He remembered when he first came down to the mortal world. It was rather "late" all things considered, in comparison to other deities that incarnated into humans. In the time where his home would try to isolate itself from the outside world, the Edo Period. Some of them ridiculed him. But he didn't care. For a while, he was interested in how this sumo had developed. An art inspired by his own actions, in the subjugation of Takeminakata. So what if it was during the age of declining mystery?
As a human, he had no memories of being a god. Because of that, he could wholeheartedly dedicate himself to being Raiden Tameemon. In the grand scheme of things, it was nothing more than an indulgence. A hobby. But he was glad to have come down anyway. The art developed by the mortals was wonderful. It was an art he adopted and refined even more. In the Dohyo, he could truly appreciate mankind.
Sometimes he loved his life as a sumo wrestler more than his life as a god. So much that he was almost disappointed when his mortal life ran his course and he returned to the heavens. But if he ever felt down... he had sumo to cheer him up. Always.
At least that's what he had thought. Before the world was cleansed and the invading seeds were spread... before this humble servant reunited with his divinity in a different way...
/
Amako tried her best. Despite her exhaustion and injuries, she moved faster and stronger than ever. Her kicks could shatter steel. Her fingers were spear that aimed for the joints and eyes, weaknesses of the body. Her limbs were blurs, as she was practically floating, attacking non stop. Reinforced by her Mystic Code, the Scale Mail of Seiryu, she was the strongest human Ritsuka had met in a while. For someone who wasn't a Heroic Spirit, her physical prowess was insane. Ritsuka bit his lip in frustration.
Yet all that effort and talent did nothing against Takemikazuchi. Even with the treasure protecting her, Amako grit her teeth in pain as her attacks practically bounced off the black armor. What was even worse however was how the god didn't attack or even defend himself. Unmoving like a mountain, he had his arms wide open, as if inviting her to attack more, harder, faster. Ritsuka had no idea how long Amako attacked, but eventually, the sumo wrestler decided to move.
Her eyes went wide as her feet touched the ground. As if the earth itself was dragging her, she went low, avoiding the right palm that was about to smash her face in. However, the blast of wind that was created from sheer force, forcing a hand print into the wood wall behind her, pushed her off balance. Because of that, she could barely raise her right arm to guard herself against the left palm hitting her from the side the side. Ritsuka winced when he heard cracking in the air. Amako gasped before getting slammed into the audience area.
Not even waiting for the dust to settle, Takemikazuchi exhaled, forming a claw with his right hand. Sparks formed into thunder, twisting and raging in his hand. Then, with a fierce roar, he threw the stream into the dust. Ritsuka paled at Amako's screams. With his hands clenched, he was about to rush over to her, but he was stopped by the god blurring into his way, arms crossed.
"It's over. Nobody is left to protect you now."
Despite the inhuman, glowing eyes, Ritsuka could feel a softness behind them. Maybe it was because of that, that he had to ask. Taking a deep breath, he frowned with sorrow.
"With all that strength... why are you... ?" He trailed off, not sure what exactly to ask. But the heaviness conveyed enough, as the god seemed to nod slowly in understanding. It would've been a close call, from what he could tell. But this god could defeat Hideyoshi, if he tried. He could change things for the better in this place. After all, he was honorable. The god looked up to the sky, almost wistfully.
"Did you know that the Panhuman Raiden Tameemon was summoned in this place?"
"Huh?" Ritsuka's eyes were wide in shock.
"I assume he was sent to help take this place down. I believe there was someone else with him, but we long lost track of him... " The god blinked before shaking his head. "Anyway... we met." Raiden shrugged with a hearty laugh, shaking his head at a certain memory. "We wrestled a bit! Have to admit, in terms of pure skill, he was more experienced than me!" Calming down a bit, he sighed."However, he is just me. And I am him. While he defeated me in a duel, he decided to join with me in the end. Showing him the extent of the enemy, deciding to unite, was rather simple."
"Why would he do that?" Ritsuka didn't like where this was going. 'The extent of the enemy'. It was like they knew more than enough about the Alien God and the Lostbelts.
"Because he understood like I understand it now." Takemikazuchi lowered his head, eyes closed as if in shame. "Humanity is doomed, Master of Chaldea."
"What...?"
He said it with such confidence that it shook Ritsuka to his core. His eyes seemed haunted, his body seeming to shiver.
"We cannot stop the Alien God nor the other Lostbelts," he whispered quietly "It's meaningless."
"You've given up... ?"
At his question, Takemikazuchi scoffed.
"Raiden Tameemon was never a savior or a hero. Things like these are above him. He knew that." He raised his head, eyes somber but determined. "I want to spend my days doing what I love. I do not want to drag the people of this land into a meaningless war."
Slowly, ever so slowly, he raised his hands, going into his stance. A right arm pulled back, as if cocking a gun, palm aimed at Ritsuka. His breath stiffened, his hands curled up into fists as he felt a shiver down a spine, but the Master of Chaldea didn't run. With a fond expression despite the armor, the god nodded in approval.
"I admire your determination. But not many believe like you do." His body tensed up as he took a deep breath."I will grant you a swi-"
Before he could annihilate Ritsuka, something hit the back of his head. It didn't even move him, but the soft thud that sounded caused him to stop. Turning around, he let Ritsuka see what happened. A piece of wood on the ground. And further behind was...
"What a... load …of bullshit... !"
The two men could only gape at the sight. Amako looked more like a corpse. Her skin was almost bubbling as seared as it was. The armor seemed to have melted and fused with her flesh. The arm she blocked Takemikazuchi's attack with was bend in more places than Ritsuka could count. Her eyes were unfocused, yet there was a fire behind them as she struggled to drag herself forward. She seemed to be healing herself, but it was a slow progress.
"Meaningless... ? We cannot stop it?!"
Her voice was hoarse, she winced when she pointed at the god accusingly. Yet she didn't care as she forced herself to move forward.
"You don't fuckin' decide any of that!"
"I will struggle! I can't afford to lose!" She pointed a thumb at herself as she screamed, her body slowly stopping to shake. "I am the head of the Four Guardians! We swore to reach the Root, to do our best to bring prosperity to the lands! Some half assed god won't get in our way!"
Ritsuka felt a pang of pain in his heart. But before he could think more about what would happen, Amako suddenly stopped moving. As if she was utterly relaxed, her breathing was perfectly calm now. Then, a light giggle escaped her. Under other circumstances, he'd think she had lost her mind. But the light in her eyes was clear.
She figured something out. She had only just begun.
"North. West. South. East. Genbu. Byakko. Suzaku. Seiryu. Four beasts. Four directions. Their journeys differ, yet their goal are the same."
Each word carried power with it. Takemikazuchi just stared at the girl, confused, as his body moved down back into the Dohyo.
"What in the ... ?"
"We take in all the universe has to offer. We offer all the wisdom the world owns. To be one with everything. To be one with nothing. To truly ascend beyond the heavens."
Amako began to glow. No, rather, the treasures began to glow. The feather. The medal. The naginata. The armor.
"Oh great Yellow Dragon, symbol of the Emperor... Arise, Kohryu!"
Red. Blue. White. Black. In an explosion, they gathered together into a golden, yellow light around Amako. The power infused the air itself and Ritsuka had difficulties to breath for an instance. When the light died out, he could only look at awe.
The armor was perfectly repaired now. Not only that, it shone in a golden color, the azure blue having been replaced. In a way, it seemed more sharp now. Sturdier too. Not only that, it seemed to serve like a sort of exoskeleton. Her skin was still burned. Her arm still broken. She seemed to feel less pain now, her healing accelerating. But the armor merely moved her body, replacing the functions of her shattered bones for now. Ritsuka felt sweat down his skin as he took it all in.
She wasn't wearing a Mystic Code anymore. That new armor... it was a Noble Phantasm. Or something close enough. Something that intrigued Takemikazuchi enough to chuckle in a low tone.
"Impressive. Perhaps with that, you might be able to damage me."
"Oh, I could've used this before," Amako replied, cracking her neck with a serene tone. "I learned something way better just now."
He could feel the god raising his eyebrow. Then, he lowered himself, ready to cha-
A sharp clash of metal sounded in the air. Ritsuka blinked, trying to process what he saw. Just as Takemikazuchi's muscles bulged under the armor... a pillar of rock spawned from the ground, right after Amako slammed her foot down. The god quickly gathered his fits, but his eyes widened when Amako already closed the distance. He threw a quick palm at her. But with a weird relaxedness, her arm blurred, jabbing her fingers into his wrists, cracking the armor there. In response, he aimed a headbutt down at her, but she already backed off, gliding over the ground, before smashing a scythe of fire against his head with a kick. He grit his teeth, exhaling as he endured it and tried to maintain his footing, but just as he breathed out, Amako swept his legs away from under him, the ground suddenly wet. Spinning in the air, he could only shout in surprise before he was slammed down with an elbow to the ground, as if he was hit by a sledgehammer.
Ritsuka could barely process what he was seeing. It was like Amako was matching her movements to his breathing, like she was reading him completely. Her eyes were utterly blank, her body relaxed, yet her attacks hit heavier than ever. It was like the world itself was supporting her, with the way she threw magic in all of a sudden. Blinding light. Fierce fire. Earth and wood moving. Water to manipulate the environment. Not only that, her martial arts were... hard to describe.
Like an arrow from the best wood, her attacks were hitting the marks she was aiming for. Weakspots, attack that made use of Takemikazuchi's own reflexes. A jab towards the throat, that caused him to back away with his upper body. His legs swept away, adapting to his moves like water as Amako dashed forward, her feet like a fierce fire in its explosiveness and unpredictability. A raised leg into the air, before it was smashed down like a refined work of metal. The earth itself, lending energy to her with the way she kicked off the ground and hindering the enemy as it bound him. The god's armor cracked more and more, as he was lost to Amakos pace. Her very movements were casting spells, movements that were inspired by all the things she had experienced.
Boxing. Pankration. Chinese Martial Arts. Even Lucha. She used everything that was under her disposable without even seeming to think. Ritsuka knew the philosophy, of emptying one's mind, to relax one's body to increase the force the muscles could use in a snap. But to see that theory in practice by someone so young...
It was... It was…
"Beautiful!" Takemikazuchi roared, exploding in lighting as it covered him. The sparks hit Amako, but she merely redirected it with barely a flinch. "Absolutely wonderful! To believe this world would have such a genius!"
The god picked up the pace after slamming his foot down. His strikes matched and even overpowered hers. Yet she played it smart, not facing him head on. Each palm attack was hit from the side or avoided for a counter. Yet Takemikazuchi was no slouch either. The spells were countered by his own divine thunder. His footwork smashed through the minor inconveniences of the earth and wood. And now, he seemed to have gotten used to her throws, moving with them before trying to lock her into a grab himself. Something she was very keen to avoid, as she grit her teeth in exertion.
With an elbow against his temple, Takemikazuchi stumbled, giving Amako time to back away in a snake line. She wiped blood from her mouth, before frowning at the enemy.
"I am no genius." She laughed dryly at herself. "A true genius of the Seiryu clan would be able to teach everything I can do. Until I can pass something on, I am nothing but a third rate magus... "
She glanced at Ritsuka, her expression turning soft.
"I think I've given up before. Just aimlessly fighting those little patrols. Eventually, I would've just called it quits... "
She spread her arms, slowly walking towards the god who actually raised his arms in a guard.
"But now… thanks to you being my enemy... Thanks to Chaldea...being my comrade...! I am able to do this!"
She turned into a blur. Cuts and even more cracks appeared on the sumo wrestler's armor. He grunted, as he had his feet planted on the ground, shoved back by the sheer quantity of kicks, strikes and hits. Ritsuka clutched his chest at the sight. Not only did he feel guilt... but also awe. He was seeing someone become a Heroic Spirit right in front of his eyes. Matching a god as a mere mortal, for the sake of a future that might never arrive.
However...
Takemikazuchi lowered his arms. It was an opening that Amako didn't miss. Spinning on her feet, she raised her leg, eyes aiming at his neck. Her toes were like a fire arrow, fired by a bow made from legends. It touched the armor, starting to pierce through it-
Before it missed its mark. Amako gasped, as the god closed in, grabbing her back. Having been in mid air with a kick, she was in a perfect hold by the sumo fighter. His grip intensified, almost like he was grabbing her shoulder blade and hip bones themselves. He chuckled a bit as Amako couldn't even move to defend herself.
"It is a pity. If only you had 'experience' to match it up, you could even take down the heavens." The massive man took a deep breath. "But it's over!"
With a roar, he spun around. With all his weight, with thunder in his being, he slammed Amako down with all his might. She screamed, bouncing off the ground and actually flying in the air. She crashed right in front of Ritsuka. To his relief, she rose to her knees, still breathing. But her eyes were dazed, her head bleeding profusely and the armor of Kohryu cracked from protecting her. The damage was heavy, but not crippling. However, it caused one fatal thing.
It made Amako stop moving. Because of that, she was at Takemikazuchi's complete mercy when he clapped his hands together. Ritsuka felt his body go numb, even with Amako spreading her arms as she shot up, protecting him from the brunt of it. But even she twitched, trying to fight against the paralysis that overtook her body.
"ROAR OF RAIDEN!"
The god became thunder itself. As if fired by the heavens themselves, the divine bolt was unleashed, aiming straight for the two. Ritsuka grit his teeth, his command seals glowing, as he wished sincerely in his head. A wish for survival. A wish for protection.
A wish that was granted.
The thunder was stopped. It slammed into a barrier that stopped thunder like it before. Ritsuka's eyes went wide, a smile spreading on his face. Her purple hair fluttered as she grit her teeth in exertion.
Mash was back.
Takemikazuchi roared, even with his face having clashed against Mold Camelot. His eyes were unfocused, his charge fueled solely by his spirit. But the shield would not budge. And with that stalemate came time.
Amako's paralysis wore off the moment Mash protected them. In that instance, she began to move, almost like a ritualistic dance.
A light jump into the air, left arm rising. A fist to the right. A stomp on the ground, her legs spread wide. A cut with her extended hand to the left. Then slowly, she formed a circle with her arms, moving them towards her center. Reeling back her arms, energy piled up and up in her.
She met Takemikazuchi's eyes. Moving her arms forward, even with how wrecked her body was, her words were utterly calm as she spoke them.
"Kohryu Cannon."
The gates of Camelot opened. The thunder was moving forward once more. But it was weakened. Lost its strength against the unyielding wall. It was because of that, he was no match to the gaping maw of the golden dragon, bursting from within.
"Beautiful... "
The greatest Rikishi, the god and human, smiled within his armor before he was engulfed by the dragon as it bit down and soared towards the sky. Violently exploding, there was nothing left of the god.
Ritsuka didn't realize how exhausted he was. He fell down, his legs giving out. Mash hurried to his side, completely out of breath from running all the way back. Then her head snapped to Amako, her eyes wide with worry.
"What happened to you?! We need to heal your injuries!"
"I'm fi-"
She coughed up blood. An awkward silence reigned between them before she wiped her mouth and raised a finger with her lips pressed together.
"Okay, not that fine." She puffed out her chest, her eyebrow twitching from the pain she must have been feeling after everything she took. "But no worries, Kohryu'll carry me! We need to-"
She didn't get to finish her sentence, as yet another explosion sounded. Their heads snapped to the source, seeing a furious wild fire of hell covering the tower where Hideyoshi was fighting the last two of their group. Ritsuka then clutched his chest in pain. as the girls fussed over him, he only had one thought in his head.
"Nobu, what the hell are you doing?!"