A.N. (3/8/21) - New Persona-user in this chapter!

Persona (49) - Security System

The two of them wandered around the labyrinth, not particularly searching for anything. Instead, they both admired their surroundings as they toured the area.

"You know, I never really liked the Dark Hour aesthetic." Nagi found himself feeling the surface of a gigantic playing card floating in the air. "But this place looks nice."

"I don't know what the Dark Hour's supposed to look like," Takuto commented back. "But I feel like I'm in a new Destinyland attraction."

Nagi heard some sounds up ahead and raised a hand to stop Takuto. "Hold on, I hear something."

"Think we should go another way?"

"Definitely," Nagi agreed. "Just make sure we know how to get back."

The two continued this process of avoiding Shadows wherever they went while admiring the view around them. It was almost anticlimactic at how peaceful their journey was, but that was more likely due to their careful natures than anything. Neither was the kind to rush towards danger, this trip excluded.

Unfortunately, their luck wasn't going to hold forever. The sounds of several Shadows started to grow nearer, and they found it harder to find a way to avoid them.

"I don't think we can escape this time," Takuto told Nagi. "Think you can deal with them yourself?"

"I should be able to," Nagi responded. "I'm powerful enough to take care of a few Shadows."

With that being said, Nagi reached deep inside of himself to call for one of his Sub-Personas. With their aide, Nagi could temporarily grow stronger as his health and spiritual reserves increased due to their effects.

"That's… strange," Nagi tilted his head. "I can't call for my Personas."

No, it was worse than that. It wasn't that he couldn't call them, they weren't even there anymore!

"Okay, slightly bad news."

"What?"

"It turns out that I might be having trouble with my powers," Nagi answered. "But I can still use my magic, so this isn't too bad of a situation yet."

Then, he began to hear the sound of chains.

}-{

Nagisa's head jerked upward instantly. "Guys, we have trouble!"

Negi sensed it a moment later and also jerked his head. "How the heck is he already here?!"

"What?" Yu looked at the two of them. "What's going on?!"

Both of them quickly stood up and held out their hands. The sound of glass shattering sound out, and two ethereal feathers descended slowly and landed on their palms.

Pointing the feather in a certain direction, Negi grimaced. "He's somewhere in one of the labyrinths. I think he's in the You in Wonderland"

"It might not be him," Nagisa quickly said. "There's always a version of him in every Shadow-infested world, so it might just be another aspect of him."

"Knowing our luck, I doubt it."

"Both of you, calm down!" Kotone shouted at the two. "Please, just explain what's going on."

"Wait," Nagisa looked around. "Where's the younger Nagi?"

Negi's face paled. "He can't have gone to the dungeon now, can he?"

"But where else would he be?"

Kotone shouted once more. "Guys, who are you talking about?!"

The two of them looked at her and spoke at the same time.

"The Reaper."

}-{

Nagi knew what the sound of chains signified, and his face instantly paled as he realized who was here.

"I'm sorry Takuto, I've made a terrible mistake."

"Huh," Takuto looked alarmed at the fearful expression on Nagi's face. "What's going on?

"The Reaper is coming for us," the sound of chains grew louder. "We need to get out of here immediately."

Something was screaming at him to run. A warm sensation began to spread from his chest, almost causing him to groan in pain as the warmth continued to pulse.

The sounds of chains grew louder.

"Run, now!" Nagi grabbed Takuto's arm and began to pull him as they ran.

How could the Reaper be here? Nagi thought to himself. This is the beginner dungeon for crying out loud.

The Reaper was a sort of security mechanism for Shadow-infested worlds. The Reaper only appeared if you stayed in a place for too long, and the two of them couldn't have been here long enough to trigger its presence.

It was one of the most deadly Shadows in all of the Persona series, even late-game parties had trouble dealing with the reaper. Never mind the fact that the two of them didn't even have their own Personas, they wouldn't survive a second if the Reaper caught them.

A voice suddenly appears out of nowhere, surprising the two boys running for their lives.

"Where are you?!"

Nagi immediately recognized Rise's voice. "We're in the You in Wonderland! A Reaper's chasing after us."

"A Reaper?!" You could hear the shock in her voice. "But that's—"

"Lead us out of here!"

"Alright," Rise's voice turned serious. "Head left and go straight until you see an intersection. Turn right there and someone from our group will try and meet up with you then."

The both of them continued to run.

"Nagi, I recognize the path." His voice was quivering. "Isn't the straight path supposed to be really long? Can we run away in time?"

"We'll have to."

"This is my fault," he began. "I decided to go in here—"

"Let's discuss this later when we're not about to be brutally murdered, please."

The two of them quickly found the intersection Rise was talking about.

"Just around the corner, we're almost there!"

And that was when the ground beneath their feet exploded.

The two of them cried out as their bodies flew through the air, only to crash to the ground a second later. Nagi quickly pushed himself up and stared at what caused the explosion.

His heart froze.

The appearance of the reaper was not one of the popular depictions of the grim reaper. It was a menacing figure with two long-barrel revolvers, its head shrouded in a blood-stained cloth sack with only one eye peeking through to gaze around itself. Chains ran along its body, making a rattling sound as it moved about.

And finally, it's one eye caught sight of the two of them.

The reaper roared as it leveled its two revolvers on them.

Takuto cried out first. "Dodge!"

Both of them jumped out of the way as their surroundings started to get bombarded by various attacks.

"Rise!" Nagi cried out. "When's that help coming?!"

"They still need another minute," she said as she delivered the bad news. "They're caught up with another group of Shadows at the moment."

Nagi couldn't reply, as he had to dodge another attack at that moment.

Pointing towards the Reaper, Nagi cried out as he fired off another blast of magic towards it. The force of the attack barely caused the Reper to flinch, and Nagi couldn't help but cry out to Takuto.

"Keep running!"

}-{

"Keep running!"

Takuto could only watch as Nagi continued to fire off blast after blast of magic towards the Reaper.

His entire body was aching, his vision was blurred since he lost his glasses in the attack, and one of his legs looked like it was twisted unnaturally. Even if he could muster the courage to move, he couldn't escape with his leg in this condition.

Nagi continued to run as the gigantic Shadow continued to attack him. What could Takuto do in his current situation? He couldn't help before he got injured, so what could he do now?

What could he do to make sure Nagi didn't die?!

Do you wish for power, then you must seek me.

Huh?

Seek me... I am that who manifests thought itself.

Something began to form inside Takuto's mind. The thoughts he's been having these past few days joined together into one. His confusion at having his entire worldview changed in an instant, his indignation at having being kept on the sidelines this entire time, and his helplessness at the current situation as he watched his best friend injure himself.

Protecting him, for his mistakes.

I shall echo your fury with reality so that we may together change the world. Now, call me forth!

"Yes... I'll do it." Takuto stood up and tried to ignore how his leg sent waves of pain to his mind. "I don't care who you may be, lend me your strength!"

He closed his eyes and cried out, "Please, help me save my friend!"

The time is finally at hand... I am the other you, dwelling in the realm of mankind's hearts.

Takuto cried out as his head exploded with a world of pain. Clenching his head, he fell to his knees as the voice continued to cry out.

Let us forge a contract. I am thou, thou art I. Now is the time to show us the reality we wish for!

And suddenly, everything finally made sense. The name came to his lips without thinking, and he cried out with all his might.

"AZATHOTH!"

The sounds of glass shattering echoed throughout the area.

Looks like Takuto's getting his Persona first.

Now, I'm sure some of you are wondering why the Reaper's appearing in the early labyrinths. That's half in part due to Nagi's unique status as a reincarnate, and also half in part due to something else about him. That also has something to do with how Nagisa and Negi are able to sense the Reapers.