Minato had no idea what he was doing as he faced off against a beast in Theo. "Ugh…" barely evading a fist, Minato backtracked and clutched his own chest. That little scare made his vital organ stop beating again.
Theo stared him down and shook his head. He saw no reason to fight, yes he liked torturing the two fools but Minato was so pathetically wasted at the moment that he could barely stand, Theo wasn't expecting a war or any sort.
Minato looked around the dense network of trees and leaned against one to recover his breath. "I can barely move…" he murmured, looking ahead at the former attendant.
"Why are you even here?" Theo asked.
Minato stopped leaning against the three and glared him down. "Thanks for reminding me."
Theo hissed and ran for Minato again, cracking him right on the jaw which made the fool wobble.
Minato growled and tried to retaliate but Theo easily caught his fist and pinned it against the back. "Shit…" Minato tried to grapple his way out but Theo pulled on the arm harshly, drawing out a grunt of pain.
"Let me go," Minato smashed the back of his head onto Theo's face but that only made the platinum blonde male angrier, making him twist the arm roughly.
Minato widened his eyes and kicked him in the nads as hard as he could, making Theo release the grip on his arm. Minato whipped around and kicked the former attendant right in the face, dropping the taller male to a knee.
"Shit…" Minato wanted to follow up but the pain resurfaced again, halting him from attacking further.
Theo shook the pain off and punched Minato right in the middle of his nose.
Minato shook the pain off as well and replied back with a nasty haymaker, momentarily leaving the taller persona user in a daze.
The blue haired fool tried to follow up again but Theo grabbed him by the face and rushed forward, driving Minato's back against a nearby tree. Minato felt the back of his head cracking against the wood before he slumped to the ground, holding his head.
Theo waited for a few seconds and stomped hard on Minato's temple.
"Shit…" Minato panted, holding his chest again. His vision was getting a little blurry again but he shook it off and rolled away from another kick.
Theo followed him and kicked him on the right side of his chest.
"Gack…" Minato senses went numb for a few seconds. That strike connected right on his heart which was already barely working.
Minato desperately rolled over to catch his breath.
Theo glanced at the fool and saw blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. Minato already looked exhausted and finished.
"Hmph," snickering at the condition of his foe, Theo turned around and began walking towards the unconscious redhead just a few yards away.
Minato got up and cringed. "Get away from her…" pulling out the evoker and holding it against his temple, Minato took a deep breath to calm himself down.
"Samael!"
Theo heard the shout and quickly whipped around to sidestep the forward dash of the serpent. The persona quickly coiled around the taller persona user and began to charge the purple sphere of energy in its maw.
"Uriel!" Theo called out and summoned the archangel, unleashing a blast of searing heat that completely consumed and burned the multi-eyed serpent.
"Shit!" Minato called off the persona and ignored the feeling of burns over his body. "I can't let him get close to Hamuko…" trading with Theo in close quarters was always painful but Minato had no choice.
"Just this night…" he whispered and bolted.
Minato slipped a straight and kicked Theo in the leg before evading another strike. "Keep moving Minato, keep moving…." the blue haired fool whispered, hoping to use his speed to batter Theo.
Theo growled and swung his fists around to smash the bluenet but Minato kept moving, slipping and weaving through the blows while replying with short punches and kicks of his own.
Theo aimed a brutal that grazed Minato's head but he managed to duck under. Minato slipped low and punched him on the gut as hard as he could, knocking the breath out of Theo's lungs.
Theo finally grabbed a hold of Minato crashed a knee up the blunet's solar-plexus.
Minato wobbled but Theo didn't let him go and dug a knee up Minato's stomach again. Minato started to claw and smash his way out of the hold but it wasn't working. The gut-shots were really sapping his energy.
Theo curled his hand into a fist and smashed it against Minato's chest.
"…" Minato collapsed to the ground. He couldn't feel his heart for a few moments because the punch jammed his entire system and gave it a read bad shock.
Minato violently coughed out blood and tried to stand up again but Theo Spartan-kicked him on the chest again, sending the blue haired demon flying backwards.
Theo chuckled, that weak-shot was now his focus.
"Get up," Minato willed himself and got up again on wobbly legs.
"Gabriel!"
"Shit," Minato jumped to the left to avoid the oncoming icicles
"Come out," Theo mocked. "Or else…"
Minato cringed and stood out in the open again, having an unconscious Hamuko around the battlefield was not a good idea.
"So freaking hard…" Minato coughed some blood into his fist and wiped it clean on his jacket. He desperately wanted a way out; he badly needed a way out. He could barely force his body to move.
"It hurts, doesn't it?" Theo smirked. "Those fusions…"
Minato gritted his teeth.
"I knew you'd be stupid enough to use them repeatedly," Theo said. "Didn't you get the taste of the horrible consequences after the first time?"
"I was focused on determined on killing them," Minato replied. "It didn't matter the consequences. I was willing to take them all."
"Just like right now," he growled. "She's gonna make her way out alive."
"Look at yourself,"
"I'm still the psychopath I've always been," Minato hissed. "I might be on death doors but don't think this is a walk in the park."
Theo shook his head and zapped towards the teen again.
Minato winced in pain and took a step backwards. "Come on…" he bit his lip. "Don't fail me now…"
Theo ducked low and punched him on the chest again, eliciting a harsh yell of pain.
"Dammit," Minato replied with his own strike but that didn't faze the former attendant at all. He ran forward and pressed Minato against a nearby tree before unloading with brutal shots over his stomach and chest.
Minato yelled out in pain, continually coughing out blood. His vision got darker and darker by every second as Theo kept punching the right side of his chest.
Still holding the near-dead blunet against the cage, Theo started to summon. "Beelzebub!"
Minato kicked Theo right in the nads and broke away from the clinch, running off to safety.
The demon above disappeared and Theo turned around to snarl at the blue haired teen.
Minato bit his lip and closed the distance with a one-two which Theo easily dodged and replied with his own strike to Minato's chin. "Ugh…" Minato bit back the pain and weaved through another straight.
Just midway into another attack, Minato's body failed him and the teen dropped right to his knees. "Oh shit!"
Theo grinned and grabbed a fistful of blue hair before overpowering Minato the ground. Theo smirked and started unloading more brutal shots onto Minato's face, over and over again.
Minato's wounds from the earlier beating opened up again and only got worse as Theo never stopped and kept punching.
Minato clenched his fist, his body still wasn't working, all he could feel was the pain.
Minato shut his eyes close and Theo stopped punching. He looked down at the battered blunet and he looked like car crash victim. His face was barely recognizable now.
Satisfied, Theo started making his way forward.
Minato rolled onto his stomach and wiped the blood from his eyes. "Haaah…" panting, Minato tried to stand up but collapsed again.
Theo stopped and growled at the persistence of the bastard. "Why are you getting up?"
"Why is he getting up?" Sho asked, biting his lip. Minato was spent; there was no way he was going to get up.
Minato crawled forward, closing the distance again.
Theo turned around and glared down the blunet, stomping hard onto Minato's hand.
"Shit…" Minato pulled it away and Theo rolled him over with his feet.
Minato started moving again, much to the former attendant's annoyance.
Theo allowed Minato to get up as when he did, Theo rag-dolled him back to the ground and stomped him on the skull again.
"…" Minato shivered but tried getting up again.
"Stay down!" Theo demanded, cracking him on the jaw.
"No chance…" Minato swallowed the blood pooled in his mouth and gingerly stood up again.
"Just stay down, dammit," Sho hissed from faraway. "This will be a lot easier."
Minato looked over Theo's shoulder and saw the redhead still knocked out. "Just a few more minutes… Get up, Hamuko."
"I'm surprised that you are still alive,"
"Prepare for more," Minato spat and pulled out his evoker again. Theo saw it coming and grabbed a hold of his wrist before snatching the device away.
"Dammit," Minato tried snatching it back but Theo cracked the metal right onto Minato's temple, reducing the gun to tiny metal scraps.
Theo ran the tiny metal scraps all over Minato's face wounds before flooring him with another right.
Minato breathed out and clutched the gash on his forehead, he was sure a few scraps got down there somehow and now, he had no evoker.
"You can't summon either now," Theo said. "Give it up. I will do you a favour, I will kill you quickly and save you from the pain."
Minato rolled onto his stomach and started getting up again.
Theo knocked him back to the ground.
"Shit…" Minato winced.
"Give up," Theo demanded. "You won't even know what will happen to Hamuko. You can stay in peace in the afterlife."
"S-Shut up," Minato spat, enraging Theo further.
Theo ran forward and kicked Minato in the stomach, pushing him backwards against the tree. "I am doing you a favour!"
"Go fuck yourself," Minato spat and got a stomp on his face in return.
Minato slumped down and his mouth started bleeding again. Theo pulled back and nodded. "I've seen a lot of deaths but this is getting a little uncomfortable."
Minato ran his hand over his own chest, hoping to recover the vision.
Theo tried another stomp but Minato slipped low, crawled from under Theo and smashed his face into the tree as hard as he could. Theo's head bounced back and Minato rammed it the thick tree-trunk again.
Minato ducked low and ran his shoulder into Theo's back, sandwiching his body against the tree.
"Ugh…" Theo tried to power out but Minato kept shoulder-thrusting him into the tree.
"Dammit," Minato's vision blurred but he didn't stop and kept assaulting the former attendant, hoping to break a few of his ribs.
Theo finally powered out and elbowed Minato on his chest again, knocking him to the ground again.
Theo immediately pounced on the fallen blunet but was snapped backwards with an up-kick from Minato who rolled away and stood up.
With no evoker, Minato held his fist up to summon Death but… "I'll die if I summon him…"
Theo rubbed his face and released a hell-harpy like screech of pure hate and rage. "You fool!"
Minato held his fists up but Theo started summoning, causing the blunet to curse.
Minato had no choice to avoid the oncoming hell fire. He couldn't summon and wasn't strong enough to take care of the persona himself. "Shit…" Minato collapsed midway through the jump and Theo directed Uriel for the fallen persona user.
Minato felt heat fast approaching but he couldn't move. "Please survive…" he whispered and then yelled out in utter agony as the searing flames blasted right on his back, burning and blasting away the flesh.
Theo called off Uriel and walked his over to the smoking persona user. A vein popped up on Theo's forehead as Minato started getting up again.
Theo zapped forward and stomped his hand again and started putting more weight on, hoping to break every damn bone in Minato's hand.
Minato cringed and pulled it away.
"This is getting nowhere," Sho whispered. Minato was getting destroyed by the fresher and stronger persona user. Theo had absolutely dismantled him till now and Sho was wondering how on earth Minato was still getting up.
Minato suffered more punches before Theo threw him into a nearby trunk. "Ugh…" his bloodied form slowly slid down and Minato closed his eyes for a few moments.
"Hehehe," he snickered, getting on his knees.
Theo ran forward and smashed his face against the tree by his own knee, making blood splatter all over the trunk of the tree.
Theo backed away and Minato collapsed head-first to the ground.
"D-Don't know why I keep getting up…" Minato whispered to himself. "It would be a lot easier to stay down and just die…"
From far away, Minato eyed Hamuko and started shaking as he tried to stand up again. "That damn girl. All her fault…" smirking, Minato got up once again. It was so hard to keep his eyelids open but Minato willed himself and took a stance again, much to Theo's ire.
"Brother," Pharos whispered into his psyche.
Minato panted and clutched his chest as his heart-beat went erratic once more.
"Keep going,"
Theo clicked his tongue and ran forward again but Minato gauged the timing and kicked dust directly onto his face, blinding him momentarily.
Minato grabbed his sword which was lying nearby and ripped away Theo's flesh from the arm.
Theo growled and looked to smash the blunet but Minato weaved through the hit and slashed him on the back, opening up a cut. Usually, the slash was strong enough to completely rip away flesh but Minato was a lot weaker than before and so it only caused a shallow wound.
"Tch," Minato evaded the oncoming shot and aimed a sword thrust for Theo's chest but the taller persona user dodged and head-butted Minato hard on the face before going down to punch his chest again.
Minato froze and his legs started to wobble as darkness began to fill his vision.
"Fight it!" Pharos commanded.
Minato gritted his teeth and head- butted him back, it caused him more damage but it also managed to push Theo away for a few seconds.
"I gotta fight!" Minato willed himself, aiming a lunging right hand. "Ignore the pain!"
Theo sidestepped and punched him on the chest again.
"Ugh!" Minato collapsed to the ground and Theo held out his hands, looking to summon.
"Beelze-" blue mist started swirling around the former attendant.
"For her," Pharos blared into psyche again.
Minato ignored the pain and pulled Theo into a close waist-lock before he started unloading with knee and elbow strikes.
Beelzebub slowly started forming from the mist and glass shards. Minato could feel the persona charging up an absolutely devastating attack.
Minato bit the taller persona user right on the shoulder, drawing out a pain scream from Theo who started punching his head over and over again.
Minato refused to let go and only dug his teeth deeper into Theo's flesh. He couldn't believe that he was resorting to such tactics but he had no choice. "A-Anything…"
Beelzebub disappeared and Theo grabbed a hold of Minato's hair before pulling his head away.
Minato ripped away a good chunk of flesh due to the force, forcing Theo to yell out in pain again. Minato quickly grabbed his sword and aimed a stab for Theo's face.
The avatar of power grabbed the sword but Minato rotated it around and smashed the blunt-end of the weapon directly into Theo's eye.
Minato tried to recover his breath as Theo struggled with his eye.
"Do not stop!" Pharos yelled. "Do not give him a moment to rest!"
"Don't give him a moment to rest, Minato," Sho couldn't believe it, he knew Minato couldn't hear him but he still kept yelling. "Keep pressuring him!"
Minato listened and rushed at the governor of power again, rocking him with repeated blows to the face.
"Focus on the eye," Pharos commanded and Minato just did that as he grabbed a hold of Theo's hair and started punching him already wounded eye over and over again, hoping to handicap his vision.
Theo smashed Minato with a strike of his own.
Minato skidded backwards and nearly collapsed to the ground with his eyes closed.
"NO!" Pharos yelled again.
Minato willed himself and ran forward again, ducking underneath the straight and coming up behind Theo to dig the sword up his already wounded back.
Theo yelled and unleashed a blast of almighty energy that sent Minato flying head-first into a tree.
Theo hissed in pain. The vermin managed to damage his eye. He could barely see out of his right eye and the pain over his body was starting to make him insane.
Theo looked around and ran for Hamuko.
Minato widened his eyes and ran behind him, quickly stopping Theo in his tracks as he grabbed onto the waist again.
"Let me go!" Theo demanded, looking to unleash another blast of energy.
Minato dug deep and suplexed Theo backwards, right on his head. The two quickly scrambled but Theo was a lot slower due to the impact on his head.
Minato got up quicker and soccer-kicked Theo on the violently. He wasted no time and pounced on the governor of power, trying to rip his eyes from the sockets.
Theo charged another sphere of energy but Minato poked him in the wounded eye and proceeded to bash and maul his face further, trying to rip away every bit of flesh from the facial bones.
"What an animal…" Sho said with his mouth wide open. He looked at the other side to see Hamuko still resting against the tree. He could easily kill her but. "Not now…"
Theo pushed Minato backwards who let out a roar and started pulling on his bangs. "Come the fuck on!"
The avatar of power quickly got up to his feet. "What in hell are you….?" he questioned with disbelief. He had beaten Minato senseless and despite that, the blunet was standing and now beating him to the punch.
"I won't die after such a tragedy," Minato swore. "You aren't taking this away you son of a bitch!"
Theo shivered as he glanced at a blue-eyed child standing next to Minato. He had experienced fear before but the child was giving off such a deathly aura that it reminded Theo or something.
The same feeling he got when Hamuko met him for the first time.
"HAHAHAH!" Theo laughed out as well. "This is spectacular!"
"It is!" Minato yelled in response. "For the first time, I feel like a goddamn hero. The goddamn fool who doesn't who doesn't know when to give up and die."
Theo stopped laughing and growled.
"I've mocked and insulted heroes all the time. Who the hell goes out of their way to protect and care for people?" Minato said. "But right now, being a hero isn't too bad."
Minato's right eye lost the vision as his heart smashed against his rib-cages, forcing out blood from his mouth. "Ugh…"
Minato clutched his chest and ignored the loss of vision in his eye. "I can feel it. The embrace of death is creeping closer…"
Theo took his stance again.
Black mist started to swirl around the frame of the blunet. "Come on…" Minato said through gritted teeth. He could feel some sort of energy running over his heart, hardening the organ.
Theo ran for Minato again who met the charge head on.
"Did you forget that she beat you to near death?" Theo demanded to know as Minato evaded his punches.
"I deserve that," Minato smashed his shoulder into Theo's gut again.
"Persona!" Theo got angry and summoned Gabriel.
Minato crossed his arms and endured the frigid blast that pushed him backwards. "Piece of shit!" he growled in utter hate. Theo could see it clearly; the foul-mouthed, remorseless demon was coming back slowly and slowly. The look in Minato's eye screamed a very violent murder.
The black mist around Minato's body started to get thicker.
"For Hamuko," Pharos kept encouraging the blunet. "You have to see her again. You have to. That is all you need to keep in mind."
Minato ignored the surging pain over his body and gave a psychotic smirk to the governor of power.
"Nobody is getting in my and Hamuko's way," Minato looked back and saw the redhead. "Nobody…" his head snapped back just when Theodore got close and that managed to give him a jump scare.
"Sandalphon!" Theo summoned his strongest persona.
Minato could feel the black mist raging inside his body. He didn't know what was going on but it was helping him numb the pain.
"Here take this…" Pharos whispered, placing a hand on Minato's shoulder. "Take this and murder him!"
Minato could feel a mad-rush of power smashing into the sea of his soul. It was amazing, he had felt it before, it was power of Death. Minato had felt it several times before, whenever he summoned the monstrosity but it came with a price. The exhaustion and fatigue was really taxing on his body but this time, Minato felt power and nothing else.
"Hahahah!" Minato started laughing as his eyes widened in the madness of the dark power. "Get ready to die you son of a bitch!"
Sandalphon emerged on the battlefield.
"I'm going to fucking mutilate your filthy corpse!" Minato gave another psycho-smirk, licking the blood off his lips. "Rip out every bit of your disgusting intestines!"
Theo took a step back as a wave of dark energy erupted from Minato, tumbling the nearby trees.
"Glory to Death!" Minato yelled out in his demonic voice and unleashed a mightier blast of darkness that sent Theo crashing to the ground. "Hahahah! Behold the hunter of all!"
"Do it," Pharos gave him a little push and Minato started summoning.
"Thanatos!" his call for the Death God was answered by a bestial roar that shook Theo to the core. The avatar of power took a few steps backwards, gazing hard into the widened eyes of the insane blunet.
Another roar made Sho take a step back. "Goddamn!" he couldn't believe it. Minato was turning the tables.
Thanatos appeared behind the vessel of Death with another maddening scream that Minato grin from ear to ear.
"Get ready for oblivion!" Minato laughed and forward at lightning speed.
"Sandalphon!" Theo commanded his persona.
"Thanatos!" Minato shouted in hate.
The two personae crashed into each other, occasioning a brutal shockwave that rocked every single tree in the forest. "Die. Die. DIE!" Minato started laughing as Theo punched him on the face. He caught the next Minato into his palm and gave out a maddening shout right in Theo's face as the two personae struggled above them.
The trees started shaking as the archangel and God of Death kept pressing into each other, trying to find an opening.
"You pissed off the wrong fire breathing son of a bitch!" Minato widened his eyes further, ignoring the blood leaking out of his eyes and ears. His body was somehow functioning. "I'm gonna cripple your ass! I'll fucking reduce to ashes, you filthy piece of shit!"
Thanatos finally found an opening and ripped the archangel's head off, causing Theo to disengage and scream out in pain.
Minato found the opening as well and smashed the governor of power on the face again.
Theo responded by punching his chest again, drawing out a raspy 'fuck' from the blunet. However, he quickly shook it off and punched Theo to the ground before swarming on him with repeated punches to the skull that wobbled Theo.
Theo struggled around and grabbed onto Minato's sword which was nearby. Minato didn't see the sword coming and Theo dug the blade right up Minato's gut.
Minato widened his eyes and immediately pulled back. "Shit!" he cursed out.
Theo rushed forward and slashes his face.
Minato wobbled backwards, holding onto his face which was horrific to look at now. He was already beaten by Hamuko and Theo and now the slash managed to rip his entire cheek open.
Minato punched the wound to somehow stop the bleeding and caught the next slash between his palms. "Grrr…" Minato's vision faded completely for a few seconds but his near death experience earlier brought him back to reality. "Not yet!"
Minato pushed Theo and lunged at him.
Theo evaded and punched him on the heart again.
Minato violently coughed out blood as Theo pushed him against another tree and started pounding him again and again on his heart. The vital organ was a target of Theo from the starting and he had punched Minato repeatedly, hoping he would die.
Minato released a vicious scream and grabbed onto Theo's wrist with a murderous look in his eye. "You fucking bitch!"
Theo narrowed his eyes and tried to power out. Usually, he was able to overpower Minato with no problem but this time, something was different.
The black coat around Minato began to get thicker and thicker. Death's hold around Minato increasing every second and it was making Theo quake in his boots.
Minato retaliated with a punch on Theo's nose and took a deep breath. His death was near. He could feel it. Warning bells were ringing in his mind.
Minato looked back to Hamuko and smiled. "Just a few more minutes, Hamuko, that's all I got…"
Theo knocked Minato to the ground and ran over him, right for the redhead.
Minato shot like a bullet behind him, jumping at his legs and tripping Theo to the ground.
Theo rocked Minato with an up-kick and ran for Hamuko again.
"Thanatos!" Minato roared out, summoning the Death God.
Theo caught the slicing sound of the sword cutting through the wind. The former attendant quickly turned around and barely avoided the gigantic sword that was aimed for his head.
"Megidola!" Minato shouted but bit back his words. Such a powerful attack would no doubt harm Hamuko or make the forest catch fire and he didn't want that. He called off Thanatos, not wanting to take a risks.
Instead, Minato ran for the governor of power again just when Theo got close to Hamuko. The two rolled forward and another scramble ensured in which Theo came out on top and smashed Minato's head against a bunch of rocks.
Minato held onto the back of his head and saw Theo about to stomp the life out of a defenceless Hamuko.
Willing himself to stand, Minato bolted and dug his fist deep down the wound on Theo's back, drawing out a brutal yell of pain.
Minato kicked Theo backwards who responded with a sphere of flames in mid-air, right for the redhead.
Minato grabbed onto Hamuko and shielded her, taking the flames on his back. "S-Shit…" clock was ticking; every attack that Theo dealt made Minato lose the vision in his only working eye.
"Hamuko," Minato glanced at the knocked out female and nodded slowly. "Guess you're the one who is making me do this…" he breathed out. Sure Minato had battled powerful foes but this was on another level, he never knew he would be able to push through a situation such as the current one.
"Never knew I had that much will-power," Minato whispered.
"Beelzebub!"
Minato didn't move and still had his back turned at the governor of power and his persona. Blood was dripping his face and Minato tasted a little of the crimson liquid and started summoning again.
"Thanatos!" Minato called out the Dark God again.
Minato grabbed onto Hamuko and pulled her close. There was going to be a horrific collision and protecting the redhead was his number one priority.
"Haaah…" Minato panted out, blood leaking out of the numerous wounds on his battered body. "It'll be alright…" he whispered, crossing his arms around Hamuko before turning around.
Theo saw the blue haired devil holding onto his former guest and it made him sick to his stomach. Beelzebub began charging up three spheres of almighty energy and Minato took his stance again.
"Megidola!" Minato commanded, tightening the hold around Hamuko. This was going to hurt him a lot. The Death God began charging up the weaker spell between his maw and Minato braced himself for the explosion of almighty energy.
"Die!" Theo shouted as his persona chucked the three balls straight for the two teens.
Minato looked at Hamuko and roared back in response. "Only me!"
Thanatos unleashed the weaker attack straight for the oncoming spheres. The two spells crashed together, detonating a hellish shockwave and blast of pure energy that tore through the forest trees and plants, ripping most of them away from the roots.
"Shit!" Sho crossed his arms, hoping to save his face from the dust and debris.
Minato growled as his body started to shut down. He lost the feeling in his right arm but he didn't let go off Hamuko. "Just a little more…"
Theo started laughing as the two personae disappeared but the spells kept meshing together, detonating more explosions that rocked the entire forest. It was obvious that Theo's spell was far stronger than the weaker Megidola.
"Ugh…" Minato shielded Hamuko again, taking the little blobs of almighty energy on his own body.
"Dammit," Minato's heart was minutes away from stopping; the cold was seizing his entire body, slowly by slowly. He was going to die and both of them were going to blow up in pieces from the almighty spell.
Purple bolts began to crackle around the two attacks, with the larger sphere slowly overtaking the smaller one.
Minato gritted his teeth, concentrating his SP to fight back the attack but his health was fading away fast, so was his mind. Minato was sure that if he closed his eyes one more time, he was going to die.
"M-Minato," the blue haired demon widened his eyes as Hamuko whispered out his name.
Minato ignored the violent collision and looked down to see the redhead with one eye open.
"Y-You're winning right?" Hamuko choked out. "M-My demons aren't troubling you…. Right?"
Minato remained silent and looked back at the two attacks. Theo was grinning like a mad-man, he could see victory and death on the horizon.
"…"
"You'll take care of them, right?"
"I will," Minato replied as black mist started spiralling around him again. "I promise I will…"
Hamuko closed her eyes again and the dark coat around Minato began to intensify.
Theo saw through the spells and witnessed Minato wrapped up in darkness. The vessel of Death looked right into Theo's soul.
Minato had no idea where he was getting all the power. Someone was looking out for him. "Heh…" Minato smirked, thinking of a certain blue eyed demon child. "That little stalker…"
More purple bolts began to crackle around the gigantic sphere of purple energy and Theo widened his eyes in madness, he was going to win this one. He was so close.
Minato didn't mind the bolts or the air-pressure of the attack.
"This is the end!" Theo yelled out.
Minato looked at the conflicting spells and his eyes turned pitch-black. "Only for me, I told you."
"Grrr,"
The smaller sphere of purple energy began to emit the same black mist that Minato was coated in, surprising the avatar of power. "What the…" Theo dug his feet into the ground and pulled more energy into the attack but the spells were at a stalemate now.
Minato's spell turned purplish-black in colour and this time, black bolts began to surge around Minato's attack.
Theo started to struggle, he could feel his almighty spell being overpowered and pushed backwards. The darkened spell of Minato was far stronger somehow.
Minato held out his palm towards the purplish-black mass of energy that was seconds away from exploding.
"This can't be happening," Theo growled, barely able to stand upright. The dark blasts coming from the mass were pushing him backwards while Minato wasn't affected in the slightest. He was still holding onto the unconscious redhead.
Minato looked Theo in the eye again.
Theo noticed it and sucked in a deep breath.
"This is the end for you and me,"
"No, no, no!" Theo yelled out but it was cut off by a sickening bang sound as the spells detonated, occasioning an absolutely gigantic explosion of almighty energy and darkness that made the ground shake before reaching up to the skies.
Minato groaned and turned his back against the oncoming bolts of energy to save Hamuko from damage. "Shit…" both of them collapsed to the ground but Minato remained steady on his hands, not trying to collapse on top of her.
Theo let out a roar of pain as the attack rebounded and consumed him from head to toe, crushing his bones and burning his flesh.
"Shit," Sho was blown away due to the wave of energy that came forth from the explosion.
Minato clenched his jaw and kept hovering over Hamuko because another explosion was on its way. "So tired…" he breathed out, his body was so exhausted and bruised. He had no idea how he made it this far. "Just a few more seconds…."
Theo saw his life flash before his eyes one final time amidst the horrifically powerful fusion spell. "So this is it…"
Minato's brain rattled as the final explosion blew apart the forest. "Dammit…" Minato's back was nearly devoid of flesh at this point but when he looked down, the fool gave a small smile. Hamuko was safe, she was a little cut up and bruised but she was breathing.
"Holy hell…" Sho panted, looking at the decimated forest with wide eyes. Minato had won…. He really won with both of his feet in the coffin.
…
…..
Minato pulled himself off of Hamuko and rolled onto his back, letting out deep breaths. "So, this is what exhaustion feels like…." Exhaustion wasn't even the correct word; Minato could barely move his pinky. "At least she's safe…" Minato groaned, he was so out of energy, he had no idea how to heal her wounds.
Minato heard a pained growl and crawled forward. Theo was buried into the ground, beaten and charred from the fusion spell.
Minato vomited out blood but stood up on his feet, dragging himself over to the wounded avatar of power.
Theo tried getting up but Minato saw it coming and pounced on him, digging up the sword right into Theo's heart.
The governor of power yelled out in pain but Minato clasped his mouth shut and dug the sword deeper into the wound before he started to twist and turn the metal inside. Minato knew how resilient Theodore was and this time, he fully intended on finishing the battle.
"Heh," Minato turned the blade again, watching with delight as the avatar of power tried to squirm away from the weight.
Minato only had one working eye by that point. He just had a few more seconds.
"Ugh," Minato's aorta got clogged up again and the fool suffered another stroke that made him hack out some more blood but despite that, Minato kept rotating the blade as life started to leave Theo's eyes.
Minato wiped his face clean and brought it closer towards Theo. "I have to say thank you. I never knew this level existed…"
Theo closed his eyes but he was breathing very faintly.
"You also brought me and Hamuko closer, despite your stupid ways…." Minato pulled out the sword and cringed due to another heart-attack. "Fuck!"
Theo's body started to break apart and he opened his eyes for the last time. "Your suffering will never end…"
Minato punched his chest and drove the sword right for Theo's heart. "I know…" he thought back to the hell he saw in his experience. The demented persona user stood up and collapsed to the ground just a few feet away from Theo. "I'll die in peace at least…"
Theo gave a chuckle and closed his eyes again. His body was slowly and slowly fading away.
Minato ignored the phenomena and crawled over to Hamuko.
"Darn it," the male cursed, his body quivering with every movement. "Hamuko…" he crawled over to the redhead and his working eye started losing the light as well.
Minato was all alone with the wounded redhead in the middle of the decimated forest. He had no energy left to heal her, not even a bead or potion.
"Darn it," Minato coughed some more blood. "A-Anyone?" he tried to yell but it only caused him more pain. Minato punched his own chest and tried yelling out again.
"Somebody help!" he shouted, getting to his feet.
"He's calling for help?" Sho blinked. Minato of all people was calling for help.
"Darn it," Minato cleared his throat and started yelling out for help again. "Anyone, dammit, someone help her…"
Nobody came.
Minato willed himself to stay alive for a few more minutes, hopefully get Hamuko to the dorm or at least outside the forest. The fool stumbled forward and collapsed to the ground again, holding his gut in pain. He couldn't bear the damn pain any longer.
Minato shook Hamuko awake but she didn't respond. "G-Guess I have to…" Minato was about to pick her up and hope for a miracle but stopped when he sensed another massive power approaching.
"Who the hell now…" he turned around, deathly afraid of another battle. He couldn't go on any longer.
"Who the hell is this girl?" Sho blinked and took a step back because the new girl was powerful as all hell. He didn't have a support persona but something in his gut told him that the girl was extremely powerful.
Elizabeth looked around the decimated forest and gave out a sigh. There was no sign of Theo and that meant that Minato had succeeded. "Theodore…" the attendant let out another sigh. He was finally released.
Minato instantly recognized the crazy powerful attendant. "E-Elizabeth…" he hadn't seen her in ages, ever since he tore apart the contract in the velvet room.
Elizabeth opened her mouth to speak but Minato cut in sharply. "Shut your damn mouth and heal Hamuko."
Elizabeth frowned.
"Please," Minato clasped his hands together. "I-I beg of you, please heal Hamuko."
"…" Elizabeth widened her eyes, was the vessel of death really begging for someone else? Begging for a mortal no less.
"I just have seconds left," Minato begged again. "I want to see her just one time."
"You freed my brother," Elizabeth responded.
"Freed?"
"Freed from the corruption," Elizabeth walked over to the injured redhead before crouching before Hamuko.
Minato didn't care and slowly lowered himself as Elizabeth started healing Hamuko. "T-Thank you so much…" he breathed out, resting on the ground and shutting his eyes close.
Elizabeth looked back at the now paralyzed teenager with a hint of worry. She looked back and continued healing.
Minato bit his lip, he was going to die. He had managed to save Hamuko and it felt great but now, as death crept closer and closer, Minato started to shiver. He had experienced the cold embrace of death and it was coming back to him.
Hamuko blinked and opened her eyes to see Elizabeth hovering over her. "Elizabeth-san?"
Minato heard the voice and opened up his good eye. He managed to catch Hamuko for a few seconds before his vision went away completely.
Hamuko didn't thank Elizabeth; instead she rushed past her and stopped right before the dying blunet. "Minato!" Hamuko didn't know how to touch him; every part of him was absolutely battered.
Elizabeth stood up and watched on.
"I managed to see you for a second," Minato breathed out.
"Minato," Hamuko wiped her eyes. "Just what on earth happened to you…?" she looked over his face and cringed, there were so many gnarly wounds; most of them were caused by her no less.
"Don't you dare die," Hamuko yelled at him.
"I'm sorry I hid this from you," Minato choked out. "I didn't want to make you worry."
"You're killing me right now," Hamuko sobbed. She grabbed his hand and forced him to stand up but Minato couldn't get his body off the ground, he felt completely numb from head to toe.
"I'm sorry for what I did to you, Hamuko," Minato apologized.
Hamuko wiped her eyes and turned to Elizabeth. "Heal him!" she shouted at the platinum blonde female who stood there, not moving. "Elizabeth please!"
Elizabeth didn't reply.
"Ugh," Minato hacked out some more blood and Hamuko clasped her hands together. It was so painful, they finally reunited, with no supernatural factors but this happened. Minato was going to die and Hamuko had no idea how to deal with that.
"I beg of you, heal Minato," Hamuko broke down and begged the attendant to heal him.
Elizabeth finally moved and crouched down next to Minato. Elizabeth had never seen a worse display of wounds. It was a miracle that he was still breathing.
"If I remember correctly, you said you would embrace death with open arms, would you not?" Elizabeth asked.
Hamuko widened her eyes. "You moron! Why on earth did you say that!?"
"…" Minato remained silent.
"This isn't just your life anymore!"
"Well, Minato-sama, what do you say?" Elizabeth asked again. "Is death still a salvation to you?"
Minato moved slightly. "I've felt the cold, rough embrace of death…" he breathed out. "Hell no…"
"I'm afraid to die,"
Hamuko widened her eyes.
"I don't want to leave this world, it's good, bad and ugly but it's my world," Minato's voice cracked. "Please save me from death…" he pleaded.
Elizabeth smiled slightly.
"I want to live," Minato declared.
"Just one condition," Elizabeth summoned a familiar red folder from thin air. "You sign the contract again and as a resident of the velvet room, I will help you."
Minato couldn't move, much less write out his name on the dotted line.
Hamuko clasped his hand and brought his bloodied thumb towards the dotted line. She pressed it against the paper, leaving a fingerprint of blood.
"I accept the contract again," Minato said. "I-I can't deal with the pain any longer. Please heal me…" he had no words to describe the feeling. Minato usually shrugged the wounds off but this time, it was eating him alive from the inside.
"Haaah…" Minato wanted the pain-free body back. He wanted life within him back. To hell with death and pain, he wanted to be normal, just like the rest.
Just like Hamuko….
Elizabeth rolled him over and placed her hands on his chest as she started to heal him.
Hamuko sighed and looked at the blunet fondly. Minato was changing, after long months of cruelty, he was finally changing. "Minato, you're returning…" he came back for her. Came back and fought against a monster like Theo despite being on death doors. "You always take care of my demons…."
Elizabeth's face was started to sweat but Minato was starting to gain life back. The relentless healing spells from Elizabeth were surely working.
Hamuko smiled. Minato came back for her, not for the piece of Death. It was gone, the magnet inside her was gone but Minato still came to her.
"Minato," Hamuko wiped her eyes. "It's been such a painful journey…" the last few months were crazy. So much had happened but Hamuko thought ahead, good times were definitely ahead of them for now.
Minato regained the vision and looked up the skies, thanking whatever deity for giving him life once again. "It's been such a painful journey…" he sighed to himself.
Elizabeth kept pumping Salvation after Salvation into his body and Minato felt the maddening pain washing away. "Feels so good…" he spent the last few months in complete pain but now, he felt at peace. The always lingering pain and pressure was going away. The war-scars were finally healing and the mental scars were closing up as well.
"Screw death," Minato snickered. "Life is wonderful as hell…."
Finally, after a few more minutes, Elizabeth pulled away panting as her work was done. "Welcome back, Minato-sama…"
Minato slowly sat up and looked down at his body. It was healed. The pain was gone. Life was flowing through his veins. He was saved.
Hamuko crawled her way towards him and sniffed. "You idiot…"
"I always was," Minato admitted with a chuckle.
Hamuko closed the distance and hugged him tightly. "Minato," she choked out, holding onto him tightly.
"Hamuko," Minato hugged her back, clinging desperately onto her like a child who was deathly afraid of being pulled away. He really didn't want to let go, after all that happened in the past few weeks, Minato wanted to hug her for weeks.
Unfortunately, the hug was broken by the sound of sniffing.
Elizabeth was looking at them and struggling to hold her tears. "Heart-wrenching…"
Minato broke the hug and looked at her. "Warming…" he corrected.
Elizabeth paused and felt the chill. "It is a little cold here."
Minato slapped his forehead.
"Thank you, Elizabeth-san," Hamuko bowed. "Thank you for everything."
Elizabeth stood up and before Hamuko could elbow Minato, the male already spoke up. "Thank you…"
Elizabeth smiled. The vessel of death was finally changing, moving away from the shadows. She doubted it but it was really happening.
"My master will be waiting for you, Minato-sama," Elizabeth smiled. "I'm happy to have to you back." With that, Elizabeth turned on heels and walked away quickly, disappearing from sight and leaving the two fools alone.
Hamuko looked at him and sighed. "So much to talk about…"
Minato looked away. "So much apologies…"
"Let's head to somewhere else, like a park," Hamuko grabbed his hand and made him stand up. "I don't like the vibe around this place…"
"Whatever you say,"
…
Minato sat on the grass, directly under the moonlight. The blue haired persona user glanced at his body and then at his fist. This was nothing short of a miracle; he was completely healed and brought back from death, twice.
"How do you feel?" Hamuko asked.
"I feel happy," Minato replied.
The two sat in silence for a little while. Minato glanced at the redhead and cringed upon remembering the past few weeks. They were pure hell now that he remembered so many spats and mean-mugging for no reason. Minato had no idea what got into him, it was like someone just switched something off.
"H-Hey," Minato choked out. "I-I don't know where to start…"
"I don't either," Hamuko replied, looking up at the yellow moon. "Fates really doesn't like us, huh Minato?"
"I guess…" Minato said. "I mean, look at the shit we went through. Shit just doesn't stop."
"But we got through it, right?" Hamuko squeezed his hand. "We got through it and I have to say…" she leaned closer. "Our bond is stronger than before…"
Minato cringed at the word. "Bond? I really don't deserve that with you…"
Hamuko paused. "To be honest, I really wanted to murder you…."
Minato looked at her and spread out his arms, offering Hamuko his chin. "Go ahead. Take out the frustration you want. I deserve every bit of your scorn…."
Hamuko winced upon remembering that she beat Minato to near-death just an hour ago. And despite that, Minato came running to save her from Theodore.
The two sighed in unison, there was so much to discuss and say. Minato's health, his change in attitude and back, Hamuko had so many questions.
Despite that, the redhead got closer and hugged him tightly.
Minato breathed out, he missed the warmth dearly.
"I have so many questions but I'll just be happy that you came back, Minato," she smiled. Minato was his usual sweet and quiet self that he was previously and this time, there was no supernatural pull between them.
Hamuko sighed in peace; Minato was in love with her now, not the piece of death inside her.
"Do you love me, Minato?"
"You have no idea," Minato replied with a smile, wrapping an arm around her waist. "I pretty much suck without you. Hell, I nearly died without you when I battled Sho…"
"All this time, you were the one saving me," Minato said. "I pretty much can't live without you…. These last few weeks weren't living at all. I was more of a wreck than I ever was…"
"You really picked up the life I gave up on, Hamuko," Minato smiled again. He hugged her tighter as Hamuko kept silent. "I won't leave you again…"
"And I won't be left behind again…" he choked out.
Hamuko nearly cried out in joy. He was really back. The bond was still intact.
Minato leaned back slightly. "These weeks were pure hell. The pain, the spats, the beating, the moment when I realized how badly I fucked up…"
"It's alright," Hamuko pinched his cheek. "All is well if it ends well…"
"Guess so," Minato replied. "Those visions won't stop for a while…"
"Stop thinking over that, dammit," Hamuko hissed at him and Minato shrunk backwards slightly, like he used to do before. "I'm going to put it all behind me. We've already been through so much shit; thinking about more of it won't help."
Minato blinked.
"Stop. Take a deep breath and put all the bad stuff behind yourself, Minato. Just be glad that we're together again, fuck all that happened. Live in the moment…"
"You're right," Minato nodded. "I'll just be happy that I got you back…"
"Sweet," Hamuko giggled. "That's my Minato…"
"Yeah, he's back and he isn't going away again,"
Hamuko leaned her head against Minato's shoulder and let out a sigh. "You're still the same right?" Hamuko nudged him. "You're still the psychotic, remorseless prick who will maim anyone who comes near me, right?"
Minato's eye twitched. He reached out and began to caress Hamuko's cheek softly, the place where Takaya gave Hamuko another scar. Minato couldn't do anything before but he remembered it all too well. It was all gone due to the healing from earlier but it now forever burned into his psyche.
"Minato?" Hamuko blinked.
"I still remember my promise," Minato replied. "I'm going to slaughter Takaya. That son of a bitch still breathes. I'll get back at him for everything he did to you, a thousand fold…"
"I hope you do," Hamuko said. "You're the only one who can stand up to him. He killed Shinjiro-senpai. Take vengeance Minato. I'm still alive because he sacrificed himself…"
Minato looked up at the skies briefly. "Shinjiro sacrificed himself to save you…."
Minato was fully healed and he was hell bent on getting back at Takaya for the time he shot Hamuko in the back. And now, he was going to cover that bastard in scars, just like he did to Hamuko.
Minato looked at her cheek again and growled. "We'll get through this Hamuko. I'm going to throw Takaya next to your feet, I promise…"
Hamuko grabbed his chin, freezing him momentarily. "Kiss Minato?"
Minato blushed as Hamuko pressed her forehead against his.
SMASH!
Death Arcana Rank 8
Hamuko closed the distance and Minato responded in kind.
…
Pharos watched the couple share a passionate kiss from miles away. It brought a smile to his face and tears to his eyes.
He was thoroughly exhausted. Pushing and powering up Minato took a whole out of him, especially since Minato was so broken and near death. "This feeling…" he whispered, looking at the two with a fond smile. His two vessels were reunited finally and it brought him joy which was ironic because his role was to separate loved ones but here, he was taking joy in bringing them closer.
Pharos wiped his eyes, in the same exact way Minato did.
Death was a violent entity that existed long before man did. It was cold, ruthless and demonic that relished destruction and carnage. The overwhelming bloodlust it carried was staggering but now, Death had changed somewhat.
Pharos had grown rather attached to his carrier.
His brother, Minato Arisato, the carrier of Death. The most cursed mortal alive.
Pharos had watched over Minato ever since the car accident. The entire emotional trauma Minato went through, Pharos felt it too. He felt every bit of the abuse that Minato had to endure over the past 10 years.
Slowly and slowly, Pharos had grown attached to Minato. At first he didn't know who he really was but then the memories came rushing back, reminding Pharos that he was the 13th Arcana but despite that, despite the influx of bloodlust and rage, Pharos never forgot about Minato and always held a soft spot.
Pharos looked at his hands and shivered when he thought back to an hour ago where he nearly killed Minato. He could hardly believe he did that to his brother.
"Brother…" Pharos whispered as Minato and Hamuko hugged each other. "I'm sorry for what I did to you…."
"But I'll be selfish like you are," Pharos took a step back. "I'm glad. Despite all that you went through because of me, I'm glad that I ended up with you…"
Pharos hung his head and a stray tear escaped his eye. "I'm so sorry…" he glanced at Minato's smiling face from a mile away and cringed. That smile wasn't going to remain for long. Minato's suffering was far from over.
It was a curse for harbouring such a blasted entity.
Pharos sometimes felt that his new emotions were a curse. It caused him so much pain at times. "Take care…." the blue-eyed child gave another fond smile as he disappeared into the darkness. "I won't let anything touch you as long as I'm around you…"
….
Sho watched the two from a distance as well. Minato was back and fully healed. He had defeated Theo and no doubt, Minato had gotten stronger.
"Tch," it wasn't because of training or some bullshit power-up, Sho knew very well why. He glanced at the female who was resting beside him and bit his lip. "I can't believe this…"
It was because of Hamuko. Minato had grown stronger because of her as much as he hated to admit that.
Sho took a step forward but he knew for a fact that he was going to get his ass kicked if he fought Minato right now. There was something different about him now.
"I need an answer," the scarred male said to himself. "I guess this bullshit about bond is sort of true…." he thought back to battle that happened a few minutes ago. The battle where Minato was getting destroyed but still getting up to protect Hamuko.
If it was Minato fighting for himself alone, Sho was sure he would have gave up and released himself from the pain but because of Hamuko, he kept getting up, again and again.
"Dammit," Sho had multiple chances to kill both Hamuko and Minato but he relented. Heck, he even rooted for Minato kill Theo and get out alive because Sho needed Minato.
Sho needed Minato for the answer.
"You're something amazing," despite all the battles, Sho had grown to respect Minato. Respect his fighting ability and power. "And the only one who can help me…"
Sho turned around and started walking away. He looked over his shoulder and saw the couple one more time and it induced a strange feeling inside him.
"Heh, fighting for someone else…" Sho wondered. "I wonder what it feels like…"
"Rest up and pay back the debt, Minato," Sho made up his mind. He was going to train his ass over to prove that the bonds bullshit was just that, bullshit. "I hope…"
"No, it is bullshit!" the redhead growled and quickly ran off, shouting and yelling the same words over and over again. "I'll beat him and prove it!"
…
Minato had changed and he himself was starting to see it. The hate and rage had died down, month after month and now, Minato swore to stop killing people because after experiencing the near death situation and battling through the hardest battle of his life, Minato had grown to appreciate life.
"You've come a long way, Minato," Hamuko kissed his cheek. He surely had, he had come a long way from the ruthless demon he was in April. "A really long way…"
"I guess I have," Minato chuckled.
"Do you like it?"
"Yeah," Minato smiled. "Because I got you here with me…"
Hamuko giggled.
Minato had still all the motivation in the world to kill Takaya and end the Dark Hour but after that, Minato was going to spend his life like a normal human being, alongside Hamuko.
Before this, he wanted nothing more than to kill and abuse people because it brought him great joy.
Times had changed.
The battle and phenomena he went through were life-altering experiences and they surely changed the psychotic blunet.
"Maybe… For the better," he chuckled.
Phew finally done. 10k words dammit. That is a record, I'm sure. I have a few notes.
1) Truth be told, I added Theo just for the hell of it at first (no direction) but I think it ended a little nicely. The Elizabeth part was a little BS but the whole thing did do a couple of things.
2) Minato has changed. Like Hamuko said, he's come a long way from the demon that first arrived at the dorm. He's finally accepting his rapidly changing morality. The psycho scenes aren't going away as you can see but Minato had changed, esp after the two events.
3) Sho is changing as well. Expect a final battle soon.
4) You can see how dependent Minato is on death. Pharos made him win the fight, without him, Minato would have most likely died. What will happen when death completely leaves him? Well, read to find out.
5) Like said, Minato's suffering is far from over, this was only a trailer. Call it karma or call him cursed for carrying death.
6) Last chapter for a little while. It's combat sports week (and my bday) in a few days so Imma chill for a while. o/ but still, i hope you enjoyed this. There might be a few typos which I will fix after I get some fricking sleep... and a new laptop because this keyboard is whacky.
Hope you enjoyed this. Don't forget to review and thank you for sticking around so far with my crappy story. :P I'm sure that I can give you a good ride till the end. Thanks for reading.
Cheers! \o/... *drops dead* zzzzz...