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.
KRC: I apologize for the delay. I've been focusing on my studies and also needed to revise this chapter constantly. I love writing, and because I love it, I wanna get it just right. Also, I owe you fans for staying with me all this you guys or anyone you know are interested to discuss about the Armored War Gods Saga, then head on over to my forum, "Kamen Rider Chrome's Guild". There is a thread exclusively for the Armored War Gods Saga where we discuss the fic. Also, there might be some spoilers, so if you don't want to be spoiled, be careful unless you wanted to see it for the fun of it. Anyway, that's it for the promotion of my forum.
BTW, I would like to give thanks to my beta reader, Busterleader92. He's been a good friend while supporting this series by helping and becoming my beta reader. Even minor corrections are important since I've missed stuff in the past.
I have been accused at some point that I write a lot of filler. It makes me wonder if it's so wrong? Well, it depends on the type of filler, but I think that some fillers are good ways for some character development and interaction, even if they don't seem to contribute so much to the story. So, here's another 'filler' chapter. If you hate/love it, please do comment in the reviews. Now, on with the show.
Sangokuden Armored War Gods Saga: Age of the Armored War Gods
Co-Written By: Ten-Faced Paladin and Kamen Rider Chrome
Chapter 13: Bacho's Homecoming
It was late at night, after Nagata managed to rescue Kanu. However, not all was well.
Nagata couldn't sleep.
He kept thinking about the fight with Jam, of how one-sided it was and how she easily dominated the fight before she finally defeated him. He threw everything he had at her, but she still managed to beat him and come out of the fight completely unscathed. What disturbed him was not the manner of his defeat. He expected that someday he would face an opponent that even he could not take down alone. What really disturbed him was the question she left him with before she vanished.
"Can you really save anyone when you're so weak?"
The question echoed in his mind, repeatedly, when he closed his eyes to try and get some sleep. He could not stop thinking about the question. The answer was supposed to be simple, but that was easier said than done.
Was he really so weak that he couldn't really save anyone? He had saved people before, had he not? He managed to save Kanu, didn't he? But then he recalled that Jam had only spared him and Kanu on a whim. She could've gone back to kill Kanu while he was down, but chose not to. She hadn't fled because he managed to drive her off. She simply walked away because she lost interest in the fight.
He then remembered the fire of Rakuyo, and how he could not save anyone then. When they finally reached the city, it was already too late. The fire had killed everyone in their homes. All the exits were sealed and they could not get away. They died either because of smoke inhalation, or because they were being burned alive.
Many men, women and children died in that fire, and he could not save even one. That day had left its mark, scarring him emotionally.
Nagata still couldn't sleep, so he decided to take a walk to clear his head. As he stepped out of his bedroom, he found Ryofu standing guard by his door.
"Don't you ever sleep at night?" Nagata asked Ryofu. She took her job as his bodyguard very seriously. He was worried that she might be overworking herself.
"I took a nap earlier, so I can stay awake a bit longer," she answered before she yawned. He blushed. Ryofu had a talent to be amazingly cute as she ate, but the sight of her yawning was even cuter.
Nagata wasn't blind. He noticed that the girls in his faction were all beautiful. Komei and Chouhi, who were starting to enter their teen years, were also adorable and would no doubt grow up to become beautiful women as well. It wasn't just their looks that were attractive, but their personalities as well.
Kanu could be serious during 'business hours' as she behaved as a general should. Whenever she gave orders, people listened. Whenever she led, people followed. In private, Kanu was a woman. She used to deny this as she believed that being a 'woman' was the same as being 'weak', but he managed to change her mind and help her see that being a 'woman' could also be the same as being 'strong'. She was beautiful too, and it wasn't just because of her long and lustrous black hair. She was confident, strong, and he felt he could do anything with her at his side, supporting him.
Kanu was his first girlfriend, and his first kiss as well. He also lost his virginity to her. She was special to him and he nearly lost her...because of his own weakness.
Chouhi was adorable and was like a little sister to him. Her presence could always cheer him up whenever he felt down. She was also brave, and would not back down from a challenge. However, she would do well to think things through in the future. As a general as well, she had men to lead and they followed her example. She could not afford to be reckless.
Komei was another girl that he saw as a little sister and Chouhi's opposite. While Chouhi was wild and excitable, Komei was calm and mature with scholarly wisdom. She was his strategist after all, and while she could not physically fight, her strength was in her intelligence so she could still contribute to the battle by formulating strategies that could turn the tide of battle. Her knowledge was also helpful as she taught him to become a better ruler. Of course, she had a hobby of reading mature erotic literature, but he really shouldn't judge her for having guilty pleasures.
Chou'un came to mind next. She would tease him every so often and playfully flirt with him. She had raw sexuality and always managed to make men look her way without even trying. She was confident in both her looks and fighting abilities. This was the reason why she was so adept in gathering information. She just needed to ask the right questions in the right way to get the answers she needed. She always had something interesting to report when she returned.
Bacho was also strong and honorable. Every action she committed was to honor her family. She upheld a standard that she emulated from her father. He was an honorable man as well, who died because of an error of judgment. She tried to avenge him because she believed that Sousou was responsible for his death. But Sousou respected Bato and even if she had not caused his death, she was willing to become a scapegoat so that he could die with honor. Bacho was also stubborn and headstrong, but maybe that was good for her. She would never give up in the face of a fight.
Bacho's cousin, Batai, was also cute. She may not have Bacho's figure just yet, but she was starting to fill out in all the right places. Unlike Bacho, who was serious during training and while performing her duties, Batai was an undisciplined spitfire with a wit and a mind for pranks just like Chouhi.
Ryuubi came to mind next as well. While she was a bit of a fangirl around him, that over the top admiration had simmered down to the point that they could be in the same room with each other and have a normal conversation without her freaking out. He almost had trouble believing he had any fangirls until she showed up. As she was the legendary Ryuubi Gentoku, he was grooming her with Komei's help to become his replacement. He helped her to become a better fighter and leader while Komei helped her to be a better thinker.
Ryuubi's own bodyguard, Gien, was quite a looker too. She might be a tomboy, but she was still beautiful with a figure that was still feminine but also filled with strong muscles. The single white streak that contrasted with the rest of her short dark hair was also an attractive trait. She was loyal to Ryuubi, but he noticed that she was also intimate with Ryuubi. Perhaps she had a crush on Ryuubi?
Iori's wife was a beauty as well, and a mature one at that, but it would be best not to think of her in that way. His best friend, Iori, would not appreciate it. He really didn't want to risk angering the marksman.
Little Riri could also potentially grow up into a curvy and busty beauty like her mother. He tried not to think about how sexy Riri would look once she was all grown up. He didn't want to end up being shot at by both Riri's parents.
And now there was Ryofu Hosen, the girl standing in front of him. According to the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Ryofu Hosen was infamous for betraying the lords he served under. This Ryofu Hosen, however, was not at all like the treacherous military general he had learnt about. This Ryofu was loyal to her lords and comrades, loved animals, had a huge appetite, and also beautiful. Her tanned skin, her trim figure, and not to mention overall appearance would make her very popular in his school. Of course, what put people off was her expression. She rarely smiled. Her strength was also another factor. She was so strong that she was believed to be a monster.
Nagata just saw her as a girl, a misunderstood girl with a big heart. A girl who swore her allegiance to him and elected herself to become his personal bodyguard.
"Why aren't you in bed?" Ryofu asked.
"Can't sleep. I need to take a walk and clear my head," he told her.
"Would you like some company?" she asked. He was about to deny her, but perhaps he could use some company. He needed someone to talk to anyway and really didn't feel like waking anyone else up.
"Sure," he accepted and they began to walk together. Neither of them was aware of Karasu's figure as she stood down the hallway, watching them go. Her eyes glowed red as she watched before she stepped back and vanished into the darkness.
"It's a beautiful night, isn't it?" Nagata asked as he gazed up at the stars while they lay on the grass in the garden together. His head rested on his hands as he relaxed. Ryofu's own hands were rested on her stomach as her Heaven Piercer lay next to her. The midnight dew felt cool on their backs, the cool autumn air was comforting, and it was a beautiful night to stargaze. It was rare for him to see stars so bright in the big city where he came from. The big city lights just got in the way.
"Yes," she answered.
"Thank you for keeping me company, Ren. It gets pretty lonely when you're taking a walk at night on your own," he told her.
"What's wrong?" Ryofu asked, turning her head to the side to look at him. Since he couldn't sleep, it was obvious that something was troubling him. Ryofu was aware that she wasn't very intelligent, but she was still pretty observant. She got it from years of experience from caring for her pets.
"Ren, do you think I'm weak?" Nagata asked. Ryofu was surprised by the question. She didn't know or understand why he would ask such a question. Hadn't he already proved that he wasn't weak?
"No," she answered sincerely. "Why do you ask?"
"I still can't get over what happened," Nagata confessed.
"But you managed to save Aisha," said Ryofu. She had waited for his return, right at the spot, with her dogs. When she saw him come back with Kanu, she was happy, and he was happy that he managed to save her in time.
"But a lot of our men still died. If I was there, I could've stopped it. And I got beaten, badly. It was like she was one or two steps ahead of me and knew exactly what I was going to do. Whenever I thought I had her on the ropes, she turned the tables and I was the one who was forced on the defensive. She even cut my DJ Gun in half! She broke my strongest weapon! That's never happened before."
"Can you really save anyone when you're so weak?"
There it was again, Jam's question. It was like an earworm. It would repeat constantly, preventing him from relaxing.
Ryofu gently put her arms around him before she pulled him towards her. He didn't resist as she pressed her lips against his in a gentle kiss. After breaking the soft kiss, she embraced him, pressing the side of his head against her soft pillowy breasts. Then she gently ran her hand through his hair as she tried to comfort him. This was how she treated her animals (and Chinkyuu) whenever they felt distressed. It always calmed them down and she hoped it worked well on Nagata.
Kisses, however, she reserved for Nagata. She found out she liked kissing him but didn't do it too often or in front of anyone else.
"Ren, what are you doing?" he asked, blushing from the earlier kiss and now due to her embrace. With her Herculean strength, she could crush him, but she knew when to hold back to gently embrace him.
"It's alright. Everything will be alright," Ryofu whispered reassuringly as she hugged him to comfort him. She blushed, but was glad he didn't see it.
None of them noticed as a crow was watching them from afar like a hawk with its eerie, glowing red eyes. It wasn't any old crow but Karasu's pet crow Poe, which was seen several times perched on her shoulder. They had a very special connection, all thanks to her mask.
Up in her room, Karasu was wearing her mask, and she could see everything Poe was seeing. She gritted her teeth and crossed the room to pull out her desk drawer, revealing a set of ragdolls that looked like the members of the Shoku Faction. The ones that looked like the female members showed signs of being damaged and repaired, repeatedly. Even the ones she made to resemble Chouhi and Komei.
While Chouhi and Komei were not really a threat to her, in her own twisted logic they were all an obstacle. They were the reason Nagata decided to stay in this world. They were the ones keeping him here in this world, away from her, and she hated them for it.
She took out the doll that looked like Ryofu, slammed the drawer shut and repeatedly stabbed the doll on top of her desk with a dagger.
"He's mine! He's mine! He's mine! He's mine!"
She continued to stab the doll until stuffing came out of the holes she made. Once she finished venting, she picked up a doll that resembled Nagata right off her desk and embraced it like it's her baby.
"You're mine...all mine and only mine."
Hugging her Nagata doll, she went to her closet and pulled out a familiar white coat. It was one of Nagata's haori, which she had secretly acquired from his closet. She held it up to her nose and gave it a whiff. Oh, his scent was still all over it and she moaned in pleasure as her cheeks flushed. She looked at her doll and kissed it before she lay down on her bed, hugging both the doll and coat to her.
Thanks to Ryofu, Nagata was able to calm down enough to go back to bed. She offered to sleep with him if it would help, but he, with a blush, politely declined. She really need not trouble herself. However, she would always cherish the time he allowed her to comfort him.
Days later, Bacho stood in front of Nagata's office and took a deep breath. This was something she needed to do.
"This isn't anything too big. I'm just asking him for some time off to let me go back to my village for a bit. Nothing wrong with that." She raised her fist and tapped her knuckles against the door.
"Come in," Nagata answered from inside his office. Bacho pushed the door open and entered. She could see that he was pretty busy. Up on a wall were pictures of the Armored War Devils and also the symbol of the RinJyuKen Akugata. Nagata had been busy trying to figure out what their ultimate goal was.
While many suggested it might be the Seal of Heaven, he suspected that they might be after something much bigger.
A new picture was added on the wall. It was a picture of Jam, the Armored War Devil Nagata had encountered in Helheim Forest when he went to rescue Kanu.
He greeted Bacho with a smile, "Oh, Sui. Did you need something?"
Everytime she saw that smile, it always made her feel warm. He just looked so good whenever he worked, whenever he trained, whenever he fought, whenever he cooked and...
'Stop that! Focus, Bacho! Focus!' she yelled mentally to herself. She shouldn't be thinking about him like that. It was inappropriate.
"It's the anniversary of my father's death soon and I wanted to ask your permission if I could go back to my hometown to visit," Bacho requested.
"Sure," he answered immediately, causing her to blink.
"That's it?" she asked. That was way too simple, but then she remembered who her leader was. He was caring, kind, compassionate and sympathetic, so he could understand why this was important.
"Well, this is an important day for you, and you do need to pay your respects," he replied.
"Thank you."
"But, there's just one thing."
"What is it?" Did he have some kind of condition?
"Do you mind if I came along to pay my respects too?"
"You mean, you'll go with me?"
"Well, I haven't really been in your village, plus I want to pay my respects to the guy who trained you. You have been helping me a lot, and I thought this would be a great way for me to get to know you a bit better," he reasoned. "It's no trouble, is it?"
"Oh, it's no trouble! You can come with me!" she allowed.
"Great!" Nagata smiled.
"But what about your work?" Bacho pointed to the stacks of paper Nagata had on his desk. He groaned at the paperwork, the bane of his existence. If there was one enemy he was reluctant to face, it was the dreaded paperwork.
"Honestly, I need a break from all this paperwork. So, when do we leave?"
"Actually, I was going to head out today and just came here to ask for your permission," she said.
"Kind of short notice, don't you think?" he asked, cocking an eyebrow.
"Sorry."
"Well, just let me file these documents first and I'll be right with you."
While it was partially true that Nagata wanted to meet the rest of Bacho's family, he was using this as a chance to get away for a bit to clear his mind. He was still troubled by his encounter with Jam. His talk with Ryofu helped a bit, but he was still having trouble getting over it and needed a vacation.
Later, Nagata, Batai and Bacho stood at the front gate with their horses as they were being seen off by their friends.
"Do you not need me to come with you?" Ryofu asked. As his bodyguard, her job was to protect him.
"Don't worry, Ren. I got Sui and Tanpopo," Nagata smiled reassuringly. She nodded as she agreed with that reasoning. Bacho was a skilled fighter and would protect Nagata.
"You can count on me to look out for Nagata-sama," Bacho proudly claimed.
"And don't forget me," Batai added confidently.
"Hope he isn't the one to take care of you," Karasu muttered. She didn't like the idea of letting Nagata go off on his own with the two girls accompanying him. In fact, she wanted to come along too. Glaring at Bacho and Batai, she decided that two dolls with their image were going to have a date with her blade later.
Bacho locked eyes with Kanu. "Aisha, are you alright with this?"
"You wish to pay your respects. Who am I to deny you?" Kanu replied. Bacho thought Kanu would have a problem with Nagata going off with her. They were lovers, after all.
"Aisha, we'll be back as soon as we can," Nagata reassured his girlfriend.
"Remember, you still have a lot of work to do once you return," she reminded. Nagata sighed. Oh, she would always remind him that he had work to do.
Nagata kissed her and Karasu glared at the lip contact before the two broke apart. Kanu's doll was going to be reacquainted with her sword along with Bacho and Batai's dolls.
"Nagata-sama, Sui, Tanpopo, have a safe journey," smiled Ryuubi.
"We will," Nagata promised as he, Batai and Bacho mounted their horses before they set off for Bacho's hometown.
Poe was on Karasu's shoulder, and she whispered to her pet, "Follow them." Poe obeyed and took off after the departing trio on horseback.
"Where is your crow going, Idunn-neechan?" Chouhi asked curiously when she saw Poe fly away.
"Who knows? He just comes and goes whenever he pleases," Karasu lied. She had sent Poe to keep an eye on Nagata.
After several hours of travel, the three decided to stop at a town for something to eat. They entered the restaurant with waitresses dressed as maids. He could only chuckle as he saw this.
"What's so funny, Nagata-sama?" Bacho asked.
"Well, this just brings back memories. I'm just reminded of how Aisha and I had to work in these places to pay for our traveling expenses," Nagata answered.
"Ah, Aisha had to work as a waitress," Bacho assumed.
"Yes, and I was cooking in the kitchen," Nagata added.
"I bet she didn't like that," Bacho commented. Kanu saw Nagata as the Messenger of Heaven and would consider such a job to be beneath him.
"She told me that as her 'lord' I shouldn't bother with such trivial tasks. Of course, my mom always taught me to pull my own weight," replied Nagata.
"Aisha can never say no to you, can she? And your mom sounds like a wise woman," Bacho remarked.
"Yes, she is," Nagata agreed as the three of them grabbed a table and sat down together. A waitress came to take their orders. Bacho looked around the restaurant and noticed that there were couples at each table. Some tables were occupied by single men and some of them were looking at them.
Actually, it was like they were glaring at Nagata specifically.
"Why are they looking at us like that?" Bacho muttered as she wondered about the attention they were getting. Was someone planning to do something to Nagata? She couldn't let that happen. She gave her word that she and Batai would protect him.
"Sui, are you OK?" Nagata asked.
"Oh, I'm fine. Just fine," Bacho reassured him.
Nagata pointed out, "Because you've been looking around the room."
Bacho replied, "Well, a lot of the customers are looking at us. Why do you think that is?"
"Maybe they just recognize us. We are pretty well known," Nagata suggested.
"Or maybe because they're just jealous that Nagata-sama is having a meal with two pretty girls," Batai offered jokingly.
"Tanpopo!" Bacho cried out in embarrassment with a crimson blush across her cheeks.
"She's not wrong," Nagata agreed with Batai.
Bacho's blush deepened. "You think I'm pretty? No way! I'm just so plain and there's nothing attractive about me!"
"Don't sell yourself short, Sui. You're very pretty. Not just that, you're strong, dependable and a good friend," Nagata complimented. That just intensified Bacho's blushing even further.
Batai grinned as she looked back and forth between them. She had an idea of hooking up her cousin with her lord. While he was in a relationship with Kanu, that didn't mean Bacho didn't stand a chance. Her cousin might see herself as plain and unattractive, but in their hometown she was one of the most sought after girls. She even had admirers among the men of Touka Village.
"Here are your orders," the waitress said as she came with their orders.
"YES!" Bacho shouted and she accidently knocked their orders into the air. Batai was lucky to catch one of them, but the other two landed comically, with one of the plates landing face down on the table and the other landing on Nagata's head, covering his head in food.
"Ah, Nagata-sama! I'm so sorry!" Bacho apologized as she freaked out over what she had caused by accident.
"It's fine, it's fine," Nagata sighed. "I just need to clean up, that's all."
Batai facepalmed but giggled at the sight of Bacho trying to help Nagata clean up with a napkin. Her cousin was just so awkward when it came to boys.
After their meal, they continued on their journey. Fortunately, Nagata was able to wash his hair. The waitresses even offered to help him with that but he told them he could handle it. Miraculously, his clothes were not stained.
As they rode alongside each other, Bacho hung her head in embarrassment.
"What's wrong, Sui? You're being awfully quiet," Nagata commented. "Is this about what happened at the restaurant? You don't need to worry about that. It was an accident."
"My apologies, Nagata-sama. It's just...I'm so rough, clumsy, and I'm not good at anything except fighting," she responded.
"Sui..."
"I mean I'm not as beautiful as Touka or Aisha! Even Sei has sex appeal! I mean, look at me! I'm just a dumb musclehead!"
"Sui!" Nagata barked.
"Hai!?" she jumped.
"Sui, I order you not to put yourself down like that," he commanded.
"I..."
"Look, if you worry yourself by comparing yourself to others, then you won't be happy at all. Everyone is different. Besides, you have your own charm as well."
"My own...charm?" Bacho questioned. She blushed and she let out a cry before she ran off ahead on her horse.
"Sui, wait! Was it something I said?" Nagata called as he snapped the reins and went after her. Batai followed. Oh, why did her cousin have to be so shy?
At sundown, Nagata, Batai and Bacho stopped for the night and made camp. However, Bacho couldn't sleep. She just looked at her sleeping lord and sighed. Her heart was still racing and she couldn't calm down. Nagata's comments about her looks had gotten to her.
"He thinks I'm cute..." she whispered. The flap of the tent was pushed aside to reveal Batai. Since they made camp in a clearing in the middle of the woods, they decided to take turns standing guard over their campsite.
"Sui-neesan, are you awake? It's your turn," Batai whispered. Bacho and Batai worked in rotation. Every two hours they would switch. Nagata wanted to help stand guard as well, but Bacho and Batai insisted he take his rest.
Bacho looked to Nagata before she exited the tent. She sat down by the campfire to keep herself warm.
Batai sat down next to Bacho, causing the latter to ask, "You should go to sleep. I'll wake you up for the next watch."
"Be honest, you like Nagata-sama, don't you?" Batai asked. Bacho was caught off guard by the question but was able to play it cool.
"I admire him..." Bacho confessed.
"That's not what I meant and you know it," Batai frowned.
"Just go to sleep, Tanpopo," Bacho frowned as she turned away. Batai rolled her eyes and decided to go to sleep. But this was not over. Batai was well aware that her cousin had a crush on their lord. She just wished Bacho was more honest with herself.
Batai initially believed that Bacho had a crush on Iori, but that was proven false. She just respected the Demon Dragon but what she felt for Nagata was different. It was more than a master-servant relationship and more than just friendship.
Now how was she going to play this to her advantage?
"We're here. Welcome to my village," Bacho said to Nagata.
"Finally..." Nagata sighed in relief as they finally arrived in Ryoushou where Bacho's hometown was located. At Bacho's insistence, Nagata once had a meeting with the chief when Bacho brought him from Ryoushou as he wanted to meet with the Blue King personally.
Originally, Ryoushou was once part of the imperial territories. However, ever since the fall of the imperial government, their magistrate fled, taking all the guards with him. While Bato, Bacho's father, had trained many warriors to protect the village, they were still left exposed to many dangers.
Nagata offered his protection and Ryoushou became part of Shoku. Nagata had an outpost built nearby and soldiers were sent as guards for the village.
When they arrived, the guards instantly recognized Bacho, Batai and Nagata, allowing them entry. As they entered the village, leading their horses along, they were greeted by the villagers. It would seem that Bacho's family was quite honored here.
"You're like a celebrity here," Nagata observed.
"Well, it's not always that someone from this village ends up serving a famous lord," Bacho replied. "Oh, here's my house right here." They reached Bacho's house and tied their horses' reins to poles set out for their rides. Bacho's house was pretty big with a large yard. It looked perfect for a large family. The yard was likely used for training.
"I'm home!" Bacho called and soon enough Nagata heard the sound of footsteps as two girls came out to greet them.
One of the girls was dressed in a pink version of Bacho's outfit and had wavier hair compared to her eldest sister. Her hair was strawberry blonde and put up in a ponytail. She was also much bustier in comparison and wore a cravat.
The other girl was slender, wearing a sky blue version of Bacho's outfit and with a pink necktie. She also had straight long hair tied into a ponytail at the base of her skull with a long ahoge on top.
"Nee-chan!" the busty girl in pink hugged Bacho. "You're back!"
"I've missed you too, So-chan," Bacho smiled as she returned the hug.
"It's been a while, Aneue," the slender girl added.
"Now, don't be so cold. Come here and hug your big sis too," Bacho smiled. The slender girl rolled her eyes but hugged her big sister anyway. Nagata smiled as he watched. The sight of Bacho and her sisters greeting each other so fondly made him miss his own family, but he was happy to see the Ba Family reunion.
"Hi, Ruo-neesan. So-neesan," Batai greeted her two other cousins.
"Ah, Tanpopo," the slender girl said. "I hope you've been behaving yourself and haven't been causing Aneue any trouble."
"Hey, I'm a military commander in the Shoku Army now! I'm not a little kid anymore!" Batai boasted.
"We'll see about that," the slender girl remarked before she noticed that Batai and Bacho had not come alone. There was a young man accompanying them. She gave him a suspicious look. "And who are you supposed to be?"
Bacho noticed the way her little sister was staring at her lord and frowned in disapproval. "Don't be rude, Ruo," scolded Bacho.
"I apologize, Aneue. I was just wondering who this is." 'Ruo' pointed to Nagata.
"This is my lord, Gaim-sama."
The busty girl in pink gasped. "THE GAIM-SAMA!?" she exclaimed in shock as she put her hands to her cheeks. "OH MY GOODNESS!"
"Calm down, Sou," chided 'Ruo', but she was just as surprised as her sister. She just did a better job at hiding it.
"But this is Gaim-sama! The Ultimate Sword himself!" the busty girl in pink pointed excitedly.
"Konnichiwa," Nagata greeted as he bowed, unperturbed by the reaction. He had already gotten used to such attention by now.
"Hi, I am Batetsu (Sou), the youngest!" the busty girl in pink happily introduced herself as she approached him. "Is it true? Are you really Armored War God of the Ultimate Sword, Gaim-sama?"
"That's what they call me," Nagata confirmed.
"Sugoi!"
"Call me Bakyu," the slender sister, Bakyu (Ruo), introduced herself. Unlike her little sister Batetsu, she was a bit skeptical of Bacho's claim. According to the stories she had heard, Armored War Gods were supposed to be mighty warriors on the battlefield. The man her eldest sister had brought didn't seem like someone worthy to carry the title Armored War God.
But perhaps she was judging him too early. They had only just met.
"Would you like to come inside, Gaim-sama?" Bacho asked.
"I wouldn't want to impose," he politely responded.
"It's no trouble, and you also need to rest after such a long journey."
"I'll prepare the tea!" Batetsu offered with a smile as she headed inside. Oh, she so wanted to hear more stories about the Armored War Gods.
As they entered Bacho's home for some tea and so she could catch up with her sisters, they didn't realize that they were being watched.
Karasu's pet crow, Poe, stood atop the roof of the house opposite of theirs and he was watching them with red eyes. Once they entered the home together, Poe flew down towards the window to get a better look.
Nagata sat down with the Ba Family in the dining room with cups of tea in front of them. Bakyu was tenting her fingers in front of her as she examined Nagata. Like Batetsu, along with every other person in China, Bakyu had heard the stories of the Armored War Gods and their magnificent feats. However, she remained skeptical. From the way her eldest sister described him, he was supposed to be some kind of divine warrior with incredible power. Bakyu saw the swords he carried and noted his warrior-like presence, but she still found such claims doubtful. She didn't believe her eldest sister was a liar, only that she might be exaggerating. How could this man before her defeat monsters with his swords alone? Unlike Batetsu, who admired the Armored War Gods and believed everything she heard about them, Bakyu wasn't as gullible. She wouldn't believe anything without a shred of evidence.
"So, Gaim-dono," started Bakyu and Nagata turned to her. "Aneue says that you rule your own kingdom, is that true?"
"Well, yeah, but it wasn't really my choice," Nagata replied.
"Not your choice?" Bakyu cocked an eyebrow. She found that hard to believe. Everyone and anyone in this world would desire positions of power. It was human nature.
"The people elected to put me in charge when they needed a leader, and I really couldn't refuse them. It's funny, actually. I never really saw myself as a leader before I was put in that position," Nagata replied.
"Most people would love that kind of power," she pointed out.
"There is power, but with great power comes great responsibility. I'm not just ruling a kingdom, I'm running it and protecting it. Fortunately, I'm not alone. I have capable friends like Sui and Tanpopo to help me," Nagata said with a smile.
Bakyu blinked at this, surprised. Bacho and Batai would not have allowed Nagata to use their true names if they didn't deem him worthy. Somehow, he had earned the right to call them by their true names. To give someone permission to call you by your true name, was showing that they shared a close bond. Like a family.
"Tell us, Gaim-sama! What can you do? Can you really fly? Can you really shoot lightning out of your eyes? Are you really as strong as 100,000 men?" Batetsu asked excitedly. Nagata couldn't help but be reminded of Ryuubi when they first met. She had mellowed out since then after getting to know him, but she had some moments where she went all fangirl over him.
"Shoot lightning out of my eyes?" Nagata repeated in disbelief. He had heard nearly all the rumors about the Armored War Gods, but that was a new one. "I can't really do something like that. But I can fly thanks to my special equipment. As for being as strong as 100,000 men, I'm not so sure about that," he answered.
But it might just be true. Kamen Riders were far stronger than normal humans. Their armor enhanced their natural strength and Nagata had gotten a few power-ups and upgrades since the first day he ended up in this world.
"Well, Nee-chan has told us a lot about you! You're a legend and I can't believe you're here!" said Batetsu.
"I wouldn't call myself a legend..." Nagata hesitantly replied.
"But you saved China! I heard how you defeat the enemy at the Siege of Korou Fortress and how you drive them away at the Battle for Rakuyo!" said Batetsu. Nagata's smile fell as Bacho and Batai grimaced when Batetsu mentioned Rakuyo. It had not been a good day for any of them, especially for Nagata.
Nagata took a deep breath and said, "It wasn't like I did it all on my own. I had friends to help me fight. I couldn't have defeated the enemy without warriors like your sister and cousin."
"So, you're a swordsman, right?" Bakyu asked, pointing to his twin katana. Nagata was glad for the change of subject.
"Since I was a child, I've been trained in the art of the sword," Nagata answered, glad for the change of subject. He really didn't want to talk about Rakuyo.
"How good are you?" Bakyu questioned.
"Gaim-sama's the mightiest swordsman in Shoku, peerless even," Bacho boasted.
"I wouldn't call myself the mightiest," Nagata modestly replied. "I just had to be as skilled as I can so I can fight alongside everyone. I wouldn't want you to fight by yourselves without me leading you. It just wouldn't be right."
Bakyu was impressed. Unlike Sousou and Sonsaku, who were warlords, most nobles and lords would prefer to stay at a safe distance as their soldiers and generals fought on their behalf. It was rare for a lord to fight on the frontlines.
"There's another thing Aneue mentioned in her letters about you. She claims you can cook," Bakyu stated. From the tone of her voice, she sounded like she didn't believe it. Lords and rulers had servants to cook for them.
"Besides my swordsmanship, I was trained by my parents to be a cook as well," Nagata confirmed.
Bakyu challenged, "Prove it."
Bacho scolded, aghast, "Ruo, you can't just challenge Gaim-sama like that! He's our guest!"
"It's OK, Sui. I think I will accept the challenge," Nagata said confidently.
"But you're our guest, Gaim-sama!" Bacho argued.
"Sorry, Sui. But I can't let my cooking skills be questioned. It's a matter of honor. You understand that," Nagata replied. Bacho sighed and conceded. If there was one thing that Nagata was as proud of as his swordsmanship, it was his cooking skills, and he wasn't one to back down from a cooking challenge.
"Allow me to show you to our kitchen," Bakyu offered.
"Is this really alright?" Batetsu questioned Batai.
"It's fine. When it comes to cooking, Gaim-sama's one of the best," Batai assured.
In the kitchen, Bakyu observed as Nagata took out a sheathed kitchen knife from his coat. As he drew it out of its wooden scabbard, she noticed how well-maintained the blade was. This was something he had made by a blacksmith. It was as sharp as a blade and Nagata's main weapon as a cook.
Nagata scanned the kitchen and looked at what he had to work with. Ideas of what to make came to him before he went to work.
He first cleaned the rice before he cooked it in a pot, and then went to prepare the rest of the ingredients. Bakyu watched as he chopped the green onions into fine pieces before placing them in a bowl. He then cracked open two eggs and stirred the liquid in a bowl, adding seasoning for flavor.
He went back to check on the rice to see if it was cooked. When he saw that it was ready, he went to work on the beef which he cut into thin slices. Earlier, he had made the sauce the beef would simmer in, but first he needed to prepare the beef. He dipped the beef in egg and coated the beef in flour before deep frying the beef in hot oil. He waited until they were golden brown. Meanwhile, the sauce was already heating up. When he saw it was ready, he put the fried beef slices into the sauce and left them to simmer. He then started on the rice.
Bakyu watched as Nagata's preparation was systematic and not the work of an amateur. It also smelled delicious. Batetsu, Batai and Bacho's mouths watered as the delicious aroma reached their noses.
Nagata put the rice in a wok before adding the egg. That was when he used the spatula to coat the rice with the egg liquid, making sure to coat every grain. He needed to be careful. The beauty of golden fried rice was in presentation as each grain was equally coated. He added the green onions and once it was ready he put the rice onto a plate. Finally, the beef had finished simmering in the sauce. Picking up the beef slices, he placed them upon the golden fried rice, arranging the slices to look like the petals of a flower.
"And done!" Nagata dusted off his hands. "Golden fried rice with fried beef slices."
They returned to the dining room and he served each of the Ba Sisters and Batai a bowl of golden fried rice, also making sure they each got a couple of beef slices. Batai and Bacho immediately helped themselves and dug right in, showing no hesitation at all.
Bakyu picked up her bowl and studied it. It looked good and smelled good. Before she could take a bite, she heard a gasp from Batetsu.
"This...this is...this is..." Batetsu's eyes sparkled, "UMMAI~! This is the best fried rice I've ever tasted!" Batetsu confessed. She had helped herself to the food, and judging from her reaction it was extremely delicious.
Eyes narrowed as she studied the dish, Bakyu took a bite of the rice and her eyes widened. She then took a bite of the beef.
'The rice has been coated with the egg to look like beads of gold, and the beef is still crispy, tender and juicy even though it was left to boil in the sauce,' Bakyu thought in amazement. 'And the flavor of the beef has not been compromised or overpowered by the sauce. They mix well, complementing each other. It's...it truly is...'
"Ummai~!" uttered Bakyu blissfully. Without realizing it, she had finished her bowl.
"And I made another true believer," Nagata grinned.
"Seconds, please!" Bakyu, Batetsu, Batai and Bacho requested loudly.
"Plenty for everyone. Now, let's just enjoy the food, OK?"
"You know, Gaim-sama's cooking is so good, Sousou was impressed," Batai stated.
"Sousou!?" cried out Batetsu and Bakyu in shock. A long time ago, like Bacho, the sisters had hated Sousou when they believed her to be the cause of their father's death. However, once Bacho told them the truth, they gradually stopped hating her. Of course, Bakyu denied the fact that her honorable father had died in such a dishonorable way, but she learnt to accept it. She also respected Sousou a little. She had to be so strong if she was willing to take the blame for his death to preserve his honor.
"Yeah, she was so impressed that she wanted to take me back home with her and make me her personal chef," Nagata answered. He had a feeling that Sousou wasn't just going to give up even after he told her no. She was persistent. Maybe that was why Mitsuki was so loyal to her.
Batetsu was impressed, while Bakyu wondered how good a cook Nagata had to be to impress someone like Sousou who was used to high class cuisine.
"Of course I said no. I've got other responsibilities and cooking is more of a hobby for me," Nagata added.
"I was led to believe that you were a swordsman," Bakyu commented.
"A swordsman, cook and governor. I'm more than just a one-trick pony," Nagata smiled as he sipped his tea. "But why don't we talk about you and your family. Sui's told me a lot about your family and I'm so glad to be finally meeting her two younger sisters."
"And Aneue has told us a lot about you in her letters," Bakyu replied.
"She just never mentioned how handsome you were," Batetsu added.
"Sou!?" exclaimed Bacho in embarrassment.
"Come on, Sui-neechan! You have to admit your lord is handsome! He's so cute and easy on the eyes!" Batetsu fluttered her eyelids at Nagata.
"Please, show some respect," Bacho scolded.
"It's OK, Sui. She's just making an observation," replied Nagata as he took another sip of tea.
"We'll be visiting Otousan's grave later. Would you like to come with us, Gaim-sama?" asked Batetsu.
"Are you sure? I did plan to come and pay my respects, but I don't think I could impose on a private family gathering," he responded uncertainly.
"I usually wouldn't allow any outsiders to join us, but since you've made us this delicious meal, we should extend a warm hand of hospitality towards you and allow you to join us," said Bakyu.
"I see. I'm honored," Nagata smiled. "Now, why don't we finish this meal so we can get going? I saved a bowl to offer at your father's grave."
Meanwhile, Jam had arrived in Ryoushou and was watching Bacho's village from afar. While her helmet masked her true visage, she was glaring at the village with absolute loathing. To her, it was a blight that needed to be taken off the map. Flanking her was a pair of Rinrinshi with identical mole ornaments on their foreheads.
"Destroy the village," Jam ordered the two Rinrinshi before she dissolved into insects and vanished.
"You heard her. Let's go, Aibou," said one of the Rinrinshi eagerly.
"OK, Aniki!" responded the other Rinrinshi excitedly.
With a small army of Rinshi, the two Rinrinshi walked towards the village. There was no need to rush. Sometimes, the best thing to do was to slow down and savor the moment.
Later, the Ba Family, together with Nagata, visited Bato's grave. The girls left offerings and also prayers to their departed father. Nagata observed, standing a distance away out of respect as this was a private family moment.
He learnt that they had lost their mother a long time ago, so their father had to raise them all by himself. The life of a single parent was hard, especially one who was raising three daughters. But he still managed to do so and balance his responsibilities. He also taught them how to be strong. But now he was gone and the Ba Sisters had lost both parents.
While working for him, Bacho sent money back to Bakyu and Batetsu. As the eldest sister, she was now responsible for her family. While it meant being away from her sisters for long periods of time, she knew they could take care of themselves.
He sympathized with Bacho and her sisters. He too had lost his biological parents. Fortunately, he was raised by his aunt and uncle who adopted him. Unlike Bacho, he didn't even grieve, which he regretted. He could blame it on the concussion that had given him amnesia, but that was no excuse. He had forgotten them, and that was the worst sin a son could commit against his parents. The shrine he made for them was his way of honoring them and to make up for lost time.
When the Ba Family finished, Bacho called Nagata over so he could pay his respects as well. Nagata placed down his offering, a bowl of the golden fried rice, placed at the base of the gravestone.
He lit incense, offered a prayer, and then spoke, "Bato-san, it's good to finally speak to you. My only regret is that I never got the chance to meet you while you were still alive. Your daughters think highly of you, and are honoring you the best they can by perfecting their training in your absence." He paused to smile, "Your eldest daughter and niece are especially doing well. You'd be very proud of them. I know I am."
Poe was watching them, perched on a nearby tombstone. His presence went ignored. After all, he was just a crow and all crows looked alike.
"How have you been doing since your father's passing?" Nagata asked Bacho's sisters.
"It hurt, and when we learnt Sousou was responsible that grief turned to anger," Bakyu admitted. Bacho recalled what that felt like as she swore to avenge her father by killing Sousou.
"I was just sad that Otou-san wouldn't be coming back," confessed Batetsu.
"Aneue even swore to avenge Chichiue," added Bakyu.
"I just miss him."
"I think I can understand what that's like," Nagata responded.
"How can you?" Bakyu asked.
"I lost my parents when I was a child, but I was raised by my aunt and uncle who took me in. When I think about how they died, sometimes I try to make sense of it. I wonder if anyone was to blame. But then I just realize that bad things just happen for no reason. I also learnt that you need to move on, because even though your loved ones are no longer with you, they would still want you to live and be happy," Nagata said.
Bakyu noted the sincerity in his words and smiled. "Thank you."
They laid down flowers before leaving the cemetery. As the group was about to head back to the village, they saw someone running towards them. It was a village guard, a volunteer who had joined the Shoku Army. Judging by his panicked expression as he was headed towards them, something was wrong.
"Bacho-dono! Gaim-sama!" the soldier cried out to the Blue King and his general. "The village! The village is under attack!"
Quickly picking up their weapons, the group quickly ran back to the village. Batetsu and Bakyu wondered if it was bandits, but Nagata's gut was telling him that it was something way worse. He just hoped he was wrong.
When they arrived, they saw that the village guards were already fighting against the invaders. Unfortunately, they were terribly outnumbered. Even worse, the guards were fighting Rinshi. The villagers panicked as they tried to flee, going back into their homes, locking their doors and windows to keep the undead out. The Rinshi cornered several of the villagers who failed to reach cover.
"Bacho! Batai! Protect the villagers!" Nagata ordered. His demeanor changed, like a switch had been turned on. He had switched from his regular persona of Nagata Oda to that of the Blue King of Shoku. As the Blue King, he was a fearless defender of the innocent and enemy to all evil.
Bakyu and Batetsu were surprised. Not long ago they had enjoyed a meal together. Now he was barking orders to their sister and cousin. And they obeyed him, without question, as they brandished their weapons to engage the invaders. The two rushed towards the Rinshi, aiding the guards.
Bacho the Splendid gutted a Rinshi with her Silver Flash before she withdrew her spear to cut down another Rinshi. Batai was using her own Shadow Flash to pierce the Rinshi, taking them down with ease. After fighting these undead beings for so long, Bacho and Batai knew how to bring them down, hard and fast. Experience truly was the greatest teacher.
Not wanting to be left behind, Bakyu asked Nagata, "What about us?"
"Can you fight?" Nagata asked. He didn't want to put any civilians in danger, but Bakyu and Batetsu weren't plain civilians. They were Bacho's sisters and Bato's daughters. The spears they were holding showed that they were trained warriors themselves, but he still needed to check.
"Our father trained us with our sister," Bakyu answered. Nagata nodded. That was all the confirmation he needed.
"Good enough for me. Bakyu and Batetsu, as of today you have been deputized as honorary members of the Shoku Warriors." Batetsu beamed and Bakyu nodded as they accepted. The latter found herself compelled to follow his command even though they had known him for barely a day.
"Now, protect this village and the villagers!" Nagata commanded as he strapped on his SengokuDriver and activated his Orange Lockseed. "This is our stage now! Henshin!"
[ORANGE!]
Bakyu and Batetsu were both treated to an unbelievable sight, gaping at the portal that opened above Nagata. The Orange Armor Part descended as he locked his Orange Lockseed into his SengokuDriver before he hit the Cutting Blade to slice it open.
[LOCK ON! SOIYA! ORANGE ARMS! HANAMICHI ON STAGE!]
Bacho's sisters witnessed as the metal orange dropped down on his head, causing a blue bodysuit to form over his body, before the metal orange disassembled to fold onto his body as armor, revealing his helmet-covered head.
Bakyu was just as shocked as her speechless baby sister. "It's true..."
She was skeptical about the claims before. She knew Bacho would never lie, but she also needed to see it for herself that Nagata was the legendary Armored War God Gaim. As seeing was believing, there was no denying it now.
"Let's go," Gaim ordered as he drew his Musou Saber, brandishing it with his orange Daidaimaru.
The group spread out to engage the enemy. This would be Bakyu and Batetsu's first experience with the RinJyuKen Akugata. As Bacho's sisters had also been trained by their father, he knew they could handle themselves in a fight. Like their eldest sister and cousin, they wielded their spears with deadly proficiency.
Batetsu and Bakyu were standing back-to-back as they fought the Rinshi. While the Rinshi outnumbered them, the two sisters of Bacho, daughters of Bato, were way more skilled than the undead beings. They remembered what Bacho had told them, to use lethal strikes. Their spears struck true, hitting the Rinshi in their vital areas. The Rinshi went down, crumbling to dust.
Attacking several Rinshi that had cornered a family, Gaim didn't waste his time as he cut them down.
"Run, get out of here!" Gaim shouted to the family who didn't think twice before obeying. Gaim slashed at the Rinshi that came at him, bobbing and weaving to avoid their blows, before landing his own slashes. He aimed for their vital areas, guaranteeing instant kills.
There was no sense in dragging this battle out any further. He wasn't here to show off, he was here to defend. Besides, he wasn't too worried about the Rinshi. It was what came with them that concerned him. Wherever there was Rinshi, a Rinrinshi was not too far behind.
Suddenly, Gaim was hit by a powerful punch and sent tumbling. He came to a stop by some barrels and groaned as he looked up to see what had hit him.
"Guess I was right. Wherever there's Rinshi, Rinrinshi are not too far behind," Gaim stated as he saw who had attacked him. It was a pair of Rinrinshi, both with mole ornaments on their foreheads, with one of them standing slightly shorter than the other.
"Looks like we have someone trying to play the hero," said one of the Rinrinshi.
"Aniki, I recognize him. That's Gaim," identified the other Rinrinshi.
"Heh, you're right, Aibou. This is perfect," the first Mole Rinrinshi realized with a smile.
"Let's kill him, Aniki!" the second Mole Rinrinshi exclaimed excitedly.
"My thoughts exactly, Aibou!"
"Jujin Jashin Hen!" the two Mole Rinrinshi called out together.
As the two Rinrinshi transformed into their Beastman forms, Nagata switched the Rider Indicator for the Genesis Core and activated his Grapefruit Energy Lockseed.
[GRAPEFRUIT ENERGY!]
He swiftly loaded the Grapefruit Energy Lockseed into his Genesis Core before he hit the Cutting Blade.
[LOCK ON! SOIYA! MIX! ORANGE ARMS! HANAMICHI ON STAGE! JIMBER GRAPEFRUIT! HA-HA!]
As Gaim finished changing, so did the Rinrinshi brothers. Now in Beastman form, the Mole Rinrinshi both wore matching baggy blue pants with black boots. They had mole faces on their chests and their arms equipped with big sharp clawed gauntlets for digging. The one called 'Aniki' wore a black jacket while the one called 'Aibou' wore a red jacket. Their heads were covered in iron masks with black goggles and pointy noses. The tip of 'Aniki's' nose had a metal star on it while 'Aibou's' nose was shaped like a drill.
"Watashi wa Geramo! The older brother!" declared 'Aniki'.
"Ore wa Ramoge! The younger brother!" announced 'Aibou'.
"RinJyu Mole-Ken! Ore-tachi wa Mogera Kyoudai!" they finished together as they posed dramatically with Ramoge going down on one knee as he spread his arms to the side and Geramo standing behind him as he raised his arms in a threatening manner.
Gaim brandished his Sonic Arrow and declared, "Armored War God Gaim! Arriving on Stage!"
Geramo ordered, "Let's go, Aibou."
Ramoge responded, "Alright, Aniki!"
The Mole Brothers lunged at Gaim and slashed him with their claws. He guarded with his Sonic Arrow but they followed up with another dual strike that created an opening so they could strike Gaim across the chest. They pushed Gaim back, landing strike after strike, working as a team as they attacked together. Geramo's next blow nailed Gaim in the face while Ramoge kicked him in the stomach, sending him tumbling along the ground, disarming him.
As Gaim lay on the ground, Jam's words echoed in his head again.
"Can you really save anyone when you're so weak?"
"Get out of my head!" hissed Gaim as he picked up his Sonic Arrow, got back on his feet and resumed his violent engagement with the Mole Brothers.
Geramo and Gaim collided and began to exchange blows, while Ramoge used this chance to burrow underground. The earth swelled as he burrowed towards Gaim before he popped right out of the ground behind Gaim and struck him across the back. Gaim howled in pain from the strike and yelled again as Geramo's claws slashed him across the chest.
The Mole Brothers took turns repeatedly slashing Gaim, showing absolutely no mercy. They relished in his agony, enjoying his cries of pain, before they threw him to the ground.
"This is supposed to be the legendary 'Ultimate Sword', the 'Blue King of Shoku'?" questioned Geramo as he shook his head in disappointment. "I was expecting something more."
"Looks like everyone was just exaggerating, Aniki! He's just a weak little wimp!" Ramoge mocked.
Gaim clenched his fist and gripped his weapon tightly as he got back up.
"Oh, it looks like he hasn't had enough and wants us to give him another thrashing," commented Geramo as Gaim turned to face them, but his head was down.
"I'm not weak..." mumbled Gaim.
"What was that, you wimp?" Ramoge mockingly cupped his hand around his ear. His ears weren't visible and his hands were covered by the gauntlets, but he was doing the exact gesture.
Gaim glanced at one of the barrels next to him. He pushed one of the barrels onto its side and kicked it towards the Mole Brothers. Predictably, the Mole Brothers smashed the barrel to pieces, splashing themselves with oil.
"Ah! What the hell!?" Geramo yelled as they were covered in oil.
"I'm all slippery, Aniki!" complained Ramoge.
Gaim rolled the other barrel towards the two before he fired his Sonic Arrow repeatedly at the barrel. The heat of the energy bolts caused the oil inside the barrel to ignite, creating an explosion that engulfed the Mole Brothers in flames, making them cry out in shock.
While the Mole Brothers were on fire, Gaim drew his Musou Saber as he rushed towards them. He slashed at them furiously, catching them by surprise. They rolled along the ground, putting out the fire on them. With the fire gone, now they had to deal with a furious Kamen Rider Gaim.
"DON'T CALL ME WEAK!" Gaim roared.
He continued to attack the Mole Brothers, knocking them back with each blow. With a single strike, he threw them to the ground. Desperate, the Mole Brothers dug underground and went to ambush Gaim. This time they had buried deeper as neither of them were leaving trails of swelled earth as they burrowed underground. However, they were not aware that Gaim had his own tricks as he scanned the ground with his glowing visor.
As Jimber Grapefruit Arms gave Gaim access to X-ray vision, he could literally see through the ground to follow their movements. When they started to come back up to attack him, he was ready for them.
[SOIYA! ORANGE SQUASH! JIMBER GRAPEFRUIT SQUASH!]
The Sonic Arrow and Musou Saber began to shine with orange energy as the Mole Brothers simultaneously burst out of the ground, with Geramo attacking from the right and Ramoge coming from the left.
Gaim leapt up to meet the Mole Brothers and spun around. He slashed at the two of them as a giant orange energy projection spread out in all directions. The Mole Brothers were struck and thrown to the ground by the attack as Gaim landed back on his feet.
"That was one of our best moves, Aniki! How did he do that!?" complained Ramoge.
"Ugh, I don't know, Aibou! But I bet he can't do it again!" Geramo said before the Mole Brothers went underground again. Unfortunately, Geramo was wrong as Gaim did do it, again and again, repeatedly. He knew from where they would strike and followed their pattern with ease. As the Mole Brothers burst out to attack with their claws for the umpteenth time, Gaim threw them to the ground with his weapons.
"Aniki, I think we need to use that!" suggested Ramoge in frustration.
"Yes, you're right! Let's destroy Gaim and this village in one fell swoop!" Geramo agreed.
The Mole Brothers stood back-to-back and raised their clawed gauntlets upwards, pointing to the sky. They then began to spin, going faster and faster, and the centrifugal force of the spin began to lift them into the air. They continued to spin until they created a twister.
"This isn't good," Gaim grimaced at the sight. His Sonic Arrow and Musou Saber would do him no good now, and the twister would no doubt tear him to shreds, but dodging was not an option either. The twister would still destroy the village and kill a lot of people in the process. He had no choice but to stop it and he needed to use all his power to do it, and then some more.
[KACHIDOKI!]
"RINGI! MOGERA TSUISUTA!"
[SOIYA! KACHIDOKI ARMS! IZA SHUTSUJIN! EI, EI, OH!]
The devastating twister, now coming towards Gaim like a drill, would mean death for this entire village. The Mole Brothers would not stop with just destroying Gaim. They would terrorize and kill everyone in this village if they had their way. They could cause earthquakes, drag people underground, or simply slice them up with their claws.
Gaim wasn't about to let that happen. Not when he could do something to stop them. He combined his Musou Saber with his DJ Gun and then loaded his Kachidoki Lockseed into the DJ Gun's Drive Bay.
[LOCK ON!]
Gaim gripped the DJ Gun Taiken Mode in front of him with both hands as the blade of his weapon flared up with an orange flame.
[1, 10, 100, 1,000, 10,000, 100,000,000, 1,000,000,000,000!]
The Mole Twister roared as it crashed into Gaim's DJ Gun Taiken Mode, causing sparks to blast off the blade on impact. He dug his heels into the ground as he stood his ground. Energy crackled on impact as the power of his Kachidoki Lockseed and the Mole Brothers' Rinki met head on. Gaim gritted his teeth as he tried to resist and hold his ground, but he was slowly being pushed back.
"How can you save anyone when you're so weak?"
"Get out of my head..." Gaim hissed in response. Why did he have to hear that question in his head again, especially at a time like this? Meanwhile, the Mole Twister increased in power and Gaim found himself being pushed back by the force. Was this it? Was he going to fail again?
Suddenly, he felt a pair of hands on both his shoulders and then another pair on his back. Surprised, he looked to see who was holding him up. To his amazement, he saw that it was Bacho and Batai.
"Hold on, Nagata-sama!" Bacho shouted.
"We got you!" Batai yelled.
"Tanpopo! Sui! What are you doing!?" demanded Gaim. "This is dangerous! You could get killed!"
"Like this is any different than anytime we go into battle!" Batai shot back.
"I swore to you, we all swore to you, that we would fight at your side! That's why we won't let you handle this alone!" Bacho announced. That was when Batetsu and Bakyu helped as well as they placed their own hands on Gaim's arms, holding him steady.
"I'm not going to let you have all the fun, Onee-chan!" Batetsu told her sister.
"Aneue, this is our home as well! We will vanquish these fiends together!" Bakyu added.
Gaim looked to the sisters and Batai before he nodded and his face hardened into a look of determination. An orange glow surrounded them all as he pushed forward with the DJ Gun Taiken Mode.
"KACHIDOKI DAI MUSOU ZAN!" shouted Gaim.
"KACHIDOKI DAI MUSOU ZAN!" Bacho, her sisters, and their cousin Batai repeated as together they helped Gaim to execute his finisher.
[MURYODAISU! KACHIDOKI CHARGE!]
"SEI-YAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Gaim and the girls screamed together. The charged up blade cut right through the twister and into the Mole Brothers, causing an explosion that rocked the village and threw Bacho, her sisters, and Batai to the ground. Only Gaim remained standing, and that was thanks to his armor giving him more weight so he wouldn't be thrown down by the explosion.
"That...was intense..." admitted Gaim before he turned to face the recovering Ba Sisters and their cousin. "Are you girls OK?" He went and offered his hand to Bacho, and she accepted as he helped her up.
"We're fine, Nagata-sama," Bacho smiled at her lord. Bakyu was helping both Batetsu and Batai back up.
"Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh!" Batetsu leapt towards Gaim to marvel at his armored form. "It's true! It's really true!" Once the danger had passed, Batetsu could excitedly admire the Armored War God in his fully armored form. She touched his chestplate and then his helmet. Gaim was momentarily reminded of Ryuubi's old self.
"Sou, stop pawing him," Bakyu scolded.
"But Ruo-neechan! You have to come feel this! It's so warm!" Batetsu replied cheerfully.
Bakyu rolled her eyes and approached Gaim. She gave him a good look and admitted, "Looks like Aneue wasn't exaggerating after all."
"Hey, I told you, didn't I?" Bacho grinned proudly. There was no reason to exaggerate about Nagata's power when there was no room to exaggerate.
Gaim closed his Kachidoki Lockseed, returning to his civilian form, much to Batetsu's disappointment. She wasn't finished 'examining' him yet.
"Welcome to the Shoku Warriors, you two," Nagata said to Bacho's sisters. They had earned the praise after risking their lives like that. They showed real courage.
"Um...Nagata-sama..." Batai tugged on Nagata's sleeve and pointed. As the dust, fire and smoke of the explosion settled, Ramoge was revealed to be still standing, much to their shock. Miraculously, he had survived the Kachidoki Dai Musou Zan. However, Geramo wasn't as fortunate as he was destroyed.
Ramoge fell to his knees in front of a pile of dust. He attempted to pick up the remains of his brother, but it was no use as the dust fell through his claws.
"Aniki..." uttered Ramoge miserably as Nagata and the Ba Family stared speechlessly at him. Ramoge glared at them, his grief quickly turning into rage as he roared, "YOU KILLED MY ANIKI!"
Ramoge came charging towards them. Nagata quickly put all four girls behind him and prepared to transform again in order to protect them from Ramoge's wrath. Suddenly, much to everyone's shock, a Musou Saber was buried into Ramoge's back like he was a piece of shish kebab, stopping him in his tracks.
The blade stuck right out of his chest and Ramoge took a moment to turn his head to see who had struck him down before the sword was swiftly pulled out. Ramoge slowly collapsed to the ground, with Kamen Rider Jam standing right behind him.
"...Why...?" uttered Ramoge in confusion before his entire body crumbled to dust. Nagata's eyes widened in shock at the sight of Jam as she looked back at him. He involuntarily shivered under her gaze. It was like she was staring straight into his soul.
"...Jam," Nagata softly uttered in shock.
Jam raised her Musou Saber towards Nagata, pointing it straight at him, and said only two words:
"You're mine."
After giving that ominous message to Nagata, she turned herself into a swarm of insects and flew away.
Nagata's heart pounded in his chest as he broke out in a cold sweat. It was amazing how two simple words could strike such fear into his heart. Had Jam issued a threat, given him a warning, a reminder, or was it all of the above? He wasn't sure, but he dreaded the true meaning behind her parting words.
"What was that all about?" Bakyu asked.
"And who was that masked woman?" Batetsu questioned.
Nagata, Batai & Bacho were all wondering the same thing.
KRC: Bakyu/Ruo and Batetsu/Sou are the new characters that were added to the game Koihime Musou Eiyuutan. They are Bacho's younger sisters and according to the promotional images, they would be part of the protagonist's harem. Which is not too surprising since we know what the game's about. Anyway, yes, this is a filler chapter much like the one where Sousou had her birthday and the debut of Mitsuki's Lemon Energy Arms. In this chapter, we see that Nagata is still affected by Jam's words and goes with Bacho and Batai to clear his head. But then the RinJyuKen attack and Bacho's sisters witness Nagata's transformation. If you notice, there's a homage to a certain Kamen Rider series back in the year 2007. The fight with the Mole Brothers was a reference to Kamen Rider Den-O when he gained Liner Form and defeated the Mole Imagin. But there's a lesson here as well: Nagata isn't alone. When he fights, he always has his friends by his side. You also saw how the Ba Sisters and their cousin Batai helped Nagata so he could defeat the Mole Brothers. He just needed their support to win. This will play an important role near the end of the season.
And now a few questions to think about:
"What is up with Karasu and her pet crow Poe?"
"Who is Jam? Who is the woman under the mask?"
"What is Jam's goal?"
I mean, it seems here Jam has taken a personal interest in Nagata. What's the reason? Is she someone he knows?
TFP: Now we get to see some of Bacho's personal homelife. It was also enough for Nagata to get the inspiration he needed to keep going forward. Jam may have tried to put him down, but it seemed her words are now falling on deaf ears.
BL92: Looks like we get to see Bacho's sisters in their official debut of this chapter just like Sousou's cousins in S402 in the Alliance of the Armored War Gods story. Also I know what you're all thinking. You're probably wondering 'what's the hold up for this chapter and what's taking you guys so long anyway? It's been a week'. Well the reason for that is because Chrome and I were doing a lot of revision and editing for this chapter to make it perfect and awesome. Oh and one more thing, he's busy with his studies in college to be Professor Exposition. So if that ever happens again, just be patient until the chapters are complete. Also I would also like to thank Chrome for giving me so much credits on editing the Armored War Gods Saga as his beta reader and I'm glad he chose me for that. Then there was Jam who has a personal interest in Nagata and you're also wondering who's the woman underneath the mask and what's her intention anyway? Well we'll soon find out in Season 6 of the Armored War Gods Saga.
Lost Scrolls of the RinJyuKen
Mole-Ken: A style that focuses on underground ambush tactics. While effective, if the opponent is not properly distracted, the swelling trail of dirt could easily alert their opponent of their decision. A smart tactic would be to use the trail as a decoy and then burrow deep enough before hitting them from behind. Another tactic would be to drag the opponent underground, but the Mole Brothers never considered this as they elected to fight Gaim above ground.
Mogera Tsuisuta: Mole Twister. A devastating attack where the Mole Brothers join forces to create a twister-drill with devastating power that can destroy towns and cities. They wouldn't stop unless they were finished or something else stopped them. This technique can also be used underground to level a city.
