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Nagata sat on his throne. His officers stood to the side, with stern expressions on their faces. They were gathered together due to a serious matter.

Nagata looked down at the person kneeling before him. She was a complete mess after her defeat. She was restrained, with her hands tied behind her back. She was on her knees with Ryofu standing behind her, ready to act if she tried anything funny.

She was guilty of treason. She was also guilty of kidnapping Shoku's ruler.

The person was one of their own, a traitor who had betrayed them all.

Her name was Karasu Oda and she was the Seiryuoh's own second cousin.

"Karasu Oda," Nagata spoke, with his tone absent of any affection he had for her. "You are hereby guilty of treason. Do you have anything to say in your defense?"

Karasu was silent as she hung her head. Her hair covered her face like a curtain.

"Do you have anything to say in your defense?" Nagata repeated.

Karasu looked defeated, but there was still defiance in her eyes as she looked at Nagata's officers. She then locked her gaze with Nagata's.

"I did it for you," she answered.

"You kidnapped me, manipulated me, and tried to make me kill the people I love," he listed. "And you claim you did it all for me?"

Karasu nodded silently, eyes closed as she waited for his judgment.

"Do you have anything else to say in your defense?" he commanded.

She remained silent.

Nagata shook his head and sighed. He just wanted to get this over with.

"Ren, take her to the dungeon," Nagata commanded. "Everyone, you're all dismissed."

Ryofu pulled Karasu up to her feet. She looked up at Nagata with a soft and pathetic gaze. However, Nagata could not bring himself to look at her.

When she looked at the others, however, there was venom in her gaze. It was as if she blamed them for this.

Karasu did not resist as Ryofu escorted her to the dungeon to serve her sentence. She was just so emotionally drained.

The others began to leave the throne room, though some lingered hesitantly before leaving.

Once Nagata was alone, he released a sad sigh and buried his face in his hands.

How did it all come to this?


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

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

Beta Reader/Editor: Busterleader92

Chapter 20: Caged Blackbird


The village did not survive the attack unscathed. Homes were destroyed, and so many of their soldiers and civilians had been injured or killed during the attack. It would take quite some time for them to recover and rebuild.

Nagata and Ryuubi went to Kada's clinic to check up on Gien's condition. The girl with two-toned hair was gravely injured during the last battle. Ryuubi had brought her to Kada for emergency treatment.

"How is she?" Ryuubi asked as she and Nagata stood outside Kada's clinic.

Kada gave a sigh.

"I've done all I could. There's nothing more I can do for her," Kada said apologetically.

Ryuubi's frown deepened when she heard this, but she stayed strong.

"We understand. Thank you, Kada-sensei," Nagata said gratefully. "Come on, Touka."

Ryuubi silently nodded as she entered the clinic with Nagata.

They saw Gien lying on the bed. She looked pale and weak from blood loss and had bandages wrapped around her torso. Kada had treated Gien the best he could, but her injuries were far too severe.

Ryuubi knelt at her bedside as Nagata stood by her side. The rosette took the injured girl's hand gently in hers.

"Enya, how are you feeling?" Ryuubi asked as she tried to fight back her tears.

"Touka...sama..." Gien said weakly.

"Save your strength. You're going to get better," Ryuubi said as she wept.

Gien smiled.

"Touka-sama...there's no need to lie. I know...I know it's my time."

"Come on, Enya. You're a fighter. You can pull through."

"Touka-sama..."

"It doesn't have to end like this, Enya! I'm sure we can do something!"

Gien gave her a smile of contentment.

"No, it's alright. I'm not afraid."

"Enya..."

"Touka-sama...it's been an honor...serving you..." Gien looked over to Nagata who could only gaze at her somberly. "Nagata-sama...please look after...Touka-sama for me..."

"I promise," he vowed.

"I know you will. And tell Tanpopo...to become...stronger. Goodbye..."

Gien smiled contently as she drew a breath and closed her eyes.

They didn't open again.

"Enya? Enya, please say something. Enya, open your eyes! ENYA!" Ryuubi cried as she wept over her bodyguard's body. Nagata knelt down beside Ryuubi and put an arm around her to comfort her.

"Touka, she's gone."

"Nagata-sama! Please, save her!" Ryuubi pleaded. "Bring her back to life like you did Aisha! Please, Nagata-sama! Please..."

She looked so desperate right now. He could not bear seeing her like this.

"Alright, I'll try."

Nagata took out the Ryujin Key. He concentrated, trying to make it glow.

But nothing happened. It would not respond to him.

He could not bring Gien back.

"Nagata-sama...?"

"I'm sorry. I can't..."

He did not know how he did it before, so he could not save Gien.

"No...no, no, no..."

She latched onto him and cried into his chest as he held her.

Gien was gone. She had succumbed to her injuries and passed away.

Hopefully, she would rest in peace.

"Goodbye, Enya," Nagata whispered.


Meanwhile, in her home, Gengan was having a drink of wine. When she put her cup down, it cracked. Her eyes narrowed when she saw this.

"This is not a good sign."


Ryuubi and Nagata walked back to the castle. It was hard to accept that Gien was gone, but Ryuubi's bodyguard had indeed breathed her last breath.

"This wasn't supposed to happen," Ryuubi said sorrowfully.

Nagata could tell she was beginning to grieve and gently took her hand.

"I'm sorry," he apologized, regretting what had happened.

"What will we tell the others?" Ryuubi asked.

"The truth," he answered. "This isn't something we can just hide from them."

Ryuubi couldn't argue with Nagata's logic.

They both arrived at the castle. The guards let them in and they went to meet the others who were waiting for them in the living room. They were still licking their wounds from the previous battle. They had scrapes and bruises, but they were otherwise fine.

Unfortunately, Nagata only had bad news for them.

Batai was the first to ask.

"So, how's Enya?"

Nagata grimaced as Ryuubi wept. They couldn't bring themselves to say that Gien was gone, but to lie to them would be a disservice. They had to let them know the truth.

"What? What's wrong?" Batai asked when she saw their reaction to her question. "What happened to Enya?"

"Enya...Enya is..." Ryuubi couldn't finish her sentence as she buried her face in her hands and cried.

Nagata finished the sentence for her.

"Enya's gone, Tanpopo."

The room became silent, as everyone was hit by the revelation.

One of their own was dead.

But none were hit as hard as Batai.

"No! No way!" Batai denied shaking her head frantically. "You're lying! She can't be gone! She can't be!"

"Tanpopo..." Bacho reached out to comfort her cousin but had her hand angrily smacked away.

"ENYA CAN'T BE GONE!" Batai screamed in denial. "YOU SAVED AISHA! YOU CAN SAVE HER TOO!"

"Tanpopo!" Bacho admonished.

Nagata hung his head in guilt and shame.

He was responsible for this.

He could not save Gien.

Her death was on his head.

"I'm so sorry."

Batai gritted her teeth, clenched her fists, as tears welled up in her eyes. She then stormed off without another word. Bacho stood up and bowed before she followed her cousin to console her.

"We should give her time," Komei advised.

Nagata could understand Batai's pain. She had just lost her best friend. It was heartbreaking. However, as much as he sympathized with Batai, he still needed to deal with the fallout.

"You should all go and get some rest," Nagata instructed. "It's been a long day for all of us."

Nobody denied the order and went back to their rooms. However, would any of them get any rest?

Iori remained with Kochu, glaring at Nagata before the couple went back to their room. Nagata sighed as he leaned against the wall.

Right now, they all needed to mourn.


Nagata went down to the dungeon. He stood in front of Karasu's cell. She sat in her cell, guilty of treason. Nagata had sentenced her to be locked up in the dungeon for her crimes. It was painful for him, but it had to be done. Her betrayal had stung them deeply and she must pay for her crimes.

Normally, treason was punishable by death, but the death sentence was out of the question for him. So was banishment. He did not want to send her away or to kill her. So he decided to lock her up in the dungeon where she would no longer cause them any trouble and they could keep an eye on her.

Even after what she had done, he decided to show her mercy. He would not execute her, but he could not pardon her either. It was not an easy decision for him to make. Karasu was family. He loved her and cared about her. Unfortunately, his love for her blinded him to what she truly was. As a result, Gien and many others had died during Karasu's attack on the village.

This was not the first time Nagata had experienced betrayal. Nise had betrayed them before. He had deceived them for his own ambition. Iori killed him after his last attempt to get back at Nagata and claim Kanu for himself.

Yet, that was not the first betrayal Nagata had ever experienced. The first time Nagata experienced betrayal was during his time as a student at Tsukahara-sensei's dojo. He once had a friend at the dojo who he was close to named Taiga Shiba. They shared a passion for kendo that was matched only by their dedication to the art. He was also Nagata's best friend. Unfortunately, they had not parted on the best of terms.

Unlike those times, Karasu's betrayal cut the deepest. They had trusted her, treated her like family, but she had been plotting against them the whole time.

As he looked down at his cousin, Nagata still had trouble believing that she was the traitor that he was warned about. They were always so close and she was always at his side, always fighting alongside him. She would always watch his back and he was glad to have her as part of his life here.

However, her recent actions proved that she was indeed the traitor. She had put him under a mind-control spell and tried to kill his friends.

It was heartbreaking.

He wished it was just some nightmare and that he would wake up at any moment. Then everything would be alright, and back to normal.

Unfortunately, this was reality, and he had no choice but to accept it.

He had to accept the fact that Karasu had betrayed them all.

It still seemed so surreal, though. He never once suspected Karasu of being a traitor, but maybe he should've seen the signs. Karasu did seem a bit standoffish with the girls on occasion. He just thought that it was the usual tension that occurred when a large group of people were living together and trying to get used to each other.

Clearly, it wasn't.

But to deceive them all this time, she had to be a really good actress.

Or perhaps he was blind to the kind of person she truly was.

He had read her journal, and it revealed quite a lot about the kind of person his cousin truly was. He couldn't even deny it. She pretty much confessed to everything in her own handwriting.

Now he wasn't sure who he was looking at.

Did he truly know Karasu Oda or had she always been a stranger to him?

Did the cousin he loved truly exist or had it just been a facade?

He didn't think he knew who Karasu was anymore.

She was an enemy, and yet she was still family.

How was he supposed to process all that?

"Kara-chan."

After a moment of silence, she finally responded.

"Naga-kun..."

"I never expected you to betray us, Kara-chan."

"How can I betray you when all I ever wanted to do was save you?"

"Save me from what?"

"From yourself. You're not thinking clearly, so I have to be the one to do what's best for you. I'm the only one who knows what you need."

"No, this isn't just about me. You got everyone else involved in your scheme."

"Because I had to! I had to gain their trust so I could get close to you!"

"And once you got me, you wanted to eliminate them."

"They were an obstacle!"

"They're our friends!"

"They're not my friends!"

"They accepted you, welcomed you with open arms like family and you betrayed them all! You betrayed me!"

"The only reason they welcomed me was because of you and my power. If I wasn't useful, I wouldn't have been accepted. And they would never have accepted you if you weren't an 'Armored War God' or 'Messenger of Heaven'. If you were just plain and normal, I bet they wouldn't even give you a second glance."

"You don't know that for sure, Kara-chan."

"Maybe not, but I'm the only one who knows how amazing you really are, even without any special powers. They don't know you like I do."

"Kara-chan..."

"When you disappeared, I didn't know what to do. Then I found a way. I came here looking for you. When I did, I realized that you did not just disappear. You chose to vanish! You left us all behind!"

"Kara-chan, I never meant to-"

"What!? Hurt us!? Well, you did! You came here to chase a dream when you had no reason to! You already had everything you could ever want or need back home! You had a family! You had friends! You had me! But it still was not enough for you! You wanted more! You wanted to be a hero when you already were one to me!"

Nagata was again hit by a wave of guilt brought upon by Karasu's rant.

"There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about home, or Mom and Dad, or even my friends. I'm sorry that I abandoned you and I'm sorry I left you behind as well, but my place is here. This is where I belong."

"Because this is your 'destiny'? Who fed you that line? Did you even wonder why it had to be you? Or did you just blindly accept it because it was your dream come true? Grow up, Naga-kun!"

Nagata was silent. What could he say in response to that? How could he justify himself?

He could not.

Nagata hung his head in shame. He believed that he was doing the right thing. He thought staying here to protect this world was noble. However, Karasu made it sound like he was just being selfish.

Could she be right?

"I'm sorry, Kara-chan."

After that, Nagata turned away from her and left the dungeon.

"Naga-kun, come back here! Answer me, Naga-kun! NAGA-KUN, COME BACK! DON'T LEAVE ME! NAGA-KUN! NAGA-KUN! NAGA-KUUUUUUUUUUN!"

Nagata did not answer her. He couldn't.

Her words stung. He did not come back to this world just to satisfy his desire of being a hero. There were people here who needed him. If he did not come back, then there was no telling what could happen to them.

As much as it pained him to leave his old life and family behind, he had grown attached to this world. He felt obligated to stay and fulfill the duty and obligation he had been given.

He was a leader and that meant he needed to make hard choices. There was a difference between doing what was right and doing what was easy. The challenge was to be able to do what was necessary. Even if it meant keeping his cousin locked up and never letting her see the light of day ever again.

Karasu had not given him any other choice.

Then again, he had to bear the responsibility of resolving the conflict in this world ever since he made his choice.

Because with great power comes great responsibility.


Nagata sat in his office and finished the letter to Gengan. He was not alone, though. Komei was with him. He needed his advisor with him.

"Did I do the right thing?" Nagata wondered. He had mixed feelings about Karasu and did not know what to do with her. He had her locked up as punishment, but at the same time, he also wanted to help her.

It was a complicated situation. Unfortunately, he had to deal with it to the best of his ability.

"Nagata-sama..." Komei murmured sympathetically. While Karasu was a traitor, she was still a member of Nagata's family, and he loved his family.

"I can handle doing the right thing, but how I feel about it is another matter entirely..." Nagata said with a sigh.

"Doing the right thing isn't always easy, Nagata-sama. Many leaders in history had to make difficult choices," Komei told him.

"I still wish I didn't have to do that to her. She's family and I can't just give up on her. I can't just abandon her. But what she's done is unforgivable."

"And yet you're still going to try and help her," Komei concluded.

Of course, he would. Why wouldn't he want to help Karasu? She might have betrayed them and tried to destroy them, but Nagata still cared about her.

"It's my fault she's like this. She's my responsibility."

"Nagata-sama, you must not blame yourself for her actions. She was the one who chose her path."

Karasu might have made her own choices, but the choices she made were because of him. She was here because of him. She said so.

"Shuri, be honest with me, do you think I'm a selfish person?" Nagata asked.

"Of course not. You risk your life to protect the people," Komei answered.

That answer should be reassuring, but it did not help Nagata feel any better. True, he had risked his life to protect others. He had almost died before. Yet, how many people had suffered due to his mistakes? How many lives were lost because of his carelessness?

"That's what I thought until Kara-chan told me about everyone I left behind because I wanted a life of adventure. To be honest, I was bored with my life in my own world. I didn't have anything to fight for and was just living a normal life. But I was not content. I wanted something more. I wanted to be a hero, and so I left everyone behind because of that."

"Nagata-sama, sometimes a hero needs to make sacrifices for the greater good," Komei reassured him.

Greater good, huh?

Did Nagata even know what that meant?

"I really wish it would never come to that," he responded. He handed her the letter and instructed her, "Have this sent to Gengan and makes sure it gets to her immediately."

Komei took the letter, bowed, and left the office to have the letter delivered.

Once he was left alone, Nagata silently sat in his chair. He drummed his fingers on the table.

Karasu might've chosen her path, but she would not have gone down to that path if it were not for him.

When he learned from Nanamomo that a traitor might be in their ranks, had he done anything about it? Besides informing Komei of the possibility, he had not. He did not try to conduct searches for clues nor did he suspect anyone in his faction of being a traitor.

He did not want to believe there was a traitor at all.

And look at the result.

He was not the only one paying the price. Gien had paid with her life, like so many others killed in the attack. Villagers had lost their homes and loved ones.

Suddenly, he angrily shoved his things off his desk. He grabbed his chair and threw it against the wall, screaming. Electricity crackled around his eyes as they glowed. A moment later, the glow subsided.

He sat against the wall, regretting his foolish choices.

How could he not feel guilty? Karasu had come to this world because of him. She may have made the choice, but that did not mean he was not responsible as well. Everything that happened, including Gien's death, was a result of his own decision to stay here.

He loved Karasu, and he trusted her, but his love for her blinded him to the truth. He was unable to see her for what she truly was.

It was truly an eye-opener and a heartbreaking one at that. Karasu had played them from the beginning. She had earned their trust, fought alongside them, only to stab them in the back. She had used his faith in her against them.

He was not the only one who felt betrayed. The others felt it as well. They had trusted her, and she had made fools of them all. She was their comrade, but she planned for their downfall from behind their backs.

She would gain no sympathy from the others.

She would gain no forgiveness from them either.

She was a traitor.

She had betrayed them all.

It was simply too much to bear.

He looked to the shrine of his parents.

If his parents were here, what would they say at a time like this?


Cause and effect. When something happens as a result of an action. Nothing happens by chance. There was always a reason, a catalyst, for something to happen. It can even be caused by the choices we make.

Nagata lay on the floor of his room, flat on his back as he gazed blankly at the ceiling. So many confusing thoughts whirled around in his head.

There was so much happening, so much to process, so much to remember, and so much to question. It was so overwhelming. And yet, just felt so emotionally numb. After the shock passed, he just felt so confused.

Confused and guilty.

Why did things turn out this way?

There was a knock on his door. He let out a sigh and got back up to his feet to answer.

"Come in."

The door opened and Kanu entered.

"How are you feeling?" she asked him softly.

"I could be better," he said, not feeling quite sure. "How about you?"

Kanu put her hand against her stomach. The fatal wound Karasu had given to her was gone. There was not even a scar. All Kanu had were phantom pains of when the blade pierced her.

"I'm alright."

"I'm glad."

He honestly was. He could not even begin to imagine what he would have done if he had lost her.

Kanu's revival was nothing short of a miracle. Unfortunately, it was something he could not replicate. If he knew how he did it, then maybe Gien wouldn't be...

"I just can't believe Kara-chan would betray us like this."

"It's always the people closest to us that we don't suspect," Kanu stated wisely. She did not comment on how he still used Karasu's pet name. It was probably out of habit.

"Too true," Nagata agreed. "I trusted her and look what happened."

"We all trusted her, Nagata-sama," replied Kanu.

"You don't sound too surprised that she betrayed us," Nagata observed.

"Shuri told us."

"Of course."

Now Kanu had her own questions.

"Nagata-sama, I can trust you to be honest with me, right?"

"Of course."

"How long have you known that there might be a traitor in our midst?"

Nagata closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

He knew this was coming. His friends would question him about this.

He opened his eyes to meet hers.

He could not lie.

"Since the night Nanamomo-san died."

Kanu took in a deep breath. He had known for so long and did not tell them.

Kanu felt betrayed by her most trusted and beloved Lord. She trusted him, and she thought he trusted her.

Clearly, by withholding this information, he showed that he did not.

"Why didn't you tell us?" she asked.

"I...I didn't think it was wise to let anyone know until I was sure there was a traitor," said Nagata.

"You told Shuri. At least you could've told me. We could've done something. We could've been prepared."

"Aisha..."

"I don't blame Shuri for keeping this a secret since you made it an order, but this shouldn't have been a secret between us."

"Aisha, I'm so sorry."

He really was sorry. They had lost Gien and he had nearly lost Kanu. There were casualties too when Karasu sent her Locust Kaijin to attack the village.

Kanu turned away from him. She was upset. She felt betrayed by Nagata.

"I will still stand by your side, Nagata-sama. What happened doesn't change that. However, I'm not sure if you'll always stand by ours."

With her piece said, Kanu left his room and Nagata hung his head in shame.

He really should've told them, he really should've trusted them. He told Komei and he thought that was enough. However, the result of his choice proved otherwise. By the time they discovered the identity of the traitor, it was too late.


Nagata went down to the kitchen. He needed something to help calm him down. There was an unopened bottle of wine. It was a gift he received some time ago from Sousou.

Nagata wasn't much of a drinker, but he really needed something strong to take his mind off things. He needed something to dull the pain.

As he entered the kitchen with a lantern to light his way, he found Iori making some tea.

"Iori..."

"Shion can't sleep, so I'm making her tea to help calm her down."

"I just came to..."

"I was going to talk to you about your cousin," Iori interjected.

That was the last thing Nagata wanted to talk about tonight. He really was not in the mood.

"Iori, can't this wait? I don't have time for this right now," said Nagata.

Iori was not just going to drop the matter.

"Well, I'm sorry, but you need to make time and listen! You trusted her, even after I warned you there was something funny about her!"

"Iori-"

"Let me finish! Do you want to know why I got so mad at you when you got upset about me executing those bandits without consulting you? It's because Shion and I are going to have a baby!"

Nagata was surprised by this revelation.

"Shion's...pregnant?"

"She is, and because we're going to have a baby that means our child needs to be kept safe in this already dangerous world. I was dealing with things which could be a threat to my baby, so I did what I had to do. What I should've realized sooner was that there was a threat hiding right under our noses.

"You knew that there was a traitor, but instead of sharing that information with the rest of us, you kept it to yourself. Sure, you told Shuri, but you told her not to tell us either. You didn't trust us. You didn't do anything. She might be responsible for everything that just happened, but you're just as responsible for letting it happen. Everything she did, including Enya's death, is on your head. If you can trust someone like her, I don't think I can trust your judgment after this," Iori finished before he stepped out of the kitchen with the cup of tea.

Nagata was left alone with his thoughts.

He was no longer in the mood for wine.

Nagata left the kitchen and went back to his room. If he needed to clear his head, alcohol was not the answer.


Nagata sat on the floor in a lotus position to meditate. His eyes were closed as he breathed and relaxed his body and mind. He needed to organize his thoughts and emotions.

Focusing on the problem was not doing him any good. He needed a solution.

Guilt.

Regret.

Remorse.

They weighed heavily on his heart.

He just wished there was a way to fix this, but he knew there was no way to undo the damage Karasu had done. It hurt knowing that she had acted in his name. She believed whatever she had done was for his own good.

His sin was selfishness. He had taken everything for granted.

His sin was mistrust. He chose not to share information with his friends.

His sin was indecision. He did not know what he was supposed to do.

He was deep in meditation when he heard a knock on his door. A moment later, it opened and Ryuubi poked her head in.

"Nagata-sama, may I come in?"

Nagata slowly opened his eyes as she came inside.

Nagata murmured, "Touka..."

She saw tears in his eyes. When he noticed that his eyes were wet, he wiped the tears away.

He did not even realize that he'd been crying.

Ryuubi knelt down and immediately embraced him.

"Nagata-sama, are you alright?"

Nagata returned the embrace.

Was he alright?

"I'm fine."

"You were thinking about your cousin again, weren't you? Nagata-sama, you can't blame yourself for what she did. It's not your fault."

He wished he could believe that.

He should've known. He should've done something.

"I'm sorry."

"Do you need me to stay with you, tonight?"

'Don't go.'

"Touka, I think...tonight..."

'Please stay.'

"...I just want to be left alone..."

'I don't want to be alone...'

"Alright, if that is what you want, Nagata-sama. But if you ever need to talk, you know where to find me."

Nagata felt a rift open in his heart as Touka reluctantly padded out of the room, with his thoughts reaching out for her to stay. Only her fading shadow caused whatever lingering emotions to deaden as he was left to ponder and muse on how things have spun so out of control.

Had he made the right choice?

No.

He realized that he just made a terrible mistake.

After everything he's been through, all he was left with now was the guilt caused by his choices.

It was a blunder that would be impossible to resolve.

He wept because of his remorse. If he had chosen to trust them more than his treacherous cousin, then perhaps things would not have turned out this way.


"Nagata-sama..." Kanu approached Gaim-Darkness with open arms.

Gaim-Darkness drove his sword through her.

Kanu collapsed and gazed up at him with blank eyes.

"Nagata-sama...why...?"

His armor vanished.

Nagata stared in shock at his blood-stained hands and screamed.


"AISHA, NO!"

Nagata shot out of bed with a shout. Tears streamed from his eyes as his skin and robe were drenched in cold sweat. His bangs were matted to his forehead.

It was still the middle of the night.

Putting his hand against his forehead, he took deep breaths to calm himself down.

Aisha was not dead. He had stabbed her but he also managed to save her.

"Aisha's OK...Aisha's fine..." he told himself reassuringly, repeatedly. He managed to bring her back to life. He did not know how he did it, but he was grateful for the miracle.

Unfortunately, Gien had died along with many others during Karasu's attack on the village.

An attack that he was part of.

Just another thing he would have to live with from now on.

"Nagata-sama...?"

Nagata was not alone in bed. After he sent Ryuubi away, Ryofu decided to check up on him. She offered him comfort and this time he did not refuse.

Actually, he could not refuse. Ryofu insisted. There was little he could do to change her mind then.

"I'm fine, Ren. Go back to sleep."

Ryofu put her arms around Nagata and pulled him down to the bed with her. She gently stroked his hair to calm him down. He closed his eyes and melted in her embrace as he let her hold him.


Funeral arrangements were being made for Gien. As a Shoku Warrior, she would be given a proper send-off.

Gengan came as soon as she got the message. She rode her fastest horse to get to Shoku and arrived in Touka Village in a matter of days.

When she arrived, Nagata, Iori, and Kochu stood at the gate to greet her.

"Welcome, Gengan. I guess you got my letter. I wish your visit could've been under happier circumstances," said Nagata sympathetically.

When he didn't receive a reply, he didn't know if she was coming. But she had to come. Gien was her student.

No, Gien was more than that. The bond Gengan and Gien shared was intimate. They were like mother and daughter.

Gengan wasn't in the mood for pleasantries as she glared coldly at Nagata.

"Who killed her?" she demanded angrily.

Nagata couldn't meet her gaze. What could he tell her?

It was Iori who decided to break the news.

"It was one of our own."

"A traitor?" Gengan questioned.

"Yes."

"Who? Who was it?"

Gengan would make the traitor pay for taking away her precious student.

Iori glanced at Nagata, silently prompting him to confess.

"It was...my...my cousin..." Nagata confessed. Immediately, Gengan grabbed him by his coat and shook him.

"How could you let this happen!? HOW!?"

Ryofu, who was nearby, approached to intervene but Nagata stopped her.

"I...trusted her...we all did," Nagata told Gengan.

"Where is she?" Gengan wanted to avenge her student.

"She's locked up until we decide what to do with her."

Gengan released Nagata.

"I want to see Enya."

"I'll take you to her."

There was a tent set up on the castle grounds where Gien's body was kept. A white sheet was draped over her body. Flower-scented candles were lit to mask the stench of decay.

Nagata stood with Gengan as she pulled the sheet away from Gien's face. Her body had been cleaned and she looked like she was asleep.

"She looks so peaceful," Gengan remarked.

"I'm so sorry," Nagata said regretfully as he put a hand on her shoulder. "I never meant for this to happen."

Gengan was silent as she shed tears. Gien was like a daughter to her, and now her daughter was gone.

"I would like to be alone."

All Nagata could offer were his condolences.

"I'm sorry for your loss."

Once Nagata left her alone, Gengan started to weep.


The funeral took place in the evening. Nagata felt that the best way to honor Gien was to cremate her. A funeral pyre was set up in the middle of the village. It was the proper send-off for a warrior who had sacrificed her life.

Gien's body, clad in white robes, was put on the pyre. Everyone was present to pay their respects.

"Tonight we honor one of our own, who sacrificed herself in the line of duty. She was our comrade and our friend. She was selfless, courageous, honorable, and not one to back down from any challenge. Let us forever remember her for all her deeds and never forget our fallen comrade," Nagata spoke.

Nagata, Batai, Gengan, and Ryuubi raised their torches to the pyre and set it on fire. They watched as the fire spread, engulfing the logs being used for the ceremony. The fire would soon engulf Gien, carrying her soul to the afterlife. Hopefully, she would be granted peace.

When the fire died down, Gien's ashes were gathered and put in an urn. The urn was buried and a tombstone planted on the grave.

Gengan left a bottle of wine as an offering to her late student. Nagata put down a plate of his own cooking down as well. Flowers were also placed on the grave by Gien's fellow warriors.


Batai threw herself onto her bed. Angrily, she buried her face into the pillow and screamed. Her voice came out muffled, but it carried all her anguish.

"Enya..."

Gien was gone.

She still couldn't believe it. But no matter how much Batai wanted to deny it, her best friend was gone. She died with honor by risking her life to protect Ryuubi.

When they first met, they did not get along. They did manage to develop a begrudging respect for each other which later turned into an actual friendship. While Gien wasn't protecting Ryuubi, they would hang out and spar. Sometimes they would just do nothing and talk.

Gien even taught Batai some new moves that allowed the girl to actually beat Bacho during one of their sparring matches.

It just didn't seem possible. Gien survived when the Venom Fists attacked and also survived when Bujin Gaim attacked.

And now it seemed that Gien's luck had run out.

Batai screwed her eyes out, trying to fight the tears threatening to spill out.

"Enya..."

Grief soon gave way to anger which turned into hatred.

She knew who was responsible.

The murderer was locked up in the dungeon.

Getting out of bed, Batai marched with a purpose towards the dungeon.

The dungeon was rarely used. Bandits and criminals that were captured were all locked up in a prison that used to be an abandoned fortress.

Now the castle dungeon was occupied. Sitting in a cell was the dungeon's only occupant, Karasu Oda.

There were guards assigned to the dungeon to watch over Karasu. Nagata made sure these guards wouldn't abuse his cousin.

Batai approached Karasu's cell. The former Shoku Warrior and Armored War Goddess just gazed blankly at her. She looked broken, like a shadow of her former self.

Batai used to admire Karasu. There was some fear there, but only because Karasu could be intimidating. However, Batai still admired the former Armored War Goddess. She was strong and also fearless.

But now things had changed. Karasu's insanity was revealed. She had betrayed them all and killed Gien.

That admiration quickly turned into utter loathing.

"Are you proud of yourself? Are you happy now? You killed my best friend! Enya's dead because of you!" Batai demanded as she yelled at the traitor. Karasu didn't respond as Batai continued screaming at her. "You're lucky these bars are standing between the two of us, you traitor! If not, I'd make you pay for what you've done! For now, you can just die in that cell for all I care!"

"Tanpopo, what are you doing down here?" Kanu asked as she entered the dungeon. The guards immediately stood at attention.

As if triggered by Kanu's voice, Karasu immediately ran up to the bars. She gripped the bars as if trying to pry them apart so she could get to the Black-Haired Bandit Hunter.

"KANU! THIS IS YOUR FAULT! YOUR DAMN FAULT! WHY DID YOU HAVE TO STEAL HIM FROM ME!? WHY!? I HOPE YOU DIE AND ROT IN HELL! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU! HATE YOU! HATE YOOOOOOU!"

Karasu screamed hysterically at Kanu. Her eyes were wild as she continued screaming curses at Kanu. She looked absolutely insane.

Kanu and Batai left the dungeon as Karasu continued to scream at them.


It was a week since the funeral and winter had finally come. A sheet of white covered Touka Village. Children ran out to play in the snow without a care in the world.

Snowflakes were beautiful. They were each special, but also fragile.

But in the castle, Nagata just wasn't in the mood to enjoy the first day of winter. He had other things on his mind.

Nagata went down to the dungeon to see Karasu with a bowl of hot porridge and a cup of warm tea.

Karasu tried starving herself. She refused to eat anything. Whenever she was served, she would either leave the food to spoil or throw it in the guard's face. When Nagata heard of this, he decided to bring food for her himself. Seeing him managed to coax her into eating so he came here every day to bring Karasu her food and make sure she was not starving.

The guards bowed as they saw Nagata.

"How is she?" Nagata asked.

"The same as always, Gaim-sama."

"She just sits there in the corner, doing nothing."

"Alright, thank you," Nagata said gratefully. He went to the cell and slid the bowl of hot porridge through the space under her cell door. He looked up at Karasu who was still sitting curled up in the corner of her cell.

"Kara-chan, please look at me." She refused to look at him. He let out a sad sigh. "Listen, I'm not giving up on you, Kara-chan. I'm going to help you, but I can only do that if you let me. Please, let me help you."

It broke his heart to see her like this, and he felt guilt from having to lock her up.

Nagata didn't receive an answer. It was the same as always.

"I'll come back again, Kara-chan. Just please, take care of yourself, alright?"

He left the dungeon.

Once he was gone, Karasu crawled over to the bowl he had left for her. She gazed at the porridge as tears welled up in her eyes.

"...Naga-kun..."


Ryuubi called for a session at the Round Table to decide Karasu's fate. Gengan decided to join the meeting at the Round Table. As Gien was her student, she wanted to have a say in what to do with the traitor.

"Idunn has betrayed us. She also turned Nagata-sama against us," started Ryuubi. She paused as she remembered Gien's death. "She nearly destroyed the village and killed one of our own. There's no telling what else she's done behind our backs."

"Then why don't we ask her? We can question her for vital information, like the location of our enemy's base," Chou'un suggested.

"She won't talk, not to any of us," said Nagata. He tried to talk to her again. She wouldn't respond to him. It was like she was dead inside. It was painful to watch. He could understand why she was like this. He was the one who had her locked up and she was pushed over the edge.

"Then we should send her to Sou Gi. I heard Shibai is good at getting information," Iori proposed.

"We can question her ourselves. I'm not handing her over to anyone else," Nagata responded firmly. He too had heard about Shibai and her method of interrogation. It didn't sound pleasant.

"Nagata, I know she's your cousin and all, but the things she's done can't be forgiven. She betrayed us. She betrayed you."

"She just needs help."

"Some people are just beyond saving."

"I don't believe that. She's family and I won't give up on her."

"Sometimes family doesn't always have your best interests at heart. Are you just going to keep her locked up for the rest of her life?"

"I'm alright with that," said Batai, raising her hand. "Let her rot in that cell."

"We can't let this news get out, though," said Komei. "If the people of Shoku found out one of our Armored War Gods turned on us, their faith in the Armored War Gods will be broken."

"And because Idunn is Gaim-sama's cousin, they'll question his competence," added Hoto fearfully. "After all, though you were under mind control, Gaim-sama, you're still partially responsible for the damage here."

Nagata couldn't refute her. Despite being under mind control, he had taken part of the attack.

"But it's not Nagata-niichan's fault! She was controlling him!" Chouhi argued.

"The people won't see it that way. They'll see it as Nagata-sama being vulnerable and easily corrupted by dark forces."

A guard suddenly barged into the Round Table Room. He looked absolutely frantic. From how shallow he was breathing, it looked like he ran all the way to find the Shoku Warriors and the Seiryuoh to deliver an urgent message.

"Seiryuoh-sama, generals, we have a problem!" the guard reported, taking a deep breath. He looked like he was on the verge of panic.

Nagata gaped at the guard. After everything that happened, he really was not in the mood for more bad news.

"What is wrong?" Ryuubi asked.

"The villagers have gathered in front of the castle and are demanding answers!"

Nagata's eyes widened when he heard this. The Shoku Warriors were also exchanging looks of worry and disbelief.


Nagata and the Shoku Warriors gathered at the terrace and looked to see that a crowd had formed at the castle's front gate. The guards formed a blockade to prevent them from forcing their way in.

"KILL THE TRAITOR!"

"BURN HER!"

"HANG HER!"

"OFF WITH HER HEAD!"

"BRING HER OUT! SHE HAS TO PAY!"

The villagers had formed a lynch mob. They were holding signs that also expressed their outrage. In addition, some of them were holding torches and various farming tools threateningly.

"How did this get out?" Nagata wondered. Karasu's identity as the traitor had not gone beyond the Shoku Warriors.

"Somebody must've blabbed," Chou'un concluded.

"Not me!" Chouhi cried defensively. Even she knew how sensitive this information was.

"It was probably one of the guards," Kanu suggested.

"Damn, this is not good," Bacho remarked.

"The crowd is really looking ugly out there. I can't blame them. When an Armored War God goes bad they think we all will," said Chou'un.

"That crowd looks really volatile. Anything can set them off and we'll be stuck trying to control the situation," Iori replied with a scowl.

With Karasu locked up, they were stuck having to clean her mess.

"Nagata-sama still refuses to execute her," Batai said bitterly as she looked at Nagata.

"We could always poison her food," Iori suggested. "Or we could just starve her."

Everyone silently looked at the Demon Dragon. He seemed more vicious than usual.

"We're not doing any of that," Nagata objected.

"Figures you would show mercy to her," Iori retorted, arms crossed.

Nagata returned Iori's glare with his own. After a moment, he let out a sigh.

He did not want to argue with Iori. Fighting about this was pointless and there was no point of moping around or pitying himself. Things were getting out of hand and he needed to stay strong. They needed a way to handle this without hurting the villagers or letting Karasu come to harm.

One wrong move could cause the villagers to revolt.

It was truly a dreadful dilemma.

"Oh, look. Now they're going to light up an effigy," Chou'un pointed.

Nagata grimaced as he saw that the villagers had made a huge effigy. He watched as they lit it on fire. They loudly cheered as the flames engulfed it.

Now it was getting out of hand.

"Wow, look at that thing burn," Chouhi admired with wide eyes.


The village chief sat with Nagata in his office. The man was known to panic when things got bad.

And things really were bad.

After the villagers burnt their effigy, they dispersed once they felt that they felt they got their message across. They made their intention quite clear with the burning effigy.

Komei poured the village chief a cup of tea and the poor man gulped the entire cup down, emptying its contents. Komei filled it again.

"Gaim-sama, as you know, the villagers are demanding answers," said the chief.

"Yes, they want the one responsible for the last attack to be put to death," responded Nagata grimly.

"Please, I need you to tell me that it isn't true. I need to know that the one responsible was not someone in your own ranks," the chief pleaded.

Nagata took a deep breath and sighed. He wanted to deal with this matter privately. However, now that the villagers knew, there was no doubt the news would spread to the rest of the villages and towns within his territory. It could even spread beyond his borders to the other kingdoms.

Lying to the chief was not a good idea, either. The chief needed reassurance but Nagata did not want to lie to him.

Right now, Kanu and the others were questioning the guards to find out who had leaked the story of Karasu's treachery and incarceration. Nagata allowed them to deal with the matter at their own discretion.

Nagata looked to Komei then back at the chief. He needed to tell him the truth while assuaging the man's fears.

"We're currently resolving the situation. You don't have to worry."

"The villagers may not be satisfied with that, Seiryuoh-sama. They would want to see the traitor punished."

They wanted a public execution.

Nagata would not allow that to happen.

"Chief, allow us to handle this situation. We know what we're doing."

The chief had no choice but to trust Nagata's words.


Meanwhile, Ukitsu received word from his spies in Shoku. The situation there was unstable. Karasu's betrayal had truly incited the people and they were calling out for blood. And Nagata's refusal to execute the traitor was causing the people to doubt him.

Karasu had lost, but she managed to bring political instability upon Shoku. They could use this to their advantage to spread more chaos.

It was the perfect time to strike.

Ukitsu ordered, "Let's begin."

Sadako Ryoma smiled. She was really looking forward to this. For months they've been preparing for this assault and now they had everything ready.

"I'll get things ready," said Sadako.

It was time for Shoku to fall.


Fruits of the Trees, Yggdrasil

Darkness Arms (Gaim-Darkness Version): This version of the Darkness Arms was used by Nagata when he was under Karasu's control. When using Darkness Arms, Gaim's Ride Wear suit turns black and includes a purple trenchcoat called the Violet Raiment. Just like Jam, he uses the Musou Saber and Dark Daidaimaru as his primary weapons. When possessed by Jam, Gaim-Darkness wears the Black Mask on his helmet and he gains her ability to dissolve into a swarm of insects to avoid attacks.


KRC: This chapter is basically the aftermath of what happened in "Judas". Enya died in the attack and Karasu is locked up. Also, Nagata has lost significant respect from Iori because it was his choices which led to what happened. Nagata has made too many mistakes and now they are suffering the consequences.

I know the lack of sympathy from Kanu and Iori may seem out of character for them, but you have to look at the situation from their perspective. They trusted Nagata, but he didn't trust them. While they do feel sorry that his cousin betrayed them all, they feel hurt and betrayed by him too. Also, Iori has a lot to think about, like his baby that's coming. It will take time to heal this rift. At least Ryuubi showed up and offered some comfort with her presence. However, Nagata pushed her away and decided to sleep with Ryofu instead.

Oh, and my new resolution: I'm not going to bother trying to please everyone. I'll just please myself and the ones that enjoy my story. I will still take criticism, but I'm not obligated to write the story the way you want it to be done.

Oh, and no more omakes here. It just doesn't seem I should post anymore omakes, for now at least.


Ganryo sighed miserably as she shivered in the cell. The only consolation she had was that she was not suffering alone.

Haru and Ensho sat in a corner, with the former holding her mistress. Ensho was terrified of their ordeal. Fortunately, she had Haru to provide her comfort.

Ensho had cried herself to sleep again. This situation was really taking its toll on her. The only food they got was porridge. It was a far cry from the luxurious meals she was used to. She no longer had access to a bath. They were each given a bucket of water to wash...and relieve themselves.

It was utterly humiliating for Ensho.

Bunshu counted the days by drawing tally marks on the wall. Chokun was quiet. She was devastated by Enjutsu's betrayal.

Ganryo looked up at the ceiling.

Was nobody coming to their rescue?

Were they all going to die here?

If that were the case, then there was nothing she could lose, right?

With that in mind, she looked straight at Haru.

She had made up her mind.

"I'm going to do it."

"What are you doing?" Bunshu asked.

"I'm going to tell him," Ganryo answered.

Bunshu shook her head.

"I don't think that's a good idea, especially not now."

It was not a good time.

"I'm doing it. Don't try to stop me."

"Toshi, no!"

Ganryo ignored Bunshu as she quietly approached Haru.

"Haru-sama."

Haru rubbed his tired eyes.

"Oh, Toshi. What's up? Are you feeling alright?"

"I just wanted to talk to you. How's Reiha-sama?"

"She's asleep. Took a bit to calm her down."

Ganryo noted that Haru looked exhausted. He had stayed awake to keep watch over the others, making sure the guards did not try anything funny. He needed to protect everyone here.

Ganryo bit her lower lip. She looked to Bunshu who caught her gaze.

Bunshu shook her head.

"Haru-sama, there's something I need to get off my chest. It's important."

"What is it, Toshi?"

"Haru-sama, for the longest time, I've been in love with you."

Bunshu palmed her face.

Haru's eyes widened in shock as he went speechless. He had not expected that.

Ganryo decided to just say it. She did not want to make a long speech out of it. She decided to be direct.

"Toshi..."

"I know you love Reiha-sama very much. I did not really approve of her plan to seduce you. But when she began to genuinely fall in love with you, and you also developed feelings for her, I wisely kept my mouth shut. Nevertheless, if we are going to die here, I just wanted you to know how I felt."

Haru and Ganryo stared at each other, with the former completely taken aback by this.

Sarcastic clapping broke the awkward silence and the occupants of the cell looked up to see Sadako standing on the other side.

"That was a very beautiful confession," Sadako said with a sneer.

Haru's eyes narrowed at her. She was the last person he wanted to see right now.

The noise woke Ensho up and she looked to see Sadako sneering at them. She gave the Armored War Devil a challenging glare, but most of her fire was gone. Her time in captivity had put out much of her inner fire.

If she was enduring all this alone, she would've broken down a long time ago.

"What have you done to Miu?" Ensho demanded.

"What makes you think I did anything?" Sadako responded.

"I know my cousin. She might be greedy and self-centered, but she wouldn't go so far as to imprison us," Ensho retorted.

"Then perhaps you don't know her as well as you think you do," Sadako challenged.

"What do you plan to do with us?"

"Oh, I'm not here for you girls," Sadako answered before her gaze went to Haru. "Only him."

Haru's glare intensified.

"What do you want, bitch?"

"Just here to let you out," Sadako informed Haru and held up his SengokuDriver.

Haru glanced suspiciously at the offered SengokuDriver then turned his gaze back to Sadako.

"What's the catch?" Haru questioned.

"Well, guess you're not as dumb as you look. It's pretty simple, but I'll use small words so your small brain can understand."

Ganryo's eyes narrowed angrily, offended that someone would insult Haru like that.

"You see, Knuckle, we're going out for a bit and we could use the extra muscle. Yours, in fact."

"And where will we be going?"

"Does Shoku mean anything to you?"

"That's Nagata's kingdom."

"Exactly, and I think you'd be a useful asset when we raze it to the ground."

Haru stood up and glared sharply at Sadako.

"If you think I'm going to attack innocent people and my friends, then you're not as smart as you think."

Sadako clicked her tongue in annoyance but her haughty expression returned.

"Well, then you probably don't care about your cellmates. You're all alive because Enjutsu wants you all alive, but that can change easily enough. I mean, your next meal could be poisoned. Oh, you could refuse to eat, but then you'd just starve to death. And do you think you could protect them forever? You'll have to fall asleep eventually."

Haru grimaced. The lack of sleep made it hard to think clearly. He took short naps, but they did not make up for a full eight hours of sleep his body needed. Starving themselves would just make things harder for them.

But if there was a chance he could protect them, he had to try to do something.

Sadako did not really care if Haru accepted the offer or not. But having him along would be useful. Also, Sadako wanted to punish him more for daring to challenge her.

Haru looked conflicted and looked back at the En Faction. Sadako had leverage and he could not deny that.

The decision he made would be a bad one, but what choice did he have?

"Haru-sama, you needn't listen to her!" Ensho urged.

Ensho would not make it without him. His wife would be eaten alive if he did not do something.

"So, how about it? Will you fight for us, or do you want to see what will happen if you refuse?" Sadako negotiated.

"Can you promise me something?" Haru asked.

Sadako cocked an eyebrow but allowed Haru to make his request.

"Very well."

"If I do this, if I fight for you, promise me that nothing bad will happen to them."

The En Faction was shocked when they heard this and Sadako smiled.

"Fine, I promise that nothing bad will happen to these girls. As long as you fight, and hold nothing back, they'll be spared."

Haru looked back at the En Faction then back at Sadako.

He made up his mind.