The air in the hidden chamber crackled with tension. Imposter Kai's body twitched and convulsed, a grotesque puppet straining against invisible strings. His eyes, once a mirror of Izumi Kai's, now burned with a malevolent hunger, a thirst for the spilling of true Kai's blood. The Soul Reaper, the corrupted device, thrummed with dark energy, threatening to overwhelm the imposter's already fragile control.
"He looks ready to tear something apart," Miata observed, her voice a low murmur. "So, Rito, when do you unleash him?" Rito, her face an emotionless mask, responded, "He will have his moment. But first, he must master the beast within."
A low, unsettling chuckle echoed through the chamber. "Khuhuhu. Perhaps I could expedite the process?" Glaza Enfield, a notorious Adamatron member, slithered into view. His thin, serpentine frame and the unsettling black voids that served as his eyes sent a chill through the room. A golem summoner with a rap sheet as long as his arm, Glaza was a predator who thrived on chaos.
"Glaza," Miata said, her tone laced with a hint of disdain. "You wish to accompany him?" "I see the hunger in his eyes," Glaza hissed, his gaze fixed on the twitching imposter. "A hunger that resonates with my own. Such raw, unbridled power... it promises to be most entertaining."
Rito, her eyes flickering between Glaza and the imposter, gave a curt nod. "Very well. You may proceed, Glaza. This is an opportune moment."
"Khuhu, excellent. Come, boy," Glaza beckoned, his voice dripping with sinister amusement. "We have much to accomplish." With a final, unsettling glance, Glaza led the imposter away, their figures disappearing into the shadows.
Meanwhile, in the heart of Midchilda, a fortress of security surrounded the newly elected president. Police officers and TSAB personnel formed a formidable barrier, their vigilance heightened by the recent Adamatron attacks. Among the guardians was Arc, stationed at the rear of the building, his senses scanning for any sign of impending danger. Among the assembled guardians were the remnants of Riot Force 6, their faces etched with determination. Arc, his form concealed beneath a full-face helmet, patrolled the perimeter, scanning for any sign of the Adamatron's presence.
"Ah, Lieutenant Arc," Ginga Nakajima greeted him, her voice a welcome note of familiarity.
"Nakajima-san," Arc responded, his voice muffled by the helmet.
"It's good to see you," Ginga said, a hint of warmth in her eyes. "When I saw Commander Hayate and the others, I didn't expect you'd be here as well."
"Duty calls," Arc replied tersely. "Is your father present?"
"Of course. He commands Battalion 108." Ginga paused, her gaze lingering on Arc's helmet. "Arc, when I reviewed the reports of the Adamatron attack near TSAB HQ, I noticed something… peculiar. You didn't utilize any magic systems. Why?"
"An injury," Arc explained, his voice flat. "The imposter Kai wounded me during the investigation. His device… it had a strange effect. That's why I wear the helmet."
"I see," Ginga said, her expression softening. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have pried."
"It's nothing," Arc replied, his tone dismissive. "It's all in a day's work for a TSAB officer."
As they spoke, Dieci and Wendi, Ginga's adopted sisters, joined them. Ginga introduced them, explaining their place within her family, alongside Nove and Cinque. Deed, Otto, and Sein were at the Saint Church. Inside the presidential suite, a high-level security meeting was underway. Commanders and generals, including Hayate Yagami, Genya Nakajima, Bright Accura, Chrono Harlaown, Lindy Harlaown, and Carim Gracia, discussed the president's safety. Outside, in the grand hall, Nanoha, Fate, Vita, and Signum stood vigil. Nanoha and Vita patrolled the upper floors, while Fate and Signum kept watch below.
"Something's troubling you, Testarosa?," Signum observed, her keen eyes noting Fate's unease. "You've been unusually quiet."
"It's nothing," Fate replied, her voice a shade too light. "Just… thinking about Erio and Caro. They're safe in Supools, thankfully."
"Archibald Enzo?" Signum ventured, her gaze unwavering.
Fate's breath hitched. "Well… he…"
"I know," Signum said, her voice gentle. "Hayate's concerned as well. There's something… familiar about him. He reminds her of Reinforce Eins."
"But Izumi Kai was kidnapped by his imposter, wasn't he?" Fate protested. "There's no way…"
"It's strange, isn't it?" Signum mused. "Even for a top investigator, the report came too quickly."
Fate's mind flashed back to her encounter with Izumi Kai, disguised as Archibald Enzo. She had helped him create the disguise, the new identity, to conceal his injuries. But when she contacted Nanoha, the response had been one of surprise, a hint of unease. Izumi Kai hadn't contacted either of them before Hayate's report.
Upstairs, Nanoha watched Arc's interaction with Ginga and the others. She remembered their last conversation, the unspoken threat that hung in the air: if he hurt Hayate again, she would obliterate him.
"Something wrong, Nanoha?" Vita asked.
"No, it's nothing," Nanoha replied, her gaze fixed on Arc. "Just… observing."
"Oh, Arc," Vita said, following Nanoha's gaze. "Is there something amiss?"
"No, it's just… good to see him so popular," Nanoha said, her voice tight.
Suddenly, a projectile, a chunk of rock propelled by unseen force, hurtled towards the presidential suite. The Adamatron had launched their assault. Arc felt the imposter Kai's presence, though he couldn't pinpoint his exact location. The president was rushed to safety, the room erupting in a flurry of activity.
Arc moved, a silent predator slipping into the chaos. Signum, Renjou, Vita, and other TSAB members moved to intercept the attackers, leaving others to secure the president. The enemy forces consisted of massive golems, their metallic forms towering over the defenders.
"Is that… Archibald Enzo?" Renjou exclaimed, seeing Arc in action.
"Renjou?" Signum confirmed. "Listen up. Arc and I will handle the aerial threats. Vita and Renjou, you'll take the ground. The rest of you, split up and cover both fronts."
"Understood!" the team responded. The golems unleashed a barrage of energy beams, forcing the defenders to erect protective barriers. Arc switched his Raging Brando to revolver mode, countering the attacks alongside the TSAB members. Signum, Renjou, and Vita launched their own assaults. The golems attacked, their beams striking with devastating force. Arc, his Raging Brando transformed into revolver mode, deflected the attacks, while the TSAB forces returned fire. Signum, her Laevatein blazing, and Renjou, his spells weaving through the air, countered the golems' onslaught. Vita, with a stroke of luck, discovered the golems' weak point: the joints in their stone armor.
"Signum, I've found a weak point," Vita reported. "The joint areas."
"Understood," Signum replied. "Lieutenant Arc, did you hear that?" Signum asked.
"Loud and clear," Arc replied, switching his revolver to gunblade mode.
"I haven't had a proper spar with you yet," Signum said, a hint of excitement in her voice. "Let's try a combination attack."
"I'm ready, Captain," Arc replied, his eyes fixed on the golems.
"Let me give you a boost," Renjou said, his voice filled with determination.
Renjou unleashed his "Rallying Cry" spell, bolstering the allies' morale and enhancing their abilities. Vita, her 'RaketenHammer' striking with concussive force, targeted the golems' joints. Renjou followed with his "Harmonic Slash," his blade slicing through the weakened armor. Signum, her Laevatein transformed into 'Schlangebeißen', unleashed a torrent of attacks, targeting every joint in a single, devastating strike. Arc, his 'Chaos Bolt' crackling with dark energy, struck the joints.
"LIEUTENANT ARC!" Signum shouted, her voice ringing with urgency.
"I KNOW! CAPTAIN SIGNUM!" Arc responded, his voice a low growl.
Signum unleashed her "Purple Lightning Flash," a blinding torrent of energy that ripped through the remaining golems. Arc followed suit, his "Phantom Edge" slicing through the air, leaving trails of dark energy in its wake. The combined assault shattered the golems, their stone bodies crumbling into dust. As the last golem fell, a chilling silence descended upon the battlefield. The caster, however, remained hidden, their presence masked by some unseen force.
Suddenly, a distress signal crackled through the comms. Reinforce's voice, strained and panicked, filled the air: "Hayate… she's been taken! By the imposter Kai!" A wave of shock rippled through the ranks. The president and several others had been injured in a surprise attack, and Hayate had been abducted. Signum, Renjou, Vita, and Arc stood frozen, their faces etched with disbelief.
Arc, his senses heightened, scanned the area, searching for the imposter Kai's presence. He found him, a dark silhouette disappearing into the distance. Without hesitation, Arc gave chase, but a massive golem fist slammed into his path, sending him crashing to the ground.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk," Glaza's voice echoed through the air. "Nice try, but I can't let you interfere."
"How dare you!" Signum roared, her Laevatein pointed at Glaza's throat. "Bring Hayate back!"
"Of course," Glaza replied, his voice laced with amusement. "But first, a duel. You, me, and the masked one over there." He gestured towards Arc.
"Damn you…" Arc growled, his voice filled with fury. "You were after Commander Yagami all along."
"Not me," Glaza chuckled. "Your imposter wants her. I'll meet you both at the abandoned dock at 18:00. Come alone." With a flourish, he produced a card and vanished, the golem disappearing with him.
Signum and Renjou exchanged shocked glances. "Your imposter?" Signum asked, her eyes fixed on Arc. Arc clenched his fists, his body trembling with rage. Glaza had exposed his secret, revealing his true identity as Izumi Kai, the man who had been masquerading as Archibald Enzo.
When they returned to the others, Signum confronted Arc, demanding answers. Renjou joined her, their voices filled with urgency. Arc, however, remained silent, his gaze fixed on the ground. He turned and walked away, ignoring their pleas.
"Izumi, please!" Signum shouted, her voice laced with desperation.
Arc stopped, his back still turned. "I'll be back two hours before 18:00," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "To save Commander Yagami." Without another word, he continued walking, leaving Signum and Renjou standing in stunned silence.
Fate, Vita, Nanoha, Shin, and Kaguya approached, their faces etched with concern. They tried to stop Arc, but he teleported away, disappearing into the city. Arc found himself in an abandoned building, his helmet lying discarded on the floor. He transformed his Raging Brando into gunblade mode, his movements fueled by rage and anger. He screamed, his voice echoing through the empty building, and lashed out, destroying everything in his path.
"FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUUUUUUCK!" he roared, slamming his head against the wall.
"Finally," a voice echoed through the building. "I've found you, Izumi Kai. The real Kai."
Miata Azda stepped out of the shadows, her expression unreadable. She approached Arc cautiously, but he lunged at her, his gunblade aimed at her heart. She dodged, her movements fluid and graceful.
"Calm down," she said, her voice soft. "I'm not here to fight."
Arc ignored her, his attacks growing more furious. Miata, realizing she couldn't reason with him, allowed his gunblade to pierce her stomach. Arc's eyes widened in shock as he saw the blood staining her clothes.
"You?!" he exclaimed, his voice filled with disbelief.
"Didn't I tell you?" Miata said, her voice weak. "I'm here to talk. Not to take you away. I know how to fix your eyes."
"Why the fuck should I trust you?" Arc snarled. "Your people just exposed my identity!"
"…If you want to kill me, do it," Miata said, her voice barely a whisper. "But you'll miss out on vital information."
Arc pulled his gunblade from her stomach, the wound closing almost instantly. He cleaned the blade, his eyes fixed on Miata's face.
"Start talking," he said, his voice flat.
Miata smiled, a hint of amusement in her eyes. "First, I'm immortal. Second, I'm a low-level mage. Third, the imposter Kai… he's not what you think he is."
"And you can fix my eyes?" Arc asked, his voice laced with skepticism. "Why should I believe you?"
"I'll tell you everything," Miata said, her eyes gleaming. "For a price. Don't arrest me."
"Talk," Arc commanded, his patience wearing thin.
As Miata began to speak, she revealed the secrets of her immortality, the truth about the imposter Kai, and the key to restoring Arc's vision. She explained the origins of his Soul Edge device, its evolution into the Soul Reaper, and the dark power it held.
Meanwhile, five hours before the rescue mission, the TSAB forces gathered near the abandoned dock. Panic filled the air as they prepared to rescue Hayate. Nanoha and Fate tried to contact Arc, while Signum, Vita, and Renjou waited anxiously.
"Any luck?" Vita asked, her voice filled with concern.
"Nothing," Nanoha replied, her voice tight. "He's not answering."
"I can't reach him either," Fate said. "He's completely cut off."
"It's my fault," Signum said, her voice filled with remorse. "I pushed him too hard."
"No, it's my fault too!" Renjou exclaimed. "I shouldn't have pressured him."
"But… is it true?" Vita asked. "Is Archibald Enzo really Izumi Kai?"
"Yes," Signum replied, her voice grim. "Glaza revealed his identity."
Nanoha and Fate exchanged worried glances. The secret they had kept for so long had been exposed. Before Nanoha could speak, Ginga summoned them to the briefing room. Chrono Harlaown, Reinforce, Shamal, and Verossa were already inside, preparing for the mission. Chrono outlined the plan, emphasizing the need for Nanoha's firepower and a skilled sniper.
"Any objections?" Chrono asked, his eyes scanning the room.
"I have an objection, Admiral," a voice echoed through the room.
Arc stepped into the briefing room, his presence eliciting gasps of surprise.
"Lieutenant Archibald Enzo?" Chrono exclaimed, his eyes widening.
"I want to change the plan," Arc said, his voice firm. "Replace me with Renjou. He'll be the bomb searcher."
"What?" Renjou exclaimed, his voice filled with disbelief.
"I have information from an anonymous source," Arc said, displaying a map of the dock. "Ten bombs, all within Renjou's search radius."
"Ten?" Renjou gasped, his eyes fixed on the map.
"One more thing," Arc said, his eyes fixed on Nanoha and the others. "If I lose control, stop me. At any cost."
"Lose control?" Vita asked, her voice laced with concern.
"I have a system," Arc explained, his voice low. "It allows me to tap into immense power, but it comes with a risk. If I can't control it, I'll go berserk. Just… be ready." He paused, his gaze lingering on Signum and Renjou. "And if you want answers, I'll talk. But only to one person."
With that, Arc turned and left the briefing room, leaving the others in stunned silence. Nanoha and Fate exchanged worried glances. The truth about Izumi Kai, the man they had known as Archibald Enzo, was finally out in the open.
Arc found himself alone by the city's river, the water reflecting the twilight sky. His secret was out, his carefully constructed facade shattered. The plan to reveal his true self to Hayate, after his eyes were healed, had been ripped away by Glaza's cruel revelation.
"I've found you at last, Izumi," a soft voice broke the silence.
Signum stood behind him, her presence calm yet firm. She walked slowly, deliberately, and sat beside him.
"Everyone in the command room was shocked," she began, her gaze fixed on the river. "Your hospital report, the abduction… it was all a ruse. To protect your face."
"…Yes," Arc admitted, his voice barely a whisper.
"My instincts were right," Signum continued. "You are Izumi Kai."
A heavy silence settled between them, broken only by the gentle lapping of the river against the bank.
"Izumi," Signum asked, her voice gentle, "would you take off your helmet?"
"Why?" Arc questioned, his voice guarded.
"I want to see," she replied. "Your white eyes, the negative vision, the burn on your face. I want to understand."
Arc sighed, a weariness settling over him. He removed his helmet, revealing the stark contrast of his white eyes and the jagged scar that marred the right side of his face. The world swam in a distorted reflection of reality. Signum's breath hitched. She understood now, the depth of his pain, the reason for his disguise as Archibald Enzo.
"I wanted to reveal my face," Arc said, his voice raw. "When my eyes were healed. The burn… it won't ever disappear. But now… it's too late. Glaza ruined everything."
"I see," Signum said, her voice filled with understanding. "You concealed your pain to protect her."
Arc remained silent, his gaze fixed on the river. The city lights flickered in his inverted vision, creating a surreal and haunting tableau.
"Izumi," Signum asked, her voice soft, "do you know why Hayate is so drawn to you?"
"Fate told me," Arc replied, his voice low. "She said I reminded Hayate of Reinforce Eins. It wasn't just my personality."
"That's right," Signum confirmed. "Hayate told me the same thing, back in Riot Force 6. It wasn't just your quiet strength or your skill with the buster sword. You reminded her of Reinforce Eins."
"I see…" Arc murmured, his gaze still fixed on the river.
Signum studied him, her heart aching for his pain. She understood his reasons, the burden he carried. She moved closer, gently placing his head on her shoulder.
"Signum…?" Arc began, his voice filled with surprise.
"Hush," she whispered, her voice warm. "Let this moment be. You, a Midchildan mage, and me, a Belkan knight. You're like me, Zafira, Shamal, and Vita, when we first met Hayate. A young, vulnerable girl. But Hayate sees you as Reinforce Eins, a comrade who sacrificed herself and was reborn."
"…Thank you, Signum," Arc whispered, his voice thick with emotion.
Thirty minutes before the rescue mission, Signum and Arc stood up. He put his helmet back on, the world returning to its filtered reality. Signum offered him her hand, a gesture of understanding and support. He took it, their hands clasping in silent understanding. Together, they walked back towards the command room, the weight of their shared understanding a silent promise.
Inside the command room, tension crackled in the air. Nanoha and Fate exchanged worried glances, the secret they had kept for so long now exposed. Chrono, Shamal, and the others watched the door, waiting for Arc's return. When Arc and Signum entered, all eyes turned towards them. The atmosphere shifted, the tension replaced by a tense anticipation.
"Lieutenant Arc," Chrono began, his voice formal. "We're about to commence the rescue mission. Are you ready?"
"Yes, Admiral," Arc replied, his voice firm. "I've reviewed the plan. I have a few adjustments to suggest."
Arc stepped forward, outlining his revised strategy, his voice clear and confident. He detailed the locations of the bombs, Renjou's new role as bomb searcher, and the potential risks of his own volatile power.
"Remember," he concluded, his gaze sweeping across the room. "If I lose control, stop me. No matter what."
A heavy silence settled over the room. The gravity of Arc's words hung in the air, a stark reminder of the danger they faced.
"Alright," Chrono said, his voice firm. "Let's move out."
The TSAB forces mobilized, their movements precise and efficient. Nanoha and Fate exchanged a final, worried glance before following the others. As they boarded their transport ships, Arc turned to Signum. "You're the one," he said, his voice low. "The one I'll talk to."
Signum nodded, her gaze unwavering. "I'll be waiting," she replied.
The ships soared into the sky, their engines roaring to life. The rescue mission had begun, and the fate of Hayate Yagami hung in the balance.
(To be continue.)