Chapter Eight

Ryuji stepped into the cave system alone, he had no backup, no support, nothing. In short, it was going to be a fair fight. Creeping through, he encountered shockingly little resistance for a highly secure POW camp. Coming across a pile of Corpses, Ryuji investigated them, noting unusual causes of death. From suffocating on their own body parts, to being ripped in half, something was killing the Shadow Company soldiers, and it was strong, very strong. Ryuji kept moving, flicking his fire selector from auto to semi. He'd need to save ammo for whatever this was. His slow, methodical movement gave way for him to hear the chaos of whatever was happening. Screaming, gunshots, even an explosion or two. Ryuji approached a cell, finding several Urzik citizens inside.

"Anyone here speak english?" Ryuji asked, addressing the POWs. One of them raised her hand.

"Please sir, let us out, we need to escape him." She begged.

"Alright, I'll get you out of here, you won't need to worry about Shepherd anymore." Ryuji stated, pulling his halligan off his back.

"No, we aren't scared of him, it's the American prisoner we are afraid of." she responded. "He came by and started killing the guards, tearing them apart, destroying them, like a beast of some kind. A Ghul, perhaps."

"This helps, thank you." Ryuji stated, slamming the Halligan into the cell door, allowing him to launch it open. The prisoners fled the cell, thanking him profusely as they fled. Ryuji kept moving, lowering his ACR in favor of a KS-23m provided to him by Nikolai. It was a large weapon, chambered in a massive 23x75mm shotgun shell, designed specifically to fire out of its barrel that was ripped off of an AA Gun unable to handle real flak rounds. Ryuji hefted the massive shotgun, preparing to engage any forces he found, most of them already dead. Soon enough, he came across a person, a woman in a green combat suit, her helmet badly damaged, the rest of her covered in cuts and bruises.

"Oh god, you have to help, he's gone insane… help me!" She pleaded. Ryuji raised his shotgun, firing a single round at her, taking her head clean off. Standing just behind her was Micheal Torres, holding the head of a bearded soldier in a pair of sunglasses. Micheal was soaked in blood, almost none of it his own, and his eyes, his eyes. Ryuji could have sworn that Micheal's eyes were glowing. Micheal dropped the head, shaking his own and holding it tightly.

"Oh god, what the hell just happened?" Micheal pleaded.

"Micheal, Jesus Christ are you okay?" Ryuji asked.

"I don't know." Micheal responded, sitting down at the side of the cave. "I'm freaking beat man, in more ways than one."

"Let's get you out of here, alright?" Ryuji stated, heaving Torres over his shoulder.

"No, not yet, Futaba's further in the facility, in a server farm." Micheal stated, pushing himself off Ryuji and picking up a dead soldier's FN SCAR.

"Wait, Futaba? What the hell is she doing here?" Ryuji demanded.

"Keeping Shadow Company off your trail, feeding intel to ya, that kinda thing." Micheal stated, slamming a magazine into his rifle.

"Fuck, well we better go help her." Ryuji stated. The pair ran ahead, fighting off small groups of stragglers as they pushed on. Eventually, the pair reached a makeshift server room. Inside was Futaba, holding a handgun, with a dead Shadow Company soldier lying on the floor.

"Oh jesus…" Ryuji grimaced.

"I just killed someone…" Futaba murmured. "I killed this man." Futaba dropped the handgun as Micheal rushed over to her.

"Oh god are you okay, Futaba?" Ryuji asked.

"No, I'm not okay." Futaba stated. "I just killed someone, Ryui. How do you do it? How do you kill so many people every day and live with yourself?"

"I don't." Ryuji stated. "I still have nightmares about it. Unfortunately, Futaba, killing is something you become better at as you do it, including mentally. Unfortunately, you just become more and more comfortable doing it."

"Unfortunately, Ryuji's right." Torres sighed. "I've killed one hundred eighty seven people this year alone, and that number, unfortunately, is only growing. The best way I can tell you to deal with it is to just not think about it. Treat it like a chore, like any other. But if there's anything you want to say, just say it."

"His name was Jacob." Futaba sighed "Jacob Wright, he was an Ex-US Coast Guard Tac Team member. He always greeted me with a wave and a friendly smile, everyone loved him and I killed him. He came in here, he was assigned to protect me and he caught me trying to send you and Price-San information. He started yelling, talking about how I betrayed Shepherd, how I betrayed him. We got in a fight and I grabbed the pistol Lerch gave me and I shot him, I shot someone I knew, Ryuji."

"Sometimes, you have to kill people you know." Torres sighed. "I dreaded looking Ivanov in the eyes and pulling the trigger when I went to save Ryuji, but I knew I would have to. This happens in our life, unfortunately."

"Cmon, Futaba, we better get going, just stay close and stay down. Only shoot if you have to." Ryuji assured the girl. Before leaving, Ryuji made good on a promise. Ryuji pulled C4 and grenades off his kit, leaving them piled in the server room. Ryuji pulled the pin on a grenade, letting the lever fly off as he tossed a grenade behind him as the room erupted into an explosion. Moving forward, the group quickly stopped encountering Shadow Company, reminding Torres of something.

"There's one more spec ops guy you need to look out for, Ryuji." Torres began. "Said his name is Velikan or something, wanted to fight you personally, he said no weapons."

"Must want to fight with Personas." Ryuji mused. "Fine, I'll give him what he wants."

Deep in the desert, Ryuji spotted a lone figure. He wore heavy combat armor, and a helmet with an Oni smile painted on it. On his back was a bag full of disintegrating links for an M249 SAW, which the figure, presumably Velikan, dropped as Ryuji approached, handing off his own weapons to Torres. Velikan took off his own helmet, dropping it in the dirt, revealing his face. He was completely bald, not a single hair on his head, face, or chin. His skin was a very pale white, and he aged horribly.

"I've waited thirty fucking years for this, Sakamoto." Velikan stated. "Thirty years and I thought I was alone in having this power, this strength no one else has. And finally, I hear that you were a Phantom Thief, and that no one knew your methods. I knew right away what it was, and I was so glad I was right."

"Happy I didn't disappoint." Ryuji smirked. Velikan laughed.

"I think introductions are in order." Velikan stated. "I'm Takao Lev, I go by Velikan. I was born in Japan, raised in Russia, and lived in the US. Now, none of that matters. Now I'm nothing but Shepherd's Persona using attack dog, killing anyone and everyone he gives me a treat to kill. I hate it. I've done reprehensible things, Sakamoto. I still hear those screams every time I close my eyes. I'll drop dead in an hour, Sakamoto, give me a good fight." Velikan pressed an evoker into his forehead, Ryuji following suit with his own.

"RYUJI NO-" Futaba shouted, just before Ryuji pulled the trigger. Captain Kidd materialized, as well as Velikan's Persona.

"This is Leviathan, Sakamoto." Velikan opened, red flames surrounding the heavy soldier. "Let's see how well your Persona handles mine." Immediately, the serpent that was Velikan's persona let out a hiss and rushed to attack Ryuji. Captain Kidd responded by sending a cannon ball straight into Leviathan. Ryuji rushed to land a punch on Velikan, getting a punch in his own face as his fist made contact. Ryuji pressed his evoker to his head again, Captain Kidd materializing and engulfing Ryuji in a red light.

"Ah ha, so you can use boosters, let's see how they react to this." Velikan laughed, having Leviathan engulf Ryuji in a dark light. Though Ryuji could hit hard, he now felt he couldn't take much of a hit. Ryuji summoned Captain Kidd again, having him launch a volley of cannonballs at Velikan. Velikan retaliated with a blast of white light. Ryuji was right, he was hit hard by that attack, it seemed Leviathan lowered his defenses. Ryuji gripped his halligan and swung at Velikan, landing a hit in his side. Velikan screamed and rammed a knife into Ryuji's right shoulder. The two pushed back, staring each other down. Ryuji was tempted to pull the knife out of his shoulder, throw it at Velikan, and get this done, or to hide until he drops dead from his suppressors, but that felt wrong. Velikan's last wish was to die in battle with a Persona user, and he was going to grant that. Ryuji pressed his evoker into his forehead, ignoring the searing pain the knife brought. Velikan followed suit, the two standing silently for a moment, sharing a solemn nod.

"Ziodyne!" Ryuji shouted as he pulled the trigger.

"Megidola!" Velikan retaliated. The two Personas materialized at the same time, launching an attack at the same time. A brilliant flash of light, combined with cackles of electricity burst from nothing, occupying Ryuji's entire world for a moment as the sheer force of the blast launched dust to the stratosphere. The dust settled, revealing a sight to behold. The ground surrounding Velikan and Ryuji was now a crater made of glass, smoldering in the heat of the battle. Lying on the ground, barely breathing was Velikan. Ryuji approached the man, kneeling beside him in the man's final moments.

"Thank you, Sakamoto." Velikan, no, Lev, muttered. "Thank you for granting my wish. If you would, there is one last wish I have."

"Tell me." Ryuji stated.

"I want you to take my life." Lev stated. "I know it's pointless, I'll be dead in forty five minutes anyway, but this is how I want to go, at the hands of a warrior who bested me in a true battle." Ryuji nodded, pulling his MP443 off his kit. Ryuji pointed it at Lev and pulled the trigger once. Glass was now stained red, Lev was resting after his life of agony. Ryuji slid his pistol back into his vest and looked at his comrades.

"Let's bury him, it's what he deserves." Ryuji stated. Forty minutes of digging and one SCAR H later, a grave was set up for Velikan. A small pile of rocks atop his grave, with a SCAR H carrying his dog tags and helmet as a marker.

"What now?" Futaba asked, her tone muted and defeatist. "I doubt we're getting away with this." Ryuji saw a Blackhawk fly overhead to the oil fields. Torres smirked, picking up Lev's forgotten LMG and backpack.

"We keep going." Ryuji stated.

Soap woke up barely conscious, a knife in his chest, Shepherd loading a revolver, bullet by bullet. The operation was disastrous. While Ryuji was off dealing with prisoners and Velikan, he and Price went to pursue Shepherd. Naturally, Shepherd found them and fled, using his own mercenaries as meat shields. Now, they were in an oil field where rivers emptied too, facing the man responsible. Soap intended to slice open Shepherd's throat, only to be stabbed by the man and knocked to the ground. Shepherd flicked his revolver shut.

"Two years ago, 30,000 of my men died in the blink of an eye. And the world just fucking watched." Shepherd stated, pulling the hammer back. "Tomorrow, there will be no shortage of volunteers, and no shortage of patriots. I know you understand." Shepherd raised the revolver. Just at the last second, Price tackled Shepherd, the two engaging in a fist fight, Price losing the battle. Soap had to do something, and he knew what needed to be done. Soap took a deep breath, containing his screams as best he could as he pulled the knife from his chest. Once it was finally out, Soap did all that needed to be done. The knife entered Shepherd's left eye, killing him instantly. Price crawled to Soap.

"SOAP, SOAP!" Price yelled. "Hang in there, Nikolai's coming. I thought this would be a one way trip, I was wrong. Just hang in there, Skull's on the way, he has Torres and his hacker friend."

"We did it Price." Soap murmured. "He's dead." Nikolai hefted up Soap as Torres and Skull kept an eye out for anyone as Nikolai loaded him into the chopper.

"They'll be looking for us now…" Nikolai stated.

"We have to get Soap somewhere safe." Price responded

"Da… I know a place." Nikolai grinned. This wasn't over, not by a long shot.

Haru Okumura was very, very worried about Ryuji. He hadn't called in a few weeks, and the situation in the US only got worse, at least until that Ramirez person called off airstrikes. Something was definitely wrong, and she didn't know what. Haru sighed, letting her pruning shears enter the dirt as she tended to her garden. It was the best option she had to avoid worrying about Ryuji.

He can handle himself. Haru reminded herself. He survived Kastovia for god's sake. Haru's phone began ringing. Checking the caller ID revealed it was Gendo-San, her assistant. Haru answered the call.

"This is Haru Okumura." Haru responded.

"Haru-Sama, you need to turn on the news right now, It's about Ryuji-Sama." Gendo-San pleaded. Haru ran inside and turned on the TV, the news horrifying her.

"Yesterday, Shadow Company reported the total destruction of their forces at their forward operating base in Urzikstan, destroying the company's share prices, and it's leader, General Hershel Von Shepherd III." the reporter informed the audience. "The attackers are considered armed and dangerous and are as follows: US Army Specialist Micheal Torres, SAS Captain John Price, SAS Captain John MacTavish, UN Analyst Futaba Sakura, and SAS Staff Sergeant Ryuji Sakamoto." Haru turned the TV off.

"Ma'am, we need to address the public about this…" Gendo-San stated.

"I'll tell them the truth, that he did this for a good reason, that Shepherd was evil." Haru Stated. "I know this is the truth. If it wasn't, he wouldn't be the father to our child in a few months."

A/N: Well, this fic is over. It was good time writing this, I like how this turned out. Some stuff for what's coming, up next is MW3, followed by BO2, then a zombies fic and two spinoffs about Haru and Ryuji's children. Not much more to say, but I hope you enjoyed and have a great day!