Judge the Dystopia III (The World of Fate)

Sailing away from the steel jungle of Fuyuki City was a fleet of ships coursing through the skies.  The lead vessel was a 120-foot treasure galleon.  Its entire body was coated in a vibrant apple red while a black and gold finish along the mid-region coursed around the entirety of the ship.  In these areas were visible, circular holes that were lined up in a unique fashion.  The reason being was that each visible circle represented the barrel of the ship's cannons which was the main line of defense against any threats—22 guns in all.  Two large masts protruded high above the ship by about 20-feet or more holding large sets of white sails.  The bow of the sea transport held a horn-like noise that pointed out into the distance while the stern had a box-like arrangement with a golden, female deer on the back.  This is the transport that four individuals found themselves on after electing to part ways with the battle that happened earlier.

         Scanning the deck of the ship, the Stormbringer was in awe of the structure of the vessel and its design given that he had not ridden on one before but he felt something was off.  The youth scanned over the area carefully as he began to take note of the details of the ship as well as some of the functions of the parts of it.  However, he still felt bewildered.

         "Oi Aniki, correct me if I'm wrong but isn't there supposed to be like a crew or something managing the works of the ship?" Raizo asked while narrowing his eyes.

         "Well if this was an ordinary vessel being steered by conventional means then yes you would be correct; however, it's not…in fact, the whole fleet is being controlled by one person," Akaro responded with a smile before turning to the tanned girl beside him.

         "Hey Tera-chan, do me a solid and grab the others for me will ya?" he requested.  The girl with the quiet demeanor only yielded a nod of acknowledgment before walking across the deck and into a cabin that led to another part of the ship.

         Around this time, another person came walking across the deck of the ship towards the remaining trio.  Hearing her approach, Akaro smirked while Kimiko on the other hand just looked around with the youth beside her.

         "Oya Nii-san welcome back.  I hope you had fun on the ground," a haughty female voice called out before tilting her head to see the two newcomers aboard the vessel, "Oh? Looks like you brought company as well."

         "Yeah, I guess you could say that. I wound up having a little family reunion on the battlefield surprisingly.  This is my sister and little brother, Kimiko Hanate and Raizo Mercer," the Red-Eyed Hero introduced.

         "Pleasure to meet you," Kimiko replied in a nonchalant tone glancing at the approaching figure before raising an eyebrow over her appearance.

         "Yeah same…h…here?" Raizo was trying to say before he caught the vision of the woman in full view.

         Long, wavy, crimson pink hair with blue eyes was her prominent features along with vanilla-colored skin.  Even with a scar cutting across of her face did not detract from her charm or beauty.  She wore a brown choker that was somewhat attached to her dark red captain vest, white pants, and long dark brown boots.  Golden buttons lined her long coat-like vest from top to bottom and it was bound to her body with brown leather straps at her waist.  However, the defining feature that would cause alarm for the unprepared would be her chest area.  Her coat was undone around her chest which greatly exposed her cleavage to the point where it seemed like her breasts would spill out from one bad misstep.  The ironic nature of that was that she didn't seem to care at all about that which was communicated clearly with her smile.  Even with her feminine appeal, she was still known as the Voyager of the Storm and El Draque (meaning "The Devil").

         "Nice to meet'cha, the name's Francis Drake.  Welcome aboard my ship, The Golden Hind.  Lookin' forward to workin' with ya both," she grinned.

         "Hmm, Akaro, her demeanor reminds me a lot of Adena.  Now I'm curious as to what our favorite redhead would look like in pirate cosplay," Kimiko observed.

         "Huh, you know you're right about that…wait, um let's not go there. That actually would make things awkward for me," the taller male replied.

         "Awkward in what way?  Don't tell me…"

         "I have no comments."

         "Oya? Is your sister talking about that night when we were having a drinking contest then got a little caught up in the moment for a night? Come on Nii-san, it was fun right?" the boastful captain responded with a teasing grin.

         "Drake-chan please, you'll wind up drunk on something else," Akaro waved his hands.

         "Everyone's an addict," Kimiko smirked.

         "Ah well, it's just have the magic touch I guess.  Besides, I needed to distract myself a bit after kicking so many asses on a regular basis.  Though there was one fight that was supposed to be a tough challenge but man it was anticlimactic as hell.

         "Embarrassing edgelords and overcompensating egotistical maniacs tends to be our specialty."

         "Of course, that's just a disclaimer at this rate."

         "Raizo, how are you holding up?" Kimi turned to the youth standing next to her.

         "C-can someone tell this woman to cover up…" the youth with white and black hair mumbled to himself while folding his arms and keeping his eyes safely averted.

         "Oi Raichu, what's wrong with ya lil' bro? Don't tell me you just had some thoughts about Adena just now," Akaro poked fun but the boy didn't budge at all.

         "Hmm…this is your little brother Nii-san? I didn't get a close look at him just yet," the pirate said with an interested tone as she walked up to the youth in question.

         Stepping up to him, she placed her hands on her hips and leaned in towards him invading his space.  She reached out and gently grabbed his chin and turned his head towards her so that she could look into his eyes carefully.  The woman took note of his physical traits like his eye color, skin tone, and unique hair style as well as his body physique before standing upright, her bosom giving a subtle bounce as a result.  As for the Stormbringer, he felt like he had to hold his breath from being so nervous while his face burned up because a part of his mind did see a little of Adena in her visage.  The other was for the obvious reason of wanting to look away.

         "Oya, oya, this one definitely does look a lot like ya, Nii-san.  He's cute too.  I don't mind the younger variety either kiddo~" she winked playfully.

         "Well Drake-chan, he's a little on the shy side plus he's never honest with himself and what he wants. You might have to coax him a little bit," Akaro chuckled slyly.

         "Well then, a nice shot of booze oughta do the trick haha!" the long-haired captain responded.

         "Lookout Raichu, the captain over here knows how to rock the boat if you know what I mean."

         "Aniki?!! Don't be stupid, what the hell?!  T…That's not even remotely funny you know!" Raizo panicked with a flustered tone.

         "He's even cuter when he's embarrassed.  Nii-san, can I keep him?" Drake chuckled even more.

         "Hey, you're the pirate here.  Aren't you the one who takes what she can?" Akaro replied but then he felt a sharp pain hit his side.

         "Ow! Kimi, what's wrong?" he cried out.

         "Akaro, really? Stop trying to corrupt the boy. And stop trying to mess with my ships dammit," the girl criticized with a deadpan expression.

         "Yeah, jeez Aniki…I mean yeah she does remind me of Adena but come on…" Raizo shook his head walking over to Kimi's side with a sigh escaping him.

         "There, there," she said reaching up and patting him on his head.

         "Nee-sama…r…right now?"

         "Shush, you know you're enjoying this."

         "Well then, look at you two being all close. This is something I wasn't expecting to escalate so soon," Akaro observed with a raised eyebrow.

         "You have an interesting family, Nii-san," Drake nodded with approval, "But still, if I get that the younger sibling drunk one time…I just might be able to sail him around the world real good."

         "Haha, well as much as my lil' bro needs the experience, I don't think you wanna mess with him when she's around," Akaro remarked.

         "-Jiiiiiiiiiiiiii…." Kimi and Raizo stared with matching deadpan expressions.

         "Oh come on! It's just a joke!"

         "Well it seems that it has gotten quite lively up here," a new voice called out emerging on the deck of the ship.

         Turning to see who they were, three new silhouettes came into view as they were walking with Altera.  Recognizing the face of one of them right out of the gate, the Stormbringer's crimson eyes widened with astonishment.

         "R…Ruler-chan?!" Raizo stammered over his words with disbelief.

         The one who called out to the group appeared like a hardened warrior fully clad in silver-platinum armor with gold trim patterned on some of the sharp-cutting plates. White cloth draped down in the front of the armor like a sash where the pelvic was and off her back like a cape complete with the logo of a golden flower that represented France.  Wearing a silver crown-like headdress with a ruby ingratiated at the top covered the outlines of her face.  Even with this fierce look, her purple eyes and long, wavy blonde hair still gave her the sense of beauty that contributed to a sense of purity and zeal.  Known by titles such as the Maiden of Orleans and La Pucelle, she was the celebrated Holy Maiden of the battlefield ordained by God whose acquaintance was known to the members of Team AKARA on many occasions.  Her name was Jeanne d'Arc.

         "It's been a long time hasn't it? It's good to see you again, Raizo-kun and Kimiko-san," she smiled softly.

         "Indeed, you're looking well enough.  That armor actually suits you quite well," the One-Cut Killer nodded approvingly.

         "Thank you, times have changed and I've needed to step onto the field to fight one-on-one with a few people in this war.  I figured it would be more prudent to actually wear armor that would support me in this endeavor," the Saint replied.

         "Oh, so that's what we're going with? You sure you don't want to talk about what happened to the original armor?" Akaro chuckled.

         "Ahem…that was due to a difficult battle as you know," Jeanne coughed casting a disapproving glare out of the corner of her eyes with a slight blush over her face.

         "Yes and I had to treat you too," the Red Knight winked.

         "This one too? Akaro, you're really set on digging yourself a deeper hole," Kimiko sighed heavily.

         "Whoa hey, don't take it the wrong way Kimi!"

         "Too late."

         "Honesty is unbecoming of a knight, Akaro-san," another voice added as she stood next to Jeanne.

         "Artoria, come on…not you too!" Akaro groaned scratching the back of his head.

         The female in question was a blonde as well whose face seemed identical to Jeanne's.  Her hair was tied up into a bun yet her bangs fell freely to drag across her face.  She also had one lone strand of hair that seemed to curl awkwardly in the opposite direction too.  Her eyes were bluish-green and her skin was a creamy, porcelain white.  Despite being a delicate beauty, she was an accomplished swordswoman with a very famous legacy.  She wore a blue combat dress with white fringe along the bottom that was layered with armor on her sides, over her chest area and paired with gauntlets and greaves.  She carried a legendary sword on her person at all times but it was concealed by magic.  In human history, she was known as the fabled King of Knights and the King of Camelot who founded the Knights of the Round Table.

         "Apologies, I have yet to introduce myself.  My name is Artoria Pendragon.  It is an honor to meet you again," she bowed.

         "Good to see you in your normal sense of mind, Artoria," Kimiko responded but Raizo tilted his head.

         "Um, I don't think we've met before…" Raizo paused.

         "Yes you did.  Remember during the Second Primordial War? The knight in black armor that we teamed up on and you beheaded, that was her," Akaro explained.

         The Crimson Harbinger allotted for that statement to sink into his brain.  He placed a finger on his chin looking down at his feet to reminisce over that battle.  The flashes of that massive conflict consumed him for a moment until he saw the memory of the fight that his older brother was referring to.  Recalling the detailed visage of that opponent, he raised his sights and observed Artoria for a moment. After a few brief seconds of processing, he was surprised once more.

         "Wait a second, if I beheaded you…then how are you here right now? And…why do you look completely different? Oi Aniki, are they hacking some sort of system or something?"

         "Haha no lil' bro, that's not hax at all.  Artoria-chan was just altered by The Architect's powers so when she fell in battle, she was simply set free," Akaro replied.

         "Okay but that still doesn't explain how she's here right in front of us…and I'm still confused over Ruler-chan's presence too. I mean…the last time I saw you, you were…"

         "Gotta love the Throne of Heroes and the concept of Heroic Spirits because in that world, people technically don't die when they're killed," a new voice called out stepping out from behind the group.

"Oh boy…" the Red Knight said while shaking his head.

"Oh she's here too? Surprises intensify," Kimiko said casually.

"X-san, that topic isn't one to joke around with to the untrained mind," Jeanne sighed while shaking her head.

The girl emerged with a black baseball cap over her blonde hair that was bound in a ponytail with the train of her locks coming out the back and a lone strand of hair curling from up under the front.  She wore a blue tracksuit in which the jacket was open in the front exposing her casual white T-shirt and black spats plus knee-high black boots.  With a blue and gold scarf wrapped around her neck, she was simply known as by a complex alias among the Heroic Spirits but…

"You'll have to forgive my twin here.  She's a little sassy," the King of Knights apologized.

"Yeah but that sass is what makes things so interesting," the Voyager of the Storm added with a chipper tone.

"Sometimes her humor makes me confused," Altera calmly expressed.

"That's Mysterious Heroine X for you," Jeanne nodded.

Raizo was speechless.  He recognized her but could not come to terms with the idea that she was here.  He's only seen her on two different occasions but even with so little occurrences, it was hard to forget that presence.  That casual and sassy demeanor with the fun-loving and care-free attitude, such personality feats should belong to someone who is around his age but the closest one could get to that is Adena.  Only one other person could match this short blonde's vivacious atmosphere and that person was…

"MOM?! What the hell are you doing here?" the Stormbringer declared in surprise.  Akaro and Kimiko just kept their reactions silent but had already known.  As for the others on the ship aside from the party in question, they were in a state of shock of their own.

"WHAT? SHE'S YOUR MOTHER?!" the other four girls spoke in unified astonishment.

"Heh, well I guess this ruse can be effectively put to rest.  Lucy Grayson-Mercer, at cha service! Thanks Akaro for keeping it a secret for so long!" the wife of Alexander Mercer—Raizo's father—said with a wide grin.

"Yo kiddo, good to see ya again," she said walking up to the black and white haired boy before opening up her arms and giving the youth a firm hug.

"I missed ya, what's goin' on kiddo? Enjoying your stay in the Nasuverse so far?"

"It's good to see you too, Mom; but, I still don't understand all of this. Just what the hell does all of this mean? I seriously need an explanation."

"Heh well, I guess ya could use a nice little story of the situation but it's a bit of a long story," Lucy nodded as she separated from the youth.

"I can help as well but why don't we head back to our base first?" Jeanne proposed.

"Leave that to me, one trip to Chaldea coming right up!" Drake confirmed as she marched over to the helm of the ship.

"I'll assist by keeping up with navigation then," Altera added as she followed after the pirate.

"I'll take the lookout position from the eagle's nest," Artoria said before running up the mast of the ship to the upper area where she could get a view of the horizon.

"Come along Raizo-kun, there's much to discuss," Jeanne invited.

"Oi, I'll come along too in case my kiddo has questions or there are terms he doesn't understand," Lucy said while crossing her arms over her chest.

"Akaro, you and I should have a discussion. Since I already know the situation, there's another matter I need to inform you of," Kimiko spoke as the Red Knight merely nodded seeing the serious nature in her eyes.  As they walked to the bow of the ship to talk, the two blonde women led the Stormbringer into the Captain's Quarters to explain the issue going on in this world.

         Jeanne, Lucy and Raizo sat in a room that was arranged like an office just underneath the helm of the ship.  A singular desk was set up where Captain Drake would sit looking at her navigational charts and recording her texts within her log.  Aside from that station, a small table was prepared that had numerous maps of the current world filled with markings and plot points that detailed enemy troops and strategic movements to make as one would during a war.  Currently, the three of them were seated in the three chairs around this table about to discuss a myriad of topics pertaining to the functions of this universe so that the Stormbringer could understand.

         "I suppose the first place I should begin is how Artoria and I are alive after what happened to the both of us during the Second Primordial War. You remember the Throne of Heroes right?" Jeanne inquired to provoke the youth's recollection of his time there while Lucy just kept quiet for now.

         "Yeah, that's where I first met you and it's where I trained at for a brief period of time when the Pandora Crisis was unfolding in my world," he responded.

         "Right, well that place—as its name suggests—is a collective storage of all the Heroic Spirits that have ever existed in history.  These entities are heroes who left behind great feats in legends after death and became subjects of belief.  For example, Artoria's legend is that of King Arthur.  She is the one who drew the sword from the stone and was chosen to become the King of Camelot.  After death, her life became a subject of belief and was stored inside the Throne of Heroes; the same went with Francis Drake, Altera, and I among countless others.  Heroic Spirits can be summoned from the Throne of Heroes in two different settings.  The first condition is the use of the Holy Grail or its presence during a Holy Grail War.

         During this time, Heroic Spirits can be summoned as beings known as 'Servants'; however, the bodies of Servants are just emanations or copies created using the information of the main body or the legend recorded in the Throne.  As Servants, we are limited to classes which usually determine our combat roles in a Holy Grail War.  There are 7 main classes:  Saber, Lancer, Archer, Rider, Caster, Assassin, Berserk, Ruler and Avenger.  There are 2 extra classes as well that are not conventional to the grail wars and that's Ruler and Avenger.  Other categories are being discovered too but those are something to be discussed another time.  Are you with me so far, Raizo-kun?"

         "So…if you and Artoria are these Heroic Spirits then that means that when you are present in the world, you're not actually present in your original body…just copies of your true selves that are locked within the Throne of Heroes.  So that means when you die, your copied vessel is what is slain but your true body or essence is untouched.  But if that's the case, then how do you remember your experiences each and every time you are summoned?"

         "Well each time a Servant is summoned into the world, takes part in a Holy Grail War when contracted with a master and is inevitably sent back to the Throne of Heroes either by death or by the conclusion of the war, the memories of the experience is shared with the main body.  Our main consciousness processes these memories as if we were reading pages out of a book hence why I can remember not only my past life as the Maiden of Orleans who fought for France during the Hundred Years' War, but also as someone who has fought alongside Team AKARA among other experiences. But this system is why Artoria and I are here with you today."

         "I see, so when you were summoned…you were summoned as a Ruler class Servant right?"

         "Not in this conflict, but I'll get to that in a second.  The other case as to when a Heroic Spirit can be summoned from the Throne of Heroes which is actually the original purpose.  During times of great conflict in which humanity as a whole is in grave danger, the Counter Force can summon seven of the greatest Heroic Spirits to prevent the extinction of mankind by the Beasts.  The original seven were referred to as Grand Servants because of the fact that their vessels are just entirely different entities that are the truest forms of their legends as Heroic Spirits summoned by the World itself.  That is the case of this entire conflict."

         "So are you summoned as Grand Ruler then?"

         "No Raizo-kun, remember what I said before? The class known as Ruler is considered an extra class, not one of the original seven."

         "Oh yeah, sorry about that…"

         "It's all good kiddo, this subject can be quite complex so no worries.  Besides, your mum here was summoned by the Counter Force as Grand Saber this time around as opposed to my normal roles of being Assassin or Berserker.  Guess they really needed me in that role since they couldn't get the original," Lucy added.

         "Wait…so if you were summoned, does that mean you're not actually here right now but still back home in Elysium?" the boy asked with a confused tone.

         "Whether I'm a clone or not, you really think I'd die in battle kiddo? That hurts my feelings boy."

         "Er…no…that's not what I meant. I'm sorry, Mom!"

         "Kaka, don't get so uptight, I'm just messin' with my cute little tsundere son~"

         "Mom…r…really?!"

         "See? Kawaii as hell, I swear."

         "Anyways, so…who's the original Grand Saber?"

         "Kek, I'll let you figure that out in due time, kiddo."

         "Well getting back to the main topic at hand, if Mom is Grand Saber and you aren't a Grand Servant, then…what are you?"

         "It's a little complicated because the Grail is different.  For some reason, those of us who are not Grand Servants or have been brought to life as full-fledged Heroic Spirits have the ability to either stack or change classes as well.  Like for me, I have all of my abilities entitled to being of the Ruler class but I also have abilities as a Saber class," Jeanne answered with a foreboding tone.

         "Yeah, this Arcana Grail thing really is a weird little toy," Lucy sighed.

         "Wait…did you just say Arcana Grail, Mom?" Raizo swiftly questioned in disbelief.

         "Yeah kiddo, why?"

         "The main reason why I'm even here is because of the fact that I've been on the hunt for six fragments of a relic known as the Arcana Crystal.  I've traveled to different universes after a little mishap on my own world which led me to these items under the notion that I'd find a way back home after collecting them.  I had a little difficulty collecting some of them thanks to the interference of the Demon Gods but I still managed to collect 5 of them.  Then I was ambushed and the pieces of the jewel were taken from me which ultimately led to me coming here," Raizo briefly explained.

         "The Demon Gods…it seems like this war goes further beyond what any of us were expecting.  This reminds me of the Grand Order conflict all over again.  Solomon, just how far does your influence reach?" Jeanne sighed in frustration.

         "Rul…I mean…"

         "You can just address me as Jeanne, Raizo-kun."

         "Right then, are you okay, Jeanne?  Who is this Solomon guy you speak of?"

         "Before I answer that, I'm going to have to explain how all of this chaos began starting from what happened hundreds of years ago…"

         It all began with mankind's increased industrialization and rapid advancement with technology.  Humanity had gotten to the point where they were so addicted by machinery and what they could develop with their own hands that they had forgotten how much the Earth was being bled dry around them.  After long, grueling years of their nonstop innovation, humanity had killed Gaia, the spirit of the Earth.  This caused a destabilization of the planet being sustainable for life.  Through scientific advancements, humanity forced their way through the evolutionary process and became superhumans known as Liners.  Creatures modified by genetic engineering by combining human beings with other extinct lifeforms were known as A-Rays.

         War eventually broke out between the sentient species, as if the world wasn't ruined enough but the conflict nearly led to the extinction of both sides.  However the war was interrupted with the arrival of 8 entities known as the "Ultimate Ones", ultimate beings that represented each planet in the Solar System.  These entities were drawn to Earth by Gaia as its final death cry was a wish to destroy all of humanity whom managed to outlive it.  If all of life had died with the planet, then all would have been well but Gaia feared what life would become after its death.  The other spirits of the planets heard it and sent their highest ranking species to fulfill that wish.

         They suddenly appeared in the Land of Steel during the Great War viewing both the Liners and A-Rays as their enemies.  Both groups were significantly damaged from the war so they decided to set aside their differences and work together to defeat a common threat.  It was at that point that the battle became a hopeless struggle to survive the endless conflict against the Ultimate Ones.  Throughout this war, it became clear that the Ultimate Ones were different from the creatures of Earth both biologically and in overall appearance.  They did not have the same sense of self as humans nor did they possess the concepts of damage or death.   They required something above the existence of the common sense of the planet in order to be harmed or destroyed, albeit that death would not be permanent.

         Since humanity did not know of their true names and to rid themselves of the redundancy, the "Ultimate Ones" became known as the "Aristoteles".  Taking notes, humanity concluded that each lifeform was the strongest of their respective planets and that each being had enough power to singlehandedly exterminate all existing lifeforms on Earth. As the chaos grew, one last bit of hope appeared and that was a lone jewel fragment.

         Limitless mana combined with human ingenuity, the old fashioned summoning systems of an organization known as Chaldea combined with the power of this fragment.  As a result, hundreds of thousands were summoned from the Throne of Heroes in empowered servant forms that closely resembled the original legends that they were given the ability to class change.  Some of these beings were just summoned as their true selves and could not even be classified as servants.

         With this mighty army, the remnants of mankind pushed back the Aristoteles successfully.  Nevertheless, it all fell apart when the Holy Grail fused with a powerful jewel fragment thanks to the influence of Grand Caster—Solomon.  This ruined world was driven into yet another war for the omnipotent wish-granting device that eventually wiped out all life.  Both Liners and A-Rays vanished overnight, Earth became a burning wasteland and now all of the great legends are divided into factions over who shall win the Grail.

         "This conflict came to fruition because of Solomon's betrayal and lust for power.  He even used some of these demonic pillars to thin the herd and ensure that he seized the cup for himself.  However, he has not used it to its fullest extent yet.  If he only had one fragment on his person, then he must have dispatched his Demon Gods to other universes to fetch the other pieces in order to enhance the power of the current Arcana Grail.  That would explain why this fight has been dragged out for so long," Jeanne fully explained.

         "How long has this war over the Grail gone on for?" Raizo asked.

         "250 years…"

         Raizo went silent in that moment to process everything that he was just told.  It was truly something he was not expecting to take in.  The story of Heroic Spirits, the Fall of Mankind, the Aristoteles, Solomon and the Arcana Grail, all of it was just insane to think about.  The entire history of this planet was like the God's Tear, Pandora Crisis, and the Second Primordial War all rolled into one simultaneous set of events. But hearing the duration of this conflict was something he could not fathom, two and a half centuries was indeed a long time. Yet, there was something nagging him.

         "This person you call Solomon, are you sure he is who he says he is and not someone else?" the Stormbringer asked with a raised eyebrow.

         "Well…yes, he is the only one ever summoned as Grand Caster.  Although, his legend suggests that he is someone entirely different than the malevolent evil that he is now.  In fact, it makes no sense as to why he would want to destroy all of life without any regard given how his legend paints him as a Wise King," Jeanne responded.

         "That's because he's not the real Solomon.  That person's true name is Ars Goetia, the Demon King and ruler of the Demon Gods."

         "Wait I thought that Solomon sealed 72 demon spirits inside a book that was known as the Ars Goetia?"

         "Nah Madam Saint, you see…Ars Goetia is the identity of a longtime enemy of Elysium.  He's literally the one who is supposed to be the King of Inferno but it seems the slick bastard decided he wanted to try and play up a little action to start a different kind o' war.  It all makes sense now," Lucy concluded.

         "You know something, Mom?"

         "Yeah, that Arcana Crystal…I take it you heard of it from that old bastard skulking around in ya head right, kiddo? Well I had my suspicions at first but didn't think anythin' of it. However, hearin' your little story and such now puts things into perspective.  Goetia is trying to start a war between Heaven and Hell and he plans on using the Holy Grail and the full power of the Arcana Crystal to do it."

         "All the more reason to take him out then, but it's too bad all the other Heroic Spirits don't come together to fight a common threat once more.  Are they seriously that indoctrinated into following this Solomon persona?" Raizo asked curiosity.

         "No, it is because of the conflicting ambitions over who should have the Grail," Jeanne sighed heavily.

         "Yeah, I remember what Gilgamesh and Scathach were saying about their goals should they obtain the Grail for their respective factions," the Stormbringer recalled.

         "Kek, both of the most egotistical heroes ever recorded in the Throne of Heroes yet they can't stand each other.  Irony at its best, but then again…I suppose the bodysuit thot is better than the Golden fuckboy.  Gah, they irritate me," Lucy sighed heavily while shaking her head.

         "Er…Mom, what's a 'thot'?"

         "Oh, well ya see son, a 'thot' is an acronym term that stands for 'That Hoe Over There'.  Scathach is a slutty bitch who will sleep with anyone that she finds fascinating when it comes to strength.  Hell, if she met you and Akaro, I bet she'd try to have a threesome with ya both.  She kinda reminds me of your biological waste of a mother with that pride of hers.  Hmm, isn't it ironic that they both wield the same colored spears?"

         "Lucy-san, watch your language please," Jeanne shook her head in a disapproving fashion.

         "Hey, I'm just sayin'."

         "Hmm…so I'm not the only one who saw a little bit of my 'mother' in her. So…they are both thots then?" Raizo pondered.

         "Bingo, that's mah kiddo."

         "Oh boy…Raizo-kun, please don't let yourself be corrupted."

         Meanwhile at the bow of the ship, Akaro and Kimiko were busy with a discussion of their own covering recent events.

         "So Kimi, what's up?  I know you could have made a random appearance during this issue at some point in time but I wasn't expecting lil' Raichu to pop up with you.  Care to fill me in on those details?" the Red-Eyed Hero stated plainly.

         "Raizo fell for a trap laid out by Orion which led him to being thrust into the multiverse without any knowledge of how to get back.  Then Indra told him about the Arcana Crystal which was shattered into six pieces a long time ago.  If he gathered all six pieces then our little brother would gain more than enough power to get back home but he would have to visit six different universes to get the fragments first.  That's when the Demon Gods came in and obstructed his path.  After fighting them on more than one occasion, Raizo had six fragments in his possession but the Demon King known as Goetia appeared, blindsided the kid, took the fragments and openly invited him to come here to get them all back.  That's about the gist of it," Kimiko summarized.

         "Heh, sounds like Raichu had to do what we did back in the day with the journey to different universes and all.  If you were with him, how come you just didn't take him home?"

         "I only joined him recently…I was a little caught up with other matters."

         "Oh?"

         "Yeah, I had to give a hand to Addy and Vesta over a little issue but that's a story for another time."

         "Heh, sounds like a little girls' trip."

         "Somewhat but again, there's another time for that story."

         "Fair enough, so what drew you out to find the little tsun?"

         "He…called out to me but it wasn't like a crying for help.  It was almost as if I was just drawn to him for some reason," the One-Cut Killer said pressing a hand to her chest casting her gaze downward while recalling that warm feeling she felt.

         "Seems like you and the kiddo are closer than you both realize, but have you talked to him about it?" the Red-Eyed Hero pushed out with a raised eyebrow.

         "Not yet, but I know how his heart feels right now.  He's just holding back."

         "Well with all this business involving the Arcana Grail and such about to come to a head, I imagine that we're going to be in for one hell of a fight sooner or later.  While we're down in Chaldea, you should spend some time with good ol' Raichu.  Help him clear his head and let him speak from the heart.  However, I'm sure you've realized this, but is it me or is Raizo seemingly becoming a frequent target with all of these conflicts?"

         "We're all targets, Akaro.  That's what it means to be a part of Team AKARA, yet I agree.  The Architect targeted him; the Devil Queen set her sights on him, now we have this situation with the Demon Gods and Goetia.  I fear that with our little brother being so unaware of what he is, he will only be put into harm's way even more in the future.  It's up to us to guide him along the way."

         "Yeah, you got that right Kimi.  However, his father is going to have to sit down with him to explain his family history.  Being a Mercer comes with an extended legacy, but you already know that."

         "Indeed, I know everything after all."

*****

         Time passed as the Golden Hind reached the southernmost part of the Earth reaching the harsh, brutal cold that was Antarctica.  Within the snowy mountains of the alpine tundra, the pirate fleet reached the location of an old base where humanity gathered to create the summoning system used to fight against the Aristoteles.  This location was simply known as Chaldea.  Built like a massive arena embedded firmly within the crater of one of the mountains, the old steel structure still maintained most of its functions even after humanity's extinction thanks to Jeanne's faction using it as a base. 

         The cruel winds of the wintry environment blew ferociously around them.  Any ordinary individual would have surely frozen to the bone without the proper clothing or equipment to keep warm. For the eight individuals in question, the cold hardly mattered to them even with their respective attires.  This went especially true for Altera—who wore the thinnest clothing out of the entire party—but with everyone's enhanced bodies, this weather meant nothing to them.

         As the individuals jumped down to walk inside the facility, the ships vanished behind them due to Drake's deactivation of her Noble Phantasm.  When they approached the doors to the giant fortress, Jeanne approached the threshold to enter a passcode before the entryway opened up to let them inside.  The group marched through the dark corridors as their footsteps pounded against the cold, metal flooring until they came to the large central chamber.  The lights illuminated the room revealing a wide open auditorium in which many seats were arranged at various computer terminals with humongous sphere in the center of the room like a power source overlooked by a balcony above.

         "So this is Chaldea, where humanity made its final stand?" Raizo questioned with a hint of awe.

         "Yes, that's correct.  This is where the ability to summon Heroic Spirits was developed to fight in the Great War.  It's probably the last working location of human technology in the world," Jeanne nodded.

         "Now we use this place to plan our next moves and determine how the enemy will act before we respond in kind," Artoria added before stepping over to one of the terminals and pressing a button to display a giant projection of the world.

         "Yeah for now, everything is quiet.  It won't be for long so better get some rest while ya can and something to eat while you're at it," Akaro spoke up to brighten the mood.

         "Is that a hint for me to get into the kitchen to fill your garbage belly?  Jeez boy, what would Akame say if she heard that just now?" Lucy teased.

         "Hey I was just proposing ideas, Lucy…now you're trying to get me in trouble too?"

         "Boy, when are ya not in trouble?"

         "Heh, well I for one think yer on ta somethin' Nii-san.  How about we hit up the bar to take the edge off before the big fight?  Oya, we're gonna get the cutie drunk too right?" Drake laughed aloud.

         "Drake-san, you're always trying to lead everyone into depravity with alcohol.  Can't you behave for once?" Jeanne criticized with a slight sigh.

         "Oya, come on Jeanne.  Why don't we get your Holy self drunk too? Ya just might be able ta relax for once.  Besides, I'm interested in seeing how the Maiden of Orleans handles her booze."

         "Wh…What? I'd never do that!"

         It was then that the pirate elected to grab Jeanne's hand and began to pull her along towards the bar area playfully against her will while ignoring her pleas.

         "Oh boy…welp, there goes the neighborhood.  Heh, I gotta see this for science though!" Lucy enthusiastically cheered taking off after them.

         "I suppose having a few bowls of rice wouldn't hurt.  I'm quite famished myself," Artoria decided before heading towards another exit that would lead to the mess hall.  Half of the party vacated the premises while the other half still remained behind.

         "I should probably be the responsible one and try to stop Drake-chan before she corrupts the delicate Saint," Akaro considered for a moment.

         "As if you didn't corrupt her already, Akaro," Kimi sarcastically replied without a moment's notice.

         "Dammit Kimi, come on..."

         "Trust me; you won't be getting away with this one."

         "Gah, hey Raichu, do your big bro a favor and help me out here will ya?"

         "Akaro-san…" Altera tugged on his jacket, "Your younger sibling is gone."

         "Wait what? He was just here with us a second ago."

         "Don't worry about it, I'll find him.  He's probably exploring the building since all of this stuff is new to him.  You know he's not familiar with this level of technology as we are," the One-Cut Killer served as a reminder.

         "His eyes…they remind me of my own at one point in time before you saved me Akaro-san.  His heart seems to be in great turmoil over something, like he's longing for something that's right in front of him but he's scared of taking it.  I was unaware that he had so much pain when we fought.  Will he be okay?" the Great King of Destruction pondered over the boy's condition.

         "He's…just got a lot on his mind I'm sure. Oi Kimi, you got this right?" Akaro suggested hinting at the girl to go and attend the matter that they discussed earlier on the ship before coming here.

         "Yeah, just leave it to me."

         "Sounds good, in the meantime, let's go make sure Drake-chan doesn't go overboard with Jeanne.  Come on, Altera."

         "Yes, Akaro-san."

         As the pair of red eyed individuals walked out of the room towards the area where the pirate, the saint and the cheeky Grand Servant went, Kimiko was left to go and find the Stormbringer.  Feeling a unique energy signature and hearing a strange noise, the Goddess-Above-All set off knowing exactly where he went.

         In an enormous sector of the base that was a seemingly empty room yet structured to serve as some form of training area, Raizo was currently alone.  The space was dimly lit with blue and white lights which painted a unique sense of ambiance and calm for the youth to enjoy.  He slipped away from the group during the excited chatter after Jeanne explained a little bit about the base at first to satisfy his own curiosity but to also take some time to think about the feelings troubling his heart.  For a reason unbeknownst to him, he found himself suddenly summoning the angel-like scythe—Nirvana—to his hand.  There was a strange compulsion in his heart to begin to play how he felt without regard for who listened.

         "Music comes from the heart right? Well, I hope you don't mind if I impose on you for my own personal leisure then, Nirvana," he said to himself.  A lone ember of hellfire caressed his hand as soon as those words parted from his lips.  The spirit within the weapon did not have to say anything in return but understood the nature of her master's statement.

         He gripped the weapon in his hand like he did when he first began to play it during the battle against the Distortion and Tiamat when he fought alongside the Symphogear girls; once in his proper footing, he began to dance his fingers across the fretboard. 

The first note was struck across one single string, held for a moment after the initial strum then left to ring out in the form of a vibrato.  After that, he slid his fingers to the next note and let that ring out too before he slowly began to play a melody.  It sounded like a somber yet sorrowful tone as the higher notes pulled off to lower tones in a stepping down pattern before reaching a high note; repeating this structure, he stepped down lower and lower in tone to a last note left to ring before sliding back to the higher notes.  It was at this point that the youth picked up the speed of his playing shredding the fretboard as the notes seemingly blurred together in a trance-like flow.  The energy of the growing intensity lashed out like a whip seizing the electric vibe of emotion with strong escalation.  He switched from the higher notes at the part of the guitar where the fretboard met with the base then slid back down to the lower end of the octave.  The riffs combined together into a series of hammer-ons and pull-offs before escalating to a thorough sweep of many notes at once before finally slowing down to its finish ending on one last vibrato.

The melody that filled this room communicated the dark haze of emotions clouding his heart.  Whether it was sadness, frustration, or pain, the swarm of intense feeling that was pent up inside the youth had been reciprocated by this song.  Flares of crimson and indigo danced around his body as he felt like he was pouring the depths of his spirit into the solitary ballad.  The aural disturbance emanating from his body didn't lash out with violent intent or threaten to tear apart the stability of the room but just seemed to dance along with the music to further enhance the sensation of what he was trying to speak through music.  However, he was unaware that he had an audience until he finished playing and applause rang out from behind him.

"I see you've found yet another partner that suits you.  I'm glad.  She has quite the voice on her plus Hellfire and Astral Energy Manipulation is always fun," Kimiko complimented with a keen eye feeling the presence of the spirit within the mystical tool.

"Ah yeah, Nirvana really helped out when I was fighting alongside the Symphogear users.  She helped my power resonate with theirs.  Er…that's right, you already know that.  I'm sorry," Raizo mused with embarrassment.

"It's fine.  Just because I know what I know doesn't mean you don't have to share your experiences with me. But this Nirvana character better make sure to do a good job taking care of my pillow out there."

A lone flare spiraled out gently as if acknowledging the words of the intimidating Goddess which led to the woman in question to nod.

"Looks like she heard me."

"I'll definitely do my best to support you, my Master.  Please don't let her break me," Nirvana spoke to the youth in his mind.

"Yeah, she definitely heard you," the Stormbringer spoke up on his weapon's behalf before letting it return to the dimension in which it came from.

"That song you were just playing…why did it sound so sad?" the female asked walking closer to the youth tilting her head while looking up at him.

"Oh…did it? I was just following some advice of letting my heart lead and my fingers to follow.  Guess it was pretty heavy eh?" the boy nervously replied turning his face away while scratching his cheek.

"I see, so if that came from the heart then that means you're holding onto some difficult emotions then."

"Er…well…I guess so.  I don't know."

"Hmm…I see you're reluctant to tell me about it.  Maybe I should just beat it out of you."

"Wait…what?  Where'd that idea come from, Kimi-nee?" the Stormbringer began to panic waving his hands in front of him sporadically while backing away from the girl.

"Because the best way to ready oneself for a tough battle is to train…that and since you don't want to be honest with me about how you feel, then we might as well make the most of what this room was designed for and spar.  Now then Raizo show me what you can do even if it means using your transformations.  Come at me with everything you've got."

"Y-you're joking right? What the hell?  Th-that's suicide! I've done a lot of dumb shit in my life but I'm not stupid enough to even think about attacking you! W-why would you even say that?"

"Raizo, this is not the time to be playing games with me.  Either attack or I will attack you.  I won't hold back if you force my hand into that second option."

A glimmer of her crimson eyes and her emotionless face gave way to just how much conviction she held with the ultimatum she uttered.  That grim aura spiraling around her body made each and every cell that functioned inside of Raizo to shudder with pure terror.  It was as if someone reached inside the youth's chest and gripped his heart tightly along with tying rope around his lungs to off the blood flow and delivery of oxygen throughout the body.  He could not even twitch because it felt like a single unpermitted movement would be shot down automatically by the sentry turret that was Kimiko Hanate's intimidation. 

I can't move…but…if I don't do something, will Nee-sama really try and kill me?

He was unsure of what to do.  This was not the situation that he was prepared to deal with on any given day.  Suddenly, the memories of the God Killer filled his mind.  The intimacy that was shared between himself from another timeline and the girl before him caused him to stiffen with uncertainty even more.  However, he wound up closing his eyes tightly shaking his head to rid himself of those thoughts.

That's not my reality…stop it. Stop it, stop it, stop it, stop it!

Seeing the boy struggle before her, Kimiko let out a small sigh in disappointment.  She was only doing this for his benefit but instead of trying to realize that, he was consumed by his anxiety.

I'm just going to have to give you a little push.  It's the only way for me to get you to learn.

Within that next moment, the girl took advantage of the Stormbringer's weakened fortitude and cast images into the young man's mind.

The visions of the God Killer's life faded almost instantly before the faces of his enemies, both old and new.  He saw the renegade, Rin Hanate, overwhelming Adena's mighty strength ripping out her fiery essence right before his eyes before using her lifeless body for his own pleasure and tossing her to the side.  Then he saw the inverse version of Akame known as Arayashiki hacking his teacher, Akame, to pieces with a sadistic smile on her face.  The vision of Rias in her fully powered state devouring his brother, whom he always viewed as invincible, as if the Red-Eyed Hero was nothing but a worthless appetizer.  After that was The Architect holding Kimiko by the throat tearing away the great power she contained within before causing her to detonate into cosmic dust.  All of these gruesome images played out before his very eyes without delay.

NO!!!!

         The Stormbringer cried out as loud as he could before trying to leap into action but he found himself unable to do so. As he struggled to move his arms and legs, he found them to be bound by the snake-like tendrils that belonged to Tiamat in her evolved form.  The sadistic, sexual predator tore away his clothes digging her nails and teeth into his body draining him of everything that he was.  His eyes blinked in and out of consciousness.  It was then that a loud bang rang out which caused him to snap away.  Before him was the one foe whom he knew next to nothing about but felt an unprecedented amount of fear towards.  With her looks that mimicked Kimiko's resemblance, military uniform and long flowing crimson cape, he found himself before the Devil Queen, Hikari Hanate.

"Look at you.  Look at how weak and pathetic you are.  You really are useless.  You're nothing but a foolish child that just so happened to bear a special last name.  Call yourself a Mercer all you want, but you're nothing more than the same worthless stain of a Blood Wolf who should have been washed away a long time ago. They all died because of you."

No…no, no, no, no! I'm not weak; I'm not the same person I was before! I…I'm not!

"Oh? Then what are you going to do? Absolutely nothing obviously because you're just a coward, Raizo Arashi; you don't even deserve to carry the last name, Mercer."

Shut up…just shut up! Get out of my head! Get out! You don't know me!

"Oh but I do, Raizo. You'll never amount to anything."

You're wrong!

"Am I now? Then what are you going to do? Will you cower like the sniveling brat that you are or will you prove me wrong? Show me what you can do, Raizo Arashi."

That's not who I am! I'm not the same person I was before! I'm different!

"I'm waiting…right before your eyes."

The crimson gaze of the youth fixated on what should have been Kimiko's position in that room but he could only see the face of the Devil Queen making an antagonizing smile before him inside of a barrier made of crimson vector energy.  The visage of the face that gave him so much pause and hesitation caused something inside him to change.  The visions of what he saw happen to his family, to the people he loved and cherished, pushed away that chilling fear of the woman even if it was for a single moment. He lost touch with reality disregarding what was real or what was false because of the insurmountable rage burning up inside of his heart.

"I'll show you…all of you!" he declared with fury. In that moment, his body became clad in the amethyst aura and lightning that belonged to the Mastered Heart of the Storm transformation.  With a single motion, he drew Vajra from its sheath at his side then kicked off the ground towards his opponent.

Looks like my provocations worked; now with this barrier up I can see just exactly what you're made without anyone else prying into our business.  Sorry I had to push you like this, but I know you won't take me seriously otherwise.

Seeing her plan come to fruition, the One-Cut Killer stood still as the Stormbringer rushed at her with all of his might and blade drawn.  The attack came in with blindingly fast speed that she was accustomed to.  Without a moment's delay, she had pulled out her knife and blocked Raizo's opening attack.  From that point, the enraged youth dashed around to her flank swinging his blade in from the right side with full force like he was trying to cleave the universe in two.  Not yielding a single inch from her stance, the girl merely rotated her arm around and severed the concept of the momentum from the oncoming attack stopping the motion dead in its tracks.

After that, it became a series of sparks sporadically igniting the room at various points within the vast space as the rampaging Crimson Harbinger attacked the Goddess-Above-All.  Casually, the female met all of Raizo's strikes head-on deflecting them or parrying them with little-to-no effort required on her part.  With each strike intended to hit her, she was forming an effective hypothesis and analysis on the strengths and weaknesses of her sparring partner.  She had to know precisely how the Child of Thunder fought in order to decipher what his skill level was currently at and determine the proper training he would need before moving forward.

         In the eyes of the Stormbringer, he could only see the mocking smile creasing the face of the Devil Queen.  As he assaulted her with his numerous attacks with his rapid movements, he could not even see her weapon deflecting his attacks.  He couldn't even hear the clanging of his weapon against hers until after he felt the resistance of his blade being batted away by her.  To him, she was like a ghost in a crimson cloak floating around him and chastising his clumsy movements with each path he elected to take with his offensive front.

The sound of singing steel echoed within the barrier training area as Raizo's wild sword strokes relentlessly poured in from all angles at his opponent.  Despite of his blinding speed and intense pressure, the woman moved about him like a phantom; his attacks weren't getting him anywhere.  Even while consumed with rage, he still had the common sense to change his tactics which incorporated the idea of changing his fighting style.  As a result, the male flipped the grip of his blade to holding it in a reverse grip.  He leaned over partially at the waist shifting his center of gravity by positioning his left leg in front of him while swiping the right leg behind him.

"Oh, the reverse-blade style eh? Too bad the one who taught that style to you didn't understand the numerous weak points in it. Then again, many of the Blood Wolves' doctrine and lessons were heavily flawed," Kimiko sighed recalling how she read through the various manuscripts and scrolls that Akame collected after eliminating the Conclave in their universe.

From that point, Raizo rushed at her once again but the girl merely held a deadpan expression on her face.  Regardless of how fast the boy was moving, she saw him slow to crawl with her highly perceptive vision.  She analyzed how many openings the male had as well as points of where to counter without making a single move.  As he attacked in real-time, she merely dodged and weaved around the brutal swiping attacks outpacing the mix of martial-art movements and blade attacks.

"I've seen more than enough," she said before instantly snaking on him.

 In a maneuver that traversed the path of a tight S-curve, she dived under the oncoming opponent and drove her dagger upward towards the blade.  The length of the blade passed over her just as she applied an upward shift in motion as her knife grinded against the steel of the katana.  She angled her wrist with a smooth 30-degree curve throwing off the direction of the blade then turned her arm inward with knocking the sword away with her elbow.  As she disarmed the berserk Stormbringer, Vajra was sent flying into the air before it became lodged into the ground.

"Dammit…fine then, I suppose I'll just have to resort to this," Raizo uttered while gritting his teeth.  He dashed away by about ten paces before he took a breath to channel his energy.

"I am the one destined to split the heavens…

With resonate and unbreakable will, I transcend my foes…

Unaware of limitations, nor aware of doubt…

I summon thee,

Cosmic Foundry!"

Abridging his chant in order to utilize it as soon as possible, the Crimson Harbinger unleashed his multiverse reality marble that enveloped the room bringing both combatants inside a fourth dimensional space dominated by lightning storms.  As the numerous blades of thunder covered the illusionary fields around them, Raizo grabbed six of them and held them like claws ready to tear the flesh from his opponent.  The image of Hikari merely stood there with a smirk on her face while raising an eyebrow.

"Impressive but…" the girl began.

Before she could finish what she was saying, Raizo charged directly at her using his speed boost within this territory to close the gap between them.  As he was just about to attack, the girl only lifted her leg and stomped onetime before the dimensional space cracked like an edge and shattered like glass all around them.

"It's not nearly enough," she stated before flicking him in his forehead knocking him back onto the ground.  The moment she did this caused him to be free from the pseudo-hypnosis as well as disperse his transformation.

"Well that was interesting," she sighed tucking her dagger away before walking over and kneeling down beside the disabled boy. Reaching down, she gently caressed his cheek to stir him awake.

"E…Eh? N…Nee-sama? Wh-what happened? Wait...where's Hikari? I…I was just fighting her!" Raizo rambled coming back to his senses.

"Hey, hey, that wasn't real.  None of what you saw was real. I'm sorry I did that to you," the girl explained.

"K…Kimi-nee, all of those visions that I saw was by you? I…I don't understand.  Why would you put those thoughts into my head? I…I…"

"It's okay. I know, it wasn't in the best tastes but I had to do it for your sake. You had to endure that to train properly.  One, you will never know if an enemy will try to exploit your worst fears.  Two, it was the only way I could get you to fight me seriously without you holding back. Don't worry, everything is okay."

"But…I…I lost it and…I just…"

"I'm here; everything will be fine. Just take a breather."

"No, no…I'm fine. If anything, I'm just disappointed.  I let myself get consumed by my emotions again; that would not have had to happen if I just cast aside my hesitation and did what you told me to do.  But…I just couldn't."

"I know. But at least you were able to recognize two of your weaknesses when it comes to combat: your emotions and your hesitation.  Regardless of the outcome, you recognized some of your faults.  That's a good start."

"Thanks, so tell me what's next."

As Raizo sat back up, he crossed his legs and placed his hands over his knees.  He looked over and saw Vajra lodged in the ground but determined that it was fine where it was at for the moment.  For now, he devoted his attention to what the girl in front of him needed to say. Kimiko sat down on her knees before him taking a breath while making direct eye contact with the boy.

"For starters, let's talk about how you fight.  To sum this up in a simple statement, it's sloppy.  Even though you were under forced emotional distress while fighting me, I was still able to compare how you fight when triggered and when you have your awareness—there's hardly a difference," she stated bluntly with a slight sigh.

"Go on…" the boy responded dipping his head down.

"You're too reckless with your accounts and you leave yourself open to your opponents.  Even with your training, you still use a predictable pattern of attacks and combinations plus you use brute force way too easily.  Instead of deceiving the enemy, you're deceiving yourself with your movements and over-exerting yourself more than you should like with that reverse-blade grip style.  That style can work but only when it is integrated into another consistent of martial art such as the way Akame fights.  The way you are in combat may have served you well against enemies in the past, especially against muscle-bound morons who just try to show off their strengths but you're an easy target to anyone who fights with deception or cunning.  That's why Tiamat was able to take advantage of you the way she did."

"P…Please don't bring her up. I…I still feel a little weird after that one."

"If you would have assessed your opponent, something like that never would have happened.  But that is why we are here right now, to train you for the battles to come.  You have so much potential within you, Raizo but you suppress that potential with your childlike mistakes.  Even after all of the struggles you've endured and the trials you have overcome so far, you still function like an assassin trained by the short-sighted Blood Wolves.  You may be effective in a brawl, but you have yet to become a true warrior.  That changes starting now.  The first step to that is teaching you how to see."

Raizo clasped his hands together as the woman berated him.  He understood what she was saying but taking her criticisms into account made him feel like he was only able to get this far because of dumb luck. Recalling all of the toughest fights he's endured so far reminded him that only lucky breaks saved his life, not because of his own skill.

Heart of the Storm against Leviathan, Soul of the Storm against Deus, and the God Killer against Tiamat among other critical battles in my life, I wonder how many of those fights were won because of last minute power-ups and not because of my own skill?  Am I really that weak of an individual? Or am I just inherently lucky? What the hell am I even doing anymore?

"I see…" the Stormbringer responded at last but then her last words snatched his brain, "What do you mean by that, Nee-sama?"

"What if I were to tell you that you could win a fight or gain the upper hand in a battle just by anticipating your opponent's movements?  I'm not talking about guessing how you opponent will strike or deflecting the attack as it approaches you.  What I mean is the perception of your foe's motions beyond the use of your eyes.  It's a unique form of sight that very few people can develop," Kimi proposed.

"But…doesn't that mean I would need a special pair of eyes like those Divine Eyes or whatever you call them?"

"Not exactly, Raizo.  My eyes are capable of seeing concepts and cutting them yes, but when my mind goes blank and my emotions disappear from my face, I'm looking at my target using a higher perceptive.  It could be defined as having sight beyond sight.  Akame has this ability because of her raw combat experience that's developed over centuries.  You being a speedster could also develop this technique. In fact, it's perfect for you."

"How?"

"Think about it, Raizo.  You can move massively faster than light and process information at that same speed.  You can digest any source of information given to you like a 1,000 page book and memorize it with the utmost accuracy but have you ever thought about focusing that ability and applying it to how you fight?  You could just stand before your opponent and study them slowing down their motions in your mind and decide how to counter or exploit their openings before you even draw your sword."

"I…I never really thought about doing that before.  Usually I just relied on my superior speed and combat intellect to defeat my opponents."

"Yes, but I've already told you before that it will not always work.  You have to be flexible and learn how to operate in a way that your enemies can't get a read on. One way that you could do this is by reading brain waves."

"...what?" the child tilted his head.

"The brain is the most vital part of the body but also the key operator in the central nervous system.  Through neurological activity, the brain sends transmissions throughout the entire body which dictates how the body should move and how fast it should do so.  In a way, the body contains a giant electrical network with the brain serving as the main generator.  When the brain sends a signal to any part of the body, there is a small delay between the transmitted message and the data being received by that part of the body.  Having your electrical abilities, you should be able to see this using your own eyes and be able to anticipate the movements of someone else."

"I've…never actually tried that before."

"That's why I'm going to help you. Grab my hands."

Raizo raised his eyebrow as the woman scooted closer to him reaching out her soft hands towards him.  He was a little hesitant but when he looked into her eyes, he just reached out and placed his hands over top of hers before clasping them gently.

"Now close your eyes and take a deep breath."

As he did what she instructed, his consciousness became absorbed in darkness.  In the next instant, he found himself in the appearance of a purple astral projection of himself while Kimiko appeared next to him in blue.  Without uttering a single word, the girl pointed out into the empty space showing the presence of Tiamat in her evolved state hovering before them.

"How are you alive?!" Raizo shouted out reaching for his blade but it wasn't there.

"Easy Raizo, she's not real…only a memory—your memory," Kimi stated.

"What?"

"Look around you carefully. Doesn't this seem familiar?"

Taking her word of advice, the youth did just that.  He saw the Earth before him in full view then took note of the shattered moon behind him.  This was the place where he fought against Tiamat when the Symphogear users fell after they all thought she was defeated the first time.  How could he forget?  Turning around once more, he saw himself in his armor with his blade drawn ready to end her.  This served to only confuse him even more. Sensing this, Kimiko continued.

"I used my version of that Transference trick you used except I drew out one of your recent memories and projected us into it to relieve a few seconds of it.  This moment is the exact time slot in which the Demon Goddess rushed you and basically prevented you from using Morana and finishing her off in one blow.  What I want you to do is try to apply the tactic I was just telling you about and see just how you could have ended the battle in one well-placed strike."

Understanding that, Raizo maneuvered himself over to where he was positioned in his memory and immersed himself in that moment.  It began to play out in his mind over and over again of how she just moved in a flash that was faster than he could react when he pulled out Morana to awaken.  That moment in time was the moment that led to his humiliation, to the point where he would have been taken advantage of by the woman's pleasures had it not have been for the God Killer waking up inside of him.

I can't keep constantly relying on clutch moments. I have to change…I have to change everything about myself in battle.  I have to get stronger…I have to overcome.

The memory repeated over and over again until he felt his eyes open physically then in a metaphysical sense like he had a different pair of eyes layered over his.  He saw the electrical aura within her body taking the shape of the neural network within the body.  All of her nerves and pathways that were connected to the brain were present before his eyes.  It was like he was not only seeing the demoness but seeing through her as well.  A small shockwave emanated from the brain and streamlined its way towards her legs. Here, he saw how she was commanding her limbs to bend ever so slightly then kick off of the void of space to rush at him with her superior speed.  He could see it now.

If I just imbued my will into Morana at this moment and merged the Crimson Thunder and Indigo Rain applications at once then hunched down and swung my blade, she would have been cleaved in two.

That was the mistake he made and he could see that now.  In the martial art sense, he was to be swift like a coursing river and strike with the force of a great typhoon. Had he done this, perhaps the battle would have gone entirely different.  Even though he could not correct that error in judgment now, going forward could be different.

"That's how it starts," Kimiko nodded with approval as she severed the connection causing them to wake up at the same time.

"I think I'm beginning to understand now," Raizo said looking down at his hands seeing the nerves in his hands and watching how the transmissions of electricity flowed within him.  When he looked up at Kimiko, the girl merely raised an eyebrow.

"Well then, I like the look in your eyes.  It seems like you might awaken something else in due time."

Though he could not see it for himself due to the lack of having a mirror, Raizo's eye color had deepened to a garnet color with radiant sparks of lightning flowing around his irises.  To Kimiko, Raizo's eyes became a little bit like hers ever so slightly.  Seeing this image develop before her, she smiled softly.

"You've taken the first step into a whole new world.  But training isn't over yet. Since you have unlocked the awareness with Nirvana, let's see if I can help you understand the Astral Plane better.  You're going to keep practicing the perception of brain waves concept as well.  Maybe if you're a good boy then I'll teach you how to use that new trick with Astral Energy too."

"But…Kimi-nee, we have to eat and sleep too right?"

"Of course but after another 12 hours or so of training first, there's a lot you need to catch up on."

"Nee-sama…"

"You're not getting out of this one."

"Fine…but…can I tell you something first?  It's about that emotion I was feeling earlier before we started.  You…did beat me obviously so I want to tell you.  It's better to say it now before we continue training so my heart can be at ease."

"Okay, I'm listening."

The child crossed his legs over and fiddled his hands around casting his gaze away as a blush filled his cheeks.  He felt his heart beginning to pound in his chest again because he was completely unsure as to whether he should come clean with this or not.

Better to tell her now instead of her trying to force it out of me again later.

"When I was about to lose to Tiamat something inside of me awakened and during that time, I saw memories…vivid memories of another life…of another version of me and you were in them.  These visions of another life with you were um…apparently intimate and…we…we…were married.  Since then, these weird feelings were burning up inside of me and when I saw your face in the Symphogear universe, they just increased in intensity and have yet to calm down ever since.  I…I don't understand it.  I…I said those words to you a long time ago because…I felt something but I wasn't sure if it was real.  And…when I feel this sensation, I feel like I should be feeling it towards Adena.  A part of me feels a bit of that towards her but it hurts so badly when I think of you.  I…I don't know what to do.  Kimi-nee…what am I—hmpff?!" the boy was confessing before his lips were suppressed.

In an unexpected twist, Raizo found his lips being seized by Kimiko's as her arms wrapped around his neck and her body was just about in his lap. He felt a part of himself panicking from the sudden outcome but for the most part, he just gave into the sensation thus enjoying the taste of her lips.  After a few seconds, the woman gradually backed away from him looking into his eyes.

An abrupt yet excruciating stimulus burned inside of the boy—no, burning was an understatement, it was more like a consuming sense like his whole self was being devoured from the inside controlled all of his instincts and current processes of thought at that moment. He clutched his chest like he was having a heart attack.  As he gazed at the girl in front of him, he blinked twice.  The visage of Kimiko changed before him shifting into a woman with the same hairstyle as the girl except four times the regular length, a white kimono gracing her body along with her red eyes shifting to a pristine blue with a purple and pink pattern bound around the pupils.  From there, he could see this woman giving him a kind and gentle smile as she reached out and touched his face. The mark that mysteriously appeared on his upper chest after this woman's touch from so long ago throbbed causing him to have that same feeling he encountered at that point in time.

"You're one of my chosen, never forget that," she said simply caressing his cheek again before pulling away from him.

"O…Onee-sama?" he muttered in a shallow breath.  He blinked his eyes again and Kimiko had reverted back to her regular appearance.

"I love you too," the woman calmly expressed with a smile as she helped him sit back up properly.

"K…Kimi…" the red-eyed male muttered.  His heart leapt with joy upon hearing those words from her giving him a sense of relief.

"Shh, let's get back to training.  We'll revisit this topic later."

"Y-yeah, of course…"

"Now then…let's run through that drill with the brain waves again, and then I'll talk about Astral Energy."

"Right, Nee-sama…"

From there, the two continued to train together for hours on end preparing for the tough battles to come.  The other Heroic Spirits in the base carried on with their merry fun time without being wise to what the two were doing except for Akaro, whom entrusted the Stormbringer's stability to the One-Cut Killer.  With the three red-eyed individuals along with the Voyager of the Storm, the King of Knights, the Great King of Destruction, and the Wife of Alexander Mercer, the Holy Maiden—Jeanne d'Arc—had a formidable team that would be ready to take on Scathach's forces, Gilgamesh, as well as Goetia in the coming battle for the Arcana Grail.  The great battle to decide the fate of this dystopian world was about to come.