Chapter 73; No respite Pt:2

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

...Minato's Group...

The metallic sound of the axe grinding under the pressure of Shinjiro's fingers echoed amidst the tremors.

His gaze locked onto the swarm of Shadows surrounding Hiro down below.

"Shit... There's no way he can last much longer..." he muttered through clenched teeth, his brow furrowed in frustration.

Before he could take another step, a deep growl reverberated through the ruins.

Minato turned his head, his blue eyes narrowing at the approaching creature.

The new Shadow was the size of a colossal beast: muscles covered in white fur, sharp claws digging into the ground with each step, and eyes emanating a menacing aura.

Its lupine stance resembled that of a werewolf.

"Aigis, Aragaki." Minato's voice cut through the air like a cold blade.

"Ah, come on..." Shinjiro narrowed his eyes, huffing as he rested the axe on his shoulder. "Great timing for this shit to show up."

"Minato-san, what do we do?" Aigis asked, her gaze shifting between Hiro in the pit and the approaching werewolf Shadow.

Minato took a deep breath, his eyes flicking toward the edge of the pit.

Down below, Hiro kept his eyes locked on the Shadows closing in on him.

"Aigis, cover Hiro. Aragaki and I will handle this Shadow." Minato's tone was firm, leaving no room for hesitation.

"Understood." Aigis adjusted the built-in machine guns on her arms, aiming them toward the pit. "How are we getting Hiro-san out of there?"

"Try using Palladion to pull him up when there's an opening." Shinjiro cracked his neck, spinning the battle axe before resting it firmly on his shoulder. "If he holds out until then..."

Inside the pit, the scent of damp earth and rust mixed with the heavy air.

The Shadows advanced in an ever-tightening circle.

Hiro took a deep breath, his fingers sliding to the holster strapped to his left thigh.

"No other choice..." he murmured to himself, eyes fixed on the creatures around him. "I either die here... or kill these Shadows."

"Hiro-san!" Aigis's metallic voice echoed from above. "I'll cover you! Once the Shadows thin out, I'll send Palladion to grab you!"

Hiro spun the kukri in his right hand, feeling the familiar weight of the blade, and drew the Evoker with his left.

The cold metal pressed against the side of his head as he crossed his arms in front of his face.

"It's now or never." His voice was dark.

Hiro's fierce cry tore through the air as he charged toward the horde of Shadows.

The creatures lunged like a ravenous wave, but he didn't hesitate.

The kukri slashed through the first one to reach him, slicing its amorphous body into a black blur.

The blade slid across another's chest, and another was torn apart in a swift spin. Each strike was fast, brutal—no room for mistakes.

Hiro kept moving forward, his blood pounding in his ears.

The air filled with snarls and screeches, but the only sound driving him forward was his own rapid breathing.

A dark shape leapt from the side—too fast to avoid.

The fangs of a canine-like Shadow sank into Hiro's shoulder, tearing through the fabric of his coat.

"Argh!" Hiro grunted in pain.

The sharp agony sent hot blood trickling down, staining his sleeve red.

"Get off me!" he growled in fury.

Hiro grabbed the creature by the torso, using his full upper-body strength to hurl it away.

Before it hit the ground, he spun the kukri in his hand and plunged it into the Shadow's belly mid-air, slicing it in two in a dark blur.

The viscous liquid splattered across his face, but he didn't stop.

The Evoker spun in his fingers before pressing against his head once more.

"PERSONA!" he roared in fury.

The sound of the trigger pull echoed like a muffled thunderclap.

The red glow illuminated the side of Hiro's face, and Lucifer's silhouette emerged above him.

A deep, resonating laughter reverberated through the pit.

The Shadows hesitated for an instant—just long enough for Lucifer to descend upon them, his claws tearing through their shadowy bodies with savage brutality.

Aigis's machine guns fired in rapid succession, bullets tearing through the Shadows trying to attack from behind.

Hiro, now drenched in the black fluid of the creatures, kept cutting through everything in front of him, his gaze as fixed as a predator in the middle of a hunt.

The Evoker pressed against his head again, his finger pulling the trigger repeatedly.

Each shot reignited the red glow, keeping Lucifer in the field.

The Persona rose amid the swarm, its hands igniting in flames as it cast Agilao.

The fire spread like a burning wave, engulfing dozens of Shadows in distorted screams.

At the center of the blaze, Hiro kept advancing, his kukri slicing without hesitation as the heat illuminated the murderous glint in his eyes.

The werewolf Shadow's roar echoed through the air as it lunged at Minato and Shinjiro.

Shinjiro pivoted on his heel, his battle axe slicing through the air and burying itself into the creature's shoulder.

The impact tore a furious snarl from the monster, which raised its right arm and delivered a brutal punch to Shinjiro's gut.

The blow knocked the air from his lungs instantly.

Pain surged through his chest like an electric current, forcing him to bite his lip hard. "Shit… that hurt."

Before the Shadow could continue, Minato appeared behind it, driving his sword into the creature's back.

A roar of pain erupted as the werewolf spun around in rage.

Its massive fist slammed into Minato's head, sending him crashing into the asphalt.

The impact made his head sink into the ground with a sickening crack.

Pain shot through his body in waves, his face burning as blood trickled from a freshly opened gash on his forehead.

Minato forced himself up, blood covering one eye as he wiped his forehead with the back of his hand.

"Shit…" he muttered.

"Mitsuru! Akihiko!" Shinjiro shouted, his voice tense as he kept his eyes on the creature. "How's it going over there?!"

Fuuka's telepathic link brought the labored voice of Akihiko into everyone's minds: "We're keeping the coffins safe from the Shadows. But there's a lot of them… How about you?"

Aigis only stopped firing long enough to reload her built-in machine guns. "We are holding out. But the street collapsed, and Hiro-san was caught in it."

"What?!" Mitsuru's alarmed voice cut in. "Are you all okay?!"

Shinjiro let out a strained grunt, slamming his shoulder into the werewolf's chest.

The creature staggered back, growling in irritation.

Taking the opening, Shinjiro grabbed Minato's arm and hauled him to his feet.

"I'd say so. But Hiro's fighting like… I dunno… forty Shadows alone, and we can't reach him." Shinjiro said, glancing back at the Shadow.

"Forty?! Holy shit…" Akihiko's heavy breathing grew more audible. "And there's no way you guys can he—"

The link was suddenly cut off.

"Akihiko?!" Shinjiro looked up at the green-tinted sky. "Shit, the connection's down…"

At the bottom of the pit, Hiro kept cutting down the Shadows without stopping. The weight of exhaustion was already affecting his movements.

The continuous summoning of Lucifer drained his strength, while blood soaked the left side of his coat.

A blow came from behind. The punch struck the side of Hiro's face, making him stagger to the side.

The metallic taste of blood filled his mouth. He spat onto the ground without hesitation, and before the Shadow could attack again, he spun his kukri and decapitated the creature with a precise slash.

"They just keep coming…" His chest heaved, breath growing shorter.

"Hiro-san!" Aigis' voice echoed from above the pit. "Can you still fight?!"

"Yes! But not for much longer!" Hiro shouted as he got back into position.

Up above, Minato and Shinjiro remained facing the werewolf-like Shadow.

The monster watched them with yellow eyes, its chest rising and falling between low growls.

"Aragaki…" Minato wiped the blood dripping over his eye. "Got any ideas?"

"No." Shinjiro panted, wiping the sweat from his face with his forearm.

Minato lifted his gaze to the sky. "Mitsuru, how much longer over there?"

"We've cleared most of them. Why?" Mitsuru's voice was tense.

"A big Shadow just showed up here," Shinjiro gripped his axe tightly. "I tried to reach Hiro, but he's trapped."

"And you can't help him?!" Yukari asked, her voice filled with worry.

"Aigis is shooting from where we are." Minato massaged his neck, trying to ease the tension. "But if we go down there, the Shadows will reach the coffins…"

The persistent beeping of Aigis' scanners echoed like an emergency alarm.

Her eyes glowed as she analyzed the internal display, which showed a sudden spike in energy coming from the residential area.

The place where Mitsuru and the others were.

Aigis' expression grew serious. "Mitsuru-senpai. I have detected an energy signature emerging from your location. Proceed with caution."

The warning had barely been transmitted when the telepathic link suffered interference.

"Wha… do… ener…" Junpei's voice broke apart before disappearing completely.

Shinjiro clicked his tongue in frustration. "Damn it… the connection's cut off again…"

Before they could try to reestablish contact, the werewolf Shadow lunged once more, its roar reverberating through the empty streets of the Dark Hour.

Minato gripped the hilt of his sword and dashed straight for the creature. At the last second, he jumped, dodging the sharp claws that tore through the air where he had been.

While still midair, he twisted his wrist and brought the blade down against the creature's back.

The deep slash made the werewolf let out an enraged howl.

Minato landed with a quick roll and stood up, already looking at Shinjiro. "Aragaki, your Persona!"

Shinjiro didn't hesitate. He pulled the Evoker from its holster and pressed it to his own head.

"Kastor!" he shouted.

The trigger was pulled, and a burst of light spread around his head.

Kastor emerged, roaring in fury before snapping the reins of his horse.

Like a projectile, the Persona charged forward, his dark steed slamming into the Shadow's chest with overwhelming force.

The impact carried the werewolf into a nearby building, crushing the creature against the wall.

The windows shattered into shards from the force of the collision.

The Shadow howled and, with a swift strike, its claws carved deep gashes into Kastor's chest.

The Persona bellowed in rage, letting go of the reins and grabbing the creature's head against the wall.

And then he began to pummel it mercilessly.

Each punch drove the Shadow's face deeper into the concrete.

Black liquid gushed from its wounds, yet the creature still resisted.

Minato watched the scene, realizing that despite Kastor's brutality, the Shadow was still strong.

His eyes scanned the surroundings, searching for something to turn the tide.

Then, he spotted a car parked near the curb.

His eyes gleamed with an idea, and he looked in Aigis' direction before sprinting. "Aigis! Get Hiro, now!"

He bolted toward the vehicle. Shinjiro frowned before running after him.

"Arisato, what the hell are you doing?" Shinjiro asked, confused.

Minato shot him a determined look. "I've got an idea. We'll use this car to blow up the Shadow."

Without hesitation, he slid over the hood with agility, stopping beside the driver's door.

He grabbed the Evoker by the barrel and raised it. With a precise strike, he shattered the car window, sending glass scattering over the seat, then unlocked the door.

Shinjiro stopped beside him, incredulous. "Are you serious?! You know cars don't work during the Dark Hour!"

Minato was already inside, tossing his sword onto the passenger seat.

He released the handbrake and looked at Shinjiro outside. "I know. But that doesn't mean gasoline won't explode. Now help me push the car to Aigis."

Hesitant for a moment, Shinjiro let out a heavy sigh. "This is insane…"

But even so, he slung his axe over his back and ran to the rear of the car. With a groan of effort, he placed his hands on the bumper and started pushing.

The vehicle groaned against the asphalt but slowly began to move.

Minato gripped the steering wheel, guiding it toward Aigis.

Shinjiro gritted his teeth, veins bulging on his forehead from the strain.