Painful shit up ahead. Just a warning.
Minato sidestepped the lunging blade and ducked underneath the vertical swipe to slam his knee up Takaya's solar-plexus, drawing out a small grunt of pain from the possessed persona user. Minato laterally moved away from another barrage of slashes and summoned his own sword to block the next swipe.
Takaya howled upon the collision and slashed open Minato's stomach with Surt's blade which ignited the fool's body moments with searing flames.
Minato clenched his fist and expelled a small amount of dark magic to extinguish the flames. There it was again, the pain was greatly lessened and this time, he knew why.
"Keep going,"
Minato nodded at the child-like voice and pressed forward again.
Takaya saw the blunet advancing and this time, instead of keeping range, the multitude of Gods raging inside his psyche forced the persona user to charge ahead at the wild card.
Minato taunted him. "Come on! Let's see what you sons of bitches can do!"
As much as Minato hated to admit it, dueling and trading with Sho so many times had made him better in sword-fighting. And of course, Mitsuru helped in that regard too.
"Hah, that all?" Minato deflected the twin swords with his blade and countered with a rapid volley that forced Takaya back.
Minato surged forward again and kicked the off-guard male in the sides, momentarily doubling him over. Takaya quickly regained his footing and punched Minato across the face with a fist infused with fire just as he was in lunging in with another kick.
The strike connected and Minato scowled as dark mist began to cover up the burn, easing down the pain on his face and stopping the flames from spreading.
"Impressive…" the multitude of voices spoke together.
"This is nothing," Minato scoffed and edged the possessed male to come forward again.
Takaya jabbed the blazing sword in Minato's direction and fired a torrent of hell flames from the tip of the blade.
Minato switched briefly to a null persona and ran through the flames as fast as he could.
Takaya gritted his teeth and the flames began to burn more intensely. "Fire Break…"
Minato immediately jumped out to the side just when his immunity was washed away. "Too late!" he spat, emerging next to Takaya and firing a body kick to his mid-section that doubled him over again.
Minato grabbed another rough grip around the face of the taller persona user and smashed him into the wall before he started unloading with more short elbows and punches, splattering the disgusting green blood with every shot of his magic infused fists.
Eventually, Takaya caught his fists and infused his knuckles with thunder and fire, making Minato pull back in pain.
"Grr!" Minato charged at his foe again but ended up running into the wall as Takaya sidestepped.
This time, Takaya fired a body-kick that struck Minato.
"Ugh,"
Takaya fired another kick that Minato caught. He looked up at Takaya and snorted. "Hah!" Minato lifted Takaya off of his feet and hurled the taller male into the wall, shattering the structure into pieces and opening up another area of the floor.
Minato cracked his knuckles as the coat of dark magic began to burn like fire around his frame.
"Hurry up," Pharos whispered.
Takaya stood up again. A throbbing vein was very prominent on his forehead, indicating the Gods were irritated with the blunet.
The two summoned their blades and locked eyes again.
…
Hamuko looked into the faces of her team mates and the sight filled her with determination. They had finished their foes and she was the only one left.
"Come," Minazuki urged.
Hamuko took a deep breath and tightened the grip around her spear. It was similar to a naginata which she had used, before Minato forced her to train with swords.
"Keep distance and attack," Hamuko repeated the plan that the two had coined for her.
Minazuki grew tired and sprinted at the female.
"Kick his ass, Hamu-tan!" Junpei shouted.
Minazuki stopped advancing when Hamuko jabbed the spear in his face and fired another kick at his shoulder, forcing out a grunt of pain. She had repeatedly targeted the joint and now, the shots were starting to take a toll.
Minazuki circled out of range and lunged in again.
Hamuko backtracked and leaned her head back to avoid the tip before she fired the blunt end of the spear into his mid-section. Minazuki stepped in for payback but Hamuko was already out of his range, taunting him to close the distance again.
Unlike Sho, Minazuki neither cursed nor grew irritated, he calmly walked forward and exploded in another run at blinding speed.
Hamuko jabbed the spear in his face again, halting his charge and creating an opportunity to kick his joint like before. The kick connected with an audible thud but Minazuki brushed it away and backed off to avoid the slash of her sword which was still firmly in her other hand.
"Interesting…" Minazuki mused and rotated his wounded shoulder, drawing out a few cracking sounds.
"She's doing better," Yukari smiled.
The scarred male was halted once again by the blunt end of the spear that forced him away to avoid damage. Hamuko followed the thrust with another slash that Minazuki blocked with his twin swords before pushing her forward.
"She's using that spear as a jab," Akihiko commented. "Like a boxer does to keep distance…"
"Tch," Minazuki tilted his head and to avoid the lunge and rammed his shoulder right into Hamuko's gut, eliciting a small shriek.
"Ugh," Hamuko heard the blade slicing through the wind and hastily jumped to avoid the downward slash.
Minazuki lost sight of her for a few seconds as Hamuko hopped behind him and dug the spear into his injured shoulder, finally making him release the grip around one of his sword.
"…" Minazuki cringed due to the pain and Hamuko finally went high with a head-kick that collided with another thud, right into the skull of the taller persona user.
"Ooops," Hamuko nearly tripped after landing the kick but she forced herself up and pressed forward, kicking the body and backing Minazuki away who was still in a daze after the head-kick.
Hamuko kicked away the sword on the ground and kept working on the body with her kicks and each shot was sapping away the endurance of the male who was stumbling and flailing after each hit.
Minazuki cupped her ankle and hurled Hamuko to the other side.
Hamuko dug the sword into ground and came to a stop. She quickly looked forward and ducked underneath the kick that ended up ripping away a few strands of hair from her pony-tail.
Hamuko rolled around to avoid the stomp and kicked the shin of the male towering over her.
Minazuki dove in again but Hamuko fired the spear into his shoulder again, making him freeze. He widened his eyes as Hamuko twisted the weapon and kicked him away.
She got up and winced. The wounds were pulsing but she was so close now. Minazuki was definitely slowing down. "Haaah…" she twirled the spear and smirked. The thing was a life-saver and the difference maker.
Minazuki tried to rotate his shoulder but the pain was simply too much at that point. He still had a sword in his mouth and the other hand but his three sword style went straight to hell. "So be it…."
Hamuko wondered briefly about the time. They were fighting for quite a while now.
"He's doing fine…" Fuuka assured with a small smile. "Don't worry…"
"No surprise there," Minazuki muttered.
Hamuko nodded. "You wanna join us to kick the crap out of that bastard?" she offered.
Minazuki gave her a flat look. "Shut up." he spat and ran for her again.
"Not as snappy as I expected," Hamuko noted and took her defensive stance.
…
Minato launched Takaya into another wall and cracked his neck while walking forward with the same mist coated around him. "That all you got?"
Takaya scampered back to his feet and hurled himself at the incoming wild card, making both of them crash to the ground.
"Shit," Minato bit his lip to battle the pain from the elemental spells that Takaya repeatedly unleashed while being pressed up against him. "Get off me!"
Takaya bit him on the shoulder again and Minato thrashed around, repeatedly elbowing the head of the older persona user. Eventually he pushed the bastard away and stood up.
Takaya launched himself at the fool again but this time, Minato caught him as he lunged in and smashed his spine into the ground, forcing out a shrill screech that rattled his brain for a couple of seconds.
Minato weaved the kick and caught his leg again with another sick smile. "Haven't you learned yet?" Takaya kicked him with the other foot and Minato tossed him to the other side of the floor.
He quickly stepped in and fired away with his own elemental magic that followed Takaya and exploded against him, whipping up a small sandstorm of dust and filth that obscured his vision.
"…" hopefully, it worked this time.
Nope.
Another explosion of powerful magic detonated at the other side of the floor and Minato cursed as Takaya rose up from the ground. The spells did manage to hurt him but nothing too damaging, much to Minato's ire.
"This is how is it done," Takaya mocked and sent another razor of fire with a single swipe of his sword.
Minato crossed his arms and took the spell head on.
The spell collided into his arms and detonated a massive explosion that ignited his body again and sent him soaring backwards. "Tch…" Takaya was far above in magic manipulation and unlike him; the attack did manage to hurt him worse than he anticipated.
"Dammit," Minato punched the ground and stood up again.
Igor had mentioned something about Minato missing most of his power due to not giving a shit about the social link with most of his team mates. He had started them way too late, according to the proprietor and that came back to bite him on the ass.
Takaya started marching forward again, his eye still pure white under the strain of the Gods.
"I should have listened to Hamuko," Minato forced out a deep breath from his lungs.
"There is still something only you can do," Pharos advised.
Minato looked back at Takaya who was preparing another attack.
"Right…" Minato said as he pressed the barrel against his temple.
"I am the Wild Card…" Minato repeated Igor's words.
"Who is blessed…." Pharos added.
Takaya yelled and summoned a massive cyclone of wind that spiraled furiously around his frame. "This is it…"
"Far from it…" Minato looked into his eyes. "Let's see how you can compete with this…" despite the buffeting winds that were tearing new wounds into his body, Minato stood still and called upon his personae.
"Come forth!" he shouted and dual summoned the two sisters of faith, much to Takaya's surprise.
Lachesis and Atropos emerged from the sea of the wild card's soul and Minato let out another feral grin as he winds grew fiercer.
"Ugh…" Takaya struggled and shielded his face from the razor sharp currents.
Minato flipped him the birds and Takaya responded with an irate roar as the two attacks meshed into each other and literally blew the roof off the floor which rained down as debris, upon the two persona users who were struggling to battle back the pain from the deadly fusion spell.
"Ugh," Minato rushed past the attack and lunged in with a straight right directly on the nose of the possessed male, breaking his orbital bone, much like he did in their previous fight.
Takaya caught his next fist and lowered his hands to glare at him.
Minato responded with another cruel smile and mouthed something that Takaya didn't get because of the buffeting gusts of winds raging around them.
"I'm a WILD CARD, bitch!" Minato shouted in his demonic voice.
Takaya shuddered in response and quickly pulled but Minato latched onto his wrists this time.
"Your ass is mine!"
Takaya was seconds away from expelling another volley of flames to kindle the cyclone but Minato thought ahead faster and summoned the Death God with another bestial scream.
The cyclone turned dense dark and Takaya gritted his teeth as the darkness started crushing his limbs with repeated waves of dark energy that crashed into his body.
Minato was still holding onto his wrists, refusing him to escape from the attack that was now plagued with Thanatos' darkness.
"Ugh…" his body was shutting down again and he was desperately trying to break free but it was nigh-impossible to break away from his iron grip with all the pain shooting inside his system.
Minato finally released the hold and Takaya hesitated for a moment before taking a step back.
Minato yelled and surged ahead with his switchblade in his grasp.
Takaya hurriedly summoned another sword just when Minato closed in.
"Ugh!" the two grunted in unison.
Minato twisted and streaked the blade from his heart all the way down to his gut, opening up another steam of blood that rained down on him.
"Shit…" one hand was gripping the blade while the other one was clutching the wound on his sides. That damn sword managed to penetrate the side of his stomach, just inches away from his vital parts.
"Hahaha…" Takaya coughed out blood. "I will be back…"
Minato gritted his teeth and kicked him away before collapsing to his knees. He could hear someone panting hard and that was not himself.
…
Hamuko hopped and avoided another slash to respond with the blunt end of the spear knocked the male to one knee.
She stepped in with another head-kick but Minazuki ducked under the attempt and stabbed her on her already wounded back.
Hamuko yelled out in pain as the blade slowly went in deeper and deeper, sending a brutal jolt of pain through her neurons.
"Ugh!" she thrashed around and ended up kicking Minazuki in his nads, making him collapse to the ground again.
Hamuko whipped around and kicked his face.
Minazuki got up and Hamuko hastily backed off to gain distance again. Boy, he looked angry.
"Cheap shot…" Minazuki hissed.
"Everything is fair in love and war," Hamuko shrugged.
Minazuki briefly looked at persona users that were still forming a circle around them. As Hamuko had promised, none of them interfered, not even with buff and support spells.
"You probably only know what war is, right?" Hamuko continued. "You want to know what love is?"
"…"
"I'm talking about Sho," Hamuko said. "He needs to know what love is."
Minazuki gave her another flat stare, although there was a little bit of surprise this time. "Are you asking him out?"
Hamuko reeled back and furiously shook her head. "N-No! I'm talking about friendly love. Minato will show you love, I promise."
Junpei sweat-dropped upon imaging the two loving each other with swords and curses. "Damn…. That's fucked up."
"That's the only loving they know," Yukari barfed and looked away.
Akihiko looked at Mitsuru and she wasn't smiling or amused.
"Amusing…" Minazuki chuckled lowly and stood up. The scar on his face was dimly glowing a light blue color.
"You can't go on forever like this," Hamuko urged. "Come on, lighten up. You're not like the rest; all of us can see that…"
"…"
"Minato could see that too, that is why he let you live," Hamuko said. "Even he knows that you can change, much like he did."
"You need something to fight for, other than the sheer pleasure of fighting," Hamuko said. "Come on, drop this gimmick and start living properly."
"Amusing…" Minazuki nodded, infuriating the female redhead. "You can talk all you want, but after we're done."
The wounds on their bodies started to throb violently but they took their stances again. Both of them briefly looked at the tower with the same thought in mind.
"Dammit Minato, you better come back alive," the two thought. "Sho needs you…"
Minazuki snapped his head back. Putting the hilt into his mouth, he sprinted for her again.
Hamuko hopped away and pressed the evoker into her temple to summon.
"Hades!"
Minazuki sliced the incoming torrent of water with a powerful swing of his sword and kept his charge for the female persona user.
Hamuko darted to avoid the sword and fired off another Aquadyne that struck the scarred male head on and sent him skidding backwards.
Minazuki coughed out water from his lungs and blocked the incoming swipe with his blade. He struck back with his own attack that cut through another bit of Hamuko's hair, making her curse him.
"Damn you!" she snapped and kicked him on the jaw.
Minazuki came back with a head-butt and the two disengaged briefly to catch their breaths.
Hamuko panted and briefly lowered her weapons. This was exhausting, even with the spear and the sword, putting Minazuki away was damn hard. Maybe this was his determination to prove her wrong.
To her surprise, Minazuki lowered his weapon and hung his head low.
"Come on Hamuko, attack him now," Yukari said.
Hamuko held out her hand and refused to attack. "Are you giving up?"
"…"
Hamuko walked a few steps closer. "Didn't think this would be hard, huh? You were thinking that you'd run through me, right?"
Minazuki looked up. "I thought you were done after that one slash…"
Hamuko shrugged. "It hurts yeah, nothing more."
Minazuki stomped the ground and clicked his tongue.
"He's finally starting to see the light…" Hamuko whispered to herself.
Before anyone could move, Fuuka gasped in surprise, catching everyone's attention. "M-Minato-kun."
Hamuko snapped her back to the support persona user. "What happened to him!?"
Minazuki caught the worry and concern on her face. Hell, she wasn't looking at him anymore. She had her back turned again, giving him another chance to attack her back but now….
"…" he relented and bit his lip. Was he okay?
"I-Is he…." Ken swallowed.
"No," Fuuka shook her head. "He's so close…."
"Close?" Hamuko questioned.
"I get it now…" Fuuka nodded to herself. "Minato-kun, can you hear me?"
…
"Y-Yeah…" Minato nodded shakily as Takaya's wounds started closing up again. Another battle was coming.
"Are you okay?" Fuuka said.
Minato barely stood up and pressed the wound on his side. "I'm getting through this, no matter what…"
"You're not far," Fuuka assured.
"What do you mean? That asshole is still getting up…." Minato hissed at Takaya who was slow in getting up to his feet for some reason…. Also, was he shivering?
"A few of Takaya's personae have a special ability," Fuuka explained.
"What special ability?"
"Enduring Soul…"
Takaya regained control of his senses and crawled backwards upon seeing Minato staring at him from a couple of feet away. "Enduring soul….?"
"It's an ability that makes him rise up from the dead, that is why he kept getting up again and again,"
"So how do I cancel it?"
Fuuka smiled. "You already did…"
Minato took a step forward. Takaya was back in control, the Gods had disappeared back into his psyche after the last attack. "I did…?"
"Yes, that was his last chance," Fuuka said, bringing a smile to Minato's face. "He's a mortal now. Finish him once and he won't get up again. He's done…"
Minato hastened his steps. "Come on, immortal one. Why don't you attack?"
"Ugh," Takaya quivered. The confidence inside him was entirely gone; death and pain seemed a very likely outcome now, unlike before. "What have you done?"
"Enduring Soul, huh?" Minato scoffed. "Shame on you, couldn't finish me off even with so many retries."
"Tch," Takaya backed off a few more steps and Minato walked forward. "You are still wounded. This time I won't play games. Immortality or not, you will die tonight." he said, eyeing the prominent wound.
"Try me," Minato dared. "I send those pitiful Gods retreating back into your head, what makes you think you'll do anything to me!?"
Takaya whipped around and ran off.
"Right, try doing that to someone who has a support persona user watching over him," Minato shook his head and ran after him.
The panting was there again and it wasn't him for damn sure but it still seemed it was coming from inside him. "What is going on….?" no, now was not the time to dwell on that, he had to finish Takaya once and for all.
…
Minazuki was finding it really hard to find a hit on Hamuko. His stronger arm was wrecked with the constant kicks and his jaw was sore after biting onto the hilt for so long. He was expecting Hamuko to slow down as the battle progressed but it was the exact opposite, she was getting faster.
It was like she was in a tandem with Minato and the rest. When they took a beating, so did she. When they were on top, Hamuko was fresher than ever.
Hamuko whiffed on another long slash and sent Minazuki skidding backwards with another sharp torrent of water.
Minazuki coughed out some and hesitated to charge. The feeling was back, he was going to get his ass kicked by someone far weaker than him.
Hamuko edged him to come for more. "Come on, weren't you going to prove me wrong?"
"Tch,"
"Or is there nothing left to prove?"
"Silence!" Minazuki lost his cool and ran for her again.
Hamuko weaved through his attack and kicked the sword out of his mouth, leaving him with only one in his good arm.
Minazuki gripped the hilt with both hands and surged forward to rip the female to pieces.
Hamuko jabbed the spear and Minazuki jumped back to save his face. He cautiously took a step forward and the broke into another run but had to stop himself as Hamuko fired a few thrusts for his face and body.
Minazuki sidestepped the lunge and barely blocked the following slash that buckled him for a few seconds. "What the…"
Hamuko stepped in and kicked him in the nads again, forcing him to his knees.
Minazuki caught the next kick and shoved her to the side. He was having a real hard time getting inside the pocket with that damn spear of her. Or rather, the damn spear of the kid. "That little…"
He was broken away from his thoughts by another kick to the chest and a swipe that opened up a small wound right where she kicked him. Minazuki barely found his senses and titled his head to head to avoid another thrust from the spear.
And it managed to open up his cheek. "Darn it…." he looked around at the members of SEES and hung his head.
"Come on, fight," Hamuko slammed another kick to his mid-section. "I'm just as tired as you."
"But you have something to look forward to…."
"Other than the thrill of the battle," Hamuko said. "It can only last for so long."
Minazuki cupped her ankle on the next kick and smashed the female hard into the ground. He wasted no second and quickly jumped on her with the sword aimed for her throat.
Hamuko rolled away and pressed the device to her temple again. "Ha-"
"Farwell…." the child-like voice made her stop. Hamuko briefly lowered the gun and widened her eyes. That was Pharos….
"Pharos…"
Minazuki braced himself and evoked darkness from within that quickly covered the area.
Hamuko didn't move.
"Get Minato out of there as soon as possible," Pharos pleaded. "Get him out of Tartarus, at any cost."
"Get ready! This is all or nothing!" Minazuki yelled at her but Hamuko didn't seem to listen.
"Oh God…." Pharos was going away?
"No matter what,"
"…"
"Farwell… Do not forget about me,"
A stray tear traveled down her cheek, surprising the redheaded male. Why was she crying?
Hamuko quickly looked back at Minazuki and pressed the evoker to her temple. "I have to end this quickly…" why was Pharos telling her to get Minato out of there? It was weird but she had no time to question, she was going to fulfil his last request, and for that she had to finish this quickly.
A powerful burst of dark energy exploded insider her psyche and the rest of her team took a step back as a terrifying aura came over Hamuko. It greatly reminded them of Minato whenever he summoned his strongest persona.
Hamuko wasn't bothered by the darkness. She looked ahead and stared right into the two red orbs.
"This ends…" she said, unloading the bullet into her psyche.
Minazuki heard a familiar bestial roar that rattled him briefly.
"Tch, seems like we hit a ceiling now…" the scar on his face began to glow a light blue color again. "Maybe it is time…"
"Everyone cover up!" Mitsuru ordered, feeling an explosion was imminent.
Hamuko looked over her shoulder, staring at the gates of the tower. "Just a few more minutes…. I'm coming…"
…
"Ugh," Minato had complete control of the grappling he was tossing Takaya around who was genuinely scared of him but a brief speck of guilt turned the tables on him and Takaya was the one punching him now.
Minato took a few shots and kicked him off. What the hell was that?!
Takaya came right back and ran into a fist that wobbled him. Minato backed off to regain his breath and he couldn't help but wonder at the strange feeling moments ago.
Takaya looked ahead and saw Minato staring at his bloodied hands with a little bit of horror in his eyes. The platinum blonde took his chance and sent the wild card flying with another tornado from wind.
Minato took the hit and landed on side, right next to someone's feet. He quickly looked up and saw Pharos smiling at him.
"Pharos?"
Pharos grabbed his hand and helped him stand. "Get up, brother…"
Minato ducked underneath the blast of thunder and whipped around to avoid another swing of Zeus' blade. "Shit…" he kicked the blade out of the Takaya's grip and froze again, just inches in front of him.
"Ugh," the foreign feeling was there again. He barely felt it in the last decade, only did when he wronged Hamuko but now….
"Keep your head up," Pharos blared.
Minato blocked the next swipe of Surt's blade with his forearm and clotheslined Takaya to the ground before backing off to control his emotions.
"What is going on…" he wondered, staring at his blood on his hands again.
"Look ahead!"
Takaya stung Minato with another left and blasted him backwards with another Garudyne. Pain came rushing back to him but it did little to the pity and remorse building inside him.
"I feel like shit…." Minato wiped the blood from his lips and staggered forward. "What the fuck is going on…"
"…" Pharos squeezed his shoulder again. "Worry about that later… If you don't stop him now, he will kill your friends…"
Minato brushed the feeling away and nodded. "Yeah, won't allow that to happen…"
Pharos bit his lip. He never expected Minato to fight for those mortals but here he was. Oh well, whatever made him survive.
Takaya found the fire returning to Minato's eyes, making him suck in a deep breath. "I just don't understand him…" just what was Minato really? He couldn't understand even a bit, despite the two being so similar.
The leader of Strega turned his back and ran away from Minato.
"Chase him down," Pharos spat. "Kill him. Mutilate him!"
Minato summoned another short sword into his grip and chucked the weapon for Takaya's retreating finger. The blade caught up to him in seconds and ripped away a good chunk of his shoulder, making Takaya collapse to the ground.
The artificial persona user looked over his shoulder and saw Minato walking slowly, pressing forward like a demon, with the same storm raging in his eyes.
"Just what are you!?" Takaya demanded, crawling backwards. Even with all those personae, Minato was a notch above him. Even with weaker magic and no immortality, he was able to break him down and rip away his immortality. He even sent the Gods running back into his psyche.
"You are no mere human," Takaya shakily stood up. "Tell me who you are!"
Minato cracked his finger and kept lumbering forward. He took a heap of punishment but he also succeeded in breaking Takaya down. "Not so tough without your stupid ability, huh?"
"Grr…" Takaya ignited his right hand with fire and cloaked the one with thunder.
"I do think I'm possessed by a demonic entity at times," Minato said. "I've always felt there is something inside me. Something horrible, something that you don't want to piss off…"
Takaya lost his cool and chucked the spells for the slowly advancing teen. "Just die!"
Minato shut his eyes and switched his persona before running at Takaya again.
"Z-Zeus!" Takaya shouted, evoking the Olympian from his soul.
"Death!" Minato's unearthly voice rattled the older male again. He quickly took a step back as the fearsome entity rose up from behind Minato.
Zeus momentarily faded into static but Takaya forced him out again. "Attack!" why was this happening? Did Minato really scare him that much?
"Look at yourself…" Minato sneered. "You're shivering…. And you don't even know it…"
Takaya look down and true enough, he was quivering like a leaf in the wake of the hunter.
"And you're sweating buckets too…"
Takaya shook his head and yelled at his persona to attack.
Minato clicked his tongue and ran forward.
Thanatos received no resistance from the thunder God who merely retreated back a few steps before his head was ripping off by a powerful swing of the blood-stained sword.
Takaya cringed and turned his back on Minato again before running off in fear. He was able to stand up to him while he was under the delusion that he was immortal but without that….
He was afraid of Minato just like before.
Minato grabbed his sword and remembered the scars on Hamuko's back. "Wound for wound…"
The blunet easily caught up with Takaya and tackled him from behind, making him fall face-first to the ground, with the demented persona user on top of him.
Minato held up the blade as Takaya squirmed to get away.
"This is for Hamuko!" Minato yelled and plunged the blade into Takaya's back, drawing out a painful yell. The wild card quickly pulled it out again and shoved it inside his flesh again.
2nd scar…
Takaya managed to crawl away from Minto and sprinted in horror.
Minato roared and followed after him. There was no way he was getting out of here alive!
Takaya was a few steps away from the stairs but Minato caught up to him again and blasted him into the wall before holding him there with his forearm.
Takaya struggled again and Minato slammed his head against the wall a few more times before forcing the older persona user to his knees.
Takaya screamed out in pain as the blade ripped into his flesh for the third time. Minato clasped his mouth shut and eyed the three fresh wounds. "Three wounds on your back…"
The black mist that was coated around him was dissipating, almost like it was evaporating from him, like water did in extreme heat.
Takaya bit his hand and Minato hurled him to the ground before jumping on him with another shrill screech. He had no idea what the fuck was going on but he didn't care. The blood lust was coming back to him and his prey was scared as hell.
Takaya tried to struggle and break free but Minato put an end to his resistance with another volley of punches that further worsened his broken nose.
"Time to die!" Minato yelled and kept punching and clawing his face, tearing away the flesh with his bare hands.
"You deserve it, you son of a bitch!"
"You goddamn fool! I told you at the beginning, do not fuck with me!"
Takaya returned the damage with a few of his own punches but the fear inside him had sapped away most of his strength and Minato easily brushed the feeble attacks off and kept mauling the bastard with utmost brutality.
Minato broke his right eye socket and clawed his eye, just like he did to Shinjiro. Takaya started kicking his legs as the vision in his right eye started lessening and blood started rushing down his cheek.
The leader of Strega yelled out in horror and struck Minato right on the head with a wind infused wind.
"…" the blow snapped Minato's head to the side but he looked back at Takaya with another sick smile that scared the crap out of him.
"Hahahaha!" Minato laughed and blocked the next strike before grabbing his wrist in a tight lock.
Takaya widened his eyes as Minato cracked his hand before going down to reduce the muscles and bones in his forearm to pieces.
Minato held a firm grip around his bicep and pulled away with all his might.
Soul shattering pain coursed through the joint and Takaya started kicking his legs again and the force ripped away all the tendons and muscles in his arm. "Let me go, you demon!"
Minato grinned like a beast at the word 'demon' before pulling harder on his wasted arm.
Takaya spat out in blood in air and lost his own voice in horror as Minato ripped away the entire limb from the socket. "…" his goddamn hand was hanging limp in Minato's grip who was snickering in amusement.
"Hahahah!" Minato laughed again and started beating Takaya with the torn off limb, cackling and giggling in delight while doing so.
"Stop hitting yourself,"
BAM.
"Stop hitting yourself,"
Takaya didn't too feel much pain but the reality was too much for him. Minato ripped away his own limb and was beating him on the face with it.
Minato tossed away the limb and kept assaulting the bastard, wailing away with brutal punches on his already mangled face.
Blood splattered onto his face and Minato yelled in delight as life began to leave Takaya's eyes. "Where are your gods now!?"
"Haaah…"
Minato ripped away a good chunk of his multi-colored hair and resumed punching the shit out of him. "Where are they!?"
Takaya didn't know the answer. He couldn't feel them at all.
…. Did Minato really scare him that much?
Takaya shut his eyes and shivered as the demon above him kept abusing him, all he could hear was the deep growls and heavy breathing from above. Minato was growling like a demon and the punishment never stopped.
Minato nearly collapsed on top of the bloodied persona user due to all the exhaustion but he willed himself up and grabbed the nearby sword. "Now is the time…" he looked down to see Takaya staring in horror with his good eye.
"For everything you put me and my team through," Minato held the blade up, locking his eyes on his scrawny neck.
"Rot in hell-" Minato stopped the steel inches away from Takaya's neck when he someone calling out to him.
"Minato!"
"Huh…" Minato looked over his shoulder and blinked. That was Hamuko, no doubt. And she sounded worried for some reason.
Just what on earth happened?
Did someone die?
"Oh shit…." Minato stood up from the nearly dead leader of Strega and glared him down. "Dammit…." he cursed.
Takaya coughed out some more blood, unable to even move his finger.
Minato kicked him on the violently and ran off. He could always come back to kill Takaya but listening to Hamuko was more important. Hopefully, none of his team mates ended up dying….
Minato gave one last glare at Takaya and ran off. He followed the voice and went down the steps.
It only took a short while and he found Hamuko running around in the floor below him.
Hamuko found Minato running at him and she sighed in relief. He was bloodied and wounded as usual but at least he was alive-
All those thoughts stopped when she glanced at him.
"Minato…?" she blinked, getting closer to him.
"Are you okay?" Minato asked, going over her wounds.
Hamuko didn't answer and ran a finger down his cheek, right over the dry tears. "You're crying, Minato…"
"I was….." Minato blinked. He couldn't recall himself crying, especially not during the battle but when he ran a hand over his eyes, he did feel the wetness and all those dry tears etched on his face, what did it mean….
"We have to get out of here, now!" Hamuko urged, pulling on his wrist. "Everyone is fine and waiting outside. Let's go out now."
"Takaya is still there," Minato shook his head. "I have to kill him first."
"You can do it later," Hamuko pleaded, pulling him away. "Come on, please!"
"But why-" Minato narrowed his eyes. Why so suddenly?
"Brother…."
Minato blinked and Hamuko stopped pulling on his wrist. The same black mist started to evaporate more furiously from his body and the strange feeling attacked him again, nearly knocking the fool to the ground.
The blunet snapped his head to the side and saw enigmatic child standing a few yards away from him. There was a sad smile on his face, and much like Minato, he had tears running down his cheeks.
"This is goodbye…" Pharos was panting like mad. He was also cut up and busted at various places….
Minato shivered and looked down at him arm to see a deep gash. He looked ahead and saw the same gash on Pharos' arm as well. "What the…." his legs were cut open, just like Minato's.
"No…." Minato shook his head, walking forward. "What are you talking about?"
"Minato, no!" Hamuko grabbed onto him as Pharos began walking backwards, barely able to hold his tears in check.
"Ugh…" Minato yelled at the child. "Don't fuck with me, bro. Now is not the time…"
Pharos bit his lip, continually walking backwards to gain distance.
"Pharos!"
"I will treasure our conversations always," Pharos sobbed. "Even if today is the end…."
Minato broke free from the hold and ran after Pharos. "NO!"
Hamuko caught him again, restraining him from going further. "Minato, we have to get out of here!"
"Ugh," Minato bit his lip. Pharos was going away? Fuck no. He wasn't going to let him go away. "Pharos!"
"The bond between us can never be severed. ...Remember that…."
"Shit," Minato broke down and struggled to get away from Hamuko. "Let me go, dammit!" he reached out for Pharos, only to see him holding his hands in a pleading manner. He was crying much like Minato and he barely found the words to speak.
"Please, brother," Pharos pleaded. "I beg of you, get out of here. I can't bear to see you suffering anymore."
"This is madness," Minato choked out as Hamuko pulled him back again. "You aren't going anywhere!"
"Please!" Pharos bowed his head. "Please run away."
Minato legs gave away and he collapsed against Hamuko, eyes widened in horror and grief. "W-What…"
"Do not look back, no matter what. Get out of this tower," Pharos yelled. "Run, now!"
"Minato, now," Hamuko begged. "Please, listen to us…"
Minato was frozen solid, not answering to anything. He kept his eyes fixated on his little brother who was still on his knees, begging him to leave the tower.
Was this the last time he was going to see Pharos again?
Hamuko pulled on his wrist and dragged him away.
"Pharos…." Minato reached out for him again, only to see him dissipating into black mist.
"Keep running…." Pharos voice reached him.
"Minato, please!"
Minato found his senses and shut his eyes. He placed all the remaining energy into his legs and ran for the access point.
Hamuko led the way and Minato followed after her but even then, he couldn't help but look over his shoulder from time to time, still hoping to God he could see Pharos again.
"Ugh…." Minato cringed as the guilt resurfaced again, forcing out more tears from his eyes. Where was this coming from? He literally had no idea but the grief only got stronger with every step. He really wanted to lie down and cry his eyes out for some reason.
"What's happening to me…." Minato bit his lip, looking at his bloodied hands again. The emotion was hitting him deep, putting a dull ache on his heart.
This time, it wasn't entirely related to Hamuko. All the memories of the last 10 years were rushing into his psyche, all at once and it was driving him mad. He had never felt like this before. He was daily assaulted by the memories but they were easily brushed aside but now….
"Come on," Hamuko activated the access point and looked back to see Minato sobbing and shivering like a lost child. "….. Minato?"
"Get me out of here, please…." Minato looked over his shoulder again.
Hamuko grabbed his wrist and forced him inside the access point before following him.
"They're coming…." Fuuka sighed in peace. Jin and Sho were subdued and their two leaders were returning, both of them alive.
Hamuko bit her lip and ran out of the gates of Tartarus.
Minato came out next and saw his friends smiling at him. He was literally a step away from the outside of Tartarus's gates, so close and yet so far….
"Pharos…."
In the last second of the final hour, Minato hesitated and looked over his shoulder one final time to find Pharos.
In doing so, time finally expired…..
Minato's heart stopped beating momentarily when he heard a gong from inside him. The fool quickly placed a hand on his chest and nearly doubled over as the grief and horror struck him again, burning away the oxygen in his lungs.
"…." Minato went ghostly pale and his eyes nearly popped out of his sockets.
The blue haired boy halted, his pupils dilating as far as they could as the world around him turned all but blank. He couldn't even hear the voices of his team mate calling out to him, as he was currently staring at a much more compelling, bewildering, horrible spectacle...
Which were the flashes of his past.
All the people he killed.
All the blood on his hands.
All the people he treated like trash, or rather, mere toys, submitted to his will and used only for his vain, egotistic pleasure.
The last shard of regard he had for such memories was no longer, and the one responsible for his crimes was only then given the gift of remorse.
It felt as if Minato was condemned to commit his crimes from the start, his ultimate punishment being the grief and guilt that accompanied the return of his fugitive mind.
How could he have done all of that...? He remembered the sickly grins and smiles he used to wear whenever he had his way.
It sickened him to the core to call those ways 'his'.
They were a demon's. They were clearly not human's.
Every deed, even if remotely righteous, ultimately fell into his desire to kill, deceive... do wrong.
For... what? The sake of doing wrong? Why did he do all that? Random, abstract motivations... how could anyone predict, or even avoid any tragedy that he caused? There were no tell tale signs, no patterns... nothing. Just aleatory aggression.
He was but a hunter, unbeknownst to his prey.
How could anyone live with such burden on their shoulders?
The only thing that soothed the deepest part of his soul was the retribution. He was sure that he was feeling the pain of his every deed. To know that the villain behind everything was finally suffering enough to repay all the blood he spilled was enough to ease the weight of Minato's cross, if only slightly.
Minato finally lost it and released a sharp, bloodcurdling scream of grief that badly rocked the nearby teenagers. They had heard it before but this was very different. The grief was so strong in his one…
"Minato!" Hamuko yelled at him but Minato didn't seem to listen as the black mist that was pulsing around him spiraled upwards from his frame, seemingly dissipating into air.
Minato yelled out in pain again, pulling on his hair and beating himself with his own bloodied hands.
What the fuck was he doing!?
What was he!?
"Forgive me!" Minato ripped away a good chunk of his hair and kept screaming his soul out as the memories slashed like razors around his psyche. Soon, his legs lost the mobility and Minato dropped down to his knees, still ripping away his hair.
"What's happening to him?" Junpei gulped.
Hamuko knew what was going on. Death was leaving him….. but it was leaving Minato a wreck, shattered glass which was likely never going to be the same again.
"Just forgive me!" Minato pleaded, smashing his head against the ground, as hard as he fucking could.
"Please forgive me!" Minato screamed out again, like he was pleading all the people he had wronged to forgive him. There was no way he was going to live with this entire burden. This was his and his alone, and he wanted no part of it, none.
Minato felt someone like someone was squeezing the life out of him.
All the people he had killed.
All the blood on his hands.
Minato let out another dreadful wail on top of his lungs and more tears came out of his dead eyes, cascading nonstop down his cheeks.
Hamuko quickly ran over to him. The whole scene had rattled her badly but she just couldn't stand there and wait.
Another painful wail stopped her in her tracks as Minato kept begging everyone to forgive him. "Please, please, please!"
"Minato, pull yourself together!" Junpei yelled. "Come on dude!"
"…"
"Y-Yeah. There is nothing to apologize for!" Yukari nodded, barely able to hold her tears. Even looking at Minato was painful. He was so strong and composed before, but here, he was bawling worse than a child.
Minato eyed the members of SEES. The people who had accepted him like a friend, even with all the shit he done.
Junpei even called him his best friend, despite all the pain and mental suffering Minato put him through.
Minato clutched his own temple as the memories of his battles against his friends flashed before his eyes.
The memory of him abusing Yukari.
Beating Akihiko around.
Dowsing Junpei in alcohol.
Minato sucked in a deep breath and released one final shout before he fell limp on his side, eyes blank and his body motionless. "…. F-F-Forgive…."
"There is no forgiveness…."
Hamuko stopped advancing upon the voice. She looked ahead and saw a shady figure towering over Minato's frail form.
"W-What on earth…." Hamuko blinked. Just what on earth was that thing!? It looked extremely familiar to her, yet so different.
Minato shivered and turned his blank eyes over to his darkened lookalike who was staring him down with hatred evident in his cold, silver eyes.
"What is that thing!?" Akihiko shouted. It looked exactly like Minato, except that it was black like a shadow. There was also this nagging feeling in his gut that the thing standing over Minato was dreadfully powerful.
Minato didn't move a muscle as the darkened lookalike placed his foot on top of his head and pressed down.
"Who are you!?" Hamuko demanded. "Get off him!"
Minato kept looking with his dead eyes, not bothered a bit by the fact that someone had a foot on his head. "P-Please…."
The stranger shook his head. "Now, you shall be judged…."
Before Hamuko could dash at him, the shadow knocked Minato out with a hard kick to his face, finally ending Minato's dreadful life.
"Who are you, dammit?" Hamuko pulled out her evoker.
Minato's lookalike grabbed the blunet by his collar and stared the rest down. "Forget about him now…."
"His sins are too much," he said slowly and every word caused shivers to race down everyone's spine, the grief was so potent in his voice. "He'll repent for the rest of his life now…."
The shadow started dragging Minato away.
"Oh no you don't!" Hamuko was seconds away from unloading a bullet into her psyche but the Dark Hour finally ended and the two similar males disappeared from her view.
"…"
Nobody spoke a word for quite a while and Hamuko remained stationed, still holding the evoker to her temple, eyes wide open in dread and concern.
Just what was he-
No, she didn't care about that.
That bastard had taken Minato away to God knows where and this time, Minato was shattered, there was no way he was going to defend himself.
"What was that…." Junpei spoke up.
The thing was staggeringly powerful and it had kidnapped Minato, took him inside Tartarus and they had no way of going there until next night.
Hamuko blackened out in front of the school gates. This was too much. It felt as if someone had stabbed her through the heart. Watching Minato sob, beg and beat himself over was far too much.
She always wanted him to feel for others, but this….
And now, Minato was alone, without her, with a monster hell-bent on making him repent for his sins.
…
"Forgive me…." Minato kept repeating the same word over and over again, not bothered a bit by the sword pressed against his stomach.
"There is no forgiveness…." His lookalike spoke again.
"Forgive me…." Minato spoke lifelessly again as more tears escaped his eyes. "Forgive me…"
The shadow looked over him. He was broken mentally and physically, it was like a corpse, unresponsive to any and everything around him but regardless he was going to pay for his sins.
"Now you will be judged…." the darkened teenager spoke and readied his blade. He placed another foot on top of Minato's head and readied himself for the massacre he was going to unleash on the broken teenager. He was going to rip his damn intestines out, make him scream till he busted his lungs and then some.
Minato was going to die in utmost pain and grief, he deserved every bit of both, for all that he did.
"Forgive…."
"None…."
A swing, a splatter of blood and a scream.
Over and over again.
Nonstop.
Forgive him already! But ouch, that was painful, wasn't it? Say hello to Minato's shadow who is dreadfully powerful, he as powerful as the grief that crippled a wild card and made him bawl like a baby, now mutiply that with 10, that's how strong he is. Kinda like Onslaught (if anyone of you read Xmen) over here, he was formed just like ? did in the answer. If Minato didn't look back and stepped outside of Tartarus, he would have avoided this but yeesh... we are cruel.
Hopefully the grief was good enough because it will be more painful in the next chapters. Say hello to one of the biggest antagonist of BL! Takaya dosen't compare and that is why I found their battle a ittle underwhelming because this was coming next.
Sorry for the wait but goddamn exams. I assure you, this won't get dropped. Just send us feedback, kinda need that to complete this ya know?
Thanks for waiting and the reviews, appreciate it! See you next time in another painful chapter, Haha! Cheers!