PERSONA 3 DEVIL'S HERALD

...05/09/2009 Saturday; Almost midnight...

...FULL MOON OPERATION...

Tension hung in the air of the S.E.E.S. command room as everyone anxiously awaited news from Hiro and Koromaru.

The sound of Akihiko's footsteps echoed through the room as he paced back and forth, his mind racing with concern.

Who could have kidnapped Junpei? He couldn't stop thinking about it.

Mitsuru sat calmly on the couch, adjusting her Evoker, while Yukari sat silently beside Minato and Aigis, their worry palpable.

Young Ken whispered with Shinjiro about the Shadow Arcana, trying to stay focused.

President Shuji, seated in an armchair, observed everyone closely, fully aware of the gravity of the situation.

They were all already dressed in their combat gear, ready for the upcoming operation.

Fuuka, eyes closed, had Lucia summoned, desperately trying to locate Junpei.

But her search was met with frustration. A mysterious fog kept appearing whenever she managed to track Hermes, blocking her vision.

Finally, the command room door swung open.

Hiro walked in with Koromaru by his side, carrying Junpei's bag and hat.

Koromaru whined, his head low, while Hiro's expression was one of visible frustration.

"Did you find him?" Akihiko asked, stopping in his tracks, his voice heavy with concern.

Hiro placed the bag and hat on the coffee table, exhaling deeply. "No... whoever did this threw a flashbang in my face and got away."

Yukari leaned back on the couch, crossing her arms, clearly irritated. "Damn it... why now? And on the night of an operation?"

Hiro glanced around, searching for any sign of hope. "Did you manage to find him using Lucia?"

Fuuka, still tense, de-summoned Lucia and answered worriedly, "I... I don't know."

The room fell silent as everyone turned to her, alarmed.

"Yamagishi-senpai, what do you mean you don't know?" Ken asked, his voice reflecting the growing panic.

Fuuka, visibly distressed, explained, "I... I don't know. Every time I track Hermes, something cuts off Lucia's vision. And when I try to push through, I get thrown out again."

Without hesitation, Hiro stepped forward, gently placing his hands on her shoulders and shaking her slightly, trying to ground her.

"Calm down..." he said, his voice soft. "You don't have to blame yourself for not finding Junpei."

Fuuka lowered her head, struggling with guilt. "But... without Junpei-san, we'll have less attack power against the Shadow Arcana. And if something happens to him, it'll be my fault for not finding him..."

Hiro suddenly raised his voice and shook her a little more firmly: "Fuuka!"

At that moment, Mitsuru stepped in, placing a hand on Fuuka's shoulder. Her voice was authoritative but filled with understanding.

"Yamagishi, it's okay. This wasn't just your mistake. It was all of ours for not paying more attention. But that doesn't mean it's all your fault. We'll go after Iori as soon as we defeat the Shadow Arcana."

Hiro offered a small smile, adding, "Don't worry. If there's one thing we can be sure of, it's that Junpei won't go down without a fight. Trust him."

Fuuka looked at Mitsuru, then at Hiro, and finally at the others, who watched in silence. She took a deep breath, steadying herself.

"Alright. Sorry for worrying too much," she said, managing a small smile.

Mitsuru returned the smile and removed her hand from Fuuka's shoulder. "It's alright. We're all worried about Iori."

Hiro, still gentle, patted Fuuka's head, making her blush slightly but also smile.

President Shuji, watching the scene, crossed his legs and adjusted his glasses.

"So, what are you all going to do?" Shuji asked, his tone curious.

Yukari quickly responded, "Obviously, we're going after the Shadow Arcana. We can't miss our chance to strike."

Ken, however, voiced his concerns. "But… wouldn't it be a good idea to split into two teams? One to find Junpei-san and the other to handle the Shadow Arcana?"

Minato shook his head, dismissing the idea. "No. That would be a terrible idea."

Koromaru barked three times, drawing everyone's attention, and they all turned to Aigis, waiting for her to translate.

Aigis looked at Koromaru and then spoke, "Koro-chan says, 'Splitting up could put everyone at risk. The Shadow Arcana must be faced with everyone present.' Excellent observation, Koro-chan."

Mitsuru nodded, satisfied. "Brilliant. Now, Hiro. Go suit up and get equipped. Take Koromaru with you and gear him up as well."

"Got it," Hiro replied. "By the way, have we figured out where the Shadow Arcana will appear?"

President Shuji adjusted his glasses again before explaining, "I ran calculations using the previous locations where the Shadow Arcana appeared. That led me to..."

He stood up, walking to the computer and typing quickly.

A map of Tatsumi Port Island appeared on the screen, marking the past appearances of the Shadow Arcana.

The identified Arcana was The Hermit. Shuji pressed Enter, and the exact location was revealed: Paulownian Mall.

"Paulownian Mall. The same place where the guard was killed," Shuji said, his expression serious.

Mitsuru scanned the room, her commanding voice leaving no room for hesitation. "Prepare for the operation! I want everyone in the dorm lobby the moment the Dark Hour begins!"

The team responded in unison, "Understood!"

Shuji crossed his arms, concluding, "I'll stay here and try to track Junpei-kun using the computer. Good luck, everyone."

With orders given, everyone moved swiftly, heading downstairs to prepare.

Hiro passed through his room, quickly donning his combat gear and equipping Koromaru, ready for battle.

...05/09/2009 Saturday; Dark Hour...

...FULL MOON OPERATION...

The streets, bathed in the eerie green glow of the Dark Hour, remained silent, except for the muffled footsteps of the SEES members.

They moved forward through the coffins that represented ordinary people, each step bringing them closer to Paulownian Mall, where the Shadow Arcana awaited.

Yukari, walking beside Hiro, adjusted the bow on her back while casting a curious glance in his direction.

Hiro, however, had his gaze fixed on Mitsuru, who led the group ahead, her posture as imposing as ever.

"Hiro," Yukari called softly.

Hiro shifted his attention from Mitsuru's figure and looked at Yukari, raising an eyebrow. "Hmm?"

Yukari hesitated for a moment before asking, locking eyes with him. "I know you don't like talking about your past, but… after your father abandoned you… did you ever hear anything about him?"

The question caught Hiro off guard.

His eyes widened before narrowing. "How do you know about that?"

Yukari scratched her head, looking a little uncomfortable. "Well… I asked Minato about your life before you joined SEES. Sorry if I wasn't supposed to know…"

Hiro looked up at the green-tinted sky of the Dark Hour, lost in memories.

The cold night wind seemed to echo the exact moment his father had left him behind.

Then, he smiled faintly, placing a hand on Yukari's shoulder. "It's fine. I don't really care about it anymore. But to be honest… I never saw his face again. I barely even remember his name."

Yukari ran a hand through her hair, looking thoughtful. "And your mother? Did you ever get to know her?"

Hiro shook his head. "No. She died during childbirth. The only thing I have of hers is a photo and her birthday. What about you, Yukari?"

She looked ahead, her expression darkening. "As you know… my father was responsible for the creation of the Dark Hour. But he wasn't a bad person. He was amazing… he was always there for me and my mom."

Before Hiro could respond, Akihiko, walking ahead, suddenly stopped and narrowed his eyes in confusion. "What the…?"

All eyes turned toward the entrance of Paulownian Mall.

The mall's lights were on—an eerie sight, considering that electronics weren't supposed to function during the Dark Hour.

A faint buzzing noise came from Shinjiro's pocket, making him frown as he reached for his phone.

Ken's eyes widened as he turned to Mitsuru. "Wait. Kirijo-senpai, didn't you say electronics don't work during the Dark Hour? Why is Aragaki-senpai's phone working?"

Mitsuru, visibly uneasy, furrowed her brow. "This isn't normal… Yamagishi, can you sense anything unusual?"

Fuuka immediately summoned Lucia. As her Persona materialized, Fuuka's brows knitted together in confusion. "This is strange… it feels like the Shadow Arcana is everywhere, as if it's absorbing energy from the ground."

Suddenly, a scream shattered the silence of the night, echoing from inside the mall.

Yukari, Ken, and Fuuka flinched, while the others simply stared at the entrance.

Minato crossed his arms, his expression calm, but his eyes sharp. "It's in there. But where?"

Wasting no time, Shinjiro reached behind his back and pulled out his massive battle axe, while Hiro spun his kukri skillfully between his fingers.

Without exchanging a word, as if they already knew what the other was thinking, they both kicked open the double doors at the same time, the impact echoing throughout the building.

Akihiko whistled, adjusting his gloves with a slight smirk. "That wasn't necessary… but it works."

The group's footsteps echoed against the mall's walls, their shadows stretching under the flickering lights, despite the Dark Hour.

The rhythmic sound of water from the central fountain drew their attention, but what awaited them was far more disturbing than mere decoration.

The water flowed red, thick like blood, creating a chilling contrast against the surroundings.

Yukari swallowed hard, her voice trembling as she whispered, "Oh my God…"

Koromaru, nose to the ground, sniffed the air in search of the Shadow Arcana, but found nothing.

Hiro glanced at Fuuka and Aigis, asking, "Fuuka, Aigis. Can you sense anything?"

Aigis tilted her head, her eyes flickering as she attempted to process the data. "No… my scanners are experiencing electrical interference…" Her voice carried a note of confusion.

Shinjiro frowned, his eyes darkening as he grasped what that might mean.

"Electrical interference…" he murmured, as if making a connection.

Everyone turned to him, watching closely as he silently walked toward a nearby convenience store.

In one swift motion, he wedged the edge of his axe into the door's gap and pried it open with a loud crack before stepping inside.

Akihiko raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Shinjiro, what are you doing?"

Inside the store, the sound of objects being shuffled filled the air. Moments later, Shinjiro emerged, holding a notebook and a pen.

Mitsuru crossed her arms, frowning. "Aragaki… you…"

Shinjiro, still serious, answered before she could finish. "I didn't steal it. I left money on the counter."

He turned to Fuuka, handing her the notebook. "Yamagishi, you said the Shadow Arcana is absorbing energy. Draw what you're seeing through Lucia."

Fuuka took the notebook and pen, kneeling on the floor.

With a focused expression, she began sketching.

On the paper, she drew a large circle, a smaller circle, and a triangle beneath them.

Surrounding the large circle, several squares appeared.

"Okay, imagine this triangle is us. And this small circle is the source," she explained, her fingers tracing lines that resembled roots. "The energy is being manipulated throughout the mall, like it's being absorbed."

Everyone leaned in to see the drawing. Fuuka continued, her voice steady despite the tension in the air. "And all the electrical lines are converging at… Club Escapade."

She drew a large X over one of the squares, and the group's gazes shifted toward the club's entrance.

Without hesitation, Ken and Koromaru rushed toward the door, with the boy slowly pushing it open.

"Ken, don't get too close…" Hiro warned, spinning his kukri between his fingers, ready to act.

But before Ken could react, a massive cable shot out from the door, slamming into him and Koromaru with brutal force.

Everyone froze as the cables writhed in the air like metallic serpents—until the Shadow Arcana emerged.

The creature was immense and terrifying. Its gray crest shimmered with a sinister glow, resembling twisted feathers, while its slender body was composed of thick cables that spread across the floor like malevolent roots.

Three enormous lamps flickered dimly on its back, radiating an agonizing light that seemed to drain the air around it.

The Arcana of the Hermit stood before them, its overwhelming presence suffocating.

The Hermit watched them, its gaze beneath the mask evaluating each SEES member.

Ken got to his feet, still dazed, gripping his spear tightly.

"Look at the size of that thing…" he muttered, both impressed and shaken.

Hiro narrowed his eyes, his expression hardening. "There's that son of a bitch."