"How's it going, Ryuji?" Mikono questioned as they walked by the last cell. She couldn't believe, regardless if they were beings created by Kamoshida's distorted heart, how the boys endured such brutal punishments. What puzzled her the most was how none of them wanted to be freed from the castle. All of them were too afraid to disobey Kamoshida and wondered if it was like this in the real world.

"I got them all memorized. We'll definitely be able to use this against that asshole," Ryuji replied with a smirk.

"Then we're done here. Let's get going," Akira states, leading the group back the way they came. The path remained void of guards due to their previous endeavors.

Morgana's little feet scurried against the floor as it made its way to the front of the group when they arrived back in the central hall. The students' shoes 'clacked' against the polished tile as they made their way across the large, open room. Mikono eyed the portrait of Kamoshida with a glare, wondering how much longer she and so many others had to suffer his abuse. She remembered seeing volleyball team members bandaged up in the hallways of Shujin Academy. 'How could one man get away with so much?' She questioned inside her head.

Crossing underneath the chandelier located in the middle of the room, Mikono tore her gaze from the painting only to be met with the sight of the real man. One guard with gold-plated armor stood to the right of Kamoshida while a couple more in plain black armor were located to the left.

"You knaves again?" Kamoshida growled, his heart cape fluttering slightly to reveal his pink underwear.

"How disgusting..." The young girl muttered under her breath.

"To think you'd make the same mistake again. You're hopeless," he sneered. His golden gaze then focused on Mikono as his lips turned upward into a smirk. "But I must thank you for bringing back one of my princesses."

Mikono winced in disgust. "You've more than one?" She grimaced. Her fear of the man was slowly being replaced with anger and she was unsure how much longer she'd be able to keep herself from bursting at the seams. There was a small voice inside her head telling her to use her fighting skills against the scantily-cladded man.

Akira held his dagger in one hand as he placed himself in between Mikono and Kamoshida. He knew she was his prime target and didn't want to lose his friend to a madman.

Ryuji stomped his foot as he scowled at Kamoshida. "The school ain't your castle and like hell we're gonna let you have Mikky! I've memorized their faces real good. You're goin' down!"

The king scoffed in amusement. "It seems it's true when they say "barking dogs seldom bite." How far the star runner of the track team has fallen."

Images flashed through Mikono's mind, remembering the day clearly. She arrived at the hospital after riding inside the ambulance with Ryuji. A few minutes later, they were separated in order for the boy to receive treatment for his broken leg. She shook her head, ridding herself of the bloody images and the extreme pain her best friend was suffering from. She was startled when Ryuji yelled, "The hell are you gettin' at?!"

Kamoshida's smirk festers. "I speak of the "Track Traitor" who acted in violence, ending his teammates' dreams. Oh, I can only imagine the pain of the others who were dragged under with your...selfish act."

"Ngh..." Ryuji's body tensed up at the memory.

"Violence?" Akira asked.

The man happily elaborated for the masked boy's sake. "What a surprise. So you're accompanying him without knowing anything at all? It seems not even sweet little Tsutsui has shared the truth with you, either. He betrayed his teammates and-"

"Shut your damn mouth!" Mikono bellowed, silencing the king and shocking her companions. She stepped around Akira, pointing accusingly at the twisted man. "Ryuji did NOT betray his teammates! You're the sick, twisted bastard who took away their dreams, not him! All he was trying to do was save them from you! You may have the teachers and principal fooled with that mask of innocence, but your true colors will be revealed and all those you've abused will be freed. Once that happens, you'll only see the world from behind bars!"

"Mikono..." Ryuji muttered, eyes wide as saucers at hearing her come to his defense.

Kamoshida's only response was to glower and command his guards. "Go. Kill everyone but Tsutsui. I'll punish her later for escaping and disobeying me. Don't sully my castle with garbage."

The two guards in black armor transformed while the guard captain stood by its king. Ryuji took a few steps back when the Shadows set their sights on him. "Goddammit..."

"Ryuji, move!" Morgana commanded, wielding its sword as the Shadows pounced on them.

One enemy targeted Mikono, lowering its head and charging forward. Its nostrils were flared and ready to knock the girl back with its horns. Akira, being the closest to her, leapt forward and tackled her out of the way. They rolled across the floor before stopping a few feet away from Morgana. Mikono grimaced when a wave of pain washed over her body from the hard tumble. She stared up at Akira's face, which was only a few inches from her. When the sound of hooves clacking against the tile caught her attention, she turned her head and saw another Shadow approaching them. "K-Kurusu!"

Akira looked over his shoulder and spotted the assailant closing in on them. He called upon his Persona, Arsène, and commanded him to attack. The boy pushed himself off Mikono and stood up before helping her. He grabbed her hand and pulled her away from the battle, handing her over to Ryuji. He quickly returned to Morgana's side to help the cat, but they wound up surrounded by Shadows.

"Ngh..." Morgana winced. "We're surrounded!"

One of the Shadows reared, proclaiming its loyalty to Kamoshida. "I'll kill you! I'll kill you 'cause King Kamoshida told us! I'll kill 'cause that's what he wants!" More Shadows appeared, gathering around Akira and Morgana.

"There's more of them?" The feline inquired, exhausted from fighting. "This is bad..."

Ryuji and Mikono watched helplessly as Akira and Morgana were overpowered by the Shadows. They fell to the ground in defeat, dropping their weapons in the process. Reaching toward her best friend, Mikono gripped the hem of his blazer. "W-We need to do something, Ryuji!"

"What can we do?" He muttered hopelessly, the anger from early gone.

When he collapsed to his knees, Mikono released his blazer and kneeled beside him. She placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed it. "I've known you for almost three years, and you've never given up. Why're you quitting now?" He didn't answer her and hung his head in defeat.

Kamoshida walked over to Morgana and pinned the cat to the ground with his foot. He chuckled darkly and grinned in Ryuji's and Mikono's direction as the guard captain did the same to Akira. "I bet you simply came here on a whim and ended up like this. Isn't that right?"

"No..." Ryuji muttered.

Then, the king snapped his fingers and a guard stalked over to them. Unlike the other guards, he only wielded a silver sword. With his other hand, he reached forward and snatched Mikono's wrist in his grasp. She clawed at the enemy's hand in a feeble attempt to break free. "H-Hey!" She shrieked. Learning her lesson during their first visit, she knew she stood no chance against the guard's strength.

Before she was out of his reach, Ryuji grabbed her other wrist. The fire had yet to return to his eyes, but he wanted to fight for his best friend even in his fragile state. "Haven't you already taken enough from me, you bastard?!"

Kamoshida guffawed. "What a worthless piece of trash, getting emotional so quickly. Someone like you isn't worth Tsutsui's attention. Though it was only temporary, have you forgotten my kindness in supervising track practice?"

Ryuji was forced to release Mikono's wrist when the guard holding her other one pointed his blade at his throat. He glared at the enemy before focusing on Kamoshida. "Wasn't no practice-it was physical abuse! You just didn't like our team!"

Slowly, the guard backed away from Ryuji. He kept his sword aimed at the blonde as he dragged Mikono toward Kamoshida. She kept fighting, but her attempt to escape was futile. Now standing beside the king, the guard adjusted his grip and secured both of her wrists behind her back.

"It was nothing but an eyesore! The only one who needs to achieve results is me! That coach who got fired was hopeless, too... Had he not opposed me with a sound argument, I would've settled it with only breaking his star's leg," Kamoshida said.

"What...?" Ryuji gasped.

"Do you need me to deal with your other leg, too? The school will call it self-defense anyway! But there's only been one person stopping me from doing so." Kamoshida kept his foot planted on Morgana's back as he turned and stretched his arm out. He grabbed ahold of Mikono's face, forcing her to turn her head and meet his menacing gaze. She tried to yank her face out of his grasp, but his fingers dig into her cheeks to prevent his grip from slipping. The girl was utterly disgusted at feeling his touch. "Your precious Tsutsui came to me after I broke your leg and made an offer I couldn't refuse."

Ryuji was puzzled at the revelation. "What're you talkin' about?"

"She offered to take your place. Every time you acted out, she'd be the one to receive the punishment for your disobedience. Once you learn to obey me, she won't have to worry about bruises or scratches any longer." Kamoshida then huffed out a small chortle. "You truly are weak if you can't even protect the one person you care about, Sakamoto. And what kind of friend are you to allow her to take your place?"

"I-I..."

Kamoshida's eyes narrow before widening in realization. "Oh, I see now..." He turned his eyes back toward Mikono. "You never told him about our deal. Well, what's done is done." He released her face and dug his foot deeper into Morgana's spine.

With a frustrated cry, Ryuji pounded his fist against the red carpet. "Dammit... Am I gonna lose again? Not only can I not run anymore...the track team is gone too 'cause of this asshole! And now, Mikky's suffering 'cause of me...!"

"Ryuji..." Mikono mumbled melancholically.

"So that's why..." Morgana whispered sorrowfully.

"Once these two are dealt with, you're next," Kamoshida proclaimed, golden eyes still focused on Ryuji. "Hahahaha...!"

"Ryuji!" Morgana cried out.

"Don't let him win!" Akira yelled.

Listening to his companions, the fire from earlier was reignited inside Ryuji's heart. "You're right. So many things important to me were taken by him... I'll never get 'em back...! But I won't let him take Mikono! She's all I got left!"

Kamoshida refuses to acknowledge the boy's shouts. "Stay there and watch. Look on as these hopeless scum die for nothing and your precious friend be swept away because they sided with trash like you."

"No..." Strength returned to Ryuji's leg. He pushed himself off the floor, casting his fiery gaze toward the king. "That's what you are. All you think about is using people... You're the real scumbag, Kamoshida!"

Said man looked around at his guards. "What are you doing? Silence him!"

Ryuji jabbed his finger in Kamoshida's direction, clearly annoyed. "Stop lookin' down on me with that stupid smile on your face!"

All of a sudden, Ryuji's eyes widen and he grabs the sides of his head. He was clearly in pain from the wails escaping his throat. His body sways back and forth as if he were trying to fight against an invisible force. Eyes dilated, the boy releases another bloodcurdling scream as he collapsed to his knees. His body writhed in pain, jolting around as he tried to fight against it. Then, a mask resembling a skull appeared on his face as his screaming ceased.

The guard captain scoffed at the blonde. "Hmph. What can you do?" He then set his sights on Akira, who was still pinned under his foot. "Cower in fear and watch!" He raised his sword, ready to kill him.

"Stop!" Mikono desperately cried out.

Ryuji quickly got to his face and ripped off the mask. Blood seeped from his flesh as he screamed at the top of his lungs. Brilliant blue flames engulfed his body and a powerful blast forced the guards and Kamoshida to be blown back. The enemy restraining Mikono lost his grip and got caught in the powerful gust. Fortunately for the girl, she was able to lower herself to the floor to prevent being pushed back.

"Ugh..." Kamoshida covered his eyes, protecting them from the flames. "This one as well?!"

The flames disperse, revealing Ryuji. Just like Akira, he was no longer in his school uniform. A being loomed behind him as he glanced down at his new attire. He knew exactly what happened to him and grinned. "Right on... Wassup, Persona... This effin' rocks!"

"A-Another one...?" Mikono muttered, eyes focused on Ryuji's Persona.

"Now that I've got this power, it's time for some payback..." Ryuji announces as Morgana and Akira were no longer pinned to the floor. They grabbed their weapons and regrouped with the blonde. "Yo, I'm ready... Bring it!"

"Ngh... Don't mock me, you brat!" The guard captain spat before transforming.

Ryuji pointed at the enemy. "Blast him away... Captain Kidd!"

Mikono scrambled to safety, but she didn't make it far before she was grabbed by Kamoshida. "You're not going anywhere!"

Glaring daggers at the man, she elbowed him in the gut and grabbed his arm. Using all her weight, she hauled him over her shoulder and slammed him against the ground. He groaned, but she wasn't done with him yet. Delivering a swift kick to his head, she knocked him unconscious.

Seeing their king incapacitated, the black-armored guards rushed toward her. She cursed under her breath, knowing she stood no chance against a single one. The only option she had was to run. When she thought the others were too occupied with their current battle, she was surprised when Morgana came to her rescue. It called upon Zorro, taking down the guards before turning its focus back onto the guard captain.

When the battle was over with, Mikono sighed in relief and stood behind Akira, Ryuji, and Morgana. The blonde hunched over, placing his hands on his knees in an attempt to catch his breath. "How 'bout that?!" He bellowed as Kamoshida regained consciousness from Mikono's earlier assault.

"Whoa... So Ryuji had the potential, too..." Morgana gasped in amazement.

"Even if you apologize now...I ain't forgivin' you!"

The man's smirk returned as he ignored the pain in his back and head. "I told you that this is my castle. It seems you still don't understand..." A figure adorned in a pink bikini and cat ears strode up to Kamoshida and stood beside him. Ryuji and Mikono recognize the girl while Akira remains clueless.

"Wh-Takamaki?!" The blonde shrieked.

"Oh...!" Morgana gasped in astonishment. "Wha... What a meow-velous and beautiful girl!"

The boys and girl ignored the fawning feline as they eyed the king and their classmate. "What's goin' on?!" Ryuji demanded.

"Something seems off," Akira said, examining Takamaki.

"He's right," Mikono stated. She knew exactly how much Takamaki abhorred the real Kamoshida and would never get this close to him willingly. "There's something off about Takamaki-san."

Then, Kamoshida places his hand against Takamaki's cheek and peered into her eyes as she leant into his touch.

"Hey!" Ryuji howled. "Let go of her, you perv!"

"How many times must I tell you until you understand?" The king scornfully questioned. "This is MY castle-a place in which I can do whatever I want. Everyone wishes to be loved by me. That is, everyone besides slow-witted thieves like you. If you think you can try and steal my Tsutsui or Takamaki, you won't make it far."

"They ain't yours!" Ryuji proclaimed ferociously. He called out to the pigtail-wearing girl in an attempt to uncover why she was here. "Takamaki! Say somethin'!"

"Wait a second, Ryuji," Mikono said. "Remember what Morgana said about the volleyball team in the dungeons? This Takamaki isn't the real one. It's a fake created by Kamoshida's cognition."

"Lady Mikono's correct," Morgana confirmed. "She's just another fake."

"Are you jealous?" Kamoshida smirked. He didn't wait to receive a response from Ryuji or Akira. "Well, I'm not surprised. Women aren't drawn to problematic punks like you. Though, Tsutsui is a special case. She's always found ways to try my patience."

"Dammit...!" Ryuji hissed.

The smirk on Kamoshida's face vanished, immediately being replaced by a fiery glare. "Clean them up this instance!" A few guards materialized out of thin air, standing protectively in front of their king. "And try to keep from sullying Tsutsui. That's my job."

Morgana's eyes bounced between the numerous of guards. "We're outnumbered... Let's scram before we get surrounded!"

"We're not gonna do anything and just run?!" Ryuji growled.

"We can't die here and let him get his hands on Tsutsui," Akira rebuttals.

Morgana sighed in relief, looking up at the messy-haired boy. "Thank god you've got a level head."

Ryuji glances at his best friend and nods. "Yeah, you're right." He then scowled at Kamoshida. "We'll expose what you really are, no matter what! You better be ready for us!"

The king laughed loudly at the blonde's proclamation. "I was beginning to get bored of torturing the ones here! Come at me whenever you want, if you don't care about your life!"

"Ignore him, let's go!" Morgana yelled over the man's boisterous laughter.

Akira, Ryuji, Mikono, and Morgana made a swift escape before they were attacked by the Shadows.