It happened in front of Cer again. One of her sisters had Corrupted.

There was no miracle to save Res this time. No Frost to lend her hand. No Ber to bring her back from the depths of her sorrow. Pure, unadulterated despair engulfed Cer as total silence consumed them.

They were plunged into total darkness as the soft, muffled weeping of her malformed sister filled every corner of the world. The Cheshire Cat, Revy, Sana and Alice instantly stopped where they stood, watching Cer disappear in the blink of an eye and appear just meters away from the Corrupted Res.

“WAKE UP! THAT’S STELLA YOU’RE GOING TO KILL!” Held by the CENSORED tendrils was a Stella who coughed up blood, her body nearly crushed into a pulp. An electric fang severed the tentacles, allowing Cer to catch Stella as she zipped by. “RES! You can hear me! I know you can! Come back to us! It’s still not too late!”

Corrupted did not normally talk. Their mutterings were usually only heard by Frost. However, this was true for traditional Corrupted. Corrupted Personas on the other hand, were perfectly capable of verbalizing their internal affairs.

The gag that constricted Res’ face – the only last thing hinting of who she was – contorted as she spoke in a younger, muffled voice:

 

< “It’s distorted outside. The colors of the world don’t exist. It’s scary. Can’t you see?” >

 

Speaking to a Corrupted was never a two-way conversation. Her musings were meant only for her ears, but Cer believed that it was her way of asking for help. Tentacles sprouted from the ground, transforming into giant, claw-like constructs that moved with a terrible tremor.

“WATCH OUT CER!” Revy’s voice cut through Res’ ominous echoes. The desperation in her voice alerted Cer, the hairs rising along her nape as she swiftly steered into the opposite direction. “It’s attacking! The attack – It’s called –!”

 

< [CENSORED: ???] >

 

“CENSORED!?” She lacked confidence in her voice. The name of the attack was too vague for her to understand. Granted, this was the first time she had seen it, so confusion was to be expected.

But even so, it meant little to her. On the bright side, this meant that Revy could call out the attacks for Cer. As things were, there was nothing else they could do but stay out of the fight.

That, however, was wishful thinking. While the main Corrupted was preoccupied with Cer, the minions of the Corrupted Res spilled from censored incisions made along the squirming pillars.

One could only imagine what they looked like without the CENSORED bars.

“Writhing masses. They look like animals with disfigured limbs.” Sana commented, watching them approach like a sprinting spider. To Revy and Alice however, they looked more like flowers. “Revy! And Cat! Looks like there’s no way out of this place anymore!”

“No. We can still escape! The problem is –!” The Cheshire Cat sprung our sharpened claws from her paws as she walked towards what seemed like nothing.

Suddenly, when she passed through what was the limits of Res’ world, she emitted a horrifying scream as CENSORED bars burst from her body, devouring her from the inside out until nothing but a puddle of CENSORED remained.

“Hey – hey! Fucking idiot!” Sana growled, cupping Alice’s eyes whose face went pale at the sight of the Cheshire Cat’s demise. “Alice! Just keep your eyes shut, ok! Stay behind me! Tch… We fucking lost one already!”

“C-Cat!? Cat…?”

“Why would she…!?” Revy was at a loss for words, but she had seen enough death as is. There was no point lingering on those lost. Not when their lives were at stake. “… Dammit… She was the only good person in this place!”

Cer was fast, but so was Res. It was near impossible for Cer to protect them and to fight simultaneously. Blue sparks illuminated the dark world as the tips of pillars were caught in the crossfire. They themselves had no HP, but as for the animal-shaped monsters that arrived in the dozens –

 

 

– They were far beyond their capabilities.

 

 

 

Yet despite this, the Colors of the World were weaker than Revy would have expected. She relayed this immediately to everyone, including to Cer as Sana began to unload round after round at the encroaching entities.

“THAT’S –!” Cer roared, rushing through the approaching hoard, slaughtering over half in an instant. Revy didn’t know when it happened, but Stella had appeared in front of her, her legs barely able to carry her trembling body.

“BECAUSE –!” Suddenly, another attack was sent Cer’s way.

 

< “Light my way through the shadows. The colorless world ceases to exist. This light… is all written as words.” >

 

< [CENSORED: ???] >

 

A giant maw connected to Res via a tiny umbilical cord attempted to consume her. It slammed its jaws around Cer, seemingly devouring her. However, jolts of lightning caused it to smolder and smoke before its head exploded, revealing a Cer who had one of her ears and a part of her tail taken by its teeth.

“– THE WORLD IS NOT AS FUCKING SHITTY AS SHE MAKES IT OUT TO BE!”

Cer had already caught onto the root of Res’ suffering. The name of the entities and her aversion to color made it obvious. It didn’t click with the others, but to Cer who had stuck by Res’ side since birth, it couldn’t be clearer.

One by one, the Colors of the World were struck by bullets.

Sana was able to deal 1,800 ATT damage per shot. Not to mention that she could heal 1,500 HP per bullet. Cer’s ears and tail began to steam as they regenerated, her teeth bared for the healing process hurt far more than her injuries.

But none could compare to the pain of losing her sister to the Corruption.

“That means… they have zero defense, right?” Revy questioned, but quickly amended her assumption. “No. Zero in either magic or physical attack! Res is also the same!”

Indeed. Cer was able to consistently damage Res with her electric fangs. Unlike the Colors of the World, Res herself seemingly had no DEF stats at all, causing Cer to easily take down massive chunks of her HP.

 

CENSORED | HP: 650,000

 

This however, was not something to celebrate.

Because if Res died…

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!” Cer entered a state of uncontrolled fury as she began to fight defensively, striking only the tentrils that flailed from Res’ hideous form when necessary. “REEEEEEEEEEES!”

 

< “Turn myself into a thorn. Keep it cold and composed. I can’t see. Therefore, there is nothing to be afraid of.” >

 

< [CENSORED: Nightmare Fuel] >

 

The first named attack appeared, and an overwhelming sense of dread engulfed them. Their worst nightmares were plastered onto Res, manifesting across her bulging, flailing form. Sana ceased firing temporarily, throwing herself onto the ground as she forced two fingers into the trigger, shouting:

“FUCKING MUSCICIAAAAAANS!”

“Nightmare? What nightmare…? Res… the only fear I have – IS LOSING YOU!”

Cer screamed with every attack. Fear infected them as Revy moved to fight, leaving Alice and Stella to stay close to Sana. The two cowered under her, covering their ears as explosions, wails and mangled thuds cut between the deafening silence.

Revy held onto her garden scythe and was about to rush in, her body trembling as the fear began to gnaw at her. The CENSORED bars that made up the entities caused them to appear far more frightening than whatever they were.

It was all a trick of the mind. She knew this, but her body couldn’t resist.

Even so, there were others behind her that couldn’t fight.

“… 5th Order.” Revy saw the faces of those who murdered her loved ones in the past. Their bodies were fused into Res’ before she was wrapped in CENSORED bars yet again.

Suddenly, a voice spoke from behind her just as she was about to throw herself into the fray.

“For that wolf, it’s a fight for domination. But for us its survival.” The Cheshire Cat had returned from the grave without a single blemish on her body, much to their shock. “Ask questions later. The gist of it that denizens of this place can’t die as long as we’re in the Escape! We’re bound by this law. Just like the Laws of the Source. Or Miracle of Cognition. Whatever she muses about.”

“Shut up and get to the point!” Sana shouted. It was unclear if she was happy or annoyed to see her again. Whatever it was, she just wanted her to make herself useful.

The Cheshire Cat rummaged for something within the fur between her breasts. Meanwhile, Res’ main body only continued to grow increasingly grotesque with each chunk of HP that was shed.

 

//////// < WARNING > ////////

 

< Conditions are finalizing >

 

< Please acknowledge these as they will lay the foundation of the fight >

 

< Understand that these Conditions will make even a Level 1 Human be able to stand against Corrupted of unimaginable proportions >

 

Is that really true?

Revy had no reason to doubt the weird blue prompt with white text. It seemed far-fetched, but this was the same thing that had guided Frost all this time. Perhaps through it, she’d be able to do something.

Not only that, but was this… Nav? She thought Nav couldn’t communicate with her.

 

< Unknown >

 

This was all it could answer with.

“I had a quick meeting with the White Rabbit after my death. It’s been an awfully long time since I got to see her. I got to hear the Amalgam’s voice.” The Cheshire Cat solemly spoke, pulling out two tiny, egg-shaped objects.

She handed one each to Revy and Sana, asking them to eat it.

“… a tail?” Revy realized that it was no egg, but a tiny tail coiled up into one. It was smaller than a speck of dirt, yet it radiated with the light of a lantern.

“Not just any tail! It’s from the White Rabbit. It’s not much and it’ll work for a few hours, but it’s a compromise she’s willing to take! Think of it as her way of lending a hand.” The Cheshire Cat grinned mischievously. “Eat it! Imagine someone you want to be. Someone powerful, but not too powerful because your body might just turn into sludge.”

Her body was temporarily encased in a golden light. The apparel of a court jester was worn on her body, and a mace long enough to be a staff was held in both hands. Yet instead of holding it normally she hoisted it above her head, holding it like a spear as tatooes of card suits were drawn beneath her eyes.

“Behold! The power of the White Rabbit! Persona Imaginata~!”

 

 

The Cheshire Cat adorned the persona of someone completely different, her mannerism suddenly changing to someone all to familiar to Revy and Sana.

It was…

“Magus…?” Revy uttered as the Condition was finally sent to her.

 

< CONDITION: Individuals caught within CENSORED’s Repression Field will be unable to leave until Trepidation Stacks reaches 0. Attempting to leave with Trepidation Stacks will result in immediate ego death >

 

//////// < CAUTION > ////////

 

< Ego death may result in becoming a Shell should you survive >

 

< Your ‘Well’ will collapse >

 

< SUPPRESSION REQUIREMENT: Directly challenging CENSORED will reveal the truth. When all truths are revealed, CENSORED’s eyes will open. Revealing the Colors of the World will immediately cause CENSORED’s HP to become 0 >

 

< SUBJUGATION REQIREMENT: CENSORED is defeated when its HP reaches 0 >

 

//////// < WARNING > ////////

 

< Good luck >