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Dai Shi observed on his projection screen as it showed Sigurd crashing the party in Sousou's palace. At first, it appeared he had been trapped by the magical array Choho had come up with. It was impressive. For a mere girl, she had grown in terms of magical skill. It was no doubt due to her exposure to the Crucial Keys to the Way of Peace. While under its influence, she had absorbed much of its knowledge. A novice in the beginning, practicing the mystical arts had made her into an expert. However, she could only go so far with being self-taught. She had potential to be great if she had a proper teacher.
Dai Shi continued to watch as Sigurd easily defeated Baron's Crimson Angels, the Passionate Fury, the Kako Sisters and even Sousou Motoku herself. Despite the power given to them by their armor, they were not even close to being a match for Sigurd who was using the powers of Rutsu and Rasuka.
Suddenly, a phoenix emerged to protect Sousou and her officers, shielding them from Sigurd's killing blow.
"As expected. Suzaku has been reborn," Dai Shi stated. He was not alone in viewing the screen.
"Well, you can never keep him down," 'Taowu' remarked. "So, is it time for me to move in?"
"Not yet, Taowu. First, we observe."
Dai Shi wanted to see how this ended. Would victory be Sigurd's once more or would Baron be the victor this time around?
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 39: Speak of the Devil (And He Shall Appear)
Once the flames subsided, Baron was revealed to them all but he looked drastically different than before. First, his Ride Wear suit now had a new addition of a red longcoat with black flame-like patterns on the coattails hanging from his belt. His SengokuDriver had also changed as well, upgraded into the LegenDriver. Now it was crimson and gold with a blood red belt strap. The Rider Indicator was restored on the left-hand side, but now there was the image of a flaming wing on the left-hand side.
On Baron's torso armor was a golden chestplate with black trim that looked like a phoenix and broad red pauldrons that resembled wings. He also had red armor on his back with gold plating going down his spine. His helmet had changed a lot as it now included a crimson headpiece that gave him a pair of black demonic horns, granting him a devilish appearance, along with a phoenix ornament mounted on his forehead. His visor glowed with a cold blue light that hid his blazing hot glare.
The armor on his right hand was black while his bracer gained a curved spike near the elbow. On his left arm was a bulky red gauntlet known as the Ignition Booster. It appeared to be made of scale mail that covered everything from the tip of his claw-like fingers to his elbow. A pair of yellow spikes curved back from the wrist and a green gem was mounted on the back of his hand. The gem almost resembled a phoenix's eye. Gripped in his right hand was his Arms Weapon, the Magmaspear. It was a lance, like his Banaspear, only it appeared to be made of blackened stone with glowing red veins that flowed with red-hot magma.
This form was Baron's wrath turned into pure power. Armored War God Baron had evolved into Crimson Phoenix Overlord Kaizer Baron.
Sousou was speechless along with everyone else as they saw Baron's new Overlord form. They began to sweat due to the heat he was producing.
Kaizer Baron scanned the entire banquet hall and saw the bodies lying on the ground. The HUD in his visor told him that the guards were dead. Fortunately, his comrades were still alive, only injured and unconscious. Shibai, however, tragically lay dead on the floor. When his gaze went back to Sigurd, his eyes hardened into a furious glare as he stepped forward. Sousou, Kakuka, Kyocho, Ten'i, Juniku, and Chouryou gave way to him as he approached Sigurd with strong, determined steps. They understood that this was his fight now.
Sigurd recovered from his shock at seeing Kaizer Baron alive and put on a grin. Despite sweating under his armor, he did not allow himself to feel intimidated by Kaizer Baron.
"So, you really did survive, Baron. Good, because now I have the pleasure of killing you all over again!"
Sigurd charged at Kaizer Baron and threw a punch which connected with Kaizer Baron's chest. However, Kaizer Baron was unaffected.
"Is that all you've got?" Kaizer Baron scoffed.
Rising to the taunt, Sigurd punched him repeatedly in the chest but the Crimson Enforcer easily tanked the blows. He continued to absorb Sigurd's punches as sparks exploded with each impact.
As he allowed Sigurd to vent, Kaizer Baron balled his fists. Just as Sigurd was about to throw another punch, Kaizer Baron punched him right in the face, knocking him back and causing him to backpedal. Once Kaizer Baron put his opponent off balance, he struck him repeatedly with the Magmaspear. Sparks exploded as each blow landed before Kaizer Baron sent Sigurd flying with a vicious swing.
Sigurd righted himself with his wings before landing on his feet, regaining his balance as he glared at Kaizer Baron while producing a pair of Rinki spears. He hurled the energy javelins at his opponent, hoping they would pierce through his armor. Instead, Kaizer Baron swung his left arm and shattered them with his Ignition Booster. Sigurd gasped and immediately hit his Seaboll Compressor.
[RINGI! KARATSURU SQUASH! JAAKURINGU!]
"Take this!" Sigurd yelled as he fired the Rinki-infused feather darts but they bounced off Kaizer Baron's armor as he advanced on him. Sigurd gawked, unable to comprehend why his attack hadn't worked. Deciding to go all out, he grabbed his Seaboll Compressor to go for his Sparking Finisher when Kaizer Baron shot a flaming chain from his Ignition Booster that ensnared his right arm. Kaizer Baron then pulled Sigurd straight to him and punched him right in the face.
"That was for the guards!"
Kaizer Baron followed up by delivering a violent jab with his Magmaspear.
"That was for my comrades!"
Another blow to the face knocked loose some of Sigurd's teeth as the faceplate cracked a little.
"That was for me!"
Sigurd was dazed by the punch as Kaizer Baron grabbed him by the collar and ignited his Magmaspear.
"And this is for Mei!"
He struck Sigurd with the flaming lance, producing a fireball that erupted between them. The Armored War Devil screamed as he was painfully thrown to the ground. Kaizer Baron then discarded the Magmaspear to finish his opponent with his bare hands.
Sigurd picked himself up as his rational sense and logic were replaced by blind rage. With a furious scream, he rushed at Kaizer Baron. Putting all his power in a single punch, Sigurd threw his fist at Kaizer Baron. Standing his ground, Kaizer Baron caught Sigurd's fist in a firm, unbreakable grip.
Just like how Sigurd planned it.
"Gotcha! Kodo Modoshi!" Sigurd pulled on Kaizer Baron's Ki, trying to absorb it all through his arm. With this, he would suck up all of Kaizer Baron's power and become unstoppable. Unfortunately, his plan was doomed to fail as he quickly reached his limit as his body sparked painfully. "What's this!? Impossible! There's too much! How is there so much!?"
"Because my rage gives me strength and right now my rage is infinite!" Kaizer Baron shouted in Sigurd's face.
"You bastard!" Sigurd screamed as he tried to pull his hand free, but Kaizer Baron held on firmly as he hit his Executting Blade with his free hand.
[COME ON! OVERLORD ZHUQIAO ATTACK!]
Kaizer Baron raised his Ignition Booster and clenched his fist as the Phoenix's Eye gem glowed brightly. The shine spread throughout his fist which ignited with a blazing aura before he punched Sigurd right in his GenesisDriver, his fist connecting with the Karatsuru Lockseed. The force of the blow blasted Sigurd straight into the wall, embedding him in it. The Karatsuru Lockseed shattered to pieces, causing his armor to do the same.
Saji remained stuck in the wall for a few seconds before he collapsed forward. He landed on the ground, his body racked with pain as he could barely move. Looking up, he saw Kaizer Baron walking toward him and shook in terror.
This was not supposed to happen! He was supposed to win! He was promised power if he managed to kill Kaizer Baron, but he had failed. He needed to get away. He had to get away so he could come up with a new plan.
Unfortunately, Kaizer Baron would not give him that chance.
When Saji's armor was destroyed, everyone got a good look at the horrific burn scars that marred his face after his last failed assassination attempt on Sousou. Kaizer Baron was going to give him more than a few fresh scars. He pointed at Saji with his left hand and said only one word:
"Burn."
Kaizer Baron transmuted his entire body into reddish-black flames that engulfed Saji's body. He screamed as his nerves were literally on fire as his blood boiled while Kaizer Baron continued to burn him alive. His GenesisDriver melted instantly upon contact with the flames.
Everyone watched in horror as Saji just thrashed about on the floor, screaming loudly in agony. Eventually, even his throat was cooked preventing him from making any further noise except for his final words in a hoarse voice.
"No...My destiny...You cannot...deny me...my destiny..."
Saji hated the Armored War Gods, but he hated Baron the most. All he ever wanted was power so he could get everything the world owed him which was everything he deserved in life. It had been supposed to be easy. All he had needed had been that mirror but then someone had to play hero and try to stop him. The mirror had shattered and since then nothing had been the same. His whole world had changed and now there were Armored War Gods and the RinJyuKen Akugata.
They all got in his way!
Even after he finally got his hands on some real power, nothing went his way! It was like fate was mocking him every step of the way!
And now he was burning to death! He never even got the chance to touch the Seal of Heaven!
Saji went completely silent and still as he finally expired. After a few moments, Kaizer Baron removed himself from Saji and reformed, revealing his enemy's body now burned to a blackened crisp. Besides his shape, there was nothing else that could identify him as human. He just looked like a human-shaped piece of charcoal.
For a moment, nobody said anything. They had just witnessed Kaizer Baron burned their enemy alive. It had been horrific to witness a man being cooked alive like that but also very satisfying to see him finally get his just deserts.
It was Sousou who broke the silence first as she approached Kaizer Baron.
"Mitsuki?" Sousou asked. "Is that really you?"
"Hey, Loli," Mitsuki answered as his helmet vanished and he gave her a smirk. "Miss me?"
Sousou's eyes welled up with tears of joy. As a ruler, she should not display such weakness, but she could not help it. Her sworn brother had returned to his full glory and better than ever. She then slammed into him and started beating his chest with her fists, needing to vent.
"You jerk," Sousou smiled, failing to hide her tears of joy. "Took you long enough."
Mitsuki just shrugged his shoulders in response.
"I was a bit busy growing up," he replied. "Sorry about the trouble I gave you, Keifa."
Juniku grumbled under her breath but she was nevertheless happy to see him back to normal again.
Mitsuki still had something to take care of. He walked over to Shibai's body and knelt down to cradle her in his arms.
He conjured up a flaming feather and gently placed the item over Shibai's heart. Her body absorbed it and an orange glow enveloped her. Her wounds miraculously healed and she gasped as she opened her eyes.
This stunned Sousou and the others.
"Baron-sama...?" Shibai whispered as she gazed at him in all his armored glory, confused yet happy. "Am I in Heaven?"
Mitsuki saw her GenesisDriver, the Peach Energy Lockseed and finally looked her in the eye.
"We'll talk about this later," he commanded and she silently nodded, knowing they were going to have a long talk later. Wings of flames emerged from Baron's back once more to shoot out fiery feathers which rained down on the deceased guards and defeated warriors.
Marcus, Kakoton, Kakoen, Ukin, Gakushin, and Riten were revived and re-energized when the feathers touched them and were absorbed into their bodies. However, that was not the most shocking part. The dead guards were touched by the feathers too and their necks healed as they inexplicably came back to life.
Everyone who was revived soon saw Mitsuki and gasped in surprise.
"Monsieur Mitsuki! Mon dieu!" Marcus was absolutely stunned to see Mitsuki back and in a completely new suit. His normal suit paled in comparison to this glorious crimson armor of pure badassery. For a moment, Marcus felt his heart skip a beat or two as hearts formed in his eyes. Baron's new suit was so majestic, so regal and so beautiful. Oh, Marcus was going to be painting it for days!
"Baron-sama!" Riten cried out, while both Gakushin and Ukin were speechless. They never thought they would see Mitsuki back to normal so soon. They thought they would have to wait years before he grew up, but here he was, back and better than ever. It truly was a miracle.
"Mitsuki-kun!" The Kako Sisters were elated, shocked and relieved. Both elated and shocked to see Mitsuki back in more than his full glory, and relieved that he had saved Sousou's life again. Kakoen smiled as she placed her hand on her stomach, rubbing it gently. It would appear that the Heavens had smiled upon them yet again.
Dai Shi and 'Taowu' witnessed how swiftly Kaizer Baron had dispatched Sigurd. There was no hesitation in the execution at all. No sooner had he emerged, he completely decimated the Armored War Devil before he finally finished him off via immolation.
"Well that was rather anticlimactic," Dai Shi remarked. "But no less impressive."
"Were you expecting some flashy and epic yet unnecessarily drawn-out battle that took them across the city?" 'Taowu' asked.
"That did cross my mind, yes," Dai Shi confessed.
"He wanted the guy to pay and didn't want to waste time or give him a chance to escape," 'Taowu' explained. "I expected something like that from him."
Dai Shi silently agreed. The last time Baron and Sigurd had confronted each other, they had a long drawn-out fight which led to the former's demise. It looked like Baron had clearly learned his lesson from the last time and decided to quickly defeat Sigurd. However, Baron still took the time to let Saji know how far stronger he had become, destroying him spiritually, before finally destroying him in single combat.
"You sent Saji there to get him killed, didn't you?" 'Taowu' asked.
"And what if I did?" Dai Shi asked back.
"Just wanted to know the reason so I can avoid the same fate as him, that's all," 'Taowu' answered.
"I knew of his ambition and his desire to covet more power, including the power of the Seal of Heaven," Dai Shi explained. "He would've waited for the chance to steal it so he may take my power from me. Does that answer satisfy you, 'Taowu'?"
"Yeah, I'm satisfied." 'Taowu' understood now that Dai Shi would slay anyone under his command for even thinking of taking power from him. The warning was pretty clear: Don't Fuck with Dai Shi or Else.
Everything settled down soon afterward once Saji's remains were disposed of. They had been so brittle that a single touch had rendered them into a pile of ash. The only things that remained were his damaged beyond repair GenesisDriver and his Cherry Energy Lockseed which had miraculously remained intact, save for some scorch marks. The party had been ruined but since it had been set up as a trap for Sigurd anyway there was no reason to be upset. Besides, they could throw another one to celebrate Mitsuki's proper return in the future.
As for Mitsuki, he was enjoying a warm relaxing bath. With the amount of stress he had to suffer dealing with idiots on a regular basis, it was nice to just have a place where he could chill in luxury. Plus, he deserved this after what he had gone through. Dying only to come back to life as a baby and having a dramatic growth spurt could do that to a guy.
He began to think of the life he had left behind. After his family died, he really had no reason to keep going. After his dad died, what friends he had left drifted away. They probably could not stand the aura of misery radiating from him.
There was at least one person he would miss and that was Chitoge. He wondered how she was doing and hoped she was doing well. Hopefully, she got promoted and became a detective like she had told him before.
He stood up and got out of the bath. That was enough soaking for him and he really did not want to wrinkle up like a prune. The steam was very thick in the bathroom, but Mitsuki knew his way around to find the exit.
He was not alone for long when he heard chatter, female chatter. He was also standing in the middle of the bathroom, in his birthday suit.
When the girls emerged from the cloud of steam, stopping in front of him, he saw who they were. It was his lieutenants: Gakushin Bunken (Nagi), Riten Mansei (Mao) and Ukin Bunsoku (Sawa). They wore nothing but towels to cover themselves.
"Baron-sama!" Ukin gasped when she saw him and she saw everything. Her face lit up as she gasped and she covered her eyes. Gakushin averted her eyes out of respect but Riten kept looking at him and licking her lips approvingly. Oh, yes, she definitely approved.
Mitsuki grabbed his towel and tied it around his waist to cover himself, much to Riten's disappointment.
"I was just finished. The bath is all yours," he told them. He was about to slip past them when Riten intercepted and stood in his way.
"Not so fast, Baron-sama." Riten put her hand against his chest. "You're not going anywhere."
Mitsuki narrowed his eyes. Riten was always trying to get in his pants. She made her intentions quite clear since Day One when she declared that she wanted his babies.
"Mao, I've said it before and I said it again, there's no way it's happening," Mitsuki said as he attempted to walk around her.
"Oh, it's happening alright," Riten said in determination. "Sawa! Nagi! Grab him!"
Much to Mitsuki's surprise, Gakushin grabbed him and threw him to the wet floor of the bathroom. Then Ukin jumped on top of him, straddling his stomach.
"Sawa, what the Hell!?" Mitsuki demanded.
"I'm so sorry, Baron-sama!" Ukin apologized. "But Mao convinced us this was the only way!"
"Now to get rid of this!" Riten grabbed hold of Mitsuki's towel and pulled it off.
"Girls, I order you to stop this!" Mitsuki commanded. He was not kidding around.
"Sorry, Baron-sama," Riten retorted as she dropped her towel, revealing her voluptuous body in all its nude glory. "But this is happening right here and now. So you best just lie there and enjoy it."
"Nagi?" Mitsuki asked his second-in-command as she threw her towel off as well.
"I've always admired you, Baron-sama. Which is why I decided to take Mao up on her offer," Gakushin said as she came closer to Mitsuki.
"I l-like you t-too, B-Baron-sama," Ukin confessed with a stammer, caressing his cheek before she got off him, letting her towel slide off as well.
"So, why don't you let us show you how much we appreciate you?" Riten grinned as the three girls converged on him.
"Oh, God..." Mitsuki moaned. He felt Riten sandwich his 'Banaspear' between her large and soft breasts as she gave him an amazing titjob while Gakushin and Ukin lay on either side of him. The bespectacled girl ran her hand up and down his well-toned body while licking him. Gakushin, instead, took his lips with hers.
Mitsuki gritted his teeth, his toes curled as he experienced too much physical stimulation. His eyes snapped open, blazing with red hot fire. The girls gasped and shrieked as he threw them off him.
"GET OFF!"
He stood above them, hands on his hips, his 'Banaspear' standing proudly and his blazing eyes glaring at them. He looked furious.
"Alright, you girls! You asked for this!"
Mitsuki went on the attack and with his powerful 'Banaspear' they were quickly at his mercy.
The girls shrieked as he took them all. There was nowhere for them to run as they had brought this on themselves.
Somewhere in Heaven, his father was yelling, "THAT'S MY BOY!"
Sousou was in her room, pondering Mitsuki's resurrection. He had only gotten more powerful since as he easily burned Saji to death and his ability to revive the dead would prove to be very useful on the battlefield. She could already see the tactical advantage. Now, they would no longer suffer any casualties if Mitsuki could bring them back to life.
Mitsuki stepped into her chamber, fully dressed, and looking flushed.
"I've been waiting for two hours," Sousou said crossly. "Where were you?"
"I was...in the bath..." Mitsuki told her with rosy cheeks.
Sousou saw the state he was in. He was dressed but there was something off about him. It took her a moment but she managed to deduce what he had done.
"You were just in a foursome, weren't you?" Sousou questioned rhetorically.
"How did you-?" He stopped himself from finishing his question and rolled his eyes. "Of course you'd know."
"So, how did it happen?" she questioned, interested.
Mitsuki could refuse to answer, but he knew all it took for her to find out what happened was to ask the women he was close to, which was not a long list. She'd get her story, so it was best to get it over with now.
"It was my lieutenants. They ambushed me in the bathroom," he confessed, unwilling to elaborate further.
"Ah, so Riten decided to take charge and got her friends to join in," Sousou remarked approvingly. She liked a woman who knew what she wanted and went to get it. "Guess she got tired of waiting. You know, it's your own fault."
"How is it my fault?" Mitsuki demanded.
"You refused to give a woman what she wants and you constantly teased her. You can only do that for so long before she decides to take matters into her own hands," Sousou explained.
"Oh really? Well, Kanu's refused you plenty of times too, so how's that plan to convince her to jump into bed with you coming?" Mitsuki snarked.
"I'm working on it. I might have to bring Nagata into bed too."
Mitsuki closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose with a grimace.
"I...I did not need that image in my head."
"So, how was it? And don't skip the details."
"I can't believe I'm discussing my sex life with you. You sound like my dad. Alright, fine. At first, I was surprised. I told them to get off-"
"Which they did."
"Karin, please let me finish. Anyway..." Mitsuki tried to come up with the words. "It was very pleasant. They made me feel good and in return, I gave back as good as they gave it to me."
"No wonder you needed two hours. So where are they now?"
"Passed out in the bathroom where I left them."
"Well, guess you managed to satisfy them, for now at least. You might have to help them scratch the itch again in the future."
"What am I? Some kind of stallion?"
"You're the only man they find attractive. It comes with burdens and responsibilities. At least you have the stamina to satisfy all of them."
The two shared a moment of silence before one of them spoke again.
"I'm glad that you came back," Sousou confessed tenderly.
"I could never abandon you," he replied.
"When you died, did you go to Heaven?" Sousou asked.
"I did," Mitsuki admitted.
"What was it like?" she questioned.
"It was amazing and peaceful," Mitsuki described. "I was finally reunited with my family and I was happy."
"But you gave that all up. You chose to return."
"Of course. I could not abandon my family here."
Sousou understood how much they meant to him. He had given up Heaven to return to a war that may never stop. He had given up an eternity to just rest in peace with his family to return to a conflict that may never end.
He did not have any regrets.
"So, what are we going to do about her?" Mitsuki asked, referring to Shibai.
"I'm going to let you decide her fate. She was one of your lieutenants after all," Sousou answered.
"So, delegating the responsibility to me, huh?"
"It's what a good leader does and she was your subordinate. Besides, she explicitly said that she would only talk to you."
"And what will we do about the RinJyuKen?" Mitsuki asked, but he already knew the answer to that.
"They've become too bold for their own good so we must respond. We'll prepare our defenses and train our forces. All of them must be combat ready when the enemy rears their ugly heads. If the RinJyuKen want a war, we'll give them one Hell of a war."
Instead of being locked in a dungeon, Shibai was locked in her room. She was not allowed to have any contact with anybody but she would still receive meals. She had expected this. After being outed as Marika, she had her GenesisDriver and Peach Energy Lockseed confiscated before she was taken to her room. Before that, her room was searched for anything suspicious. Finally, they had her locked in her room. She was told not to try anything until judgment had been passed upon her.
Shibai sat on her bed, waiting.
Waiting was the worst part. It was the anticipation of her doom.
She heard the locks outside her room come undone and watched as the door opened. Her eyes widened as Mitsuki stepped into her room and closed the door behind him.
"We need to talk," he said.
"We do," Shibai concurred. They really needed to have a serious talk.
"I want to talk to the real you," he ordered. Shibai knew what he was talking about. As she was Armored War Goddess Marika, her true identity could be none other than Diaochan of the Armored War Devils.
Shibai removed her earrings and the illusion cast over her faded as she changed from one beautiful strategist to a stunning beauty, revealing her true identity as Diaochan.
"So, you were Shibai this whole time," Mitsuki stated.
Diaochan nodded.
"You were sent as a spy, weren't you?"
She nodded again.
"What changed?"
"I...I could no longer support their insane plan."
"What insane plan?" he asked.
"The plan to turn this place into the Land of the Dead."
Now that definitely raised red flags.
"Tell me everything," Mitsuki commanded as he crossed his arms.
It did not take much convincing for Diaochan to spill the beans.
Mitsuki went back to his room after speaking with Diaochan. Their session had been quite informative and he learned a lot about the RinJyuKen Akugata and the Genesis cult. Ukitsu was dead after a failed invasion of Shoku, but Oda was currently MIA. That was troubling news. Sousou would no doubt be unhappy to learn that he had gone missing.
Currently, everyone was trying to deal with the aftermath. No doubt word had spread about how he came back from the dead with the power to revive the dead. He had literally arisen from the ashes, like a phoenix before he burned Saji alive. Once news of his resurrection spread far and wide, across the kingdom and beyond its borders, his legendary status as a 'god' would surely be cemented. After all, no mortal could rise from the dead, especially once their body had been claimed by the flames. No mortal could revive the dead either. No, only a god could do that and now he was truly the Armored War God of Sousou's kingdom.
Briefly, Mitsuki wondered if he was still even human, and even if he wasn't would it even matter? Had he truly been reborn into another being? Had he been reincarnated by the flames which purged him of his past sins?
As he reflected on his situation, he looked down at the red bracelet on his left wrist. The green gem flashed and all of a sudden the Ignition Booster appeared on his left arm in a burst of flames. Unlike the bulky gauntlet like before, it was much smaller, covering only his wrist and the back of his hand. The Phoenix's Eye gem seemed to stare back at him.
Mitsuki's eyes shone with interest when he heard a knock at his door. He mentally commanded the Ignition Booster to revert back to its sealed bracelet form.
"Come in," he answered as he sealed away the Ignition Booster. The door opened and Kakoen entered with her sister Kakoton. "Shunran. Shuran."
Kakoton said nothing as she quickly walked up to Mitsuki and grabbed his collar to pull him into a deep and passionate kiss. Mitsuki put his hands on her hips, holding her close. Their lips broke apart and the black-haired young woman smiled with flushed cheeks.
"Mitsuki-kun," Kakoen greeted with a smile and then she walked up to him and kissed him lovingly.
"You both must've really missed me," he remarked.
"Yes, we did," Kakoen confessed.
"We were so happy you didn't die!" Kakoton added. "But then you were reborn as a baby and we didn't know what to do!"
"And you chose to become my wet nurse," Mitsuki said.
Kakoton flushed in embarrassment.
"Oh, so you remember that."
"Not really. Only what I've been told."
"Well, if you must know, I was only happy to help!" Kakoton declared proudly. "My milk would've made you big and strong."
Mitsuki blanched slightly.
"Shunran, please, let's not ever talk about that ever again."
Kakoton laughed nervously. Yes, it was still a bit too awkward.
"Mitsuki-kun, I was really worried when you died. I thought I'd never get the chance to tell you," said Kakoen.
"Tell me what?" Mitsuki asked curiously. He noticed Kakoton's grin. Was it some kind of joke he was unaware of?
Kakoen took his right hand and placed it on her stomach. Mitsuki's eyes widened in surprise when he understood what she meant.
"Congratulation. You're going to become a father."
They celebrated with a very passionate threesome.
The following day, Mitsuki joined Juniku for some tea.
"Being forced to look after me during my baby phase was probably stressful for you," Mitsuki said as he sat down with Juniku to enjoy a warm beverage with her.
"Don't get me started. It felt like the longest week of our lives," Juniku groaned. "You kept waking us up in the middle of the night with your crying. You were either hungry, in need of changing, or just woke up cranky."
"Good thing I grew out of it."
"Good thing. I was half tempted to smother you so I could get back to sleep."
"...You'd make a terrible mother."
"I wouldn't do that to my own child!"
"Still, you're now literally the last person I want to babysit for me."
"Oh, right. Shunran's pregnant. Congratulations. You're going to be a father. Now you get to suffer like the rest of us." Juniku noticed him not responding. This was not like him. He'd usually have come up with a snarky remark. "What?"
"Do you think I'll be a good father?" Mitsuki asked.
"Well, you have a soft spot for children so I think you have the right mindset," Juniku said positively. "All we need to do is pray he does not inherit your bad attitude."
"What bad attitude? I've been a model member of this army."
Juniku rolled her eyes. Honestly, she was glad to have him back to normal.
Shizu was looking after the children as they played in the snow. Mei was still missing, and the children missed her, but she would not want them to be miserable in her absence. They still, however, prayed for her safe return.
Shizu noticed a horse coming from the distance. She gasped when she recognized the rider.
The horse came to a stop at the entrance of the orphanage. Mitsuki dismounted, dressed in a warm winter jacket with a scarf. The children were silent. The last time they had seen Mitsuki was at his funeral.
"Mitsuki-san," Shizu said once she recovered from her shock. "You're back." She and the orphans had not joined the funeral procession nor had they been present during the cremation at Mitsuki's funeral pyre. She only learned about his rebirth when Shibai came to visit. She had not believed it at first, but now that Mitsuki was standing before her, she finally realized that Shibai had been telling the truth.
"Shizu, there's something you need to know. It's about what happened to Mei," Mitsuki informed her, his expression somber. He told her everything. The girl broke down instantly at the news and Mitsuki embraced her. She wept in his arms in a fit of grief as he did his best to comfort her.
Later, Mitsuki stood before Mei's grave. It had not been easy to break the news to Shizu and the orphans, but it needed to be done. They needed to know or else they would not be able to move on. They needed closure.
"I'm sorry I couldn't save you," Mitsuki apologized to Mei's grave. Everyone had paid their respects, leaving him behind to mourn by himself. Once alone, Mitsuki could calm down and think clearly. It was time for him to face facts. All this time, he had been using Sousou as a surrogate as he projected his feelings for his sister on her.
Sousou was not Karin. She was not a child but a strong and powerful warlord. She did not need to be coddled.
But that didn't mean she didn't need anyone.
He would no longer treat her like he would treat Karin. That was wrong of him. Sousou was Sousou. Even if her real name was the same as his late sister's, she was not the same person.
Mitsuki felt obligated to Sousou since he felt that he could help her achieve her dream when he failed his sister. But that was not a good reason. It was not healthy. Instead, he would help Sousou make her ambition a reality because it was for the good of China. Plus, he had promised her and he was not the type to go back on his word.
His mother must've known that he was still needed - that he still had work to do so she had told him that he could come back to life. In a motherly way, she had manipulated him into leaving Heaven. She knew he had a mission and a way out. While she could have kept the information to herself, she knew her son needed a way back to his friends.
It was probably for the best. He did not fit in Heaven, not with his sins and blood-stained hands.
He gazed at Mei's grave sadly. His Phoenix Down ability had been able to bring Diaochan and the guards back to life, but he was unable to do the same for Mei. He felt like he had failed her again.
"This does not have to be how her story ends, Sovereign of Zhuqiao."
Mitsuki turned around and identified the person speaking to him.
"Brusa Li."
"Was she someone close to you?"
"She was."
"You have my condolences."
"Thanks, I guess. So, why are you here? I know it's not to pay respects to someone you don't know."
"I just came to see how you were coping."
"People live, and people die. It's the responsibility of the living to remember those who have died."
"An interesting sentiment, but what if you could change the rules?"
Mitsuki seemed interested.
"Change the rules?"
"The Seal of Heaven has great power. If you could claim it for yourself, perhaps you could create a world of everlasting peace without suffering. Food for thought."
Mitsuki walked into town and he noticed people staring at him. He knew the reason why. Besides news of his resurrection, the rumors of him protecting a monster from Sigurd were still active. They whispered as they leered at him in suspicion and mistrust.
He had not cared what anyone thought of him when he had been in high school, and he couldn't care any less now. He had nothing to prove to these people. All they needed to remember was that he had a job to do and that he was the reason Sigurd was not sitting on the throne right now.
He finally arrived at his destination. It was a tattoo parlor.
"What can I do for you, Baron-sama?" the tattoo artist asked.
"I'm thinking of getting a tattoo." Mitsuki handed the artist a sheet of paper. "Look something like this."
The tattoo artist looked at the design, impressed.
"Ah, a phoenix. Now that would look great on you. Any reason for it?"
"Just felt reborn and I wanted to get something to commemorate the feeling."
"Alright, where do you want it?"
Mitsuki started to take off his shirt.
"Put it on my back."
KRC: OK, so the original version of this chapter had a big epic fight scene. Then the next revised version had Kaizer Baron killing Sigurd on the spot without effort like his predecessor killed Duke in Kamen Rider Gaim. So, I decided to compromise. Kaizer Baron did get a chance to show off his abilities while Sigurd pathetically tries to attack him, only to fail. As in epic failure. He did make Saji burn, although not through spontaneous human combustion. May that cherry boy Burn in Hell.
Fruits of the Trees, Yggdrasil
Overlord Zhuqiao Arms: This is Baron's Overlord Mode, an upgrade version of his Zhuqiao Arms. Resembling a devil, this form is equipped with a powerful gauntlet known as the Ignition Booster that absorbs the kinetic energy whenever Kaizer Baron receives damage and converts it into energy which he can unleash on his enemies. In addition, Kaizer Baron's retains his pyrokinetic abilities and can transmute himself into flames. His Arms Weapon is the Magmaspear.
The entirety of the Crimson Guard gathered at the courtyard. Standing before them was their commander, Mitsuki Akechi. Standing with him were his lieutenants with the exception of Shibai. She was still under house arrest and would not be released anytime soon. Mitsuki was thinking of putting her on probation, but he needed to discuss it with his lieutenants. He needed their input on what to do with her.
"Crimson Guard!" Mitsuki addressed his men. "You all have heard of my death and you all have heard of my rebirth! Also, you may have learned that our enemies have become bolder! Believing they have killed me, they thought they could kill Sousou and take our kingdom! You know what I say to that?
"NO WAY IN HELL!"
The Crimson Guard roared in agreement as Mitsuki summoned his LegenDriver.
[LEGENDRIVER!]
The belt appeared out of golden flames which manifested from his waist.
[ZHUQIAO!]
"Henshin!"
[COME ON! ZHUQIAO OVERLORD ARMS!]
The Crimson Guard witnessed Mitsuki's transformation into his new majestic and devil-like godly form and were awed as a literal phoenix god stood before them.
"WE ARE NO LONGER THE CRIMSON GUARD! FROM THIS DAY FORTH, WE SHALL BE KNOWN AS THE IMMORTAL PHOENIX GUARD!" Kaizer Baron boisterously proclaimed as he raised his fist.
His men cheered boisterously.
And just like Baron, the Crimson Guard was reborn.
Long live the Immortal Phoenix Guard.
And all hail Lord Baron the Crimson Phoenix Emperor.
