~Long ago, in the far eastern reaches of the world, there lived a god by the name of Izanagi. He, together with his wife Izanami, gave birth to the land that would come to be known as the land of the rising sun.~

"Can...Tsubasa-san really handle Hibiki-san all on her own?" Fujitaka asked uneasily, glancing to his superior. Genjuro had his arms crossed, his expression even.

"We can only wait and see, Fujitaka. She's going to be fighting her just after waking up, and I'm also concerned for her well-being. But we have to trust what she's doing; it's the only hope we have left at this point." He said. It was not a completely truthful statement, but the remaining option was not one he wanted to put into effect, for far too many reasons.

He glanced back, his eyes once again falling on Miku, who held a worried yet confident expression on her face, looking up at the display. It seemed her anger abated somewhat, but he could still see it in her spirit. She was extremely on edge, still clutching her skirt tightly, and he figured she was also praying in the depths of her heart.

'Tsubasa...Please put an end to this right now.'

There were so many things to worry about at the same time. Not only that, it seems that Hibiki had indeed used the Treasury of Babylon as a base of operations, if the huge number of beasts she spawned was any indication. They would also have to locate any possible holes so they could maybe find a way to seal them without the staff.

So much was going on at once, and things have really began to take their toll.

The entire submarine rocked as the battle began between Hibiki and Tsubasa, and he saw how the two of them leaped off the hull and back into the streets, disappearing behind buildings.

'For the alternatives will only makes everything more difficult.'

He glanced to Elfnein, and to his surprise she met his gaze, her own concern obvious on her face.

That was it. Tsubasa was the only thing that could allow them avoid using their last resort. If she failed...no, he didn't want to think about it.

All they had left...was to count on the final gambit that Tsubasa had in store.

-!-

~However, life was not kind to the god, for he faced many trials and tribulations, including the death of his wife at the hands of the newly born fire god, Kagutsuchi. To retrieve her, he ventured into the depths of the underworld, Yomi.~

(Play: Dynasty Warriors 7 Xtreme Legends OST - Over the Limit)

Apparently the Ame-no-Habakiri user had been doing some training while being unconscious, because her power was nothing like Hibiki had expected. Even without the Ignite Module active, she was something else.

As expected of the most experienced Symphogear user of them all.

Almost immediately when she issued her challenge, Tsubasa had charged at supersonic speeds towards the rogue wielder, catching her by surprise and launching her back towards the city. Hibiki had then quickly swallowed down her shock and managed to duck under a second swing that the blue haired idol had delivered, landing in one of the many streets populated by Noise.

She didn't even the time to think about which type of Noise it was before she had to dodge an overhead strike cloaked with flames, and then immediately block with her spear the follow up.

"What's wrong, Tachibana?! Is that all the strength you have to bear?!" Tsubasa called out, causing her opponent to clench her teeth in fury. Hibiki responded by meeting the next blow with her own attack, going on the offensive. The Noise were not even an afterthought as they were blown away like leaves on the wind, the two combatants being too much for them to even consider facing. They held no loyalty to anyone, so no one cared by how much their numbers were reduced.

The following exchange of blows was some of the most intense Hibiki ever had to deal with. Lightning fast strikes came from all directions as Tsubasa's sword blurred before her eyes, making it incredibly hard to catch or respond to.

And it shocked her to no end. How exactly can a non-Ignited Symphogear match up to her?!

No, this had to be a trick, just like with Genjuro. He based his whole strategy on using a style that was meant to catch her off guard, but in the end it failed and she had surpassed him the moment she used her teleportation.

Sparks flew everywhere as metal crashed against metal repeatedly. "You haven't seen anything yet!" Hibiki responded, jumping back and landing a distance away from the blue haired Symphogear user. Tsubasa took her stance and charged, the thrusters on her back roaring loudly, her speed increasing dramatically in but a second.

And Hibiki came to meet her with her own charge, her spear at the ready. "HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

They closed the distance in less than a second.

And just as their blades were about to clash, Hibiki suddenly vanished from her sight, her sword passing through thin air.

Her eyes widened.

'Teleportation!'

Indeed, in the final moment before the weapons met, Hibiki had teleported right behind Tsubasa, still carrying the momentum of her charge.

"It's over!" She yelled, her swing coming down on the idol's back in a flash.

Unfortunately for Hibiki however, Tsubasa saw it coming from a mile away.

She slammed her heel into the asphalt, cratering the ground beneath her. In an instant, the blades protruding from the side of her foot elongated, creating an impromptu barrier between Hibiki and her target. The rogue wielder did not have time to express her surprise as her spear slammed into the blade, harshly repulsing her backwards. Taking advantage of the opening, Tsubasa spun on her heel and raised her other leg up, now perpendicular to the ground in a fast spin towards Hibiki.

The corrupted wielder grit her teeth and retreated just in time to avoid being sliced by the blades, and Tsubasa took the time to right her footing. Hibiki skidded across the ground, and swung her spear to launch a crescent shaped projectile right towards her.

Tsubasa decided to answer with one of her own. The edge of her sword shone and she swung with all her might.

'AZURE FLASH'

The two projectiles met in the middle, exploding in a rush of smoke and wind. The two wielders glared at each other from opposite ends of the streets, their very gazes sending sparks flying.

"I'm disappointed, Tachibana," Tsubasa suddenly said, causing Hibiki to raise an eyebrow. "I don't see you for a while and you start resorting to using a different Armed Gear. I thought you only used it to stab me in the back, but it seems it became your main weapon while I was away. What's wrong? Have your hands lost their ability to grasp anything else?"

Hibiki smirked in response. "It's more than enough for someone like you. You were too busy hanging on the edge of death, but I'll say it to you regardless: with this spear, I will enact justice and bring true peace to everyone. That is the only way the world I want will be born."

Tsubasa blinked several times in surprise, then let out an amused huff. "Is that all? How droll, Tachibana. It seems that those curses that fill you to the brim now did nothing more than turn you into a cheap villain. I've seen much more compelling reasons to end the world in the shows I've watched as a child," Her gaze then became dangerous, and Hibiki could see the fire burning just behind her eyes. "Fine then. In that case, I'll make you drop that spear by any means necessary."

Apparently her answer did not sit well with Hibiki, who clenched her teeth in anger and teleported right in front of Tsubasa, swinging her spear down at her. The idol blocked the strike with her sword, putting the two in much closer quarters.

"What the hell do you know?!" Hibiki screamed, pouring more power into her attack, causing Tsubasa to skid back across the street. Not stopping for an instant, she charged again, the two weapons once again crashing in a shower of sparks. Hibiki was relentless, pushing Tsubasa back more and more, and every Noise unfortunate enough to be caught in their exchange was obliterated immediately. Concrete was like paper before their might as more buildings were sliced apart with nothing more than the razor winds they left in their wake. "You haven't been through hell like I did!"

Tired of being pushed around, Tsubasa dug her heels into the ground, surprising Hibiki. The two weapons crashed again, and using her momentum Tsubasa heaved Hibiki aboved her in the other direction. The rogue wielder flipped in mid air and landed back on the asphalt.

Yet this time, Tsubasa was the one who charged. A second sword was released from the compartment on her thigh mid charge, and she quickly grabbed it, joining the two blades at the hilt. Then, she spun them in her hand, producing a magnificent ring of fire in the middle of her rush. Not having expected the technique now, Hibiki braced herself, and just as Tsubasa was upon her, dodged wildly in between the flames.

'WIND RING'S FIERY BLADES'

Tsubasa smirked at the fact that her attack was evaded, and did not let it get her down.

After all, she had plenty more where that came from. Even if Hibiki knew all about her techniques, she never knew when and how she was going to use them!

'Tachibana, despite her overwhelming power, always had the same weaknesses. Even if her mind has been corrupted it does not mean her basic instincts were as well. She was, and always will be prone to being caught off guard, so as long as I can keep her on her toes, I'll have the advantage! I have to be clever and creative, just like her!'

The two turned to each other as Tsubasa replied. "Of course I haven't, nor would I ever wish anyone else to experience what you have," She said. "But I've been through hells of my own, and I am all too familiar with the pain of loss. I know all too well what it means to wallow in despair and sorrow, and see nothing but my pain as if it was the most important thing in the world."

Memories of Kanade welled up in her mind, and she brought up her blade above her shoulder with two hands, taking an unusual stance. "However!"

She rushed at Hibiki with blinding speed and slashed with all her might.

'SUDDEN FLASH'

The blade crashed against the spear once again, and Tsubasa found herself behind her opponent a distance away, their backs to each other. "I have learned to move on beyond that, and ironically enough, it was all thanks to you; it seems that you have forgotten the incredible influence you have on the world around you. You have helped many find their happiness simply by extending an open hand to them, and for that I'll always be grateful."

They both turned to face each other at the same time, and rushed to meet in combat once again. The area was torn to smithereens once more from the force of their clash. "Yet the biggest tragedy of all is that you of all people have not found the happiness of being released from her past!" Tsubasa yelled in between the swings. Hibiki met hers with some heavy ones of her own, and Tsubasa weaved around a blind thrust. "You chase this world of understanding of yours while carrying nothing but fear in your heart, clouding your judgment and reason!"

Hibiki grit her teeth and slammed her spear on the ground, cratering it instantly. Tsubasa was forced to jump away to avoid being caught in the aftershocks, landing in the other end of the street. "SHUT UP!"

"And I dearly want your wish to come true!" Tsubasa continued. "I wish to see this world you envision just as much as you do, but not under these circumstances! Not while you dwell on the past, seeing only your own pain and how you have been affected by it! That is exactly what allowed these curses to take a hold on you so easily!"

"I SAID SHUT UP!" Hibiki screamed, chasing after her. Tsubasa didn't have time to dodge as the spear slammed against her sword, and together the two combatants smashed through rows and rows of buildings, rubble and debris scattering in their wake.

They finally disengaged at one of the many open squares in the city, and Tsubasa jumped back to avoid another blow. "I will not! Not while the world you wish for will be built upon nothing but lies! That is why I will not stop for even a moment! I will tear your Gungnir apart with my bare hands if that will make you understand how mistaken you are!"

"TSUBASAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

Thunder rumbled in the distance as the storm raged above them, the first flashes of lightning lighting up the sky.

-!-

~But alas, for Izanagi's wishes would not come true. For those who eat from the hearth of Yomi shall not be allowed to return to the world of the living, and Izanami was one of those many. Fearful of her own appearance, the goddess made him swear that he would not look upon her.~

"I-incredible! Tsubasa-san is actually holding her own! Even without the Ignite Module!" Elfnein exclaimed in awe. She pumped her fists in excitement, not noticing she had an audience. "And this amount of phonic gain too! She's almost matching Hibiki-san's with nothing but her normal Gear!"

Several of the crew members joined in her laughter, hope building in their hearts. From what it looked like, Tsubasa was going toe to toe with the divine power enhanced Hibiki, and at times it seemed like she was gaining the advantage.

Miku however was not nearly as mirthful as them. No, in fact she was outright enraged by their cheers, of the fact that Hibiki looked to them like an enemy to be defeated.

Time and time again she'll repeat it: Hibiki is NOT the enemy. Something else entirely has that title, and Hibiki was just a victim of that enemy. Even if the grudges that the curses were feeding upon were her own, everyone and their mother knew that Hibiki would never act upon them in such a manner in any other circumstance.

And apparently her anger was palpable enough, for one crew member had laid his eyes on her and noticed her glare, immediately shutting up. The others followed suit, quieting down, and Elfnein bit down the ramifications of her shameful act, quickly going back to her work.

Genjuro let out a sigh. "I do hope that it will be enough, but we just don't know. Hibiki-kun could come up with something new any second now that might turn the tables on Tsubasa in an instant. We can't say we are out of the woods yet."

"For once I agree with you," Adam added in. "As impressive as her performance seems, one cannot underestimate the might of the divine power. It's not a matter of if she will turn the tables, but rather a matter of when. Remember that every time Tachibana Hibiki loses herself to her rage the curses spread further, so she must be taken down before that spread engulfs the divinity completely."

And they could see what he meant. The process was slow, but they could see the changes coming upon Gungnir's Aufwachen signal live. It was not as abrupt or sudden as the first time, but a change it was nonetheless. The black hole was enlarging and the black veins were spreading further, consuming more of the blue ones as they grew.

"See, it's already starting to happen," Adam commented, focusing their attention back to the screen. The violent fight continued, and they watched as Tsubasa once again had to jump away from a destructive blow that Hibiki delivered, causing the building she was standing in front of to topple. "She is already beginning to lose her advantage. I would suggest she stop holding back."

"Eh?" Miku let out. "Tsubasa-san is...holding back?"

Genjuro answered her while his eyes remained glued to the screen. "Yes, she is. After all, she hasn't even used the Super Ignite Module yet."

'At least, not in front of others.' He thought to himself. When she had abruptly showed herself on the bridge, he wasted no time going over what has happened as fast as he could, all the while Maria and the others were still fighting outside.

Once she was up to date, she immediately requested the chance to go through her own test with the new Module, something he recommended not doing in her injured state. However, her answer was glaringly obvious.

"I have rested long enough," She had said. "I will not stand aside and let my comrades be slain while I watch helplessly."

There was no talking her down, so reluctantly he agreed to let her proceed.

And what he had seen in that simulator...was absolutely mind-boggling.

"Will she be okay?" the black haired girl asked, remembering the hellish side effects of its first time use.

Genjuro smiled. "She will, don't worry. This is Tsubasa after all."

Yes, she'll be alright, he figured. But still it did not sit well with him. There was just this pit in his stomach he could not explain, something that prevented him for looking at this optimistically. 'Damn it. Damn it all to hell.'

There was nothing he could do.

'Our fates are in your hands, Tsubasa.'

"Commander!" Fujitaka suddenly called out. "I know this might not be the time, but I figured you'd want to know that storm clouds have began to cover the city from the southeast! Our visual might be compromised!"

Genjuro sent him an incredulous look. It was a strange thing to report now, but considering they wouldn't see anything otherwise, these storm clouds-

'Wait...storm clouds?'

His thoughts stopped as he dwelled on the fact. This...this was important. No, this was more than important! Why? Why was it like that? Why did the knowledge of storm clouds give him such a scare-

"Await the coming of our storm."

There! He remembered! Of course! When Tsubasa was testing out the Super Ignite Module, he had expected the usual procedure of her falling over in pain as she began to experience her inner hell.

It was no surprise when that is what exactly happened. She fell, squirmed on the ground for a few minutes...and then abruptly stopped. That was the first difference he noticed between her and the rest.

Right after that, he was caught completely off guard as her entire body shone brightly, blinding him. Then gale winds erupted from her, throwing him off his feet and causing him to collide with the far wall even though he was in a completely different room!

Once everything had died down and he looked up again, he heard a voice. He wasn't sure where it came from, but the voice had spoken and said to him that single sentence, followed by an incredibly loud crash of thunder.

Right after that everything stopped and Tsubasa emerged from the simulator, apparently none the worse for wear. She then undid her transformation and ran out to aid her comrades, not giving him even the time to try and ask any questions.

That was what had bothered him. Something happened at that moment in the simulator with Tsubasa, and he couldn't put his finger on it. Or he could? He wasn't sure of it. He wasn't sure of anything, in fact. Had the voice simply come from Tsubasa, he might have been able to rationalize it.

But why did it feel like the voice came from inside of his own head?

The gears ran in his mind as he watched the battle, trying to figure out exactly what had occurred. This was some sort of sign, he could feel it; he wasn't much for superstition, but it could not be a coincidence that he heard a voice talk about a storm when one just arrived.

Something was going on here. But whether or not it was happening was not the question. No, the biggest concern...was whether or not it was going to be in their favor.

All that was left for him to do now was to wait and see.

-!-

~Yet Izanagi broke his promise, and he lit a fire in the presence of his deceased wife, allowing him to see the rotten and maggot ridden state of her being. Izanagi was struck with fear, and Izanami was both angered and ashamed he had gone back on his word.~

Saint-Germain grumbled to herself.

'It seems Noise are rapidly being destroyed in their vicinity. I must withdraw my forces if I want to be able to sweep across the entire city successfully.'

When half of the green regiment had been summarily destroyed as collateral during the confrontation between Tsubasa and Hibiki, Saint-Germain knew she needed to have them immediately pulled back from the area.

No, it might be a better idea to clear the entire ward and stick to the periphery areas, making sure to keep the Alca-Noise safe from being destroyed. She knew they'll have to be purged once the battle ends anyway, so she couldn't bring herself to care about them all that much.

But while the battles were raging at the heart of the city, the rest were still being assaulted by Babylonian Noise forces, a problem that she had to take care of quickly. Chris was still eliminating the ones sieging the harbor, and the Zababa duo were still acting in defense of the Skytree shelter. That left Saint-Germain in charge of everything else, and frankly it was tiring work.

A beast tried to lunge straight at her, but she merely sidestepped its swipe and easily blew out its core, turning into dust. The Noise weren't what was giving her a headache; it was the black beasts suddenly turning their attention from prowling the streets like hyenas to ambushing her forces, severely limiting her ability to defend the shelters.

At some point Fujitaka switched roles with Tomosato Aoi, which she found to be slightly more acceptable. She seemed to get along with the bridge woman far better than with the man, for she had an air of confidence around her that the alchemist could definitely respect.

"Nerima!"

Also, she was much more thorough. She didn't panic over the comm like Fujitaka did; she simply said the name of the ward and Saint-Germain automatically knew what to do.

"Orange! Cut through Suginami!"

"Katsushika!"

"Pink! Blue! Take half of your forces and ambush them from the eastern and northern sides!"

Aoi was updating her on shelters currently under attack, and the alchemist quickly responded by ordering the appropriate forces in order to alleviate them. Simple, quick, and easy.

"BBs at Minato!"

But right, the black beasts. Had they not been part of the battle, Saint-Germain could have easily stayed on top of one of the city's skyscrapers and have a much easier time commanding her troops. Unfortunately, that was not to be, and every time the black beasts turned their attention on her Alca-Noise she had to respond before the entire regiment was eliminated. And seeing as they couldn't do it themselves, it was up to her to go all the way to the designated ward and take them down.

It was back-breaking work, but at this moment she knew it would be foolhardy to try and join in on the fighting against Hibiki; she would only get in the way after all. Despite all of the power that the Super Ignite Module provided, Saint-Germain knew from the get-go that she was outclassed. She had always endeavored to fight only when she knew she could win, and any time she lost it was due to circumstances far beyond her control.

Interestingly enough, Hibiki was the one who brought her the most recent and longest streak of defeats to date.

The alchemist began to make her way towards her target location. She leaped and jumped over buildings, soaring through the cloudy skies. As she landed on the roof of an office building in order to make her next jump, lightning suddenly struck the lone tree in the nearby plaza, causing it to catch fire. Saint-Germain stared at the burning tree with an inquisitive gaze, confused by the probability of such a thing happening right in front of her.

Centuries of instincts screamed at her that this storm was much more than it seemed. For all intents and purposes it should have been just a regular occurrence, especially during this time of the year, but this particular one...it felt like there was something more than meets the eye.

She glanced at the gathering clouds, and their only response was the rumbling thunder that accompanied the lightning that had just struck. Due to her proximity it was incredibly loud, and she felt as the windows of the building she stood on shook from the force of the soundwaves it released.

'Am I on edge for no reason?' She asked herself. 'No, no use dwelling on it. Whatever comes, those girls will be able to deal with it. I must do my part in order to safeguard humanity's future.'

That's right, each one of them had a role to fill. Whether it was to fight off the Noise, command armies, give regular updates, face the strongest enemy head on...or serve as the secret trump card that will only be used as a last resort.

She briefly found herself wondering again why she cared at all. But this time, the answer came much more quickly: they had all gone through the same exact experience with the new Module, so they could all sympathize with each other. They were on a very similar wavelength at the moment, and they all worked together to reach the same goal.

They could hardly be called allies now. They were in essence her comrades-in-arms, fighting on the frontlines in a war against a common and daunting enemy. But regardless of what anyone else believed, Tachibana Hibiki was not that enemy. That she knew for sure.

So she would do her best to match up to their expectations, and grasp victory from the jaws of defeat.

-!-

~Thus, Izanagi was chased out of Yomi, hounded by the shrills of his former wife. Finally making his escape, he sealed the entrance at Yomotsu Hirasaka as Izanami declared vengeance upon him. Covered by soot and the blood of the dead, Izanagi washed away the grime at a river at Izumo, giving birth to many gods as result. Yet, only three became known as some of the most important gods of Shinto:~

(Play: Nier Automata OST - Alien Manifestation)

The lightning strikes seemed to be getting far more frequent as time passed, and honestly Tsubasa found it very fitting. For every time they clashed, more and more power was released from the blows, sending hurricane winds that created such devastation around them that she knew it would take a very long time to rebuild it all.

It broke her heart to damage the city so, but she pretty much had no choice in the matter. Neither the Noise nor Hibiki gave even half a damn about it either, and trying to hold back for the sake of the structural integrity of the buildings would be like asking for death.

Hibiki struck wildly again, and the Ame-no-Habakiri user dodged out of the way just in time. The very force of it continued on, creating a shockwave that sliced a whole building in half. The entire structure began to crumble as Tsubasa stared at Hibiki, meeting her hateful glare head on. She brandished her sword and sliced at her, and the Gungnir user pulled the spear back to smash the sword in the concrete.

She grinned savagely and brought the spear down in an overhead swing. The idol however found it all too easy to respond, twisting the sword so the edge faced upwards. Shifting her grip, she struck in an upward slice, and Hibiki was forced to abandon her swing to avoid being cut in half. She jumped back, gaining some distance.

Tsubasa raised her sword in response, and out of nowhere a shower of blades of light rained down on the rogue wielder.

'THOUSAND TEARS'

Hibiki did not even bother dodging, staring at the barrage with a bored expression. The swords struck her, but merely clanged off her frame, doing absolutely zero damage. Every blade that did not crash against her armor was simply impaled into the ground erratically.

"Was that supposed to tickle?!" She yelled just as Tsubasa rushed her wordlessly. She brought up her spear to defend herself from the easily telegraphed attack.

Or at least, she tried to.

But in that moment, her entire body froze completely, rendering her unable to move.

"Wha-?"

She glanced behind her, and then made the connection. Right there, stuck in her shadow that was cast by a still working street light, was a small dagger.

'When did she-?!'

'SHADOW WEAVING'

Hibiki quickly turned her gaze back to her opponent, who was mere inches from her face. 'She hid it in between the light blades! But when did she have to time to throw it?! I would have noticed!'

And then it hit her as her eyes widened. 'In that swing, when she released her sword from the ground!'

Damn it, she was caught off guard again!

No, she was not going to fall to such a cheap trick!

Time slowed as Tsubasa's sword came down on her. The rogue wielder grit her teeth, and power welled from within her in an instant. The ground shook and rubble began to levitate around them in a circle, and it was the idol's turn to be shocked as the dagger nailed into Hibiki's shadow shattered to pieces.

Tsubasa did not have the time to stop her swing, and the Gungnir wielder evaded the blow by a hair's breadth, and the blade struck her gauntlet just as she pulled herself back but failed to slice through it.

Hibiki took a single step back and responded with a powerful thrust, a tornado of power erupting from the spear's tip. The swordswoman's eyes widened and she sidestepped the rush, but it still managed to graze against her back. She felt the razor wind cut into her slightly, and she grit her teeth at the sharp pain, swallowing it down.

The twister continued on its path of destruction, obliterating anything that was in its area of effect. The ground and the nearby buildings were ripped to shreds by the winds, and it continued onward before naturally arching towards the sky and right into the clouds...yet for some reason, it did not part them.

Neither of them however noticed this fact as Tsubasa spun in place and sliced at Hibiki's neck, forcing the rogue wielder back. "Nice reactions, Tachibana. Far better than expected." The idol said, smirking.

Hibiki however was not as amused. "Wipe that stupid grin off your face," She spit out. "You think cheap tricks will work on me?"

Tsubasa however kept the smile on her face, letting out a chuckle. "To be perfectly honest I did. You've always been a simple one after all. Overwhelming force but no planning ahead, simply seeing what's in front of your eyes and nothing else. I suggest you get that fixed if you want to take over the world, or someone else might beat you to the punch."

The glower Hibiki sent her was one for the history books, if majorly disturbing. Hibiki's face contorted into such an ugly and twisted expression that Tsubasa could swear the street was boiling from the sheer magnitude of her rage.

"Is that so?" Was the Gungnir wielder's reply, her voice laced with venom. Her fury took on a physical form once again as a crimson aura, levitating the debris in a large radius around her feet.

And Tsubasa could see how the glowing purple lines on her armor spread even further, twisting and bulging in various directions. Like eerie tendrils, they shifted and grew larger in number, and the previously thin line on her face thickened and ran right over her cheek and eye, ending right above her eyebrow. Her emerald eyes shone in the dark as the curses grew stronger, manifesting their increasing strength right on their host's body.

Tsubasa's eyes widened in horror, staring at the transformation occurring right in front of her eyes. 'Shit, I went too far; I have forgotten that she is prone to outbursts of rage. I have accidentally aggravated the curses further!'

And then the corrupted wielder took a heavy step forward, and the ground beneath her feet gave up instantly as it exploded, clouds of dust being launched hundreds of feet in the air. Gale force winds burst in all directions, and Tsubasa had to plant her feet in order to not be flung away like a ragdoll.

'Something… is coming!'

She couldn't see a single thing beyond the tower of dust that sprouted around Hibiki, and it immediately put her on edge. The winds died down, and Tsubasa readied herself for anything that might pop out of the cloud, whether it was Hibiki herself or something else. She spread her senses around her, working to cover all of her blind spots. She half expected Hibiki to teleport behind her again, so she kept a great focus on her back, her stance ready to dodge any strike that came from that direction.

~The first was the goddess of the Sun and the ruler of Takama no Hara: Amaterasu, who came into being when Izanagi washed his left eye.~

Her heart beat rapidly in her chest as the dust slowly began to settle and fall, a bead of sweat trickling down her brow. She could feel something happening behind the cloud, but just could not pinpoint what.

She raised her sword in front of her in a defensive stance, pretending to counter whatever Hibiki had in store.

And then she saw it. Right in the middle of the cloud, hidden behind layers upon layers of rubble and dust, was a small glowing orb. She could see it pulsate in place, not moving in any direction. It stayed within its cover, and she watched as it grew slowly but surely, starting from being as small as a marble to as big as a basketball.

'I see, she's going to try some sort of energy blast. I best be prepared to dodge it and counterattack.' Tsubasa told herself. She had dealt with those many times in the past, so her strategy was fairly set in stone.

Only to be be shredded to pieces when the cloud of dust was blown away by hurricane winds, clearing up the street they were in completely. Her hair buffeted around in the currents, and any sort of plan she had in mind was vaporized as her eyes lay upon what was uncovered.

A raging golden aura of power surrounded Hibiki in an imitation of the blazing fire of the Super Ignite Module. She held her spear forward with a single hand, the growing golden orb hanging before its tip. The winds around the orb seemed to be drawn into it at supersonic speeds, energy cackling madly around it, carving up the street and the adjacents buildings.

Hibiki's brows were furrowed in a scowl, completely unperturbed by the hurricane casually being formed around her.

And it was at that moment Tsubasa knew that whatever Hibiki was going to do...was not going to be easily dealt with.

"LET'S SEE YOU SURVIVE THIS ONE!"

The rogue wielder took a single step back, the spear still in line with the raging ball of golden light hanging in the air. Her gaze met Tsubasa's momentarily, and it was in that fraction of a second that the idol's mind, instincts, soul, and body all screamed at her in tandem one single thing.

'RUN!'

She didn't ignore their warning. Swiftly turning on her heel to the other side of the street, the thrusters on her ankles and back roared to life with fire, and immediately the Ame-no-Habakiri wielder was propelled forward in an attempt to escape.

And then Hibiki thrust the spear into the orb of light with all her might.

At that moment, everything ceased to exist.

'TWILIGHT OF THE GODS'

An absolutely gigantic beam of purely destructive energy surged out from the seemingly tiny ball of light. At least one hundred feet in height alone, it razed everything in its path, exploding outwards with such force all of the structures that had been by the street were uprooted like tree sprouts, crumbling to pieces just from the force of the blast. Akin to a condensed atomic bomb, it exploded forward towards the direction of the blue haired Symphogear user. Tsubasa very briefly glanced behind her and caught side of the tidal wave on her heels, the searing heat it unleashed already scorching her skin just from proximity alone.

She knew that if that thing caught up to her, she would die instantly. Nothing would be left of her corpse, not even atoms.

She had to escape it, no matter what.

It was too late to do anything about whatever was caught in its path of destruction. Unluckily for Tsubasa, the street they had been fighting in was a long one, with no alleyways or intersections she could use to try and escape its path. Clenching her teeth, she poured all the power she could muster into her thrusters, but it seemed to do no good in helping her outrun the certain death approaching rapidly behind her. Only the head start she had thanks to her instincts gave her the few precious seconds to try and think of a way out, lest her fight and her life ended on the spot by her own comrade.

The sunlike beam vaporized everything it touched, not leaving even charred remains of the inorganic and organic that it consumed.

Tsubasa raced forward at high speeds, trying to think of anything that might help her evade it. Trying to plant her huge swords in its path won't work as that failed even against the smaller and less potent light of the Shenshoujing. Even if its ability was to destroy relics, she imagined that it would pale in force against what was hot on her heels. This explosion Hibiki unleashed didn't need any special properties to annihilate everything; it was just that powerful, formed by the overwhelming divine power that she possessed.

'Think think think think think!' Her mind raced, trying to find a solution. As she looked forward, her eyes widened in shock as she noticed that she was quickly coming upon a dead end as a skyscraper of an office building stood right in the middle of her path. Thinking she was doomed, she clenched her teeth even harder, causing hairlines fractures on one of her molars.

Until her mind once again went back to the Shenshoujing incident and she recalled what she did to avoid the beam of light it had produced.

'It's now or never!'

Pouring even more power into her thrusters as her sync ratio flared, she rushed forward like lightning. With her will alone she summoned forth a Heaven's Wrath sword, placing it in her path like a ramp, driving its sharp point into the building. She raced up the impromptu slope, the angle allowing her to conserve more momentum as she rose. Finally, her feet planted against the side of the building, and she ascended towards the sky, the windows she zoomed over in her path shattering to pieces.

Sweat poured down her brow as she cleared the building's height in an instant, and right on the edge she poured power into her legs and jumped, rising in the air.

And just in time as well, as the supernova passed under her right at that moment, consuming the entire building in its wake. It continued onwards for over a kilometer, gouging a long trench into the city's landscape.

Soaring through the sky, Tsubasa finally allowed herself to let out the breath she was holding as the beam slowly but surely began to decrease in size.

~The second was the god of the moon: Tsukuyomi, born when Izanagi washed out his right eye.~

'That was far too close!' She thought to herself as she looked below her, studying the destruction the blast left behind.

Only for her instincts to scream once again in her mind, and she twisted in midair to bring up her sword behind her to block the powerful swing from the corrupted wielder's spear, who had teleported into her path right in that moment. Her defense was successful, but now helpless in mid air she was swatted away like a fly, streaking through the air. She grit her teeth once more as she began to descend, flipping over to place her feet below her for the landing.

And just as her feet touched the ground of another wide open plaza, Hibiki's spear came crashing down on her with the force of an explosion. Reacting in a split second, Tsubasa brought up her sword to defend herself once again, pouring her will into it at the last second to reinforce its frame and size, and its transformation finished just as the weapons crashed.

The sword was promptly destroyed by the force and the ground cratered beneath them, but luckily Tsubasa retained her life and jumped back from the follow up swing, putting some distance between herself and her opponent, withdrawing another sword.

Fortunately, Hibiki did not pursue her, merely standing in place where she had appeared, glaring at the Ame-no-Habakiri user. Tsubasa panted heavily and wiped her brow, glad to have managed to escape death three times in a row.

"You're like an annoying fly that doesn't know when to quit," Hibiki suddenly said, her voice heavier than Tsubasa could remember. "You should just drop and die where you stand and stop interfering!"

The blue haired idol did not grace her with a response as her mind raced again. However, before she could formulate any plans, Genjuro's voice rose up from the comm, his voice urgent and panicked. "Tsubasa! You can't afford to hold back anymore! You have to use the Ignite Module! She's grown way too powerful for you to face with the normal configuration! That blast of hers almost cut the Chiyoda ward in half!"

~But the third was a little bit different. Having come into being when Izanagi cleaned his nose, the younger sibling of Amaterasu was a mischievous fellow: he razed rice fields, defiled her chambers, and even tossed a flayed horse into her weaving hall, causing the indignant goddess to place herself into exile due to his behavior.~

"I know," She answered. "I wanted to see how far I could get without it, but it seems I have no choice in the matter anymore."

Rising to her full height, Tsubasa stood in opposition to her comrade, her face even. "I don't know if it will be enough, but I sure hope it is."

Lightning struck the trees in the plaza around them, the crashing thunder emphasizing the intensity of their confrontation.

Meeting Hibiki's gaze head on, Tsubasa began speaking, her voice unusually calm. There were a few things she wanted to say, a few things she wanted Hibiki to know despite everything.

"Tachibana...no, Hibiki," She said, catching a glimpse of the chestnut haired girl's eyes slightly widen at Tsubasa's use of her first name. "I reckon you found plenty of reasons to loathe me, yet I wish for you to know that no matter how much time passes, and no matter how much you change...I will never hold any resentment towards you. Never again. In fact, I'd like to say it's quite the opposite."

She grasped Ame-no-Habakiri's pendant tightly in her hand. "Over the time we've shared in each other's company, I've come to view you in a very different light," She said, her voice gentle and graceful. "Your outlook on life clashed wildly with my own, and yet I could not help but be swept along with your antics and enthusiasm. You have granted me strength beyond measure simply by your presence, and it is thanks to you that I've finally found the place I believe I belong."

"What's your point?" Hibiki bit out, confused at her sudden out of nowhere confession.

Tsubasa chuckled. "That's right, I tend to ramble on don't I?" She said. Then, her expression changed from the gentle and warm one that had come over her to a fierce and determined one, the fires of her resolve ragin brightly. Lightning struck the ground around them wildly, the windows of nearby buildings shattering into pieces.

"You are an irreplaceable part of my life, and through the bonds we have formed over the past year that run deeper than blood, I will admit that I am proud to call you my sister!" She declared loudly, her voice echoing. "And as an important member of my family, I will do all it takes to bring you back home! That is the will of Kazanari Tsubasa! And for the day that will dies is the day that my life shall expire! Carve it into your heart and mind as our blades clash once more, HIBIKI!"

And Kazanari Tsubasa's voice joined in with the thunder as she pressed the activation switch.

"IGNITE MODULE!"

"UNSHEATHE!"

Her entire body was engulfed by the blazing black flame of the Super Ignite Module, rising up to unprecedented heights.

And right in that moment, a bolt of lightning struck her, blinding all those watching.

-!-

~But alas, for the treatment of his sister the god was banished from the Heavens by his father and sentenced to walk the Earth. Yet despite all of that, legends are sung of his deeds and might, and his name rings out in the heart of all those who revere the gods.~

"We've lost all visual on Tsubasa-san!"

"We can't get our satellites to work!"

"What about the others?! Is it still working?"

"Yes! But I can't see anything about Tsubasa-san! All of the sensors are completely blinded!"

As urgent updates poured out from various crew members on the bridge, Elfnein's eyes widened as Ame-no-Habakiri's Aufwachen signal suddenly began changing, in ways like Gungnir's yet having a clear difference in them.

"W-what is happening?!" She asked in a panic, her eyes darting around, trying to look to someone for answers. Adam, who had been watching the fight, narrowed his eyes at the completely white screen.

Her gaze finally fell upon Genjuro, who had apparently stood up from his chair at some point during their exchange. "Genjuro-san, what is going on?!"

Yet, the commander did not answer her. He simply stared at the screen, his eyes distant.

And stared.

And stared.

And stared.

And stared.

And then...everything clicked. Everything that has happened until now regarding Tsubasa, everything that had to do about the storm...finally fell into place.

All operation on the bridge stopped in an instant as Genjuro threw his head back and began to laugh uproariously, causing absolutely everyone to stare at him in shock and confusion. There was no sound in the bridge except for his laughter, unnerving his subordinates.

After a few seconds, the screen slowly began to clear as the image began to return, and Genjuro gazed back at it, a huge grin on his face. "Well, Adam Weishaupt, I have to admit that you were right!" He said. The former head of the Illuminati simply looked at him with his narrowed eyes, not at all amused.

"Let me ask all of you a question," He said, turning his attention to absolutely everyone else. "Why do you think Tsubasa is the only one of the wielders who has a relic based on her heritage?"

~For he is the god of the sea and storms, an existence that holds a special place in the heart of the Japanese people!~

His question garnered no response as they looked at him, and he continued with a mirthful voice. "That is because she was made for it. Tsubasa's very existence, since the day she was born, was to be the wielder of Ame-no-Habakiri. Adam Weishaupt spoke of compatibility, and you'll find that Tsubasa is the only person in the world, past, present, and future, that will have an absolute 100% compatibility with her relic. The others, while fully synchronized, do not even come close."

The image began to clear even more, and they could start seeing parts of the plaza again slightly. Hibiki came into view, but Tsubasa was still obscured by the light.

"Kazanari Fudou is a mean bastard, but he is also very loyal to the country. So loyal, in fact, that he wanted to do absolutely everything he could to preserve his legacy. For the Kazanaris are a family that has existed for generations, finding its roots in a tiny little province in the west known as Izumo. And their first known ancestor was a simple yet brave man that went by the name of Okuninushi."

Yes, just thinking about it filled him with glee. Of course he would hear the voice from inside his own head! Of course Tsubasa would wake up when the storm arrives! Of course that is what would happen when she uses the Super Ignite Module! The appearance of the storm now of all times only signified his attempts at assisting his own descendents! And out of all of them who exist in the world, none are as compatible with him as Kazanari Tsubasa!

And just as Tsubasa was a part of that lineage, Genjuro was too!

Aoi's eyes widened. "No way...Izumo...Okuninushi…"

She gasped. "You can't possibly mean-!"

"The Super Ignite Module nudges open an access to the abilities of the gods that wielded the relics. But in her case? It smashes it wide open, letting it all flow right into her!"

~The ruler of Neno-Katsu-Kuni, and the wielder of one of the legendary swords that were granted the name Totsuka-no-Tsurugi!~

"For she is the one and only heir to the legend of the god of storms! Learn and believe! Witness and be amazed!"

-!-

From his office in Kamakura, Kazanari Fudou watched impassively yet with a measure of pride as the screen on his computer cleared away, revealing what had happened on the battlefield.

He stared at the figure of his own granddaughter and narrowed his eyes.

"Yes, Tsubasa, that is your purpose. That is the reason I have allowed you to come to this world. Now go, and bring glory to our nation, and to the legacy of our name!"

-!-

~Worship and sing! Praise and pray! For he is the mighty god that shaped the future of the land of the rising sun!~

When Hibiki could finally see again, she noticed that very major changes had come over the plaza.

For one, the air itself seemed electrified, and tree-like fractures ran over the ground in a very large circle around Tsubasa.

And that is what shocked her the most. Rather than receive the same sight as what had come over the other relic users, Tsubasa's Symphogear was strangely enough was not completely pitch black. While the several plates had darkened considerably, it managed to retain its blue shine as several glowing sapphire lines ran over the area where the several plates would connect. The comb that had been holding her hair in place had apparently disintegrated in the heat, letting her now electric blue and shining hair flutter behind her in the wind.

But that was not it just yet. No, as Hibiki studied her, she noticed more and more changes that shocked her to the core. The previously black flame that surrounded her form was now also blue in color with electricity cackling madly around her. And her sword too was now engulfed by a flame so hot it also glowed blue, and like her aura an electric current ran through it.

Yet all that paled when she looked into her eyes and froze.

They had become an incredibly light blue, but just like her own they too glowed with an otherworldly light, and from them wisps of electricity escaped from their sides. And as she looked deeper and deeper into her orbs, she found that she was looking at a raging storm, threatening to engulf her in its entirety.

After what seemed like an eternity, Tsubasa spoke, and Hibiki found herself paralyzed from the sound of her voice.

"For you to garner our attention is no easy feat, child of Man," She said, confusing Hibiki more and more.

The rogue wielder grit her teeth and her brows furrowed. "Who are you?" She asked incredulously. "What are you? What did you do to Tsubasa?"

But her opponent merely smiled. "Even with thine eyes shrouded in chaos, you still find it in your heart to care for my well-being. I am truly grateful for that, for that is all I required," The changed Ame-no-Habakiri user continued. "Although your inquiry astounds me, Hibiki. I am Kazanari Tsubasa, and always have been."

"Bullshit," Hibiki replied. "You are not Tsubasa. Who the hell are you?"

Tsubasa chuckled, and met the rogue wielder's gaze head on. Shining blue met shining green in the plaza. "Hmph, you still remain unconvinced. We can only speak the truth, but you are not completely mistaken, corrupted friend of mine,"

"I thank you, Hibiki, for the kindness you have presented to me despite our differences. Were it not for your intervention, I would have found myself in the depths of Yomi at the company of Mother, far before my time. But since you have asked for our name, We must comply with thine request, dear sister."

It was as if her words were accompanied by the roar of the Heavens, and lightning struck around them with reckless abandon. Yet Tsubasa stood in the middle of it all, taller and grander than ever before.

"We are the child of He-Who-Invites, and we are the first and the last of the line of the Kazanari. We beheld the great sword Ame-no-Habakiri as a gift from the Heavens, and legends of our deeds have been sung in the land of your home. We are the embodiment of the storm and the sea."

There was no response Hibiki could even think of that would suffice for this. She may have not listened too much in lessons about the history of Japan, but this was one legend that even a baby was aware of.

For he was the one of the most revered. For he was an existence that transcended everything she had ever seen!

"Tremble and fear! Be awed and beg at the sound of our name, Hibiki!"

-!-

~For his name is:~ "For our name is:" "For his name is:"

AND THE LIGHTNING STRUCK

"SUSANO'O!"