Previous Chapter: Chapter 37: Unwavering Iron Boss Bankaran Next Chapter: Chapter 39
*In the ocean near Japan*
Rim: Wh-what is that robot?
Raul: The G-Bankaran. It’s a support mech for the Compatible Kaiser.
Katina: Support mech? It sure as hell doesn’t look like it.
Raul: Apparently the support features were added as an afterthought.
Tasuku: Maaaan, it really feels like a boss, in every sense of the word. What decade of manga is that design from? And who’s piloting this thing?
Michiru: What are you folks doing? You got a problem with my G-Bankaran?
Tasuku: (Geez, even the pilot follows that stereotype?)
Michiru: Hey, I’m talking to you.
Tasuku: Oh, no, I don’t mean it in a bad way or anything….
Katina: Wait just a minute, there. You got some guts, comin’ in here and pickin’ on my bro like that.
Michiru: I don’t fight girls. Back off.
Katina: Oh, I see, so you’re scared?
Michiru: What was that…?
Rim: U-Um, please don’t fight!
Michiru: Step back, missy. You’ll get hurt.
Katina: Right, this isn’t a fight… It’s a lesson!
Michiru: Hah! You say some funny stuff, bub!
Katina: Your mouth’s writing checks your body can’t cash!
Michiru: Amateur! You’ll be crying by the time I’m down with you!
Raul: T-Tasuku, we gotta stop them!
Tasuku: Right, I’ll get Lt. Katina!
*Bridge*
Jacob: I’ll personally tell Kenneth to leave the BF Base incident to the Intelligence division. He’ll probably back off.
Gilliam: …Do we need to play one of our cards?
Jacob: No. I told you before, Gilliam. Don’t expose scandals. Think of them as ways to squeeze people. Cowards who have been kicked in the shins before will get worried just from the thought of them getting out. And as for the issue with the Jinrai, Kenneth sent out his feelers, but he quickly went pale from looking into it. He knows something.
Sean: …He’s pretty easy to understand.
Gilliam: We have Minaki Toumine, Professor Kaoru Toumine’s daughter, and one of the developers of Jinrai, in our custody.
Jacob: Oh?
Gilliam: It seems she didn’t hear the details from her father, so she doesn’t know where he is right now.
Jacob: That’s suspicious. Where is she now?
Gilliam: We are treating her as a significant font of information. Further, my subordinates are currently investigating her lab.
Jacob: She was able to contact her father, right? Can you trace the signal to find his whereabouts?
Gilliam: We’re investigating now…. But I’m guessing he’s at Grand Christmas.
Jacob: I see. Then if you get any more information about the Gaia Sabers, report to me.
Gilliam: Roger.
Lefina: …Lt. General Jacob, there are people in the Joint Chiefs of Staff with doubts about the Gaia Sabers, right?
Jacob: It seems the Marshal plans on using that suspicion as much as he can. I, for one, am confident the Gaia Sabers are up to no good. Besides, Colonel Lefina… I can’t believe someone with your looks and brains would plan a rebellion.
Lefina: Lt. General…
Jacob: It’s regrettable that we lost the president… But you weren’t wrong to refuse to hand over your weapons. That being said, to keep people from doubting us, we still have to treat you like rebels… You need to go to Iti Iti Island and lay low.
Lefina: Roger. With you watching our backs, I feel a bit encouraged.
Jacobs: But the JCS is pandemonium right now. If the Marshal feels you aren’t going to be useful, he might use you as a bargaining chip with Alteur. I would prefer that not to happen, but don’t forget that the future is uncertain.
Lefina: …Yessir.
Jacob: Once this is all over, how about we grab dinner somewhere? I know a good spot in Paris.
Lefina: O-oh, sure.
Jacob: Then that is all.
Sean: …You actually took him up on it.
Lefina: Wh-what’s wrong with that?
Sean: Well, I… I guess you’ll be fine.
Lefina: ?
Sean: Then head for Iti Iti Island.
Lefina: Yes. Have the Hagane cover our rear.
*Pacific Ocean*
Azuki: Captain, the course heading has arrived from the Hiryuu Custom.
Tetsuya: Roger. Transfer the data.
Eita: More detours….
Tetsuya: Can’t be helped. If we were to run into a sub or something, it’d be trouble.
Eita: It’s not like can surface right now, after all…
*WARNINGS*
Tetsuya: What?!
Eita: There’s strange reading near the ship! The cause is….
*boom*
Azuki: Aaaaah!
Tetsuya: Th-This… Are we sinking?!
Eita: Captain! We’re caught in an abnormal gravity field, and are being pulled straight down!
Tetsuya: !!
Chapter 38: The Meeting of the Gods
*Woooosh*
Eita: Th-the gravity field has vanished! But we can’t stop the descent!
Tetsuya: Fire all thrusters below the ship! We’ll be smashed at the bottom of the sea at this rate!
Eita: The water pressure’s… No, this reading can’t just be from water pressure!
Tetsuya: What!?
Tetsuya: Wh-what is this place…!
Azuki: This…this isn’t the bottom of the sea, is it?
Eita: N-No, it isn’t…
Azuki: Are we back in La Gias….?
Eita: No, it’s was different this time…
Tetsuya: We need to find out what’s going on. All hands, Level one battle stations. Raise all the alarms.
Azuki: Roger!
Eita: …Captain. The pressure, atmosphere, temperature, and gravity around the ship are the same as the earth’s surface.
Tetsuya: Can you pinpoint our location?
Eita: No, I can’t make a data link. And when I sent out a radio wave using EPW, it radiated out 3 kilometers from the ship before bouncing back towards us.
Tetsuya: What….?
Eita: Disregarding the land and the sky, for it to happen on the horizontal plane as well means….
Tetsuya: We’re stuck inside of some kind of enclosed space.
Sean: I don’t think the Guests or the Gaia Sabers could pull this kind of trick.
Lefina: I agree.
Sean: It reminds me of the things the Einst could do….
Lefina: XO, have the pilots board their machines and remain on standby.
Sean: Roger.
Kusuha: …Hey, Bullet. Don’t you feel like we’ve seen this before….?
Bullet: Huh?
Kusuha: I don’t know why, but it reminds me of Shiyuya, where we met RyuKoOu….
Bullet: ! Now that you mention it….
Ariel: What’s this Shiyuya?
Kusuha: It was a ruin in the mountainous region of east China, where RyuKoOu was sleeping.
Ariel: So we’ve been transported to China?
Kusuha: I don’t know…. But according to Professor Anzai, after the Yellow Emperor defeated Shiyu, the body was split up, and buried at two different places. One place was the head and the torso, while the other had the limbs….
Lamia: So it’s possible that there are other Shiyuya than just the one we’ve seen.
Kusuha: I’m not sure if this is one of them, but….
Kyosuke: You guys should be getting into your machines and on standby by now.
Kusuha: A-ah, right!
Tsugumi: Ibis, I’m going with you.
Ibis: Roger.
Irui: You shouldn’t go….
Kusuha: Huh?
Irui: It’s dangerous….
Bullet: Why do you say that?
Irui: I don’t know… But it makes me feel really icky….
Kusuha: Irui….
Ibis: We’ve got to go, so we can get rid of that feeling. Wait here, Irui.
Irui: I-Ibis….
*WARNINGS*
Eita: Multiple readings from the area in front of the ship!
Tetsuya: All guns, VLSM, get ready to fire!
Michiru: Wh-what the hell are those things?!
Tasuku: Yokijin…. Basically monsters.
Michiru: Basically? More like entirely.
Katina: Dammit, they got those fish-like ones there. I can’t handle those. Michiru, you get ‘em.
Michiru: I’m on it, auntie!
Katina: Don’t call me auntie! I’m not that old!
Michiru: Got it! How about big sis?
Tasuku: (Big sis kinda also makes her sound old….)
Kouta: When did Michiru become friends with Katina?
Shouko: Who knows…?
Tasuku: Well, it was just bad luck that he decided to pick a fight with Lt. Katina.
Raul: Y-yeah…. They hit each other for a few seconds, then she countered….
Michiru: I really admire how she ended the fight.
Katina: You put up a good fight. I’m lookin’ forward to what you do from here on out.
Michiru: Got it!
Katina: Alright, you bastards! Let’s go!
*deploy*
Kusuha: Bullet, the KoOuKi is….
Bullet: Yeah, I know.
Arado: The KoOuKi… It’s really gonna fight us, huh.
Bullet: But he’s not that color because it wants to be. Kukuru said it was a punishment, but I don’t believe that. That color is controlling him.
Latooni: There’s other unit that looks like a Mechanoid….
Raul: That’s… a turtle?
Fiona: That could be Genbu, like Professor Anzai said…. Is it another Mechanoid of the Four Gods?
Ryuusei: What?! Then that means, they’re…
Kanan: After so many years, finally all four of the gods have come together. And the girl with Seiryuu…. I’ve wanted to meet you face to face.
Kusuha: Eeek!
Bullet: What’s wrong, Kusuha?
Kusuha: I-I just got another chill down my spine….
Rio: You did mention that happening before….
Kanan: Well then… Can you hear me? Your attention for a moment, please.
Rio: Th-that voice…!
Ryoto: There’s a person riding that Mechanoid….?!
Kanan: That’s not exactly true, but close. I am Kanan Jun, the Xian of the South, disciple of Baral. Please call me Kanan.
Kusuha: Kanan…?
Kanan: That’s right. And this is…
Thaihou: The Xian of the North, Thaihou Sandayu.
Bullet: What do you mean by Xian?
Kanan: I suppose you could call us… Those who have Transcended our earthly limits.
Excellen: Oh, like the mystical Chinese hermits, eh…? Like, riding on clouds, eating mist, stuff like that?
Irm: You know a lot about the weirdest things.
Excellen: I guess. Becoming immortal is a great way to go green.[1]
Thaihou: Wahahaha, you know quite a bit! Excellent, excellent.
Ryuusei: I wouldn’t be singing their praises just yet. They’re the ones who have been controlling the Yokijin up till now, I bet.
Gilliam: And it was their powers that brought us into this space.
Kanan: That’s right. We want to see how strong you are. There’s a lot to prepare you for.
Kyosuke: And what do you want us for?
Kanan: I’ll say it directly. We want to see if you really have the qualities necessary to protect this world. And as a way to invite you into the fold of Baral, we prepared this little test.
Arado: Huh?!
Shouko: We’ve been scouted?!
Kanan: Yes. The God of Baral we pray to lead the Mechanoids into battle against the Evil Oligarchs many eons ago, and fought to protect this earth…. The human realm, that is. We want the same thing as you. There’s no reason for us to fight.
Kai: It’s a little difficult to believe those words.
Carla: The Yokijin you sent out burned cities to the ground! How do you explain that?
Kanan: Right now, we need the Yokijins’ power. As a result of that, more people will be saved.
Carla: That’s not an answer!
Kanan: It’s certainly sad when life is lost. That’s not just in regards to people. The fish, birds and beasts of this world, even the plants, all of them are beautiful and precious to us. But the circle of life must be maintained. Their lives were not taken in vain…We promise we will use what we took to make the world brighter.
Kouta: You’re using life…?! Who the hell do you think you are?!
Leona: That sounds like something a god would say.
Kanan: We are but one part of the universe. We think of things differently, compared to you humans.
Kusuha: If you are the ones who protect the human realm, then why did the RyuKoOu and the KoRyuOu decide to fight alongside us?
Kanan: Unlike the JakuOuKi and the BuOuKi, the RyuOuKi and KoOuKi never liked to listen.
Bullet: Then, the Mechanoids of Suzaku and Genbu….
Kanan: Are working with us of their own free will. Considering the Mechanoids are supposed to protect the Human realm, that’s what they should be doing.
Aya: Then you’re not making the Mechanoid move with psychic energy….?!
Kanan: We are hermits, after all. We work with them using different methods than humans.
Ratsel: If you claim to be the protectors of the earth, then why have you not appeared in any of the battles up till this point?
Tasuku: That’s right, there’s been aliens and the Einst, and all sorts of things putting the earth into peril… what were you doing then?
Kanan: That’s right… That’s one of the reasons why we wanted to invite you into our fold. After the battle with the Evil Oligarchs, we were exhausted… The god of Baral entered into an endless slumber. Thaihou and I were awoken by the troubles facing this planet… but the God of Baral still sleeps. If we had Her power, we could expel those enemies from our world…. But in the end, we had no choice but to leave the protection of this planet to you.
Irm: (Her, they said. So the God of Baral is actually a Goddess.)
Kanan: I would like to apologize for that. Even now, our forces are not as numerous as we would like…. We were even forced to employ the Yokijin.
Hugo: So you’re saying you want our help because you don’t have enough firepower?
Kanan: That’s right. The God of Baral will soon awaken…. but there is the current problem of the ones you call the Ruina. Their ability to seal off the land is slightly troublesome for us. While we were wondering what to do about it, you were able to break through it. It seems like you have someone with the power to open the Ruina’s barriers in your group.
Rim: (Liana, that’s…)
Rim: (Us, right?)
Josh: You’re fighting against the Ruina, too?
Kanan: That’s right. Their lord is an evil god from the realm of death…. Or you could call him a demon, who eats the day and brings destruction in his wake. No, it’s not just the Ruina, if that path to the beyond is open, the Evil Oligarchs could appear in this world again, too.[2] This world you love so dearly is in more danger than you know. We want to protect this world, and guide humans to a better existence.
Josh: Guide people…?
Katina: Guys like you always end up saying shit like that.
Ryuusei: You’re saying you want to control humans… No, control the world?
Kanan: It’s not controlling. We want to return this world to its natural idle state. We want to create a new Garden of Eden.
Shine: Garden… of Eden?
Rahda: She means creating a utopia, a heaven on earth.
Kanan: Of course, Eden isn’t something you can just ask for. Those who search for it will never find it. But given this world of chaos, we can’t afford to say that. We need a place under God’s protection, where one can escape the coming disaster.
Lamia: So you want to guide Humans to this shelter?
Kouta: But it doesn’t sound like it’s a place you can simply walk to.
Kanan: Indeed, if the people who enter the Garden of Eden bring their struggles and destruction to it, there’s no point.
Carla: I see where this is going. Only the people you choose will be allowed in?
Kanan: We aren’t the ones who will choose. If you possess the right qualities, and rise to the right state of mind, the path to the Garden of Eden will appear before you.
Rai: Rise to the right state of mind…?
Rahda: Are you saying you have to transcend your body?
Thaihou: Indeed.
Arado: What do you mean by transcend, Rahda?
Rahda: To put it simply, it means to leave your earthly body behind and become a Xian.
Arado: Huh?! But if you don’t have a body, that means you’re a ghost!
Kanan: There’s no need to worry. When we help people Transcend, it’s nearly always successful. With your strong bodies and souls, you should be fine.
Kusuha: …And what will happen to the people who can’t do it?
Kanan: They will go where they deserve.
Kusuha: …!
Rio: So whether they want to or not, the people who can’t Transcend will all die?!
Kanan: That’s right. That’s what we call fate.
Rio: That’s…
Rai: If you Transcend your body, that means you’re no longer human, right? There’s no reason to return to your old form.
Kanan: Don’t worry about that. When you Transcend, while you lose your flesh body, your Xian self will take the form of your spirit. You’re above petty limitations like gender, but you can return yourself to your old form if you wish…. That’s what I did.
Rai: So you’re saying you can change your form to whatever you wish.
Kanan: Yes, and if there are parts of you that are missing, you can get them back, too.
Rai: …
Hugo: …
Kanan: But those who didn’t have a soul to begin with, or those who lost their souls can’t Transcend. I won’t say who, but I see a few of those people with you.
Lamia: …
Ariel: ….
Ing: …
Ratsel: Whatever the case, it seems like their Transcendence and Eden is just a dangerous way of selecting the chosen ones.
Kanan: No, we would love it if all humans could Transcend. That’s why we’ve planned the Mass Transcendence Project.[3] If it’s successful, the problems tormenting your mortal world will cease. The Transcended will live in peace.
Tasuku: Sounds like a bad joke. “Stop being human, you’ll be happy you did!”
Kanan: Don’t misunderstand our intentions. Unlike the Ruina, we have no intention of destroying humanity. I told you, we’re trying to make a safe haven to escape disaster.
Bullet: If you’re making a lot of people die, it sounds like your Transcendence is a disaster all by itself!
Kanan: Well, we won’t know how many humans can Transcend until we try it, after all.
Kusuha: Huh…?!
Excellen: Oh, so that’s the catch.
Aya: You plan on involving so many people in your selfish plan…!
Kanan: While it would be better if only those worthy and willing were toTranscend… due to the Ruina, it’s necessary to assume the worst case scenario.
Josh: The worst case scenario…?
Kanan: A fight between the God of Baral and the Lord of Ruin would be catastrophically violent. There’s no way humans could survive it. Instead, we’ll prepare for the Transcendence of all humans. You will be the forerunners, leading the way for the rest of the people.
Kouta: I don’t care about four runners or 6 runners or whatever, I ain’t doin’ that!
Kanan: Such a quick response. Would you really throw away such incredible power and an ageless body? I’m sure it would help you achieve your goals.
Irm: It sounds way too shady.
Carla: If you’re going to fight the Ruina, then you just need to work together with us!
Kanan: …What about you? You could be saved by Transcending, right?
Hugo: …
Aqua: (Why is that person talking to Hugo….)
Hugo: (So his powers allow him to see even that, huh.)
Kanan: Your worries would instantly go away. That is, if the Transcendence is successful.
Hugo: Even if it would extend my life, I’m not going to stop being a human.
Kanan: Well then, if there’s anyone who does want to Transcend, please raise your voice.
Thaihou: Hah, no one, eh? That’s excellent in its own way.
Kanan: After all, the Shrine Maiden has set her eyes upon them.
Irui: (Are those the people who’ve been calling me…?)
Lefina: Your plan will cause suffering to a great number of people. We have no intention of letting you do that.
Kanan: It’s the most efficient way. Well, I didn’t think it’d be resolved just by words. In fact, I prefer people who are a bit resistant. But boys and girls who won’t listen to reason need to be taught a lesson. We’ll show you the path you should walk…. By force.
Kai: They’re coming…! All units, prepare to engage!
Kanan: Also, Seiryuu’s girl…. Will you tell me your name?
Kusuha: …. It’s Kusuha Mizuha.
Kanan: Kusuha…. Such a refreshing name. It fits you perfectly. I want you more and more…. You and Seiryuu will become mine.
Kusuha: Huh?!
Bullet: Wh-what was that?!
Kanan: I like girls like her…. Dignified personalities and well-rounded bodies…
Ibis: Why are you bringing that up now?!
Kanan: Oh, sorry, I’m not interested in flat chicks.[4]
Ibis: Huh? Huh?!
Irm: Man, she’s assertive. Bullet could learn a thing or two from her.
Tasuku: …I don’t know if you’re one to talk, Lt. Irm…
Leona: I don’t know if YOU’RE one to talk, Tasuku.
Tasuku: Hahah, that’s probably true…
Kanan: It goes without saying, but I’m not a man. In the sense that you humans understand gender, I’m a woman.
Kusuha: Huh?!
Irm: So she swings that way!
Tsugumi: So she’s just dressing like a man[5]…?
Kanan: Well then, let’s go. KoOuKi, Let’s get back your other half.
KoOuKi: Grrrr…!
Kusuha: Bullet, I think she’s controlling KoOuKi…!
Bullet: Yeah. If we defeat her, then maybe he’ll come back to us.
Kanan: I wonder about that. You should know by now the power of the 4 Gods of the Mechanoids. And my JakuOuKi is more powerful than KoOuKi.
Kai: All units, don’t attack the KoOuKi. Don’t even return fire if it attacks you. Your main targets are the JakuOuKi and the BuOuKi!
Chapter 38: The Meeting of the Four Gods
Victory: Defeat all enemies except the KoOuKi.
Defeat: An Allied Mothership is shot down, Bullet or Kusuha are shot down, KoOuKi is shot down
SR point: Within 3 turns, defeat more than 30 Yokijin.
*Kanan V Bullet*
Kanan: The pilot of KoOuKi…. You’re Kusuha’s man, then?
Bullet: I don’t gotta say anything to you!
Kanan: Well, good. KoOuKi likes you, so I’ll let you come with us, but… Kusuha is mine.
Bullet: Shut up! Kusuha and KoOuKi aren’t your playthings!
*Thaihou V Bullet*
Bullet: KoOuKi isn’t acting of its own volition… Are you controlling it?!
Thaihou: Why do you think that?
Bullet: Because it’s black! Who the hell heard of a black White Tiger?! That’s not right!
Thaihou: Hoho, I see.
*KoOuKi V Bullet*
KoOuKi: GRRRRR!
Bullet: I can’t let you stop me here! I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to keep you from interfering!
*Kusuha V Kanan*
Kanan: Come to me, Kusuha. It won’t hurt.
Kusuha: No. What you’re doing is going to hurt so many people.
Kanan: Isn’t that what any fight does? Only god can save everyone.
Kusuha: I’m telling you, I’m never going to abandon everyone!
Kanan: Hehe, you’re so naïve… I like you even more, Kusuha.
*attack Kanan*
Kanan: …I guess we should show them JakuOuKi and Book’s true form.
Thaihou: Indeed.
Ryuusei: True form?! Then they’re…!
Michiru: What?! What’s going on?!
Ryuusei: The JakuOuKi and the BuOuKi are going to combine!
Michiru: Wh-what?!
Kanan: Lord of fire….[6]
Thaihou: Return from the dead[7].
*Cutscene*
Kanan: The Holy Lord of flame, JakuBuOu…. Has manifested.
Bullet: That’s the JakuBuOu….!
Kusuha: I can feel it….. RyuJinKi’s animosity and anger…!
Kanan: JakuBuOu feels the same way. She won’t forgive RyuKoOu, who has abandoned his true master and purpose.
Kusuha: ….
Kanan: They last time they fought, RyuKoOu was the victor…Because JakuBuOu was wounded from the battles beforehand, and wasn’t at her full potential.
Bullet: What…?!
Kanan: When RyuKoOu took in your mechanical dolls, it revived into a somewhat different shape…. We made our JakuBuOu return to something close to its original state. And this hermitage is where the JakuBuOu originated, warped away and wrapped in a boundary field. Finally, the one controlling JakuBuOu is the southern hermit of Baral. You have no chance of winning with just half of a Mechanoid.
*MORE BADDIES*
Kanan: You cannot escape from this hermitage with your power alone. Now let’s see how long you continue to struggle.
Katina: We won’t be slowed down by those little shits!
Thaihou: Probably not.
Kanan: Well, if you die here, I’ll help you Transcend. So fight all you wish.
Kai: If we were to fall here, we’d end up being their pawn like KoOuKi.
Ariel: Or rather, they’re saying we can’t Transcend unless we lose our lives. It seems that with their current methods, they can’t easily make people Transcend.
Gilliam: That’s right. That’s why they needed to prepare for their Mass Transcendence Project. If they could make anyone Transcend at any point, then we would be under their command by now.
Ratsel: Then we have a chance and the time to stop their plan.
Kanan: For Transcendence to go smoothly, the person in question has to wish for it. It would be nice if we could force you all to Transcend, but it would be hard to accomplish that.
Sanger: …So you prepared this battlefield to make us truly submit.
Kanan: That’s right.
Sanger: Laughable! You cannot cut our hearts with such a dull blade! I shall engrave that truth into your very self, Xian!
Kanan: Then I shall start by destroying your swords with JakuBuOu’s godlike speed.
Victory: Lower JakuBuOu to less than 22000 HP.
Defeat: Any allied unit is shot down, KoOuKi is shot down
*Kusuha versus Kanan*
Kusuha: RyuJinKi, I’ll try to fill KoOuKi’s shoes, so please…!
Kanan: You know better than anyone else how strong 2 combined Mechanoid Gods are, don’t you? And yet you’d still break your spirit by fighting my JakuBuOu?
Kusuha: It won’t break, I won’t let it break…. I swore it!
Kanan: *chuckle* It’s going to be fun watching you fall…
*Bullet V Kanan*
Bullet; JakuBuOu… Is it really as fast as KoRyuOu?!
Kanan: She’s even faster, and more passionate. Those unworthy will be scorched by her flames. I wonder if you’ll survive?
*beat her up*
Kanan: Fufufu…. This is all just as we expected.
Thaihou: Excellent, Excellent.
Kanan: We’ll need the best shield to break their swords, right? And there’s also some things I want to confirm.
Thaihou: I see. In that case, let’s switch.
*Woop*
Thaihou: The great holy mystery, BuJakuOu, has manifested.
Kusuha: That’s BuJakuOu…!
Tasuku: Just by looking at him, you can tell he’s tough.
Thaihou: Well then, I guess I should pray for restoration. Shen nong yan di, lai hu wo shen, ci dao yi xia, he gui bu zou, he bing bu yu, ji ji ru lu ling.[8]
*whoop*
Seolla: T-the damage we dealt…
Michiru: What the fuck?! That’s no fair!
Thaihou: Genbu’s protection is in a class of its own, even amongst the Mechanoids. When I combine that with my techniques, you can see what happens. You can come and attack me all you want.
Tsugumi: That regenerative ability… If this becomes a stalemate, we’ll lose…
Ibis: Gr…
Irui: A-at this rate, everyone will…!
Victory: Defeat BuJakuOu
*Hit him some*
Thaihou: Shen nong yan di, lai hu wo shen, ci dao yi xia, he gui bu zou, he bing bu yu, ji ji ru lu ling.
*back to full! *
*Thaihou versus Kusuha*
Kusuha: It’s not as fast as the KoRyuOu or the JakuBuOu…. The RyuJinKi can keep up!
Thaihou: However, it’s the sturdiest of all the Mechanoids. Even the secret weapons of the RyuOuKi cannot hope to damage it.
*bullet V Thaihou*
Thaihou: Without a Mechanoid, do you really think you can break BuJakuOu’s Heavenly Shield?
Bullet: I have to try! And I’ll stop your plan, too!
*After a few turns of him revivin’*
Sean: Captain, our fight with the BuJakuOu has reached a deadlock.
Lefina: If we could escape from this bubble, we might be able to fight our way out of here….
Sean: Should we attempt to fire the long range cannon on the boundary?
Lefina: Yes, prepare for Sequence G.
Sean: Roger.
Irui: (…. Can’t run….)
Touma: Irui, what’s wrong?
Irui: (At this rate…. They…. Can’t run….)
Touma: Irui…?
Irui: ….
Ibis: We’re getting nowhere! Isn’t there anything we can do…?
Tsugumi: If it’s true that the RyuKoOu once defeated the JakuBuOu, then it means that the BuJakuOu isn’t invincible….
Ibis: So if we had the RyuKoOu, then we could beat him…?
Tsugumi: But with the KoOuKi captured…
Bullet: To get him back, we need to free him from Kanan’s control. It’s an endless cycle….
Kanan: *Chuckle*…. It seems like they’re slowly showing it. Their fear, their panic, their cowardice.
Thaihou: But it doesn’t look like they’re quite ready to give up.
Kanan: We can’t waste too much time. Let’s begin the attack.
Thaihou: I agree. Well then, BuJakuOu…. Peirce the heavens.
*woo*
Ibis: What is it planning?!
Thaihou: Holy darkness of the end….
*Boom*
Thaihou: Wha?
Tetsuya: Where did that attack come from?!
Eita: From underground!
Tetsuya: What?!
Kanan: Someone attacked from outside? Then that means…
*Oh sup fish*
Kusuha: W-what is that?!
*attack*
Thaihou: Whahahaha, the divine servant has appeared!
Kanan: Why is it getting in our way?
Thaihou: Maybe it doesn’t like what we’re doing.
Kanan: What are you saying, our goal is…
Arado: What is that thing?!
Mai: A robot… shark?
Ibis: It’s feels like the bird that saved us earlier…!
Ibis: !!!
Kusuha: That light!
Tetsuya: What!? What’s going on?!
Eita: There’s a strong gravitational force near the ship! It’s growing even stronger!
*Whiiiite*
Sean: Captain, our current position is roughly where we were before we were pulled into the hermitage.
Lefina: Any signs of the Baral’s Mechanoids or the Yokijin?
Sean: No sightings. It seems we were saved by that shark.
Lefina: What was that… and why did it save us…?
Sean: Since it attacked the Baral Mechanoids, I don’t think it’s their ally…
Lefina: A new force that is resisting the Ruina and the Baral…. A force that is unrelated to the Guests and the Gaia Sabers…
Sean: We can’t say anything for certain now, but we do know that the hermits of Baral are planning this Mass Transcendence Project and that it’s a danger to the world. Even though it seems like they’ll need time before they can start…. But unlike the Guests, Ruina, or Gaia Sabers, I think they have a way of tracking our movements.
Lefina: That’s true… if that weren’t the case, then they wouldn’t have been able to pull us into the hermitage.
Sean: Not only are they illusive, but we don’t know where their base is…. They’ll become quite a troublesome enemy.
Lefina: But the hermits of Baral are looking to bring our firepower to their side.
Sean: Well, that hermit named Kanan did seem extremely interested in Kusuha…. They’ll probably try to recruit us again.
Lefina: That’s right…. And when that happens, maybe we’ll make some kind of breakthrough.
Sean: But we can’t always be on the defensive.
Lefina: It’s just like with the Einst. I, and my subordinates…. Even in these kinds of fights, I trust them to not lose their will.
*elsewhere*
Excellen: But man, you’ve got quite the suitor chasing you, Kusuha. It looks like Bullet has a rival!
Bullet: This isn’t something we can joke about. They have the JakuBuOu and the BuJakuOu… and the KoOuKi. That’s 3 of the 4 gods, on their side.
Excellen: But we’ll still even it out soon.
Bullet: Yeah. We’ll definitely get KoOuKi back.
Ryuusei: From fighting alongside the RyuKoOu and the KoRyuOu, I thought I understood just how powerful the 4 gods were…. It’s sucks that we have to fight the rest of the set.
Rio: And there’s actual Xian controlling them.
Ratsel: They certainly have a lot of power, given they were able to warp us to that alternate dimension. And they don’t seem to want large scale destruction… but judging by what they said, if they’re able to complete their Mass Transcendence Project, there’s no way to avoid that outcome.
Rai: All of humanity being forced to Transcend at the same time?
Ratsel: Yes. It looks like they’ll need to prepare things and take their time before that happens…
Rahda: But how will they try to make humanity Transcend?
Ratsel: I don’t know that…. But I’m guessing there’s some existence holds the key.
Sanger: …You mean the Baral’s god?
Ratsel: That’s right. Kanan said she would soon awaken.
Rai: The Lord of Ruin feeds on negative emotions and energy…. So what about the God of Baral? What is needed for her to revive?
Ratsel: They may be with us already.
Rai: …!
Rahda: You mean, Kusuha and Bullet…. Or even the RyuJinKi?
Ratsel: Not just that. After the incident at the Tesla Labs, it seems like the people the Baral contacted were almost all of the Steel Dragons, and the people related to us. Judging by what Kanan said, it seems like they were looking for certain qualities we possess.
Excellen: And so if they were trying to get us to Transcend first….
Bullet: Then all of us…?
Ratsel: Yes. I think we may be very important to them achieving their goals….
*elsewhere*
Kusuha: Hey, Irui…. Is it okay if I ask you something?
Irui: What is it?
Kusuha: You said you had a bad feeling before we sortied, right? Was that… about Baral?
Irui: …. I don’t know…
Seolla: But…. Considering the Baral did show up, Irui’s intuition was correct….
Shine: She could have a similar power to mine….
Touma: Huh? Your majesty has a power?
Arado: It’s what they call the second sight.
Shine: It’s not like I can see everything about the future, but…
Touma: (if Irui also has that ability, then when she was acting strange back then….)
Ibis: But it wasn’t just Irui who had a bad feeling about that place, right?
Arado: That’s true.
Touma: Kusuha, Ibis… There’s something I want to talk to you about.
Kusuha: Okay.
Ibis: Arado, Seolla, your majesty, could you go with Irui?
Arado: Got it.
Kusuha: So, what is it, Touma?
Touma: I was with Irui during the fight. Right before that Shark Mech appeared, she started acting strange.
Ibis: Huh…?
Kusuha: What do you mean by strange?
Touma: She suddenly went silent… and it looked like she was distracted…. But I asked her about it later, and she didn’t remember…
Ibis: So…. What does this mean…?
Touma: If Irui has second sight, then it’s possible that she also sensed that the Shark Mech was coming…
Ibis: That’s crazy! She was probably just scared, as anyone would be!
Touma: That’s what I thought too, but after hearing what Shine said, it started to bug me…
Kusuha: Ibis… If this happens again, and it looks like Irui could be in danger, I think it’s best to talk to Rahda…
Ibis: …Irui…
*ELSEWHERE, IN ARABIA*
Hou: Then the second Divine Servant…
Thaihou: Indeed. It attacked us, and saved the ship that the Shrine Maiden was riding on.
Hou: But when they were set upon by KoOuKi and Kukuru at the North Pole, the Divine Servant didn’t appear….
Kanan: Isn’t that Kukuru’s fault? It didn’t need to help them.
Kukuru: Because I wasn’t powerful enough…?
Kanan: That’s what I’m saying. You always were a bit slow.
Kukuru: ….
Ganglong: Hey, Kanan. So you failed to recruit them?
Kanan: Ganglong….
Ganglong: And you even angered the Divine Servant.
Kanan: It’s not like we were trying to do that. And I did get something in return.
Ganglong: Oh, what’s that?
Kanan: I learned the name of the girl who Seiryuu chose… Kusuha Mizuha…. Doesn’t it have such a pleasant and dignified ring to it?
Ganglong: I guess… but isn’t it a bit hard to say?
Kanan: Hmm… She will be mine. Ganglong, I won’t hand her over to you.
Ganglong: You’re still going to go after them?
Kanan: Yes, but not in the same way. Considering that the second Divine Servant has appeared, there’s no doubt that the Shrine Maiden has chosen Kusuha’s side. Just like we thought.
Ganglong: It does seem like she’s getting closer and closer to awakening…. Though, I want her to ripen a bit more around the psychics.
Kanan: You’re telling me not to touch them?
Ganglong: Since they’ll raise her themselves, isn’t that easier? And they may even defeat the Ruina.
Kanan: Even if they hold the key, we don’t know if they’ll actually use it or not.
Ganglong: I’m telling you, it takes time for things to grow. It’s not good to be impatient. If you water a plant too much, the roots will die, right?
Kanan: But before that, I want to take a flower from their garden…. A flower named Kusuha Mizuha.
Previous Chapter: Chapter 37: Unwavering Iron Boss Bankaran Next Chapter: Chapter 39: The Wolf and the Dogs
[1] From an ecology standpoint, immortals are praise-worthy. Yeesh.
[2] I have never hated a set of words in the Japanese language as much as I hate everything Kanan is saying right now. This is simply impossible to translate correctly.
[3] INSTRUMENTALITY LADIES AND GENTS CAUSE EVA DID IT ERRYBODY GOTTA DO IT
[4] KANAN THROWING THAT SHAAAAADDDE
[5] Well, it’s hard to tell, cause you never see lower than her shoulders!
[6] Kanji compounds for chanting a thingamabob for awhile, adlibbing
[7] He says Tenma Surrender. Tenma being like, St peter for Buddhists. Goin’ with my gut.
[8] God wealth fire emporer, next protect us body, rise blade one under, what devil un- run, what sickness un- heal, Fast fast similar judge order. Do I keep this Japanese? Chinese? Bastardize the English? HELP