We do not own Koihime Musou or Kamen Rider Gaim. They belong to their respective creators. We just thought this idea would be fun and decided to give it a try. If you like it, then that's great. If you don't, then we tried. Anyway, come along and let's see what you think.
KRC: This arc will be dedicated to D-Generation XX for his helpful criticism.
Nobody would ever suspect that Shuyu Koukin, advisor and strategist of Sonken Chubo, would ever set foot in a brothel in Son Go's red light district. It was the last place she would ever go for a drink since she had much better wine stashed back at the palace. However, she did not come here for a drink. She was here to meet with someone.
Shuyu could not believe she was going to the brothel again to meet with Minamoto. It had already been three nights in a row, yet she could not help herself. On the night she met him, he was such a charming gentleman. He did not ask any personal questions and was only interested in her company. Unlike most men at the brothel who were looking for a good time with a prostitute, Minamoto was just there to enjoy the atmosphere. Shuyu found herself enjoying his company and so they had drinks together while entertaining themselves with light and pleasant conversation.
And then Shuyu woke up next to him, in bed, without her clothes on. She did not need to be a genius to connect the dots to realize what she-what they had done. Even if she was drunk at the time, she knew that it had not been non-consensual. Minamoto did not take advantage of her during her intoxicated state. In fact, he was just as intoxicated as her.
So, with nothing stopping them, they jumped into bed together and had a one night stand.
At first, Shuyu was very much mortified.
She had betrayed Sonsaku.
Yet, when she recalled what happened, she remembered how good it felt to be with someone like that. He might've been a stranger, but for one night she felt loved. When was the last time she felt like that? How long had it been since she experienced that kind of pleasure?
Then she went back and met him again. She did not really plan to see him again, but she actually hoped he was there so she could clear the air with him. She wanted to tell him that what they did was a mistake and end it right there.
Instead of being upset, Minamoto simply brushed it off. They were both drunk and not thinking straight. All that had driven them were their emotions. They then had drinks and talked like the night before.
Shuyu wanted to end things right then and there, but things do not always go as planned.
And now here she was going to meet him once more, for the third time in a row.
She could not help herself. She felt utterly drawn to him, unable to resist his charm and found comfort in his companionship.
What was wrong with her?
How could something so wrong feel so right?
Maybe it was time to move on. Sonsaku would not want her to be weighed down by her grief. Sonsaku would gladly push her into the arms of another woman or man if it would make her happy.
That was how Sonsaku was.
She wanted everyone to be happy.
Maybe Minamoto could fill the void in Shuyu's heart that was left behind by Sonsaku's passing. All Shuyu needed to do was give him a chance.
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 29: Blood Is Thicker Than Water
When Natsu and Fuyu were discovered by Sonsaku, after they exposed themselves as Armored War Gods, they were not sure what would happen to them. They were determined not to get involved with the affairs of the Three Kingdoms and their rise to power. However, fate had other ideas for the twins.
The two ended up working for the one carrying the mantle of Zangetsu the Ultimate Shield. He was polite, but the twins really did not consider him a friend at first. He was their superior. But as time went by, they forged a good bond and understanding. Masataka was aware of their loyalty to Taishiji's troupe, so he did not ask for much but their assistance on occasion. He also made sure they were paid well for their services to Sonsaku and the kingdom as well.
Yet, despite a good working friendship, Masataka never went out of his way to spend his time with the twins. Most of his free time was spent with the other strategists, advisors, Sonken and Sonshoko. They only spent time together when it was work related.
Still, they trusted Masataka. He might be serious most of the time, but they had seen enough that convinced them he was not an emotionless robot. The way he behaved around Sonken and how brotherly he was toward Sonshoko were prime examples.
Masataka, wearing his SengokuDriver, waited for the twins to arrive. He had sent them text messages, telling them to come meet with him at the palace gate. It was an urgent matter and considering the gravity of the situation, having them as backup would be beneficial for his mission. It would make no sense to go alone when he had comrades to watch his back.
Saver proved to be a tricky and resourceful opponent. Masataka might have subdued Saver in their last battle, but he managed to get away. Saver also bombed a building to cover his tracks, while Masataka, Sonken, Kannei, and Shuutai were still inside, showing that he was not afraid to go to extreme lengths and measures in order to get things done.
This time Masataka was bringing the twins as backup. If Saver turned up, he would not be getting away again, not this time. With Mars and Kamuro's help, there was little chance of Saver escaping this time. Saver was going down, and then he was going to be taken in for interrogation, before being finally thrown into the dungeon to await his judgment. Then Sonken would decide his fate.
Mark Masataka's words, Saver would answer for his crimes.
Justice would be served on a silver platter and everyone would be able to enjoy the Tiger Festival in peace.
Masataka's waiting paid off when the twins showed up. The twins already had their SengokuDrivers on like Masataka instructed. It only made sense to have them on before possibly facing danger. It was a colder night than usual, so Masataka wore a green scarf. The twins also had on warmer winter clothes in their signature colors.
"Good, you're both here. Let's go," Masataka ordered.
"And a good evening to you too, Sempai," Natsu deadpanned.
"Sempai, wait," Fuyu spoke up. "Could you tell us where we're going?"
Masataka had no time to waste, but leaving the twins out of the loop would not be smart. They needed to know in order for this mission to be a success.
"I received some intel from one of my contacts in the city. He told me that the cultists have hidden more of those explosive Lockseeds in one of the storehouses at the port," Masataka explained to the twins briefly.
"So, our job is to grab those Lockseeds before they can be used to cause more destruction," Fuyu concluded.
"Exactly," Masataka confirmed.
"Well, what are we waiting for, Sempai? Lead the way," said Natsu.
They activated their Lockvehicles. The twins preferred driving the Rose Attackers while Masataka used the Sakura Hurricane. Getting on their bikes, the three Armored War Gods of Son Go drove toward the port.
Masataka, Natsu, and Fuyu dismounted their bikes once they arrived at the port. It was situated by the Changjiang River and was used to store and transfer goods.
It was late at night. Lanterns hung from wooden posts, lighting the port. In the port's harbor, several boats were docked. Guards patrolled the port regularly, making sure nobody was causing any trouble.
According to The Broker's information, what Masataka was looking for was being kept here. It was easily the most obvious place to store illegal contraband, so obvious that it could easily be overlooked if Masataka had not been pointed in the right direction. While it may not be smart to take Kuma's words at face value, but he had not failed Masataka yet.
"Are you sure this is the place, Sempai?" Natsu asked skeptically. "I'm not going to question your sources, but are you sure the info's legit?"
"We don't have any other leads to go by, so I'm going with what we got for now," Masataka answered as he looked at the storehouses which were lined up by the port. The storehouses were used to store goods and would be the perfect place to hide dangerous counterfeit Lockseeds.
"So, do we check all of them?" Natsu asked. Checking all the storehouses might take all night and did they even have the keys for any of them?
"We don't have to. I know which one it is," Masataka answered.
They found the storehouse according to the directions Masataka got from The Broker. Whatever they were looking for was probably inside. They needed to get the door open to check.
"Let's get this open," said Masataka.
"Wait, it might be booby-trapped," cautioned Fuyu.
"You mean, like rigged to explode?" asked Natsu.
"It's very likely. According to Sempai, Saver is not above blowing up his own property to keep it out of our hands."
Masataka considered Fuyu's words. He was probably right. Saver likely had the storage house rigged to blow up, but Masataka would not let himself be deterred.
It was worth the risk. He would roll the dice to take that chance.
"We at least need to see what's inside. Let's put on our armor before we open it," Masataka told the twins.
Fuyu and Natsu nodded an agreement. It was a sensible idea. Before they could transform, however, Fuyu wanted to say something first. It could not wait until later.
"Sempai, did you promise you'd take Sonshoko-sama out to the festival?" Fuyu asked.
Masataka paused.
"Who told you?"
"Non."
Masataka sighed.
"Yes, I promised Shao-chan."
"But you couldn't keep your promise because you were busy with this."
"I'm going to make it up to her."
"Did you tell her that?" Masataka's silence answered Fuyu's question. "I'll take your silence as a 'no'."
"I've been busy..." From his tone, even Masataka was aware how weak of an excuse that was.
"I'm worried about you, Sempai. You stayed up all night obsessing over hunting Saver."
"He killed people, Fuyu. He almost killed Sonken and the others," Masataka interjected.
"True, but you're obsessing over him. I just don't want you to turn into Captain Ahab," Fuyu cautioned.
Masataka's eyebrows furrowed in annoyance. He knew his literature, so being compared to Captain Ahab was insulting to him. Captain Ahab was a man so consumed by his obsession to hunt down and kill Moby Dick the White Whale that nothing else mattered to him. Not even the lives of his crew and certainly not his own.
Masataka was nothing like Captain Ahab. He was just trying to track down and stop a dangerous terrorist. That was it. He wasn't obsessed, was he?
"Can we not talk about this right now?" Masataka told Fuyu sternly. "I'll make it up to her, I swear. But right now, we have a job to do."
Fuyu nodded. The discussion was not over. It was merely postponed.
Masataka looked at the lock as he planned to use his Musou Saber to get the storehouse open. It was simple. Just open the storehouse, check its contents, and dispose of what was inside if it proved to be dangerous.
Simple.
"Let's take care of this," said Masataka as he prepared to summon his armor and weapons. Fuyu and Natsu took several steps back, wary of any booby traps.
"I'm afraid I can't let you do that, Dave," interjected Saver as he stepped out of the shadows in his civilian form. Like before, he wore his hood up with a scarf mask to hide his identity.
"Saver..." Masataka scowled as he glared at Saver. He wanted to tear off that hood and mask to see who it was he was dealing with.
"Wait, 'Dave'?" Natsu questioned, not getting the reference from '2001: A Space Odyssey'.
"You don't seem happy to see me, Zangetsu. Didn't you enjoy my hospitality?" Saver inquired.
"You tried to blow us up," Masataka deadpanned.
"Then I guess I really brought the house down with my demonstration. And now you've brought more friends to come see me," Saver said as he looked at Natsu and Fuyu. "How considerate."
"Yeah, and we're taking you in," Natsu declared.
"Hm, I wonder if you'll be able to," Saver responded, smiling in amusement.
"Well, duh! There's three of us and only one of you!" Saver chuckled in response, causing Natsu to snap angrily. "What's so damn funny!?"
"Nii-san, don't let him provoke you," Fuyu advised.
"It's funny that you think numbers really matter here," Saver said. "Also, what makes you think I came here alone?"
Saver snapped his fingers and three Genesis cultists revealed themselves as they ran out of their hiding places. They revealed that they were wearing SengokuDrivers and holding Zakuro Lockseeds.
[ZAKURO!]
The cultists loaded their Lockseeds into the SengokuDrivers and locked them in before slicing them open with their Cutting Blades.
[ZAKURO ARMS! KURUIZAKI SACRIFICE!]
The three cultists were enveloped in crimson light. When the crimson shine faded, the trio was revealed as Kurokage Troopers wearing identical Zakuro Arms Armor. They were also armed with Saver Arrows which matched their suits.
"Meet my Zakurokage Troopers," Saver introduced. "My own personal army. How do you like them?"
"Don't those Lockseeds explode?" Natsu wondered out loud.
"Oh, usually, but these are safe as long as you wear the proper equipment," Saver explained. "Alright, Zakurokages! Say hello!"
The Zakurokage Troopers charged at Masataka, Natsu, and Fuyu without hesitation. When they joined the Genesis cult, they took a vow to follow any order given to them by their superiors. They also wanted to stop the Armored War Gods whom they believed were a threat to their world.
Swiftly, as the Zakurokage Troopers charged at them, Masataka drew out his rapier and stepped back before giving his Zakurokage a thrust in the chest, knocking him back. The Zakurokage recovered and took a swipe at Masataka with his Saver Arrow but Masataka sidestepped it. The fencer kept one arm tucked behind him, wielding the rapier in his right hand as he parried the strikes the Zakurokage Trooper attempted to land before dodging as he lunged forward.
Masataka grimaced. The Zakurokage Trooper was not giving him a chance to transform. He eyed the Saver Arrow. While it could be used as a melee weapon, its main function was as a ranged weapon. Masataka knew a shot from that thing would be fatal so he needed to get rid of that first.
With the twins, they were each facing a pair of Zakurokages as well and were doing surprisingly well against their armored foes. Even without their special armor or weapons, the twins were formidable fighters as they used their acrobatics to their advantage.
Fuyu performed a backflip, hitting his Zakurokage right in the jaw with the heels of his shoes. He landed on his feet and started to dance around, dodging the Zakurokage's attempts to strike him. The Zakurokage tried to shoot Fuyu in the head, but he ducked from the shot and then darted forward.
The Zakurokage was startled when Fuyu leaped over him like a frog. The acrobat then hooked his feet around the Zakurokage's neck as he landed on his hands and then tossed him over with his legs.
Natsu was no slouch as well as he caught his Zakurokage's wrist and twisted his arm painfully, forcing him to kneel and drop his weapon. He then kicked the guy in the faceplate, knocking him down. Natsu grinned as he did a taunting 'come here' gesture as the Zakurokage climbed to his feet. The armored cultist rushed at Natsu who sidestepped then tripped him with his foot, sending the Zakurokage sprawling.
"Seriously, is this the best you guys got?" Natsu mocked. The Zakurokage growled and got back up to his feet. That was when Natsu used his foot to kick the dropped Saver Arrow up so he could catch it. When Natsu's opponent ran at him, he repeatedly fired energy arrows in quick succession, sending the Zakurokage Trooper reeling.
Meanwhile, Saver watched with his arms crossed as his three Zakurokage Troopers failed to fight three unarmored Armored War Gods. Honestly, these grunts were just plain embarrassing. Had the quality of good henchmen gone down? They should be more than a match for three men without their power armor. But no, it seemed that the three Armored War Gods made up for their lack of armor with skill.
Masataka parried his Zakurokage's Saver Arrow with his rapier then drove the sharp tip of his blade into his opponent's throat. The Zakurokage dropped his Saver Arrow to grab hold of his throat out of reflex, coughing from the blow. Masataka kicked away the Saver Arrow. Seeing his opponent incapacitated, he decided to finish things off and took out a certain Lockseed he had not used in a while.
"Henshin!"
[WATERMELON!]
The Watermelon Armor Part descended as Masataka loaded the Watermelon Lockseed into his SengokuDriver's Drive Bay before he hit the Cutting Blade.
[SOIYA! WATERMELON ARMS! MIDARE-DAMA! BA-BA-BA-BANG!]
The Zakurokage recovered, only to be buffeted by a spray of bullets from the Watermelon Gatling Gun. The poor grunt was overwhelmed by the intense firepower and dropped to the ground, his armor vanishing as he was defeated.
"And stay down!" Zangetsu yelled.
[GOLDEN!]
[SILVER!]
"Henshin!"
The twins also transformed as they summoned their armor and weapons. They did not want to waste any more time than they had right now.
[COME ON! GOLDEN ARMS! OGON NO KAJITSU!]
[SOIYA! SILVER ARMS! HAKUGIN NEW STAGE!]
Natsu became Armored War God Mars of the Ultimate Steel as Fuyu transformed into Armored War God Kamuro of the Ultimate Magic.
Once the Fuma Twins assumed their alter-egos, they swiftly took down their opponents. Mars drew out his Sword Bringer from its shield scabbard and slashed his Zakurokage Trooper across the chest, sending sparks blasting off as he knocked him down. At the same time, Kamuro jabbed his Souginjou straight into his opponent's stomach, causing him to double over and fall.
The two defeated Zakurokage Troopers groaned as their suits vanished, leaving two pathetic cultists lying in defeat as they painfully lamented over their loss.
"Alright, that takes care of that," Mars remarked. "Now, it's time we took down the boss."
"I should've asked for better henchmen," Saver grumbled. "Oh, well. Time to clean up." He snapped his fingers. The cultists' Zakuro Lockseeds blinked rapidly and exploded, blowing up their wearers in the process. "They're nothing but worthless human bombs anyway."
The Armored War Gods of Son Go stared in horror at Saver's callous treatment of his henchmen.
"You...you just blew them up..." Kamuro stammered in shock.
"Well, they were trash anyway," Saver shrugged.
"They were people!" Mars snapped.
"Hey, this is your fault too, so don't point your fingers at me!" Saver snapped accusingly.
"Enough!" Zangetsu shouted. "You will answer for your crimes against the Kingdom of Son Go and face justice!"
"You're the last person who should be talking about justice, you hypocrite," Saver spat as he glared coldly at Zangetsu.
The three Armored War Gods charged at Saver when all of a sudden, a mass of black tentacles as thick as tree trunks burst out of the ground, forming a wall in front of Saver. The three Armored War Gods backpedaled as they raised their guard.
The tentacles parted like curtains to reveal Saver and another young man standing beside him. He had pale skin, midnight black hair, and wore sunglasses. He was dressed in a black jacket that had gold buttons going up the center and matching pants. He also had on brown shoes. Over the jacket, he wore a red sleeveless haori with his clan crest displayed proudly. Around his waist was a belt with a sheathed katana hanging from it.
In Zangetsu's opinion, sunglasses at night were just impractical, but what really got his attention was the presence of a SengokuDriver around the newcomer's waist.
"Who's this guy, and doesn't he know that only douchebags wear sunglasses at night?" Mars pointed out rudely.
"How disrespectful," the newcomer spat as the tentacles sank into the ground.
"Who are you?" Zangetsu demanded.
"Meet Taiga Shiba," Saver introduced. "He's a displaced like us."
"Displaced?" Zangetsu echoed, curiously.
"We all come from the same world, brought to this one for one reason or another," Saver explained.
"I can speak for myself," Taiga interjected. "And it's 'Shiba-sama' to you."
"Fine, Shiba-sama. Now, why don't you show them who you really are?"
"You don't need to tell me that."
Taiga took out his Bujin Gaim Lockseed and unlocked it.
[BUJIN GAIM!]
"Bujin Gaim!?" Zangetsu, Mars, and Kamuro yelled in stereo, shocked. They never thought they would ever hear that name again, not since the battle they had with the demonic Rider back in Rakuyo.
"Henshin," Taiga announced. He loaded the Lockseed into his SengokuDriver and locked it in.
[LOCK ON!]
Once it was secured, Taiga hit the Cutting Blade to slice the front open. This was followed by a dark guitar riff. The Armor Part, which resembled a large version of Bujin Gaim's helmet, dropped on Taiga's head. Black energy wrapped around his body, materializing into his black Ride Wear bodysuit. Once the suit was formed, the Armor Part disassembled and folded onto his body, revealing his helmet. With the armor fully formed, Majin Gaim summoned his Blood Daidaimaru.
[BUJIN GAIM ARMS! CHI NO MUSHA ON THE DARK PATH!]
To Zangetsu, Mars, and Kamuro, they could not believe what they were seeing. It was like a bad dream. Bujin Gaim had been reincarnated. It was frightening enough to think that Bujin Gaim had come back from the dead, but now a new player had inherited the dreaded demon's power.
"Meet the Dragonslayer!" Saver introduced.
"Dragonslayer?" Mars and Kamuro repeated curiously.
"Oh, haven't you heard? He killed the Seiryuoh!" Saver announced gleefully.
Zangetsu's eyes widened as he looked at Majin Gaim incredulously. He could not believe what he had just heard.
"You killed Oda-kun?"
"I did, and tonight I'm going to kill you," Majin Gaim promised. He could feel his partner's bloodlust aimed at Zangetsu. All of that rage and hatred was coursing through him. It needed-no demanded to be satisfied.
"Right, I forgot to mention this, but I promised him that he could have a chance to fight you, but since you brought backup, I'm so glad I brought him along," Saver informed Zangetsu.
Zangetsu glared at Saver. He was here to stop Saver, not waste time with some minor character who just showed up out of nowhere. But if Majin Gaim got in the way, then Zangetsu would have no choice but to cut him down for aiding and abetting a criminal.
Saver could tell that Zangetsu was not interested in Majin Gaim. Well, time to give him a damn good reason to be.
"You should be familiar with some of his work. You know that town you found infested by Helheim plants where all the people turned into Inves? Wanna know who done it?" Saver added as he pointed at Majin Gaim. "This guy right here!"
Zangetsu aimed a sharp glare at Majin Gaim and clenched his fists. Innocent men, women, and children were all turned into Inves, forcing Masataka to take action. After he and Shuutai were forced to purge the town, Zangetsu swore he would find the cause of the outbreak and have it dealt with to avenge all the senseless death.
Now, here he was-Majin Gaim-standing before him.
"All that destruction was caused by you? Why?" Zangetsu demanded.
"To test my powers of course," Majin Gaim answered coldly.
"There were innocent children in that town!"
"Well, I wasn't the one that killed them, was I?"
"They were already dead when they changed! You're the one responsible! You're the murderer!" Zangetsu shouted angrily as he pointed his Watermelon Gatling Gun threateningly at Majin Gaim and Saver. He was going to make both Saver and Majin Gaim pay for what they had done.
"You're one to talk. You're still the one who cut them down in the end," Saver retorted.
"Enough of this! Are we going to fight or are we just going to stand around and talk all night?" Majin Gaim asked impatiently. He came here for a fight, not for a chat session.
If Majin Gaim was eager for a fight, then Zangetsu would gladly entertain him. After hearing what the Gaim knockoff had done, Zangetsu wanted to-needed to punish him. Fortunately, he had come prepared for this.
Earlier, Masataka had taken the Genesis Core Unit from his GenesisDriver and equipped it to his SengokuDriver. He intended to use it against Saver, but now that Majin Gaim was here, he had an additional target for his wrath.
Zangetsu removed his Watermelon Lockseed then took out both his Melon Lockseed and Melon Energy Lockseed.
He unlocked them.
[MELON!] [MELON ENERGY!]
He then locked them in, putting the Melon Lockseed in the Drive Bay and the Melon Energy Lockseed into the Genesis Core Unit.
[LOCK ON!]
As the two Armor Parts descended, Zangetsu pushed down the Cutting Blade, which opened up both his Melon Lockseed and Melon Energy Lockseed.
[MIX!]
The two Armor Parts merged into the Jimber Armor Part and landed on Zangetsu's head. Moments later the Jimber Armor Part disassembled and folded onto his body, completing the Arms Change as it replaced his Watermelon Arms.
[MELON ARMS! TENKA GOMEN! JIMBER MELON! HA-HA!]
Zangetsu, now clad in his green jinbaori-like Jimber Melon Arms, was equipped with both his Melon Defender on his left arm and the Sonic Arrow in his right hand. From his appearance alone, he seemed like a force to be reckoned with.
Now, ready to do battle, the White Devil glared at both Saver and Majin Gaim with severe hatred. This was now personal for him. Saver had created explosive Lockseeds, one which had killed innocents. He had also attempted to kill Sonken, Kannei, and Shuutai along with Zangetsu.
Majin Gaim had caused the deaths of an entire town of people by turning them into Inves and if the claim he made was true then he was responsible for Nagata's death as well.
Zangetsu wanted them both to answer for their crimes, and his blade would be the instrument that would bring them to face justice.
Meanwhile, a grin spread underneath Saver's mask. He didn't seem fazed at all by the hatred aimed at him by Zangetsu. To Saver, it meant that Zangetsu would not be holding back. While he did not show it, he was just as eager as Majin Gaim for a fight.
"Alright, here how it's going to be, White Devil-san. If you manage to beat me, you can have all the Lockseeds hiding behind that door. Oh, and as an added bonus, I'll tell you who I am," Saver wagered.
"Fine," Zangetsu gritted out. Once he defeated Saver, he would take care of Majin Gaim and have them both answer for the crimes they have done. Zangetsu's grip tightened around his Sonic Arrow, already imagining himself shooting Majin Gaim right in the face. After all the stress he had to suffer over this case, it would be cathartic.
"Oh, and as for the two Granny Smiths," Saver said as he pointed at Mars and Kamuro before he gestured to Majin Gaim, "You both get to play with my associate here."
"You said I would get to fight Zangetsu," Majin Gaim growled at Saver. Was Saver backing out on their deal? That was unacceptable.
"Oh, don't worry. You'll still get your chance to fight Zangetsu. Trust me. But before that, you should have some apples as an appetizer."
Majin Gaim gritted his teeth but stayed his hand, stopping himself from attacking Saver. Saver was not the enemy here. He was just obnoxious.
Bujin Gaim screamed inside Majin Gaim's head, yelling at him to renege on the deal.
"Fine..." Majin Gaim muttered. He did not like it, but Saver was the one in charge here and Majin Gaim was not about to go back on an agreement unless the terms were disagreeable. Majin Gaim forcefully tuned his partner out. He couldn't hear himself think with all that mental noise. He was dissatisfied, so he would take his feelings out on the Apple Twins.
"Are you both OK with this?" Zangetsu asked the Apple Twins.
"Don't worry, Sempai. We'll try to stall him. Once you're done with Saver, you may assist us," Kamuro answered.
"Yeah, dealing with him is going to take some White Rider Tiger Power," Mars added.
"Now, with everyone in agreement, let's get ready to RUUUUUMMMMMBLE!" Saver yelled out excitedly, his blood boiling hotly in anticipation. He took out both his Lockseeds and unlocked them to transform. "Henshin!"
[ZAKURO!] [BLOOD ORANGE!]
[LOCK ON!]
[HA! BLOOD ZAKURO ARMS! KURUIZAKI SACRIFICE! HA! BLOOD ORANGE ARMS! JA NO MICHI ON STAGE!]
Saver's armor materialized and he summoned his Saver Arrow and Blood Daidaimaru. He dual-wielded both weapons, holding the sword in his right hand and the bow in his left.
Kamuro blinked as he could not help but notice something.
"Hey, Nii-san. Don't you think Saver looks like you?"
"What are you talking about? Look at him, he's creepy."
"But he does kind of look like you."
"Pfft! No way!"
"Now that you mention it, I can see a resemblance."
"See, Nii-san? Even Sempai thinks you both look alike."
"Well, you look like Gaim, Fuyu! You never hear me complaining!"
"I have long noticed my resemblance to him, Nii-san."
"Are you guys doing a comedy routine or are we going to do this? We don't have all night!" Majin Gaim called out, tapping his foot impatiently.
Zangetsu, Mars, and Kamuro ceased their (pointless) argument as they marched toward Saver and Majin Gaim. Once they were close enough, both sides made their move.
Now, they began to clash!
Sparks exploded as Zangetsu and Saver's weapons connected. The blood red Armored War Devil then pulled Zangetsu away to give Majin Gaim some space to fight the Apple Twins.
Saver and Zangetsu broke apart and started to exchange blows. They furiously took swings at each other, spilling sparks as their weapons connected. Zangetsu also had the added protection of the Melon Defender, allowing him to block Saver's blows and counter them.
As his weapons clashed against the shield, Saver noted how much stronger the White Devil was in his Jimber Arms. Instead of being deterred, this just excited him even more.
It was exhilarating!
As Zangetsu went for a diagonal slash, Saver suddenly turned into red mist and vanished. Zangetsu put up his guard as he waited for Saver to reappear, prepared for his next move.
When Saver finally appeared, he was standing right behind Zangetsu with his Saver Arrow leveled at his opponent's back. He had put away his scimitar so he could fire his bow.
Zangetsu pivoted on his heel so the shot would fly past him and retaliated with the sharpened edge of the Melon Defender. Saver was knocked back by the blow before he was strafed by energy arrows. He was forced to teleport just to avoid another salvo.
Saver teleported right in front of Zangetsu and hit him with a horizontal strike. Zangetsu staggered from the blow but recovered to block the next one with his shield. Saver withdrew his weapons, getting ready to land another slash, but Zangetsu managed to drive him back with a shield bash. Zangetsu then fired his Sonic Arrow at Saver's face but missed when his opponent teleported away.
"Is that all you can do? Just run away?" Zangetsu taunted.
Saver reappeared a distance away from Zangetsu, breathing hard.
"Oh, you should know all about that! You're the expert on running away!" Saver shot back angrily as he temporarily dismissed his Blood Daidaimaru and aimed his Saver Arrow at Zangetsu.
Zangetsu was puzzled by the angry accusation but decided not to dwell on it. He had a fight to win and illegal Lockseeds to confiscate. He was determined to end all of this tonight.
Saver fired at Zangetsu who charged right at him, using his Melon Defender to deflect the energy shots. As he shortened the distance between himself and Saver, Zangetsu's Melon Defender glowed and all of a sudden it changed shape. The sharp bladed sides of the Melon Defender detached from the main body of the shield and swung forward to become a pincer-like claw which caught Saver in a vice-like grip.
"Argh! Let me go!" Saver yelled as he struggled to free himself. He felt like he was caught in a bear trap as the claw squeezed tightly around his midsection, threatening to split him in half.
Desperate to free himself, Saver threw his Saver Arrow, hurling it over Zangetsu's head. Zangetsu wondered what's the point of that was when the Saver Arrow returned like a boomerang and struck Zangetsu upside the head. This allowed Saver to free himself when the grip on him loosened and he caught his Saver Arrow before landing a slash across Zangetsu's chest. He then pressed the tip of his Saver Arrow against Zangetsu's chest and fired a bolt at point-blank range, pushing Zangetsu back with sparks splashing from the impact point like sparklers.
Meanwhile, Mars and Kamuro faced Majin Gaim. The Apple Twins had him outnumbered two-to-one, but Majin Gaim did not seem to care about the odds. And technically, Majin Gaim was two people in one, so was he truly outnumbered in this case?
While the twins tried to put on a brave face, inside they were apprehensive. If Majin Gaim had even a fraction of Bujin Gaim's powers, it would take more than the two of them to fight him. They still remembered what happened when they last fought the demonic Rider. They were unlikely to ever forget that experience.
The best chance they had was to stall for time. Once Zangetsu took care of Saver, the three of them could take down Majin Gaim together. They stood a much better chance with the aid of a Sovereign.
"You know, it's customary for combatants to introduce themselves before a duel," Majin Gaim informed the twins. "It shows that they respect each other."
"Are you serious?" Mars questioned in disbelief.
"I simply wish to practice some decorum," Majin Gaim defended. In his household, honor, politeness, and good manners were drilled into him. Of course, such things were exclusive to those equal to him or above him. People beneath him were only worthy of licking his feet. "Or did your parents not teach you any manners at all?"
"Oh, that's it!" Mars stomped forward to give Majin Gaim a piece of his mind but Kamuro held him back. "Let me go, Fuyu! We can't let him talk smack about our parents!"
"He's trying to rile you up, Nii-san. Don't let him provoke you," Kamuro advised.
"Listen to your brother. You'll live longer with a better grasp on your emotions," Majin Gaim taunted Mars. "Now, shall we?"
"You want an introduction so much, well here it is!" Mars brandished his Sword Bringer dramatically. "The Armored War God of Ultimate Steel Mars! Natsu Fuma!"
Kamuro tapped the butt of his Souginjou on the ground and spread his other arm to the side dramatically.
"The Armored War God of Ultimate Magic Kamuro! Fuyu Fuma!"
Putting his Blood Daidaimaru and Musou Saber together to form the Musou Naginata, Majin Gaim shouldered his double-bladed sword and stared down his opponents. He sized them up and narrowed his eyes.
"Majin Gaim the Dragonslayer, Taiga Shiba is here. Now, come at me!"
Mars and Kamuro needed no further prompting as they charged at Majin Gaim together. They swung their weapons at him but he blocked the twins' attempt to strike him with his own. Majin Gaim expertly parried a follow-up blow from Mars before sending him staggering with a swift kick then swung at Kamuro who raised his Souginjou to block the attack. Pushing Kamuro away, Majin Gaim dodged the Sword Bringer then surged forward to land a quick thrust to Mars' chest. He then turned and dodged Kamuro's Souginjou before he landed a slash across his chest, knocking him down with another swing.
The twins recovered and regrouped before resuming their assault. Mars went for a swing but Majin Gaim blocked the blade with his forearm before he slashed Mars in the chest and kicked him back. Majin Gaim then sidestepped Kamuro's Souginjou before he slashed Kamuro twice across the chest, sending him reeling. Charging toward them, he knocked them both down with a chain of brutal slashes, sending the twins tumbling.
Majin Gaim sneered. He expected better, considering he had Bujin Gaim's memories. The Apple Twins were powerful as their Arms were comparable to Gaim's Kachidoki Arms in terms of power. And yet, they could not provide the challenge he was hoping for.
He was not really expecting much from them. He just thought they could entertain him. Instead, this felt like a colossal waste of time. Despite the enhancements granted by their armor, neither of the twins could hold a candle against the heir of the Shiba Clan.
His partner, the parasitic remains of the demonic entity that called itself Bujin Gaim, agreed with him. Bujin Gaim wanted to kill Zangetsu. Majin Gaim managed to learn why. Besides Nagata, Zangetsu had insulted Bujin Gaim's original self. That hatred still lived on within Bujin Gaim even if Nise had long since died.
Bujin Gaim was a spiteful being by nature, and would not be satisfied until everyone who stood in his way paid for what they did to him. Majin Gaim also wanted to have a taste of that same satisfaction.
It would be glorious!
Mars and Kamuro recovered from Majin Gaim's violent assault. His strength and ferocity reminded them of Bujin Gaim in a lot of ways. At least Majin Gaim had not demonstrated any crazy powers like moving things with his mind or throwing lightning at them.
"He's strong, Nii-san," Kamuro observed.
"Yeah, he's tough, but together we're stronger," Mars responded. "Let's do it!"
Kamuro tapped his Souginjou on the ground and summoned a bunch of vines which suddenly burst out of the earth and bound Majin Gaim, immobilizing him. With him unable to move, it was their chance to finish him off.
"Get him!"
[COME ON! GOLDEN SQUASH!]
"Alright!"
[SOIYA! SILVER SQUASH!]
The Apple Twins crossed their weapons, forming an apple-shaped sphere of swirling gold and silver energy. With a united shout, they hurled their combined energy attack at Majin Gaim. The projectile hit its mark, engulfing Bujin Gaim's successor in an explosion.
"Did we get him?" Kamuro asked. The smoke covered Majin Gaim so it was hard to tell if they were able to finish him off.
"Yeah, we got him," Mars answered.
The smoke cleared to reveal Majin Gaim, completely unharmed. The only proof of the twins' attack doing any kind of damage was the destroyed vines lying around Majin Gaim while he did not have a mark on him.
Mars cursed, "Son of a bitch!"
Kamuro gaped at Majin Gaim.
"Not a mark on him."
Mars was on high alert.
"Fuyu! Again! We hit him harder this time! No holding back!"
Kamuro took the cue and summoned vines to grab Majin Gaim again. They wrapped around him tightly, keeping him in place. But then, something horrific happened. The vines died as soon as they came in contact with Majin Gaim. They just withered up, allowing Majin Gaim to easily break out of them.
"Crap!" the twins cursed in stereo as they realized that the move they used was not going to work again.
"Is that all?" Majin Gaim asked. "My turn then. Now watch closely as I show you my true power."
He intended to finish this quick, but he also wanted them to suffer for believing they ever stood a chance against him. The Bujin Gaim Lockseed flashed and black slime spread all over Majin Gaim. It enveloped him in a layer of inky darkness that just looked grotesque. Like clay, the inky black slime was being molded into a new shape before finally hardening.
[SEIFUKU ARMS! DAI AKUMA, SEKAI SEIFUKU!]
The pitch black layer shattered off, revealing Majin Gaim in the Conquest Arms Armor that Bujin Gaim had worn before. Some details had changed since the last time the twins had set their eyes on it. The armor was black and worn over a matching black bodysuit which had a blood red vein-like pattern all over it. Depicted on his chestplate was a red jagged pattern which resembled a draconic skull from Hell. Spaulders resembling dragon skulls dyed in blood were fastened to his shoulders while black flaps of armor hung from his belt to protect his thighs and crotch. Gold plate armor was fastened to his forearms, shins, and toes. His helmet peaked to a sharp point, like a tsuinari kabuto worn by warlords during Japan's feudal age with his blood red crest mounted to the brow. His faceplate retained the same appearance as well as the same blood red visor as before. Finally, a black cape with scalloped edges to resemble dragon wings, blood-red lining, and a high collar completed the look, giving him a regal yet menacing appearance.
To Natsu, Majin Gaim looked like a demonic overlord that could fill the role of a Final Boss in an RPG. He pulled off the dark lord look pretty well with that badass cape of his.
To Fuyu, Majin Gaim was like an eldritch abomination from his worst nightmares. The tentacles convinced him of that.
This was not the first time Taiga had assumed Seifuku Arms. Bujin Gaim had shown it to him much earlier in their partnership, and he really appreciated how it made him look and feel. It was armor that was truly worthy of someone of his status. He even tested it out on some wild Inves in Helheim Forest. The power was overwhelming, but Taiga gradually got the hang of it.
Once Majin Gaim was adorned in his stronger armor, he summoned his Blood Drake Tail Sword. The blood red blade seemed to growl as it manifested as if it was urging its master to quench its thirst for blood.
It was time to exterminate some pests.
Mars and Kamuro did not like the looks of this. That armor brought up some bad memories for the twins. Not only did their foe change his appearance, but he had leveled up as well. Kamuro trembled at the sight of Majin Gaim as he walked toward them, dragging the Blood Drake Tail Sword behind him, the tip of the blade leaving a groove that lengthened with each step. They recalled how Bujin Gaim pretty much tossed them around like rag dolls, playing with them and torturing them.
It had not been a pleasant experience.
Once he reached his frozen opponents, Majin Gaim raised his sword and took a swing at them. Mars put himself in front of Kamuro and raised his shield, taking the hit, but his Apple Reflecter buckled under the blow. He staggered back from the strike, his arm throbbing painfully from taking the blow.
"Now, do you want this to end quickly and painlessly?" said Majin Gaim, with his voice now sounding demonic. "Or slowly and agonizingly? Or is it dealer's choice?"
"Fuyu, from a scale of 1 to 10, how screwed are we?" Mars asked his twin brother while trying not to shake in his boots.
"Nii-san, ho-honestly, there is no scale in existence that-that could ever properly m-measure how screwed we are right now," Kamuro replied as he trembled slightly.
"Oh, that's comforting," Mars remarked sarcastically. "At least tell me we have a plan."
"Don't die."
"Yeah, that's a great plan."
"Tonight I dine on apple pie," Majin Gaim growled hungrily.
Mars and Kamuro let out audible gulps as they began sweating bullets, trying with all their might not to let their fear show. They knew they were in for the fight of their lives and would need to pull out all the stops to make it through tonight. Failure meant death and thus not an option for them. They had two lovely ladies waiting for their return.
Zangetsu and Saver fought ferociously, exchanging strikes while landing fierce blows upon their foes. It was a battle between the White Devil and a red demon, with neither of them giving in or letting up. They both had something at stake and it was something worth fighting for to each of them.
Zangetsu fought to abate Sonken of her fears. She confided in him of the pressures of being a ruler. She put up a strong and brave front in public, but privately wished that it was not so hard. He offered her words of comfort and companionship, while also being her shield to protect her.
Saver's reasons for fighting, however, were his own. While Zangetsu did not know Saver's own motives, uncovering those motives was secondary. Saver's plans needed to be stopped and Zangetsu would be the one to cut him down.
During the fight, Zangetsu seemed to be inflicting more damage as the Melon Defender's Claw Mode gave it more reach, but Saver managed to dodge a majority of his strikes while landing his own. Sparks erupted once more as their weapons connected before they broke apart.
Zangetsu accelerated and blitzed Saver with a series of slashes as he sped by. Saver was sent spinning with each strike before Zangetsu shot him at point-blank range, knocking him to the ground.
"You can't win, Saver. Just surrender," said Zangetsu.
Saver took his chance to teleport away to gain some distance from Zangetsu.
"Not yet, White Devil. I haven't shown you my next trick yet," Saver retorted.
Zangetsu narrowed his eyes. He was prepared for anything Saver might throw at him. Saver's body flashed and he duplicated himself. Now, two Savers stood before Zangetsu. Zangetsu was prepared for anything, but he was certainly not prepared for that. And he honestly didn't see that coming as well.
[HA! ZAKURO ARMS! KURUIZAKI SACRIFICE!]
[HA! BLOOD ORANGE ARMS! JA NO MICHI ON STAGE!]
They were similar, yet not the same. The Saver on the right was clad in the full Zakuro Arms, this time with symmetrical shoulder pads and holding the Saver Arrow. The Saver on the left was clad in the Blood Orange Arms and holding the Blood Daidaimaru.
Zangetsu was taken aback by this as he looked back and forth at the two Savers.
"How...?"
"Call me Saver-Z," the Saver in the Zakuro Arms identified himself.
"And call me Saver-B," the Saver in Blood Orange Arms introduced himself.
Zangetsu clenched his jaw as he braced himself for some double trouble. He was surprised, but it was not like he had no experience facing superior numbers before.
The two Savers quickly flanked Zangetsu and took turns taking swings at him, forcing Zangetsu to defend from two fronts. The twin Savers were fierce as they attacked him, not giving him a chance to make a counterattack.
Saver-B and Zangetsu ended up in a blade lock, trying to push off one another. This left Zangetsu wide open as Saver-Z hit his Cutting Blade twice.
[HA! ZAKURO AU LAIT!]
"SEE YA!"
Saver-Z released a charged energy bolt that hit Zangetsu, knocking him away and breaking the blade lock. As Zangetsu started to recover, Saver-B capitalized on the chance.
[HA! BLOOD ORANGE AU LAIT!]
With his Blood Daidaimaru glowing and bleeding off blazing red energy, Saver-B delivered a series of brutal slashes. Zangetsu screamed painfully, unable to defend himself, as sparks blasted off violently with each brutally delivered slash.
Zangetsu backpedaled from both Savers before they fused back together into the original. Seeing Zangetsu weakened from his assault, Saver prepared to execute his finisher, hitting his Cutting Blade two times before going for the third.
"Nighty-night, White Devil! See you in Hell!"
"No, you don't!" Zangetsu shouted as he delivered his counterattack, firing his Sonic Arrow at Saver before he could hit his Cutting Blade a third time.
[MELON ENERGY!]
Zangetsu's energy arrow hit its mark and the energy expanded into a melon-shaped energy barrier that trapped Saver inside. Now that he was trapped, he had nowhere to run.
With his opponent immobilized, Zangetsu removed the Melon Energy Lockseed from his Sonic Arrow to put it back in the Genesis Core Unit before he hit his Cutting Blade thrice.
[SOIYA! MELON SPARKING! JIMBER MELON SPARKING!]
Zangetsu's Melon Defender returned to its default form as Zangetsu leaped into the air. Emerald energy burst from his feet as he went airborne. Looking down, he tucked in his legs then dropped upon Saver.
Trapped inside the barrier, Saver could not avoid Zangetsu's dropkick and braced himself for impact.
Zangetsu extended both his legs as emerald green energy gathered together around them, morphing into a giant arrow. He penetrated the barrier and burst right through it, causing an explosion. He flew out of the smoke and flames and landed on his feet before he turned about and face to admire his handiwork.
"Nighty-night, Saver."
There was no way Saver could have survived that.
With Saver gone, Zangetsu, Sonken and all of Son Go could rest easy.
Unfortunately, Zangetsu's victory was a bit premature.
Saver suddenly teleported directly in front of Zangetsu, completely unharmed. The sudden invasion of his personal space took Zangetsu by surprise.
"What!?"
[HA! BLOOD ZAKURO SPARKING! HA! BLOOD ORANGE SPARKING!]
With his weapons charged, Saver swung his glowing Blood Daidaimaru and Saver Arrow together, delivering an X-shaped energy slash. Zangetsu hastily raised his Melon Defender, but Saver's attack sliced the shield apart before colliding with Zangetsu. The explosive attack sent Zangetsu tumbling away.
As he lay on the ground defeated while groaning in pain, Zangetsu's Melon Lockseed and Melon Energy Lockseed were ejected from his SengokuDriver as his armor vanished.
Masataka made the mistake of dropping his guard, allowing Saver to claim victory.
Saver collected his spoils, picking up the Melon Lockseed and Melon Energy Lockseed, claiming them for himself.
"Looks like the Ultimate Shield has been broken," Saver gloated victoriously. "Now it's time to send the White Devil to Hell."
Masataka picked himself up, glaring furiously at Saver. He was so close to taking Saver down and he was not going to fail his duty to Sonken. He was going to complete her order, no matter what.
"I'm not done yet!" Masataka yelled as he took out his Baihu Lockseed and unlocked it.
[BAIHU!]
A tiger's roar was heard as the Baihu Lockseed was unlocked.
"Henshin!"
Masataka swiftly loaded the Baihu Lockseed into his SengokuDriver before he locked it in and hit the Cutting Blade to activate it.
[LOCK ON! SOIYA!]
The Tiger Aura Beast burst out of its portal and roared, throwing Saver back. It then flew back to Masataka to fuse with him, forming his Sovereign Armor.
[BAIHU ARMS! BYAKKO NO KIBA, TENSHIN!]
Saver gawked at the sight of Zangetsu in his White Tiger Celestial Armor. Not only did Zangetsu's armor resemble a tiger, it also gave him the intimidating presence of one and those claws were definitely not for show. Saver was awestruck as he could literally feel the power rolling off the armor, but he recovered quickly. He would not be cowed by something like this. It was just some fancy armor. It could not be that powerful, could it?
Saver fired at Zangetsu with his Saver Arrow but the shots simply bounced off his armor, doing no harm to the White Tiger Rider. Frustrated, Saver charged at Zangetsu and slashed him with the Blood Daidaimaru and Saver Arrow. Sparks blasted off from the impact, but Zangetsu was unharmed. Saver continued to batter Zangetsu with violent slashes but did no damage whatsoever.
Using his Baihu Claws, Zangetsu pushed Saver off him with twin jabs. He glared at Saver who backed away from him. With the gap of power widened so much, Saver stood no chance against the White Tiger Rider. He realized he had bitten off more than he could chew.
Now Saver was the prey and Zangetsu the predator.
The fight was already over.
Back to Mars and Kamuro, they were not doing so well against Majin Gaim. Initially, they did not think they stood much of a chance of defeating Majin Gaim. They planned to stall him until Zangetsu came to their aid. They did try their best and thought they managed to defeat their opponent easily. Sadly, once Majin Gaim had leveled up to his Conquest Armor, everything they tried was useless.
The gap of power had widened considerably and they were no match for Majin Gaim as he dominated them in this fight. He didn't even look winded. This was just a walk in the park for him now. However, no matter what, even if it seemed hopeless, the Apple Twins would not give up. They would not let anything bring them down, not even Majin Gaim.
They tried to attack again, only to be knocked down.
They got back up again and were knocked down once more.
This happened repeatedly and Majin Gaim was growing bored.
"Let's just end this farce," decided Majin Gaim as he hit his Cutting Blade only once.
[SEIFUKU SQUASH!]
Quickly, to mount a united counter, Mars and Kamuro hit their own Cutting Blades.
[COME ON! GOLDEN SPARKING!]
[SOIYA! SILVER SPARKING!]
Majin Gaim raised his Blood Drake Tail Sword as crimson energy radiated from it. A crimson dragon made of energy manifested beside Majin Gaim. It growled menacingly at the twins, baring its sharp teeth and displaying its claws.
Energy gathered in the twins' weapons, causing them to glow in their respective colors: gold for Mars and silver for Kamuro.
Kamuro held his Souginjou in both hands and his entire body glowed before he rolled up into a ball made of silver-blue energy. The sphere hovered in front of Mars who held his Sword Bringer like a baseball bat.
"GOLD-SILVER HOMERUN STRIKE!"
Mars swung his sword and smashed it against the Kamuro Sphere. The sphere rocketed toward Majin Gaim. In response, Majin Gaim swung his sword and the draconic apparition beside him flew at the big glowing energy sphere. It opened its jaws as it swallowed the sphere, causing an explosion. The smoke spread around Mars, obscuring his vision, but then Kamuro landed against him, groaning.
"Fuyu!?"
The smoke cleared and the dragon-shaped energy projection hovered above the twins. It let loose a vicious roar and followed the direction of Majin Gaim's swing. It dove down at them and exploded, sending the twins flying as it threw them in opposite directions.
Fuyu and Natsu landed on the ground and groaned in pain, their armor gone, with their Lockseeds ejected from their SengokuDrivers.
Majin Gaim collected his spoils as he picked up the Golden and Silver Lockseeds. He took a moment to admire his latest acquisition. They would look nice in a trophy case.
Now that he had dealt with the Gold and Silver Warriors, the White Devil was next.
Once Masataka transformed into his Baihu Arms, he easily turned the tide of this battle. There was no doubting his victory now as the Celestial Armor withstood everything Saver could throw at him.
The gap in power between them had widened dramatically and Saver stood no chance against Zangetsu. Even Saver's teleportation trick, which gave him an advantage, could not provide him with the leverage to beat Zangetsu. Every slash Saver landed and every shot he fired did nothing but harmlessly scrape off some sparks.
"Damn you! Just fall already! Just fall!" Saver screamed furiously as he repeatedly slashed Zangetsu.
"Enough." Zangetsu sent Saver tumbling with a swipe of his Baihu Claws. "Just surrender. If you do, maybe I can persuade Sonken-sama to show some leniency."
"Fuck...you!" Saver groaned as he picked himself up. He would not accept defeat at Zangetsu's hands but he knew he could not win this fight. He had no choice but to withdraw. Then, when he was someplace safe and far away from Zangetsu, he could come up with a new plan.
Saver was about to teleport away when Zangetsu jabbed his Baihu Claws into the ground. With his geokinesis, Zangetsu willed the earth under Saver's feet to climb up his legs and pull him into the ground, burying him up to his waist. Saver struggled to free himself, but he was held tightly in place.
"Seriously!? You're going to beat me like this!?" Saver snapped in disbelief as he uselessly struggled. It was humiliating.
"I figured out how your powers work. Anything in physical contact with you when you teleport gets teleported as well," Zangetsu boasted.
"Damn smart guy..." Saver hissed.
"There's no escape for you, Red Death. Now, tell me who you are," Zangetsu demanded.
"How about I give you a bit of a hint so you can figure it out yourself, Onii-chan?" Saver offered.
Zangetsu froze, his eyes as wide as saucers, shocked as the words echoed in his head in a familiar manner.
Onii-chan...
Onii-chan...
Onii-chan...
Zangetsu had a look of horrified realization as it all added up.
"No...You can't be-Argh!"
A surprise energy shot suddenly impacted Zangetsu's chest, throwing him roughly to the ground. He was so stunned by the revelation that he never saw it coming. His armor sizzled from the shot, but it was otherwise fine, taking only minor damage.
The assailant turned out to be Majin Gaim who was holding the Toxic Arrow as he approached. He walked over and stood next to Saver. After dealing with the appetizers (the Fuma Brothers), he was eager for the main course.
"Well, this is embarrassing," Majin Gaim remarked in amusement as he looked down at Saver who was buried up to his waist.
"Just get me out of here," Saver demanded irately.
Majin Gaim fired his Toxic Arrow around Saver. The ground began to dissolve and soften. Once he was freed, Saver teleported himself out of the hole to stand next to Majin Gaim.
"Thanks," Saver said as he patted Majin Gaim on the back out of gratitude. "As promised, he's all yours."
Majin Gaim grinned under his mask. He was eager to test his might against Zangetsu as he would prove to be a worthy challenge and would not feel like a cheap or easy win.
Inside Majin Gaim's head, Bujin Gaim instructed him to kill Zangetsu. Bujin Gaim had shown Majin Gaim his memories of when Nise was defeated by Zangetsu, of how humiliated he felt that day. Now was his chance to rectify that.
"Get up, Zangetsu," Majin Gaim ordered. "Get up and fight me." He wanted this to be a fair fight. He wanted to fight the White Devil Tiger of Son Go, not some weakling.
Zangetsu rose to his feet. He felt a myriad of emotions at the moment ranging from anger, confusion, but most of all a strong desire to end this tonight. He looked past Majin Gaim at Saver and clenched his fists.
"GET OUT OF MY WAY!" Zangetsu roared as he charged at Saver, but Majin Gaim intercepted and slashed him in the chest, knocking him back.
"I'm your opponent now, Zangetsu! Show me what you can do!" Majin Gaim challenged as he delivered another slash, but Zangetsu blocked it with one of his Baihu Claws before driving the other into Majin Gaim's chest.
"I have no time for you!" Zangetsu snarled as he gave Majin Gaim a kick, throwing him back. Zangetsu didn't care about Majin Gaim, nor did he seem to care if the twins were alive or not. All he cared about was getting answers from Saver, even if it meant getting them by force.
Zangetsu rushed toward Saver but then a black tentacle wrapped around his leg and tripped him up.
"Don't ignore me!" Majin Gaim yelled as he dragged Zangetsu back to him with his tentacle. Zangetsu dug his claws into the ground, leaving deep grooves as Majin Gaim dragged him over toward him.
"Let me go!" Zangetsu shouted and his eyes flared. All of a sudden, several spikes made out of stone sprouted out of the ground and impaled Majin Gaim. Majin Gaim screamed in pain and surprise as black blood burst from his body, staining the spikes. The tentacle around Zangetsu's leg went slack as its grip loosened, allowing Zangetsu to free himself.
Zangetsu climbed back to his feet and ran toward Saver who looked back at him calmly. Zangetsu needed to know who it was hiding under that mask. He needed to be sure that it was...
[SEIFUKU AU LAIT!]
Zangetsu cried out as he was shot in the back and knocked to the ground. Standing behind him was Majin Gaim who managed to survive the spikes and free himself before shooting Zangetsu in the back. Majin Gaim had holes all over his body which were starting to heal thanks to his regenerative healing factor.
"Man, he skewered you like a pig!" Saver pointed out, failing to contain his laughter.
"Shut up!" Majin Gaim snapped in irritation as he finished healing up. Freeing himself from the spikes had involved a lot of pain as he literally had to tear his body apart just to remove himself from them. It had not been very pleasant or comfortable. He wanted Zangetsu to feel his pain in return.
The energy from the Toxic Arrow's shot lingered as it started to spread and eat away Zangetsu's armor like acid before it vanished completely, leaving an injured Masataka lying on the ground. Right now, Masataka likely felt naked without his armor. He was vulnerable and defenseless against two powerful and dangerous foes.
"Don't you ever turn your back on me!" Majin Gaim snapped as he raised his Toxic Arrow to kill Masataka. It would only take one swing to sever his head from his shoulders. Just one swing. It would be so easy, like a hot knife through butter easy.
Majin Gaim swung his weapon down.
"Wait, don't kill him yet," Saver stopped the execution.
Majin Gaim's Toxic Arrow stopped an inch away from touching Masataka.
"What? This is the perfect time to kill him. He's completely beaten."
Masataka was defeated, unable to defend himself. This was the perfect opportunity to finish him.
Was Saver just going to throw this chance away?
"Not yet. Let him suffer a bit longer."
Majin Gaim grumbled as he banished his weapon and then stepped back.
Masataka gritted his teeth as he forced himself back to his feet, ignoring the pain he was experiencing.
"Well Zangetsu, it's been a fun, but the two of us have things to do and don't have all night to play with you. So, how about we call it a night so you can lick your wounds?" Saver quipped.
"I'm not...letting you-gah-get away with this!" Masataka forced out as he glared at them. Saver rolled his eyes at Masataka's annoying persistence. He just didn't know when to quit. But Saver knew a sure way to break Masataka's concentration.
"Please say hello to Shuyu-san for me, Onii-chan," Saver said as he snapped his fingers.
Masataka froze when he heard that but he had no time to process it when the storehouse he was standing next to blew up. The explosion sent him flying into the river.
Saver and Majin Gaim both watched as Masataka was dragged away by the current.
"Is that all? Seems a bit overkill and anticlimactic to me," Majin Gaim observed. Hundreds of stored explosive Lockseeds, detonated at the same time just to dispose of them and kill one guy, it was indeed overkill, but it was effective nonetheless.
But still, what a waste.
"Please," Saver scoffed. "It would take more than that to kill him. He's too stubborn for the Shinigami to claim."
"So, what's our next move?" Majin Gaim asked.
"Red Death," Saver whispered.
"Pardon?"
"He called me 'Red Death'. I like it. Looks like I just got myself a new nickname," Saver said approvingly. He soon spotted several lights heading their way. Getting a clear look, he saw that they were lanterns being carried by the guards. "And it looks like we've got some company."
"Destroy them! Spill their blood and feast on their flesh!" Bujin Gaim commanded Majin Gaim.
As the guards came closer, Saver narrowed his eyes. He did not want to waste time dealing with them.
"Let's go," Saver instructed.
"What!?" Majin Gaim shouted.
"We can't be seen by them."
"Then let's just kill them!"
"No, we're leaving, right now," Saver insisted.
Majin Gaim scowled unhappily. He was obviously much stronger than Saver and there was no way the Red Death could force the Dragonslayer to obey, but he complied nonetheless, albeit reluctantly.
"Fine!" Majin Gaim spat unhappily.
Saver put his hand on Majin Gaim's shoulder and they both vanished like a fading mist.
In the meantime, Masataka continued to sink into the river as he was swept away by the current.
'...Minato?'
That was Masataka's last conscious thought before he passed out while slowly sinking into a watery grave.
KRC: Uh-oh, looks like Masataka is going to be 'sleeping with the fishes' if you know what I'm talking about. Hopefully, a certain kunoichi is there to save him. Alright, so this chapter did go through numerous revisions. But some bits in the narrative were shuffled around to make it flow better.
BTW, some addition here. I wanted to go with Zangetsu-Shin Melon Energy Arms but changed my mind to using Zangetsu Jimber Melon Arms. I just thought it would be cool to bring that form back from Season 4 in Episode 4: 'Our Song of Gold and Silver' and it was made 'canon' by the Gaim novel. The Claw Mode for the Melon Defender was added because of the SIC figure which shows the Melon Defender able to change into a pair of pincers. It gives Zangetsu a more menacing weapon with improved reach. And, the Melon Lockseed, Melon Energy Lockseed, Golden Lockseed and Silver Lockseed have been taken. Any ideas on replacements for them?
Also, some movie references were made. Like when Saver called Masataka 'Dave'. Also, a reference to the book 'Moby Dick' which helps illustrate Masataka's obsession. Drawing references and comparisons are always a good way to paint a picture.
Now, then something else to mention. I know this story has dropped in popularity and as discouraging as that is, I still have more to tell. Bad or good, we all have stories we want to share. Doesn't matter much if I don't get a lot of reviews, as long as there are people who wanna read this fic, I'll keep writing it and do so until the very end. I think it's that freedom that allows us to enjoy Fan Fiction.
Unfortunately, in Malaysia, right now, the MCMC (Malaysia Communication and Multimedia Commission) has blocked this site. Some people have gotten around the block with VPN, including me, but I would prefer if it was unblocked. Oh, and the reason for the block, it's the M-rated stuff. It's considered 'objectionable' and 'inappropriate'. So, the MCMC will not unblock the site until all the overly graphic sexual and violent stuff has been removed. I think this is unfair. Trying to censor Fanfiction is like trying to put a gag on our muses.
I can understand the motive behind this. The M-rated stuff can be easily accessed by minors. Malaysian had a very strict code and policy about preserving the purity of the youths, but blocking here in Malaysia isn't going to stop all that. In fact, it just hinders our freedom to write and post what we want and share it with the world. So, please sign the petition to get it unblocked in Malaysia. It's appreciated.
Happy New Year Everybody! 2017 is over! Make way for 2018!
BL92: Looks like we are close to the end of the Bloody Brothers arc. Brace yourself because the finale will be full of drama and tragedy for the Kingdom of Son Go. Happy New Year everyone! Also, BOO MCMC! For being sissies on the M-rated stuff on in Malaysia. Those wussies.
Minamoto spotted Shuyu sitting alone at the bar. Instead of joining her, he headed for the club's VIP section. He had some business to attend to with Kuma first.
Business before pleasure.
Kuma's bodyguards allowed Minamoto to pass to speak with him.
"Minamoto-san, good evening," greeted Kuma. "Enjoying your night?"
"I did. I'm just here to thank you for your help, Kuma-san."
"Always happy to help," Kuma smiled as his eyes glowed red while he twirled a codeless Zakuro Lockseed in his hand.
"Again, thank you. Now, if you'll excuse, there's a lady waiting for me."
"Show her a good time, my boy."
"Oh, I intend to."
After he showed Kuma his gratitude for his assistance, Minamoto walked over to the bar. Shuyu had just driven off another man when Minamoto planted himself on the stool next to hers.
"Were you waiting for me?" Minamoto asked.
"So what if I was?" Shuyu returned.
"Wow, three nights in a row," Minamoto commented. "Did you come for the drinks or am I really that special?"
"I enjoy your company, Minamoto-san," Shuyu confessed.
"Well, I just came for a drink but I could use some company too."
"Something the matter?" Shuyu asked.
"I just had a rough night," Minamoto responded tiredly.
"Oh? How come?" Shuyu asked, interested.
"Not much. I just got into a nasty fight with my brother," Minamoto answered.
"Was it really that bad?"
"Oh, no worries. We'll resolve our issues pretty soon, but if you're here to make me feel better, I'll be happy to take you up on your offer," Minamoto smiled while wiggling his eyebrows suggestively and in a humorous kind of way.
Shuyu rolled her eyes at Minamoto's attempt to charm her, but she was also smiling.
"Let's have some drinks first, and then we'll talk about you taking me to bed," she teased him.
Minamoto grinned. That was a challenge and he never backed down from a challenge.
