A few days later at Juuban University, things had been relatively peaceful on campus. Not much had happened in that time, but the same couldn't be said for a group of girls who had recently faced some trouble. Currently, in the hallway of one of the university buildings, Usagi and her friends were making their way to meet with Sugoroku, who had called them to his office for a meeting.
"Hey, why do you think Sugoroku-sensei called us?" Minako asked, glancing at her friends. "It's been almost a week since that encounter with the snake man, right?"
"Yeah, it has," Rei replied, looking confused. "And don't forget the news from a few days ago."
"Definitely something we didn't see coming," Makoto said, nodding in agreement.
"Ami-chan, do you have any idea what's going on?" Usagi asked the short, blue-haired girl, who frowned and shook her head.
"I don't know," Ami replied. "I tried asking Suichirou-sensei and Sugoroku-sensei, but they both said they'd explain when the time was right."
Previously, after their encounter with Andromalius, Ami had told her friends about meeting Suichirou, who had been presumed dead but was alive, well, and wearing a blue knight's armor. He had fought and defeated the snake demon. At first, the others hadn't believed her, but Sailor Mercury's persuasive explanation convinced them. Not long after, the news reported that the missing professor had been found safe by the harbor, and since then, things had been calm.
"If Sugoroku-sensei has friends powerful enough to send security guards to protect him after the accident, I can only imagine the influence those friends have to pull off this cover-up," Makoto remarked, and the others nodded.
"About that 'friend' part," Luna said, popping her head out of Usagi's purse. "Artemis and I did some digging online."
"And you won't believe just how influential Sugoroku-san really is," Artemis added, emerging from Minako's bag. "Generals, politicians, doctors, even retired prime ministers—he's connected to them all!"
"There goes the theory about him being just a regular professor," Rei sighed. "True success comes from a sharp mind, huh?"
"Well, I guess that's how it works for some people," Makoto said with a chuckle.
"Guys, we're here," Ami said, stopping at the end of the hallway where a single door led to Sugoroku's office. "This is it."
"Hm, it's smaller than I expected," Usagi observed, looking around at the other doors, which were notably larger. "For someone as renowned as Sugoroku-sensei, I thought his office would be... grander."
"Maybe it's one of those 'don't judge a book by its papers' kind of things?" Minako suggested, causing the others to sweatdrop.
"Mina, it's the cover. The cover." Artemis corrected her wording after sighing tiredly.
After their brief conversation, Ami gently knocked on the door a few times.
"Excuse me? Sugoroku-sensei? It's me, Mizuno Ami. I've brought my friends as requested!" she called out, knocking again. "Sensei? Are you inside?"
"I'm inside! Just come in, the door's unlocked!" Sugoroku's voice came from inside, prompting everyone to exchange glances before nodding and entering the room.
As they stepped through the door, Usagi and her friends were greeted by a spacious office filled with historical artifacts encased in glass, along with file cabinets, a large wooden desk, and much more.
"Wow…" Usagi gasped, taking in the room. "There's so much history in here."
"You can say that again," Rei noted, her eyes catching numerous photographs of Sugoroku receiving awards or standing in exotic locations. "Sugoroku-sensei must've traveled all over the world."
"That's not entirely true, Hino-kun," came Sugoroku's voice as he emerged from a side door in the room, dressed in a suit and lab coat while still having some bandages on his neck and face along with his right arm. "I've traveled to about 85% of the world's uncharted lands."
"Sugoroku-sensei! How are your wounds?" Usagi asked, her voice filled with concern. "Shouldn't you still be resting?"
"It's nothing to worry about," Sugoroku chuckled, raising his bandaged arm. "The doctors have cleared me. I just need to rest for a few days."
"We're so glad you're alright, Sugoroku-sensei," Minako said with a smile. "You had us all worried when you were discharged so early."
"My apologies for causing concern," Sugoroku replied before glancing at the door he had just come through. "And I think someone else here should apologize as well."
Ami's face brightened as soon as she saw who entered.
"Suichirou-sensei!" she cried out, her voice filled with joy.
"It's been a while, Mizuno-kun. Everyone," Suichirou greeted with a warm smile.
"So Ami-chan was right—you're alive!" Makoto exclaimed, looking relieved. "What a total relief."
"My apologies for causing any distress," Suichirou said, bowing slightly. "But it was necessary to minimize the risks we're facing."
"Risk? What kind of risk?" Rei asked, puzzled.
"Let's just say we haven't seen the last of Andromalius," Sugoroku said gravely, slipping his hands into his coat pockets. "Nor the rest of his comrades lurking in the shadows."
"it is time for us to work together, Sailor Warriors." Suichiro stated.
"Eh?" Usagi let out a confused sound.
"w-w-what are Sailor Warriors?" Makoto spoke out, pretending to be confused. "I've heard of Sailor Uniforms but what are Sailor Warriors?
"Don't worry, we know that you are the Sailor Warriors of the Solar System," Suichirou revealed, glancing at Luna and Artemis, who looked startled. "And that your feline companions once served as trusted aides to Queen Serenity of the Moon Kingdom. They also can talk."
"How do you know all of this, Suichirou-sensei?" Makoto asked, bewildered. "How did you figure out who we are? And Andromalius…?"
"Rest assured, your identities are safe with us," Sugoroku said, smiling warmly. "We are your comrades in arms, after all."
"Comrades… in arms?" Rei asked, thoroughly confused.
"As I've traveled the world, I've learned many things," Sugoroku explained, raising his hand to gesture around the room. "From exploring historical landmarks to uncovering lost civilizations." He moved toward a nearby file cabinet, pulling out a folder, which he handed to Usagi and her friends. "But I also consider myself quite the detective."
"What's this?" Usagi asked as she opened the folder. Her and her friends' jaws dropped as they stared at the contents—detailed personal information about their civilian identities and even photos of them as Sailor Warriors, captured by security cameras. "This is…?!"
"You really should be more careful when and where you transform," Sugoroku said, rubbing his mustache with a thoughtful expression. "People may be fooled, but machinery is not."
"to be able to get this much info…" Luna said as she and Artemis checks the written details about the girls' background and personal life along with their identities as the Sailor Warriors.
"S-sensei, this information is…" Ami began, looking uncomfortable as Sugoroku took the folder back.
"Don't worry, Mizuno-kun," Sugoroku reassured her, walking over to a paper shredder and feeding the documents into it. "I only intended to use this data for today."
"And that 'one time' is now?" Makoto asked, watching him nod.
"Well then, since there are no more secrets between us," Sugoroku cleared his throat and gestured to a tray of tea and biscuits. "Would anyone care for a spot of tea?"
Usagi and her friends exchanged glances before turning back to him.
"I think we'd like that," they said in unison.
A short time later, they were all seated on a large couch as Suichirou poured tea and handed out plates of biscuits.
"Here, these are for you two," Suichirou said, setting down a plate of cat treats, much to Luna and Artemis' delight.
"Okay, Sugoroku-sensei," Rei began, looking slightly uneasy. "We appreciate that we can trust you with our identities, but how exactly do you know so much about us?"
"Yeah, and the Moon Kingdom," Makoto added. "It's been lost to history. No one but us should know about it, right?"
"How did you come to know all of this, Sensei?" Ami asked as everyone turned to the bald professor, who was calmly sipping his tea.
"Indeed, no one should believe that such a kingdom ever existed on the Moon," Sugoroku said after taking a sip. "But in this case, the truth is quite different."
"What do you mean by that?" Usagi asked, blinking in confusion while munching on her biscuit.
"Suichirou, bring it in," Sugoroku called to his son, who nodded and left the room for a moment.
"Where's Suichirou-sensei going?" Ami asked, her curiosity piqued.
"As he retrieves the item, let me tell you all about an expedition I went on nearly two years ago to the city of Greece," Sugoroku began, setting down his teacup and launching into his tale. "I've always believed there was more to our world than meets the eye. My suspicions were confirmed when I found something extraordinary on that one expedition of mine. A very particular object that had answered many questions while also creating more that needed answers."
"A particular object?" Artemis asked, as Luna continued to nibble on the cat treats.
"Yes," Sugoroku replied. "At a part of the ancient remains of Greece, I along with Suichirou, and an expedition team went there to discover any ancient history we could find, but instead we found something that we weren't expecting at all. A hidden cavern that dates nearly thousands of years ago and housed information that could've changed the world if uncovered more earlier."
At that moment, Suichirou returned, carrying a heavy-duty silver briefcase. He set it down and opened it to reveal a pure white crystal tablet that shimmered with rainbow hues from within.
"This," Sugoroku said, turning the briefcase to show them the tablet, "is what led me to uncover the history of the Moon Kingdom. Behold."
"s-so pretty~" Rei commented as she and the others looks amazed at the crystal tablet but for Luna and Artemis; they just gasps in shock.
"t-this is!" Luna gasps. "a Moon Memoria!"
"Moon…Memoria?" Usagi spoke out before looking confused. "what's that?"
"Moon Memoria is the Moon Kingdom's item used to record information." Artemis spoke out. "think of it like a floppy disk or a CD that is much more incredibly powerful and can store a vast amount of data."
"I'm surprised to see one here." Luna said while sounding very baffled. "I thought that after the Moon Kingdom was destroyed, all Moon Memoria and any sort of item that once belonged to the kingdom were lost forever."
"yet here is one right here." Sugoroku said as he turns the case around and slowly carried the crystal tablet out. The object was then placed gently on the table for everyone to see. "I've studied the ancient cavern where the Moon Memoria was discovered and learned fractions of the information that is stored inside of it." The professor then reaches into the case and takes out a batch of photos that he spreads out on the table for Usagi and the others to check and see. "each fraction showed me the history of how the Moon Kingdom fell during a time of chaos."
"t-this is!?" Ami gasps in surprise as she and the others sees that the photos contains photographed images of stone murals and carvings that depicts the 9 Sailor Warriors' history from the start of their first awakening to them fighting against the many foes that they had defeated in their past. "it's us!"
"not only that, but each one shows us fighting against the enemies we have encountered!" Makoto added in as she personally checks a few photos. "but how was this even recorded like this? I mean, how is it possible for something that only happened in the future could be recorded in the past?"
"my father and I along with our expedition team recorded all the data and everything that we could find in the cavern, we had deduced that an ancient and extinct civilization had somehow obtained the Moon Memoria and tapped into its powers to somehow see the future. Therefore allowing them to record the information in the forms of murals and carvings" Suichirou explained as he pointed to one photo that shows the man and his father standing in front of a large carving of the Moon Kingdom's mural itself. "we've speculated that this cavern was formed nearly millions years old and yet still stands to this day without even falling into ruins."
"to think that such a thing could even occur." Luna spoke, bewildered. "I'm beyond impressed, shocked, and amazed all at the same time."
"me too." Artemis nodded in agreement before he looks at Sugoroku. "But professor, this is still strange." He then turns to look at the Moon Memoria more closer. "for such a civilization to exist and having a Moon Memoria with them. something is definitely off here."
"What do you mean by that, Artemis?" Minako asks the white feline.
"the thing is, the Moon Memoria can only be accessed by someone of the Moon Kingdom." Artemis explained. "if this one was somehow in the possession of an ancient civilization, how could they access the information inside of it? There's no way for them to even access the information without being a person of the Moon Kingdom, let alone both of you. "
"he's right." Luna nodded. "no one but a resident of the Moon Kingdom could access the Moon Memoria. To anyone else, it will be nothing more than a shiny piece of an object."
"that is true." Sugoroku nodded. "we don't have the answers as to how did the ancient civilization could come in possession of the Moon Memoria or how they could use it."
"but I believe I can answer the question on how they along with the both of us could access the information stored within it." Suichirou spoke out as he raises a hand. "you see, I'm somewhat of a person from the ancient past myself."
"EEEhhh!?" this got Usagi and the others to scream in shock. "YOU ARE?!"
"To be precise, Suichirou is the reincarnation of a person from before the time of the Silver Millennium." Sugoroku added in while raising a hand with a finger outstretched. "just like all of you."
"t-then….Suichirou-sensei's past life…he was someone from the Moon Kingdom?" Ami asks while looking bewildered at the man.
"that is somewhat true and at the same time it is not." Suichirou replied while placing a hand to his chest. "you see, the past life version of myself was a man named Silver; he or rather I was the Saint Knight of the Planet Mercury."
"the Saint Knight…" "of the Planet Mercury?" Usagi and the others spoke in unison with each other as they look confused while Luna and Artemis gasps and shows expressions of shock and baffled.
"y-you're the Saint Knight of Mercury?! A real Saint Knight!?" Luna exclaimed in shock. "how is that possible?!"
"if you told us that you were some noble from the Moon Kingdom, we would've believed you but a Saint Knight!?"Artemis added in. "that's just nuts!"
"why are you guys so shocked about that?" Rei asks, confused.
"of course we would be so shocked!" Luna exclaimed with a very surprised and bewildered face as she looks at Suichirou. "the Saint Knights were the ancient protectors of the universe during its time of the beginning! They are known as legendary warriors of great power and they are the very ones who helped Queen Serenity create the Moon Kingdom!"
"eehh?!" Usagi and the others look flabbergasted. "really?!"
"perhaps seeing it would make all of you get a better understanding." Sugoroku said after scratching his mustache for a moment and then turns to his son. "Suichirou, if you please."
"yes." Suichirou nodded before he reaches out a hand and touched the Moon Memoria that instantly glows a rainbow colored light that envelops everyone in a flash.
"w-wha?! So bright!" Usagi cried out as everyone shielded their eyes from the light.
The flash of light was only for a brief half minute and when it died down, Usagi and the others opened their eyes and gasps in more shock when they find themselves floating in deep space.
"w-what's going on!?" Rei cried out as she and the others look at their entire surroundings. "are we…in s-space!?"
"no, we are currently receiving the information that is stored within the Moon Memoria!" Luna stated as she and Artemis looked rather calm in the situation. "this is how the people of the Moon Kingdom would understand the information that are recorded inside of the Moon Memoria."
"indeed." Sugoroku stated as he and Suichirou looks at their surroundings for a moment before to the girls. "When discovering the Moon Memoria, Suichirou accidently accessed its information that led to us finding out about everything of the Moon Kingdom and his past life's identity as the Saint Knight of Mercury."
"you could say that the Moon Memoria had made me remember of who I was and what were my duties." Suichirou stated before everyone sees that the deep space's scenery started to change and showed the start of the Big Bang and then the creation of their known Universe. "here it is. The beginning of our universe and it's beginning of time."
Everyone watched the change of scenes as they look upon the Universe's shape and the changes that began to occur.
The universe was young, a swirling dance of creation and chaos. Stars were born, planets coalesced, and amidst the brilliance of it all, there lingered a darkness—ancient and unrelenting.
A voice was heard speaking as this surprised the girls who quickly understood that it was a somewhat reader who speaks about the information stored within the Moon Memoria.
In the void between galaxies, a flicker of light surged, expanding faster than the eye could perceive. It was the Big Bang, the birth of everything. Matter collided and fused, and from the fiery chaos, the Solar System began to take form.
"it's the very start of life itself…" Ami whispers, seeing the Universe being zoomed in and then the scene showing the very Solar System that they know. "it's the Solar System."
Yet, as the planets settled into their orbits, an ancient malevolent force stirred, one that sought to consume all that the light had brought forth.
"l-look there!" Minako cried out as everyone turns to see a somewhat wave of darkness slowly coming into the solar system's planets. "w-what is that!?"
"that is the very darkness that the Saint Knights had given their all to repel." Suichirou stated calmly as everyone continued to listen.
It was then, from the primordial fires of creation, that the Saint Knights emerged—nine warriors, each imbued with the power of the planets themselves. They were the guardians, the protectors of life, chosen by the cosmos to hold the darkness at bay.
Everyone now sees 9 multi colored stars flashing from each planets of the Solar System before they flew straight for the darkness; the girls seeing silhouettes of armored figures in the stars as they could tell that they were the Saint Knights that were told.
The battle was long and treacherous, destruction laid waste upon both side. However in the span of a century; the Saint Knights had managed to repel the darkness and forced it out of the solar system. Thus, bringing peace back to the entire universe.
The scene soon showed the 9 stars of light flashing brightly before a powerful wave of goldenish white light came shining in and driving the darkness out.
"amazing…" Makoto said after watching the golden light that drove the darkness away. "9 warriors like us managed to drive away an ancient evil? That's beyond respect and everything."
"yeah." Minako added in.
"what happened next?" Usagi asks curious.
"next would be the start of the Moon Kingdom." Sugoroku stated as the scene changes and shows the Moon Kingdom. "the start of the time of peace before the destruction."
After countless battles to preserve the balance of light and shadow, the Saint Knights saw the need to establish a sanctuary that would protect the Solar System for future generations. From their combined power and wisdom, the Moon Kingdom was born, a beacon of peace and hope situated on the Moon, its silver glow watching over Earth and the planets beyond.
"how nostalgic…" Luna commented with a smile after seeing the Moon Kingdom. "it's our Home…"
"yeah." Artemis nodded, happy seeing their home Kingdom in its glory.
As the last act of their cosmic duty, the Saint Knights entrusted Queen Serenity with a powerful gem—the Silver Crystal, forged from the very essence of the light that had fueled their strength. This crystal held unimaginable power, capable of keeping darkness at bay and ensuring that the Moon Kingdom would stand as a protector for the ages.
The scene followed as it shows the inner sanctum of the Moon Kingdom; everyone looks upon the scene that shows Queen Serenity who is meeting with shadowed figures as one held up a hand that has the Legendary Silver Crystal floating upon his grasp. The gem was then passed upon the Queen who takes it and bowed her head to the figures who soon disappeared into the shadows.
With a solemn vow, Queen Serenity accepted the responsibility, knowing the weight of the crystal's power. Once their task was complete, the Saint Knights vanished into legend, their existence remembered only in the stories of the cosmos. Yet their legacy lived on in the Silver Crystal, a lasting reminder of the warriors who once guarded the Solar System and shaped its future.
Afterwards, everyone returned back to Sugoroku's office room in a flash as the recording information of the Moon Memoria was finished.
"wow, that was just…" Minako spoke out in surprise.
"unbelievable." Makoto added in. "for there to be legendary warriors who are like our seniors and had protected the Solar System before us during the ancient times."
"so the Silver Crystal was actually given to my mother by the Saint Knights." Usagi said while reaching a hand to grasp the brooch that holds the crystal in name. "unbelievable."
"I thought Luna and Artemis said that the Silver Crystal was something of the universe's great treasure." Rei stated as she looks at the two cats. "to think that it was actually something that the Saint Knights had left behind."
"we're surprised as you all are." Luna said as she thought back to the records stored in the Moon Memoria. "before Queen Serenity took hold as the ruler of the Moon Kingdom, we all thought that she had created the Silver Crystal or had obtained it through some means, but to think that she actually received it from the Saint Knights themselves…"
"it's truly something we all were in the dark from." Artemis stated.
"well then….what does this have any more to do with Suichirou-sensei being a Saint Knight?" Ami asks while looking a bit puzzled. "I mean, the records shows that the Saint Knights defeated the ancient evil and then disappeared. Would this mean that the ancient evil had somewhat returned after such a long period of time."
"yes." Sugoroku nodded. "but remember, the Moon Memoria's recorded information tells us that the Saint Knights managed to force away the ancient darkness. It didn't say that they were able to erase it." He takes the Moon Memoria out of its brief case and looks upon it more closely. "I fear that with the absences of the original Saint Knights during such a long period of time, the darkness decided to return to finish what it had started."
"this is why we asked you all to come, so that we could be allies in this coming battle." Suichirou said while Sugoroku placed the crystal tablet back into the briefcase which he close and locks. "The fact that you were all attacked by a member of Dark Solomon's 72 Demons proves it."
"Dark Solomon." Ami spoke out while cupping her chin. "I know the name Solomon derives from the biblical king of ancient Israel who is famous for his amazing wisdom, but Dark Solomon?" she began to look very perplexed and confused. "and the 72 demons? Just what is that?"
"not much are known about them, but they were the forces that the ancient darkness created to oppose the Saint Knights in ancient times." Sugoroku stated as he crosses his arms on his chest and then reaches a hand to scratch his mustache. "they're beyond what you all have ever faced as this evil darkness existed before the beginning of the universe itself and it's planning to return to invade the very world we know it."
"this is one of the reasons why I have awakened as the Saint Knight of Mercury." Suichirou stated. "only the Saint Knights have a fighting chance against this darkness as they were the protectors of our Solar System in ancient times." he then takes out a photo from his pocket and gave it to Usagi who looks at it with everyone else; the group seeing that the image shows a photographed stone mural that shows 9 different colored knights that had the nine Planet Symbols above their heads. "this is why they are needed once again to fight the darkness and save the universe from its evil grasp."
"That's the part we can come to understand…" Rei said as she looks back at Suichirou. "but why need our help?"
"yeah, you managed to take down that snake man who literally kicked our butts a few nights ago." Minako stated. "why do you need our help for?"
"We have found one Saint Knight, but we require the assistance of all 9 Saint Knights if we are to defeat this darkness." Sugoroku explained with a hand waved to the side. "we don't have many leads on where the other Saint Knights' current reincarnations are at, but with your help, we might be able to find them more quickly."
"but how?" Makoto asks while looking a bit perplexed. "I mean, it was just luck that we found out that Suichirou-Sensei is a Saint Knight and all, but how are we supposed to find the others? How can we help?"
"I've made many theories and speculations on how to find the rest of the Saint Knights, and I've found one conclusive way to do so." Sugoroku said as he nodded to Suichirou who nods back before he goes to Ami.
"Mizuno-kun, your hands." Suichirou asks Ami who made a confused noise before seeing the man holding up his hands to her. "please give me your hands."
"y-yes…" Ami nodded a bit confused as she reaches her hands and hold Suichirou's hands that grasped her gently and in a second, the Mercury Planet Symbol appears glowing brightly upon the young woman's forehead which surprised her and her friends. "t-this is?"
"the Mercury Planet Symbol? But why did it appear so suddenly?" Rei asks surprised.
"it is Resonance." Sugoroku stated as everyone looks back at the middle aged man. "I had a theory and that the Sailor Warrior's Planet Powers are a somewhat similar variant of the Saint Knight's own powers. Both of which has a somewhat magnetic characteristic when both come in contact with one another"
"then…it's like a somewhat guessing game to find the right person who are our Planet's Saint Knights?" Minako asks with a finger pointed out. "we need to bet on a chance to find the right person?"
"not quite." Suichirou stated. "I found out about myself being the Saint Mercury when I accidently encountered Mizuno-kun nearly two years ago at the College Scholarship Application Program. It was only a week after I returned to Japan after the expedition to Greece with my father." He then turns to smile to Ami. "perhaps you remember it, Mizuno-kun?"
"the College Scholarship Application Program?" Ami spoke out as she thought about it before gasping in surprise. "that time!?"
"yes." Suichirou nodded as he had a flashback of himself guiding students before his accidental encounter with a freshly highschool graduate Ami; both bumping into each other as this encounter made the two had physical contact and unknowingly the Mercury Planet Symbol appeared flashing for a moment upon their forehead and back right hand respectively. "when I first met you, you left a great impression upon me and along with myself feeling a somewhat connection to you."
"n-now that I think about it…" Ami started to blush while looking down in embarrassment. "after that encounter…I couldn't stop thinking about Suichirou-sensei all the time."
"eh~? All the time?" Usagi and the others looks rather teasing at Ami. "is that so, Ami-chan?"
"a-a-a-anyway! That was quite a while ago. So!" Ami cried out after shaking her head fast and then looks at Suichirou. "then perhaps, it was at the time that you somehow awakened your Saint Knights powers, Sensei?"
"yes, it was at the time did I finally found the person I need to protect." Suichirou said as he smiles and held Ami's hand a bit tighter yet while still being gentle. "that is why I have awakened my powers. In order to be your Saint Knight, Mizuno-kun." he chuckles a bit. "not only will I have the duties as your teacher to guide and teach you, but I will also take my responsibility as your Saint Knight to ensure that you are protected. No matter what."
Ami could only blush in reaction as she looks down with a somewhat embarrassed yet happy face.
This expression wasn't missed by Usagi and the others as they could tell that it was the face of a maiden in love.
"s-so! Sugoroku-sensei!" Minako cried out all the sudden to the man. "Is that the only way to find out who could be the new Saint Knights!? Having a direct touch with them?!"
"eh? No, it's not. My theory is that the Saint Knights of the new generation might have already been encountered by you or perhaps will be encountered by any of you in the coming time." Sugoroku said after thinking about it. "it could be someone you are rather fond of or it could be someone who you somehow feel familiar to or having an attraction to. It's kinda like trying to see who has a more magnetic connection to yourself."
"then I should start checking back all my old boyfriends~!" Minako said as she takes out her phone and started to do some texting. "I need to see who got the spark with me and could be my Saint Knight!"
"there goes with Mina's thinking." Artemis said as he looks rather defeated while Luna sweatdropped.
"well, this is just a working theory and not something purely conclusive." Sugoroku said while scratching his chin. "but the main point would be that the Sailor Warriors and Saint Knights would have an encounter before or after the present time."
"basically, we might only find out who is the rest of the Saint Knights by time, huh?" Makoto asks and Sugoroku nodded.
"we can't just go around and trying a searching game." Usagi said as she started to scratch the back of her head. "I wonder if there's any way to find the other Saint Knights more quicker?"
"maybe Rei-chan can help with that." Luna spoke out as the black cat turns to the Mars Princess who made a confused noise. "maybe she can do a fire reading and find out the other Saint Knight's identities and whereabouts?"
"fire reading?" Sugoroku asks. "a type of fortune telling?"
"you see, Rei-chan here is the priestess of Hikawa Shrine and was born with quite the powerful psychic ability as she has been able to somewhat see into the future." Ami explained. "her powers had helped us many times in the past."
"It's worth the shot." Artemis stated. "we really need all the help we can get to find the Saint Knights and fend off the ancient evil that is coming back."
"also, me and Artemis can do a search on our super computer to see if we can find something on the Saint Knights too." Luna added in. "with some luck, we might find a clue or two about their current whereabouts and such."
"I see." Sugoroku said while scratching his chin. "it may be what we need to find out the identities of the other Saint Knights." He nodded his head twice before he looks at the others. "well then, shall we have this meeting continued at Rei-kun's Shrine after class in the campus?"
"yes." Usagi and the others nodded in agreement.
Afterwards, Sugoroku and Suichirou bid Usagi and the others goodbye as the group heads off for a class at campus.
"man, to think that there were heroes before us who protected the entire universe." Usagi said as she thought about the Saint Knights as heroes. "I mean, isn't that amazing?"
"definitely." Makoto nodded before she had a dreamy look. "and imagine that they might be handsome studs who are just waiting for us to find them~! I wonder if my Senpai is my Saint Knight~!"
"I wish for mine to be one hot stud who is rich and so very famous~!" Rei cried out as she imagined her Saint Knight to be a handsome man. "also! He has to be a doctor or a rich businessmen or something alike with it!"
"I got 50 choices to go! I'll file through them all and find my Saint Knight~!" Minako added in as she is currently texting all her ex-boyfriends.
"these girls sure are something…" Luna commented as she and Artemis looks rather awkward from hearing what they had spoken. "how did finding the Saint Knights turn to becoming finding hot studs?"
"better leave them be, Luna." Artemis stated.
"I wonder if Mamo-chan is my Saint Knight~!" Usagi thought out loud while dreamily thinking of her boyfriend as a knight in white armor. "he's already a prince in the past life and he's now possibly my knight in shining armor~! Ahh~! I got to find out if he is my Saint Knight~!"
"see?" Artemis said and Luna sighs in defeat.
As they were exasperated by Usagi and the others, Luna and Artemis looks at Ami who didn't make a single comment.
"What's wrong, Ami-chan?" Luna asks, seeing Ami who has a deep thinking expression on her face. "Looking so deep in thought like that."
"I'm guessing she's in a dilemma after knowing that the professor she has a crush on is her Saint Knight and stuff." Artemis joked around with a teasing smile.
"n-nothing like that! Suichirou-sensei is my teacher and I'm his student! We're just that on the campus!" Ami cried out after hearing Artemis' teasing joke. The girl blushes for a moment. "I mean, I'm glad that he's somewhat of a hero and stuff, but.." she quickly shakes her head and looks at the others who were watching the little scenario. "I've been thinking about it."
"about what?" Usagi asks as everyone stops in their tracks.
"About this coming battle." Ami said as she looks a bit nervous. "I mean, I thought that we were finally finished with all the battles after protecting earth from all the evil that came upon us." She grasped hold of her hands tightly. "I'm feeling a bit scared if this evil would somehow show us despair and we would somehow lose."
Everyone looks at Ami for a moment before Usagi proceeded to place a hand to her friend's shoulder and having a thumbs up with the other.
"don't worry, Ami-chan~!" Usagi said with a comforting smile. "no matter what evil comes, we'll be together to face it! Together, we can do anything!"
"Usagi's right." Rei said as she nodded in agreement. "we all thought that the last villain we fought would be too powerful for us, but we always proved ourselves wrong by fighting together!"
"as long as we keep up our teamwork, this Dark Solomon and the 72 Demons won't win!" Makoto stated with a fist raised.
"everyone.." Ami looks at her friends for a moment before she nodded and smiled. "you're right."
"and not to mention, we got Suichirou-sensei as the Saint Knight of Mercury who is going to help us in the fights for the future too." Minako added in with a teasing smile. "you sure are lucky having such a handsome professor who wishes to protect you, Ami-chan~!"
"n-no that's! but! Suichirou-sensei is just my teacher and!" Ami cried out and the girls could only grin mischievously in response.
"we know, we know." The group said. "we're just happy for you, Ami-chan~"
"You guys!" Ami cried out while looking flustered red.
About sometime later, at the Hikawa Shrine's entrance stairs.
Usagi and her friends are found standing nearby as they had finished their day at campus and are now waiting for Sugoroku and Suichirou to come as planned for their continued meeting.
"I wonder what is taking them so long?" Rei asks, the girls having arrived to the shrine's stairs just half an hour ago.
"they got more stuff to do than us, remember?" Makoto stated. "they're our campus' professors after all."
"but I think they'll be arriving soon." Ami said. "Suichirou-sensei only has a staff meeting today after his brief lesson period."
"you sure do know a lot about what Suichirou-sensei does by the day, Ami-chan~" Minako smiles a bit teasingly. "being an assistant sure has its perks for ya, don't it?"
"w-well…" Ami looks flustered red as Rei and Makoto smiles teasingly to her too. "it's just…I remembered his usual schedule and!"
"hey, is that it?" Usagi called out as the girls turns to see a cab coming up the road. "or is it not?"
"I think it is." Ami said, grateful for the save from the embarrassing teasing from her friends. The girl spotting Sugoroku and Suichirou sitting in the back passenger seat. "they're here."
The cab parks in front of the girls as the right passenger door opened for Suichirou to come out first and then Sugoroku followed after paying the cab driver. The older professor carrying a briefcase with him.
"sorry that we're late." Suichirou said. "my father and I had a staff meeting with the campus director."
"oh, we already know~!." Minako said as she along with Makoto and Rei sends a teasing look at Ami who blushes red in response.
"is that so?" Suichirou said with a confused expression on his face before he turns to the side and looks at his father who is looking around the place. "what's wrong, father?"
"nothing, just admiring the nostalgic view of the place." Sugoroku said as he looks up and at the Tori gate entrance to the Hikawa Shrine. "it's been quite a long time since i last visited this shrine."
"you've been to the Hikawa Shrine before, Sugoroku-sensei?" Rei asks, a bit surprised. "when was it?"
"about 37 years ago." Sugoroku replied with a smile. "my family used to live in this area and I had a lot of memories of this place." He then points to the road up ahead. "the Rokudou Ramen that used to be the place I would hang out with my old school friends." He then looks up at the shrine's tori gate once again. "and the Hikawa Shrine where I had asked the gods for luck and blessings with my wife and son."
"sounds like you had a lot of pleasant memories growing up here, Sugoroku-sensei." Makoto said with a smile from seeing how happy the middle aged man is.
"It was such a pleasant time of my youth." Sugoroku said as he caresses his chin for a moment before he looks at the others. "now then, I believe that's enough of me remembering my youth. Let's go and proceed with Rei-kun's fire reading."
"yes." The girls responded in unison before everyone proceeded to walk up the stairs to the shrine.
"ah, I remember how vexing it was to always walk up and down these stairs." Sugoroku commented. "I can't forget the many times I would always come home tired after walking down."
"we all feel the same at first, Sugoroku-sensei." Usagi and the others replied in unison.
Everyone walks up the stairs and went pass the tori gate to enter the Hikawa Shrine where they find Rei's grandpa who is currently sweeping away the leaves.
"oh, Rei! You brought your friends and some visitors?" Grandpa Hino greeted the group with a smile.
"kinda." Rei replied as she then motions a hand to Sugoroku and Suichirou. "they're my campus' professors. Hajime Sugoroku-sensei and Hajime Suichirou-sensei."
"Hino-san, it's been a long time." Sugoroku said with a smile. "perhaps you remember me?"
"Hajime Sugoroku?" Grandpa Hino looks at Sugoroku for a moment and soon made a surprised noise when he saw the man's face compared to that of a young man with a similar face to the professor. He then smiles widely as he proceeded to shake hands with him. "oh! Sugoi-kun! it's been a long time! I haven't seen you after so long!"
"yes, quite so." Sugoroku said with a smile. "it's good to see you doing well, Hino-san."
"Sugoi-kun? is that your nickname when you were young, Father?" Suichirou asks with a raised eyebrow.
"yeah, it is." Sugoroku looks a bit embarrassed for a moment before he introduces his son to the older man. "Hino-san, this is my son; Suichirou. A now esteemed professor at Juuban University"
"oh! Your son, is it?!" Grandpa Hino shakes hands with Suichirou while smiling. "my word! Just by seeing your face, I thought you were Sugoi-kun when he was young! Pleasure to meet you, young man!"
"yes, likewise to you, Hino-san." Suichirou replied while nodding with a smile.
"I'm guessing since Sugoroku-sensei once lived in the area a long time ago, he is old friends with many people in the area, huh?" Makoto said with a smile. "including Rei-chan's grandpa."
"I always knew that there was something familiar about the esteemed professor I read on the newspaper!" Grandpa Hino chuckled. "to think that it was little old Sugoi-kun coming back home after a long time! Just where have you been after graduating highschool!?"
"America, Europe, Africa, I've been to many parts of the world." Sugoroku replied. "I just go wherever the spirit of adventuring could take me to."
"to think that there's that one part of you that never changed." Grandpa Hino laughs a bit. "you never cease to amaze me even after all this years, Sugoi-kun."
"pardon me for asking, but…" Suichirou raises a hand while speaking. "just how did my father get the nickname Sugoi?"
"you see, when your father was young; he was a rather adventurous yet trouble making young lad." Grandpa Hino spoke out with a smile as he remembers a past of himself encountering a young Sugoroku who wore a school uniform that is tattered and had tears, the young man also has dozens of bandages on his face and limbs but he had a goofy smile on his face. "he always likes to do things that would leave people in awe and get himself in trouble. That is why we call him Sugoi-kun, the young lad who is just like a problematic kid going on adventurers."
"Hino-san, I'm already 53 and have a son." Sugoroku looks a bit embarrassed. "I believe I've outgrown that nickname, don't you think?"
"Nonsense!" Grandpa Hino laughs. "the fact that you are a world renowned explorer who always leaves people amazed just proves the fact that you're still the same old Sugoi-kun!"
"he has a point there, Father." Suichirou commented with a smile while Usagi and the others giggles. This leaves Sugoroku embarrassed and couldn't respond back
"I believe we should leave this reunion aside for now." Sugoroku said after coughing into a fist once. "we are here on an important business after all."
"oh yes, that is true." Grandpa Hino chuckled. "I was too preoccupied of meeting you once again that I forgot to ask what the occasional visit was for." He then looks at Rei. "perhaps it is to have a talk of engaging my Rei-chan with your son?"
"G-Grandpa~!" Rei cried out in embarrassment. "Suichirou-sensei already has Ami-chan, you know!?"
"wha!?" Ami blushed red. "Rei-chan! That's!"
"the talk about that is for a later time, Hino-san." Sugoroku interjected. "as much as I want my son to have a good wife, that is for the future."
"Father!" Suichirou looks embarrassed as Sugoroku chuckles in response.
"then what do you need?" Grandpa Hino asks confused.
"it has come to my attention that your granddaughter has quite the strong psychic abilities." Sugoroku explained. "there's a problem that I and Suichirou cannot solve and therefore we require her expertise to shed some light on the answer to our problem."
"oh, if that's the case. Do come to our sacred fire room." Grandpa Hino said as he motions a hand towards the shrine. "I hope you do remember where it is, correct?"
"I couldn't forget after how you would always drag me into there and scold me when I would cause too much mayhem nearby." Sugoroku chuckles before he bows his head. "thank you for giving us your permission, Hino-san."
"think nothing of it!" Grandpa Hino smiles. "to know that my Rei-chan could give some help to the little adventurer boy, it is nothing to be thanked for."
"r-right.." Sugoroku said with an embarrassed face while Suichirou and the girls laughs a bit.
Now within the Sacred Fire room, Rei got into her priestess outfit and sat in front of the great fire in preparing to do her fortune reading by doing a prayer first.
Usagi and the others sat nearby and watched Rei do her work.
"alright." Rei spoke in finishing her prayer before she turns to look at the others and then to Sugoroku. "to do this fire reading more precisely, I require something that would act as a medium, Sugoroku-sensei."
"as a medium?" Sugoroku spoke as he thought about it for a moment before he nodded and then proceeded to pull his briefcase out and unlocks it to reveal the Moon Memoria that he brought with him. "perhaps this would do the trick."
"I see." Ami said with a nod. "because the Moon Memoria hold the records of the Saint Knights, it may also hold some residual powers of theirs in it."
"what does that mean?" Usagi asks confused.
"it means that the Saint Knights might've left a trace of themselves in the Moon Memoria." Makoto explained as Sugoroku gently hands the Moon Memoria who takes it and then place it near the burning fire. "kinda like following breadcrumbs."
"oh, I see…" Usagi nodded in understanding before quietly watching Rei do her work.
"let's begin." Rei said as she raises hands out before proceeding to do a hand prayer in front of her chest. "to the great fire of the Hikawa Shrine, I beseech your guide." She closed her eyes for a moment before she snaps her eyes open and proceeded to chant while doing several hand signs. "Rin! Pyo! To! Sha! Kai! Jin!"
In an instance, the fire that burns before her started to rage powerfully as Rei began to do her fire reading with great concentration.
"so this is a fire reading?" Suichirou spoke quietly. "quite interesting."
"just how accurate is Rei-kun's predictions?" Sugoroku asks Usagi. "have there been times when her predictions were wrong?"
"most of the times Rei-chan's predictions always comes through." Usagi replied. "there's been only a handful of times when her readings doesn't come up with anything."
The group chattered a bit quietly while Rei focuses on her fire reading. The priestess of the Hikawa Shrine has her entire focus with her psychic abilities as she closed her eyes shut and not realizing that the Moon Memoria began to glow a rainbow aura.
In that split of a second, Rei's eyes snaps open as she saw flashing images of 9 knights, the Moon Memoria, the Moon Kingdom, the Silver Crystal, Queen Serenity, Japan, and a dark being clouded in the shadows.
"t-this is!?" Rei gasps before her eyes widened when the fire rages even more to the point a shockwave suddenly exploded and blew her back. "kyaaahh!"
"Rei-chan!?" Usagi gasps as Rei flew back and was caught by Sugoroku and Suichirou. The priestess grunted in pain as she slowly sits up but a bit weakly. "Rei-chan?! What happened!? Rei-chan?!"
"I-I don't know.." Rei spoke out while looking very shaken. "I tried to search for the people who are the Saint Knights, but something….something blocked me from even finding it out."
"something blocked you?" Makoto asks before she gasps when she noticed the Moon Memoria glowing its rainbow aura while the fire continues to rage and turns black. "w-what's going on here!?"
"look!" Minako cried out as she pointed to the fire and everyone could see burning visages of something making an appearance.
"did you believe you could find the Saint Knights or us with such feeble attempts, Sailor Warriors?"
A voice spoke out from nowhere as this alarmed everyone.
"who is there!?" Usagi exclaimed as this got everyone tense and hostile.
"why do you ask what you already know, Princess Serenity?"
"could this be…" Sugoroku spoke out with wide eyes. "Dark Solomon!?"
"what!?" everyone gasps in surprise.
"not quite. Our one lord and Master is still recovering from the injuries that the Saint Knights of the old had inflicted upon him. I am merely one of his many loyal servants who speaks on his behalf."
"what do you want!?" Makoto exclaimed. "what's your goal in coming back to Earth!?"
"our goal? Why…it is none other than to revive our great lord himself. What else could there be?"
"and how do you plan to do that?" Minako demanded. "but if I have to guess, it has got something to do with the Saint Knights coming back and you guys wanting to get rid of us along with them too, don't you!?" she pointed a finger at the burning visage. "well guess what, pal! You ain't gonna be ridding any of us any time soon!"
"hahahaha. You presume too much, Sailor Princess of Venus. It is true that our lord's revival would be hindered if the Saint Knights returned and you Sailor Warriors aided them in their battle against us. But know this…"
The burning visage grew larger and became that of a demonic monster.
"we are the forces of darkness! We are the embodiment that surpass chaos itself! We are evil incarnate! Do prepare yourself for we will ensure that earth will be conquered by us and you humans will be nothing more than our live stocks!"
"not if we stop you guys first!" Makoto stated as everyone looks very serious.
"we won't let you take over the earth!" Ami exclaimed.
"we'll make sure to send you guys packing just like how we did to many other villains we faced in the past!" Usagi added in.
"let us see if you can match up your words."
The burning demonic visage chuckles evilly before turning its eyes to look at Suichirou who looks tense and ready to fight when needed.
"we'll be sure to get rid of you first, Saint Mercury. Just you wait the return of an old guest of yours."
"what?" Suichirou said in confusion before the burning visage disappears and everything slowly turns back to normal. "it disappeared?"
"Sugoroku-sensei, could this be?" Ami looks at Sugoroku who nodded.
"it would seem that the enemy is making earlier preparations than we believed." Sugoroku said as he looks down and takes a few steps forward to retrieve the Moon Memoria that stopped glowing. The professor inspected the object and sees the 9 Planet symbols appearing in a circle as the Mercury Planet Symbol was glowing blue while the others were not. "The ancient battle between the Saint Knights and Dark Solomon has begun once again."
Meanwhile in the darkness of an unknown location, Usagi and the others were being watched by the shadowed figure who listens in from the crystal mirror.
"so, they are now searching for the rest of the Saint Knights." The shadowed figure chuckled as the image in the crystal mirror disappears. "how predictable."
"let's attack them! We'll ambush them when their guard is down" "no! let's massacre them as they search for the other Saint Knights!" "we need to get rid of them so that our Master can return in his full glory!"
The dozens of voices spoke out from the darkness as the shadowed figure merely shushes them up to quiet things down.
"be patient, my friends. Patience is the key to win any battle." The figure spoke before looking at the crystal mirror. "for now, we shall let them find the whereabouts of the other Saint Knights."
"why?!" "you want them to add more numbers!?" "like hell we shall allow this to happen!"
"we shall allow this to happen, for we don't have the means to locate the whereabouts of the other Saint Knights." The shadowed figure spoke as the crystal mirror multiple and showed the map of the Entire continent of Japan and then the entire earth. "they could be anywhere and finding them would be a waste of our time. Therefore we shall allow them to work for us for our own benefits."
"if that's the case, I'll agree to it!" "letting the fools work in finding our ancient enemies would make it more easier for us to kill them without their knowing!" "but we still have our mission to do!" "we must gather more life energy for our Master's revival!"
"indeed we do." The shadowed figure said as he raises a hand and snaps his fingers which cause the shadows in the darkness to gather and soon form the silhouette of a snake creature that has glowing red demonic eyes. "I believe you can fix your past blunder, correct?"
"leave it to me." a voice spoke as Andromalius appears rising from the shadows, the demonic snake man's form seeming to have been filled with scars from Suichirou's attack but his scales are crimson red and his reptilian eyes seemingly black and corrupted. "I shall not waste the gracious mercy that the great master has given to me." he hisses a few times and then smirks like a mad man. "I shall make sure to collect all the life energy needed and ensure our enemies' death!"
By another time and place, in the streets of Juuban City. There's Luna and Artemis who are heading for Hikawa Shrine after doing some research about the Saint Knights and any clues that they could find on their current reincarnations.
"to think that there's such scarce information that could link to the Saint Knights…." Luna spoke out. "all we got were just the old information about their stories in the Moon Kingdom."
"it can't be helped, Luna." Artemis said with a glance to the black cat. "even back then, we all believed the Saint Knights to be merely fairy tales and such." He then looks front. "the fact that they existed but any trace of their history was gone just proves that there's not much records about them are left behind."
"that's true." Luna said before sighing a bit loudly. "I hope Usagi-chan and the others had more luck than what we had."
"Rei-chan's fire reading hasn't failed us that much." Artemis said. "let's just think positively and wait to hear from their side."
Luna nodded in response as the two cats continues their journey on the road, but everything suddenly became chaotic when people's voices are heard screaming and an explosion occurred on the road.
"w-what was that!?" Luna cried out as she and Artemis turns to see a crowd of people running away from what appears to be a crashed and burning car which had Andromalius standing near it; the snake man chuckling maliciously while walking a few steps forward with an unconscious man being dragged behind him. "t-that is!?"
"Humans! Give me your life energy!" Andromalius shouted before he let out an echoing high pitch scream which caused many people to scream in pain while falling to their knees with their hands to their ears that are hurting. "give me your life energy for my great master's revival!"
The people continues to be in pain before they all fell unconscious on the ground.
"w-what's going on!?" Artemis exclaimed in bewilderment before he gasps in shock when he sees a large dark portal made of clouds appear above Andromalius and began to suck in golden energy that are coming out of the unconscious people. "this is!"
"whatever that thing is, it's absorbing the innocent civilians' life energy!" Luna exclaimed before she looks at Artemis. "we need to call on Usagi-chan and the others!"
"right!" Artemis nodded.
Back at the Hikawa Shrine, Usagi and the others are by the front stairs of the shrine as they were currently discussing things with Sugoroku and Suichirou.
"seems that the enemies are already making further preparations." Sugoroku said. "it will be only a matter of time before they begin their assault upon our homeworld."
"we won't let them win." Makoto said while raising a fist. "many enemies wanted to take everything from our world and we will make sure to stop them no matter what."
"yeah! No matter how many of them there are, we won't ever let them win!" Minako added in.
"that is very reassuring." Sugoroku nodded with a smile.
"Sugoroku-sensei. Since we couldn't get any clues on where the other Saint Knights are at" Ami spoke out to the man. "What should we do to find them?"
"hmmm…" Sugoroku caresses his chin. "perhaps we could do a search based on individuals with certain capabilities and such, but it would be better if we listen and consult with the search that Luna and Artemis have."
"that's right. We should get all the information we can get before we do something else." Rei stated before she looks to the side and upon the road. "still, what's taking them so long? They should've gotten here by now, right?"
"maybe they're taking a cat date and a walk at the same time?" Minako asks with a giggle.
"I could see Artemis asking Luna for that." Makoto smiles amusingly.
As they continued to converse, the Sailor Warrior's communicators started to beep in sequence.
"oh, this must be them." Usagi answered her communicator. "Luna, are you on a date with Artemis or what?"
"Usagi-chan! Everyone! It's trouble! The enemy has appeared at the city's shopping district!" Luna cried out loudly as this surprised everyone.
"the enemy has begun their attack already!?" Sugoroku exclaimed.
"you all need to hurry and come!" Luna cried out. "the enemy is taking the civilians' life energy! If their entire life force gets drained, they'll die!"
"I got it! We'll be there!" Usagi said with a nod before she looks at her friends who nodded in unison. "let's go!"
"Suichirou, go with them!" Sugoroku told his son. "defeat the enemy as the Saint Knight of Mercury!"
"But what about you, Father?" Suichirou asks before looking at the briefcase which stores the Moon Memoria. "last time, they attacked us because i was with you, if they planned for a diversion to attack you instead..."
"I shall stay in the shrine for protection." Sugoroku replied while placing a hand to his son's right shoulder. "right now, you shouldn't be worried for my sake! go and help the Sailor Warriors protect our home from the forces of evil!"
"yes!" Suichirou nodded before he looks at the girls who nodded to him before they all headed straight for the battlefield.
Sugoroku watched them leave before he noticed a glow emanating from the briefcase's small gaps.
"this is?" Sugoroku opens the briefcase and checks the crystal tablet as he finds it glowing while having text like symbols appearing on it. "what could this be?" he watch as the symbols continued to appear before the Planet Symbol of Mars appear and is simply turning towards east. "is this?"
Back upon the chaos at the district area.
Many civilians are on the ground as they were looking pale and weak while their life energy was getting absorbed and taken into the dark portal.
Andromalius continues his assault on the people as he is now facing the police who are trying to stop him with their guns.
"fire!" the police captain shouted as he and his subordinates started firing their pistols at Andromalius; the bullets causing sparks upon contact to his scaled body but the metal merely gets dented before falling around him. "w-what?! it didn't work!?"
"give me your life energy!" Andromalius exclaimed as he took a deep breath and then screeches out once more and this caused the police officers to hold their hands to their ears in pain before they fainted.
More and more people are getting their life energy drained as Andromalius continues to terrorize them all.
"this is bad!" Luna spoke as she and Artemis are hiding and watching the entire scene occur. "he's going to kill everyone at this rate!"
"where are Usagi-chan and the others when you need them!?" Artemis asks, worried for the innocent lives that were about to be lost.
"with this much life energy, my great master would be very pleased!" Andromalius grins and chuckles before he hears running footsteps nearby. "huh?"
Andromalius turns to the source of the noise as he finds Usagi and the others arriving into the scene.
"so! You've finally arrived, Sailor Warriors!" Andromalius smirks before he looks all mad at Suichirou. "and you! The bastard I wish to kill!"
"t-that's!? Andromalius!?" Ami exclaimed in surprise. "but how?! Suichirou-sensei defeated you!"
"my great Master; Dark Solomon had given me his blessing and mercy as he revived me to exact my revenge upon you all!" Andromalius exclaimed as the snake man growls loudly while the scales of his body started to became spikes and his hands became a pair of living snake heads that were hissing loudly.. "I told you before, didn't i? that I would be back to get back at you for killing my first life!" he then let out a loud hiss as his body glows in a dark aura. "this time! I'll make sure to kill you!"
"seems that we got to take this guy down." Makoto said while taking out her Crystal Change Rod.
"looks like it." Rei nodded in agreement as she along with Minako and Ami takes out their Crystal Change Rods and hold it at the ready.
"Suichirou-sensei." Ami looks at her teacher who nodded to her before he takes off his glasses, pockets them, and then raises his right hand and formed a hard and clenched fist which made the Mercury Planet Symbol appear glowing on the back palm.
"Let's do this, everyone!" Usagi exclaimed and everyone nodded in unison.
"Moon Eternal!" "Mercury!/Venus!/Mars!/Jupiter! Crystal Power!"
"MAKE UP!"
The five girls instantly gets enveloped in their own power's respective elements as they shed their previous attire and now dons their Sailor Warrior forms.
"Saint Riser!" Suichirou swung his right fist up as the Mercury Planet Symbol on the back right palm flashes and a hi-tech looking knuckle brace appears attached to his hand. He let out a long exhale as he slowly pulls his arm down before he swings both arms out and did a quick circular swing motion that ended with his left hand slamming its palm right on top of the right hand's back palm and right on top of the Saint Riser's gem that flashes blue. "Equip!"
In a sudden burst of bluish-white light, Suichirou's body became engulfed, and his clothes vanished, replaced by a skin tight black suit that gets covered by shimmering blue armor plates. The plates materialized out of the light, assembling piece by piece as they covered his body, limb by limb. His head tilted upward, eyes closed, as the armor plates continued to interlock, forming a sleek, seamless helmet. The faceplate, initially open, snapped shut in an instant, and a pair of glowing blue-white eyes flashed beneath the visor, igniting with an ethereal glow. With a swift, fluid motion, the newly armored knight swung his hand to the side. In a radiant burst of light, a cape appeared, draping majestically over his back, completing the transformation.
Now fully transformed, Suichirou stood as a towering, imposing figure—a knight clad in luminous blue armor, exuding an aura of both power and serenity. His presence was no longer just that of a man, but of something far greater, as though the armor itself was an extension of a deeper, ancient force. The air around him seemed to hum with energy, a silent testament to the transformation that had just unfolded before everyone's eyes.
"so that's the Saint Knight of Mercury's form, huh?" Sailor Jupiter commented in seeing Suichirou's armored form. "it's cool looking."
"definitely." Sailor Venus added in while nodding. "no wonder Sailor Mercury is madly in love with Sensei now."
"h-hey! Venus!" Sailor Mercury cried out.
"alright, everyone. Let's focus." Sailor Moon spoke out before she went and pointed a finger at Andromalius. "to attack the innocent civilians of this peaceful city! That is a crime that cannot go unpunished!" She and her friends posed together. "to answer the calls for help, we are the Pretty Sailor Warriors of Justice and Peace! We are back together and in the name of the moon, we will punish you!"
As they finished their introduction, Saint Mercury and Andromalius merely stares at them deadpanned.
"um…do you guys always do that every time?" Saint Mercury asks while sweatdropping. "like in every single battle?"
"we kinda do." Sailor Venus replied. "it's kinda rude to not introduce oneself sometimes."
"I know that, but to an enemy?" Saint Mercury asks. "isn't it embarrassing?"
"i-it kinda is, but we kinda got used to it?" Sailor Mercury replies while blushing.
"do you got one too, Sensei?" Sailor Moon asks. "your battle intro, I mean."
"uh…no?" Saint Mercury replied. "should I even have one?"
"you should!" Sailor Moon said. "it's very important when you're a hero, you know!? You want to make sure that everyone knows you as you are and not mistake you for anyone else!"
"she kinda got a point there." Sailor Jupiter agreed. "I mean, the Saint Knights were thought to be legend and stuff. So not many would just remember you."
"yeah, they might even mistake you for Tuxedo Mask." Sailor Venus added in.
"how so? One is wearing a tuxedo and a mask while the other is a fully armored knight?" Sailor Mars sweatdropped after hearing what Sailor Venus had said. This unknowingly made Chiba Mamoru sneeze at his hospital.
"you bastard!" Andromalius shouted. "you dare make a mockery of me as you chatter such nonsense! I'll kill you!"
"shut up! Like you think we don't know what you want to do?! Do you have any idea how many enemies we fought who would always say that stuff!? There's like a thousand!" Sailor Moon exclaimed. "just wait there while we discuss this important stuff with our friend here!"
Andromalius instantly looks irritated and pissed as his body shakes in anger while the Sailor Warriors discuss things with Saint Mercury.
"we really should teach Sailor Moon about the more important part of battle, don't you think?" Artemis asks Luna with a deadpanned face. His black furred companion could only nod while looking very embarrassed.
"this is why you need to make sure you got a good battle intro to get your enemies to remember the person who kicked their butts!" Sailor Moon told Saint Mercury. "we do this all the times and our enemies would sometimes be afraid of us!"
"That sometimes being very so not often though." Sailor Mars commented. "but she's telling the truth about them being afraid of us."
"i-I see.." Saint Mercury replied. "but making a battle intro all the sudden? That's takes time and…"
"you just got to wing it." Sailor Jupiter replied. "we always make stuff up when we were in a hurry."
"yeah, just show us what you got." Sailor Venus added in. "we'll judge and see if it's good or not."
Saint Mercury sighs under his helmet before he shrugs his shoulders.
"well, I guess there's nothing to be hurt about it." Saint Mercury said before he faces Andromalius. "here goes…. something" he coughs to a fist once before he got into a battle stance. "Blessed with the Speed of Hermes! Protector of Sailor Mercury!" he swung his right leg up before slamming it down on the ground and did a battle pose with his cape swung to the side. "Saint Knight of Mercury: Silver! Has arrived!"
"ooh~! Not bad~!" Sailor Moon and the others clapped their hands. "I give it a 8/10 for originality and flare."
"yeah, I give it a 10/10 for emphasizing how you want to protect Sailor Mercury." Sailor Venus said and this made Sailor Mercury let out a surprised noise while her face blushed.
"enough of this nonsense!" Andromalius shouted. "you fools dare make a fool out of me?! I'll make sure your deaths will be full of pain!" he then looks to the back. "come! Deathlings!"
In his call, a bunch of dark and black soldiers made of shadows appear as each one is armed with a club and sword as their weapons; the soldiers making the sound 'DEATH! DEATH!' while seeming to be rearing for a fight.
"looks like he didn't come alone." Sailor Jupiter said as she and the others got ready for battle. "he got some underlings with him."
"this is going to be rough fight." Sailor Mars commented.
"what's the game plan here?" Sailor Venus asks.
"all of you handle the underlings." Saint Mercury stated as he grabs his cape and then pulled if off his back while throwing it aside. "I'll handle Andromalius myself."
"are you sure?" Sailor Moon asks while checking out the new features that Andromalius has on him. "I am sure that last time, he wasn't that monstrous before."
"Sailor Moon is right, Sensei." Sailor Mercury spoke out with a worried look. "you may have won against him before, but I believe now that he is much stronger."
"don't worry." Saint Mercury said as he turns his head to look at Sailor Mercury. "as long as I have my duty to protect you and your friends, I won't ever lose." He looks back to the battle while crouching his legs a bit. "not ever."
Sailor Mercury blushes to hear his words while the others look at her all teasingly.
"attack!" Andromalius shouted and commanded his Deathlings to charge in on the attack.
"let's go!" Saint Mercury shouted before he crouched down and instantly dashes into the battle at high speed. The blue Saint Knight charging in and passing through the Deathlings to go straight at Andromalius who hisses loudly while swinging one of his snake arms that was countered by the knight's right fist which caused a shockwave to blow out.
The Sailor Warriors followed in on the attack against the Deathlings as the black shadow underlings attacked them with their large numbers.
"eat this!" Sailor Mars shouted as she draw a ring of fire which turns into eight smaller rings of fire. "Burning!" the rings of fire showed several mantra symbols that flashes in fire. "Mandala!" then came the flaming hoops that flew in a fury against the Deathlings.
"DEATH!" a bunch of Deathlings gets shredded apart by the Burning Mandala as they become black dust after being cut into pieces.
"DEATH! DEATH! DEATH!" one Deathling shouted as it wields a spiked club that it swung straight at Sailor Jupiter who blocked it with both arms crossed above her head. "DEATH!?"
"eat this!" Sailor Jupiter exclaimed as she kicks the Deathling away before proceeding to turn and sent an elbow strike against another Deathling that tried to stab her with its dagger. "and here is one for you!" she then delivered a strong punch to the face of another one near her. the Sailor Princess of Jupiter then crosses her hands in front of her tiara that had an antenna extending out and being charged with electricity. "Supreme!" the charged electricity becomes strong before it discharges itself. "Thunder!"
Sailor Jupiter's electrical attack flew out and instantly shocked several Deathlings that cried out in pain before dispersing into black dust once defeated.
As the progress of the fight continues, Sailor Mercury and Sailor Venus are huddled up together. The two jumping back from a bunch of Deathlings that were ganging up on them.
"let's go, Mercury!" Sailor Venus looks at her comrade who nodded her head.
"Shabon Spray!" Sailor Mercury gathers her energy in front of her hands as she swung them out and unleashed a cold ice attack. "Freezing!"
"Venus! Love and Beauty!" Sailor Venus held out her hand and then proceeded to give it a kiss that created a heart energy sign that flashes brightly before it multiplied when she swung it around her. "Shock!" the attack instantly flew out in a barrage of hearts against the Deathlings.
"Death!" the Deathlings saw the attack coming as they get frozen in ice by Sailor Mercury's attack before being vaporized by Sailor Venus' attack that followed next.
After the attacks died down, more and more Deathlings appears from the shadows and charges in on the attack.
"They're like ants that never ends no matter how many we step on!" Sailor Jupiter exclaimed.
"how are we supposed to stop them!?" Sailor Venus asks.
"leave this to me!" Sailor Moon exclaimed as she wields her Moon Power Tiare that she spins around. "Silver Moon!" She continues to spin the staff around before holding it up. "Crystal Power!" energy started to charge upon the staff's crystal that shines and flashes brightly. "Kiss!"
Eternal Sailor Moon's attack shines its golden light upon the Deathlingers who all screeched at the sight of the incoming attack before they screamed out "Deathtiful!" in unison before they disappeared into dust.
With her attack done, Sailor Moon looks at the field and sees that all the Deathlingers were reduced to dust after receiving her powerful attack.
"as expected of Sailor Moon." Sailor Mars said in compliment to Sailor Moon's attack.
"now that we're done with the underlings, let's help Suichirou-sensei take down Andromalius." Sailor Jupiter said as Sailor Moon, and Sailor Mars nodded in agreement.
"uh, guys?" Sailor Venus called out to the three while she and Sailor Mercury watched the fight between Saint Mercury and Andromalius. "I don't think Sensei would need our help against the snake guy."
"why you say that?" Sailor Mars asks and Sailor Venus merely pointed to the battle between the Saint Knight and one of Dark Solomon's 72 Demons which is beyond what they could expect. "eh?"
In the midst of the fierce battle between ancient foes, Saint Mercury pulled his armored right arm back with measured force before swinging it forward, delivering a crushing blow to Andromalius' face. The impact sent a sharp grunt of pain through the snake demon, causing him to stagger backward. But Saint Mercury wasn't done. With a swift motion, he seized Andromalius' snake-like arms, yanking him forward before driving a powerful kick into his gut causing sparks when his armor's metal made contact with the snake demon man's hard scales that were rendered useless upon the attack making connection.
"Guah!" Andromalius gasped, doubling over in pain.
Seizing the opportunity, Saint Mercury gripped Andromalius by the neck and torso, effortlessly hoisting the demon into the air and flinging him over his head. The snake demon slammedinto the concrete road with a thunderous impact, and before he could recover, the Saint Knight of Mercury brought his armored foot down in a punishing axe kick to the demon's chest.
"You... bastard!" Andromalius snarled, his voice thick with rage and agony. But his words were quickly silenced as Saint Mercury hammered a powerful fist into his stomach, driving the breath from his lungs. "Gaaah!"
"Wow..." Sailor Jupiter whispered in awe and surprise as she watched the brutal exchange unfold. "He's... so strong."
"I guess that's what you'd expect from the reincarnation of a powerful hero," Sailor Mars added, equally impressed.
"Definitely," Sailor Moon and Sailor Venus nodded in agreement, their eyes wide as they witnessed Saint Mercury's relentless fighting style.
Sailor Mercury, however, remained silent, her gaze fixed on Saint Mercury as he straightened up, his imposing figure casting a long shadow over the battered Andromalius. The cold, calculating light in his helmet's visor flickered as he stared down at his fallen enemy.
"If you wish to live," Saint Mercury began, his voice deep and resolute, "surrender now and tell us where your so-called great master hides. Do it, or I will erase you."
"You dare offer me mercy?! You... damn human!" Andromalius roared in defiance. His snake-like hands and mouth opened wide, and beams of light shot out in a furious attack. But Saint Mercury moved with lightning speed, dodging the beams effortlessly.
"I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL PRESENT YOUR HEAD TO MY MASTER AS A TROPHY FOR THIS INSULT!" Andromalius shrieked, rage distorting his voice as he scrambled to his feet.
"Very well," Saint Mercury said calmly. The gem on his chest, the Saint Riser, began to glow brightly. "If you do not wish to surrender..." He raised his right hand, the blue gem pulsing with energy. In one swift motion, he slammed his left hand onto the gem, causing a burst of blue light to erupt between his hands. "Saint Gear!" he called, pulling his hands apart as a shimmering blue lance materialized between them, the weapon glowing with raw power. The handle bore the design of a galloping stallion, its intricacy a testament to the weapon's strength. "Star Lance!" he declared, swinging the lance in a graceful arc before leveling its gleaming tip at Andromalius. "Prepare for the consequences of your refusal."
With a furious hiss, Andromalius' body convulsed as more snake heads erupted from his back, their fangs glistening with venom. The hissing chorus filled the air, their movements frenzied and dangerous.
"That many?!" Sailor Moon gasped in shock.
"He won't be able to handle them all!" Sailor Mars exclaimed, already preparing her talismans. "We need to help him!"
"Wait!" Sailor Mercury cried, holding her friends back. Her Mercury goggles activated, scanning the battlefield. Her eyes widened as she noticed a surge in Saint Mercury's energy. "Suichirou-sensei's power levels... they're rising!"
A radiant aura of bluish-white light began to radiate from Saint Mercury's armor, growing brighter with each passing second. His energy was reaching new, unfathomable heights.
Andromalius, sensing the growing threat, screeched and unleashed all his snake heads in a simultaneous attack, each one lunging toward Saint Mercury in a deadly barrage. But the Saint Knight crouched low, his muscles tensing under the plates of his armor, and in a blur of movement, he dashed headlong into the onslaught.
"Shining!" Saint Mercury howled, his voice echoing across the battlefield. With a powerful leap, he spun through the air, twirling his lance like a whirling vortex of energy. His entire form became a shining drill of light, spinning with an intensity that made the very air hum. "CRASH!" he roared as his body became a brilliant spiral of destructive force.
"DIE!" Andromalius screeched, sending his snake heads toward the spinning knight. But the moment the heads touched the energy drill, they were shredded to pieces, reduced to nothing but minced flesh.
"It's piercing through!" Sailor Moon gasped, her eyes wide with astonishment.
Saint Mercury let out a final battle cry as he drove the glowing lance through Andromalius' chest, tearing through his torso and leaving a gaping, smoking hole. The force of the attack carried the knight through to the other side, where he landed gracefully, kneeling a few feet behind his enemy. The lance shimmered for a moment before it vanished in a cascade of light.
"I-Impossible... even after being granted more power by the great Master..." Andromalius gasped, staring in disbelief at the gaping wound in his body. "I... I lost!?"
The snake demon's body began to petrify, his flesh hardening into stone. But even as his form crumbled, he turned his rage-filled eyes toward Saint Mercury. "I'LL BE BACK! WE DEMONS ARE IMMORTAL! I'LL MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE YOU LOVE WILL DIE!"
With a final scream, Andromalius' body cracked and exploded into dust, his voice fading into nothingness.
Saint Mercury glanced back at the remnants of the explosion, his expression unreadable beneath the helmet. He gave a slight, almost imperceptible nod, then spun his Star Lance before it too dissolved into a shower of blue sparkles.
As the dust settled and the battle ended, Sailor Mercury and the others rushed forward, their faces a mixture of awe and relief at their comrade's victory.
In the lair of the enemy, the shadowed figure watches the result of the fight from a large crystal mirror.
"ho~? How very interesting." The figure spoke in seeing Saint Mercury delivering the final blow that destroyed Andromalius. "even after being revived and receiving a fraction of our Master's powers, Andromalius was still defeated by our foes."
"we told you he was weak~!" "he's the lowest in the rankings, remember!?" "I would've loved to have his skin as a trophy of his failure!"
"still, he managed to prove to be useful." The Dark Knight appeared as he takes a few steps and stands near the large crystal mirror which soon shows the replay of the Saint Mercury's final attack. "learning of our foes' patterns of attacks is a somewhat good result."
"indeed." The shadowed figure stated before chuckling as he raises a hand towards the crystal mirror that multiplied into 5 and soon showed the images of the Sailor Warriors and Saint Mercury. "it would appear that we must add some changes to our plans."
"and that would be?" the Dark Knight asks.
"we must ensure that the Sailor Warriors find the Saint Knights before we are to eradicate them all in one motion." The shadowed figure replied while looking upon the crystal mirror's images. "if we eradicate them one by one, there's a chance that the other Saint Knights would avenge their fallen comrades. Humans are known to use their emotions as the base of motivations."
"none of it would matter if they were to face myself." The Dark Knight spoke while crossing his arms on his chest. "if I had been the one to be dispatched against them, I would've been able to defeat them and take the Silver Crystal from Princess Serenity's lifeless corpse."
"that would be a good decision, but I suggest we put it aside for later." The shadowed figure stated before raising a hand that had a purple crystal that contained the dead soul of Andromalius, the snake man's pained and screeching face is seen in the reflection of the object before it become distorted as the crystal quickly shatters into pieces. "for now, we must continue with our main objective of collecting more Life Energy for our Great Lord and Master."
The Dark Knight didn't respond as he merely nodded before leaving by disappearing into the shadows.
"now then…" the Shadowed figure began to walk in the shadows as his footsteps echoes in the darkness. Walking into the unknown, the estranged one stops by a large demonic statute of a man, beast, and many more creatures that seems to be combined into one. "what shall we plan to ensure your return, Dark Solomon?"
Some time later at Juuban University. Usagi and the others are gathered in Sugoroku's office room as they were having a meeting with the professor while currently reading the newspaper.
"eehhh?! What is this!?" Usagi cries out as she reads a newspaper that shows the photographed image of the Saint Mercury on it. "New Hero in Japan! Mysterious Armored Knight defeated the snake monster and Sailor Moon and her compatriots made a comeback to help this new mystery hero in dealing with the underlings?! What's with this news' article!?"
"not only that, but there's been new reports that the so called mysterious armored knight is the Sailor heroes' boss who decided to help them out? That's some bogus news!" Minako cried out. "and also! This shot of Sailor Venus is so horrible!"
"these two sure never change, huh?" Luna said and Artemis nodded in agreement.
"w-well..i don't think it matters too much, you two." Ami spoke out in trying to calm things down. "I mean, we were away from all the fighting after the last battle and the news isn't so bad, right?"
"how so!?" Usagi and Minako exclaimed in unison.
"you two really don't get it, do you?" Rei sighs while having a hand to her forehead. "since the news showed Suichirou-sensei as the Saint Knight of Mercury, there may be a chance that others who are also Saint Knights might find this news and search for him."
"if there's the chance of the other Saint Knights already had awakened their powers, this could help us find them a lot more faster." Makoto added in. "this would save us the trouble of finding them the normal way."
"you got a point there…" Usagi and Minako said in unison before they sigh exasperatedly. "oh well, if it's to find the Saint Knights, I guess it's okay." They then hold up the newspaper then pointed to the part that they are dissatisfied with. "but I still don't like this part!"
"now, calm down…" Makoto tries to calm them down while Suichirou comes by with a tray of tea and biscuits.
"is there trouble with the newspaper?" Suichirou asks as he gave each girl their cup of tea and set the biscuits down on the table.
"nothing much other than Usagi and Minako can't handle the newcomer of a hero." Rei said and Usagi with Minako instantly glared at her.
"I'm no hero." Suichirou said with a chuckle. "I'm just someone who is fulfilling his old duties from his past life."
"still, it doesn't change the fact that you're a hero, Suichirou-sensei." Makoto said. "I mean, after all. You did defeat Andromalius again."
"and that you saved us when he first attacked us too." Ami added in.
"when you put it that way, I guess so." Suichirou said with a smile.
"by the way, where's Sugoroku-sensei?" Usagi asks while taking a biscuit and munching on it. "he called us to come and he's not here yet?"
"is he held up with a meeting with other teachers?" Rei asks after blowing on her tea.
"no, he's currently doing some testing on the Moon Memoria in the other room." Suichirou replied while glancing upon the door to the other room, "he said that he encountered a strange phenomenon with it the day before."
"what kind of phenomenon?" Artemis asks, curious.
"he didn't tell me." Suichirou shakes his head in response. "he only told me that he needs to do proper testing before giving us the conclusive result."
Meanwhile in the other room that is beside the office room, Sugoroku is found in a somewhat hi-tech laboratory room as he is currently working on testing the Moon Memoria that has cables and many such objects connected to it.
"if I am correct…" Sugoroku checks on his computer as he types a few codes in the input and the screen shows an energy reaction that made the Moon Memoria glow. "this would cause a reaction to the Moon Memoria and it will reveal the hidden secrets it has.." he looks upon the crystal tablet and sees the Mars Planet Symbol appearing on it once again and the symbol is spinning in the direction of south and is just slowly moving. "to think that the Moon Memoria had such a function…."
Sugoroku checks on his computer as he inputs more data and a screen pops up to show the map of Juuban Tokyo with a red dot appearing and seemingly to be moving.
"judging from this data, I can definitely place this one conclusion." Sugoroku whispers as he looks back at the Moon Memoria once again. "the Saint Knight of Mars is somewhere nearby!"
Meanwhile at the train station a few blocks away. A train had come and stopped by as it proceeded to open its doors for the passengers to get off.
"Juuban Tokyo, Juuban Tokyo~!" The announcer spoke as all the passengers gets off the train with one particular person coming out with a large sack bag over his shoulder.
"so this is Tokyo, huh?" the person spoke and smiles widely to see the Tokyo Tower. "what a sight!"
That's a wrap!
Bye bye