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.
I recommend two songs. Use "Just Live More" during Nagata's dramatic entrance and "Ranbu Escalation" for the final action scene. You'll know when to play them. You can also decide what other songs you prefer for ambiance. Also, just to say this once:
"NAGATA'S ULTIMATE FORM WILL DEBUT!"
The wise old sage, Brusa Li, sat in his temple. He was deep in his meditation when he felt a sudden spike of power. Opening his eyes, he looked towards the horizon. He may not be able to see what was happening, but he could still feel it.
"So, it's time," he spoke. "All four Sovereigns have gathered together."
The Black Turtle, the White Tiger, the Vermillion Phoenix and the Azure Dragon.
They had all awakened.
Just as foretold in the Celestial Chronicles.
Each of the Four Sovereigns was represented by a star. With each emergence, a new star would be born, corresponding to a different Sovereign. Now, a new star had emerged. It twinkled brightly with a sapphire shine. It actually shined much brighter than its brothers.
However, Brusa Li's expression turned grim as he knew what was coming next. With this part of the prophecy now being fulfilled, it marked the beginning of another chapter, a darker chapter.
"And soon, he will return."
Sangokuden Armored War Gods Saga: End of the Armored War Gods
Co-Written By: Ten-Faced Paladin and Kamen Rider Chrome
Beta Reader/Editor: Busterleader92
Chapter 8: Azure Ascension
"I'll start with you, Ryuubi Gentoku," Braco hissed as he tightened his grip on her neck. Ryuubi gasped as she tried to pry Braco's hand off, only to feel overwhelming despair and fear. Was this truly the end? Were their efforts all for naught? After all of their battles and victories, was today the day that it would all come crumbling down?
Ryuubi never expected her life to end like this, not in such a pathetic manner. Before all this, she had lived a simple live of weaving mats with her mother. Then she heard tales of the Armored War Gods and wanted to meet them, especially Gaim. She finally got her chance when she came to Touka Village in search of her family heirloom which had been stolen from her by a man who also took her name.
She ended up going on grand adventures, meeting other Armored War Gods, and participating in many battles. She did all this as she stood at Gaim's side.
Now that she was the one leading, she felt only despair and powerlessness. She had failed Nagata and now they were going to pay an awful price.
Was this truly the end?
Wasn't there any sort of miracle to turn this around?
"Ryuubi Gentoku, you were said to be destined for greatness. Looks like fate had other plans. How about I end your life the same way I ended Gaim's?" spoke Braco. "It's a shame that he can't be here to watch all this. I might feel some sense of satisfaction."
Ryuubi's eyes narrowed angrily. How dare this monster speak about her precious Nagata like that? In an unexpected display of defiance, she spat at Braco's face.
Braco wiped the spit away with his free hand as he shot a chilling glare into Ryuubi's eyes.
"Congratulations. Just for that, you get to suffer," Braco hissed as he prepared his True Poison for her. The dose he prepared for her wouldn't cause instant death. Instead, she would suffer a slow, agonizing death.
Ryuubi showed no fear, just like Nagata. She wasn't about to give Braco the satisfaction.
As Braco prepared to execute her, Ryuubi's final thoughts were of her family, her precious friends, her sisters-in-arms, and finally of her beloved lord.
'Goodbye, everyone. Goodbye, Nagata-sama. I love you.'
"Touka!" shouted Kosonsan.
"Touka-sama!" screamed Gien.
"Aneue!" yelled Kanu.
"Touka-neechan!" exclaimed Chouhi.
They all watched in horror as Braco held Ryuubi in his deadly grip, powerless to do anything due to his crippling venomous aura. Even the Armored War Gods couldn't do anything to help, especially after the complete beatdown they experienced at Braco's hands.
Gien punched the ground as she struggled to get up, trying to force herself to stand so she could save Ryuubi, but the Venomous Rinki was preventing her from rising to her feet. In her failure to stand, she let out a yell of frustration. She had lost her sister and now she was going to lose her beloved mistress. She had sworn to protect her but had failed miserably.
Kosonsan wanted to help her best friend. Sure, Ryuubi could be annoying, but she never meant to be. Besides, they were childhood friends and while growing up they always had each other's backs. That was why she did not even hesitate to come to her aid. Ryuubi would do the same for her. But now she could only watch as Ryuubi was about to be killed right before her eyes.
Kanu and Chouhi, Ryuubi's sworn sisters, desperately tried to fight the effects of Braco's venomous Rinki. Unfortunately, no matter how much they tried, they couldn't move. They were rendered powerless by his presence alone. They had tried to avenge Nagata and failed. Now they would all pay the price, starting with Ryuubi.
Idunn watched the scene, but not with the same sense of dread as the others. She couldn't care less if Ryuubi died. It would mean one less rival. In fact, she would appreciate if Braco killed all her rivals for her. She could keep her hands clean and then comfort her grieving Naga-kun once he woke up and heard the tragic news. However, Braco had earned her ire first by harming her Naga-kun. Right now she hated him more than the girls who were trying to steal her beloved Naga-kun away. If Ryuubi ended up dying with Braco, that was more than acceptable.
But things rarely did turn out the way we plan them.
"Guys!"
Ryuubi could've sworn she heard his voice. Perhaps it was just her mind playing tricks on her as she was about to die.
"Guys, I'm here!"
While it wasn't very loud, everyone heard the voice clearly and they instantly recognized the owner.
Ryuubi uttered his name.
"Nagata-sama..."
A loud draconic roar shattered the silence as a glowing blue blur sped towards Braco, taking him completely by surprise. The Venom Fists' sole surviving member, too startled to react accordingly, was struck by an explosive impact that sent him skidding backward and broke his hold on Ryuubi. The shining figure then caught Ryuubi in his arms.
The figure's luminescent silhouette was covered in blue light which crackled with electricity. Cradled gently in its arms, Ryuubi felt a familiar warmth as she gazed up into its eyes. As the glow covering the figure faded, they saw who it was that had arrived to save Ryuubi and were speechless.
It was Gaim.
Various utterances of surprise, relief and disbelief followed.
"Nagata-sama..." Kanu's eyes widened at the sight of Gaim, garbed in his Kachidoki Arms Armor, as he stood before them, with Ryuubi cradled protectively in his arms.
Idunn uttered, relieved and overjoyed, "Naga-kun...you're alive."
"Oda-kun!" Zangetsu exclaimed.
"Oda…" Baron muttered.
"It's got to be a miracle," awed Knuckle.
Everyone was shocked to see him up and about. According to Kada, the venom in his body had left him in a death-like state.
So, how was he here?
"Nagata-sama...?" Ryuubi asked hopefully as she locked eyes with the Rider's orange visor. "Is that...is that you?" She didn't want this to be some kind of trauma-induced hallucination.
"Hey, Touka," the Blue King replied, his familiar voice confirming his identity. "I'm back."
"Nagata-sama...it's really you..." Ryuubi whispered.
Tears of joy welled up in Ryuubi's eyes as Gaim gently set her back on her feet. She didn't care why or how he was here.
"Leave this to me," Gaim told her.
Braco could not believe his eyes.
It wasn't possible.
But here he was.
It was a miracle.
Gaim had returned.
"Hello, Braco. It's been a while, hasn't it?" Gaim casually greeted the Cobra Rinrinshi, as if he'd just met a friend he hadn't seen in a long time.
"How are you even still alive?" Braco demanded as he tried to maintain his composure. However, deep down, he trembled with anxiety and rage. His True Poison should've killed Gaim. That was its function. As good as it was in reviving the dead, it was just as effective as killing someone, absolutely.
"I think we both know the answer to that question, don't we?" Gaim asked rhetorically.
Braco felt that there was something different about Gaim now. He narrowed his dark eyes at him and could sense a familiar power coming from him. As he had been exposed to the Seal of Heaven's power, he could recognize its signature quite well. He could feel it coming off Gaim. The power that was rolling off him right now was the same as the power from the Seal of Heaven.
"I see. So the Seal of Heaven saved you," Braco realized.
"It may not have awoken my Celestial Armor at the time, but it stopped your venom from killing me. I was still affected by your Madoku, though. I was in a death-like state up until now. Fortunately, I have good friends and they managed to nurse me back to health," Gaim explained.
"And the first thing you decided to do after your recovery was come face me again," Braco scoffed.
"Of course. After all, you and I have unfinished business," Gaim said with narrowed eyes. Beneath his visor, his silver eyes held an intense gaze. It was like a pair of swords was piercing Braco's inhuman soul.
Braco hissed out a snicker.
"I see. Very well, maybe you'll provide me with a much better challenge than these fools. But make no mistake, Gaim. This time I'll definitely kill you."
He was called the One-Hit-Kill Sniping Master for a reason. When he killed someone, they stayed dead, and he wasn't going let his record be tainted.
"I'd like to see you try," Gaim challenged.
The Kachidoki Lockseed glowed and he held his hand underneath the glowing core. A sphere of light was ejected from the core and Gaim caught it in his hand. The sphere faded, revealing his Ryujin Key.
"What is that?" Braco questioned as he tensed up. He felt the power coming from the key, and he didn't like it one bit.
With a click of the release switch, Gaim activated the Ryujin Key. The colored sections flashed as it called out.
[ORANGE, PINE, ICHIGO, CARAMBOLA, PAPAYA, BLUEBERRY, GRAPEFRUIT ENERGY!]
A glowing portal opened up above Gaim, releasing almost all of Gaim's Armor Parts. Everyone gawked at the sight. Orange, Pine, Ichigo, Blueberry, Papaya, Carambola and Grapefruit Energy Armor Parts gathered together above Gaim before they merged together. In a bright flash of rainbow-colored light, a brilliant dragon was called forth.
[RYUJIN!]
The brilliant dragon let loose a mighty roar that made everyone speechless as they awed at its beauty and majesty. Braco's eyes widened at the sight of the dragon. Could this be the power the Seal of Heaven had granted Gaim?
Calmly, Gaim slotted the Ryujin Key into the left side of his Kachidoki Lockseed. He gave the Ryujin Key a twist, causing a panel over the core of his Kachidoki Lockseed to flip down to reveal the rainbow-colored core that was hidden underneath. The panel lay over the lid's backside to reveal a new Rider Indicator.
[LOCK OPEN!]
The dragon of light roared and flew straight into Gaim's body, merging with him. This caused the Kachidoki Arms Armor to glow as lightning arched around it. Pieces of it loosened before the armor exploded to pieces, accompanied by a splash of sparkling juice-like energy, sending the pieces of the armor flying in all directions. The flying armor pieces miraculously missed everyone that was watching, even Braco.
Everyone could only bear witness to what happened next.
As Gaim's Ride Wear suit was exposed, a golden pulse spread from his SengokuDriver, changing his suit's color and appearance. The sleeves and leggings flashed as new color filled in. New bracers and greaves formed as armor with the dragon face on it materialized over his upper torso.
The dragon of light wrapped around his body before morphing into a longcoat which draped itself over him, mounting pauldrons onto his shoulders. His helmet glowed as it morphed as well, the head crest becoming symmetrical with dragon-like frills now forming on the sides of the helmet while his visor flashed and turned green.
Braco had to shield his eyes from the resulting glare and demanded, "What is this!?"
Gaim's body glowed with a radiant aura that slowly faded to reveal his new form. The torso portion of the Ride Wear suit was blue but the sleeves and leggings were white and appeared to be made out of scale mail. Silver armored flaps hung from his belt as silver greaves and gauntlets were attached to his limbs. Dark blue armor covered his torso with a golden dragon's face on his chest while pauldrons resembling dragon claws were mounted on his shoulders. His new Ryujin Kabuto helmet was silver and white, resembling a Japanese samurai's kabuto with dragon-like frills on the sides. His signature crest remained largely unchanged.
Draped over his armor was a high-collared, jinbaori longcoat that looked like it was made from shining sapphire dragon scales. This was the Ryujin Raiment. It had silver inner lining and gold trim. Instead of looking gaudy, it gave him a majestic appearance as the coattails fluttered dramatically behind him. His personal crest was also proudly displayed on the back. Strapped around his waist and over the coat was his SengokuDriver with the Musou Saber hanging from the left side of his belt. Finally, his green visor flashed, shining as brilliantly as his armor.
The aura that radiated from Gaim's new transformation caused the effects of Braco's venomous aura to subside as everyone slowly began to recover. It was like some sort of holy aura that purified everything in its presence. At the same time, Zangetsu, Gridon, and Baron's Sovereign Lockseeds glowed.
[RYUJIN ARMS! DAI RYUOH! SORA NO SEIRYU, RISE TO THE THRONE!]
"Ascending to the Throne. Armored War God Ryujin Gaim, On Stage," Gaim declared firmly.
The Shoku Warriors were struck speechless at their lord's brilliant transformation, and the Armored War Gods were stunned as well. Zangetsu, Baron, and Gridon could feel the power coming from Gaim now and it was at an entirely different level than it was before.
"So beautiful..." Ryuubi was completely in awe of his new form. He looked utterly majestic and powerful. She always thought his armor looked amazing before but this new armor was in a different class altogether.
"Nagata-sama...?" Kanu's eyes widened in awe. What had happened to Gaim and why did she have this feeling that he had just ascended beyond anything she had witnessed before? Was this the true form of the Messenger of Heaven?
"Is that...Is that really Nagata...?" Ryugen asked in shock.
"A new Arms? But how?" Zangetsu wondered.
"What the fuck?" Gridon cussed.
"It's a damn miracle," awed Knuckle.
"Nagata-niichan is shining!" Chouhi cheered.
"Naga-kun, sugoi..." Idunn blushed under her helmet.
"How majestic," Chou'un smiled, impressed.
"Just look at his coat! He looks awesome!" cheered Bacho.
Ryujin Gaim walked towards Braco as the Cobra Rinrinshi hissed at the sight of him. Braco could not ignore what he felt as he sensed Ryujin Gaim's power spike so dramatically. However, he tried to remain calm, struggling even. He had a reputation to maintain and it wouldn't do him any good to panic, even if every cell in his body was screaming at him to do so right now.
"Just because you have new armor, that doesn't mean you stand a chance against me!" Braco furiously yelled at Ryujin Gaim as he swung his glowing Yojato blades. "Yojazan!"
The curved blades crashed down upon Ryujin Gaim's shoulders violently, but it didn't look like he was affected at all as he showed no signs of pain. Not letting up, Braco slashed Ryujin Gaim again and did this repeatedly, ripping sparks off with each brutal strike. However, his strikes didn't seem to be affecting Ryujin Gaim, causing him to pause.
Braco was bewildered by this and made the fatal mistake of lowering his guard, allowing Ryujin Gaim to land a punch to his face that pushed him back. Braco staggered back from the hit as Ryujin Gaim advanced on him. He threw another punch into Braco's chest, before he threw another, and another, and another, each blow impacting his body with painful force. Braco grunted with each blow, and Ryujin Gaim continued to land several strikes upon the reptilian Rinrinshi before knocking him back with a front snap kick.
"Braco, no matter how many times you put me down, I will come back, always and stronger than before. That is why you're not going to beat me this time," Ryujin Gaim stated.
"Who do you think you are?" Braco hissed.
"Who am I? I am the hope of the people," Ryujin Gaim started as he swiftly drew his Musou Saber and slashed Braco in the chest, breaking through his guard once more to slice into his flesh. Braco retaliated with his twin Yojato but his two swords were parried as Ryujin Gaim used his Musou Saber to block them.
"I am the answer to anyone who wishes for hope, peace, and justice!"
Bracing himself, Ryujin Gaim pushed Braco back and struck him across the chest again with the Musou Saber, throwing him back further. Braco slashed at him again, but Ryujin Gaim parried him once more before he sent Braco reeling with a powerful kick.
"I am the light in the darkness! An ally to good! A nightmare to you!"
Crackling blue electrical energy surrounded the Musou Saber as Braco hissed. They resumed their furious exchange of blows, sparks exploding from the violent clash of the Rinki-enveloped Yojato and the energized Musou Saber. Ryujin Gaim was able to counter all of Braco's strikes before they locked blades.
Ryujin Gaim paused as he gave Braco an intense glare.
"My name is Nagata Oda! I am Ryujin Gaim! AND I AM AN ARMORED WAR GOD!"
After that declaration, they broke apart, glaring at each other.
"I killed you once, Gaim! I can kill you again and it will be permanent!" Braco yelled angrily as he prepared to attack him again.
Ryujin Gaim was ready for him. Much to everyone's surprise, Ryujin Gaim suddenly threw his Musou Saber up into the air. Even Braco paused to watch the sword being thrown upwards before he realized his mistake. Ryujin Gaim took advantage of the diversion to stun Braco with a punch to the jaw as he twisted the Ryujin Key, causing the belt to announce.
[DAIDAIMARU!]
His signature orange scimitar appeared in his left hand and he used it to slash Braco across the chest. When his Musou Saber dropped back down, he caught it and slashed Braco repeatedly in the chest with both his signature blades, sending the Cobra Rinrinshi staggering with a furious flurry of spark-ripping strikes. He continued to land strike after strike with both blades before he threw Braco backward with a vicious swipe of his weapons.
Baron watched in approval at the clever use of a distraction by Ryujin Gaim. By throwing his sword into the air, he made his opponent look up for just a second. It was a risky move, but the distraction provided Ryujin Gaim with enough time to summon up a new weapon before he used both to attack his enemy.
After banishing both swords, Ryujin Gaim twisted the Ryujin Key again.
[PINE IRON!]
The Pine Iron appeared next, taking the place of both the Daidaimaru and Musou Saber, much to the Shoku Warriors' surprise. He bashed the pineapple-shaped morning star into Braco repeatedly, causing him to cry out and hiss with each blow. Each swing of the Pine Iron was accompanied by a golden aura dragon which added more damage with each hit he landed.
"Nagata-niichan!" Chouhi cheered. "GAMBATTE!"
"How...? How is he doing that?" Kochu questioned. The others were wondering the same thing themselves. They had just witnessed Ryujin Gaim summon his Orange Arms' signature Daidaimaru before he switched to the Pine Arms' signature Pine Iron.
"I think...I think he can summon the weapons of all his Arms," Gridon speculated, still stunned by Ryujin Gaim's new Ryujin Arms and its power. None of them could even leave a dent on Braco. Even when they managed to injure him, he was able to heal himself. Now, Ryujin Gaim was not only able to hurt Braco, but he seemed to be winning.
[BERRAPIER!]
[BLUE GAUCHE!]
Gridon's words were proven true as the Pine Iron vanished and was replaced by the Berrapier and the Blue Gauche. Ryujin Gaim attacked Braco with slashes and thrusts of his Berrapier, causing him to cry out with each strike. The Blue Gauche came into play once he was within range to stab into Braco's flesh, with speed and precision. Braco swung his swords to strike Ryujin Gaim down, but he blocked them with his blades before he stabbed Braco in the right eye with the Blue Gauche, causing him to scream as he recoiled in pain.
The injury healed, but the pain remained, and it was excruciating.
"You...YOU BASTARD!" Braco screamed as he concentrated his Dorinki into his Yojato and launched the energy slash at Ryujin Gaim in a single burst. "Yojazan!"
Tossing the Blue Gauche aside, Ryujin Gaim calmly twisted the Ryujin Key causing the belt to announce the name of the next summoned weapon.
[MELON DEFENDER!]
Zangetsu's signature shield materialized in front of Ryujin Gaim and blocked Braco's attack, much to everyone's shock, especially Zangetsu's. Braco was especially surprised since that was one of his strongest attacks.
"Deigyokudan!"
Braco fired the Mudball Bombs, bombarding Ryujin Gaim with a barrage and foul-smelling projectiles. The attack caused an explosion that made Braco smile as he had just destroyed his enemy.
[COCO BOXERS!]
Suddenly, Knuckle's signature gauntlets in Coconut Arms rocketed out of the smoke and smashed into Braco's face, knocking him painfully backward. Ryujin Gaim also stepped out of the smoke, unharmed sans the Melon Defender.
[WIZARDSWORDGUN!]
The WizardSwordGun appeared in Ryujin Gaim's right hand in its Gun Mode before he fired at Braco. The silver bullets pierced the Cobra Rinrinshi's body as he cried out, sparks blasting off with each shot.
[DURI NOKO!]
Next, Bravo's signature spiked broadswords, the Duri Noko, appeared in Ryujin Gaim's hands. He roared and charged at Braco who had just recovered from the silver bullets. He charged at Ryujin Gaim with his Yojato and the two of them clashed violently as sparks erupted with each powerful impact of their weapons. Their clash was both violent and stunning as the Armored War Gods and Shoku Army generals watched speechlessly. The Blue King was now a match for the enhanced leader of the Venom Fists.
"The shield, the gauntlets and now those swords," Chou'un pointed out. "Those are not Gaim-sama's weapons."
"No, but he had wielded them when we went on our quest to Go," Kanu answered, remembering when they had stopped at Bravo's auction and how Nagata used the Durian and Coconut Lockseeds. Later, when they arrived at Son Go for the medicine ingredient, Nagata had also used Zangetsu's Melon Lockseed.
"I stand corrected. He's not only able to summon all his Arms Weapons. He can summon the Arms Weapons of every Arms he has ever accessed," corrected Gridon. That was a frighteningly useful and versatile ability.
"Sugoi," Ryuubi awed. She thought she had seen everything that he could do before, but now Nagata had surprised her yet again and she was in complete awe at what she was witnessing.
Braco put away his Yojato and channeled Kademu's Dorinki as he called out, "Centipede-Ken! Ringi! Okumansho!"
In response, Ryujin Gaim twisted the Ryujin Key to summon a new weapon.
[APPLE REFLECTER!]
Summoning Idunn's signature shield, Ryujin Gaim used it to block Braco's barrage of rapid palm strikes. The Cobra Rinrinshi's palms struck the shield rapidly but did no damage as Ryujin Gaim stood his ground.
"Midare Shuriken!"
Braco conjured a huge array of shuriken and hurled them towards Gaim. They flew around in all directions before converging towards him. However, Ryujin Gaim already had a counter ready as he gave the Ryujin Key another twist.
[ICHIGO KUNAI! CARAMBOLA STARS!]
Flying like arrows and exploding like missiles, the Ichigo Kunai and Carambola Stars suddenly appeared and intercepted the Erratic Shuriken attack. Braco's attack was instantly nullified, much to his shock. The remaining Carambola Stars and Ichigo Kunai then homed in on Braco. He was struck repeatedly by the projectiles and thrown to the ground by the explosive weapons. Ryujin Gaim capitalized on the opening given to him and summoned another weapon.
[SWORD BRINGER!]
Swinging Idunn's Sword Bringer, Ryujin Gaim slashed Braco across the chest as he was picking himself up. He immediately went for another swing, but Braco managed to block as he crossed his Yojato to catch the claymore's blade before he knocked Ryujin Gaim back with a kick. Braco attempted to slice Ryujin Gaim's head off but the newly ascended Rider blocked with his shield before he sent Braco reeling with a brutal thrust.
"Gah!" Braco grunted. "Scorpion-Ken! Hiden Ringi! Jugoku Hen!"
The scorpions were thrown at Ryujin Gaim as his visor glowed. As the scorpions covered his entire body, they prepared to sting him to death. However, Ryujin Gaim's body began to spark before he released a deadly electrical discharge from his body. The scorpions were instantly electrocuted, burnt to a crisp before they turned to dust.
No longer swarmed by deadly scorpions, Ryujin Gaim retaliated.
[SOIYA! RYUJIN SQUASH!]
The Sword Bringer glowed with crimson energy as it charged up with energy from Ryujin Gaim. He then swung the sword for a powerful slash.
"Taiyupao!" Braco called once he regained his composure and covered himself with a protective barrier. The blade crashed harmlessly against the barrier. Braco grinned. It appeared that the Oily Body-Armor would be able to hold against the slash, but that was until the barrier started to crack.
Ryujin Gaim's Sword Bringer managed to break through the Oily Body-Armor. Braco screamed with each powerful slash hitting him. He tried to defend with the Yojato, but Ryujin Gaim broke those too before he finished his combo and threw Braco to the ground. Smoke was rising out of the wounds Braco had just earned from the Sword Bringer as he hissed in pain.
"How...how can this be...?" Braco gritted out weakly as he struggled to stand. "This is impossible! The Seal of Heaven made me invincible! How are you doing this!? How can you have this much power? What happened to you!? Answer me!"
He was superior! He possessed Dorinki! How could this armored whelp do this to him!?
"I pity you, Braco," Ryujin Gaim stated.
"What did you say?" Braco demanded.
"I said I pity you," Ryujin Gaim repeated. "You're so strong, yet you only aspire to find stronger opponents so you may defeat them and prove your superiority. I can respect ambition, but nothing as empty as that."
"You think my ambition is empty, Gaim!?" Braco shot back.
"You fight for the sake of fighting, and you gain power only for the sake of power." Ryujin Gaim was describing Braco as a 'Blood Knight'. It was an individual obsessed with battle, and it was not as glamorous as most popular fiction might portray. In reality, a Blood Knight was someone who was emotionally and mentally detached from society. It was someone who could not make any true connections, so they compensate through fighting. It was an addiction that could not be sated and they would always be looking for the next great battle or war to satisfy their unquenchable thirst.
That was basically Braco in a nutshell.
"Don't you have anything you want to protect?" Ryujin Gaim finally asked.
Braco became overcome with rage and madness. How dare Gaim question his ambition!?
"And are you saying you don't have ambition!? None at all!?" Braco spat spitefully.
"I have ambition. It's just not fueled by pettiness," Ryujin Gaim retorted.
"Pettiness? Pettiness!? How dare you!? You stand in front of me, avenging your defeat, and you have the gall to call me petty?" Braco snapped back furiously.
"When have I ever said this was about revenge? Unlike you, I don't dwell on things as pointless as that," Ryujin Gaim replied.
"So why are you here?" Braco demanded.
"You come here to threaten my friends, my loved ones, my family. I think my reasons for being here are pretty damn clear," Ryujin Gaim answered.
Braco hissed in fury. How dare Gaim return and act so sanctimonious?
"No more playing around! I'll destroy you Gaim! Destroy you utterly and this time you won't be coming back!" Braco began to gather the Rinki of the fallen Rinshi footsoldiers. They arose from the ashes and gathered in the air before they flowed towards him. He opened his mouth and swallowed up the Rinki.
Ryujin Gaim watched as the Rinki was absorbed by Braco, healing his wounds.
"So, this is how you got stronger," Ryujin Gaim realized as he witnessed this.
"That's right, Gaim," Braco confirmed.
Ryujin Gaim recalled the techniques Braco used earlier, signature techniques that could only be used by his teammates, and came to another conclusion.
"You absorbed the energy from your fallen comrades," Ryujin Gaim deduced.
"Their deaths served a purpose, yet I couldn't allow their Dorinki to go to waste," replied Braco, unabashed by what he had done.
"So you're even willing to sacrifice your own comrades in order to become stronger." Ryujin Gaim clenched his fists. To use his own comrades as cannon fodder, then to sacrifice them in order to gain more power, was a whole new low for Braco.
However, Braco wasn't done just yet. His body started to change as his purple scales turned pitch black. Thick gauntlets grew out of his forearms, with each gauntlet sprouting out three blade-like claws. Centipede-like legs grew out of his arms and legs while a thick and long scorpion tail grew out from the base of his skull. The ring on his back was also replaced by a giant version of Moriya's signature shuriken.
The form Braco had taken looked just like a composite of himself and his comrades. What Ryujin Gaim could see was a gross abomination. Braco had gained this form and power from cannibalizing his comrades' Dorinki and the Rinki of the fallen Rinshi of his army. This was what Braco's hunger for power had led him to what he had become. He had indeed made himself powerful but in the most disgusting way possible.
Feeling his power growing, Braco grinned and charged towards Ryujin Gaim. In response, Ryujin Gaim discarded his weapons and clenched his fists. Using his forearms, he blocked Braco's strikes. Their arms blurred as they exchanged blows, with Braco rapidly throwing punches while Ryujin Gaim blocked and countered. Braco managed to hit Ryujin Gaim across the face but received a solid punch in the face in return. The two then kicked each other in the chest, sending each other skidding back.
Shooting his arm forward, Braco's claws slashed across Ryujin Gaim's chest. The power of his strikes had increased with his latest transformation, but Ryujin Gaim managed to shrug it off and retaliate. There was just too much riding on this right now.
The furious exchange resumed.
Another strike from Braco landed, sending Ryujin Gaim staggering back. Braco hit him next with a solid kick to the chest and then threw another punch that was aimed for Ryujin Gaim's heart. However, Ryujin Gaim sidestepped the punch and caught Braco's forearm by trapping it with his own underarm. Braco tried to pry his arm away, even hitting Ryujin Gaim with his free arm. The Blue King held it firmly with a solid grip before he punched Braco right in the throat.
Braco had a coughing fit as he staggered from the blow, allowing Ryujin Gaim to throw another punch that struck him in the jaw, stunning him. Another punch collided with Braco's chest. Finally, Ryujin Gaim hit him with a powerful roundhouse kick to the chest, sending him sprawling to the ground.
Picking himself up, the tail hanging from the back of Braco's skull finally came into play. It rose up, extended and shot towards Ryujin Gaim like a snake that was going to bury its fangs into him. Ryujin Gaim barely managed to dodge the attack as the stinger went past him. However, Braco recovered and pulled his tail back for another strike. Ryujin Gaim was able to keep up and dodge with his speed, but Braco was adapting and gaining speed as well. Finally, he found an opening and the stinger was just an inch from piercing Ryujin Gaim's heart.
Unfortunately for him, Ryujin Gaim managed to catch the tail and hold it in a tight grip. Braco tried to retract his tail, but Ryujin Gaim held firm as he tightened his grip and tugged on the appendage. Braco was pulled towards Ryujin Gaim who raised his leg to kick him right in the face. Ryujin Gaim then tossed Braco up into the air before he slammed him into the ground. Then he spun around and around and tossed Braco into the sky.
Looking up at Braco's airborne form, Ryujin Gaim hit his SengokuDriver's Cutting Blade.
[SOIYA! RYUJIN SQUASH!]
A draconic roar followed the announcement and Ryujin Gaim leaped into the air, trailing blue electrical energy. Braco saw him coming fast, positioning his body for a flying kick. The blue electrical energy surrounded Ryujin Gaim, taking the form of a blue dragon as he sped towards Braco for the killing blow.
"Dai Ryujin… RIDER KICK!"
Braco wasn't about to allow himself to be defeated. He had sacrificed so much just to fall here. He curled his body into a ball and began to roll his body around and around as Dorinki gathered around him, forming a spinning shell of dark violet energy. He shot towards Ryujin Gaim, gaining momentum before they both violently collided.
Braco threw his fist at Ryujin Gaim's extended foot as they crashed into each other. The force of their collision caused a mighty explosion which colored the sky. Those witnessing from the ground saw the collision and watched as an explosion bloomed in the sky. It was a mix of colors with dark violet and blue lighting up the sky. The explosion was deafening and everyone couldn't tell who had won.
Then they saw two shooting stars, one purple and one blue, fall from the sky and crash to the ground with a loud boom. When the dust cleared, Ryujin Gaim and Braco were revealed as they stood in the center of a huge crater that was made by their own landing.
Braco's right arm hung limply, completely useless, damaged by their collision. Gripping it with his left hand, he let out a scream as he tore it right off and discarded it. Black blood splattered onto the ground as Ryujin Gaim witnessed the insane act of self-inflicted injury. However, his look of horrified confusion soon turned to comprehension as Braco used the Rapid-Growth Arm technique to grow his right arm back. He flexed the fingers of his new arm, examining them, before turning his gaze back at Ryujin Gaim.
Braco panted, taking deep and short breaths as he glared at Ryujin Gaim. Coming back to life had some drawbacks, but they were worth it to gain power. However, right now, he had truly met his match. Ryujin Gaim had returned, stronger than ever, and was keeping up with him. Even more so, he seemed to be getting stronger.
That was something Braco could not-would not allow. He could not accept that a whelp like Gaim had become stronger than he could ever be. He raised his arms to conjure a massive sphere of Dorinki. It was ten times the size of a soccer ball, with a destructive force that was powerful enough to wipe whole kingdoms off the face of the Earth. He hurled the concentrated sphere of Dorinki towards Ryujin Gaim. He wasn't just aiming to kill Ryujin Gaim. He wanted to kill everyone else that was still watching.
"GOODBYE, GAIM! GO TO HEEEEEELL!"
Unfortunately for Braco, he terribly miscalculated. Ryujin Gaim did the unexpected. The moment the Dorinki sphere was close enough to hit its target, he reacted. He braced himself, with blue lightning crackling around him, and literally caught the potent sphere of destructive Dorinki. Ryujin Gaim braced himself, digging his feet into the ground as he held his ground.
Braco had gotten stronger in order to take him down, but Ryujin Gaim couldn't allow himself to be overwhelmed. He saw the state everyone was in upon his arrival, and had seen all the dead bodies as well. If he fell here, right now, then there would be nobody to stop Braco from killing everyone and destroying everything.
And that was why he couldn't fall here. He couldn't allow himself to lose when there was so much riding on this. With that in mind, and resolve fueling him, Ryujin Gaim's strength spiked as he yelled and kicked the Dorinki sphere skyward. It soared high into the sky, leaving the stratosphere, before exploding harmlessly out there.
Braco gaped at this incredulously. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. That had been his strongest attack, yet Ryujin Gaim just kicked it without detonating it.
"Damn...Damn you, Gaim!" Braco shrieked as he witnessed this, trembling with barely contained rage. This couldn't be happening! Not to him! He was all powerful! He was unstoppable! He was invincible! He was a master and expert of his fighting style, with many, many years of combat experience while Ryujin Gaim was merely a boy! A novice! A whelp!
So why was he, the One-Hit-Kill Sniping Master, losing!?
"Surrender, Braco! It's over!" Ryujin Gaim ordered.
"NEVER!" Braco hissed loudly as he clenched his fists. He wasn't just going to quit because his opponent had just suddenly gained an advantage. He had augmented himself with the Seal of Heaven, enhanced his power by absorbing the Dorinki of his comrades, and the Rinki of his Rinshi army, and yet...and yet it still wasn't enough! Ryujin Gaim was still stronger than him! This was completely unacceptable!
This fight would only be over once one of them was dead. Braco wasn't going to stop until he put Ryujin Gaim down for good, and destroyed his body to make sure he stayed dead. He would then turn what was left of Ryujin Gaim to dust so there was no way of bringing him back. And then...and then he would kill everyone here to keep Ryujin Gaim company in whatever Hell he ended up in.
Braco yelled as he charged towards Ryujin Gaim. The Blue King of Shoku also dashed towards Braco. Once they met in the middle, they cocked their arms back and threw a punch at the same time. The claws of Braco's gauntlets grazed across the side of Ryujin Gaim's helmet, but he received the full impact of his foe's fist and was thrown backward.
The side of Braco's face was literally cracked as dark Ki and blood seeped out. He was about to go on the attack again when he felt something wrong. He felt something inside of him growing, blowing his body up from the inside, and threatening to tear him wide open.
"Braco!" Ryujin Gaim cried out.
"What...WHAT'S HAPPENING TO ME?! AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!" Braco screamed as his body began to warp and expand in unnatural ways right before Ryujin Gaim's eyes. His skin stretched as the faces of his comrades could be seen struggling to try and get out. It was horrifying to watch.
"Braco..." Ryujin Gaim whispered as his opponent was going through a painful transformation. Absorbing all that Dorinki had made Braco's body unstable, and now he was paying the price for his hubris.
The Wicked Body Overpowering Earthly Change (Jashin Gochi Hen) was a technique used by the RinJyuKen Akugata Beastmen to assume huge beast-like forms based on their signature Beast Fist styles, gaining more power but at the cost of their intelligence. They would turn into mindless berserkers as a result.
This was done voluntarily to gain an advantage over their opponents but after absorbing the fallen Rinshi's Rinki, Braco had just filled his body with power way beyond his limit. Even though he was enhanced by the Seal of Heaven, he still had his limits. Now he was going through the change involuntarily. Normally, Braco would turn into a gigantic cobra. However, as he had absorbed Dorinki from his fallen comrades, his Beast form would be altered as well.
And it was all happening right now, without his control. His body expanded and mutated with mismatched body parts sprouting until he lost his humanoid shape completely to become some kind of freak of nature. The creature's main body resembled a gigantic toad with its mouth wide open. It had the hind legs of a gecko and scorpion claws in place of forelegs. A scorpion's tail with a stinger at the tip was attached to its rear. From its gaping jaw was a giant centipede with a cobra's head at the very end which looked like its tongue.
A complete abomination, that was what Braco had become. He was now the Chimera Beast.
At the sight of the Chimera Beast, Gridon looked nauseous as he gagged. Memories of watching the original 'The Thing' resurfaced. It had been horrifying, just like what he had just seen happen to Braco.
"Oh God...I think I'm gonna be sick!" Gridon blurted out.
"Don't throw up in your helmet! That's just nasty!" warned Knuckle.
Ryujin Gaim jumped out of the crater as the Chimera Beast attempted to swallow him whole. That was when a glowing aura surrounded him and he hovered in the air.
"Hey, ugly! Catch me if you can!" Ryujin Gaim taunted as he glided backward when the claws came into play. He flew upwards to avoid being snapped by the Chimera Beast's jaws and claws. He evaded the stinger as the tail swiped at him, and was now far out of its reach for it to do anything.
Ryujin Gaim considered his options and tried to formulate a plan. His priority was to keep the mutated Braco, aka the Chimera Beast, from running amok. The amount of Ki it had now was staggering and continuously overflowing. Those claws, stingers, and fangs were bad news too, but he needed to get close enough to do any significant damage.
"What do I do?" Ryujin Gaim whispered to himself.
Suddenly, fireballs collided with the Chimera Beast and exploded, causing it to roar in pain. Blinking, Ryujin Gaim looked down to see Baron blasting the creature with fireballs.
"Huh?" Ryujin Gaim blinked as he saw the assistance he was getting. The other Armored War Gods had fully recovered and were coming to his aid.
"Don't think I'll just hang back and let you do all the work, Oda!" Baron shouted.
"We're warriors, not spectators!" Zangetsu added as he leaped and activated his SengokuDriver's Squash function.
[SOIYA! BAIHU SQUASH!]
Landing on the Chimera Beast's back, Zangetsu started to slash away at it with his Musou Saber. It swung its tail down and he jumped out of the way, causing it to sting itself before it let out another agonizing screech.
[COCONUT SQUASH! JIMBER MARRON SQUASH!]
"Alright! Group up and hit it till it dies!" Knuckle yelled excitedly as he barraged the Chimera Beast with punches. "Atatatatatatatatatatatatatata!"
[COME ON! RINGO AU LAIT!]
"This is our fight too, Naga-kun!" Idunn swung her sword and fired a giant energy apple that connected with the creature's head, causing it to recoil painfully from the resulting explosion and stagger in a stunned daze. Baron swooped in and slashed it across the neck with his Zhuqiao Talons as Zangetsu jumped and slashed an eye with his Musou Saber. It shrieked in pain from their assault.
Gridon summoned spheres of water and hurled them like cannonballs, hitting the Chimera Beast with a painful barrage. Ryugen also aimed and fired a series of energy bullets at it, with Chulainn shooting energy arrows with his Sonic Arrow, causing it to thrash about. It swung its claws around, knocking Ryugen, Chulainn, Idunn and Knuckle back. Fortunately for Chulainn, he didn't suffer another painful crotch shot.
The Chimera Beast dislodged its stinger from its back and swung it around, swatting Gridon and Zangetsu as Baron took to the air. A stream of corrosive venom was spat out by the Chimera Beast, hitting Baron, and causing him to crash to the ground.
As Ryujin Gaim's feet touched the ground, his eyes narrowed as he decided to end this fight. This had gone on for long enough. It was time to finish it.
[HINAWA DAIDAI DJ JU!]
His Kachidoki Arms' signature weapon appeared in his hand and he quickly loaded his Orange Lockseed into the DJ Gun's Drive Bay.
[LOCK ON!]
Aiming his DJ Gun with both hands, Ryujin Gaim braced himself as energy gathered in front of the DJ Gun's barrel. Once it was fully charged, he squeezed the trigger.
[ORANGE CHARGE!]
"DAI RYUJIN HOU!"
The deafening roar of a dragon was heard as the DJ Gun fired an intense blast of energy that took the shape of a roaring dragon. The Great Dragon God Cannon blast was so intense that the recoil sent Ryujin Gaim skidding back by ten feet. The Chimera Beast let out a shrill death cry as it was hit by the blast. The explosion that followed was so bright that everyone was forced to shield their eyes.
"Is it over?" Ryuubi asked hopefully, dreading the alternative.
"Not yet," Kanu answered grimly.
As the smoke cleared, Braco was revealed, back in his original Beastman form. He wasn't alone, however. Amazingly, standing with him were the other four members of the Five Venom Fists, all restored back to life.
Braco had used the True Poison to revive himself from the brink of death again. However, because he had fused his comrades' Dorinki into himself, he inadvertently ended up using his remaining five True Poison fangs to revive his comrades along with him.
"Oh come on! We just killed them already!" Knuckle cried out in frustration as he saw who was back from the dead.
"They're back, Oda!" Baron informed. Why did the most dangerous enemies keep coming back?
"They aren't staying for long," Ryujin Gaim responded as he twisted the Ryujin Key.
[RYUJINMARU!]
Appearing in his hand from a flash of light was a sword that nobody had ever seen before. It was a beautiful sapphire blade with a golden edge, shaped like an ascending dragon, with the head making up the tip while its talons made up the guard. The scale-covered hilt fit right in his hand as he tightened his hold around the ornate sword.
"ATTACK!" Braco ordered as he and the other members of the Five Venom Fists surrounded themselves with Dorinki and lunged towards Gaim.
"Eat this!" Ryujin Gaim shouted as he pushed the Cutting Blade down thrice to execute the Sparking finisher function.
[SOIYA! RYUJIN SPARKING!]
Golden energy blazed around the Ryujinmaru's blade as Ryujin Gaim held the hilt tightly with both hands. His visor glowed as his entire body was enveloped in the same blaze of golden energy.
He would finish this in a single stroke.
"Ore no Hissatsu! DAI RYUJIN ZAN!"
With a loud shout, accompanied by a dragon's ferocious roar, Ryujin Gaim swung his Ryujinmaru with all his might, producing a massive blade of energy which came down on his enemies.
The Venom Fists were unable to avoid it as they were hit by Ryujin Gaim's Great Dragon God Slash. However, their Dorinki was still potent and they erected a barrier to protect themselves. They resisted Ryujin Gaim's power with their own and both forces pushed against each other.
Ryujin Gaim struggled to hold his ground, but the Venom Fists' combined might was pushing him back. It would appear that the Five Venom Fists were more than a match for Gaim's new power.
Unfortunately, the Venom Fists' attempt to protect themselves would soon prove futile.
Because Ryujin Gaim had friends.
"Nagata-sama!" Kanu shouted.
"Aisha?" Gaim blinked as she put her hands over his to secure his grip upon his weapon.
"Just hold on, Nagata-sama!" Bacho added as she gripped his arm, helping him brace against the Venom Fists.
"What are you girls doing?" Ryujin Gaim questioned as Chou'un, Ryuubi and Chouhi joined them, helping him to brace himself against the oncoming attack.
"Helping you, what else?" Chou'un smiled.
"Remember, you're never alone!" Ryuubi shouted.
"That's right, Onii-chan! Just tell us what to do!" Chouhi yelled.
Ryujin Gaim was speechless as he saw their courage, resolve, and determination. He steeled himself as he accepted their support.
"Alright! Hold on and push with everything you got! Together!" Ryujin Gaim shouted and together they pushed his attack forward. However, it wasn't enough as they felt themselves being pushed right back. Batai and Gien soon joined them, helping them to hold their ground. "Need...more...power..."
[COME ON! ZHUQIAO SQUASH!]
[COME ON! XUANWU SQUASH!]
[SOIYA! BAIHU SQUASH!]
[HAI~! BUDOU SQUASH!]
[COCONUT SQUASH! JIMBER MARRON SQUASH!]
[COME ON! RINGO SQUASH!]
[SUIKA ENERGY SQUASH!]
The other Armored War Gods fired their Squash finishers simultaneously and they slammed into the Venom Fists' barrier, weakening it for Gaim.
"ODA! FINISH IT NOW!" Baron shouted.
The glow of the Ryujinmaru intensified as a loud draconic roar boomed around them.
"This is our power, and with this power, we'll everyone!" Ryujin Gaim swore vehemently.
"GAAAAAAAAAAIM!" Braco screamed.
"BRACOOOOOOO!" Ryujin Gaim roared.
He and the girls roared furiously as his massive energy blade shattered the Venom Fists' barrier and engulfed them. The blade vaporized the Venom Fists as they screamed a final death cry.
Once the attack ceased and the dust settled, everyone saw a large, smoking trench in the ground. The Venom Fists were gone. They were nowhere to be seen. All that remained of them were their ash as it blew in the wind, signifying their end.
The girls released their hold on Ryujin Gaim as he lowered his arms. He then raised his Ryujinmaru, performed a diagonal stroke, and finally shouldered his sword.
"Embrace the darkness and rest in peace," Ryujin Gaim concluded. He didn't know how he came up with that, but it just sounded appropriate.
There was silence as everyone was awed and speechless. The silence only lasted for a few moments until Chouhi decided to break it.
"Yatta! We did it!" Chouhi cheered as she threw her arms up in celebration. Her cheering became infectious as the surviving warriors all cheered victoriously. They had done it! They had won!
Ryujin Gaim was just starting to come to terms with what had just happened. He was just as shocked as everyone else by the power he had displayed. The adrenaline rush must've prevented him from realizing it up until now. As it died down, he took in a deep breath.
"So this is my new power," Ryujin Gaim murmured as he took a moment to gaze at his hand in awe. He then reached down to close his Kachidoki Lockseed and remove the Ryujin Key. In a flash of light, his armor faded away, leaving him in his civilian form. He was in his normal garments, but without any of his signature haori.
"Onii-chan!" Chouhi immediately slammed into Nagata, knocking the wind out of him, as she glomped him. "You're back! You're really back! Uwaaaaa~!"
"Yeah, I'm back, Rinrin," Nagata smiled as he gently patted Chouhi's head. She let him go and wiped the tears from her eyes. She had lost both her parents and grandfather. She nearly lost her big brother too, but here he was.
His friends quickly gathered around him, smiling and crying tears of joy. Iori and Karasu both canceled their transformations as they joined the others.
"Nagata-sama, welcome back," greeted Ryuubi.
Nagata addressed Ryuubi, "Touka, I'm glad to see that my faith wasn't misplaced. You're really turning out to be a great leader. I'm proud of you."
Ryuubi blushed at the praise. Suddenly overwhelmed with emotion, she flung herself at him, kissing him deeply and passionately. Nagata was taken aback by this but made no move to push her away. Before things could go any further, Kanu pulled her sworn sister away from their stunned lord.
"Aneue, now is not the time or place!" Kanu scolded. Though deep down, she wished she had kissed Nagata just now.
"Sorry, sorry," Ryuubi apologized, embarrassed. She was just so overwhelmed with emotion and couldn't control herself. Karasu was giving the rosette a very cold glare for what she did.
"...Well, that was unexpected," Nagata remarked with a red blush on his cheeks.
"Nagata-sama..." Kanu spoke softly.
"Aisha, I heard you."
"You heard me?" Kanu asked, confused.
"Your heart. I heard it call out to mine," he clarified as he put his hand against his chest. He had heard the cries of their heart and had come to their aid in response. He then gave her a kiss, one she was all too happy to return.
"You really had us worried there," Bacho said as she playfully punched his shoulder.
"Sorry, Sui," Nagata apologized.
"If you really wanna apologize, you better marry Sui-neechan! She's not getting any younger!" Batai demanded.
"Tanpopo!" Bacho cried out in embarrassment as she smacked her cousin upside the head.
"Ow!"
"I'll think about it, Tanpopo," Nagata replied jovially.
"You owe me a piece of menma for every tear I've shed for you, Nagata-sama," Chou'un demanded.
"I'll see what I can do, Sei."
"Good to have you back, my friend," Iori said.
"Good to be back, buddy." Nagata fist-bumped Iori.
"Naga-kun." Karasu approached her cousin. She had no words to convey how she felt. Instead, she hugged him.
As the battle had ended, the other Armored War Gods also deactivated their armor. Closing their Lockseeds, their suits vanished in flashes of light.
"Ah, man," Haru sighed as he stretched his arms above his head. "I feel sore all over. How about you?" He looked to Hideyoshi, waiting for a response.
"I just want to lie down, relax, and try to put everything that happened today behind me," Hideyoshi confessed. He was just so tired. Some relaxing cuddle time with Totaku should refresh him.
"I'm going to check with a doctor later," Ichiro said worriedly. He had taken several blows to his groin and hoped there wasn't any permanent damage.
Masataka marveled at Nagata's newfound power. He was glad that he was an ally instead of an enemy. Still, he would need to make note of this and prepare proper countermeasures and contingencies just in case. For now, he was just relieved that this battle was over.
Mitsuki silently and carefully studied Nagata. The power he had witnessed was beyond anything he had seen before. It was like the power of the Sovereign Arms but added with something else.
Whatever it was, he was sure to find out.
"Karin would want to hear about this," Mitsuki murmured.
Fruits of the Tree, Yggdrasil
Ryujin Arms: Armored War God Gaim's final form, also known as Ryujin Gaim, accessed with the Ryujin Key (S.L.S.-QINGLONG). In addition to a significant increase in his physical stats, Gaim also gains absurd defense thanks to the Ryujin Raiment longcoat. He also gains the ability known as Infinite Armory to summon the Arms Weapons of all the Lockseeds he had ever accessed and the weapons of his friends with a simple twist of the Ryujin Key. This is likely because the Ryujin Key is able to read the residual energy left behind by the Lockseeds in his SengokuDriver and the bonds he shares with his friends. He also gains access to this form's signature Arms Weapon, the Ryujinmaru, which is a sword modeled after an ascending dragon.
As Ryujin Gaim, his physical might receive a massive boost while the power of the weapons he summons and the force of their finishers become far superior when wielded by a normal Sengoku Rider or Genesis Rider, allowing Ryujin Gaim to inflict even greater damage upon his foes. In addition, he can instantly master any weapons he summons, allowing him to use them expertly. Finally, he can use the same skills and abilities of the original wielders of the weapons.
Gaim also gains the ability to generate and control electricity, move at super speed, fly and change himself into a bolt of lightning for fast travel.
Like all his previous forms, Ryujin Gaim utilizes the SengokuDriver's 'Squash', 'Au Lait' and 'Sparking' functions to execute different finishers with his weapons. He has also gained a few more signature finishers in this form:
Dai Ryujin Rider Kick (Great Dragon God Rider Kick): Ryujin Gaim gathers electrical energy into his legs for his signature Rider Kick. It is a flying kick with incredible destructive power. It can strike fast, like a lightning bolt, and can mostly guarantee an instant win.
Dai Ryujin Zan (Great Dragon God Slash): With his Ryujinmaru, Ryujin Gaim executes his signature Rider Slash which creates a giant energy blade that extends from his sword to deal massive damage. It is likely a variant for this finisher where he uses the DJ Gun Taiken Mode to execute the attack. It is more powerful than his Kachidoki Dai Musou Zan (Triumphant Great Peerless Slash).
Dai Ryujin Hou (Great Dragon God Cannon): Using the DJ Gun's (Fruit) Charge, Ryujin Gaim can execute his signature Rider Shooting finisher which fires a burst of energy that is shaped like a dragon.
KRC: Gaim appears on the battlefield, and what a dramatic entry, if I do say so myself. When I originally planned for Nagata to achieve his next Arms upgrade, the original idea was to standardize with it with the other Sovereign Lockseeds and give him Qinglong Arms. However, as you all know, the Sovereign Lockseeds were all based on the Kachidoki Lockseed's design, with just color swapping and giving each a unique surface image. Well, if I had given Nagata Qinglong Arms, it wouldn't change him very much. It would be a color-swapped Kachidoki Arms with some aesthetic changes. That's just it. So, yeah, there was also going to be a final showdown with Nise but since Nise got killed off in chapter 12 of Season 5, that idea was also scrapped. The end result: Ryujin Arms. It's basically like what happens when the Qinglong Lockseed is skipped but the power manifests in the form of the Ryujin Key which causes Gaim to cast off his Kachidoki Armor and giving him the Chinese equivalent of Kiwami Arms. It has the same powers and also has the original Qinglong Arms' ability to fly and generate electricity. I consider this a good way to end the Ryujin Arc before we go onto the second story arc of Season 6.
Also, I based the design of Ryujin Gaim on the Ryuubi Gundam from the BB Senshi Sangokuden: Brave Battle Warriors anime. It's an SD Gundam Series which is also where I got the ideas for the Seal of Heaven and the Sovereign Arms as a whole for the Armored War Gods Saga series. Sure each episode was short with less than 15 minutes each, but it has given me the ideas and inspiration for the Armored War Gods Saga to make the story interesting and exciting at the same time as well. Initially, a cape was incorporated into the design. However, after seeing Shinken Red's badass longcoat (Super/Hyper Samurai Mode), and also Ghost Mugen Damashii as well as Wizard Infinity Style I decided to switch the cape for the longcoat and I have to say it's a nice touch if I do say so myself like I said before. Besides, I don't want Ryujin Arms to be a clone version of Kiwami Arms anyway because longcoats are way more fashionable and awesome than capes. Also, Nagata has always been about longcoats all the time and not wearing capes at all.
There were actually more weapons I included in the original draft, but I decided to leave them out for later. You don't reveal everything a new form can do in its debut appearance. You gradually show what it can do.
Also, [DAI RYUOH! SORA NO SEIRYU, RISE TO THE THRONE!] Translates to: "Great Dragon King! Azure Dragon of the Sky, Rise to the Throne!" in case any of you were wondering.
Now on the subject of Braco and his transformations. I may have based them around the concept of the Final Boss in JRPG's that seem to have multiple forms.
First, we have Braco's Rinrinshi and Beastman forms. Pretty standard if you ask me.
After he absorbed his comrades' Ki, we can call his next incarnation his Empowered Form.
Then he turned into his Chimera Empowered Form, which possesses physical aspects derived from his comrades. This, unfortunately, didn't last very long.
Finally, his Chimera Beast form, which is a result of him overloading on power and his body needing to change in order to contain it.
TFP: Nagata's evolved once again and now he's the final Sovereign, completing the circle of four. They've defeated the Five Venom Fists, but the RinJyuKen Akugata is far from defeated. There is also the Armored War Devils to deal with as well. All that has happened is that the war with both of these factions has entered another stage. No one is going to rest on their laurels while this new power Nagata holds rests in Shoku's hands.
BL92: Looks like Nagata had gotten himself an upgrade and a new final form to face Braco. To all readers who were expecting to see Nagata's Qinglong Arms in Season 5, Chrome decided to change the idea, including its debut appearance and give Nagata the Final Arms instead in Season 6 for this chapter. He even renamed the Qinglong Arms to Ryujin Arms with some new improvements to make it awesome. Correction, the new and improved Ryujin Arms will be mega awesome that it'll give Nagata the edge he needed for a mega win against both the RinJyuKen and the Armored War Devils in the future, but mainly against the Big Bad and the head honcho of the RinJyuKen for a super mega win real soon. At first, I was a little disappointed that Chrome made that decision (IMPO) but I quickly got over it and get to see the awesomeness of Nagata's new Ryujin Arms in action and decided it's a good thing so I decided to just roll with it. The RinJyuKen and Armored War Devils better watch out because Nagata's power has increased to the 11th power and he will give them the shock to remember.
"Looks like all of them have awakened," Chosen said as he watched the cheering warriors before his jovial smile turned into a grim frown. "Now begins the next chapter in the Legend of the Armored War Gods."
"And they're going to need to be prepared for the next stage," said Brusa Li gravely as he stood next to Chosen.
"Brusa-chan, what brings you out of your cave of solitude?" Chosen asked curiously.
"I wanted to see the new Sovereigns for myself," Brusa Li answered.
"So what's your verdict? What do you think of these hunky young men?"
Brusa Li frowned. "They're not ready."
Chosen smile faded as he turned serious. "They may not have a choice in the matter. We can only pray and hope that they will be ready when the day comes."
Brusa Li turned his gaze towards the now tranquil battlefield, the grim frown never leaving his face.
"Savor your victory, Armored War Gods. Things are about to get dark," he warned. He could feel it. He knew something was coming and the fate of the world would soon depend on these powerful young men.
AWG CHIBI OMAKE #8A: GROWING ARSENAL
Nagata was standing in his office with the SengokuDriver on. With him was Iori and on his desk was a collection of different Lockseeds.
"Hey, Iori. Are you sure about this?" asked Nagata.
"Not 100 percent sure but your Ryujin Arms, from what we have seen, allows you to summon the weapons of the Arms you've ever accessed. So, I theorize that if you access other Arms, their weapons will be added to your Ryujin Arms' arsenal," Iori answered.
"Well, I guess there's no harm in trying new things, right?" Nagata grinned as he began to try out different Lockseeds, starting with Iori's own personal set.
[BUDOU ARMS! RYU, HOU, HA-HA-HA!]
Gaim was in Budou Arms, which looked odd on him since the purple armor slightly clashed with his blue bodysuit. He twirled the Budou Ryuhou around.
"I've never been much of a gunman, but I have to say this looks good on me," Gaim remarked.
"Alright, next," Iori prompted.
[KIWI ARMS! GEKI, RIN, SEI-YA HA!]
Gaim was clad in Kiwi Arms and holding the Kiwi Gekirin. He did a few practice swings, getting used to the weapons.
"Not bad. I can see why you like these things," stated Gaim.
[PITAYA ARMS! RYUJIN, HOU! HOH! HOH! HOH!]
Gaim stumbled a bit as the Pitaya Ryujin Hou appeared in his hands. He regained his balance as he held the heavy cannon.
"Man, Iori. How do you fight with this thing?" Gaim asked.
"I only use it for long ranged combat. It's worthless in close combat," answered Iori.
"Yeah, I can see why."
[MATSUBOKKURI ARMS! ICHIGEKI IN THE SHADOW!]
As Matsubokkuri Lockseeds were C-Class Lockseeds, they were pretty common. While low amongst the ranking of most Lockseeds, they did provide armor. Gaim now stood in the same armor as Kurokage's default form and wielding the Kagematsu. While it appeared sturdy, the armor was pretty light.
"You could probably use the spear as a throwing weapon," suggested Iori.
"That's true," agreed Gaim.
[DONGURI ARMS! NEVER GIVE UP!]
Brown on blue didn't look so good but Gaim tried the Donguri Arms and swung the Donkachi for a bit. He could get used to this.
"Not bad, for a small mallet," Gaim commented.
Nagata continued to go through the Lockseeds Iori had brought for him.
[KURUMI ARMS! MISTER KNUCKLEMAN!]
"My mom would definitely like this one," said Gaim as he did a few practice punches.
"Is she a boxer?" Iori asked.
"I think she used to do it during high school," Gaim answered.
[BANANA ARMS! KNIGHT OF SPEAR!]
"If I ever go to rescue princesses, I know what I'm wearing," Gaim quipped.
"And that's all of them," Iori noted as Nagata finished going through every single Lockseed.
"Seriously, how come we've got so many Lockseeds?" asked Nagata.
"The usual way. I go into Helheim every so often to practice my marksmanship and pick up some Lockseeds while I'm there. It's just luck that I found a few that could be useful." There were a lot of Himawari Lockseeds among the ones he collected but they could prove useful some other time.
AWG CHIBI OMAKE #8B: REDECO
"Hey, Iori," started Nagata.
"Yes, Nagata?" Iori replied.
"I saw your new Ryugen-Yomi form. Really cool, but just one point of criticism."
"What's that?"
"It's just a red redeco of your Budou Arms with your Kiwi Arms' helmet."
"It is!?" Iori gasped.
"Wait, you seriously don't know what it looks like?" Nagata asked.
"It's not like I transform to admire myself in the mirror," Iori remarked. "I mean, who does that, am I right?"
"...Right...Who transforms just to look at themselves in the mirror?" Nagata agreed as he chuckled awkwardly.
Earlier...
Ryujin Gaim was standing in front of a full-length mirror, posing.
"Ah, yeah! Now this has got to be the best Final Form design ever! Even has a sweet longcoat!" Ryujin Gaim admired himself as he flexed his muscles. "I look so awesome! I am the Musou Seiryuoh!"
AWG CHIBI #8C: BRUSA LI'S WISDOM
"Brusa-sennin! Brusa-sennin!" Kada yelled cheerfully as he ran towards the sage. He slid in front of him before kneeling down before him. "The techniques you have taught me, and your guiding wisdom, have been a huge boon to me! Please, teach me more of your wisdom!"
"If you look to the stars, you will see the butt of cats as they rain down from the Heavens," Brusa Li spoke.
"...I'm sorry, what?" Kada was confused.
"If you look through a hole in the wall, you will see your future bride, or you may see an early grave."
"...Uh-huh," Kada nodded.
"Fighting is foolish, food-fighting is wasteful, but an eating contest is even more wasteful as you waste the food by expelling it from your mouth. Still, it is very fun to watch."
There was a pause from Kada before he spoke again.
"...Brusa-sennin, have you been inhaling the herbs again?"
"Where am I? Who are you? Where's my soup?" Brusa Li asked in confusion.
Kada facepalmed and sighed.
Remember kids, only dopes takes dope!
Don't do drugs! EVER!
This has been an Anti-Drug Message from yours truly.
* Now this omake was inspired by Emgo's Transformers Review Skits, specifically the ones with 'Titans Return Alpha Trion'.
