Chapter 10: The Return of Faces Past.

Junpei was stunned. "Hell, I never seen Akihiko pull off something like that! I guess the outline's really got to him. It looks just like him after all... Like Shinjiro." He added with a saddened expression.

As Akihiko remained on his knees, blood began to pour from his mouth from the physically taxing attack.

He cursed at the Shadows now regrouping to restore the mass' structure.

"You bastards disrespecting him... I'll kill every last one of y-" Akihiko began to cough violently as he held his chest in pain.

"Enough, Akihiko!" Mitsuru yelled as the group caught up to him. "Don't let an illusion get the better of your judgment!"

Seta suddenly began to hear sounds nearby. Judging from the screams growing louder, people were in trouble...

[There are crises breaking out all around you... What should you do?]

-Prioritize defeating the shadows.

-Ignore the cries (Corruption gains one star)

-Suggest part of the team goes to help. (Influence up)

[Commands, or action?]

- Yosuke and Junpei, can you go help them?

- Mitsuru and Aigis, can you go help them?

- I'll go and help them.

Junpei was weary. "I'm not so sure about this, I think we should all evacuate. There ain't nothing that's gonna bring this thing down." He said with a worried look as the beast began regenerating.

"No, I think he's right, Junpei..." Mitsuru gave her rebuttal. "Akihiko seems to have damaged it. I think we should split up and ensure safety of others while some of us distract it; possibly even bring it down if luck is on our side."

Junpei got a call on his mobile and looked to see who it was.

"Is it Fuuka?" Mitsuru asked.

"Yeah, I'll see what she wants... Hello?" Junpei answered. "Huh? Really? The building just left of us? ...OK so the glass one? Or the bricked set of apartments? ... Oh OK, sure. Got it. We'll get on it... Yeah! Thanks Fuuka."

"What did she say?" Mitsuru asked.

"We got a problem. There are Shadows about to attack a group of trapped employees in that office building over there." Junpei said, pointing at the highest building to the far East.

"Leave it to me," Aigis stated casually. "I will see to their evacuation."

Without warning the base of Aigis' legs morphed into boosters which propelled her into flight with jet force thrust.

"Aw that's it!" Junpei groaned enviously. "I'm not giving her another lift until she teaches me how to do that!"

Mitsuru shook her head; bewildered by Junpei's ever-drifting concentration span.

Akihiko rose to his feet weakly before stating a wise warning.

"You guys sure about this?" He asked cautiously. "If we get caught showing the world what we can do, there's no going back. We're not hidden anymore here. Secrets are out and it won't be long 'til we're slaves to the media. How they'll receive us? I don't know... I just know our lives will change."

"This coming from the gentleman who just tore a rift in the void before a terrified public?" Mitsuru questioned with a raised brow.

"Hmph, I just wanted to take the pressure of you lot. I thought I'd take the bullet this time... But like always, I'm not strong enough. Not even enough to kill this damn Shadow that's pissing on Shinjiro even in death!"

Akihiko's rage began to swell once again as he grit his teeth and tightened his fists.

[The time to act is now. You should consider Akihiko's final warning and then voice a decision... The Justice Arcana sways your thoughts]

-(Protection) "We should all fall back."

-(Heroism) "We should prioritize evacuation."

-(Leadership) "We should split up as planned."

Junpei and Yosuke nodded in approval and broke into a sprint to the car to aid in evacuations.

Aigis, hovering in mid-air, kicked off with her feet to rocket into the distant tower at jet-speeds.

Leaving Mitsuru, Akihiko and Souji to stand ground and face, the now perfectly recovered, abomination eyeing the three of them down.

Mitsuru readied her Evoker then turned to Akihiko. "How long do you think we can hold it off?"

"Depends on what this guy can do," Akihiko said calmly while turning to Souji.

Feeling the pressure now on him, Souji had to act.

He called forth his Persona with a powerful cry...

But to his surprise...

No voice answered.

...

Mitsuru and Akihiko looked at each other to make silent communication.

Seta tried even harder...

Reaching in deep for Virtue to come forth again and again, there was constantly no response from the Justice Arcana.

Instead, a sickening nausea began to be sensed by Souji as he held open his palm before him.

Then suddenly, via an entrance in a motion similar to the act of vomiting, came down a monster unimaginably hideous...

Legion, of the Fool Arcana.

Mitsuru and Akihiko shot extremely concerned looks in Souji's direction.

Feeling his head grow lighter, Souji watched with the break of sweat as his deformed Persona flopped around on its tentacles uselessly on the road.

It seemed ready to do more damage to itself than any opponent before it.

[Akihiko and Mitsuru are simply staring at you dumbfound... The Fool Arcana chimes in your head and influences your response.]

- (Shame) "How embarrassing, this hasn't happened before."

- (Struggle) "I can explain... I think."

- (Naivety) "When life gives you 'Legions', make 'Legionade'?"

It was during this time Souji had noticed a strong arcana was approaching from behind.

Spinning around to see who was near, Souji's guard was instantly raised as he saw none other than...

Minato Arisato.

With his cold gaze meeting his own icy one, Minato stepped forward into the light to instil even greater shock in Mitsuru and Akihiko.

All three fell on guard.

Two believing him to be nothing more than an illusion, while Souji questioned whether this was the saviour's spirit, or a malicious will standing before him.

If a darker force was currently piloting Minato's will, this meant trouble... But luckily Souji did not sense malice coming from the young man's affect like before.

Calmly, Minato spoke with a soft yet commanding voice, "We need to combine an attack."

Mitsuru didn't know what to say; she was completely speechless from disbelief.

Akihiko was a little more vocal of his doubts.

"Sorry, we don't trust a walking corpse." He said as he spat on the ground nearby. "First Shinjiro's outline and now you in the flesh? These Shadows sure are sick. So you better stay the hell away from her."

Akihiko was standing before Mitsuru protectively, who looked a little surprised to see him so close.

Suddenly the sound of a lion's roar echoed throughout the lonely highway.

Minato shook his head disappointed, "Very well... I'll have to do this myself then."

Stepping forward to approach the hundred times larger foe, Minato was staring up directly into the eyes of the onlooking Shadow who surprisingly seemed to hesitate upon identifying his presence.

"You should be resting... Shinjiro." Minato stated with a melancholic smile.

Taking a deep breath, Minato lowered his stance and unsheathed dual katanas resting on his waist's left side.

Minato Arisato was ready to single-handedly take down the unstoppable force... And he was fully willing, to do it alone.

END CHAPTER