Chapter 4:
After their encounter with Raphael and Voldo, Ivy's group continued onward to their destination. The feeling of uneasiness could be felt like channeling a negative aura as they ventured through Astral Chaos.
"This place is starting to give me the creeps." said Seong Mi-Na.
"Fear not, Lady Mi-Na." Yoshimitsu chimed in.
"For our journey shall be swift if we look beyond the despair this world possesses." Yoshimitsu added.
As Ivy's group continued on their quest, with Yoshimitsu boosting morale along the way, Mitsurugi observed the warriors in battle with each other as they fell one by one, like a domino effect. He squinted his eyes to get a better view and saw a female warrior with her blonde hair in a pulled back style, wearing a pink and red kimono with the top half on revealing her nine tail fox tattoo, purple strapless bra, geta sandals, a purple sash wrapped around the lower part of her kimono as she carried a parasol with an Iaito blade concealed in it. Of course, given her western appearance, she was not a native of Japan. And each time a warrior approached her, she slew each one down with blinding speed and precise timing. Surely, this had to catch the attention of Mitsurugi, as it did Taki who was looking at him.
"What is it, what do you see?" Taki asked.
"It's her..." Mitsurugi coldly replied.
Just then, the blonde haired woman turned her attention away from the chaos and saw the mercenary and the ninja with him. To the woman, she knew who exactly it was.
"Heishiro Mitsurugi!" The blonde haired woman yelled.
She charged out of the ensuing battle and with her Iaito blade ready to be unsheathed, headed onward to confront her nemesis.
"She's heading this way!" said Taki.
"Not if I stop her!" said Mitsurugi.
As Mitsurugi charged into battle to confront the woman, members of Ivy's group were distracted by this transaction.
"What now?" groaned Ivy.
"Seems like Mitsurugi is heading to battle without us." said Seong Mi-Na.
"Stupid samurai." Ivy groaned again.
Mitsurugi, katana blade unsheathed caught up with the blonde haired woman and engaged in a clash of blades. His strength versus her speed, his katana against her Iaito blade. It looked like the two were at a stalemate but once Ivy and her group charged into the fray, the blonde haired woman looked angrier at her foe.
"You never seem to change do you, Mitsurugi?" the blonde haired woman asked.
"I can say the same for you, Setsuka." Mitsurugi replied.
As Mitsurugi overpowered Setsuka, Ivy and her group intervened.
"Mitsurugi, stop!" ordered Ivy.
Mitsurugi looked back and saw Ivy and the others rushing towards him. This gave Setsuka an opening, slashing the samurai at the side of his abdomen. Mitsurugi yelped in pain, clutching his side.
"And now, you die, Heishiro Mitsurugi!" declared Setsuka as she was about to finish him off.
As Setsuka was ready to finish her foe, the uncoiled blades of Ivy's whip sword flew in her direction but she dodged them using her quickness. The uncoiled blades flew back to Ivy, reforming back in a sword formation as they reached her.
"What is the meaning of this? Who are you?" Ivy asked.
"That is none of your concern." Setsuka replied.
As Taki helped up Mitsurugi, the samurai shrugged her away, holding his side as he struggled to walk towards Setsuka.
"I will ask you again, who are you?" Ivy asked.
"Her name is Setsuka." snarled Mitsurugi.
"Why did you attack Mitsurugi, Setsuka?" Ivy inquired.
"This man killed my master and I have been pursuing him ever since." Setsuka replied angrily
"Is that right?" Ivy asked as she looked at Mitsurugi.
"That was a long time ago." said Mitsurugi.
"A long time or not, I will avenge my master's death." said Setsuka.
"And if any of you dare to get in my way, I will kill you." Setsuka added, pointing her Iaito blade.
"That could be arranged." said a grizzled voice.
"Who's there?" Ivy asked.
"Don't you remember the voice of your own father, Ivy?" the grizzled voice called out.
A man wearing a pirate hat, long trenchcoat, pants, and boots, his skin purple and cold has he held out his pistol sword in one hand and a long sword in the other. Beside him was a blonde haired woman in a white transparent dress holding a sword and shield.
"Cervantes!" said Ivy.
"Sophitia!" said Cassandra.
"I assure you that I will do the killing around here!" Cervantes bellowed.
"We'll see about that." said Ivy
As Ivy, Seong Mi-Na, and Cassandra confronted Cervantes, the pirate fired a shot from his pistol sword but Cassandra used her shield to block the bullet. Ivy leapt out first, uncoiling her whip sword and flailing it wildly, causing Cervantes to back away, however, Sophitia stepped in and blocked each of Ivy's attacks.
"Your attacks are meaningless, they will not inflict any damage on us." said Sophitia in a cold, robotic tone.
"How about mines!" said Setsuka, charging in with her Iaito blade at Sophitia.
Setsuka's attacks were blinding quick as it caught Sophitia by surprise. Sophitia stammered as she was trying to defend herself from Setsuka's skills.
"What were you saying about meaningless attacks?" Setsuka asked.
A bullet flew past her, grazing her and causing her to fall back. She looked and saw Cervantes pointing his pistol sword in her direction.
"How about dodging this since you're so quick." said Cervantes.
As the pirate aimed his pistol sword at Setsuka, Taki flew in with her kodachi, slashing Cervantes in his shooting arm and his torso. Cervantes stammered as he saw the ninja right in front of him.
"Damn you, inconceivable wench!" Cervantes bellowed.
"Sophitia, devour this wench's soul!" Cervantes demanded.
Sophitia charged at Taki but Cassandra cut her off, using her shield to knock back her sister.
"I won't let you kill my friends, Sophitia!" said Cassandra.
As Cervantes rose to his feet, Taki once again knocked him down followed by some assistance from Seong MI-Na.
"Damn it all!" Cervantes bellowed.
"Come, Sophitia!" Cervantes called out to her.
"We shall send them to hell later!" Cervantes added as he Sophitia vanished.
"Just what or who the hell were those two?" Setsuka asked.
"That man was my father, Cervantes De Leon." said Ivy.
And the woman accompanying him is Sophitia Alexandra." Ivy continued.
"They are slaves under the influence of Soul Edge and will stop at nothing to see it that the sword itself continues to exist." Ivy added.
"You showed great quickness and amazing skills, Setsuka." Taki chimed in.
"Will you join our cause in destroying Soul Edge?" Taki asked.
Setsuka never knew anything of Soul Edge but judging from what Ivy mentioned about the sword, she knew it had to be evil in some way if it was connected to the pirate and the woman she had fought off.
"Yes, yes I will join you." said Setsuka.
"But what about Mitsurugi?" Setsuka asked.
"Do not worry, I'll make sure he cooperates with you on our group." Taki answered with a small smile
Yoshimitsu syphoned the wound inflicted upon Mitsurugi, healing him in the process. The samurai-like ninja helped the mercenary up to his feet.
"There, now you have a clean bill of health." said Yoshimitsu.
"Thank you." said Mitsurugi.
"Mitsurugi, I have some news to report to you." Ivy began.
"If Setsuka is joining our group, then count me out." Mitsurugi growled.
"There will be no need for you to depart from our group, not when we have came from so far and faced perilous fates and succeeded." said Ivy.
Ivy words were convincing enough to Mitsurugi not to give up but he didn't like the prospect of having Setsuka join Ivy's group but he had no choice.
"Fine..." Mitsurugi begin
"But if she gets in my way, she is dead." Mitsurugi added.
"No need to, because I intend on keeping you alive until we finish our quarrel." said Setsuka.
"The two of you will have to put that aside, our goal lies beyond the horizon." said Ivy.
Setsuka and Mitsurugi nodded. With the added help and quickness of Setsuka on their side, Ivy's group continued heading west once again. Unbeknownst to them, the ancient god of Astral Chaos looked down upon them menacingly as he levitated from the clouds and light haze in the air.