Insect Palace: The Final Battle

After the little yaoi comedy debacle Tsunade definitely enjoyed on Kazuki's expense(secret to herself) no less, she was also inwardly annoyed with Ryuuho who was cold to Amon.

Granted, Amon has the power to cause Death but its not like he asked for its power.

It was minuscule but it was there. But the man is so long used to being ostracized and the fact nobody wanted him around he was a lonely man who hid it well under a mask of forced cheer. She could see it in his eyes when Ryuuho treated him coldly yet Amon brushed off his coldness, apparently so used to it but that didn't mean he completely let it slide.

She didn't even have a mask of cheer when she was little damnit.

If she was alone for months, the man must be alone for years on self-imposed loneliness to protect others from his own powers but that didn't make it any less...painful.

She had no idea how he endured it.

Ostracized by his own kin and he himself afraid for everybody that it seems that Emishi was his first-ever friend outside the tribe though her brother worried for him too.

She could not help but emotionally reach out for the man as she stayed silent, keeping her thoughts to herself.

She did keep to herself as she felt its not her place having met the man...but her flames decided it for them and she knew it.

For Amon who had years of loneliness and silence suddenly felt he was not alone anymore.

For Kaoru who knows how life essence works, felt it as well as something from Tsunade reached out to Amon as she healed the injured and they would rest for at least an hour before the End Game.

He felt himself basking in a presence that 'called him home'. The warm embrace of a presence that reached out to him and told him 'its OK to be here'.

And by instinct he knew who dunnit.

"...why would a wee li'l girl give me this comforting presence?" Amon wondered as he was at a total loss. They just met that he doesn't even know her name!

But it was warm. Wonderful.

His life was cold.

Alone.

Friendless.

Unwanted Presence as Ryuuho put it.

Since the destruction of the tribes, Shido was his only friend but they separated for years to survive for over ten years.

And now, his little sister's power reached out to him and gave him 'a place to come home to'...spiritually speaking.

He was so cold, so alone but now...

He was warm.

To be honest he didn't want it but it latched to him and won't let go.

He feared he would lose this wonderful feeling so soon because of this war. Either he will die or she dies as what they'll get into, is no joke.

It was a case of 'so near yet so far' and he hated it.

He distracted himself with Emishi as the girl was instructing her friend seriously among just themselves.

xxx

'Shido, a moment.' Kaoru approached Shido. 'In private?'

'Eh? Sure...' they went away somewhere. 'What about, Kaoru?'

'Its your sister.' said Kaoru. 'Something from her reached out to, and latched to Amon.' she said as Shido's eyes widened. 'If I wasn't a master of spiritual and life's essence, I wouldn't know either but I felt it. They...clicked. Her power embraced his spirit and won't let go.'

'Oh crud...why now of all times...' Shido pinched his nose. 'It gets better, she has no control when that happens since her power decides for her unless she formed a deep bond with someone that that person is the one to reach and latch.'

'You know?'

'I learned from a Friend about the true nature of her powers when he noticed what it was.' said Shido. 'She is in essence, the spiritual heart of all seven elements of flames, the core or should I say its her power, not her herself.' she said. 'It will reach out to those who is close to her in some way, give them a 'place to belong' and never let go. In turn, these people feel that they're never alone ever again, and a constant warm feeling comparable to a warm, comforting embrace of kindness and protection. They would in turn, be protective of who dunnit, not wanting to lose a place to belong or family. I can't even imagine what Amon feels now since those two are similar before I adopted her.' he said.

'Tsunade was a runaway from home. Because she lost her genius when she came to start school when before that, she mastered Elementary Kanji, English and Math when she turned six. But come seven, its like her genius vanished and she was horribly clumsy. Her peers enjoyed making her life miserable in school, severe malicious bullying simply because they could and because they were 'better' and the teachers couldn't be bothered to do the right thing.' he said in disgust.

'Eventually, her parents abandoned her in their house where she nearly starved to death, until when she nearly died...she gained her incredible intuition. She had been on auto-pilot to survive, and left her town...her feet leading her to Mugenjou where she eventually awakened to her powers. In fact, she regained her genius when she checked herself and no longer tripped when she was 'forced back to life' by 'something' when she was about to die in her house from starvation. She described it as 'a surge' when she felt it.'

'She knows full well what it means to be rejected, ostracized, lonely and unwanted but trying to compare is another thing entirely.' said Shido. 'While 3/4 of the tribe shunned the Natsuki, at least Amon has his family and fellow Natsuki friends before we met before the Kiryuudo took it all away. Tsunade was rejected by her parents when she's no longer useful for them and their reputations after six years of being doted on for her genius. Her school life was hell that even if we had money she told me to my face she'd rather die than step foot in school. Try living in society, you'd see how pressured children are these days she thinks that the love you get is based on numbers on a test paper or report card.' Kaoru gasped at that. 'She got that idea because of her abandonment by her parents.'

'I don't know what happened to trigger her power's Harmonization Factor and latched to Amon but some or possibly all of us will die. No telling who will, but if Tsunade dies, Amon will be in severe spiritual shock of loss it'll gnaw at him for life, nothing to fill that void unless he meets another who's got the same power willing to harmonize with him. If Amon dies, Tsunade would feel the loss of her 'family' and she would be spiritually scarred until somebody new comes to fill the void.'

'Oh my...are they going to be OK?'

'That depends on what happe-'

'Kaoru-dono! Shido-san! This is bad, real bad!' Gokudera yelled. 'C'mere pronto!'

'Now what?!'

xxx

'Are you serious about this?!' Miyama demanded as Tsunade synchronized with the palace ahead of them.

She found something horrifying when she synchronized with the grounds again to see what lay ahead of them and she said a heinous crime is about to happen and they're all set up to take part in it, effectively aiding the conspirators to massacre for them.

'Dead serious! This is all a set up!' Tsunade choked out in horror. 'Kabuto and Saicho betrayed the entire Kiryuudo...they know full well that against the Assembly of Shiki they're in a pointless war of one-sided carnage but its exactly what Kabuto wants! He intends to weave a tapestry of souls of the deceased Kiryuudo in order to be able to match the weight of his own soul to transmigrate! In return for his aide in this conspiracy of betrayal and mass murder, ensuring he's the only survivor, Saicho will apparently be greatly rewarded. After all, recreating the Kiryuudo is easy...kidnap babies with high potential, assign them to tribes so he can shamelessly edit history and indoctrinate the next three generations for the next betrayal, its a vicious cycle.'

'Those bastards!' Miyama cried in horror. 'Why...' this made him doubt his own origins in fact...

'This means we can't kill anybody.' said Shido grimly. 'We will deny him those souls. Miyama, what of your tribe?'

'I stationed them everywhere to aid you retrievers when I sent out my beetles but now I need Agi-dono's aid to awaken all beetles in this forest. I need to warn my people to leave Hell Valley...I'm a traitor by now, the other tribes will not listen to me.' Miyama said anxiously. 'I need to at least, warn my people to be far, far away from the reach of the Insect Call, not even a sliver of a whisper so their souls will not be stolen!'

'Well, better save a few than nothing!' Himiko told him.

'I suppose its my only consolation...'

'Then operation denial begins then...' Agi summoned his Chakra of Sleep. 'Awaken and assemble to your chief outside the Insect Palace, all beetles!' and he shoved his chakra into the land...

Miyama sent an urgent message to his tribe and ordered them to flee to the point they can no longer hear the voices of Hell Valley while he stays with the retrievers for revenge even if it meant dying, and if he died for real, he assigned his Second-in-Command to take his position.

After twenty minutes, they went in for real.

Before the Insect Palace, they came before a structure first.

'Where is this?' Kazuki wondered aloud as they arrived before stone grounds and a chinese-themed building up ahead.

'Its the Battle Arena.' Shido answered him. 'According to lore, our ancestors used to train together. Now its just to become a warzone. Amon, no need for death now that we know what's up ahead. We're not going to kill anybody.'

'Alright.' said Amon. But what about those they killed en route here?

'Ginji, I need you to accompany me.' said Shido grimly. 'It might be dangerous but I need you by my side. I would need your power at some point.'

'Eh? Sure.' Ginji agreed.

'All right, Ryuuho, Kaoru?'

'I'm fine with it.' said Kaoru.

'Do what you want.'

'Aaand this is where we stay back so we won't get caught up in it.' said Amon to the other retrievers while going by instinct to his Sky's side and wrapped an arm around her. 'Even with just three of us, its gonna be pretty big, yanno? So everyone stay back.'

"Hey?!" Gokudera squawked to himself as everyone raised an eyebrow to the gesture. Tsunade blinked at her new Guardian who just beamed at her back.

'In the name of the Chimera sent to us by god we now give you a bright awakening...'

'A dark sleep...' Ryuuho called out.

'And a wholesome cure!' Kaoru gasped out as they dashed into the arena, taking on hundreds of warriors.

'Oi, aren't you a wee old for her?' Uryuu frowned. He was the only one to verbally point it out.

'She classifies as 'adult' in our culture.' Miyama told him. 'Only at age 15 can we be ready to build families. Its normal for them and us.' he said casually.

'Seriously?' Juubei balked.

'But we don't follow those rules anymore.' said Amon. 'I mean, what's the point, right? I only stuck by since she's Shido's little sis. If we were to die, she'd be the sole heir of all Mariudo.'

'You mean you're not into that?' Gokudera looked very relieved.

'Nope. I had a betrothed before the massacres...I was ten, she was eight...I had to marry a tiny li'l girl that was like, 'what-the-hell'? when I'd rather have a girl my age!' Amon chuckled rather blandly. 'Its bad our tribes and families are gone, but it gave us survivors freedom. Freedom we've never known. Everything was predestined. Even who I'd marry, what social class, what we're allowed to have and how much, all that jazz. But saying no to our elders is akin to disrespect to God as well. Now, we don't have such worries anymore.'

'Minna, its time just so we won't have regrets either that we haven't given it all we got.' said Tsunade as she flared her own chakra. 'Chakra of Awakening...awaken all hidden powers and talents to full potential!' she commanded as those left behind felt an immense surge of power.'

'What the?!' Juubei gasped out.

'What is this?!' Himiko cried as they all felt...stronger. A warmth of power they can't even guess as to how much they got stronger.

'Its the Chakra of Awakening, the power of the Fuyuki Clan.' said Amon as he shuddered. 'This power depends on how much you got sleeping within you.'

'But what about Hayato-kun?' Kazuki fretted out. 'He didn't get awakened!'

'Ah, hime-sama awakened me weeks ago for my apprenticeship.' said Gokudera with a hand-wave. 'People can only be fully-awakened once and only once. It won't work twice since once you're awakened, you gotta retrain to reach your mastery and limits to fully benefit off this and there's only so much the blessings of our genes can give, y'know. You'd be lucky to get it real massive thanks to thickening of blood practices since you lot are all from ancient breeding stock.' he explained like a casual scientist who didn't care much for mumbo-jumbo.

'Hooo? What about you?' Ban grinned as he got a massive boost himself.

Gokudera grinned.

'My ancestry goes back 400 years, buster. Not as old as you lot though.'

Out of all of them, Ban has the strongest boost among the retrievers, but Amon was the strongest among the Shiki.

This was something everyone took note of.

'Wow, they defeated a whole army by KO.' Gokudera whistled. No deaths of course...

'Should we follow?' Uryuu wondered.

'Looks like its over anyway...I don't think even Kabuto can do a thing against the Shiki.'

'Not just yet.' said Tsunade. 'Its already too late. Its already begun though Kabuto and Saicho probably thought these guys died.' she snorted as their eyes fell on the sleeping warriors. 'All we can do is prepare ourselves for End Game. We got to give it all we got...and no idea if we'll live or die. We are close to death. To a being who wanted to transcend life and death by devouring souls. We managed to stop a lot of deaths but can what we've done here compensate for what we've done just to get here?'

'So its already begun.' Akabane arrived just now as from the forest, souls gathered at the Insect Palace, though nothing came from the sleeping warriors. 'Kabuto's Resurrection Ritual.'

Tsunade knelt to touch the ground to synchronize but Akabane stopped her with a firm hand on her shoulders. 'Akabane-san?'

'If you do that now, you'll be absorbed as when you do it, you merge with the whole forest with your subconscious, and you're stuck in limbo.' came his warning. 'You're between life and death and thus you're at risk to die first if you do it. Your soul is powerful, ojousan. It would make quite a treat for a lowly bug too stubborn to die. He deserves less.' he said silkily.

'...'

'I guess we're stuck here till its over...at least we didn't kill anyone here to keep souls away.' said Ban darkly. 'Unless you massacred some on your way here?' he glowered at Akabane as all eyes are on him warily.

'Fufu, Kanade warned me beforehand and there was no enemy on the way here. But he still wanted to die to go to his son. Can't refuse a man, can I?'

'...he's truthful.' said Tsunade to counter Ban's glower. 'Once that's done, I'll check again.'

When its over...Tsunade checked into the palace again as the other Shiki and Ginji gathered around her.

She spoke these eerie words with tone to match. It was dark, lustfully-ambitious sounding.

'The old battle between the Mariudo and Kiryuudo began when they stole my heart, the Chimera...many years of conflict followed, as the Mariudo went down the path of destruction...the Chimera is still protected by the handful of Shiki Members but once its in my hands again the world will be mine!' she spoke in such a manner that did NOT suit her at all. 'The souls of the warriors killed in these hundred years of battles will fuel my rebirth! Now, poor warriors...give me your sweet souls! Let me absorb your life force so that I may live again!' and she disconnected, shaken as she fell backwards on her rear, Gokudera and Amon quickly catching her.

'That, is just messed-up.' she shook from shock. 'Its not just the Kiryuudo souls in his twisted tapestry...the Mariudo too...' Tsunade stammered out incredulously as her team looked stunned. 'Three to four generations of souls! What we managed to save is mere chump change compared to what he amassed. Madoka-nee's soul is still safe...for now but for how long? Not even I can tell from all that power messing with my Synchronization's ability to spy and eavesdrop.'

'Let's go to the Final Gate then.' said Ban darkly as the picture their youngest colleague painted was utterly disgusting to him while the worst hit from shock, was Miyama who was in utter despair. 'We gotta kill this bastard somehow and we're already on the final stage.'

They ran up the final gate to be greeted by Jorogumo who wore a heartbroken smile.

'I lost everyone I loved...' she stated. 'We were merely only sacrifices...poor sacrificial lambs, only born to feed Kabuto's thirst for life.' she said in utter heartbreak.

'Birei-san?' Ginji spoke up.

'Iya, Ginji-kun. Its Jorogumo.' Jorogumo corrected. 'The warriors you defeated were sent to die so Kabuto could be reborn...how stupid am I to realize the truth only after I lost everything?' she sobbed. 'Onigumo...Kirihito...everyone I loved...'

'Whatever, we've suffered too.' said Ryuuho gruffly.

'That's how war is.' said Kaoru. 'Millions must die for the glory of a handful of rulers.' she stated in a matter-of-fact sort of voice.

'Its this way whether human or supernatural rulers. How many died for Emperors, Kings, Presidents and Daimyos as they want more lands, riches and slaves? As long as they wish it so, we die for them because we're told to, we can't disobey or die anyway for insubordination or treason. Only difference, you didn't die on the battlefield.' Tsunade scoffed cynically.

'This is wrong...' Ginji swore, shaking his head and refusing to accept their cynical hopelessness.

'Its wrong. Sick and disgusting.' Tsunade agreed with him. 'But whether you want it or not, its how things work. You can't fight it because society determined it so since humans formed civilization thousands of years ago. When we were still in VOLTS, we all fought under you. Many of our comrades died so that those who can't fight can be protected and live. Its no different.' she stated somberly. Kazuki, Shido and Emishi looked glum at that.

'The only difference between society and us is that you're a very kind leader fighting to protect what you could, not for thirst for power and not because you can boss us to our deaths like a tyrant. Everyone looked up to you.' Ginji gawked at her, utterly embarrassed and flattered. 'We followed you and believed in you and accepted that we'd die anytime for you. You inspired all of Lower Town, motivated us to fight and live against oppression from the Belt Line and Babylon City. You're the kind of man we'd gladly die for.'

'Tsunade-chan...' Ginji blushed because his friends from VOLTS were smiling at him. He was awkwardly bashful from embarrassment it was just so cute.

'She's right, Ginji-san.' said Kazuki with his sweet smile. 'You're a leader we all followed. If you do not wish for war, then decide what we should do.'

'Well, we go to the root of the problem guys!' Ginji smiled. 'Once its done...the Mariudo and Kiryuudo have nothing to lose ever again. We'll take it all back. The stolen lives of everybody and we can get back Madoka-chan too.' he declared confidently. 'Anyone chucked at us, I'd like for Ryuuho-san to put them to sleep. We can't kill anymore innocents who's none the wiser that they've been betrayed from the start. We should give everyone the chance to start over.' he said. 'Birei-san, the warriors outside aren't dead, just conked out cold since we got wind of the nasty truth thanks to Tsunade-chan. Everyone there is alive. We didn't kill anyone here.' he said cheerfully.

Jorogumo and Miyama could only lament that they had a cruel leader, not the man Tsunade highly spoke of.

It was easy to see why these guys were loyal to Raitei.

Jorogumo burst into tears that her spider tribe are all alive and not dead.

'Its not yet too late Birei-san, Miyama-san.' Ginji reassured them. 'We'll fight to get everybody back and our crook's just beyond that door.'

'Yeah, he's the enemy.' Ryuuho grinned as he smacked his left fist into his other palm. 'The Mariudo's enemy!'

'Iya, Ryuuho...Kabuto is the enemy of all existence.' said Amon. 'This fight will go on forever until his soul is destroyed.'

'He must accept death. That much is clear.' Kaoru quipped.

'So let's go together, Birei-san.' said Ginji.

'Oi oi, have you forgotten she's one of the seven chiefs?' Ryuuho frowned.

'Yes, her attribute is Tactician...she could just be deceiving us.' said Amon. 'She's not like Miyama here...'

'Its alright now.' said Tsunade. 'She knows full well the truth. She has no reason to fight us not to mention we didn't kill her tribe and family. With that kinda debt, she'll repay the favor but we gotta be careful...I'll lead the way and step where I step.' she warned. 'Saicho's destroyed the stairs, and disguised his work with his butterflies. One wrong step...we're gonna go splat. Well, not me, I can fly...' she laughed jovially earning her pouts and scowls.

'Gee, thanks, twerp.' Ban looked annoyed. 'Well, you make sure we won't go splat or I'll grab you by the heel while we fall!'

'Heeheehee...well, I'll show where to step on! Gokudera burn the butterflies where I didn't use flames on.' she enveloped her flames on the safe parts, showing that indeed, the rest are illusions. Gokudera fired his own flames at the rest of the 'stairs' showing quite, the precarious path in the end.

'Yikes...' Emishi gulped. 'The footpath is stable...right?' he whimpered.

'It is, so let's mosey!' with that, they ran downstairs. But Tsunade stopped halfway to the stairs she did not illuminate.

'I know this presence...' Ban smirked. 'Its that fucktard baldy. Leave him to me.'

'Saicho?!' Jorogumo and Miyama snarled in anger as they prepared to kill.

'We don't have time to waste on a weakling who hides behind others as he betrays!' Tsunade snapped. 'Let's leave him to Mido-san!'

'Such insolent words from a youngster.' came the amused chuckle. 'But can you really get past me?' indeed, he showed up.

'You're weaker than even myself, fool.' Tsunade flared her full sky powers, using Sky Oppression. 'You're so damn weak you can only survive by betrayal by betraying those stronger than you as you curry favor with your traitorous King. You're not even worth Mido's time but it seems he wants to make you pay for whatever heck happened between you so we'll let him enjoy making you scream. I'm not being insolent, I state the truth that you're damn weak!' she bit out coldly. 'Age is worth nothing to competence.'

Even though they weren't the target while Saicho collapsed from the weight of her oppression, the others could feel how terrible it was!

They felt as if they were forced to kneel into submission by a giant stepping on them. If this wasn't aimed at them, they can only wonder how Saicho felt, being the target of this horrible aura!

'Holy crap...she's this strong?!' Himiko choked out as they choked under the malevolent presence she emitted.

'In power, yes...she's almost comparable to Raitei at his worst.' Akabane purred in delight at the potential as he too, was forced to kneel before a budding young Ruler. 'But she has yet to mature but when she does, she'll be a wonderful delight.'

"Hime-sama...she's immensely powerful...I don't think this is because she was of Vongola stock, she's a descendant whose full potential was awakened that she's unlike her friggin' predecessors." Gokudera thought shakily. "I don't think Cavallone has a damn clue how strong she is!"

He had no idea Dino already knows.

As a Neophyte in the Mafia, the higher rank you get, the more information and privileges you're given. Its why very few in all famiglias can use Flames. But Gokudera who was assigned to watch Tsunade while training hard, basically skipped many ranks to obtain the power of Flames. Not that he knows that.

Dino wanted to see if Tsunade's Sky will latch him as her Guardian.

He already was though he had no idea.

As he lived with Tsunade who treated him warmly and kindly, he decided that he would follow her wherever she goes and what she decides even if his world would go upside down. It was he whose flames reached out to her not the other way around and he has no idea what harmonization even is.

'Really, my little sister grew up this much...' Shido whistled, amazed but still freaked out with her aura.

'You sure know how to pick em' in Mugenjou, Shido!' Ryuuho shuddered. 'I can't even compare her to a lion, she's a freaking T-Rex!' he exclaimed.

'My~! Those are kind words, Ryuuho-dono~!' Tsunade squealed happily, flattered as she lay off the technique. 'So Mido-san, have fun~'

'I sure will.' Ban stood up, cracking his knuckles as the others ran ahead.

'...if he's even weaker than a kid, how could he have massacred my tribe...' Shido swore angrily as they picked up the pace. 'He did it all by himself!'

'Its his invisible butterflies...making it easy for him to butcher all his enemies unseen.' said Jorogumo. 'Its not just for invisibility, at times, they create an image around a person to conceal his presence...at times they even make illusions like a movie screen. Those butterflies in his control are the reason he was promoted to a Chief.'

xxx

As they got closer to the bottom, the colder it was.

'Is it me or is it getting cold?' Ginji wondered with a shiver.

'Its not just you...we're deep underground, far beyond the warmth of the sun.' said Miyama.

'Yeah, been here before myself with Bakagami.' said Himiko gruffly. 'Its freaking cold down there!'

'There!' Kaoru cried as outside the shrine, was 'Madoka'.

She had the markings of a Kiryuudo, and stark naked desite having a robe hanging on her arms through the sleeves.

'Madoka...' Shido choked out in horror.

'So...you've come...insignificant life forms.' Kabuto spoke using Madoka's voice that echoed in an unearthly manner.

'He's gotten quite arrogant...can't even be bothered to give a girl some decency.' Tsunade swore. 'That's not Madoka-nee any more...' she shook.

Kabuto raised his arm, and Tsunade immediately countered with a barrier to whatever he did.

'Hooo? You can counter I, Kabuto?' Kabuto asked her. 'You refuse to bow to me, the King of all Existence?'

'Tch, you've gotten arrogant when drunk on the power of Chimera that you got deluded in delusions of grandeur, dipshit!' Tsunade spat. 'What did you do to convince the previous Mariudo King to choose you as his successor in the Kiryuudo I got no idea when the tribes take turns on having the Heart as spoken by the Gods. You did one hell of an acting to look good before him no doubt so you're in no place to act all high and mighty!'

'Hmph, he chose me for my brilliance just as I intended, girl.' said Kabuto coolly. 'For it is a power I deserve. I destroyed all in my way to get what is rightfully mine!'

'Ya think?! Hayato!' Tsunade barked. 'Burn down that cocoon now!'

'What?!'

'O-Oi Tsunade!' Shido gasped.

This was not what was supposed to happen.

He reluctantly betrayed his friends to save Madoka by giving him a body. He intended to sacrifice someone for Madoka.

But apparently, his sister has other plans...does that mean she instinctively felt what she was about to do and took matters into her own hands?

Gokudera flared up his powers and tag-teaming with Tsunade, sent a massive crimson fire towards the cocoon.

'Its useless! You cannot burn my beautiful tapestry of power...' Kabuto snarled as he raised his arms to use a massive attack on the two kids but the girl was far stronger.

And something unexpected happened.

'Look!' Himiko gasped as Gokudera's fire was burning the Cocoon...and souls are starting to seep out one by one.

'W-what?! NO! How?!' Kabuto cried in outrage as he tried to protect his cocoon by rapidly rebuilding but disintegration was faster.

'Heheh~I can Disintegrate anything I set my sights on, you fake King!' Gokudera grinned. 'Say goodbye to your power source, dumbass! Only a rightful one can earn the right to be called King if he rules his people with his own hard-earned power, not by stolen powers! You're lower than an insignificant life form!' he roared and he gave it all he's got until the cocoon was completely destroyed, sending all souls to scatter upwards.

'E-everyone...' Miyama croaked out as the souls are now all free.

'They're all free...the souls of our people and our ancestors...' Kaoru gasped out in awe.

'You...you damn brats!' Kabuto cried as with his remaining power, he lunged at them in rage. 'I'll kill you...kill you for your insolence!'

'Hayato, step 2! Now!'

'Hai, hime-sama!'

Gokudera then fired his flames at Madoka's body of all things to many horrors.

'UAAAAAAHHHHH!'

'HEY! You're aiming the fire at the girl we're TRYING to save!' Ginji cried in horror.

'Tsunade, no!' Shido cried in desperation.

'Its alright Shido! He's disintegrating his anchor to Madoka-nee...and I will synchronize Madoka-nee's soul to her body to kick him out!' Tsunade cried. 'This will definitely work! Once we free her, we leave the rest to you guys!'

It was a massive battle of wills and flames.

Everyone can only stare, dumbstruck at the teenagers who gave it all they got.

Kabuto's unearthly screams was horrible to hear...as he was pushed out of Madoka's body.

However, it wasn't over yet!

'CHAKRA OF AWAKENING! WITH MY REMAINING LIFE FORCE...' came the declaration of panic from the girl who sees all, 'AWAKEN THE TYRANT OF CHAOS! GIVE BIRTH TO OUR NEW LIGHTNING LORD! AWAKEN HIS INFINITE, SUBLIME POTENTIAL!' she sent all she's got at Ginji who received all her chakra.

'T-Tsunade...chan...' Ginji gasped out as he received all her chakra...and her own life...

It made him angry...and his anger was the key to rouse his Raitei persona, he who was willing to stain his hands to protect those Ginji cares for.

Raitei received her blessings but he did not like that it cost him a good friend.

'Hime-sama, that wasn't in the plan! What're you thinking?!' Gokudera howled in horror and grief.

'Plan?! What plan?!' Shido demanded frantically.

'Hime-sama talked only to me in using our special traits as a way to free Madoka-san without any sacrifice! But she didn't tell me about this!' Gokudera cried in dismay. 'Why?!'

Tsunade merely smiled weakly and pushed him and Madoka out of the way as the reason why, was because Kabuto possessed HER next at her moment of weakness.

Gokudera was weaker than her but she'd be damned if she let Kabuto inhabit him and have access to Gokudera's powers that can kill them all!

'Bye-bye...' she said the damning words softly.

Two words that weighed horribly on them.

'TSUNADEEE!' Shido howled in grief as they rushed to get Madoka and Gokudera away to safety. Kazuki wrapped the pair in strings and quickly reeled them in.

'HIME-SAMA NO!' Gokudera cried in anguish as Amon knew he lost the only other person who gave him a place to belong.

She was taken over as he and Gokudera lost what they had with her. Her soul was suppressed as he had done Madoka's.

'Foolish girl! I got the better deal in the end!' Kabuto laughed maniacally, possessing her body. 'Your sublime powers are now mine to wield! With your power and the heart I will soon regain, I will rule forever!' he unleashed both his power and her flames on all the retrievers, giving them a sound beating and burn injuries. 'My thirst for life is infinite!' he waved his powers around some more. 'A body is merely a container! I cannot be destroyed! HAHAHAHAHAHA!'

Raitei walked towards Kabuto, unfazed by his powers unlike the others.

'Raitei no! If you destroy that body, Tsunade will really die!' Amon cried in panic.

But Raitei...thrashed Kabuto around regardless.

'No! Don't kill hime-sama, Ginji-san!' Gokudera begged in tears. 'There has to be a way out!' he cried before collapsing. 'Damnit, compared to her years of training to my couple weeks...why am I so useless when it counts...?' he cried in sheer shame of himself. 'If only I didn't run out of juice...'

'You did all you could, Hayato-kun.' said Kazuki somberly. 'Our last hope now is Ginji-san...but I worry about Tsunade-chan...' he said helplessly as Raitei was beating the beating real hard on a frail thirteen years old girl.

They were really worrying hard for her survival prospects that's getting lower and lower.

"Is this what I get for betraying my friends for Madoka? My sister did what I intended to do..." Shido's hot tears cascaded down his face. "If it was me dying its OK...its alright with me...but not her! Why..." he choked out. "Did she sense what I was about to do and planned a way out so I won't be forced to damn Ginji?"

Indeed Karma bites back, and how!

No form of atoning can make up for his sister's sacrifice just so he wouldn't have to betray anyone. It was painful for him to see Raitei beat up his sister's body he feared for her life.

Indeed, Tsunade and Gokudera's plan was effective.

But she underestimated Kabuto and she knew it that was why she panicked into hastily awakening Ginji to his full potential as the Lightning Lord.

This Raitei is more powerful than the one they've gotten used to.

Even Kabuto was now terrified of him.

Raitei grabbed the battered body by the neck.

'Begone...you abomination!' Raitei spat in hatred as he held him up.

'Don't you get it?! This body is merely a container! You're only damaging your friend's body!' Kabuto's snarl was clearly laced with his fear of what Raitei is.

'I know that.' came the cold retort as Raitei gathered power in his fist. 'That is why...' he punched him. 'I'm merely hitting your soul!'

They could see a ghostly form shake within Tsunade's body.

'What the...' Ryuuho gasped out as they saw it.

They never imagined Raitei could actually hit a soul. Kabuto's soul and thankfully not Tsunade's.

'He's hitting Kabuto's soul without damaging Tsunade's body any further after he disabled her body from fighting!' Amon cried. 'They say the body loses a small amount of weight as a person dies...that's because the soul is made up of tiny particles even smaller than neutrons...but any physical substance can be affected by great magnetic fields and Raitei is using a massive amount to knock Kabuto out of Tsunade's body!'

'A-AHH...AHHHHHHHHHH!' came the tyrant king's death scream as it was over...and Raitei then carried Tsunade's battered body that he himself battered with his own hands, cradling her in his arms.

The cynical, jaded girl sacrificed herself so he could be reborn anew in order to have the power to save them all even if it meant a horrible beating for it.

After all, she was willing to die for his sake.

He heard her words that he was a leader she and their friends will gladly follow to their deaths.

It was why he kills to protect those he cared for but...was this battered form of a child in his arms worth it?

'I-is it over...?' Ryuuho wondered feebly.

'No.' said Amon as he who presided over death, sensed that Kabuto is still alive.

No...

No...

I don't want to die...

This feeble, weak cry was different from his tyrannical, maniacal arrogance.

He's no different from a dying person in fear of his death.

'H-hey, that's...' Amon gasped out as they all stared in disbelief at what remains.

'Could this being with the massive power...be his true identity?'