Ren amamiya, a new transfer student at shujin academy in tokyo, moves in with his family friend sojiro sakura after being wrongly placed on probation for defending a woman from sexual assault. on his way to school, he notices an app that transfers him to the metaverse, where people's shadows or distorted versions of themselves reside. in this world, ren awakens his persona, a power that gives him strength to fight against evil. with other troubled students, he forms the phantom thieves of hearts, who aim to save people from their sinful desires by "taking their heart," causing evildoers to regret their actions and turn over a new leaf. the group's reputation grows rapidly, attracting both positive and negative attention. however, during their peak popularity, ren is captured and placed in custody. he wakes up to an interrogation but is cut short when sae niijima, a prosecutor seeking answers, arrives. how will she react to his story, and what will happen to the phantom thieves?