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: OK, previously, Bacho finally follows her heart and shows Nagata how she really feels about him right now. He was thrown completely off guard by the kiss. Now five girls have kissed him and they are in the following order:

1-Kanu

2-Chou'un

3-Ryuubi

4-Ryofu

5-Bacho

And now, apparently, Nagata's 'harem route' has just been unlocked. Would he take advantage of the situation or turn all the other girls down? Heh, well, who knows? Would he be willing to break their hearts or accept them all when they decide to share him? Personally, I prefer the latter.

But Karasu is really unhappy about what is happening. Really, really unhappy. She's like a ticking time bomb. She's also cold and dangerous. Let's hope she doesn't draw her blade on the girls who have fallen for Nagata. Is she starting to raise RED FLAGS for you guys?

Also, for the reviewers, I will try my best to make improvements. DarkKnightVergil, I acknowledge your critique and I understand that my wants did overtake the story's needs. I only put Nise up as 'Bujin Gaim' and imposter 'Zangetsu-Shin' mainly because I wanted to put him in those roles. After thinking things through, my want to humiliate the imposter really was too much. Killing him off was a good thing, but by then it was probably too late.

D-Generation XX was also one of the few, if only, reviewers of the story that had the balls to point out the story's flaws and tried to get me to make changes. Of course, by then, it was too late and I was just sticking to what I want. I did manage to part with him on good terms. If you could speak to him, he could confirm. You and he gave me a lot to think about and I will try to implement improvements. I will still write what I want, but what I want will hopefully be what the story needs and for that to happen I gotta consider the flaws as well as the good points of the story.

Black-Sabbath, I also agree with what you're saying. I need to accept the good and the bad, and listen to constructive criticism. That doesn't mean I always have to listen, but I should be willing to consider. Char aznable, that goes to you too. Oh, and Reality, try not to be so random.

But remember this: I mainly write for fun, and I don't like being told how to write. I have my own personal style. That's not something I am willing to compromise. I will continue to tell the story my own way but I will improve it while maintaining my style. That is all I will give you. I manage to continue with the support of 'cheerleaders' and I am grateful for them.

And to the 'cheerleaders' in the review section, don't be afraid to point out the flaws. Reviews aren't just for you to tell me you enjoy the fic. It's also so you can point out flaws, make constructive criticism and give feedback. If you want to say anything else, send me a PM or e-mail or whatever. Don't be shy. If you are afraid of people harassing you on the review section, PM's work just as fine. I will post them but will leave your names out to protect your privacy.

Anyway, for the action scene, might I suggest listening to 'E-X-A: Exciting X Attitude' while you're reading the chapter? It should be appropriate up until...well...you'll see.


Sangokuden Armored War Gods Saga: Age of the Armored War Gods

Co-Written By: Ten-Faced Paladin and Kamen Rider Chrome

Chapter 15: Blue Fall

Nagata stood in front of Karasu's bedroom. After what Kanu had told him, he couldn't put this off any longer. He didn't doubt Kanu's words, but he needed to be fair and speak to Karasu to get her side of the story.

He gently knocked on the door. It only took a few seconds before he got a response.

"Who is it?" Karasu called from the other side of the door.

"Kara-chan, it's me. Can I come in?" he asked politely.

He heard the door unlock and he watched it open. Karasu now stood in the doorway, wearing a robe and drying her hair with a towel after having just taken a bath. Like his mom and Kanu, Karasu took great care of her hair and made sure that she washed it thoroughly. He could smell the sweet aroma of the shampoo she used. It was really nice. It was like he was lying in a garden full of fragrant flowers.

'Don't get distracted! Focus!' Nagata mentally commanded himself as he snapped back to attention.

"Come on in, Naga-kun," Karasu smiled at her beloved second cousin as she invited him in. He entered the bedroom and she closed the door for him. Karasu had redecorated the room, truly making the space her own. She had a purple bed sheet decorated by black roses and had a bird cage with her pet crow Poe inside. Nagata couldn't help but feel that the crow was staring deep into his soul. Nearby was a coatrack which she used to hang her red cloak. Mounted on the wall was a display rack for her odachi. He had his own rack in his bedroom where he kept his twin katana.

"So, what brings you over to my bedroom?" Karasu smiled sweetly. There were so many nights as she imagined Nagata right here in her room, with her, but they weren't standing and talking. The two of them would be in her bed doing naughty things. Those were her favorite dreams to have, dreams she hoped to make into a reality.

"I wanted to ask you about what happened at Zhong's place," he informed her, causing Karasu to scoff in disdain.

"Ah, that piece of shit. I was impressed by how you handled him. You taught him that crossing you by taking your property was a stupid thing to do. You were just like Nobunaga back then."

"I couldn't help it. After what he did to Sui, I got so mad. I had to make that clear," he answered. "I really hate letting the others see my ugly side."

"'Ugly side'?" Karasu repeated in disbelief. "Naga-kun, what you showed back there was how you should behave when someone crosses you. You might've lived as a commoner before, but you're a ruler now and you should let them know that. You don't let people walk all over you, you make them pay and teach them a lesson. Now, I doubt he will ever think about crossing you again."

"Well he's in prison now so he won't be causing me or anyone trouble for a very long time."

Karasu shrugged. "I would've just killed him, but you're the man in charge so his punishment was your call."

Nagata frowned. The way Karasu casually mentioned killing someone was what he was worried about. He would've dismissed it as a joke, but she was serious even if her tone didn't indicate it.

"That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about. When we were at Zhong's place, did you do anything when I told you all to take him to safety?" Nagata asked. The instant he asked, her smile turned into a frown. Back in Zhong's residence, when he had his officers take him to safety, Batai attacked the noble. He wasn't surprised. Zhong deserved Batai's wrath for what he did and intended for Bacho. It was how Karasu handled the situation that worried him.

Kanu told him that Karasu had given Batai a dagger and tried to convince her to execute Zhong on the spot. Fortunately, Batai did not do that. It would've given Zhong an easy way out of a proper punishment. He was proud of Batai for doing the right thing, but knowing that his second cousin had nearly talked Batai into committing murder was worrisome. He didn't want to believe it, but he trusted Kanu, and she would never lie to him. She also told him that the others saw it happen as well and he could verify with them, so he couldn't deny it.

"I was told that you gave Tanpopo a dagger and tried to talk her into executing Zhong," Nagata continued. "I don't want to believe it's true, but..."

"It's true," Karasu confessed, interrupting him. There was no use denying it. She knew someone would've told him about what had happened, most likely one of his officers who had witnessed the incident, so she was ready for that once he confronted her about it.

"That's rather cold of you," he frowned in disapproval.

She explained, "Before you judge me, there is something you must know. It happened while you were gone. I was walking home at night from my kendo club meeting, when I was attacked by a gang. After they blindsided me, they had me on the ground and stripped me to my underwear. They held me down and took turns. Eventually, I found an opening and fought back. I only had my wooden sword with me, so I kept hitting them and hitting them, and I didn't stop until they were nothing but bloody smears on the pavement. After I told the police what had happened, the men who attacked me were taken to the hospital and put into custody while I was given a ride home."

Nagata was stunned. Of all the things he expected her to say, that was the last thing he expected.

'Was Kara-chan really...? Did she really get...? Was that why she tried to talk Tanpopo into killing Zhong? To not allow what happened to her happen to Sui?'

"Kara-chan, why are you only telling me this now? Why didn't you tell me before?" Nagata asked, shocked by her experience.

"My father told me there was no need," Karasu answered, looking down, "He said that I had already punished those men for taking advantage of me and the police would handle the rest. He said that I was no damsel in distress that needed saving and that I had proven my strength. However, as strong as I am, I can never take back what was taken from me that night." Karasu frowned as she held her navel area.

Immediately, Nagata closed the distance between them and hugged Karasu tenderly. He couldn't save her, but at least he could provide her comfort, even if it was too late for that now.

"Kara-chan, I'm so sorry..." he apologized. "I'm so sorry..."

"There was nothing you could've done," she assured him, enjoying his warm embrace.

"But still...I could've..." If he had been there with her, he could've stopped it from happening.

"It's OK, it's in the past now," Karasu told him, regretfully pulling away. "Since then, I managed to recover, but I leant an important lesson. I learnt that people like them don't deserve mercy. Ever since I came to this world, I have killed bandits who were no better than those men. Bandits who steal, kill and rape. From my perspective, Zhong was just like those bandits. He might've been rich, lived in a big house, surrounded himself with guards and servants, but he was like those bandits since he took those girls against their will for his own pleasure. He used those women because he could and nobody could stop him, until you did. Just like every other criminal, he needed to be stopped and I thought the best way to do it was by having him killed."

Nagata stopped to think about what she just told him. Before his time in this world, he would've argued against Karasu and disagreed with her, but after the time he spent here he couldn't deny her argument. The tale of her own terrible experience also convinced him that there were people out there, bad people, who wouldn't stop what they were doing until they were stopped, even if it meant taking their lives. Nagata had long come to terms with the fact that he would need to stain his hands in blood to protect the innocent and for the sake of peace. He also understood her reasoning. He wanted to kill Nise too, barely managing to hold back his murderous urges so he could rescue Kanu.

"What was it like for you when you killed someone for the first time?" Nagata asked.

Karasu returned, "What was it like for you?"

Karasu's question made him remember an incident in this world that changed him. He was remembering the first time he killed a man. It was way back before they came in Touka Village and after Bacho left once she found out the truth behind her father's death.


After Bacho left to return home, Nagata continued to travel with Chouhi, Chou'un and Kanu. With the money they had earned, Nagata decided to buy himself some cooking equipment.

After they set up camp for the night, Nagata was cooking a delicious stew over a fire. Chouhi salivated as she watched him cook.

"Is it ready yet? Is it ready yet? Is it ready yet?" Chouhi asked impatiently.

"Rinrin, you need to be patient. Cooking takes time," Kanu scolded.

"Relax, Aisha. She's just eager to have a delicious meal. I'm sure you can't wait either," he replied. Kanu wiped the saliva from her mouth. She couldn't help it. The stew just smelled so good. He poured some of the stew into a bowl with the ladle and took a careful sip to taste test it. He smiled in satisfaction at the flavor. "Alright, it's ready."

The four friends sat around the pot with bowls of stew in their hands as they ate.

"This is really delicious, Gaim-sama," Chou'un stated.

"Indeed, it's very good," agreed Kanu.

"Thanks, it's an old family recipe," Nagata answered.

"Seconds please!" Chouhi asked and Nagata happily filled her bowl again.

As they ate, some people noticed the smell of food and entered their campsite. Nagata saw them and his eyes narrowed. Their clothing was dirty and they were armed.

"Hey, guess this is where the delicious smell came from," one of the men said. He was tall and thin.

"Yeah, boss! It looks good!" said the short man with the hooked nose.

"Food..." the big fat one drooled.

"If you want some of our food, we'll be happy to share," Nagata offered.

The tall thin man grinned and said, "Actually, we'll just take everything! Now hand over your food and valuables!" They brandished their swords threateningly, causing Chouhi, Kanu and Chou'un to immediately stand and pick up their own weapons. Nagata just facepalmed. Why did it have to be bandits, again?

"Gaim-sama, get to safety! We'll take care of them!" said Kanu.

"Who says it's just us?" The bandit leader snapped his fingers and several more bandits revealed themselves, surrounding the group of traveling warriors.

"Shit," Nagata cursed.

Seeing the girls' weapons, the bandit leader said, "Well, if you girls want to fight so much...GET THEM BOYS!"

"Protect Gaim-sama!" Kanu ordered. Chou'un and Chouhi quickly complied as they brandished their weapons.

As the girls fought the bandits, Nagata quickly dug into his bag for something he could use as a weapon. He grasped a handle and pulled it out. One of the bandits tried to strike him from behind, but Nagata quickly dove out of the way to avoid getting skewered by a spear. Getting to his feet, he swung his weapon into the bandit's face.

CLANG!

The bandit fell as Nagata examined his frying pan which now had a dent in it.

"Damn, and I just bought this thing," muttered Nagata. "Whoa!" he yelped as he ducked under a sword and then reached towards his cooking ladle. He brandished both pan and ladle as he stared down the bandits with the girls. The bandits laughed at his choice of weapons, but they weren't laughing for long once he used his ladle and frying pan to knock them out. There was no way cooking utensils could stand up to their weapons, but Nagata was trained to dodge and he managed to avoid their blades before landing his own blows.

It only took a few minutes, but the four of them managed to deal with the bandits, driving the rest away. The surviving bandits fled from the group, realizing that robbing them just wasn't worth their lives.

"Well, that ruined my appetite," muttered Nagata distastefully. He looked at the dead bandits which littered their campsite as blood from their wounds stained the ground and began to feel faint. He knew the girls only killed the bandits in self-defense, but he just hoped there was another way.

But not all of them were dead. One of the fallen bandits climbed back to his feet and aimed a glare at Kanu. Raising his sword, he let out a shout and swung at her.

"GO TO HELL, BITCH!" the bandit roared.

"Aisha, watch out!" Nagata shouted.

Nagata wasn't exactly sure what happened next. He just drew his kitchen knife and stabbed the charging bandit right in the stomach. Shocked, Nagata withdrew the knife as the bandit collapsed.

"Gaim-sama!" Kanu cried as she approached him. When he didn't reply, she asked, worried, "Gaim-sama, what's wrong? Are you alright?"

Nagata couldn't hear her. He was trembling, staring speechlessly in shock and horror at the blood on his knife. Some of it had gotten on his hands and shirt.

He had just killed a man.


"...For me, it felt terrible. I felt terrible. I had just killed a man. He might've been a bandit, and I had done it to save Aisha, but I was still the one who killed him. My hands were stained in his blood because I was the one who took his life," Nagata answered.

"Must've been quite a shock," Karasu replied.

"Yeah, it was. Fortunately, I had Aisha and the others with me during the time and they helped me come to terms with what I did. Eventually, I got used to it." He let out a sigh. "I don't enjoy killing, and I doubt I ever will, but I can deal with it better now knowing that my actions keep the innocent safe from harm."

Karasu gently put her arms around Nagata and rested her chin on his shoulder as she rubbed his back. Nagata smiled. It was nice to be hugged like this.

When Nagata confessed how he felt after his first real kill, Karasu was genuinely sympathetic. She hated that he had to go through something like that. He was much too kind to be a killer. However, it was different for her. When she made her first kill in this world, she felt an incredible rush of euphoric excitement. In this world, the rules were different. In their world, there were laws against murder. But in this world, as long as the ones she killed were just bandits, then everyone would call her a hero, no matter how bloody her actions were. It was the best kind of thing. She no longer needed to hide herself behind a mask of propriety. She could be herself in this world and she truly loved being the Black-Winged Shinigami.

"Kara-chan, promise me you won't do something like that again. I really want you to get along with everyone," he requested. She considered his request for a moment.

"Fine, if it means so much to you," Karasu sighed. 'I still think you're better off without them...'

"That's all I ask," Nagata smiled before he kissed her forehead. This caused Karasu to blush heavily. "Goodnight, Kara-chan." He exited the room, shutting the door soon after.

Karasu stood in the middle of her room, head lowered as her bangs shadowed her eyes. Poe watched, curious, as she trembled on the spot before she threw her arms into the air with a huge manic smile on her face.

"YES!" Karasu cheered and Poe, who was in shock, flapped his wings rapidly in his cage. Karasu opened the cage and the crow perched himself on her arm as she did a twirl. Nagata had kissed her on the forehead. It may not be the kiss on her lips that she desired, but that kiss showed that he still loved her. However, she knew that she needed to strengthen his trust in her.

"Poe, we have some work to do," Karasu smiled darkly as she and her crow locked eyes.


Nagata yawned while he was headed back to his bedroom. It was pretty late. Everyone had already gone to sleep, but he had stayed up a little longer than usual to finish some more paperwork. Just recently, he was called to check upon Feng Zhong who was serving his sentence in prison. The guards brought him to Zhong's cell to see that the man had died of unusual causes.

When Nagata came to inspect the body, he was presented with a truly odd and gruesome sight. Zhong had black vines wrapped tightly around his neck and it look like they had crushed his throat. Even more disturbing was that the vines had stuffed themselves into his nose and mouth, keeping him from screaming as he choked to death.

And the look on his face. Nagata wouldn't be able to forget the agony and terror now etched upon it. Whoever or whatever had killed Zhong had not been merciful enough to make it quick and painless. Choking on vines like that was a horrible way to die. There were worse ways to die, but Nagata wouldn't want anyone to suffer like that, even if it was a man who tried to keep one of his officers as a sex slave. It was a good thing he came to see the body himself. He did not want to subject his friends to such a sight. They might be warriors, but this was way too disturbing for the likes of any person.

Nagata had to make arrangements for Zhong to receive a proper burial. He was taught to have respect for the dead, even if they were scum in life. This now left him with a mystery to solve. The death was not caused through normal means and Nagata had experienced his fair share of unusual occurrences since he came to reside in this world.

After what he had just seen, Nagata had doubts that he would be able to get a good night sleep. However, he still needed his rest. He just hoped he didn't have nightmares after seeing Zhong's body. Just remembering the sight caused shivers to crawl up and down his spine.

As Nagata opened the door to his bedroom, he saw a dark figure standing by his bed.

"Who are you?" Nagata asked quickly, causing the figure to turn towards him. That was when Nagata saw what the dark figure was holding in their hand; his Kachidoki Lockseed.

"Thief!" Nagata shouted before the thief leapt out his window and to the grounds outside the castle. After swiftly strapping on his SengokuDriver, Nagata quickly activated his Orange Lockseed and leapt after the thief.

[SOIYA! ORANGE ARMS! HANAMICHI ON STAGE!]

Gaim landed on his feet outside the castle and saw the castle guards attempting to stop the thief. However, they were all going to get a pretty big surprise from the thief.

[DARKNESS ARMS!]

A big black metal apple dropped from the Helheim portal above the thief before it knocked down the guards, sending them sprawling to the ground. The black apple then landed on the thief's head before forming a familiar Ride Wear suit.

[ANKOKU NO KAJITSU (Fruit of Darkness)!]

When the Darkness Ringo Armor Part disassembled and folded onto the thief's body, Gaim immediately recognized her as the helmet was revealed.

"Jam..." Gaim uttered. He could never forget that mask which framed the visor or the black flame-like detailing of the headpiece. Jam showed him that she was still holding his Kachidoki Lockseed before she headed for the castle's outer wall.

Gaim gave chase and fired his Musou Saber at her feet, tripping her up. As he was getting close, Jam threw something at Gaim. It was a black locust and it landed on his chestplate. He didn't notice it at first, but it suddenly burst like a seed and black vines shot out of it to wrap around his body. Gaim fell to the ground as the vines tightly bound him while Jam stood up to look at him.

"Black vines?" Gaim recognized the vines. They were the same ones that were found on Zhong's body and shoved down his throat. "You're the one who killed Zhong!"

Jam nodded, confirming his conclusion, before she headed for the wall and leapt over it to escape. Gaim continued to struggle with the vines. He focused his strength before he finally tore himself free. He removed the vines holding his legs together before he got back up and took out a Dandeliner Lockseed.

"You're not getting away!" Gaim shouted as he activated the Dandeliner and hopped on before giving chase. The guards watched as Gaim flew in hot pursuit of the Armored War Devil.

Gaim flew over the village, trying to locate Jam, when he finally found her. He spotted her fighting in the middle of the street and saw that her opponent was none other than Idunn. Gaim leapt down from his Dandeliner and landed on his feet. He combined his Musou Saber and Daidaimaru together before he joined his second cousin in battling Jam.

Idunn blocked Jam's swords when Gaim suddenly came into the battle and slashed the evil Rider across the chest with his Musou Saber Naginata Mode.

"Naga-kun!" Idunn cried happily at the sight of him.

"Mind if I cut in, Kara-chan?" Gaim asked.

"Why would I mind?" Idunn smiled. "By all means, join the fun."

"With pleasure!"

After the friendly banter, Idunn and Gaim double-teamed Jam. Sparks flew as their blades clashed with Jam's and the evil Rider found herself desperately trying to fight against two skilled opponents at the same time. Together, the Ultimate Sword and Forbidden Desire sent her skidding backwards and she stumbled a bit before regaining her footing.

"Is this the one that's been harassing you, Naga-kun?" Idunn asked. He mentioned that he had an encounter with an evil Rider fitting Jam's description.

"Yeah, and she has my Kachidoki Lockseed!" Gaim pointed out.

"So, a filthy little thief. No need to trouble yourself further, Naga-kun. I'll take care of this," Idunn told him as she engaged Jam again. She slashed the evil Rider across the chest with her Sword Bringer before landing a kick into Jam's midsection. As Jam swung her swords at Idunn, the latter blocked them with her Apple Reflecter before knocking her backwards with a shield bash. Idunn then relentlessly landed slash after slash upon Jam, sending her staggering with each strike.

A brutal thrust to Jam's chest sent her tumbling, causing her to drop the Kachidoki Lockseed. Gaim quickly went and scooped up the Kachidoki Lockseed, reclaiming it.

"Alright..." Gaim frowned in determination as he unlocked the Kachidoki Lockseed. "Time to put this nightmare to rest!"

[KACHIDOKI!]

Jam rose back to her feet, just in time to witness Gaim's change into Kachidoki Arms.

[SOIYA! KACHIDOKI ARMS! IZA SHUTSUJIN! EI, EI, OH!]

Drawing the Kachidoki Bata from his back, Gaim joined the battle again as he fought alongside Idunn. They struck at Jam relentlessly, putting the evil Rider on the defensive. The Kachidoki Bata ignited before Gaim smashed them into Jam, sending her flying.

While in midair, Jam's body dissolved into a swarm of black insects that surrounded both Riders. Gaim and Idunn tried to swat the bugs away, but the bugs kept evading their attempts. The blazing Kachidoki Bata were able to drive them away, but the bugs didn't remain at bay for long as they swarmed around the duo and then picked them up. Gaim and Idunn were repeatedly bashed against each other before they were dropped to the ground.

The swarm reformed into Jam as Gaim and Idunn picked themselves up. Bringing out his DJ Gun, he remembered the last time he tried to finish off Jam with his Kachidoki Arms' signature weapon. He started to tremble when he felt Idunn's reassuring hand on his shoulder. He looked to her and their eyes met. While their visors hid their eyes, he could tell that his second cousin was giving him a confident gaze of reassurance.

"Don't be scared, Naga-kun. I'm here for you," she told him. He nodded back in response as his confidence was renewed. He then removed his Kachidoki Lockseed from his SengokuDriver.

[LOCK OFF!]

"Kara-chan, let's finish her together!" Gaim ordered as he loaded his DJ Gun with the Kachidoki Lockseed.

[LOCK ON!]

"Hai, Naga-kun!" Idunn complied as she hit her Cutting Blade three times.

[COME ON! RINGO SPARKING!]

Gaim took aim at Jam with his DJ Gun as it syphoned power from the Kachidoki Lockseed. He didn't waste time or hesitate as he pulled the trigger.

[KACHIDOKI CHARGE!]

A giant red apple flew towards Jam as the Kachidoki Charge blast came at her from the same direction. In response, Jam summoned a swarm of bugs to form a curtain in front of her to take the hit, resulting in a massive explosion. When the smoke subsided and fire died, she was gone.

"Damn, she got away," Nagata cursed as he closed his Kachidoki Lockseed to cancel his transformation.

"Hopefully, she will think twice before she tries to rob you again," Karasu replied after cancelling her transformation.

Nagata smiled gratefully. "Thanks, Kara-chan."

Karasu smiled back. "It's no problem, Naga-kun. You know that you can always count on me. Now let's head back to the castle. You must be tired."

"Yeah, I was on my way to bed when I caught her trying to steal my Kachidoki Lockseed." Nagata wondered as Karasu picked up her lantern, "By the way, why are you out so late anyway?"

"It was my turn to go on patrol tonight, remember? Plus, it's a nice night for a stroll, don't you think?"

"Yeah, guess it is," Nagata agreed before he yawned. "Come on, let's head back and go back to bed. I'm pooped."

As Karasu and Nagata headed back to the castle, her pet crow Poe landed on her shoulder as she smiled darkly.

"Everything's going according to plan," murmured Karasu.

"Did you say something, Kara-chan?" Nagata asked.

"Oh, I was just saying what a beautiful night it is," she lied. He shrugged in response, not suspecting anything at all.


Here Nagata was, just waking up to another day, when he found that he had company in bed. He knew he went to bed alone last night. So what was Ryofu doing in his bed, naked, again?

Ryofu was once again sleeping in the nude. She didn't make any noises as she soundly slept next to him. The only noise that Nagata heard was the pounding of his heart in his chest.

'I have a hot naked girl in my bed!' Nagata thought with excitement and dread. Ryofu chose that moment to wake up. She then stretched like a cat that had just woken up. The blanket fell off her body as she stretched, showing her nude body in all its glory.

"Nya~" Ryofu uttered cutely.

Nagata just froze as she saw her tanned skin, the tattoos that decorated her skin, and her breasts, completely exposed to him. She regarded him with a blank expression before she blushed and smiled cutely.

"Ren...what are you...?" he started, but was interrupted as she kissed him.

"Good morning," Ryofu smiled before she kissed him again. Nagata didn't stop her. He couldn't stop her as she embraced him and kissed him passionately.

'I gotta get her to stop before-SHIT!'

Kanu chose that very moment to come into his bedroom to wake him up as she came across the scene. Nagata saw her come in and immediately panicked as he pushed Ryofu away.

"Aisha! Wait! This isn't what it looks like! Well, it is, but it isn't what you think! I can explain!" Nagata rambled as Kanu came over to the bed. Nagata braced himself for a thrashing from his jealous girlfriend.

He expected a slap to the face, but got a kiss on the lips instead.

"Good morning, Nagata-sama," Kanu greeted as she smiled warmly at him.

"Eh?" Nagata's jaw dropped. He expected violence, some sort of angry reaction, not a kiss. A kiss was the last thing he expected.

"It's alright, Nagata-sama. I understand. I just came here to wake the two of you up, that's all. Now, please get ready. You have a lot of work to do today."

Kanu left both Ryofu and Nagata alone. After a moment, Nagata pinched his cheek to check if he was dreaming.

"Ow."

That hurt.

This wasn't a dream. It was real.

"What the hell just happened?" Nagata wondered out loud before he found himself fending off Ryofu's amorous show of affection. "Wait! Ren! Stop! Down, girl! Heel!"

It was at that moment that Chinkyuu chose to walk by the open door of his bedroom. Kanu had forgotten to close the door, and the green-haired girl was looking for Ryofu, with Chouchou and Sekito helping her to track down her adoptive big sister's scent. When she heard the noise coming from Nagata's room, she decided to check.

"Ren-dono, are you here?" Chinkyuu called before she gasped in shock at the sight before her. Her eyes opened as big as dinner plates as her jaw dropped.

She saw Nagata on top of Ryofu, pinning her down to the bed by her wrists. Ryofu was also naked. It only took seconds for Chinkyuu to jump to conclusions.

"YOU PERVERTED BEAST!" Chinkyuu yelled angrily.

Nagata knew what this looked like and paled before he released Ryofu and frantically waved his hands in front of him.

"Wait, Chinkyuu! I can explain! This isn't what it looks like!" Nagata exclaimed.

"CHINKYUU KNEE DROP!"

"OW!"

"GET OFF HER!"

"OW! STOP HITTING ME! OW! OW!"


Karasu was still asleep in her bed when her bedroom door opened. She felt a hand on her shoulder, shaking her awake. Suddenly, her eyes shot open and she grabbed the intruder's hand. She gave it a sharp twist, eliciting a cry of pain from the intruder. She leapt out of bed, pinned the intruder's arm to his back and dropped him facedown to the floor. Straddling his back, she took out her dagger and was prepared to bring it down.

"Ow! Kara-chan! It's me! I just came to wake you up for breakfast!" Nagata cried out in panic and pain.

Karasu gasped, realizing it was him, and dropped the dagger before she released her second cousin.

"I'm so sorry!" she quickly apologized as she got off him and helped him up.

"Wow, your reflexes haven't dulled a bit," he remarked with a chuckle as he rubbed his sore wrist. He mumbled a bit about being assaulted twice in the morning.

"You should know better than to sneak up on me like that," she scolded.

"Gotcha. Sneaking up on you is a bad idea," he agreed. "I'll try not to surprise you in the future, for the sake of my health."

Her tone became tender as she asked, "Are you alright? I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"Nah, I've had worse, but now I need to really be careful when I wake you up. Next time, I'll do it while I'm in my armor," he joked. He then noticed something on the floor. Karasu followed his gaze and froze as he bent down to pick it up.

It was the Nagata doll that she slept with.

"Is this your doll? Is this supposed to be me? You sleep with a doll version of me?" Nagata asked.

Karasu blushed and let out a loud scream as she snatched the doll out of his grasp.

"Sleep with dolls!? Are you insane, Naga-kun!? I'm not a child!" Karasu strongly denied as she hid the doll behind her back.

Nagata let out a lighthearted chuckle. It wasn't a cruel laugh filled with malice that would hurt her feelings, but one of good nature as he gently put his hand on her shoulder.

"Relax, Kara-chan. It's fine. Everyone here has their quirks and hobbies. I just never thought you would be into dolls," Nagata smiled. Karasu was still silent as she looked down at the floor. "Could I see it again?"

She couldn't refuse him when he asked like that and handed the doll to him.

"It's really cute. Where did you get this?" Nagata asked.

"I...I made it," Karasu confessed.

"You made this doll?"

"Yes I made it! Is there something wrong with that!?" she yelled defensively.

"No, there's nothing wrong with making dolls. I'm just surprised you have the skill to make dolls," he said, honestly impressed. "It's really well made."

"Thank you," Karasu muttered as she blushed with a small smile. Nagata returned the doll to her and she hugged it. She still felt a little embarrassed that Nagata had found out about her hobby, but was glad that she was finally able to share it with him and he didn't make fun of her for it. As heiress of the Oda Clan, making ragdolls wasn't exactly a hobby she should have. She was expected to do something a bit more appropriate, like flower arranging. She just hoped Nagata never found her doll collection.

"You're welcome," he replied.

"Just don't tell anyone about this, please," Karasu pleaded. Nagata understood her worry. Karasu had built a reputation of being a powerful and frightening warrior in this world. Her reputation would be ruined if anyone learnt about her hobby.

"I won't, but you could make a doll for Riri," Nagata suggested. "She loves getting presents from her 'big sisters'."

"I'll think about it. So, you mentioned breakfast, right?" she said as she picked up her dagger and slid it back into the holster strapped to her right thigh.

"Yeah," he confirmed. "I made you your favorite to thank you for your help last night."

"Just let me get ready first and I'll join you."

"Alright, oh and good morning, Kara-chan."

"Good morning to you too, Naga-kun." For Karasu, it really was a good morning. Waking up at the sight of Nagata's face always brightened her day. Unfortunately, it was bittersweet as she accidentally assaulted her beloved because of her reflex. Hopefully, the rest of the day would be a lot better.


During breakfast, Chou'un insisted on flirting with him the whole time. At the same time, Bacho just avoided eye contact as he addressed her. While sitting between Kanu and Ryuubi, the two sworn sisters happily took turns feeding him. Ryofu just looked happy since she managed to get some of Nagata's attention earlier this morning.

Chinkyuu kept glaring daggers at him. She wasn't about to forget this morning's incident anytime soon as she claimed he was trying to take advantage of Ryofu. Ryofu, of course, defended him by telling Chinkyuu that she had come to his bed of her own free will. This didn't mollify the green-haired strategist. She told Ryofu to be careful around 'hungry wolves' who would 'ravage' her innocent body.

Iori and Kochu just chuckled, like it was some inside joke that Nagata wasn't aware of. If he had to be honest, it was a pretty eventful breakfast.

Morning training came soon after, and Ryuubi tripped while Nagata was teaching her. She claimed she sprained her ankle, so Nagata checked her injury. It didn't look like she had a sprain, but she claimed she was hurt.


Karasu wasn't exactly happy this morning. At breakfast, she noticed how the girls were cozying up to her beloved second cousin and didn't like it one bit. During morning training, Ryuubi even managed to hog all his attention. That would not do, and Karasu wasn't going to tolerate it.

The Black-Winged Shinigami entered Nagata's office to see him going over his paperwork. He didn't notice her arrival as he was busy reading a document before letting out a tired yawn. With a sigh, she went over and put a hand on his desk. Looking up, Nagata noticed his second cousin looking at him, as well as her breasts bouncing from the motion.

"Ah, Kara-chan," Nagata greeted. "What brings you over?"

"I came to see you but it looks like you're busy," she observed.

"Well, you know, there's paperwork to do," he told her. Neighboring villages and towns had trade agreements with Touka Village that needed his approval. He also needed to look over the budget to make sure the money they had was being well spent. It wasn't money to be spent frivolously as they got it from taxes. Additionally, he had to handle military affairs since he was the leader of the entire Shoku Faction. The village guards were asking for a raise, especially the gate sentries. They had a dangerous job. Rinrinshi and Rinshi kept knocking them out before they entered the village to wreak havoc. They lost a lot of good guards that way.

The Harvest Festival was also around the corner. They would be celebrating this year's bountiful harvest and that meant Nagata needed to work hard to make sure it was a success. Merchants from outside the village would be coming over for the festival to sell their wares and had asked permission to set up temporary shops. There were many events to set up as well. Fortunately, he had his friends to help him organize the Harvest Festival.

Karasu walked over behind him and started to rub his shoulders. "If you sit like this for too long, your body will deteriorate with stress. Are you sure you're sleeping well? Eating enough food? Getting enough exercise?"

"Oh, I'm fine. You know I always take care of myself," Nagata smiled.

Karasu began to fondly reminisce as she said, "Ne, Naga-kun. Remember when I always used to do this for you? After we sparred together your shoulders would always ache all over."

"Yeah. You kept kicking my ass and Uncle Kurogane would just shake his head in disappointment at me."

"I can't help it if I'm just better than you when it comes to kendo," Karasu said teasingly. "But you have improved since then. Look at where you are now."

"I didn't become a leader by just being good at kendo," he refuted.

"Don't sell yourself short. The people chose you to be their ruler and look up to you since you're such a strong leader. You wouldn't be respected if you were weak."

"I can't take all the credit. I'm where I am thanks to everyone's help."

As Nagata continued to relax and enjoy the massage Karasu was giving him, he took a moment to reflect. She was right. Weakness did not win respect. However, Nagata's strength didn't stem from overwhelming force or power. His true strength came from his compassion and strong sense of justice.

"Nagata-sama, we have some more requests from the outposts. They're asking for more supplies," Komei spoke as she walked in on the cousins' intimate moment, carrying a new stack of documents. Karasu's eyes furrowed in annoyance as Nagata smiled warmly at his strategist.

"Just put them on my desk, Shuri. I'll take a look at them later," Nagata told her. He let out a moan as Karasu continued to rub his shoulders. "Ah, yeah...that's the spot."

"Perhaps you should take a break and go get some fresh air?" Karasu recommended. "You shouldn't be stuck in here when it's such a beautiful day."

"Good idea," Nagata accepted. Maybe a walk was what he needed. His legs did need the exercise after all.

"The fields look especially nice today, Nagata-sama. Perhaps you can take a look at how the farmers are doing," Komei suggested.

"Are you sure he needs to watch farmers working while on his break?" Karasu glared at Komei who wilted under her gaze. In the time since she joined, Karasu had intimidated a few people because of her glare. Her reputation as the Black-Winged Shinigami also scared off people. Even while walking out in public, she wore her mask and cloak, maintaining an intimidating appearance.

"It's OK, Kara-chan. I like to watch the farmers at work. When this place was plagued by bandits, you don't know how hard it was for them to have a peaceful harvest," Nagata replied. Bandits came and stole the fruits and vegetables they worked so hard to plant and grow. It was quite a depressing time for them until Nagata came along.

Karasu relented, "Well, if that's your choice, I guess I can't stop you."


It was a peaceful day in Touka Village and the farmers were hard at work in the fields. They were currently harvesting the crops to store for the winter. As the winter months were extremely cold, they needed to get all their harvesting done soon before it started to snow.

Nagata was overseeing the harvest with a very proud smile. All this farmland they had was thanks to the efforts of everyone in Shoku.

"Wow, this is gonna be a lot of work," said Nagata as he saw the fields that were full of crops as the farmers were harvesting them by hand. In his time, harvesting was done by machines, which made the work go faster. In this era, a lot of things needed to be done by hand like planting, weeding, and harvesting. It was hard work yet lords often took their farmers for granted. Fortunately, Nagata was not one of those lords.

"Considering how scarce food can be in this day and age with the elements against us, we really need to store a lot of food for the winter. They don't have the way of preserving food like we do in the modern age. Makes you appreciate things a bit better," Iori replied as he stood next to Nagata to observe the harvest.

"Well, at least the stuff is certain to be organic and have none of those chemicals," Nagata added.

"Say, aren't you supposed to be doing paperwork?" Iori wondered.

"Ugh, don't remind me..." groaned Nagata. "I had to get away. I needed some fresh air."

"Fresh air, huh? Me and the men are going out hunting later. You wanna come along?" Iori invited.

"Sure, why not? I haven't been on a hunting trip for a very long time."

"Gaim-sama! Ryugen-sama! It's terrible!" One of the villagers came running over to the pair. He looked very distressed.

"What's wrong?" asked Nagata.

"It's the well! It's all dried up!"

Iori and Nagata shared concerned looks before they went back to the village to check on the well.

Nagata and Iori went to investigate the claim and came upon the village's well. Iori peered down and dropped a bucket inside to see if he could scoop up water.

"So?" Nagata asked after Iori pulled the pail back up and checked.

"If there was even a bit of water, the bottom of the pail would be damp," said Iori as he examined the pail. There wasn't a single drop of water or even evidence of moisture. "It's as dry as a bone."

"I'm going down there to see what's going on," said Nagata.

"I'll fetch the rope ladder," offered Iori.

"No need," said Nagata as he put on his SengokuDriver. "Henshin!" With a swift motion of unlocking his Lockseed, locking it into his SengokuDriver and then slicing it open, Nagata transformed into his armor.

[ICHIGO! LOCK ON! SOIYA! ICHIGO ARMS! SHUSHUTTO SPARK!]

Gaim transformed into his red Ichigo Arms and leapt into the well. He landed at the bottom and examined it.

"WHAT'S THE VERDICT?" Iori called from above.

Gaim yelled back, "YOU WERE RIGHT! THE WELL'S DRY AS A BONE!"

"WHAT!?"

"I SAID IT'S DRY! NO WATER!"

"WELL, THAT'S JUST GREAT! WHAT SHOULD WE DO?"

"LET ME GET BACK UP THERE!"

Gaim slowly began scaling the wall of the well with his Ichigo Kunai before finally reaching the top. Iori helped him out and he deactivated his armor.

Nagata concluded, "We won't be able to use this well anymore. We'll have to dig another one. Until then, the villagers need to get their water from the river. I'll go and get the builders started and help them with the new well."


The Femme Fatales were reviewing and discussing current events, mainly pertaining to the Armored War Gods. Already, three have been chosen by the Seal of Heaven and awakened the power of the Sovereigns.

The Femme Fatales could have claimed the Seal of Heaven from Rakuyo. However, at the time, they could not ascertain its authenticity. They knew very little of the mystical object besides it being a symbol of the Mandate of Heaven which granted absolute power to the Emperor or Empress at the time. That was why Chojo would be the one to test if it was truly the Seal of Heaven and not some copy.

Chojo managed to prove its authenticity when the Seal of Heaven transformed her into a demon but with all the Armored War Gods present at the time, it was still too risky to make a grab for it. So, they continued to watch and waited for their chance. Unfortunately, after granting the power of the Black Turtle to Armored War God Gridon, it just vanished.

After the Seal of Heaven vanished following the Siege of Korou Fortress, the various factions went in search of it. Whether their intent was to keep the artifact out of the hands of their enemies or to keep the power for themselves, they had sent out agents to find clues of its whereabouts. However, the Seal of Heaven proved to be an elusive artifact resulting in its search becoming nothing more than a fruitless endeavor.

When it first emerged after months of being missing, it granted the power of the White Tiger to the White Devil, Armored War God Zangetsu of Son Go. Its latest reappearance occurred when it granted the power of the Vermillion Phoenix to the Crimson Enforcer, Armored War God Baron of Sou Gi.

Only the power of the Azure Dragon was left to be awakened and if the current pattern persisted, it was likely that the final candidate might just be the ruler of Shoku himself, the Blue King known as Armored War God Gaim.

This was their last chance to obtain the Seal of Heaven, and they weren't going to waste another opportunity.

It was time to bring in one of their elite fighters.

A Rinrinshi knelt before the Femme Fatales of the RinJyuKen Akugata. He was identical to every other Rinrinshi, but the only distinguishing mark on him was the animal ornament on his head which resembled a cobra. Another accessory he had was the blue sash that was draped over his left shoulder and tied at his right hip.

"Braco of the RinJyu Snake-Ken. We've called you here because we need to send you on an important mission," Shirokumahime began.

"What is the mission, Shirokumahime-sama?" Braco asked.

Three screens appeared above the Femme Fatales and Braco watched as they showed Gridon, Baron and Zangetsu accessing their Sovereign Arms for the first time.

Shirokumahime explained, "The Seal of Heaven still eludes us to this day. It seems to emerge only in the presence of an Armored War God. It has appeared before Gridon who once served Totaku, it next appeared for Zangetsu who serves Sonken, and lastly it has appeared in front of Baron who serves Sousou. It is likely that it will appear again for the Blue King of Shoku, Gaim."

"So, you believe the Seal of Heaven will appear for the Armored War God who rules Shoku?" Braco asked.

"We are hoping that it will. When it appears to awaken the Azure Dragon's power within him, claim it and bring it here. As it will only appear in an Armored War God's presence, you will have to force Gaim into a confrontation," Shirokumahime instructed. "Now go!"

"As you command." Braco bowed his head before he stood up and turned to leave the chamber.

"Think he can pull it off?" Takahime asked once Braco had exited the chamber.

"Braco's ambitious and Gaim's a powerful warrior. Braco would no doubt challenge him to a duel to prove his superiority," Shachihime answered.

"Of course he will. He's an opportunistic snake like me," smiled Hebihime proudly.

"Girls, the reason I sent Braco is because he is the best choice to fight Gaim right now, and once he manages to make the Seal of Heaven appear, we will finally get what we desire," said Shirokumahime, wearing a rarely seen smile.


Construction of the new well was due to begin soon. With the original well dry as a bone, that forced the villagers to go to the river if they needed fresh water. The villagers could also gather rain water. Iori was hoping for a heavy downpour at least. That way the old well would be filled.

As Iori mused about the dry well, he went to grab something he had been hiding under his and Kochu's bed. Not even she knew about it. Right now, she was out training the archers while Riri was playing with Chouhi, Batai and the other village children.

It was a box. He took off the lid to reveal the GenesisDriver and Melon Energy Lockseed inside. He remembered what he had to do to get them. They had been in Nise's possession but Iori had claimed them after executing him.

He convinced himself it was the right thing to do. Nise had run away from the justice he deserved for far too long. The list of crimes he had in his name couldn't be forgiven. He had stolen Ryuubi's identity, her family heirloom, had his stepdaughter kidnapped, blackmailed Kochu, and worst of all had killed Sonsaku.

Iori had defeated Nise and could've either left him in Helheim or brought him back to answer for his crimes. Instead, Iori had played judge, jury and executioner. As far as Iori Tokugawa was concerned, he had done the right thing. Nagata may not approve, but Iori convinced himself that he had made the right call. As weak and pathetic as he was, Nise was a dangerous menace and Iori had done the right thing by ridding this world of him.

He considered talking with Kochu about it, of how he had killed Nise and claimed both the GenesisDriver and Melon Energy Lockseed, but decided against it. If he told her, she might tell the others, and he didn't want them to see him as a coldblooded killer. He felt ashamed of himself that he couldn't trust Kochu about this, but he was afraid of how she would react.

"He deserved to die," Iori reassured himself as he continued to study the GenesisDriver. He knew the Driver and Lockseed did not belong to him. He should return them to Masataka, but didn't he deserve them? He had won them after defeating Nise. These were his spoils to take. He was the one who finally took care of Nise. Shouldn't he be rewarded for that? Also, according to the news he had heard, Masataka now possessed a Sovereign Lockseed. He no longer had need for the power of the GenesisDriver and Melon Energy Lockseed when he had something more superior in his arsenal.

Still, it was a matter of principle. These items belonged to Masataka and he would still want them back. The only reason Iori was still hanging onto them was because he desired more power. He may not remember when he became Ryugen-Yomi, but from what he had been told he had far greater power and strength in that form than he had ever wielded. If he wanted to protect his loved ones from harm, he would need more power. He was trying to figure out how to awaken that power. The only thing he recalled was that he blacked out, but before that he remembered wanting to protect Kochu and kill Sadako.

Perhaps righteous fury was the key, or perhaps it was rage in general. Whatever the key may be, he needed to figure it out and learn how to control it. He didn't want to turn into a mindless berserker. He would become a far greater danger to his friends if that ever happened.

"Hey, Iori," Nagata called, causing Iori to jump and hide both devices behind his back.

"Yes, Nagata?" asked Iori.

Nagata informed him, "I've been looking for you. Are we still going on that hunting trip later?"

"Oh, the hunting trip. Yeah, sure," Iori answered. Nagata noticed that Iori was trying to hide something behind him.

"Iori, what're you hiding behind your back?"

Iori lied, "Nothing."

Nagata's eyes narrowed as he warned, "Iori..."

Iori began to sweat. He could continue to lie to Nagata, but then that would make him a liar and he didn't want to lie to his best friend. Sighing, Iori decided to come clean and brought out the GenesisDriver and Melon Energy Lockseed he had hidden behind his back.

Nagata was expectedly surprise at the sight of both devices. "Are those what I think they are? Are those whose I think they are?"

Iori started, "I can explain, Nagata..."

"How did you even get them?"

"I managed to track down Nise and take them from him," Iori answered. He wasn't lying, he just wasn't telling the whole truth.

"Alright, that's good," Nagata accepted. "But why didn't you tell me? We could've had these returned to Masataka."

"I'm not giving them back," Iori retorted, shocking Nagata.

"Iori, they don't belong to you," Nagata argued.

Iori argued back, "I beat Nise! That means these are my spoils to claim! We claim the spoils from bandits all the time, don't we?"

"It's not that simple." Nagata shook his head. "The spoils we claim from bandits are used to help the people. We only take their loot because we don't know who they belong to. We know who these belong to and we should give them back."

"Why? Haven't you heard that he now has the power of one of the Sovereigns? He has a power that's superior to the power these devices can provide. I doubt he'd miss them."

"That's not the point."

"You're right," Iori agreed. "The point is that I need power."

"You're already strong..."

"Well I'm not strong enough! I look at you and the others and all I see is how much weaker I am in comparison! You just keep getting stronger and stronger while I just remain as I am and get left behind! I need this power, Nagata!"

"Why do you need power?" Nagata asked.

"To protect my family, and I don't care what I have to do to get it," Iori answered resolutely.

Nagata became concerned when he heard that declaration. On one hand, he agreed that Iori needed power to protect his family, which was a good thing. On the other hand, if Iori didn't care what he had to do to get power, then that would mean Iori was willing to do anything to get it. That was not a good thing. Nagata was worried about what lines Iori was willing to cross for the sake of more power.

Before Nagata could retort, the alarm gongs rang loudly. They would only be rung if the village was under attack or something terrible had happened.

"Sounds like the village is in trouble," said Iori.

Nagata reminded, "Don't think this discussion is over, Iori. We are going to continue after we deal with this."

Iori nodded. "Alright, but we better hurry."

"Don't need to tell me twice."

As Nagata left the room, Iori contemplated the GenesisDriver and Melon Energy Lockseed before he followed Nagata out.


The Rinrinshi that came to the village was followed by an army of two dozen Rinshi that were wreaking havoc. As the soldiers began to escort the villagers to safety, Nagata and the Shoku Warriors arrived to confront the intruder.

The Rinrinshi leading the attack raised his hand, silently commanding the Rinshi to cease their rampage.

"Looks like we're being welcomed by the Blue King of Shoku himself and his officers. I'm honored," the Rinrinshi bowed.

Iori's eyes widened as he saw the Rinrinshi. In everyone's eyes, Rinrinshi were all identical. The only way to tell them apart was from the animal-shaped ornaments mounted on their heads. Unlike regular Rinshi, they all wore red robes and lacked the caps that concealed their eyes. This Rinrinshi had an extra accessory, a blue sash that was strapped across his chest. His ornament was a cobra and Iori had a very bad feeling in his gut that he knew who this Rinrinshi was.

"Armored War God Gaim. It's so nice to finally meet you," the Rinrinshi with the blue sash greeted.

"Hey, don't forget that we're here too," Iori reminded. The Rinrinshi gave Iori and Karasu a simple glance before ignoring them.

"You know who I am but who are you?" Nagata asked.

"I am Braco, Snake-Ken Master and leader of the Five Venom Fists," Braco introduced himself. "I came here to challenge you personally, Armored War God Gaim." He pulled out a pair of crescent-shaped swords, the Yojato, and got into a stance.

"Naga-kun, you need not waste your time with this cretin," Karasu told her second cousin.

"Kara-chan, he challenged me personally. I should honor his request," Nagata replied as stepped forward.

"A Rinrinshi doesn't have any honor, Nagata," protested Iori.

"Maybe, but I still have mine and I will hold onto it," Nagata replied as he activated his Lockseed. "Henshin!"

[ORANGE!]

Braco watched as Nagata loaded his SengokuDriver with his Lockseed before he pushed down the Cutting Blade.

[LOCK ON! SOIYA! ORANGE ARMS! HANAMICHI ON STAGE!]

"The legendary transformation of an Armored War God. A truly awesome sight to behold," admired Braco as the Orange Armor Part landed on Nagata's head, materializing his blue Ride Wear suit, before it disassembled and folded onto his body, forming his armor and revealing his helmet.

"Armored War God Gaim, Arriving on Stage!" Gaim declared as he summoned his Daidaimaru and drew his Musou Saber.

"Nagata-sama, be careful," Kanu advised. Something about this Braco gave her a really bad feeling.

"Don't worry, Aisha. I got this," Gaim replied confidently as he got into a stance. Iori and Karasu had their SengokuDrivers on, preparing themselves for any treachery from the Cobra Rinrinshi Braco.

Gaim and Braco bowed their heads to each other before they charged. Steel sliced through the air before they collided, sparks flying as their blades connected. The two continued to exchange blows, swords clashing loudly as the two of them fought. Chouhi and Batai yelled out cheers of encouragement as the Rinshi also cheered. Though, without voices, they simply waved their arms and jumped excitedly as they supported Braco.

Gaim and Braco locked blades and the latter commented, "It's been a long time since I've met a swordsman as skilled as yourself."

"You flatter me, but I'm still going to have to beat you," Gaim responded as they broke apart. Gaim thrust his Musou Saber forward but Braco sidestepped the strike before landing a kick into Gaim's chest, sending him staggering. Jumping forward, he performed an X-shaped slash, hitting Gaim across the chest. Gaim grunted but managed to dodge a following strike at the last minute before he slashed Braco in the side, sending him reeling. They turned to face each other again and began to circle each other before they clashed again.

"I know this isn't the limit of your power, Gaim! Show me what else you can do!" Braco challenged. He wanted to fight the strongest warriors in the land, testing his skills against them, before finally crushing them. Right now, Braco was fighting in his Rinrinshi form in order to test Gaim's skills. So far, he wasn't disappointed. Gaim might just be a child compared to him, but his skills had been sharpened with experience and there was no better teacher than experience.

"Alright, if that's what you want!" Gaim responded as he connected his Musou Saber and Daidaimaru together to form their combined Naginata Mode. Twirling the weapon, he swung at Braco who jumped back as the weapon came down. The Daidaimaru blade broke a chunk off the road and Braco chuckled.

"Now this is more like it! Time to take things up a notch! Jujin Jashin Hen!"

Braco shed off his Rinrinshi skin to reveal his true form. His body was reptilian in appearance, sporting a mix of blue and purple scales. A snake's face was on his chest and he had a headdress shaped like a cobra's hood that had fangs protruding from it. His eyes were red and he had a yellow face with fangs. His hands were odd, though. They now had only three fingers each and were tipped with wicked looking fingernails. Set on his back was a large ring that looked like a snake's tail that had been curled into a circle.

"Now, Gaim. Let's take this to the next level! Rinshi, attack!" Braco ordered.

When the Rinshi charged at them, Gaim's own generals immediately went to engage them. At the same time, Karasu and Iori also transformed.

[HAI~! BUDOU ARMS! RYU, HOU, HA-HA-HA!]

[COME ON! RINGO ARMS! DESIRE FORBIDDEN FRUITS!]

"Gaim, come and catch me if you can!" Braco challenged as he ran off.

"Not so fast!" Gaim gave chase.

"Naga-kun, wait!" Idunn shouted as she cut a Rinshi down.

"Nagata!" Ryugen called as he landed several headshots.

"Iori-sama, Idunn-sama, go and help Nagata-sama," Kanu suggested as she fought the Rinshi. "We can handle things here."

"Alright, Aisha," nodded Ryugen. "Let's go, Oda-san." Idunn nodded and went with Ryugen to assist Gaim.

Meanwhile, Gaim was chasing Braco through an empty street that was lined with houses. Once they were running parallel to each other, the two began to trade blows. Sparks flew as their weapons clashed furiously. Braco had to admit, this was the most fun he had in his undead life.

Braco landed a kick to Gaim's chest, knocking him back. Gaim went tumbling but managed to catch himself as he returned to his feet. He saw Braco come down at him with his Yojato and Gaim blocked the swords with his Musou Saber Naginata Mode.

Gaim held his ground as Braco pushed down on him before the Cobra Rinrinshi started to land strike after strike upon Gaim who was forced to block the barrage with his weapon. Gaim twirled his weapon to counter Braco and slash him across the chest. Braco retaliated as Gaim blocked his strikes before he finally managed to break through Gaim's guard and land a brutal blow that sent him skidding backwards.

Groaning, Gaim looked up to see Braco charging towards him. Reacting quickly, Gaim jumped and landed a front kick into Braco's chest, knocking him back while giving him some space at the same time. Landing on his feet, Gaim took out his Grapefruit Energy Lockseed and unlocked it.

[GRAPEFRUIT ENERGY!]

The Orange Armor Part reverted back to its fruit-like form, releasing a shockwave that forced Braco back. It then ascended, joining the descending Grapefruit Energy Armor Part.

[LOCK ON! SOIYA!]

Braco watched as the two Armor Parts fused into the Jimber Armor Part. It came down and covered Gaim's head before disassembling to become his Jimber Grapefruit Arms.

[MIX! JIMBER GRAPEFRUIT! HA-HA!]

Gaim's Daidaimaru vanished from the Musou Saber before the Sonic Arrow occupied Gaim's other hand. Crossing both weapons, Gaim went into a stance before spreading his arms apart.

"Alright, Braco! Let's dance on this stage again!" Gaim challenged.

"Yes, let's dance!" Braco eagerly accepted before the two engaged in combat again. The two clashed, sparks blasting off their weapons as their blades met. Their weapons clashed, but they didn't just fight with their weapons. As martial artists, their bodies were weapons as well. Gaim landed a roundhouse kick into Braco's side, but Braco recovered quickly to kick Gaim in the gut. Gaim sidestepped a slash and managed to land a back kick that nearly knocked Braco to the ground. Next, Gaim performed a horizontal slash with his Musou Saber but Braco jumped and landed on a roof. Gaim narrowed his eyes and jumped onto the roof to join Braco before they began trading blows again.

Locking blades, Braco commented, "How exciting! This is the best fight I've had in a long time!"

"You enjoy fighting so much?" Gaim asked.

"Of course! It's in our nature as Rinrinshi to seek conflict! It's fights like this that excites us and make us feel alive, and I know you feel the same way, Gaim!"

Gaim denied, "Fighting does not excite me!"

Braco rebutted, "You may not say it with words, but I can sense it in your actions! Now stop holding back and give me everything you got!"

Gaim wouldn't admit it, but he found himself feeling excited as well. His mom, Yang, was a thrill-seeker herself and she managed to rub off on him. He may not realize it himself, but he had inherited her thirst for adventure. It was why he enjoyed camping and traveling. He wanted to explore and discover new things. Coming to this world, he came to a land full of danger, but he showed no fear. Instead, he grew from his experiences.

The fights he had since coming to this land, they weren't regulated matches like the ones in the kendo tournaments he used to participate in. In these fights there were no rules, only freedom. In a fight of life and death, the only rule was to survive and that meant that there were no other rules to break and no lines that he couldn't cross. In a fight like this, he would not have to hold back and that made Nagata Oda excited.

"Are you sure they went through here?" Idunn asked as she and Ryugen were looking for Gaim. They heard the sound of clashing blades ringing in the air and followed it.

"Up there!" Ryugen pointed and Idunn looked up to see Gaim and Braco fighting upon the roof of a house.

"Does it look like Naga-kun is enjoying himself?" Idunn wondered out loud. Ryugen didn't answer. He aimed his Budou Ryuhou but Idunn hastily pushed his gun down. "Stop! You might hit Naga-kun!"

"I don't miss," Ryugen told her sternly.

"Well we still can't risk it with them standing so close to each other. Wait for them to break apart, then blast that snake," she instructed.

Breaking apart, Gaim and Braco jumped back and landed on opposite ends of the roof they were on.

"You know, it's a shame that I'll have to kill you once this is all over," Braco remarked. "I haven't had this much fun in a long time."

"Well, then we better make sure this fight ends with no regrets," Gaim responded as he threw his Musou Saber at Braco. Braco tilted his head to the side to avoid the thrown blade but then saw Gaim aiming his Sonic Arrow at him.

Gaim fired and Braco parried with his Yojato, deflecting the energy arrow. Gaim continued to fire as Braco advanced on him, deflecting the energy arrows that came at him. He then lunged and swung his Yojato, but Gaim managed to block the crescent swords with his Sonic Arrow. Drawing the shaft back, Gaim fired Braco at point blank range, knocking him back. He then pulled his left arm back and punched Braco in the face, sending Braco backpedaling further towards the edge of the roof. Gaim was about to fire again when several gunshots suddenly hit Braco directly in the face, sending him plunging off the roof.

"Huh?" Gaim blinked and looked down to see Ryugen and Idunn. "Kara-chan? Iori?"

"We came to back you up," Ryugen waved as Idunn charged at Braco with a furious yell. The Demon Dragon spotted Gaim's Musou Saber lying on the ground and picked it up before he joined Idunn.

Idunn was in the middle of fighting with Braco as she guarded with her shield and slashed with her sword. Sparks erupted as they fought furiously. She managed to land a slash against his chest. In his fury, Braco aimed for her neck. Idunn quickly opened up a Helheim portal behind her and jumped backwards, avoiding Braco's attack. He stared in confusion at the closing portal before another one opened up behind him and Idunn jumped out, slashing him across the back.

"You bitch!" Braco hissed as he slashed at her, but she once again vanished into a portal. A moment later, a new portal appeared above Braco and Idunn came down, landing an overhead strike that caused Braco to howl in pain before vanishing into a portal that opened on the ground.

Several gunshots hit Braco and he was forced to raise his swords to block them as Ryugen came charging with the Budou Ryuhou. Once he was close enough, he slashed with Gaim's Musou Saber. There was a metallic clang as their weapons met but Ryugen used the opening to fire at Braco directly. Braco moved his head to the side to avoid the shots and pushed Ryugen back. Idunn capitalized on that moment to strike as she jumped out of another portal. Braco had to block her, but this left him wide open to Ryugen's assault as he shot at him, sending him staggering back. The Demon Dragon and Black-Winged Shinigami then stabbed their swords into Braco, sending him tumbling.

Braco got up on one knee and called, "Snake-Ken! Ringi!" He began to fill his Yojato with his venomous Rinki before he swung his swords. "Yojazan!"

Crescent-shaped purple energy waves shot out at both Riders, but Idunn quickly raised her Apple Reflecter shield and stood in front of Ryugen, blocking the Ringi. The force of the attack still managed to throw her backwards. Ryugen aimed and fired at Braco who was closing the distance between them. Once close, Braco ducked under the Budou Ryuhou, swung his sword to knock it out of his hand, and then slashed his other sword across Ryugen's chest, sending him staggering backwards before he slashed furiously and then sent him flying with a kick.

"ARGH!" Braco suddenly screamed and he looked to see an energy arrow embedded in his shoulder. He gripped it, and pulled it out, spilling dark blood. Looking up, he saw Gaim glaring down at him from the rooftop. He had almost forgotten about him.

"Too scared to face me alone, Gaim? Where's your honor?" Braco taunted. Gaim narrowed his eyes and responded by jumping down from the rooftop to pick up the Musou Saber that Ryugen had dropped.

"Kara-chan, Iori, leave this to me. This is my fight," Gaim ordered.

Idunn shook her head in protest. "No, Naga-kun."

"She's right. We're a team, and we stand a better chance together," agreed Ryugen as he picked his Budou Ryuhou back up.

Gaim turned away from them to face Braco. He hadn't given them his approval but neither had he rejected their offer of assistance. Together they rushed at Braco.

Gaim slashed at Braco, prompting him to parry. Ryugen fired, forcing him back. Idunn charged through, slashing at the Rinrinshi. Gaim joined her as they landed strikes together. Idunn slashed with her sword and Gaim landed a kick while Ryugen provided support fire. The three Armored War Gods were working together as a team, covering each other as they attacked in turns.

Braco hissed, finding this situation frustrating. However, he hadn't gotten to his position for being weak. He had once been a Rinshi grunt, but after surviving the Chamber of Trials, was promoted into a Rinrinshi and later he became one of the RinJyuKen Akugata's elite members after mastering his Snake-Ken. The Chamber of Trials involved fighting numerous Rinshi. It was survival of the fittest and victory went to the last man standing. He had killed his fellow Rinshi so that he could be where he was today.

So he had no problem facing multiple opponents at once.

"Hah!" Braco sent Idunn staggering as he struck her chest.

"Shi-yah!" Ryugen fell next as he was stabbed by a Yojato.

"Hyah!" Gaim and Braco locked blades again as sparks scraped off their weapons.

Braco wanted a worthy challenge and he was finally getting it. He acknowledged Gaim for his strength and wanted to defeat him to prove his superiority. It was, after all, in his nature to seek stronger opponents and crush them.

Now it was time to prove who was the superior one between them. Braco pushed Gaim back before he jumped backwards to gain some distance.

"Gaim, show me that power! Show me that power you used at the Siege of Korou Fortress!" demanded Braco as he pointed his right Yojato at Gaim.

"That power?" Gaim questioned. Braco was of course referring to the Kachidoki Arms. "Alright, if you want to see it so much! I'll show it to you!"

Braco watched as Gaim took out the Kachidoki Lockseed and unlocked it, summoning the Kachidoki Arms Armor Part.

[KACHIDOKI!]

Braco licked his lips in anticipation. This was the power Gaim had used to fight against Chojo.

[LOCK ON! SOIYA! KACHIDOKI ARMS! IZA SHUTSUJIN! EI, EI, OH!]

Braco gave the Kachidoki Arms a look and burst out laughing. "Hahahahahaha! Yes! Yes! Now this is what I've been waiting for! A worthy battle! Gaim, now show me that form's power!"

Gaim holstered his Musou Saber before he drew his Kachidoki Bata and they engaged each other again. In Kachidoki Arms, Gaim had more power and, despite the loss of speed, his defenses were high enough that he didn't need to dodge any blows. The Kachidoki Bata crashed against the Yojato as Braco struck back. Sparks exploded on contact as their weapons clashed against each other.

Braco's blades sliced through the banners that hung from the flagpoles as they continued to fight. Gaim landed a powerful jab into Braco's stomach and followed up with an upward strike into his lower jaw. Braco retaliated with a cross slash against Gaim's chest and then kicked him in the chest to send him staggering back. He then jumped and swung his swords down. Gaim used his Kachidoki Bata to block, but the flagpoles were broken by Braco's swords. Braco managed to land a hit, forcing Gaim to stagger backwards from the force of the blow.

"You were holding back before," Gaim realized.

"Naturally. You need to pace yourself so you can enjoy a fight to its fullest," Braco answered. Gaim understood. Braco wanted this fight to last a bit longer, but Gaim had other plans. He wanted this fight to end as quickly as possible and the Kachidoki Arms gave the Blue King the means to do it.

Drawing out his DJ Gun, Gaim fired at Braco repeatedly. The evil Snake-Ken Master was shoved backwards by each shot, unable to avoid them as Gaim repeatedly squeezed the trigger. Braco continued to grin as he pushed through, using the Yojato to deflect the shots as he channeled more Rinki. Oh, yes. Now this fight was actually becoming exciting.

Switching the DJ Pitch to Low, Gaim took aim and fired a cannon burst at Braco. The explosive force of the blast sent Braco sliding back. That did not stop him for long as he advanced on Gaim. This time he dodged the blasts as Gaim fired. This prompted Gaim to switch the DJ Pitch to High. Pulling the trigger, he began spraying bullets at Braco. The Cobra Rinrinshi responded by coating his Yojato with his Rinki and, with incredible speed, deflects all the bullets as they came. He didn't even stop walking to do it. He just kept coming towards Gaim even as he tried to slow him down with his DJ Gun.

Braco got close enough and swung at Gaim, but the Rider blocked with the DJ Gun, holding it firmly between himself and Braco's venomous swords.

"Come on, Gaim! Is this all you got? I wanted you to show me your true power, the power you used to destroy Chojo! Stop holding back and show me! Come on, show me!"

With a yell, Gaim pushed Braco back and punched him with all of the strength his Kachidoki Arms granted him. Braco went skidding backwards before coming to a stop, leaving a huge gap between them.

Gaim drew his Musou Saber and combined it with the DJ Gun, activating its Taiken Mode.

[LOCK OFF!]

"You asked for it!" shouted Gaim as he took off his Kachidoki Lockseed and loaded it into his DJ Gun.

[LOCK ON!]

After they finished dealing with the Rinshi, the Shoku Warriors went to look for their lord. He wasn't hard to find as the sound of battle led them to him. They found him facing Braco as he powered up his DJ Gun Taiken Mode.

[1, 10, 100, 1,000, 10,000, 100,000,000, 1,000,000,000,000! MURYODAISU!]

Narrowing his eyes, Gaim prepared himself as the DJ Gun syphoned energy from his Kachidoki Lockseed before he finally squeezed the trigger.

[KACHIDOKI CHARGE!]

"KACHIDOKI DAI MUSOU ZAN!" Gaim shouted as he swung and a massive blade of energy surged towards Braco. The Rinrinshi was hit and he screamed before being engulfed in a huge explosion. From their experience, almost nothing could survive that.

"He did it," Kanu smiled at her lord's victory. He had proven once more that he was the Peerless Blue King.

But then, they heard Braco's laughter from within the smoke cloud before he stepped out of it and revealed himself. His body had turned ash grey and he should've crumbled to dust. However, what happened next surprised them as the dead grey skin shed right off to reveal Braco, alive and unscathed.

"What's going on?" Bacho asked. That attack should've killed the Rinrinshi. She had never seen anything survive it before.

"My Secret Ringi, Madoku (True Poison). I possess six fangs that can let me revive the dead or in this case prevent me from dying. I already used one. Now you have five more chances if you want to kill me for good," Braco boasted.

Gaim trembled with his teeth gritted as he witnessed Braco survive his Kachidoki Dai Musou Zan. He should've known that it wouldn't be easy to defeat Braco. It had been so long since he watched Gekirangers that he had forgotten about Braco's Secret Ringi.

"He survived...just like Jam..." Gaim recalled, the way Braco survived reminded him of how Jam survived his Kachidoki Charge as well before she sliced his DJ Gun in half. The same terror he felt that day returned as he saw Jam's image superimposed over Braco and heard her voice.

"Can you really save anyone when you're so weak?"

Braco said, "You're exhausted, aren't you? Unfortunately for you, the Madoku revives me completely. My fatigue is gone now. I can't say the same for you though, Gaim."

Gaim hardened his expression with determination, pushing all thoughts of Jam and his fear aside as he glared back at Braco.

"It doesn't matter! No matter what, I won't give up! Even if you can bring yourself to life 100 times over, I will beat you 100 times over and then some!" swore Gaim as he stopped trembling. His resolve was strong. He wasn't going to quit. Everyone was counting on him.

At that moment, the sky lit up with a brilliant golden light. As if called by a prayer, the Seal of Heaven descended from the Heavens like a divine figure. It was truly a beautiful and awesome sight to behold. Idunn was struck speechless by its beauty and majesty.

"So beautiful..." Idunn awed at the sight of the Seal of Heaven.

"The Seal of Heaven..." hissed Braco.

As the Seal of Heaven shone its light upon Gaim, he felt a strange energy enter his body. His Kachidoki Arms armor began to glow as his Kachidoki Lockseed slowly changed from orange to blue.

"Ringi! Daijaho!"

Suddenly, Braco fired a ball of pure Rinki straight into Gaim's chest. The force of the devastating attack causing sparks to explode spectacularly from Gaim's armor.

"Daijaho!"

BOOM!

"Argh!"

"Daijaho!"

BOOM!

"Argh!"

"Daijaho! Daijaho! Daijaho!"

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

"ARRRGGGGHHHHHH!"

Braco repeatedly blasted Gaim, causing him to yell painfully each time he was hit. The last Daijaho blast managed to send him flying via a massive explosion.

Gaim crashed to the ground and groaned in pain as his armor flashed and vanished, leaving him in his powerless civilian form. The Shoku Warriors watched in shock at how easily Braco had defeated their lord while he was in his strongest form. At the same time, the Seal of Heaven dropped to the ground, completely inert.

Braco went and picked Nagata up by his collar. The young man stared up at Braco, his entire body aching in pain. Braco simply grinned as he looked into the eyes of his defeated opponent.

"You were a worthy opponent, Gaim. However, in every duel, there is always a loser." Braco pointed one of his fangs at Nagata's chest. "Hiden Ringi. Madoku."

"Stop!" Ryugen shouted.

Nagata's eyes widened as the single fang pierced his chest. As soon as it pierced his skin, Nagata let out a bloodcurdling scream as he arched his back. He continued to scream in agony before the pain became too much for him and he went still in Braco's grasp. Seeing as Nagata was no longer moving, Braco tossed his lifeless body aside like garbage.

"Naga-kun...?" Idunn froze as she dropped her sword and shield. She didn't even notice when Kanu ran past her, calling out Nagata's name.

"Nagata-sama!" Kanu knelt down and gently cradled him in her arms. "Nagata-sama! Please wake up! Open your eyes! Please...please say something..." Kanu pleaded as she shook him, trying desperately to get him to wake up.

Chouhi joined her sworn sister to check on her big brother.

"Onii-chan, wake up! Please you gotta wake up!" pleaded Chouhi as she knelt beside Kanu. The two sisters began to cry as he didn't respond to their voices. Everyone was frozen, completely in shock at what had happened.

"It's pointless," said Braco as he stood over them. Kanu held Nagata protectively as Chouhi pointed her Viper Spear at him.

"Stay away from Onii-chan! Don't you dare touch him!" threatened Chouhi.

"There's no point in me doing any more harm to a dead body," Braco answered.

"No...Nagata-sama can't be dead..." Kanu shook her head in denial as her tears dripped upon Nagata's face.

"My Madoku can bring the dead back to life, but it can also take life away. He's gone now and there's nothing you can do about it," Braco coldly explained. "Just accept it."

"No...No...No..." Idunn shook her head in denial. This wasn't happening. Nagata couldn't be dead. She came to this world to save him, but now he was gone...and it was all Braco's fault! Her amber eyes narrowed under her visor, glowing red. Picking up both her sword and shield, the Armored War Goddess of Forbidden Desire dashed towards Braco as her rage erupted.

"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! YOU BASTARD!" the Armored War Goddess of Forbidden Desire screamed murderously as she swung her Sword Bringer at the Cobra Rinrinshi, but he leapt back to evade the strike. She continued to swing at him in an attempt to slice him to ribbons, with each strike failing to hit its mark.

As Idunn viciously attacked Braco, Kanu kissed Nagata's lips for the last time and gently laid her beloved down on the ground. Her bangs shadowed her eyes as she picked up and gripped her weapon tightly. Once more, she had to watch someone she loved die. She had lost her family, and grew up to become a warrior so that nobody else would have to suffer like she had.

She later found Nagata, her Messenger of Heaven, and swore to serve and protect him. However, she failed to uphold her oath as she was unable to protect him.

She may not be able to protect him anymore, but she could at least avenge his death.

"Onee-chan?" Chouhi asked as she watched Kanu stand back up, brandishing her Green Dragon Crescent Blade at her side.

"Rinrin, look after Nagata-sama for me," she instructed as her hardened eyes focused on Braco.

"DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL KILL YOU! KILL YOU! KILL YOU! KILL YOU! KILL YOOOOOOOU!" Idunn screamed hysterically as she repeatedly swung her blade, but he kept dodging and blocking her strikes. To be honest, he could appreciate the insane rage Idunn was demonstrating. It was an excellent source of Rinki. However, now that his mission was complete, it was time to go. He had no time to play around.

Another scream of grief-fueled rage joined Idunn's as Kanu lunged at Braco with her Green Dragon Crescent Blade. Caught by surprise, he was slashed across the chest. This stunned him long enough to allow Idunn to land her own strike and before long both women were working together to avenge their fallen beloved.

Recovering from their attacks, Braco parried with his Yojato, sparks flying as their weapons connected. He landed a slash across Idunn's chest, sending her reeling and then landed a kick into Kanu's stomach, sending her tumbling backwards.

[HAI~! BUDOU SQUASH!]

Ryugen smashed his foot into Braco's chest with his Ryugen Kick, sending him reeling backwards, before he landed on his feet. He then repeatedly fired upon Braco. Annoyed, Braco used his Yojato to deflect the shots before he powered up his Rinki and blasted Ryugen with a Daijaho, forcefully and painfully returning Ryugen to his civilian form.

A few arrows flew at Braco before he deflected them. Spotting Kochu, he prepared to throw a Yojato at her but Gien came charging at him and smashed him with her kanabo. She took a swing at him again, but he sidestepped it before he sent Gien flying with a kick.

Bacho and Batai attacked together with their yari. Sparks flew as their weapons connected with their target but he managed to send them flying with his swords. He turned to walk away but the Heaven Piercer came down on his back, causing sparks to blast off on impact.

"Avenge Nagata-sama," Ryofu swore with anger in her eyes. She started bashing Braco with her weapon. Due to her monstrous strength, he had no choice but to take her seriously. A flying kick to the face from Chou'un sent him staggering and he was wide open, allowing Ryofu to slash him across the chest. Braco soon found himself surrounded by the Shoku Warriors as they brandished their weapons.

He could sense their righteous fury and desire for revenge as they prepared to attack as one again. The demise of their lord filled them with grief which quickly turned to rage. They now wanted to avenge Nagata and would not give up until they defeated the one who had taken his life. Then, once Braco was defeated, they could take his Madoku fangs and use one of them to revive their lord.

As if that would be so easy. They were merely humans and Braco had ascended to a state beyond humanity. He had gained a powerful body, ridding himself of his former life, gaining incredible power and mastery over Snake-Ken at the cost of his humanity. Compared to these humans, he was superior to them. Compared to him, these humans were like annoying insects waiting to be crushed.

Iori glared at Braco as he removed his SengokuDriver. He now had an opportunity to test out his latest acquisition as he strapped on the GenesisDriver. He just wished it hadn't come at such a high cost.

"Nagata, this is for you," declared Iori as he unlocked the Melon Energy Lockseed.

[MELON ENERGY!]

"Henshin!" Iori called as he performed the transformation sequence.

[LOCK ON! SODA! MELON ENERGY ARMS!]

The Melon Energy Arms Armor Part dropped on Iori's head, materializing the Genetic Ride Wear suit of Zangetsu-Shin. Seconds later, the Armor Part disassembled, revealing his helmet, before folding onto his body to form his armor. A splash of juice materialized his Sonic Arrow which he gripped tightly. Everyone stared at Iori who was now clad in the armor of Zangetsu-Shin.

The Demon Dragon had just become the White Devil.

"Airen...?" Kochu uttered in awe before Zangetsu-Shin let out a rage-filled roar and charged towards Braco, firing the Sonic Arrow repeatedly at the Cobra Rinrinshi. Braco deflected the shots with his swords as Zangetsu-Shin dashed towards him. Once in range, Zangetsu-Shin slashed at Braco and sparks violently blasted off as their weapons connected.

Zangetsu-Shin let out screams of rage as he repeatedly smashed his Sonic Arrow against Braco, who countered with strikes of his own. Sparks furiously blasted off them as their weapons connected with their targets, but Zangetsu-Shin wasn't about to fall so easily as he relentlessly attacked Braco.

Spurred on by Zangetsu-Shin's boldness, Idunn joined him, and the two Riders double-teamed Braco. They held nothing back as Braco had done the unforgivable and would be destroyed for killing Nagata.

[COME ON! RINGO SPARKING!]

[MELON ENERGY SPARKING!]

Executing a Double Rider Kick, the two Riders struck Braco simultaneously with their combined finishers, sending him skidding backwards. If he hadn't put up his Yojato to guard himself, Braco might've found himself severely injured. He finally came to a stop and found himself surrounded by the Shoku Warriors.

"ENOUGH!" Braco roared. Annoyed by the Shoku Warriors' persistence, Braco decided to end this farce as his Rinki flared out from his body before releasing it as a pulse. The Shoku Warriors immediately fell to their knees, feeling sick due to the effects of Braco's venomous Rinki. Zangetsu-Shin and Idunn fared a bit better because of their armor, but not so much as standing suddenly became tough labor for them. The pulse eventually caused their armor to disappear. While they were pinned down by Braco's venomous aura, the Cobra Rinrinshi picked up the Seal of Heaven, as instructed by the Femme Fatales.

"I will return, Warriors of Shoku. When that happens, you will all die," swore Braco as he vanished into thin air. Once he was gone, the Shoku Warriors gradually felt better as the feeling of sickness passed. However, it was replaced with grief and shame. They had lost their lord and failed to avenge him.

After recovering from Braco's toxic Rinki, Iori went over to where Nagata's body lay. Rolling up his friend's sleeve, he checked for a pulse.

"Nagata, come on. Don't you die on me," begged Iori. He never had any real friends before so when he and Nagata befriended each other, it was the first time the second son of the Tokugawa Family ever had a real best friend. He held his index finger under Nagata's nostrils and was relieved when he felt a breath. He then tried to check for a pulse. It was weak, but it was there.

"Iori-sama?" Kanu asked, confused. After the adrenaline rush wore off, she could finally grieve over her deceased lord and cry. She wondered what Iori was doing. Nagata was dead, wasn't he? She hoped for the contrary as Iori finished checking Nagata's body for signs of life.

Iori informed them, "He's still alive, but just barely. Come on, we need to get him back to the castle and get him a doctor, immediately."


Inside a cave on the side of a mountain was a temple, and in that temple lived a wise old sage. He didn't have a lot of things but he was content with his life. He wasn't lonely. Sometimes, he had people come to him for knowledge. Only those truly worthy would be able to learn from him while many with impure and insincere hearts were turned away.

"This isn't good..." the old sage in grey robes frowned in thought, his hand rubbing his beard.

"What is it, Brusa-sennin?" Kada asked the old sage. Kada was one of the many who had come to the sage for knowledge and enlightenment, and one of the few he ever accepted.

"Kada-kun, it appears your friends in Shoku are in trouble. Specifically, the blue swordsman," the old sage informed the young doctor.

"You mean Gaim-dono?" Kada asked for clarification and Brusa nodded.

"Yes, his life hangs in the balance. If he is to make it, he requires your help. You must go now and give him your aid. There is no time to waste," Brusa-sennin urged.

"Alright, I will be off then, Brusa-sennin!" Kada bowed and he picked up his backpack before he left the temple.

"The time of his awakening is close at hand..." Brusa-sennin sighed with worry. He had seen a glimpse into the future and it was not good. Already three of the Sovereigns had chosen their champions, leaving only one left to awaken. They would need all four Sovereigns to face the coming darkness.


ARMORED WAR GODS BIO TIME!

Name: Natsu Fuma

Alter-Ego: Armored War God Mars

Epithet(s): Ultimate Steel, Golden Blade

Faction: Son Go

Natsu is Fuyu's older twin brother and the more hot-blooded one of the Fuma Brothers. He and Fuyu grew up in Amagi Brilliant Park as their parents both work in and manage the park. Natsu is quite acrobatic and is also a talented actor. Due to his personality, he often jumps in first and worries about the consequences later. He is very close to his twin brother. Before joining Son Go, he and Fuyu joined a performance troupe whom they rescued from bandits. They would later reveal themselves when their troupe was hired to perform at Sonshoko's birthday. Due to this, after being recruited by Son Go, the troupe now receives support from Son Go's royal family.

Natsu Fuma uses the Golden Ringo Lockseed to transform into Armored War God Mars. His Golden Ringo Lockseed gives him the ability to track active Lockseeds. He is also armed with the Sword Bringer and Apple Reflecter as his primary Arms Weapons. In combat, he usually fights alongside his brother as they have impressive teamwork.

He is currently in a relationship with Kogai.

Name: Fuyu Fuma

Alter-Ego: Armored War God Kamuro

Epithet(s): Ultimate Magic, Silver Mage

Faction: Son Go

Fuyu is Natsu's younger twin brother. He's the calm and calculating twin, but he can sometimes spend too much time thinking about something. Natsu has to drag him along before he can finish his thoughts. Like his brother, he grew up in Amagi Brilliant Park. While he is also a good acrobatic and actor, he's also very proficient with magic tricks that he can use to entertain his audience. He is very close to his older brother and always follows his lead. Like Natsu, he too joined the performance troupe they rescued from bandits. Because of their status as Son Go's Armored War Gods, the performance troupe receives much support from Son Go's royal family.

He uses the Silver Ringo Lockseed to transform into Armored War God Kamuro, otherwise known as the Armored War God of the Ultimate Magic. He wears a bracelet which allows him to control Inves and plants. He can also sense when and where a Helheim portal opens. In combat he wields the Souginjou and normally fights alongside his brother because of their cohesion.

He is currently in a relationship with Rikuson. While it is unclear how they became involved, it can be suggested that Fuyu likes women with youthful appearances and big breasts.


Note: the flashback scene about the first time Nagata killed a man took place between S104: 'Honor and Revenge' and S105: 'The Dynamic Duo'.

KRC: Well, this was one epic chapter, but at the same time it didn't end very happily. Now, regarding the title. Originally, it was called 'The Blue King Falls', but I decided to change it as the title pretty much tells you what the chapter is about, and frankly I didn't feel like spoiling that for you. I chose instead the title 'Blue Fall', with 'blue' normally being associated with sorrow and sadness like the phrase 'I'm feeling blue'. As for the word 'fall' in the title, this chapter takes place during autumn. 'Blue Fall' itself refers to how Nagata falls in battle as he is the Blue King of Shoku.

Anyway, in this chapter, Nagata confronts Karasu over her manipulative nature. It's not something he can put off, but all she gets is a reprimand. This doesn't mean she will stop being manipulative. Oh, and let's not forget that Nagata was taken down by Braco and the Seal of Heaven has been taken. This cannot be good for the Three Kingdoms now that the Seal of Heaven is in the hands of the RinJyuKen. Is it over for Nagata? Not when I have anything to say about it. This is only the beginning for something new so I hope you guys can stay to keep on reading the story. BTW, for anyone who has guessed Jam's identity, don't be so upset. There's more happening than what you're seeing. The truth may shock you and it'll send your head into space. So don't lose your head.

Oh, and don't be afraid to give me any constructive criticism. I enjoy the support that keeps me going, but I would also like words that inspire me to improve. I'm a writer. I should be prepared for criticism and be able to accept it.

TFP: Now things are getting heated. Braco has done what no one else has been able to do, bring down the Ultimate Sword. Now that he has the Seal of Heaven, Braco had a number of ambitions he intends to see to fruition. Can the Shoku Warriors protect their home from the forces of the Dogokuken without Nagata? And who's going to lead them as Nagata's replacement and temporary leader to take his place? Tune in next time to find out on Age of the Armored War Gods!