Hello guys, finally can post this chapter. I still newbie about writing a battle novel like this, please review so i can improve.

Persona Series owned by ATLUS, I don't affiliate with them.

OOO

Chapter 5 : Janus vs Minato

Janus charged toward Minato with Brave Blade that already double up with power charge before, all his weapons glowing with bright aura.

Far from afraid, Minato grinning seeing the blades that should be like guillotine that ready to tear him apart in just a second.

"Arahabaki! Tetrakarn!". Minato shot his head and a persona like mechanical statue appears. His eyes glowing and something like laser that come out from his eyes envelop Minato.

The moment Janus swords almost touch Minato's body, it's repelled back with great force and make Janus thrown back, smashed into a building. The building collapsed because Janus smashed with such great force and create many rubble and smoke.

It should be the end, no one can stand after take such damage but Minato still staring at the rubble with stern eyes.

"Impressive". Janus voices resounding, he come out from smoke while wiping a drip of blood that came out from his mouth. He display vicious smile.

"Even after all of that, he only sustains a little injury. He must be strong against physical attacks". Minato say that with amazed tone but it immediately changed into his usual delight grin. Minato instinct gradually coming back, even thought Minato blessed with 'Wild Card' or 'Fusion Spell' his strongest weapon is his battle instinct. The talents that can make him take the best decision in the split second of battle.

If Minato doesn't have that, even with 'Wild card' or 'Fusion spell', he will lose against pressure of a life or death battle. One more, Minato doesn't realize it himself but his friends though of Minato as a battle maniac.

"Show me more, O Infinite one". Janus made a stance with provoking tone.

"Well then, I won't hold back!" Minato spinning his 'evoker' and pointed it toward his head. " Thor! Thunder Reign! ". A blitz of thunder gathered on the sky in the form of spiral and the its falls with great speed toward Janus. Janus thrust his palms toward the thunder spiral, the thunder spiral made every object around it blown away without trace and it hits Janus directly.

Blitzing sound can be heard everywhere along with the lightning that ignite this dark world can be seen from anywhere on the island. Purple spark appear continuously from the giant sphere that made 500 meters diameter crater.

Minato look down at the center of crater and then whistling "He's one tough guy". Janus standing firmly at the center of crater, Unharmed. Minato not whistle to celebrate his victory but the opposite, he happy because this one battle won't end that easily.

Without a signal, Janus once again leaped toward Minato with swords shining reflected with Minato's face, he close their distance with only one jump but Minato able to avoid it by rolling to the left. Minato immediately grab a steel pipe that near his hand and then facing Janus while making stance.

"Are you intending to fight me with that?"Janus look at Minato with amazed tone.

"Beggars can't choose after all" Minato answered lightly. Right now Minato doesn't have his weapon with him, god know where his weapon right now. Minato summon Trumpeter to cast 'Heat Riser' on him.

Janus once again use 'Brave Blade' to attack Minato but Minato can dodge it at the last moment and cast 'Debilitate' against Janus the moment he got the chance and Immediately summon Beelzebub to cast 'Agidyne' at point blank range.

Janus body blasted for quite a distance because of the feedback but Minato can see he don't have even a slightest injury. "So fire doesn't work as well". Minato mutter to himself. Minato intended to find his weakness first.

Janus that have more than 300 meters from Minato suddenly appears in front of his face, Minato doesn't have time to dodge and trying to block with steel pipe but it's destroyed in an instant. He received a kick on his stomach and sent flying about 100 meters before smashed against rubble of building that was destroyed by 'Thunder Reign' before.

The scene changed into velvet room. Igor, Margareth, Theodore, and Elizabeth watched the whole battle from crystal. Elizabeth gasped when she saw Minato buried under the rubble and intending to run toward the door to help him but stopped because Margareth and Theodore standing blocking the door.

"This is his trial, we are not allowed to step in". Margareth try to calm Elizabeth even though she know her feeling very well, Margareth imagining If the same thing happened to Yu.

"Please move!, I have to go". Elizabeth shouted. But Margareth and Theo don't show any movement. Seeing that, Elizabeth who's in panic state let out her killing intent.

"MOVE!" Elizabeth let out a roar that unlike her and opened her grimore, Margareth and Theo also doing the same. "Dear sister, are you really intending to fight us?" Margareth ask.

"If you two don't move from there, then yes" Elizabeth said that without hesitation. Margareth stare at Elizabeth eyes and then sighed "I know very well to tell that you're serious". Margareth expression turned serious. "Come! You can go after you defeat me. Theo do not interfere". Theo step back without a word while close his dictionary.

The atmosphere within velvet room turned intense, it only wait for one of those two to make the first move then it will turned chaos battlefield.

"Elizabeth, don't underestimate our guests. Our guests was splendidly overcome their ordeal, do you think they will go down easily?" Igor chuckled seeing their first argument.

Igor pointed at the crystal that display Minato that came out from under the rubble and stand at top of it, he bleeding badly all over his body even from his head a stream of blood running down by passing his right eye. But let alone feel scared he showing his confident grin that only appear when he found the way toward victory.

Elizabeth who saw that confident grin after a long time then close her grimore and sit silently while her attention only focused toward the crystal. Margareth chuckled seeing her little sister who act funny and cute at same time.

"That was pretty hurt". Minato pat his stomach with his left hand and using his right hand to wipe his bleeding mouth.

"Impressive, that attack just now should be able to make most human lose their spirit. I commend you to be able to endure it". There's no hidden motive behind Janus word, he purely impressed by Minato's spirit.

"Well thank you, but I guess you still won't let me go, right?" Minato said jokingly. "Unfortunately not, I wish I can just give you passing mark but, I don't have authority for that. Your only way to pass my trial is to defeat me, and I won't make it easy for you". Janus stare at Minato that standing firmly at the top of rubble, his bleeding body don't make his charisma fallen, it's even make him more shining.

"By the way, can I ask why did you attack me?" Janus is strong, even Minato also think so. But Minato can't think Janus is the one that gave them this ordeal.

"I am Janus, one of the examiners. Our task is to give you a trial to measure whether you all worthy for take the ordeal".

"One of…? So that means you're not the only one?"

"Correct, Each of Infinite shall be judged by different examiners soon after the previous examiner finish his task, whether they can defeat us or get killed by us".

"I can understand most of them, Is there any rule in this trial?"

"Only one, When an Infinite in middle of trial no one can give him/her a help directly".

"So indirect help is allowed?"

"Correct, such as encouragement or anything as long as it's not direct help such as assist him/her to defeat the examiners".

Minato summon Helel to cast 'Salvation'. In an instant Minato wound healed and his body return to normal even though his clothes still torn apart everywhere. Minato jump down and stretch his neck then stare at Janus eyes.

"Alright, I understand the rules, let's continue" Minato glanced at the rubble to search a weapon that he can use. Janus who seeing that nod to himself. "What kind weapon did you mastered?"

Minato look at Janus in wonder but answered anyway. "I can use any kind of weapon but I prefer sword though". Janus throwing his sword toward Minato while saying "Take it".

Minato received the sword easily, Minato impressed when he look at the sword.

"It's a sword of war god called 'Mars'. I give it for you".

"Why are you giving such fine sword to your opponent?"

"I want to give you a chance, it choose its own master. If that sword acknowledged you, it shall become your great support but if it doesn't, it will devour you".

Minato raise '' and examine it, its edge shining under the dark sun. "Do you dare to take it's challenge?". Janus asked for confirmation from Minato who answer it with grin. "No need to ask, I accept it".

Janus smiled like warrior hearing Minato's answer, "Well then, let's continue our duel".

Both Minato and Janus stand still, watching each other with caution. The silence happened for around five minutes until Minato break it.

Minato the ground and with one leap he charged toward Janus. "HAAAAA!" Minato swing 'Mars' without hesitation, Minato can feel that his body became lighter than usual. He move very fast, so fast that even his afterimage still standing on the place he was standing before.

Even faced with that kind of agility, Janus doesn't even slightest surprised. He using his knife and claw to block it. Minato doesn't stop there, He unleash chain of attack furiously. Normal person won't able to see his sword anymore but Janus can block it effectively.

Continuous sound of metal clashing ringing beautifully along with it's sparks. After unleashing more than hundred slash, Minato finally saw the chance that he's waiting for. From the beginning Minato already knew he can't win with sword technique alone, That's why Minato using chain of slash to divert Janus attention from a certain part of his body.

Minato eyes shining with silver flash before he swung 'Mars' from below to slash Janus' chin, but Janus able to barely block it by crossing his claw and his knife. This is what Minato's waiting for, Janus vision is blocked by the weapons, now he can't see Minato's legs. Minato right leg that glowing radiantly because of 'Power Charge' effect kick Janus at the stomach directly, with loud sound Janus thrown back.

Janus immediately rolling himself backward and use his three weapons stab the ground to reduce his speed. Minato summon his persona immediately because he already include this possibility.

"Loki! Niflheim!" The ground instantly turning into ice floor that covered the whole area, it's emitting a blue chill aura that can pierce the bone. The ice covered Janus feet and his weapons that stabbed into the ground. Janus let go of his weapons and break the small ice on his feet so his body won't covered by ice, his weapon's instantly frozen solid.

"Even if my body immune but my weapon is not, huh?". Janus smile self-mockingly. Minato don't give Janus a chance to breath as he already summon another persona.

"Garuda! Garudyne!" A gust of wind gathered and turned into a storm. The pieces of rubble scattered everywhere blown out by the storm. Janus takes a deep breath and then release a huge gust from his mouth with thunderous roar. Two tornados with different spinning direction clashed, creating a total destruction to their surroundings.

Before long, the tornados destroyed each other with huge explosion. Janus readying his stance and prepared for Minato's next attack but he doesn't see Minato anymore. Janus look around, left and right but he can't find Minato.

Exactly above Janus, a figure falling with great speed, it was Minato. The moment when two tornados clashed, Minato immediately ride Garuda to fly high toward the sky while Janus concentration not focused on him. After he thought it's enough, Minato jump down from Garuda and immediately summon metatron to cast 'Heaven's blade' after he cast 'power Charge' by using Mara.

Janus finally noticed but it's too late, for the first time Minato saw Janus with that expression. Realized he can't avoid this unharmed, Janus cross his four arms to block Metatron's attack.

But it was no use, since he already weakened by 'Debilitate' and Minato has been strengthened by 'Heat Riser', it was resulted critical. Minato's 'Heaven's Blade' easily destroyed Janus's weapons and slice him into two.

Three continuous explosion blown apart the ground. The earth is shaking greatly, many crack formed on the ground. There's not even a trace that can tell this place is used to be paulownia mall.

Minato's breathing heavily because he using many energy on that, "If he still unharmed even after all of that, he really is a monster". Minato using 'Mars' to support himself from falling because his leg already lost all it's power.

"To think you can kill us". Minato immediately look at the place where Janus was standing. what he saw it's not a two headed man with four arms but he saw two figure. One white skinned man with 'yang' black mask that cover his left eye and his forehead, and the other is dark skinned man with 'Yin' white mask that cover his right eye and his mouth.

"Congratulation, you passed the trial". The white masked man said that while clapping his hand lightly.

"You are not bad for a FORMER human" The black masked man also compliment Minato, but Minato doesn't miss his strange word. Minato want to ask but just to be awake is take everything for him.

Then both of them said at the same time "In this place, we hereby declared. The one of Infinite, Arisato Minato passed the trial and qualified to shoulder the ordeal".

Their voices resounding to the sky, after they done they flying to the sky. They stopped and then turn toward Minato.

"We shall await eagerly for our next duel"

"At that time we shall become stronger than now, If you don't want to get killed train yourself".

"Ah, before I forget. I leave that sword to you, Looks like it taking liking to you".

After hearing that, Minato's consciousness faded.