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.
Oh, and HAPPY NEW YEAR! To celebrate the coming of 2016, we are proud to give you this new chapter! Please, read and review!
Sangokuden Armored War Gods Saga: Age of the Armored War Gods
Co-Written By: Ten-Faced Paladin and Kamen Rider Chrome
Chapter 5: Unmasking the White Devil
"How depressing..." murmured Nanamomo as she yawned while walking down the street of Son Go's capital.
The grief coming from the people of Son Go after hearing of Queen Sonsaku's death was fuel for the RinJyuKen. Sending in an agent to syphon all that grief would be all they needed to do. It was just a simple act, one death, but it was the death of a very important person, the most important person in the kingdom. She was worshipped by her people and her death would be a day of mourning for the people of Son Go.
The identity of the assassin was kept as a secret from the populace. If they knew that their own Armored War God had killed the queen, it could cause them to completely lose faith and push them over the edge.
Unfortunately, the RinJyuKen were fully capable of planting the seeds of doubt as they spread rumors of Zangetsu's involvement in Queen Sonsaku's death. Once they knew, they would be calling out for his head. That would add fuel to the fire and more Rinki for the RinJyuKen to harvest.
"How depressing..." Nanamomo repeated as she yawned. She needed to find a place to take a nap. Passively collecting all this Rinki was just dull and too much work.
Sonshoko was in her bed and lying under the covers. She wouldn't respond to anyone who knocked on her door and when she did it would be to tell them to leave her alone.
"Zan-niichan, why...?" Sonshoko sobbed.
Her big brother had always been so loyal to her family. He even saved their lives. So, how could he just kill her Sheren-neesama like that?
Nagata put on his orange Triumph Coat. It was the one designed to resemble the colors of his Kachidoki Arms. It was orange with black trim and cherry blossom lining on the inside. On the back of the coat was his symbol as an Armored War God. It inspired hope and a strong resolve, and he would need both for the meeting with Son Go's queen.
Nagata needed to go in order to peacefully resolve a diplomatic incident. Just yesterday, Son Go's Armored War God had appeared in Shoku, attacked him and nearly killed Sousou. Fortunately, he and Mitsuki managed to drive him away. Unfortunately, Sousou wanted to confront Sonsaku for what appeared to be an unprovoked attack upon allies.
Nagata had to go. An incident like this could break their alliance and he couldn't allow that to happen. They needed to be united in order to face the RinJyuKen. He knew that there was something else going on. Something that nobody else could see. Maybe it was blind faith, but Nagata wanted to believe that Masataka hadn't attacked them out of his own free will. He would have problems proving it, but he was going to hold onto that belief with all his might.
"Diplomacy is never easy, is it Shuri?" Nagata questioned as he addressed his strategist who was in his room with him.
"It never is, Nagata-sama. However, I learnt that a leader's true worth is proven when he can prevent a war without taking up arms," Komei told him.
"Wise words, Shuri," Nagata smiled at her, causing her to blush. "I'm going to need your help when I speak to Sonsaku. I don't want Sousou's brashness to cause a war. We want to avoid another conflict between Son Go and Sou Gi."
"But why would Zangetsu-dono attack you?" Komei asked.
"I don't know, but I intend to find out," Nagata answered.
Meanwhile, Sousou was getting ready as well. Juniku was dressing her when they heard a knock at the door.
"Who is it?" Sousou asked, hoping it was Kanu.
"It's me. Are you decent?" Mitsuki answered.
"Enter," Sousou permitted and Mitsuki entered the room before he closed it behind him. "Good morning, Mitsuki."
"Morning to you too, Karin, Keifa," Mitsuki greeted. "Did you sleep well?"
"I slept very well," Sousou answered as she pulled Juniku into a one-armed hug and kissed her cheek. This caused the strategist to swoon from the loving attention. "So, what did you want to talk to me about?"
"It's about Zangetsu," Mitsuki answered.
"Yes, I'm well aware of that. Gaim believes that Zangetsu is being controlled," Sousou replied.
"Well, I can think of one group who used mind control."
"The RinJyuKen and the Armored War Devils," Sousou stated.
"It's not the first time they manipulated events to get two factions to go to war," Mitsuki recalled how the RinJyuKen had set Son Go and Sou Gi to fight over a supply of gold that no longer existed.
"Bravo was also mind-controlled by Duke of the Armored War Devils as well," Juniku added. She had been angry about Sousou's close call with death but managed to sleep on it and could now think more clearly.
"You both sound like Gaim," Sousou frowned in disapproval.
"We're not saying he's right, Karin. We're just considering the possibility," Mitsuki responded.
"Although, without proof it is only a theory. But now that I think about it, what would Sonsaku benefit from killing Gaim now? We still need him to defeat the RinJyuKen," added Juniku.
The biggest threat to the Three Kingdoms was the RinJyuKen Akugata. The mysterious faction had an army of monsters, and was trying to cause chaos in order to harvest the negative emotions from the people. Nobody was not certain of their endgame but, if they were trying to cause people to suffer, it couldn't be anything good.
"Perhaps Gaim wasn't the real target," Sousou suggested.
"You think you were the real target?" Mitsuki asked. It made sense. Sousou had made a lot of enemies and she was also aggressively trying to unite the land under her name. Sonsaku was doing the same thing and both of them were very competitive women.
"Or we were both targeted," Sousou added as her eyes narrowed. "But that is why we're going to confront Sonsaku. We are going to demand answers."
While Sousou wanted answers, Mitsuki was only interested in paying Masataka back for nearly killing Sousou. Nobody attempted to assassinate her and got away with it. Sou Gi had a strict policy on how to deal with assassins and it was anything but merciful.
The two groups were ready to depart for Son Go. They were going to travel on horseback. At the gate, Nagata's friends were there to see them off.
"Take care of all the animals, Nenene," Ryofu instructed Chinkyuu.
"You can count on me, Ren-dono!" Chinkyuu saluted.
"Will you need us to come with you, Nagata-sama?" Ryuubi asked.
"Actually, I'll just be taking Aisha, Ren and Shuri with me," he told her.
"I see." Ryuubi appeared disappointed.
"Until I get back, I want you to do drills," Nagata told her. He turned to Gien. "Enya, make sure Touka does her drills."
"Hai!" Gien bowed. She might be Ryuubi's self-appointed bodyguard, but she had sworn to serve Gaim and follow his orders. She also wanted Ryuubi to become stronger so she could take care of herself.
"Also, Touka, until I get back, I want you to take over my duties as the court magistrate," Nagata ordered.
"You want me to be the new court magistrate?" Ryuubi asked.
"I'm sure you'll be able to do it," he assured her.
"I'll do it. I'm just glad you're finally giving me official duties."
"What do you mean?" Nagata asked, perplexed.
"To be honest, you really haven't given me any duties," the rosette replied.
"That's not true. You..." Nagata blinked and thought back to what Ryuubi's official dutires were. He came up with nothing. "Wait, I really haven't given you any duties, have I?" It must've slipped his mind. Then again, he had been busy and a lot had been going on for him.
"I've neglected you, haven't I?" he asked, embarrassed that he had overlooked Ryuubi. "So, you really want the job?"
"Yes, I want to make you proud, Nagata-sama!" Ryuubi beamed.
Nagata smiled and addressed Iori, "Iori, hold the fort, alright?"
"I know, I know. Business as usual," Iori nodded.
"I want to go too," Chouhi whined.
"So do I," added Batai.
"Now, you two. Nagata-sama wants us to stay to protect Shoku. He's giving us a very important duty," Kochu reasoned with the two young girls.
"Yeah, so show some respect. He entrusted us with a very important job," added Bacho.
"Relax, Sui. These two are just worried about me," Nagata replied. He appreciated the sentiment. After all, Chouhi looked up to him like a big brother and Batai looked up to him with just as much reverence.
"Still, I'm a bit upset that you won't let me come along, Nagata-sama," Chou'un pouted.
"I don't think I'll be in too much danger since I have Aisha and Ren to look after me and Shuri," Nagata told her.
"That's right. Nagata's safety is all but guaranteed with us," Kanu spoke firmly.
"We won't let him get hurt," added Ryofu as well.
"Then I guess I'm not too disappointed," Chou'un nodded. She knew that Kanu and Ryofu would never let anything bad happen to their king.
"Alright, it's time we went," Nagata instructed as he mounted his horse. "Come on, Shuri." Nagata offered his hand to his little blonde strategist who immediately began to blush.
Instantly, Komei's vision became accented by flowers and sparkles as she gazed upon her lord's handsome face.
'I'm going to be riding with Nagata-sama. That means I get to put my arms around him. And then...and then...' She blushed and steam started to flow from her ears as her fantasy started to go out of control.
"Hawawawa! Thank you, Nagata-sama, but perhaps I should ride with Kanu," Komei politely declined as she tried to regain control of herself.
"Oh, alright," he responded.
"Take care, everyone," Kanu waved as she mounted her steed and helped Komei get on with her.
"We'll be back soon," Komei smiled as she waved as well.
"Bye," Ryofu waved and smiled as she got on her horse as well.
"Bring back lots of presents, OK?" Riri waved as the group set off.
As the group left, Nagata's friends all waved at them and he waved back.
Nagata rode alongside Sousou who remarked, "You have a very good relationship with your officers."
"We're all friends. Why shouldn't we get along?" Nagata smiled back.
"Getting along is fine, but you shouldn't get too friendly with your officers," Sousou advised.
"This coming from the girl who treats her officers like her own personal harem?" Nagata shot back sarcastically.
"There's nothing wrong with rewarding your officers and satisfying your own desires, Gaim," she argued.
"I wouldn't be so sure about that."
Juniku and Mitsuki both observed Sousou and Nagata conversing with each other and didn't like how friendly they were being.
"I hate to admit it, but it looks like Oda's got a good chance of influencing Karin," spoke Mitsuki worriedly.
"Yes, and I can't believe I actually enjoyed his cooking," hissed Juniku as she bit the hem of her coat.
"It was nice. Reminded me of home," Mitsuki answered. He and Chitoge would have oyakodon sometimes together. It was one of the few good memories he had.
"Oh, I just wish we could end this alliance so Karin-sama can conquer this place. Then we can make Gaim into our servant so he can cook for us whenever we want," complained Juniku.
"Keifa..." Mitsuki spoke dangerously, causing her to gulp. "I told you before, only I get to beat Oda."
"Fine, you get to beat Gaim," accepted Juniku. Juniku understood why Mitsuki wanted to beat Nagata. Mitsuki considered Nagata his equal and thus a rival worth respecting. She wasn't one to cross Mitsuki when he was like this. She tried to be brave, but she was aware of how dangerous he was.
At least he was on Sousou's side.
"Hey, what are you two talking about?" Kakoton asked curiously.
"Oh, nothing," Juniku innocently denied.
"No, spill. You two are never this friendly with one another," added Kakoen suspiciously.
"It's nothing to be concerned about, Shuran. We're just discussing on how we should deal with Zangetsu," answered Mitsuki.
"I still can't believe he would attempt to assassinate Gaim-dono," Kakoen said. Masataka just seemed so honorable. During the Anti-Tyrant Alliance, he was always concerned for the soldiers. She got a pretty good read on him as well. When you fought alongside someone, you could tell a few things about them.
"Well, people often hide their true intentions behind a mask of kindness," Mitsuki shrugged.
"Do you really think Sonsaku sent him as an assassin?" Kakoton asked.
"He works for Sonsaku. I doubt he decided to commit this crime without her knowledge," Juniku countered.
"But Gaim-dono did say that Zangetsu-dono could've been acting against his free will. It is not like it hasn't happened before."
"Even so, he still attacked Gaim and nearly killed Karin-sama. I cannot forgive such actions," huffed Juniku.
The group continued their trip at a steady pace. As Shoku had worked hard in handling the bandit problem, the group was able to travel peacefully without the threat of being ambushed and robbed. They were, after all, quite an attractive target. Two rich nobles and their entourage of beauties would be quite irresistible.
Nagata was just finishing his talk with Ten'i over cooking when Kanu approached on her horse.
"Nagata-sama, can we talk?" Kanu asked.
"Are you going to ask me why I trust Masataka?" he returned and she nodded.
"Yes, I do. I want to know why you have so much faith in him."
"Because I know what our enemies are capable of. They want to break our alliance, and the best way to do that is to use one of our own against us."
"Yes, but from what I have observed, Zangetsu-dono's actions have always been for the best of Son Go."
"So, you think that he attacked us because he's trying to protect Son Go. That doesn't make sense."
"Perhaps you were not the true target," Komei suggested as she eyed Sousou.
"You think he was actually targeting Sousou?" Nagata asked and she nodded.
"Yes, I believe so. He only fought you in order to eliminate you so he wouldn't have any obstacles to hinder his mission. You should know that right now both Sousou-dono and Sonsaku-dono are absorbing all the unclaimed imperial territories. They are still rival warlords first and foremost. The best way to hide your true intentions is to make your fake attentions the most obvious ones. By attacking you first, it hid his intent to harm Sousou-dono," Komei theorized.
"But it just makes no sense! It doesn't seem like his style at all!" Nagata argued fervently.
"Nagata-sama, I understand. You want to believe in your friends. However, we saw him attack you. You need to consider the fact that he has betrayed us all," Kanu told him.
"He tried to hurt Nagata-sama. He's a bad man," Ryofu agreed.
"I just...don't like the idea of fighting my friends..." Nagata uttered softly.
"Today's friend will become tomorrow's enemy," quoted Komei sadly. She didn't like it, but history had shown that it was a common occurrence.
'I'm going to get to the bottom of this,' swore Nagata.
Meanwhile...
"Drop me a beat, buddy!"
"You got it, Ken!"
A group of bandits were tied up and forced to become an audience as Kurokage performed his victory dance. The Ultimate Cutter was dancing and singing 'Another One Bites the Dust' as he mocked the bandits with Gridon providing the beat.
"Another one bites the dust, yeah!" Kurokage sang as he performed the moonwalk followed by the disco finger. "And another one gone, and another one gone, and another one bites the dust. Oh yeah! We just kicked your ass, bitches!" He finished up by giving the bandits the double finger.
"Alright, that's enough, boys," Kayu called to her two comrades with an amused smile. "We've already beaten them. No need for cruel and unusual punishment."
"Come on. Just a few more minutes, please?" begged Kurokage.
"We never get many chances to gloat like this," Gridon added.
"Fine, but remember that we still need to collect the loot and deliver these guys to Kosonsan-dono," Kayu said.
"Yes, ma'am!" both Armored War Gods saluted. "Hideyoshi, another round!"
The bandits could only moan in despair as Kurokage once more performed for them.
"We are the champions my friends~! And we will be fighting till the end~!"
"Please, just kill me...!" one of the bandits begged.
Near nightfall, the travelling party stopped at Ryousei. It was along the way to Son Go so they decided to stop and rest before resuming their journey. As Nagata, Komei and Kanu were well-acquainted with Kosonsan, they informed the guards of their arrival. He instantly went and delivered the message. Before long, they were invited to Kosonsan's manor.
The group arrived at Kosonsan's home where she happily greeted them, "It's good to see you all again, Gaim-dono, Kanu-dono and Komei-dono."
"Pairen, relax. We're all friends here. No need to be so formal," Nagata responded.
"Ah, yes." Kosonsan rubbed the back of her head apologetically. She eyed the Sou Gi group. "I see you're traveling with Sousou-dono and her officers."
"We're just on our way to Son Go to see Sonsaku," Nagata informed her. At that moment, he noticed a change in Kosonsan's expression.
"I see. Well, come inside and make yourselves at home. I'll have the cooks prepare a meal for you," Kosonsan offered.
Kosonsan wasn't alone when she greeted them. Flanking her were Kenshin and Kayu, former generals to Totaku. Right now they were working for Kosonsan as provisional officers.
"Hey, Nagata. Long time no see," Kenshin greeted as the two fist-bumped.
"It's good to see you again, Kenshin," Nagata smiled back.
"And Ren, how have you been?" Kayu asked.
"I'm fine," Ryofu answered.
"Where's Hideyoshi?" asked Nagata.
"Back inside doing his nerd stuff," Kenshin pointed. "Come on. You can come in and say hi."
As the group went inside Kosonsan's estate, Mitsuki eyed Kenshin critically. He didn't have a very high opinion of the man who possessed the armor of Kurokage. He was very weak in the Crimson Enforcer's opinion and a reckless fool in battle. He was even serving another lord. He could understand Ryofu changing her allegiance to Gaim, but why were Kurokage and Gridon working for Kosonsan, the least impressive lord of this era? It just didn't seem right in his opinion.
"So, how are Yue and Ei doing back in Shoku?" Kayu asked curiously.
"Also fine. They are working hard," replied Ryofu.
"Yeah, as maids," Kenshin frowned as he glared at Nagata.
"Don't worry. Yue's being well taken care of," Nagata reassured the former To Faction officers. He didn't have a loli fetish. Maids on the other hand, well it all depended on the girl. While Totaku was cute, he considered her more like a little sister rather than a possible love interest.
"Based on the letters Hideyoshi keeps getting from her, I sure hope so," Kenshin remarked.
"So, why are you all going to Son Go for anyway?" Kayu asked.
"To see Sonsaku. She has questions she needs to answer," Sousou answered curtly.
Kenshin and Kayu frowned at Sousou. She was a very strong commander and someone worth respecting. Unfortunately, they really didn't like her personality.
"Neither of you have heard the news then," Kosonsan spoke to both faction leaders, frowning.
"What news?" Sousou questioned. Nagata wasn't sure he was going to like it at all.
"Sonsaku-dono's dead. She was assassinated by her own Armored War God, Zangetsu."
Total silence passed between the Armored War God and the blonde warlord.
Later, Kosonsan was sitting with everyone at the dining table. They were waiting for the cooks to finish preparing their meal.
Kosonsan nodded after hearing about what had happened in Shoku. "I see. So Zangetsu attacked Nagata-dono as well."
"Yes, but Nagata-sama is not willing to believe that Zangetsu-dono has truly betrayed us," replied Kanu.
"It's only because he's in denial," scoffed Mitsuki, earning himself a glare from Kanu and Ryofu for his unkind words.
Hideyoshi suggested, "You know, Nagata might have a point. We were all forced to work for Chojo because she had taken Yue hostage. Maybe someone is manipulating Zangetsu with similar leverage."
That was a sore spot for the former To Faction officers. Being forced to serve Chojo lest Totaku paid the price had been something they deeply regret.
"You were only forced to serve Chojo because you were too weak to do anything else," Mitsuki insulted. This time he earned the ire of Kenshin, Ryofu, Kayu and Hideyoshi.
"What was that, you asshole!?" Kenshin snapped as he stood up with his fellow officers.
"How dare you accuse us of letting Yue become a hostage!" added Kayu, outraged.
"It's true, isn't it? The nerd (Hideyoshi) and the idiot (Kenshin) here call themselves Armored War Gods, but instead of using their power to break her out, they instead kowtow to some midget! You're even abandoning your oath to Totaku right now by serving Kosonsan!" Mitsuki continued.
Mitsuki hated a lot of things and among them were traitors and weaklings. He labeled Masataka as a traitor for assassinating his own lord. He also labeled Kenshin and Hideyoshi as weaklings for not being able to protect their own lord. Now he considered them deserters for joining up with Kosonsan after Totaku lost her power.
"Urusai, teme!" Kenshin snapped as he attached his GenesisDriver and Hideyoshi put on his SengokuDriver. In response, Mitsuki strapped his own GenesisDriver as well. They took out their Lockseeds, ready to fight.
"Wait! Stop! Don't fight!" Kosonsan protested. She didn't want them to fight in her home. They could cause more damage than she could afford to fix.
Kakoen spoke up, "Mitsuki, stop this right now!"
Mitsuki ignored her. Suddenly, Ryofu stood up and stomped towards Mitsuki before she punched him right in the stomach. His eyes went wide as he doubled over and was forced down on his knees. He looked up, teeth gritted, as he glared at Ryofu.
"Don't make fun of my friends, jerk," she warned Mitsuki as he trembled under her gaze. Kanu approved of Ryofu's response while at the same time glaring at Mitsuki disapprovingly. He shouldn't have questioned the honor and loyalty of Yue's officers.
"Nice one, Ren-chan," Kenshin grinned in approval, giving her a thumbs-up.
"Che, I could've done that," Kayu remarked but smiled nonetheless.
"The bastard deserved it," Hideyoshi smirked.
"You really should've stopped while you were ahead," Kakoen advised Mitsuki as she helped him back to his seat.
"I only say what is true," Mitsuki grunted.
"I know, but you should've used more tact."
"You can't expect someone like Baron to practice tact, Shuran," Juniku sighed.
That was true. He always spoke from the heart, saying what everyone needed to hear even if they didn't want to hear it.
"You shouldn't have insulted their loyalty towards Totaku, Mitsuki," Kakoton added. "They only did what they could at the time."
"Still sounds like an excuse for their weakness," scoffed Mitsuki.
"But Gridon-dono makes a good point. Maybe someone is taking advantage of Zangetsu or even threatening him. That's why he was forced to assassinate Sonsaku-dono," Komei suggested.
"Our enemies have used many methods to attack and manipulate us," recalled Kakoen in agreement.
"Well, we won't know for sure. All we can do is speculate theories," said Juniku.
"Excuse me, but will Sousou-dono and Nagata-dono be joining us?" Kosonsan asked. The two faction leaders were absent.
"They said they needed to be alone to discuss some important things," Ten'i informed them.
Juniku bit her sleeve. She hated leaving Sousou alone with that man, but orders were orders.
"So Sonsaku's dead," Nagata realized as he and Sousou sat alone in the living room together. Their officers had left them so they could speak privately. The two sat across from each other, with a table set between them and cups of warm tea.
"Now this is interesting," Sousou smirked.
"What is it?" Nagata asked.
"It would appear that Sonken isn't such a submissive little sister after all."
Nagata's eyes widened at what Sousou was implying. "Sousou, you don't think that Sonken planned all this, do you?"
"It's not rare for heirs to fight over an inherited position. Even when an heir has been chosen, their siblings will try to claim the power for themselves, one way or another. Brothers and sisters conspire against each other to claim an inheritance all the time. Their greed and desire overpowers whatever familial bonds they may have."
Nagata slammed a fist on the arm of his chair. "That's nonsense! Sonken would never have her sister killed! She loves her!"
"But it's no secret that Sonken doesn't approve of Sonsaku's aggressive conquest of the land," Sousou argued. "Perhaps Sonken is tired of all the bloodshed and conquest. So in order to stop it, she had her sister killed."
"And you think she used Masataka to do this?" Nagata glared.
"He's still a man and Sonken is still a beautiful woman. Perhaps she seduced him and made him an offer he couldn't refuse," Sousou suggested.
"I would suggest you watch your mouth, Sousou. These people are my friends," Nagata growled.
"And there you go, trusting people and calling them your friends," Sousou shot back angrily.
"And you've gone too far BY suggesting that Sonken had her sister killed to claim power!"
"Because that's what happened to my father!" Sousou shot up and angrily shouted.
Nagata faltered, eyes wide. "...What?"
Sousou told him, "My father was the ruler of Sou Gi. However, my uncle wasn't happy about it and so he had my father poisoned. Nobody could prove he did it but after the funeral, while I was put under his care, I overheard him as he bragged about it to his conspirators. My rage towards him was unbelievable but I couldn't act just yet. I needed to gain power and so I waited. I was careful and acted ignorant in front of him while I drew up plans behind his back. I also recruited the assistance of Shuran, Shunran and Keifa so we could overthrow him. He screamed and ranted as I took the throne but I had him executed to avenge my father before I proclaimed myself the new ruler."
Nagata now understood Sousou a bit more. He understood why she was the way she was.
"That is why I am not as naive as you! Trust!? Friendship!? All those things can be easily broken! Bonds like that are fragile things! My father trusted his brother and he paid the price for it!" Sousou continued to rant.
Nagata didn't know what compelled him but he reached out towards Sousou and put his hand on her shoulder. She looked him in the eye, offended that he would touch her so casually.
She had told this story to Mitsuki after his return from his world. She may not completely trust all her officers, but she still cared about them. She also considered Mitsuki family and told him about her childhood and in return he had told her about his own life and how he had lost his own family as well due to the unfairness of the world.
It was one of the moments that really bonded them. How could someone like Nagata, surrounded by so many people who loved him, possibly understand?
"You're so naive, you know that, Gaim?" Sousou asked rhetorically.
"And how am I naive?" he asked.
"You have too much compassion."
"And what's wrong with that?"
"It's a weakness and I refuse to show weakness."
"I disagree. Kindness isn't the same as weakness. It takes someone really strong to still hold onto their kindness."
"So, are you saying I'm weak?" Sousou glared accusingly.
"I'm saying you were hurt once before and that made you cynical."
"Well, you've never been betrayed so I doubt you can ever understand."
"That's not completely true. I have been betrayed actually," Nagata confessed.
Sousou blinked in confusion as she looked at him. "And who was this person who betrayed you?"
"He was the man who stole Ryuubi's name and identity. He claimed to be her and had her sword. Back then, he was leading the Volunteer Army that would one day become Shoku's army. I actually trusted him back then and thought he was a good man. I was a fool and he betrayed me so he could take my belt and make a name for himself."
Sousou decided to use that to prove her point, "See? That's exactly my point. Trust anyone so easily and you get stabbed in the back. Even people who you think are your closest friends could one day turn on you."
"No, just because I've had one bad experience, it doesn't mean I should stop trusting people at all. The fake Ryuubi betrayed me, but on the day when we were attacked by the combined might of bandits and the RinJyuKen, our friends came to our aid," Nagata told her. Sousou knew that day well. Mitsuki had gone to assist Touka Village, and reported the entire incident to her when he returned. Armored War God Ryugen and Kochu had come to Nagata's aid as well.
"And your point?" Sousou questioned.
"Don't you get it? If you continue believing in the worst of everyone, you will only end up turning your allies away. You'll find yourself alone. Forever." He took in a deep breath to gather his thoughts before asking, "Your comrades, what do they mean to you?"
"My subordinates you mean," Sousou corrected. "They are simply tools for me to realize my ambition. That is all."
"Well, my comrades are the people I trust the most with my life. I trust them to watch my back, and they trust me to do the same. We fight together, we eat together, we smile together, we laugh together, we dream together, and we cry together. Our bond is strong because of everything we've been through together. They aren't just my comrades. They're my family."
Both Sousou and Nagata sat in silence after that with Sousou contemplating his words. 'He's too compassionate, too kind to be a lord, and he's foolish if he can trust others so easily. However, I can't fully find any fault in his way of thinking since it works so well for him. It's not a wrong way to look at things, but it's still different from mine. If he was any other person, I would deem him weak, but he isn't. He's strong and he is loved by his people. Though, we'll see whose ideals are better.'
"Come on, everyone's probably waiting for us and starving," Nagata told Sousou. "Shall we?"
"Fine," Sousou accepted as the two stepped out of the room together. She still thought Nagata was naive but perhaps he had a point. Perhaps trusting others wasn't so foolish.
Kosonsan invited the group to spend the night in her mansion. In his room, which he shared with Kanu, Nagata found himself unable to sleep. Careful not to disturb Kanu, he got out of the bed and exited the room.
Only to bump into Ryofu.
"Ren?"
"Where are you going?" she asked.
"Oh, I just needed to take a walk. What about you?"
"Bodyguard duty," she answered.
"Oh, right. You're my bodyguard. You know we're going to be on the road again tomorrow, right? You should get some rest."
"Already took a nap. I'm fine," she insisted.
Nagata sighed. It looked like he was going to be stuck with Ryofu shadowing him as he took a walk. There was no convincing her otherwise.
Nagata took his walk and entered the garden to see Kenshin and Kayu under the gazebo. Curious, he went to see what they were doing.
As he saw the wine bottles and cups, he knew that the two of them were drinking.
"Oh, yo Nagata," Kenshin greeted. He seemed a bit tipsy. "Pull up a chair. We have wine if you want any."
"No thanks," Nagata politely declined the offer of a drink. He didn't want to suffer a hangover tomorrow, but took a seat anyway. "Do you two drink like this every night?"
"Not every night. Only when something stresses us out," Kayu informed him as she took a sip.
"Yeah, Ren told me about what happened with Akechi."
"Damn bastard was talking smack about us," grumbled Kenshin. "Why are you even traveling with that douchebag and his loli of a ruler?"
"Let's just say we're looking for answers in Son Go," Nagata answered.
"Yeah, I heard. Can't believe Zangetsu would try to off you like that."
"Sousou was nearly killed too, you know."
"Heh, well, she's pissed off a ton of people. It's to be expected," Kenshin shrugged nonchalantly.
"What Akechi said to you really upset you," Nagata observed.
"He accused us of doing nothing when Yue was taken hostage!" growled Kayu as she slammed her empty cup down and refilled it.
"That's right! It wasn't like we let it happen! That damn Chojo pulled a fast one on us!" Kenshin added.
Nagata had been told the whole thing. Ryofu hadn't left anything out. Even Komei and Kanu corroborated. Mitsuki's words had been harsh, true, but they weren't without reason. Totaku's officers were supposed to protect her but they failed and she ended up becoming a hostage while Chojo manipulated them.
She had manipulated everyone around her so they couldn't be blamed completely. Everyone was nothing more than pawns on a chessboard to her. They probably feel guilty enough about it already and Mitsuki's words had simply rubbed salt on old wounds.
"We feel bad enough about it as it is!" Kenshin complained before he downed another cup of wine. "We knew damn well that we failed Yue when that bitch used her as a bargaining chip! We had to do what she said or Yue was dead! He didn't think that we tried to find a way around it?! Fuckin' asshole! I'd like to see what he'd do if someone were to do the same to Sousou, then try and call us dickless again!"
It was starting to get out of hand now, especially with how current events were going. Deciding to simmer the mood, Nagata switched subjects.
"So, how has it been for you guys since you started working for Pairen?" Nagata asked.
"Oh, you mean Kosonsan-dono? Well, she pays us enough and gives us a place to stay while we work for her. In exchange, we help her keep the peace and fight bandits, and whatever threat that attacks," Kayu answered, calming down from her anger.
"And Hideyoshi pretty much drew up the contract so it was clear that we're only here as provisional officers for her," Kenshin boasted. "She only keeps us around because she feels left out that she didn't have any Armored War Gods of her own."
Nagata didn't want to confirm Kenshin's words, but Kosonsan was quite plain and forgettable to others. She really didn't make much of an impression on others. Fortunately, Nagata wasn't the type to forget a friend and Kosonsan did make a good impression on her people by always helping them the best she could.
"So, when will you guys be coming back to Shoku?" Nagata asked.
"By the end of the year. By then, Kosonsan would probably double the amount she pays us just so she can keep us around," Kenshin smirked.
"You really shouldn't take advantage of her like that," Nagata frowned in disapproval.
"Relax, Nagata. It's just business. Besides, she treats us well enough and she's a fair boss."
"And we didn't have many choices. The only other ruler we knew that didn't have an Armored War God or powerful generals was Enjutsu. Did you really think any of us would want to work for her?" Kayu asked rhetorically.
She had a point. While Enjutsu's personality had slightly improved, she was still a bit of a spoiled brat and like Ensho she wasn't very smart. She was just slightly smarter than Ensho and that wasn't very impressive. She was only smart enough to outsmart her cousin. Anyone else wouldn't be as gullible.
"Well, it would be nice to have you around. Yue really misses you guys," Nagata told them.
"We know. Hideyoshi reads us the letter she sends all the time," Kenshin answered.
Both Hideyoshi and Totaku had been exchanging letters quite frequently. It was all just to talk about what was going on in their lives. With each letter, they continued to maintain contact. Kenshin and Kayu also wrote back letters so that Totaku wouldn't feel like they were neglecting her.
"And she's always happy to read the ones he sends back," Nagata smiled. It always brightened his day to see the adorable former noble, now a humble maid, smiling after receiving another letter from Hideyoshi.
"Where is Hideyoshi?" Ryofu asked.
"He's burning the midnight oil, as usual," Kayu answered.
Like Kayu said, Hideyoshi was in his office. His bookkeeping skills were very useful in this era as he kept very clean and organized records. He really wanted to go back to Shoku soon. It wasn't to say working for Kosonsan was bad. She treated them well enough and the contract he had drawn up was pretty fair in the benefits they would be receiving. However, one thing was missing.
Totaku.
He really missed her. She was, after all, the girl he loved.
Among Hideyoshi's precious possession was an abacus. It was a gift from Totaku so he could do his work. It may not be as sophisticated as his calculator, but it still get the job done. It was both practical and meaningful to him, and he used it all the time for his work. It reminded him a lot of her and he really missed seeing her. Exchanging letters just wasn't enough. He wanted to be able to hear her voice again. He also missed Kaku as she was one of the few people who he could have an intelligent conversation with.
At first he only had a crush on Ryofu, but then those feelings gradually waned as he spent more time with Totaku. The kiss she gave him at Shoku truly surprised him. She had also confessed that she loved him and he felt the same way.
Hideyoshi was greatly offended by what Mitsuki had said about him and the other To Faction officers, about how they had failed Totaku. The worst part was that he was unable to refute Sousou's Armored War God. It was true that they couldn't protect Totaku but it had nothing to do with weakness.
But Hideyoshi really had no excuse. He had sworn to protect her and failed. Fortunately, he was able to make up for it by being involved in her rescue and finally defeating the one responsible for her imprisonment.
After leaving Shoku, he, Kenshin and Kayu did end up having a few interesting (mis)adventures. They once had their map stolen by an ostrich, or so Kenshin claimed. Hideyoshi was sure he had lost it and was just making excuses. They also lost their money when Kayu gambled it away but managed to get it all back through a combination of Hideyoshi's smarts and Kenshin's dumb luck. They even got stuck in a zombie-infested town before managing to escape without joining the legions of the undead.
Actually, the last one was just a hallucination after eating some bad mushrooms.
Their most notable accomplishment was when they liberated the To province from the tyrannical rule of Kagemusha, who was actually Totaku's uncle Shishi. With help from Haru, who had been passing by, they defeated Kagemusha and freed To. Finally, they found themselves here, working for Kosonsan to earn money and do some good.
He looked at the Xuanwu Lockseed on his table and picked it up, smiling as he gazed at it. Unlike before, he now had real power in the palm of his hands. This time, for sure, he would be able to confront any challenge that came his way. This time for sure he would be able to protect Totaku and make her proud.
The travelling group left Kosonsan's city the following morning and Nagata promised that he would come visit again with Ryuubi. As they continued their journey, a fallen tree blocked their path, forcing them to stop. Mitsuki's eyes narrowed in suspicion at the sight of it.
"Have that tree removed," Sousou ordered.
"Got it," Mitsuki obeyed as he dismounted from his horse. Ryofu dismounted as well to help. Suddenly, they were ambushed by bandits who came out of the bushes with their swords, and dirty clothes while smelling horribly.
"Bandits!" grimaced Nagata as they were surrounded.
"I knew I smelled something rotten," Mitsuki remarked with a scowl.
"Hands over all your valuables and give us your women!" one of the bandits demanded threateningly. Kanu instantly reacted with Ryofu as they swiftly attacked the bandits. Mitsuki also joined in, drawing his own sword and fighting alongside the two warriors. Sousou and her entourage watched, impressed by their ferocity as the bandits were swiftly put down, screaming in both shock and pain.
One bandit, desperate, made a grab for Sousou. She was pulled right off her horse and pinned against him. She grimaced in disgust at his stench. Nagata immediately dismounted as Mitsuki pocketed his hands.
"Don't you come any closer! I'll cut her! I swear I will!" the bandit warned.
"You dirty man! How dare you touch Karin-sama!?" yelled Juniku.
Kakoton and Kakoen reached for their weapons but they had to stay their hand lest the bandit harm their ruler. Suddenly, Mitsuki moved and he flicked a pawn straight into the bandit's forehead. He cried out in surprise and loosened his grip on Sousou. Immediately, Nagata went to take Sousou's hand, pulling her over to his side. The bandit, angered, lunged at Nagata but was swiftly disarmed as Nagata drew his katana and knocked his sword out of his grip before pointing the tip threateningly at his throat.
The look in Nagata's eyes was filled with cold fury. It would take one simple thrust to end his life. As he saw that his fellow bandits were now dead and that he no longer had any leverage, he quickly backed away before he turned and fled. Not about to let the bandit escape, Mitsuki flicked another chess piece into the back of his head with so much force that he was knocked down.
"Are you alright, Sousou?" Nagata asked.
"That's the second time you saved me, Gaim," Sousou smiled.
"Hey, I stunned him," Mitsuki reminded defensively.
"Well, you are supposed to protect me, Crimson Enforcer," smirked Sousou. Mitsuki rolled his eyes. "I think I'm going to need a bath now. That bandit got his stench on me."
"There should be a river not far from here," informed Komei.
"Good, then I can wash myself properly before we reach our destination."
Juniku went over to the fallen bandit and kicked him several times, "This is for touching Karin-sama, you brute!"
"Should we kill him?" Mitsuki asked Sousou. Letting any bandit go free would allow them to commit more crimes. Nagata didn't like killing in cold blood, but these bandits were criminals and needed to be dealt with.
"Do it," Sousou ordered.
"Wait," Nagata started to protest.
"What is it, Gaim?"
"There's no reason to kill him. He's already down," Nagata reasoned with her.
Sousou sighed. There was Nagata's compassion again. Sometimes she found it adorable, if a bit naive. Now it was just annoying. While he had no trouble killing bandits in self-defense or in the defense of others, he would not take a life of a bandit that had surrendered or was unable to fight.
"He touched Karin-sama and threatened her! He deserves to die!" snapped Juniku angrily. Kakoton and Kakoen nodded in agreement.
"Besides, what would you have me do? Let him go?" Sousou asked rhetorically.
"Well, no. But he has to face justice and answer for his crimes," Nagata answered.
"This is justice, Gaim. You should know better by now. Bandits like this, who rob, rape and kill, they don't deserve any mercy," Sousou shot back. She turned to Mitsuki and gave him a nod to proceed.
Mitsuki drew his sword from his scabbard and approached the bandit who was trying to crawl away to safety. Mitsuki brought his foot down on his back and heard the man whimper for mercy. Mitsuki ignored his pleas as he brought the sword down.
Komei had her eyes closed at the cold execution while Nagata just stared, fists clenching. His time in this world had indeed changed him as back in his own world he would've been horrified at the sight. While he wouldn't normally condone such an act, it was necessary. These bandits would've repeated their crimes and attacked travelers who couldn't defend themselves. For the sake of the innocent, the guilty needed to be punished. Sometimes, kindness and compassion needed to take a backseat for that to happen.
"And this is no time to start being a hypocrite, Gaim. After all, it's not like your hands are clean either. But that's a small price to pay for our ideals and the paths we've chosen," Sousou informed him as she went to mount her horse.
"Nagata-sama..." murmured Kanu as Nagata couldn't find the words to refute Sousou. His own path of justice was also stained in the blood of the bandits he had killed.
Mitsuki wiped the blood clean off his sword and sheathed it before getting back on his horse. After removing the tree, Ryofu also rejoined them. She noted Nagata's silence.
"Are you OK?" she asked.
"I'm fine. Let's gather their weapons and take care of these bodies before we move on," Nagata ordered. Kanu watched him sadly. She knew he had grown use to all this but that didn't mean he wasn't bothered by it all.
Meanwhile, back in Kosonsan's manor...
"So, how did you get that black eye?" Hideyoshi asked Kenshin curiously. His friend was sporting a very nasty shiner over his left eye.
"OK, last night, I think I was pretty wasted..." started Kenshin.
Hideyoshi concluded, "So you were drinking with Miyabi, again."
Kenshin continued, "Anyway, I went up to talk to Akechi and give him a piece of my mind about the shit he said to us."
"I think I know where this is going."
"Yeah, I even talked about his relationship with the Kako Sisters..."
Hideyoshi's eyes widened, "You didn't."
"And so I asked him, 'Since you're fucking them, and Sousou fucks them too, does that mean you're indirectly fucking Sousou?'"
Hideyoshi finished, "And in which point he punched you in the face."
Kenshin confirmed, "That's about right."
Hideyoshi suggested, "You really should stop drinking, Kenshin. It makes you do stupid things. It's a miracle you can even remember what you did while inebriated."
Kenshin bragged, "Hey, my brain is like a steel trap. I can never forget trauma, physical or emotional."
Hideyoshi muttered, "...Not exactly something to brag about."
Kenshin added, "As if the hangover I had this morning wasn't bad enough."
Hideyoshi begged, "Seriously! Stop drinking! Stop drinking before you do something you really regret!"
Kenshin boasted proudly, "Hah! I regret nothing!"
Hideyoshi pinched the bridge of his nose and said, "You know, this is exactly why Ei warns me in her letters to keep an eye on you. It's to avoid situations like this."
After several days of traveling on horseback, the Shoku and Sou Gi group finally reached the port. They then got on a boat and crossed the Changjiang River. While onboard, Nagata noticed the large number of Lily Surfers that were on patrol. He then looked up and saw Dandeliners flying overhead. He was aware that Son Go had a large collection of Lockvehicles. He could guess why they were all on patrol. They were looking for Zangetsu.
When they arrived at the capital, the guards demanded their identification. It was just like what happened back at the border outpost where the guards had stopped them and demanded to know their intentions for entering Son Go.
Komei and Juniku, representing their factions, produced them. The guards allowed them entry afterwards. When they entered the capital, they saw Tulip Hoppers with soldiers mounting them marching around. Nagata also noticed the depressing feeling among the citizens. The death of their queen and the knowledge that their own Armored War God had killed her was truly affecting the once prosperous capital of Son Go.
Sitting in a tavern together were Kogai, Kannei and Shuutai. The three young women were depressed and contemplative.
"I still can't believe that Zangetsu-sama would kill Sonsaku-sama," Kannei uttered as she downed another drink.
"Neither can I," Kogai slurred drunkenly as she took another gulp of wine. With Masataka gone, all his work had gone to her. Unfortunately, without his guidance, the Lockseed Distribution Department wasn't running very smoothly. Most of the staff even refused to come to work because of what had happened.
"But it just can't be true!" Shuutai denied desperately. Masataka had always been so kind to her. He even got her a pet cat. There was no way he would suddenly turn traitor. It just wasn't like him.
"Well, Meirin definitely wants Sensei's head on the chopping block," Kogai said to them as she produced a wanted poster depicting Masataka's face with the amount offered as a reward. Bandits, bounty hunters and mercenaries would be out hunting him, unable to resist the amount offered.
"That is a ludicrous amount," Kannei gaped. While she understood that a reward like that was very tempting, that just seemed way too much in her opinion.
"Her lover was killed by someone she trusted. She's mad with grief now and wants revenge," Kogai sighed as she downed another drink. She spotted another Tulip Hopper march down the street.
"The city is restless," observed Shuutai. How long was this going to go on?
As Sonken sat on the throne, her thought led towards Masataka. Not too long ago, he had revealed a shocking secret to her. Before she knew the truth, she didn't think the Helheim Forest held anything of interest, save for the fact the fruits could be converted into Lockseeds with Masataka's magic. The Inves were also another thing, but they were just Helheim's wildlife. They could be summoned and controlled and used as extra manpower.
However, Masataka had shown her the ruins of the ancient civilization which had once thrived in the other world. As she would one day take the throne, he thought it was time she knew the truth. Her eldest sister, Shuyu and Kogai had learnt about the ruins before and now she was the latest person to learn about the secret of the Helheim Forest.
After her sister's death, they had tried to keep the people from finding out the cause of it. The death of Sonsaku would be a huge blow towards them, but to discover that their own Armored War God had committed the act would be a devastating blow to their faith. Unfortunately, there was a leak and rumors were circulating.
Sonshoko was devastated by the death of their eldest sister as well and had locked herself in her room. Zangetsu's betrayal hit her extremely hard. He had been like a big brother to her but now he was nothing more than a horrible traitor to Son Go's royal family.
Shuyu was hit as hard as Sonken and Sonshoko and angrily proclaimed Zangetsu as a traitor and should be brought in, dead or alive. She even offered a reward for his capture. Mercenaries, bandits and bounty hunters would be clamoring for the reward. She even had the guards search Masataka's room for anything that could shed some light on his motives.
"Masataka...why...?" Sonken whispered.
"Renfa-sama, are you alright?" Ryomo asked. The strategist stood by her queen's side, ready to help.
"I'm fine, Ashe," Sonken lied.
"No, you're not," Ryomo countered. "You've barely eaten anything and you look like you haven't had any sleep. You look like you might fall sick."
"I just..." Sonken started as Ryomo hugged her. "Ashe?"
"I know a lot is on your mind and you're in grief. However, you need to be strong," Ryomo advised.
"Yes, Onee-sama would need me to be strong for the sake of the people," agreed Sonken.
"And you need to take care of yourself too."
"I know...it's just...I've lost two very important and precious people in my life."
"Shao-sama already lost most of her family. I don't think she'd want to lose the only sister she has left."
Sonken wiped her tears and recovered.
"Sonken-sama, a group of visitors seek an audience with you," a guard informed her.
"Tell them I can't go and see them right now," Sonken ordered.
"That may not be an option, Sonken-sama. It's Gaim-dono, Sousou-dono and their officers."
Sonken's eyes widened in surprise. Why were two lords that were part of their alliance against the RinJyuKen doing in her kingdom, and right after the death of her sister? She would figure that out later. She would need to welcome them.
Nagata, Sousou and their group were allowed an audience with Sonken, but only after giving up their weapons to the guards. As they arrived to the throne room, they saw Sonken sitting on her throne with Shuyu and Ryomo flanking her. The beautiful bespectacled woman's features were as hard as stone while Sonken looked like she was emotionally exhausted. She was no doubt still mourning the death of her sister but as a ruler she had no time to grieve and needed to take over.
"Sonken, we would like to offer our condolences," spoke Nagata sincerely as he clasped his hands together and offered her a polite bow that was performed by the others. Even Sousou offered a respective bow. Even if Sonsaku was her rival, she still respected her.
"I, Sousou Motoku, also offer my condolences."
"Thank you, Gaim-dono and Sousou-dono. Tell me, what is the purpose of your visit?" Sonken asked.
Sousou was the one who answered, "We want to know why Zangetsu attacked us." As soon as she said that, Sonken turned pale and Shuyu's eyes narrowed.
"So, he attempted to assassinate you as well, Sousou-dono," Shuyu spoke sternly.
"He attacked us while Sousou was visiting Touka Village," Nagata informed.
"I see..." Shuyu's eyes narrowed further. "And did he get away?"
"Unfortunately, yes," Nagata confessed. He noticed Shuyu's angry reaction to the news. She wanted Zangetsu dead for the death of her beloved Sonsaku. He couldn't ask Sonken now about what had happened to her sister. She was devastated enough already.
"Sonken-dono, there's actually another reason that we came here," started Komei.
"What is it?" Sonken prompted.
"We have reason to believe that Zangetsu might be innocent."
Instantly, Shuyu snapped in anger, "How dare you even suggest that!? He killed Sheren right before my eyes!"
"But it is possible he could've done so against his will," Komei confidently countered.
"Explain," commanded Sonken as Shuyu tried to keep her anger under control. Nagata decided to pick up from where Komei left off.
"Remember that we all have one common enemy: The RinJyuKen Akugata. They have been working against us and have attempted to turn us against each other before. It's not impossible to consider that Masataka might've fallen into their grasp and is now just a puppet being used by them."
Sonken considered Nagata's words, holding onto that bit of hope that Zangetsu might be innocent.
"It is quite disgraceful to lose control of your Armored War God, but there is also another alternative to consider," Sousou continued. "That he was acting on your orders, Sonken."
'Sousou, what are you doing!?' thought Nagata, horrified.
Sonken immediately rose to her feet, furious, "What are you suggesting?"
"You needed to stop your sister's conquest to prevent your legacy from being stained in blood any longer. As Zangetsu is quite close to you, you could've easily persuaded him to assassinate your own sister," Sousou continued.
"These accusations of yours are unfounded!" protested Shuyu.
"Maybe, but didn't your aunt conspire to kill her as well, Sonken?"
"Don't you dare compare me to her," Sonken warned.
"Let me warn you that if he was acting on your orders, that you probably sent him to have Gaim and I killed. If that is the case, then, it is declaration of war and I never back down from a war," Sousou threatened.
Sonken's eyes narrowed with rage, "Get. Out. Of my face. Now," she uttered, struggling to keep her composure in check.
"There will be no war," Nagata spoke sternly to both Sonken and Sousou.
As both Sou Gi and Shoku parties left the palace together, Nagata decided to talk to Sousou about what had happened.
"What the hell was that about, Sousou?" Nagata demanded.
"I was merely presenting my own theory after you presented yours," she answered nonchalantly.
"You were declaring war on Son Go," he reminded.
"No, I only threatened to declare war."
"That's practically the same thing!"
"Son Go's Armored War God nearly killed the both of us. If he was working under Sonken's orders, we have good reason to declare war on her."
"Oh no! Don't drag me into your warmongering ways! I'm just here to find out the truth!"
"And what if my theory turns out to be the truth?" she questioned.
Nagata hesitated slightly. "For all our sakes, I should hope it isn't. Remember what I said about always thinking the worst in people? I know of your ambition but don't make the crisis any more worse than it already is."
"Trust me, it is something I'd rather not have happen either. I'm simply... making a contingency plan."
"Ah, contingency plans," Nagata repeated. "A sophisticated phrase for plotting behind someone's back."
"Call it what you will, but it's always necessary to have a contingency plan."
"And sometimes contingency plans would cause you to lose the trust of your allies, no matter how you justify your actions. They'll only believe that you're plotting to strike them at their most vulnerable. I know, I watched it happen once," Nagata said, referring to "Justice League: Doom". "If you're serious about keeping infighting at a minimum, then you'll stop antagonizing everyone, especially now."
Sousou cocked her head. "Why are you so insistent in believing in the best in people when they can easily stab you in the back?"
"Because not everyone is as greedy and ambitious to take what they want," Nagata answered without hesitation. "Call me naive if you like, but there is no way Masataka would kill Sonsaku willingly. I've gotten to know him well and he's too honorable to do such a thing. And Sonken loves her sister. Would she really give such an order? You also saw how Shuyu reacted when Shuri said she believes that Zangetsu might be innocent. If she was really acting then she deserves an award. And of course, there's the RinJyuKen Akugata to be considered. Only they would be the ones to profit from this incident." Nagata leveled his gaze, "So I ask you this, Lord Sousou: Why shouldn't I have faith in people when I have reason to believe in them?"
Sousou spat in response, "Spare me your platitudes, Gaim. One day, your blind faith in others is going to get you killed." She ordered her retainers, "Everyone, let's go get something to eat."
As Sousou and her group went on ahead, Nagata turned his gaze towards the palace. He was going to get some answers, one way or another.
Accompanied by Ryomo and Kannei, Sonken went to visit her sister's grave. Her gravestone was next to her parents'.
It hadn't been long since the death of her sister. It was just so sudden. One moment she was alive and well, and the next she was gone. While Sonken was always annoyed by her sister's teasing, she wished that she was here, right now, to just joke around with them. She truly needed her sister as she didn't know what to do and felt unworthy to follow in her sister's footsteps.
Shuyu blamed Zangetsu and her feelings towards him had turned to hatred. He was marked as a traitor and once he was found he would be treated as such. Shuyu had ordered Natsu and Fuyu to search for him and bring him to Son Go to be stripped of his titles and his life. Sonken didn't want that, but Shuyu insisted that it was the only way to get justice for Sonsaku's death.
Sonken knelt and offered a prayer but then someone else knelt next to her and placed down flowers before they did the same.
It was Nagata. He had his palms together as he quietly offered a prayer.
He then turned to address her, "I would ask if you were alright, but you're obviously not."
"How did you know I was here?" Sonken asked her fellow ruler.
"Shuutai told me," Nagata answered. The two stood up to face the headstones. "Your sister's here, isn't she?"
"And my mother and father," Sonken replied. "It was hard for us when Okaa-sama left us but Onee-sama did her best and we managed to move on. Though, now that Onee-sama is gone, I have to do so much to fill in her shoes," Sonken said.
Nagata carefully put an arm around her to comfort her. He knew how she felt. He had lost his parents as well. So, he could sympathize with her.
However, there was another reason why he was here. He came for answers.
"Sousou was out of line," Nagata said to her. Sonken scoffed in response.
"Are you here to apologize on her behalf?"
"You and I both know she doesn't apologize for anything."
"Yes, indeed. She always has to think she's right. She's so sure of herself and...I envy her for it."
Sousou was a strong leader, always sure on her path. In many ways, she was like her sister Sonsaku. Both of them were rival warlords who wanted to unite the land. Sonsaku did it to honor their mother's wishes while Sonsaku did it to realize her ambition.
"Sonken, do you mind if I asked you about Masataka?" Nagata asked. He knew it would hurt to be reminded of the tragedy, bit this was necessary to get answers. If she didn't want to answer, he wouldn't push her.
"What do you wish to know?"
Nagata went back to the inn where he and his friends were staying. Fortunately for him, Sonken was able to tell him what he needed to know and he told his friends what Sonken had told him.
"Masataka went missing two weeks before Sonsaku's death. He was on a mission to investigate claims of a river monster that was attacking fishing boats," Nagata informed his friends.
"A river monster?" Kanu questioned.
"Besides fishing, Son Go uses the Changjiang River as one of its main routes to transfer goods. A river monster could disrupt their economy. Zangetsu-dono cares a lot about Son Go's economy, so he wouldn't hesitate to investigate, especially if he thinks it's the RinJyuKen who's responsible for the monster attacks," Komei explained.
"Though, what happened to him in those two weeks when he went missing?" Nagata asked.
"The only one who would know the answer to that is Zangetsu-dono himself," said Komei.
"And that is why I'm going to try and find him and get my answers," swore Nagata.
"Nagata-sama, with all due respect, what will you do if Zangetsu-dono is truly guilty of this crime?" Kanu asked.
"Then I'll have to take care of him. He's an Armored War God, so it's only fair that another Armored War God dealt with him," he resolved.
Suddenly, an energy arrow flew through the window and hit the wall, causing the group to jump in shock. Quickly, Nagata looked out the window and spotted Zangetsu-Shin standing atop the rooftop of the opposite building.
"Masataka..." whispered Nagata.
Zangetsu-Shin activated a Dandeliner and got on it before he took off. Nagata narrowed his eyes and strapped on his SengokuDriver before he activated a Suika Lockseed. He wasn't going to let Zangetsu-Shin get away until he got his answers.
"Henshin!"
[SUIKA!]
Zangetsu-Shin was on his Dandeliner before he found himself being fired upon. He turned his head and saw Son Go's soldiers were in pursuit. He growled under his breath and picked up speed so he could get away from them.
"Zangetsu, stop your vehicle! That is an order!" one of the soldiers ordered but Zangetsu-Shin ignored him and turned his Dandeliner around.
[MELON ENERGY SPARKING!]
He sped up and swung his Sonic Arrow, slashing through the three Dandeliners. They exploded, throwing the three soldiers into the air with burns from the explosions. They were falling to their deaths when big green hands caught them.
"I got you," Gaim said as he was wearing his Suika Arms in Yoroi Mode and hovering in the air with the thrusters. He put the soldiers down before he converted his Suika Arms.
[GYRO MODE!]
He then took off after Zangetsu-Shin with the increased flight speed. Zangetsu-Shin looked over his shoulder and saw Gaim in hot pursuit.
"Stop or I'll shoot!" Gaim warned. Zangetsu-Shin ignored him and sped up. "Dammit!" Gaim continued to tail him.
Zangetsu-Shin immediately hit a button on his vehicle's controls and fired a red laser from the Dandeliner's front. This allowed it to cut open a Helheim portal in midair. Once the portal was fully open, Zangetsu-Shin flew into it.
"You're not getting away!" Gaim shouted as he replaced his Lockseeds, jettisoning the Suika Arms as he leapt towards the portal before it closed.
Since the portal had formed in the sky, Gaim ended up exiting out of it in the sky of Helheim Forest. He let out a scream as his armor formed over his body while he plummeted to the ground.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
[ORANGE ARMS!]
CRASH!
He landed face first on the forest floor.
[HANAMICHI ON STAGE!]
"Ow..." Gaim groaned as he picked himself up. "I hope nobody saw that." He stood up and dusted himself off as he scanned his surroundings for Zangetsu-Shin.
Suddenly, he was hit by a powerful laser blast. He was sent flying before he tumbled into a tree. Looking up, he saw Zangetsu-Shin riding his Dandeliner and glaring at him.
"Masataka!" Gaim shouted only to be fired upon again. Quickly, he dove out of the way and took cover behind a tree. It would appear that Zangetsu-Shin wasn't in a talking mood.
"If you're not going to come down here, then I'm going to bring you down," decided Gaim as he activated his Grapefruit Energy Lockseed.
Zangetsu-Shin was still looking for Gaim when he heard the loud Lockseed announcement.
[GRAPEFRUIT ENERGY! LOCK ON!]
He aimed at the direction of the noise but was then hit with an arrow that pierced his Dandeliner's engine. It exploded and he let out a cry as he went down.
Zangetsu-Shin grunted as he landed face down on the forest floor. He picked himself up as Gaim approached him.
[MIX! JIMBER GRAPEFRUIT! HA-HA!]
"Masataka, I don't want to fight you, I just want to talk," said Gaim. Zangetsu-Shin didn't let him talk any further as he picked up his Sonic Arrow and charged at Gaim. Gaim quickly parried the blow meant for his face, causing sparks to fly as their Sonic Arrows connected.
"Masataka! Oi, Masataka!" Gaim shouted as he continued to parry Zangetsu-Shin's slashes. "Why are you doing this!? I don't understand!" Zangetsu-Shin did not reply as he continued his attack and slashes Gaim across the chest, sending him tumbling.
Zangetsu-Shin drew back the string of the Sonic Arrow and got ready to fire. His eyes narrowed under his visor before he released his shot and repeatedly pulled the string to continuously fire. A volley of energy arrow flew towards Gaim, only to be blocked by a big red shield.
"Huh?" Gaim blinked and saw that it was Armored War God Mars. Kamuro was at his side and helping him up.
"Are you OK?" Kamuro asked.
"I'm fine, but there's something's wrong with Masataka." Gaim watched as Mars and Zangetsu-Shin fought. Sparks flew as the Sonic Arrow made contact with the Apple Reflecter before Mars struck Zangetsu-Shin with the Sword Bringer.
"That isn't Zangetsu-sempai," Kamuro told Gaim.
"Excuse me?" Gaim asked, eyes wide in surprise.
"That isn't Zangetsu-sempai," Kamuro repeated. "Observe." Gaim did and observed how Zangetsu-Shin fought Mars. The White Devil was fighting with wide slashes, keeping a wide range of motion.
Gaim's eyes widened in realization. Why hadn't he seen it earlier? This wasn't Masataka's fighting style at all! Back then during the Armored War God Tournament, Masataka had all but proclaimed he was a fencer first, even with a Japanese-style blade. The style still showed regardless even with the Sonic Arrow. This man was using a purely Chinese style! As a swordsman himself, Gaim should have seen it sooner!
Kamuro confirmed what Gaim was thinking, "It's an imposter."
"Teme..." Gaim clenched his teeth as he tightly gripped his Sonic Arrow. Anger welled up inside of Gaim at that moment. At first he was only upset by Zangetsu-Shin's apparent betrayal. Now that he knew that someone had stolen his friend's identity, the anger in him finally had the chance to come out. This man who wore the armor of someone he considered a friend was going to answer a few questions, but not before Gaim got a chance to beat him up for causing everyone so much grief.
Mars and the imposter Zangetsu-Shin were still in the middle of a battle as the imposter thought, 'Damn it! It wasn't supposed to be so difficult! I was supposed to eliminate Gaim and leave him here in this forest to die! Now I have to deal with these two?'
"OI-RYAAAAAAAAH!" Gaim yelled, surprising both Mars and the imposter Zangetsu-Shin as the Blue King charged towards them. Gaim landed a brutal slash against the unprepared fake Armored War God, sending him reeling in shock. Gaim did not stop there. He continued to land brutal strikes against the man who wore Zangetsu-Shin's armor, sending him backpedaling. Finally spinning on his feet, he sent the imposter flying with a powerful strike, causing him to land against a tree.
'Oh shit! He's not holding back anymore!' the imposter realized. Once Gaim learnt he was just a fake, he had no reason to hold back anymore.
As the imposter groaned, he heard an announcement that caused him to stiffen in fright.
[LOCK ON!]
The imposter Zangetsu-Shin gasped as he looked up to see Gaim aim his Sonic Arrow straight at him.
[SOIYA! ORANGE SQUASH!]
Holographic orange and grapefruit slices lined up between Gaim and his target. The fake Zangetsu-Shin rose up but collapsed to his knees with a groan. He quickly tried to figure out a way out of this and hit his Seaboll Compressor.
[MELON ENERGY SQUASH!]
Charging up his attack, Gaim's eyes narrowed as his visor flashed before he released the Sonic Arrow's string.
[GRAPEFRUIT ENERGY!]
A powerful energy arrow flew through the path of holographic citrus fruit slices. In a desperate move to survive, the fake Zangetsu-Shin swung his Sonic Arrow and slashed, hitting the arrow.
There was an explosion upon contact and when the smoke cleared, the imposter Zangetsu-Shin's armor flashed before it vanished. This allowed the three true Armored War Gods to see who they had really been fighting this whole time.
"You..." Gaim's eyes widened in recognition.
It was Nise, the man who wore the armor of Bloody Gaim and had stolen Ryuubi's name. He was the man who Nagata hated for his evil acts and now he was posing as Zangetsu for some nefarious plan.
Nise picked himself up and gripped his Melon Energy Lockseed but froze as the business end of Gaim's Sonic Arrow was aimed right at him.
"Where's Masataka, you fake!?" Gaim demanded.
Nise had nowhere to run but at least he could twist the knife a little. "He's dead."
[LEMON ENERGY!]
Zangetsu-Shin was hit directly in the chest and the resulting explosion sent him flying towards the edge of a cliff. He landed with both his GenesisDriver and Melon Energy Lockseed removed by the explosion, causing his armor to vanish.
Kagemusha strode over and picked Masataka up. He slapped him twice across the face and then dragged him over to the edge of the cliff. Masataka could only glare at Kagemusha before he was tossed off the cliff without a care.
The Genesis Riders stood at the edge of the cliff and looked down to where Kagemusha had dropped Masataka.
"Do you think he survived?" Marika asked, earning a scoff from Kagemusha.
"From this height? Even if he is one of the Armored War Gods, without his armor he is as fragile as a human. He's probably a broken mess of bones and flesh at the bottom right now," he replied.
"They are, however, a resilient group," Duke argued. "Even if he did manage to survive, without his belt he won't last very long in this forest. He still needs to eat and the only food here is the fruit."
"Which will turn him into a mindless beast. That is a fate worse than death," Sigurd finished. He called, "Oi, Nise! We got something for you!"
Bloody Gaim walked over and picked up Masataka's GenesisDriver and Melon Energy Lockseed. A dark look crossed his face as his lips curled into a wicked smile.
Gaim recoiled in shock. "...Dead?"
"That's right. He's dead. The white bastard is dead just like his whore of a queen!" bragged Nise, enjoying the shocked horror Gaim was experiencing.
"Then we'll just have to avenge them," swore Mars, his sword pointed threateningly at Nise.
"That's right. With your death, Zangetsu-sempai and Sonsaku-sama can be avenged," added Kamuro while gripping his staff tightly.
Nise's eyes widened in horrid realization. He had forgotten about Mars and Kamuro. He was injured and his chances against three Armored War Gods weren't very good. He wasn't as strong as them nor was he as skilled. He gulped in fear as he felt their cold glares on him, promising pain and suffering.
Suddenly, a silver and red blur came out of nowhere and struck all three Armored War Gods, sending them backpedalling. Sparks flew from the impacts before the blur repeatedly struck at them, zipping around and moving at speeds that they couldn't follow. The blur then picked up Nise and dashed away in a flash, leaving three confused Armored War Gods behind.
"What just hit us?" Gaim questioned.
"The Flash?" Mars suggested.
"Now isn't the time for jokes, Natsu-niisan." Kamuro shook his head.
"Thanks for the help, but how did you manage to find us so quickly?" Gaim asked the twins.
"The soldiers you saved told us about what happened. Once we knew that imposter was here and you were fighting him, we came as fast as we could," Kamuro answered.
"It was easy. All we had to do was follow the noise," added Mars.
"And how did you two manage to figure out that it wasn't really Masataka?" Gaim asked.
"First of all, the thing about the GenesisDriver is that anyone can use it," Mars informed Mars.
"I thought it was brainwashing." Gaim facepalmed. He should've considered the fact that it was someone else under that mask and not Masataka. He had once fought a bandit who was using Duke's armor a while back before the real Duke appeared before them.
"That was actually our second theory until we saw how he fought. Sempai makes us spar with him a lot. We do it so often that we pretty much memorized his style. Even if he was brainwashed, he would still use the same style and technique," Kamuro answered.
"And that guy did not use Sempai's usual style in that armor. He wasn't as precise or fluid," Mars pointed out.
"He was using his Sonic Arrow as more of a hammer instead of a sword. Plus, he was sloppy in his execution," continued Kamuro.
"He also uses Inves way too much to cover his escape. Sempai never does that," finished Mars.
Gaim was impressed of how the twins were able to figure it all out from the clues they had gotten. In the time it took for everyone else to try and figure out what was happening, it only took them a moment to deduce that Masataka was innocent the whole time.
Kamuro sighed. "At least this will clear Sempai's name."
Mars added, depressed, "Yeah, but how are we going to break the news to everyone?"
"You tell them the truth. Tell them that Masataka is innocent and all this was a setup by our enemies to make them lose faith in one of their own. Tell them that he died in service of your kingdom and was loyal until the end," Gaim advised.
Natsu and Fuyu returned to the palace and gave their report. As expected, Sonken was both relieved and devastated by the news. She was relieved that Masataka had not been the one to kill her sister but also devastated to learn that he was now dead.
Shuyu was also shocked and she became disgusted with herself for accusing Masataka of the crime. She should've known he hadn't done it. He was just too loyal. Now he was gone and she would never be able to apologize to him for thinking he was a traitor. She would need to call off the search for Masataka and also the bounty on him. There was just no reason anymore since he was gone.
Sonken left the throne room to tell her little sister what she had learnt and the two sisters comforted each other. The wanted posters for Masataka had been torn down as well and now Son Go was mourning not only the death of Sonsaku but the death of their own Armored War God of the Ultimate Shield as well.
Nagata was at the inn preparing his things to leave in the morning as there was no longer any point to stay in Son Go. Part of him was happy that Masataka was proven to be innocent all along, but another part was both heartbroken and enraged that their enemies had killed another great friend and ally.
How many more people would die before they were finally brought to justice? Nagata would like to think no more, but he knew that it was never that easy. A knock on the door broke him from his thoughts.
"Enter," he permitted. The door opened and Sousou walked inside with Mitsuki closely behind. Nagata noted that both their expressions were more humbled than people like them should be.
"I take it you heard the news," Nagata said immediately.
"Indeed we did, Gaim," Sousou nodded. "It seems my conspiracy theory was proven false and Zangetsu was just another victim of this tragedy. You were right about him all along." She crossed her legs and gave a curt bow, something she gave only to those she believed deserved respect. "You might not be as naive as I thought you were after all. Congratulations."
"Don't congratulate me, Sousou. I just learnt a friend of mine was murdered. Right now I'd rather be wrong. At least then he'll still be alive," Nagata shot back.
"If you were wrong, Zangetsu would still be a dead man or on the run for his crimes. Better to die an honorable warrior who fought for his kingdom than live as a traitor and a coward who would assassinate his own leader," Sousou reminded him.
"I can actually respect that," agreed Mitsuki.
"Aren't you going to make a snarky comment about how his weakness led to his downfall?" asked Nagata.
"He fell in battle while outnumbered. He didn't die due to weakness. He died because his opponents ganged up on him, but he still stood his ground. That in itself is a cowardly tactic when dealing with someone more skilled," Mitsuki answered.
"What makes you think he was ganged up on?"
"Do you really think that fake could've been strong enough to take Zangetsu out by himself?" Mitsuki asked rhetorically. "He obviously had help and the only ones that could've helped him at that time would be the Genesis Riders. And I don't know about you, but I'm looking for some payback for what they've done."
"As will I," Sousou added. "I will personally see to it that the Armored War Devils pay dearly for the lives they took from us. It's the least I can do to make up for the things I said to Sonken." Say what you will about Sousou, but once she realizes that she was in the wrong she admits it and does what she can to make up for it.
Nagata remained silent as he mourned the death of a friend. Now would be the time to grieve, reflect, and honor the memory of a man who shaped the lives of a nation with his innovations and ideas.
But when that time ended...there would be war.
KRC: Well, looks like the truth is out. The good news is that Zangetsu did not betray Son Go. The bad news is that he's dead. I think that Sonken preferred him being alive but now she truly has lost two more precious people in her life. However, at least the people of Son Go will have their faith revived in Zangetsu as he died in service of Son Go instead of being marked as a traitor.
TFP: Well, Nagata's faith has come through for his friend. Sadly though, it seems like that friend is no longer with them. Son Go is dealt another harsh blow as their Armored War God is absolved of his crimes, but now he is dead, leaving the people in further misery than they were before. Still, Nise still has the GenesisDriver and despite the truth coming out, many outside of Son Go will think he is Zangetsu. Can he be stopped before more nations begin turning on Son Go?
Buster: I knew there was something fishy about Zangetsu-Shin from the last couple of chapters of S5. That's not Masataka. It's that no good weasel Nise, or should I say 'Neasel'! He's the one who killed Sonsaku just so he could not only destroy the White Devil's reputation but to frame him for the crimes he didn't commit. If the real White Devil was here right now, he would totally kick his butt! That faker would never be half the man Masataka was or have the fame and glory Nagata possesses. To every reader who wanted to see Nise die during or at the end of S5, put your comments below so we will never see that miserable rat again and put him out of his misery. I hope the rat gets shot in the gut, back, or maybe even a headshot would be nice! But not the heart because he doesn't have one at all. Also I'm impressed that the readers already know that it's a fake Zangetsu because they already watched Kamen Rider Gaim and saw it coming from the last couple of chapters.
ARMORED WAR GODS BIO TIME!
Name: Nagata Oda
Alter-Ego: Armored War God Gaim
Epithet(s): Ultimate Sword, Blue King
Faction: Shoku
Unlike most of the Armored War Gods who serve the feudal lords of the Three Kingdoms era, Nagata himself is the leader of his own faction. Before Nagata was forcibly transported to Ancient China, he was just a normal high school student. His interests included kendo, cooking and most of all Kamen Rider.
As a young boy, he was adopted by his Aunt Yang and Uncle Monta when his parents died in a car crash, leaving him as a sole survivor. The collision gave him amnesia and he grew up believing his aunt and uncle to be his biological parents. Eventually, the memories of his birth parents would return. In fact, his mother was the one who planted ideals of heroism into him with stories of that taught him of what being a hero truly meant.
When he ended up in Ancient China, he was nearly robbed and killed by bandits until Kanu Unchou came to his rescue. Then, he revealed that he could transform into Kamen Rider Gaim himself, possessing a SengokuDriver and Lockseeds which were originally just toys. His strange appearance, his devices and his fighting abilities convinced Kanu that he was the prophesied Messenger of Heaven and thus they became challenging companions.
Along the way, they meet and befriend many people including Chouhi, Chou'un, Bacho, Komei and Kochu who would later form the core of the Shoku Faction. He also met with other displaced youths with SengokuDrivers of their own who had adapted in this world by serving the feudal lords. Nagata himself wanted to find a way home but he gradually became attached to the people of this world, especially Kanu who he fell in love with.
As a swordsman, Nagata is quite skilled and prefers a two-sword style of fighting. This allows him to utilize Gaim's default Orange Arms with great efficiency. He also learnt how to use the other Arms as well, picking up on their abilities and instantly learning how to use their weapons as well. Nagata is also a skilled cook as he grew up in a Chinese restaurant and learnt how since he was a young child.
Besides his skills as a fighter and cook, Nagata is also very good at diplomacy. Unlike the other factions who grow through conquest, Shoku grew through peaceful agreements with neighboring villagers. Nagata would offer the protection and in exchange he would accept young men to join their army to fight for them.
Nagata is also a born leader with great charisma, allowing many people to have faith in him. This is shown during the Anti-Tyrant Alliance when he was made commander. He was able to give speeches that rallied all the soldiers together. This could possibly be a trait he inherited from his supposed ancestor, Oda Nobunaga. While he dislikes being compared to the conqueror, he does acknowledge that the man had a humane side as well as a strong side. Nagata is similar to Nobunaga in that regard as while he has power, he doesn't abuse to get his way. He also considers his retainers as members of his family. Nagata can also be extremely enraged when innocent people are victimized. His anger can also be triggered if someone he cares about gets hurt.
Despite his strengths, he can also suffer from moments of guilt and self-doubt. However, in spite of these moments, he still holds on to the ideals of justice taught to him by his birth mother.
While he misses his home, he realizes that Ancient China needs him to protect it from the RinJyuKen. His firm resolve, his belief in his ideals, his compassion and his strong heart allow him to lead Shoku and fight without hesitation. Because of Kanu's faith in him, he decides to live up to the title of Messenger of Heaven and bring peace and justice to China.
