The scene opens with Rito wearing a serious expression as Akuma grins while they face each other. Akuma flicks his finger, causing a large mist spike to erupt from the ground. Rito dodges it and quickly stands beside Zodiac and Daru. As he jumps back, Akuma notices Zodiac and Daru, whose hair glows, realizing they are the Zatarians his father has been searching for.
Akuma: So, you're the Zatarians.
Daru: Yeah, what about it?
Zodiac: Who the hell are you?
Gram: Wait! Those are the Nitharians.
Ohma: Ohh! So that's what they look like?
Kono: Yeah, they don't look very pleasant either.
Akira stares intently at Ruda as her fire intensifies.
Akuma: Well… my name is Akuma. As you know, we are the Nitharians. My father sent me to find you.
Daru: What does your father want with us, and why are you looking for us?
Akuma: My father is a man of few words, and those words carry more weight than you realize. He wants me to bring you in, but if you die by my hands, I guess I just made a mistake.
Ohma approaches with Zodiac and the others.
Ohma: That still doesn't explain what your father wants with them.
Akuma: Well, those two should know why. (He looks at Daru and Zodiac.)
Daru and Zodiac exchange confused glances.
Akuma: You really don't know, do you?
Zodiac: Know what?
Akuma: (Chuckles) My father killed your parents and now wants you dead because you are Shakrio's children.
Daru: Your father killed our parents…
Akuma: Yes, he did. Your father didn't put up much of a fight, nor did your uncles.
Zodiac tightens his grip on his light greatsword.
Akuma: As I said, I'm here to bring you in. If you happen to die in the process, that's fine too.
Akira: (muttering to herself) I'm going to kill her! I'M GOING TO KILL HER!!
Gram approaches Rito.
Rito: Gram.
Gram: Huh?
Rito: Get Zenshi to the castle… this is not going to end well.
Gram: Ahh, dammit…
Zenshi: But Rito…
Rito: I'll be back, don't worry. Now, Gram.
Gram: Yeah, right!
Gram helps Zenshi up, and they head toward the castle.
Akuma: So, will you come willingly, or do we need to rough you up a bit? (smiles)
Hinoka hugs Akuma and whispers in his ear.
Hinoka: I like it rough… don't let them live. (smiles)
Shamasu: Just say the word, Akuma.
As Akuma was about to reply, he heard the sound of marching as Hanzo and his monks advanced behind him to engage in battle. Daru, Zodiac, and the others turned to see them approaching.
Akuma: I think you got your answer, Hinoka.
Hinoka: Then this should be entertaining. (chuckles)
Rito: (smiles) My man…
Hanzo raises his hand, signaling the monks to halt and slam their feet into the ground. Akuma grins and raises his hands, prompting all the Nitharians to march out from behind the ship and stand beside him and the others.
Akuma: So… shall we beg—
Akira: RUDA!!!!!!!!!!!
Everyone watches as Akira flies toward Ruda, who blocks the attack with her daggers and smiles.
Monk Hanzo: TO WAR!!!
The monks behind Hanzo yell and charge at Akuma. Akuma nods at Shamasu.
Shamasu: (holds up his axe) Let the blood fest begin.
The Nitharians rush forward, shouting at the monks.
Rito: (looks at Daru and Zodiac) Now it's time to see if your training was worth it.
Daru and Zodiac nod in agreement. As Shamasu and Hinoka prepare to enter the battle, Akuma stops them.
Akuma: Wait… not just yet.
Shamasu: Yes, Akuma.
Hinoka: (upset) You're making me wait!! I hate you, but you're so attractive like this!
Both armies collide, engaging in fierce combat, with the monks using their fists and the Nitharians wielding weapons. Daru and Zodiac watch as Rito strides into the fray.
Daru: Where are you going?
Rito: To kill Akuma.
As Rito warns that a Nitharian soldier is charging toward Daru and Zodiac, Zodiac activates Sudoshi and decapitates the soldier with his light greatsword. Moments later, two more soldiers approach Zodiac, one from behind and one in front. Zodiac lunges forward with his greatsword, piercing the head of the soldier charging at him. As the soldier from behind closes in, Zodiac summons his weapon back to his hand and stabs the other soldier in the chest, piercing his heart. Just then, a large Nitharian soldier emerges, wielding an axe and swinging it at Zodiac.
Big Nitharian Soldier: Come here, you puny Zatarian!
Zodiac dodges the attack and delivers an elbow to the soldier's gut, pushing him back several feet. He then summons his spectral hand and sends it toward the large soldier, seizing him.
Big Nitharian Soldier: What the!?
Zodiac propels him into the sky and transforms his weapon into a light bow.
Zodiac: It's time to die.
Zodiac releases multiple light arrows at the soldier, piercing his body. After a brief moment, the arrows glow brighter and explode, killing him. Meanwhile, Ohma and the others engage the monks: Ohma and Kono utilize their fists, while Himitsu wields his sword.
Himitsu: Let's do this!
Himitsu slashes his hand four times, his eyes turning red and his teeth elongating. He dashes forward, swinging his sword and dispatching over twenty guards with a single strike.
Himitsu: AHHHH!
The scene shifts to Akira and Ruda in combat.
Akira: I sensed something was off about you!
Ruda: You were too oblivious to realize… I thought dragons were supposed to sense danger, but I suppose you're worse at that than in combat.
Akira: Enough!
Akira charges in, throwing punches at Ruda, who deflects them with her daggers.
Ruda: Come on, can't you land one—
Akira executes a leg sweep, catching her off guard and landing a punch to her face.
Ruda: Uhh!
Ruda touches her nose and sees that she is bleeding.
Akira: This isn't training anymore; this is life or death!
Ruda, now furious, swings her daggers side to side as Akira retaliates with punches. Akira leaps into the air and unleashes a fire blast from her mouth, but Ruda crosses her daggers into an X to block the attack. Meanwhile, Daru throws punches at the Nitharains, sending them flying one by one across the battlefield. As seventeen Nitharains surround him, Daru's veins bulge with intensity.
Daru: So, who's first?
Nitharian 1: AHHH!!
Daru seizes the screaming Nitharian and swings him into the others, knocking them down one by one. Holding the Nitharain, Daru leaps into the air, his fist glowing purple. He slams the Nitharian down onto the ground, creating an explosion that shatters the Nitharian's head and sends a purple shockwave that takes out the others.
Daru: Barely did any damage to me.
Ohma and Kono stand back to back, fending off the relentless Nitharians, who continue to rise.
Kono: Okay, screw this!
Kono retrieves two hand gauntlets from behind her back and puts them on, unleashing a massive blast that eliminates five Nitharians at once.
Kono: HAHA! THEY WORK!
Ohma: Whoa, Kono! That's awesome!
Monk Hanzo: Ohma!
Ohma: Huh?
He glances over his shoulder and sees two nunchucks flying toward him, which he successfully catches.
Ohma: My nunchucks! They look different.
Monk Hanzo: We upgraded them to match your abilities!
Ohma: Sweet!
As Ohma swings the nunchucks, his eyes turn hazel, and he eliminates ten Nitharians in a single motion.
Ohma: Whoa! These feel so light! I love it.
He leaps into the air and slams both nunchucks into the ground, generating a shockwave that sends ten more Nitharians flying. Kono activates a button on her gauntlets, unleashing a fire blast that eliminates the airborne Nitharians. As Rito navigates through the chaos of battle to reach Akuma, he finally spots him and smiles.
Akuma: There you are.
Hinoka: Be careful, babe. He's sneaky.
Akuma: I'll be just fine; don't worry.
Shamasu: What are your instructions?
Akuma: Go introduce yourself to the Zatarians.
With that, Akuma strides confidently toward Rito.
Hinoka: I want to see him rip Rito's heart out! I want to bathe in his blood!
Shamasu: Hinoka! Get a grip. Now let's do what he asked.
Hinoka: (Upset) Ughhh! Fine, I'll go kill some Zatarians.
As Rito approaches, he sees Akuma directly in front of him. Rito employs the Sudoshi step, but as he does so, Akuma seizes him by the neck.
Akuma: I won't let that happen again.
Rito: You fall for everything, don't you?
Rito reverses their positions, now holding Akuma by the neck.
Akuma: What!
Rito attempts to throw him but notices a mist spike rising from the ground. He releases his grip and jumps back. Akuma charges in, and Rito is unable to react in time as Akuma punches him in the face. Rito quickly regains his footing, and they both begin exchanging punches. Akuma touches the ground, creating a spike jail to ensnare Rito.
Rito: You coward! Fight me like a man! At least give me that much!
Akuma: Why would I waste my time on something so useless?
Rito: Alright, you bastard!
Rito slaps his face twice and begins aggressively striking himself against the jail spikes.
Akuma: Huh?
Rito pauses and slowly looks up. Akuma observes Rito smiling wickedly, his veins glowing bright red and fangs bared. Rito touches the spikes, causing them to dissipate.
Akuma: What the hell? How th—
Rito struck Akuma, sending him crashing to the ground and generating a shockwave that momentarily pushed everyone on the battlefield back, leaving a significant dent on the planet. Akuma coughed up blood and kicked Rito away. As he landed, he touched his lips and realized he was bleeding.
Akuma: (Laughing) I haven't seen my own blood in 12 years!
Rito: Well, you're about to see a lot more of it.
Akuma: Then… (closes his eyes) show me more.
When Akuma opened his eyes, they glowed a dark purple.
Both Akuma and Rito charged at each other. Akuma ducked under Rito's punch, delivered a swift kick to his back, and created six copies of himself. He conjured a mist spike in his hands as all six clones rushed toward Rito, landing blows that pierced him.
Rito: AHHH!!!
Rito screamed and snapped all the clones in half, then clapped his hands to generate a red barrier around himself, eliminating the duplicates. He looked up just in time to see Akuma launching a mist ball at him. Rito switched places with Akuma, who was on the ground, while Rito stood atop the mist ball. He pressed it down forcefully onto Akuma.
Rito: DIE!! YOU BASTARD!
Akuma smiled and swiped his hand, dispersing the mist ball effortlessly.
Rito: WH— Tch!
Akuma: Did you really think my own attack would hurt me?!
Rito: (Chuckles) It was worth a shot.
Rito began to spin rapidly, creating a red tornado.
Akuma: Great, now what's this?
Rito formed a barrier around them, effectively trapping Akuma inside.
Rito: Now… only one of us is coming out alive.
Akuma: Why would you do this to yourself, Rito? All over a pathetic child?
In a fit of rage, Rito lunged at Akuma with a punch, but Akuma raised his spikes as a shield. He then created thirty clones of himself.
Akuma: You're the only one dying here today, Rito.
Meanwhile, as Daru fought off the Nitharians, he spotted Hinoka and Shamasu on the opposite side.
Daru: He looks strong! Let's see how much damage my body can take!
Daru began to run toward them, weaving through the other combatants. As he got closer, he realized Shamasu and Hinoka had vanished.
Daru: What the hell? They were just here!
Shamasu: Looking for me?
Daru: Huh?
Daru turned around to find Shamasu looming over him. He squared up to confront him.
Daru: Yes, I was.
Shamasu: Akuma's father wants you... not that Akuma said if you die then th—
Daru strikes Shamasu in the face, causing him to stagger slightly, but he quickly regains his composure.
Daru: You should try shutting the hell up and fighting.
Shamasu: (Grunts) You think you're stronger than me?
Daru: Based on that punch, you don't seem like much at all.
Shamasu: You've got a mouth on you.
Daru charges at him once more.
Shamasu: Hm?
Daru attempts to grab Shamasu's waist, but Shamasu steps back and delivers a blow to the top of Daru's head, forcing him to the ground.
Daru: Ugh! Damn.
Shamasu kicks Daru, but he manages to steady himself. Shamasu then stomps on the ground, causing Daru to lose his balance. Looking up, Daru sees Shamasu preparing to punch him, but he finds himself immobilized; mist envelops his hands, pinning him to the ground.
Daru: WHAT THE HELL!
Shamasu delivers a punch to Daru as he shouts.
Daru: AHHHH!
Shamasu: (Laughs) Did you enjoy that?
Shamasu seizes Daru by the head, pulling him closer.
Shamasu: But tell me—
Daru spits blood onto Shamasu's face.
Daru: (Laughs) You've got a little something on your face.
Shamasu forcefully slams Daru to the ground again and begins to stomp on him repeatedly. Just as Shamasu prepares for a final stomp, he senses an approach from behind. He quickly turns to see Zodiac swinging his greatsword. Shamasu blocks the attack but is pushed back several feet.
Shamasu: Heh, you nearly caught me off guard.
Zodiac glances down at Daru on the ground.
Zodiac: What are you doing down there? Get up.
Daru: Of course, you had to come.
Daru rises as Shamasu slowly advances toward them.
Daru: He's strong. He broke my rib. I can feel it.
Zodiac: Can you still fight?
Daru: Of course I can, you idiot.
Zodiac: Then quit complaining and get in the fight.
Shamasu: You two are Zatarians, right? Let's see just how strong you really are!
Shamasu charges at Zodiac and Daru, throwing a punch at Daru, who blocks it with his arm. Zodiac transforms his weapon into a light scythe and swings at Shamasu's head. Shamasu ducks and counters with a kick, sending Zodiac back a few feet. Daru then delivers a powerful punch, which Shamasu absorbs without flinching. Moments later, Daru's fist connects with Shamasu's head, and Shamasu smiles.
Shamasu: (Grins) You hit like a coward!
Shamasu unleashes a powerful yell as his energy propels Daru backward. Zodiac swiftly advances toward Shamasu, scythe in hand, poised to strike. Shamasu's eyes glow purple as he adeptly evades all of Zodiac's attacks.
Zodiac: How in the world?
While skillfully dodging Zodiac's strikes, Shamasu channels his mist powers into his fist and delivers a punch to Zodiac's chest, sending him sprawling to the ground.
Daru: Now it's your turn to get up.
Daru clenches his fists together, causing them to glow purple as his veins thicken.
Daru: Alright, round two!
Daru charges at Shamasu and attempts a leg sweep. Shamasu leaps to evade the maneuver and counters with a mist blast aimed at Daru's face. Daru manages to block the blast, but Shamasu swiftly punches him in the stomach, leaving a significant impact.
Daru: God! That hurt!
Daru gathers his strength and unleashes a blast toward Shamasu. Shamasu shifts slightly, avoiding the attack. The blast strikes a building, resulting in a powerful explosion.
Zodiac: Nice aim, idiot.
Daru: Oh, shut up!
Zodiac: WATCH OUT!
Daru turns to find Shamasu directly in front of him and is struck in the same spot as before. He is propelled backward, crashing through four houses before landing behind the castle.
Daru: Ugh!
Gram and Zenshi witness the commotion and see Daru lying flat on the ground.
Zenshi: It's Daru!
Gram: DARU!
Zodiac: Daru—
Suddenly, Zodiac feels a sharp pain in his chest and clutches it.
Zodiac: Agh. Why am I in so much pain?
Shamasu: Pay attention.
Zodiac: Wha—
Shamasu appears before Zodiac, launching a series of rapid punches. Zodiac attempts to block with his scythe, but Shamasu breaks through, causing the scythe to vanish.
Zodiac: How!?
Shamasu delivers a powerful punch to Zodiac's stomach, inflicting severe damage.
Zodiac: Aghhh!
Shamasu seizes Zodiac's head and drives his knee into his face, causing blood to spill from his nose. Dazed, Zodiac shakes his head and throws a punch at Shamasu, but Shamasu effortlessly catches his fist.
Shamasu: (Shaking his head) Too slow.
Shamasu lands another quick punch to Zodiac's chest, further debilitating him and leaving him paralyzed. He grips Zodiac's head and smiles.
Shamasu: (Grinning) I believe it's time to return to your brother.