Fade to Black Part 1

"Alas, we must depart...the time dawns near, Mother," spoke the elegant voice of Kurai.

After embarking on this ordeal confronting her own fate, Reina's evolution was complete. Spending time with her long, lost daughter and catching up in the blank space gave her peace. However, both women had their respective roles to play.

"Yes, there is still work to be done," Reina concurred with her daughter's sentiment albeit pulling heavily on her heart.

"Do not be dismayed, Mother. Though our time together was rather short, we shall cross paths again in the future. You are always in my heart," Kurai smiled gently at the Queen of Cocytus.

"And you inside of mine," Reina returned in kind.

As the two shared one more embrace, Kurai remembered something important.

"I almost forgot to give you this, but Great Mother tasked me with something to impart on you when you passed your trial."

The girl reached out placing a singular finger just above the sternum area and right underneath the clavicle in the center. A small Akashic blue glow emanated from her index finger and etched itself onto Reina's being. Something began culminating within the core of Reina's being as she felt her newfound strength burst from the depths like a raging inferno. Then she felt her heart beating heavily inside of her chest. The rhythmic thumping of the life-pumping organ almost felt like a pulsating organism. Sensing the oncoming phenomenon, Kurai took a step back away from her mother.

In a brilliant chasm of charcoal luminescence, Reina's body was engulfed in power beyond her wildest dreams. After a few lengthy seconds, the light faded away before striking down and etching a graph of a wolf's head on the location where her daughter touched her skin. Then spawning from the sudden combustion of amber, purgatorial flames with black electricity, the woman's vessel was revealed in new clothing.

She wore a white and black dress akin to a battle-style kimono reminiscent of the one she wore during her younger years that cut-off around the lower, mid-thigh region. Over top of it, she donned a black, elongated coat somewhat similar in design to that of the fabled Pirate Queen, Francis Drake. The main takeaway on that was the shark-teeth like white pattern etched along the bottom hem. The sleeves of the jacket, as well as the sides, were plated with black and gold samurai style armor known as the sode and kusazuri respectively. Black and gold vambraces protected her forearms which was referred to as the kote. Her neck and chest area was covered by matching plated armor known as the dou which was etched in proportion to the folds of her body. Only the center area just above the cleavage was cut-out which revealed the mysterious marking. Then she had on knee-high black and gold greaves called the suneate that tied around her calf and protected her shins and knees which cut over top of her sandal-style high-heeled boots.

Her long, flowing, immaculate white hair was bound in the back as her bangs hooped underneath her ears and were tied into a singular braid that was bound like a pony tail layered over the main train of hair. The knot was kept together by a singular black ribbon tied up like a giant bow. Her eyes shimmered with a mystical glow as the yellowish hue echoed with a roaring strength that would make a divine beast tremble. Latched to her side was the trusted blade—Kanemitsu—sheathed inside a red, black and gold scabbard ornamented with crimson tassels.

"Now you look the part, Mother," Kurai nodded in approval.

"I feel...tremendously different than before. It is almost as if the depths of my power have become as widespread as an unknown abyss…" Reina commented.

"Of course...you are not just your titles beforehand in conjunction with the mantle of Primordial Goddess of Fate. You are the true Grand Saber—the Envoy of the Obsidian Wolf."

As soon as her daughter finished with that, a golden portal opened beckoning for Reina's presence.

"That makes two. And what better pair than a duo such as yourselves...may Akasha's light shine in your favor, Mother. And...take care of that child too. He is the object of your affections now, yes?" the girl innocently chuckled whilst waving goodbye.

"Silly girl, what makes you think you can tease your Mother like that?" the Grand Saber smiled as she turned to pass through the doorway. The pair shared one final look at one another before they went on their separate ways—to the next steps in their journeys.

*****

Elysium, the great realm of Heaven in all of its definitions throughout many beliefs in human history, was currently undergoing reconstruction. In the wake of the assault from Erebus and Nyx, the surviving guardians, heroes, and other divine entities and spirits were currently focused on their tasks of rebuilding the desecrated realm now that the war with Sakinah finally concluded. The resonating clanging of jackhammers, saw blades, and welding tools synchronized into a calamitous harmony that showcased the level of dedication people were invoking to repair and restore their home.

A golden portal opened in the midst of the city as the silhouette of the newly crowned Grand Saber passed through. Her immense aura seeped out for a brief second that shook the city; however, the crowds of diligent warriors were so focused that they refused to be distracted. Fortunately enough, Reina only let that small fraction of her power leak as she immediately kept a lid on her pressure.

Seeing everyone working so hard gave the woman pause. She reflected on her great ordeal that no one could even possibly fathom. Examining the palm of her hand, she felt a renewed sense of faith in herself as well as the brimming glow of accomplishment. As she examined the area, she felt like the ideals she held onto were coming to fruition before her eyes.

"Hmm...my newfound strength is incredible, but everyone is focused on their work. Perhaps I should not draw too much attention to myself with this attire," she surmised as she focused her energy to shift her armor into something more laid back. As a result, she crafted threads onto her body that came in the form of a black t-shirt with dark blue jeans and a dark red bomber jacket over top with black heeled shoes to match. Nodding in approval, the woman continued on.

Keeping care not to disturb anyone doing their jobs, she carefully passed through the bustling streets of noise and activity. Her lone figure gave off an aura of importance, yet only a few gave her a glance before focusing on their efforts. Some offered a nod of respect, but it was a majority of indifference. It was not that the heroes refused to respect her, but for the simple fact that most of them were of a later generation of heroes that came centuries after her and never learned of her impact on history. Only the few knew, those that were either around during that era or passed down her legend in stories and lessons to their descendants. As she pressed on through the streets, a singular figure stood out that caught the woman's eye.

She was a female warrior draped head to toe in a long-sleeved indigo kimono that was cut around the mid-thigh region much like Reina's style of dress in her armor. A layer of red cloth was wrapped around her waist and draped over the indigo garments thus hanging down on the sides with dark crimson leaves printed on the surface. She had on black knee-high stockings with red and blue plated greaves that protected the fronts of her calves. A matching style of armor and silk covered her forearms. Two katana were strapped on her hips as well that matched her style of dress. Her long, silver hair draped down to her shoulders freely. Blue eyes brimming with confidence and energy was the last distinguishing feature that accentuated the beauty of the slender female that appeared in her mid 20s or so. Seeing the woman was a case of shock therapy for the Grand Saber.

"It...cannot be…" Reina gasped in shock whilst carefully walking closer to the woman.

Could it really be her? The one she fought alongside countless centuries ago during the era of the Syndicate, her sworn friend, and the first whom she respected enough to call a sister as well as hold her in high enough esteem to regard her as a rival? The woman caught sight of Reina as she stood there leaning back against a light pole with her arms folded underneath her ample breasts.

"Yo, been awhile eh, Rei-chan?" the female samurai greeted kindly.

"Musashi?" the Queen of Cocytus blinked a few times with a tone of doubt.

"But...if you are here...then that means that…."

"Nah, I ain't dead silly," the swordswoman of legend interrupted before strolling over to Reina placing a friendly arm over her shoulder.

"After you 'died' and became a Goddess, me and all the ol' members of the Syndicate scattered to the wind. Without you holding me here, I went back to hopping from world to world tryin' to find strong people to fight."

"Heh, why am I not surprised?" Reina smiled softly, "Even after all these years, you are still trying to master your sword skills, no?"

"Oi there...I don't know how long it has been for you, but time ain't linear for a beautiful traveler such as myself. I'm technically only a few years older now compared to the last time we met."

"Hmm...that does explain why you do not seem any stronger, Musa-chan," Reina slyly remarked with a subtle smirk.

Musashi responded by amicably tightening her arm around Reina's neck.

"HAH! You've developed quite the sense of humor, but that ain't no way to treat a friend, Rei-chan! Now come on, why don't we go visit that cute little student o' yours?" the enthusiastic girl proclaimed whilst dragging her friend along.

"The details do not really matter, it is nice to have a longtime comrade back in my life," Reina smiled as the two strolled down the street together in search of the young Crusader.

MEANWHILE…

Location: Throne of Heroes – Moonlight Palace

In the emptiness of a solitary bedroom illuminated by the glistening light of the moon, Raizo sat on the edge of the bed on top of the soft velvet sheets underneath his skin. He reached down to grab his clothing that was thrown into a pile over the side area. Vaguely, he recalled how he ended up in this situation. Once in a field fighting for his life to prove himself to the queen of this tower, he was now inside the bedchamber of the somber maiden after sharing a long vigorous night of another kind of battle. As the male stood up, he grabbed his black pants and slipped them on to cover the lower half of his body whilst reaching down to grab his white shirt and other garments to slide back into.

"Getting ready to leave so soon, my dear?" a sultry voice leaked out from behind as he felt the sudden, seductive embrace of a feminine figure reach out and press against him.

"Do we really have to be finished?" cooed the teasing voice of the True Ancestor known as Arcueid. She unashamedly pressed her ample breasts against his back whilst tracing her fingers against his abdomen.

"Come on, this is technically a honeymoon you know~"

"Jeez Arcueid-san...you really have an insatiable appetite…" the boy slightly blushed taking a sideways glimpse at her hand.

"What? I just want to enjoy the private company of my sweet contractor before I have to meet the competition…"

Raizo looked down towards the base of his abdomen where a double crescent moon mark appeared.

"You know...eventually I'll have to explain this right?"

"Don't worry, I'll take the liberty of doing that immediately. The pecking order will be clearly established," the girl nodded as she separated from the man twirling around behind him as a faint glow of light wafted over her vessel

After the radiance faded away, the woman was now wearing a white sweater with a dark violet skirt as her cascading, blonde hair was neatly braided into a ponytail. In the meantime, the boy finished getting dressed thus gathering his belongings up before turning on heel to really absorb the sight of the red-eyed beauty into his mind.

"What? Does this look not strike your fancy, my dearest? Come, allow this flawless beauty to personally escort her champion down the unconquerable tower~" she winked.

"E-Eh?! N...no, that's not...I'll just take my leave really. I mean...aren't you like...bound here or something?" he blushed.

"Hmm...nope, not anymore thanks to you. I'll be sure to always be with you even when it feels like I'm not. Always and forever, you know!"

"Ehhhh?!!!!!!"

Unapologetically and enthusiastically, the woman reached out and grabbed firmly onto the boy's hand before pulling him to her thus wrapping her arm around his and walked happily off towards the stairway as they descended the palace. A few minutes passed before the two arrived at the dull chamber where the girl's throne remained empty—the powerful chains that sealed her still dragging on the ground. Raizo cast a sideways glimpse at that spot for a brief second.

"Who knew that such a confrontation...would lead to this…" he muttered to himself as he looked over towards the girl whom was happily nuzzling her head against his shoulder.

In that moment as they were making their way towards the exit, two figures came bursting through the doorway boldly and unafraid of consequence.

"Little Brother, where are you?!" one voice called out.

"Yes, noble vassal of mine, behold!" another soon followed.

As their figures came into the light, Raizo discerned their identities as none other than the Grand Lancer Karuna and Demon Archer, Lady Oda Nobunaga.

"Raizo-kun, there ya are lad! I was hoping we could share another toast to your victory, but it's been awhile. So I got worried and linked up with your Big Sis here to find ya!" Nobu explained.

"Yes, Lady Oda was a welcome ally to my cause. I cannot afford to lose my only legitimate little brother," Karuna concurred. Then the duo took a moment to see how the boy in question was so lovingly entangled with the woman of concern.

"Um...what is this development?" the Daughter of the Sun tilted her head.

"Hooboy...someone seducin' my newest vassal without my permission? I always wanted to know who would win between us, Arc-chan!" Nobu smirked as a flaming aura gathered around.

"Ladies, please...must you spoil my remaining alone time with my dearest husband?" Arcueid sighed in dramatic pause.

"NANIIIII?!!!!!!" Karuna and Nobu shouted at the same time.

"Fufu, see?" she chuckled as a faint string of blood materialized before them thus linking their pinky fingers within the strand.

"I don't believe this...my little brother goes off after a touching bonding sequence and gets married to some foreigner of another land. Not only does he not confide in his big sister, but he does not even invite her to the ceremony? And with all the others being strung along...have I truly failed as an elder sister?" Karuna criticized.

"We literally just met like the last episode when I was the focal character though…" Raizo deadpanned off to the side.

"You dare go off and get married to some blonde hussy when you had the quality of a Demon King for a night? Must I conquer you again like I would have with Japan?! I am the Demon King of the Sixth Heaven, if anyone is to be your wife...it is none other than I! Behold!"

"That was literally a fade to black sequence...and you were knocked out before I could even...nevermind," Raizo sighed mentally.

"Relax, I'll try to leave some leftovers when I am finished with my meal. I'm not opposed to polygamy so long as you are aware who comes first in this ordeal," Arcueid chuckled devilishly.

"Onee-sama is going to kill me. Why me?! Where is the retcon when you need it?!"

Sadly, the youth did not realize that this was all according to keikaku and he was low-key a harem protagonist the whole time. He just was not one of those terribly, two-dimensional ones that was dense in a major cringe way. However, that was a story for another debate in a 'Stronger than you think' spin-off and this sequence is probably getting too many memes thus detracting from the path of the current narrative. Honestly, is this what I have to look forward to in the next installment? So much discord in a harmonious composition… Oh apologies dear viewers, that was mild spoilers.

Returning to the point of the canon…

"I appreciate you both for coming to check on me...but the matter is already settled. Unfortunately, my trial is over," Raizo expressed with a somewhat distraught smile.

"Is everything okay?" Karuna asked in concern.

"Arcueid...did he fail? Is this your way of flaunting his blunder in your eyes?" Nobu raised an eyebrow.

"No...he did not fail at all. He passed in a different light, one that no challenger has ever managed before. Regardless, I swore to aid him in his cause. I will do everything in my power to do so. Now then ladies, if you'll excuse us...home awaits. Shall we, my dearest?" Arc pressed with a delicate smile.

"Yeah...let's go home. Nobu-chan...Aneki...I don't know if I'll see you again, but with the way events are playing...the Counter Force may summon you. If we do cross paths again, I look forward to our victory celebration. Until then...be seeing you," Raizo waved.

"Yeah kiddo, I'll be around waitin' on that call. Take care!" Nobu smiled.

"My spear will be at your disposal, little brother. It's a big sister's job to protect her siblings," the lancer mused.

Then, the duo passed through the gates and vanished.

Location: Mercer Manor [Reconstruction Complete]

Raizo and Arcueid strolled through the meadows from the Throne of Heroes arriving at the fully rebuilt and refurnished home belonging to the Mercer Family. As the pearly white mansion awaited the two, its doors seemingly opening up to welcome the duo, a singular figure emerged from the threshold to greet them.

"At long last, I am able to finally meet you in person," the figure spoke.

Stepping into the view was a somewhat tall male with long, blonde hair and blue eyes wearing a pure white suit with a white and blue draping coat over his shoulders. The man appeared with a certain debonair about him that gave off the sense that he was the very definition of elegance and grace. Immediately, Raizo sensed Arc's face tighten up as she wrapped her hand tighter around the boy's forearm.

"I finally have the privilege of meeting you for the first time. Ah, where are my manners? My name is Lucian Grayson-Mercer, and I am your younger half-brother," he bowed his head solemnly.

"Younger...half-brother?" Raizo reiterated with a slight tilt of his head.

"We share the same father, but my mother is none other than Lucy herself. In the realm of mankind, I would be perceived the younger one between us. Though, time passes differently in Elysium so in that sense, I suppose I would be the elder. Nevertheless, we are brothers."

"I see...well...nice to meet you, Lucian-san. My name is Raizo Arashi-Mercer."

"Please, no need for formalities between family members. Feel free to call me by my nickname, Luke."

"Fair enough, and feel free to do the same for me."

"Excellent. And congratulations, I see you have managed to do what no one else has done before by claiming victory over the fearsome Ultimate One residing at the top of the Tower in the Throne of Heroes," the blonde haired male mentioned whilst noticing Arcueid's presence.

"It was a mutual arrangement that led to a happy end," the Queen of the brutal tower responded.

"I can sense that. We must have a ceremony for a proper marriage. Running off and eloping does not seem very appropriate for such a beauty as the Great Arcueid."

"H-Hey now...that's really not...I mean. It's like that on paper I think, but it's more complex than that...or something," Raizo grew flustered.

"Someone gets it, finally. Points to you, Lucian-kun."

"Gratitude, dear maiden. Your credit honors my humble self. I would love to chat some more, but pressing matters elsewhere must be addressed by my hand. I do hope that we have an opportunity to get to know each other later on at some point, Raizo," Luke said as he extended his hand.

"Likewise, I never knew I had a blood-related sibling. Hopefully we can get together sometime," Raizo nodded in agreement thus reaching out to shake his brother's hand in kind.

The pair parted ways at that point as Luke proceeded to walk off into the distance. Away from the eyes of his brother and his new wife, the man's true nature glazed over his face. He gritted his teeth in disgust and frustration knowing the identity of the one that took the spot of being firstborn. A soft blue aura oozed from his left hand for a moment—the one that he used to shake with Raizo—as the skin seemingly burned off like a used glove.

"I look forward to seeing you face the duties of a king, Raizo…" he said before disappearing into a small gust of wind.

"He seems to be quite the interesting fellow. What do you think, my dearest?" Arcueid inquired.

"That much is putting it mildly...however, I have greater concerns right now," Raizo said as he went to walk to the entrance of his second home. However, he immediately stopped moving as he felt an intense pressure wash over him—one that was imposing to endure, yet familiar all at the same time.

"Hello Raizo-kun, it is good to see you once again," a voice called out to the youth.

Breaking away from Arcueid's grip momentarily, the male recognized that formal tone of voice. Turning around gradually, he could not believe his eyes as the sight of the woman whom trained him stood before him in new garments and a great aura of mighty pressure.

"Morana...is that really you? You look and feel incredibly different than before," Raizo gasped in amazement.

"Yes, while you were off facing your trial, I had to face one of my own which resulted in a significant upgrade or two. I feel uplifted now, but I promise you that I am still the same partner you relied on before. It seems you have grown up some too," she responded before turning her attention to the White Princess of the True Ancestors.

"Archetype Earth, I see you have alas descended from your castle. How does it feel to be free?" Reina questioned.

"Glad of you to know me by name, O' Esteemed Queen of Cocytus, and it feels wonderful. Thanks to Raizo, I feel as if I have a different perspective on things," the blonde nodded.

"Oi...so we're just gonna have a conversation right now and I'm not even invited...let alone introduced? Well that's just rude Rei-chan! I thought we were friends!" burst the ever dynamic swordswoman.

"Apologies...well since you already spoke up, you have the floor now," Reina invited.

"Hmph, so that's how it is eh? Whatevs...anyway, yo there. The name's Miyamoto Musashi, Samurai Maiden and Udon Extraordinaire! Nice to meet'cha! Reina and I go way back to the days when we were just silly little teens swinging our swords around and liberating kingdoms back on Earth; the pillars of the Syndicate...ah those were fun times," the silver-haired beauty chuckled.

"Ah, the ever infamous world-hopping swordswoman...yes I know of you. You're quite annoying to keep track of from the Throne of Heroes," Arcueid commented on the side.

"Hey what can I say? A girl has a different level of commitments, but since I ain't hoppin' around now...guess I'm finally where I belong!"

"Morana...your friend is quite...vivacious. Well...anyway, my name is…" the young Crusader was about to say before Musashi appeared in front of him.

"Soooo you're the famous Raizo I heard so much about eh? Heh...you and Rei-chan do share a resemblance. You really call her by that stuffy formal name eh?"

"Er...well...it's hard for me to just outright call her by Reina from time to time. I mean, I get it out there but still. Plus...she's also like my teacher and...she's my ancestor so I don't know...I don't want to be rude is all," Raizo smiled wryly with a cold drop of sweat running down his face.

"We have a mutual problem trying to establish a fluid way of addressing one another. I still have the habit of calling him 'Master' due to our other arrangement. Though given the new circumstances, we do need to talk about the Oath-…" Reina was explaining, but was cut off.

"Say...ya know ya really are much cuter than I expected; totally my type too. Hehe...so you're a trainee of Reina's eh? You won't mind if I put that skill to the test right? Come on...let's spar. No ridiculous gimmicks or fancy moves—pure swordplay. First to get knocked on their ass is the loser. Sound good?"

"Oh dear…" Reina sighed off to the side.

"Musashi...aren't you getting a little too close?" Arcueid raised an eyebrow in annoyance.

"Um...sure...I guess?" Raizo responded reluctantly.

"Good, let's just take a few steps over here and begin. I'm getting excited now."

Musashi grabbed Raizo's hand and pulled him along to a small clearing about 10 meters or so away from the house. In the meantime, Arcueid and Reina were left to watch from the sidelines. The female drew her two swords while Raizo was left without one. He could not just draw out Soteria for a sparring match so he only had the option of making one. In his mind, he visualized the image of a regular, nameless katana as it generated in his hand with sparks of electricity trickling from it. Gripping the weapon, he took up a singular stance.

"Dual-wielding eh?" Raizo observed.

"Yep, it's my specialty," Musashi smirked.

"What a coincidence," Raizo said before generating another katana, "It's mine too."

"Oh boy, this is gonna be so much fun!"

The two dual-wielding warriors stared each other down in their respective positions as silence wafted through the air. The wind passed over them gently as they patiently determined how their first move would be executed. Disciplined by training and real-time experience in various encounters with powerful foes, the two shared this much in common; both seeing many battlefields drenched in blood.

As if stirred by someone firing off a gun into the air, Raizo and Musashi lunged at one another with their swords in tow. Parallel from one another, their left feet served as anchor points as the two brought their right swords around in a giant swing which resulted in an audible cancellation of motion. From that point, it became a dance of blades as the two clashed steel against steel.

The pair had perfect synchronization as if they studied the same set of martial arts from the same master during their resulting combative display. They turned on their heels at the same time and freely dived into attacks whilst switching their angles to counter simultaneously. The opening salvo attacks matched perfectly as the harmonious consecration of blows emanated out like a multitude of birds chirping in the air. Then they broke away for a single momentary pause of separation.

"Heh, you've got some serious skill kid. I can definitely tell you've trained and refined your moves over an extended period of time. You were taught well," Musashi complimented.

"I had many good teachers over time...Morana being one of them," he smirked.

"Yeah, Rei-chan was always the studious type. Still, you got a long way to go before you can beat me," the samurai teased with a wink.

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

At that point, round 2 began.

On the side, Reina and Arcueid watched quietly. Seeing her best friend and her student duel each other did create a small bit of conflict in terms of favor; however, she wanted to see the fruits of her labor with helping Raizo develop his skill succeed. Then again, her wisdom as a seasoned veteran told her otherwise.

"So I take it all that I drove into Raizo-kun's instruction paid off if he managed to come out of the Throne with you," Reina noted.

"Yes, you trained quite a fine warrior. Life has brought him through many hardships, but through those harsh experiences came growth. He never wavered even in front of impossible odds. Though, technically he lost," Archetype Earth commented.

"How so?"

"He still fell short of beating me; however, he still managed to accomplish more than any other challenger has ever managed to do. Impaling me with Soteria was one of them, yet even as that proved useless, he kept going. I willingly yielded to him because I acknowledge his value as a mortal entity. That...and he stirred something within my heart that I have not felt in eons," she mustered with a faint smile.

"I see...so you gave him victory by your word passing the trial in a more..philosophical way," Reina raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

"Well...that and I claimed him as mine. After a very long night of getting to know one another intimately, he is my contractor...but I prefer to call him my husband," she mused.

"…."

Reina was rendered speechless as those words played out in her mind on repeat for a brief second. As the words settled in and simmered in her logical mind, a dark crimson aura oozed off her body in irritation.

"That is an absurd lie. Do not smear that child's honor with such falsehoods…"

"Oh? Can you not see the thread of blood around my finger which is linked to his? Or perhaps I should strip away my dress to show you the mark of the covenant that we both share? He belongs to me and I to him. We shall not separate. You two have a similar arrangement no? Oh wait...you two have yet to share that level of comfort have you? I guess that means I come before you in the hierarchy~"

"I am not one for losing control of her emotions, however...perhaps you should be the first that I test my newfound strength as Grand Saber on."

"A battle between two queens? Archetype Earth vs. Grand Saber...that has a nice ring to it. Very well, let us see whom is the most worthy of Raizo's affections," Arcueid grinned insidiously as a dark golden aura burned around her body.

The pair disappeared from view thus colliding in the sky which caused Elysium to quake in response. Their skirmish was but a distraction in the background as the two swordsmen resumed their duel. The pair continued to move in harmony, however, their respective disciplines gradually showed. Musashi struck decisively and with devastating strength that never seemed to over exert her stamina or her muscles. It was as if she was butchering the air into bits using the full brute force of her strength without losing any momentum. As for Raizo, he struck swiftly and rhythmically as if flowing on a river of instantaneous motions that could shift direction and continue coursing strongly. He truly enhanced the idea of velocity inside every single one of his movements.

"He's good...definitely, truly. Rei-chan showed him quite a bit, and I can also see the movements of the other members of Team AKARA. He's had a plethora of seasoned veterans to show him the ropes...however, he still lacks his own sense of identity. And that…"

As Musashi baited him into her rhythm, she took a quick step back and crossed her blades over her chest in a downward X formation. Raizo's blade came immediately after crossing that threshold to which she pulled her weapons upward to redirect his momentum back which caught him off balance. As a result, he was left unguarded thus allowing the maiden to close in and politely knock him to the ground.

"You got skill, but you still have a ways to go. Nevertheless, nice work kiddo. Ya actually made me pick up a sweat for a second!" she grinned happily.

"Tch...dammit...I can't believe I let myself fall for that," he criticized.

"Don't be too harsh on yourself, ya did pretty good. You got some serious potential and over time, I'm sure you can surpass everyone who's ever taken the time to teach ya...though that still doesn't mean you'll be able to beat me~" she winked playfully whilst sheathing her swords then reaching down with a hand to help the boy up.

"Right...well admittedly there's still much of my own talents that I'm still coming to grips with so...guess we'll just have to see," he nodded in agreement.

"Exactly. Now then, apparently our little sparring just encouraged two idiots to squabble over dumb stuff. Excuse me for a second, 'kay?"

"Uh...sure."

Reina and Arcueid was beginning to escalate their confrontation into a much more heated battle as their aura grew denser by the second. Just as they were about to collide again rushing across the field at one another, Musashi appeared between them and swiftly chopped them on their foreheads.

"That's enough you two. Ya ruinin' the good vibes with the stupidity game. Seriously, the hell are y'all thinkin' here?" the maiden criticized.

"Hmph...Madam Sovereign over here started it," Arcueid pouted as she rubbed her forehead.

"I did not start anything. I was only dishing out appropriate punishment for you to smear Raizo-kun's name," she protested.

"Whatever...come on you two," Musashi sighed heavily before reaching out and dragging both women by their ears.

"Ow, ow! Hey, you do realize that I am a True Ancestor?!" Arcueid protested.

"Is this how you treat your best friend? I just became the Goddess of Fate so...I can make it so you will never have udon again…" Reina muttered in annoyance.

"And I'm a Wanderer, one who has lost the ability to give a damn about details. Now both you idiots shut up…" Musashi shook her head.

"So...what the hell is going on again?" Raizo asked as they came into his view.

"Mou...Raizo, my dearest, Reina-chan was bullying me…" Arc tried to act innocently.

"Nonsense, do not listen to her deceit. Instead, whatever desires you have with her, I ask that you let me take her place. She is not worthy of your affections. As your sworn partner, I will gladly do anything to keep you satiated until we return home with Adena-chan and the others!" Reina expressed.

"E-Eh?!!! H-Hey...both of you got into a fight over something that is concerning on a different level right now….mou...dammit. Why are women so complicated?!"

"Oho...what a fun little web. You know, I might have to get in on this fun just for the shenanigans!" Musashi cheered on from the side.

"All right, all right already, the hell are you kids doin' on my damn lawn? Yare yare daze, these children need to be taught a lesson or two," a new voice emerged from the doors of the manor.

Killing the commotion almost instantaneously, the visages of Lucy Grayson-Mercer alongside the King of Elysium—Alexander Mercer, emerged.

"Goodness, you are all a truly troublesome lot. It seems the new faces would fair well within the ranks of Team AKARA. Nevertheless, good to see you home son," Mercer acknowledged whilst pushing up his glasses.

"Heh, boy oh boy, you really like bringing home women to meet your folks. Yo Rei-chan, I can sense the upgrade game from here. Glad to see ya in one piece! And uh...Musass-chan, you came to my Chaldea and now you're actually at my house? The EX luck is next level!"

"Lucy, must you really make these references now of all times?" Mercer shook his head.

"Hey, in this house...we keep things light-hearted and wholesome for the first bits of dialogue!"

"I have no idea what's going on...but you know what? I dig it. And that's all that matters," Musashi nodded happily.

"Of course you would...you are a simpleton from time to time," Reina shook her head in slight disappointment.

"Oi Rei-chan, no need to be rude."

"I guess victory is truly mine after all as the legitimate wife, I finally get to meet my husband's parents! Greetings Esteemed Mother and Father, I am Arcueid Brunestud," Archetype Earth introduced with a former curtsy.

"Hoho the GOAT is in the house! Yesss, my son has EX luck too!"

"Yes Arcueid, good to see you again...it has been many years since I last saw you. Perhaps you do not recognize me," Mercer bypassed his wife's quips and addressed the blond beauty directly.

"Why...now that I think about it, your aura is quite familiar. Yes, you were quite close in making me recognize you. The years have been kind to you, Sir Mercer."

"Thank you," the man said with a curt nod.

"Anyways, enough comedy. Why don't you lot come on in? There's an important mission I got lined up for ya and it'll require some serious explaining," Lucy invited. From there, everyone proceeded inside.

The group traversed a series of halls within the massive mansion decorated with a variety of heirlooms, portraits, historical plaques, and other paintings until they arrived at a golden elevator with glass windows. Lucy stepped forward and pressed a button that allowed the machine to open up whilst extending her hand signaling everyone to enter. Mercer pressed a singular finger to his forehead as his attention was momentarily diverted.

"It would appear that there is something which requires my presence. I have to go for now," the patron stated with a slight tone of irritation.

"Don't worry, I got it from here. Do what you have to do," Lucy said in support.

"Right, I won't be too long."

Mercer departed the scene giving his wife a peck on the forehead and a wave to his son. From there, Lucy stepped inside the chamber as the doors closed behind her. Pressing a button, the machine stirs before descending into the depths of the manor. The visage outside of the glass immediately turned blank then transformed into the blanket of the cosmos with a nigh infinitesimal display of stars and galaxies. Then as it descended further, the resulting display only grew in scale as if one was observing the universe from the outside.

"So Mom, what's going on?" Raizo asked as he diverted his attention from the celestial display.

"It is not often that you call upon us with such a serious demeanor," Reina added.

"Shush you two, that is THE Lucy Grayson, you know?!" Arcueid said with a slightly high pitched voiced as if containing her excitement from being around the woman. Though secured in her tower, she knew a great deal of the Mercers and their deeds including the woman standing before her.

"I'll get into depth when we arrive, but in the mean time, what you're seeing here is whatcha might call a Matrix of Time. It's a place where the rulers in charge of the concept of time decide the many laws of a given era," she stated surrendering some information that will give them a bit of distraction.

"Heh, so this is what it looks like from the outside. I bounce around timelines so much that I never really thought of what it looked like from beyond," Musashi remarked.

A small rift of silence ensued for the rest of the trip as the transport eventually stopped. When the doors opened, the group walked out to find themselves enveloped in a white void of space with glowing green lines that spread into a myriad of other lines running along the endless vortex therein.

"Are you all familiar with how the rules of time work currently?" Lucy asked an open question for the group.

"Ohhh I know! Changes in the past will be pointless as the altered events will spawn a False World Line or Singularity outside of the normal time axis. This phenomenon, should it ever occur, will be purged by the Counter Force. Only Gods have the authority to change the past and doing so will only result in the creation of a parallel world separate from the original timeline," Arcueid answered like a diligent student.

Lucy nodded with a small smile, "I like her. Good choice in Nasuverse waifus, Raizo."

She gave her child a thumbs up which resulted in the youth instantly growing red in the face.

"M-Mom!"

"No time for the tsundere bit! You know how time traveling to the past works, but what about the future?"

"Every possibility, whether probable or improbable, is a World in the reaches of infinity. We can never say what our future will be for it is in constant flux," Musashi added.

"Confirmed, you're marrying Musashi too. That's my boy!" Lucy teared up in joy.

"MOM!"

"No time for tsun!" she held out a finger thus silencing him. Reina was notably growing irritated by these antics feeling tempted to slap someone for entertaining the scene.

"Listen y'all… the future should be impossible to predict for certain, but right now…"

The girl in the cap pointed to the horizon of the white void in order to show all the lines symbolizing infinite parallel worlds converging together into a single point that appeared like a black hole.

"Every future is coming together into a singular outcome...and not even I can peer into it. All I know is that it is something to happen seven years from now. Whatever this weird ass crap is, it goes beyond my authority as the Goddess of Time."

This caused a cloud of anxiety to wash over the small group. Sensing the tension, Lucy only continued on with her explanation.

"Something is going on right now. Further evidence is standing right here among us," she said thus turning to Musashi.

"Me?" the samurai asked.

"Yep. I mean you're a wandering warrior whom jumps from timeline to timeline uncontrollably. However, Elysium drew you here knowing your experiences and travels with a certain boring girl you know. So what do we do? Welp, we're gonna investigate the shit out of this future and see what it has to offer! Something caused time to become linear in such a strict way and I gotta know what it is so we're gonna go together and find out."

"It sounds like this could be the work of some cosmological entity on a grand scale. Would it not be prudent to send in all of Team AKARA or bring in the rest of the Mercer family for this assignment?" Arcueid asked curiously.

"That could be an option, however, the rest of Team AKARA have their hands full with other important matters and there are way too many unknown factors to send a large party. Therefore a small Black Ops group like yours is best."

"Hmm…" Raizo pondered for a moment as that mysterious visage from before came back to the forefront of his mind.

"When I was atop the Throne of Heroes, I had a vision warning me about a great darkness coming seven years from now. If this is linked to it, then I want to know for myself as well."

"This could be the time limit before Azoth's arrival."

"Then looks like we got no choice but to gear up and go," Musashi concluded.

Reina snapped her fingers as her casual wear instantly transformed into the full armored attire befitting that of the Grand Saber.

"Indeed."

"Whoa hold up a second, before anyone rushes off anywhere," a small golden circle appeared as the visage of a certain blacksmith spawned.

` "Alexis? What's up?" Raizo raised an eyebrow.

"It's dangerous to go unprepared out there so take these. I made some adjustments," she said thus handing Raizo a familiar necklace with a jagged crucifix pendant and a white and gold angelic instrument.

"Hey...nice to see my necklace back in hand but...I see the chain is different. Wait, this is…"

"Yeah I managed to upgrade your armor one more time. Put it on."

Raizo placed the piece of jewelry around his neck as his clothing instantly reacted to it.

"Whoa."

"This is Amalgam Janus. Any version of the armor with any of the appearances it had can now freely be worn at your discretion at its base. Plus it can freely adapt and evolve with any new form based upon your power or the situation. Ultimately, its versatility now depends solely on your creativity. Furthermore, Nirvana here is much stronger than she was before thanks to synthesizing with Lucifer's original Primordial essence. However, she's sleeping right now due to the long, tenuous process."

"Heh, nice...you really do spoil me you know?" Raizo smirked.

The youth's armor then transformed into a set of black, gray and white vestments. He wore black leather armor over his chest that stretched down to his waist with a sleeveless, white hooded haori over top. His sleeves were white and gray in color with leather gauntlets over his forearms and black and gray pants with steel-toed boots to match. Appearing like an assassin once more, this configuration was one that appeared ruthless yet prime for adventuring as well. Raizo flipped the hood back letting his face be exposed as he grabbed Nirvana and tucked her on his left side as it was veiled in the Astral Plane.

"Feeling better already," he noted.

"Raizo-kun, when this is over...we will address the matters of our oath. For now, take this. It should still serve its purpose," Reina said thus handing Raizo a mimic of the original Morana blade from before.

"Right, thanks…" he said as he latched it to his hip as well.

"Good luck out there you guys," Alexis said before teleporting again.

"Okay everyone, let's do this. Time to head into the future," Lucy said whilst stretching out her hand towards the light on the horizon.

*****

Year: Est. 1033

Location: Unknown

Stone structures reduced to rubble, steel pillars warped with twisted metal, live severed power lines dancing through the streets, pillars of ash and statues of dried human husks scattered about as the new area opened up to the small task force of heroes. Blackened skies blistering with hollow winds as the coalition of smoldering flames and death littered the air. As Reina, Musashi, Arcueid, and Raizo waded onto the scene, they were taken back by the terrible visage.

"Well shit…" Arcueid commented first out of nowhere.

"What the hell is this place?" Musashi asked incredulously.

"It's...where it all began for me...this is the Capital City of the Empire," Raizo announced in awe as he witnessed the center of a once great and tyrannical nation now be rendered asunder.

"All I feel is death in the air. The entire world has fallen silent as if life was drained away," Reina remarked whilst being in tune with her role as the Goddess of Fate.

Shattering their awe and dismay, a dense pressure washed over them that directed their attention to be turned upwards to the dark, cloudy skies overhead where a singular entity floated. The silhouette of a lone man unbeknownst in identity to all of those present lauded over them like a fearsome beast that just acquired new prey.

Long, dark brown hair; pale skin; violet, soulless eyes with yellow rings in the center and white robes adorning his slender physique, the unknown being merely smirked at them wickedly as he descended towards their position. He looked over them with sadistic intent combined with indifference as if observing ants crawling along the Earth.

"Welcome to the end of the seventh and final cycle. For now...I, Perdition—Aspect of the Great Rakshasa—shall make thee behold thy heart's greatest desire: Call of Outer Darkness!" he spoke with an arrogant tone as he stretched forth his hand.

A miasma of ebony smoke enveloped the world around the small group of warriors in a flash. Reina and Musashi fell victim to its effects first. Their bodies locked adamantly in place as their eyes washed over by a glow of violet energy.

"Kurai-chan...what would you like me to make for dinner tonight?" the Grand Saber muttered in a haze of confusion.

"Ya know, I'm the best swordswoman around...Hey Rei-chan, you'll catch up eventually yeah? I mean, the Syndicate ain't gonna be around too much longer," Musashi seemingly boasted to the side in a hypnotic coma.

"I don't understand right now…." Arcueid raised a perplexed eyebrow.

"What happened to them? What is this shit?" Raizo inadvertently covered his nose and mouth.

"It's beautiful, isn't it? The Call of Outer Darkness is my power. It is an illusionary reality manifested from the deepest desire of the person caught under my influence. When controlled, they are affected to the point where their senses can be altered to whatever extent I desire…"

Arcueid felt her instincts kick in momentarily; however, emerging from nothingness, the entity easily swatted her aside with the back of his hand before she would have the chance to strike. As the woman is sent hurdling back, Raizo rushes to her aid by catching her mid-flight.

"I am he who guides man to the path forsaken by your creator...I am Perdition."

Perdition moved towards Raizo faster than the eye could blink and flicked him and the woman to the ground. Now defenseless, the miasma coiled towards them thus slipping their minds into their respective illusive realities.

Standing on the verdant hills of the heavenly realm of Elysium, Raizo's eyes awoke to a most peaceful and welcoming sight.

"Welcome home."

"It's finally over."

"Time to celebrate our path of peace."

"We really did it, we won."

The voices ringing out belonged to many people he knew and cherished in life. The members of the expanded Team AKARA, the Mercers, the Heroic Spirits he grew close with, the Symphogears, the Cardinal Four, and other great guardians clamored together for the greatest festival they could possibly have in honor of the deeds accomplished by the heroes of their time. As Raizo felt his heart ease and his conscious thought tell him that it was okay, his walls came down and he was giving in.

"Finally...my fight is over…"

Just as the reality sought to overtake him, the false faces broke.

"Art of Truth – Shori no Yakusoku, Owari no Kyoukai!" a familiar voice rang out.

The indistinguishable boundaries of the escalating falsehood devouring reality became undone like thread around a spinning wheel. Cleaving through the air piercing the smoky atmosphere and breaking apart the Earth, the maelstrom of cascading mana in Reina's sword severed everything along the line of the protruding blade. The World that was dyed in black fog was born anew. From the crackled soil, flowers bloomed and warmth returned to the air. Sunlight peered through the cloven sky illuminating Reina Arashi like a great beacon of light. The Grand Saber's assault brought about the World's end whilst simultaneously invoking its rebirth.

Perdition held a tiny fragment of shock yet contained it behind a smile of satisfaction.

"The daughter of Eva. Even without a fraction of your true potential you are powerful enough to thwart an Absolute Law?" he remarked. Off to the side, Musashi quickly checked on Raizo and Arcueid's state of being.

Chuckling with disdain, Reina responded, "Ah, so you think that what this Rakshasa gave you is equivalent to the Absolute Akashic Law that only the Aspects of Akasha can use? Sorry to say this but, you are no absolute entity. And I am nothing compared to my Goddess' chosen."

The ravenous entity's pressure increased in density as his satisfied smile turned into one of silent fury.

"You dare speak ill of our mother's gifts? Fine...we were supposed to capture your party, specifically the boy over there, but our mother will not mind if the Grand Saber perishes."

"We?" Reina tensed whilst tightening her grip around her sword.

From the parted clouds emerged two more entities.

The first draped head to toe in celestial armor patterned like that of an angel. With the silhouette indicative of a female warrior, she wore steel, engraved armor. She had a mysterious face engraved into the surface of her shoulder pauldrons which matched in color to her vambraces along her forearms. This design was also apparent with her leg armor as well from the upper thigh down to the greaves with scale-like chain mail in between. Her breastplate was forged in such a way that it almost seemed like the upper half of a swimsuit, except it was layered over a white, hooded tunic that draped over the armor and loomed down to a hanging sash in the front and back. With a golden halo appearing over her head, the silver-haired, blue-eyed warrior held a singular long sword in her hand.

The second figure was a lean male that appeared almost like a husk in decay. Pale, lifeless skin dominated much of the man's appeared as he wore no armor. Four black raven wings protruded from behind him as dark crimson flame-like horns popped out of his skull. Dark green eyes with black paint going down his face and pure white hair made up for the male's facial features as he showcased an aura of volcanic density. The two landed on Perdition's left and right sides respectively.

"Welcome to the battlefield my siblings, Nebro and Pariah," Perdition called out as he focused his attention down below.

"We are the Aspects of Rakshasa. Reina, you might be able to battle one of us using your very best technique, but three Aspects against a simple familiar of Akasha is a different narrative."

The well-trained, experienced Goddess made a quick analysis over the looming threat. Perdition's abilities with manipulating the senses was already known to her. She could surmise many scenarios in which he could easily use that ability to distort one's understanding of their surroundings. Now that she erased the efficacy of it, the man's potential should be limited. However, Nebro exuded a far greater aura that dwarfed the former's. As for Pariah, he seemed to be one that went with the motions like a puppet and oozed power that held no self-control.

From the side, Raizo observed the combatants as well. In particular, his eyes were firmly fixed on Pariah. Memories flooded him for a brief moment as he was reminded of a lone figure standing amid the void saying the words: "You are a worm through time…"

"That's...not the Janitor, but…"

As Raizo continued looking on with Arcueid at his side, Musashi stood up and strolled over towards her best friend's location with a confident grin. Reina and her longtime sister-in-arms glance at one another reaffirming the other's resolve. As they were just about to take their battle stances, Reina suppressed her growing bloodlust as her senses grew alarmed over another instance.

"I see. So it would appear that this matter must be settled at a later juncture," she remarked whilst sheathing her blade.

A sharp object piercing the veil of empty space cut open reality in a vertical tear thus creating a slipstream. Within it lies a visage of the dense forestry and stone temples belonging to Cocytus' Eastern Kingdom, the home of the Ryu-jin.

"This way please, Reina-sama," spoke a mysterious voice from beyond the rift. A silhouette appeared revealing a silver-haired, one-eyed swordsman clad in jet black, metal armor with a dark gray trench coat over his shoulders.

"You shall not escape!" Perdition exclaimed as he and the self-titled Aspects of Rakshasa quickly rushed towards the group below.

The unknown warrior whisked past Reina and Musashi without any hesitation. In one hand, he wielded a short sword while the other arm morphed into a sharp blade. Nebro's holy sword and Perdition's blade collided with the nameless one's armaments at the same time.

"Let's get going!" Musashi exclaimed as she, Reina, Raizo and Arcueid withdrew towards the portal.

As the rescuer was pushed back towards the entryway, the effort he put forth was not a wasted one. The group of heroes were about to make their escape when Pariah quickly rushed towards them while Nebro and Perdition observed. Just then…

"Balwsiyall nescell Mjolnir zizzl."

A familiar yet different melody echoes right as the creature was about to reach out towards the Stormbringer. Immediately after the invocation of the song, a torrent of thunderous lightning rushed past Raizo and knocked away the angelic monster back to his comrades. The portal closed soon after thus signaling the safety of the collective group.

They take a breath of relief in that moment knowing that it could have escalated to a much bloodier situation. It was then that Raizo turned his focus towards the one whom swooped in with the last minute clutch which caused his eyes to widen.

She was a long haired female warrior decorated in navy blue and silver armor with golden and white plating pointing outward from the shoulders, on the knees, and along her boots. In addition, she boasted powerful cylindrical gauntlets that mimicked the same color tone with a flowing, white scarf wrapped around her neck. Even with the different gear, Raizo knew the shape of the famous relic armor signature to the Symphogear users just by the iconic pointed fins along the hair bangs alone. Those fearsome amber-colored eyes and dark orange hair, even though those locks trailed down her back and her bangs down her face; that smile was too iconic.

"Hibiki, is that really you?" Raizo asked in awe.

"It's been a long time, hasn't it Raizo-sensei?" the God-Slaying Fist smiled warmly as she extended her hand towards the youth. The girl became a fine woman, 24 years of age, still exuding as much fight as she did in her younger years.

"Your future self said that you would be coming sooner or later. Still, seeing you in your youthful years makes me happy. It takes me back to those days when we battled against the Demon Gods."

"Heh, I'm happy to see you again as well," Raizo responded thus taking the woman's hand before standing to his feet again.

"Hmm, since I'm older than you, does that mean I am the Sensei now? Or at least the Senpai?"

"Oh come on, time travel doesn't count."

The two shared a heartfelt chuckle. However, a certain someone stepped forward not liking what she was seeing.

"Raizo, my dearest, who is this woman and why is she so cozy towards you?" Arcueid asked with an air of suspicion.

"Chill Arc, this is Hibiki Tachibana. We fought together against Goetia and the Demon Gods. She's one of my pupils too."

Off to the side, Reina and Musashi linked up with the metallic warrior that staged this daring rescue.

"Welcome home, Reina-sama and Musashi-dono. Pardon my rudeness. My name is Yozora Shirogane. I serve as a temporary acting member in the Cardinal Four in place of Lady Ashura Gozen as she waits to bear the king's seventh child."

"Shu-go is pregnant with her seventh child? Well this is the future so it would not surprise me too much."

"Damn, those dragon chicks really like getting it in. Wonder who's her mate then?" Musashi pondered.

"There's only one man I know that is worthy of being dubbed King of the Ryu-jin…" Reina responded.

Yozora was silent during this conversation after saying what he felt like was necessary for the visitors to know. Just then, another presence rushed over to the group out of nowhere.

"Mommy, mommy!" the little girl shouted out as she brushed past everyone and latched onto Hibiki's leg.

"Did you take care of the bad guys?" she asked. The little girl was almost a spitting image of her mother's likeness except she had blondish hair with black highlights.

"Of course I did. Now then, why don't you introduce yourself to my friends?"

"Okay," she said thus stepping forward and taking a slight bow.

"Hello there, my name is Honoka Tachibana. Nice to meet you," she introduced to which the visitors of the past responded in kind in no particular order.

"You really are your mother's identical twin, young one. I'm happy to meet you," Raizo smiled gently.

"Same here...but anyway. Daddy is waiting for you all to come to the palace so…"

"Ah yes, the situation was a rough one. Mou, your father really does play things overly cautious when he can't rush out to the frontlines as much as he used to," Hibiki sighed.

"Who is the father?" Raizo asked which was a thought shared by the whole group.

"It's His Majesty, Akaro. That's my papa!" the girl smiled enthusiastically.

"That…makes sense actually…" Raizo sighed.

"Of course that Red-Eyed Hero would...to think the nerve of that man," Arcueid sighed.

"Aniki has children in the future eh? Hmm...wonder if I...no, not sure I would be the best kind of person for that role."

Leading by the Tachibana's direction, the group proceeded towards the Ryu-jin palace.

*****

Location: Eastern Kingdom of the Ryu-jin, Cocytus

Within the lively, dense forestry of the Eastern territory sat a multitude of stacked, trapezoidal castles and temple-like constructs that mimicked the architecture of the central castle that Reina resided in. The buildings and small homes compiled of wood, concrete, and stone were reminiscent of the land of the rising sun known as Japan in the human world. Running around and coursing through the streets were nigh-innumerable swaths of Ryu-jin women with varying features signifying their Draconian bloodline. In the distance, the main palace—a towering feat of brilliant construction similar in design to the infamous Azuchi Castle—loomed. Its green and tan coloring makes it stand out from the other buildings in the distance along with the visage of a massive crimson dragon along its surface.

"Come on Uncle Raizo, our house is just ahead!" Honoka cheered whilst grabbing hold of the Stormbringer's hand and intently leading the way, the other visitors following behind with Yozora and Hibiki not too far off.

As they persisted through the crowds rather nonchalantly, they eventually came to the looming fortress in the distance. The gates were open and surprisingly welcoming to those from the outside. The Ryu-jin were a clan of tight-knit warriors who regarded each other as family. They were the truest representation of strength in bonds as an entire nation thus their faith and trust in one another, even to outsiders regarded as one of them, was unwavering. Therefore, the seemingly lack of heavy security on the palace grounds came at an unexpected surprise.

As they made their way inside the grounds and walked the red carpet eventually leading to the throne room, a few dozen of dark-red and tan skinned Ryu-jin warriors stood guard. They were clad in plate metal armor almost like Paladins from a fantasy game whilst boasting auras of imposing nature. Regardless of their ferocious demeanor, the women were quite gorgeous in their own right.

"Welcome Back, Mother and dearest little sister," the Captain within the group with long violet hair underneath her helmet spoke regarding Hibiki and Honoka. Hearing the words 'mother' and 'sister' being tossed in the mix had Raizo, Arcueid, and Musashi looking rather confused.

Hibiki chuckled wryly sensing their mixed feelings.

"The Ryu-jin is a predominantly female species that only births males once every few hundred born. Of course, finding a suitable male to mate with is an even greater task on its own. The King has a responsibility to father many generations, the strongest of whom work as the Court Guards. The women you see here are known as the Daughters of the Dragon God. Given my relationship with the King, they often refer to me as 'Mother' and dote on Honoka as their younger sister," Hibiki explained.

"Captain, when are we gonna play again? You said that we would play together after training!" Honoka puffed her cheeks up at the violet-haired woman while running up and hugging the girl's leg.

"Soon young one, I swear. Things have been rather complex as of late, but I will not go back on my word," the Captain crouched down to explain.

In the meantime, the fellow guards took a casual glance at the two men in the room and found themselves distracted by their more primal instincts thus approaching them without delay.

"Well, well, this is quite the heavenly aroma here."

"Indeed, such a fine specimen. You must be new around here."

"You know, for such a scrawny looking thing, you are quite the handsome one."

"You ever take a walk on the wild side with a real woman before?"

Four of the guards teased Raizo as they surrounded him on all sides gradually pulling away bits of their armor to reveal their skin.

"Er...not sure this is exactly the right time for all of this," Raizo spoke up with tension in the voice.

"Hey...um, mind giving me some space here? Too close."

"He's taken ladies," Arcueid swiftly cut in boasting a ruthless aura around her body as her eyes glowed menacingly, "You're welcome to challenge me for him though."

"This one is the quiet type, that must mean he is a beast behind closed doors."

"Strong, silent and mysterious, he's checking off all the right boxes for me."

"You prefer to let your sword do all the talking? And I'm not referring to the one you wage into battle with."

Three more of the women said in regard to Yozora. However, the man in the jacket did not react at all and simply maintained a blank expression and ignored the women completely.

"Goodness gracious girls, you're supposed to be keeping an eye on things for me. I leave you alone for five minutes and you're trying to pounce on our guests?" a new voice echoed in the halls outside of the Throne Room.

Coming out of the dark was the visage of a familiar tan-skinned woman with reddish-violet hair wearing somewhat revealing attire that exposed her cleavage and midsection, but she wore a white dress from the waist down. Even with her belly fully swollen and round, she still exuded the beauty of her youth thanks to her Ryu-jin genetics.

"Shugo, it has been too long. You look absolutely stunning. Motherhood becomes you," Reina complimented with welcoming arms outstretched.

"Lady Reina, my Queen, forgive me. I should be bowing to you right now, but…"

"Perish the thought, you do not need to do that for me. It just warms my heart to see you again."

"As it is for me as well. You look as powerful as ever. I am honored to have my unborn child in the presence of someone of your renown. And I see the girl you often told us about is with you as well."

"Yes, that is Musashi Miyamoto, my long-time friend from my early days on Earth. Musashi, come meet one of my closest confidants in Cocytus, The Dragon of the East – Ashura Gozen," Reina introduced.

"Yo, nice to meet'cha. Sorry to kinda barge all up in here without any prior warning. You doin' okay? No offense, but ya look like you could pop at any given second," Musashi casually noted.

"Heh, straightforward I see. I respect that. I am doing well enough, this one is definitely a fighter so I'm hoping the child cooperates when the time comes. Us Ryu-jin are obvious wild ones," Ashura chuckled.

"Ashura-neesan, is he in the building?" Hibiki casually interrupted to move things along.

"Yeah, he's around. Come on, I'll take you all inside," the pregnant woman motioned before turning her attention over her shoulder.

"Enough with the sideshow girls, they have things to do and you all have a job to get back to. Remember that I'm not gonna be pregnant forever, so I'll be back to kicking your asses soon enough!"

The Daughters of the Dragon God quickly snapped out of their more flirtatious ways to return to their duties. The Captain of the group gave Honoka a smile and a pat on her head before leading her forces back to their respective posts. With that, the group followed Ashura Gozen as she opened the door thus allowing entry into the throne room.

The massive echo chamber of space mimicked that of Reina's throne room as well with a somewhat minimalist approach. There was plenty of standing room contained inside the area, enough to where at least 200 people could crowd the insides. The throne itself sat atop a 10-step staircase made of gold engraved like scales of a Dragon with tiny glittering fragments of blood red rubies. In the background was a massive statue of the crimson dragon looming over the throne as if protecting the one chosen to sit upon its surface.

As the group traversed deeper into the calmly lit room, a small silhouette appeared from the side whilst peeking out towards the visitors. She was a small girl that was no more than five years old with jet black hair, blond highlights and vampiric, crimson eyes. The child wore a white hoodie and a purple skirt. Catching the sight of this girl, Honoka called out.

"Tsukiko!" she cheered.

"Honoka!" the other cried out as the two ran towards one another thus embracing each other before looking back at the adults of the group.

"Oh, Auntie Reina!" the one known as Tsukiko remarked as she gazed at the Blade of Akasha.

"Auntie?" the Grand Saber tilted her head in curiosity, but the girl's voice was rendered speechless as she looked at Raizo and Arcueid.

"Daddy? Mommy?"

The small child's voice echoed in that great hall for a brief moment thus settling in the minds of those present. Then after processing the information, the Stormbringer's face turned pale before he gasped.

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!!!!" he shouted out.

"YES! I WIN! VICTORY IS MINE!!!" Arcueid cried out in joy.

"So uh...I'm left to assume this is…" Musashi pointed.

"Yes, this is Raizo-sensei's daughter of this timeline," Hibiki nodded.

"My full name is Tsukiko Brunestud-Mercer!" she smiled innocently which caused Arcueid to squeal in further enjoyment.

As the Vampire Princess celebrated happily, Raizo was frozen stiff unsure how to react. Reina, on the other hand, was much less enthusiastic about the ordeal. It was not because she disliked children or anything as negative regarding that notion; being a mother herself, she understands the enjoyment over seeing one's child for the first time. No, what annoyed her most was whom the child was the offspring of. Thus, the realization of that created a sense of jealousy in her.

"Master…" Reina called out breaking into formalities out of irritation.

"E...Eh?" Raizo gulped nervously as he reflexively began backing away from the situation at hand by impulse.

"Do not run," the Queen of Cocytus uttered thus stomping the ground and creating a wall of super-cooled ice behind the youth. As his back struck against the surface, the woman swiftly rushed towards the youth's position and locked his left leg in place by trapping his foot under her heel while pressing her right hand above his head.

"You and I shall make a baby...effective immediately."

"EH?!!! What the hell? That...makes no sense! I mean...you know you're my ancestor and all."

"That matters not. We are bound by our own oath, literal soulmates. Therefore, I request that you provide me with a child in celebration of our union. I am not nearly as reserved as I was before. I shall take what I desire," she declared as she traced her fingers down his chest with her right hand then leaned in using her feminine charms to woo him.

"Heyo, sounds like y'all are about to have some fun. Heh, mind if I join?" Musashi playfully winked.

Just then, the looming statue over the throne seemingly began to emanate a crimson glow in the eyes. Out of nowhere, a waterfall of blue and red flames poured from its mouth as three bands of light engulfed the area. From there, two silhouettes appeared. The first was a tall, mature, muscular man with black hair that touched the nape of his neck adorned in a dark brown and black, royal kimono with a dark crimson cloak over top. Ashura getting excited immediately addressed the group with an introduction.

"Ladies and gentlemen, may I present: The Overlord of the Eastern Territory of Cocytus, Father of the Ryu-jin, Envoy of the Crimson Luster, and God-King of Dragons, first of his name—Akaro Tenbatsu-Hajime and his beloved Queen."

Alongside him appeared a female figure with long, jet black hair, glowing crimson eyes with a silver tiara that held a pair of ruby horns protruding from it. She wore a black and silver kimono and hakama outfit that mimicked that of a shrine maiden's with a black harness over her chest and dark red and gold vambraces from an armor set. Her well toned and mature figure gave off the impression of a woman that was all too familiar to Raizo. This was not the Aka-sensei that he knew, but the Red-Eyed Killer of his world that was much like an older sister to him. She was the wife of the king and the Queen of the Ryu-jin, Akame Tenbatsu.

"It's good to see all of you...just as your present selves warned; well...future selves for you all, I suppose," Akame stated elegantly.

"Well this brings back memories," Akaro remarked whilst welcoming his guests with open arms.

"Come on kids, why don't we go outside and play for a while and let the adults have their talk?" Hibiki suggested.

"Okay Mommy," Honoka nodded cheerfully.

"Aww...but I wanted to be with Daddy and Mommy…" Tsukiko whined.

"Now, now little squirt, things are a lot more complex right now. You'll be able to see them again soon enough. For now, just come with Auntie Shugo okay? Hey, your cousin is kicking, want to feel him move?" Ashura proposed as Tsukiko reluctantly nodded.

As the two women and the children proceeded out of the Throne Room, Yozora, Raizo, Musashi, Reina, and Arcueid were left with Akaro and Akame. The latter stomped the group thus kicking up a round table of smooth stone with seats prepared for each of the warriors present. Akame and Akaro sat together on one side with Yozora not too far from them while Musashi, Reina, Raizo and Arcueid sat together on the other. Of course, the Stormbringer sitting between the Grand Saber and Archetype Earth made for some comedic comments due to the rivalry between the two women.

"Welcome to the future...is what I'd like to say, but all of us in this timeline knew it was going to happen due to experiencing it ourselves," Akaro began.

"That must mean fate is unchanged...for now," Akame followed.

"For starters, the core founding members of Team AKARA are battling Azoth and a figurehead known as Rakshasa. This includes the true version of myself and Akame here. Our presences before you are mere fragments akin to servants. We're just placeholders," the Crimson Dragon King explained.

"Though your real selves are currently busy in that fight, some of the Aspects of Rakshasa made their debut on the scorched Earth. I suppose that is a clear indicator that things are not going well on the frontlines," Yozora surmised.

"Who the hell is this Rakshasa anyway? Her name is being thrown around a lot, but I'm still confused here," Raizo asked.

The silver-haired man then answered, "Rakshasa is the antithesis to Akasha. She governs over the group of Aspects we encountered. Even Azoth is nothing but a pawn of hers."

"If Akasha is revered as the birth of creation, then Rakshasa is the one that orders its destruction," Akame added.

"Which brings us to the reason why you are actually here," Akaro slid in with a more serious tone.

"Around seven years ago, we defeated Sakinah and began to prepare for the inevitable conflict with Azoth. Raizo faced the Trial of Heroes, and as for myself, I sought the wisdom of the Ryu-jin to improve my connection with the Crimson Dragon. Still, we were unknowingly blinded by our own fear."

Then Akame took the explanation further.

"Out in the dark reaches of the Void, horrors beyond our Omniverse saw that our guards were down and brought terror to the World in an attempt to rekindle life to an evil dubbed: Nyarlathotep, the Crawling Chaos—leader of the Outer Gods. Their initial target was the universe of the Symphogears, the girls didn't stand a chance. Only Hibiki, Miku, Tsubasa, and Shirabe managed to escape by the time the Counter Force intervened; by then, it was too late. Other worlds began to fall one after another and soon we were out of allies with our backs against the wall.

The mounting pressure culminated in none of us having the time required to become Aspects of Akasha...and by the time Nyarlathotep was reborn in a perfect host, no one could stand up to her."

"Her?" Musashi noted.

Akaro sighed heavily in dismay, "Sakinah was right. Vesta ended up being a danger beyond our comprehension. The Outer Gods used the great terror they caused to generate enough despair throughout creation that Team AKARA was forced to fight back. From there, they captured the Godspeed and transformed her into the Chaos Queen."

"The Chaos Queen then elected to work together with Rakshasa to bring about the inevitable end of the cycle. For all intents and purposes, we have lost," Yozora concluded.

Silence wafted over the room as the information dump settled within the minds of the visitors. Reina held a grimace of frustration whilst Arcueid only looked down at her hands lost in her own thoughts. Musashi shook her head in frustration as well. Raizo merely sat idly as the words festered in his conscious. Physically, he reacted by clenching his fists as he saw the visage of Vesta's smile pop up in his mind.

"The most reasonable course of action would be to kill the host before she is ever taken over," Reina analyzed with sadness in her tone.

"No! I'll find another way!" Raizo spoke up thus standing up from his position in reflex. The boy's heart aching over the girl's fate mixed with his strong feelings for her took over his mind.

"Relax," Akame commented, "We won't ask you to assassinate someone you love. The reasonable approach is never the way of Team AKARA."

Giving the youth a smile to ease his frustration, the girl pulled out a small leather notebook from beneath the table. Akaro grabbed it as he stood up with it in hand.

"This here contains the entire battle plan of the Outer Gods and their primary targets. Give this to my counterpart of your time and we'll strike down the threat before it ever arises."

"But the me of this time lived through these events, didn't he? Wouldn't that mean something happens that prevents us from putting that plan into action?" the Crusader of the Storm keenly observed.

The Dragon King nods with a confident smile, "That's the part we're about to change…"

Before any words could follow suit, a massive tremor caused the entire kingdom to shudder under the weight of immense pressure.

"Looks like it's time for the battle that will decide our futures…"