Chapter 2: The Fool's Awakening
The dormitory was silent.
Minato sat on the edge of his bed, waiting. The anticipation thrummed in his veins, a steady rhythm of awareness. He knew what was coming.
Tick. Tock.
The clock struck midnight.
The world shifted.
A wave of eerie green light bathed everything. The air thickened, turning heavy, suffocating. Blood-red tendrils crawled across the walls, the furniture warped into grotesque shapes. The transformation was absolute.
The Dark Hour had begun.
Then—three rapid knocks on his door.
"Arisato! Are you awake?"
Yukari.
He opened the door to find her standing there, her breath uneven, a gun-like object clutched tightly in her hands. Her Evoker.
"Come with me. Now."
He nodded and followed without hesitation. The dormitory hall felt impossibly long, stretching further than it should. The oppressive presence of Shadows loomed in the distance.
When they reached the command room, Mitsuru and Akihiko were already monitoring the situation.
"He's here," Yukari announced, her voice still laced with nervous energy.
Mitsuru's sharp gaze settled on Minato. "We don't have time to explain. Shadows have found us."
A tremor ran through the building. A deep, guttural growl echoed from below.
Minato exhaled slowly. It was time.
---
Rooftop
The night air was thick with tension.
Yukari stood beside him, gripping her Evoker so tightly her knuckles turned white. Shadows slithered across the rooftop, their blackened forms shifting unnaturally as glowing masks sneered at them.
And then, it emerged.
A monstrous Shadow loomed over the others, a massive, grotesque entity covered in writhing appendages. Its bloated form trembled as countless hands extended from its body. The Arcana symbol on its mask was unmistakable.
Magician.
Yukari gasped, stepping back. "T-This is bad…!"
The Shadow roared, its malformed limbs lashing forward.
He didn't hesitate.
Minato stepped forward, ignoring Yukari's startled cry. His hand moved with certainty as he took the Evoker from her. The cold metal pressed against his temple.
He knew what would happen next.
He pulled the trigger.
A gunshot rang through the night—
And his soul ignited.
---
"Per—so—na!"
Power surged through him.
The air cracked with blue light, arcs of energy dancing around his body. The Shadows recoiled as a golden glow radiated from behind him, a presence too powerful for them to ignore.
A shape emerged from the light. A figure, clad in white and gold, its presence divine and absolute. Chains draped across its form, symbols of sacrifice and redemption.
Messiah.
Yukari's breath hitched. "T-That's…!"
But Minato wasn't listening.
The Magician Shadow roared and lunged.
Messiah moved.
The figure raised its hands, light pooling between them in a brilliant cascade. Holy flames erupted, consuming the air itself.
"Megidolaon."
A sphere of pure destruction expanded outward. The force of the impact was instantaneous—the horde of Shadows was erased in an instant. The Magician let out a final, inhuman shriek before its body dissolved into nothingness.
Silence fell over the rooftop.
Yukari, breathing heavily, turned to him with wide, disbelieving eyes.
"T-That wasn't Orpheus," she stammered. "That was something way stronger… what the hell are you?"
Minato lowered his Evoker, his expression calm.
"…Just a Fool."
---
Aftermath
Back inside the dorm, the atmosphere remained tense.
Mitsuru watched him carefully, her crimson gaze analytical. "I've never seen someone awaken like that. Your Persona… it's different."
Akihiko grinned. "If you can fight like that every time, I think we just hit the jackpot."
Yukari was still shaken, but curiosity flickered in her expression. "You're not normal, are you?"
Minato simply smiled.
He wasn't just another Wild Card.
He was something far greater.
And this was only the beginning.
---
End of Chapter 2