"I can't believe you evaded the police's network until today… The only logical explanation is that someone in the police has ties to the Phantom Thieves… Explain yourself!"
—Sae Niijima interrogating the protagonist about Goro Akechi.
The protagonist automatically starts Akechi's Confidant on June 10th, during a social studies trip to a TV station. In Persona 5, the Confidant is automatically ranked during certain story events. As such, he gains no points regardless of dialogue chosen.
In Persona 5 Royal, Akechi's Confidant is now manual. However, in a similar vein to Tohru Adachi's Social Link, the Confidant freezes at Rank 8 and becomes story-based going forward, meaning Ranks 9 and 10 are largely unchanged. He can be found in Kichijoji outside the Darts and Billiards club Penguin Sniper at night, even on rainy days. Maxing out his Confidant will also make it possible to see the altered true ending cutscene. The final day for completing Rank 8 of Akechi's Confidant is November 17th.
Completing Akechi's Confidant enables the fusion of Metatron. Akechi does not have a farewell gift for the protagonist on 3/19.
"I have to ask—why do you get so competitive against me?"
Do I?
0
0
I don't know.
0
0
We're rivals, aren't we?
+2
+1
Rank 8
If the protagonist loses against Akechi, the Confidant will not progress. The player must then challenge Akechi to a rematch and win in order to rank up the Confidant.
"Remember what I told you? If you ever won against me using my right hand, I'd take you on with everything I've got."
I thought you meant in pool.
0
0
You want to fight?
0
0
But why, though?
0
0
"Thus, I've built up this urge to duel you without holding anything back."
All right.
0
0
Let's do this.
0
0
"You've caught up to me on this front already, too..."
Are you satisfied?
0
0
Was that all you've got?
0
0
Do you want to keep going?
0
0
"In all honesty, it's to the point that I'd be relying on you in a pinch."
I'd say the same for you.
0
0
The feeling's mutual.
0
0
"By the way, about that duel—if we had fought to the end, do you see yourself winning?"
I definitely wouldn't lose.
+3
+2
I don't know.
0
0
Probably.
0
0
"...You're the one person I refuse to lose to."
Same here.
+1
+1
Really hate losing, don't you?
+3
+2
"Should the opponent accept the glove, the duel is also accepted."
I accept.
0
0
Let me think about it.
0
0
Rank 9
Ranks 9 and 10 are automatically triggered during Shido's Palace if Rank 8 is complete.
Rank 10
Rank 10
Response
Points (W)
Points (W/O)
"Change Shido's heart... in my stead... End his crimes... Please!"
You better deliver your promise.
0
0
I'll hold on to your glove.
0
0
To gain Akechi's ultimate Persona, at least one of the following two options must be chosen:
During Rank 7, choose "You're my rival."
During Rank 8, win against him in battle then choose "I accept."
If the criteria above has been met, the protagonist will be able to confirm their choice:
On the night of the day you secure the Treasure route to Shido's Palace, choose "I want to keep our promise."
On the path to the true ending, Akechi will meet with the protagonist on the evening of 2/2. Choose "We're stopping Maruki." This will then cause Akechi's Persona to transform into Hereward.
The subsequent True Ending on the 20th of March will also be altered as long as the protagonist maxed Akechi's Confidant, regardless if his third awakening occurred.
For the events that occur should the protagonist not fulfill Akechi's promise, see here.
February 2nd
Story event in February 2
Response
Points (W)
Points (W/O)
"Don't tell me you think dangling my life before us is going to have any impact on our decision."
"And if I heard right, you two have some sort of professional agreement?"
What of it?
+2
+2
It's nothing bad.
+2
+2
How about these fish, huh?
0
0
Trivia[]
In Persona 5 Royal, ranks 2 to 8 of Akechi's old Confidant scenes from Persona 5 are no longer part of his new Confidant path and are instead regular cutscenes.
In Persona 5 Royal, the "I am thou" incantation that Lavenza usually speaks when a Confidant is unlocked is instead spoken by Sumire Yoshizawa when the Justice confidant is unlocked.
During the story event on February 2nd, one of the protagonist's dialogue options when Akechi calls his life trivial was "This isn't small potatoes." With a small post-release update, the line was changed to "This isn't trivial."
