Author's Note: Alright guys, I welcome all crazy ideas for powers for Hajime's new form, as it will continue to become stronger the more powers he gets! It doesn't only have to be cards, but it can be power combinations and such. As of now, these are the following Riders with their respective elemental powers.
Hajime: Fire/Black fire, darkness, water, nature, light, metal, gravity(to some degree), and poison.
Yosuke: Wind, energy/guns, and bronze.
Raiden: Psychic, ice, and spiral energy.
Let your creativity run wild with these guys.
Reviews:
Tigracho: Yeah, in the end, humanity's greatest monster was just a boy who was broken and had too much power for his own good. That's true, Loki is ultimately the one to blame for what Hazuki became. As Hajime said, he had more luck than his older brother, which is why even despite being so similar in terms of what they are and their powers, their paths diverged a long time ago. But Hazuki also just went too far as well. He pretty much became Loki later on in the series, manipulating and lying to others, using them as tools. He succumbed to his darkness and dragged down those around him with him. He just went full-on crazy mode when Hajime and Miku rejected his idea back in GX. It feels surreal how the enemies that our cast has been fighting since G are all gone. Even after the original 3 Disasters died, we had the Calamities. But now they're all defeated. Right, rebuilding Japan is pretty much impossible and hopeless. Like, imagine if all the countries isolated themselves without warning at the same time, and a huge disaster just ravaged the world and left your country upside down. In a way, yeah, they saved humanity from being enslaved by Hazuki, but at the same time now they're on a path to doom. The only way to fix the world and save humanity is to do the things they didn't want to do. Get the wish. But of course, the gamemaster stands in their way. The one who set the domino effect off and has been waiting patiently for this moment. The Allfather is about to make his entrance. Yeah, Chris is okay, don't worry.
Lord RI Husbu King: Yeah, I kind of inspired that from those two moments in particular. I kind of like it when two characters just talk like that. It's weird, I know.
Guest: Adios al chico que queria cambiar el mundo eliminando la maldad.
Anthony Galupo: Lol I love the mix reviews about him.
GoldenFire 215: Right. I mean, in a way the heroes are the same way. People who have power beyond humanity. But unlike Hazuki, they use it for others. That's where Loki's influence and his trauma come in. His whole life has been nothing but misery, forcing him to seek salvation in Loki's idea to then take his place of power as his own. I think not everyone would act like him, but when you have his backstory and a higher entity telling you what to do to the point you become that being then it's only natural things ended that way for him.
SoutaAmetsuchi: Yeah, it was one of the most intense chapters I have ever written. I do love some references here and there but also because I think some of them fit in with certain scenes. It was pretty wholesome, you're right. Hajime knows that his past self was too aggressive so he would have made things harder for Hibiki if he went around hospitalizing anyone who bullied her. But at the same time, he can think about it. That's basically his argument against Hazuki. You don't have to make a whole new reality to imagine something. Yeah honestly, I was thinking of him dying in a beam clash or something. But dying by getting stabbed and bleeding to death via accidentally falling seemed more appropriate.
FlameFireZero X: The so-called Supreme Overlord fell from grace and was reduced to a mere human, stripped away from all his titles and what he represented. Yeah, honestly, I was too tired when I finished the chapter, I forgot about the mom. But yes, we made it to the grand finale.
Ryugen: That's a nice way of putting it. Calamities end, but chaos starts again. It can be good or evil, but we know what it's for in the hands of Hajime. Yeah, Hazuki pretty much dug his own grave. Yeah, Thor and Tobias are for sure the MVPS of this season. Thanks to them, our heroes stood a chance to win. Freaking Hazuki was copying everything and anything, but of course, the copy is nothing against the original. YOU GOT THE REFERENCE TOO?! I LOVE THAT SONG! In the end, his own family ended up destroying his life's work. He stole the wrong sister. Honestly, if you can give me more cards it'd be great. Now that Hajime is getting more and more powers, his arsenal is growing rapidly.
Guest: It won't be easy. If Hazuki was hard, then Odin is just on another level.
Tenzalucard123: The greatest enemies of humanity are finally defeated. Technically, Hajime caused his death. Maybe he didn't kill him, but he made the situation possible. Please, Odin, let them rest!
nicolasseverino95: Yeah, Hajime went from having 3 to having 7 Advent Beast. Hopefully, this can help him fight Odin.
Dragstorm rider: You're right. Ryuga became a threat after G, but he was always there since the first season. In a way, it's sad to see him go. But his evil couldn't be allowed to continue. Hajime tried to convince him to stop and reach out to change his heart but Hazuki just never allowed him. He was too far gone to change. He had become strong enough that even Thor's power wasn't enough, forcing Hajime to awaken to Ventara's power, which helped turn the tides. Hopefully, this power will be enough to stop Odin. Only time will tell as we enter the final battle.
BladeBrave04: Yeah, it's a tragic death. His whole situation couldn't have been avoided, unfortunately. Even if Hajime had met him earlier, Loki already had his claws around him. Funny you mentioned the word injustice, as I kind of envision Hazuki as Superman from Injustice. In the end, words were not needed, and the brothers ended their sibling rivalry in one final fight.
TheEmeraldMage: Hold on, I never ask you this but...you don't hate Jojo, do you?! All of them were weakened. If you think about it, they all came there after resting briefly from their respective fights to the death with the other Calamities. Hazuki was just not letting them do anything since he thought he had won and was one step away from ruling over all. What crossovers are you talking about in particular? I'm curious now lol. But I think I have seen something similar in other stories. It speaks a lot from Miku when she's constantly trying to talk Hazuki down or telling him the things he had to hear. He was her boyfriend at one point, after all. Yeah, sorry for the long yap fest. But in summary, it was Hajime's last attempt to talk to Hazuki and make him surrender willingly. That's why he starts crying because he then fully realizes that there is no talking Hazuki down. His words are not reaching him and never will, so he has to put him down, his own flesh and blood. Honestly, his death was meant to provoke mixed feelings. We have someone who claims himself to be the new God of creation, battered and beaten, slipping into a hole, and impaled by spikes. And that's when we see his true self. A scared boy who begged the brother he just tried to kill for help. Some people felt bad but others just laughed because this is truly what he deserves after what he's done. Yeah, only Japan remains. So using the wish is probably the only way to save it.
Chapter 167
On The Horizon
Hajime limped his way back to...well, he didn't know where. Everything was destroyed and he didn't know where anything or anyone was. All he knew was that his ankle must look like a balloon since he could see the bulge of it when he looked down at his pants. He had walked for a while now. His blood was dry, his tears were dry, and he was just about ready to collapse.
"Hibiki..." He muttered to himself, trying to find the strength to make it back to the others. But his legs were just about ready to give up on him. Taking a nap didn't sound so bad right about now. So he stopped walking, letting gravity do its work as he closed his eyes. Just then, he felt someone's back cushioning his fall, and before he knew it, he was being piggybacked."Huh...? Yosuke-san..."
"Sorry, I took a while to get here." Yosuke said, smiling with pride."You did it, Adachi. You did it."
"Is it over...?" Hajime mumbled.
"The sun is shining again." Yosuke looked up at the sky."So yes, Ragnarok is finally over. You alright?"
"I'm okay," Hajime said, but Yosuke knew him like the back of his hand by now.
"Hey. You did a good thing today, okay? You saved us all. Because of you, humanity is still standing." Yosuke reassured him."You did great."
"How are the others?" Hajime asked, changing the subject.
"Alive," Yosuke said. No one was in the best condition, but at the very least, everyone had pulled through to the end of the day. Yosuke continued talking, but Hajime simply drifted off into unconsciousness, exhaustion overtaking him. Yosuke sighed, smiling. After a while, they finally reached the others, who were gathered around, resting and awaiting for Genjuro to pick them up.
"Hajime!" Hibiki rushed over to Yosuke, fussing over her boyfriend's condition."Oh, no! Look at him, Yosuke-san! He's hurt!"
"He'll be fine. He's been through worse than this." Yosuke said."Don't worry. He'll pull through."
"So it's all over then?" Raiden carefully asked, having wrapped his arm around Maria since he was having difficulty standing up."He's dead?"
"Yeah." Yosuke nodded.
"Did...did Hajime-kun...?" Miku clutched her heart.
"I doubt it. He seemed pretty distraught." Yosuke shrugged."Whatever happened, Hazuki Kaburagi is dead."
"I see..." Miku lowered her head, a few tears streaming down her face.
"Don't feel bad for that bastard." Chris placed a hand on her shoulder."He played with your heart and killed so many people. He doesn't deserve to be cried for."
"I know, but...Gosh, I just can't believe it ended up this way..." Miku sniffed, prompting Hibiki to hug her.
"That goes for all of us." Maria chimed in."All of the Disasters...and the Calamities. They were enemies we've been dealing with since day 1. Some of which are close to us. And it's...all over. They're gone."
"At least they can rest in peace now." Elsa muttered."I am happy to know that the souls in the Sea of Souls have finally been liberated."
"Allister as well." Chris pointed out, placing a hand on her shoulder before shrugging."As well as Terunosuke. And Chiaki, I guess."
"Hold on, that just reminded me." Chris pointed at Tsubasa."Why are you here, Senpai?! And you too, Elsa?!"
"Good point, Yukine." Yosuke pursed his lips."That was incredibly risky for both of you. You both just lost an arm. And Kohinata, I told you to stay behind. We're lucky Adachi pulled through when he did, otherwise, Kaburagi would have destroyed the Symphogear using your power."
"Hey, cut her some slack." Maria shook her head."We're lucky they came. We were being slaughtered out there."
"But still..." Yosuke took a deep breath."Never mind. I'm just glad you're both okay."
"I couldn't just let you all die." Tsubasa walked up to him, kissing him on the lips."I love you..."
"I love you too." He smiled, blushing.
"I also couldn't stand by when everyone was fighting so hard-de-arimasu." Elsa raised her remaining fist."Not after you've all done so much for me and my daughter."
"Elsa-chan really helped us back then." Shirabe smiled."Without her, we wouldn't have survived."
"Ah, it was nothing." Elsa chuckled sheepishly.
"Guess we all went through hell today, huh?" Raiden chuckled dryly."We had to fight Bragard. That stone of his...it kept bringing him back to life over and over. And we..."
"Elfnein-chan used her memories to temporarily become a Philosopher's Stone, entering his body and destroying the stone connected to his soul." Yosuke grimaced."If it weren't for her, we wouldn't be here now."
"No way..." Kirika gasped in horror."Then Elfnein-chan..."
"She has no more memories...?" Hibiki asked, her voice nearly breaking.
"Right..." Raiden nodded, tears streaming down his face. Maria quickly hugged him to comfort his broken heart, and he sobbed on her chest.
"Despia...She killed herself in front of us..." Chris rubbed her arm."We managed to breach the darkness surrounding her heart but...the hold was too strong. She opted to kill herself rather than to keep fighting."
"Despia-chan must have been brokenhearted..." Hibiki mumbled, thinking about the female magician."To her, Yomi was everything..."
"This battle wasn't easy." Yosuke addressed the group."We came out on top. We were able to stop the destruction of the world. And finally, we defeated the Disasters of Valhalla and put an end to the Calamity Riders."
"But what are we supposed to do now?" Shirabe inquired, receiving no immediate reply.
"Everything hurts..." Hajime suddenly spoke up, opening one of his eyes.
"Hajime...!" Hibiki beamed, grabbing his hand. Yosuke adjusted his position slightly so Hibiki could look at Hajime's face."You poor thing...Look at you...My Sunny..."
"Me? Sunshine, your nose..." Hajime tried to get up from Yosuke's back, but his body had no energy to do so.
"I'll be fine." She cupped his cheeks, crying with a smile."We'll be fine. Setsuna-chan too...We saved her!"
"I'm so glad...So that image of her wasn't fake, after all..." Hajime whispered to himself, feeling a huge weight lift off his shoulders.
"What exactly happened to Hazuki?" Chris folded her arms, eager to know.
Suddenly, they heard the sound of a helicopter approaching. Once it landed, Genjuro jumped out of it and rushed toward the group, somehow gathering all of them in one spot and hugging them.
"I'm so glad you're all safe..." The burly man said, holding them tight as if they were a lifeline.
"C-Commander, you're killing me..." Hajime groaned in pain.
"Uncle!" Tsubasa cried out.
"Oh! Sorry!" Genjuro pulled back from the embrace, earning several gasps from lack of oxygen from the group."I was just...extremely worried. Being so powerless, praying so no one would die...It hasn't been easy. But I can't imagine what any of you have gone through today. But it's finally over. You have defeated humanity's greatest enemies."
"But what's going to happen with the world now?" Kirika tilted her head.
"Hazuki...He said he destroyed over 98% of the world." Hajime grumbled, a sick feeling invading his stomach."Only Japan remains..."
"Yes. Just as Yatsuhiro-aniki said, all other countries have been entirely wiped out." Genjuro furrowed his brow. We haven't fully assessed the damage, but we plan to send out troops to see if there are any survivors. However...using the remaining working satellites we have, it's clear that the rest of the world has become uninhabitable, as it's nothing more than a black wasteland. But we'll talk about that later. For now, let's get you all patched up."
"I...I chased Hazuki down deep into Shinjuku." Hajime out of nowhere began to talk again."We went inside a construction site...and he stepped on a wood board. It broke and he...fell into rebars. He bled to death, and I heard him screaming in both pain and fear..."
"Hajime..." Miku grabbed his hand.
"I didn't save him...I tried so hard, but..." Hajime bit his lower lip, shaking his head."Is Ragnarok really over?"
"Well, the sky is blue, the sun is shining..." Genjuro took out his phone."Look at this."
"Huh? I don't see anything out of the ordinary." Kirika said, paying close attention to the home screen of his phone.
"Look at the time, Kirika." Shirabe pointed at the time, as it changed."Time is flowing again."
"Oh, you're right! So Ragnarok is truly over!" Kirika beamed in joy."Blacky-kun pulled it off!"
"Indeed, you have prevailed, Messiah of Chaos."
From the heavens themselves, a golden light down on the planet a few yards away from the group. They all watched in awe as Kamen Rider Odin descended from the skies, arms folded across his chest until his boots touched the ground, summoning his Goldvisor.
"Odin..." Hajime muttered in shock.
"Why is he here?!" Kirika took an instinctive step back. Shirabe grabbed her hand, but the dark-haired girl was equally in shock, trembling like a leaf.
"Of course..." Tsubasa gritted her teeth."Odin was already here before we attacked. We forgot about him with everything that was going on..."
"Indeed. I have observed all of your battles. And I have to say, I am impressed with all of your progress. Both Symphogear and Kamen Riders. You have overcome the adversity presented in front of you, the Calamity Riders. Or perhaps I should say the Divine Disasters of Valhalla, as you have annihilated every single one of their members." He looked down at himself, chuckling."Perhaps I should present myself to you in a more...casual manner."
In the blink of an eye, Odin's armor turned to gold dust, revealing the appearance underneath. Hajime's eyes widened, despite both of them being swollen, and uttered a single word.
"Dad..."
Indeed, the being in front of them looked exactly like Hazama Liang. He was wearing a golden tuxedo and a white dress shirt underneath with an azure-colored tie. He also had a white hat with a golden ribbon, and a cane to match his appearance. He was paler than Hazama actually was, and his eyes were golden, in contrast to the characteristic pink eyes of a pure Liang.
"No way...Adachi told me he looked like a corpse the last time he saw him..." Yosuke uttered in disbelief.
"True." Odin chuckled, checking out his appearance."I did not care much about the condition of the body. But being in that armor all the time became rather dull, so I restored the appearance and improved upon it. Do you like this suit? I made it myself with only the finest materials known to your limited species."
"How dare you use Hajime's father like this!" Hibiki cried out in fury.
"Patience, Gungnir." Odin wagged his finger."You are a little too on edge. All of you are. But then again, I understand why. After all, I am here."
He shifted his gaze from Hajime to Yosuke, and then Raiden."Ryuki, Knight, and Raia...The three Riders who overcame the Rider War and survived. You reached the grand finale. You have persisted until the very end. And for that, you have my sincerest congratulations."
The 3 boys said nothing, glaring back at the Alfather.
"You became stronger, as I expected. As much of a mess as this war was, with all the teaming going around, it turned out fine. Of course, I had intended for a battle royal, for everyone to kill each other in quick succession. But the many alliances brought about were truly a thrill to behold."
"So, Chiaki was correct then..." Hajime said."The real purpose of this war was for you to wait for the Riders to kill each other, grow stronger, and develop their Advent Beasts to then kill them and steal their powers...You can't grant the wish. It's Ventara's power that will allow the person who becomes a vessel to it to be the one who gains the power to do so."
"Oh? So you all had figured that part out already. Impressive. I suppose there is no point to hide it anymore. It is true. I had intended for all Riders to kill each other in combat, increasing their abilities and evolving in battle, and then for me to kill them after they were of no further use."
"But why?" Chris furrowed her brow."What's the point? Wouldn't it have been easier for you to just kill them all and take their powers?"
"If you truly want Ventara's power that badly, then why didn't you do it sooner?" Maria demanded.
"The answer is very simple, my dear girls." He leaned forward, hands on his cane."Evolution."
"Evolution...?" Genjuro raised a brow.
"Indeed. Humans have incredible potential...It seems they were engineered with nearly endless possibilities. So I wanted to see the Riders evolve."
"That doesn't answer why." Raiden pointed out.
"Then perhaps I should enter into further detail." Odin said, amused."You see, back when I cut Ventara into pieces, I created the Advent Beasts. I gave them shape and form, distributing their powers. In a sense, I am their creator. Of course, I ended up giving Goldphoenix more power than the rest. I think our first encounter should be proof enough, right, Hajime Adachi and Yosuke Yanagi?"
Yosuke squinted his eyes, reminiscing of the very much one-sided battle against Odin 2 years ago. He also remembered their second fight with Hajime, and how powerless they still were."So we were meant to be weaker than you. That sounds like a rigged game to me."
"Well, I am the gamemaster after all. I would be very foolish not to give myself an advantage."
"But still, what's the point of that?" Genjuro asked."Why go through all that trouble to see Rider evolution?"
"I was getting to that. But I think Yosuke has a pretty good idea." Odin smiled at him, who was rubbing his chin with wide, shocked eyes."Isn't that right? I can see it in your eyes."
"This whole time...You've been experimenting with Advent Beasts and Riders to become stronger...because you want to create an even stronger Ventara than the one that existed before, right...?" Yosuke carefully said, revealing his hypothesis.
"Bingo." Odin laughed, clapping."Very good. You impress me. Thats right. I've been letting all of you evolve and grow stronger so that I can get your evolved power and become something even higher than what Ventara was. You've already done plenty. I believe the ancient angel, Lucifer, told you, did he not? I created the Advent Beasts into their Survive forms and then regressed them into their base forms. But a few of you took that power to a whole other level and ascended. Conqueror's Regalia, also known as Oversurvive. You've proved me right. With this much power, it is possible to attain power even beyond a God like Ventara. Something that even I cannot comprehend. And it all starts with you."
"So is that it?" Hajime forcefully got off Yosuke's bag, whimpering in pain upon putting pressing on his messed up ankle again."I won't let you...hurt anyone...I'll stop you."
"Hajime!" Hibiki quickly came to his side, helping him up.
"While it would be so easy to kill all of you, even if you weren't wounded and weakened...As well as being the smart decision..." Odin clasped his hands together."But I shall allow this. Beating you now has no merit. It's my final test to prove myself as the God above all, and I shall accept it. After all, once I get rid of all of you and gain Ventara's power, I will have no equal. So this will be the last time I can ever have fun in a fight."
"Huh?" Hajime blinked.
"I shall give you time to recover and become stronger. Judging by your injuries...I think 1 month should suffice. We will have our final confrontation on April 1st, at the time of your choosing. I will await you at the beginning of the new world I plan to create."
"New world?" Genjuro parroted.
"Loki and Hazuki Kaburagi's ideas were flawed, but not unfounded. This world is dead. Once I get what I desire, I will use it as a foundation to recreate Midgard and expand upon all existence itself. Like so." Odin snapped his fingers, and immediately chunks of land began to levitate into the sky. On top of that, various grey pillars emerged from the ground, all of them covered in blue, pulsing veins.
"Wait, those look like..." Tsubasa gaped.
"The Yggdrasil!" Hibiki finished for her, bewildered."But we destroyed it!"
"Ah, of course. I suppose you did deal with something like this in the past, did you not? But don't be mistaken. The Custodians only created a replica. After our world was destroyed, technology and resources spread across the realms. The Custodians got the knowledge of a few of them, such as the Frontier. What you dealt with was a mere imitation. This is the real deal. And I've been carefully taking preparing it. All I needed was to copy what Hazuki Kaburagi did and offer a God."
"A God? But who?" Raiden asked.
"A little Custodian. I think his name was Susanoo. Well, he came here to "distract" me to let the other Custodians in. Not like I was going to stop them, but he certainly my made job easier. And now..." Odin raised his arms, as several chunks of land around the world were levitating, connecting via ethereal bridges."Midgard will begin. Fortunately for you, I have decided to halt the process, as I need a tremendous amount of energy. So there you have it. You have one month to come challenge me, Kamen Riders. The Rider War has just entered overtime. The grand finale is finally here. So..."
Odin eyed Hajime, who glared back."Messiah of Chaos, after awakening Ventara's powers, I wonder what you'll show me during our fight. Heal your wounds, Hajime. Get strong. After that, we'll settle the matter."
Just as he appeared, Odin took off into the sky, disappearing from view. Hajime immediately collapsed, having used the last of his strength to stand up to the God of All. All he could faintly hear was Hibiki yelling his name before losing consciousness again.
A few days later, the remains of Japan were starting to come together to try and rebuild what they lost. Yatsuhiro was currently in Tsubasa's room with Yosuke, sitting down and telling them what was going on outside while they were recuperating.
"Originally, we were going to start rebuilding. Tokyo, Shinjuku, Ikebukuro, and many other districts have been destroyed, leaving many people homeless. But with the new information we possess about Odin, we have to hold that for the moment. In the case that Odin is defeated. Not to mention the chunks of land levitating around Japan."
"Father, you don't think we can win?" Tsubasa frowned. She had gotten a bionic arm, using the schematic used for the one Chao-Xing had.
"He's being realistic, dear." Yosuke said, sitting by the side of her bed."Yatsuhiro-san, be honest with us. What's the state of Japan now that all other countries have been destroyed?"
"Straight to the point, is it?" Yatsuhiro liked that part about Yosuke. He was still young, yet was more mature than many congressmen he knew. He was happy his daughter had a man like him in her life."I'll be honest. Normally, most countries can't sustain themselves without food imports as well as other goods. It's the main reason why we never saw another war after the great wars in the past. Oil, food, medicine, fuels, and all resources in general. And with many parts of Japan being the way they are, we won't be able to properly feed everyone. Furthermore, think about all the nationalities we lost. Religions, ethnicities, and other things will be lost to history. It will be...nearly impossible for Japan to survive. "
"I see." Yosuke felt Tsubasa squeeze his hand, giving him a worried look."So, we'll need that wish no matter what..."
"Yosuke..." She almost pleaded."This is insane...Can someone like Odin even be beaten?"
"We made it here. It's too late for us to just turn back. Even if we don't do it, we'll all die." Yosuke closed his eyes."The world...it's not safe. Not until we seek the truth and put an end to the Rider War. Once and for all."
"Yosuke." Yatsuhiro addressed the purple-haired young man."At first, I was hesitant to let you into my daughter's heart. Mostly because my Father was a danger. But also because I was hesitant to release my daughter into a man's embrace. But after everything that's happened, and after I've seen you at your best and worst...I concluded that there is no better partner for Tsubasa. As a father, I couldn't be happier. And I will support both of you as best as I can. You have my blessing."
"Father..." Tsubasa nearly started to cry. Yosuke smiled, looking at Tsubasa's eyes lovingly.
"Thank you, sir. I promise you, we will win this upcoming fight. And I'll be by Tsubasa's side for the rest of my life."
Tsubasa sniffed, reaching for his cheek and leaning for a kiss."I love you..."
"I love you too. My queen."
"And done." Doctor Sakura Amanai finished checking over Elsa's arm. Fortunately for Elsa, her arm was attached back to her body."This may sound weird to say, but you should thank the person who cut your arm off. The cut was incredibly clean, so the muscle tissue was still alive, allowing it to be reattached to you. Just try not to move it too much for a few weeks."
"Thank you, doctor." Elsa smiled in gratitude, ruffling Mona's hair."How are you feeling, mon cheri?
"I'm okay, Mother." Mona hugged her. Strike got comfortable next to the bed, lying down by Mona's feet."Will you be okay?"
"Don't count your Mom out just yet." Maria said, sitting on another one of the beds, watching over Kirika, who had a cast around her neck."She's tough as nails."
"Yeah!" Kirika winced, after yelling, rubbing her neck.
"Kiri-chan, please, remember what the doctor told you." Shirabe chided her sister.
"I know, I know..." Kirika groaned, laying back down on her bed.
Sakura chuckled."I have to say, it hasn't been this lively in quite a while. I missed it."
"I guess we didn't stick around too long when Ragnarok started..." Maria offered a gentle smile."But you've seen other patients too, right?"
"Oh, I have. And when all hell broke loose, I had plenty of our co-workers to take care of. But I suppose I missed how pure this group is." She scratched her cheek."Forgive me for saying this, but I think of all of you as little siblings I have to constantly take care of when they get hurt."
"Aw, that's so sweet. We feel the same." Kirika said, earning a nod from all the girls.
"Hopefully we'll stop meeting under these circumstances, though." Sakura sighed, taking a seat on her stool and grabbing her tablet."I should go check on Raiden-kun...Where is he right now?"
"He's helping Elfnein-chan." Maria supplied."Our pendants suffered a lot of damage due to the True Valkirye form. Especially Kirika and Shirabe's after their little...fusion? What exactly was that?"
"We're...not sure." Kirika giggled sheepishly."We just kinda used unison instinctively and it happened."
"It felt as though our hearts connected during our time of need." Shirabe guessed."I assume Thor's power was what lifted our unison to that level. But it did result in our relics almost shattering."
"I see..." Sakura chuckled, crossing her legs.'Well, I'm not too worried about Raiden-kun's injuries. The Riders seem to have a faster healing factor than the Gear users. The problem is how his mind is doing...'
Raiden sat next to Elfnein in her lab, more focused on her face rather than what she was doing.
"Could you hand me the screwdriver, Raiden?" Elfnein asked, and he delivered. She was working on performing maintenance on Hajime's Deck, having his scattered neatly folded in front of her while she pieced the Deck back together after making sure it was still good to use."Thank you."
"I'm surprised you remember your Alchemic knowledge." Raiden shifted his gaze over, noticing Metalgelas' card, grabbing it.
"I suppose it's more like muscle memory than anything else." She said, smiling lightly."But I did leave some notes behind to help me guide myself. At least to perform basic maintenance."
"I see..." Raiden trailed off, reaching to touch her hair. She winced."Oh! I'm so sorry!"
"N-no! It's okay. It just surprised me, that's all." She carefully grabbed his hand, allowing him to brush her hair."I'm sorry...I know we're boyfriend and girlfriend, but..."
"It's okay." Raiden slowly retracted his head."You have no memories of our time together, right? I understand. I guess I look like a weirdo to you, telling you I'm your boyfriend."
"No, I know we're together. I've seen the pictures...And when I'm with you, my heart flutters, and I feel like I have butterflies in my tummy." She said in a giddy tone."Don't feel bad...I wish I could remember everything...Just seeing you sad like this hurts me..."
"I'm okay." He said, giving her a tender smile."Don't worry. Contrary to appearances, I'm a big boy."
Elfnein smiled in return."That card...It's one of Hajime-san's new Advent Monsters, isn't it?"
"Oh. Yeah. Metalgelas." Raiden snorted."Guess he has like 4 more now. His Deck is looking more like a deck of cards now."
"That one, Metalgelas...Is it special to you?" Elfnein tilted her head in curiosity.
"This old thing? Metalgelas." He smiled fondly, inspecting the card."My brother. One of them, Terunosuke Kuwana. It belonged to him. At first, I hated his guts. He manipulated me and my other brother, Andreas, to nearly kill each other. And then he joined the Disasters and got Andreas and Jades killed. And I wanted to kill him. So bad. But then...I learned the truth. Jades wanted to save him because he had stolen his power before, thinking he was saving him. And in the end, I think I understood Terunosuke a little more."
"I see. Well, if it's worth anything, I'm happy you made peace with what your brother has done."
"Yeah...It means a lot, coming from you, actually." Raiden covered his eyes, trying to hide the tears welling up in his eyes."That's why I have to fight...So I can protect the little I have."
"You'll be fighting Odin too, right?" She said, her expression morphing to one of sadness.
"Yeah. I kind of have no choice, seeing as how I'm a Kamen Rider. And...if we win, we can get that wish." Raiden looked at her lovingly."I can get your memories back. I can fix everything."
"But...only one Rider can win, right..." She squeezed his hand."Raiden..."
"If I die, then it's fine as long as someone else can win. Worst comes to pass, Hajime will pull through."
"You can't think like that, Raiden-"
"As long as we can get our lives back. And what we lost...I don't mind." Raiden sighed, placing the card back."I'll do what I must."
"But...what if I don't want you to go?" She squeezed harder, earning his full attention."I...I don't want to lose anything else in my life..."
Raiden's eyes widened slightly, his vision becoming blurry. Elfnein reached out to wipe his tears, but she was also crying.
"Oh...I'm sorry...I don't know where these tears are coming from..." The blonde sobbed, covering her eyes. Raiden wrapped his arms around her frame, resting his head on top of her shoulder, rubbing her back."Don't die, Raiden...Please..."
"It'll be okay. We'll work it out. Somehow." He gently kissed her head, rubbing her back in reassurance.
"I can't even begin to describe how much I missed the sun." Hajime sighed, enjoying the warm rays of sunlight hitting his skin. Hibiki was currently rolling him around outside of the base, both of his feet bandaged up due to the damage they sustained."I can't believe it's only been a week since we got it back. It feels like...forever ago. But I guess the sun never left me."
"What do you mean?" Hibiki asked him, confused.
"Well, I had my Sunshine with me, didn't I?" He said teasingly, making the cream-haired girl blush.
"H-Hajime! Where did that come from?" She laughed sheepishly.
"I don't know. I just love you so much. And I like to express it." Hajime smiled over his shoulder."You don't mind, right?"
"Of course, I don't mind, Sunny. It makes me happy to hear that from you." She pecked him on the cheek before continuing to roll him down.
"Though...I guess I'm also happy since I ate pretty well today. Haven't eaten anything good in a while now." He said, rubbing his stomach."But I can't help but feel bad. Now with the need to start rationing food, it feels wrong to eat a lot..."
"Well, fortunately, we do get some aid since we're on the front lines as SONG." Hibiki said, taking him inside the hospital wing."But I get how you feel. I told Shishou to send my part to my parents and grandmother."
"I told him to help out Shiori, Yumi, and Kuriyo's families." Hajime looked at the ceiling."I bet they need all the help they can get."
"Do you think Japan will be able to start supporting itself?" Hibiki asked the raven-haired teen.
"I hope so. I mean, it won't be easy. The rest of the world is gone and Japan is in pretty bad shape. But..." Hajime gave her a confident smile."I'm sure everything will work out. It has so far."
"You're not just saying that because you're going to fight Odin, right?" She paused in front of the elevator, waiting for it to come down.
"I...It's the only way."
"Then I'll go with you."
"It's a bad idea."
"Why? I want to be by your side-"
"And I don't want you to die-"
"But you're almost guaranteed to die if only you 3 go!"
"And we don't even know if fighting Odin is even possible!" Hajime snapped back, causing her to gasp. He took a deep breath, waiting for the elevator to open and for them to go in."We don't know how powerful Odin is. For all we know, no amount of training will ever make a difference against someone like him. For all WE know he'll just kill us as soon as we go to fight him. He isn't after the Symphogear. And if we don't fight, Japan is doomed to die!"
Hajime panted, catching his breath after his outburst. He immediately regretted raising his voice against Hibiki. She was just worried for his safety and wellbeing."Hibiki, I...I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to-"
"I'm sorry...I just...You said you would propose to me when all of this was done. And when you came back to me alive after your fight with Hazuki, I was overjoyed, thinking we could finally live our lives together." She cried, tears streaming down her face."I want to spend the rest of my life with you, have a family, and be together forever, watching our children grow...I've been thinking about that for a long time now. But when Odin showed up, it brought my mind back to reality. It reminded me that this is far from over...and you're in more danger than ever. And...I just can't help but think that I'll lose you..."
"Come on, Sunshine..." Hajime gently grabbed her hand, slowly moving her in front of him."I'm pretty capable...You don't trust me to win this?"
"I do, darling, I do..." She closed her eyes, enjoying the warmth of his hand against her cheek."But this time...It feels like we're fighting something that doesn't compare to anything we've faced."
"I thought the same thing when fighting Hazuki's final form. But I felt your words flowing into me. They gave me the strength to face even a God that once seemed so distant from me. I couldn't save my brother from himself...I can't save anyone or anything I want. But one thing is for sure. When I feel the trust of others in me...I feel like I can do anything. And right now, I need that hope to overcome this. Because if I don't, then all of this was pointless. All the people that died to get us here...all of the innocent people that were killed...our friends...our families...the future of this world...All of that is resting on us. And I refuse to just give up. So I'll fight and keep fighting. Even if I can't get up anymore, I'll force myself to do it."
Clenching his fist, he thought of those who died due to Ragnarok."Bragi...Hamaguchi...Garie-san...Tobias...and Thor. I can't let their sacrifice be in vain. Now more than ever."
He kissed her hand gently."Then, once this is all truly over, and we put an end to the Rider War...We'll do it. I'll propose to you, okay? So please wait a little bit more. Can you do that, my love?"
"Promise me...Promise me we'll do it." Hibiki muttered, her voice breaking."Promise me we'll be together...that you'll make this work..."
"I swear it. We'll be together, forever."
Hibiki leaned forward, but Hajime stood on his good foot, bringing her in for a passionate kiss."I love you so, so much, Sunny..."
"I love you more."
"N-no!" She pouted."I love you more!"
"Nah, I love you more." He winked.
"Nope! I definitely love you more!" Hibiki protested.
"That can't be. I love you more."
"I love you double!"
"I love you triple!"
"W-well...I love you by infinity!" Hibiki grabbed him by his cheeks, engulfing him in another deep kiss, taking Hajime by surprise.
"Oh, my."
Hibiki and Hajime froze like deer in front of a headlight, slowly turning toward the door of the elevator where a few nurses were chuckling.
"How nice it is to be young and full of energy." One of them said.
"Be sure to treat him right, dear. He's looking a little roughed up." Another one teased at how Hibiki was practically sitting on top of Hajime's lap.
"S-s-sorry!" She quickly bowed and pushed Hajime out of the elevator.
After a few minutes of walking, Hibiki spoke up."Hajime...have you noticed?"
"Noticed what?"
She pulled out her phone, accessed the camera feature, and showed it to Hajime. And he saw what she meant. His right eye wasn't amber. It was hot pink. He hadn't noticed before because it was swollen and had to keep it close, but now that he had healed the area around his eye, he could see it clearly."My eye..."
"It's pink...But...it's supposed to be amber, like the other one. When did this happen?"
"I don't know..." Hajime was speechless, touching the right side of his face."I think...I'm positive it wasn't like this before..."
"Do you think it's because of what happened to Hazuki?" She offered the idea."I mean, if his powers were the same as yours, then maybe taking them into you made you take some part of himself."
"Maybe...I mean, we are both Messiahs, so it's possible...Still, I guess it's nice...It's a reminder of him." Hajime chuckled dryly."And how I failed to save another family member. If only I had the strength and determination back then...I could have saved Hazuki before he was beyond help. I could have done more."
"You did your best. We're all alive because of you. Be happy, Hajime. Sometimes, it's impossible to say everyone...We're strong, but we're not Gods who see it all. You shouldn't punish yourself for not having the knowledge you do now...Besides, not all is bad. There is one other person who wants to see your smile."
Hajime perked up, noticing they were in front of a hospital room. Hibiki opened the door, wheeling him inside. Inside was a nurse, finishing checking over the patient on the bed. His beloved sister, Setsuna Adachi."
"Oh. Tachibana-chan, good day." The nurse greeted, eyeing Hajime."I take it this is Hajime Adachi-kun, the older brother?"
"Ah, yeah, that's me. Thanking for looking after my sister." He bowed in respect.
"No need for that. Just doing my job." She smiled warmly."It's hard to believe a girl like her was involved in what happened to the world..."
"You know...?" Hajime gasped.
"Yes. Don't worry, Genjuro-san told me everything. She was just a victim used by the real mastermind behind the slaughter. But enough about that, you're here to see her, right?"
"Y-yes. If that's okay..."
"You're the hero of the world. How could I turn you down?" The nurse giggled, reading over the clipboard.
Hajime was wheeled closer to see his sister, his heartbreaking upon seeing her state."Oh, no...Her hands..."
He knew that Tsubasa had cut them off during their fight. She had gained the ability of corruption, which would have killed any of them in one touch so she had to be dealt with. He knew that. But it hurt a lot.
"She's in a comatose state. There is nothing wrong with her body. She's healed up quite nicely. But she won't wake up. I'm not sure how supernatural things affect the mind, but her mind is probably what's keeping her from waking up."
"Probably the link between her and Hel..." Hajime deduced, rubbing her face."Oh, Setsuna...I'm so glad you're back...I promise you...I promise you I'll make this right..."
Hajime forced himself on his feet, planting a kiss on her cheek."I love you...And I'll be here when you wake up...I'll help you shoulder your sins together. No matter how long it will take."
Two weeks had gone by in the blink of an eye, and the members of SONG were mostly if not well on their way to be healed completely. Hibiki, Hajime, and Miku walked inside the submarine to get to their meeting.
"How are you feeling, Hajime-kun? I haven't seen you in a while but you look better." Miku asked, receiving a nod in return.
"Still alive and kicking." Hajime winked at her, flexing his bicep."It'll take more than to kill me. I'm glad you're okay too, Miku-san."
"Fortunately, Miku wasn't hurt that badly like the rest of us." Hibiki smiled at the black-haired girl.
"I'm sorry...I didn't contribute as much as the rest..."
"Miku-san!" Hajime got in front of her, grabbing her hands and bowing."Don't say that! Because of your quick thinking, my sister is alive today! I don't think I can ever repay you!"
"H-Hajime-kun..."
"He's right, Miku. You saved our lives back there too." Hibiki hugged her best friend. Hajime joined in, and they soon were in a group hug."I'm sure Bragi-kun would be very proud of you.."
"S-stop, both of you..." Miku felt tears threatening to escape her eyes."I'm already close to tears, and we're almost late for the meeting..."
"Oh, crap! She's right!" Hajime yelped. Both Hibiki and Hajime pulled Miku as they ran down the hallways, much to her dismay.
"Hey, don't run on the damn hall!" Chris yelled as they ran past her."Though I can't blame them...I also want this meeting to start already. Still, though, I guess it's better to be chirpy like them and not down in the slumps like me..."
Chris eventually made it to the command center, noticing she was the last one to get there.
"Huh?" Tsubasa looked in her direction."Did you oversleep, Yukine?"
"W-what? Those 3 came here literally 10 seconds before me!" Chris pointed accusingly at the trio.
"Maybe so." Yosuke allowed himself a smile."But they technically punched in on time. The same can't be said about you."
"Oh, shut up." She grumbled with a huff.
"I see you're all lively today." Genjuro clapped his hands together, earning their attention."How is everyone doing?"
"We're okay!" Everyone said in unison.
"Are you really?" Genjuro raised a skeptical brow.
"Well...maybe not really..." Raiden trailed off, averting his gaze to the ground.
"Giving how things are, no." Chris crossed her arms."No, no one is okay. But we can't just break down and cry. It's not over yet, right?"
"Right." Genjuro, rubbing the bridge of his nose, clearly exhausted as much as everyone else."Aside from the fact that trying to build Japan back up is an impossible task, we also have to face our strongest foe ever. And we have less than 3 weeks to get ready. This will be our final operation. Our final mission as SONG. The good news is, the stakes haven't changed. If we lose, it's all over."
"That's not really reassuring..." Elsa deadpanned.
"But the better news is that if we win, we get the wish." Genjuro sighed."At first, I was heavily against the idea of getting the wish...But given the state of the world, and how there are barely any Riders left...Also, because that's Odin's goal. If he gets your power, he'll become a being the universe has never seen. But if we get the wish, not only do we get the restore our world, we'll bring peace to all the planets. This is it. The final showdown against the gamemaster who started this whole thing. He started it. And we'll end it."
"But how are we supposed to even do that?" Shirabe pondered."Even if get have 3 weeks to train, would that be enough to close the gap?"
"No. We're talking about the father of all Aesir Gods, after all. I fear no amount of training will be enough to grasp his power. That is unless we have a way to close the cap forcefully. Hajime-kun, if you would."
"Yeah." Hajime quickly kissed Hibiki on the cheek before walking forward, standing in front of the group and raising his Deck."During my battle with Hazuki, I awakened to a new power. The power of Ventara, which allowed me to overcome the Flow of Calamity. And I was given a new ability. One that can help us against Odin. It's called Origin Zero."
"Origin Zero?" Maria raised a curious brow.
"From what I understand so far, it resets whatever I punch back to its origin. Which is how during my fight with Hazuki, I was starting to break the contracts he had with the other beasts and stripped him of his divine power and Loki's."
"Wait, what? Such a power exists?" Raiden's eyes widened in amazement.
"Yeah. I think it's the ability given to me by Ventara like Hazuki had his mimicry powers. If I can punch Odin, then maybe, just maybe, we can take Goldphoenix away from him and weaken him." Hajime stated."It's a very risky idea, but it's the only way to level the playing field against the God of Gods."
"It does sound extremely dangerous." Tsubasa agreed."But it's also the best way to defeat someone like Odin."
"The question is, how do we even execute this plan." Elsa pondered aloud, a hand on her hip."I doubt getting close enough to punch him would be enough-de-arimasu."
"Yeah, that's what's going to be the hard part. Odin can manipulate time. If we're not careful and expose our hand too soon, he'll just kill us on the spot."
"However, I do have a...suggestion for that." Genjuro coughed in his hand. Sakuya and Aoi gulped down, much to the group's confusion.
"What would that be?" Yosuke eagerly asked.
"You can come in now." Genjuro boomed to the door where they came from. In that instant, the doors opened up, revealing a figure no one thought they would see again.
"N-no way..." Chris unfolded her arms, gaping.
"How can this be...?" Tsubasa breathed, alarmed."He's supposed to be..."
"Dead...He died, didn't he...?" Kirika looked at Maria, but the older woman was equally stunned.
"How are you alive...?" Hajime felt a cold sweat dripping down his forehead.
"Long time no see, huh?" Said the blonde entering the room with a smug smile on his face, hands behind his head in a carefree manner."Right, cousin?"
"Yomi..." Hibiki whispered, bewildered at the appearance of the once presumed half Custodian.
"How the fuck are you alive?" Hajime finally broke out of his trance, clenching his fists, lightly pushing Hibiki behind him."I saw you died!"
"Did you? All you saw was the moon exploding, isn't that right?"
"But...But Ragnarok could only end if-"
"If we were all killed?" He cut him off abruptly."Then why is your little sister still alive?"
"Are you saying...you got freed from Surtr's control?" Tsubasa asked.
"Make no mistake, aside from Hel and Loki, the others were not Gods. Mere monsters with great power. Despite appearances, Custodians are deities and as such, we stand higher on the totem pole. So all I had to do was force Surtr to take Hajime's attack. Which consequently, caused him to explode as I forcefully pulled him out via the hole Hajime made in me." Yomi grinned nonchalantly."Though I was pretty fucked up. So badly injured I nearly didn't make it back to the planet. But I overcame all adversities and went into hiding. I even missed the whole shit show you guys had with the others. All of that while I healed up and recuperated."
Yomi's grin became feral, locking eyes with Hajime."Dumbass! You have a bad habit of not aiming for the head, do you? What, you think I was gonna bleed out from a little hole in my stomach? I'm a fucking Custodian, dipshit. Start aiming your attacks at the head or you'll never win a proper fight."
Hajime scoffed, ready to snap at him but Hibiki held him back, shaking her head.
"That still doesn't explain why you're here!" Chris snarled, pulling out her pendant."You have some nerve! You had your little fight with Hajime and that's all you get! What's stopping us from ganging up on you this time?!"
"Easy. I'm not here to fight." He said, raising his arms.
"And we should just believe that?" Maria narrowed her eyes dangerously.
"Think about it, doll face." He shifted his attention to Maria."If I really wanted you dolts dead, I could have just nuked Japan from outside and none of you would have even noticed."
"Maybe you should have done that instead of barging in here like you own the place." Hajime shot back."I beat you once, I'll do it again."
"Oh, no question about it. I can feel you've grown several times more powerful than our last encounter. Honestly, I'd die long before I could even start adapting. That being said though, how long do you think it will take you to transform? And the rest of you too?"
Everyone grew more weary from his words, huddling up together.
"Want to know the difference between you and me? I can transform instantly." In the blink of an eye, Yomi was in his Custodian Narfi form, his third eye scanning his surroundings."Like so. I wonder...how many can I kill before someone transforms and stops me? Should I start with the strongest and finish with the children?"
"Are you done?" Genjuro groaned, rubbing his temples.
Narfi deactivated his runes, returning to normal and laughing."Yeah! Sorry! It was pretty funny, right?"
(Play Fukahi by SimaG)
"It wasn't funny at all." Genjuro shakes his head, giving him a disapproving look.
"Hai, hai. Everyone is a critic." Yomi snorted, folding his arms under his chest.
"Old man, what the hell is going on?!" Chris finally had enough, walking up to Genjuro and gritting her death in anger."Why is this bastard here?! Did you bring him here?!"
"He made contact with me a few days ago. At first, I was skeptical, of course. But then he told me what he had in mind and I decided the best thing for us to do would be...to work with Yomi Kugisaki. He has some crucial information that can benefit us."
"WHAT?!" All of them yelled in perfect unison.
"Exactly as you heard." Yomi winked in their direction."Looks like we'll be fighting on the same side, eh, comrades?"
"Why would we work with someone as despicable as him?!" Kirika shouted in disdain.
"He destroyed our entire school and killed our classmates!" Chris chimed in.
"Why should we even entertain your little idea, Kugisaki?" Yosuke furrowed his brow."What exactly do you know?"
"Now you wanna know?" Yomi rolled his eyes."Where's my apology for such a rude welcome?"
"Cut the shit and just say what you really want to say, Yomi." Hajime groaned in exasperation.
To his surprise, Yomi's face suddenly shifted to the most serious face he's ever seen from him."What if I were to tell you...that Odin has 2 more transformations up his sleeve?"
April 1, 7:00 PM...
Odin hovered the new Midgard, admiring his handy work. He was starting to create new land on top of the Earth, connecting the patches of floating land to each other and connecting them toward the roots of the original Yggdrasil. There were now various buildings all around the world made of black and green ethereal matter.
"And thus, today marks the day where the glory of the Aesir will be restored. Today will be the day when I finally get the power I rightfully deserve. And no one in any universe or in any possible time or space will be able to deny my ruling. I will no longer be subjugated to that disgusting beast who once dared to steal my position as the mightiest of the Gods." Odin smiled, splaying his hands as he looked at the sky."The Allfather, the God of Gods, Odin...will stand at the top of all as destiny wanted me to! Isn't that right, Hazama?" The God looked at his hand with a sinister smile."After all, thanks to you, I can finally achieve what I desire. I owe much to you, my old friend."
Odin perked his head up, glancing over his shoulder."I value punctuality and appointments above all else, so this little intrusion is not appreciated. However, you have caught me in a good mood, so I do not mind making space for a walk-in. So do please entertain me until my appointment begins."
A flash of blue energy made its way toward Odin, blasting itself through the buildings around. The light landed on the ground, skidding to a halt and standing a few yards away from Odin as he descended from the skies.
"Odin..." Yomi said, addressing the God of all who was staring him down with interest."I have one question for you."
Odin lightly raised his head, smiling.
Against all odds, the Custodian of Reasons and the last remaining Calamity makes a stand against the strongest of the Aesir, lining up to be the first opponent for the God of all and leading the charge. Staring down at certain death, Yomi smirked before speaking, his runes glowing in anticipation.
"What does it entail...to be the strongest?"
To be continued in Part 3 of the End of the Rider War...Midgard Showdown against the God of All, the Battle for Heaven and Earth.
(Song End)
Remaining Kamen Riders:
Ryuki: Hajime Adachi
Knight: Yosuke Yanagi
Raia: Raiden Amaterasu
Odin: Hazama Liang
Deceased Riders:
Scissors: Goro Tanaka (Killed by Ouja)
Verde: Zeke Crowley (Killed by Zolda)
Imperer: Andreas Kagatsuchi (Killed by Ryuga)
Zolda: Takeru Sakamoto (Killed by Ouja)
Femme: Chiaki Nakahara (Killed herself before succumbing to the effects of her Swan Song)
Tiger: Jades Demetrios (Killed by Gai)
Gai: Terunosuke Kuwana (Defeated by Raia, Maria, Shirabe, and Kirika. Killed by Helheim demons)
Ouja: Allister Albedo (Killed by Chris Yukine)
Alternative: Bragi Third Dienheim (Killed by Ryuga)
Abyss: Hamaguchi Kuroiwa (Killed by Helheim demons)
Ryuga: Hazuki Kaburagi (Killed by Ryuki)
Surprise! Yomi is alive! Though I hinted at his survival. If you go back to the chapter where he fought Hajime, at the end, you can see his characteristic "Click" of his adaptation process.
We made it to the final boss, reaching for the truth of it all. This is probably going to be the last chapter of the year. And what a way to end it too, going into the last part of ERW. Thank you all so much for sharing this story with me. It's been a blast. Now, we're entering the climax of it all. I might upload a short trailer or something. But if not, happy holidays to all of you and see you next year!