Chapter 76; Calm Down and Understand Pt:2

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

On the other side of the street, Hiro and Yukari ran toward Minato and Shinjiro.

The smell of burning filled the air as the flames from the wrecked car cast flickering shadows over the cracked asphalt.

Yukari slowed down, her eyes widening as she took in their condition.

Shinjiro had a deep gash across his chest, his jacket soaked in red, and every breath seemed like a tremendous effort.

Minato was holding him up, keeping him on his feet, but his own face was covered in blood—he didn't seem too injured, but the contrast was brutal.

"Oh my God…" Yukari rushed to them, her voice trembling. "Aragaki-senpai, how are you even still awake?"

Shinjiro lifted his gaze to her, confused. "Takeba…?"

Still panting, Minato helped Shinjiro sit on the ground.

His eyes lit up in surprise when he saw Yukari. "You guys came back? How was it in the residential area?"

Yukari knelt beside Shinjiro, pressing her hands against his chest.

The wound was nasty, but it didn't seem to have hit any vital organs—if left open too long, though, he could bleed out.

"We took care of the Shadows over there…" She adjusted Shinjiro so he was lying down more comfortably, her voice worried but steady. "But one of them opened a coffin… and turned an old man into a samurai."

Hiro crouched beside her, his eyes sharp. "So that's why Akihiko and Mitsuru were injured…" He frowned. "But… from where you were, did you feel any tremors?"

Without answering immediately, Yukari pulled out her Evoker and pressed it to her head, pulling the trigger.

The translucent silhouette of Io appeared behind her, spectral hands gently resting on her shoulders.

A green light glowed around Yukari, and soon after, her own hands began to emit a soft, verdant glow.

She lowered them to Shinjiro's wound.

He let out a deep sigh, feeling the comforting warmth spread through his body.

The throbbing pain eased, the gash in his flesh slowly beginning to close. His chest rose and fell more easily now.

"Ahh…" He leaned back on the asphalt, closing his eyes for a moment.

Yukari looked at Hiro and Minato, her brow furrowed. "Tremor?" She blinked. "No… we ran over as soon as we heard an explosion coming from here."

Hiro, Minato, and Shinjiro exchanged glances.

None of them needed to speak to know they were all thinking the same thing. Aigis had been clear: that tremor wasn't natural.

Hiro scratched his head, letting out an exasperated sigh. "Damn it… if only Fuuka were here to help…"

Yukari looked between the three of them, picking up on the tension in the air. "W-What is it, guys?"

Minato grabbed a piece of his jacket and wiped the blood from his face. His voice was low but firm. "That tremor… it was what opened that hole in the street. Plus, Hiro was right in the middle of it when it happened."

Yukari turned to him, her eyes narrowing. "Now it makes sense when they said you fought off a horde of Shadows alone… And it also explains…"

Her gaze dropped to Hiro's torn clothes, his wounds, and his dirtied face. "The state you're in."

Hiro ran a hand over his face, as if trying to shake off the weight of battle. "I know… If it weren't for Aigis providing support, I'd be in even worse shape."

Before Yukari could respond, hurried footsteps echoed down the street.

Mitsuru and the others came running. As soon as they saw Shinjiro, their expressions changed.

Akihiko was the first to kneel beside him, concern written all over his face. "Hey, Shinji… you doing okay?"

Shinjiro cracked an eye open, scowling. "Do I look okay to you?"

Junpei took off his cap, scratching his head. "Man… you look like hell." He let out a sigh. "But you're alive."

Koromaru ran up to Shinjiro, licking his face in worry.

"Argh—cut it out!" Shinjiro tried to push him away, but the dog wouldn't back down.

Aigis, however, averted her gaze from the group and focused on something else. 

Minato. 

He was saying something to Hiro, who had just stood up. Aigis couldn't pick up the content of the conversation, but she felt a strange tightness in her chest. 

It wasn't a system error. 

It was… something beyond what her processors could decipher. 

Her expression softened. 

She took a step forward and reached out, gently placing a hand on Minato's shoulder. 

"Minato-san..." 

Minato turned to her, his eyes slightly surprised. "Hmm? What is it, Aigis?" 

Aigis stared at Minato, her sensors analyzing every detail of his face—the narrowed eyes, the heavy shoulders, the unsteady breathing. 

He was holding himself together, trying to appear strong, but Aigis could see through it. 

"Minato-san… are you sure you're okay?" Her voice, usually controlled, carried a slight tremor of concern. 

Minato raised an eyebrow, confused. "What do you mean?" 

"You look like you're about to pass out at any moment," she stated. 

Hiro, noticing the tension in Aigis's voice, reached out to touch her shoulder. "Aigis, Minato's fine. There's no nee—" 

Before he could finish, Aigis swatted his hand away with a sharp slap. It wasn't a strong hit, but enough to make him step back. The silence that followed was heavy. Minato also looked surprised, glancing at Hiro before turning his eyes back to Aigis. 

She grabbed Minato by the collar of his jacket, pulling him closer. Her eyes shone intensely as she stared at him, as if trying to see something beyond the surface. 

Everyone around them froze. Yukari held her breath. Junpei took a half-step back, uncertain. Akihiko frowned. 

"Aigis...?" Mitsuru called, her voice laced with caution. 

"You're holding yourself together to avoid passing out because of the Shadow Arcana infection!" Her voice shattered the silence of the street. 

Minato furrowed his brows, trying to gently pry her hands off him. "Aigis, calm down. I'm fine." 

But Aigis didn't let go. She stepped forward, still clutching his jacket tightly. "You need to go back to the dorm and rest. If you keep this up, you could collapse and be bedridden again." 

The world around Aigis flickered. Her vision trembled with static, and then a flood of messages covered her interface. 

[Protect him at all costs.] 

[Protect Minato.] 

And then… images. 

A sinister silhouette emerged in her memory. 

A hooded figure, the dark brown cloak stretching like a living shadow, concealing a body that perhaps didn't even exist. 

But there was a weapon—a grotesque bone katana, extending as if it were part of the creature's arm. 

Chains coiled around its neck, heavy, with spear-like blades at the ends. 

But it was the creature's head that paralyzed Aigis. 

Or rather, the absence of one. 

Only an exposed skull, devoid of flesh or skin, and yet… alive. The crimson glow of its spectral eyes burned in the darkness, as if piercing directly into her consciousness. 

Behind it, the full moon loomed in the sky. 

An error. Something was wrong. 

It floated. 

And it was looking directly at Aigis. 

Aigis trembled. Her body went into maximum alert, her protocols overloading with the new information. 

She clenched Minato's jacket even tighter and, without realizing it, began to lift him off the ground. 

"I need to protect you from everything!" Her voice wavered between confusion and panic. 

"Aigis..." Yukari called hesitantly. 

Hiro frowned. A dark expression took over his face as he watched Aigis's state. 

"I'm sorry," he murmured. 

Before anyone could react, Hiro grabbed Aigis's face firmly, forcing her to look directly into his eyes. His other hand clenched into a fist. 

Without hesitation, he punched her with full force. 

The impact echoed through the street. 

The metal of Aigis's cheek slightly dented under the force of the blow, and she staggered backward, letting go of Minato. 

She lost her balance and fell to the ground with a dull thud. 

Hiro clicked his tongue, shaking his sore hand. Aigis's metal hadn't given way at all, and now his fingers throbbed. 

"Shit… that hurt more than I thought," he muttered, biting his lip. 

Everyone fell silent, shocked. 

Even Hiro himself seemed a bit stunned by what he had just done. He massaged his hand, his eyes fixed on Aigis, who lay before him. 

"What the hell is wrong with you, Aigis?" His voice was low but filled with disbelief and frustration.

The night wind carried the metallic scent of blood and the dust of battle. 

The city, illuminated only by the artificial glow of broken signs and the full moon, felt more lifeless than ever. 

Aigis blinked a few times, her systems returning to normal as she processed everything that had just happened. 

Her vision adjusted to the environment, and at last, she realized what she was doing. 

Her gaze hesitated between Hiro and Minato, confused and lost. 

Hiro was the first to break the silence. 

"You good?" He looked at Minato, his tone more serious than before. 

Minato adjusted the crumpled collar of his jacket and nodded. "Yeah... but I wasn't expecting that." 

Aigis stumbled as she tried to stand. Her joints were stiffer than usual, as if something inside her still wasn't functioning properly. 

Even so, she insisted on moving. 

Her gaze returned to Minato, and she tried to approach, but before she could get close, Hiro stopped her. 

Without hesitation, he grabbed her by the neck—not tightly enough to hurt her, but firm enough to make her stop. 

"Enough!" He growled, his eyes burning with frustration and confusion. "What the hell is going on with you?" 

Aigis tried to pry his hand away. "I can't let him keep going!" 

Hiro pulled Aigis closer, their faces almost touching. 

"BUT DOES THAT MEAN YOU HAVE TO GRAB MINATO LIKE THAT?!" His voice echoed through the empty streets, reverberating against the ruined buildings. 

But then, his expression shifted. 

The furious glare softened into something more vulnerable—almost pleading. 

"Calm down..." His voice lowered, and for a moment, the anger faded. "Please." 

Silence fell over the group. 

Hiro was still holding Aigis, his eyes locked onto hers—not just in anger, but in deep concern. 

That was when Mitsuru stepped in. 

She had left Shinjiro's side, where Yukari was still tending to him, and now stood next to Hiro. 

Without a word, she placed a hand on his shoulder and simply nodded. 

Hiro glanced at Mitsuru for a moment, then let out a heavy sigh and released Aigis. 

But he didn't move away—he kept watching her closely, as if still waiting for an explanation. 

Mitsuru crouched slightly to meet Aigis's eye level and spoke in a calm, understanding tone. 

"Aigis, you need to calm down. What happened?" 

Aigis still seemed dazed. She met Mitsuru's gaze, and her voice came out unsteady. "Kirijo-senpai… we have to take Minato-san back to the dorm. His condition is serious!" 

Mitsuru furrowed her brows. She gently placed her hands on Aigis's shoulders before turning her slightly so she could look around. 

"Aigis... understand that there's no reason to panic." 

Aigis blinked. "Huh?" 

Mitsuru looked directly at Minato and then back at Aigis. "Even though he's injured... it's not just him. Most of us are." 

Aigis followed Mitsuru's gaze. 

She saw the cut on Minato's forehead, the exhaustion on his face. 

But then, she noticed something more. 

The bite wound on Hiro's shoulder, the dirt covering his uniform, the evident fatigue in his eyes. 

Mitsuru, with parts of her suit torn, small cuts on her face, yet still standing tall. 

And then, behind them, Shinjiro still lying on the ground, Yukari's healing magic slowly closing his wounds. 

Aigis's mind processed these details one by one, and then… she finally understood. 

She looked at her own hands. 

Her chest felt heavy, an unfamiliar and unsettling sensation spreading through her circuits. 

Guilt? Regret? Shame? 

She couldn't name what it was, but she felt it. 

Aigis closed her eyes. Her hands tensed, then relaxed. Her voice came out low, almost broken. 

"I'm sorry... for what I did."