"Persona!!!"
Before Veliona could utter her last word, her entire body suddenly dispersed into crimson particles of light, forcibly sent back to Seele's Stigmata space by Ren Amamiya.
The white spirit bird mask, accompanied by azure spectral flames, materialized in Ren Amamiya's palm. As Ren Amamiya threw the white spirit bird mask forward, a pair of enormous black falcon wings instantly unfurled from his back, and Arsene, his Persona clad in red ceremonial attire, appeared in the air behind him.
"....!!!"
Gazing at Arsene, who had suddenly appeared before her, Bronya, though still outwardly calm, couldn't help her slender, light body from trembling.
The miserable memory of being completely crushed by Ren Amamiya's Arsene, with absolutely no room to fight back or struggle, resurfaced and churned in Bronya's mind.
Even though Ren Amamiya had previously mentioned treating her, a strong sense of vigilance instinctively arose in Bronya's heart.
"Diarama!"
Arsene extended its sharp, black claws towards Bronya. From its palm, a white sphere of light, emitting a warm sensation and brimming with vibrant life force, slowly flew out.
After forming a pact with Veliona and transforming her into his Persona, Ren Amamiya's proficiency in healing skills had suddenly improved greatly, and he had spontaneously comprehended the Diarama skill, which was stronger than Dia.
Facing the slowly drifting white light orb, Bronya forcibly suppressed her urge to flee, her body tensing as she allowed the white light orb to merge into her body.
Then, in the next instant, Bronya's eyes widened in amazement at what was happening to her body.
A comfortable sensation, like soaking in a hot spring, flowed through every cell of her body. Under the effect of Ren Amamiya's Diarama skill, the wounds on Bronya's petite body healed at a visible rate.
"...Bronya, injuries fully healed. Combat capability restored."
Bronya lowered her head and touched her body.
Aside from her exposed, tender white skin being stained with some blood and dust, there were no longer any wounds on her body. Not even the slightest scar remained.
The pain that had been gnawing at and tormenting Bronya like a maggot clinging to bone had completely disappeared, leaving her with a sense of lighthearted relief.
The only injuries Ren Amamiya couldn't heal were Bronya's crippled legs and her damaged emotional center in her brain.
However, these two were irreversible conditions that even Anti-Entropy's methods couldn't repair. Bronya hadn't expected Ren Amamiya to be able to heal her completely anyway.
While Anti-Entropy could also heal injuries, it required placing the injured person in a treatment pod in a laboratory, which was far less convenient and quick than Ren Amamiya using his own abilities.
Moreover, the effectiveness of Ren Amamiya's healing ability clearly surpassed the upper limit of the treatment pod.
"Next up is Cocolia..."
After successfully treating Bronya's injuries, Ren Amamiya, holding the Jizo Mitama blade, slowly turned around to face Cocolia, who was cowering silently to the side.
Upon actually meeting Cocolia, she presented such a wretched image, cornered and with no way out.
To be pushed to such a desperate state by Gray Serpent, whose trump card was merely transforming into a Hell Hound-level Shadow, the power Cocolia could wield in the real world was clearly not as strong as Ren Amamiya had anticipated.
"Mei, Bronya... What do you think I should do with Cocolia?"
Under Cocolia's resentful gaze, Ren Amamiya slowly walked up to her as she knelt on the ground. His eyes carefully examined the golden-haired, spiral-curled beautiful woman who was clutching the貫穿傷 [penetrating wound] in her lower back, looking utterly dejected.
To be inexplicably ordered by Cocolia to have Bronya assassinate him—although Ren Amamiya held no animosity towards Bronya, the tool, he did harbor some retaliatory feelings towards Cocolia, the mastermind who controlled Bronya.
"Although Cocolia chose me as an experimental subject, secretly fanning the flames of my negative emotions, wanting the other me in my heart to replace the current me, and even framed my father, sending him to prison... she indeed did terrible things to me... But she is, after all, Seele and Bronya's adoptive mother..."
Compared to Ren Amamiya, who always maintained a firm stance, the gentle and indecisive Raiden Mei was clearly caught in a wavering dilemma regarding Cocolia's disposal, due to her relationship with her new teammates, Seele and Hare.
The thought even crossed Raiden Mei's mind that she might as well swallow the hatred and bitter fruit alone, thereby preserving Ren Amamiya's relationships with Seele, Hare, and even Bronya.
"Hmph, so you already know, Raiden Mei... But you're wrong about one thing. Raiden Ryoma's economic fraud is an ironclad fact. Although he had the ability to fill the hole, the one who actively poked a hole in the company was indeed Raiden Ryoma himself."
A cold sneer tugged at Cocolia's somewhat pale face. Even in such a desperate situation, she remained stubbornly defiant, taunting Raiden Mei.
"What, are you very disappointed now that your father isn't the great hero who was framed? Hahahaha!"
Even though Raiden Mei had considered letting Cocolia go, Cocolia showed no signs of appreciation. On the contrary, she felt insulted and proactively provoked Raiden Mei.
"...."
Although Ren Amamiya had included her as a teammate by asking for her opinion on how to deal with Cocolia.
Bronya remained silent, offering no opinion.
Cocolia had adopted her, given her a large family environment in the orphanage, and allowed her to meet Seele there. This was Cocolia's kindness to Bronya.
However, the one who snatched Seele away from Bronya, deeply hurting both Seele and Bronya, was also Cocolia herself.
Even though Seele now seemed to have a way to appear in the real world with Ren Amamiya's help, which gave Bronya some sense of relief, it didn't mean Bronya had forgiven Cocolia's cruel actions.
Two diametrically opposed emotions clashed fiercely within the seemingly calm Bronya's heart.
Fortunately, Bronya was aware of her true position as a prisoner of war, knowing that even if she spoke well of Cocolia, she couldn't truly influence Ren Amamiya's judgment on Cocolia.
Thinking this way, Bronya's psychological pressure lessened considerably.
"My father... really committed economic fraud?! No, that's impossible!!"
Upon hearing this fact uttered by Cocolia with a mocking expression, Raiden Mei's eyes widened abruptly. A struggling look appeared on her delicate, pretty face, and her once firm conviction wavered again.
Seeing Raiden Mei successfully fall into a state of struggle and wavering, her attention completely distracted, Cocolia's eyes lit up, and a sinister, cold smile curled her lips.
"That won't do, Mei. Even if your father did commit economic fraud, if it weren't for Cocolia's secret machinations, he clearly would have had a chance to fill the loophole and atone for his actions. Cocolia just wants to make you waver."
Ren Amamiya gently shook his head and spoke to Raiden Mei, who had become unsettled after Cocolia's psychological attack.
"Being willing to consider your companions is a sign of your kindness. However, there's no need to wrong yourself for the sake of your companions' feelings. We are all people who have been harmed by Cocolia. Therefore, our revenge against Cocolia is just."
Cocolia's crimes would not be erased. Even if she was Seele and Bronya's adoptive mother, she couldn't escape the judgment her crimes deserved.
"That's how it is. For Seele and Bronya's sake, I won't kill you directly. I'll make you atone in another way... For the rest of your life, you will grit your teeth and endure the torment of guilt."
Ren Amamiya took out his phone from the pocket of his phantom thief attire and swiftly opened the MetaNav app interface.
"Next up is the Phantom Thieves' traditional art. Prepare to face [Repentance], Cocolia!"
Previously, in the Kaslana Palace, he couldn't enter the Palace within Cocolia's heart. Ren Amamiya had made numerous guesses about this.
And based on the information obtained after actually facing Cocolia, she had most likely used some method to hide the existence of her Palace.
Now, Cocolia, who was neither a Persona user nor able to seal her Palace through feigned death, knelt before Ren Amamiya in her weakest state.
She clearly no longer had the possibility of hiding her Palace.
People like Cocolia, who had been twisted by malice, had to be dealt with a heavy hand—a thorough change of heart was necessary!
"You don't need to use that MetaNav app, Boss Joker!"
Just as Ren Amamiya was about to input Cocolia's information into the MetaNav app, the Jizo Mitama he held emitted a faint, crimson smoke, which coalesced in mid-air into a phantasmal projection of Higokumaru.
"Indirectly changing someone's heart by infiltrating their Palace is indeed an excellent tactic that can be done without anyone noticing. But Boss Joker, you've already beaten Cocolia to her knees in the real world, so there's no need to take the long way around and make her repent in her Palace!"
The petite Higokumaru, dressed in a red and white shrine maiden outfit, hugged her chest. Her five fox tails swayed lightly and proudly behind her. With a very proud expression, she lifted her small face and offered Ren Amamiya her suggestion.
"Since Cocolia has already found out, and you've defeated her, Boss Joker, you just need to stab Cocolia with Jizo Mitama, and you can directly change her heart in the real world, making Cocolia repent and realize her past mistakes!"
"Jizo Mitama can forcibly change someone's heart in the real world too... That's right, repentance is inherently a way of rewriting and twisting the mind, just in a positive direction."
After hearing Higokumaru's suggestion, Ren Amamiya raised an eyebrow slightly, his understanding of Jizo Mitama's usage deepening.
"However, as a Phantom Thief, what I want to steal isn't just Treasures and hearts. The Will Seeds formed by twisted evil are also among my targets... Input navigation destination, Cocolia's Pa—"
Even with very limited contact with Cocolia, Ren Amamiya could tell she was an arrogant and conceited person.
If Cocolia's deadly sin was one Ren Amamiya had already collected, he naturally wouldn't mind being lazy and using Jizo Mitama for a one-click skip.
But Cocolia's deadly sin was highly likely to be Pride. In that case, Ren Amamiya would have to make a trip to her Palace.
However, just as Ren Amamiya was about to input Cocolia's information into the MetaNav app and attempt to infiltrate her Palace again, Cocolia suddenly reacted hysterically.
"Don't even think about it! Go to hell, Ren Amamiya!!!"
Although she wasn't entirely sure what Ren Amamiya intended to do to her, Cocolia knew very well that she absolutely could not let him continue.
Drawing the pistol hidden in her clothes with utmost speed, Cocolia, disregarding her body's weakness and cries of pain, gripped the gun with all her might and pulled the trigger at Ren Amamiya.
Bang bang bang bang----!!!
The sharp crack of gunfire echoed continuously. However, in front of Ren Amamiya, who had already summoned his Persona Arsene, Cocolia's desperate struggle seemed utterly laughable, unable to cause even the slightest ripple.
The bullets from Anti-Entropy's pistol hadn't even reached Ren Amamiya before they were swept aside by the gale conjured by Arsene, failing to inflict any injury on him.
However, after her failed sneak attack, Cocolia didn't sink into deep despair. Instead, a sinister smile, as if her scheme had succeeded, appeared on her lips.
After realizing that Bronya was maintaining a bystander's attitude and no longer trying her best to rescue her.
Cocolia had devised a way to distract Raiden Mei, then launched a surprise gunshot attack on Ren Amamiya. The true purpose of this diversionary tactic...
Was naturally to create an opportunity for Bronya, who was behind Raiden Mei and Ren Amamiya.
Although Bronya no longer obeyed Cocolia's orders, Cocolia had long anticipated this and had secretly planted a contingency in Bronya that could turn the tables.
Brain control chip, activate!!