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.


Chouryou and Kyocho stood guard in front of the gate of the perimeter wall that surrounded Sousou's palace.

Chouryou was a skilled fighter and a match for the famous Kanu Unchou whom she admired. She regularly provided security for the Chou Sisters but she was needed in the kingdom while Marcus and the idols were away. She missed the artist but she knew he would be back soon.

Kyocho, like Ten'i and Chouhi, was deceptively strong despite her small size and could effortlessly wield her massive flail weapon. Like Chouhi and Ryofu, she also had a large appetite. She was also an expert forager, able to find edible plants and wild vegetables with ease. She could even tell if a mushroom or berries were poisonous just by looking at them.

As two of the strongest warriors in the Alliance, the two could stop most intruders from setting foot into the palace. The smaller girl was currently snacking on some meat buns she had stored in her satchel. Ten'i had made them at her request. They were so delicious.

"Hey, Kii. Mind sharing?" Chouryou asked.

"Sure," Kyocho answered as she took another meat bun from her satchel and tossed it to Chouryou.

"You know, it's been a really slow week, hasn't it?" Chouryou asked as she bit into her bun.

"I like slow days like this. It's peaceful," Kyocho replied.

"Yeah, but I kinda wished something exciting would happen. It's been pretty dull," Chouryou complained.

"You really miss Bravo and the Chou Sisters, huh?" Kyocho asked.

"Yeah, they're out there boosting morale for the troops while I'm stuck here doing guard duty," Chouryou frowned thoughtfully.

"Well, who knows? Maybe something interesting will happen." Suddenly, a Helheim portal opened up in front of them. "Like that." Kyocho popped the last of her meat bun into her mouth and got ready with Chouryou to fight whatever may come through the portal.

A man in a dark cloak with a wolf's skull for a hood stepped out. He looked suspicious and threatening.

"Halt!" Kyocho commanded.

"Identify yourself!" Chouryou ordered.

The strange man ignored them and turned to face the portal.

"Come on, just step on through," he said into the portal and both Kyocho and Chouryou watched, surprised, as people started stepping out of the Helheim portal. There were women, children and the elderly along with a few men who looked like they had seen better days.

Karasu was the last to step out of the portal, keeping her mask and hood on, before the portal closed behind her. She knew the risks of showing her face in Sou Gi but she had little choice in the matter. Nagata, like herself, wanted the refugees to be safe.

Chouryou stepped forward, wary of these visitors. There were just so many of them.

"Identify yourselves and state your business," Chouryou demanded.

"Take us to your leader, please," the man in the cloak requested before he lowered his hood. "And tell them that Gaim has arrived."


Sangokuden Armored War Gods Saga: End of the Armored War Gods

Written By: Kamen Rider Chrome

Beta Reader/Editor: Busterleader92 & Kamen Rider Goji

Chapter 49: Reunion


[HAI~! ZHANG FEI SQUASH!]

[HAI~! GUAN YU SQUASH!]

Both Armored War Goddesses Dragon Guan Yu and Turtle Zhang Fei struck the evil Rinrinshi Marashiya who let out a scream as their weapons sliced into him. He reeled back from his injuries and groaned.

[SOIYA! GAIM SQUASH! ORANGE SQUASH!]

The Porcupine Beastman looked up and saw Armored War Goddess Gaimu come at him to deliver an empowered flying kick. Unable to avoid it, her foot connected with his chest and he exploded.

Gaimu landed on her feet and smiled victoriously as their enemy was vanquished.

"We did it!" she cheered as her sisters joined her. Meanwhile, their army was wiping out the rest of the Rinshi warriors that had served the defeated Rinrinshi.

They had successfully liberated another town that had fallen under the RinJyuKen's control. The townspeople would need to be gathered and checked for any health problems as they had suffered under the RinJyuKen's occupation.

"Another successful mission," Ryuubi smiled. "Nagata-sama would be proud."

Kanu sighed sadly. It had been months since Nagata's death and yet Ryuubi still talked about him like he was still alive.

"Aneue, you need to accept the truth," Kanu advised.

"Huh? What do you mean, Aisha?" Ryuubi blinked back in confusion.

"You keep saying things like that, like Nagata-sama will come back."

"I don't believe Nagata-sama's really gone. I'm not going to believe anything that demon says," Ryuubi resolved. She was in denial and while it did not hamper her ability to lead, it still worried everyone, especially her sworn sisters.

Kanu remembered having to console Chouhi for many nights until she accepted Nagata's passing so she could move on. Everyone else had moved on as well, except for Ryuubi. She still clung to the hope that Nagata was not truly gone. She even proposed during a meeting that they exhausted whatever resources they had available to mount a search and rescue mission.

They could not afford to do that as they needed to focus on fighting the RinJyuKen. They had already grieved and moved on but that didn't stop them from missing him.

Kanu still kept the LockPhone as a memento. It helped her to remember him by. It was the one good thing that Majin Gaim had left them.

There was a ringing coming from Ryuubi's pocket.

"Let's talk about this later, Aisha. I need to take this."

Ryuubi took out what appeared to be a hexagon-shaped mirror. It had a sturdy wooden frame in the same shape and carved in the back was the emblem of the Alliance which was a triangle that contained a dragon, tiger, and phoenix, all of which represented the Three Great Kingdoms that formed the Alliance.

It was no normal mirror, however. It had been created through a collaboration between Kada and Choho. By studying the communication talismans used by members of Ukitsu's cult, and the LockPhones, the two had created a portable magical communication device. It revolutionized communication on and off the battlefield.

Kada and Choho had basically created walkie-talkies like the ones from Iori's world and time. Only they could display images and sound like a video phone. It was a simple matter of using the same formula Choho had used to make the communication crystal balls and combining it with the method Ukitsu had used to communicate with his allies. By doing so, they successfully replicated the LockPhones.

Miraculously, communication between the talking mirrors and the LockPhones was made possible. After the creation of the first talking mirror, they were mass-produced and distributed to all members of the Alliance.

The glass was flashing green and Ryuubi tapped the surface of her talking mirror. The flash faded to reveal Iori's face staring back at her.

"Hello, Iori-sama," Ryuubi greeted.

"Hello, Touka. Are Rinrin and Aisha with you?" Iori spoke from the mirror.

"Yes, they're here," Ryuubi said as Kanu and Chouhi stood beside her as she held the mirror so Iori could see them in the frame. "Why are you calling? Is there anything wrong?"

"Sousou and Sonken wanted me to call you back for another meeting."

"Alright. I'll be there soon. Bye." Ryuubi ended the call. "Aisha, Rinrin, I need to go now. You both stay here, alright?"

"Yes, Aneue."

"See you later, Touka-neechan."

Smiling, Ryuubi took off using the Suika Arms in Gyro Mode.


The Alliance leaders were gathered in the war room as they went over plans to free the rest of their territories from enemy control. Months ago, Sonken and her faction had come to Sousou's doorstep, seeking aid after her kingdom had been annexed by enemy forces. The RinJyuKen had taken over most of Son Go since occupying the capital. Presently, Baron and the Phoenix Guard were working hard to reclaim all the territory the RinJyuKen had taken.

Shoku also suffered from an infestation of Helheim plants which grew at an alarming rate, forcing them to abandon their home. It just wasn't safe anymore as the fruit could tempt starving folk to eat them and attract Inves that managed to cross over from Helheim Forest.

While the Alliance had Armored War Gods, they only had two Sovereigns remaining. Gaim was gone and Zangetsu was still missing. Fortunately, Baron's ability to bring their soldiers back to life and Gridon's ability to heal mortal wounds proved useful as they prevented them from losing their numbers.

It did not stop the RinJyuKen's numbers from growing, however, as they stole the bodies of their fallen soldiers to add to their forces, desecrating them by converting them into more Rinshi footsoldiers. It was frustrating but they needed to keep fighting to free their land from the threat of the RinJyuKen Akugata.

"We should strike now and destroy that factory!" Sousou insisted. Their current target was a factory that was used to make Rinshi soldiers. "We can cripple their forces that way."

"But what about the people still trapped inside?" Ryuubi questioned. "Shouldn't we attempt to rescue them?"

"And do you want the RinJyuKen to keep turning our soldiers into their undead pawns?" Sousou accused. "Besides, by now they would already be dead."

"We don't know that for sure!" Ryuubi argued. "We should at least check if there are still people alive inside and rescue them."

"And waste valuable time?" Sousou snapped.

"It's not a waste of time to save lives!" Ryuubi shot back.

"And we will save more lives by removing a threat!"

"Alright!" Sonken put her foot down to stop their argument and prevent things from escalating. "You've both made your points but things are getting too heated here. How about we all take a break to cool down?"

Ryuubi and Sousou intensely glared at each other as their argument was far from being over. Their planning sessions were always so heated. Sousou prioritized striking against their foes and taking back their territories by force. Ryuubi, however, focused more on saving the people that were suffering under the RinJyuKen's occupation. Sonken was forced to play mediator so that they could all compromise on something.

They were all on the same side but they had different ways of doing things. Ryuubi just wanted to save as many lives as possible while Sousou just wanted to destroy the enemy. This caused them to clash often.

Their relationship was a rocky one since Sousou had demanded Ryuubi and her faction to serve under her. Rather than become a subordinate, Ryuubi insisted they work together as equals. Ryuubi's will would not falter and she had her friends' support so Sousou had no choice but to relent if she wanted them to work with her.


Sonken and Ryuubi walked out of the war room together, followed by their bodyguards Ryofu and Kannei. Ryuubi looked like she was fuming.

"Sousou-dono is so...so..." Ryuubi growled, unable to find a proper adjective to describe Sousou that did not sound so rude. She failed, only to growl in frustration.

"She's headstrong," Sonken supplied. "But you must remember that she's been ruling longer than either of us."

"I apologize for my behavior."

"You shouldn't apologize for trying to save people. However, Sousou-dono did make some good points during the argument. We can save more lives by removing the RinJyuKen's ability to make more troops."

"But that would mean sacrificing innocents." That was something Ryuubi refused to accept. There was no such thing as acceptable losses, not to her.

"Nothing is ever easy during war. But Sousou-dono believes that as long as Baron-dono can revive the dead then we won't need to worry about casualties."

"But is that a guarantee?" Ryuubi questioned. She had witnessed what Baron could do and it was a miracle. Sadly, it had limits as his special ability could only revive the most recently deceased. Those that had been dead for far too long were lost forever. That meant neither Gien nor Nagata could be brought back.

A servant came up to the two leaders, looking frantic.

"Sonken-sama! Ryuubi-sama! You need to come to the palace's gate! There's something you need to see!"


The refugees were gathered separately from Karasu and Nagata while the two of them were being held at spearpoint. After all, Karasu was still wanted for treason, something Nagata did not seem to be aware of, and he was suspected of being an imposter since he was supposed to be dead.

Ryuubi, Ryofu, Komei and Iori were all headed down to the palace's front gate. The first thing they noticed was a huge crowd of people and they spotted Karasu standing among them, causing them to hurry. When they saw who was standing beside her, Ryuubi gasped.

"Nagata-sama..." Her eyes watered.

"It really is him," Komei said, surprised. She had witnessed plenty of incredible things and seeing Nagata come back from the dead was just added to her list.

Ryuubi just knew Nagata was still alive. She was about to run over to give him a hug when Iori stopped her.

"Wait a minute, Touka."

"Iori-sama?"

"Look at him, Touka," Iori cautioned. "Look into his eyes. They are as black as ink." She got a good look at them. The irises were silver and surrounded by soul-swallowing blackness. "It could be an imposter, Touka. Also, he's with Karasu. We can't trust them."

Nagata looked at the girls and he smiled. He had missed them dearly and now he had returned to them. He then saw Iori and it was like seeing an old friend for the first time in a very long time. Unfortunately, the way Iori was looking at him killed any motivation to greet him and give him a hug.

"Karasu Oda, you got a lot of nerve showing your face here. You're just asking for trouble now," Iori said while glaring hatefully at her.

"Hey, wait a moment-" Nagata started before Iori's crossbow was trained on him.

"And as for you, better explain yourself, whoever or whatever you are," Iori demanded. "You're either an imposter or you faked your own death. Give me a good answer or this arrow is going right between your eyes."

"Um..." Nagata took a moment to get a good look at Iori. Didn't he use to wear green? Now he wore a maroon Chinese vest over a black long-sleeved shirt and matching pants. He did not like the look Iori was giving him. If he made a wrong move or said the wrong thing, that crossbow was going to shoot him right between the eyes.

Thankfully, Nagata was saved when Ryofu put a hand on Iori's shoulder.

"Excuse me," Ryofu said to Iori as she walked past him.

"Ren, what are you doing?" Iori demanded.

Ryofu did not answer as she approached Nagata. Ignoring Karasu, she leaned in to sniff him. He smelled different but there was a trace of a scent that she recognized. She then took hold of his face and looked into his eyes. The irises were still silver but the surrounding sclerae were pools of pure darkness.

They were still the same eyes, however.

"Um...Ren?" Nagata asked uncomfortably while Ryofu stared deeply into his eyes. "What are you doing?" Ryofu licked his lips and then smiled as she embraced him. It was a bone-crushing hug but he barely felt it.

Thank goodness for being undead.

"It's you. You're back."

Iori still had his crossbow trained on Karasu while keeping his eyes on 'Nagata'. He had doubts about this whole situation but Ryofu's nose never lied. However, while he trusted Ryofu's judgment, it could still be compromised by her feelings for Nagata. If this truly was Nagata, then he was no threat. Karasu Oda, on the other hand, was a traitor and a wanted fugitive.

"Alright, now let us take Karasu so she can be locked up," Iori said as he went to take Karasu away.

"No," Nagata denied, stepping in front of his cousin to shield her.

"I'm not playing around. Step aside," Iori warned, aiming his crossbow right in his face.

"And I said no," Nagata repeated. "You're not taking her. If you want her, then you'll have to go through me."

Iori shook his head with a humorless chuckle.

"You know, I had my doubts if it was really you but now I'm convinced. Only you would protect her after all she has done. You know, this is the reason why things went wrong for us. You're too soft. She's coming with us, whether you like it or not."

"And I'm not letting you take her."

"After all she's done, after betraying you, betraying all of us, you're still going to defend her!?"

For a moment, Nagata faltered.

"Wha-what are you talking about?" Nagata looked at Karasu who avoided his gaze in shame. His memories were restored but there were still some gaps in them. Enya did claim she had died because he had trusted the wrong person. Had she meant Karasu?

Iori frowned as he cocked an eyebrow at Nagata. He never played stupid except when he was caught playing around. Iori was convinced that he was looking at Nagata. All of the mannerisms matched up except for his eyes and their new color.

How could Nagata not remember? The event was traumatic enough for everyone that it was burned into their memory. Iori didn't know what was going on, but he wasn't going to waste this chance at revenge and justice just so he could go through another long explanation.

"She's a traitor and now that you've brought her here, she can answer for her crimes," Iori told Nagata. "So, why don't you stand aside and let us take her? After all, you seem to be good at leaving people when they need you the most."

"If you want to get to her you'll have to shoot me first," Nagata said as he held his ground.

Iori took a deep breath and then smiled viciously.

"I was hoping you'd say that!" As he was about to shoot, he was stopped when Ryofu grabbed his arm and forced him to point his crossbow down. "Ren!?"

"Iori-sama, stand down!" Ryuubi commanded.

"But-!"

"I gave you an order, Iori-sama. Do not make me repeat myself," Ryuubi cut him off with a stern look. Iori grimaced and reluctantly put his weapon away.

"You got lucky," Iori muttered while glaring at Nagata.

"Thank you, Touka," Nagata said gratefully.

"I'm sorry, Nagata-sama, but Iori-sama is right about one thing: we can't trust Karasu," Ryuubi said.

"I really don't understand what's going on. I don't know what Kara-chan has done wrong," Nagata said, honestly confused.

"Do you really not remember?" she asked, perplexed.

"What happened?"

"It's like Tokugawa said Naga-kun. I betrayed you," Karasu confessed. "I'm so sorry."

"Hear that, Nagata? She just confessed to betraying us," Iori gloated. "Now, if you don't mind, how about you let us take her in, OK?"

Nagata looked at Karasu who avoided his gaze out of shame before he turned to Ryuubi.

"Touka, if you are going to arrest her, could you not throw her into a cell? Please?" Nagata requested.

"You don't get to give orders here, Nagata!" Iori snapped.

"No, it's fine," Karasu said to her cousin.

"But Kara-chan-" Nagata started but she shook her head.

"Throw me in a cell. It's what I deserve," Karasu said to Ryuubi, accepting whatever judgment she had for her.

"Alright, but we will need you to hand over your equipment," Ryuubi stated absolutely. It was non-negotiable.

Karasu surrendered her transformation items to Iori before Ryofu grabbed her by the arm to take her away. She looked back at Nagata, full of remorse, and he could only watch as she was escorted to the dungeon.

Ryuubi looked at Nagata sympathetically. He seemed lost and confused with so many questions. Seeing his own cousin being taken away like that, without any memory of her crimes, must have been painful.

"Come on, Nagata-sama. There's a lot we need to catch up on," Ryuubi urged. He was not listening, though, as he watched Karasu being taken away.

"Hey, are you deaf?! Your new leader is talking to you!" Iori angrily reminded Nagata. He blinked and looked at Iori in surprise.

"Leader?" Nagata questioned.

"Someone needed to take over since you were gone."

"Oh, I need to tell everyone as well!" Ryuubi insisted excitedly as she took out her talking mirror to call Kanu. "Aisha, you would never believe who just came back!"

On the mirror screen was Kanu in her Dragon Guan Yu armor.

"Now's not a good time, Touka!" It sounded like a battle was taking place in the background. Weren't they already finished?

"What's happening out there?" Ryuubi asked, worried.

"After you left, enemy reinforcements came! I will contact you once it's over!"

Kanu hung up after that.

"Guess we'll have to wait for Aisha to call back," Ryuubi sighed.

"Touka, if it's alright with you, I'd like to help them," Nagata offered. "It sounds like they're in trouble."

"They can handle it but I'm sure they wouldn't mind some assistance to ease their burden," Ryuubi accepted.

"Touka!" Iori protested but his protests fell on deaf ears as Nagata took off in a bolt of lightning. "I can't believe you'd just let him go like that! Does he even know where they are?"

"He'll find them," Ryuubi said confidently.

"How can you even trust him? He's been gone for so long! How do we know he hasn't changed?"

"Because I have faith in him. As should you."

Iori scowled.

"Sorry, Touka, but faith can only go so far and I'm not going to put my trust in someone just because of blind faith. Look at where Nagata's faith in that traitor got us into. It looks like his unwavering faith in her is gonna get us all killed if we don't do something about it! Let me remind you that she killed Enya, tried to kill us all, and Aisha nearly died because of her."

"I have not forgotten any of that, Iori-sama," Ryuubi replied firmly. "She has committed many crimes against us but she will still be tried fairly. Remember, this is about justice, not vengeance."

Ryuubi understood where Iori's anger was coming from. They had been betrayed by one of their own and lost their home. If Iori had his way, Karasu would just be executed. However, Ryuubi would still do her best to uphold justice. Karasu would receive a fair trial.

Iori's scowl deepened when he heard what Ryuubi said. When he had first met her, she had been a fan of Nagata's and was one of his strongest supporters. In fact, she still supported him and subscribed to his idea of justice and mercy. It was not bad, per se, but there was a time and place for it.

It would appear that the Demon Dragon would have to get his hands dirty again.


Guan Yu put her talking mirror away and returned to focus on the battle that was taking place. When Ryuubi had gone back to Sou Gi, Kanu and Chouhi remained to protect the border outpost. However, as soon as Ryuubi had been called away, enemy reinforcements arrived in the form of a large horde of Rinshi that came in the dozens. The two warrior sisters easily dealt with the undead horde who fell at their might. It was the horde's commander that was currently giving them a challenge.

"OI-RYAH!" Zhang Fei yelled as she lunged at the Beastman with her Turtle Breaker. She struck him across the chest and he staggered from the blow, only to laugh.

"Yes! YES! SHOW ME MORE!" the Yak Beastman challenged as he raised his jade battle axe. He charged at them and the two leaped out of the way before they regrouped.

"He's really strong, Onee-chan," Zhang Fei observed.

"Worry not, Rinrin. We've dealt with strong enemies before," Guan Yu said encouragingly. "This will be no different."

"Um!" Zhang Fei nodded confidently.

The Yak Beastman sneered, green eyes glowing brightly as he shouldered his battle axe. These two warriors were skilled, strong and were formidable opponents. While he enjoyed crushing weaklings, he also loved a good battle with worthy opponents since it brought him more satisfaction. Once he defeated them, they would become the first pieces of his new collection.

Guan Yu and Zhang Fei charged at the Yak Beastman and both sides traded blows, sparks flying as their weapons clashed furiously. Guan Yu swung her Dragon Calibur which was parried by the jade battle axe. She ducked under a swing and quickly responded with a slash across the Yak Beastman's chest. Zhang Fei also provided assistance as she delivered powerful blows with her Turtle Breaker.

Roaring, the Yak Beastman swung his battle axe and sent both of them flying. Guan Yu and Zhang Fei went tumbling, their weapons flying out of their hands before they rolled to a stop. The Yak Beastman grinned viciously and summoned his Rinki which flowed into his horns and manifested a green sphere of Rinki between them. It grew in size and once it was at its maximum capacity, he fired a blast of green Rinki at them.

"Move!" Guan Yu yelled as she and Zhang Fei scrambled out of the way. The blast missed them by a margin but the resulting explosion sent them tumbling through the air. They landed in a heap but managed to pick themselves back up.

With their Arms Weapons gone, the sisters took out their original weapons, the Green Dragon Crescent Blade and Viper Spear. Determined, they were not going down without a fight. The two charged at the Yak Beastman but then separated as Guan Yu ran to the right as Zhang Fei ran to the left. The magatama they wore on their ears glowed as they focused on their energy which wrapped around the blades of their weapons. The Yak Beastman watched them run in opposite directions before they came right at him.

"A pincer maneuver, huh?" the Yak Beastman remarked as the sisters came at him in two different directions. He gripped his battle axe in both hands tightly before he spun around and around, gaining momentum as he spun faster and faster.

"BLAZING OGRE STRIKE!"

"LIGHTNING VIPER SLASH!"

They struck with their attacks but the Yak Beastman managed to neutralize them and repel the two sisters with his spinning defense. He stopped spinning and charged at Zhang Fei, roaring loudly, but he stopped in his tracks as Guan Yu stabbed him right in the back. She withdrew her Green Dragon Crescent Blade and slashed him in the back. He spun around and brought his axe down on her but Zhang Fei struck his hand with her electrified Viper Spear, stunning it and forcing him to drop his weapon. Angry, the Yak Beastman violently backfisted the red-clad Zhang Fei and then caught Guan Yu's weapon by the shaft when she went to strike him before he violently kicked her, sending her tumbling.

"First I'll add you to my collection," the Yak Beastman growled as the glow in his jade eyes brightened. "Then I'll break you." Guan Yu's eyes widened as he fired his eye lasers at her when a blue lightning bolt suddenly snatched her off the ground.

"Aisha-neechan!" Zhang Fei yelled when Guan Yu suddenly vanished. The Yak Beastman turned to blast her next but she was also rescued as a blue lightning bolt took her out of the line of fire.

"Huh!?" the Yak Beastman gawked. "Where did they go!?" The same lightning bolt struck him, sending him flying before it set both Guan Yu and Zhang Fei safely on their feet.

The sisters were stunned speechless as they saw the figure standing beside them.

It was Ryujin Gaim.

Guan Yu could barely believe it. He had died. Majin Gaim had said so, and he even brought his LockPhone as proof. Back then, a small part of her had denied his claim but she eventually accepted the fact that Nagata was gone so she could move on. She had even attended the memorial service for him.

Was this some kind of hallucination?

Was she dreaming?

"Hey, girls. Nice armor," Ryujin Gaim said to them before he turned to look at their opponent, the Yak Beastman, who growled as he saw Ryujin Gaim. He may sport a different look, but the Yak Beastman still recognized the bastard who had handed him a humiliating defeat and destroyed his collection of jade trophies.

"I was not expecting to see you here, Gaim," the Yak Beastman said with a glare.

"...I'm sorry but have we met?" Ryujin Gaim asked.

"W-what!? How can you not remember me!?" the Yak Beastman demanded. "I AM KAI!"

"...Who?"

"The Collector! The Gatekeeper! The Maker of Widows! The Beast of Vengeance! The Jade Slayer! The Master of Pain!" Kai listed his numerous epithets.

"Oh...sorry, none of those ring a bell."

"After you threw me through the gate, I ended up here!" Kai reminded him, growling. "Or have you forgotten that too?"

"Oh, now I remember you! You're the gulli-bull nincowpoop!" Ryujin Gaim pointed as if finally recognizing Kai.

"Gulli-bull - hahahahahah - nincowpoop!" Zhang Fei laughed.

Ryujin Gaim decided to stop messing with Kai and start getting serious.

"Let me guess, Dai Shi found you and sent you to attack my friends."

"You destroyed my collection, Gaim, so it's only fair that I start a new one with your friends!" Kai argued, fuming angrily at what Ryujin Gaim had called him. "Now that you're here, I'm going to send you back to Purgatory, in pieces!" Roaring, Jade Rinki flowed through his veins and gathered into his fists as he charged at Ryujin Gaim.

"I'll distract him," Ryujin Gaim told Guan Yu and Zhang Fei. "Hit him hard when you see an opening. Go!"

Ryujin Gaim swiftly engaged Kai as they grappled, arcs of lightning surrounding the former as he caught the latter's hands in a solid grip. Guan Yu and Zhang Fei shared looks of uncertainty before they followed Ryujin Gaim's plan.

The two Beast Warriors stopped grappling and started throwing punches at each other. Ryujin Gaim blocked a punch to his face before he drove his fist into Kai's chest, knocking him back, but he recovered to throw a right hook that stunned Ryujin Gaim momentarily. Kai then nailed him with an uppercut, sending him staggering. He kept the pressure on with a combo of punches before he sent Ryujin Gaim tumbling with a brutal haymaker.

Ryujin Gaim quickly recovered from the blow. It seemed Kai had gotten stronger since their last battle. Fortunately, Ryujin Gaim could take it as he picked himself up. Kai swung his leg to deliver a kick but Ryujin Gaim caught it in a solid grip. Kai tried to pull his leg free but he screamed as Ryujin Gaim zapped him through his limb.

Ryujin Gaim released Kai's leg as he encased his fists in lightning.

"DAI RYUJIN DANMAKU!"

Ryujin Gaim threw a barrage of rapid-fire electrified punches, sending Kai backpedaling.

"DAI RYUJIN KIBA!"

Jumping at Kai, Ryujin Gaim performed a scissor kick as energy dragon jaws formed around his legs and chomped down on Kai, causing him to recoil from the attack.

"YOU SON OF A BITCH!" Kai fired his jade-ification beam, only to miss as Ryujin Gaim zoomed away.

"Hey, I'm over here!" Ryujin Gaim taunted before he zipped away to avoid the beam again. "Now I'm over here!" He zoomed away, dodging the beam once more. "Hey, you missed me!" Ryujin Gaim dodged again. "Hey, are you trying to hit me or what?" Ryujin Gaim dodged the next beam, zipping away to safety. "Yoohoo! Over here, you gulli-bull nincowpoop!"

"RAAAARRRGGHHHHH!"

Roaring furiously, Kai rapidly fired at Ryujin Gaim who zoomed around him, dodging his beams and taunting him, riling the Yak Beastman up further. Ryujin Gaim soon switched tactics and went on the offensive, zipping back and forth as he repeatedly struck Kai with strong and fast blows. A lightning bolt came crashing down on Kai's skull, revealed to be Ryujin Gaim landing a dropkick before he bounced off him.

Kai grunted and hissed painfully but then he saw Ryujin Gaim standing in the distance and fired his jade-ification beam. This time, he did not miss and managed to hit Ryujin Gaim's legs.

"Oh, shit," Ryujin Gaim cursed as his legs were turned to solid jade. This was not good.

"HAH!" Kai laughed victoriously. "I GOT YOU! NOW, TIME FOR THE JADE SLAYER!" He gathered Rinki between his horns, forming a jade ball of pure destructive power that he was going to use to send Ryujin Gaim back to Purgatory.

"Hey, Kai! You forgot something!" Ryujin Gaim yelled.

"WHAT!?" Kai shouted. Suddenly, Zhang Fei and Guan Yu came at Kai from both sides to break his horns off with their weapons, causing his Rinki to burst out of the stumps like a geyser. "AAAARRRGGGHHHHH!"

"You forgot my friends!" Ryujin Gaim summoned his DJ Gun. "Good job, you two. Now, let's finish him off." He loaded his Nobunaga Lockseed into the DJ Gun's Drive Bay and locked it in before hitting his Cutting Blade, thrice.

[SOIYA! RYUJIN FINISH!]

"DAI RYUJIN HOU!"

[HAI~! ZHANG FEI SPARKING!]

"TURTLE VIPER BREAK!"

[HAI~! GUAN YU SPARKING!]

"ONI DRAGON SLASH!"

The three heroes fired their energy attacks which merged into a swirling beam that hit Kai all at once. He caught the attack in his bare hands and dug trenches in the ground with his feet as he struggled to push against it. Unfortunately, he was no match for their combined power.

"I'LL RETURN AND BREAK YOU, GAAAAAAIIIIIIM!" he screamed, swearing revenge, as he was blasted straight back to Purgatory.

With Kai dealt with, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei both looked at Ryujin Gaim whose legs were back to normal. Guan Yu was still wary of him while Zhang Fei looked hopeful.

"Onii-chan, is that really you?" Chouhi asked hopefully as she canceled her transformation with her sister. Kanu wondered the same thing.

Ryujin Gaim smiled and gently patted his little sister's head in a familiar manner, causing her to purr happily like a little kitten. However, Kanu was not so easily convinced, even if he was standing in front of her. It could be a trap meant to have them lower their guard. Yet, he had helped them defeat Kai.

Ryujin Gaim reached down to his Lockseed and closed it, causing his armor to vanish in motes of light.

Kanu gasped, eyes wide in surprise.

"Hey, Aisha. Hey, Rinrin. I'm back," he greeted, smiling tenderly.

"Nagata-sama," Kanu murmured as tears fell from her eyes. No, this was no imposter. She was sure of it. Even if he had blackened eyes, there was no doubt in her mind that it was really him.

After all these months believing he was dead, he had returned to them.

"You're back, Onii-chan! You're really back!" Chouhi hugged him tightly as she cried tears of joy. "Onii-chan! Onii-chan!" She did not seem to notice his eyes or the snot coming out of her nose. She was just so happy to see that her big brother was back and he was alive.

"How is this possible?" Kanu questioned. "You died."

"It's a long story, Aisha, and I'll tell you all about it back at Karin's palace," he answered.

"Alright."

"Good, then let's go."

All of a sudden, Nagata snatched Kanu and Chouhi before he took off in a bolt of lightning. The three of them reached Sou Gi in the blink of an eye and landed in front of Sousou's palace. Nagata gently released them, the two girls stunned at how fast they had arrived.

Ryuubi, Komei and Ryofu were waiting for them.

"You're back," Ryuubi greeted. "How did it go?"

"It was a Rinrinshi I fought before but we managed to send him back to where he belongs," Nagata answered.

"See, Aisha? I told you he was still alive," Ryuubi said, looking smug.

"Aneue..." Kanu sighed and relented. "Fine, you were right."

"Hey, if you don't mind, can I go pick up the others?" Nagata asked.

"You're right. We need to tell the others of your return," Ryuubi agreed.

"That needs to wait, though," Komei interjected. "Sousou-dono wants to see you, Nagata-sama."

"Then we shouldn't keep Karin waiting," Nagata agreed.


Sousou was on her throne with Juniku and Kakoton at her side while Kakoen was held up in bed. Months ago, she learned that Nagata had died, which had been a shame since they had lost such a powerful ally, but they managed to make do with the power and forces they had. Now, she just learned that he had also returned from the dead as well. When the petite queen first heard the news, she was skeptical even though she had witnessed Mitsuki's rebirth with her own eyes.

She needed to confirm Nagata's return with her own two eyes.

Ryuubi brought Nagata in with Kanu and Chouhi. The Queen of Sou Gi looked at the resurrected Blue King of Shoku. He was paler than she remembered and what the hell was wrong with his eyes?

"Nagata, is that really you?" Sousou asked.

Nagata looked up at Sousou and smiled.

"Hello, Karin. I'm back," Nagata greeted with a casual wave.

"Don't greet Karin-sama so familiarly!" Juniku snapped defensively. "Show some respect!" He should be kneeling before Sousou and bowing his head to her, not acting like they were equals.

"Keifa, silence," Sousou ordered and the strategist clammed up instantly. "This is not some kind of trick, is it?"

"No, it isn't," Ryuubi answered. "It's Nagata-sama. I'm sure of it."

Sousou could see that Ryuubi was convinced but the young queen was not so easily swayed. She needed proof.

"If you are really who you claim to be, then cook me something," Sousou ordered. "I'll have Ten'i watch you to make sure you're not doing anything funny."

"I'll make you something delicious, Karin. I promise," Nagata swore, grateful for the chance to prove himself. "But may I ask if my cousin is being treated well?"

"You mean the traitor? You know, if I were in your shoes, I would've executed her for her betrayal. You're still too soft, Nagata."

"I'd rather not spill blood if there's no need for it."

"Yes, that's the Nagata I remember," Sousou smiled approvingly. "As for your cousin, we made sure to give her a nice little cell. Don't worry, though. I made sure to tell the guards that she was not to be harmed."

"Thanks, Karin. I appreciate that. Anyway, before I cook for you, will it be okay for me to catch up with my friends first?" Nagata asked.

"Certainly," Sousou permitted. "Enjoy your happy little reunion."

"Thanks, Karin," Nagata smiled before he zoomed away.

"That's going to take some getting used to."


Bacho was in her home village training alongside her sisters Bakyu & Batetsu with their cousin Batai. At the moment, she was sparring with Batetsu while Batai and Bakyu were sparring with each other.

"You've improved, Sou!" Bacho praised but then she swept her sister's leg with her spear. "But always be alert!" Batetsu rubbed her butt as she fell on it. She looked up and saw Bacho offer her hand to her.

"Guess I still need more training, huh, Onee-chan?" Batetsu remarked as Bacho helped her up.

"You need to be ready for anything. You can't let the enemy catch you off guard or they can get the drop on you," Bacho advised before she was suddenly snatched up by a blue lightning bolt.

"Onee-chan!?" Batetsu cried in shock.

"What happened?" Bakyu wondered.

"Where did Sui-neechan go!?" Batai cried out before the same lightning bolt spirited her away as well.


Chou'un watched from afar, hidden, as she spied on Rakuyo with her telescope. Ever since Majin Gaim had taken it over, the Alliance had kept a watchful eye on it. It was being used by him as a stronghold that was being guarded by his Majin Riders.

Three members of her scouting group had gone missing and she wanted to find out what had happened to them. However, she could not go in alone. Facing Majin Gaim by herself would be suicide.

In a flash, a blue lightning bolt suddenly spirited Chou'un away.


The traveling lightning bolt dropped Chou'un, Bacho and Batai off in Sousou's palace, in the same room with Kanu, Ryuubi, Chouhi and Komei. The three girls steadied their feet, surprised by the instantaneous travel.

"Huh!? What!?" Bacho cried out in shock. "How did we get here so fast!?"

Batai wanted to say something but then she turned green and quickly ran toward the closest potted plant to vomit into it.

"Touka, what's going on?" Chou'un asked with eyes narrowed. One moment, she was watching Rakuyo and a moment later she was back in Sousou's palace. It had happened in the blink of an eye.

"I think he should tell you himself," Ryuubi said, gesturing to the man in the room with them. He wore a black cloak with a wolf's skull as the hood. Bacho and Batai tensed up at the sight of him but Chou'un just looked curious.

"Who are you?" Bacho asked warily.

"Has it really been so long that you can't even recognize me, Sui?" Nagata asked as he pulled his hood down and smiled.

"Nagata-sama!?" the three girls shouted together, shocked to see that their dead leader was back.

"Hey, Sei, Sui, Tanpopo."

"I don't believe it. Is it really you?" said Bacho as she was still trying to process the fact that Nagata had come back from the dead and was standing right in front of her.

At first, after learning of his death, she did not want to believe it. After all, the news had come from an enemy so it could not be trustworthy. They chose to believe he had been captured instead and that they needed to rescue him. That belief was either spawned from denial or hope or a mix of both. However, they failed to find him after so many months, so they were forced to accept that he was dead.

"Yeah, it's me," Nagata confirmed.

"Nice cloak," Chou'un complimented while trying to fight the tears that welled up in her eyes. He had returned to them - to her. "But why do your eyes look like that?" That was what everyone else was wondering. Not only were the whites of his eyes as black as tar but his skin had an unhealthy pallor.

"What do you mean? What's wrong with my eyes?" Nagata asked. Ryuubi handed him her talking mirror and he checked his reflection. "Is that what I look like?" It was jarring to see the whites of his eyes were pitch-black and that his skin was so pale.

"You didn't know what you looked like before?" Chou'un cocked an eyebrow, curious.

"I haven't had time to check myself in a mirror today," Nagata answered as he handed the talking mirror back to Ryuubi. It did explain the odd looks he got. "So what have I missed?"

Kanu took it upon herself to get Nagata caught up on current events. He already knew what had happened to Touka Village and Shoku so there was nothing new there. He learned that Son Go had fallen into enemy hands, and Masataka was missing. He also learned how the RinJyuKen had gotten stronger and were gradually accumulating more territory.

The Alliance was making progress in reclaiming those territories but it was still a slow process. With the ongoing war, people were suffering and it was their job to save them. However, while Ryuubi prioritized saving innocents, Sousou focused on taking down their mutual enemies.

And Nagata was also given the full story of how Karasu had betrayed them, refreshing his memory and filling some of the missing blanks.

"Wait…" Nagata frowned, his eyes narrowed in confusion. "K-Kara-chan did...what?"

"Idunn-sa...Idunn, was working with the Armored War Devils the entire time," Kanu explained, not liking the pain she saw in her returned lover's eyes. "She...well, she was plainly obsessed with you to the point where she was using magic to force you to become obedient to her and she…"

"She killed Enya," Chou'un spoke with a grave tone. "She wanted to kill us all for daring to love you when she so obviously loved you so much more."

So, this was the source of his guilt. He had trusted Karasu, they all had, and she had stabbed them in the back. It stung as they had considered her a comrade, a sister-in-arms and a member of their family. And now that he had heard the whole story, it all came back to him.


"Trying to be a hero? How noble. But the funny thing about heroes is..."

Jam hit her Cutting Blade.

[TAOWU SQUASH!]

Jam rapidly slashed Enya across the chest over and over with her energized Musou Saber, heaping damage upon the Beast Brawler armor before it finally vanished.

"Heroes die," Jam finished as she slashed Enya across the chest, spilling her blood.

"ENYA!" Touka screamed as Enya fell to the ground, a growing stain of blood on her chest.


That was how Gien had died. That explained the guilt and hallucination in Purgatory.

There was something else he remembered too, something that nearly broke him.


"Now, Kanu Unchou. Do you have anything to say before I end your miserable existence?" Gaim-Darkness dared.

Aisha spat in Gaim-Darkness' face. Gaim-Darkness wiped it away with the back of his hand. Aisha could only glare at him as she no longer had the strength to fight back.

"Goodbye then, Kanu Unchou," Gaim-Darkness said and he drove the Musou Saber through Aisha's stomach.


"You nearly died that night, Aisha."

If he had not come back to his senses, Kanu would not be here right now. Unfortunately, it had been too late to save Gien. It explained why Karasu had been reluctant to come to Sou Gi with him. She was a fugitive.

"There's something I'd like to know, Nagata-sama," Kanu spoke, breaking his train of thought. "Where have you been all this time? We thought you had died."

"I did die," Nagata confessed. "And I ended up in Purgatory."

"Purgatory?"

"It's the place where all the Rinshi and Rinrinshi we ever defeated end up after we kill them."

"Then how did you end up there? You're nothing like them."

"I am because I have Rinki now."

This surprised them all. Rinki was the energy that the RinJyuKen warriors drew from negative emotions. There was no way Nagata could ever have it inside of him.

"But how is that possible?"

"It's because of the Seal of Heaven."

"But that doesn't make sense. Why would the Seal of Heaven cause you to have Rinki?"

The Seal of Heaven was a sacred artifact, a symbol of divine rule that had been passed down from emperor to emperor for generations.

"Because Dai Shi created it."


Naga, Bucky and Nanamomo were in the middle of their quest to find the gate that would get them out of Purgatory. To pass the time, Bucky decided to regale them with a tale from long ago.

"It's a story that began looooooooooong before your time, lad. And it all starts with a boy who would one day be the Demon Beast King known as Dai Shi. He was raised by Grandmaster Brusa Li and he was quite talented. He mastered all his lessons, gaining a repertoire of special techniques. It was believed that he might become the next Grandmaster of the Order of the Claw."

"I'm guessing he did not," Naga commented.

"Lad, Dai Shi was talented but he also desired more. He was greedy and he wanted to become the strongest and most powerful. He believed that only the strongest and most powerful should be the Grandmaster of the Order of the Claw."

"Strength isn't everything."

"I agree, lad. There's honor and compassion, traits that the young Dai Shi lacked. Grandmaster Brusa Li tried to teach him humility as well but failed as the boy only cared about strength and power. So when the time came for a successor to be chosen, it was another who was elected instead. This infuriated Dai Shi."

"What did he do?"

"What else? He killed the one who he believed stole his birthright from him. As punishment, Grandmaster Brusa Li stripped Dai Shi of all that he had taught him and banished him from the Order."

"I'm guessing Dai Shi didn't just go quietly, did he?"

"Can't expect somebody with that kind of ambition to do nothing after everything was taken from him. You see, Brusa Li may have stripped Dai Shi of all that he taught him but he still had the forbidden knowledge he had mastered to fall back on. He decided to use these forbidden techniques to gather followers and even recruited members of the Order who were dissatisfied with Brusa Li's teachings. With his new followers, he founded his RinJyuKen Akugata, a dark school of JyuKen. Brusa Li soon caught wind of this and confronted his former student. Dai Shi was breaking the rules by practicing JyuKen even though he'd been forbidden since his banishment, but Dai Shi decided that the rules no longer applied to him. He even accused Grandmaster Brusa Li of fearing him."

"Then what happened?"

"A war broke out between the Order of the Claw and the RinJyuKen Akugata. It was brother against brother, friend against friend, until Brusa Li managed to strike Dai Shi down. Unfortunately, by then, both sides were wiped out, leaving Brusa Li the only survivor."

"They all died?"

"Yes, lad. Everyone but Brusa Li. But with his dying breath, Dai Shi swore that he would return. He had a plan and everything. Anyway, Brusa Li made sure everyone that died was buried and he even put Dai Shi in a special tomb. After that, well, I don't know what happened to Brusa Li."

"How do you know all this?" Naga asked Bucky.

"Well, I was there, lad," Bucky confessed.

"But you said everyone died," Naga reminded.

"Well, everyone but Grandmaster Brusa Li and myself. I managed to survive and live until I died of old age and then I ended up here."

"Why?"

"Coz I sided with Dai Shi."

Naga recoiled in surprise.

"You were one of Dai Shi's followers!?" Naga yelled.

"Yes, and honestly, it was one of the worst decisions of my life," Bucky admitted sadly. "I mean, he was selling something that seemed too good to be true but I wanted to become strong since Grandmaster Brusa Li kept telling me to be patient. So, when I heard Dai Shi was offering power and when I saw what he could do, I just jumped at the chance. Now, look at what it got me."

"And so all of Dai Shi's followers died and ended up here as punishment," Naga deduced.

"Yeah, until they got revived," Bucky added. "Something happened, not too long ago. The Princesses, who were Dai Shi's most loyal servants, woke up and then started to awaken Dai Shi's army."

"The Princesses?" Naga asked.

"He means the Femme Fatale Fists," Nanamomo interjected. "They decided to take charge of the RinJyuKen Akugata so they could revive Dai Shi. To do that, they needed Rinki and the Seal of Heaven."

"Ah, the Seal of Heaven. I remember when I saw it like it was only yesterday," Bucky said nostalgically.

"You've actually seen the Seal of Heaven?" Nanamomo asked.

"Yes, I have, lass. Dai Shi showed it to me. In fact, Dai Shi was the one who forged it. He made it himself and it granted him power that made him a match for Grandmaster Brusa Li. But last I heard, it ended up with the emperor at the time."


"Dai Shi...made...the Seal of Heaven?" Komei questioned, shocked and in disbelief.

"In the right hands, it can grant incredible power. However, in the wrong hands, it will corrupt the user and turn them into something monstrous," Nagata told them.

"That explains a lot," Komei realized as she remembered how the Seal of Heaven had been used in the past. While it had given the four Armored War Gods access to their ultimate forms, it had also turned someone like Chojo into a she-demon.

The group fell silent as they dwelled on this new information. The Seal of Heaven, the very artifact that had given Nagata, Mitsuki, Masataka and Hideyoshi access to their Sovereign forms, had been forged by Dai Shi. It was no wonder the Femme Fatales had been so persistent in trying to claim the artifact.

"Nagata-sama, there's still something else we need to talk about," Kanu prompted as it was time to address the elephant in the room. "It's about your origins."

"My origins?" Nagata wondered.

"Iori-sama told us about where you - the Armored War Gods - originally came from. You did not really come from Heaven as we originally believed. He told us that you came from another world that's centuries more advanced than this one and that none of you are really gods. Why didn't you ever tell us the truth? Why did you have us believe you came from Heaven?"

Nagata looked down guiltily. He really should have expected this to be brought up eventually.

"Honestly, I wanted to correct you so many times but I was afraid that you would reject me if you found out the truth. You believed that I was the Messenger of Heaven so much that I wanted to live up to your expectations. If you found out I was just a normal, average kid before I came to this world, that I just happened to get my powers upon arrival, I thought you'd abandon me," Nagata confessed. "I'm sorry for not telling you all the truth before but after everything we've been through, it just didn't seem to matter."

"The truth always matters Nagata-sama," Kanu argued. "But I can understand why you decided not to tell us. You had people who believed in you to lead them. If you had lost their faith in you then you would've also lost their respect and loyalty. However, even if you had not told us the whole truth, you have done everything in your power to help us fight against evil. You've even risked your life many times and even lost your life in the process."

"What Aisha's trying to say is that we forgive you," Ryuubi chimed in. "Just, please Nagata-sama, no more secrets."

"Yes, no more secrets," Nagata agreed.

"So, if you aren't from Heaven then where did you come from?" Bacho asked.

"Well, I told you I grew up in a restaurant. I did not lie about that," Nagata started. "My father taught me how to cook and my mother taught me how to fight but I only learned how to fight with a sword after I joined a dojo. My parents, well, I've had two sets of parents: my birth parents and my adoptive parents."

"What happened to your real parents, Onii-chan?" Chouhi asked.

"They died," he answered and Chouhi gasped. "I was with them when it happened but I somehow survived. I was really young at the time so my aunt and uncle adopted me and have raised me as their own ever since."

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Kanu said sympathetically.

"Thanks, but I'm fine. I've moved on since then. Anyway, while I was growing up, I became a fan of heroes, especially fictional heroes like the Kamen Riders - the ones you call 'Armored War Gods."

"So, the stories you told were just stories."

"They were but the Kamen Riders still inspired me. They taught me a lot of what it means to be a hero, about courage, justice, strength, friendship, honor, and selflessness. I always wished I could be like them and when I came to this world, I got my wish. Since then, I've tried to live by their example. I just didn't realize how hard it was until I was put in their shoes. I'm just glad I met you all so I wouldn't have to do this alone. As much as they inspired me, you all inspired me too and helped me be the Messenger of Heaven you all believed me to be."

The Shoku Warriors were touched. He really thought so highly of them. Yes, he may have kept his origins a secret from them but that did not negate all the good he had done in the name of justice.

"Excuse me? Gaim-dono?" Ten'i asked politely as she entered the quiet room. "Sousou-sama asked me to come fetch you."

Nagata remembered Sousou's request for him to cook her something.

"Alright, lead the way, Ten'i. Girls, let's catch up some more later, alright?"


Nagata stepped into the kitchen and took a deep breath. He did not need to breathe but he could still smell and he remembered what a proper kitchen smelled like. It reminded him of his own kitchen.

He noticed Ten'i staring at him.

"My eyes look strange now, don't they?" he asked.

"Oh, no, no." Ten'i shook her head while waving her hands.

"It's fine," he smiled. "Even I was surprised when I first saw them." He would need to figure out how Nanamomo could make her eyes look normal so he could do the same. "Now, how about we get started?"

"Yes!"

Nagata grabbed an apron as Ten'i waited for his instruction. He knew what he planned to make for Sousou and asked her to grab him a slab of beef. As he got ready to mince it, he paused.

"What's wrong?" Ten'i asked as Nagata's knife hovered over the beef.

"It's just..." Nagata sighed. "I'm worried about Kara-chan."

"She's your cousin, right?" Ten'i asked. "I heard that she betrayed you."

"Yeah," Nagata agreed, unable to deny it. He looked down at the beef. Usually, cooking was his way of taking his mind off the war with the RinJyuKen. He cooked so his friends could enjoy good food and it always put a smile on his face. However, he couldn't focus on cooking right now as he was worried about his cousin. After all, the punishment for treason was death and Sousou would not be as merciful as he was.

"You shouldn't worry," Ten'i reassured him. "Sousou-sama's a tough ruler but she's fair."

"Yes, I know. I'm just afraid of what she considers a fair punishment." During the trial, he resolved to help Karasu as much as possible to get her a lighter sentence. "Now, let's get cooking! This is my stage now!"


"Beef croquettes with creamy onion sauce," Nagata presented, with the former served cut in pieces on a plate and the latter served in a bowl for dipping. "Enjoy."

"Let's hope your cooking skills haven't suffered while you were away," Sousou said as Nagata and Ten'i served her the dish. She was sitting at her dining table with Juniku sitting beside her.

"It's been a long time and I'm a little rusty but I'm sure I can still cook as well as I could before," Nagata claimed.

"Yes, I watched him the whole time," Ten'i supported.

"We shall see if your skills still remain sharp or have dulled, Nagata," Sousou said as she prepared to enjoy her meal and judge him.

"Allow me to taste test for you, Karin-sama," Juniku offered.

"Alright," Sousou accepted the offer as she used her chopsticks to pick up a piece and dip it into the sauce before feeding it to Juniku who had her mouth open expectantly. The strategist took the morsel and closed her mouth. She chewed and her cheeks flushed as she let out a moan.

"So delicious~!"

Juniku was so devoted to Sousou that she was willing to die for her. She did not trust Nagata and wanted to make sure the dish was not poisoned.

While she had not died, she still felt like she was in Heaven.

"Well, that convinced me," Sousou said as she observed Juniku's blissful reaction. She picked up another piece and dipped it into the sauce before popping it into her mouth. Nagata's fingers dug into his apron as he awaited her verdict.

"That was..." Sousou paused, looking him in the eye. "Acceptable. You've proven yourself, Nagata."

"Thank you, Karin."

"Now, I would like to have you working for me. After all, with Ryuubi as leader of your faction, you're a free agent. How about you work for me as my new cook? You can work alongside Ten'i. She seems to like the idea."

"I appreciate the offer, Karin, but could you give me some time to think about it?"

"Very well, Nagata, but don't keep me waiting. You know I hate to be kept waiting."

"I know, Karin. Anyway, is it alright if I went to see my cousin? With your permission, of course."


KRC: Finally, Nagata was reunited with his harem. It seemed that in the past months since his passing, they had moved on but now he's back in their lives and they are happy for it. However, they are not happy to see that Karasu is back. After all, she had betrayed them. Anyway, originally, Kai was not supposed to show up in this chapter but a friend of mine (Buster) kept asking where Kai went after Nagata sent him flying through the gate. Also, I finally addressed the fact that Nagata had kept his origins a secret from the girls. He really should've said something earlier but he just brushed it off and continued to let them believe he was a Messenger of Heaven and he had performed plenty of miracles that it must be true. It also seems like Iori is planning something drastic again since he was not happy to see Karasu.

Could this be another death flag?

What do you think?


Karasu Oda once again found herself locked in a cage. As she sat in her cell, she occupied her time by going down memory lane.

Growing up, she hadn't had what would be called a conventional childhood. Her mother had died during childbirth and her father obviously wanted a son when he got a daughter instead. She ended up being raised by servants while her father focused on running the clan.

Ever since she could talk, her father had tried to groom her into a proper heir. That meant many, many lessons on how to properly behave, and learning useful skills, which included self-defense. He forced her to abandon any and all female interests as he had no need for a weak woman. To him, strength was everything, in mind, body, and spirit. Even after that night she was gang-raped, he gave her no form of comfort. All he did was to congratulate her on keeping a warrior's pride. He didn't even send her to counseling for her trauma, believing that was unnecessary and that she could deal with it by herself.

When she first met her cousin Nagata Oda and his family, she got to experience what it was like to be part of a real warm and loving family. Ruby Oda had been like a mother to her but then she had died like her own mother. At least Nagata had survived the car crash that claimed his parents' life.

As she got older, she came to visit him as often as she could, mostly during school breaks and holidays. They grew closer over the years and Karasu fell in love with her cousin. He was the only thing right in her life.

When she heard he had gone missing, she decided to try and look for him even if her father was against it. However, once she had found him, he was surrounded by other girls. Girls who had stolen him from her. She managed to hide her jealousy and joined up with his faction, becoming part of a team while secretly plotting to kill the girls who dared to get close to him.

Now her sins were finally catching up to her. Looking back, she realized how foolish she had been. She had tried to force Nagata to love her when in fact he always loved her. She had tried to control Nagata like her father had tried to control her and she had tried to kill the Shoku Warriors who had accepted her as one of their own. After her betrayal, she had lost her place among them and Nagata.

After Nagata's death, she had tried to avenge him but failed. Taiga Shiba had become too powerful for her to fight alone, and she doubted she could convince the Shoku Warriors or anyone else to help her. She was a traitor, a wanted woman, a fugitive, and would only be treated as an enemy. She had nowhere else to go until Brusa Li offered to take her under his wing. With no other option, she took his offer and he trained her until she left to seek a new purpose.

Instead of revenge, she chose to devote herself to altruism. Rescuing and sheltering refugees gave her a new sense of purpose. It was the only thing she could do to make up for her crimes. She knew she could not undo her sins but at least she could do some good in her beloved cousin's memory.

She was so happy when he came back. It was like a miracle. Unfortunately, her happiness did not last long as she was locked up in a cell again like a caged bird. She could have refused to come to Sou Gi but Nagata had convinced her that it was the best way to keep her refugees safe. She found herself unable to argue with him and so went along with him and the refugees.

He then found out what she had done. When she learned that he had no memory of her betrayal, she wanted to make sure he would never remember. It was why she was so reluctant to go to Sou Gi as the Shoku Faction was there and would reveal what she had tried to hide from him.

Maybe this was for the best. If she was to truly reform then she would have to accept the consequences of her actions. She prayed that Nagata could forgive her and come down to visit her. At least she'd have someone to talk to and keep her company.

"Hey, you have a visitor," the guard in charge of the dungeon told her.

"Naga-kun?" Karasu asked hopefully as she stood up. As soon as the guard stepped aside, she saw who it was and her smile instantly fell. "Oh, it's you."

It was Iori Tokugawa and he was glaring at her with hatred. He had bribed the guard to leave him alone with Karasu and not to say anything. He hated her, not just for her betrayal but also for using him as a puppet. Nagata should have understood since he had been in the same boat. So what if she was his family? She was a traitor and he should have sided with them instead of her.

"I should just kill you now and save us all the trouble," Iori threatened. "But that wouldn't give me any satisfaction."

"Then why have you come here?" she asked. He answered her question by showing her the transformation equipment he had confiscated from her earlier.

"We're going to settle things on the battlefield. You and me, one-on-one, a fight to the death, and no running to Nagata," Iori challenged, glaring daggers at Karasu.

Karasu did not have to accept the challenge. She could just decline and leave things at that. However, it did not seem like she had a choice in the matter. Iori wanted to kill her, to make her pay for her crimes.

Maybe this was her punishment.

"Very well," Karasu accepted. It was time to stop running away.