Chapter Text
In the near future , a new wave of human called Adepts awakened to powers known as Septima. A powerful Japanese conglomerate, the Sumeragi Group, attempted to establish “peace” through the subjugation of Adepts, while Eden, a global federation of Adepts, vied for human extinction.
Both their ambitions were ended by a young man named Gunvolt, a powerful Adept and former member of the terrorist group FEATHER. However, the remnants of Eden have aligned themselves with FEATHER in an effort to finally crush Sumeragi once and for all.
As both factions wage the endless war between human and Adept, the Azure Striker is forced into battle once more…
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Provocation
The enablers are brought to justice
As the holy land fills with blood
The remorseless battlefield weeps in agony
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The camera scrolls through Shadow Yakumo, the hidden forest village covered in flames as it comes under siege from a battalion of armed FEATHER soldiers. We see a small squad of these soldiers firing at something off-screen before a motorcycle crashes into one of them, another being dispatched by a single stroke from the lone swordswoman who just jumped off the bike.
Kirin: “I can’t believe someone was able to find this place…I’d like to know how, but now’s not the time to figure that out. I have to defend Shadow Yakumo!”
Battle Priestess 1: (over radio) Kirin! Are you there? You suddenly broke off from the group and we heard a huge explosion! What happened?
Kirin: Calm down, I’m perfectly fine! Just took the liberty of breaking through the enemy’s front lines for you.
Battle Priestess 1: Thank goodness…I’m glad you’re alright, but don’t go trashing your equipment like that! These bikes don’t exactly come cheap, you know?!
Kirin: It’s not like I need it to keep up with you guys. Once I stick a talisman to an enemy, I can instantly warp over to them with Arc Chain before they see it coming! And in case you haven’t noticed, there’s a *lot* of enemies running around right now!
Battle Priestess 1: That’s not what I said! Are you even listen- (Kirin turns off her radio)
Kirin: (Sorry, guys…I can’t afford any distractions right now! Whoever’s responsible for this attack, I’m going to make them pay!)
…
FEATHER Soldier 1: All units, fire on that swordswoman! She seems stronger than the rest of them. We can’t let her get to G- ack !
Kirin: I’ll gladly draw your fire away from my allies, but don’t think for a second that you’ll be able to beat me with sheer numbers! (Still, it sounds like these terrorists have some kind of ace up their sleeves. I’d better stay on my guard…)
…
A large explosion erupts in the background
Battle Priestess 2: (over radio) I’m sorry, everyone! They managed to destroy the forge!
Kirin: What?! What kind of firepower are these guys packing?!
Battle Priestess 2: I don’t know! I think it’s some kind of tank, but I’ve never seen anything like it before!
Kirin: It must be a 9th gen…last I heard, Sumeragi was close to finishing development on their ‘Mantis’ project. Don’t worry, I’ll be sure to take it down! Not even a tank is a match for me! (Speaking of Sumeragi, they’re certainly not going to be happy when they find out the Glaive forge is busted…guess we can expect another annual visit soon)
…
Kirin runs into an open area, stopping as a modded Plasma Legion lands in front of her.
Kirin: N-no way…THAT’S supposed to be a tank?! It’s huge!
FEATHER Soldier 2: How’s that?! Even the strongest among you is no match for a 10th generation tank! The rest of you should just give up and run while you can!
Kirin: There’s no way in hell I’m gonna run! You may be big, but size means nothing when I can just warp to your weak point with Arc Chain! Your fate is sealed!
…
Kirin destroys the Plasma Legion
FEATHER Soldier 3: This is bad, Sheeps Leader! That girl was able to take down the Plasma Legion!
Sheeps Leader (obscured silhouette): (over radio) Seriously?! It’s a good thing he decided to show up, or this could’ve turned into a massacre…GV, you’re up! I’m counting on you to hold back that girl with the sword!
Kirin: A Hexapyle? I do *not* have time for this right now! I’ll smash this piece of junk with a single stroke!
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Kirin runs forward until a nearby voice tells her to “Stay back!” A sudden bolt of lightning strikes the ground in front of her, with Kirin leaping backwards to avoid it. The newcomer leaps down from his perch, staring down Kirin with peculiar remorsefulness in his eyes.
Gunvolt: Sorry, but I can’t let you go any further. Please just lay down your weapon and walk away. I don’t want to fight you.
Kirin: You “don’t want to fight me?” You seriously expect me to believe that? *You’re* the ones who attacked *us!* And after all this bloodshed you caused, you want me to just *walk away?* I refuse!
Gunvolt: Please, I’m telling you this for your own good! You *can’t* defeat me! I’m giving you a chance here, so please just take it and get out of here!
Kirin: I already told you, I’m not going to run away! In the name of Shadow Yakumo…I, Kirin, will strike you down!
Gunvolt: I tried to warn you…
Gunvolt raises a single fist to about chest level, slightly hovering off the ground as he lets out a battle cry, blue lightning surging through and around his body. He plants his feet and assumes combat position, one arm in front of him as the other points his gun to the sky.
Gunvolt: Oversurge, Azure Striker!
Kirin: Wait, did you say “Azure Striker?” That’s the crazy powerful Septima Sumeragi wanted to use as an energy source…but I thought they never succeeded!
Gunvolt: Your info’s way out of date. Sumeragi’s a shell of its former self now, and it’s all thanks to that ambition. I don’t know how much Sumeragi is keeping from you, but the company’s practically on its last legs. You don’t have to fight for them!
Kirin: Fight for them? You think I care what those suits tell us to do? I’m fighting because you and your little friends burned our home to the ground! Do you have any idea how many centuries of tradition this place carries? How many of my comrades *died* trying to protect that from you animals?!
Gunvolt: I won’t deny the blood on FEATHER’s hands…or my own. But the Glaives you produce here have let Sumeragi subjugate and hunt down Adepts for too long! Without their weapons, we can finally put a swift end to this conflict…to this suffering!
Kirin: That’s a lie! You’re just trading one group’s suffering for another! Sumeragi may be run by a bunch of sleazebags, but without their control, Adepts would run wild like monsters! Shadow Yakumo has been defending this country from supernatural monsters for centuries…this is no different!
Gunvolt: Monsters? How can you say that? You’re an Adept yourself, aren’t you? Yet you live peacefully with your fellow humans here! Don’t you get it? That’s the world we’re trying to create!
Kirin: By destroying this place?! Nothing you say will make me stand down, Azure Striker, much less alongside you! You’re nothing but a damn terrorist!
Gunvolt: Maybe you’re right…but even a terrorist has people he wants to protect! That’s why I’m going to stop you here!
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Kirin: This’ll finish you! 88th Rite - Pale Mist!
Kirin quickly charges Gunvolt with her sword, arriving behind him and sheathing her blade to finish him off. However, Gunvolt shrugs off the blow as if it never connected.
Kirin: No way…! I hit him dead-on, I’m sure of it!
Gunvolt: It’s called Prevasion, and it makes your attacks useless.
Kirin: This whole time…you were just toying with me?!
Gunvolt: If I didn’t give you a decent fight, you would have just walked right past me. But there’s no need for that anymore. Electroshock!
Gunvolt spreads his arms and a surplus of electricity bursts out of him, electrocuting Kirin until she falls to one knee. Gunvolt walks over to her, charging a Dragonsphere in his hand.
Gunvolt: I told you. You can’t defeat me. Now stay down and…huh?
Just as GV is about to finish Kirin off, the sky begins to glow an ominous red, with the sound of a low hum filling the air. The source is none other than Sumeragi’s orbital satellite, the Star Dragon.
Gunvolt: Crap-! Look out!
With the satellite charging a laser powerful enough to raze Shadow Yakumo, Gunvolt instinctively shoves Kirin out of the line of fire, single-handedly holding the beam back with the full might of his Azure Striker Septima.
Kirin: What are you-?!
Gunvolt: Go! Get out of here…hurry!
After the shock and confusion leave Kirin’s body, she hurriedly sprints away, grabbing a discarded bike and driving away as fast as she can. She can’t help but look back when the beam finally hits, a massive, deafening explosion swallowing up the only place she had ever known as home.
[CLEAR]