[Tokusatsu Themes, Corruption, Brainwashing, Transformation]

"Ahahaha... Look, even with everything you've done, it still happened. Doesn't that fill you with shame..?"

The bright sun shone down on the silver-armored Luna, the corrupted Tsukiko's blackened blade shimmering as she pointed it towards the pyramid that had taken the place of the city's most dangerous school...

How long had it been since this golden nuisance got in her way again? It had to have been at least half a day, if not longer. Yet no matter how much they fought, she didn't back down. If anything, the unarmored woman just kept on trucking regardless of how damage she had sustained...

"Trying to deflect, Tsukiko? That's not like you."

Haruhi grinned, almost like Tsukiko would in a situation as tense as this. She couldn't believe that she was still going after all this time. She should've long since passed out from everything, and yet...

The more she clashed blades with Tsukiko, the more her heart kept pumping. The more slashes she sustained, the quicker the damage seemed to repair itself. And every swing of her blades just served to make her faster, turning her from a barely lumbering shell of the 'Hero' she once had been...

Into one that had managed to crack part of the Luna's armor, causing the formerly smug 'invader' to grit her teeth as her feint didn't work...

"Hmph. Quit calling me that. I'm Luna!" 'Luna''s blade started glowing, taking on a foul shade as she swung it several times over in the blink of an eye. The shockwaves of each slash should be more than enough to deal with something like this persistent woman...

Yet Haruhi slashed through them all in turn, golden blood splattering all around her as she failed to truly cut through them. Yet the gashes on her arms and legs quickly healed, an excited grin growing on her lips. A grin made from the purest of lust, the lust for battle...

'Luna' couldn't believe it. Once the rush of being woken prematurely wore off, she couldn't stop herself from clashing with this woman. She was familiar. Every strike of hers serves to make something static within the recesses of her mind slowly try to force its way to the forefront...

She couldn't let herself get distracted. She had a job here. The moment she could break away from here, she was to head towards that Pyramid, and-

"Eyes on the prize, handsome!"

The blades in her enemy's hands very nearly reached her throat, seemingly aiming to chop her head right off. Leaving 'Luna' to grit her teeth further, her expression turning darker and darker. If this thing wanted her full undivided attention, she'd get it! Then she'd make Lord Lumiel and Mama happy by progressing the Descent!

Haruhi threw a glance towards the pyramid in the distance. Looks like That Girl had succumbed. But that was why she was fighting. She had to. Otherwise, those bastards would intervene and make things worse...

Her body just had to hold on for a little while longer, for that girl's sake!

—

"Drown, drown. Drown in devotion to your new Goddess."

Denile's words spread throughout the halls of Mimoto Highschool, her dainty step highly contrasting the passion filled personality she usually had. However, that was to be expected. After all, she had once again been shown that her strength wasn't enough.

Thus the river gushed. Wrapping around any student that was too slow to escape. Dragging them to the ground, only for the living river to gush over their heads. Quickly depriving them of the freedom they were supposed to have, as their struggles died down.

In the blink of an eye, several students of all sizes and genders were constricted by flowing latex, showing that they had fallen into being mere pawns in the grand scheme. The only difference between them and the common pawn being the way the latex kept on flowing like water despite not leaking onto the floor below, and the fact their domes were practically seethrough, even if you couldn't see the head within...

Even after being transformed, these pawns simply sat down and let the gushing river dominate them. Just as Denile had long since abandoned any of her passionate pride, knowing that there was no way that she could beat the Goddess...

Indeed, she was just as much trapped in the flowing rivers that made up her body as they were...

"Wake UP!"

An eyebrow raised as Denile turned towards that loud voice. It belonged to a fellow student, yet one hadn't yet fallen victim to the river that was Denile. Not only that, but she foolishly tried to fight back against what she was faced with...

"C'mon, you can't just sit there when there's danger around! WAKE UP!"

Mina Magatsu shouted as she grabbed ahold of one of the pawns's heads, fingers sinking in like she was about to play bowling, before she tossed them away. In the process, she made them surface from Denile's influence, several of those pawns having their untouched bodies splash free from their prisons...

"Go go Mina! Free them, stop them from sinking! You can't shine if they stop thinking!"

And not far from where Mina was trying to free a group of pawns was the tanned girl's partner, Rika Nitta. Fully dressed up as the muscled cheerleader that she was, taking advantage of what she still had available in terms of powers...

"Both of you truly think you can avoid sinking into devotion. I will have to show you how wrong you are." Denile sharpened her gaze, still taking slow steps towards the girls that thought they could resist without being a Jõtaider...

Mina grit her teeth as she saw the corrupted form of Yuuki approach. Didn't take a genius to figure out who she was supposed to be, thanks to the fact her hair still started out the same way. "Never thought you'd end up just as perverted as our President, Yuuki!" She clenched her hand, grimacing slightly because she could feel it growing more and more liquid with every pawn she threw. She'd have to be careful, otherwise she'd end up stealing too much of that liquid flavor and end up a big tan puddle herself.

"Wake her up too, Mina!" Rika cried out, still cheering and carrying out her solo routine. "M! I! N! A! What's that spell?"

"MINA!" Mina shouted in turn as she broke into a dash, aiming to finish this quickly. Besides, Yuuki was just one big river girl! She could tussle with a buncha water, she was sure of it!

At least, she was sure of it right up until the moment Denile collapsed in on her own hair, the gushing flow wrapping around Mina to dodge around her attempted attack. However, she was not the target of Denile's attack. That much was certain with how fast the living river was going...

That could only mean..!

"RIKA!"

The former Cheer Champ tried to cry out for help the moment she saw the living river try to flush its way towards her, only for Denile to speed up at that exact moment. The rivers were calm until the moment to strike came, where they then roared as they slammed into the much bigger girl...

Pinning her to the ground, with Denile gently taking form on top of the muscled girl's torso. All while the river that was her hair flowed over every inch of Rika's body, the tanned Jõtaijin smiling seductively at how good it felt to imprison yet another student...

Mina wasn't able to do much more than watch as Rika fruitlessly tried to reach out towards her, only for her arm to be pinned against her body as the flowing liquid latex covered her from head to toe. Trapping her within the exact same drowning prison as everyone else that Mina had been trying to break free...

The worst part? Unlike the others, Rika's head could be seen through the bowl-like dome. And she was blissfully unaware of what was going on. Blissfully just laying there, happily entranced and drowning in the devotion that wrapped around her...

"You... YOU! GIVE ME BACK MY RIKA!" Mina shouted. It was one thing to see Yuuki transformed into this seductive mess. It was another for the same girl that many of the students respected and admired for her passionate outlook to turn Rika into yet another thoughtless slave!

Denile smiled. That powerless feeling. It still flowed through her. And seeing it in Mina made it all too clear... She wasn't going to be able to defeat her. Not her, nor her Goddess...

"You too will sink below devotion. Made to lay beside your beloved, unable to do a thing to stop my Goddess' ascension. Just as I was."

Denile's words boomed out through the hall as her hair suddenly grew several sizes. She could freely manipulate how violent her river was, and now that Mina had lost herself to her emotions, there was no way that she could get out of the way in time as it covered up the entire hallway..!

"No... No! RIKA!" Mina screamed, holding up her slightly gilded arms. Even if she couldn't take it all, she wouldn't give up!

Just like-

"ALPHA EDGE! AND! KING'S ERUPTION!"

Just as the splashing river was about to make contact with Mina's gloriously glowing arms, it felt like time itself froze. Then, as she blinked, she found that the entire river had frozen solid right as it was about to hit her...

Only for it to break apart and melt, leaving nothing but vapor behind as a multi-colored Heroine now stood before her. Goddamn, that's what that form looked like..?

"Safe!" Mimoto Chimera chimed, satisfied with what she had just done. Especially since the Jõtaijin that made up that river she had just melted into nothing was still frozen. "You okay, Mina?"

Mina blinked a few times, laughing at the thought of being saved just as she tried her best not to give up in the face of overwhelming odds. "Better than I would've been if you were a second too late. Still though..."

The short heroine turned towards the problem, eyes widening under her helmet as she noticed who it was. "That's... Yuuki-senpai! And she's on... Wait, that's-"

"Rika. Yuuki got turned, and she took Rika."

Mina had gotten her girlfriend taken away. But if Mikai stopped to help, then she wouldn't make it to Saki in time. Not to mention, Hiro and her had been split up thanks to a hallway splitting down the middle when they were side by side, and she was desperate to make it back to her. They had done that cool pose and everything, they couldn't just stay apart after that!

But if she didn't, then-

"Get going, Mikai! I'll keep these girls company!"

A bullet flew past her head, crushing a frozen spearhead. The sharpened bit of ice came courtesy of Denile trying to hit her even when she was still locked down, and the bullet...

Came from who else but Hayato, Mikai's heart bouncing with joy at seeing her grumpy childhood friend. "You've got it! Knock some sense into her and tell her to stop stealing other people's girls!"

"She's not steal- WHAT???" "SHE'S NOT MY GIRL LIKE THAT-"

Before either Hayato or Mina had a chance to shoot back at Mimoto, the heroine had already made her exit. Those wings on her back really gave her a boost of speed despite the look of them...

Leaving the JõtaiKiller to stand alongside the former Jõtaijin, a disappointed look in his eyes. "...Sorry that you ended up part of the whole 'Jõtai Removal' business. Even if it was ethically taken from you, it never should've been."

"Not the time for apologies." Mina said, cracking her knuckle as she stood side by side with the green-and-yellow haired boy. "We break her out of that shell of denial, and pull Rika out. Counting on you, 'Killer'!"

Hayato nodded and cracked a grin, slamming his Pride medal into his PriDriver as his red coat flushed over his body in an instant. "Then let's chase glory together!"

The ice that was meant to keep Denile captive cracked, the corrupted Yuuki simply sighing with a lack of passion. They were going this far, and yet they weren't anywhere close to as powerful as the girl that froze her like that...

"You will both sink to the depths of devotion, and be reborn in the Goddess' protection..." She muttered, her river hair starting to gush once more as it poured all around her...

They too, would come to understand their weakness…

—

"Lady Neoheim!"

Three different yet somewhat identical voices echoed out in turn, as Neoheim's irises slowly focused once again. The last thing she remembered was being blinded by some violent light, the next she was laying down on the floor. And hovering over her were...

The half-masked one. Still looking like she could be a prince if she put on the proper suit instead of that uniform.

The love-obsessed one. Who looked like her heart was aching when Neoheim remained on the floor like that.

And the one that was still hunting down the Young One. The gothic girl still trying to sneak glances away from Neoheim, so that she could find her beloved...

She had not yet given them names, for they were still incomplete. Today was supposed to be a partial test run, seeing if they could mingle among the people that went to the school. To try and see if they could truly match what she had been studying.

However, it was clear that today would not be the day. Even as she was helped up by the half-masked one, she shook her head, a silent tone leaving her lips...

The three girls each saluted as their eyes dimmed. They had done their part, yet they were not allowed to come to harm just yet. If they came to harm, then the Young One…

"Return." Neoheim declared, a dark portal opening in response to her call. A portal that the saluting trio quickly entered, carrying out the order that was given to them without a single deviating thought...

...

If they were truly complete, they would've said something to go against her orders. Wanting to stay there to protect the Young One or her at the very least. What were they still missing..?

"And what do we have here? If it isn't my faaaaavorite dragon."

Neoheim turned her head, before getting her cheeks clapped by a familiar pair of brown digits. The way they made her purse her lips felt a little humiliating. "Ero. Please let go." Right now, her concern wasn't on what Ero had seen or not. It was on the scene that left her unable to control herself.

"Aw." Ero pouted, letting go of the redheaded dracobot. "Well, whatever it is you're doing, it almost looked like you were doing something nice. So, how about we go find ourselves a problem to solve, and then you tell me aaaaallll about what you did, so I can make sure you're not causing problems?"

Agreeable terms. Best case scenario, she could get footage of Kanzei in action as well, and get data for the last True One in the process. "Lead the way."

"Awww, you're being nice to me too! Good, let's go! Hayato's been neglecting me, and I'm itching to let out some steam!" Ero chimed, twirling her scythe as she ran down the hall. Hopefully to find Hayato. Or a bigger problem, whichever she could slash first!

With her former 'docking partner' right on her heels…

—

"Judgment comes from you. Regardless of the role you take upon the stage."

"Yes! Take me! Let me be judged! Being shut inside a cutie like you would be divine!"

Akemi Hokori gently flicked the tip of her rapier across her sister's collar, tossing the green-haired girl out of the way so the horny girl wouldn't run straight into trouble. Even sighing wistfully as she watched her fly away. "Please try and contain yourself, Yua. This isn't the stage for that kind of fantasy."

Indeed, this could hardly be called a stage. More like a trial by fire, courtesy of what seemed to be the Student President and the rest of the Student Council. A shame that she had to be facing off against them under these circumstances. She would've loved to have them join her on stage, where they could each shine like stars.

"No fair, Sis-"

The sound of a sarcophagus loudly slamming shut echoed behind Akemi, causing her to rapidly whip around while gracefully dodging out of the way of the charging Atombis' sickle swing. Much to her dismay, what was going on behind her was truly where the light should've shined.

Because instead of seeing her sister safely on the floor, she found herself staring at another Atombis. Or rather, what looked to be a similar copy, the only way to truly tell her apart being the blindfold molded onto that jackal face.

"Don't you know the basics of acting on the stage? Disposing of an actor like this is just disgraceful." Akemi tightened her grip around her rapier, narrowly letting the thin blade parry the incoming strike from the Atombis she first focused on.

The judging Jackal didn't seem too bothered. If anything, she simply gazed into the daring eyes of her opponent. "I told you. Judgment comes for you. Regardless of the role you take." Both copies of Atombis said, a hint of sadness in those words. Was the girl still conscious under there, or was she simply trying to trick her?

Either way, she'd have to deal with two. All while the sounds of Yua crying out in delight echoed from within one of the Atombis copies, the sounds of pleasure heavily contrasting what was going on outside...

"And pray tell, what is she being judged for? Do you truly believe that you have the right to judge any of us? You are nothing but a hound, where does your authority lie?" Akemi said, taking a single step strongly forward...

Striking the two sickles that came at her right where they intersected, causing both of them to shuffle back in turn. All while she carefully brushed her hand through her hair, a prismatic shine starting to cover her entire body...

"I judge on the behalf of the Goddess." Atombis answered in turn, part of her body opening up to reveal several binding chains that started to reach out almost like thin strings of silk, making her seem more like a spider than a hound. "You will be judged. And you will be protected eternally."

The chains almost reached her, right before the prismatic shine swallowed Akemi whole, and a flame started to brightly billow from that shine...

"Then let the Dazzling Star erupt like a King, if her role on the stage truly does not matter!"

Swirling flames erupted from around her as the shine vanished, and a new figure took the place of the former Jõtaijin. A figure that was all too familiar to the corrupted Saeko...

A ruby-like facsimile of Mimoto, more specifically the classic Flame Lion form. It almost caused her to falter, looking at this homage to her girlfriend...

"I may be nothing more than Human when I step off the stage. But on the stage, even after my purification, I still dazzle like the Star I am! So come, Atombis! Face the Hero of the Stage!" 'Mimoto' grinned, Akemi's face still visible thanks to how thin the copied Mimoto truly was...

The corrupted Saeko stared at the defiant girl, and slashed the air with her sickle. Transforming it into a proper staff, and in turn causing several rapid and vigilant steps to echo out...

Several more Atombis copies entered the tray. About half a dozen, and knowing the tricks that this living sarcophagus was up to, there would no doubt be more waiting in the wings...

A trial of attrition, it seemed. And yet...

"Desperado - Thunderbolt."

The keeper of the trial would find her forces overwhelmed, courtesy of a green glimmer dashing through them all with one precise cut.

Steam rose from parts of KING’s body as she gazed back at the former Jõtaijin, and the effects of her attack. Eight copies of the same Jötaijin cut into halves, as if their hinges had so thoroughly broken that they wouldn't be able to shut ever again...

"Wherever Mimoto goes, the heroic KING is soon to follow. I much prefer your old look however, PAWN." Akemi chimed, bowing her head towards the white-armored hero.

KING nodded. She had her preferences as well. But for now, this form would do. Even so, these eight looked like...

She blinked for a second, right as a butterfly fluttered past her shoulder. "...Very well. Keep her safe, don't let Mikai down." She muttered under her breath, before turning her attention back towards the other end of the hall.

The Dreamer would take care of this. It was up to her and Mikai to deal with the 'Goddess' in charge of all of this.

"What, pray tell, is this? A midsummer night's dream, or the butterfly flapping its wings through time?" Akemi chimed, as she peered over her shoulder...

To find a certain Yumeko Watanabe standing behind her, already fully suited up as Jõtaider Dream. "Perhaps a mix of both." She chuckled, a hint of sadness in her voice. "...I was aiming to lock onto Mikai's energy. Your acting is flawless if it confused me that much."

"I'll take it as a compliment, Dreamer. However..."

Indeed, just as Akemi pointed out that they wouldn't have time to playfully banter, the Atombis copies that had been slashed apart each stood up. There was no sign of defeat on their faces, not a single hint of giving up despite being cut in twain...

If anything, this just unleashed the chains inside them. Chains that wove themselves together like a spider would weave a web, causing them to multiply. From 8 copies to 16, with no guarantee that beating them would be possible if they were able to pull something like this out.

"A crowded stage. Yet I'm with the one who can crowd the stage on her own as well." Akemi said, before she felt a chill running down her back. "...This pressure... It's like the weight of history bearing down on a single heart..."

Dream nodded, her hand over her heart. "I'm still spent from the day before, you know. That's why I had to come here like this. In fact, I'm still back there. Still dreaming." She muttered, as the bracelet on her hand that usually controlled her transformation still remained as cracked as the moment she first transformed into Dream...

...If she pushed her powers any further, there was no guarantee that she'd be able to hold it in. But at the same time, the words Saeko spoke to her the day before were still fresh in her mind. She had to trust in them. And more than that, she had to trust in the people that Mikai had connected with...

"...Akemi. You're able to play any role, as long as you immerse yourself. Am I right?"

Yumeko's question was worrying. Yet Akemi nodded, the judging glances headed her way still not enough to make her budge. "If your wish is to put it all on the line for the sake of the ones you love, then I will play my part. Shall we, Dreamer?"

How confident. It was almost infectious. Yet would it be enough?

Keeping the doubt in her heart for now, Jõtaider Dream steeled herself. All while the wings on her back flapped, the spores flicked from those beautiful wings weaving themselves together into the shape of a portal reaching deep into another dream…

"This cycle of rebirth. Temporal or through Aether. Dream Mystica will end it."

Stepping out of that portal with a scornful look on her face was another Yumeko, however it was hard to tell that it was who she was supposed to be. Namely because of the half purple dress, half purple armor that she wore. Not only that, but the rainbow horns growing out of her head and the facemask wrapping around her... It made it difficult to tell if she really was the same girl that summoned her, or somebody who had managed to hijack her. The shiny hue of her skin didn't help matters, as if all of this was layered on top of her...

Gazing towards the other self she called upon, then the prismatic Star that stood at her side in the form of Mimoto, Jõtaider Dream pointed her bow at her enemy!

“Despite this fear, rooted deep in my heart, I must stand! Let the curtain rise on this Dream!”

—

"What a wonderful sound. Almost like we might actually get that descent that... She... wants..."

A muddy-haired girl slowly stepped through the halls of Mimoto Highschool. Pleased with the sounds of obedience, combat and defiance pouring through. All while she could leisurely walk along. Smirking to herself because of what exactly was going on.

Of course Kimiko was happy. That bitch Kanzei had finally cracked just as she thought she would. And now she was the one causing a Descent. That's what she deserved for trying to go against her. For trying to bring back Mikai.

Yet as she walked along, she could feel something tugging at her heart. Would a Descent really make Mama happy? And if Saki was the one causing it, wouldn't she look at her? No, no no. No time to think about that. Neo had set up all the pieces to make her return as splendid as it needed to be. Now, she just needed to enjoy the fireworks show. Then after that-

"Y-You! Kimiko, r-right?"

Kimiko paused. And then she laughed as she turned around, facing the rock puppy that had come. No doubt to stop her, given everything. "In the flesh. What, are you here to get your revenge or something, Mumei-chan? I bet you're angry because of what I did to Mikai!"

Mumei-chan could feel her body trembling. Kimiko was exerting some sort of pressure, it was hard to really take another step towards her. And yet, she slowly did. She had to!

"Why'd you... Why'd you try and say you're Mikai?" She asked. Her tone more questioning than trying to accuse her of something...

"Because I am! Because she's been living a life I've been denied! Because if I hadn't been taken away by Mama, I would've been your friend, and you'd be none the wiser! That's why!" Kimiko grit her teeth. Blood boiling from having to think about that damned girl. Especially after what she did when she beat her..!

"A-And? Why couldn't we be friends like t-this?"

Kimiko's anger simmered. And slowly but surely, the girl tilted her head in utter confusion. "You... After everything I've done. After what I did in broad daylight, heralding the destruction of the world, you really think I would be your friend?! What are you, stupid!?" The more she thought about it, the more she couldn't stop herself from laughing...

It was absurd. And yet... It was because she reached out to Mikai that day that things had started to turn out like this. And more than anything, it really did sound like Kimiko was lonely...

"M-maybe I am stupid! But I'd rather be stupid and a friend than not reach out when somebody needs it!" The weak rock pupper cried out, standing strong despite it all...

Kimiko couldn't stop laughing at the idea, waving her away as she started walking off. "Fine, pup. You keep being stupid. See where that gets you. I'm going to find the best seat in the house to watch all of this break down." She mocked her, too amused to be annoyed with that stupid logic.

..It wasn't a no. That was... Way better than what Mumei-chan actually expected...

Ehe. Maybe if she kept trying to reach out, then...

—

"The defiant may run. The defiant may hide. But Khopesh will be there. Slithering her way into the nooks and crannies of her domain, so that none may escape!"

The gilded and corrupted version of Ouroboros slithered her way down the halls, giggling to herself as she saw a pair of students trying to run from her despite the obvious result.

Not that it mattered. She was faster than them. And all it took was a single cut, her arm twisting as she lunged forward to get the tiniest nick on the infidel's body...

A scream was all that managed to echo out before a barrage of bandages surged out from the wound, wrapping the defiant infidel up in the blink of an eye. Producing a mummy-like Pawn, who simply stood there as it collapsed onto its back. Unable to defy the Goddess any longer...

"S-Stay ba-"

The other student didn't get far once left alone. Their punishment was swift, as Khopesh's twin blades cut through the neck that held that defiant head, launching the head into the air...

Only for the wound left behind to immediately erupt into more bandages, wrapping around the launched head and slamming it back down onto the body as it formed yet another mummified Pawn. With the source of these defiant thoughts sealed away inside of that dome, there was no way for them to go against what the Goddess wanted...

"Ehehe... So many more still to judge. Not to worry. The Goddess' domain will keep expanding as long as her sun shines bright." The corrupt serpent mused to herself, as she carefully let her blade sing by letting their sharp blades slide against one another...

Only for that wonderful song to be cut off by the rough sound of an oaf and her patsy approaching. A soft sigh left Khopesh's lips as she turned to face them with both her blades hungering for more heads to purify...

"That's the... Who's that again? I don't keep up with these people, they want me to keep attending class." Azami said, pointing in the direction of the corrupted serpent

"You're supposed to be attending class as well as balancing your training, Azami. As for this girl... Ouroboros, I believe. Even with her face hidden behind that helmet, I can picture the devious grin on her face." Yu followed up, a dry stare headed for the corroded heroine.

A Red Oni and an Oni boy who looked more like a Geisha than anything else. And neither of them were paying true respects to the Goddess.

Not that it mattered. They were just a stepping stone in her path to ensuring her Goddess' ending. All she had to do was cut them down!

Azami watched as the slithering serpent sped towards her. "Oh no you don't!" The oversized former Jõtaijin shouted as she tossed the thing that most identified her as an Oni into the air...

Her gourd, still full of all the sake she could want! Perfect for smashing to pieces to give her an advantage in a fight!

Untold amounts of alcohol splashed across the hallway, with the Oni at her side bearing the brunt of it. No matter, his eyes were firmly locked on the slithering armored serpent heading straight for his ally. This wasn't what they had practiced, but she set him up well enough!

"Your offering to the Goddess has been rejected! Now offer up your head for ruining a perfectly good offering-"

Just as Khopesh was about to lunge towards the much bigger Oni, her lower half slipped in the alcohol underneath. Causing her balance to be thrown out of whack for just a moment. And just a moment was all that Yu needed!

"Soul Sever!"

With one powerful step, the geisha Oni thrust his palm forward. Landing the strike perfectly centered on Khopesh's chest. And with that, a blast of concentrated energy slammed through her in turn...

Launching the armor away, the two Khopesh blades snapping off her arms before she slammed into the wall. And through a couple of classrooms, if the sound of another wall caving in was any indication.

"Yeesh, you weaponized that thing you did to the shortie? I didn't know you could separate a soul from a body like that!" Azami laughed, she really was behind on her Miko studies. Guess she had a lot more to learn from Yuu-senpai...

Yuu nodded, clenching his hand as he felt the energy slowly recede through his body. "I used it once against Fushimi to try and help her understand what was so special and unusual about her body. Weaponizing it in such a manner was not something I expected to do, but it seemed to have worked. With any luck, Ouroboros should have returned to normal by the time we approach her once again."

Indeed. The power of the soul and all of its energies was unlike any other. One that he desperately still needed to fully master, in case he was ever needed should an event like this arise again.

A power that also made the two blades that had been launched from Khopesh's body start to tremble. Power that attracted them. Power that they could use to make their Goddess' desires come true!

Despite his calm and collected demeanor, Yu was not nearly observant enough to notice the weapons in the ground starting to pull themselves out. No, he was focused on the one they had launched from. Unaware that his attack had succeeded in the worst way possible-

"YU-SENPAI!"

Yu's eyes widened as he got shoved out of the way, right as the sound of blades slicing through tough flesh echoed out. All that he managed to see was Azami's head flying into the air...

Only to twist into a copy of the very same gilded helmet that had been trying to carve him to bits, slamming back down onto the overgrown Oni's body as it rapidly changed just the same. Gilded bandages wrapped around that firm body over and over until all of Khopesh had been layered on top of Azami's body. The only difference between the two of them now was how big the newly transformed Oni was as she served as Khopesh's new host...

"Ehehe... The blades of the Goddess cannot easily be vanquished. Any infidel's body will also serve as a wonderful vessel for her weapons." Khopesh laughed, brandishing those iconic blades that were now part of her arms...

Blades that almost immediately descended upon the much shorter Oni, who still hadn't recovered from the shock of seeing his companion get her body stolen like that. So much so that he instinctively closed his eyes, his calm demeanor shattered and replaced by resignation towards his impending judgment...

"Living Canvas. Are you alright?"

But before the blades were able to reach him, the satisfying sound of metal hitting metal echoed out. Allowing Yu to open his eyes and gaze upon the ganguro gothbot that had managed to clash with the two blades aimed squarely at his neck. As well as the red-hued dracobot at his side, offering him a hand...

"My name is Yu. Thank you." He clarified, before gazing towards Ero, then back at Neoheim, then finally at Khopesh. "...Both of you. I need another opening if I am to free Mizutani from that gilded prison."

Ero laughed as she broke the clash between her and Khopesh by kicking the serpent away, then quickly dashing back to put some distance between the two of them. Dragging Yu and Neo along of course, so they weren't in the way.

"You need a distraction? Then just leave it up to Ero and Neo, Robo Bitches extraordinaire!" Ero declared, with Neo questioning what she just heard with a headtilt...

Khopesh laughed as she let her blades sing once more, grinding those edges against each other in wonderful anticipation...

Two more infidels had joined the fray. And if she wasn't mistaken, the red one was one of the girls at the top of the Goddess' list of... 'special interests'...

Ehehe. Surely the Goddess wouldn't mind her relieving her of her head early, so she could bring her straight to her!

—

"My. It seems like the dominos started falling just as I expected them to. Even if that golden nuisance is keeping my trump card at bay, it's clear that the Descender is proceeding along just fine. All I needed to do was push her, and everything starts to crumble!"

The culprit behind the current ordeal laughed to himself as he walked down the halls of Mimoto Highschool. Enjoying the wonderful sounds going around. Judging by the presence he felt pouring through him, the 'Young One' and the Overlord's 'Daughter' were both here as well. Not that either of them were going to get in his way.

All that Lumiel had to do now was simply wait for the right moment, and then...

"Y-You... You! You're behind all of this, aren't you?!"

The cries of a young girl echoed out, prompting Lumiel to gently lift his hat to gaze at the red-haired girl in front of him. The former Murakumo, no?

Lumiel grinned as he tipped his hat back down, casually using his jeweled cane to smack away a slash of flickering flames headed towards him. "Just step aside like the rest of your pathetic kin. If you're not going to be my tool, you'll simply be morphed into something more useful."

Momiji suddenly felt a strange sensation pouring through her as her eyes met his gleaming yellow one. As if a massive pair of hands were starting to squeeze down on her, twist her into another form...

S-She couldn't... Couldn't let that happen..! If she fell, what would Tsubasa think? She had to stay strong, she had to..!

However, her struggle was futile in the face of the Prime Darkness. Especially since she still depended on that silly Jõtai power. A power that he could easily twist to his favor...

"I won't bother trying to turn you into a worthless blade again. You'll be another Shade. Just like them."

As he spoke, his cape began to billow. And three figures dropped out like he had just called upon them with nothing more than a magic trick...

They all looked vaguely similar to one another. Yet the smallest of details still remained. Ichika's frankly ridiculous bust and glasses layering on top of that mask with those sculpted lips that characterized Lumiel's personal minions. Kei's muscled body and bovine assets squeezing into that tight bunny suit that she would probably kill somebody over... And the perverse Kotaro's hair covering part of her mask, trembling over having been converted into a female like her horny fantasies...

She was going to end up like them if she didn't resist. She had to! For her beloved's sake!

For Tsubasa's sake!

"MOMIJI!"

Lumiel pulled his cape in front of him as the wall close to him broke down, courtesy of a familiar blonde 'Magical Girl' and the spectacled 'Hero' that had once fallen prey to the Darkness already. Both still choosing to get in his way despite being hopelessly outclassed...

Not to mention they brought friends. Some redheaded Matron and a mouse-like girl riding on the older girl's shoulder. Strange compatriots, yet they'd fall just the same...

"Tsubasa!" Momiji could feel her heart jumping for joy as she saw her boyfriend. Thank goodness, the pressure around her faded the moment she saw him. It was like she had been awoken from a living nightmare...

Immediately, she morphed right back into the shape she always took while he wielded her. Habakiri back where she belonged!

Agatha, or 'Bloom Valkyr' as she liked to call herself in this form, cracked her knuckles as she faced off against Lumiel. "Bastard, you're probably behind all of this, aren't you!? You're why Saki's turning this place into hell!"

Aimi took a single glance at Lumiel as she stood by Agatha, quietly patting Nezu on the head as she felt utter dread facing off against this kind of presence. "He's the reason why? And looks like he got Ichika while we were busy trying to hunt him down. He's gonna pay for that!"

Lumiel let out a bellowing laugh as he tipped his hat once more, his blackened yellow eyes gleaming. "You really think the four of you can stand up to a Prime? None of you have the power of a Jõtaider! You think you stand a chance against me?"

"Who said there were only four?"

The black-hearted Prime felt his blood run cold for a split second, before his anger bubbled to the surface at the sight of the blonde in red approaching from behind them. "You... BAT!"

While Agatha and Tsubasa had come to understand that their Principal was the infamous Baroness Bat, both Aimi and Nezu looked back at her with surprise. Not just that she was there, but that she of all people was meant to be Golden Freedom's Number 2...

...Come to think of it, why hadn't they clocked her sooner? She looked so damn similar, just trading out a suit for a dress...

"Principal... No, Bat! Please, lend us your strength! You don't want him around anymore than we do, right?" Tsubasa cried out, steeling himself as he focused his attention on Lumiel instead of the enemy of his enemy!

Bloom Valkyr grit her teeth slightly. Still not fond of working with the person that turned Alyssa into a Monster, even if it helped her out in the long run. "We deal with him, and then you buzz off before I knock you down for what you've done!"

Rose smiled at how eager her students were to compromise. They had grown so much. She couldn't be prouder. "If you're going all out, then it's only fitting I match your determination!"

With a roar, the composed Principal pulled her hand close to her lips, kissing it to turn it into something that made Lumiel's blood boil. That blasted Hopper System again!

"Desire Release!"

Principal Rose slammed her gauntlet-covered hand into her chest, suit erupting off her body as it turned into a horde of bats, a horde that slammed back into her as they reformed into the dress that characterized her most as Baroness Bat...

All while she slid her thumb over the orb she pulled out of her chest. Within was the bat that symbolized her powers. Her very own Jõtai Factor. And with the Hopper System ready to receive...

"INSERTION! BAT!"

The world shattered around the Baroness, as the golden energies of her magnified desire filled them in and wrapped around her in turn. Turning into gilded armor that magnified her power, the crimson hues that accompanied this new golden look served as her personal touch to this armor...

In fact, it was stylistically similar to the armor that Spider once had worn when she fought against Mimoto. The most dramatic change between them, the one that struck the most awe into her young allies?

Her stained glass wings, depicting her and her beloved D'Or on one wing each. As well as her helmet looking almost like a bat was resting atop of her, waiting for a moment to detach and swoop around...

"Together, my students! We drive this creature from the hallowed halls, and free our loved ones from his influence!"

Last time, she fought alongside that short bastard's motley crew to stop him. This time, her students were at her side. Empowering her more than ever before, just as she would empower them. But more importantly...

This time, he would suffer dearly. For pushing a part of her family past the point of no return!

—

"Come on! Where's that spunk you had when you tried to protect Miss Charlotta? I don't feel it in these attacks!"

Broken Sun did not respond to the blonde's idle banter, choosing to slam the butt of her cane against the ground to herald her attacks instead.

"Bind."

Bison cracked a grin as she met the sun's rays lashing out towards her to try and bind her with stars shining across her arms, forming a series of whips that lashed forward to meet the attack. All while she laughed at the blackened and gilded form of that 'Golden Girl'.

This was partly her fault, wasn't it? She had taken such a brazen approach to try and cheer her up, to try and make her stop thinking so the bad vibes didn't weigh her down. And now she was facing off against those very same bad vibes, bursting free from her body with every passing minute.

"Whatcha gonna do when you've protected everyone anyway? What do you gain from shuttin' 'em all away inside those pretty little cages? They're barely even gonna be useful as action figures if you just have 'em on display!" Bison cried out, stars covering her fists as she punched straight ahead...

With Broken Sun refusing to deign that attack with a proper defense, the sun that hovered behind her expanded rapidly to swallow those stars before they reached her. Receding to let the rest of her go, so that she could resume her assault.

"Decree."

The rays that had been bound by the starry whips erupted, turning into sharpened needles of pure sunlight as each pointed straight towards the American gal...

With Bison slamming her fists together to make the very same stars they tried to shoot past erupt as well, each point of the stars shooting off in pursuit. For every star, five projectiles were fired. Leaving Broken Sun's assault hopelessly outmatched by pure numbers.

"Come on! Banter at least! What, aren't you going to defend your actions or something? You're a holier than thou type, speak up!" Bison kept on blabbering, taunting despite the danger right in front of her.

For her money, she could do this all day. But the longer she took, the less of a chance there'd be to rescue the girl inside. She had to make sure she actually got the Golden Girl out, otherwise all of this would be for naught.

Broken Sun paused for a moment. "I needn't. The Hero protects. She needs no reward. She needs no compensation. No idolation. Nothing. The mere knowledge that the ones she loves are safe is all that she needs. NOTHING MORE! REJECTION!"

The needles made of pure sunlight exploded the moment they came into contact with the starry bullets, filling up the area that surrounded Bison and severely limiting the scope of what she could see. But if she couldn't see, then there was no reason not to go all out!

"Don't think you can beat America when it comes to fireworks!" She laughed, the sound of fireworks going off as each of her remaining bullets erupted in tandem. Turning the sunny explosions around her into red, white and blue ones to really amp up the intensity of the fight...

What the girl said though, that was what really concerned her. It was a selfishly selfless approach. The kind where you'd do anything to see other people happy because they just couldn't be happy themselves. She had been there once.

Then the good Doctor knocked her out of that way of thinking because she very nearly got herself killed. If that's what she had to be to make the girl see sense, then...

Bison paused as the explosions slowly but surely started to die down. The charred gal had disappeared. Where was she hiding, hm? It's not like the hall had plenty of space she could use to hide...

"Judgment."

The sound of power gathering echoed from above. There, a slight golden gleam. She was trying to take her out by literally getting the drop on her, huh?

"Don't you know? ANYTHING YOU CAN DO, AMERICA DOES BETTER!" Bison laughed even harder as she gathered all of her power in a single fist, 50 stars decorating the back of it before she launched her fist into the air...

A fist that slammed straight through the rafters above, through the charging energy that was going to be heading straight for her. However...

"Bind."

She had destroyed the energy, yes. But that just gave the enemy an opening in the form of a cane broken in two falling to the ground, each half erupting into more of those sunny chains that were headed straight for Bison!

"Decree."

Just as Bison was about to whip out and block the impending assault with her starry whips, they erupted into sunny needles before she had time to react, each heading straight for one of Bison's most vital points. She was getting faster. If that was the case-

"LIGHT 'EM UP!" "Rejection."

She met the explosive payload headon with her own. Sure, she wasn't getting as much coverage as before, but her surroundings were once again lit up by the bright colors of the red white and blue. Heh, no matter what Broken Sun did, the charred gal's efforts would end up as nothing more than helpless flailing in the eyes of something much greater...

"Anything I can do, you can do better."

But greater didn't always mean prepared to use it. Bison's confident facade breaking apart as she felt something sinking deep into her stomach. Something golden. Something sharp.

"No matter how much better you are. You aren't the Hero. You too will be protected. Whether you wish to be or not."

And standing in front of her, glaring deep into her eyes, was Broken Sun. The irises of her helmet full of the flames of her sun, conveying the burning determination going through her. Determination that had risen to the occasion.

Bison would be happy to have been bested like this if it wasn't for the circumstance. She always was a bit too cocky with the way she threw her weight around. Whenever she got too caught up in using other people's powers in a better way, she lost sight of what made herself truly great. And that earned her a golden dagger in her gut this time, huh?

"H-Heh." Still, could be worse. "You were much prettier when you were all gold, 'Golden Girl'." She grinned, even as she could feel the gold spreading across her body. All while she could feel that sun finally start to melt away her attempts at resisting...

Broken Sun didn't reply. Merely pulling the dagger from that gut as its job had already been done. "Do not move. Your suffering will be lessened if you do." She muttered, turning her attention away from the bigger girl that had tried to come and stop her.

Just like all the others. They weren't willing to push themselves to the brink for the sake of protecting the ones that deserved it. Just the act of turning around was enough to make more of her armor crack.

Broken Sun wasn't just her name. It was also the descriptor of her current state. If she kept pushing herself even further, there was a good chance that she would lose herself to the inferno of her obsessive desire. The inferno of eternal protection. It was what she would eventually need to complete her plan...

Yet as much as she could just let it loose and win that way, there was some small part of her that still tried to stop her. Was it Saki, still able to interact in some fashion despite the fact she had been sent into that Nightmare once again..?

Or... Perhaps, even if she didn't want to admit it... No, that couldn't be it. If it was, then why was she doing all of this anyway...

"Y'ever heard the term 'Pyrrhic Victory' before?"

Broken Sun paused, looking over her shoulder towards the partly gilded Bison. "Winning at a great cost." She replied, before she felt a pulse pounding through her. No. No, that couldn't be...

Bison cracked one last grin before she was completely petrified. "Looks like the cavalry's here. Right on schedule." She laughed, fully petrified and protected in that laughing pose...

Right as the doors to the hall slammed open, and two all-too-familiar figures entered.

That infernal Hero who had been the source of all of Broken Sun's grief ever since she started trying to fight on her own.

And her white-clad partner, the corporate Hero who was just as obsessed in certain aspects as Broken Sun herself.

"KING. Mimoto... MIKAI!" Broken Sun shouted, the flames that made up her body roaring despite how much she had managed to maintain her composure. "This time. Both of you will submit. You will kneel and remain protected. Forever!"

Mimoto shook her head, both of her wings spreading wide with pride. "You're wrong! Just like the others are dealing with your minions, we're gonna deal with you and make sure you can't cause more trouble! For yourself, and for Saki!"

...Dealing with..? They... They were... Fighting. For... her...

No. Not again... Never again...

KING noticed a change in the way Broken Sun's body burned, immediately standing in front of her partner with both of her shields up to protect her. The flames roared louder, breaking out of more of that gilded and charred armor...

"Never again. Never again! NEVER AGAIN!"

The mere thought of them fighting for her sake, the one thing she told them not to do, sent her into a rage...

A rage that the two heroes would have to quell, before it would burn away the whole school!

—

"Never again..."

Hayato blinked as he swore that Denile's attack briefly stopped. Only for it to continue with even more ferocity, the splashing rapids trying to nail him down in particular.

"What was that!? What'd she say!?" Mina shouted, her legs glowing gold as she put all of her glory into sliding out of the way of another pillar of water splashing her direction, panting as the act of being on the defensive like this wasn't doing her any favors.

"Never again. It didn't sound like her though, it sounded like... Damnit, of course she's got some sort of influence over them while they're transformed!" Hayato cried out as he slammed a medal into the back of his pistol

"REVEAL YOUR DESIRE - MURAKUMO!"

The power of the medal he had gotten from resonating with Momiji transformed his twin pistols into a pair of bayoneted rifles, not the easiest thing to use to fight, but the blackened flames that coated the blades would do the trick!

Slashing through the impending flow, his focus was less on the fight at hand, and what might be running through Yuuki's head while she was like this. If this was all because of Saki throwing one massive fit, then there had to be something he could do to get through to her-

"KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE PRIZE, HAYATO!"

Because he got lost in his thoughts, he didn't notice the living river trying to catch him off guard by striking at his stomach. Which was why he was grateful his flank was covered by the former Glory Chaser.

He was just about to apologize and thank her for the rescue before he noticed something critical. She was grabbing onto the river...

"Mina, what are you doing?"

The tanned tomboy blinked as she noticed what she was doing as well. Only for her to grin as she could feel the river trying to absorb itself into her. "Would you look at that. I've got just what we need." Because she was able to chase after glory like this, making it her own, she could grab onto the river as it came to try and attack!

Once again, he had been proven wrong. Just as he had been proven wrong the day that Yuuki put him on the right path. He really was the biggest idiot. But that's why he was here now. To pay her back for what she had taught him.

"Never again, huh?" Hayato cracked an uncharacteristically confident grin. "Resonate!"

Mina watched as her body started glowing for a second, only for a medal to appear in front of Hayato. One he quickly slammed into his PriDriver, causing his own voice to echo out.

"RELEASE YOUR DESIRE - GLORY!"

The same golden glow that covered Mina's limbs when she tapped into her Jõtai Factor started to surge across Hayato's limbs, as a newfound need to chase glory down and make it his own filled his body. But that wasn't the need he was aiming to satiate. No, there was a much more pressing need...

"Never again... Ahhhh... As long as I drown everyone in this devotion to my Goddess, never again will I feel weak..."

Denile had such a somber expression on her face. There they were, Yuuki's true feelings. Not only had Saki transformed her, but those feelings were part of driving her further into obsession.

"You've got my back, Mina?" Hayato asked, fist glowing just as he saw the river that composed most of Denile's existence growing before their very eyes. It was now or never!

The former Glory Chaser grinned as her own fist shone bright. "Let's wake her up!" She cried out, dashing straight ahead with Hayato at her side.

Denile smiled as the wave grew bigger and bigger. Neither of them would be able to overwhelm this wave, they weren't strong enough. They'd drown, just like her and all the others...

However, just as it splashed down and tried to wash the duet away, a bright golden circle filled the center of the wave. One that gave Denile pause, especially once the circle forcibly parted...

Courtesy of the two fists that now shone with glory, the waters of Denile pouring through them as if those waters were theirs!

"It's not possible..! You shouldn't be able to overpower the rivers of devotion! You deny that which is absolute!? The Goddess' power?!" She couldn't believe it. There's no way they should be able to...

"What's impossible yesterday becomes possible today!" Mina shouted as she narrowly dodged out of the way of another river blast, grabbing ahold of the side of the blast as it flew by her to stretch it out like a rope. "As long as you've got the right one beside you!"

Hayato's legs took on that same golden glow as he leapt onto the rope-like river, dashing along it as he aimed both of his rifles at the Jõtaijin, firing fiery bullet after fiery bullet to pierce through her defenses.

Denile's attempts to defend herself grew weaker and weaker. Partly because of the girl that held onto her river, partly because these bullets were growing stronger by the minute. What... What was he?!

"I deny it because you'd do the same!"

The Jõtaijin could feel her body trembling all over. It's like something was trying to force its way out of her. Like something was bubbling its way to the surface. No, this couldn't be. "I would never-"

"YOU WERE THE ONE TO BREAK ME OFF THAT PATH, YUUKI!"

Hayato's voice rung loud and clear as he ran along the path formed by the river. Even as it spiraled around the Jõtaijin, meaning he had to keep running lest he get caught up in the whirlpool that was gradually taking shape. All while he kept firing, bullet after bullet carrying everything he had to give!

"IF NOT FOR YOU, I WOULD'VE PUSHED EVERYONE AWAY IN THE PURSUIT OF FRUITLESS HATE! YOU'RE THE ONE THAT OPENED MY EYES WHEN I NEEDED IT MOST! SO DON'T YOU DARE THINK YOU WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO FIGHT BACK AGAINST THIS! YOU'RE THE STRONGEST GIRL I KNOW!"

His words made more and more of Denile's body ripple. It was true. She had roughed him up because of what he believed. Because he was a stupid idiot who blamed every Monster for the one that had caused his Mom to suffer.

Because of her. Because of her strength. The very same strength that she was now drowning inside...

Denile's expression cracked slightly, a sly grin worming its way onto her face despite the rest about to drown in despair. Yuuki was in there..!

"There's the PASSION I've been waiting to see! MINA! LAUNCH ME!"

"LET'S GET YOU ASHORE, YUUKI!" Mina shouted, putting everything she had into one big strike, turning the river rope she held tight to splash into a big wave, one that Hayato jumped onto!

"RESONATE!"

Hayato's PriDriver glowed bright once again as another medal took shape. One with Yuuki's bright grin plastered all over it, encased in ice with the fire of PASSION backing it up. A medal he immediately slammed into the PriDriver.

However, that wasn't enough. No, to truly break through to the girl that had set him right, he slammed another medal in. Even though there shouldn't be a slot for it, a slot formed the moment he slammed the medal in!

"RELEASE OUR DESIRE! HAYATO AND PASSION!"

A new power, awakening in response to the feelings he harbored for the PASSION-filled girl! A power that swept over the wave he stood upon, turning it into an iceberg that towered over the stunned Denile...

She couldn't believe that he could go this far. It shouldn't be possible. It shouldn't be. Yet she was happy. Because he was proving her right. Through the very same PASSION that pulsed through her body every waking moment of her life!

"PASSION! PRIDE!"

Hayato's body erupted into several types of firearms, each pointed directly down at the threat that had claimed Yuuki. Each either brimming with flaming energies of PASSION, or breaking free from their frozen PASSION prisons, the two contrasting elements working in tandem to improve every aspect of his firepower!

"FULL BURST!"

A hailstorm of gunfire shot out, piercing its way through every single inch of the river that made up Denile's body. Freezing it, melting it, evaporating it, and otherwise turning a mockery out of the divine river that she was supposed to represent...

Yet the Jõtaijin didn't cry out in despair at being beaten. No, a satisfied smile was on her face. Because now more than ever, she felt that everything was right...

After all, she wasn't as weak as she thought she was. If she had been that weak, he wouldn't be there to save her from herself...

The onslaught of hail and fire slowly died down, leaving Yuuki laying in a pool of water. Not river water, not any other kind of water. Just water...

The water of pure PASSION, merged together thanks to the display that the grumpy boy put on. Guess she was right to knock some sense into him way back when, huh?

"Rika! RIKA!"

Mina wasn't as concerned with Yuuki as Hayato was, running off towards her oversized partner to make sure she was alright now that Denile was no longer. Leaving Hayato to simply walk over to the icy-haired girl that had done so much for him.

"How was that show of PASSION, Yuuki? Hot enough for you?" He almost sounded cool like that. Almost. But right now, she'd let him have it.

Yuuki cracked a grin as she took the hand he offered. "You keep showing your PASSION like that, and a girl like me might just fall for you. So don't let up, I'm looking forward to more!"

A soft blush wormed its way onto Hayato's cheeks. Well... He wouldn't be against getting closer to her. Even if it meant he'd have to go all out like this again...

Heh. Something to think about…

—

"Never again..."

Neo could feel something in the air. The gilded oni's assault stopped for a moment. "Ero, did you pick up on that transmission?"

"Sounds like somebody's coping with their trauma and that's transferring into her minions!" Ero chimed, just barely dodging out of the way of another strike by the bladed Oni as she started her assault back up.

Khopesh chuckled a little as the jaw of her helmet parted, allowing her to slither a long tongue along the edge of her blade. "Never again shall I be alone. Even if I have to personally ensure the happy ending I desire, I'll do anything to make it happen! The Goddess will succeed, and you three will be purged!"

The jaw snapped shut again as the gilded Oni raised her hands to the air, alcohol pouring along her body as she began slashing her blades against one another once again. This time, sparks began to erupt from between them-

"RELEASE YOUR DESIRE - HABAKIRI!"

Before the flames would ignite in the Oni's favor, Ero tossed her scythe forward as it took on the shape of a greatsword. The very same that Momiji usually turned herself into, lighting all of the sake spilling onto the Oni on fire and smothering her in her very own tactic...

Neo watched the flames spread further and further, her attention turning back towards Yu. "You just need to strike her once, correct? That will sever her from her transformation?"

"...If this turmoil keeps up, there's a chance the fusion might become permanent. Both the foul energies that swirl through her and infest her mind, and the energies that she represents as she buries into Mizutani's body. A single strike might not be enough."

The calm demeanor was flaking. He was worried about the oni. This was another type of Love, wasn't it? If that was the case, she had to do what she could to help.

"True Archive Access." Father had suggested renaming this ability she had concocted using the data she had gathered. It did sound a lot more impressive, especially as she raised her arms and a sword-equipped shield formed across both of her forearms. "Artificial Jõtaider integrated! Complete - KING Neoheim!"

Ero blinked as Neo jetted forward with speeds unmatched by most others in Mimoto, a red thunderbolt-like pattern piercing straight through the red Oni that they were trying to fight. Actually, that was giving her an idea. If she was able to do something like that, not that she was going to question how she was able to, maybe...

The flames that covered Khopesh gradually died down, the gilded Oni letting out a laugh in response to the damage she did not suffer from. Even if they tried to strike her down, she was too durable for that. And should they manage to pluck the head from her shoulders again, who was to say she couldn't cut theirs off in turn and steal their bodies?

"Present your heads!"

Khopesh's command rung out, and even though Neo hadn't been struck by her... She still felt a compulsion to stay still and stand tall, her neck becoming awfully vulnerable in the process.

All she could imagine would have caused this sudden need inside her to flourish would have to be... Cutting through Khopesh, which covered her in some of that ceremonial sake. No wonder she felt compelled to listen, she had become part of the ceremony.

Khopesh's dripping blades shot out. Literally so, the two exotic blades heading straight for the neck of the Dracobot now that she was left vulnerable...

Only for the very same greatsword that had set her ablaze to knock them off course, with Ero landing right beside Neo with a devious grin on her face, her Desriver starting to glow.

"Resonate, and thank you!" Ero giggled as a geisha-themed medal appeared in the palm of her hand, one that she pocketed in her bosom for just a brief moment. "Neo, how's about we dock? You and me, no hostility this time? I need a bit more computational power, and you're the best bet I've got!"

To merge together again was something that Neo probably should be eager to do given the power that rushed through her. But that wasn't why she felt a certain excitement growing through her. No, it was because of the way that Ero actually offered it. A unified goal in mind for both of them...

"Permission granted." Neo said, her tone turning metallic as she started pressing her body up against Ero. "Docking-"

She didn't finish, a kiss forced on her lips as Ero wove her fingers between Neo's. Smiling brightly as she could feel the two of them start to become one. On a much more intimate level than before, one where neither of them were trying to force the other.

"Symmetrical Docking! GOOOOOOOO!"

Ero's voice spread out at the same time as the sensual cry of pure delight flowed freely from both of them, their mechanical bodies snapping together as if they were made for it. This time, they looked more like a proper merge of the two technologies. The Hopper System that was Ero overlayed with a set of red and blue armor, hardlight wings sprouting as Ero's face took prominence, though with Neo's eyes peering out from right above her chest.

"Complete! Neroheim! No more dashes, just full-force fusion, ehe!"

Yu watched as the two combined, and he couldn't help but feel a bit of hope nesting within his heart as their voices overlapped in perfect harmony. They were a much more welcoming look at how two would combine rather than what Khopesh had done to Azami, leaving him confident that he just needed that one strike...

"You think two will make one better? You're just leaving your one head vulnerable! Now present it!" Khopesh cried out, her lower body once more slithering at remarkable speeds towards the much smaller, much sleeker girl that dared stand against the ending she coveted.

"RELEASE OUR DESIRE! DIVINE SOUL!"

The power of the medal they had gotten from resonating with Yu poured through Neroheim's as two medals activated at the same time. Something that they could only carry out because of their unified body.

The power of Kanzei still fresh from the V-Aibõ incident, allowing them to lock down the golden girl's minion, as well as the fresh new power that poured their scythe, the darkness from the Divinity pouring into it to make it bigger, bigger, bigger!

Khopesh watched with growing fright as it grew so big it took up the entire hallway, her confidence rapidly waning. And at that moment, as she stared down certain defeat, she locked up. As if... No, it wasn't just one thing inside her that was rebelling...

"There's the ending I desire. The friends I've made to never be alone again. Now hold still and let them finish us off!"

The corrupted form had lost her control so badly that the girl inside had popped back into control once more. Spirals filling the overgrown Oni's eyes as she struggled to fight back when it mattered most!

"DIVINE SEVER!"

The powerful voice of two unified robots echoed out, as their oversized and darkened scythe cut off the malicious head of the Jõtaijin that had hijacked Azami's body, her head immediately popping back out of the stump left behind by the head launched off her shoulders as the armor melted away into nothing but sake...

Khopesh's head was still active however. And if she could just pry herself free from this internal hypnosis, there was a body ripe for the taking, one that she could use to make her Goddess' dreams a reality-

"Soul Sever - Lance!"

Another strike pierced straight through the floating head, this time pushing out the evil influence that had taken control of Minami's body. Courtesy of the energies shot out of Yu's blade-shaped hand, like he stabbed her with an enormous lance...

Leaving her head to fall back down, with her body naturally reforming where it was supposed to be. Laying there in the cracked Ouroboros armor, an unrelenting aching across her entire body pulsing through her. But at least, she was back to being her normal self again...

"Now that's the kind of phallic I'd love to get a taste of!" Neroheim chimed, only for her body to pulse with both gold and blue energies...

Disengaging their temporary fusion, and returning both Neo and Ero to their original selves, with Ero pouting that it only lasted so long. It was to be expected though, Neo's system was definitely still dangerous despite their current agreement...

"Yeeeeesh... So that's what it feels to have another head on my shoulders." Azami coughed as she slowly looked up, smiling as she saw Yu hovering over her. "Sorry about that, Yu-senpai. I still have much to learn if I ended up causing that much trouble."

He didn't initially respond. Until a smile crept onto his face. One that usually didn't find its way there given his lack of emoting. "I am happy to see you back to your usual self, Azami. Let us leave the worries about training until all of this is over."

The two Oni laughed amongst themselves, leaving Minami to sigh as she slowly pulled herself up. Still aching beyond belief, yet that wouldn't stop her from smiling towards the two bots. "Never thought I'd be saved by the same thing that caused so much trouble during the Descent. How's the saying go?"

"The enemy of yesterday is the ally of today." Neo immediately shot back, a soft smile on her lips. "I believe that is a wish of your own. If what I have been able to analyze is correct."

"Ehehehe, analyze, ehhh? What have you been doing with her data? Is there any data on me in there? Like, besides the stuff you stole when you hijacked me the first time?" Ero immediately wrapped her arms around her fellow bot, who didn't even try to push her away or stop her since she knew it wouldn't work. She simply had to endure.

Such a strange pair. Yet they had helped save her. Bring her back from the brink of a bad end. Now, if she could just recover...

There'd be a bad end for her to avert too, once her body stopped throwing a fit over all this aching.

—

"Never again..."

One of the copies of Atombis began speaking in response to the voice going through her mind, only for that very same Atombis to be launched by an arrow striking her straight in the chest..

Straight into a mold that rose from the ground, called upon by Dream Mystica in response to the enemy reaching a certain proximity. The masked alternative Yumeko gracefully floated on top of the mold as an essence began to pour into the top of it...

"That sound..." Jõtaider Dream muttered as she felt her entire body trembling in turn. Saki was hurting. As was that other half of her. She couldn't let this go on for long. Not while she was like this...

Still, there were so many copies of this version of Saeko. They were still far too outnumbered, but she couldn't just call upon more. Not when she was this close to...

"Dreamer!"

Akemi's voice echoed, right as a pink hued arrow flew past Dream. The stage girl had assumed a partly frilly pink and armored form, one that was brimming with love. Perfectly matching the other Yumeko, even if she didn't truly understand the role she took on.

"Sorry. Just... Keep them busy." Dream muttered, her mind scattered thanks to everything. She could feel the fear spreading through her as that command kept pulsing in her own head. She shouldn't be this affected...

"Never.. I never want to be useless ever again... I'll judge the Goddess' enemies and convert them into more of her loyal hounds. Never again."

Three more of the Atombis that were standing descended upon the love-filled Dazzling Star, each of them opening up to reveal several of those spider-thread like chains that were fully intent on wrapping her up like a gift.

"An actor imparts her own flavor upon the stage!" Akemi shouted as she flipped into the air, courtesy of a pair of ruby and pink wings growing on her feet. Right as a bow formed on the back of her hand, one brimming with pure love!

"Ishtar's Heartbreak!"

A spiral shot of pink energy slammed down to the ground in the blink of an eye, before splitting into three as each then slammed into the chests of the Atombis copies that tried to descend upon her. Launching them into yet more of the molds that had been prepared by Dream Mystica...

All while the first that had been molded was released from her mold, now looking identical to the Dream Mystica that had molded her in the first place.

"Four down, twelve to go..." Dream muttered, drawing her own bow as she took stock of the rest of the enemies around them...

There! Two opening up to try and grab the two Dream Mysticas and turn the tables! "Akemi! Set me up!"

Akemi flicked her hand past her face as if she was putting on a different actress' mask, swapping from the pink to a purple and black dress. Complete with her bow being replaced by a staff she held aloft!

"Luminous Bind!"

Before the two Atombis copies got close enough to get ahold of the less than prepared Dream Mysticas, a set of ribbons yanked them back into Akemi's range, before a bright moonlit flash washed over them. Stunning them just long enough...

"Deep Dream!"

Allowing Dream to let loose a pair of arrows that slammed into their chests, butterfly wings materializing on their backs as if they were being carried along the arrows' trajectory. Right into the path of two more molds, reducing the enemy combatants down to 8...

Even if the act of doing so was making Yumeko's dreamy avatar tremble more, especially as the three other Atombis copies had also become new copies of Dream Mystica...

The more of her alternative self took shape, the more she felt her mind sinking deeper and deeper. Deeper into the depths of the dream where she might never escape from. This was what would happen if she went overboard..!

An act that another three Atombis copies were all too happy to take advantage of, the trio grabbing ahold of one another to brace themselves as they lashed out in unison. String-like chains wrapping together into a drill that wasn't easy to stop!

"The dreamer's drifting, but that only reinforces her role. As one not just participating in the rescue of her dear companion, but as one to be rescued! Set!"

Once again, Akemi's role shifted. This time from the purple-hued eclipsing form to one bursting and sparking with electricity across her white and blue form. Just in time to toss three daggers around the copies of the Jõtaijin and dash in front of the drill...

Meeting it head on with a weapon of her own, the rapier that any star of the stage would wield. Slamming it into the very tip of the drill, the energies of those combined strings too much for her to handle. But it was what she was hoping for!

"Reverse the irreversible! Static Storm!"

That energy coursed through the rapier, through her body, through the ground beneath her and to the daggers she had set up, causing a similar drill made of pure electric energy to rise and send the trio flying despite how they braced themselves...

Giving Dream Mystica yet more copies to mold, each of these Yumeko copies looking scornfully at the one that had summoned them. Especially as she struggled to stay standing...

"You're... Playing the role given to you very well..!" Dream panted, the sight of Akemi working so hard being motivation to stay standing. Motivation to claw herself out of that dark hole she was tripping into...

Atombis herself wasn't fond of what was going on. These girls were proving that she was just as useless as she feared. But no. She would convert them too. Pull them in and use them as fuel...

One of the copies of Atombis gazed at three of her fellow hounds. Pulling them into her at a moment's notice, bulking her out further, adding their power to her own. Even if she was useless on her own, numbers would allow them to turn the tide in their Goddess' favor!

"The bigger they are, the harder they fall! Now fall as the curtain calls on your villainy!

For the third time, Akemi changed her role. This time from white and blue and electric to a sharp and edged green and white, one with the winds at her command as she gazed upon the four times as big Atombis...

It didn't matter how many they put together. All she would have to do was cut the binds that held them to ribbons. And the heels growing below, swirling with pure power, would do the trick!

"Twisting Step!"

One graceful step forward, and a front flip as she leaped towards the onslaught of chains that tried to pull her into the oversized sarcophagus. Graceful yet deadly, as she began spinning as violently as a drill, winds tearing apart everything around her!

Tearing straight through the Atombis, launching the four at four more molds, and leaving them with only one more combatant to take care of...

Atombis could feel the dread running through her hollow form. But one look at the dreamer that encouraged this living actress, and it was like something slowly clicked into place...

Yumeko was... Yumeko was suffering. Just as the Goddess was... Just as Saki was...

The living sarcophagus let out a conflicted howl, matching the conflicted cry of pain echoing from Jõtaider Dream as the tides started to turn in their favor...

She just had to hold out. Hold herself above the darkness trying to pull her down...

Hold herself above, so that magician's taunt wouldn't become a reality..!

—

"NEVER AGAIN!"

The ground started tearing up as Broken Sun's influence was calling forth more of those chains of sunlight from beneath, the sun growing with every pulse of her incensed anger. She needed to get rid of those threats to the protection she wanted to spread!

"Alpha Beginning!"

Mimoto Chimera countered the approaching sunlight by summoning the Unicorn Blade and letting the icy cold spread out, freezing them completely. Throwing a glance at KING the moment she set her up.

"Saint Blaster, Suzaku."

The cavity on KING's chest roared loud with red energies as a powerful burst of pure flaming energy fired off, melting away the sunny chains that had been trying to get to her and her fellow Jõtaider. The sun wasn't made of flame, despite all appearances to the contrary.

It was pure condensed will. Will that was running out of control. Will that could be matched by their own!

"Never again. I will not let them. I will not let any of them, not either of you, not anybody... NEVER AGAIN WILL THEY COME TO HARM! DECREE!"

Yet that will was still potent despite being melted to nothing more than specks. Each little speck turned into another needle that shot out towards the duo, each aiming to pierce through and pull them closer.

"Apex End!" "Desperado - Thunderbolt."

Mimoto saw the piercing needles coming and responded in turn, the power of Blast Eagle coursing through her as she swung her blade. Immediately converting all of that cold energy on her blade into a powerful, potent burst of pure windy energy that sent them all flying in different directions, breaking more of the hall around them...

And setting KING up for a straight shot, her twin sidearms connecting together as she shot one powerful piercing shot directly at Broken Sun's chest. Aiming to take her down with that one shot, no matter what!

"REJECTION!"

But the sun that composed her breaking body responded in kind, swallowing the shot up as it expanded in the blink of an eye. Growing even bigger as it raised into the air, taking up nearly the entire hall as it grew and grew to its true size...

"Don't you get it!? They're fighting for your sake! That's why they're getting hurt!" Mimoto shouted as she slid her hand across her blade. "It doesn't matter if it's our friends trying to save Saki, or the girls that fight for you! Both of them want to save you from yourself! They want to help!"

"SHUT UP!"

Broken Sun was breaking down further and further. She couldn't accept that they'd help her. Couldn't accept that they'd put everything on the line to save her. She wasn't the one that was supposed to be saved! They were! If they went any further, they'd perish! They'd lose! And she'd lose them!

Never again! NEVER AGAIN! NEVER!

"NEVER!"

The sun above Broken Sun erupted further and further, splitting apart into several smaller suns. Each taking the burning shape of Broken Sun, each brimming with more and more violent desire. Each aiming their kicks square at the problem straight ahead.

"DECREE! JUDGMENT!"

Only for them to split into several smaller, yet no less deadly copies as each flew straight at the two Jõtaiders. There were so many that it was almost like a storm of arrows blotting out the sun...

"Major Eruption!"

Mimoto raised both of her arms, currently decorated with Flame Lion and Earth Ursa, as an explosive looking chunk of rock took shape within. One that looked like it could blow at any second. She needed to concentrate it just right so it would hit everyone there... Or...

"Now, Hiro!" "Checkmate."

With just the right timing, KING cross-slashed the eruption-to-be and sent every single possible shard flying at once. Each striking one of the myriad of Broken Suns that were trying to strike them with their red hot kicks. Dotting the sky with explosion after explosion...

"No matter how far you shut yourself away." KING spoke, unable to see Broken Sun through the cloud of eruptions that dotted the air in front of them. Yet she knew that she could hear her. There was no way she couldn't. "Those your heart has bound to will always respond. They will pull you free from the brink. You yourself tried to do the same to Mikai when she was at her lowest. You cannot deny this, no matter how much you try."

"THEY DON'T NEED TO SAVE ME! I CAN BURN AS LONG AS I NEED TO! AS LONG AS THEY'RE SAFE! AS LONG AS I KNOW THEY'LL NEVER DISAPPEAR IN FRONT OF ME AGAIN!"

The corrupted, corroding form of Broken Sun broke through the explosions that dotted the skies. Her helmet on the verge of breaking apart into several pieces, revealing the burning darkness within that made up the entirety of Sole's true form...

That living trauma, trying to burn her way through anything that stood in her way. She wasn't going to stand down. No matter what.

NEVER AGAIN WOULD SHE LET HER LOVED ONES DIE WHEN SHE COULD DO SOMETHING TO STOP IT!

"REJECTION! BIND!"

Just as she had done to the council that stood against her, she trapped the two Jõtaiders inside a pair of burning barriers. Barriers that were being dug into by the sunny rays that served as the chains she once summoned. She needed to pull them into her. Pull them deep, deep into her and force them to become hers. So that they could be PROTECTED!

Mimoto punched the barrier once, shaking her hand as it immediately bounced off. Real strong stuff, surprisingly so given what Broken Sun's current state of mind was like. Not that she was deterred. If anything, this just gave her an idea.

"Hiro! Hit her with everything you've got!"

As KING started charging everything she had just as ordered, Mimoto slid her hand across her blade as it started glowing gold. "Like Hiro said! Once I've reached out and made a connection, I'm never letting go! That includes you, Saki! NOW! SYNCHRONIZE!"

A golden glow left Broken Sun's chest for a split second, before a black, darkened barrier erupted around her. One that was almost identical to the one that Mimoto was shut inside. Not only that, but there were chains that brought her closer and closer to the heroine she detested...

"My power... STOP! STOP IT! YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO USE THAT POWER! IT'S MINE! MIIIIIIINE!"

The incensed and corrupted Sole Hero cried out as Broken Sun, with both her barrier and the one that Mimoto was stuck inside starting to crack as a result. Not only theirs either, KING's was starting to break as well thanks to the rampaging shrieks...

"NOW, HIRO!"

As soon as the barriers cracked, Mimoto turned her blade towards the Broken Sun, shooting out chains upon chains to bind her. For just that split second, because it didn't take much more time for Broken Sun to break free...

But it was that single moment that KING relied upon. That moment of letting her guard down to deal with something else!

"Desperado Buster!"

The high-powered whine of KING's full power echoed out as a pure green beam of concentrated will slammed straight into the vulnerable form of Broken Sun, launching her into the stands where all the students that were meant to be loyal and protected would've been seated if she had succeeded in her initial hijacking of the ceremony...

Cratering her, showing that she could be defeated. Even if she got up just moments later, most of her armor broken and leaving nothing but the flaming hot desire to protect burning through its shell...

"Never... Again... Never... Again..." Broken Sun muttered again and again, her mind nothing more than a haze of pure desire at this point. Stuck on that traumatic response, not conceding any ground...

"Come on! Just give up already! We'll protect you too if you just accept that it'd be good for you!" Mimoto cried out. She was serious too, she'd be willing to give her that chance if she just stood down!

Naive. Naive. Weak. Hate. Hate. No. Can't. Can't lose them. CAN'T LOSE THEM!

"Stop hurting my Goddess!"

Just as Broken Sun started to spiral even further, she noticed something had fallen from her body after she had been launched. The V-Aibõ that Bee inhabited. And just like she would do to protect Saki, she had jumped forth in a corrupted version of her SaintBeelze form...

The black and gold recolor to most of Bee's aesthetic elements was one that actually looked kinda good, as did the flame patterns interspersed to match the fiery will of her Goddess. Plus the added touches of egyptian vibes, definitely working well with the corruptive tan she had gotten. Right now, she was ready to stand up to defend her Goddess, despite how she had been corrupted by her.

"Bee! Come on, not you too!" Mimoto cried out, this was getting old. All the council had been turned, and so had Bee? Not that she thought taking out Bee would be hard, but-

"BEE! I WON'T LET YOU BE HARMED! NOT YOU, NOT ANYONE! NEVER AGAIN!"

Before she had a chance to try and stop Bee from doing something stupid, Broken Sun roared once more. And in the blink of an eye, those sunny chains of hers shot out to try and grab onto anything and everything...

This included Mimoto and KING, the latter of which quickly slammed her ally down to avoid the two of them getting grabbed...

But more importantly, it included Bee. Who didn't even get a chance to fight before she was wrapped up in thick layers of these sunny chains and compressed into a much smaller, much safer form. The form of a marble that just laid where she had stood, safe as she could be...

Even after everything that they had thrown at her, she was still roaring strong. The two of them still had fuel left in the tank, but they needed something decisive to claim victory...

Leaving Hiro to gaze at her arm...

—

"Hiro. Are you sure you wish to do this?"

Huanglong floated by the white-haired woman's side as she gazed upon the cracked wall inside her soul. The wall that was supposed to keep the Darkness that infested her arm from getting in. A wall that would eventually come crashing down at the cost of her soul, if she kept up using KING's full potential.

She took a deep breath.

"This wall will come down regardless of what I do. But I made a promise to Minami. To finally do what I knew I had to do to move forward. So the only thing I can do to use everything I have is this."

Hiro clenched her fist.

"Break it, before it breaks me!"

And slammed her fist through that crack, shattering the protections on her mind. Even with Huanglong's natural worry at her actions, he stood behind her 100%.

Even as the yellow gleam from the other side of that wall grew bigger. As a silver-haired beast stood on the other side. A beast that represented all of her worst aspects, molded together by the Darkness she had been infected with...

"Is it time to feast?" The beast mockingly spoke, baring her fangs at her host.

A smirk wormed its way onto Hiro's lips. Confidence brewing through the formerly corporate heroine.

"No. It's time to stop holding back and put you in your place for good!"

Hiro launched herself at the beast within her, roaring with everything she had. Embracing the power, and moving forward on her own terms!

—

"Mikai! Let loose with everything you've got!"

Her partner blinked as Hiro cried out, shocked to see the arm that was supposed to be restraining her suddenly shift in shape. In fact, more and more parts of KING started to shift as the green energies rapidly turned violently red...

More and more parts of her armor became jagged and wild, converging in her helmet turning outright bestial. However, the change also opened up her visor. Revealing her energy-filled eyes, and the fierce expression she now carried.

"All restraints released! DESPERADO KING, ENGAGE!"

Mikai saw what Hiro was doing and met her determination, the parts of her armor that represented Chimera starting to crack as she roared loud!

"CHOU HENSHIN!"

The armor that was Chimera shattered, and the armor it was layered on top of revealed itself once more. Dark Dragon stood tall alongside the bestial KING at her side, both radiating absolute and crushing power...

Yet despite that, they were in perfect control. There was no rage or yielding of control to any instincts. They simply dashed forward with everything they had, about to finish this in one fell swoop before Broken Sun could break any further!

"NEVER AGAIN! NO MATTER HOW FAR YOU PUSH YOURSELVES, I WON'T GIVE UP! I WON'T LET YOU DESTROY YOURSELVES!"

The broken-minded enemy let loose a rage-filled scream as she unleashed all of her powers at the same time, yet none in any sort of controlled manner. Chains made of pure desire erupting into shards that shot at the two heroes, shards that shot at them only to explode into barriers that were supposed to keep them from getting close, barriers that turned into more copies of Broken Sun that then exploded into more chains, everything that she could muster...

"END OF DESPAIR!" "DESPERADO CHECKMATE!"

Dark Dragon's arm shifted to turn into a blade, with Desperado KING's claws extending into several blades as they charged through the mayhem in front of them. It didn't matter what was in their way, they would cut straight through!

Slashing through every inch of the power in front of them, Broken Sun simply screamed more, lashing out like it was the last thing she could possibly do to stop them. More and more chains, more and more barriers, all forming one giant barrier that was supposed to keep them out!

"HOPE'S BEGINNING!" "DESPERADO THUNDERBOLT!"

With her blade not nearly enough to cut through this barrier, Dark Dragon thrust her other arm forward to snap it into cannon mode. With Desperado KING performing a similar setup, her other claw snapping shut to turn into a very pointed almost drill-like beam cannon, both taking aim at the same time before letting loose on the same spot...

The two beams merged together into one, drilling through Broken Sun's defenses as they both immediately leapt through, the two would-be berserkers piercing their way through anything that Broken Sun could throw at them.

"Never again! NEVER AGAIN! NEVER! NEVER! NEVER! NEVER! NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEER!"

Finally, the armor that was supposed to contain Broken Sun shattered completely. And in that moment, before she completely erupted into a mess that would consume everything to protect it in the most harmful way possible..!

"SYNCHRONIZE! HIRO!" "DESPERADO FINGER!"

Dark Dragon's assault stopped for a moment as she charged red and green energies into her two arms, both her blade and her cannon receding to allow for both hands to receive all of this amazing power...

While Desperado KING only sped up, slamming her hand into Broken Sun's face when she let her guard down. Dragging her through the stands, destroying them more than they already were, as she whipped around and ran back towards her ally with the enemy she was dragging along the ground...

"HOPE! AND! DESPAIR!"

In one of Dark Dragon's arms, green energies representing hope flowed into her fingers. In the other, the violent red pulse of despair reached all the way out to her extremities...

Slamming both together, she thrust forward. Her wings blasting her straight ahead as her arms were headed straight for the enemy being dragged towards her...

An enemy that was launched at her, Broken Sun fearlessly putting up layer upon layer of barrier in the blink of an eye. She wasn't going to lose. Not again. NEVER!

Yet that wasn't enough. Each barrier shattered on impact with these held hands, allowing Dark Dragon to slam them straight into her chest. And with that slam, straight into the ground beneath...

Sending shockwave after shockwave of the contrasting energies all across the floor, as Broken Sun was reduced to screaming out in vain from how much she was being struck with. Until slowly but surely, the screaming died down...

As did most movement from the burning sun that was Broken Sun. Had she... Had she finally given up..?

"...Listen. You're... You're part of Saki. I know you just want to protect people." Mikai spoke up, thinking she could finally get through to her now that she had beat her so handily. "There's nothing bad about that. We can still do it. Together. You just need to accept that you were wrong. And start working on being better."

Even after all of this. She was still willing to give her the chance to turn things around. Because that was the kind of girl that Mikai Fushimi was...

The kind of naive girl that would fall the second she let her guard down like this. Sole could see it just by looking at her. The millions upon millions of ways that Mikai could die. All of them from not being protected. All of them because of her failures.

No matter how much she tried. She'd keep failing. Keep losing. Keep... Keep... No. No. No nonononononononononononononononoNONONONONONONONO

NEVERAGAINNEVERAGAINNEVERAGAINNEVERAGAINNEVERAGAIN

"NEVER AGAIN!"

The world around Sole Hero, Broken Sun, whatever she called herself, began to shatter in response to the pure despair she felt at the moment. The despair that turned into a burst of unyielding willpower, knocking both Desperado KING and Dark Dragon away...

She was never going to give up. Never going to accept defeat. Never. Never again. Never again. NEVER. NEVER GIVE IN AND LET ANYBODY DIE.

The unrelenting despair caused the very sun that embodied this part of Saki to crack. As if that had been a cocoon the entire time, allowing the true size of the monster within to be released. Breaking apart everything around it, as it kept growing and growing...

Breaking out of the ceiling above. The roof above. Towering into the skies above, as it grew so giant that it was almost ready to challenge the Atlas Corp building in size. Until it slowly took an unsettling form, one that merged with where it had burst free from...

Towering over the city of Mimoto, containing countless souls that needed to be protected, Saki's defending complex now looked like an armored Kanzei-Sphinx. A Sphinx whose unrelenting gaze peered down at those much smaller than her. As one final mantra left her lips...

"NEVER AGAIN!"

—

“Never… Again! AHHHHHH!”

Sole Hero wasn’t the only one who was consumed by despair at that moment. When the mantra rang out, the Dreamer was finally pushed over the edge…

Just as the many copies of Dream Mystica had been hoping to see. The cycle would finally be broken, and it was all her own fault.

“Dreamer! Yumeko!”

Akemi’s voice didn’t reach. Nor did the vain attempt from Atombis to grab her with her chains, not to convert her but rather pacify her as if she instinctively wanted to protect her…

“DREAM TOO DEEP”

The bracelet on Yumeko's wrist shattered the moment she finally sank into the nightmare within. Not just it, but the rest of her armor as well. Baring what was within, the butterfly of the soul...

A butterfly that looked distinctly yellow, not unlike the color of the Darkness trying to reach its grubby hands into this world.

The shattered armor swirled around that fragile butterfly, slowly but surely forming Yumeko's familiar visage. However, there was something much different about this version of her. Or rather, this true self that she had been hiding despite it all...

Just like the one that had taunted her about the nightmare, her skin was a somber pale shade. Just like the nightmare that had been haunting her across time, her blue hair reflected the kind of innocence she secretly spoiled with her mere existence. But where they differed was in the way that they dressed...

Yumeko's new attire, or perhaps the attire she had worn ever since she began her journey, looked more like an elegant black wedding dress. One that remained as pristine as the dreams she coveted, despite the nightmare she currently took form as. Despite the emblem printed on her bosom, so welcoming despite her true look...

Yet just by looking at her, it was hard to tell if she was really there. Every other moment, another silhouette started to overlap. Showing another form of Yumeko. Another possibility that she had discarded. Another world that had gone unmentioned. All part of the nightmare that now stood before both of the other actors on this ‘stage’…

Akemi wasn't the only one stunned at this reveal. So was Atombis, who was left unprovoked by this latest mantra from her ‘Goddess’. As if Saeko was able to express her confusion at the sheer weight of what Yumeko had been hiding despite the corruption still gripping her.

In response to the Nightmare taking form, the other 14 Dream Mysticas gave themselves up for the sake of the main one’s goal. Dissolving into dust on the spot, like they were nothing more than the creations of a temporal butterfly’s wingflap…

All this dust wove itself together like the dreams that Yumeko summoned as a Jõtaider. Taking on two other distinct shapes, ones that none of her audience recognized...

"Constellation... Charted. Zodiac... Ready to serve..."

The first to form was a red and black robed figure, one easily identifiable as Yumeko thanks to that iconic bed of hair. However, underneath that robe was a tight suit that kept her from making any move that could be considered independent. All that she could do was stand there and reveal the star-chart-like mask on her face. That was the role of Zodiac, a living fortune teller and mechanism for an intergalactic villain's conquest...

"And the Bad End begins! Took you long enough to crack, but Anti Dream’ll make sure this goes exactly as planned!”

The last to form looked like Jõtaider Dream, but with a much fiercer helmet. Not only that, but it looked like she was much more emotive, as if the armor itself was alive… Or rather, that something had merged with the armor, and made herself home in it. Or… Or was the Yumeko behind those bars over her eyes just as cruel as the armor made her look? It was hard to tell…

Yumeko opened her eyes. Those black and yellow eyes, truly characteristic of the Prime that she detested. And a single pair of words left her lips, heralding the beginning of this stage’s final act…

“Never. Again.”