Chapter 7 : Tartarus the tower of demise and the dark hour

Iwatodai dormitory.

Hikaru had just back to the dorm when she saw the formal man suit with brown long curling hair and glasses sat at the lounge with Yukari and Mitsuru Kirijo

" ah, there she is. " asked Mitsuru

"so.. this is the transfer student" asked the brown man.

Hikaru nodded and answered back " yes, I am … and nice to meet you um… Sir"

" no need to be formal Hikaru-chan, I am Ikutsuki Shuji . the supervisor of the S.E.E.S. since you already know about the dark hour, I would talk directly to the main point…" asked Ikutsuki seriously before Ikutsuki could countinue with his question Hikaru interrupted him instead.

" oh yeah, about the dark hour… how, when, and why the dark hour exist?" Hikaru asked with serious tone in her voices.

Ssiiiinnnnggg… every body silence . no one could answer Hikaru Shindo's question

"I believe we would found the answer at that place…" Mitsuru started to spoke after silence in a while.

"that…. Place?" Asked Hikaru again as her eyes narrowed .

"Yes, Tartarus the tower of demise" Ikutsuki spoke in his monotone voices.

Hikaru's eyes grown more seriously . then Mitsuru spoke again" you will only find Tartarus during the dark hour"

" ok, what is Tartarus ? Hikaru spoke with her cold voices.

"we call it the shadows nest" the guy senior with silver hair guys answered.

"Not only you Hikaru-chan, we will go with you"Ikutsuki talked again

" did you go and explore that place before?" Hikaru asked with confused eyes.

Their noded their head and Yukari spoke" yes, but we never reached the top of the tower yet.

Hikaru silence again as she rubbed her chin in though.

"because you had already agreed to join and help us Hikaru-chan ….." Mitsuru spoke again as she putted a big pack on opened to Hikaru to reveal a hand gun and the red arm band with S.E.E.S wrote in it.

" a gun?" Hikaru asked confused as she took a silver gun with mark S.E.E.S on it.

" its not a real weapon . its more like the lucky charm or we call it evoker" the silver hair guy spoke calmly.

"an evoker? " Hikaru asked in confused .

Suddenly Mitsuru stood up and shot her own head. After she had shot her own head the blue aura appeared and surrounded mitsuru sempai and a girl with the airon face with crown tiara in her head appeared a moment before disappeared .

"that's penthesilea. My persona" mitsuru said seriously

Hikaru nodded again as she took the arm band and the evoker from the bag.

"ok. You should get back to your room and rest. Tomorrow you still have to school , right? Ikutsuki said as the other resident rose up from their sit and went to their own room. So do Hikaru

"hai, Hikaru-chan good luck with you upcoming match as go pro player. The silver hair senpai said with smile in his face.

"oh. Thank you Sanada senpai" Hikaru answered politely and bowed to the older boy

Yes, the silver hair guy is Akihiko Sanada. Same with Mitsuru Kirijo but Akihiko Sanada weren't member in student council. But he was being popular guy because he was a boxing team captain with a lot of fan girl. He even have his own fan's club. Hikaru remembered there was a few of her classmates who had asked her to join the'Akihiko Sanada Fan's club which Hikaru had declined them politely with telling them that she was Go professional player. So she would very busy with her pro match.

When Hikaru opened her door room she had spotted the post card at her work desk. Hikaru took it and saw it. Finnaly she got the match schedule for her honinbo league. The 2nd match against Ichiryu 9 dan the prev Kisei Title holder would be held in 2 week, so tomorrow Hikaru must talk to Mitsuru about her upcoming match.

'Sai, what do you think about this?' Hikaru asked her own brother.

'we would follow their operation but….. we have to look on somethink else too…." Sai said with his go eyes.

' somethink else?' Hikaru asked again . Sai nodded while he closed half of his face she spoke again

'Hikaru-chan, I sensed somethink else from the goatee man'

'you mean Ikutsuki-san ?'. Sai nodded and. 'becarefull on him Hikaru-chan' Sai said again.

Tomorrow morning

Hikaru was just about to go to school when Mitsuru approaching her.

"Good morning, Mitsuru Senpai. Umm I want to let you know… that I have to go back to Tokyo for my professional match in another 2 week." Hikaru said calmly.

Mitsuru nodded and spoke back" alright then, I understand to your activity as a go professional player.i just hope you would try your best in our school academic Hikaru-chan"

Hikaru nodded politely . and with that Hikaru walked to the school with Mitsuru

Gekkoukan high school.

Class 2-f

"morning Hikaru-chan" Said the voices . and that make Hikaru turn around to recognized Yukari takeba.

Hikaru smiled to the girl and answered back "morning Yu-"

Before Hikaru could finish the brown navy girl approached and tap Hikaru's shoulder as she said "Oh my gosh, are you Hikaru Shindo?

Before Hikaru could answered Yukari had been first spoken with slight retorted "Namira Sayaka! Have you realized that you maybe bothering someone?"

"c'mon, Yukari-san . I just tried to be friendly" Namira answered cherrfully.

" um…. What's your name?. I am sorry but I don't catch your name" Hikaru said to Namira.

"hello, I am Namira Sayaka. Nice to meet you. You must be Hikaru Shindo-3dan, right? Namira asked hapilly

" yes, you're right' Hikaru answered with smile. She never tough there is a student who know about her as a Go professional player.

"3-dan? What is it?" Yukari asked with confused looked. Before Hikaru could answered again Namira answered for Hikaru

" that the rank who had been used in Go,Shogi, and chest professional player .in go professional world Hikaru is 3-dan is mean Hikaru Shindo had the 3 rank and how the professional player to raised their rank is within oteai tournament and a professional player ussualy had 10 match in oteai tournament and manage to raised his or her rank once a year so it meant Hikaru shindo had joined to became professional player 3 years ago."

"wow…. You know that much Namira-chan, are you a go player too?"Yukari asked in amazed

Namira nodded happily, but Just before Namira spoke again entered the class and the lesson began.

Lunch break.

Hikaru had just finished her bento boxes when Mitsuru Kirijo came in to her class and approached her . with serious face she spoke to Hikaru " tonight, you should come to school gate when midnight I'll explain the detail for later". After that she turned around and went out from the class

'wow….that was fast' Sai said in amazed.

' she was probably busy with student council. Unlike me. ' answered Hikaru with sighed

After that Hikaru turned around to recognized Namira. Namira was a cherry girl but a little Ms. Toriumi class Hikaru had helped her once to answered ms. Toriumi question. Namira had asked to Hikaru to hang out this day after school but since she had to study to her upcoming match Hikaru had declined her offered. Of course Namira understand she had know about Hikaru shindo-3 dan had participant in Honinbo league. One from 7 big tournament in Japan go world.

Late night dormitory

Hikaru's room

Hikaru had just prepared for her first exploration. She prepared to brought a snack, medicine, a bottle with full water to her little bag . after that she out of the room to meet with the other at the school gate. And when she closed the door. The email had just arrived at her laptop and would bring another shock news for Hikaru.

Gekkoukan high school gate.

Hikaru, Yukari, Akihiko, Mitsuru had just arrived at the school gate when Hikaru asked in confused" where is it?"

" just wait another minute, it almost midnight" Akihiko asked while glanced at her phone watch.

Hikaru glanced at her watch as well. It was 23:59:30. 30 second left and the dark hour would begin.

Tik

Tik'

Tik

Tik

Tik

Tik

Tik

Suddenly the bright sunny moon change to became sick yellow, the street had been surrounded with green aura. There was a few coffin , and there was a huge blood in the more school building started to roseup just like some kind a secretive military base when it shown up. keep rose up in the building really high just like the tower. While Hikaru shindo and Sai saw it with amazed in their face.

" Welcome in Tartarus the tower of demise" asked Akihiko with smirk in his face.

When their got in the entrance Hikaru was so amazed the entrance have a rome pilar interior and that make the entrance just like a huge rome castell. There is stairs in front the door to enter the labirynth . in the left of stairs there is a golden watch. And in the right side there is a green portal.

While Hikaru taking the tour on the entrance Mitsuru had starting distributed the weapon bag on her hand. Yukari got short bow and arrows and Hikaru got a long spare. After finishing with distributing the weapon Mitsuru unsheated her short sword while Akihiko wore his glove. After they finished Misturu Spoke as she was ready to entering the labyrinth " that door infront the stairs will take to the maze . before we go on. Any of you want to ask something?"

Hikaru raised her hand. And when she saw Mitsuru nodded at her she spoke" you said you'd explored this place before, how many floors you'd explored? "

" so far we had explored until the end from the 1st block on the 15th floor." Akihiko answered Hikaru question instead of Mitsuru

As she saw Hikaru questioning eyes toward her Mitsuru spoke again "because there was a power who blocked the path to the next floor and for your next question, we don't have a map. The labyrinth inside the tartarus always have changed. So the map will never usefull in tartarus."

Hikaru nodded at Mitsuru explanation as she glance toward Sai who has stared at Mitsuru with serious look on his face.

'Sai ?' Hikaru said to her big brother ghost. Rather suprises Sai turned his face toward her brother who had looked him with questioned look.

Sai shook his head and said'nothing'.

she still curious about Sai strange behavior but she let it go at least for now…

after that she turned around to face Mitsuru and said " let go!"

the red sempai nodded and the group together ascending the stairs and entered the door to the labirynth.

After Yukari passed the door and closing it. The door behind them suddenly disseapeared.

" we have to find an accest point to get back to the entrance. The accest point must have been in somewhere in this floor" Mitsuru said as she saw the shocked face in Hikaru face.

"let go!" demanded Mitsuru as she lead the group to start they exploration.

Tartarus 1st Block : Thebel 1st floor

The 1st block of Tartarus was like school building just like inside school but there is a demon face on the wall and also a blood and the green aura made the place a little creepy. And so far hikaru and the team had battle individually after they discovered that Hikaru persona have the same level with the rest of them except for yukari who had still rather scared to summoning her persona so hikaru had volunteered to be tha team with Yukari. Mitsuru nodded as she accepted hikaru idea. And after that they separated into 3 smaller team : 1. Mitsuru on her own, 2. Akihiko also on his own,3. And Hikaru team up with Yukari with Hikaru as a leader.

After walking around the 3rd floor where the team once again had been and Yukari spoted the shadows the thing like a ghost with hand who had crawling in the floor to the another direction meaning that shadows not seen the girl coming. Hikaru took glance toward Yukari who had shaking. She cleared her throat and spoke to Yukari" listen Yukari, I will run to take the shadows interest and when the shadows go after me. You shout it and I'll land it the final blow to that thing."

At first Yukari looked hesitant but she nodded. So Hikaru run after the shadow tried to slash the shadows. At give a little damage but its still not enough to destroy it. So the shadow went after Hikaru while Yukari hide her self on the corner ready to shot at the shadows. Hikaru gave a hand signal and Yukari shot it. And hit tha shadow again. But because the shadows was still alive Hikaru had jump to the wall hanging to the face statue at the top of tha shadow. And landed the final slash to the shadows . made the shadows dissipated into nothing.

Yukari run toward Hikaru after succeded destroying the shadows but before she could asked anything Hikaru had moved toward her pushed in resulting in Hikaru injury because the other shadow attacked them. It was Yukari to be attacked but Hikaru had seen it coming ran to covering Yukari pushed her the side Hikaru received the shadows attack and fainted. While Yukari stunned in shock.

"Hikaru-chan, i….i… I was useless" Yukari said to her a few moment Yukari father face appeared ih her mind. As her mind begun to focus. " dad, I will not scare again" yukari said as she raised her evoker to her temple. Blue aura begun to shou out from her body as she shouted " Io! " on my command , ( she pointed to the bird shadow) garu!"

The woman sitting in cow head appeared the girl hand pointed to the bird as the wind started to shout toward the shadows. Since garu is that shadows weakness the shadows dissipated into nothing.

After the shadows destroying Yukari kneeled in front Hikaru and close he eyes shouted " Io, in my command : dia" as she pointed to Hikaru uncouncious body. The woman in cow appeared again her hand pointed in hikaru body as a bright light shout out of her hand and started engulfing hikaru's body. And made the wound on hikaru 's body disappeared. And Hikaru sat on the floor

"you made it Yukari" Hikaru said as she smile at Yukari who had just sat on the floor beside her. Seiing tears in her friend eyes Hikaru spoke again" c'mon yukari, at least you'd tried it"

" but you almost dead….because of me" Yukari spoke shakily. Seeing Yukari still shackely . hikaru let out a deep sigh

'let get out of here Hikaru-chan'the purple hair ghost said to him.

Hikaru turned her head toward her and nodded, and grabbed Yukari's hand so she can stand up while Hikaru asked again" are you alright ? we need to get out of here" hikaru said to Yukari. Yukari had finnaly managed recovering from her shocked nooded. Hikaru spoke through transceiver" Mitsuru sempai, I 'd finished with Yukari's training. Could you tell me that way to the accest point?"

" I'd already waiting for your calling Hikaru-chan. In fact I'd already stood near the accest point just wait in that spot. I'll send us out of here" Mitsuru informed both girl through the transceiver. A moment latter a bright light sorounding the teen's and swallow the girls. Sent them back to the entrance.

" how the training?" Mitsuru asked the leader.

Hikaru nodded as she spoke " Yukari managed to summoned her persona. And her persona have a wind and healing skill"

The red hair girls turned her head toward the brown girl and asked " how its going?"

" actually, I am trying to catch my breath" answered Yukari as she shoke the sweat from her check.

" it was your first time to you from summoning from your persona?" Hikaru asked couriously.

" well…I…. am…" Yukari said unsurely.

" well, it was the first experienced for Yukari in exploring the Tartarus. Yes…. That why I agrred when you had suggested to become the leader to guided her " Mitsuru explained again.

'I understand , why Yukari-san was so shaked when Hikaru-chan got hurt, and she was so hesitant when she was summoned her persona. ' Sai said to Hikaru-chan

'yeah, Sai she was forced her self out. She might be very tire by now' Hikaru said as she nodded to her big brother.

" alright lets get out before the Tartarus descended back to become our school" Mitsuru said as she begun to walk away toward the dorm followed with the rest of the group.

Mean while

Tokyo area

the Tokyo area had turned as well when the dark hour approaching. There is much blood in the walls. Almost every wall covered by blood. There a coffin every where, the electricity was malfunction. And the area too covered by green aura. At the middle of the street there was a young man with green hair walking around the area. Not Understanding with anything around him

'where am i? it still in Tokyo, but….' He though to him self.

'it so creapy..., what's going on here?' he tough again and looking around he still recognized the building of with a blood covered the building made him so scared.

His body started to shiver while he keep walking around the road.

' I should have decline Mr. hashumi invitation ' He said as he cursed him self for went home very late.

Mr. hashumi was one from Akira touya fan who had invited Akira to the 5 star restaurant to treat Akira dinner and celebrating Akira winning in Honinbou league to day against Ichiryu 9-dan. While his eternal rival Hikaru Shindo who had moved to the Nagoya due to her school in gekkoukan high scholl a few days ago also had won her match a weeks ago against Kurata 8-dan in honinbou league either .

And then Mr. hashumi had invited him for dinner and also turned out to offerred with barely forcing him to take mr. Hasumi single daughter. Ayano hashumi to become his student

Akira had told him to think about it for a while. And Mr. hashumi face turned to become rather little disappointed.

So after a lot of talk and discussion and pleaded forcelly again by mr. hashumi finnaly Akira aggred to teach Mr. hashumi single daughter short temporarely to see if Ayano-san really have a great passion in go acourding to her father . so Mr. hashumi let Akira home to take some rest.

It was nearly midnight, well… 10 minute left to the midnight when akira out from the restaurant and made him run toward station to his home when suddenly all electricity turned off, and well…. Surrounding him change to become like now….

Suddenly. He heard a loud scream from beside. He turned his head and started running to ward the voice until he spotted the Man with formal suit. Screaming loudly.

"aaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh" that man screaming as something in black begun to shout out from his head. And the man keep screaming while holding his head with both of his hand .

The man keep screaming and screaming until that black thing with the arm and blue mask successfully out from the man and the Man fell into the ground and become the lost. While Akira was only frozen. Stunned and shocked covered his face as he saw it.

That black thing probably the shadows had saw him and started to attacked Akira with a fast speed .

Panic started to appeared along his face as he turned around to run. To save his life…..

He noticed that black think and separated his body to chased after Akira and finnaly and the middle of the street the shadows managed to surrounding Akira and manage to pused Akira to the ground. He closed his ayes as shadows hand tried ro reach him until he heard the voice shouted " in my command : magaru" and a few moment she felt the wind had started to surrounding him shield him, and destroyed the shadow.

" are you alright. Touya-kun?" the voiced asked him again.

He opened his eyes to saw the young man with Black hair and jeans infornt him with worried eyes. And a long sword in his right hand.

" i-isumi-san, what…" Akira managed to choked out before finnaly fainted in the street.

Author note:

Well, that was the 1st experience for Hikaru to exploring the Tartarus. And I made Hikaru learn a little by little to become a leader team but not now…..

And about the persona skill…..garu is the 1 st level for the wind attacked and of course it has a smallest damage. Since it was the first time for Yukari to summoned to her persona so I made her using garu and not garula( the 2nd level for the wind attacked to a single enemys) the 3rd level for wind alemet is garudyne and the highest level for the wind attacked is pantha rein for single attack.

And what about Magaru? Well… that was the 1st level attack with the smallest damage for the wind element. The differences is garu was for single enemy. While magaru was for all enemies. The 2nd level is magarula and the highest level is magarudyne. So yes, for now….. Isumi's persona: phoenix(lvl 21 min) was more stronger than Yukari"s persona Io( I made her persona was already lvl 6) … and both of them have a wind element attack skill

As you can see Akira was being attacked by a few of shadows. So Isumi used Magaru to finish them all and to save Akira as you may know if we you use a single attacked while we face 2 or more shadows it will be difficult. Not to mention endangering Akira Touya life's in process.

Well…. I don''t know if I can update soon again because I have the entrance exam to the university in july. And next week I have the finale exam on my Japanese course . but I hope I could update when I have a free time.

And for a hint for the next chapter Hikaru will face another shock news who will make her suffer again, we also will moving to the next level of the mistery( the reason behind Seto Sanji and Yukiko Amagi's dead) and also the result for Hikaru's match against Ichiryu-9 dan.

So please R&R and see you in the next chapter