There are multiple instances of Shadows, so I can only explain those that I've dealt with. [ Because he and Akihiko couldn't talk about it, but he'd seen enough of his memories when they'd become partners to know that theirs was a different situation.

He also privates this conversation from here on out, in the event that Naoto or any future shinki from Inaba stumble across the thread. ]

In the case of regular Shadows, they were just formed from the collective consciousness, not truly connected to any one person. They could be dangerous, but the weaker ones tended to just keep to themselves and run away from us when we grew stronger than them. Destroying them does nothing.

But Shadows that are connected to a person are their innermost thoughts, and the negative things that they repress. Rather than be random enemies in various shapes caused by the collective consciousness, they're tailored to the person in question. We've never destroyed a Shadow of this nature, due in part to the fact that they're a part of someone. Instead, the goal is to help them face their Shadows, so that they aren't fighting themselves anymore.

Admittedly, Shadows don't make it easy. They can say some pretty nasty things that you don't want other people to hear, or you don't even want to hear yourself, and fight back when rejected, changing into monsters rather like ayakashi in some cases.