Chapter 79; War courage Pt:2
...10/09/2009 Thursday; Dark Hour...
In front of the dormitory, chaos spread like a war zone.
The sound of blows echoed through the air—flesh being pierced, metal tearing, the black blood of Shadows staining the cold ground.
The creatures, all grotesquely humanoid in shape, wielded makeshift weapons—iron pipes, broken planks, sharpened stakes. Their empty, ravenous eyes were fixed on the only figure standing before them.
Ken.
With a spear driven through a Shadow's skull, the monster writhed in agony, a distorted scream escaping its inhuman mouth as black liquid gushed endlessly.
Ken advanced without hesitation.
He gripped the spear's shaft and used his own weight to propel himself forward, swinging his body through the air and forcing the blade even deeper. The dry crack of bones breaking rang out as the Shadow convulsed.
The boy landed firmly, yanked his weapon back, and, spinning it with precision, delivered the final blow.
The creature's head exploded into pieces, its body trembling violently before collapsing and dissolving into a black mist.
Ken panted, his chest rising and falling irregularly. His eyes scanned the area around him.
There were still more.
Even after eliminating at least ten... it seemed endless.
He wiped the sweat from his forehead with his forearm, his jaw clenched in frustration.
"Damn it... how many more are there?!"
For a second, he looked down, his gaze locking onto the shaft of his spear.
And then, the image came.
That scene that had haunted him since the beginning of his pain.
Kastor—Shinjiro's Persona—delivering a brutal punch to a woman's stomach.
She flew backward, crashing against a building with a sickening thud.
Even wounded, even with blood dripping from her mouth, she smiled.
Her long brown hair was disheveled, but her gentle, tear-filled eyes shone as they met Ken's.
"It's... okay, my son..." her voice was weak but comforting. "Mommy is here..."
Rage. Pain. Hatred.
The injustice burned like an uncontrollable wildfire inside him.
Ken snapped back to reality, his cold gaze settling on the Shadows before him.
His face...
The expression he wore was not that of a child.
It was a mask of murderous fury.
His fingers tightened around the spear so hard that his knuckles turned white.
"I... don't... need anyone to stop things like this from happening."
His feet dug into the ground, a roar of fury rising from his throat.
The Evoker in his hand trembled.
He raised it to his own head.
"I WON'T LET INJUSTICES LIKE THIS HAPPEN AGAIN!"
Ken pulled the trigger of the Evoker.
The sound of the shot echoed, and an intense flash of light burst beside his head.
Nemesis emerged in the air above him—its colossal presence cast a menacing shadow over the battlefield.
With a firm motion, the Persona grabbed the circular saw that split its body in half. Effortlessly, it forced the mechanism to spin, making the metal gain speed, the whirring blade shrieking like a metallic scream.
Then, Nemesis charged forward.
The ground trembled under its weight as it lunged at the Shadows, tearing through everything in its path.
The spinning blade met resistance, but only for an instant.
Soon, the creatures were being shredded, their grotesque bodies sliced apart, pieces flying in all directions. The black, viscous liquid splattered across the ground like uncontrolled ink.
Ken watched the scene, his eyes narrowed, breathing heavily. He knew he had to fight.
His fingers tightened around the spear, but for a moment, his focus wavered.
His eyes wandered up to the sky of the Dark Hour, where the oppressive green hue dominated the landscape, tinting everything with its unreal, eerie glow.
And then, another image appeared in his mind.
Hiro and Akihiko fighting.
Two experienced warriors. Fast, strong, relentless. People he deeply respected.
And Mitsuru...
Her imposing presence as the leader of S.E.E.S. had always brought Ken a certain sense of comfort. A maternal air.
But that warmth...
That feeling had died inside him a long time ago.
His eyes lowered, staring at the battle-stained ground.
"But... if I were as strong as them... would things be easier?"
The words escaped in a whisper. His chest tightened with doubt.
"Why can't I face many Shadows without needing to use my Persona...?"
His fists clenched.
"Mikoshi-senpai and Sanada-san... sometimes they don't even need their Personas..."
But as he got lost in these thoughts, he let his guard down.
A mistake.
A mistake that nearly cost him his life.
A Shadow, small, fast, and cunning, slithered through the darkness, avoiding Nemesis's destruction. And it noticed Ken's distraction.
Without hesitation, it attacked.
The sound of rushing footsteps tore through the silence, followed by a wild, enraged growl.
Ken turned his head, eyes widening as he saw the creature lunging at him—but it was too late.
The Shadow pounced on him.
The impact slammed him to the ground with brutal force, the air escaping his lungs in a choked gasp. His spear slid away, spinning across the asphalt, out of reach.
He tried to grab it.
His small fingers stretched out, but they couldn't reach.
The creature's weight kept him pinned down.
And then, skeletal claws wrapped around his throat.
And they began to squeeze.
The Shadow's fingers tightened, crushing his trachea.
Ken gasped, his fingers digging into the Shadow's wrist, trying to pry it away—but his body was small, too weak compared to the suffocating weight pressing down on him.
His eyes widened in desperation as he fought against the overwhelming force keeping him trapped.
Air no longer entered his lungs.
Ken struggled, his thin arms flailing, striking at the Shadow's limbs, trying to break free from the merciless grip.
His feet kicked against the ground desperately, the dry impact echoing through the darkness.
He lifted his gaze—and saw the creature's red eyes, glowing like embers.
"Let... go... of me, you damn—"
His voice came out strangled, the sound choked by the unrelenting grip around his neck.
The Shadow tilted its head, as if understanding his words.
And, with a sudden push, it squeezed even harder.
Ken's small body was crushed against the ground, his skull slamming against the asphalt.
He let out a muffled cry of pain—but no sound escaped.
The creature's icy fingers squeezed his throat without mercy.
The world began to darken.
His lungs screamed for air, but all he felt was a cruel emptiness inside him.
His ears started to ring, muffling the sounds of battle around him.
His arms, once desperate, lost their strength.
His eyes began to roll back, consciousness crumbling within him.
His body trembled. His skin turned pale.
His vision blurred, as if someone had submerged the world in liquid shadows.
Reality was dissolving.
Ken tried to speak, but not even a whisper came out.
"I... I'm sorry, everyone..."
The words echoed only inside him, lost in the fog of unconsciousness.
His fingers, already weak, loosened their grip on the Shadow's arm.
He knew.
He was losing.
And then, with his last flicker of energy, he looked toward the dormitory.
And, for an instant... he saw them all.
Mitsuru, Akihiko, Hiro, Minato, Fuuka, Yukari, Shinjiro, Aigis, Junpei, Koromaru.
They were all there.
Standing. Watching him.
His eyes filled with tears as he saw them staring at him.
"I... I let you all down..."
The pain finally faded.
And Ken closed his eyes.
But… until the sound of something cutting through the air echoed through the deserted street.
A howl. Fierce, terrifying, relentless.
The Shadow stretched out its claws, but something made its body freeze.
Its red eyes turned back.
And then, it saw it.
Three pairs of glowing yellow eyes in the dark.
A colossal monster, standing just ahead.
Cerberus.
Its golden eyes overflowed with fury.
A deafening roar echoed once again, and then… Cerberus charged.
Its paws moved in a devastating leap.
Sharp fangs sank deep into the Shadow—one head biting into its torso, another gripping its shoulder, and the third tearing through its legs.
The Shadow screamed—but its cry was muffled by the brutal impact of its back hitting the concrete.
Ken gasped as air finally rushed into his lungs.
His muscles tingled, his head spun—but he was breathing.
The boy coughed, the sound ragged and painful, as his hands instinctively reached for his throat, still feeling the Shadow's merciless grip.
He blinked a few times, his vision gradually clearing.
And then, he saw it—Cerberus tearing the Shadow apart.
Razor-sharp claws ripped through the creature's torso, while its three heads tore off pieces, destroying it without mercy.
Ken's eyes widened. Shocked to see the Persona.
"Cer… Cerberus?"
Before he could process it, he heard something.
Paws sprinting toward him.
Barking.
The sound echoed through the street, cutting through the tension.
Ken turned quickly.
And then, he saw him.
A small white figure racing toward him at full speed.
Koromaru.
His eyes widened, and an emotional smile formed on Ken's face.
"Koro-chan!" he shouted, overwhelmed with relief at the sight of the dog.
The white blur leaped.
The impact was sudden, and soon Ken felt the familiar warmth.
Koromaru propped himself up on Ken's shoulders, his warm tongue licking his face nonstop.
Desperate, worried barks.
Ken laughed, still trembling.
"Hey, hey! Stop that!"
But his arms wrapped tightly around the dog, pulling him into a firm hug.
The scent of Koromaru's fur, the comforting warmth, made something inside Ken ease.
"I'm so glad you're here, boy… I thought I was gonna die."
Koromaru let out a small bark and sat beside him, watching him closely.
His eyes expressed something words couldn't convey.
Ken ran a hand over his head, stroking him gently.
"I'm feeling better, thanks to you, buddy. Thank you."