Dark Truths
Yu walked out of the hospital on sore legs. He was told by his doctors that he should stay at home for the next few weeks, only leaving to work on his physical therapy. His body was still in the process of healing, and he needed to avoid strenuous activity. He promised them he would with a smile on his face, and obedience in his eyes.
No matter how much he changed, lying was still second nature for him.
That afternoon, he and his team, stood in the other world, their final battle awaiting them. They prepared themselves both mentally and physically on the stage, knowing their toughest battle was about to begin. Yu inspected his sword, the hilt feeling foreign against the palms of his hands, when Yukiko approached him.
"Yu-kun, are you sure you're okay with this?"
"The worst of my wounds have healed, and you and Teddie are keeping my body together. It hurts, but I can move, and I can fight." Yu fastened the sword to his hip, before giving Yukiko a small grin. "I'm good."
"Promise me you'll be careful?"
"I can try, but I also promised Rise I wouldn't do anything stupid for a week. Adachi shot me, like..." Yu took a moment to think, his brow furrowing slightly. "Two days later?" He let out a fake chuckle as Yukiko stared at him with clear concern. "Guess I can't help breaking promises, huh?" The joke was bitter, laced with self-loathing. He tried not to let her see his frustration or anger, and he failed.
For better or for worse, he just couldn't lie to his friends like he used to. Yukiko saw through his pain, and she placed her hand on his shoulder, before embracing him in a tight hug. The silver-haired boy was surprised, but he accepted the gesture and returned it. "I'm glad to have you back. I was really worried about you," she muttered.
"Hey, come on. I'm invincible. Like a bullet's going to kill me." Yukiko was a slender young woman. Curved, though still petite in a way. Taller than most girls her age, but that just enhanced her fragile image. Like she could snap if someone held her too tightly.
In another time, another place, Yu would have caught and collared her, treated her like she was his trophy, before letting her shatter on the ground without a second thought. She would have made a fun toy.
"Just be careful, okay? I won't always be there to patch you up, you know." She was trying to keep her voice firm, straining to keep herself strong. She didn't want him to hear the dread in her voice. For her sake, he pretended not to notice.
"Duly noted, Yukiko," he replied. The hug lasted for a moment longer, before the two parted.
"Narukami, I believe everyone is ready." Naoto approached the two, and if she was jealous or annoyed at the two's embrace, she didn't show it. There was focus in her eyes. Determination to see Adachi in police custody.
Yu couldn't help, but see Naoto as especially beautiful when she was focused like this. He chuckled as he glanced at her, nodding his head. "Alright. If we're all ready then, let's go."
The eight walked into the room Mayumi Yamano was killed in. The very air reeked of the fog, even with the glasses on, and Yu could feel dread and a crawling sensation of disgust just leaking from the walls now. This room, in a way, was born from Adachi. Yes, it was created by Mayumi, but now it just stood as a monument to Adachi's work.
And the mad artist stood in the room, muttering himself, not even caring about the eight teenagers glaring at him.
"That damn bitch... I noticed her first, and she just had to run off and have an affair..." The murderer glanced in the eight's direction, and he scoffed as a crooked smile formed on his face. "Has anyone told you kids, you're really annoying?"
"Mayumi Yamano and Saki Konishi are dead because of you! We're bringing you in, Tohru Adachi, and you will be punished for your crimes," Naoto declared, glaring at the murderer.
"Wow, Detective Prince, been cooking up that speech for a while now, have ya?" He chuckled at her, Yosuke walked forward.
"You son of a bitch! You killed Saki, didn't you?!"
"Saki? Huh... That name doesn't really ring a bell to me," Adachi sighed, tapping his chin in thought. "I mean, even if I did so happen to push her into a TV, well, how would I know what would happen to her? Just sounds like bad luck to me."
"Cut the crap, you damn freak!" roared Kanji. He walked forward, fist raised, but Rise's voice stopped him.
"Kanji, wait. I...I don't think that's really him. I think he's just an illusion."
"What?"
"Wow, bravo. Glad someone on this team has an IQ that's in the double digits," Adachi mocked, clapping his hands. "Very good, Risette, and here I thought you were just some slut who just knew how to shake it for older men."
Rise growled, cheeks flaring red as she tried not to dignify Adachi with a response. Kanji could not maintain any sense of calmness, roaring again.
"Don't you say shit about her!" Kanji ran forward, trying to shoulder charge the older man. He ran right through Adachi, slamming himself into the wall behind the killer. The police officer laughed, placing his hand on his head as he mocked the blond boy.
"Wow, seriously? You knew I'm not real, and you still tried to him me?! How dense can you get?!"
"So why are you here? You just wanted to mock us?" Yu asked. His voice was calmer than the others, but there was still an edge to it. A fire.
"Just here to extend an olive branch." Adachi walked forward, and despite knowing about his intangibility, Yu stepped aside, his and the others eyes on the murderer. "It doesn't really matter who killed who, now does it? What's a couple of sluts compared to the whole town?"
"What? What are you talking about?" Chie questioned.
"I'm saying, this world is going to become our world. All those stupid, dumbasses on the other side are going to become Shadows. None of this shit matters, cause come the end of the year, we're all going to be either dead, or one those things," he chuckled. "Tough break, kids."
"You expect us to believe you? You're just trying to cover up for the shit you pulled!" Yosuke snarled.
"Don't believe me? Fine, doesn't matter to me." Adachi retreated, slowly walking back towards the wall, and the Investigation Team watched with wide, shocked eyes as the wall practically melted away, revealing a black and red portal. It pulsed, like it had a heartbeat, and Adachi laughed as he was swallowed up by it.
"You're not getting away!" Chie ran forward, followed closely by Yosuke and Kanji.
"Wait!" Naoto's voice fell on deaf ears as the three ran through the portal. "Damn it!"
"Come on," Yu ordered, motioning the others to follow him. They quickly ran through the portal, and in an instant, found themselves in the ruins of Inaba.
"W-what the hell...? This is the shopping district," Chie whispered.
The town of Inaba was destroyed. Broken buildings, shattered walls, bent street signs, it was like a flood had gone through the small town. It was just rubble. Yu looked to the sky, and it resembled the portal they had stepped through. Red and black, and pulsing with a strange, almost living, energy to it.
"Guys? I'm getting some really weird readings," Rise warned. "I think Adachi has complete control over this place. It doesn't feel anything like the other places."
"Then we need to stay together. We'll find him, and we'll make him pay for everything he's done," Yu declared. The others nodded, their resolved matched with his, before a loud voice cackled at them.
"Come on, guys! Let's meet up at the secret headquartes to go over the case! We'll catch the killer!" Adachi mocked, laughing from what sounded like every direction. "God, do you idiots have any idea how stupid you sounded?!"
Rise backed away from the killer's howling laughter, only to feel a painful chill touch her shoulder. She turned her head, and Adachi's grinning face was mere inches from her. She cried out in surprise, as Kanji grabbed her arm and pulled her towards him. He acted as a wall, holding his shield up in defense for the idol. Adachi just laughed at the two.
"This isn't even my fault! It's that slut's. Mayumi... I just wanted to scare her straight, you know?" The ground under the officer melted, and a TV rose to the surface. The screen flickered as Adachi lightly knocked on the top of it, presenting the video to the group. "For your viewing pleasure..."
"Why did you call me here?" a female voice asked. The screen was a haze of static, yet Yu had a guess as to who was speaking. It made his stomach churn as he saw Mayumi's hazel eyes staring back at him.
"You didn't really sleep with him, did you...?" Adachi's voice came from the TV, and it almost sounded heartbroken. Almost. It was more goading, challenging, as if he wanted to see her angry, as if he wanted her to say it was true.
Mayumi stepped back, and Adachi stepped forward. The two were in a lobby, slightly generic in design. It could have been anywhere, but it wasn't anywhere. It was the Amagi Inn, somewhere Yu had been at, a place Yukiko called home. Mayumi ground her teeth as she barked at Adachi.
"That is none of your business!"
"I knew it," sighed the frowning man. "You're just like those other sluts, and after I went to the trouble of falling for you. You're just another whore looking for a meal ticket, aren't you?" Static clouded the video again, like a fog over the screen, and Yu could see Adachi's grey eyes gleaming through the mist. "I think you need to be taught not to spread your legs so often..."
A loud clap. The sound of his hand hitting her cheek. Yu could feel his jaw clench as his nails dug into his palms. The sound of Adachi attacking the poor woman were familiar to him. Eerily similar to Yu's own memories. He looked around the wasteland, hunting for the real Adachi as Mayumi's cries filled the air.
"P-please, stop!"
Yu caught the sight of her shirt being pulled on from the corner of his eye. Adachi shouted at her, hitting her again, before pushing her. She screamed as her body hit the TV... and slipped right through the screen.
"T-that happened at our lobby...?" Yukiko shuddered as realization set in, and Chie caught her friend as she trembled.
"It was amazing! It had to be some kind of miracle! Some kind of reward for all the shit I've had to deal with!" Adachi shouted.
"Why?! Why would you do this?! Because she loved someone else?!" Chie screamed, glaring at the officer.
"Don't buy any of his crap, Chie," hissed Yu. A card materialized in his hand and he crushed it with ease. Izanagi materialized, slicing the TV in half putting a stop to the video and Adachi's laughter. "He did all of this for only one reason. It was fun. Am I right, Adachi?" Yu glared at the grinning officer, but the only answer he got was a smile as the illusion faded away.
Naoto approached Yu's side, but he turned his gaze onto Rise. "Do you have any idea where the real one is?"
"I think so... That way." Rise lifted her hand and pointed down the street.
"Let's not waste any time then." Yu marched forward, and the others followed.
The group walked without interruption for what felt like eternity. It was the silence that was most damning. There was just... nothing within the ruins of Inaba. Nothing, but rubble and broken pieces. There were no Shadows to fight them, and even Adachi's voice had become silent. No wind, or birds, not even clouds. Nothing. The eight just continued to walk through the empty town, searching for any signs of the killer.
"Now I remember!" Adachi suddenly screamed from the nothingness around them.
"Ah!" Teddie cried, and the bear leaped forward, clinging to Yosuke's back.
"Ack! Let go, Teddie!"
"Saki, right? Took me a while, but I finally remember her." The group found another Adachi in their path, this one sitting on top of another old TV. The screen flickered to life as Yu tried to grab Yosuke's shoulder.
"Yosuke, don't-"
But the brunette pushed forward, staring at the screen with heartache and regret. "Saki...?"
"Nothing happened between! That guy just wanted to talk to me! I think he was trying to warn me about something, but... Stop it! What are you doing?!" Saki was caught between the TV of the interrogation room and Adachi. He licked her cheek, and Yu could see the gleam of utter satisfaction in the detective's eyes. Adachi was loving this.
The power. Lording it over someone weaker. Dining on their their pain, their fear. It was addicting. Saki was like a bottle of aged, vintage wine. Adachi wanted to savor popping her open.
"Saki! Saki!" Yosuke screamed. His hands were on the TV screen, pressing against it, but nothing happened. Adachi laughed at his pain, almost falling off the TV.
"'Ah! Oh, Saki, Saki!'" he mocked. "Get a load of this guy!" Adachi's grey eyes fell on Yu. "You actually hang around this loser?"
"You bastard!" Yosuke swung at the illusion, but it was like trying to hit air.
Saki's hand slapped Adachi's face in the video as the illusion smirked. "I don't know why you're crying. That bitch was probably as loose as Mayumi. Her dying is really more of a blessing, than a-"
"You son of a bitch! I'll make you pay!" Yosuke swore.
Adachi had just pushed Saki through the TV, listening to her scream as she fell into the abyss. Jiraiya appeared over the TV, crushing it with a single kick. Saki's wails lingered in the air as the fake Adachi chuckled. He faded away with a crooked grin on his face.
"Damn it!" Yosuke screamed, clawing at his head. Chie and Yu approached him as he cursed, stomping his feet and swinging at the empty air. Chie embraced him from behind as Yu placed a firm hand on his shoulder. "Damn it...!"
"It's okay, Yosuke. We'll catch this freak," the young girl promised.
Yu said nothing, merely hoping his presence would help him. He tried to be there for Yosuke, the brunette deserved that, but Yu couldn't shake Adachi's voice from his ears. It sounded too similar. Too much like someone Yu knew.
"We need to keep moving," he told the others. His silver eyes connected with Naoto's, and the two stared at one another for a moment. She was worried about him. He put on a small smile, trying to ease her nerves. "Come on, team." He didn't meet Naoto's stare, too scared that his fear and dread were obvious to her.
The group forced themselves through the wasteland of Inaba, every step like trekking through mud and sludge. Rise would point which direction felt right, and Yu and Naoto would push the group forward, leading them through the gross parody of their town.
They walked for what felt like forever, no one daring to break the silence that blanketed the ruins. Adachi was silent, but his eyes were felt on their skin.
"Guys, get ready. He's close." Rise lifted up her hand, pointing at the ruins of a gas station at the end of the long, empty street. Yu, after a moment of staring, recognized the area. It was the same one by the train station, the one where his uncle had stopped for gas after picking the silverette up. Adachi sat on top of the fallen ceiling, smiling at he noticed the eight. "There! That's the real him!"
"Wow, you actually found me. Bravo. Took ya long enough," Adachi chuckled, applauding the eight. "Got to say, for a while, I just sort of forgot you were looking for me." His smile turned sharp, like a smirk, but then it was just brushed aside as he let out a loud yawn. "Can we hurry this up? It's getting late, and I need some sleep."
Yu could see Naoto fighting back a curse, before she marched forward. The others followed as she spoke. "Tohru Adachi, you are under arrest for the murder of Saki Konishi, and Mayumi Yamano. I also suspect you had something to do with Mitsuo Kubo. Am I correct?"
Adachi sighed, shaking his head as he loudly muttered. "How do you put up with this girl, Yu? She never shuts up, and when she does, she acts like a total frigid bitch," he lamented. "Yeah, I put that Kubo kid in here too. Had to, or else he'd ruin my game. Can't believe you stupid kids saved him... Oh well. Doesn't matter, does it? Mr. Hero Complex kept on kidnapping people for me, didn't he?"
"You had a hand in that too, didn't you?" Yu spat, glaring at the detective. "What did you say to Taro Namatame?"
"Heh. I might have offered an idea or two about keeping possible murder victims somewhere safe. What he did with that advise, I really can't say," Adachi admitted. "But man... I would have loved to have seen his stupid face when he realized he got your cousin killed! I was scared he'd stop kidnapping people after Kubo got arrested, but he kept at it! Being a hero must turn him on or something... What a freak!" Adachi ridiculed.
"My little sister almost died because of you," snarled Yu. "You took advantage of a broken man, murdered two people, led a student to murder a teacher, and you're laughing about all of it?!"
"Wow. Mr. High and Mighty, how does the view look from your glass house?" Adachi chuckled.
"The hell's that supposed to mean?!" Kanji growled, moving in front of Yu, rising to his defense. "I've had it with the crap you keep spewing! Let's kick his ass, senpai!"
"I couldn't agree more." Yu and Kanji ran forward, leading the charge against Adachi.
"Wow, eight against one? How the hell's that fair?" The murderer sighed, turning his head away. "Kids are such pieces of shit nowadays. Back in my day, I knew how to play fair."
The earth quaked under the footsteps of the Investigation Team, when suddenly pools of black ink began to burst through the cracks. From the puddles of ebony came towers of TVs, stacked on top of one another. They shot out of the ground like trees, and Yosuke barely dodged running into one as more shot out of the ground between the group and Adachi.
"Stay together!" Yu shouted, watching as a pillar of TVs sprouted out from the ground below him. He almost ran straight into it, before dashing around.
"W-whoa! Help! This bear doesn't like climbing trees!" Teddie cried, as a stack of TVs shot out from under him, carrying them upwards as they grew.
"Down here, Teddie! Jump!" Yosuke waved his arms at the bear-suited boy, catching his attention. Teddie nodded his head, before leaping towards the brunette. "Jiraiya!" The Persona appeared above Yosuke, catching the colorful bear in his hands.
"My hero!" Teddie cheered, embracing the Persona.
"Good catch, Yosuke!" Chie complimented, running past the two with Yukiko by her side.
"Come on, Ted." Jiraiya placed the bear back onto the ground, before vanishing in a blue light. The two boys began to chase after their friends, only to come to a skidding stop as an entire wall of TVs shot up between them and the others. "Crap!"
"Huh? Yosuke!" Chie gasped, stopping her run to stare at the rising wall of TVs. "Guys, wait!" She ran towards the wall, slamming a kick against one of the televisions, but it was like kicking steel. Her foot stung as the wall was left unmoved. "Damn it..." She summoned her Persona, and Tomoe slammed her foot against the wall, but once again it refused to budge. She threw a series of punches and kicks at it, but the wall would not break.
Yu and Kanji turned their heads to the martial artist and her Persona, only for their eyes to widen as they saw the screens at the top of the wall were shaking. Several televisions fell from their place, falling down towards Chie.
"Izanagi!"
"Take-Mikazuchi!"
The two Personas flew forward, Izanagi grabbing Chie and picking her up into his arms as the far larger Persona swung his lightning bolt shaped sword, smashing the TVs into broken bits of plastic, wire, and glass while they were in the air. Izanagi gently dropped Chie onto the ground, as the six tried to regroup, even as more walls and pillars rose around them.
"Teddie and Yosuke are tough, they'll be okay. We have to keep moving," Yu explained. "I promise, we'll come back for them, but we need to focus on Adachi."
"R-right." Chie nodded her head. Yu could see the conflict in her eyes, but she did her best to focus herself. "Yosuke! We're coming back for you and Teddie, got it?!" she screamed, turning her head to the wall that separated the two.
"No problem! Get going Chie, we'll be fine!" Yosuke shouted back.
"Incoming!" Rise warned, pointing towards Adachi.
Shadows were on the ground now, and racing towards the group. These Shadows had yet to take their true form, resembling piles of black slime with masks stuck to them, but that made them no less dangerous. They shot towards the six like wild animals, arms bursting out of them. Naoto fired her revolver at them, stunning several as another reached out towards the group's navigator.
"Rise, look out!" Kanji tackled the girl, pushing her out of the way of the Shadow's range. The two fell to the ground by Naoto, who moved to help the two up. Yu's eyes widened as he saw the trap that was about to spring, and he shouted out a warning to the three, but it was too plate. More TVs shot from the ground, cutting Yu, Yukiko, and Chie from the other three.
"Damn it," cursed Yu. "Naoto, are you okay?!" he shouted over the wall.
"Yes, we're fine! Keep going!" Naoto's voice answered back.
"Right..." Yu felt his heart being twisted, but he pushed the frustration aside. He turned his silver eyes to Yukiko and Chie, and the three glared at the pack of Shadows that attacked them. "Izanagi, attack!"
"Come, Konohana Sakuya!"
"Get them, Tomoe!"
The three Personas shot forward. Izanagi and Konohana Sakuya rained lightning and fire down, stunning the pack of Shadows. Tomoe made short work of the rest, freezing them in place, before shattering them with a single swing of her weapon.
"We can't waste our time fighting Shadows," Yu thought aloud, his fists tightening as more Shadows rose up to replace their fallen brethren.
"Yukiko and I can clear a path for you," suggested Chie, taking a fighting stance as Tomoe tossed Shadows around.
"What?" Yu could see the logic in the plan. After all, he was the best fighter on the team, but there was still something about the idea that felt wrong. Was he worried about leaving their side? Or was it fear of facing Adachi alone? Maybe both. "I won't abandon you two."
"You're not abandoning us," Yukiko corrected. "We'll catch up. All of us," she explained, as her Persona rained flames and infernos down on what Shadows remained. "But there's no way the three of us can get out with so many Shadows in our way."
"Come on, we're wasting time! It's like you said! Primo into paras, or whatever! Two votes against one!" Chie shouted. "You got to take this bastard down!"
Yu knew they were right. A small part of him couldn't believe they were the ones pushing him to make the smart, logical decision. He fought back a laugh, but a smile still found its way to his lips. "Alright. Let's go."
The three ran forward, their Personas cleaving a path for them through the Shadows. Yu was several steps ahead of the girls as Shadows swarmed over them from all directions. Konohana Sakuya unleashed a torrent of fire, burning several Shadows as Tomoe slammed her fist onto the ground. The punch sent a shockwave, wiping out the fires and knocking the remaining Shadows aside without even touching them,. TVs were rising out of the ground as Yu jumped forward. He could hear Chie and Yukiko wishing him good luck as the walls rose up behind him, separating the three.
He landed on the ground, panting, glaring at the ground as a slow clap welcomed him. "Boy, you kids sure are dramatic. Nice entrance though. I really liked the part where you pretended to give a shit about those two bitches." Yu didn't dignify his words with a response. He merely placed a hand on his sword, slowly pulling it out as he glared at the detective.
"Silent treatment, huh? Man, you must be pissed." Adachi stood up on his own two feet, dusting himself off as he slowly walked closer to the young man. "You know, I knew there was something off about you the moment I saw you. It's the eyes, right? Windows to the soul." Adachi pointed at his own eyes, snicking as Yu glared at him.
"Spare me the crap."
"Always so dramatic," Adachi sighed, shaking his head as Yu summoned Izanagi. The metal entity shot forward, reaching out a hand to grab the detective. Adachi didn't even move as a dark figure formed in front of him, grabbing and pushing Izanagi's hand with ease.
"What the hell?!" Yu was stunned at what he saw. This thing was superficially similar to Izanagi. Same mask, same trenchcoat, same weapon, but the colors were wrong. Instead of silver and black, this creature was black and crimson, as if it had been drenched in blood. It glared at Yu with amber-colored eyes, just like Izanagi's, just like a Shadow.
"Meet Magatsu-Izanagi." Adachi's teeth gleamed in the light of the scarlet sky as he commanded his other half. "Kill them."
Kanji grunted as his fists slammed into the wall of TVs. His Persona stood above him, punching and slamming itself against the makeshift barrier. Rise scanned the structure, trying to find a weakness as Naoto examined it with her own eyes. She placed a hand on the wall, feeling the slight crack where two TVs met.
It's as if they're magnetized to one another. Unfortunately, the fact that Adachi has such control over this part of the world renders nearly all previous facts moot. Hmm...
Naoto's eyes scanned the room. Three walls made out of televisions, with a fourth wall simply being the ruins of some store in the real Inaba. Perhaps there's something we can use in there? Doubtful... She glanced upward, and noticed that the prison they were in had no ceiling. The scarlet sky was completely visible to her. That's it. "Kanji, Rise, I-"
"Guys, get away from the TVs! Something's coming out!" Rise's voice screamed. Naoto jumped back out of reflex, but Kanji turned his head to the idol in confusion.
"What'd y-"
A slimy, inky black hand shot out of the glass of a TV near Take-Mikazuchi, punching the large Persona back and causing a bolt of pain to shoot through Kanji's body. More of the liquid shadows flooded from the TVs, falling onto the ground and amassing themselves into a single entity. Kanji stumbled back as the figure rose to its full height.
The Shadow was tall, towering over the three, even looming over Take-Mikazuchi. It was covered in tattered, blood-stained robes that fell to the ground, obscuring its feet. Its head was covered in a white bag, rope tied around its neck. Splotches of blood stained the bag, same as the clothes, but it was the small opening that churned the pits of their stomachs. A single, yellow, sickly eye surrounded by rotting flesh, glared at them.
"W-what is that thing...?" Kanji's voice was trembling. He couldn't explain it, but it was like there was an aura of terror around the creature. It just stared back at them, glaring a hole through each of them, slowly moving from one to the next.
"I-I don't know, but it's crazy strong. You guys have to be careful," warned Rise, before jumping as a familiar voice laughed at them.
"Like it? I call them Reapers." The three first-years saw Adachi's face smirking at them from one of the ground level televisions. Static clouded his image as another Adachi appeared on a separate television screen. He chuckled at their surprise. "They're completely loyal to me, and as Risette pointed out, crazy strong. You have fun now, got it? I know your friends are."
Both screens became clouded in static, before the three saw their older friends in the middle of battle. One Reaper was in the middle of trying to grab and crush Yosuke and Teddie. Both boys summoned their Personas to try and attack the Reaper, but their attacks did little more than slow the beast down. Chie and Yukiko were in similar positions. The two girls were firing a barrage of ice and fire, but nothing was keeping the Reaper down for long.
As the three watched their friends fight for their, a loud click caught their attention. The Reaper they were fighting held a long pistol in its hand, aiming at Rise. It pulled the trigger, and the bang was deafening. The bullet flew at Rise, slicing through the air with ease, but it never touched her.
"K-Kanji?" Take-Mikazuchi stood in front of Rise, towering over the human girl. The massive Persona held his injured chest, as Kanji walked forward with heavy footsteps.
"Stay away from her," he snarled. "Wreck his shit, Take-Mikazuchi!"
The Persona flew forward, arms raised to defend himself as the Reaper opened fire. Naoto quickly moved in front of Rise and summoned her own Persona. Sukuna-Hikona appeared in a flash of blue light, before darting after the larger Persona. Rise stood behind them, nails digging into her palms as she wished she could match their speed and strength.
Take-Mikazuchi punched the Reaper's gut, before throwing another punch across the Shadow's face. The robotic Persona was preparing for a third strike, when the Reaper caught his hand and glared into his eyeless face. Kanji felt his Persona's pain as the Reaper slammed a hand into the giant's metal chest. The blow dented and bent the steel, before the Reaper suddenly ran forward, pushing Take-Mikazuchi back.
The three jumped out of the way as the two entities slammed into the store behind them, reducing the shop into rubble. Dust and smoke rose up to blind them, but when it cleared, they saw Take-Mikazuchi on the ground, a hand wrapped around his throat as a pistol aimed at his head. The Reaper tried to pull the trigger, only for a blue blur to slice the gun in two, tearing through it with his sword.
"Thanks, Naoto," Kanji panted. The Detective Prince nodded in reply, before both focused on the fight.
Take-Mikazuchi tried to break free from the Reaper's grasp, but the creature's hold was too powerful. Sukuna-Hikona flew towards the two to help, only to be caught in the Reaper's other hand. With ease, the giant began to crush the smaller Persona, with Take-Mikazuchi unable to help his ally.
"Ahh!" Naoto screamed, feeling the pain her other half felt. Her body stiffened, contorting as if she was being crushed too.
"Kanji, aim for the eye!" Rise advised, pointing at the Reaper's sole eyeball.
"Right!" Kanji nodded his head, ignoring the pain in his throat as he threw his shield like a large frisbee. It spun through air, before slamming right into the Reaper's eye. Blood gushed from the wound as it released the two Personas and stumbled back. "Yes!"
"Naoto, are you okay?" The idol ran to the detective's side, helping her stay on her feet.
"I-I'm fine. Thank you. Both of you... Rise-chan, does this thing have any sort of weakness we can exploit?"
"I-I don't know. I'm trying to find something, but it's so powerful..." Naoto could see the girl's fear preying on her mind, but Kanji shouted at them before she could say anything.
"That's quitter talk! Senpai's counting on us to beat this thing and join him for the final battle. We ain't disappointing him, got it?! Now let's kick this thing's ass!"
Izanagi blocked his counterpart's attacks, as Yu dodged Adachi's fist and tried to knee him in the stomach. The detective pushed Yu back, barely avoiding the hit, but the silver-haired boy kept the distance between them as small as possible.
That gun is dangerous. I have to keep close so he can't use it properly. Yu grabbed Adachi's arm, the one that had the gun at the end of it, and he slammed his free hand into the detective's stomach. Got to make him drop it!
"That all you got?" Adachi mocked, despite the strain in his voice. Yu tried to punch him again, only for the younger man to cry out in pain.
It was like his shoulder was on fire. Adachi kicked him down, and Yu could see Magatsu-Izanagi's spear lodged in the original's shoulder. Izanagi and Yu felt each other's pain, and right now Yu could feel steel tearing into his shoulder. His fingers grabbed onto his shoulder as he tried to fight through the agony, only to get the wind knocked out of him as Adachi's foot slammed into his stomach.
"What the hell is even the point of fighting me?! I just don't get you, kid. No matter what you do, the other world is still going to get swallowed up by this one. So who cares about the murders?! Who cares about the truth?! Why do you keep fighting?! Are you just too stupid to know when to quit?!" he laughed. "The world will be a better place with Shadows in it. Why are you trying to ruin it for everyone...?"
"Do you ever stop talking?!" Yu snarled.
His eyes shined with rage as Izanagi grabbed Magatsu-Izanagi's spear and forced it out his body, surprising both Adachi and Adachi's Persona by the sudden burst of strength. Yu then moved forward, and while the thought of impaling Adachi on his sword was appealing, he went with a less lethal option, and slammed his shoulder into the older man.
Adachi hit the ground, his gun falling beside him. Yu quickly ran forward, kicking the gun away as Izanagi tackled his opponent into a nearby store, reducing the shop to rubble.
"What's the point of even having a sword if you don't use it? It's like having a gun and not using it to blow someone's brains out," Adachi chuckled, palming his face with his hands. "I just don't get you, kid."
"Don't tempt me. I'd love to gut you, but I made a promise to try and see justice done." Yu glanced at the wall of TVs that hid Naoto, before glaring down at Adachi. "You're going to suffer for everything you've done."
"Like anyone would believe this shit. Starting to buy your own shit, Narukami-san?"
"What?" Yu's brow rose as Adachi stood up on trembling legs. The two Izanagis were fighting each other with renewed vigor as their other halves glared at one another.
"I saw it in your eyes the moment I saw you. You and me? We're a lot alike." Yu snarled in response, and he decked Adachi's face, knocking the officer back once more, but this time Adachi kept his footing. He laughed at the blow, wiping blood from his cheek as his dull, grey eyes peered right into Yu's soul. "What's wrong? I thought you and your friends were all about embracing the truth. Did I crack your mask a bit? Huh? Made you break character?!"
Yu opened his mouth to silence the murderer, but Adachi spoke first. "Oh, I get it. If the world ends, you'll run out of bitches to fuck, right? I guess I can understand that."
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"Are you freakin' stupid or something?! Have you forgotten I'm a cop? Do you think I couldn't do my own investigation? While you were chasing your own tail trying to find me, I was making calls to your old schools. Asking about who you were close to, and hearing what they had to say about you." Adachi's smile grew, wider and wider as realization dawned on Yu.
"That's how I know you and I are so alike," explained the murderer. "But I got to tell you, some of the shit you did to those kids... That's just mean. But I get it. They were all sluts, right? Bitches. Whores."
"Shut your damn mouth!" Yu swung another punch at Adachi, but the detective dodged it this time.
"Want to hear what I found investigating your past? I found out one girl jumped off a bridge a month after you left. I bet she made a nice, pretty smear on the pavement!" Yu grabbed his sword, pulling it free from its sheath as he tried to strike at Adachi. The detective's tie lost a chunk of cloth, but the murderer was untouched. "How can you think I'm some kind of monster for what I did to those whores, when you treat everyone even worse?! I kill them, no more pain, but you? You break them. Then they go off and kill themselves!"
"I'm nothing like you!" Yu roared. His sword cut through the air as he sent it down towards Adachi, intent on cleaving the sick bastard in half. The swing was sloppy, barbaric, and Adachi saw it coming. He moved out of the way at the last second, and the sword slammed into the stone pavement under their feet. The blade trembled as cracks formed on the silver blade.
"Liar." Adachi's fist hit Yu's face, and a loud crack echoed throughout the broken world. Yu's blood stained the cop's knuckles as the silverette stumbled back. The young man fought back tears as he tried to stay on his feet. His glasses barely clung to his face. He could taste his own blood dripping from his nose onto his lips. "You wouldn't believe the trail of broken hearts and bodies I've found. It all leads back to you. Do you want to know how many people tried offing themselves because of you? Do your friends know?"
"Shut up!" Yu charged at him once more, but Adachi dodged him again. The detective's brow furrowed, before he smirked.
"They don't know? How could they not know?! Shit, you and me are so alike! We've both got secrets." Adachi's smile grew and he flashed his teeth as he effortlessly dodged another wild swing. "But you brought my little secret out into the open, and ruined my game. Only fair if I do the same to you."
"Stop it!" Yu had fallen into Adachi's trap. Adachi knew what buttons to push. He knew exactly where to hit Yu, poisoning his fighting style. Rage and anger made Yu sloppy, and he swung his sword once again at Adachi. The black-haired man rolled out of the way and Yu's sword slammed into a large piece of debris. The sword hit a stone wall, and it shattered on impact.
The bottom half of the sword was still usable, but the top half was completely gone, reduced to shards of metal on the ground. The shock of his sword shattering in his hands, and the simple, but intense, vibrations that traveled along the blade made Yu tremble where he stood. His hands stung, and he dropped the broken blade onto the ground. He tried to take deep, calming breaths as he realized just how stupid he had been.
Calm down. Deep breaths. Don't let him in your head. Focus! he told himself, but he fell to the ground as Adachi's foot connected the back of his leg. He was on his knees as he felt the barrel of a gun press against the back of his head
"You're a hypocrite. You act like I'm such a bad guy, but you're supposed to be the big hero? That's a load of shit." Adachi kicked at the sword, sending it sliding far out of Yu's reach.
"You're a murderer. You killed people." Yu spun around, hoping to catch Adachi off guard, but the cop just pistol whipped him across the cheek, knocking the silverette to the ground. "Don't act like you're anything more than a worthless criminal!"
"Maybe," Adachi chuckled. "But if I'm the kettle, you must be the pot, because I know the only difference between you and me is a couple of years."
Izanagi saw his wielder being held at gunpoint, and he charged forward to help him, only to be caught off guard by his clone. Magatsu-Izanagi's eyes glowed as an invisible force wrapped around Izanagi's arms. The Persona's eyes widened as he felt his arms stick to the sides of his chest. Magatsu-Izanagi then grabbed him by the back of his head and slammed him into the ground. The crimson Persona made sure to grind Izanagi's masked face into the pavement.
"I want you to stop for a minute, and think." Yu couldn't move his arms. Like Izanagi, his arms felt like they were being bound to the sides of his chest. "Think long and hard. If they knew just how bad you were, do you think any of them would care about you?"
Magatsu-Izanagi exhaled smoke from his mask, breathing it into the air. The smoke moved like a snake, slithering and writhing in the air, before slipping into Izanagi's mask. Yu could feel his throat tighten, and his eyes widened as he began to choke on something. His eyes widened as a voice called out to him.
"You are nothing." Misuru Kubo stared down at him. He was bleeding, bruised from Yu's relentless beating.
"Please. I didn't do it," Taro cried, blood falling from his eyes. There were bruises around his neck from where Yu had choked him.
"He called us leeches."
"Weaklings."
"Parasites."
"S-stop. Please, stop," Yu begged as the bloodied remains of his friends shambled forward. Naoto stared at him with dead, hollow eyes as she spoke.
"How could I ever love something like you?"
"Guys, something's wrong with Yu! He's in trouble!" Rise shouted, looking to Kanji and Naoto.
"Narukami!" Naoto screamed, hoping he could hear her. "Narukami, can you hear me?!" There was no answer. She turned her eyes to Rise, desperate for an answer as worry and dread filled the detective's mind. "What's happening to him, Rise?!"
"I-I don't know!
"Damn it! We can't waste anymore time with this guy!" Kanji cursed, watching as the two Personas fought the Reaper. "Okay, I have a plan."
"Wait, seriously?" Rise asked, and while Naoto didn't speak, she stared at Kanji as if he had gone made.
"Shut up, and listen! Alright, I'm going to bust that wall down. Naoto, you get out as soon as you can and go save Yu! Got it?!"
"I'm supposed to leave you? That isn't a plan, Kanji-kun!"
"I said, shut up, and listen!" Kanji roared, silencing the sleuth and surprising both girls. "You and senpai are the best of us, okay? No matter what anyone says, you two are the smart ones. You're the leaders. You're the ones who have the best chance at beating Adachi, and you guys are the ones who are going to save the day! And right now, he needs you, Naoto." His voice became tempered. He took a deep breath as his heart finally let go, and a wound became a scar.
"He needs you, and you need him. You're at your best together. That's why you need to go to him. Okay?"
The double meaning was not lost on Naoto. Her cheeks flared scarlet as Kanji turned his head to Rise. "You too, Rise. They're gonna need your help, okay?" The idol's eyes widened as Kanji turned his head to glare at the Reaper. "No time to argue, just do it, okay?! On the count of three, you two start running, got it?" Kanji looked at his Persona, and Take-Mikazuchi nodded at his other half, understanding the plan. "Three!"
Take-Mikazuchi suddenly threw himself at the Reaper, tackling it into the wall of TVs. Before the Reaper could recover, Take-Mikazuchi grabbed the monster's head and began to bash it into the wall behind it. It was almost like a boxing glove, taking the brunt of the force as the Persona began to slowly break open the wall. Again and again, the Shadow's head slammed into the wall. The wall was cracking, denting, before suddenly a hole was shattered as Take-Mikazuchi made a hole in the wall with the Reaper's head.
"Go! Go go go!" Kanji commanded.
"R-right!" Naoto summoned her own Persona, and Sukuna-Hikona appeared behind her, picking the detective up and turning into a blue blur. They made a line for the hole, even as the TVs tried to close it.
"No way!" Take-Mikazuchi made sure to stuff the Reaper's head into the wall, letting the TVs slowly crush it, and keeping an opening for Naoto and her Persona.
Naoto spared a single glance to her friends, noticing that Rise had yet to move. The copper-haired girl stared back at Naoto, and the two shared a silent confession. Rise couldn't leave Kanji's side, just like how Naoto had to reach Narukami. They had to be where they were needed. Where they needed to be. Naoto nodded her head at the idol, smiling at her as the Reaper began to slowly break free from Take-Mikazuchi's hold.
"Rise! Go!"
"No."
"What!? The hell did you just say?!"
"I said, no!" Rise stomped her foot down, glaring at Kanji as Himiko formed behind the young woman. "I'm staying with you!"
"Damn it, Rise, this is no time to-" Kanji nearly fell back as Take-Mikazuchi was thrown back. The Persona hit the ground as the Reaper cracked his head back into place. The bag that masked it was covered in fresh blood as it glared at the two. Rise caught Kanji's back, helping the young man straighten himself out. "You should have gone after Naoto! Yu needs you and-"
"And I need you." Kanji's eyes widened as Rise clung to his collar with a shaking hand. "You're right. Naoto and Yu need each other, but I... I need you too, Kanji!" she confessed, her cheeks becoming a light crimson. The blond didn't know what to say, but he knew what he felt. His neck began to feel hot as his mouth dried up. She leaned closer, pulling him down to her height as she shouted. "I'm not abandoning you! I'm not leaving you! We're going to beat this thing together, you and me, and then we're going to help Yu and Naoto!"
"I-"
A bright glow suddenly blinded the two, and the Reaper. Himiko stepped forward, glowing with a strange energy as the satellite around her head began to open. Long red hair spilled out from the back of her head, reaching down her back like a waterfall as a human face formed on Himiko's head. Ruby lips opened, releasing a breath of air as the dress she wore split open, revealing long, slender legs and a curvaceous form. Small metal orbs began to circle around her body as she stretched out her arms, and then reached down to help Take-Mikazuchi up.
The larger Persona stood up and stared at the beautiful woman, and it trembled where it stood as Himiko began to stoke his metal chest. She giggled in response as Rise and Kanji's jaws dropped.
"H-Himiko...?"
"Whoa... She's... hot."
The Reaper's body twisted, contorting as it glared at the two. It charged at them, only to be blocked as the metal orbs shot away from Himiko and slammed into the Shadow's body, pushing it back.
"Alright!" Rise beamed. She looked at the ground behind her, and she ran back. "Kanji, here!" She lifted up the blond's shield, before tossing it as best she could to him. He caught it as Rise lifted up a long, metal pipe. She analyzed it for a moment, before nodding in approval as she twirled it in her hand like a quarterstaff. "You ready, partner!?"
Kanji blinked once, twice, before gulping down spit. Rise smiled back at him, and the young man felt something burn in his stomach. It was hot, it was warm, and it made him feel... nice. He grinned at her, nodding his head as he lifted up his shield.
"Hell yeah!"
"Himiko!"
"Take-Mikazuchi!"
"Go!" The two Personas shot forward, attacking the Reaper together. Their attacks were fast and brutal, with a teamwork that just came natural for them.
Naoto hit the ground running. She dashed as quickly as she could towards Yu, even as another illusion of Adachi manifested in front of her. She ran right through it as she saw her friend laying on the ground, trembling. Adachi stood over him, smiling at her as he kicked at Yu'sbody.
"And here comes the Detective Prince to save her damsel in distress. Oh, man. This is gonna be good."
"Please... Stop." Yu was sobbing, tears falling down his face his eyes turned red from what they saw.
Adachi's foot slammed into Yu's side. "Now, now. You're supposed to be about finding the truth. Well, I think it's only fair if they know the truth about you."
"I'm sorry..." Yu's sobs were ignored as Adachi showed the Investigation Team just what their friend truly was.
Every TV in the area suddenly came to life, each of them playing Yu's nightmares. The Reapers came to a grinding halt, allowing the seven teens to fully appreciate what they saw.
Naoto told herself to ignore what she heard and saw, even as the TVs sprouted out of the ground around her, but it was impossible not to hear Yu's voice, and the moans of his past lovers.
"I love you, Kaiyo."
"Ikue, you and I were made for each other."
"Mikoto..."
There were so many names. Boys and girls that Yu manipulated and ensnared. Then came the crying. The sobbing. Yu's voice echoed into the emptiness of the other world, mocking the wails of all he hurt.
"If you're going to jump, then jump. I'm not wasting my time with you."
"Here's some money. You were a pretty good fuck."
"How can you hate me? You were the one begging for me to love you. You were so pathetically desperate for me to love you."
"Leeches," Yu hissed as the television screen showed Yosuke's smiling face. "But Saki's death could work in my favor. Yosuke needs to know someone needs him. He's desperate for it. So he'll be perfect to use."
"W-what the hell is this...?" Yosuke whispered, staring at the world from Yu's point of view. He knew what it was though. In his heart, he knew this was how Yu saw the world. How he saw his friends.
"And Teddie... He's perfect. He's lonely, malleable. I could make him look like such a piece of shit, the girls will push him away. They'll see me as a hero, as a wise mentor when I rein him in. God, this is perfect!"
"Yu...?"
His face appeared on the screen, grinning, almost mocking the two as he laughed. "I'm actually glad this murderer started killing people. They need me. And I'll play with them until they break."
Yukiko and Chie watched as the screens showed their moaning faces cry out his name. They were on separate beds, dividing the screens right now the middle. Yu kissed their bodies, slowly taking their clothes off as he nibbled on their necks.
"I've always loved you, Yukiko."
"But, Chie, I'm worried about the others."
"What if they don't accept us, Ayane?" One of the screens changed, revealing a topless Yu slowly stripping a younger girl on her bed.
"What if they think less of you, Rise?" Another girl on his bed.
"Naoto."
"Shuya."
"Nagisa."
"I love you..." The walls of TV showed different lovers, different piece of meat. Some they knew, most they didn't. Yu had caught the hearts of so many, and the two realized that they could have easily been another notch in his belt.
Chie tore her eyes away, her cheeks burning as she ground her teeth. Yukiko closed her eyes, the feelings that still lingered in her heart battling against what she knew to be true.
"Love is like a fruit. You need to nurture it. Tend to it. Let it grow... Then it tastes all the sweeter when you bite into it." Yu laughed at them, his cackles melting into the moans of all he had planned to take.
"H-he... He wouldn't..."
"I have to save everyone... Who am I kidding? I need to save myself," Yu's voice bitterly laughed from the screen. "Sorry, Risette, but one of us has to die, and I won't let it be me."
Rise covered her mouth, tears pooling in the corners of her eyes as she watched the man she called her brother hold a sword over her sleeping body. Her Shadow was rampaging behind him. No one else could see what Yu was doing as he aimed the sword at Rise.
"I promise, I'll try to make it painless. Not that you'll care."
"T-this..." Kanji's eyes widened and he trembled in place. His nails dug into his hands as he realized Yu had almost killed Rise. Kanji had been right there. He could see himself in the background of the screen. He was right there, and he never knew. "Shit..."
"I'll tell them I had to do what needed to be done. I'll imply that if they had been stronger, I wouldn't have had to kill her. Yeah. I'll make them hate themselves, that'll make them work harder to be stronger. This will work out. I can still win this," Yu muttered. And then Teddie attacked Rise's Shadow, and the idol began to awaken.
They watched as Yu tossed his sword away, and Rise felt sick to her stomach as she saw her past self fall in love with him.
Naoto remembered Narukami telling her how awful he was before knowing her. Hearing him talk about it, and seeing it for herself weren't even comparable.
She walked by the TVs, unable to block out their sounds as she marched through them, trying to reach her friend. The sounds, and what she saw, whittled down her resolve, cracking and biting at it.
She saw the kind of man he was. He was greedy, selfish, and vile. He used his intellect and cunning to manipulate and control others. To break others. There was no mercy in his actions, and she saw that clearly as his voice filled the air around her.
She saw the very worst in him, and in return, the very worst of her came out. Every sin of the television screens was like another bullet, or a whip against her back. They told her to stop. They told her to give up on him. They told her it wasn't worth it. Not for him.
The worst part was, some part of Naoto wanted to stop. Some part wanted the criminal to face justice.
Her foot hit something, and she broke out of her stupor to find a broken sword laying on the ground. It was Yu's sword, clearly. She picked it up and examined the shattered blade, before lifting her head up. The voices battered her small body, screaming at her now. Yu's voice screamed out his crimes as she fingers dug into the hilt of the blade.
"Because I'm better than you."
"I never loved you."
"You're what? Fifteen? You'll get over it."
"Where's your boyfriend now?"
"You don't deserve to touch me."
"You're pathetic."
"I'm a bad guy! I'm a liar, and a cheater, and I do it all for shits and giggles!"
And then a single voice cut through the fog of sound, and Naoto's resolved was renewed.
"I'm Yu Narukami. I used to be happy with who I was, before I met a pint sized detective who helped me realize I was kind of a jerk. Now I'm trying to be better." He stayed with her, fed her, cared for her after she had nearly die. They started over, and he promised that he would be better. They had both made that promise.
"I forgive you. None of this is your fault, but if you need to hear it, I forgive you." He forgave her.
"I'm glad you're a girl." Comforted her.
"Meeting you was a catalyst for... well, a lot of changes." Confessed to her.
He signed himself up to be humiliated on stage, took a bullet for her, laughed with her, danced with her, he had become her best friend.
"I love you."
He was so much more than just a friend to her.
Naoto took his sword in hand, and she ran. She pushed past through the fog of voices, and Sukuna-Hikona tore a hole through a wall of TVs. She jumped through the hole, quietly landing on the ground as she saw Yu. He was on his knees in front of Adachi, and the killer had a gun to his head. Neither realized she was there as Naoto quickly formulated a plan.
"You're a sick freak, and I hope you rot here," Rise whispered into Yu's ear.
"You're just like Adachi. No, you're worse!" Kanji shouted, kicking the silver-eyed boy's ribs. Yu cried out in pain, only to become silent as Yukiko slammed her foot on his back.
"Be quiet. You're a monster!"
"Go to hell, Narukami!"
"Leeches, huh? Fine. See how well you do on your own."
"You were right, Yu. You don't deserve to be my sensei. You don't deserve anything, but to lay here and die."
Yu felt his arms become free, and he used them to hold his head as his fears stabbed and cut away at his mind. He saw himself at his worst, using and abusing innocent people, taking advantage of them, hurting his friends. He wiped the tears away as the illusions of his friends began to leave him, walking into the fog.
"Please... I've changed. I'm sorry..." Yosuke walked away. Chie walked away. "I swear, I've changed. D-don't leave!" Teddie sidestepped out of Yu's reach, while Yukiko kicked at his hands, before they both left his side. "I'm sorry!" Kanji's glare frightened the trembling boy, and the blond shook his head in disgust.
"You're pathetic. Not a man. Not even a boy. Just a piece of shit."
"I can't believe I called you brother. I'll make sure Nanako knows everything you've done. She'll know just what kind of freak you are." Rise spat venom from her lips, before leaving Yu with Kanji.
Naoto was the only one left. She stared down at him, but he couldn't meet her gaze. "Get up," she commanded him, and he obeyed, getting on his knees and forcing his body up. He stared at the ground, shaking under her icy gaze. "It's your choice." She waved her revolver in front of his eyes. "What do you think? Should I pull the trigger?" She pressed the barrel against her forehead, and his eyes widened as she smiled with sadistic glee. "Tell me what you want me to do."
Yu was quiet. He said nothing as the question lingered in his mind. Then he leaned forward, pressing the barrel of the gun against his head. He knew this had to be done. A second chance? Friends? Love? He didn't deserve that. His sins were thrown on his back, and the weight of them was crushing. It broke him. He was a broken man, and he knew that if he lived, he would just keep hurting people.
He couldn't do that to Naoto. He couldn't do that to his friends. He loved them. He needed to die to save them.
"Please."
"Please, what?"
"Please, don't let me hurt them..."
"Eh. Close enough." Adachi shrugged his shoulders, before grinding the barrel of the gun against Yu's head. "Time to die."
There was a loud bang. Then a scream.
"Fuck!" Adachi cried out in pain, placing a hand on his bleeding ear as he tried to understand what just happened. He'd been shot. Shot right through the ear. Blood stained his hand as he turned his head to where the shot had come from. Naoto stood there, aiming a gun at Adachi, Yu's broken sword in her hand.
"Get away from him." She fired, and Adachi dived to the ground as Magatsu-Izanagi formed to defend him. The crimson Persona glared at Naoto, watching as Sukuna-Hikona raced to their other half. "You won't hurt him!" Naoto's cobalt eyes glanced at Narukami. It was like he was in a trance. He didn't move, didn't even react to the gunfire.
Hold on, Yu... I'll save you. I promise!
"Okay, Detective." Adachi wiped his bloody hand against his coat, scowling at Naoto as his brow twitched. "Your turn."
The two Personas flew at one another. Naoto ran towards cover. Adachi opened fire.
The battle was far from over.
END
PHEW. This chapter, man. This chapter... I mean, what is there to say? We all knew something like this was gonna happen. Yu and Adachi were made to be counterpoints to each other this whole time. And yeah, you could say I made some stuff up by letting Yu's friends see his worst fears, but hey... Not the first thing I've changed.
And Rise's Persona turning into her Arena form?! Man, I was so happy when I came up with that idea. Good job, me! Also, this is the longest chapter in Delinquent. I'm not reducing it, cause it is all about one cohesive story, I feel.
But yeah. Now it's Adachi versus Naoto, and only two chapters left before this Arc ends! Excited? Cause I know I am! Stay tuned for the next chapter of Just a Delinquent! Naoto - Two Hearts.
Stay safe, guys, and know that you are loved! Bye!