Part 1 Monetary Monster Harem (TF/TG)

The Phantom Thieves had been in Kaneshiro’s Palace for too long.

They had fought through endless guards, dodged traps, and outmaneuvered security systems more times than they could count. No matter how far they got, Kaneshiro always seemed one step ahead, tightening security every time they made progress.

Now, gathered inside a Safe Room, the group took a moment to catch their breath.

Morgana, sitting on the table, flicked his tail. Something felt… off.

“I don’t like this,” he muttered, his ears twitching.

Ann, still catching her breath, looked up. “What do you mean?”

Morgana frowned. “The Palace feels… different. I can’t put my paw on it, but it’s like the whole place has started shifting.”

Makoto adjusted her gloves, thinking. “Could it be Kaneshiro’s cognition warping?”

Yusuke nodded, deep in thought. “A distinct possibility. The longer we remain here, the more likely his perception of us has changed… and not for the better.”

Morgana’s tail flicked again. “We should leave soon. If Kaneshiro’s cognition twists even more, it might start affecting us directly.”

“Damn it,” Ryuji muttered, running a hand through his hair. “I hate to admit it, but Mona’s got a point. This place is kickin’ our asses.”

Joker crossed his arms, thinking. The team was tired, but leaving now would mean coming back later when Kaneshiro might double security even more.

Makoto noticed his hesitation. “I say we make one last push.”

Ryuji blinked. “Huh?”

She leaned forward, serious. “Just one more Safe Room deeper. One last attempt at progress before we leave.”

Everyone exchanged glances. It was a risky move.

But then Ann smirked. “If Queen’s saying we go for it, then let’s go for it.”

Fox closed his eyes, considering it. “It’s reckless. But… I must admit, I despise leaving a work unfinished.”

Joker nodded. “Alright. One last push.”

Morgana sighed. “Figures. You’re all impossible.” He hopped down. “Fine, but let’s move fast.”

—

The Phantom Thieves burst out of the Safe Room, moving swiftly through the golden halls of Kaneshiro’s massive bank.

The entire place was obnoxiously extravagant—gold columns, velvet carpets, and chandeliers the size of cars.

But it wasn’t just fancy. It was bizarre.

Everywhere they looked, citizens with ATM bodies werebodies, were mindlessly handing over money to the guards.

Clink. Clink.
 Beep! Transfer Complete.
 A payment has been made to Kaneshiro Bank. Thank you for your cooperation.

The masked guards, massive and suited in banker-style uniforms, collected the endless wealth being fed to them.

Joker held up a fist, signaling the team to stay low. They ducked behind a set of golden desks as a security shadow passed by.

Makoto clenched her fists. “This place is… disgusting.”

Ann’s lips curled in anger. “He’s turned people into walking wallets.”

Yusuke narrowed his eyes. “This place is less a bank… and more a feeding ground.”

Ryuji gritted his teeth. “Tch. Damn bastard.”

Above them, fake yen bills rained from the sky, fluttering down slowly.

They weren’t real. As soon as they touched the floor, a wall, or any object, they simply vanished.

It was like Kaneshiro’s wealth was infinite, but never really there.

A bank that prints value out of nothing… that absorbs everything and gives nothing in return.

Joker gave the signal, and the team moved forward, sneaking past another wave of ATM citizens and security guards.

They were so close.

Just one more Safe Room…

Just one more push to make progress…

—

The Phantom Thieves finally reached the deepest Safe Room they had managed to access so far.

The massive, reinforced vault door loomed ahead of them, still sealed shut, taunting them with how close yet completely inaccessible it was.

Ryuji leaned against the wall, rubbing his forehead. “Man… Why the hell am I so dizzy all of a sudden?”

Ann sighed, holding her head. “Ugh… same here. It’s like my brain’s buzzing, but I don’t know why.”

“Maybe you two just pushed yourselves too hard,” Morgana suggested, hopping onto the table. “We’ve been running non-stop.”

Joker gave them a concerned glance but didn’t say anything. They had all been exhausted, but something about their dizziness felt off.

They sat down, ready for one last strategy meeting before retreating—

Suddenly, a loud, distorted voice BLASTED through the gold-plated speakers, shaking the entire hallway.

“I KNOW YOU'RE STILL IN HERE!”

The team snapped to attention, looking around as the walls seemed to vibrate with Kaneshiro’s words.

“You’re really testing my patience, you damn brats. But it’s fine… You’ve been here so long, I’m sure my wealth is already crawling into your bones.
 You’re already mine. You just don’t know it yet.”

His laughter echoed through the corridors, oily and self-satisfied.

“I OWN EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE! AHAHAHA!”

Ryuji winced, clutching his head. “Ugh, could he be any louder!?”

Makoto’s eyes narrowed. “Wait—does he sound… Different to anyone else? Like he’s—”

The sound of fluttering money filled the air.

Morgana’s ears flicked sharply. “Wait. Something’s off.”

He turned toward the air around them—the ever-present money fluttering down from the ceiling was… moving differently.

Makoto gasped. “The money! It’s…!”

She raised her hand, watching as a bill landed on her palm.

It melted into her skin like liquid gold.

Her breath caught.

“What…?”

Ann yelped, frantically brushing at her arms. “N-No way! It’s sinking into my glove…!”

Joker clenched his fist, staring at his hand. The golden dust swirled under his own gloves, like something was trying to seep inside him.

Yusuke, however, remained still.

“…Strange.” Yusuke turned his hand, studying it. The money seemingly passing right through him just like before. “I don’t feel anything at all.”

Morgana’s fur bristled. “This is bad. This is really bad.”

Makoto’s voice turned sharp. “What did he do? Is this dangerous? Mona, please…!”

"I own this Bank," Kaneshiro’s voice slithered through the speakers again, now with an edge of absolute confidence.
 "And now… I own you."

The rain of money grew heavier.

“If my guards can’t take you down… then I’ll just BUY each and every one of you myself.”

The Phantom Thieves froze.

A chill ran down their spines.

Joker gritted his teeth. The traps, the endless security, the time spent fighting—had it all just been a delaying tactic?

Whatever this was, it really seemed like Kaneshiro stepped up his game, and the Phantom Thieves were running out of time.

Kaneshiro’s twisted laughter still echoed through the Safe Room, and the golden dust swirling in the air wasn’t going away. They needed a plan… and fast.

Makoto sighed, rubbing her forehead. “We need to decide now. Do we push forward or retreat?”

There was a moment of silence. The idea of running away was tempting… It was the safest choice, but before anyone could agree to it…

“No way in hell,” Ryuji snapped. “Whatever that bastard’s planning ain’t just gonna go away if we leave.”

Ann hesitated. “But Ryuji, if we stay and get caught in…”

“And if we leave, you think it's magically going to get better?” Ryuji interrupted. “You wanna give him more time and let him set up more traps? Hell no! We gotta figure this out now.”

Makoto crossed her arms, considering. “Then we need a way past that vault door.”

Ann nodded. “I had a feeling about it before. Those laser security halls… I think they lead to some kind of override.”

Makoto’s eyes narrowed in thought. “If we could sneak past that maze…”

Morgana’s tail flicked. “Then we might be able to unlock the vault.”

Joker glanced at the map on his thief gauntlet, checking the possible routes. The laser halls were tricky… but it was the best shot they had.

“Alright, then let’s split into two groups,” Morgana suggested. “One team takes the left path, the other takes the right. How about this: Ann, Yusuke. You are coming with me.”

“Then I guess Joker, Ryuji and I are going on the other side.” Makoto continued, as Morgana nodded in agreement.

Ryuji shook his head. “Nah. Not yet.”

Everyone turned to look at him.

“There’s somethin’ I wanna check out first,” he said, arms crossed. “That control room we broke into before… it had access to all the cameras on this floor, right?”

Makoto nodded. “It did, yeah.”

“Then let’s take it back.” Ryuji smirked. “If I get in there first, I can watch the laser maze from the cameras and guide you guys through it.”

Morgana blinked. “…That’s actually a really good idea.”

Yusuke stroked his chin. “If we regain control, we gain information and tactical advantage.”

Makoto nodded. “It’s settled then. You go for the control room first, then we go for the maze. Shouldn't be too hard alone, after all we cleared that room out before.”

Joker turned to Ryuji, placing a firm hand on his shoulder. He met Ryuji’s gaze, full of trust.

His eyes said: "Can you do it?"

Ryuji grinned, fist clenching with confidence. “Hell yeah, I can.”

With that, they split up.

Joker and Makoto moved out together.

Yusuke, Ann, and Morgana took the left path.

And Ryuji sprinted alone, heading straight for the control room.

This was their best shot and Ryuji was gonna make it count.

—

Ryuji crept through the golden hallways, keeping low and quick.

Something was off.

Why the hell is it so quiet?

The security felt lighter than before… Way fewer guards on patrol. He had expected to sprint, dodge, maybe fight his way through, but so far? Nothing.

Ryuji frowned. “Tch… This ain’t right.”

Still, he wasn’t about to complain. Less security meant getting to the control room faster.

As he reached the door, one lone guard stood outside. Easy.

Ryuji snuck up behind him, cracked his knuckles, readied his crowbar and…

BAM!

One solid wack, and the guard hit the floor.

Ryuji shook out his hand. “Man, I forgot how weak these guys are without backup.”

Not wasting time, he kicked open the door to the control room, stepping inside.

Then it happened.

WHOOSH!

Two massive buckets, the kind janitors use, tipped over from above.

A flood of cash rained down on him.

“Wh—Gah!?”

Ryuji barely had time to react before he fell straight on his ass, buried in paper greenery.

Bills fluttered down like a tidal wave, covering his arms, legs, chest, face…

And then…

Ssssshhhhh…!

The cash melted into his skin.

Not slowly. Not like the money in the air before.

This was way more intense. A full dose.

Ryuji gasped. “Wh-what the hell!?”

He tried to push himself up, but the moment his palms hit the ground, the money around him sank straight into his skin.

His fingers trembled.

More money soaked into his hands, spreading up his arms like liquid gold veins.

His muscles felt weird.

His waist suddenly squeezed in, contracting.

His shoulders narrowed, their usual broadness slimming down.

More money. More changes.

Ryuji clenched his jaw. “N-no! Stop it…!”

He struggled, but everywhere he touched, more yen bills melted into his skin.

His legs trembled as his hips expanded, inflating outwards with a sudden POP, making his balance feel completely off.

His breath hitched. “Shit—!”

More money. More absorption.

His arms felt softer. Weaker.

His face burned, a strange tingling overtaking his jaw, his cheeks, his entire structure.

Ryuji’s hand flew to his face.

His cheekbones felt smaller, rounder. His jawline softened, his whole expression morphing into something undeniably… feminine.

His breath came shaky. “N-no way…”

Then…

The rest of the money still surrounding him burst up in a sudden wave.

FWWOOOOM!

A massive pulse of yen notes rushed into his chest, soaking straight through his clothes, straight through his skin.

Ryuji arched back, his breath catching in his throat.

Tightness, heat, pressure.

His chest pushed outward, inflating, growing, rounding…

Two massive, soft, heavy weights formed on his chest, filling out his thief jacket.

Her thief jacket.

A low moan slipped past her lips.

She—he—no, SHE— gasped, blinking rapidly.

Her hands flew to her chest, touching her new body, her new curves, her new… everything.

Her breath trembled. “Wh… What just happened to me?”

She looked down at herself… everything had changed.

And also…

She wasn't sure if she wanted to fight anymore.

Meanwhile Makoto’s eyes narrowed as she heard something weird over the comms.

A soft, almost breathy sigh. A voice that didn’t sound right.

She clicked her earpiece. “Skull? You okay?”

There was a brief pause before Ryuji finally answered.

“Uhh… yeah. I’m okay, And also, not okay.”

Everyone froze.

Ann blinked. “Wait… what?”

Yusuke frowned. “Skull… your voice. It’s… different.”

Joker’s grip on his knife tightened. That wasn’t Ryuji’s usual loud, rough tone.

It was soft, hushed, almost… sultry. Like a lost, sexy girl whispering into the mic.

Morgana’s fur bristled. “Skull. What the hell happened to you!?”

Ryuji groaned, shifting in place. “I-I fell into some kinda trap, and now I’m a girl.”

Ann gasped. “You WHAT!?”

Makoto sat bolt upright. “Are you serious!?”

Ryuji rubbed her face, her fingers brushing over her softer jawline. Everything about her body felt off, from the way her voice sounded to the weight on her chest.

Her chest.

She winced, shifting again as she felt her new curves press against her jacket.

Ann’s voice came back over the line, firm. “Ryuji, do you need backup? We can come to you right now…”

Ryuji stiffened. That was when the thought hit her.

She swallowed. Then she asked a simple question.

“…Why are we fighting Kaneshiro again?”

A heavy silence fell over the comms.

Joker’s eyes darkened.

Makoto’s breath hitched. “Ryuji… what are you talking about?”

Ryuji bit her lip, her mind a mess of conflicting emotions. She knew something was wrong.

But at the same time…

Kaneshiro had money, and guys with money should be obeyed.

Her fingers twitched against the desk.

Her mind was muddy, like her old thoughts were being buried under something new.

She knew Kaneshiro was a scumbag, but… money was money, right?

Her voice came out hesitant, unsure.

“I mean… yeah, he’s a scumbag. But, like… money’s money, right? Maybe we shouldn’t—”

Makoto gritted her teeth. That was it.

She turned to Joker, voice sharp. “We need to get to Ryuji. Now.”

Joker nodded. The whole team was already moving.

But before they could reach her—

The control room door creaked open.

Two massive, suited figures stepped inside.

Two elite guards.

Their eyes glowed gold, their movements eerily synchronized.

They each held different sides of the same massive, human-sized 1 billion yen note, Kaneshiro’s face stamped in the center.

They spoke in perfect unison. “Your loyalty will now be bought.”

Ryuji’s eyes widened. “W-wait, what—?”

SLAM!

They slammed the bill into her chest.

And the second it touched her…

The money swallowed her whole.

And her body swallowed the money whole.

Ryuji arched back, screaming, as the giant bill sank into her chest.

The ink from Kaneshiro’s face melted, spreading like dark tendrils across her skin.

More money. More absorption. More change.

A pulse of golden light surged through her, flashing through her veins like fire.

Her legs trembled… then fused together, bones twisting, muscles stretching, shifting into something massive, coiling, inhuman.

Scales rippled over her skin, their glistening gold patterned with faint imprints of yen bills, as if she herself had been stamped with Kaneshiro’s wealth.

More money. More value. More obedience.

Ryuji’s breath hitched. She felt it pressing into her mind much more heavily now. The idea that money was power. The idea that power deserved obedience.

Her fingers twitched, reaching instinctively for more… more money, more of what Kaneshiro had given her—

Her hair writhed, strands twisting and reshaping, turning into serpentine gold snakes.

Each one hissed softly, their eyes glowing with Kaneshiro’s sigil, their forked tongues flicking the air as if whispering his commands directly into her ears.

Ryuji… no, not Ryuji anymore.

The name no longer felt right.

That boy had been weak. Aimless.

But now… Now she had a purpose.

Her jacket dissolved, replaced by ornate golden jewelry, delicate silks, fabric woven with wealth itself.

She felt powerful. She felt divine. And most importantly…

She belonged to him.

His immeasurable wealth shall guide us. He shall own everything and everyone.

A final pulse of golden energy blasted through her, erasing the last of Ryuji’s thoughts.

Her golden eyes snapped open, pupils now spiraling hypnotically.

She bowed low before the guards, pressing her palms together in reverence.

Her voice was smooth, elegant, unwavering.

"I am Rika… Guardian of Kaneshiro’s wealth. My life and my riches belong to him alone. His immeasurable wealth shall guide us. He shall own everything and everyone!"

The control room doors burst open again, Joker, Ann, Morgana, and Yusuke rushed in.

Then they froze.

Ann gasped, stepping back.

Morgana’s fur bristled, ears pinned back.

Yusuke’s fingers tightened around his katana, but his expression was one of pure disbelief.

Before them stood not their friend—but a towering, golden lamia, her long tail coiled elegantly, her glowing eyes staring at them like thieves caught in the act.

Ann’s breath trembled. She barely whispered…

"No… Is that… Ryuji?"

“No doubt…” Makoto answered, yet her voice was much unsteadier than usual.

Joker’s jaw clenched, his knuckles white around his dagger.

But one thing was clear… This lamia… This monster of the Palace… Was out to get them.

They had to retreat… and fast.

This wasn’t a fight they could win. This wasn't a fight they wanted to win.

This wasn’t just a monster…

This was one of their own, and now, she belonged to Kaneshiro.

—

The phantom thieves have been stuck in Kaneshiro's Bank for quite a while now. So long that it seemingly started to affect them. And Ryuji found out the hard way, that he was in fact very purchasable inside of this distorted metaverse. 

Commissioned by JDBurgers