PERSONA 3 DEVIL'S HERALD

...06/08/2009 Thursday; Midday...

Hiro was sitting on the edge of the bed, his gaze lost on the wall of the room.

Igor's words echoed in his mind, bringing forth feelings he had tried to suppress for so long.

"I'm nothing... I've gotten used to being nobody important... How can my fate be tied to Minato's?"

These thoughts consumed him, but before he could delve deeper, a knock on the door broke his train of thought.

Minato entered, his headphones still on. Upon seeing Hiro, he paused the music and removed the headphones, letting them rest around his neck.

"You called me. Want to talk?" Minato asked, his voice calm but tinged with concern.

Hiro nodded, still confused, and gestured for Minato to close the door. "Yeah, it's about the Velvet Room."

Minato closed the door silently and approached, leaning against the wall opposite Hiro. "I know it's confusing for you, Hiro. But it's something we have to face."

Hiro raised his eyes, still lost, and stared at Minato. "Face what? I... I've just been screwed over my whole life. And now I'm climbing that damn tower that seems endless..."

He stood abruptly, frustration and despair bubbling to the surface. "I don't even know why I'm still alive. I've thought so many times about ending it all..."

Hiro glanced at the Evoker on the desk, his eyes fixed on that symbol of his own struggles. "And now, if I don't change the way I think, your fate won't come to pass... Why does everything always fall on me in this mess?"

Minato observed in silence, feeling the weight of Hiro's words.

He knew well what that despair felt like.

Memories of his past—the death of his parents, the car crash, the explosion—all flashed through his mind like a ghost he could never exorcise.

"Have you ever thought about killing yourself?" Minato asked in a tone that barely concealed the pain he felt.

Hiro looked at Minato, surprised, but quickly understood that he wasn't alone in this pain. "Yeah... many times. But... sometimes, I'm afraid to die."

Minato turned his gaze to the window, his eyes fixed on something beyond what he could see. "I'm not..."

Hiro remained silent, waiting for Minato to continue.

He hadn't expected to hear that, yet at the same time, he wasn't entirely surprised.

He had always sensed there was a darkness behind Minato's eyes—something they all carried, though few dared confront.

"Is death really that scary?" Minato asked, almost to himself. "Every time I go to Tartarus, I don't care whether I come back alive or not."

Hiro was taken aback by the admission. He had known Minato was brave but hadn't realized he was so disillusioned.

But then he remembered the times he saw Minato startled by the presence of the Reaper.

"But... the times the Reaper appeared, you seemed..." Hiro hesitated, carefully choosing his words.

"Afraid? Yeah, but not of dying. I'm afraid of letting something happen to you guys," Minato admitted, his words carrying a raw sincerity. "When I transferred here, I didn't care about anyone. But after meeting Yukari and the rest of the group..."

Minato finally turned to face Hiro, his blue eyes gleaming with a newfound determination. "I started to understand that maybe... dying isn't that appealing. I feel like there are people who need me. Even though, sometimes, the thought of ending it all still lingers."

Hiro took a deep breath, trying to absorb Minato's words.

He knew he was lost, but perhaps... just perhaps, he could find a way.

He remembered the promise he made to Fuuka to try to be a better person, and the pact with Akihiko, where they vowed never to run from a fight under the threat of a good beating.

"Someone who needs me..." Hiro murmured, as if discovering a forgotten secret. "I never thought about that before."

Minato, appearing slightly more at ease, massaged his shoulder as he pondered. "Igor told me our relationships can make us stronger. Maybe... it's because they give us a reason to fight."

"You're probably right," Hiro admitted, his voice growing firmer. "And besides, we have a job to do. An Arcana Shadow to face. And destroy the Dark Hour."

Minato nodded, his eyes glowing with the same determination as before. "Exactly. S.E.E.S. needs us. And, Hiro..."

Hiro raised an eyebrow, curious. "Hmm?"

"About what you heard in the Velvet Room... Don't worry about how you can change. I know you struggle with your mind," Minato said, extending a hand toward Hiro—a simple gesture, yet laden with meaning. "But I'll help you. We'll do this together."

Hiro stared at the outstretched hand, feeling something he hadn't in a long time: hope.

For the first time, he felt truly connected to someone—felt he wasn't alone in his personal hell.

"Definitely." Hiro smiled, gripping Minato's hand firmly. "Let's kick some ass!"

...06/08/2009 Thursday; Dark Hour ...

...FULL MOON OPERATION ...

The full moon shone brightly in the sky, signaling the beginning of another Dark Hour operation.

In the command room, the S.E.E.S. members gathered, ready for action.

Each of them checked their weapons and meticulously restocked their supplies, their movements precise and deliberate.

The air was thick with tension, yet a quiet determination emanated from the group.

Mitsuru adjusted her armband, brushing her crimson hair aside as she spoke with authority. "Good. Everyone's here. The Shadow Arcana should appear at any moment."

Suddenly, the computer in the room began to beep, breaking the silence as it pinpointed the location of the Shadow Arcana.

Fuuka quickly typed on the keyboard, confusion spreading across her face.

"I found it... But it looks like it's... underground. But how?" she murmured, disbelief evident in her voice.

Junpei leaned over to glance at the computer screen, his eyes widening. "Wait a second... Underground? Are we gonna need a bulldozer or something?"

Yukari rolled her eyes, exasperated, and ran a hand down her face. "Seriously, Junpei? Where on earth would we find a bulldozer? It's obvious it's in the sewers."

Hiro stepped closer to the computer, placing a reassuring hand on Fuuka's shoulder as he offered another perspective. "It's more likely the Shadow is in some kind of tunnel system, but not necessarily the sewers."

President Shuji, who had been quietly observing, stepped forward, his gaze fixed on the city's sewer map displayed on the screen alongside the detection data.

Scratching his jaw thoughtfully, he finally spoke. "Hmm... Based on its speed and the path it's following... Yamagishi-kun, if you don't mind, let me try something."

Fuuka stepped aside, allowing him access.

He began typing rapidly, his fingers flying across the keyboard as he pulled up multiple maps—highways, sewer systems, gas lines, and metro layouts.

Eventually, he stopped at an image of an old underground tunnel, its structure resembling an excavation site.

Akihiko leaned in for a better look. "What's that, President?"

Aigis, her voice as analytical as ever, answered, "It appears to be a subway tunnel."

Shuji adjusted his glasses before explaining, "According to the computer's readings, it seems to be an old tunnel dug by Japanese soldiers during World War II. The city later tried to repurpose the structure to build a metro station."

Mitsuru crossed her arms as she studied the map. "But it seems the project failed. The only modern-looking area is the entrance. The rest appears to be just as the soldiers left it."

"Exactly." Shuji nodded, his tone growing more serious. "The Shadow must have found its way into these tunnels. What puzzles me, however..."

He paused, removing his glasses to rub his tired eyes. "The only way to access these tunnels is through the subway lines. Which means..."

Yukari narrowed her eyes, completing his thought. "Someone guided the Shadow Arcana there... but how?"

Akihiko, urgency etched into his features, cut through the discussion. "We can figure that out later. Right now, we need to go after it."

Mitsuru, resolute, gestured for everyone to get ready. "Grab your gear. We're heading to those tunnels."

"Got it!" the group responded in unison, ready to face the next Shadow Arcana.