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Dai Shi opened his eyes and his gaze fell upon an hourglass identical to the one he had left in Sousou's banquet hall. His lips spread into a cruel smile as his first meeting with the Sovereigns allowed him to assess Seiryuu and Suzaku. It was unfortunate that he could not face Genbu but he would get the chance soon.
"Back already?" Taowu asked as Hundun stood beside him. They had been watching Dai Shi this whole time, waiting for any news. It had been spooky to watch Dai Shi just sit there in a meditative trance, unmoving like a statue. They wondered if he'd ever come out of it. It was not like they doubted Dai Shi's power, but anything could happen. Maybe the Alliance had gotten lucky and somehow trapped him in Sasuke's body.
"Indeed and it was an informative encounter," Dai Shi stated as he stood up. "The Sovereigns are no threat to us." He was honestly disappointed. Despite their power, Suzaku and Seiryuu had failed to impress him. Although Seiryuu's last attack had indeed driven him out of Qiongqi's body, it ultimately amounted to nothing.
"So does that mean we can attack now? We can have the Zakurokages storm the gates and really wreck the place." Taowu was eager to cause some destruction. After losing Son Go, he wanted to make Suzaku pay and he believed that taking Sou Gi would be the perfect revenge. He could already see it now, his moment of triumph. He would defeat Suzaku and make him watch him violate his entire faction. That would be his ultimate revenge.
"More unnecessary violence?" Hundun frowned disapprovingly.
"That's funny, coming from the guy who made suicide bombers to get back at his brother," Taowu scoffed.
"At least I succeeded," Hundun retorted.
"Enough," Dai Shi commanded, shutting them both up. "I will not have you both bickering while we're so close to victory. Have a little patience, Taowu. You'll get your chance soon. For now, I must prepare for our guests."
"Guests?" Hundun asked. "What do you mean, Dai Shi-sama?"
"Well, I decided to go with a more diplomatic approach and asked them for their surrender," Dai Shi answered.
"Not gonna work. If I know Mitsuki, he's not going to give up without a fight," Taowu argued, scoffing.
"Perhaps you are right, Taowu," Dai Shi agreed. "But they have so much to lose if they don't accept. Do you think your old friend is willing to risk it all?"
Taowu fell silent as he mulled over Dai Shi's words. Unlike Taowu, Suzaku had a lot to lose if he chose not to surrender. He had his little family and he would do anything to protect them, even give up his own life for them. Of course, he knew his old friend would still try to fight even if the odds were stacked against him.
"What about Takeda?" Hundun questioned.
"He was a traitor and you know what happens to traitors," Dai Shi answered as he showed them the Qiongqi Lockseed. The warning was clear: if they ever betrayed him, he would kill them without a second thought. He watched the sand in the hourglass fall with great anticipation. "Now, we await their answer."
Sangokuden Armored War Gods Saga: End of the Armored War Gods
Co-Written By: Kamen Rider Chrome Ten-Faced Paladin
Beta Reader/Editor: Busterleader92 Kamen Rider Goji
Chapter 58: Resolve of the Blue King
"We're surrounded," Shuutai reported after she returned from her scouting mission.
"How many?" Sousou asked.
"4,000."
"What are they doing?" Sonken questioned.
"Nothing. They're just standing there like they're waiting for orders."
"Then let's wipe them out right now," Mitsuki said firmly as flames lit up in his eyes. After his humiliating defeat at Dai Shi's hands, he needed an outlet for his boiling anger.
"That may not be the best course of action, Akechi," Nagata argued.
"And why the hell not?" Mitsuki demanded angrily.
"Because Dai Shi can just replace his forces and we all know how he does it."
Mitsuki's expression turned grim. Dai Shi had no problem having people killed so he could convert their corpses into Rinshi. While they might have destroyed his Rinshi factory, he could still replenish his forces in his secret headquarters.
By the time both Nagata and Mitsuki returned from their fight with Dai Shi, everyone had already recovered from the effects of the RinJyuKen leader's miasma. Tragically, some of the guards had not been as lucky as they had died from exposure to Dai Shi's terrifying aura. Not even Mitsuki could revive them with his Phoenix Down.
They had all felt Dai Shi's presence, his oppressive Killing Intent, and his toxic miasma. He was more powerful than any enemy they had ever faced before and they suspected that he was still only holding back.
They could not afford to underestimate him, especially during these crucial times.
It had been a harrowing experience for all of them, Dai Shi's presence filling them with dread, terror and despair. Fortunately, the Sovereigns managed to drive Dai Shi off, allowing them to recover.
Once their strength had returned, Sousou immediately called for an emergency meeting. She attended with her fellow rulers, their advisors and their Sovereigns as this directly concerned them.
It was about Dai Shi's ultimatum.
The hourglass still sat in the banquet hall where they had left it. According to Kada, they had less than four hours until all the sand filled the bottom. That made everyone anxious. It was like it was counting down to their deaths.
How fitting for a death hourglass to give them only four hours.
They were beginning to lose hope but they could not afford to fall into despair. This was the eve of their final battle and they needed to be ready.
"So...Sasuke's dead," Hideyoshi concluded after he had been given a summary of what had happened while he was unconscious. Kada had woken him up so he could attend the meeting and he was miraculously sober, not even suffering from a hangover.
"Yes," Nagata confirmed apologetically.
"I see..." Hideyoshi had mixed feelings about Sasuke's death. For a long time since his betrayal, the Ultimate Hammer had wanted revenge on him for killing his best friend. However, now, he felt hollow.
"Everyone, there's something important I need to confess to you," Shibai spoke up, bringing all attention to her. Nagata had learned that Shibai was really Diaochan this whole time.
Originally a double agent working for Ukitsu, she was convinced to defect to their side but would have to discard 'Diaochan' and continue to live as 'Shibai', effectively killing her original identity. It was the only way for her to separate herself from her original affiliation and atone for her sins.
"What is it, Shibai?" Mitsuki asked.
"Tyrant was my anonymous informant."
This surprised everyone that sat at the table, especially Hideyoshi.
"...No way." Sasuke had been secretly on their side this whole time? Impossible.
"Are you saying he was a double agent?" Mitsuki questioned.
"Indeed. Tyrant was spying on the RinJyuKen for us and feeding me information," Shibai explained.
"And you kept this from us," Mitsuki frowned disapprovingly. "I trust you have a good reason."
"The fewer people who knew he was my informant, the less risk there was of him being exposed. I apologize for keeping this a secret from you, Baron-sama and you too, Sousou-sama."
"Fine, maybe that is a good reason but we are still going to talk about this, Shibai. You should be able to trust me with something as sensitive as this."
"Again, I apologize, sir."
"So, Tyrant was on our side this whole time," Sousou remarked. It did explain how Shibai got her hands on such vital information that allowed them to cripple the RinJyuKen's operations, granting them numerous victories during the war.
"When did this begin?" Hideyoshi questioned.
"Not long after Ukitsu was killed and the spell on him was broken," Shibai answered.
"A spell?" Hideyoshi's eyes widened in surprise. "What spell? What do you mean?"
"Before Tyrant joined Kosonsan's group, Ukitsu had him under mind control."
Hideyoshi was stunned but he shook his head in denial.
"No, no, you're lying."
"I am not. Ukitsu told me himself. Practically bragged about it. He had sent Tyrant to join your group as a spy."
"If that's true then when he killed my best friend...when he killed Kenshin..."
"...He was under Ukitsu's control."
"So, if he was under mind control and the spell was broken, why didn't he come to us?" Hideyoshi demanded, his mind reeling from the revelation. He wanted to deny Shibai's claim, saying that she was lying to them. After all, she had been with the enemy faction too.
"Would you have welcomed him back if he had?" Shibai responded to his question with her own. "I saw how you reacted when he arrived earlier."
"We all did," Mitsuki agreed. "You wanted his head. If that was how you reacted when he came just now, I reckon it'd be no better if he came after being freed from Ukitsu."
"I...I just wanted to avenge Kenshin," Hideyoshi shamefully admitted. He still had lingering doubts about Sasuke's allegiance, but with how Dai Shi used him as a meat puppet, he wondered if he had gotten the musician all wrong.
"So, Tyrant stayed under Dai Shi's command to act as our mole, feeding you with vital information to help us in the war effort," Sousou summarized.
"Yes," Shibai confirmed. "The only reason I can suspect he would come to us now is that he was afraid that his cover was blown and he thought we could protect him from Dai Shi's wrath."
"So much for that plan." Mitsuki crossed his arms. "As soon as he stepped out of that portal, Dai Shi took over."
"He was trying to warn us about something, something that was important," Ryuubi said as she recalled Sasuke's final words before Dai Shi took over. It was something he did not want them to know about but she suspected it had something to do with the Sovereigns if Dai Shi wanted them to surrender to him.
"Oh, God." Nagata held his head in horror, still reeling from Sasuke's death. "I killed him."
"No, you saved him," Mitsuki countered.
"What are you saying? I didn't save anyone tonight!"
"Yes, you did! You drove Dai Shi away and saved everyone here. If you hadn't struck him down, he would've remained a slave to Dai Shi!"
"I could've found another way!" Nagata had lost Gien and Karasu. He had resolved to not lose anyone again. Sadly, he was unable to save Sasuke and had killed him instead.
"He didn't give you a choice so stop blaming yourself! This was not your fault! This was all Dai Shi's doing! Just accept that! Crying about it won't bring Tyrant back!"
"Mitsuki is correct," Sousou agreed. "We don't have time to mourn for Tyrant right now, Nagata."
"Yeah, I understand," Nagata nodded. He did not agree with her but he understood that they couldn't mourn Sasuke, not when they had more important matters to deal with.
"Now, Dai Shi has left us with an ultimatum. We can either hand over our Sovereigns or he'll kill us all."
"We can't give Nagata-sama and the others up to Dai Shi," Ryuubi said firmly.
"Obviously," Juniku agreed. "We can't be sure he won't kill us anyway after we give him what he wants."
"So what can we do then?" Ryuubi asked.
"I say we take the fight to him. We show up like he wants us to and strike him down, hard and fast before he can even think of making a move," Mitsuki suggested strongly.
"That might work," Komei agreed. "With the Sovereigns, even if we are missing Zangetsu-dono, we might have enough power to defeat Dai Shi. Although, we need to consider several factors."
"Like what?" Ryomo asked.
"The army that's waiting outside," Komei reminded them. They had wards that prevented Rinshi and Rinrinshi from breaching the gates and walls, but would they be strong enough to hold back an army of such magnitude?
"It's a scare tactic," Ryomo stated. "Dai Shi has his army waiting outside to put more pressure on us."
"Well, it's working," Hideyoshi admitted. Knowing 4,000 enemy soldiers were waiting outside their gates was making him nervous. Sure, between himself, Mitsuki and Nagata, they could wipe them all out, but then Dai Shi could just as easily replace them.
"And Dai Shi has also proven that wards can't stop him," Ryomo added. "What's to stop him from possessing any of us right now?"
"If he could do that, he would've possessed Oda or me and made us kill all of you," Mitsuki countered.
"What about me?" Hideyoshi questioned, offended.
"You're strong," Mitsuki acknowledged. "But Oda and I have way more destructive power."
"I can literally summon a tsunami," Hideyoshi fiercely argued. "How's that for destructive power? And water beats fire."
"And electricity beats water."
"What is this? Pokémon?"
"Boys, stop arguing. If you want to have a dick-measuring contest, do it after we've dealt with the enemy," Sousou cut them off.
"And Akechi's right. I don't think Dai Shi can possess just anyone. Maybe he could only possess Sasuke because he was one of his Four Fiends," Nagata theorized.
"We also don't fully know what Dai Shi is truly capable of," Sonken continued. "What we've witnessed so far may only be a sample of his full might."
"He's apparently strong enough to defeat Akechi without breaking a sweat," Nagata stated.
"Watch it, Oda," Mitsuki warned.
"I wasn't insulting you, Akechi. I'm just saying that Dai Shi was able to outclass both of us and that was while he was possessing Sasuke. There's no telling how strong he really is if he fought us for real."
"You sound scared, Oda."
"I'm just being cautious, Akechi. I was barely able to defeat him myself. Even then it didn't make any difference. All it did was get Sasuke killed."
"We don't have time to be cautious! We need to act!" Mitsuki insisted, slamming his fists on the table. "Or would you prefer it if more people died?"
"Don't you even go there!" Nagata furiously objected, meeting Mitsuki's gaze angrily.
"How can you even say such a thing, Baron-san?" Ryuubi scolded, aghast. "Nagata-sama would never wish death on innocents."
"We could just make a stand here," Hideyoshi suggested. "We fortify our defences and wait for Dai Shi to come to us. We have skilled warriors and soldiers willing to lay their lives down to protect the kingdom."
"So your plan basically accounts to us waiting for Dai Shi to bring his army to slaughter us all," Mitsuki retorted.
"All I'm saying is that if Dai Shi wants to come at us, then we let him, and bring him down on our turf.".
"Hideyoshi, we'll risk putting innocent lives in danger by inviting Dai Shi to our doorstep," Nagata argued.
"So you don't want to use the defensive strategy either," Hideyoshi frowned. "Then what do you think we should do?"
"I don't know." Nagata shook his head. "I'm sorry. I just don't know."
"Dai Shi wants us to surrender the Sovereigns to him but what about Zangetsu?" Sonken questioned. "We still don't know where he is and he hasn't shown himself in months."
"I hate to break it to you, Sonken, but if he hasn't shown up by now then he may have already been captured," Mitsuki suggested. "Or dead."
"You think I haven't thought of that?" Sonken shot back. "But I know Zangetsu. He won't go down without a fight."
"And we all felt Dai Shi's power. No offence, but I doubt Zangetsu could fight him alone and triumph. We gotta assume the worst."
"I don't think he's dead. Dai Shi wants all the Sovereigns alive and that includes Masataka," Nagata countered. "If he's being held captive then we'll need to rescue him too."
"To do that, we'll have to go and give ourselves up to Dai Shi," Hideyoshi reminded. "And we can't let that happen. Yet, if we don't give ourselves up, he's going to attack the city and take us anyway. We're doomed either way." This was quite the dilemma. Either choice would end with a terrible result. It seemed like a no-win situation for them.
"I refuse to allow Nagata-sama sacrifice himself," Ryuubi strongly stated.
"What if it's my choice?" Nagata argued.
"Nagata-sama?"
"Are you so eager to throw your life away, Nagata?" Sousou questioned. "Even after you just got it back?"
"I'm not," Nagata answered. "But we don't have time to just sit here and argue, especially with so much at stake. We need to come to a decision."
"You're right," Sousou agreed. "Ryomo, Komei, Juniku, gather all of the other strategists and come up with a plan to reinforce our defences. Our first priority is to protect the capital in the event of an all-out attack. Nagata, Mitsuki, Gridon, you three should decide what to do about Dai Shi's ultimatum. Remember, it's not just your lives on the line."
"Like I need the reminder," Hideyoshi muttered.
Nagata looked at Mitsuki and Hideyoshi. This was a heavy burden on all of them. Their survival depended on what the Sovereigns would do next.
Meanwhile, back in the banquet hall, sand continued to trickle down the hourglass.
While Ryuubi had gone to inform everyone about the plan to fortify their defences, Nagata had retreated to his room so he could think.
He lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling, deep in thought, suffering from a dilemma.
"Maybe you should let him come," Karasu suggested as she lay beside him, keeping him company. "And if anyone does end up killed, Akechi can just bring them back to life."
"I don't want anyone to be killed," Nagata objected. "And remember those guards that were killed could no longer be revived by Akechi."
"So you're just going to give yourself up?" Karasu questioned harshly. "Are you so eager to throw your life away again?"
"I'm not throwing my life away but I don't want my friends to lose their lives either." Nagata covered his face with his hands and groaned. "Ugh, why is this so hard?"
Since giving themselves up was off the table, they had two courses of action: they could either confront Dai Shi when he expected them to surrender, thus taking the fight to him. Or, they could make a stand here, fortify their defences and wait for Dai Shi to come attack with his army.
By making a stand, Dai Shi would be on their turf as they had all their Armored War Gods gathered in one place. However, it would come at a huge cost as lives would be lost in the ensuing battle.
By confronting Dai Shi, they could minimize the casualties. Sure, they would outnumber him as it would be three against one, but Dai Shi could still outmatch them. When they had fought, it was like staring death in the face and he did not care to experience that again. He was honestly frightened of facing Dai Shi again. Just thinking about what Dai Shi was truly capable of made him feel so powerless.
He had made some tough calls before but there was too much at stake now.
What was the right decision?
Do they fight Dai Shi?
Surrender themselves to save only the Alliance?
Or don't surrender himself and doom everyone?
He didn't know what to do.
He needed someone to talk to, someone who wasn't just a hallucination or a voice in his head. He heard a knock at his door and Karasu's ghost faded away.
"Who is it?" he asked as he sat up. He was about to turn them away until he heard Kanu's voice on the other side.
"May I come in, Nagata-sama?" Kanu asked as she opened the door a crack.
"Aisha," he smiled. "The door's open." Kanu opened the door and came inside, closing the door behind her before she went and sat down beside him.
"How are you doing, Nagata-sama?" she asked him.
"Is that a trick question, Aisha?" Nagata retorted. "I just don't know what to do. On one hand, if we surrender, Dai Shi spares you all but kills everyone else. If we don't surrender, then he'll kill all of you."
"Believe me, Nagata-sama, if there was an easy choice, we would've been able to make it already," Kanu said sympathetically. "Between surrender and death, it's never an easy choice, is it?"
"It's like being stuck between a rock and a hard place. I did not expect for tonight to end up like this," Nagata admitted.
"Me neither," Kanu agreed as it had all started so well. Nagata was properly brought back to life, they had reconciled and reaffirmed their relationship, but then all celebration ceased once Dai Shi showed up.
"We had a chance to just breathe and celebrate, but then Dai Shi decided to ruin the party and now we've got less than four hours to decide. It's like Heaven hates us."
"I don't believe Heaven hates us, Nagata-sama."
"It sure feels that way, Aisha." Nagata held his head in his hands. Kanu gently wrapped her arms around her beloved to pull him against her. He was comforted by her touch as she gently stroked his head. "We considered just taking the fight to him."
"I don't wish for you to confront Dai Shi," she confessed as she held him. "I lost you once already. I couldn't bear to lose you again."
"I don't plan on going anywhere."
"Then stay and fight with us."
"I wish I could, Aisha, but Dai Shi made it clear that he will kill you all if we do that. I've lost too many people in my life and I don't want to lose anyone else. I...I just don't know what to do."
"Then why not focus on what you can do right now?" she suggested. "If there's something you've been putting off, now is your chance to resolve it."
"Yeah, good idea." He knew just where to start. In a flash, he zoomed out of the room but quickly returned to kiss her on the cheek. "Love you." He took off again in a flash.
"I love you too," Kanu smiled as she touched her cheek which tingled from his kiss.
"How are you feeling, Airen?" Kochu asked her husband as he lay in bed, looking pretty pale and weak after what Dai Shi had done to him. Kochu sat beside him and Riri was there too. She had heard what had happened to her daddy and wanted to see if he was alright. Kada was also present to treat his patient. Yomi was sleeping in her crib, unaware of what had transpired earlier in the banquet hall.
"I'm fine, Koi. Just tired," Iori answered before he coughed.
Kada frowned when he heard this. He had kept this between himself and Iori for long enough. His family needed to know.
"Isn't there something you need to tell your wife, Iori-sama?" Kada questioned, earning a glare from the Demon Dragon.
"Not the time, Kada," Iori hissed, warning him.
"Tell me what?" Kochu asked, wondering what her husband was keeping from her.
"It's nothing," Iori denied, silently warning Kada to not say anything more with his glare.
"No, it's not," Kada countered, unintimidated. He had respected Iori's wishes and kept silent all this time but enough was enough. He may believe in doctor-patient confidentiality, but Iori's family had a right to know what was happening to him. "Kochu-dono, your husband has been hiding something from you."
"Kada, don't you dare," Iori threatened.
"Airen, what have you been hiding from me?" Kochu asked.
"It's nothing," Iori insisted.
"No, you're lying." Kochu's eyes narrowed at her husband as she addressed the doctor. "Kada-sensei, what has my husband been hiding from me?"
"Kada, don't say another word!"
"Your husband is suffering from Ki-poisoning," Kada answered. He did not care if Iori felt betrayed by him for revealing his condition. It was the right thing to do.
"Ki-poisoning?" Kochu did not understand.
"His ability to transform into his more powerful forms - Yomotsuheguri and Makairyu - came at a cost. Each time he transforms, his Ki becomes more and more tainted. At first, there weren't any serious signs but it is gradually affecting his health and his behaviour," Kada explained. "Lack of impulse control, violent tendencies, and there's no doubt severe internal damage."
"Airen," Kochu spoke softly, horrified, as she looked at her husband. "Is this true?"
"I..." Iori started as he failed to meet her gaze and could only hang his head in shame. Kada had pretty much let the cat out of the bag. There was no hiding it any longer. "Yes, it's true but I've had Hideyoshi heal me whenever it gets serious."
"Gridon-dono is able to remove the impurities and undoes the damage, but each time you transform, it comes back even worse," Kada added. "And he may be a good healer, but he can't do anything to fix how that dark Ki was affecting your behaviour, Ryugen-sama."
"Airen, why didn't you tell me?" Kochu asked her husband, feeling upset. Why couldn't he trust her with this? They were married for Heaven's sake. He shouldn't have to hide anything from her, especially if they were this serious.
"I didn't want you to worry, especially with the baby coming," Iori answered.
"Then why not stop using that power?" Kochu pressed.
"I couldn't stop," Iori confessed. "It made me stronger, more capable of protecting you and our daughters. I couldn't just give it up."
"So you got drunk on power," Kochu concluded.
"Yeah, I did, but you won't have to worry about it anymore. It's gone." Iori could feel it. Dai Shi had stripped him of his ability to access his most powerful forms.
"Maybe that's for the best. That power was slowly killing you and you've no doubt shaved years off your lifespan. Now that it's gone, you'll likely recover," Kada remarked. "Until you've recovered fully, I order you to stay in bed and rest."
"No, I need to fight," Iori argued. Dai Shi was threatening to end them all and he needed to defend his loved ones.
"You're in no condition to fight," Kada argued.
"He's right, Airen," Kochu agreed. "You're weak and you need to rest."
"But I need to protect you," Iori begged. "All of you." He did not want to lose them. He could not lose them. He couldn't live without them.
"Daddy, please," Riri pleaded. "Just rest. I don't...I don't want to lose you too."
"Riri..." Iori looked at his beloved stepdaughter's eyes. They had bonded before he and Kochu were even married. Since then she became precious to him and he did not want to see her get hurt. But now, looking at her and Kochu, he knew he would be hurting them if he got himself killed. However, he still believed it was his responsibility to protect his family.
Zhayu had given him the power he needed to fight against their enemies. Almost nothing could match him and numerous Rinrinshi had fallen in battle whenever they faced him. Now, he had lost that power and could not do anything. He hated feeling so weak.
He just wished he was not so damn weak.
A knock at the door broke the silence.
"Who is it?" Kochu asked.
"It's me," Nagata answered from the other side. "Shion, can I come in? I want to speak with Iori."
Kochu looked to her husband who sighed and nodded, giving his permission.
"Yes, come in, Nagata-sama," Kochu allowed.
Nagata opened the door and saw the family in the room with Kada.
"Oh, is this a bad time, Shion? I can come back later if it is."
"No, it isn't," Kochu assured him. Nagata came in as she stood up. "Come on, Riri. Let's give your father and Nagata-sama some privacy."
As they stepped out of the room, Riri stopped to speak with Nagata.
"Nagata-niichan, are we going to be OK?" Riri asked.
Nagata wanted to say that they would be alright, that they would win like they always did, but that felt like lying. However, he needed to say something to reassure her.
"Yeah, we'll be OK, Riri," Nagata said, patting her head. "It'll be like before. No matter how strong the bad guys are, we're going to beat them."
That seemed to reassure the little girl as she smiled and left with her mother.
"Remember what I said, Iori-sama," Kada reminded his patient. "You need to rest and recover your strength."
"Yes, Kada-sensei," Iori deadpanned as Kada stepped out of the room to give them their privacy.
For a moment, both dragon warriors shared an awkward silence. After all, things had been pretty rocky between them. Someone needed to speak up. Fortunately, it was the Demon Dragon who broke the silence.
"What you said to Riri, you know that was a lie, right?"
"I wanted to give her a bit of hope. What about you? How are you feeling?" Nagata asked as he took Kochu's empty seat.
"I'm fine, just a bit weak and nauseous," Iori answered as he remembered how Dai Shi had ripped that shadow wyrm out of him. "I just can't believe that thing was inside of me all this time."
"What was it anyway?"
"Kada thinks I got it during our last battle with Chojo when we first saw the Seal of Heaven. It was the source of my Super Forms."
"You started acting a lot more aggressive since then too," Nagata recalled.
"I've been thinking about my actions recently. I did a lot of bad things in the name of justice, or what I believe to be justice," Iori said regretfully.
"You wanted to do the right thing, the same as all of us."
"Well, they say the road to Hell is paved in good intentions."
"At least you seem to be doing better now."
"Nagata, why are you really here?" Iori finally asked. "I know you didn't come here just to say hello and see how I'm doing." Nagata could be using his time better by making a plan to stop Dai Shi. Instead, he decided to come and see Iori.
"Look, Iori. I know things between us haven't been good since, well, you know, since..." Nagata trailed off as he rubbed the back of his head, unable to find the right words.
"Since I got your cousin killed," Iori finished. After Karasu's death, their friendship had become strained and they had barely spoken to each other. The only times Iori ever spoke to Nagata was to berate him. With danger looming over them, it was time to bury the hatchet. They may not get another chance.
"Yeah, that. But we don't have a whole lot of time and I just thought we could talk and make amends before it's too late. I don't want to leave things like this. I don't want to go thinking our friendship couldn't be fixed."
"Are we still even friends, Nagata?"
"I'd like to think so. I've lost Enya and Kara-chan. I don't want to lose anyone else I care about. So, for the sake of our friendship, I forgive you."
Iori's eyes widened in surprise.
"You forgive me? Really? Even after everything that has happened? Everything I've said and done?"
"Yes, I do. I don't want to hold a grudge anymore. I've seen the damage it can cause when anger and resentment are allowed to build up and fester. Jealousy drove Kara-chan to do the things she did, Taiga hated me so much that he willingly bonded himself with a demon and your anger made you take extreme measures. I also want to apologize too. I know I made some pretty bad choices but I'm trying to make up for my mistakes and I hope you can forgive me too."
Iori thought over Nagata's words. If Nagata had told them about the traitor, then maybe they could've been ready for an eventual betrayal. However, it would've caused tension within their ranks as they started suspecting each other. There would be paranoia as they wouldn't know who they could trust.
After Dai Shi took Zhayu out of Iori, it seemed like he could think a lot more clearly now as the aggression had faded as well. However, he could not blame Zhayu entirely for his actions. That wyrm may have influenced him but those thoughts were all his own just as the fear and anger came from him.
"I'm sorry," Iori apologized as well. "I'm sorry I went behind your back and got your cousin killed. I was just so angry and afraid that she might get off scot-free that I took matters into my own hands."
"I understand."
"No, please, let me finish," Iori interrupted. "You asked me if I was happy she was dead. I'm not going to lie and say no. She had done too much and hurt too many people for me to forgive her. But…I'm not going to be joyous either. I know how precious family is...even if you hate them sometimes. It infuriated me that you were so lenient with her that you turned a blind eye to her faults. At least, I thought you had. I'm not going to deny that she did try to redeem herself. You're right. I messed up. If I hadn't done what I did, she would still be here. If it was for you, she would have surely helped us against Dai Shi. Maybe she really was looking to make amends. If she did wish to atone, then I shouldn't have taken that chance from her."
"Thank you," Nagata appreciated and accepted Iori's apology as he could tell that he was being sincere. He honestly understood why Iori had done what he did. All of his action has been done with the best of intentions, despite being reckless and impulsive. Ultimately, he just wanted to protect his family and his home.
"And thanks for avenging my brother when I could not."
"Just get better and everything can be cool between us."
"Alright. So how bad is it?"
"Dai Shi's given us a deadline. We've only got a few hours to decide."
"I know about the terms. If you surrender yourselves to him, our factions will be spared but Dai Shi will just kill the rest of the world. And if you don't surrender, then Dai Shi will kill everyone anyway. That's not an easy choice to make."
"Yeah, so you can understand why we're in such a difficult position. Karin doesn't want to surrender and she's not budging."
"But if you don't surrender, it will be worse."
"Yeah, and I don't know what to do."
"We all felt Dai Shi's Killing Intent, Nagata. We felt how powerful he was. He means to kill us all, no matter what. He's not playing around."
"You're not the type to give up like that," Nagata observed.
"I'm just being realistic and that's why I'm going to fight alongside you," Iori resolved.
"You sure about that? If you go out like this, you could get yourself killed."
"I'm dying anyway..."
"Wait, what?" Nagata blinked, surprised. "What are you talking about?"
"Apparently, my Super Forms were slowly killing me and they've already shaved years from my lifespan. I don't really know how much time I have left but if I'm going to die, then let me die protecting the ones I love."
"Please don't talk like that, Iori." Nagata did not want Iori to die. He did not want to lose anyone anymore. "I'm not going to let you die, Iori. Trust me."
"Don't make promises you can't keep, Nagata, but thanks anyway. And if by some miracle we do survive this battle, Shion and I have decided that we're done with all this."
"What do you mean?" Nagata was confused.
"We've talked about it. The wars, the battles, everything. We're just done. We just want to raise our girls and live in peace. So, once this war is over, we'll move back to Shion's village and settle down for real."
"So, you really have thought about it."
"We've talked about it even before Yomi was born. What about you, Nagata? Have you ever thought of settling down after this war?"
"Nagata-sama," Kanu said as he came back. "So, were you able to do what you needed to do?"
"I spoke with Iori and we managed to talk things out," he told her, smiling. "We're cool now."
"That's some good news at least. Aneue was here while you were gone."
"Did she say anything?"
"Rinrin tried to smash the hourglass."
"Was she able to?"
"No, she couldn't, no matter how much she tried." Ryuubi had told her that Chouhi had furiously tried to break the hourglass, even tried to lift it off the table but to no avail. It was both indestructible and immovable.
"She probably thought that breaking it would give us more time or something," Nagata assumed.
"She's not so bright but her heart is in the right place."
"That's Rinrin for you. Not only does she have huge strength and a huge stomach, but she's also got a huge heart." Nagata sighed. He recalled his conversation with Iori, about settling down in the future. "Say, Aisha, have you ever thought of what you'd do after all of this is over?"
"You mean after the war?"
"Not just the war. I mean, have you ever thought of, maybe, settling down somewhere...together?"
"Oh," Kanu understood, blushing. "What about you and Karin?"
"She just needs me to give her a baby," Nagata said. Sousou made that pretty clear. She liked him but she wasn't in love with him.
"To be honest, Nagata-sama, I never once thought about settling down before I met you," Kanu admitted. "I always thought that I would spend the rest of my life hunting bandits until the day I'd fall in battle."
"That's...grim." Nagata grimaced.
"I didn't have any family left and I was travelling alone, living the life of a wandering warrior. My life was focused on hunting bandits and bringing them to justice. Not once did I ever think of settling down. But since meeting you and Rinrin, well, my plans have changed." Kanu touched her index fingers together. "I've dreamt of raising a family with you."
"You mean the two of us having a kid?" Nagata asked, surprised.
"Yes," Kanu confirmed. "Back in your world, did you have any plans for the future?"
"To be honest, I always thought I would take over my parents' restaurant."
"We could do something like that. We could run away together and open a little restaurant somewhere. You can cook and I'll serve the customers. We can then have a child and raise a family."
"Are you sure you can put down your weapon for that, give up fighting altogether, just to work in a restaurant?"
"The life of a warrior is often short. I want to live a long and fulfilling life with the one I love."
"What about Rinrin? And Touka?" Kanu wouldn't abandon her sworn sisters, would she?
"I guess Rinrin can come along. Aneue too if she wishes. She can be your second wife."
"And the others?" He could not forget about Chou'un, Bacho, and Ren.
"If you asked them, I'm sure they'd agree to marry you as well. Shuri too."
"Shuri?"
"She's been studying so she may someday perform her wifely duties to your satisfaction."
Nagata blushed as he let out a chuckle. Kanu really did want to settle down with him and was even willing to share him with the others in marriage.
"I wish you could meet my folks, Aisha. I know they'd love you."
Kanu blushed. Yes, she really would've liked to meet her beloved's parents. Though, would they have approved of her? She wasn't exactly a normal girl.
A glow from Nagata's pocket caught their attention and he reached into it to pull out the Red Rose Lockseed.
"Nagata-sama, why is it glowing like that?" Kanu asked.
"I don't know," he answered.
The eye of the Red Rose Lockseed flashed and they felt themselves being drawn into it.
Nagata and Kanu suddenly found themselves standing in the middle of a traditional Japanese meeting hall, the same kind used by feudal lords to meet with their subordinates and vassals.
"Nagata-sama, where are we?" Kanu asked, confused. She did not like this, especially without her weapon.
"It's..." Nagata started as he scanned the meeting hall they stood in, wondering the same thing. It looked familiar. Was this some kind of illusion? If it was, then it was rather realistic, like how the tatami felt under his feet.
"You're in the meeting hall of the Oda clan ancestral home," a cloaked and hooded figure with a large scythe said as they suddenly appeared before the couple.
"Who are you!? Did you bring us here!?" Kanu demanded, believing this figure was a threat. Whoever they were, they had brought them to this place against their will. While she was without her weapon, she could still defend herself as she raised her fists.
Nagata instantly recognized the figure. The cloak and scythe were unmistakable.
"Okaasan!" Nagata exclaimed happily, surprising Kanu.
"'Okaasan'?"
Ruby Oda lowered her hood and smiled.
"Welcome home, Nagata."
Kanu gaped at the woman standing before them. She studied Ruby's face and could see the resemblance as she and Nagata shared the same silver eyes. This was her beloved's mother? How was it possible for them to be meeting her now? Hadn't he told her that his birth mother had died?
"How are you here?" Nagata wondered, surprised to see his mother. The last time they had seen each other, it had been in Purgatory.
"That power I gave you connected us, Nagata," Ruby answered. "That way, whenever you need me, you can always call to talk to me." Her silver gaze went to Kanu. "And who's this lovely lady?"
"Ah!" Kanu immediately bowed. "My name is Kanu Unchou, ma'am! It is an honour to meet you, Nagata-sama's mother!"
"Oh, you don't have to bow, Kanu," Ruby smiled warmly as Kanu looked up at her. "And it's nice to meet you too."
"Okaasan, I'm glad to see you, but right now we're having a major crisis and we're running out of time," Nagata informed her.
"Well, then it's a good thing you're here since time doesn't pass in this place," Ruby said as she sat down on a cushion as a table appeared on the floor. Two more cushions appeared for Kanu and Nagata to sit on across from her. "Please take a seat. Have some tea and cookies." A plate of cookies and four cups of warm tea magically appeared on the table.
Nagata and Kanu looked at each other, unsure, but sat down as requested. If Ruby was right and no time passed while they were here, then maybe they could spend some time talking. Maybe they could even figure out what to do next.
"Is Otousan here with you?" Nagata asked, hoping to see his father too.
"He couldn't join us, sorry," Ruby apologized. "My Lockseed could only connect you to me."
"I see." That was disappointing.
"I love your hair, Kanu," Ruby complimented. "My best friend Weiss wears her hair like that too. It looks good on you."
"Thank you, ma'am," Kanu blushed.
"Oh, Kanu. It's OK. You can call me 'Auntie Ruby'," Ruby giggled.
"I don't think that would be proper, ma'am." Kanu took a cup and sipped on it.
"Then how about 'mother'? After all, you want to marry my son, don't you?"
Kanu did a spit-take all over Nagata.
"I'm so sorry, Nagata-sama!" Kanu frantically apologized as she grabbed a napkin to clean him.
"It's fine." Nagata wiped the tea off his face with his sleeve. "It's not like any of this is real."
"It's kinda real and kinda not," Ruby shrugged. "It's weird like that."
"Excuse me, I don't mean to be rude, but Nagata-sama told us that you and your husband passed away," Kanu said. "If that's true then how are you here talking to us? Are you a spirit?"
"Well, something like that," Ruby admitted. "After we died, we were both made into Shinigami and have been watching over our son ever since."
"So, you became gods."
"Yes, death gods. It's not a glamorous job but it's still an important one since it's our duty to bring the souls of the dead to the afterlife."
"Okaasan, excuse me," Nagata politely interrupted. "But why have you brought us here?"
"We sensed that you needed help so we brought you here," Ruby answered.
"'We'? Who's 'we'?" Nagata questioned, confused. Then he counted the number of cups that were on the table. There was a fourth one. Ruby had told them that his father could not be present, so who else was here?
"She means me, young one."
The new arrival was an imposing figure, clad in a purple jinbaori that was draped over the black samurai armour with the Oda Clan symbol displayed proudly on his chest. His hair was pulled into a top knot and he had a nicely trimmed moustache and beard with strong piercing silver eyes. His arms were crossed as his eyes locked with Nagata's.
"He always loves making a dramatic entrance," Ruby sighed with an eye-roll.
Nagata recognized him instantly. He had seen plenty of pictures of him to know who he was.
"Nobunaga."
Kanu noticed something identical about all three people.
"You all have silver eyes," she realized.
"A special family trait. Although, not everyone inherited it," Nobunaga claimed as he sat down to join them, taking the seat beside Ruby. "So, you're Kanu Unchou. I remember reading stories of you but I'm surprised to see that you're a woman. I'm honoured to meet you, Kanu-dono."
"Nagata-sama, who's this?" Kanu asked, feeling as if this man's presence alone demanded respect.
"He's Nobunaga Oda, our ancestor," Nagata said with a frown. "Also known as the Demon King of the Sixth Heaven who paved a bloody path for the sake of his ambition during Japan's Warring States Era."
"'Demon King'?!" Kanu gasped.
"I'm glad that I haven't been forgotten but from the look on your face, you don't seem happy to see me," Nobunaga remarked.
"You're a ruthless warlord who waged war to expand your territory, uncaring of the pain and suffering you caused as long as you fulfilled your ambition," Nagata described critically.
Kanu couldn't help but compare Nagata's ancestor to Sousou. They sounded so similar.
"That is partly true, but in my time things were different. We did what we had to do, either for survival, peace or ambition. All I wanted was for my nation to be unified, even if it meant dirtying my hands and becoming a ruthless conqueror. I did not care if I was hated for what I did. Everything I did was in the name of peace," Nobunaga stated without shame.
"Yes, you did equally great and terrible things. Many of your followers remained loyal as they believed in your dream," Nagata relented.
"You do not approve of my actions and yet you still use my power," Nobunaga pointed out. Nagata could not argue with that. He wondered where the Nobunaga Lockseed had come from. Now he knew as it seemed that Nobunaga's spirit was connected with his soul.
"Okaasan told me you both wish to help me," Nagata said.
"First, tell us everything," Nobunaga requested.
"Well, it's a long story. The short version is that Dai Shi wants us to surrender or else he'll kill everyone we love," Nagata explained.
"And what is Dai Shi's ambition?" Nobunaga prodded.
"To kill everyone and revive them as his undead slaves so he can rule a land of the dead. It's his twisted idea of peace."
"So, he's a megalomaniacal and genocidal necromancer," Ruby summarized. "I think I wrote about something like that once."
"And we're running out of time. The problem is I don't know what to do. If we give him what he wants, he'll spare our friends and kill everyone else but those who die become his zombie slaves. If we don't surrender, then he'll just kill everyone and make them into his zombie slaves anyway. Either way, a lot of people will die. We've considered confronting him ourselves, but I'm not sure about our chances," Nagata told them.
"It's not an easy choice for any of us," Kanu said, putting her hand on Nagata's. The decision weighed heavily on everyone's shoulders.
Nobunaga remained silent, arms crossed as he dwelled on Nagata's problem. He was a tactical genius so he could offer Nagata advice.
"Who do you wish to save?" Nobunaga asked.
"I want to save everyone," Nagata answered and Nobunaga scoffed in response.
"How naive. You can't save everyone, boy. You can only save the ones you can. If you surrender yourself, then you can at least save your friends," Nobunaga said.
"And let innocent people suffer!?" Nagata snapped, slamming his hands on the table.
"Nagata-sama won't let that happen!" Kanu supported. "He always does his best to save everyone he can!"
"But you don't have that luxury right now," Nobunaga pointed out. "If I were you, I'd choose to save the ones I can save. If you try to save everyone, then you'll end up saving no one."
"So you want me to decide who lives and who dies?" Nagata growled. "How does that make me any different from Dai Shi?"
"I'm asking you to be smart about this, boy. On one hand, you can save your friends. On the other hand, nobody gets saved. If you want to save everyone you care about, all you have to do is surrender yourselves willingly," Nobunaga replied as he weighed Nagata's options.
"I can't do that," Nagata denied. "I'm sorry. I just can't allow more people to die."
"Then the answer is clear. You must confront him on the battlefield," Nobunaga stated.
"Even when things seem so bleak?" Nagata wondered.
"It might seem bleak now but when things are at their darkest, that is when hope needs to shine," Ruby replied. "Nagata, you have to fight for what's right, fight for what you believe in. Even when it seems like all hope is lost, you have to stand as a beacon of hope."
"A beacon of hope," Nagata echoed.
"They're right," Kanu agreed. "Nagata-sama, ever since you took the reins as the governor of Shoku, people have flocked to you because you inspire hope. When you were elected to lead the Alliance, you inspired people to fight against tyranny. Yes, there were casualties, but you continued to fight to prevent more loss of innocent lives. And after Rakuyo fell, you opened your territory to everyone who lost their homes so they could get a fresh start. Dai Shi claims that he wants peace but all he wants is control. There's no real peace without freedom. A life without freedom is no life at all."
"And what do you stand for, boy?" Nobunaga questioned.
"I stand for freedom," Nagata proclaimed. "Freedom and hope."
"Good answer," Nobunaga approved.
KRC: Originally, this was a much longer chapter so I decided to break it apart into shorter chapters. This chapter mainly deals with Nagata's dilemma, on what he needs to do. This chapter also allows him and Iori to reconcile. Also, Kanu finally meets Ruby Oda and Nobunaga. Now, what will he decide to do?
Nagata and Kanu were returned to the real world. Just as Ruby said, no time had passed while they were in that other world. It was still a jarring experience for Kanu but at least she was able to meet with Nagata's family.
"So, that was your mother," Kanu said. "Now I see where you got your spirit from."
"She's always been like that, or so I've been told," Nagata replied. "If we're going to defeat Dai Shi, we need to hold onto our hope."
"Yes," Kanu agreed. "Dai Shi just wants us to fall into despair. It's why he's trying to force you to make a difficult decision, knowing so many people will die no matter what you choose. However, he failed to consider one thing."
"That hope gives us strength. He's already given up on hope and people. That's why he's going through with his plan," Nagata concluded.
"But we won't let him."
"No, we won't. Aisha, I'm going to go and talk with Hideyoshi and Mitsuki. You go fetch the others."
And with that, he took off in a silver flash.
