After an intense, heart-pounding struggle through the Palace, the group finally reached the throne room.
As they approached, the air became stiflingly oppressive, thick like congealed mercury, making it difficult even to breathe.
Unsurprisingly, Kamoshida's Shadow awaited them there, radiating madness.
Clutching a dazzling, golden crown, it glared at them through bloodshot eyes, panting raggedly:
"You damned brats! How dare you humiliate the great King Kamoshida…and now you want to steal my treasure?! Unforgivable! I no longer want your servitude—I'll kill you all myself! I'll break every single bone in your worthless bodies, inch by inch!"
"You got guts? Come at me, asshole!"
Ryuji charged forward, thrusting a defiant finger at the Shadow:
"You're just a pathetic creep who abuses students by hiding behind your teacher's status! Step outside those school gates, and you're nothing but a disgusting old man! I'll smash your ugly face in right here, right now!"
"Shut your mouth! You brats haven't tasted true suffering!"
Confronted with Ryuji's fiery determination, Kamoshida's Shadow sneered even more viciously.
Though driven mad by emotions suppressed for days by Rinto's seal, the Shadow remained a reflection of Kamoshida's twisted logic:
"You spoiled brats know nothing of true pain, true humiliation! Do you think I got into the national team easily? How many beatings did I endure from my coaches? How many years did I spend groveling, begging, being spat on, just to prove myself on the Olympic stage? And when I won—it was my victory, through my own strength! I earned everything I have!"
The Shadow placed the exaggerated crown upon its head—the physical embodiment of Kamoshida's heart, a crown forged from Olympic medals, symbolizing fame, worship, and adulation.
Its oppressive aura swelled, forcing the Phantom Thieves back a step.
"The sycophants who changed their tune when they saw my success, the bootlickers begging for my favor, and those shallow fans who worship winners and see nothing but my gold medals—they built this Palace for me!"
"Did you truly think I was free to abuse students just because I was a teacher? Those brats who wanted special treatment, those stupid girls who wanted to feel special—they came to me willingly! They all used my reputation for their own benefit, wearing my name proudly, thinking they shared in my glory! Why shouldn't I take something from them in return?!"
"Only those idiots who refused me never realized how valuable my attention was! And if I just showed a little force, they'd obediently comply. Even their parents—many of them were more than willing to—"
—Bang!!!
Mid-rant, the Shadow's obnoxious monologue was silenced by a sudden gunshot from Rinto, blowing a sizable chunk from its grotesque horse-like face.
The Shadow froze, stunned, clutching desperately at its mangled head and the gaping hole where its left eye had been:
"Aaaargh! My royal eye—!"
Rinto spoke calmly: "Don't let the Shadow's twisted logic fool you. They have no true reason—only crystallized desire."
He flipped open the revolver's cylinder, replacing the fired round with practiced ease:
"All scum justify themselves with twisted logic, blaming their actions on 'human nature.'"
"But that's obviously wrong. Humans have reason to control their impulses, ideals to seek something better. Desire and animal instinct might be part of us, perhaps even fuel for ambition—but never our whole nature."
With the clean snap of his revolver's cylinder returning into place, the others snapped back to reality.
"That's right!"
Ann tore off her mask fiercely, lunging straight toward the wailing Shadow:
"All that trashy talk to justify yourself—you're nothing but a predator! For the sake of every victim, past and future, I'll purge you right now, you scumbag!"
"That's why I say you're just brats—!!"
The injured Shadow twisted violently, losing all remnants of human shape!
Its rampant desires boiled over like foul water, coalescing amidst Ann's flames into a grotesque, distorted demon.
The crowned demon swatted away the Persona's flames and continued spouting filth in its warped voice:
"You brainless girls with oversized chests will only become prey once you step into society anyway! I merely gave you special care early, even offering to help you enter prestigious universities! Open your legs obediently and become my lovers—that's the best future for women like you!"
Kasumi recoiled dramatically: "Ughhh! I literally can't listen anymore—gross, gross, gross!"
Sumire spoke icily: "There are plenty of men far superior to pathetic scum like you! Someone who inflates their ego after one achievement and objectifies women isn't even worthy of being called an athlete!"
The twins' fury rose together at the Shadow's filthy rant.
[Snow Queen] and [Cinderella] coordinated flawlessly, dodging the Shadow demon's deadly volleyball strikes and swiftly severing its monstrous arms with sharp, synchronized kicks!
"Gyaaaaaah!!"
The demon shrieked even louder:
"I recognize you now—those arrogant gymnastics twins who don't appreciate favors!"
"Do you have any idea how far you could have risen if I'd endorsed you? Fame, success, wealth—even after retirement, you'd make a fortune—!"
Ha—the twins almost burst out laughing.
Kasumi snapped, "We can win championships and earn money perfectly fine by ourselves—sorry you have to struggle so much, ugly!"
Sumire added dryly, "You probably don't know this, but we've received literally hundreds of commercial offers. If we wanted, we could earn several times your annual income with ease."
"…What?"
The Shadow suddenly froze, baffled:
"But you're just teenagers… mere high-schoolers—how can you earn so much already? Is this what it means to be a winner? Just because you're pretty girls?!"
Kasumi & Sumire declared simultaneously, proudly:
"Exactly—because we're beautiful, and exceptional athletes!"
Their decisive words sapped the Shadow's strength, shaking its very essence to the core.
And that was enough.
Even without his intervention, Rinto knew the others could easily conquer this hideous avatar of twisted desire.
His role now was simply to finish the job.
"[Eros]."
Rinto summoned his Persona, raising his revolver steadily.
The brilliant Persona dissolved into a glowing radiance, merging into Rinto's weapon and transforming it into a dazzling, golden handgun blazing with solar brilliance.
Even Kamoshida's Shadow, still frantically battling the others, sensed the imminent threat. Its eyes snapped toward Rinto desperately:
"—You! It was you all along! Why must you oppose me?!"
"I know you're powerful… If you want, I can let you do anything at school—I'll even share my slaves! If you're bored with high schoolers, how about college girls? Or even middle schoolers—I have connections with the sports committees—!"
"[Eros]."
Ignoring its revolting babble entirely, Rinto aimed directly at the grotesque, shapeless manifestation of wicked desire:
"[Bullet of Desire]."
The Fool pulled the trigger, and pure primordial desire cleansed everything.
The twisted impulse was eradicated; corrupted branches severed cleanly away.
Everything returned to its original, primal state—the moment of life's pure beginning, awaiting the opportunity to bloom anew.