More and more Noise of various shapes and sizes were continuously blown away by Chris' barrage. Despite everything that had happened in the last few minutes including Tsubasa's triumphant return did not allow Chris the luxury of forgetting what exactly she was supposed to be doing.
Another beast somehow survived through the still ongoing rain of death and lunged towards the Ichaival user with its claws outstretched. Chris prepared to respond to its attack, and was about to drop her Devastator once again when suddenly the beast was sliced in half, the two sides disappearing into dust a moment later.
She looked to see where the slash came from, and right in that moment Maria landed next to her, her Super Ignite Module still burning strong. "Thought you could use a hand." She said, holding her sword before her.
Chris smirked, focusing her attention back to the next wave of Noise. "Much appreciated!" She screamed over the noise of the beginning of the second volley. "Just don't get yourself caught in the crossfire ya hear!"
Maria responded with her own smirk, and crouched low to the ground as she prepared to charge into the fray.
Only for Saint-Germain's voice to come through the comm. "Maria Cadenzavna Eve," The alchemist said, catching the idol's attention. She rose back to her full height and looked to Chris inquisitively, but the white haired user just shook her head in response, equally as confused.
"I understand you wish to assist your comrade in eliminating the forces attacking the harbor, however I would like to request your assistance in my own endeavors." She continued, further confusing both Maria and Chris, as the communication was on their shared connection, and not a personal one.
Relaxing her guard, Maria raised one hand up over the headpiece, trying to hear the alchemist better over the sounds of the explosions happening in the harbor. "You want my help?" She asked. It was then she noticed a single beast that somehow again survived the barrage and charged right at her, but with a quick sidestep moved out of the way and slashed down on it, slicing through its core nonchalantly, causing it too to disappear to dust.
"Yes," The alchemist replied, and Maria could hear gunshots from her end of the comm. "As you may have heard, I have called upon an army of Alca-Noise to assist in our defense of the city. While they are capable of eliminating their counterparts, it seems that the black beasts have turned their attention on my forces, greatly inhibiting my ability to defend the outlying shelters from being breached. While I have been doing my best to eliminate all of the beasts encroaching on them, they are far too numerous for me to destroy all on my own." She explained.
Maria's eyes narrowed. "So you need someone to cover some of the area?"
"Yes. I am currently in the western part of the city, and I would request you take the east under your jurisdiction; Tomosato Aoi will update you on which wards require reinforcements when they are being attacked."
"I see…" Maria mumbled. That was a fairly solid plan, she had to admit. She looked to Chris who had her eyes forward, her Devastator launching barrage upon barrage of rockets towards the Noise. "Chris, will you be okay on your own?!" She shouted.
"No problem! I got this! You go help out where you can!" Her junior responded in her own shout.
"Okay!"
With that said, Maria leapt away from the combat zone, making sure to avoid the area of destruction. She jumped over the various storehouses lining the harbor, eventually making her way into the city proper. She landed and slashed apart the small contingent of Noise in her way, then leaped up to the rooftops of the buildings.
The Airgetlam user raised her hand again to the comm. "Alright Saint-Germain, what do you need me to-"
And then the entire city shook, and she looked in shock and horror at the massive beam of light at the distance. The light traveled on, eventually carving a path straight through the buildings even further in the distance, and only dissipating a whole minute later. "Wha-"
"It seems their battle has reached a new level of intensity," The alchemist said in her ear calmly. "It would be best if we do not attempt to intervene."
"What are you talking about?! If Tsubasa is in trouble I have to help her!"
"And do what?" Saint-Germain asked bluntly, causing Maria to freeze. "You have not been able to defeat Tachibana Hibiki despite your best efforts. Need I remind you that even when we joined forces against her she held us all off at once? She has gotten even more powerful since then, and she is now at a level that even the Super Ignite Module cannot compare. If Kazanari Tsubasa has not requested assistance yet, then it stands to reason she has no need for it yet."
Or she was dead, Saint-Germain left unsaid. However she figured Maria knew that already.
The idol grit her teeth in frustration, still staring ahead at the location where the beam of light had been.
She desperately wanted to go over there and help Tsubasa. She wanted to fight alongside her and just make sure she really was there, that she was awake and moving about. That feeling in her chest had blossomed even more when she had paid her visits in the medical room, and now she just had to go there and see if it was real...if she was real.
But Maria still had her logical side, and that side won in this battle of wills. She turned her back to the sounds, missing a particularly strong bolt of lightning striking something in the distance. "Aoi-san...what's the first target?"
It took a moment for the crew member to respond. "Adachi."
"Roger."
No use overthinking things now. Saint-Germain asked for her help, which was a very rare thing indeed. It would not do to betray her expectations in this matter.
Her resolve strengthened, Maria leaped away towards her goal.
-!-
Susano'o.
If there was one name in Japanese Mythology that was recognized by absolutely everyone in the country, it was his.
The god of the storms and the sea, and one that is said to be so mighty he was almost unmatched.
And somehow, that god had appeared right in front of Hibiki, and out of all places, in the body of her friend and comrade Kazanari Tsubasa.
She may have divine power on her side, but even someone as ridiculously strong as Hibiki could not allow herself to underestimate him, no matter what sort of form he took.
And anything he said otherwise was pure bullshit.
The air continued to cackle with electricity, power radiating off of Tsubasa in such amounts Hibiki could physically feel it.
"What is the matter, Hibiki? Where has thy fighting spirit gone? Has our presence caused the flower of fear to bloom in your heart? Or perhaps is it the worry for my well-being?" Tsubasa asked with that thunderous voice. It was still entirely feminine, and carried that deep tone that Tsubasa always had that made her songs so much more impactful.
"Shut up," She spit out in response. "I know you're not Tsubasa, so stop trying to pretend to be her."
"And you choose to remain ignorant of what is in front of thine eyes," Tsubasa said almost sadly. "How very unfortunate, my friend. However, it matters very little what you choose to believe, for I have made an oath, and we shall do all in our power to uphold it."
Hibiki brandished her spear, pointing it straight at her. "You don't scare me, Susano'o. I don't care who comes to try and stop me, because you like everyone else will fail. You also forgot that I can kill you very easily with the god-slaying power, so in fact you should be the one that is scared!"
Her bold declaration however only served to make the Ame-no-Habakiri user sigh in disapproval. "And you choose to discredit my efforts as well. How very disappointing indeed, Hibiki,"
She then stared at Hibiki with her shining eyes, causing the rogue wielder to take a step back in caution. "Let us make something very clear to you, dear sister: that divine-slaying curse that has blackened thy mind shalt not be able to defeat us. We suggest you cease relying on that power, for it will only bring you further torment."
She then let out a slightly amused huff. "We wonder how Odin would react to discovering his precious spear has been reduced to housing the grudges of humanity. It is a shame, to see a wondrous relic in such a state. But alas, there is nothing to be done about it now; the beliefs of mankind are very potent indeed."
"If it's a fight you want, then you got one. I'll make sure you bite the dust, and then when you're gone I'll send Tsubasa to join you."
"Ho, so you will face us in combat? Very well, then I shall respond with my full might to your challenge."
The electric blazing aura around Tsubasa flared to the Heavens, dwarfing Hibiki's own. Raising her shining sword and taking her stance, Tsubasa said the final words before the battle resumed. "Come, Hibiki. I shall cleanse and purge thy mind and body of the curses that bind them, and return thee to the place where you rightfully belong!"
Lightning struck around them again wildly.
And Tsubasa made the first move.
Hibiki blinked.
In that moment, lightning struck again and Tsubasa appeared right in front of her without even moving a muscle. Her swing was like light, moving so fast the rogue wielder could barely catch it, managing in the last possible second to raise her spear to block the blow.
Only for the sword to slice through the spear like it was made of butter, and Hibiki was forced to jump back in order to avoid sharing the same fate. The spear's severed half fell to the floor with a clang, and she stared at what remained of it in her hand in shock.
The sword hadn't just cut through the spear; it melted it in an instant, the full heat of lightning focused exactly on the point it was cutting, leaving the spear in two complete yet useless halves, both seared at where they previously connected.
She looked up at the idol and grit her teeth, tossing the remains of her spear aside. Tsubasa smirked mischievously. "Have you forgotten, Hibiki, that I pledged to make you drop that spear by any means necessary? Consider that proof of our sincerity."
"So that's how you want to play it…"
Susano'o wanted to face her fists? Fine then, she can work with that.
Hibiki entered her stance, the one stance she had painstakingly learned for a long time and polished over many battles. The one that she came to Genjuro to learn…
And the one she had used to defeat him a little over a week ago.
In response, Tsubasa entered her own stance. Their auras exploded upwards, cracking the ground and causing rubble to float in the air as if gravity itself had surrendered to their power.
"LET'S GO!"
(Play: Warriors Orochi 3 OST - Susanoo Theme - Legend Mix)
The very definitions of speed and power were shattered as the two combatants charged towards each other. Fist met sword in an atomic explosion, and the entire plaza was razed from just the shockwave of their clash. Thunder rumbled loudly in the background as the two struggled against each other, neither one giving ground for the other for even a moment.
And then came the exchange of blows. Hibiki's fists and Tsubasa's sword simply disappeared from sight as a hurricane of strikes cleaved the ground even further, and any and all foundations beneath their feet simply collapsed. The tiled floor ceased to exist, a gigantic crater being carved into the ground beneath their feet.
Yet even with that, it did not stop either of them. Tsubasa's sword, laced with fire, electricity, and the will of a god was truly the embodiment of a storm, and the sheer futility of standing against one. It crashed, roared, and rained down hundreds of swings and slashes in a mere second, a sight that a regular human...no, even the most powerful humans would not be able to come close to understand.
But Hibiki did. She understood, and she faced that storm head one with all her power. The chaotic harmony of good and evil within her powered her to the extreme, and her fists blurred, phasing in and out of sight. One punch became a thousand, and two became ten thousand. So many blows that defied reality surged forward, and nothing in the world of Man could stand up against them.
The battle between the two was a contradiction in on itself, a true representation of the age old question that baffled humanity to this day:
What would be the result when an unstoppable force met an immovable object?
There was no answer to be gleaned from this exchange except one:
Destruction.
What was once a beautiful plaza filled with greenery and life was reduced to its bare elements, unveiling the raw ground beneath it as anything that existed around them simply ceased to be, the heat and power of their blows reducing everything to their tiniest bare particles.
Divinity against a god.
Curses against a storm.
The two shot towards the sky in an instant, stopping their mad clash for less than a second before it resumed in the air. Tsubasa slashed forward, and a veritable wall of fire erupted from the edge of her blade, searing and igniting the air. The oxygen detonated due to the sheer heat, and a fireball roared to life right in between the two.
And all that force came upon Hibiki instantly, rendering her almost unable to respond.
But only almost.
She teleported, evading the wave of death by a moment and struck at Tsubasa with a supersonic punch. But the descendant of Susano'o spun around and struck the fist with her blade, once again creating a shockwave that sheared the top of the buildings beneath them.
Tokyo would be a shadow of its former self once they are done, Tsubasa realized. It would not matter who won in the end...for it will be the people who will have to pick up the pieces. Her heart broke at the thought of their misery, but she could not allow herself to despair for their sake.
For the alternative was death, and a city devoid of life might as well be destroyed anyway.
She deflected Hibiki's punch only for the rogue wielder to send another hundred with her other fist, and the idol blocked them all with the edge of her blade. The very fact that despite all of her power her blade was still not injuring Hibiki all that badly was incredible, and showcased the immense power she wielded.
But the invincible girl laced with divine power finally met her match by the hand of the very first comrade she gained since she had taken up the Symphogear, and the two were reading each other perfectly.
Neither could gain ground, and that was detrimental for Tsubasa.
For Susano'o's might was fleeting, while the power granted by the divine power was not. That was why she had to give it her all, regardless of the destruction she causes. So long as the shelters are left untouched and the people still live, they will be able to rebuild.
Tsubasa swiftly flipped backwards, the blades on her legs stopping Hibiki's barrage and causing her to retreat, putting distance between the two opponents.
Hibiki prepared to charge, and Tsubasa raised her blade to the sky and towards the storm. When the rogue wielder finally began her rush, dozens upon dozens of lightning bolts struck the sword, and all of the massive amounts of electricity contained within them flowed through it and right into Tsubasa.
And stopping the corrupted Adaptor mid charge, for an impassable ring of lightning sprung to life between her and her opponent. Hibiki realized that even if she tried to teleport past them, not only would she fail, but in the event that she succeeded Tsubasa would undoubtedly cut her down in the process.
So she decided to try something else.
She reared her fist back, and power gathered inside her hand. The air around her shone with golden light as she poured more and more energy into her attack, her eyes narrowed on her opponent.
In response, Tsubasa aimed her sword forward, and the ring of lightning coalesced into the blade itself, causing it to cackle wildly and uncontrollably as millions upon millions of joules ran through it. And all at the command of the descendant of the god of storms.
The light in Hibiki's hand reached its peak, and she thrust her fist forward with a mighty yell.
"GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!"
An explosion of golden light surged forward towards Tsubasa, rending the air and reality as it passed through.
Yet the shining haired idol answered by thrusting her sword forward, and the collection of lightning fused into a giant bolt that roared across the sky, making its way to Hibiki.
The two attacks clashed in the middle, and raw power imploded at their point of impact. They struggled against each other, pushing each other back momentarily yet neither gaining any ground. Divine power once again clashed against the storm, and several loose bolts rent the ground asunder, destroying more and more of it with each pass.
With neither one gaining the advantage, the two of them called their attacks off and charged. However, just this time Tsubasa was faster, and Hibiki was forced to instead of matching her blow for blow to instead block or dodge her barrage of attacks, not giving her even an instant to try and switch to the offensive. The flaming and electrified blade was simply death incarnate, and she had to do her best to not be killed on the spot. She didn't know what Tsubasa's intention was nor did she care, but this was far more than she had expected any of the wielders to be able to do.
And just for a moment...just for a singular, tiny moment, Hibiki found herself awed. 'As expected of Tsubasa-san.'
The strange thought that had intruded upon her mind caused her to miss a swing from the right. Gritting her teeth, Hibiki teleported backwards, trying to gain some distance and regroup.
But Tsubasa wouldn't let her. Lightning crashed and thunder rumbled, and the idol simply tore through space forward, using the crashing lightning as her footsteps towards the rogue wielder. Teleporting between the bolts, she closed the distance to Hibiki so quickly she barely had time to respond, and brought her hands up to block the overhead swing.
Only to be caught completely and utterly off guard when Tsubasa instead let go of her sword at the last moment, letting her close the small distance she needed to enact her trap.
And before Hibiki could respond, Tsubasa's free hand was clenched into a fist and smashed with all the might of a hurricane behind it right into the rogue wielder's stomach. Lightning traveled from the descendant of storms to her opponent, and the Gungnir user was paralyzed as her muscles spasmed from the sheer intensity of the current.
But that was the result had Tsubasa simply cherry-tapped her. No, what she had done was push all of her might into the strike, and even though hand-to-hand combat was not her speciality, there was no denying her power.
Hibiki was launched across the sky to the other side of the city, crashing through the very top of the Skytree in her path. Steel and debris rained down on the ground, and Kirika and Shirabe, who had been fighting right beneath it, heard the rumblings and looked towards the sky to the streak of lightning that had engulfed the rogue wielder...
And at Tsubasa's form that was quick to follow.
"Eh?! What's going on?!"
-!-
No one in S.O.N.G's bridge worked. No one typed, no one gave any updates on any situations. The numbers kept flowing in, but all they could do was simply stare in awe and amazement at the spectacle displayed on the screen and marvel.
"This...is Susano'o-sama's power!"
"Amazing! This is way too amazing!"
"I can't believe it! She can actually win! Tsubasa-san can do it!"
"She can bring Tachibana-san back! This is incredible!"
This was indeed incredible, Genjuro noted in his mind. There was no denying what was going on here. The sheer might that Tsubasa was displaying was something for the history books, even if the city was reduced to smithereens as a result.
This was what it meant to be a descendant of one of the oldest families in the entirety of Japan. And this was the entire reason Kazanari Fudou kept her, and by extension them on a tight leash: He had bred her specifically because he wanted her to inherit the blood of Susano'o, and to display the might of the country to the world at large. To make them tremble in fear and awe as the avatar of the storm brought ruin upon them for daring put the country in their sights.
But in the end, it was instead used to rend the land asunder as the wielder of that power clashed against her own comrade in a desperate bid to rescue her from the grasp of the curses.
It was truly an irony that did not pass over Genjuro, and he found himself slightly amused by the prospect. Anything that can be done to break Fudou's expectations was a blessing in disguise.
And even Adam found himself impressed. "What an intriguing thing to witness, the legacy of Susano'o," He said. "It has truly not disappointed so far. I'm almost curious to see how it proceeds from her and what more she has to bare. This is just the beginning after all."
"You're right about that." Genjuro responded to him, for once surprised that Adam was not quick to judge or retort.
Unfortunately, his surprise was quickly shattered.
"But that is not truly Susano'o, is it?"
Genjuro widened his eyes, and even several of the crew members with a more active attention span turned their heads to look at him in shock. He smirked at their surprise. "Anyone would be able to tell just by looking at the Aufwachen signal. That god contained within him divine power after all, and Kazanari Tsubasa does not. It's only the matter of putting two and two together...but that makes her even more intriguing to say the least. To think she held just that much power all on her own."
Many eyes were quick to look towards Genjuro for an answer. Realizing they were waiting for his response, he sighed. He wanted them to stay marveled, but it seems he'll have to spill the beans. "It's true," He said. "Everything you see here is Tsubasa's power, not Susano'o's. She may have declared herself as such, but that is in fact not the whole truth."
He gazed at the display showcasing the battle evenly, his concentration on his niece. "The will of Susano'o that you saw? It is nothing but an illusion. It is merely a symptom of the massive power released due to the Super Ignite Module and his blood that runs through her; a sort of split personality, if you were. It rose to the surface due to Ame-no-Habakiri's connection to her, and all those factors combined allowed that will to spring forth and letting her get a true grasp on its full scope."
The mad clashes, the casual throwing around of lightning and fire, were all part of it. "In order for that will to manifest, certain conditions must first be met: Tsubasa must be using Ame-no-Habakiri, a sufficient amount of power must be channelled at once, and a storm must be raging overhead. Without these three factors combined, Susano'o will not manifest. It is more correct to place it on the level of a miracle like the X-Drive rather than anything else. In fact, the only reason it manifested at all is to work as an intermediate between her and that massive power. Without it, she does not have full access to what it can do."
"But how do you know this, sir?" One crew member asked.
Genjuro huffed. "Who do you think I am? I am Kazanari Genjuro, and his blood runs through me just like it runs through her. Of course I would know the intricacies behind manifesting the strength of our ancestor. However, unlike her I was not raised to be its receptacle, and therefore will never be able to use it."
Not that he gave a damn about that.
"Gaze at it and marvel everyone, for this may be the only chance you'll ever get to see this power in action in your lifetime. I just wished that it would be under different circumstances."
And that it would be enough, he left unsaid. No matter what, Tsubasa MUST defeat Hibiki before the storm passes. If she does not, all that power will be rendered virtually unusable and she'll be defeated in an instant.
-!-
Hibiki crashed into a building, her entire body wracking with pain due to the electricity running through her. She had only a second to groan in pain before she had to dislodge herself and dodge as Tsubasa's sword sliced through the structure, searing through it like it was thin air.
"Why...isn't it working?!" Hibiki growled out as she dodged another blow. Her god-slaying power was not doing anything! She remembered how it felt when she punched through that divine snake and the Divine Weapon, but now it wasn't doing a single thing!
"You assumed we were bluffing, and are now paying for your arrogance, Hibiki," Tsubasa said as she trudged towards her. "I have informed you that your cursed power will not be able to defeat us, yet you chose to ignore my warning. Now come, we are not finished yet."
And Tsubasa charged like lightning again. Hibiki clicked her tongue, and reluctantly realized her opponent was correct. She thought she'll be able to depend on the god-slaying power to get rid of Susano'o quickly, but it seems that her gamble was thrown out the window.
Fine then, if that was the case then she'll just meet him head on with her own full power.
She knocked her knuckles together, and planted her feet. This time, she won't catch her off guard.
And once more fists and sword met in a clash, and one of the few untouched parts of the city was reduced to rubble almost instantaneously. The closest Noise were over a hundred meters away, yet they too were flung aside like paper and disintegrated due to the explosive force that sent waves upon waves of destruction through the ward. The searing heat of Tsubasa's sword was causing the asphalt to melt beneath their feet, and even Hibiki was not safe from it. She felt as if she was being toasted alive just due to her proximity to the sword, and her fists felt like they were the ones on fire every time she blocked a powerful swing.
Looking for a way out of this deadlock, Hibiki copied Genjuro and suddenly slammed her foot into the ground, causing a huge chunk of it to rise right between her and the blue haired idol, forcing them to disengage. Tsubasa however did not retreat and swung, slicing through the wall that sprouted before her.
Only to not find Hibiki on the other side, and her eyes narrowed, expecting her to appear behind her again. However, it was then that the bottom part of the wall she had sliced exploded outwards towards her, pelting her with hot asphalt chunks.
And Hibiki's fist followed, and for the first time in their battle, finally managed to find purchase. Her punch slammed into Tsubasa's stomach, causing spittle to fly out of her mouth. The pile bunker on her gauntlet, having been cocked back during her desperate tactic, then slammed into Tsubasa at full force.
The mere shockwave of the release collapsed the structures in their vicinity, and a moment later the blue haired idol was propelled at supersonic speeds backwards, crashing through rows upon rows of buildings without stopping.
The entire way she made Hibiki take she was now experiencing herself, except now her back seared in pain every time it slammed against a solid concrete wall that a human should never have been able to crash through.
Finding herself in Shibuya crossing infested with Noise, Tsubasa flipped and skidded across the ground. The Noise around her noticed her presence, and immediately stopped everything they were doing and turned on her, charging recklessly towards the opponent that vastly outclassed them.
She rose up to her full height, and Hibiki appeared on top of one of the buildings surrounding the landmark she landed in, watching from afar.
The idol did not even bother responding to the Noise, and did not feel anything when a humanoid one slammed into her and failed to make her budge. Instead, an electric current ran from her to it, and the offending Noise was vaporized without any real input from her.
They were pests, nothing more. But just like real bugs, too many of them at once can prove bothersome.
"Know your place!" She declared, and swept her arm.
Lightning struck around her in a circle, eliminating the Noise close to her. Then, the circle expanded as lightning continued to strike, and more and more of the charging Noise were wiped out without a glance, going beyond even the crossing and covering a huge two hundred meter area. Feeling merciful for the buildings, the lightning only struck the Noise and nothing else, and each individual bolt found its own target, thousands upon thousands coming down all at once.
Nothing was left of the Noise except burning piles of ash.
Hibiki narrowed her eyes and jumped down, meeting Tsubasa's gaze. "I assume you did not believe these automatons will be able to defeat us."
"Obviously not," Hibiki responded. "But these might."
And then over a hundred beasts leaped from the shadows of the buildings to converge on Tsubasa all at once, all of them growling and snarling like wild animals.
"Fool."
The beasts, so sure of their victory were caught completely off guard when Tsubasa grabbed the first one that closed the distance by the face. She held it in the air, staring at it with narrowed eyes for less than a second before slamming it into the ground, cratering the famous crossing and sending fractures into the streets around them for dozens of meters.
The beast growled in pain, but she was not done yet. Wordlessly, she plunged her sword into its core, and it shrieked as its life ended and turned to dust. But then, from where the sword had been stabbed into the ground light ran through the cracks previously created, and a moment later exploded upwards, sending chunks of earth into the air that struck the army of beasts, stopping their wild rush in its tracks.
All of the beasts screamed in tandem, but Tsubasa was not done yet.
"Wretched abominations," She uttered sternly.
And rain fell. It was so out of place that even Hibiki was shocked to see it.
It rained, yet it was such a strange rain it could hardly be called that. Falling in a circle around the idol, not a single drop touched her, and the sudden downpour did not extend past the crossing itself.
Having summoned a small localized rainstorm, the beasts were helpless as they suddenly found themselves hanging in midair, as if they were floating. They tried to claw at her wildly, but the lack of friction removed their ability to move as they liked.
"BEGONE!"
She swept her arm once more.
And the beasts were washed away, the rain becoming a deluge of death as each individual drop became as sharp as a sword, slicing into them. None survived as they were diced, the black dust left in their wake draining away through the street and into the storm drains, leaving not even a remnant of their existence.
The rain then stopped in but a second, leaving the remains of the crossing wet except the circle the idol stood in. Lowering her arm, Tsubasa stared at the corrupted Adaptor with a disappointed expression. "I am insulted, Hibiki, that you believed these beasts of yours will be able to overcome us." She said. "Is this all I am to you?"
"You are nothing to me, Susano'o. I don't give a damn about you," Hibiki answered harshly. "But you are getting in my way, so I'll do whatever it takes to make sure you disappear so I can deal with Tsubasa myself."
Tsubasa stared at Hibiki with her eyes wide, taking in what she just said and…
Proceeded to laugh loudly, something Hibiki had never seen her do before.
"We see now! We understand your predicament, Hibiki! In that case, if you want to get at me, we shall respond accordingly. As you have summoned your own beasts against us, so shall we respond with one of our own."
"What?"
To answer her question, Tsubasa pointed her sword towards the ground, holding its handle with one hand. Its tip barely touched the ruined earth beneath, and right in that small space between them flames began to churn out without limit, rising to partially obscure the shining haired idol from the rogue wielder's sight.
And her voice once again became roaring thunder, echoing throughout the area.
"We are Susano'o! We are the storm, we are the sea! We bring forth the thunder, and we churn the waters! By the name of our Father Izanagi-no-Mikoto, we call upon the one that fell to our blade! By the name of Totsuka-no-Tsurugi, by the name of Ame-no-Habakiri, we summon thee forth, beast of calamity!"
And she released her hold on the blade. Hibiki watched with narrowed eyes filled with confusion as the sword fell towards the flames, slowly descending into them and disappearing within, melting away until nothing remained.
"Thou art the one who ravaged the land in the name of greed, and thou art one who took and indulged upon the sorrow of the people! For every one of your heads thou feasted upon the weak, and for your crimes thou have fallen to our blade! Now, by the name of Takehaya Susano'o-no-Mikoto and Kumano-Ketsumiko-no-kami, thou shalt rise to do our bidding in the land anew, and unleash thine wrath upon our foe!"
The ground shook, and Hibiki planted her feet to avoid being knocked over by the earthquake Tsubasa...no, Susano'o summoned, and she watched as the sea of flames that poured out of where the sword had been began to morph, and change, and rise.
~Susano'o was banished from the heavens by the word of his father Izanagi, and descended to the Earth at the province of Izumo. It was there he heard the cries of an elderly couple, who told him that seven of their eight daughters were devoured by an eight-headed dragon, and it was nearly the time for the eighth.~
"We are Susano'o! And thou shalt rise as our servant in this day and age!"
And the flames began to take form, ascending higher and higher, and Tsubasa rode upon them, taller and grander than ever before; she rose into the air with the flames as her mount.
~In exchange for being allowed to marry the eighth daughter Kushinada-hime, Susano'o agreed to slay the dragon for them. He then on the spot transformed Kushinada-hime into a many toothed comb which he stuck in his hair, and proceeded to make eight tubs of sake, one for each head of the dragon.~
And then the flames began to separate, morph and change as if they were simple clay, yet their ferocity and heat were unmatched by anything on this earth.
Hibiki watched. She watched and took steps back, her mouth gaping, as the tower of flames grew taller than the highest skyscrapers in the crossing, and she had to tilt her head up just to be able to take in the sheer size of the thing.
The separated flames, divided into eight long and massive wisps, finally began to take their real form.
And from where she could see, the eight wisps became heads, growing fangs and ears, gaining true beast-like and snake-like appearances. And through all of that incredible transformation, Tsubasa stayed standing upon the flames, looking down on her comrade with an even expression.
"Thine eyes shalt be only for one, and no more than one! Heed our order, and bring forth thine might! Eight-headed dragon of Koshi, for this day you shall work to purge the land of the taint that plagues it!"
On that day, the world watched.
On that day, the world saw.
And in that moment, Hibiki was once more taken aback, caught completely by surprise by the beast that surpassed all beasts!
Fiery tails struck wildly as the eight heads rose, and eight pairs of flaming eyes locked upon the rogue wielder.
~That night, the dragon truly appeared before Susano'o. The dragon that would forever be known for being slain by the god, heralding him as one of the greatest in the land of the rising sun! And its name was:~
"We are Susano'o-no-Mikoto! And thine name, Eight-headed-snake of Koshi, is:"
AND THE BEAST ROARED
"YAMATA-NO-OROCHI!"
-!-
Black light sliced through the Noise as Kirika's scythe once again bisected over a hundred of them with a single slash. They continued charging recklessly, but none could get past her guard at all. Even after using that incredible technique, she had enough juice in her veins to run on for the rest of the night if she had to.
That is of course unless the Ignite Module gave out first.
"Kiri-chan…" Shirabe hesitantly called out, causing the Ig-Alima wielder to turn around in a hurry at her concerned tone of voice. Shirabe, still slicing through her own contingent of the Noise, pointed towards another part of the city that seemed...strangely illuminated. "What is that?"
Following her partner's sight, Kirika looked to where she was pointing, and true enough she saw the strange illumination as well.
And right before their eyes it rose even higher, and they watched as even from their distance that whatever it was gained a form as it seemed to be made entirely out of flames.
There wasn't any question as to who was the one that summoned it, and their surprise could only be vocalized with a single name.
"Tsubasa-san?!"
-!-
Maria looked from afar from atop of one of the buildings on the east side at the strange lights that were like a second sun in the night, bathing the city's horizon with an orange and yellow glow.
Her eyes widened as the flames in the distance took upon a shape of monster that she did not recognize, and she could plainly see as eight long and fiery heads slithered back and forth as they stared down at something she couldn't see.
There was only one answer as to what had caused it to appear, and Maria's worry grew tenfold.
"Tsubasa?!"
-!-
"Commander, isn't this...a bit of an overkill?"
"No, it isn't," Genjuro answered. "In order to surpass the divine power, we must use everything in our disposal to purge Hibiki-kun of the curses. If summoning forth the great beast of legend brings us closer to our goal, then that's what we shall do."
"But the city, sir…"
"Nothing we can do about the city now. Either Hibiki-kun destroys it herself or we consider it collateral in the fight. We must stop her before it's too late. If that goal can only be reached by burning Tokyo to the ground, then we will accept that as an unavoidable fact."
And he hoped that it would be enough.
-!-
It was massive!
The gigantic monster, now identified as Yamata-no-Orochi, was composed of nothing but flames, towering over absolutely everything in the square. The eight heads of the serpent rose even higher, and all of them stared down at Hibiki, awaiting their mistress' command. The gargantuan eight tails flailed around behind it, and everything they touched simply melted and caught on fire instantly, as if a sun had suddenly been birthed in the middle of the crossing. Everything not directly touched by the monster was slowly but surely heating up, and even solid concrete was lit ablaze in defiance of physics.
And standing atop the beast's mighty back was Tsubasa. How the hell was she standing on top of fire Hibiki didn't know, but at this point she knew it would be pointless to ask. Her arms were crossed as she too looked down on the rogue wielder, and Hibiki could feel the intense heat bore into her, a bead of sweat rolling down her cheek as even the empowered Gungnir's protection was not enough to eliminate the heat from affecting her entirely.
"This is our answer, Hibiki. As have you unleashed thine creations upon us, so have I responded to your challenge with my full might. Thou shalt face our servant as thine opponent." Tsubasa declared, her voice once again echoing throughout like thunder. The Orochi heads slithered and hissed, wisps of fire escaping their mouths as they prepared to pounce on their target.
But the rogue wielder steeled herself. Cracking her knuckles loudly, she stared back at the monster with her eyes narrowed, power building up within her. "Fine then," She let out dangerously. "Let's see what this thing of yours can do."
The idol smirked, and extended her hand forward. "Go, Yamata-no-Orochi! Burn away the curse of All the Evils of this World!"
Her command was met with a monstrous roar.
(Play: Warriors Orochi 3 OST - Theme of Orochi Rebirth Mix)
The eight heads surged forward, tearing through the air as they made their way to Hibiki at lightning speeds. Gaping flaming maws reared open, and just as they were about to strike she jumped into the air, floating above them and hopefully out of range.
But they were quick to follow. The main body not moving an inch, Orochi struck, the eight heads elongating in an instant as much as necessary in order to reach their target. The very air burned as they moved through it, and Hibiki teleported a distance away to avoid them, clicking her tongue.
Only for her eyes to widen when they responded much quicker than she expected, already closing the distance to her as she finished her jump. She dove towards the ground just as one of the heads passed by over her, and the asphalt cracked under feet.
However, another one of the heads somehow foresaw her move and charged towards her, its fanged mouth open wide to swallow her whole. Left with no choice but to counterattack, Hibiki thrust her hands forward just as the gaping maw closed in on her.
She planted her feet, and just as it approached she grabbed it by the fangs, stopping its jaw from closing. Her palms burned as the sheer heat of the fiery teeth seared into her, bypassing her armored gauntlets almost completely; she wasn't sure how she was able to grab something made entirely out of fire, but at this point she didn't care to know the specifics. The Orochi head tried to snap its mouth shut, but Hibiki refused to allow it, pouring more power into her arms.
It was then she sensed another head close in on her from behind, and reacting quickly she heaved upwards, throwing the head she was facing towards the sky. She took off after it and slammed her fist into its chin, and the mighty serpent head exploded into a shower of flames that fell with what seemed like actual weight to the ground, melting through the asphalt.
She didn't have even a moment to continue her offensive as another head closed in on her, and twisting in mid air she punched it away, throwing it off course.
Only for another to come in its place and try the same thing, giving her no time to rest. She punched it away as well, only for another to follow.
Upon punching away the fifth head, her eyes once again widened as the head she thought she destroyed suddenly regenerated. Coming back with a mighty vengeance, its mouth opened and it spewed a jet of flames right in her direction. Caught off guard again, she pulled back her fist and teleported away, skidding across one of the building rooftops.
But Yamata-no-Orochi was relentless. Having retained its greedy appetite from the ages past, it was quick to follow after her. More and more buildings caught on fire in its wake, and the eight heads all opened simultaneously to rain hellfire upon her from all directions. She evaded the flames by charging low, smashing her fist into one of the heads, causing it too to explode.
Before its remains even managed to touch the ground she switched targets, and weaving through the bundle of fiery necks she punched another, raining down even more fire.
She's going to have to work quickly, she realized. If the Orochi can regenerate its heads, then she'll never be able to defeat it. If she can take down all the heads before they come back, then maybe it will extinguish by having no brains left to work with.
"That will not work, Hibiki!"
Taken by surprise by Tsubasa's sudden shout, she turned around to see the first head she punched already back and roaring towards her faster than she could register it. Once again caught in a pincer move, she was forced to grab the fiery teeth again in order to avoid being devoured, only for three more heads to surround her, charging flames in their mouths. She grit her teeth and jumped away, the maw snapping shut just as she left its range.
Three jets of fire exploded towards her, and in the last second she teleported high above. Joining her fists together, the corrupted wielder charged downwards with a mighty yell, bringing her full might down on one of the heads. It immediately exploded, the very shockwaves of her strike causing the rest to reel back with a loud shriek, thrown about by the gale winds. The head, along with the neck, crumbled to nothing all the way to the base, raining even more heavy flames down onto the street below.
But that did not stop the Orochi. The seven heads charged all at once, and she shot higher towards the sky to avoid them. They answered by continuing their chase, roaring along their path, climbing upwards like missiles. One of them reached her first, and she answered by smashing it aside.
And then another replaced it.
And then another.
The Orochi heads attacked non-stop, moving in for the kill at supersonic speeds. 'Shit, I can't get past them like this!'
How can she take this thing down? How does it work? How does it live?
Her wondering was interrupted as the eighth head that she destroyed earlier closed in on her from behind, its mouth was once open to let out a stream of fire at her.
They were like waves. Nearly unstoppable, they crashed against her with all their might, and when she thought she'd finally held them off, another appeared in its place. A vicious cycle of constantly destroying the same heads over and over, it did nothing to stop the onslaught that this beast was.
She dodged backwards, evading the flames once again. Dashing through the air, she darted between the many buildings in Shibuya in an attempt to shake them off. The Orochi heads were hot on her heels, slithering rapidly through the streets from all directions as they tried to close in on her. The city burned as Orochi passed through like the angel of death, searing anything that was even remotely close to it. She took a hard right, barely avoiding a wall of flame one of the heads unleashed just as she passed by the intersection.
'This makes no sense. It's like they know where I'm going to be!'
That was the strangest thing out of everything here. She noticed it the first time she clashed with it: somehow the Orochi heads foresaw her moves and where she was going to be, letting them catch her by surprise despite her best efforts. Had they not been so prophetic she wouldn't have nearly as trouble with them.
She shot forward, and another two heads followed after her, spewing even more hellfire right on her heels. Rather than keep on running away, she dove to the ground and braked hard, her feet throwing up rubble into the air. The sea of flames passed over her head just in that moment, and she took the opportunity to jump back.
Only for her back to slam against a blazing wall that was another one of the heads. Having predicted her gambit, it had weaved through the streets and waited for her to maneuver herself into this position, taking advantage of her attempt to shake them off.
Hibiki cried out as her back burned, and she turned in a hurry to see the head's gaping maw open up to swallow her once more. Clenching her teeth hard through the pain, she smashed her fist into its upper mouth, blowing off its nose and eyes in another downpour of fire.
'I have to do something about this prediction of theirs!' She said to herself, darting away from the destroyed head and jumping upwards towards the rooftops. Trying to outrun them is more or less impossible at this point; she needed them where she could see them and make her plan from there.
The destroyed head regenerated, and along with its brethren the eight heads of Yamata-no-Orochi towered over her, their blazing gaze boring into her her. She grit her teeth, the gears running on full speed in her head as she tried to come up with a solution.
The eight heads surrounded her, and all at once charged massive amounts of flames in their maws. Each one shone brightly, drowning out the night as the storm raged overhead, coloring the black clouds in a radiant orange, basking the area in what almost seemed like an afternoon glow, as if they had turned back time.
Hibiki planted her feet and prepared to meet the barrage head on, realizing that all they've been doing is going on a wild goose chase. Their battle could go on forever at this rate, with neither one gaining the advantage. And through it all, Tsubasa would be standing by leisurely on its body, waiting for the beast to do its work for her-
'Tsubasa!'
Of course! Her mind suddenly lit up, finally realizing what was the source of their frustrating ability. Tsubasa must be the one doing the predictions here and giving the results to the Orochi heads! Since she knew how Hibiki's mind works, she would definitely know how she would act in any given situation!
And if the eight heads are here…
It means that Tsubasa is vulnerable!
Her plan set, Hibiki took off into the air. Nearly reaching the clouds, her eyes locked onto the distant main body of the Orochi in the heart of the Shibuya crossing.
She'll finish it in one, powerful blow.
The eight heads quickly followed after her into the air, but she did not spare them even a glance as she immediately charged with such speeds towards her target that the heads we veered off course just from the shockwaves. Her body was engulfed in an aura of golden light, sonic booms being left in her wake. She roared, rearing her fist back, the pile bunker pulled back as far as it could go, making a beeline for the blue haired idol.
She closed the massive distance in less than ten seconds, and Tsubasa raised her head to stare at the charging Hibiki. Locked in place on the beast's back due to having summoned it, Tsubasa did not have the option to dodge out of the way of Hibiki's punch.
And as it turned out, she had no need to.
The shock on Hibiki's face could not be described as she smashed her fist right into Tsubasa's face, only for it to be summarily caught in the idol's palm. All of the buildings in the crossing were blown to pieces from the sheer force of the strike, the flaming rubble raining down on the ward like a meteor shower. Yet Tsubasa stood undeterred, a single hand extended forward with Hibiki's punch struggling in her hold.
"Wha-how?!"
"As expected of you, Hibiki, to see through their clairvoyance. However, I have also expected you to respond in this manner. To aim for me was not mistaken of you, however it was meaningless. For you stand before the might of the storm, the force of nature that humanity has never been able to conquer!"
"You sure like run your mouth, don't you Susano'o?!" The rogue wielder growled out, still hanging in the air with her fist caught in her opponent's hand.
Tsubasa however only sighed in response, once again disappointed by her friend's vehement denial. "So you still refuse to call me by my name?"
"How many times do I have to tell you? You...are NOT Tsubasa!"
Suddenly, the eight super elongated necks of the Orochi were reeled back, shortening quickly at blinding speeds as the eight heads re-appeared right by their master's side. They moved not, waving in the air as they waited for the next command.
And Hibiki found herself flanked on all side.
"In that case, dear sister, I shall remind you of my name," Tsubasa said. Putting a tiny bit of power into her arm, Hibiki had only a moment to glance downwards at something strange in the Orochi's body before she was flung away. She twisted in mid air and landed back on the ground before the great beast, putting them back at square one. "With my endless song! The song of a sentinel and of a blade, the song that binds together the Heavens and the Earth! For I am Kazanari Tsubasa, and I shall remind you of what lies...beyond the blade!"
The eight heads roared in tandem once more.
And accompanied by the sound of thunder, Tsubasa's voice rose to the Heavens as a familiar song rang out.
(Play: Beyond the BLADE [IGNITED ARRANGEMENT])
The eight heads charged with renewed vigor, faster and stronger than before. Hibiki barely had a moment to dodge out of the way as they all slammed into the ground, diving into it like it was water. She watched incredulously, jumping back as the heads bobbed in and out of solid ground, swimming through it. Realizing she won't be able to outrun them now and that she won't be able to get rid of Tsubasa's ability to assist them, she planted her feet into the ground, prepared to take them head on.
Two heads rushed towards her at lightning speeds, but right before they could slam into her she raised her hands and opened her palms, and the two heads smashed against them with a mighty force. The ground under Hibiki's feet cracked further the pressure, fire racing over her. Orochi struggled against her, and pain ran up her hands as her palms burned at the touch of their flaming form. Her gaze focused, she spread her arms apart, and the two heads smashed into the buildings by her sides, melting through them in an instant.
An additional four surrounded her, and deciding to hold her ground, met them ahead on. Her fists blurred as she smashed away the snake's heads, and each time one fell another came to take its place in their assault.
That's right, she realized. No point in trying to think cleverly against these things. She was after all not much for planning, just like Tsubasa said.
So she won't plan. She won't strategize. She will smash through the mythical beast with nothing but the might of her fists, and take down anything that gets in her way!
One of the heads charged flames in its mouth, and a second later a fireball of massive proportions descended on her with a blazing roar. Clenching her fists, she took a step forward and smashed the ball of death away, sending it soaring through the air to pierce the storm clouds and into the hidden night sky.
Another head then unleashed a blast of flames, and she decided to counter it with her own blast. Taking another step forward, she thrust a closed fist forward, a golden beam of light smashing against the flames, dispersing them and striking the head, blasting it away.
And then came the third. It circled around her, forming a ring of fire with its own neck. Towering right above her head, it clamped down on her with its gaping maw. She caught its teeth once more before they closed, and she could feel as flames leaked out of its open mouth to wash over her. The heat was barely bearable, and she clenched her fists even harder, her hold on the fiery fangs tightening.
"UWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
Letting out a guttural shout, she spun the head above her head. A twister of fire began to form as the head was thrown about, and at the apex of her spin released her hold, throwing it all the way back to the main body.
She spun on her heel to slam her fist into another head that tried to ambush her from behind, and it too was thrown back into another building at the end of the street, melting through it.
It seemed like holding her ground was proving far more advantageous for her. However, she didn't lose her mind enough to realize that just beating the Orochi about won't bring it down. She had to take care of Tsubasa, who was controlling it.
Or she didn't have to focus on Tsubasa at all.
She saw something inside the main body right under Tsubasa, as if she was standing on top of it, guarding it with her own body. Hibiki didn't know what it was, but she had a gut feeling that it was incredibly important for the Orochi's existence.
Then it would make sense to aim for that, whatever it was, instead.
But how will she get to it?
She got her her answer when the head she had thrown back began to bob in and out of the street once more, swimming through it as it made its way to her once again. It closed the distance in a second and charged at her, attempting once more to bite down on her.
So she decided to go with a different route this time.
Hibiki gathered power into her arm and punched the ground with all her might. It instantly cratered and shattered to pieces, the asphalt street breaking down into pieces right under her. Shockwaves ran through the ground, shaking the buildings next to her like an earthquake. The eight heads were thrown back by the force, and Hibiki took the opportunity to jump down in the hole she made and out of their sight.
Hovering above the nasty sewers in the Tokyo underground, Hibiki charged forward, her eyes locked on the direction where the beast sat right above ground. Charging with a blazing aura, she crashed through solid walls, not stopping for anything as the Orochi heads charged in after her, following her into the sewers. They melted through the various steel reinforced walls, and the ground above began collapsing as both powerful beings rampaged through the underground.
Eventually, Hibiki reached her destination, marked by the ceiling that burned red hot, signifying the place where the Orochi's main body sat. It was then that its heads burst through the walls from all directions, intent on stopping her from enacting her plan.
But it was too late. Her power exploded and the heads were thrown aside like ragdolls, and with her full might crashed through the ceiling with all the power she could muster.
Right under the belly of the Orochi's main body.
She smirked as she smashed through its flame-made stomach. The fire immolated her all over, but she pushed through it, groaning all the while as she extended her fist upwards, trying to reach her target. She closed one eye to protect her eyesight, and her vision blurred through the flames.
And her efforts were rewarded. Staring ahead, she looked to see what she was looking for: a sword, black and blue, floating in place right under where Tsubasa was standing. Pouring more power into her charge, she crashed through the fire and her fist struck the blade serving as the Orochi's core.
Causing it to promptly shatter under the force.
Yamata-no-Orochi was lifted off the ground as Hibiki pierced through it. Tsubasa, having noticed Hibiki's strategy a mile away, jumped off the Orochi's body just as Hibiki passed through. The heads, having erupted from the ground in an attempt to give chase, shrieking loudly as their core was destroyed. Hibiki took the opportunity to jump away and land onto the street, grinning widely at her handiwork with Tsubasa watching.
The Orochi flailed, its steps faltering. The heads writhed in agony and crashed against buildings as their life was snuffed out of them, falling silent as they lay to rest.
"How was that, Susano'o?!" Hibiki yelled, causing Tsubasa to turn to her.
But rather than stop singing in shock by the fact that her beast was destroyed, the idol simply stared at the rogue wielder with a fiery gaze, their shining eyes meeting. The thrusters on Tsubasa's back and on her feet roared to life with an inferno, and she charged forward towards Hibiki, her hands empty of any weapon.
The corrupted wielder looked with confusion at her desperate charge, and with a full sense of victory decided to stand her ground and meet her head on.
And it was the worst mistake she could have made.
One head of the Orochi, still able to respond to its mistress' will, crashed over the length of the street the two Symphogear wielders were in. In response to its final act of loyalty, Tsubasa thrust her hand into the fiery snake's neck as she charged towards her opponent. Her arm was buried to the elbow, yet her speed did not drop even a bit nor did she lose sight of her target.
For she had one final surprise in store for her dear sister.
Everything up until now, from the summoning of Yamata-no-Orochi to Hibiki destroying it, was all part of Tsubasa's grand plan. The great snake was in fact just a means to an end.
And that end being delivering her final and true weapon into her hands.
~The greedy Yamata-no-Orochi drank from the tubs of sake, one for each of its heads. Soon enough, it lost consciousness as drunkenness overtook it. Having taken advantage of the dragon's love of drink, Susano'o enacted the perfect plan to kill it. Now, with Orochi at his mercy, Susano'o cut off the dragon's eight heads, slaying it once and for all.~
Her song reached its climax just as she reached the end of the Orochi's head, and from within its flaming carapace she withdrew a sword. A sword so hot it glowed white, and she raised it above her head, lighting up the street and blinding the rogue wielder.
But her strategy was not done yet. All of the flames that had made up the Orochi, as well as all of the flames that burned through the city were drawn into the sword from all directions like a black hole, and with each flame it consumed its size and radiance increased tenfold. Only Tsubasa was able to hold it her hands, for it was the final and greatest sword that the storm god Susano'o has ever held in his life!
~However, Susano'o was surprised to find something strange in the tail of the dragon: a sword. A sword so magnificent that it shone like the sun, and thinking it would appease his indignant sister, gave it to her as a gift, finally settling their grievances. That sword then passed down her lineage, finally becoming one of the Three Imperial Regalia of Japan!~
There was nothing Hibiki could do to dodge in time. Blinded by the radiance and having decided to hold her ground, there was nothing she could do to avoid the coming strike.
Tsubasa's face lit up with resolution.
And with a single, powerful swing, brought its full might down on Hibiki.
~A sword of valor and honor, a blade that gathers the heavenly clouds!~
"Sing, Sword of Virtue That Brings Forth the Dawn!"
AND THE BLADE SHONE
"AME-NO-MURAKUMO!"
And thus, Western Tokyo was consumed in a sea of flame.
-!-
The entire world lit up right in front of their eyes.
S.O.N.G HQ rocked as if an earthquake had hit it, the full power of Tsubasa's attack blinding them completely. Hot white light erased everything from their display, and the various crew members cringed and groaned and covered their eyes from the sun that was suddenly born in the middle of the city.
Everyone held on for dear life except for Genjuro, who look straight ahead at the light with an even expression. The shouts and cries of his crew members were understandable, but he held no fear or worry for their well-being, since he knew they would be okay and that the violent shaking will cease soon enough.
No, he was more worried about the city, and the combatants within. Having unleashed Susano'o's most powerful relic, he was worried that this time Tsubasa had completely overdone it, even if he knew about the special properties it contained.
Only the Kazanaris were aware of the true qualities it had, for the original sword, more commonly known as Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi, is in fact stored and enshrined at the Kazanari's original stronghold at Izumo, now known as Chugoku Province.
And he knew a lot about it. So much in fact, that he could guess exactly the extent of the damage that this final attack had dealt.
They were gonna be in one hell of a surprise if he was right.
Behind him, Miku groaned as she covered her eyes, attempting to hide away from the light. He glanced back to her for a moment, then turned his eyes back to the screen, which was already beginning to clear away.
'Please, be enough.'
-!-
Saint-Germain had never believed in luck or in fortune in her life. She had always gone by her own strength and her own will, forcing fate to bend to her whim as she moved forward, not stopping for anything.
But if there was one time she could consider herself lucky, it was this exact moment. Having made her way into Itabashi ward during her attempts to defend the shelter, she was miraculously saved when ALL of Western Tokyo between Nerima and Ota wards and everything in them, including buildings, Noise, Alca-Noise, and even the black beasts were all engulfed by a tsunami of fire that erupted from the heart of Shibuya ward outwards in a gargantuan cone that razed to the ground absolutely everything it touched without exception or reservation.
Her eyes widened at the total destruction caused by the flames, and she could easily tell who was the one that had caused it. 'Has she completely lost her mind as well?' She wondered. Raising her hand to the comm, she called for headquarters. "This is Saint-Germain. Please give a status report."
She was met with static momentarily before Aoi spoke up weakly. "Give...me...a moment…"
Waiting for an answer, she studied the massive difference between where she was now and the charred areas. It was like the heat didn't even touch anything beyond the line of Western Tokyo, leaving a very disturbing difference, like a separation between Heaven and Hell.
"St. Germain-san, do you copy?" Aoi asked her.
"Yes. What's our status? What was the extent of the damage?"
"Only the aboveground was razed," Aoi answered her, causing the alchemist to narrow her eyes. "All of the shelters have been left completely untouched, and all hostile signatures have been absolutely erased without a trace. The only Noise and black beast signals are now coming from the Eastern half of the city."
"I see," She answered. So this was a calculated effort on Kazanari Tsubasa's part? Take down all of the enemies in the area while still dealing the maximum amount of damage she could?
That was fairly smart, she had to admit. Even though nothing remained of the western wards except ash, all of the people were still alive while everything else in them was eliminated. A bit tad excessive in her opinion, but still effective.
Now to see if it gave them the result they wanted.
-!-
Smoke and steam rose from everywhere as Tsubasa's attack ended. Rising back to her feet slowly, the light covering her sword died down and shattered in her hand, leaving her once again unarmed.
Ame-no-Murakumo was the final and most powerful attack that she held in store. While she still had others she could use, none were as nearly as potent as it was. The mere setup that required it was more than a massive undertaking, but in the end bore fruit. She had contained the full damage to just the western part of the city, aiming for the rogue wielder and all of the enemy units that were still prowling the streets. While she realized she could have held it back a bit more, she knew she couldn't allow it.
And besides, the entire area was already burning to the ground anyway, and it would have turned out this way whether or not she used that attack. It was better to put an end to the battle as fast as possible, as her time was running short. The storm overhead was already beginning to pass over as she could see the tiniest bit of the night sky far on the horizon. While that wasn't any indication of time in any regard, she still had to watch out lest she be left in Hibiki's mercy.
But it seems she has achieved results today anyway, for in the very middle of what remained of the street, and surrounded by burning and smouldering wreckage, was Hibiki. She was laying sprawled out on the ground, her face downwards.
"It seems this is our victory, Hibiki." Tsubasa announced.
With this, this entire incident is finally over. All that's left to do is remove Gungnir and the divine power and they could finally have her back. While she hadn't had the slightest clue how they would do so, they achieved the first step in getting to that goal: stopping her rampage.
Hibiki ended up a short distance from her due to the power of the attack, so Tsubasa took slow steps forward. "It's time to come home, dear sister."
She stood over her, looking down on her with a sad smile. 'I will have a lot to answer for, but as long as we get Hibiki back, I have no regrets.'
And she reached down.
Only for her instincts, both ingrained in her blood and in her training to scream loudly all at once, and she immediately summoned a new blade to block the surprise blow. Having been caught off guard, she was launched across the ruined street back all the way to where Shibuya crossing used to be, and looked at where Hibiki had laid just a moment before.
The rogue wielder rose on unsteady feet, trembling slightly. "This...isn't over yet!" She panted, her breaths coming in deeply.
And Tsubasa watched in shock and horror as space tore open, and to each side of Hibiki parallel dimensions suddenly erupted to all sides, all displaying the rogue wielder in her entirety. They spread out for a dozen meters, hanging in the air for a moment before rapidly collapsing right into her.
'Oh no, this is just like-!'
The light died down, and there Hibiki stood, apparently none the worse for wear yet still panting as all of the damage she incurred was erased in but a second!
"Impossible!"
-!-
This time, Genjuro could not help but contain his horror.
"How...unfortunate," Adam said evenly. "It seems our luck...has finally run out."
That line was delivered with such finality no one could argue with it.
They had worked painstakingly hard to get this far. Whether it be surviving Hibiki's initial onslaughts, to creating the Super Ignite Module, to surpassing the hells it brought, to holding back the army of Noise and beasts, and finally to go so far as to summon a facet of Susano'o to the Earth, all in order to finally bring Hibiki back.
They had cried blood, sweat, and tears in order to make that possible. Tokyo was reduced to rubble in the battles as they fought their hardest to save her.
And in the end…
It was just not enough.
The ability Hibiki had displayed was the one ability they'd hoped she wouldn't develop. The same power as the Divine Weapon: the ability to open up holes to alternate dimensions, and exchange the damage incurred with another undamaged copy. While it left her exhausted from the unexpected use, all of Tsubasa's efforts...essentially boiled down to nothing. It was only a matter of time before Hibiki catches her breath and renews the fight, leaving Tsubasa without her strongest attacks. While he didn't doubt that she'd be able to keep fighting, sooner than later the storm will pass and Susano'o will be gone.
And then everything they'd done would have been for naught.
Genjuro wracked his brain. He tried to think of anything, anything, that might turn this situation around.
But...there just wasn't.
All that was left...was the last resort he hoped he'd never use.
He leaned forward, and spoke up with pain in his heart. "Elfnein-kun,"
The homunculus, who had her eyes glued to the screen, looked to him. He met her gaze, and he could see her eyes glistening with unshed tears as he realized she too...had reached the same conclusion.
Her gaze was begging him not to say it. To not say the words he was going to say. That he was going to have a different solution that didn't have to end up like this.
But in the end...her wish was not granted.
"We...have no other choice now."
He could see the moment her heart broke in her chest, and she glanced behind him...to the person who's going to have to bear the burden.
Genjuro rose up to his full height. "Tomosato, you have the bridge. Please keep Saint-Germain updated about any endangered shelters on the eastern side."
She nodded, and went to work as command was transferred to her.
That left one thing.
He turned around fully, his gaze falling upon Miku, who had her hands covering her mouth in shock at what she saw on the screen. "Miku-kun...please come with me," He said. The girl dropped her arms to her sides as she looked at him in bewilderment. "There is something...that we must discuss."
He headed over to the door of the bridge, and Elfnein was quick to rise up from her console to follow him. Miku looked to the commander of S.O.N.G and the homunculus in confusion, but did as he asked and followed them out.
-!-
Genjuro walked ahead, and the two girls had to run slightly in order to catch up to him. Elfnein knew what his destination was, and so she walked beside him as he led the way, Miku right on their heels.
After weaving around several hallways of the submarine, the three of them finally reached their destination: Elfnein's lab.
"Miku-kun, please come with us inside." He said, gesturing her forward. She looked up to him, still puzzled at what he was referring to, and her heart beat rapidly in her chest, not sure what to expect. The door closed behind her and locked, separating them from the rest of the submarine. Behind him, Elfnein tinkered with something Miku could not see, and a moment later Genjuro turned around to take something from the small homunculus, then turned back to the black haired girl.
His golden eyes met her innocent green ones, and his heart shattered at the thought of what he was about to do. His expression fell, and she tilted her head in worry. "Genjuro-san?" She asked with concern.
He took a deep breath, steeling himself for what was to come. "First thing I'd like to do Miku-kun...is apologize."
She narrowed her eyes, having not a clue what he was talking about. He continued. "I'd like to say I'm sorry...for seeing you as nothing more than an extension of Hibiki-kun. Everything I've done until now has been with the utmost intention of making sure she lived happily, that she would be able to achieve her dream and that she'll never lose sight of herself. As a result, I ended up seeing you as nothing as a means for an end, and for that I'd like to say I'm truly sorry."
She blinked her eyes several times at him, taken aback by his sudden and out of place confession. "Genjuro-san, I-"
"But there's more than that, Miku-kun," He added, cutting her off. "I promised her a lot of things. A lot of things that unfortunately I have to break, because...we just don't have a choice anymore. We did our best to get her back...for our sake, your sake...and her sake. But our power was just...not enough. You've been with us this entire time, and I'm sure that as you watched you felt severely out of place, haven't you?"
Her eyes widened, making him realize he was correct. Of course he knew he was correct, it was after all a part of his plan.
But that didn't make this any easier.
"I'd like to thank you, Miku-kun, for standing by our side throughout this whole ordeal," He said, clenching his one closed fist a bit harder. He extended it to her, and she stared at his large hand with uncertainty.
"Genjuro-san?"
"I...don't have the right to ask this of you, especially after what you've been through. It's going against everything that I believe, and it only hammers deeper in the fact that I've failed to do as I promised. And I cannot even imagine the sorrow and pain you've been going through, praying and hoping that we'll finally succeed."
Her heart beat even more rapidly, and she clenched her shirt tightly with her hand. A certain part of her mind, a part that she'd thought was long gone, spoke to her in that moment...and whispered to her something she never thought she'd hear again.
"But we didn't. We failed, Miku-kun. All of our efforts were for naught, and we have been left with no choice…but to come to you for help."
She gasped.
'No...he wouldn't…'
Behind him, Elfnein held her hands together, looking to Miku with tears in her eyes.
And that told the black haired girl more than enough.
In that moment, his giant fist opened.
And both her mind and her heart ceased to function as she took in the sight of what was in his hand.
For what lay in his open palm…
Was a tiny red pendant.
Her gaze moved up slowly to look at him straight in the eyes.
And look upon his defeated and sorrowful expression.
"Miku-kun...there's something I'd like to ask of you…"
