After being forcibly dragged out of Yae Sakura's body by the golden Soulium chains of Kallen's Judah, the eerie mist enveloping the giant black evil fox dissipated abruptly, revealing its true form bound by the golden chains.
The evil fox possessed ferocious, crimson eyes burning with violence and madness, accentuated by red eye shadow markings. A red triple tomoe pattern adorned its forehead. Its four limbs were stained blood-red, and thick red-and-white shimenawa ropes [sacred Shinto ropes] were wrapped around its slightly sakura-pink-tinged white fur.
"Don't think the same trick will work on me forever!!"
The giant white fox let out a roar filled with intense resentment and fury. Opening its fearsome, cavernous mouth, it turned its head and sank its rows of sharp, pointed teeth into the golden Soulium chains binding its body.
As Higokumaru [the fox's name, likely the Herrscher of Corruption's manifestation] bit down on the Soulium chains, all eight instantly took on an ominous dark red hue. Dark red corrosive energy spread visibly along the golden chains at high speed, reaching the armored Hare and Arsene in the blink of an eye.
Faced with the corrosive power unleashed by the enraged Herrscher of Corruption, the armored Hare naturally didn't dare risk contact. She decisively released the golden chains she held and flew backward at high speed. Ren made the same judgment call as Hare. Although he didn't know the true nature of that dark red energy, he instinctively felt an overwhelming urge to avoid it at all costs.
Persona Arsene released the golden chains from its black claws and, with powerful beats of its massive black wings, maneuvered nimbly away in the sky.
Without the resistance from the armored Hare and Arsene, the dark red corrosive energy surged unstoppably along the golden chains towards their source – the Oath of Judah and Kallen, who was sweating profusely while wielding it.
The Oath of Judah Kallen possessed was ultimately just a virtually created Divine Key, not the actual Key of Binding from reality. Even though Kallen, its former wielder, had managed to restore some of its original power, it was inevitably losing ground against the full might of the genuine Herrscher of Corruption, now freed from the limitations of Yae Sakura's body.
Seeing the dark red corrosive wave about to invade the Oath of Judah via the chains, Kallen held on for a few more moments before finally choosing to sever the connection between Judah and the Soulium chains. Naturally, with the disintegration of the chains, Higokumaru's massive white fox body regained its freedom.
"Insignificant human insects! This time, I will tear you to shreds, ensuring you can never appear before me again!"
Higokumaru landed steadily on the ground after regaining freedom. Looking at Kallen in the distance, who had persistently hindered her even after five hundred years, the resentment constantly churning within her heart instantly surged to its peak. The twisted hatred burning in her soul manifested as tangible, furious flames under Higokumaru's power.
Five thick white fox tails rose high behind Higokumaru, massive crimson fireballs forming at their red-tipped ends. Like employing the Prince's battle strategy [likely a reference], Higokumaru continuously launched the massive fireballs emerging from her five tails towards Kallen. The armored Hare and the real Hare, protected by her dream barrier, were also subjected to the relentless fiery bombardment.
Only Ren, holding the unconscious Yae Sakura, intentionally or unintentionally received the least intense barrage from Higokumaru's furious fireballs.
"Can't read its affinity information... As expected of a Palace Boss-level Shadow. But since it's using Fire-affinity attacks—"
Ren frowned slightly. The Confidant skill he'd gained from Hare couldn't reveal the giant white fox's weaknesses like it did for the previous minor Shadows. Unable to take a shortcut by exploiting elemental weaknesses, Ren now had to rely on the most basic method: using his own experience and judgment to choose his tactics.
"Return for now, Arsene... Your turn, Huodou!"
Black cursed flames shot from Persona Arsene's hands, intercepting and detonating the furious fireballs heading towards Ren behind it, preventing any attack from breaching its defense. Following Ren's command, the figure of Arsene in its striking red suit slowly faded mid-air, eventually returning to Ren's face as the white bird mask.
Ren raised his hand, fluidly and stylishly removing the white mask once again. With a flick of his wrist, he threw the bird mask forward once more. The surrounding temperature instantly soared. Amidst the pulsing waves of intense heat, Persona Huodou, resembling a golden-red saber-toothed tiger, made its grand entrance before Ren.
As a Fire-affinity Persona, Huodou handled the massive barrage of scorching fireballs launched by Higokumaru with far more ease than Arsene, despite Arsene being stronger overall. Possessing extremely high Fire resistance, Huodou seemed almost in its element amidst the rain of fireballs raining down from Higokumaru. It let the explosions bombard its body without taking any damage, merely being pushed back slightly by the continuous impacts.
"Anyway, first I need to get Yae Sakura somewhere safe... I wonder if Hare's dream barrier can fit one more person."
Since Yae Sakura wasn't a Shadow in the Palace but the actual ghost of the person, Ren couldn't just leave her lying helpless on the war-torn battlefield.
Right now, the safest place in this Palace was undoubtedly the radiant violet protective barrier Hare deployed when summoning her Persona. However, Ren didn't know if Hare could accommodate others within the barrier.
Also, Yae Sakura's current state was uncertain; if she woke up still hostile, Hare would be in danger inside the barrier with her.
Just as Ren was about to call out to Hare to lower the radiant violet barrier from the sky to act as a shield behind which he could place Yae Sakura, the miko nestled softly against his chest began to breathe rapidly. She had woken up sometime earlier. Her slender white hand gently gripped the collar of Ren's clothes, successfully drawing his attention.
"You're awake? That's great. Looks like you're finally back to normal."
Realizing Yae Sakura was awake, Ren's body tensed for a moment. But seeing her extremely weakened state and her eyes restored to their clear blue color, he slowly relaxed, greeting her as she leaned against him.
"I'm sorry... This is all Sakura's fault. Sakura dragged Mr. Joker into this..."