I don't own anything from Danball Senki/W/WARS.

To one of the guest who reviewed, Chapter 28 is taking a long time because I'm going by the order of: Hybrid's Inferno, Different Than You or The Side Stories No One Likes to Share, Journey to the West, then Aradia's Throne. So please be patient. I won't change the order even if you beg me too.


Once Ban's group returned to their hideout, they handed Hana over to Ami while Kazu pulled them aside to his treehouse to deliver the bad news. None of them could believe that their youngest friend was gone.

Ban paced around the room and buried his face in his hands. "How did this happen?"

"I'm not sure, but Hikaru told me she was distracted by Muraku Kaidou that she did not know that a Bandit was sneaking up to her until he stabbed her." Kazu told them plainly. "But the strange thing is, Ami told us that the wound was not that fatal to endanger her life but she still passed away."

Hiro and Ran exchanged frowns and looked at Ban for an answer. Ban frowned in thought for a moment and suddenly snapped his fingers. "I got it! It was not the spear that killed her, it was poison. Kaidou must had known about her for a long time and somehow got her exposed to some sort of poison for a long time."

"But, how can we be sure that it was poisoning?" Ran asked skeptically.

"We could take a look." Ban said, looking at Kazu. He nodded and brought them to the forging cave where they had temporary removed all the equipment and kept Hikari's body covered with a sheet.

Ban pulled back the sheet and nearly gasped at the sight of her. It took all his will power to focus on the task instead of the body. He lifted her hand and pointed at her nails. "Look, her nails are yellow in colour. And there are black veins showing on her fingers."

The others crowded around to have a closer look. Kazu was especially surprise. "Why didn't we see this earlier?"

"I have no idea, but it might have appeared after she died." Ban said grimly.

"Ban!" Gouda called as he ran into the cave. "We have a problem. Sir Kamiya is heading towards Misora Town. We heard from our spies that they are planning to find the princes and then torch down the forest!"

Ban narrowed his eyes and paced around the cave. "This is very bad. Kazu, I'm sorry I have to make this decision without you or Ami approving, but you have to trust me."

"I'm with you." Kazu smiled and grasped his friend's shoulder. "Ami and I will stand by you no matter what."

"Good." Ban turned to Gouda. "Tell everyone to pack up and gather at the campsite. We are going to give Hikari a funeral she deserves and then head out to Wecasta after that so it is important that we leave nothing important behind."

Gouda was surprise at Ban's order but nodded. "Got it." He ran out to spread the order.

"Kazu, I need you to prepare the funeral pyre." Ban told him. "The sooner the better."

"Alright. I'll have Ami pack my things." Kazu told them and ran out.

"I guess we better pack now." Hiro said to Ran who nodded. But when Ban did not move, Hiro tapped his shoulder. "Aren't you coming too?"

Ban gave him a weak smile and gestured him to go ahead. "I have something to do here."

Hiro and Ran gave him knowing looks and left the cave. Ban turned his attention back to Hikari and finally allowed his tears to come out. "I'm so sorry. If I had known that Kaidou had known who you are, I wouldn't had asked you to go back there."

He pressed his lips on Hikari's forehead and squeezed her lifeless hand. "Good bye little sister."


The funeral was held an hour later with everyone gathered. Even Hana insisted on being there despite her injuries. No one knew how exactly she ended up like this but she refused to talk to anyone about it, not even to Ban. Knowing time was at essence, Ban decided to give a quick speech before cremating Hikari's body.

"I know this is hard for every one of us, but we have to keep going." Ban began. "We have to complete our mission. It's the only way we can honour her and everyone who fell because of Kaidou. At the same time, we must stay strong. Kaidou will be relentless in seeking us out now. I don't want to lose anyone else, that's why we must end the Kaidou Empire before it is too late or we will lose more than we have." He paused for a second to get a hold on his emotions. "Hikari was more than a friend and member of Aidara, she's also the little sister whom all of us cared for. In some ways, I'm glad that she is no longer here to go through the suffering we may go through from here. She may not have been able to coop with it."

He ended his speech and took a burning branch from the fire nearby and handed it to Hikaru who tearfully set the pyre on fire. Flames licked the body before consuming it completely. An hour later, the fire died down and Hikaru gathered up the ashes with Arata and Haruki's help and placed them in a clay jar and sealed it.

Once they were done, Ban nodded for them to get on their horses. "Arata, I want you to go with your friends and Hana ahead of us. Kazu, Ami and I will gather whatever information we can on Kaidou's new weapon that we heard about before catching up with you."

"But what about the others?"

"I told Gouda and Asuka to find the princes and make sure Sir Kamiya does not find them to give us more time. As for Hiro and Ran, I sent them to Misora Town to spy on him. That way, they can warn Gouda and Asuka in case they try to do something."

Arata was not to please with the plan, but one look from Ban warned him otherwise. "Alright." He begrudgingly agreed. "But be careful and don't do anything reckless."

Ban managed to muster a small smile at that comment. "I thought it was you who was always the reckless one."

But Arata did not acknowledge the joke and wrapped his hands tightly around Ban. "If you die, I'll find a way to bring you back to life so that I can kill you again."

Ban let out a nervous chuckle and rubbed Arata's back. "I'll just have to stay alive then."

"You better." Arata mumbled. He pulled away and saddled up his horse. Ban gave him a map and pointed at the gorge.

"You'll need to travel in there to avoid detection. After that, you can find your way easily from there."

Arata looked over the map once and placed it in his saddle bag. "Alright." He turned to his friends and nodded. They nodded back and hopped into the saddle of their respective horses. Ban went over to Hana and helped her up the saddle.

"Are you alright?" He asked concernedly. Hana nodded wordlessly and proceeded to check on the straps but Ban grabbed her hand to get her attention. "When you are ready to talk, we'll be there for you."

Hana nodded wordlessly again but Ban could see tears streaming down her face. He made a mental note to demand answers from Jin Kaidou if he ever has the chance to do so. Somehow, his gut told him everything that happened to Hana has something to do with him.

"Ban, don't do anything to Jin if you see him." Hana spoke up as though she read his mind. "I'll deal with him myself. This is between me and him. If possible, I'll make him suffer for using me."

"Using you?" Ban questioned. Now he was worried. He knew Hana's time as a slave had scared her in many ways he dare not imagine. And for her to believe Jin, the man she loved and whom she believed to love her too, use her, it would not be a good thing for Jin and for her. "Hana, don't let Jin make you lose the bigger picture. I don't want you to be driven by anger and hurt to fight."

"I'll try." Hana said softly and snapped the reins to make her horse move and caught up with Arata who had gone ahead slowly so that Ban could talk to her.

Ban wish that there could be a way to help her but he could not directly interfere with her problems. Instead, he could only be there for her and hope that she does not do anything to harm herself before he got to Wecasta to join them.