"Not every battle ends in blood. Some end when the world itself arrives to claim the field."
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The Kusanagi's Last Line of Defense
Location: Kusanagi Shrine, Inner Sanctum
Justice screamed through the sanctum.
Kuroda Jinzaburō moved.
He sidestepped just in time.
The motion was minimal. No wasted momentum. The rail-cannon beam carved through the space he had occupied a fraction of a second ago and punched a hole into the shrine wall. Stone disintegrated on impact. Fire and pulverized masonry burst outward, venting into the night through a newly opened scar to the Inner Sanctum.
"That is extremely dangerous", Kuroda calmly remarked.
He did not look at the damage and stayed focused at the two formidable adversaries in front of him.
The massive rail-cannon shuddered in Samuel's hands as its arcane core destabilized. The glow collapsed inward, conduits dimming as nanomachines disengaged and flowed back along the frame. The weapon folded with sharp mechanical clicks, splitting cleanly back into Freedom and Liberty.
Cooldown.
Samuel exhaled once through clenched teeth. "Reload window."
Maximo answered without looking. "I know."
Kuroda lifted Muramasa.
Dark crimson light surged along the blade, not flaring outward but tightening, condensing, compressing into violent coherence. The air around him distorted as synchrony locked in completely.
One hundred percent.
He vanished.
Motion tore across the sanctum in a dark crimson flash.
Maximo reacted instantly, snapping the Sumpit ni Dumalapdap forward and erecting a sonic barrier angled to intercept. The first slash struck it head-on. The barrier bent inward as if it will not hold for too long.
Samuel took action right away and launched himself to the ceiling sticking to it upside down like a spider stalking it's prey. He aimed at Kuroda and fired both of his relic revolvers. Multiple arcane rounds homed in on Kuroda and detonated against his dark crimson silhouettes. The explosion dispersed the false images but failed to hit the real one.
Kuroda reappeared mid-stride, Muramasa already in motion.
Maximo pivoted. A second barrier formed reinforcing the first layer.
Kuroda unleashed a massive crimson slash wave that ripped through air and ground. It tore through both barriers, flinging Maximo into a wall after detonation.
From the ceiling, Samuel rocketed downwards. His landing cratered the floor and positioned himself in it like a bunker of his own making. He took a peak and locked onto Kuroda.
Freedom barked. Liberty followed half a breath later.
The rounds screamed as they soar in an arc and homed in on Kuroda with accelerated speed.
Kuroda adjusted instantly, Muramasa carved through the air between him and the bullets.
His slash waves met the homing rounds head on slicing them in two before punching into the wall behind him.
The rounds exploded into miniature suns behind Kuroda gradually illuminating his murderous expression.
Outside, wind howled louder than a caged beast. Thunder roared as its strikes shook the ground. The sound of screams and destruction echoed as the shrine remained intact as if there is an unnatural force preventing it from getting struck.
Though Kuroda and Samuel's focus didn't stray away from each other, both felt the immense power that rampaged outside.
Amidst the ongoing chaos, Maximo suddenly rolled out of the wall's debris and fired multiple shots from the Sumpit.
Invisible Sonic Curses threaded the space between them, locking onto Kuroda's movement. With a touch, his movements slowed, strength wavered, and mana was gradually getting drained without skill invocations.
"Nice. I don't mind fighting with disadvantages", Kuroda remarked with amusement imprinted on his face.
Samuel exploited the opportunity and fired again, both revolvers aligned centerline.
The shots struck.
Not deeply, but cleanly.
However, it was not enough to take him down. Kuroda absorbed the impact without breaking stride. He did not flinch.
Instead, he smiled again.
Pressure gathered.
Muramasa began to hum at a lower frequency. Crimson light pooled beneath Kuroda's feet, gravity seeming to tilt inward toward the blade.
Maximo felt it immediately.
"No! Samuel, brace yourself! He is about to unleash his Punishment of the Gods!" he growled.
The surge halted.
Lakambini Reyes' voice cut through his comms bead.
"Kuroda. Withdraw."
The crimson field faltered.
"Alliance fleet has breached outer airspace," she continued. "Massive Myth-Tech signatures confirmed. Joaquin Santillan is leading the formation. Nara will be encircled in minutes."
Silence followed.
Kuroda lowered Muramasa.
"This remains unfinished," he said evenly.
A glyph ignited beneath his feet, compact and precise.
"We will settle this next time."
The light folded inward.
Kuroda vanished.
The sanctum exhaled.
Samuel lowered his weapons slowly. Maximo steadied his breathing.
Neither spoke.
They both knew.
The fight had not ended.
It was just postponed.
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The Alliance's Response
Location: Kusanagi Shrine, Grand Hall Entrance
The shrine doors never opened.
They were about to.
Juan Luciano had already taken the final step toward the threshold. Habagat ni Silang rested low at his side, its earlier fury compressed into disciplined stillness. Hermano Lopez followed half a pace behind, Banal na Parusa upright, his gaze fixed forward.
Then the air shifted.
A sharp pulse rippled through the comms beads of the Babaylan Saints in perfect synchrony.
Hermano halted.
Juan did not turn, but he felt it. The pressure change. The sudden intrusion of vast, coordinated movement in the upper airspace.
Hermano raised two fingers.
The Saints froze instantly.
The comms channel opened.
"Balanghay Fleet to Saints," a strained voice reported. "We are taking heavy fire from the Myth-Tech Alliance naval formations. Sustained bombardment from multiple vectors. Escort craft are breaking formation."
A brief pause, then sharper.
"Enemy Myth-Tech airship fleets confirmed. Massive signatures. High-altitude insertion platforms inbound. We cannot hold this theater."
Hermano's expression did not change.
"How long?" he asked.
"Minutes," came the reply. "At most."
Hermano closed his eyes for a single breath.
Then he spoke, calm and absolute.
"All units disengage. Immediate withdrawal."
Juan finally turned his head.
"Now?" he asked quietly.
"Yes," Hermano replied. "The window has closed. Survival and regrouping take precedence."
Juan's grip tightened briefly around Habagat ni Silang.
The shrine stood before them.
Scarred.
Still sealed.
Still protected.
Still denying entry.
He exhaled slowly.
"Understood," Juan said.
Hermano's voice carried across the ruined courtyard.
"Babaylan Saints," he commanded. "Abort shrine breach. Activate escape glyphs. Rendezvous at the Mulawin pickup point."
There was no protest.
Magdalena Ramos recoiled her Tanikala as a glyph ignited beneath her feet. Mia Torre disengaged from the warped terrain and vanished in controlled light. Crispulo's shadows collapsed back into him as his own glyph activated.
Juan lingered half a second longer than the rest.
His eyes swept the battlefield.
The Sandata still stood.
So did the Ahas Leadership.
Wounded.
Breathing.
Not broken.
He inclined his head once.
Then his escape glyph ignited.
Juan Luciano vanished.
Hermano Lopez was the last.
He glanced once more at the shrine doors.
"At another time," he said quietly.
Light folded inward.
The Babaylan Saints were gone.
Silence returned to the courtyard.
It did not last.
Across the shattered stone, another set of comms crackled to life.
Raja felt it before he heard it.
The air above the shrine vibrated with disciplined movement. Layered formations. Engine harmonics. Encirclement patterns.
His comms bead pulsed.
"Ahas Command to Leadership," the voice reported. "Myth-Tech Alliance air fleets inbound. Naval strike groups have engaged multiple hostile formations in surrounding waters. Enemy airships will encircle Nara airspace within minutes."
Raja clicked his tongue.
"So they finally move," he muttered.
He straightened, ignoring the pain tearing through his ribs.
"Leadership," Raja ordered. "Disengage. Immediate withdrawal."
Shinken emerged fully from the debris, Masamune resting against his shoulder.
"A pity," Shinken said flatly.
Phaya Khamdee spat blood onto the stone and nodded once. Natalia flexed her grip on Kain's Edge, eyes never leaving Marian. Kalawit rolled his neck with a snort. Putik laughed under his breath.
Escape glyphs ignited across the courtyard.
Raja took one last look at Gregorio.
Crimson lightning flickered weakly along the regenerated Pamana ni Lakan.
"This is not finished," Raja said.
Gregorio met his gaze.
"I know," he replied.
Light folded inward.
The Ahas Leadership vanished one by one.
The courtyard emptied.
Only the Sandata remained.
For a moment, no one spoke.
Dust settled through broken air.
Then Gregorio moved.
"Inside," he said.
They did not argue.
Despite injuries and exhaustion, the Sandata recovered with practiced efficiency. Marian moved first, Sundang ni Makiling humming softly. Renato hauled Kalasag upright and took point. Agosto rolled his shoulders and followed, Kampilan ni Lam-ang flaring back to life.
Sutera steadied herself, wiping blood from her mouth, then fell into formation beside them.
Ari followed, he twirled his spear before rushing to formation.
Min Jun rose. The Bonguk remains unsheathed as he walked towards his team.
Han Wei moved quickly among them, assessing wounds without slowing their advance.
They reached the shrine steps.
The doors stood intact.
Wards shimmered faintly across their surface.
Unbroken.
They pushed through together.
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The Kusanagi Remains Intact
Location: Kusanagi Shrine, Inner Sanctum
The sanctum was quiet.
Too quiet.
Stone dust drifted through fractured moonlight pouring in from the breach Kuroda had carved earlier. Scorch marks traced violent geometry across the floor. Walls were gouged, but the core of the chamber remained untouched.
At the center stood the Kusanagi Pedestal.
Beside it, sat Samuel Williams.
Freedom and Liberty rested across his knees.
He did not turn when the others entered.
Wards pulsed softly around the pedestal, ancient sigils interlocked with myth-tech reinforcement.
Gregorio slowed.
Then stopped.
"Samuel," Marian said carefully.
Samuel exhaled.
"They pulled out?" he said. "All of them?"
"Yes.", Gregorio replied.
Renato scanned the wards.
"Still holding?"
Samuel nodded.
"They never breached it."
Agosto grinned despite the blood on his teeth.
Gregorio stepped forward and placed a hand on Samuel's shoulder.
"You did good," he said.
Samuel looked up. "I think you should also thank Maximo the next time you meet."
The original Sandata Unit glanced at each other in surprise except for Gregorio. He just smiled.
"They'll come back," Samuel said.
"Yes," Gregorio replied.
Outside, distant thunder rolled.
Not from storm clouds.
From engines.
The war had not ended.
It had only moved closer.
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The True Plan of the Anino
Location: Highway to Japan National Myth-Tech Vault - Unknown
Time: A Week after the Kusanagi Shrine Siege in Nara.
The armored truck thundered across the mountain pass, wards shimmering faintly over its reinforced surface. The Shrine Guardian at the wheel drove with flawless discipline. His hands steady, posture rigid, eyes fixed on the road ahead.
Inside the cargo bay, the Kusanagi rested within a Maximum Security Sealed Container, sigils locked, myth-tech clamps humming in synchrony.
"I wonder what I should bring my girlfriend for the holidays?", the shrine guardian on the passenger seat asked.
"Hmmm... I am not really an expert with relationships.", the driving guardian replied.
"How about your corpse in a beautifully packaged box?", he added while his service pistol already aimed at the shrine guardian's head.
His shocked reaction was already too late.
A gunshot cracked inside the cabin.
The round tore through his head at point-blank range. Blood splashed across the dashboard and windshield as his body collapsed sideways.
The driver exhaled calmly.
His reflection shifted in the windshield. The illusion peeled away.
Kuroda Jinzaburō remained.
The convoy surged ahead.
Lakambini Reyes landed at the front of the first convoy and struck first. Abaniko ni Urduja snapped open, releasing a screaming wind blade that carved straight through the lead convoy. Vehicles split apart as if cleaved by an invisible sword, metal and asphalt torn and hurled aside.
From the heavens, something descended.
Sergei Volkov came down like a falling judgment. His foot slammed into the road. The impact detonated outward, pulverizing the second convoy in a shockwave that flipped armored carriers and crushed them into the ravine. The Boevoy molot Kolomny - War Hammer of Kolomna rested in his grasp, silent and unread.
To the flank, a second shadow moved. Batu Khatan vaulted from a shattered overpass. His Mönkhiin talyn Mongol selem - Mongol Saber of the Eternal Steppe flashed once. The rear convoy disintegrated. It's wheels sheared, armor split, vehicles tumbling end over end in fire and smoke.
The armored truck swerved violently. Wards flared as debris slammed against reinforced plating.
Kuroda never lost control.
He held on the steering wheel calmly with his expression unaffected by the chaos as the truck threaded through wreckage with impossible precision. The container held. The Kusanagi remained sealed.
The highway burned behind them.