“What could this be?” (Cinder)

Much like her two subordinates, Cinder was caught in the same trap. Stuck in an enclosed space without her subordinates and cut off from all contact from the outside world. The gravity of it all hasn’t sunk in to her yet, so Cinder could remain mostly composed.

“Have I found myself in a trap?” (Cinder)

All the way in the back of the room and sitting on the podium stand was a blue-haired man. In his hand was a manual he was absorbed in as he drank boba tea and listened to the music playing in his headphones ever so calmly.

Cinder immediately went into the alert at his presence in this room.

The illustrious Arisato Minato. One of her targets randomly placed in this room with her all by his lonesome.

“Minato. Where is everyone? I thought class was a short minute away from starting. Was I too early?” (Cinder)

Not a response was given. Cinder was not upset in the least from the lack of respect she was due. For a ruler, control is everything. That includes their composure and emotions. So she shall entertain the man’s ego for now.

“Minato, are you listening?” (Cinder)

Walking down the stairs, Cinder called to him one more time. When her presence made itself known to him at a certain distance, Minato lazily lifted his head.

Their eyes met, one of arrogance and patience like the calm before a storm and the other half-open in complete serenity and disinterest.

“Finally, you responded. Tell me, am I missing out on something?” (Cinder)

Cinder gestured to the room with her outstretched arms.

Minato deigned not to respond in favor of continuing to drink his boba tea out of his straw.

“…… I’ll ask you one more time. What is going on?” (Cinder)

Cinder spoke with a threatening undertone in her voice. The leveled gaze remaining stuck on her didn’t so much as shudder.

“If this is what you call a prank, then your humor is really dreadful.” (Cinder)

Exasperated, she turned her back on him and walked up the door. The thought of him stopping her didn’t even cross her mind. He didn’t have the power, that would be ridiculous.

When attempting to pull the door open, it didn’t budge at first. Exerting more force, she made another attempt. That too failed.

A few minutes later…… Cinder invested her full might and still didn’t produce any results.

“This blasted door!” (Cinder)

I command you to open for me!...... Those were her thoughts.

“Don’t bother. You’re never going to get out of this room with your power.” (Minato)

Cinder whipped around to give him a look. Now he chooses to talk?

Minato put down his empty cup and slammed the manual shut. Was he taking his time to finish his boba tea before talking? Blast him.

“Good, you learned to be polite to---” (Cinder)

“Can you speak up? Or come down here so I can hear you. I don’t know which is worse.” (Minato)

The words ticked off Cinder and a rage brewed in her heart. How dare this man be so rude to her!? The audacity he had to demand her to come down to his level to communicate is an affront to her. But she will be merciful.

“Does this satisfy you?” (Cinder)

Regardless, Cinder came down the stairs again, another thing that irked her, and gave Minato her full attention.

“Let’s get down to business. Is there a reason why you believe I can’t get out of here? Are you also trapped here like I am?” (Cinder)

“My reason to believe is from the clown show you were performing just a moment ago.” (Minato)

…… Cinder grew more hateful of him by the second.

She made a promise to herself; this man will die gruesomely at her hands once the power of the Fall Maiden is hers completely!

“It’s funny to listen to you say that I’m sharing the same situation as you. You’re either dull or a good actor.” (Minato)

The smile of his unnerved Cinder.

“It’s you who’s trapped here with me.” (Minato)

Cinder took a few steps back and glared at him.

“Oh? And what might it be that you are implying?” (Cinder)

“Let’s stop beating around the bush and cut to the chase. I know about the Maidens, and that you stole half the power of one from the true Fall Maiden.” (Minato)

The temperature of the air rose a few degrees. Now that the secret’s out, Cinder summoned her two swords, Midnight, in a snap. The swords were laid to her sides since she wasn’t in any hurry to kill Minato yet.

“Ozpin found out? I didn’t expect him to have the competence or the manpower to achieve that.” (Cinder)

What Cinder wanted to know before moving to take his life was information on how her plan leaked.

“You didn’t think measures weren’t taken to rout out your little virus? We repurposed it and fed you false information so that you could continue to believe it was safe to walk on Beacon.” (Minato)

“Tch…… Arthur’s little tool turned out to be so worthless, he included.” (Cinder)

A disdainful scowl formed on Cinder’s face when mentioning her elsewhere ally.

“Then you must know of the war behind the scenes, why the Maidens became lost knowledge to the world.” (Cinder)

“I know of both the Maidens and Salem. Your point?” (Minato)

A questioning brow was raised at Minato. That confused Cinder. If he knew, then for what reason did he have to oppose her?

“If you already know, then why do you stand against Salem and me? What worth is there left to fight an endless war when the winner was decided from the beginning? Did Ozpin sweet talk you into joining his side, or are you operating on some vain sense of duty?” (Cinder)

Minato was an intelligent individual, that much Cinder knew. For someone like him, comprehending the futility of fighting against Salem should be simple. What gave him the courage to continue fighting an uphill war?

“You really are stupid. You already know my answer isn’t going to change regardless of what reason that’s holding me.” (Minato)

So he turned out to be a fool like any other. Such a disappointment for one of his valor.

“What about you? What are you after aligning with someone evil like Salem?” (Minato)

“What am I after? I follow the strong. And the strong will grant me unimaginable power when I accomplish a splendid job.” (Cinder)

The response was told calmly and had a tinge of exaltation and emotion bordering on madness.

“Is that so? And Salem just happened to be the one tugging on your leash.” (Minato)

“There is no shame in obeying one who strikes terror into the hearts of anyone.” (Cinder)

Reading between the lines, Cinder joined Salem not out of a sense of loyalty, but out of fear. She would’ve followed just about anyone who was magnitudes above her in strength. Truly, she was just another common chess piece on the board who didn’t realize it being too absorbed in her self-importance and value in the eyes of Salem.

A wild dog that will beg and whimper for some pampering, then dash off once it no longer benefitted her.

It made him scoff.

“What a bitch…” (Minato)

“Think very deeply over this. Ozpin will be the reason why you’ll die someday. He won’t hesitate to sacrifice those who he called comrades like countless times before. He would even stoop low enough to use his students as worthless fodder.” (Cinder)

Cinder softly spoke to him in the hopes of coercing him to her side. For anyone rational, it was simply logical to take the side that had victory guaranteed for themselves.

“Please, as if you and Salem could ever handle me. Neither of you reach up to my knees much less the ground Kaito-san walks on.” (Minato)

Kaito? Cinder was certain Minato chose to side with Ozpin, but instead his target of loyalty remained on his leader? Forget it, the reason wasn’t important anymore.

“So proud yet so short-sighted…… It's regrettable that you refused my generosity. Know that you fair no chance against me.” (Cinder)

“Stupid AND delusional.” (Minato)

“Do you believe you hold the upper hand against me?” (Cinder)

“I don’t believe it, I know I’m objectively superior.” (Minato)

[True Name: Arisato Minato]

[Other Titles: I don’t care]

[True Name: Cinder Fall]

[Other Titles: A Disgrace]

[Fight!]

Cinder: ???

Minato: ……

Shaking her head to dispel the momentary confusion, Cinder regarded him with scorn. Utilizing her Semblance, Scorching Caress, she superheated her glass weapons and reforged them into a bow and arrow.

“Then die.” (Cinder)

The arrow nocked against the bowstring was pulled back to its fullest and released through the air, its trajectory straight at Minato.

Minato, unconcerned on the podium, received the arrow to the face with a flat gaze.

A deafening explosion burst, consuming Minato’s whole body. With fire magic added to the arrow, the degree of power and lethality behind it rose dramatically, resulting in that massive fire.

Cinder’s lips curved in satisfaction at the scene. That was promptly replaced with an expression of apprehension.

The flames subsided to reveal Minato unharmed and standing from the ashes of the podium. His survival wasn’t unexpected, but his clothes didn’t have the slightest soot on them. Even stranger was how he wasn’t thrown back by the explosion but seemed to have stuck in place.

“What’s with megalomaniac women and using fire to cause chaos? Whatever, I don’t care. It’s my turn.” (Minato)

One finger raised and pointed at Cinder; Minato uttered a magic spell.

“Teradyne.” (Minato)

From below Cinder’s feet, a heap of earth with magic power shot up. To avoid it, Cinder leaped back from the pieces of earth.

“Jupiter’s Fury.” (Minato)

A second magic spell and it summoned streaks of lightning from above which struck the floor. The lightning did not dissipate, retaining the streak form connected to the floor and followed to where Cinder was. When she was busy maneuvering her way out of the streaks surroundings, Minato casted his next spell.

“Spell Gloom.” (Minato)

A wave of deterioration struck Cinder and reduced her magic power by two levels.

“You… what did you do to me!?” (Cinder)

She snarled and threw three fireballs. The power they packed was lessened and served no threat to Minato. Not that they would’ve in their full power anyways.

“Power Wave.” (Minato)

A blade of magic power conjured in Minato’s hand and swung down, breaking apart and producing a blast wave of energy covering the width of the room.

A wall of ice sprung up to protect Cinder from the colliding force.

“Fire and ice…… so the Maidens aren’t limited to a single element.” (Minato)

Minato calmly observed.

“All you’ve done is rely on that Semblance of yours to perform some magic tricks. But that is nothing compared to the true magic I possess.” (Cinder)

After the boast, Cinder began to hover from the ground which caused Minato to roll his eyes. It was time to pull out the big guns and teach this windbag a lesson in humility.

“Take her down a peg, Minotaur.” (Minato)

A monstrous humanoid was summoned in a glass shattering spectacle. Like its namesake, the Minotaur was half-man and half-bull with hooved feet and a bull’s head. It was exotic in appearance having a skull’s face right where the bull’s nose was.

“By your order, my master.” (Minotaur)

“It talks!?” (Cinder)

The Persona’s existence and ability to speak left Cinder in a stupor.

“Now come, witch. Show me a good time.” (Minotaur)

The bulky and terror-inducing Persona ran with the earth trembling from its steps. Its shocking athleticism despite its mammoth size enabled it to leap and shoulder bash Cinder, blowing her away down from the air and on the stairs.

“You insolent beast!” (Cinder)

This was not the time to question the exact nature of this Semblance. The only information she had pertaining to it were the similarities it shared with the Schnee family’s Glyphs, but this was clearly on a different level.

Cinder used her magic in conjunction with her Semblance to create a landmine formation from underneath the Minotaur, triggering a much larger explosion than previously used.

Motes of ember and smoke spread into the air. Once the heat died down, the shadow of the Minotaur reappeared in her eyes. A mind-crushing dread coursed through her body at what she saw.

That skull face contorted, which was dreadful enough already, into an impossible, bone-chilling smirk that trembled the soul.

“Ha… Hahahaha! It was a fluke for this power to be stolen. This magic has turned to waste when held by the unworthy. Your ambitious dreams of soaring through the skies like a bird with wings of freedom, I will wake you from it.” (Minotaur)

The deep rumble of his laughter could rattle a person’s bones and leave their legs frozen with fear.

The veins and muscles of the Minotaur arms expanded, ramping up for a brutal attack. The arms of the Minotaur crossed paths with Cinder, destroying her weapons and breaking through to inflict tremendous damage. The Labrys Strike.

A cough of blood left Cinder’s mouth, and she was embedded deep into the floor, her aura completely drained from trying to mitigate the Minotaur’s strength.

Feelings of disbelief reflected on her face; Cinder expended strength into her body to stand. She gnashed her teeth, infuriated at being turned into this embarrassment with disdainful ease.

“You dare to lay your hands on me!? You will pay for your insolence!” (Cinder)

A scream erupted from the throat, and the Half-Maiden was in the air. With a wave of a hand, the Minotaur was encased in ice and his movements impeded.

Passing through the Persona from overhead, Cinder threw a lightning bolt and a tornado at the Persona-user observing in the back.

Minato ignored the lightning bolt hitting his chest but raised an arm to brace for the tornado. The wind seemed to inflict the most miniscule of damage to his aura.

The gears turned in Cinder’s head, and she made a few gestures with her hands. Magic power coalesced into masses of fire, ice, wind, and thunder that rushed with the intent to destroy Minato.

Under the bombardment of the four elements, Minato blocked the ice and wind with his hands and allowed the fire and lightning to strike him unguarded. Some ice formed on his arm, and the sleeve on the other was lightly shredded.

This can work, she could defeat him, she knew it! For a moment, she actually gave into the thought that she was outmatched by him. What a foolish thought!

“Mmm…… that was a gooood strategy.” (Minato)

Minato slightly grinned, and that unsettled her.

“Unfortunately---” (Minato)

A finger was waggled for Cinder to look at before being pointed at her.

“Megidolaon.” (Minato)

A fluctuation of almighty magic power expanded like a sphere and was hurled at the airborne Half-Maiden. Exploding in every direction, the growing blast radius knocked Cinder away and left her screaming in agony.

“Megidolaon.” (Minato)

A second bomb wheezed through the air and exploded on the still falling Cinder. If she hadn’t righted herself midair to narrowly avoid it, she would’ve been a goner.

“Megidolaon.” (Minato)

At this point, Minato turned into a bully and spammed Megidolaon to force Cinder in the run.

“Megidolaon.” (Minato)

A barrage of giant spherical explosions was leaving Cinder few room to move and evade. It was impossible to block any of them with her level of power.

And it was growing more difficult to perfectly avoid them. The damage was accumulating, and Cinder was now panicking. Her animosity for him foregone with the growing tides of battle taking away her blessings of victory.

“Damn you all to hell!!!” (Cinder)

“Megidolaon.” (Minato)

The only thing left Cinder could do was put up a magic shield to survive the last Megidolaon that struck her. Her broken body loudly crashed down with billowing smoke.

“Atrocious. This battle has left an unsavory taste in my mouth. Begone, you woman.” (Minotaur)

Cinder’s face was stuck in an expression of complete disbelief as the ghastly face of the Minotaur loomed over her. Her body beaten and exhausted, she could do nothing as the monster dropped a chop on her face. It was lights out from there.

 

 

 

Afterword:

Serious-senpai: “Oi, weren’t those spells from Digital Devil Saga? And that Minotaur was clearly from Shin Megami Tensei IV!”

???: “This is a power made available to Minato after acquiring the Universe Arcana and synchronizing with it. Well~, when you become friends with Kaito-san, you can expect to be gifted with fortuitous opportunities. Since the friends surrounding him are excellent people of extreme power and character, everyone in the group chat will be raised to the same standards. As expected of Kaito-san~”

Door-kun: “What was that you say? You want to recruit me into Salem’s rank? I wasn’t listening at all. Never contact me again, I fear Kaito-san will misunderstand.”