"Ha! Ha! Ora!"

Shouts echoed out in the plains not too far away from the shrine. Since no one really visited this time of year no one would really notice either.

"Hyah! Ha! HA!"

Under another set of circumstances they might've even been mistaken as the measured kiai of a martial arts practitioner.

They weren't.

The shouts of exertion came from a young man slightly taller than the average Japanese teen swung his Katana, with everything he could.

Dressed in the uniform of Gekkoukan High School and his signature baseball cap: Junpei Iori, by day your average high schooler by night an ally of justice that fights monsters.

All around badass.

Sure he had spent more time running away but all that met was that he was going through his training arc, after all cardio is important. And soon enough when the plot kicked in he would become the strongest.

Of course that meant that the others with special powers in his school would come out the woodworks.

He bet that Yuka-tan would be a part of it, they totally had the childhood friend dynamic going… and she was on the Kyudo team, totally heroine behavior.

Even if she wasn't his type. Ah sorry Yuka-tan but this Iori has to save himself for the secret healer with a heart of gold. He can't let himself get entangled by your tsundere vines.

As expected of the genre savvy protagonist, Junpei Iori could easily predict how this year was going to go.

Maybe if he was lucky this would be a harem.

Though as expected of a future protagonist he would have to learn the way of the sword in order to become strong.

With both hands gripping his sword tightly he brought his sword down in a mighty cleave, the air whistl-

Clang

The blade bounces off the ground.

The teen winces at the sound, even total newb- Hero at the start of his Epic knew that letting the blade hit the dirt was a blade idea… maybe he should go find a video and copy that.

Or maybe a video game. If that worked there then surely it would work for Junpei, right?

After all, those monsters moved in impossible ways and if he's the protagonist then maybe he should be able to move like that too with enough practice.

For now he just let himself get lost in the swordplay.

Left slash, step through, reverse slash, duc-

Falling onto his back, Junpei got back up.

He'd need to be better about his footing, that would be embarrassing to have happen in a fight.

Fixing his cap, Junpei pointed his blade before settling back into the stance he ripped from his favorite Manga.

He just had to keep going.

"Ya know, I'm willing to bet that the reason Yuka-tan was so tired the other day in class was because she had to fight so many monsters on her own the night before."

…

That made a scary amount of sense. He had seen some weird robot guys fighting them and sometimes it got pretty destructive.

If Yuka-tan was fighting that on her own it might just be a miracle that she is alive…

Ah, forgive this Iori for being so slow to get better at the way of the sword. He'll train harder to make up for it, even if Yuka-tan feels more like a sister than a love interest.

Tch

This whole ally of justice stuff was nice and all but seriously it'd be nice if his party of teenagers with attitude would assemble already…

"Bark!"

"Huh?!"

Nearly tripping over his feet again but managing to catch himself -"Woah!"

Whirling to see what disturbed his training the sophomore was met with… a dog, four legs white fur, sharp keen ears, carmine red eyes, maybe this could only be an Inugami. Oi Junpei don't get carried away, its just a white Shiba Inu…

It did look familiar though…

"Bark!"

Bouncing between its paws the dog had a playful bounce to it?

Then suddenly it dropped its front paws and head while raising and shaking its fluffy rear.

Ah, it was obvious the dog wanted to play with this Iori Junpei.

"But, I don't have a ball…"

It didn't appear to matter to the dog.

"Well that's to be expected of a dog that can recognize my greatness."

It turned away from him and covered its eyes with a whine.

"O-oi! Are you making fun of me?"

Facing the cap-wearing teen, the dog waved one of its fore paws off to the side, as if to say "who, me?"

Then with speed that the cap wearing boy wasn't used to, the dog snatched the katana from the boy and ran off glancing over its shoulder.

"H-hey! Gah, get back here you-"

With that the chase was on.

Junpei almost forgot the reason he was out here.

To train (To get away from his alcoholic father), after all becoming a badass wouldn't happen if he didn't train.

His shoulder ached.

The tendons were attached but only by the thinnest margins.

According to the doctors he would need to undergo a massive reconstruction in order to have the slightest chance of using it again.

To speak nothing of the necrosis that did set in and kill the majority of his nerve endings.

They made no mention of him boxing again.

Akihiko didn't expect them to.

In all honesty he didn't care much for their analysis since they weren't the ones with supernatural powers.

Besides this was a big change from where his arm had been a day ago.

Still there was a lot to be said about the phantom sensation he felt with his near dead arm; the expectation of movement only for nothing to happen.

With a sigh the senior swung his legs over the side of his bed, careful not to jostle his slung arm too much.

Even with constant healing everything was pretty much touch and go. His pale gray fingers were a testament to that.

…

He wasn't going to get anything out of staying here. And he definitely wasn't one to enjoy lazing around when it wasn't vital to recovery.

Carefully his clothes out the boxer set to getting himself dressed. At least enough to be decent.

To be fair he couldn't expect no one to give him second glances considering he was half wearing his shirt.

It was the best he could do.

Before leaving his room he looked back to Arisato who was still comatose.

"Interesting."

The door opens before Akihiko can finish turning around.

"I see you're awake, Akihiko."

"Mitsuru, checking up on me?"

"Among other things," stepping into the room fully, the heiress carefully closes the door behind her and remains standing in front of it.

A pause lingers in the air, and Akihiko already dislikes what she might bring to his plate.

"There's a third one you know? Junpei Iori, CCTV shows that he is regularly wandering around during the Dark Hour."

"What do you want me to do about it?"

He didn't need to be so passive aggressive, they've known each other for years. It was plain as day that he disapproved.

"Bring Iori into the fold. He could be a valuable asset to SEES."

"What about the others that you've drawn so far?"

"I'd prefer not to place all my eggs in one basket, you know that."

That much was true Mitsuru always tried to have a back up plan wherever she could. However…

"Aren't you moving a little fast?" The boxer chided, as he gingerly tested his arm to see if it could support itself, it couldn't. "Takeba and Arisato haven't even been trained. Arisato might be able to fight and have potential but we both know that isn't enough."

"That's right, that's why I want to get Iori, if he can use Persona then we can effectively multiply our power base. More so after they receive proper instruction." Mitsuru says with a straight face that Akihiko knew she used it when she couldn't quite keep her poker face.

Her reasoning was sound at first glance but…

"That's all fine and well but what if they die." Reality was that they were more likely to die here than of old age.

A resigned look crosses onto the troublesome woman's face, before resolve masks the doubts… no swallows it whole.

So she would see it through even if they die?

Far be it from Akihiko to judge. They had both seen an incredible amount of bloodshed up to this point.

Still, they were untested.

"If I do this, I decide to go grab Iori, when are you going to start training them," Akihiko sighs.

"Tonight. The sooner we wait, the worse everything can get."

Faith had never left a more bitter taste in his mouth.

Akihiko wasn't sure if there was something different about seeing his juniors get involved with this, since they likely hadn't even been in a life and death fight before.

Maybe this is what UNDIT thought about them as well when they first became aware of SEES.

They were a bit younger but they had also been trained for years with the expectation that they would fight.

Leaning her weight from another leg and crossing her arms, Akihiko could see that beneath the frost she was still bothered.

"Fighting is the only option. That tower is death incarnate, with those Demons infesting it too, it's a danger to everyone."

"The mission statement of SEES hasn't changed," his old friend proclimates. "To locate, repel, and destroy the source of the Dark Hour. Through any means necessary," this is just how we continue Akihiko. I need you to trust me."

He did. It didn't change that he thought that this would end with the three of those kids dead but hopefully they could die somewhere it can count as a net positive.

Scratching his head with left hand, Akihiko really couldn't do much if Mitsuru was this resolved.

…

"Fine. I've followed you this far. I might as well see it through."

Besides… Takeba had seemed like she was going to get herself killed if no one showed her the way.

"If that is all then, Mitsuru, I'm going to get going. This place isn't doing anything for me."

The wine haired woman fixes Akihiko an appraising look as she steps out of his way before walking further into the room.

What a troublesome woman.

Become one with the target…

The target was already pierced; she just had to realize that.

Letting her eyes follow the target, Yukari released her shot.

It was near the center of her target.

It was a good shot by all means but… everything felt painfully slow when compared to that night.

Even when she worked through the 7 steps it didn't feel like she was moving fast enough. Or that her arrow was hitting hard enough.

Maybe she should get a heavier draw? Or a different bow?

Maybe change her draw style?

No matter how she tried to logic it out she was too slow to be able to help with her bow.

"You have such a serious look, Yukari-chan. Did someone try the "Takeba Challenge" again?"

It was one of her friends talking to her but despite that a flash of annoyance burst up from her core.

"Ugh, don't remind me of that," doing her best to uncrease her forehead the brunette pushed on.

"For your information, no, I've just been dissatisfied with my progress. My accuracy is fine but I feel like a Yumi just might not be doing enough for me."

"Ah. As expected of Yukari-San once she knew of the superiority of the western longbow she could no longer be satisfied with the Yumi."

Now they were sucking up, her clubmates were totally hopeless weren't they.

"That's not it at all and you know it," the brunette told her classmates. "They're almost different subjects, even if this club is a bit of both."

"Kyudo is great as a discipline but I want to try my hand at something a bit more competitive."

With a sigh the girl lifted up the yumi and arrow as she prepared her next shot.

Slowly coming to the next release the girl looked to the target and let the arrow.

It landed with a satisfying thunk near the center circle, but it did nothing to satisfy her thoughts of inadequacy.

…

Practice had come, gone and blurred past her, before Yukari knew it she was sitting in the conference room going over the "Demon Compendium," trying to memorize more of the demons along with the common weaknesses.

It was worrying information.

"Kirijo-Senpai, is this book accurate? Do Demons have multiple sets of parameters that they can go by?"

She had to ask because just trying to memorize the weakness of one Demon was enough but to see that some had multiple configurations and that it was impossible to guess before fighting?

What would be the point of recording it if you have no sure fire way to strike decisively?

"Yes, it's quite vexing. But one gets used to it the more battles they partake in. It's why team composition is important."

"How many have you been in, Senpai?"

Crossing her arms and closing her eyes the wine haired girl contemplates.

"Against Demons, 4 years, against Shadows? You could say close to 10 years."

Wait a second does that mean she…?

"Senpai, is a serious warrior then?"

"I like to think I know my way about the battlefield but the truth is there are plenty of people better than me."

Is she referring to those soldiers?

"Do you mean soldiers, senpai?"

"... Some of them. Some more so than others but they all earned their place in UNDIT. But no, the world is a large place Takeba, let us leave it at that."

While it answered some questions about the Kirijo, Yukari still couldn't help but think there was more to it than that. There was something supremely about everything.

Mitsuru knew that Yukari knew that as well, but if she wasn't willing to broach the situation as well then there was nothing that she could do about it.

Playing the long game would definitely be the only way Yukari would find any answers to what she was looking for. And surviving long enough to play would be what she had to do now considering that she just recently learned that deities did exist and some had no problem with erasing her from existence.

When did her life become a Manga that Junpei would gush on about? Ugh he would enjoy this type of stuff so much more than she would.

"Du-du-nuhh The hero Iori Jupei has arrived!"

She could almost see him striking a feather man pose too as he arrived at a fight.

"Yuka-tan do it like this, you're a little bit off!"

"Urk."

The Junior had to work hard to repress the cringe.

Letting her head hit the table Yukari couldn't help but despair over her past self and cringe that the attitude would definitely fit the tone of her life at the moment.

"Tonight, we'll be getting a member soon, I have Sanada-San retrieving him as we speak."

"H-huh?"

"SEES' operations will be ramping up in scale especially with more people showing Potential as of late."

"Is it Jaecar-Senpai?"

"If I could convince him. He has an aptitude for combat and appears to be extensively trained."

"So it is him? … I don't know if I could trust him. He seems good and he did save us but something…"

"In any case, Takeba, don't worry about it. Tonight you and your teammate will begin studying old footage of battles we have from the CCTV."

The mention of having access to CCTV footage only served to hammer in how much control over the peninsula the Kirijo Group had over the area. Even more so when the archer remembered that regular cameras would not work during the Dark Hour.

"Right. Um, Senpai, this book… Who gave it to us?"

The heiress seemed almost surprised by the question, though it clearly was something that didn't have the most positive of memories behind it given the quick scowl that flashed on her face.

"Someone who knew what they were doing."

Ah, she must've struck a nerve somehow-

"Don't apologize, there was nothing to be done about it, I was foolish and nearly paid for it in blood."

The words come out condemning but without any context Yukari can do nothing more than nod and hope for the best.

…

The door eventually opens and in walks in Sanada-Senpai and Jae-

"JUNPEI! DON'T TELL ME YOU GOT INVOLVED IN THIS TOO!"

Immediately Yukari flushed, she had spoken before anyone had even greeted one another. If only the earth would open and swallow her whole…

"As expected, Yuka-tan is heroine material," the ball cap wearing idiot explains as he clasps his hand to his chin and gives a stupid smug nod.

"Don't just say "As expected," and act like everything makes sense, it doesn't!" Of course like usual he was too Iori read the room!

The brunette spits out as the filter between her mouth and brain completely fails.

…Crap, she just did the same thing.

"I see you two know each other, good. We won't need to waste time with introductions," the silver haired senpai says as he takes a seat in one of the various lazy boys.

"That's right, senpai, Yuka-tan and I go wayyyy back."

Ugh, Junpei your Ioriness is showing, put it away please! Ahh, It's too cringey for this Takeba!

Sliding his fingers across the bill of his cap, and flicking it like he was an American Cowboy, Junpei gave the president his full attention.

"Now that the hero has arrived, let's work hard together, okay Kirijo-Senpai?" Junpei introduced himself, sounding like he was the hero of a trashy harem series.

Snrk!

The heiress took Junpei's words in stride with the grace of someone who didn't understand Junpei's brand of… Stupid.

"We'll be glad to have you join our cause Iori. I'm glad you're so enthused to begin, we have a lot of ground to cover. Takeba, give him the Demon Compendium."

Giving the doomed boy the book she couldn't help but feel bad for him, given how bad of a studier Junpei was she was definitely sure he was going to struggle to grasp all the nuances to that book.

"Demon Compendium? Woah, that's a big book! Er what's it for?"

Classic Junpei, always missing the obvious.

"Our enemies are numerous, so it only makes sense to catalog down the easiest way to defeat them. I expect you both to have this memorized by the time we begin ascending Tartarus." Mitsuru speaks words that are definitely Japanese but don't register in Junpei's mind given his blank expression.

"In the meantime after school you both will be back in the dormitory by 2000, we will begin training then. Iori, you have until 1930 to read that, then you will get changed into clothes you deem fit to fight in. Takeba, your time is yours but I recommend you get a hold of your Persona."

Ah, Kirijo-Senpai always did have the vibe of a taskmaster. Or maybe a military commander? Did she take lessons?

The sound of a gunshot and glass shattering echoes, and instinctively the sophomores scramble to find the source the noise, only to be taken aback by-

"STANDO POWA?!"

Junpei stole the words straight from the brunette's mouth, not that she was a big Jojo fan or anything! Definitely not like she didn't practice the pose of a certain stand user either.

Standing… above Sanada-Senpai was a transparent, oddly buff robot looking man with long blonde hair and a stake driver for one hand.

No matter how much she hated to agree with Junpei, he was right. She sent him a glare so he knew she didn't approve of him giving her such weird taste.

"Dia… as you both can see I have this ability," Sanada-Senpai says with a heavy voice as the robot… man… stand lights him up in a healing aura.

"We call it persona," the wine haired third year follows in a display that casually shows how in sync they are. "We are rather sure that both of you would be capable of using it considering we know you both experience it without the need of outside influence…" The fake military woman says.

So all she had to do was get used to shooting herself and then she got cool powers… yeah she could do that.

"Woah! So this is the special power that I have laying dormant, huh? Hmph, as expected!" The sanpakugan boy says with his creepy stupid eyes.

Stop saying that Junpei. Please before someone dies of cringe.

Ah! Nevermind this Yukari has already been presented with a solution, she will go shoot herself in hopes the cringe that Junpei has inflicted will go along with it.