In the streets of Tokyo…
"Damn it… Damn it damn it!" Wamu growled, as the gang was forced to use a large van, as they were being pursued by a gang of fanatics in their own cars, as he had to swerve to avoid the incoming attacks, which were trying to damage the car enough to destroy it.
"Miko! Miko, talk to me!" Miki exclaimed, as she tried to shake Miko awake, as there was a notable head-wound on her head, as there was signs that she had been fighting.
"Kaori… please be safe…" Akiko prayed, with both of her hands clasped, while Tako was mewling anxiously on her lap.
"Of all the times for things to go mad…" Noel Makimura growled, as he kept watch from the back of the car. "...The Crusaders might be the ones fighting the demons… but who's going to stop the people who don't care about the line between demon and human…!"
"I shouldn't have… I shouldn't have written that message…!" Miki lamented. "If only I let the world believe in themselves, they could be-"
"Hey, your words might have made some people understand their mistakes!" Hie exclaimed. "You shouldn't blame yourself. We were already in danger the moment that the demons were found… it's only a matter of when crazies like these would come up!"
"Look out!" Gabi exclaimed, pointing towards a blockade made ahead by the fanatics.
"Sh-" Wamu cursed, before he managed to barely make the turn to escape crashing into the barricade. "...At this rate, we're going to get pinned down! This has to be the 50th or something turn that I had to make to shake them off!"
"There's an open field over there!" Babu remarked, pointing at the clearing leading to the city park. "If we can get there, we might be able to find somewhere to lie low!"
"Here's hoping…" Wamu remarked, as they managed to get out of the street, before they managed to reach a bridge over a river, as they drove the car across it. "Babu! Hie!"
"I know that this is going to be hell…" Babu remarked, before they opened the black case that was on the back of the van, as he and Hie began to place claymores across the entire width of the bridge. "...But we're damn fighting for our lives here! I'm not going to die just because some nutcases think we're evil incarnates!"
"It's done! With this many… if they try to cross it, it'll blow the bridge off." Hie exclaimed, as he set down the last of the mines.
"Dear, where did you find this many explosives?" Akiko asked Noel.
"...I'm surprised that I even had to rely on this." Noel winced. "...But a piece of fore-warning managed to prepare me for this… and I hope that this is enough to deter our pursuers, if they know that we have the means to defend ourselves… lethally, if we are forced on it."
As the group watched as the pursuing cars came out into the park itself, Miki's group became tense, as the gang members were about to pull something out of the black case, while Miki and her family watched tensely.
They watched as the people began to leave their cars, as they looked towards the bridge, and then back at the group.
"...Please don't cross.. Please don't do this…" Miki muttered to herself.
After a while, the fanatics began to rush into the river by the dozen, as they were slowed down by the various armaments they were carrying, but they were not halting at all.
"You've got to be…! At least they're not stupid enough to throw their lives away… but they're STILL not letting us go!?" Wamu growled.
"We need to-" Babu exclaimed, as he looked towards the car, before a flying sledgehammer hit the front of the car, trashing its engine, rendering it unable to operate. "Oh crap…"
"There's the witch!" The leader of another band of fanatics that came from the other side of the river declared, as the group were almost as sizeable as the one that pursued them. "Kill her! Kill her and everyone that stands with her."
"Well, we got no choice then…!" Gabi growled, before the gang members immediately began to pull the remaining items out of the black case, as they were handguns, submachine guns, and pump-action shotguns. "Hey assholes! Not a step closer! You try anything, and we're going to shoot!"
"Don't think we won't!" Hie threatened. "If you're going to kill us anyway, then why would we hesitate to fight back!?"
"Please, you don't have to do this!" Akiko pleaded, trying to be a voice of reason.
The fanatics on the land inched closer, as Wamu immediately fired a burst of warning shots into the ground.
"Hey, you brain-dead or something!?" Wamu exclaimed. "Step! BACK!"
The fanatics were still dead set on trying to get to Miki and kill her, but they were hesitant to take another step forward. However, the ones in the river-water were still approaching, as Hie and Babu aimed towards them, hoping that they would get the message, as they temporarily stopped too.
"...A stand-off like this… If there's someone who could help us at this time…" Gabi remarked. "...Now would be a REAL good time for them to come!"
"We need to find a way out of this…" Wamu remarked. "...Until then, all we can do is buy time like this… Because…"
Gabi understood what Wamu meant, as neither of them had enough ammo to kill all of the fanatics even if they had to, as he winced.
Suddenly, a knife began to fly out towards Akiko, as Noel noticed the attack, shoving her aside, before taking the knife to the shoulder, as he growled in pain.
"Noel!" Akiko exclaimed, as Noel growled.
"Hey! Don't you get smart!" Wamu growled, as he leveled his sub-machine gun towards them. "If any of you try that… We won't hesitate either! Turn back around, or we're going to start killing you all!"
As the fanatics became more and more agitated, the group feared more and more that the fanatics may just as well try their luck, until…
"We made it!" Izuku exclaimed, before he managed to arrive with some members of the group, with Mayumi and Kabuki leading them. "...And just in the nick of time… Miki, everyone! Are you alright?"
"Izu- I mean, Deku! You made it!" Miki said. "Please tell me Taro's alive… did the crusaders do anything to him?"
"Don't worry. He's okay. Some of our friends managed to get him out." Kabuki said.
"What the… there's more of you!?" One of the fanatic leaders exclaimed.
"Out of the way! That witch needs to die!" A fanatic member exclaimed.
"That is far enough!" Nedris said.
"Killing Miki isn't going to do anything to save your world! She isn't the real enemy here!" Izuku said.
"You didn't read her damn message!" one of the fanatics said.
"And what may I ask is wrong with it?" Mayumi asked.
"All it has done is blind you all, turning you into the very monsters you seek to destroy." Nedris said.
"Nedris is right. You should be ashamed of yourselves! Look what the end of the world has done to you!" Mayumi said. "Turning your blades on Miki just because she advocates for coexistence? What's so wrong about her?"
"Because she's a demon sympathizer, you damn brat!" Another fanatic shouted back. "You expect us to play patty-cake with these monsters who have killed so many of our people, just because they can!? Don't play that holier-than-thou crap on us, like she tried to do! You people are the reason we're going to get killed by them!"
"Listen, buddy!" Mayumi said, as she stepped forward quickly, and forced the contradicting fanatic in an armlock, as the act and its swiftness stunned the others. "I know it's a hard thing to accept, but you are the ones acting like the demons here."
"Hating people for being different from you… is that any different to what you have done to yourselves?" Izuku argued, throwing his hands out. "Even the Crusade said that they wanted humanity to be together! We shouldn't be killing each other over petty differences! Is it so wrong to try and understand that some of those demons were human once, and still are!?"
"And where's your damn proof?!" Another fanatic exclaimed.
"I have it!" Miki exclaimed. "Akira's Devilman! He's the one who had been fighting the demons when they were lurking in the shadows! He may have killed them, but he only did that to protect others! He never lied to himself… and that person I was talking about in my message… the one who cries for others… that's him!"
"...You're kidding me. A demon fighting… his own kind!?" Another fanatic remarked.
"No.. Devilman isn't a demon. I know because I've seen him." Izuku said. "Devilman has the body of a demon, but the heart of a human. He's your world's hero! He nearly gave up trying to save all of you when the pressure got tough. But he never threw away that human heart! He tried to protect you people from each other, because he knows what it feels… So please… don't take away the things that remind him of the good in humanity…"
The fanatics were torn amongst each other, as they mumbled and argued amongst each other, until one of the leaders settled the matter.
"...F*ck, now I can't even find the reason to kill her." The leader growled. "...Well, at least not with more of these damn demons out there. She may be a naive girl who hasn't seen the worst of all… but there are better things to do than to spite her. I suppose that you win in that sense."
"We just want to settle this peacefully." Izuku firmly remarked. "Please, don't hate your fellow men for how they feel about others."
"We'll get back to this when the demons are dealt with." The fanatic leader snorted as Mayumi released the one in her grip. "Come on, if we're going to contribute to saving this world, we got demons to take care of. The Crusade's not going to finish all of this alone!"
The fanatics immediately clumped together, before they began to evacuate the area, as the sounds of their vehicles echoed into the distance, fading away until there was nothing.
"...Damn, that was too close for my liking." Babu collapsed onto his bottom, panting heavily. "I almost felt like we were well and truly done there."
"Good thing we managed to hold it together." Hie remarked, with a chuckle, trying to lighten the situation up. "I would be afraid to think about what would have been if we didn't stick together."
"Yeah, power in numbers, right?" Gabi remarked.
"That, and most of the hard-liners would have went to the front-lines dealing with the actual demons." Wamu added. "...If they actually had guns like us, even if we had our own… it wouldn't have changed much. We would have been riddled with bullets before we could hold out long enough for you guys."
"Thank you, everyone." Miki thanked the entire hero group. "I don't know how I can repay you for saving our lives…and managing to help these people change towards a better direction… even if it's only marginally better."
"No need to thank us, we're happy to help." Mayumi said as she tapped her comm. "This is Mayumi, Miki is secured."
"Fantastic, that's one less major hurdle to worry about." David said on the other line. "If she would've died… Akira would've absolutely flipped out. I don't think any of us would've been able to contain him."
Miko began to groan, before she then slowly blinked her eyes.
"Miko!" Miki exclaimed with relief. "It's alright, everything's been dealt with! We managed to stop the fanatics!"
"...Guess that's better than what I anticipated." Miko remarked, closing her eyes with a satisfied look on her face. "...I was almost ready to die for you if needed be. But I guess that the concept of fate wants me to find another path."
"We can face the world together. Once the demons have been defeated, and humanity is free from its terror, the people will be able to find peace again." Miki stated. "...And with everyone that have made it through this, we can actually live a happy life onwards."
"...Heh, I suppose so." Miko chuckled. "...Miki, in case if something terrible happens just after all of this, I want to say this from the bottom of my heart: I'm sorry for my hate for you. After some talking with those people… and after some self-reflection, I realized that you never looked down on me, and that you wanted me to thrive."
"I wouldn't dare demean you, Miko. I'm sorry if I never knew how you felt." Miki apologized.
"Don't be. From now on, I'll give you everything I got, to show you that while I may still be Miki Kuroda… I'm fine with Miko being a differentiation of it." Miko remarked, raising an arm. "So, promise we'll make our school the best with our teamwork?"
"Yeah!" Miki enthusiastically declared, before clasping her arm firmly, as the scene was almost heart-warming to a extreme degree.
"I'm truly glad that the two of them managed to get through to each other." Akiko smiled, wiping a tear from her eye.
"A true friend's rare these days." Noel nodded back. "The two of them… it's a bond that won't go away."
"Glad that's resolved, but-" Kabuki started.
"Everyone!" a voice said as Eugene Hartwin came floating down. "There you all are! Quite the precarious situation, that was! I'm glad you all managed to de-escalate it!"
"What in the - wait, you were at the Sabbath!" Miko remembered.
"Indeed I was! Eugene Hatwin's the name. Hello, hi, and all other greetings to you, residents of this world!" the octopus-like demon tipped his hat. "Ah, but I come with news! I believe I have found a way we can break the cycle!"
"You have? How?"
"Why, with music, of course!" Eugene said.
"...Huh?"
"All will be clear in time! First, we must get Akira and Ryo! Ms. Makimura, Ms. Kuroda, and Mr. Wamu, we'll be needing you as well."
"You… need us?" Miki asked, pointing to herself.
"...Well, if this is some sort of chosen one thing… I say, let's do it." Wamu shrugged, before turning to the rest of his gang. "Hey, you guys. Take care of Mr and Mrs Makimura, and the family pet, won't you?"
"You got it, boss." Gabi nodded back. "We'll be heading to the hospital before another band of crazies get any ideas."
"Akira and Ryo? What do they have to do with us?" Miko asked.
"More than you think." Hartwin smiled lightly. "You'll see soon."
In the outskirts of the city…
Ryo began to trudge to the cliffside where everything began for him and Akira, as there was a distraught look on his face, as if he learned something sour.
"Everything… everything was for nothing…" Ryo remarked in a voice as low as a whisper. "...Every time I try to get to him…he always slips from my fingers… So many times… so many… times…"
"Just what might you be doing?" A voice called out as Eirika was approaching Ryo on the cliff, as she looked out on the horizon with him. "Surely you're not about to go ahead and jump… …Then again, sometimes I've entertained the thought myself."
"You…" Ryo remarked, before turning to face Eirika. "...Now I understand… you're not a nun at all. You've been pretending to be one to witness everything… and you have been waiting for this moment…"
"No. I'm a sinner, just like you." Eirika stated firmly. "I'm no where qualified to be a nun."
"...You don't get it… no one does! I remember everything, all of it… 665 times… 665 times I've tried to make the perfect world, and I never remembered a single one! Not until now!" Ryo exclaimed with raw emotion, throwing his arms out. "...Why do I feel this? Why am I feeling!? I never felt like this in any of my memories! I never felt… felt… so… human!"
"I thought you were going to say something else, but these feelings come normal when one realizes just the reality of things." Eirika remarked. "For example, I believed after conquering the Demon King that I could face anything. My brother and everyone else could live the lives they wanted while I took their place in battle… I was delusional. My error in that caused my entire world to become wiped out."
Eirika stepped in front of Ryo at this point, her toes hanging off the ledge of the cliff as she looked down. "...I was reminded of my humanity. How truly feeble I was that day… …I resented myself. Because I was the source of everyone I knew and loved dying because of my actions. …Ironically, we share the same reason for this feeling of human senses." Eirika stated before turning to Ryo. "...We're trying to create something, tried to create something that doesn't exist."
"...What…?" Ryo asked.
"A perfect world. A world where everyone chooses right instead of wrong. Chooses peace over violence, chooses love instead of hate, chooses unity instead of division… …We can't make that world, because it was never made to ever exist. If it ever did exist, truly, it would be paradise." Eirika stated as she looked across the horizon. "We search and claw to try and make it a reality… But in doing so, we end up falling short of what our true goal needs to be."
"No… No, you're wrong!" Ryo exclaimed, as there was an expression of denial on his face. "That world is not what I want! What I want is a world pure of human influence, because humans are creatures who are weak, and yet they pervert nature! A world of demons is the natural state of this world! If it wasn't for God, then this world would have been a stable paradise, where demons would be engaged in eternal struggle just as destiny dictates it!"
"...Then why are you crying?" Eirika asked back softly, not even having to turn to know he was crying.
Ryo then placed a hand on his face, as he noticed that there were tears running down his eyes, as he hasn't realized it while he was speaking.
"...So the world we seek isn't the same. But what we do seek… still, it's unattainable. Say you create this paradise for demons, what then. The balance of the universe dictates you as the dark side of balance…. …Eventually, there will arise a conflict that will ruin your paradise. It has to. It will." Eirika declared, tears running down her own face on instinct. "...It's because of the natural order of the yin-yang… light and dark… good and evil, that no world can ever truly become "perfect." Evil demands a villain to rise. Yin demands a Yang to counteract it. Darkness demands challenge from light to inhabit it. No matter what we do… fate tells us we cannot simply make what we want. Or we will end up as fools in the windstorms of the ornate tapestry of destiny." Eirika declared solemnly.
"In the end… my desires doomed this world to an infinite loop. One of despair, destruction and loneliness. And I will be forced to repeat it, pay for my crimes against Heaven." Ryo said. "...You say that the world will always have some way to fight against me… A Yin to the Yang, an evil to the good. If that is the case… then the one I wanted by my side… Akira… was all along my opposite. While I condemned humanity, he embraced it. While I did not feel for the world, he cried for others. And yet… I still feel for him, even though we are contrasted to each other."
"Yes. Those facts you stated do not mean he is your enemy. He is your friend, who wants you to realize the truth I'm explaining before you now. The sooner you can accept it… the sooner you realize the best course of action you can do… …Is to leave this world behind." Eirika declared as she looked at Ryo upon saying that.
"...You're right. It's time to atone for my actions. Were Indigo to witness the truth of how I repeatedly killed this world, he would kill himself after knowing how much he had failed one of his dear worlds." Ryo remarked, as a twinge of sadness crossed his face. "...Ironic, one of his agents forced me into this, in the hopes that I would change, but they never realized that they were hurting their own master like this, because I never got the chance to learn from my mistakes."
"Now you have that chance. All you have to do is take it." Eirika stated, offering Ryo a hand. "The Galaxy King would welcome you with open arms. All you have to do… is follow what your heart wants you to do now."
Ryo looked at Eirika's hand for a moment, before he then… for the first time in the history of the loops, genuinely smiled.
"...Even after all of that, you would forgive me." Ryo answered back. "...You truly are heroes worthy for the rest of the worlds, and far more than what this world deserves. Had it been for the fact that I am unaware, I would have thrown your hand aside and fought you… but now that I understand… I will accept, on a single condition."
"Name it." Eirika said softly with a smile.
Ryo closed his eyes, before a mass of white wings exploded from his body, before he transformed into a light-skinned hermaphrodite with an octet of wings, as well as a pair of head-wings, not unlike Sirene.
"...I want one last battle as Satan. One last rage against the heavens." Satan declared. "This is the 666th time that I have battled in this form. And 665 times, I have defeated Akira in it. I acted as the harbinger of the end of humanity as many times. And I wish to be defeated. I wish for 'Satan' to be defeated by the ones who have believed in humanity, a tale of victory and triumph for humanity's values. I want to be defeated, so that I can know that you are all capable of making this world far better than what the demons have."
"...Then I shall be your opponent. May I be a different outcome than Akira." Eirika declared as she took her stance, drawing Sieglinde to start, as she looked at him with a nod. "Let us begin."
"As I know now what my death means, this won't be to the death. This will end when I am unable to battle, when the last reserves of my strength are expended." Satan declared. "...And are you sure that you will face me alone? Would it not be better if the rest of your companions join you as a sign of your unity?"
"It would… I have even sent a message to them for them to join me as soon as they can… but I feel I can at least entertain you for a while, no?" Eirika asked as Satan chuckled.
"Fine. Let's see your strength, shall we?" Satan asked, before he then stomped on the ground, creating a stone-like arena around them with his power.
Cue: My Last Stand - Tekken 8 OST
TEKKEN 8 MATCH
Satan VS. Eirika
GET READY FOR THE NEXT BATTLE!
FIGHT!
Eirika quickly closed the gap to begin the fight, as she slashed Satan rapidly with Sieglinde, swapping to Siegmund mid combo to juggle Satan midair before slashing Siegmund downward to send him rolling across the ground.
Satan immediately rose up, before he then began to immediately summon a barrage of light spears in the air, as they began to hurtle towards Eirika, hitting the entire arena with the barrage, as Eirika got hit several times, before Satan immediately grabbed her, and slammed her into the ground with full force.
However, Eirika countered his throw with a swift armbar motion, locking it in momentarily for damage before rolling off Satan, and nailing him with two consecutive Elfire blasts, dashing in before doing a Mishima style uppercut, which led to a massive jumping upwards kick, followed by rapid swings from Siegmund, as she finished the combo by chucking Siegmund into Satan, slamming him down to earth and pinning him by his shoulder, as Eirika stomped his abdomen, grabbing Siegmund as Bolting slammed into him after she got off him, ending the combination with the strong lightning magic.
Satan immediately rose up, before he then caught Eirika with a powerful flying uppercut, as he then spread his wings out, as a barrage of light beams began to barrage Eirika, before he then began to slice through the air with a powerful slash strike, as Eirika barely managed to evade it, as the attack was powerful enough to cut open the atmosphere, as there was a clear line where the slash went.
"Not bad. It seems that you are well-prepared for this fight." Satan remarked, as Eirika landed on the ground.
"(He's strong, no doubt… I'm already on the ropes… I have to strike now if my friends are to have a chance…!)" Eirika exclaimed to herself as she got back up, trying to fire Nosferatu to gain health back, which Satan saw through and nimbly dodged. "Bingo…!" Eirika exclaimed, activating her Rage Arts as she dashed through Satan in a streak of light. "This… is MY RESOLVE!" Eirika exclaimed, multiple magic circles forming as an elemental barrage slammed into Satan, before Eirika grabbed both Sieglinde and Siegmund, sparking with power. "Sacred Twins… CROSS!" Eirika yelled as she dashed through once again, leaving an X mark on Satan, which exploded in a red and blue pillar of energy on Satan to end the Rage Arts.
K.O!
(end song)
Satan was immediately knocked right into the rock wall of the arena, as it kicked up a massive storm of dust, as it lingered for a moment.
"Hoo… That has to have done something…" Eirika remarked, as she caught herself, before she could stumble from exhaustion.
"So… that's the strength of Humanity…" Satan remarked, before he came out of the dust cloud, revealing that while his body was not heavily wounded, there was a visible gash-mark in the same shape of the attack on his chest. "...Indeed, that would have been enough if I didn't ask to be defeated. But you fought long enough already. Let the others pick up your fight."
"Very well, do as you will…" Eirika tiredly remarked.
Satan immediately did a firm neck-chop on Eirika, who slumped over gently.
"And that should have been enough time for the rest of you to come." Satan remarked, as he lifted himself out of the arena, back to the top of the cliffside. "Are you not inspired? Will you not end this threat that your friend has fought well against?"
"That's not what we aim to do." Tanjiro said as he approached, having followed Eirika. "All we want is to break the loop you created, and save this world."
"And to that end, you would also save me." Ryo remarked, before noticing that multiple heroes followed after Tanjiro as well. "So, you were indeed listening to our words, laying in wait to see how the conversation would end."
"Honestly, some of us thought that things would go an entirely different way than what happened. But, I think Eirika was the right choice to talk to you." Adora said.
"I suppose, all it took was the right words to strike at my heart." Satan answered back. "I will pay my penance after this fight. Whatever Indigo wishes for me… I will not shy away from it. It's the least that I can do for Akira, who I have tormented in my own selfish desire. Now come, heroes. Defeat me, and claim the happy ending that you have built for this world with your own hands and your own minds!"
Satan then rushed forward, before firing a massive beam of light, as Tanjiro began to prepare to block it.
"Hinokami Kagura: Clear Blue Sky!" Tanjiro declared, before he then immediately cut the beam of light with his own Nichiren blade, as the flaming strike managed to bisect the attack entirely, with the beam split apart, much to Satan's surprise, before the attack reached him, as it managed to cut deep into his chest, as yellow blood flowed from it.
However, it did not come with a cost, as the strength of the attack finally took its toll on the worn blade, as it immediately shattered in pieces, as the backlash caused Tanjiro to stagger back, as FS!Lumera caught him.
"Are you okay?" FS!Lumera asked, before noticing the blade. "...Your weapon…."
"I know…after we're done…I'll have to get it repaired." Tanjiro said.
Satan stumbled back slightly, as the group noticed that he was open for attack.
"Now, while we have the chance!" Ragna remarked, before he then immediately
rushed down Satan with Blood Scythe. "Carnage…SCISSORS!" he called, performing a very fast, dashing reverse-grip sword slam, then released two crossing spikes of dark energy from slashing the ground with his sword in reverse-grip.
"Well, never did get the chance to duke it out with an angel. Let's rock!" Balthus remarked, before he weaved towards Satan, before launching Eviscerate with Vajra-Mushti, as the blow managed to beat Satan's face and body raw with the crushing blows, sending his yellow blood flying out.
"Nemona! Kieran!" Arven exclaimed.
"I got it!" Nemona responded back, before the three of them immediately threw out their ace Pokémon. Arven with Mabosstiff, Kieran with Hydrapple, and Nemona with Pawmot. "Pawmot, Double Shock!"
"Mabostiff! Hit him with Outrage!" Arven declared.
"Loosen him up with Fickle Beam, Hydrapple!" Kieran declared,
The three-sided attack managed to hit Satan, as the combined force of the attack, knocking him flying back, as he managed to regain his footing barely in time.
"I shall show you no mercy!" FS!Lumera exclaimed as she brought out a Spell Card of her own. "Declare Spell: Lythos Sign: Divinity Dragon Pulse!" FS!Lumera exclaimed, firing multiple streamline pulsating beams at Satan that flowed with divine energy, as lightning bolts also shot at him from time to time, with the beams hitting him everywhere, causing him to use his own wings to guard the attacks to little effect.
"Move aside!" Peridot exclaimed, before she then prepared a massive cannon.
"Uh, where did you get that?" Kokoro asked.
"I managed to make it with Miu's help." Peridot smiled. "Hey, Satan!"
Satan immediately took a glance towards Peridot, noting the weapon in her hand.
"Here's a present from the humans you looked down upon!" Peridot exclaimed, before she then fired a massive energized beam right at Satan, as the recoil knocked her on her back.
As the attack hurtled towards Satan, he had a flash-back to the times that he dealt the finishing blow to Akira, as it was almost always the same disintegrating beam to his torso, as Satan smiled.
"...Guess now I know how it feels to be on the other end…" Satan remarked, before the attack collided with him, sending him flying right into an isolated isle of stone, where he was laid flat and spread-eagled.
As the group waited a moment, as if expecting him to rise again, as Satan did try to get up, only to fall back down. There was a moment of silence, before he then began to chuckle.
"...It seems… after so many times winning for nothing… I finally taste defeat, in which I can finally find what I sought." Satan remarked. "...Ironic, is it not?"
"You're not going to continue?" Tanjiro asked.
"No… he's not." Eirika coughed as she managed to get herself back up and awake, groaning as FS!Lumera rushed to her side.
"Eirika… are you harmed?" FS!Lumera asked.
"No. He was far from killing me. Likewise, I was far from killing him… but after I talked to him… he's ready. He's finally going to leave this world behind." Eirika smiled.
"...Then… that means…!" FS!Lumera exclaimed as Eirika nodded.
"If we keep Ryo safe. Get him far away from this place… the world continues as a singular timeline. Loop. Ends." Eirika smiled. "With the best outcomes that we have nurtured from it."
"...You know, now that I've been defeated… everything feels a lot calmer." Ryo admitted. "...Once upon a time, I would tease Ryo that there was nothing on the moon, much less in the stars… Who knew that I would have been proven wrong."
"Yeah, that's quite a thing that people have to learn to deal with." Miu shrugged. "It's a real pain in the ass, but sometimes, you're better off knowing things, rather than being kept in the dark. I mean, look at ya."
"...If I may ask you something? If you will not mind this selfish request…" Satan remarked. "...This feeling that I feel… do I… Do I love Akira so much that I was willing to contradict myself to protect him and do anything to keep him by my side?"
"...Yes, you did have love for him." Kokoro remarked, before squatting beside him. "But it was a twisted one… after we got Akira's side of it all. You tried to push him towards you by severing his connections with others… He hates you for that, and still does, you know?"
"As he would." Satan sighed. "...He is more human than I ever will be. And I am proud of him for that…. At this point, looking back at everything. I wonder what was the point of all of this. It was divine will that created this world, and it was the world that created demons. That would not mean that it was the divine that allowed the existence of demons, am I correct?"
"That is not a wrong assumption." FS!Lumera answered back. "...And I can see where you are going with this. You told us that the world of demons was the natural state of the world, didn't you?"
"It was, until God decided otherwise." Satan growled. "They came back and saw these creatures, who they believed to be aberrations of nature, with no sense of morality. You may think that they deserve to die… but do not forget that it was the existence of demons that created the devilmen… and what created Akira Fudo. Demons could have had the chance to evolve into something better… but that chance was ripped from them. Demons weren't born by their own will, and yet they were still living beings. You have seen that, haven't you? They know only survival, and they do not make any attempts to hide it. Compared to humans, they have a far more honest existence… at least demons will not hide behind masks of fake virtues…"
Satan then closed his eyes and took a deep sigh.
"...And yet, I forget that there was a reason why humans inherited the earth. They too had their own virtues, and while there were many who were no better than the demons they condemn, there were people who were potent enough to know how to make others believe." He continued. "Perhaps I envied that. Perhaps I envied how simple it was for society to be controlled by the words of a few. The law of the jungle was how the world was, and yet humans perverted that, making their own society atop it… Maybe that is why I chose to remain human for a little longer, after realizing the truth. I knew I was as foolish as the humans that I condemned, and I wanted to remain as one to let that lesson sink into me subconsciously… only for it to fail until you all made me see sense. This time, humans had found a way to believe in each other, despite my attempts to bring about the return of demons. That too, is an outcome that I can accept. And while I may never be forgiven by Akira for so many loops of misery… the fact that he is alive, and that he will be better than me, I am at peace at least, no matter my fate in the next few moments."
"...If only you told this to Akira, he would have found a way to forgive you." FS!Lumera sadly said. "...I know that deep inside of him, he held on to the belief that you can be better, that you would realize your mistakes and atone for them. But it will be a while until he'll accept that… just as Richard feels that he needs to… After all, you and he… are not too different where your sorrow and hatred lies."
"...Maybe it's not too late to." Satan said. "Take me to him."
"Is that really a good idea? Akira's about to fight Trillion." Adora said.
"The Horseman of Death?" Satan asked back. "It doesn't matter. I have to make sure that he understands my true feelings, from the bottom of my heart. If I have to risk being torn apart by her… then I still would not hesitate. I will not fight her, rest assured. You have made sure of that."
"Then let's do it. Any objections, guys?" Adora asked.
"Absolutely none." Eirika remarked. "I still have to give Sapphire her Senzu Bean, so that she can fight at her full potential."
"And I'll help to ensure that nothing will get in our way to them." FS!Lumera remarked, before she then transformed into her Divine Dragon form. "Board onto me. My body should be sturdy and swift enough to trivialize any risk in the trip."
In the skies above Tokyo….
"Target's up and moving fast. Contact in less than five minutes." The crusader remarked, with the St. George system feeling heavy on his chest. "So far, there are no notable threats beyond the entity, Trillion."
"Well, with all of the others focusing on dealing with Ryo… we should be home-free to deal with them." Jexi remarked. "I've heard stories about her… I recall that she had been vanquished by a group of demon overlords, who were in turn accompanied by a group of heroes like ours. I swear I have the feeling that I should know the answer… somehow."
"We shouldn't concern ourselves with that." Akira remarked. "Right now, the biggest threat to all of this is the Horseman of Death."
"I sincerely agree. Hopefully, we've made enough preparation to beat her soundly." Sapphire remarked. "I really don't want to imagine what consequences would result if we don't match her level of strength."
"Don't you worry, Kyogre, we've got your back." Mark assured as he cracked his knuckles.
"...Is there a joke I'm not getting?" Sapphire asked with a tilt of her head.
"Three minutes." the crusader counted down.
"Let's win this and break this loop for good." Ace said.
"It's gonna take all I gotta win this with you guys." Ajna said.
"Hey, we faced Kala together with everyone by our side. This won't be any different." Simon said.
"We'll have to delay our advance." The crusader remarked, as the Saint George system stopped for a moment. "There's a multitude of ICBMs heading towards Trillion."
"Well, it seems that humanity doesn't want to sit back and watch the show." Sapphire remarked.
After a few seconds, the ICBMs impacted their target, as the entire sky shook, before a massive blossom of fire was seen in the deep atmosphere.
"Target has not been damaged in the slightest." The crusader reported. "It has increased its velocity. New arrival time is in one minute. Make your final preparations."
"Well, it's do or die time. You ready?" Akira remarked, before immediately entering his Devilman form.
"We were prepared for this even before this happened." Jexi said.
"We're all with you to the very end, Akira. Our strength is yours." Ace said.
"Let's kick some Horseman butt." Mark said.
"Hey, that's my line!" Ajna playfully elbowed the reincarnated vice angel.
"Activating St George System!" The crusader remarked, before the device began to spark to life, before it then metamorphosed into a massive western-style dragon, complete with glowing line marks. "Systems and weapons are optimal."
Trillion arrived before the group, as she immediately braked down to a halt, standing right before them, as she had not armed herself yet.
"So… it has come down to this. A battle in the skies, over this world. You are not intent on allowing me to achieve my objective, aren't you?"
"If that's what you think, you're going to need to think things a lot more." David scoffed. "None of us in the Hero Alliance intend to let anyone, even outsiders, get hurt in our battles."
"Noble. I can't help but respect that. She may not be your strongest… but I can tell you this out of honesty. She was far stronger than anything that I have faced before… stronger than gods, stronger than demons. Had we met in my past life… she would have been a fair match against what I was. So whatever your name is, pugilist… Stand proud, I acknowledge you as truly strong in my standards."
"...Heh. Coming from someone who tried to kill me awhile ago, that's some praise." Sapphire snarked. "My name is Sapphire Sukui, Trillion."
"Onto more important matters. You are defending Ryo Asuka directly, no? I can smell his very essence from you all, betraying the fact that you have met and colluded with him."
"I suppose we won't deny that. But how is that any of your business?" David asked.
"Because I intend to kill him. I will not mince words, since your friend gleaned that from me quite easily…. Not that I made an effort to hide that."
"Sorry, but until this loop is broken, he stays alive." Ace said.
"He's right. If he dies, so will the rest of us. Please, just a bit longer. Once we manage to break the loop, you may do with him as you wish." David said.
"You will all die if I kill him? And so will the residents of this world?"
Trillion was silent for a moment, before a look of realization crossed her face.
"Ah, now I see why my offer was so simple. If I killed Satan, it would take all those on this world by a chain reaction. No wonder he offered me such a boon."
"He?" Akira asked with raised eyebrows, before he then growled. "Oh, I get it now. Whoever wanted you to kill Satan, expected you to take us all out. Too bad we figured out who's the prime suspect on that matter."
"Is that so? It seems that you know that someone wants you all dead. After all, don't you think that you're the only candidate who is playing games in the shadows?"
"What could possibly drive you to do all of this?" The crusader remarked. "Your actions do not hold any clear reason to do so… You are no feral monster, despite everything that has been shown to us. You have made no efforts to retaliate against the humans who just attacked you. And you did not pursue after the heroes, when they were forced to retreat with one of their own. What could be given to you, in exchange for the lives of an entire world, when there is little to gain from what we can determine with what you told us?"
"A release. In exchange for this 'menial' task, I have been promised an end to the same insatiable hunger that drove me mad. And from the mouth of the one who gave me that offer, it is a deal that I'm willing to take, no matter what comes after."
"So…that's a fancy way of saying 'screw you guys, I don't give a damn', then?" Mark stated.
"Then I guess we have no choice but to fight." David said.
"Don't think we'll go down easy." Ace said as he readied Breidablik and Celestial Twilight.
Trillion merely responded with a smirk.
"Oh, I have no intentions of underestimating you, after what one of you, even if she counts among your strongest, managed to push me to. But I will not stop either. I'll tell you this as a respectable offer only once, although I doubt you'll take it, seeing how you are already prepared for a fight: Satan's head is mine, and I will claim it no matter how many of you I have to kill, in success or failure. If you're willing to die for this world, then I won't disrespect that wish. Pray that you are strong enough as one to match the likes of my previous foes, even pushing beyond that, if you want to save everyone here."
(Cue- Twilight of the Gods- Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia)
"Well, guess it's time to put up or shut up." David said.
"Here we go, gang!" Mark declared, powering up. "Let's rock!"
"Wait!" Eirika exclaimed, as she immediately arrived, using some sort of holy pegasus to catch up to the group.
"Eirika!?" Sapphire exclaimed. "I thought that you were…"
"We resolved matters more soundly than we thought." Eirika answered back. "The rest of us are coming to aid you, in case you need the support, but we're going to hang back to allow you all to have the first strike. I just simply came ahead of the others for this. Here, Saph."
Eirika then gave FS!Sapphire a Senzu Bean, as she ate it and recovered the damage dealt from holding off Trillion.
"Alright. I'm back in business." FS!Sapphire grinned. "Let's really get this on, Trillion! Round 2!"
Horseman of Death
Trillion
Trillion immediately summoned her weapons, before she then pointed her great-sword forward, as a hail of blades was summoned from her position, as they hurtled towards the group at full force.
"Right through!" Rime called, firing a fusillade of Knight's Arrow, as they collided with the incoming blades, creating a stalemate between both salvos that managed to cancel each other out.
Trillion merely snorted in response, before she then immediately throttled forward, with her trident ready. She then immediately struck her weapon forward, creating a massive slashing gale of force from the thrusting attack, as it forced some of the group to evade it.
"Hoo boy, this is one of those types, huh? One mistake and she won't let us live to regret it." David said. "I think it's time I start taking this a bit more seriously." he said as he underwent Sapphire God: Burst Mode.
"Right behind you, David!" Mark agreed, powering up into his Six-Armed Vajra Angel Form.
"Fly forth, Celestial Heart!" Ace called, invoking Celestial Force,while Ajna immediately used her Tara Heruka form.
"Time for you to go down, Trillion!" FS!Sapphire declared, before she immediately reassumed her Super Saiyan God 2 form, layered with her red transformation.
The five of them immediately engaged Trillion, striking from all four directions, as Trillion was forced on the defensive, as she parried and blocked attacks well enough to make most of their attacks mere glancing blows, although they were having their effect on Trillion, especially with Sapphire preventing any escape with powerful ki blasts that stopped Trillion from trying to escape the encirclement.
"Grit your teeth, Trillion!" Mark declared, before he then managed to slip through Trillion's guard, before cocking back his arms, and launching a full-blast haymaker right onto her face, which managed to stagger her.
"This one is for you, Ike. Aether!" David said as he tossed his giant blade upward, slashing Trillion on its ascent, before he caught and slammed it down to the ground, as the attack dragged Trillion right from the skies, into the ground, with a massive resounding impact.
Trillion quickly back-handed the blade away from her, as the rest of the group followed after her, while she glanced at herself, noticing that she was bruised by the attack.
"Ngh… So that's the extent of your power… I must admit, that is not something I can take lightly… but this fight is far from over!"
"Target locked on!" The crusader remarked, before the dragon automata's head immediately locked on Trillion. "Stand back!" he warned as the dragon's maw opened, a brilliant beam of holy light firing out of it and towards Trillion. The light engulfed the Overlord, lighting up the stormy city skyline and the city below for a few moments. When the light faded, Trillion was missing. "Doubt that killed her…does anyone have visual?"
"Let's see…" FS!Sapphire remarked, before she then sensed the immediate area, before she then reacted. "...Oh, well, that did quite the number on her… but she's not done yet."
"That is correct."
Trillion then immediately flash-stepped back into the fray, as one of her wings was blown off by the attack, and her weapons seemed to be worn by the massive attack that came her way, which was likely the reason that she was only partially damaged.
"Damn…all that, and she's still kicking?!" Akira asked.
"She's a Horseman. Wouldn't be par for the course if that's all it took…"
"I see that you've been buying time for this thing, haven't you? That is your main means of destroying me, is it not? In that case, it would be unwise for me to let you get a second shot from that. Allow me to rectify that."
'No! I can't let her do that…!' FS!Sapphire gasped as she watched this happen.
A massive purple aura began to form around Trillion, before something split off from her body, as it was some sort of white mass, which suddenly began to expand, before turning into some sort of massive lamia-like creature, which matched the St. George in terms of size, as it had two heads, one serpentine on the top, and a large rotund head on the bottom, with a pair of large fist-like arms, and a pair of bony wings no different to the ones that Trillion had.
"Behold, an aggregation of my two former forms, a means of fighting those who believe size is enough to match me. This should keep that automation of yours busy. If you want your victory… It comes only from your own hands."
The aberration immediately roared, before it then throttled forward, before using both arms to smash the mechanical Crusader dragon, as the impact was strong enough to send it spinning backwards, away from the battlefield.
"ALOK KALL!" Simon chanted, summoning Alighieri to even the odds as he drew his templar sword.
"I will cut you down, monster!" Alighieri's voice boomed.
'This is looking bad… unless I can pull out new power… and soon, we might lose this…! I can't let everything we worked to end here!' FS!Sapphire thought to herself, trying to dig deep and find a new level of strength to get herself back into the fight.
'Need a little help, sis?' A voice rang in her head as her eyes widened.
"S… Siege…?" FS!Sapphire whispered.
'Yup, I'm still here. Means I ain't dead, right? Hahah! Bad joke, I know… But just because I'm out doesn't mean I can't give you… a little push.' FS!Siege spoke in FS!Sapphire's mind, as suddenly, she began to be covered in red aura…
While this happened, as well as Alighieri slashing at Trillion's summoned beast, with the Crusader machine assisting with blasts of holy energy, the fight resumed against the horseman of death.
Ajna channeled her inner potential outward in the form of a massive wave of pressure, dealing massive damage to Trillion, as well as temporarily knocking the weapons out of her hands, as they embedded themselves into the ground.
"David, Akira! Get her!" Ajna called, as this was the best time to attack while she was disarmed.
"Are you sure I should unleash it?" David asked. "I mean, I am close to mastering it, but…"
"We need to hit her with everything we've got. Do it!" Denji said.
"Okay, brace yourselves…" David said as his body began to crystallize. Once the process was complete, he unleashes Sapphire God: Armament Complete with a bellowing war cry. Once he has composed his body he leaps at Trillion with a powerful ice-induced punch.
The punch immediately landed right on Trillion's chest, as it managed to crack the glowing core on her chest, as well as the impact creating enough force to shatter a large part of her armor, which caused her to hunch over, hacking up some of her glowing blood, as there was a expression of shock on her face.
"How… did you…!?"
"You're not from around here, so you don't know about this." Ajna said. "David's someone who can rival the gods when he's in this form. Even slay them if needed, you are no exception."
"In simple terms…you've been power creeped, big time." Mark smirked.
"A god-slayer… Of all the ones that I have faced… your friend… he's truly worthy of the title."
"But he's not fighting alone!" Akira growled, before he then began to focus all of his power in his fist. "I might be a simple devil, granted power by someone beyond my understanding… but I don't give a damn about that! After everything this world and its people have been through, and after having the ability to cry once more for others… I ain't going to let you win, even if you're some sort of divine destructive force!"
Akira then rushed forward, as Trillion was about to evade the attack, only for FS!Sapphire to suddenly rush forth in a blaze of red, knowing Akira wasn't enough… and looking… quite a bit different.
"Siege… thanks for the boost." FS!Sapphire grinned as her longer red hair and even more powerful red aura indicated something happened while the fight was blazing… FS!Sapphire had unlocked a new achievement of power.
Sapphire Sukui
Super Saiyan God 3
"Let's get her, Akira!" FS!Sapphire shouted as her aura exploded again, rapid punches of red fiery divine aura hitting Trillion rapidly with a dual barrage of punches that began to shatter her entire physique, leaving her unable to fight back.
The two of them immediately paused for a moment, before they then drew back their fists, as they glowed with their own power, Sapphire with a mix of blue and red, and Akira with a dark-red aura.
"This is the END! ULTRA BLAZING SMASHER!" FS!Sapphire roared as she threw her punch, a dragon encapsuling her fist.
"Now then, GO TO HELL!" Akira roared, throwing his fist forward, as it created a massive red shockwave.
The two of them smashed their fists right into Trillion's face, as it sent her crashing across the street, leaving behind a massive trail of destroyed street along the path, until Trillion finally grinded to a halt, as she fell on her back.
Meanwhile, above the skies, Alighieri managed to cut through the aberration's armor, cutting right into its chest, revealing a pulsating blue core in it.
"That must be the focus of its being!" The crusader remarked, before the dragon then grappled with the creature, as the dragon's head began to aim towards the exposed core. "This is it! Begone from whence you came from!"
The dragon then unleashed its full force into the core, as the aberration let out a roar, as pinpricks of golden light escaped from its body, before it exploded in a shower of golden particles, as the dragon was left standing.
"...The St George system is still operational." The crusader remarked to himself. "...I must inform the others that it has proven far more effective than it has been expected to be,"
Trillion groaned, as the group approached her.
"...And once again, I lie defeated. It was no different to how I have lost before… And yet… I feel like I gained something from this fight…"
"Who knows?" Akira remarked. "Maybe all of that fighting might have changed your heart."
"Man, I didn't get to do anything…" Denji said.
"Oh, ͠com͝e o̵n, ̸Denj̶i. ́C͡ompa̧re͞d ̨to eve҉ryt̶hìng̶ ̨e͝lse ͝dea͠lt̢, a ͢bruised ego is n̕othinǵ.̵" David said, his chuckle distorted by the transformation he underwent.
"Don't worry, you'll get the chance to fight something like her, or something a lot stronger." Akira teased Denji with a chuckle, reverting back to his human form. "After all, if you're sticking with these adventurous bastards, it's a given."
FS!Sapphire looked at her hands, smiling a bit as she looked up to the sky. "...Thanks bro… You really helped me get this far…." FS!Sapphire smiled.
"I suppose that this is the point where you decide what to do with me. Do what you will. I have no inclinations for whatever you intend for me. With this much power on your side, I doubt that I will fulfill my bargain."
"Bargain…?" FS!Sapphire asked, still in SSG3 form. "What do you mean, bargain?"
"Didn't she say it before? She made a deal with someone." Mark told her. "Ryo's life for a cure to whatever 'insatiable hunger' that taints her."
"You made that deal with Damien, didnt you?" Ajna asked.
"If you wish to lecture me that he is no honest person, I am well aware. But a chance is still a chance, and the life of an angel like Satan doesn't compare to that. At least, not until you explained to me."
"And that would make you the 4th member of his cabinet. His own version of the Four Horsemen from my world." Denji stated.
"Correct. Myself, Death, Sisyphus, War, Makima, Control.."
Trillion then looked up and suddenly, her eyes widened in mild surprise.
"And…Famine?"
A brush of wind was all the warning the group had as Trillion was swept off the ground. Up ahead on the street, the group saw Trillion being carried by the same humanoid the alliance had saw in Damien's room; the one the Dimensional Heroes had recognized as the Chaos Kin.
"Me." the Kin said in a raspy voice, revealing its true form, as it kept most of its alien appearance, although it also gained a human figure to it, as its two hands were claws covered in carapace, and its entire body was covered in the same carapace.
"Why are you here?"
"The Antichrist still needs you. And…there are things I must ask you. But that comes later." The Kin said as it used its tail to open a dimensional rift. "It is time to go."
With that, the Chaos Kin leapt into the rift, Trillion in hand, as the way closed behind them.
"Dammit… they're gone." FS!Sapphire groaned as she powered down out of SSG3.
"Well, at least they left without any trouble." Mark said. "Besides…they'll be getting theirs once we get a shot at Thorn."
"Hey! Did we miss all the fun?" Hope called as the rest of the group arrived with Satan.
"Sadly, yeah. Missed it all." FS!Sapphire admitted.
"By the way Saph. I sensed all that God Ki you were putting out a mile away." Hope said. "You found a way to push past Super Saiyan God without going blue, huh?"
"Yeah… well, I had some help." FS!Sapphire smiled, referring to FS!Siege's subtle boost.
"Help or not… do you think its possible for you to teach Rutega how to do that?" Hope asked.
"Mm. Maybe. If I find the time, I'll swing by and see what I can do." FS!Sapphire smiled.
"So, did we do it? Did we break the loop yet?" Frosta asked.
"Not just yet. There is still one more thing we must do." Satan said, walking up to the group. "The octopus your group is with wants us to come together at the Galaxy King. He says he knows a way to break the loop."
"...He wants you there too?" Akira asked suspiciously.
"Ýeaḩ.̴ ̷Mayu҉m͡i͏ ͢to̷ld me ͟ea͟rli̡eŕ t̶h̀at͝ ̕M͜iki ̷an͏d͠ the ͏other̢s a̧r͟e͡ s̵t̛ill ͜al̨ive. ̧S̸ò ͡tha͟t̡'̧s a p̵lus, right͡ ͡Akira͏?͟" David asked, shortly reverting back to normal.
Akira thought it over for a moment, before he glared at Satan. "If you try anything…"
"You'll kill me. Yes, I'm certain there will be a line." Satan chuckled without mirth, before reverting back to Ryo. "I have a few things that I'll have to say to you. And believe me… it's for the both of us."
"Alright, let's go." Akira remarked, as he wondered what Ryo had to say.
The group made their way to where the Galaxy King had landed. There, they found the rest of the group, Miki, Miko, Wamu and, to some surprise, Koda waiting there for them, as well as Kukun.
"Ah, Young Akira, Young Satan! It warms my fallen angel heart to see you both here! Yes, indeed it does!" Eugene nodded vigorously.
"Ryo…" Miki remarked, as there was a face that seemed more disappointed than angry. "...I know that what you've done is terrible, but there has to be some reason to it, isn't there?"
"All in time. All in time." Ryo sighed back, before turning to the other residents. "If you want to vent your frustrations upon me, please let me speak with Akira after all of this. After that… what you do with me, I will accept all of it."
"Well, I'd be tempted to say screw your offer." Koda growled. "...But since this guy says that you need to have all of your teeth, I'm going to refrain from doing that."
"Makes two here." Miko agreed.
"I'd make it three, four in the case of Kukun here…" Wamu added. "But I don't know if I can actually make this guy feel it."
"Damn right." Kukun crossed his arms.
"Believe me, I get first dibs." Akira tried to quip. "He's on the top my personal s**t-list for what he did."
"Alright, lay it to us, Hartwin." Miu told Hartwin. "How are we going to break the loop?"
"Ah, it's actually quite interesting!" Eugene said. "You see…we cannot, in fact, break the loop. BUT! We can summon someone who can…with these!"
Eugene pulled out a large, wooden trunk, opened it, and pulled out six instruments. "Behold!" he declared.
The group was silent with bewilderment as they beheld the instruments: a banjo, harmonica, flute, drums, an alien device that looked like a handheld piano, and a theremin crafted from wood and string made from a material no one knew of.
"...What… the…." FS!Sapphire mouthed, as she, Eirika, and FS!Lumera shared odd looks.
"We're gonna summon the guy who's gonna break the loop… by playing a song with these?" Catra said.
"Indeed!" Eugene nodded once more.
"Good thing I already have a mic." Simon said, materializing Ribbit Libido-BZ55.
"Hack, you know your campaign manager's crazy, right?" Ragna asked.
"Just let him speak." J-Hack said seriously.
"These are no ordinary instruments." Eugene said as he passed out the instruments. "They are, in fact, older than any of us, this world…even this universe. They came…from the same place the Color Gods did! Before I fell, Mother told me that they were used to play a song. A very special song. So special, in fact, that it gave rise to everything from nothing!"
"Huh, no kidding?" Akira asked.
"No kidding! And, because of that, everyone knows the song. Deep down, in a place deeper than the soul…everyone knows this song. And whenever it's played…even the Color Gods can't help but drop everything and come listen. With that song…we can help Indigo find this world once more."
With that, Eugene had handed out the instruments: Wamu had the harmonica, Miko the flute, Koda held the drum and drum stick in his hands, Miki held the strange piano-like device, and Ryo held the wooden theremin's top with one hand, with a bow in the shape of a branch in the other.
"Okay…so why am I part of the group you needed?" Akira asked, with no instrument at all.
"Trust me…you'll know when it's our turn to join in." Hartwin said, holding the banjo. "Is everyone ready?"
"Ready as we'll ever be." Jexi said.
"Then, let's get down to it then." Hartwin said.
"Then let him hear it!" Simon said.
(Cue: Travelers' Encore: Outer Wilds - Echoes of the Eye Soundtrack)
With that, Eugene began playing a simple, ten note melody, one that sounded simple, yet beautiful in its own way. Like home, of old times, of humble campfire, comfort and friendships. With the hint of young determination. Walking along with friends by their side. .
"Wait…you said Color Gods." Madoka said as she listened before realizing. "You're trying to…"
"Shh." Hartwin hushed her politely. "Just have faith, my friend."
For a moment, the others just listened, until Wamu's eyes lit up in recognition and he began playing the harmonica like he'd been doing it his whole life. Like a gleeful celebration and welcoming of death. Like it's time to welcome death with open arms and like an old friend "Haha, it's time, death is coming, be prepared!" A mix of ascension to finality and uncanny happiness.
Miko then began playing the flute, adding a background to the song. Like a gentle anticipation of death. The ascension to the end but gently hold your hand through it. As she did so, she thought back to her entire life, as well as how she managed to make peace with Miki.
Next came Koda, adding a gentle drum to the background, the beginnings of gentle tears in his eyes as he remembered previous times. This time, those memories comforted him, instead of haunting him, allowing him to play like a celebration.
Akira then realized what he had to do, starting to whistle, slightly off-key, the same melody Hartwin was playing. It was a sound of melancholy. It's being happy in the face of the end but unlike the harmonica, the sadness within his part shined through. Like being forced to act happy all while tears of sadness streamed down his face. You don't really want to go even if you act like you're happy. But at long last…it was almost done.
The penultimate part of the piece, Miki, began to play. She closed her eyes, letting something deep inside of her, memories she didn't know she had - a song she had never heard, yet knew better than herself - take over. A melancholic determination. Of someone determined to fight, to reach the star but ultimately hinting toward failure and tragedy of falling to do so. But not this time.
Finally, Ryo, the cause of all this tragedy and death, for a reason that had eluded him until now, gently began to play the theremin, creating a haunting, yet soothing, synth sound that completed the song. A Mourning song. Of the old ways, Of what could have been.
These seven individuals played this song as it seemed to echo across the silent city. No other sounds could be heard, as if the world itself held its breath to hear the song clearly.
"I…I know this song." Madoka said silently, with a look of nostalgia and subtle sadness on her face.
"Everyone knows this song." Hartwin said as he continued to play his banjo.
As the seven played this song, the world seemed to turn indigo in color as a man suddenly appeared, a smile that had long been absent on his face having finally returned.
"How long…has it been since I first made you? I cannot remember. But…one never forgets their first." he smiled as he walked the ground. "I'm sorry to leave you waiting…my wonderful world."
(End song)
"Indigo…" Madoka said. "Yep…it's the same as it ever was! Nothing wrong. I mean, a few things but…"
"You don't have to hide it anymore." Indigo said as a few demons followed his every step as he petted a catlike demon. "I've known…for a very long time now what actually happened."
"You…you knew?" Madoka asked.
"The world was stuck on loop and you all lied to keep me from ending my life. But…you did it out of care, so I really can't be mad about that." Indigo declared. "However…all things…must reach their conclusion." he said, touching the air as an image of a clock appeared before it shattered.
"The loop…it's finally…?" Akira asked, daring not to hope.
"This world…will no longer repeat or face its end." Indigo said. "I've just settled that. And there will be no purging of the world either. I've recalled the agent responsible for that."
Akira staggered, collapsing to his hands and knees as he finally let go of the pent-up emotions he'd been holding on to, bursting into tears of sheer relief and exhaustion. "It's… it's over. It's finally over…!" he cried in joy.
"There, there." FS!Sapphire remarked, patting Akira's back. "We all made it through, as we promised."
Indigo then looked over to J-Hack. "You…were you the one who organized this chain of events?" he asked.
"Uh…yes…sir." J-Hack said nervously.
"I see…hmm…you are still kind of weak…but I'm certain it will change with time. Would you…like this world?" Indigo asked.
"WHAT?! But…this was your first. I can't take something so precious." J-Hack said.
"No? Then I shall gift it to you. Repayment for all you've done…to restore the joy I thought was long lost." Indigo said. "No more need to end this life. And no more need to make anymore god slaying blades for suicide."
"I…thank you, sir." J-Hack said, bowing his head to the Color God. "I'll…do my best."
Indigo simply smiled before he walked over to Satan. "...You've caused a lot of grief for everyone here, over and over. I think you and I need to have a long chat…away from here." he said.
"Can I just have a few words with Akira first?" Satan asked. "Please, I ask only that from you. If I don't tell him this… I don't think that I'll have the chance."
"...Sure, I suppose that resolving that matter would help bring things to a proper end." Indigo remarked. "I'm sure that you know what you're expected to do."
"Yes." Satan remarked, before walking in front of Akira. "...Akira Fudo. I have done many terrible things to you, taking all that you held dear to yourself, over and over, with only you being the one who could remember the results of it all. You had all of the reason to break, and you almost did… And yet these people have saved you, and you in turn have come back to save this world from what I would have done. I understand now what I feel towards you… the reason why I kept on trying to force you to be by my side, when it was oh so illogical… it's love. A love that I did not understand… until this very moment."
"Yeah, I figured that out after looking back upon everything." Akira scoffed. "But you call what you did, something worth love?"
"No. I will not deny it. It was sin driven by love. I hurt you when I could have found a way to persuade you." Satan continued, closing his eyes. "...I could have promised you your friends, and I could have convinced you in another way… but I did not understand human emotions as you did, and so I did what I did… because that was all that I knew. I know that you will never return that irrational love… but I believe that I should allow that to rest as well… I couldn't love you… because the problem lies in the fact that I am not a good person at all."
Satan then reverted back to Ryo, as there was a pensive look on his face.
"I am almost sure that you will most definitely refuse it… But I must ask this out of a sense of curiosity, and to see if there is any way that we can rebuild what I have destroyed out of my own mistakes." Ryo stated. "...Akira Fudo, is there any chance that you can forgive this wretched fool, who failed every single thing in his life? Unable to rebel against the divine, unable to stand with anyone… This fool, who asks that you would one day find it in yourself to welcome back with forgiveness for the terrible things he has done? If you refuse… then I will not pry it further, because I know that this answer means everything between us."
Akira was silent for a moment, as his expression trembled slightly between rage and sympathy, until he then stopped.
"Ryo Asuka." Akira declared. "...I'm going to say this straight: You're a f**king insane bastard with delusions of grandeur. You don't know the first thing about human emotions, and you driven me to the brink of madness with all the times you cast me in my own personal hell. I should have the right to tear you to pieces, and deny you your chance, like I have done so the previous 665 times. I hated you from the moment I left this loop, to this very moment."
Ryo did not flinch, as Akira took a deep breath, and then sighed.
"...But after everything that we have been through. I suppose that the heroes expected me that there would be the slimmest chance that I can forgive you eventually. They're right." Akira relented. '...And the fact that you're not acting like a smug piece of s**t helps your chances. I won't forgive you for all of this, but I'm not shutting the door in your face for a chance to make up for everything. Once you've managed to finish whatever sentence Indigo throws in your face, I might actually invite you around with the others, so that we can talk about what good you actually left in this world."
"...I couldn't ask for more, Akira." Ryo remarked, with a relieved smile.
"One more thing before you go." Akira stated, as Ryo was about to speak, before Akira smashed his face with a powerful straight. "That's the last time I'm going to smack you for everything you did. From now on, our score is settled."
Ryo stumbled back, before he then clutched his face, before noticing that he was bleeding from his nose, as he then chuckled.
"...Classic Akira Fudo." Ryo chuckled good-heartedly. "...Don't you ever change, Akira. This world and all others need people like you."
"Don't you worry, this crybaby's not going to stop weeping for others this time around." Akira grinned back.
Ryo then transformed back into Satan, before nodding towards Indigo. "I'm ready now."
Indigo nodded as the two of them then suddenly vanished into darkness.
"Hey." Denji said, approaching Akira. "For what it's worth, that was a hell of a punch to send your ex-friend off. Feels good to have your world free, huh Devilman?"
"It's been so long since I've cried my ass off like this. It…feels so damn good." Akira said. "After so long…the ghosts that have haunted my past…can finally move on."
"We're…so proud of you…Devilman." Izuku said.
"Yeah…but the Chainsaw Man is still better than a boring old Devilman." Denji said.
Akira chuckled. "This coming from the guy I had nearly knocked unconscious when we were fighting in ROXXON?"
"Please. I had you and you know it." Denji said.
"Sure you did." Akira said.
"Well…that is one thing off the checklist. We got J-Hack a world. Now we just need a certification from a god allied with order." Aelita said.
"I think it can wait for awhile. You all should rest and recover before we get to that step." Akira said.
"He's right. Besides, I need to put an order in to my swordsmith to have my sword repaired." Tanjiro said.
"Haganezuka's not gonna like that."
"Yeah, I mean… How many times have you gotten that blade damaged?" Sectonia asked.
"The first time…was when we fought the spider demon. Then I lost the blade after throwing it into Akaza…and then it got chipped facing Daki and broke on this world so…at least 3." Tanjiro said.
"No, that was totally four." Miu said.
"The chipping and breaking is the same sword so it's three." Tanjiro said. "Still…3 is still way too many times."
"Yeah, you ever heard the saying in baseball? Three strikes and you're out?" David asked.
"Hotaru is your swordsmith?" Nedris asked. "Oh dear…that godson of mine."
"I don't even wanna imagine…" Tanjiro said, visualizing the smith himself running after him with knives.
"I know he can be a handful at times, but when it comes to his clients, he wants to make sure they have top of the line blades. It's his own way of caring." Nedris said.
"You're gonna have to call him. You can't fight without a sword." Jexi said.
"I know. I'll just have to bear it." Tanjiro said.
"I suppose the time has come then." Nedris said to herself.
"Yep…it's been awhile…but looks like we're going to the Shinto Universe." Jexi said.
"I take it this means you'll be sitting out again, Kabuki?" David asked.
"A lot of us will be sitting out." Jexi said. "While our demon slayer team works on that world, the rest of us will be looking for a god to bless J-Hack."
"That sounds like a very good idea." Sectonia said.
"Yes…I will be going with the demon slayer team." Hayase said. "It will give me a chance…to work with this." he said, holding the broken Masakado.
"Oh… Right… I still haven't forgotten about that." David said with a sweatdrop. "But can it…"
"It probably won't be the same sword you once held…but…I will do the best I can." Hayase said.
"That is all we ask for, Hayase." David said.
"You still have Blizzard Edge, right? So, you'll be fine." Sachiko said.
"He actually named his blade? That sounds…so cool!" Merrin said.
"Aw, man… We've got her geeking out again…" David said as the group shared a laugh.
"It has been so long…" Nedris said.
And so, splitting off from the main alliance group, the Demon Slayer team of Tanjiro, Nezuko, Inosuke, Zenitsu, David, Sectonia, Mark, Gemini, Nedris, Kagane, and Goutou, with the accompaniment of Hayase, departed for the Shinto Universe and the world of the Demon Slayers.
To be continued…