The last of the corrupted humanoids fell, their discordant cries fading into the echoing silence of the abandoned complex. Nanoha, her brow furrowed with concern, led the charge, the others close behind. They found Hayate in a dimly lit chamber, her limbs bound by shimmering, arcane restraints. Signum, with a focused intensity, merged her consciousness with Agito and Renjou, their combined power weaving a counter-spell. The magical bonds snapped, and Hayate slumped forward, her breath ragged.
"Hayate!" Nanoha and Fate rushed to her side, their voices a blend of relief and anxiety.
"Everyone..." Hayate murmured, her eyes weary.
"Are you alright? Were you hurt?" Fate asked, her hands gently gripping Hayate's shoulders.
"I'm fine, Fate. They didn't harm me," Hayate reassured them, a faint smile flickering across her lips.
Suddenly, Reinforce's frantic voice crackled through their communication devices, cutting through the fragile moment of relief. "E-everyone! This is terrible! It's Kai! Kai-kun has gone berserk!"
A wave of shock rippled through the group. They hurried outside, the building's skeletal structure framing a chaotic scene. Arc, a whirlwind of dark energy, was locked in a brutal struggle with Imposter Kai. His roars, primal and untamed, echoed through the air, a stark contrast to his usual composed demeanor. This was no longer a controlled warrior, but a force of unleashed fury.
Arc slammed Imposter Kai against a massive shipping container, the impact sending tremors through the ground. He then turned his attention to Signum and Renjou, his eyes glowing with an eerie, predatory light. Signum and Renjou braced themselves, their defenses raised, but Arc's attacks were relentless, each blow a thunderous force.
"Testarosa, Takamachi, take Hayate to safety!" Signum commanded, her voice firm despite the chaos. Vice, perched on a distant rooftop, fired precise sniper shots at Arc, but the berserk warrior seemed impervious to the attacks, his rage fueling his resilience.
"Everyone! Remember what Kai said! Stop him at all costs!" Chrono's voice echoed through their communicators, a grim reminder of the stakes.
"Easier said than done! He's completely lost control!" Renjou retorted, parrying a savage blow from Arc. He and Signum exchanged a tense glance, the gravity of the situation etched on their faces.
"Signum..." Agito's voice, usually a calm presence, was laced with concern.
"Agito, prepare to engage. We must contain him," Signum replied, her stance shifting into a combat-ready pose.
Before they could act, Imposter Kai launched a desperate counterattack against Arc. The two figures clashed, a maelstrom of dark energy. Imposter Kai, despite the enhancements of his Soul Reaper device, was visibly weakening. Cracks spiderwebbed across the device's surface, a testament to the strain it was under.
"DIE! IZUMI KAI!" Imposter Kai screamed, unleashing a torrent of soul-rending energy.
The attack struck Arc, but instead of inflicting damage, it caused the Soul Reaper to shatter completely. Arc seized Imposter Kai's face, a low growl rumbling in his throat, and slammed him into the ground, devouring the remaining energy of the imposter and his broken device. He then hurled the broken imposter into a nearby building.
Arc turned his gaze towards Signum and Renjou, his eyes burning with an unholy fire.
"Ripple Beat, I'm counting on you," Renjou said to his intelligent device, his voice steady despite the rising tension.
"Understood, Renjou-sama," Ripple Beat responded, its systems whirring as it prepared for combat.
Ripple Beat unleashed a barrage of attacks, a celestial onslaught of energy, followed by Signum's Sturmwinde spell, amplified by Agito's power. But Arc, lost in his berserk rage, remained unyielding.
Nanoha, Fate, and Hayate watched the desperate struggle, their hearts pounding in their chests. Nanoha, her face set with determination, stepped forward.
"Fate, please protect Hayate," she said, her voice resolute.
"Nanoha! What are you doing?" Fate exclaimed, her voice filled with alarm.
"Nanoha, don't be reckless!" Hayate pleaded, her eyes filled with worry.
"Raising Heart... limiter release," Nanoha commanded, her voice firm.
"All right," Raising Heart responded, its energy surging.
Nanoha used her Chain Bind to restrain Arc, lifting him into the air. Signum and Renjou joined her, their combined efforts barely holding the berserk warrior. Nanoha loaded a cartridge into Raising Heart, her eyes fixed on Arc's enraged form. Memories flashed through her mind: sparring sessions with Archibald Enzo, his quiet moments with Fate, her own vow to obliterate him if he ever threatened Hayate.
"Kai! I know you're in there!" she cried out, her voice filled with emotion. "Hayate is safe! Please, listen! You don't have to do this! Please, come back to yourself! Hayate doesn't want to see you like this! No one does! Please, open your eyes!"
Arc roared, his struggles intensifying, his words failing to reach him. The restraints were reaching their limit, threatening to snap under his immense power. Nanoha, her heart heavy, raised Raising Heart.
"Listen..." she began, her voice trembling.
"Divine..." Raising Heart charged, its energy building to a crescendo.
"...to me!" Nanoha screamed, her voice filled with desperate hope.
"...Buster!" Raising Heart unleashed its power.
The Divine Buster struck Arc, the force of the impact sending a shockwave through the air. His roars weakened, then faded, and he plummeted to the ground, his helmet shattering on impact.
Nanoha and Signum rushed to his side, their hearts pounding with a mixture of fear and hope. Renjou, meanwhile, approached the broken form of Imposter Kai, his expression grim. He was shocked to see the face of his old friend, Renton Fisker, beneath the mask.
Renjou remembered Renton, a kind and intelligent man, a fellow cadet at the TSAB training academy. They had been a close-knit group, along with Kai and Fuji, their friendship forged in the crucible of training. But Renton had never been selected for Riot Force 6, and they had lost contact after that.
Signum gently roused Arc, and Nanoha removed his shattered helmet. His eyes, once glowing with a malevolent light, were now clear, a vibrant red replacing the former blue. A wave of relief washed over Nanoha, and she embraced him tightly, tears streaming down her face. Arc, his own emotions a turbulent mix, gently patted her head, apologizing for causing her worry.
Hayate and Fate, watching from a distance, shared a silent moment of relief, tears of joy glistening in their eyes.
Renjou turned his attention to Regan, the man who had impersonated Kai. Regan, heavily injured, dragged himself towards Arc.
"Kai, Renton is the culprit," Renjou said, his voice heavy with sorrow.
"He's not Renton. He's Regan Rivian, Rito Rivian's little brother," Arc corrected, his voice weary.
"...Yo... long time no see..." Regan croaked, his voice barely a whisper.
"He's still alive?" Nanoha exclaimed, her eyes wide with surprise.
"...Pathetic, isn't it? I was jealous, Kai... not just of your device... but of the girls around you..." Regan said, his voice laced with bitterness.
Arc, his patience exhausted, grabbed Regan by the collar and headbutted him, the unexpected violence shocking everyone.
"WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING, REGAN? DO YOU KNOW HOW DANGEROUS SOUL EDGE IS? IT'S NOT A TOY! ONLY THE CHOSEN CAN WIELD IT! SOUL EDGE IS MY PARTNER, A PART OF ME! WE MADE A CONTRACT! BUT YOU STOLE IT AT SAINT CRADLE, PRETENDING TO BE ME! I SUFFERED BECAUSE OF YOU! MY VISION WAS NEGATIVE, MY FACE WAS BURNED! I COULDN'T EVEN LOOK AT COMMANDER YAGAMI! IF YOU HADN'T TAKEN SOUL EDGE, NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED!" Arc roared, his voice filled with raw anger.
"Haha... I'm sorry, Kai... I was blinded... I was jealous... you... Renjou... Fuji... you were chosen by Commander Yagami... but I was nothing... I envied your Soul Edge... I wanted her attention... So I pretended to be you... to resurrect my sister... Forgive me..." Regan whispered, his body turning to ash.
"...Dickhead..." Arc muttered, his voice flat and exhausted.
The sun began to rise, casting a golden glow over the scene. Regan Rivian's body had turned to ash, leaving only his cloak behind. The mission was over. Hayate was safe, and the imposter was gone. A TSAB helicopter arrived, piloted by Vice, to transport them back to base.
Miata, watching from a hidden vantage point, felt a sense of relief. She remembered her conversation with Arc before he departed. "I have two questions before heading out", Arc had said, his voice calm yet firm.
"Go on, Kai," Miata replied, her expression serious.
"Who is Imposter Kai's real identity, and why did he take my Soul Edge?" Arc asked, his gaze unwavering.
"He's Rito Rivian's younger brother, Regan Rivian. You might remember him as Renton Fisker from your TSAB training days. He took your Soul Edge to revive his sister, Rito. She possessed the Book of End Times from a young age," Miata explained.
"That son of a bitch..." Arc muttered, his voice laced with anger. "Final question: why do you need my help?"
"Please end Regan's suffering," Miata said, her voice filled with a desperate plea.
A moment of stunned silence followed, the weight of her words hanging heavy in the air.
"Ha?" Arc questioned, tilting his head in disbelief.
"When he first acquired the Soul Edge, it pierced his body. He then hacked your Soul Edge with his 'Liar Mask' spell to take control. He was drawn to your device, a fragment of 'the beast without name,' in his quest to resurrect Rito. He endured immense pain to impersonate you, paying a heavy price for wielding its power," Miata continued.
"So that's the reason..." Arc said, his voice trailing off. "I'll do it then."
"Also, remember Kai, to restore your eyes, you must destroy his Soul Reaper," Miata added.
Now, as Miata watched from her hidden vantage point, she felt a sense of closure. Izumi Kai had fulfilled her request. She opened a portal and vanished, a satisfied smile gracing her lips.
Inside the helicopter, the atmosphere was heavy with unspoken emotions. Everyone sat close to Hayate, except for Arc, who remained isolated near the hatch, his face unmasked, his gaze distant. Miata's information had proven accurate; his eyesight had returned, but the burn on his face remained, a permanent reminder of the Soul Edge's influence.
The helicopter landed at the base, where Chrono, Verossa, and others awaited them. Hayate and her companions disembarked, and Reinforce, Vita, and Shamal rushed to embrace her, their relief palpable.
Arc emerged last, his shattered helmet revealing the scars beneath. Chrono and Verossa approached him, their expressions a mix of relief and concern. He then walked past Hayate, his voice cutting through the silence.
"Commander Yagami, I request you take a few days off. I know you've witnessed something unexpected. I'll also be taking leave after filing my report," Arc said, his back still turned towards her. He continued walking, leaving a trail of unanswered questions in his wake.
Arc's report to Lindy was concise and thorough. Imposter Kai was identified as Regan Rivian, Rito Rivian's brother, driven by the desire to resurrect his sister. The revelation that Archibald Enzo was Izumi Kai in disguise shocked everyone. He hadn't been kidnapped or hospitalized; he had simply assumed a different identity to evade the imposter's machinations.
Hayate, heeding Arc's advice, took a few days off, spending time with Reinforce and Agito. Fate and Nanoha visited Arc's dormitory, now bearing his true name, Kai. His belongings remained untouched, including a photo of Riot Force 6. Signum assumed Arc's investigative duties, while Vita and Shamal resumed their usual tasks. Shario and Mariel, in the engineering bay, examined Arc's broken helmet and the shattered Raging Brando, finding a note: "Sorry for the damage. I borrowed your generic device."
In a secluded location, Miata met with Rito, who was engrossed in research on the Soul Reaper and the Book of End Times.
"It's done, Rito. Are you certain about this? Letting him kill your brother?" Miata asked, her voice filled with concern.
"Yes, his condition was deteriorating. It's fortunate Glaza intervened before he went on a rampage," Rito replied, her eyes fixed on the ancient text.
"What's next, Rito?" Miata inquired.
"We wait. When the moment is right, we will strike again. I am far superior to Jail," Rito declared, closing the book with a decisive thud.
Arc returned to his home planet, Earth, in Japan. His parents, overjoyed by his return, embraced him tightly, their fears allayed. His eyes had changed, but the burn on his face remained, a permanent mark of his ordeal.
The persona of Archibald Enzo, or Arc, was laid to rest, and Izumi Kai reclaimed his identity. The man known to Riot Force 6, the one Hayate recognized as Reinforce Eins, had returned, now bearing the rank of 1st Captain and the moniker "Black Midchilda."
(To be continue)