Sangokuden x RWBY: Hunt of the Armored War Gods
Written By: GKoh
GKoh: Kamen Rider Chrome, the man responsible for many hit fanfiction series, Kamen Rider Showa, Rosario Kiva, Love Hina Double Trouble and finally, the Sangokuden Armored War God Saga.
Therefore as a token of gratitude, I present this promo to his current work, Age of the Armored War Gods. This is for you Chrome.
Welcome everyone.
I hope you're well.
I'm the Blue King of Shoku, Nagata Oda.
What? You didn't catch that?
Well, I'll say it once more. I'm the Blue King of Shoku, Nagata Oda.
Nice to meet you all.
Now, Armored War Gods begins
HENSHIN!
(Transform)
Yami no kanata seijaku wo hikisaki (At the dark world known as Helheim, evil forces emerged. A zipper portal revealed itself unleashing the Armored War Devils, Sigurd, Marika and Kagemusha who readied their weapons as they made their descent towards the land.)
Hoshi no nemuri yobiokosu no wa, Doitsu da? (Down at the ground at the misty alien forest, two more villains appeared. Bujin Gaim burst out of the ground followed by Duke who materialized himself and then pointed his Sonic Arrow and fired at the camera.)
Hora me no mae jaaku na tamashiitachi(Next was the ruins of an ancient city, there was a girl who was masked in a red cloak. Suddenly, she threw her garment off revealing her knight like armor before pointing her sword signaling the horde of Inves who sprang out of the buildings and attack.)
Nigeba wa nai massugu ni uketomero! (Returning to the World of Sangokuden, other forces were mobilizing. At a hot blazing canyon, there appeared Baron. The camera pulled back showing not only the knight rising up but unveiling allies, Bravo and Knuckle at his side. The three stood strong, they marched into battle with the soldiers of Sou Gi in Gyro Mode Suika Arms flying above them.)
Someone tells me "yowaki" ya "osore" wo shōkyo shite (At the same time, Son Go was doing likewise. Their ships were sailing along the kingdom's river and leading them were Zangetsu, Mars and Kamuro who appeared one by one riding on either Dandeliners or Lily Surfers.)
Bokura wa ishiki kumikaeru (Next was the camera zooming through. As it did, it passed through Gridon who was at the left and Kurokage at the right before stopping to see Ryugen and Chuulain in full view. The two brothers were side by side with their weapons readied.)
Sono te wo tsuyoku nigiri (An orange sword was next to appear as well as the bright sun that shone its light on it. The camera lowered down and it revealed the full form of the wielder of the blade, Armored War God Gaim who was at the gates of the Kingdom of Shoku, pointing his Daidaimaru at the Heavens with the army of Shoku behind him and they were ready to defend their home.)
Tagai no kizuna shinjite (Four scenes showed the Armored War Gods once more. First were Baron, Bravo and Knuckle. Second were Zangetsu, Mars and Kamuro. Third were Gridon, Kurokage, Ryugen and Chulainn and finally the fourth was Gaim who rode his Sakura Hurricane and lead his army to victory with the army cheering on.)
Tatakae! (Camera zoomed towards the Kingdom of Shoku and made its presence known was the Seal of Heaven who hovered above with its eyes glowing. The camera then zoomed past it revealing the four Sovereign Beasts. The battle began.)
(Transform)
Saa All I can do (Ryugen dueled against Marika on top of a gigantic metal windmill and the winds were blowing fiercely.)
And all you can do (Gridon and Kurokage clashed with Sigurd at a modern metropolis with one building whose electronic television screen showed the words "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!")
Habatake Transform (Somewhere located at the moon, there was an advanced complex where Kagemusha brawled against Knuckle with the latter roaring wild as he fired his Kurumi Bomber.)
Sono mune tsuranuku ikari wo chikara ni kae (At a location where an eclipse was happening, Bloody Gaim fired a beam from his Musou Saber and Zangetsu blocked the attack with his Melon Defender from a tower that resembled a tree of legend. Next was a titanic battle taking place at a burning temple between Baron and Bravo against Duke and the new Armored War Devil.)
Ima All I can do, And all you can do, Kagayake Transform (At the lair of the RinJyuKen, an army of kaijin assembled with the Femme Fatale Fists standing beside their creator and master who sat on his throne like a king. The camera went up to this dark lord's face and his eyes then gave a malevolent glow that fired an energy blast and hit Chulainn, Kamuro and Mars.)
Shinka no Stage e (The blast then came to Gaim next who held his ground and eventually he eliminated the blast with his fist as he transformed into Kachidoki Arms. Then, the Azure Dragon suddenly came out of nowhere and roared causing Gaim somehow to have his eyes glowed blue before his body did the same.)
TOUCH AND GO! (Powered up, Gaim sped towards the leader of the RinJyuKen leaving a trail of lightning and then came a huge flash.)
(Last scene was the Armored War Gods assembled.)
…Now back to the movie!
Chapter 6: Guests Part 2
With no means to return to her own world, Ruby Rose decided that the best course of action was to stay in the World of Sangokuden with her new friends from the Kingdom of Shoku until one could be found. However, the young Rose was not the only one adjusting to her new surroundings. Her teammates were having adventures of their own.
Blake's Tale
The first thing that could be seen was water and lots of it. Also present was the fog that floated above the water. It was mostly silent as the sounds of droplets were heard. So far, everything looked and sounded normal. Then, something finally happened. A huge splashing sound was heard. Rings of water were centered on a particular section of the sizable body of water, confirming that something bigger than droplets entered into it.
Moments later, a figure burst out from the surface revealing herself to be the calm and cool member of Team RWBY, Blake Belladonna who was currently coughing out the water that managed to enter her mouth.
"I hate baths..." she muttered as she tried to regain her bearings. Blake hated baths but most importantly, the water that the baths were filled in with. Blake couldn't stress enough her distaste towards water. She tried her best to avoid them as much as possible even when she was in her room. Blake doesn't know why but she just did.
Wait a second? Why was she in a bath in the first place? Wasn't she at an abandoned factory of some sort?
Then, Blake remembered.
She remembered the battle against the group known as Grim Claw and the flash of light that engulfed her. Once that happened, she was here. She'll have to find out but right now, she needed to know where she was.
First off, Blake realized the water was hot, not scalding hot, but hot enough that it would be a hot spring. There was also steam around her but it wasn't a problem. Another thing she noticed was the blonde woman staring at her with wide eyes.
Wait, a blonde woman staring at her with wide eyes?
Then, the blonde woman screamed and Blake had to cover her sensitive Faunus ears. She now realized she was in a bathroom and the woman, most likely the owner, probably thought she was an intruder.
It was time to bolt.
Not wasting any time, Blake rushed for the doors which sprung open. She saw two girls, one with green hair and another with purple hair. They saw her but were unable to react as she sprung over them.
"Who was that?" asked Bunshu.
"Iishie!" yelled the ruler of En, Ensho. "Alert the guards! We have an intruder!"
"Yes, Reiha-sama," Bunshu quickly saluted and she immediately left.
Ganryo went to Ensho and asked, "Are you injured Reiha-sama?"
"No," replied Ensho. "I screamed before the assassin could lay her daggers on me."
Ensho did see a weapon behind the black haired girl's back. It did not look like what she described but Ensho didn't care about the details.
"Oh, I wish my Haru-sama was here. He would be sure to protect me from that treacherous assassin!" Ensho cried.
While she wanted to let her ruler recover from the ordeal but Ganryo need to do her duty. "I know you need rest now Reiha-sama but I have some grave news."
"What sort of grave news?" Ensho asked.
Blake did not know where she was. Nothing seemed familiar. She did know one thing though. She needed to get away and get out of here fast.
As she ran a corner, she stopped as she encountered a group of guards. When they saw her, they quickly responded.
In short time, Bunshu has informed any guards nearby to be on the lookout for a young female assassin. The only description she gave them was that the assassin wore a big black bow. With it, the guards deduced that the girl in front was the assassin.
"Halt!" one of the guards shouted, pointing a spear at her threateningly. Blake ignored the order and quickly left a Shadow before leaping over the guards. She then continued to flee.
The guards were momentarily confused by the Shadow which faded but then recovered as the lead guard shouted, "Spread out and find the intruder!"
"Yes, sir!"
While the guards ran all over the palace to find the assassin, the black haired girl was hiding behind one of the pillars.
Blake needed to find an exit quick but she didn't want to hurt the guards as well. They were just doing their job and from their point of view, Blake was an intruder.
The young woman heard a shushing noise. Blake guessed it was one of the guards who may have took the time to stop and look at the trail of water left by Blake when she took that unexpected dip.
Time to move.
Blake ran out of her hiding spot.
"There she is!" shouted one of the guards and the chase continued.
Blake ran and finally, she found doors to a balcony. But just when escape was within her reach, another group of guards appeared in front of her and they quickly closed the doors.
Blake was unfortunate enough to run into more of them. She already had another group on her tail who have just arrived behind her.
"Drop your weapons and surrender!"
Blake heard the command but had no intent of obeying it. Looks like she had no choice. Blake drew her weapon. Her Gambol Shroud left its sheath and she dual-wielded the scabbard and blades in both hands.
The lead guard rushed towards Blake. He thrusted his spear but Blake dodged to the side. The guard swung his weapon and Blake in response slice the spear's tip.
Her instincts kicked in, Blake jumped away from another guard's strike from above and quickly breaks the weapon as well. A couple more guards came at her but stabbed a Shadow as she ducked before she used a sweep kick.
She performed a series of backwards somersaults and while suspended in the air, upside down, she fired and broke off their spearheads. Another guard tried to grab her but Blake grabbed his arm instead and pushed him towards his disarmed comrades.
Out of the corner of her eye, Blake spotted a window high up on the wall. With a smile, she then decided to confuse them as she jumped and left a series of Shadow Clones to take the hits. She then converted her sword into scythe mode and tied her ribbon to it. She used her weapon and ribbon as a makeshift grappling hook and throws it at the window. Once she knew her Gambol Shroud was hooked, she used her ribbon to climb her way up and was out of the palace.
Blake escaped. She jumped from roof after roof until she was far away from the palace. Blake rested and sighed in relief. She congratulated herself for not harming any of them. Though the guards might be in trouble from their boss, that was not her problem. When she opened her eyes, look of confusion returned to her face.
'What is this place?' Blake thought to herself as she stared at her surroundings.
She stared at the sun that shone on her. Blake thought it cannot be as it should be nighttime.
Then, the young woman stared at the buildings. Most of them were rough, plain and honestly outdated compared to the buildings at Vale. Looking down, there were no roads or concrete pavements and the people wore clothing that looked like they belonged to the ancient times.
Blake tried to find a reasonable explanation for all this but one question kept coming back to her. Why did she have the feeling that she was not in Remnant anymore?
Suddenly, a shout occurred breaking Blake away from her long thinking. She looked down again and saw one person fleeing. He was not the only one as more followed. Blake turned to what the people were fleeing from and to her shock, they were fleeing from Ursai.
Panic filled the air as the people of this city ran from the Ursai. These huge, bear-like creatures were attacking them ferociously. While they resembled bears, the white bone-like masks upon their faces and bone-like spikes jutting from their limbs and back made them look like monsters from a nightmare.
With a roar, it swiped at the people and caught one in its clawed hand. The man screamed as he struggled to break free, but the creature's grip was strong. It raised its other clawed hand to crush the helpless man's skull when all of a sudden...
"KURUMI SQUASH!"
A warrior dressed in orange armor over a black bodysuit with huge fists performed a flying kick that smashed into the bear monster's head. It exploded, releasing the man who fell to the ground. The body of the bear monster fell as the warrior turned to the citizen and helped him to his feet.
"Run!" the warrior urged.
"Right! Yes! Thank you, Knuckle-sama!"
"Knuckle-sama?" Blake muttered to herself from the rooftop.
Knuckle nodded, rolling his shoulders, and turned to face the bear monsters. He didn't know what they were but that didn't matter to him right now. What mattered was that he could destroy them and that was enough for him.
"I'm Armored War God Knuckle! Now prepare yourselves for the beating of your lives!"
An Ursa rushed at Knuckle and opened its jaws. He reacted by punching it straight in the face, dislocating its jaws. He then spun his right fist and sent it flying into the air with a powerful uppercut. An Ursa tried to catch him from behind but he managed to avoid it by rolling to the side. It lunged at him but he bent his knees and kicked, knocking it backwards to crash into a wall. Flipping back to his feet, Knuckle faced more charging Ursai.
"Alright!" Knuckle punched his fists together and then he hit his belt's Cutting Blade twice.
"KURUMI AU LAIT!"
Knuckle surrounded himself in a giant sphere shaped like his signature Lockseed before he charged at the Ursai. They slammed into him but the energy around him caused them to explode on impact.
Knuckle heard more screams and saw Ursai surrounding a family. Acting quickly, he activated his Sparking finisher.
"KURUMI SPARKING!"
He punched and hurled cannonball-sized energy walnuts at the Ursai. The Ursai never knew what hit them and the family of three was safe. Knuckle quickly went to check up on them as soldiers came.
"Escort them to safety. Leave these monsters to me," Knuckle urged. The soldiers were in charge of keeping the city safe, but they couldn't handle creatures like these. He had seen good men die because of them, men he knew, men that he often stopped to chat with and share jokes as they went about their day.
He had seen the tragedy at Rakuyo and he didn't want a repeat of that again.
"Alright, you monsters! You want a fight, then come and get me you sons of bitch-bears!"
One Ursa pounced on Knuckle. This one was larger compared to the others, double in size in fact, much larger spikes on its back. It was an Ursa Major. It swept its arms around Knuckle and hugged him close. The Rider struggled as the Ursa Major was trying to squeeze the life out of him with a literal bear hug. It slowly tightened his hold and Knuckle found himself having trouble breathing as he tried to shake himself loose.
As his vision slowly began to fade due to lack of oxygen, he began to think, 'Sorry...Reiha-chan...Guess we won't have that wedding you always wanted...'
Before the Ursa Major could snap Knuckle's spine, it suddenly loosened its grip, allowing Knuckle to break free.
"Huh?"
The Ursa Major just stood there before it slumped forward and collapsed on the ground. Standing on the creature's back was Knuckle's savior. While she did not look like she had the strength to kill such a beast, he had learnt in his experience that looks could be deceiving. Speaking of looks, Knuckle couldn't help but say this when he saw her.
"Saved by a ninja girl," Knuckle mused. "My ancestor would be jealous."
"Are you alright?" Blake asked. Knuckle was about to reply to her until the two heard a scream. Blake noticed where it was.
"Hold that thought." She jumped away.
A little girl was hiding in an alley but was found by an Ursa. The alley was small and the Ursa was trying to reach for her. She screamed shrilly. Suddenly, a black ribbon wrapped around the Ursa's neck and dragged it out from the alley. It struggled.
BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!
Four gunshots were all it took before the Ursa went down. Blake looked into the alley and extended a hand. The little girl cautiously took Blake's hand and she pulled her out of the alley.
"You're safe now," Blake assured the little girl and the recovered Knuckle approached the two.
"Let me take her," Knuckle offered as he took the little girl. He then handed her to a nearby soldier.
"Take her to the palace where it's safe." During emergencies like this, the citizens would be taken to the palace which was fortified. The soldier nodded and obeyed as he took the little girl to safety.
"Alright, ninja girl. You're with me," Knuckle said to Blake. She may not know who this armored man was, but since he was fighting the Grimm, she would consider him an ally. Blake saw an Ursa coming up from behind Knuckle. Seeing her reaction, he quickly spun on his heel and launched the Ursa into the air with an uppercut. He then hit his Cutting Blade, activating his finisher.
"KURUMI SQUASH!"
He leapt into the air and performed a dropkick which smashed into the Ursa, blowing it up. Landing, he turned to the other Ursa who was charging at him.
"Your turn!" yelled out Knuckle.
Blake was fast as lightning, leaving solid copies to take hits and distract the Grimm as she struck them down with her Gambol Shroud. A blade to the back of the neck, a decapitating blow, and even point blank shots, which shattered their masks were all it took to slay the Grimm.
As Knuckle watched, he couldn't help but want to join her in the action. Tossing up his Kurumi Bombers, he took out a Lockseed and unlocked it.
"ICHIGO!"
He swiftly exchanged it with his Kurumi Lockseed and locked it in before opening it using the Cutting Blade.
"LOCK ON! ICHIGO ARMS! SHUSHUTTO SPARK!"
Blake attacked the Grimm when a roar behind her made her turn around. It was about to crush her with a swipe when three kunai pierced its arms. She blinked before the kunai exploded, severing the limb. She searched for the source and saw Knuckle coming towards her wearing red armor that reminded her of a strawberry. In each hand was a kunai, the Ichigo Kunai.
"Ninja and Ninja." Haru may not be a full-fledged ninja, but his ancestor was, and he would be putting his ancestry to shame if he didn't at least try fighting as one for once. Granted, he was better at unarmed combat, but he could improvise when the situation called for it.
Dodging a swipe, he stabbed an Ichigo Kunai into an Ursa's head before leaping back. He watched as its head was blown right up before he turned and hurled a trio of kunai that struck three in the throat. They exploded magnificently.
Blake watched in awe.
"These look like the last ones," said Knuckle. "You with me?"
Blake nodded.
"This would be easier if I had Nagata's sword, but you work with what you got." He handed Blake a couple of his Ichigo Kunai. "Be careful. Those explode."
"I noticed," Blake deadpanned as she appraised the weapons. The strawberries drawn in the blades were cute, but from what she had seen these were not decorative weapons.
"Alright! Ikuze!"
Before long, the Grimm were slain. However, Blake wasn't happy as several people had been killed. Neither was Knuckle but he had to remain strong and instill some sense of order. The people needed to believe they were safe again.
"Guys, gather the bodies and call for everyone to identify them so we can hand them over to their families for a proper burial," Knuckle instructed the soldiers who bowed before they went to do as instructed. Sighing, Knuckle closed his Lockseed and wiped the sweat off his forehead. He then turned his attention to Blake.
"You fight really well," complimented Haru.
"Thank you," Blake accepted the compliment.
"Anyway, the name's Haru Hattori, aka Knuckle."
"Blake Belladonna."
"You're not from around here, are you?" Haru asked having noticed her attire and weapons.
"You could say that," said Blake. "So, I see you're the one in charge here?"
"Well, the soldiers listen to me but Reiha-chan's the big boss around here. So, what's your story, Belladonna-san?"
Blake told her story to Haru about how she somehow appeared at the palace which Haru explained belonged to Ensho, lord of Kei Province, how she escaped and finally, here. And upon observing the looks from the other citizens, Blake finally deduced that she was in an alternate world.
Haru believed it, much to Blake's surprise. It wasn't that hard for him considering he had his fair share of dimensional hopping.
With that, Haru said, "Look, since you helped me out, I'll put in a good word for you to Reiha-chan."
"You'd do that for me?" asked Blake.
"If I ignore a person's cry for help, I don't deserve the title Armored War God." Haru gave a warm smile and it comforted the Faunus girl.
They arrived together at the palace where the citizens were being kept safe from the attack. Once Haru assured them that the monsters had been dealt with, they were escorted back to their homes.
"Mama, that's the lady that saved me," the little girl that Blake had saved pointed. Blake looked to see the little girl and mother approach. The mother took Blake's hands, crying tears of joy.
"Thank you so much for saving my little girl," the mother said gratefully before engulfing Blake in a hug. Blake wasn't much for hugs so she didn't return them. However, she allowed herself to smile.
"Bye, Onee-chan!" the little girl waved as she left with her mother to go home.
"Feels nice, doesn't it?" Haru asked.
"The gratitude, yes," Blake agreed.
"Well, you did help save the city. A little gratitude is the least you deserve. Now, come on. Let's go see Reiha-chan."
The guards at the doors saw Haru and bowed. Then they looked at Blake suspiciously. Due to what happened back here, Blake couldn't blame them and was a little nervous. Luckily, Haru stepped in front.
"Don't worry, guys. She's with me," Haru assured them. "We need to see Ensho."
Complying, the guards opened the doors and Haru and Blake entered. There sitting on the throne was Ensho who upon seeing her beloved Haru rushed to give her fiancé a hug.
"My beloved," smiled Ensho. "You've came."
"Ah gee, anything for you Reiha-chan," Haru grinned.
Lasted for a minute until she saw Blake. Ensho screamed at the sight of her.
"It's the assassin!" she screamed. Blake was getting nervous again and took a few steps back. Haru stepped in between the two.
"Reiha-chan, relax," Haru calmed his fiancée down. "Belladonna-san here ain't an assassin. Sure she's a ninja, but she helped me out fighting those monsters."
"Truly? She aided you in battle?" Ensho asked.
"Sure did, and she kicked major bear butt. You should've been there," Haru smiled.
Moments later, Ensho was informed about these monsters. According to the reports, they forcefully entered one of the gates and began wreaking havoc. Fortunately, her beloved Haru, the Ultimate Fist came in and smote the foul beasts. While she was still miffed about Blake crashing in on her bath time, but Haru's testimony helped to ease her anger.
Ensho composed herself and spoke, "Belladonna-dono, on behalf of my people, I thank you for your act of heroism."
"You're welcome," Blake accepted.
"Haru-sama, you are not injured, I hope," Ensho spoke to Haru.
"Takes more than a bunch of demonic bears to kill this guy," Haru boasted. Ensho smiled and kissed his cheek.
"The cooks have already prepared our meal. Would you like to join us, Belladonna-dono?" Ensho invited.
"She'll be happy to join us," Haru smiled as he accepted. Ensho turned to leave to have the cooks informed to make extra for their guest.
"That was easy," Blake remarked. She had met women like Ensho. They were arrogant, judgmental, and a royal pain in the ass.
"Reiha-chan's not so bad once you get to know her," Haru told Blake.
"You seem to have some pretty strong influence on her," Blake remarked.
"Yeah," Haru nodded and smiled softly. She comforted him after Chojo's defeat. She made sure to be his shoulder to cry on when it got too hard for him to hold it in. "So, you believe your friends are somewhere in China?"
"If I was sent here that means they were too," Blake frowned.
"You'll find them," Haru told her reassuringly. "If your bond as a team is strong enough, you'll find each other."
Blake smiled, though she had her doubts. Moving on, Blake then asked, "So, there are more Armored War Gods like you?"
"Yeah," Haru answered the Faunus.
"And what are they like?"
"Good guys to have your back, even if we're in different factions," Haru smiled. "Let me start off with Gaim. The guy's pretty cool. He can fight, he can cook and he runs his own kingdom. Next up is Baron. The guy is kind of a jerk."
Weiss's Tale
A lot of people had these good days where everything goes their way but they also ran into some bad ones where everything doesn't go their way. For Weiss Schnee, this was one of those bad days.
"OW!" the proud heiress of the Schnee Corporation rubbed her head as she got up. The fall she took was a little painful. "What...happened...?"
Weiss hoped that was the end of it.
"Ahem…"
She was proven wrong.
Weiss blinked as she turned and saw two girls. One had short green hair and the other was blonde with spiral twintail. The verdette wore a look of confusion while the blonde looked somewhat annoyed.
"Who are you?" Weiss questioned.
"Excuse me? I think the question is, who are you?" the blonde girl asked back.
Weiss wondered why this girl was angry until she felt something. She looked down and saw she was sitting on top of a plate. A plate of food. It was staining her skirt. However, that was not important.
"Ten'i, restrain her," the blonde girl ordered.
Ten'i saluted. "Yes ma'am!"
Ten'i immediately picked up Weiss and then put her hands roughly behind her back.
"Hey, let go of me!" Weiss demanded. She struggled using what remained of her strength but couldn't get loose from the grasp of the green haired girl.
"Sorry, but these are Sousou-sama's orders!" Ten'i replied.
"And even if you fell out of nowhere, you still need to answer some questions," the blonde girl told Weiss.
"What will you do to me?" Weiss questioned.
Hearing that, the annoyed blonde girl changed her face from a sour look to a devious smirk.
"LET ME OUT!" Weiss shouted behind bars. The little green haired girl had grabbed her and much to Weiss' surprise, was stronger than she looked. Then guards appeared and took her away. Her weapon, Myrtenaster was even confiscated from her. "DON'T YOU KNOW WHO I AM!?"
"That girl really has some strange clothes," Sousou studied their prisoner from afar. She would need to ask the one person who also wore these bizarre attires.
Alongside Sousou and Ten'i was Juniku. Having heard what Weiss did, she was displeased just like Sousou but her anger towards the heiress was greater than her lord's.
"Honestly, how dare that girl ruin Karin-sama's dish. She should have her fingers chopped off. Give the word Karin-sama, I shall do it personally too," Juniku requested.
Sousou calmly replied, "No need, Keifa. I actually think we can benefit if we acquire more information from her. Judging by her clothes, she's definitely not from around here."
"Do you believe she's from the same place Baron came from?" Juniku asked.
"I suppose."
"Where is Baron-niichan anyway?" asked Ten'i.
Sousou answered, "I sent him out to take care of a bandit problem. He says he's been bored staying in the palace so I allowed him to head out to stretch his legs."
Stretching his legs? Baron was having a marathon.
Baron did what Sousou asked. He headed to a canyon that was rumored to be a hotspot for bandit activity. Turned out the rumors were true. Naturally, Baron charged head into battle like a maniac along with his Crimson Guard who all shared their commander's enthusiasm.
The outcome was obvious. Baron won while the bandits crumbled.
Everything turned out alright until new challengers entered the scene.
BLAM!
The Crimson Enforcer of Gi had just sent a monster slamming against the wall.
"For a second there, I was afraid this was going to be easy." Baron had taken glance at the monsters. Other than their bone like traits, black skin and red markings, the monsters greatly resembled the long extinct dinosaurs he read from books.
Baron turned and used his Banaspear to block a bite from one of the monster's companions.
Pushing it back, Baron thrusted his weapon and impaled it into the eye of the beast. It roared in pain before Baron put it out of its misery.
A third appeared before Baron. He knew it was time to bring out the heavy hitter. Taking out one of his Lockseeds, he activated it.
"MANGO ARMS! FIGHT OF THE HAMMER!"
Transformed into Mango Arms, Baron roared as he slammed his Mango Punisher on top of a dinosaur's head. The head shattered and the creature fell to the ground.
One of the dinosaur-like creatures latched onto his back and tried to bite into his shoulder.
"GET OFF ME!" Baron roared as he grabbed hold of the beast and threw it to the ground. With another shout, he brought his Mango Punisher down, crushing it.
He looked at the carcasses of the creatures that lay around him. He knew they were unnatural. Their dead bodies were beginning to dissolve.
"What are these things?" Baron asked. When another horde came at him, he grinned. He'll hash out the details later. There was still more killing to be done.
At the high ground, Ukin was having the Crimson Guard set up the arrow launchers. They needed some time to prepare. So, Baron kept the dinosaurs distracted. At last, the arrow launchers were in place.
"Men! Open fire!" Ukin shouted.
After smacking another beast down, Baron noticed the arrow launchers. He ran back allowing the arrow launchers to do their part. They fired and the arrows surprisingly pierced into the monster's skins. However, they still kept coming.
"Like the appetizers, here's the main course." Baron pressed the Cutting Blade twice.
"COME ON! MANGO AU LAIT!"
"RAAAAAHHHHHHH!" Baron howled as he spun around and around, his Mango Punisher glowing before he threw it at the oncoming horde. There was an explosion before the weapon returned to his hand and the creatures were destroyed.
When the battle was over, Baron raised his mace high and his men cheered.
Mitsuki returned to meet up with his Crimson Guard. The creatures had caused the bandits to flee. Fortunately, his Crimson Guard had managed to catch them before they managed to get away.
"Is this all of them?" Mitsuki asked one of his lieutenants. Gakushin was the leader of his three lieutenants and his second-in-command.
"Yes, Baron-sama. They attempted to flee in the confusion but the men and I subdued them," she reported.
"Good work," Mitsuki smiled and Gakushin lowered her head, unable to meet his gaze as she blushed.
'Why did he have to have such a sexy smile?' thought Gakushin. Like Riten, she was also attracted to their leader, Baron. Unlike Riten, Gakushin kept her feelings hidden and maintained a professional attitude while around him.
"Now if I recall before we were interrupted, you were about to surrender." Mitsuki showed a smug look leaving the bandits to weep.
"Please don't kill me, Bloody Enforcer!" yelled the bandit.
"Bloody Enforcer?" Mitsuki asked.
"Apparently, it's a nickname the bandits have given you because you kill them," Gakushin informed Mitsuki.
He didn't like it, but there wasn't anything he could do about it.
Then, Mitsuki heard footsteps and turned to see a messenger.
Messengers were important, especially during the times of war. They were trained to be fast, either on their feet or on a steed. The fastest horses were bred for messengers so they could deliver their messages quickly and then return to deliver the reply. The ones that went by foot had high amounts of stamina and endurance. While they weren't trained for combat, Mitsuki respected them because of their inner strength and their determination.
The messenger that came rode on a horse. He was also checked by his Crimson Guard to verify his identity. You could never be too careful. Often times, spies and assassins slipped into army camps by pretending to be messengers and scouts. Checking them was also to ensure that they didn't carry any hidden weapons.
"Sir, Sousou-sama wanted this message delivered to you," said the messenger.
"What's the message?" Mitsuki asked.
"Apparently Sousou-sama found what might be an Armored War Goddess."
Hearing it surprised the young man. Mitsuki looked at his lieutenants who also shared the same looks as their commanding officer.
Riten drooled as she examined the Myrtenaster. "This is a very, very beautiful piece of craftsmanship."
"Looks like a rapier with a bullet chamber," Mitsuki added.
The road back to Gi was a safe one which allowed Mitsuki and his men to arrive sooner. His Crimson Guard had their captured bandits locked up until he decided what to do with them. Mitsuki and his closest lieutenants met up with Sousou. She told them what had happened while they were away. After confiscating her weapon, the white haired prisoner was locked up in a cell separate from the ones that the bandits Mitsuki captured were put in.
Sousou would have asked the prisoner herself but she had other matters to attend to. This kingdom wasn't running itself for your information. So, she contacted Mitsuki to find out more about her since he came out of nowhere just like that girl.
Currently, he and his lieutenants were observing the confiscated weapon. Riten was most joyed about this. Not known whether it was the look of the weapon or its function but no matter, she loved it anyway.
"So tell me Baron-sama, what are these bullets again?"
"They're ammunition used for a long range weapon called a gun." Mitsuki described his world's arsenal. "It's like a bow but you don't need to pull a string. You just put the bullet inside a chamber like that one, press a trigger and fire."
"That's amazing!" Riten was giggling like there was no tomorrow.
"Although, I never heard of a sword using this particular component. The swords I know are basically the same in China." Mitsuki continued to stare at the weapon which to him looked odd. "Think you can take it apart?"
"Oh no, Baron-sama. I'm afraid I might break it," Riten told him.
"Do you know who she is Baron-sama? Maybe she is from Heaven?" said Ukin.
"I don't think so," Mitsuki denied. "This weapon she had was more advanced than anything in my world. Well, anything I know of."
Gakushin asked, "What now, Baron-sama?"
Mitsuki replied, "I'm going to the source."
'This has to be a bad dream,' Weiss thought. Anyone in Remnant should have the brains to know that she was Weiss Schnee but the people here do not have a clue who she was.
Weiss pinched herself but sadly, she was still here. Weiss groaned in frustration and wondered if things can't get any worse.
Then, Weiss heard a loud knock followed by the sound of the doors opening.
"Where's the prisoner?" said a voice. After that, a male figure appeared before Weiss.
"Who are you?" Weiss demanded.
"I'll ask the questions here," Mitsuki replied. He learned a lot about interrogation from Chitoge.
"I'm not going to tell you anything," Weiss huffed, crossing her arms and turning her back to him.
"Really, because I have your weapon here." Mitsuki revealed that he was holding Weiss' Myrtenaster. Weiss spun around and gasped at the sight of her precious weapon.
"My Myrtenaster!"
"So, you named it," Mitsuki smirked. "Must hold some sentimental value. Would be a shame if it were broken."
"Don't you dare!" Weiss snapped.
"Tell me what I need to know then," Mitsuki offered. "Now then, you're obviously not from this world or era. I can tell that this technology is way more advanced than anything I have ever seen. Even Mao can't make heads or tails of it."
"If you must know, it's a Multi Action Dust Rapier," Weiss answered.
"Dust?" Mitsuki repeated.
"How can you not know what Dust is?" Weiss rudely questioned.
"I know what dust is, but we're probably not talking about the same kind of dust," Mitsuki retorted. "I can assume that this weapon is made for only you to use. To me it's just a fancy sword, good for decoration only."
"It's not! It's my signature weapon! As if a brute like you can figure it out!" Weiss frowned.
Mitsuki frowned. Before he could questioned her further, Mitsuki saw Gakushin coming over, "What is it, Nagi?"
"Sousou-sama wishes to speak with the prisoner, Baron-sama," Gakushin reported.
Mitsuki addressed Weiss, "You're lucky. It seems that Karin wants to speak to you. Try not to piss her off."
Weiss was escorted to the throne room by Mitsuki and Gakushin. Her wrists were tied together.
"Things have just gotten worse," Weiss muttered. As they walked down the corridor, Weiss' memories started to return. She recalled battling against the weird martial artists with masks and the next, she was blinded by a flash of light. Now she was here. All tied up and being brought to the lord of this palace which Weiss hate to admit that it was luxurious.
There was one thing she learned. When she was being locked up, she somehow noticed something was odd about her captors. They had no Aura. Aura is the manifestation of a person's soul. It was their shield and their power. It was the reason Huntsmen and Huntresses were able to do the most amazing feats. Yet despite not having Aura, the people here were strong such as that small girl who carried her.
After a while, Weiss was finally brought to Sousou. Sousou was lounging on her throne with Juniku. The strategist was giving the warlord a foot massage. Weiss was skeptical at first when she heard that Sousou was the lord because obviously, she looked too young to be one but seeing her here just left the heiress speechless.
"So, you're really the one in charge here?" Weiss asked, only to be forced to her knees by Mitsuki.
"You will speak when spoken to," Mitsuki growled.
"Mitsuki, be gentle with her," Sousou ordered and Mitsuki nodded before releasing Weiss. "So, what is your name?"
Weiss knew she was in no position to make demands, so she decided to be polite. Sousou seemed like a reasonable person.
"My name is Weiss Schnee," Weiss answered.
"Interesting name. Tell me, Weiss Schnee, where do you come from?" Sousou asked.
"I come from Atlas, a nation in the continent of Vytal," Weiss answered.
"I do not know these places," Sousou answered. "Are these territories in Heaven?"
"Heaven?" Weiss cocked an eyebrow.
"You appeared from out of nowhere in my kitchen. That would be the only explanation. You must come from another realm," Sousou concluded.
"I just want to know where I am," Weiss sighed.
"You are in the Kingdom of Sou Gi, in China," Mitsuki answered.
"Sou Gi? China?" Weiss asked.
"You really don't know? I guess you really are from a different world than me. I've never heard of places called Vytal or Atlas from where I'm from," Mitsuki replied.
"Mitsuki, may I see that weapon?" Sousou asked. Mitsuki brought the Myrtenaster up to Sousou and she examined it. "Lovely craftsmanship."
"It was forged by the best," Weiss bragged.
"Can you use it?" Sousou asked.
"Naturally," Weiss admitted.
"Then you wouldn't mind proving it in a duel," Sousou said.
"A duel?" asked Weiss.
"Yes, a duel. Right here," Sousou confirmed. "Depending on the result of the duel, you may go free."
"Alright, I accept," smiled Weiss.
Kakoton was called to duel with Weiss. She carried her dao sword, the Seven Star Hungry Wolf, in its sheath as she entered the throne room. She bowed to Sousou.
"Shunran, this is your opponent. Her name is Weiss Schnee," Sousou addressed. "Weiss-dono, please don't disappoint me."
"I won't," Weiss promised as she gripped Myrtenaster.
Mitsuki approached Kakoton and gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek. "Good luck, Shunran." Kakoton blushed at the kiss and smiled. Sousou rolled her eyes in amusement.
Sousou stood up and raised her hand before bringing it down. "Begin!"
Kakoton instantly rushed at Weiss who drew her Myrtenaster. Quickly, Weiss dodged the first blow, jumping back before performing a twirl. A Glyph appeared beneath her feet, drawing curious looks before she glided towards Kakoton. The one-eyed woman parried the strike and then countered as she slashed at Weiss. Weiss ducked under the blow and swung at Kakoton who managed to dodge, but the blade of the rapier cut her cheek.
Backing away, Kakoton gripped her sword and lunged at Weiss who then plunged her blade into the floor. An ice wall erupted, stopping Kakoton in her tracks.
Sousou's eyes widened with increased interest as Juniku gasped at the magic Weiss displayed. Mitsuki just continued to watch with his arms crossed.
Kakoton scanned her surrounding for Weiss and then looked up to see Weiss coming down at her. Grinning, Kakoton decided to put more power into her swing and her sword struck Weiss, throwing her backwards. Fortunately, Weiss had her Aura activated, preventing her from being injured. She still felt the blow, though.
'For a woman with no Aura, she's pretty strong,' Weiss regarded her opponent. She waited as Kakoton came at her and the duel resumed.
"She's not half bad," praised Sousou as she watched and licked her lips. Mitsuki knew that look. It was the same one she had given Kanu frequently and even when she thought about Gaim's woman.
The chamber in the Myrtenaster rotated, causing flames to coat the blade. She swung and formed an arch that made Kakoton leap back. She grinned and performed a sweep kick, knocking Weiss to the ground before she got up and brought her sword down. Weiss rolled out of the way as the sword slammed onto the floor.
"Repairs to the floor will be taken out of your payment, Shunran," Juniku reminded.
"Just watch the fight, Keifa," Sousou admonished.
Mitsuki's frown deepened. The white haired girl sure knew how to fight, even if she looked like she had a sheltered life. Perhaps he had misjudged her.
That still remained to be seen.
Kakoton swung and Weiss slammed against the wall, knocking the wind out of her. She slowly recovered and saw Kakoton coming at her. She quickly summoned a Glyph and leapt onto the ceiling and used a Glyph to stick herself to the surface. Weiss' eyes narrowed as she formed numerous Glyphs and then launched spikes of ice at Kakoton. Kakoton roared as she slashed with her sword, shattering them.
Weiss slipped away to the other side of the ceiling and then she dropped down. Kakoton came at her and Weiss was forced to block before a kick to her stomach knocked the wind out of her again. Kakoton then grabbed hold of Weiss' ponytail, causing her to let out a shout of pain before she was thrown across the floor.
"Ow..." Weiss groaned and saw Kakoton with a few strands of her hair inside her hand. She may not be Yang, but she also cared about her hair. Gritting her teeth, she rose up and then glided towards Kakoton. Sparks flew as blows were exchanged, Kakoton parried and swung while Weiss countered and slashed. The fight was intense as their audience was at the edge of their seats.
Kakoton roared and threw Weiss towards the wall with a swing. Weiss caught herself and landed with her feet touching the wall before she formed a Glyph and catapulted herself towards Kakoton. The eye-patched general raised her sword to block but it shattered when struck by Weiss' Myrtenaster as she was knocked backwards and into the wall.
"Winner by a knockout!" Juniku declared.
Mitsuki was instantly at Kakoton's side as he checked up on her. "Are you alright, Shunran?"
"She's stronger than she looks," Kakoton replied as she rubbed her head.
Weiss then declared, "And that is why I'm one of the best in my class."
As Weiss sheathed her Myrtenaster, Mitsuki's eyes narrowed at her attitude. It was the reason he disliked the young female teen. It was that stuck-up attitude, that she was better than everyone because of the wealth and status, because she was simply born into it. Sousou might be seen as an arrogant warlord, but she had earned her place. That was why he respected her. He accepted Sousou's attitude because she deserved to behave that way. Weiss was just a trust-fund baby who got by because of her family's name and wealth.
"I apologize for my failure, Karin-sama," apologized Kakoton.
"It's alright. You were a worthy opponent and you allowed me to see what our guest is capable of," Sousou smiled.
"I bet I can give her a bigger challenge," muttered Mitsuki angrily.
After the duel, Weiss was made to wait outside the throne room. Sousou and her officers were currently deliberating on what to do with her. Weiss paced about impatiently as the guards watched her warily. Weiss didn't like how Sousou had her weapon taken again, but the Schnee heiress would need to be patient and play by her host's rules, lest she be thrown back into the dungeon again.
Sousou had given her an offer earlier, which went like this:
"Weiss Schnee, you have proven your worth in battle. Despite appearances, you are clearly a highly skilled warrior. That is why I offer you a place in Sou Gi as one of my officers," Sousou offered.
Weiss' eyes met with Sousou's and she said outright, "I refuse."
Juniku gasped and Sousou narrowed her eyes at the answer.
"How dare you refuse Karin-sama's generous offer!" Juniku snapped.
"I'm sure that someone else would love the job, but right now I have a school to go back to and a team who are most likely trying to find me. There's no telling what trouble they will get into without me there to watch out for them," Weiss argued. She had no time to become some officer to the queen of a kingdom she had never heard of.
"Alright, since you've refused, then I can't stop you," Sousou agreed. "You may go."
"Thank you," Weiss curtsied.
"Yes, you may go, if you can find your way around this land," Sousou added mischievously.
"...Excuse me?"
"Clearly you don't know where you are and you don't look like you're from around here. Without a guide or even a map, you have no idea where to go. I can't stop you from leaving, but you clearly have no place to go. I may not need you but you seem to need something from us. So, are you sure you don't want to reconsider my offer?"
That was what left Weiss so frustrated. She could not refute Sousou. Weiss may know her way around Vale but she was not familiar with this place. She could get lost and she doubts she had the right currency. Sousou was just going to let her leave without giving her anything and the Schnee heiress could get lost in this unfamiliar place she had found herself in.
Without the local currency, she may not be able to survive. All she had were the clothes on her back, the Dust she carried with her and her Myrtenaster. Getting money would mean selling the possessions she had on her and she was not willing to part with any of them.
Was this Hell? If it wasn't then it was as close to Hell that the Schnee heiress could believe.
Just as Weiss was about to rant on how unfair her predicament was, she heard something. It was singing. While Weiss was better at singing, she couldn't deny that it was good. Weiss could tell a lot of soul was put into them. Gotten curious, she followed.
Back at the palace, the generals of Gi were having a long discussion.
"I don't like her," Mitsuki stated absolutely.
"Usually you and Karin-sama are on the same page when it comes to recruiting new talent," Juniku pointed out.
"Yes, you saw Schnee's skills in combat. Clearly she has strength and talent," Sousou added.
"I don't like her attitude, that's all. She's arrogant, high and mighty and gets on my nerves," grumbled Mitsuki.
"I've been told I'm an arrogant person myself," Sousou retorted.
"The difference is that I actually like you," Mitsuki reminded and she smiled. She was touched by his honesty.
"Well, we can't just send her off without an escort. That would be cruel."
"It's not like we owe her anything."
"Mitsuki has a point," Juniku agreed.
Sousou spoke, "Look, my decision is final. She will remain as a guest here in Sou Gi. That is why I decided that she will require an escort to accompany her during her stay."
"Oh, and which unlucky bastard did you get for this job?" Mitsuki asked interested. Sousou smiled at him and his eyes widened in realization at the look he was getting.
It took quite a while but Weiss was finally able to track the source of the song.
Weiss saw five people. The heiress then noticed that three of them were the ones responsible for singing that great melody. The other two just stood there, most likely the trio's audiences.
Wanting to know more, Weiss went towards them.
The Chou Sisters finished their song and struck poses as Marcus and Ukin applauded. Mitsuki's bespectacled lieutenant was a common sight at the Chou Sisters' practices. She was a huge fan even before joining Sousou's faction.
Chouryou was noticeably absent. The woman was probably at the tavern and getting herself drunk again. It was her day off after all.
"Tres bien! C'est magnifique! Fantastique! Bravo!" Marcus applauded. "My angels, you have improved incredibly!"
"Thank you, Marcus-kun," Chokaku smiled as she walked over to him with her sisters. He handed them their towels and bottles of water.
"It was all thanks to you," said Choryo.
"Oh, no need to thank me, girls. You are the talent," he told them.
"Hey, don't cut yourself short. You choreographed the whole thing and wrote the song," Choho said.
"Yes, and you suggested we modify our microphones so that we left our hands free," Choryo said as she pointed to the earrings they wore. The gems were the exact same ones used for their microphones, just made smaller. Only a simple spell was needed to activate them.
"Well, I just thought using your arms when you danced would improve your performance," said Marcus. He then received kisses on his cheeks from the girls.
"You've been supporting us to this point, Marcus-kun," Chokaku smiled with a blush. "I don't know where we'd be without you."
"I'm sure you'd do fine, Tenho-chan. You have the beauty of angels with voices to match," Marcus smiled. The girls swooned at his compliments. He just knew what to say.
Ukin noticed Weiss coming and immediately greeted, "Hey, you're the white haired intruder that ruined Sousou-sama's meal."
"I'm no longer the intruder. I'm-" Weiss swallowed her pride and spat it out, "-an officer of Gi."
Marcus addressed Ukin, "Ukin-san, who is this fine young lady?"
"She's a young woman who appeared out of thin air and destroyed Sousou-sama's dish and was locked up for it," Ukin answered Marcus. "Sousou-sama believed she's an Armored War God just like you."
Weiss blinked a bit of what she heard. 'Armored War God? Just what is that?' she thought to herself.
"Really?" said Marcus. Well, that would explain the girl's attire which Marcus thought looked fabulous. Marcus then realized that Weiss must be a fish out of water here. Since she was now a fellow officer, as a gentleman, he must make sure a lady was treated properly. Hence, he walked up to Weiss.
"What is your name, Mademoiselle Blanc?" Marcus asked.
"It's Weiss Schnee," Weiss introduced herself.
"Ah, I see," Marcus bowed and took her hand. "Welcome to the Kingdom of Sou Gi, Mademoiselle Schnee."
He kissed her knuckles.
"Finally, a real gentleman," smiled Weiss, surprised to meet someone with good manners.
However, she felt the Chou Sisters glowered at her. They were OK with sharing Marcus with Chouryou Bun'en, but nobody else.
"By any chance, are you a singer?" Marcus asked.
"How can you tell?" Weiss asked.
"Oh, I have an eye for these things. I can tell when someone is a singer. It's all in how they speak," Marcus boasted.
"Well I did do a few performances," Weiss boasted. "And all of them received critical acclaim from many reviewers."
"I see, can you present this jaw dropping talent of yours to us?"
"Well, if you insist." Weiss couldn't resist. She went in front and sang.
Mitsuki grumbled in irritation. As soon as Sousou made her decision, he went to get Weiss to tell her the news. Unfortunately, she had wandered off. Annoyed, Mitsuki went to look for her. After all, he was her assigned escort.
He got the feeling that Sousou only made him do this to mess with him. It was probably to pay him back for the comments concerning her stature. He may need to tone down on the number of times he called her a 'loli'.
This wasn't a hard assignment, but he didn't want to spend a long period of time with the new guest. He just couldn't stomach her presence at all.
"The loli better pay me extra for this," he grumbled.
"Mirror, mirror, tell me something.
Who's the loneliest of all?
I'm the loneliest of all..."
Weiss finished her song, bringing Marcus, Chokaku, Choho, Choryo and Ukin to tears.
Marcus wept. "That was beau. That was beau."
"Oh my..." Chokaku wiped the tears from her eyes. That song, it was just so beautiful. It was sad but at the same time it was beautiful. The notes just plucked at her heartstrings. Chokaku could sense that there was a story underneath it all and she could actually see the song when she heard it.
Choho and Choryo were touched as well, even if the latter was normally so stoic when she wasn't performing. She removed her glasses to wipe her tears as well.
"Thank you," Weiss accepted the praise modestly yet at the same time proudly.
"You have an incredible talent that makes even Goddesses envy you," Marcus claimed. The Chou Sisters heard and had to agree. Weiss' talent was at a whole other level compared to theirs.
Hearing those words made Weiss blush. She knew she shouldn't be susceptible to flattery but she couldn't help herself. "And thank you for the praise again, Mister-"
"Date. Marcus Date," the blonde Armored War God stated.
"You know, we have a concert coming up soon. We would love to have you join us," Chokaku offered. Her sisters nodded in agreement.
"That's very gracious of you," Weiss smiled.
Marcus offered, "Since you're new here, why don't I show you around as a guide."
"Unfortunately man, that position has been taken."
Arriving was Mitsuki himself. He heard the singing. Weiss scowled at the sight of him. She had not forgotten how he had treated her.
Mitsuki spoke in a not amused tone, "As of this day, I will be babysitting this white haired brat."
Then, Marcus and the others gasped.
"WHAT DID YOU CALL ME!?" Weiss shrieked.
"Yeah, those were Karin's orders. Believe me. I don't like it any more than you do."
Well, this was going to be an interesting friendship, the term 'friendship' being used VERY loosely.
Present Day
Meanwhile at an unknown part of China lay a fortress. It was a true castle of horrors with dead trees, flocks of crows and black thunderous clouds billowing in the sky. Inside was no better. Lanterns lit up at a room where there were five seats and sitting on them were the Five Femme Fatale Fists, the commanders of the RinJyuKen Akugata. They were each beautiful in their own way but their beauty hid the monstrous wickedness that each of them possessed. They were akin to roses: beautiful to look at but with sharp thorns that could hurt you.
They were here as an ally of theirs wanted to meet with them. Speaking of which, he had arrived.
Ukitsu greeted the Femme Fatales, "Mighty Femme Fatale Fists, it has been so long and might I say that all of you have remained ravishing as ev-"
"Skip the flattery and state your business," interrupted Shachihime. The Femme Fatales couldn't stomach cheap compliments especially ones from a bug like Ukitsu.
Ukitsu stood up. "Very well, I am here to report to you that Genpou-dono has returned from his survey on the Kingdom of Shoku."
"Did he find any weak spots on their defenses?" asked Takahime. "Information like that would be useful for the coming invasion."
Word has spread around several parts of China about Shoku celebrating their Blossom Festival. It wasn't long when that news reached the ears of the RinJyuKen who immediately planned their next move. With the festival, it would be the perfect opportunity to attack it and weaken the morale of everyone that lived there. A weakened morale would then lead to fear, paranoia and despair. Those emotions would be a great source to harvest Rinki from.
Then, Hebihime turned to Ukitsu who was giving them a strange look. "Your mouth's opened. What's the matter?"
Ukitsu responded, "My apologies but it sounded like you said that you're all still preparing. I thought the invasion was done."
"What?" said the Snake Rinrinshi.
"According to Genpou-dono, just as Shoku was about to celebrate their Blossom Festival, they were attacked by the forces of the RinJyuKen."
"What are you talking about? Our forces have been on standby since this morning," Takahime explained.
"Really?" said the shocked Ukitsu. "Most puzzling."
Shirokumahime asked the human, "Tell us, what do these 'RinJyuKen' look like?"
"Well, they looked like animals," Ukitsu explained.
"That's very specific," Hebihime sarcastically remarked considering that the entirety of the RinJyuKen were 'animals'.
"They possessed black fur, white skulls that they wore as masks and red markings over their bodies," Ukitsu elaborated.
The Femme Fatales looked at one another with confusion or wonder. The RinJyuKen never had creatures like that. In fact, they never heard of creatures like that.
"And one other thing," Ukitsu said. "Genpou-dono mentioned this. It was the reason he and I make this incorrect assumption. He thought he saw a Rinrinshi amongst the creatures, a salamander to be precise."
Ukitsu waited but all he got was silence. That last word received a reaction. The Femme Fatale Fists were oddly shocked.
The spectacled man explained, "It may be wrong after all because Genpou-dono was watching the whole thing from a distance."
"No, he's not wrong," said the leader of the Femme Fatales. "We did have a Rinrinshi that matches that description but it's impossible."
"Why's that?" asked Ukitsu.
Shirokumahime looked to Ukitsu and said, "Because he's supposed to be dead."
Ukitsu blinked in astonishment at what he heard but it grew even more when he stared at the Femme Fatales. The way they looked now. It looked like they were nervous. More accurately, they looked afraid. The RinJyuKen were not easily frightened because they were individuals who were resurrected from the ultimate fear, death.
Ukitsu asked, "Who is this Rinrinshi?"
The Femme Fatales returned to reality. They looked at Ukitsu for a short while before looking at each other. One by one, they nodded to one another. After that, Shirokumahime spoke.
"Long ago before you were born and before we were born, there was the golden age. During that time, there were no wars and no bloodshed. Everywhere around, the people were peaceful and happy. They helped one another in their time of need, they have their playful banter and they sing along when everything was perfect," the Polar Bear Rinrinshi said all of that in disgust. "It all leads them to believe that this was the age where evil was vanquished once and for all."
Then, Takahime stepped in, "As you can see, they were sorely mistaken. You see, there is a balance between two forces: Good and Evil. Light and Dark. Order and Chaos. Life and Death. No matter how hard they try to suppress, there is a darkness hidden deep under humanity's skin, waiting to come out and it happened."
Shachihime was next, "A group emerged. They were a small band of sorcerers who were curious about what lied beyond the mortal realm. They traveled far and wide, encountered many oddities and eventually, dabbled into the Dark Arts with two being the most proficient."
Hebihime spoke after that, "Unfortunately, their experiments were a little unstable and it left quite the damage and bodies."
"I assume the Emperor didn't take it lightly?" Ukitsu joked.
Shachihime replied, "He didn't. The Emperor sent out his battalion to find those responsible. The sorcerers managed to avoid them for a while but soon, they will be caught. So, one of the sorcerers decided it was time to leave the past and start a new future. He tipped off the battalion where his comrades were and they captured them while he escaped."
Takahime continued, "The six sorcerers were presented before trial and the Emperor sentenced them all to death. They were executed and were buried far away where no one would find them."
"Years later, they were found," said Shirokumahime. "By the one who betrayed them, Dai Shi-sama."
Ukitsu was surprised and take a few steps back.
"Dai Shi-sama was building his school and the only thing he needed now was students," Hebihime explained. "After finding the remains of his old friends, our master resurrected them and gives them new life. The one you mentioned was Manda. The others were Alako, Ranha, Varkaad, Hu, and…"
"Reedolph." The last part was said by Hyohime and she looked furious despite having a stoic look.
"I take it you're not an admirer of this 'Reedolph' fellow," inquired Ukitsu.
"Reedolph was a traitor," Shachihime hissed. "A disgrace to all RinJyuKen."
Shirokumahime carried on, "Unknown to Dai Shi-sama at the time, Reedolph still possessed his free will and independence. While Dai Shi-sama was planning for his conquest of China, Reedolph made plans of his own, to kill our master. He secretly restored his comrades' memories and they too were part of his plot. Then when they believed the opportunity was right, Reedolph and his followers launched their attack."
"It didn't happen to their favor obviously," said Shachihime. "Dai Shi-sama overpowered his assassins and brought them to their knees. It was supposed to end there but the traitors had one last trick up their sleeves and used it to escape."
"I see," Ukitsu understood. "But what stopped your master from tracking down and destroying these rogues?"
Before Shirokumahime could reply, Hebihime shouted, "No, he should not be told about it! Dai Shi-sama would not allow mere mortals to know of his secrets."
"Hebihime, the situation has changed," said the oldest of the Femme Fatales. "If Reedolph is still alive, then Dai Shi-sama's resurrection is at risk."
Hebihime heavily objected this and most likely the others agreed as well but for the sake of their master, they complied. With that, Shirokumahime resumed, "Prior to the assassination, Wendigo had taken a scroll from Dai Shi-sama's private quarters in the event his first attempt failed. That scroll lead to the secret location of Dai Shi-sama's vault. Inside the vault contained many of Dai Shi-sama's sacred treasures but the one that stood above them all was the Forge of the Underworld."
"The Forge of the Underworld?" Ukitsu asked curiously.
"The Forge of the Underworld was a mystical item of unimaginable power. It was the first to be imbued with unknown properties. The same properties that gave the Seal of Heaven life."
Ukitsu gasped. "You mean-"
"Yes," Shirokumahime confirmed Ukitsu's assumptions. "The Forge of the Underworld was the predecessor to the Seal of Heaven."
"How powerful is it?"
"Very powerful. It has all the abilities that the Seal of Heaven possesses. It can enhance an individual's abilities, grant them incredible power, and also open doors to other worlds."
"So, it's the Seal of Heaven's equal?"
"Not entirely, there were a few problems with it," the Rinrinshi grimly stated. "Very dangerous ones which was the reason Dai Shi-sama had it sealed."
Ukitsu put his fingers on his chin while Shirokumahime continued. "Now you know which is why I am giving you and your Armored War Devils a new mission. Find Reedolph and DESTROY HIM!
Ukitsu bowed before them and make his way to the exit. When he was gone, the Femme Fatales shared worried looks.
'The Forge of the Underworld,' thought Ukitsu. A power that rivaled the Seal of Heaven. He chuckled as it was something he would like to hear. Out of range from the RinJyuKen's castle, Ukitsu took out his orb which shone seconds later. Inside clouds were swirling until it showed a face. Wendigo's.
"Like what you heard?" said Wendigo.
Ukitsu replied, "Some parts were a little worrisome but I believed that we could work a way around them."
Wendigo grinned. "So, do we have a deal?"
"Yes, we have a deal," Ukitsu smiled. "My fellow Armored War Devils will assist you on your quest while I handle the RinJyuKen."
"Excellent," Wendigo said this before his face disappeared from the orb.
World of Remnant
Sitting on his throne, after finishing his deal with the Armored War Devils, Wendigo chuckled. "The time has come to show our true MIGHT!"
Wendigo turned his attention to his allies. Alako was there and so were his Rinrinshi and especially the horde of Grimm that were all over the throne room. "Go, and retrieve them!"
With that one command, both kaijin and beasts roared in unison.
Hunt of the Armored War Gods Bios:
Akihisa Hideyoshi (AU counterpart of Akihisa Yoshii from Baka and Test): Akihisa Hideyoshi is the biological father of Takada Hideyoshi. Although he was not considered the brightest bulb, which earned him a nickname based on some boss monster from a game franchise about a plumber, he at least was able to graduate before he got married. Akihisa does not have a stable job and takes up odd jobs from time to time, ranging from fisherman to stunt double. Although he gained a lot of experience from them and he later passed it on to his son, Takada. According to several of the neighbors, Takada has his father's honesty and kindness which is the reason Takada can put up with his best friend's antics.
Mizuki Hideyoshi (AU counterpart of Mizuki Himeji from Baka and Test): Mizuki Hideyoshi is the biological mother of Takada Hideyoshi. She was a peach color haired young woman with a high grade point average. She would have been given opportunity to go to any university and have a successful future either way if only she had stable health at the time. During an important test, Mizuki fell ill. But it was because of this, she met her future husband who came to her aid. Since that day, they fell in love and got married and Mizuki gave birth to her son, Takada. According to several of the neighbors, Takada has his mother's intelligence, which is why he makes a good strategist. Special fact is that while their son is away, Mizuki and Akihisa engaged in a little 'Adult' playtime.
GKoh: New players have entered the game but now a larger plot has been revealed. Will our heroes light this darkest hour or will evil consume all and reign supreme? Find out soon.
That's all for now as I am going to take a break. Thank you all for taking the time in reading this fic and thank you to those who faved it. Merry Christmas everybody.