Reviews:

KamenRiderChimera: Sheez, Ohma Zi-O too? You really don't like this guy, huh? Not that I can blame you, of course.

caballero lector rojo: Asi es. Ya pronto empieza lo bueno.

Guest: Cruel, pero tambien tiene algo de razon.

Ryugen: The higher they are, the harder they fall. It'll be one painful fall for him. Yeah, you're right. I love this version of Allister. I like him being a merciless assassin as he was before, but now, he's a family man trying to protect what he loves. A boss rush would be pretty cool. The purge vent gives me some ideas...

Lord RI Husbu King: I agree with both sides. I get why they feel bad about them, but I also feel why some don't. They did kill a bunch of people, including main characters. At the same time, they were given a bad hand in life. Especially Allister, who had no choice but to become an assassin, and even then, Elsa was taken away from him. And don't worry about it. Hazuki needs Loki. Loki is the piece that ties Hazuki's plans together. Without Loki, Hazuki would be lost and weak. So him feeling less intimidating than when Loki is in control, I understand. He's not the final boss. It's kind of obvious, but that honor goes to Odin. If anything Hazuki is like the mid boss. Yeah, Yomi has been on the back foot lately. He had his fun back in XV, but now he can't do much with no arms or legs. I'm confused about this part. So you think Setsuna is being mind-controlled, but then you also say you want Hajime to forget about her? If she was being mind-controlled, wouldn't Hajime just try and save her? It's kind of weird to just forget about her if your theory is right and she's being controlled by the enemy. Which hasn't been confirmed, by the way. Also, no. I got that inspiration from reading Dragon Ball Super manga. It was Hajime reimagining his fights with the major enemies and it serves for the readers to know how far everyone has come. She is indeed.

Tenzaliucard123: It's almost time for war...

Dragstorm rider: Bragi didn't propose. He just said he'll protect her and make her happy so they have a piece of mind when sending her off to fight. And sadly, yes, Allister has fallen as well. Oh, yeah, Shirabe loves torturing her brother-in-law Hamaguchi.

nicolassverino95: To be honest, maybe a chapter of Loki black Air Force. Loki practically does most of the heavy lifting so we gotta give him some respect. Oh yeah, I got that one from The Terminator. Love that movie. Holy wing vent...that sounds fitting for a god of his class.

Chapter 146
Those Who Reject The Divine

Genjuro sat in front of his brother, Yatsuhiro, inside of his office in Japan. The politician gathered in his thoughts, while his brother waited patiently.

"The war is on full scale now. It seems almost impossible to stop." Yatsuhiro finally said."I've been attending various meetings with the leftover leaders of the UN. One of which was recently assassinated at his home. The tension is palpable, Gen. All trust people once had is gone. You can just look out the window and see for yourself."

Genjuro didn't need to see the outside. Even after the war, constant random attacks around the world started, including Japan. Followers of the DDV were committing various crimes, making people scared of going out. After the declaration of World War 3, things were even worse, as people did not want to leave their houses for too long. The sound of jets and helicopters circling the city had become a normal thing, even late at night.

"I did not anticipate for Allister Albedo to have so much information not only about our Father but also various corrupt politicians here in Japan. All the dirt that government officials had hidden has come to the surface, most of these were former countries allied to the UN. You can only imagine the repercussions this caused in terms of trust. After all the trouble Tsubasa and her friends went through to unify the world..."

"It was not Allister-kun. I have it in good faith that he is being manipulated. Elsa-kun told us all about the brand in their hands. It controls the darkness within, exposing their worse traits." Genjuro said."The person controlling the strings from the shadows is-"

"Hazuki Kaburagi. A Liang survivor." Yatsuhiro finished for him."It's astonishing and worrisome how our enemies are none other than Liangs. I can only imagine what Hajime-kun is going through...To think a child could turn the world upside down...He uses the darkness in people's hearts and the fact he has been blessed by a deity to convince people to fight for his cause. Furthermore, it sickens me to think that this only proves our Father's words to be true."

"Yatsuhiro-aniki!" Genjuro raised his voice."You don't mean that! He ordered the extermination of an entire clan. They may have planned for the takeover of Japan, but that does not mean that killing them was the right thing. Don't forget, a good amount of those Liangs were innocent people who wanted nothing to do with their plan. One of our biggest heroes is a Liang."

"You're right...I apologize, Gen. It's just...It's been stressful lately. More so than usual." Yatsuhiro pinched the bridge of his nose."We have less than 1 week before Ragnarok is set to happen, and we haven't the slightest idea of where the Disasters could be. Every single time we intercept one of their followers' attacks, they end up taking poison pills and die before we can extract any kind of information. We can't exactly waste any resources on trying to guess which country they're in because everywhere is chaos. And the attacks are completely random. It's like looking for a needle in a haystack. However, I thought of something. There is a way to go about this."

"Which is...?"

"It's an emergency plan the UN has come up with. We'll call back all of our troops back home and fortify our defenses around our borders. We'll do a massive evacuation, and evacuate everyone to the middle of Japan. The very center. To protect our citizens."

"Yatsuhiro-aniki...You're not suggesting what I think you are..."

"At this point, Ragnarok is inevitable. We have to prepare to protect our country at all costs. Right now, stopping it from even starting is almost impossible. The best choice would be to try to defend from it."

Genjuro stood up, slamming his hands on the table, almost breaking it but he held himself back."Aniki! We can't just give up! If we do, think bout all the lives that will be lost!"

"You are correct." Yatsuhiro chuckled, not at all surprised by his outburst."Not to mention that modern artillery might not even be enough to combat Ragnarok. In fact, I'd say that no weapon alive can combat it. Even Symphogear and Kamen Riders would get overwhelmed by the endless sea of demons."

"So then-"

"I said almost impossible. But recently, I got a tip." Yatsuhiro reached for his tablet, tapping a few times before handing it to Genjuro."We received an anonymous message. It's unknown where it came from. We deduced it was moved from various servers and encrypted carefully to avoid any kind of leaks. It seems that whoever sent that message is in a very compromising situation."

"A message...Could it be a distress signal?" Genjuro's eyes widened once he read the decoded text."This is...?"

Val Verde help

"Are they...in Val Verde?!"

"No. I spoke with the new President of Val Verde. They are currently engaged in a war against Vietnam and are requesting aid." Yatsuhiro adjusted his glasses."Furthermore, they report having spotted someone with black wings."

"Wings?"

"If I recall, someone who was given Divine Power from Loki suffers a transformation. There are reports of attacks around the world on people with wings and black eyes. These soldiers may have been given a piece of Divine Power. In other words..."

"If we can get answers from the Vietnamese soldiers, we'll know where they got that power. Loki must have had contact with them."

"Even if the Disasters are not in Vietnam, we can find out where they're getting their resources." Yatsuhiro nodded."Gen, I want you to send some of the kids to Val Verde. Are they back from their deployment?"

"Yes. Raiden-kun and Hamaguchi-kun should be back from their amphibian assault. I'll talk to them about it."

"Send only those who have been on standby longer. We don't need to put more pressure on them..." Yatsuhiro said.

"Right." Genjuro stood up from his chair.

"Gen. This is it. If we can win this, then the future of not only Japan, but the entire world will be safe." Yatsuhiro turned around to see his brother in the eyes."I will do my best to support you guys."

"We're glad to count on your support, Aniki."

Back in HQ, all members of SONG except for Hamaguchi and Raiden sat in the lounge after they all returned from their respective missions. Unlike a few weeks earlier, when they were smiling and having fun, they were now in silence. A dreadful silence that made it seem as if time was going slower. Hibiki was holding Hajime's hand, brushing it gently.

"How are you holding up, Sunshine?" Hajime muttered.

"I'm okay. I'm feeling a little better now that I'm with you." Hibiki squeezed his hand."It's just...I thought all this fighting was over. That people would finally work together. Not against each other. And yet...How did it come to this...?"

"I know." Hajime wrapped his arms around her frame, bringing her closer to him as she nuzzled against him."Ever since all countries declared war on each other, we've been sent out to all allied nations in their battles. There are too many battles going on that we have to constantly split into groups. It was bad enough when the attacks were only here, but now...?"

"Unfortunately, this is a war that can't be won through negotiations or peace treaties." Yosuke chimed in."There is no concrete enemy to face. All countries are at war because of the information exposed. They can't trust each other because of what Allister knew. Even if we beat the Dsasters, I don't know how we'll stop the war."

"Why not?" Kirika frowned."If we stop them, the real enemy, then wouldn't that make everyone else stop fighting?"

"It's not like the information that was leaked was fake, Akatsuki." Tsubasa interjected."It was all real. Corrupt politicians hired assassins, rigged votes, drug trafficking, and human trafficking, among other things. Allister knew it all because he worked with countless powerful people. There is evidence to spare."

"So what, we're going to keep fighting an endless fight?!" Maria shouted.

"What's with all this screaming? We just got here."

The group turned to see Hamaguchi and Raiden by the door, both of them with troubled expressions on their faces.

"You're back!" Garie beamed."How did it go?"

"Mission accomplished." Was all Raiden said, leaning against the wall.

Hamaguchi's gaze was directed at the ground, slowly making his way to the group.

"You alright, bro?" Hajime asked his best friend.

No response.

Kirika quickly made her way toward him."Hamaguchi, are you-"

Without a word, Hamaguchi wrapped his arms around Kirika, resting his head on her shoulder.

"Hamaguchi...?" Kirika instinctively rubbed his back soothingly.

"I'm sorry. I'm okay. I just..." Tears began to stream down his face as he tried to fight them back."I know we've faced several enemies...and fought divine beings but...Shit...This is fucking war against other human beings. What we saw right now during our mission...Fuck...I don't think anything could have prepared me for that... It's just...Fucking hell...All of those people are just...dead...like nothing. I'm glad Endou-chan went back home before shit hit the fan..."

"It's okay, baby. Come sit with me." Kirika guided Hamaguchi over to the couch, sitting him down. He leaned against her as she hugged him for comfort.

"I get how he feels." Miku shivered."I don't know how you guys have been doing this for so long."

"It never gets easier." Chris said emotionlessly."Even when we were trying to do our best to prevent people from dying, no one gives a shit anymore."

"This has to stop," Shirabe grumbled, hugging her knees.

"Yes, but how?" Hibiki asked.

"We're running out of time." Bragi's lips thinned."Ragnarok is coming and we have no idea where the DDV are. At this rate..."

"I have a lead. As well as possible information on their whereabouts."

Genjuro boomed, immediately catching their attention.

"Really, Uncle?!" Tsubasa's eyes widened."Do you have a lead?!"

"Yes. Your Father just informed me that Val Verde received an anonymous SOS signal. It appears as though the enemy they are facing might be able to help us locate the DDV. They have been spotted using Divine Power. If we can make them submit, we could force them to give us a location. I'll be sending a group of you to Val Verde to help."

"Not all of us?" Elfnein pondered.

"Some of you have recently come back from being deployed." Genjuro looked at them with a solemn expression."I wouldn't want to put you through more than what you have."

"I'll go." Both Bragi and Hajime stood up, much to each other's surprise.

"I want to go too," Miku said.

"Miku?" Bragi shifted his attention to his girlfriend.

"I want to stand by your side. If this battle is as important as the Commander says, then I want to do what I can to help."

"No way!" Chris stood up."I'll go too!"

"Me too!" Kirika raised her arm.

"And me." Shirabe nodded.

"No way I'll just sit around while everyone goes out." Maria smiled.

"I'll go too." Hamaguchi heaved a long sigh before smirking."I'll be the worst boyfriend if I let my woman fight while I just sit on my ass all day."

"I suppose I'll go as well." Tsubasa smiled, as Yosuke placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Count me in." He shifted his attention to the commander."Sir, we all want to go. We're a team. We'll fight together. No matter what."

Genjuro looked at them with admiration and pride. His lips curved into a smile.' They've come a long way. All of them.'

"Very well. Get some rest and be ready. We'll leave at first light in the morning 2 days from now." Genjuro said.

"Yes, sir!"

On the day of the mission, everyone was on board a big cargo chopper, sitting in front of each other as they flew toward Val Verde. It was early in the morning, and the sun was barely coming up.

"So, you guys heard the briefing yesterday. But I'll go over the plan once more." Yosuke said, addressing everyone."We'll neutralize the Vietnamese forces and protect Val Verde troops. We'll cut them off from their supplies. We were informed that the enemy troops are running out of resources and are receiving a cargo of weapons, food, and soldiers."

"It's very possible that their backup might also have information regarding the DDV's whereabouts. So we'll have to restrain them as well." Tsubasa took over."And whatever happens, put yourselves first. Don't do anything rash if it means you'll be hurt. We can't afford to have anyone wounded here."

"Right." Hajime nodded."So, the same thing we always do. Should be easy."

"Not quite." Yosuke raised a finger."Remember, the enemy has Divine Power."

"How the hell did Loki manage to give some many people his power?" Beelzebub pondered."Do Aesir gods have that kind of power?"

"It's probable that he just gives them a portion of it." Bragi guessed."I doubt he'd give the same power that his closest allies have."

"Then perhaps it's weaker." Raiden arched a brow."Maybe...there is a way to do something about that power. If it's fragile, then maybe..."

"It's worth a try." Bragi nodded."Maybe Beel can devour that energy. Or maybe Miku can use the Shenshoujing's light. It's just a hypothesis though. No guarantee that will work. Worst-case scenario we just lock them up until we find a way to stop Loki and his goons."

Maria noticed Shirabe looking at the ground, clearly distracted, so she placed a hand on her knee to get her attention."Are you alright, Shirabe?"

"I'm okay. It's just...Today was the tournament Wei-kun and I were supposed to participate in."

"That dance tournament, right?"

"Yes." Shirabe sighed."Even after what happened, I kept on practicing. I suppose I did it because I was hoping somehow things would just go back to normal. That what happened in Lydian was just a bad dream. But...that wasn't the case. I couldn't do anything for him."

"Don't blame yourself, Shirabe." Hajime said."I...I also feel the same. I can't believe I haven't seen Setsuna in over 2 months now. We were never apart from each other for that long. I messed up. I couldn't save her."

"Hajime..." Hibiki frowned.

"But even so, what we can do is get them back." Hajime said, prompting Shirabe to gasp."We'll stop this. And we'll get them back home. That's what we can do for them now."

"Yeah...That makes sense." Shirabe managed a small smile.

"It's time." Yosuke announced, peering through the window."Get ready. Looks like we can expect action immediately. Everyone ready?"

"Yes!"

The young detective opened the door, immediately jumping off, followed by everyone else.

"Balwisyall Nescell Gungnir Tron..."

"Imyuteus Ame no Habakiri Tron..."

"Kilterr Ichaival Tron..."

"Seilen Coffin Airgetlam Tron..."

"Zeios Igalima Raizen Tron..."

"Various Shul Shagana Tron..."

"Rei Shenshoujing Rei Zizzl..."

"Henshin!"

(Play All Loves Blazing)

"Alright! Let's get this party started!" Abyss activated an ability, closing his visor.

Strike Vent: Destclaw

Winding his fist back, he punched the air, shooting, a huge shark of water, washing over the tanks that were approaching and flipping them upside down.

Shirabe skated around, using her armored twin tails to disarm the soldiers, slashing their weapons apart. Several enemy soldiers aimed their weapons at her, but she immediately jumped in the air as the skirt began rotating at high speeds.

Delta Style: Charming Axel Killer

The bullets were sliced to pieces by the sharp skirt, and while the soldiers were distracted, a current of wind sent them all flying.

Tempest Vent

"Are you alright?" Knight asked, landing next to Shirabe.

"Yes, thank you, Yosuke-san." She politely nodded.

Meanwhile, Kirika and Raia rushed ahead, using their scythes to deflect the incoming artillery. Suddenly, some of the soldiers started to transform. Black skeletal wings sprouted from their backs as their eyes turned red.

"Oh, shit! They're using Divine Power?!" Raiden gritted his teeth. He drew a card from his Deck, sliding it inside of his visor.

Advent: Evildiver

Raia jumped on top of Evildiver, helping Kirika up and they flew into the sky.

Shoot Vent: Evillauncher

"Ready, Kiri?"

"Ready!"

Kirika swung her scythe, firing several energy slashes from her scythe while Raia shot grenades from his grenade launcher. The combined attacks stunned the transformed soldiers, causing them to fall to the ground.

"We're up next, Beel!" Bragi cried out, drawing a card and scanning it.

"Oh, yeah! Let's give it to them!"

Fallen Vent: Model Beelzebub - Devour them all, Gluttony!

A black sphere engulfed Bragi before dissipating, revealing him in his Beelzebub form."Devour!"

His arms stretched out and more came out of the black substance, engulfing the soldiers. As he had theorized, Beelzebub was able to devour their DIvine Power, returning them to normal.

"Ew. Tastes foul." Beelzebub spat.

"Do you feel any different?" Alternative asked.

"Not really. I just taste what I eat. But it just poofs out of existence. I am a bottomless pit, after all!"

"It's hard trying to not kill them by accident," Knight commented, blocking an incoming soldier's claws with his visor. Chris shot several of her arrows, shooting him down. As they advanced, they noticed Bragi taking the power away from them.

"Yeah, I mean...they don't look human at all." Chris sneered."I can't believe that fucking asshole Hazuki is doing this to people."

Chris noticed a tank in the distance. But it was unlike any she had ever seen. It was huge, with red veins across its platted armor."Look out!"

Chris tackled Knight down, avoiding the giant blast of energy from the tank.

"What the fuck was that?!" Chris got off Yosuke, helping him back on his feet.

In addition, several creatures emerged from the ground.

Raydragoons

"Mirror Monsters?!" Knight seethed."It seems they're not pulling their punches anymore."

Mega Deth Party

"Fine with me! Let's give them hell!" Chris unleashed her full arsenal, pushing the monsters back. Maria used her bladed whip to wrap the monsters together for Tsubasa to finish off by shooting thousands of blades from the sky.

Thousand Tears

"Tsubasa! Maria!" Yosuke exclaimed.

"We're pushing them back! Tachibana, Elfnein, Adachi, and Kohinata went ahead!" Tsubasa hollered.

Hibiki and Ryuki continued punching their way through the monsters, while Miku played the role of support. Elfnein leaped after Miku, covering her rear, while the former vessel continued using her pure light to extinguish the corrupted Divine Power in the soldiers.

"It's working! It's working!" Miku beamed in relief.

Elfnein noticed several transformed soldiers wielding modified weapons. She used her strings to take the weapons away before having Golem deliver the finish blow.

Ryuki and Hibiki were ahead of the pact, covering each other's backs. The dragon Rider grabbed her arm, spun her around, and threw her into several monsters, delivering a barrage of kicks that knocked them away.

Advent: Dragreder

Dragreder descended from the sky, shooting fireballs towards them and destroying them.

"Thank you, Dragreder!" Hibiki waved at the dragon.

"It's not over yet!" Hajime pointed at the sky, where a large battleship was. Several soldiers jumped off the ship, and to their surprise, the ship began to fall to the ground as it began to explode.

"They're doing a kamikaze?!" Knight cried out, noticing where the ship was going to explode. A group of Val Verde soldiers were transporting their wounded back to their HQ.

"I won't let them!" Miku deployed several of her mirrors, shooting a beam of energy and reflecting it through them. The light hit the soldiers, undoing their transformation and allowing Elfnein to catch them with her strings. Alternative spread out his arms, a purple aura surrounding him before forming a vortex, heading toward the ship as it exploded. The purple aura began absorbing the explosion, completely canceling it out and avoiding further casualties.

"Spicy!" Beelzebub groaned. After securing the enemy troops and tying them up, they now headed toward the docks where a lonely ship sat.

"That's the ship with the supplies?" Chris asked.

"Should be. But that's..." Yosuke frowned under his helmet."It's not a Vietnamese ship."

"No." Tsubasa nodded."It's...Chinese."

"What the heck...?" Shirabe narrowed her eyes when she noticed something in the middle of the ship. It was a pile of Vietnamese soldiers' bodies.

"Bodies...?" Abyss muttered in horror."They're dead?"

"Wait, there's someone down there!" Kirika pointed down at the ground. In effect, a lonely man was sitting on a rock. They immediately headed down to the ground, catching his attention.

"Oh, wow. Scared the hell out of me..." He placed a hand on his chest."So...you guys are the heroes of the world, huh? Gotta say, I didn't expect you guys to be so young."

"You know about us?" Maria arched a skeptical brow.

"Of course. I was the one who sent the signal." He grinned."My name's Haoyu. A pleasure to make your acquaintance. Now, I know what you're thinking...And allow me to explain."

"Sheez..." Hajime covered his mouth upon seeing the pile of dead bodies on the ship."Did you...kill all of these people?"

"Yes." Haoyu nodded with a neutral expression on his face."I am the designated cook of this ship. It was just a matter of mixing poison in the food. And they were all dead before we got here. I know what you might be thinking. But trust me. This was a necessity. All of them were firm believers of the Disasters. There was no talking to them. So, for the sake of my mission, I had to do it."

"So if this is a Chinese ship, then..." Knight turned to the young man.

"Correct. The Divine Disasters of Valhalla are operating in China and we were requested for aid by Vietnam. They got the whole country on lockdown, controlling communication and media. That's why sending that distress message was a huge pain. We couldn't outright tell you since they can intercept messages. Especially outside of the country."

"China...? Why...?" Hajime's eyes widened."Wait, could it be...The Liangs?!"

"You guys know about the Liangs? Good. That saves me a lot of explaining." Haoyu took a look at his wristwatch."We don't have much time, so I'll give you a summary. Several months ago, the Divine Disasters of Valhalla took over China. I don't know the details, since I'm new. But I know that it has something to do with their members being Liang. And one of them being the last full-blooded Liang. As you can guess, the Liang clan is very important to China. To the point that their name means power. The officials didn't hesitate in giving up their power to them. It didn't take long before the whole country submitted. And now, almost all of the population have become loyal followers to their cause."

"Shit..." Raia muttered.

"How can that be...?" Hibiki ran a hand through her hair.

"No. It makes sense." Tsubasa furrowed her brow."The Liangs are to China like what the Kazanari are to Japan. Sentinels. But Bragard wiped them all out, essentially making the clan extinct. That's why it's not too outlandish to think that they'd bend down once survivors showed up. Their hope rested on the Liang's shoulders. For generations. They wasted so many precious resources on their mission, only to have it halted in the blink of an eye. Perhaps they see this as a way to correct their mistakes and continue on their path."

"They want a comeback." Bragi clicked his tongue."And seems like our buddies in the DDV are promising them that. By the way, you said you were new. What did you mean?"

"Like I said, most of the country has fallen to their temptations and their goal of a new world. But a small number of people have gathered together to combat their control." Haoyu grinned, jabbing his thumb against his chest."We're the proud members of the Freedom Fighters. Our goal is to recruit as many innocent people who reject the forceful recruitment of the DDV are give them a safe place to stay. We heard about the heroes who saved the world and we knew that if anyone could save the world from them, it's you. My boss entrusted me with this task. That's why I came to ask for your help. Please...We need your help."

"Commander, did you get all that?" Yosuke asked, holding his communicator near him.

"I did. And it seems like the only choice we got. There's only a few days before Ragnarok. We can't afford to miss this opportunity." Genjuro hummed."Alright. I'll speak to Yatsuhiro-aniki so we can go immediately."

"Hold on a second." Miku spoke up, catching their attention."I do not mean to intrude, but...Our objective is apprehending Hazuki-kun, right?"

"Yes, that's correct." Maria nodded.

"Then wouldn't seeing a bunch of UN forces invade China set him off? It's possible that he'd just go into hiding and teleport to another location." Miku shifted her gaze to the Chinese."Do you know where exactly he is?"

"Well...All I know is that sometimes he's in Hong Kong. Sometimes he's in Beijing or even in Shenzhen. It's really weird. It's like he can be everywhere at once. It's very difficult to pinpoint where he is at times."

"I knew it." Miku frowned.

"Then we have to make sure he stays in one place. In other words, we need to get him out into the open. And for that, we can't let him know where coming for him." Bragi folded his arms."I suggest an infiltration mission. I'd like to be part of that, Commander."

"I see. I too believe that's the best course of action. A small team, to avoid unnecessary attention."

"Oh! An infiltration mission! Like spies-desu!" Kirika beamed.

"I want to go too." Elfnein raised her hand.

"Auntie?" Bragi turned to the short blonde.

"It's a dangerous mission for you to go alone. I promised Carol I'd look after you." Elfnein smiled warmly."And besides, you need someone to keep you out of trouble."

"Elfnein..." Raiden scowled.

"It's okay, Raiden. I'll be fine." Elfnein cupped his cheeks."Bragi-chan will protect me. And I'm a big girl too, you know? I can fight if I have to."

"But..." Raiden grumbled.

"I'll go too." Miku said."Thanks to Shem-Ha mixing her power with my Shenshoujing, I can extinguish low levels of Divine Power. I can help in case there's a fight and purify those people."

"Miku...are you sure you want to go?" Hibiki grabbed her hand."It could be dangerous."

"Hibiki." Miku gently flicked her forehead, earning a pained yelp."You've been doing dangerous stuff for a long time. It's my turn now. I can help so I want to help. Bragi protected me. And I want to protect him too. You feel the same way about Hajime, right?"

"I do." Hibiki nodded in understanding."I get how you feel. Just...be careful, okay?"

"Of course." Miku embraced Hibiki, holding her tight.

"Bragi-kun." Bragi heard Genjuro's voice in his communicator."Remember, your mission isn't to win. As soon as you secure Hazuki's location, make sure to contact us. We'll prepare our forces. As soon as you give us the word, we'll get there."

"Right. I got it handled." Bragi nodded.

"Elfnein..." Raiden was about to protest, but Elfnein stood on her tippy toes and kissed him on the lips.

"I love you so much." She beamed, making his heart skip a beat.

"I love you too." He responded bashfully.

"Sorry to interrupt, but it's time." Haoyu announced."It's time. It should take us a couple of days to reach China. Don't worry, I've got enough provisions. And of course, I didn't poison all the food."

"Alright then. Time to go." Bragi began marching forward, but Hajime stood in front of him.

(Play Banana Fish Ending 1)

"So you're going," Hajime said, hands in his pockets.

"Yeah. Sorry, you don't get to play hero this time." Bragi responded with a condescending smirk.

"Maybe, but remember your mission is not to get into a fight."

"True. But I promised Miku I would punch the Superstar in the face for hurting her. And I'm not one to break my promises."

Hajime couldn't help but smile and admire his determination. He held out his fist."Got it. We'll go there as soon as you give us the signal. Don't do anything rash."

"I'm not like you, but..." Bragi returned the fist bump."I'll let you get a few punches in. See you on the other side."

"Take care of the girls." Hajime nodded.

With that, Bragi, Miku, and Elfnein boarded the ship. It didn't take long before it set sail.

"Take care, everyone!" Hibiki waved from the dock.

"Try to get us some souvenirs-desu!"

"Kiri-chan, please..." Shirabe rolled her eyes."Be careful!"

"Keep your head down and gather all the info you can!" Tsubasa hollered.

"And make sure to stick together! It's an unknown territory, after all!" Yosuke yelled.

"Roger!" Bragi raised his fist into the air.

"We'll try to get your sister back if possible, Hajime!" Miku shouted, waving at the half Liang.

"Take care of things here for us!" Elfnein waved her arms in the air."I love you, Raiden!"

Raiden blushed profusely, huffing."I love you too.."

"Aw, look who is all embarrassed!" Hamaguchi nudged him on the side.

"Leave me alone!"

As they went deeper into the ocean, they eventually stopped hearing their friends' voices.

"This is all so sudden." Miku sighed."It feels like I just noticed what we're into."

"We're entering enemy territory." Elfnein voiced her concern."And even if we ally with the Freedom Fighters, the whole country would be against us."

"Come on, you two, don't be so melodramatic." A mouth appeared on Bragi's left cheek."We'll just go, blend in, and do our thing. Ain't that right, Bragigi?"

"Something like that. We'll infiltrate and see what we can find out. Our goal...finding Hazuki Kaburagi."

(Song End)

Some time ago...

In the middle of Hong Kong, a group of people gathered to witness the execution of a few people, who had their arms bound by barbed wire, kneeling on top of a wooden platform.

Hazuki stood behind them, arms behind his back. Next to him was Despia and Wei, who were on standby. They were clad in their new uniforms. For men, it was white pants and military jackets, alongside black boots, and gloves. For women, it was the same, except they wore black stockings underneath white skirts. To top off their appearance, they all wore small white capes behind their backs.

"Today, I've gathered you to witness the execution of two rats that want to prevent us from reaching paradise." Hazuki began, pacing around the platform."We found these two trying to graffiti one of our local warehouses, where we keep our weapons which we use to protect our citizens. Their goal is to spread a message. A message of hate. A message to tell you, my loyal citizens, that they reject salvation, and as such, want to take the world down with them."

"Kill them! Those disgusting infidels!"

"Kill the heathens!"

"Don't let them get away with this!"

"We want retribution! Divine retribution!"

"Burn them alive!"

"All for paradise!"

The cheers of the citizens were music to Hazuki's ears. He noticed the people tied up were beginning to grow nervous and scared. More than they were. They were in front of an angry mob who wanted nothing more than to satisfy their God.

"Naturally, we don't plan to let this go unpunished." Hazuki stopped pacing around, facing the crowd."As you know, we take blasphemy very seriously. And this so-called Resistance is the biggest factory of sinners in existence. As such, it is our duty to kill them. One by one. Demoralize them. Make them regret their choices. And hopefully...just maybe, we can manage to open up their eyes. So that one day, they can return to us as brothers and sisters. For salvation is but one step in front of us. All we have to do is take-"

"Don't give me that shit!" One of the resistant members yelled."You killed my family, you bastards! All because we refuse to become mindless slaves! Well, fuck you! You are going to die a-"

Wei pulled up behind him, a gun to the back of his head, pulling the trigger and killing the man instantly.

"Monsters!" A woman stood up, rushing toward Wei and trying to headbutt him, but Despia appeared in front of her, transforming her arm into a bladed crystal arm, slashing the woman's neck open. She hit the ground with a thud, blood splattering everywhere as she choked on her blood.

The remaining 3 Freedom Fighters screamed in horror, knowing they were next on the chopping block. However, a loud sound caught their attention. Hazuki looked behind them and noticed one of the windows had shattered. The culprit was a man wearing black pants, a white sleeveless black shirt, and a crimson jacket that reached up to his knees. He had long raven hair tied up in a ponytail and was wearing an eyepatch on his left eye.

"What the hell?" Wei squinted his eyes."Where did he come from?!"

Despia said nothing, aiming with her left hand and shooting several crystal projectiles toward the man. To their surprise, a sword seemingly appeared out of nowhere in his right arm, and he used it to deflect all the projectiles with ease.'Impossible!'

The man roared, thrusting his sword downward as he headed toward Hazuki. Before the blade could pierce through Hazuki, a portal opened up, in front of his face, causing the blade to go in. A portal appeared behind the man's head, almost stabbing him in the head had he not weaved at the last second. Since the sword was a longsword, the blade went toward Hazuki once more, prompting him to open a second portal. This time, a portal appeared on the man's side, but he caught the blade with his free hand, stopping it from reaching his skin.

"Ohohoho! No blood?" Loki observed with great interest. In effect, in contrast to the man's right arm, his left one was bionic. Completely artificial. It was then that Hazuki finally met gaze with the man. His pink eyes stared into the man's own pink eye.

'Black hair...pink eyes...Could he...?' Hazuki narrowed his gaze.

"It's him!" One of the captured people beamed."It's the Dragonfly!"

"Dragonfly?" Hazuki pondered aloud."Interesting. So...I take it you're the leader of the Resistance?"

"The name's Ishigori. And you are the little shithead who is playing to be God. Now that I look at you up close, you don't look like much." The man introduced himself. He noticed Wei spinning rapidly before unleashing a slash from his leg.

"Sky Slicer!"

One of his bionic arm's fingertips propped open, revealing a grenade. The grenade exploded, but it wasn't a normal explosion, but an explosion of light.

"I can't see!" Wei covered his eyes.

By the time the flashbang effects wore off, they noticed that all resistance members were gone.

Despia's eyes widened in shock, scanning around and trying to find them.

"Over there!" Someone from the crowd shouted and pointed across the street where a van had pulled over in front of Ishigori and the captives. Despia and Wei wasted no time in charging toward it.

"Oh, shit!" The driver, a young woman with pink hair wearing a bunny hoodie yelped."Get them in, Xiao! Quick!"

Ishigori slid the door of the van open, allowing the captives to go inside. He jumped on top of the van, narrowing his gaze toward the incoming Disasters."Suyin, step on it."

"R-right!" Suyin stepped on the accelerator, revving the engine of the car as they sped up.

Ishigori reached into his pockets, revealing two vehicles in his hand. He tapped them with his blade before throwing one of them toward the Disasters, a car. Much to their shock, the car grew in size, now being the size of a normal car.

"What?!" Wei gasped.

Immediately, Ishigori chucked the second vehicle, which was a tanker truck, with more power, allowing it to catch up to the first car before it enlarged in size as it crashed into it. Both vehicles exploded, and the Disasters were sent flying due to the explosion's shockwave.

Hazuki couldn't see the car due to the huge cloud of smoke rising from the crash, losing sight of the Freedom Fighters."The Dragonfly...Xiao Ishigori. He's good. He saw it once when we fought before, but he's already figured out how my portals work. Impressive."

"True. Guess he's the main man of the resistance. No one else dares to show their ugly mock like that in the open." Loki commented."Still, they are fragile and desperate. They must have no other option but to let their leader be the ones to risk his neck. And if he dies..."

'The resistance goes down with him. And that sword of his...'

"Probably a Relic of some kind. Doesn't look particularly powerful, but it does seem tricky. His eye...and his appearance. It's worth something to look into." Loki said nonchalantly."So, what now?"

"We wait." Hazuki glanced over to Despia and Wei, who were dusting their clothes from the smoke."We're still having a good time and we have nothing to fear. Ragnarok is within our grasp. And whoever stands in the way of salvation...will be eradicated. No exceptions."