Deafening explosions rang out through a burning city. Someone flew out of a burning apartment building and landed on the ground below. His skin and hair were ash-gray, his eyes were black, he was surrounded by a gloomy aura, and had black tear stains on his face. This was Sora who had activated his Requiem De Orpheus.

*Bam!*

The apartment exploded and burning debris flew towards him.

“Death Orchestra!”

Dozens of giant black instruments suddenly appeared behind Sora and set up like an orchestra.

“Trumpets!”

Responding to Sora's call, several trumpets appeared in front of him.

“Play for me!”

The trumpets released a deafening blast of sound as if they were being played by invisible Giants. The burning debris was blown away by the blast. Two figures appeared behind him and attacked together.

“Moon Drop Tiger!”

Sami descended from the sky swinging down two short swords. An image of a tiger pounced at the two figures swinging its claws. They leaped back and the ground they stood was slashed apart.

“Trumpet!”

“?!”

Sami turned around and was blasted away by a burst of sound.

“Ungrateful bastard! I just saved your ass!”

“I didn’t need saving!”

Sami faced Chrome and Sapphire who were wearing Zodiac Parasitic Suits with the symbols of a Ram and a maiden respectively.

“You’re not one of us so you don’t know but those two are wearing some really dangerous suits. If they activate its second form without care for their lives the situation will be difficult even for me. If it was just one it would be okay but two at once will be a problem.”

“So you want to team up? Forget it! I’ll beat their asses myself!”

“…..I wonder if this how Didier feels when he’s dealing with Isabel and me?”

Sami was slightly dumbfounded. He lifted both of his swords.

“It will be a pain in the ass, but I’ll just have to take on all three.”

He rushed at Sapphire and Chrome. Sapphire stomped the ground and it lifted up and rushed towards him like a tidal wave.

(She has the Virgo Suit and its Zodiac Element is earth.)

He accelerated towards the wave of earth and swung his swords. The earth was cut into pieces.

“Your power is a perfect match for this suit but it doesn’t mean that you’re a match for me!”

The earth came alive and formed walls around him. He looked up and saw the earth mold together trapping him inside a dome.

“What point will this….Why is it so hot?”

He looked around and saw flames seeping through the walls.

“Those bitches….They’re trying to cook me alive!”

He gripped his swords tightly and swung them in two different directions.

“Twin Moonlight Hunt!”

Two tigers pounced at the walls and slashed them with their claws. The walls were cut to pieces but when they crumbled there was a wall of crystals blocking them.

(They weren’t able to cut through the crystals? Did the earth element of her suit give her Inborn Ability a super boast?)

He was quickly surrounded by flames that filled the dome and was about to be burnt alive.

“Do I have to get serious after all?”

His eyes became bloodshot.

“Against these brats, I’ll have to get serious? Me of all people?”

His swords started trembling as he clenched them. That’s when he heard a deafening sound reach his ears. The dome walls were blown open. He heard a second one and the rest was blown away freeing Sami. He looked in shock at Sora who had a giant Tuba floating behind him.

“Why the surprised look? I decided to pay you back.”

Sora smirked.

“Be grateful.”

“!”

Sami’s pupils started trembling and he clenched his fists and teeth tightly. He was obviously overflowing with rage from being humiliated.

“Heh…Ha…Haha….Hahahaha!”

He laughed hysterically while shaking his head.

“Yeah, it looks like it’s decided. Yup.”

He stopped and smiled at both Sora and the girls.

“I’m gonna kill you all.”

A bloody-red moon appeared behind him and a red glow covered his blades. He kicked off the ground and shot towards Sora.

“Tuba!”

The giant tuba sounded off and fired a compressed blast of sound at him.

“When the blood moon reaches its peak from my enemies’ veins blood must leak.”

Sami swung his swords in two different directions.

*BAM!*

A deafening sound rang out and Sora felt his attack disappear.

“He cut sound?!”

His vision was dyed red in the next instant. He looked down and saw blood spraying from a long cut across his chest.

(I was caught even though we’re so far apart? But, it’s fine.)

Blood leaking from him turned black and hardened to seal the wound.

(Requiem De Orpheus gives me control over darkness as well as heighten my sound abilities. I can manipulate darkness to temporarily repair all the damage I take.)

“Even so…”

He stretched his hand to his side and giant drums floated beside him.

“That hurt like hell, you son of a bitch!”

The drums started playing an upbeat tone. Sora’s body tensed up and popping sounds came from it. He took a step forward and disappeared with a sonic boom. A thunderous sound could be heard as Sami was sent flying through several buildings. Sora then leaped back and avoided a flaming fist.

“You’re willfully entering a close combat fight with me?”

He said to Chrome.

“I really want to slug you at least once!”

She threw a kick which Sora easily avoided. He moved behind her and hit her with a palm strike.

“Hm?”

Even though his strike connected Chrome showed no signs of pain. She swung her hand and he felt like someone had slammed a sledgehammer in his side.

“Guh?!”

Chrome spun around, lifted her leg, and slammed her heel on the top of his head. The ground cracked underneath him. The sounds of the drums became louder and faster as Chrome threw a punch.

“Grr!”

Sora threw a punch faster than she could and forced her upper body into the earth. He wiped the blood flowing from his nose. He sensed someone attacking from behind and spun around with a kick. His leg clashed with Sapphire’s fist. Pain ran through his leg and he lost his balance. Sapphire stepped forward and slammed her fist in his chest and forced him into the ground. All of the air was forced out of him. Chrome forced herself out of the ground with her upper body covered in wounds. The wounds quickly disappeared as she approached Sora.

(Regeneration and newfound strength that put them on par with me? Those suits are really a problem.)

A moon appeared underneath them.

“Ascending Celestial Tigers.”

Three tigers came out of the moon and past through Sora and the girls and flew up into the sky. A bright light flashed, followed by an explosive sound. Cuts appeared all over their bodies, blood sprayed, and they were drowned in pain. The girls stumbled back while Sora’s body wiggled in pain. Sami descended from the sky like a feather and landed between them. The moment his feet touched the ground he pounced at the girls. He flew past Sapphire and her arms were severed from her body and long cuts appeared on her torso. He flew past Chrome and holes filled her body.

“I’m not giving you two any chance to use those suits. I’m going cut you up until it wears out and detach itself from you and then the real fun will begin.”

He pointed his swords at them.

“Your experience will be painful. You have been warned.”

He accelerated towards them and smiled when he saw the fear in their eyes.

(I know those suit pretty well. I can tell they don’t know how to really use them so that means that they can’t activate the 2nd form. Killing them will be a cinch!)

He started slashing the girls with lightning-fast movements, attacking their vitals without mercy, and even made sure that they would suffer. The suits healed their wounds but it was obvious that Sami was attacking faster than the suits could recover.

“Hm? What’s that?”

He heard some rapid beating sounds.

“Drum-”

A foot stepped in the side of his head and forced him back. He looked and saw Sora midair swinging his leg. He was kicked to the ground and his body rolled. He quickly got to his feet and charged at Sora. He swung his blades and several tigers pounced at him. Sora’s body flickered and he passed the tigers and popped up in front of Sami with fresh wounds. Sami stabbed at his neck but he ducked underneath and aimed palm strike at his stomach. Sami twisted his body out of the way and swung his knee up and hit Sora in the face. The sounds of drums reached his ears again. He felt a powerful blow to his torso and stumbled back.

(Did he just get stronger?)

He retreated from a kick and pounced at Sora. A white tiger appeared opening its jaws to devour him. The tiger snapped down on him and Sami’s swords lodged into his shoulders.

“I’m taking these arms!”

Once again the sounds of drums reached his ears.

“Huh?”

Sami wasn’t able to move his swords.

“What the hell?”

He looked and saw Sora’s muscles tightening up preventing him from moving his swords. He looked down when he felt Sora put his hands on his torso.

“Have you ever heard that music can give us strength?”

An explosive sound rang out and blood sprayed out of Sami’s mouth and splashed on Sora’s face. He released his swords and fell to his knees. Sora mercilessly hit him with a palm strike and smashed him in the ground.

“Your Self Reforge is a pain so I’ll make sure to destroy your insides while I have the cha-”

Cuts traveled up his arm that was pressing Sami to the ground. Sora had to move back in fear of losing his arm.

(He can attack like that without a sword? What kind of ridiculous swords art does this guy use?)

“I got it.”

Sami leaped to his feet with a smile.

“Those giant drums use upbeat music to trigger an adrenaline rush that boosts your physical abilities and makes you numb to pain. I never have seen such a technique before.”

He spoke as if laughing.

“Oh? Are you two finally up and running again?”

He spoke to Sapphire and Chrome who recovered from Sami’s assault.

“You…!”

The two were visibly angry. He didn’t seem to care and pointed at Sapphire.

“You have the Virgo Model which means that the suit will grant you power depending on your sense of justice and conviction. Meaning, the stronger your desire to carry out justice the stronger you’ll be.”

He then pointed at Chrome.

“You have the Aries Model which means your power depends on your passion. The stronger your passion towards something the greater your power.”

“You know about our abilities….What about it?”

Chrome asked.

“You weren’t using the suits properly so I was hoping that I could give you some advice.”

Rage painted the girls’ faces. Sami was obviously ridiculing them. He ignored them and looked at Sora.

“You can keep those two swords. I don’t need them.”

Sora’s eyes widened.

(Don’t need them. He’s a swordsman, isn’t he?….. Wait.)

“Looks like you’ve figured out.”

He placed his right hand behind his back.

“Those weren’t my real weapon. They were just something I use against scrubs so that I don’t have to dirty my real weapon with the blood of weaklings and taint it.”

He moved his hand from behind his back and pulled a sword that resembles a katana but it was much longer whether it was its hilt or blade.

“An Odachi…”

Sora mumbled. Sami slowly pulled the sword from its sheath that had a tiger chasing a moon on it.

“This is my partner, Moon Tiger.”

A strong gust blew through the area as if the sword was making its presence known.

“Now that my sword is drawn, it will taste blood.”

He swung the sword down and cuts run through the ground at Sora and girls. Sora avoided the attack. He saw Sapphire and Chrome rushed at Sami. He laughed and swung his sword. A crystal wall erected from the ground. It was cut to pieces but the girls were nowhere to be found. Sami leaped back and crystals burst out of the ground. Sapphire flew out of one of those crystals swinging a crystal glaive. Sami cut through the glaive and her body like butter. Sapphire crumbled and another Sapphire came out of the ground and grabbed his legs and pulled them underground. The night lit up and a giant fireball fell on top of him and exploded. The explosion was cut before getting extinguished. Sami flew towards Chrome who was using flames to fly. She thrust her palms down and blasted him with an overwhelming amount of flames. The flames spread out like a flood and engulfed the area.

“Looks like you’re finally getting a hang of it!”

Sami emerged out of the flames and cut Chrome in two. Her figure turned into flames and disappeared. Sami turned around and cut a truck-size crystal into pieces. He looked and saw countless more being fired at him like bullets out of a machine gun. He moved his sword with light speed and cut every one fired at him. He saw some lights gathering around him.

(Fireflies?)

The “fireflies” turned into giant rotating fireballs. They exploded and caused a giant explosion that shook the town.

“Hahahaha!”

He emerged out flames with a mad laugh and landed on the ground.

“Now this is what I’m talking about!”

He swung his sword with a spin and blew all the flames away. The earth came alive and formed into dozens of giant fists. The fists all attacked Sami and were cut to pieces. Those pieces floated around him and turned into spikes aiming to skewer him. He evaded every spike with agile movements. Sapphire flew out of the ground and hit him with a palm strike.

*Clang!*

A metallic sound resounded when Sami blocked her with his sword. Her entire body was made up of sharp crystals. She slashed at him and he parried her crystal claws and slashed her chest. The crystals cracked before quickly recovering. Sapphire threw a kick at his head and it clashed with his sword. Spikes fired from her leg at his face. He moved his head to avoid them and spun around to slashed at Chrome, who was coming from behind. She slid underneath it and blast him with flames. He was propelled back and the two girls chased him. He swung his sword and a bright flashed. The girls were blown back with cuts on their bodies. The moment Sami’s feet touched the ground he pounced at them with a bloodthirsty expression. Chrome went to meet his charge. He swung his sword and cut into her side before it was halt by her hands.

“You fucker…You dare question my passion for my queen?”

She pulled him towards her and headbutt him.

“If I get to take you to hell with me I’ll gladly show you my passion!”

Her body lit up and exploded. Sami was devoured by a large explosion that left a crater behind.

“Hahaha!”

Sami walked out of the crater with his body and hair badly burnt.

“So much for your passion! I’m still alive!”

“Who said that she was done?!”

A gigantic crystal fist came from the sky and crushed him. Sapphire stood on top of the 30ft crystal.

“You’re a threat that must be eliminated, so it’s my conviction to kill you here!”

The fist shattered into pieces and she started falling towards the ground. Sami appeared in front of her.

“Just try it then!”

He lifted his sword but was blast away before he could swing it. Chrome appeared surrounded by raging flames.

“I said we’re going to hell together!”

She thrust her hands forward and a flood of flames rushed towards Sami. He swung his sword and parted the flames. Sapphire rushed out of the flames with her body on fire and slammed her fist in his face. He cut off that arm. Chrome used flames to boost her speed and kicked him in the chest. He cut off that leg. Sapphire grabbed that leg and slapped him with it. He stumbled to the side and then cut them across the eyes blinding them. Chrome took a step with her regenerated leg and hit him with an uppercut.

“I don’t need to see to kick your ass! I’m a Sound User, jackass!”

Sami’s head was rattled by a blast of sound. He laughed and cut Chrome’s torso open. Sapphire hit him with a crystal hammer before having her body filled with holes. Chrome latched on his back and detonated like a bomb. Sami staggered a bit before pulling her off his back and crush her windpipe with his foot. Sapphire tackled him to the ground and started slugging him. He punched her off him and got to his feet to continue their fight.

“Hm….”

Meanwhile, Sora was watching everything with a complex expression on his face.

“They’re really going at. They’ve completely forgotten about me. Well, I’m not a monster like them so I’m glad that I could get my injuries under control.”

He started approaching them.

“Miko wants the girls alive but they want me dead. Also, I have to fight that sword monster…This really is gonna be a pain in the as-”

*BOOM!*

A loud explosion interrupted him. He turned around and saw a different battle occurring behind him. He saw Luka and Hina clashing Isabel Luna and an unknown man who seem to be related to her. Seeing this, Sora muttered the first thing that came to his mind.

“Well, bloody hell.”