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.
Karasu sat by an open flame as she cooked a rabbit she had caught over it. Cooking always reminded her of her beloved cousin, Naga-kun, as he could always make anything taste delicious. Once she was sure her rabbit was cooked, she took it off the fire and blew on it to cool it before taking a bite.
She grimaced at how bland it tasted but she had no choice. She needed to eat to keep up her strength. It just sucked that she did not have any spices and seasonings on hand. As she attempted to enjoy her meal, the Ryujin Key which hung from a string around her neck began to glow.
This was the first time it had ever done anything like this. Could this be a sign?
The Ryujin Key then tugged on the string which dug into the back of her neck. OK, this was definitely a sign. It was trying to lead her somewhere.
No, it was trying to lead her to someone.
"Naga-kun?" she wondered but that couldn't be right. He was dead, wasn't he?
The Ryujin Key kept tugging insistently. It looked like she had no choice but to go along with it.
Sangokuden Armored War Gods Saga: End of the Armored War Gods
Written By: Kamen Rider Chrome
Beta Reader/Editor: Busterleader92 & Kamen Rider Goji
Chapter 48: Memories of the Azure Dragon King
A portal quite unlike the Helheim portals opened up in the middle of Touka Village. It was like someone had torn a hole open in reality with a sword. Once the portal was wide enough, a figure leaped out of the tear and landed on his feet.
His whole body was concealed under a dark cloak with a wolf's skull acting as the hood. It was worn out and tattered with age but had an odd sturdiness. Pulling down his hood, Nagata Oda opened his silver-on-black eyes and gazed upon Touka Village's present state.
It had seen better days. Buildings were in ruins with rubble littering the ground. It was also overrun with Helheim plants which had spread everywhere. Vines crawled all over the ruins as the deceptively delicious fruit hung from them to tempt unfortunate victims with their allure.
Touka Village was abandoned as there was no soul in sight and looked like it had been that way for quite some time now. There was an atmosphere of dread around the once lively and active capital of Shoku. Now, it looked like a ghost town.
He remembered watching children play. He remembered going to the marketplace to buy food and being greeted and welcomed by the vendors. He remembered spending time with all his friends, enjoying the peace they had established and fought for.
He remembered a time when it used to be lively and recalled the Harvest Festival. Back then, everyone could just forget about all their troubles and enjoy themselves without worrying about anything. There had been good food, wonderful company and amazing entertainment.
He remembered how excited Ryuubi had been when she got an autographed poster of the Chou Sisters. He also remembered how much merchandise she had bought as well. He also remembered being swarmed by fangirls after his performance with the other three Sovereigns. Luckily, he had Ryofu and Karasu to save him as they acted as his bodyguards and kept the fangirls at bay.
Karasu had looked ready to murder them. The memory made him smile fondly. She was always so protective of him, driving off people who would take advantage of him.
"I'm home. But what happened here?" Nagata questioned.
The castle should provide him some clues so he made his way there. He was unaware that he was being watched.
He found the castle and it was a complete wreck. It looked like a bomb had gone off inside. It was a miracle that it could remain standing after that. It used to be his home. Once so full of life, it was now an empty and lifeless shell like the rest of the village, a shadow of its former self. It reminded him of abandoned and haunted homes.
"OK, now I know something really bad happened here," Nagata said and he ventured inside. Like the rest of the village, Helheim vines had crept along the walls with the deadly fruit hanging from them. The infestation was so great that he understood why the village needed to be abandoned. There was no way anybody could live here.
He also found Elementary Inves feeding on the fruit. They had taken residence in the castle after it was left abandoned like a bunch of squatters. It did not take long for the Elementary Inves to notice Nagata's presence and immediately turned aggressive. They were territorial by nature and fiercely protective of their primary food source. And anyone who dared to invade their territory would be taught a fatal lesson.
"I don't have time for this," Nagata growled in annoyance as he generated his Killing Intent. The Inves seemed to sense his predatory aura as they immediately cowered and backed down. The message was clear: he would not bother them as long as they did not bother him. To ignore such a warning would be fatal. They simply returned to their feeding, ignoring Nagata as he went to find some clues.
Nagata's return had not gone unnoticed as two figures followed him into the ruined castle.
Nagata started his search in the kitchen. Like the rest of the castle, it was ruined and covered in Helheim vines. However, it remained largely intact except that it was missing knives, pots, pans and plates. The pantry was also empty when it used to be full of ingredients that he used to make delicious meals.
His hand touched a cutting board left on the kitchen counter as he remembered a tender moment he shared with Kanu a long time ago.
"OK, Aisha, this might sound critical but the way you've been cutting vegetables has been incorrect," Nagata told her.
"Incorrect?" Aisha asked.
"Let me show you." Nagata grabbed some gai lan (Chinese broccoli) and a knife to show Aisha how to properly chop vegetables. The way he did it was certainly different than hers. She normally cut the vegetables into chunks with powerful chops. Nagata was showing her to carefully cut it into fine pieces. "OK, now you try."
Aisha took the knife and gai lan and tried to copy Nagata. She managed to make small pieces but each time the knife came down onto the wooden chopping board, it made an audible 'thunk'.
"No." Nagata got behind Aisha, causing her to blush as he gently took her hands in his. "Like this." He guided her hands on the proper way to chop vegetables. "You need to chop the vegetables firmly but gently."
"I see. I need to be firm yet gentle," Aisha observed Nagata's motions properly. "Thank you, Nagata-sama."
"You're welcome. After this, let's prepare the rest of the ingredients and then I'll teach you how to make the perfect omelette."
Nagata smiled fondly at the memory. It also made him remember the moments following his and Kanu's confession of love to each other. They had tried to keep their relationship a secret for personal reasons. Kanu had not been ready to make their relationship public and Nagata respected her decision. They did all the couple stuff in private, away from prying eyes. Whenever they got caught being intimate, however, they had attempted to make excuses to hide the fact they had been making out and to deflect any suspicion.
They did a good job of hiding their relationship until they told their friends. After that, Nagata thought he would just be with Kanu but the rest of the girls had other plans and agreed to share him. Even Kanu was onboard since she thought it would be selfish to monopolize him like that.
It took him time to get used to the arrangement but he quickly got the hang of things.
Nagata had spent the night with all of his lovers and woke up well past noon. He left the other girls to sleep-in while he stepped out of the room to take a bath and grab a cup of tea to start the day.
"My first orgy," he mused. He would never forget it. In fact, he was sure to have wonderfully vivid dreams about the experience. It had been quite intense, involving a lot of passion. Luckily for him and fortunately for them, he had enough stamina to leave them all satisfied.
He found Iori in the kitchen, sitting at the counter and drinking a hot cup of tea. The sniper had a knowing smirk on his face as he laid his squinted eyes on his friend.
That fox-like grin seemed to widen. It was like he had found out something amusing. Nagata grimaced. Whatever Iori had found amusing was likely at Nagata's expense.
"So, you look like you had a good night. You're practically glowing," Iori commented as Nagata poured himself a cup. Nagata blushed and said nothing as he sipped the hot beverage until he emptied his cup. He then poured himself another cup. "Yeah, you must be thirsty. You'll need to rehydrate after the spectacular night you had."
Nagata slammed down his cup after he finished his drink and glowered at Iori who just smiled impishly.
"You know," Nagata stated.
"The walls are pretty thin here," Iori replied, not denying it. "So, what was it like to be in a..." Iori paused as he counted his fingers. "Let's see, Aisha, Sui, Sei, Touka and Ren...OK, right. What was it like to be in a six-way?"
"Honestly," Nagata said as he tried to pick the right words. "Exhausting yet satisfying."
"And thus you have officially become a 'Harem Protagonist'," Iori congratulated as he raised his cup. "Congrats."
"What about you? Ever considered it?" Nagata asked.
"You know Shion's more than enough woman for me," Iori claimed.
"She nearly broke your hips after we got back," Nagata interjected, remembering how sore and exhausted Iori looked after a particularly passionate night in bed with his wife.
"And after this, she'll probably go and try to get all the details from the girls. And if word gets out, you know Kenshin's going to either yell at you out of jealousy or throw a party for you."
Nagata left the kitchen to head on over to the dining room. He recalled all the times the Shoku Warriors sat down to share a meal. They always sat down together for breakfast and during dinner. At dinner, they always talked about how their day went and about current events. He always enjoyed it since it showed that they had become a family.
One particularly amusing memory came back to him. It made him chuckle just remembering it.
Nagata had made himself a plate of fried rice balls for a snack. When he put the plate down, he realized that he had forgotten something.
"Damn, I forgot the soy sauce."
He went back to the kitchen to grab a bottle but when he returned, he found his fried rice balls missing.
He blinked and then his eyes narrowed. He went back into the kitchen to make himself another batch.
He put the fresh plate on the dining table and realized he had forgotten the soy sauce again. He went back to the kitchen to grab it.
"Ah! Hot! Hot!"
"Water! Water!"
When he returned from the kitchen, he found Rinrin and Tanpopo yelling for water. He smirked. He had set a trap with the new batch of fried rice balls by making them extra spicy to teach them a lesson.
He let them suffer a bit longer before he got them some water.
He smiled at the memory. He just hoped nothing terrible had happened to them since his absence. It was terrible not knowing what happened to them.
In the best-case scenario, they managed to get away and found refuge within the other kingdoms when the infestation started.
In the worst-case scenario, they could have been taken prisoner by the enemy or even worse killed.
He really hoped it was the former but he needed to make sure.
He went up the stairs to search their rooms. Careful to avoid any floorboards that might break under his weight, he walked by Karasu's bedroom door and paused before he backtracked and opened the door. He stepped inside and found a damaged doll lying on the floor.
Karasu loved making dolls and she was really good at it too.
"Here," Karasu said as she handed Nagata a doll she had made in her own image. "Now, when you go to sleep, you'll have me to watch over you."
"Thanks, Kara-chan."
"And I made another one of you." Karasu showed him a doll she had made that looked like him.
"So you can cuddle it at night?"
"Yes, cuddle."
He left Karasu's room and continued to make his way to his office. When he entered, he found pieces of paper scattered all over the floor. Besides the kitchen, he spent a lot of time in this room. Leadership was not just about fighting on the frontlines and leading everyone in battle. There were other responsibilities as well, which included running a kingdom.
And paperwork. There was just so much paperwork.
Nagata stared in horror at the stacks of documents that Shuri had brought for him to look over.
"Shuri, what are these?" Nagata asked.
"Requests from your subjects, Nagata-sama," Shuri said. "Now that you're the new governor, it's your responsibility to look them over for approval or rejection."
"So much power in a name," Nagata remarked as he took a sheet of paper on the stack. It just needed his name stamped on it to be approved. He would have to read through all of these by the end of the day. "Better get started."
It took all day but when he was done, he had his documents in two piles. One pile was for the rejected requests and the other was for approved ones. As he was about to call Shuri to help him file the documents, a gust of wind blew the documents off his desk and scattered them all over his office.
He tried not to curse.
He hated doing paperwork. A lot.
Nagata remembered how tedious it had been to pick up and reorganize the documents again, but he enjoyed working with Komei as she offered advice on how to handle the requests. His work allowed him to help people, which was something he enjoyed. It filled him with a sense of purpose.
His family shrine was empty so someone must've taken everything that was inside. He hoped it was one of the Shoku Warriors, most likely Kanu or Ryuubi. They would treat those items with respect. He hated to think that someone might have stolen them.
He left the office when his search yielded no results and went to his room. He looked over to the bed. He remembered the many nights he spent with the girls. They each enjoyed different things. Chou'un enjoyed foreplay before doing the deed, Bacho liked being held and kissed when they made love, Kanu enjoyed cuddling, Ryuubi enjoyed sharing and Ryofu loved it rough.
He also remembered one morning in particular after the act.
Nagata woke up and looked beside him to see Touka still fast asleep. He caressed her cute face and ran his hand through her soft hair. That action woke her up as she opened her eyes and yawned adorably.
"Good morning, Touka."
"Good morning, Nagata-sama."
Still half-asleep, Touka took hold of Nagata's face and pulled him in for a good morning kiss.
They were both nude under the covers. Obviously, the two had made love the night before.
"Oh, good, you're both awake," Aisha said as she stepped into the room. A scene such as this would've flustered her a long time ago but she had long grown accustomed to it. "Come on, it's time to get to work."
"But I don't wanna!" Touka protested. The bed was soft and comfy and she did not want to leave Nagata's side. She just wanted to cuddle with him a bit longer.
Aisha rolled her eyes and went to drag both Touka and Nagata out of bed. The rosette would protest but Aisha had learned to ignore her sister's protests.
"Come on, Aneue. You can't just spend the whole day in bed. I know it's tempting but we all have things to do." Touka and Nagata quickly grabbed Aisha and pulled her into bed with them. "Ah! Aneue! Nagata-sama!"
"Aisha, are you sure we can't spend a bit more time in bed together?" he teased as he caressed her flushed face.
"Ah, we can't!" Aisha protested but Nagata kissed her neck in that sensitive spot that made her putty in his hands. "Stop it!" He ignored her protests as he continued to rain kisses on her neck. "Nagata-sama, stop it! I mean it!"
"C'mon, Aisha-chan," Touka insisted as she played with Aisha's hair. "Come join us. We can cuddle too."
Aisha was a warrior with a strong will. However, under such an effective assault, she was defeated.
Unable to fight anymore, she surrendered to her captors.
None of them left the bed or room until an hour later.
Nagata, Kanu and Ryuubi had spent a lot of time in bed that it became pretty common for them to sleep together. Ryuubi did not want her sworn sister to feel left out and Kanu often felt jealous whenever Nagata spent time with the other girls of their group. She had given him her blessing to have a harem but he still valued her the most as his main partner.
Unable to find any clues, he stepped out of his room and turned to his right so he could continue his search for clues. That was when he spotted the two figures who had followed him inside.
His eyes widened as he saw what they were.
"Kamen Riders...?"
At first glance, they resembled Kamen Riders, more specifically Kamen Rider Kiva and Kamen Rider Faiz. However, as he looked at them carefully, he realized that they were not really Kamen Riders at all but monstrous imitations.
Just like Majin Gaim.
The monster that resembled Kiva was black and red with stained glass patterns in its eyes and chest. Long and sharp horns extended from its head while it wore a cape with bat wings. Its face was grotesque as its jaws were filled with razor-sharp fangs.
The monster that resembled Faiz shared the same color scheme as the original but the armor appeared more organic. It wore a ribcage as a chestplate and had white veins in its large yellow eyes. The red Photon Lines on its suit seemed to resemble veins.
These creatures were Majin Kiva and Majin Faiz.
Flicking its wrist, Majin Faiz charged at Nagata and threw a punch but he ducked under the swing. Majin Kiva also attacked as it summoned a cloud of bats to swarm Nagata. Immediately, his instincts kicked in as he tried to swat the bats away. Taking advantage of this, Majin Faiz kicked him in the chest and sent him staggering.
Majin Kiva summoned the Basshaa Magnum and fired water bullets that impacted Nagata's body. Since he was already dead, they only hurt without killing him. However, he was in no mood to die again.
He shifted into his Beastman form and shoulder-checked Majin Faiz. Majin Kiva fired at him but he evaded the shots by leaping over the monster. He landed behind it in a crouch then swept its legs, knocking it to the floor.
The Armored War God quickly summoned his LegenDriver once he realized what he was up against.
"Henshin!"
[SOIYA! DAI SHOGUN ARMS! SEKAI NO OUJA! SHINING DAIROKUTEN MAOU!]
"Get out of my castle!" Shogun Gaim shouted as he summoned his twin Daidaimaru scimitars and attacked the two Majin Riders. He slashed Majin Kiva across the chest, sending it staggering before he struck Majin Faiz with a roundhouse kick. Majin Faiz retaliated with an energy punch but Shogun Gaim blocked it by crossing his swords in front of him to catch the blow before striking back with the blades.
Shogun Gaim knew fighting in the castle right now was a bad idea as their battle could bring it crashing down on them. So he did the smart thing and led the two Majin Riders away. They followed him and the three combatants took their fight outside.
Shogun Gaim focused his attention on Majin Kiva who summoned a sword that resembled the Garulu Saber. Sparks flew as they traded blows but Shogun Gaim managed to break through the vampiric Majin Rider's guard to deliver a series of slashes to overwhelm his opponent before sending it backpedaling with twin jabs. He then delivered a roundhouse kick into Majin Kiva's head, sending it into a daze.
[SOIYA! DAI SHOGUN ATTACK!]
Shogun Gaim's energized Daidaimaru sliced right through Majin Kiva and the monster shattered into stained glass shards like a Fangire.
After witnessing the destruction of its fellow Majin Rider, Majin Faiz's vein-like Photon Lines glowed as it shrouded its entire body with a crimson aura. It performed Faiz Blaster's version of the Crimson Smash as it went to deliver a fatal flying kick at Shogun Gaim.
[SOIYA! DAI SHOGUN BREAK!]
Shogun Gaim quickly countered Majin Faiz's Crimson Smash and struck it with energy slashes that trapped it and left it suspended in an orange energy sphere. Once he had Majin Faiz where he wanted it, he sliced the sphere into three pieces along with Majin Faiz, killing the Majin Rider as it exploded into ashes like an Orphnoch.
After defeating both Majin Riders, Shogun Gaim wondered where they might have come from and who created them.
"Whatever those things were, they must've been the reason this place became a ghost town," Shogun Gaim believed. "Don't you think so, Enya?"
He received no reply and he quickly realized that he was just talking to himself again. He let out a sigh. He had gotten used to talking to Enya for so long that he'd forgotten that she was gone.
Because Gien was dead and Enya had just been a hallucination he had created after spending so many years alone in Purgatory. Enya had been a sign of his lingering guilt over Gien's death.
A portal zipped open and Shogun Gaim prepared himself for another enemy combatant. However, what he got instead was a familiar face as Idunn jumped out and landed in front of him.
The Ryujin Key had led Idunn back here to Touka Village. It was the last place she wanted to be since it was where she had lost everything. She had been initially reluctant to follow the key but she knew she could not avoid it forever. If Nagata was here, then she was going to find him.
When Idunn saw Shogun Gaim, she gasped in surprise. She may not recognize the Dai Shogun Arms, but she knew the man who was under the armor.
"Naga-kun, is that really you?"
"Kara-chan."
[LOCK OFF!]
Nagata canceled his transformation. At first, she was happy and relieved to see him again but once she saw his corpse pale face and blackened eyes, any happiness she might've felt at his return quickly turned to rage.
"How dare you?" Idunn growled as she drew her Sword Bringer out of her Apple Reflecter, confusing Nagata.
"Kara-chan, what are you-?"
"How dare you impersonate my Naga-kun!" Idunn screamed as she furiously swung at him.
"Whoa!" Nagata dodged her slash. "Wait! Kara-chan, it's me!"
"Stop talking and just die!" Idunn swung wildly to cut this undead imposter down but he kept dodging her slashes.
As Nagata tried to avoid getting his head chopped off, he realized that Karasu might not recognize him straight away. He must've looked different after his time in Purgatory. He knew he was in human form but he had not seen himself in a mirror yet to see how much he had changed. It was obvious that she recognized him but did not believe he was who he said he was.
He needed to convince her without hurting her.
Idunn kicked him onto his back and went to stab him. He rolled out of the way as she drove her sword into the ground. She withdrew her blade and turned to glare at him as he stood back up.
"Kara-chan, this is me. Here, let me show you." He opened up his shirt to show her his Oda clan medallion. "See this? Recognize this?"
Idunn paused when she saw the medallion but her anger only intensified.
"You stole that from him!" she accused as she pointed her sword at him. "Return it and I'll make your death swift!"
"Seriously!?" Nagata cried in frustration. "I always knew you were stubborn, Kara-chan, but you have to see how ridiculous this is! This is just like when we played hide and seek and you insisted that you won even after I found you because your eyes were closed!"
Idunn suddenly froze.
"Wha-what did you say?" Idunn questioned, stunned by what he had just said.
Nagata blinked. OK, that was good. She wasn't trying to kill him now. Alright, Nagata, keep it up.
"When we were kids, we played hide and seek in my house and I found you hiding in the kitchen cabinet. You covered your eyes with your hands and claimed that you were still hiding since you couldn't see me when I couldn't see you."
Idunn lowered her sword. She wasn't fully convinced but she was starting to believe him.
"What is my favorite ice cream flavor?" she questioned.
"It's Neapolitan with chocolate sprinkles, gummy bears but no nuts since you're allergic to them," Nagata answered.
Idunn dropped her sword and shield and canceled her transformation. Not a whole lot of people knew about her peanut allergy. She needed to ask one last question to be sure. It had to be something only he would know.
"What did I give you when you started living with Aunt Yang after your parents died?"
"You gave me a doll. I didn't know it at the time but it looked like Okaasan."
Tears welled up in her amber eyes as she finally believed him. She threw herself at him and wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug.
"It really is you!"
He returned the hug tenderly.
"Yes, Kara-chan. It's me. I'm back."
Karasu released him, happy, relieved but also confused.
"But I don't understand. How can you be here? I watched you die."
Nagata rubbed the back of his neck.
"It's a pretty long story, Kara-chan."
"Then tell me later. We need to go. It's dangerous here."
"I know. I fought a couple of monsters that look like Riders earlier."
"And you defeated them like you always do. OK, come on. Let's go." Karasu took his hand and opened up a Helheim portal.
"Where are we going?" Nagata asked.
"Home."
As both Karasu and Nagata hopped into the portal, a figure hovering in the sky was spying on them. It was half-black and half-green with a smile and a grimace, keeping itself aloft with swirling wind.
Once they were gone, it took off to inform its master.
Both Karasu and Nagata exited the portal together.
"Your hand is cold," she stated as she looked at their linked hands.
"I'll explain later," he answered. "Where are we?"
"Home sweet home. Well, it's sort of home, at least," Karasu told him somberly. It was a forest clearing with numerous tents set up and there were a lot of people at the camp that looked homeless.
There was nothing sweet about it.
"What happened to them?" Nagata asked.
"It's been a little over eight months since you've been gone. A lot has happened since then," Karasu informed him.
"Eight...eight months?" His time in Purgatory felt longer even if he could not count the days. When it was always twilight, how could he?
"These people have lost their homes because of the war."
"So, this is a refugee camp," Nagata concluded.
"Yes, it is," Karasu confirmed. "They can stay here in peace while I protect them."
Nagata saw a group of children playing. He smiled. At least they were trying to take their minds off all the misery. He saw families sitting close together as well, sharing their warmth, food and comfort.
"There are a lot of people here and you protect them all by yourself?" Nagata asked.
"I've also been training anyone willing to help defend this place," Karasu continued.
"You did something good for these people," Nagata smiled proudly.
"I felt I had to take responsibility and help people in your honor. Let's go over to my tent. We have a lot to catch up on."
"Yes, we do. I need to know what happened to everyone since I've been gone."
Nagata sat down with Karasu on her camping spot. It was no different from the others, even though she was the leader of this camp. It showed that she was humble.
"So, you're wondering what happened to everyone," Karasu started.
"Yes, what happened? Where did everyone go?" Nagata questioned.
"Touka Village became inhospitable when it became infested with Helheim plants. They tried to get rid of them, but the plants would grow back overnight. They also attracted Inves which made it a dangerous place to live. It was simply safer to take the villagers elsewhere to start fresh in a new place. Last I heard, they took the villagers to Sou Gi and joined up with Sousou," she answered.
"And you didn't go with them."
Karasu hesitated for a bit before answering.
"After you died, I had no reason to stick around and so I left."
Of course, she could not stay. She was a traitor and a fugitive. If she even told anyone that he had been killed, they would immediately accuse her of being the murderer.
Now it was her turn to ask the questions.
"I watched you die. How are you here?"
"Like I said, it's a long story, but the short version is that I ended up in Purgatory."
His mother, Ruby, had helped him regain most of his memories, including what had happened to him after his death and when he first ended up in Purgatory.
Nagata woke up tasting sand in his mouth. Immediately, he spat it out before he took stock of his situation.
He found himself in the middle of a desert.
What the hell?
He could've sworn he had been in the Helheim Forest.
Nagata walked for what felt like hours, looking for any signs of civilization. Fortunately, the desert was not blazing hot due to the sun being absent, but the sky seemed to be in a state of perpetual twilight.
Strangely, Nagata did not feel tired, hungry or thirsty, even after walking for so long.
After he woke up, Nagata had searched himself. He found that he did not have his SengokuDriver or Lockseeds, and his LockPhone was missing as well. Fortunately, he still carried his swords. At least he was not completely defenseless.
Now, he was trying to find someone who could help him. He was lost and he didn't know where he was. He would accept help from anybody right about now.
Nagata sat down to rest, using a rock as a stool. He felt like he had been walking in circles. He had yet to find anybody or a settlement. It was like a complete wasteland. There was no plant life and he had yet to come across any wildlife. It was like the entire place was completely barren.
He used his rest time to think, to recall what had happened before he ended up in this place.
The village had been attacked, which had become quite the usual occurrence lately. The latest attack was perpetrated by Haru of all people. He just couldn't believe one of his own friends would be involved in such a thing.
He had gone to the castle to check up on Karasu and found Ukitsu attempting to assassinate her. He had stopped Ukitsu and then...
...Taiga Shiba had appeared.
"Taiga..." Nagata whispered.
He could not believe that his old friend and rival had shown up, but he had and he was working for the RinJyuKen. Why he decided to kill Ukitsu was a mystery, but that was not something to dwell on right now.
Taiga Shiba had bonded with Bujin Gaim. It was like a nightmare come true. Nagata thought he had seen the last of the demon, but it had returned and found a new host. What made it worse was that Bujin Gaim had bonded with someone who had a grudge against him.
Nagata fought Taiga with Karasu's aid. They seemed to have the upper hand until Taiga used a demonic eyeball Lockseed to overwhelm them but that was not the end of it.
After defeating Nagata, Taiga then...killed him...
Nagata gasped and he opened up his shirt to see a huge scar on his chest. That was the fatal wound inflicted by Taiga. He put his hand against his chest and his eyes widened when he felt nothing.
He had no heartbeat.
"What. The. Hell?"
Nagata lay on the sandy floor of the desert. He had been lying there for hours, gazing up at the twilight sky.
He was dead and believed that this must be Hell. There was no way this could be Heaven, but if it was Hell, then where were all the fire and the demons torturing the sinful?
Solitude was torture. There was no other way to describe it. There was nobody around for him to talk to, which was maddening.
He needed answers. He could not be the only person in this wasteland. There had to be others like him who ended up sent here.
He missed his friends, he missed his home.
It made him feel cold and dead inside.
"Aisha, Rinrin, Touka..." Nagata whispered as his eyes watered. "Sei, Sui, Iori, Shion, Riri..."
These were the people he loved, the people he had left behind.
Did anyone know what had happened to him? Did his friends know? He knew Karasu knew as she was there when it happened.
He got up to continue his walk but he tripped and fell down a dune. He went tumbling on the sand before rolling to a stop facedown. He gritted his teeth as he clenched his fists, the sand spilling out of the gaps between his fingers.
He screamed in frustration.
He was all alone and nobody knew where he was.
Was he being punished?
What Nagata failed to realize that there was wildlife in this place. He may not have found any, but his screams had just attracted them.
And none of them were friendly.
Nagata screamed.
He finally ran into some wildlife. Now the wildlife was chasing after him.
There was a pack of them, with sharp claws and jaws filled with fangs. They were bipedal but they preferred to chase him on all fours. When standing straight, they were at least six feet tall.
He was pretty sure he was in Hell now and this just confirmed it. Creatures like this could not exist anywhere else.
He could have defended himself with his swords, but there was no way he could fight off a pack like that on his own. He would become dog food. The sensible thing to do was to run.
They chased him. He had to get away so he ran faster. He did not want to end up being caught in their clutches. One of the creatures slashed him across the back, causing him to fall. They soon descended upon him in a furious and hungry frenzy.
He was dead meat. Correction, dog meat.
They dogpiled him and tore him to shreds.
That was when Nagata learned that you don't die when you get killed in Purgatory.
Nagata woke up with a gasp. He quickly checked himself for wounds and found that he was unscathed. He was a bit dirty, but physically he was fine.
"What the hell?"
How could this be? He remembered feeling those claws and teeth sinking into his flesh and tearing him limb from limb.
Had it all been a bad dream?
No, there was no way. There was no way that so much agony could've come from a mere dream. It was this place. There was something unnatural about it.
He did not know what those creatures were, but they looked like savage werewolves. Oddly enough, they reminded him of the creatures his birth mom had written in one of her books.
What were they called again?
In any case, Nagata needed to keep moving. He needed to make sure he did not run into those things again. He needed to find shelter and a place to rest. He may not feel tired or sleepy, but he would prefer to have a place where he could relax and think.
After walking for hours, he spotted a mountain and quickly ran toward it. Perhaps there was a cave where he could lie down and finally relax. He did not feel exhausted but he was tired of walking and needed a break so he could figure out just what kind of world he ended up in.
As he guessed it, there was a cave at the foot of the mountain. As he approached it, he felt a breeze that grew stronger and stronger until he felt himself nearly being blown away. He looked and his eyes widened.
It was a sandstorm!
He bolted and dove into the cave. He was just lucky that he was able to get inside in time. He would stay in the cave until the storm passed.
He felt something breathing down his neck and his eyes widened in terror.
He was not alone in the cave.
He heard a growl behind him which caused him to break out in a cold sweat. He shakily turned to face what it was with him inside of the cave.
He only saw a pair of red eyes before darkness engulfed him.
For the second time since he landed in this strange realm, he had once again fallen prey to its wildlife. While it was tearing him apart, he briefly noted it was the size of a bear but it also gripped him with arms so he thought it might've been a gorilla.
Or maybe it was a terrible cross between a bear and a gorilla. Whatever it was, the thing was vicious and showed no mercy. Nagata felt himself being torn apart again as he screamed before he knew no more.
And then he woke up again.
"Purgatory?" Karasu questioned.
"It was like a waking nightmare," he described. Each time he got killed, he would respawn with his body intact. It did not matter how many times he was torn to shreds, he would always return as if nothing had happened. However, there was a price that came with each respawn: his memories.
Each time he respawned, a bit of his memory would go missing. He did not notice it at first as it kept happening until he could not remember who he was, where he came from or what he looked like until he got stuck in his Beastman form.
There was a reason why the Grimmbeasts hunted him. They wanted to eat his memories to replace the ones they had lost. It did not matter if they were not their memories. They were just desperate to fill that emptiness.
To cope with his loneliness, he spoke to a hallucination of Enya. He did it so often that he could barely tell that she had been a figment of his imagination.
Karasu did not ask for further details. The way he said it, it had to be bad, bad enough that he did not want to talk about it. She would respect that and wait until he was ready. But there was something she had to know.
"Then how did you escape?" Karasu asked.
"I had help. I met some people who helped me find the exit and Okaasan was there too," he answered, remembering how Bucky and Nanamomo stayed behind to hold off the Femme Fatales for him so he could escape through the gate.
He would never forget their sacrifice.
"Aunt Ruby?"
"I was just as surprised as you, Kara-chan. She was there and she helped me."
Even now, his mother was watching over him like some kind of scythe-wielding guardian angel.
"I'm just glad you've come back to life," Karasu smiled.
"That's just it, Kara-chan. I haven't come back to life. I'm undead now," he retorted. He had no pulse, no heartbeat and no body heat. He was essentially a walking corpse. "I'm no different from the Rinshi."
"Don't say that," Karasu protested. She was surprised to hear he was a zombie now but that did not matter to her. "You're nothing like those mindless, hopping corpses." Yes, he had the same pale skin and his eyes were blackened but he still appeared mostly human. She needed to change the subject to something less somber. "So, I like your cloak. Did you make it yourself?"
"I made it out from the pelt of a Grimmbeast," he told her.
"Grimmbeast? You mean like in those stories your mother wrote?" Karasu questioned.
"So that's how I came up with the name," Nagata realized. "I've forgotten about that."
"How could you have forgotten that? She used to read those stories to us all the time when we were younger." Karasu knew he got amnesia after he survived the car crash that had claimed his parents' life but he had gotten his memories back. Now, it sounded like he had lost his memories again.
"A lot happened in Purgatory," he answered cryptically. "So, I know this is going to sound like an odd request, but do you mind if I cooked you all something?"
Karasu's eyes brightened when she heard that. A meal prepared by her beloved cousin? Of course, she'd accept.
"I'll go fetch the ingredients," Karasu said.
Nagata had not cooked in a very long time. How could he while in Purgatory? There had not been a single thing to eat or cook. So, just being able to cook was a blessing. It was like a return to a more normal routine.
He just hoped all his time in Purgatory had not made him rusty.
Karasu and some refugees brought him the ingredients. There wasn't much for him to work with but he could make due. There was rice, flour, fish, and some wild vegetables and mushrooms he was sure was healthy. Luckily, it was not yet winter, so these things weren't scarce.
Karasu gave him a knife to prepare the ingredients while water boiled in a pot over a fire. He was going to make congee, traditional Chinese rice porridge for the refugees. It wasn't anything sensational but while he cooked, the delicious smell attracted everyone within the camp.
Nagata poured a tiny bit into a bowl and tasted it. That was when he had a coughing fit.
"Are you alright?" Karasu asked, concerned.
"I'm fine," Nagata answered as his coughing ceased. "It's just been a very long time since I last tasted food."
"It must've been Hell for you," she remarked. "Is it ready?"
"Yes, it's ready. Have everyone line up and take a bowl each. Hopefully, we have enough for everyone."
Smiling, Karasu served each of the refugees a bowl of congee. It was likely the best meal they ever had in a long time since Nagata prepared it. They were a little intimidated by his tar-black eyes but Karasu assured them that he was not a threat.
As everyone enjoyed their meal, Nagata watched on with a smile. He loved helping people, which was why he accepted being Touka Village's governor in the first place, but he also loved cooking for them. He felt that his talents were best used providing everyone with good food, to boost their morale with full stomachs. It was why he insisted on cooking for everyone, even their soldiers. They always felt energized after a meal made by him.
Karasu noticed his expression and was happy to see him smile. She had not had a lot of reasons to feel happy about since she was a fugitive but she did her best to help everyone she could. There were risks for sure, but she was not going to hide and avoid helping people. She needed to serve her penance somehow.
The way Nagata was acting, it was like he did not remember she had betrayed him.
"Here." Nagata served her a bowl. "You need one too."
"What about you?" she asked.
"I don't need to eat," he answered. "I mean, yeah, I could eat this but I don't feel hungry or thirsty. Everyone else should eat. You don't need to waste any food feeding me."
"Help! Monster! There's a monster! Help! Help!"
Karasu and Nagata, alarmed, immediately responded as they got up and ran toward the source of the cry. They soon found it when they saw that a kaijin had entered the camp and was attacking a refugee while the others fled in terror.
The insectoid kaijin had black skin that was covered in red carapace armor with insect legs wrapped around its thighs and abdomen. It had a spike sticking out of its left shoulder and a couple of insect legs sticking out of the right shoulder. Its head sported two large blue compound eyes with a big red horn between them. Finally, it wore a belt with an insect larva decorating the buckle.
"Kabuto..." Nagata identified as this kaijin resembled Kamen Rider Kabuto.
This was Majin Kabuto.
Some of the refugees had tried to fight the monster using hatchets, knives and whatever they could use for weapons, but it had injured them instead.
Majin Kabuto noticed the two Odas and dropped the man it was holding.
It had found its targets.
"These things have been running around causing trouble," Karasu informed her cousin as she took out her Ringo Lockseed.
[RINGO!]
"Well, then let's exterminate it," Nagata quipped as he summoned his LegenDriver and took out his Dai Shogun Lockseed.
[DAI SHOGUN!]
Majin Kabuto pointed to the sky with its index finger before it pointed its finger at the Odas and ran it across its throat.
"Henshin!"
[COME ON! RINGO ARMS! DESIRE FORBIDDEN FRUITS!]
[SOIYA! DAI SHOGUN ARMS! SEKAI NO OUJA! SHINING DAIROKUTEN MAOU!]
Shogun Gaim armed himself with his shotgun gauntlets and traded blows with Majin Kabuto. He punched the Majin Rider in the face and received a right hook in the face in retaliation. Majin Kabuto then threw another punch but Shogun Gaim blocked it and drove his fist into the Majin Rider's armored gut. The Majin Rider then delivered a roundhouse kick, knocking Shogun Gaim to the ground.
Idunn swung her sword but Majin Kabuto quickly countered with a kick to her gut. It delivered a roundhouse kick but she raised her shield in time to take the blow. It followed up with a stronger kick that knocked her down beside Shogun Gaim.
They got back up and charged at Majin Kabuto, this time working together. Shogun Gaim threw a barrage of punches as Idunn delivered a series of slashes, forcing the Majin Rider on the defensive. They now had an advantage and it looked like they might win but Majin Kabuto still had a trick up its sleeve.
[CloCK uP!]
Majin Kabuto suddenly blurred out of sight, causing the Odas to hit nothing but empty air.
"Huh!?" gasped Idunn.
"Oh, no." Shogun Gaim realized what it just did.
A blur rushed at them and knocked them off their feet.
"Get up!" Shogun Gaim yelled as he brought out his silver rapier. "It's using Clock Up!"
Meanwhile, during Clock Up, everything around Majin Kabuto was moving slowly. Due to its Clock Up State, everything it perceived looked like it was moving in slow motion. This gave it an advantage over its opponents.
It rushed at Shogun Gaim who was ready for him. Just as Majin Kabuto was about to attack, Shogun Gaim thrust forward. His strike hit its mark and Majin Kabuto's Clock Up ability was forcibly deactivated.
"Not so fast!" Shogun Gaim yelled as he replaced his rapier with his giant scythe and swung at the Majin Rider. Majin Kabuto ducked under the first swing and then started to bob and weave as Shogun Gaim tried to land a blow. Frustrated, Shogun Gaim instinctively poured Rinki into his weapon and slashed Majin Kabuto across the chest, knocking it back.
Growling in anger, Majin Kabuto executed his Clock Up ability again.
[CloCK uP!]
It threw a kick at Idunn and then delivered a combo of punches at Shogun Gaim before its Clock Up ability timed out.
"Ugh!"
"Oof!"
Idunn crashed into a tree while Shogun Gaim was sent tumbling as his armor vanished in a flash.
[ClocK OvER!]
Majin Kabuto went to pick Nagata up when it spotted children cowering out of the corner of its eye. It then looked at Nagata before it looked at the children and made its decision as it released him.
As Majin Kabuto approached the children, Nagata grabbed its leg to stop it.
"Stay away from them!" Nagata shouted but Majin Kabuto ignored him as it pulled its leg out of his grasp. The children screamed as Majin Kabuto got closer and Nagata's eyes turned red with black veins surrounding them as he let out a feral yell. "I SAID STAY AWAY FROM THEM!"
Rinki burst from his body as he picked himself up and broke into a run. He got in-between Majin Kabuto and the kids and pushed the Majin Rider away.
"Are you alright?" Nagata asked but they screamed in fear of him. He realized what had happened when he saw his clawed hands and the blue scales on his arms.
He had changed into his Reptilian Beastman form.
Majin Kabuto punched Nagata in the face but he held his ground as he fought back, stopping it from getting close to the children.
"Go! Run!" Nagata shouted at the kids who remained frozen in fear. He slashed Majin Kabuto across the chest with his sharp forearm fins and pushed it back with a kick.
Idunn had just witnessed Nagata's transformation into a Reptilian Beastman but that did not matter to her. What mattered was that he needed her help. She spotted the Kachidoki Lockseed lying on the ground. She must have dropped it when Majin Kabuto sent her crashing into the tree.
Majin Kabuto sent Nagata sprawling with a roundhouse kick to the face. The Reptilian Beastman wiped the purple blood off his jaw and snarled at the Majin Rider who was prepared to finish him off. All of a sudden, a portal opened and Idunn jumped out to bash Majin Kabuto in the face with her shield, sending it backpedaling in surprise.
"Kara-chan?" Nagata questioned as she shielded him.
"Here." Idunn handed him the Kachidoki Lockseed and then drew her sword to engage Majin Kabuto again. "I'll hold it off. When you're ready, back me up."
Nagata looked at the Kachidoki Lockseed as Idunn and Majin Kabuto fought. It was covered in cracks and he remembered that it had been damaged during his last fight with Taiga.
He became furious as he recalled all that time he had spent in Purgatory. Taiga had sent him there to suffer and upon his return, he discovered that his home had been abandoned, infested by Helheim plants and all his friends were gone too.
His large red eyes glowed as he fed his Rinki into the Kachidoki Lockseed. The Rinki seeped into the cracks, filling them up and making the Lockseed look like it had deep blue veins on its surface. The veins of blue Rinki bled into the rest of the Lockseed, changing its color while restoring it. The Kachidoki Lockseed was now good as new but it was now deep blue instead of orange.
Meanwhile, Idunn had her shield up as Majin Kabuto delivered a roundhouse kick into it, causing it to buckle.
[CloCK uP!]
"Aaaaarrrgghhhh!"
All of a sudden, sparks exploded from Idunn and she went down as her armor vanished due to the damage she had taken.
[CloCK OvER!]
Majin Kabuto grabbed Karasu by her neck and lifted her. Their eyes met as she glared at the insectoid kaijin Rider defiantly.
As Majin Kabuto was about to snap Karasu's neck, it got blasted in the back and released her. She fell to her knees, gasping for air. She took deep breaths as she rubbed her throat and then looked up to see Gaim in his Kachidoki Arms with his DJ Gun and Nobunagun aimed at Majin Kabuto.
"Naga-kun," Karasu smiled as she saw the new blue Kachidoki Armor which made her beloved cousin resembled a fully armored Japanese Shogun. She could see that he had restored his Kachidoki Lockseed which matched his armor but it still had an orange core like before. The armor was also worn over his Ryujin Ride Wear suit.
"Kara-chan, get those kids out of here now!" Gaim instructed as he combined both his Musou Saber and DJ Gun to form the DJ Taiken. He did not dare risk hitting the refugees with his firearm.
Karasu obeyed and went to lead the kids away to safety.
"I don't know what you are or where you came from, but I'm not letting you hurt anyone!" Gaim shouted at Majin Kabuto. "You understand me, you damn freak!?"
Majin Kabuto attacked, throwing punches at Gaim who countered with his DJ Taiken. He struck the kaijin Rider across the chest but it recovered quickly to throw a punch into his face. Growling, Gaim delivered a furious series of slashes that sent the Majin Rider reeling.
[CloCK uP!]
Majin Kabuto blurred away again via Clock Up.
"Not again!" Gaim snapped as he was getting fed up with that move. He suddenly found himself being assaulted from all directions as multiple blows rained down on him simultaneously. Fortunately, his armor absorbed all the blows. However, he could not win if he just remained on the defensive. He needed to take Majin Kabuto out and to do that he must match its speed. His first option was his Red Rose Arms but that form's speed could not match Majin Kabuto's Clock Up. He briefly considered using White Snow for its glyphs or Black Beast for its Shadow Clones but they still wouldn't be able to beat Majin Kabuto for the same reason.
A massive explosion of sparks went off on Gaim's chest as he was knocked to the ground and his weapon flew out of his grip.
Deactivating its Clock Up ability, Majin Kabuto approached the Armored War God of Ultimate Sword threateningly. Gaim tried to get back up but Majin Kabuto punched him in the face. It grabbed Gaim by the collar and punched him repeatedly in the face until his orange visor cracked.
All of a sudden, a Helheim portal opened up behind Majin Kabuto and vines shot out to ensnare its limbs and neck, pulling it off Gaim.
"Naga-kun!" Karasu shouted as she took the Ryujin Key off her neck. "Take this!" She threw the Ryujin Key which flew into Gaim's hand. He caught it and rose up as he recovered from being punched repeatedly in the face.
"Thank you, Kara-chan." Gaim glared at Majin Kabuto as he held up the Ryujin Key and clicked the button. "This is it. You're finished."
[RYUJIN!]
Majin Kabuto broke free of the vines and charged at Gaim as he twisted the Ryujin Key in the Kachidoki Lockseed. As he did, he could not help but quote Kamen Rider Kabuto. It seemed appropriate and he always wanted to say it.
"Cast off!"
It felt so right to him.
[LOCK OPEN!]
The Kachidoki Arms armor pieces burst from Gaim's body and hit Majin Kabuto, stopping it in its tracks.
[RYUJIN ARMS! DAI RYUOH! SORA NO SEIRYU, RISE TO THE THRONE!]
With his Ryujin Raiment draped over his Ryujin Ride Wear suit, Ryujin Gaim now stood proudly before Majin Kabuto.
"Ascending to the Throne. Armored War God Ryujin Gaim, On Stage."
The Musou Seiryuoh had returned to pass judgment.
Ryujin Gaim ran up to Majin Kabuto and delivered a roundhouse kick that the Majin Rider ducked under. He then followed up with a reverse roundhouse that missed but then his third kick hit its mark as he struck Majin Kabuto in the stomach.
[YELLOW SUN DRAGON!]
He twisted his Ryujin Key to summon a weapon but summoned himself instead as a portal opened and Gaim Yellow Sun Dragon jumped out to land an explosive punch right in Majin Kabuto's face which knocked it down. The Gaim clone soon vanished after delivering his attack.
"Next!" Ryujin Gaim summoned again as Majin Kabuto rose back up.
[RED ROSE!]
Gaim Red Rose came speeding out of his portal and slashed Majin Kabuto repeatedly with his giant scythe before he vanished. Ryujin Gaim got in there with his Ryujinmaru and struck Majin Kabuto thrice, ripping sparks off with each blow.
[CloCK uP!]
As soon as Majin Kabuto initiated its Clock Up ability, blue lightning arched around Ryujin Gaim as he vanished from sight as well. Karasu smiled, knowing what happened even if all the onlookers were confused.
Within Clock Up, Majin Kabuto soon met its match as Ryujin Gaim was able to enter a similar state of lightspeed. The Majin Rider believed this to be an invasion of its personal domain. It was the Lord of Speed and it would destroy this intruder for daring to encroach on its territory.
When Ryujin Gaim and Majin Kabuto entered Clock Up, they moved at the speed of light. Those outside Clock Up could only see two blurs zipping around and colliding with each other. Whenever the two blurs met, the impact generated deafening thunderclaps.
[EMBER CELICA!]
Arming himself with the shotgun gauntlets, Ryujin Gaim traded rapid-fire punches with Majin let up as they furiously exchanged explosive blows. Flames trailed from Ryujin Gaim's fists as they collided with Majin Kabuto who countered with its own punches. Fists connected with incredible force, generating thunderclaps and shockwaves. It looked like the two were evenly matched in terms of strength and speed. However, there could only be one victor.
A cross-counter broke the two apart. Thanks to the Ryujin Raiment, Ryujin Gaim was able to tank the hit.
[SILVER FLASH!]
On the training grounds, Nagata stood in a kendo stance across from Sui, the two of them staring each other down from the space between them. The spearwoman insisted on helping Nagata train to not only keep his skills sharp but to advance them to the next level.
Nagata was a decent swordsman, but Sui and almost everyone he knew was leagues above him in skill. Unlike him, they grew up with the life and death struggles in these turbulent times. The only reason he matched them in any sense, especially when he first arrived in China, was because of his suit and Lockseeds turning him superhuman whenever he wore them.
Sui was the first to voice it, being the blunt woman she could be, stating that Nagata had to learn how to fight outside of his armor. During a battle, anything could happen to prevent him from activating his Lockseeds.
The pair looked into each other's eyes and saw deeply through them, into their personalities and core values. Of course, both saw the deep love and affection they had for one another. Sui's telltale blush began to rise when she saw that affection, for the moment, pointed solely at her. If she was anywhere else, she would have broken down into her adorable stutter.
Now though…
"HAH!" both cried at once, lunging with their weapons and creating the sounds of wood smacking on wood which echoed through the air.
Sui spotted some flaws in his stance which she would berate him for later and smack him a dozen times, but after she was done she would bashfully give him a massage to make him feel better. It soon became a regular activity for them, which would make Sui blush and stutter all over again.
The flying cross-yari hit Majin Kabuto's belt dead center, causing sparks to erupt from the now damaged buckle. As a result, Majin Kabuto was forcibly taken out of Clock Up as Ryujin Gaim returned to normal speed. The damage to Majin Kabuto's belt meant that it could no longer use its special ability.
Ripping out the spear and tossing it away, Majin Kabuto glared hatefully at the impudent Armored War God for taking away its special ability. It was the Lord of Speed, damn it! How dare this Armored War God commit such a sin against it?!
With a yell, Majin Kabuto charged at Ryujin Gaim to make him pay.
[VIPER SPEAR!]
"Nagata-niichan's food is soooo good!" Rinrin cheered, chowing down on another one of Nagata's dishes.
The petite girl was going to town on her food as an eating contest was in full swing. It was her birthday and Rinrin wanted to have an eating contest with everyone. Fortunately, Nagata had been forewarned so he stocked himself up on everything he knew Rinrin liked so she could be nice and full.
That had been nearly an hour ago…
"Where...does she put it all?" Nagata wondered as he brought out another large bowl of dumplings and a large slice of melon for her next serving.
"Uuuuuuuuugh," Sui groaned, facedown at the same table.
"Umph," Touka burped.
"No more…" Shuri groaned.
"How...so...tiny...but so much…?" Sei murmured.
Aisha remained silent, long since used to Rinrin's large appetite.
"Yay! My melon!" Rinrin cheered as Nagata swapped plates for her. "Thank you, Onii-chan!"
"Well, it is your birthday. Might as well indulge," Nagata shrugged. "Just save a little room for your cake."
"Cake?" Rinrin blinked. "I get a cake like you do back in Heaven?!" Nagata had once explained how birthdays worked in his world, describing the large cakes which became such a staple for the event. Rinrin thought it sounded delicious and she couldn't wait to try one.
"It took some time to get everything I needed but I managed to make one."
He gestured to the door and a servant came out holding a strawberry cake which Nagata even managed to create icing for, writing Rinrin's name on it and wishing her a happy birthday. Small candles were even lit on it, making Rinrin's eyes glitter at such a pretty cake made all for her. It was pink and yellow with a tiger decoration and strawberries on it.
She almost didn't want to eat it since it was so beautiful.
"Happy birthday, Rinrin," Nagata smiled to his delighted little sister. It was hard work but the smile on her face just made it all worth it.
Ryujin Gaim struck Majin Kabuto with the Viper Spear. He then slashed Majin Kabuto twice more with the powerful weapon, sending the Rider-like kaijin backpedaling.
"LIGHTNING VIPER SLASH!"
He struck Majin Kabuto with the electrified Viper Spear, shooting a bolt of snake-shaped lightning through its body.
He tossed the weapon away to summon another weapon from his huge arsenal.
[HEAVEN PIERCER!]
His bond with Ryofu gave him access to her signature weapon and inhuman strength. Despite her fearsome reputation, Ryofu was actually a kind and gentle soul who loved animals.
Unlike the other ladies in his life who liked to do something at a fast pace or to socialize, Nagata's time with Ren was often spent doing something quiet and relaxing. The only company they had was the entourage of dogs which Ryofu kept with her.
Today though, Ren was actually pretty excited, wearing a small smile on her face as she and Nagata came to check on one of her dogs. She had just given birth to a litter of puppies. Ren had been there to help her through it and the litter of seven puppies was born healthy.
"Good job," Ren praised her canine friend as her puppies fed. "Very cute."
"Good job to you too," Nagata praised Ren, making her blush. "You've done this before, haven't you?"
"Yes, many times," Ren nodded, watching the puppies squeak as they fed. "So adorable."
"It's the little miracles like this which make life so beautiful," Nagata observed, keeping an eye on the other dogs so they wouldn't get too close and risk hurting the fragile newborn puppies in their excitement.
"Yes," Ren nodded. She looked up to Nagata for a moment. "Puppies for us?"
Nagata blinked at Ren's broken speech.
"I'm sorry?"
Ren pointed to him.
"Nagata," she said and then pointed to herself. "Me. Our puppies. When?"
Nagata blinked again but then blushed once he understood what she meant.
She wanted to have kids with him.
"Ah...uh...We...ah...I-I dunno. Th-things are so crazy I don't know if having kids would be...a good idea."
"Mm," Ren nodded. "Soon. Want puppies one day."
Nagata blushed, unsure of what to say. Maybe it was his near-death experience, but he didn't think having kids one day would be such a bad idea. Although, there would no doubt be a small war over who could have them first.
Ryujin Gaim smashed Majin Kabuto in the head with the Heaven Piercer, breaking its horn as it snapped off from the blow. He then delivered a series of bone-breaking blows that would have crippled Majin Kabuto if it wasn't human.
Majin Kabuto kicked the Heaven Piercer out of Ryujin Gaim's hands and went to resume its assault but was stopped in its tracks when a bident fell from the sky and landed point first in the ground in front of it.
[DRAGON FANG!]
Nagata was busy in his office, combating the ever-growing pile of paperwork. Running a kingdom was never easy and his kingdom was constantly growing as people flocked under his banner for protection and security.
SMOOSH!
"Sei...what are you doing?" asked Nagata, feeling a pair of soft, warm, but heavy orbs resting on top of his head.
The bluenette gave him a sultry grin, having hefted up her breasts to rest on his head. It surprised him since he didn't even notice her come into his office as he was so focused on his work.
"Just testing your awareness, Nagata-sama," Sei replied teasingly. "I came in to surprise you and you don't even notice. Have you become bored with your mistress already?"
Nagata rolled his eyes. Since he accepted the idea of having a harem, Sei's teasing just got lewder when she could get away with it. She was very open about her sexuality and she enjoyed the chance to flaunt and explore it with him and the other women she shared her lover with. Of course, she did it just as much for a laugh while hoping she could get Nagata to mark his 'territory' with her, usually in various rooms in the castle.
So far they managed to mark the kitchen, the library, the bedroom, the training grounds, and some other rooms here and there.
They had even marked the roof under the light of the moon. It had been pretty romantic and quite thrilling.
"I'm aware of you now," Nagata chuckled. He reached around and took Sei's hand, pulling her around before he sat her down in his lap, her arms wrapped lovingly around his neck. "So, why come tease me today?"
The bluenette pretended to think.
"Well, I was bored and decided to play a game with you to amuse myself."
"A game?" Nagata quirked an eyebrow.
"A guessing game," Sei nodded with a growing grin.
"And what would that be?"
"Simple. Guess what I'm not wearing."
Ryujin Gaim pulled the Dragon Fang out of the ground and charged it with lightning before he threw it at Majin Kabuto. It hit its mark and the Majin Rider screamed as it was shocked by the electrified bident.
[NOBUNAGUN! HINAWA DAIDAI DJ JU!]
Naga was roughly thrown against the ground. He grunted as he rose up, ignoring the pain he was experiencing, to face his assailant.
"Damn...Okuma..."
The Okuma was a bear-like Grimmbeast with black fur and white spikes jutting out of its spine and shoulder blades. It had sharp claws and jaws full of razor-sharp teeth. By itself, it had the strength of ten Badwolves and it was twice Naga's size.
Looking for shelter, Naga had accidentally trespassed on its cave. Now, he was trapped with the beast. With no way to escape, he had no choice but to fight.
He reset his dislocated arm and flexed his fingers. He just needed one good hit to beat it but its thick fur was like armor so his claws were pretty much useless.
The Okuma roared and lunged at him. He quickly leaped out of the way but as he landed, the Okuma swiped at him and sent him flying. That blow nearly knocked his head clean off and he crashed against the wall of the cave.
It felt like his ribs had been broken as he put his hand on his chest. The Okuma approached on all fours, eyes gleaming menacingly.
"No...Not like this..." Naga groaned as tears fell from his eyes. "I don't want to die like this."
The medallion that was lodged in his chest glowed as the Okuma rose up on its hind legs and prepared to smash him. Then all of a sudden, a purple phantom surged out from his chest and slammed into the Okuma. The Grimmbeast swatted at the phantom as Naga raised his upper body into a sitting position, confused at what he was seeing.
"What...?"
The purple phantom aimed its arms at the Okuma and fired blasts that exploded like fireworks. This momentarily blinded the beast while driving it back. Seeing that the Okuma had been temporarily incapacitated, the phantom flew over to Naga.
"Who...what are you...?" Naga questioned.
"You know who I am, boy," the purple phantom spoke. "For I am thou and thou art I."
"I don't understand."
"I am what has slept in the depths of your soul, boy. Now call my name."
"But I don't know your name."
"Yes, you do! Now call it out! I command it!"
Meanwhile, the Okuma had recovered from the purple phantom's assault and was making its way back to Naga.
"Your name...you are...NOBUNAGA!" Naga shouted. He did not know how he knew. It just came to him.
"You have spoken my name so let us fight together," Nobunaga said as he glowed and shrank into a purple ball of light that flew into Naga's right hand. Naga saw that it was a purple padlock that resembled an eyeball.
[LEGENDRIVER!]
At the same time, a blue buckle with a blade-like attachment appeared and wrapped itself around his waist. Despite not recognizing it, Naga somehow knew how to use it and the padlock, like they were something familiar and powerful to him. He stood up and stared down the approaching Okuma in the eye.
"Time for you to hibernate for good, Yogi," Naga quipped as he unlocked the padlock.
[NOBUNAGA!]
The purple phantom, the Nobunaga Spirit Armor, emerged from Naga's chest as he locked the padlock into his LegenDriver.
[LOCK ON!]
"Henshin!"
[SOIYA! NOBUNAGA ARMS! SENGOKU JIDAI NO DAI SHOGUN!]
The Spirit Armor draped itself over Naga, generating his Ride Wear suit, helmet and main firearm, the Nobunagun. The Okuma reared back on its hind legs. He used this chance to drive the muzzle of his Nobunagun rifle into its chest.
He pulled the trigger and blasted a hole right through the Okuma's chest. It never knew what hit it as it fell.
Naga took a moment to touch his masked face in confusion while looking over his newly armor-clad self.
This felt strangely familiar.
[LOCK OFF!]
Naga looked at the padlock in his hand as it gazed back at him.
"This is my power."
Nagata had always had access to the Nobunagun, even before he ended up in Purgatory. So it was no surprise to him when it appeared as his Nobunaga Arms' signature Arms Weapon. His LegenDriver and Nobunaga Lockseed had also appeared to him when he resolved to never die again in Purgatory.
His desire to live was so great that they just manifested, giving him the power to survive in that terrible, terrible wasteland.
"Take this!"
Ryujin Gaim unloaded rapid-fire blasts from both his guns and brought Majin Kabuto to its knees. Enduring all the damage it was taking, the Majin Rider rose to its feet and then jumped into the air to execute its Majin Rider Kick. This was its last-ditch effort to defeat Ryujin Gaim as energy gathered around its foot to deliver a killing blow.
However, Ryujin Gaim was not going to be killed here, not after just coming back.
[SOIYA! RYUJIN FINISH!]
Hitting the Executting Blade thrice, Ryujin Gaim summoned his Gaim clones in their Red Rose and Yellow Sun Dragon Arms.
"SUNFLOWER!" Ryujin Gaim commanded.
Gaim Yellow Sun Dragon picked up Gaim Red Rose and spun him around and around, gaining momentum. Then with all his might, he tossed him straight at Majin Kabuto. The scythe-wielding warrior flew like a missile and intercepted the Majin Rider to land a critical blow which prevented it from executing its finisher.
As Majin Kabuto fell, a Chinese dragon made out of energy coiled around Ryujin Gaim and growled as he bent his knees. The dragon flew at Majin Kabuto and caught it between its powerful jaws before it carried it back to Ryujin Gaim who broke into a sprint. He jumped, delivering a flying roundhouse kick as the energy dragon flew within range.
"DAI RYUJIN RIDER KICK!"
Lightning burst on impact before Majin Kabuto exploded into a green fireball.
Ryujin Gaim landed on his feet with his back turned to the refugees who stared at him in awe, completely speechless. They were understandably wary of him since they had seen his Beastman form so he could not blame them for being frightened.
All of a sudden, the children he had saved started to crowd around him while cheering excitedly. Witnessing this, the adults' fear and suspicion of Ryujin Gaim quickly evaporated. Reassured by the children, the adults also approached Ryujin Gaim. The parents also thanked him for protecting their kids. Convinced that he was the Musou Seiryuoh, they started to show their reverence.
Karasu smiled as she approached her cousin. This was the respect he deserved from the people but he accepted it all humbly. He saw it as his duty to protect others and to fight for peace and justice.
"Naga-kun."
He interrupted her while holding a child in his arms.
"Kara-chan, we'll have to move everyone. It's not safe here anymore."
"But where will we go?"
"Someplace safe. We're going to Sou Gi."
KRC: Nagata's back in the world of the living and he reunited with Karasu. Also, as you can see, Nagata's gained the ability to use Rinki and used this to fix his Kachidoki Lockseed like his predecessor who used his newly Overlord power in Kamen Rider Gaim. Let's hope he has not accidentally corrupted it. But it seems to be fine since he can use the Ryujin Key with it to unlock his Ryujin Arms. It just looks like the only side effect is that the Lockseed is now blue but it has an orange core when the Executting Blade slices it open. The suit of armor also matches the Lockseed but it still has the orange visor of the previous version. His Ryujin Arms also gains a new ability, allowing him to summon his Spirit Armor forms to support him in battle.
Karasu's powers seemed to have grown in the months since Nagata's death. Now she can open Helheim portals and manipulate Helheim plants without transforming. Furthermore, she can also open portals between two locations and does not necessarily need to open a portal to Helheim first before opening another portal in Helheim as an exit to another location.
Now Nagata has decided they need to take the refugees to Sou Gi where it's safe. Traveling to Sou Gi would mean Mitsuki might be able to bring Nagata back to life. However, is it really going to be that easy? And hope that Mitsuki didn't burn Nagata into ashes since he's already dead.
Fruits of the Tree, Yggdrasil
Ryujin Kachidoki Arms: Named because it is worn with the Ryujin Ride Wear suit, this is an upgraded version of his original Kachidoki Arms. As the Kachidoki Lockseed was turned blue after Nagata restored it, the armor's color also changed to match it. It still has the strong defense of the original Kachidoki Arms but is slightly faster as the bulky armor no longer weighs Nagata down. Additionally, he still has access to the DJ Gun and can also wield the Nobunagun in this form.
Taiga Shiba sat on his throne. After claiming Rakuyo as his own, he had made himself at home in the palace. He originally wanted to take Touka Village but after it became overrun by Helheim plants, he changed his mind.
Standing before him was his court of Majin Riders. He had created them all in Helheim Forest after he retreated from his battle with the Shoku Warriors. He did not care what anyone said. They had not defeated him as he had chosen to withdraw from the battlefield.
Majin Double knelt before him and reported what it had seen.
Taiga stood up, looking furious.
"That's impossible!" he denied. "I killed him myself!"
Bujin Gaim emerged from Taiga and corrected him.
"You mean we killed him."
"You know what I mean," Taiga retorted. "There's no way Nagata can be alive."
"Then why don't we take a look for ourselves?" Bujin Gaim recommended. "No harm in checking, is there? If it's true then we get to kill him all over again. It could be fun."
"And this time, we make sure he stays dead," Taiga agreed. He and Bujin Gaim suddenly sensed Majin Kabuto's destruction. "Kabuto's gone."
He had sensed Majin Kiva and Majin Faiz's destruction earlier too but did not know the cause until Majin Double reported to him.
"You know what that means, right? It's time you stopped sitting on your ass and do something about it."
They looked at their Majin Riders who were ready to obey their command. But first, they needed to recover some manpower. Fortunately, they had plenty of raw materials.
Three men that the Majin Riders had caught snooping around were brought to Taiga: Aniki, Midget and Fatso. They had been sent by the Alliance to spy on Rakuyo but had gotten captured instead.
"What do you want with us!?" Aniki shouted in fear.
"I just need your bodies," Taiga answered before he swiftly impaled Aniki, Midget and Fatso with his dark tentacles. The three men screamed as their bodies were taken over by black slime which consumed them and morphed them into new incarnations of Majin Kiva, Majin Kabuto and Majin Faiz. With their humanity stripped from them, they had become Taiga's minions.
If Nagata Oda was indeed back from the dead then Taiga Shiba would kill him again, once and for all. He vowed that his rival would stay dead this time. Permanently.
