The kingdom was a roar of alarms as thousands of Bugnarak emerged. Sanagim crawled out of the ground like ants, and then the earth split wide. A massive figure rose from the abyss, a towering fusion of a heavy-armored knight and a colossal, segmented worm. He planted his feet into the cracked stone of the plaza.
"Five thousand years of silence is over. I amDesnarak VIII, theEmperor of all Bugnarak. We have come to take back the surface you have rotted with your presence," he declared, his single red visor scanning the fleeing crowds. With a With a flick of his wrist, Desnarak's tentacles lashed out, destroying everything in their path. Shugodam's elite guards were instantly overwhelmed. Before they could even draw their blades, the ground erupted; tentacles shot out and slammed down on them, crushing steel and bone alike as if they were
ignoring the chaos outside Racles remained calm, as if the damage to his kingdom meant little to him. He stood his ground, still demanding the unification of the other kingdoms under his banner.
Inside the hall, the atmosphere shifted from political bickering to pure war. The Kings didn't hesitate. "Unsightly," Hymeno spat. In one synchronized motion, the four Kings drew their Ohger Caliburs. They clicked the triggers, and the swords let out that iconic, gravelly mechanical roar:
"TOMBO!"
"KAMAKIRI!"
"HACHI!"
"PAPILLON!"
The air in the hall didn't just vibrate; it felt like it was shifting into a higher state of reality. The atmosphere grew heavy, thick with a power that felt ancient and physical. The Kings raised their blades as one.
"King's armor... fortify!" they shouted in unison.
A deafening flash followed as four massive, glowing crystalline cocoons snapped into existence, encasing the Kings completely. As the crystals began to grow with a blinding internal light, the spirits of the Shugods answered the call:
God Tombo dived into the electric blue crystal, fusing with Yanma as the air around the cocoon crackled with intensity. God Kamakiri lunged into the vibrant yellow crystal, fusing with Hymeno in a swirl of sharp, golden light. God Hachi crashed into the deep black crystal, fusing with Kaguragi as the ground beneath his shell groaned under the weight. God Papillon drifted into the pale purple crystal, fusing with Rita as the temperature in the hall seemed to drop to a freezing chill.
The four crystals pulsed like a heavy heartbeat for a microsecond before shattering outward in a spray of shards, leaving the fully armored Ohgers standing in the center of the hall, ready for war.
The pressure spiked. My coin went into a frenzy, emitting jagged sparks of green static that bit into my palm, desperately trying to "glitch" the overwhelming magic radiating from the crystal shells. This wasn't tech; it was the sacred ritual of the Shugods.
"Sebastian!" Hymeno called out, not even looking back as she followed the others. "Ensure my investment doesn't get stepped on."
"At once, Your Majesty," Sebastian replied.
I looked for Racles, expecting the 'leader' of Chikyu to lead the charge. But he wasn't looking at the monsters. He was looking at the empty seats of the other Kings with a cold, satisfied smirk. Without a word, he turned his back on the screaming city and walked into the darkened corridors of the inner palace
"He's just... leaving them?" The coin was still vibrating so hard it felt like it was trying to phase through my leg.
"He is waiting for them to beg," Sebastian said while dragging me toward the grand doors. "Move! We cannot stay here any longer."
We stepped into the throne room just as the heavy doors closed shut. The sound of the war outside was muted, replaced by a sudden, sharp clink the sound of Racles casually dropping a silver cup onto a metal tray. The high-pitched chime echoed off the vaulted ceiling, cold and indifferent to the chaos outside.
Then, the heavy doors were shoved back open.
"Who are you?" a guard shouted, stepping forward to block his path. Then, the guard's eyes widened. "Gira?! How did you get in here?"
Gira ignored him, his eyes locked on the King. His focus was entirely on Racles.
"What are you doing? The town is under attack!"
"Such a tragedy," Racles murmured, his voice smooth and cold. "And a meaningful sacrifice."
Gira's face contorted in confusion. "What... what are you saying?"
"I don't want you to get the wrong idea," Racles said, finally standing. "The fault lies at the feet of Yanma Gast and his rejection of God Kuwagata's awakening. Once the Bugnarak are defeated, we will invade N'kosopa in the name of Justice."
"So you're just going to ignore the Bugnarak attack? Just to invade another kingdom?"
"You make it sound so sinister," Racles replied, walking toward the pedestal. "What I do, I do to unite Terra. True peace will only be wrought by absolute power. Shugoddam will lead. N'kosopa will be the beginning, then Ishabana, Toufu, and Gokkan will follow until all are one under the same banner of Shugoddam—no matter what the cost."
"Isn't a King supposed to protect the people?"
Racles looked at him with a hollow, terrifying smile. "The people are the means, but I am the nation."
"Screw you!" Gira screamed.
In a blur of motion, Gira lunged. He sprinted toward the throne, snatched the vibrant crimson cloak from where it lay, and took the Royal Arm from its pedestal. The blade shrieked as it left the stone. Gira spun around, the heavy red fabric snapping behind him as he leveled the sword at Racles' throat.
"This sword can save everyone!" Gira's hands were shaking, but his aim was true.
"Don't be foolish," Racles said, not even flinching. "Only royalty can use that blade."
"Which is why you've got to do it!" Gira roared, his anger finally boiling over. He stepped closer, the tip of the sword inches from Racles' chest.
Racles' eyes narrowed. "Do you know what it means to point a sword at your King? You have just made the entire world your enemy."
Off to the side, BJ leaned toward Sebastian. "I think the kid is crying."
"He looks older than you," Sebastian whispered back, his eyes wide.
Gira didn't back down. The tears in his eyes vanished, replaced by a dark, manic light. A slow, wicked smile spread across his face—a look of pure, beautiful malice.
"That works for me," Gira said, his voice dropping to a growl. "The 'Justice' you're talking about is stupid, dull, and revolting. If sacrificing children is supposed to be Justice, then I will be the evil that shatters it!"
He laughed, a sound that echoed like a threat through the hall.
"Fear me! I will show you no shred of mercy. I will spend no effort and no intent for anything but your doom. I am Gira—the man who will become the Tyrant King!"