I do not own Infinite Stratos nor do I own Rurouni Kenshin. All rights respectively go to Izuru Yumizuru, the author who created Infinite Stratos, and Nobuhiro Watsuki, the author of Rurouni Kenshin.
(Insert OP: A Cruel Angel's Thesis by Yoko Takahashi)
Zankoku na tenshi no you ni (After a drop of water hits the black screen, it brightens up to a red sky with clouds and stars as it shows the IS Academy symbol)
Shounen yo, shinwa ni nare... (Camera pans upwards as it shows the schematics of an Infinite Stratos before it shows its heart, the IS Core and then everything tuns white)
(Title of the show appears as Infinite Stratos)
Aoi kaze ga ima mune no doa wo tataitemo (Raiden is shown fully clothed and carrying the Sakabatō on his left hip)
Watashi dake wo tada mitsumete (As he watches the waters surrounding the IS Academy Island, the shadowy silhouettes of Akane Fujimoto and Miram Walker appear at the side of the screen going up and down respectively)
Hohoenderu Anata (As the silhouettes fade away, Raiden gives a small smile as if content with something of his life)
Sotto Fureru mono (A shadowy hand is shown pointing to the ground before an IS blueprint of Akatsubaki appears)
Motomeru koto ni muchuu de, (And then Houki is shown next as her image looks up at the sky)
Unmei sae mada shiranai itaike na hitomi (Houki's shadowy image sits on the ground with her arms around her knees as if crying before she looks up while Raiden is in the background and then Houki's image is replaced with that of Tabane, staring out of a window and her eyes blinking twice)
Dakedo itsuka kizuku deshou Sono senaka ni wa (Raiden is seen in his IS, looking upwards as he prepares himself for a fight, embracing his persona of Hitokiri Kingslayer. Four brief images of Hiko Seijuro XVIII, Akane Fujimoto, Miriam Walker, and Chifuyu Orimura are shown in order)
Haruka mirai mezasu tame no hane ga aru koto... (Raiden cannot contain the darkness he kept within himself any longer as Hitokiri Kingslayer emerges and the background is shrouded in flames of Kyoto)
Zankoku na tenshi no tēze (Ichika duels with Raiden, clashing his blade, Yukihira Nigata, against Raiden's Sakabatō, fighting on even ground)
Madobe kara yagate tobitatsu (Raiden and Ichika break away as Rin comes in to assist the latter against the former with her Souten Gagetsu. Brief images of the various cast of IS, including students of the Academy, Liu King-Sang and members of the Righteousness Union, and members of FEISAR, are shown in quick timeframes)
Hotobashiru atsui patosu de (Laura was next as she unleashes her cables at Hitokiri Kingslayer, but he dodges in the air and attempts to cut her down but is blocked by Charlotte's shield)
Omoide wo uragiru nara (Raiden backs away as Cecilia unleashes heavy firing onto Raiden, making him move and slice down her BIT drones. Brief images of the various cast of IS, mainly the main antagonists are shown in quick timeframes, in order of Udo Hina, Squall Meusel, Autumn, Madoka Orimura, and the shadowy form of the Dark Lady)
Kono sora wo daite kagayaku (Raiden in his IS takes a Battojutsu stance and charges forward as executes a Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu attack)
Shounen yo, shinwa ni nare (As Raiden comes in and slices at the camera, everything flashes white as the title of the story, Infinite Stratos Hitokiri Kingslayer, comes up on screen)
At a restaurant in Tokyo called Akabeko were Houki, Rin, Raiden, and Ichika. Akabeko is a very popular restaurant specializing in Sukiyaki beef and other western style dishes. It has been around since the days of the Meiji Restoration and was surprisingly one of the few buildings to survive the firebombing back in 1945. Run by the Tae Family, they have operated for at least ten generations, becoming one of the very best sit down restaurants in the country.
Many powerful people ranging from politicians to legitimate businessmen have come to Akabeko to try their infamous sukiyaki beef dishes. The restaurant interior hasn't changed much since the Meiji Restoration, having retained its traditional sit down look of tatami mats.
Ichika was already eating so much sukiyaki beef that he was calling for thirds. Despite being his first time at this restaurant, he really loved the food.
"Ichika, it's bad for your body to eat so fast," Houki reprimanded.
"I know, I know," Ichika replied. "But this food tastes so great."
Karma hits Ichika hard as he feels some rice go down the wrong pipe and he begins to choke.
"See what I mean?" Houki said as she hits Ichika's back to help with the choking. "Goodness, you can be reckless sometimes."
"Even Ichika is no match for Houki," Rin quipped up, making Raiden chuckle at that.
"I don't believe it!" A voice rang out, making the four turn around to see at another table were three unattractive Japanese delinquent guys. And with them were a lot of bottles of sake.
"A world of female dominance will never come from doing that!" One guy said. "We need to be more outrageous! More radical!"
"But that means sending Dr. Itagaki to his death!" Another said.
"Yeah!" cried the third. "The current Secretary of Defense, Okubo, didn't even pardon the female General of the JSDF!"
"I don't fear Okubo!" said the first guy. "If I can die and become a hero, the Doctor can too!"
"You idiot!" said the second. "There is nothing to gain from becoming a legend!"
"Yeah!" agreed the third. "If Dr. Itagaki dies, freedom dies with him!"
As the third argue and drink, Raiden speaks to his friends about who he thinks they might be. "It seems they are desperadoes in a democratic movement, that they are. They probably don't like how the world has been turned upside down for the male human species."
"What do you mean?" asked Ichika.
"Even if Japan is following the correct rules of democracy in having many parties involved in government, I heard there is a radical movement led by the men who demand we go back to the way things were before the IS."
"Maybe they don't like how things are going with the government?" asked Ichika.
"Sounds like gibberish to me," Houki said.
"They're just drunk," Rin concurred. "Not worth looking at."
Raiden chuckles a bit. "It's just as you say, Rin."
Just as Raiden was about to take some hot pot, he senses something. A disturbance. One that even Houki could tell judging from how Raiden stopped and bore a serious expression.
*BAM*
"Gaaaahhh!" Raiden cries out comically before he falls back. "Ororoo…"
"Raiden!" Houki catches Raiden from his fall.
One of the sake cups was flung through the air and it hit Raiden in the back of the head. How or why he did not bother to dodge, no one could tell. Unsurprisingly, it came from the desperadoes group across the table.
"What did you just say?" The first guy asked standing up, drunk and angry. "Say it again, huh?"
"I can say whatever the fuck I want!" The second said following suite. "What a shitty world this is!"
"You motherfuckers wanna die here?!" asked the third.
Ichika could not stand enough of it, especially since his friend was hit. Enraged, he confronts the three. "Hey! What are you arguing about after you throw stuff at other people? Apologize first, then take your arguing outside!"
"Shut up!" The second drunkard said as he stood up. "A kid like you doesn't understand the shithole we men have to go through."
"I don't care about that!" Ichika said as he also stood up in defiance. "I'm asking you to apologize now, you jerks!"
"Who are you calling jerks, you brat?" asked the first. "We're discussing something serious that you should be a part of!"
"Shut up! You're just a bunch of drunks disturbing everyone else! Now get out!"
"Excuse me…" One of the female waitresses of the restaurant intervened. "We don't want a disturbance in the store."
"Shut up!" The first drunk said. "A woman like you looking down on us men has no right to be in it! Butt out!"
*SMACK*
The first drunkard violently hits the woman, making her stumble backwards to the shock of everyone else in the restaurant, the four IS pilots included.
*POMF*
Luckily however, the waitress was caught as her back hits the arm of what looked to be a Chinese adult, wearing plain long grey sleeve and black jeans, with somewhat fancy black shoes as well. He appeared to be a young man of average height with tousled black hair. He has a muscular body from which one could deduce is a result of street fights, weight training, and various activities in his daily routine. He also wore Buddhist prayer beads wrapped around his right wrist and a black and rose gold Supersportivo stainless steel watch on his left wrist.
"You know, on Omega, men and women are treated equally yet democracy exists for the weak," The Chinese man said, speaking in perfect Japanese. His accent sounded as if he was from the Kansai region. "Or is this democracy the freedom to make a fuckin' show by blaming it on your drinking?"
The drunken men were clearly insulted of their pride as one of them shouts, "What was that, you bastard?"
Ignoring them, the Chinese man looks over to the waitress and asks, "You okay?"
"Oh, y-yes," She said.
"Are you trying to pick a fight?" The second drunkard asked.
The Chinese man looks back and responds, "Let's see… it wouldn't hurt to occasionally."
"What?"
"Usually people pick fights with me," He said. "But I hate abusing the weak, or watching others do so. Especially assholes who speak of freedom and equality in this fucked up society where freedom goes to die. It's those guys who piss me off to no end."
That finally made the three drunkards crack.
"You want to die, gaijin!?"
"We'll take it outside!" The third member of the drunkard party said. "Outside!"
The Chinese man turns to the waitress and asks, "You best step back, young miss. This is gonna get ugly."
As the waitress does so, the man takes his steps forward towards the drunkards, not even giving in to their demands of taking the fight outside.
"Sorry. I don't do that. After all, why eat your food outside…" The man soon grabs a bowl full of hot, fresh ramen from the table. "When you should eat it INSIDE!"
*BAM*
And with one mighty swing, the Chinese man slams the bowl of hot ramen into the drunkard's face, burning him and making him scream as he falls backwards. The bowl instantly shatters upon impact.
This causes a few patrons to scramble away and leave the restaurant or hide underneath the tables. But for Raiden, he shields the others away from the fight with his hands out to protect them, keeping a view on the fight and observing with his sense of hearing.
Grabbing a couple of fresh hard leeks from the nearby chef's table, the Chinese man wields them like batons as he swipes and hits away on the third drunkard like a professional fighter. For every wild punch the drunkard throws, the Chinese counters easily, even from the kicks.
Once the drunkard staggers from being hit so much, the Chinese hits his temples with the leeks horizontally, stunning him and bringing him to his knees. Tossing away the leeks, he then grabs some hot sauce, opens up the bottle, and douses the eyes of the drunkard.
"AH AH AAAAAHHH!" The drunkard cries as the capsaicin burns his eyes and he is shoved away. It was truly a gory sight to see.
"You mother fucker!" Drunkard number two said as he grabs a beer bottle and goes up to the Chinese man from behind.
"HAA!" He cries as he swings the bottle.
*BAM PSSH*
The beer bottle instantly breaks, spilling the alcohol over the man's head. But despite his head cocking a bit, he looked unfazed, especially as he turns around and lightly dusts off the broken glass from his shoulder, terrifying the drunkard.
Grabbing the last drunkard by the arm, he carries on his shoulders fireman style, only to toss him back with his back on the bar table.
*BAM*
Crushing some bottles in the process, the drunkard is soon grabbed by the man by the shoulders and in a classic move, he is forced to slide across the table, breaking every bottle along the way before he reaches the end and is thrown aside out through the front door.
A fight of three drunkards against one Chinese man. And it ends with the latter's victory. But the look he had afterwards looked like he just wasted his time fighting three unworthy opponents.
"Man, I sure picked a boring fight," He said.
Houki was stunned, having just watched a restaurant fight firsthand. "That… was amazingly terrifying."
"Y-Yeah…" Ichika concurred.
One of the drunkards, the one who got a bowl of piping ramen to his face, staggers as he stands up. He then pulls out a switchblade but before he could even draw it out fully, he feels a sword behind him, and a killing intent.
"I was patient with your drunken uproar," Raiden said with the hilt of his Sakabatō pointed at the man's back. "But if you're going to pull that out here, I won't show any mercy."
Turns out Raiden was behind him, ready with his blade. The drunkard felt like he was the prey, and the predator was right behind him, ready to pounce like a lion.
"The world is fine in of itself despite its imperfections. And the world we live in now is one we have to accept. But for people like you, improving oneself comes before improving the government, that it does. Now pay your bill, and go."
The drunkard complies, carrying his other two drunk friends out of the restaurant and limping away. It won't be long until the police shows up and catches the two. As for the restaurant though, well it has seen better days.
"Thank you very much," The manager thanks the Chinese. "Those three always came to this restaurant drinking so much and causing a stir. But… given of the damages, we may have to close the restaurant for a while. And I'll have to contact the owner about this and explain everything."
"Not a problem," The Chinese man said. "Those fuckers were causing a big stir for everyone anyway. Sorry to make such a scene though. Here, for damages I caused."
The man soon puts down a large wad of cash on the table in the form of 10k yen, surprising the manager and the waitresses.
He then turned over to the blind swordsman. "So, Mr. Samurai, is your head alright?"
"Hm? Oh, it was nothing much, that it was," Raiden said rubbing the back of his head.
"Of course. It would be silly to be hit on purpose, and get wounded."
"Huh?" asked Houki, wondering what the man meant by that.
"If you evaded that, this girl's face would be covered in blood," The man revealed as he pointed to Houki. "So you purposefully didn't move and used your head as a shield. Is that right?"
Raiden was impressed. The man must have seen the action from a corner near the restaurant's front door enough to observe events going on.
"You think too much of me, that you do," Raiden said.
"Don't belittle yourself," The man said. But that is when he turns his head over to Rin, who looked like he was studying him up close. "Yes?"
But that is when Rin widens her eyes in disbelief.
"Ah! You're him! That kid on the street of our neighborhood! You went to my family's restaurant and my middle school!"
Raiden was surprised. "Oro? Rin, you know him?"
"Yeah…" Rin said. "You're Liu, aren't you? Liu King-sang?"
Liu nods, "Yes, that's me. And you're Lingyin Huang. You still hanging around with this guy here?" Liu points his head over to Ichika's direction.
"Wait, you know me?" asked Ichika.
"We all went to the same middle school together," Liu revealed. "But you stood out more than the rest. And you are close friends to Lingyin here. Not to mention we both went to her family's restaurant on separate occasions."
"You're very well informed," Houki complimented.
"Where have you been, Liu?" asked Rin. "I haven't seen you for a full year."
"Long story. Let's just say I got myself involved in a lot of shit. Enough for it to last two nights of drinking and talking. But as I can see, you four must be from the IS Academy. You best get back lest you want your teacher to wonder where you've been."
This shocks the four, realizing that if they were not back by sundown, Chifuyu would be on their ass about it.
"Oro?" Raiden replied.
"I don't want to get into trouble again by Chifuyu-nee," Ichika whined.
"Liu, where are you staying at?" asked Rin.
"My apartment is not far from your Academy," Liu said. "Down by the lower wards. If you need me, I'm right there. See ya."
Liu takes his leave, with the four IS pilots watching him.
"What kind of person was he?" asked Houki. "I can't tell if he was good or bad."
"Good or bad, the way he fought those guys was brutal," Ichika said. "I wonder why?"
Raiden however could only smile. "Still, he is quite an interesting fellow for a Chinese foreigner."
Little did all four know however that they would be seeing him again. And not by tomorrow.
LATER THAT NIGHT…
Back at Liu's apartment, he was having a meal with someone. A beautiful young looking woman with long blonde hair, red eyes with a mole under her left eye, a beautiful face, a voluptuous body, and a large bust that could be described as very attractive. She was wearing a expensive high-class red dresses, watching Liu eat as if she was intrigued by the young man.
Though she may look like a hooker, she had made it clear beforehand that she was not. Nor was she a business partner of sorts. Rather, she had introduced herself as a representative of someone.
To please Liu first though, she had ordered some very expensive Japanese food from a 3-Michelin Star restaurant. And for takeout.
"So, Liu-King sang, have you considered my offer?" The woman, named Konomi Tsuhara, had asked.
"You want me to kill someone?" asked Liu as he eats his sushi. "Are you sure you're not mistaking me for a hitman of sorts?"
Tsuhara smiles. "I know your group are not mercenaries for hire. But you will do anything for money. It is one of your core values after all."
"Get this straight, whether or not he dies depends on how lucky he is," Liu said pointing his chopsticks. "I only kill someone if they have earned my ire or just to put them out of misery. Oh, and don't give me that honorable warrior's death crap because I don't believe in it."
"I'm not asking you to kill him," Tsuhara chuckles. "I just want to test this new IS pilot's strength. After all, the world is already too focused on the 1st male IS pilot to pay any attention to the 2nd male IS pilot."
"What's the catch?" asked Liu as he finishes his meal.
"There is none. You will be rewarded favorably, whether you succeed or not. I guarantee it. $90k in cash."
"Is that so? The way I see it, you're not that bad yourself. But apparently, you're an IS pilot who needs someone else to do the dirty work for you."
Tsuhara chuckles. "Nothing less from a Triad of the Righteousness Union."
Liu then gets straight to business. "So, what kind of guy is Raiden? You claim to know him."
"Takes one to know one," Tsuhara said as she somewhat reminisces. "You live in the criminal underworld, so I'm sure you've heard the rumors. Raiden is actually the infamous assassin from ten years ago. The one called Hitokiri Kingslayer."
This then attracted Liu's eyes upon hearing that name. Everyone from the Righteousness Union had heard of Hitokiri Kingslayer but no one has encountered him. And thank goodness for that. But one could suppose that the Kingslayer was not targeting anybody from them during his killing spree. Then again, his targets were random.
"You sure about that?" asked a skeptical Liu.
"Very," Tsuhara answered. "Like what you said, I know him. How about it though, Liu? Your opponent isn't lacking, that is for sure. But would it not help to be rid of him in the event that the assassin comes for your precious RU members next? After all, what would happen if Uncle Yuen were to be taken out of the picture because of him?"
"That doesn't matter to me," Liu said as he looks at his Buddhist prayer beads on his wrist. "It's been a while, but it ought to be interesting fighting another male IS pilot."
He then holds a hand out to shake Tsuhara's which she accepts and shakes.
"Alright, Tsuhara. You got a deal."
Tsuhara smiles. "Excellent. Now let's finish our dinner, shall we?"
As the two eat, Tsuhara takes the time to get small glimpses of Liu, analyzing in her mind of who he was.
'Liu King-Sang, triad of the Righteousness Union. A well-known member of a criminal group who values family above all yet will by no means do anything for money. A dragon whose fee is based on how much he is paid for a job. Despite being a fighter, he does not kill, leaving his opponents on the brink of death. And yet, it is these kind of people that are easy to manipulate but also the ones who can decipher the manipulator's goal.'
LATER…
At the Academy, the four were in the cafeteria having finished dinner. They got back home just in time without Chifuyu noticing. Raiden and Houki were having tea side by side while Rin was helping Ichika study up for the next upcoming test while having dinner, specifically on maintenance.
"So then you take this part of the IS here and have it be attached to the back for added stability here," Rin points out on paper.
Ichika was trying to follow but he was no engineer. Mathematics and physics were not his strong suit. And neither was strategy, especially if he was going to keep fighting in his IS against every opponent he is up against.
Raiden and Houki merely sat and drank tea in peace, advising and helping Ichika when necessary. All seemed peaceful given of what happened at Akabeko earlier in the day.
*ZIING*
But when Raiden's senses kick in, it was like he became a Jedi all of a sudden. Thanks to his enhanced hearing, he could even hear what was outside the walls of the Academy.
"Someone's outside the front gates of the Academy," Raiden said as he stands up.
Everyone was wondering what he meant like that. The Academy's security was tight and no commoner would ordinarily be allowed entry. Not even an ordinary male. Raiden however sensed someone was there. Someone very familiar.
He turns to take his leave with everyone following behind.
"W-Wait, Raiden, what's wrong?" asked Houki being the first to follow him.
"I felt a presence, that I did," Raiden explained. "Straightforward if not foolish. No attempt to hide. A fighting spirit, like that of a dragon!"
As Raiden makes his way to the front gates with the others following behind him, he walks out to see a familiar Chinese man wearing the same outfit he did earlier this afternoon.
"Liu?" Rin was stunned.
"You—You're from earlier this afternoon," Houki saw.
"The Chinese guy that beat the drunkards," Ichika stated.
Raiden approaches Liu calmly, and bearing a smile.
"I knew it be you," Raiden said, maintaining his calm demeanor. "And here I hoped that you would have had no quarrel with me, that I wished."
Liu chuckles. "I don't. And it's nothing personal. I just got hired recently by someone to fight you."
Raiden then asks while keeping his small smile, "For how much? And by whom?"
"Sorry, but that's confidential," Liu answers as he approaches Raiden. "All I was told was that someone here at the Academy named Hitokiri Kingslayer was here and sent me to fight him."
This shocks everyone behind Raiden, especially Rin. "Liu, what are you saying?"
"Ten years ago, there was an infamous assassin famed for the deaths of countless people involved in the IS. The first of these was the king and queen of Luxembourg, slaughtered at the throne room in their royal palace. Hence when and why everyone had granted him the name of Kingslayer."
"You researched well, that you did," Raiden acknowledged. "You're not just a simple man around these parts, are you? And you don't have the look of a mercenary, that you are not. No ordinary man would use such tactics against the drunkards earlier this afternoon unless he was trained to do so. Ordinary people would just be throwing fists and legs recklessly, that they would. But you would be able to use any object at your disposal if it meant you can win. And given of your national background, you are not of the yakuza."
Raiden then finishes his analysis of Liu by concluding, "Simply put, you are a Triad."
This stuns everyone, especially Rin. Triads are the Chinese version of a gangster associated with a Chinese mob. They are not too different from their Japanese counterparts, the Yakuza, especially when it comes to tattoos and dirty business.
"Liu?" Rin asked shakily. "You… you're a Triad?"
"You don't need to research to know that," Liu said. "But what your friend said here is true. I am a Triad. And not just an ordinary one. I belong to the Righteousness Union, as have my parents before me."
This shocks Rin so much it felt like her heart just exploded. "Wha—what? The Righteousness Union?"
"Rin, you know them?" asked Ichika.
"They're one of the most infamous Triads in China. But they're mainly situated here in Japan, ruling a small part of the criminal underworld. But I didn't think… Liu, why didn't you say anything about this?"
Liu shrugs. "What was the point? You certainly didn't want to affiliate yourself with someone like me who lives a life of crime."
"But… But your parents. They—"
"They were also part of the RU, Rin," Liu reveals. "It's in my blood and I can't escape from it, not that I want to."
"But why? Surely you don't think your parents wanted this."
"No, they didn't," Liu agreed, surprising Rin. "My parents wanted me to stay away from their lifestyle, but the area we grew up in was run by the RU. And no matter how hard they tried, I still found myself with the wrong crowd."
"And that made you into one of them," Houki said.
"Where others saw them as bad people, I saw them as family, so I am not so black and white like so many others. I know what I do may be considered a crime, but is it a crime to fight for survival?"
Rin did not know what to say in response to that. Neither did the others. Now knowing that the man they were dealing with may not be the same person as they saw hours ago at the restaurant, they prepare themselves in case this Triad criminal was going to cause havoc. They may even have to call security or the police to come and arrest him. Despite his good-natured intentions from before, he is still a criminal as per following his lineage.
But for Raiden, he felt there was no need to drag this on any further. If Liu wants to fight him tonight in there is right here and now, he needs to answer it properly.
"Liu, if you're that intent to fight me, then I'd rather not do it here. We should take it to the arena, that we should. With however much time is left for its availability."
Liu nods in agreement. "Lead the way then. It's just you I want after all."
With that said, Raiden beckons Liu to follow him to the arena, all the while sneaking past the nearby lights and security cameras still on. There were no security guards at night, but the Academy could be issued on lockdown should a disturbance occur and wake the teachers and students up.
While Liu walks behind Raiden to the arena, he sets his watch, a chronograph that will start counting when the duel begins. Nobody takes notice of it, not even Rin as they walk behind the duelists entering into the arena.
By the time the two enter into the arena, it was empty, devoid of a crowd save for Houki, Ichika, and Rin. The night lights were turned on, shining on both the arena floor and the audience. But with such bright LED lights on, it was only a matter of time before the teachers find out the arena was in use.
And standing in the arena were Raiden and Liu, face to face.
"You do realize that you are not an IS pilot," Houki called out. "If you were, you wouldn't have gained access to the Academy like this."
"I don't know if you guys know this but there is one thing I need to tell you," Liu said. "The whole world doesn't know this but… I am also an IS pilot."
"What?" Rin was confused.
Liu, deciding showing is better than telling, activates his IS by lifting up his right hand that was adorned with the Buddhist beads he wore. He is enveloped by that familiar white light before he shows up in an Infinite Stratos.
For starters, the IS almost looked bird-like, especially on the feet and claws that looked like talons. The wings were separated from the main body yet acted as part of it thanks to an electromagnetism field keeping them in suspension. Like the wings of a Fenghuang, a Chinese phoenix of sorts. The only parts not covered by the IS were Liu's abdominal region, showing his shirt instead, and his head. It was colored in a shade of midnight purple and obsidian black, almost like he were a dark phoenix.
"It's named Zy-54 Alastor," Liu explained. "It's a 3rd Generation IS, modified by Tabane for me to pilot it on behalf of me and one other within the RU."
"That must make you the criminal underworld's best kept secret, that it does," Raiden complimented.
"That, and more," Liu admitted. "I'm not the only secret. But enough chit chat. You ready for this?"
Raiden complies as he prepares to draw out his IS. A bright white light shines as he emerges into his IS, Lion Heart.
Liu takes notice of the blade his opponent was holding out and brandishing.
"A Sakabatō, huh?" asked Liu. "You remind me of a certain anime character, except his hair was red and he had a X-shaped scar on his left cheek. And he was not blind."
"This blade was given to me by one who understood the new road I was taking," Raiden said. "A path to not kill."
Liu soon pulls out, after being conjured up, a large two-handed nodachi blade, codenamed Heavenly Emperor. He gives the blade one big swing, gusting the wind in front of him towards Raiden who was unfazed by it, before resting it on his right shoulder.
"If what you say is true, then you best show me how," He said. "Otherwise, I might just do this."
Gripping his Heavenly Emperor nodachi with two hands, Liu takes one massive swing horizontally out in front of him. But out of that blade came a crescent moon-like beam charging fast towards Raiden. Reacting fast, Raiden jumps over the beam as it collides with the wall and destroys it.
But just as he lands, he senses a shadow looming over him.
"HAAH!" Liu cries as he swings Heavenly Emperor down full force.
*BOOM*
Liu's powerful overhead swing might have been easy for Raiden to dodge as he jumps in the air, but his sheath was clipped in two.
"Raiden!" cried a worried Houki.
But Raiden appears behind Liu, having survived the first attack. And just as the two turn to strike, Raiden was the faster one as he comes in with his Sakabatō at hand.
*BAM*
With a simple, fast, yet strong horizontal slash to Liu across the abdominal region, it sent the Triad across the arena floor.
Ichika was astonished. "Serves him right! Even if his nodachi is powerful, it's meaningless if he keeps missing! It's a major victory!"
But the girls were quiet, seeing that Raiden had not withdrawn his blade despite the outcome of the result. That fight ended way too quickly for them. And with a Sakabatō in hand, Raiden's vow to not kill would leave his opponent alive. His blinded gaze over at Liu just shows why the girls did not think this was an easy victory.
To Ichika's surprise, Liu stands up, still brandishing his nodachi in his right hand and the blade resting on his shoulder. He even smirked despite taking a hard hit from the 2nd male IS pilot.
"He got up after a hit from Raiden?" asked Ichika.
"Liu's strong point isn't just his raw strength, or even his nodachi blade," Rin said. "It's his stamina. He takes punishment much better than most."
Liu compliments Raiden, "Not a bad strike, Raiden. It figures why you were the best of the hitokiri."
Houki was in deep thought of what she had just saw.
'Raiden's Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū has put each opponent down with one blow, as evident with his first battle against Ichika. But that one blow won't work against this guy!'
"Hey, Raiden. A fight, unlike a duel, isn't won by the guy with better swordsmanship. The guy who doesn't drop wins."
"Say that if you are the one standing in the end, that you should," Raiden retorted as he prepares himself.
Liu also brings his nodachi out to prepare. "Point taken."
Liu charges in with the nodachi, as does Raiden, before the Triad unleashes a crescent moon beam at the blind samurai. Raiden jumps over the beam easily before he is met with another larger one.
*ZIING*
But with one downward swing, Raiden cuts it in half, splitting the beam apart. Liu unleashes two more as Raiden cuts and dodges respectively each beam before both combatants were in range of each other's blades. Raiden comes down with an overhead strike as Liu meets it head on.
*DING*
Both Heavenly Emperor and the Sakabatō clash, their metals ringing a loud noise upon each time their blades met. To the three onlookers, they looked as if they were evenly matched eye for eye. But the reason Raiden was on the defensive and matching Liu was because his Sakabatō was small compared to the size of the nodachi blade. Even if he backed away, the blade's length would still make it to him. He was essentially trapped like a mouse to its cage.
Soon the two were brought to a standstill and met eye to eye.
"To think I get to clash with I get to clash with the Kingslayer like this," Liu said to Raiden. "But sad to say, Raiden, I don't play by Academy rules."
To prove his point, Liu brings out a left hand and grabs Raiden by the throat before using his thrusters to push him back to the wall, crushing it behind him.
*CRASH*
Like a car colliding into a wall, Raiden gets bashed before being choked and lifted by the Triad. Houki and Ichika though were not just stunned but also disgusted.
"Hey, that was a dirty move!" She said.
"What kind of fair fighter are you to pull that trick?" Ichika also jeered.
Rin however remained silent, seeing that it was a clever move on Liu's part. Cheap shot or not, Liu would use anything and everything to fight and to win, even if he has to bend or break a few rules. After all, he is not a student of the IS Academy, and he does not play fair nor hold back.
Raiden though had one thing to say in response to Liu not playing by Academy rules.
"Gghk, I did not think you a fair fighter, Liu, that I did not," Raiden said. "But you forget. You are here at the IS Academy, that you are. On my turf!"
*BAM*
Raiden kicks Liu off with both of his feet, releasing the chokehold and making the Triad fall back on his back before quickly getting up. He unleashes one more crescent laser beam at Raiden upwards in a vertical motion, prompting the lion to roll out of the way.
The two go back at it again, clashing their blades as before with the sharp end of the nodachi blade meeting the blunt end of the Sakabatō. Two more strikes were met, then on the third the two go for a spin, but Liu was the quickest.
*SLASH*
"Gaah!" Raiden cried as he stumbles and takes a knee. He then feels that his right arm armor had taken a hit from Heavenly Emperor, the cut of the nodachi blade burning like a welding mark.
Liu took notice of the cut with pride. "You may have been a legendary hitokiri before, but you still won't display the full extent of your skills because you're afraid of wounding me."
The two clash again and lock their blades but Liu bashes Raiden in the face with his left hand, sending him away to the ground. But the lion quickly recovers as Liu goes for a downward slash, and quickly disappears.
Liu looks around to see where his opponent was, but he was nowhere to be seen around the arena. He couldn't leave the place because the match had not been concluded. Oddly enough, he felt Heavenly Emperor was a little more heavier than usual, and not because of Liu swinging the massive sword and exhausting himself out.
"Up here," A voice spoke as all eyes turned to its direction.
And there stood Raiden, standing on the tip of the nodachi blade.
"Your Heavenly Emperor is powerful, but because of its size and weight, it has a limited usage for being a two-handed sword. It can only be swung down, or to the side. One in two, making it easy to predict."
Raiden soon jumps in the air and comes down to make his attack next so fast Liu didn't have time to prepare another swing. "And this will be the end, that it will!"
*BAM*
With one strike to the back of the Triad, Raiden leaps forward, only to duck under from Liu's horizontal strike, taking off just a few hairs.
"If one blow will not work against you… Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū – Ryū Sō Sen."
Swinging his Sakabatō in consecutive strikes up front, Raiden delivers a massive flurry of strikes right onto the Triad. Striking at all the spots wherever possible. The sheer speed of the slashes makes this difficult for Liu to counter, defend, or block.
Houki was stunned at the sheer speed. "Successive strikes at such speed!"
Liu falls backwards onto the ground, battered like he just got ram by a big lorry truck. Despite the insane amount of attacks he took from Ryū Sō Sen, his IS still seemed active and still had some shield energy left.
But because Raiden landed one blow after another with Ryū Sō Sen, it was enough to crack open the chest armor of Liu's IS, tear his shirt to shreds, and reveal Liu's tattoos underneath. Houki, Ichika, and Rin even got a good bird's eye view of the tattoos shown.
His tattoos consist of a Dragon with Phoenix wings and Oni with cherry blossoms patterns on his pectorals to triceps, biceps. While his back connected to his rear thighs is the legendary Guan Yu, a famous general in the Han Dynasty's Three Kingdoms era and China's God of War. With tattoos such as this, he could at least be mistaken for Yakuza. But because of his Chinese heritage, only a Triad could adorn such beautiful art like these on his skin.
"Ugh, damn…" Liu said as he breathes. "That really hurt, you know?"
"Don't try to move too much, that you shouldn't," Raiden said. "Just calmly accept your defeat and leave before the teachers find out about this."
Liu however smirks. "Not yet. Not when I can do this!"
He soon pulls out what appeared to be a QBZ-95 bullpup assault rifle with one hand, and fires off one round.
*BANG*
Raiden had little to no time to react and learn he was about to be shot at.
*DING*
The shot looked like it hit Raiden right in the head, to the horror of Houki.
"KYAAAH!" She screamed, holding her hands to her mouth of seeing what looked like a headshot.
"Raiden!" cried Ichika.
Rin gasps in shock, both from the gun being fired and Raiden being hit.
Raiden's right foot slides back to catch himself. Surprisingly though, he looked perfectly fine, no evidence of bleeding on his head from what looked like a headshot. But the answer as to why was soon revealed.
*CRACK… SHATTER*
The guard on his Sakabatō instantly breaks into pieces, revealing that Raiden had brought the guard up just to block his head from the bullet.
"What the-?" Ichika was stunned.
Houki felt relieved. "Raiden…"
Rin understood what happened. "Wow. To think he brought this sword up just in time and the bullet hit the guard. He got incredibly lucky with that."
Raiden decides to return Liu's bullet in kind, but not with another bullet. But rather with his Sakabatō.
"Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū – Do Ryū Sen."
Using the Sakabatō, Raiden strikes the ground downward before he turns the blade and sends earth debris right over to Liu, making him take the full on force.
"Uwaaagh!"
Liu is sent flying back and hits a wall. But even after that, he manages to stand up, albeit battered and banged up from the rocks. His shield energy took a massive hit from the debris, whereas before it was just the equivalent of jabs and punches, this one felt like he just got rammed by an incoming bullet train.
"Liu King-sang…" Raiden addressed his foe. "For a Triad of the Righteousness Union and a male IS pilot, you show great strength, that you do."
"Then let's settle this once and for all…" Liu suggested as he prepares his rifle Venom Slug. "I got a payment to collect."
With that said, Liu unleashes Venom Slug onto Raiden, making the blind samurai flee and move across the stadium just to evade the bullets. He was not dodging bullets like Neo from the Matrix given that would be impossible. But thanks to his enhanced hearing, he is able to determine the trajectory of each bullet and outrun them as best he can.
Unfortunately, he could not dodge every bullet as a few of them clipped away his energy shields. Compared to Cecilia's Starlight Rifle that fired one shot at a time, the QBZ-95 rifle fired in a series of bursts.
Once all thirty rounds were disposed of, Liu reloads another clip, firing another set of thirty. Raiden either dodges or deflects some of the incoming bullets with his Sakabatō. Once Liu runs out again, Raiden takes this chance and charges in from underneath with the blade flipped the other way for the sharp side to come up.
"With this, it ends here!" Raiden cried. "Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū –Ryū Shō Sen!"
*SHIING*
With one upward slice onto Venom Slug, the QBZ-95 is cut in half. Sparks fly as Liu was forced to discard the now destroyed rifle, leaving himself open as Raiden comes in with a downward cut onto his shoulder.
But just because the rifle was now destroyed, it did not mean Liu was defenseless. He still had his nodachi but instead of pulling that out, he instead holds his left wrist out, popping out what looked like a miniaturized armament, and charges up what appeared to be a flaming weapon.
*FWOOSH*
Instantly, a large plume of burning plasma emerges from Liu's left palm. Raiden backs as far away as he can but the plasma consumes his form entirely, going forth for about one hundred meters.
"Raiden!" cried Houki as she watches the fire engulf the blind samurai.
When the flames die down and the smoke clears, all eyes look to see Raiden with his sword at the ready. But his IS was badly burned by the plasma, with a few parts of it scorched and blackened. His IS shield energy went down considerably and he had a few soot marks on his face.
"Oh, Raiden…" Houki was relieved.
"Sheesh, Liu," Rin said. "You could light up a whole city street with that kind of light show."
"Man, that was a cheap move," Ichika said, believing that move to be dirty.
Dirty or not, Raiden was not complaining despite the burn marks.
"A napalm plasma weapon," Raiden complimented to his opponent. "Did not see that coming, that I did not."
"That was Supernova," Liu said as he pulls out Heavenly Emperor. "Being caught in that is like being burned by napalm but five times worst. With your shield energy at a critical low, I think we should end this sword for sword."
Raiden had no problem with that. Indeed, Liu was right in that his shield energy was critically low because of that napalm plasma weapon, thus he needed to finish this fight quickly before he bites the dust.
Liu charges into Raiden as the blind samurai does the same. But instead of clashing blades like last time, Liu charges up Heavenly Emperor with power and once het gets up close to Raiden…
*FWOOSH*
With one massive swing of his nodachi Heavenly Emperor, Liu unleashes a crescent moon slash against Raiden. But right after he did…
*SNAP*
Heavenly Emperor snaps in half, to his surprise as that never happened before. But he already figured out why that was. Raiden had cut it with the other end of his Sakabatō at supersonic speeds. At the same time he jumped up so high in the air, ready for his last slash against Liu.
With Venom Slug out of bullets and Heavenly Emperor snapped, Liu prepares his super-heated plasma blades on his forearms and deploys them in time in a cross formation to block the oncoming head strike.
"Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū – Ryū Tsui Sen."
*BAM*
After having flipped in the air and come down like a meteor, Raiden unleashes one more strike from his Sakabatō onto the Triad. His strike cuts through the plasma blades and strikes Liu on the shoulder.
But as he lands, Raiden was surprised to learn that the Triad was still standing despite taking a blow head on. If that sword was flipped, he would have been killed or mortally wounded.
"You're tough, that you are," Raiden commented. "You're the first person to stay standing after a Ryū Tsui Sen, that is. However, it seems you are barely able to stand, that is. I'll call a doctor, wait a while, that you should."
Liu could not help but chuckle to himself, holding a smile despite barely standing with such wounds and bruises.
"I see now…" He said. "Why you chose this path. A lot of people would mock you for having such a sword, but after having experienced it firsthand, I now understand why you wield it."
He then looks at the Sakabatō as if he was analyzing it. "Such an unusual sword, that Sakabatō. It's not something no one would ever use, not even I. But, after seeing its strength, I best take caution of it. No one should underestimate that blade, especially in the hands of someone with a vow not to kill. Hehe. No one should…"
Liu's IS soon deactivates as he begins to lose vision, his eyes slowly closing. And then he falls backwards onto the floor with a smile on his face. Despite this loss, he took it all in stride.
Raiden could only witness Liu accepting his defeat as he sheathes away his Sakabatō and deactivates his IS. With Liu unconscious, Raiden's vow to not kill still remained strong. However, for now at the moment, Liu needs medical attention.
And medical attention did come, in the form of a very scary and angry looking female teacher with black hair.
"So this is what the commotion was about so late at night," Chifuyu Orimura spoke up from behind, spooking Raiden as he gives an "Oro". And to say she was mad was an understatement.
She was furious. And she directed most of that at Raiden.
"I don't know what your deal was fighting another IS pilot, a male and a criminal that he is, but using the arena this late at night is liable to get you a severe detention. Any other student would know about that."
Raiden felt there was a "but" coming along. "But?"
"But because you were dealing with a trespasser on Academy grounds, this is bound to cause some debates among the teachers. Of which I have to get an earful from. But for now, let's bring this Triad over to a hospital. I'll question him about his IS and his ability to pilot one when he wakes up."
Right on que, a medic team behind Chifuyu emerges with even a stretcher to gently lay Liu on. With the Triad out of commission, he was given first aid treatment and brought out of the arena, leaving just Raiden and Chifuyu alone.
But Raiden sensed that something else was also not right.
"Oro? Where are the Ichika, Rin, and Houki-dono, Orimura-sensei?" asked Raiden.
Chifuyu smirks. "Let's just say, they'll get punishment for staying up late at night. But as for you, Raiden…" Chifuyu cracks her knuckles slowly. "You have some explaining to do."
Raiden then felt something he had not felt for quite some time: fear. And it was because of Chifuyu approaching the blind swordsman with quite an expression of anger behind a scary smile. And her intimadting aura was enough for Raiden to be pushed over to a wall of the arena.
"Um, Orimura-sensei, on the chance that Akane knows of this—"
"Oh, believe me, she won't. I have no intention to let you tell her after I silence that flabbering mouth of yours."
Only one dreadful word came out of Raiden in response as Chifuyu corners him.
"Oro?"
*BAM*
The next morning, Ichika, Raiden, Rin, and Houki walked towards Akabeko again for some lunch. The duel Raiden had last night had spread to the rest of the students but the fact it was a criminal and a male piloting an IS was kept under real hush hush. After all, no one would be ready for the fact that there was another male IS pilot. And a criminal at that. The only one who knew the truth was Chifuyu and she strictly asked her four students to never reveal the information at all. Without question, they agreed.
As for Liu, he was transported to a hospital in Tokyo where official records say he got in an accident with his bicycle. His IS was deactivated temporarily to prevent being scanned and detected by authorities. So far he had to stay bedridden until his wounds fully recovered.
But for the four who were walking, they could barely get any sleep last night. Not just cause of the duel but rather of the aftermath. Chifuyu would have given them detention but instead they got an earful from her in her office. And none of it was nice. Not to mention that they all received steamy bumps right as soon as the lecture started. It hurt so much that it felt like they had tension headaches and could not sleep for the rest of the night.
All four IS pilots could only contemplate on the duel that had occurred yesterday.
"I can't believe he survived," Ichika said.
"Yeah, bruises all over his body and the blood loss," Houki concurred. "Doctors said he needs to be in the hospital for three weeks. They said it was a miracle that he didn't die!"
"Liu is not your ordinary Triad like all others," Raiden acknowledged. "If he could withstand such a pounding, then that demonstrates his strength of will and stamina. That was why I couldn't really take it easy, that I could not."
Houki acknowledged that remark, knowing Raiden was right. "In any case, everything is settled now. Why don't we get some beef hot pot, and…"
*CRASH*
The doors to Akabeko open up violently due to someone getting thrown out, that someone being more drunkards who looked like nothing more than small time thugs. One of them even went so far as to hit a tree and get knocked out. The other two were also thrown out, wracked in pain as they whimper and cry on the floor holding their stomachs in.
Raiden however was surprised. "Oro? Those guys were…"
"Looks like more of those desperadoes from the other day," Houki saw.
And out of the restaurant popped a very familiar face, covered in bandages.
"Good grief," Liu said. "I don't care if you get drunk or pick a fight with me, but don't you dare fuck with my buddies, yeah?"
Rin was stunned. "Liu? I thought you were in the hospital."
"My strong point is my stamina," Liu said. "These little scratches are nothing. Besides, Akabeko's food tastes better than the hospital's."
Unsure of whether Liu was trying to act tough or not, Rin and Houki walk up and start poking at his bandages. At first, Liu didn't care.
"It's really nothing!" He said. But still the girls were not convinced as they up their poking. And then it got to the point where Liu found it a bit annoying.
"Okay, okay… THAT'S ENOUGH!" He shouted comically.
Houki and Rin quickly back off. Ichika was confused and Raiden kept a remote look, wondering why they did all that.
"Sheesh…" Liu said as he begins to walk off, but that is when he turns to Raiden and has something to say. "Thanks for covering for me. I don't think the Academy would like it if they learned their next male IS pilot was someone from the Righteousness Union."
"So, you're still going to stick with them, huh?" Raiden deduced.
"They're family to me," Liu answered. "So long as they are, I ain't gonna walk away from them any time soon. But, if you need some help in places you can't go, call me. And I'll see for myself whether Hitokiri Kingslayer lives up to his name without killing. So don't you dare go wandering off without my permission."
Raiden grunts with a smile. "Deal. And nice to know you care, Liu."
"Same to you, Raiden. Same to you."
Liu then takes his leave, ignoring all the looks from the strangers as they see his scarred up face and the bandages that came with it. All the same, nobody knew he was even a Triad at all.
"Yare, yare. Seems like we gained for ourselves an unexpected ally, that we did," Raiden said. "And a criminal, that he is."
Houki however pulls his cheeks from behind, opening his mouth comically. "Don't spread that out to the public, you idiot."
Rin concurred. "If anything, you're the criminal here for putting us in trouble."
Ichika could only laugh sheepishly, agreeing with Raiden whole heartedly. He didn't trust Liu because he was a criminal, but he was a friend to Rin. And any friend of Rin's is a friend to him and everyone else. Thus the Academy did indeed gain an ally, a best kept secret at best though.
AT A SECRET HIDEOUT…
Konomi Tsuhara heads to a condominium up in a skyscraper that she lived in. When she opens the door, she was greeted by a young woman with long orange hair and red-brawn eyes, wearing a black tanktop and short pants.
And she was ecstatic at seeing Tsuhara, whom she then revealed her real name. "Squall! You're back!"
"I'm home, Autumn," Squall said. "How's M?" Squall asked.
Autumn's mood turned sour in that moment upon hearing M's name. "In her room as usual. I think she was speaking to her master."
"I see. But enough on that…" Squall quickly swept aside as she grasps Autumn by the chest and has her lips meet with hers.
Autumn soon kisses back, wrapping her arms around Squall as the two make their way to a bedroom where Squall pushes Autumn to the bed and straddles her, still kissing her in the process as moans fill the room from both women.
After an hour of hardcore lesbian sex, Squall turns on the CCTV and, thanks to gaining access to security footage, watches the fight between Raiden and Liu play out. Autumn cuddles Squall, her head on her right breast but she growls a bit upon seeing Raiden on the CCTV.
Squall takes notice. "Now, now. You'll get your chance with him, Autumn."
"I still don't understand why you adore that boy so much," Autumn retorted.
"Have you forgotten? I was the one who knew him best, ever since I was friends with his mother. If it were not for me, I wouldn't have created the ultimate hitokiri."
"So he matters to you more than me."
Squall, still smiling, looks over to Autumn and kisses her. "None more so than you."
This was enough to make Autumn calm down as she melts herself into Squall's body, feeling the warmth and hearing her heartbeat. But Squall continues watching the CCTV of the fighting footage, smiling in satisfaction as she watches Raiden very closely. Things from here on out were about to get interesting for her pet.
Especially with what she has in store for him in the future.
This chapter was strictly Rurouni Kenshin themed, as evident by the Akabeko restaurant named from the series and of the dialogue from the fourth and fifth episodes. Only thing missing was a Sekihara Tae lookalike which I will consider placing in the story.
But to sum this up, we basically meet the Sagara Sanosuke of the story but more mature and tougher than Sagara Sanosuke. Another male IS pilot, and a criminal. Those two things you never see on FanFiction when it comes to Infinite Stratos. Luckily, I know a guy who does. For this chapter, I wanted to show the criminal side of Infinite Stratos but in a way that is not so typical and obvious. Liu is someone who does have some keen sense of honor and respect provided of course one does nto puiss him off like those jocks in the restaurant did.
I tried to mirror the fight scene between Raiden and Liu like Kenshin and Sanosuke but make it more IS-like. And that was not easy to do. Luckily, thanks to fellow author PearlTapioca, I was able to figure out the IS Liu had and the armaments that came with it. All in all, I'd say this was a fair fight. And Liu got his money's worth int he end.
And we learn that his benefactor was none other than Squall Meusel of Phantom Task. No, that does not mean Liu is in league with Phantom Task. If anything, he was just hired for this one time mission as a mercenary, though I would not call him that strictly speaking. And we learn that Squall and Autumn have had a history with Raiden before, with one of them having an obsession over the blind swordsman and the other intense hatred. But we will get to that later.
Next chapter we are introduced to everyone's favorite girl of the series, fi they could ever all her that. A certain French woman dressed up as a man.
Credit for the creation of OC Liu-King Sang and his IS Zy-54 Alastor goes to PearlTapioca. Check out his story called Dead Machines and his current work Dead Machines: Reloaded. Yes I did gain permisison from him using his OC for this story, and not just for this chapter but also for subsequent future chapters to come.
Like, favorite, follow, and review at your leisure. If you have any questions, please feel free to PM me.