[Episode 14: A Broken Sword and a Bent Knee.]

OP 4: This Is War by 30 Seconds to Mars.

Kazuma and Satsuki stand together against Ragyo, standing on a chessboard, pieces fall around them as they fight her, tears stream down Kazuma's face as good memories blaze into flame, burning away as he fights on, no matter how wounded he gets, he still walks by Satsuki's side, always there and always fighting. The end of the OP sees Kazuma finally standing before Ragyo...

And Satsuki appears by her side. Blinded by a blindfold and wielding the Dual Bakuzans. Kazuma clenches Koudari and Koudashi, Kibonochi Ryuken flaring to life as the logo is burned out.


I clashed against Ragyo's prone body, tearing the throne free from its mooring. I stomped on her chest, driving my heel into the wound and aggravating it relentlessly. She coughed up even more blood, and I smiled. Finally, I can kill her. Finally, I can sleep at night. Finally... I could freely love Satsuki.

"Why?" she coughed, looking up at me. My rage bubbled up, my eye narrowed.

"Why? Why? I'll tell you why!" I snarled, leaning down.

"You took everything from me," I whispered. Ragyo was playing with us, acting like she was subdued. All I wanted was to make her suffer for what she did to me and Satsuki. All those years living in a cold illusion, all those years smothered in her arms, chained and biting. I was slowly stitching my heart back onto my sleeve. I was grinding my heel into the woman who ruined my life.

She then smiled, "Do you regret anything?" she snarled. I rounded back, seeing her pluck herself off the impromptu cross. Uzu and Ira appeared in front of me, Ira looked back over his shoulder and nodded. I returned it.

"I'll make you all regret trying to ruin my perfect world!" she screamed, wiping the blood from her face, the Life Fibers healing her. Ira grabbed her from behind, suplexing her and then bashing her around, he tossed her to Uzu, who activated his Wukong Regalia. Ira didn't need to activate his yet. He said he was going to save it for later on in the battle.

"MEN!" Uzu thundered, clashing with Ragyo, his sword cleaving through her guard, but she bashed him down, not noticing me blast towards her, I went into a flying leap, my swords blazing bright.

"DOU!" I yelled, slashing her arms, seeing plumes of blood shoot out of the stumps. I rebounded, trying to keep away from her. Ragyo then saw Satsuki speeding at her with anger in her eyes. Ragyo deftly dodged Satsuki's attack, she was still playing with us.

Uzu hit her in the back, "KOTE!" he snarled. Ragyo responded by regrowing her arms and smiling.

"Well, I suppose it's my turn..." she cooed at us, Satsuki and I charged, our blades outstretched.

"Your first mistake was bringing your Kamuis into this fight!" she yelled, blocking our blades and smiling like she won the lottery. I pushed hard against her clash, but Kibonochi was... sweating? Can Kamuis sweat?

Kid, back up! Back up right now! She's gonna-

She bashed me down to the ground, sending me grinding into the dirt. The wind was knocked out of me. Satsuki was currently getting bashed to high hell. I drew myself up slowly.

"The only thing worse than a badly-wielded Kamui is the fool that dons it!" I heard her roar, seeing Satsuki getting beat up, she tried to rebound, but Ragyo was relentless. I stood, my eye-burning bright with the power I needed to end her. My Gray Fibers summoned up from my right arm, and I dashed forwards, going fast enough to leave an afterimage.

I intentionally left it out in the open between her and Satsuki, and of course, she took the bait. Ragyo went in for the kill, and the image vanished. She looked shocked as I appeared above her, my swords raised on high. Kibonochi was a fast Kamui, and I preferred to overwhelm my opponents with my speed and power, rather than tanking hits.

"TAKE THIS!" I yelled, slashing straight through her neck, sending her head flying. My fibers grabbed hold of it and spiked it to the ground, grinding it in and throwing it far from the body. The body bashed me in the face, sending me skidding backward, signaling Uzu to wade in.

"This is bullshit!" he yelled, batting the body back, his sword blazing. I nodded and joined him in his assault. What we didn't notice was that Hoomaru was running with Ragyo's head in her arms like a football. If there were commentators, this would be a full-blown sporting event. Ira was nowhere to be found until...

He barreled into Hoomaru with a huge steamroller, his regalia made him look like an extremely ripped bodybuilder mixed with Dio, "USELESS! USELESS! USELESS!" He roared, bashing the steamroller's front wheel with sheer fury. Hoomaru threw the head my way and I caught it. I spiked it like a volleyball towards Uzu, but the body was faster.

It caught her head and reattached it. Ragyo grinned over me, I was still trying to get up, trying to catch my breath. She sent her fist rocketing across my face, faking me out. I backflipped and tried to dodge all of the hits, but she was faster. Her fibers clashed with mine, burning and twisting through the air. I felt my swords against her skin, my eye narrowed in sheer rage. I continued to slash, my blades agents of vengeance.

Satsuki got her from behind, and I noticed a red and black blur and a pink blur behind us, an odd mauve blur joined in and a hail of gourd rockets hit Satsuki and I away from Ragyo, pounding her to the dust. Takarada dusted his suit off.

"I hope we ain't too late!" he called. Ragyo was still standing, her dress torn and her eyes wild. My little sister stopped fighting for a few seconds, smiling at me.

"Big bro! We brought reinforcements!" she called cheerily. I then saw my mother come in, her hands holding a sword, her body covered in samurai-like armor. The blade was burning gold, with hooks on either side, her blue eyes narrowed. Her hair billowed behind her in a long ponytail. She glared at Ragyo.

"Look at you, the queen brought to a standstill by her daughter and my son... I only feel pity for you... yet my blade won't!" she snarled, stepping up to my side.

"Mom," I greeted.

"Kazuma, I know we haven't seen eye to eye before... but I hope today I can help mend our relationship," she said. I put my hand on her shoulder, squeezing it tightly.

"I... I'm glad you're here..." I admitted, seeing Ragyo rise, her fibers pooling around herself. Her eyes staring at the slowly reddening skies above us. Her arms spread wide.

"You... filthy animals! You trifling people who dare think that your world is perfect! Look around you! This Academy is the perfect microcosm of society! And I, Ragyo Kiryuin, am the righteous punishment of God! Why else did the Life Fibers come forth? Why else did they choose me to enact their will?! Why do you stand in the way of the natural ways of the world? I am the one to cleanse the Earth of your filth and destroy it!" She declared, pounding her fist to her chest, eyes wide and mouth downcurved into a snarl.

I ran at her, not even thinking, Ryuken activated around me, and Mom and I clashed with her, our blades sparking against two long white ones she summoned, two other arms shot out of her shoulders, dealing with Satsuki and Ryuko. The two Nuis and the Elites fought. With Harime distracted, Takarada and Mikisugi fought Hoomaru.

"I am the light in the dark! I am the beginning and the end! I am EVERYTHING!" Ragyo ranted, breaking the clash and sending us back aside from me and Satsuki, who had activated Junketsu Shizui. Some COVERS slammed down to deal with my Mom and sister.

"Satsuki!" I called.

"Yes!" she agreed. We burst into twin flames, one azure, and the other gold. We slashed and stabbed, keeping her busy. Kibonochi Ryuken started to burn, my blades went at full tilt. My life was on the line. Mom and Nui slashed through their COVER squads, with Takarada's men taking the victims somewhere safe. I focused on my fight with Ragyo, who had knocked Ryuko into the skies.

Kibonochi billowed around me, torn and threadbare, burning golden with my blades spread out. I didn't charge, rather, I waited. I was stalling for time. This was it, my final gambit. There was no way I could win on my own. But I burst into my full power with tears streaming down my face. I was done with being beaten down! I was done with holding back!

I clashed harshly with Ragyo, her eyes wide and crazy, my strength capped out. I pushed against her viciously, trying to kill her before she gets to Satsuki. I didn't get the chance to give Satsuki what she deserved... A good life. A good man to support her from the sidelines... I felt renewed strength invigorate me. *KA-TANG!* I broke the clash, speeding past Ragyo, our blades clipping each other. All I felt was the soft wind... felt the pain slowly set in my right arm.

Then, I felt it go numb, sliding to my knees, seeing my arm fall off in slow motion. Everything went slow as I let out a howl in agony. The world shattered and all I heard was Ragyo's pealing laughter, her whole body shook with mirth and she stalked over to my arm, picking it up. Koudashi was covered in my blood and I shut my eye. I felt Ragyo's blade at my neck.

"At least die looking at your mother, Kazuma," she chided, not realizing that my actual mother was nearby and heard that.

"GET AWAY FROM MY SON YOU BITCH!" I heard her roar, her blade shattered Ragyo's blades and sent me tumbling. I saw my mother attacking Ragyo and... holy shit! She's... WINNING?!

"YOU TOOK EVERYTHING FROM ME! MY SON! MY HOME! MY HUSBAND!" Mom screamed, slashing Ragyo to pieces long enough for me to... get feeling back in my right arm? What? I looked down, and during my spectating of my mom handing Ragyo her Botox-laden ass on a silver platter, I got a new arm. This one looked like a black sleeve with gray inner lines.

Mom and Ragyo clashed blades, the sparks thrown from the blades boiled the ground and sent a ton of debris shooting out. I landed harshly alongside Satsuki and Ryuko, Satsuki was standing, barely even standing. She waded in, her eyes narrowed, bringing Bakuzan over her head, her anger boiling. With a scream, she brought it down, seeing it shatter.

"Fool..." Ragyo gasped, bashing Satsuki back, Junketsu unsyncing and Ryuko took her place, but didn't see Ragyo speed by her, her swords raised, about to bring them down on me.

"KAZUMA!" Mom thundered, getting in the way and taking the slashes for me. She stood, her blue eyes staring into Ragyo's crimson.

"That's... the difference between us... you... never... loved your children enough to sacrifice yourself... for them," she gurgled, turning to me and falling into my arms, looking up at me.

"Mom?" I mewed.

"Son, don't cry for me... I am as sinful as Ragyo... I gave you to her to save myself and your sister. Your father knew... and I never lived it down, now that I've confessed my sins... know that I... I love you, Kazuma," she groaned, touching my cheek and chuckling.

"To think that my daughter in law would be a Kiryuin... maybe your father was right..." And she died. Ragyo was cackling. Rage bubbled up, 'Mom, even if we didn't get along... I wish we did...' I thought, staring up at Ragyo, my new arm clenched into a fist.

"So falls Flavia Kaguya, the woman who gave away her son! The woman who abandoned him! Now, what will you do, sweet dragon? What is your daring plan?!" she mocked. All I felt was rage, I stood tall, taking up my mother's blade, one last defiance. One last strike. my hands shook, my breath came out fast. All I felt was rage, but also sadness.

Mom died for me. Dad died for me. Who else would die for me? This monster... this... demon... WOULD DIE TODAY! I felt Ryuken activate, my eye closed, and suddenly, I felt calm. I felt... love. Mom's blade blazed to life in my hands. One last strike, one last strike with the sword that didn't belong in my hands, but did at the same time.

I sped forth, Nui by my side, her eyes blazing with anger. We didn't clash, we relentlessly struck, shattering Ragyo's defenses and tearing her a new one, we both were enraged, My strands stabbing and tossing her around. Nui dodged Ragyo's hits, juggling her into my range and I was at my peak of power.

"KID! Stop! I'm gonna burn!"

I started to heat up, I was too angry to listen. She was mocking me, she was teasing me. I hated her. I hated her with my whole being. Ragyo ruined my whole life, she ruined my life. She ruined so much and never cherished a single thing. My rage boiled along with everywhere around me. They felt my rage, they felt everything.

My sword burned and I charged at top speed, grabbing her neck with my new arm, squeezing. Brutally slashing upwards, I cleaved her chest into ribbons. Drawing my fist back, my fibers charged and ready for a heavy blow. I didn't know how much force a hit from a Gray Fiber limb could do.

"IT'S... OVER!" I roared, sending my fist smashing into her chest wound, seeing my fibers burn through, I smiled, drawing them back and leaving a hole in her. I felt my power ebb away and fell to my knees, crawling over to Satsuki, who was in her undergarments, I took Kibonochi off and spread him over her. I closed my eye and wrapped my arms around her.

"Sir!" Ira called.

I didn't want to leave her, but her eyes, full of sadness and fear... told me a different story. Her lips smashed into mine, my hands felt her long black tresses and I didn't want to let go. Satsuki pulled away, her lips smiling, and her eyes locked on mine. She pushed the remains of Junketsu into my hands.

"Run," she whispered, touching my forehead with hers.

"Run, Kazuma. Run like hell... my love..." she pleaded, tears in her eyes. I held her.

"Not without you, Satsy..." I sighed. Ragyo staggered towards us, that still murderous smile etched on her face. I kissed Satsuki passionately and took both Kamuis with me. Ragyo tried to attack, but my Fibers restrained her. I ran, looking back to see a detonator in Satsuki's hand. Ira yanked me onto the helicopter, with everyone else who survived on there.

Ragyo let us escape. Nui sobbed, Ira knelt and closed his eyes, Uzu had been fighting to the very end, trying to get to Satsuki before me. Nonon was focused on flying us. But Ryuko was the most wrecked other than me. She seemed so shell-shocked.

"There's... no way. No way we can beat her..." she muttered. Senketsu was torn up just like Kibonochi and Junketsu. I sat down next to her, my eye closed.

"I... I wasn't... strong enough..." I mumbled, my eye focused on the Academy, which exploded just as we got far enough away to be safe. I felt hot tears sting my eyes, seeing the inferno. I lost her. I lost her. I lost her. Her pale skin, once so warm, now blackened. Her long hair, now charred short. Her beautiful starlight eyes now gone. I died with her. The old me died with her. The one that ran.

"If only... I was strong enough... she'd be here. She'd be by your side... Ryuko..." I sighed.

"Why is she so important?!" Ryuko snapped.

"Because she's your sister!" I yelled, slamming my black fist against the wall, denting it.

"That... that thing... is your mother. I knew and I couldn't tell you because I knew you'd never believe me, now we're in the same boat!" I continued, grabbing her shoulders.

"We're both monsters, Ryuko. Monsters of Life Fibers and Gray Fibers, you're part two of Project Threadbare..." I sighed. She still didn't believe me, fine. Fine. She'll come to terms on her own. Soroi had a long list of people that died in the attack. Or became a COVER. Or became missing in the bedlam.

"Mako Mankanshoku: COVER. Tsumugu Kinagase: COVER. Dodger James Thames: COVER. Dagda Andersson: Missing. Flavia 'Thunderbrand' Kaguya: Dead. Deter Zealelander: Missing. Satsuki... Satsuki..." Soroi couldn't bring himself to read her name, no one could. Except for me.

"Satsuki Kiryuin... Dead," I said, tears streaming down my face, I wanted to tear the list apart and tell them all to shut up. To not cry, but I did. I cried for more than just Satsuki. I cried for everyone. I shut down, hugging Nui tightly, and she was sobbing next to Kaneo, who was comforting her. We looked up at each other and everyone just let go of their hurt.

If only we were stronger... nobody would be dead. No one would be missing. No one would be a COVER. Yet, that's the price we pay for the war. I felt Satsuki still holding me, pleading with me to run with tears flooding her eyes. Why was she crying? Did she know that she was going to die? Or... maybe it was because she knew Ragyo was going to never stop until one of us was in her clutches? Hell if I know...

All I knew was that she was going to pay. Ragyo wouldn't die quickly. She'd die slowly, seeing my smile, as I end myself to join Satsuki. So we could finally have a happy ending...

Nui pulled away, "What about Mommy?" she asked.

"What about her?" I asked, closing my eye, I barely knew her as Nui did. She gawked at me.

"She was your Mommy too!" she objected.

"So?" I growled. Nui's eyes narrowed.

"So?! So?! Kazuma, you-" I cut her off, enraged. She didn't understand, she could never understand what it was like to act as the handsome and dutiful son.

"YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND! SATSUKI WAS EVERYTHING TO ME!" I screamed, clenching my hands into fists. Now that she was gone...? I didn't know what I'd do...

"Mommy compared me to you all the time! Kazuma this, Kazuma that! Kazuma will bring balance! Kazuma will change the damn world! Well, you know what? You're nothing without that Kamui! You're nothing without other people... You're... You're like..." she clenched her hands into fists, gritting her teeth.

I rose, towering over her, making Kaneo pull his gun.

"Now now, let's all just calm down..." Soroi cautioned Kaneo glared at me.

"Go on, take the shot... or tell me who I'm like..." I growled, resting my hand on Koudashi's hilt. My Gray Fiber hand twitching. The air in the copter was tense. My eye closed.

"You're like Ragyo," Nui stated. That's it. I broke, I grabbed Nui by the neck, my Gray Fibers poised to attack. My voice low, growling.

"I... am... not... Ragyo..." I whispered.

"I'm not like her. I never was..." I muttered.

I dropped Nui, sinking into a chair and sobbing. Like a wounded animal I sobbed. I was broken, shattered like glass. I wanted to go back, I wanted to sift through the wreckage and maybe find her body, and cradle it one last time. Kiss those dead lips and apologize. It was my fault. If I just played along...

Satsuki would be alive. I would be dead, but... she'd be sitting here now. Would she cry?


All it took was one push of a button. All it took was the woman I loved. I laid alone, closing my eye and just letting go of more hurts, more pains that stung me. The world has changed, no more is it at peace. Ryuko went off to what was left of the UK to work off some steam. I now wander among the mountains in China, avoiding the world around me. I got up for another day of going nowhere.

I was wearing Kibonochi, tattered and ruined. His eye flaps looking up at me. I couldn't hear him anymore. My hair was longer, dirty and greasy. My eye slowly became washed-out with all the nightmares and sleepless nights. My arm clenched Koudari and Koudashi. On the other side were the remaining halves of Bakuzan still in their sheath.

I wandered, seeing so many haunted people ambling among the ruins of what once was cities and villages. Linfen was clean now. Beijing was bombed-out and still scarring over. Everything was paused. Roadways clogged with cars, being bowled over by the Mongols that decided to conquer again. I ignored them, brushing through the crowds, emptily listening to the babble of the merchants on either side of the dead motorways.

"So, you know the New UK, right?"

"Oh yeah, isn't it run by the Warboys?"

"Yes, seems like they got a new leader,"

I raised an eyebrow, maybe I'll have some new leads on where everybody ended up. Ever since the helicopter ride, I cut myself off from everyone, Nui and Kaneo were still together and Uzu and Ira went their separate ways. Soroi just made tea for the rebellion. I indulged him, and that smile... The Mankanshokus charged Ira with getting Mako and her little brother Mataro back.

"Yeah, it's one smokin' hot babe..."

"She wears one of those Kamui whatsits... like that Kazuma kid from a week ago,"

I avoided them then. REVOCS hired Hunter Killers to track me down, I couldn't stay in one place for too long. So I kept on moving. No friends, no place to lay my head. Just go, go, go. Keep running. Satsuki made me promise.

"Didja hear about that new Hunter Killer?"

"Yeah, they say her name is Glass... nobody knows what she looks like,"

"I heard she's one helluva beauty..."

"Yeah, a DEADLY beauty..."

A deadly beauty, huh? I wonder what kinda person this... Glass is.

"Excuse me," I said, placing my hand on the guy who started the conversation's shoulder.

"Huh?" he asked.

"Do you know more about Glass?" I asked.

He looked around, pulling me into an impromptu huddle, my Gray Fiber arm was still covered up. He smiled.

"Okay kid, here's what I know. They say she's silent. Only muttering the name of her target, thrusting the wanted poster out like she's a robot or somethin'... They also say that she can't see. But her hearin' is inhuman...in fact, she's always synced up with one of those Kamui things... you best be careful in the night, kid..." he warned, I noticed that the merchant had oddly blue hair and steel-gray eyes, it was Mr. Mikisugi!

"Mr. Aikuro?" I asked.

He clapped his hand over my mouth, "We can't talk here, follow me!" he urged, grabbing hold of my arm. He dragged me into an alley, his eyes darting around, his hand stroking his beard.

"Okay, here's what's concrete, Mr. Kaguya... the moment she popped up. We all lost our bases. Site A was the first to go belly-up, then Osaka. Hannouji is now a COVER-infested ghost town. Now Glass is hunting someone here down. It's not me. I have reason to believe it's you..." he described. I nodded.

"Well then, if any wimpy little Hunter Killer wants to get me, then they can try... I've been training a ton, I know how to deal with 'em..." I said, cracking my knuckles.

"Kazuma, this isn't your normal run-of-the-mill Hunter... this is elite-level stuff. You're one hell of a swordsman, but... Glass is inhuman. She's fast, unpredictable, and efficient. Takarada and Nui have both been MIA for three weeks now," he informed.

"So? She hasn't faced me, I'm pretty unpredictable..." I commented.

"Oh yeah? You've been following the same pattern for days now," he countered. 'Dammit, I was trying to be cool...' I thought. The night was approaching, and Mikisugi put his hand on my shoulder.

"Good luck, Kazuma..." he sighed.

I walked away, my coat billowing behind me, I only got a few miles down the highway when I heard something, like... high heels? I poised my hand over Koudari and Koudashi, ready to fight if need be. There's only one person other than Ragyo that wears heels that tall... Then...

I barely dodged a kick, "Fuck!" I yelled, dashing as fast as my legs could carry me, Kibonochi woke up and looked up at me.

"Kid, what did I miss? Are you okay?"

"I'm being attacked by the sound of high heels!" I yelled.

"Well, that's new!"

"Y'think?! I'm trying not to die!" I snapped.

"How long has it been since the stadium? You smell like hell!"

"Hygiene was not on my priority list!" I snapped back, skidding behind a van, silence falling in the night. Nothing, not even a sound. Except...

Nothing's going to harm you, not while I'm around...

I knew that line... I knew that line! That line... it... calmed me.

"Kid, red flag!"

Nothing's going to harm you, no sir, not while I'm around...

That voice... that... warm... soft... no... NO! It's not real! Glass must be using Satsuki's voice!

"KID, MOVE!"

I dodge rolled out of the cover of the van, and on bended knee... I saw her. Long. Black hair. Pale skin. Supple legs. Two blazing amber eyes on her shoulders, the fabric of her synced Kamui was gray. Her breasts jiggled a bit with every step, but that wasn't the problem. A red and black blindfold was over her eyes. Her lips were curled into a blissful smile as she produced a wanted poster with me on it.

Before I changed into the wanderer. There were scars roping around her legs and exposed skin. Yet she moved smoothly, sedately with a sweet little smile.

Demons are prowling everywhere nowadays...

She raised her blade, and I said one name. One name I never thought I'd say again.

"Satsuki?"