"Calling Personas 'Stigmata,' calling Shadows 'Imaginary Constructs'... You... you're not human, are you?"
Ren Amamiya kept one hand casually tucked into the pocket of his black, feather-like trench coat. Though phrased as a question, his tone towards Hare was remarkably certain.
Ren didn't sense any malice from Hare.
Still, vigilance was necessary. He didn't dismiss Arsene, letting the crimson-masked Persona hover silently behind him, its massive black wings spread wide.
It presented quite an intimidating sight.
Setting aside the meaning of "Imaginary Construct" for now, the term "Stigmata," with its strong religious connotations, inevitably made Ren think of Persona's parent series, Shin Megami Tensei.
However, Ren hadn't even passively absorbed much about SMT; he'd only read basic game descriptions.
Using these two unheard-of terms for Personas and Shadows, combined with the subtly unusual aura Ren sensed from her...
No matter how he looked at it, Hare didn't seem like a normal human.
Compared to a human, "Misteln" was more likely a special existence with a human appearance, similar to someone like Lavenza [An attendant of the Velvet Room].
"...You figured it out that quickly? You're quite perceptive."
Hearing Ren pinpoint her non-human nature, Hare's azure eyes widened in surprise.
Although she hadn't intended to hide her identity as a Stigmata Crystallization from the start, being exposed so quickly still brought a small, subconscious pang of frustration.
"That's correct. I am not human, but a crystallization born from Stigmata... May I ask how you discerned my non-human status?"
Hare frankly admitted her identity as a Stigmata Crystallization.
She then placed a hand gently over her ample chest, her blue eyes filled with curiosity as she inquired further.
"Simple. Your terms for Personas and Shadows are completely different from ours. That alone was suspicious enough."
Ren explained calmly to the curious Hare.
"I see, so that's the reason..."
Hare nodded thoughtfully, mentally storing the terms "Persona" and "Shadow."
"Persona... the myriad possibilities an individual manifests to protect themselves and adapt to the world? It's actually quite a fitting name for a Stigmata Manifestation."
As the Stigmata Crystallization born from the Schariac curse, Hare possessed a human body and could walk freely in the real world.
But the curse she carried meant she could only safely be near perfect Stigmata awakeners like Ren Amamiya—a one-in-a-billion existence.
Hare was effectively isolated from modern society, only occasionally contacting Gray Serpent of World Serpent.
Terms like "Stigmata" and "Imaginary Construct" were remnants of the Previous Era, still used by World Serpent.
Hare knew very little about the current era's anti-Honkai organizations outside of World Serpent.
She had never specifically researched the terminology used by other major organizations for various Honkai phenomena.
Different civilizations across the world developed differently; variations in naming Honkai-related phenomena were perfectly normal.
Hare didn't dwell on it and quickly accepted Ren's explanation.
Recalling how Ren had mysteriously appeared in the Imaginary Space, and how, despite his tension and vigilance, he wasn't panicked or lost—even seeming somewhat knowledgeable about this place...
Hare became even more convinced that Ren belonged to some other anti-Honkai organization.
"However, judging my humanity solely based on my term for 'Persona'... isn't that a bit hasty?"
"It's not just me; the followers of the Serpent also use 'Stigmata' and 'Imaginary Construct' to refer to Personas and Shadows... Hm? What's wrong?"
Hare furrowed her brow slightly, tapping a delicate white finger against her soft lips, still somewhat puzzled as she questioned Ren.
But the moment she uttered the words "followers of the Serpent"...
Hare looked on, bewildered, as Ren's body instantly tensed to the extreme. Arsene, floating behind him, also assumed a high-alert combat stance.
"Those 'followers of the Serpent' you mentioned... do you mean followers of that Evil God? Are you sure those followers are human?!"
When Hare spoke of the "Serpent," she showed no fear, apprehension, or disgust—just a natural, matter-of-fact tone.
Her words, seemingly aligning her with the "Evil God's" faction, naturally put Ren—the Trickster destined to rebel against that very god—on high alert.
While usually referred to simply as the "Evil God," the entity actually had a name.
Yaldabaoth, the Supreme Ruler of the Gnostic cults [often depicted with serpent imagery].
Both a serpent and a god... in this Mementos, who else could fit that description besides the Evil God lurking in its depths?!
As far as Ren knew, the Evil God's only followers were the Shadows imprisoned in the deepest part of Mementos, who delusionally found happiness and bliss in their captivity.
If, in some P5 sequel or spin-off Ren hadn't played, the Evil God actually had a human cult operating in the real world...
...then even returning to reality from Mementos would still be incredibly dangerous for Ren.
Worse, since he couldn't use his Persona powers in the real world...
Facing a large group of well-armed fanatics, Ren might actually be in more danger in the real world than here!!
"...Mm. While there are non-human followers, there are also many human ones. It's just that many humans who follow the Serpent don't actually know the true nature of the 'god' they worship."
Seeing Ren's strong reaction, Hare paused, then a look of understanding dawned on her face.
Finally connecting the dots, she completed the logical loop in her own mind.
The upper echelons of World Serpent are mostly no longer purely human.
Either fully mechanical beings, heavily augmented cyborgs, or inheritors of power from the Elysian Realm, similar to MANTISes [Fusion Soldiers].
Even within World Serpent, only executive-level members would know terms like 'Stigmata' and 'Imaginary Construct.'
After all, World Serpent operates incredibly deep undercover in the real world, so much so that Schicksal and Anti-Entropy dismiss them as a minor, insignificant organization.
Many low-level World Serpent followers don't even realize who they're actually working for.
Since Hare used terms like 'Stigmata' and 'Imaginary Construct,' her status as a World Serpent executive is now obvious to Ren.
And this proves Ren already has significant knowledge about World Serpent, an organization spanning the history of the current civilization.
He even seems hostile towards World Serpent's goal of overturning the human world.
World Serpent was founded at the dawn of civilization. The Previous Era's pioneers became figures of myth and legend across the globe, forming vast, secret religious followings.
However, those religious stories often exaggerate the pioneers' words and deeds, making them cryptic, hard to understand, and sometimes completely detached from the actual person.
It's perfectly normal for the Previous Era pioneers to be called 'gods.'
And among those existing today who could arguably be called an 'Evil God'...
...there's only one possibility: the current Lord of World Serpent, the one overseeing Project Stigma—Kevin Kaslana.
"May I ask... who exactly is this 'Evil God' you speak of?"
Seeing Ren's expression turn grim after her response, seemingly lost in thought, Hare waited quietly for a moment before her curiosity got the better of her, prompting her to ask.
"Yaldabaoth, of course! The Supreme Ruler of the Serpent Cult!"
Ren answered Hare's question without hesitation, clenching his fists.
"He plots to steal the future of all humankind, imprisoning everyone, arrogantly stripping people of their freedom of choice, possibly even intending to wipe out humanity entirely— This is absolutely unacceptable!"
Ren had transmigrated into this world; he was part of it now.
If the Evil God wanted to destroy the world, Ren would be destroyed along with it.
Moreover, Ren possessed the rebellious spirit of the Trickster. He would inevitably attract the Evil God's attention, destined to be isolated like a puppet in a solitary cell, his life manipulated at the god's whim.
Ren absolutely refused such a miserable, clown-like future.
Therefore, he had to grow stronger and defeat the Evil God, just like in the original story.
"Yaldabaoth of the Serpent Cult..."
So, the 'Evil God' he refers to really is Lord Kevin.
Hare silently repeated the name Ren had spoken, understanding dawning in her mind.
As mentioned before, the footprints of the Previous Era pioneers are all over the world's civilizations.
Even Schicksal, the largest current anti-Honkai organization, was inevitably influenced by the pioneers in its early days.
Among Schicksal's three founding houses, the Kaslanas, symbolizing knights, are descendants of Kevin, inheriting the bloodline power of Fusion Soldiers.
The Apocalypse family, the Bishops (now as Overseers), likely have ancestors with deep connections to the Previous Era pioneer Su.
Thus, during Schicksal's founding period, a heretical sect called the Ophites [Serpent Worshipers] emerged in Eastern Europe.
The Ophite mythology speaks of seven angels [Archons], each with the head of an animal.
The first angel, Michael, and the seventh, Onoel [or Ouroboros], are actually two aspects of the same entity.
When the two merge, the Supreme Ruler, Yaldabaoth, appears.
The Ophite myths were written by the followers themselves, but they contain distorted fragments of real history.
For instance, Kevin, having undergone the Chimera Project, can transform into multiple types of Honkai Beasts, essentially being a composite of various beasts.
Perhaps all the guardian angels of the Ophites were just Kevin alone.
Maybe believers happened to witness him in his human form while he was transformed into the 'Michael' or 'Onoel' aspects, leading to these legends.
In Ophite myth, Yaldabaoth constantly creates worlds only to destroy them out of dissatisfaction, repeating the cycle endlessly.
This directly contradicts Kevin's actions.
Because Kevin is the one trying to stop the world's cyclical reset, to end the Honkai completely.
Hare could only assume that the compilers of the Ophite myths confused Kevin with the ultimate enemy he sought to destroy—the Herrscher of the Finality—and this garbled version spread through rumors.
And the act that provoked Ren's strong opposition and hostility, the thing he absolutely could not accept—the seizing of humanity's future, the imprisonment of all people...
...was clearly Kevin's plan for salvation, Project Stigma, meant to redefine humanity.
For humanity, Project Stigma is an incredibly cruel, worst-case scenario plan.
If Ren knew the full details of Project Stigma, his righteous indignation, his determination to oppose Kevin and stop the plan at all costs, would be completely understandable and justifiable.
"Alright, last question... What is your relationship with this 'Evil God'? And what is your relationship with those 'followers of the Serpent'?"
Ren took a deep breath, maintaining intense focus.
He posed the most critical question—the question of allegiance—to Hare, standing not far in front of him.