Previously on Heart of the Melting Blood RELOADED…
The red-garbed robot evaded and landed on another lamppost. He watched at the direction of the attack and gasped in shock and angry. Lone Wolf NEO, as well as Jo and Fio watched above and were surprised.
"It's a bird!" Fio exclaimed.
"No, it's a plane," Jo insisted.
"No!" Lone Wolf answered. "It's the renegade unit! Robo-san!"
The said unit landed on the ground and retracted his mobile 'copter into his body. Robo-san took a glance at the Lone Wolf and waved at him. "Yo. Omatase."
"Damn it, Robo-san! You could've helped us earlier," Lone Wolf shouted. "What's taking you so long?"
Robo-san could only grin. "Sorry, my internal navigation was knocked out. I had to rely on my instinct to find this place," he spoke.
Sumomo popped out of Robo-san's shoulder and danced. "AIIIIII! Robo-Ky will win this war, because Robo-Ky is now a warrior! AIIIII!!"
"Sumomo, go inside," Robo-san ordered. "It's too dangerous to stay out."
"AIII! Wakarimashita desu!" Sumomo replied and went back into the shoulder-mounted pod.
Mark 2 screamed in anger and wildly swung his fists. "THIS CANNOT BE! I, ROBO-KY MARK 2, CANNOT ACCEPT THIS FACT! G-ROBO-KY, DESTROY THEM! DESTROY THEM ALL!"
Giant Robo-Ky stared at Robo-san. "GIANT ROBO-KY WANTS TO PLAY. GIANT ROBO-KY WANTS A FRIEND TO PLAY WITH."
"Sorry, big freak," Robo-san uttered and opened a kamae stance, "but my sparring partner isn't you."
x-x-x-x-x
Guilty Gear
Heart of the Melting Blood RELOADED
Written and conceived by: Lone Wolf NEO
Lone Wolf NEO does not own any of all the games or anime or manga featured in this story, but he owns the copyright to all his original ideas in this fiction. The author would really appreciate if readers do not plagiaries everything inside this story without his knowledge.
Featured music in this chapter is: Galza and nowhere from Madlax; Kill DOG As Sacrifice to DOG from Guilty Gear Isuka; Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen; Final Crisis from Xenosaga II Movie Scene OST.
Chronological Note: Heart of the Melting Blood RELOADED takes place scarcely half a year after Guilty Gear versus SNK 2: Battle Revolution, and currently runs roughly in parallel with Guilty Gear: The World Within and Without written and owned by Sheo Darren.
Chapter 29
The One Arc Part 9
Vortex Infinium 4th Stage
Giant Robo-Ky proved to be too powerful. The combined force of Lone Wolf NEO, Geese Howard, Jo and Fio was not enough to overpower the robot; and they were running out of energy to continue fighting. They were fortunate, though; the battle was taking place outside the city, away from interference of everything else.
"Can you fight again, Geese?" Lone Wolf asked as they stared at the giant Robo-Ky.
Geese grinned and corrected his hakama. "You should be worried of yourself first, Lone Wolf. This old man knows nothing about tiredness. And the ladies, too."
"Hey! At least we can still fight," Fio shouted from onboard Metal Slug. Jo did not say anything on the comment the Most Powerful Man in the World made.
Lone Wolf silently grumbled and looked around. "Damn it; there's no one I can ask for reinforcement. Now who the hell can I…?"
I see a little silhouette of a man
Scaramouch, Scaramouch, will you do the fandango?
Thunderbolt and lightning! Very, very frightening me!
Lone Wolf sweatdropped. "Okay, I was wrong." He turned to the direction of the song cue and saw a group of choir singers standing on top of the hill. Leading them were a lealiny lithe command Gear and a singer-turns-goddess, a young girl carrying a Hello Kitty backpack, and a man with an oversized cigarette lighter, the latter was lazily staring down at them.
"Fuck you."
With that declared Sol Badguy executed Dragon Install, went into his Kakusei form, dashed toward Giant Robo-Ky and hit the robot with a gigantic Savage Fang. The robot was knocked off course and tried to regain balance when an air dust arrived upon its face. Before the robot knew what happened, Sol was pummelling the robot with his infamous dust loop and ended the loop with a Volcanic Viper plus knockdown. He headbutted Giant Robo-Ky, gave out his slash-slash-hard slash combo and…
"TYRANT RAVE: BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY!"
Galelio! Galelio! Galileo! Galelio!
Galelio Figaro!
Magnifico…
Giant Robo-Ky was sent flying to the air and crashed about half a mile away from the site. Fio gasped in amazement at the performance; Jo stared at Sol with interest; Geese scratched his chin, as if he was thinking of something about the Immoral Flame; Lone Wolf was shaking his head. "Damn it! Sol, we could use your help if you arrived here a bit earlier," the author shouted.
"Don't blame me," Sol insisted while keeping his Kakusei form on, "ask Kagura. She's been begging me to visit the park a while ago. Sheesh, when I thought I could kick some ass…"
Kagura glomped him. Athena and Justine cried in dismay over the scene. Sol grumbled and walked away, back to the choir singers.
"Even when an American badass does make a remarkable entry," Geese began his sarcastic comments, "he cannot compare himself with the Most Powerful Man in the World. I alone am enough to finish the robot off."
His steps halted. Sol glowered at Geese and flipped his finger to the air. "Who gives a fuck about that?"
"Well, in most case," Geese answered and grimly laughed, "I do."
"You show-off. Look, mister," Sol called him, "I'm over 150 years old; I'm old and already veteran enough to take care of things. Nobody's been old enough to face every event happening in this world. And what are you? An immortal or something? Sheesh, I'd rather face that Yagami freak than an old freak like you."
"You know, Mister Badguy," Geese continued his comments; "at least, I'm very honoured to have met a Gear like you off all people."
"Shut the fuck up, damn it," Sol snarled.
Lone Wolf shook his head. "Guys, this isn't the time for quarrelling…"
"GIANT ROBO-KY IS MAD. GIANT ROBO-KY NOW WANTS TO DESTROY," Giant Robo-Ky spoke as it went back on its feet and charged toward the quarrelling duo via Ky-Maku-Homerun. The two people kept on their argument, not noticing the approaching robot and both their partners who tried to ease off the dispute.
"Okay, old man, you're getting over my nerves," Sol spoke and ignited his Fireseal.
"Says who?" Geese mocked.
"Says me!" the Gear yelled.
"Very well, then," he answered and summoned dark gales from his palms.
"GIANT ROBO-KY IS MAD," Giant Robo-Ky declared as it closed its range, "GIANT ROBO-KY WANTS TO PLAY, BUT YOU PEOPLE IGNORE GIANT ROBO-KY."
Sol lifted his Fireseal. Geese aimed the gale. Both screamed battle cries and tossed projectiles at…
"WARNING! UNKNOWN PROJECTILES AT 12'OC."
It was too late for Giant Robo-Ky. Both Gun Flame and Reppuken hit it and knocked it out of attacking course. Geese charged toward the knocked down robot and tossed it away with his Predictable throw, away from him and toward Sol. The Guilty Gear braced himself, leaped to the air and tossed a Super Bandit Bringer, knocking Giant Robo-Ky back to the ground.
"Good work, both of you!" Lone Wolf yelled. Both Geese and Sol gave him thumbs up before finished their works; Geese landed his Rashoumon while Sol ended his Kakusei spree with another Tyrant Rave: Bohemian Rhapsody.
"Thunderbolt and lightning! Very, very frightening me!"
"Will you stop that shit out?!" Sol yelled. Both Athena and Justine laughed silly and ignored their former love interest, as they kept on chanting the Bohemian Rhapsody. Again, Kagura glomped him.
"You people…" Lone Wolf commented and withdrew NEO Dagger as he faced the immobilized Giant Robo-Ky. He leaped toward the giant robot, dashed through it and landed behind. "I will send you…"
A series of light blades appeared around Giant Robo- Ky. Lone Wolf stood up and put back the dagger into its leather sheath.
"Down with the sickness."
x-x-x-x-x
"SACRED EDGE!"
"RAISING STORM!"
Both Ky in his Awakened form and Rock were working together in fending off one half of the Mark II battalion, while the AEGIS Squad was working off with the other half of the battalion. The battle they had with the red-garbed robots completely destroyed the section of the city and levelled everything into nothing. It did not deter the fighters from continuing the battle; it was a matter of victory or defeat that bothered them.
"COPY THEIR MOVES! USE IT AGAINST THEM! DON'T LET THEM OVERPOWER US! WE MUST WIN THIS WAR!" the commanding Mark II ordered.
"We can't allow that to happen!" Ayane cried and fired a Shinkuu Missile at the robots. One of them saw the oncoming attack and deflected it before copying it and returned fire at Ayane; it turned out weaker than expected. "Hah! Even you did manage to copy our moves; you cannot imitate its originality! SHINKUU MISSILE!" A gigantic vacuum projectile was fired at the attacking Mark II and ragged it into pieces.
The commanding Mark II was ticked off. "ARGH! Fuhrer is going to be mad at us! USE THE GAMMA RAY CANNON! FIRE AT WILL!" All the red soldiers activated their Gamma Rays and aimed the cannon at the fighters, and fired at the Mark II's commands. The beam missed the fighters who jumped away from sight and destroyed several nearby buildings.
"Uh-oh, Lone Wolf isn't going to like it," Rock commented as he watched at the destroyed structures.
Nazo opened his arms and began summoning his Gates of Shadow and Discernment. "Replicated human warriors, BEGONE!" Two-third of the red army was instantly wiped out as shadows and judgment gates appeared from beneath them and engulfed them, sending them into the oblivion. Several Mark II's attempted to copy the Gates; they failed as the shadows pulled down into the eternal darkness down under. The remaining Gatekeepers proceeded with their Gates summoning and further wiping another numbers of Robo-Ky Mark II.
Nazo, then, signalled at the twos. "Howard-san, Kiske-san, NOW!"
"Yosh!" Rock charged up his IK duration, as well as Ky. They were about to land their finishing moves at the remaining Mark II's when a voice asked them to wait. Both the blonde warriors looked at the direction of the voice, and the unexpected appeared before their very own eyes.
"Hisui no Hadoken!"
"CODE 99: MECH-HISUI PARADE."
Out of nowhere and imagination, the escaping robots were destroyed by a gigantic energy orb and a parade of humanoid robots wearing housemaid uniform. Rock and Ky gasped in shock when they saw a twin housemaid and a robot housemaid appearing from beneath the dust and walked toward them.
"Okay, what the hell was that?" Rock asked.
"I have no idea," Ky answered.
The woman in Western maid uniform looked at the mess and shook her head. "Oneesan, please clean this mess," calmly Hisui requested.
"Haii, haii!" Kohaku answered and swept the charred remains of the Robo-Kys.
Both Rock and Ky stared at the trio and sweatdropped. "Kowaii, yo…"
x-x-x-x-x
"PROTECT-THE-LADIES! COMRADES, STAY-ON-DEFENSIVE-POSITION-UNTIL-REINFORCEMENT-ARRIVES!" RB5001's command echoed in the air, as the battle between the Robo-Ky Mark 1s and their Mark II counterparts tensed up, with neither party showing any sign of resigning. Not far from the scene, the Iori/Malin and Bridget/May couples were fending off the invaders, whilst several Mark 1s assisted them in fire support.
"There's no way reinforcements will arrive and assist you, defunct unit!" the Mark II cried out and counterattacked Iruka-san's attack with Power Geyser. "IMITATION COMPLETE. IRUKA-SAN MARK II!" The copied attack sent the Mark II flying over the dismayed May and landed not far from several Mark 1s. "Defunct units are destined to be defunct units! POWER GEYSER!" The group was unable to block or evade and was destroyed by the imitated overdrives.
"Comrades!" RB5001 cried in shock.
"Your comrades are no more, defunct unit!" the Mark II yelled and jumped over RB5001, heading toward Dizzy and Hotaru. "Now, little girls, big bad wolf wants to play with you. Come with me and I'll show you the way to the playground."
"IYAA! YAMETE!!"
At first, it was thought to be too late for RB5001 and the Mark 1s as the Mark II already fired rocket punches at the young women. Even the fighting duos were unable to stop the Mark II as they were still engaged in their own duels.
Until the cue sound of Kill DOG as Sacrifice to DOG echoed in the air.
"Seventh Heaven Scripture!"
"Marble Phantasm! MELTY BLOOD!"
"All Dead!"
The three instant kills were overkill, and the Mark II was no more. Dizzy, Hotaru, RB5001, the fighting duos and the robots were in a temporary hiatus and gasped in surprise as three familiar figures were standing on top of a building.
"Mistress-Ciel!"
The Vatican agent smiled and jumped off the building, landing next to RB5001. "Good work, RB-san. Let us handle these invaders, ne?" she spoke and withdrew several Key Blades from her sleeves. "Arcueid, Slayer-kun, let's put away our argument for a while until we're done for with this matters, shall we?"
"Anytime you ask for, Miss Ciel," Slayer answered and corrected his necktie.
"Yosha! Let's kick some ass right away!" excitedly Arcueid cried out.
"Mistress-Ciel!" RB5001 called. "Please-let-us-help-you-as-our-gratitude-to-help-you! I-beg-of-you, as-your-student."
Ciel glanced at the Mark 1 unit and smiled. "RB-san, I'm very honoured to have a warrior with pride becoming my apprentice. But you already acquired a second chance of living, are you going to waste it again?"
RB5001 was silent. The question was too difficult for him to answer.
The woman could only giggle. "Then can you do me a favour? Return to the mansion with everyone else and defend it until we return home. Ne?"
RB5001 was staring at Ciel in concern. "But-Mistress-Ciel, what-about-you?"
"Daijoobu. These two people and I can take care of them," she told him, "now go. This is an order from your mentor."
"YES, MA'AM!"
RB5001 ordered the remaining Mark 1s to retreat with Dizzy and Hotaru, and soon the original Robo-Kys left the battlefield. Ciel just chuckled before she switched sight to the red-garbed robots. "So, who's going to be PWNED today?"
"BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH! ALL YOUR BASE ARE BELONG TO US!" the Mark II's screamed in anger.
"Stop quoting that crap!" Arcueid squealed and summoned Marble Phantasm.
x-x-x-x-x
"Protect the medical team with all cost!" Rosette shouted while firing several bullets at approaching Mark II's. "Chrno, what the hell are you doing!?"
"I'm trying to defend these girls, can't you see!?" Chrno shouted. "Misaki-san, what do you think you're doing?! Come back here!"
"Hey! I'm trying to come here, but these damn robots are on my way!" Misaki shouted and tossed several Reppuken at the Mark II's. "Argh! I shall avenge my father's death on you! RAISING STORM!" The storm knocked out several Mark II's yet more of them were approaching her from all directions. The girl lost her sense and blindly tossed Reppuken and Shippuken at the robots.
"Where are you aiming it, brat!?" one Mark II yelled and dashed through the projectiles. It appeared in front of Misaki, who was struck in fear, and laughed. "YOU ARE OWNED! HOU'OU KYAKU!"
"Misaki!"
"Holy Zen! You breezy mo-fo's! GAMMA BLADE!"
A pseudo-projectile cancelled the imitated overdrive and stunned the attacking Mark II. Misaki saw the newcomer and breathed out in relief before fell onto her behind. "I thought I was gonna…"
Chipp popped out of nowhere and screamed out in dismay, pointing at the Mark II's. "Hey, sissy! Nobody messes with American shinobi! ALPHA BLADE! BETA BLADE! GAMMA BLADE! DELTA END!"
"Oy, Chipp, wait for us," Anji's voice was heard from faraway as he and Baiken jumped off Zetsu.
"Cultural shock! Even after becoming president, I'm still a ninja with Japanese soul inside! BANKI MESSAI!" Chipp charged at the Mark II's, crazily attacking the robots while screaming in Holy Zen at them.
"Che, that Chipp never learns his lesson," Baiken mumbled and glowered at the Mark II. She spat and withdrew her katana. "Die Hard: More Vengeance."
"Hey, I haven't heard that for a while," Anji said and gulped when the one-armed samurai gave him her glare of death. "Okay, I better kick some ass right away. FUUJIN!"
"Whatever," Baiken grumbled and began her killing spree.
The table was turned against the Mark II's. The Japanese duo and one American were too much for them, despite being outnumbered. To make matters worse, the feared cute glomping pair of Chii and Dark Chii appeared from nowhere and began their hugging spree; and that was still not enough. Mriya followed the twin girls with her own "help-me-I'm-sick-somebody-please-get-me-some-medicines" tactics, utterly owning the Mark II's in no time.
"Oh, well," Chrno uttered and wiped sweats off his forehead, "looks like our job is done here."
"YOUR JOB ISN'T DONE YET, BRAT!" A Mark II somehow escaped Anji's Issen Ougi: Sai and jumped toward Azmaria. "FUHRER'S WILL IS ABSOLUTE! NOBODY SHALL DEFY HIM!"
"The will is no more." The robot turned around and had its forehead prodded by a handgun. It gulped when it saw Madlax staring at it, both content and alluring. "I do not understand why a robot would fight against humankind, but this is today's reality where the strong would suppress the weak. Isn't that right?"
"TO HELL WITH THAT!" The Mark II fired Power Geyser at the mercenary soldier. Madlax nimbly jumped over the grounded projectile and landed behind the robot, prodding her handgun on the back of its neck. "OH, SHI…"
(background music: Galza)
"A robot or a human, it doesn't matter," Margaret commented, as a 9mm bullet pierced through the Mark II's head, "because when they meet her, their destiny is already decided. Nobody will never touch or harm a murderer with a kind heart."
Madlax reloaded the Glock 18 and stared at the remaining robots. She walked toward them who were struck in fear as she gave out her warm and lethal smile. "Everyone, do you mind if I share with you the soul of Gazth-Sonika?"
Terry watched at the woman in silk gown and grinned. "She's almost like me in most aspects: always fight her enemies alone, putting her life at line and keeping the people she cares off in her heart." He shrugged and approached Madlax. "Whatever it is, I can't allow a gorgeous lady like you to be harmed unnecessarily. So, can this lone wolf offer his help?"
Madlax smiled. "Thank you, Mister Terry."
The cue music of nowhere began to take place.
x-x-x-x-x
At the northern corner, the black feather/purple alchemist and Oniwabanshu duo were cornered. The Mark II soldiers kept on appearing despite their best effort to drive the robots away from the city. Alex was already exhausted and could no longer continue the battle; the same went to Misao. Only Aoshi and Sion left standing, each of them withdrawing their weapons and facing the ever-advancing Mark II's.
"How many of these robots you think you can handle, Eltnam-san?" Aoshi asked as he opened his kaiten stance.
"I don't know," Sion answered while reloading her handgun.
"Aoshi-sama! What are we going to do? They're too many!" Misao cried and withdrew her kunai.
"YOU CANNOT WIN THIS BATTLE! VICTORY IS OURS!" one Mark II declared and pounced at the tired Alex. The former Holy Knight was too tired to notice the oncoming threat as he was too busy shrugging himself of headache.
"Alex!" Immediately Sion jumped in and tried to block a Raimei Dan. She was overpowered, and the overhead scissor kick knocked her out. The Atlasian scion fell in front of Alex, completely taking him by surprise. Trying to figure out what she had done, he remembered the very exact scenery where a woman performed similar act of bravery and fell before his eyes. The painful memory of Hikaru's sacrifice was too much.
He could not bear it anymore.
The last smile the gentle female Gear gave him was heartbreaking.
He lost his common sense.
The loss of his family was too cruel for his heart to accept.
He was no longer Alexander Hahn.
He reached his back, withdrew Black Sabbath, gave the attacking Mark II his eyes of death and screamed. Subsequent to that, the sky was filled with black feathers and cries of ravens, and soon everything was blackened. The lone wolf of Holy Orders stabbed the Mark II's midsection and instantly slain the robot into pieces, before glowered at the remaining robots.
"You artificial life forms are not worthy of walking upon this soil! GET OUT OF MY SIGHT AND DIE IN ETERNAL DAMNATION!"
(somewhere else, Alucard shivered in fear and shrugged. "Is it just me, or someone is using my quote?")
Shiki, Akiha, John, Elde and May Lee arrived as the onslaught frenzied. They immediately approached Aoshi and asked what happened. "He's fighting himself," calmly he answered.
"Eh? But he doesn't look like one," John commented.
"He's fighting his failure to protect the people," Aoshi continued. "Let him be for a while."
"At least we could offer some help," Shiki insisted as he approached the unconscious Sion. "What happened to Sion?"
"That damned robot attacked her while she's trying to save Alex-san!" Misao cried in dismay and rooted for Alex. "Yeah! Go for it, Alex-san! Show them who the boss is!"
"Take her to the ship," John ordered. Shiki nodded and ran back to Mayship while Akiha followed him from the behind. The Jellyfish Pirate captain, then, approached Aoshi and opened his kamae stance. "While the knight is busy fighting off the robots, why don't we go and give him some hands?"
"Yeah! I can't wait to avenge Master Kim's defeat to those bolt craps!" May Lee cried.
Elde just nodded.
Aoshi closed his eyes and breathed out. "Very well, but don't interfere with Alex. This is a request from his mentor."
John grinned and pointed his thumb at his chest. "You can count on us."
x-x-x-x-x
(Background music: Final Crisis)
Both Robo-san and Mark 2 rested from their intense duels. It had been hours and hundreds of techniques since the duel started and neither of them was showing signs of submissions. Advantages went to Robo-san, though; despite Mark II's advanced technology and ability to copy techniques, added with the Scroll of Power he acquired from Geese, it was nothing to be compared with the renegade unit armed with Thunderseal nihontou and combined fighting techniques of Musou Maden Ryuu and Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu.
"THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE!" Mark 2 cried out and clenched a fist. "I, ROBO-KY MARK 2, AM THE SUPERIOR ONE! NOBODY EVER OUTPERFORMS ME IN MY WHOLE LIFE! A RENEGADE UNIT LIKE YOU CANNOT WIN OVER ME!"
"So what's the problem?" Robo-san asked and went into a stance.
"THE PROBLEM IS YOU!" Mark 2 answered and pointed at Robo-san. "YOU NEVER EXIST IN OUR DATABASE BECAUSE YOU RAN AWAY FROM YOUR DUTY AS A WORTHY PWAB SOLDIER! WHERE IS YOUR PRIDE AND HONOUR AS A ROBO-KY?!"
"I no longer serve the bureau, Mark 2," Robo-san answered, "I now work and live for myself. A wanderer, or rurouni, that is."
"TO HELL WITH THAT!" and Mark 2 pounced at Robo-san in Hou'ou Kyaku. Robo-san spun over the overdrive and counterattacked with Ryukansen, knocking Mark 2 off attacking range. The renegade unit switched ougi and attacked Mark 2 with Hasshou Suru Shinki Nari. The overdrive hit and knocked most of Mark 2's hardware. Mark 2 managed to counterattack with Ky-Maku-Homerun; Robo-san used Ryusousen. Both attacks collided and cancelled each other's effect. Robo-san backed off and launched Mark 2 to the air with Ryushosen.
"YOU ARE DEAD!" Mark 2 shouted and fired barrages of rocket punches at Robo-san.
"Those projectiles are nothing to me. DORYUSEN!" As the nihontou struck the ground, tonnes of debris flung to the air and collided with the rocket punches, destroying them before they reached their target. Mark 2 was ticked off and fired another barrage of rocket punches at the mechanical swordsman; again, Doryusen nullified the effort.
"THIS IS WHY I HATE TO FIGHT WITH MY OWN KIND!!" Mark 2 yelled and charged at Robo-san via Ita-Ky-Geki. Robo-san returned to his kamae stance, ready to strike at the Mark II unit.
It was a feint!
"YOU ARE OWNED, ROBO-SAN!!" Mark 2 grabbed Robo-san's head and drained his power to zero. He knocked the renegade unit off, Roman Cancelled, and charged at the downed unit. He landed the infamous H FRC combo and ended the attacks with Ky-Maku-Homerun, linked automatically to Ky-Kokoro-no-Ichigeki OD. It was not enough for Mark 2; as soon as Robo-san was in sight, "BUSTER WOLF!" and the mechanical swordsman was sent crashing on a boulder. Mark 2 gasped breathlessly and puffed hot smoke and steams from his vents, while keeping his sights on the downed opponent. He stood in triumph and laughed maniacally. "I HAVE WON! MY WILL IS ABSOLUTE! NOW BOW DOWN BEFORE ME, YOUR SUPERIOR!"
"Here comes daredevil!"
A strong gust appeared from nowhere, pushing Mark 2 away from Robo-san. The unit looked around and found himself grabbed from above. "OVERHEAD HELIX!" The robot was sent spinning on the ground and flung to the air; he air-recovered and landed on the ground, growling at the daredevil.
"Oy, ojiisan, stop using dirty tricks and fight like a man, okay?"
"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU!?"
"A crossdresser," the voice under the red Chinese dress spoke, "you know, I don't know what exactly happened between you two, but let me fight you on behalf of Robo-san. Shall we?"
Mark 2 activated Gen-Ky Lover and the Scroll of Power. "YOU BRAT! DIE!!!!"
Hibiki arrived at the scene with Mai and helped Robo-san to stand up. "Gomennasai, Robo-san, we thought we could arrive here in time," Hibiki apologized.
"Don't mind me," Robo-san answered and watched the unexpected duel. "I need to assist Hikki… shoot. System restoration in 30 seconds…"
"Robo-san, what's the matter?" the iaijitsu woman asked.
Robo-san ignored the inquiry and stared at Hikki. "Hang on there, Hikki. Do your best in buying Mark 2's time…"
Mark 2 screamed a battle cry and pounced at Hikki. "TAKE THIS! BUSTER WOLF!"
Hikki was silent. Slowly he opened his arms, lowered his stance, and waited for the copied overdrive to connect. A faint blue glow appeared from both palms and it intensified as time passed by.
Mai saw the stance and realized the consequences. "Everyone! Take cover! Hikki is…"
Too late.
"TIME HALT!"
Mai closed her eyes and cried in distress. She had experienced the terror of Time Halt at the bridge of promise; the same terror that claimed the soul of her closest friend and denied everything. She felt that everything was put to end for the second time until she opened her eyes. Strange, I can still move my arms. What… what is happening…?
Hikki. Mark 2. The twos were suspended in time turbulence that, surprisingly, did not affect the surrounding environment. Mai tried to figure out what happened when she remembered the words of the Dragon of Time before they returned to Kiev.
"Chrono will no longer just control Time. He is Time itself."
Hikki cried a battle cry and tossed the frozen Mark 2 above him. "Robo-san, now!!"
"30 seconds of restoration is up!" Robo-san woke up and aimed at the falling Mark II unit. "HITEN MITSURUGI RYUU! KUZURYUSEN!" Nine light blades pierced through the air and hit Mark 2 on nine weak points, severely knocking his overall systems. Robo-san screamed and pounced at Mark 2, delivering the ninth attack onto Mark 2's forehead. Mark 2 cried in pain and was sent crashing on the boulder not far from Robo-san.
Hikki watched at the mechanical swordsman and gave him a thumb up. "Nice technique, Robo-san!"
"Shut up, crossdressing freak!" Robo-san shouted before he grinned. "Welcome back, Hikki. I haven't seen you in a while."
"Yeah, I know that," Hikki answered and discarded the Time Halt effect from his body. "I've been occupied for too long to even think of this place. Now what did I leave behind…"
"Behind you!"
Hikki reacted and turned around. To his shock, a blade pierced through his chest and electrocuted him. The teen managed to glance at the attacker and spoke out its name before he was knocked out with the uppercut overdrive.
"HIKKI!" Mai and Hibiki cried in horror and fetched the fallen Hikki. "Hikki! Keep yourself together! Hikki! HIKKI!"
Robo-san glared at Mark 2 and snarled. "Shoot, I thought he'd be knocked out for good," he thought.
"NO ONE DARES TO DEFY MY EXISTENCE…" deeply Mark 2 announced in shivering and distorted voice. "I SHALL DESTROY YOU, YOUR FRIENDS AND YOUR EXISTENCE…" The PWAB unit opened an unusual stance and entered instant kill duration. "ALL OF YOU SHALL DIE UNDER MY SUPREME REIGN!"
"Mark 2 copied the Hasshou Suru Shinki Nari I used against him and converted it into an instant kill," Robo-san thought. Slowly he put back Thunderseal into its scabbard and opened a battou stance. "In that case, this will do the trick. Hibiki, bring Hikki and the girl away from this place. This battle is going to reach its height." The iaijitsu warrior could only nod and walked away with the fainted Hikki and Mai, and took shelter behind a wall.
"THE REIGN WHERE THE STONG SHALL RULE OVER THE WEAK WILL START AS I WITHDRAW THIS BLADE AND DEFEAT YOU WITH THIS TECHNIQUE. POST-WAR ADMINISTRATIVE BUREAU'S SUPREMACY IS ABSOLUTE."
"The reign is already over since I started using this nihontou to protect the people."
"NOW WE ARE QUOTING RUROUNI KENSHIN. IT DOESN'T MATTER TO ME, ANYWAY, BECAUSE I'M GOING TO WIN THIS WAR!!"
"In your dreams!"
Robo-san and Mark 2 dashed towards each other, screaming their final battle cries. They were closing, inch by inch, and…
"HITEN MITSURUGI RYUU FINAL BATTLE SECRET!"
The left foot stomped the ground. Robo-san pulled Thunderseal out of its casing.
"AMAKAKERU RYU NO HIRAMEKI!"
It was blocked!
Mark 2 blocked and parried the oncoming blade with his Thunderseal. The collision both blades produced was too great that a crater was formed beneath the robots. Both of them were slowly sinking into the ground while trying to endure the hit.
"CHE!" Mark 2 twitched and backed off away from the renegade unit who went into a spin on his left foot. Mark 2 entered a kamae stance, aiming the instant kill at Robo-san's head. To his surprise…
"WHAT'S THIS?! A VORTEX WAS FORMED WHILE I PARRIED THE ATTACK, AND IT'S NOW PULLING ME TOWARD IT!" Mark 2 gasped. "OH NO! I'M BEING PULLED TOWARD ROBO-SAN! I MUST DO SOMETHING!"
"KYAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!"
x-x
The great swordsman Seijuro Hiko sat under the sun, lazily enjoying a bottle of sake. His mind was wandering, thinking of the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu he taught to his former apprentices, and his thought reached the secret of Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki. "Even when one manages to evade a dragon's claws, the wind that passes with it will cut through with its frightening power. Either way, Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki, no, every technique of Hiten Mitsurugi can be converted into a more devastating second level attack."
"Talking to yourself again, Seijuro-san?" The Hiten Mitsurugi guru grinned and glanced at the asking person. "And enjoying sake, on top of that. Isn't that the obvious attitude of every swordsman I meet?"
"How was your day, Aurora-san?" Hiko asked.
Aurora giggled and took a seat on nearby boulder. "Another soul has been saved earlier today. It's for the sake of the soul itself," she spoke. "It's my duty as the Handmaiden of Fate to keep everything in order, after all."
"I see." Hiko, then, lifted the sake bottle and showed it to the woman. "Sake?"
"I'll decline," politely she spoke. "I'm a non-alcoholic, you see."
Hiko chuckled and put back the bottle on the ground. Silent as he was, he later sighed and stared at the sky. "Now that you 'mention everything in order', will that Robo-Ky make it in winning the battle? It's been a while since I last heard the news of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu being used to defend the people, so…"
Again, Aurora giggled. "You don't have to worry about that, Seijuro-san. Robo-Ky will win his battle; that I can guarantee."
Hiko grinned and breathed out in relief. "Maybe I was worrying too much."
"You don't have to, Seijuro-san," the Handmaiden of Fate reminded.
x-x
The second level of Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki could not be blocked. Combined with the vortex that appeared after the first impact, the godly speed of battoujutsu and the destructive force of the Thunderseal, it was too much for Mark 2. Before he knew what happened to him, the blade lifted him off the ground and the final battle secret eventually cut through his body. There was no cry of pain or shock that followed on, except for electric sparks and machine oils that gushed out of body, like a fountain under high pressure. The PWAB unit crashed on the ground, immobilized and heavily damaged; several seconds later the unit exploded and turned into debris. Robo-san fell on his knees and panted breathlessly, shaking his head as to fend off a headache. "That was… so unexpected…"
Sumomo walked out of the shoulder pod and looked around her. "Are? Is it over? Ne, ne, is it over Robo-Ky? Ne?"
Robo-san stared at the remains of Mark 2 and breathed out in relief. He slowly stood up and put back the nihontou into its sheath. "Mark 2 is no more. This war is over."
"Hurray! Hurray! We have won the war! Hurray! Hurray! We have won the war! AIIIIII!" the mini Persocon squealed and danced upon the robot's shoulder. "Robo-Ky is the winner! Robo-Ky is victorious! Robo-Ky is the greatest! AIIIIIII!"
Robo-san grinned and patted Sumomo's head, as he saw the rest of the people coming at the scene, including the Mark 1 battalion and Elde. Sumomo continued cheering and rooting for him, occasionally jumping to the air in pom-pom dance. He lifted a fist to the air and made a victorious stance.
"VICTORY IS OURS!"
x-x-x-x-x
"The mission has failed," the chairperson uttered in disappointment. "Everything isn't going as originally planned. An alternative must be carried out as soon as possible, and replacement for the Robo-Ky Mark II must be done immediately." He reached the intercom and made a communication link. "Ground all operations until further notice. This is an order."
"Yes, chairperson!"
The chairperson, then, took four files marked "PWAB RISK RATING" from the desktop. He read all files' contents and could only shake his head. "Lone Wolf NEO… Kokurabuji Hikki… the renegade Robo-Ky… and Alexander Hahn…" He sighed and tossed the files on the desk before leaned against the chair, taking his time to stare at the ceiling. "Next time… maybe next time…"