The pilot leaned up against the APC, breathing heavily. He had managed to make the APC budge a couple more times, but now his strength had waned. For the past few minutes he had been unable to make the vehicle move any further. Even his attempts to roll it back onto its wheels again were met with failure. Wiping his brow, the pilot was about to throw in the towel when he heard footfalls behind him.

He looked over and spotted Gale approaching, with Chase pulling himself out of the APC.

"Finished taking your naps I see." The pilot huffed.

"Yes. I was rudely awakened to the sounds of a man moaning and groaning just outside. As you could imagine, a very unpleasant image came to mind. So if you would kindly stop, I would appreciate it." Gale replied smartly.

"Gratefully," The pilot backed away.

Chase grunted as he landed on the ground just behind Gale, who was inspecting the other APC. He saw that their mounted rotary cannon was jammed up against the hatch, and the barrels had been disfigured. He indicated to Chase that they were going to move the vehicle, and so he took his place near the front. They transformed and shoved the APC at either end simultaneously, hearing the metal grating across the tarmac as it moved.

The pilot rolled his eyes up to the heavens and shook his head. "Show-offs."

Upon hearing the grating noises, Connor threw open the now unblocked hatch and held it until all three of them had stepped out.

"You're welcome." Gale said.

"Yeah. Thanks." Connor nodded, then looked at the pilot. "You too."

"Good timing. The fight's not over yet." Lexi pointed toward Jarret who was engaging Satsuki.

There was a loud, resounding shot and they looked in the opposite direction to see someone on a rooftop with what they assumed was a sniper rifle.

"Hey, you." The pilot's attention was dragged to Connor.

"Yeah?" The pilot then flinched when he tossed him a pistol, fumbling it awkwardly.

"I want you to take care of the drivers here. Can you do that?"

"Count on it, Sir!" The pilot saluted.

"Chase, mind handling that sniper?" Gale asked.

"With pleasure." The younger man grinned wickedly. They watched as he slinked off before turning their attention back to the ensuing conflict.

"Come on team. It's about time we joined the fray." Gale beckoned.

Sandwiched between Jarret and the Zealots, the Elite Four continuously turned back and forth between the two. It wasn't until the Zealots advanced that they decided they were the more pressing concern. Unfortunately for them, Jarret used their inattentiveness to move in and hit them with his Fork Knife yet again. The damage done to their uniforms until now had been gradually worsening, but this was the breaking point for them.

They each cried out, their uniforms falling apart around them. The Zealots moved in, expecting them to fall easily or surrender. It was to their surprise when they sprang forward to unleash a storm of punches and sword strokes. In a last ditch effort, the Elite Four had suddenly adopted a 'do or die' attitude, pushing themselves to their very limits.

Surrendering never even crossed their minds.

Gamagori struck Gale in the shoulder, making him stagger back and expose his side. A quick jab to the ribs made the Zealot buckle, where upon Gamagori grabbed the back of his head and collided his knee into the man's visor. While he was reeling from the devastating blow, Gamagori picked him up and threw him over his shoulder. Gale cried out as he landed on his back, rolling onto his front and pushing himself up.

Gamagori grabbed him by the shoulders and pivoted, throwing the Zealot into the nearby wall. Gale went through it and rolled across the carpeted floor, stopping when he hit the opposite end of the room. He picked himself up in time to block a downward punch from Gamagori by grabbing his clenched fist. The blonde teen gripped Gale's wrist tightly, trying to pry his hand away from his own.

Gale grunted with pain and thrust himself up with his right foot, putting his entire body weight behind a single punch aimed at Gamagori's midsection. Gale's fist hit something hard and he yelled out, shaking his hand painfully. However, the sheer strength behind the hit made Gamagori wheeze and double over, letting go of Gale's arm.

Once Gamagori had recovered, he attempted to charge his opponent into the wall. The Zealot moved aside and helped him forward, shoving him so that he slammed against the bricks. The boy staggered backwards, and Gale grabbed him by the arm, twisting it painfully. He wrenched his arm up behind his back and kicked him in the back of the knee, bringing Gamagori down to kneel.

Gale drew his pistol and pressed it to his head, hoping it would convince him to surrender. Gamagori's head drooped and his body sagged to the side. Gale instantly dropped the gun and caught him, easing him down onto the ground in a comfortable position.

"Woah. Easy there big fella." Gale murmured.

Gamagori frowned in confusion, but he was too exhausted to utter a word. Instead, his eyes glazed over and his body went limp. Gale watched as his breathing eased, powering down before retrieving his sidearm and holstering it.

Nonon traipsed around Lexi, feinting a forward strike before dancing to the left and landing a punch in her side. The hit made Lexi flinch, letting Nonon dart behind her and jump kick her in the back. Lexi staggered forward, then fell forward onto her face when Nonon took hold of her legs and pulled them out from under her. Nonon leapt up, landing on the back of Lexi's head with both feet.

Lexi groaned and pushed herself up. In the time it had taken her to recover, Nonon had pulled free the NRG blade on her back. Lexi stood in time to leap back as Nonon swung the sword at her. She gripped it in both hands and sprinted forward. With her back to the wall, Lexi twirled out of the way and let the sword bury into the bricks. Of course, Nonon had no clue how to activate the weapon, and so it was firmly stuck in place.

Lexi kicked out, catching Nonon in the chest so that she reeled backwards. Lexi grabbed the blade and activated it, pulling it free and taking a swing at the smaller girl. She easily dove under it, closing in to hit Lexi in the underside of her jaw. Her head flung back, and she felt Nonon kick her in the stomach. With Lexi bent double, Nonon kicked her hand against the wall, making the Zealot cry out and drop the blade.

Nonon snatched the sword up and went for an overhead strike. Lexi drew her gun and fired with lightning speed. The bullet struck the crossguard just above Nonon's fingers, making the weapon stop in its tracks. The gunshot had startled Nonon who stared wide-eyed, wondering if she had been shot but couldn't feel it yet. Lexi used her hesitation to knock the blade free from her hands, letting it clatter to the ground.

Lexi aimed her gun at Nonon's face, seeing the realisation dawn on her face. The pink-haired girl was about to raise her hands in defeat, but found she couldn't move at all. Lexi saw the girl sway to one side and lowered her weapon, stepping in to catch her. Nonon slumped forward into her embrace as Lexi eased her down, propping her up against the wall. Nonon grunted and tried to pull herself onto her feet, but Lexi held her down by the shoulder.

"I wouldn't advise that. I think you deserve a decent rest."

Nonon glared at her, but accepted that she couldn't continue fighting in her current state. Lexi fetched her blade and deactivated it along with her armour, coming to stand guard over the younger girl.

Without his cloaking capabilities, Inumuta was forced to engage Kahn in conventional combat. The Zealot raised his arm to block a side swipe, countering with his own right hook. Inumuta dodged backwards, grabbing his left wrist and wrenching his arm outwards. Kahn twisted his body as he stepped forward, ramming his shoulder into the boy. Inumuta staggered back, releasing his arm.

With his back to him, Inumuta spun on one foot, raising his other one up in a high kick aimed at Kahn's head. The Zealot ducked under, but Inumuta completed a full rotation only to lash out at him with his other foot. The kick struck him in the visor, making Kahn fall on his back. Inumuta somersaulted and came down with his heel, aimed straight at Kahn's head. The Zealot rolled to the side, letting the attack fly past him.

Kahn leapt back up onto his feet, only to receive a harsh blow to his back that made him stagger forward. Inumuta followed with several more blows to the Zealot's head from behind. There was a brief pause as Inumuta set himself up to perform another high kick straight to the side of Kahn's head. He lifted off, and his leg went straight over his target.

Kahn ducked down at the last moment, pivoting around with his leg jutting out. He caught Inumuta in the ankle and sent the boy toppling to the floor. He hit his head against the sidewalk, grunting in pain as his senses dulled. Inumuta rolled over onto his back, pressing a hand to the injured area to feel hot blood flowing freely. Kahn knelt over him and gently pushed his head to the side to examine the wound.

"Don't worry. Nothing serious. Probably just a concussion." He said after a moment.

Kahn powered down and searched his utility belt, fishing out some gauze. He propped the boys head up and wrapped it around until he was satisfied the blood was staunched. Inumuta couldn't bring himself to stop the Zealot even if he wanted to, so he simply closed his eyes instead.

Uzu swung and stabbed, forcing Connor to backpedal as he evaded each attack. They were coming in a blur of motion, and he let out the occasional grunt when the swordsman landed a deft strike on him. One particular overhead attack resulted in Connor bracing with both hands, holding his NRG blade up. The weapons clashed violently, making Connor buckle slightly as he struggled to block it.

In a dazzling display of dexterity, Uzu pulled off and hit Connor in the chest and then flung the NRG blade from his grip. Now forced to fight unarmed, Connor was taking a lot more hits, gritting his teeth as the sword battered against his armour. Uzu went for a deft jab at Connor's chest, but he caught the weapon in both hands. The two of them fought in a contest of strength, neither making any progress on the other.

Uzu knew he would eventually lose, so he pulled instead, making Connor stumble forward. The swordsman slammed the hilt of his sword into the side of Connor's head, then struck the same point with a powerful downward stroke. Connor collapsed to one knee, one hand on his thigh and the other on the ground. Uzu stepped up and pulled back his sword, preparing to strike Connor down with the tip of his weapon.

He thrust down as Connor ducked out of the way, letting the sword slip past to slam into the wall beside him. The sword had hit one of the bricks, causing it to crack and partially disintegrate. Connor grabbed a fistful of the debris and flung it into Uzu's face. The boy turned his face away, blinded by the dust and fragments as he tried to clear it out of his eyes.

This gave Connor the opportunity to retrieve his NRG blade, and upon seeing Uzu still blinded, he went to attack. He went wide-eyed when Uzu raised his sword and parried him. The boy suddenly gave up on his sight and faced Connor with his eyes closed. Connor went for a straight lunge, but Uzu once again deflected the blade harmlessly away. The Zealot had no idea that Uzu was now utilising his Shingantsu.

Connor began swinging and thrusting at random, being repelled each time with ease. He gritted his teeth as he went for a sweeping side strike, but Uzu jutted his sword out and hit him in the hand. The attack threw the NRG blade from Connor's grip, and he was quickly assaulted by rapid-fire blows across his entire body. As he attempted to retreat, Uzu advanced, keeping pace with the Zealot as he shielded himself from only a fraction of his attacks.

A precision blow to Connor's visor made his head fly back and he was struck down as Uzu followed with a side strike. The blow put Connor down flat on his front, groaning as he struggled to push himself back up. He got up onto one knee and looked up at the green-haired boy. He was winding back his sword again, aiming the point straight at Connor's head.

He instinctively reached for his gun, figuring that he could go for a non-lethal shot. He felt nothing at his holster and remembered that he had given it to the pilot. He sighed and braced himself for the hit.

*BANG!*

Out of nowhere, the sword jerked to the side in Uzu's grip as the boy grunted in surprise. Connor pushed himself up and delivered an uppercut into Uzu's jaw. He quickly grabbed his arm before Uzu could swing his sword and tore the weapon from his grip. Connor then slammed the hilt into the side of Uzu's head, making him go limp. Connor caught him before he could fall, laying him down before taking a seat next to the fallen boy.

Connor powered down his armour and placed his forehead into his hand. He let out a deep breath through pursed lips, shaking his head.

"Too close." He whispered. He glanced over in the direction he had heard the shot come from, spotting a slight glint on the rooftop where they had seen the sniper.

Chase had ghosted through the building as he advanced on the sniper. He silently made his way onto the highest floor, finding a ladder that lead up to a hatch. Moving slowly, he made sure not to create any noise as he climbed out onto the roof. He immediately spotted the blue-haired man laying down behind the sniper rifle, his gaze fixed down the scope. Chase scanned the rest of the rooftop to ensure there were no other threats before advancing on him.

Mikisugi felt something tap his leg and he spun violently around to spot Chase. The Zealot held his pistol aimed at him, keeping a distance. He indicated for Mikisugi to move away with a slight motion of his handgun. Mikisugi came to a stand and raised his hands, backing away slowly. Chase stepped up to the sniper to take his spot while forcing Mikisugi to stand a few meters away.

"Just so you know, I'll hear you coming if you decide to rush me. And I can't promise I won't shoot something vital." Chase informed him.

"Don't worry. I'm not stupid enough to try my luck against a Three-Star." Mikisugi said drily.

Chase knelt down and hefted the sniper up, looking down the scope. In the distance he could see his team being thrown about and thrashed. He frowned as his attention was immediately drawn to Connor and Uzu. Connor had just been knocked down, and Uzu was preparing to deliver a finishing blow. Chase steadied the rifle, taking aim at Uzu's sword.

*CLICK.*

Chase looked down at the weapon and frowned. His gaze snapped to Mikisugi who shrugged nonchalantly.

"I only had the one bullet." He said calmly.

"For goodness sake." Chase sighed.

He went back to staring down the sights. Connor had somehow turned things around and was armed with his NRG blade once more. Chase began checking up on the others when he spotted someone moving toward the battlefield. He recognised them as being the helicopter pilot. He was approaching cautiously, taking cover behind a jutting wall just a few meters away.

The pilot peered around the corner and raised up the handgun that Connor had lent him. Chase looked back to the others and his jaw set when he saw Connor in trouble again. He had just been knocked down and looked up at Uzu, who was winding back his sword. There was a distant gunshot and the sword jolted to the side.

Chase focused back to the pilot, watching him lower the pistol and slide back into cover. Looking back at Connor, he saw him slam the handle of Uzu's sword into the boy's head. Uzu slumped over and Connor set the boy down before resting beside him. Connor then looked up toward the rooftop that Chase was perched on. Connor acknowledged that he could see him with a brief thumbs up.

Pulling away from the scope, Chase smirked.

He thinks I did that. Chase chuckled quietly.

Staring back down the scope, he glanced over to where he last saw the pilot. He couldn't find him behind the wall anymore. Instead, he narrowly caught a glimpse of him heading back toward the wrecked APC's. One of the drivers was crawling out of the upturned vehicle when the pilot came to his side and eased him down to a sitting position.

During the Zealot's scuffle with the Elite Four, Jarret had gone and checked on Tsumugu. He made sure the masculine man wasn't critically injured, lest he need immediate medical attention. He had suffered from a nasty hit to the head that rendered him unconscious, but he was fine otherwise. Jarret began to wonder how Mason was doing, looking over where he last saw him.

His answer came as a sharp cry of pain.

Ryuko yelled as she charged Mason, propelled by Senketsu. He evaded her swing and struck her in the back with his palm. She grunted as she felt her body give out and fell forward, unable to move no matter how hard she tried. Satsuki slashed at him, cutting a large incision across his face. Despite how serious the injury was, he didn't even show recognition that he had even been hit.

Satsuki swung at him again and Mason caught the blade in his hand, ignoring the fact that it cut a deep gash in his palm all the way to the bones. He gripped the blade tightly and Satsuki cried out as the Pain Surge travelled up through her blade and reached her fingers. After a few seconds, she sank to her knees, eyes glazing over. Mason dropped the blade and watched his wounds stitch themselves back together.

Ryuko finally regained control of her body, spotting Satsuki keel over. She stood up and faced him, gulping when Mason turned his cruel gaze upon her. Unknown to him, Satsuki had hastily improvised a plan that she conveyed to Ryuko through discreet movements beforehand. Now that Satsuki had successfully goaded him into expending all of his power on her, it was Ryuko's turn to try and talk him down.

"I was going to come looking for you." Ryuko said sadly.

"But you didn't, did you?" Mason glared, seeing her face fall. "Only Jarret came looking for me, and he saved me."

"I didn't want to leave you behind. I tried coming back. I swear I did!" Ryuko pleaded.

Mason's expression softened. "I know. He told me about that."

"Please, Mason. We couldn't do anything. Satsuki had to make the tough choice between you or all of us."

Mason's face grew furious again. "Tough choice?! She wanted me to die! She's wanted me dead from the start!"

He lunged forward, forcing Ryuko to retreat backwards and keep her distance. He expected her to stand her ground, as she had every advantage over him right now. Suddenly, he had the hinting suspicion that they merely tricked him into thinking they were going to fight. In reality, Satsuki had wounded him in hopes that he would use up all of his power to heal himself. Now, they were going to do everything they could to keep him in his unpowered state.

"What are you talking about?" Ryuko stared in confusion.

"I knew what the plan was. I always did. Satsuki was going to use me until she decided I was no longer useful. When that time came, she would 'dispose of me'. Those were her exact words." Mason seethed.

"You overheard that conversation?" Mason whirled around to see that Satsuki had recovered.

"Damn right I did." He spat.

"Then you must have missed how we were going to send you to Nudist Beach under Mikisugi's watch."

Mason clenched his fists. "Liar!"

"There's no point in killing you Mason. Our objective is to eradicate the Life Fibers. You were never a target."

"I'm finding that very difficult to believe. After all that crap about investigating my weaknesses. Your plans to use that damn Anaesthetic Acupuncture should I ever 'turn on you'. You were just figuring out how to put me down!" He roared.

"We offered you the chance to learn more about your curse, Mason. To know your own limitations. The acupuncture was meant to soothe you so you wouldn't have to injure someone to release your built-up charge. You were always reluctant to use your Pain Surge on me, so we brainstormed how else we might discharge that power." Satsuki reasoned.

Mason visibly relaxed. "Then… why all the secrecy? Why not tell me any of this until now? Is it because you didn't trust me? Because you couldn't rely on me to stay loyal to you?"

Satsuki shook her head solemnly. "I trusted you enough to let you take part in the attack on Century Security's headquarters. We gave you the Anguish Raiment in hopes that you would be an irreplaceable asset. Not once did any of us intend on betraying you out of fear that you would turn on us."

"They can be a bunch of hard-asses at times. But, they're pretty decent people deep down." Ryuko assured him.

Mason turned his gaze away, considering their reasoning. "Maybe you're right."

Ryuko's face lit up as hope filled her heart. "Please, Mason. Help us."

"I am truly sorry, Mason. I hope you can forgive me." Satsuki spoke sincerely.

He was considering her plea when he heard a voice in his head.

Don't get soft now. You made your decision. Follow your orders.

That was a lot easier said than done in his current state. Without any power, he was practically useless. The best he could hope for would be to convince Jarret to wound him, but he was some distance away. At that moment, Mason spotted something on the ground.

"No." He looked up at Satsuki with a grim expression. "I hope you can forgive me."

Mason dived low to the ground, snatching up a bunch of the circuitry from his Anguish Raiment. He took hold of a capacitor and crushed it in his palm, grunting as the electric charge stored within escaped into him.

"Damn it." Satsuki gritted her teeth.

"Oh crap." Ryuko felt panicked when Mason turned to face her.

Mason moved towards her, but Satsuki intercepted, putting Bakuzan between them. He swatted the sword away, cutting a huge gash in his own hand in the process. Satsuki then wrapped her arm around his neck, putting him in a headlock and dragging him away from Ryuko. He grunted and swung his elbow into her gut, making her release him and keel over. He slammed his palm into her back for good measure, putting her down on the ground, motionless.

Ryuko gritted her teeth and feinted a swing at him. He didn't bat a lash despite how close the blade had come to his eyes. She slashed at him again and Mason caught her by the wrist. Within seconds he had closed in on her, locking her arm so that she couldn't bend it. He put pressure on her arm at the nerve, making her whimper in pain as her grip on the scissor blade faltered. He ripped the blade from her grip and slammed his elbow into her face.

Ryuko fell to her knees as her body struggled to resist the Agony Strike. Mason tossed her scissor blade to the side, crushing the remaining capacitors he had gathered. He grit his teeth as his body flared up with such pain that even his Stoicism was unable to fully resist. Ryuko watched fearfully as Mason got closer, unable to move her body as she watched his fore and middle fingers extend.

Mason hesitated when he saw the fear on her face.

Steel yourself. Consider it an act of mercy if she dies without even knowing it.

He took a slow breath, standing above her. Winding his arm back, he aimed his fingers at her shoulder. He shut his eyes and thrust his hand down at her.

"Gaaahhh!" Satsuki screamed, her body convulsing.

Mason opened his eyes in surprise. Satsuki had somehow overcome the effects of Agony Strike and threw herself in front of Ryuko, shielding her. Mason stepped back, teeth bared in a snarl. He had nothing left to draw power from. He stared uselessly at Ryuko, who was just getting back control over her body. She clutched at an unconscious Satsuki, positioning her sister into a more comfortable position.

Satsuki's scream worked like an invigorating spell for the Elite Four. Nonon turned her head and tried to go over to help, but Lexi held her back. Gamagori stirred and dragged himself up, but Gale stopped him as soon as he got outside. Inumuta opened his bleary eyes, attempting to stand despite his injury. Kahn quickly set him back down when he threatened to fall flat on his face. Uzu leapt straight up, but Connor barred his way, holding both swords.

After hearing Satsuki's scream, Jarret was about to go over and check on them when he heard something distant. He looked up, spotting a VTOL in the sky, and something had just fallen out from it. The object was plummeting straight for them at dangerous speed. Jarret braced himself at the last moment as the object hit the ground and sent debris scattering like shrapnel in all directions.

The ground beneath the object was completely fractured in a two meter radius. The person, as it turned out to be, remained completely unfazed by the fall. Jarret's eyes widened when he noticed their blue visor reflecting brilliantly in the sunlight.

"Janus?" Jarret whispered in horror.

"Good job everybody." Janus announced. "I'll be taking command from here on out."

The VTOL had flown straight from the top of the skyscraper, keeping a sizeable distance from the ground. Janus insisted that the pilot stay on course, and that any attempt to descend would simply slow them down. When the pilot mentioned that they had arrived at the provided coordinates, Janus immediately told him to hover above the spot. Before he could question if she would like them to land, she had stepped out the side of the craft.

With her amour activated, Janus tucked her arms by her sides, making herself as streamline as possible. What would have taken precious minutes to land, Janus did it in mere seconds. Before hitting the ground, she finished her nosedive with a front flip that let her land on both feet. Once down on the ground, she could see some of Jarret's team keeping watch over the defeated Elite Four members. Jarret himself was standing beside the body of a masculine man, and Mason stood over an unconscious Satsuki.

Janus narrowed her eyes and smiled wryly. "Good job everybody. I'll be taking command from here on out."

She advanced toward Satsuki, spotting Bakuzan lying not far from her body. A sickening grin spread across her face, hidden by her helmet.

"Zealots! Kill those delinquents!" She called out. "Satsuki's mine."

The Zealots hesitated, looking at the Elite Four members. They stared back with sour expressions, but were surprised when the Zealots shook their heads. Instead, they turned to face Janus, placing themselves between her and the Elite Four. She frowned and looked around at them, seeing their defiant stances.

"I said kill them!" She screamed.

"Belay that order!" Jarret shouted. She sneered and turned around to see him standing between herself and Satsuki.

"Jarret?!" She hissed. "Get out of my way, or suffer the consequences!"

"Listen to me, Janus. You're not thinking straight. These kids don't have to die. You can send them away so they won't be a problem for you anymore, but I can't stand by and let you do this."

Janus snarled. "Zealots! Kill them now!"

"Disregard that!" Jarret countermanded.

"How dare you interfere?! I'll have you killed with Satsuki and all of her criminal friends too!" She spun to face the Zealots. "The same can be said for any soldier that can't follow a simple command!"

None of them backed down, and Janus' snarl grew more fearsome.

"Fine! You all die with them! I'll kill you all myself!" She shrieked.

In an instant, Janus had turned, carrying through a punch with her movement straight into Jarret's midsection. He spluttered, and she followed with an uppercut into his jaw. Janus snatched the Fork Knife from his hand and mercilessly began cutting at him. The knife sheared giant chunks out of his armour until it reverted back to a uniform. Janus then landed a kick square into his chest, sending him flying back.

"Jarret!" Mason cried out, rushing over to him.

"I'll start with you. Satsuki Kiryuin." Janus whispered to herself.

She was almost upon her now, but someone else intercepted her once again. She barely raised the knife in time to catch the scissor blade that threatened to take her head off. Ryuko cast a furious glare into the blue visor.

"Don't you dare take a step closer to my sister, you bitch!"

Janus smirked. "So you're the little slut with the Kamui. Very well, I'll be sure to let your sister see your mangled corpse before I butcher her nice and slowly."

Ryuko yelled and threw herself forward, their blades clashing with a resounding *SHRING!*. The force of her attack pushed Janus away from Satsuki as her feet carved grooves into the tarmac. Both now stood their ground, throwing cuts and jabs, neither making a dent on the other. Janus then angled the Fork Knife, catching Ryuko's scissor blade in the outer gap. She backhanded the girl, sending her crashing to the ground, but Ryuko retained a firm grip on her scissor blade.

Janus stepped calmly over Ryuko, laughing maniacally as she prepared to drive the knife down into her. Ryuko suddenly bounced up, swinging and catching Janus off-guard. She had to leap backwards just to avoid the surprise attack, and she barely parried Ryuko's straight lunge which had been aimed at her face. Ryuko landed a deft kick into Janus' midsection, sending her sprawling back several meters.

"Senketsu Shippu!"

Janus clambered back onto her feet just in time to spot Ryuko coming at her from a height. With all the speed Senketsu could provide, she had leapt up and came down like a meteor to hit the ground. Janus skirted to the side, but the sheer force of Ryuko's landing sent out a concussive wave that threw her back into a wall and shattered every nearby window. Ryuko came out of her flight form, walking out of the crater she had made toward Janus.

Mason crouched down beside Jarret who was groaning in pain. "Jarret! Are you alright?"

He nodded, groaning. "She got a few good hits in."

"What did you do that for? You could have died!"

"Listen to me Mason. Janus isn't thinking straight. You have to stop her, before she does something terrible."

"Me? She isn't going to listen to me!"

"She doesn't need to. You have a curse. I'm sure you can figure the rest out."

"What makes you think I can stop her?"

"Because, kiddo, I wouldn't have asked if I wasn't sure you could. You're capable of battling someone in a Kamui, so Janus shouldn't be any more difficult."

"Okay. Okay, I'll try." Mason breathed shakily.

"There's no time to waste. You have to go." Jarret urged.

Mason nodded, leaping up to his feet and approaching the vicious battle. As soon as he had turned away from Jarret, his face darkened, with even darker forces influencing his actions.

Ryuko went for a wide side stroke, narrowly missing as Janus dove under the attack. She then hurtled forward, sending a haymaker into Ryuko's stomach. She was launched back into the buildings across the street, gagging and spluttering. She looked up in time to see Janus sprinting full speed at her with the knife raised, aimed for her throat.

There was a gunshot, and the knife jerked in her hands. She came to a stop and spun around, snarling when she saw Lexi crouched down, holding her pistol up. Gale, Kahn and Connor came running past her, NRG blades in hand. Janus hefted the knife up and went to engage them, feeling it jerk in her grip again when Lexi landed another shot on it. Gale was the first to reach her, swinging his sword at her as she casually deflected it away, sending up a spray of sparks.

He went for an overhead strike and she raised the knife, letting the weapons connect. They hissed and screeched viciously against one another, until the knife sheared straight through the NRG blade. Gale glanced at his weapon in surprise and was met with several blows to the head and chest before being thrown back. Kahn and Connor were next, both swinging simultaneously so that their combined force made Janus stagger.

Once again, their blades sent up a storm of sparks as they were slowly pushing her back. Lexi even managed to get a pair of shots off, both landing on the hilt close to Janus' fingers. However, even with the two of them, the knife sliced through both blades. They were forced to retreat as Janus swung wildly at them, letting out infuriated screams. Lexi continued to deflect her attacks with precise gunfire until she ran out of ammo.

Janus' rampage was cut short when she heard an enraged shout from behind her. She turned in time to see Ryuko deliver a roundhouse kick straight into her chest, throwing her back. The Zealots retreated, discarding their useless blades. They approached Nonon and escorted her to the safety of the building Gale had been thrown into where the other Elite Four members were all sheltered.

Janus slammed into the buildings, her head taking a considerable impact. She looked up to see Ryuko winding her scissor blade back, preparing to strike her down. She waited until the last second to flick the Fork Knife up, blocking it. The scissor hit the smaller blade, and Janus immediately slid it into the gap, intent on trapping her weapon in the wall behind her.

However, she fumbled with the knife and couldn't slide the blade into the central gap. Ryuko took advantage of her predicament, overpowering her opponent and hurling the Fork Knife from her grip. Janus stood defenseless, and grunted as Ryuko drove her scissor blade against her chest. She was pushed firmly against the wall, and Ryuko flicked her blade upwards.

Janus faced the sky as she felt the air touch her face. Her helmet split in two, falling to the ground with hollow thuds. She slowly lowered her stern gaze to meet Ryuko's. She watched as Ryuko wound back her blade, the entire thing doubling in length.

"Decapitation Mode!" Ryuko shouted. "Sen'i Soshitsu!"

Janus closed her eyes, sighing softly, accepting defeat.

Satsuki regained consciousness, sitting up as something clattered close by. She looked over to see Jarret's Fork Knife sat beside Bakuzan. She then looked over to see Ryuko winding back, her impressive scissor blade about to deliver the finishing blow to Janus. But someone was running in to intercept. Her eyes widened as she saw who it was.

"Look out Ryuko!" Satsuki screamed, too late.

Ryuko swung with all her might, her entire body turning to provide additional force. The blade cleaved through the air and came to a rattling stop as it struck something.

Janus waited, but nothing had hit her yet. She opened her eyes and frowned when she spotted Mason stood between Ryuko and herself. He had his back to her, left arm raised up high with Ryuko's scissor blade buried deep inside. She smirked, pleased that at least someone was still willing to fight for her.

Ryuko's mouth hung agape, staring in horror as blood trickled down her weapon toward her hands. Mason seemed completely unfazed that her blade had just about taken his arm off. In fact, when she met his gaze, his eyes were completely devoid of anything whatsoever. He reached up and gripped the blade, pulling it out of his arm without hesitation.

He started to advance on her, striding purposefully. She had inadvertently given him power, which he was prepared to use on her. Ryuko gritted her teeth and flicked her blade around.

"Sorry Mason. But I don't have time for this!" She shouted.

She slammed the flat side of her scissor blade into his head, sending him sprawling to the ground off to the side. She focused her attention back on Janus, who hadn't made a move since. This time, Ryuko wasn't going to waste time powering up her swing. She was hopeful a normal slash would be sufficient to do the job. Bringing her scissor blade back, she gripped the handle with both hands.

"Sen'i Sosh-AAARRGGHH!" Ryuko's high pitched scream tore through the air.

After six excruciatingly long seconds, her scream turned into soft, choked whimpers.

"I'm so sorry." Mason whispered, pulling his fingers away.

He stood just behind her, his insides churning as he replayed her scream in his head. He had made a split second decision to rush her with his Pain Surge. He winced, thinking about how he could have used his Agony Strike instead, or even used himself as a shield again and then taken her weapon from her. Only when Ryuko fell to her knees and slumped backwards did the reality of what he had just done came crashing down on him.

The look of the pure torment and horror on her face froze the blood in his veins. He immediately caught her, gently lowering her down to the ground. He watched her eyes glaze over and she fell limp in his arms. Tears pricked the edges of his eyes as he held her head, staring at Ryuko's unconscious form.

What have I done?! Mason's heart hammered slow, deafening beats.

He stared at his right hand, the one responsible for this atrocity. He blamed his curse for what had happened, but really, it was only doing what he wanted it to.

I… I had to do it! Mason tried convincing himself. Though no amount of reasoning could stop the emotions rushing in to replace the shock.

Janus started laughing. Quietly at first, but gradually turning into maniacal howling.

"Very good! Very good indeed!" She hollered, walking toward them. She stooped to pick up Ryuko's scissor blade, which had returned to its normal form.

"You know, Mason. The position of being my second in command has very recently opened up. And I think you're the perfect candidate to fill that role."

Mason slowly looked up at her, staring half-quizzically, half-horrified.

"Of course, it's a contract deal. But I'll take your signature in the form of her death." She pointed the tip of the blade at Ryuko.

"What do you say?" Janus smirked evilly. She flipped the blade around and presented the hilt to him.

Mason stared at it for a long while, then back up at her, and then at Ryuko.

You have to let her kill Ryuko. The voice reminded him.

"Well?" Janus prompted him.

"I… I can't." Mason muttered.

"Hmph. Then move aside." She flipped the blade back around.

Mason found he couldn't move at all. His entire being was in one big tumultuous conflict with itself.

"I said move aside." She repeated, her tone laced with impatience.

You will let them kill Ryuko Matoi. Mason heard the voice demand. He shook his head, trying to ignore it.

"No… I don't want to." He whispered defiantly.

"You would dare defy me?!" Janus growled with annoyance.

If you cannot do it, someone else will. The voice said louder.

"Please, no…" He begged.

"Last chance. Move or I'll kill you both!" Janus screamed.

You must let her kill Ryuko. Mason shut his eyes as the voice screamed in his head.

"Shut up!" He yelled forcefully.

Ryuko let out a small gasp. His eyes shot open. She was awake and staring at him. The look of betrayal and terror on her face made his entire body go cold. Her starry blue eyes bore into his, and he could see a monster reflecting back from within them. She tore herself from his grasp, and when he went to touch her, she wriggled away in fear.

"No…" Ryuko whimpered, shaking her head.

"I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry." His voice trembled.

If only I could take it back. If only I had the power to save you! Mason closed his eyes to stop himself from tearing up again.

He reached out again, and despite her attempts to pull away, he placed his hand on her shoulder. He immediately recoiled, feeling an unpleasant spark upon contact. Ryuko seemed to feel something too, as she gave him a look of confusion. He looked at his hand, and then back at her, going wide-eyed as he could see his reflection in her eyes.

It was smiling gently at him.

Siphon.

Mason caught his breath as he heard the voice. The real voice.

Do not let them kill Ryuko Matoi.

He stared dumbfounded as realisation hit him. Of course this thing didn't want Ryuko dead. Why would it have given back her Kamui and scissor blade if that were the case? Why would it return Bakuzan to Satsuki if she was on her sister's side? This thing had been trying to tell him this whole time that he was meant to be protecting Ryuko alongside them.

And he just screwed it all up.

Mason, you idiot! How could you possibly be so stupid?! He seethed, furious with himself.

He paused. He heard the full message. That meant he had to have discovered his last ability. The voice had said… 'Siphon'. And before that, it had provided him a certain hint…

"Your pain…" Mason looked to Ryuko with renewed hope. He gripped her shoulder, inhaling sharply through clenched teeth.

Ryuko frowned as his face contorted with pain. Meanwhile, all the aches and pains she had been feeling were starting to fade, until eventually they were gone entirely.

"… is my power!"

Mason stood abruptly and spun, knocking the scissor blade from Janus' grip.

"What do you think you're-!" Janus was cut off when Mason slugged her in the gut, making her double over.

His fist flew up in an uppercut, slamming into her jaw. Another hit from the right, the left, the right again, and then in the chest. Janus staggered back, in shock from the sheer strength of his hits. He screamed as he threw his entire weight forward in a haymaker aimed at her face. She tried deflecting it, but she couldn't match the strength that he had conjured from seemingly nowhere.

Her head flung back and she cried out in anguish. He delivered another savage haymaker into her midsection, making her stagger back further. Mason had pushed her back away from Ryuko. Now it was time to fulfil his task.

Janus shrieked as she wound back her arm, throwing forward a punch. Mason evaded, letting it fly past his face. He grappled her wrist and danced around behind her, dragging her arm up her back. He pointed his two fingers out and stabbed them into Janus' side.

She let out a blood curdling scream, entire body convulsing violently. Mason too was letting out a strained scream through gritted teeth.

The electric current coursed through her uniform to shock Janus. However, the electrical energy also flowed into the armour plating that covered her body. It backfired straight into the hand that was holding her arm up against her back. His entire body ignited in agony, as not even Stoicism could withstand the traumatic power of a Pain Surge.

With Mason's fingers locked in place, he couldn't sever the electric flow even if he tried. To make matters worse, as he was tormented by his own Pain Surge, he was also generating more charge. Luckily, the electric current favoured assaulting Janus' body as there was more surface area compared to his hand. Because of this, the charge in Mason's body slowly declined, until the last of it passed into Janus.

The result was twenty-seven seconds of pure torture for the both of them before the surge ceased.

Janus had a distressed expression on her face, eyes staring blankly ahead. She fell forward onto her knees, and then flat on her face with a *THUD*. Mason remained standing for a brief moment longer, shock etched on his features. Finally, gravity dictated that he was to collapse backwards. Although his eyes were open, he could see only blackness, and the last thing he felt was himself falling, his mind completely shutting down.

His eyes rolled up and he began to fall. Ryuko leapt up and shot forward. She grabbed him, easing him down until he was laying with his head in her lap. She sat on her knees, cradling his head gently between her thighs, staring at him with concern. She looked up when she heard footsteps.

Satsuki stood over them, her brows furrowed as she stared at Mason. Not far away, Jarret was back on his feet and had recovered his Fork Knife. Satsuki followed her gaze, raising up Bakuzan in preparation upon seeing him. Jarret shook his head, and they saw the red hue fade from his weapon.

"You seriously want to keep fighting?" He asked, deadpanned.

Satsuki narrowed her eyes. "There's no way we can win. But I'm not about to surrender."

He gave her a sombre look. "If you ask me, nobody is coming out of this a winner."

She followed his gaze when he looked toward her right. She spotted the Elite Four alongside the Zealots who were helping them stand.

"Where can we take your friends so that we can give them proper medical attention?"

Satsuki frowned and looked back toward Jarret. He stared at her blankly, waiting patiently for her response. She inclined her head toward the Mankanshoku's home. The Zealots required no further invitation as they carried the injured toward the house. She saw Jarret tap into his earpiece as he spoke to Chase, telling him to meet up with the group at the APC's.

Jarret then approached Satsuki, and she raised her blade slightly in response. He came to a stop just in front of her.

"I'm prepared to put aside our differences. Are you?" Jarret said seriously.

She hesitated, but eventually lowered her blade. "For now."

"Good." Jarret then pointed at Janus. "Now help me cut that damn uniform off my boss."