Justice of the Brave
The sound of battle echoed throughout the grasslands as the duel between Tachibana and Sanzo continued. As much as Tachibana handled his sword well, Sanzo owned this duel easily as he had his opposition on the ropes. It seems as if Tachibana was outmatched by Sanzo’s swordsmanship as he struggled against him. His body grew heavy as his strength was exhausting him, but in order to make sure that time was on his side, he kept fighting by mainly sticking with counter-attacks, even if they were slower than normal.
“You know how to handle that sword well…for an old bird, but I now grow bored of this tug of war.”
Just as Sanzo was about to brandish his finishing blow upon him, a loud neigh echoed in the distance as the sky grew black as a familiar silhouette appeared overlooking the field as the battle was interrupted (or in Tachibana’s case, saved) by this newcomer. Leaping off his steed, he slowly stepped onto the field giving off an aura so powerful that Kuroi and Akai refused to fight him. Drawing his sword from his sheath, it instantly transformed into a larger, yet slender blade as he stood still for a moment. The sword went by a name that others should fear: Zantetsu.
In a split-second, he leapt into harm’s way as he shielded his mentor from harm as his sword blocked the attack completely without flinching. Phasing out for a moment, he helped up on Bishamon whom was also concerned.
“Sort of early for Halloween, isn’t it Tachibana?”
He grunted in response as he slightly lowered his tengu mask over his face, looking at the new face of his savior.
“..You overwhelm me Rider... Be grateful I whittled him down for you. He may fight like a demon, but his motives are pure.”
Musou looked at his opposition for a moment then back to Tachibana wondering if what he said was true. As he disembarked off Chou Bishamon, he told him to return Tachibana back to their secret headquarters and stay with him. Hesitant at first, he nodded at request as he left in a trail of blaze as Musou glared at Sanzo. Rushing off the cliff, he dove into battle as the two went at it in a newly intense duel as they clashed swords for what should be the last time.
Their energies raged at peak performance as sparks flew from the heat of the fight. This duel was not about opposing sides, the fate of Japan or even about the ambitions of one lowly emperor. It was about honor; to regain it or to live in shame by this defeat.
“Mark my words, Kamen Rider… I will regain my HONOR!!!”
Akai and Kuroi looked on as the battle came to its climax as the duel intensified as they clashed swords one last time before delivering the deathblow. The question lied in who was going to use it. Musou flipped his blade to the rough edge as the two snapped their swords one final time before the deathblow. Sanzo gasped as Musou delivered the final blow on him as his sword cracked before his eyes as he slumped over with blood trickling from the edge of his lip, hitting the grass hard. He knelt as his side while the Ant twins followed in coming to his aid as he looked up to him slightly.
“Heh… I guess I… lost…”
“Sanzo! You tried to kill me but didn’t, try to convert children into bandits, yet you spared the chance to go through it, why?”
He smirked weakly to his rival while holding his wound, lightly coughing up blood as he cautiously and calmly explained everything.
“You caused it…Rider… You chose to fight the master that we once served. Guess…I wanted to know…just how powerful you could really be. Hideoshi’s master plan is… to revive Nobunaga…”
Musou listened intently as he held his rival’s hand as he gave the last of his energy to him grinning a tiny bit to him.
“Sanzo, you can’t do this...why not fight with us?”
“This… is my atonement for the sins I’ve… done for trying to make an ideal world… What I give to you, I trust you will make use of it…”
The flame burned brightly as the last of Sanzo’s energy transferred to him and after which he drew his last breath; dying as a man, and not a demon. Musou reverted to his secret identity as the twins carried his body to a makeshift grave that was supposed to be for the Feudal Rider. His fist shuddered a bit after knowing what had happened, as for his weapon Zantetsu shrunk back to its dormant state, Kuuga.
“So, what will you do Yamato Ichimonji…? And who will you fight for, the humans or us youma?”
“Master Sanzo entrusted this decision to you since he too wanted a future for us…”
Yamato shook his head to their questions as his eyes stared at the burning sunset as he turned slightly to the twins.
“I will fight for the future that everyone desires.”
Standing in the form of where his former human shadow was that of his Rider form as he swore to his blade that he would bring peace to everyone as promised.
