Retribution of the Fallen Ones

The symphony plays and the choir raise their hymns to the heavens. Declaring all the iniquities of the earth.

To the few who knows, this is a call for all to cleanse. To the many who do not know, this is but a foolishness overt.

And yet to them who tirelessly play the piece. And they who chants the ode.

This is a point where hope no longer exist. And the end that none should've goad.

Oh Maestro, lull the world into your savage tone. Bring forth the horrors hidden in your shadow.

Let the world know that the terror they have seeded…

[Shall now be reaped by him whom terrible suffering has smitten.]

This poem was an elegy for a young man's tombstone etched by the same young man. A poem that unlike other elegies, didn't bring peace to anyone who read it, but instead, acted as a warning and a prophecy of what is to come way after he was supposedly buried beneath that rock.

"The performance has just started… don't you dare leave without hearing everything that I have for you!"

"You-!!! How many times do I have to break you so I can escape from your hold?!"

Inside a special Mental Subspace, where the surrounding school campus is nowhere to be seen, and instead, replaced by an opera concert hall manned by musicians and choirs who has no visage, the brutal battle between the mortal human that wishes to escape death, and a Vessel of Death that is still holding onto him in order to bring him to demise, continues unabated.

"You're not escaping your punishment! Do you think that declaring yourself as the deity of the world of ruin that you will make would continue without us giving our all to stop you?"

"And why should I stop?! I am someone destined for greatness! Someone that have done and outdone everything that that is supposed to hinder humanity's advancement into a greater race!"

"Huk-!"

"In this miserable world where no one knows what is right and wrong anymore!

"GUH!!!"

"In this world of despair where no one knows if their tear-filled prayers are heard by anyone's ears!"

With his opponent's fists and legs filled with Astra energy, the Maestro helplessly received blow by blow, everything that his opponent sent out. With his body now resembling a ceramic doll filled with the viscous, black fluid that acts as its blood, this damage might've not hurt him the same way a normal body would, but it still left him with cracks and leaks at wherever he was hit.

"I will become that god! I will be the one who will save this world!"

Such was the true aspiration of Miyazono Ryuichi. It wasn't about power or prestige. The one thing that has kept him going through all of the heresy and crimes that he committed is the ultimate goal of one day becoming and bringing into such divinity all of humanity.

"I will not let you and your lot to ruin it! I will not let anyone of you destroy the progress that humanity has built up! You once brought down the monument of our united wish and severed our accord!

"Kuh! Not again!!!"

"No longer! No longer will we let you stop us from reaching out towards the divinity that is rightfully ours!"

Maestro attempted to step back to escape from the flurry of blows that awaits him if Ryuichi reaches him, but to his great surprise, an invisible force pushed him violently back towards the fist of his enemy that is bristling with Astra energy that will explode outwards if it hits him.

However, that wouldn't come to pass.

""

*FWAB!*

"Kh!"

"You almost did yourself in, idiot…"

"You are…"

"If you think that we would just let you thrash him around as you wish, you have another thing coming."

"Judy-san… Thank goodness you guys finally arrived…"

All of a sudden, the unseen energy that forcefully pushed him towards his enemy was reversed and he landed on the ground beside a woman who had a stern look on her face towards their opponent.

"We all agreed to come at the same time after learning about this… It's your recklessness that led you to come here by yourself and gamble your own safety."

"Heh… I apologize."

"You should be… But if you want to thank us, stand up and patch yourself up. You're not going to pass up on the chance to bring this guy back to his grave, won't you?"

"I sure won't."

While the two were talking, their enemy finally snapped from the shock of seeing another person join the fight and analyzed the appearance of the newcomer.

"You… You seem familiar..."

"What? Are you and your cronies so forgetful of the appearances of the people that you have tormented and killed?"

"Wait… You can't be-!"

For the first time, the face of the revived human showed an expression different from either his cocky or exhilarated expression from before.

"You will know what it means to finally be chased by the evils that you have done against other people… "

"I won't let you-!!!"

The revived Miyazono Ryuichi lost all composure on his face upon realizing the identity of the woman in front of him and swung his fist that shot out enormous amounts of Astra energy that ripped the ground apart. However, it never reached its target after his opponent's next move.

""

In an instant, everything around them became a dark void before being restructured into a ruined cityscape that stretches out from horizon to horizon.

"You-!!! So, you really are that woman!"

"It's been almost fifty years since we last met, Ryuichi. Do you still remember the innocent people you've killed in order to get to where you are now?"

"How dare you come back here and ruin everything!"

His enemy's name was enough to turn the fight from one that he can easily win and declare as meaningless, into one that he cannot afford to not win at.

"JUDY!!!"

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

During the mid-2020s, a relatively small company that didn't invite much attention from the public or the government was suddenly rose up in prominence. Its name is Ikehara Defense Company.

Its main trade is the local production of NATO-licensed ammunition and small-arms manufacture and maintenance. With the Japanese Self-Defense Forces planning to stockpile weapons due to the possible cut-off of Arms imports from America because of its languishing production capability outside its borders, the government would later contract the company that raked in billions of dollars-worth of profit due to its particular production capability over its other local competitors.

Although other companies also became part of this rearmament program later on as the government contracts expanded from small arms and ammunition to heavy equipment and armaments such as ships and tanks, no one saw as much prosperity as the Ikehara corporation who had a partial monopoly in the military-industrial complex that was quite untouched by most companies.

All of this preparation for war became meaningful later on, for after the brutal recommencing of the still unfinished and unresolved war between the two Korean nations, the stubbornness of a particular country that is desperately grabbing onto its weakening military prominence started a conflict that ballooned out from that particular hot spot and began the war that almost ended the world.

During the few months before the beginning of the world war, the Ikehara Defense Company was approached and offered by one super-successful businessman named Miyazono Ryuichi, a deal to have a substantial part of the company's shares handed to him in exchange for a free lease on the old factories that he recently bought and refurbished to be used by the Ikehara company.

The corporation accepted the deal and gave the rich businessman the majority of shares that he desired in exchange for a ramped-up production capability of the Arms company that is now being depended on by the government to supply the Self-Defense Forces with ammunition and guns.

However, only a few months before the end of the war in the east Asian front, the disparity between the interests of the major shareholder and the family that owns the company began to appear as the country's coffers ran dry because of the war and they became unable to buy both military and civilian goods from the businesses that produce them.

"What is the meaning of this, Masuyo?"

"New business policy. We're slashing our prices to an up-front value and we're absolving the government's debts with us. Everyone else in the military-industrial sector agreed to this deal."

"Alright… Please tell me that you're just joking, and I'll let this slide."

"You heard what I said. We're done here."

Although he is a ruthless and brutally greedy businessman who made it into a multi-million conglomerate, Ikehara Masuyo is still someone who sees things like this from a humanitarian point of view. That is the say, if he will profit by turning even the innocent people into beggars, he'd rather just make ends meet than profit.

"The Americans will be pushing them back away from our lands and the SDF needs as many fangs and claws as possible to remain standing until the end. I don't intend to curb their fighting power by strangling more money out of them."

"HAH! You call yourself a businessman when you're freely running your business like it's a charity foundation?! You're an insult to all who have worked their asses off to be this rich and successful!"

"And you are an insult to humanity!"

"-!!!"

"Our people and country are being tormented and trampled by this war! And your interest still wins over as you demand them to sink further and further into debt while they are already wounded?! You don't deserve to even be called a human being!"

"Why, you…!"

"The Ikehara group will help our nation to end this war and you will never be able to do anything to stop it!"

Just as the owner of the company told its major shareholder, the company became one of the most instrumental variables to the victory of Japan in protecting its land and border against the brutal and unforgiving brutality of the world war. It was because of the Ikehara corporation's goodwill that was initiated by its owner did the war end for the people and nation.

"That bastard collaborated with the other pests to end the war quickly… if we drew it out, we could've profited more and get a better seat in the negotiation table so we can absorb the destabilized nations around us."

"They sure ruined our plans, didn't they, Ryuichi-sama?"

"Hmph! I'll just make him pay for it later. First, I need to make sure that the Board of Directors would all agree to discredit them with some kind of falsified charge planted by our men… Only then can I step on the limelight and take over the company."

"How shall we handle their troublesome leader?"

"…Send in Mifune to cause an "unfortunate accident". I think that guy would appreciate experimenting on a guy with such a strong character."

"As you wish, Ryuichi-sama."

"Ah! Another thing, Harada-jii-san."

"Yes, sir?"

"You should look into saving your DNA samples and memory bank in the laboratory. With your illness, I wouldn't want to have you forever lost to this company that we both built back to life… even though our cloning capabilities isn't perfect yet."

"Ahaha… I will do just that later, sir."

Months before the war completely ended and the Ikehara corporation partially turned from military production into civilian production such as canned goods and pre-furbished basic shelters for their country that is rebuilding from the war, disaster struck as one man disappeared completely from existence without any trace of where he went.

"Master Masuyo went outside with his motorcycle last night. Knowing the feuds that he's been having with the new board of directors put into their positions by shareholder Miyazono, I think it's not unwarranted to say that he's trying to clear his head."

"Still, why isn't he still home? We know that he would usually be gone until noon if he goes to a party or a bar, but it's been a few days already…"

"Maybe he's staying over one of his lover's houses? We know him, he's got his way with the ladies."

"Yeah! Did you hear what the maids on the other building were saying? They said that he-"

"You three over there! Quit yapping and go back to work! You're here to do the chores, not gossip about your masters!"

"""Y-Yes, Head Maid!"""

"Argh… these kids are going to be the end of me…"

With the sudden disappearance of Ikehara Masuyo, the question of who will be taking over the Ikehara corporation's leadership became the subject of debates. No sooner than the prospect of an election was opened did factions appear within and without the company, each taking their side and their bet on who will be the next to lead the business.

"It is just normal for the person who is most related with the bachelor Ikehara Masuyo to take on the business. Even if she is just his half-sister, she still knows more than enough and will be instrumental in the furthering of our company's core values and vision for the future."

"So, in the end, you will be turning the virtuous election system into a meaningless thing by simply handing over the entire company to someone who shares the blood of the last leading figure? We will not accept her into the leadership! She may have helped out in the administrative side of the business during the war but leading a few hundred people in paperwork wouldn't guarantee that she can effectively be able to lead almost a hundred thousand people affiliated in this company effectively!"

"And who will you put to place? The person who literally confessed to dragging out the war so we can profit more while our people and country are being ravaged by war?! Preposterous!"

In the end, feuds turned into ugly insults and retorts by the Directors in the mass media, and one by one, the subsidiaries and sister companies of the corporation started to suggest that the only viable solution to all of this is to fragment the companies under the Ikehara conglomerate and break any chance for both parties to exert full control across the board.

"What do you say, Judy-sama?"

"…"

As the interim leader of the corporation as she is the half-sister of the now officially declared as deceased Ikehara Masuyo, Judy Ann Ikehara made the bitter decision that will let the company wrought by his grandfather, father and half-brother's hard work to endure for longer rather than fall down or be swallowed by the Miyazono corporation's undermining.

"Let it be done. This is the only thing that I can do to stop them from ruining everything that my family built up. It wouldn't be the same as before… but at least it will be our name and legacy that would endure rather than that wicked man's ambitions and greed."

"It truly is a bitter decision, Judy-sama…"

"It is… but as the last person in our family who would be sitting inside this office of the businesses that we have united… I wish to do what I think those who came before me would do as well."

"Strange…"

"Strange? What do you mean with that?"

"Nothing serious, my lady… Just that I can quite remember how your grandfather would smile even if the business weren't going smoothly when he first started."

"My, my, Head Maid. When you reminisce about those memories, it does make you sound old. No wonder the younger maids are teasing you about it."

"Nn! You're hurting my delicate heart, Judy-sama. I must warn you to not play around with your elders' feelings!"

"Ahahaha! You're not helping yourself at all, Head Maid Asada-san!"

The corporation's fragmentation into a hundred smaller companies with varying quirks and leadership alignments that are almost impossible to consolidate the same way the Ikehara family did it years ago didn't just infuriate the person who wanted to take it over, it almost turned him insane.

"KILL THEM! KILL ALL OF THOSE PESTS OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH!!!"

The brutal order given by the heartless Miyazono shareholder was one wrought by his pure hatred against the family that again and again, didn't back down against him and his attempts to take over their business.

""

""

""

Perhaps, there really are times when one must pay for the things that they have done even if it wasn't them who are in the wrong.

"A storm? The weather forecast didn't say anything about this."

"Maybe it's just a random thunderstorm. Once we get back to Tokyo, it would probably pass already."

"Hmm… Right."

As they say, this world isn't fair. After all, why would the people who wished to stop evil be the ones to be allowed to die? Why did it let innocent children and dutiful grown-ups to fall victim to the wrongdoing of an evil man who sees lives as nothing more but mere commodities to the furthering of his ambitions?

Such a question crossed the mind of Judy Ann Ikehara as the car bearing her, her trusty head maid and her children who are about to go back to their home in Tokyo after it was re-opened to its residents was swallowed by a landslide, resulting to the quick death of all two of her children as well as her maid who protected them in the back seat of the vehicle.

"Why? Why does it have to happen like this…?"

"Check if there are any survivors! If there are, use the ground to further crush the car before we get the hell away from here!"

"Roger!"

From above the ground, he can hear the Miyazono Psychics who caused the landslide trying to check if anyone of them were still alive. With her belly loosely pierced by a metal strut from her car door that is causing her to lose blood profusely, she uttered one last statement that became the cursed promise that brought her to where she is right now.

"If I live through this… I won't give the same mercy to that monster as I did right now… I will…"

This cursed promise was heard by one who was reawakened from its long slumber.

"I will kill that man and rid the world of his evil…"

And thus, the oath has been signed.

"I will curse this world… more so than anyone can worship it."

["Your wish shall be fulfilled. Though dead and no longer yourself, you shall carry that wish that none other has the right to bear. Not even I who is Death incarnate."]

And now, that cursed promise is being fulfilled.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"WHY, YOU PEST-!!!"

""

"Ghh-!"

As the Maestro is recovering the damages of his body, Miyazono Ryuichi and the Vessel of Death named Judy fought toe-to-toe across the subjugated Subspace that appeared through the latter's power.

"I don't understand… how… what kind of power are you wielding?!"

"One that I sharpened after all these years just to bring you down!"

"DAMN YOU, IKEHARA!!!"

The invisible forces that the two were wielding sent ripples across the ruined cityscape produced by the Mental Subspace. Though none of them appeared through the naked eye, there was undoubtedly a great number and magnitude of forces that clashed between the two who kept on pushing against each other and looking for an opening they can exploit.

""

"Not again-"

""

Suddenly, that invisible force that she was sending out changed form and became massive fireballs and flame storms that caught her opponent off-guard. It hit Ryuichi squarely, evaporating his unseen fists and scorching his arms that he used to protect his face.

"Khh-! That freaking hurt! How did she manage to-"

"I'm not done yet!"

"-!!!"

""

Not to be held back by her previous large-scale attack, the Vessel shot forward and closed the gap between them so quickly that her opponent didn't even have a moment to react.

""

The invisible force surrounding her changed form again and instead of the portion earlier that turned into flames, this one turned into a whirling tempest of snow and hail that hit her opponent point blank.

"N-NO-!!! My body is-!"

"How does it feel, Miyazono?!"

"-!!!"

"To have all of your hope and your life itself be taken away from you?!"

The very next instant after her attack connected, Ryuichi was sent across the Subspace, away from her and the still recuperating Maestro.

"This really is your moment, Ann-san…"

"I've been waiting for almost fifty years… I have no reason to hold back against that bastard."

"Hehe… I see. I wish little Mirai, and that bum Shisui can join in instead of being hoisted with the troublesome daughters of his."

"Each of us has our place in this battle. Though they have a personal vendetta against him, we still have to follow what Charon-san said we should be placed in."

"Right… Speaking of which, it seems like the he and the Juror is coming here."

"Let's show those two then that we're taking on our own weight… On your feet, Musician! I don't let just anyone to stay by my side without showing their own grit!"

"Heard you loud and clear… Departed Symphonia! I call for all of you!"

With his hand that holds an ornate golden baton, he exuded out a black smoke that rapidly spread out around him before forming into the faceless musicians holding ornate instruments from all kinds of orchestras and musical ensembles.

"Everyone… The day that I have promised all of you in your deaths has finally come. Though we have to share this fight and its conclusion with my fellow Seers of Death, I can at least guarantee all of you that this sacrifice that I have requested even beyond your grave will not be for naught…"

As if they are normal people, each of the faceless men and women looked at each other as if mumbling to each other though they have neither eyes nor mouths to express their words.

"He has extinguished your lives at that day when you presented to the entirety of the world all of the evil that he has done against us whilst calling himself as the one who will save mankind…"

"""…"""

"At that theater auditorium in Old Tokyo… all of you performed the piece and sang the song that brought to everyone's mind his crimes against mankind… and yet, I ask that you relive your last performance this time. Please…"

With their Maestro bowing towards them, the musicians without visages all looked at each other with nods before proceeding to stand up and bow as well, showing their approval to his plan and the start of their performance.

"Well then… Let the Performance begin!"

Just as the first blast of music began, two individuals passed through the security perimeter placed by the combined forces of the Sumeragi syndicate and the S.S.S without raising any suspicion nor letting their selves be seen.

"They sure have guarded the area tightly… We had to depend on riding in their shadows just to pass through."

"Right. They seem competent enough though they are not Psychics."

After entering the innermost courtyard of the campus where the main battle area is located, the one who is wearing a judge's garb spoke towards the one who looks like an elderly man.

"I can sense the Jester and the Lumen Child fighting behind that ruined building. It seems like they didn't form a Subspace and depended on the Qlipoth tree's mirage to hide the intensity of their duel… Perhaps, we can assist them first before we-"

"Leave those Replicants to those two. They are the ones among our group whom the Innkeeper deduced to be the proper ones who can counter their enemies."

"I still question the reason for her decision… After all, sending me against those two is the most efficient way to-"

"Your strength is better suited against the enemy inside this Subspace… Do you not agree, Juror…?"

"…I agree."

"Well then… Let us enter."

Inside the Subspace, chaos erupted as an intense performance of the Orchestra sent stark shrills of the string instruments and grandeur bellowing of the wind instruments throughout the area as a woman repeatedly pounded the debris-laden ground in pursuit of her opponent that can barely strike back against her.

""

"ENOUGH!!!"

""

The invisible force covering the female Vessel shot towards him and blasted throughout his entire body a gust of wind that contained the warmth of the sunlight of an entire summer season.

"GRUAAAAAAHHHH!!!"

"Kh! Not enough!"

"Let me keep the momentum, Innkeeper."

"Juror-!?"

To her surprise, the man dressed in the clothes of a judge rushed past her and hearing the music being played by the surrounding orchestra of the Maestro, learned that kind of pattern of attacks they are taking.

""

"I will lend my energy!"

After seeing what he is attempting, the elderly Vessel stretched out his hand towards the Juror and sent to him a jolt of energy to further accentuate his attack.

""

Beneath their enemy that had just recovered from being blanched by the female vessel's attack, shadows coagulated and solidified into countless spikes and blades that shot up from the ground, many of them connecting and brutally stabbing their selves into his body.

"You lot… I have had enough of all of you!!!"

"Gh!"

"What is that about?!"

"His shout… The performance was almost interrupted!"

They thought it should've already been over after they saw the Juror's attack connect and pierce their opponent's body through and through. However, he shouted loudly, enough for the entire Subspace to quake heavily.

"You… You!!! All of you should just die!!!"

"The Subjugation!"

"Old man Charon! Halve the burden with the Innkeeper! Maestro! Raise the tone of your orchestra!"

"Got it!"

"Everyone! You heard that our audience asks for more!"

As the elderly man touched and helped his comrade to maintain the Subjugated Subspace, and the Maestro's orchestra raised their music to its highest extent to help counter the attempt of their enemy to break out, the Juror went ahead with his own attempt to weather their opponent's power.

"

"GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!!!"

"Gih! "

After the Juror casted that ability, the entire place in the eyes of Miyazono Ryuichi became dark and silent. For a normal person, this can easily disrupt their ability to continue fighting due to the natural aversion from such an unnatural setting, but right now, their opponent is not in his right mind…

"INSIGNIFICANT!"

"Tch! He broke from my control!"

"I will change our piece! Go on an all-out attack now!"

"I WON'T LET YOU NUISANCES TO STOP ME ANY FURTHER!!!"

"-!!! You three! Behind me! RIGHT NOW!!!"

"RAAAAAHHHH!!!"

With her sharp sixth sense, Judy stepped in front of her comrades and casted her strongest defensive ability.

""

As a blast of the invisible force that he was emitting shot outwards with great force, it broke the Subspace and exposed it to the other fight happening on the other side of the campus grounds.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

These two…!

They're not tiring out or even stopping their momentum…!

"Forget us, Lady Himari!"

"Put your attention to our enemy!!!"

"Tch! I will avenge you, everyone!"

These two… Did the enemy somehow learn about my and Aishi's weaknesses?! They elements and their fighting style…

"Sorry ladies! You'll have to step back a bit with me!"

"Kh! Get back, Onee-chan!"

"Damn-"

They seem to easily read our moves! How are they doing this?!

""

"Do it, Mirai-chan. I'll hold both of them back."

"WAIT-!!!"

"NO-"

Once we saw the girl pointing her shotgun to the direction of our wounded bodyguards and assistants, both I and Aishi froze in shock until we saw and heard her pull the trigger and a blast of searing light turned all of our comrades into charred bodies.

"E-E-Everyone…"

"W-Why did…?"

I did my best not to throw up after seeing my subordinates that has given their all to fight with us earlier turn into lifeless charred bodies. Looking at Aishi, she was in the same state of mind as I am.

"Phew! You sure blasted them to kingdom come, Mirai-chan!"

"Shut up. I am just doing what I should do. How about you? Would you just stare at those two?"

"Muu… Mirai-chan is bullying me. At this rate, I'd probably ask Judy-san to let me cry on her lap and console me."

"You two…"

"Hm?"

"You think that all of this is a joke?"

"O-Onee-chan… let us…"

You animals… No…

"YOU MONSTERS!!!"

"HOW DARE YOU NOT SHOW ANY REMORSE ABOUT THIS!!!"

Side by side, Aishi and I let out our full power by removing the limiter of our Augmenter Cores. With this, our attempt to stake out and tire our enemies before taking them by surprise later is now out of the plan.

"My, my… You really think that we Vessels treat death in the same way as you mortals do?"

"Haah… Even Mirai thinks you are stupid."

"SHUT YOUR FILTHY MOUTHS!!!"

I roared out in rage and for the first time in the past ten years, I brought out my power that I have been keeping under tight control as both a way to hide its capability and to limit its destructive nature.

"Augmenter Overdrive! "

"Augmenter Overdrive! "

As soon as we brought out the true power of our Replicant bodies that is being supplied with Astra energy by our Augmenter cores, the dark tree behind us began to creak and howl through its wood and soon, its dead branches began to fall off as if it is dying.

"Heh… To think that because of your two's rage, you saved us from the trouble of having to cull the Qlipoth tree. You guys sure surprise us."

"Jester, they are coming towards here…"

"I know… With our battle areas now unified, I am excited about how this will all turn out to become."

Just as Aishi and I was about to charge towards them, we sensed our father approaching the place we were fighting at.

"Haah… haah… haah…!"

"Father!"

"What happened to you!?"

Both I and Aishi was shocked beyond disbelief after we saw our father wounded and almost running out of Astra energy as soon as he arrived by our side.

"Hmm… Quite not in the right shape, aren't you, Tainted?"

"You shut your trap! How dare you insult our father!"

"Do I look like I care?"

"Why, you-!"

"Stop right there, child!"

"F-Father-?"

"Father! Why are you-"

"You two can't be rash… They almost brought me to my knees… We can't be haphazard against all of them."

"All of them?! Father, there is only three of-"

"They're all here!"

"-!!!"

After he said as such between labored breaths, four more people appeared beside the two that we were fighting against just now.

"My, my… You two sure took your time dealing with that two."

"If it wasn't for the light-manipulating guy earlier, I could've easily destroyed that girl."

"Stop making it look like we are in the same levels of power and authority, Judy and Osamu."

"Right. Mirai and Jester are trying our best to not make the fight escape from the Qlipoth tree's mirage."

"Well, that tree is dead and dissipating now. The act is over, Lumen Child and Jester. It's time for you to show what you two are really capable of."

"Now, now… Let's not get too excited and go charging willy-nilly."

No way… This isn't true…!

"Himari-nee… These six are-!"

I know about them… Ever since one of them attacked our base in Chiba, I've been sending our men to gather information about them. We were supposed to be the ones who will hunt and neutralize them…

"These are the Seers of Death… Six of them!"

They were supposed to be seven… but at this point, I don't want to imagine what our odds of even just surviving would become if that last Vessel would appear and join in!

"You rascals! Have ya forgotten about me?!"

"Keiji?! How did you get out!?"

To our surprise, our sibling and the last one among us children of Miyazono Ryuichi walked casually from behind us. Something that I didn't expect after he was caught and failed to escape once before.

"Our folks didn't get to take over the base of the S.S.S. But they managed to plant an Astra wave emitter that I detected and used to transmit my soul out of the prison. Luckily, one of the Replicants of Hirayama is still quite intact, so I used it and modified it a bit to my liking."

"Good… That means we have you who is still fresh and uninjured. Aishi, Father… We have a chance now. Let's finish them off and reach for our benefactor's noble dream!"

"Right!"

"This is for all of mankind!"

"Let's end these walking corpses and be done with this!"

As my sibling and our father took battle stances and prepared to perform the attacks that we have conducted in conjunction with each other, we knew that as long as we are together, we don't just stand a chance to survive even against these six monsters… we can also win.

"My soul is binding well to my body now. Only a bit more time and I can even take on three of them. Buy me some time, kids. Father will show you the strength that my previous cursed body wasn't able to show you."

"Right!"

"You can leave that to us, father!"

However, I started to notice that none of the six took on combat stances or even exuded out Astra energy as preparation for the fight. I thought they are insulting us again… until I sensed someone walking from behind them that caused them to freeze in sheer terror.

"O-O-Onee-chan…"

"Aishi? What's wrong?!"

Even Aishi's legs and eyes began to shake in fear. It was my first time to see my battle-hardened sister who is the bravest of us three shaking in terror.

"…Onee-chan. He's here."

"Who are you talking about?"

"This aura… this power-!"

"Keiji?!"

"YOU-!!!"

Even my brother began to react as soon as he sensed the one coming towards us. With his rage, I knew that this isn't just any enemy. It must've been that person who foiled his escape attempt.

"This reminds me of old times… When the land of harmony and bounty became a barren wasteland irrigated by the blood of the innocent that was slain by the sinful. And who later became the mountain of corpses which I stood on as retribution."

"It can't be…! You are-!"

"Come at me, you Tainted Ones… I will slay you the same way I did thousands of years ago."

Law… That being has finally showed his self.