PERSONA 3 DEVIL'S HERALD

...15/08/2009 Saturday; Dark Hour...

On the 38th floor, the surroundings took on an industrial appearance, reminiscent of a factory.

The layout was primarily square, consisting of various elevated structures connected by stairs, all marked by the floating, otherworldly geometry characteristic of Tartarus.

As the glow of the teleportation faded, it revealed the area's structure, illuminated by red and blue lights streaming from spotlights attached to the ceiling.

Some of the suspended and unstable stairs seemed to shift deliberately, as though trying to unbalance anyone daring to climb.

Hiro glanced around, pulling the kukri from his waist and twirling it between his fingers with a relieved tone. "Man... at least it's not as dark here."

Mitsuru raised her rapier, analyzing the area. "Indeed. Go ahead with Aragaki; I'll stay at the rear with Koromaru."

Shinjiro cast a glance at Koromaru as he moved forward alongside Hiro.

"You heard her, watch our backs, boy."

Koromaru barked in response, following the group with focused attention.

The four advanced through the corridors, searching for the stairway to the next floor.

Their footsteps echoed against the metallic walls and structures surrounding them, filling the air with a hollow, resonating sound.

However, something soon caught Koromaru's attention.

The dog began to growl, his nose pointing toward an unfamiliar scent.

Hiro raised his kukri, his gaze sharp. "What is it, Koromaru?"

Before he could move forward, Shinjiro lifted a hand to stop him.

Using his axe, he gestured toward a distorted figure emerging ahead of them.

"There." He whispered, his tone tense.

Before them, a Shadow began to take form, emerging from its amorphous, black mass. Numerous gelatinous arms flailed wildly around it.

Hiro cracked his neck, preparing for the fight. "I was just wondering why it was so quiet."

Mitsuru's eyes remained locked on the creature, her focus unwavering. "Hiro! Attack it from behind. Follow my commands as needed."

Hiro nodded and dashed forward. With a vertical, downward strike of his kukri, he slashed at the Shadow.

The creature let out a high-pitched shriek and, in response, split into two distinct figures.

One took the shape of a hulking, muscular man with white skin covered in red tattoos resembling flames.

He wore a wrestler's loincloth and combat boots, while a blue mask concealed his face.

The other figure resembled a spinning silver buzzsaw with a golden center.

At the core of the saw, a man hung upside-down, spinning slowly in an eerie motion.

Shinjiro, assuming his combat stance, shouted with determination: "We've got the advantage! Let's take them down!"

The team positioned themselves around the Shadows, surrounding them.

The humanoid Shadow locked its gaze on Mitsuru and let out a roar of fury.

"Hiro, you're up first!" ordered Mitsuru, her eyes fixed on the creature.

"Understood!" replied Hiro, skillfully spinning his kukri.

He focused, observing the Shadows and analyzing the best approach.

He thought quickly: if the humanoid Shadow's flame-like tattoos hinted at fire resistance, its white color might also suggest strength against light but a vulnerability to darkness.

Resolved, Hiro charged at the humanoid Shadow and delivered a diagonal slash across its chest with his kukri.

The Shadow growled in anger and swung a fist at Hiro, who ducked just in time.

Leaping backward to his original position, Hiro shouted, "The one with the blue mask is probably weak to darkness. Koromaru, your turn! Use Cerberus!"

Koromaru barked in agreement and dashed forward with agility.

He leaped toward the masked Shadow, biting its neck and spinning around it in an acrobatic motion.

Afterward, Koromaru returned to his position and let out a howl.

His collar glowed brightly, activating the Evoker, and Cerberus appeared behind him, howling in unison.

The central head of Cerberus opened its mouth, forming a dark sphere that shot toward the Shadow, striking its weakness with precision.

The impact sent the creature crashing to the ground.

"Nice job, boy!" said Hiro, grinning.

Koromaru turned to Mitsuru and barked several times, signaling that he wanted to pass the turn to her.

"Got it, leave it to me!" Mitsuru replied, understanding the message and raising her rapier.

She advanced toward the buzzsaw-shaped Shadow, targeting the man trapped in its center.

With a series of swift and precise strikes from her rapier, Mitsuru began to injure the creature, each thrust creating a fresh wound.

The Shadow retaliated, spinning violently and unleashing a gust of wind toward Mitsuru.

However, Shinjiro quickly stepped in front of her, letting out a frustrated shout as he delivered a devastating blow with his war axe, breaking part of the Shadow's saw blade.

"Go!" Shinjiro yelled, holding his axe in a defensive position.

Mitsuru seized the opening and delivered three horizontal slashes across the chest of the man trapped in the Shadow, followed by a kick that caused the creature to stagger.

Jumping back, Mitsuru shouted, "Aragaki! Your turn now!"

Shinjiro pulled out the Evoker, his heart tightening at the painful memory of his last summon.

He knew that since then, innocent blood had been shed.

With a tense sigh, he pressed the barrel of the Evoker to his head.

Whispering to himself and his Persona, he said, "I know you want to kill me... but I'm not dying today."

Opening his eyes, a fierce rage burned within him, accompanied by a sharp pain in his chest.

"Persona!" he roared, pulling the trigger with force.

The flash of the Evoker lit up the air as a dark aura manifested behind him.

Kastor, the shadowy knight, appeared, his winged horse neighing furiously.

The knight and his steed charged forward with relentless force, like a missile, creating a shockwave upon impact.

Hiro shielded his face from the wind caused by the charge. "Holy shit..."

Kastor pierced the buzzsaw Shadow with the tip of his lance, aiming directly at the man trapped inside.

The creature let out a scream of agony as Kastor, with brutal strength, began tearing the Shadow apart.

The metallic sound of the saw splitting echoed alongside Kastor's furious cries as he finally ripped the Shadow in two, reducing it to a cloud of black mist.

The humanoid Shadow rose to its feet and furiously lunged at Kastor, landing a punch on the horse's head.

Kastor pulled the reins, making his steed retreat to dodge the attack, then charged forward again.

The horse's horn pierced the Shadow's chest, eliciting another scream.

But Kastor didn't hesitate.

With both hands, he grabbed the Shadow's head and, with a furious cry, tore it off, crushing it like a cork.

Silence filled the air as the Shadow dissolved into mist.

Hiro twirled his kukri, letting out a low whistle, impressed by Kastor's sheer power.

He approached Shinjiro, his expression filled with understanding. "Now I get why you're not too fond of using your Persona."

Koromaru barked, seemingly asking something or seeking praise for his performance.

Mitsuru smiled softly as she looked at the dog. "You displayed excellent skill, Koromaru."

Shinjiro felt a sharp pain in his chest and quickly noticed his nose beginning to bleed.

Kastor's horse's neigh echoed in his mind, sending a shiver down his spine.

Noticing what was happening, Hiro quickly stepped in front of Shinjiro to block Mitsuru's view of the bleeding.

"You alright?" Hiro asked, concerned.

Shinjiro wiped his nose and nodded. "Yeah. I think Kastor just doesn't like being disturbed."

Hiro placed a reassuring hand on Shinjiro's shoulder before turning to Mitsuru with urgency. "Let's move. We need to get to the next floor."

"Yes, we must save the others before the Reaper finds them," Mitsuru responded, nodding firmly.

With Mitsuru's directive clear, the group began searching for the staircase to the next floor.

After a few minutes of searching, they finally found it.

The industrial structure of the area, with its floating stairs and artificial lights, seemed even more foreboding as the group advanced in silence.

"Kirijo-senpai, can you hear me?" Fuuka's voice echoed telepathically, breaking the tense quiet.

"Yes, we're heading to the 39th floor now. What's Arisato's team's status?" Mitsuru replied, her gaze lifting to the void as she communicated through the mental connection.

"They managed to find someone and brought them to the entrance. They're safe and uninjured," Yukari reported, her voice tinged with relief but still cautious.

"And the Reaper? Any sign of him?" Hiro asked, uneasy, his eyes fixed ahead as they moved.

"That's what I wanted to mention..." Fuuka sounded perplexed. "It seems the Reaper only targets Persona users. The people drawn into Tartarus aren't considered intruders unless they wake up and try to leave the floor they're on."

Shinjiro, walking beside Mitsuru, stopped for a moment. He removed his beanie, scratched his head, then put it back on.

"I guess we can consider that good news," he said, glancing at Mitsuru with a serious expression.

Mitsuru studied the staircase ahead, her gaze distant as she processed the information.

In a graceful motion, she brushed her hair aside, as though trying to clear her mind of lingering doubts.

The weight of the mission was evident, but before she could let it overwhelm her, Hiro placed a hand on her shoulder—a silent gesture of support.

She closed her eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath to steady herself.

And she remembered what needed to be done: saving those people.

"Let's go! We don't have time to waste," Mitsuru said, her renewed determination clear as she fixed her eyes on the staircase.

With the orders given, the four began ascending the stairs.

The sound of their footsteps echoed through the metallic corridors, filling the quiet space with a rhythmic, mechanical beat.