Reviews:

Guest: 1- Cuando peleo contra Ryuki por primera vez. La primera de todas las peleas. 2- Cuando aparecio y peleo contra Miku para suprimirla. 3- Cuando Hazuki encerro a Bragard y lo puso en una tortura perpetua antes de convertirlo en Nightmare en GX. Cuando detuve el ataque de Bragi en AXZ y dejo que la bomba atomica les cayera encima.

KamenRiderChimera: True. Hazuki depends heavily on Loki. He's the one who set him on this path. Funny you should mention that. I recently started watching Geats but I know some things. Hazuki would probably lose but Loki is another matter. You'll see. There is a pretty big significance when Loki is in control of the body.

Ryugen: Yeah, at least not everyone is okay with his plan. The normal people. But you're right, Yomi kind of messed up Hazuki's plans. He got his powers destroyed, so he can't help in battle. Thanks to this, SONG has a huge chance of beating the Disasters, since Yomi was such an important player. Nice cards. The last one is a little too much but I like the Omnimon one and psychic lock. Well, if they can't stop Ragnarok, then winning the Rider War and getting the wish will be their only choice to restore the world to normal.

Lord Ri Husbu King: Well, to be fair to them, they have a God on their side. So they do have the means to convince people. After all, after all the events of Symphogear, people are now more than aware of powers beyond humanity. As they say, the higher they are, the harder they fall. Mmmm, what do you mean with that last part of your review?

SoutaAmetsuchi: Yeah...In the end, they used Allister's knowledge to put all countries into conflict. But some people still cling to hope and defy the divine.

nicolasseverino95: To be honest, let me know where you heard that from. I got it from somewhere else but maybe you heard it from the same place. I like that...Cour 1, 2, and 3. And yeah, Odin has been watching. At least, what interests him. The problem with that plan is that you'd have to kill a whole lot of people.

Tenzalucard123: They need all the help they can get at this point. They're running out of time.

Dragstorm rider: The people who submitted to Hazuki truly people in his ideals. At least, some of them. Others had no choice but to accept since their lives were at stake. A new world promised by a God is pretty tempting. We're entering the real deal in this season soon.

Chapter 147
Unknown Land

Several months ago during the events of XV...

Hazuki smiled, waiting for the doctor to explain the blood test results to the general secretary and prime minister of China, Zhu Mingyu. The Calamities were currently waiting patiently for the prime minister to finish reading, ignoring the scrutinous gazes from the politicians around them. It was hardly a surprise. After all, Hazuki had come here with Wei, Despia, and Yomi announcing their Liang blood. Wei being the last remaining pure-blooded Liang helped tremendously. As he had expected, they still treasured the Liangs.

"After analyzing their blood test and comparing it to the ones we had in our blood bank, we have confirmed that these children are indeed Liangs. At least, 3 of them are halfbreeds. But you can tell merely by their appearance. Now, the one with the pitch black and hair-pink eyes..."

Zhu eyed Wei, who fidgeted uncomfortably from the stares.

"He's a genuine Liang." The doctor finished.

"I see." Zhu nodded."I apologize for this hassle. But you must understand our skepticism. A clan that was annihilated a decade ago...Suddenly survivors show up at our doorstep."

"We theorized that there may have been survivors that slipped through the cracks, but we never received any news from them." The state council, Yan Guiren, said."But if what you said is true, even the survivors were killed off by the same person who killed all the Liangs. Bragard Second Hyperion."

"I assure you, we made sure to make him suffer. In fact, I bet he wished he could just die and get away from the constant agony he's in." A sinister grin graced Hazuki's lips, his mind picturing Nightmare."But we're not the only survivors. I have two siblings back in Japan. But they are not on board with what we're trying to do."

"And what is it you're trying to do?" Zhu raised a brow."I doubt you came all this way from Japan just say you're a Liang."

Hazuki's smirk grew, reaching for his pocket and setting down his Ryuga Deck."This."

"That's..." Yan's eyes widen slightly.

"One of those Kamen Rider Decks. I see...That Dark Rider on the news. The terrorist." Zhu narrowed his eyes at him.

"Terrorist is a harsh word, sir. I am nothing but a humble crusader for world peace." Hazuki leaned back on his seat."What we want is to reach eternal peace and happiness. And for that, we do have to get our hands dirty. The path to a rightful mission such as this is quite harsh, as you can imagine. Our goal is to unify the world under one power. A power that will foresee the others and maintain stability, effectively ending all wars. And for that reason, we formed our organization, the Divine Disasters of Valhalla. With us 4 here, we also have 2 Kamen Riders in our ranks. Each other them passing another Rider power and magnifying their arsenal. I do possess another power."

The half Liang drew two cards from his Deck. Dragblacker and Blancswan."The twins...Yomi Kugisaki and Despia Kugisaki..."

Both twins took a step forward. Despia looked nervous but Yomi maintained his cocky grin.

"These two have been blessed with Liang genetics, as they both can use Alchemy. A trait that was passed down by the Hyperion family. Show them."

Despia and Yomi pulled up the sleeves of their Lydian uniforms, activating their runes, the markings appearing on their arms. To further demonstrate, Yomi and Despia activated their powers, the young woman transforming her arm into crystals while shooting an Atomic Blast through the ceiling, making a hole. All councilmen stood up in shock, except for Yan, who looked on in awe.

"Inconceivable...The records of Liangs manifesting Alchemy...It hasn't happened in centuries!" One of the councilmen yelled.

"And yet, you have two of them right here. Unfortunately, Wei here doesn't have Alchemy."

"The pure-blooded Liang doesn't have that but two half-breeds do?" Zhu muttered in disbelief.

"I'm afraid to say, General Secretary, but the terms halfbreed and pure-blooded are obsolete at this point. Not when there's only a handful of Liangs left in the world. However, that is not all. Yomi, if you would."

"Gladly." Yomi snickered, splaying his arms. A wheel of lighting appeared behind him as electricity sparked through the room.

"That's...that Dharmachakra Wheel!" Zhu shouted in utter shock."But that can only mean-"

"That's right. I am the legendary warrior who is blessed to appear every couple of centuries. I am the legend itself." Yomi boasted.

"As you can see, we are a competent fighting force." Hazuki pointed toward a large mirror on the other side of the room. All councilmen gasped in fear when they saw several Mirror Monsters inside of the mirror."We have an army of Mirror Monsters. I'm sure you've heard of them being used by other countries, such as Val Verde. We also have several followers who can help us with a simple command. And then, the Rider power."

Hazuki grabbed his Deck, sliding the two cards he took out back in."As you know, SONG, Japan's elite defense force, is composed of Symphogear and Kamen Riders. Suffice it to say, that they can overthrow a whole army without much difficulty. In short, it's no exaggeration to say that Japan has the strongest defense on the whole planet. Leaving all militaries in the dust."

"You do bring up a good point." Yan nodded, shame printed on his face."Over the years, China has fallen behind in terms of military power. Sure, our forces are as strong as most superpowers in the world, but we have fallen behind in the new era. The era of the supernatural. The mission to take over Japan given to the Liangs was so that we could acquire their Relics. Relics possess an immense power, capable of turning the tides of a war with ease. We were aware that Japan had a few in its hands, but the most notable one was the Ame no Habakiri and the Ichaival. One which was taken from Germany during World War 2. Things were not made easier because there was only one capable woman in the world of harnessing and learning the power of relics. Ryoko Sakurai."

"But the one we were most interested in was the Ame no Habakiri." Another councilman said."After all, it was the prized jewel of our sworn enemies, the Kazanaris. Despite our proven superiority over them on the battlefield, we know we wouldn't stand a chance if they began implementing the use of Relics. And not just Japan, a lot of countries possessed them as well. This was a cascading problem."

"As such, we devised the plan to overtake Japan and take their place in the world. Increasing our military power and status, returning China's former glory." Zhu closed his eyes."But despite all our careful planning, the Liang clan ended up being exterminated."

"But all of that can be remedied." Yan smiled."To think we would stumble upon this opportunity. Despite being halfbreeds, these three are distinguished fighters. And the last remaining pure-blooded Liang could restore the clan to its former glory. And yet, I must ask, if you have all these forces, why do you seek our support?"

"Well, like I said, our goal is world peace. And yes, we do possess a decent fighting force. But at the end of the day, the ones in control of our group are just humans. We will eventually grow tired, and be overwhelmed. What we need is a military backup. A country that is willing to take a step forward in the right direction. And given our ties with the Liang clan, we figured this would be beneficial for both of us. Kamen Riders...they are not like Relics. They are pieces of a broken God, bestowing power to their users for the sake of fighting a battle royale to unify all powers...and making a wish. We want to give China that wish."

"A wish...?" Zhu's eyes widened."Japan never mentioned a wish!

"Indeed. In contrast to Relics, our powers come from divine origins. And Japan has 6 Riders at the moment. But we have taken care of others that were there."

"Divine?! Are you suggesting gods are involved in this?! Nonsense!" Zhu slammed his hands on the table."And even if that were the case, your big idea is to form a giant army to take over every country in the world?! Think about the losses!"

"It's not about going to war, but to swoop in and reap the rewards. But I see you don't believe me. Allow me to demonstrate." Suddenly, Hazuki's left eye turned golden, his sclera turning pitch black.

"There we go..." Loki heaved a sigh.

'His voice changed...?' Yan noted in amusement.'And his eyes...this aura he is exerting...'

"You." Loki pointed at a councilman in a wheelchair."What is your name, good sir?"

"Me? I am Shen Qiang." He responded.

"Tell me, sir. How long have you been in a wheelchair?"

"For a long time." He responded, rubbing his nape."I am a war veteran. I was paralyzed from the waist down during my last war several decades ago."

"I see. A man who fights for his people and his country. It's worthy of admiration. Then, what if I were to tell you I can help you walk again."

"What...?" Shen froze in place as Loki began to approach him.

Zhu stood up, but Yan held his arm up, stopping him.

Loki held out his arm, and a twisted smile formed on his lips. Shen swallowed the lump in his throat. He had nothing to lose to this little charade anyway, he thought. As soon as he grabbed his hand, Shen felt a surge of power invading his power. He moaned in shock, feeling power filling him up. The power he never thought possible. The brand of the snakes circling each other appeared on his left hand. The God of Mischief released him, a pleased smile on his face.

"How do you feel?"

"I...I..." Shen couldn't even voice his thoughts.

"Feel that power...and spread it through your body. Visualize it going down every nerve in your system. And above all...feed into your desires. Let your desires be your fuel and use them to take everything in your path."

Everyone watched in awe as Shen's sclera turned black his skin turned extremely pale, and black veins covered his skin. Two skeletal black wings sprouted from his back as he immediately stood up, nearly flipping the table.

"S-Shen!" Zhu cried out in horror.

"This power..." Shen muttered, staring at his arms.

"Divine Power. It feeds on a person's deepest desires." Loki explained with a sinister grin."As such, it can heal any physical wound done to the body, as long as it's not a missing limb. However, I am afraid this is only a temporary solution while we reach our goal. But the results speak for themselves, right, Despia?"

Despia activated her Divine Power, clearing her throat."I have been mute for a good portion of my life. But thanks to this wonderful power, I can properly speak my mind."

Yomi chuckled, shaking his head.

"Many people can be saved too." Loki folded his arms, watching as Shen moved around the room, marbling at his ability to walk again. Shen grabbed the large table with one hand, lifting it over their heads and knocking everything that was on top to the ground.

"I feel better than even in my wildest dreams...I am walking again...Furthermore, this power...I feel like I can do anything I want!"

"So your troops also have this power?" Yan inquired, more than interested at this point."If so, can you provide this power to a large number of troops?"

"Of course. That power grows based on a person's desires. So the more they desire something, the stronger they will become. I'd be more than happy to provide this power source for China if you agree to our terms."

"Nonsense! This...this is diabolical!" Zhu screamed."Do you truly intend for us to lower our heads to a halfbreed brat and a worldwide terrorist?! Our honor as Chinese men will not stand for this! We will-"

Suddenly, a loud gunshot echoed through the entire room. Yan blew the smoke from the barrel of his gun, watching in disinterest as the prime minister fell on the ground, dead. A few councilmen gasped in terror, while others had no expression on their faces.

"You are a fool, Zhu. Always have been. You can't look at the forest past the trees. With this information and energy source, we will finally be able to make China great again." Yan's eyes glittered in awe, staring at Loki, whose body was shining in gold due to the sunlight coming through the hole Yomi had done earlier."We are in the presence of a God and a legendary Liang warrior. China has everything it needs to take over the world. But allow me to ask you a question. How do you plan to deal with the rest of the world? If they find out about our deal, they will surely retaliate. The UN will do anything in its power to stop us."

"I have everything figured out already." Loki waved his hand dismissively."The rest of the world will be too busy destroying themselves to pay attention to China. I'm sure you know who Code Cypher is?"

Later that day, Hazuki exited the meeting room, noticing his cousins sitting on the edge of the water fountain in the lobby.

"Well, took your sweet ass time in there." Yomi snorted, standing up."This is why I hate politics. They're so damn boring. Good thing I was never from the main family. No offense, Wei."

"Whatever." Wei scoffed, eyeing Hazuki."So? How did it go?"

"Well, we discussed terms, mainly. But we will have another talk to speak about the new arrangements. We must act before SONG suspects anything is wrong."

"So we really convinced them?" Yomi curved a brow."Just like that? I gotta say, you twisting our plan into something they would want on the spot was pretty amazing."

"It's not Loki's power that makes people strong. It's the darkness in their hearts. They are afraid. And fear can be a powerful weapon to wield in the right hands." Hazuki responded."I merely gave them a way to vent out the darkness in their beings. A temporary solution until we get rid of the curse that plagues the world even more than the Curse of Balal...Free Will. So yes, they are on our side now."

"And what about Mom? What are we gonna do about her? She's still a big problem, no?" Yomi asked, and Despia visibly flinched at that.

"Oh, Shem-Ha? It's alright. Loki is not too worried about her. Let SONG deal with her and save us some effort. Besides..." Hazuki grinned."I know you only want to fight her, right?"

"Can you blame me? I want to test my strength against a Custodian! Fight her one-on-one! Mano a mano, as they say. Not to mention..." Yomi's eyes darkened as his personality changed in demeanor for a split second."I want to tell Mother a few things."

Wei scrunched up his face in confusion but Despia averted her gaze away.

"I see. Well, I'm a little reluctant to just let you go do something as reckless as fighting a Custodian head-on. You are important to the plan, after all. You've indeed made an impressive leap in power due to your adaptation in your fight against Amy Regulus. I'm curious to see how much more you can grow. Tell you what..." Hazuki placed a hand on his shoulder."If you're successful in your mission tomorrow and kill Hajime and bring me his Deck, then I'll let you fight Shem-Ha by yourself. Loki has no problems with that."

"Really?! That's awesome!" Yomi jumped in joy, electricity sparing through his arms."Cool! Alright then! Tomorrow, the destruction of Lydian Academy will go smoothly! Just watch!"

"I'm afraid I can't watch the fight. At least, not the beginning." Hazuki trailed off."I do have some matters to attend to...in talking to my beloved little sister."

"Sounds good. In the meantime..." Yomi adopted a sardonic smirk."We'll destroy Lydian Academy and all those losers in it."

Present time...

'I never imagined Yomi would have been taken out by Hajime.' Hazuki stared at the glass of wine in his hand, sitting on his throne.'It was unthinkable. It set us back tremendously. His power had evolved to the point where he could go into Custodian mode and seemed to be able to grow further, but...Without those runes, he can't do anything."

"Maybe it was a bad idea to let him do whatever the fuck he wanted. A mistake on our part. But to be honest, I never expected your little brother to have that kind of power. Then again, he is a messiah. Like you." Loki said."As for NArfi...The kid doesn't have self-control. Shem-Ha didn't educate him properly. Narfi is a loose canon."

'I thought as soon as he was born he was sent to Earth?'

"He was. But she should have programmed the damn ship to give him firm instructions. Or maybe he just deserted. Either way, we lost a formidable fighting force that we won't get back until Ragnarok. We gotta play our cards right."

'True. Even with Allister-san and Kuwana-san, we are still vastly outnumbered by SONG.'

"Relax~! SONG ain't finding out where we are. It's impossible."

Suddenly, Despia and Setsuna barged into the room.

"Hazuki-onii-chan." Setsuna said, earning his attention."Is Loki-sama with you? We got something to report."

"Is something the matter, Setsuna?" Hazuki raised his head, meeting his gaze with his youngest sibling.

The young girl had a tablet in her hand and approached the self-proclaimed emperor."There is something you might want to see.."

12 hours earlier...

Bragi stared at the ocean, leaning on the railing of the ship in the middle of the night, lost in his thoughts. Miku and Elfnein were asleep together after Bragi didn't have it in him to let his aunt sleep alone, so he asked Miku if she could sleep with her to keep her accompanied. Meanwhile, Hazuki opted to stay in a separate room but woke up in the middle of the night. He had enough rest for now, as his body didn't need much sleep.

"It feels kinda weird being around a couple dozen bodies, huh?" Beelzebub said.

"Well, the idea was to throw them out to the ocean, but...To be honest, it doesn't feel right to throw corpses into the ocean. I understand they are enemy soldiers, but still..."

"Yeah. I forgot how humans operate. To be honest, back in Helheim, we would just burn the bodies. Or let other demons eat them. Or just leave them."

"Yeah...That doesn't sound too appealing." Bragi chuckled, shaking his head."Hey, I never asked. But what kind of person was Mammon? He sounded very important to you."

"He was. We were like two peas in a pod. I guess I did have a thing for him. Maybe it was his avarice. His need to have it all. Combine that with my hunger and my insatiable appetite. But...I suppose we understood each other in our ways. Can't believe he's dead...But hey! To be honest, I'm just happy to be here. I like this world. It has its ups and down, like a fucking maniac trying to bring Helheim to the world. But the good side is you guys are fun to hang out with. Mikumi and Mama Elfnein are incredible. I love them so much. I've been in this world for a few months, but I already think of it as my home. And you as my partner."

"Beel..." Bragi smiled."Me too. I'm glad to have you on board. Good thing Mama didn't slice you up that day."

"Don't remind me...Mama Carol is fucking scary!"

"Oh. You're awake?"

Bragi shifted his gaze, noticing Haoyu making his way toward him."Yeah. I just wanted to get some fresh air."

"I get it. It is pretty stuffy inside." He shrugged, leaning against the railing next to him."Kinda figured you'd want to stay with your girls."

"I wanted my Auntie and Miku to rest."

"Which one is which?"

"Miku is the black-haired girl. She is my girlfriend. My Aunt is the blonde."

"Huh. She looks like she could be your little sister." Haoyu chuckled."Who am I to judge, though?"

"It's pretty complicated. Then again, my family is all about being complicated." Bragi shrugged."So, how long until we get there?"

"A few hours. Around 5 or so. It's a fast ship. That's how supply ships are meant to be. Come in and come out." Haoyui lowered his gaze."Listen, Bragi-kun, was it? I have...to come clean with you. Since you and your friends were so generous to come to our aid."

"Sounds serious," Bragi commented. And that's when Haoyu pulled the sleeves of his uniform, revealing the snake brand on his left hand."W-what...?! You...You're one of them-"

"No, please listen." Haoyu stretched out his arm."I...I didn't want to get this..."

"Let him explain, Bragigi." A mouth appeared on Bragi's cheek."I doubt he'd be risking his neck out like this and just tell us."

"You...you have...another mouth-"

"I'll explain later. Just tell me what you were going to say."

"Alright..." He took a deep breath."Back when the DDV took over the country, they cut China off from the world. They forced all citizens to get this brand. A power given by Hazuki Kaburagi. This power feeds on a person's darkness. Whoever didn't want to get it, would be labeled as traitors and killed. Most of the resistance has Divine Power. And we try our hardest to save others from being branded with the mark of damnation. It's too late to save us. But we do what we can to give people hope and avoid others from sharing this fate."

"I can help." Bragi suggested."The Divine Power in you isn't as strong as the leaders of the DDV. I can take it away from you."

"There's no point. There is...something else that I didn't tell you guys." Haoyu stared into Bragi's dichromatic eyes."Failure is not tolerated. I'll give you guys disguises. I don't have anything to draw the brand on your hand so you can properly go incognito, but I can work something out with your outfits. As soon as we get to the docks, jump off the ship. I'll give you instructions on where to go."

"Wait...what about you...?"

"I'll get gunned down." He said, no fear in his voice.

"But that's..." Bragi's eyes widened in shock.

"I'm scared. I am. Trust me. Dying is not my priority on my to-do list." He looked back at the ocean with a fond smile."But if I can get you guys to help us...and prevent the deaths of any more innocent people and the end of the world...Then my death is a small price to pay. Our leader says that when we die, we don't truly cease to exist. When we fall, others will be there to pick up where we left off. Passing the torch and entrusting everything to those who are still alive."

"Entrusting everything to those who are still alive..." Bragi muttered.

"I'll get you guys onto the mainland. And then, my comrades will help in every way we can."

"I understand." Bragi nodded."I know the feeling perfectly well. Don't worry. We'll do what we can to stop the Disasters. You have my word."

Haoyu smiled, satisfied with his answer."Alright. Let's go see those disguises I got for you guys. Also...about the mouth..."

"You're not going to let that go, are you?"

It was morning when the 3 members of SONG were dressed in their disguises, having their SONG jackets and scarves thrown into the ocean. Instead, they now wore raincoats to hide their appearances and sunglasses.

"Alright. We're close to the docks now." Haoyu announced."Get ready to jump. I already see the welcoming committee."

"But..." Miku clutched her heart."You'll be left behind..."

"This isn't right!" Elfnein protested.

"Maybe not. But it's the only way you'll get to the mainland. Remember your mission. To find Hazuki Kaburagi's whereabouts. If you cause a ruckus, they'll figure out you invaded China and he'll go into hiding, destroying our hopes of ever ending this tyranny."

Miku and Elfnein were uncomfortable with the decision, but Bragi chimed in.

"He has a point. I don't like this either, but we're in enemy territory now. We have to do what we can to reach that destination." Bragi held out the piece of paper Haoyu gave him."Clover Bar, right?"

"Oh! Do you know Chinese?! My bad! I thought I wrote it in Japanese."

"I know Chinese. I am knowledgeable in every language in the world."

"So am I." Elfnein nodded.

"I feel a little left out..." Miku sweatdropped, earning a chuckle from Haoyu.

"It's time." Haoyu said, taking a deep breath after they were a few minutes from reaching the port."Jump now. Before they see you."

"Thank you..." Bragi said to him, receiving a small smile.

"No...Thank you for coming to our help. I entrust the fate of our country and people to you. Now get going." Haoyu gave them a thumbs up, watching them jump off the ship. He stared at the troop of soldiers waiting for him, armed to the teeth. He opened up his jacket, revealing several grenades inside."I'm not going down without a fight!"

Meanwhile, Bragi had created a gravity field around the 3 of them to be able to breathe underwater as they floated away. They heard a distant explosion, shifting their attention back to the ship and noticing a huge explosion. They couldn't mourn for Haoyu. But they decided to fulfill his request as a way to honor him. And that was finding the Freedom Fighters.

"So you're telling me that the ship we sent out to Val Verde came back with no survivors except an infiltrated resistance member...and he infiltrated 3 people into the country?" Hazuki furrowed his brow, watching the recording of 3 figures running away from the docks. Due to their appearance, they had no distinguishable characteristics, making it hard to determine who they were.

"It does appear that way." Setsuna nodded."We just got this report. Our soldiers killed the traitor and searched the ship but found only the bodies of the former crew. No signs of anything else."

Despia used her Divine Power, allowing herself to speak."Why would he sneak 3 people into the country? Could they be SONG members...?"

"I doubt it." Hazuki shook his head."Why would they only send 3 of them into enemy territory? They're more likely to do a large, desperate attack. Ragnarok is in 2 days. There is no reason for them to pull this shit. We need to know more before reaching any conclusions."

"Let me do it." Setsuna volunteered herself."Let me be the one to take care of these heathens, Hazuki-onii-chan. If they want to stop us from creating a perfect world...they will be crushed without mercy."

"Take it easy." Hazuki smiled at his sister."As I said, we need to know more. And I know just the person that can help us out."

The leader of the Disasters took out his phone, dialing a number and waiting for the person to pick up."Hello. Yes. I think you know why I'm calling. How about telling me where these 3 intruders are heading?"

"B-Bragi! Can we take a little break?!" Miku squeezed Bragi's hand, forcing him to stop. Elfnein was panting as well, clearly exhausted from running for so long. He peered out of the alleyway they were in, realizing no one was chasing them. It seemed that they hadn't gotten any unnecessary attention. At least so far. But no doubt those soldiers at the docks were hot on their trails. It wasn't hard to figure out that they would put the pieces together upon realizing Haoyu had come back with all of his crew dead.

"We're in the clear for now. Guess we can take it easy. Act natural and keep your hands in your pockets. If they realize we don't have the Brand, we'll be in trouble. A fight is the absolute last thing we need."

The trio casually entered the street, integrating with the walking passerby.

"Everything looks...Normal..." Elfnein commented."I was expecting something...you know..."

"Me too. But China sure is something else, huh?" Miku marbled."Where exactly are we right now?"

"Tianjin, if I'm not mistaken." Bragi supplied."Haoyu gave us a map. And some directions to find the place we're looking for. A bar. Shouldn't be too far from here."

"I can't believe all these people are being manipulated by Hazuki..." Miku clenched her fists."How could he do something like this to all these people? Enslaving them?"

"Whatever the case, it seems not everyone is against this idea," Bragi said.

"What do you mean, Bragi-chan?" Elfnein asked.

Bragi looked to the opposite side of the sidewalk. Some people looked depressed, keeping their heads down. Others seemed jolly. Happy. As if they had no worries in the world."Take a look. Some people seemed to have bought the Superstar's promise of a new world. They don't look too keen on being freed from his grasp. Remember...Hazuki is a messiah just like Hajime. So the more people who believe in him, the stronger he will be. If he has a whole country on his side...Honestly, I don't even want to think about the monster that he is now."

"I see...I guess, without context, his offer does seem tempting." Miku frowned."I mean, who wouldn't want a world of peace where people truly understand each other? But underneath that..."

"He just wants to be in control of everyone's destinies." Elfnein chimed in."Control their lives...and get rid of their Free Will."

"Just so that he can be the God of control. Makes me sick." Bragi scoffed.

"He has what it takes to be a demon, I'll say that much." A mouth appeared on Bragi's cheek. Thankfully, the wig he was wearing made it hard to see."But then again, he has the wicked Aesir God, Loki on his side."

"Do you think maybe Loki is influencing him?" Miku asked the demon."When I met him...Hazuki wasn't like what he is today."

"It's hard to say, but I'm sure part of him must want this. After all, they are on equal terms in that body, meaning they probably performed a Ritual of Equals."

"Just like Tobias and Thor." Elfnein realized."So then he must have been on board with this."

"Maybe before, he could have been saved. But now? No. Don't forget. The sick bastard was about to let a nuke annihilate all of us." Bragi gritted his teeth."When I see him I'm going to punch him in the face."

"Is that because of your promise to me?" Miku smiled.

"Promise?" Elfnein tilted her head.

"He said he'd punch Hazuki for what he did to me."

"Awww!" Elfnein cooed, pinching his cheek."That's so adorable, Bragi-chan!"

"Ouch! You're squeezing me, Mama Elfnein!" Beelzebub protested.

"Oops! I'm so sorry!" The blonde retracted her hand.

"Must be down this street," Bragi said, eyeing the street name before glancing down at the map. He looked for a sign and found the name of the bar a few meters away."Yeah. It's here."

"It's kind of a rundown place, don't you think?" Miku couldn't help but notice how...secluded and dirty the place was.

"Well, all cities have places like this. Good thing too. Not a lot of eyes that will ask questions." Bragi led the way, heading toward the bar. He opened the door, hearing the bell announce their arrival as they entered. Behind the counter, a big lady was cleaning a glass with a napkin before noticing them.

"Oh, my. I wasn't expecting customers this early in the day. Normally they come past noon but I like to clean the place a little." The woman smiled."Forgive me for asking, but aren't you a little too young to be drinking?"

"We aren't here for the drinks." Bragi stated, approaching the counter and leaning on it."We're here because we want to get in contact with the Resistance. The Freedom Fighters."

The woman froze, but kept her composure, resuming her task."I have no dealings with those heathens. I am afraid you got the wrong person to pry for information."

"Did we get the wrong address...?" Miku worried, clutching her chest.

Bragi noticed the brand on the woman's hand."Please. Haoyu told us you could help us. He...he gave up his life to give us this address and-"

"Wait, you know Haoyu?" She gasped, noticing their hands and the lack of Brands."None of you are Branded...Wait, what happened to Haoyu...?"

Bragi explained to her what had transpired and she dropped her glasses, sobbing.

"That stupid boy...Oh, I told him to stop being so damn reckless. But he never listened. He did everything for the sake of his comrades..." She wiped her tears, sniffing."I apologize for my earlier reaction. It's just...you never know who will come knocking. My name is Qiao Sing. A pleasure to meet you, heroes of the world."

"If you know about us, then you're a member of the Freedom Fighters, miss?" Miku asked, receiving a smile in response.

"I am more of an ally than an actual member. The only thing I do is help those that Xiao sends over to hide them and give them lodging."

"Xiao?" Elfnein parroted.

"He's the leader of the Freedom Fighters. He called me yesterday about this. It must have slipped my mind." She hummed as she headed for the back."I should probably give him a call."

"Speaking of which, we should probably contact the others back in Japan." Bragi took out his communicator, synchronizing the signal."This is Bragi here."

He waited for a response. And waited. He frowned, pressing the button again."This is Bragi to HQ. Do you read me?"

"No response?" Miku frowned, trying out her communicator."Nothing. Maybe they're asleep?"

"There's only 1 hour difference between China and Japan." Elfnein shook her head."And it's barely morning here. Could it be that our communicators are broken?"

However, Miku's communicator went off, causing her to beam.

"Hello? This is Miku-"

"Miku..." Came Bragi's voice from her communicator. She slowly turned to face her, his face completely pale.

"Our communicators work...But we can't contact home...?" Elfnein felt her heart sunk to her stomach."What does that mean...?"

"I called Xiao but he's not picking up. I suppose we'll have to wait until he decides to stop snoozing all day and send someone to pick you up. In the meantime, you're more than welcome to stay here, dears. It's usually pretty dead here until later on, so I don't mind the company."

"Sure...But we can't contact home." Bragi said.

"Oh? That's strange." The woman smiled, setting a few glasses of water for the children."I'm sure Xiao can figure something out. He is pretty reliable."

"So this Xiao guy...He's the head of the Resistance?" Bragi inquired, gratefully taking a sip to quench his thirst.

"That's right. When everything went to shit, he stepped forward and gathered the lost people around." She informed them."He's been doing a great job at giving the people hope. Real hope, anyway. Others fall for Hazuki Kaburagi's words. Words filled with nothing but malice. But people here respect the Liang. So his words carry a lot of weight. But then, so should his..."

"His?" Miku tilted her head, curious to know what she meant.

Suddenly, the door slammed open, catching their attention. It was a soldier, accompanied by two younger men.

"Good day to you, Qiao Sing." The man smirked."We're here for these 3 you have over here."

"These 3 customers?" She adopted a bored expression."I'm sorry, but they're paying customers. I don't know what your game is, but these 3 are not worth anything useful to you."

"Really now? Customers? 3 children who aren't even old enough to drink, sitting in a bar?" He asked with obvious sarcasm in his voice."As it happens, we got a report of 3 intruders entering the country via illegal means."

'Even if they know that how the hell did they know we were here?!' Bragi bit his lower lip.'They didn't follow us! I made sure of it!'

"We were just on our way to go fishing." Miku suddenly spoke up."Unfortunately, our gear broke, so we were on our way to go more new ones."

"Really? And what store were you going to? What's the name?" The man asked, walking over to Miku. Bragi side-eyed him, noticing how close he was to her."Tell me...Or there is the second choice."

"Second choice...?"

"Please, leave these children alone-"

"Shut the fuck up, fat bitch." The man glared at the older woman. He cupped Miku's cheek."Can't you see I'm-"

Suddenly Miku elbowed him in the chest, knocking the wind out of the man. He raised his arm, attempting to slap her, but he blocked it with her forearm before elbowing him in the face. With a mighty roar, she kicked him in the chest, knocking him through the door and into the outside.

"What the fuck?!" Another soldier yelped."Captain! Look!"

Wei opened the door of their armored vehicle, noticing the unconscious soldier on the ground."What in the hell...?"

"Wow, Miku..." Bragi breathed, amazed."You kicked his butt."

"I can't believe I did that..." Miku mumbled in shock."I just...It came so naturally to me..."

"We've been training non-stop for a month." Elfnein smiled."And you're a fast learner."

"Yeah, you're incredible, Miku." Bragi grinned, making his girlfriend blush.

"Oh...Thank you." She blushed, embarrassed by his praise.

"Now, you just made a huge mistake!"

They all turned to the door, trying to see the people outside through the hole Miku had made in the door. And to their surprise, Wei was the one standing facing the door.

"Oh, shit...That's Wei..." Bragi muttered, but the girls managed to hear him.

"Wei-kun?! You mean Hajime's cousin?!" Miku gasped."Chao-Xing-san's younger brother!"

"You kids know him?" Qiao Sing looked surprised."He's a pretty high-ranking member of the Disasters. He's pretty close to the Emperor."

"I'll give you one chance to come out. You have 5 seconds to surrender yourselves immediately!" Wei yelled, counting aloud. However, upon reaching 0, no one came out."Alright then...Guess I have no choice but to lure you out...By force!"

He flipped upside down, doing a handstand rapidly, creating a gust of wind around him as his boots glowed.

"Oh, crap! What do we do?!" Elfnein panicked."If that attack is as strong as Shirabe-san said, he'll bring the whole bar down!"

"Is there a back door?!" Miku asked the owner.

"No...My kids! I have my grandkids sleeping upstairs!" Qiao Sing immediately bolted upstairs.

"Wait!" Bragi cried out, but it was in vain."Fuck...Fuck! What do we do?! If we use our powers, he'll figure out who we are and report to the Superstar! Our plan will go up in smoke!"

"But...The children..." Miku shivered."If we don't do something, Wei-kun will...!"

"Fuck it!" Bragi was surrounded by a purple aura.

"Bragigi!" Beelzebub yelled."Let's toast his ass!"

"I know!" Bragi extended his arms, ready to bounce the attack away.'This might kill him...Fuck...I'm sorry, Hajime...'

"Time is up!" Wei screamed, flipping back up and kicking the air."Sky Slicer!"

A slash was shot from his leg, large enough to cover the whole building.

"Now, Repel-"

However, a figure appeared from the skies, and the slash of energy was stopped, dispersing into particles.

"What?!" Wei's eyes shot wide open.

"Someone stopped the attack?" Miku squinted, trying to make up for the person who had just appeared.

"That's..." Qiao Sing, who was carrying the two small children in her arms, beamed in joy."It's Xiao!"

Xiao sighed, sheathing his sword back in its sheath on his hip as he glared at the Disasters. The soldiers aimed their guns, but Xiao aimed his bionic arm at them, shooting several bullets from his fingertips, killing them. Wei narrowed his eyes, getting ready to attack.

"Miss Qiao...are you okay?" Xiao asked, glancing over his shoulder.

"Now that you're here, we are!" She gushed in happiness."Leave it to Xiao to save the day!"

Xiao noticed the 3 members of SONG, not recognizing any of them."Are they-"

"Xiao! In front!"

Xiao immediately turned around to see Wei coming toward him with a kick. The leader of the Resistance unsheathed his blade in an instant, parrying Wei's boot with a swift slash.

'He deflected it by merely unsheathing his blade?! So this is the leader of the Freedom Fighters...Xiao Ishigori!' Wei then noticed something in Xiao's eye. That brief clash that last but a second. He felt it. The pitch-black hair similar to his. The pink eye."You...you're...!"

Xiao raised his sword, aiming at Wei.

"You're a Liang!"

A Liang survivor?! In China?! Stay tuned for the next chapter!