Chapter 3

Tenma swung a longsword of seemingly steel make in an arc within his minimalistic abode…

Nice.

Welt gave a neat sword when he came back to the Express last night.

Ding! Ding!

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Welt Yang: Are you free today? I've got something to ask…

Dan Heng: Maintaining your weapon is half the battle…

Himeko: Are you doing anything today? I want help with something…

Clerk16528851: r u hopping on Wasteland Revolution 2day?

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Tenma momentarily glanced out the window and into the darkness sprinkled with specks of gold before zooming back onto his mobile phone. The Astral Express is planning to stay at Edinop Station for Three Weeks according to Welt who informed him about a delivery that would arrive late, and so he has quite the free time to expend… but the problem is who to actually spend that free time with— afterall, Kotone did advise him about making bonds.

He paused for a moment before deciding who to interact with. He briefly sent messages to Dan Heng, Welt and Clerk (who had somehow gotten his phone number?) about him already having plans as he then slid his silver-white phone back into his pocket.

"…Himeko it is." He blasèly decided.

He would soon regret that choice.

[LINE BREAK]

"…What is this?" He couldn't help but comment as he glared at a cup of coffee that wheezed of pure and unfiltered caffeine.

The red-head happily smiled, unaware of the weapon of mass destruction she had created. "This is a new brew I've been making recently, I wanted someone else to try it out to get advice on how to improve it but Dan Heng and Welt are busy whilst Pom-Pom isn't really a fan of coffee."

'They totally ran away!' Askr shivered in fear.

Maybe it's not that bad… He tried to reassure himself as he then proceeded to see an imaginary blue butterfly glide over the fumes of the coffee and immediately drop dead.

'…We are so dead.' Askr seemed accepting of their fate. Don't give up!

"Looks good." Tenma's traitorous mouth betrayed his true thoughts as he built up enough Guts to face his destiny.

She smiled joyfully. "Then go on, try it."

He took a tiny sip and the world started to seem higher in definition.

"Huh, it's not bad." He commented whilst ignoring the fact that it felt like his heart was visibly gripped by an unseen hand for a moment.

What're your thoughts Askr?

'Bleuebisbeoamdvwiqkpmznxvzoendinwpandus.' His other self cheerfully replied.

Understandable, have a great day.

Himeko was practically beaming. "You think so? Thank goodness." She sighed in relief before continuing. "However, do you have any advice I could use to improve it?"

'Hsbsidbeosnsollanssuwbabundones.' Askr commented with the solemnity of a funeral procession.

"You could improve… the taste." Tenma commented to which she grabbed the cup and took a sip herself.

She took a moment to process it. "Hmm, I suppose it could be considered too overwhelming in the depth of the flavour. Thanks, I hope you help me in the future too."

"Got it."

The world came to a halt.

I am thou… Thou art I…

Thou hast established a new bond…

Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Empress Arcana…

Rank Up: Empress 1.

'…Wy hab u fsken mi, svir?' Askr whined towards Kotone's voice who cold-heartedly allowed time to resume.

"Oh well, do you want to try out my other brews too?" She inquired.

"Sure."

'Wyyyy?'

Tenma Kamijou silently apologised to his other self… He was feeling pretty Bold today. It might've been the caffeine.

[LINE BREAK]

Dan Heng sat in seiza, opposite of Tenma as he laid a refined emerald spear atop his lap.

"You're here." Dan Heng noted that Tenma also sat in seiza with his new longsword, imitating him. "That's good. I heard that Mr Yang gave you a better weapon compared to that rusty stick you've been wielding, and in order to avoid that happening to your new weapon it is important to learn how to maintain your weapon."

There seemed to be a couple of items laid out on the side: a cloth, a metal file and some oil.

"For now, I'll just teach you the basics of the basics…" He popped out the emerald blade out of the pole to his spear. "First: wipe it, file it, oil it and then finish it off with another wipe."

Tenma didn't find it particularly challenging to do, but he was definitely mediocre in his Technique. He should perform this more often to better get it right.

He noticed his dissatisfied expression. "Fret not, you will learn in time how to refine your blade… but for now that is apt for a beginner." He examined Tenma's sword.

"Remember to always partake in maintaining your weapon before engaging a foe. It'll definitely save your life." He advised in an ambivalent tone.

Tenma couldn't help but agree as he stood up and swung his longsword… it arced better than it did before.

"You seem to have noticed the difference." Dan Heng noted as he himself stood up after storing the regents in his IS. "Now, why don't we also try and feel the difference this time?"

Tenma smirked as his hand dug into his obsidian-black jacket's pocket to grab his model pistol. "You're on."

They took a decent amount of distance away from each other and raised their tension.

He held a coin within the recesses of his fingers "We'll start when this coin drops."

Tenma nodded. "Got it."

And he flicked it.

It all began the moment it struck the floor; Dan Heng started first with an instantaneous thrust of his spear — almost blindingly fast — towards Tenma, however through sheer instinct he channelled Askr's cleave and deflected the sword away from his torso and enough of a chance for him to pull out his pistol and shoot himself.

Bang!

"Persona!"

It appeared within mid-summon but Dan Heng didn't let up as he reduced Tenma's chance to breathe through repetitive and relentless piercing attacks which absolutely forced him to cleave his way out of any overwhelming blows to keep himself safe… However, thankfully once his Persona was fully summoned he had a chance to truly fight Dan Heng.

Bang!

"Agi!" A burst of flames were fired towards him which forced Dan Heng to evade by jumping to the side and give Tenma a temporary moment to breathe.

Bang! Bang!

"Persona! Cleave!"

And it was in such a moment that Tenma was given a chance to perform something that he spontaneously thought of and liked the idea of at this very instance.

He channelled cleave through his sword as Askr also performed a cleave with his own sword… it was a double cleave performed in totality which physically seemed to overwhelm Dan Heng enough to throw him back and force him to reobtain his stance by steadying himself after rolling and seamlessly shifting into his usual stance.

"Break!" Dan Heng howled as in an instant he was in front of Tenma.

Tenma realised in that moment that he would definitely be hit, and so he opted for the next best decision.

Bang! Bang!

"Persona!—" He didn't finish his speaking as the side of Dan Heng's spear sent him rolling… but he wasn't finished yet. "—Dia!"

He felt his bones regain their firmness and bruises dissipate as he wildly reaffirmed his footing and rushed towards Dan Heng who seemed to be coldly analysing everything of note.

Bang!

"Persona!" A floating projection appeared behind Tenma as exhaustion began to seep into him..

Wind enveloped Dan Heng and his spear. "The time is now…"

Bang! "Cleave times two!"

"Break!"

Dan Heng had speed and so he was already in front of Tenma… whilst Tenma himself chose to cleave and redirect Dan Heng's weapon… and thus…

CRACK… SHATTER!

—Tenma undoubtedly would fail in his endeavour.

"…!" His ribs snapped as he was thrown a drastic distance away after his weapon was shattered. "Agh!"

However, he did not lose in this match for something else occurred… Askr channelled a cleave through his spectral feet and drop-kicked Dan Heng thus also temporarily disabling him.

Thus the result: a double knock-out.

Both participants laid on the floor still, taking a moment to recuperate their energy.

Tenma huffed out carbon dioxide as he breathed as much oxygen as he could…

"A tie, huh?" The Persona User muttered to which he heard footsteps of an injured Dan Heng echo.

"Indeed, it seems you are better than originally assumed." Dan Heng noted. "Your instinct… no, your tactical intuition is quite remarkable for a novice warrior."

"You seem quite fine." Tenma observed aloud as he seemed particularly healthy.

Dan Heng sheepishly smiled. "I was intending to hold back my physical capabilities whilst only utilising pure Technique instead… however, you performed quite admirably enough that I had to utilise my greater strength."

"Huh."

"…Also, I'll let Mr Yang know about the shattered blade."

Oops.

The world came to a halt.

I am thou… Thou art I…

Thou hast established a new bond…

Thou shalt have our blessings when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Emperor Arcana…

Rank Up: Emperor 2.

…Tenma felt like he understood Dan Heng better.

[LINE BREAK]

Logging onto Wasteland Revolution after Tenma realised that Himeko's coffee worked a little too well, he found himself joining Clerk again.

"So you did come after all?" Clerk noted as he quickly switched between a sniper and a submachine gun in rapid succession.

"Yo." Tenma waved. "What are you doing?"

Clerk absentmindedly responded. "I'm duping my ammo since Jirentechsniver and Jirentechmachina have the same ammo and rapidly switching weapons at a fast enough pace can cause a glitch in the system which dupes the ammo."

"Huh, cool." Tenma noted. "Can I try?"

Clerk shrugged. "Sure dude, but I doubt you have the Technique for it."

Tenma indeed did not have the Technique for it, but he sure did feel himself progress his motor skills.

"Anyway, we gonna grind mobs today too? We using a real dangerous spot today, so ima be switching onto one of my alts, k?"

"Sure thing."

He logged out and sometime soon a woman approached Tenma. Their username was "Maou Wolfie"—they had a familiar shade of silver hair and looked awfully familiar.

"Yo bro, you ready?" They asked. So it was Clerk.

"Ready anytime."

"Kk, let's do this."

Kamiten didn't feel their bond grow stronger, but he sure did feel that he better understood Clerk.

[LINE BREAK]

"Ah, so you're finally free?" Welt remarked as he slid his phone back into his pocket as Tenma sat opposite him within the Astral Express' lounge.

It was the next day, and so he decided to pay Welt a visit.

"Sorry, I was busy." Tenma apologised sheepishly.

Welt waved it off. "No, don't apologise. That's a good thing—it means you're being more comfortable with your circumstances." He coughed.

Should he be comfortable, though? Noticing Tenma's dubious stare Welt coughed to redirect the conversation.

"Anyway, I just wanted to ask you a couple of questions… nothing too invasive, I think." He clarified. "I'm interested in your ability, "Persona" I believe you call it."

Tenma nodded.

"I'm more curious about the nature of such an ability, as in my home world possession from a third party was possible, but said third party was quite hostile whilst your Persona seems to be quite harmonious with you… any reason why?" Welt inquired.

"I am thou, thou art I." Tenma answered with mild gravitas.

Welt hummed. "…I feel as if that phrase holds far more weight than I can comprehend at the present moment." He continued. "Does that mean you and the summoned being are one in the same? No, from what I recall—he proclaimed himself a "Child of the Tree of Ash" or something similar… perchance were you…?"

Tenma raised an eyebrow. "My parents were perfectly normal humans."

Welt widened his eyes for a split moment before readjusting his glasses and continuing on. "I see… so perhaps it's a metaphor? Hmm, do you know anything about the origins of your Persona's name?"

"Askr, in Norse Mythology, is one of the first humans." Tenma briefly responded.

Welt rubbed his chin. "In mythology? Hmm, then perhaps your Persona has more to do with thought or something more internal? After all, the name of the ability is called "Persona"… Then again, he could also be your ancestor or something?"

He contemplated in silence for the next few moments.

"Your method of activation is pulling a gun to your head and firing, but I've never actually observed you ever actually firing a bullet from your pistol… is it a fake or model?"

Tenma nodded. "Yeah."

"Then perhaps, it's due to a mental trigger? Can you try to summon your Persona without your pistol?"

He nodded. "Sure."

Thus Tenma tried focusing… he could feel "it"—an internal switch within his mind that required more focus to pull.

"Okay, you can stop now." Welt immediately ordered as Tenma seemed quite exhausted… actually, he was heavily drenched in sweat.

Tenma needed a couple of minutes and a glass of water to regain his calm.

Welt hummed. "To me it seems like it is possible to do so, but too tough for you to actually do it."

"Sorry." Tenma apologised.

Welt waved it off. "It should be me who apologises in this situation, after all, I shouldn't be pushing you too hard—you did just get this power not that long ago."

He coughed.

"Anyway, I think you should take a shower right around now…" He commented. "I don't think Pom-Pom or Himeko would enjoy the scent of sweat within the lounge."

"Okay."

"Let's do this sometime later again."

"Got it."

The world came to a stop.

I am thou… Thou art I…

Thou hast established a new bond…

Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Magician Arcana…

Rank Up: Magician 1.

The world resumed once more.

Tenma decided to take a quick shower and head out for the evening.