"The World card from the Tarot. Its primary meaning is 'accomplishment'—all dreams can become reality. As long as you put in the effort, you'll reap the rewards."
Vill-V mused, stroking her chin as she gazed at the red World card that had fallen into Ren Amamiya's hand. She attempted to interpret the card's appearance through the lens of Tarot symbolism.
"At the same time, as the final card of the Major Arcana, The World also signifies a cycle—the end of one journey and the beginning of another."
Listening to Vill-V's explanation of The World card based on her divination knowledge, Ren looked at the red card in his hand with a slightly peculiar expression.
Though Vill-V's interpretation of The World card was surprisingly accurate—Ren was indeed in a state of having finished one playthrough and starting anew, constantly striving towards The World card as his goal, anticipating the moment of harvest—he knew its symbolism in Tarot divination wasn't the real reason it had become the Treasure of his Mementos Palace.
In Persona 5 Royal, there was only one Persona that truly symbolized The World arcana: the invincible Izanagi-no-Okami!
Although Satanael, in terms of its role in the story, should also belong to The World, mechanically within the game, it was still classified under the Fool arcana, just like Arsene.
I remember Narukami had to crush Tarot cards to summon his Personas...
Could it be?
"The card's design is quite ornate, but after it solidified, this Treasure's unique properties seem to have completely vanished... Ren, does this Tarot card have any special effects?"
Bronya slowly floated closer to Ren. She had Project Bunny 19C scan the World card in his hand, but the feedback indicated it was just an ordinary, unremarkable card with no special properties.
Undoubtedly, in its inactive state, The World card wasn't outwardly manifesting any particular power.
It had displayed terrifying, world-ending calamitous power before it took form. Yet now, with all that immense might contained within a small Tarot card, the combined powers were so stable they seemed nonexistent, not leaking even a hint of strangeness to the outside world. How could Bronya not be amazed by this?
"There's only one way to find out, right?"
It wasn't just Bronya who was curious about the World card Treasure's effects; Ren himself was already eager to wield this power, uniquely his.
"Come forth, Persona!"
Under the intent gazes of Bronya and Vill-V, Ren's red-gloved right hand clenched fiercely. The Tarot card named 'The World' instantly shattered into a shower of crimson light particles, which then converged like a brilliant aura above and behind him.
Unexpectedly, Ren didn't feel the control of a new Persona as he crushed The World card. Instead, the Personas already existing within the sea of his heart began to stir.
Thanatos had played a pivotal role in turning the tide during the recent battle. Thus, when faced with the multitude of Personas in his soul, Ren subconsciously chose to summon Thanatos once more within his Mementos Palace.
Azure flames suddenly flared up, devouring the converging crimson light like a whale inhaling water. The two merged seamlessly, transforming into an alluring, blood-like scarlet spectral flame.
Thanatos's form gradually emerged from within the scarlet spectral flames. However, looking at the Thanatos they had seen before, Raiden Mei, Seele, and the others widened their eyes in astonishment.
"Thanatos... it looks different from before! Is it because of that Tarot Treasure's power?"
The chains coiled around its shoulders and its originally gray steel mandibles were now dyed gold. Three wild, golden spikes adorned the top of its head.
The black robes Thanatos wore had changed to a blood-like crimson, and even the saintly coffin statues circling it had shifted from gray-white to a more conspicuous scarlet.
"This form is... Thanatos Picaro?!"
Looking at Thanatos, whose attire and style were completely different from before, Ren, who hadn't gotten to see Izanagi-no-Okami as he'd hoped, was stunned for a moment. Then, his eyes widened, a look of astonishment spreading across his face.
"After absorbing the power of The World card, Thanatos transformed into its Picaro form... So, the Treasure in my Palace is the Picaro Power?"
Not Izanagi-no-Okami, but the Picaro Power.
A Palace's Treasure is the materialization of its ruler's deepest desires and obsessions. Although Ren yearned for Izanagi-no-Okami's strength, it was ultimately a means to an end, not his final obsession or purpose.
What Ren truly obsessed over, what he truly cared about, was his duty as a savior, his destiny as the Trickster.
The World card represented the path of rehabilitation Ren had completed in his previous cycle, and it also contributed a strong, unyielding foundation for the rehabilitation he had restarted this time.
Ren had Thanatos Picaro move around in the air. The crimson Persona drew the black longsword from its waist and executed a powerful thrust into empty space, then tested its might by unleashing a Curse-type Maeigaon against the Palace wall. Ren could clearly feel the enhancing effect the Picaro Power had on Thanatos's strength.
If the original Thanatos was the Persona that assisted the hero in another story, belonging to Makoto Yuki [P3 Protagonist], then this Thanatos Picaro, having been baptized by the Picaro Power and with an overall image leaning more towards a rock-and-roll knight style, had undoubtedly become a Persona exclusive to Ren Amamiya, the Trickster.
Ren already commanded his Personas as if they were extensions of his own limbs. After Thanatos transformed into its Picaro form, controlling it felt even more natural and effortless, almost as smooth as controlling his original Persona, Raoul.
"If Thanatos can withstand the amplification from the Picaro Power, Raoul, you should also be able to be empowered by it, right?"
After testing the extent of Thanatos's enhancement from the Picaro Power, Ren, satisfied, recalled Thanatos to the sea of his heart. He then turned to his other Persona, Raoul, who had been silently observing, and posed the question.
Theoretically, Raoul was the Persona awakened by the Trickster. Even if its name didn't have the "Picaro" suffix, it could be considered to have maintained a Picaro-like state from the very beginning.
Even if it underwent the strengthening baptism of the Picaro Power, Raoul's appearance probably wouldn't change.
However, as The World Tarot card was the Treasure of Ren's Mementos Palace, its strengthening effect on his original Persona, Raoul, should be the greatest.
Facing Ren's inquiry, Raoul silently fixed its crimson eyes on the red Tarot card floating in Ren's palm. Then, it gave a slight nod of acknowledgment, completely devoid of the agitated demeanor it had shown when trying to prevent Ren from touching the Treasure earlier. Instead, it appeared taciturn, as if cherishing every word.
"So this is the form the Treasure ultimately manifested as... Picaro Power... is that what you call this force?"
Gazing at the red Tarot card Ren had put away, a thoughtful expression flickered across Vill-V's face.
Guided by the authority of the Herrscher of Corruption, all the Stigmata and Herrscher powers within this Stigma Space had been fused together, ultimately giving birth to this special product that Ren had named Picaro Power.
Although born from the Herrscher of Corruption's authority, the Picaro Power, formed from the convergence of numerous forces, had clearly become a formidable power unique to Ren Amamiya.
Moreover, the Picaro Power's enhancement wouldn't override the Herrscher of Corruption's own self-strengthening effects. In fact, when used simultaneously, the Picaro Power could spontaneously negate the berserking influence on the user's consciousness that came with the Corruption's power, allowing Ren to always maintain a calm, thinking state.
"It's about time we left this Palace... We're planning to continue exploring Mementos. Vill-V, do you want to come with us?"
Once a Treasure is taken, the Mementos Palace begins to collapse.
Even as they spoke, Ren could faintly feel the Museum Palace trembling. Although it hadn't truly started to crumble yet, the entire Palace space seemed to be in a state of turmoil, giving off a precarious feeling.
To avoid being unable to evacuate in time, Ren didn't immediately test the Picaro Power's effect on Raoul on the spot. Instead, he took out his phone, intending to first transfer to Mementos via the Metaverse Navigator app. Then, while completing requests from the Phantom Channel website, he would continue testing the Picaro Power's amplification.
This gentle and intellectual Vill-V didn't seem like the type who enjoyed running around outside. If Ren's senses hadn't been overly acute, and if they weren't in his own Mementos Palace, the Vill-V who hadn't been actively sought out by him would probably have remained a silent observer from beginning to end.
Although he hoped the powerful Vill-V would join his team, even if only as a temporary member for a day, Ren was also prepared for her refusal.
"My apologies, I wish to return to where I belong. However, before I go back, I'll need to rest within your mind for a while, Mr. Ren. As a token of apology for the intrusion, if you encounter any problems during this time, you can come to me for answers."
Just as Ren had expected, Vill-V gently shook her head, gracefully declining the invitation to temporarily join the Phantom Thieves in exploring Mementos.
Her conversation with Ren had practically drained all her social energy. He had thought Vill-V now just wanted to quickly return to the Elysian Realm, retreat to the deepest part of her own being, and just lie there, thinking of nothing, and sleep.
However, until Ren returned to the Elysian Realm, Vill-V, who was merely a consciousness dwelling within a Spiral signet, couldn't proactively return to the Elysian Realm space. She could only continue to wait quietly in Ren's mental space for the opportune moment.
"In that case, we'll head off first."
The tremors in the Palace space grew increasingly violent. Ren nodded to Vill-V, then decisively pressed the Metaverse Navigator app icon on his phone screen. The figures of the five Phantom Thieves instantly vanished from the seemingly crumbling Museum Palace.
Given Vill-V's strength, the mere collapse of a Mementos Palace clearly posed no threat to her. Since Vill-V had indicated she didn't want to accompany the Phantom Thieves to Mementos, Ren could confidently lead Raiden Mei and the others out of the Palace first.
Vill-V's gaze remained fixed on the Metaverse Navigator app displayed on Ren's phone screen until his figure completely disappeared. Only then did her pink-and-white gradient eyes shift from where Ren had been standing, turning towards the exhibition platform area in the Museum Palace's plaza.
A black vending machine, adorned with red paint, slowly rose from beneath the ground. It appeared quite naturally in the exhibition area, which displayed various grotesque and terrifying Shadow statues, as if it had been there from the very beginning.
And as the vending machine fully materialized, the moment the neon sign on top, reading "[Palace Maker]," began to flash, the Museum Palace, which had been shaking so violently it seemed on the verge of complete collapse, suddenly became perfectly still, as if nothing had happened at all.
"I see. You hid the connection points between this Palace and others to prevent those Herrschers and Stigmata Archetypes, who provided the foundation for the Treasure's power, from following those connections to this Palace to aid that Trickster. Only after the Trickster and his companions decided to leave did you reconnect the isolated multiple spaces with this Palace."
A look of realization dawned in Vill-V's eyes. The violent tremors in the Museum Palace moments ago weren't a sign of impending destruction and collapse. Instead, they were the commotion caused by reconnecting with the multiple Stigma Spaces and Herrscher Spaces that Raoul had deliberately isolated.
Stigma Spaces were both reality and a world of consciousness.
With Stigma Spaces as the environment, if Ren genuinely craved power from the bottom of his heart, it would be all too easy for those Herrscher consciousnesses and Stigmata Archetypes, who willingly offered their power to Ren, to follow the connection points into the Mementos Palace belonging to the Persona user, Ren Amamiya.
And if the Herrscher consciousnesses and Stigmata Archetypes were to appear en masse, even Raoul, despite its superior strength, would inevitably find itself overwhelmed.
Therefore, using its authority as the Palace ruler, it had severed the links to other spaces from the very beginning, returning the entire Museum Palace to its initial state as an isolated island.
"..."
Raoul still said nothing. It merely glanced at Vill-V before turning and walking away