Akumaro's plan for Hell on Earth was a spectacular failure.

He had everything set up for the plan to work without a hitch: the pattern of attacks, the very point where to strike... It was all set in motion even before his 200-year slumber at the bottom of the Sanzu River.

But then, there was one thing which he did not factor.

His pawn.

As it turned out, Fuwa Juuzou's bloodlust was too great. Akumaro thought he had the stray under his control by bonding his family's souls to his katana, Uramasa, and driving the final wedge into the Earth would release them.

But Juuzou would not have any of this. All that he wanted was to keep on fighting, in his own words, until the very marrow of his bones crumbled to dust. This is why he left them in the first place.

This is why he turned on Akumaro.

This is why he drove the wedge on him instead.

To add insult to injury, the Shinkengers just had to be there to take advantage of this. While the Gedou swordsman wounded him mortally, it was the band of human samurai who delivered the killing blow. If there was one good thing to come of this, though, is that, in his final moment, he finally could have a taste of the Hell he sought for so long.

All these thoughts coursed through Akumaro's mind as his conscience slowly came to him and he felt himself lying face up on a pebble-covered ground. He opened his eyes and saw a blood-red sky above him, an atmosphere all too familiar. Could that be Hell surrounding him?

No, it could not. He knew that Gedou cannot go to Hell, instead having to dwell in the Sanzu River for penance. Besides, it was at the same time all too familiar and strange to him. Like going back home after a very long travel. A quick survey would sane any doubts.

And there it was.

The Rokumon-sen.

It really was not Hell after all.

He had somehow been sent back to the Sanzu River.

The Gedoushu general stopped to think. Should he be angered that he was ultimately denied of his lifelong pursuit for Hell? Or could this, somehow, be a sort of second chance?

He eventually conceded. He felt that he was just given another opportunity to retry the Urami Gandou Gaeshi, the forbidden technique that would raise Hell up to Earth. This time he would make sure he did things right. This time, for sure, humans would know true Hell. With all of this in mind, he made his way to the Rokumon-sen.

As he waded closer and closer to the ship, he could hear the odd, yet familiar, sound of the shamisen, which meant Usukawa Dayuu was there. As much as she hated him for using her, he did not feel the need to sneak in hidden from her view. So, he slipped into the barge unceremoniously, to which the music stopped, as the musician turned her head to face him.

"Excuse my rudeness, Dayuu-san", he said, knowing she was looking at him, even though he had his back turned at her.

"Who are you and how do you know my name?" she asked, slightly irritated.

"Now, now. Just because you are mad at me, you don't need to pretend not to know me, Dayuu-san", he said, turning towards her, somewhat surprised at her question.

"Wha... What are you talking about?" replied his interlocutor, confused.

"Oh-ho-ho-ho... Dayuu-san... You surely cannot remember?"

"I wouldn't forget a weird face like yours", she replied. "And I'm sure I've never seen yours before. So you'd better state your business, or-"

"Ooh-ah-ooh! What's all this ruckus around here?" said Hone no Shitari, entering the ship's main room. Akumaro looked at him quite bewildered. He knew it was Shitari he was seeing, but his voice sounded so... different. "It's hard to do research with all this noise!"

"None of your concern, noodleface", replied Dayuu. "I just caught this snoop trying to sneak aboard. But I'll throw him out soon."

"Shitari-san", said Akumaro, turning to the short, squid-like Gedoushu, with an almost pleading tone. "You remember me, do you not?"

"Shitari? Ooh-ah-ooh! My name's Octoroo!"

"Octo... roo?"

"Yes! What about you? Are you a Nighlok too?"

"I... I..." Akumaro was getting more and more confused. "Well... I cannot say I know what a Nighlok is, but..."

"Then cut the chit-chat! Get out or I'll kick you out!" interjected Dayu.

"I suppose you should do as she says..." said Octoroo to Akumaro. "'Cause if Master Xandred catches you here..."

"I've caught him already", said a thunderous, authoritative voice in response, whose owner revealed himself at that time. Akumaro made one last attempt to get through to him.

"Doukoku-sama... Is that... you?..."

"Doukoku?" replied Xandred. "That's not my name, you fool. I am Xandred, Master of the Netherworld and Commander of the Nighloks! And what about you? Who are you and where you came from?"

Something clicked within Akumaro. That indeed was not Chimatsuri Doukoku before him, nor were the others Hone no Shitari or Usukawa Dayuu. Apparently, the coup de grace administered to him by the Shinkengers shunted him to a different plane of existence in which the Gedoushu were known as the "Nighloks" these ones spoke of. And, if everything there was so similar to the world he came from, he then had the conditions to retry his plan and eliminate whatever analogues to the Shinkengers could get in his way among the humans.

"So? Are you going to speak or should I cut your mouth open?" urged Xandred, interrupting Akumaro's thoughts, as a Mooger served him his medicine.

"Well..." started the Gedoushu. "Let me summarize... Xandred-sama. My name is Sujigarano Akumaro, and I come from a different world, in which your... Nighloks..." he had a certain difficulty pronouncing the new names he heard. "...are known as Gedoushu. And as it turns out, I was a general of the Gedoushu, tasked with forcing humans to shed tears to raise the Sanzu River's level. However... There was a certain samurai lord who, followed by his retainers, always hampered my progress with my plans."

"Oh? So you've tangled with the Samurai Rangers?" asked Dayu, growing interested.

"The Shinkengers, to be exact", corrected Akumaro. "Them and me had many battles, and they put a halt to my ambition, which was to bring Hell itself to the human world. They thought they had me killed, but apparently, that was exactly when I was brought to your world by some unknown force."

"And do you think you have what it takes to take on the Samurai Rangers, Su… eh…"

"Please, just call me Akumaro."

"Whatever, your name's too long", continued Xandred, taking a sip of his medicine. "Anyway, answer my question: if things are so similar in your world as they are in ours, do you think you can face the Samurai Rangers?"

"Yes", replied Akumaro. "I will stop anything or anyone who dares to prevent my ambition to come to pass."

"Then you can go", replied the Master of the Nighloks. "Terrorize the humans, beat up the Samurai Rangers, do whatever you want. Just go before I change my mind about letting you aboard!"

"Yes, Xandred-sama. Please excuse me."

Akumaro slowly turned and left the Netherworld Ship.

"Are you sure about this, Master?" asked Octoroo. "Somehow... I don't think I trust that Akumaro guy."

"Me neither", replied Xandred. "But if he says he can cause so much suffering on the human world, all the better for us. And if he ever tries to double-cross me... " he suddenly slashed into the air with his sword, narrowly missing Octoroo, before completing: "...I'll just strike him down."

"Ooh-ah-ooh..."