"November 6th, 1500 hours. This is the twelfth experiment, testing any possible reactions of the severed black beast arm to a more concentrated Anti-LiNKER formula," Elfnein said, making sure the recording device could hear her voice clearly. Wearing her full containment suit and with the Anti-LiNKER syringe in hand, she approached the container which housed the severed black arm, still in full piece after all this time. On the table a bit further away, Adam's head rested silently, watching her work with interest. "Sample now contains 50 mGs of dopamine, an increase of 7.89 mG over the previous experiment. Will now test for reactions."

Carefully, Elfnein reached over to the black arm inside the container, the syringe pointed towards it. Lightly pressing its end towards the limb, she counted down. "In 3...2...1…"

And pressed. The sound of the liquid rushing into the arm filled the air, and she took a step back, turning her head towards her console where the observations were taking place. She waited, and watched as the numbers began to change.

"Increase in mass detected, now watching for any possible mutations…"

She looked carefully as the representation of the Anti-LiNKER inside the scan of the arm flowed into it like blood through veins, circulating through it for about a minute…

Before it, like every other time during the test, was absorbed and dissipated, leaving nothing but the black diagram of the limb completely unchanged. Other than the minuscule increase in mass, no other reactions were detected that were noteworthy.

Just like every other time, Elfnein slumped in disappointment, iffed about the fact she had failed to discover anything new. Adam let out a chuckle, and spoke up. "An ambitious attempt, homunculus, but I'm afraid this is where your experiments come to an end," He said in a strange sense of finality, causing the short girl to turn to him, staring at him through her containment suit. "There is simply no further use for this arm, that is all."

"What do you mean by that?" She asked him.

"There is nothing further to be gleaned from it," He answered. "As I have stated before, it was useful for the moment we required it, but that is no longer. The god-slaying power will be useless now that the divine power will be completely corrupted. There is nothing that it can do to its own self, after all."

"Completely corrupted…" She repeated in shock.

He chuckled once more. "Of course, what did you expect? The outcome of that battle a month ago has already reached its final stage by now. The next time we see her, it will be very, very different from what we have faced until now. It might frustrate you, but the Shenshoujing is the last dependable tool that we have; the rest simply do not have what it takes."

Elfnein tilted her head down, saddened by his words. "I just thought-"

"That you might be able to find an alternate solution. A commendable effort, but in the end meaningless. The arm simply has no further use for us, no matter what you try," Adam continued, interrupting her before she could finish speaking. He raised an eyebrow in thought. "Although...maybe we could have a use for it. After all, we have someone on board who is missing an arm of her own, does she not?"

Her eyes widened at his implications. "Wait, you don't mean-!"

He then laughed, confusing her further. "I jest, you do not need to take me seriously," He said. His smile then dropped as he explained his meaning. "To try and connect this arm to a living being would be an exercise in futility, unless of course we want Saint-Germain to go completely berserk the moment it is attached. Otherwise, it would be best to leave this matter be and focus on something else, perhaps a method to strengthen our defenses or some way to boost the Symphogears' capabilities for the coming battle."

"Are you sure we should just stop? Who knows what we might be able to discover with further study." She argued, trying to find some way past his claims.

"Have you managed to find out anything in the past month?" He asked, raising an eyebrow in her direction. She fell silent, realizing he was right. There have been no new discoveries regarding the arm or the nature of the curses themselves more than what they already knew. "Then there you go. Change focus before you waste anymore time running in circles around a dead bush."

She sagged once more, and placed the lid back on the container where the arm rested. "I just...wish there was something more I could do."

"We all have our own role in this narrative. Whether it is an active or passive one matters little, as the whole story depends on all of the details working together in harmony," He said in a strange, cryptic tone. "You should know what your own is by now."

"Yes…" She answered. But then she turned to him, and removed her helmet, letting him see her now narrowed eyes. "But what is yours?"

His face lit up in a smirk. "A mere supporting actor, that's who I am. I believe my own use has come to an end as well, as from now I cannot help but give you ominous warnings. The fact that my information is lacking bothers me greatly."

"In what way?"

"I have no knowledge of what rose up from within the Shenshoujing, so I do not know its nature. How does it act, and what can I expect from it? What will it truly be able to accomplish...and will it truly be enough to defeat the curses." He answered.

"But we already confirmed it can," Elfnein told him. "We've already seen what it can do with our own eyes. Why won't it be enough?"

"Because it's an unknown, and unknowns are always unpredictable." Was his answer.

The homunculus turned away from him, not continuing the conversation.

Of course he wouldn't know about it, since no one told him. But she did, and Saint-Germain swore her to secrecy, especially in front of Adam Weishaupt. While Elfnein did not exactly understand why they should hide it from him, in the end she relented to the alchemist's words and decided to keep quiet.

It was obvious Saint-Germain still suspected him and his motives. He may have assisted them up until now, but that did not mean he wouldn't turn on them when their backs were turned. As a result, it would be prudent to keep as much information from him as possible, just so he had nothing to use against them in the future.

She found it a bit...cruel, even if it was him. He had freely shared information with them, citing it as a tactical necessity for both their cause and his own, but they were going as far as to hide something like this from him.

But did it matter? Elfnein had a hunch that he might already know something was up that they were not telling him. The fact that he was keeping quiet about it was...strange, and in some ways alarming. But they couldn't be bothered to care about him at the moment, as anything Hibiki could do would probably be more worrisome than anything he could do right now. He was after all just an immobile head, only serving to run his mouth when he wanted to. He still hadn't made his demands known, so that was something else to be wary of.

They were essentially cornered. On one side was Hibiki who had the ability to be wildly unpredictable and could spring absolutely anything on them that they hadn't seen before, and on the other was Adam, who was planning things right in broad daylight and there was nothing they could do about it. Locking him away somewhere wouldn't help anyone, so now they had to tolerate him.

If Saint-Germain said she'd keep her eye on him, then Elfnein trusted her she will. Their job was to deal with Hibiki and the curses after all…

But Elfnein wanted to be able to do more. Giving the tablet to Shirabe to work the simulator was one thing, but anything else...she wanted to be a part of the solution, not reap the rewards while they fought so hard outside.

"You're overthinking it once more, homunculus," Adam said, noticing her distress. "Letting your mind wander to unnecessary lengths won't do you any good. You're a smart girl, I trust that all the knowledge you inherited from Carol Dienheim is useful for something."

She didn't say anything in response to him. Spending a month with this severed head was tiring, even for her. But he was right, she had to focus.

The arm had no further use, Adam didn't know of All the Hopes of this World, and the divine power's corruption is probably total at this point.

What could she do about any of those points?

In the end, all that was left for her was to think in silence in the confines of her own lab.

-!-

"Well ladies, here we are," Genjuro said, standing in front of the six fully clad Symphogear wielders, all of them standing in a line in front of him. "It's been a long five weeks, and I have to say I am very proud of your progress. In such a short amount of time you've been able to improve yourself beyond what I thought was possible, and each and every one of you has to be commended for the hard work you've put into this."

It was one hell of a complement to receive. All of them sans Miku smiled, still fairly tired from their earlier exercise; they knew however that something more was coming, and that it was still not over quite yet. This was merely a small evaluation, nothing concrete, so they could not let pride cloud their judgment.

Miku studied him carefully as he continued. "So, we're going to be having our first full battle simulation today," He announced. The girls looked between each other for a moment, and he spoke up once again. "It will be simple: what we will do is simulate a full scale battle. One of you will be designated as the target to defeat, while the others will work together to eliminate that target. Said target will also be accompanied by Noise and black beasts, so it's up to the remaining five to work together to eliminate them all and subdue the target."

"That seems...kind of dangerous, doesn't it?" Maria asked putting a hand on her chin in thought.

"Perhaps, but it's necessary. It's the only real way of putting a grade on your progress," He answered. "Now, as to who is going to be the target…"

He thought about it for a moment, looking between the six of them. His eyes settled on his niece. "Tsubasa, you'll be the target," He declared, causing the others to look to her. She closed her eyes and nodded, accepting the position wordlessly. He continued his explanation immediately after. "You'll be fighting in Super Ignite mode, while the rest of you stay in your normal configuration. We need to have a clear cut difference in power for this to truly simulate what will happen on the battlefield, as well as how you've fought so far. I expect 200% from each and every one of you."

"Very well," Tsubasa cut in, crossing her arms. "Where should I place myself?"

"At the farthest end of the city on the western side. We will all go to the eastern side and begin from there; once we are ready, I will give the signal to start. Tsubasa, your goal is to defeat all five of them, so in essence you're in a disadvantage...but that shouldn't be a problem. Emulate an enemy as effectively as you can, and show no mercy. Also, Miku-kun...you are free to use your beams as you wish. Tsubasa...don't get hit by those."

The idol huffed. "Acknowledged," She said, lowering her arms. "Then, I'll head to my designated position. Everyone...don't hold back against me. I will be coming at you with my full power."

"Don't worry Tsubasa, we won't." Maria answered with a smirk, causing Tsubasa to smile. Turning in the direction of the west, Tsubasa jumped up and away. As she disappeared from their sight, Genjuro turned back to the others, gesturing with his head to the opposite side.

"Then let's go."

He led the way, and the remaining five followed after him quietly, the only sound accompanying them being Shirabe's wheels as she slid after them.

Once again Miku found herself lost in thought as they walked, weaving through the illusionary bright streets. She didn't even know what day it was, or what time it was, or even the outside still existed. Having not left the submarine even once during the last five weeks, the very concept of time became meaningless to her. It was just one moment passing to the next, and every one of those moments was spent training, honing her mind to achieve that one singular desire.

Nothing else mattered other than it, and as a result even existence itself lost meaning.

Only a smiling, amber eyed figure appeared in her mind, and with that image she moved forward, determined to break down the walls that stood in her path to it. But her fists were not strong enough to destroy those walls, and so she had agreed to this training that initially seemed to her like a farce.

Now, five weeks since it has begun, she could feel it in her very self. The strength in her arms, the fire in her blood, they were all the means to achieve that wish, now tempered exactly to fit its course.

The enemy waited on the edge, having beckoned to her since the day it had appeared.

She regained focus when Genjuro spoke up, raising a hand to his ear. "Tsubasa, are you in position?"

"Yes."

"Good, then you may activate Super Ignite when you wish. Once you do, the exercise starts."

"Acknowledged." She said, and connection was cut.

He turned to the five girls before him. "Work together to overcome the threat. Any Noise or beast you do not eliminate will only be a thorn in your side, remember. Trust each other, see through each other's moves, and cut the path towards the enemy. In Super Ignite, you all know that Tsubasa especially is particularly strong. She doesn't need to channel that overwhelming power she had last time to wipe the floor with you if you are not careful. Time your attacks, see through openings, and most of all be aware of your surroundings. Tsubasa is a crafty one, therefore you must be crafty yourself."

"Is this why you picked her to be the target?" Shirabe asked.

"Yes, since not only does she have the most experience, she also knows Hibiki-kun's mindset well enough to imitate it. Out of all of you, only she will come close to emulating the threat that we are trying to overcome. Absurd power combined with bothersome cleverness, a combination that will surely be difficult to defeat. Use this chance as a way to further your understanding of each other, and of Hibiki-kun."

And Miku instantly realized what this whole thing meant.

'You're imitating the way you tricked me.'

Rather than make her believe he was the demon, he was shifting that title onto Tsubasa, someone she was less inclined to hurt. Not only that, but this was a test meant just for her: can she face that enemy without losing her composure?

Those five weeks were all meant to bring her to that answer. Five weeks after that first trick of his, he was trying it again.

And now, he wanted to see whether or not she'll fall for it again. If she'd let him trick her again.

She looked to him with her eyes narrowed, and he met her gaze in the middle. 'I know what you're planning.' She thought in her mind, as if she was sending that thought to him through telepathy.

And as if he had received it, he smiled.

At that moment, black light flowed over the horizon, making their heads turn to its source.

"That's the signal," He said. At his cue, the air shimmered as countless amounts of Noise and black beasts materialized throughout the city, programmed to turn only on the five of them. "Ready?"

They crouched low, turning to the direction the black light came from.

"GO!"

(Play: Dynasty Warriors 8 Xtreme Legends OST - Strength, Weakness)

Unlike what initially thought, they did not launch in the same direction. Rather than piercing through the Noise in front of them like a tidal wave, the five wielders all went in separate directions, surging towards different streets.

'That's right, each one of them is a force of their own. A thousand-no, each one of the wielders is worth 10,000 Noise and 1,000 black beasts. Right now, there is no need for a huge army to reinforce their charge. They each know their role in the grand scheme of things, so now they must show and prove they are capable of carrying through that role to the end.'

Chris jumped onto one of the overlooking buildings, gaining sight of the entirety of the city. Her eyes scanned the area, looking around to pinpoint Tsubasa's location. It was already obvious that the Ame-no-Habakiri wielder would be on the move, trying to hide her presence from them until it was the time to strike. She would try to pick them off one by one so she would not get overwhelmed.

Would Hibiki try that same tactic? Chris didn't know, but at this point it was impossible to know. But it didn't matter, because Chris' role was simple:

The observer, the lookout, and the indomitable defensive juggernaut that could not be toppled. She was the ultimate defense, as the massive area of effect her attacks had were second to none amongst the wielders. And with her hawk-like eyes, she would be able to pinpoint any singular target among the many, regardless of where they were.

And it just so happened that she saw it, a whooshing of air behind the replica of the highest office building in the central city. Her machine guns materialized in her hands, and she shouted out her words. "SHE'S IN THE SOUTHWEST!"

Cutting through the Noise with the strikes of her fan, Miku took a sharp turn, and immediately headed in the direction Chris had indicated. Boosting off the ground at breakneck speeds, she took into the air, rising above the city and the hostile army that had targeted her. Now that the black beasts or the ground-bound Noise couldn't follow her, she was left with only one type of enemy to overcome: the flying Noise, all of which immediately turned to aim at her.

But her role was not to cut down the Noise.

Before they could even think about trying to impede her path, a barrage of bullets tore into them, ripping them to pieces right in front of her eyes. Stopping for absolutely nothing, she charged forward, Chris' volley blasting all the enemies in her path, leaving not a single one alive to get in her way.

Meanwhile, Maria headed towards the center of the city, right where the plaza lay. Her own role in was simple: due to her endurance, she was to be the bait. She is the target that all the enemies see first and foremost, and her plan was to lure them all to her.

It worked like a charm. Her sword shining with light, she sliced through the ranks of the Noise with ease. The simulated black beasts instantly began to charge at her, their eyes locked on the closest target. She dodged under a wild slash, and parried another, the darkened claws sliding against the side of her blade as she passed through. Noise and beasts alike were thrown about by the force of her charge, further turning their attention on her.

It took her exactly fifteen seconds to reach the plaza, where the largest concentration of enemies was. She jumped above the flood of the Noise, hanging in the air for a moment, and then descended on them like meteor, her sword becoming a storm of instant death as it tore them apart in nothing but glancing blows. She landed on the free space she opened up for herself, and stood to her full height, presenting an easy and simple target.

And the mindless monsters fell for it hook, line, and sinker. Completely forgetting that there were other wielders in the area, both the Noise and the beasts could only scan the area for the closest one, which was Maria. Chris, Kirika, Shirabe, and Miku might as well be non-existent in their eyes now, as the silver clad Symphogear user shone so brightly, attracting them like moths to a flame.

Of course, that wouldn't draw all of them in, as there were just so many of them that all the enemies on the outer ridges of the formation wouldn't even be able to reach her.

But that was not her role. No, that was something specifically designed for the twin blades of Zababa. Heading off in different directions, Shirabe and Kirika's job was also a simple one: to be the shepherds. To be the perimeter guards, and make sure to box the Noise in.

And thus, their own formation came into being:

Kirika and Shirabe on the outside, running circles around the perimeter of the city to ensure no enemy would leave their sphere of influence.

Maria on the inside, the glowing lamp that drew all the inner Noise towards the center where they could be swiftly eliminated. Had this been a regular battle, that is where Tsubasa would have been too, helping her act as bait.

Chris, the lookout that scouted for important targets as well as relieved the tension off of anyone that required it. Her long range and incredible vision were both critical for their success, and she could also eliminate any wayward enemy not lured by Maria and not herded by Kirika and Shirabe.

And of course, Miku, the one who would engage the most important target head on. With her unique properties, she would defeat cut off the enemy commander, and bring disorder to all those under them. Of course, the Noise and the black beasts were not exactly such obedient troops, but it mattered not, for victory against the most daunting enemy is what they required, nothing more.

From her vantage point, Chris studied the battlefield carefully. It had all gone according to plan so far, and she could see that the vast majority of the enemy units were in fact busy with at least one of the wielders at all times. With Maria drawing the attention of all the ones in the center, and the Zababa duo the ones on the outskirts, it gave her free reign to truly rain down hellfire upon them.

With the Noise and black beasts occupied by her teammates, Miku flew through the air, her visor scanning her surroundings for any sign of Tsubasa. She was stealthy, she had to give her that. Barely a moment after activating the Ignite Module she had already disappeared, not leaving behind even a trace of her movements.

But...that was not a problem for Miku.

There was something they had discovered in one of the exercises during the last two weeks, when they finally went back to practicing using the fully armored Symphogears. At the times the Ignite Module was used, there was something that plainly stood out to them when it came to Miku.

She would always know where the target was. Even in the one on one duels they had, she could, without fail, track down her sparring opponent without anyone understanding why.

Until they finally did, and that made all the difference.

All the Evils of this World and All the Hopes of this World were more than just polar opposites, more than just antitheses of each other. While the light of the Hopes would always triumph, there was another quality to their connection that highlighted it. And because the current Ignite Module hosted a portion of those curses, it finally dawned on them what it meant.

They were in fact also like poles on a magnet. They were eternally drawn to come into conflict, only held back by forces stronger than they were; however, whenever the time came for Miku to stand up to fight, she always seemed to be essentially stuck to her opponent, never letting them escape even from her arm's length; and so were her opponents also unable to stop fighting until the Ignite Module gave out on its own.

Yes, the concept of All the Hopes of this World brought with it another oddity: to always know where its enemy was, in every shape or form. Whether it was a tiny fragment inside of a Symphogear, or a full manifestation of its influence, the bearer of All the Hopes of this World will always be able to track down its nemesis.

It was akin to a sixth sense, a tingling in the back of her mind that pointed her in the right direction every single time, letting her find her target very easily.

Tsubasa will not be able to hide from her, and she knows it. Her tactic was doomed to fail from the start...but that was part of the plan. This was a simulation of the coming final battle, and it only stood to reason that she will be the one to finally bring everything to an end.

Miku wouldn't let anyone else do it even if they could. She was the one who was going to save Hibiki and defeat All the Evils of this World once and for all, and take back their happy days.

The entire world could go to hell for all she cared.

She felt the tingling, and took a hard right, turning around to a different part of the city. Leaving the cannon fodder to the rest, she lowered her altitude, entering the streets proper as she flew through them. She could feel that Tsubasa was in the general area closer to Kirika, but other than her location she didn't know anything more.

It was then she saw it. Even with her vision slightly obstructed by the visor, she could still see the black light in her sight, a clear contrast to the white, polished look of the city.

'You can't escape from me.'

It was a thought that rang out in her mind, directed at the evil manifest she was seeing. That's right...the target was not Tsubasa...no, the target was the curses, and that's what she was going to eliminate.

She could see it. The silhouette moved to the corner of the building it was standing behind, waiting for her approach. 'I can see you light as day!'

It would be a quick victory. Grasping her fan with both hands, she lowered herself to the ground as much as she could, almost touching it, still flying ahead to her destination.

There was only a hundred meters between them, and in a fight like this a hundred meters were like a few single millimeters. Her thrusters flared, and she accelerated to high speeds, coming upon the corner the blackness hid behind.

And just as she rounded it, she swung in a powerful arc, intent on cutting it down instantly. Only…

"What?!"

To meet thin air.

'How?!'

Her fan passed by absolutely nothing, the crescent of light she had intended to use against Tsubasa leaving her fan to carve its path of destruction through the street, searing into the illusionary buildings.

She was tricked?! Again?! But how-

Her instincts kicked in right in that moment.

"NOT GOOD ENOUGH, MIKU!"

She came out of nowhere. Miku only had a second to look up to see Tsubasa coming down on her with her sword intent on running her through. Not giving in to shock, she jumped out of the way just in time, the black blade embedding in the ground where she stood a moment before.

'How...how did she do that?!'

"You must be surprised, but that's part of what the commander was saying; always be aware of your surroundings. For even the senses you rely on the most could betray you, especially ones you are not used to." Tsubasa said, pulling her sword out of the hole. "I was able to deceive you by working it against you. Don't expect Hibiki to not pull the same tricks, Miku."

"An afterimage…" Miku murmured, honestly surprised.

"Indeed," Tsubasa confirmed, raising her blade. "Now come, Miku! Show me your resolve! Show me the power that will bring Hibiki back to us!"

There was no need to tell her twice. Holding her fan with both hands again, Miku charged forward, and Tsubasa brought her sword up to block the swing. "Your power has vastly improved, excellent," The sword wielder said, feeling herself pushed back by the strike. "However, that will not be enough!"

She pushed her away, and with a quick swing aimed for her opponent's neck. The Shenshoujing user quickly pulled her fan back, letting the blade slide against it harmlessly before twisting on her foot, and using the added weight on her legs struck with a vicious kick. Confused by the sudden maneuver, Tsubasa put her sword in the path of the blow, intending to cut the leg off.

Only for the bulky knee guards to repel the sword violently, catching Tsubasa off guard. Before her head could be struck, she ducked under the kick, feeling the wind buffeting her hair about. But Miku was not done yet, and the moment her foot touched the ground she spun again, this time her other leg coming up in a swift back kick. Realizing she won't be able to block it as well as she would have liked, Tsubasa opted to retreat, jumping back away from her range.

"Magnificent legwork, Miku," She said, watching as Miku balanced herself back on both feet. "A far cry from what you were just five weeks prior. You would have made an amazing fighter should you have chosen to do so."

Holding her sword with both hands, Tsubasa held her ground. "However, I know the reason why you did not...and it is as worthy as any! That heat, that determination...how I want to see it shine and drown out the Evils in its light!"

She dodged the burst of light Miku sent her way, moving her head to the side. "But you'll have to give more than that, Miku!"

Her charge was lightning fast. The single swing turned into many, cutting off all means of retreat. And Miku could see it, as the black blade suddenly multiplied in her vision into many, all coming down to slice into her.

Too bad that won't work.

The dome of light that had been seen only once beforehand returned in full force, creating a barrier between herself and the electrified blade. Once again Tsubasa's weapon was repulsed, her fast strikes blocked before even they could attempt to find purchase. The sword was flung from her hand, and she backpedaled away from Miku before she could be hit by the follow up swing from the fan.

Taking the opportunity while her opponent was unarmed, Miku closed the distance in a single step. But Tsubasa was not harmless even with her weapon out of her hand, and her dodging ability was second only to the swift-as-the-wind Shirabe. The light that began to envelop the fan was not even able to graze the Ame-no-Habakiri wielder, who could predict the black haired girl's swings with frightening accuracy.

Her opportunity for a counterattack presented itself. As the fan came down to strike her again, she acted boldly and slammed her palm against its side, throwing it off course. The brief contact caused a tiny bit of smoke to rise from her hand, but her plan was already in motion. Shuffling her feet, Tsubasa closed the distance, and grabbed Miku's wrist before she could pull back to gain some distance. Tsubasa's armored hand began smoking immediately, but she did not hold on long enough for there to be any sort of notice damage.

She threw her. Spinning on her heel Tsubasa twirled, Miku being dragged by her momentum, only to be thrown against the side of the building next to them. Quickly the blue haired idol materialized another sword in her hand and slashed down at Miku, her blade slicing through the air with a scream.

Only to pull back in the last possible second as a wheel of green death passed by where she stood a second before. She took a step back and threw her head to the side, spotting the interruption.

"I'm here to help!" Kirika shouted, her arm still extended after having thrown her scythe. She brought forth another to her hand and charged, forcing Tsubasa to disengage from Miku and aim for her instead. The swordswoman's strike was quick, but having anticipated her attack, Kirika decided to try something completely different. She smashed her scythe into the ground and jumped, releasing her hold on the handle just as Tsubasa's sword clanged loudly against it. Flipping in mid air, she twisted as she avoided the idol's follow up blow, landing a distance away.

Tsubasa immediately turned to face her, leaving her back open. Smirking, Kirika tugged on the thin string in her hand, causing the swordswoman to hurriedly turn back as the scythe was violently dislodged, it's sharp edge trapping her in. She quickly raised her sword, and the inside of the polearm crashed against it, causing her to skid across the ground as sparks flew from the impact point. Materializing another scythe in her open hand, Kirika swung hard, trapping the Super Ignite user in between two sharp edges.

But it was just a moment too late.

In a display of unparalleled agility, Tsubasa disengaged from the lock, and with a skillfull twist of her body jumped off the ground, the two blades passing below and above her simultaneously. She landed back on her feet and spun, her sword leaving behind a trail of light as it cut through the air. Just in time the scythe that was connected by the string returned to its owner's hand, and she expertly blocked the blow. However, it had a lot of power behind it and forced her back, her feet skidding against the ground.

Before she could charge again, Tsubasa swiftly turned around to parry the fan that came down on her back, forcing Miku off balance. The Shenshoujing wielder quickly regained her footing and swung again, a ray of violet light following her strike. Realizing she had nothing to deflect this time, Tsubasa ducked low, her entire back arching as the light passed over her harmlessly. She followed it up by cartwheeling, the blades on her feet crashing against the fan's second pass, forcing it away. She jumped back as soon as she got back on her feet, and raised her sword in preparation, smoke rising from her feet.

It didn't take long into training to figure out the Shenshoujing's weak point, something that Tsubasa made sure to be aware of at all times: it required constant contact with the target in order to enact its relic-erasing property, and that was something that could be easily avoided if one was careful enough. So long as contact was kept to a minimum, it just wouldn't have enough time to do any significant damage and thus be rendered completely useless.

Essentially putting Miku in a spot where she had to be up close and personal with the enemy, leaving her open to any potential dangerous counterattacks.

But that was exactly why they were practicing. This way, Miku could gauge reactions and act accordingly. It worked both ways after all, as any enemy aware of her capabilities would know that a straight up deadlock with her would end in her victory. And considering who their enemy was, it would definitely know this fact, and try to keep its distance or strike her with powerful blows that will leave her unable to respond.

Which was exactly what Tsubasa was banking on.

But of course, she wasn't alone.

As if on cue, a gigantic missile roared towards Tsubasa's location from behind her. It sped towards her at high speeds, sending gale winds through the streets. The Ame-no-Habakiri wielder quickly glanced back, only to see a bright light from the corner of her eye rapidly approaching. Caught in a sudden pincer, the thrusters on her feet lit up, and she jumped, barely avoiding the two.

The beam of light Miku had fired washed over the missile as it passed by Tsubasa's previous location, and was summarily erased from existence. The sword wielder flipped in mid air just in time to realize Chris was aiming at her from afar, and raised her blade to block the sniper bullet, crashing against her sword and forcing her back.

And then she had to twist her body once more as a giant sawblade sliced through the air, passing by where she'd been a second before. Planting her feet against its side, she thrusted forward, putting considerable distance between herself and the others.

'They're slowly cutting off my retreat,' Tsubasa understood. 'Picking them off one by one will be difficult...now, what would Hibiki do in this situation, as she is now?'

It was a strange thought to have now of all times, but it was a necessary one. She was supposed to emulate her as much as possible, at least from what she remembered of her. 'However, I've wasted too much time dodging, I must go on the offensive at the first opportunity.'

She landed on one of the roofs, and immediately rolled to the side as another huge sawblade cut the building in half. Stumbling momentarily, she jumped to another rooftop, barely avoiding the barrage of bullets that threatened to catch up to her.

But Shirabe was faster, and once more used her sawblades to slice the building Tsubasa was on. 'She's trying to get rid of my high ground advantage...that's bothersome,' She said to herself. Glancing to the ground, she saw as both Miku and Kirika were right below her, running parallel to her position. 'I have to start doing something about this.'

The building began collapsing, and thinking on the fly Tsubasa summoned a Heaven's Wrath sword, the giant blade embedding itself by the sharp edge into the side of the building. She quickly raced up its length, and then summoned another. It hung in the air momentarily before it began to fall, and she quickly jumped to it, using it as a temporary foothold to gain more distance.

Or to better yet, close in on her current target.

Chris saw her coming from a mile away, and readied her machine guns to fight her off. Holding her ground atop the skyscraper, she fired an endless volley of bullets at the sword wielder, intent on shooting her out of the sky and right into the waiting arms of the three below her.

Tsubasa smiled with pride at their teamwork. 'Miku is not recklessly charging in as I expected her to. She's letting the others take some of the work as well.'

But it was not only her. Kirika and Shirabe trusted Maria explicitly, and worked hard to lure the outlying Noise and beasts to her location so she could slay them, removing the pressure off of their backs as they focused on Tsubasa.

And she could see that they were working wonderfully. It was obvious that Chris was deliberately presenting her an easy target, forcing her to focus on her while everyone else was boxing her in.

She could see their plan as it would unfold: She would engage Chris in close combat in an attempt to down her, but she would hold on long enough for the others to join in on the fight and proceed to overwhelm her by sheer numbers.

That would be their plan, she knew it.

But would Hibiki notice it? Tsubasa knew for a fact that as she is now, Hibiki would be more vulnerable than ever to surprise attacks and sudden ambushes. But would any of that work against her? There was no way for them to know, at least not now. If the corruption was as bad as she heard it is, then…

If their plan succeeds, then they win, no questions ask.

So that's why it was a better idea to make it fail, and see how they follow up.

(Symphogear G OST - Kudakarete, Toki wa Ugokidasu)

She passed by her. Relinquishing her opportunity to strike at Chris, rather than jump up to the skyscraper Tsubasa summoned another Heaven's Wrath sword and smashed it right in front of Chris, obscuring the gunslinger's vision of her.

And decided to aim right for the person they wouldn't have expected her to pick: Maria

Realizing Tsubasa's intentions, Miku boosted forward, rising off the ground in pursuit of the blue-haired wielder.

Maria didn't even see her partner idol coming. One moment she was slaying the enemy units left and right, and the next rubble and debris rose into the air, before a black blade came down on her faster than light. In her precarious position, her dagger embedded inside the body of one of the simulated beasts, she had no time to call forth another into her hand.

Kirika screamed. "MARIA!"

It was then Tsubasa's turn to be caught by surprise as the elder's hands caught her blade midswing. She struggled against her hold, and Maria grit her teeth, the two tiny triangular shields she brought forth in her palms at the last possible second holding back the sword to the point of shattering.

"Magnificent reaction, Maria." Tsubasa found herself saying with a smile.

Maria's bared teeth suddenly turned into a smile of her own. "Thank you. Nice change of tactics there," She said, still struggling against the blade. She peeked from the corner of her eyes as the Noise and the beasts began to close the distance to her, noticing she was now occupied. Their programming caused them to ignore Tsubasa entirely, focusing only on the non-Ignited wielders. "But you didn't plan on me blocking, did you?"

"No, I did not," Tsubasa answered. "That forces my own plans to change again...if I have the time to do so."

Which she won't, because she was now in a bind. Her surprise attack on Maria failed, and that gave the others all the time in the world they needed to cover the distance once more. Kirika and Shirabe made their way over as fast as they could while Chris once again positioned herself in a high vantage location atop another skyscraper.

But out of all of them, Miku was the fastest. Tsubasa watched as the Noise and beasts were thrown into the air like nothing more than collateral, and she was forced to let go of her sword as the fan came down on her once again. But Miku was not done, and switching to a reverse grip attacked again, the light following after her fan in a crescent shape. Tsubasa once again ducked under it, flipping over and calling forth another sword into her hand.

'I might be in a pinch here…' She realized. She had expected to catch Maria off guard and take her out in one hit, then proceed to evade the others once again; rinse and repeat right under their nose and she would be able to achieve victory.

But the pink haired idol's amazing block threw that option out of the window, and her opportunity to escape Miku was gone with the wind.

She was boxed in despite her change in tactics, and she realized she might no longer have any options left. But maybe…

Maria tossed aside the black sword just as the Noise and the beasts reignited their offensive, bringing total chaos to the plaza. Shirabe and Kirika charged through them as well, their weapons slicing through them without regard to anything as they closed the distance to Tsubasa.

Miku re-engaged with another charge, forcing Tsubasa to deflect her blows with nothing but cherry tapping strikes as to not lose her blade, but with every successful block more and more of her sword was starting to smoke, its form wavering under the assault of the Shenshoujing's properties.

And she wasn't even done yet. As the Noise and the beasts closed around her and Tsubasa jumping back once more to gain some distance, the school girl did something none of them saw before. She held her fan by her side, as if it was a sword sheathed in its scabbard. Her gaze powerful, she stepped forward with a single foot, cracking the ground beneath her, and swung.

But she did not stop with just that single direction. No, she attacked in ALL directions, her singular horizontal swing becoming a spin.

And a ring of violet light exploded from her, striking all targets in the vicinity.

'ANGEL'S HALO'

Her allied wielders only had a moment to either duck or jump as the wave washed over everything, the Noise and beasts pushed back and thrown as if a downburst suddenly erupted over the plaza. Tsubasa stared with wide eyes as her own allied units simply disappeared from the force of the strike, leaving the now empty plaza to just the wielders. Noise and beasts from the outlying streets began to pour in once more, but the damage was already done.

Once more Tsubasa's plan was thrown in the gutter by a surprising move, and she couldn't be more ecstatic. 'Trying to use the Noise and beasts as meatshields is no longer possible I see...what am I left to do?'

Holding her fan with both hands once again, Miku charged once more.

And her fan came to an immediate stop as Ame-no-Habakiri shattered into a million black shards, leaving Tsubasa in her civilian clothes, the Ignite Timer having run out in exactly that moment.

Total silence descended on the plaza as the Noise and beasts that had returned to try and attacked shimmered from existence. From around one of the corners, Genjuro walked up to them, tension still in the air as Miku's fan stopped just short of its objective.

"And that's the end of it," He said, clapping loudly. "Excellent job everyone, that was quite a sight to see."

If he was acknowledged was unknown, as the others were watching nervously. Genjuro's clapping fell silent as they looked at Tsubasa and Miku, the two of them still in the position they were in beforehand.

A position in which in any other situation, would spell instant death for Tsubasa.

But luckily enough, it seemed Miku did not go berserk this time, and wordlessly stepped away from her teammate. Her shoulders sagging, she took a deep breath as pressure left her frame, forcing a smile out of Tsubasa.

"You did good, Miku," She said, making the Shenshoujing wielder look at her with an even expression. "You've improved so much in such a short time; with this...our wish comes that much closer to coming true."

The others smiled as well, and dispelled their own Gears. Miku remained clad in her own as she looked away.

"Very well done everyone," Genjuro spoke up, making them all turn to him as they gathered in the center of the plaza. "That was absolutely fantastic teamwork out of all of you. Tsubasa, what do you have to say?"

The idol put a hand on her hip, her face still graced with a smile. "Let's see...I think in the end there, if my Ignite Module hadn't run out, I believe I still would have lost," She announced, looking to her teammates. "They managed to surprise me time and time again, leaving me without any options as to respond. I would like to particularly point out Shirabe's quick thinking of cutting down the buildings I was using as footholds and Maria's incredible last second block."

She crossed her arms as the two mentioned girls smiled. "But everyone did an amazingly good job. With such teamwork, even with my advantage in power and speed I was be left with absolutely no opportunity to counterattack. I was trapped and underestimated everyone's new capabilities, which left me at a severe disadvantage; I was outnumbered, and the Super Ignite Module served to only delay the inevitable."

Genjuro nodded.

"Good analysis there, Tsubasa," He said. "Indeed, even without speaking to each other you understood exactly what it is you wanted to do, and all of you were able to think on the fly in order to achieve your objective. Remember what you did here well, because you'll need to apply it when the next battle starts...but of course, don't forget that it can, and probably will fall flat the moment it starts. Make sure to trust each other's decisions like you did here."

His eyes passed over each and one of them as they stood before him, his eyes settling on Miku. "Because even with all the power in the world, you won't win if you try to take on everything on your own."

She caught his message, and once more looked away from him. "That was excellent, everyone, so you can have your break now. Shower and do whatever you'd like, and meet me here again at 8 PM sharp, alright?"

Together the six wielders nodded, and at last the tension disappeared completely, the city repairing itself around them as the exercise came to a close. "Kirika, Shirabe, come on. Let's go rest a bit," Maria said. She then looked to Tsubasa with a curious eye and smiled. "Care to join us, Tsubasa?"

"I'd be honored," The sword wielder said. It was then she noticed Chris standing off to the side with a pouty expression, and let out a chuckle. "You want to come too, Chris?"

The Ichaival wielder blushed and turned her head away. "S-sure, whatever. I was going to do that anyway."

Kirika chuckled at her upperclassman's usual antics, then turned to Miku with her hands joined over behind her head. "Miku, you wanna come with us?"

"No, not this time," The black haired girl said. "I want to practice some more."

The Ig-Alima user tilted her head in question, but decided not to pry. "Okay, then we'll see you later! Come on Shirabe! Let's count bruises again!"

"Kirika, that's not…" The twintailed girl began to say. "Nevermind."

"Miku, are you sure you don't want to join us?" Maria asked with a concerned tone, her constant worry evident once more.

Normally, Miku would emphasize with her, but right now her head was somewhere else. "I'm sure."

No one had any argument to give. "Alright...then we'll see you later. Don't push yourself too hard, okay?"

Miku's only response was to nod slightly, turning away as the five wielders walked away, leaving the simulator empty save for Miku and Genjuro.

The two remaining were silent for a moment before Genjuro spoke up again. "They're worried about you, you know. They've made that clear to me a few times."

"I know," She said. "But I can't let myself stop now. It's not...not enough yet."

"Is it really? That last finisher of yours was quite something. Do you really feel not ready?"

"I won't be ready until I'm 100% sure I can win," She answered back, causing his eyes to widen. "That's what you said, wasn't it?"

He laughed. "Yeah, I guess I did say that, in one way or another," He said in agreement. "You took it to heart I see, what was said to you."

She fell quiet, turning around to face away from him. "I had to," She said. "Because it wasn't wrong."

She had thought about it day after day, night after night. Every time she had found herself in the middle of the night she thought and considered, her mind going over everything again and again and again.

"Are you going to deny her wish?" Tsubasa had said to her.

The obvious answer was no. If there was anyone in the world that would deny Hibiki's wishes and ideals, she wouldn't even be on the list. Miku had sworn to support her, to stand by her side, and that extended to even now. To show Hibiki that whatever she had in mind was not something she truly wanted was also part of her job, and her goal, and she knew that Hibiki would never actively pursue such a horrible outcome on her own; she wouldn't even consider it, no matter what she truly felt.

But...what if she did? Adam had said that part of what those curses do was remove inhibitions, just like certain drugs she only had vague understanding of. But that would mean...that would mean that somewhere...this destruction and horror was born somewhere out of Hibiki's own desires.

She was the one who wanted it, and Gungnir simply made it possible. It was such a dark thought to have, but she couldn't let go of it, even for a moment.

What would she do then? Would she truly support such a thing?

'No, obviously not.'

And that was her own justice, the one she herself pursued. Even if she was not a dazzling hero with magnificent ideals, she still had the things she believed in. And just like Chris had said to her before, if there is a disagreement...then fight it out until one wins.

Only the one with the stronger justice would then emerge victorious.

But this wasn't a fight between a hero and a villain. There was no clash of ideals or fanciful monologues to give unlike what Yumi would believe.

Miku didn't give a damn about that.

Gungnir, the curses, and everything else that lies in between were just obstacles to be overcome.

It was a long, winding road.

And on that road there was only herself, her goal, and countless walls to climb.

'No...I guess it's not just myself…'

Yeah, that was the truth, she realized. She wasn't walking that road alone, nor was she climbing those walls by herself. Supporting her were her friends, an entire organization, and a heartbroken mother. They all came together, whether by body or spirit, for the sake of that goal.

And how she wished Hibiki would see that it was all for her sake.

"In order to save her, you just have to be like her."

Out of all the things the mad doctor Ver had told her that day, it was that one singular phrase that had stuck with her.

Because despite all his insane ramblings, he wasn't wrong, at least not when he said that. Miku was aware, more than anyone else, the changes she has undergone since she chose to get involved and fight. The feeling of power and the stirrings of her own mind, the strange unfamiliar familiarity with her own body, and the unshackled drive that focused on on what she wanted.

And it was only because of that that she could start to bring herself to understand what truly lies inside Hibiki, and to atone for the sin of having been blind to her true heart for so long.

"It looks like you've reached some sort of conclusion." Genjuro suddenly said, putting a hand on his hip as he looked to her with a smile.

She met his gaze for a moment before going back to stare at the floor. A question rising up in her mind, she spoke. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

A small silence.

"When everything ends...will you condemn her?"

She did not see the widening of his eyes, nor how his arm fell to his side once again. "You wound me, Miku-kun," He said. "I think the answer to that is obvious."

"I see…"

Silence once more.

"If I did, what would you do?" He asked in return.

Her response was quick, immediate, and resolute. "I think the answer to that...is obvious."

She would turn against him immediately, that was what she meant.

That was the extent of her love. It didn't matter to her who was the opponent; if their target was Hibiki, she would place herself between them and her, and would fight back with all her power.

And if her own life was required, then she would do so in a heartbeat.

'Love has been wielded for and against humanity before,' He thought to himself, the image of a certain long gone blond priestess rising up in his mind. 'A force strong enough to affect even the stars themselves...yet for once, I want to see what happens when it's wielded for a cause as pure as hers.'

"I guess there's no point in thinking about what ifs." Miku said. But although she said that, she knew she was the one most guilty of dwelling on such things before.

What if she had never invited Hibiki to the concert was perhaps her biggest one, and one she had turned into her own deeply seated regret a long time ago.

And it still was, for it shall forever remain a thought that will haunt her for the rest of her days.

-!-

"Thank you so much Kuriyo-chan," The elderly and kind owner of Flower said to the school girl. "I don't know how to thank you."

"Don't worry about it, Obaa-san," The beige-haired girl said, putting down another box of heavy objects down on the floor. "I'm glad to help. I can't do much, but the little I can I try."

She wiped her brow with her sleeve, and stretched her back from the arduous task. Evening had already arrived, and she was shocked to see how fast it came. She had been working and helping all throughout the city in an effort to survey and help take care of the damages done by the so called "disaster" that had apparently struck while they were underground.

She didn't believe that for a second. No, Kuriyo may not know all the details, but she was far from stupid; Chris and the others definitely fought something. If her gut feeling was correct, and if what she saw that day in Lydian's courtyard was any indication, that something was Hibiki, no doubts about it.

Trying to contact any one of them, including Miku, proved to be a big undertaking. It was only in this last week that she managed to get a response in the form of a text message from her that stated that "I don't want to talk about it."

A vague response was what she had expected from Miku, and that simple response gave her all the answers she needed.

'How did it get this bad?' She wondered. She had seen the damage that was caused, and couldn't believe how terrible it was.

The city was pretty much gone, with almost nothing left standing. Weirdly enough, or perhaps by some crazy miraculous coincidence, the entire campus of Lydian was not touched save for what had already happened there, and the stage where the idol Amou Kanade lost her life also remained completely untouched.

How did they both survive the onslaught she had absolutely no idea, but she was not going to look a gift horse in the mouth, even if the gift was...a bit strange.

"Then, I'll be bringing some more stuff from the outside alright?" She asked the kind owner. The lady nodded with a smile, and Kuriyo headed out, basking in the evening glow. People went to and fro on the streets, most of them carrying tools or objects as they passed by, all intent on fixing the damage as soon as they could.

'At least for once everyone is working together.' She thought with a smile.

And then she froze, her entire being seizing completely as she spotted something impossible in the crowd. Her eyes followed the impossibility as it disappeared between the goers, and Kuriyo found herself chasing after it, weaving and bumping into people along the way as she looked ahead, her hand extended towards it.

It took her what felt like forever, but she finally managed to catch up. Putting her hand on the impossibility's shoulder, she spoke the name she thought she wouldn't speak now.

"...Bikki?"

There was silence. As if everyone else in the world disappeared, she could only stare at the chestnut haired girl's back in shock and confusion. Everything in her eyes became insanely surreal, since the last time she had seen her, she wasn't anywhere close to being herself.

Yet now, here she was, in her school uniform of all things.

A million warning signs rang out in her head, but the sheer shock drowned them out.

And slowly, the person she believed to be Hibiki turned around, revealing…

"Ah, Kuriyo, what's up?" She said, sending even more shivers down Kuriyo's back.

Her eyes widened. "B-Bikki? It's you, right? Are you...really Bikki?"

Hibiki tilted her head in confusion, an act that normally would seem cute to Kuriyo, but now was just odd no matter what way she looked at it. "Of course I am, who could I ever be?" She answered with a smile. "But I'm sorry, I can't stay and chat. There's something I need to do."

She turned back around, Kuriyo's hand sliding off her shoulder. Before she could disappear back into the crowd, Kuriyo shouted to her. "W-what about Hina? What is-"

"Don't worry, Kuriyo," Hibiki said, walking away. "Everything will be as it should be very soon."

Leaving the tall girl with those cryptic words, Hibiki vanished from her sight, leaving Kuriyo to stand and stare in horror at the spot she disappeared to.

And wonder about the strange glow that came from her eyes.

-!-

The place where it all began stood before her in all its glory. An absolutely gigantic building towered over her, abandoned to the elements ever since that fateful day a long time ago. And at the very top rested a concert hall that housed only the spirits of the dead, their presence hanging in the air like a miasma that she never bothered to notice before.

But now she did.

And they all screamed and begged, vowing vengeance.

Spewing hatred, their souls unresting.

There was no one around her in this evening glow, and she stared up at the magnificent structure with a huge, disturbing smile on her face. She spread her arms to the side, looking up at it as if it was a sacred totem.

"Now is the time," Hibiki said in a sinister tone.

"The time for judgement...is finally HERE!"