We do not own Koihime Musou or Kamen Rider Gaim. They belong to their respective creators. We just thought this idea would be fun and decided to give it a try. If you like it, then that's great. If you don't, then we tried. Anyway, come along and let's see what you think.
While Kaku went to hang everyone's laundry to dry, she lamented how her life came to this. She remembered obtaining high marks during her exams, becoming the advisor to her best friend Totaku, the days when she had to urge her to do her work and not wander off like some kind of commoner, and the days they had since they got their Armored War Gods and generals. Then came the day when Totaku was made the empress, only to be later be betrayed during a coup and used as a scapegoat by that treacherous eunuch Chojo. She remembered how much Totaku suffered while they were forced to do the eunuch's bidding.
After Totaku was rescued, both she and Kaku had sworn to serve Nagata. They ended up becoming maids. While Kaku would prefer a position befitting her qualifications and skills, Nagata already had Komei who was a great strategist. So, Kaku decided to be the best maid she could be, helping Totaku to do the housework and make sure all the other maids performed their duties properly and efficiently.
One day, Totaku left with Hideyoshi, Kenshin and Kayu to work for Kosonsan, leaving Kaku in Shoku with Ryofu. She really missed Totaku and those idiots. She often wondered how they were doing right now. Hopefully, they weren't getting themselves into too much trouble.
As she hung up the clothes to dry by the fire, she looked at all the villagers that had lost their homes. Now, they were reduced to staying in tents in this refugee camp (formerly Enjutsu's war camp). Food was limited, even though they regularly received aid from their allies in Nanban, and Kaku could sense the tension rising.
While Ryuubi, Kanu and Chouhi had reassured them that Gaim would return, there were rumors that he had abandoned them. Kaku may not have been close to Nagata, but she believed he was not the kind to leave people who were in need of help. He was not the kind of person who would turn his back on his friends either. Something must've happened to him to prevent his return.
Maybe...maybe he had been killed.
Kaku tried not to think about it, but it was indeed a possibility as only death could prevent Nagata from coming back. Another possibility was that he had been captured and taken prisoner. Without any information, none of them knew for sure what had happened to him. That did not stop them from assuming the worst.
When the portal suddenly appeared, Kaku witnessed it along with the villagers. They knew what it was as they were familiar with the Armored War Gods and how they occasionally opened such portals with their vehicles. But there were no Armored War Gods in sight right now, so who could have opened the portal?
Many villagers became afraid and suspicious. Could this be another enemy coming to finish them off?
Someone stepped out of the portal to enter the campgrounds. As soon as he did, everyone immediately recognized him.
The villagers murmured when they saw him, though none had the courage to approach him.
Kaku quickly decided to inform the Shoku Warriors.
They needed to come see this.
The Seiryuoh, Armored War God Gaim of the Ultimate Sword, was back.
Sangokuden Armored War Gods Saga: End of the Armored War Gods
Co-Written By: Kamen Rider Chrome & Ten-Faced Paladin
Beta Reader/Editor: Busterleader92 & Kamen Rider Goji
Chapter 43: Hell's Dragon Fang
"Nagata-niichan!"
"Nagata-sama!"
The Shoku Faction gathered at the camp together as they went to greet Nagata. They were both relieved and excited to hear he had returned to them, safe and sound. They wondered where he had been all this time or why he had gone missing, but they set those questions aside to welcome him back.
Suddenly, Sekito growled at Gaim as soon as he laid his eyes on the Armored War God of the Ultimate Sword.
"Sekito?" Ryofu was puzzled by her pet's behavior.
"Wait!" Iori shouted suddenly, stopping everyone from getting closer to 'Gaim'.
"Iori-sama?" Ryuubi questioned, puzzled. What was wrong? They were all here to welcome Nagata back but Iori did not act welcoming at all.
"Something's not right," Iori cautioned as he studied 'Gaim'. At first, he wanted to demand answers from Nagata and know where he had been all this time. However, a feeling in his gut told him that something did not feel right about this. Nagata was in full armor and holding his Daidaimaru when there were no threats. Also, his helmet's crest was bronze instead of gold and his Ride Wear suit appeared darker than normal.
The Shoku Warriors looked at the Ultimate Eye quizzically. They wondered what was wrong but it was Kanu who picked up on it first.
"He's right," Kanu concurred with Iori. There was something off about this whole situation. Nagata would not greet them all in full armor. He would've taken it off by now and smiled reassuringly at them. That was how he would typically behave.
"He smells wrong," Ryofu said, understanding why her pet was being so hostile when he was usually so friendly with Nagata.
"That's not Nagata," Iori said accusingly as he strapped on his SengokuDriver. "It's an imposter!"
The other Shoku Warriors looked at Iori like he was insane. Chouhi wanted to call him out for being stupid. How could he be so sure that this was an imposter? However, Iori had no reason to lie to them. He was always pretty sharp. Also, both Kanu and Ryofu agreed that there was something not right about Nagata's return as they suddenly went into battle ready stances. They looked back at 'Gaim' who began to chuckle darkly.
"You're smarter than I thought," 'Gaim' said in a completely different voice, one which none of them recognized. "Didn't think any of you would realize it so soon."
"That's not Onii-chan," Chouhi pointed out, heartbroken to realize that it truly was an imposter.
"Bujin Gaim," Kanu growled hatefully at the wretched mogwai. She really believed they had seen the last of him. Even when Komei had told them, she really hoped he had not truly returned from the dead.
"Sorry, but you have me confused with someone else," the Gaim look-alike corrected. "Although, you're not exactly wrong either. Allow me to show you."
[BUJIN GAIM!]
His body began to go through a horrific metamorphosis as black slime emerged from his body. It engulfed him in a dark cocoon that reshaped itself into a similar suit of armor but with several key differences.
The Shoku Warriors would soon realize that this was not Bujin Gaim. They would learn that this was the inheritor of Bujin Gaim's power, Majin Gaim, and it seemed that he decided to make a few aesthetic changes to his suit since the time he last visited Son Go.
Majin Gaim's new organic samurai-style armor was a cross between menacingly modern and traditionally terrifying with a blood red jinbaori that had a jet black tribal flame pattern on the fabric and a dark armored collar with sharp matching shoulders. Proudly displayed on his back for all to see was the Shiba Clan crest. The primary color-scheme of the suit remained largely unchanged but the black undersuit appeared glossier with the han kote on his forearms being made out of scales. His dou was crimson with an ivory rib-like trim and matching sode, both decorated by a black vein-like pattern. Normally, the 'pants' for the Ride Wear suit would be skin-tight, but now they appeared baggier like hakama and tucked into his black boots with crimson sunaete covering his shins. Hanging from his belt was a set of red kusazuri that matched his armor. Finally, his black kabuto with crimson fukigaeshi was the most frightening feature of them all. The shark-like teeth that were molded into the menpo-like faceplate formed a gruesome grin and his visor had turned pitch black with blood red veins in it. The kabuto's crimson katana-shaped maedate also appeared sharper, resembling a sharpened blade that had been dyed in blood. A set of tendrils hung out of the helmet like hair.
Majin Gaim's appearance shocked everyone, causing gasps, jaws to drop, and some screams along the way. He was now a demonic doppelganger of Armored War God Gaim. Iori was speechless as well. To him, Majin Gaim resembled a twisted and monstrous parody of a Kamen Rider; a Kaijin Rider.
Majin Gaim smirked under his helmet as he took in their reaction. They were in awe at him.
Well, why shouldn't they be? He was magnificent.
From the looks on their faces, he knew the question that was currently on their minds: Where was Nagata?
"You're obviously wondering where Nagata is. Well, I'll tell you what happened to him. Consider it a gift for our first meeting. You see, what happened is that he's dead. How do I know? Well, it's because I killed him," Majin Gaim confessed.
"You're lying!" Kanu yelled back in denial.
"Oh, so you require proof," Majin Gaim remarked. "Very well." He took out a LockPhone to show them. "See this? This belonged to him. I pried it from his cold dead hands."
Majin Gaim tossed it at Kanu's feet. She gazed down at the LockPhone and carefully picked it up.
She recognized it instantly.
She flipped it open to see a familiar picture.
"What are you doing, Nagata-sama?" Kanu asked as he pulled her close with an arm around her shoulder as he held the LockPhone in front of them.
"I just wanted to take a selfie with you," Nagata said as he took a picture. "Take a look."
He showed her their picture on the screen. It was clearer than a painting.
"That's incredible," Kanu awed. Her beloved lord never ceases to amaze her.
"I think I'll make it my personal wallpaper."
It was their picture on the screen, the same one Nagata said he used as his LockPhone's 'wallpaper'.
There was no doubt about it.
This was his LockPhone.
There was no way Nagata would've lost something so precious, so the only way Majin Gaim could have it in his possession was...the reason was...the only reason was...
"Your king is dead so by right of conquest that makes me your new king! Long live the king!" Majin Gaim declared proudly.
"AAAAAARRRRGGGHHHHHH!" Kanu furiously screamed as she rushed at Majin Gaim, summoning her green Ogre Warrior Armor in a flash. She swung her Green Dragon Crescent Blade hysterically but he dodged her strikes with ease. His Daidaimaru quickly morphed into the wicked Blood Drake Tail Sword and he used it to deflect and parry her weapon as sparks violently flew with each impact.
"You killed Nagata-sama! I'll make you pay!" Kanu shouted with tears in her angry eyes as she ferociously attacked him.
"Then come and kill me," Majin Gaim challenged them all. "All of you, come and kill me! Come at me with everything you got! Then I can send you all to him as a reward!"
Chouhi was the next to scream in fury as she summoned her Lightning Viper Armor and joined Kanu. She swung her Viper Spear but Majin Gaim evaded it before he kicked her in the chest. Not backing down, Chouhi resumed her furious assault with Kanu as they tried to cut down the monster who had slain their beloved Nagata. Clad in their own suits of armor, Bacho, Ryuubi, Ryofu, and Chou'un soon joined in, attacking Majin Gaim viciously.
Iori could see that they were all angry. They were furious at Majin Gaim for killing Nagata. Not only that, but they were also heartbroken. However, right now, their anger could be their biggest weakness and Majin Gaim could very well use it against them. Also, seeing the villagers who were witnessing the battle, Iori realized how dangerous it was for them to fight here.
"Henshin!"
[YOMOTSUHEGURI ARMS! MEI, KAI, YOMI, YOMI, YOMI!]
Ryugen-Yomi leaped into action and swept the girls aside before he thrust his Yomiyari at Majin Gaim. The evil Armored War Devil blocked it with his Blood Drake Tail Sword and retaliated, but Ryugen-Yomi caught the strike with the shaft of his weapon.
"Huh!?" Chouhi gaped.
"Iori-sama!?" Kanu cried.
"I'm going to take him away from the campsite!" Ryugen-Yomi shouted as he dragged Majin Gaim away to someplace where they could fight safely away from the villagers.
"Airen!" Kochu yelled worriedly as his wounds had yet to fully recover.
Ryugen-Yomi took Majin Gaim to a snow-covered field. As he glared at his opponent, Ryugen-Yomi felt his fury rise. He had some unresolved anger in need of an outlet.
"We're in this mess because of you!" Ryugen-Yomi shouted angrily at Majin Gaim as he attacked him viciously.
Truthfully, Ryugen-Yomi was really projecting his feelings about Nagata's disappearance on Majin Gaim. Before he met Kochu and Riri, the number of people he considered close friends that he could trust could be counted on one hand and that included his brother. Then he met Kochu and Riri, fell in love with the mother and got married to that widow. They became a family. Unlike his parents, he never once treated Riri with cold dismissal or neglected her.
Later on, he met Nagata, Kanu, Chouhi and Komei. His circle of friends grew and these were not like his so-called 'friends' from back home who only befriended him due to his family's wealth and reputation. Because they had been so insincere, Iori had trust issues. As for any acquaintances he may have had in his school's archery team, they were good people and he was friendly with them but they were very competitive so he never quite bonded with them. He had plenty of rivals, though. Now, he could actually forge genuine friendships with comrades he trusted. It was why he never wanted to marry Sadako who only cared about wealth and class in the first place.
Nagata was his first true best friend and they had bonded after their initial fight, growing closer over time. He had not been perfect. While he had made bad decisions, Iori did not hate him for that. He only hated the foolish choices he had made. Given the chance, they could make up. Unfortunately, they would never have that chance.
Now that he knew that his best friend was dead, he began to feel guilty for accusing him of abandoning them. With Nagata gone, he was now left to shoulder the burden as Shoku's sole Armored War God.
Ryugen-Yomi fought Majin Gaim fiercely. Unfortunately, as he was still hampered by his injuries, his movements were painfully sluggish as all his attempts to strike his opponent failed miserably as Majin Gaim easily dodged all of his attempts.
Ryugen-Yomi went for an overhead strike, but Majin Gaim caught the Yomiyari in a firm grip.
"He remembers you," Majin Gaim spoke eerily as he looked Ryugen-Yomi straight in the eye.
"What?" Ryugen-Yomi responded, confused.
Majin Gaim's voice shifted into a deeper, demonic tone.
"We meet again, Ryugen."
The two broke apart and Ryugen-Yomi stared at Majin Gaim, shocked. He could never forget that voice since it always haunted his nightmares.
"You're not Bujin Gaim! You're just his vessel!" Ryugen-Yomi quickly realized as he drew his Budou Ryuhou and rapidly fired upon Majin Gaim.
Bujin Gaim had possessed Nagata before, so Iori assumed that Majin Gaim was just another poor victim being used by the mogwai to be his human skin suit.
"We're partners," Majin Gaim corrected as he skillfully deflected all of Ryugen-Yomi's shots. "You see, I'm his ideal host because we both really, really hate Nagata."
"And we're not the only ones it seems," Bujin Gaim added as his voice came out of Majin Gaim's mouth.
"Who are you!?" Ryugen-Yomi demanded. He wondered what kind of person would be crazy enough to willingly allow himself to become the host of some vile demon.
"I suppose Nagata never mentioned me before. I'm not surprised," Majin Gaim responded. "Let's just say we go way back."
"And did you really kill him?"
"That's right," Majin Gaim confirmed before switching to Bujin Gaim, "And we can send you to him if you are so eager to see him again!"
Ryugen-Yomi summoned his Pitaya Ryujin Hou and fired.
Demonstrating incredible reflexes, Majin Gaim sliced the round in half and both halves exploded behind him as they flew by. Dashing forward, Majin Gaim took a swipe at Ryugen-Yomi who swung his giant cannon like a club. Majin Gaim just sliced its barrel off clean before kicking Ryugen-Yomi in the chest, causing him to drop the damaged cannon. Another brutal slash sent the Demon Dragon backpedaling.
Majin Gaim quickly summoned his Toxic Arrow, dual-wielding both his signature weapons. With a serrated bladed bow in one hand and a wicked draconic sword in the other, Majin Gaim looked absolutely vicious as he brandished them together. A tendril slithered out from Majin Gaim's back with a set of seven Lockseeds hanging from it.
"Recognize these?" Majin Gaim showed Ryugen-Yomi the familiar Lockseeds that hung from his tendril, taunting him.
Yes, Ryugen-Yomi recognized them. They were all Nagata's Lockseeds.
[CARAMBOLA CHARGE!]
After loading it into his Toxic Arrow, Majin Gaim slashed the air, throwing Carambola Stars at Ryugen-Yomi. He tried to use his Yomiyari to deflect the flying disks of death, but they flew at him at high speed, slicing into his suit as they flew by. Using the tendril to replace the Lockseed in his Toxic Arrow, Majin Gaim performed another attack.
[ICHIGO CHARGE!]
Next, Majin Gaim blasted Ryugen-Yomi with hundreds of Ichigo Kunai. They rapidly flew from his Toxic Arrow like a knife-spewing machine gun. Sparks violently burst off Ryugen-Yomi with each shot as the Ichigo Kunai exploded on impact.
This was bad. Majin Gaim likely possessed all of Nagata's Lockseeds and could access a wide variety of attacks with them. Ryugen feared what he might do with the Kachidoki Lockseed or the Ryujin Key if he had them as well.
"You can't win against us, Ryugen. Not even Nagata could beat us and he was stronger than you," Majin Gaim taunted.
"Shut your MOUTH!" Ryugen-Yomi roared angrily.
Anger.
Rage.
Wrath.
Whatever you want to call it, Ryugen-Yomi felt those feelings right now as he was positively livid. But that was not the only thing he felt such emotion right now.
Hatred.
That was what he felt along with his anger, an emotion that felt so raw and pure right now that it felt so right.
This hatred he felt, it paled to the comparison to the hatred he had felt for Sadako. His hatred for her was a mere island compared to the ocean of hatred he felt toward Majin Gaim.
So focused right now, it might even qualify as a weapon.
Majin Gaim had killed his best friend and right now Ryugen-Yomi - Iori Tokugawa - wanted him to pay.
He wanted revenge and needed the power to have it.
Just like before, his hatred turned into power which entered his Lockseed. The first time it had happened, his Budou Lockseed became the Yomotsuheguri Lockseed. Since then, he had the ability to turn any Budou Lockseed into a Yomotsuheguri Lockseed to access his Yomotsuheguri Arms.
Now, he was feeding that same power into his Yomotsuheguri Lockseed to create something greater and even more powerful. He had yet to realize how truly terrifying this great power was.
If he did, would he care?
The Yomotsuheguri Lockseed closed as it flashed and changed. The dark red and gold flame emblazoned front of the Lockseed had become bright red while its gold casing changed to pure black. There was now a black Asian dragon embossed on the front, surrounding its new ID code.
Now it read: L.S.-MAKAI.
[MAKAIRYU!]
Ryugen-Yomi gripped his SengokuDriver's Cutting Blade. He knew it was a risky move as his Yomotsuheguri Arms already put a heavy strain on his body, pushing him dangerously close toward exhaustion. Adding something onto that could be hazardous as it could potentially damage his body. It was possibly lethal too. However, Ryugen-Yomi swore to always protect his family and he would do anything to keep them safe, no matter the cost. Even if it means throwing his life away and taking extreme measures to do it.
With this great power, he could avenge Nagata, destroy Majin Gaim and protect everyone.
It was time to rise to the next level.
With his remaining strength, he pushed the Cutting Blade down to slice open his Makairyu Lockseed. The core image was heart-shaped and completely black with red crack-like lines in it. The lid's backside showed a weapon that looked like someone had fused a minigun with a chainsaw.
[HAI~!]
Ryugen-Yomi screamed as dark energy burst from his body. He felt like he was on fire as the surrounding snow melted. Even Majin Gaim was blown away by the change. The first thing he saw was a pair of black draconic horns that were similar to Tyrant's growing out of Ryugen-Yomi's helmet as his gold faceplate turned black. At the same time, he gained the Makairyu Cloak, an ankle-length jet black cape with crimson lining. He also gained additional armor as a pair of Chinese-styled tassets appeared on his waist to match his loincloth. The green gems on his chestplate turned blood red, just like his Ryugan visor, and he had black Asian dragons embossed on his Chinese-styled pauldrons. Finally, mounted on his right arm was his Arms Weapon - the Makai Ryugahou - a chainsaw blade with a trigger mechanism handle and a minigun attached to it.
[MAKAIRYU ARMS! MAKAI, RYU, MAKAI, RYU, MAKAIRYUGA! HAHAHAHAHAHA!]
The dark maniacal laughter followed the transformation.
He breathed heavily as he adjusted to his new form. The pain gradually faded as he felt unbelievable power coursing through him.
No longer was he mere Ryugen or Ryugen-Yomi, he was now known as Makai Ryugen.
Looking up, he glared sharply at Majin Gaim.
As Majin Gaim was briefly stunned by the shocking transformation, he gave Makai Ryugen an opening to strike. Squeezing the trigger, Makai Ryugen fired at Majin Gaim with a violent barrage of energy bullets from the minigun attachment of his weapon, pushing him back. As the weapon's ammo was infinite, Makai Ryugen had no fear of running out of bullets. He continued his assault by activating his Makai Ryugahou's chainsaw component. As it roared to life, he slashed Majin Gaim across the chest with the blade, sending sparks and black blood flying. Majin Gaim screamed as he was thrown back by the attack.
"He's even more powerful than before!" Bujin Gaim yelled.
"Yes, he is," Majin Gaim acknowledged, surprised, but he was also excited. Finally, an actual challenge! His trip here was worthwhile after all!
He fired his Toxic Arrow but before the energy bolts made contact, Makai Ryugen's Makairyu Cloak morphed into a pair of draconic wings that shielded him before they spread out and he took flight. Using aerial superiority to his advantage, Makai Ryugen fired at Majin Gaim from every angle, maintaining his distance for safety while occasionally flying by to strike with his chainsaw of death. Majin Gaim retaliated with his Toxic Arrow and Blood Drake Tail Sword, but his shots and extendable whip-blade slashes missed as Makai Ryugen swiftly evaded them.
Deciding it was time to stop playing around and end this quickly, Makai Ryugen hit his Cutting Blade.
[HAI~! MAKAIRYU SQUASH! HAHAHAHAHAHA!]
Makai Ryugen ascended, aided by his Makairyu Cloak. Once he reached the peak of his ascent, he performed a front flip and assumed a dropkick position. As he descended, his aura enveloped him and morphed into a roaring wyvern performing a nosedive.
Majin Gaim quickly summoned up a barrier of tentacles which sprouted out of the ground. The tentacles became rigid and hardened as they formed a shield. However, they would not be able to stand up to the force of Makai Ryugen's Makairyugen Kyaku.
The attack shattered the tentacle barrier and Makai Ryugen struck Majin Gaim with his Makairyugen Kyaku. The explosive force of the move blasted Majin Gaim back and sent him painfully tumbling on the snow. Unfortunately, it had not finished him off.
Landing back on his feet, Makai Ryugen panted as he felt the power of his new Makairyu Arms draining his strength after delivering the Makairyugen Kyaku. Realizing he was near his limit, he resolved to finish his enemy off right here and now.
Without any hesitation, he struck his Cutting Blade again, twice this time, to initiate the killing blow.
[HAI~! MAKAIRYU AU LAIT! HAHAHAHAHAHA!]
Setting up for the finishing blow, Makai Ryugen fired his minigun. Instead of bullets, red hot flames burst out, engulfing the fiendish Armored War Devil. Both Bujin Gaim and his host screamed from the excruciating heat of the hellish flames.
After burning him, Makai Ryugen charged at Majin Gaim with red energy wrapped around his Makai Ryugahou's chainsaw when he suddenly froze in mid-run.
Something was wrong.
His body spasmed violently as red electricity raced painfully across his body, temporarily paralyzing him. This momentary reprieve allowed Majin Gaim to recover from Makai Ryugen's assault and repair all the damage he had done to his body.
Seeing that his enemy was now paralyzed and vulnerable, Majin Gaim took his chance. He pointed his right hand at Makai Ryugen and long tendrils shot out of his knuckles to latch onto the latter's SengokuDriver. Once the tendrils made contact, they drained the power from the Makairyu Lockseed. Makai Ryugen screamed as he felt his armor's power being drained.
With great effort, Makai Ryugen used his Makai Ryugahou's chainsaw to cut off the tendrils. By then, most of the Lockseed's power had already been drained, causing the Makairyu Lockseed to revert into its original form - the Budou Lockseed - which then caused his armor to change back into Ryugen's default Budou Arms.
"Now that's interesting," Bujin Gaim remarked after he drained Ryugen of his power whilst drawing his remaining tendrils back into his knuckles. "Are your friends aware of how truly dark you are on the inside?"
Ryugen groaned, unable to reply, as his knees nearly buckled after being drained. This was bad. Right now, as he was, he did not stand a chance against Majin Gaim.
"It's strange how you call us a monster when you're not exactly as heroic as you try to make yourself out to be, you hypocrite," Bujin Gaim commented. "Then again, you are called the 'Demon Dragon' for a reason."
Majin Gaim leveled his Toxic Arrow for a point-blank shot but Ryugen dove to the ground, causing the energy bolt to graze his shoulder.
"Ugh!" Ryugen groaned as his stitches reopened and he began to bleed through his bandages. Smoke wafted off his shoulder pad as it slowly sizzled and melted. In retaliation, he fired his Budou Ryuhou but he missed his mark. That moment costed him as Majin Gaim slashed his hand, the very same hand that Sadako had injured, painfully disarming him as he screamed. Majin Gaim then kicked him in the face, laying him flat on his back.
"We came here hoping to find a worthy challenge but all we got for our trouble is a waste of our time," Majin Gaim remarked disdainfully. He was more disappointed than angry. Since he was not getting the challenge he wanted, he might as well put Ryugen out of his misery before he moved on.
[BUJIN GAIM SQUASH!]
Majin Gaim violently struck Ryugen's chest with his Blood Drake Tail Sword, causing sparks to surge off like water gushing from a geyser. Iori screamed in agony as his armor vanished due to the vicious attack. While the attack had not fatally wounded him, blood still seeped through his bandages, staining his clothes. He turned his head as he vomited blood, staining the snow red.
Majin Gaim went and knelt down beside Iori, holding the Blood Drake Tail Sword's blade to his neck. Iori looked into Majin Gaim's visor with a fierce glare. Majin Gaim could respect that fierce look of defiance in Iori's eyes. Even in the face of death, he showed no fear. But then again, it was pointless to fear death.
It was pointless to fear the inevitable.
"Before I send you to the afterlife, allow me to enlighten you: your biggest mistake was coming at us alone," Majin Gaim advised mockingly.
"Actually, your biggest mistake was creating me," Bujin Gaim amended as it was Iori's act of killing Nise which resulted in the vile mogwai's birth.
"Damn it," Iori cursed through gritted teeth. He was going to die here. Kochu would be widowed again and Riri would lose another father. Not only that, he would never get the chance to see the birth of his child.
He cursed Majin Gaim for killing Nagata and cursed himself for being so foolish.
"Be honored. With your death, we can claim to have killed two 'dragons'," Majin Gaim said as he loomed over Iori menacingly with his weapon raised for decapitation. "Say hello to Nagata for us."
Suddenly, a black warrior came out of nowhere and struck Majin Gaim before he could bring his blade down on Iori's neck. Sparks burst explosively as he was thrown off his prey. Iori opened his eyes to see Black Phoenix Ryofu Hosen standing protectively in front of him with her Heaven Piercer halberd.
"Ren?"
"Shion sent me," Ryofu answered simply. As Kochu was currently pregnant, combat was risky for her, especially against an enemy as ferocious as Majin Gaim. Even if she attacked from afar, it was still too risky for her and her unborn baby. Thus, she sent Ryofu to fight in her stead and protect her husband.
Before Iori could respond, he saw Dragon Fighter Ryuubi arrive with Lightning Viper Chouhi, Ogre Warrior Kanu, Blue Butterfly Mask Chou'un, and Splendid Flash Bacho. The Shoku Warriors surrounded Majin Gaim and attacked him viciously as Iori watched.
He did not need to be a genius to see that the girls were furious. They were devastated by the news of Nagata's death and became angry at Majin Gaim's confession for killing him.
They wanted him to pay.
They wanted revenge.
But more importantly, they wanted his blood.
These girls - while different from the warriors he had read about from the 'Romance of the Three Kingdoms' - were still heroes. They may not be exactly the same, but they still had the strength, sense of justice and resolve of their male counterparts.
However, Iori still felt dread whenever he looked at Majin Gaim. It was like he was holding something back, and that scared him. He was afraid that Majin Gaim might unleash it and what he would do once he did.
If he suddenly decided to stop holding back, would they even stand a chance? They barely stood a chance against Bujin Gaim before.
"Hyah!" Ryuubi yelled as her Dragon Claw Sword slashed across Majin Gaim's chest, knocking him back as he let out a shout of pain. The holy energy of the blade made the perfect weapon to deal with Majin Gaim as it was lethal for evil spirits like him.
"Give Onii-chan back!" Chouhi yelled furiously as she struck him from behind. He staggered forward, as he was stunned by the electrical slash before Bacho and Chou'un both kicked him right in the face.
"Just finish them already!" Bujin Gaim snapped at his host.
"Shut up! Let me have my fun!" Majin Gaim snapped back at his inner demon. He blocked Ryofu's Heaven-Piercing Strike but she broke through his guard and this left him wide open for Kanu and Ryuubi to attack, sending him tumbling on the snow.
"Still having fun now?" Bujin Gaim jeered.
Majin Gaim did not answer. He had underestimated these girls. He believed that without Gaim, they would not be a problem. That was why he had not used the power of the Taotie Lockseed against them.
No, he did not need that power right now. He could still beat them, all by himself.
He took out Nagata's Grapefruit Energy Lockseed and loaded it into his Toxic Arrow with his tendril.
[GRAPEFRUIT ENERGY!]
Aiming high, Majin Gaim pulled the trigger and fired. An orange sphere of energy shot into the sky, shining brightly like the sun before it exploded, sending six laser beams that homed in on his targets. The energy bolts hit their marks and exploded, throwing the Shoku Warriors to the ground.
Kanu was the first to recover, but something felt strange. She looked at her hand as her armor appeared to be breaking down. She was not the only one experiencing this as the other Shoku Warriors' armor was also beginning to break down before they vaporized into nothing.
"What happened?" Chouhi wondered.
Kanu touched her magatama earring to try and re-summon her Ogre Warrior Armor but she no longer felt its presence.
"Our armor is gone," Kanu realized. The armor had been gifted to them by Nagata, and now Majin Gaim had destroyed them.
"You know, for putting up such a good fight, allow us to honor you with our name. In this form, we are known as Armored War Devil Majin Gaim, but you may call me Taiga Shiba-sama," Majin Gaim informed them as he gave them his true name. "Now, let's see if you have the strength to beat us without your fancy armor."
Ryofu immediately rose to the challenge as she charged at him. With her Herculean might, Ryofu Hosen struck Majin Gaim in the chest and sent him staggering back. This briefly stunned him before he retaliated. Sparks flew as they clashed furiously, with Majin Gaim releasing annoyed grunts as Ryofu fiercely countered and fought back.
He had heard rumors of Ryofu Hosen's monstrous strength, but experiencing it for himself was a whole different matter.
Ryofu Hosen had been an outcast. Possessing monstrous strength and a normally deadpan expression, nobody understood her. Her only companions had been her pets who she had adopted. For a long time, they had been her only family. As they were her family, she would do anything to have them fed. Unfortunately, finding work was not so easy for her. One time, she had tried waitressing, but her inability to smile for customers prevented her from getting tips and she got fired pretty quickly. As she had no money, she resorted to drastic means and started to threaten a village, demanding they leave food at the temple for her.
Her actions eventually caught attention and she was labeled a monster. That was when she first met Nagata, Chou'un and the two Armored War Gods - Hideyoshi and Kenshin - who would join her and serve Totaku. She had defeated them all, but that had not stopped Nagata and the others from trying again.
The second time, Nagata had decided to talk with her peacefully. He even put his weapon, his SengokuDriver, down to show her that he meant her no harm.
Ryofu probably fell in love with him for his genuine kindness and the food he generously gave her. Also, he smelled nice. He smelled like oranges and she liked the smell. She would have gone with him, but it was Totaku who had risked her life to protect Sekito from harm. So, like Hideyoshi and Kenshin, Ryofu decided to remain by her side.
Then came the day when Nagata and she had to fight again, but only because Chojo had been holding Totaku hostage, forcing all of Totaku's subordinates to fight for her. Nagata had revealed to her that they planned to rescue Totaku. Ryofu had no reason to believe him to be lying so she went along with him when he had 'captured' her. After rescuing Totaku, Ryofu decided to join her friends to Touka Village. When Hideyoshi, Kenshin and Kayu decided to travel to find adventure and fortune elsewhere, Ryofu decided to stay in Touka Village as Nagata's bodyguard. They had grown pretty close since then, with Ryofu ending up sleeping beside him. They had even made love, which was one of the rare times when Ryofu displayed any passionate emotion.
Being unable to find him made Ryofu feel like a failure as a bodyguard. But learning he had died made Ryofu feel even worse, like when she had failed to protect Totaku and been forced to serve a terrible master.
Ryofu was furious and she would do anything to destroy this demon, even if it meant forfeiting her life.
Ryuubi looked at Majin Gaim and broke out in cold sweat. Ryofu was the strongest of them all, but what if she was not strong enough? What if they could not beat Majin Gaim without Nagata?
As Ryuubi pondered at their eventual loss, she found a Lockseed lying beside her in the snow. She picked it up and realized that it was Nagata's Orange Lockseed. She looked around and spotted the other Lockseeds lying in the snow.
Majin Gaim had taken Nagata's Lockseeds as trophies to prove he had killed the Blue King. They must've fallen off while they fought him.
"Hyah!" Majin Gaim blocked Ryofu's strike before sending her tumbling with a kick. He then stomped on the ground, causing tentacles to sprout out of the ground. The dark, slimy limbs wrapped around the Shoku Warriors, restraining them and keeping them rooted to the spot. They struggled to break free, but the tentacles were stronger as they tightened their hold on their captives. Any tighter and bones would snap like twigs.
"Now then, what to do with you?" Majin Gaim scanned his surroundings before his gaze settled on Ryuubi. "Are you sure? I thought you wanted Kanu."
Bujin Gaim was both sadistic and perverse, a fact Taiga knew all too well. A young and nubile girl was just prey to him, to be ravaged to death by the demonic entity. The women who made up the Shoku Warriors were just how he liked them and Taiga knew what his inner demon wanted to do to them. He desired Kanu the most as his former self had lusted after her.
"Her life gives them hope," Bujin Gaim answered.
Majin Gaim understood: kill Ryuubi Gentoku and their hope dies with her. Killing her would shatter their fighting spirit and make them easy prey. After losing Nagata and then Ryuubi not long after, they would lose the will to fight and none of them would be able to stop Majin Gaim. However, on the other hand, they risked turning her into a martyr.
Bujin Gaim seemed to think it was a risk worth taking.
Majin Gaim approached Ryuubi with an intention to kill her. The others struggled but they were powerless to stop him as the tentacles firmly held them in place.
Majin Gaim stood before Ryuubi as he pointed his Blood Drake Tail Sword at the helpless girl.
"Have you washed your neck?" Majin Gaim asked the rosette gently. It was a shame that she had to die so young, but she had to pay the price for daring to attempt to follow in Nagata's footsteps.
"Before we killed him, he was on his knees as you are right now, begging for me to spare him," Bujin Gaim spoke through his host, loud enough for everyone to hear. "Maybe you can convince us to spare all your lives if you did the same."
If she begged him to spare all their lives, he would show them mercy. Then he would be free to do whatever he wanted to them. So many perverse thoughts ran through his mind. He was looking forward to picking up where things left off as he desired to explore their bodies intimately with his tentacles.
For a moment, Ryuubi considered it. Truth be told, she did not want to die and she did not want her beloved sisters and friends to meet the same fate. As a leader, her duty was to make the hard choices and right now Bujin Gaim was giving her a choice.
Despite her royal ancestry, Ryuubi had common roots. Sometimes she had to beg or negotiate to get something. This time, she would have to beg for her life and the lives of her fellow Shoku Warriors.
Ryuubi opened her mouth to respond but was instantly cut off by her fellow Shoku Warriors.
"Don't do it, Aneue!" Kanu shouted. "Do not beg! Do not debase yourself to him! Do not give him the satisfaction!"
"Yeah!" Chouhi agreed. "Don't let him win!"
"He's nobody!" Bacho added.
"He's scum!" Chou'un supplied.
"He's just trying to break us, Aneue!" Kanu shouted. "But we will not break! Don't let him break you!"
Everyone looked back at Ryuubi with fearless gazes as they shouted encouragements. Though they knew their lives would end here, they would not stop fighting.
Ryuubi tightened her grip on the Orange Lockseed. Nagata was not here to protect them, but that did not mean they should quit fighting. Nagata obviously did not stop fighting until the bitter end. If that was the case then neither would she. They needed to continue. That was what Nagata would have done.
Ryuubi's eyes met his visor, but they showed stubborn defiance instead of fear. She would not beg. She refused to beg as she knew Nagata would not as Bujin Gaim claimed he had. She would not believe this demon's slanderous lies. Giving in to him would mean a fate worse than death.
Majin Gaim and his inner demon both took her silence as her refusal to beg. He could not believe that these girls would rather die than have their lives spared. He thought that at least one of them would beg for mercy, like the youngest one.
Such a damn crying shame they had to die for their foolish idealism.
"Any last words, Ryuubi Gentoku?" Majin Gaim asked as he raised his sword for the killing blow. He was merciful enough to end this quickly with a single stroke.
"Yes," Ryuubi answered as she clenched the Orange Lockseed in her hand and her eyes flashed. "GO TO HELL!" Shockingly, she broke free of the tentacles and punched Majin Gaim right in his midsection - where his belt was located - with the hand holding the Orange Lockseed. Blazing orange energy surrounded her fist as she delivered the blow. Her punch connected dead center with explosive force, sending a shocked Majin Gaim flying and screaming.
The tentacles holding the other Shoku Warriors loosened their hold before receding into the ground.
Everyone was stunned, speechless. Where had Ryuubi found this incredible strength?
"Aneue," Kanu uttered as Ryuubi rose to her feet and strapped on a SengokuDriver. The Shoku Warriors all had SengokuDrivers now after they confiscated them from the Kurokage Troopers. They were standard blank SengokuDrivers so anybody could wear them.
Ryuubi looked at the Orange Lockseed in her hand. Nagata was not here but he was still within their hearts. As she regained her resolve with thoughts of Nagata, her depowered magatama earring began to shine.
"Nagata-sama, please fight with me," Ryuubi whispered as her tear dripped onto the Lockseed. As soon as her tear fell on the Orange Lockseed, it flashed and changed to hold the visage of Armored War God Gaim on its surface. At the same time, the Rider Indicator plate on her SengokuDriver flashed and showed the side profile of Gaim's helmet.
Ryuubi smiled. Nagata was still with them in spirit and he was encouraging her to fight.
Ryuubi's eyes were now filled with renewed determination and righteous fury. Desiring to avenge Nagata, the rosette unlocked the Gaim Lockseed.
[GAIM!]
Ryuubi loaded the Gaim Lockseed into the SengokuDriver as the Lockseed's corresponding Armor Part descended from its portal.
[LOCK ON!]
The sound of warhorns played from her SengokuDriver. Everyone paused as their attention was drawn by the warhorns. They were amazed to witness the Gaim Armor Part, a gigantic version of Gaim's head, descend from the Helheim portal above Ryuubi.
Ryuubi gripped the Cutting Blade and did what she had seen Nagata do so many times before:
"Henshin!"
KRC: And I think I'll end that scene there with a cliffhanger. This was a pretty exciting chapter, in my honest opinion. I mean, the Shoku Warriors finally learn what had happened to Nagata and they feel regret for believing he had abandoned them. Now that they know he's dead, they should be allowed to grieve and move on. But first, they need to teach Majin Gaim a lesson. A painful lesson he will never forget.
Now, a few things to note from this chapter. Firstly, Majin Gaim's appearance. Yeah, I took the design aspects from SIC Gaim and Another Gaim from Kamen Rider Zi-O. The jinbaori coat he wears is based on Bujin Gaim Ochimusha (Fallen Warrior). The organic demon samurai look was so cool that I could not resist and the coat just adds to it, somehow. Originally, the 'Kaijin Rider' form was going to debut later, but after debating with myself, I decided to show it in this chapter.
And a bit of trivia: when Majin Gaim asked Ryuubi, "Have you washed your neck?" he was using a Japanese metaphor and asking her if she was prepared to die as, traditionally, prisoners would have their necks washed to prepare them for execution by decapitation. Now you know a bit of Japanese culture. OK, admittedly, I first heard this from Go-Onger.
Ryugen's new Makairyu Arms was inspired by something from a DeviantArt drawing and some other things. I just made some slight alterations. The base for it is the Yomotsuheguri Arms with some additional elements like a cloak of dragon wings, some extra armor and detail, horns, and a chainsaw-minigun hybrid (Makai Ryugahou). Guess where I got that weapon from.
"Mommy, Daddy and the others are going to be OK, right?"
Kochu Kansho stood at the entrance of the camp, waiting worriedly. Her daughter, Riri, stood beside her with an expression that mirrored her own. The two held hands as they waited, keeping an eye out for their return.
Kochu wanted to tell her daughter that everything would be alright, that her father and big sisters would be back once they got rid of the big bad monster. It was the only way she could reassure herself and her daughter. However, the life of a warrior could be a short and unpredictable one as it led to an early grave. At any time, death would claim them. A warrior could only live up to their golden years by being extremely strong, carefully cautious, exceptionally skilled and very lucky.
Nagata had not been so lucky. Kochu had not even told her daughter about his fate and she would not allow anyone else to tell her. She would tell her herself.
The wait was killing Kochu. She wished she did not feel so useless right now but she was still pregnant so there was nothing she could do without risking the life of her and Iori's unborn child. It's not like she did not believe in her friends, she just believed they stood a better chance with her supporting them on the battlefield. Instead, they had left her behind to aid her husband in combating the Armored War Devil.
It was not fair. It should be her who stood beside her husband. He was still injured and he needed her. Instead, she had sent Ryofu to protect him and bring him back to her, safe and sound. She was going to have to get used to sitting on the sidelines for the next several months until the baby was born.
"They'll be fine," Kochu told her daughter reassuringly.
Riri accepted the answer with a smile. Her daddy and big sisters were strong. They would beat the monster like always.
They were going to be OK.
While Kochu feared for the worst, she still had faith in her husband and fellow Shoku Warriors while she prayed for their safe return.
As Kochu and Riri continued to wait, they spotted something coming from the distance.
It was not the group that had left to combat the Armored War Devil.