And so—that brought things to the present.
"—MOMOKA-NEE!!!"
Having summoned her fiercely rugged, classic-armored warrior Persona wielding a greatsword, Nina looked just like Gespenst!
With a single strike of "Mountain-Splitting Peerless Sky-Cleaving Slash," she shattered the Shadows engulfing Momoka and reached out to catch her!
Yet simultaneously, that all-pervasive black mud seeped even faster into the armor of her Persona.
Nina felt a sudden stab of heartache, a wave of negative emotions surging violently inside...
"You want to die too, don't you? You just want to give up, smash it all to pieces, and destroy everything, right?"
In the darkness, a pair of golden beastly eyes looked down from above, sneering disdainfully into her soul.
It let out a piercing laugh, dredging up memories Nina couldn't bear to recall.
"That flashy, awful woman—morally bankrupt, changing men faster than clothes. Bullied people for fun, yet no one ever stepped in to help those she victimized."
"You intervened, because it was the right thing to do. But even your closest friends sneered coldly, saying you were wrong. Those you helped turned around and bullied you instead, wagging their tails at their tormentor."
"Teachers turned blind eyes, classmates were cowardly spectators... And in the end, even your great father, the so-called educator, wanted you to compromise—to trade your morals for gain."
HAHAHA...—Countless voices, young and old, men and women, erupted into laughter from within the mud.
It felt like hundreds—thousands—had peered into her memories, pointing fingers from a safe distance, mocking her mercilessly!
"Disgusting, isn't it? Sickening enough to vomit? ...You know you've thought about dying, haven't you?"
"Then come! Embrace your wish! Shatter this worthless world—destroy it all!"
Rinto/Nina: "GET LOST!"
Their voices rang out simultaneously, blasting away the invasive black mud!
Boosted by Rinto's Eros, Nina's Tin Woodman armor blazed even brighter, practically radiating divine brilliance.
Outwardly, the Tin Woodman appeared cold and unfeeling, believing itself incapable of emotion.
But that was mistaken.
No matter how thick the armor or how sharp the spikes around her, Nina herself was always shining brightly:
"Those memories—they're my treasures! I'm proud that I never compromised! Don't even try to fool me with your bullshit!"
Nina herself was that unwavering heart of tin.
She slipped inside her Persona, piloting it as though she were at the controls of a Gundam!
Rinto glanced at her sideways: "Whoa, that's super cool. I'd really love to learn how to pilot like that—will you teach me?"
"...Hehe~! If you let me join the Phantom Thieves, maybe I'll teach you!"
Look at her getting cocky, bargaining even at a moment like this—such a bratty girl, acting all smug just because she'd scored some points.
Driven away so forcefully, the black mud could only roar angrily as it retreated.
It seemed well aware it couldn't corrupt Nina now.
As for Rinto...
It stared at him with extreme disgust, glaring at the dazzling radiance around him, practically ready to vomit:
"Liar! Thief! No matter how many lies you tell them, one day they'll discover the truth! This world deserves death—all humans will eventually welcome their own destruction!"
"What kind of nonsense is that?"
Rinto raised an eyebrow in mild surprise.
Beneath the brilliance of his Eros, the black mud dissolved helplessly, vanishing in the blink of an eye.
Momoka fell, surrounded by swirling mud.
Rinto immediately reached out to catch her—
"—It's useless!"
Just before Eros's hand touched Momoka, even more black mud erupted from her body!
A distorted creature churned endlessly, revealing a pair of vicious golden beast-eyes:
"She's already given up—she's mine now!"
"She's drowning in her own inferiority, longing only to disappear! I'll fulfill that wish for her! You can't take her back!"
"..."
Rinto said nothing, simply watching coldly as that shapeless monster writhed.
Nina landed beside Rinto.
She opened a hole in the Tin Woodman's chest armor, popping her head out:
"Rinto, what do we do now? Can't we just kill that gross thing?!"
Rinto answered instantly: "No, that would break Momoka. ...Also, can't you stick your head out from the face like normal? Coming out from the chest is pretty gross."
It was a bit creepy—like a living human climbing out of a metal doll.
The mud had incited Momoka's negative emotions, causing her Shadow to go berserk and fuse with it.
But this wasn't the same as a Palace formed by distorted desire. They couldn't just steal Momoka's desire and be done with it.
It was precisely because Momoka had lost all desire, wanting to abandon everything—that something like antimatter emerged from the emptiness in her heart.
It was humanity's primal impulse toward self-destruction, the black mud from the deepest depths of collective unconsciousness.
...Rinto already had plenty of experience saving people from something like this.
He dispersed Eros, even shedding his Phantom Thief attire, composed purely of rebellious spirit.
Under Nina's worried gaze, Rinto stepped forward into the writhing mud:
"Momoka... You promised you'd be mine forever! You're not allowed to break your word!"
...Thump.
From within the roiling black mud, a heartbeat sounded, and Momoka's eyes opened.
Rinto couldn't see her—but that didn't matter.
He simply continued:
"I like you—and I like everyone else, too! You're my woman, and considering how many times I've made love to you every day, you should already know how much I like you, right?"
"So stop being dramatic—hurry back already. I'll hold you so tight you won't have time to think about all this nonsense—I'll make you scream until your throat goes hoarse!"
Rinto reached toward the writhing black mud, his expression resolute.
Behind him, hearing those shameless lines, Nina rolled around on the ground shrieking, face bright red: "Tokyo's terrifying!"
As for Momoka herself... she was actually moved!
She struggled free from the black mud, revealing an utterly unwilling expression:
"You scumbag...! You really only care about my face and body, huh? You never even liked my music! You lied!"
Rinto: "Of course I love your music—but I love your body, too!"
Momoka: "Then which do you love more—the music or my body?!"
Rinto: "I want both! I want you singing in bed!"
Wuwu~! ( ?o n o? )
What a total scumbag... What kind of confession was that supposed to be?!
What kind of woman could possibly be touched by lines like that? How low would she have to stoop?!
"...You're choosing life? Impossible... Just from hearing that nonsense?! How shameless are you?!"
"SHUT UP ALREADY!"
Momoka snapped furiously, even cursing herself in rage:
"Aren't you another me? Then you should know exactly how blissful it feels when that man holds me! I lose all my worries—it feels way better than alcohol! Like I'm floating straight to heaven!"
"I hate this... I really do hate it!"
"But even more than I hate myself—I love HIM!!!"
...RUMBLE!
Amid violent trembling, even the black mud, which even Rinto couldn't burn away, collapsed and crumbled!
Rinto caught Momoka instantly, holding her close.
On the other side—
From the shattered remnants of black mud, Momoka's Shadow struggled upright:
"Are you...kidding me...?"
The golden-eyed Shadow bit down furiously, glaring venomously:
"Kawaragi Momoka! You cowardly trash! Don't think you can escape your debts by clinging to a man!"
"You dragged Nana and the others out of school to Tokyo! You were Diamond Dust's leader—you wrote the lyrics and music! Every decision was yours! But you failed! And like a clown, you didn't even dare take responsibility!!"
"You ruined their lives! You didn't have the guts to shoulder their lives—how dare you try? Don't think you'll ever find happiness—I'll curse you for life!!!"
"..."
Momoka buried herself in Rinto's embrace, shivering and gritting her teeth.
That Shadow, identical to Momoka yet so twisted by rage that her features contorted grotesquely, terrified Nina watching behind.
She gulped timidly:
"Is...is that really Momoka-nee's other half? How can another self insult her so viciously...?"
Morgana quietly walked up beside Nina, calmly answering:
"Because her self-hatred has gone exactly that deep, nya."
"Morgana..." Nina nearly wept, unsure how to comfort Momoka.
But as long as Nina could keep liking Momoka's music just like before, that was enough.
Rinto would handle the rest.
"Momoka, entrust your whole life to me."
Holding the trembling Momoka in his arms, Rinto spoke with complete seriousness.
Even as she endured harsh insults from her other "self," the vulnerable Momoka gazed uncertainly at Rinto.
He continued speaking gently:
"I'll share everything with you—your guilt, your regrets. Your struggles and attempts at making amends, I want half of all that."
"You do owe your friends in Diamond Dust an apology, sure. But that doesn't mean you can't make it right. You can keep walking your own path in music, achieve success with your uncompromising ideals, and become friends again with Nana and the others."
"...Do I still have that right?"
Momoka's voice trembled like a child's, tearful and hesitant:
"I'm the one who abandoned them back then. I can't go back to Diamond Dust now... And even now, I still don't want to compromise. I can't lie to myself about music...!"
"Isn't that great?"
Rinto ruffled her hair gently.
"You're perfect exactly like that. Walk your path openly, compete with Diamond Dust, and show them your path can also lead to success. Then go back and sincerely apologize, and become friends again."
"Why can't you have both music and friendship? Even if they're mad, that's fine—I'll get scolded alongside you. We'll coax them together until they forgive you, but without compromising either."
Pffft… Momoka laughed through tears at that.
What kind of outrageous scumbag was he?
Brazenly insisting on charming people while stubbornly refusing to compromise on his decisions.
She even imagined for a second what an apology guided by Rinto might sound like:
"Even though it was my fault for leaving the band, I'm super cool for sticking to my musical ideals, so I wasn't wrong. But now I still want to be friends, so please forgive me~~ (✿◕‿◕✿)"
Wow, that's so scummy, utterly shameless… Momoka felt like punching herself.
"...You said you'd help me, right?"
Momoka lifted her head slowly, her wet eyes gazing up at him softly:
"You promised, and you can't go back on it. You said you'd do anything to help me—even if it means humiliating yourself or risking total social suicide if it ever got out to the media, right?"
Rinto: "Uh, well... Can we at least keep it legal if possible?"
Feeling cornered, Rinto nervously asked, earning only Momoka's wicked smile in response.
One should never underestimate a woman who played rock—she really could do anything.
"...What's the meaning of this? Just what are you two going on about?!"
The Shadow, who'd been ignored for a while, exploded in humiliation and fury.
Under Rinto's questioning gaze, Momoka nodded quietly.
She stepped out of Rinto's embrace, turning to face her "self."
Instinctively, Momoka already knew what to do.
Facing her other self, whose face was twisted grotesquely by rage, she took a deep breath:
"To tell the truth, I do regret it a little. I regret misunderstanding Nana and the others' priorities. I always misread them on my own."
"To me, musical integrity was above everything. But for Nana and the others, being together as a band was more important than anything. Musical ideals—something intangible—can be compromised. And that wasn't necessarily wrong either."
"But I still don't want to compromise. My love for music surpasses my love for them. That's the harsh reality, so being blamed for it is justified—I really am that kind of scum."
"Music… Music…!"
The Shadow's brow furrowed painfully, losing much of its previous ferocity.
Like Nina's "uncompromising heart," even Shadows—which embodied their owner's subconscious—shared some intrinsic essence with the original self.
It was their origin, the indisputable core.
For Momoka, naturally, it was her obsession with music.
"I know I'm a coward. I was too scared to honestly tell Nana and the others that my dedication to music outweighed my bond with them. Saying it out loud would've been meaningless—I can only prove it through my actions."
"But still, I won't compromise."
She lifted her head high, her lioness-like eyes glowing fiercely:
"One day, when I prove my musical path is viable, I'll reconcile with them. At that point, I'll wear idol costumes, maid outfits—any embarrassing outfits they want. Whatever revenge they seek, I'll fully accept and sincerely beg for their forgiveness."
"So please—walk with me a little longer. This unresolved guilt, jealousy, and resentment—I still need them. Stay with me and help me write lyrics with even deeper flavor."
"...At a time like this, all you think about is writing songs? You really are unbelievable."
The turbulent Shadow slowly settled, ceasing its agitation.
The two stood facing each other, reaching out their hands.
It didn't matter if their emotions couldn't fully align; as long as it served the music, it was fine.
Such fierce devotion to music was enviable—even Rinto felt slightly jealous (?).
"You are me… and I am you."
Momoka reconciled with her Shadow, reaching a new level just like Nina had.
With a mighty roar echoing throughout the heavens, a majestic golden lion strode forward, carrying Momoka towards Rinto.
Rinto marveled at the vividly lifelike lion, running his fingers through its warm mane:
"Which Persona is this? Simba after he got thrown off the cliff?"
"Pff~ It's the Cowardly Lion."
Momoka grinned mischievously.
The Cowardly Lion.
Like Nina's Tin Woodman, it was a character from The Wizard of Oz.
A lion who appeared brave yet hid a timid heart, journeying with friends to find true courage—
Finally discovering courage was the strength to move forward despite acknowledging one's fears.
Rinto laughed warmly:
"That suits you perfectly. Strong-looking but actually fragile Momoka-san. From your looks alone, people assume you're a gyaru, but you're actually the type who enjoys being passive most."
"Ah~! You've got some nerve. It's all because you're so aggressive! You're like a different person once we're in bed!"
The two instantly shifted to playful teasing, as if planning to wrestle right on the lion's back.
It wasn't until Nina stood there squinting (???), radiating enough dark aura to form the next wave of black mud, that they awkwardly stopped.
"Anyway, let's head back first. I have a lot of things to tell you—we'll be busy tonight."
"Tonight… Right, tonight."
Momoka's gaze shifted curiously between Rinto and Nina.
Her lips curled subtly, revealing a smile more sinister than evil itself!
Rinto had no clue of her intentions, preparing to lead them away.
"...?"
Just then, sharp-eyed Rinto noticed something and picked it up from the ground.
It was a broken choker—the one Momoka always wore.
Momoka noticed it too, sighing regretfully:
"Ah... It broke, huh… Well, no helping it. I wore it for so long, after all. And it's been through a lot."
Rinto: "Does this choker have some special meaning?"
"Yes," Momoka nodded gently.
"When the four of us from Diamond Dust first arrived in Tokyo, we bought matching accessories together. Each picked something, but we all chipped in together."
The four items were a choker, a garter, earrings, and a brooch.
It symbolized the bond of the four of them as companions—but sadly, it didn't last.
Rinto felt uneasy.
Although things ended happily, the black mud that engulfed Momoka earlier was unusual.
It wasn't an ordinary Shadow—it felt like something darker, clearer in intent.
Almost as if something malicious had attached itself to Momoka's Shadow back then—that's how Rinto felt.
Maintaining his caution, he tucked away the broken choker:
"Let's buy a new one next time. Actually, I really like these kinds of accessories—they feel sexy."
Momoka: "...Hmm~. So, what's your opinion on piercings and tattoos? Should I get [Property of Rinto♥] tattooed somewhere?"
Momoka grinned mischievously.
Even though she was clearly blushing herself, she still pretended to boldly tease her boyfriend—completely shameless now, more so than ever before.