PERSONA 3 DEVIL'S HERALD

...30/07/2009 Thursday; Night...

The wind blew softly across the dormitory rooftop, swaying the leaves of the surrounding plants. Hiro stood there alone, fully focused on his movements.

With a scimitar in hand, he practiced swift, precise strikes, spinning the weapon between his fingers and slicing through the air with elegance.

His body moved in perfect harmony with the blade, as if they were one.

Suddenly, he leaped back, performing a spinning slash before landing gracefully on the ground. His breathing was heavy, but his determination remained unshaken.

Shhhk! The scimitar slid in his hand as he twirled it again, controlling the movement with finesse.

"Not bad," said a familiar voice. "I didn't know you used the rooftop for training."

Hiro stopped and looked over, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

It was Akihiko, leaning against the wall, clapping in approval.

"Well, we're not heading to Tartarus today because of Minato. Plus, I'm bored," Hiro said, stretching.

Akihiko smirked as he adjusted his knuckle dusters. "You're not the only one bored around here. Want me to join your training?"

Hiro spun the scimitar, a glint of challenge in his eyes. "Of course."

The two locked eyes for a moment, their stances reflecting the tension in the air.

Akihiko raised his arms, assuming his guard and preparing for the approaching fight.

Without warning, they lunged at each other.

Hiro dodged Akihiko's punches with agility, avoiding the jabs and hooks coming his way.

The scimitar gleamed as it sliced through the air, but Akihiko parried the strikes with his knuckle dusters, blocking a lateral slash from Hiro.

Seizing an opening, Akihiko landed a knee strike to Hiro's torso, forcing him to step back.

"Damn… that hurt," Hiro admitted, retreating to catch his breath.

"Getting tired already?" Akihiko asked, a challenging grin on his lips as he stomped his feet, ready for more.

"Not a chance. I'm just getting started," Hiro retorted, twirling the scimitar, thinking about his next move.

Hiro advanced again, launching a relentless series of attacks.

Akihiko dodged and blocked each strike, but when Hiro delivered a descending vertical slash, Akihiko realized too late he'd fallen into a trap.

Hiro had deliberately left an opening. With a quick move, he sidestepped Akihiko's counter and, before he could react, swept his leg, knocking Akihiko to the ground with a loud thud.

"Well, Akihiko? Lost your focus?" Hiro teased, spreading his arms in triumph.

Akihiko got back up, cracking his neck with a grin. "I admit, you caught me off guard. But it won't happen again."

Before they could continue, the rooftop door swung open, and Mitsuru stepped in. She sighed at the sight of the two poised to fight.

"You two. Stop!" Mitsuru commanded, her voice firm.

Hiro and Akihiko froze, unaware of Mitsuru's arrival.

"Mitsuru? What's going on?" Hiro asked, still pulsing with adrenaline from the sparring.

Akihiko, with a sarcastic tone, quipped, "Oh Mitsuru, you're interrupting our fun."

Mitsuru crossed her arms, her tone serious. "Akihiko, did you forget your chest wound hasn't healed yet?"

Akihiko tried to brush it off, shrugging. "It's nothing. It's healed, hasn't it?"

Hiro, still holding the scimitar, sighed and sheathed the blade. "I guess not. I completely forgot about your injury."

"I can't take my eyes off you two for a second without you deciding to fight," Mitsuru said, exasperated.

"In my defense, this isn't what it looks like. It's just training," Akihiko tried to justify.

"Even so, you're injured. And on top of that, you're using real weapons. Next time you train, use practice weapons. Got it? I don't want anyone in the group getting hurt," Mitsuru said, making her point clear.

Akihiko gave up arguing, sighing. "Got it. Sometimes you sound like my mom."

Mitsuru allowed a small smile. "Évidemment. It's my duty to ensure everyone is well. After all, I'm the leader."

Hiro frowned, intrigued. "'Évidemment'? You speak French?"

"Of course," Mitsuru replied with a hint of pride. "The elegance of the French language is unparalleled. It's one of the best things my family taught me."

"Got it… just don't say anything important in French. I don't know anything besides Japanese," Hiro said, scratching his head while looking at Mitsuru.

"I'll keep that in mind. And no more fighting. Go rest, understood?" Mitsuru said, turning toward the rooftop door.

The two nodded, and Mitsuru left the rooftop, satisfied with their response.

After she was gone, Akihiko and Hiro sat down, leaning against the railing as they gazed at the sky.

The moonlight bathed the dormitory rooftop, casting a gentle glow over the two young men as they sat side by side.

Akihiko chuckled softly, his hand brushing against his chest. "That Mitsuru… She can be tough sometimes, but she truly cares about everyone's health and well-being."

"Yeah… she's got her charm. Sometimes, when I doze off during Japanese class, she pulls my ear. Especially after I joined S.E.E.S.," Hiro admitted with a wry smile.

Akihiko laughed and pulled out a small tin of mint tablets, offering one to Hiro.

Hiro accepted it and popped it into his mouth, savoring the instant freshness.

"Do you remember what I mentioned earlier? About us getting to know each other better?" Akihiko asked, his gaze fixed on the horizon.

"Yeah. Shinjiro told me you had a sister. That she passed away in a fire, I think," Hiro replied, his tone somber.

Akihiko sighed, his expression growing distant. "Yeah. I did. Her name was Miki."

Hiro looked at him with empathy. "What happened to you… after losing her, I mean?"

"Well… Miki and I were set to be adopted by a couple. They were supposed to pick us up the next day. But… the orphanage caught fire while everyone was asleep," Akihiko said, his voice heavy with sorrow.

Hiro's eyes narrowed, taking in the weight of the story. "Damn…"

"After Miki died, I went to live with that couple—my current adoptive parents. But I struggled for years with her death. And the most important thing…" Akihiko looked up at the moon, his voice soft. "I never had any interest in joining the boxing club or taking up sports. But Miki… she was a professional swimmer. She won so many medals, even at just six years old."

Hiro glanced sideways, starting to piece things together. "And you joined the boxing club because of her, didn't you?"

Akihiko was taken aback by Hiro's deduction, turning to face him.

His gaze grew even more melancholic as he stared at his own hand. "Yeah, Miki always told me I should use my strength for good. I joined the boxing club, not to win medals, but to protect."

He stood up, his determination renewed. "I need to get stronger to protect all of you. I need to be someone who helps others. That's why, when you challenged everyone in the boxing club, I wanted to beat the crap out of you, Hiro. To put you in your place."

Hiro stood as well, silently watching Akihiko, listening intently to his words.

"But after you beat me up, and I beat you up in the ring, I realized I'm still not strong enough to defeat you." Akihiko's voice carried frustration as he finished his thought.

Without warning, Hiro punched Akihiko in the face.

It wasn't an attack meant to start a fight—it was a wake-up call.

"That's where you're wrong. Look, Aki, you're not weak," Hiro said, his gaze firm.

Akihiko touched his face where he'd been hit, confused. "What? What do you mean?"

"That time when I challenged everyone in the club, no one else managed to land a single hit on me. But you didn't just hit me." Hiro pointed to his nose, smiling. "You also broke this. Remember?"

Akihiko had a sudden flash of memory.

He vividly recalled that day in the boxing ring, where he and Hiro stood face to face, intensity radiating from both of them, their guards raised for what could be a decisive match.

Hiro was visibly exhausted, his arms bruised and his breathing labored.

Akihiko, on the other hand, had a swollen right eye, a painful reminder of the blows he'd taken.

Even so, he planted his foot firmly on the ground and launched a devastating uppercut that hit Hiro's guard.

The impact made Hiro stumble, but he didn't back down.

In a quick response, Hiro delivered a precise kick to Akihiko's stomach.

However, in doing so, he lowered his guard, and Akihiko, noticing the opening, unleashed a powerful jab.

The punch was strong enough to break Hiro's nose, leaving a mark neither of them would forget anytime soon.

As the flashback ended, Akihiko smiled.

He raised his fist and gave Hiro a light punch to the stomach, a gesture of camaraderie.

"You're right," Akihiko said, still smiling. "I think I need a notebook to write down all these memories."

Hiro laughed, rubbing his stomach where the punch had landed. "Definitely. And maybe something to soften that punch of yours."

The two laughed together, the weight of their earlier conversation beginning to lift.

"I'll remember that… thanks, Hiro. For listening," Akihiko said, his voice filled with genuine gratitude.

"Don't mention it," Hiro replied, smiling with the sincerity only a friend could offer.

Then, Akihiko narrowed his eyes, a challenging grin forming on his face. "Let's make a deal. If either of us runs away during the final Shadow Arcana we face, the other gets to beat him up for thirty minutes. Deal?"

Hiro was surprised by the proposal, especially after the promise he'd made with Fuuka.

His life was truly changing, and he realized he was forming stronger bonds than ever.

"Deal," Hiro replied, extending his hand with a grin. "Just know, if you ask me to go easy, I'll go even harder. Got it?"

Akihiko shook Hiro's hand, sealing the deal. "The same goes for you. From now on, we're rivals."

They locked eyes, cementing a rivalry between them.

Recognizing each other's strength, they began a friendship that would last a lifetime.

...An agreement, now we are rivals who respect each other. I won't let myself get lost, Hiro! I will do my best to beat you, and keep our agreement standing...

...Emperor's Arcana; Akihiko Sanada...