Chapter 82; It's now or never Pt:2

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

Aigis and Yukari rushed to where Hiro lay among the debris. 

His body was partially buried under chunks of concrete and wood, and his face—already dirty before—was now even more covered in dust and soot. 

He wasn't moving. 

Aigis didn't waste any time. She crouched down and began removing the rubble, tossing chunks of concrete aside with precise movements. 

Yukari knelt beside Hiro, gently cradling his dirt-streaked face between her hands. 

"It's okay, Hiro… we're here." Her voice came out softer than she expected. 

Aigis removed the last piece of concrete pressing against Hiro's chest, and Yukari took the chance to pull him by his legs, carefully laying him flat on the ground. 

With trembling fingers, Yukari pressed against his neck, searching for a sign of life. 

A faint heartbeat. 

She let out a relieved sigh. "He's okay… the impact just knocked him out." 

Aigis placed a hand on Hiro's chest, feeling the steady yet irregular rhythm of his heart. 

"Yukari-san," Aigis looked at her, "he won't wake up quickly. His body is exhausted." 

Yukari nodded, biting her lip. "It was already expected that he'd pass out… the fact that he didn't collapse earlier, after fighting that horde alone, was already a miracle." 

Her fingers searched the pockets of her jacket for something—anything—that could help. Nothing. 

"Damn it…" She frowned, pulling out her Evoker. "This is my first time using this spell, but I think it'll work." 

She lifted the Evoker to her head and pulled the trigger. 

A metallic flash sparked from the other side of her skull. 

Io materialized above Yukari, her translucent, ethereal form radiating a pale light. With a graceful motion, she extended her hands toward Hiro. 

A white glow emerged beneath his body, expanding into a magical circle. 

A blue butterfly fluttered out from the light, its delicate wings beating softly. It hovered around Hiro, watching him for a moment, before finally landing gently on his chest. 

In an instant, its body shimmered, dissolving into blue particles that seeped into Hiro's skin. 

His wounds began to glow faintly. 

Slowly, the cuts started closing. His breathing steadied. 

Then, his eyes fluttered open. 

His still-blurry vision captured the cracked ceiling of the building, the eerie glow of the Dark Hour filtering through the fractures. 

He blinked a few times, feeling his body lighter, though the exhaustion still weighed on his muscles. 

"Ahh…" His voice came out hoarse. "What… happened?" 

Hiro slowly sat up, blinking a few times to clear his blurry sight. 

The monstrous silhouette of the Shadow flickered in the distance, still towering amidst the dust and destruction. 

He let out a low sigh, running a hand over his face, massaging his eyes as he tried to process everything. The pain still pulsed through his body, but something felt different. 

That's when he turned his head and saw the two figures beside him. 

Aigis and Yukari were staring at him. 

"Girls?" The confusion in his voice was evident. "What happened?" 

Yukari relaxed her shoulders, relieved. She tucked her Evoker back into her jacket before answering. 

"You blacked out when the Shadow threw you." She quickly scanned him. "Are you feeling better?" 

Hiro blinked, then smirked slightly. "Yeah… I am…" 

With some effort, he started to stand up. His body felt more rested than before, though the fatigue was still there, lingering. He massaged his shoulder, trying to ease the tension, then looked at the two of them. 

"So… how are we killing that thing?" His expression turned more serious. "I blinded one of its eyes, but… did that help at all?" 

Yukari frowned, looking hesitant. 

"No…" She stood up, crossing her arms. "When Aigis and I came to help you, all I heard was Aragaki-senpai screaming…" 

Hiro's face darkened. 

"Shit…" 

Aigis also stood, her eyes gleaming with determination. 

"We need to get back to the others." She looked at Hiro and Yukari. "They need our help." 

Both of them nodded. 

Aigis turned and sprinted toward the exit of the building. Hiro and Yukari followed right behind her.

Meanwhile, the rest of the group was fighting fiercely against the Shadow. 

Akihiko and Minato charged forward together, their eyes locked on the colossal enemy. 

The Shadow prepared another attack. 

It scraped its claws against the asphalt, leaving deep gouges before unleashing a deafening roar. Red energy slithered from its claws into the ground, pulsating like incandescent veins. 

The ground trembled. 

Suddenly, ice spikes erupted from below, shooting viciously toward Akihiko. 

But he didn't hesitate. 

With a battle cry, he threw a right cross, striking one of the spikes. The impact shattered the ice into countless fragments, sparkling under the eerie green light of the Dark Hour. 

Minato, beside him, twirled the Evoker in his fingers before pointing it at his own head. 

"Thor!" His voice rang out with power. 

The trigger was pulled. 

A bright flash illuminated the other side of his head, and then, above him, a colossal figure emerged. 

Dark-skinned, with imposing muscles. The golden glow of his armor reflected the hazy moonlight. A helmet with two massive horns concealed his face, and his white cape billowed like the mantle of a god. 

In his hand, a silver war hammer—heavy and brimming with ancient power. 

Thor roared, his eyes crackling with electricity as he lunged at the Shadow. His hammer spun in his grasp before delivering a devastating blow. 

The impact reverberated like thunder. 

The Shadow howled in pain, but with a wild impulse, it lunged forward, jaws wide open, aiming to bite Thor. 

He didn't back down. 

With titanic strength, he caught the creature's jaws, holding them apart. The muscles in his arms tensed as the grotesque Shadow contorted its face in sheer rage. 

Then, Thor raised his hammer to the sky and let out a battle cry. 

The Dark Hour's clouds churned. The air crackled with energy. 

A thunderclap tore through the silence, and lightning rained down from above, converging into the Shadow's open maw. 

It convulsed violently. 

The blue glow of electricity surged through its throat, searing everything in its path. And then, with one final roar, Thor brought his hammer down, striking its tongue with a devastating blow. 

The impact triggered a massive electric explosion. 

The shockwave rippled outward, sending dust and debris flying in every direction. SEES was forced to step back, each member digging their feet into the ground to avoid being thrown back. 

Thunder echoed through the city. 

And the Shadow roared—not in fury, but in agony. 

Hiro, Aigis, and Yukari arrived, their breath still heavy from the exertion of battle. The blue glow of Thor faded into the air, like sparks dissolving into the Dark Hour's gloom. 

But their eyes quickly shifted to the scene ahead. 

Junpei and Shinjiro were leaning against each other, with Mitsuru helping them sit down. 

Relief washed over Hiro upon seeing them alive, but concern quickly took over. 

He rushed forward. 

"Guys, are you okay?" His voice carried urgency. 

Mitsuru turned at the sound of Hiro's voice. A wave of relief filled her chest upon seeing him standing, unharmed. A small smile flickered across her lips, but she quickly shook her head, refocusing on the situation. 

"They're injured…" Her voice was steady, but a trace of worry seeped through. "But they'll survive." 

Junpei rubbed his chest, letting out a tired chuckle. "And you, Hiro? Still standing after that hit?" 

Hiro scratched his head, nodding toward Aigis and Yukari. "Well… I passed out, but they woke me up." 

Yukari knelt beside Junpei, ready to heal him, but the moment she raised her hand, a shiver ran down her spine. 

The air around her seemed to vibrate. 

Her eyes widened. 

Shinjiro, noticing her reaction, frowned. "Something wrong, Takeba?" 

She didn't answer right away. Her gaze flicked toward Minato and Akihiko, who were still facing the Shadow. 

A touch on her shoulder made her flinch. 

"Yukari?" Hiro's voice was laced with confusion. 

She swallowed hard, turning to him. "Hiro… I think something's wrong with Fuu…" 

Before she could finish her sentence, a sudden pressure filled the air. 

Fuuka's telepathy activated. 

And then— 

"EVERYONE! HELP ME!" 

Ken's voice exploded in their minds, trembling, filled with desperation. 

Mitsuru's heart pounded as she lifted her gaze to the sky. "Amada-kun, what's wrong?" 

"IT'S YAMAGISHI-SENPAI!" The boy's voice was frantic, panic-stricken. "SHE LOCKED HERSELF IN THE COMMAND ROOM AND ACTIVATED HER PERSONA!" 

The weight of his words made everyone freeze. 

Hiro felt his stomach twist. He knew Fuuka couldn't use her Persona. 

"No…" Desperation burned in his throat as he looked to the sky, as if Fuuka could hear him. "FUUKA! STOP USING YOUR PERSONA! YOU KNOW YOUR HEAD IS INJURED!" 

Minato turned to him. The tension in Hiro's voice, the rigid set of his shoulders, the urgency—fear was gripping him, the shadow of helplessness creeping in. 

But before he could say anything, a low, wet sound made him stop breathing. 

A harsh noise. 

Minato's head snapped back toward the battlefield. "Guys!" 

Everyone turned at once. 

The smoke around the Shadow began to clear, revealing its form—distorted, grotesque. 

Torn flesh hung from its body in ragged strips. Its mouth was ripped open, exposing twisted muscle and blackened teeth. Parts of its body seemed on the verge of collapse, organs spilling from gaping wounds. 

But it was still breathing. 

And then, the eye Hiro hadn't pierced gleamed with an intense green light.