Chapter 71; Blade Fight Pt:3

...10/09/2009 Thursday; Dark Hour...

...Mitsuru's Group...

The rising and falling of Mitsuru's chest was rapid as she kept her eyes locked on the Shadow Samurai.

The creature observed the group in silence, like a predator calculating its next move.

Its left arm, now exposed after Hermes' fire, twitched slightly, but its murderous gaze showed no signs of weakness.

"This thing... it's still holding back," Mitsuru murmured, panting.

Yukari ran to Akihiko, who was still on his knees, his face pale, chest rising and falling in short breaths.

"Sanada-senpai!" She knelt beside him, touching his arm. "Are you okay?"

Akihiko took a deep breath, trying to steady himself.

The burning pain in his chest felt like it echoed into his very soul—a lingering effect of the Kanji carved into Polydeuces.

"I think so..." He clenched his teeth, sweat dripping down his forehead. "But that Shadow... damn it... it feels like it hit my soul."

Frowning, Yukari pressed her hand against Akihiko's chest, feeling the heat radiate through his combat suit.

The fever wasn't normal—it was a direct consequence of the Shadow's attack.

Does it need to hit the Persona to use those Kanji...?

"Koromaru!" she called, looking around.

She saw no sign of Koromaru until she put her fingers to her lips and whistled.

Yukari's whistle cut through the air.

The sound of paws tearing through the ground echoed, and the white-furred dog appeared by her side, eyes sharp and tail swaying slightly.

Yukari ruffled his head before opening the small kit attached to his vest and pulling out a syringe.

"This will get you back in the fight, senpai. But don't let that thing hit your Persona again," Yukari said, grabbing Akihiko's arm.

Akihiko didn't have time to respond. Yukari held his arm firmly and jabbed the needle into his skin.

The liquid burned as it entered his bloodstream, but soon the adrenaline kicked in.

He took a deep breath, feeling energy replace the weakness, and the pain in his chest started to fade.

"Alright..." Akihiko stood up, rolling his shoulder. His body still felt heavy, but his legs responded better. "But are you sure we can't use our Personas?"

"I don't know..." Yukari stood up beside him, pulling her bow from her back. "I never thought things would be this complicated without Fuuka here..."

"It's not just you... Without Fuuka, this is tough." Junpei got up, picking up his fallen sword, his face smeared with dust and sweat.

"Akihiko." Mitsuru stepped closer, never taking her eyes off the Shadow Samurai. "Can you fight?"

"I think so... But this thing is giving us hell." Akihiko said, rubbing his neck.

Mitsuru nodded, her gaze firm. "Good... but we need to stop this Shadow somehow..."

"Is your Theurgy charged?" Yukari asked, not taking her eyes off the creature.

The four of them opened the compartments on their arm braces. A dim light reflected on their worried faces.

The cartridges weren't fully charged yet.

Mitsuru's and Akihiko's barely glowed. Yukari's had a faint shimmer, but Junpei's was the most charged.

"Mine's almost there." Junpei closed the compartment and looked at Mitsuru. "Now what, Senpai?"

She pressed her lips together in concentration, eyes shifting to the Evoker strapped to her belt. An idea formed.

"Iori... As soon as your Theurgy is ready, let me know. I'll freeze the Shadow, and you'll use Theurgy." Mitsuru said, looking at Junpei.

Akihiko cracked his knuckles, eyes sharp. "Alright. Let's hold this thing down."

"Here it comes!" Yukari shouted, pulling an arrow from her quiver.

The Shadow Samurai dashed toward the group like a blur.

But Akihiko didn't back down. With precise timing, he ducked at the last second, feeling the enemy's blade slice through the air, barely grazing his hair.

Before she could react, Akihiko's fist drove into the Shadow's abdomen in a powerful uppercut.

"Not a chance!" he shouted, his face tense with effort.

Ignoring the lingering pain in his chest, Akihiko grabbed the Shadow's waist, forcing her backward.

Her feet scraped against the asphalt, pressing hard against the ground in an attempt to resist.

"Junpei!" Akihiko bellowed, the veins in his neck bulging as he held onto the enemy.

Junpei's sword gleamed as it slashed through the air.

The Shadow raised her katana in defense, and the clash of blades sent a shower of sparks flying.

Their weapons screeched under the force of the struggle.

The Shadow reacted swiftly. Her knee slammed into Akihiko's chest, sending pain searing through his skin.

He gritted his teeth, but before the creature could break free—

An arrow cut through the air, piercing the side of the Shadow's head.

The impact made her stagger back, letting out a frustrated screech.

Seizing the opening, Akihiko released the Shadow's waist and spun his body, delivering a right hook.

The sharp thud of impact echoed through the street, making the creature shake her head with an irritated growl.

"Leave her to me!" Mitsuru shouted as she rushed toward the enemy. "Iori!"

"Let's do this!" Junpei twirled his sword, the metal slicing through the air.

The two charged together, synchronized like the twin blades of a pair of scissors.

Mitsuru lunged with a direct thrust of her rapier, but the Shadow blocked with her katana.

Before she could counterattack, Junpei struck her from behind, forcing her to stumble back a few steps.

The clang of steel against steel echoed through the street as the battle intensified.

The Shadow parried every strike, but the relentless rhythm of their attacks started breaking through her defense.

Mitsuru slashed horizontally, but the enemy deflected and retaliated with a strike aimed at her neck.

Before the blade could reach its target, Junpei stepped between them and parried the katana with his sword, sending sparks flying on impact.

The sound of clashing weapons rang through the night, mingling with the distant hum of the city. Each strike sent tremors through their arms.

Sparks flickered against the cracked asphalt in brief flashes.

The Shadow launched a vertical attack, slashing downward. Mitsuru rolled aside at the last moment, feeling the wind from the blade graze her skin as it barely missed her shoulder.

The steel struck the ground with a sharp crack, splitting the asphalt. Akihiko didn't waste the opportunity.

"Drop it!" He sprinted toward the Shadow and, with a cry of effort, kicked the katana.

The metal gave way with a snap. The blade shattered into gleaming fragments that scattered across the ground.

"Hey, Junpei!" Akihiko stepped back, his chest heaving with ragged breaths. "Is your Theurgy ready?!"

Junpei retreated a few steps, his eyes darting to his brace. The cartridge pulsed with an almost steady glow.

"Just a little more!" he shouted.

Without hesitation, the Shadow Samurai discarded the broken katana.

With a fluid motion, she drew the odachi from her back. The curved blade shimmered in the moonlight as it spun through the air.

The creature drove the sword into the ground and let out a deafening scream.

The Shadow Samurai ripped the odachi from the ground in one fluid motion. Her feet scraped against the asphalt as she dashed toward Mitsuru.

Mitsuru raised her rapier, her gaze locked onto the Shadow.

The odachi sliced through the air in a vertical slash. The sound of steel cutting through the empty space echoed as Mitsuru leaped to the side, dodging by a hair's breadth.

Before she could react, the Shadow released one hand from the sword, clenched her fist, and threw a direct punch.

The impact struck Mitsuru's face, knocking her off balance and sending her to the ground.

The metallic taste of blood filled her mouth. The street spun for an instant until she blinked away the dizziness.

"Damn it…" she muttered, spitting out the blood and wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

Akihiko saw the opening. His fingers tightened around the Evoker as he pulled it from the holster at his waist.

"Polydeuces!" he shouted, pressing the silver barrel against his own head.

The dry click of the trigger pierced the air, and a blue glow flashed from the other side of his head.

Polydeuces emerged behind him, his eyes burning with fury.

The needle in his arm gleamed with electricity, crackling in the charged air, and he unleashed Zionga, a more powerful shock spell.

A bolt of electricity shot from the needle, cutting through the space in a brilliant blue arc before striking the Shadow Samurai's chest.

The creature let out a distorted scream as the electricity surged through her body, making her convulse in spasms.

"Thanks, Akihiko," Mitsuru said, recovering as she got back on her feet.

"Don't mention it." He holstered the Evoker. "Don't let your guard down against this thing."

Junpei glanced at his armband. The red light pulsed in a steady glow.

"Akihiko-san!" he called, his heartbeat racing. "My Theurgy is ready!"

"Now, Mitsuru!" Akihiko shouted without hesitation.

Mitsuru had already drawn her Evoker, but as if reading her thoughts, the Shadow lunged forward.

The world seemed to slow down.

The sound of footsteps echoed in slow motion, the cold wind brushing through the leader's hair.

The odachi's blade gleamed as the Shadow swung a horizontal slash.

The cut of the air hissed past Mitsuru's face, just inches from her skin. With agility, she bent backward, nearly touching the ground.

"PERSONA!" she shouted, her voice ringing through the street.

The sound of the trigger firing echoed as the glow flared from the other side of her head.

The imposing figure of Penthesilea appeared above her, eyes gleaming like blue jewels.

The Persona raised her twin blades high and unleashed Diamond Dust.

The air around them froze instantly.

A blizzard spread through the street, enveloping everything in a white veil.

The icy wind cut like invisible blades. Spear-like ice crystals formed in the air, glistening under the moonlight.

The first spear pierced through the Shadow Samurai's chest, forcing her to stagger back.

The creature swung wildly, trying to shatter the crystals, but more spears struck her shoulders, her legs—freezing parts of her armor and restricting her movements.

"Junpei… use Theurgy now!" Yukari shouted, shielding her face from the storm.

Junpei pressed the Gekkoukan High emblem on his armband. With a metallic click, the Theurgy cartridge was ejected.

He caught it firmly, opened the Evoker's chamber, and inserted the glowing cylinder inside.

The locking mechanism clicked into place.

"Hermes!" he shouted, pressing the Evoker to his own head.

The shot rang out, and a red glow erupted beside him. Hermes appeared in midair, his eyes burning with fury.

"Now we're talking! Let's finish this, Her—" Junpei started to say, pointing toward the Shadow.

Before he could finish, Hermes shot forward like a bullet, too fast for Junpei to keep up.

The sudden momentum sent Junpei crashing face-first into the ground.

The Persona soared toward the Shadow, who was still struggling to free herself from the ice.

The first flying kick struck the creature's head with enough force to rip half of her skull apart. Fragments of her mask scattered into the air.

Without giving her a chance to react, Hermes unleashed a flurry of lightning-fast kicks against her chest.

Each impact sounded like a sledgehammer smashing metal. The creature screamed in agony, yet still tried to raise her arms to counterattack.

Hermes didn't hesitate. He clasped his hands together and, with a guttural roar, brought both fists crashing down onto the Shadow's shoulder.

The impact caused the creature's shoulder to explode into a spray of dark liquid.

The Shadow's scream reverberated through the street. She lifted her face toward the black sky of the Dark Hour, as if searching for something.

In the next instant, an ice spear pierced through her head, silencing her cry.

Hermes raised his fists above the creature and brought them down with crushing force.

The Shadow's body shattered upon impact.

Dark fragments dissolved into the air, turning into mist before vanishing completely.

Silence.

The group's ragged breathing was all that remained on the deserted street.

Mitsuru felt her body grow heavy, and she fell to her knees.

Snow covered the cracked asphalt like a silent shroud.

The air still carried the cold left behind by Diamond Dust, each member of S.E.E.S. exhaling in white puffs.

"Finally..." Mitsuru whispered, her shoulders rising and falling as she struggled to catch her breath.

She remained kneeling, feeling the exhaustion weighing down her muscles.

When she opened her eyes, she saw Akihiko extending a hand to her, his face illuminated by a brief but relieved smile.

"Looks like that was the last one. You okay?" Akihiko spoke, his tone tired but relieved.

She stared at him for a moment before taking his hand and pulling herself up with his help.

"I'm fine... just a little tired..." she replied, adjusting her rapier. "I can only use Diamond Dust one more time."

Junpei got up right after, massaging his head with a grimace.

"Ow... Why the hell did Hermes knock me over?" he complained, sheathing his sword on his back.

"Maybe because you were standing in his way?" Yukari put her bow away and crossed her arms, giving him a teasing look.

But their brief moment of relief was shattered by an explosion in the distance.

The sound echoed through the empty streets, making all four of them turn toward the blast.

A column of smoke rose into the sky from the direction of Moonlight Bridge.

"It came from Moonlight Bridge..." Yukari said, her voice wavering.

Mitsuru's eyes widened. "No..." she murmured in distress.

Akihiko lifted his face to the sky of the Dark Hour, clenching his fists. "Hiro, Minato, Aigis, Shinjiro! Can you hear me?"

The silence around them felt suffocating. No response came.

"Hiro?" Mitsuru called, stepping forward. "Hiro, are you listening? Arisato?"

Junpei looked at Mitsuru, his expression tense. "Kirijo-senpai, what do we do?"

Mitsuru pressed her lips together for a moment before raising her determined gaze to the dark sky. "We're heading to Moonlight Bridge to check on them."

"But... we haven't even had time to rest!" Yukari hesitated.

"There's no time to rest. Let's go!" Akihiko cut in, already running after Mitsuru.

Junpei was the next to take off.

Yukari lingered for a second, biting her lower lip before taking a deep breath and picking up the pace to follow them.

"Come on, Koro-chan! Stay close!" she called out as she ran.

Koromaru barked in response and sprinted alongside her.

^^^ MOONLIGHT BRIDGE ^^^

With each street they crossed, the signs of destruction became more evident—twisted lampposts, shattered glass littering the sidewalks, and more coffins than they could count, piled up just as Minato had described.

"Holy shit... Looks like a massacre happened here," Akihiko muttered, his voice low.

"Yeah..." Yukari agreed, scanning the area. "But where is everyone?"

Mitsuru's heart pounded like a drum as her eyes searched every corner.

The cold wind carried only the sound of their own footsteps.

Then, something shattered the silence—the sound of something breaking inside a nearby building.

"DIE ALREADY, YOU PIECE OF SHIT!" Hiro's voice exploded through the air.

Time seemed to slow.

A section of the building's wall burst outward, shards of concrete flying in all directions.

Something colossal emerged from the rubble, the distorted body of the Shadow glistening under the eerie green light of the Dark Hour.

Aigis appeared in her Orgia Mode, visibly damaged, clinging to the Shadow's waist, pushing against the creature with all the strength she had.

And there, on top of the Shadow's head, was Hiro—his coat torn in multiple places, blood streaming from cuts on his arms and face.

The kukri in his hand gleamed as he drove it into the creature's skull with a furious scream.

"HIROOOOOOO!" Mitsuru's voice thundered across the battlefield.

...The fight wasn't over yet...

...TO BE CONTINUED...