The "TVs" flickered to several different images, each portraying about the same situation. Each of Souji's friends had been separated and was being forced to face their shadows. However, each shadow seemed much more powerful than before. Or maybe they just find the weakness in their owner's… Teddie and Rise had been grouped together, with Rise and her shadow in support. Souji sat on the floor, cross-legged. The voice called out "What happened to your spirit? Have you given up?" The voice actually sounded puzzled. Souji shook his head "No, I'm just preparing." He pulled out his bag and began to draw what seemed like junk from it.
Meanwhile… Yosuke dodged another blast of wind. "Just give up. You can't do anything on your own." Yosuke grinned through the pain. "Wanna bet?" As if on cue, all of the persona users disappeared. They entered their personas, allowing them greater control. Kanji smirked "This will put us on more even footing!" He grabbed the fist of one of the shadows that was assisting his own. "Let's do this, Take-Mikazuchi!" His other hand grabbed the shadow's head and drove it into the ground, cracking the wood on which they stood. His shadow leered "Mmmm… yeah Kanji, that's what it means to be a man. Violence embodies it, doesn't it?" He charged Kanji who brought up his lightning bolt to block, only to have it shatter before his eyes.
The voice came again "Do you see, Souji Seta? Even using their full power, nothing can save them." Souji didn't pause in his task but he smiled a bit. "Full power? I guess you misunderstand. You see, a persona evolves with the owner. They have grown and you believe the persona would not have changed?"
Yukiko, as Konohana Sakuya, staggered forward. While she had been dealing with her shadow, the prince she had once sought had managed to surprise her and stab her in the side. She healed herself while backing up and smiled softly. "I'm sorry that you still exist. I thought I had healed you… but I'm not going to let you stop me! Amaretsu!" Teddie's persona changed in mid-flight. He had launched the missile as the enemy. As it neared, he disappeared and he became the projectile. He began spinning, his claws forming a drill.
The voice studied the fights calmly as Seta continued in his strange task. "I suppose they have grown. However, for every step forward, there are people who are cast aside, people who would gladly ruin others. The spite and hatred these people build up within them is the perfect fuel for shadows." Several shadows came forward. They somehow melded with the shadows the persona users were fighting. Naoto was about to deal the finishing blow when one of his shadow's eyes opened and Yamamoto Takeru was pierced by several lasers that were fired in the blink of an eye. The shadow performed a self-repair and flew above Naoto, now forced to fall onto his knees.