...05/09/2009 Saturday; Dark Hour...
...FULL MOON OPERATION...
The sound of Shinjiro panting while crying blood was deeply unsettling.
Every breath was heavy, mixed with the silent fury radiating from Kastor.
Even in its weakened state, the Hermit Arcana struggled to resist, its cables pulsating with electric energy.
Shinjiro, resting his axe on his shoulder, locked eyes with the monster.
"I'm not holding back!" he shouted to Kastor. "Let's go, Kastor!"
With a deafening roar, Kastor surged forward at an astonishing speed.
He was like a missile, cutting through the space between him and the Arcana.
At the same time, Shinjiro charged in with his axe, slicing through cables as if they were mere strands of silk.
Kastor didn't stop—he crashed straight into the Arcana's abdomen with brutal force, causing the monster to wail in agony.
A surge of electricity, however, struck Kastor directly in the face, forcing him to momentarily release the reins of his horse.
The Persona's frustrated roar echoed through the walls, reverberating like thunder.
With a devastating punch, Kastor struck the Arcana's head, sending a piece of its mask flying from the sheer impact.
Hiro stood at the front with Mitsuru, instinctively shielding her.
He raised his arms over his face. "Holy shit!" he shouted, his heart pounding. "He's gonna bring the whole damn mall down on us!"
Shinjiro didn't hesitate.
Spinning his axe to gain more momentum, he delivered a brutal strike to the Arcana's head, cleaving off a piece of its skull.
Kastor let out a guttural cry before retreating, pulling on the horse's reins.
Meanwhile, Minato lay collapsed on the ground, struggling to breathe.
Blood slowly seeped from his wound, his body growing weaker by the second.
His muscles felt impossibly heavy, and his vision blurred.
Yukari rushed to his side, kneeling down and cupping his face with both hands.
"Minato!" she cried, but her voice was growing distant, muffled to his ears.
The world around him was fading.
Dark purple veins crept up his neck, spreading across his face as his body trembled from the weakness.
Aigis hurried to Yukari's side, visibly alarmed. "Minato-san!"
Yukari turned to Aigis in desperation. "What's happening to him?!"
Aigis swiftly activated her scanners, analyzing Minato's condition.
"The spear must have affected his circulatory system. His arteries are overstrained and compressed!" Her response was cold, but the urgency in her tone was undeniable.
Meanwhile, Shinjiro remained relentless. With a roar of exertion, he swung again.
His axe cleaved deep into the monster's shoulder, making it wail in agony, its cables glowing a burning yellow.
Without hesitation, Shinjiro used all his raw strength to drag the Arcana to the ground, pulling it along the blade of his axe.
"Now!" Shinjiro bellowed.
With an ear-splitting roar, Kastor delivered the final blow, shattering the last remaining bulb on the Arcana's back.
The monster's scream reverberated through the entire mall, followed by a massive shockwave spreading outward.
Akihiko, realizing the danger, sprinted toward Ken and Koromaru, pulling them closer to Aigis and Yukari.
The electric pulse was closing in too fast—there was no time to lose.
Without hesitation, he pulled out his Evoker, pressing it to his forehead.
"Persona!" he shouted, pulling the Evoker's trigger firmly.
Polydeuces emerged, taking the brunt of the shockwave, absorbing most of the electric discharge.
On the other side, Hiro realized that he and Mitsuru wouldn't make it in time to avoid the impact.
Without thinking twice, he threw himself over Mitsuru, shielding her with his own body.
The two crashed to the ground with a heavy thud as the shockwave rippled around them.
With Hiro covering her, Mitsuru felt his warmth, his weight a reassuring presence amidst the chaos.
She looked up at his face, still tense with concern, even as he panted for breath. For a moment, only the sound of their breathing filled the space.
The shockwave struck Polydeuces without causing visible damage, but Hiro wasn't as lucky.
The electricity coursed through his body, and he screamed in pain, his voice echoing through the mall.
Mitsuru's eyes widened in horror as she clung to him. "Why would you...?"
Her voice was laced with fear and frustration. "Idiot! You can't take another hit like that!"
Even through the obvious pain, Hiro forced a smile, trying to appear unfazed. "It's nothing... We need our leader standing."
She froze for a moment, realizing that Hiro hadn't done it just because she was the leader of S.E.E.S.—he had done it because he cared about her.
A soft smile crossed Mitsuru's lips.
She placed her hands on his shoulders in silent gratitude. "Alright... Thank you."
Hiro helped Mitsuru to her feet, both of them visibly exhausted.
The repeated use of their Personas was beginning to take a toll on their bodies.
Meanwhile, Shinjiro took a step back, Kastor looming behind him like a shadow.
His hand clutched his chest, where a searing pain pulsed as if a stake were being driven into his heart.
But his rage burned hotter than any pain.
With a hoarse, guttural roar, he lunged forward, his voice dripping with raw fury.
"I'm gonna kill you!" he bellowed.
Kastor, without hesitation, grabbed the spear impaling his own chest, and blood gushed out, dripping like a grotesque rain.
Shinjiro's body trembled, more and more blood pouring from his eyes.
He leaped into the air, raising his axe with an almost primal scream.
Kastor placed a hand on the weapon's blade, and instantly, the axe became engulfed in a deep crimson glow, soaked in blood.
With all his strength and unrelenting hatred, Shinjiro hurled the axe like a missile.
The impact was catastrophic.
The axe tore straight through the Arcana's chest, followed by an explosive burst of blood, leaving a gaping hole where its body once was.
The monster's agonized scream was unbearable, shaking the entire mall.
Its remaining cables lashed wildly, striking the walls, floor, and ceiling as the structure threatened to collapse.
Everyone covered their ears, tormented by the piercing sound.
Even Aigis, despite her mechanical nature, seemed unsettled.
Amidst the chaos, she picked up on something—something her systems could process.
The Arcana's voice, hoarse and desperate, was pleading for mercy.
"Please, Devil's Herald! Have mercy on me! I didn't want to fight! I wanted to run! To escape death! Spare my life!"
Aigis furrowed her brow in confusion. "Devil's Herald...?"
But Kastor was far beyond any mercy.
With a savage roar, he lunged at the Arcana, gripping the monster's head with both hands.
The strain was visible, but with sheer brute force, he tore the Arcana's head apart, splitting it in two—a final, merciless act of destruction.
The silence that followed was deafening.
The battle was over.
The cables fell limply to the ground, and the Hermit Shadow Arcana's body began dissolving into black mist, vanishing into the air.
Hiro and Mitsuru rushed toward Minato, who lay collapsed on the floor.
Aigis, desperately trying to save his life, pressed down on his chest, attempting to slow his heart rate and reduce the pressure in his arteries.
"Hey, hold on, Minato..." Hiro murmured, the concern in his voice unmistakable.
Yukari, in full panic, turned to Hiro. "What do we do?"
Her voice trembled, but before she could get an answer, Akihiko spoke up.
"It's not over yet... Look!"
Everyone turned their eyes to the spot where the Hermit Arcana had vanished, but something unsettling happened.
Kastor was still there—he hadn't disappeared.
He remained motionless, staring at the ground.
Shinjiro, on the other hand, felt an agonizing tightness in his chest, as if he were being impaled alive.
A metallic taste filled his mouth, and then, he vomited a large amount of blood.
"Shinjiro!" Hiro shouted, his eyes wide with shock.
Shinjiro, his voice barely above a whisper, muttered, "Damn it... Are you seriously trying to kill me now?"
When everyone turned to Kastor, they saw the red aura beginning to surround him.
He huffed in rage, letting out a deafening roar. His eyes, filled with hatred, locked onto Shinjiro.
Akihiko, fists clenched, gritted his teeth. "Damn it... Kastor is in a frenzy!"
Mitsuru pulled out her Evoker with determination. "Takeba, you and Aigis take care of Arisato. Hiro, don't get near Kastor under any circumstances."
Without warning, Kastor charged forward like a storm of fury, landing a brutal punch to Shinjiro's stomach that sent him flying, crashing into the mall's ceiling.
Shinjiro's scream echoed, but he had no time to react before another blow hit him, pushing him deeper into the structure.
Mitsuru raised her Evoker, ready to act, but Kastor tore off a chunk of the ceiling and hurled it directly at her.
Hiro didn't hesitate. Stepping in front of her, he pulled out his own Evoker and shouted, "Lucifer!"
A flash burst beside his head, and Lucifer appeared, moving with incredible speed.
With a powerful flap of his wings, he propelled himself forward, delivering a devastating kick that shattered the debris, sending fragments flying.
Hiro turned to Mitsuru, urgency in his eyes. "We have to restrain Kastor!"
Mitsuru nodded, placing a hand on Hiro's shoulder and pointing toward the mall's fountain. "You and Akihiko try to push him toward the fountain. I'll freeze him."
Wasting no time, Lucifer charged at Kastor.
Kastor's horse snorted, and the two rushed toward each other.
With calculated precision, Lucifer beat his wings and narrowly dodged the horse's head, delivering a direct kick to Kastor, slamming him into the wall with a frustrated roar.
Meanwhile, Akihiko sprinted toward where Shinjiro was stuck in the ceiling.
Without hesitation, he pulled out his Evoker and shouted, "Persona!"
A flash of light erupted again, and Polydeuces emerged, swiftly flying up to free Shinjiro.
Shinjiro collapsed onto the floor, coughing up blood, pain clear in every fiber of his being.
"Shit..." he muttered, his voice weak.
Fuuka ran to his side, her face filled with worry.
She held onto his shoulders, trying to help him up. "Aragaki-senpai, come with me. Quickly!"
Lucifer vanished in a red glow, and Hiro had an idea—he ran straight toward Kastor.
"Akihiko, give me a boost!" he shouted without hesitation.
Akihiko dashed forward, crouching low and clasping his hands together.
As soon as Hiro stepped onto his hands, Akihiko used all his strength to propel him into the air.
Hiro landed precisely on Kastor's shoulders, gripping his hair tightly.
Kastor roared in fury, violently shaking his head to throw him off.
Hiro held on with all his might, but Kastor, in a sudden move, directed his horse straight toward the wall, rolling to the side to crush Hiro between him and the structure.
Akihiko, watching closely, bit his lip at the impact. "Damn... That must've hurt!"
Hiro felt unbearable pain, as if his soul had been ripped from his body for a moment.
Kastor dug his hand into the wall, grabbed Hiro tightly, and with raw rage, began slamming him into the ground.
With each impact, Hiro's body twisted in agony.
"Hiro-san!" Aigis cried out in desperation, rushing toward him.
But Hiro let the pain fuel his anger.
"Let go of me, you bastard!" he roared, swiftly drawing his kukri.
With precise aim, he stabbed the blade into Kastor's hand, ripping a furious scream from the Persona, who hurled him away like a ragdoll.
Hiro's body was flung violently—crashing straight into Mitsuru.
The impact sent both of them tumbling backward, knocking into Fuuka, who was helping Shinjiro move away.
All three were sent flying—right into a pharmacy inside the mall.
Everything seemed to happen in slow motion for Hiro, who, by instinct, wrapped his arms around Mitsuru and Fuuka, positioning himself to take the brunt of the impact.
They crashed through the pharmacy's glass storefront, shattering shelves and slamming brutally against the counter and wall.
The three collapsed to the floor, Hiro groaning in pain but managing to stay conscious.
Fuuka, her voice weak, whispered with concern, "Hiro..."
Meanwhile, Shinjiro, still coughing up blood, looked up and saw Kastor staring him down.
The Persona huffed in fury, his eyes glowing with an intense red light.
Pain and exhaustion clouded Shinjiro's mind, but he still found the strength to challenge Kastor.
"Go on... finish it!" he said, exasperated and irritated, ready for the final blow.
Kastor didn't hesitate. With an almost animalistic roar, he grabbed Shinjiro with both hands, squeezing his neck with brutal force.
His fingers dug deep into Shinjiro's skin.
The red glow in his eyes intensified, fueled by the frenzy consuming him.
Struggling to breathe, Shinjiro felt the grip tighten around his throat, his vision beginning to blur.
The air was cut by the muffled screams of Aigis and Akihiko.
Hiro, lying among the shards of glass in the destroyed pharmacy, could barely move.
His body screamed in pain with every breath. "Shit..." he thought, trying to push himself up.
A sudden pain shot through Fuuka's arm, followed by an involuntary cry.
Looking down, she saw a shard of glass piercing through her forearm.
She trembled, trying to control the rising panic.
"Fuuka..." Hiro called out, his voice heavy with concern as he saw blood streaming from her arm.
Mitsuru tried to get up, but her legs faltered, and she collapsed back to the ground.
Her gaze met Hiro's, and she saw the deep cut on his forehead, blood running down his face.
"Hi...ro..." Mitsuru reached out, calling his name with effort.
But Hiro noticed something that made his heart race.
A red glow emanated from Fuuka's armband.
Her Theurgy cartridge was ready.
Without hesitation, he pressed the Gekkoukan High School emblem on her armband. The cartridge ejected, and Hiro grabbed it as he stood up.
Mitsuru, witnessing the scene, widened her eyes.
A memory of a conversation with her father surfaced, his words echoing in her mind like a grim warning.
"It has been detected that the Theurgy cartridge has a forty percent chance of making his Persona lose control," Takeharu's voice resonated.
Panic gripped Mitsuru as she saw Hiro rise and rush into battle.
"Hiro! Don't use the Theurgy!" she shouted desperately, her voice echoing through the chaos around them.
But Hiro didn't hear her. Determined, he pushed forward, already inserting the cartridge into his Evoker as he ran outside.
His mind was focused solely on the fight ahead.