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: After several months of writing the other story arcs, we finally get back to Shoku since the end of S6 Vol. 1. Now we'll see what's been going on since their last chapter was shown. But first, let's recap what happened in Sangokuden Armored War Gods Saga 06: End of the Armored War Gods (I).

*Ryujin Rise to the Throne Arc (1-9): Now that Nagata was in a death-like coma, Ryuubi had to take charge in his place and asked the Alliance to help Shoku out to defeat Braco and his army. Sou Gi sent Baron and his Crimson Guard, Son Go sent in Zangetsu with his Moon Brigade, Kosonsan, and Gridon with her army, and finally Knuckle with Ensho and her army as well. And when Braco's army came, the battle began as the Armored War Gods fought four members of the Venom Fists: Baron facing Moriya, Gridon against Maga, Knuckle, Ryugen and Chulainn facing Sorisa, and Zangetsu facing Kademu in a divide and conquer strategy.

Meanwhile, in Nagata's mind, Nagata had a wonderful dream of peace until it was interrupted and someone in his mind told him that it was all a dream. Then he met Chosen and the Red Reaper who tested him with a black clone of Gaim. But thanks to Chosen's advice on what held him back, he defeated his evil twin and accepted his mistakes. Also, Chosen told him that the Seal of Heaven saved his life and tested him again if he truly was worthy of its power. Once again and with the help of his friends and family, and the Red Reaper who turned out to be his real mom, he passed again with flying colors and obtained the Ryujin Key as his spirit was called out by his friends in the real world and he went to save them.

Back on the battlefield, things were going smoothly until Braco showed up and overpowered the Armored War Gods and the Shoku Warriors. Things weren't going well for them. Braco somehow got himself a power-up and defeated all the warriors with his comrades' powers. Then he was going to kill Ryuubi so that he could bring more misery to Shoku. Just as he was about to do that, Gaim showed up and came to rescue Ryuubi. Then he used his new Ryujin Key to access his true power known as the Ryujin Arms. Gaim and Braco had an epic fight until Braco's power went out of control and he involuntarily transformed into his Chimera Beast Form. Gaim used his power to defeat the Chimera Beast and finally the Venom Fists once and for all and Shoku is saved once again. To celebrate their victory, the Four Sovereign Riders performed their opening act singing 'Ranbu Escalation: Sovereign Edition' and Nagata gained a new title as he was known as the 'Musou Seiryuoh' to all of China.

*The Return of Bujin Gaim Arc (10-14): Awhile later after the Harvest Festival, Touka Village received a visit from Nanamomo, a lazy and peaceful Rinrinshi who was trying to flee from a dangerous demon. The demon was revealed to be Bujin Gaim, a wicked mogwai born from Nise's hatred upon his death. During the fight, Bujin Gaim proved to be a superior fighter compared to his original self. Nanamomo decided to face her fears and sacrificed herself to destroy Bujin Gaim. This ended in vain as Bujin Gaim survived.

Nagata managed to destroy Bujin Gaim, but let his guard down, allowing Bujin Gaim to take possession of him via the Blood Orange Lockseed. Fortunately, Nagata was able to eject his soul from his body. Nagata later went into Helheim with Iori and Karasu to confront Bujin Gaim and reclaim his body. Unfortunately, Nagata ended up trapped as a prisoner in his own body.

The Armored War Devils offered to ally themselves with the Armored War Gods to capture Bujin Gaim and exorcize him from Nagata. Bujin Gaim was captured and sealed in a binding circle to prevent him from escaping as it sapped his power and strength. This turned out to be a plot concocted by Ukitsu to take control of Bujin Gaim and use him as a weapon. Fortunately, Ukitsu was stopped by Kada.

While trapped, Bujin Gaim made Iori suspect there was a traitor among them. He also attempted to deceive Chouhi into freeing him but failed. It was only when Ryuubi untied him that he started to become aggressive. However, Ryuubi's words reached Nagata from within and Bujin Gaim was dragged into Nagata's subconscious. During their confrontation and conflict, Ryuubi destroyed the Blood Orange Lockseed. At the same time, Karasu immolated Nise's remains in Helheim Forest.

These two acts caused Bujin Gaim to be exorcized and vanquished. However, it seemed that a small part of him managed to survive in the end as it possessed a small dog.

*The Fall of Shoku Arc (15-21): The Sovereign Riders and Ryugen tried to stop Dai Shi's revival but were too late. Currently, Dai Shi's whereabouts were unknown and nobody knew what he had planned for the rest of China. Afterward, Nagata went on a bit of a break because of stress and guilt. He went camping with Ryuubi, Karasu, Ryofu, and Gien. He ended up bonding with Gien.

Haru got married to Ensho, but they were then captured when Enjutsu lured them into a trap. Sadako Ryoma was revealed to be working for Enjutsu, and Enjutsu now possessed the 'Seal of Heaven'.

In Shoku, Karasu revealed herself as a traitor and captured Nagata to become her brainwashed slave. She then set off with him to destroy Touka Village and the Shoku Warriors to build their own empire. Unfortunately, Karasu failed when Nagata managed to break free from her mind control. Karasu used the Taowu Arms but she was defeated and later locked up. Tragically, Gien died after succumbing to mortal wounds.

During "The Night Shoku Falls", Enjutsu launched an attack with Ukitsu and Sadako. Kurokage Troopers stormed the village, prompting the Shoku Warriors into action. Most shockingly, Knuckle appeared and was fighting alongside the enemy. Ryuubi, Chouhi, and Kanu defeated him. Nagata headed back to the castle to protect Karasu when he learned she might be in danger.

Nagata encountered Ukitsu. As Gaim and Duke (Dragon Energy Arms), they fought. Gaim eventually gained the upper hand when he transformed into Kachidoki Arms, but Duke countered him by summoning Puppet Riders: Bujin Gaim, Black Baron, Jam and Ryugen-Yomi. Gaim became Ryujin Gaim and easily beat them. Duke then brought in a new warrior: Taiga Shiba who could transform into Majin Gaim via the Bujin Gaim Lockseed.

Majin Gaim killed Ukitsu and took the Taowu Lockseed from him. He revealed to Ryujin Gaim that he also had a Fiend Lockseed and used the Taotie Arms. Idunn came to Ryujin Gaim's aid but they were both beaten. Majin Gaim then killed Nagata and his body vanished. Karasu fled in grief.

Meanwhile, Iori confronted Sadako. Sadako used a talisman to upgrade her powers and was a match for Ryugen-Yomi. When she seemed to have the upper hand, Ryugen-Yomi obtained a sudden boost of power and defeated her. However, he succumbed to exhaustion and collapsed. Sadako tortured him but was killed by Kochu.

Saver and a group of Genesis cultists appeared and used the Zakuro Lockseeds to bomb Touka Village.

Now that you guys are up to speed, let's get on with the show!


The Shoku Warriors had just finished capturing Enjutsu's base camp and tied up the surviving Genesis cultists. Enjutsu was also in custody with her hands and feet tied together. She looked like she was in shock and it was not because her attack had failed.

Kochu was treating Iori's injuries. Within the enemy's supplies, she found water to clean his wounds and bandages to dress them with. He would be walking with a slight limp since Sadako had stabbed his thigh and he would also get some scars as a result. Otherwise, he was fine.

Besides, Iori found scars to be an acceptable consequence. Kochu once mentioned that a man with scars was quite manly. They showed his experience from the battles he survived. She just hoped he did not make it a habit in collecting more.

Komei's Inves landed and put her down before she sent it back to Helheim Forest. Her arrival did not go unnoticed as she ran up to her friends.

"Hawawawawa!"

"Shuri, what are you doing here?" Kanu asked and she noticed that the blonde strategist looked panicked and for good reason too.

"Everyone! It's terrible! Terrible!" Komei yelled.

"Shuri, what's wrong?" Ryuubi asked worriedly.

"It's the village! Hurry!"

Knowing it was unwise to ignore their strategist, the Shoku Warriors regrouped and quickly returned to their village. They had left it unprotected when they assaulted Enjutsu's camp.

Kanu prayed that they were not too late.


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 40: Shoku Post-Battle Recovery


They were too late.

The village was in ruins.

The smell of smoke and ash hung thick in the air, causing Batai to cough when she inhaled it. Homes and businesses had been destroyed, reduced to rubble and debris that littered the ground. It was quiet as was no soul in sight. The villagers had evacuated but the guards remained behind to secure their home.

Then they saw the state of their home and were horrified.

Shoku Castle was in a terrible state. The outer wall and gate were nothing but broken rubble. As for the castle itself, it was a miracle that it was still standing despite the massive damage it had taken. It looked almost ready to collapse.

"What could've done this?" Chou'un asked, aghast at the state of their castle.

"It looked like a bomb went off," Iori stated beside Kochu as he scanned the damage. He was not too far off from his assessment.

With Shoku Castle demolished, the interior was exposed, allowing them to see all the bodies that littered the floor. The guards and staff that remained in the castle during the attack had all been killed.

"Shuri, what did this?" Kanu asked, horrified by all the damage and deaths.

"I saw explosions," Komei answered. "I don't know what caused them, but I knew I could not stay. I had to get away and tell you."

Kochu gasped in realization.

"What's wrong, Koi?" Iori asked his wife.

"We left Riri in the castle!" Kochu cried.

Iori's eyes widened in realization and panic. They had left Riri in the castle with the others during the attack. They had believed that their little girl would be safe. Now they were afraid that they had doomed their daughter instead.

"We need to find her!" he yelled. He took a step forward but Ryofu barred his way. "Get out of my way, Ren!"

"You are hurt," Ryofu reminded, pointing to his limp.

"I don't care! Our daughter is in there! We need to find her!" Iori yelled at her.

"You are hurt," Ryofu repeated.

"Get out of my way, Ren! That's an order!" Iori snapped. He had no time and patience to try and convince her so he tried to force his way past the Insane Warrior. However, that was easier said than done as Ryofu refused to let him go and barred his way.

Ryofu understood how Iori was feeling right now. She was worried too since she had left Chinkyuu and their pets behind. Hopefully, they managed to get away or find shelter during the attack.

"Airen, you need to calm down," Kochu urged her husband. He would end up reopening his wounds if he did not relax.

"Aren't you worried about Riri?" he questioned his wife frantically.

"Of course I am. She's our daughter. But right now you're hurt. You need to trust that the others can find her." Kochu embraced her husband in an attempt to comfort him. He put an arm around her, pulling himself deeper into her comforting embrace, his face pressed against her pillowy soft bosom.

"I can't lose her. I can't lose either of you. I don't know what I'd do if I lost either of you," he whispered as he held his wife. He was afraid of what might've happened to Riri while they were away. Once before, they had left Riri under the care of a babysitter, only to come back to find that she had been kidnapped. What if Riri had gotten hurt while they were not around to protect her again?

"Riri's a strong girl. She'll be alright," Kochu reassured her husband.

"How can you tell?" Iori asked his wife.

"I just have hope."

Iori relaxed, but he was still cautious. Yes, they needed hope right now to get them through this. Maybe it was foolish and unrealistic, but they needed to hope for the best.

He looked to Ryofu who had stopped him before.

"Find our little girl, please," Iori requested her and she nodded.

"Relax, Iori-sama. We'll find Riri," volunteered Bacho. "Come on, Ren."

"OK."

"I'm coming too," offered Batai. She was Riri's babysitter, so she wanted to make sure the little girl was alright as well.

"Please, find Hinari, Ei, and Suikyo-sensei as well," Komei added worriedly. They had stayed in the castle too. She hoped they managed to find someplace safe to hide during the chaos. She did not want to lose her mother figure and kohai. They were her family.

Ryofu, Batai, and Bacho entered the castle grounds to look for Riri and any survivors.

There was still someone left unaccounted for, someone important.

"Wait, what about Nagata-sama?" Ryuubi wondered. "He's not here."

"I saw him go into Helheim Forest...with Idunn..." Komei answered. Nobody was happy about that.

"So, he did let her out," Iori frowned unhappily. Nagata had gone to rescue his cousin who was locked up in the dungeon.

"But they were fighting Duke and another Armored War Devil!" Komei quickly added.

"Did you see who the new guy is?" Iori asked. If Ukitsu's group had gotten a new Armored War Devil, they needed to know.

"Yes," Komei confirmed. What she said next would shock them. "It was Bujin Gaim."

All of a sudden, the blood drained from everyone's faces.

"Bujin...Gaim..." Ryuubi repeated. They all had terrible experiences with the demonic Armored War Devil, enough to give them nightmares. Not only had he killed many people, but he had also stolen Nagata's body and tried to kill them all.

A mogwai born from Nise's vengeful and hate-filled heart at the time of his death, Bujin Gaim was nothing like his predecessor. In fact, he was worse. Nise had been an imposter, a con man with delusions of grandeur. Despite gaining the powers of an Armored War Devil, he had still been no match for the Armored War Gods that resulted in him suffering defeat after humiliating defeat. His death should have been the end of him, but his hatred had given birth to a true monster. He literally embodied all of Nise's worst attributes and amplified them to a frightening degree. Malicious, sadistic and cruel, Bujin Gaim had become their personal boogeyman, and they believed he had been destroyed. Clearly, he managed to find a way to return from whatever Hell he had been sent to.

"But that's impossible. He was destroyed," Kanu said in disbelief. "How can he still be alive?"

That was the question on everyone's mind.

"Maybe Ukitsu somehow brought him back to life and put him under his control?" Iori surmised. Ukitsu had wanted to put Bujin Gaim under his control when he had possessed Nagata. Maybe he had resurrected the mogwai and managed to do so.

"I don't know about that because Bujin Gaim killed him," Komei countered.

"Really?" Iori asked, pleasantly surprised. That was some good news at least. Oh, it was bad news that Bujin Gaim was back, but it was good news that Ukitsu was gone. That meant one less enemy to worry about. It was actually pretty funny. Ukitsu had overestimated himself when he tried to control Bujin Gaim only to pay the price for his hubris.

"Yes, I saw it with my own eyes. After that, Bujin Gaim fought Nagata-sama and Idunn. Then they went into Helheim Forest," Komei finished her explanation. "That's the last time I saw them."

Iori was going to have some words with Nagata later once he got back, but right now he just wanted to know if Riri was OK. He held Kochu's hand to comfort her and himself. He remembered Kochu telling him how the death of her first husband had devastated her. If anything were to happen to Riri, her heart would just shatter.

He could not let that happen.


"This place is a total wreck," Batai remarked as she searched with her cousin and Ryofu. They ignored the bodies as they tried to look for survivors. It was not easy as they saw bodies everywhere. Some were in pieces and they all had their eyes wide open as if their deaths had been too sudden. After fighting in so many battles, the young warrior thought she was used to it all but she still got nightmares whenever she recalled the casualties. It never got easier, especially when the people who died were people she had known.

Bacho herself had known these servants, often walking past them every day. While the Shoku Warriors were busy with military duties, the servants would clean the castle and do their laundry. To see them all dead was just devastating, but she hardened her heart to focus on their mission. They could not afford to break down now. They needed to find survivors.

Ryofu narrowed her eyes, ignoring the corpses, and focused her ears to listen for anything. Living in the wild with animals had sharpened all her senses. It was why she was such an expert hunter and tracker.

"Come on," Ryofu prompted. "This way."

"You found something?" Bacho asked.

"My pets. I hear them. Over here."

Batai and Bacho followed Ryofu and they found the entrance of the basement buried under the rubble. Ryofu could hear barking coming from the other side.

"Sekito," Ryofu identified. She easily cleared the debris and rubble before opening the door. Ryofu, Bacho and Batai went down the stairs. It was just fortunate that whatever had destroyed the castle had left the basement untouched. They saw lanterns shining at the bottom of the steps.

They found Kaku, Riri, Hoto, Suikyo, Chinkyuu, and Ryofu's pets all huddled together. Kaku even held a broom as an improvised weapon. Kaku yelled when she was ready to whack them, but relaxed as soon as she saw who it was.

Ryofu's pets made a beeline for the redhead and surrounded her. Ryofu picked up Sekito who licked her face.

"Is it over?" Riri asked hopefully.


"MOMMY! DADDY!"

"RIRI!"

The family of three was reunited as they held each other tightly.

"You're OK!" Iori smiled happily as he hugged his stepdaughter. "I'm so glad you're safe!"

"Where were you?" Kochu asked.

"We hid underground," Riri answered.

"We hid down in the basement during all the commotion," Kaku elaborated as she glanced at her 'roommates'. "And it seems I wasn't the only one with the same idea."

"It seemed like the safest place. We thought nobody would find us," Suikyo admitted worriedly.

"Then we heard the explosions," Hoto said as she shed tears of joy at seeing everyone was safe and sound. "I was so scared."

"I'm just glad to see that you're both alright," Komei said, relieved as she hugged Suikyo and Hoto.

"And check out what else we found!" Batai smiled broadly as she showed everyone a GenesisDriver. She had picked it up while looking for Riri and the others.

"May I see that?" Iori asked. Batai handed it to him. He examined it and was disappointed to see it was severely damaged. It would not be able to function as anything but an ugly paperweight. However, the Dragon Fruit Energy Lockseed that was locked in its Drive Bay/Genesis Core appeared to be undamaged.

Once Chinkyuu saw all the damage around her, she had a flashback of the destruction of her own home village. It was the same. There were bodies, ruined buildings, dread, and despair. But when she watched Iori, Kochu and Riri, she smiled. No, this was not a total loss. Though many had died, they managed to come out of this alive, and many villagers had managed to escape during the attack.

They managed to survive again and because of that they could recover and rebuild. It was the one good thing that came out of this whole disaster.

Ryuubi was still worried about Nagata as he had not been found. This was not the first time he had gone missing, but when Bujin Gaim had taken him, at least they knew where to find him. Even when Braco had put him in a coma, she still held onto the hope that he would recover. Now he was missing, and they had no clue where he was. She had no idea what to do as her mind was preoccupied with whatever terrible thing might have happened to him.

He could be dead, like really dead, for real.

"Touka," Iori spoke up as he approached her. "You need to step up."

"Iori-sama?" Ryuubi questioned, his voice shaking her out of her dreadful thoughts.

"You need to step up," he repeated, "and take charge."

"But Nagata-sama isn't here."

Iori frowned seriously.

"No, he isn't, but we can't worry about him right now. The village needs a leader, we need a leader, and that person is you."

"He's right," Kanu agreed. "Nagata-sama chose you to take his place if he was unable to perform his duties. You took command after Braco defeated him before and while he was possessed. You can take command again in his absence."

"But shouldn't we go look for him?" Ryuubi questioned. "He could be hurt or worse."

"It's not ideal," Iori remarked. "But right now the villagers need to be informed. You need to tell them the attack is over and to put them at ease. This is something only you can do. It's why Nagata chose you in the first place."

Truth be told, Ryuubi was the kind of leader they needed right now. She was the heart of their team due to her kindness, mercy, and compassion. She may not possess the power or influence of an Armored War God, but she still had her charisma that convinced people to trust and follow her. But most importantly, she could inspire hope. If anybody could help them and the villagers recover from this, it's going to be her.

Ryuubi looked at her sworn sister and the Ultimate Eye. They were right. The villagers needed a leader that could make them feel safe, that could tell them that everything was going to be alright. This was something only she could do. It was something she must do. She slapped her cheeks to motivate herself and put on a determined expression.

"Aisha, Rinrin," Ryuubi called to her two sworn sisters. "Come with me. I'm going to tell the villagers that the attack is over."

Kanu smiled and Chouhi nodded. The little redhead did not seem upset even if Nagata was missing. She knew her big brother was strong and believed he would return to them. He always did before and that would never change.

"We're going to need to gather up all the bodies for burial," Ryuubi continued. "And I don't think the villagers can return to the village right now. It looks like a lot of homes were destroyed during the attack. Shuri, I need you to assess the damage for me and do a casualty count as well. Take Hinari to help you."

Both strategists nodded.

"We can do that," Komei said.

"We'll need to salvage and gather whatever supplies we can find," Ryuubi went on. "Ren, Nenene, this is very important. I need you and your dogs to do this for me. We're going to need you to find food. Salvage anything you can find that was not ruined during the attack."

Ryofu and Chinkyuu nodded.

"Yes."

"You got it!"

"We'll need to put the villagers up somewhere. The shelter camp isn't well-equipped right now," Ryuubi said.

"We did just take over Enjutsu's camp," Chou'un reminded. "They should have provisions we can use to help the villagers."

"Good, then we can set up a temporary camp for them there," Ryuubi agreed. "Sui, Sei, Shion, Ei, Tanpopo, you can set everything up to turn it into a refugee camp. We also need to decide what to do with our prisoners." Normally, they would hold prisoners in a dungeon before they were put on a horse-drawn wagon with guards to take them to the prison. Unfortunately, they had lost their horses and wagons during the attack. Without them, transporting the prisoners in this weather was not possible.

"Let's just kill them," Iori bluntly suggested. He didn't seem to care that Riri and Kochu heard him too. They had likely grown accustomed to his bloodthirsty tendencies. Immediately, everyone's eyes were on him, aghast. "What?"

"We can't just kill them, Iori-sama," Bacho protested.

"Sure we can. They're the enemy and now they're our prisoners. They came here and attacked us. They could've killed our friends and my daughter. By all rights, we should execute them for that," Iori retorted with a harsh glare. "They don't deserve mercy. Besides, they'll just be extra mouths to feed and I doubt we'll have enough rations for our own people if we set even a bit aside for them."

"We are not killing the prisoners," Ryuubi firmly decided. She had heard how Iori had cruelly killed a gang of bandits without giving them a proper trial. She understood why he had done it, but she was just so tired of seeing people die even if they were enemies.

"Fine," Iori begrudgingly agreed with a sigh. "But that still doesn't change the fact that we'll need to decide what to do with them."

"We'll hold them for now. I'll send a letter to Pairen for assistance," Ryuubi said.

"Asking your best friend for help?" Iori asked. "Are you sure?"

"We can't do this alone, Iori-sama. You said it yourself. We may not have enough supplies and rations for everyone."

She had a point there. A more prideful person would have hated relying on outside help, but these were desperate times and they needed to provide help and relief for the villagers.

"Well, in that case, I guess I can call my brother to ask if he can lend a hand," Iori offered. The jungles of Nanban were rich with food so his brother's tribe likely had food stored with some to spare. Perhaps Iori could persuade them to share some once they learned what had happened. However, that still did not change the fact that they would have to share their food with the prisoners. If they didn't have any prisoners to worry about, they would have fewer problems distributing provisions.

"Also, Iori-sama, could you go into the Helheim Forest to find Nagata-sama?" Ryuubi asked. While phrased as a request, it was definitely an order. She was worried about Nagata. What if he was hurt? What if Karasu had taken control of him again? Ryuubi needed to know that he was safe.

For a moment, Iori considered refusing the request/order. Why should he go look for the deserter? He was sure that Nagata had abandoned them when they needed him and that they should forget about him. However, if he were to refuse, it would not look good for him.

It was best that he went along with her request.

"Alright, I'll do that," Iori agreed. Of course, he would but not immediately.

"Great," Ryuubi smiled. She trusted Iori to be able to find Nagata. Pumping her fist, she gave her order, "Alright, let's get to work, everyone."

There was just something infectious about Ryuubi's positive attitude which motivated them. As the group separated to perform their duties, Kochu and Riri stood beside Iori.

"Are you alright, Airen?" Kochu asked, concerned for her husband. He seemed to be in a less than good mood.

"I'm just tired of dealing with these attacks," Iori answered. He was stressed as well as still angry at Nagata for his naive decisions and abandoning them to rescue his traitorous cousin.

Kochu put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"At least you don't have to deal with it alone."

Iori smiled at her and then at Riri who held his hand.

"I'm so glad you're both here with me. You girls make the things I do worth it."

They really did. Before he came to this world, he had riches but nothing that was truly precious to him. Now that he had a family, he would do anything to protect them.

Absolutely anything.

"Daddy, you're not going to hurt the prisoners, right?" Riri asked innocently.

"No, I won't, sweetie," Iori answered with a soft smile. Even though it would be so easy. He had come up with so many ways to take care of the prisoners.

The first was the easiest. It involved him acting as a one-man firing squad and shooting them to death. It would be so simple, clean and humane, with a single bullet for each of them. Unfortunately, it would still be traced back to him. He had suggested executing them and it would be too much of a coincidence if they were found dead with wounds caused by a weapon only he wielded.

He had also considered using the villagers to do the deed for him. They would be incredibly upset after losing their homes and wanted to know who was responsible. Iori could just point them in the right direction and let their angry mob mentality run its course. His hands would be clean and their problem would be solved. Of course, there were also risks involved. He could still be pointed out to be the ringleader. He really did not need that hassle.

Finally, he had considered just throwing the prisoners into Helheim Forest and letting the place deal with them for him. If the fruit did not get them first, then the Inves would kill them for trespassing on their habitat. Nobody would know it was he who had sent them to their deaths, but they could still suspect him.

His murderous thoughts were understandable. They had nearly killed his daughter and her death would have fractured their entire family. Oh, he knew that the prisoners had not been the ones who had personally blown up their home, but they were still part of the group responsible and they needed to pay for their actions with their lives.

However, Iori was not going to kill them, because Ryuubi had asked him to.

Even though it would be so easy.

However, if Riri had died, then nothing would stop him from getting his revenge. Not Ryuubi, not his friends, not even his wife. Of course, knowing Kochu, she would be right by his side and killing all those bastards with him.

"Come on. Let's go help the girls set up the camp for the villagers," said Kochu.

"I'll help," Iori offered.

"Didn't Touka ask you to go look for Nagata-sama?"

"It can wait."

Yes, first Iori would help them to set up the camp for the villagers and then he would go looking for Nagata. He already had a list of things to say to his friend for leaving them to fend for themselves.

Hand-in-hand, the family of three followed the others to the campsite.


"Look at what those monsters did to the kitchen," Chinkyuu grimaced as she stood in the middle of what used to be their castle's cooking area. Plates and bowls lay shattered and utensils littered the floor. The cabinets had been blasted open and the stove looked like it had been blown to pieces. Even more unfortunate was the lack of food. Most of the vegetables were ruined and rendered inedible while a whole chicken was found shredded to pieces and covered in rubble. Maybe they could salvage some of the greens that still looked good. All they needed was a bit of cleaning.

Chinkyuu found the jar Chou'un used to keep her menma, at least what remained of it. With the jar shattered beyond recognition, Chou'un's precious menma was gone.

She was sure to freak out once she learned the tragic fate of her precious menma.

"No food here," Ryofu concluded with disappointment after they finished searching the kitchen. She spotted a kitchen knife on the floor and picked it up.

"Why'd you pick that up, Ren-dono?" Chinkyuu asked.

"It's his," Ryofu said as she showed Chinkyuu the knife which had Nagata's name inscribed on it. That made it very precious to her.

"C'mon, let's head down to the basement. I think we still have some rice stored down there," Chinkyuu told her.

"Wait," Ryofu said as she pointed at the pantry door. The dogs were gathered in front of it, barking at it like there was something behind it. Unlike the rest of the kitchen, it looked clean and undamaged. There was writing on the surface, like the kind Kada used for his warding talismans.

"Are you sure we'll find something in there?" Chinkyuu asked, looking at it uncertainly. She was afraid that their enemies had raided the pantry, leaving it completely barren. There was also a possibility that the enemy had left a booby trap for them.

Ryofu cautiously put her hand against the door and it gave way. A rush of cold air hit the two girls and then lanterns hanging from the ceiling magically lit up. The two girls' eyes widened in amazement as they saw fully stocked shelves of food. There were vegetables, fruits, eggs, and even meat.

Unknown to the others, Nagata had commissioned Kada to enchant the pantry so that it could preserve food for long periods of time to keep them fresh and extend their shelf life, like a fridge. Kada understood and got to work, creating a spell that could do just that. It was how this pantry came to be.

"Grab a basket," Ryofu instructed when she spotted some baskets in the pantry. "Fill it with food."

"No need to tell me twice!" Chinkyuu responded as she eagerly grabbed a basket and began to fill it with food. They even found a jar of menma in the pantry, which should please Chou'un very much.


Meanwhile, back at Enjutsu's campsite, Haru stood guard over the would-be conqueror in her tent. This had been a terrible night for both of them. Not only had they attacked an allied kingdom, Enjutsu finally realized what she had done and she was regretting her actions.

"Miu-chan, what happened to you?" Haru asked her. He was not angry. He knew she had not been acting like herself. He blamed that on the Armored War Devils for getting in her head and manipulating her. He knew what it felt like to be manipulated or in his case coerced to do something against his will.

"I'm sorry," Enjutsu apologized. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I don't know what came over me. Please, Haru-niisama, forgive me."

Haru knelt down to look her in the eye. She flinched away from his gaze.

Guilt, shame, regret, remorse, it was all painted on her face.

"What happened to you?" Haru repeated the question.

Enjutsu finally answered.

"I don't know...when I saw the Seal of Heaven...I just...I just..." Enjutsu sobbed and wept, her tears streaming from her eyes. "What have I done? How could I have done that to Nanano? To Reiha-neesama? How could I have been so awful?"

Haru sighed at the pathetic sight. He really had no answer that could ease her pain. To be honest, she had craved power and recognition. That desire had made her an ideal target for the Armored War Devils to manipulate and use. She had an army, resources and wealth to fund their campaign, but she was not a genius. It was just so easy to fool her and use her.

She was supposed to be a ruler, but now she looked like a pitiful child who had lost everything. He could not help but pity her. The only thing he could do was try to ease her sorrow. She begged for forgiveness but he was not the only one she needed to apologize to. She needed to make amends with Ensho, Chokun and the others she had locked up.

Iori entered the tent. He looked at Enjutsu who flinched from his gaze. She had reason to be frightened. He was the frightening Demon Dragon of the Underworld, and that was not a title he gained for being nice on the battlefield. It may be true that he was kind to his friends and allies, but he was reputed to be cruel and merciless to his enemies.

"Hey, Iori. How are things going?" Haru asked.

"We've survived for another night," Iori answered. "Right now we're turning this site into a refugee camp for the villagers. I suppose you have enough supplies for them, don't you?"

"Yeah, we've got food, tents, blankets, firewood, and pretty much anything you might need," Haru said.

"Alright, good," Iori nodded. "So, care to tell me what's going on?"

"It wasn't Miu-chan's fault. She was brainwashed," Haru defended. "Those assholes did something to mess with her head, but she's all better now."

Iori glanced at Enjutsu and she flinched away. He did not believe it, but Ukitsu's group and the RinJyuKen Akugata were definitely capable of brainwashing and manipulating people. The Chou Sisters, Bravo, and Sousou, along with her Gi Faction, were prime examples of people who Ukitsu had used to further his own goals. Even Iori himself knew what it was like to have his free will got stolen (by Karasu) and forced to attack his friend. Whether Enjutsu had done it of her own free will or not was yet to be determined.

"And you? Why did you attack us?" Iori asked Haru.

"They took my family hostage," Haru answered.

Now Iori understood. In fact, he had experienced the same thing. When Riri had gotten kidnapped, he had been forced to fight Nagata in order to keep her safe. Kochu herself had been forced to assassinate someone. Fortunately, Riri had been rescued by the combined efforts of Nagata, Kanu, Chouhi, Komei, and Sonshoko.

Iori sympathized with Haru. Ensho was Haru's wife. While Iori was not sure what Haru saw in the vain and egotistical blonde, it did not change the fact that innocent women were being held captive.

He was reminded of what he saw when he and his men raided that bandit hideout and he found the girls being used as sex slaves. He did not want that to happen to any woman.

"You were under duress," Iori concluded. "I see."

"Sorry, man. If I had any other choice, I wouldn't have attacked you guys. You're my buddies."

"Right, we're buddies and since we're such good buddies I'm going to help you rescue your wife and your friends."

Haru and Enjutsu were stunned by this.

"Save Reiha-chan and the others? Right now?" Haru asked.

"Why waste time?" Iori returned rhetorically.

"But don't your friends need you here?"

"Your wife needs you too." Yes, Iori was supposed to be helping the others set up the camp for the villagers and then he was supposed to go looking for Nagata. However, right now, this seemed more important. Besides, he was in no rush to find Nagata.

"But the place is crawling with guards. They're no problem for me, but if they hear us coming, they might hurt Reiha-chan and the others."

"They won't hear us coming. We'll sneak inside and get them out undetected."

"So, you got a plan?" Haru asked hopefully.

"Yes, I have a plan," Iori answered as he held up a Tulip Hopper Lockseed. "Come on, Haru. We're going for a ride."

"But you're hurt. Are you sure?"

"It's just a few flesh wounds and Kada gave me some painkillers. As long as I don't exert myself, my wounds won't reopen and I should be alright."

"OK, I'm just afraid your wife will get worried. Maybe you should tell her first."

"We'll be in and out before she notices I'm gone," Iori responded with a wink. "Trust me. Now, come on. We don't have time to waste."

Haru nodded. Honestly, he couldn't wait to rescue Ensho. He actually planned on going back to get them as soon as everyone else was asleep. Now with Iori helping out, his chances of successfully rescuing them seriously went up.

"So are we going to get Nagata to help us?" Haru asked.

Iori briefly scowled at the mention of Nagata. He had tried to contact Nagata with his LockPhone but received no answer.

"Sorry, but he won't be joining us," Iori answered unhappily. He was still convinced that Nagata had abandoned them.

The two stepped out of Enjutsu's tent and Iori instantly froze. Haru bumped into his back and wondered what made him stop only to gulp. Standing in front of them with her hands on her hips and an unhappy expression on her face was Kochu. Riri stood next to her, matching her mother's expression and posture.

Oh, shit.

They were not happy.

OK, Riri looked adorable when she tried to look mad, but she was mad too, no doubt about it.

"Oh, Koi," Iori smiled sweetly, trying not to sound nervous after being caught.

"Going somewhere, boys?" Kochu asked, glaring dangerously at her husband. Haru hid behind Iori for protection as the latter gulped. He could not help it. The archer was scary.

"How much did you hear?" Iori asked nervously. If he played dumb, maybe Kochu would not catch on to what he was planning to do.

"What do you think?" Kochu's frown deepened as she folded her arms under her breasts, her daughter mimicking her. One difference between her and Riri was that when she did it, she looked very attractive.

"Dude, I think she knows," Haru whispered.

"Yeah, I get that, Mr. Obvious," Iori hissed back at him.

"You mean 'Mr. Knuckleman'."

Haru probably meant it as a joke to help ease the tension, but nobody was laughing.


KRC: Looks like Iori's in the doghouse right now. Will Haru and Iori be able to rescue Ensho and the others? Will Kochu let her husband go even though he's still injured from his battle with Sadako? Will they find out what really happened to Nagata?

So, just to make things clear, this chapter takes place right after Touka Village survived the last attack. So far, we know Ukitsu's dead, Sadako is dead, and Nagata's dead too. Only not everyone knows about the last one. Enjutsu's also captured and her forces have been defeated. Right now they're just trying to figure out how to handle all of this. Ryuubi's taken charge and they're all worried about Nagata, but trying not to think about him. They need to focus on the people.


A zipper materialized within the woods, against the bark of a tree. Then, through an invisible force, the zipper opened up.

Karasu Oda fell out of the portal and it zipped back up behind her before vanishing.

The ebony-haired girl breathed heavily as she forced herself to sit on her knees. Tears and perspiration stained her face as she leaned against the tree.

"Naga-kun..." she sobbed.

She looked at his items which she managed to gather before her escape. First was his SengokuDriver which held the damaged Kachidoki Lockseed. She ran her fingers over the surface of the device and tried to release it from the Drive Bay. It did not work. The Lockseed was stuck in the SengokuDriver.

The SengokuDriver was pretty much useless to her. After all, it was locked onto her cousin. Just thinking about Nagata brought back another torrent of sorrow.

She then looked at the Ryujin Key which she had also managed to pick up. It had lost its metallic sheen as it had turned to stone. She did not know what had caused its transmutation, but she suspected that it had to do with Nagata's death.

Remorse, regret, guilt, sorrow, sadness, anger, rage...it all gathered within her like a violent tornado.

Unable to hold it in, she let out a scream and angrily pounded the snow.

Why did Nagata have to die!?

It was not supposed to end this way!

He should be alive!

She should've kept him safe!

Tears dripped from her eyes as she stopped pounding the snow-covered ground. What was the point?

What was the point of going on?

What was the point of living?

All alone, the poor heiress reflected on everything that had happened. She had come to this world to help Nagata and to bring him home. She had even made a deal with Nagata's enemies for greater power.

Her plan had been to scare Nagata and discourage him so he would abandon this place and come back with her. Unfortunately, her plan had failed and she became guilty of treason.

Her beloved cousin Nagata had been the one to pass judgment and he put her in the dungeon. He had not wanted her to be executed even though the punishment for treason was death.

He had shown her mercy.

But now all Karasu wanted to do was to die.

Her hands had been stained in blood long before she arrived in this world. She had made a career as a bandit slayer, hoping that her reputation could attract Nagata's attention. She had been successful and he had brought her into the fold.

She had felt happiness at being reunited with him and relief to see that he was alive. Then came jealousy and hatred as she witnessed that he had given his heart to someone else. No, he was sharing his heart with others. She had decided to erase them but she would have to be smart about it.

She had befriended them to gain their trust. She had fought alongside them while secretly planning their demise. All the time she had been forced to endure watching them being intimate with her beloved cousin had caused her blood to boil in rage.

He had never looked at her like that, not even once.

So she had forced him and made him assault the others to eliminate them. She had even killed one of their own.

Yet, she had failed. She had failed miserably and all her efforts were wasted.

After spending a lot of time in that dungeon cell with only her thoughts to keep her company, she soon realized that she had indeed betrayed him.

She had been selfish and it had cost her everything.

She had wanted him for herself but gained nothing.

She had lost him and her honor.

And it was all her fault.

Now she was a fugitive and would no doubt be hunted down.

Harakiri was the only path left for her.

Unfortunately, she did not have her sword with her. She had lost it. However, she did possess her SengokuDriver and Forbidden Ringo Lockseed. Chosen had gotten them back for her so she could help Nagata.

A lot of good that did. She failed yet again and he was gone.

Now those same tools would be used to end her own life.

Karasu summoned her armor and removed her helmet. She then drew the Sword Bringer out from its sheath within the Apple Reflecter.

She gazed at the flat side blade, her amber eyes staring back at her from her own reflection. She held the tip of the blade to her stomach. The armor was durable, but even it had its limits and she was aiming for her stomach which only had the Ride Wear suit's protection. It would no doubt take a little bit of effort to pierce the suit and her flesh, but the armor enhanced her strength. She just needed to apply enough force so she could perform seppuku. Then she would bleed out.

It would be a slow and agonizing death but it was what she deserved.

"Wait for me, Naga-kun."

She closed her eyes as she mentally prepared herself.

Her shame would be washed away and soon she would be reunited with her beloved in death.

"Such a shame."

That made Karasu pause.

She was not alone.

She opened her eyes and saw a man staring back at her. He wore robes with a mask that reminded her of a rhinoceros. She frowned angrily. He had interrupted her sacred honorable suicide.

"Who are you?" she demanded.

"Just someone about to witness you making a terrible mistake," he said.

"Don't talk like you know me!" she snapped angrily. "You don't know what I've done! You do not understand!"

"I understand perfectly. I can see it in your eyes. You've lost everything, haven't you?"

Karasu slowly lowered her sword and let it slip out of her fingers.

Yes, she had lost everything. She had hit rock bottom. Without Nagata, she had nothing. She could not live without him, which was why she decided to take her own life.

"I have nothing to live for..." Karasu confessed as the tears returned.

"Actually, you do have something to live for," he corrected.

"And what is that?" Karasu spat with a scoff.

"You can avenge your losses."

Karasu's eyes widened in realization.

What was she doing? She shouldn't be feeling sorry for herself. She should not be contemplating suicide.

She could not die yet, not before avenging her beloved.

"Taiga...Shiba..." she growled.

She hated him like she had never hated anyone before. She did not hate those rapists half as much and the hatred she held for the girls was just a speck.

He had committed the ultimate sin.

He had taken Nagata from her.

With a renewed resolve, she picked her sword back up.

"You're right..." Karasu slowly rose to her feet, standing tall and proud, all sorrow washed away before being replaced now by a burning desire for revenge. "I can't die yet, not until I make him pay."

The man nodded, acknowledging Karasu's fury.

"However, he is stronger than me and I doubt my blade can cut him down. I must become stronger," Karasu swore.

"I can help you with that."

"Who are you?" Karasu asked again. He had yet to give her his name.

"Little Crow, my name is Brusa Li."