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: First, I wish to apologize for the delay. I was away and well it took some time before I recovered from my pilgrimage. But now I'm back and going to finish this arc. This arc will be dedicated to D-Generation XX for his helpful criticism.
The kingdom had turned into a war zone. Enemy forces were in the city and both Mars and Kamuro were in the thick of battle. There was fire everywhere, with buildings reduced to rubble by the explosions. Driven by panic, terror, and desperation, the people ran for their lives.
"Hold them off! Clear a path for the people to escape!" one Moon Brigade soldier shouted to his fellow men. If they could not save the kingdom, then they could at least save the civilians.
"Please, I'm rich! I have money! I'll pay you anything if you get me out of this madness!"
"Sir, please, calm down! We'll get you to safety as soon as possible!"
"Where's my son!? Where is he!?"
"Mama!? Papa!? Where are you!?"
The Moon Brigade battled the Zakurokage Legion while also leading people away to safety. There were exit gates built into the walls and they were now open to allow people to escape. Their only chance of escape was to get to the docks where junks were waiting to take them away to safety. They needed to be led in the right direction, lest they run into the enemy who would kill them without hesitation.
Mars and Kamuro were in the thick of it, clad in armor, and brandishing their weapons. They fought with all their might, holding off the enemy so that the others could get to safety. Already the result of their skirmish could be seen sprawled all around them. There were red-clad Zakurokage Troopers lying all over the ground, beaten by the twins. Yet, there seemed to be no end to them.
This was not supposed to happen! It was the last day of the Tiger Festival, a time to celebrate, with cries of joy and excitement. Instead, the only cries available were of fear, terror, and pain as people tried to get away from the danger, running for their lives.
"At least this night can't get any worse," Mars remarked carelessly.
The universe heard and invoked Murphy's Law. It was just tempted to prove the Ultimate Steel wrong that, yes, it could always get worse.
All of a sudden, the twins heard a loud roar that caused the air to tremble and their hearts to pound rapidly. There was no way that could be a normal animal, but Kamuro noticed something about that roar. It was full of fury and anguish, like the roar of a wounded animal.
And then they saw it, a monstrous creature with bestial features. It did not appear friendly, and the flames raging behind it just made it appear all the more menacing.
Its eyes locked on to the twins and it let out a roar as it lunged at them.
"GODDAMMIT!"
"WATCH WHAT YOU SAY NEXT TIME, NII-SAN!"
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 32: Enjoy Hell Night!
One Hour Earlier...
Both Kannei and Shuutai stood guard outside Sonken's bedchamber. Behind the closed doors, Sonken and Masataka were enjoying their privacy. There was no question what the couple was doing right now.
As the two women guarded their charges, Kannei noticed Shuutai looking upset and decided to start a conversation with her.
"What's wrong?"
"...It's about Zangetsu-sama...and his brother."
Yes, Zangetsu's brother, aka the Red Death and Armored War Devil Saver who was currently occupying his own personal cell in the dungeon. There was no doubt that his presence here was bothering Zangetsu, but why was Shuutai so bothered?
"I just don't understand what Zangetsu-sama could've done to make his brother hate him so much," Shuutai continued.
"And how do you know this?" Kannei asked.
"I...may have eavesdropped on their conversation," Shuutai admitted before justifying it, "For good reason! I needed to know myself!"
"So, you know for sure that he hates Zangetsu-sama," Kannei remarked.
"Yes, but I don't think he would ever do something that deserves such hatred," Shuutai replied.
"What did he do? What did Saver claim Zangetsu-sama did to him?"
"He accused Zangetsu-sama of abandoning him. But he should understand that Zangetsu-sama had to return because it was important." They would've been overwhelmed and destroyed by the enemy forces if the Armored War Gods, especially Zangetsu, had not miraculously returned in the nick of time.
"Maybe Saver wanted to come along and help him but felt rejected when he could not," Kannei suggested. "So I can understand how it feels to be abandoned like that."
"You're not defending him, are you?" Shuutai asked, aghast. "After what he did?"
"I'm not defending him. I understand his anger but I do not condone his actions," Kannei shot back. "Even if he was angry at Zangetsu-sama, that still does not justify his actions or the lives he took. There was no reason for him to cause those deaths. He could've settled things personally and peacefully with Zangetsu-sama, yet he chose not to. But anger rarely makes sense. We don't make the best decisions when we get angry."
"That's true, but now Zangetsu-sama's upset since he does not know what to do."
"Sonken-sama is just as torn about what to do with Shuyu-dono."
"I really wish everything will be OK. Saver turned himself in, so it should be over, right?"
Kannei was not sure how to answer that but gave a nod to satisfy Shuutai's curiosity.
Sonken and Masataka's clothes were scattered all over the floor. As for the couple themselves, they were lying in bed together, with the covers thrown over them. Sonken looked content as she lay in Masataka's arm as he spooned her from behind with his other arm.
Masataka always enjoyed some post-coital cuddling.
"That was great as usual..." Sonken sighed.
"Yes," Masataka agreed. "We...needed this."
They were both stressed out and they needed the release of a sexual coupling. It seemed to work wonders as all their worries seemed to wash away in the midst of passion. However, it was only a temporary respite. They could only ignore their problems for so long before they had to confront them. Whatever had happened, it needed to be addressed.
Masataka needed to speak with Sonken about his brother.
And Sonken needed to talk to Masataka about Shuyu.
It was only after they made love that they could think clearly.
Sonken turned to face Masataka and caressed his cheek.
"Want to talk about it?" she asked.
"I..." Masataka hesitated in his answer as he was at a loss for words.
"Or should I go first?"
"N-no. No, it's fine. I guess can talk about it."
A long time ago, trusting others and opening up to them used to be an alien concept to him. His parents, the people he trusted the most in his life, had just left him and his brother behind. Thank goodness they had the decency to leave them with their grandfather and not just leave them on a curb like pieces of garbage.
Yet, he still felt like he had been thrown away for no reason. So, to be compared to them, especially by his own brother, he felt hurt. A lot. What hurt more was that there was no way he could refute him.
He did leave Minato, but he had a good reason, or at least he believed it was a good reason at the time. He just could not abandon Sonsaku and the others when they were in danger. Without the Armored War Gods, the RinJyuKen and the Armored War Devils would've destroyed them all.
"We used to be so close, but as we grew older, things changed. I got absorbed by my work while he fell in with the wrong crowd," Masataka told Sonken. He remembered that it was a gang led by some guy named Saito. Now it seemed that Minato had fallen in with another bad crowd, an even worse crowd than the last one, the Armored War Devils.
When Minato joined Saito, he became a delinquent who just lashed out at everything in anger. Masataka was ashamed of what his brother became and sought to help him out. Thank goodness their grandfather was able to talk some sense in Minato before it was too late and he crossed the line.
But it seemed that Minato had finally crossed that line when he came to this world. Instead of a delinquent, he had become a terrorist, causing the deaths of many people. He even tried to kill Masataka and he did not look even the least bit guilty for his crimes.
"He says I abandoned him like our parents did," Masataka confessed. "And...I think he's right."
"Did you abandon him?" Sonken asked.
"I guess I did," Masataka realized it. "I never even told him where I was going. I just left."
"Why did you do that?"
"Honestly, I just wanted to come back to you, Sonsaku-sama and everyone else as soon as I could. Nothing else seemed to matter. I just had to come back to you."
"But then he followed you here too."
"Yes, and he tells me that everything that's happened is because of me. Maybe, just maybe if I had just told him where I was going, he would've understood why I had to leave, then we wouldn't be in this mess. Maybe he's right. Maybe what happened at the opening ceremony...was my fault."
"That's not the only thing bothering you, is it, Shuutai?" Kannei inquired.
"What else do you believe is bothering me, Kannei-dono?" Shuutai asked, confused.
"You have feelings for Zangetsu-sama, don't you?"
Shuutai let out a gasp as her face flushed bright red. She turned her eyes away in denial.
"What are you saying!? I'm just his bodyguard!"
Kannei was not going to let Shuutai weasel her way out of this. After observing Shuutai's reaction to the question, she knew that she was right.
"It's glaringly obvious, Shuutai. Don't bother denying it."
Shuutai wanted to stammer another denial, but from the looks of it, Kannei would not accept that. Instead, Shuutai relented and confessed.
"Fine, it's true, but what does it matter? Zangetsu-sama is Sonken-sama's fiancé."
"Have you told him?"
Shuutai let out a sad sigh and leaned against the doorframe as she folded her arms.
"No, but what would be the point if I did? Besides, how can I compare myself to Sonken-sama? Even if I told him, nothing will change. He probably already knows and is just sparing my feelings."
Kannei could see this was bothering the young woman. As Sonken's bodyguard and captain of the guard, Kannei was observant. She knew how much Shuutai loved Zangetsu from how seriously she took her job as his bodyguard. He was an Armored War God and could fight his own battles, but that did not matter to Shuutai. He was someone she loved and someone worth protecting with her life. That was the sort of devotion that Kannei showed to Sonsaku and then Sonken.
But Shuutai was hurting herself by keeping her feelings hidden. She kept them to herself because she was just Zangetsu's bodyguard and there was no chance for a romantic relationship to ever blossom, especially with Sonken in the picture. Maybe if Zangetsu never fell in love with Sonken, then maybe Shuutai could have a chance, but that was just a dream for her.
Shuutai would just have to be satisfied with her lot in life, being so close to the object of her affection and yet still be so far away.
"If he is trying to spare your feelings, he would've told you," Kannei said. "He could just be oblivious. Even the smartest man in the world can be stupid about these sorts of things."
"So what should I do then?" Shuutai asked. Serving Zangetsu made her happy, but watching him be happy with Sonken caused her heart to ache. She would love to get rid of these feelings if only to make her life easier. It was harder and harder just to be near him with her feelings for him and sense of duty warring with each other.
"Get some closure and move on," Kannei advised. "Confess to him. If he doesn't return your feelings, that's it, but nothing will come out of saying nothing."
Shuutai considered Kannei's words. Perhaps it was time to confess her feelings to Zangetsu.
"Alright, I'll do it."
What did she have to lose anyway?
"Good," Kannei smiled in approval. "Although...there is another solution."
"What other solution?"
"Ask Sonken-sama to share Zangetsu-sama with you," Kannei bluntly suggested, which Shuutai did not expect.
"S-s-share!?" Shuutai stammered. "You're joking, right!?"
"I don't joke," Kannei retorted firmly. Yeah, she was not the type to make jokes. She was always the serious type.
Shuutai blushed. Oh, Heavens, Kannei was serious about this. But could Shuutai go up to Sonken and plainly ask she wanted to share Zangetsu with her?
What if Sonken said no?
What if she said yes?
Shuutai's blush deepened when she thought about it. If Sonken allowed Shuutai to share Zangetsu with her, that would mean...that would mean...
Shuutai's flushed face became uncontrollably red as she imagined all the possibilities as her imagination went down a very heated and sensual route.
First, she envisioned herself in Masataka's arms as he kissed her, whispering sweet nothings in her ear as he caressed her. Then he would take her to bed, they'd remove their clothing and then...and then...this and that would happen.
"Oh, Zangetsu-sama~!"
Shuutai shook her head as steamed poured out of her ears. She would need another soak in the river just to cool down.
"Shuutai," Kannei spoke, shaking Shuutai out of her daydream.
"Yes?" Shuutai responded and that was when she noticed Kannei's change in expression. She was alert, serious and battle-ready.
There was something wrong.
"Do you hear that?" Kannei returned. "It's coming from outside."
"No, it's not," Sonken denied. "You cannot blame yourself for his actions. You did not make him do anything."
"But I abandoned him. If I hadn't then maybe those people would not have died. Maybe you wouldn't have nearly been killed. Maybe Kannei wouldn't have been hurt-" Sonken put her index finger against Masataka's lips to stop his rambling.
"Masataka-kun, you feel responsible for him," Sonken stated as she removed her finger from his lips. Masataka let out a sigh.
"I do. I'm his big brother and it's my job to be the responsible one and to look out for him," Masataka explained. "And I just left him behind. I thought he would be fine. He still had our grandfather and I thought it would be OK. But now people are dead because of him."
"You're right," Sonken agreed. "People have died and he must answer for his crimes." Minamoto had sent someone to bomb the opening ceremony, killing all those people. He must face justice for his crimes.
"I know, so I won't blame you if you decide to do what needs to be done, Renfa-sama," Masataka remarked. Minamoto was a threat, one that needed to be dealt with. He could not blame Sonken for her decision. He still wished he could do something to save his brother, but he had to reap what he sowed. "Just, promise me that you'll be fair, alright?"
Sonken could see that Masataka wanted to save his brother, but he believed it was hopeless. Minamoto may not have killed those people directly, but he was still responsible for their deaths. She could not simply pardon him because he was Masataka's brother, and if she judged him he would get a severe punishment. It was what he deserved.
But perhaps she could do something to let Masataka have a say in this matter. His brother would be on trial after all.
"I'm leaving that up to you, actually," Sonken replied, surprising Masataka.
"You're leaving it...to me?" Masataka asked, surprised. "Why?" Sonken was the queen, so her word and decision were absolute. She could simply have Minamoto put to death or locked up for the rest of his life, but now she was giving Masataka the opportunity to decide Minamoto's punishment.
"You said it yourself. He's your brother and so he's your responsibility. So, whatever happens to him should be up to you to decide." Masataka realized what this meant and he smiled. Sonken was letting Masataka handle Minamoto. She was granting him mercy and leaving Minamoto's punishment to Masataka.
"Thank you, Renfa-sama."
"Don't mention it. Now that his life is in your hands, what do you plan to do?"
"I..." Masataka started as he recalled one of the last things Minamoto said to him in the dungeon:
"Everything I've done, Onii-chan, is because of you, and I can't wait to see the look on your face when everything you've built here burns to the ground."
There was so much venom in his words, so much hatred and resentment, but Minamoto only got so much hate because he'd been hurt by Masataka for abandoning him. Masataka still believed there was good in his brother. If there was a chance to redeem him, shouldn't he take it?
It would not be easy, though. Minamoto was still responsible for the deaths that took place at the opening ceremony. Masataka would need to give a harsh but fair punishment so that his brother could realize the error of his ways and be rehabilitated.
"...I want to help him," Masataka finished. "I want him to know that I'll be there for him, even though he does not believe it anymore."
Sonken smiled at Masataka lovingly.
"Now that's the answer I was hoping for," Sonken said as she leaned in and gave him a kiss. He did not disappoint her. Sonsaku would've just executed Minamoto and be done with it, but Sonken would do things her way and the way to deal with Minamoto was to leave Masataka to choose his fate. She was delegating.
'Minato...what happened to you when I was gone...?' Masataka wondered mentally. He never knew his brother to be so vindictive, but Masataka leaving him might've been too much for him.
Minamoto had crossed a line, but it was not too late to pull him back, hopefully.
Soon, their kiss deepened and became more heated. Masataka pulled Sonken's body against his as he felt himself becoming aroused and excited. It seemed that they were already in the mood to start their second round.
But Masataka still needed to ask.
"So what will you do about Shuyu-dono, Renfa-sama?" he asked. Sonken had told him that Shuyu now knew about Minamoto and that he was Saver. Right now, the strategist was wallowing in guilt and self-pity. He felt sorry for Shuyu. She had lost Sonsaku not too long ago, and the person she had taken as her new lover turned out to be a terrorist. It was probably eating her up inside. They may need to counsel her later so that she did not do something she would regret.
"Later," Sonken insisted as she kissed him again, filled with need again as her cheeks flushed. "Let's talk about her later."
"Fine, we can talk about her-"
Then all of a sudden, the doors slammed open as both Kannei and Shuutai barged into the bedroom. Masataka and Sonken quickly broke apart, pulling the blanket up to cover themselves. Shuutai was flushed at the sight but she had a look of panic on her face, sweat beading all over it. Kannei also had a look of anxiousness etched on her face.
Something was wrong.
"What's going on?" Sonken demanded, angered that her intimate moment with Masataka was so rudely interrupted, but Kannei would not have barged in if it was not important.
"It's...it's the city!" Kannei gasped.
"IT'S TERRIBLE!" Shuutai screamed.
Meanwhile, Shuyu sat on her bed in her room, hugging her pillow to her chest. She was no longer under house arrest and was free to leave, but after what she had learned, she doubts she could ever show her face in public again.
Minamoto was Saver.
How could she have been so foolish?
How could she have been so blind?
How could she have not seen it?
How could she have gone to bed with him?
Honestly, she had been lonely and he was such a gentleman. Her intent was to drown her sorrows and find some company to share her sorrows with. Maybe a stranger who would not judge her. It was not meant to go so far.
She had not planned to have a one-night stand. It just happened and she immediately regretted it. That was why she ran off the next morning. She was not in control of herself. However, when she did it again, she was not drunk at all. She had chosen to seek out Minamoto again so she could not solely place the blame on him.
She could not believe how intimate they became, and the things she had told him...At least she was no longer suspected of being a traitor and now that Minamoto was imprisoned, this whole matter could be put to rest.
Shuyu clasped her hands together and closed her eyes as she let out a prayer.
"Sheren...if you can hear me, please forgive me..." Shuyu pleaded.
She did not expect to hear an answer, but she wished Sonsaku was here with her.
"Talking to the dead is pointless. The dead can't talk back." Shuyu gasped and she jumped off her bed to spin around. Lying on his side on her bed was none other than Minamoto. "Hey, Shuyu. What's up, babe?"
"You!" Shuyu immediately grabbed her weapon, a cat o' nine tails whip called the White Tiger Nine-Tails. She might not be a warrior, but she knew how to defend herself.
Minamoto looked at the White Tiger Nine-Tails and grinned lecherously.
"Oh, I had no idea you were this kinky!" Minamoto said approvingly as he rolled off Shuyu's bed then went around it to approach her. She backed away from him, causing him to pause. "Hm? You seem scared of me, Shuyu."
"I know who you are, devil!" Shuyu snapped back at him.
"Devil?" Minamoto cocked an eyebrow quizzically before it finally came to him. "Oh, right. So you know I'm Saver. Well, I was kinda hoping you never found that out. I mean, I needed to keep up the 'mysterious gentleman' act a bit longer, but now that you've found out, I guess you might've gotten a bit of a thrill out of it."
"Guards!" Shuyu shouted. The guards were right outside her door. Once they heard her, they would burst right in and take Minamoto down. When the guards did not immediately enter, she shouted for them again, "Guards! Get in here!"
"Don't bother, Shuyu. The guards can't help you," Minamoto said as he approached her. "I put them to sleep."
Panicked, Shuyu lashed out at Minamoto and swung her whip at him. He vanished from sight as her whip passed through the red mist. Suddenly, he reappeared right in front of her and grabbed her by her shoulders before he threw her onto the bed.
Shuyu tried to get up but Minamoto got on top of her and pinned her down while holding her wrists. He then leaned in, his hot breath tickling her ear as she struggled.
"Let me go! Let me go!" Shuyu shouted.
"I remember taking you like this last night. How about you? Was it good for you too?" he asked softly and Shuyu cringed in disgust. She had allowed this man to touch her so intimately.
She felt like throwing up.
"Fine, do whatever you want with me. But know this: Zangetsu will bring you down," Shuyu swore. He could have her body, but he could never claim her heart. Her heart would always belong to Sonsaku Hakufu.
Minamoto blinked at her submission of her body while denying him her heart. What a contradiction.
"You really think so, huh?" he asked.
"Yes, he will protect Son Go from you," Shuyu answered assuredly.
"But will he be able to protect it from you?" Minamoto retorted.
"What?" Shuyu responded in confusion.
"You are going to help me bring this kingdom down."
Shuyu looked at Minamoto like he was insane. She had sworn her loyalty to this kingdom. Why would she betray it? She was no traitor.
"And what makes you think I will help you betray my own kingdom?"
"What makes you think you have a choice?" Minamoto asked as he locked his glowing red eyes with Shuyu's. Her eyes widened as her green irises began to glow red as well. "You and I both know this is no longer the kingdom you built with Sonsaku, so it's not wrong to tear it all down and start fresh, right?"
"Start...fresh..." Shuyu repeated in a trance.
"That's right. Out with the old and in with the new. You're gonna stage a coup and take over this place in the name of Sonsaku Hakufu."
"Yes, for Sheren-sama...I will make a new kingdom for Sheren-sama..."
"Good, very good. So, how about a quickie to seal the deal?"
Minamoto released her wrists and she put her arms around him to pull him into a kiss. He couldn't stay long, what a shame, so he was going to make due and enjoy her as much as he could during the quickie.
Maybe 5 or 10 minutes...Yeah, 10 minutes would be enough for them to enjoy themselves right now.
Sonken and Masataka, once they were dressed, stepped onto the terrace to see what was happening, only to be horrified by what they saw.
It was pure and utter chaos.
Explosions erupted all across the city, spreading fire and smoke along with fear and panic. Buildings crumbled and collapsed as people tried to get away, running for their lives. Some died tragically, either killed by the explosions or crushed under rubble.
It was like Hell on Earth.
Sonken paled, covering her mouth with her hands, her eyes wide in horror. This was not how she expected her day to go. With Minamoto now in their custody, the worst should be over.
Masataka put his arm around her to comfort her, as they watched the terrible scene unfold before them. He should've known this would happen. Even without Minato to give them the orders right now, the cultists would've been given prior orders to execute at a later time, like right now. This was what Minato had been talking about. He was going to burn the kingdom to the ground and make Masataka watch.
Masataka mentally berated himself for being so careless. He should've been prepared for something like this. Now people were getting hurt and all because of his carelessness. How could he have been so foolish to believe that it would all be over with Minato's capture?
Then he fearfully realized something.
Oh no.
"Where's Shao-chan?" Masataka asked. Sonken gasped in realization. Neither of them had seen Sonshoko all day.
Shuutai, who stood beside Masataka, provided the answer.
"She went down to the festival with Rikuson while accompanied by the guards," Shuutai reported.
"She's down there," Masataka realized as he looked at the city that was being destroyed right before their eyes.
"Shaoren's in danger!" Sonken cried.
Sonshoko let out a groan as she picked herself up off the ground, her ears filled with a deafening ringing sound.
"What...what happened...?"
Sonshoko tried to recall what had happened. She had gone out with Rikuson and went to see the parade with her. Kogai was with them and so were the female guards. They were all enjoying themselves as the colorful procession went down the street, the air filled with joyful music.
And then...there was an explosion. Sonshoko was thrown down by the explosion and she momentarily passed out, stunned by the shock.
"Rikuson! Kogai! Help! I'm over here!" Sonshoko shouted, but her yell was being drowned out by all the screaming going on around her. It was an outbreak of fear and confusion as the people were trying to get away.
Another deafening explosion went off in the area and Sonshoko screamed as she ducked away on reflex. Someone knocked her down and she fell to the ground. Looking up, she saw many frightened people running in her direction.
They did not see her.
"Stop!" Sonshoko screamed. "Stop! Please!"
They did not hear her and she froze in terror. She was going to get trampled.
Sonshoko was right in the middle of ground zero surrounded by chaos and violence with her life in danger and without Masataka there to protect her. He immediately regretted not taking her out to the festival as promised when he had the chance.
"We need to get down there, now!" As Masataka prepared to head out, he was interrupted by Dungeon Guard #2 who came rushing up to him. He just hoped it was not more bad news.
"Zangetsu-sama, the prisoner has escaped!"
No such luck.
Masataka's eyes widened when he heard the news. Sonken, Shuutai, and Kannei were shocked as well. This was bad, really bad. Minamoto was on the loose again. He needed to be captured. But at the same time, Sonshoko was out there in the middle of all the chaos, and she needed to be saved.
Capturing Minamoto was important, but so was saving Sonshoko, and yet there was no way Masataka could do both at the same time. If he went to save Sonshoko, he could risk losing Minamoto, giving him time to get away to plan another attack. But on the other hand, if he chased after Minamoto, then Sonshoko would be left to fend for herself while waiting for help.
Wait a minute, Sonshoko was not by herself. She was with Rikuson and there were guards in the city. He also remembered the twins mentioning a parade a few days ago, so they would be out there as well.
Sonshoko was not alone. She had people to look after her and he needed to have faith in them, to believe that they would be able to protect her.
Sonshoko screamed as she was about to be trampled, but she was saved as she was picked up and pulled away from the stampede and into an alley. The people ran by, trying to get to safety.
"Thank you," Sonshoko said gratefully to the one who had saved her. "Natsu?"
"Hey, little princess," Natsu grinned at her. She was so grateful to see him that she gave him a hug.
"Oh, thank you! Thank you! I would've been crushed if you hadn't saved me!" Sonshoko cried happily.
"Yeah, we wouldn't want you to be flattened by those feet," Natsu agreed as he gently patted her head.
"What's going on? What happened?" Sonshoko asked.
"If I have to be honest, it looks like our enemies have just started their attack on us, so we need to get you back to the palace," said Natsu.
"What about Rikuson and the others?" Sonshoko questioned, fearing for their lives.
"Don't worry. Fuyu went to find them too," Natsu answered. He looked out and his eyes widened at what he saw next.
[ZAKURO ARMS! KURUIZAKI SACRIFICE!]
"Zakurokages," Natsu hissed. A small army of them had formed right in the middle of the street. He watched as the guards assigned to patrol the area went to engage them, activating their Dandeliners and Tulip Hoppers to give them a winning edge. Some even summoned creatures, calling forth Elementary Inves via the standard Lockseeds in their possession.
A battle was going to break out so getting back to the palace was going to be much harder now. They needed to get help if they're going to get out of this unscathed.
Sonshoko watched as Natsu took out his LockPhone and flipped it open to call Masataka. The Alliance had their hands on long-range communication via the crystal balls Sousou had so generously given them all. They were a marvel, allowing instant communication across far distances. The LockPhones, on the other hand, were an improvement as they were portable and easier to carry compared to the crystal balls of communication. They could easily fit in a pocket. Unfortunately, their numbers were limited and they could not be mass-produced.
"Masataka-kun, we need to go and rescue Shaoren!" Sonken pleaded desperately.
"No, it's alright," Masataka said calmly.
"What do you mean? Aren't you going to save her?" she demanded, stunned by his nonchalance. He was normally the first to volunteer whenever Sonshoko was in danger. He did spend all that time looking for her when she went missing.
"No, Shao-chan will be alright. Natsu and Fuyu are out there with her. We can trust them to look after her and keep her safe," he said, putting his faith in the Fuma Brothers.
"How can you be so sure?" Sonken demanded frantically.
How could he be so sure? Before he met Sonsaku, he would've never trusted people outside his own family, but then Sonsaku's family became his family and so he ended up trusting them as well.
When he had found Sonshoko after she went missing, in the company of strangers, his first instinct was to snatch her up and take her straight back home. Instead, he took a leap of faith and it paid off. Sonshoko made friends and gained some useful life experience.
Now, Masataka was taking another leap of faith, putting his trust in the twins.
"I believe in them, Renfa-sama."
That was when his LockPhone rang.
He checked the caller ID and smiled.
The call came from Natsu.
Masataka answered and put the LockPhone on speaker for Sonken to hear.
"Sempai! Thank God I could reach you!" Natsu yelled from the other end. Masataka and Sonken could hear noise in the background.
"Natsu, are you alright? Is Shao-chan with you?" Masataka asked.
"Yeah, she's right here with me!"
"Zan-niichan!" Sonshoko called from the other end, filling Sonken with a comforting rush of relief.
"Shaoren, are you alright?" Sonken asked.
"I'm OK, Onee-sama, but there are explosions everywhere!" Sonshoko answered.
"Is Rikuson with you? What about Kogai?"
"We lost them and their entourage, but Fuyu went to look for them," Natsu informed Sonken. "Look, can you get us out of here?"
"I'm sorry, but we have a bit of a serious situation here ourselves," Masataka stated. "You and Fuyu need to get Shao-chan and the others back to the palace."
"Alright, but it won't be easy. This place is crawling with those Zakurokage creeps."
"Just do whatever you need to do to get here and be careful," Masataka cautioned.
"You got it, Sempai!"
"And stay safe," Sonken bade the Ultimate Steel and Sonshoko.
"See you soon, Onee-sama, Zan-niichan!"
"Roger, will do and over and out!" Natsu said before terminating the call.
"Alright, Shaoren's safe. She'll be alright. She's not alone. She's with Natsu and he'll protect her," Sonken spoke, relieved after hearing the call but she could not help but still be worried about her little sister's safety. Thankfully, she was not alone.
"Are you good?" Masataka asked.
"Yes, I'm fine," Sonken answered. She was lying, she was not fine, but she would be of no use to anyone if she was reduced to a panicking wreck.
"That's good then, but now we need to take care of Minato and stop things from getting worse out there," Masataka replied.
Sonken took a deep breath to calm down, to stop herself from panicking. Oh, she was still very much afraid for her little sister, but she needed to be calm and strong and act like a queen during this moment of crisis.
She had a kingdom to save.
"Send reinforcements to aid the guards and help get the people to safety," Sonken ordered.
"My Moon Brigade should go. They're the most equipped for something of this magnitude," Masataka responded. "Shuutai, send word to the Moon Brigade. I want them to be mobilized."
"Yes, Zangetsu-sama!" Shuutai bowed.
"I'm going after my brother," Masataka continued. Minato had gone too far now and must be stopped at all cost.
"Yes, about that, Zangetsu-sama," said Dungeon Guard #2. "He's waiting for you on the roof."
"He did not run away?" Sonken asked, surprised.
"Then I'll just go up there to see him," Masataka decided. "He and I need to have a chat."
"Wait, Masataka-kun. What if it's a trap?" Sonken asked. She had a point. What if this was a trap set by Minato? Masataka would be playing into his hands.
"Maybe it is a trap, but I still need to face him," Masataka replied resolutely. "Don't worry, I'll be fine."
Sonken knew he would be fine, but she was not about to let him leave to confront his brother without giving him something for good luck. So, Sonken gave him a gentle kiss on the lips before she sent him off.
"A kiss for good luck," she told him. "Now, go and teach your brother a lesson."
"Thank you, Renfa-sama."
Masataka nodded, bowed in front of Sonken, then left to face his brother.
At the same time, Minamoto sat on the palace rooftop, enjoying the rice balls he had pilfered while admiring the view below. The palace rooftop was the best seat for him to see everything and to admire the result of all his hard work.
The whole city was burning. There was smoke rising up into the air, like dark columns, forming a black cloud that hung over the city, darkening the sky as a result. The fires seemed to brighten up the place nicely as explosions went off like fireworks, and the cacophony of screams were like music to his ears.
Minamoto casually finished his rice ball and licked his fingers. He then put the index fingers and thumbs of both his hands together to form a square, looking through it as if he was peering through a camera.
"Now this is way better than what I did in Shoku," Minamoto appreciated as he saw the chaos. Back in Shoku, he only had Touka Village to work with so it was not as satisfying to him. But this was a whole city, the capital of Son Go, which was much larger, with more buildings to destroy and people to kill. Doing all this during the Tiger Festival would also guarantee a larger number of casualties, turning into a grand spectacle that should be called a work of art.
How fantastic!
Minamoto took out his LockPhone and flipped it open, turning on the camera function so he could take some pictures for posterity. He picked up his last rice ball and took bites out of it as he excitedly snapped pictures of the explosions and chaos.
Then his LockPhone rang.
Annoyed by the interruption, Minamoto nevertheless stopped snapping pictures to answer his LockPhone.
"Yo, this is the Red Death. What's up?"
"So, you're seriously going to use that nickname?"
"Shiba-san, hi! Are you enjoying the festival?"
"Everything is on fire."
"I know! Isn't it great? Now, these are some pyrotechnics!"
"You're insane."
"And you've got a stick up your ass. So, why did you call me?"
"Is this all you wanted? Just wanton destruction? Is that your goal?"
"You should try it sometimes. It's very therapeutic."
"Miyamoto!"
"Fine, if you want something to do, then you should pay the guard barracks a visit. You can do whatever you want with the female guards. I bet you'd like that."
"Miyamoto, what is the actual reason for this senseless destruction?"
"Honestly, it's fun to watch but I just want to drive my brother crazy. Think this will do it?"
"MINATO!"
Minamoto grimaced when he heard his name being angrily called and turned to see Masataka standing on the roof with him. Floating next to him was a Dandeliner.
Masataka looked furious.
"What was that?" Taiga asked.
"My big brother just came out to play. Sorry, Shiba-san, but I need to entertain him. GTG & TTYL!" Minamoto hung up before he put away his LockPhone. He finished up his last rice ball and tossed the plate away before standing up. "Good, you made it, Onii-chan." He could see that Masataka looked absolutely livid. That was good. He finally got him mad, just as planned.
"Minato, what have you done!?" Masataka demanded.
"What I set out to do from the start," Minamoto answered as he turned his gaze toward the burning city. "Look at that. Now that's what I call a real festival."
"People are dying down there!" Masataka snapped.
"Well, you know what they say, Onii-chan, you can't make an omelet without breaking a few eggs," Minamoto responded without an ounce of sympathy for the people that were suffering right now.
"Please, Minato. I know I've wronged you when I abandoned you, and I'm sorry, but these are innocent people. Leave them out of this and I'll do anything you want. Just please let them go and stop what you're doing. It's not too late to do the right thing," Masataka pleaded.
For a moment, Minamoto seemed moved by Masataka's apology. His brother truly was sorry for leaving him behind but then he remembered everything that happened since and the anger returned, like cold fury, as Minamoto glared back at his brother.
"No, Onii-chan, it's too late. It's too late for apologies, too late to say you're sorry," Minamoto coldly refused to accept his brother's apology. It was also too late for him to do the 'right thing'. He had crossed the line a long time ago so all he could do now was continue on his current course. "Now, since you're here, we can finally settle things right here and now."
"Fine! We'll settle things! But you did not have to bring them into this!" Masataka was prepared to show Minamoto mercy, to give him a fair punishment, but it seemed that his little brother still wanted to continue causing senseless destruction to spite him, even endangering innocent lives.
"Oh, that's where you're wrong, and actually, I did need to bring them into this," Minamoto countered. "This wouldn't have been half as fun without any stakes."
"You're treating this like it's a game to you!" Masataka shouted in furious disbelief.
"It is a game! It's the BEST kind of game! A game with the HIGHEST of stakes! The ULTIMATE game! A GAME OF LIFE AND DEATH!" Minamoto declared with manic excitement.
"Dammit, Minato! These are innocent lives you are playing with!" Masataka snapped. He was angry before but now he was absolutely livid. "How could you kill them without any remorse!?"
"Oh, here we go!" Minamoto rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Again with the self-righteousness crap! Is that what you told yourself before you went up and abandoned me?"
"Minato, they needed me!"
"But I needed you more!" Minamoto snapped back in anger. "Onii-chan, let me make things perfectly clear: WE ARE IN THE PAST! Sure, it may not be the same past we read about in the history books, but the past is still the past, and these people have been dead way before we were born."
"So, they're already dead to you." It was not a question but a statement.
"EXACTLY! They're not people! They're just ancient relics from an era that died a long time ago!"
Masataka could not believe this. He thought he knew his brother. Minamoto might've been a delinquent who got into trouble and had issues with authority, but he was never a murderer. Masataka wanted to believe that his brother was being manipulated, but that ship had sailed a long time ago.
Now, Minamoto seemed to not hold any value for human life except as pieces in a sick and twisted game. This was no longer the brother Masataka knew, no it was not. This was a psychopath known as the 'Red Death' that needed to be stopped.
Minamoto was Masataka's responsibility like he claimed before, so naturally, it was up to him as the older brother to put a stop to him for good. Masataka was determined not to kill Minamoto, but he was not about to let his little brother get away with all this either. After all, an older sibling must discipline their younger siblings whenever they went out of line and misbehaved.
Minamoto watched as Masataka looked utterly outraged. Now that was a good expression on him. He was practically furious. Masataka was mad, madder than the time he met that girl Sadako Ryoma at a fencing tournament. That girl could really get under people's skin with her superiority complex. It was actually pretty satisfying when Masataka beat her in the finals, taking the first place trophy from her.
"Fine..." Masataka growled as he strapped on his GenesisDriver. Minamoto cocked an eyebrow. He remembered that he took Masataka's Melon Energy Lockseed and he knew that his brother did not have a backup lying around. He then got his answer when Masataka took out the Baihu Lockseed.
Well, this was an interesting development. Masataka was going to use the Baihu Lockseed on the GenesisDriver. While he had never used it in battle before, he had tested the Baihu Lockseed with the GenesisDriver for compatibility.
"No holding back, are you, Onii-chan?" Minamoto smiled in approval. "Good. Always go big or go home! But first, some villainous exposition!"
Masataka looked at his brother like he had grown a second head.
"What are you talking about?" Masataka demanded.
"Don't you find it weird that every time you found a lead, I was waiting to ambush you?" Minamoto asked. "The answer is simple: I set you up."
"You set me up?" Masataka questioned skeptically. "How?"
Minamoto rolled his eyes. Honestly, must he always provide all the answers?
"C'mon, you're supposed to be the smart one, Onii-chan. Use that head of yours. It's plainly obvious how I did it."
Masataka stopped to think about it. Ping was the one who led him and the others to the mansion, and Saver was waiting for them there. Then The Broker told him about the storehouse by the dock, and Saver was there waiting for them too.
Both times, Saver knew he would be there, but only Ping and The Broker knew about those places. Masataka's eyes widened as he came to a shocking conclusion.
When Minamoto saw that stunned look of realization on his brother's face, he knew he finally figured it out.
"Ping and The Broker were working for you," Masataka deduced.
"Bingo! That's right, Onii-chan! You hit the nail on the head! They led you to me both times!" Minamoto jubilantly confirmed. "How does it feel to have one of your contacts working against you?"
"How?" Masataka questioned. "How much did you pay Kuma-san?" Ping was probably on Minamoto's payroll the whole time and he knew The Broker was an opportunist. He was pretty much neutral and would sell information for the right price. He knew that The Broker might betray him to the highest bidder, but not if it would risk his business or the kingdom.
"Not at all, really. He was willing to work for me for free," Minamoto answered.
"That's not his style," Masataka called bullshit on that.
"Well, I was able to convince him," Minamoto answered as he took out his Zakuro Lockseed. "With this."
[ZAKURO!]
"What do you mean?" Masataka asked, and the answer shocked him.
"These Zakuro Lockseeds don't just blow up, they can brainwash people too," Minamoto claimed.
"Mind control," Masataka summarized.
"Yeah," Minamoto grinned then looked over to the side. "And will you look at that. We've got an audience coming to watch us right now."
Masataka dared to look and his eyes widened as he saw men and women of all ages, young and old, surrounding the palace. They looked like they're in a trance, with lifeless but glowing red eyes, each holding a codeless (explosive) Zakuro Lockseed.
"What is this?" Masataka questioned, demanding an explanation. "Minato, what did you do?" There had to be dozens of people standing around the palace's outer wall.
"Our audience," Minamoto answered. "Actually, my audience."
[LOCK ON!]
Minamoto locked in the Zakuro Lockseed. Masataka could see Minamoto was prepared to fight him, but he did not want to fight his younger brother, no matter what he had done. He had only taken the Baihu Lockseed out as a deterrent, to scare Minamoto into submission.
"You don't want to fight me, Minato. You can't win against me," Masataka warned his brother. If reasoning with his brother would not work, then maybe scaring him would, but Minamoto did not seem scared at all. He should be aware of the power of the Baihu Arms as he had fought it as Saver, only to lose.
"Oh, I want to do this, Onii-chan, I really do. I can't just back out now, not with my fans watching," Minamoto replied, seeing this as a challenge he needed to overcome.
Masataka could not believe his brother would be so foolish. There was no way Minamoto had anything that could match a Sovereign Lockseed. The Baihu Lockseed was way beyond S-Class and it's not like Minamoto had something like that in his arsenal of Lockseeds.
But then Minamoto took out a second Lockseed. It was an Energy Lockseed that resembled the Melon Energy Lockseed only with red veins on its surface and a transclearant red casing instead of blue.
Also, it had a different code: E.L.S.-BLOOD.
"What's that?" Masataka questioned, pointing at it.
"Want to find out?" Minamoto returned with a grin as he unlocked the mysterious Energy Lockseed.
[VAMPIRE MELON ENERGY!]
The voice that came out from the Energy Lockseed was dark and deep.
"Vampire...Melon...?" Masataka responded with confusion, unfamiliar with that sort of fruit.
"The vampire watermelons are part of Balkan folklore. According to legend, watermelons left outside during the night of the full moon will become a vampire. They then attack people, but since they don't really have fangs they can't really do much harm. Still, they are mischievous so they can still wreck stuff," Minamoto explained while he loaded the Energy Lockseed into his SengokuDriver's Genesis Core.
[LOCK ON!]
Minamoto himself had imagined what vampire melons would look like if they actually existed. They would have faces carved into them like Jack-o-Lanterns and hop around like Killer Tomatoes, attacking people to drain them of their blood. That would give the vampire melons juicy and blood red flesh.
Minamoto had no way of creating the Vampire Melon Energy Lockseed himself. Fortunately, for Dai Shi, it was an easy process to infuse the Melon Energy Lockseed with the essence from the Blood Orange Lockseed.
Magic was so miraculously convenient.
"I thought it would be perfect for tonight of all nights," Minamoto continued. "Hell Night. Henshin!" The Cutting Blade came down, slicing open the Zakuro Lockseed to reveal its core. Simultaneously, the Vampire Melon Energy Lockseed also 'cracked' open, revealing its blood red core as well. Both Lockseeds flashed as they were activated while the SengokuDriver called out their activations.
[MIX! BLOOD ZAKURO ARMS! KURUIZAKI SACRIFICE! JIMBER VAMPIRE! BLA-BLA-BLA!]
Minamoto howled as he threw his head back as red flaming energy from both Lockseeds burst forth and engulfed his body. The flaming energy gradually took shape, molding itself like a piece of clay before solidifying. Soon, a red layer of fluid seemed to flow away from Minamoto's body, pooling under his feet before shooting up to attach to his back. The reddish fluid energy fell down like a curtain as it formed into a cape which hung from his shoulders.
It was without a doubt, definitely a Jimber Arms. It was jinbaori-like in appearance with a green front like melon skin, but red veins were spread all over it. Saver's personal emblem was etched in the center of the chest instead of on the left side. The addition of the cape made Saver look both regal and intimidating at the same time.
Saver took a deep breath as his eyes glowed.
"Like the new look, Onii-chan? Call me Saver-V now and it comes with some extra features as well," Saver-V boasted as his cape turned into a pair of bat-like wings and he started to hover off the palace roof. "I believe I can fly! I believe I can touch the sky!"
"I believe you need to be stopped!" Masataka interrupted.
"Then try to stop me!" Saver-V challenged. "Stop me before it's too late! Let's begin our FINAL BATTLE!"
Saver-V threw his hand to the sky and fired a beam of red light which expanded into multiple beams that curved down into the shape of a dome once they touched the ground. Now, the palace was sealed inside a dome-shaped cage which cast a crimson red glow. The enthralled audience stood outside the barrier, still gazing up at the rooftop.
"All we're missing now are the giant robots," Saver-V remarked. Yeah, a giant robot battle would've been very awesomely epic.
"What have you done, Minato?" Masataka demanded when he saw the cage that now surrounded them. It was like the Safe Mode barrier used during the Armored War Gods Tournament, except that it did not need an agreement from both parties to activate. Also, unlike the Safe Mode barrier, it seemed to be made to keep them in rather than keeping anyone on the other side safe from any stray attacks or projectiles.
"Now it's time to set up our stage." Saver-V then conjured a circle of fire in the sky which had a 30:00 in it like a digital stopwatch. "See this? It's how long you've got to destroy me before all those people down there go ka-boom along with this place. The countdown begins now."
It started at 30:00 before it began the countdown.
(29:59)
(29:58)
(29:57)
(29:56)
"Wait, what did you say?" Masataka questioned.
"You destroy me before time runs out or they'll be the ones destroyed," Saver-V simplified. "It's either me or them, so what's it gonna be?"
(29:46)
(29:45)
(29:44)
The clock continued counting down, the seconds ticking away. It seemed Minamoto was serious when he said that Masataka had no choice but to fight as he was putting lives at stake. Masataka decided to play along until he figured out a way to end this peacefully.
"Alright. I'll play your game, Minato! But don't regret it!"
"Same to you, Onii-chan."
[BAIHU!]
"Henshin!"
[LOCK ON! SOVEREIGN! BAIHUARMS! BYAKKO NO KIBA, TENSHIN!]
Amazingly, the Baihu Lockseed could be activated with the GenesisDriver, functioning without any issue. A similar thing happened when Sasuke had used his Fiend Lockseed with his own GenesisDriver. When the Baihu Lockseed opened, the portal opened and the White Tiger Spirit emerged as hundreds of motes of light converged on Masataka, forming his Genetic Ride Wear suit. The White Tiger Aura Beast merged with him, forming his armor. Finally, his helmet materialized over his head and the visor flashed to signal the complete transformation.
"The White Tiger of Divine Providence Descends! Armored War God Zangetsu...Shin!" Zangetsu-Shin announced.
Masataka had successfully and without a doubt transformed into Zangetsu-Shin, clad in the Baihu Arms Celestial Armor. Instead of the Baihu Claws, he had a new weapon that was mounted on his left forearm. It had a turntable base with three hexagonal pieces connected on top. Attached to each hexagonal piece was a different weapon attachment: a drill, a chainsaw, and a minigun. All three attachments were pointed forward, with the drill taking the main center spot while the minigun occupied the drill's left and the chainsaw attachment set on the drill's right. Finally, attached to the device's rear was a Drive Bay slot for Lockseeds to initiate Charge attacks with a handle which could be tugged to switch each of the weapon attachments.
This was Zangetsu-Shin's new personal Swiss Army Knife weapon, the Byakko Tri-ClawZ.
"Nice gear," Saver-V appreciated. "You know Onii-chan, I heard you're pretty tight with the little princess, yet here you are, up here instead of down there looking for her. Guess you're not as close as she thinks you are."
"I have friends I can trust to look after her," Zangetsu-Shin claimed.
"'Trust'? 'Friends'? Seriously?" Saver-V scoffed. "Since when did you ever trust anybody but yourself?"
"People change, Minato."
In the beginning, Masataka trusted the Go Faction out of circumstance and convenience. He did not really have much of a choice. Even with the power of the Lockseeds, if he was to survive in this era, he was going to need their support. Luckily, he had something he could offer them in exchange for their help. Eventually, the trust he had in them soon became genuine, and he considered them friends, family even.
"Yeah, we sure do, don't we? Alright, whatever, let Hell Night begin!" Saver-V declared as he summoned his Blood Daidaimaru and Saver Arrow. Zangetsu-Shin roared and lunged at Saver-V who howled like a madman as he charged right back.
All the while, the infernal clock continued to count down each second to destruction.
(29:30)
(29:29)
(29:28)
(29:27)
Shuyu approached the throne room like a woman on a mission. In a time of crisis, it was the most secure chamber in the palace. Sonken would be in there, with her guards present, ready to defend her from any threat. With what was happening right outside these walls, it was a good enough reason to remain in the palace which would be the safest place to be right now.
Well, it was safe unless the threat was already present within these walls.
The guards saw Shuyu approach and since she was no longer suspected of being a traitor, they allowed her into the throne room without question. Inside, Sonken, Ryomo, Kannei, and Shuutai were just waiting for the danger outside to cease with a squad of guards to protect them. Daikyo and her twin sister Shokyo were with them since they felt safe in the throne room. Perhaps they could sing a song to soothe everyone right now. They looked like they needed it. However, the twins were not in the mood to sing right now. They were worried about Sonshoko and they hated not being able to do anything to help her. Fortunately, Sonshoko had not gone out alone and she should be safe since she was with the Fuma Brothers as well as Rikuson and Kogai. Masataka had also sent his Moon Brigade out into the city as well.
Sonken, meanwhile, could not help but feel anxious as the explosions continued to go off outside. The queen wished she could do more, but in a time of crisis, her safety was a top priority so she needed to remain within the walls of the palace until the danger passed. The cage surrounding them, however, prevented her from sending reinforcements.
Saver had escaped from his cell and had called Masataka out to confront him on the roof. Hopefully, once that situation was taken care of, Masataka would then go down to the city to assist in quelling the rampant mayhem.
Kannei was beside Sonken, with her guard up, ready to defend the queen. They were in the middle of a crisis so none of them, especially her, could afford to be careless. An assassin could slip into the palace to assassinate Sonken. With chaos all around them, it would be so easy for an assassin to come in, pose as a guard or a servant, then literally stab Sonken in the back, or even poison her when nobody was looking.
Ryomo was also vigilant. Formerly part of the female guard unit, she was trained in martial arts. Originally Sonken's bodyguard, Ryomo never once renounced her vow to protect Sonken with her life, even after she changed vocations.
Normally, Shuutai would be right beside Masataka, eager to offer him her aid and protection, but he respectfully declined. His fight with Minamoto was a personal family matter that he did not want her to be dragged into. He needed to face Minamoto alone and he needed her to stay and protect Sonken. Shuutai respectfully obeyed his wishes.
"Sonken-sama!" Shuyu announced and Sonken looked up to see her approach.
"Shuyu, thank goodness you're here!" Sonken sounded relieved. "We could use your help in this time of crisis." Shuyu could have some ideas that should help them with their current situation.
"Where's Zangetsu?" Shuyu asked as she seriously scanned the throne room. She saw the guards, Sonken, Kannei, Ryomo, Shuutai, Daikyo and Shokyo, but Masataka was absent.
"He's confronting the enemy right now."
"So, he's not here then," Shuyu noted his absence. Her lips curled into a cruel smile as her eyes glowed red. "Good."
"Shuyu?" Sonken asked, confused. Kannei and Shuutai immediately put their guards up as their instincts took over.
Something was not right with Shuyu.
Shuyu took out a dark Lockseed that looked like a pink eyeball with claws clutching it. It seemed to glow like Shuyu's own eyes, radiating a malevolent radiance.
"Shuyu, what is that?" Sonken questioned as her gaze fell upon the dark Lockseed in Shuyu's hand. As a high-ranking member of Son Go's royal court, Shuyu had access to powerful Lockseeds in Masataka's Lockseed Distribution Department. However, just by looking at it, Sonken instantly knew that it was definitely not one of the Lockseeds in Masataka's inventory.
"The key to Sheren-sama's return," Shuyu informed Sonken as she unlocked it.
[SONSAKU HAKUFU!]
A portal opened above Shuyu then a familiar figure dropped from it. The figure did a three-point landing before standing up. It was a female and she flicked her lavender hair and gazed at Sonken with red-on-black eyes.
Sonken gasped, her eyes widening in shock as she saw who it was.
"...Onee-sama?"
Though her skin was chalk white and her eyes were like the blackest of nights, there was no doubt in anyone's mind as to who this was.
The Little Conqueror of Son Go, Sonsaku Hakufu, had returned from the grave.
"Hello, everyone," Sonsaku smiled at everyone. "It's been such a long time. How have you been?" Her voice sounded distorted as there was a faint echo accompanying each word she spoke.
"Sheren-sama..." Shuyu murmured with pure joy as she saw the return of her beloved. It was all thanks to Minamoto for giving her this chance.
"Say, Shuyu-san, what would you do to get her back?" Minamoto asked curiously. Shuyu thought about it.
What would she do to have Sonsaku back in her life? She knew the dead could not simply be brought back to life. It would be unnatural. But, if Shuyu could bring her lover back to life, what price was she willing to pay?
"Anything."
And Minamoto smiled. It was not a very pleasant smile. It was an ominous one.
"Hold out your hand."
Shuyu did as he told her and Minamoto put something in her hand.
It was a Lockseed with Sonsaku's name on it.
"What's this?"
"A magic charm that will grant you your wish. Also, sorry." Minamoto snapped his fingers and Shuyu's eyes glowed red. "Put that Lockseed away someplace safe. Forget you have it until the time is right for you to use it."
"Shuyu-dono, what's the meaning of this!?" Kannei demanded. She was shocked to see Sonsaku, but this was not the queen she remembered serving. She actually believed Shuyu was not a traitor, but now the strategist had shown them her true colors.
Shuyu walked over to stand at her beloved's side. She may appear different, with ghost-white skin and eyes the color of darkness, but she would recognize her anywhere. Sonsaku was back and she had Minamoto to thank for this opportunity.
Shuyu turned a stern gaze toward Kannei and the guards.
"Stand down and kneel before your queen!" Shuyu ordered. The guards hesitated. This was completely unexpected. They were loyal to Sonken, but they had also sworn their loyalty to Sonsaku until her death. Now Sonsaku had returned from the grave.
"Seize them!" Kannei ordered the guards who had their spears pointed at Shuyu and their revived former queen. They hesitated since it was Sonsaku, but Kannei got them moving as she repeated her order. "Seize them! Don't let them threaten Sonken-sama!"
The guards assembled and rushed to attack Shuyu and Sonsaku. They would use lethal force if necessary, but Kannei would prefer if Shuyu was taken alive.
Among the charging guards was Dungeon Guard #2 whose eyes gleamed with a red glow. He took out a Zakuro Lockseed while in the middle of the guard formation and activated it.
The Zakuro Lockseed beeped and flashed before it finally detonated. Sonsaku shielded Shuyu from the explosion while Kannei, Shuutai, Ryomo, and Sonken were taken aback. When Daikyo and Shokyo saw the result of the explosion, they screamed, with Daikyo nearly fainting from the carnage she just witnessed.
There were bloody pieces of the guards strewn all over the throne room.
"Wha-what happened!?" Kannei cried in shocked confusion.
Shuyu ran her hand through her hair and sneered at Sonken.
"You really should be more careful about who you let into your ranks, Sonken-sama. Sonsaku-sama would not have made the same mistake," Shuyu mocked.
Sonken's eyes narrowed. All the guards in the throne room, save for Kannei and Shuutai, were dead. She looked at Shuyu and Sonsaku and made her decision.
She would need to take care of this herself.
Sonken stepped forward, drawing her sword. This revenant may resemble her eldest sister, but she knew her sister was buried and this thing was defiling her memory by taking on her image. Their enemies were not above using deception, and this was all it was, a mere deception.
"I will not be fooled by this...this doppelganger!" Sonken shouted. "I am the Queen of Son Go!"
Sonsaku reached down and drew her own sword, a duplicate of the sword Sonken wielded. But that was no surprise as Sonken's sword was originally Sonsaku's.
"Then defend your kingdom, my dear little sister!" Sonsaku challenged and she rushed at Sonken.
Kannei and Ryomo went to defend Sonken, but she pushed them aside.
"Stand aside!" Sonken shoved her bodyguard and advisor aside and raised her sword to parry Sonsaku's strike. Sparks flew as their blades connected and Sonken looked into the dark pools of Sonsaku's eyes.
"I have come to take back my kingdom, little sister!" Sonsaku responded as she kicked Sonken in the stomach, sending her sprawling to the floor. "Relinquish the throne to me! It was mine before and it will be mine again!"
"Sonken-sama!" Kannei cried as she and Ryomo went to help her but Sonken stopped them with a look. The present queen then turned her gaze toward the previous queen.
"No," Sonken denied.
"No?" Sonsaku tilted her head.
"You...you are not Onee-sama...not anymore. You are nothing more than a walking corpse who perverts her existence by standing before me, desecrating her memory," Sonken frowned as she picked herself back up.
"Looks like little soft Renfa-chan has finally grown a backbone," Sonsaku smirked mockingly. Even seeing that smile enraged Sonken.
"Onee-sama, forgive me. It seems that I must put you back in your grave," Sonken resolved as she raised her sword, her grip tightening on the hilt. "Nobody interferes! This is my fight and mine alone!" She was the Queen of Son Go and must protect her throne and kingdom from enemy forces, even if they were her sister.
Sonsaku grinned and she threw herself at Sonken who also rushed at Sonsaku. The two sisters swung their swords and they met in an explosive clash of steel.
Shuyu watched with grim determination. Soon Sonken would be dethroned and Sonsaku would be queen once more, and everything would be as it should be.
Kannei and Ryomo watched, waiting for their chance to intervene. Sonken had ordered them to stand down and let her handle this herself, but if it got too much for her then nothing would stop them from jumping in to protect her. Shuutai was ready to jump in and intervene as well, but she was also waiting for Masataka to settle things with his brother and get back here.
"Please, Zangetsu-sama. We need you," Shuutai prayed.
Meanwhile, back on the rooftop, Zangetsu-Shin and Saver-V's fight had already gone on for five minutes without a clear winner in sight.
(24:27)
(24:26)
(24:25)
(24:24)
Armed with the Byakko Tri-ClawZ, Zangetsu-Shin countered the Saver Arrow and Blood Daidaimaru. He used his weapon as a shield before retaliating with the drill. While he was no doubt stronger than Saver-V, the Red Death still had his tricks at his disposal.
"Miss me!" Saver-V taunted as he teleported away from the Byakko Tri-ClawZ's drill. Zangetsu-Shin yelled in annoyance as he slashed at Saver-V with his Musou Saber, but the slippery Armored War Devil dodged him again. "Miss me again! Come on, Onii-chan! Stop trying to hit me and hit me already!"
"Alright, you asked for it!" Zangetsu-Shin shouted as he put his Musou Saber away and gripped the handle on the back of the Byakko Tri-ClawZ.
[GATLING MODE!]
Zangetsu-Shin tugged the Turntable Switch handle, which caused the Byakko Tri-ClawZ weapon attachments to fan out in a triangular formation. When he pushed the Turntable Switch back in, the turntable rotated, switching the drill for the minigun before the Byakko Tri-ClawZ reset to its default position.
Taking aim, Zangetsu-Shin fired a barrage from the Byakko Tri-ClawZ's minigun at Saver-V. Swiftly, Saver-V morphed his cape into a pair of wings and took off, dodging the spray of rapid-fire bullets. Saver-V soared above Zangetsu-Shin who continued to fire at him, but his bullets failed to hit their mark.
"Hah! You're shooting blanks, Onii-chan!" Saver-V taunted as he pulled the bowstring of his Saver Arrow. "Let me show you how it's really done." He released an energy arrow and it connected with Zangetsu-Shin's shoulder.
"Ugh!" Zangetsu-Shin grunted as he staggered back, but maintained his footing.
"Come on! Shoot me down! Don't you care about the people down there that will blow themselves up if you lose?"
Zangetsu-Shin glanced back down below at the people surrounding the palace. They looked like red-eyed zombies. Just one command from Saver-V and they would detonate the Zakuro Lockseeds, blowing themselves up.
"They won't die! Not on my watch!" Zangetsu-Shin shouted and this time he managed to hit Saver-V, right in the wing. The bullets tore right through it and Saver-V began to lose altitude.
"Shit! Shit! Man going down! Mayday! Mayday!" Saver-V shouted as he was about to crash and then he calmed down. "Oh, wait!" He turned into red mist and then reappeared on the rooftop, his feet firmly planted on the tiles. He smacked himself in the head for his brief moment of forgetfulness. "Right, I forgot I could do that!"
[CHAINSAW MODE!]
"Whoa!" Saver-V raised his Blood Daidaimaru just in time to block Zangetsu-Shin's chainsaw blade. It whirred rapidly, cutting away at the blood red blade as sparks spilled from it. Zangetsu-Shin then drew his Musou Saber, slashing Saver-V across the stomach then sending him reeling with the chainsaw. Saver-V was pushed to the edge of the rooftop and nearly lost his balance before he quickly regained it.
Saver-V let out a brief sigh of relief, but his relief came to an abrupt end when Zangetsu-Shin came at him with his chainsaw. Quickly Saver-V leaped over Zangetsu-Shin, dodging the chainsaw blade. He landed behind Zangetsu-Shin and kicked him right off the roof.
"Have a nice trip! See you next fall!" Saver-V called before he laughed at his own joke.
But Zangetsu-Shin was holding onto the edge. He swung himself back and forth, gaining momentum, before swinging himself back onto the roof. His feet connected with Saver-V's chest, knocking him back.
"Oh, right. You took gymnastics for a year," Saver-V recalled, grumbling, as Zangetsu-Shin was back on the roof.
[DRILL MODE!]
Zangetsu-Shin's Byakko Tri-ClawZ returned to its default mode as he threw himself at Saver-V. Saver-V ducked, only to get kneed in the face and sent tumbling. Saver-V recovered and got back up, growling in anger.
[LOCK OFF!]
"Damn you!" Saver-V cursed as he loaded his Vampire Melon Energy Lockseed into his Saver Arrow. "Eat this!" He pulled the bowstring, syphoning energy from the Vampire Melon Energy Lockseed as the tip glowed with blood red energy. The red vein-like patterns on his armor glowed as well.
[VAMPIRE MELON ENERGY!]
The Sonic Volley took the form of a beach ball-sized energy sphere that shot toward Zangetsu-Shin. The sphere then morphed and took the form of a shrieking vampire bat.
[BAIHU SQUASH!]
As Zangetsu-Shin drew his Musou Saber, the blade glowed and he used the sword to split the energy bat in half, causing both halves to shoot past him and disintegrate into nothing.
"Seriously!? No fair!" Saver-V complained.
[GATLING MODE!]
Saver-V soon found himself on the receiving end of the Byakko Tri-ClawZ's minigun as he was peppered by rapid-fire bullets. He tried to use his cape to shield himself, but the bullets shredded it before knocking him down.
Zangetsu-Shin approached Saver-V and stood over him, the minigun pointed at his face.
"I don't want to keep hurting you, Minato, so please surrender," Zangetsu-Shin pleaded.
"Sorry, Onii-chan, but that's not how the game works," Saver-V retorted. "It only ends until you destroy me or when the clock strikes zero, and the clock's still ticking."
(19:20)
(19:19)
(19:18)
(19:17)
"I don't care what the clock says. It's over so let those people go," Zangetsu-Shin countered, refusing to play this twisted game any longer.
"No," Saver-V shot back coldly as he teleported away to safety, standing a distance from Zangetsu-Shin, his Vampire Melon Energy Lockseed was back in the Genesis Core. "It's game over till I say it's over."
"You can't beat me, Minato. There's no point so you might as well stop," Zangetsu-Shin retorted, aiming his minigun at Saver-V who scoffed in response.
"You must think you're hot shit just because you're the queen's fiancé and you're the 'chosen one', a supposed 'Messenger of Heaven' with the power of one of the Four Sovereigns," Saver-V snarked. "You think you're in the right because you think you have an important destiny. You think you've won just because you've got that armor and fancy power-ups. Well, you're not the only one who's got fancy legendary armor, Onii-chan!"
Saver-V revealed his Fiend Lockseed, which resembled a red demonic eyeball that seemed to be glaring at Zangetsu-Shin.
"What is that Lockseed?" Zangetsu-Shin questioned, not liking the look of that Lockseed. He had seen many Lockseeds, most of them based on fruits with some modeled after nuts and seeds. He had seen Lockseeds based on flowers that could turn into vehicles and legendary Lockseeds based on Byakko, Seiryuu, Suzaku, and Genbu. But he had never seen a Lockseed like that before. Had Minato gotten it from Ukitsu? What could it do?
Zangetsu-Shin was about to find out.
[LOCK OFF!]
"A little something to even the odds," said Saver-V as he removed his Zakuro Lockseed. "You see, my Vampire Melon Energy Lockseed might be strong, but it still needs to be paired with something a bit more primordial and extra evil to unlock its full potential. So don't blink, Onii-chan, or you'll miss it."
[HUNDUN!]
As soon as the Hundun Lockseed was unlocked, Zangetsu-Shin felt a wave of chaotic energy wash over him, causing violent thoughts to emerge in his mind. One such dark thought was of him forcing himself on Shuutai and taking her against her will as she screamed and struggled, crying for him to stop hurting her. He shook off those thoughts and looked at Saver-V in panic.
"Minato! No!"
It was too late as Saver-V loaded the Hundun Lockseed into the SengokuDriver's Drive Bay and locked it in.
[LOCK ON!]
A dark portal appeared above Saver-V, hanging over his head.
"LEVEL UP!"
He hit the Cutting Blade, exposing the Fiend Lockseed's crimson core which matched the Vampire Melon Energy Lockseed's core.
[HA! HUNDUN-VAMPIRE ENERGY ARMS!]
The dark portal showered Saver-V with a blast of dark energy which violently tore off the tiles of the roof. Zangetsu-Shin was taken aback by this as the dark chaotic energy grew stronger, saturating the air around them.
Once the dark energy blast subsided, a dark figure stood before him, filling him with dread.
"Minato...?"
It was Saver-V, but he was utterly changed. The red-and-black color scheme remained consistent from his original form, but that was the only thing to stay unchanged.
Starting from the top, his helmet had gained some new accessories. Silver accent framed his helmet with a crest of six horns fanned out on his brow like the emblem of Kamen Rider Agito. He also gained a thick mane of grey hair that was spiked in all directions.
Moving down, the rest of his armor had received a drastic makeover. Mounted on his chestplate was a raptor's head with a beak full of sharp teeth, huge bat-like ears and a face that was frozen in a snarl. He had pauldrons with spikes on them that were concealed by layers of winged shoulder guards. Mounted on his back was a pair of medium-sized bird-like wings which seemed decorative, but could actually be functional. Around his wrists were furry cuffs and his fingers resembled wickedly sharp claws. Flaps of armor hung from his belt like a skirt, covering his thighs and crotch area. Finally, his visor flashed and filled in with a dark green color, signaling that the change was complete.
Saver-V rolled his head around and flexed his fingers. He exhaled, letting out a growl as his wings expanded and spread out behind him, making him appear larger and more intimidating. With his black wings unfurled, Saver-V revealed he had dozens of Zakuro Lockseeds tucked between the feathers. The way they glowed made the wings look like they were filled with dozens of evil eyes, only adding to their intimidating effect.
Saver-V looked Zangetsu-Shin in the eye and grinned.
"Like it? How do I look, Onii-chan?"
Zangetsu-Shin thought he was looking at the Devil himself.
"Minato...what have you done to yourself?" Zangetsu-Shin questioned in horror at what his brother had willingly turned himself into.
"I just leveled the playing field, that's all." Saver-V folded his wings back up and displayed his claws which lengthened to a lethal degree. "So, shall we continue?"
As Zangetsu-Shin continued to stare at his brother, the clock above them continued its terrible countdown.
(17:59)
(17:58)
(17:57)
And once it hit zero-Well, Zangetsu-Shin was going to finish this before it happened.
KRC: It's a battle of sibling rivalry! Brother against brother! Sister against sister! Anyway, I made references to the Korean series tokusatsu series "Legend Hero Samgugjeon" (Legend Heroes of the Three Kingdoms). Even Zangetsu-Shin's new weapon in Baihu Arms, the Byakko Tri-ClawZ, comes from that series, adorned by one of the main characters like Legend Hero Sonsaku/Sonken.
The name I gave it, 'Byakko Tri-ClawZ' actually has meaning. The 'tri' in its name is pronounced 'torai' which has the word 'tora' meaning tiger in it. The 'tri' also refers to its three weapon modes. The 'Z' at the name makes it sound like 'claws' but also 'Z' is the first letter of Zangetsu's name.
Also, when Minamoto says 'FINAL BATTLE' and makes mentions of giant robots, that's also a reference to 'Legend Hero Samgugjeon'. If you want a Kamen Rider Ryuki and Kamen Rider Gaim-like series which features giant robots, well, this is the show for you.
Say, Buster. What can you say about 'Legend Heroes'?
BL92: I'd say that the Legend Heroes are quite similar to the Rider Wars like in Kamen Rider Ryuki, but it's more similar to Kamen Rider Gaim way better because of their war theme like the latter's theme is the Sengoku Period while the Legend Hero Sangokuden's theme is the Three Kingdoms. Also, I put 'Sangokuden' as a replacement for 'Samgugjeon' because it's sounded just right to me and it would be a great show if the writers made a Japanese version of the Korean one like they did in Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger Brave, the sequel of the original. Who knows, maybe Chrome would make it a reboot version of the Armored War Gods AU story version. Also, I find the Legend Heroes to be awesome even though they need to work on their subbed version.
Fruits of the Trees, Yggdrasil
Baihu Arms (Zangetsu-Shin Version): It is similar to Zangetsu's original Baihu Arms, except worn with Zangetsu-Shin's Genetic Ride Wear suit. The stats receive a boost due to the superior power output of the GenesisDriver. Instead of the Baihu Claws, this version is equipped with the Byakko Tri-ClawZ.
The Turntable Armed Shield Byakko Tri-ClawZ: This is Zangetsu-Shin's Arms Weapon in Baihu Arms. The Byakko Tri-ClawZ is a shield mounted on his left arm that also functions as a Swiss Army Knife weapon. It has three main modes: Drill, Gatling, and Chainsaw. The weapon modes can be switched via a pull handle that rotates the weapon attachments around. The chosen weapon would take the center spot while the additional weapons will be on standby on either side of the chosen weapon. The Drill Mode is the default setting with Chainsaw and Gatling Modes being auxiliary.
Jimber Vampire Arms: Like every other Jimber Arms, it resembled a classic jinbaori worn by samurai. It is in the same shade of green as the Jimber Melon Arms, save for the red vein patterns. The Jimber Vampire gives Saver-V the ability to fly thanks to the wing cape. The Jimber Vampire Arms is equipped with the Blood Daidaimaru and Saver Arrow. The reason he can still wield the Blood Daidaimaru is because of the essence of the Blood Orange Lockseed and it was infused in the Melon Energy Lockseed, creating this corrupted hybrid Lockseed.
Natsu was trying to lead Sonshoko to safety, but they hit an obstacle. Their path was blocked by a group of five Zakurokage Troopers who were playing with the civilians by shooting them in the back as they ran for their lives. They were cruel as they treated the whole thing as a game, like shooting ducks in a barrel. Natsu clenched his fists. He wanted to stop them and save those people, but he could not do that and protect Sonshoko at the same time.
"What do we do?" Sonshoko asked as she whispered to Natsu. They were hiding behind some rubble so they wouldn't be spotted.
"We might need to backtrack-" Natsu started.
"Hey, there are a couple more there!" one of the Zakurokage Troopers noticed.
"-Or we fight our way through," Natsu finished miserably as he strapped on his SengokuDriver. He did not have his Golden Ringo Lockseed anymore, but he managed to grab a replacement earlier. "Stay here, little princess. I got this."
Natsu stepped out from behind the rubble and transformed.
[COME ON! MANGO ARMS! FIGHT OF HAMMER!]
Natsu had opted to use the Mango Lockseed as his replacement. The Arms' color scheme was a close match to his default armor, and its looks coupled with its corresponding weapon made for an intimidating figure.
Mars gripped the Mango Punisher and prepared himself for combat and to avenge the people who were harmed by the terrorists' violent attack.
"Alright, you bozos! Make my day!" Mars challenged, ready to bust some skulls. He was understandably upset with the Zakurokage Troopers and their boss. They had killed people and ruined their parade. Nobody could blame him if he enjoyed punishing his enemies a bit too much. He was after some much-deserved payback and satisfaction.
As the Zakurokage Troopers readied their weapons, which were aimed at Mars, they were suddenly assaulted by flashes of orange.
[ORANGE CHARGE!]
The orange blasts of energy hit the Zakurokage Troopers, causing them to cry in shock as they became trapped in orange-shaped energy spheres which suddenly expanded around them. Mars blinked and then turned around to see a familiar figure emerging from the smoke.
"Gaim?"
"Guess again, Nii-san."
Stepping out of the smoke was not Gaim, but Kamuro in Orange Arms, wielding the Musou Naginata. Mars actually made a joke about Kamuro's resemblance to Gaim. He never thought his brother would take it as a suggestion. It was not bad, really. The samurai-like armor seemed to fit Kamuro without the colors clashing too much.
"Oh, good. You found Sonshoko-sama," Kamuro noticed. He was not alone either as Taishiji, Rikuson and Kogai emerged as well. Kogai smiled as she saw her lover and gave him a wave.
"Hey, I had things handled," Mars remarked, pointing to the Zakurokage Troopers who were pounding on the insides of their spherical prisons.
"No time for that, we need to get to the palace," Kamuro said as he pointed at the palace and Mars saw the cage surrounding it.
"What's that?" Mars asked.
"I don't know, but I wager it's nothing good," said Kogai.
"We need to get over there!" Rikuson cried urgently.
"But what about them?" Sonshoko asked, pointing at the imprisoned Zakurokage Troopers.
"Allow me to clean up," said Kamuro and then he swung his Musou Naginata rapidly, landing a slash on each sphere. The spheres violently exploded, expelling their contents as the Zakurokage Troopers lay sprawled all over the ground, unconscious. That was uncharacteristically brutal of him, but he had a right to be as he was just as upset as Mars over the bombing incident that destroyed their parade and killed members of their troupe. He just hid it well, expressing his displeasure through his actions. "Shall we go?"
Mars shouldered his Mango Punisher. He saw no reason to argue.
"Lead the way, little bro."
