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Sangokuden Armored War Gods Saga: End of the Armored War Gods

Co-Written By: Kamen Rider Chrome & Ten-Faced Paladin

Beta Reader/Editor: Busterleader92

Prelude: A Devil's Rebirth

Survival of the fittest. That was the law of the jungle. The strong shall live and the weak shall die. It was a law that governs all life. It was because of this law that predator and prey existed.

Predators were strong and they preyed upon weaker animals for sustenance. Their choice of prey would be smaller creatures who could offer little to no resistance. It was a cruel law but it was the natural order of things. You were either predator or prey, and nobody wanted to be prey.

A little dog (prey) was cornered by a hungry wolf (predator). The prey whimpered in fear as the predator gazed upon it with a look of hunger. The wolf bared its teeth and the dog backed away. Unfortunately, the dog had nowhere to run. This was its fate as prey, to die at the claws of a predator. The law of the jungle was cruel and unforgiving.

With its prey unable to escape, the wolf pounced and buried its sharp teeth into the tender flesh of the dog's neck. Blood spilled from the wound while the dog struggled as the wolf sunk its fangs deeper. Eventually, the struggling died down as its throat was crushed by the wolf's jaws. With its kill confirmed, the wolf then proceeded to devour its prey.

The wolf did not notice how viscous and black the dog's blood was as it devoured its prey. Nor did it notice how the blood seemed to be alive as it flowed up into its nostrils and ears. Once the wolf was done with its meal, its eyes gleamed with an unnatural red light. The wolf was still hungry and went back to its pack to satiate its hunger. It wanted more flesh to devour.

When the wolf rejoined its pack, as it was the Alpha, the rest of the pack showed it respect. The Alpha gazed upon its pack. The feeling of hunger grew as it saw not its own packmates, but food instead. Driven by an uncontrollable hunger, the Alpha pounced on the nearest wolf and tore its throat out. The other wolves panicked and began to growl and snarl at the mad Alpha. The Alpha turned its hungry gaze upon the rest of its pack and attacked.

While the pack had numbers and could subdue the lone Alpha, the Alpha proved to be stronger than all the wolves in its pack combined. Blood stained the Alpha's coat as it went on a rampage, slaughtering its pack. It tore the other wolves to shreds and devoured their flesh.

Though it had eaten its fill, it was still hungry. Now alone without a pack, it was left to wander as a lone wolf.

Weeks passed for the wolf, and something seemed wrong with it. It was like the wolf was rotting all over, despite being alive. Black slime oozed out of its eyes, ears, and mouth. It also seemed emaciated, like something was eating it from the inside. Therefore, no matter how much it ate, it continued to starve. The wolf only made it a few more feet before it collapsed.

Scavengers soon spotted the carcass. They probably stalked the wolf, waiting for it to keel over. The vultures swooped in but they were all deterred by the state of the carcass. Despite being scavengers, even they would not feed on a carcass that was so deeply decayed. The closest of the vultures, however, looked curious as it peered closer. It saw the black slime that oozed from the wolf.

The black slime suddenly lunged at the vulture's face, forcing its way down its beak and throat. The vulture shrieked and flapped its wings frantically, causing the others to fly away in panic. The vulture continued to convulse and writhe in pain before it relaxed. It then spread its wings and took off. The vulture soared in the sky, looking for more prey to satisfy its hunger.

It wasn't long before it spotted some cattle down below and saw a single calf standing far from its mother. On its own, the young calf was completely exposed and vulnerable. It would not be able to defend itself. Unable to resist the temptation of an easy target, the vulture swooped in for the kill.

The farmer, who was watching his cattle, noticed the bird. He picked up his stick to drive away the vulture. The vulture spread its wings, attempting to intimidate the farmer. The farmer growled and clubbed the vulture. The vulture went down with a single blow.

The farmer looked down at the dead vulture and sighed. He didn't need it rotting on his farm and went to dispose of it. Suddenly, the vulture came to life and opened its beak to vomit black gunk all over the farmer's face.

The farmer dropped the vulture's carcass as he spasmed before he relaxed. He smiled as his eyes glowed red. His teeth sharpened as he saw all the cattle. He was hungry and he needed food right now.

The farmer, now infected, attacked his cattle. They tried to escape, but he was too fast for them. He killed them all and devoured them one by one. Unfortunately, even after eating so much, his hunger was yet to be sated. He needed more. He wanted more. He craved more.

And he knew a place where he could find more food. He returned home.

When the farmer went back to his house, his wife opened the door. She was cradling their newborn child. It was their second child while their first was still asleep. She had been waiting for his return.

When she saw the blood on him, she panicked and wondered what had happened. He did not respond to her questions and walked into the kitchen. He picked up a knife and then looked at his wife with a sick grin full of sharp shark-like teeth. She saw his blood red eyes and the dark veins surrounding them.

The farmer's wife screamed as he lunged for her, driven by his monstrous craving for human flesh. She tried to flee but he shoved her to the floor and began stabbing her. She dropped the baby as she landed on the floor. She screamed as the cold steel of the knife's blade repeatedly pierced her. Blood spilled all over the floor and splattered the wall. Her struggling and screams soon ceased.

The baby wailed and the farmer stopped stabbing his now dead wife. He licked the blood off the knife and dropped it. He went over and gently cradled the baby in his arms. Unfortunately, whatever tenderness or love he had for the child was now gone, replaced only by a strong desire to feed. Instead of his baby, he only saw more food for him to eat.

His mouth opened wide and dark tentacles came out, writhing and dripping with slime. They wrapped around the wailing baby, as the farmer's mouth grew impossibly wide. The tentacles drew the baby in, down the farmer's throat as he swallowed his own child whole. The baby's cries were silenced as it became food for its father.

The farmer's stomach was filled, but he was not satisfied.

"Papa...?"

He turned and saw his son, standing in the doorway of his room. He looked in shock at his father who had just eaten his baby brother. He also saw his mother's dead body.

The boy was shocked and confused. He screamed in terror as his father lunged at him, mouth wide and full of razor-sharp teeth. The boy slammed his door shut and bolted it. The farmer slammed against the bolted door as the boy backed away in fear. Looking for someplace to hide, the boy went under his bed.

There was a crash as the boy's door was smashed open. The boy put his hands over his mouth to keep himself silent. Maybe his father, or whatever his father had become, would give up and leave him alone. Cold sweat beaded on his face and rolled down as he waited. He saw his father's feet in front of him and he held back a gasp. For a few seconds, the boy silently prayed that his father would not find him.

Unfortunately, no gods would answer his prayers. The farmer looked under the bed and smiled when he found his son's hiding place.

"Daddy found you!"

The boy screamed in horror. The farmer grabbed his son's arm and dragged him out from under the bed. He then bit out a chunk of flesh from the boy's arm. The boy fell, screaming in pain. He tried to crawl away, but his father pounced on him and sank his teeth into the back of his son's neck.

Like a man inflicted with the wendigo's curse, the farmer devoured his loved ones. Their flesh was succulent and juicy. It drank their blood like it was wine. It left the organs for last like some kind of dessert to cap off its meal. Nothing went to waste.

But he still wanted more. The hunger within him only grew with each bite he took. There was still more meat out there, more for him to consume. Friends, neighbors, and acquaintances were now nothing more than items on a menu.

"This is quite the sight."

The possessed and starving farmer turned and found Dai Shi standing in the middle of the living room.

Dai Shi was garbed in a pitch black robe that reached all the way down to the floor. The sleeves flared, ending at his elbows. He wore bronze and gold gauntlets with intricate patterns weaved into them which resembled dragons. He also wore boots with a similar pattern and color scheme.

His robe was left open, revealing black baggy pants and a matching shirt with a gold sash tied around his waist. Over his chest, he wore a breastplate that was forged to look like a golden ribcage with a purple gem fitted in the center. He wore his hood up, hiding his hair, and he wore a bronze and gold mask over his face which left his eyes and mouth visible. The mask appeared to have a scale-like pattern like a dragon's hide. It also included a small purple gem on the brow. Mounted on the mask was a pair of draconic horns.

Dai Shi had sensed something and gone to investigate. He arrived during the aftermath of the massacre and found himself admiring the farmer's handiwork. He was genuinely impressed by the violence and gore. It was like a work of art. The house was painted by the blood of the victims, splattered across the walls like it was some kind of canvas.

The starving farmer thought he had found new prey. Not caring who it was, the farmer attacked. Unfortunately, he did not realize that he was up against a much bigger predator. If he knew who it was he was dealing with, he might've reconsidered his actions. However, driven only by base instincts and an uncontrollable hunger, the farmer could not think about anything beyond satisfying its needs.

Dai Shi caught the crazed farmer by his throat, holding him at bay. The farmer's gaping maw revealed razor sharp teeth as black slime drooled from his mouth. Disgusting black tentacles writhed in its mouth like a collection of worms.

Dai Shi studied the possessed farmer. He sensed there was something inside of him that was controlling him. It was dark and unnatural. It was also wild and untamed like a rabid beast as it continued to thrash in Dai Shi's grip, trying to attack him. Unwilling to tolerate the thing's struggling for much longer, Dai Shi quickly snapped his neck. It only took a split second for Dai Shi to kill the parasite's host.

Dai Shi dropped the body like it was garbage. It fell in a heap like a puppet which just had its strings cut. He watched as the black, gooey parasite started to exit from the corpse's mouth. It resembled a worm that was covered in black writhing tendrils. With its host now dead, it needed to find a new host so it could hunt for more food.

Dai Shi picked up the dark parasite and held it away. It tried to lash out at him. He could feel this creature's darkness and see how much potential this creature had. It could spread fear and chaos. It had already started by cannibalizing its host's family. Unfortunately, without a host, there was little the demonic parasite could do in its current state.

Dai Shi knew what this parasite truly was. It knew where it came from and what it wanted. It needed a vessel and he had just the thing for it. As he held the parasite, he took out a generic Himawari Lockseed. The Lockseeds fascinated Dai Shi. They were something new and interesting. In the hands of a normal man, the Lockseed could be used to open a portal to another world and bring forth a creature which inhabited that strange world. Dai Shi had already gotten a glimpse of this world when Ukitsu showed it to him.

In the hands of an Armored War God, Lockseeds could be used to augment their powers, granting armor and weapons that could turn even the weakest person into a powerful warrior. If they had genuine skill and natural battle prowess, there was little that could stop them. A single Armored War God could wipe out an army in an instant. That was how powerful these Lockseeds were.

The Himawari Lockseeds, however, were the weakest of the bunch. They could not generate armor or weapons for an Armored War God. They could still summon those strange being-Inves, but they had no other significance in battle whatsoever. But for what Dai Shi intended to do, the Lockseed would suffice.

The parasite soon shifted its attention away from Dai Shi and attempted to reach for the Lockseed. Dai Shi could tell that it wanted to use the Lockseed as its vessel. It was the only way its power could be safely utilized by a host and the only thing that would allow it to channel its true power.

Dai Shi obliged the creature and allowed it access to the Lockseed. The parasite leaped at the Lockseed and entered it. It seemed to melt and flow into the Lockseed, leaving no visible trace of it. A dark miasma briefly surrounded the Lockseed before fading. The Himawari Lockseed was now altered. Instead of the image of a sunflower seed, the Lockseed now bore the image of Bujin Gaim.

Now the Lockseed and parasite would need something to use their power. But who was worthy? Dai Shi then got a wicked idea. If the Armored War Gods came from another world, then he would just seek out someone from their world too. Ukitsu had recruited new members to his group from the other world, so it was not impossible for Dai Shi to do the same.

Dai Shi snapped his fingers and opened up a dark portal.

"Let's see...whose heart resonates with your hatred...?"

Dai Shi's eyes fell upon a young man with short middle-parted midnight black hair, fair skin and a permanent scowl on his face. He sensed much anger and hatred in him. He could use him. Dai Shi then spoke to the Lockseed.

"Seek out your ideal host."

Dai Shi pitched his arm back and tossed the Lockseed into the portal.

It was a cold night in Tokyo. Under the cover of night, the city possessed a completely different atmosphere. Familiar things took on an alien appearance under the darkness of night. Like how a clown in an amusement park giving out balloons in the day could seem pleasant, but at night the sight of him would appear menacing and unnatural.

At night, the street lamps cast shadows all around. Often times, these shadows would appear unnatural and take on a life of their own. Of course, this was just the imagination playing tricks on a person. Shadows could not harm you, but things hiding in the shadows could. An alleyway, without light, appeared as a tunnel that led into an eerie abyss. These alleys became home to the unsightly homeless that were ignored or looked upon in disgust. Sometimes, they were even looked upon with pity.

At night, a lonely road did not offer a person peace. A woman walking home would feel anxious and paranoid of the possible dangers lurking in the dark. It was why we were advised to always walk with someone at night. Safety in numbers and all that.

This particular part of town housed affordable residents like cheap apartments. The space given was not big, but it was cozy, and enough for a person living alone while earning a humble salary.

Taiga Shiba grimaced as he walked back to his small apartment. He hated it. He was cut off from his family fortune, forced to live in a small one bedroom apartment, and also take up a part-time job just to support himself. He was disinherited, but he was at least allowed to keep his family name. Unfortunately, his family name did not warrant him much respect. His actions had brought shame to his family.

"Nagata...!" Taiga growled as he thought about the cause of his downfall. If Nagata didn't have such weak ideals, Taiga wouldn't be in this mess. He punched the wall in anger. "Damn you, Oda!" It was all because of Nagata that he was now living like this!

In the past, the Oda Clan and Shiba Clan were locked in a terrible blood feud. The feud was caused when Oda Nobutomo killed the final head of the Shiba Clan, Shiba Yoshimune. While the clan effectively came to an end as a result, remnants of the Shiba Clan came together to return themselves to their former glory. Even though Nobunaga forced Nobutomo to commit suicide, their grudge toward the Oda Clan was not satisfied. In the present, the Shiba Clan and Oda Clan had a truce.

Taiga met Nagata when he joined Tsukahara-sensei's kendo dojo. Once Nagata showed his talent and skill during a spar, Taiga respected him as his equal and the two became friends. For years they trained together, sparring and improving.

While Taiga knew Nagata was an Oda, he believed that it was merely a coincidence that he had the name of the clan his own clan had sworn a blood feud with. Taiga also did not believe that a centuries' old blood feud affected him in the slightest.

They both competed to be the best student, but they had a friendly rivalry. They would always do what it took to better themselves, seeing the improvement of the other as a challenge to overcome. They brought out the best in each other. They soon climbed the ranks and became the dojo's top students, the cream of the crop, and the best among the rest.

As much as Taiga enjoyed sparring with Nagata, gauging his own strength and skill so he could improve, he hated the fact that he had to share the dojo with a bunch of wannabe kendoka. Taiga was obsessed with the idea of becoming a real kendoka, the best of the best that would stand above all the rest. It was why he pushed himself hard and pushed others to do the same. Those he saw as worthy gained his respect. The ones he deemed as unworthy to practice the art were treated like garbage.

While Taiga got along well with Nagata, he did not treat the other students with respect. He was particularly harsh to the junior members who performed poorly. Nagata often advised him to take it easy on them, but Taiga was set in his ways. He did not believe the junior members held the same amount of dedication to the art as them. He also did not believe they had potential to be real kendoka.

Unlike Nagata and Taiga, they didn't come from noble bloodlines, but Tsukahara-sensei accepted anyone who wanted to learn. He also instructed Nagata and Taiga to help instruct the new students.

Taiga felt insulted. His skills shouldn't be wasted on teaching wannabes. That was when he decided to drive off the talentless losers so he and Nagata could be Tsukahara-sensei's best pupils. He would only accept the best if they proved themselves, but the wannabes couldn't take it.

Nagata told him he was being too harsh with the other students, but Taiga justified he was only trying to see which of them were good enough to stay. If they quit because they were too weak, then it was not his problem.

Nagata told Tsukahara-sensei that Taiga was bullying the other students. Taiga strongly denied the allegations, even putting the blame on the other students for not working hard enough, forcing him to push them. However, Nagata claimed that Taiga was bullying them.

Tsukahara-sensei was not pleased and neither was Taiga. He shot hot glares at his friend who ratted him out. Nagata did not understand. Taiga just didn't want the other students to 'shame' the dojo with their lack of skill and dedication.

While disappointed, Tsukahara-sensei was willing to let Taiga stay if he proved himself in a formal duel. Taiga accepted the offer and challenged Nagata.

The two of them, wearing kendo gear, stood across from each other. Whoever got three points first would win. They bowed before they clashed. Both proved why they were the dojo's top students with a show of skill.

After four rounds, both of them were tied. Taiga remembered how the other students cheered Nagata on while booing him. That made him angrier and fight harder as he tried to break through Nagata's guard and land a strike.

And Taiga lost when he fell from Nagata's final blow, receiving the three points to be declared the winner. Outraged, Taiga attacked Nagata from behind. The match had been called, but Taiga did not care. He wanted retribution. Unfortunately for Taiga, Nagata managed to defend himself and punch Taiga right in the face, giving him a black eye and knocking him down.

Tsukahara-sensei expelled Taiga on the spot. That was not the worst part as Tsukahara-sensei also informed Taiga's family. They weren't pleased about his misconduct and behavior. To lessen the shame, they did what they thought was the only solution and kicked him out of the house. They forced him to live as a commoner, leaving him with nothing but the bare necessities. They did not disown him, but they made it clear that he was no longer the heir of the Shiba Clan.

Taiga's rage ignited and grew. At that moment, Taiga Shiba swore he would get back at Nagata for what he had done to him. When he heard Nagata had vanished, he was elated. He dreamed that he had died in some ditch.

If only that were true. He learned more about the circumstances behind Nagata's disappearance, about how he had transformed into some kind of armored warrior...a Kamen Rider.

He remembered how Nagata had talked about becoming a Kamen Rider when he was a kid. When they used to be friends. It was a childish dream.

A childish dream that became a reality!

"You bastard!" Taiga shouted as he angrily kicked down a trash can. While Nagata achieved his dream, Taiga lost everything! It just wasn't fair! Even worse, Taiga could never get to him and would never have his revenge!

Taiga felt something being thrown to the back of his head.

"Ow! Who threw that!?" Taiga yelled as he turned around, holding the back of his head, but he saw no one. He was the only one in the empty street. There was nobody else around. He rubbed the back of his head and looked down to see what had been thrown at his head.

It was one of those Lockseed toys he had seen in shops.

Curious, Taiga Shiba picked up the item and was suddenly engulfed in darkness. He had no time to react and cried out in shock as his surroundings warped and darkened around him. The city had vanished and he did not see anything but a dark void. He was on solid ground, but he saw only darkness.

"What!?" Taiga whirled around, staring at his surroundings in shock and confusion. Everything had gone dark like they were swallowed up by the darkness. "What is this!? Where am I!?"

"So, you're the one I seek."

"Who are you? What's the meaning of this? Show yourself!"

"As you wish."

Bujin Gaim emerged from the dark floor. It looked like he was coming up from a pool of black water as he arose, the dark liquid flowing down and dripping off his frame.

As he stood before Taiga, Bujin Gaim appeared as he did before Nagata destroyed him. His blood red armor pristine and his blue bodysuit looked clean and shining. Of course, he still made for a menacing figure as he stood before the young man.

Initially alarmed, Taiga swiftly composed himself. His ego did not allow him to show fear. First impressions were powerful and showing fear was akin to showing weakness.

He recognized Bujin Gaim as he had seen posters of the Bujin Rider. He did not bother watching the movie as he was not a Kamen Rider fan, unlike Nagata. At first, Taiga thought he might be hallucinating. Kamen Riders were the stuff of fiction. They could not be real so Bujin Gaim could not be real as well.

But Nagata had transformed into Kamen Rider Gaim. He had made fiction into reality. Still, Taiga's rational side attempted to convince him that this was a hallucination.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Bujin Gaim, and we have something in common."

Taiga scoffed in response. He was not convinced. Whatever this was, it could not be real and he would not give a hallucination the satisfaction by showing fear. Any fear he felt was pushed aside. He was still a Shiba, even if his life went to shit, so he had to behave as such. His ego would not allow him to show any weakness.

"I doubt that."

What would he have in common with Bujin Gaim? On one hand, Taiga had to admit that the suit was cool looking. It embodied the modernized look of a samurai quite well. Taiga also admired Bujin Gaim's Musou Saber. He wanted to get his hands on such a weapon ever since he was banned by his family. Even though he was kicked out of his own house, he still had to follow their rules.

"Really? Does the name 'Nagata Oda' mean anything to you?"

Taiga's eyes narrowed in suspicion with a hint of curiosity. Bujin Gaim knew Nagata? This might be worth his time.

"Oda...?"

What has Nagata done this time?

"You hate him, don't you?"

Taiga's eyes narrowed as he recalled what happened. The anger, the rage, and hatred welled up inside of him. Did he hate Nagata Oda? Of course, he did! He was his friend and he betrayed him!

"He ruined my life!"

"My life ended because of him too. He got in my way one too many times and I want to make him pay."

So, Nagata had once again wronged another person. Taiga wondered how Nagata could've beaten Bujin Gaim. Then again, he had seen Nagata transform into a Kamen Rider on TV. He wanted to deny it, but that was the only explanation.

"I want to make him pay too! But if I did anything I would've been totally disowned by my family!"

"So, he soiled your honor."

"My honor is gone thanks to him!"

"I see. This is perfect then. We were destined to meet." Taiga shared Bujin Gaim's hatred for Nagata. That was what drew the demonic Rider to the young man. "I think we can come to an agreement."

"What kind of agreement?" Taiga asked suspiciously.

"I have power, and I can tell you have the skill to utilize it. Together, we can destroy Nagata Oda. "Bujin Gaim offered his hand and a promise of power to Taiga. "So, how about it? Partners?"

Taiga considered it. Should he shake hands with the devil? On one hand, it might end badly for him. However, on the other hand, the promise of power was so tempting. Bujin Gaim was even offering him a chance to get his revenge on Nagata. Besides, what did he have left to lose?

"Partners," Taiga affirmed as he took Bujin Gaim's hand in a firm handshake.

Bujin Gaim smiled as a SengokuDriver formed and wrapped around Taiga's waist. Taiga gazed curiously down at his new accessory.

"What is your name, partner?"

Taiga looked Bujin Gaim in the eye and answered.

"Taiga Shiba."

Bujin Gaim smiled. His new partner would make the ideal host. He could sense his ambition, his desires, and his hatred. It was all he needed to conclude that they were the best match.

"Alright, Taiga. Now all you have to do is unlock the Lockseed and put it in the belt."

Taiga looked at the Bujin Gaim Lockseed he held in his hand and unlocked it.

[BUJIN GAIM!]

Nothing happened and Taiga continued to follow Bujin Gaim's instruction and locked the Lockseed in the SengokuDriver.

[LOCK ON!]

"Now, open it."

Taiga pushed down the Cutting Blade, slicing the Bujin Gaim Lockseed open. It revealed a core image of the SengokuDriver with the lid's backside depicting the Bujin Gaim Lockseed. A violent guitar riff played once the Lockseed was sliced open.

"You might need to brace yourself. This is going to be a little painful."

"What do you me-AAAAARRRGGGGGHHHHHH!"

Taiga screamed as Bujin Gaim morphed into black slime which surged toward him. With his mouth agape, Taiga could do nothing else as Bujin Gaim forced his essence down his throat. As Bujin Gaim entered his new and willing host, he merged them together. His dark essence infused itself with Taiga's bloodstream, merging with his blood.

Taiga's eyes flashed red as he let out a howl and fell on his knees. Bujin Gaim was not kidding. The process was agonizing. He felt like he was being pierced by hundreds of red-hot needles from the inside. Only death would free him from this pain. It was just too much for him to handle.

Taiga saw Bujin Gaim's memories of when he was human. He saw what Nagata had done through Bujin Gaim's eyes. He saw how much stronger Nagata had become, and the life he had achieved.

Nagata was a king and a hero.

Nagata had a kingdom that adored him.

Nagata had a harem of beautiful women that would do anything for him.

Nagata deserved none of it.

Just seeing it all made Taiga's rage grow as he ignored the pain. It was not fair! Not fair at all! Nagata did not deserve any of it! Not one thing!

[BUJIN GAIM ARMS! CHI NO MUSHA ON THE DARK PATH!]

Suddenly, he felt an incredible surge and rush as power filled his every cell. It was incredible! He had never felt such power before and he could not have enough of it. There were no words to describe it, but it was all his. A dark aura surrounded his body before wrapping him up in a pitch black bodysuit. Blood red armor soon appeared and attached itself to his body. The dark slime surged up from his collar and surrounded his head before solidifying into his helmet.

Taiga Shiba climbed to his feet and smiled as he removed his helmet. He opened his eyes. His irises glowed red and the surrounding sclerae became pitch black. Black veins surrounded his eyes, showing that he and Bujin Gaim had bonded.

The darkness surrounding him receded, revealing the city. The pain he felt before faded into the depths of his memory. The agony he felt earlier was worth the price so he could possess this power.

Taiga studied his new helmet. It did not seem to bother him that it resembled the helmet worn by his former best friend and bitter rival. In fact, he found it ironically fitting that he would be clad in the same kind of armor. He felt eager as the idea of facing Nagata with his appearance brought a dark smile to his face.

Taiga made a slashing motion with his hand, creating a dark portal that appeared in front of him. His own world had nothing left to offer him and there was a whole other world just waiting for him on the other side. It was a chance to start anew. He would spread his influence across the land and sink his teeth into it. He was hungry and his hunger knew no end. Only one thing could satisfy his hunger, and it was the end of Nagata Oda.

With his helmet tucked under his arm, Taiga Shiba proudly took a step forward as he strode into the dark portal. This was the day Taiga Shiba abandoned his old life and was reborn as Armored War Devil Majin Gaim.

KRC: OK, so we now have a prelude chapter featuring Taiga Shiba and Dai Shi. We now know the reason for his grudge against Nagata. We also learn how he ended up in the World of Sangokuden with Bujin Gaim's powers. Dai Shi saw much potential in the fear and chaos Bujin Gaim could spread with the aid of a host. Without a proper host, Bujin Gaim was just a mindless beast. In other words, he's got the Wendigo Psychosis in the brain if he had one in his slimy condition. Now he has a host he could cooperate with and shares a deep hatred for Nagata. Although, would this relationship remain symbiotic or become parasitic? Only time will tell.