" death's vastness holds no peace ... I come at the end of the long road ... neither a human ... nor a demon ... all bend to my will ... "
The twins opened their eyes to find themselves in the velvet room , but they couldn't find their voice to ask any questions . In the velvet room there was Igor , Elizabeth and Theodore . However , something about them seemed very very different . They didn't look the twins in the eye , and they kept their expression in the shadow . Frankly , the whole velvet room was a miss . Instead of the ascending elevator it always had been , the elevator had stopped and so was the clock that was hanging on the wall .
" I've been waiting for you ... it has been a long time since I summoned you in your dreams " Igor spoke " I have a question for you , have you been using your powers wisely ? "
The twins tried to speak , but their voices weren't coming out .
" I believe we had a discussion about summoning a Persona that the user cannot control , and the consequences that befall that . However , as the time passed , you continued to call powerful Personas , even more than one at times . This is putting a lot of stress over your body and mind "
" wait ! So you're saying this illness that we're suffering from ... ! " Minato finally found his voice
" it is caused by you passing the limit of what your body can harbor "
" no way ! " Minako was the next to talk " when that happened to us the first time , we passed out and we're brought here ! "
" an undeniable truth is that you have been growing in strength throughout the months you spent here , and as you progressed in strength , you could sustain your consciousness while calling powerful Personas . A feat that was never witnessed in this velvet room since the beginning of time . I must say I am most fascinated by your potential , but as the velvet residents continued to observe your growth , we noticed that your body is weakening and the effect of calling a powerful Persona is debilitating on the long term "
" this ' illness ' of which you speak is the climax " Theodore said in a lifeless tone
" so when we recover from it , we'll—" Minako started
" there is no recovering from this illness " Elizabeth said " you are past the breaking point . We don't know how long can life be sustained in your state , but it is only a matter of time before you succumb to the pain and die "
" what ?! " Minako cried
" now hold on a second—! " Minato interrupted fiercely
" if you are blaming us for this situation , master , please consider that we warned you of the consequences ... "
" I'm ... I'm not ! It was our choice to pass the limit , I get it ! And yet you're the ones watching our growth , shouldn't you have come up with something that could help us ?! "
" so you were aware that you were passing the limit of what your body can take ? "
" yes , and we had no choice ,the shadows are getting stronger . In fact , the last time we fought during the Dark Hour , we had an encounter with a shadow so powerful , even when we stepped over the limit we still barely pulled through ! "
" can't you do anything about it ? " Minako added to her brother's words " it's as Minato said , we had no choice ! Are we really gonna die right there because of ... "
" if death is what ails you , we can still save your life . However , to do that , you will no longer be able to summon a Persona ..."
" what ?! No ! " both of the twins disagreed
" then there is nothing to be done , you'll be brought back to the real world now "
" w—wait ! " Minako realized that , unless the figure out a way to solve the problem at hand , the moment they wake up from this dream would seal their fate .
" I believe an exception can be made for this pair of wild cards , don't you think so , Igor "
" Master ! "
Igor suddenly screamed , before lowering his head , just as the other two velvet residents bowed to the ground . In the velvet room flew a golden butterfly that fluttered around until it was standing in the middle of the room . It shone brightly , and when they light dispersed , a masked man was standing in front of the twins .
" I—Igor ... is that ... your master ? " Minako asked , but Igor remained still as if life was robbed from him
" who ... who are ? " Minato asked the man
" greetings " the man spoke in a voice that echoed around in the room , making it seem as if he was speaking from everywhere " my name is Philemon , I am a dweller between consciousness and unconsciousness . Now that you know my name , speak yours"
" I ... I'm Minato ... Minato Arisato "
" I'm Minako Arisato ! "
" ah ... yes ... the two guests who broke the rules and changed the very structure of the velvet room . I have been wanting to meet you in person . I understand that you pushed your body to the brink of death on your quest to realize your potential and your reason for living , am I correct ? "
" well ... uh .... " Minako felt too intimidated to respond
" we were trying to protect those we cherish ! " Minato took it upon himself to respond instead " the shadows are getting stronger every night , and that was the only way we could keep up with them ! "
" that is your answer ? "
" I ... that ... well ... yes ... " even Minato felt too intimidated to continue his objection
" then let us assume I grant you a second chance and you return to your world to fight one more time , will you still summon a Persona that you cannot control ? "
" ... yes ... " the twins both replied , as if the response had come from their heart , a response that bore neither lies no doubt
" I see , then you are still under the terms of the contract . Your souls harbor a potential never seen before within these walls , and for that , an exception for your cause is most definitely justifiable . Hence you will be granted the authorization to create a Persona through the fusion of more than three Personas , allowing you to create and master Personas that are more powerful than ever before , without adverse reactions from your body "
" really ?! " Minako felt very happy that the mysterious person was on their side " thanks , Phil ! "
" get serious ! " Minato hissed at his sister
" s—sorry , I mean ... we are grateful , Philemon "
" however , this is an extreme exception , and your body may still not be able to handle the Personas summoned by complex methods . Therefore , I will present you a test of potential . Since you are visiting this place in your dreams , your potential knows no bounds , so it can be tested to the absolute limit . You will fight an opponent that is out of this world , an opponent so powerful that he commands the very manifestation that represents your psyche . Should you fail to defeat him , he will kill you , and with that you will die in your world as well . Should you choose to forfeit the fight , then you will have to forfeit your powers as well ... make your choice and remember the terms of the contract "
" I chooseth this fate of my own free will , right ? " Minato turned to his sister " what do you think ? "
" it's ... it's death no matter where you look " Minako looked really scared " I don't want to lose the ability to call a Persona , but that would mean ... "
" can she forfeit her power while I ... ? " Minato began asking Philemon
" no ! Stop ! " Minako pinched him " I'll fight ! If there's the slight chance of victory , I'll take it ! "
" very well " Philemon nodded " then you shall be spirited to where the battle is , the Amala network . Remember , your potential knows no bounds , so don't hold anything back as you shall need everything within your mind and soul to overcome this trail "
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The twins found themselves in an open hallway , with many doors on each side and one huge gate at the front . That gate was opened , and in stepped a man , he was shirtless , and there were strange drawings on his torso . Yet something about his presence sent shiver down their spine . They sensed that he was powerful beyond anything they had ever faced , and they immediately remembered what Philemon had said . The man waved his hand , and around the twins appeared several creatures . The twins immediately noticed that those creatures were actually Personas that they had summoned at some point , and they immediately understood what Philemon meant when he said their opponent commands the manifestations that represent their psyche . While they could use them as Personas , that person can actually summon them to fight as actual allies . That alone was a grave indication of how difficult the upcoming battle was going to be , to say nothing about what the man himself was capable of , which was still a mystery to them .
" Persona ! " Minato called both Shiva and Parvarti , casting a massive pillar of fire onto the enemies before them
" I summon you ! " Minako followed with King Frost and Black Frost , defeating all the other monsters on her end .
" alright ! Now it's his ... what ? "
The person summoned more monster , this time they seemed much more powerful . While it seemed that the twins had the upper hand in the fight since they can off any monster with one shot if they knew its weakness from it being their Persona at some point , that person would call them up again . It was clear that he was their main target and the other monsters were just getting in the way . However , it was also clear that he wouldn't let his monster die if he could help it , as he casted Makarakan and forged a spell reflecting barrier on them .
" damn ! That's how it's gonna be ?! " Minato grumbled " here's the plan , sis ! You handle the other monsters since you're more agile , I'll take on the boss ! "
" but ... we don't know what he's capable of ! "
" that's the point ... Persona ! " Minato called Kali to off one of the monsters that tried to approach him " we know nothing about him . I'm better at dealing with difficult unpredictable situations , while you are faster in action than me with you practice in tennis ! "
" I see ... I'll cover for you ! "
While Minato jumped toward the man , Minako called Decabria and Forneus and boosted his speed , strength and defense , before quickly switching to Odin to tank a lightning strike casted by a Thor , then switched again to Metatron to block Dominon's light spell . She needed to get back to the offensive as quickly as possible as the monsters were overwhelming her and she could only do so much to nullify or reduce the damage from them .
" Persona ! " Minako called both Garuda and Gurr , knocking down all the present enemies before summoning Siegfried and finishing them off . There were still more she had to deal with , but it seemed like she had gotten the situation under control on her end .
The same couldn't be said for her brother , as the true challenge wasn't to kill as many Personas as possible , it was to defeat the one summoning them , and Minato wasn't keeping up with him even with his heightened speed and strength . The guy was incredibly fast , capable of dodging most of Minato's attacks as destructive and overwhelming as they were , and that was just when Minato had the opportunity to actually attack him .
Since the twins agreed on a plan , Minato jumped toward the man and called Metatron and Mithra to clear any monsters that could surround him , but the man was faster than Minato and he casted Tertrakan , which reflected the whole damage at Minato and forced him to stop and heal himself . The man gave Minato just barely enough time to do so , and by the time he was done , the man was standing face to face with him . Minato was instantly punched in the waist and pushed back several meters away . He core was shaken by that one punch , but the man wasn't done just yet . He looked him in the face , before an energy laser was blasted from his face to Minato's knocking him on the ground . Minato hurriedly called Cybele to heal again , and then he called Alilat to cancel any enhancements that the man may have had , before preparing to attack him again . He summoned both Lucifer and Helel , casting a massive Armageddon on the field . To his surprise , the man was no longer on the ground , but was flying in the air toward Minato , with a glowing sharp blade , aiming to slice him down . Minato prepared to block the hit with his sword , but to his disbelief , the sword melted before the attack and nearly killed him , except he jumped back in time with barely a second to spare . The man jumped back and aimed his hand at Minato , before firing a blast that instantly knocked him out .
" Titania ! " Minako hurriedly revived him , turning the man's attention to her , and he quickly jumped to attack her
" Scathach ! " Minato hurriedly called a Persona to storm the man away from Minako , but he was struck by a pillar of lightning from Odin and was left barely standing .
" Minato ! " Minako stood in front of her brother , and faced the man " you ... you stay away from him "
Minako was still not mentally prepared to face the man head on , and her legs were shaking just from looking at him . However , the man didn't need to attack , as the monsters he commanded began wailing on Minako with their attacks . She quickly wiped them out with a Magidoloan from Helel . However , when she turned to the man again , she found him charging at her with full speed . Thinking rushingly , she quickly called both Loki and Susano'o , distressing the man and his monsters and charming others . Giving her and her brother some time to breath , she quickly set out to heal him .
" Minato ... please tell me you have a plan ... I'm kinda freaking out ... " she said as tears were filling her eyes
" wipe your eyes , I think I got one " Minato stood up , and explained his plan to his sister as she healed him " our main target is the man himself . Unlike us , he and his monsters have a consistent weakness . He can change his , but it takes him a lot of time and requires him to back off the fight for a second , while we can change ours on the fly . Another thing is the monsters , if we kill them he'll summon more right away , but if you kept them inflicted with an ailment as you did , they'll drag him down and it'll take longer than usual for him to replace them "
" I ... I get it ... " Minako seemed to calm down a little by that " ailment for the monsters and unload everything we have on the man alone ! "
" right ! " Minato pointed the evoker at his head and called both Pixie and Narcissus , charming what new monsters he summoned
" Persona ! " Minako called Garuda and Gurr , knocking down and canceling any enhancement for all the monsters and the man , too
" let's do this ! "
However , the man was still not out of tricks just yet . Just as Minato jumped to attack him , he unleashed an array of radiant Javelin on the twins , and Minato had jumped just barely in time to avoid them ( and that was only because he was intending to do so ) . As for Minako , who wasn't planning to jump , she was struck by them , and they were strong enough to knock her out instantly . Minato hesitated to look at his sister for just enough for the man to nearly slash him in half with another glowing sword , but Minato countered with Surt , casting a massive explosive fire blast that forced the man to back off . Minato then called Vishnu and Ananta , giving him and his sister invulnerability while he set out to heal his sister .
" Minako , looks like we can't lower our guard even when he's by himself ! " Minato said " I want you in the back to support me , but pay attention to the attacks dealt to you . He will try to off you with an attack that knocks you instantly "
"I can see that " Minako nodded " I won't fall for it twice ! "
" good ! "
When Minato turned to the man , he saw that he had healed up and summoned more Personas , so the first thing he did was call Incubus and Succubus to charm as many of them as he could , and Minako followed with Titania and Oberon , knocking all the enemies on the ground . That was Minato's chance and he wasn't going to let it slip . He quickly called Odin to shock the man , followed by Kali which slashed at him from all directions . As Minato saw the man glowing with a color of red and looking pained and exhausted , he figured they were close to victory , but the man quickly retaliated with a blast from his eyes that forced Minato on his knees again . Just when the man thought he could heal up , Minako followed up by calling Alice , sealing the man's skills away .
" it's now or never ! " Minako screamed as she called both Helel and Lucifer " Armageddon ! "
" right ! " Minato followed her with the same attack " Armageddon ! "
The massive continuous explosion swallowed everything around it , and when it cleared off , the room was empty , save for the man who was standing there . He was glowing with a red color , but to their shock and dismay , the color was quickly fading away from him , indicating that he had fully recovered from the battle . The twins prepared themselves to fight , but the man didn't seem to be harboring any hostile intentions toward them anymore .
" you're humans " he said " this is the first time I see another human within these walls "
" then why did you fight us ?! " Minato said sternly
" someone had casted an illusion on this hallway , you were only silhouettes before my eyes . I've been trying to find him , he's somewhere in this network " the man spoke , as the twins' vision suddenly began to blur " you don't belong here , return from whence you came "
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The twins woke up in the velvet room . There , only Philemon was standing . The man took his mask off , revealing a proud smile on his face . The twins had overcome their trail , and proved that they were indeed capable of wielding more powerful Personas . The velvet room began shaking , before the elevator began ascending again and the clock began advancing again .
" nothing more need to be said " the Philemon said " you may find yourself lost or troubled in the future , and there might be more difficult ordeals for you to face as the days unravel in your life , but there is nothing to fear . With this potential you harbor , you will always be growing in strength and overcoming trails "
The man began shining brightly before them , then he dispersed into countless butterflies that fluttered away . The twins began to feel sleepy as the butterflies passed through them , and their eyes quickly closed . However , as they succumbed to slumber , they did so with a sense of satisfaction and peace . As they knew that they had survived the ordeal that was upon them , and that they would wake up without any impairing feeling . It seemed they were only going to grow stronger from here on , and that they weren't powerless after all .
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I really hope I did this part justice . There are so many things I included here , from Demifiend to Philemon . Actually , now that I said it out loud they don't sound that many , but they were still overwhelming to put in one part .
Demifiend is the main star of the show here , and the main inspiration for this whole encounter was a video by Nyarly and Douchebag brigade ( no I'm not being offensive , that's the name of the channels ... I don't know ) . Let it be known , first and foremost , that this battle is just from a fan being all .... uh ... fanny ... ugh ! What I mean to say is , they are not opinions , no research was made . The two channels I mentioned both have their opinions on the topic , but that wasn't the reason I wrote this part . Nevertheless , if you feel curious , you can check it out later .
The reason I wrote this part was :
A- mentioned in the previous part , a thank you to my readers and a celebration of reaching 7K reads on Wattpad , and for having an audience that looks forward to my uploads . I thank you from the bottom of my heart for giving this book a chance and following it , and I hope I continue to impress you with my work .
B- I wanted to get used to and practice narrating such hectic battles , because Persona boss battles are known to be hectic , specifically the late games . Not to mention that my own stories have similarly intense battles . I'm sure you know this by now , but narrating a battle is never easy . I can't make it too long for fear of boring out the readers , but at the same time I still have to be careful not to confuse them . Whoever said a picture is worth a thousand words , you're damn right . It'd would be great if I could draw these battles or just be a mangaka or something , but all my fingers turn into thumbs whenever I think of drawing .
Hey ... maybe someone will adapt this into a manga ? Hehe .. now that's just wishful thinking .
Once again , I don't own Demifiend ... I know that should be obvious , but I need to put a disclaimer on that . Also , the events on this battle are not solid opinions , and as far as I'm aware and concerned the battle ended without either losing their pride so that's good ... right ?
Anyway , if you enjoyed this part , please consider voting for it . And I know this off topic but the Minato's girlfriend war reached a sudden tie ... and we're at the last month ! It's funny how lively the competition became at the final weeks , but there is still some time , so remember to comment who you want Minato to fall in love with , and I'll see you in the next part . Stay safe .
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The debate is closed , read the part about the results to find out who won