Back on the field, Satsuki and Ryuko were tearing apart the battlefield as streaks of red and blue were intricately tearing through the Crossroads as elegant swordsmanship combined with brutish brawling strength had decimated the ranks. The sisters were in perfect synchronization with one another, never missing a step in their rhythm as if fighting together just came naturally to them. They flashed a silent smile at one another as they stood back to back ready to continue their dancing blaze of glory; but that's when another terrifying duo tagged in.
A symphony of narrative-driven destruction was emulated in the skies as Altair loomed over the battlefield like an angel of death. As she imitated the action of playing a violin by using her cutlass to stroke the notes across the body of her tommy-gun, Vesta raced across the trails of gold left by Carol to obliterate the stunned creatures under the compulsion of the melody. The two white-haired girls merely passed small smiles towards one another as the creatures fell before the might of their strident fury.
Just ahead, the climax of the battle seemed to reach its peak when the remnants of the draconian horde seemingly retreated from the frontlines. It was then that they came together in one cluster of darkness before uniting into a greater draconian abomination taking the shape of a three-headed dark dragon whose size was relatively smaller than the previous monsters; however, its power was so densely concentrated that its roar shook the confines of the Crossroads to its core.
"Shit…look out everyone!" Chris shouted as she anticipated the movement of the creature.
The triple-headed beast flared a powerful magenta fireball at the gear users that engulfed each and every single one of them: Maria, Tsubasa, Miku, Kirika, Shirabe, Elfnein, Chris and even Carol were sent spiraling down towards the stone roads that led to the heavenly gates in spite of Chris' barrier. Their gears shattered to their inner suits. As the Valkyries fell, Arcueid, BB, and Musashi were able to safely grab them up whereas Hibiki was the last one floating in the air; her gear also being damaged by the blast.
Akaro saw this as he readied himself alongside Reina, Sivanah, Adena, the Akame twins, and the others who were not out on the battlefield. However, before they had a chance to leap onto the battlefield, Raizo held out his arm.
"Wait everyone, don't count Hibiki out just yet. There's something familiar crawling from within Gungnir, gradually making its way to the surface," the Stormbringer remarked.
Hibiki closed her eyes, her consciousness doing a deep dive into the recesses of her mind thus escaping her pain and current condition during the fight. Her mind went down memory lane as she saw visages of her past; the various battles that paved the way for her to become the God-Slaying Fist that she was today. From Fine and the early incursion of the Noise, to the Frontier Battle, The Magical Girl Incident, the Alchemists, Adam, Tiamat, Goetia and the Demon Gods, Shem-Ha, Acedia and the Tacet, Cain and the Abyss Order, and now, this final war for heaven. It all came to her like a giant motion picture production detailing the adversity she stood against and the many victories she struggled but eventually achieved. Now was the time to do it all again.
In those moments, Hibiki never aspired to be a hero. She only wanted to fight for those she loved, and to protect the beauty she saw in the world. However, as her journey took her beyond the boundaries of her own world, she learned of evils that could not be reasoned with–forces so monstrous that they could only be confronted with strength. Yet, even as she clenched her fists, part of her still clung to hope—a belief that there should always be another way.
"But what if fighting only brings more danger to those we love?" a whimpering voice escaped her lips with a trembling tone, doubt filling her words for what was uncharacteristic of her.
"Then you keep reaching out," came a voice that was strong yet filled with warmth; a voice not of Hibiki's origin.
"You keep trying until you find the way. That's how you want to love, isn't it?"
Hibiki's eyes flew open within the depths of herself. Standing before her were the familiar faces of Akaro and Raizo alongside a new face but familiar all the same in Kimiko. The presence of the trio filled her with a new sense of strength.
"My king? Raizo-sensei? Kimi-nee?!" Hibiki's voice shook with surprise.
"Onee-sama?!" Raizo gasped as his calm demeanor was shattered.
"Yo," Akaro greeted casually, unbothered by the current circumstances.
"Well, well…look at you, Raizo," Kimiko, in her Akashic appearance, stepped towards the Crusader as she looked at him up and down and noted the changes within him.
"Becoming the King of Inferno, awakening as an Envoy, and achieving the status of a Tengu compliments you well. Hmm…wonder what other changes have you gone through, my dear little tsun," she teased whilst blowing a puff of air into his ear. Raizo tensed with a blush filling his face.
"Onee-sama…" he mused with a side glance to which the woman chuckled before focusing on the task at hand.
"The will of Gungnir within Hibiki's relic has summoned us here for a reason that I am sure is confusing, but allow me to explain," the great goddess expressed as she cleared her throat before resuming.
"After Satanael fell, I faced my sister, Rakshasa. Her weapon carried the power of Initus, the Light of the Beginning—a force of limitless potential representing the fool who steps onto an impossible path. It is the light that defies everything, shaping destiny with every step forward.
To meet that power head-on, I forged Terminus—the Light of the End, the Path of the Ultimate Hero. It is the final destination, the perfect culmination of all that is fought for. The golden light of the End guides the Beginning to its destined conclusion. Together, they are unbreakable," Kimiko explained, her gaze having settled on Akaro and Raizo.
"After that battle, the Lights of the Beginning and End emanated further. First, there was the Great Dragon of the End and its children. And from there, the light spread into countless stories, manifesting in fragments of their power."
So my Gungnir is…?"
Kimiko nodded as Hibiki's understanding reached a realization.
"Exactly. A tiny, infinitesimal shard of the Light became the foundation for your Gungnir—your Karaoke Armor. Humanity's creativity is absolutely stunning!"
For once, Kimi's deadpan expression broke. Her face lit up with an almost childish excitement. She reached out and touched the relic around Hibiki's neck as golden energy pulsed from it, filling the air with warmth and power.
"Now, show them—show your lover and your sensei the strength you've carried all along. Go! Go! Gungnir-Mjolnir Burning X-Drive Unlimited of the End! Or something like that. It should be pretty strong," Kimiko said, her tone switched back to the usual deadpan but a glimmer of hope still linger in her words.
Hibiki's eyes snapped open as she woke up to reality. The pendant on her chest began to glow, unleashing the power hidden within the shard of Gungnir. The pendant unfurled radiating a new wave of energy as her Symphogear transformed before their eyes.
Her hair grew outward at the ends becoming a sharp mess of brilliant blond while her eyes turned gold. Adorning her head was a unique headdress of blue and white crystals. Two larger, claw-like stalagmites covered the areas above her left and right ears while a solid blue one in the shape of an arrow-head sword adorned the center. Her boxy suit was a mixture of blue and white as the cuirass outlined her breasts and rib cage area. This was in tandem with the armor along her biceps as well as the plates jutting from her wrists with amber stones embedded on the back of her hands. Her boots were white, draconian-like plated greaves with at least a foot tall platforms that raised her off the ground. Angled armor pillars jutted out from the knee area like winds on either side. The flesh down of her body suit was a glowing orange hue that seemingly glowed with bio-luminescent energy. At first glance, it was almost as if the girl was naked given how the design greatly adhered to her curves from the front from the valley of her cleavage to her navel, her forearms, her thighs and even her rear-end.
An elaborate splayed open relic of pink and blue hues rested on white fabric that covered her collarbone and neck. From behind, she maintained a high-collared set of armor that was responsible for holding two giant disc-like thrusters in the air with blue and white metallic structures giving it its shape. Bands of light hung down from her battle skirt in the back as blue transitioned into green, then into yellow as the bands danced in the breeze.
As her longer flowing hair shimmered by the gold hovered around her like an ethereal crown, her aura only exuded the goddess-like presence she was presented with. She floated effortlessly on the battlefield blazing like a warrior queen—radiant, untouchable, and fierce. This new version of herself caused chaos on the bridge of the Last Word.
"Can we get a clear reading on Hibiki's Phonic Gain?" Genjuro asked.
"Negative, the instruments are all over the place. Even with the newly fine-tuned equipment by Elfnein, nothing is registering properly."
"These numbers are everywhere, the consoles are going out of control!"
The equipment on the bridge malfunctioned crazily as several monitors shattered; even some of the consoles nearby outright exploded. All of the gauges that were visible reset to zero several times, unable to comprehend the power that the woman was giving off.
Down below at the Crossroads, the recovering gear users gazed up towards Hibiki like a star in the night sky. Elfnein was the lone individual that deigned to voice her thoughts.
"This isn't just Phonic gain, no, this is far greater than that—something truly divine," she murmured with reverence. Back on the edge of the bridge on the outer hull of the Last Word, Raizo and Akaro exchanged knowing glances towards one another.
"You already understand, don't you?" Akaro asked.
"Yeah," Raizo started, "It's like the Resonance Phenomena we underwent. But this is focused entirely within Gungnir. It's the power of a light once wielded by Akasha herself."
In the meantime of Hibiki's miraculous transformation, more clones of the three-headed draconian Tacet arrived, growing into a steady army of calamitous beasts ready to rid the battlefront of the noble heroes. They loomed ominously in the air ready to strike as one; however, Hibiki remained unmoved. In unison, the beasts flared their energies together as flames roared towards her. As the inferno threatened to consume her person, her aura raged in protest causing the onslaught to be extinguished, nullified by the overwhelming force of her divine energy. One by one, the Tacet continued to close in; however even as a new spawn joined the fray, none of their blazing strikes reached her person or had any effect. Hibiki's transformation was absolute, her power transcendent as the battlefield now belonged to her.
Hibiki took a deep breath, her voice rising from deep within her soul. The first note escaped her lips, pure and unshaken, a melody charged with raw, divine energy. Her song–an anthem of hope, love, and defiance–rippled through the battlefield, the sheer power of her voice manifested waves that tore through the air. The ground shook beneath her as shockwaves erupted outward, erasing the airborne enemies in an instant thus reducing their forms into nothingness.
Back on the ground, waves of the Tacet that were once so terrifying and relentless were being swept away like dust in a storm. The battlefield ahead of her was cleared in moments thus creating a straight path towards Erebus and Nyx. The sight was almost unbelievable, a force so unstoppable that it left both of the dark gods in stunned silence. For the first time, the Primordial Duo of Erebus who was darkness incarnate and Nyx of the eternal night, were frozen in place. Their ancient and unfathomable power momentarily eclipsed by something beyond their understanding.
"How is this possible? No mortal should possess this kind of power!" Erebus called out in exasperation.
"Is she truly human to begin with?" Nyx proposed, trying to cope over the fact that a mortal has truly entered into and surpassed the realm of the divine.
Hibiki's song wasn't just sound, it was the embodiment of a force they had never encountered before. It was something far greater than their millennia of existence had ever witnessed. And in that fleeting moment, even the gods trembled.
Once the job was done, Hibiki landed down towards the area where her fellow gear users gathered. Her transformation in all of its radiant glory came undone. She dropped to her knees as the fatigue instantly hit her all at once.
"So…that's my…limit, huh? Guess even I…have those," she panted. Her body and spirit could only handle so much at once. It would take sufficient time for her to recover to access it again.
"Take a good rest, my star student. We'll take care of the rest," Raizo muttered as he became focused on the path ahead.
"All right Team AKARA, let's show these bastards what it means when you try to mess with our home," Akaro rallied the group. In that moment, the Crimson Brothers, Adena, the Akames, Reina, and even Sivanah entered the fray.
The reinforcements of the Tacet took the shape in a myriad of forms, both large and small. From countless infantry forces marching along the Crossroads itself, to giant lumbering Titans. Winged beasts in the shapes of dragons and phoenixes permeated the air as more gargantuan amalgamations of the three-headed dragons from before reemerged. Just when it seemed like all hope was lost, that's when the gang rolled in to protect those who were already exhausted from the first foray of battle.
"Crimson Dragon Flash!" Akaro called out having used the evolved Svarog with one hand to release the projection of the colossal Crimson Dragon towards the enemy to break their ranks. Yet the discharge of energy was carrying a surprise one would not expect.
"Ready?"
"Always."
The Akames were surfing atop the head of the colossal projection at the same time. The Elder of the pair assumed her form as the Angel of Death with Murasame soaked in a purple aura of poison mist. The younger variant had a headdress whose horns grew at that moment mimicking the projection of an oni as her crimson eyes flashed with purple streaks of lighting. The Scourge of Death's Door–Murasame–was crackling with crimson electricity around its blade.
They kick away from either side of the Crimson Dragon Flash at that moment. The technique went on to devour scores of Tacet caught within its wake while the Elder Akame darted off to the left flank. She proceeded to blitz through the air before unleashing crescent streaks of energy at her foes.
"Poisonous Wave, Rapid Succession," she uttered. Each pulse of energy corroded Tacet one after the other down to their corrupted molecules as Murasame's curse was potent enough to consume the creatures of Outer Darkness.
"This one I'm gonna borrow from you, Raizo…Blade Whirlwind!" the younger Akame called out. Her eyes radiated red as tiny little marks appeared in her field of view above the heads of various targets. Imbuing her blade with crimson thunder, Akame instantaneously teleported between each of her targets and hacked them down to subatomic particles one after the other.
"Together now," the Elder Akame directed, having reunited with her younger counterpart midair. Back-to-back, the women tucked their blades at their sides and unified their breathing in perfect harmony.
"All-Swallowing Blade!"
Instantaneously drawing their swords at once, countless Tacet were sucked into two wormholes having appeared at precise points where space was severed. As all of the creatures were caught up within the gravity wells, each one was devoured by swordsmanship as their existences shattered like glace before the weight of their peerless steel blades. A break in the formation of the Tacet was already starting to show in a matter of seconds.
"Yume no Haretsu!" called the familiar voice of the Sovereign of Purgatory whilst summoning her energy to relinquish a giant black, scarlet and yellow beam of super densely packed energy towards the ranks of the enemy.
It was perfect timing on her part as the flow between the Akames' technique and hers lined up. She relinquished the Fire Stance of the Resolute Blade Arts decimating a swath of enemies in her path. As more of the field clears, the great Goddess of Fate elected to grab hold of her sword and race along the Crossroads to meet more of her foes. She left trails of purgatorial hellfire mixed with subzero temperatures of ice in her wake as she slashed through crowds of enemies like they were nothing more than leaves captured in the wind.
"Mugen, sen-mai no Arashi…"
Reina drew her storied blade–the Kanemitsu–in a flash. The unseen force of the Iaido draw style allowed her to suspend the actions of cutting outside the realm around them. To the average onlooker, it was like she just weaved around the Tacet and let the go to freely terrorize their targets; however, as soon as the hilt of her sword clicked against its sheath, hundreds upon hundreds of Tacet were rendered undone as their vessels dissipated into nothingness.
Raizo and Adena were about to follow up with some wicked combinations of their own, but the duo found themselves stopped by Sivanah. The Tengu Queen extended an arm out before she took a look back at the couple.
"Hey you two, y'all got a job to do right? That's fighting Nyx and Erebus. Leave the worms to us. Just wait for an opening and make your move. We got this…actually, I got this. Been awhile since I had a chance to work out on the battlefield," the infamous sister of Sakinah remarked whilst rolling her neck and cracking her fingers. She proceeded to march forward, each step through the air shaking the invisible layers of oxygen by every weighted step she took.
Sivanah found herself surrounded by the hordes of creatures; each of which threatened to devour her on sight. Just as she was seemingly going to be ambushed, the creatures found themselves seizing uncontrollably as if possessed by an unknown force before dissolving into trails of light and scattered particles. Another wave went to do the same before suffering the same fate.
"Confused? Is that a concept you beasts can grasp? Well, quite frankly, your Karma has caught up with you, forcing you to become undone. Simple as that…" Sivanah remarked before giving out a subtle yawn.
The Great Kiichi Hogen, a Tengu of the Vaitarani was unlike any other. With just her presence alone, she was forcing the creatures into a state of unconscious Nirvana. Their bodies born from the Void were essentially spawns of the concept of negativity birthed by Outer Darkness. As a result, by coming into contact with her person, their existences were rendered unstable as the authority of Karma alone within her caused the creatures to be enter the cycle of Samsara, to repeat the loop of rebirth until their existences managed to atone for the weight of their negativity. However, being creatures born of darkness, they simply ceased to be.
"Still a lot of you hideous fuckers left…ugh so boring and time consuming. I'd rather not show all my magical bag of tricks, so…I'll just hurry this along with some Rules of Nature. Like so…"
The Tengu Queen snapped her fingers as instantaneous bolts of electricity erupted from her aura thus piercing through and chaining an entire network of Tacet. She snapped her fingers again causing the monsters to detonate under the weight of Crimson Thunder; an application of which was thought to only be unique to a set group of people: Raizo and Akaro being chief among them. Much to the surprise of the onlooker, not only did she know how to use it, she had mastery over its use and suffered no drawback from its usage.
"Just a little spark to get the party started. Oh, now we're flanking? Nice, how about you consume yourselves?"
Sivanah clapped her hands together. The echoing sound struck ripples along the skins of the beasts that elected to flank her. In that resulting moment, phantasmal limbs of darkness born from nothingness encompassed by a violet flame of miasma reached out and clung to the various targets. From her standpoint, all she could see were the Tacet being snatched from a myriad of directions forcefully colliding with one another. Their collisions caused the beasts to be smashed into paste upon impact.
The phantasmal limbs crafted hundreds of hands tightly clenched into fists before pounding the foot soldiers repeatedly. The resulting force generated rapidfire drum beats that shook the Crossroads for a length stretch of around 15 seconds or so before halting. Portals of violet energy then suddenly broke holes in the sky around Sivanah's location; hundreds of monsters were devoured within the dark embrace banishing them from space. Once said portals sealed themselves, the alternate realms destabilized and shattered back into reality as their negative energy was released from the world at large.
"This is so sad. Do you creatures not realize that attacking me is futile? The negative intention of your Karma is only defeating yourself. All I'm doing is just getting creative with your imminent demise," The Great Tengu sighed heavily as she casually strutted across the battlefield. It was too easy, too simplistic, but she knew what her role was at this moment.
"My role? Hang on a second…excuse me, but I'm assuming direct control…"
ERROR
Hello? Is this thing on? Oh hey, look at that. It actually worked. Sorry readers, I just decided to hijack the narrative for a second. Don't worry, though, I promise I won't do anything too destructive. Now if you are a bit slow on the uptick, the person currently in the driver's seat of the story is none other than me, Sivanah Ashvi. Yep, that's right. Now this scene is supposed to be about me and what I do on the battlefield. As much as it would probably be fun for you to see it happen, this scene doesn't need to be longer than it is. We got a story to push forward and it isn't time for me to have a focused chapter yet. That being said, I'll just give everyone a little rundown as I get ready to wipe out this whole ass advanced force.
I am the Goddess of Karma…TRUE Karma. If you thought Sakinah was broken, you haven't seen anything yet. You see, everything I did so far has influenced reality a bit by something I call Rules of Nature. My sister is an elementalist, as am I, I just do it differently. All I did was manipulate the forces of the physical world and caused atoms and energy to behave in such a way that it generated lightning and darkness. I can do that for almost every major element.
Prime example, I'm just gonna ignite space like so. As I say that intent, the world around me listens and proceeds to burn away these Tacet beasts in an all enveloping inferno. I'm watching them burn into nothingness as the air around them is ignited into grand chasms of flame by grazing my aura. As I casually step along the beaten path, there aren't even piles of ash left in my wake.
As I decimate the countless forces of Outer Darkness, I took their negative essence and intention born of the True Void and forced their existences to come undone by enforcing Karma upon their actions. The Prana of their temporary vessels, albeit corrupt, I simply induce into the Vaitarani to be incarnated into reality as a whole, to heal it from the damaging effects of its existence. Energy must be perpetually kept in balance, and my job is to ensure that it happens.
Now before I go back to being the regular character in this story, I'm just here to say that you'll eventually get to see my tricks when the time comes. But here's one more for you that I'll do first hand. Take the reins Narrator, I'm relinquishing Control.
RESTORED
The space within the confines of the Crossroads seemingly folded in on itself. To the onlooker, it was like the realm was being churned like paper. The remaining scores of Tacet that were within the foreseeable range of Sivanah's view were captured. In that following instant, it seemed like the perspective of those creatures were wrapped up within a ball as Sivanah's visage exponentially grew. In reality, she gathered the Tacet inside a pocket marble of reality, then crushed it in the palm of her hand thus severing the existence of those therein.
To the viewers from the outside, it was like all of those Tacet disappeared from view as the Tengu's presence changed for a brief second. One second, the enemy was there, the next, they were gone. Seeing the chance to get to the source of their problems, a streak of crimson flame and golden thunder blitzed past Siva on either side thus headed towards the targets of the Erebus and Nyx. Sensing pride in their display, Siva reached out through the Vaitarani and touched Raizo's and Adena's ethereal beings.
"May the Vaitarani bless you with the wisdom to overcome…"
Raizo and Adena carved a path towards their fated encounters. After what seemed like an endless journey of constant combat, battling against hordes upon hordes of nigh-infinite horrors, the time had come to face off against the generals of the battlefield. The Dark Gods versus the Next Generation, a duel of the fates that represented the past against the future deadlocked in the present. As the Crusader and Benihime stood side-by-side, their gazes were locked with those of Erebus and Nyx.
"And so returns the Prodigal Son, the great prince and Future King of Heaven! A little too late, don't you think? Look around you, foolish boy. Elysium has been forsaken. There is no hope for you, especially since dear ol' Mercer never saw Perdition coming," Erebus mocked with a haughty tone. For Raizo, he figured there was something off. He knew that he couldn't feel his father's energy for some reason. There was a part of him that greatly feared the worst, but another part of him felt that it was just temporary.
"Listen up because I'm only going to say this once. You have two options: surrender, or death. There is no other way for this to end," Raizo declared with a calm, yet commanding tone; a kind of attitude that would send chills down one's spine because of how collected he was in the moment. Erebus and Nyx looked towards one another with a subtle chuckle before one leapt into action.
Nyx lunged towards Adena's station with her nightmarish blade in hand. The cruel edge of the cold, hard steel bore a power that was similar to the Norse Maiden, Vili. It was a tool of destruction that radiated with a darkness that could burn away creation; however, Addy was more than prepared to deal with this as she transformed her Prometheus armament into a giant greatsword burning with the ever-brilliant light of crimson flames to create constructs that countered against every destructive ripple. As the battle of day and night erupted, the Child of Light was left to deal with the Prince of Darkness.
Erebus proceeded to unleash his offensive by skillfully swinging his blade of darkness at Raizo's position. His carefully refined swordplay of decisive two-handed kendo style swings in tandem with the periodic thrust was meant to throw Raizo off his balance. However, the young wolf kept his wits about him not even drawing any of his swords and tested the waters by using his fists; counter-striking between blows and feints to test the Prince's openings.
With Nyx and Adena caught in a battle of blades, and Raizo using more martial arts in his dance with Erebus, it was almost like the younger power couple switched dynamics in order to challenge their respective opponents. Adena, relying on swordplay rather than martial arts, and Raizo doing vice versa. In this manner, they were utilizing each other's specialties to get the edge over their foes.
As the exchange carried on between the combatants, there was a brief period where Raizo and Adena passed a glance towards one another while Erebus and Nyx were neatly lined up in accordance with their footwork. A silent nod passed between them in that moment as they suddenly went on the major offensive by switching foes.
Adena spun on her back right heel in a flash as she landed a backhanded blow against Erebus before swinging her blade with the full wrath of her flames chasing behind it. Raizo instantaneously called Nirvana to hand in her heavy-bladed scythe form before swinging directly across Nyx's armor leaving behind an aura of hellfire. The two dark gods were thrown off balance and sent spiraling back as the conflagration flames of the combined assault burned away their focus quite literally.
Off in the distance, Akaro, the rest of Team AKARA and the entire swath of heroes from the Last Word watched this battle play out. Subtle cheers from the gear users on the Crossroads escaped as everyone saw Raizo and Adena gain the upper hand with the initial exchange. The morale boost in the background suggested that it was time to kick things up a notch.
"Fine then…time to play the game," Erebus gritted his teeth thus wiping away dried blood that was burned into his skin from that earlier blow. The embedded eyes within his gauntlets seemingly widened with a crimson glow as the Prince of Darkness channeled his power into them.
"I'll show you the power of the authority given to me by Perdition; a power to alter the flow of fate—Eyes of the Deep!" Erebus shouted out with a sinister smirk and a flick of his wrists.
Reality was isolated and rewound in that moment as a cloud of haze covered the four combatants. Following that phenomenon, Raizo was in the moment where he was exchanging blows with Erebus using hand-to-hand combat whereas Adena was left in a duel of blades with Nyx.
"What the…" Raizo shuddered for a moment being caught off-guard as he narrowly evaded one of Erebus' strikes. Refocusing on the task at hand, the Crusader went ahead and threw in another batch of blows once more as he waited for another opening to reveal itself. As Erebus followed through with an overhead attack, Raizo slid to his right and delivered a swift uppercut with his right hand imbued by Crimson Thunder. As soon as the strike landed, the Dark God's gauntlets flashed and the battlefield altered itself around them.
"Tch…"
The Stormbringer gritted his teeth as he was forced on the defensive once again. This time, however, Erebus caught Raizo by surprise by feinting one of his strikes and hitting the Son of Mercer in the gut with the pommel of his sword. Behind Raizo, Adena was also on the defensive end as Nyx was finding a way to overpower her by forcing the flame princess to one knee as they were gridlocked with their blades.
Raizo didn't give up. He continued to press the attack in order to break through his opponent's defense. From unleashing a chain of lightning at Erebus, to unleashing the Ruin Unyielding, even going as far to use a falsetto of Cosmic Foundry; each time Raizo gained ground against Erebus, the Primordial God flicked his wrists to rewrite the flow of fate.
"Did you really think victory was within your grasp, little Arashi? In the shadowed abyss, only I command the tides of destiny," taunted the arrogant god whose tone of voice dripped with malevolent glee.
In the background of their interaction, Nyx simultaneously stopped forward shrouded in an aura of cold inevitability. Her blade, infused with the Authority of the Axis, gleamed with an otherworldly silver hue that cut through the battlefield's chaos with eerie precision. That authority allowed the Goddess of Night to pierce any barrier—be it distance, durability, or physical obstruction—as if the space between her and her target did not exist. Her blade, once drawn, was seemingly able to slice through reality itself unimpeded and unstoppable.
Nyx's eyes locked onto Adena, not her blade or her fists, but the ever-confident redhead herself. With a single motion, her sword thrust forward; the surrounding air ripped apart as the weapon defied logic. The blade found its mark thus wounding Benihime despite her amplified regenerative prowess amidst a multitude of other protections she possessed. Addy's eyes widened causing her to reel in agony as the suffering effect seared through her person. Dropping Prometheus into a portal of flame, she grasped at the wound fizzling across her chest; eyes widened trying to comprehend the current circumstances which led to Nyx relinquishing a small, emotionless smile.
"In the realm of the Axis, nothing shields you from my reach," the Night Goddess whispered, her soft tone filled with malice as she readied her blade from another strike.
The tide of the battle was beginning to shift in the favor of Erebus's manipulation of fate and Nyx's unstoppable blade. Even in the midst of the pain that she suffered, Adena focused her mind; the same was said of Raizo in that moment as well. The duo passed a glance towards one another. There was an unspoken sense of understanding recognizing that the conventional tactics would not be enough; they needed to tap into their newfound abilities to win.
Raizo inhaled a deep and steady breath. The first thing that happened the moment his mind went calm was his body innately called upon Mugen. He maintained control over his breathing, the tension of his muscles in his body as well as the energy flowing therein. Then he emptied his mind of unnecessary thoughts in order to allow his instincts to take over. He perceived the vision of his ideal self, one that could maximize his potential without wasting his power unnecessarily through emotion. Once all of this was achieved, he would be able to find that balance that allowed him to be grounded with himself and the world around him. However, Raizo was able to go further beyond that. Though the four principles from the Cardinal Four helped him establish himself as a better fighter and achieve that higher state called Mugen, he was passively in that state at all times once he awakened to a world greater than himself–the Tao. As a result, now he was about to dive into a plethora of new abilities thanks to those trials.
A surge of spiritual energy overwhelmed his person as a glowing aura of pale luminescent green with sparks of gold consumed him. His eyes shimmered in the midst of that fountain of power as sought to activate a new technique: Voyager — The One Who Crossed the Cosmos. In his mind's eye, he was able to expand the ideology of getting a 'lay of the land'. This technique was born from his nature as a speedster and enhanced by his rebirth as a Tengu via the Vaitarani. It gave him the ability to develop an instinctive map of the cosmos, allowing him to know and traverse the best routes between realms with unmatched precision. Every path he has taken while being on the 'run' has been ingrained in his being which opened avenues to greater speeds than before.
In what felt like a snap, Raizo was able to scoop Adena up out of harm's way from Nyx thus giving her time to recover. He moved so fast that the redhead looked up towards him dumbfounded by the current shift in location. From afar, the Great Tengu Mother folded her arms over her chest and raised an eyebrow.
"Interesting, I don't even think I'd be able to pull that off," she expressed with great intrigue over how far her disciple has come with his training.
"Hey Babe, you good?" Adena asked with a subtle chuckle, feeling something completely different about Raizo who was looking more focused than ever before; yet free in his own unique sense at the same time.
"Yeah…I am. I'm just on a different level than before. He's about to find out the hard way," Raizo remarked as he began to step up to the plate of the challenge ahead.
Voyager unlocked a new realm of possibilities for Raizo. He was at a point where he could freely sail across energy currents linked by the prime forces of the Tao. This allowed him to disregard physical defenses and obstacles as long as energy was permitted to flow. Life and death was bridged together by this connection and right now, he was an unstoppable traveler whose map was vast including destinations to any territory touched by the forces at play.
The Crusader stretched forth his right hand as he summoned a colossal greatsword that was half his size. The amethyst blade was lined with frost-colored teeth resembling a chainsaw whose crown featured a sharp, forward-pointing hammerhead. The spine gleaming with layered gold which traced down towards an exaggerated, four-inch wide crossguard. His hand gripped along a foot and half handle with a golden pommel and matching trigger draped down from the crossguard. This was the fabled evolution of the Morana armament – Diamond Dust Rebellion, Yorukage.
"This is where the fun begins."
Raizo gripped the trigger handle attached to his blade. An audible revving noise emanated from the weapon as the latent power courtesy of the original blade activated — Siphoning Fate. As the metal chains along the edge began to burn with primal energy, the power therein allotted the Crusader to overwrite the destiny that was being imposed by Erebus as it fed off the mystical energies swirling around them. Infused by the cosmic blessing, Raizo burst into action.
Erebus' eyes widened as the Son of Mercer moved faster than the limits of fate and imagination. Just as Raizo approached for a fatal blow, the Dark God activated Eyes of the Deep in an attempt to rewind the moment; however, blessed by Voyager and Siphoning Fate, the mighty Stormbringer would bypass the reset and traverse the flow of energy that tied the principles together.
Raizo appeared behind Erebus, a glint of Yorukage's mystical edge caught the dim light of battle as the revving noises filled the atmosphere. In a decisive blow, the colossal greatsword was driven into Erebus' chest. The blade pulsed with frigid energy as the cruel mist of the harsh tundras of Cocytus spread out over Erebus' body like veins of icy lightning. This chilled Erebus to his core as the manipulation of fate by his eyes unraveled causing the former prince's confident expression to falter. The realization of what occurred was beyond anything he could ever have fathomed as Raizo's power overrode the potency of his authority.
"Your fate pales in comparison to the weight of my destiny," Raizo whispered in Erebus' ear; his voice was as cold and sharp as the great amethyst blade piercing through the dark general.
To further add insult to injury, Raizo focused his strength and lightly tapped Erebus' forehead. A golden twist of sharp vines and branches with thorns protruding from it. Taking the shape of a crown of thorns, the headdress clung around Erebus' skull and proceeded to squeeze as blood began to flow down his face. The energy that the dark god was radiating before was currently being choked by the crown and storing it within its confines. Thanks to the Stormbringer's influence, the man was subtracting his foe's energy and rendered movement of said target null and void. Without that energy, the atomic makeup of Erebus' vessel was unable to take action, stripping him of movement in any conceptual sense.
"No…I will not falter here. I will stand…victorious over you!" Erebus screamed as he tried to force his body to move but to no avail.
"The minute you volunteered to face me was the moment you spelled your own defeat. I'm different than I was before. Quite frankly, you just don't measure up," Raizo remarked dismissively.
With a snap of the fingers, the golden crown enveloped Erebus in chains of golden lightning. From there, the metallic bindings proceeded to overcharge the Primordial God's body. An unknown source of energy was induced into his body which caused the weight of his existence to expand with greater mass until his physical form cracked apart and exploded leaving only a dark purple flame behind—the Essence of Erebus. In a blink, Raizo's Yorukage blade absorbed the flame into its care thus furthering the young wolf's source of strength.
Concurrent to the battle of men, Adena and Nyx were left to their battle. Benihime was filled with confidence and determination after witnessing how Raizo dispatched his enemy. Now it was her turn to do the same. The Goddess of Night froze in horror over seeing the end of her husband; however, she did not realize that her end already happened.
Nyx rushed towards Adena with her storied blade in hand refusing to give into despair, "We shall have victory, and I shall have my vengeance!"
Just as she ran towards her enemy, the Night Empress felt her legs go numb as she fell to the ground. When she looked down, she noticed how grotesque her legs became. Her limbs seemingly bubbled and morphed, swelling in disgusting ways as her bones started to crush under the weight of some unknown pressure. As Nyx attempted to heal, she felt like her powers drawn from her essence warped and was no longer responding to any form of thought.
"I had a feeling that fighting you for too long would likely lead to deadly consequences so unfortunately, to make things quick…I had to fight a little dirty. Since you're dying an accelerated yet slow and agonizing death, I might as well explain it to ya.
Agni's Radiance…I always thought of it as nothing more than an ability that made me a fist-fightin', martial arts lovin' pyromaniac; but over time, I realized that fire isn't everything I can do. I have dominion over heat and all the concepts therein. Now I bet this explanation is making me sound like some sort of genius, but I'm no brainiac. Experience has taught me how my powers kinda tick.
You probably won't get this, but ya see, there's this type of power called Thermal Radiation. That's nothing more than heat from moving charges turning into electromagnetic waves. The Sun that we all know and love on Earth is a giant ball of that, blasting solar radiation that heats the Earth. It's also why I've always felt strongest during the day and weaker at night when I was younger. Now…there is an acceptable amount of this radiation that humanity can tolerate. If it's cranked up too high, then every mortal is cooked.
For you, well…you're more than just flesh and blood. You're a friggin' Primordial Goddess so I thought, well…why not take it up a notch? Let's make that radiation hit on a physical and existential level! So with the way my powers work, even your fancy Primordial Essence can twist into something ugly. Radiation is a bitch and I made that bitch conceptual. It won't kill you, I mean…nothing wipes out Primordials for good, but trust me on this one sister—you'll be begging it could," Adena finished her astute explanation by crossing her arms and relinquishing a haughty grin.
"You little bitch! You would dare use such underhanded methods?! You're a coward! How fucking dare you?!"
Nyx cursed wildly in frustration at the redhead; however, her fate was sealed. Her beautiful demeanor morphed into blobs of disfigured flesh and unstable clumps of mass before mutating into a blob of mangled tissue and muscle. The once immaculate vessel of Nyx burst into an explosion of dark flames as she was wiped away.
Raizo and Adena reunited before looking each other in the eyes and sharing a mutual fistbump of victory. Moments later, they were joined by the other members of Team AKARA and the other heroes.
"Asses officially kicked, now that's what I'm talking about," Akaro nodded in approval.
"Well duh, what else did you expect?" Adena smirked before bumping fists with the God-King
"Someone's training has been paying dividends it would seem," the Elder Akame remarked with a subtle nod of approval.
"You better be keeping your protein levels up though," the younger Akame expressed as she pointed at Raizo's arms and chest.
"H-Hey…that tickles. I'm doing the best I can, you know?" Raizo sighed in response.
"Anyone who attains knowledge of the Tao would fare no less than what they've achieved. Such fodder is an insult to their combined strength," Sivanah haughtily expressed with a firm nod.
"What my obnoxious and hardass teacher is trying to say is good job to you both," Reina sighed heavily.
"In all honesty, had I fought against Erebus before my training in the Tengu Realm, then he would have been more of a challenge; however, with how I currently feel…that was barely a workout," the Stormbringer shrugged before turning his attention back to Akaro.
"How are the girls doing?"
"Musashi and Arcueid took Ryuko, Satsuki and the gear users back aboard the Last Word to get patched up for the next phase of the assault."
"Good…they did exceptionally well. I'm proud of their growth."
"As you should be, you helped them more than you realize," Reina came over and dropped a reaffirming pat on Raizo's back.
"Now then…time to reclaim home," the Crusader remarked. Collectively, the group marched across the Crossroads with the Last Word lingering behind them only to reach the gates that were clouded by a strange darkness. In the short distance, Vesta and Altair were already there.
"Interesting that they would go this far to ensure no fighting force could advance through it," Altair remarked.
"It's to be expected. They want us to be aware that we are fighting on their terms. It's just one diversionary tactic after the other," Vesta analyzed.
"Why does it look like something out of a video game? I mean…look at the shape. There is no organic flow to it, it's more…geometric if anything," Raizo peered closer at the dark canvas.
"Hold on there, Senpai," BB interrupts as she spawns in randomly, "Barriers like this were really popular going off my memories in the Moon Cell. They don't just open magically, there is always a hidden mechanic."
"Hmm…" Akaro reached out as he pressed his finger against it. A cruel hissing noise wafted from the spot as smoke emanated from the digit that was burned in the process.
"Well…powering through it is definitely out of the question."
Raizo and Reina stood side-by-side as their minds were infused with various thoughts about the current circumstance. The others in the group were throwing out different ideas to try; some of which were nonsensical while others were less than logical. Nevertheless, it kept everyone's spirits up instead of residing in complacency. However, at the end of the discussion, there was only one sound conclusion.
"We need someone that can study this damn thing and hack through it," Akaro drew the final consensus for everyone. He closed his eyes for a moment as the subtle outline of a peculiar ring appeared on his finger. Drawing upon his time of dealing with servants and other epic heroes, he recalled his time spent within the Moon Cell. Even after all this time, the connection was still there; regardless of the distant influence of the Throne.
The atmosphere around the powerhouse shifted as a small glimmer of iridescent energy erupted from his body. In a burst of amber-colored light, a silhouette of a girl standing in an exaggerated contrapposto pose with her left hand tilted over her face while her right arm was folded her chest stood before the group.
The girl was one who had long, wavy chestnut colored hair and hazel eyes. She wore a school uniform that was typical of a Japanese student. A white shirt with a black flattened color matched with a black skirt and black leggings with dark brown shoes. She also wore a high collared black blazer with a matching ball-cap. The unique factor of her uniform that made it pop was the orange veins of glowing energy patterned upon the fabric all over the fabric; that mana energy signified it as the most powerful mystic code belonging to the legendary magus—Hakuno Kishinami.
"Chesto!" she exclaimed before breaking into a grin and stepping forward to embrace Akaro. Without hesitation, she pulled him close into a warm hug; her forehead pressed against his solar plexus area with an affectionate, tomboyish gesture.
"Missed me?" she teased, her eyes sparking with familiarity and nostalgia.
Akaro's normally composed demeanor broke in that moment as he reached around and pulled her into a warm embrace by her waist.
"Always," he responded, his voice low enough only for her to hear.
She chuckled in kind and gave him a quick, playful kiss, brushing her thumb against his jawline then stepping back. That tomboyish charm blended seamlessly with her subtle femininity which made this moment all the more heartfelt and spirited. A small silence passed between them that was charged with a deep, shared history; a bond forged through countless battles on the far side of the Moon and beyond. This moment only served as confusion for the members of Team AKARA in the background.
"Everyone, this is Hakuno, the Queen of the Moon Cell and my former Master," Akaro introduced, having sensed the group's curiosity.
Adena smirked, crossing her arms as she surveyed the girl's position.
"So, you're the one who kept this guy in line, huh? Respect," she said with a nod.
Vesta's eyes narrowed thoughtfully, "The legendary Queen of the Moon Cell…I've heard stories, but seeing you here is something else."
"Hmm," Raizo raised an eyebrow, a hint of awe crossing his features, "If you were able to handle Aniki, you must be something special."
"Heh," Hakuno grinned, her tomboy flair emerging for display, "I'm more than special, kid. I'm the one who pulled this knucklehead through more scrapes than you can count."
Following that statement, she playfully punched Akaro's arm. Almost immediately on cue, Raizo's ring finger showed a glint of crimson as the silhouette of the White Princess of the Moon appeared instantaneously. The blonde-haired beauty with shimmered red eyes held a slight aura of tension about her.
"I thought I sensed someone rather familiar entering the field," Arcueid spoke in a deadened tone which caused a dense air to consume the group for a moment. Akaro stepped forward, moving to defend Hakuno from the True Ancestor but the master merely put her hand up.
"Long time no see, Archetype Earth. Didn't think I'd see you again following that little bonus scenario," Hakuno remarked.
"Hmm…you and I still have unfinished business, if you recall. After all, you led me to believe that you would help me with my freedom only to send the false avatar of Shiki after me…"
"I had no choice. You were holding onto way too many grudges to trust you with some form of freedom. And besides…it wasn't me that inspired Kimi-chan to disguise herself as Ryougi Shiki and put you in your place."
"Don't blame Hakuno-chan for that. It was my call, Arc-chan. Not hers. Your grudge would be with me if anything else," Akaro stepped up.
"That's enough, Arcueid," Raizo called out from behind, speaking with a surprising aura of authority; an impact that made the great Archetype Earth pause with her hostility.
"The past is exactly that. Whatever grudge you have is irrelevant to the current situation at hand…"
"Hmph…very well, for your sake, my darling…I shall let this matter go. However, at some point, this matter will have a proper resolution," Arcueid said, her eyes glowing red as she passed a judging look over Hakuno's position.
"Hmm…oi kid…what's your name again?" the Moon Cell Queen inquired.
"Raizo…Raizo Arashi-Mercer," the young wolf responded.
"Raizo, eh? You got a strong look in your eyes. I dig it. Y'know…if you were a servant in a gacha game, I bet you'd be like a 5-star…nah…scratch that. You're like a 7-star, easily," Hakuno nodded.
"Ironic considering prophecy," Reina commented off to the side.
The two Akames looked at each other then back at Hakuno and nodded in agreement, "Another wife it is."
"Getting back on track here," Sivanah interjected with a huff, "If you're as formidable as they say, then prove it. Reunions are nice and all, but we don't have time to be fuckin' around when there's shit to be done. So with all due respect, what's next?"
Hakuno's expression became serious as she surveyed the barrier surrounding Elysium. The digitized form of Outer Darkness flicked like a defense mechanism straight from the Moon Cell's archives.
"This barrier…I've seen something like it before. The Moon Cell has records of defenses similar to this–advanced ,conceptual, and nearly impossible to break without the right approach," she said; her eyes indicating a flash back to past encounters.
Akaro nodded, yielding an expression of determination, "We need your insight, Hakuno. We're stuck without a way to break through."
The famous mage nodded as the gears in her head were already generating possible solutions.
"Don't worry, I didn't come empty-handed. Let's crack this puzzle and take back heaven," she declared, rolling up her sleeves.
"Guess we're in for a show," Adena whistled, "Let's see the Queen at work."
"Heh," Hakuno shot a wink in response, "You'll get more than a show. I'll have this barrier singing a different tune in no time."
"Well, if it isn't 'Senpai' herself. I thought I felt a familiar touch of nostalgia," BB teased, giving a mock bow as she elected to show up as well. Her eyes twinkled with barely contained mischief as she tried to maintain a serious expression.
Hakuno turned around, a mix of surprise and warmth was present in her eyes. BB's act of formality fell by the wayside and before she could contain herself, she grinned and ran forward.
"Screw it!" she exclaimed as she embraced Hakuno tightly; her facade of playful arrogance slipped away to reveal genuine affection.
"You have no idea how long I've waited for this, Senpai."
Hakuno returned the hug with a grin and a playful bunch to BB's shoulder.
"BB, took you long enough to show up," the Moon Cell Sovereign responded with a touch of rare warmth.
"Oi…we just talked about this…" Sivanah mocked from afar with a subtle grunt.
The reunion, though brief, was charged with the unspoken stories of their shared battles on the Moon Cell and the bond built through surviving them all. Even though BB was the hybrid of herself and Sheele, the BB persona was totally dominant in this scenario. If Sheele was present at all in the back of BB's mind, the once notorious assassin would likely be shedding tears of joy for her partner.
"Looks like even the troublemakers get sentimental," Adena commented off to the side, crossing her arms with eyes reflecting understanding.
Vesta chuckled softly and whispered to Raizo, "The Queen's got quite the entourage, doesn't she?"
BB pulled back, a smirk played on her lips as she regained her composure, "So, Senpai, ready to tackle this little piece of Moon Cell nostalgia?" she asked, gesturing to the digitized barrier.
Hakuno smirked, a daring gleam in her eyes, "Always. Let's show heaven how the Moon Cell's best throw down."
Akaro stepped up beside Hakuno, placing a hand on her shoulder.
"With you and BB here, I'm confident we'll break through," he assured, his voice steady and filled with trust.
Sivanah, ever the pragmatist, huffed, "Then no more delays. We have work to do," she states, though the respect in her eyes hinted at approval.
BB winked at the team, her playful demeanor back in full swing, "Oh, you're all in for a treat. Let's show these Tacet and the Abyss Order why the Moon Cell still reigns supreme when it comes down to hacking."
The duo positioned themselves in front of the towering digitized barrier, their eyes glinted with focus as they began the intricate task of deciphering its properties. BB's fingers moved like lightning over a holographic console that she materialized, while Hakuno surveyed the data with an intense gaze. The subtle hum of energy filled the air as they delved into the depths of the barrier's coding.
After moments of silent, synchronized work, BB's eyes widened slightly thus relinquishing an impressed whistle, "Well, would you look at that? This isn't just any lock. It's a conditional vow system. Dammit all. Senpai, do you see it?"
Hakuno nodded, her brow furrowing with slight irritation, "Perdition isn't messing around. This authority won't budge unless certain criteria are met."
BB tapped her finger against her chin, an uncharacteristically serious expression permeated her features, "It looks like the condition is set to recognize members of the Mercer lineage. Only they can pass through, and everyone else is barred."
Adena, who was listening in with a frown, cursed under her breath, "Figures that fucking Perdition would pull a stunt like that. We're not exactly drowning that bloodline around here."
Vesta's eyes narrowed, thinking quickly, "So, what's the plan then? We can't exactly conjure up a Mercer out of thin air. I mean…Alexis-san is piloting the Last Word and without her working with Semiramis-san, then our main HQ would be compromised."
A mischievous glint returned to BB's eyes as she smirked at Hakuno, "I might be able to get creative with some of these lines of code. We just need a workaround–a way to trick this authority into thinking we're part of the lineage."
Hakuno's grin mirrored BB's, "Sounds like we're in for some digital sleight of hand. Let's give it a go."
Akaro stepped in with a serious expression, "This isn't just about breaking through. If we fail, it could alert Perdition or worse, reinforce the barrier."
Hakuno locked eyes with him as her confidence was reflected in her subtle grin, "This might take a minute, so how about we send in the VIPs first?"
BB's gaze turned to Raizo and Reina simultaneously, "Looks like you two are up first!"
"Wait…Reina counts?" Raizo raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"Well, I am your ancestor. And our Soul Oath allows an added loophole as well for me to traverse through the barrier with you," The Sovereign of Fate explained.
"Right. Then let's go and take back heaven."