Chapter XIII: The Fall of His Kingdom
Under Shu's new law, students were forbidden from leaving school grounds for anything unless accompanied by any Void XIII member and no student is to draw their Void unless for combat training reasons. Half of the student body started becoming disconcerted with Shu's 'tyrannical' rules. Others grew weary of being cooped up inside the school.
However, Shu reassured the students that the exodus was close and he asked them to hold on until that day arrived.
Behind the scenes, Shu felt greater pressure from implementing his stricter policies and wondered if he was doing the right thing for the students. He was also still being racked with guilt over Hare's death, which was the final push to him adopting his stricter, 'tyrannical' policies.
"I hope I'm not overstepping my boundaries and leaning toward being a tyrant king. Hare surely wouldn't have wanted that, but I don't want anyone else to die the way she did. Never again," Shu said, palming his face with one hand. While fighting back tears, he felt Inori's loving embrace.
"You have me now, Shu. Just relax," Inori lovingly whispered, leaning her body against Shu. When they turned and exchanged looks, they kissed each other. After kissing him, Inori whispered. "It'll all be ok. The exodus is near."
"Inori, yes, I know you'd understand me," he said while Inori placed his hand against her bosom.
"I'll take care of you, my king."
Then, Shu and Inori kissed again.
Elsewhere, after a long night patrol, Akiko and Walter locked themselves inside an empty nurse's office. While in each other's embrace, they kissed.
"How long has it been since we've known each other?" Akiko asked him.
"A long time, our parents go a long way…"
"No, silly. I mean, how long have we truly known each other. These past couple of months, we've gotten so close."
"Well, we have been under quarantine in the same zone for nearly three months. We've had more time to hang out and talk."
Akiko smirked while undoing his shirt. "Yeah, I know, and since I've gotten to know you, I feel I can trust you with my life."
"Likewise," Walter smiled affectionately as he and Akiko exchanged kisses. Then, after undressing Walter, she licked and sucked Walter's right nipple before moving over to lick and suck his left nipple while giving him an enticed look. "Did anyone tell you that you have such a hot body?"
"Not until now. I don't even care to notice?"
"Lucky me," she said while embracing his bare body. She then licked his chest.
As they lay in a bed together, Akiko stripped off her clothing and lay on top of Walter. While holding each other's hands, they exchanged a passionate kiss. Then, while caressing Walter's crotch area, Akiko felt Walter going inside her. As he thrust into Akiko, she let out an erotic moan as they embraced each other lovingly.
"I love you, Akiko."
"I know," Akiko replied as she threw her head back and let out a passionate groan. "This is how I know you're showing me your love."
As the night went on, Akiko and Walter continued their intercourse until they tired themselves out and slept in each other's warm embrace.
"Don't let me go, Walter."
"I won't. Sweet dreams, Akiko."
"You, too."
Following their intercourse, Shu and Inori slept in a garden bed while holding hands. The flowers mostly covered them. They also held hands and leaned over to kiss each other again.
"Thanks, Inori."
"It was my pleasure, Shu."
As Inori put an arm over Shu, they slept through the quiet night and blissfully unaware of what was happening outside their private quarters. Unbeknownst to Shu, Inori's actions were also influenced by Mana's soul festering inside her.
With Shu asleep, a creepy grin smeared over Inori's features and her eyes gleamed bright rose pink.
"Nighty night, my precious Shu. Don't worry big sis is here to protect you," Inori muttered under Mana's influence. Then, as she shook her head, Inori regained her composure. "...huh? What did I… just say?" She wondered, having briefly blacked out and unaware that Mana controlled her. Her bewildered eyes then fell on Shu as she became increasingly worried for him going forward and Mana increased her presence inside Inori. "I won't let you have him, Mana. I won't let you hurt Shu."
"You're slipping away little by little, sweetie. The truth about us killing those students and leaving that Arisa girl for dead will come out sooner than later. Face facts, you now have blood on your hands, monster!"
"You won't win, Mana. I swear I will beat you," the pink-haired woman adamantly vowed to conquer the creature's soul festering within her. With an arm over Shu, she closed her eyes. "I won't let you take him away from me."
After recovering from Inori's unexpected attack, Arisa isolated herself in her room.
She did so in fear of running into Inori again and to save face in front of the other students. If there was anything Arisa wanted more than being usurped by Shu, she hated showing any weakness and uncertainty in front of others. Having been raised by her grandfather, Arisa was taught to maintain strength and integrity in the face of adversity.
Ever since Shu became president, Arisa found herself left watching from the sidelines unable to do anything. Under Shu's current stricter policies, she felt suppressed. She secretly hated everything Shu had done, but Inori's attack on her was the last straw. She then recalled the dead students who were found on the top floor and there was belief some assailant had killed them. Some assumed it was the Ouryu Kyōchō, but Arisa knew better, especially after Yuu revealed that Inori killed the students. However, the Da'ath individual neglected to tell her that Mana influenced Inori's actions.
However, she needed something to push her anti-Shu narrative more than something based on conjecture. So far, she noticed some within the student body losing faith in Shu with Hare's death. They were especially afraid having learned that their lives are linked to their Voids. However, that still wasn't enough for Arisa to build a strong anti-Shu following.
One night while treating her wounded hand from Inori, Arisa secretly planned a coup d'état and revealed the rumor to some that Inori was the one who murdered the students and that Shu covered up this truth to save face. Then, she received a call from someone within GHQ. When she heard his voice, Arisa's heart nearly stopped beating. She instantly fell in love with the man on the other line.
It was Tsutsugami Gai, who claimed to have returned from the dead to reclaim what is rightfully his. He asked her to help take down Ouma Shu and reclaim the King's Power away from the false king. Arisa didn't hesitate and offered him her assistance, finalizing her rebellion plans.
Arisa needed faithful followers who could help build their rebellion army behind the scenes. Then, she remembered the Pack, who like her were still Void XIII members.
One night, she invited the Pack into her quarters.
As they confronted Arisa, Nanba questioned her. "You want us to help you with a coup d'état against Shu?!"
Sudou scoffed. "No offense, but as much as I'm all for it, how are we gonna convince people to join you? And you're asking us to help you kill Shu?"
Nanba nodded. "I don't like Shu and even if what you say about Inori is true, killing them and starting a war with the other half of the student body is excessive."
Chortling darkly, Arisa walked up, running her fingers across Nanba and Sudou's chests. "You leave that to me, boys." She then shifted toward Ritsu and Miyabi, who were suspicious of her odd behavior as Nanba and Sudou. "What do you say, ladies? You're on the same page with me, right?'
"Uh, well… I don't know…" Miyabi hesitated to respond.
"I think you're batshit crazy," Ritsu remarked, eliciting a fiendish smirk on Arisa's face.
"Am I now?"
"Nanba, don't listen to her! She's out of her mind!" Miyabi pleaded with the Pack leader.
Before Nanba could retort against Arisa's wishes, Arisa cast a mesmerizing drug effect that seduced the Pack under her will and her services. As their minds were quickly overtaken by Arisa's seductive drug, she and the Pack engaged in an orgy behind closed doors. No one could see them, but the sounds of Arisa's moaning as if she were the whore of Babylon were heard.
"That's it. Reach inside… draw it out," Arisa erotically whispered.
Over an hour later, Arisa simply walked out of her room. A sinister smile adorned her features with her eyes filled with ecstasy. On her way out, the Pack was left unconscious inside her room after their orgy.
As she walked down a hall, Arisa saw some students unsure of themselves and afraid of letting their Voids get destroyed. After reassuring them no harm will come to them, Arisa used convincing dialogue to draw in new followers and secretly asked them to join her cause.
December 13, 2039, marked the day of the exodus. As preparations are being made by Shu and his followers, Arisa is seated inside a vehicle playing the piano. She kept her intentions under wraps as Shu and his forces rolled through Loop 7 and confronted the Endlave Ghost Units.
Rallying his forces, Shu yelled out. "Go, give them hell!"
With that, the battle between Shu's kingdom and GHQ's Ghost Unit Endlaves began. Ayase, equipped with her Void and gaining more physical combat experience, attacked GHQ's war machines. Inori in her monster form easily decimated Endlaves with her blades. Using their Voids, Argo, Heath, Akiko, Walter, Yuko, Ito, Yūki, Kana, and Irino also helped and took out numerous Endlaves. Getting a chance to utilize his Void called the Titan's Heart, Kazama grew into a massive 49-foot tall Titan, which resembled a naked humanoid Kaiju, and crushed numerous Endlave Ghost Units under his gigantic feet. The male crossdresser Hoshi displayed his beautiful Void and became a male Valkyrie, providing aerial attacks against the ground-based Endlaves.
As the war pressed on, the Endlave Ghost Units and infantry vehicles were completely decimated by the greater powers of the Void users. Even the newer Endlave models that were unmanned autonomous machines that walked on two legs were destroyed effortlessly. And thanks to Shu and his Void XIII's efforts and protecting them from the Ghost Units' artillery, there were no student deaths.
With his colleagues fending off the Endlaves, Shu successfully reached Tokyo Tower, which was revealed as the source that controlled the Endlave Ghost Units. Shu then destroyed Tokyo Tower as the structure collapsed in a giant heap and crumbled to the ground. As a result, this disabled the special Endlaves. The operation is declared a success. Tennouzu High finally exited Loop 7 and crossed the red line.
Many of the victims, including the adults, who were rescued left Loop 7 and journeyed outside Tokyo for safety. Every adult but Shu's homeroom teacher left.
Just as Shu, his friends, and half of the student body that had yet to leave Loop 7, they were interrupted when Arisa, the Pack, and the other half of the student body stopped them in their tracks. Arisa and her followers turned on Shu's side. The student body that sided with Arisa prevented the students who sided with Shu from leaving.
"What's the meaning of this, Arisa?!" Shu demanded as a calm and aloof smeared across the young woman's face.
"Ouma Shu, your tyranny shall end here and I'll see to it you don't leave here alive," Arisa coldly muttered. Then, in a shocking turn of events, the Ouryu Kyōchō arrived. Just when Shu and his followers warned Arisa and her followers, Arisa casually beckoned the Ouryu Kyōchō toward her and petted each of them.
"Explain this, Arisa! Why aren't they attacking you?!" Ayase yelled.
"How the hell are they not killing you?!" Heath asked with befuddlement.
"Why indeed, heheh," Arisa chuckled as she scratched their chins as the creatures bobbed their heads, seemingly enjoying the kindness she was exhibiting for them. "What if I told you the one controlling these four has been me all along?"
"YOU?! Then, you're the one responsible for all those people's deaths?!" Akiko cried out.
"Indirectly yes, but they shouldn't have tried to escape and just hid like the frightened mice they're supposed to be. The Ouryu Kyōchō are not only GHQ's loyal guard dogs but mine as well," Arisa said.
"Then, you made a deal with them behind our backs?!" Walter berated the former student council president.
"In a way, yes."
"You're not going to get away with this," Inori firmly said.
"But, I already have. I've managed to persuade half of the student body and revealed to them the truth. What say you, Ms. Yuzuriha?" Arisa said, shifting toward the pink-haired songstress with a cold and firm gaze. "After all, you and your tyrant king have been keeping secrets. Ever wondered who killed those students and whose bodies were never accounted for? You thought my Ouryu Kyōchō babies were responsible? No, the real perpetrator is the one standing before you!" She pointed directly toward Inori. "This pink-haired witch murdered those students. Not only that, she attacked me and nearly left me for dead in my room!"
"No, I don't remember… any of that… I didn't…!" Inori retorted while trying to defend her case.
"Shu has hidden these truths from us and he thinks we should forget about these misdeeds?! My supporters here won't stand for deceptions from a tyrant and his witch!"
"I've heard enough, Arisa! Where's your proof regarding these accusations?! This is all hearsay based on unfounded claims!" Shu called out on Arisa.
"Then, do you admit you found those dead students?"
"Yes, and to this day, we still haven't found the perpetrator, but you have no proof Inori did it!"
"I think her attacking me in my room is all the proof that I need! Now, Shu, you can make this easy. Your side can surrender to us and no blood can be shed. Well, no, your followers can be spared, but you and Inori must die on their behalf."
"As if I'd let you kill our friend, Arisa! What's gotten into you?!" Souta exclaimed.
"You've lost it!" Kanon shouted.
"There's no reason to divide us! You're not the Arisa we know!" Yahiro chastised Arisa.
"No, I've only been enlightened and am going to reclaim what's rightfully mine," Arisa said coldly, no longer exhibiting any attachment to her classmates.
"I don't know what's worse, the fact you'd spread lies or that you've sided with GHQ, but let it be known that Inori and I won't surrender to you," Shu adamantly said.
"Not even for Hare? She'd want us to stop fighting."
"Leave Hare out of this, Arisa. You…" Shu paused as he mentally pieced the pieces and connected Arisa and the Ouryu Kyōchō's actions indirectly causing Hare's death. "It's because of you and those monsters that Hare is gone! If it wasn't for you controlling those four monsters and aligning with GHQ, Hare would still be here! She's gone because of you!"
Arisa responded with a wry smile. "If that's what you want to believe, then that's on you. Hare was an unfortunate victim. Wrong place, wrong time, I'm afraid to say."
"As if you cared for Hare!" Akiko called her out.
"Are you truly going to take it out on me for Hare's death, Shu? How sad. She died a martyr for you, her 'Kind King'. I'm going to make sure her death won't go to waste after we're done with you. And if it also weren't for my actions, you wouldn't have turned into the tyrant king you've become. Everything that has happened that has led up to this conflict is because of me," Arisa scoffed, brushing back her hair, which further incited Shu.
"You bitch! Why do all this?!" Ayase berated the woman.
"What does it matter to you? Since you're taking Shu's side, you're my enemy, too. Anyone who sides with Ouma Shu is dead to me!" Arisa responded.
"Kana, how could you join Arisa's side?! I thought we were in this together!" Yūki called out to the girl, whom he believed they'd be together beyond high school.
"We have different viewpoints not, Yūki. I'm sorry, but I can't side with Ouma Shu. If you're on his side, then we can't be together," Kana apologetically replied.
Irino calmly reassured Yūki. "Don't worry. We'll find a way to get through to her."
Yūki slightly teared up. "But, what if it's too late?"
Rika glared toward Hoshi. "Oh, so you decided to side with Arisa, huh? Too bad your boyfriend ain't ground to protect your cute ass."
Nanako smiled cruelly. "But, don't worry we won't rough you up badly."
With a determined glare on his face, Hoshi resolved to fight the lesbians. "Kenji is with me in spirit, you two hussies! I'll show you!"
"It's because of you that Hare is dead! I wanted a chance to go out with her but you took that away, you bastard!" Kazama openly berated Shu.
"That's enough! I don't want to hear her name from your mouth again! If this is all about Hare…!" Shu yelled before the Pack interjected on Arisa's behalf. They acted while still under Arisa's influence and with their wills influenced by her desires.
"Quite the contrary, it's about your control over us, Shu," Nanba spoke out. "Hare's death had a profound effect on you. That was the catalyst that turned you into the controlling tyrant you've become. You've quarantined and restricted us. Only tyrants would take on such undertakings. You kept us as your prisoners just so none of us can die! I hate to bring it to you but people die every day. You cannot change that fact."
"It was all for your own good because I didn't want any more casualties! How foolish can you be not wanting to survive?!" Shu angrily rebuked.
"It doesn't matter now. After we get rid of your tyrannical rule, I'll become student president again," Arisa firmly stated without regard for Shu.
"I don't even want to imagine what Arisa did to get your four to side with her," Ayase said.
"Wouldn't you like to know?" Ritsu grinned.
"The choice is yours, Shu. You and your witch can surrender to us, or we'll have to get violent. Choose wisely," Nanba gave their ultimatum.
Without a second thought, Shu raised the Singer Sword toward Arisa and the Pack's direction. The Ouryu Kyōchō quickly stepped forward, each aligning themselves with a Pack member. Byakko partnered with Nanba. Genbu stood beside Sudou. Ritsu became partnered with Suzaku. Miyabi and Seiryu partnered together. The Pack mounted the Ouryu Kyōchō as if they were horses.
The student body who sided with Arisa and the Pack stood loyally beside them. Kana, Kazama, and Hoshi were among the notable students that sided with Arisa's forces.
On the other hand, Shu, Inori, and their closest colleagues (Heath, Akiko, Ayase, Argo, Walter, Fyu-Neru, Yahiro, Souta, and Kanon) had the other half of the student body on their side. Outside of Shu's group, Yuko, Ito, Yūki, Irino, Chika, Rika, and Nanako were the notable students that joined Shu's side. Among the students, the one with the refrigerator Void, which fell on Shu before, joined his side, too.
With that, a civil war erupted between Shu and Arisa's forces. When the opposing Tennouzu students clashed, numerous students fully utilized the full potential of their Voids. Of the weapons being used by random Tennouzu students, the Voids came in various forms, including swords, guns, bows & arrows, axes, hammers, claymores, lances, chakrams, and knives. One female student wielded a claymore Void. Another girl manifested a lance Void. A male student used a knife Void. Another female student conjured a gun Void shaped like a musket covered by a ribbon. Another boy used a lance Void shaped like a harpoon.
Amid the ongoing fighting, the Pack and the Ouryu Kyōchō fought off students siding with Shu. Two pairs of the Pack were able to combine and create effective Void attacks. At one point, Nanba and Sudou combined their Voids with Nanba's knuckle-duster delivering massive sonic wave blows shaped like gauntlets coming from his fist strikes. Ritsu and Miyabi merged their Voids with Miyabi's scythe powered by Ritsu's electricity, which enabled them to conjure eight underworld lightning bolts shaped like Yomotsu-hisame skulls.
At some point, while protecting a Tennouzu student, Souta got caught in a crossfire and ended up getting infected by the Apocalypse Virus. As a result, this rendered him unable to fight. To add to the Voids being utilized, students used assault rifles, which added to a horrific student body count. To stop this madness, Shu and his friends committed to saving the students while fighting off the Pack and the Ouryu Kyōchō.
Amid the opposing students fighting, Kazama angrily faced Shu, who fought off a few random students with his Singer Sword. Taking advantage of the situation and fueled by anger over Hare's death, Kazama hastily rushed at Shu and went for a devastating punch to Shu's face. The Singer Sword wielder quickly sidestepped Kazama. Inori quickly moved in and went to stab him with a hand blade, but Kazama invoked his Void and transformed into his Titan form. Letting out an unruly bellow, Kazama went to crush Shu and Inori. As they dodged Kazama's gigantic feet, Inori transformed into her monster state again. As Kazama threw a punch at Inori, Shu quickly hopped on Kazama's hand and ran up the titan's arm. As Kazama threw a strong jab at Shu, Inori slashed the back of Kazama's left leg, which tore open his thigh and caused him to collapse. Shu jumped up near the back of Kazama's neck and delivered a powerful strike with his Singer Sword. After cutting open the back of Kazama's neck, Shu subdued Kazama long enough for Kazama to shrink down to his normal size and leave him unconscious.
Not far off from Shu and Inori, one of the students on Shu's side who previously came from another high school before being recruited by Tennouzu fiercely fought off as many opposing students as she could. Utilizing a crossbow Void, Arimura Chika turned and prepared to shoot an opposing student, who used a bow & arrow Void and shot Chika's Void, causing it to shatter to pieces. As a result, just like Hare before her, Chika met her untimely end as her body crystallized, crumbled, and turned into dust.
When Irino and Yūki confronted Kana, the duo manifested their Voids. Irino summoned a Keyblade Void while Yūki conjured a deck of tarot cards. Kana stood her ground against her two opponents. Then, she manifested a special belt Void and performed a heroic pose seen by Tokusatsu heroes. Facing each other, Yūki and Kana were faced with the dilemma of fighting each other on behalf of their sides. With no choice, Kana fought Yūki off and blasted his cards. As Irino attacked her with his Keyblade Void, Kana jumped high into the air and flew down, delivering a diving kick that knocked Irino down.
Just then, Ayase quickly arrived in time to kick Kana away. Ayase and Kana had a brief scuffle until Ayase neutralized Kana and knocked her out of her battle suit, leaving her lying unconscious. Yūki rushed over to retrieve Kana. Ayase then headed off to find one of the Pack members.
In a battle between same-sex lovers, Rika and Nanako fought Hoshi. Quickly taking into the air, Rika used a hang glider Void like a kite and went for swift diving attacks. Nanako fought using a wetsuit with an orb in the center of the chest shaped like a mermaid, which invoked pearl-like barriers.
Invoking his Void, Hoshi manifested Valkyrie armor Void that complemented his beautifully effeminate appearance. The Valkyrie armor was full-bodied and made of enhanced steel alloy. The wings unfolded from Hoshi's back, unveiling metal feathered wings that helped to navigate and propel Hoshi into the air. He also wielded a large sword nearly the size of his whole body. He also used his secondary ability, which granted him to power to revive his then-deceased boyfriend Kenji into his Einherji to assist him against the lesbian couple.
Before this civil war, Hoshi and his boyfriend Kenji skipped school for a private lover's session, which happened right in the middle of the previous apocalyptic event a few months ago. Kenji died during the event, leaving Hoshi alone and heartbroken. Feeling depressed and unable to take Kenji's death, coupled with Shu's announcement that people will die when their Voids are destroyed, Hoshi was manipulated by Arisa, who played into the tomgirl's emotions and coerced him to fight on her side of the civil war.
As the lovers' battle pressed on, Hoshi valiantly fought off Rika in mid-air battle. When Nanako attempted to attack with her orb, Kenji intercepted her. As Kenji and Nanako attacked each other, Hoshi and Rika dove to save their lovers. Hoshi swung his sword toward Nanako, but Rika dove into the male Valkyrie Void user and knocked him down. When Hoshi stood to defend Kenji, Nanako shot a powerful blast from her chest orb, which struck Hoshi and Kenji head-on. Before going down together, Hoshi threw his sword into Nanako, which ran through the girl's chest and shattered her orb. Seeing her lover die, Rika flew down to hold Nanako's crystallized body, which shattered into pieces. Rika cried with anguish over her now-deceased lover.
As for Hoshi and Kenji, the boy lovers lied next to each other. While drawing his dying breath, Hoshi's Valkyrie armor shattered into pieces. Without regard for his life, Hoshi leaned over to Kenji's side as they gripped each other's hands.
"...my dearest Kenji… if we're going to die… let us go together…" Hoshi whispered, smiling lovingly toward Kenji, who nodded and expressed his undying love for him.
"I wouldn't have it any other way… I have no regrets about dying again for you… Hoshi…" Kenji muttered.
"Kenji…"
"Hoshi…"
"May our love blossom for eternity."
With that, as Hoshi and Kenji held their grounds together, their pant crotches underneath touched each other. They shared a final kiss before their bodies crystallized into dust.
Having observed Hoshi's valiant efforts and sacrifice for her greater good, Arisa looked the other way with a conniving smirk on her face. She quickly stormed off to find the Pack.
Cutting themselves off from the ensuing student war, Shu, Yahiro, Ayase, Heath, Akiko, Ito, and Yuko confronted the Pack and the Ouryu Kyōchō. Arisa also arrived at the location with a purely sadistic smile. Enjoying the carnage unfolding before her sights, Arisa laughed maniacally.
"Hehehe, isn't this just lovely? The violence and the bloodshed! The beautiful sound of war cries! It's so lovely to the ears, don't you agree, Ouma Shu?" Arisa asked the Genome Void wielder, who was put off by Arisa's new sadistic demeanor.
"How did it come to this, Arisa? Why do you hate me so much?!" Shu called out to her.
"Isn't it obvious?! It's your fault that Tsutsugami Gai is dead! He was supposed to be all mine. He even danced with me and helped me understand my Void better. My Void is the Shield of the Coward, how fitting for someone who hides behind other people," Arisa said, eyeing the Pack and the Ouryu Kyōchō. "And I've had to hide behind a coward's mask. Well, not anymore. Thanks to you and your witch, I'm free to reveal my true self to the world! And to embrace my true self, I secretly made the deal with GHQ to rat you and your followers out! It was time you learned the hard way not to mess with me, Shu. I'll see to it that you die here!"
With that, Arisa conjured her Shield of the Coward, which expanded from a ball into massive energy shields.
"Get ready, everyone!" Shu declared as his colleagues readied their Voids.
"I can't wait to shut you and your group down, Shu," Nanba cruelly smiled as he and Byakko headed off Shu and Yahiro. Armed with a glove Void, Nanba got into fisticuffs with Shu, who blocked Nanba's blows with his Singer Sword. "To think I've had to stomach being one of your lackeys! How sickening! How revolting! I'll gladly end you before Arisa gets the chance!"
As he swung his sword, Shu growled right back. "Then, you've given me no alternative but to put you down if you won't listen to reason!"
"Reason?! That's rich coming from a wannabe dictator…!" Before Nanba could finish, Shu punched him square in the face and elbowed him in the stomach, knocking him to the ground.
As Byakko lunged at Yahiro, Yahiro rolled away and slashed the creature with his pair of shears. After cutting Byakko with his Void, Yahiro went to cut Byakko's life string with his shears.
However, Arisa manipulated her Void's power as the shield divided itself into six parts. Four of these parts protected the Pack and the Ouryu Kyōchō from the opposition's attacks. One shield narrowly saved Nanba and Byakko, giving them time to recover.
Ayase and Walter worked through the shield protecting Ritsu and Suzaku. As Ritsu jumped out from the shield, she charged toward Ayase with her electrified short blade-like stun gun. Ayase jumped out of the way and used her armored leg support to glide around Ritsu.
"Hey, why don't you get down here and fight me?! Don't tell me you're scared of me!" Ritsu openly taunted Ayase, who swiftly flew up in front of the Pack member.
"Boo! Who's scared now?!" Ayase yelled, scaring Ritsu, who slashed at her with her electrified blade, sending a discharged blast that knocked Ayase back.
"Don't toy with me, bitch!" Ritsu snapped as she headed off Ayase. As she fired another blast with her blade, Ayase rebounded and spin kicked Ritsu's face.
In response to Suzaku's charging attack, Walter manifested his metallic dog-headed Void, which lunged forward and bit Suzaku's chest while ripping out its ribcage and much of its body, allowing intestines and guts to spill out.
"And that'll do," Walter remarked.
Having witnessed Suzaku's demise, Ritsu found herself at Ayase's mercy and backed off.
As Heath dodged Sudou's clackers that caused meteor hammer-like effects, Heath narrowly evaded getting electrocuted from the Void weapon. Answering his beckoning call, Heath's Tamuramaro Void swung its katana at Sudou's clackers. As their weapons clashed, Tamuramaro pushed back Sudou with force.
"Damn, your Void's tougher than I thought!" Sudou found himself overwhelmed.
"Give it up. You can beat Tamuramaro," Heath said, striking a pose beside his humanoid Void.
After chasing Ito around, Genbu took a moment to catch its breath. As it heard the sound of blades being drawn, Genbu instinctively turned and went for a kick, but kicked down a trash can instead. Taking advantage of the befuddled creature, Ito got behind Genbu. With his dual katanas, both normal and Void, he found an opening and beheaded Genbu.
Witnessing Genbu's beheaded body fall, Sudou was quickly put down by a non-fatal blow from Tamuramaro's katana. Heath walked over and stood over the beaten Sudou.
"The deed is done!" Ito beckoned to Heath.
"Hear that? Your feathered dino-chickens are getting put through the slaughter," Heath remarked. He briefly glanced toward Akiko and Yuko's fight with Miyabi and Seiryu.
In a fight between the sickle and scythe users, Yuko and Miyabi tested their Voids' dexterity against each other. For a short time, they were on par with one another. However, Miyabi kicked Yuko's right leg and swung her sickle toward Yuko's side. Yuko narrowly blocked Miyabi's strike and elbowed Miyabi's chin, which also knocked her glasses off.
"My glasses!" Miyabi panicked as she searched for them. After finding and putting her glasses on, Miyabi looked up and saw Yuko's sickle pointed toward her face. Miyabi shrieked and gulped fearfully.
"Consider that mercy. If you wish to resume, I won't be so nice," Yuko warned the Pack member.
Meanwhile, Akiko's Suzuka Gozen engaged Seiryu. When the creature tried to attack Akiko, the humanoid Void intercepted and attacked Seiryu with its ko-naginata. When Seiryu lunged forward, Akiko's Void skewered through Seiryu's body and tail as it got cleaved in half horizontally.
"Not so tough now you're sliced turkey!" Akiko flipped off the slain Seiryu. "You got her, Yuko?"
"Yes, she's a beaten pack member," Yuko said, standing over the defeated Miyabi.
Having witnessed his Pack members beaten, Nanba was left to fight off Shu, who quickly put him down with a non-fatal strike with his sword. Yahiro used his shears Void and eventually found an opening through Byakko and cut Byakko's life strings, which instantly killed the creature.
"Shu, it's done!" Yahiro called out to him.
"It's over, Nanba. You and our crew have been beaten," Shu said with a threatening glare, causing Nanba to crawl away.
"No, Ouma Shu. It's not over yet!" Arisa declared as she pointed to the sky. When Shu and his colleagues looked up, they spotted three white creatures soaring above them.
"What the hell are those?" Walter wondered, trying to identify the newcomers.
"Birds? No, they're bigger and they don't look like anything I've seen!" Ayase exclaimed.
"Ugh, just freakin' great! Your cavalry just had to come and bail your asses?" Akiko scoffed.
"Yes, you could say that," Arisa cruelly smirked as the three flying white creatures made their descent closer and perched on top of buildings.
The Aragami, Sasaki, Arima, and Ryōko, are seen riding on top of these white flying creatures. These Beasts of Eden are massive, roughly the size of a giraffe, and resemble pterosaurs, but lacking tails, teeth, and head crests. Their beaks are long and pointed in a triangular fashion instead of a traditional bird of prey's beak. They have white skin and orange-and-black beaks seen on swans. They also have robin egg blue head feathers shaped like a secretary bird.
"So, glad you could show up, you three. You must be the Aragami," Arisa coolly muttered.
"Aragami?" Shu overheard Arisa.
"Whoa, check those things out! They're huge!" Heath pointed toward the white-winged beasts.
"I would not want to be caught dead in their clutches," remarked Yuko.
"Or getting harpooned by those beaks," Ito added.
The Aragami and their flying Beasts of Eden immediately ceased the fighting. Both sides looked up in awe and caution toward the newcomers. Shu was especially extra cautious as the Aragami and their beasts leered down over them.
"So, do they want a piece of us or what?" Ayase asked Shu.
"Hey, we just took down your assassin monsters and Endlaves! Is GHQ running so low on manpower they need to send more experimental beasts?!" Shu called out to the Aragami.
Out of the Aragami, Sasaki smirked and responded. "Oh no, we're just spectators, tough guy. Your next opponent awaits you."
"Indeed, Ouma Shu. I hope you're ready because the real king has come to usurp you," Arisa warned, alluding to Shu and his friends' next adversary.
Suddenly, a few more Endlaves arrived on the scene, alarming Shu and his colleagues. However, it wasn't the Endlaves that evoked dismay from them. It was the individual walking forward with them.
"Long time no see, Shu," a deep voice that the group recognized addressed them coldly.
Shu, Ayase, Heath, Akiko, and Walter's eyes widened with shock and dismay when they saw a ghost standing before them. It was Tsutsugami Gai, who appeared different than when they saw him. In his new appearance, Gai's blonde hair was entirely white, he is seen wearing white clothing, and a purple crystallized right red eye.
"No way, Gai…! But, you're…" Ayase was overwhelmed with disbelief.
"Gai?! But, you're dead!" Shu yelled out toward him. "How can this be?!"
"You can thank Da'ath for resurrecting the true king. Our true king. No, my true king," Arisa asserted as she looked at Gai with admiration on her face.
"GHQ just went to a whole new level playing God!" Walter exclaimed.
"Gai, don't tell me they sent you to kill us? I don't want to believe it," Ayase said.
Ignoring Ayase, Gai set his sights specifically on Shu. Narrowing his cold gaze, Gai methodically walked toward Shu with a purpose. Gai manifested his Void seemingly about to shoot Shu. Shu was still too paralyzed with fear to even move, let alone ready to defend himself.
When Gai went to attack Shu, Ayase, Heath, Akiko, Yahiro, Yuko, and Ito quickly moved in to stop Gai. However, a random male student with a sword Void attacked Gai first. Without a second thought, Gai shot the male student's hand and took his sword. Then, using the student's sword Void, Gai attacked Shu with it. At first, Shu came back to his senses and briefly engaged Gai in a sword duel. However, Gai was fresh and Shu was slightly winded from his previous fights. Taking full advantage of the tired Shu, Gai easily disarmed Shu and took away the Singer Sword. After destroying the student's sword Void, the male student's body crumbled into crystallized dust and died.
Briefly wielding Shu's Singer Sword, Gai quickly chopped off Shu's arm. What followed was Shu screaming with agonizing pain as well as his now amputated arm showing a bone sticking out and blood spilling from his wound. As his amputated arm pulsated violently and gushed blood, Shu dropped to his knees and screamed in excruciating pain.
"MY KING'S POWER! YOU TOOK IT AWAY!" Shu screamed while grasping his amputated arm. Then, the threads of the Void Genome from Shu's right arm began assimilating with Gai, who was receiving what he always believed to be rightfully his.
Gai merely scoffed over Shu's defeated state. "Your king's power? You were just a pretender to the throne, or have you forgotten? I am the king, and I have returned."
Standing over the injured Shu, Arisa spat on him and kicked his face. "How does it feel now, Ouma Shu? How does it feel to be humbled?! You want to know the reason why I brought this war into fruition and why I've resented you as of late? Because it was you, Ouma Shu, who killed Gai! You told us it was through an act of mercy, but I know that's bullshit! You did it because you wanted to be just like Gai! Well, the true king has returned! Tsutsugami Gai has reclaimed his throne and conquered the pretender king!"
Suddenly, Inori, who arrived and saw Gai attack Shu, transformed into her monster state and interceded Gai, forcing him to back away. While protecting Shu, Inori briefly attacked Gai head-on. As she attempted to behead him with her blades, Gai ducked and quickly knocked her down with an elbow blow into her abdomen, causing her to turn back to normal.
"That can't be Gai! Why is he attacking us?!" Heath exclaimed.
"Because he's with them now!" Akiko answered with anger in her tone.
Elsewhere, the United Nations assembled to decide to vote on what to do with GHQ's presence, whom the UN felt had turned Japan into an unstable nation. By a massive majority, it was decided that GHQ is to be destroyed, sending their air forces to bombard the enemy dictatorship.
As Arisa approached Gai, she put an arm over him and leered over the defeated Pack.
"You have no idea how happy I am to see you again, Gai," Arisa said, running a finger across his chest as Gai remained unfazed by her presence. While leering at the Pack, a wry smirk adorned Arisa's face. "And since I have Gai, I have no use for you four little pups."
"What?!" Nanba was taken aback.
"Who're ya calling pups?!" Sudou retorted.
"Ohoho, why you four of course. You were never meant to be long-term investments. You truly thought GHQ had a place for four pups who don't know their place in the world? You were a means to an end. Just tools and sex slaves from our orgy. I was given a power that controlled your actions and you didn't even realize it until now, my puppets," Arisa said while licking and biting her bottom lip.
"You bitch! You used us this whole time?!" Ritsu screamed furiously.
"You and Gai won't get away with humiliating us!" Miyabi called out.
With that, the Pack rushed to attack Gai and Arisa. Miyabi, readying her scythe Void, attempted to attack Arisa coupled with Arisa preparing another lightning attack, but Gai stood in their way and evaded all of their attacks easily alongside Arisa protecting him with her Void. Now using Inori's Singer Sword, Gai delivered a quick slash across Nanba's face, slicing apart the left side of his jaw. When Sudou tried a sneak attack, Gai quickly gutted him and slashed Sudou's stomach open, spilling his intestines out. Ritsu's left leg and left side of her body & ribcage area were sliced apart, exposing the bony regions that stuck out of her ribcage. After breaking her glasses, Miyabi's eyes were slashed by Gai, causing her to go blind. The Pack screamed over their horrific injuries and the pain they felt and caused by Gai's ruthless attack.
After Gai disarmed Inori's Void, the Void immediately returned to Inori.
"Consider that a humbling experience, you four," Gai addressed the injured Pack.
Suddenly, the United Nations' air forces arrived to bombard the city. In response, Gai used the Void Genome to combine Nanba, Sudoku, Ritsu, and Miyabi's Voids, which brought them more agonizing pain coupled with their grievous injuries. He combined their Voids into a missile.
"Now, attack!" Gai ordered as he launched the missile, which quickly wiped out the air forces simultaneously. After the missile Void was destroyed, this sealed the Pack's fate. Their bodies crystallized, including their intestines and other insides, which brought them excruciating pain. Ritsu's ribcage bones also became crystallized, causing her to scream. The inside of Miyabi's slashed eyes became covered with crystals. As they fully crystallized, they turned into dust while their horrific screams echoed through the air until they ceased to be.
Meanwhile, the United States fleet is also destroyed by a Leukocyte satellite blast operated by Kido Kenji. The mass-murdering terrorist had also sided with GHQ.
"Ayase, Heath, Akiko, and Walter, you and the others have a choice. You can join GHQ and you'll be guaranteed protection," Gai offered while leering over Shu and Inori. "It'd be better than walking these filthy streets."
"Sorry, Gai, but I'll have to turn you down," Ayase said, feeling betrayed by her former leader.
"Yeah, I can't ever side with GHQ," Tsugumi said.
"I'm going to say no to that, too," Argo stated.
"Count me out, too," Heath replied, standing firmly beside Ayase.
"Yeah, I'm not feeling this whole vibe you're giving off," Akiko added.
"And I'm out as well. Sorry, ex-leader," Walter furrowed his brows toward Gai's current stance.
"What a shame," Gai frowned.
Just then, Daryl, who was piloting his Endlave, suddenly attacked Gai and his forces only to be subdued.
"You bastard! As if I'd be caught dead fighting alongside you, Tsutsugami Gai!" Daryl screamed, venting his undying hatred for Gai.
Amid this distraction and the ensuing chaos, the group scattered separately. Having recovered, Inori grabbed Shu for them to escape into hiding. During this chaos, Okina, Kurachi, Oogumo, and the Kuhouin group also arrived just in time to save Shu's friends, the Tennouzu student body, and Shu's homeroom teacher.
This included the other half of the student body, who felt guilty for allowing Arisa to give them false hopes and all manipulated them to fight in a war where they killed some of their fellow students. They realized that they have blood on their hands they'd never wash off due to Arisa's cruel manipulations.
Okina stayed behind while the rest escaped safely. Knowing his granddaughter has disgraced their family name and sided with the enemy without remorse, Okina confronted Arisa, who glared at him coldly and without regard.
"You'd dare to disgrace our family and side with GHQ."
"Why yes, I have. The times are changing, grandfather. GHQ is our future now."
"Then, you leave me no choice," Okina unleashed his katana in an attempt to put her down.
However, Gai quickly intercepted Okina and injured him, allowing Arisa to purposefully shoot him with a gun. As the dying Okina dropped his katana, Arisa picked it up and remorselessly beheaded him. Then, lifting it like a prized trophy, she flaunted her grandfather's decapitated head.
"With one stroke, I have forever severed my ties with your pathetic family, Okina," Arisa said, removing herself from the family name and faithfully joining Gai and Da'ath's forces. And as a result of this, the head of the Ming Hua Group canceled the proposed marriage upon hearing the news coverage that would follow.
As they rode in a vehicle together unaware of Okina's death, Ayase and Heath sat together. Both were exhausted from the war they had narrowly escaped. However, they lived to see another day.
"Heath, I'm tired. Can you hold me?" Ayase asked, leaning her head against his shoulder.
"Yeah, I think we both could use some rest," Heath said, putting an arm over Ayase's shoulders. He saw Akiko asleep on Walter's lap. "Hey, man."
"Hey, yourself. Don't worry let's let them sleep," Walter suggested.
"I agree."
Having found refuge from GHQ's pursuit of them, Inori sheltered Shu in a safe corner inside an abandoned office building with other refugees sharing the same space.
Tearing a piece of her black blouse dress and wetting it with water nearby, Inori tied the fabric around Shu's amputated arm to help cover it from infection and to stop the bleeding. She watched fearfully as Shu's face contorted with pain.
"It'll be ok, Shu. I promise," Inori vowed.
"Gai… he… hurt me…" Shu painfully muttered between gritted teeth. He looked at his amputated arm and no longer felt the Genome Void's power resonating with him. "And he took it… my power."
"Don't speak, just rest," Inori said, placing a finger to his lips. As she curled up next to Shu, she covered them both with a long, tattered sheet near them. "I promise, it'll get better soon."
As they slept, and unbeknownst to them, an evil smirk smeared across Inori's face as Eve's presence slowly started taking over.
"Yes, you're all mine now, Shu, and you don't even suspect a thing."
A/N: And Shu loses (almost) everything in a single day. His kingdom, his arm, and his power. All taken by the resurrected Gai. Let's give Shu a hand, everyone.
Crappy joke aside, this was the turning point chapter for the second half. We have a Tennouzu Civil War among the students akin to Battle Royale. Btw, the Tennouzu Civil War is only going to be referred to within the A/Ns and not within the story's context.
So much happened here that it'll take a lot to process. We have several casualties, including the Pack. So if you weren't fans of Nanba and his crew, their deaths should satisfy you. Moreover, the other OCs who were introduced as cameos in Chapter VII: Behind the Masks got a little time to shine before half of them died. So, yes, as you can surmise, I can handle writing both gays and lesbians.
Unlike Rika and Nanako, Hoshi and Kenji (NOT Kido Kenji) both died tragically but also beautifully together. Hoshi is also the first male 'Valkyrie' I've written in any story, although he's technically not a true Valkyrie. In other stories, I've written and incorporated scores of Valkyrie characters.
So, thoughts on the obvious Attack on Titan reference (although never once referred within the story context and dialogue besides Titan)? Seems this Eren expy had a thing for Hare. That sucks to be him.
If you also didn't catch it, there was a Kingdom Hearts Keyblade and a Tokusatsu reference.
And the big shocker: We find out the one controlling the Ouryu Kyōchō was Arisa herself. That's right as if her heel turn wasn't fully established now. Unlike the anime where Arisa didn't seem to embrace her turn at all, here Arisa has fully accepted being a villain. And if that wasn't enough, Arisa brutally killed her grandfather. Does anyone hate this Arisa now? And why did she betray her friends and colleagues? Because all she wanted was Gai and to get inside his pants. Ford and I realize the risks of handling Arisa's direction here. This story hasn't fully painted her in a positive light but the anime didn't serve her well, especially in the second half.
And let's not get into Arisa and the Pack's orgy, which served its purpose in her 'brainwashing' Nanba and his crew. So it wasn't for 'fanservice'.
Speaking of Gai, he shows up epically just like in the anime to cut off Shu's arm and take away Shu's 'king's power'. Unlike the anime, Shu does make an effort to fight back despite being fatigued from the prior fighting.
The Aragami make another appearance riding the new Beasts of Eden. First dinosaurs and now pterosaurs. Despite living in the same geological time periods and names ending with -saur, they're not from the same family. Useless factoid, I know.
Yes, I realize there were 'spicy' scenes at the beginning of this chapter (and one of which has Mana briefly talk without Shu's knowledge, yikes). At least they were brief here and the orgy was off-screened.
All There in the Manual - Chapter XIII
-The name of the sword Void that Gai used against Shu is Arondight.
-Names of random students Voids: Éclair Yoma (for a claymore Void from a female student, the name references the anime Claymore), Bradamante's Uhlan (for a lance Void from a female student), Gift of Olyndicus (for a lance Void from a male student), Shikari Nagasa (for a knife Void from a male student), Tiro Equilibrium (for a gun Void shaped like a musket covered by a ribbon from a female student, references a certain Puella magical girl), Repun Kamuy (for a lance Void shaped like a harpoon from a male student).
-Arimura Chika is the same canon character that appeared in the canon Episode 16 and her Void was destroyed in that episode causing her death.
-Kana's Void is named the Suit of Justice. Her battle suit had the combined traits of Super Sentai, Gridman, Kamen Rider, and Ultraman.
-Kazama's Void that turned into an Attack on Titan (based on Eren's Titan form) shout-out is named the Titan's Heart.
-Yūki's Void is named the Zero Tarots.
-Irino's Void is called the Key of Fate.
-The Pack's Voids: Nanba - Ongyo-ki's Knuckles, Ritsu - Fuu-ki's Zapper, Sudou - Kin-ki's Clacking, and Miyabi - Sui-ki's Reaping. This makes Arisa loosely play the role of Fujiwara no Chikata.
–Miyabi's combined Void that conjures eight underworld lightning bolts that are shaped like Yomotsu-hisame skulls references Izanami summoning eight lightning gods of Yomi, alongside the Yomotsu-hisame is another name of the Shikome.
-Rika's Void is named the Flight of Teratsutsuki. Nanako's Void is named Amabie's Protection.
-Hoshi's Void is named Aurvandil. His sword is named Nothung.
-The Beasts of Eden that the Aragami ride on are called Sigrúndactyls.
–The DNA components reveal these pterosaur hybrids: Quetzalcoatlus (as the base genetic template/base genome), great white pelican, Cryodrakon, Zhejiangopterus, mute swan, Cygnus falconeri, Geosternbergia, Cycnorhamphus, secretarybird, and great albatross.
–The three have names: Rossweisse, Waltraute, and Helmwige. It shows lesser-known Valkyrie names to get the spotlight instead of overused ones like Sigrún, Skuld, and even the other two Norns. Sasaki is riding on Rossweisse, Arima is riding on Helmwige, and Ryōko is riding on Waltraute.
-Seeing that Arisa lives with her grandfather, and we haven't seen her parents, her parents (even then, they are strict parents and not loving ones relating to the family name) perished back in Lost Christmas, relating to Arisa's pressure on her duties in the Kuhouin Group and student president, and another support of her inner urge of wanting to escape from the strict burdens when Gai came to her life.
That just about covers this turning point chapter. It does its job to set up and establish the remainder of the second half. There's six chapters left for Akane no Guilty Crown. For anyone still reading this (or others who've fallen behind and intend to catch up), thank you. I realize Ayase and Heath haven't had many scenes together during these past few chapters, but that's going to change soon.
Until the next chapter, leave a comment and review.
Take care, readers!
