April 21st, 2012, Gremory's Training Ground, Early Morning.
The air around Lake Kawaguchi was crisp and clear, carrying the faint, clean scent of pine and freshwater.
With a soft whoosh of displaced air and a flash of intricate crimson light, the peculiar teleportation circle of the Gremory Family deposited its passengers onto the meticulously manicured gravel driveway of a vast, traditional Japanese estate.
The manor itself was a breathtaking blend of classic architecture and modern luxury, nestled in a secluded grove of old trees that offered a stunning, unobstructed view of the star attraction that loomed over all the surrounding plain for kilometres and kilometres.
"That's Mount Fuji!" Irumi Ito shouted, her voice echoing with unrestrained excitement as she pointed a trembling finger at the majestic, snow-capped peak dominating the horizon.
The mountain seemed close enough to touch, its iconic silhouette perfectly framed against the brilliant blue morning sky.
Grayfia Lucifuge, poised and impeccable as ever, was waiting for them. She offered a deep, respectful bow.
"Welcome, Young Lady, Lord Yuki, and peerage."
Irumi's head swiveled, trying to take in everything at once—the grand manor, the pristine lake, the towering mountain. "We're near Fujikawaguchiko, right? I always dreamed of visiting! I heard there's an amusement park said to be as good as Tokyo Disneyland—Fuji-Q Highland!" she exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with the prospect of rollercoasters and cotton candy.
"Are you enjoying the view, Ito?" Akeno asked, a warm, amused smile playing on her lips at the younger girl's infectious enthusiasm.
Irumi nodded vigorously, utterly lost in the moment. 'Partner, focus,' Ddraig's voice grumbled in her mind, a stern counterpoint to her glee. 'You are not here for tourism. This is not a pleasure trip.'
"Sorry," Irumi mumbled, her shoulders slumping slightly as she turned to Rias. "I got a little too excited..."
"Don't worry," Rias said, her smile genuine and reassuring. "We can come back another time, after this matter is resolved, and visit Fuji-Q together. How does that sound?"
The promise was enough to make Irumi's face light up again.
"You may all acquaint yourselves with the manor," Grayfia stated, her tone formal yet not unkind. Her sharp, ice-blue eyes then settled on Makoto. "Lord Yuki, may I have a few words with you in private?"
While Rias led her peerage inside to explore the sprawling residence and claim their rooms, Grayfia guided Makoto a few steps away on the gravel path.
"Lord Yuki," she began, her voice low and measured. "Lady Rias has explained you will be overseeing their training. If you require anything—any resource, any information—please, do not hesitate to inform me. I will be remaining here with you for the duration of these seven days to facilitate your needs."
She paused, choosing her next words with care.
"Lord Lucifer also wished me to extend his deepest gratitude for your assistance to his sister. He expressed a desire to thank you personally once this pressing matter is concluded, at a time convenient for you both, of course."
The mention of the name sparked an immediate, furious reaction within Makoto's mind.
'Lord Lucifer? If that usurper wishes to thank us, he can start by ceasing to profane my name!' Lucifer's voice was a seething growl of celestial wrath.
'We have already been through this, Lucifer, more than once for the sake of truth.' Kohryu interjected, his tone that of a weary peacemaker. 'And if you recall, Leviathan did not seem to mind the title when we met Serafall.'
'Leviathan is not me,' the Morning Star retorted, his pride a palpable force within Makoto's mind. 'I can tolerate these insects calling themselves devils, but for one of them to dare use my name? It is unacceptable.'
'Cease this petulance. You are being ridiculous, Morning Star,' Izanagi-no-Okami commanded, his divine authority momentarily silencing the argument.
Outwardly, Makoto's expression remained unchanged, a mask of polite neutrality. "I've already told Rias," he said, his voice calm. "I'm helping her because we are friends. That's what friends do."
"I understand," Grayfia replied, though her keen eyes missed nothing. She gave a slight, respectful nod as Makoto turned and headed towards the manor's main entrance.
The Silver-Haired Queen of Lucifer watched him go, her thoughts turning to the other part of her mission, entrusted to her by Sirzechs himself: to gauge the true nature and extent of Makoto Yuki's goodwill, and to discern if the Fallen Angels had sown any seeds of resentment towards the Devil Faction within him.
'His answer seems genuine, altruistic even,' she mused silently. 'But I understand Sirzechs's concern. A power of this magnitude, guided by an agenda we do not fully comprehend... it is a variable that must be understood.'
Inside the manor, Irumi's voice could be heard echoing through the vast, tastefully furnished atrium. "This place is huge! I've never seen a house this big in my life!"
"The guest rooms are on the second floor," Rias was explaining, pointing towards a grand wooden staircase.
"I call the one closest to the stairs!" Irumi declared before launching herself up the steps with youthful exuberance.
"She's certainly enjoying herself," Kiba commented with a good-natured smirk.
"Where are Lady Grayfia and Senpai?" Koneko asked, her quiet voice barely audible over Irumi's fading footsteps.
"They should be here any moment," Rias answered.
"I wonder what Grayfia wanted to discuss with Yuki," Akeno remarked, a hint of curiosity in her tone.
The front door opened precisely then, cutting off any further speculation. Makoto entered, with Grayfia gliding silently in behind him.
"It does not matter; we are here," Makoto said. He glanced around the spacious atrium. "Ehm... where has Ito gone?"
As if on cue, Irumi came hurrying back down the stairs, slightly out of breath. "Sorry, Senpai! I'm here now!"
Makoto's gaze shifted to a large, ornate pendulum clock hanging on the far wall. Its hands indicated it was just past 8 a.m.
"It's 8 a.m.," he stated. "Give me thirty minutes to prepare, and then we can begin."
———
Thirty minutes later, Makoto stood alone in the center of a vast, grassy field that served as the estate's training grounds. The early morning sun warmed his back, and the serene presence of Mount Fuji loomed in the distance, a silent witness to the coming exertion.
'With whom do you wish to begin, Universe?' Kohryu asked, his mental voice thrumming with anticipation.
'I will start with Kiba,' Makoto decided. 'You and the others will observe the rest for now and await your turns.'
'Makoto, are you certain you can sustain this?' Messiah's voice held a note of deep concern. 'Maintaining so many of us simultaneously is a tremendous strain.'
'Don't worry. It will be a form of training for me as well. Two birds with one stone,' Makoto replied, his internal voice firm with resolve.
'A clever strategy, Universe,' Odin praised.
'Just do not exhaust yourself!' Cendrillon chimed in, her tone a mix of jest and genuine warning. 'Or else...'
'What the girl is attempting to say,' Kohryu interjected, his tone becoming uncharacteristically tender, 'is that you must not revert to your old habits. Not all of us were there, but I remember all too well the state you forced yourself into after Shinjiro Aragaki's death.'
'Yes, hee hoo...' Jack Frost's voice was soft, tinged with the memory of that sorrow.
'I learnt my lesson,' Makoto replied curtly, a familiar wall going up around that particular memory. He needed focus, not nostalgia.
He closed his eyes, centering himself. The cool metal of the evoker was a familiar weight in his hand. He raised it to his temple, focusing not on a single Persona, but on the vast, collective power of the Universe Arcana itself. He took a steadying breath and pulled the trigger.
The sound was not a bang, but a resonant chime that seemed to vibrate through the very air around him. Blue light, deep and star-flecked, erupted from him—not a single burst, but a sustained aura.
Simultaneously, two forms materialized beside him. To his left, Yoshitsune, the grudging samurai, appeared in a flash of blue light, his imposing armor and sheathed swords radiating a disciplined, deadly calm.
To his right, Odin, the All-Father, manifested with a crackle of divine energy, Gungnir in his hand and his one eye scanning the training grounds with imperious authority.
"How are you feeling, Universe?" Yoshitsune asked, his voice a low, steady rumble as he took a step closer.
"Fine. Maintaining two at once isn't too difficult," Makoto answered, though a faint sheen of sweat already glistened on his brow. The simultaneous summoning was a conscious drain, a weight on his spirit he was forcing himself to bear.
"Muninn," Odin commanded without looking away from the field. A large, intelligent crow, its feathers as dark as void, materialized from a swirl of shadows and landed gracefully on the god's golden gauntlet. "Stay with the Universe. Be my eyes."
With a soft caw, the bird took flight and glided over to Makoto, landing with surprising gentleness on his shoulder. Its beady eyes were sharp and knowing.
"We are ready," Makoto said, more to himself than anyone else, as he felt the weight of the raven and the sustained presence of the two powerful Personas.
———
Back inside the manor, the Gremory peerage had regrouped in the atrium, their initial excitement tempered by a growing sense of anticipation. They had stowed their gear and were now ready, their expressions a mix of determination and nervous energy.
"Are we all ready?" Rias asked, her voice cutting through the quiet tension.
A unified, "Yes!" echoed back at her, Irumi's voice the loudest among them.