To Shishima,
I must state this plainly: Sazansho and Rufu have been freed by angel conspirators. As I write, we're scouring the capital palace for them. We've also alerted all the regional leaders to do the same.
Fukurokuju has been worrying me lately. Now he seems distracted and I catch gloomy looks on his face, as if he's already falling into the Abyss.
In a situation this dire I would've asked you to return and use your skills to help us, but Fukurokuju insists I warn you about a danger that is coming your way. He has foreseen these angels crossing over to the mortal realm and that they're coming after you and your family. Take the right precautions and stay safe. And, if you are able, please lend us your aid!
Yours faithfully,
Queen Hyouma of the Twilight Kingdom
Deep within the Twilight Kingdom's capital palace, behind the brick walls of a murdered blacksmith, a grand uprising was being schemed. As Rufu wiped away the victim's blood from his katana, Sazansho was inspecting a map, tracing circles among the building's major wings, giving pertinent information to their angelic allies. Kamijishi rubbed his chin as he followed the movement of the salamander daiyoukai's nubby fingers, trying to plan the upcoming battle.
"And lastly, at the upmost level we've got the senate room, the grand theater, the ball room, the throne room and the royal bedchambers," Sazansho concluded.
"Do you believe there's still loyalists among the army and the sealing corps?" asked Kamijishi.
"That should go without saying! It's been a few months since our grand tragedy began, so I am most certain our men will feel our kingdom's instability, especially once news spreads of their omniscient advisor's fallibility. They'll look once more upon a too-young queen and they will see her lack of strength and demonic values."
"Soldiers exist to follow. They execute orders without a need to think them through. Beat enough loyalty into them and there won't be any questions," Rufu added with an ugly smirk.
"Good, here's the plan - Sazansho will sneak into the sealing corps' headquarters tomorrow night when their shift changes and we know his old second-in-command is in charge. Since Rufu has many lieutenants and colonels who were blindly loyal to him, the best idea is to have him infiltrate the four towers where the sentries are located. You both will have to win as many youkai to our side as possible. Anyone who refuses to join us needs to be taken care of, but you already know that, gentlemen," Kamijishi instructed, both daiyoukai nodding back. "Once we have enough control, we can incite the first rebellion, which will only be a diversion to keep Hyouma's forces occupied. This will provide us enough time to find where Koushishi is being held and free her."
"A brilliant plan, Kamijishi. You've outdone yourself!" Tenshiyoku praised, his servant bowing down to show gratitude. "However, I do wonder how will Rufu be able to infiltrate the towers when he's blind as a bat?"
Offended, Rufu growled at him, foaming at the mouth. Sazansho was quick to place a hand on his chest and whisper in his ear, "Not yet, my friend. They're both still useful. Put up with the brat for a while until our queen is back in power, then we can deal with them when the time is right."
"Rufu's issue will be resolved soon," Kamijishi said, smiling confidently. "Prince Tenshiyoku and I will find Shishima and Nekohana. We shall ambush them and enact vengeance on your behalf."
"Good luck with that! I heard through the grapevine that they both left for the mortal world on this little planet called Earth," Sazansho brought up.
"Then we'll head to Earth as soon as possible, if you would be so kind as to help me find the coordinates on this dimensional map?" Much to everyone's surprise, Kamijishi took out an old and dusted parchment which he unraveled, revealing a cosmic map which seemed to include many dimensions."I've spent the past centuries looking for my prince and forming the right connections in the Dawn Kingdom, all to orchestrate a grand war. Seeking the mortal world was not among my priorities list."
Sazansho joined Kamijishi at the table, the two of them focused on the map's drawings. In the meantime, Tenshiyoku sat in a corner, grinning to himself as he cooked up a most insidious scheme to subjugate Shishima.
Nekohana handled the pregnancy much better than other female youkai. She rarely if ever felt pain or exhaustion, and when she did, even with offered aid, she mostly took care of herself. That level of independence and self-reliance only made Shishima love her more.
Once she fell pregnant, she cooked up a lie that she had felt a new youkai appear in Japan and it was her duty to hunt it down. Thankfully, the Musashi shrine's staff believed her and raised no questions. After all, if a priestess ended up pregnant or got married, then her role in the clergy was over. Shishima knew that Nekohana came to love her life as Sayo, tending to the shrine and her own garden, talking to visitors and praying to the Shinto deities. Although he was certain that those gods absolutely abhorred him, the fact that she was on good terms with them still baffled him.
Nekohana had moved in with him at the Kage mansion for the past few months, and behind those old, decaying walls they could both be in their true forms without any qualms. To accommodate his beloved, Shishima even built a garden in his backyard and allowed her to plant whatever she wished. Money was never an issue when it came to her happiness. If each morning he got to see her wake up in their bed and smile back at him, there was no higher satisfaction.
Great was Shishima's worry as he set aside Hyouma's letter. Normally he would have scoffed at the supposed threat of two angels, but he also had to worry about his family's safety. Would erecting a magical barrier around his mansion be sufficient? Could he find a way to shroud their scent and demonic auras? His thoughts were disturbed by a sudden light coming from the hallway, illuminating his dim office.
"Milord, I am sorry to bother you," Borof spoke as he opened the door wide. "Lady Nekohana is calling for you. She said it's urgent."
Without a word, Shishima got up from his desk and flew out of the office, startling his servant, who was quick to follow. The hallways of the Kage mansion had grown cleaner over the years, as Borof ensured that no more dust would settle on any wall or expensive painting. Soon they were both in the master bedroom. The sunlight could not properly get through its thick purple curtains. Instead, two lamps sat at both sides of the bed and properly lit the room. Far to the left, a single closet where Shishima kept his Count Kage outfits. On the right, a large bookcase, in case anyone needed to read before falling asleep. In the middle, a small table filled with paperwork - a remnant belonging to the true count and a reminder that work happened in the late hours of night. By the bedside, a dining table which currently only had a plate filled with mushroom chicken, one of his beloved's favorite dishes.
Nekohana rested on the bed, her belly swollen and uncovered by her flower mane. The covers were long since pushed away, as she could not stand the late spring heat. She lifted her head up from the pillow and greeted:
"Shishima, thank goodness you came so quick!"
"I came as fast as I could," he replied while landing next to her bedside. "What's wrong?"
"The time has come," Nekohana said, her words leaving Shishima speechless, a staring mess who actually favored her back with a smile. "In a few hours, tonight..."
The range of emotions that overcame Shishima were indescribable: worry, dread, anger, frustration, and ultimately: love and sheer joy. And yet on his stoic face, he only allowed the smallest trace of a smile. After living with him for so long, Nekohana came to know when he was truly conflicted, perhaps even better than Borof. She reached out and grabbed her beloved's hand, snapping him out of it.
"The seed of our love has finally grown and will soon sprout. Our first cub, I never thought I'd see the day," Nekohana said softly.
"The fact that you are the mother of my first offspring means everything," Shishima solemnly replied, squeezing her hand. "If only this didn't come with bad news," his tone grew ominous as he presented Hyouma's letter.
Nekohana was quick to read it, her expression soon changing from joy to worry. "Oh no... what are we going to do?"
"I have a few emergency plans off the top of my head: a barrier, shrouding, maybe even... a human form for our child."
"A human form, beloved? Will a baby youkai be able to endure such a drastic change?"
"I see no reason it shouldn't. At least until maturity, when the demonic powers will be too much for mere human flesh."
"And then our child will have a normal human life. Maybe even a happy childhood," said the hopeful Nekohana.
"Unlike us," Shishima added.
Silence filled the bedroom as they both stared at each other, frowning. There was truth to Shishima's words, as neither one of them had known the warmth of parental love for long. Nekohana's mother died when she was young and Shishima's father was too busy being an inspiring warlord to show him proper paternal affection. Not to mention the great degree of pain their other parents put them through. In that very moment, determination filled their hearts as they squeezed each other's hands tighter than before.
"We'll do everything we can so our child will not suffer like we did. No matter what, our child will be happy!" Nekohana declared, Shishima silently nodded in return.
Standing in the doorway, Borof smiled in silence. Although his master had seemingly given up on his goals of conquest, the fact that he was on the verge of parenthood was enough to fill his servant with pride.
Ben Shaw downed another glass of scotch. Was it his fourth or fifth on that early afternoon? The barman didn't seem to care since he was the only customer. As he let the burning sensation crawl up his throat, he stared at the ceiling, inspecting two dusty cobwebs. Time, how much of it had gone by? Ten years since he moved to Japan to help Hajime combat the Spawns of Shishima. Five years since he disgraced himself in front of Hajime and moved back to the United Kingdom overnight, without informing anyone. His farewell note was short and concise: I'm sorry for what I did. I can't look you in the face anymore. I'm moving back to my country. Thank you for everything. Since then he had received emails from Hajime, asking him to return and explain himself. Emails he was reluctant to respond to. Until the latest one, where Hajime laid all his cards on the table. No matter what, he was now certain that there was no chance they would ever be together, no matter how much Ben loved him. So he finally emailed him a reply, telling him that they both needed to go their separate ways. Another chapter in his life had closed, another failure to find the love he so desperately sought. Now all he had were the drugs and one-night stands with older men.
The heavy rain outside best reflected his mood. Staring out the window, he longed to be just another drop, falling from the sky until its life ended in a puddle on the ground. A short glimpse of freedom until everything ended, that was life. Would he ever find his true love?
"This one's on the house," said the barman.
Snapping out of his daze, Ben reached for the glass and downed its contents. The taste of copper, it made him choke and spit in the glass. The drink was red, not orange. It couldn't have possibly been...
"What's the matter? Blood doesn't suit your tastes?" the barman asked with a distorted voice.
Ben took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes, trying to get a better look at the one behind the counter. The short middle-aged bald man with a thick fatherly mustache had suddenly turned into a human-sized Paddington Bear, his dark blue raincoat and brown fur both bloodstained. Ben jumped out of his chair and slowly backed away, too drunk to ask any questions.
"Or perhaps you're too much of a coward to ever face your demons," Paddington Bear continued as he floated over the counter, slowly approaching him. "You keep letting the past define you, even after you chose to run away from it. Just what kind of a man are you?"
Ben bumped into something, halting his steps. The scent of rotting flesh assaulted his nostrils, he could feel something crawl up his back as two ice-cold hands grabbed his shoulders tightly.
"Why did you let me die, Ben?" asked an achingly familiar voice, one he only ever heard again in sweet dreams.
"I... no... I didn't... I tried my best to-" he stuttered, trying to find the right words.
"You did nothing!" the voice shrieked back.
Ben turned around and was assaulted by Edward's rotting corpse, his youthful face pale and a rope tied around his neck. Scared out of his wits, Ben screamed his lungs out and fell on his butt, crawling on the floor until his back was against a wall. Edward and Paddington Bear stared him down, angered growls filling his ears. Before he could gather his wits and take it all in, he felt something press against his temple. It was Mister Gumo, holding a laser gun. A cynical, sadistic smile grew on his shaven face as he said:
"I made you an offer and you refused, Mister Shaw. This is the price of your refusal!"
He pulled the trigger and Ben dodged the laser, which burned a small hole in the brick floor. Instinctively, he crawled back once more, only to end up against someone's legs. Fearfully, Ben looked up and met the angry glare of Hajime, the one person he hoped would not judge him or yell at him. Now all his fears had come to life and cornered him, but he was too petrified to even scream for help. He soon felt Hajime's hands around his neck, dragging him up until their faces were at a short breath's distance.
"Why did you ignore my emails, Ben?"
"Hajime, I... I just wanted us to go our separate ways."
"Why did you leave without even saying goodbye? Do you know how I felt?!"
"I... I can only imagine how it felt. I'm s-sorry, I just didn't want to ex-explain why I had to leave and-"
"You only left because you molested me while my guard was down! And after finding out what happened to me way back when! Is this how you repay my generosity?"
Tears filled Ben's blue eyes. He had no answer. After breaking free of Hajime's grasp, all he could do was curl in the fetal position and cry in his hands as Edward, Mister Gumo and Hajime surrounded him and hurled insult upon insult. Pleased with his work, Paddington Bear grinned while admiring the scene.
It was during the early hours of the night when Nekohana finally gave birth. Borof held the cub in a green towel, admiring its small black and red eyes who were curiously staring back at him. If not for those eyes and the purple fur, the little one might've been mistaken for an actual lion cub.
"Congratulations, it's a boy!" Borof declared, then he turned to Shishima and added, "I'm so proud of you, milord!"
Shishima graced him with a single nod and smile. Borof flew to Nekohana and left the baby in her arms. Upon seeing his mother, the cub giggled and cuddled against her flower mane, enjoying the mixture of fragrances. Nekohana smiled warmly at the sight of her newborn and cradled him, caressing his face with one hand. In those moments, none of the pain and suffering she endured mattered anymore. They were scars long gone, replaced by sheer joy.
"You're a sweet cub, aren't you?" she cooed. "The sweetest little cub I've ever seen!" Nekohana leaned in and kissed his forehead, rubbing their cheeks together afterward. Once done, she looked him in the eye and said, "Your name will be Hanashishi. Hana-shishi, so the legacy of both our families will live in you, my little prince."
Shishima stared at them, touched by Nekohana's gesture. She caught a glimpse of his surprised face before he grew aloof once more. Their tender moments soon came to an end as Shishima finally spoke:
"I sense magical activity on the other side of the world."
"No..." Nekohana whispered, hugging the cub closer to her chest. "Does this mean...?"
"Yes, the angels are here," Shishima regretfully answered. "We need to set our plan into action."
She sighed, looking at her offspring one more time and finally kissing him on the cheek before offering him to his father. Little Hanashishi curiously looked at his father, giggling and without fear. He was saying 'hello' in his own way, Shishima could feel it. If only he could do the same...
"Milord?" Borof finally spoke while slowly approaching him. "Perhaps there's another way."
"I wish there were..." Shishima regretfully said as he widened his eyes which glowed a bright red.
In the span of a few seconds, Hanashishi's body morphed into that of a human baby, his irises of a warm brown shade like Sayo's.
"He's beautiful even in mortal flesh," Nekohana remarked.
"Yes, anything spawned by you will always be beautiful, my beloved," Shishima agreed as he softly caressed his son's face. For a fleeting moment, he smiled out of sheer happiness. For a fleeting moment, he forgot the suffering he'd endured and had inflicted upon others. The evil that marked his entire existence was nothing compared to the pure bliss he felt at the sight of his family.
Alas, that bliss faded all too soon. Shaking his head, Shishima opened a portal to Hajime's bedroom.
"Borof, I'm leaving Nekohana in your care," he said before walking into the portal.
Great was Hajime's surprise when he discovered the full story. There was no need for words, their spiritual bond allowed Shishima to convey everything to him through visions. It was too much to take in, but after calming down, Hajime looked him in the eye and said:
"So what are you going to do with your son?"
"Granting a youkai cub mortal flesh will physically hasten their aging process. A human year will pass within the span of a month. By the time they physically reach the age of eighteen, the aging process will cease for the mortal body and the youkai body will have matured. Then the youkai will slowly age, over the span of thousands upon thousands of years," Shishima explained.
"So in a year and a half he'll be an adult," Hajime deduced. "Still, he's a youkai, eventually he'll discover his powers. What if he ends up being a danger to himself and those around?"
"He won't be if raised correctly. Worry not, Nekohana will join you here once she recovers. Giving birth has left her tired beyond belief."
"I'm already struggling enough with Tsugumi as is, I don't know if I can handle another child."
"Hajime, please..." Shishima's humble tone took him by surprise. "We both know what it is to have a hard childhood. Our children deserve better."
Hajime sighed in concession and reached out, taking the baby in his arms. He was surprised to see that he had Sayo's eyes and felt warmth seep into his heart. Perhaps in another life, one where Sayo's identity was not a sham, this could have been his son with her.
Satisfied that they reached an agreement, Shishima opened another portal and disappeared as swiftly as he arrived.
Ben crawled into a corner, unable to mentally resist the taunts from Edward, Mister Gumo and Hajime. Truly it was the lowest moment in his life and a part of him considered breaking a glass and using the shards to slit his throat open so he'd be free of the suffering.
"Not yet!" Paddington Bear exclaimed, startling him. "Your life came tumbling down because of the one who invaded your world. He is the true cause of your suffering. Tell us, here and now, who is he?"
Ben glared beyond those surrounding him, fixating the bear with a mixture of sorrow and rage. He then spoke with clenched teeth, "No, he's not at fault for Edward's death or Hajime hating me. In fact, he saved my life from Mister Gumo!" His statement and sudden willpower took Paddington Bear by surprise, who was about to try another approach when all of a sudden...
SLASH!
The bear took a step forward, shocked by the sudden pain in his back. Edward, Mister Gumo and Hajime all flickered like holograms then vanished in the blink of an eye. Ben was surprised when he saw Shishima appear out of nowhere, his claws dripping blood. Angered, Paddington Bear turned to see who dared intrude and froze in his tracks.
"What is this joke?" Shishima asked, unimpressed. "Just a basic invisibility barrier to ensure the rest of London isn't watching your scheme? And your illusions, they're beginner level at best! You didn't even bother to change the bar setting into something more horrific! All you did was dig into some of his nightmares and bring them to life, and even that was poorly executed!"
"My sincere apologies, Your Highness. I assure you, there is a purpose to this spectacle," the bear replied and then his body got enveloped in a bright white aura, morphing into Kamijishi. The angel took off his purple hood to reveal his messy and unkempt black hair which fell upon his shoulders.
"You're an angel and yet your powers feel like a weaker version of mine. Who are you exactly?"
"I suppose introductions are a must." The green-robed angel took a fake bow. "My name is Kamijishi. I am the former secretary of Queen Oureria and the current servant of Prince Tenshiyoku. It's a pleasure to meet you at last, King Shishima!"
"Spare me the fake pleasantries! Why are you here? What do you want with the mortal?"
"Oh no, Ben Shaw was just bait, I needed to catch your attention somehow," Kamijishi replied while taking out his glowing deck, causing two dueling tables to rise from the floor between them. "It is you I wanted to face this whole time, that's why I copied your methods!"
Shishima stared him down as they both set their cards and their shields materialized. He could feel that Kamijishi was plotting more, but the angel was able to mask his intentions well. The only way he could get answers out of him was by overpowering him in a duel. Their surroundings changed to those of a vast dark cosmos, red ritual circles glowed beneath them and a floating white egg hung above them, the shadow of a dragon surrounding it.
"At the start of the game, I set up Zerom, Origin of Destruction and its four Ceremonies. You get to begin with an extra card in your hand," Shishima said.
"I cast Earth Dragon God's Magic Encampment." Kamijishi checked the top three cards of his deck and from among them he placed Alive Aether Alternation into his mana zone, sending the rest to the bottom of his deck.
"I cast Bone Dance Charger." The top two cards of Shishima's deck went into his graveyard: Tsuruhashi Doji and Gokensai, Oni of "Outrage".
"I summon Deddam, Disaster." A blue robot with purple tires for legs and green jets on his back appeared by Kamijishi's side, allowing him to check the top three cards of his deck. "I'll take this one into my hand, put Spiner, Shock Doctor into my mana zone and another Deddam, Disaster into my graveyard. Then I cast Faerie Re:Life and put the top card of my deck into my mana zone as well."
"I cast Oniyose's Jutsu and return a shield to my hand without shield trigger. Then the next Darkness or Fire creature I summon costs 4 mana less, so I now summon CRYMAX Jaouga!" A tall oni with a sharp head arose by Shishima's side, his spiky body was a burnt burgundy and haloed by blue flames.
"An Oni Star MAX Evolution..." Kamijishi muttered, trying to keep his composure. "It lacks an evolution bait because the duelist is its evolution bait. They both synchronize and the creature's attacks could prove fatal, depending on the duelist."
"Be careful, Shishima!" Jaouga suddenly spoke, much to the surprise of both duelists. "Your opponent is the duelist of Antoma Tan Gendo, the creator of the Dispectors. They're both behind the conflict that is now shattering the creature world as we know it."
"Dispectors?" Shishima repeated.
"They're a combination of two powerful creatures from the past. All Dispectors are forcefully fused together and lack a will of their own. Their trademark effect is Ex Life. Once a Dispector enters the battle zone, the owner gains a shield from the top of the deck. When the Dispector leaves the battle zone, the Ex Life shield goes to the graveyard instead. It proves that they all have two lives."
"You're quite right, worthless oni!" Kamijishi said with an ambitious smirk. "The creatures of the past are but treasures we'll plunder and fuse as we please! You can bring any number of RexStars and Oni RexStars to oppose us, none will be able to defeat our might!"
"Keh, we'll just have to see about that. When CRYMAX Jaouga is put in the battle zone, we both choose three of our shields that we keep and the rest are sent to our graveyards," Shishima continued and watched how he lost one shield and Kamijishi lost two. The cards that went into their graveyards were Inferno Sign on his side, while on his opponent's side they were Earth Dragon God's Magic Encampment and Faerie Re:Life. "Now that there's a total of six shields left... Onitime has activated! CRYMAX Jaouga, attack! With his effect, I destroy your Deddam and discard two cards from your hand at random!" The oni heeded the order and was quick to crush the robot into pieces while the opponent lost Gaiash Kaiser, the Meteor and Kuromame Danshaku / Hakumai Danshaku from his hand. "Go, CRYMAX Jaouga, break his final shields!" With a single swipe from his sharp foot, the oni shattered all of the opposing shields. "And now that you are without any shields, Oniend has activated as well!"
"Not so fast - shield trigger, I cast Alive Aether Alternation and send CRYMAX Jaouga to your mana zone!" A green aura enveloped the oni, who shrieked in protest as he vanished, his card ending up in the mana zone. Kamijishi then checked the top card of his deck and added Deddam, Disaster to his mana zone. "And now it's my turn, I summon Gaiash Kaiser, the Meteor!" A blue and green dragon with wings, horns and a golden staff in his clawed hands appeared in the battle zone as the sole creature. "When he's put into the battle zone, I draw two cards. Then I also cast Faerie Re:Life and ramp again. I end my turn, but Gaiash Kaiser won't allow you to attack with creatures on the turn they're put in the battle zone. He also makes all my creatures that cost 10 or more cost 4 mana less!"
"Keh, those cheap tricks are nothing compared to this Shishima's power - I cast Assault, Onifuda Kingdom and use both its effects due to Onitime! I'll destroy Gaiash Kaiser and revive Gokensai, Oni of "Outrage"!" The dragon disappeared in an explosion and its place was taken by an oni donning red and blue samurai armor, a skull necklace around his neck and dragon skulls attached to his arms. "Since I put a card from my graveyard into the battle zone, I link the Ceremony of Resurrection and self mill two more!" This time Borof, Final Dragon Edge and Balad Vi Na Shura landed in Shishima's graveyard.
A triumphant smirk flashed on Kamijishi's face as he placed a card in his mana zone and counted a total of ten. "It's time for you to meet the king of the Sutured Dispectors - I summon Mikadoleo, Doomsday Sutured King!" A winged hydra with five lion heads on long necks arose behind the angel. It had three pairs of limbs, the uppermost one with lion's paws. Shishima noticed that the leonine bits were forcefully sewn on the hydra's body. "Ex Life, I gain a new shield and Oniend is no longer activated! When Mikadoleo is summoned, I reveal the top four cards of my deck and put all creatures from among them into the battle zone, the rest go to my mana zone. Come out: my second Mikadoleo, another Gaiash Kaiser and two ACE-Yamata, Eight-headed Dragons!"
Shishima frowned and remained silent at the sight of his opponent's army of creatures. With an arrogant tone, Kamijishi continued:
"I gain another Ex Life shield for the second Mikadoleo. Since he's put and not summoned, I can't spam more creatures from the top of my deck. But I still get to draw twice from Gaiash Kaiser's effect. And both my ACE-Yamata have Mach Fighter, which means-"
"Gokensai's Onitime effect makes all of your creatures come into play tapped," Shishima finally spoke and he watched with glee as the armored oni fired a wave of darkness upon the opposing creatures, forcing them all to kneel.
"Hmph... then I'll end here. But don't get your hopes up! At the start of my next turn, if I have four or more creatures in the battle zone which cost 8 or more, Mikadoleo wins me the game! And it just so happens that ACE-Yamata and Mikadoleo cost 10 mana and I have two of each. Next turn it's all over!"
All of a sudden, Shishima burst into mirthful laughter. Kamijishi regarded him curiously, unsure if he'd lost his mind and was trying to cope with his impending loss.
"Let's see if you'll indeed win next turn - I summon Hellborof, Supreme Dragon Edge and bring out Welcome Hell, Supreme Devil King Palace!" A winged and horned purple wolf plushie appeared, followed by a winged demonic palace which descended from a hole in the ceiling. The top two cards of Shishima's deck went into his graveyard: Forbidden Sunrise ~Dawn of Forbidden~ and Borof HELL, Super Sin Dragon Edge. "With Welcome Hell's effect, I revive Borof HELL!" A purple wolf plushie wearing a burgundy hoodie with small stickers plastered all over joined Hellborof. "With his effect, I self mill three more cards and equip him with Beginning Start, Initial Dragon Tool." The plushie raised his hand and it got covered by a white gauntlet with angel and demon wings. Then three cards landed in Shishima's graveyard: Oniyose's Jutsu, Tsuruhashi Doji and Hayabusamaru, Lightfang Ninja. "Since I have eight cards in my graveyard, I link the Ceremony of Graveyard and give -3000 power to Gaiash Kaiser. Since he's now weaker... Gokensai, destroy Gaiash Kaiser!" The oni dashed ahead and crushed the dragon with his fists. "I end my turn and since I have no cards in my hand, I link the Ceremony of Hands and gacharange summon... Rockyrock." A red and brown monkey holding a bugle appeared. "Since I played another dragheart, I dragsolution Beginning Start into Final the End, Finishing Heaven Dragon." The hooded wolf plushie tossed the gauntlet in the air and it transformed into a white-armored dragon with a white wing and a black wing. "And now I'll destroy Gokensai, Hellborof, Borof HELL and Rockyrock to dragsolution Welcome Hell into Deathgoros, Supreme Devil Corrupt King!" The palace fired two beams upon the four creatures, obliterating them, then it cracked open and out emerged a serpentine Demon Command Dragon wielding a bone scythe. "When Deathgoros is dragsolutioned, I destroy two of your creatures, meaning both ACE-Yamatas!"
"No..." Kamijishi uttered as he realized that he could no longer win once his turn began. He could do nothing but watch as his eight-headed dragons were both hacked into pieces.
"Since Rockyrock left the battle zone, I gacharange summon again! This time it's Hei-Nishiki, Cut. With its Mana Drive 5, I'll destroy it and..." A blue cutter with one eye painted on appeared for a brief moment then exploded. "...you must reveal your hand and I will discard a card from it!" Shishima gleefully watched as his opponent revealed the cards in his hand: Faerie Re:Life, Alive Aether Alternation, Gaiash Kaiser, the Meteor, Spiner, Shock Doctor and Wiljavelin, Sutured Fakespear. "I'll discard Gaiash Kaiser. And now, since three or more creatures were destroyed this turn, I link the Ceremony of Destruction and recover Balad Vi Na Shura from my graveyard. That's the last ceremony so... Zeron Birth!"
The red ritual circles below shined bright as the floating egg cracked open and a shadowy creature emerged. The being grew in size, easily towering over everyone present. The darkness around it dissipated, revealing a pale blue and purple dragon, its body made of nebulae and other cosmic matter, its horned head with sharp fangs and many glowing red eyes. Kamijishi was left breathless at the sight of the dragon which personified the Abyss.
"When Zeron is birthed, all of your creatures have their power reduced to 0 until the end of the turn!" Shishima announced and watched Zeron's darkness engulf the two lion-headed hydras.
"I burn both Ex Life shields to save my Mikadoleos!" Kamijishi intervened.
"Futile - Zeron's effect persists and they'll get destroyed regardless!"
One by one, the creatures were devoured by the abyssal darkness, leaving their owner defenseless. Kamijishi clenched his fist in frustration. He'd underestimated Shishima's power after all - he was truly a force to be reckoned with. But surrendering was not an option, not after making so many sacrifices to achieve his goals.
"I summon Wiljavelin, Sutured Fakespear," he said and a knightly centaur with dragon wings and a dragon's head sewn with his spear appeared. "Ex Life, I gain a new shield. With Wiljavelin's effect, I'll destroy Deathgoros, burn Assault, Onifuda Kingdom from your mana zone and discard a card at random from your hand!"
"Dragon Evade - Deathgoros flips back to Welcome Hell."
"I'll end here and draw two cards from Wiljavelin's effect."
Kamijishi internally smiled upon seeing another Mikadoleo in his hand. If his last shield was a shield trigger that could help him survive until the next turn, he would turn the tables and finally claim victory.
"I summon Jyadokumaru, Oni of "Orochi", return a shield to my hand without shield trigger and destroy Wiljavelin." A blue serpent with orange horns and a red mane slithered from Shishima's side, coiling around the centaur knight and spitting toxic gas at him.
In the span of a few seconds, Kamijishi's plan went down the drain. "I burn the Ex Life shield to save Wiljavelin." He was left defenseless.
"There's nowhere left to run. Tell me, what are you truly after?" Shishima demanded.
"I beg to differ, there is a place where I can run to," Kamijishi snidely replied as he opened a portal to the Twilight Kingdom, quickly packing up his cards.
"Oh no you don't - Zeron, todomeda!" The abyssal dragon reached out a claw and slashed Kamijishi over his chest, throwing him into the portal which immediately closed.
With Kamijishi's departure, the invisibility barrier dissipated alongside their shields and creatures. Thankfully there was nobody out on London's streets during that rainy day. Shishima looked at the unconscious barman lying on the counter, wondering why those angels tried so desperately to get his attention. Was it an open declaration of war between the Dispectors and the RexStars? He had long since severed ties with the Twilight Kingdom, so there was no reason for them to target him.
"How is Hajime doing?" Ben asked as he approached, dusting his clothes.
Shishima didn't turn. "Everything's okay, I'm now backing him on his spy missions. You know, he does miss you."
"I know, those bloody emails of his are enough proof."
"Will you come back and face his scorn?"
Ben remained silent, clenching his fist as a plethora of emotions overcame him. His heart longed to return, to apologize and accept Hajime's scorn, but his mind told him otherwise: they would only be best friends and a part of him would always seek Hajime's love. If he wanted to have a happy life, he needed to move on. A single tear slid down his cheek as Ben finally responded:
"Tell Hajime I'm seeing someone. My life in Japan now belongs in the past."
Shishima kept his back turned and said, "I'll do as you wish." Then he vanished back to Sagakin, leaving Ben alone with his thoughts. He resolved not to turn to drugs and sleeping around anymore. If he wanted to find the love of his life, he had to better himself and seek out dates, not pleasure. Yes, he was looking toward a new beginning.
To 'Queen' Hyouma of the Twilight Kingdom,
Without your army and senate you're just a little coward. Hide behind them all you want, I can see behind your mask. You're not fit to be queen and I will personally make sure you willfully surrender the crown to its rightful owner when the time comes.
You can send however many scouts you like, you can have search parties dig through the deepest holes, you'll never find us. We're right there, in the shadows, biding our time until your guard is down. No matter where you go, there's no escaping our wrath.
Prepare for a new war, and this time around the right side shall prevail!
Signed,
Tenshiyoku, Forsaken Prince of the Dawn Kingdom