Chapter 4: The Tower of Shadows
Tartarus loomed before them. A grotesque, ever-changing tower of impossible architecture, its exterior shifting as if alive. The oppressive air of the Dark Hour made even breathing feel heavier.
Minato stood at the entrance, staring up at its countless floors.
This was where the battle truly began.
Mitsuru's voice crackled over the communicator. "Tonight, we'll be focusing on reconnaissance and basic combat. Stay alert. We don't know what's waiting for us inside."
Akihiko punched his fist into his palm, eyes alight with anticipation. "Finally, some action."
Yukari exhaled and adjusted her Evoker. "I still think this is insane, but… whatever. Let's just get this over with."
Junpei grinned. "No backing out now, Takeba. We're in this together."
Minato remained silent, his eyes scanning the entrance. He could feel it—the presence of Shadows lurking beyond the threshold.
And something else.
A whisper in the back of his mind, as if Tartarus itself was calling to him.
---
Tartarus
The inside of Tartarus was even more surreal than he remembered. The walls pulsed with an unnatural glow, shifting between deep blues and sickly greens. The air was thick with a presence that made the skin crawl.
"This place is messed up," Junpei muttered, gripping his sword tightly.
"Stay focused," Mitsuru said through the communicator. "You'll encounter Shadows soon. Be prepared."
As if on cue, a dark shape slithered out from the corner of the hall.
A Shadow.
It was a simple one—a Lesser Maya, its black, amorphous body shifting as the mask on its face twitched unnaturally.
"Here we go!" Junpei rushed forward, sword raised. He swung wide—and the Shadow dodged effortlessly.
"What the—?!"
The Shadow retaliated, its formless limbs lashing out. Junpei barely managed to block with his sword, the force sending him stumbling backward.
"Don't rush in blindly!" Mitsuru's voice was sharp. "Read their movements!"
"Fine! Then let's do this the cool way." Junpei pressed his Evoker to his head and pulled the trigger.
"Persona!"
With a burst of blue light, Hermes appeared—a sleek, masked figure with a futuristic design. Flames erupted from his hands, engulfing the Shadow.
The Lesser Maya screeched as Agi burned through its form, and moments later, it dissolved into nothingness.
Junpei smirked. "Hell yeah! First kill goes to me."
But Minato wasn't paying attention.
He could feel it.
Something bigger was coming.
"Junpei, behind you!" Yukari shouted.
A second Shadow lunged from the darkness—this one much larger than the first. A Cowardly Maya, its grotesque mask twisted into a permanent sneer.
Junpei cursed, trying to turn in time, but the Shadow was too fast.
Minato moved.
In a single breath, he crossed the distance, shoving Junpei aside and raising his own Evoker.
He didn't hesitate.
Click.
Bang.
"Persona!"
The world around him ignited in a burst of divine radiance.
The others shielded their eyes as a towering figure emerged behind him.
Clad in pristine white robes and golden chains, Messiah descended upon the battlefield.
The Shadow screeched, sensing the overwhelming power before it.
"Messiah," Minato whispered. "End it."
A single motion.
A single thought.
And then—
"Megidolaon."
A sphere of absolute destruction formed in Messiah's hands before exploding outward.
The entire floor shook.
When the light faded, nothing remained of the Shadows.
Only silence.
---
Aftermath
The others stared at Minato in stunned silence.
Junpei was the first to speak.
"Dude. What the actual hell?"
Yukari still had her Evoker in her hands, but her fingers were shaking. "You just—what was that?! That wasn't normal! You shouldn't be able to—!"
Akihiko looked between Messiah and Minato, his expression serious. "That was an advanced Persona. Not a beginner's. You're not just some transfer student, are you?"
Minato exhaled and let Messiah fade into blue light.
Mitsuru's voice finally came through the communicator, unusually tense. "Arisato… we need to talk."
---
Back at the Dorm
Back at the dorm, Minato sat across from Mitsuru in the command room. The air between them was thick with unspoken thoughts.
She leaned forward, resting her chin on her clasped hands. "You summoned Messiah."
Minato didn't respond.
Mitsuru exhaled, studying him carefully. "There are things about you that don't add up. Your physical abilities, your ability to summon such a Persona with no prior training…"
She paused.
"You're… different. I don't know how, but you are."
Minato met her gaze evenly. He could lie. He could deflect. But…
He chose a different path.
"I don't fully understand it either," he admitted. "But I know one thing. I'm here to fight. To change things."
Mitsuru narrowed her eyes. "Change what, exactly?"
Minato leaned back, closing his eyes for a moment.
"Everything."
A beat of silence.
Then—Mitsuru smiled. Just slightly.
"Then let's see how far you can go."
---
That night, as Minato lay in bed, he felt it again.
The presence in the back of his mind. The whisper of the Fool Arcana.
The Wild Card.
He wasn't bound by fate.
He wasn't just a pawn in this story.
He could change things. Forge new bonds. Grow stronger than any before him.
And with that power…
He would rewrite destiny itself.
---
End of Chapter 4