Welcome back everyone! Last time, Mei and Kuon were lock in a dealy encounter with Wendy, Kuon's previous Roommate, who desires vengeance for the death of her friend Acht.

Meanwhile, Touya, Es, Nu and Avenge fought the Metal Man and blasted him into some rubble. However, when the Metal Man spoke and said some disturbing, yet familiar words, the robot revealed himself to be Souichiro Unomaru, back from the dead!

With this shocking revelation, how will this clash go now!? Let's find out!


Restricted Ward [Clearing]

Time stood still for everyone as the identity of the Metal Man hit their ears. This metallic monstrosity was Souichiro Unomaru!? The same Unomaru who tried to control mankind through Code Embryo? The man who played a part in ruining the reputation of Touya's mother, controlled Mei through her family and treated Es as nothing more than a disposable object? The one who used Hinata as a battery in an effort to remove free will from the world to create a false sense of world peace? The Metal Man is Unomaru!

Hearing this, the four stood in place with verying emotions as they processed what they just heard...

Avenge felt disgust for the revelation. He never trusted the man when he was alive and when he heard about his plans to control makind, if made him sick to his stomach. While he's a saint compared to the monster known as Ripper, Unomaru was not favorable in his eyes and is just as evil as the serial killer.

Nu felt confusion and intrigue. While she does have some knowledge on him thanks to some information she got from the Agency's database, she couldn't help but wonder how he's standing here and now. Didn't he shuffle off his mortal coil a year ago? What does his presence mean for her and her newfound friends? More importantly, why would this man laugh at her words of comraddere?

Touya felt a strange mix of frustration and relief. Frustration because of all the horrible things this man put his family and all his friends through, especially Es, Mei and Hinata. However, he felt relief because in spite of all the bad things he did, he truly believed Unomaru wanted to help people, but Touya knew he went about it in the most wrong way possible and didn't want to see him dead. Regardless of what he thought, he understood full well that this man needed to be caught. Not just for his sake, but for Mei's sake and especially Es'...

Es however... felt nothing but pity and rage toward Unomaru. Her rage was understandable as Unomaru used her as a puppet and treated her friends as nothing but disposable pawns in addition to never showing her anything about emotions beyond just following orders. However, she felt pity for the man who brought her into this world. While she was created in a lab for an ulterior motive, he STILL created life and even though this was seen as taboo in general, it was still something incredible to even do. As Es developed emotions, she genuinely did like the clothes Unomaru gave her and she did show respect toward him, hence why she reacted with stunned shock when he yelled at her for the first time. In a way, Unomaru was technically her father. Sadly, a father who wanted nothing to do with his 'child' and saw her as an object, not unlike how Sechs and Drei viewed her. Even Acht and Freaks at least saw her as a person, however twisted they were. Her presence could have turned Unomaru's life around, but he never once thought about that. Regardless of the fact, Es still pointed her blade at him as time began resuming in motion as the revelation fully connected.

"How...? How are you back...? Touya told me that Sechs killed you!" Es questioned Unomaru as her voice raised slightly. Touya, Avenge and even Nu are in agreement themselves. If this machine truly is Unomaru, how is he back from the dead? As a robot no less?

"Ah... I can understand your curiosity... even I was taken aback at my own contingencies as it happened in a way that I did not understand..." Unomaru said as he recalled what happened a year ago...


The Wharf [Secret Laboratory, sometime during the Vampire Incident]

A first, there was nothing but black until a flash appeared, followed up by a bunch of 1 and 0's. What followed where a bunch of words appearing in the persons eyes...

[BOOT UP SEQUENCE COMMENCING]

[BOOT UP COMPLETE]

[MEMORY RECOLLECTION COMMENCING]

[MEMORY RECOLLECTION CORRUPTED; 75% RECOVERED]

[START UP COMPLETE: SOUICHIRO UNOMARU - PROJECT: RESTORATION; COMPLETED]

After all those words vanished, vison came to the individual in question as they rose from a sitting position and looked around to see a small container filled with strange machinery with some dust and cobwebs around this room.

'Where...? Am I...? This... This is...!' Thoughts came to him as he begin to slowly recall some things that left him confused about who he is. His sense of motor contorl felt incredibly strange as he looked at his hands or more like metallic limbs. He looked at himself in a mirror to see a machine instead of a man. Normally such a sight would terrify a man, yet he was strangely calm as his mind was all hazy. Taking a moment, he took the time to recollect things.

"Hmmm... let's disrobe this mystery one layer at a time. I am... ah, yes... I am Souichiro Unomaru." The man said as he recounted his name. Of course this was a minor thing to recall as he surveyed the strange little place he finds himself in. He was trying to find something to clue him in as to who he is.

"No... I'm doing it out of order. First, I must ascertain what I was doing, and how I got here." Unomaru said to himself as his memories slowly returned to him, both good and bad. It was slow difficult work, like staring into a puddle of oil and trying to seperate the colors from one another...

"Yes... yes... that's right. Ryoko Kagari, Sui Amanohokosaka and I... we were trying to create Code Embryo in an effort to bring peace and salvation to all of mankind... And then what...? Black... darkness... consuming me... And then..." Unomaru said as he shuffled through the database in his now robotic mind. Yet, no matter how fervently he concentrates, Unomaru can't remember what happened after that.

He then recalled that "Can't" is a misnomer. The information exists somewhere inside of his now AI-like mind. Remembering it IS possible. But he can't keep up with the sheer number of memories speeding down the slopes of his consciousness like an avalanche of data. After all, there's more information in Souichiro Unomaru's head than any three men could hope to process in a lifetime.

"Heh heh heh... now this... this is interesting..." Unomaru said to himself in a mix of amazement and childlike curiosity as he "smiled" in spite of his present dilemma- or perhaps because of it. He 's never experienced anything like this. It's exhilarating. Even... fun...

He stands within his mind, nearly burried in a sea of fragmented facts. He pieces them together, bit by tiny bit. He's never done it before. It shouldn't even be possible. But Unomaru cobbles his vast storehouse of knowledge back together as though he were "born" for such a task.

"So THAT'S how... I see... heh heh..." Unomaru chuckled in a delightful tone with each new aspect of the mystery he untangles. Yet he's still not how much time has passed since his last clear memory. Suddenly, he then finally realizes the abnormality of his current state.

"Well... no wonder I couldn't rouse myself. I am a fractured being at present." Unomaru said as he mentally scolded himself before setting that fact aside for further consideration and turns his attention to a more immediate issue; that of his now machine like body. While he has control over it, he can't help but wonder why he, who was born and living as a human, is now a robot. A walking freak of nature. Something is indeed amiss...

"I wonder what exactly has transpired here...?" Unomaru asked himself as he walked around this little place, which has functioning technology despite being in such a small space and location which shouldn't have ANY source of power as an outlet. He was at least impressed that this... was his own handiwork...

"Wait... I... built this laboratory... ahead of time... didn't I...?" Unomaru said in surprise as he realized that he built this place as the rest of his memories came into place up until a certain incident. He recalled that he captured Hinata Himezuru, who contained Code Embryo, but then nothing...

"I wonder if this computer contains the answers to the missing components of my memories... surly I didn't fail to save mankind...? Have I...?" Unomaru said as he walked up to the computer to look up some information and saw the current date. It was three to four months after he captured Hinata! He then saw a pop up on screen and everything now made since as to why he's a being of metal and chrome.

"I... I failed... how... Kagari... Es... The Ten Sages... Who? How?" Unomaru said is shock and disbelief as he looked up that HE himself is Project Restoration. He came to one conclusion.

HE DIED...

After letting that shocking revelation set in, Unomaru saw a particular icon on the screen in the Project Restoration file. Curious he clicked on it with the computer's mouse. After doing so, a video was shown with a man of 35 years facing a camera as he sat down and cleared his throat. He is a skinny man wearing a white shirt, black pants and a long white scarf. He has bluish silver hair and wore a pair of glasses. The robot recognized him. This WAS him, back when he was human. A REAL person.

"Testing one, two, three. *Ahem* Now then, this might be weird to say this as this is addressed to... well... me." Said the Unomaru on the screen. It was then the robotic Unomaru realized that the human Unomaru left a message for him. But how and why?

"Now, I bet you're confused right now, but if you are watching this, then that means by some... unlikely chance... I failed to usher mankind in a new age of peace. That would mean either young Kagari's friends or the Rogue Ten Sages got me somehow..." The Past Unomaru said in his video message to his Present self, sounding uneasy about that possibility. Unomaru kept watching his past self as he observed.

"I highly doubt young Kagari would do anything to me. I know him too well. Too kind and idealistic, perhaps too idealistic. He would most likely try to talk me out of it while Es and Mei would try to lock me up. For what? To save mankind from themselves? As for the Ten Sages, I need to be prepared in any event of those three coming after me. But, if you're seeing this, then here me out, there is a way to make things right whether I perished or are locked away..." Past Unomaru said to his current self as he proceeded to reveal his contingency plan to his Present self as Unomaru's now robotic eyes glowed in intrigue.


Restricted Ward [Clearing, Present Day]

Unomaru revealed what happened to Es, Touya, Nu and Avenge, minus the location of the lab he was reborn in as he has no intention of letting them know where his base of operations are at. They were all genuinely surprised that he went as far as to back up his memories up to a certain point to a mainframe and if he didn't respond, this Metal Man, with all his memories stored up would take his place. Unomaru has CLONED himself in the most extreme way possible and the fact he's standing here now is proof of his insanity driven determination.

"Yes... it was strange and bizarre that I would think of this. It was like something out of a Video Game that I would play. But enough about me. You seem to be doing well for yourself, Embryo Storage." Unomaru said as he eyed Es with what appeared to be a mocking stare at her.

"If you intend to get under my skin, you're aiming it at the wrong person. If Mei were down here, it'd be a different story..." Es replied in a calm, yet angered tone. She understood Unomaru better than anyone by now to know he loved to throw thinly veiled insults at people, even if they were his own allies. She knew that if Mei were at the ground level, Mei would no doubt attempt to fry him to a crisp if she could... and Es knew that nobody one would blame her...

'After all, you had a part in ruining Mei's life...' Es thought bitterly as she recalled what Unomaru did to Mei in regards to her father and how he pretty much spited her deceased mother along with Touya's mother.

"Ah, you know me too well. We have been superior and subordinate for five years after all. To think you're still functioning after... all... this...?" Unomaru said as his eyes glowed in curiosity and then they stopped glowing, earning a look of confusion from Es as Touya, Nu and Avenge observed From the sidelines.

"This can't be right? Why are my scans saying you're human? 100% Percent human with no sign of decaying...! How are you not a Prime Field Interference Manifestation anymore!? Is this a glitch!?" Unomaru replied in frustration, shock and disbelief. Es at least understood that and proceeded to say something to make something perfectly clear with him.

"I've always been human in heart and spirit, you're the one who never understood me. As for my current state, when Sechs killed you, I took Code Embryo from Hinata." Es said with Unomaru staring back in what appeared to be shock on his blank face.

"What...?" Unomaru asked in disbelief. What did she just say? She inherited the Embryo, like she was originally intended for? All this time and she fulfilled her original purpose? But why aren't her eyes blue?

"It's true. After me and Touya defeated Sechs, I remained in the Boundary, but a friend from another timeline helped me return into this world, WITHOUT the Embryo as a full-fledged human. I'm now free of the Embryo's power and my former body's fragile life span." Es said with pride as she was freed from the shackles Unomaru placed upon her as well as the choice Es made to protect her world and friends. This brought a brief smile to Touya's face as Es is doing the one thing he always wished she'd do: Stand up to Unomaru without fear.

"Ahaha... ahahahahaha... I can't believe it...? You accomplished what I originally made you for and not only discovered alternative timelines... BUT YOU LEFT THE EMBRYO BEHIND IN THE BOUNDARY!?" Unomaru laughed and shouted in fury and disbelief as he heard that his life's work is gone while his eyes flared in an ominous glow! His past self was right to plan ahead in case of something like this happening.

"That power had no place in this world, it was better that no one controlled it so no one can abuse it's power, steal the world's free will or lock the world in a time loop. Besides, the Gate that leads to the Embryo is permanently sealed." Es replied to Unomaru in regards to the current state of the Embryo, still holding true to her thoughts of the Azure power. Unomaru is left speechless at the thoguht that the Embryo was permanently lost. By this point, Touya, his smile fading and having observed the two long enough, decided to interject and say something.

"Unomaru, why are you hunting me and Es down? We didn't do anything to you! Besides, it was Sechs who murdered you and he's long gone!" Touya asked Unomaru in regards to his single-minded manhunt towards them. Hearing Touya question him caused Unomaru's mechanic eyes to dim down.

"Yes... it is true that according to files I was able to procure, that is indeed how I met my end..." Unomaru replied in a slightly somber tone as he apparently calmed down, but this raised some flags for them. Did Unomaru hack the Mitsurugi Agency HQ's files to find out the cause of his death?

"I had some files to remind me who I was, but enough of that. I want to know why the two of you, who prevented mankind from flourishing, get to live while I died! Because of you two puppets, a human being, ME, died and I'm now a freak of nature! AND IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!" Unomaru yelled as his eyes flared and he charged at Es. Surprised by the sudden charge, Es nearly tripped over herself as Unomaru closed the gap and prepared to strike her down, but...

*CLING*

Touya and Nu quickly stepped in to black the Metal Man's arms while Avenge swooped in and pulled the Azure Maiden to safety, placing her back on her feet.

"Thank you Avenge." Es thanked the Bounty Hunter for pulling her away.

"Just stay focused and don't lose your composer." Avenge replied with a slight nod as the two pulled their weapons out as Touya and Nu kept Unomaru locked in place.

"Do not... blame... Es and... Touya for... your errors..." Nu said to Unomaru as she scanned him to see in his body had any weaknesses'. This earned a blight glow from Unomaru's robotic eyes in her face.

"Don't give me any of that you defective piece of junk! You and Es are just machines to be used and thrown away! You two are just broken defective tools!" Unomaru roared back at Nu as he pushed harder, but then he saw sparks coimng from his right arm. Confused, he looked to see Touya as his hair turned red and his eyes changed. He was activating the power only known as...

'XBLAZE!? He can use XBLAZE!?' Unomaru thought in shock as he has heard about this potential power before in theory. Yes, Touya himself is the Original Grimoire, but he shouldn't be able to use this power!

"Don't you dare... INSULT ES AND NU!' Touya yelled in fury as he pushed Unomaru back, nearly cutting his arm off in the process as he was forced to fly back away from him. Sparks escaped his arm as he stared back as the four regrouped. The four stood still as they stared at each other. Afterward, no words were spoken as the four charged Unomaru in an effort to bring down the mad scientist and bring him to justice. For good, this time.


Mitsurugi Agency HQ [Rooftop]

As the three mages noticed the conflict below them calm down momentarily, they noticed the them apparently speaking to each other. Kuon and Mei recalled Akira saying the Metal Man was 'asking' around for Es and Touya, but for now, they need to pacify Wendy before heading down there, however Wendy noticed a familiar face down there.

"Avenge? Didn't think he'd be here helping you out..." Wendy said as she regained her footing. This raised some alarms in the two as Avenge mentioned meeting a mage who took a picture of the Metal Man. Did that mean...!?

"Wendy, did you visit Shin Yokosaki City three weeks ago!?" Kuon asked her former roommate as the pieces started to fall into place, but weren't they under the impression that the mage hired Avenge.

"Yes, I did. I wanted to see the city my friend perished in, but while I toured the city, I caught a quick snapshot of the Metal Man. So, I hired the infamous Bounty Hunter to try and locate him, but it looks like I forgot to let him know the Metal Man got in contact with me during that period. Guess even I make mistakes." Wendy revealed as she got into a fighting stance once again.

"You're already making a mistake by helping that pile of scrap metal!" Mei shouted back as she and Kuon got into position to fight Wendy once more.

"At least he understands how I feel! At least he knows what it is like to lose something. Souichiro promised me to give me a chance to avenge my friend and I took the chance to do so!" Wendy yelled back as she said something that instantly froze Mei and Kuon in place as their faces went pale, something that Wendy has taken notice of...

"Wha... why are you looking at me like that?" Wendy asked in some semblance of confusion as the two mages stared back at her as if they heard something they had no desire to hear. Weren't they arguing back with her a moment ago and why are they looking like they've seen a ghost.

"W-Wendy...? What... did you say the Metal Man's name is...?" Kuon asked in a tone filled with anxiety and dread as her heart started to beat faster to the point of hearing it drum within her own chest. Mei's own heart reacted the same way as painful memories came back to her, hoping that the Metal Man isn't who she thinks it is. If it is who she thinks is it, there's no telling what she'd do. Eventually, Wendy spoke up.

"His name is Souichiro Unomaru, a scientist who was cruelly slain by your brother Kuon..." Wendy said with a serious look as she said it with such venom to Kuon. It was then time stopped for the Shrine Maiden and the Fire Empress as their worst fears were confirmed. That pile of scrap metal was the evil scientist who made Mei's life difficult and sent Kuon's Brother on a dark path involving the same scientist's project. After a moment passed, Mei's face changed from shock to horror to sorrow and eventually to pure rage in the span of a minute. With this, lightning strated cracking around the Shrine Maiden as she clutched her head in grief...

"M-Mei...? Mei!" Kuon asked in concern as she realized that her friend was experiencing a bunch of emotions right now. Not one of them good. It was obvious to her that Mei was going to snap. Even Wendy took note as she noticed the lightning build up around the Shrine Maiden.

"What in the hell...?" Wendy whsipered as she saw lightning flying around her, one of the spells nearly hitting her, causing her to fall on the ground. She then realized that she made her angry somehow just by mention the name of the robot she met. While she heard of their shared history, she didn't think it would be this bad as fear suddenly took a hold of her as she sensed immense hostility emanating from the Shrine Maiden.

"What... did you say...? That worthless scumbag... is here..." Mei asked in a cold chilling voice as she walked slowly toward Wendy as her eyes remained hidden underneath her hair. Kuon realized that Mei's emotions were taking control of her and realized she's going to do something drastic.

"Mei! Please stop!" Kuon pleaded with Mei, hoping that she would hear her, but it was all on deaf ears as lightning kept the Fire Empress away from the Shrine Maiden as she wasn't in the right state of mind to listen. Everything hurt in Mei right now. Her mind and her heart were now in turmoil. The man who got her mother killed and used her spiritually dead father as leverage to control her is alive as a robot and is now trying to take away two of her dearest friends.

"That monster... is alive? He... hehehehe... hah... hah... hah... hah... NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Mei screamed at the top of her lungs as lightning crackled around her erratically, her eyes leaking tears of sorrow and anger as all of the emotional pain came rushing back in full force. The force of the lightning pushed Kuon back a few feet and sent chills down Wendy's spine as Mei was filled with so much hate that it was almost suffocating.

'JESUS CHRIST! Souichiro, what the hell did you do to her!?' Wendy thought to herself in shock. Yes, she hated Mei for what she did to Acht, but it made her wonder why she's acting berserk all of a sudden. She hadn't seen anything this terrifying before! At this point, Wendy knew it was a losing battle and figured it might be best to escape. But as she was planning to bail, she noticed Mei lift her hand up into the air as lightning started building up in her hand with both Wendy and Kuon's eyes widening in concern...


Restricted Ward [Clearing, Present Day]

The battle raged on for what felt like a long time as the five battled back and forth. While Es and the others took damage, Unomaru was cleary sustaining some damage on his end. Es couldn't help but wonder how Unomaru, who doesn't know any form of fighting styles whatsoever, is suddenly on equal footing with them. She then backfliped to where Nu is, hoping for some insight from her.

"Nu! Did you find anything on him!?" Es asked Nu, hoping she would have found a weakspot on Unomaru. While that accursed visor is glued to her face, it's the only thing that can detect something on him.

"His limbs... are thin... and fragile... he has... armor covering... them..." Nu said as she relayed what she scanned on him. While this didn't answer Es' question on his newfound fighting prowess, this did tell her that Unomaru understood the limitations of his robotic body and he built those armored platings on himself.

"Nu, tell Avenge what you found and I'll let Touya know-" Es asked Nu what to do next until...

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Screamed a familiar voice as lightning shot up from the top of the Mitsurugi Agency HQ building, crackling in a chaotic torrent as it flew wildly all around. Everyone, Unomaru included, stopped to know who's screaming bloody murder at the top of her lungs.

"MEI!" Es and Touya shouted at the same time in worry. What happend up there!? Did something happen to Kuon!? As they were asking themselves that question, a voice immediately blasted out from their communicators...

"ES! TOUYA! NU! AVENGE! GET DOWN!" Kuon yelled at the top on her lungs as a giant bolt of lightning flew down from the building and flew straight into Unomaru directly as the others jumped away. They then understood what happened. Somehow, Mei found out the Metal Man is Unomaru from the Wind Mage and as Es figured, Mei intended to fry Unomaru to a crisp.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHH! THAT SHRINE MAIDEN BITCH! STOP! STOP THAT RIGHT NOOOOOOWWWWWWW!" Unomaru screamed and cursed in pain as a massive jolt of lightning electrocuted him. No doubt that this was frying his circuitry as his robot body twitched and contorted in unhuman like agony as he attempted to shrug it off by activating an energy barrier...

"EMERGENCY BARRIER ON!" Unomaru shouted as a green energy bubble surrounded him. Eventually, after a good two minutes passed, the lightning died down and the brutal storm passed.

'Mei... oh Mei...' Es looked on in sadness at her friend's emotional outburst. While this behavior was out of line, she understood why Mei acted this way and knew Touya understood as well...

'Mei... you were still hurting from what Unomaru did to you and your family... weren't you?' Touya thought to himself as he knew full well the reason behind Mei's rage as he turned his sights back to Unomaru, who's body was covered in red hot metal as the armor around his arms and legs fell off of him. At the same time, his body cooled down, supposedly no worse for wear. Something Avenge took note of...

"Hmmm..." Avenge let out as if he's seen this type of material before...


Mitsurugi Agency HQ [Rooftop]

After unleashing a giant blast of lightning, Mei was breathing heavily in and out as Kuon and Wendy looked in disbelief. Kuon was relieved that Mei didn't aim the lightning at Touya and the others, but cursed herself for thinking Mei would hurt them just to get at Unomaru, yet she knew what Mei did was reckless and yet... she understood why. After all's said and done, Mei began wobbing with uneasy steps until...

"M-moth... er... fa... ther..." Mei let out weakly as she fell over onto her side unconscious as she exhausted herself with that one attack along with the emotional turmoil she was feeling. This instantly worried Kuon as one of her best friends just collapsed.

"MEI!" Kuon shouted as she ran over to her friends side and turned Mei over onto her back, hoping to give her some air. Fortunately, Mei was still breathing, just tired and unconscious. Feeling bad for her, Kuon wiped away the tear stains on Mei's face.

"Mei, you were still hurting from losing your family... I'm sorry I didn't notice it..." Kuon whispered to her friend as she turned to Wendy, who looked on in shock and confusion. While Kuon is angry that Wendy just casually said Unomaru's name in front of them, she understood that Wendy must have not know about what happened between Mei and Unomaru...

Slowly, but steadily getting up, Wendy, looking like she saw something terrible, shook her head in disbelief before turning away...

"What... did... he... do...?" Wendy said wistfully as she flew away with wind magic, leaving her former friend behind as her thoughts are all over the place. She didn't know why she doesn't just finish off Mei while she's down, but it felt wrong to do so and right now, she was afraid and ashamed to go near her.

"Wait! WENDY!" Kuon called out to her former friend. Despite trying to kill them, Kuon still valued Wendy as a friend deep down as she understood her thoughts and feelings. Although they had to stop Acht at all costs, to Wendy, they killed her friend and felt like a betrayal to her. She understood full well of that as she trended to her unconscious friend and hoped the others would catch Unomaru.

'Touya, Es... please. Capture that bastard... for Mei's sake...' Kuon thought to herself, praying that her friends can defeat this pathetic excuse for a human being to at least bring peace to Mei's wounded heart...

To Be Continued...


With that, the second part of the fight with Unomaru has concluded. With Mei comatose and Wendy having fleed the battle, can our remaining heroes defeat the evil scientist turned homicidal machine!?

Stay tuned!