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.
Takada Hideyoshi (age: 8) was just happily playing in the playground. He was used to playing alone. At school, he was seen as a 'know-it-all', a 'teacher's pet', an 'egghead' and a 'nerd', so he was not quite so popular.
As he was playing by himself, three older kids surrounded him. He had met them before and they did not like seeing him at the playground, which they claimed for themselves. One of them pushed him into the sandbox while another took his glasses before the third started kicking sand into his face.
"We told you not to come back here, loser! This is our playground!" the kid kicking sand into his face (the leader) threatened as his friends laughed. Takada tried not to cry, but the teasing was just too cruel.
Suddenly the leader got sucker punched right in the face. It caught the bullies off guard, stunning them. Takada's eyes widened as he saw another kid his age standing up to the three bullies.
"Hey, this playground doesn't belong to you, so take a hike you losers!" the new kid shouted at the bullies. The leader got up and rubbed his face as he glared at the new kid.
The three bullies charged at the new kid who stood his ground. The fight was a rough and an unfair one with it being three against one, but the new kid did not care and fought back ferociously. He was like a cornered dog whose bite was worse than its bark, and he bit hard.
The bullies ran off, leaving the new kid lying on the ground with scrapes and bruises. While they had roughed him up, he had not made it easy for them. He punched, kicked and bit the bullies until they finally decided that this was not worth their time or effort.
Picking up his glasses, Takada put them back on and crawled over to the new kid who had helped him. The bespectacled boy was impressed by the new kid's tenacity. He might've been outnumbered and ended up getting beat up in the end, but he still managed to drive them off and send them running.
The new kid impressed Takada. He wanted to be able to stand up to the bullies like that and not to be scared of them anymore. He wanted to be brave and strong. But most of all, he wanted a friend he could call his own.
This might just be his chance.
"Are you OK?" Takada asked the new kid, worriedly.
"I've...been better..." the new kid replied as he pushed himself up into a sitting position. Along with the scrapes and bruises, he had a black eye too, but his grin showed that he did not mind it. In fact, he looked like he was wearing it with pride.
"I'm sorry," Takada apologized, bowing his head.
The new kid blinked, confused by the apology.
"Why are you sorry? It's not like you beat me up."
"But you got hurt because of me."
"Nah, I got hurt because they ganged up on me, but it was worth it. I'm Ushio, by the way. Ushio Kenshin."
Ushio held his hand out to Takada.
"Takada Hideyoshi..." Takada nervously introduced himself as he took Ushio's hand.
"Takada, huh? Nice to meetcha!" Ushio smiled as he vigorously shook Takada's hand.
"Thank you for helping me."
"That's what buddies do for each other."
"Buddies?"
"Yup, and from today onwards, we're buddies."
"Buddies? Really?" Takada never had a buddy before.
"Yeah," Ushio nodded vigorously before he groaned in pain while rubbing his side. "Ow. Those jerks really gave me a pounding."
"Come on. My house is nearby and my mom can take a good look at you," Takada told Ushio.
"Is your mom pretty?" Ushio asked hopefully.
Takada did not understand why Ushio asked that question but nodded nonetheless.
Ushio grinned and patted Takada's shoulder.
"Thanks, buddy."
Takada patted Ushio on the back.
"No problem, pal."
And that was the day Ushio Kenshin and Takada Hideyoshi met and became friends. Since then, they were pretty much inseparable as they grew up together.
Nothing would ever come between them.
It was a bit weird when Ushio developed a crush on Takada's mom, but he soon grew out of it. Well...hopefully, he did...Yeah, of course, he did.
He did, right?
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 23: A Bond Tested
"Ugh..." Kenshin groaned as he slowly regained consciousness. He was lying on his stomach and it didn't look like a very comfortable position. As he got up on his hands and knees, he felt sore and stiff in all the wrong places. "What the fuck happened? Did I get drunk again?" he wondered. He didn't feel like he had too much to drink and the usual hangover that followed after a night of excessive drinking was absent. As his eyesight cleared up, he found Hideyoshi lying beside him, unconscious.
"Hideyoshi!" Kenshin cried as he went over to his friend. Unlike the way he found himself earlier, Hideyoshi was on his back with his arms spread out. There was a bit of drool trailing from the corner of his mouth, but Kenshin didn't care about that and started to shake his friend to wake him up.
"Oi, wake up, buddy! Wake up!" Kenshin shouted as he tried to rouse his friend awake. He lightly slapped him on the face to try to get him to wake up.
Hideyoshi slowly opened his eyes to see Kenshin looking down on him.
"Kenshin?" Hideyoshi asked, confused as he sat up and adjusted his glasses. "What's going on?"
Kenshin shrugged.
"Shit if I know. What's the last thing you remember?"
Hideyoshi recalled the last thing that he could remember.
"You and Miyabi were taking me out to train...then nothing. Do you think she's OK?"
"Hope so, but right now we better worry about where we are."
Kenshin stood up to check their surroundings and see where they were. Suddenly, the lights came on. The Chou Sisters had created magical spotlights for their shows and it would appear that the same invention was being used here, shining upon the duo.
The two friends did not know where they were, but they found themselves standing inside of a cage. The top of the cage was covered by a hexagonal roof. The place they were in was not empty either. It was crowded by screaming people.
"What the fuck!?" Kenshin yelled in shock as he saw that they were surrounded by the white-robed members of the Genesis cult, formerly known as the White Clothes Society. In fact, the entire place was crowded by screaming cultists.
It did not take very long for Kenshin to recognize the setup as he had seen something similar on TV. This was an underground fighting ring where the spectators could bet on the fighters in a cage match. In fact, he spotted a betting pool up on the wall with his and Hideyoshi's names on it. There were already had numerous bets placed on it.
"I was waiting for you two to wake up," greeted Shishi as he stood up at the very front of the crowd with a throne behind him. Kenshin had not seen him since they chased him away from To province. As for Hideyoshi, the last time he saw Shishi was when he joined in on the mission to save Nagata from Bujin Gaim.
Kenshin was understandably angry. He was put in a cage, on display like some kind of freak show. He was not some kind of spectacle, dammit!
"You bastard, let us out of-!" Kenshin started as he grabbed the bars before a sudden surge of electricity zapped him, forcing a scream out of his throat, "-AAAHHHHHHH!" He was violently thrown to the floor of the ring, twitching from the shock he got.
"Kenshin!" Hideyoshi cried out as he immediately went to his friend's aid.
"Wha-wha-what t-the Hell?" Kenshin twitched, now sporting a thick poofy afro. Hideyoshi resisted the urge to laugh at Kenshin's new hairdo. But now was not the time for laughter.
"I should warn you to not touch the bars. Ukitsu enchanted them to give you guys a very nasty shock," Shishi explained.
"So, what is this for, exactly? Did you bring us here for your own amusement?" Hideyoshi asked accusingly.
"Isn't it obvious? We're about to watch a fighting match and the two of you are our participants," Shishi answered and cheers erupted from the cultists.
"So, you want us to fight?" Hideyoshi asked calmly.
"Yes, to the death," Shishi confirmed.
"To the death!?" Hideyoshi and Kenshin echoed in disbelief.
"Fuck that! No way are we doing that!" Kenshin shouted as he went for his SengokuDriver only to find it missing. He searched his pockets and found that his gear was gone. "Huh? Where's my belt!? Where are my Lockseeds?"
"My Lockseeds are gone too," realized Hideyoshi as he searched his pockets. He also found that he was missing his SengokuDriver and Lockseeds as well.
"Did you really think we would be so foolish as to allow you to keep them?" Shishi asked rhetorically as he pointed to a locked chest sitting on a nearby table. The chest contained their SengokuDrivers and Lockseeds.
Without their transformation devices and trinkets, Kenshin and Hideyoshi could not escape the cage. Even so, they would not allow Shishi to have any power over them. They stood united and defiant against the man. If he thought they would do whatever he wanted, then he had another thing coming.
"We're not going to fight each other just because you tell us to," said Hideyoshi adamantly.
"That's right! There's nothing you can do to make us do what you want!" Kenshin added in agreement.
Shishi chuckled. It was amusing to see insects struggle. It made it all the sweeter once they realized that they had no choice but to accept their fate.
"I knew you would say that, so I decided to prepare some incentive," smirked Shishi as he snapped his fingers. A pair of cultists stepped aside to reveal Totaku who was gagged and tied up to a chair.
"Yue-hime!" cried Hideyoshi when he saw his girlfriend was Shishi's hostage. She looked so scared and helpless and he could see the tears well up in her eyes as she trembled in fear. He was reminded of when she was locked up by Chojo, of how scared she was in that dungeon cell. He could not help her then, and he swore that he would not let that happen again.
"You fucking bastard! Let her go!" Kenshin yelled angrily.
Shishi wagged his finger mockingly at them.
"I can't do that, I'm afraid. Not until the two of you agree to fight. You see, she's the grand prize for the winner and if you both don't fight...well I don't have to explain what will happen to little Yue now, do I?" Shishi grinned evilly.
A cultist standing next to Totaku put a dagger to her neck for emphasis. She leaned back in fear as the cold steel of the blade lightly touched her skin.
"Don't!" Hideyoshi shouted in fear.
Shishi watched as Kenshin and Hideyoshi struggled to consider their next course of action. As far as he was concerned, they were wasting precious time. Seeing how scared Totaku was might drive them to fight, but Shishi knew they needed a bit more motivation to get things started.
"How about one more condition to make things interesting? The winner gets a chance to return home," Shishi offered.
"WHAT!?" Hideyoshi and Kenshin yelled in unison.
A chance to go home, back to their own world. They had given up their chance when they decided to come back to this world, and Chosen said that they could never return home.
But could Shishi really send them back home?
"You're lying!" Kenshin snapped. It was a tempting offer, but there was no way he was going to believe a dirty bastard like Shishi.
"Oh, it's true. How else could you explain us getting our own belts?" Shishi tapped his GenesisDriver for emphasis.
Hideyoshi considered Shishi's words. While Chosen claimed they could never go back, maybe that was not the whole truth. Maybe there was a way for them to go home.
The Armored War Gods were originally brought to this world and era when they went to the museum during that fateful day. Saji was there too and attempted to steal a mirror which broke during a struggle to stop him. When the mirror shattered, they ended up in this version of Ancient China.
If Ukitsu had sent Saji to modern Tokyo with magic, then it was possible for him to send anyone back with the same method.
Hideyoshi knew Kenshin missed his family as he felt the same way too. He missed his parents, he missed modern Tokyo and technology, and he was also tired of watching so many people die. It was too much for him and it got to the point that he wanted to go back home. Yet, he chose to stay as this was the place where he found love as he had fallen for Totaku.
If Hideyoshi ever got the chance to go home, he would take Kenshin and Totaku back with him. Kenshin could reunite with his family and Hideyoshi could show Totaku the marvels of the modern world and bring her to meet his parents.
His mother would no doubt love her. Totaku was sweet, polite and adorable. She was also a hard worker and took on her job as his personal maid as bridal training. His dad would be proud of him for bringing home a cute girl that loved him. And the best part? Totaku would no longer have to suffer in a world rife with war.
But only one of them could get that chance. Only one of them could save Totaku and get out of here alive.
It was a matter of who wanted that chance more.
It was time to make a decision, no matter how painful it was.
"Kenshin," Hideyoshi spoke up as he balled his fists.
"Yeah, bro?" Kenshin responded.
Hideyoshi took a deep breath as he made his decision.
"I'm sorry."
That was the only warning Kenshin got before his friend suddenly sucker punched him right in the face. Kenshin staggered from the blow but stopped himself before he touched the cage bars. He was just a foot away from being zapped by those bars again.
Totaku gasped from behind her gag and Shishi's eyes widened in surprised amusement. He had not expected Hideyoshi to throw the first punch. The cultists all cheered loudly at Hideyoshi for starting the match.
"Hideyoshi...what the Hell!?" muttered Kenshin as he rubbed his jaw. He could not believe that Hideyoshi had just struck him.
"Forgive me, Kenshin, but I can't allow anything happen to Yue-hime," apologized Hideyoshi regretfully. "Please understand."
Kenshin looked at Hideyoshi with a grimace and then scowled at Shishi before he gazed at Totaku in worry. He hardened his expression as he faced his friend again.
Kenshin understood why Hideyoshi needed to do this and could not fault him. He did not want to fight his best friend, but he had to in order to save the girl he loved.
"I'm sorry too, buddy," returned Kenshin as he got ready to fight his best friend. "Just so you know, this is going to hurt me more than it's going to hurt you."
"No doubt," Hideyoshi agreed.
Totaku's eyes widened in shock and disbelief as her two Armored War Gods stared each other down and got into offensive stances. They weren't really going to fight, were they?
Shishi grinned sadistically and addressed the Genesis cultists, "Ladies and gentlemen of Genesis! We're about to have the match of the century! I present to you a Death Battle!"
The crowd roared like crazy.
"On one side, we have Kurokage, the Armored War God of the Ultimate Cutter! He's known for his foul mouth and lack of intelligence!" Shishi announced.
The cultists jeered at Kenshin.
"Oh fuck off, you white clothed bitches!" Kenshin flipped them the bird.
"And on the other side, we have Gridon, the Armored War God of the Ultimate Hammer! He's known for his intelligence, his love for numbers, abacuses, and Totaku! Give it up for the Black Turtle Sovereign of Water!"
There were cheers for him, but Hideyoshi did not appreciate any of them as they came from the Genesis cultists.
"They will be fighting for their lives, their freedom and the life of Totaku Chuei! And, as a special added bonus, a chance to return to Heaven! Place your bets! Wager on which of them will survive! Two men enter the cage but only one will leave alive!" Shishi encouraged as the cultists started throwing more money into the betting pool.
They were not betting on who would win. They were betting on who would die.
Hideyoshi and Kenshin stared each other down. They had fought alongside each other, fought many battles together, had sparring matches to sharpen their skills, and risked their lives for one another.
Now it was a life or death fight between them and only one of them would be getting out of this alive.
A cultist rang the gong to begin the match.
"Now, begin! Fight! Fight!" Shishi shouted.
"FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!" the Genesis cultists chanted.
Kenshin and Hideyoshi charged at each other, screaming.
"AAAAHHHHHHH!"
"YAAAAAAHHHHH!"
Kenshin lunged at his friend and threw a punch that collided with Hideyoshi's face, nearly knocking his glasses off. Hideyoshi caught the following punch and retaliated with a blow to Kenshin's stomach.
The cheers from their audience increased in volume as the two friends clashed. The cultists excitedly placed bets on the fighters, wagering which of them would survive.
Shishi sat down on his throne-the best seat in the house. He chugged down on a bottle of wine and then took a bite out of a dumpling.
"This is the best show ever, don't you think, Yue?" Shishi asked his niece. She glared at him and yelled at him from behind her gag. He frowned and snapped his fingers. The cultist beside Totaku nodded and removed her gag.
"Shishi-jisan, please stop this!" pleaded Totaku. "This is far too cruel!"
"Sorry, it's just starting to get good and I want to see how this ends. It's going to be great since the loser will die in the ring while the winner will be forced to live with the guilt of his betrayal. And the best part is that you'll have to suffer too since they're doing all this to save you!" Shishi told her cruelly.
Totaku's eyes widened and she turned to watch Kenshin and Hideyoshi fight. She could not bear to witness two best friends tear each other apart like this. She screamed for them to stop, but the cheers of the audience were deafening and her words were drowned out.
She felt utterly helpless.
A long time ago, Hideyoshi never imagined himself fighting like this. He considered himself as more of a scholar than a fighter, but Kenshin taught him how to stand up for himself. Some bullies underestimated Hideyoshi, dismissing him as a nerd and an easy target to pick on. They changed their tune when Hideyoshi fought back.
He would've never had the courage to stand up for himself if he had not met Kenshin.
Hideyoshi threw a hard punch that collided with Kenshin's face.
'I've always admired you, Ushio. You don't care what anyone thinks of you. You just do your own thing and go with the flow.'
Hideyoshi followed up with a left jab that struck Kenshin in the chest, knocking the wind out of him.
'Even if you get beaten up, you can still get up and smile because you have the guts to fight back against the bullies. I've always wanted to be strong like you.'
Hideyoshi cocked back his fist. Many times he was told by teachers that Kenshin might be a bad influence on him, but he disagreed. Kenshin was his best friend and he was stronger now because of him.
'That's why I don't have any regrets.'
Hideyoshi threw another punch but Kenshin caught it.
Kenshin was grateful that he met Hideyoshi. He was seen as a troublemaker and did not make a lot of friends because of his reputation. That was why he was glad that Hideyoshi stayed his friend even after all the times he got them into trouble.
'Takada, I'm not smart like you, but you're not like those stuck up straight-A types. You never looked down on me. You even called me your best friend.'
Hideyoshi was patient enough to tutor him and help him with his homework. He even helped him study for his high school entrance exam which got him into the same school as his best friend.
'You helped me to pass my subjects. You hung out with me when nobody else would. Even when I goof up, you come along so I would not be alone.'
Hideyoshi put up with his shit when nobody else would and so he owed Hideyoshi, which was why he stayed in this world with him, in spite of the dangers. He would miss his family, but he would regret abandoning his friend to fend for himself.
'You put up with my bad habits and you even go along with some of my bad ideas so you could look out for me. You didn't even get mad at me for crushing on your mom when we were kids.'
That was why it hurt so much for him to fight his best friend.
Kenshin dragged Hideyoshi into his reach then kneed him in the stomach. Hideyoshi gasped from the blow before Kenshin punched him in the face, knocking his glasses off.
'So, yeah, I've always looked up to you for always being so loyal. I don't know how I deserve a friend like you that sticks by me.'
Kenshin sent Hideyoshi falling onto the floor with a roundhouse kick to the chest. Kenshin straddled his friend and grabbed him by the collar, with one fist raised for a punch.
'I'm glad I met you.'
The two locked eyes. Hideyoshi sported a bruise on his right cheek and a split lip while Kenshin had a black eye. They likely had more bruises hidden by their clothes. They breathed heavily as they glared at each other. Kenshin's fist hung in the air and Hideyoshi wondered why.
"What are you waiting for? Do it! Finish me!" Hideyoshi challenged.
Kenshin leaned in until they were nose-to-nose.
"What the fuck are you doing, Hideyoshi?" Kenshin demanded in a hushed tone.
"Isn't it obvious?" Hideyoshi grunted as he tried to pry Kenshin's hand off his collar.
"Bullshit, you're pulling your punches. You're trying to throw the fight, aren't you?" Kenshin accused. He knew his friend was stronger than this, and while the blows still stung, they were pretty weak compared to how hard Hideyoshi would usually hit once he got serious.
"And you're not?" Hideyoshi shot back. "I know how hard you can hit but you're not even trying." Kenshin was hitting Hideyoshi a little harder than during their sparring matches, but it still was not hard enough.
"Tell me why, Hideyoshi," Kenshin demanded.
"He's only going to let one of us walk out of here alive, and we need to save Yue-hime," Hideyoshi reasoned.
So that was it. Hideyoshi was going to throw the fight to save Totaku. That was what Kenshin wanted to do too, but he thought Hideyoshi had a plan so he made sure to pull his punches.
But this...this plan was asinine. He was going to sacrifice himself so Kenshin could save Totaku.
That...that was not like Hideyoshi at all.
It was a bullshit plan!
"There's no guarantee he'll let either of us go," Kenshin retorted.
"I know he could be lying, but if one of us can save Yue-hime...then it's a risk I'm willing to take," Hideyoshi replied.
"So you're just going to throw your life away!?" Kenshin questioned furiously.
"As long as Yue-hime is safe, my sacrifice won't be in vain," Hideyoshi rationalized.
"BAKAYAROU!" Kenshin punched Hideyoshi hard across the face. The cultists cheered but Kenshin tuned them out. Hideyoshi's nose bled, as Kenshin roughly picked him up to glare into his eyes. "Dammit, Takada! You usually have a plan, but this...now...now you're not even thinking!"
"I am thinking, Ushio!" Hideyoshi shot back. They rarely, if ever, used their given names, preferring to address each other by their surnames. Only when things got seriously emotional like this, did they ever use their given names.
"No, you're not! You expect me to kill you!" Kenshin snapped. "I can't do that!"
"Then Yue-hime will die unless I kill you! I don't want to do it either!"
"Is this about guilt!? I thought you were over that shit!"
Hideyoshi punched Kenshin right in the chest, breaking his hold on him.
"Of course I feel guilty! I'm the reason you decided to come back and stay in this world!" Hideyoshi snapped furiously. "I've known it the whole time! I know you miss your family! You only came with me to have my back! But now you have a chance to be with your family again!"
"Takada...bro...What about your family?" Kenshin asked.
"I miss them too, but I made my choice a long time ago, Ushio," Hideyoshi answered firmly. "Now fight me! Fight me with everything you got!"
The cultists yelled at them to continue the match. They came here to watch them kill each other, not stand around and talk.
Kenshin tightened his fists. Hideyoshi was resolute in his decision and was willing to put his life on the line for this. It was only right for Kenshin to risk everything too and with the same resolve.
"Alright, buddy, but I'm not holding back, so don't you dare hold back on me!" Kenshin challenged.
"No more holding back," Hideyoshi resolved.
"HIDEYOSHI!"
"KENSHIN!"
Shouting each other's names, Kenshin and Hideyoshi resumed their match. They fought furiously with fierce blows violently hitting their mark. Kenshin might've been the more experienced fighter, but Hideyoshi had learned a thing or two while growing up with him. Added with everything they've been through in this world together, they had grown into stronger fighters and were almost evenly matched.
As for Shishi, he was enjoying every second of it. This was the best plan he ever formulated. After they made him suffer a humiliating defeat, he came up with many ways to get his revenge until he decided on this one. He even tested this plan a few times, forcing friends and loved ones to fight for their freedom.
He put two people together in a cage, offered to let the winner live to force them to fight, and watched the carnage erupt. People were selfish and when it came to survival they would choose their own life in a heartbeat. Forcing two best friends, who were practically like brothers, to fight was a beautiful sight. Watching them beat each other to death would be quite satisfying and cathartic. Whoever won would only end up in despair and misery as he had to live with the fact that he betrayed the other.
The cultists cheered loudly as the Ultimate Hammer and Ultimate Cutter fought each other. They did not care who won. They just wanted to see blood spilled. More and more money was thrown into the betting pool.
Totaku watched in horror as her two Armored War Gods violently traded blows. She witnessed as blood spilled onto the mat as they struck each other. Hideyoshi was already terribly injured and so was Kenshin, but neither of them was letting up. Tears fell from her eyes. She just wanted this to stop.
She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to face a female cultist. Totaku's eyes widened as she saw the face that was hidden underneath the hood.
Hideyoshi grabbed Kenshin by the shoulders and kneed him in the stomach repeatedly before knocking him to the mat with a right hook. Blood stained his clothes and sweat dripped from his face. Looking down, Kenshin was just as bad. Both of them had bruises and blood staining their clothes.
Kenshin breathed shallowly as Hideyoshi stood over him. A sheathed dagger was thrown into the cage and it landed near Hideyoshi's feet.
"FINISH HIM!" Shishi commanded as the cultists all cheered hysterically. They were all hungry for some death.
Hideyoshi picked up the dagger and loomed over Kenshin. The Genesis cultists clamored for him to finish off his friend as Totaku desperately shouted for him to stop. Shishi watched in anticipation as the Ultimate Hammer would no doubt do anything to save Totaku, even if it means sacrificing his best friend.
Kenshin looked up at his friend and nodded before he closed his eyes, waiting for the finishing blow.
He accepted this.
"Do it."
Hideyoshi's gaze softened as he drew the dagger.
"I'm sorry."
Hideyoshi gritted his teeth as he tried to think of a way out. He would need a miracle right now. He looked in Totaku's direction, but his eyes widened when he found her seat empty with a loose piece of rope lying in her place. He smiled, which did not go unnoticed to Shishi.
"What are you smiling for?" Shishi demanded. "Did you get hit in the head too many times? Yue will suffer if you refuse to finish him!"
"OK, then tell me where she is then," Hideyoshi dared.
"She's right here!" Shishi pointed to the empty seat and then his eyes widened. "Where'd she go!?" He grabbed a random cultist. "Where is she!?"
"Er...she's gone, sir!" the random cultist answered.
"Then where did she go!? She was tied up! She couldn't have gotten up and walked away!" Shishi shouted. He shoved the cultist aside. "Damn! Useless!"
"Looks like you just lost your leverage," Hideyoshi taunted.
"Well, you're still trapped in a cage! I may not have Yue, but if I deliver you two to Dai Shi, then he'll reward me!" Shishi shot back.
"Dai Shi?" Hideyoshi questioned. "So he has been revived."
Shishi had let the cat out of the bag and revealed what the Armored War Gods had suspected. The Femme Fatales had succeeded in reviving Dai Shi and Shishi just blurted it out with his big mouth.
Shelving that information away for later, Hideyoshi went to help Kenshin up. He still had his eyes shut as he waited for Hideyoshi to stab him in the heart. When he opened his eyes, he saw that Hideyoshi had put the dagger away and was offering him his hand.
"Bro?" Kenshin questioned as he took hold of the offered hand and his best friend helped him up.
"Are you OK?" Hideyoshi asked.
"Sore. You hit hard," Kenshin replied with a pained grunt.
"Learned it from you," Hideyoshi responded, smiling. While he helped Kenshin to pass his tests, Kenshin helped Hideyoshi by teaching him how to fight and defend himself.
"I must be a pretty good teacher. You totally kicked my butt," Kenshin remarked, grinning proudly. "So, what's the plan?"
"Now we get out of here," Hideyoshi told him.
"OK, do you have a plan?" Kenshin asked.
Hideyoshi's response was to smile mysteriously.
Shishi was seething, but he could still salvage this. He may have lost his hostage, but he still managed to capture Kenshin and Hideyoshi. He would deliver them to Dai Shi and be rewarded.
Since Totaku managed to escape somehow, it would not be long before Kosonsan's guards showed up. Shishi could take them on with his group, but it wasn't worth the hassle. He needed to empty out this place and get everyone to another secure location.
"Alright, pack everything up! We're leaving!" Shishi ordered. The cultists all groaned in disappointment. They wanted to see blood and death but got nothing instead. It was a good fight, but there was no decisive conclusion.
"Excuse me," a female cultist tapped Shishi's shoulder. He turned to face her and she suddenly punched him right in the face. Shishi was knocked to the ground and he laid there in a daze. The rest of the cultists were shocked to see one of their own assault their leader.
Kenshin was confused but Hideyoshi smiled at the cultist. She stripped off her robe, revealing a head of silver hair, fair skin, a purple halter top with a matching long purple skirt, and a wicked-looking poleaxe.
"Miyabi!" Kenshin gasped, just as startled at the cultists as Kayu revealed herself.
"Hey, boys." Kayu winked at the caged duo. She studied them and remarked, "Wow, you both look beat up."
"Miyabi! How did you find us?" Kenshin asked.
"Oh, I tracked you both down," Kayu informed him.
"By yourself?"
"Actually, I had a bit of help," Kayu confessed as another cultist removed his own robe to reveal Sasuke.
Sasuke and Kayu were hiding in an alley when they spotted a pair of white-robed cultists entering the building.
"Are you sure they're in there?" Kayu asked her comrade.
"Yes, they are," Sasuke said. "It could be heavily guarded inside and we don't want to alert the security."
"So we need to sneak inside," Kayu concluded. A couple more cultists walked by and Kayu quickly grabbed them and pulled them into the alley. After a brief scuffle, Sasuke and Kayu both walked out of the alley, wearing the cultists' robes.
"Just follow my lead," Kayu instructed Sasuke as she pulled the hood over her head. Sasuke did the same. She did not bother hiding her weapon.
The two approached the building and entered. Nobody seemed to pay them any mind. They soon followed the hall which led into the fighting ring.
Kayu saw Kenshin and Hideyoshi fighting in a cage and nearly rushed toward them, but Sasuke stopped her. He shook his head. She nodded in agreement. They were vastly outnumbered and needed to do this stealthily.
They managed to get to the front of the crowd, pushing past the cultists who were screaming and hollering while the cage match was taking place. Kayu spotted Totaku who was tied to a chair. Fortunately, all eyes were on the match, even Shishi's. She approached the bound girl and put a hand on her shoulder. Totaku turned to face Kayu and recognized her.
Kayu undid the ropes and swiftly took Totaku away, handing her off to Sasuke. He draped a white cloth over Totaku to conceal her as he led her out to safety. Kayu remained in the fighting ring to wait for Sasuke to come back.
They were going to bust Hideyoshi and Kenshin out.
Hideyoshi smiled when he saw Sasuke join Kayu, but they were not out of the woods quite yet.
"Looks like my plan worked," Hideyoshi said.
"What plan?" Kenshin asked, surprised when he heard that.
"I sent Sasuke a quick message," Hideyoshi explained as he held up his LockPhone and flipped it open. There was a short message on it: SOS.
"When?"
Hideyoshi smirked.
"You're lying!" Kenshin snapped at Shishi.
"Oh, it's true. How else could you explain us getting our belts?" Shishi tapped his GenesisDriver for emphasis.
While Shishi's attention was focused on Kenshin, Hideyoshi secretly took his LockPhone out from his pocket. Using sleight of hand to keep it hidden from sight, he flipped it open with one hand and typed in a quick text message which he sent to Sasuke.
He did it without anyone noticing.
"All Sasuke had to do was track my LockPhone's signal with his own and bring backup. Until they showed up, I had to make our fight look as convincing as possible while pulling my punches," Hideyoshi finished his explanation.
"So our fight was..." Kenshin started as he finally caught up.
"Buying us time until help arrived," Hideyoshi finished. "And it worked."
"You sneaky bastard!" Kenshin grinned, impressed as he playfully put Hideyoshi in a headlock to give him a friendly noogie. It might've hurt, but he was so proud of his best friend at how sneaky he was. He was still going to pay him back for putting him through all this.
"Kenshin! Now's not the time!" Hideyoshi protested.
"Wait..." Kenshin, with a puzzled look, released Hideyoshi. "They took all our gear yet you still have your LockPhone. Were you hiding it in your ass?"
Hideyoshi was aghast at the implication.
"No, of course not! W-why would you even ask-? It was in my pocket," Hideyoshi answered. "They probably did not search me thoroughly enough."
Kenshin did not seem convinced. That just seemed pretty careless. Then again, these cultists aren't so bright.
He shrugged and went along with Hideyoshi's explanation. It did kinda make some sense. Why question the results?
"I'm going to get you two out!" Kayu said as she approached the caged ring.
"Don't touch the cage! It'll shock you!" Kenshin shouted. Kayu stopped in her tracks.
"Just take down Shishi!" Hideyoshi added.
Kayu looked uncertain, but it passed after a few seconds. She believed in her friends. They could handle themselves in any tough situation as long as they had each other.
While the exchange was taking place, none of the cultists made a single move. None of them even tried to attack and subdue the two trespassers. They were just too stunned to do anything. None of them was making a move because they were waiting for someone else to make the first move or they were waiting for orders.
Shishi recovered from Kayu's punch as he picked himself up. He growled in anger and frustration.
This insult could not stand.
"None of you are leaving here alive!" he yelled angrily as he unlocked his Grapefruit Energy Lockseed.
[GRAPEFRUIT ENERGY!]
Kayu and Sasuke strapped on their own GenesisDrivers and unlocked their Energy Lockseeds as well.
[MATSUBOKKURI ENERGY!]
[DRAGON FRUIT ENERGY!]
They locked the Energy Lockseeds into the GenesisDrivers and pushed in the Seaboll Compressors to initiate their transformations.
Kayu was clad in Kurokage-Shin's armor as Sasuke became Armored War God Tyrant.
[LIQUID! MATSUBOKKURI ENERGY ARMS! SEI, YOISHO, WASSHOI!]
[SODA! DRAGON ENERGY ARMS!]
Shishi also changed into Armored War Devil Kagemusha.
[SODA! GRAPEFRUIT ENERGY ARMS!]
Once Kagemusha transformed, the cultists took it as their cue to do the same.
[MATSUBOKKURI ARMS! ICHIGEKI IN THE SHADOW!]
[MATSUBOKKURI ARMS! ICHIGEKI IN THE SHADOW!]
[MATSUBOKKURI ARMS! ICHIGEKI IN THE SHADOW!]
The announcement echoed repeatedly as each of the cultists present transformed into Kurokage Troopers.
[MATSUBOKKURI ARMS! ICHIGEKI IN THE SHADOW!]
[MATSUBOKKURI ARMS! ICHIGEKI IN THE SHADOW!]
[MATSUBOKKURI ARMS! ICHIGEKI IN THE SHADOW!]
Kenshin grimaced as he saw the Kurokage Troopers all filling up the place. Now Tyrant and Kayu were outnumbered. The Kurokage Troopers were merely knockoffs and cannon fodder, but enough of them could give Kayu and Tyrant trouble.
"Damn those knockoffs. I can never get away from them," Kenshin grumbled in annoyance.
Hideyoshi saw how outnumbered they were, but he was not going to let such odds stop him from helping them. Unfortunately, with no way out, he and Kenshin were stuck in a cage.
"We need to get out of this cage," Hideyoshi told Kenshin.
"How are we going to do that, pal?" Kenshin questioned Hideyoshi.
Good question. How were they going to get out of this cage? The bars were electrified by magic and without their gear, they really did not have anything they could use to escape.
The Kurokage Troopers attacked Kayu and Tyrant as Kagemusha watched. With his army of Kurokage Troopers aiding him, he would wait until both Kayu and Tyrant were exhausted before moving in for the kill. With such large numbers against them, it was only a matter of time before they were overwhelmed.
Tyrant aimed and fired his Sonic Arrow at the Kurokage Troopers that were coming his way but left himself wide open to one Kurokage Trooper who struck him in the chest with a spear. He soon found himself surrounded by three Kurokage Troopers who took turns swinging at him with their Kagematsu. He used his Sonic Arrow to defend himself, the bladed edge of the bow blocking the enemies' strikes.
Meanwhile, Kayu was striking down her own opponents ferociously. Her Kongo Explosive Axe was living up to its name as each strike connected was followed up by a violent explosion of sparks. She roared loudly as she swung her poleaxe, putting down the Kurokage Troopers and cutting down their numbers.
Kenshin and Hideyoshi wished they could help their friends. Hideyoshi saw that Kagemusha was just watching, waiting for his chance.
Hideyoshi gritted his teeth, wishing there was a way for him to get them out of the cage and help. Unfortunately, he did not have the tools or resources to pull a MacGyver and them out of their cage.
Hideyoshi did not have an escape plan or a plan to get them out. The only plan he had was to buy them time until help arrived. Sadly, Kayu and Tyrant's assistance may not be enough as they could not reach the locked chest with the Kurokage Troopers standing in their way.
Kenshin and Hideyoshi's only chance of escaping was if they found a way to get their SengokuDrivers and Lockseeds.
Kagemusha continued to watch Kayu and Tyrant taking on his Kurokage Troopers but soon grew bored. He decided to use this chance to get in on the action.
[LOCK OFF!]
Kagemusha unlocked the Grapefruit Energy Lockseed from his GenesisDriver and then loaded it into his Sonic Arrow, locking it in soon after.
[LOCK ON!]
Kagemusha pulled the Sonic Arrow's shaft, stretching the bowstring as the weapon siphoned energy from the Energy Lockseed. The Sonic Arrow's tip glowed as energy traveled along the bowstring.
Seeing this, Hideyoshi realized what Kagemusha was about to do.
"TAKE COVER!" Hideyoshi shouted, but the warning came too late.
[GRAPEFRUIT ENERGY!]
With his Sonic Arrow fully charged up, Kagemusha aimed his Sonic Arrow skyward and released the bowstring. The single energy bolt multiplied into hundreds of energy bolts that curved through the air. They homed in on Kayu and Tyrant, going through the Kurokage Troopers in their path just to reach them. Both Armored War Gods were violently hit by the numerous energy bolts. Sparks blasted off them as they howled in pain before they dropped to the ground.
The attack was not enough to forcefully cancel their transformations, but Kagemusha was filled with sadistic glee as he successfully injured them and knocked them down.
"You...you killed your own men..." Hideyoshi spoke with a shiver. The Kurokage Troopers that were hit by the Sonic Volley were on the ground. Their armor vanished, revealing the lethal wounds that now riddled their bodies. Kagemusha's callous disregard for his men horrified Hideyoshi. It was unacceptable.
Kagemusha watched as Kayu and Tyrant were starting to get back up. He walked over to them and kicked Tyrant back to the floor. He also slashed Kayu, sending her falling again. He repeatedly stopped them from getting up, not giving them a chance to fight back.
Hideyoshi's fists clenched as he watched Kagemusha kicking Kayu and Tyrant while they were down. His heart thundered inside his chest. It sounded like drumbeats and thunder to his ears. He felt a rush of energy flowing through his veins. His eyes glowed with a blue light as he concentrated on both his rage at Kagemusha.
Shishi had kidnapped them, locked Hideyoshi and Kenshin in a cage, forced them to fight each other to the death for his own amusement and threatened Totaku's life.
Unforgivable.
"SHISHI!" Hideyoshi screamed. In a flash of blue light, the Xuanwu Lockseed magically appeared in his hand, much to Kenshin's surprise. Shishi had it locked in the chest with their SengokuDrivers and Lockseeds, but what he did not know was that each Sovereign had a strong connection to his corresponding Sovereign Lockseed.
Hideyoshi unlocked the Xuanwu Lockseed as the blue glow of his eyes intensified. A blue aura radiated from his body, fluid like water. The cultists spectating this were awed by the display. Kagemusha, Kayu, and Tyrant also witnessed what was happening, transfixed by the phenomenon.
"Takada..." Kenshin whispered in awe.
The aura around Hideyoshi took on the shape of a turtle as it surrounded him. Water gathered around him as he concentrated and collected it in his free hand. He looked up at the roof of the cage and he sent water surging upwards in a large pillar. At first, it didn't seem to do anything but splash against the surface, raining water down on Kenshin and Hideyoshi.
Normally, water conducted electricity. Since the cage was electrified, Hideyoshi should've been electrocuted when he blasted the roof with his hydrokinesis. However, the normal rules of electroconductivity did not apply when magic was involved.
Kagemusha was at first worried when Hideyoshi magically retrieved his Xuanwu Lockseed and demonstrated his power, but that feeling soon passed as he openly mocked the Ultimate Hammer.
"It's useless! That cage was made to contain almost anything! Just give up! You've lost! You're just embarrassing yourself!"
Hideyoshi ignored Kagemusha as he gathered more water and continued to blast at the roof of the cage. The roof started to dent as it strained against the water that was pushing against it. The dent grew more and more as it strained. The sound of metal creaking could be heard as the roof was starting to come loose.
"HI-YAH!"
Then, with a loud shout, Hideyoshi sent a massive surge of power and water up into the roof and blasted a hole right through it. The water burst out the top of the cage like a geyser as everyone gaped at the spectacle.
But Hideyoshi was not done just yet.
"Kenshin, follow my lead!" Hideyoshi shouted.
This time the water gathered under Hideyoshi. Kenshin grabbed his friend's hand as Hideyoshi gathered the water to form a small whirlpool under their feet. It then extended upward into a swirling pillar that carried them both out of the cage by the hole Hideyoshi made. Hideyoshi set them both down outside the cage.
Once free, Hideyoshi splashed Kayu and Tyrant with glowing blue water. The two Armored War Gods felt refreshed and rejuvenated as their injuries were healed. Hideyoshi then used the same water to heal himself and Kenshin. Their bruises faded and the blood was washed off. Also, they both became rejuvenated.
"Dude, how did you do that?" Kenshin asked Hideyoshi as he relocked the Xuanwu Lockseed.
"I don't know. It just...just happened...like instinct or something," Hideyoshi replied, still surprised at himself. He originally thought that he could only access his hydrokinesis and his healing powers while transformed, but it turned out that he could access his special abilities even outside his armor.
"You know what? Awesome magic powers for the win!" Kenshin grinned. He did not really care how Hideyoshi did it, only that he could and got them out of the cage.
Hideyoshi smiled at his friend then turned his angry gaze towards Kagemusha whose eyes widened in surprise.
"How did you-!?"
Hideyoshi cut him off as he threw a blast of water at him, sending him sprawling to the floor.
"You made the mistake of not killing the White Mage when you had the chance," Hideyoshi spat. "Miyabi, our stuff is in that chest!"
Kayu spotted the chest and nodded.
"I got it!"
She broke the lock on the chest and opened it up to reveal Kenshin and Hideyoshi's SengokuDrivers. She took them out and tossed them back to their owners.
"Catch!"
Kenshin and Hideyoshi caught their SengokuDrivers and strapped them on in perfect synchrony. Kayu then tossed Kenshin back his A-Class Tomato Lockseed.
"Thanks, Miyabi!" Kenshin said in gratitude as he caught his Lockseed.
Kagemusha got back to his feet, drenched and seething.
"Damn you! My plan was foolproof!" Kagemusha swore.
Foolproof? Only a fool would believe that.
Hideyoshi had only one thing to say to that.
"Shishi, you made the mistake of underestimating us, as usual. Take this as a lesson. Never underestimate the Armored War Gods of Totaku!" Hideyoshi informed their captor.
"YEAH!" Kenshin cheered in agreement as he and Hideyoshi shared a fist bump. They then held up their Lockseeds and unlocked them.
[XUANWU!]
[TOMATO!]
The Dynamic Duo locked their Lockseeds into their belts and activated them.
"Henshin!"
[COME ON! XUANWU ARMS! KUROTAMA NO TATE, GO ON!]
[SOIYA! TOMATO ARMS! MAIRU, INTO THE BATTLEFIELD!]
Their armor formed as their weapons flashed into existence. Kurokage seemed pleased as he was not wearing identical armor as the Kurokage Troopers. He did not want to be mistaken as one of them again and end up struck by a friend in the midst of battle.
With a furious roar, Kagemusha lunged towards Gridon. Swiftly, Gridon raised his shield to intercept the collided face first with Gridon's Black Shell Shield. The Armored War Devil staggered back as Gridon followed up with a slash of his Xuanwu Spear, knocking Kagemusha back further.
"Ugh!" Kagemusha grunted as sparks splashed off his armor from the strike.
"Kenshin, help Miyabi and Sasuke out!" Gridon ordered. "Shishi's mine!"
"You got it, bro!" Kurokage soon jumped into the fray. "BANZAI!"
Gridon turned his attention back to Kagemusha. He gripped his Xuanwu Spear tightly. He was definitely, undeniably angry.
"You're going to pay for making Yue-hime cry!" Gridon yelled as he rushed at Kagemusha to engage him in combat. Sparks flew as their weapons collided and their fierce battle commenced.
Meanwhile, Kurokage found himself surrounded by Kurokage Troopers. They were mad that they were deprived of their entertainment. They wanted blood, and would gladly spill it from Kurokage.
"Come at me, bro!" Kurokage challenged and they rushed at him. He parried their strikes with his Tomaspear before sending them reeling with retaliation strikes. Sparks flew as he struck the Kurokage Troopers down, teaching them a lesson for stealing his look.
When more Kurokage Troopers came rushing toward Kurokage, they were shot down by Tyrant. He fired energy bolts in quick succession, sending them falling to the ground.
"Thanks, man!" Kurokage waved.
"Here, use this," Tyrant said as he tossed Kurokage a Suika Lockseed.
Kurokage caught the Suika Lockseed and his grin widened.
"Nice!"
He unlocked it, summoning the Suika Armor Part.
[SUIKA!]
"Time to go big and go home!"
Kurokage quickly switched Lockseeds and hit the Cutting Blade.
[SOIYA! SUIKA ARMS! ODAMA BIG BANG!]
Kurokage jumped into the Suika Armor Part's bottom opening. The giant metal watermelon converted into its humanoid warrior form. Its thematic Arms Weapon was a spear with a spearhead resembling a triangular slice of watermelon.
[YOROI MODE!]
Kurokage smacked away several Kurokage Troopers with his Suika Yari, sending them all sailing. He twirled his Suika Yari dramatically above him and turned to knock down several more Kurokage Troopers with a thrust of his weapon.
"Take that, you damn Knockoffs! Alright, now this is a real party!" Kurokage called happily as the Suika Arms gave him an extra boost in power.
They might be outnumbered, but Kurokage, Kayu (Kurokage-Shin), Tyrant and Gridon were more than a match for Kagemusha and his Kurokage Troopers.
Kayu and Sasuke had not come alone. They had also brought along Kosonsan's guards to help them apprehend the cultists.
The guards stood outside the building and formed a perimeter so nobody would be able to escape. The building itself seemed unassuming. Nobody would suspect an underground arena was hidden inside.
Once Kayu and Sasuke were finished inside, the guards would rush in and arrest the cultists.
Earlier, Totaku was brought to them safely, courtesy of Sasuke. He managed to sneak her out of the place without being caught. He then went back inside to help Kayu.
Totaku was glad to be safe but she still worried. She hated watching Kenshin and Hideyoshi fight like that. After her gag was removed, she shouted for them to stop, but her pleas were drowned out by the yells of the cultists who were baying for blood.
Fortunately, her faith in her Armored War Gods could not be crushed. Hideyoshi had a plan after all. Kayu and Sasuke had come to the rescue. Now, all she could do was wait and pray that they would be OK. She also hoped that they would be able to put this terrible experienced behind them.
KRC: Honestly, I think I'm developing OCD in regards to my writing because I want it to be perfect. This chapter alone went through half a dozen revisions, at least. Possibly more which I did not count. I mean new ideas popped up and I had to change a few scenes to incorporate them since they seem so much better. Like the part where Kayu and Sasuke arrived. I decided to do a callback to the Gaiden as Kayu and Sasuke used disguises to sneak into the underground fighting ring.
Anyway, I wrote this based on episode 4 of Zyuohger called 'Howl in the Ring'. Then, it sorta got a life of its own. We get to see how Kenshin and Hideyoshi met and became friends. We also see how the strength of their bond is tested before Hideyoshi reveals he could get them out. And that's it for this chapter. Tune in next time for the conclusion.
As Kagemusha was forced to confront the result of his failed plan, one questioned plagued his mind.
How had things gone so wrong?
His plan was foolproof. He used Totaku as a hostage to force Gridon and Kurokage to fight each other. Even if the two were supposed to be best friends, even the best of friends could become the worst of enemies when there was something valuable on the line. He also tempted them with an offer to send the winner home. Obviously, that should make them want to kill each other, no matter what the consequences were.
It worked like a charm, or so it seemed. He saw them exchange blows as they spilled blood onto the floor of the ring. It would've been more enjoyable if they had pushed each other against the electrified bars of the cage, but they were able to avoid them.
But then Gridon had played him for a fool and the fight was just a clever ruse he planned to buy them some time until help arrived. It was realistic, but the two had been pulling their punches, enough to injure but not severely.
When Kayu and Tyrant showed up, Kagemusha's plan started to unravel. He thought he had everything planned out. He even had his Kurokage Troopers ready to intervene in case anything went wrong.
But then Gridon pulled off a miracle. He had taken the Xuanwu Lockseed out of Kagemusha's locked chest. It just appeared magically in his hand. He then used the power of his Lockseed to break himself and Kurokage out of the cage, healing them in the process.
Now, Kagemusha was forced to face the Black Turtle Sovereign of the North by himself.
It wasn't fair!
How had things gone so horribly wrong?
