Mansion—-
Zaria was busy practicing in the dojo as Omariro watched, slashing through training dummies and using powerful kicks to behead them.
"Like that, Master?"
Omariro was in a chair, with ice on his back. "Girl improving."
Zaria stopped, giving him a proud look. "I've got something to show you, Master! Look!"
She straightened up, as dark energy absorbed into her spear. "Jugen-Tōshi: Senkai Yari!"
Her spear began to spin rapidly, forming such powerful gusts of wind as Zaria threw it, causing it to roll around like a bowling ball. It nearly hit Omariro, and she gasped, recalling it back. "Oh! I'm sorry, Master!"
Omariro simply leaned back. "Girl need practice."
"Hehe, yeah I know…"
She perked up. "Can you teach me, Master? I want to learn how to fight better, so you won't have to worry!"
Omariro sipped some coffee. "Spin spear."
The spear began to spin once more. "Okay! Now what?"
"Jugen-Tōshi: Seijin Rangeki."
An array of blades formed, and they headed straight for Zaria, who put her spear in front of her and deflected them with its spinning force.
"Whoa!" she gasped. "This thing can block too!"
Omariro formed his bow and fired arrows at her, which she managed to deflect as well. He formed a clone, taking a seat. "Strike!"
She threw her spear at the clone, which knocked it back into the wall. Once she recalled it, Omariro gave her a nod of approval. "Girl skill potent. Girl must use well."
"I will, Master!"
She flexed her arm. "I still need to work on that loadout. It's not activating. Do you have any advice, Master?"
"Girl must calm emotions. Then girl will find what she seeks."
"Calm emotions? But I am calm, sir! What's wrong with me? Do I look too tense?"
He got up, using his staff to support himself as he left the dojo. "Girl avoids obvious answers. Must embrace."
"Embrace…?" she questioned. "Wait up, Master!"
Omariro and Zaria entered the living room, where Nonoka, Rei, Rika, and Sōshin were busy attempting to clean up.
"Children made mess," Omariro noted.
"Sorry, sir!" Rika apologized. "We wanted to train too, but we didn't want to disturb you guys!"
"Using the living room?" Zaria laughed. "You're acting like me, Rika!"
"No! No, I'm not!"
Rika tidied up the couch. "Are we doing any more training today, Master?"
"Tomorrow," he stated. "Must rest back."
They all gave him a sympathetic look as he sat down, but the moment he did so, a knock could be heard at the door. Omariro grew visibly annoyed.
"Hmph. Tax men."
Rei opened the door, confused. "Mr. Gakuto?"
Gakuto raised a hand. "Sup, everyone! Just thought I'd pay a visit to the Legendary Kaidanchō on my way back from Tsumagoi! Had to mop up some monsters in the process."
Almost as if in response, a slime dropped from above, but Gakuto destroyed it with his helmet. "Anyway. How are ya, Omariro?"
Omariro slowly got up, navigating his way to the door. "Miyama. House gone. Seal broken."
"Seal?" he wondered. "Wait, you don't mean the one in Aomori, do you?"
Omariro nodded. "Beast."
Rika put her hands on Omariro's shoulders. "Sir, what are you guys talking about?"
"Remember those beasts I told you about, Rika?" Gakuto recalled.
"Yeah?"
"Basically, there was a seal on the bad one. You know. Formed by Omariro himself! But now that the house is broken, which was the vessel for the seal, that beast could very well go free."
"Wait," Zaria worried. "How strong are these 'beasts', and why did you seal one, Master?"
"Beast powerful," Omariro explained. "Will come for head."
"Whose head?"
"Mine."
The students gasped, but Gakuto cleared his throat. "C'mon, Omariro! Even if the seal is broken, someone would have to free the guy! Then, they'd have to track you down, come up with a plan, and then make their move! What are the chances of that?"
BOOM.
"Shit," Gakuto realized. "Something's outside!"
Everyone hurried to the rooftops, where a large elephant-like creature with earthly skin and armor was waiting with a slimy creature on its back. He dwarfed the size of the mansion.
"Nyugawa!" the beast hollowed. "There you are, you coward! Come and face me!"
"Behemoth," Omariro realized.
Rika's eyes widened. "That—that's YOUR pet, sir?"
"Yes. But pet unstable."
Emerald formed on his back. "Hand over my sister, Nyugawa. I won't ask again."
Zaria recognized him. "That slime! He's the one who was hunting for you, Master! Wait, did he release that thing?"
"Slime is fool," Omariro stated.
Emeru quickly formed in front of Omariro. "Brother, wait! Don't do this!"
Emerald locked eyes with her. "Come here, Emeru. You don't belong with him."
"Yes, I do! I don't wanna go back to the dungeons!"
He squeezed his fist. "That choice is not yours to make. But since you're stubborn, I'll take you back when everyone else is dead."
"No, stop!"
Behemoth charged at the mansion, but Omariro quickly tapped his staff. "Jugen-Kōbisha: Kamigami no Kōsoku!"
Binds restrained the beast and the slime as the girls backed away. Zaria quickly held onto Omariro. "Sir, what do we do?"
"Back, children! Beast too dangerous!"
Behemoth broke free of the bindings as Omariro teleported to the ground next to him, causing the beast to turn his attention towards his former Master.
"Sir, wait!" Rika pleaded.
Behemoth attempted to stomp on Omariro, but Omariro managed to keep the beast's foot at bay with his forearm, pushing him back.
Behemoth charged at Omariro, using both feet to slam the ground, causing a massive mountain-shaped spike to erupt, nearly reaching the clouds. Omariro knocked it down with his palm, which caused it to fall on Behemoth, shattering instantly.
"The earth is my domain," Behemoth informed him. "You won't win this time!"
With a powerful roar, mountains erupted from the ground and impaled the mansion and all the surrounding areas. Omariro quickly clapped his hands, teleporting the kids, including Han to safety.
"What's going on?" Han questioned.
"Stay back, kid!" Gakuto ordered. "Wild beast on the loose!"
Gakuto rushed in. "Hey, pal! Stop this!"
Behemoth turned towards him. "Gakuto."
"Remember when I used to take care of you guys? Fed you? Kept your hides clean? Don't do this, it's not worth it!"
"Die, you fool!"
He attempted to crush Gakuto underfoot, but Gakuto sent his helmet flying at Behemoth's face, briefly stunning him for a moment.
"The situation is lost to you humans," Emerald warned. "Give up now, or we will tear this entire place apart."
Omariro smacked Behemoth hard enough that the beast fell into the lake, but Behemoth simply shrugged it off, forming large mountain spikes behind him and launching them at Omariro, who erased them with a clap.
"Can't you erase him, sir?" Nonoka asked.
"As long as beast on ground, beast cannot be destroyed," Omariro clarified.
"So he's some unstoppable land god?"
"A smart human," Behemoth noted. "I'll grant you a quick death!"
He tried to impale her with his tusk, but Gakuto used his helmet to knock the beast's head aside. Emerald tried to grab Omariro, but he sliced off his arm with his blade.
"Enough."
Without warning, Omariro held out his hand, a golden light enveloping him. "Jugen-Kōbisha: Ōgonshin no Shin'i Kainyū!"
A large grandfather clock appeared, and as soon as the clock chimed, Behemoth and Emerald were absorbed into it.
"You did it, Master!" Rei cheered.
"Is he gone?" Rika asked.
"Beast will break free soon," Omariro warned. "Only one way to stop beast—-separate beast."
"Wait, you mean the Sky and Sea beasts?" Gakuto asked.
"Yes. Must retrieve from Dungeons."
Han examined the clock. "I think I'm missing a lot of details. But are the others as strong as him?"
"In different ways, yeah," Gakuto confirmed. "And way less hostile. If we gather them both, maybe they can tame this thing."
"How do we find them?" Zaria wondered. "If this thing and Emeru's brother want Master dead, we have to stop them!"
"Sea Beast in Kikaijima Dungeon. Sky Beast in Nakashibetsu Dungeon. Dungeons will be fierce, hard to clear."
"We should go for the Sea Beast, Leviathan, first. She'll be more willing to hear us out," Gakuto suggested.
"Is she a nice beast?" Rei asked.
"She's…something alright."
Omariro limped back to his mansion, entering through the front door. A large hole was in the living room's floor and ceiling, which the old man examined.
"House damaged too."
Gakuto nervously scratched his head. "Yeah. Seems you don't have the best luck with houses, eh?"
"Hmph."
Omariro pointed upstairs. "Kids pack. Prepare for journey."
The girls and Sōshin quickly moved to gather their equipment, while Han stayed behind. Omariro turned to him. "Includes boy."
"Sir," he admitted. "Maybe I should just sit this one out? I'm on house arrest, and besides, I'll just ruin the mission, anyways."
He noticed the clock outside. "I should keep watch over this thing and make sure the beast doesn't escape."
"No. Boy will come. Boy must not avoid burden. Boy must face it."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
Han sighed. "Alright. But if I don't make it back alive, sir, please don't be surprised."
"Concern unnecessary."
Han went to grab his things as Emeru reappeared. "I wanna come too! If that monster is involved with my brother, I wanna separate them!"
Gakuto picked up Emeru. "Ahh. Your pet? So that slime outside was her family?"
Emeru repeatedly slapped Gakuto, pouting. "Put me down! And yes! He's one of the Mujinsha. Like, among their strongest."
"Great. An even bigger pain."
"If I can get close to him, I just know I can snap him out of his murderous rampage!"
"Slime unreachable," Omariro informed her. "Beast too strong."
"Then we deal with the beast!"
The kids headed down the steps, dressed in their Kaitansha outfits. Han lingered in the back as everyone gathered around Omariro.
"We're ready, sir!" Zaria declared.
Omariro tapped his staff on the ground, and the entire group disappeared, as the clock slowly began to shatter.
Kikaijima, Japan—-
The group landed in Sugira Beach, where various natives were relaxing and enjoying the sun. As soon as they saw Omariro, they all rushed toward him.
"Sir Nyugawa!"
"Is it really you?"
"Can I take a picture?"
The people swarmed him, collapsing atop him. Gakuto and Zaria had to fight to pull him out of the mob. Once they had space, Rika and Zaria helped Omariro over to the edge of the beach, where a strange rune was hidden under the sand.
"Dungeon gate," Omariro said. "Touch."
Rika touched it, and sure enough, a strange stone gate formed, glowing blue.
"Come," he ordered. "Enter."
The bystanders watched with awe as the group entered the gate, which closed behind them.
???—-
〈Oh? You've returned, Omariro.〉
〈Entry Detected—-Floor Level: *1.*〉
The group landed in an underwater kingdom-like domain, with various locked gates and a sealed door in the center. A mysterious feminine voice echoed through the chamber.
〈I never expected to see you again. Why have you awoken me from my sleep?〉
"Beast of Land free," Omariro announced. "Danger to Japan."
The voice remained quiet for a long while before responding.
〈I see. But my help isn't free. Prove you are still worthy of commanding me, and I will lend you my aid.〉
Before Omariro could respond, the voice went quiet, and one of the nearby gates was highlighted with a soft blue light. The group walked over to it, and a UI appeared.
〈Floor Level: *2.* Only *3* May Enter.〉
Everyone except Han volunteered, raising their hands. Omariro pointed to Zaria and Gakuto. "Come."
"Sir, yes, sir!" Zaria replied.
"Just like the old times!" Gakuto remarked.
Omariro touched his hand to the gate, and it pulled him inside. Zaria and Gakuto shared a look before doing the same, and they too disappeared within the gate.
"I hope they'll be okay," Rika whispered.
"I'm sure they will," Nonoka assured. "With Master, a Kaidanchō, and a hot-head, they're sure to be fine."
Suddenly, the gate turned red, and crimson radiated off of it, shifting the color of the entire domain.
——-