The Seed of Change

by Remus973

Tokyo, 2039. 10 years had passed since Lost Christmas happened. The nation of Japan is now under occupied rule. There is resistance, but they need more power. It comes in the form of Shu Ouma, a young boy with a desire to change. To be better. He becomes a Kamen Rider to make a difference for himself and everything and everyone connected to him. Rated T for some language.

20. Phase 17

Hello again. Here we are and all ready to start the latest chapter! In this chapter, things start to feel like a Kurt Russel film when Argo parachutes into Ward 7. He sees the whole city, and some of his comrades. With one he'd never thought would take charge of anything. Let's dive in into this heart of darkness.

Phase 17 – Kingdom: The Iron Fist of Ryugen?

A cargo plane was flying over Ward 7. It was noticed by GHQ air traffic. It called the plane that was passing over the former city of Tokyo.

"Attention, civilian aircraft. You are passing near Ward 7. This area is a no-fly zone. You are to change flight path. Failure to do so will result in anti-air artillery retaliation. Do you read me? I repeat..."

The pilot was instructed to ignore GHQ air traffic controllers due to the nature of the mission the pilot and the plane served in.

"We're now in Tokyo airspace. Three minutes 'til drop point."

"Open the hatch!"

Inside the back of the plane were Argo, Ougumo, and a black-haired woman who worked for the Kouhouin group. Her name was Kurachi. Argo wore military sky-diving equipment.

"We have a limited window, so this is a one-time deal. Got it?"

Argo nodded. The hatch of the back of the plane opened for Argo to dive out from. What he saw as it opened was surprising.

"This is all that's left?"

"Yeah. They city really went to hell since the GHQ isolated from the world. So I wouldn't expect civilization."

"I'll make sure the escape route is secure. We'll rendezvous in 36 hours as ordered."

"Good to know Ougumo."

"Good luck out there."

Argo gave thumbs up. He then dived out of the plane, straight down to the city. He pulled the strap, releasing his parachute. As he gently descended down towards Tokyo, he was taken aback by the state at once was the capital city of Japan. Buildings, either crushed down by the encroaching wall, or laid to waste by large virus crystals that came out of the ground.

xxxxxx

By the time Argo had landed into Tokyo, it was already morning. What he saw all around him was stunning. The entire city laid in ruin because of the second Lost Christmas.

"Damn GHQ. It's because of them Tokyo's like this."

Argo looked around as made his through the city.

"It's insane. It's only been a few weeks, and already the city's like this. Goes to show how bad it really got."

Just then, he heard a loud noise from a distance. He ran to follow the source. What he discovered was a bunch of school kids fighting against each other. One side had weapons. The other had voids.

'No way. Those are...'

"Stay away. We found them first! They're ours!"

Argo saw that the school kids were fighting over the vaccines.

'They're hoarding them now. And judging by the voids those two are using, I'm guessing... Shu is the guy with the biggest stack.'

The two students using their voids were Sudou and Nanba. Nanba's void was a pair of bolas, a type of throwing weapon that was made of weights, tied at the ends of an interconnected cord. Except Sudou's void was more than a throwing weapon. When he used his weapon like a chain mace, the weights had an electrical charge that discharged when it made contact on a person. Sudou used his on the boy that had a crate of the vaccine and beat him to the ground. Nanba looked at the girl who was holding an AK-47 in her hands, and aimed it at him.

"You know; we're always looking for new blood to join our ranks. How about it, kid?"

The girl shuddered as Nanba held his void in front of her. Nanba's void was a finger gauntlet with inverted blades.

"Swear your loyalty to President Ouma, and death will never touch you."

Argo heard Nanba say Shu's name with an official-sounding title.

'Just as I thought. What's he's up to now? Is he really in charge of these guys? Guess there's one way to find out.'

The girl instinctively fired her weapon at Nanba to defend herself, but the AK ran out of ammo. Sudou laughed at the 'epic fail.'

"Look at that, Nanba. She tried to kill you, man."

"Don't say I didn't give you a fair shot at living."

Nanba raised his weapon at the girl that tried to kill him.

'Now's a good a time as any...'

Argo made himself known.

"Gee, what badasses you two really are."

Nanba and Sudou turned around to see Argo walking towards them.

"Seriously though, picking on a girl who doesn't even know that a safety is? Pick another way to show off."

Argo neared the two until two more students surrounded him. One had a void that looked like a rectangular club that had more functions to it, and the other had a scythe. Argo had two weapons with him. A dagger and a gun. One looked at Argo with a vicious intent to kill until she was asked to stop by her friend.

"Miyabi, hold up. Look at his coat."

Argo looked his coat to know what they were talking about.

"His emblem. Are you from Funeral Parlor?"

"Who's asking?"

"Cooperate with us, and we'll show you our base."

Argo weighed in his options, and decided to go with then students.

"All right. I'll bite."

xxxxxx

Argo was eventually taken to Tennozu High. The atmosphere was quiet and ominous. Argo saw students either doing their jobs with minimal noise and tents located at the track field. Each of them had sashes on their arms to signify rank, or something similar. The tents housed students that seem as if they were located there by mandate.

'Why are those guys there? What, they're untouchables, or something?'

As Argo was led further inside, he was told to wait for someone he would have never imagined waiting for.

"So you're honestly telling me that Shu Ouma is running things around here?"

"Yes. He's the reason why we're still alive."

"I find it absurd. Yeah, I remember the guy being a good fighter and everything, but a leader? I'm having a hard time trying not to laugh at that idea."

That last statement made Miyabi angry.

"Watch your mouth, bastard."

Her friend slid her index finger down her mid-back. This made Miyabi instantly uncomfortable.

"Ritsu!"

"You get too tense, sometimes."

Ritsu laughed as she took Miyabi down a couple notches by embarrassing her.

"Sorry about that. She worships the ground the president walks on."

"Now that's just weird."

Both girls were given the go-ahead to lead Argo to the student council meeting room.

"Secret service officers, Ritsu Takarada and Miyabi Herikawa, reporting."

Yahiro signaled them to wait as he was in the middle of examining the young female student that Sudou and Nanba picked up to determine the power level of her void. He pointed the resonance gauge at her.

"Not a bad number on her. Mr. President, we got one that might prove useful."

Argo saw Shu walking down the stairs, and looking at him surprised Argo. He was grim-looking, almost menacing. He dressed in a similar fashion to Gai. Shu was silent the whole time he walked down.

'Shu...'

As he finally came down, Shu looked at the girl, seeing what both Nanba and Sudou had to offer to him. He then raised his hand like something was going to drop into it. What would happen next would make everyone in the room nervous. The girl raised her head upwards to face Shu. Sudou said,

"Hey, who said that you could..."

A bright circle glowed on the girl's chest. Both boys wanted to let the girl go, but Shu nodded no. They kept holding her as crystal streams came flowing out of her body. Everyone who saw this were amazed by what they saw. Inori saw this from upstairs, amazed as well. The crystal streams floated above Shu's hand as he waved his hand like he was performing a summoning spell. It formed into the girl's void. It took on the shape of a crossbow. Shu took a closer look at the void, then approached the girl. Shu spoke to her.

"What's your name?"

"Chika...Arimura."

Shu signaled Nanba and Sudou to let go of Chika.

"This is an excellent void you have, Chika. As of right now, you're rank A. Use your power to help this school, and you'll have security."

Chika was taken aback as to how what Shu extracted honestly belonged to her.

"This thing... is mine?"

Yahiro whispered in Shu's ear,

"She didn't feel pain from her void being extracted. Your void extracting abilities are becoming more impressive."

"I know. It surprised me as well."

"Hey Ouma."

Shu turned to see Argo in-between his personal guard.

"Argo. Didn't expect to see you, but glad nonetheless."

"Quite the set-up you got here."

"It's necessary."

"Is it now?"

Yahiro intervened.

"Yes it is. The government has a new genomic weapon in their arsenal that has proven fatal to void users. It's already... cost one of our own."

Although he did not show it, Shu felt the deep wound of losing Hare.

"The reason why I came here was to look for someone. Do any of you know Arisa Kouhouin?"

Shu asked,

"You got business with her?"

"Her grandfather tasked me to find her, and to bring her over the wall. Think you can point me to her?"

Yahiro immediately got in front of Argo.

"I'm sorry, but the president has a rather hectic schedule to keep..."

Yahiro stopped as soon as he felt Shu's hand on his shoulder.

"Shu..."

"It's okay, Yahiro. He's good people."

Yahiro stepped aside.

"Let's talk for a bit. I'll help you with what you need."

As everyone in the room walked outside, the students in the hallway stepped aside for Shu. Argo looked with uneasiness.

"You uh... command a lot of respect around here, do you Shu?"

"I like to think it's mutual."

Argo saw outside of the windows various types of students with each of them wearing different types of colored sashes on their arms. The ones with the red ones were being bossed around by the other students. Argo hid his disgust as he was seeing the type of order Shu was commanding.

xxxxxx

(shipyard)

Shu and the rest of the group followed him to the shipyard near the school where a salvage operation was taking place.

"So what's going on here?"

Shu pointed to where he wanted Argo to see.

"That ship right there? It's an army transport ship. During the second Lost Christmas, this ship was left behind in the chaos. Inside of it are ammunition, left-over weapons that they had to leave behind, and a whole lot of vaccine. This is a salvage operation."

"So you got your people to picking the bones dry?"

(play Kamen Rider OST – Track 36)

Argo saw one of the salvagers getting out of the water. As soon as he took off his helmet, Argo discovered something disturbing.

"What the...? He's infected."

"He can still work, so that's no excuse."

"No excuse?"

"As long as they the work done, they'll be vaccinated shortly."

"Are you serious, Shu?"

"Yes."

Argo looked on with a sense of horror. Yahiro checked on the status of the operation.

"Captain, what's your status?"

"Sir. Everything's going well."

"I see in the records here that you're not meeting your quota. Care to explain why?"

"The symptomatic here are capable of so much labor, sir..."

Just then, one of the O2 generators was begging to break down.

"Something's wrong. Pump 12 is jammed."

"Who's down there?"

"Souta Tamadate from 2-A."

Shu heard that name, and it filled him with resentment. Yahiro sensed this from Shu, and 'acted' on his behalf.

"We have any spares?"

"These pumps are all we got."

"I see."

"Sir, we have that oxygen tank that we salvage earlier. We could bring it out and..."

"His suit has an emergency supply with him. He'll has to know that he can take off the tube and switch to the emergency tank via his helmet."

"But sir, what If he doesn't?"

"Then it's his own fault. We don't have the resources to waste on a Rank-F."

The students immediately dissented to Yahiro's decision. Yahiro let them speak out, believing that it would die out soon. They all stop due to Shu raising his hand to make them stop. Shu then said.

"All of you are right. It is inhumane."

(end music)

Yahiro turned around to speak to Shu about the 'rationale' behind the decision. However, before Yahiro could, Shu summoned his Sengoku driver out of his body. Like before when he summoned Chika's void without reaching inside of her, this time he did not even have to raise his hand to summon his driver. The crystals streams formed around his waist until it formed into his driver. Everyone was amazed by what the president did. Shu then brought out his Kachidoki lockseed.

"Henshin."

"KACHIDOKI!"

"LOCK-ON!"

"KACHIDOKI ARMS! IZA SHUTSUJIN! EI! EI! OH!"

Gaim ran into the ocean to help Souta. The students who saw him do this were amazed by his bravery and kindness. Argo smiled a bit as he saw that there was some semblance of the comrade he knew in Funeral Parlor. He then looked at Yahiro for a little while. Argo saw Yahiro gritting his teeth when he thought no one was looking. As Gaim dived further into the water, he saw how far Souta was inside the sunken ship based on the length of the tube providing him with oxygen. Gaim them swam to where the tube led him. He eventually found Souta pulling on his tube as it was tangled. Gaim placed on his hand on Souta's shoulder to indicate that he was here. Souta was shocked to see him underwater, and in his armor.

'Did my armor used to do that?'

Souta saw Gaim head to where his breathing tube was tangled. Gaim signaled Souta to touch the right side of his helmet. It took a while for Souta to catch on, but he eventually did. Souta touched the switch that activated his emergency oxygen supply. As soon as that was on. Gaim took out his Musou Saber to slice the breathing tube that was tangled up. Souta was freed, and tied up the loose end. Not too much water got into his diving suit, but he could feel his feet wet. Gaim signaled Souta to follow him upwards. Souta was able to swim to the surface, but Gaim's armor had too much ballast weighing him down. He had no other recourse. Souta was the first one to make it to the surface. He was greeted with a lukewarm reception as he met with his fellow F-Ranked outcasts. Yahiro interrogated him.

"Where's the president?"

"I think he's still underwater..."

Yahiro punched Souta in the face.

"You left him there?"

Souta looked at Yahiro with some contempt.

"I couldn't bring him with me. His armor was too heavy..."

Loud gasping noises were heard from the water. Shu made it to the surface, and swam for port. The rest of the students were relieved to see their leader alive and well. Miyabi wanted to get into the water and help him back to port, but Ritsu stopped her.

"Don't do it. Remember, you can't swim."

Shu was greeted by the salvage crew as he made it to port. All were congratulating him for rescuing one of their own. Shu walked back to Yahiro. However, he stopped to look at Souta as was breathing heavily due to the low oxygen he had in his suit, despite the emergency supply. Shu still had some resentment towards him. Souta looked up to see Shu staring at him.

"Thanks for...saving me back there."

"Next time, familiarize yourself with the tool you're given for your mission. Not knowing about the emergency air supply in your suit almost cost you your life."

Shu made his back to concrete ground, and was immediately approached by both his personal guard and Yahiro. Yahiro was visibly upset by this. He thought,

'I thought I had all the lockseeds in storage.'

"What the hell was that?"

"I just didn't think..."

"Yeah, you didn't think. Shu, you risked your life and almost died. And all for a Rank-F."

Shu was surprised by how he was referring to Souta by his rank rather by his name.

'Yeah, I'm still mad at him, but that's not an excuse to...de-humanize him or anything...'

"I didn't care about rank at that time."

Yahiro sighed in frustration over Shu's actions.

"Just don't do that again."

Shu walked back towards the school with Yahiro and his personal guard behind him. Before he would make it back to the school, he spoke to Argo.

"I can't give Arisa to you. I'm sorry Argo, but I can't. Her void is necessary to our cause. But I do like to show you something."

"What?"

Shu smiled.

xxxxxx

As soon as Argo made it back to the school, he was greeted by Tsugumi.

"Tsugumi."

"Good to see you alive, Argo. How's everyone else?"

"Some of us are kind of scattered, but still alive. I can account for Ougumo..."

"Great!"

"As for the rest of the core group, I don't know where they are. We could never find Shibungi, and we all assumed that Gai never made out alive."

Tsugumi looked down as soon as Argo mentioned Gai.

"You're right about that."

Argo noticed Tsugumi, and confirmed Gai's status.

"The ones we never knew what happened were you, Ayase, Inori, and..."

"Inori and Ayase are okay. As a matter of fact, Ayase is more than fine."

"How?"

"We'll show you."

Inori was behind Argo as she spoke with a smile on her face. Argo followed the both of them as she was in the gym working up a sweat from playing basketball by herself. She was resting on the benches while drinking from a water bottle. All three made it as soon as she was done. Argo was confused by what he was seeing.

"Ayase isn't on her wheelchair anymore. Does...Does that mean?"

Tsugumi honestly wanted to shock Argo, and called out to Ayase.

"Hey, Ayase. Look who we got here."

As Ayase finished toweling off the sweat, she looked to see Argo alive and well.

"Argo!"

She stood up and ran to hug him.

"It's so good to see you alive. I've missed you, man."

"Ayase..."

She broke off the hug to see the shocked expression on his face. Ayase figured that Tsugumi and Inori did not tell him about her.

"You can walk!"

Ayase gave a big happy grin. Argo expressed joy and laughter. Something he has not done for quite a long while.

"How is this possible?"

"It's a bit of a long story."

"Hey, I got nothing but time."

All of the girls gave Argo about what was happening after the event that made Tokyo into the wasteland that it was, how the school became a sort-of sanctuary and fortress against the Inves, and how they became Kamen Riders. That last part surprised Argo a good deal.

"Woah, you girls are Kamen Riders?"

Each of the girls showed off their lockseeds as proof.

"I didn't want to at first, but Ayase here forced me to be one."

"You weren't pulling your weight."

"What?!"

"Man, I'm so jealous of you guys."

All of them laughed for a while before they began to tell the other half of the bad things that happened since the Second Lost Christmas.

"It wasn't until we were walled off from the rest of the world that everything would get worse."

"How, Inori?"

"The students were starting to feel the pressure of being in a situation where they might all die. They felt that Arisa wasn't doing a good enough job in being their leader."

Argo was reminded of his primary objective of being here. Tsugumi continued telling events that led them to where the school was now.

"When Shu stepped up to be president, albeit inadvertently, things were good, stable even. But the pressure of leadership soon got to him. He tried his best, but it got him where..."

Argo was perplexed as to why Tsugumi stopped. Ayase finished the tale.

"Shu lost his girlfriend."

Argo was shocked to hear that last part.

"Shu had a girlfriend?"

"They both loved each other very much, and well... Do you remember when we all learned what happens to a person who've completely consumed by the virus?"

"My god..."

"I know. That's why Shu's like the way he is right now."

Argo would not know what it would be like to lose someone to the virus, let alone a loved one.

"That guy that was next to Shu. That was...Yahiro Samukawa?"

"Yeah."

"Is he always by Shu's side?"

"Yeah. He thinks that he has to be near Shu all the time."

Argo wanted to go further, but stopped due to lack of information.

"I can't imagine what's it like to be in Shu's position, but from what I'm seeing in this school, it's not a good reason to let things be the way they are."

"I totally agree with you, Argo. Which was why I was going to confront him about it. But..."

"But what?"

"Someone got in the way."

xxxxxx

(three days ago)

Ayase walked to the meeting room to talk to Shu about abolishing the ranking system after she witnessed a rather horrendous incident. However, as soon as made it to the staircase leading to where the president's office, it was blocked by Yahiro.

"Need something, Ayase?"

"I need to talk to Shu..."

"The president is busy right now. If you like to see him, then arrange an appointment..."

Ayase groaned in annoyance as Yahiro talked down at her.

"Hey Shu! I know you can hear me!"

"Seriously Ayase! If you can't respect the chain of command..."

"What's to respect after what I saw?!"

"What did you see?"

Ayase stopped for a moment, walked downstairs with Yahiro following her, and started to explain.

"A little while ago, I saw some students who were rank F just getting their scheduled lunch. Then, I saw some rank D students passing by them. When they stopped for a moment, the D noticed the F's and decided to 'have some fun with them.' I saw students, infected with the Apocalypse virus, getting beat up for laughs. Hell, a few of them started to bleed. And the few that saw the whole thing didn't even lift a finger to help because of their rankings. I had to step in to move their indecisive asses. The Ds didn't even care if they were seriously hurt. No one care cared. This ranking system is bringing out the worst in people, and it has to stop, Yahiro. Otherwise, this will keep up."

"I understand your concerns, Ayase. I'll see to it that the students responsible for that incident will be held accountable. However..."

"However nothing, Yahiro! This system needs to go! End of story. Or are you ignoring how your friend Souta is suffering?"

"The system has to stay because we have to wipe out dissidents. No exceptions are made. Even for friends. Think about how it would look for us."

"Yahiro, let me talk to Shu."

Ayase said in a hushed and serious tone. Yahiro did not budge.

"I can't, Ayase. End of story."

Ayase had an angry look on her face.

"Don't make me call security, Ayase. Don't make use this."

Yahiro pulled out his Budou lockseed. Ayase was shocked to see him use his lockseed as a threat against her.

"Fine."

She walked away.

xxxxxx

(now)

"So, almost no one can talk to Shu directly. Yahiro keeps on being the middle man. I just don't get it. Why is everyone going along with all this if they know the system is wrong?"

"The biggest reason is fear."

Everyone turned around to see Daryl at the gym's entrance. Argo reacted by pulling out his gun.

"Daryl!"

"Relax. I'm not with GHQ anymore. I defected and came here."

"Yeah right!"

Tsugumi intervened.

"No! He's actually right. He ran from the GHQ after they killed his father during the incident."

Argo was shocked to hear 'Kill 'em all' Daryl Yan, or Daryl the Butcher, was on the side of the resistance.

"Can I please get back to what I was saying? That is if the conversation is about Ouma being dictator. Emphasizing the word 'dick.'"

Argo just had to accept this. Even though he was having a harder time believing Shu Ouma being a leader. Albeit a bad one.

"Tch. Damn it all, this is crazy!"

"Yeah, yeah. Can I get back to it?"

(sigh)

"Fine. Go ahead."

"Almost everyone in this school are living in terror. The redline creeps closer and closer. The Apocalypse virus. Looting and riots in the streets. Inves almost everywhere you go. Here comes Ouma with this system that guarantees security and 'upward mobility.' It's all too easy to accept, so why not? Who cares about the consequences that comes with it? The students here want a safe space from all the monsters and scary things that haunt them."

Argo became angrier about how things are right now.

"It took Shu less than a second to create his kingdom. A kingdom created in his own image. That's how things are right now."

Argo walked for a bit after hearing Tsugumi finish describing all the series of events that led to Shu's rise to power. He slammed the nearest wall his arm could reach.

"Damn it."

Ayase approached Argo and laid her hand on the upper right side of his back. Argo turned around to see her with a look that conveyed mutual understanding.

"I think you're gonna stay with us for a while. I'll see that you get a place to sleep."

"Thanks, Ayase."

As Ayase guided Argo to a place in school where he could stay for a while until he would rendezvous with his group, Daryl saw how Argo stared at him for a bit. It did not bother Daryl. He then went to Tsugumi to talk.

"Tsugumi."

Tsugumi hesitated to speak back, but remembered that someone in the GHQ saw Daryl as a friend. It took a minute for her to speak back to Daryl.

"Yeah?"

"Remember when you said to your comrade about Ouma creating a kingdom in his own image?"

"Yeah."

"What if it wasn't?"

"What'd you mean?"

"Remember when Samukawa approached Ouma about the ranking system?"

"Yeah. We were all there."

"Well before that happened, I spoke to Samukawa about his ranking system. I spoke about how Ouma wasn't going to go for it. That he'll choose his friends over what he has to do."

"And your point is...?"

"I accused him of setting Ouma up for a fall."

Tsugumi began see things from Daryl's point of view. However, she was not fully convinced.

"But why? Shu and Yahiro were friends until he..."

Tsugumi remembered one-half of the reason for the mission to Ward 4.

"You think Yahiro's betraying Shu again?"

"If he's done it before, then we have to assume the worst. Question is, what's the reason?"

Daryl stepped forward for a moment, then stopped.

"I need to speak to Tamadate."

xxxxxx

(nighttime)

In the ruins of the location of the second Lost Christmas, Yuu was walking around the salvage, looking for something. After walking for a while more, he eventually found the ring that Keido placed on Inori. As soon as he did, he teleported back to headquarters. To Keido's location. He made his way back as Keido was in the middle of initiating the next phase of the overall plan.

"You're back."

Alongside Keido were Segai and Haruka Ouma.

"I had to go...find something."

Yuu brought out the ring that he found in the salvage.

"This is proof that Shu is slowly embracing his role. His potential is almost realized."

Segai asked,

"Almost?"

"We need to push him further."

Keido asked,

"So the plan is still on track?"

"Seems so. But we still need a vital part to achieve our ultimate goal. Until then, Shu Ouma still has a part to play. His kingdom grows as the redline shrinks."

Segai added,

"There is a correlation that I spot. He seems to accumulate more followers every time those walls keep closing in."

"So you're stockpiling voids, huh?"

Haruka heard a familiar voice. One that she believed was guarding her son.

'It can't be...'

Keido snapped his fingers to turn on a light. It illuminated Sagara, shirt ripped off, bloody scratches on his body and chest area, and bruises on his face. Haruka saw this, and expressed shock. Sagara was like this due to being interrogated by Segai for his research and development into teleportation technology. Technology Keido believed would serve his goals. Keido walked towards Sagara to gloat in his face.

"Well Sagara, you were right about one thing. The more we press forward with our designs, the harder Shu Ouma fights against us. What you did not realize is how, eventually, it could help us. Mana still intends to make Shu Ouma her Adam."

"You do realize you're supporting Incest? I mean, doesn't that cross your mind?"

"Does it hurt? Knowing that for all your efforts, all your attempts at subverting my ambition, all the tricks you always had up your sleeve? All of it wasted on that boy."

Sagara displayed an emotion he never showed to anyone before: Anger.

"I tell you what's wasted. Your value as a scientist. Kurosu was always the better man than you, but was humble about it. Never once did he lord his talent over you because he always thought of you as not just a friend, BUT HIS BEST...!"

Keido opened his hand to have teleported to him a Billy club, and used it to beat up Sagara again. With every blow, Keido struck Sagara with anger. Anger that bottled up inside of him, but could never adequately release. Haruka could only stand in horror at the kind of man her brother had become. Keido eventually tired out. Segai took it as a sign that Keido wanted Sagara to be anywhere but here. He called two guards to take Sagara back to his room. Before Sagara was taken to his cell, he spoke a little while more.

"You wanna know the damnest thing? He would still forgive you. Wrong him, his family, his legacy all you like. Kurosu would still forgive you. That's why he was better than you."

Sagara eventually was dragged out. Segai internally remarked,

'I sense some deep and complex drama. Oh well, not that's any of my business.'

xxxxxx

At a dormitory near the school, Arisa walked out of her room to take a walk. The ones staying at the dorm building were the A and B ranks. Rank C's and below were still staying at the school. When she stepped out, she found Nanba waiting near her door.

"What are you doing here?"

"Our young prince has ordered me to keep an eye on you."

Arisa guess that Nanba was referring to

"I heard there's a member of Funeral Parlor here in the school. I would like to speak to him."

"He's also a little uptight about your security and has asked me to refrain you from doing so. But for a certain cost, I could protect you..."

Arisa pulled out a knife she managed to hide from the school before the disaster, and placed it near his neck as a threat.

"The next time you feel like underestimating me, don't."

Nanba immediately acquiesced to her request.

"Right then. Let's go see him."

xxxxxx

Tsugumi led Daryl to the tent site where the Rank-F's were living.

"Souta. Souta."

"You know I'm beginning to..."

"SSSSHHHHH! Keep it down. We're trying not let anyone know we're here."

Daryl whispered as well.

"Right. Thanks for reminding me."

As Daryl and Tsugumi were looking for Souta in the tests, they noticed another light moving around the tents.

"Tsugumi."

"I see them."

Both of them kneeled down to hide in order to see who was there. The figures came closer to see Argo, Ayase, and Inori searching in the tents. Both of them got up to make them. Tsugumi whispered,

"What are you three doing here?"

Ayase replied,

"I could ask you two the same thing."

"We're looking for Tamadate."

Argo replied,

"Same thing with us. Why are two looking for him?"

"To ask him questions. We think that somehow the way things are right now..."

"Is because of Yahiro?"

Inori finished Daryl's sentence to confirm what both groups are doing.

"Yeah. We wanted to see if there was anything Souta could tell us. To see if Yahiro is really taking manipulating Shu to be a tyrant."

"Maybe a clue as to why he tricking Ouma to be dictator."

"I may not know why, but I know what he said to me the day Hare died."

All of them turned around to see Souta standing up, tired and infected. Inori gasped a bit and covered her mouth in shock.

"Souta. You're sick..."

"You're not. That makes me glad."

Inori had an extremely sad look on her face for Souta. He was touched that Inori Yuzuriha would care for him so much. And

"Let's go somewhere else."

All of them went to a stairwell near the gym. It was mostly isolated. Few security checks. It served its purpose for their talk. Daryl started first.

"Tamadate. What did Samukawa say to you that made you start leading the F-rank students on your..."

"Wild goose chase/deathtrap?"

"Not trying to sound like a..."

"I know. I still take full responsibility for that."

(sigh)

"I remember waiting in the meeting room for Shu. I wanted to talk to him about the ranking system that's in place right now. I remember thinking about a lot of things. Until he came in..."

xxxxxx

(student council meeting room)

"What do you mean by that, Yahiro?"

"I talked to Shu a little while ago. When I asked him about the ranking system, he was actually all for it."

"But he just told me..."

"He told you what you wanted to hear. He's trying to please everyone. Even if it means lying."

"No way..."

"It's true. Our ongoing situation with the GHQ is reaching critical. Shu may have to resort to drastic measures to protect this school. It may even include implementing the void ranking system to maintain order."

Souta felt like a sword lunged through the part of his chest where his heart lied. He honestly believed that Shu would be his friend first before a rotten politician.

"But would being a rider change...?"

"Everyone is equal under the law, Souta. Even Shu. Problem is... he's also the lawmaker. He has to enact the rules. But nobody told him how the rules should be written."

Yahiro walked closer to Souta and whispered,

(play Kamen Rider Gaim OST – Track 35)

"He could write them in a way that disregards you as a nobody who doesn't even deserve a voice to be heard, let alone a seat at the table."

Souta was feeling anxiety that he could possibly be tossed aside due to his void.

"If I was in your position, I would take action. Action that will make him realize that when he writes the rules, he should write them in a way that gives everyone a chance to prove themselves worthy of survival. And I would gather people who are in the same position as you. Who feel the same as you, and do something about it."

Souta immediately recalled the other students gathered earlier.

"Strength in numbers, Souta. Use that to your advantage."

Souta nodded in confirmation as he left the meeting room to gather the rest of the Rank-Fs to lead outside the school. When Souta finally left, Yahiro chuckled in a devious way that would send chills down one's spine.

xxxxxx

(now)

"That's what happened between me and him."

Everyone heard the entire story, and were left in either disbelief or anger. Ayase was vocal about her anger.

"That bastard! He made that incident happen!"

"No kidding. Samukawa is definitely up to something. He wouldn't have gone to all these lengths just to play puppeteer."

As soon as Daryl had said puppeteer, Tsugumi had an idea as to who, or rather what, is pulling Yahiro's strings.

"What if it's not just Yahiro?"

Everyone turned to Tsugumi to get a clue as to what she was referring to. Inori spoke one word that only Argo did not know about.

"Overlord."

"Yeah."

"Wait. Overlord?"

Ayase explained.

"The people that run Daath. They're also the people behind both Lost Christmases."

(end music)

Argo was shocked to hear that his female comrade learned about the perpetrators behind two of the most devastating events that almost ruined his country.

"We gotta find Yahiro, and make him pay."

Inori also said,

"We also need to tell Shu about what we've learned. If an Overlord was behind Yahiro's manipulation of Shu's actions, then..."

Everyone immediately remembered the major factor that made Shu the dictator he became now. Souta was the last to piece it all together. As soon as he did, he spoke one name.

"Hare."

Souta was still in disbelief because not only could he not imagine twisting Shu into a monster, but could also be behind Hare's death.

"But that's not possible. Hare was our friend. Why would he...?"

"He's not your friend anymore. He's a traitor. We gotta sniff him out."

Everyone agreed with Daryl. As of that moment, Yahiro was public enemy #1.

xxxxxx

Shu was by himself at the school's cafeteria, just to be alone. He remembered the conversation he had with Yahiro a little while ago.

xxxxxx

(earlier)

"What were you thinking?! You could've killed yourself for nothing!"

"Don't you think calling Souta 'nothing' seems a bit...wrong? I know he's F-rank but..."

"It's not about rescuing Souta. It's about your actions. You made the rescue by yourself."

"And that's a problem how...?"

"It makes you look weak, Shu. You have to be a leader that expects nothing less than excellence from your followers. If you're willing to take action by yourself, they will take advantage of that. The students will act like what you did was heroic..."

"Yahiro, last time I checked, we are heroes. Ringing any bells?"

"No. That's what we used to be. Since the GHQ are pretty much declaring war on us with the redline, the idea of us having to be...champions or some other nonsense has to be behind us. The real world is ruthless as hell, Shu. And we have to be just as brutal as it is in order to survive. In order to protect ourselves, we prioritize power above all else."

Shu literally had no idea how to respond to what Yahiro was saying.

(sigh)

"People will take advantage of your good nature. Just like that Segai person whom we, not just me or you, believed. Just like Gai who saw your rider powers as a vehicle for his propaganda that brings legitimacy for his terrorist cause. Just like the members of Funeral Parlor whom you thought could believe in. While others will just let you down hard, like Sagara when he let Hare die. The sooner you accept this, the better you can protect yourself from the worst of mankind. It's like you said Shu. It's not about right or wrong anymore. It's about power."

Shu felt the sting of his own words. Words that he said out of grief and despair. Words that went against why Hare believed in him.

"Shu, maybe its best if we limit your interactions with the students. They're beginning to cloud your judgement and making you lose resolve. I'll be handling more of your duties so we can go forward with the larger plan to get out of Ward 7."

Shu got up from his seat, and walked away from Yahiro as he left the meeting room.

"Before you go, can I have your lockseed? Policy remember?"

"It's in my room."

Shu finally left.

xxxxxx

(now)

Shu was lost in confusion as what has happened since Hare's death. He had to be hard in order to stop any more deaths, and yet...

'Why do I feel like I'm failing at everything I'm doing now? Just when I finally get the right kind of instinct and it works out, everyone is glad for that. But that just pisses off Yahiro in some way. Wish I knew why.'

Shu heard footsteps approaching him. He turned his head to see Rowan standing before him. Rowan was given assignments by Yahiro after Daryl asked the council could accept him. Daryl vouched for him, and he gave the appearance of a decent person. They accepted him at first since he used to work for the GHQ, he could provide any and all intel. As well as use his access authorization if the ruse of him being held hostage held up long enough.

"Mr. President, I need your signature for this sir. It's about the plan to escape from Ward 7. We wanted your approval to test some explosives that would tear down the foundations of Tokyo Tower in order to secure our path to the outside."

"Okay."

Shu gave his signature with a stylus pen. Rowan saluted to Shu, and Shu returned it. Rowan walked way for a bit, before stopping to ask Shu,

"Is everything all right, Mr. President?"

"Can you ask me that later?"

Rowan walked back to the table to sit with Shu. He would not know what to honestly say, but had the idea of simply being a listening ear.

"You can just say what's on your mind. I'm being honest when I say this, Mr. Ouma. I may not know what to say. I'm just...want to help in any way I can."

Shu was silent for a moment. At first his mind was blank at what he wanted to say. After a while, he spoke out the first thing that came to mind, which would form a cohesive train of thought.

"I don't think anyone can. My problems...are just too much for me right now. From the very start, I had no idea what I was doing. I believed that I didn't had what it took to be a leader. The reason why I started out well at first was...because of my friends. They were there to make up for my shortcomings. While at the same time, I started to keep secrets from the students. I don't even want... this void rank system to exist anymore."

"You don't want the ranking system to exist anymore?"

"Yeah. I see the effect it's having on the students. I hate that it's making them into something lesser than they want to be out of fear. I hate that it's turning them into either subservient sheep or disposable untouchables. But I have to let it exist. I have to act like I believe it to be necessary."

"Why act like you think it's necessary if you don't like it?"

"Because Yahiro says I have to. To make the students believe that it does have to exist. For their own safety."

Rowan felt like he was getting to the bottom of Shu's troubles.

"What do you mean by that, Shu?"

"A while earlier at the docks, I used my armor to rescue a student while he was searching for additional supplies. His life was in danger, but Yahiro was unaffected by that fact. But...I didn't think it was right. I rescued him, and somehow... that made him angry. He even said that maybe I need to spend less time with the students serving me. I'm already spending less time with my friends. Yahiro says I have to do all these things to better protect the school."

"Are you saying that Yahiro is somehow...making your decisions for the school for you?"

Shu was taken aback at how Rowan framed it.

"You have to understand. This is proof at how much I trust him. I wanted him to know that I let go of my grudge against him."

"You had a grudge against him before?"

"You remember Isolation Ward 4?"

"I was there."

"So was I. As a prisoner. Yahiro was the one who sent me there. He made me out to be a member of Funeral Parlor and I made him to be a drug dealer. He...ratted me out first. I didn't want to do the same to him. So that's why I held a grudge against him. I later discovered why he did what he did. His little brother was infected..."

"And that infection turned him into an Inves."

Shu looked at Rowan for a bit.

"I was also part of the squad that hunted him down as well."

"You sure do get around."

Both chuckled for a bit.

"That's when things got bad, and that's why I letting Yahiro take on more responsibilities. I want him to know that he's still my friend. And that I still believe in him. Thinking about all my choices as President so far is starting to make me feel as if I just can't handle it anymore."

"I am sorry you feel this way, Mr. President, and even though you want to do right by your friend, I feel that I must give an honest answer."

Shu felt somewhat apprehensive at what was going in Rowan's mind, but was appreciative for his patience and attempt to understand his problems. Shu decided to listen back.

"Go ahead. Be honest."

Rowan took a deep breath before fully speaking his mind.

"You have to remove Yahiro from the council."

Shu was taken aback by those words.

"But..."

"Listen to me, Shu. Maybe you do want to be a good friend to Yahiro, but it seems to me that he's taking advantage of the fact that you do regret killing his brother. And that's how he's making you believe that he's on your side. I do not know the full reason why, but it seems to me that he has everything to lose the moment you finally put your foot down as leader. And you do really need to put your foot down before something really bad happens. Worse than what has happened before."

Shu first remembered about Hare's death, and then imagined if there would more tragic deaths that happened under his rule. This would mean that he had failed the people he swore to protect.

"I may not know exactly what happened to make you feel like this style of governing is necessary, and I know less about it. But based on the talk I have had with your friends since I was here, there is one thing I do know about you. You have this desire to do right by the people you do want to protect. That is an excellent quality in a leader. A quality that actually helps build trust. And that is something that is deteriorating between you and the rest of the students. You have to confront Yahiro about this, and assert your authority."

Shu took a moment to fully absorb Rowan's words.

"I know that he's your friend, but this is not the time for an attempt to repair a friendship. Nor should he be allowed with any portion of your executive authority because of some idea that doing this will make him believe that your trust in him is unwavering. You have to confront him about how you feel that he has been subverting your authority."

Shu got up from his seat.

"I don't know about him subverting my authority, but there are some things that I wanted to talk to him about for some time, but I have felt that he wanted to avoid them by keeping me complacent. It's about time I honestly talk with him."

Shu took out a lockseed from his left pocket, placed it on the table, and slid it to Rowan.

"I thought Vice President Samukawa had all the lockseeds..."

"I had a couple hid away from him. That one, for the life of me, I couldn't give to him. Maybe for good reason. If you see someone by the name of Souta Tamadate, give this back to him."

Rowan took the Kurumi lockseed with him.

"Yes sir."

He said, saluting. Shu walked off to look for Yahiro. Rowan took the lockseed, walked from the cafeteria, and began to search for Daryl. Both were unaware that a third party was listening in on the whole conversation.

xxxxxx

Yahiro was with Kanon near where the school was near the river. The area was blocked off with barb wire and various item made out of iron. Kanon asked Yahiro a question.

"Hey, is it true that Hare was killed by some sort of new weapon?"

"Yeah. Why ask?"

"I heard a rumor. People have been saying that she died because her void..."

"Kanon. Don't listen to all that."

Yahiro got in front of Kanon and placed his hands on her shoulders.

"I promise you. Whatever rumors you may have heard, they're not true."

"But..."

"Have I ever gave you a reason to doubt me?"

Kanon looked at Yahiro and believed she saw genuine honesty.

"Okay. It's just that..."

"I know how things are right now. Things will get better. Sooner or..."

Yahiro just saw Redyue nearby as he turned around. Kanon was curious as to what Yahiro saw.

"Yahiro?"

"I'll see you later, Kanon."

Yahiro ran to where he saw Redyue. Kanon looked with confusion. Yahiro ran to where he saw Redyue, but did not find her. Redyue wanted to be found by him, and had in place a plan to capture Shu Ouma, dead or alive. She took with her a Komori Inves. It bowed to take orders.

"Go inside the school. Cause a little terror to keep them occupied. I'll have others help you soon."

xxxxxx

Kanon was now all by herself, looking at a slideshow of pictures from her peaceful days alongside Hare.

"Everyone drifting so far apart..."

Kanon began to weep by herself. A tear went through the holo-tablet.

"What so I do, Hare? It's just so hard..."

xxxxxx

Nanba led Arisa to meet with Argo so that she could speak with him. Nanba was informed earlier of where he was staying for the time he could stay. As the two walked, Nanba took out his holo-tablet, and used the phone function to contact the one who gave Argo his room to stay.

"Hello, Miss Arisa? I'm calling to confirm that the agent from Funeral Parlor is in his..."

Both stopped for a moment as Nanba was receiving new information.

"He's with you...Wait, what? Is that true? Do you have any evidence to...Tamadate? One of the F-ranks? Is that what happened? I see then. Very well."

Nanba hung up. Arisa asked,

"What is it?"

"Apparently, Yahiro Samukawa may have been attempting to usurp the leadership from Shu Ouma."

"Yahiro?"

"The reasoning is unclear, but all evidence seems to point to vengeance. He's been playing a long game, assuming the role of the corrupting counselor. Actually, this makes my previous orders null and void."

"What do you mean?"

"When I was ordered to make sure you stayed separated from the Funeral Parlor agent that came here, it wasn't from Shu Ouma."

"It came from Yahiro..."

Arisa was connecting all that she had observed from the moment Shu lost Hare. How Yahiro planted himself by Shu's side, being at first the voice that stayed Shu's grief-motivated actions. To eventually being the only voice Shu would listen to.

"If you still want to see the agent..."

"Yes please."

Nanba contacted Arisa to meet up with her as well as Argo, who was with her. He did so.

"They're meeting at the council room."

Arisa nodded. Both made their way. Nanba contacted Daryl.

"Mr. Yan. With your permission, allow me to make the order for a mass search for Yahiro Samukawa. This could go a lot faster if we had extra hands."

"I'll make the call myself."

xxxxxx

Shu was walking around the school to find Yahiro when he saw a few students running around.

'Huh. Maybe Daryl gave them orders...'

Ritsu and Miyabi ran up to Shu and conducted themselves accordingly.

"Mr. President."

"At ease. I assume this is Security Officer Yan's doing?"

Miyabi replied,

"Yes sir. Officer Yan has ordered us to locate and apprehend Yahiro Samukawa for possible conspiracy to seize your leadership, sir."

Shu was shocked to hear that. Especially since a while ago, he was looking for Yahiro by himself. Shu decided to take the opportunity for extra help.

"Notify at once if you have managed to find him, but don't hurt him. We don't know if he is trying to lead a coup. I just wanna talk to him and get some facts straight."

Ritsu replied,

"Understood sir. Revised orders are to simply locate him and notify you."

"Thank you. Start at the grounds near building two."

Both girls resumed their duties. Shu decided to simply wait in the meeting room for further updates. All around the school, every student who could work joined in on the search for Yahiro. It went on for about half an hour until Chika and another female student finally located Yahiro.

"There you are."

Before Yahiro could say anything, a beastly screech was heard by all three. Both girls were freaked out by the sound.

"What was that?"

The Komori Inves Redyue snuck in made itself known. The female student next to Chika screamed to get help from anyone nearby. It picked up Yahiro and flew away. Chika used her void to shoot at the monster. The scream was heard by Shu as he was nearby the area. He ran to where the sound was made. Shu found Chika shooting at the sky. He looked to find a Komori Inves flying, while also carrying Yahiro. Shu was shocked to see that. Chika eventually made hit on the Inves's right wing. The shot caused it to lose balance and crash into the auditorium via window.

"Nice shot."

Chika took the complement rather well.

"Stay behind me. Your void won't be effective against that monster. Look for Yahiro and get him away from the area."

"What about you, sir?"

Shu took out his Kachidoki lockseed, which he managed to keep with him as Yahiro mostly took the rest of his lockseeds, and everyone else's as well, for 'safekeeping.'

"I'm covered."

Both of them went to the auditorium.

xxxxxx

(earlier)

As Daryl split from the group to search for Yahiro, he noticed two students currently in patrol.

'I do have authority to exercise...'

The two male students saw Daryl, and saluted him.

"Security officer Yan, sir!"

Daryl saluted back.

"I need you two to do something for me."

"Yes sir!"

"Call whoever is available to search for Yahiro Samukawa."

One of the two asked,

"The Vice President?"

"Yes, err..."

"Yoshino Toma, Rank-C."

The other student did the same.

"Hide Saejima. Same rank, sir."

"I'm currently conducting an investigation into his actions as of late. How he acts as a conduit for the president rather than an advisor. Making it difficult for other members of the council, such as myself, to directly speak to him. And now on suspicion for actually colluding certain factions of the GHQ."

Both Yoshino and Hide were in shock over these charges.

"It is imperative that he is found and taken in for questioning. By force if necessary."

Both responded,

"Yes sir!"

Hide took out his holo-tablet to notify all current patrol personnel to locate and detain Yahiro.

"All students, search for Yahiro Samukawa. He is to be brought in for questioning. Locate, and if necessary, apprehend."

All the students mobilized as soon as the order was made. A major school wide search for Yahiro was underway. An hour passed, but Yahiro was still not found. Daryl was growing impatient. Eventually, he was joined by Tsugumi and Souta as all of them took part in the search.

"This school can't be so huge that..."

"Actually, this school is about the same size as most college campuses across the country. I wouldn't be surprised if this took all night."

Daryl sighed in exasperation. He made a call to Ayase first, who was searching the school with Argo.

"Ayase, any progress?"

"None. We got some help, but we're not getting any headway."

"He has to be around."

Daryl called Inori next.

"Yuzuriha?"

"Nothing so far...wait!"

"What is it?"

"I'll check back with you in a little bit."

Daryl, Tsugumi, and Souta were worried that if Inori found Yahiro, the encounter could have been a violent one. Inori finally called back.

"Confirmed. Yahiro has been spotted, but he was seen with an Inves carrying him off campus."

Both Daryl and Tsugumi instantly went tense when they heard Inves.

"Did it succeed?"

"One of the patrol officers used their void to clip its wings and both landed at the auditorium."

"We'll meet you there."

"Roger. Wait...Confirmed! There are more on school grounds. We have a..."

The call abruptly ended.

"Yuzuriha? YUZURIHA!"

"She probably has her hands full with..."

"More Inves."

Daryl contacted Ayase to alert her of Inves invading the school once more.

"Ayase..."

"Can't talk now! We got..."

"An Inves on your tail?"

"So there is an Inves assault on the school?!"

"Yeah. I called Inori a little while ago. This just happened as soon as she got a report of Yahiro's location."

"So we may be right."

Souta was still in disbelief. Just then, a Kamakiri Inves jumped to where the three are. Daryl, Tsugumi, and Souta all saw it jumping to their location. They ran to get some distance between the three of them and the monster. The Inves landed, but neither was it going after them nor was it moving from its location. Souta furthered went into shock over what he was seeing and putting all that he knew together.

"It can't be..."

"Sorry Souta, but the facts are there."

"Ouma could be walking into a trap, and we're roadblocked into reaching him."

Daryl made a call contacting all the students who were still in the process of searching for Yahiro.

"Attention all units. Yahiro Samukawa has been located. However, there is also an Inves invasion of the school. All students are not to engage with the Inves. I repeat, do not engage the Inves."

Tsugumi asked Daryl,

"What are we gonna do? If we can't use our rider powers..."

"I know, Tsugumi. Wish I had an idea with me right now..."

Daryl then was contacted by somebody.

"Daryl?"

"Rowan? Stand back. We got a..."

"Inves are invading the school. I know. I caught the call."

"Then follow my orders..."

"Daryl. I have a lockseed with me."

Daryl, Tsugumi, and Souta were surprised by this development.

"Mr. Ouma gave one to me. He said he hid this from Mr. Samukawa."

"Which one is it?"

"It's shaped like a walnut."

"That's my lockseed."

Souta said as soon as he heard the word walnut. Daryl contacted back.

"We're about 30 meters east from the auditorium. Near the library."

"Understood. I'll meet you there."

Daryl spoke to Souta.

"You think you can take him on? Even in your condition?"

Souta spoke with determination.

"I can still fight. Just give me a chance."

"Fine. We'll wait until Rowan gets here. Then we make our way to Ouma. Assuming he's still in one piece by the time we get there."

xxxxxx

(Auditorium)

Shu and Chika entered as both searched for Yahiro. Chika suggested,

"Sir, let me go on ahead."

"No. We stay together."

Chika nodded in agreement. Just as both heard the same screeching sound the Inves that carried Yahiro made. Both looked at the bottom first. Shu looked around at the ground level while Chika looked up to find Yahiro.

"Sir!"

Chika pointed up for Shu to see Yahiro at the upper level seats. The same spot where both agreed to keep each other's secrets at one point.

"Yahiro!"

Unbeknownst to nearly everyone inside, Arisa managed to sneak inside. With assistance from Nanba for both providing distraction of the Inves guarding the northern entrance of the auditorium, and informing her of the alternative route to the auditorium, where she hoped to meet with Argo in case Yahiro's capture was successful, or at least assist with the arrest anyway she could. She hid, waiting for the right moment to help. Shu and Chika made it to the upper seats. There did the two see Yahiro waiting for them. Chika pointed her void at him.

"Stand down, Chika."

She did so, allowing Shu to talk.

"Yahiro, I've been hearing a lot of things about you. Things that I honestly wish weren't true."

Yahiro stood as he placed his hand in one of his pockets containing an item that a certain someone gave him earlier.

xxxxxx

(earlier)

Yahiro looked around the area for the Overlord. Only when stopped for a moment to breathe did Redyue made herself known.

"Been waiting for you, Yahiro."

"What do you want?"

"I came to give you a warning."

"If this is about Shu..."

"You're done, Yahiro."

"What?"

"They know. They all know about how you have been lying to them. Right now, Shu is currently gathering almost everyone against you. You're outnumbered, and outgunned."

Yahiro began to feel the full weight of his lies and mistakes taking their toll. His anger rose to new heights.

"So what?! Doesn't matter if they know or not! I was going to kill them all anyways! That Shu... He still thinks that he's the hero that everyone loves. That's the one who's going to save everyone... WELL HE'S NOT! I'LL MAKE EVERYONE SEE SHU AS THE COWARD THAT HE REALLY IS!"

Yahiro punched a nearby wall. His knuckle bled in some parts, but it did not faze him.

"I'll make everyone see that there's no such things as heroes. They're deluded fantasies about people we wish we could because we know in our hearts, we could never be like them. No matter how these heroes we love are like us, they're just a constant reminder that we, as a species, can't live without lying to ourselves."

Redyue chuckled for a bit before full-on laughing.

"What's so funny?"

Redyue stopped to explain herself.

"You hold a most exciting amount of rage inside you. So much so, it moves me. Persuaded me."

"Persuaded you? For what?"

Redyue waved her left hand in a circle. As if she was summoning something out of thin air. Yahiro was reminded of how Shu summoned Chika's void earlier today. The item Redyue materialized was a lockseed. The design was similar to Yahiro's primary lockseed, but the coloring was different. It was a mix of burgundy and crimson with golden sides. The lettering read "L.S. – YOMI."

"This is a lockseed of my own creation. This will make you stronger than all the riders combined. That is, if you're willing to take a certain chance."

"What chance?"

"This will make you mightier than the rest of the riders. However, it will sap away your life until there is nothing left of you. The more it is used, the closer you are to death."

Yahiro hesitated from fully accepting the lockseed for a bit. He weighed his options for and against using the lockseed. The 'for' side had more than 'against'.

"Fine. Might as well stake my life. I have nothing to live for. And if somehow I actually survive killing Shu, I can see all that he built crumble like a house of cards. Even if I lose my friends over this, I don't care. This world is about to end anyways. I'll just... sit back and laugh at it all as it all goes away."

Yahiro started to laugh himself in a maniacal and twisted sort of way as Redyue looked at Yahiro with amusement.

xxxxxx

'Maybe I can still...It's a long shot.'

Yahiro thought the situation could still be salvaged.

"I know how it looks Shu, but if you'll allow me to explain myself..."

"Okay. Can you explain how you became buddy-buddy with the Inves?"

"Shu, I would never side myself with the GHQ. I swear. The Inves appearing on campus shocks me just as much as anyone here. It could mean that there could be more leaks in our security system that we imagined. We have to get on it as soon as the Inves are wiped out."

Shu listened, noticing a sort of wavering tone in Yahiro's voice.

"All right. But before we do that, there's something else I want to talk about with you."

Yahiro internally grew anxious and frustrated that making Shu believe whatever he wanted him to believe took longer than usual.

"Okay."

"Lately, it's starting to look like you're making the important decisions for me instead of making sure that I was the one that made those decisions."

"What do you mean, Shu?"

"Lecturing me about how I should treat the students like they're either sheep or tools."

"I don't remember saying things like that exactly..."

"Then there's the fact that you confiscated the lockseeds of our friends."

"That was made to make sure that everyone was equal under the ranking system."

"It's starting to look like some of the ranked students are becoming more equal than others. I don't like it."

"Well, it's like I was saying Shu. Your interactions with the students are..."

"Clouding my judgments and making me lose my resolve? Yahiro, they're the reason why I stepped up in the first place."

Yahiro tried to think up of more ways to get Shu to believe him again, but came up short.

"Please tell me Yahiro. Why are you doing all this? Why is it important that everything that led us to where we are now has to be this way in the future?"

Yahiro finally had something to control Shu once again.

"Because you know why!"

"What do you mean?"

"She's gone..."

Shu's memories of Hare's death came back to him in a bad way. Which was Yahiro wanted.

"She is gone from your life, Shu! From all our lives because things got out of control. I know you didn't mean to, but the fact of the matter is things must be this way because of the chaos that took her away from us. That's why I did the things I did."

Shu was silent in thought, which was what he wanted.

"Call off the search so that..."

"You can smooth talk out of being called a traitor?

Everybody turned their heads to see Argo entering the upper seats section.

"If you honestly believe the crap that's coming out of this bastard's mouth, then you're more hopeless than I thought, Shu. At least when you were with Funeral Parlor, you had a warrior's determination. Something that made the GHQ fear you, and others believe in you."

The Inves swooped downwards onto Argo, but he was quicker to dodge it. The Inves turned around to strike Argo again, but Chika used her void to hit the Inves. It stopped for a while to see who was shooting at it, but was furthered shot by Chika to protect Shu. Argo used this chance to pin down Shu. Chika wanted to rush to her leader's rescue, but was impeded by the monster's constant interference. She had no choice but to be on the defensive. Argo confronted Shu about his behavior.

"I know about your girlfriend's death. I'm sorry that happened to you, but that's not an excuse to act like a dictator. You're letting yourself getting stringed by someone who's working for the enemy. You're letting down the people who look to you for guidance and protection by listening to someone who wants you to fail. Hard. Wake up, Shu! You're not protecting anybody like this."

"Then you try taking my place."

Argo was a little shocked by those words.

"If you know so much more than me, then you try to keep everyone safe! Do a better job than me! I DARE YOU!"

A moment of silence filled the air before the Komori Inves screeched to attack once more. However, due to the damage it had incurred on its wings, as well as a few hits on the body Chika made, had left it disoriented. It crashed into some of the railings at the top of the auditorium hard, which caused some of the metal bars to fall the balcony levels. Chika was right below the bars. Shu saw, and immediately pushed Argo off him to help her. Unfortunately, this caused her to let go of her void. When the metal bars fell on her void, the impact caused it to break apart. Her void was gone. Everyone who wasn't Chika saw this, and knew what it meant. In Shu's thoughts,

'No. Not again...'

Chika was gripping with terrible pain before crystal began to envelop her whole body. Shu knew what he had to do, but could not find the will to move, let alone transform. Argo pulled out his gun, and aimed it at Chika's head. In her last moments, she said,

"No. I don't want to..."

"I'm sorry..."

Argo pulled the trigger, killing Chika before she could form into an Inves. She was human to the end, made evident by the bullet hole in her head. Argo turned around to see Shu shell-shocked by the whole thing. He kept muttering to himself,

"It's my fault. I should've protected her but I was... I was...Yahiro was right."

As soon as Shu said that last thing, Argo stomped to Shu and punched him in the face.

"Cut the crap, Shu! She wanted to protect you because she wanted to believe in you. A whole lot of people want to believe in you, Shu. But if you listen to traitors like Yahiro, you're never gonna be the leader everyone here needs you to be."

The punch knocked Shu out of his grief-induced pity party to remind himself the whole reason for tonight. All the while, Arisa saw everything from the ground floor. How Chika began to be surrounded by virus crystals before Argo shooting her in the head. And she was beginning to hear more.

"Shu. Call off the order for..."

"Your arrest?"

Yahiro paused.

"Yahiro, I have been...willing to give you a chance to prove yourself an asset to what we have been doing here. I wanted to trust you. I wanted to believe that our friendship was something that could be something unbreakable. But the way you've been acting in relation to how I act around the students, how I feel that my orders are somehow being carried out in a distorted way, and now you want to limit the time I spend with the people I want to protect because you feel that they're a distraction?"

"Shu, let me explain..."

"I AM TALKING RIGHT NOW AND YOU SHOULD LISTEN!"

Yahiro shut his mouth while Shu caught his breath. However, the Komori Inves screeched once more to make itself known. It swooped down, but everyone ducked in time to avoid it strikes. This was making Yahiro nervous. As well as Argo.

'What the hell are you doing Shu?'

"Shu, we need to get out of here. We can't talk like this."

"Just be honest with me, Yahiro."

"Shu, now is really no the time for this!

"Have you been taking power for yourself behind my back? And if so, for what?"

"Shu!"

Argo was beginning to see Shu's motives, and opted to join in.

"Better be honest about this, Yahiro. Right now, you don't have a lot of options."

The Komori Inves swooped once more. Yahiro's frustrations were reaching their tipping point to where he could not go back.

"WOULD EVERYONE WHO IS NOT GOING TO KILL ME STOP RIGHT NOW?! I CAN BARELY THINK STRAIGHT!"

Suddenly, everything became quiet. What caused the silence was the shocking image of the Komori Inves kneeling next to Yahiro. He saw this as well. Shu was in disbelief.

"No way... Yahiro...why?"

"I know why, Shu. He's nothing more than a rat bastard right from the start. Ain't that Yahiro, Yahiro?!"

Shu rational side agreed with Argo's assessment of Yahiro's actions, but the part that felt loyalty towards the people that he cares about still would not admit to what he was seeing.

"Yahiro...please..."

Silence fell one more time before malicious giggling came out of Yahiro's mouth before becoming outright evil laughter.

"Cat's out of the bag."

Yahiro gave an order to the Inves.

"Kill anybody that isn't Shu Ouma. I'll take care of him."

The Inves started immediately with Argo. Argo saw, and immediately jumped to the floor. Shu wanted to help Argo, but was still in shock over Yahiro's betrayal. The Komori Inves was still healing from the injuries Chika dealt to it, so it's movements were sluggish. Which made easier for Argo to evade its attacks. Arisa saw all this from the shadows as she was also reeling in from the shock of Yahiro's betrayal. In her thoughts,

'Why would Yahiro betray Shu again?'

Shu stared at Yahiro. The shocked look on his face gradually fading as he spoke.

"Why are doing this again, Yahiro? What's the reason for this right now? I thought that we were..."

"Becoming friends again? Rebuilding our bonds?"

Yahiro starting laughing again.

"Get real! Did you honestly think I would forgive you after what you did to my little brother?!"

Shu flashed back to when he killed Jun. How he mutated into the Inves that Shu simply had to kill to protect people. However, that did not stop Yahiro from hating on Shu's guts.

"I loved my little brother, Shu. And you took him away from me."

Yahiro reached into his left breast pocket to take out a certain object. The lockseed that Redyue gave to him.

"Is that a..."

"Yes. It is a lockseed. But this one is different from the ones our 'friends' have. This one is more powerful than Kachidoki. My sponsor made sure of that."

"You've allied yourself with the overlords? Yahiro, you know what they're trying to do! Why would you be on their side?!"

"BECAUSE I HONESTLY HATE YOU THAT MUCH!"

Shu was in shock over that last sentence. To realize that such animosity was still inside of him, after all the both had been through, he was still willing to act on his rage with no regrets. For a little while, Shu was angry.

"Are you so angry with me that you would work with the people. No... the monsters who want to see us all die so they can create some twisted utopia? Are you so petty that you would be on the side of the overlords just to see me fail?"

"Yes I would."

Shu was taken aback by the blunt honesty of that statement.

"I wanted to see you suffer. See you become the opposite of what you wanted to be. And when you would see all the people you wanted to protect abandon you, leave you for the utter horror you would've become. Then I would seize the moment and kill you myself, just to see you consumed by despair in your final moments."

Shu began to feel anger rise from within him.

"But since the cat's out of the bag, I'll just have to settle for burning down the school, letting the Inves feed on the students, and killing you myself."

Shu's anger transformed into rage as he summoned his driver, and activated his Kachidoki lockseed.

"HENSHIN!"

"KACHIDOKI!"

"LOCK-ON!"

Yahiro did the same as he summoned his driver and placed it on his waist.

"HENSHIN!"

"YOMITSUHEGURI!"

The armor that materialized above Yahiro was a darker version of his Budou armor. It was the way it materialized that was dark. Black lightning appeared as it formed above Yahiro.

"LOCK-ON!"

"SOIYA!"

"HAI!"

"KACHIDOKI ARMS!"

"YOMIHETSUGURI ARMS!"

"IZA SHUTSUJIN! EI, EI, OH!"

"MEI, KAI, YOMI! YOMI! YOMI!"

While for Gaim, his armor transformation went without a hitch, Ryugen's armor immediately had fatal consequences to its transformation. As soon as the armor landed on his shoulders and unravels, the same black lightning caressed his entire being, and it hurt him so. So much, Ryugen convulsed and yelled in pain as he kneeled to the ground. Gaim saw this and was in shock once more.

'The armor...it's...'

The pain eventually subsided, and Ryugen summoned his Budou Ryuhou to shoot Gaim. The blasts were considerably more powerful than usual. As such, Gaim felt the impact of the blasts.

xxxxxx

Meanwhile, Argo was having a tough time of his own. Although the Komori Inves was sufficiently weakened, Argo's gun was not doing the job of killing it. Arisa saw this and contacted Nanba.

"This is Nanba."

"Nanba, is the route you took me still open?"

"Unfortunately, no. All paths to the auditorium are currently blocked by Inves."

"My god, there's a swarm invasion?"

"There's not that much, but it's enough to cause an impasse for anyone getting in."

"What about getting out?"

"What do you mean?"

Arisa hung up as she had an idea. She yelled to Argo,

"Listen to me! We have to get this monster out of here."

Argo was still defending himself from the Komori Inves by dodging its attacks.

"I get what you're saying, and I think I have something to help me with."

Argo hid with him a small, put powerful grenade launcher. It could only fire one shot, and Argo took with him only one. However, he hoped it would buy him enough time to escape with Arisa. As the Inves attacking him got up for another attempt to kill Argo, Argo aimed at the Inves's chest area. Argo fired and the shot successfully landed, resulting in a small explosion on the Komori Inves. The blast caused it to be temporarily incapacitated as it laid on the floor.

"Come on, we gotta get out of here before it gets back up."

Arisa nodded in agreement as both ran towards the exits. The Komori Inves regenerated both the chest wound and the numerous injuries it had sustained when it took Chika's attacks from her crossbow void. It screeched as it flew to chase down Argo and Arisa.

xxxxxx

Gaim and Ryugen were still going at it with each other. Gaim used his DJ gun to shoot at Ryugen. Ryugen ran from Gaim, causing some of the shots to miss. However, this did not cause Ryugen to stop from striking back at Gaim. Ryugen shot back at Gaim, but Gaim ran from the shots as well. It was a free for all gunfight between the two former friends as their respective guns either hit the opposing sides or missing and causing damage to the auditorium seats. Both Gaim and Ryugen fought with burning anger towards each other.

"You'll paying for everything you've done, Yahiro!"

"And what have I done, Shu? Guiding you to make sure you don't do any stupid mistakes?!"

"Guiding me towards a cliff! You've sided with the enemy, and tried to take us down from the inside! The students that suffered from your rule!"

"My rule?!"

"Yeah! Now that I know you were taking control of everything behind my back! But most of all..."

"Most of all what, Shu?!"

"Hare..."

Ryugen gasped as soon as he heard her name. He did not deny. Out of all the deaths he was indirectly responsible for, Hare's was one that weighed hard on his heart. Impossible as it may be.

"Hare...was your friend, right? You didn't hate her... So why did you do it?! WHY DID YOU WANT HER TO DIE?!"

"BECAUSE SHE WAS WITH YOU!"

Shu gasped in shock.

"Don't get me wrong. I wasn't in love in her or anything. Hell, I stopped being capable of love for quite a time actually..."

Shu then remembered his conversation with Jun.

"I saw a side to my brother that he tried to hide from everybody. Even me..."

"But from the moment she embraced you, I knew she was tainted."

"Tainted?!"

"She had hope. And that was unforgivable!"

Ryugen shot at Gaim once more. Gaim dodged and found cover.

"You tried to make everyone see when there is none! It makes me sick, and that's why I want to kill you! AND TEAR DOWN EVERYTHIN YOU'VE BUILT!"

Ryugen flipped the cutting blade of his driver.

"HAI! YOMIHESTUGURI SQUASH!"

Ryugen shot at where Gaim took cover. Luckily, Gaim was slightly faster and ran before the energy shots even landed. Gain was now in from of Ryugen, and ready to tackle him to the lower levels of the auditorium. Ryugen did want to shoot at Gaim to defend himself, however the black lightning emerged once more, causing pain to Ryugen. Gaim tackled Ryugen, causing both to fall to the lower levels of the auditorium. Gaim rolled over to get distance between him and Ryugen. Gaim, however, saw the pain Ryugen was in due to the black lightning caressing all over him. Gaim saw the source. It was the lockseed Ryugen was wearing. While all this was happening, Inori was in the commentator's box, looking over the fight with a devious smile on her face.

xxxxxx

Arisa followed Argo outside of the auditorium. When the duo got outside, they unfortunately ran into another Inves. Luckily, both were in a part of the area where Knuckle was battling the same Inves to create a path to where Gaim was right now. Arisa saw Daryl, Tsugumi, and Rowan perched behind a stair path for cover.

"Tsugumi!"

"Arisa! Argo!"

The Inves heard Arisa and went after her. Knuckle attempted to keep up, but his giant knuckles slowed him down.

"Arisa, watch out!"

She saw the Inves lunging for her, however Argo had one more grenade with him. He aimed it at the ground as it was a smoke grenade. The area was filled with smoke as it blinded the Inves, immediately stopping itself for lack of sight. Arisa and Argo covered their mouths as both ran through the smoke, finally making it to Daryl, Rowan, and Tsugumi.

"You two managed to survive?"

"We wouldn't be here if we didn't."

Tsugumi scowled at Argo's answer. Rowan spoke to bring focus of the situation.

"Is Shu alright?"

"Yahiro's already shown his true colors. He's in league with the Overlords. I saw him trying to talk Shu into his side before I snapped Ouma out of it."

All three of them looked down in anger. One of their own was a traitor to not just them, but to humanity. Argo elaborated of what went on inside of the auditorium.

"It gets worse from there. Shu lost that Chika girl. Almost turned into an Inves before I had..."

"Kill her, right?"

Rowan asked.

"Yeah. That's when Shu finally acted like a leader, and confronted Yahiro for his actions. That's why both of them are fighting inside there right now. Yahiro's got this lockseed that Shu never saw before."

Everyone looked at the auditorium and saw flashes of light going off.

"And the worst for last...Yahiro has a new lockseed that Shu has never seen before. It makes him stronger than Shu."

All three were shocked to hear that last part.

"We have to get inside."

"Souta's still fighting off the monster in front of us."

All five saw Knuckle still fighting off the Inves, but it jumped high to avoid Knuckle's attacks. This was tiring out the rider.

"We'll never make any progress if this keeps up..."

"But what can we do?"

Daryl was at a pause until Rowan offered a suggestion.

"How many students still have their voids out?"

"I think all of them, but..."

"Let's gather the ones who are capable of distracting the Inves so that Souta can kill it off. Then we get in to help Shu."

"Okay, but who do you have in mind?"

Rowan brought out his holo-tablet and looked up the voids of the students to see which voids could do the job he desired.

"I got two."

Rowan displayed the void users to help Knuckle. Daryl and Tsugumi groaned.

"Seriously?"

"Those two tools?"

"Sudou has a void that's handy with long distance, and Nanba could stun it long enough to Souta to kill it. And those two are nearby."

"Fine, call them."

Rowan did so. Five minutes later, Nanba and Sudou arrived with their voids in place. Sudou spoke to Daryl.

"So, we just distract it long enough for Souta to kill it?"

"That is the plan."

Nanba asked,

"Just one question."

"What is it?"

"Why is it that Souta is the only transformed? Don't you two have the same powers as he does?"

Daryl answered,

"Our lockseeds were confiscated by Yahiro himself. He was using Ouma's authority as an excuse. We intend to search where he's keeping them. Until then, this is the plan."

Nana nodded in agreement, but Sudou was not that eager to risk his life.

"Well, I'm not going anywhere near that..."

Tsugumi pulled Sudou by his ponytail to give one of her trademark scolders.

"Listen, asswipe! If you don't go out there and help Souta, I'LL SHOW YOU SOMETHING SCARIER THAN A INVES!"

Sudou felt terrified at that moment, and ran to the where the fight was taking place with Nanba following him. Sudou used his bolero void and threw it at the Inves that Knuckle could not get close to. The bolero wrapped itself at the Inves's ankles, which prevented it from jumping anymore from Knuckle's reach. Nanba then used his void to stun the Inves. Knuckle was slightly confused by all this.

"Do it."

Knuckle stared at Nanba.

"Kill it while you still got the chance."

"Got it."

Knuckle flipped the cutting blade of his driver three times.

(guitar riff)

"KURUMI SPARKLING!"

Knuckle charged towards the Inves as his right fist glowed. With one swift and powerful punch, the Inves was successfully killed.

"He did it."

"Now we can get to Ouma."

Knuckle ran ahead towards the auditorium.

xxxxxx

"Yahiro, it's killing you. You gotta take it off."

"So you'll punish me with fairness? Not gonna happen!"

Ryugen was having a hard time getting up due to the lockseed taking away his strength. However, he did not care at all.

"Whether I live or die I know what's in store for me. I know what the future has in store for me. For humanity..."

Ryugen finally got up as he continued to struggle with the lockseed sapping away his life. However, this did not stop from continuing his rampage against Gaim. Ryugen summoned his Kiwi Gekirin and threw it at Gaim. The slash damaging Gaim further. Yahiro's lockseed acted up further and continued to drain the life out of him.

"Stop it Yahiro! Do you want to die like this?!"

"SO WHAT IF I DO?! WHY DO YOU CARE?!"

Gaim was taken aback by that last statement.

"There is nothing left for me. For anyone. This world...will die horrible death... and it's taking us all with it!"

Ryugen shot at Gaim further with his Budou Ryuhou, making Gaim stumble backwards with every shot. Gaim was still standing.

"Is that you honestly think? That there is no hope and we should just accept out death with no struggle?"

"Why even bother making one last stand, Shu? This is the end, and there's no stopping it. This is the reality we live in, Shu! And it's telling us to die! This is real, and there's nothing we can do about it!"

Ryugen them summoned another weapon. One Gaim had never seen before. It was the Halberd weapon Redyue always had in her hand. Gaim readied his Musou Saber in response.

"You isolate yourself from everyone with that kind of thinking."

Ryugen chuckled a bit.

"I've always been alone. Even before my parents died, I always felt I never had anybody to care about me. I was the one who was doing the caring."

Ryugen's lockseed acted up once more to cause more pain to him. Gaim saw the energy surges becoming more frequent.

"Yahiro, please! Take off the..."

"SHUT UP!"

(Xenoblade Chronicles OST – Eryth Sea)

Ryugen swinged his halberd, causing a shockwave that blew Gaim away while damaging him in the process. All the while both Gaim and Ryugen's bladed weapons clashed with each swing did Gaim begin to remember more of Jun's memories. From Jun's perspective did Gaim see how Yahiro was before he met him when the two started high school. Gaim saw how young Yahiro struggled to feed his little brother not due to shortage of food, rather due to how nobody taught him to do so. Not even his mother and father. Both were salary workers, working long hours with barely any time to spend with their kids. Whatever time they did had off, they spent mostly sleeping away the fatigue. So much so, Yahiro began to feel like he might as well never have had any parents to being with. All this Jun could see. Shu saw this as well. Then came the events after Lost Christmas. Jun was lying down on a stretcher, having survived the blast that Mana created. Jun saw from a distance young Yahiro speaking with a police officer, asking whatever happened to his parents. It would not be until the week after New Year's would young Yahiro receive the news. Both their mother and father never survived Lost Christmas. Both young Yahiro and Jun now alone in the world. Now Yahiro had to be the parent of the family due to both the mom and dad being only children (meaning that both their respective parents only had them and no other child) in their families. Yahiro and Jun had no other relatives to be with. Even their grandparents died before Yahiro was born. All this Gaim saw as he was fighting Ryugen. When the fight started, Gaim had rage for his former best friend. The sting of betrayal may as well have been a pike drilled into his heart when he discovered how his most trusted advisor secretly sold him out to the enemy. How Ryugen plotted for his downfall while masquerading as someone Gaim could trust. And yet, all the while, Gaim could not bring himself to hate him. Although Ryugen's actions were inexcusable, it came from a place that Gaim could not imagine to think about. Gaim always had people to care about him. Even after all the loss that occurred in his life, there were people who were there for him. Even after joining Funeral Parlor, Gaim found people who guided him and offered advice on how to be a better freedom fighter. Yahiro had none of that. Gaim then remembered the Jun said before he died.

"I'll end up hating my big brother. I want to die holding on my love for him."

Ryugen flipped the cutting blade on his driver once for a decisive blow to Gaim.

"YOMIHETSUGURI SQUASH!"

He leapt up into the air. Gaim saw this, and attached his orange lockseed unto his Musou saber.

"LOCK-ON! 1-10-100!"

However, instead of attacking Ryugen, Gaim took the stabbing blow from Ryugen weapon. Resulting of the Halberd piercing Gaim's armor and mortally injuring him. Ryugen was astounded by this action.

"You...You allowed yourself to...Why?"

Gaim then reached for Ryugen's lockseed, and ripped from Ryugen's driver, causing the armor to dissipate. Gaim's armor did the same as he was slowly losing his life.

"You let yourself be stabbed by me. You wanted to die by my hands?"

Shu kneeled as his strength was draining.

"No. I did it... to save your life."

Yahiro was shocked to hear that from Shu. He wanted to kill him with a passion. He wanted Shu to know absolute despair before putting him out of his misery. Instead, Shu risked his life on the slimmest belief that he could be redeemed.

"Why...?"

"I never stopped being your friend, Yahiro."

Shu lifted the Yomihetsuguri lockseed just to let Yahiro see him crush it with his own bare hand.

"Even if you secretly hated me for it."

Yahiro continue to look at Shu bewildered and in disbelief.

"When I first found out, I couldn't believe it. Why would you work with the enemy? Then when you told me, I started to feel angry. Then, during the middle of our fight, I started to realize: where did we go wrong, Yahiro? What did I ever do to make you feel this way? When did we started to drift apart?"

Yahiro went further into shock. Shu asked those question as if it was his fault. In reality, everything he did, he did of his own free will. Yahiro kneeled as Shu crawled to get closer to him, leaving a trail of blood behind him.

"Why would you be willing to sacrifice yourself for me? I tried to kill you. I used Hare to control you! I wanted to see you at your lowest for my own satisfaction! WHY WOULD YOU...?"

Shu headbutted Yahiro.

"IS IT REALLY SO IMPOSSIBLE TO CONSIDER THAT SOMEONE COULD HONESTLY CARE ABOUT SOMEBODY LIKE YOU?"

Yahiro looked at Shu with confused look on his face and with a bloodied nose.

"I know what you did to me, and I don't care..."

Shu said with a smile on his face, tears in his eyes, and blood dripping out of his mouth.

"I've made my choice..."

Yahiro saw that Shu was close to death.

"to forgive you because I care about you. I know that you think that this world has no hope. That it's easier to say die so you can have an excuse to do nothing. But despite the good things I have in my life, the one thing I've learned in my life is this. The hardest thing to do in this world is to live in it. That's what you have to do. It's what I had to do. It's what everyone has to do. This is how we find meaning in hope."

Shu hugged Yahiro.

"So please...Forgive yourself. Find hope for yourself. For me..."

(end music)

Shu lost all his strength as he dropped to the ground. Yahiro saw Shu's lifeless body as tears flowed from his eyes.

"How can you forgive me? Nobody else will..."

More tears streamed from his eyes as the agony of realizing what his actions wrought were beginning to sink in.

"There's nothing to forgive! I killed you, Shu! You're supposed to act angry and curse me and leave me bitter! NOT BE A FRIGGIN SAINT TO THE END! THAT'S NOT HOW PEOPLE WORK!"

Yahiro sobbed at how his friend willingly absolved him of his actions.

"Oh god, what have I done?"

"What I wanted you to."

Yahiro turned around to see Redyue walking towards him.

"Thank you for what you've done for me. You've served me well."

"What?"

"It wasn't hard to use your...petty emotions against you. It took long, but I eventually got what I wanted."

Yahiro slowly realized the real reason why Redyue aided him in his revenge plan. Just then, huge blows against metal were heard, and the doors that lead to the auditorium burst open wide. From the doors came Knuckle. He was initially confused at first of what he was seeing. However, after looking at Shu, Knuckle shuddered in fear.

"Shu!"

Knuckle ran to Shu's lifeless body to confirm his worst fear.

"No. No... NNNNOOOOOOO!"

Knuckle began to cry as Shu officially shuffled his mortal coil. Knuckle then saw both Yahiro and the Overlord next to him. Rage began to overwhelm Knuckle as he charged towards the two.

"YOU BASTARDS!"

Redyue snapped her fingers to summon two Kamakiri Inves to intercept while a Lion Inves jumped from the windows to pick up the body.

"Leave him alone, you monster!"

The two Kamakiri continued to distract Knuckle while Daryl, Tsugumi, and Rowan went inside only to find Yahiro with a shocked look on his face and an Overlord. Rowan searched for Shu only to see him as a corpse carried by the Lion.

"Dear lord..."

"Rowan, don't tell me..."

"It looks like...President Ouma is dead, Daryl."

Daryl gasped in terror while Tsugumi covered her mouth in shock. Daryl spoke to the Inves.

"Let him go!"

The lion Inves looked at Redyue. She nodded to signal the Lion Inves to exit as soon as possible. Nearly everyone was helpless to stop the overlord from doing what it wants. Redyue then snapped her fingers for the Kamakiri to cease and retreat. Redyue was then surrounded by little wisps of light until she disappeared completely. There was nothing but silence in the auditorium. Their leader and strongest fighter, dead. At the hands of both the enemy and a traitor. A traitor whom they had no doubt of his collusion with the enemy. Knuckle canceled his transformation to whale on Yahiro for his betrayal. Souta tackled Yahiro, who was still shell-shocked at how he was treated as a tool rather as a partner. Souta punched Yahiro hard.

"You bastard! You lying, two-faced, backstabbing BASTARD! He was your friend...HE WAS YOUR FRIEND! AND YOU TAKE EVERYTHING FROM HIM! And now he's gone! HE'S GONE BECAUSE OF YOU! For what? FOR WHAT?! HUH?!"

Souta stopped for a bit for Yahiro finally paying attention to him as tears feel from Souta's eyes..

"Why? Why did you do it?"

"I honestly don't know anymore."

That answer sealed Yahiro's fate as Daryl pushed Souta off Yahiro and held him by his coat and scarf.

"Do you know what we do to traitor in the military? Execution by firing squad! But since we're conserving ammo for the operation ahead, I'll guess we'll have to settle for something else. Something worse."

Daryl made a call for security forces under his command to drag Yahiro to the entrance of the school.

xxxxxx

(early morning)

A small group of students gathered at the entrance of the school to dispense with Yahiro's punishment. Daryl acted as Judge, Jury, and Executioner.

"Yahiro Samukawa! You've been found guilty by the school for conspiracy to commit treason! As punishment, your sentence is...Exile!"

The students cheered as many of them called Yahiro words associated with his actions. Yahiro looked around to see one person absent.

'At lease she's not here to see me this way...'

Daryl came up with the idea of exile as a form of punishment. Due to the streets being infested by Inves and the redline closing in on the city, there was little chance that Yahiro could survive. Even with his rider powers. The gates of the school opened as Yahiro was pushed to the outside. Yahiro saw the gates close in front of him as he got up. When the gates finally closed, it served as frim reminder that he was effectively cast out of paradise. Yahiro walked forward aimlessly, unsure what to do with himself. Unsure at how to be from now on. The only thing he had with him was his Budou lockseed. At the roof of the school facing the gate, Inori smiled.

"I'll see you again, Shu. But first, I'll let Redyue have her way with you."

Another chapter done! This one took longer than usual due to other commitments, mainly school. But since we're in summer, more can be spent for future chapters! Stay tuned, don't forget to rate and review, and spread the word of this fanfic.