(DISCONTINUED) Persona 5 AU - Mansion

[ Chapter 12: First Battle ]

The same lighting hue or crimson red flash before their eyes, blinding them for a mere second, forcing them to shut their eyes away as to not harm their vision. While their eyes were blinded for a mere second, they could feel the mass of the ground become heavier as the shake almost shook them off balance. Once their vision had returned and had become clear, the Phantom Thieves witnessed a monstrosity beyond words, making their face engulf in a mixture of both fear and determination.

A fire sparked within their eyes, a shadow had formed in front of them, the figure displayed the common colour of red, its sharp eyes impaling the Phantom Thieves just from a simple gaze. Claws that were sharper than Yusuke's blade, had the faint light illuminating and exaggerating its fingertips, looking more of a weapon than a limb itself. A long red cape draped behind its back, flowing continuously as the armour that was tinted in midnight black, covered its entire body. The shadow looked like a dark knight from the medieval days with Kingdoms and knights of honour, Kings and Queens.

"Now that you know a glimpse of Akira's past, all of you must die." It stated, revealing a long sharp lance, ready to harm the Phantom Thieves. The group felt their body becomes light and as their eyes trailed to one another, they had all realised that their outfits had changed, meaning they were finally recognised and labelled as a threat to Akira. The usual main unit that fights in the front lines shifted into position, readying their stance and waiting for the first battle of Akita's palace. The supporting team, along with Futaba, fled to the backlines, preparing themselves to switch if needed to be. The ground around them suddenly stopped into a holt, the battle had finally begun.

Yusuke, Haru, Makoto and Ryuji stationed in front of the battlefield, the shadow scarcely dashing towards them. It was then at the moment that the Phantom Thieves had found themselves fighting a battle for the first time, without the leading role of their leader, Joker.It felt strange, like an emptiness that seeped their hearts. It didn't seem right, it didn't feel normal, without the presence of Joker with them, they felt strange battling without him. Nevertheless, Yusuke unraveled his sword from his belt while Ryuji and Haru readied their axe and bat. Makoto hesitantly slipped on her metal gloves, she was scared to harm a part of Akira but deep down she knew that this was the only way that would help Akira both mentally and physically and let the trauma he faced finally fade into the distance, long left and into the depths of the unknown void.

Once Makoto finally shook off the thoughts that haunted her, she watched as Ryuji took the first hit, sliding to the left, feeling the stinging of the lance barely impaling his left cheek. He winced in pain, a slight cut had made a mark of his pale skin, drizzling down his cheek, displaying a spec of blood.

"This guy takes whatever chance he can get to hit us and he doesn't even hesitant at all!" Ryuji exclaimed in between sliding another hit to his left. Grasping the end of his bat tightly and with all of his might, Ryuji took the first swing, feeling the force and adrenaline overlap his body.

Instead of looking for who had pushed him, Yusuke tried to save himself from falling as he felt the spell of fire unleash towards his direction, the one element he is weak against. The edge of the Maragion spell shot out under him. Someone pushed him again. He fell to the right as within a blink of an eye, he saw the faint vibrant hue of pink and purple come his way, guarding him from being knocked off by the fire.

"Are you alright, Fox?" Haru questioned in the midst of summoning her persona to unleash a heavy Psiodyne spell on the shadow.

Claws broke through the Psiodyne, slashing Haru across the right shoulder as Yusuke nodded, "I'm quite alright!" He replied, dashing towards the direction of Ryuji to aid him. Although silently expressing her pain and wincing her eyes shut from the stinging sensation of her skin, Haru luckily had Makoto heal her as quickly as she was able to maintain her balance one again. Futaba provided tactics and support from the sidelines of her persona, scanning the enemy from when it would release a wave of brutal strength towards them, her hands typing away at the speed of light.

The main units of the Phantom Thieves reunited back together, staying in close range as to be prepared for another heavy attack coming their way in a few turns. Although the fragment of the shadow in front of them had merely normal amounts of health, its attacks were ruthless and barbaric, one hit from it would almost take half of a single member's health. The Phantom Thieves had to play the tactical game of being overly cautious. It was more of a struggle due to them having no Joker, their original leader, to guide them in battle. His skills exceed all of them by a large scale, his tactics were also a vital link in simplifying upcoming battles, both easy and fairly high.

Swiftly and without hesitation, Yusuke summoned his persona, releasing a speedy Bufudyne towards the Shadow's direction, shielding the Phantom Thieves, including himself from the inhuman wave of attacks it would unleash. Ice collided with brawn, shattering into a storm of dusted ice, crushed into tiny specs like snow. As the white ice specs rained down upon them and a cold white cloud engulfed the battlefield, they were relieved to know that they survived yet another brutal attack that could've ended them in a heartbeat. As they narrowed their attention to the shadow, they watched as its figure collapsed to the ground, dizzy from the ice collision Yusuke had summoned.

"I think it's time for an all-out attack!" Makoto exclaimed and everyone nodded in unison, surrounding the shadow with guns armed and the barrel pointed to the shadow's direction. The shadow grunted in frustration, "You may have defeated me here but this mansion will emerge to life and crush you all with ease. You deserve the pain and punishment that is coming your way." It stated before receiving the painful sharp attacks that impaled its figure from the Phantom Thieves final battle technique; the All-out attack.

Although only being the first battle took place within Akira's palace, this was only one of many harsh battles to come and the Phantom Thieves were determined to beat them all and save Akira before it's too late.