Beta by Small Nerd on SufficientVelocity Forum
Extra Bosses: Witch Hunters #2
King of Exorcism
Cognitive Nagoya
Once again back in the Izakaya distortion, Akko couldn't wait to satisfy her monthly craving of chawanmushi.
"Nyaa! 10 servings, human?!" the Nekomata waitress exclaimed.
"Yep!" Akko nodded while counting on her fingers. "I want to share with all of my friends back at school! So take out please!"
"Take out huh…? Honestly, this is the first time someone asked us for take out. All of our patrons always eat their food here…" She turned to the rest of her colleagues. "Do we even have a take out box, girls?"
The other cats shook their heads.
"Are you serious?!" Akko frowned. "Not a problem~! Good thing I can carry as much as I want! Just pack them nicely for me!"
"I guess we will seal the cups for you," the Nekomata shrugged. "Still, maybe next time you should come with your friends, nyaa. Our Izakaya is not against take out, but our food is still best eaten fresh off our stove."
Akko shrugged. "What can you do about it, everyone's busy… But I will try to bring everyone next time!"
Just then, the restaurant's sliding door burst open as two figures limped in, one of which was a very familiar face.
"N-Neko Shogun!" Akko and every cat in the building exclaimed in shock. "W-What happened?!"
"N-Nyaa… Atsuko-dono," the severely beaten general muttered in pain as he collapsed. "Please… get away from here..."
"N-Neko Shogun… No..." The figure beside him muttered sadly. She was a beautiful woman with pale white skin. She was dressed in an outfit that seemed to be a fusion between a kimono and an ancient Chinese dress. She didn't seem to have visible legs and her outfit's cloth resembled shed snake skin.
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"I am Bai Suzhen, the white serpent," the Shadow asked as healing magic bathed everyone and relieved them of their wounds. "You must be the Atsuko-dono Neko Shogun spoke so highly of. It's a pleasure to meet you."
"Nice to meet you too, Bai Suzhen!" Akko cheered. "So what happened outside? Who beat you two up?"
"... Zhong Kui…"
"Huh?"
"The King of Exorcism… Zhong Kui is his name…" the white snake muttered. "He is the guardian of Chinatown, and he has gone mad..."
Bai Suzhen went to describe the sudden blood lust and tyranny of the Shadow who guarded Chinatown. How he now actively hunted down female Shadows that he deemed "witches". Apparently according to him, it was a direct order from his superior— Yama, the judge of the underworld.
"Chinatown? Which one?"
"... Yokohama."
"Whoa… he chased you all the way here to Nagoya?!"
The white snake nodded with teary eyes. "His servants are relentless… they've already slayed Xiaoqing, my dear little sister…" She eyed the unconscious Neko Shogun with sadness. "I can't be more grateful for his assistance… How brave of him to fight for my protection."
Akko's blood boiled.
"That can't do!" the Persona user exclaimed. "Where is his army now!? I will go defeat them right away!"
"Are you sure...? There is no reason for a human to-"
"No buts!" Akko paused the conversation. "I am a witch! This means he's going to go after me anyway! I might as well as skip the middle and go deal with him directly!" She turned and left, "Keep my take outs warm for me, would you? Thanks!"
"Got it nyaa!" the waitress nodded and waved goodbye. "Be safe human!"
"A-Atsuko-dono!" Neko Shogun jolted awake, "Nyaaaaaaa! Don't go! It's very dangerous-" He weakly toppled over due to not having recovered his energy yet. "Atsuko-donooooo-"
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At the outskirts of Cognitive Nagoya, an army waited.
Big heads, bloated bellies with twigs for limbs was a Shadow type Akko disliked very much. The large number of them were effectively infesting Cognitive Nagoya like mold on bread.
"Preta…" the girl groaned. "Well, guess what? Prove that you are the strongest of them all! Vetala!" She crushed the Devil arcana. "Venom Zapper!"
Her elephant headed Persona manifested from the blue fire. He quickly slashed through the air and cleaved through the masses of lesser hungry ghosts with shockwaves of poison. The Pretas were numerous, but they might as well as have been helpless grass before the lawn mower.
After ten Venom Zappers, Vetala trumpeted victoriously over the empty Nagoya streets.
Akko crushed an item to recover her energy. "This is too easy… There has to be more-"
Her assumption was spot on as two large figures pounced onto Vetala. The head of an axe and the tip of a sword threatened to dig into her Persona.
Unexpectedly for the attackers, Vetala was much stronger and faster than they anticipated as he effortlessly parried their attacks and smashed them out of the air.
"Were-cow and were-horse? No that's not it..."
"NoT bAd, WiTcH!" the horse-headed Shadow growled.
"AbLe To StOp OuR SuRpRiSe AtTaCk!" the cow-headed Shadow laughed.
"Gozuki and Mezuki…" Aradia explained. "The enforcers of the Chinese underworld, so Bai Suzhen is speaking the truth."
"We WiLl BrInG yOu To OuR bOsS!"
"He WiLl PrOmOtE Us FoR sUrE!"
Akko prepared herself. "Let's go Vetala!"
An elephant's trumpet signaled the battle as both parties clashed.
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The cow head and horse face lay defeated with their broken weapons.
"Hah hah…" Akko panted. "Tell me! Why is your boss hunting Witches?!"
There was no response as their bodies faded into dark particles.
"Oh… I killed them, oops."
"Fuhahahahahahaha! To take out those two… Not bad, Witch!"
Akko immediately went on alert as the laughter of a gruff man echoed through the air.
Arising from a puddle of darkness was, in Akko's opinion, one of the ugliest men she had ever seen. Square head with a crimson face and fish-like eyes, along with facial hair that would make a caveman ashamed. However, despite his unsightly appearance, Akko admitted his appearances as a whole did have a cool vibe.
"That's him, Zhong Kui," Aradia warned. "Be careful, Akko! We are dealing with a powerful guardian deity!"
"Fuhahahah!" The Shadow posed and boasted as he prepared for battle, sword in hand. "By the order of the underworld, administered by Yama, I, Zhong Kui, the King of Exorcism! Shall vanquish you, fiendish vile femme of witchcraft!"
"A... fiendish... vile… femme..." Akko grumbled. "What kind of insult was that?! Don't you see how adorable I am?! BRING IT!"
Vetala rushed in for the first strike, but Zhong Kui reacted by simply stamping his foot down.
"Trying to act before me!? DON'T YOU KNOW WHO I AM?!"
His deafening bellow caused the very atmosphere to tense. Both Akko and Vetala's hearts skipped a beat as they physically flinched.
"W-What was that!?" Akko thought.
"How problematic... Zhong Kui is a god of intimidation as well. That's why mortals to this day still use his face as protection from the wicked…" Aradia commented.
"You're kidding!"
Taking advantage of this opening, Zhong Kui delivered a devastating headbutt to Vetala, launching the Persona back despite being only half his size.
"Aurgh…!" Akko felt the wind being knocked out of her. Her stomach felt like someone just dropkicked it.
"Fuhahaha!" Zhong Kui taunted them by brushing his wild beard. "I have slayed over 80,000 occult beings! Can you provide a memorable challenge, Witch!?"
Akko grit her teeth as she dismissed Vetala. "... Mermaid!"
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Zhong Kui was weak to wind spells, but that didn't matter much as Akko found out the hard way that he couldn't be knocked down. To rub salt on her injuries, he was also highly resistant to all damage. Coupled with his constant ability to intimidate and flinch her, Akko barely made any progress in the battle.
"Fuhahahaha! Is this all you've got!?" Zhong Kui taunted again.
"There has to be a way out of this…!" Akko thought desperately.
"Atsuko-dono!"
A sudden blade of wind slammed into Zhong Kui, drawing away his attention as triple-colored enhancement magic empowered Akko.
"Neko Shogun! Bai Suzhen!"
"Allow us to assist you, Atsuko-dono! Nyaa!" the cat Shadow exclaimed as he applied his healing spell.
"If it isn't the serpent that violated the law of heaven!" Zhong Kui bellowed. "Saves me the trouble of finding you! You won't escape me a second time! I will vanquish each and every one of you right here!"
"This is enough!" Bai Suzhen yelled. "Please come back to your senses, Zhong Kui! What happened to the kind-hearted King of Exorcism?!"
"The order of the underworld dictated- Aurgh!" the Shadow jolted, as if he was bothered by a sudden memory. "... Trying to sway me with petty words? It's not going to happen! The order of the underworld dictated that I vanquish all of you witches!"
"Atsuko-dono, please!" Bai Suzhen ready herself. "We need to knock some senses back into him!"
"Zhong Kui wasn't always like that, right? What was he like back before he went berserk?" Akko asked.
"... Despite his scary appearance, Zhong Kui has the purest heart. He might be the King of Exorcism, but he always does his job justly. He will always find the best way to help a restless spirit find peace, with violence being the last option." Bai Suzhen frowned. "The monster you see now is everything Zhong Kui's name stands against!"
"... Got it!" Akko glared with determination. "Please, give me an opening! I'll give him the biggest haymaker ever! Hopefully it will do the job!"
"Got it, Atsuko-dono! Nyaa! Tarunda!"
"Rakunda! Please, human!"
Both spells binded Zhong Kui, making him visibly more sluggish.
"Weakening me?! Even then you wouldn't-"
Akko was already right at his face, ready to strike.
"...! NOT HAPPENING!" He bellowed as the air tensed and Akko flinched from his power.
"Flinch me all you want… I don't need to move my body to use this."
Zhong Kui's eyes widened when he realized there was a large hooked bead between Akko's teeth.
"... Roar!
"Kyōfū no Magatama…!"
A gigantic green tornado pierced into the sky, dragging Zhong Kui into it. His scream faded into the sound of the divine storm. The power behind it easily overrode his defense and dealt severe damage to him.
As he spun violently with the cyclone, Akko's determined face flashed by his mind. The girl's face conflicting with an old memory...
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The face of a young woman as he bid her farewell so he could journey to the imperial capital for his entrance exam.
The heartbroken sadness displayed as she wept her eyes dry at his funeral, screaming injustice and curses at the Emperor.
The memory was hazy afterwards… he remembered returning to the world of the living to ensure she had a future with his best friend. Giving them a final sendoff in a wedding he planned. At the same time, he also remembered her dying an early death from her sadness, eventually degrading into a violent ghost, and being used as a puppet by a greater evil to devour countless young men, forcing him to exorcise her so she might join the cycle of reincarnation.
Either way, he would always hold her dear to his heart in his everlasting duty to uphold justice in the afterlife…
"Thank you, dear big brother…"
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The group watched as the gale fizzled out and Zhong Kui came crashing back down from the sky.
"D-Did we do it…?" Akko muttered.
A painful roar sounded as Zhong Kui forced himself back up. Immediately he did something the group never expected.
The King of Exorcism threw himself to the closest set of stairs and bashed his head repeatedly against it.
Everyone cringed from the sheer brutality of the self-harm. Zhong Kui smashed his head onto the steps at least thirty times, to the point liquid darkness bled from his forehead and soaked the pavement and the majority of his face.
Bai Suzhen's lips eventually curled into a smile. "He's back. We did it."
"... Aurgh… Fuhahahahahahaha!" Zhong Kui rolled over and let out a laugh of relief. "... How nostalgic."
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"Cheers!"
Akko, Bai Suzhen, Neko Shogun, and Zhong Kui raised their drink of choice.
Once the brunette got to know the King of Exorcism, she realized immediately that he was basically a cool uncle and she quickly got used to his appearances. It didn't take long for everyone to be friendly with each other.
"So both of you are returning to Chinatown soon?"
"Indeed Atsuko-dono," Bai Suzhen replied. "We plan on investigating the strange order sent by the underworld… we suspect that the Yama might be affected as well and we plan on stopping it."
"Fuhahahahahaha!" Zhong Kui laughed. "It wouldn't be the first time I've had to storm the higher-ups due to a bad order! I am used to it! I've got a lot of bones to pick with them for causing this mess!"
"Cool! I hope you guys find the cause soon!" Akko nodded. "It would be really bad for me if every cognitive realm I go to started witch hunting…"
"Do not be afraid, Akko!" Zhong Kui patted her back. "Just remember to call upon me if that ever happens! I, the King of Exorcism, will fight for those in need!"
"Me as well," Bai Suzhen added. "Please, Atsuko-dono, call upon my power when you are in need. I, the white serpent, will gladly assist you."
"Got it~" Akko cheered. "I will be sure to visit Yokohama some time!"
"Here," Zhong Kui handed Akko something: a Chinese style hair pin.
"Oh? What's this?"
"It belonged to someone dear to me," the gruff Shadow replied. "I thought it over… and I think it's better if someone else puts it to good use rather than remain with me and gather dust forever. This hair pin should be with another beautiful maiden."
Akko took the gift and nodded. "Thank you so much! I will be sure to treasure it!" "YES NOT ANOTHER WEAPON!"
"Fuhahahahaha! That's the spirit! May we meet again, Kagari Atsuko!"
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Witch Hunter:
Zhong Kui (Hierophant)
Resistance: Bless
Weakness: Wind
Skills: Skull Cracker, Phys Boost, Taunt, Firm Stance, *Intimidating Stance, *Suppress Stance, *Oni-Kagura - KIWAMI
Profile: He is a god in Chinese myth that can command ghosts and spirits. One day, when the Emperor Xuanzong was sick, he had a dream where a ghost appeared and tormented the emperor, but a large man, Zhong Kui, appeared and destroyed it. After waking from the dream, the emperor was cured of his illness. As a human, he committed suicide after failing an exam to become an imperial official, but Emperor Gaozu gave him an honorable burial. He was given the title of "King of Exorcism" by Yama in the underworld to both to utilize his skill and to atone for his sin of suicide.
*Intimidating Stance - Boss only. 50% chance to cancel 1 pass turn every Player turn.
*Suppress Stance - Boss only. 1 up will not trigger from critical or weakness. Can not be knocked down.
*On Expert mode, if not defeated within 30 turns, he will game over the player with Oni-Kagura - KIWAMI, which is Almighty element, inflicts 1000 damage and ignores enduring skills.
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Enemy Shadows:
Preta (Hunger)
Weakness: Fire, Bless
Skills: Bufu, Lunge
Profile: A ghoulish demon of Buddhist lore. Greedy humans cast into the Preta realm of Hell become these. Their hunger is unrelenting and their suffering continues until they are reincarnated.
[]
Gozuki (Strength)
Resist: Curse
Weakness: Wind, Ice
Skills: Rampage, Fang Breaker, Life Gain, Resist Fire
Profile: A cow-headed demon from Buddhist myth. Along with Mezuki, he works in the underworld under Yama. He is responsible for clubbing and stabbing sinners sentenced to Hell.
[]
Mezuki (Chariot)
Resist: Bless
Weakness: Fire, Electric
Skills: Kill Rush, Armor Breaker, Life Gain, Resist Ice
Profile: A horse-headed demon from Buddhist myth. Along with Gozuki he works in the underworld under Yama. He mercilessly punishes victims, only to resurrect and torture them again.
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Ally Shadow:
Bai Suzhen (Lovers)
Null: Ice, Bless
Weakness: Fire
Skills: Bufula, Garula, Media, Rakunda, Ice Boost
Profile: The heroine of the Chinese tale, "Legend of the White Snake". She appears as a human. She was originally portrayed as an atrocious monster who charmed and ate young men, but was later depicted as a sad girl who falls in love with a human and is tormented by the difference in their natures.
"Hey! It's that dude with the brush, from SMITE!"
*Punch who ever dare say that*
Witch Hunter #1.5
Witch Hunters: The Maid of Orléans
Unfortunately, Akko was forced to enter the cognitive world solo since everyone was either busy this afternoon (Amanda got detention especially) or too tired from other tasks to join her.
She casually strolled into the courtyard of Cognitive Luna Nova. This part of the school was still unexplored, and she couldn't say she wasn't excited to see what new surprises awaited her.
Just as she defeated some Shadows, the cognitive sky suddenly lit up with a blinding ray. "Eh?! What's going on?!"
From the radiance three figures descended onto the center of the courtyard. They were all very clearly angels, divine winged messengers of the Lord. The leader was a male angel in full armor while his two allies were female angels with blindfolds and... what could only be described as BDSM gear.
"Archangel and Angel…" Akko tensed and prepared for battle. She had battled this type of Shadow before, and from experience she knew they were weaklings compared to her. This should be a quick one.
The Archangel held up a hand. "Halt, o child of man. Please lower your weapon. We come in peace."
Akko was puzzled. She lowered her bat. "What do you want with me?"
"We have watched you from above on the orders of the Lord," one of the Angels began.
"Atsuko Kagari, the Wild Card. We have witnessed how you have vanquished the vile darkness of humanity with amazing expertise," the other Angel continued.
"So we have come to you with a request, in hopes of borrowing your strength." Archangel finished. All three divine servants bowed their heads respectfully.
"Tsk, who are they fooling over here?" Aradia commented in her mind. "Remember the rule, Akko. Never trust an angel type Shadow. Get rid of them and continue on our merry way."
"C'mon, Aradia. They are being pretty respectful about it and don't seem like the other angels we have seen before. Let's just hear what they have to say first." Akko muttered before she spoke. "Alright, what do you angels want my help for? If it is within reason maybe I will consider it."
"Splendid." Archangel said with delight. "Wild Card… we are attempting to revive a great saint who had served the Lord in the past."
"A… saint?"
"Yes… And we are very sure you have heard of her great name…"
"La Pucelle… the Holy Maid…"
"We seek to revive Saint Jeanne d'Arc."
Akko's eyes widened. Jeanne d'Arc was definitely well known even in Japan. In fact, Japanese pop culture might have liked her a bit too much. Perhaps because she reminded them of powerful women of Japanese history like Tomoe Gozen or Komatsuhime, or because of Japan's high value of pure maidens. The brunette could've sworn that there was a character based off the saint in every other medieval fantasy anime.
"Okay. You got my interest." Akko answered, beaming. While she was pretty sure those angels wouldn't be reviving the real Jeanne d'Arc since bring the dead back was impossible, she did hope to meet a Shadow based on the famous knight. "How do I help you?"
"Thank you for your assistance, o child of man." Archangel said with satisfaction. "In order to revive the saint, we will need you to gather some sacred relics for us."
"Regrettably, the foolishness of man has reduced our saint to ash. We need the relics to recreate her body before we summon her spirit forth to the material realm. Which is where you come in, Wild Card."
"The relics we need, however, are guarded by three powerful dark reflection of humanity that reside in this area. We lacked the strength to slay them… Please, defeat them and help us bring our saint back.
Akko let out a sigh, "So, a fetch quest huh… Alright then. Just what are those Shadows?"
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Entirely covered in leather, the Shadow was humanoid but with only one leg and one eye, carrying a blacksmith's hammer and tongs. He was busily banging away on some metal until Akko barged in.
"Oh, there you are! Ippon-Datara right?"
"wHo gOeS tHeRe?!"
"Long story short, I need that armor set you are making! Please hand it over so we don't have to fight-"
"oVeR mY dEaD bOdY!"
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A towering cow-like monster, seemingly a bizarre fusion of a reptile and a metal furnace.
"So this is Moloch…. Hey, is there a way I can convince you to just turn off the fire just for a little bit? I just need some ashes from inside you and-"
The Canaanite god that once burned unfortunate children for sacrifice attempted to burn this one too. He let out a massive roar as the surrounding area burst into flame...
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A beautiful woman… or at least she would be if the right side of her body wasn't literally part red scaled dragon.
"Brave brat aren't you? To be so bold as to steal the treasure from me, Vouivre, the greedy one!" The Shadow bellowed, staring down Akko with her dragonic eyes. "If you want this treasured emblem you will have to take it from my cold dead claws!"
"Akko, aim for that gem on the forehead," Aradia suggested.
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Archangel and his allies met up with Akko again, who handed them the relics she had spent the last hour collecting.
"Incredible, Wild Card. Our sincere gratitude. To think you were able to gather them so quickly… Truly you harbor immense power."
"Thanks… the Shadows you had me go after wasn't too bad honestly… I have the feeling you guys might have been able to do it yourself," Akko said.
"Is that so? Either way, while you were doing us that favor, we have been preparing for Saint Jeanne's revival. Please come over… for you have earned your honor of being one of the first to witness her rebirth."
Archangel turned and flew to where his fellow angels were. Akko followed soon, arriving just as they finished placing the relics in a ritualistic manner.
"The time is nigh," the divine servants raised their voices as the sky lit up with a holy ray again. The Angels sang soothing chants while Archangel spoke to the heavens above . "O spirit of the saint who had served the Lord with all of her being… come forth!"
Akko was shocked when a laser beam slammed into the courtyard kicking up a massive cloud of dust. When it cleared, she realized it was actually a silver weapon that had fallen from the sky at insane speed.
It was a long spear, with a very large spear head with a golden tip, making it more of a bulky lance.
"Oh, interesting. If it isn't that weapon of the Cardinal Archangels," Aradia mused.
"Weapon… of the Cardinal Archangels?" Akko asked.
"You are correct, Wild Card," Archangel answered. "This is the sacred weapon granted to the Kingdom of France by the four Cardinal Virtues… Holy Spear Maltet!"
"The Holy Spear embodies the spirit of Jeanne and the will of her country… With it and the relics, she will once again walk the earth!" both Angels cheered. "Hallelujah!"
The spear pulsed with power, it didn't take long for light to consume it and the ritual area. Akko covered her eyes from the blinding radiance, all she heard was the mysterious sound of the ray and the cheering of the divine servants.
A beautiful blonde woman with a short haircut emerged from the light, dressed in full silver armor and on her back flowed the flag of France as her cape. Her eyes were closed while she held her sword up.
"T-This is Jeanne d'Arc?" Akko muttered in both awe and disbelief. "She's so pretty and regal…"
Archangel turned to face Akko. "Wild Card, there are no words to describe our gratitude toward you… However, may we be so bold as to ask another request?"
"Sure! What is it?"
"May we… offer your life to the saint?"
"Wha- WHAT?!"
Malice radiated from the divine servants as they flew to Jeanne's side. "Wild Card, we have concluded your spirit is pure… however we can not overlook your status as a Witch, which is a grave sin in the Lord's eyes."
"However, we are benevolent beings created by the Lord. So we will make an exception and welcome you into paradise despite that."
"You must shed your mortal existence so you may join the Lord in spirit. We will do that for you as a way to reward your kindness… Don't worry, we will ensure it is painless and blissful."
"Besides, offering you as a sacrifice to Saint Jeanne will be ideal. For this should take her mind off how mankind condemned her as a witch in the past!" Archangel finished as he banished his sword. "What's the mortal phrase for this…? "Win win for everyone" am I correct, Wild Card?"
The angels chuckled as if what they just said wasn't words only an insane killer could mutter.
"Called it…" Aradia sighed. "Remember, never trust the feathered freaks. Let's hope this is a lesson learned, finally."
"Oh…!" Akko grumbled as she pulled out her bat and summoned the Fool Arcana. "How about a big no thank you! I am not going to heaven at the tender age of sixteen! Bring it!"
Jeanne d'Arc slowly opened her eyes.
"It is alright, child. Your opinion will change once you join the Lord's side," Archangel chuckled as if amused at a child's inexperienced view of the world. "Now-"
Suddenly, his laughter was abruptly, and literally, cut short as his head separated from his body.
"What in the Lord's name- O holy maiden have you gone mad?!-"
The Angels screamed as they were consumed by curse energy and fire. As the poor divine servants vanished into a dark clouds with cried of confusion and betrayal, a red aura flared. The saint's shiny armor turned dim, dark red tendrils spreading over her body. Her hair and skin color paled while her flag cape turned absolutely black. She pointed her blade at Akko, mad red eyes and black sclera full of rage glaring at the witch.
"J-Jeanne?" Akko took a step back, extremely surprised.
"The Lord abandoned me and left me to burn at the stake…" the Shadow muttered hatefully as her aura flared even more. "It's all because of an association with you… Witch! God, demons, the English, and those that abandoned me… I will henceforth incinerate all of them into the ground!"
"But I actually respect you, Jeanne-" Akko cried as she dived for cover from the curse and fire magic thrown at her.
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This was terrible… due to lacking a Persona with fire resistance, approaching Jeanne became an extremely difficult task.
Akko flinched as fire once again burned the pillar she was hiding behind. "That's no opening to attack her! Long range doesn't work either because she resists pretty much every spell we have!"
"Why won't you burn!?" Jeanne screamed vengefully. "Suffer just like I once did! All of my hard work fighting in the Lord's name, all amounted to what?! Abandoned and forgotten by heaven and my countrymen, to the point that the English pitied me more than my motherland?!"
"Akko, thou think this is a rare case where we have to win with words," Aradia suggested. "Because our options were lacking, it's worth a shot."
"Yeah…" the brunette agreed. "That's not true Jeanne!"
"What?!"
"Yes, historically it was a tragedy, and I can't say you don't have the right to be angry about it," Akko reasoned. "But it's wrong to blame the people of today! Honestly you are no better than those people that condemned you in the past! You are just taking out all your anger on innocent bystanders! The French and English aren't even at war anymore! That was centuries ago! Let it go!"
"I-I am no better than… THE NERVE OF YOU SAYING THIS!"
The fire burned even hotter, but Akko continued to speak.
"Yes! You are a hypocrite by doing this! Please remember who you were! You were supposed to be the Maid of Orléans! The girl who inspired countless people with her bravery!"
Jeanne clutched her head and growled in agony. "Shut up, SHUT UP! My rage… you think my suffering will just disappear because of some petty words?!"
Akko grumbled, willing her mind into overdrive to think of more words to soothe Jeanne. She then noticed the Holy Spear that still sat in the middle of the courtyard. "Maltet…"
"Akko… do you think it will work?" Aradia asked.
"It's worth a shot… If it works in Mahou Shoujo anime it might work here!"
The Wild Card dashed out from behind the pillar and rushing toward Jeanne.
"Coming at me directly?!" The saint slashed her black blade, sending a wave of fire directly at Akko. "Become ash!"
"Open a path for me! Mermaid!" She crushed her Hermit arcana. The aquatic Persona unleashed the strongest Bufula and Magaru she could muster, and even then both spells were just barely enough to turn the devastating fire wave into steam.
The saint rushed to meet Akko head on, only for her to evade her slash, land by her feet, and roll past the Shadow. "What!?"
It was not her that she was gunning for… It was Maltet.
Akko lunged after the spear, ripping it out of the ground and holding it tight. "The angels said this spear was what embodied you and France's spirit… I bet this is exactly what will return you to your senses!"
"How dare you touch Maltet! Give it back!" The murderous Shadow rushed to take Akko's head off… only for the spear to suddenly emit a pulse of light energy, repelling her and sending her crashing into a cognitive tree. "M-Maltet!?"
Akko eyed the divine weapon with a smile. "Thank you, Maltet… You don't think Jeanne is right either, don't you?" She glared at the vengeful saint. "Then please, help me knock some sense back into her!"
Akko raised Maltet up high like a flagpole, the spear radiating blinding light as it gathered energy.
At that moment a memory flashed by Jeanne's eyes.
A farm girl barely able to read or fight… Only for the angels to visit her dream and grant her the revelation. Suddenly she was burdened with the monumental task of liberating her country from the corrupted English.
No one believed her back then, not only because she was a girl, but also just a child who could barely raise a sword. However, everything changed when she was able to pick up Maltet.
She still remembered the day she became what she was, where she raised her spear and her army cheered for their new leader.
"La Pucelle! La Pucelle! La Pucelle!"
The sight of Akko wielding Maltet… it was an exact mirror of what she once did.
"Show Jeanne the righteous path again!" Akko bellowed as she thrust forward. "HOLY SPEAR MALTET! ! !"
The full power of the angelic weapon was unleashed as a massive beam engulfed the saint Shadow, easily annihilating a section of the cognitive school.
Her flame was extinguished and the curse on her armor was erased by the purifying light.
That's right…
What happened to her was a tragedy and she couldn't say she wasn't vengeful about it.
However, one thing she could say at the very least was that she returned to the Lord's side with her belief and deed intact. This girl was proof enough that her tale of bravery would continue to be inherited for ages to come.
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The light of the holy spear died down as Akko panted with exhaustion. "W-We won right?"
Maltet suddenly jerked violently. It broke out of Akko's grasp and flew off. Jeanne d'Arc arose from the rubble and caught the spear without looking.
"Thank you, child," her tone was remorseful. "It was the belief of the masses that had blackened my thoughts. While indeed, I was not happy of my tragedy, degrading to a vengeful monster was beyond my righteous heart."
Akko let out a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness…"
The saint kneeled down with her head low. "Still there's no excuse for my madness. Even if there were factors outside of my control, it does not change the fact that I did a terrible action... therefore I must atone." She looked up at Akko with determination. "Please Wild Card, allow me to accompany you from now on."
"Eh?! No way!"
"A saint does not lie, so please accept my offer so you may call upon my power. I wish to fight for the peace of this world once more."
Akko was extremely happy about this outcome, having such a powerhouse like Jeanne join her would be amazing. "Thank you so much Jeanne! Let's work together!"
Blue flame spread from Akko's hand and engulfed the saint.
"I am thou, thou art I. From the sea of thy soul I come. I am Jeanne d'Arc of the Justice Arcana. Fufu… Whether I become a heroine again is up to you. Let us walk the path of righteousness, Atsuko Kagari."
She condensed into a tarot card and vanished into Akko's heart.
"Yay!" the brunette cheered. "I got Jeanne d'Arc as a Persona!"
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Akko let out a sigh as she collapsed onto her bed, "So tired…"
Sucy didn't respond, busy with her poison while Lotte worriedly asked, "Did something come up?"
"Nothing much… Just fought Jeanne d'Arc."
Both teammates did a massive double take.
Sucy lifted up her head from her science equipment. "Okay, now I have to hear this. What happened in the last two hours?"
Another exhausted sigh. "I will let her explain it…" Shocking both witches, she manifested her new Justice Arcana and shattered it.
The Maid of Orleans returned. Although this time Akko was the one doing a double take. The female knight changed drastically from ten minutes ago. She still has her shining armor and French flag cape, however her outfit now had a blue battle skirt instead. Her body shrunk. No longer an imposing adult woman with short hair, she was more of a teenager with extremely long, flowing hair that was tied at the end. She actually gave off the vibe of a farm girl instead of a serious knight.
"I can't believe this! You got Jeanne d'Arc as a Persona?!" Lotte exclaimed with something between excitement and astonishment and she honestly couldn't decide which.
"Wait, wasn't Jeanne d'Arc historically a brunette or something... Screw it, whatever." Sucy muttered. "And just when I thought your collection couldn't get any weirder, Akko."
"What happened to you, Jeanne!?" Akko cried. "Why are you younger now?!"
The Justice Persona looked to the side, embarrassed.
"What, my heart changed you into this form!?"
"So same as Skogsra then. Went from insane killer to… something that likes to harass you like a pervert." Sucy reasoned.
"Ah man…" Akko groaned. "Jeanne I am sorry… Maybe I can ask Igor and..."
"Ah… Who's Igor, Akko?" Lotte asked.
The saint thought for a minute and then shook her head. She kneeled down with her head low.
"That's way too formal! Please get up!"
The knight did so. She eyed her new commander with determination, eager to fight for the peace of this world.
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Witch Hunters:
Angel (Justice)
Null: Bless
Weakness: Curse, Electric
Skills: Hama, Sukukaja
Profile: Ninth of the nine orders of angels. They are closest in nature to humans. They watch over individuals and warn those who stray from the path.
[]
Archangel (Justice)
Null: Bless
Weakness: Curse
Skills: Hama, Fatal Sword, Tarukaja
Profile: Eighth of the nine orders of angels. Their duty is to minister to humans and deliver messages. They are warriors of Heaven and lead Heaven's forces during battle with the armies of evil.
[]
Vengeful Jeanne d'Arc (Reversed Justice)
Resistance: Ice, Electric, Wind
Weakness: Fire, Curse
Skills: Negative Pile, Despair Boost, Rakunda, Death Break, *La Pucelle, Maragidyne, Maeigaon, Repel Fire, Drain Curse
Profile: Corrupted legendary Catholic saint embodying her betrayal and hatred. However, Jeanne d'Arc's true feelings are unknown to the public, perhaps this vengeful incarnation is merely the masses humoring the idea of a wrathful saint.
*La Pucelle- Vengeful Jeanne d'Arc only. User ignites herself, KOs user and inflict Almighty Instant death on all foes on the field.
*On Normal to Hard, she will use it after 35 turns. On Expert mode, if not defeated within 20 turns. She will gameover the player with Death Break + La Pucelle combo. On Easy mode she will do the same, however, she will not cast Death Break, therefore opportunity for an easy victory.
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Enemy Shadows:
Ippon-Datara (Hermit)
Resistance: Fire, Electric
Weakness: Wind, Bless
Skills: Sledgehammer, Tarukaja, Resist Dizzy
Profile: A one-eyed, one-legged monster said to live deep in the mountains of Kumano, Japan. It's believed to be the degraded blacksmith god, Ame no Me-Hitotsu no Kami.
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Moloch (Hanged-Man)
Repel: Fire
Weakness: Ice, Bless
Skills: Agidyne, Evil Smile, Ghostly Wail, Freila, Nuke Boost
Profile: A Canaanite god of fire. It is said that a bronze statue of a man with a bull's head was placed at the altar. The statue's hollow insides were heated and the sacrificial children were thrown in. His name is mentioned in the Bible as the god of an atrocious sect.
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Vouivre (Strength)
Null: Ice, Electric
Weakness: Fire
Skill: Venom Claw, Poison boost, Zionga, Marin Karin
Profile: A female dragon with bat wings. Sometimes depicted as a beautiful female spirit. They have bat wings, eagle legs, and a snake tail, and they are all female. The secret of their power is the garnet gem in their forehead. If it is stolen, they lose their power and must obey the gem's owner
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Akko's Personas:
Jeanne d'Arc (Justice)
Resistance: Ice, Electric, Wind, Bless
Weakness: Fire
Skills: *Orleans Prayer, *Maltet, Mahama, Mafrei
Profile: A French heroine who appeared towards the end of the Hundred Years War. She is nicknamed "the Maid of Orleans." Upon receiving a vision from God at the age of 16, she took a stand to save France. Later she was captured at Compiègne and was burned at the stake in Rouen. Posthumously, her conviction was overturned, and later she was canonized as a Catholic Saint.
*Orleans Prayer- Jeanne d'Arc only skill. Recover 30% HP and 15% MP of an ally. 25% chance of failure and would instead inflict 45% HP damage. High MP to cast.
*Maltet- Jeanne d'Arc only skill. Medium Phys Damage, triggers Bless Weakness. Recovers 30% of user's HP when landing a critical hit or triggers a weakness. Use MP instead.
HOLY SPEAR MARTE! ! !