Sammael had to sneer as he watched the Hydra Grimm from within his castle.

"I have to admit, my friend... your Grimm has really shown me much potential," he purred.

Beside him, I.O.N.E.S.C.O.U. hummed as he folded his arms across his broad chest. "After studying the young Faunus, I decided that it would be appropriate to give it some... unique... abilities suited for the task at hand." His optics then pulsed red. "But that is just the beginning. The more hatred exists, the stronger it becomes."

Sammael couldn't help but chuckle. "Always trying to perfect the Grimm, aren't we?"

"Yes. And I was actually thinking... maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea to try to... test... our newest creations against these... Shinkalions..." the huge Gundam rumbled. "After all, with more Hunters and Huntresses taking down the Grimm, and with Van Kleiss having gotten the wrong kind of attention from the law... and those so-called archaeologists, it would be best to have a testing ground of sorts to perfect the Grimm we develop."

Sammael tilted his head. "Oh? Are you suggesting we turn Japan into our testing site?"

The Fallen/Gundam nodded. "Yes. We continue to send them Kaiju Grimm. Make them think that they are winning. But... when the time comes, after much testing and perfecting, then we strike."

The red-haired Fallen actually laughed. "I knew I liked you!" he chortled. Then he gazed at the Gundam/Fallen hybrid. "I like your thinking, my friend. I actually agree that it would be beneficial to us to do so. And perhaps, we can see just how far we can push them."

I.O.N.E.S.C.O.U. chuckled darkly. "That is an idea I can get behind..." he hummed.

Then he turned to the screen showing the Grimm as it started to snake its way towards the station. "And maybe we can see just how well this CIS of theirs works out..."

Sammael leaned back in his seat, tenting his fingers. "Yes... Let's see indeed..."

(Shows a pair of eyes opening before the eyes morph into optics)

START Kaitei no Orchestra (Precious Time) (ROMI)

(The optics flash as the camera pans out to show six shadowy mecha before they leap towards the camera, brandishing their weapons)

Hiroi aoi kono basho de tokiga nagarete yuku my precious time (The image fades to show a cat Faunus boy with brown hair and magenta eyes walking down a street close to the ocean, looking down at an image of his mother in his hand. He perks up as he spots a rabbit Faunus girl with light green hair and eyes hugs him, making him yelp. A boy with brown hair and brown eyes joins the girl on the cat Faunus's other side, and gives a thumbs up. A boy with dark purple hair and eyes approaches from the left and smiles a bit before a ninja youth leaps down on the right, his dark grey hair and purple eyes standing out with the purple highlight on the right side of his bangs. The five look up at the sky as a shimmering image of a cheetah Faunus with blue hair and eyes appears behind them. The title appears below them all.)

GRIMMFALL: SHINKALION RISING

Itsu no manika kiete shimatte kakegaeno koega (The image fades to show the cat Faunus standing beside his mother's grave, his eyes fixed on her name)

Tsumaranai hibimo sorega sukide ikitetanda (Memories of her and his family march past as he bows his head)

Higa sashiteru tokomade omoikkiri hashitte (A wind blows past and he perks up as he sees something ahead of him, making him break into a run to try and reach the shadowy, winged humanoid shape as it looks back with yellow optics, holding out a hand)

Shinjirarenai koto bakari menomaeni okiru (The two embrace hands and then a flash of light engulfs the screen, fading to show a large Kaiju-class Grimm being attacked by a blue and white mecha wielding a drill before the two clash)

Taiyou no hou wo miagate tachiagaruno tsurakute (The impact throws off a light that engulfs the screen, dissipating to show the cat Faunus, but battered and wounded, looking at the sky, the sun shining down on him as he reaches up a hand, as if grasping at it)

Susumu koto dake omouto (He tries to stagger to his feet, only to collapse briefly before he lifts his gaze, a yellow optic forming in place of his eye as it glows brightly)

Setsunai tabiwo tsuzukeru kawatta me no okuniwa (The light of the optic fades as the camera moves out to show a green and white mecha armed with a sword and wings on its back attacking a porcupine Kaiju-class Grimm in close combat, only for the Kaiju to fire off a slew of spines from its legs and back, making the mecha block with a shimmering tri-colored Aura)

Natsukashii itoshisa wo motomete (On my way) (Behind the mecha appears an image of a cat Faunus woman, and the mecha lunges forward, its sword glowing as it traps the Grimm in an energy cage before slicing it in half)

Kizutsuke attanowa nikui wake janai nosa (The Grimm explodes before a Faunus Ultra gorilla lunges from behind, making the mecha spin to block with its sword, images of a peaceful world appearing behind it before punching the Faunus Ultra and sending it staggering back)

Sokoni kibouga arunonara my precious time (The images coalesce around the mecha's chest as it fires a blast of green energy from a hidden chest cannon at the screen)

Itsukaraka onaji keshikini kakomarete sugoshite (The screen comes back into view, this time showing the cat Faunus as he stands atop a building in Tokyo, his friends beside him as they eye the distant horizon, a shadowy shape behind Mt. Fuji in the distance)

Akinonai koega sukoshizutsu chiri hajimeta (The boy looks down at an image of his mother in his hands, his friends placing their hands on his shoulders to comfort him as tears streak down his cheeks)

Ameni utareta mamade omoku seouno tsurakute (The camera zooms in on his eyes before panning out to show him looking at the window, the same green and white mecha on the other side, both touching their hands to one another before it shifts to show the cat Faunus's mother as a transparent image behind the mecha)

Ushinau koto dake omouto (The camera zooms in on the mecha's face before panning out to show two Faunus, a fox woman and a bull man, standing atop a hotel in downtown Tokyo)

Togirenai omoino nakade hisshi ni tsukamunosa (The two Faunus lunge for the mecha, only to be blocked by a red and white mecha with two guns and a purple and white mecha wielding two shuriken in its hands Beside them is a white and green mecha armed with a sword and the blue and white mecha with the drill is close by)

Dokomademo dokomademo sagasunda (Find your way) (The five mecha charge towards a large shape as it looms out of the shadows of the two Faunus, and behind them is the shape of a white and blue mecha armed with twin energy blades)

Otagaini motomeatte kakera wo tsunagunosa (Shows the six mecha as they stand in a line, each of them holding their weapons at the ready before they charge forward; the green and white mecha fires off its chest cannon as the blue and white mecha spins its drill up, a blue aura engulfing it, the red and white mecha fires its twin guns in a rifle configuration as the purple and white mecha uses its shuriken as weapons, the white and green mecha swings its sword as heat radiates from the blade and the white and blue mecha swipes with its energy blades, releasing a shockwave)

Sokoni kibouga mierukara wow oh wow (The blasts combine to generate an explosion as it hits something before the smoke parts to reveal a scenic image of the city of Tokyo, the tendrils of Satyra retreating from it)

Kimiga tsukutta monogatari saikou no omoide ni nattanda (The image shifts to show the cat Faunus looking down at a photo album of his mother and his friends and family, tears pricking at his eyes before he sees his friends beside him and they hold out their hands, a smile crossing his face as he takes their hands and they pull him out of the darkness into the light)

Bokurano nakani ikitsuzukete soshite arigatou wow (They all hug before a flash of light envelops them, fading shortly after to reveal the six mecha, this time images of the six kids behind them as they charge at a shadowy shape as it looms over them)

Setsunai tabiwo owarasunda miraiwo kaete tsukuruno sa (The image pans to the right to show them all charging, this time transparent scenes of new enemies marching past them - Dr. Robotnik, Sammael, and Moloch - before fading to show the city of Tokyo at sunset, a light shining in this darkening world)

Istumademo akiramezuni oistuzukete (On my way) (The green and white mecha with the wings thrusts its hand out towards an image of the cat Faunus's mother as she reaches out, and their hands clasp before it shows the green and white mecha firing off its chest cannon, the beam this time a shining gold color)

Tashikani kanjitanda kimiga kureta yuuki wo (The blast strikes the enemy before them - Dr. Robotnik - before it shows the mecha with its companions as they join in on the attack with their own moves)

Bokuno subete wo gisei ni torimodosunda bokurano precious time (The image fades to show the six kids standing in front of Tokyo, the title of the series appearing below them)

GRIMMFALL: SHINKALION RISING

OPENING FILES:

CLASSIFIED

DECRYPTING...

FILES DECRYPTED

OPENING FILES: CENTRAL INTERCEPT SYSTEM

The Central Intercept System is a combat system designed to contain Kaiju-class Grimm and to prevent collateral damage to the city around it. The system was established as a redoubt shelter back before the Time of Awakening, only to be modified heavily over the course the years to become the facility it is today. While the original bunker has long since been removed, the concept has remained within the minds of Japan's ruling class and the Imperial Family for over one thousand years.

Its modern iteration is well equipped to handle Grimm and to ensure that no lives are lost. The key features of this system are the energy shield and blast doors, which create a high-level containment field whereas a capture field would be inefficient against the Hydra Kaiju Grimm. Gun turrets line the sides of the shield to keep any Grimm from attacking the blast doors, and it can withstand large numbers of Grimm attacking it at once. Tokyo Station, however, is vulnerable as it is located within the barrier. But it is a risk that is acknowledged and accepted.

The system also doubles as a fully self sufficient apocalyptic bunker that can remain isolated for a full decade.

CLOSING FILES

TERMINAL ENTERING STANDBY PHASE

"When it comes to holdouts, many think of the term in a military sense," Izumi mused as he looked up from a report. "But a holdout can mean other things, too. Like a political holdout. People who won't move from someplace because it's a home or a business that has remained in their family for generations."

He brought up several images on the main monitor with a tap of the keyboard. "Take for instance the holdouts of the troops at Dunkirk during World War II during the evacuation. Or even just the entire country of England holding out on their own for an entire year. That is one instance of a holdout. Or a man who wouldn't sell his home in another reality. A woman with a fierce determination to remain true to her country's ideals. Or even a mechanical civilization that endured a long harsh civil war, only to rebuild their society."

He lowered his hand and tapped again on the keyboard, only for the images to fade. "So next time you think of the word holdout, try and imagine the context in its use. It may mean something surprising."

CHAPTER XXII - HYDRA

Screams and panic.

That was the first thing he heard as they sped down the rail lines towards the harbor.

Esebu's frame shuddered as he put more power into his wheels.

Already he could see the massive imposing form of the Hydra.

With six heads, it stood at a massive forty meters tall, with broad shoulders and chest. A sinister spiked tail swished behind it, and on each of its heads was a pair of horns. Its body was a blood red color, but it also had bone-like armor covering its vital points, especially on the heads. Black veins slithered throughout its body, adding to its imposing appearance, seeming to pulse with life. The Kaiju threw back all six of its heads as it roared, making buildings shake and shudder. The very ground seemed to shake from the mere force of its roar.

Esebu felt a shiver race through his chassis as he applied his brakes.

"Holy Glob...!" Fumikiri whispered, his voice hoarse. "That's... That's a Hydra?!"

"Yes. And it appears to be slightly different from the originals we faced," Hokuto mused over their COMM systems.

"All the more reason for us to take it down then!" Esebu remarked. He revved his engine. "Let's do this, guys!"

"CHANGE! SHINKALION!"

Esebu was the first one to leap off the tracks, starting his transformation sequence.

He felt his front and rear engines disconnect from the rest of the shinkansen, linking up. The rear engine opened to reveal a pair of legs, each leg protected by the outer shell of the rear engine. His treads snapped into position on either side of his ankles. He sensed the rear of the front engine opening as the front shifted its position to become his chest and lower torso. His arms extended from the rear of the front engine and locked into position, his hands clenching as his shovel guards came down to protect against strikes to the hands. His head finally emerged, and his green-yellow optics flared online as he grasped his drill in one hand. He pressed the trigger and the drill spun a bit before he held it out to the side.

Haifu was the next one.

"CHANGE! SHINKALION!"

She increased speed before vaulting off the tracks, initiating her transformation sequence.

Haifu's rear and front engines disconnected from the rest of the shinkansen, linking up. The rear half of the front engine folded out to reveal a pair of arms and shoulder guards much like his own, and the nose of the train became the chest of her humanoid form. The rear of the train unfolded into a pair of legs protected by the shell of the rear engine. Haifu's head emerged last, a pair of bright orange-yellow optics flaring online. Her rabbit ear-like extensions emerged from the back of her helm and twitched before she landed, grasping her sword as it formed in her grasp. A few swings of the blade and she landed, her weapon held out to the side.

Fumikiri was third.

"CHANGE! SHINKALION!"

He didn't even hesitate as he leapt off the tracks, beginning his transformation sequence.

The shinkansen's front and rear engines separated from the rest of the train before they linked up. Then, the rear half of the front engine folded out to reveal a pair of arms and shoulder guards much like his own, and the nose of the train became the chest of his humanoid form. The rear of the train unfolded into a pair of legs, protected by the shell of the rear engine. Fumikiri's head emerged last, a pair of light blue optics flaring online. The mecha landed on the rail closest to Esebu and crouched, holding two fingers in front of his faceplate. His other hand flew out and he summoned to his grasp his shuriken, snapping it open from kunai mode.

Matagi didn't even hold back.

"CHANGE! SHINKALION!"

With a rev of his engine, he sprang forward, jumping off the tracks as his transformation sequence commenced.

The rear and front engines disconnected from the rest of the shinkansen and linked up. The rear half of the front engine split open to become shoulders and arms for Matagi, the nose of his shinkansen mode becoming the chest of his humanoid form. The rear engine split open, forming a pair of legs protected by the shell of the rear engine. Two pairs of wheels latched onto the sides of his feet, much like with Esebu's own treads. His head finally emerged last, his yellow optics flashing online. His hands extended to grasp the twin guns as they formed in the air. Once they were in his grasp, he spun them a few times before aiming them.

Nozoma was the next one.

"CHANGE! SHINKALION!"

He gunned his engine before leaping clear of the rails, undergoing his transformation sequence.

His rear and front engines disconnected from the rest of the shinkansen and linked up. The rear half of the front engine opened up to become a pair of arms and shoulders, the rest of the train's front engine transforming into a thruster set and the chest of his humanoid form. The rear engine split open to become a pair of legs, protected by the shell of the rear engine. His head emerged last as his light blue optics flashed online. He clenched his fists and lashed out in a few martial arts moves before taking a fighting stance, his twin energy blades coming online.

Efu was the final one.

"CHANGE! SHINKALION!"

He revved his engine as he dashed forward, his transformation sequence initiating.

The rear and front engines disconnected from the rest of the train and linked up. The rear half of the front engine split down the middle to become shoulders and arms, the front of the train becoming the chest of his humanoid form. The rear engine slid open down the middle, becoming a pair of legs guarded by the shell of the rear engine. Claws extended for traction from the feet while thrusters on the ankles slid open. His head was the last thing to emerge, his yellow optics flashing online. He held out a hand and summoned his sword to his grasp, swinging it a few times before he landed, holding it out to the side.

The six Shinkalions landed on the ground, looking up at the huge Hydra. Its eyes glowed red as they locked onto the team... or more specifically, one mecha in particular.

"Okay... how are we gonna beat this thing?" Matagi wondered.

"Let's just take it down!" Efu exclaimed, startling the group.

"Wait! We don't know what it can do!" Esebu stated, grabbing Efu's arm. "We can't charge in without a plan!"

"Plan, shlan! Why should we? Isn't this what we signed up for?" Efu asked.

"Yes, but not recklessly charging in!" Esebu countered. His green optics burned into Efu's own. "Trust me. It's better to get an idea of what it can do before we just charge in."

Efu grumbled, but relented as he backed down.

With that taken care of, Esebu scanned the Grimm before them.

The thing was huge.

That much he could see.

And clearly it looked powerful. But what kind of abilities it had was unknown. And the best way to gain intel on that was to fight strategically. His optics pulsed as he spotted a few cranes close by, the kind used for offloading goods from ships. Then he glanced back to the Hydra as it roared, again making the surrounding area shudder from the sheer volume and force. The team staggered a little from the shockwaves. Esebu glanced back to the cranes, then the Hydra. "I got an idea," he said.

"Hm?" Fumikiri looked to his superior. "What?"

"See those cranes there?" Esebu pointed with his drill. The others nodded, wondering where he was going with this.

"Well, we're gonna use them to fight this thing," he remarked.

"Hold on! How are we supposed to use cranes for fighting?" Efu asked in confusion.

"I mean," Esebu continued, "we use them to lob shipping containers at it, like slingshots."

Matagi scanned the cranes, his optics glowing a bit. "Hmm..." He could see that they were good for lifting, but not so much for slinging things. Unless Esebu meant using the cables to form a sort of sling...!

"I think I see where this story is headed," he mused. He looked to Esebu. "You wish to use the cables on the cranes as slings to lob the containers."

Esebu nodded. "Yep."

"And then what?" Efu asked. "Just hope it doesn't hit us?"

"No. This is to gauge its abilities and figure out what kind it has," Esebu clarified to the rookie. "Then we can figure out how to fight accordingly."

Efu groaned, but let it slide as Esebu continued to explain the plan.

The whole time, Efu glanced at the Grimm, feeling the urge to go in and kill it. He hated these things... especially since one had killed his mother and nearly caused him to become victim to Satyra indirectly. He clenched his hands on his sword, and he growled lowly.

He wasn't about to sit back and let anyone tell him how to fight! He was a Shinkalion, dammit! And he was about to give this Grimm a piece of his mind!

He let out a cry as he charged, startling the others and Esebu. "Wait! EFU!" he cried, his hand trying to grab the other Shinkalion, but he was faster and he only grabbed thin air.

"Oh, shit! He's gonna get killed!" Esebu growled as he looked to the others. "Haifu, you and Matagi get those crates ready to lob! Fumikiri, get the cables set up! Nozoma, you're with me!"

"Hai!" The team split up, with three running one way, two going for Efu.

Esebu's treads whirred as he pushed himself to his limits. "Efu, you idiot! You're just asking to be killed!" he muttered.

Nozoma sprinted beside him, his thrusters burning to boost his mobility and speed. His light blue optics flicked over to the blue and white leader. "What's the plan?" he asked.

"Get to him before he does something stupid!" Esebu snarled as he crouched a little to increase his speed a bit more. He started to 'skate' as he approached the other mecha, crouching and lunging forward.

But Efu was already in motion as he leapt into the air. His sword hummed hungrily as he cried out, thrusting it towards one of the leg joints.

Only for a loud roar to catch him off guard. The Hydra shifted one of its six heads down and, much to Esebu's surprise, green radioactive fire belched from its mouth. Efu cried out as he threw up his Aura at the last second, the breath pushing him down towards the ground. Esebu roared as he charged in, leaping forward and catching Efu in his grasp. He summoned his Aura around them both as they went rolling from the force of the lunge.

Esebu groaned as he looked down to Efu, who shook his helm. "D-Dammit...!" he muttered.

The lead Shinkalion glanced back at the Hydra as it snorted out remnants from its fire breath. Actually, he had to admit Efu's stupid stunt had revealed something important.

'Okay. Looks like this thing's got fire breath, just like Grimmzilla did,' he noted. 'So that's one ability we learned of. But from here on out, we have to fight with strategy and not brute force.'

The only trouble was convincing Efu to follow through with it.

The green and white Shinkalion was already staggering to his feet, his optics burning. "Dammit, Esebu! Let me at it!"

"No!" Esebu shouted, grabbing Efu by his arm. "We can't! It's too dangerous!"

Efu tugged at his arm, trying to pry himself free from Esebu's grasp. "No!" he cried.

The lead Shinkalion didn't lessen his grip though. Instead, he tightened it, bracing himself as Efu struggled to escape.

"Just stop this!" he pleaded.

Again, Efu refused. He kept struggling. "I...gotta...get...it!" he growled.

Esebu was now worried. This was unlike Efu in many ways. Sure he had a hatred for the Grimm, but to see him suddenly losing himself to said hatred? This was worrisome. And he needed answers.

The Hydra roared as it aimed two heads at the struggling Shinkalion pair. Esebu gasped as he tightened his grip on Efu and pulled him back, using his treads to quickly reverse course. The two heads belched that radioactive fire, and Esebu was forced to weave back from it, Efu struggling in his grasp.

"Tell me you guys have the slingshot set up!" Esebu barked into his comm.

"We got it! Just need to finish calibrating!" Fumikiri remarked.

Nozoma's thrusters roared and Esebu glanced up as he spotted the white Shinkalion lunging for one of the heads. His energy blades flashed as he cut, intending to take its head clean off. But it whipped itself around, and those red eyes lit up, firing off laser beams that struck Nozoma's chest as he threw up his Aura in the nick of time. He cried out as he was thrown back by the impact, landing on the pavement and creating a crater.

"Hurry!" Esebu screamed.

"Target locked! Fire One!" Those four words made Esebu glance up, searching for the incoming projectile. His optics picked out something coming in rapidly, and he zoomed his vision in on it. He wasn't surprised to see it was a shipping container, but this one was apparently loaded with something heavy. The container flew towards the Hydra, slamming into its nearest head full force and sending a few teeth flying from the hit. Esebu, keeping a firm grip on Efu, rolled to the side as one of those teeth hit the pavement and impaled itself into the concrete.

"Nice shot!" came Futaba's voice.

"Get another one ready!" Esebu ordered as he looked to Nozoma as he staggered to his feet. "You okay?" he called.

"Takes more than that to beat me..." Nozoma grunted.

"Let...me...GO!" Efu screamed, finally stomping hard on Esebu's left foot. The lead Shinkalion yelped as he grabbed his foot, letting go of Efu as he did so.

He glanced up, and his optics flashed in terror. "EFU!" he cried. "STOP!"

But the other Shinkalion didn't listen. His optics burned as he thrust his sword forward, a loud feral roar coming from his throat. And for an instant, Esebu saw something that terrified him.

Efu's optics... were a red color. But then it was gone, and he shot a glance towards the Hydra as it screeched, this time lowering two of its heads, those lasers coming out from its eyes as it fired at him.

Esebu growled as he lunged, his hand flying out to grab Efu's arm, but he missed as the green and white Shinkalion engaged his wing thrusters, propelling himself into the air in a flurry of pinkish particles. "RAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

The blue and white Shinkalion growled as he summoned his Wheelset Drill to his hand and engaged his treads. "Dammit! What's gotten into him?!" he muttered.

Nozoma grunted as he kicked on his thrusters again and charged forward, following the lead Shinkalion. "Damn kid's gonna get killed!" he growled.

Efu, on the other hand, could think of nothing else but to kill this Grimm and show that he was not about to be left in the dust. Not after so much loss and so much suffering! He wanted the one behind these things to suffer, to pay for what he had been put through! And no one was going to stop him! No one!

With a loud roar, he held his sword over his head and swung it with both hands, his optics burning reddish orange as he cut, creating a gash on the Hydra's neck, but not severing its head. He twisted his frame around and drove a fist clean into the Hydra's visible eye, sending black ooze everywhere. He growled in a sick pleasure as he pulled his fist out, holding its eye ball in his hand.

Esebu, if he were human, would've been sick.

This was not the kid he knew as his friend.

It was like Efu had become a beast. A beast in metal form.

He glanced to the Hydra as it fired off a salvo of eye lasers towards Efu. But he reacted with uncanny speed and leapt back, landing on the ground and skidding before he looked up, rage pulsing in those formerly yellow optics of his. Nothing but pure rage and bloodlust.

And the Hydra roared.

Efu responded in kind.

Esebu felt chills run down his spinal struts as he glanced to Nozoma, and for once, he could see the worry in the white mecha's optics. The two seemed to get the same idea, and both nodded. Esebu gripped his drill as Nozoma clenched his fists, the energy blades humming with power. His treads whirred as he gunned it, channeling as much power as he could into them. Nozoma's thrusters roared as he darted forward, and then he sprang into the air. His jump allowed him to vault up close to where Efu was about to deliver another blow to the Grimm, and he heard Matagi's voice over his comm.

"Target locked! Fire Two!"

A second later, Esebu saw the incoming crate, and he looked to Nozoma. "Get outta the way!" he barked.

Nozoma looked over and his optics flashed as he dove down, his arms curling around Efu's chest and arms, pinning them to his sides. The shipping container impacted against the Hydra's third and fourth heads, causing them to recoil from the force of the blow. A few more teeth went sailing and Nozoma smirked in his thoughts. The Hydra whipped its heads around, two of them locking onto where the other three Shinkalions were located. Its eyes flared red before it opened those two mouths, and two massive green fireballs were launched with the force of missiles right for their location!

"MOVE!" Fumikiri shouted over the comm. Esebu actually swore that had he been able to, he'd have winced. He looked back at the white Shinkalion as he landed, holding a screaming, writhing Efu in his grasp. "I don't know how much longer I can hold him!" he grunted.

Esebu growled as he spun and came to a stop in front of the green and white Shinkalion. He walked up, dismissing his drill as he did so. Nozoma was serious as he watched, a hint of worry visible in his optics. Efu glared at the blue and white leader with hatred in those reddish orange optics, and he started to squirm, making animalistic noises. Esebu watched with wariness before he held up a hand and the shovel guard snapped down over his clenched fist. Then he swung.

Hard.

The blow of his fist meeting Efu's metal faceplate resonated, and Nozoma gaped briefly before he noticed the green and white mecha slump in his grasp, optics dimmed from the force of the blow. "Keep an eye on him!" he ordered. "I think I have an idea as to what-"

Whatever he was gonna say was cut off as the Hydra's blasts exploded against where the others had been. He whipped his helm around and stared in shock at the greenish grey smoke as it curled up, leaving that telltale mushroom cloud behind. It wasn't as big as a standard nuke cloud, but it was still sufficient enough to cause worry for the people and Faunus and Mobians in the area. "GUYS!" he cried, fear filling the location where his stomach would've been.

"Ugh... That was way too close for comfort..." came Matagi's voice.

"We're fine, Esebu. Just rattled," Haifu remarked.

"We'll live," Fumikiri panted.

Esebu sighed in relief. "I'm just glad you guys are all right," he said.

"Yeah. That aside, what were you gonna say?" Matagi asked. "Because from what I've heard, it seemed like Efu lost it, right?"

"Yeah. I had to knock him out for a bit," Esebu explained. "I have a feeling that this Hydra has something to do with it."

"How so?" Nozoma asked as he laid Efu out on the ground, kneeling down beside him. "Because I don't see how."

"I do," Esebu stated. "When Efu laid eyes on it, it seemed that his hatred suddenly increased to overcome his rational mind. And those blasts of fire... the normal Kaiju fire breath does not move that fast, or pack that much explosive power. I think somehow, it's drawing out Efu's rage and boosting it to feed on, making itself stronger and then the cycle repeats."

"How could you even know that anyway?" Nozoma asked as he looked up at Esebu.

In truth, Esebu wasn't even sure if it was even true. "Actually, I'm just guessing. But these two things seemed to be linked. So I'm going based off of that," he admitted. "But until we know for sure, we'll have to assume as much."

He glanced at Efu with worry in his green optics. The blue and white Shinkalion turned back to the Hydra, his optics burning as he clenched his hand and summoned his Wheelset Drill back to his grasp.

TOKYO SDI HEADQUARTERS

COMMAND CENTER

Futaba was worried.

The sudden spike in Efu's aggression was not normal.

And then the way the Hydra's eyes had glowed red... Something was off. But what?

She pursed her lips as she started to scan the green and white Shinkalion's systems. Everything seemed to be operating normally, so what was going on with him?

Beside her, Honjo was examining the data being relayed to the SDI from the team in regards to the Hydra. His eyes were narrowed as he scanned it over, running it through the computer network and Shashot's systems.

"Anything?" Futaba asked.

"So far the data has not shown anything that could lead to an increase in Efu's aggression," Honjo mused. "But that doesn't mean there isn't a pattern or cause. We just have to find it."

"But what is that cause?" Futaba murmured.

"If I may, perhaps it has something to do with the fact that this happened right after Efu made eye contact with that Hydra," Shashot suggested. "According to the data, the Hydra's eyes glow red, and then there is a sudden increase in Efu's aggression. So perhaps the two are linked somehow."

Futaba pursed her lips as she looked at the data, then at the readouts for Efu. She put her hand to her chin, narrowing her eyes. "If that's the case...then that means...!" Her eyes widened as the realization struck home. "The more hatred it generates... the stronger it becomes! They're in danger!" she cried.

Shashot's voice was grim as he spoke. "Do you wish for me to communicate this to the team?"

"Yes!" Futaba barked. "And now!"

"Hai!"

BATTLESPACE

EN ROUTE TO TOKYO STATION

Esebu grunted as he dodged a blast from the Hydra, its eyes pulsing red. He landed on his feet and skidded a bit, holding his drill in one hand and a battered truck cab in the other.

He looked up, his optics dimming a shade as he clenched his hands on his weapons. He tensed his frame and threw the battered truck cab right for the Hydra's chest. The vehicle's remains just bounced off it, and he hissed through his vents. "Dammit!" he muttered.

Beside him Matagi landed, both gun barrels smoking from his recent assault on the Hydra's faces. He looked to the lead Shinkalion. "Any luck?" he asked.

"None," Esebu remarked. "That hide is just too thick!" He cast his gaze to the faces of the Hydra, noticing that Matagi's shots had peppered three of them and one of the faces had an eye blown out by an ice Dust tipped round. A huge gouge of ice shimmered there, a stark white contrast to the red-colored scales on its face.

"Dammit...!" Matagi growled. "How are we supposed to beat this thing?!"

A crackling sound resonated in Esebu's hearing and he perked up at the sound of Shashot's voice.

"Esebu, are you receiving my signal?" he asked.

"Yes, I am," Esebu replied. "What's up?"

"Futaba and Honjo just discovered something disturbing based on the readouts from your frames and the data you've been transmitting back to base," Shashot explained. "It has to do with Efu's sudden increase in aggression."

Esebu's shoulders tensed at that. "You gotta be kidding me...! What is it?!" he cried.

Shashot's voice was grim as he spoke. "When you first saw the Hydra, did you notice its eyes flash red?"

The blue and white Shinkalion nodded. "Yes... I did," he murmured, his mind starting to race. "What about it?"

"We think it may be the cause of Efu's increased aggression," Futaba said darkly.

Esebu's frame tensed. "No way...! Then... this whole time...!"

"The more aggression it draws out of Efu, the stronger it becomes," Shashot concluded.

Esebu glanced to Efu's still frame, worry and fear flooding his processor. Nozoma was carrying him draped over his shoulder, but he looked ready to bolt if the green and white Shinkalion woke up and became aggressive towards him.

"You have to find a way to prevent it from making eye contact with him," Futaba stated. "And as you know, a Hydra has the ability to regenerate its heads. That means-"

"That means no matter how many times we cut off its heads... they just regenerate!" Esebu breathed in shock.

"Hai." Futaba was serious as she said this. "So Efu can't fight. But you guys can."

"There are six heads though!" Esebu countered. "We all need to be in on this, not just four or five of us!"

And he was right. His mind was already racing to come up with a plan. He scanned around him, spotting Fumikiri as he whipped his shuriken out and sent the weapon buzzing through the air, this time managing to sever one of the heads. A screech of agony tore through the air as the head fell to the ground, creating a massive crater in the pavement as the Hydra continued to make its way across the city towards Tokyo Station.

"Nice shot!" Matagi shouted to the ninja Shinkalion.

Fumikiri snatched his shuriken out of the air as it came flying back towards him and he held it off to the side as he glanced to Esebu. "But it will only last for so long!" he remarked. "Look!"

He pointed to the neck where the head had been, and already Esebu could see the tendrils of Dark Substance starting to form a new head. "Shit! We gotta stop that!" he shouted.

"It's not possible to stop a Hydra from regenerating its heads," Futaba said softly. "The Dark Substance just accelerates it, and with the hatred it's feasted on, it's only bound to have accelerated even further."

And she was right. Esebu could already see that the tendrils were forming a new skeletal structure and muscles. His optics flashed as he gripped his drill. "Then what'll we do?" he asked. "This thing's got to have some kind of a weakness!"

"We're scanning it even as we speak. Just keep it headed towards Tokyo Station!" Futaba ordered.

"NANI!?" Haifu was shocked. "You're kidding!"

"Just trust us!" Futaba shouted. "We know what we're doing!"

The team looked at one another, but decided to trust her. They nodded.

"We will," Esebu said. "Just do what you have to do."

"Right." Futaba shut down the comm line, and the team returned their attention to the fight at hand.

TOKYO SDI HEADQUARTERS

DIRECTOR'S OFFICE

"You want to engage the system?" Hokuto asked.

Futaba nodded as she stood before him. "Hai. This way we can contain the Grimm and prevent more damage to the city and its infrastructure."

The director placed his elbows on the desk as he leaned forward. His eyes narrowed as he pondered the possibilities. He could already see the need for the system, but in its current iteration, it was totally untested. So they needed to be sure on the choice of activating it or not. And then there was the task of clearing out Tokyo Station to trigger the system, and to encourage those within the designated bunker section to stay inside. And only one man had that kind of power. He looked up.

"Get me in touch with Prime Minister Sanban," he ordered. "We need his clearance on this matter."

Futaba nodded and tapped in a few commands on her tablet. At once, on Director Hayasugi's computer terminal, the image of the prime minister's sigil appeared, followed by a small phone symbol ringing. The wait was agonizing, as it seemed every second stretched into hours. Hokuto's eyes narrowed as he watched the screen, his right fingers tapping on the desk while his chin rested on his clenched left hand.

Thankfully not much longer passed before the screen gave way to show Prime Minster Sanban as he sat at his desk. "Ah. Director. To what do I owe this call?" he asked.

"I'm sorry to make this call suddenly, but we need your clearance on something," Hokuto began.

"Does it have to do with that Hydra rampaging towards the station?" Kani asked, his eyes glimmering. "Because it's all over the news. Your project's cover so far has held, but if people start to get suspicious..."

"We'll get to that when the time comes," the director clarified. "Right now we need your approval to use it."

Kani's eyebrow arched as he looked out his office window. "Ah. You mean the CIS, correct?"

The cat Faunus nodded. "Yes."

"..." Kani bowed his head and sighed. "Normally I can't just approve it. It has to be done by the Ministry of Defense as well. But in this case... given the circumstances, I am willing to allow it, seeing as how dangerous the Hydra Grimm are."

The director nodded. "Thank you, sir," he said.

The Prime Minister frowned. "Just do not expect this to happen again. This is only for dire circumstances, after all."

The communications shut down, and Hokuto turned to Futaba. "Get the CIS team prepped and ready! They are to evacuate the station of all civilians and get anyone within the bunker section inside the buildings until the fight has ended!" he ordered.

"Hai!" Futaba turned and ran off, leaving Hokuto to ponder what this would mean for the future of Project SKL.

TOKYO STATION BUNKER SYSTEM

All across the station plaza and surrounding buildings, alarms began to blare, catching the attention of passerby and tourist alike. Already SDI personnel were swarming out of the underground tunnels to the surrounding surface exits to usher people inside for their own safety. Tokyo Station security forces urged people to evacuate to the buildings outside or to take shelter in the emergency bunker entrances beneath the station itself. The process was a bit hurried, but it was orderly and efficient, having been done numerous times before during recent Kaiju attacks in the last decade. The efforts of both SDI and Tokyo Station personnel were well-refined and well-oiled to the point they worked seamlessly like a machine. A few foreigners were surprised by this, but some argued that this was a once in a lifetime opportunity to see the underground bunker of the CIS up close and in person. A few people eagerly rushed into the buildings as alarms began to wail.

Just as an intense clap of thunder tore open the cloudy sky. Dark clouds flashed with lightning, and rain began to pour down from the heavens.

Some people put up their umbrellas, but others were too focused on getting into the shelters just as a programmed voice rang out over the loudspeaker system.

"Attention all travelers to Tokyo Station. All travel from Tokyo Station has been prohibited due to a Kaiju attack. The Central Intercept System has now been activated. Please remain inside the buildings until the bunker has been sealed."

People stayed inside as the lights suddenly went dark. Some curious people pulled out their phones and began to record as the system's emergency lights kicked on, bathing the designated bunker buildings in eerie red light. Then, a rumble filled the air as the large hydraulic elevator system began to lower the platform down into the ground beneath the station. Videographers began to video record the process and a few bloggers began to narrate what they were seeing, while others watched with worry on their faces. This was the first time since the earthquakes that the system had been used, and its capabilities in this current configuration were unknown.

The entire section descended until it was well below the blast doors which began to ominously glide into position over their heads. The bunker began to grow darker and darker until the doors slammed shut with a resounding clang of metal on metal. Overhead, large latches clamped shut, locking the bunker section deep underground.

Aboveground, it was a different story.

People outside the station were watching as the shield generators kicked on, but didn't generate its shield yet. They could already see the six train-like mecha as they made their way to the bunker, the Hydra following. Some pointed and screaming began to come from the gathered onlookers as the Hydra launched a barrage of nuclear firepower at them. The people scattered every which way, but it wasn't enough. The blasts killed tens of them, but the damage was a lot less than feared due to the lack of power.

And Esebu was quick to notice this.

'Huh... That's strange... Why are its blasts suddenly getting weaker...?' he wondered. 'Is it because Efu is knocked unconscious? Or is it because it doesn't have enough hate to feast on?'

He had no idea, but whatever the cause, it seemed that the more hate it feasted on, the more powerful it became. But robbed of hatred, it seemed to get weaker every time it used its powers. Like a battery running out of juice...!

'That's it! Without Efu's hatred, it runs out of steam! And that gives me an idea!' he thought.

"Haifu, I need you to stay with Efu! Nozoma, you're with me, Fumikiri, and Matagi!" Esebu ordered.

"What's the plan?" Haifu asked as the team landed and assembled.

"Okay. This thing I learned draws on hatred, specifically Efu's hatred. The more hate it draws out, the more powerful it becomes, and it just repeats in a vicious cycle," Esebu explained. "But, since Efu is knocked out, that robs it of its source, because when it makes eye contact with him, its eyes glow red and then his aggression is increased. So, our goal is to prevent it from making eye contact with Efu at all costs. The best way to do that is to take out its eyes."

He gestured to the Hydra as it roared, its severed head finished reforming. "Matagi, you and Fumikiri use long range to take out its eyes. Nozoma, you and I will back them up. Haifu, you stay with Efu when he wakes up. Then we need you to try and convince him that what he was doing is not the right way to fight against something like this. And for God's sake, keep him from making eye contact with this thing until its eyes are taken out!"

The whole team looked at one another, then at the Hydra as it came for them, all four legs pounding the pavement.

"MOVE!" Nozoma bellowed.

The team dove to the sides, just as the Hydra lost its footing as it pitched headfirst into the pit of the Central Intercept System.

TOKYO STATION SERVERS

"CENTRAL INTERCEPT SYSTEM ACTIVATED."

"ENERGY SHIELD: ENGAGED."

"CANNONS: ONLINE."

"BUNKER: SEALED."

"CONTAINMENT PROTOCOL INITIATED."

TOKYO SDI HEADQUARTERS

MAIN OFFICE

"Sir, we got it! They Hydra has fallen into the CIS!" a technician exclaimed.

"Excellent! Is the shield online?" Hokuto asked.

"It's coming online now, sir!" he said.

The director turned to face the main monitor, showing the scene outside within the CIS.

The energy shield generators came online, blue interlocking panels of energy connecting as they arched over the entire area, creating the containment field. The cannons on the outside of the barrier whirred as they came around, locking into position in case the shield was ever breached. Within the station, the command center started to rotate out, revealing the windows of the facility itself. Above, sections of the basement beneath Tokyo Station slid apart as the barrel of the Dust cannon extended out, followed by the turret itself. The cannon had, in contrast to the ones aboveground, four barrels as opposed to two, and they were capable of rotating or splitting into two separate cannons. And it was commanded from within the center itself.

Hokuto stood up and walked to the main monitor, his arms crossed and a serious look on his face. "Let's hope this works..." he murmured, "...otherwise it's all for naught..."

He watched as the Shinkalions landed within the containment center, their weapons held at the ready. Except for Efu, who was being watched over by Haifu. She stood in front of him protectively, her sword at the ready in case the Hydra went for Efu again.

The team and Hydra stood facing each other down, and the tension in the room was thick. It felt like it could be cut with a knife.

And then the Hydra lunged.

KAIJU GRIMM DATABASE:

NAME: Hydra

SPECIES: Kaiju

CLASS: Legendary

BASIS: Hydra of Greek Mythology

ABILITIES: The Hydra has several unique abilities, each to make up for its relative weaknesses. It has six heads, and each head can regenerate itself if severed from the main body. The heads can unleash radioactive fire breath or can fire off eye lasers from their eyes. The heads have to all be taken down at the exact same time to prevent them from regenerating. The Hydra also can manifest a pair of wings to shield itself using the Dark Substance within its body. These wings are not meant for flight and can easily be cut off at the joints. Due to Hayato's hatred of the Grimm, the Hydra has the ability to enhance that hatred and feed off of it, making it more powerful. But it can only happen once it makes eye contact with Hayato. Its core is located beneath its pectoral muscles.