and disappears somewhere far above. A torrent floods into the space. The girl braces herself for the oncoming waves.
I don't want to die here! I have to save my friend!
As she inhales—knowing it is likely the last breath she will ever take—she suddenly feels...lighter. The man has picked her up in his arms. Without a sound, he and the woman begin to run.
――They fly across a path of bricks that rests just above the water.
With a swift dash, they move left.
With a nimble leap, they move right.
It's like a choreographed dance, one the girl cannot begin to follow.
Finally, the trio finds themselves in a place of safety. The girl does not know how to feel. Though she is relieved to be alive, she is filled with mourning for her friend. But the duo in black have an idea. They claim this world is called a Palace. And if that is true, it means they may be able to steal the pearl and change the friend's heart.
"Change her heart? Steal?"
Though the girl hears the words, they lack all meaning.
"I suppose we haven't introduced ourselves yet," says the woman. She glances at the man, who nods.
"We are the Phantom Thieves of Hearts."
They will do whatever it takes to save her friend and return to the world from whence they came. With new confidence, the girl and the Phantom Thieves press forward into the eldritch space.
Soon, they will reach the end.
Event Characters and Weapons[]
Medal Exchange[]
Gacha Banners[]
- Caged Rebel (Joker) | Rebel Knife (1H Sword)
- Virtuous Priestess (Queen) | Brass Knuckles (Fists)
Others[]
- Jack Frost (Companion) as a Login Reward
Gallery[]
