Quick update because... anything over 10 is a good number and well, I ain't finishing anything at this pace and I badly want to finish this, trust me so time to pick up speed.
This is kinda going to be long so feel free to skip to the gore and blood.
First of all, I am really moved (no sarcasm, truly) by the support, especially the ones encouraging to move on without my co-authors. I thank you all and don't worry, they'll be back soon. :P I don't need them anyway because nothing but gore is coming up, regardless, they will be back. Thanks again for the encouraging reviews, I swear, Bloodlust is going on just because of you guys.
Second, who are my favorite characters? Elizabeth. Mitsuru and Junpei and Ryoji. All three of them are mad entertaining and while Junpei lacks plot relevance, he's funny, I'd take him to hang out over any of them because you know he's going to make you laugh and engage like no else.
Mitsuru has a lot of plot relevance and her slink was one of the best. Her character was pretty consistent throughout the game, unlike Akihko and Yukari to name a few.
Ryoji is death, instant favorite. I see people saying that they'd like to date Minato as Femc in the game but eh, dating Ryoji is like dating Minato since the two have the exact same face and body structure (manga and according to ATLUS) also, I legit believe his bond with Minato was the strongest and I didn't need a social link to tell me that.
I can't say Minato or Hamuko because they don't have defined characters but I will say, the Makoto in the movies is the legit worst character in the series for me because I'd rather watch paint dry. The Minato in the magna is legit one of the best because he screams special and he is hilarious too.
Elizabeth is just plain awesome, who doesn't love an overpowered, platinum blonde troll? My favorite characters are those who are entertaining and nobody entertains me more than Elizabeth, in FES or Arena. I used to ship her and Minato so fricking hard but eh, even without shipping, she's amazing. Hopefully she gets a game because her plot relevance is the greatest, esp after P4A.
Third : Yes, Ryoji turned into an antagonist. Now, I could have gone the other way, which i can detail right now.
Ryoji : WAAAAAH, kill me!
Minato : WAAAAAH, no.
Fast forward to the promised day.
After all the battles and conflicts in this story, I'll be dammed if I don't make the ending arc more violent and dark. I have no problem turning characters into bloodthirsty psychopaths (Cough fallen messiah cough) and I have no problem unleashing hell on the cast (cough cough fallen messiah) it's okay if some of you still like him but please, cheer for Minato too because I don't want the antagonist to be more popular than the protagonist (cough fallen fucking messiah again) but eh, fuck it, as long as you are entertained.
I'm not skipping the whole month of Jan because nothing in the game. January will the hardest month for the team because something terrible will happen.
Now, onto the story.
"Hey!"
"Ugh,"
"Hey, Minato!"
Said blunet grunted and rubbed his eye, trying to get rid of his blurry vision. He had no idea what the hell had happened but his neck was killing him and some of his wounds were opened up.
Minato looked up and saw two redheads hovering him. One was Hamuko, naturally, the other one was Sho.
"Thank God," Sho sighed, crashing down as soon as Minato came to. He winced in pain and rubbed his aching gut, trying not to scream in front of the others. "Damn, my body is burning and freezing at the same time."
Minato sat up and Hamuko fussed over him, trying to close his wounds with Dia spells. Looking around, he saw his friends, most of them on the ground trying to control the pain.
"What just happened...?" Minato wondered, still in a daze.
"You know what happened," Sho replied. "Ryoji..." he whispered.
Minato widened his eye and clutched his chest, his heart nearly bursting after hearing the name of the black haired teenager. That was right, Ryoji... He finally attacked them. He knocked him out and then attacked his friends... Why?
"Minato!" Yukari hissed through her teeth, rolling over the ground because the pain was brutal. "H-He took Fuuka!"
"W-What!?" Minato shot up straight, looking around for the teal haired girl but she was nowhere to be found. "Fuuka!" he called out but there was no response, leading to him shouting her name a few more times but-
"Don't, she's gone," Akihiko said, grunting as he stood up. "Ryoji took her away."
Minato looked away to hide the building tears in his eye. "Dammit... Ryoji, why...?" he wondered. Was he mocking him by saying that he understood? He had never felt so happy and alive in the past few months but then this happened.
"Why?" Minato gritted his teeth. What did he even do wrong?
"Disgusted..." Ryoji's venom was clear when he spat that word. Ryoji was disgusted by him...?
"I didn't even do anything wrong," Minato rubbed his eye. He was even willing to beg him, why he attack him like that?
"This is a nightmare," Mitsuru hissed, rubbing his forehead. Fuuka was indeed gone, taken away by a monster like Ryoji. She had no idea what he was going to do to a girl as frail as Fuuka. In fact, she didn't even want to imagine what he was doing to her.
"I said it before but that guy is a piece of shit," Sho spat. "I so want to find and beat the shit out of him... but dammit... I can't even move near him."
"None of us can," Akihiko said. "He's taken out both Aigis and Fuuka..."
"..."
Silence loomed over the teenagers, all of them exchanging fearful glances as the dread settled down on their shoulders.
They had a blood thirsty, God like entity breathing down their necks. And now that he had attacked Minato, there was nothing holding Ryoji back.
"I-I managed to hear what he was saying," Hamuko spoke up slowly. She faced Minato and bit her lip, not sure how to tell him. "He said that was going to make us suffer..."
"He was also praising Nyx, like a follower worshiping a God," Sho recalled and then flinched. Nyx. Just who was that? Even someone was Ryoji was praising her, the God of Death was merely just a minion to her.
"Fuck," Junpei spat. "Minato, you-" he turned around to say something but Hamuko came in front of the blunet, glaring harshly at Junpei.
"Don't even think about it," the redhead hissed. "I swear, say one more word and I'll beat you worse than I did before."
"S-Sorry," Junpei bit his lip, just one look at Minato was enough to make him apologize. "I'm sorry..." he repeated. He wasn't going to be like Ryoji and pile more pressure on Minato, he was a better friend than that.
"You're right," Minato admitted, staring at his fist. "I caused all this."
"Don't think like that," Hamuko shook her head. "You did nothing wrong."
"I should have just killed myself years ago," Minato spat and ran off, slamming the door shut.
"Dammit," Junpei removed his cap.
"Thanks a lot," Hamuko snapped, advancing threateningly towards Junpei.
"I didn't meant to do that!" Junpei defended himself. "I love that guy... but it's hard to control myself. I'm scared shitless, like I've never been before."
Hamuko stopped and looked at the others, all of them quivering in their boots.
"You're afraid too," Sho helpfully pointed out.
Hamuko looked down and her knees were indeed shaking.
"Yeah, we're all afraid," Akihiko said and then sat down on the couch with a depressed sigh. "What do we do now?"
"Who knows," Mitsuru stumbled her way over to the computer and tried to boot it up. "Tch!" she hammered the thing for a few seconds and then gave up. "No good, he damaged the computer as well."
"So, what do we do now?" Yukari said aloud, repeating Akihiko's question.
"I have no idea," Mitsuru replied. "I can't even predict what he'll do."
"Best chance we have is to train and wait," Sho said, glancing at his own his hand. "And do something about this fear. I mean, he's not going to blow up the planet or something, right?"
"Do not put anything behind him," Mitsuru warned. Ryoji had this aura that made her believe anything was possible with him. "He is a God, a God of Death no less.."
The others paled at her words. That was right, Ryoji was a God. They had never seen a moment of vulnerability or weakness. He had killed Takaya and Jin without any effort and still came to school the next day without a scratch.
"A God, huh?" Hamuko breathed out. "So we are up against a God."
"We've wasted enough time. Everyone, go out right now and search for Fuuka," Mitsuru ordered. "There might be a chance she's still nearby, go, go now!" the others nodded, still terrified but they listened and went out, shouting Fuuka's name but even after hours of search, they couldn't find her. They returned back to the dorm, dejected and shaken because they knew Fuuka was the first victim.
Who was next?"
...
After crying pathetically like his normal routine, Minato picked himself up and crawled towards the window, looking out and hopping to see Fuuka. "Why is this happening...?" after all the time he had spent with Ryoji and after finding out that he was trying to get in Hamuko's pants, Minato was terrified for Fuuka.
Ryoji had crazy libido, just like he used to way back. He had no problem screwing a random girl by using his charms. Minato also knew he had no problems raping a girl. "Oh God no," he shook his head, praying that Fuuka was alright. He didn't want to imagine what would happen if Ryoji did end up raping her.
"Why?" he questioned his actions again. "I didn't even do anything wrong-"
His lone eye widened.
"Disgusted," Minato repeated the word. Ryoji was disgusted with him.
Minato thought back to old times. There were so many times he would just snap at other people who didn't live up to a certain level. People like Yukari who couldn't summon her person and would shiver at the mention of a ghost.
"Disgusted by weaklings," Minato looked up at the ceiling. He used to detest weaklings who couldn't defend themselves, who looked ugly and pathetic and right now, Minato was the biggest weakling of all, someone who could barely move, let alone fight and defend himself. Someone who had given up on fighting and just turning the other cheek in cases of conflict.
"I am a weakling," Minato said. "So that's why he hates me, huh?"
No, it had to be something else too. Ryoji was his best friend not too long ago, he never insulted him for looking ugly or being weak so why, why now? It made no sense. He never wanted a conflict with Ryoji, not because he was scared of him but because he still cared for him, despite everything he had done to Minato.
"And once again," Minato sat on his desk and thought back, the time when he and Pharos would spend hours talking and laughing. "I am without a family."
He had Hamuko and his friends but there was also this emptiness inside of him, exactly the same as the time he had lost his parents. Minato picked himself and went off to locate Hamuko, wanting a shoulder to cry on, again.
...
The next two days were spent in complete fear. They still went out to search for Fuuka and all but a second outside the dorm was hell for them. Mitsuru had told them to be on guard, the closest person she could link Ryoji with was the old Minato who had no problem starting a fight in public. Had no problem attacking from the shadows or outright killing in broad daylight. She then said that Ryoji was several steps ahead of Minato in almost everything.
They couldn't find her in the city and so they search the tower which was worse because Tartarus was Ryoji's home, like he had told them before. A small sound or echo in the tower was enough to set the team off. Tartarus was a little too quiet as well, there were minimal shadows and despite searching for hours, they never came across the Reaper who was the least of their concerns.
"I can't do this anymore," Yukari said, ghostly white as she leaned against the wall. "I-I feel he's right around the corner."
Hamuko shook her head and started shouting. "FUUKA!" she yelled at the top of her lungs. "Come on, answer me! Please tell me you are there!"
"..."
There was no response.
Hamuko kept yelling and pleading for a few minutes until Mitsuru reminded her.
"The Dark Hour is almost over," she said, pulling out the gem from her pocket. "We should leave."
Hamuko bit her lip. Her friend was in danger and yet she was relieved that they were leaving the tower, away from Ryoji.
Ryoji.
That bastard had put them into a corner like no one ever did. Not Theo, Sho or even Takaya. Back then, they had Minato and could fight but Ryoji had disabled all of them in just one attack attack. No matter how hard they tried, they couldn't get his fear out of their hearts.
Just as they left, Ryoji emerged from the shadows, smirking and completely covered in human blood. "Who is next?" he wondered, picking up a bead they had purposely left behind in order to get out quick.
"I wonder," he said to himself, licking the blood from his fingers. "One thing for sure, that red haired bitch will get the worst treatment!"
Ryoji stormed off and the shadows came out of hiding, crowding the place because his aura was way too dreadful, even for his own kind.
"Stupid bitch!"
...
"I sense something terrible is going to happen tomorrow," Minato said to Hamuko the next day. "Be on your guard."
"Minato, can't you fight?" Hamuko said, leaning closer. "I know you're hurt but... I said it before, I know you can do something-"
"I can't," Minato shook his head. "I can barely move, let alone fight."
"..."
"Besides, I told you before, I can't bring myself up to attack him-"
"What the fuck?" Hamuko snapped. "Wake up! Just stop living in this delusion. Minato, he took Fuuka! If you don't do something then he'll take everyone, one by one!"
"Why can't you understand-" Minato tried to talk but Hamuko cut him off again.
"No, you are the one who needs to understand," she spat. "Okay, let me ask you. What if he rapes me?"
Minato widened his eye.
"What will you do, huh?" Hamuko asked.
"..."
"Nothing!?" she screamed at him, cursing at him and telling him to answer. "Answer me, what will you do!?"
"I..." Minato bit his lip, not sure of how to answer. Ryoji raping Hamuko was a real possibility, as much as he tried to deny it. From the very start, he disliked Hamuko which was okay with her because the girl never liked him either.
"I love you, I really do," Hamuko scowled. "But do something Minato! You promised that you'd protect me no matter what. You promised you won't let me suffer anymore."
"Hamuko, I-" Minato looked away.
"He's doing the same thing again," Hamuko whimpered. "He took away our parents years ago."
Minato's head snapped back towards her, a painful feeling resurfacing in his heart. It was something that he tried to avoid all the time but it was the truth; Ryoji was the one who killed their parents.
"He's going to take our friends next, while you are here, sitting and pitying yourself," she spat and stood up. "Wake up. I know you aren't this weak. I know you are better than that."
"I'm nothing," Minato admitted.
"Stop thinking like that," Hamuko growled at him. "Remember, you were the one who saved me on the bridge, despite being a heart broken 10 year old boy."
Minato recalled that night and started to sob, that was only a reminder of how fucked up his childhood was.
"You're so much stronger than you think," Hamuko started walking off. "To be honest, I'm more heart broken seeing you like this."
"..."
"We need our leader back," Hamuko said. "Our real leader. The pain, the suffering, the problems with my life, I can handle all of that, as long as you are there, right next to me. That's how the both of us function."
"Goodnight," Hamuko gave him a sad smile and left his room.
Minato fell back and groaned, cleaning his face. "Leader..." he whispered. "The only reason I become leader was because of Ryoji."
Without Ryoji, he wasn't even worthy enough to wield a persona.
...
The next day, the team listened to Minato and spent most of their time training, convincing themselves that there was nothing to fear. Obviously it didn't work at all but they still stood by, hoping for a miracle. If Ryoji attacked then maybe they could get to Fuuka.
"Stay here," Hamuko said, standing next to his door. "No matter what you hear, do not leave your room."
"I want to help too," Minato muttered.
"You'll just a hindrance in your current condition," Hamuko said bluntly. "Stay low and let me TRY to handle this." she closed the door to his room and ran up to the 4th floor, charging into the command room where everyone else was waiting.
"Did you sense something?" Hamuko asked.
Mitsuru was busy concentrating with her persona. She was a lot rusty with her support skills but she was still trying, trying to locate Ryoji. "Nothing yet."
"The wait is killing me," Sho sighed, leaning back on the couch. "This is so much different than the Minato battles..."
"I've been trying so hard to talk some sense to him," Hamuko growled. "I miss that guy. Who here wants to see Minato laugh and beat the shit out of Ryoji. Show of hands?"
Everybody did so, even Sho and Mitsuru without hesitation.
"See?" Hamuko exhaled. "I swear, that is my fondest wish right now."
"Same here," Junpei admitted. "Y'know, if that Minato was still around, I would have felt a lot better."
"I miss that messed up, clusterfuck of a psycho too," Sho groaned. "If he was around, I would have gotten over this just to compete with him because I know he would not give a shit."
"Clusterfuck of a psycho fits him perfectly," Junpei sighed, remembering how insane and batshit crazy that Minato was. "I'm sure he would have laughed and called us wusses for being afraid."
Hamuko sniffed. "My beloved psychopath-"
Mitsuru gasped out loud, nearly falling off the chair in surprise.
"What happened!?" Akihiko stood up. "Did you see something?"
"Shadows," Mitsuru breathed out. "Hundreds of them!" she said, causing the teenagers to shoot up at once, gawking at the heiress who grabbed onto her rapier and evoker. "They're heading for the school! Run now!"
"The school!?" Hamuko widened her eyes. Oh hell no, no way the shadows were going to destroy their school. "We're moving now!" she ordered and ran out, the rest following her.
Minato heard the doors slamming shut and took a deep breath. Looked like they had located Ryoji.
"Ryoji..."
As soon as he spoke his name, the dorm started rumbling, forcing Minato to the ground. "Ugh, what the..." the blunet muttered, barely able to stand his ground.
"Oh no," Minato swallowed the lump in his throat as the dorms started swaying back and forth, accompanied by thick and suffocating fear that lingered in the air. It didn't scare Minato like it did the others but the blunet was still petrified, shaking because of the coming conflict.
"You called...?" the cold voice came from behind him.
Minato took a deep breath. So, he was here...
...
Hamuko shredded through a large numbers of shadows and kept her focus on keeping them the hell away from the school, especially the large ones. "Tch," she dodged a number of spells and backed off, standing just ahead of the school gates, right next to Yukari and Ken who were playing support.
"Their numbers are great," Ken muttered, sending another torrent of healing spells for his seniors. "How did he call so many of them?"
"Remember what he said, about being the embodiment of every shadow?" Yukari reminded. "I guess he's the only one who can control them."
Hamuko nodded and looked ahead to see the others hacking and slashing the incoming. They were doing pretty well but she knew they were going to tire out sooner or later and the damn shadows weren't going to stop coming because their numbers were well in the billions.
"Fuuka!" Hamuko shouted again. "Can you hear me!?"
"I'm coming, motherfuckers!" Sho's crazy shout rang in Hamuko's ears, making her cringe. Sho was literally swimming in those shadows, happily slashing whatever came in his way, fulfilling his stabbity stab urges that he had held in for so long. "Oh God, I forgot what fighting felt like!"
"She's not here," Mitsuru said, wincing slightly at the cuts she was suffering. She looked ahead and saw more of them coming. "You will not destroy my school, no matter what."
Sho stopped dancing his way around the shadows and glanced at his wrists. It felt great to let his hands go but at the same time, he was surprised. He wasn't able to do anything in the past few days and yet here he was, destroying shadow after shadow.
"Crap," the redheaded male cussed. "Where is Ryoji-"
"Sho, look out!" Hamuko yelled out loud.
Sho couldn't turn around in time and ended up screaming out in pain, rolling across the ground. "Fuck!" he growled and stood up. "Where is that bastard!?" it was clear that Ryoji wasn't here, which meant...
...
"Why are you doing this?" Minato said, facing Ryoji who looked way too chill, leaning against the wall. "What have you done to Fuuka?"
"I'd tell you..." Ryoji said. "But as weak and pathetic as you are, the shock would most likely kill you."
"That didn't stop you for being my friend," Minato said, not shying away from him. "Did it? You became my friend on the first day. You even became my friend when I was the most pathetic, just after losing my parents..."
"..."
"You still became a friend, Pharos,"
"Shut the fuck up," Ryoji spat, disliking that stupid name. "I told you, NEVER call me that again."
"Just tell me what you've done to Fuuka!" Minato snapped back. "Where is she? Tell me where!"
"You don't deserve to know," Ryoji said, sizing him up from head to toe, hissing in disgust when he glanced at his wound and his ugly, stitched up face. "God, you're so pathetic. Makes me sick that I ever was your friend."
"It's not weak to value life," Minato retorted.
"Why you-" Ryoji bolted and just when Minato blinked, Ryoji had pressed him up against the wall, hissing and scowling right next to his ear.
"Ugh," Minato winced, blood staining the wall as the collision opened a number of his wounds. "R-Ryoji, you're hurting me!"
"Good!" Ryoji spat. "You deserve it!"
"Get off me," Minato hissed through clenched teeth, having trouble breathing because of the force on his chest. "Get off-"
"Get off you?" Ryoji scowled, pressing his forearm against his throat. "Go on, free yourself, if you do then maybe, I'll tell you what I've done to that bitch."
Minato tried pushing him away but Ryoji didn't budge and only came closer, eyes brewing with bloodlust and rage. "Pathetic. You can't even move my hand. What are you going to do, Minato?"
Minato choked something out, his face turning an ugly shade of purple.
"What's to stop me from molesting you here and now?" Ryoji growled. "Can you stop that from happening?"
"M-Molest?" Minato shivered, trying to break free but Ryoji pushed him down. "No, don't-"
"Don't put anything behind me," Ryoji growled, tilting his head down to stare at Minato who was thrashing around, pale after hearing what Ryoji was going to do. "You thought you were unpredictable? You haven't seen nothing yet. I swear, I am going to make your life a living hell in these last few days."
Minato's body froze when Ryoji grabbed a hold of his cheek, his thumb easily tearing through the stitches and lodging inside of his cheek, curling around to feel for veins and arteries. A sick smile spawned on Ryoji's face after feeling the warm blood slipping down his thumb.
Minato finally managed to push Ryoji away, or rather, Ryoji allowed him to move. He sniggered and glanced at the blunet again who was trying to cover the opened wound on his face.
Ryoji held his thumb up and licked the blood off with another sick smile. "For a weakling, your blood is tasty, far more than Fuuka's."
Minato widened his eye. "What did you-"
"I'll sample everyone," Ryoji assured, glancing towards Minato's chest. "I have a strange feeling that your heart will be much better than Takaya's."
Minato paled again. Did that mean he ate Fuuka's heart-
"Why are you going this!?" Minato finally lost it and screamed at Ryoji who hissed, bolting forward to clasp his mouth shut, shutting up the weakling from shouting which was always irritating.
"Simple really," Ryoji grabbed a hold of his shirt and head, eyes fixing upon his window. "Because you committed the most unforgivable sin of all, do you know what is?"
Minato didn't have time to say anything as Ryoji launched him towards the window, sending him crashing through the glass. Minato cried out in pain, his ears ringing due to the sound of glass shattering but among all the sounds, he could make out Ryoji yelling.
"You became one of them!"
Minato didn't have time to dwell on that as he plummeted, crashing down to the ground with a painful thud. "Shit!" he cried, knowing a number of his remaining bones were broken and a lot of glass shards had entered his body through his open wounds. His visions started lessening but he manage to turn himself over, staring up at Ryoji who seemed to be floating above him, an excited smile on his face which terrified Minato.
"More blood awaits-" Ryoji stopped when he saw Minato reaching out to him, trying to mutter something but he ignored the babbling of the weakling and set out to take another one down.
"No," Minato tried to get up and collapsed, wincing due to the fall and the shattered pieces of the glass sticking into his already mangled body. "He's going to take another one..."
Minato spat out blood and powered to his feet, stumbling his way until he grabbed a hold of a tree. He gritted his teeth, trying to get some mobility back in his body.
"Must find a way to stop..." he kept staggering forward, vicariously not tripping. "Before he kills..."
His senses blackened and Minato collapsed. "Everyone..." he muttered, passing out due to the pain and fatigue.
...
The summoned personas immediately faded into static and everybody stopped in their tracks when a crapton of dread seeped into their psyches, alerting them to the coming for the God of Death.
"That aura..." Mitsuru stiffened up, her persona fading away from her soul. "R-Ryoji." she gasped, knowing that the appraiser was nearby.
Sho widened his eyes, a dull amount of pressure on his shoulders. He gulped and turned around before looking straight up at the school, where he was standing.
"Ryoji!" Yukari cried in horror, backing away several steps when she found him standing on the edge of the school building, hollow eyes fixed upon them like they were his prey.
"W-Wait," Hamuko forgot about the fear when she saw him. That bastard was covered in blood, fresh blood which she could smell from yards away and it made her nauseous. "Where did you-"
"That's..." Sho sniffed and gritted his teeth, easily able to recognize the smell. "That blood belongs to Minato."
Hamuko heard that and lost her senses, screaming at the black haired bastard. "What did you do!?" she demanded, screeching at the top of his lungs, drawing out an amused chuckle from Ryoji.
"What did you do to Minato!?" Hamuko spat, marching forward with a storm brewing in her red eyes. "Answer me right now!"
Ryoji smirked, holding out his hand. "A lot..." he cracked his neck, just like Minato used to do. Black mist started leaking from his clenched fist, slowly gaining a definite shape that befitted the God of Death. "And there is much more to come."
Hamuko back off subconsciously when Ryoji swung his scythe around, sending the rest cowering backwards in fear because the scythe was gigantic, even bigger than Ryoji in size but the appraiser was holding it up like a toy, casually swinging it around with twisted glee in his giggles.
"Minato..." Hamuko bit her lip. She had made a terrible mistake by leaving him back in the dorm alone. If he was dead-
"You son of a bitch!" Hamuko snapped at the black haired teen again, a number of veins popping up on her face and forehead. "I swear, if you did anything to Minato, I'll-"
"You'll do fucking nothing," Ryoji spat, ticked off by the insult to Nyx. He gritted his teeth and howled up to the skies, evoking the fear of Death from within their souls which effectively stopped in their tracks again.
"I-I can't," Sho muttered through clattering teeth. Days had passed and he still couldn't look Ryoji in the eye, no matter how hard he tried. All it took was one scream, that horrifying, demented scream laced with bloodlust and insanity and everybody trembled. "Dammit Minato, where are you?" he wondered, remembering his old and fearless rival.
They needed him back.
"Tch," Sho took a step back again.
Without him leading the charge, they were going to get beaten to the ground again and again, no matter how hard they tried. And as far as he knew, that Minato was gone forever, never to return because he couldn't get over self pity and doubt.
"We're fucked,"
Ryoji fixed his stare on Yukari and Ken, the two bitches who were the strongest healers on their team. He moved his scythe, the moonlight reflecting off the metal surface, casting a glow on his face which made him appear even more terrifying.
"Now then," Ryoji said, an evil glint shinning in his right eye. "Time to have some fun."
Nobody was prepared, not even the fastest member of the team could read Ryoji's movements until he closed in and stopped in her face, grinned like a beast before he swung his scythe, drawing out a number of horrified screams and several splatters of crimson blood that made the whole thing even more exciting.
...
Minato stumbled his way towards the battlefield and then lost his voice when his eye scanned the area which was drenched with ichor and human blood. "No..." he shook his head, observing his friends sprawled on the ground, beaten and bruised open like they were car crash victims.
"M-Minato," Hamuko muttered, looking up to see the blunet just staring at the carnage like he was a lost little kid.
Minato followed the line of blood and his eye widened again when he saw Ryoji standing there, a massive, blood stained scythe in his hand and two of his friends lying next to his feet.
"Ken..." Minato took a step forward. "Yukari..."
"Minato," Yukari managed to hear his voice and barely tilted her head to see him standing there, staring at her with his mouth wide open. "Y-You idiot, r-run."
"So good of you to join us, brother," Ryoji sneered, stomping onto Yukari's stomach which he had cut open with his scythe.
Minato then glanced at Ryoji, tears welling up in the corner of his eyes. "R-Ryoji..."
"Hm?" Ryoji tilted his head, awaiting his words.
"Don't do this," Minato said slowly, moving forward again. "You wouldn't hurt me like this, right brother?"
"HAHAHAHAHA!" Ryoji laughed out loud, holding out his middle finger in response to Minato. "Do something, you bitch."
"Ugh," Minato could barely stand, let alone charge and fight someone like him.
"Do something or will you stand there and just watch me take the life of your dear friends, just like I took the life of your parents?" Ryoji mocked.
"Minato, run!" Yukari pleaded. "Save yourself."
"I didn't have much time back then but I have all the time in the world now," Ryoji said. "I couldn't kill your parents in front of your eyes but I'll be sure to slaughter your friends right next to you."
A black vortex spawned beneath his feet, spreading out to Yukari and Ken.
"Until we meet again," Ryoji stuck his tongue out.
"Ken..." Minato shivered.
"I will take them away, one by one," Ryoji swore, glancing at the survivors with a bloodthirsty smirk. "I'll keep you alive till the end so I can hurt you the worst."
"Yukari!" Minato lost it and bolted, breaking into a run but he was way too slow. Ryoji gave another savage laugh and disappeared in a blast of dark magic, taking the two healers along with him to God knows where.
Minato collapsed and started punching the ground. "Goddammit!" he shouted at the top of his lungs. First Fuuka and now Yukari and Ken. It was clear that Ryoji was not playing games but... dammit, what could he do...?
Hamuko crawled over to him and hugged him tightly. "I'm so sorry," she muttered. "I almost lost you."
"Dammit," Sho punched the ground and looked up at the yellow moon. "He destroyed us again..." he admitted with a bitter scowl.
Mitsuru powered back to her feet. There was no hope left now. They were fighting a losing battle here.
"What can we do?" Mitsuru breathed out, cursing her grandfather for unleashing this hell on them.
The team was slow in getting up to their feet. This was the first of many battles with the God of Death and after this little scuffle, they knew Ryoji had their number and he was coming for them no matter how hard they resisted.
The team got up and hugged each other, mourning the loss of Yukari and Ken. All of them had one fond, especially Hamuko who was praying nonstop for the past several minutes.
They wanted their leader back...
Is Minato in doubt? hell yeah, he's fighting against the same thing who saved his ass so many times and gave him power, of course he's unsure of the battle. Tell me if Ryoji came across as more insane than Minato.
And well, do review guys. I love opinions.
See you later.