End the Cyle VI

MEANWHILE…

Watching from afar within the safety of Elysium, the surviving heroes could only gasp in awe over the battle taking place. With Garuda fully recovered, she was aided by Jeanne and Semiramis to attend to the wounded generals of Cocytus and Raikou whom were currently stabilized under a makeshift medical tent. Still in ruins from the earlier bout with Erebus and Nyx, the amenities and resources that the divine realm normally had access to were currently limited. Alexis was crafting structures using her superior projection arts as fast as she could, but even she had her limits. The Symphogears reunited with their benefactors from the restored Fuyuki City and stood by whilst watching everything on a screen that was created by Lucy.

"They can't be losing...right?" asked a bewildered Miku.

"No, Sensei and the others can't lose. She just got lucky and caught them off guard, that's all," Chris tried to redirect in spite of the anxiety in her voice.

"Yukine, we have to believe in them. They are carrying the hopes of us all upon their shoulders," Tsubasa reinforced with a pat on the girl's shoulder.

"We can't lose faith desu!" Kirika cheekily added with Shirabe nodding along with her.

"Still...did you hear that melody? It came from Raizo-san...err...Sensei I mean. That was..." Maria propositioned to the others.

"A Superb Song...Sensei doesn't have a gear though...but there is a song burning within his heart stronger than any of us can imagine," Hibiki nodded.

"Raizo-san's body constantly emits Phonic Gain which allows him to singlehandedly power the gears. If he was able to find a way to redirect that power for himself, who knows what potential he could access," Elfnein analyzed.

Just a few feet away, Mercer, Lucy and Jibril stood by. The Archangel unintentionally summoned a trumpet to her hand as if being called by some unknown impulse to do so. The legendary hero saw this and took a deep breath.

"So the time has finally come then," Mercer said.

"Yes...my instincts as an angel tell me so. If I felt it then the other archangels must be aware of what is about to come next," Jibril replied.

"Heh, kiddo is finally taking that next step eh. Welp...play that funky music then white girl," Lucy grinned towards the seductive angel.

"Yes, this melody is for my dear nephew."

Taking the trumpet in hand, the woman blew a string of notes heralding the beginning of something, the birth of a new chapter. In response, a host of other trumpet noises in the distance responded in kind as if ushering in a new era. The heroes who remained alive that resided in Elysium stood at attention in recognition of this melody. The bell tolls for the weaving of a new tale of the rise of a young wolf.

*****

Team AKARA, the strongest culmination of warriors in the Omniverse, was brought to its knees. The devastating might of Sakinah Vashti at the apex of her power proved to be more than a match for this band of fighters. Apocalypse Rias was a joke in comparison. Some of them could barely move as they teetered on the edge once more. Even the deadliest of them, Kimiko Hanate, was barely managing to stand on her feet as the looming threat lingered above their heads. On the Hill of Remembrance where the last vestiges of the fallen ones from Old Night Raid were laid to rest, the greatest combat force ever assembled now faced their end.

"Now to pen in the final paragraph in your story. The great Team AKARA succumbs to ruination. I admit, I wished that you would have seen things my way. I only asked for one simple thing, one chance to save everything you love...something I was never given, yet you chose wrong. Alas, I must bring this to an end. I would ask for your last words, but I have a feeling I know exactly what each of you would say. Know that in the new world, your legacy will not be forgotten. Your lives shall live on as a fairy tale in my book...a story to be passed down from generation to generation as a lesson of conflating courage with futile struggle. At the very least, I shall grant you all a quick death," Sakinah boasted proudly.

Her last attack caused her to revert back to her regular base state, but the laws she enacted were still in effect and she continued to wield an insurmountable cycle of energy within her. The battered soldiers of hope were reduced to their base states unable to raise their weapons. The woman pulled out Vajra once more and infused it with the influence of the six paths in the blade amplified by the divine energy of the Golden Ark.

"O Arkadia, Seed the Stars – Memento Mori Alternative."

Unlike before where Sakinah would throw Vajra like a lance at her target, this time she maintained her grasp on the weapon. She went for a nosedive towards the family of Team AKARA set on ending their lives in one fell swoop. A wicked grin pursed her soft lips communicating the idea of victory in her head when something unexpected occurred.

Backing up to the point where Sakinah was indulging herself with a monologue, the youth came to his senses and rolled over a top his grave. He reached down into the dirt to dig up something he laid to rest representative of his past. Feeling the cold surface, he used both hands to pull out the broken fragments of the twin blades that Assana gifted him once upon a time. In spite of the dirt covering their shiny luster, the blades still retained sort of a pristine appeal to them.

"To win this, you need to be complete..."

Famine's words echoed in his mind for a moment which finally made sense when he thought about the words he had with Akasha.

"You must embrace who you are..."

"So...teria..." he whispered through a pained voice struggling to stand up. The blades in his hand began to react as a magnetic force drew them together. It was then that an aqua colored aura washed over them. Looking over, he felt Sakinah's descent upon his allies which caused his body to just move without further delay.

Now in the present moment, Raizo stood between Team AKARA and Sakinah with his arms held above his head like he was holding something to block her oncoming attack with. The golden radiance of her blade collided with the force of the aqua aura as the male absorbed the impact of her onslaught. Then...the miracles manifested.

[Bloodline recognized…

Awakening Phenomenon activated…

Running Analysis…

…

…

Analysis complete

Conditions have been met…

JANUS 3.0 Activate.]

Upon the collision that blinded the surroundings, Raizo's necklace relinquished a soft crimson glow. His tattered clothing that he was wearing after receiving the brunt of the Carpe Diem attack was consumed by the weight of a web of divine fibers. New robes and armor plating covered his body from head to toe that was unlike the first two versions of this piece of equipment. Gradually, the new rags were revealed in all their glory as the light faded.

Starting from the head, the youth wore a black hood over his head with a cloak running off his shoulders like his first armor set. There was the pattern of the top of a wolf's skull decorated over the black, silk as the sigil of the Tree of Life protected by the Obsidian Wolf was adorned in gold along the back of the cloak. On the inside, the soft silk was dyed crimson as the edges binding it to his shoulders were held together by golden clasps taking the shape of paws. This was set over top a leather-like jacket that was made of a soft, flexible carbon fiber weave that was relatively high-collared hiding his neck and jawline by it. The rim of the collar was also patterned in gold while the flaps of the vestment mimicked that crimson shade once more. Set over the torso portion of the blazer was a sturdy-looking breastplate dyed gunmetal gray. In gold, the same logo on the cloak was repeated here in a bigger view as the wolf's head was in plain sight over the bark of the tree.

A black kama was hitched around the waist of the youth underneath the hem of the blazer. This portion was layered with different flaps numbering three on each side cut symmetrically down the middle so as to not impede the movement of the legs. The top layer of the two flaps came together to form a similar shape just cut larger; the middle layer flaps came together to form the lower half of an elongated pentagonal shape; and the bottom layer was just cut like a bell shape with trim along the edge. The top layer, middle layer, and bottom trim were all colored crimson to match the upper area while the rest of the kama was black in color. The linings of the edges were colored gold to make the design pop more. Over top of the waist area was a leather belt with a great metal clasp in the middle. There was a logo taking the shape of the letter 'A' without the bridge while coming down like hooks on the edges, the head of an open-mouthed dire wolf was crowned appropriate in the middle of it.

Lastly, the male had gunmetal gray gauntlets, greaves, and boots. The greaves and boots had etches all along the shape like arcs of electricity whilst the gauntlets showcased the branches of the tree and the side profile of a wolf's head on each side. The male's hands were obscured by leather gloves that had small metal plates on the back of the hand and along the lengths of the fingers.

In his new armor, the male was holding off Legion's attack with his newly mended blade. It was a six foot long odachi blade. The blade itself came in at 54 inches long, while the handle was another 18 inches. The hardened edge was uniquely cut almost as if it was two swords spliced together. The bottom-most edge dominated the upper half to the point. About six inches down its spine was a small 1 inch gap before the edge of the second blade came in. About less than halfway down its length were the two blades mended together before another closed gap began. It was almost like looking at a circuit board on a larger scale. The upper part of the hilt was double ringed like two bracelets before getting to the handle wrapped in black and dark red silk. The sharp steel leaked out the aquamarine flame as if the very fires of the forge constantly circulated around it at all times. This was the new weapon that belonged to Raizo—the Soteria.

"Sorry for keeping you waiting, Sakinah," Raizo expressed with a slick, confident smile as his crimson irises seemingly glowed before they became the argent color indicative of the boy's mystic eyes.

With a strong push, the male swung his weapon and forced the deity back away from his location. Flipping his hood back, the male twirled the sword in his hand to get used to its weight before turning in the direction towards Kimiko and the others. There was an unknown source of strength burning up within him growing by the second. He never felt like this before.

"Onee-sama...watch over the others for me," he said in a gentle tone of voice whilst turning an eye to his comrades.

"You're gonna try to take her on by yourself?" Kimiko asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm gonna do what I can. She likely has one last trick up her sleeve, but regardless, I'm going to make an attempt to stop her right here and now. However, in case it doesn't work...I'll get everyone back in peak condition."

"You're confident, yet cautious all at the same time. You really did wake up, didn't you?"

"Yes, it took me a while, but I know who I am. Sorry it took me so long, Onee-sama."

"No, don't apologize, just make us proud."

Raizo then went around and touched each one of his allies on the shoulder. He wasn't sure why he felt that impulse, but something was telling him to go for it. As a result, he could see changes in disposition regarding the physical states of each of his allies. Wounds began to fade, strength and vitality were starting to return. It was beginning to look like Sakinah never touched them at all, but there was time before their bodies would be at 100% due to the weight of the woman's authority.

"You guys have always protected me...saved my ass more times than I can count in so many ways; hell even Inari and Hikari managed to save me. Now it's my turn to repay your kindness. I won't ask you to sit the rest of this fight out, I'm not arrogant to think I can kill Sakinah Vashti all on my own. But I will buy all of you time to get better. Take as much time as you need, I got this."

"Heh, you look good in the new digs there Raichu," Akaro smiled with approval whilst gradually trying to sit up.

"It seems that you have answered the call at long last," Akame nodded before focusing on the recovery of her husband.

"Hey babe, that side of you is pretty damn sexy you know? But try not to show off too much, there's enough hearts beating for ya~" Adena playfully winked whilst clutching her ribs.

"Raizo-san...you really do push yourself over the limits," Vesta attempted to criticize, "But still, we will join you shortly."

"Never thought I'd see the day where the man I hated so much in this world would actually be coming to my so-called 'rescue'. Still, I am relatively embarrassed by my performance today in combat so do me a favor: slap that irksome bitch around as much as you can, but don't kill her. I got something special in mind for her," Hikari explained at length.

"I wanna know what that blade do...that's some mighty fine steel," Inari shrugged.

"Master, you will not fight alone...I promise you," Reina stammered over her words.

"Morana...I mean...Reina-san, you will always be my partner regardless of your powers. We have an oath to one another that binds our souls. Don't think I would ever cast you aside. I can read that feeling in your eyes right now," Raizo said as he quickly walked over to her to give her comfort.

"Her law isn't bound...I can see my little gesture has already broken that curse. We'll be fighting side-by-side to finish her off soon enough," he said before getting up to walk back towards Kimiko.

"Rejecting her Commandments by touch and undoing the damage done eh? So you've already unlocked a new trick," Kimi analyzed, "Sounds like someone is doing a bit of Omnifiction."

"I wouldn't go that far. I'm pretty sure Aniki's signature move was useless against Legion. He may not have outright used it, but the thought most likely crossed his mind. I'm doing something different."

"I know...how rebellious of you," the goddess smirked.

"Heh...nah, I'm just bending the rules a bit...there's a name for it. But I'm getting off track...I have a goddess to slap around."

Raizo pulled the hood down a bit over his brow. As if pulled by instinct, the youth made a motion with his left hand like he was pulling something down over his face. In response, the armor generated a silver glow as the aura washed over his face. In that instant, a gunmetal colored mask appeared with deep, elaborate cuts around the eyes that had sharp angles cut along the edges before dipping down where the bridge of the nose would be akin to tear ducts. The mouth area was an exaggerated imprint taking the shape of sharp, bulging fangs on the outside as crimson and gold paint outlined the pattern of a wolf's head along the details of the face. Now fully cloaked within the new Janus Armor, the male flipped the Soteria blade around before dashing into the air.

Sakinah was surprised at how easily blown away she was by Raizo's opening counter. She soared through the air for quite a few seconds during the time the boy was giving his regards to his family. In that time frame, the female was trying to understand how the youth acquired such a significant boost in power in such a short frame of time.

"The only one whom had even the slightest hope of touching me in a fight was that Kimiko Hanate, so how does that child now possess the same combat capability? My father's essence was destroyed with my Carpe Diem attack. Surely this boy has no tricks left under his sleeve...unless, could it be that he has unlocked that side of him?"

"Having fun being lost in your thoughts?" asked the male in question through a slightly distorted voice filter.

Legion adjusted her gaze to view the source of the voice finding none other than Raizo hovering near her decked out in new armor.

"I see you have acquired a new set of toys, regardless, it is not enough to intimidate me!" she boasted whilst attempting to swing her leg around in part to kick him whilst also readjusting her trajectory.

"That's not all," reacted the boy as he caught her kick in midair.

"What the..."

"Oh I'm sorry, did I break your concentration?"

As soon as he said this to her, the male raised his sword over her head and promptly smacked the pommel of it into her forehead thus sending her spiraling into the dirt below. Without so much as giving her a chance to breathe, the male was immediately over top of her position.

"You little-..."

Sakinah went to raise her hand to unleash a barrage of elemental attacks, but Raizo was instantly there with his new blade swinging down on her location. The harrowing edge came mere centimeters away from cutting her flesh, but her instincts urged her to step back just in the nick of time. Now being forced into close quarters, the woman had to keep Vajra in hand to guard against the onslaught.

The male spared no effort into following up his first swing with a storm of attacks. The rate at which he was swinging his sword around to attack her was unprecedented. It was forcing Legion into a full defensive posture as she was trying her absolute best to maintain the pace. The quick and deadly precision of the attacks forced her to begin walking backwards in order to protect herself, but the masked male continued pressing forward nevertheless.

"How does it feel Sakinah? This isn't even a taste of the hell you put my family through. Come on, what happened to all that bravado from before? Surely this isn't all that you have for me," Raizo taunted whilst pressing on with his tireless attacks.

"Tch...you impudent little-..." Sakinah gritted her teeth.

Then Raizo altered the angle of one of his strikes by sharply rotating the conical direction of his swing by a narrow margin of 20 degrees. In that ever so slightly calculated change of motion, the male managed to break through Sakinah's guard thus leaving her wide open. Capitalizing on that, Raizo adjusted his posture to put his weight behind the force of his swings. Once going downward to the left, the second going downward to the right, the next going straight across to the left then back to the right finished off by an upward swing before coming down again. The six hit combination attack caused a variety of lacerations to appear all over Legion's body as her blood began to flow again.

"Why you...damn you, damn you, damn you!!! You think this proves anything? You think that just because you can land a hit on me that this will save you from your fate?! Perhaps you have gotten too cocky, Son of Mercer. Initially, I planned to spare you...break your spirit by making you watch your precious family die before your very eyes to force you to submit to my will; however, since you adamantly wish for death. Then allow me to oblige!"

Sakinah doubled back away from Raizo before inhaling a deep breath. Her power level began to surge once again as the golden radiance around her body burned like an all-consuming fire.

"RULING BODHISATTVA!"

Once again, reality was distorted and transformed into the divine unseen realm as dominated by the absolute will of Sakinah Vashti. The golden six-armed deity looming over head more than 100 times the size of the male appeared with the Golden Ark before her followed by the Avatar imbued with the Progenitor of the Storm ability and six perfect copies of Vajra. As the situation appeared to spell a grim fate for the newly awakened Primordial Hybrid, Raizo's eyes beneath the mask remained fierce and unfazed by his current situation.

He stared up at the giantess looming above him as the argent color of his mystic eyes glimmered through the dark eye sockets of the mask. He tightened his grip around the hilt of his sword, the aquamarine aura intensifying in response. As he gazed directly into the gaze of the deity, the vivid replays of the earlier skirmish occurred within his mind. He was analyzing every detail and calculating how he would approach this portion of the confrontation.

"I will not waste anymore time on you than I absolutely have to, boy. To achieve my dream, the reality I long for, yours must die! Those who do not change are doomed to be forgotten!"

"I pity you, Sakinah...I truly do. It is truly tragic how you don't get a damn thing," Raizo sighed heavily underneath his mask.

"Shut up, just shut up! You are the one who is narrow-minded! Combination Arts – Obsidian Rain of Sundering Eternity!"

The Avatar of Legion imbued herself with the full fury of the Progenitor transformation. Her six Vajra blades became infused with black electricity as she concentrated an immense amount of energy into each one. It was then that the female rushed forward in Raizo's direction before swinging the individual blades in rapid succession. The trajectory of the cuts ran through a singular rift that tore itself open before her.

The force of the slash attacks traversed an alternate space that served as the parallel version of the Bodhisattva dimension multiplying innumerably. The momentum gathered from traversing through space as contained by Cosmic Foundry reinforced the concept of each swing just like the act of performing the Sundering Strike Alternative technique. As another rift in space opened up like a gateway over Raizo's location, the attacks poured out like rainfall in the form of astral projections of the avatar holding millions of Vajra copies before assaulting the youth like bullets as indicated by the Rain of Unyielding Eternity technique.

"You will not escape my wrath!" Sakinah cried out.

Just as the attacks were about to hit, the looming deity above moved. The ever-knowing and ever-distant book of divine imagination opened its pages. As she held her hands together over the guise of the Golden Ark, the woman's eyes closed tightly as her aura emanated like rays of sunshine.

"All must fall for life to begin anew. As such I enact my true will over thee. I Banish the concept of Resistance. Your rebellion is futile before me. For the Revelation is the means by which truth is unveiled...your fate was sealed on this day, the day of reckoning. My judgment was foretold before you were reborn. Thus I release you from your struggle in the face of Absolution – True Karma. Thou Shalt Not Envy, Thou Shalt Not Kill, Thou Shalt Relinquish, Thou Shalt Succumb, Thou Shalt Witness, Thou Shalt Worship Me..."

All at once, Sakinah enforced the full power of her will on the male. She made the concept of Resistance taboo to rid the youth of his strength. With Absolution – True Karma, she rewrote the conditions of his awakening: first, by rewriting his anger over the damage done to his family; second by rearranging his movements causing his enhanced speed to slow to a crawl; third, by reforging his origin to where he could not access the latent powers of his primordial bloodline.

Then she enacted the strength of her Ten Commandments over him. With the first of Envy, she took away his latent jealousy over his family knowing that they would always have the power to save him while he did not possess the power to do so in return. Second, she re-enacted the sin of murder to which the basis of his life was written with being an assassin. Thirdly, she forced the male to relinquish his newly found faith and determination as brought forth by the will of Akasha thus resurrecting his inner fears. This led into the commandment to Succumb, to make him feel guilty over his powerlessness before the might of a strong foe and the fear that he was too inadequate in the eyes of the ones he loved to do anyone worthwhile. Then there was the act to Witness, to resurrect the images of himself that he tried to kill off: the ruthless killer and the tyrannical prince, the mistakes of his past and Shatterpoint and how he devastated the lives of others. Lastly, the commandment of Worship, to get Raizo to submit before the throne and the idea that Sakinah is the true goddess that he should believe in. In short, everything was meant to make him feel the truest incarnation of helpless and powerless so that he would accept his fate and die by her hands.

But…

"All you want to do is take, and take, and take, and take everything away from me. You want to see me waver and stumble before your eyes just to force me into submission for your own amusement. As you wish...go ahead and get carried away by your ego, Legion," Raizo muttered as he felt every fiber of his being reverberate a strong pulse of aura.

"You've gone through a lifetime's worth of struggles. I said that before, but now is the time to show how all of those tribulations did not break you; it has molded you into the man that you were always destined to become. Your friends, your family, everyone who cares about you...let their strength empower you, let Akasha's grace cover you, and let my power lead you into tomorrow. You are never alone, Raizo."

The voice of Assana rang out in the Son of Mercer's mind giving him clarity on what he needed to do. As a result, he smiled.

"I had a feeling you'd come back sooner or later. So that was your presence I felt with that wolf...and even now..."

Raizo touched his chest for a moment before inhaling a deep breath. With a great exhale, he felt the pulse in his heart grow stronger.

"Analysis complete...conditions verified. I've seen Aniki and Onee-sama do this move before, but since this is my own rendition...guess I should think of a name..."

"Nice to see your sense of humor is intact in spite of the odds. How about I give you a hand?" Assana's voice added an opinion once more as the right word came to the male's mind.

"Outlaw..."

The barrage of attacks, the will of the divine order, all of the pressure exerted by the overwhelming deity that dominated this realm, everything was stopped in its tracks and broken like shards of fallen glass. The countless waves of physical attacks instantaneously dissipated into nothingness while the force of the commandments was completely shutdown. It was if the very act of cause and effect was destroyed by cancellation. There wasn't even an echo of explosive pressure exerted by the impact, only silence. Raizo whirled his blade around before slinging it over his shoulder as he began to walk towards the avatar of his foe.

"How? This is not possible! HOW ARE YOU STILL ALIVE?! JUST HOW?!!!!"

"Guess you never really saw the depths of my strength. I don't know how strong I actually am with my awakened state, but I can say for a fact that there's a lot more than my own strength that is driving me right now. I'm carrying the hopes of all of those who were lost when Goetia wiped away history, the bravery of the warriors who sought to take a stand against you in this battle, the love of my comrades and my family, and the grace of the one whom you so solemnly reject on my shoulders. Everything that you deem unnecessary is the source of this power inside of me and it's growing with each passing second."

"No, no, no, no...that is just unnecessary fluff meant to throw me off. The idea of power acquired in such a cliché way is ludicrous! No...there's more to this, there has to be. With my all seeing eyes in this realm, I shall get to the bottom of this!" Sakinah yelled out as her giant self used the pages of her book to scan the body of the individual. Upon the blank canvas, a pack of wolves appeared on the pages as their hungering growls fueled her ears.

"That cannot be true...surely that is false. It is much too soon for you. The Crimson Envoy only achieved just a taste of that power once by pure coincidence and it did not even last that long! Surely this case scenario is not repeating itself!"

"It seems you have a loose understanding then. Yeah...to a degree, your suspicions are true. I'm not just coming into my own as a hybrid...I'm getting a taste of what it's like to be chosen...chosen by the very same All-Mother you refuse to embrace."

"You're not...what in heaven's name are you?!"

"Me? Hmm...well It's...actually kinda funny because...well I never thought I'd reach this point. Honestly Legion, you almost had me. That torment I endured in Purgatory made me come to grips with something, something I never wanted to admit. I came face to face with everything I feared when it came to my family. Your commandments...your overwhelming strength...they nearly brought that anxiety back, but then she called out to me and I answered. I'm just someone who came from nothing seeking to leave hope in my wake. Someone who is realizing that it's not about what you've done, but what you've done lately. I am someone who is finding out what it truly means to start over.

I reserve my right to feel uncomfortable and afraid. I've made many mistakes time and time again almost every step of the way in my life. Yet my friends and family never abandoned me which humbled me. For their sake, I want to be a better person...I want to know what Akasha's master plan is for my life and the lives of those precious around me. So to that end I am ready to become whatever I need to be in order to preserve that vision of the future...even if it means by starting off with just a taste of being an Aspect!"

"I refuse...I refuse to acknowledge that fact!"

"Who cares what you're saying when no one is listening?"

"Tch...you...you...damn you. DAMN YOU, SON OF MERCER!"

The Avatar once more took a familiar stance as the Bodhisattva in the distance assumed the position for the ultimate technique.

"O Arkadia, Protect the Stars – Carpe Diem!"

Like before, a giant concentrated beam of energy was released from the mirror on the back of the Golden Ark. As the blast was discharged, it came barreling down on Raizo's location. Just like the previous scenario, the realm was destroyed. In the short distance, Kimiko and the rest of Team AKARA were watching from afar inside the protection of the One-Cut Killer's vector barrier. Little did either of the two combatants know, Kimiko was monitoring the battle using a shard of a tetrahedron that she placed on Raizo's armor which allowed the group to see and hear everything taking place in the alternate realm.

The looming presence of the Bodhisattva did not disappear this time as the devastating strike obliterated the ground that the target was standing on. However, as the mushroom cloud of dust disappeared, there was a pale glistening of aquamarine light spiraling with gold and crimson energy as giant arcs of electricity were being discharged in every direction.

"Don't insult me, just who the hell do you think I am?"

"RAIZO MERCER!"

"Arashi-Mercer to be exact, but close enough. Now how about you take your little temper tantrum and your damn agenda and force it on someone who actually gives a damn!"

Sakinah Vashti did not realize this, but just as she released the cataclysmic attack of Carpe Diem, Raizo focused on his footing. Just as the attack came his way, the youth evaded almost instantly at the point of impact. His aura coming from his body devoured the power of the attack and siphoned its energy into his blade—Soteria. The male then flipped the weapon into a reverse-blade grip as he focused his aura into his right hand. The mingling culmination of power gathered together for this singular moment. As a result, he flung his arm forward carving an upward crescent slash that released all of that power in an instant like a lunar fang.

The divine polymerization of energy instantly erased the Avatar of Legion before colliding with the Bodhisattva. A spectacular explosion took place as the woman was forced from her perch on high and sent reeling back into her base state. Her body was scorched all over as her skin seemingly boiled off ruining the beauty of the female.

"It's over, Legion...just admit it so your suffering can end," Raizo said whilst pulling away the mask and flipping back his hood.

"No...it's not...it's not over...it's never...IT WILL NEVER BE OVER!!!!" she screamed in desperation whilst flipping open her book.

The Golden Ark was showing signs of wear after the devastating counter attack; however, it was reinvigorated for another volume as the aura around the woman's body became denser than ever. The power of the Progenitor of the Storm overtook her body once again as the skin on her body recovered. Then, the projection of the Bodhisattva began to form, except this time...something different occurred.

The Six-Armed Goddess of Harmony's massive projection of herself expanded before seemingly diving back down into her transformed body. The Golden Ark levitated before the female as its pages wildly flapped in the wind. Then, the book started to merge with its master. A golden portal opened up behind the girl as a familiar box appeared. However, it was not just one box, it was thousands of the same box. Each one of them opened as waves upon waves of malice came together with the silhouette of the Golden Ark thus turning it black in color.

"Legion, what...what are you doing?! Sakinah, stop!"

"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA, I'll do whatever it takes to make wish come true! EVEN IF IT MEANS ABSORBING ALL OF CREATION'S EVIL IN THE PROCESS!"

Raizo then had a flashback of a certain encounter where his foe did something similar. The forgettable face of the green, imperfect deity fusing with every aspect of himself across infinite timelines...that was what Sakinah was going for. Except she was using the source of Pandora's Box in every reality ever recorded and devouring it for herself. Adding onto the full might of absorbing her own book, he was not sure what kind of form this woman was going to take.

The corrupted powers that emanated from her beyond-archetypal, absolute reality-warping techniques combined with her own added strength soon changed her form. Her flawless skin was dyed in a bold shade of red as if she soaked in a pool of blood for hours on end until it stained her skin. Across her skin was the outlines of black sigils and cursed runic spirals all over her body. Her armor morphed into jet black leather plating that covered her bust down towards a few inches above the navel, long sleeved gloves, knee-high boots and a waist sash that covered her lower region in the front and wrapped around to drape like a kama in the back. Her black hair parted into two, large tight braids that became dyed in crimson like the color of her skin radiating a vermilion aura. As for her face, she had black lipstick on and dark eyeliner to match the markings on her body as her violet eyes shifted into a demonic yellow. Six arms sprouted from her back as a massive black circle in the shape of the sun floated behind her. Stretching from this mysterious disk were additional phantasmal limbs oozing an ominous aura on their own.

Progenitor of the Storm, the Ruling Bodhisattva, and the Golden Ark fusing into one within her body would have been more than sufficient to take down her foes. Likely, it would have pushed Raizo to the edge of his limit with his upgrades yet again, but she felt it wasn't enough. Adding the countless rivers of power from the Pandora's Boxes all merged inside of her to create this form was the end that justified the means.

"I have no choice. I'll end this one way or another," Raizo said whilst raising his blade. Just as he did so, the male's body was teleported back to where his family now stood.

"What the hell? How did I wind up back here?" he questioned whilst turning to see his comrades on their feet ready for action.

"Guess we're about to charge into another 9 on 1 scenario eh?" Akaro figured, but before anyone could say anything in response Kimiko's body glowed.

"Well then, this is something I was not accounting for..." she said as light gathered around her to the point of temporarily blinding all present.

In a seamless transition, the girl became engrossed in a white and blue kimono with a long train of dark hair and the guise of her flawless eyes on full display. Kimiko assumed the transformation into Akasha.

"The time has come. Sakinah has reached a point where individually, none of you are capable of defeating her," the woman stated.

"Wait what? Surely there's more to the power I have right now. I almost had her," Raizo protested.

"Indeed, but even with your awakening and a temporary pass into the Aspectral realm of strength...it still is not enough. You all must come together as one in order to best this misguided child."

"Well...I mean...Aneki, isn't that what we've been trying to do here?" Adena inquired with a slight tilt of the head.

"Even with our transformations, we could not hold her off," Vesta pointed out.

"No, that's not the case. Akasha-sama is pointing to something else..." Akame analyzed.

"Holy One, please bestow your wisdom upon us. What must we do to preserve everything we have striven so hard to protect?" Reina begged in a calm tone.

"Raizo, hold out the blade I have given to you," Akasha directed.

Raising an eyebrow, the youth did as he was told by raising the Soteria blade and turning it over in his hand to hold out horizontally. The Goddess-Above-All gave an approving nod.

"In order to truly match Legion's current strength. You all must become one single entity. One that is capable of tapping into the reserves of strength that each of you have. On its own, you all have capabilities to match many beings in the upper echelon of the hierarchy; however, it is fruitless in this case. She teeters on a tier that none of you can hope to match even at your fully unlocked potential. However, coming together to bring out each other's strength without any of the weaknesses or shortcomings will give birth to something new."

"Hold up a sec, we're not talking fusion are we?" Akaro winced in curiosity.

"No, fusion is an imperfect art. Though it does harmonize the powers of two or more individuals, it is limited in scope and requires that both parties reflect equal strength among other limitations that make it unnecessarily conditional. What I speak of is something greater than that. This process will synchronize all of you together by bonding your souls together. It channels the powers that each of you possess into the person acting as the main body," Akasha further explained.

"Makes sense...so fusion but not fusion...or something."

"Yes my dear Envoy, but to clarify any confusion, the process is called Synthesis."

"Well if this Synthesis power is the only way to beat her then...Aniki, looks like you're taking the main role and we'll just focus everything on you," Raizo nodded.

"Nah lil' bro, it's not my show this time. If your blade is the key then it's only natural that you take center stage," Akaro countered.

"Wait what? Me? Hold on a second...all of you guys are way stronger than me. I mean sure I got a power up, but who knows how strong I actually am with my new sense of self after this Aspect stuff wears off. Aniki, you're the damn Envoy of the Crimson Luster or whatever fancy title you got going on plus you're the leader of Team AKARA. Aka-sensei is the Angel of Death and my sensei, a far better swordsman than I'll ever be.

Vesta was always the better Stormbringer, I mean...she's called the Godspeed after all. Then Addy over here just lives and breathes martial arts making her a skilled fighter that I just got lucky to beat once in my damn life. Hell even Inari over here is more qualified, a princess of an entire nation, one who bears the weight of the past kings of her country and can call upon their power at any point in time. And let's not forget Hikari over here, ya know...the woman who was our foe that has joined up with us and has the mantle of Devil Queen. Lastly there's Reina-san, the Queen of Cocytus and the woman who beat all of our asses during training.

Even Onee-sama would be suited...well...I guess she's kinda out at the moment since Akasha-sama is among us and all. Anyways, point is that all of you are more than qualified to play host or whatever. Me, I'm just the guy trying to keep up...I'm like a cool background character that gets the focus from time to time; however, he's easily forgettable when shit goes down. That's my role, so...come on seriously..."

"Nah...you're dead wrong on that one lil' bro," Akaro chuckled.

"It seems you continue to underestimate the weight of your importance here," Akame shook her head.

"Babe, don't you see...you're just as important as everyone else here," Adena spoke.

"Raizo-san, there's more to you being here than just combat strength," Vesta added.

"Indeed Master, you forget your self-worth," Reina nodded.

"Yo kid, appreciate the flattery and all...but uh...do I have to slap you upside the head so you can get a clue here?" Inari raised an eyebrow.

"Even though under normal circumstances, I would be the outsider looking in...my time with you has opened my eyes to something. And if someone like me can realize it, then surely you undervalue your worth," Hikari analyzed.

"What they are all trying to say, Raizo, is that you are the glue that holds them all together. You may not realize it, but without you, Team AKARA would never be the same. After all, if you could have seen how life was when you were stuck in Purgatory then you would understand. It is time for you to take center stage, this is the beginning of your journey towards your destiny," Akasha encouraged.

"Yeah...sorry, I think I was just letting nerves get to me or something. Damn I feel embarrassed. Well guys, if that is your decision then...let's do this. Place all your bets on me and let's take this chick down once and for all."

One by one, the members of the group stepped forward to place their hand somewhere on the blade. In that instant, Soteria reacted as its aquamarine aura surrounded all of them. Their bodies became glimmers of astral light as they were absorbed into the body of the Son of Mercer. Feeling a strong burning sensation surging within his chest, Raizo was brought down to his knees as Akasha stood over him.

"Onee-sama...What is this?"

"It is the key to your future, do not worry. I shall lend my aid too, both of us will," the woman smiled before reaching out and placing two fingers on the youth's forehead. In response, Raizo's body became engulfed in a multi-colored aura that emanated a great chasm of light blasting off into the rift above the recreated Earth. Within this radiance, the youth's body began to reflect change.

His clothes changed into a completely different outfit. The male had on an open collared black suit tied together by crimson laces with a white scarf around his neck. He wore dark red trousers with crimson plates of armor on the upper hips and on his shins with steel-toed black boots. A matching crimson colored, trench coat was layered over his body as the train of it dragged down past his knees towards his heels whilst black and red plated gloves covered his hands. Sprouting from his back were two gigantic, black angel wings that could easily be misconstrued as an endlessly flowing cloak. Over his face was a black horned mask in which only the glow of his crimson eyes pierced through. Lastly adorning the crown of his head was a metallic, obsidian circular hat also known as a kabuto that draped downward obscuring much of the mask giving him the intimidating look of a modern samurai. As he clutched onto the Soteria blade, the male was infused with a new power.

"Ties of the Storm..." he spoke with a distorted voice as the aura around him seethed with the righteous fury of Team AKARA.

Within the confines of the male's soul was an oceanic sea of blue energy that flowed much like the vastness of the Root. Bearing a familiar resemblance to the Astral Plane, the members of the group found themselves floating haplessly in its midst with adjoined hands in a circle. The order was: Akaro, Akame, Adena, Vesta, Inari, Hikari, Reina, and Kimiko before leading back to Akaro once again.

"Well then, sweet digs on the room," the Crimson Envoy commented first as he took a look around.

"This place is so widespread, almost endless even yet I cannot help but to feel peace in this place," Akame commented.

"Some serious meditative zen shit goin' on up in here, not bad I guess," Inari shrugged.

"Still, where exactly are we? And what's up with the hand holding stuff?" Hikari raised an eyebrow.

"I suppose this has something to do with the process of this Synthesis," Reina surmised.

"To an extent, you would be correct," Kimiko nodded casually.

"Kimi-neesan...you're here? But weren't you just under the guise of The Goddess-Above-All just a few seconds ago?" Vesta asked in confusion.

"She was and still technically is. We are separate and equal simultaneously in the truest of senses," Akasha's voice emanated throughout the space as the spirit of her being appeared in the middle of the circle.

"Okay that's totally not confusing at all seeing two copies of Aneki," Adena remarked whilst looking back and forth between the two.

"Goddess-Above-All is not just for show dear child, I can do anything I wish," the essence of true divinity responded.

"Akasha-sama, what exactly is going on here?" the Queen of Cocytus humbly asked.

"We are currently residing inside the flow of natural spirit energy that is within Raizo. The reason why you are currently linking hands is because your combined powers are harmoniously being synchronized with his own."

"That makes sense, but if that's the case...then why have us standing in a circle? Isn't the energy just being confined to one location?" Vesta inquired.

"Yes and no; the energy is being confined to one place in a way, however your strength is still reaching Raizo. After all, he is sitting right here."

Akasha stepped to the side to reveal the male in question sitting in a meditative posture. His legs were crossed together, eyes complete shut and his hands were pressed against one another palm-to-palm.

"There's the Raichu. Sup lil' bro?" Akaro called out but his brother didn't respond.

"Oi, what's going on with him? Is he asleep?" Inari raised an eyebrow.

"He is in an unconscious state with this visual representation of his body. The energy flowing from you is being processed by him to distribute evenly throughout his entire metaphysical network. Consciously, he is outside right now about to face Legion.

"Hmm...too bad we can't go explorin' in here. I wanna know if he has any secret pervy thoughts!" Adena shouted out.

"Addy...now's not the time for this," Akame sighed heavily.

"Oh come on babe, you know you would possibly do the same if I was in that position," Akaro teased.

"I'm sorry, you were saying?" the long-haired beauty said as she squeezed her husband's hand.

"Ow, ow, ow, okay I'm sorry, sorry!" the Envoy protested.

"I already have an idea of what his thoughts are anyway. That Stormbringer bond works wonders," Vesta smugly declared.

"I don't need a gimmick to know some thoughts, I'm just that good. But that's none of my business," Kimi casually shrugged.

"Children, stop misbehaving," Reina shook her head in disappointment.

"Reading this one's thoughts would make for excellent comedic relief and research, color me intrigued," Hikari said offhandedly.

"Well if the Devil Queen is interested then fuck it why not?" Inari shrugged.

"Um...guys, can you all focus?" the bellowing voice of the male in question resonated in the space.

"Oh crap, you heard all of that?" Addy asked in surprise.

"Yeah...every single detail. Can you all keep it down? I'm trying to use our powers to save everyone at the moment. Kinda important and all, just saying."

"Indeed, now everyone channel all of energy together and focus," Akasha directly whilst placing her hands on the male's relaxed shoulders. The swirling auras of each fighter began resonating together as it washed outward then flowed to the center of the circle.

"We are all behind you, Raizo. Every step of the way," the Goddess-Above-All whispered into the youth's ear.

"I know Onee-sama...you were always there for me; all of you...since the very beginning."

"It seems you have managed to acquire an upgrade. Coming together as one to challenge me? Has the mighty Team AKARA become that desperate? It would be easier if you just surrendered to my will, but alas you choose to still be led astray by that cursed being that you all haphazardly kneel to," boasted the haughtiness of Legion as she appeared over the Synthesized Raizo's location.

"Take her down, Raizo," the collective desires of the warriors within his soul passed along to him. Bearing the weight of their strength and pride on their shoulders as well as the hope of Akasha, the newborn hybrid knew he could not falter here.

"Sorry, but there is no surrender in my vocabulary. With everyone's strength combined in me, I only have one job: to end you once and for all," Raizo said whilst pointing his blade at the female.

"As you wish. Then come Child, show me if your resolve is greater than mine. The ultimate clash between two hybrids, abominations in the eyes of the gods begins now!"

A pulse of violent vibrations echoed through empty space as if someone was literally unzipping the fabric of reality. The two empowered individuals rushed at each other at incredible speed whilst clashing head on as the resulting shockwave rippled around the entirety of the Earth causing the planet to stop rotating on its axis. Violent winds stirred about, hurricane force winds blustered across the plains and cracks in the ground began to appear. Avalanches stampeded down from the snowy mountains while embers sparked fires to spread. Just the opening deadlock was enough to destabilize the natural order of the planet's surface causing an apocalyptic event. Nevertheless, the two warriors locked eyes with each other as their blades were crossed together.

With a slight shove, the pair kicked away from one another before racing back as the duel of the fates began. Sakinah with six blades versus Raizo with one blade, the fight almost mirrored the previous encounter except on another dimension of power. As their blades collided in the skies, Legion felt the presence of the rest of Team AKARA behind her primary foe's attacks. Though she may be fighting one warrior visibly, she felt that she was fighting all of them at once.

"What happened to the confidence you held before in your awakened strength, young God Hunter? Siphoning off of the strength of eight other people at once? Is that the gimmick behind this form? Individually whilst working in a team, you all could not defeat me so by combining into one entity it should work? What folly!" goaded the twisted goddess as she relentlessly swung her six blades.

"You're the one who doesn't get it, Legion. This power that I hold right now isn't for my sake, it's for everyone! I will carry all the hope in creation to put an end to you!" responded the swordsman as he batted and parried each of her incoming blows.

"Hope is meaningless when you have nothing to back it up. Even if you somehow manage to kill me, you still have Arayashiki to deal with. You really think that form can hold a candle to her?"

"Heh, does that mean you're acknowledging that she's stronger than you? Wow Sakinah, did all the confidence in your power up just withered away?"

"Trying to goad me in order to destabilize my focus? How stupid of you."

"I could say the same damn thing to you."

Another swath of violent swings and deadly combinations ensued as the echoes of clashing steel followed suit. It was unknown how many times their blades crossed at this point. Tens of thousands? Hundreds of thousands? Whatever the number, it was irrelevant. The two were evenly matched trying to see which one would cave under the weight of the other first. As they came at each other once again, their movements continued to flow into one another.

Sakinah would dive in with an opening crossing slash move from two of her arms to attack Raizo directly across his chest. The male in question would block that attack just in time with a two-handed parry before bringing the Soteria blade upward to break her guard. As he did that, she would instantly take two more of her limbs and thrust from the left and the right to stab him. With strategic placement, the male twisted his waist to evade as the sharp edges of her blade scraped against his leg armor. Raizo flipped the Soteria around to bring it down on her head only to be met by Sakinah's blades from her last two arms that crossed to block it. Caught, Legion would attempt to ensnare the male in a pincer attack with four weapons; however, the Son of Mercer's wings on his back would cut in to defend the male thus preventing the blades from reaching his body.

Sakinah placed a singular foot on the surface of the male's wing and kicked off to separate herself and the empowered individual. With just enough power behind the shove, she forced Raizo to soar backwards by quite a bit thus creating greater separation. Taking advantage of the moment, the female raised all six of her blades to begin channeling her immersive strength into their edges.

"MEMENTO MORI!" she shouted out whilst throwing the six weapons like spinning projectiles at the man.

"Tch..." Raizo gritted his teeth.

"Oi 'lil bro, why don't you borrow this?" Akaro's voice echoed in his mind.

"Take this as well, my student" Akame's voice followed suit.

At that moment, the clear visages of two distinct weapons came to mind as the innate nature of projection techniques activated thus causing him to manifest the images. He released his grip around the Soteria blade as the weapon floated listlessly beside him as if being cradled by the hand of an unseen limb. With his two free hands, he brought to life the blades of Murasame and Svarog—each brewing with dense power. Resisting the urge to ask questions, the male's muscles flowed naturally as he unleashed their combined strength.

"Guren Ryu no Issen, Dokunoiki!" cried out the male hybrid as he swung both swords in a dual crescent style slash. Upon those words, the signature technique of the Crimson Envoy was unleashed. The shape of a giant dragon was released except the beast was dyed in a deep purple aura of caustic mist. This was because the energy was mixed with the poisonous curses that came from the Murasame almost like someone exhaled the toxic solution from their lungs.

The six blades discharged from Legion were devoured by the essence of the great serpentine monstrosity causing a massive implosion that blockaded the sights of both combatants. Knowing that he could pull out those weapons gave the male a sense of relief. As he let the weapons go, they dissipated into nothingness.

"Thanks Aka-sensei, Aniki," he said in his mind.

"Time to go on the offensive, wouldn't you say?" Akaro responded to which Raizo nodded in agreement.

Meanwhile, Sakinah was not surprised nor vexed by the technique that her opponent just used. In truth, she wanted to see what his response would be to one of her signature techniques.

"In this current form of mine, all of my powers with the Golden Ark are active simultaneously including the guaranteed effects of my will through the Bodhisattva form. Amplified by the countless enhancements from Pandora's Box should make this fight an instantaneous victory; however, this child is bypassing all of my laws. It's almost like he is the literal definition of defiance."

While Legion was captured in her train of thought, Raizo rushed towards her from around the other side of the giant cloud of light with his blade in hand.

"I think it's time I went on the offensive, Sakinah Vashti!"

"So you think, child!"

In response to his sudden ambush, the female began discharging different elemental attacks from her body. Clustered orbs of the Pyroclasm technique, laser beams of Fulminating Darkness, cyclones of high velocity wind and sandstorms, concentrated bullets of antimatter energy, and the crushing pressure of gravity bombs were all simultaneously discharged at Raizo's location as he glided closer towards her. In spite of the intimidating catastrophe that was unleashed towards him, he was unfazed by it. In fact, the youth already had the perfect response.

"Go ahead kiddo, invalidate this hoe," Inari echoed.

"Shield of Justice!"

A massive rectangular object spawned with a sapphire and gold colored surface. It was one of the trademark weapons that one of the rulers of Mercury in the past used. As all of the devastating attacks came rushing in, they were all absorbed and nullified by the defensive front. As soon as their trajectories was effectively eradicated, Raizo inched closer towards the woman's location.

"Bring back a classic, Raichu!" Akaro said.

"Kansho, Bakuya!"

Upon invocation, the prototypes of Murasame and Yatsufusa came flying out from behind the youth's wings as they rampaged towards the female. Distracted by their high-speed, the woman narrowly recalled her Vajra blades to her hands to deflect the spinning blades as her sluggish response allowed Raizo to condense the gap between them further.

"Don't get cocky, you damn brat!" Sakinah yelled out whilst readjusting her body to prepare for his coming attack.

"Ok boomer," Raizo replied with a flat tone of voice as he snapped his fingers.

"Wait...what the fuck is a boomer?" Addy asked aloud.

"I don't know...that's actually a good question," Vesta pondered.

"For some reason, it is awkwardly appropriate. I like it," Hikari complimented.

"I'm doing everything I can not to laugh right now," Akaro said.

"Guys, focus...and Onee-sama was the one who told me to do it," Raizo stated.

The eyes in the room shifted between Kimiko and Akasha as they tried to figure it out, yet neither one of them said a word.

"Judgment of Kings!"

In that moment, Raizo crafted six more weapons from the projections of his family's armaments in his mind: Prometheus, Kusanagi, Vajra, Murasame, Svarog, and Kanemitsu. All of these fabled blades materialized, each of which were amplified by surging pulses of crimson, indigo and obsidian bolts of electricity. In addition, 13 more weapons that were used by Inari in her Power of Kings form was summoned floating freely behind the male. Along with the Soteria blade, Raizo was currently balancing 20 weapons in orbit around his body.

"Bring it on then!" Sakinah challenged, yet the slightest tinge of hesitation could be heard in her voice.

A particular steel and amethyst colored bow escalated in size akin to that of a ballista—this was the Bow of the Genius—and as it lined up, the other 12 weapons from the royal set were dropped onto its string. One after the other, each weapon was fired directly at the six-armed female. With so much intensity and instantaneous velocity being thrown at her, the female was forced on the defensive again. Each projectile fired sent her hurdling back further and further. Each strike was much stronger than the previous one adding a devastating kick towards her center mass.

After all of the weapons were launched, the bow itself transformed into a giant bolt of densely packed energy before it fired off and hit its intended mark. Upon impact, all six of Sakinah's Vajra blades shatter into fragments causing her to feel the full fury of the attack. Instantly, her body was sent cascading down towards the Earth.

"I'm not through with you yet!" cried out the masked warrior as he chased after her with the different blades in tow. He threw his hand forward thus allowing six of the weapons to blast past him to meet up with Legion first. Responding to his commands, they chased her down like heat-seekers.

"AS IF I WOULD LET YOU!" the goddess in free fall screamed in anger. She readjusted her directional shift by manipulating the forces of gravity surrounding her body to instantaneously shift her weight and drift towards another direction. As if being pulled by a string, she jolted to the side to evade yet the weapons still pursued her.

"Tch..." she gritted her teeth. Readying her weapons, she sought to bat them all aside one after the other. However, she did not expect what occurred next.

The swords shifted trajectory in the air at the last possible second. At first glance, it appeared the tools were aiming to pierce through her guard to impale her body; in reality, her vital spots were never the target. Her hands were. The six blades diverged and disarmed the six Vajra blades out of her hands before puncturing her flesh as the various lengths of the armaments ran through her palms.

"RAAAAHHHH!!!" she exclaimed in agony as she felt the truest sense of pain.

"First movement, the infinite dream; Second movement, the endless journey; Third movement, the absolute will. Blessed Blade Release! Trinity Kieru-sen!" Raizo chanted.

With each movement, the application of the variants of electricity was layered over the Soteria blade: Crimson, Indigo, and Black. The spiraling energies rotated around the serrated edge in a conical spiral. As the youth rushed forward to attack, an unseen blur of movement occurred in which he slashed his target from the left, then the right and finally a vertical cut before following through with an impalement motion.

Gashes appeared distinctly across the red-skinned, cursed goddess as the blades then exploded into shards thus blowing away her arms. The resulting impact caused her to fall to the ground creating a large circular impact zone. Her blood poured out everywhere as Raizo flicked the Soteria off to the side before descending whilst looking down at the woman.

"Damn you...damn...you...damn you!!! WHY DO YOU INSIST ON GETTING IN MY WAY?!!! I AM ONLY SEEKING TO SAVE YOU...ALL OF YOU! YET YOU CONTINUE TO FIGHT!" she yelled desperately trying to numb the sense of overwhelming suffering washing over her body while she struggled to rise up on her feet.

The empowered Ties of the Storm entity stood over her as he cast a critical glare over her form.

"Because Legion, I'd rather die for what I believe...than live a life without meaning. The world you seek to create is a hollow one...one devoid of understanding. You claim to be the beacon of salvation that will rewrite the Omniverse, yet ultimately...what you seek to create is nothing more than a wasteland of eternal nothingness. A void of just hollow existence...mindless living. It's no better than a wheel spinning in motion in one place without going anywhere or doing anything worthwhile. Honestly Sakinah, all of your rage that you have been displaying so far is nothing but a mask you've put on to try and hide the one thing you don't want anyone to see," Raizo spoke with a heavy tone tinged by sadness and pity.

"And what is that...Son of Mercer...what do you think I, of all beings alive or dead, is trying to hide?" Sakinah scoffed.

"Fear. You're scared of the idea of Azoth and the Cycle. You would rather destroy everything and make it to where all of creation exists on pause in order to delay that being's arrival. All of your anger at Akasha is just misguided fear. You boast about having all of this power and wisdom; but, instead of using what you know to try and help everyone prepare for the end of days, you want to stifle everyone with your anxiety."

Sakinah went silent at that point. She had no words to say in response. In her infinite wisdom and her nigh unstoppable imagination, this was the first time in which she felt truly stumped at how to respond.

"Me? Afraid? Surely this child is joking. I, the one who was a threat to the Gods of old, scared of some phantasm?" she muddled over that statement of his for a moment.

"With the power I have and Arayashiki's strength...we can rewrite everything to make sure that monstrosity never comes to life. If you only saw things my way...and took the time to understand why things need to be this way then you would see. All you are fighting for is the continuation of constant darkness created by the malice instilled in the hearts of man. The incessant struggles and bloody wars, the restless cycle of life and death perpetuated by needless wars recorded throughout history is the exact reason why Azoth is coming. Is it so wrong to want to erase that? The reason why all of that chaos exists is because mortals and even gods continue to advocate for the idea of freedom which is nothing but selfish ambition!"

Raizo balled his left fist whilst tightening the grip on his sword as her words struck a cord of irritation in his chest.

"Even so…Even if that's true, all of us are given the power of choice...we're all free from our first breaths! We are free to live our lives now more than ever and you seek to shackle us! You're no better than the gods and the men you lamented so long ago! You are just as wicked as the ambitious fools that brought kingdoms to their knees and slaughtered innocents throughout the ages! You're just a veiled tyrant, a hypocrite at its finest!"

"A hypocrite? Your definition of freedom is to let the chaos you mentioned continue because that is all your kind is capable of!"

"You're wrong Legion...you refuse to acknowledge the capacity for change, the possibility of what people can do when given a second chance!"

"LIFE WAS GIVEN SIX OF THEM AND IT WAS ALL THE SAME!"

"EVEN IF THAT'S TRUE, WE ALL HAVE THE RIGHT TO PURSUE OUR DESTINIES!"

"USELESS, USELESS, USELESS, USELESS, USELESS, USELESS!!!! TALKING TO YOU IS USELESS!"

Sakinah's aura flared up again as her body suddenly regenerated. She opened her mouth as the visage of a mirror appeared in her throat.

"O ARKADIA, TEAR ALL ASUNDER, AB AETERNO!"

Suddenly, the powers of all Bodhisattva, the Golden Ark, and Pandora's Box multiplied by the essence of the Progenitor of the Storm was combined into one dark crimson orb of light before being discharged at the person before her. A great chasm of light followed suit as it seemingly absorbed Raizo's being inside its radiance. However, all was not as it seemed.

"All of that bravado, and you missed?" Raizo said as he lowered his guard that reflexively went up immediately when she powered up.

"Oh, I wasn't aiming at you. I decided to take on a target that was closer to home so you could feel the weight of despair that I felt when I lost my mother. Perhaps suffering will help you see things my way."

"What the hell are you talking a-..." Raizo was prepared to ask when it dawned on him. Without the sound of another word passing from his lips, he soared through the heavens to race to the location where the attack was attempting to land.

Far, far away was the realm of Heaven where all of the other warriors that sought to wage war against Sakinah's reign was watching this final battle. The Goddess of Harmony's true target was Elysium. With the energy she conjured, the beam of death was strong enough to destroy the realm altogether and destabilize the balance of life after the end. Just as the wave of light was approaching, Raizo appeared in the nick of time with Soteria in hand.

"Raizo, you are going to have to use my power," Reina uttered.

"Will Siphoning Fate even work on this?" Raizo responded in his mind.

"Yes, but this time will be a little different. Entrust my essence into your blade and you shall see. Repeat these words..."

"Invoke, Morana..." Raizo said calmly as he ran his fingers across the edge of Soteria. In a snap, the familiar energy of the awakened state of the original scythe began to encapsulate around the mystical steel of the Primordial Armament. Its glistening edge dyed itself black as the miasma aura of dark violet fused with the aquamarine shine to layer the image of the infamous scythe in harmony with it.

"Awaken, feast on the bane of gods. Siphoning Fate – Devour!"

Upon invocation, Raizo raised the enhanced armament up before swinging at the oncoming attack. As the beam inched closer towards his position, the length of Raizo's blade morphed into a giant head of a wolf with glowing yellow eyes. The mysterious maw opened its jaws in an alien way before reaching out and consuming the oncoming beam of light. In the seconds that followed, the entirety of the attack was consumed before the tremendous aura stirred around the youth.

The Soteria reverted back to its original form as Raizo looked over his shoulder. Elysium was safe, not a single ounce of the divine energy leaked through. He could see the faces of the people he just saved: the remaining Heroic Spirits, the Symphogears, the Cocytus warriors, and the Mercer family. All of them were standing there watching the encounter. It was a scary moment, but the hope was alive that it would never reach them.

"Nirvana..." Raizo called out as he extended his left hand. The visage of the small blonde female appeared, though she apparently aged to a pre-teen stage as her body was a little taller and she wore a track suit.

"Yes, my master?" she responded.

"Watch over my family, protect them with the Astral Plane. Part of the power I've gained is synchronized with you. I know you're more than capable of doing it," he said.

"Of course Master, at once."

"Thank you..." the male's voice echoed out before he soared back towards Legion's location.

The wicked smile of the goddess was waiting for him as he reappeared before her.

"So how does it feel knowing the people you love are no more?" she hissed in wicked delight.

"They're safe...every single one of them as well as the entirety of Elysium. Your little attack was for nothing."

"Impossible...just...impossible. Even with all these enhancements, there's no way you could have done that!"

"Yes there is...your certain outcomes mean nothing before the might of an Outlaw. But I will say this...you did manage to accomplish something."

"And what's that?"

Raizo went silent. Just as her question was proposed to him, it was almost as if his consciousness was taken away from him. He mentally disappeared in that moment leaving his body as a still husk.

"Raizo?"

"Raizo, what's wrong?"

"Hey kid, wake up!"

"Master..."

"I do not like the look of this."

"Raizo-san, please...don't go there..."

"We got her on the ropes, so let's end this while we can!"

"Remember what I told you the last time..."

"Everyone...be quiet, this is something he must face on his own."

The voices of Akaro, Adena, Inari, Reina, Akame, Vesta, Hikari, Kimiko, and lastly Akasha flowed within the spirit of the male in that order as they felt his absence. The visage of his body remained present, but it was like his soul became unstable. In truth, his awareness currently vanished into the depths of his soul that only Akasha could reach but didn't in belief that he would find his answer there.

"So here we are again...are you gonna let her get away with that? Isn't it time you just unleash me already? Forget what anyone else says, that thirst for vengeance always gave you a rush, a true thrill of life. It's in your blood, our blood," the voice of a dark entity echoed out.

"Don't listen to him. You're better than this. You already have a path that you have to travel on. Do not stray from it. Nothing else matters as long as it's for her sake. Sacrifices are expected, even if it is of those closest to us. This is the reality of war," a noble voice countered.

As Raizo's conscious mind sifted through the darkness, he saw two people. The first was the visage of himself dressed in the gear of a Blood Wolf. His aura was naturally dark as the whites of his eyes were blackened and the irises glowed a soulless red. The other visage of himself was a man dressed head to toe in a black suit with a long trench coat over his shoulders, a soft golden radiance spiraling around him as one of his red eyes was covered by an eye-patch. What he saw was the personification of his Arashi blood within the grasp of Calamity of the Storm and the personification of his Mercer blood as the God Hunter. Both of them tried to argue cases of the path he should follow.

"Do me a favor both of you, just shut up," he responded.

"This isn't either one of your fights...it is mine. I am not either one of you, but both of you are me. I cannot choose one or the other because if I do, I wind up running away from something that will always be there. In truth, I accept both of you as who I am...but my ideologies are vastly different.

No one will get away with taking the people I love without cause, I will always pursue them to make sure they pay. However, I will not sacrifice those around me to ensue my definition of justice is served. No matter how many lives I take in justification for someone's loss, the bloodshed will not bring them back. The only one who suffers in the end is me, because my soul becomes corrupted by vengeance.

"I will do whatever it takes to pursue the vision that Akasha has for me. I owe her my everything. She believed in me when no one else did and was there for me more times than I can count. She will always have my heart, no questions asked. But I will not squander anything she has blessed me with out of blind devotion, because then it becomes a question of whether or not I truly treasure the blessings I've been given. My path is my own, not the continuation of a forerunner."

Both images of the male looked at one another before passing a mutually shared nod of approval.

"Well would you look at that, he's finally figured it out," the Arashi vision chuckled.

"At long last, you've discovered it," the Mercer vision spoke.

"What's that?" Raizo asked.

At the same time, both images replied, "Your resolve."

In that moment, the boy's consciousness was whisked back to life in the midst of the bond.

"Sorry about that, I needed a minute to process things. Place all your bets on me, let's finish this."

With nods of approval, the ritual continued unimpeded as Raizo's awareness returned to his body.

"Well? What did I manage to accomplish, boy?" Sakinah goaded after a few seconds of silence from her foe.

"Legion...allow me to ask you, what is rage?"

"Rage? It's a means to an end...something that can be used to gain power for a period of time, but can blind one's vision of what the ultimate goal is."

"Yes...but is it a concept? Or is it something else?"

"What nonsense are you trying to spout now? Are you seriously trying to insinuate that I mad you upset? Really? Get over it, don't be such a br-…?!!"

Raizo suddenly whisked in front of Sakinah and grabbed her by her face as the palm of his hand covered her mouth. He had one finger over his lips whilst Soteria floated off to the side.

"Shh, be quiet...I'm talking now."

The girl tried to claw at the youth's hand as she flailed in protest, but the boy merely continued to hold on for a moment.

"You see, Rage is a beast. It has no conscious, it knows no mercy, and it takes no prisoners. It is a ruthless monstrosity that will destroy anything and everything it comes into contact with until there is nothing left. It operates on a trigger function, once its pulled there is nothing you can do to stop it; that's why you have to tame it. Rage's true potential comes out when you bring it under control and you have a way to guide it.

You see, by threatening my second home and the people I love, you have succeeded in making me feel that sensation; however, you failed at making me react in the way you anticipated. Words can't describe the anger surging within me, but I now know how to release the storm within me effectively. Take a chance to accept the fact that you just lost this battle."

Raizo released the girl from his grasp as she plopped down on her feet. She generated one singular blade going in for the kill.

"You just dropped your damn guard you cocky brat, do not think for a single second that I fear you!" she declared.

"You don't listen to anyone, and that is why you fail."

The Crimson Hybrid reached out and grabbed her blade before snapping it with one hand into countless shards. The flawless motion astounded the Goddess as she was the one left defenseless.

"Blind is the one whose blade is guided on the path with no meaning. The mortality is finite as are the relationships he hold with others. For when all is lost, to whom shall he turn to? All that remains is a mission of self-destructive nature, for that was the beginning of it all...Rebellion!"

Raizo clenched his free hand into a fist that resonated with a dark crimson aura. He thrust it forward to deliver a bone-shattering blow into Legion's abdomen causing the deity to fly back. As he does so, the girl flies through a random rift in space as she begins to see visages of the past all around her.

The life of Raizo as a child appears showing his upbringing as an assassin in the Order of the Blood Wolves. The faces of those he trained with, the blood he spilled for the sake of the cause, and the mission that was engraved in his bones that he had no choice but to abide by. She saw it all. From the tender moments he shared with Assana to the darker moments when he was abused by his 'father', Raiden. It all came to a head when the massacre of the clan took place thanks to the betrayal of Aquilo as the last painful memory of the youth's origin story was when the first love of his life passed away in his arms.

In the meantime, Raizo charged his weapon with the auras of those resonating within him before unleashing it in one cataclysmic attack. He discharged the concentrated energy causing a column of divine energy to be brought down upon her head before it shattered the strange realm.

"Arrogant is the one who becomes drunk on his own power. Strength is a double-edged sword. Though it can pave a path of victory, it can also create the air of complacency forcing one to submit before the might of another – God's Tear."

Sakinah was whisked through space into another visage down memory lane. It was here that she saw Raizo and Vesta cross paths. They were enemies in the beginning as the girl had the distinct mission of devouring the youth's power to add to her own. This is also where Raizo bonded with Akaro as he made his debut alongside Akame and Kimiko. It was the early stages of Team AKARA, the beginning of the realization that Raizo's world was not as black and white as he thought.

Taking advantage of the gap, Raizo pulled out chains of crimson lightning and whisked them around the woman's body. He proceeded to pass by her and drag her along for a wild ride before slamming her into the ground. Then he tossed her up in the air once again before beginning a brief cycle of slamming her into the ground again and again like he was playing with a paddle ball. Feeling that she was delivered enough punishment, he broke the electrical bonds whilst closing the distance once more not even trying to give her the chance to recover.

"Foolish is the one who considers not the one he calls ally one day to become his adversary the next. Ambition is a disease that infects the hearts of all. Those who do not see its fangs will always fall into the hands of their enemies – and thus my Trials began."

Sakinah saw the memories of when Raizo was arrested and taken into custody by the Revolutionary Army. By the execution of a short-sighted sham of a trial, he was found guilty of treason and sentenced to death. The sad truth was that the man known as Fujitora was the one pulling the strings the entire time being linked to the Blood Wolves massacre and working with Aquilo as a result. Though the male escaped after revival, his bonds would fall into jeopardy leading to shackles being placed upon his heart.

Raizo snapped his fingers. Once more, Legion was bound by chains of a crimson nature, except they were entirely comprised of steel. The reddish hue represented the bloodshed that was spilled over the course of the youth's life and how so many lives began to weigh on his heart once upon a time. In that instant, the manifestation of a mysterious box with the visage of a woman on the outside opened up before swallowing the female's vessel. In that instant, she was impaled by a myriad of steel spikes that were seemingly shot at her like arrows in the dark.

"Ignorant is the one who does not prepare for the greater challenges to come. For life's long-term journey is filled with hurdles. Misfortune can arrive in droves, it takes great mental fortitude to overcome them; but wisdom will supply the strength that he needs to survive.

Pathetic is he who dwells in the past and seeks to live in it. For the past is a variable that is fixed and unchangeable; even if otherwise stated so, the experiences that led to the wisdom gained is invalidated and can lead to even greater mistakes down the line.

Rejoice with the one who finds the path to forgiveness. For what greater sign of growth is there when one accepts the past as it was so that he may move on?

Determined is the one who takes a stand to protect those that he loves. For what greater truth in the realization of love is there when one is willing to sacrifice their life for another? For when one stands firm to protect their convictions and value the lives of others above himself, does he not become a hero? Glory is there in Liberation."

Then came the great saga that almost blurred together like a great epic. The rise of the Scarlet Cerberus that led to the true formation of Team AKARA and the first major showdown with the one called Rias Makiri. It created a bond of family that would only serve to strengthen over time; however, Raizo's resolve was weakened to a point of dismay. Unable to cope with his reality, he thought it was best to alter the past for a better future which led to Shatterpoint; however, that would only prove to be an even worse investment that would lead to dire consequences.

Sakinah bore witness to all of this before being dragged through the redemption of the youth's soul. His discovery of Elysium and the Mercer family and the reunion with his family gained in Team AKARA all restored his hopes in himself and those around him. This was just in time as The Architect and the Second Primordial War awaited. After a long, hard fought battle, becoming Akasha's chosen and seeing the Aspects was an expansion on possibility for things to come. If anything, it began to solidify what Raizo's path needed to be going forward.

"Tch...you dare show me a vision of my uncle?! The mentor you took from me!"

Sakinah tried to stop this one sided fight by once more correcting her body's line of motion by tuning her center of gravity, but Raizo was not trying to hear it. He tucked Soteria at his side as he called forth the Prometheus once more. Invoking his will over it, the broadsword transformed into a pair of gauntlets and boots. He rushed towards the female and unleashed a holy hellstorm of punches and kicks reinforced by the martial arts prowess of Adena Zao-Long's mighty strength.

"ORA! ORAORAORAORAORA!" he shouted as he threw a barrage of blows against her. Ending with a major kick to the gut, Sakinah was sent flying even further through the air almost lifeless at this point.

"Great is the one who can forge bonds with others even during impossible odds and bizarre situations. For the value of friendship can transcend the tyranny of the divine because in the end, we all must stand together in the face of adversity. Thus was my ride through Judgment."

The visions of the journey through the multiverse to end the tyranny of the Demon Gods was on full display. Every world visited, every bond formed, every impact made, every moment of triumph was brought to fruition. All of the highs and lows of the various confrontations ran across Legion's eyes. The reunion of brothers on a Dystopian home world, the fatal battles against humanity's greatest heroes, the final battle against Goetia, and the coming together of warriors from different ages and realities to face the grand finale put on display. At the end of the day, one could call it a miracle story.

Raizo summoned Prometheus once more. The Primordial Saber transformed into a crimson long bow as the male grasped its hand and tested the inferno string. Taking notes of what Akaro did way back against The Architect, he knocked the Soteria blade onto the string and drew it back. A great amount of his energy was being channeled into its edge as he infused the concept of Outlaw. Then he released the arrow straight at the female.

It rushed through the space between them in a flash. Sakinah was rendered unable to react quickly enough to try and stop it. She attempted to use her Primordial protections and enhancements to block the blade, she even attempted to enchant her will through the Golden Ark to nullify its intended path; it failed. The blade impaled her through her abdomen causing the air to escape from her lungs for a brief second. In that instant, everything just went blank. Her consciousness almost faded entirely as she felt her life almost stop completely before her senses were restored to her.

"You...bastard...for you to do this...to me? It is...not possible. Just...who do you think you are?!" she stammered over her words.

Raizo raised a hand to recall the blade back to his hand. Unapologetically, the churning noise of the weapon being ripped from her flesh caused a disgustingly vibrant gush of blood to seep from her wound. He flicked the blade to get rid of the excess blood whilst letting the copy of Prometheus revert to its state as a broadsword and linger behind him. Then he snapped his fingers once more as the blades of Svarog, Kusanagi, Murasame, Kanemitsu, the rose-colored electric visage of Vajra all came into existence. In addition, the images of Kimiko's trusted blade—the Kiriichimonjii—and the signature weapon of Hikari—the Tamashii Gari—joined the assortment.

"That's an interesting question. Honestly, my identity is something that I often struggled with in the recent years of my life. Am I just another assassin whose fate lies with bloodshed? Or am I a hero in the making whose destiny lies with bringing hope to others? Am I mistake or do I have a purpose? Am I Arashi or Mercer? It's been a clusterfuck of bullshit to say the least. But at long last, I think I found my answer. I am all and I am none, for regardless of these things I am still only one."

"Stop with your riddles! Answer the damn question!" Sakinah gritted her teeth in frustration.

"Coming from the Goddess of Harmony whom prides herself on wisdom through riddles and scripture, it's rather amusing. Explaining it means nothing...allow me to show you. This last technique will give you the answer you seek as well as end your life. Your time is up, Sakinah Vashti."

Raizo held Soteria in one hand and turned it to its side whilst running two fingers across the back of the blade. The eight blades that belonged to his comrades radiated with the auras respective of their users as he prepared for the great conclusion.

"Not the ruthless assassin of the Blood Wolves,

neither the noble God Hunter of the Sixth Cycle,

nor the renowned legends like the Envoy of the Crimson Luster,

or the fabled Red-Eyed Killer.

More than anything, just an outsider,

One whom has discovered his resolve.

Once seeking a place to call home,

A place aware of my past, yet refused to place blame.

One that would welcome a sinner with open arms.

I, a man who was broken, became whole again.

For my philosophy of the blade was changed.

The blade who I thought I was, dulled and shattered.

The blade I aspire to be is sharpened to protect.

Unafraid of loss,

Nor regretful of mistakes.

The chains of the past no longer bind me.

The gods who lauded over me are brought to their knees.

I stand before thee as a new man, a testament of change.

I, the one who shall traverse the path of the warrior.

Not as a crushing weight, but to be the hero everyone needs.

I am not perfect, but I am redeemed.

For all that I am is given by the will of the one whom restored me.

The soul of my truth shines in the blazing steel!

The resolute blade is all that I have to offer you!

Face everything and rise, Soteria—Crimson Reckoning!"

The eight weapons that floated behind the black wings of the masked male were discharged towards Legion. The limbs of steel positioned themselves at 8 fixed points forming an octagon around the female. At this point, a crimson electrical field connected them as it hoisted the girl in the air. The same shade of red spiraled around the body of the winged hybrid as he held Soteria firmly in his hand. In that instant, he rushed towards the woman appearing at one of the fixed points closest to his flight path.

His eyes glowed through the mask shining an argent colored hue before fading in the glimpse of a pale blue. He grasped the blade which just happened to be Prometheus before rushing towards the girl. In that instant, he slashed at her body as he passed towards the next weapon complimentary to the initial point's location. Then he repeated the same pattern again and again bouncing from weapon to weapon. He moved so fast that it appeared as if afterimages wielding each of the different swords struck her position. The technique was almost like the Adamant Waltz technique that he used with Indra's power. The barrage of slash attacks continued until every weapon was used at least once before he concluded with a giant downward swing with Soteria. Just as he descended towards her seeking to cleave her in two, the unthinkable occurred.

"Playtime is over," an anonymous voice called out.

Focused solely on ending this fight, Raizo pressed forward with his final blow. At that point, a sudden pulse of energy blindsided his position. The wave threw him of track as if he was sucker punched by some unknown entity forcing him to hit the ground. The surprise attack did not stop there. Just as he was about to land on the ground, he was impaled by another pulse of energy that instantaneously diffused the Synthesis transformation.

The vessels of the eight other heroes went tumbling into the dirt in close proximity of one another. Seven of them were rendered stunned and motionless. Part of it was due to the recoil of using the techniques employed during the fused state, while the other factor was the sudden severance of the link that held the form together. Akaro, Akame, Adena, Vesta, Inari, Reina, and Hikari were sapped to the point where the fell unconscious one after the other.

As for Raizo, he was leaning heavily on the Soteria blade whilst forced down to his knees as sweat poured off his body. Not a single muscle in his body would respond to his commands to at least stand up to see what went wrong as he gasped desperately for air. Standing before them, the visage of Kimiko with silent fury seemingly protected them.

The silhouette of Arayashiki then manifested from nothingness as she blocked their view of a heavily weakened, half-dead Sakinah Vashti. A unique aura spiraled around her body as she flowed with a new kind of strength that was leagues above the imagination of those present minus the incarnation of the Goddess-Above-All.

"You shall not die here, Lady Sakinah. Your role to play in our plan begins now. Fret not over your current state. You did all that you could; unfortunate that you let your emotions get out of control to drive you to this point. However, let it all go. It was a valiant, yet foolish last ditch effort to distract you. The time of the final rites of the ritual has come. It is time we begin creation anew."

The woman who manifested as a corrupt essence of the Root snapped her fingers instantly restoring Sakinah to her original state unblemished by the corruption of the Pandora's Boxes summoned from different timeline and restored from all of her wounds. As much as it vexed the Goddess to be driven to such a point, she merely nodded her head in gratitude before turning to leave giving Raizo one last glare of resentment.

"The time has come for me to overcome and do what is right for all to see..." Kimiko murmured before she turned on her heel and walked over to Raizo. The female knelt down and tilted his chin up towards her as she placed her lips over his for one last passionate kiss. Then she whispered a few words in his ear:

"The wolf shall weave the last chapter in this tale of life."

Here, the girl's appearance shifted. Her clothes changed into that of a black kimono with the iconic red jacket over top of it. Her crimson eyes brimmed light as the guise of Akasha took over; a dense aura shook the foundation of reality. With her trademark eyes, she glared at Arayashiki. From there, the powerful presence snapped her fingers. The aura around her wafted from her body to open up four gateways as the same number of silhouettes emerged:

The first was a 6'7" tall woman at the center of the group, her tanned skin and older complexion of a mature lady combined with her dark crimson irises, defined curvaceous build, and long flowing dark brown hair made the female quite the fearsome sight. Around her waist she wore part of a traditional samurai armor known as the kusazuri, it was quite an impressive piece as it possessed red, black, and golden plates. This contrasted well with her dark pants, boots, plain white shirt, and dark trench coat with red highlights whose left sleeve she kept rolled up revealing part of what appeared to be a black Chinese Dragon tattoo flowing up her arm.

The second was a 6' 5", muscular woman with long, flowing black hair and reddish-brown eyes. She wore a rather stylish tattered gakuran with a cap and metal epaulets, a rope belt, and a pair of tengu-geta. She also wrapped her bosom in a sarashi, and her wrists with the bandages typical of open-hand fighters. The Fist of Calamity, Marayah Zao-Long, or Aria for short and Adena's older sister.

Then came the third one of the group. Aqua blue eyes, short, dark blue hair, black priestess robes, white gloves, 6' 2", and a young adult's body with well-developed assets and curves hidden beneath all the clothing. Assana Demiyah was entered the stage again.

Lastly to Assana's side was a female that was the same height as the former party who wore a shallow cut black dress, five necklaces with an assortment of beads, a red girdle-belt, and a pair of matching gauntlets. She also wore fingerless gloves, an object that looked to be made from feathers hanged from the right side of her skirt. Furthermore she used detached black leggings with a red splatter pattern, and black leather boots beneath them. Her most distinctive feature was definitely a fearsome, full-face mask that resembled the face of a strange Danger Beast. The mask had four eye slits that further enhanced the character's inhuman appearance.

"You have my full, undivided attention, Arayashiki," Akasha stated calmly though her words were filled with a relentless fury.