I don't own Genshin Impact or the Persona Series just the plot.
Moving On
(Plane of Euthymia)
Clash!
Clash!
Clash!
In the Plane of Euthymia where the mind of the true Raiden Shogun resided a battle was taking place where the Shogun clashed blades with the Unknown contractor.
The reason for this clash was clear, the Contractor had challenged the Shogun to change her stance on the Vision Hunt decree, but the Shogun was resolute in her decision and so whoever won this duel the loser will yield to the other wishes.
And unfortunately, the Contractor was losing, despite his best-efforts Mochizuki Ryoji couldn't win, he manages to hold out this long thanks to his skills and use of elemental power but the Shogun took away that advantage soon after their duel began.
Now the Shogun seems to be getting more powerful by the second with him barely putting up a sizable defense.
"I admit Contractor I am impressed; you certainly improve since our last bout, but the result will the same." The Shogun coldly says.
Ryoji didn't say it but she was right he was fighting a losing battle and right now it took everything he got just to stand up.
With one final breath the Contractor charged at the Shogun once more.
The Shogun did nothing as her eyes glowed a bright purple before lightning struck the Contractor, the last of his conscience fading away to the black void.
(Void)
When Ryoji opened his eyes all he saw was white. White as far as the eye could see with nothing else in sight other than him.
"Where am I?" He ask, the last thing he remembers was that he was fighting the Shogun and he was losing-badly. Miko was right even with the Anti-Shogun training it wouldn't be enough to help him take her down.
Now he's here…wherever here is.
…Now that he thinks about it he remembers seeing something like this back in his old world. He'd seen movies where the protagonist was near death, and they entered some sort of space that acted like the afterlife or something.
Thinking that he was currently in that sort of place Ryoji decided to test it out by asking the question.
"Am…am I dead?" He ask no in particular.
"No."
Ryoji turned around to find the one that answered him.
"…Not yet at least."
Standing before him was someone he never thought he'll again, a friend from his old life back in his old world one that was closer than any of his guy friends he made as he considered this one to be like a brother to him.
"Ryoji."
"Hey there Minato." The Avatar of Death greeted with a smile.
(Cut)
Once the initial shock wore off 'Ryoji' or Minato in this case regained his senses to look at his old friend.
"Ryoji…what are you doing here?" The contractor ask.
"Did you forget? I'm the God of Death remember, people dying is pretty much my whole thing." He replied.
"I thought that was the Grim Reaper."
"Yeah well be glad I'm the one meeting you and not him, unlike me Reaper doesn't play favorites." Ryoji pointed at him.
"…What do you mean by favorites?"
"I mean is that I won't take you to the next life." He said.
Minato became confused by this. Ryoji signed before raising his hands up.
"Look I'm not gonna go into details just know that it isn't your time yet, so I'm allowed to send you back I mean you got a god to beat anyway right."
Minato cast his gaze down refusing to meet his friend's eyes.
"…I can't beat her." He said causing 'Ryoji' to frown.
"That's not true."
"It is." Minato insisted. "She's too strong, too skilled I don't stand a chance."
Ryoji scoffs "Really? Too strong? Too skilled? You face people like that all the time and you always manage to come out on top, what makes this so different?"
"Because I wasn't by myself that those happen, I had a team with me, I had my friends with me." The contractor told him. "But here I'm by myself fighting on her territory with no elemental power, no back-up, no Personas, just me, a sword, and my skills alone."
"I can't beat her." He say again.
Ryoji placed a hand on his shoulder. "You're the only that can, you know as well as I do that those rebels don't stand a chance, they'll be slaughtered. Why else did you throw yourself at her? Because you knew that only death awaited them, their hard work and effort would've ended right then and there you just saved their lives."
"Well a whole lot good that did, the Shogun defeated me and now she's going to kill the rebels ending this rebellion, I gave it my all to end without further bloodshed and it wasn't enough so right now the best thing to do is just accept my fate, just let my spirit move on.
Minato looked down accepting the fate of thing in Inazuma the light in his eyes growing ever dimmer.
Seeing his state Ryoji gave up.
"Alright well if I can't convince you then maybe she can."
Minato became confused again. "She?"
Instead of answering Ryoji waved his hand summoning a door in front of him.
Minato stared at the door for a few seconds before turning to Ryoji who used his eyes signaling him to go in.
Turning the handle Minato stepped inside.
(Skip)
The moment he stepped through the door Ryoji found himself in a room.
Looking around Minato deduced that the room belonged to someone of high standings as the furniture inside look pretty fancy but for some reason he felt as though he's been in this room before.
That was when it hit him, he recognized this room, he's been in here before plenty of times in the past back in the dormitory in his old world.
This was Her room.
Minato wondered why Ryoji sent him here of all places. That was when he noticed a figure standing at the figure with it back turned to him.
The figure was shorter than him by a few inches and wore a white winter coat, but Minato could tell the figure was female and one he was familiar as the figure as he recognized the long red hair.
"Mitsuru?" He called out.
The figure turned, showing her face one he was all too familiar with.
Mitsuru Kirijo the first woman he ever loved was right there standing in front of him. He couldn't believe it was her especially with how she looks.
She looked…older by at least 2 or 3 years and somehow it made her even more beautiful, her hair becoming the color of fine wine, her face more mature than it was before, and for some reason she's wearing a very form fitting outfit that was skintight…he doesn't know why she's wearing just that it really shows off her curves.
"Minato." She called out.
And her voice was just how he remembered it, so calm, collected, firm, and loving.
This was really her.
Eventually the two ran towards each other and embraced, sharing a passionate kiss that they hadn't had in what felt like forever.
(Cut)
The two are now on the couch with Minato head on Mitsuru lap as she strokes his head like a mother to her child.
"I missed you." Minato said.
"I missed you too." She replied.
"If this is heaven then I don't mind staying here with you."
Mitsuru smile fell when she heard that as she tried to find the right words to say next.
"Minato…as much as I want you to be here with me, you have to go back." She said surprising him.
"Why?"
"Because there are still people that need you." Minato grip her coat.
"…I don't want to go back out there." He admitted. "I can't do this anymore."
Mitsuru gently stroked his head. "I know… but you have too. There are people counting on you."
"Haven't I already done enough? I fought their battles, helped their people, gave them a fighting chance. I've done more than what I've been asked for. What more do they need of me?" Minato was beginning to get agitated, but Mitsuru calmed him down.
"Nothing, you've held up your end of the bargain, but you've proven that they can't do this without you. Just like how I couldn't lead S.E.E.S. without you."
"With you S.E.E.S. and I have accomplished so much in a few short months than what we could do in a few years. Just like how the rebels accomplish so much the short amount of time you spent with them."
"…Do you regret it?" He ask confusing her.
"Regret what?"
"Do you regret making me the co-leader that night?"
"Never." She said. "Choosing you was the greatest decision of my life; I may have made the battle plans, but it was you who executed them perfectly. Not only that everyone came to trust you, to believe in you knowing that every time we explored Tartarus, we could trust you to keep us safe we couldn't have asked for a better leader and eventually you became more than that, you became the man I love. So how could I ever regret choosing you?"
She lifted his head up to meet her eyes.
"You were always there when I was at my lowest, when I told how I wanted to run away to abandon my duties as heiress, when my father died, when you help me confront my fiancée, you made me feel so safe."
"Not only that but you were also there at the highlights of my life, when you took me out on our first date, the fall festival, and so much more."
"Those were the greatest moments of my life."
"…They were also the greatest moment of my life; I wish we could've spent more time together."
"I know… but that is what makes those memories so precious."
She then closed her eyes and place her head against.
"Minato I didn't let you go but at the same time I couldn't be weighed down by the loss of you. You gave your life so me and the rest could live ours and that's exactly what we did."
"Now it's time for you to live yours, so stop blaming yourself for what happened to us. It's not your fault our time may have been short, but we made every moment count. You cannot let this failure weigh you down instead you have to let it go even if it means letting us go."
Minato didn't want to admit it, but she was right. Unfortunately, that didn't lessen the pain, he was afraid to let her go. He already shed his old name but the memories he forever holds dear and will never part with them.
The pain hurts but if Mitsuru and his old friends can get through than he can too.
Gripping his hand in order to steel himself, he made his decision.
"No matter what…I will never stop loving you Mitsuru Kirijo."
Mitsuru smiled as she placed her hands on both sides of his head.
"And I never once stopped loving Minato Arisato."
Slowly they moved their heads closer until their lips met.
Their kiss was not like any other kiss, it wasn't quick or lustful but warm and loving and filled with the sense of parting.
This kiss felt like it'd last for eternity as they both knew that this would be the last time, they'd see each other.
(Void)
When Minato opened his eyes, Mitsuru was gone, all that remained was the empty spot she once occupied.
Her warmth, touch, voice and love now felt like a fleeting memory, even the kiss they had a moment ago now felt like a phantom pain as the tears never stopped flowing from his eyes.
A hand was placed on his shoulder, Ryoji turned to see 'Ryoji' staring at him worryingly.
"Are you alright?" He ask as he saw the tears keep flowing from his eyes.
"…No I'm not." Ryoji told him. "Feels like I died a second time by having my heart ripped out."
'Sign' "Look I know it's not easy, I still remember how you felt when Shinjiro died so I can only imagine what you're feeling now is ten times worst." Ryoji told him.
"But you have to know that you're not alone in this, bad things are always going to happen no matter what, but good things happen too. You may have lost your friends, but you can always make new ones, this doesn't mean you have to forget about them cause you've proven that the bonds you forged with them can withstand the test of time and death."
"Minato as long as these bonds remain strong you are never truly alone. And if your old friends were here now they'll tell you to stop wallowing in despair instead they'll want you to stand up and live."
"And you what? Even though I'm the God of Death I want you to live."
Minato eyes widen at that as a revelation came upon him.
His mother told him to live, Mitsuru told him to live, his old friend wants him to live, but what is he living for?
He's been in this world for nearly two years, and he still doesn't know the answer. He's been wondering this world with an annoying flying companion helping people everywhere for Mora, getting mixed up in things bigger than himself and still he couldn't find his answer.
Mitsuru found her answer from his sacrifice, his friends found their answer, but he had nothing but the loss of his loved ones.
But Mitsuru was right he couldn't let this loss stop him, not now, not until he found his answer.
He found his answer before and he can do it again no matter the challenges he faces.
Wiping the tears away Minato look Ryoji in the eye conveying his thoughts in which he smiled.
"Are you ready?" He asked.
'THUMP!'
In a heartbeat Minato's blue eyes suddenly change to golden yellow.
"I'm ready."
'THUMP!"
"Good." Ryoji's eyes then turned to the same golden color.
'THUMP!'
Minato gripped his head as he felt immense pain overwhelmed him like his brain was being stabbed by a million needles.
"You who conquered Death and the Night, who fought the dragon of winds, an ancient God of the Vortex, slayer of armies
"Now in this time of need you call for me in need of my power."
"Do you wish for my power once more?"
Minato struggled as the flames covering his body burn hotter than before. "Yes…I do."
"Then let us renew our contract."
"From the depths of thy soul I Thanatos God of Death and Champion to the Night swear my fealty to thou once more."
"My might, my power, my sword are now yours as Death is yours to command!"
"Wield Death once more to end this God of Eternity, end this tyranny so a new beginning can be born."
The pain from both the mind and body force Minato to kneel but not fall as his will remain steadfast.
"All I ask in return is one thing from you."
"What's that?" He gritted his teeth.
"…Memento Mori."
Minato was shocked to hear those words but became even more shocked when the blue flames formed a familiar gun in his hand.
The color of cold silver, the chamber of mystic dust, and the four letters engraved on it.
This gun represents so much, a deep reminder of his past and of the life he lived.
Seeing the gun, Minato knew what he had to do.
As the flames burned his body, he slowly brought the gun up until he felt the barrel on the side of his head.
"Per-so-na."
BANG!
(Plane of Euthymia)
Back in the Plane of Euthymia the Raiden Shogun was about to send the Contractor back to the real world, once that was done, she will deal with the rebels ending this rebellion and continue pursuing her goal of Eternity.
But before she could a burst of power came flooding from the Contractor as blue flames surrounded his body, forcing her back.
Once she was at a good enough distance Ei observe the Contractor body slowly get up from the ground as the flames swirls around him.
"Raiden Shogun." He called out as black coffins rose from the ground and began to circle him forming a pair of wings.
"You. Will. SUBMIT."
Ryoji carried in the air by his coffin wings charged right at her.
The Shogun barely had time to put up a decent defense before the Contractor crashed into her. The crash caused her to be carried by their locked weapons as the Contractor kept his advance, she manages to stop the advance by digging her heels into the ground.
Once done the two broke off and began to clash once more, only this time the Contractor was the one pushing her back with strikes that were faster and harder than before.
Ei was surprised by this, earlier his attacks barely did any damage to her but now the force behind them was far stronger.
Whatever happened to him has given him a significant boost in power.
Ei found this somewhat exciting, she couldn't remember the last time her skills were tested, this only caused her to put more effort into her attacks.
With a slash she blocks another one of his strikes, her eyes glowing as she summons lightning to strike like before, but it never happens as the lightning was blocked by one of his coffins.
Every time she calls on her lightning his coffins would block them.
"Your lightning will touch me." He said.
Ei gritted her teeth, if her lightning could not reach then swordplay was her only option.
They clashed for a while, sword and polearm it was here that Ei noticed something. His strikes may have been stronger, but her skills still outmatch his and it was only a matter of time before she found her opening and she did when she deflected one of his strikes leaving him wide open.
She stabbed him right in the chest in which he fell limp, she thought that she had finally won this battle but that thought was quickly dash away when her neck was grabbed as his head slowly rise to meet her eye.
"Death will not take me unless I allow it." He said before punching her in the face.
This forced her to take a few steps back giving Ryoji an opening to slash her across the chest.
Ei had no choice as she was starting to lose this fight, her lightning and her skills weren't as effective as before so she resorted to using her ultimate technique the Musou no Hitotachi.
Discarding her polearm Ei reached in her chest and pulled out her sword gathering all her power into this one strike to end it all.
With one swift motion Ei struck the Contractor but she became surprised again when he blocked it, he blocked it this was the second time her ultimate technique was block the first was from earlier by that wondering samurai, but instead of pushing back like the wonderer before had done, he instead uses her momentum against her by moving his sword to the side causing her to slide down with hers sword making her lose concentration for a second.
With this opening granted to him Ryoji then with one hand grabbed the Shogun wrist that was holding her sword and threw it to the air causing the two of them to lose their respective weapons was thrown into the air.
Ryoji grabbed both swords out of the air before charging to the Shogun shoulder bashing her back to the torii gate pinning her then he places both swords at the Shogun neck.
"YEILD." He said as he moved the swords closer to her neck.
The Raiden Shogun or Ei in this case couldn't believe what she had just experienced.
As she had just witnessed in this battle against the Contractor her lightning her very element became useless against him, forcing her to rely on her martial prowess and while she may have gotten a few hits most of the time her attacks were either blocked or dodged.
In the end she was forced to use her ultimate technique, the Musou no Hitotachi to end him but he surprised her again when he blocked it.
That was the second time the Musou no Hitotachi has been blocked and then he pulled a surprising maneuver that disarmed of her sword and now here she was with both her sword and the contractor held against her neck ready to end her at a moment's notice.
Ei was no fool, she knew that continuing this fight was pointless as the Contractor has proven to be the superior warrior.
"…I yield, you have won." She said.
Ryoji relaxed a bit after hearing that as he slowly pulled the swords away from her neck.
"My my what do we have here." A familiar and annoying voice said.
Moving their heads Ryoji and the Shogun turns their head to see the Head Shrine Maiden walk towards them.
"I never thought I'll see the day where you'll be held at sword point Ei and especially by you Ryoji."
"Miko!" Ryoji said surprised to see her.
"Miko!" The Shogun surprised as well to see her old friend before narrowing her eyes. "This was your doing?"
Miko chuckled. "Oh Ei did you forget who taught you how to lock away your own conscience. Locking yourself away like a child throwing tantrum why I didn't know what other I could meet my old friend."
Ei eyed her old friend before giving a sign. "You haven't change at all the last I saw you."
"Well I did change a little bit but back to the matter at hand, Ei will you concede to the Contractor?"
"I already admit defeat Miko, I will concede to his wishes." Ei said.
"Good we have much to discuss then Ei." Miko said before turning her attention to the Contractor.
"And now you Ryoji have done splendidly, I expected nothing less from my boyfriend." She said as she placed a hand on his cheek and moved to kiss him but before her lips could make contact Ryoji fell over collapsing on the ground.
Miko looked down at him slightly surprised "Oh dear…he's tired."
A/N
Hey everybody this is Nicragon8 coming out with another one-shot.
Not much to say about this except that this one-shot will be like three chapters long as it involves both Ryoji and the Shogun.
Ryoji finally managed to move on from his past pain, now he'll try to help Ei get past hers. Most likely in her story quest though I won't be writing out the entire quests as they'll pretty much stay the same just the end portions are what I'll be working on.
Also Honkai Star Rails is coming out next month on PS5, can't wait for that though I'm kinda disappointed it's not going to be free but hey paying ten bucks for it won't kill me.
And did you guys see the new trailer for 4.1 man that trailer alone makes me want to pull for Neuvillette.
Anyway like always Favorite this, Follow this, or Both.
This is Nicdragon8 signing off.