Akira takes a safe position near the door and cautiously watches the guards patrol. Any openings she can see?

Ann forms up next to her, deeper into the room where the shadows can't see.

These knights have some pretty clear gaps in their patrols, yes. Would Noir rather ambush one toward the goal of clearing the room, or sneak out and make for the stairs?

Sneak for the stairs. She doesn't want to make noise that might attract more guards.

As long as they keep to cover, the teens and not-cat can get most of the way to the stairwell. The hall outside of the stairs is too narrow for them to get around the trio of guards there, though. They'll have to fight.

Noir looks out at the guards, pulls her gun, and holds up a three-count with her other hand. 

Three. 

Two.

One. 

She crouches by the corner and opens fire with her Tkachev.

Clover stands and fires over Akira's shoulder. The gun kicks in her hand, harder than any airsoft weapon should - but she's on target. 

Skull leans out of his own cover and puts a few shells into the nearest guard.

While Mona fires off a few pellets from their slingshot.

Between them, they've dropped the first guard and injured one of the remaining two, both of whom charge, lashing out at Skull and Clover respectively.

Clover falls back - 

Noir sweeps the Shadow's legs from where she is, closer to the floor, then puts a bullet in it before it can get up.

Normally she'd have nothing like the grace to pull that off, but her body feels lighter in the Metaverse. More natural. More her. 

Meanwhile, Mona rolls past the remaining shadow's legs before Skull pumps a shell into its helmet, dropping it as well.

The shadows dissolve, leaving a thousand yen and change behind.

"Yeah! We're doing good!"

Noir scoops the pocket change, nods to Skull, and moves on to the stairwell.

Clover holsters her gun again and moves.

They've got a guard patrolling in here this time. Somehow, despite the gunfire, it's surprised to see them. Sound must not travel well in the Metaverse.

Skull immediately opens fire with his shotgun, knocking it back a few paces.

Noir's still got her pistol drawn: she's lost track of how many bullets are in her mag but she fires anyway, and somehow has... a full mag's worth of ammo again?

Clover stays back - the hall's too narrow for her to fire without risking hitting Noir or Skull.

Mona pulls off their mask, summoning Zorro for a blast of wind to finish the shadow off.

And then it, too, falls and dissolves.

"Clear. Let's move."

Honestly, Noir's having fun. With the weight of their collective weaponry on side, ambushing shadows in small groups is something they seem to just... win. 

Things could still get bad if they're caught, but for now she's enjoying this.

Clover watches behind them for any patrols as they move further into the castle.