SailorStar9: With Chapter 18 uploaded, this is Chapter 19 of this fic. For everyone who put this fic on your favorited and followed lists and/or story alerts, thank you, but remember everyone, a lot of authors (myself included) sustain on readers' reviews.

Disclaimers: Nothing here are mine, well, except the plot.

Chapter 19: Wildfire's Fight Against Fate


"All nine armors have finally returned to me." Talpa chuckled.

It's so dark. Ryo mused. Such darkness... so this is Talpa's body. Damn! I'm sorry, everyone. Ancient? He recognized the ring of the monk's shakujō as a rain of sakura petals fell over him. I'm sorry. I couldn't defeat Talpa.

In a bright flash of light, the Ancient brought the defeated Wildfire warrior into his memories, back to when he managed to defeat Talpa for the very first time and reforged the evil overlord's armor into the nine elemental and seasonal armors that were bound by the nine guiding virtues. "A thousand years ago, the netherworld revealed itself to the human realm and Talpa, the Emperor of Doom, appeared." the warrior monk recounted. "His power was tremendous, and beyond anything ever seen. But I was able to defeat him nonetheless. The nine armors, including those of the four Dark Warlords, these are made from the armor of Talpa. From the human world, Jin, Gi, Rei, Chi, Shin, Chu, Kou, Tei, Nin. I sealed those nine virtues into the armors, but war had tarnished the human spirit and four of the armors awoken to evil, regaining the power of the netherworld. The armor of the Dark Warlords served to facilitate Talpa's resurrection."

"These nine armors possess various powers." Talpa's voice now overlapped the Ancient. "And depending on the virtue, can be revived as either good or evil. And now, my armor shall be revived." he brought Ryo's bubble into him. "Ryo of Wildfire, the powers of your armor are quite impressive." laughing, he absorbed Ryo. "I have finally done it." with him at full power, he sent a blast of power from his sword to the human world, only to have the streak of lightning deflected by a golden energy barrier. "Athena, huh? No matter, it's only a matter of time before she totally exhausts her Cosmo. I will now have the revenge I've waited a thousand years for. With Athena disposed, I shall rule the human world with the power of this armor."


Please Ancient. Ryo pleaded, finding himself reunited with the others. Just let me sleep. That was the best I could do with my strength.

"Ronin Warriors," Ancient started. "You have fought well. This fight between me and Talpa is a battle f destiny. I have borrowed your youthful powers and have sacrificed your lives; a battle that was not worth that consequence. As long as humanity continues to harbor hatred and bitterness, perhaps there is no way I could have won this battle. Forgive me, you five young lives. I had no right to sacrifice your lives. May you rest in peace. This is a battle of destiny; not a fight the deserved the sacrifice of your lives."

"Foolish humans." Talpa took over. "You will hate each other, and abuse each other and bitter resentment will begin to take over. As long as these feelings of bitterness persist, the human world will fall under the control of the netherworld. There was no point in fighting it. Concerned about your friends, you have chosen your own death. You should be satisfied. You sacrificed yourself out of love for your friends and have now been absorbed into my armor, after all. Look, here are you four friends." he showed Ryo the unconscious Ronin Warriors trapped inside a bubble. "You've dashed their expectations and the bitterness they feel about having died for nothing is growing into a hatred within me. It is this hatred that will give me greater power."

"No!" Ryo protested. "I was thinking about them when I chose not to fight."

"Then, you made an error, Wildfire." Talpa chuckled. "Don't you agree? I'm grateful to you, for that weak-spirited thinking of yours."

"Was I wrong?" Ryo wondered. "Was I supposed to fight on for everybody? I was wrong! One more time, Athena! Let me fight one more time!"

"You must feel pathetic and bitter." Talpa mocked. "You can curse your helplessness; that bitterness and hatred will give my armor an even greater power."

"I am a Ronin Warrior!" Ryo declared, reigniting his virtue on his forehead and drew upon the other four Warriors' powers. "Pursuit of the truth, faith in the people, I fight for justice with grace. That is my way!" he then rocketed out of Talpa's body and reformed on top of a building roof.

"Why you!" Talpa growled. "You're still alive, Wildfire! What's this?" he was shocked when the other four Ronin Warriors' powers fled his body and rejoined Ryo, forming the Armor of Inferno.

"That armor!" Talpa was stunned.

"Talpa, I will show you what the human spirit is about!" Ryo declared.

"Don't you stupid!" Talpa snapped. "I am the ruler of this world. I have nothing but scorn for the human spirit." he sent an energy blast at Ryo, who jumped to dodge the attack. "Why you!" he hissed. "Prepare yourself!" he swung his sword down at Ryo, who blocked the blade with his twin katanas. "What?" he was astonished when Ryo threw him back.

With Athena's Cosmo cocooning him, Ryo readied to end the fight. "Flare Up Now!" the massive blast of power literally vaporized Talpa, along with the evil overlord's castle.


"Ryo!" Yuli gasped, he and Mia were reunited with Athena after Whiteblaze managed to get them back to the human world.

Athena's Nike Staff simply shone a soft golden light and brought the falling Ronin Warriors to the War Goddess' side.


SailorStar9: Now that's done, read and review.