Prelude here: https://brendansversus.wordpress.com/2020/11/17/prelude-hakumen-vs-darth-vader/
Alright, the combatants are set. Let’s end this debate once and for all! It’s time for a Death Battle!
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The Boundary. It was a vast, infinite expanse that existed outside of time. It served as the core of all dimensions, and all timelines intersected within it. The area permeated with seithr, a radioactive element that corrupted anything in its vicinity. If a person were to even look into this dimension, their mind, soul, and body would shatter almost immediately. And yet for some reason, there was one person that continued to exist inside of it, almost as if he was dead-set on defying the laws this world had established.
He wore a hakama and black bodysuit beneath pieces of white armor that covered his head, shoulders, abdomen, upper legs, and feet. A red eye was adorned on each shoulder, with the armor on his hands containing two each and his shin guards displaying four. His face seemed to be obscured by a blank, faceless mask, with two horns jutting off to its side. A ponytail of silver hair draped down to his thighs, its color barely visible in the darkness. In fact, the only illumination in the Boundary seemed to be coming from this man, courtesy of the faint blue aura surrounding him.
This was Hakumen, wielder of the Susano’o Unit and leader of the Six Heroes. Some time ago, he had allowed himself to be thrown into the deepest, darkest part of the Boundary’s depths, and he had stayed there ever since. While his body could still feel time passing in the outside world, he wasn’t sure how long he’d been in there. It could’ve been hundreds of years, or perhaps it had only been a few hours. It didn’t really matter. This realm existed outside of time, and even if he wanted to see the outside world, he wouldn’t be able to. He didn’t have the energy to leave, nor did he have an ability that would let him escape. He couldn’t even move. The only thing he could do was float there, allowing his body to recede further into the Boundary…
Or at least that’s what he expected.
[Stop music]
Suddenly, the silver-haired man began to feel something permeate through the air, an energy far different from the seithr that inhabited the area. What he was sensing felt more… ancient, tinged with feelings of anger and malice. As the eyes of the Susano’o Unit peered into this newfound energy, Hakumen began to feel the darkness that seemed to dwell within it. It seemed that the person who wielded this force had allowed themselves to be fully embraced by it, and in the process they had become a living conduit for its malevolent nature. It drove them, fueled them to keep going, but most of all, it gave them power. And it was the feedback of this power that caused Hakumen to seize up.
The darkness he felt was slowly beginning to extend all around him, threatening to drown his very being. It was only through sheer willpower that he was able to keep himself afloat above this flood, but even that was proving difficult to maintain.
‘The last time I felt something like this…’ Hakumen thought back to a time long ago. He remembered the multi-headed, serpentine beast whose mere presence had eradicated countries. He remembered its deafening roars as he rushed in to face it. He recalled all too well how its influence had spread across the planet, bathing the Earth in a radioactive element that would poison its atmosphere for years to come.
‘This power…’ a new voice muttered within Hakumen’s subconscious, snapping him back to reality. It was deep and baritone, with some sort of filter placed over it. ‘Are you… a Jedi?’
Though Hakumen wished to answer this mysterious voice, in his current state such a thing was impossible. He had to focus all of his mental fortitude on rising above the sea of darkness this new arrival had unleashed, leaving him unable to do little else. Despite this, the voice seemed to sense his confusion at being called a Jedi and continued after a few moments of silence.
‘No matter. Regardless of what you are, I can sense your intentions. If you wish to kill me, then come. I will be waiting.’
[Stop music]
As this mysterious voice faded from his mind, so too did the ominous darkness that was brought with him. However, as the great pressure surrounding Hakumen was suddenly lifted, something odd began happening to him. He watched as an aura of white energy slowly surrounded his body, and with it, he began to flicker.
“This feeling… is this… the Power of Order?” He wondered aloud. Could the Power of Order be guiding him toward the source of this darkness?
This question would soon be answered as his body continued flickering, and with it his surroundings began to morph. The darkness of the Boundary began to shift, its empty void starting to morph into shapes. With each millisecond that passed, these shapes became more solid and detailed, and after several seconds Hakumen took in his new surroundings. It appeared to be some sort of hangar bay, with multiple spaceships parked throughout the room. Standing in the middle was a squad of several men in white body armor, all of whom suddenly pointed their blasters at him in alarm.
“An intruder? But how did you get past our defenses?” One asked before tightening his grip on his blaster. Then, in a more demanding tone, he barked, “Identify yourself, in the name of the Empire!”
‘Empire?’ Hakumen thought to himself in confusion. ‘So this must mean the man I sensed is either their leader or one of its enforcers.’
Though his new surroundings had left him with questions, Hakumen chose to focus on the stormtrooper that had addressed him.
“I am Hakumen.”
“What business do you have with the Empire, Hakumen?” The stormtrooper asked.
“I’m afraid that does not concern you. I have requested a meeting with one of your commanders.”
“Funny. We didn’t receive anything to alert us of your arrival.” Another stormtrooper said, clearly not believing him.
“Then perhaps my contact wished to keep our meeting confidential.” Upon hearing this, the troopers turned to each other, muttering several words that Hakumen couldn’t hear, though he could make out the words “rebel spy,” “bounty hunter,” and “Jedi” being uttered in disgust. After a few seconds, the one who addressed him returned to meet his gaze.
“Follow us. We’ll take you to the commander and see if you’re telling the truth.”
“While I appreciate the offer, I would prefer if I could meet with him alone.”
“That wasn’t a request.” The trooper said as he aimed his blaster at Hakumen’s chest. “Either you can come with us, or we can take you in by force.”
“And I would suggest you back down lest you make a grave mistake.” Hakumen warned. “Attack me, and I will hold nothing back when I retaliate.”
”I think I’ll take my chances.”
“I think I’ll take my chances.” The trooper scoffed as he pulled the trigger, with Hakumen lunging toward him at the same time. The bolt brushed past Hakumen’s body as he rushed forward, moving so quickly that he seemed to teleport behind the trooper. A millisecond later, his attacker cried out as he fell to the ground, now sporting a massive cut across his chest and holding a bifurcated blaster.
“Do any of you wish to repeat his mistake?” Hakumen asked, eyeing the remaining troopers. They remained silent at first, but soon each one had trained their blasters on him. “Very well. Just know that from this moment, only death will await you.”
Rather than give a verbal response, the remaining stormtroopers fired, spraying a barrage of bolts toward the samurai. Tightening his grip on Ookami, Hakumen responded with a battlecry as he charged forward!
Meanwhile, on the other side of the Death Star II, a man stood at attention, watching as several Imperial mechanics began work on the final section of the battlestation. He was clad head to toe in black armor, with a long cloak draped down his back. A black pauldron ran across his shoulders, sporting a distinct pattern of silver lines, and a control panel had been placed over his chest. Wrapped around his waist was a black belt that had three metal boxes along the front, with each one sporting a different series of buttons. But the most striking feature about this man was his helmet, which covered his entire head. It sported a face that looked similar to a skull, though it had a triangular grill in place of a mouth. A pair of optical lenses had been placed on the helmet, giving him the appearance of an emotionless robot, but the man in question was anything but.
Long ago, this man had been Anakin Skywalker, a Jedi Knight famous across the galaxy and heralded as the Hero With No Fear by the public, but those days had long since passed. Now he was known by a new name, and a new reputation: Darth Vader, right hand man and enforcer of Emperor Palpatine.
Currently, Vader had been assigned to oversee the completion of the second Death Star, and while its progress was nearing completion, he could feel a disturbance in the Force, one identical to the being he’d sensed prior.
Vader sat in his meditation chamber just as he had countless times before, his mind filled with hatred and rage toward his current situation. As with these previous sessions, he had but one goal in mind: the restoration of his lungs, the ability to breathe without the need of this metal death trap! Unlike these previous sessions, however, something was different. Vader could sense a disturbance in the Force, one originating several systems away. It appeared to be some sort of rift in the fabric of space, and he could feel the radioactive, corruptive energy permeating within. But none of this intrigued Vader more than the presence he sensed inside of the rift. It seemed that whoever this was, they were trapped, and the power he sensed brought back memories of events he had long suppressed.
Intrigued by this, Vader peered further into the Force, venturing into the rift to contact this mysterious figure. The moment he entered, he could feel the corrosive energy threaten to overpower him. Whatever this energy was, he could feel that it was intent on destroying his very being, but he wasn’t willing to give in so easily! He channeled his rage into the Force, fighting against the opposing energy and slowly pushing it back. In its place, the Force began to thrive, with Vader using it as a conduit to spread his consciousness further… further… until he finally sensed the source of this power. The man had nearly been consumed by the growing influence of the dark side, but it seemed that he was resisting Vader’s efforts through sheer willpower, just as he had with the previous energy in this realm.
‘This power…’ Vader thought. ‘Are you… a Jedi?’
Though the man gave no response, Vader could sense his confusion, and he quickly brushed it aside.
‘No matter. Regardless of what you are, I can sense your intentions. If you wish to kill me, then come. I will be waiting.’
With that, the man once known as Anakin Skywalker severed his connection with the Force, returning him to the reality of his meditation chamber. Though he didn’t know who this was, he could tell that they were an accomplished warrior, and he would need to prepare himself for when they would strike!
A week had passed since then, and ever since that encounter, Vader’s mind had been plagued with visions. Memories of events that hadn’t happened yet. Each one came and went within a few seconds, occurring at random times, and he could vividly recall each one. But it was the latest one that had caught his utmost attention. Closing his eyes, Vader allowed memories of the vision to once again fill his mind.
A man clad in white armor stood before him, his face hidden behind a blank mask. A ponytail draped down to his thighs, its light silver color hinting at his true age, though the man’s stance suggested that he was unaffected by the ravages of time. He stood before Vader, peering down at the Sith Lord and wielding a massive blade of nearly equal height. His clawed feet lay across the floor in opposite positions, and the stance he’d adopted reminded Vader of Vaapad. Vader watched himself throw his lightsaber at the man, who responded by bringing his right arm. Some sort of red barrier appeared in front of him, and the moment the lightsaber struck it, the man lowered his stance. His legs tensed up for a brief moment as Vader used the Force to retrieve his lightsaber. Once it had returned to his grip, the mysterious figure was mere inches away, and the two swung their blades in an outward arc!
[Stop music]
Vader opened his eyes as he snapped back to reality, allowing him to sense an Imperial officer standing behind him.
“Lord Vader,” the man saluted as Vader faced him, “I apologize for disturbing you, but our troops have discovered a breach in security. Our men have reported a possible Resistance member in the docking bay. We aren’t sure where he came from. They said he just seemed to… appear out of nowhere, and started slaughtering our stormtroopers.”
Vader remained silent as he reached into the Force. He could sense the massacre occurring on the other side of the Death Star, and that the one responsible was the man he’d previously discovered. Though the question of how he’d arrived here briefly crossed his mind, Vader pushed it aside and returned his attention to the officer.
“Tell the rest of the stormtroopers to fall back. I shall deal with this intruder myself.” While the officer carried out this command, Vader made his way to the deck, unaware that the intruder was waiting for him.
Back at the docking bay, the final stormtrooper cried out in pain as he was sent flying back. His chestplate was sliced open, and his blaster rifle had been sent sliding across the ground. A low groan emerged from his throat as he slammed into the ground, with his body going limp shortly afterward.
With the final member of the army dealt with, Hakumen prepared to place Ookami back in its sheathe, but he stopped upon feeling a familiar presence. The feelings of rage he had sensed now seemed to be drawing closer, accompanied by raspy, mechanical breaths and the heavy CLUNK of armored boots hitting the ground.
The moment he stepped foot onto the deck, Vader came to a stop. Standing before him was the man he’d seen in his vision, clad in white armor and armed with the enormous blade. He was surrounded by the bodies of stormtroopers, all of them dead and sporting lacerations on their exposed skin, and his back was turned to Anakin. The moment Vader attempted to draw closer, however, the mysterious figure suddenly whirled around, pointing his blade at him.
“So you are the one that called me to this vessel.” The man spoke, his voice containing a metallic rasp. For a moment, Vader stayed silent as he reached out with the Force, attempting to sense the man’s intentions. Peering into it, he was met with feelings of stoicism, a dedication to uphold justice, and the intent to strike him down. Upon sensing these emotions, Vader’s expression darkened from beneath his helmet. It seemed this man shared more in common with the Jedi Council than he’d originally thought.
Aside from that, there was something else Vader could feel in the Force, and it left him somewhat confused. If what he sensed was true, then the man before him was completely hollow, nothing more than a suit of armor being controlled by some sort of spirit. While this revelation briefly astounded him, Anakin proved quick to push it aside, instead choosing to focus on the man’s mission.
“Indeed. I have been expecting you for some time.” Vader said.
“And yet you lack a weapon to defend yourself.” Hakumen noted. “Or perhaps you intend to challenge me with only your fists?”
“If you believe that I would come unprepared, then it would seem your arrogance is matched only by your foolishness.” Vader responded as he raised his hand, causing a cylindrical, silver device to fly from the side of his belt and into his grasp. Pressing a button on its side, a crimson, laser-like blade emerged from its hilt, creating an audible PSHEW! The lightsaber hummed as Vader stared directly into Hakumen’s mask. “Even if I did choose to fight unarmed, it would change nothing. I have slain countless others like you before.”
“You mean the Jedi?” Hakumen asked. Though Vader gave no verbal answer, he could sense that his assumption was correct. “If you believe that I will fall as they have, then you are sorely mistaken. Now that we face each other, you will know what it means,” he paused to bring Ookami in front of himself, “to stand before me!”
Keeping his grip on the ōdachi with his left hand, Hakumen stood upright, his right hand hovering over its blade. Then he began to speak.
“I am the white void.”
Vader felt a sudden tremor beneath his feet.
“I am the cold steel.”
Another tremor appeared, this one being somewhat stronger than before.
“I am the just sword.”
A third tremor shook the bay, scattering the numerous aircraft and corpses that littered the area.
“With blade in hand shall I reap the sins of this world…”
With each word Hakumen spoke, the tremors grew in intensity, causing the entire docking bay to begin shaking violently. Sensing that they would only continue to grow, Vader used the Force to root himself in place, preventing the tremors from holding any sway on him.
“And cleanse it in the fires of destruction!”
While Hakumen spoke, the tremors picked up even further, spreading and strengthening with each passing second. Soon enough, the entire Death Star was in the throes of a massive earthquake, and it felt as if it could collapse at any moment. Even Vader was beginning to struggle to maintain his position, as it was taking everything he had to remain rooted in place.
“I am Hakumen! The end has come!”
Upon revealing his identity, the tremors ceased, and a ring of white energy briefly appeared around Hakumen’s ankles, blowing his hair back before quickly fading. Spreading his legs out, Hakumen lowered his stance, adopting a horizontal, double-handed grip as his suit’s red eyes seemed to stare into Vader’s own.
“Now, Dark One, come forth so that I may put an end to this facade!” Hakumen demanded.
“Very well. But when you are at my mercy, remember that you chose to die here.” Vader responded as he lowered into his own two-handed stance, holding his lightsaber in front of himself at a diagonal angle.
The two approached each other cautiously, moving slowly enough that they would be able to study their opponent’s every movement. Each step was met with the brief consideration of throwing out an attack, and the slightest twitch of movement would cause them to mentally prepare to bring up their sword, only to relent at the last second. This would continue until Vader threw out a powerful slash, with Hakumen bringing Ookami up to block the attack. Upon their collision, Vader felt his prosthetics strain against Ookami’s strength, forcing him to pull back before throwing out a second swipe. Hakumen countered by delivering a slash of his own, and the two soon found themselves in a fast-paced clash of blades. The Nox Nyctores and the lightsaber traveled through the room as silver and red blurs, with each clash creating explosions of sparks. Every attack Vader threw out would be countered with one of seemingly equal strength, and the same was true for Vader’s own defenses against Hakumen.
Within seconds the two had already figured out each other’s fighting styles. To Hakumen, he had realized that Vader was countering after every attack he tried to land, trying to use his own strength against him. His swings were wide, fast, and powerful, so much so that Hakumen had to keep a hard grip on Ookami to prevent it from being ripped from his hands. For Vader, meanwhile, it was becoming clear that this intruder fought using a style he was well familiar with. While its movements were somewhat different, he noticed that Hakumen seemed to favor the use of blocks and parries, and he could sense through the Force that this man intended to find an opening in his defenses. Years ago, this type of swordsmanship would have been difficult, if not impossible, for a younger Vader to overcome, but those days were far behind him. After years of tempering his emotions and refining his swordsmanship, Vader had become well aware of this form’s strengths and weaknesses, and he had already adjusted his swings to prevent the appearance of any openings.
“Your skill in Soresu is impressive, Hakumen.” Vader complimented as their blades continued to dance across the Death Star, only for his tone to become more serious as he continued. “However, against me, it is nothing more than a minor distraction.”
With a powerful overhead swing, Vader forced Hakumen to counter with an underhanded slash, creating sparks as they collided. Unlike the previous clashes, however, Vader began to draw upon the Force, using it to quickly overpower Ookami and leave its blade scraping against the ground. Now that his opponent was vulnerable, Vader gave a sudden flick of his wrist, forcing their weapons to become interlocked. All it would take to disarm Hakumen now would be an upward swing, but before this could come to pass, the leader of the Six Heroes threw out his elbow, slamming it into Vader’s chest. The blow was strong enough to force Skywalker back, giving Hakumen the time he needed to continue his assault.
“Crimson!” He called out, ripping his sword free and slamming its hilt into Vader’s stomach. The force of the strike sent Vader back even further, leaving him vulnerable to a powerful upward swing. Ookami’s blade raked across the Sith’s stomach and left pec, but to Hakumen’s surprise it only kicked up a stream of sparks.
‘It seems his armor is harder to break than I initially thought.’ He noted as Vader began recovering, having already thrown out an outward slash at the samurai. Hakumen responded by raising Ookami to block the attack, creating more sparks as the two blades collided. ‘If that’s the case…’
With a sudden shove, Hakumen pushed Vader’s lightsaber to the side and slammed shoulder-first into his chest.
‘Then perhaps I’ll need to push myself further than before!’ He finished, delivering a sweeping slash that struck Vader across the shins. The strength behind it knocked the cyborg’s legs out from under him, sending him careening to the ground. Before he could hit the floor, a second slash hit Vader in the stomach, somehow reversing his momentum and launching him back. Seizing this chance, Hakumen rushed after him, summoning a barrier in front of himself as he raised his left arm. The moment Vader’s helmet collided with his shield, Hakumen grabbed him by the neck and slammed him into the ground.
“Zan!” Hakumen declared as an energy-infused sweep kick struck the Sith Lord’s mask. In an instant, Hakumen whirled around before following with an high kick that sent Vader spinning through the air. He had only traveled two feet before an overhead strike sent him crashing back to earth, his impact denting the durasteel beneath him. As he rose back to his feet, a low groan emerged from Vader’s lips.
‘It would seem I misjudged his style. His movements and tactics resemble Soresu, yet he attacks using the power of Djem So.’ He noted as he looked up, locking eyes with Hakumen. The samurai had already swung his blade, and Vader could sense in the Force that this was meant to end the fight, either through disarming or killing him.
With incredible reaction time, Vader brought up his lightsaber, swinging it at an angle that allowed him to swiftly parry Hakumen’s strike. Then, as he pushed himself upright, Anakin swung at a diagonal angle, intending to slice open Hakumen’s chest. Surprisingly, the White Susano’o managed to bring Ookami in front of him, using it to intercept the attack before swiftly pushing it out of range. Unperturbed, Vader threw out an overhead slash to the shoulder, and once that was parried he spun around, intending to deliver a lightning-fast slash that would decapitate Hakumen. The moment he turned to face him, however, Vader saw that Hakumen was holding up his left arm, having summoned a large runic barrier in front of himself.
Though his lightsaber was already in mid-swing, a warning from the Force suddenly entered Vader’s mind. He could sense that striking this barrier would leave him vulnerable to a counter-attack and swiftly pulled his lightsaber back. The crimson blade streaked through the air, nearly brushing against the Zanshin as Vader’s swing curved toward the ground.
With nothing to be struck by, Zanshin faded away, leaving in its place a confused and vulnerable Hakumen. Before he could regain his defenses, Anakin threw out a second slash, gripping the lightsaber in his left hand as he sliced across Hakumen’s stomach. A suppressed grunt emerged from the hero, but as he gripped Ookami to deliver a counter attack, Vader threw out his right arm. An invisible wave struck Hakumen in the chest, knocking him off his feet and sending him hurtling across the room.
[Stop music]
After several seconds of flying through the air, the former Kisaragi mustered the strength to slam Ookami into the ground, creating a wretched screeching noise as he dug further into the durasteel floors. Upon coming to a stop, he rose back up and reentered his combat stance, seemingly ignoring the pain in his stomach. Instead, his mind was swarming with questions about what had just happened.
“What was that?” He thought to himself. He was aware of several spells with properties similar to what Vader had just done, but none of them were comparable to what he’d just been hit with. What he’d been hit with didn’t feel like seithr, nor did there seem to be any in this station. Had Vader manipulated mana to create that blast? And what had caused Vader to suddenly relent when he saw the Zanshin? Was it possible he had sensed what would happen if he struck the barrier, or had he intended to deceive Hakumen with a feint to see how he’d react?
Before any of these questions could be vocalized, Hakumen’s attention shifted to the shadowy blur that had suddenly appeared in front of him. Instinctively, he brought up his sword, creating a shower of sparks as plasma collided with the metal blade. Unfortunately, his attempt to defend came a bit late, which- when combined with the lightsaber’s length- allowed it to slip past and land a glancing blow, creating a gash across Hakumen’s left forearm. Pain briefly spread through Hakumen’s mind, but he proved quick to push back, using his full strength to make Vader stagger. A swing followed shortly after, but with his newfound injury, Hakumen’s performance momentarily faltered. Rather than tearing through one of the cyborg’s less guarded areas, as he’d intended, he instead felt Ookami bounce off, having hit Vader’s durasteel body armor by mistake.
As he heard this, an annoyed grunt escaped from Hakumen’s mask. He raised Ookami again, but before he could throw out another slash, he found himself forced to defend. What was once an attempt to gain the upper hand became another bid for survival as Vader swung his lightsaber in a wide arc. Each time he swung, Vader’s movements seemed to grow faster, and within seconds Hakumen had gone from defending himself to being rendered helpless. The Sith’s assault was relentless as his lightsaber tore into the Susano’o Unit, rapidly producing deep cuts with each swing. But even with his defenses overwhelmed and the pain coursing through his body, Hakumen remained calm as he did the only thing he could: use his defense to attack.
As a lightsaber swing approached him, this time Hakumen charged into it, bringing up his left arm to summon another Zanshin. Unlike before, this time the lightsaber struck the barrier head-on, allowing Hakumen to feel a brief flicker of pride as he shoved the lightsaber aside.
“Begone!” He declared as he thrusted his left arm forward, his hand alight with a mysterious white energy. It rushed forward at blinding speeds, aiming to strike Vader in the chest, but it would instead meet an open palm. The energy in Hakumen’s hand exploded in a small burst of white, but it seemed to disperse harmlessly against Vader’s gauntlet. Needless to say, Hakumen was shocked by this. Not only was Vader fast enough to block his counter, he didn’t even seem to be affected by the energy! If anything, blocking it seemed to have made him stronger, as he slowly began pushing the hero back.
“It would seem your suit’s abilities have failed once again, Hakumen.” Vader taunted as he started twisting Hakumen’s hand, forcing his forearm to bend at an unnatural angle. Realizing where this would lead, Hakumen raised Ookami, keeping its tip pointed directly at Vader’s throat as he shoved it forward. In response, Anakin brought up his own lightsaber, using it to block the oncoming attack.
A frustrated grunt emerged from Hakumen as he attempted to regain control of the situation, pulling against Vader’s grip as he mustered the strength to shove Ookami into Skywalker’s neck. Unfortunately, his attempts would prove futile as Vader tightened his vice-like grip, while his right hand slowly pushed Ookami out of the way. Realizing that he was slowly running out of time, Hakumen mustered his strength in the form of a kick, slamming it directly into Vader’s right ankle. Unfortunately, even after putting all of his strength into it, his captor refused to budge! It was as if something had anchored him to the durasteel floor, rendering him immovable to any outside force.
“Did you really believe that with your draining strength, you would be able to overpower me?” Vader mocked as he continued to apply pressure to Hakumen’s arm. A chorus of metallic groans rang out as the limb was stretched to its limits.
“Bold of you to assume that I would focus solely on strength… and quite foolish.” Hakumen responded, struggling to speak as pain flowed through his mind. With what little strength he had left, the former major swung Ookami toward the ground, creating an enormous gash between them. Then, before Vader could respond to this unorthodox decision, he let out two words: “Unit overload!”
In tandem with Hakumen’s command, a burst of energy suddenly erupted out of his body, tearing the panel open and forcing Vader to release his grip as he backflipped onto his feet. While this occurred, Hakumen returned both hands to Ookami’s hilt, noting how close the battle had come to ending there. Another second later, and he would’ve been dead. It was clear that in order to match the power of Vader’s sorcery, he’d need something that could level the playing field.
“Perhaps this will be enough.” He said as he held Ookami in front of himself. “Unleashing!”
[Start at 0:25]
With this one word, power began to surge through Hakumen’s body. The already plentiful amount of magatama he had received from defending against Vader had now doubled, a sign that he had activated his Overdrive, Kishin. With energy overflowing through his body, Hakumen lunged forward, punctuating his arrival with a cry of “Remnant!”
Moving faster than Vader had expected, the Nox Nyctores raked across his chest, tearing through his armor and cutting into his skin. As the Sith Lord grunted in pain, Hakumen repeated this motion, this time letting out a cry of “Hah!” as he placed more strength into it. A second, larger cut formed above the previous one, spilling more blood onto the floor. As he felt his blade start to dip toward the ground, Hakumen followed up by unleashing a powerful underhanded slash, tearing through the tabard and cutting across Vader’s stomach. As the former Skywalker staggered back, Hakumen reached behind himself, grabbing hold of something before swinging it in Vader’s direction. Realizing what Hakumen was intending, Vader bent over backwards, causing the red blur to brush past him several inches from his face. With his Force-enhanced reflexes, the blur began to clear up, allowing him to see what had nearly hit him: Ookami’s sheathe.
As the impromptu weapon was placed back in position, Vader rose back up, slashing in an outward arc to capitalize on the opening in Hakumen’s defenses. With his enhanced speed, however, Hakumen proved quick to recover as he raised Ookami in a defensive position, blocking the lightsaber and swiftly parrying it. With his opponent now open, Hakumen began his attack by throwing out three slashes, each one moving fast enough to appear as a blur, but Vader was just as quick to react. Bringing the lightsaber back to his front, he proceeded to deflect each one with ease before retaliating with a sudden outward swing.
Though it seemed he had only delivered one attack, once his lightsaber had crossed the other side, the Susano’o Unit was bombarded with a series of cuts across its legs, chest, and faceplate. As he felt each of these cauterized gashes suddenly rip themselves open on his armor, Hakumen groaned before stumbling back, briefly overwhelmed by the pain.
‘It seems his armor isn’t the only thing I misjudged. With the armor he’s wearing, it should be impossible, yet he’s managed to move so quickly that I couldn’t track his movements. Unless, of course, this is another display of sorcery.’ He thought to himself, tightening his grip on Ookami as he moved back in. ‘If that’s so, then perhaps I may need more caution when engaging him.’
Once he was close enough, Hakumen swung his ōdachi it in an underhanded arc, forcing Vader to counter by using an overhead slash. The resulting strength of their clash forced both men to riposte, but after a moment they went back in. Their swords continued to collide against each other, doing so twice, then a third time. A fourth, followed by a fifth, a sixth, a seventh, an eighth, a ninth. It was as if both men were matched blow-for-blow, and they knew that if they wished to overpower the other, they’d soon need to switch tactics.
Using the Force, Vader began to enhance his speed, throwing out an even greater slash than before. Noting this sudden burst of energy, Hakumen instinctively Ookami in a vertical position, using it to block the brunt of the attack. Despite this, the force behind it was still enough to send him skidding back, and he would only come to a stop after traveling several feet.
[Stop music if it hasn’t ended already]
As he recovered, Hakumen returned to a combative position, but he was soon met with a sight that caused him to pause in surprise. The very room surrounding them was starting to tear itself apart, its floor, walls, and ceiling ripping themselves asunder. Immediately realizing who was responsible, Hakumen rushed toward Vader, who responded by turning the strips and shards of durasteel toward him. With a mental command, each one was sent rocketing toward Hakumen, who merely tightened his grip on Ookami.
Within milliseconds five jagged pieces had approached his vicinity, each one roughly three feet in length. The first had been set to impale him through the left pec, while the remaining four in the row were set to mark across his chest like a scar. With a wide swing, Hakumen struck the pieces hard enough that they should’ve been scattered, if not exploding into smaller bits. Instead, each one that was struck seemed to implode on itself, forming into a black void. Each of these voids would offer Hakumen a sense of protection as he chose to cover his other bases, dispelling the next row with either a kick or another slash. Soon enough, Hakumen found himself slicing across the room like a madman, and Vader responded by forcing the shards to move faster. Both were relentless in their respective pursuits, but this would soon change via another mental command from Vader. The speed of the shards was rapidly increasing, and even with his boosted speed, the hero could feel himself coming dangerously close to being struck.
Realizing this, Hakumen began to monitor his surroundings, searching for any vulnerable points he could use to potentially escape his current situation. As he scanned the area, a gesture from Vader caught his eye. Another set of spikes rushed toward him at blinding speeds, causing Hakumen to bring Ookami up to defend himself. A powerful slash tore through the area, nullifying the oncoming spikes and turning them into voids. But as he prepared to fight the next set, a flash of silver appeared behind him.
SHINK! SHINK! SHINK! SHINK!
Faster than he could react, four shards of durasteel had embedded themselves into his back, sinking deep into his body. The first stabbed into his right shoulder blade, the second tore into his lumbar, the third ripped into his left shoulder blade, and the fourth sank directly into the spine. Hakumen let out a pained grunt as he felt his back grow slack. His grip on Ookami loosened for a moment, but as he tightened it, three shards stabbed into his unprotected front. The first two ran through his sides, and the third drove into his stomach. Pain seared through his mind, and it felt as if he was going to collapse onto the ground at any second.
Sensing Hakumen’s growing weakness within the Force, Vader quickened his pace, hurling the remaining durasteel shards toward Hakumen with intense fervor. The storm of debris that surrounded the samurai was growing more violent, its contents rushing at Hakumen with machine gun-like speeds. Hundreds of jagged pieces were buffeting the Susano’o Unit from all angles, each one leaving a gash in its armor, but Hakumen refused to be worn down! Tightening his grip on Ookami, Hakumen called out, his voice audibly straining as he tried to push through the pain.
“Empty Sky True Form: Mugen!”
[If rooting for Hakumen, stop “This Party’s Over” and switch to this]
As this technique’s name escaped his throat, the Susano’o Unit briefly took on a white glow. With a surge of renewed willpower and determination flowing through him, Hakumen raised an arm in front of himself, summoning a massive, red barrier.
“Your powers are formidable, Dark One.” He declared as the barrage of shards struck its surface. “However-“
Lowering his stance, the leader of the Six Heroes suddenly charged forward, his body becoming a blur as it seemed to phase through the sea of metal.
“Against me, they are nothing more than a minor obstacle!” As his form solidified on the other side, the air surrounding the debris seemed to split apart. In its place were three massive columns of white energy, each one large enough to disperse the durasteel that Vader had sent his way.
FWOOM! FWOOM! FWOOM!
As they fell to the ground, Hakumen could feel the pain of his injuries slowly seeping in. Though his Overdrive dulled the pain and he could feel the Susano’o Unit gradually regenerating from its wounds, both of these were only temporary solutions. Kishin would soon be rendered empty, and the Unit’s healing abilities were slower acting compared to the speed Vader had showcased. Still, he refused to lie down and accept death. In a battle like this, he couldn’t afford to show a moment of weakness, not while Vader still stood!
As he sensed Hakumen’s pain through the Force, Vader was surprised to find that the injuries he’d inflicted earlier were now starting to seal themselves up. Seeking to capitalize on his weaker state before it was too late, Vader began to scanning his surroundings the Force, searching for an object he could use to halt Hakumen’s path. Within a nanosecond he had received his answer, and a flick of his wrist sent it hurtling through the air.
Meanwhile, Hakumen’s footsteps grew quicker as he raced toward Vader, only for an unnatural screaming noise suddenly reached him. Looking toward its direction, he was met with an utterly massive ship, one large enough that its size completely eclipsed his own. With a brief smirk under his mask, Vader threw his hand toward the ground, causing the TIE Fighter to hurtle toward Hakumen like a meteor.
“Empty Sky Form…” Hakumen began as he brought his blade into the air. A faint blue energy began to course around the Susano’o Unit, and in seconds it was rapidly gathering into his blade. With each millisecond the TIE Fighter approached, another bit of energy would build up within Ookami, and soon its tip soon shone a bright white. He could feel the energy resonating within the build, its growth rivaled only by the ship’s descent. Hakumen stared directly into the oncoming TIE Fighter, gripping Ookami a bit tighter before letting out two words:
“Summer’s Advance!” Swinging with all his might, the leader of the Six Heroes unleashed the pent-up energy, creating a mighty, crescent-shaped wave. The beam cleaved through the starfighter as if it were made of butter, tearing it in two before shooting toward Vader at blinding speeds!
As he watched the beam approach, an arc of electricity briefly sparked in Vader’s right forearm, snaking down before dissipating when it reached his hand. Another arc crackled to life, trailing underneath his arm before dispersing in his palm. A third arc appeared on the right side of his arm, soon followed by a fourth, then a fifth. As this process grew more frequent, the electricity almost seemed to stabilize, forming into a sphere in the palm of his hand. With each arc it absorbed, the ball would continue to swell up in size, growing an inch in both height and weight until it overflowed in Vader’s hand. By now it was large enough to eclipse Hakumen’s head, and it was then that Vader chose to hurl the Kinetite at the beam. The two projectiles met almost instantly, with the electricity from the Kinetite clashing against the energies of the Susano’o Unit. Both struggled for dominance against the other, but it was quickly becoming obvious who the winner was.
Thanks to its immense size, the Kinetite ball completely dwarfed its opposition in both size and power. For the few seconds it lasted, the crescent-shaped projectile pushed against the electric orb, but it would soon give in as the Kinetite absorbed it with little difficulty. As he watched the ball draw closer, Hakumen responded by leaping back, his feet digging into the remains of the TIE Fighter as he landed on it. For a brief moment, Hakumen’s legs seemed to tense up. Then, in a sudden burst of speed, he shot toward the Kinetite, letting out a battlecry as he delivered an outward slash. Under most circumstances, a strike of this caliber would’ve been enough to deflect the projectile, if not disperse it entirely, but thanks to Ookami’s nature, none of these occurred. Instead, like the shards of durasteel before it, the Kinetite seemed to implode on itself, becoming a black void that remained suspended in the air.
“Impressive.” Vader commended as Hakumen continued charging toward him, a battlecry still escaping his mask as he gave a strong overhead diagonal slash. Vader responded by throwing out one of equal strength. Rather than completely stopping, however, Hakumen used his remaining momentum to slide beneath the Sith Lord’s swing, narrowly missing a swing that would’ve taken off a fourth of his head. As he passed by Vader’s legs, Hakumen delivered a quick sweeping slash, forming a scratch across the prosthetics and causing Vader to tumble forward. Once he’d slid to a halt, Hakumen immediately rushed toward him.
“Vanish!” He declared, slamming Ookami’s hilt into Skywalker’s back and staggering him again. Upon regaining his balance, Vader tightened his grip on the lightsaber and whirled around, throwing out a backhanded slash. Hakumen responded by waiting a moment before raising his arm. Too late to realize his mistake, Vader struck the Zanshin head-on, causing Hakumen to counter by delivering a palm strike to his side. As Vader was sent skidding back, he felt a heavy slash hit his lightsaber, ripping it from his grip and sending it clattering to the ground several feet away. With his opponent now disarmed, Hakumen closed the distance between them in an instant, fully prepared to end their fight!
“Empty Sky Form…” A sweeping kick suddenly knocked Vader off his feet, sending him tumbling to the ground. Hakumen then leapt into the air, stomping hard onto the Sith’s back. “Forbidden Art…” As Vader’s body was further embedded into the durasteel beneath him, Hakumen suddenly leapt off of him, ascending roughly eight feet through the air. Bringing Ookami above his head, the hero let out the final part of his technique’s name.
“Heavenfall!”
Hakumen dove toward Vader with blinding speed, his blade racing toward the cyborg’s back with full intent to sever his spine. But just when it seemed Ookami was about to strike him, Vader suddenly performed a backroll, pushing him out of its range and letting him briefly ascend through the air. As he reached the apex of his ascension, Anakin called on the Force, using it to draw the lightsaber back into his hand before landing and delivering a heavy slash!
A pained cry emerged from Hakumen as he stumbled back, now sporting a diagonal scar that stretched from his side to his left pec. With the last of his Overdrive now drained from that final attack, he could feel the pain of his injuries starting to seep back in. Though a fourth of the gashes had healed, the remaining ones were dulling his senses, making him grow more sluggish. But even in his impaired state he could see Vader’s lightsaber surging toward him, its crimson blade clearly intent to decapitate him.
Despite the protest from his body, Hakumen forced himself to move, ducking beneath the slash before delivering a swift counter! Keeping a firm grip on Ookami, he swung it with as much strength as he could muster, slamming the blade into Vader’s stomach. A grunt briefly emerged from Skywalker as he was knocked back, but he recovered only a second later. Looking up, he could see that Hakumen had already thrown out an overhead slash and responded with one of equal force. The heaviness behind their attacks caused the sound of crackling thunder to ring throughout the room as the two powerful blades collided, and both swordsmen refused to back down!
As a cry of “Hah” escaped from his faceless mask, Hakumen pressed further against the bladelock, forcing Vader back once again.
Seeing an opportunity to end their battle, Hakumen lunged at Anakin, his blade already poised to cleave through the cyborg’s neck. As Ookami sailed toward the Sith, however, something odd happened.
Just when it seemed their battle had been decided, Vader suddenly leapt back, allowing the Nox Nyctores to hit thin air. Then, moving at speeds far beyond Hakumen’s comprehension, he went back in, whirling around before shoving his lightsaber forward!
FFFSHZZZZ!
[Stop music]
The plasma blade tore through the Susano’o Unit’s armor as if it were made of butter, exiting out of its back almost immediately. Hakumen could feel its heat burning through his chest, filling his mind with an agonizing pain. As Anakin ripped the saber out, Hakumen felt his knees buckle under their own weight, forcing him to plant Ookami into the ground. Using his sword as a crutch, Hakumen looked up at Vader, staring into the oval lenses that hid his eyes.
“So it is as I suspected.” Vader mused. “The body you inhabit is nothing more than an empty suit of armor.”
“And what reason would you have to bring this up?”
“To prove that in spite of your power, you have only made yourself weaker, something your body reflects quite well.” Vader responded. “You possess power that rivals some of the finest Jedi Masters, yet it is contained in a hollow shell!”
“And yet this ‘hollow shell’ has managed to weather your displays of sorcery with little problem.”
“Don’t underestimate the power of the Force.” Vader warned as he brought his arm into the air. Immediately, Hakumen could feel an intense pressure around his body. “With a thought, I could force you to turn your blade on yourself. Or if I wished it, I could turn your armor into a tomb.”
As Vader’s hand began to close, the pressure continued to grow around Hakumen’s body, forcing him to release his grip and fall onto all fours. A series of heavy, panting breaths emerged from the hero as he struggled against the opposing pressure. The only thing keeping him from being crushed by the Force was his own inner strength, but even then he could still feel his armor straining under Vader’s telekinetic grip.
With an agitated groan, Hakumen began pressing his right arm against the floor, using it to slowly push himself back up. Seeing this, Vader tightened his grip, and the pressure surrounding Hakumen seemed to double. Had he still possessed a human body, it would have felt as if every one of his muscles had been lit ablaze. His limbs were struggling to support his body, and he could feel the Susano’o Unit struggling to retain its shape. Stress marks were starting to appear along its armored frame, its fabric had begun tearing, and the injuries that were once healing were now prying themselves open. Even though the strain of supporting himself was slowly growing more unbearable, Hakumen forced himself to continue pushing past the pain, slowly propping himself back up to one knee.
“Your will is strong. I’ll give you that.” Vader commended. “But if you believe it will be enough to save you, you are mistaken.”
As he said this, the Sith Lord began to place more emphasis on the Force, causing Hakumen’s arm to begin bending at an unnatural angle. The upper arm was beginning to tilt behind him, while his forearm had started to shift toward the right. The left then began to do the same, but as he prepared to clench his fists, Vader could feel a sudden resistance. Despite his best efforts, Hakumen continued to struggle against him, groaning as he forced his arm to straighten into the air.
“That’s… where you’re wrong… Dark One.” Hakumen said, struggling to speak as he fought against the Force. Bringing his arm further into the air, he began to reach for Ookami. “Through willpower alone, I have survived in conditions far worse than this! While this ‘Force’ is stronger than I first believed, I will no longer allow its abilities to impede me!”
As he said this, the White Susano’o grabbed hold of his sword. Then, before Vader could attempt to counter with the Force, he threw out a powerful slash, slicing diagonally across his opponent’s legs. Though its blade failed to tear through the armored shin guards, the strength behind it was enough to push Vader back slightly. As the pressure surrounding him weakened for a moment, Hakumen immediately lunged forward, slamming into him with a high kick to the face. The attack sent Vader into the air for a brief moment, but before he could travel too far, a heavy slash to the stomach forced him back to the ground with a hard CRUNCH!
A strained grunt emerged from Vader’s vocabulator as his body smacked against its suit, but even in his current state he could see Hakumen raising Ookami skyward, its tip aimed to impale him through the chest. Placing his free hand against the durasteel floor beneath him, Vader pushed himself as hard as he could, channeling the Force through his legs as he leapt out of range. Hakumen’s blade hit the ground a millisecond later, and at the same time Vader spun around, righting his position as he delivered a roundhouse kick to Hakumen’s face. The impact of the blow forced Hakumen to let out a grunt as his head snapped back, but after clearing it with a shake he rushed forward.
“To dismiss the Force so casually after what you’ve witnessed shows that your arrogance is matched only by your foolishness.” Vader said as he deflected two slashes. “It is through the Force that I am given strength.”
As if to emphasize this statement, Vader began to channel the Force through his body as he unleashed a powerful slash. Like before, it moved so quickly Hakumen couldn’t even see it, though he could feel its impact as he was sent back several feet, now sporting a visible gash across his stomach.
“Through its strength, I am given power.”
Focusing all of his negative emotions, Vader clenched his fist, allowing arcs of nigh-invisible energy to begin gathering within his palm. Throwing it forward, the Sith Lord launched a volley of concentrated energy blasts toward Hakumen, buffeting the leader of the Six Heroes with the power of the dark side. Each blast staggered Hakumen, and despite his best attempts he could feel his concentration slip with each hit he took. At the same time, he could feel the Susano’o Unit’s structure weakening with each blast. There was no doubt that if this kept up, Vader could end up destroying it!
With this thought in mind, Hakumen shook his head, forcibly clearing the cobwebs from his mind. He looked toward Vader, returning to a fighting stance, but before he could attack, Vader spoke once again.
“Through its power, I obtain victory.”
In tandem with this statement, Vader brought his arm back before suddenly slinging it forward. At the same time, what could only be described as a telekinetic explosion erupted outward, violently knocking back everything in the room. Even Hakumen wasn’t safe from its effects, as the battered hero was suddenly launched through the air. Within seconds, Hakumen had found himself hurtling across the docking bay, his trip only ending once he had slammed into its ceiling. The impact forced a grunt out of Hakumen, and as he began to fall toward the ground, he heard Vader finish his creed.
“That is the way of the Sith, the power of the dark side of the Force.”
As the Sith Lord brought his arm down, Hakumen felt his descent suddenly pick up in speed, sending him hurtling to the ground at breakneck speeds. But even with this newfound acceleration, Hakumen proved quick to adapt as he flipped through the air, repositioning himself so that he’d land on his feet. Seconds later, a metallic CRUNCH rang through the air as Hakumen hit the ground, his impact cratering the durasteel beneath him. As he looked up, the white-clad swordsman rushed toward Vader, rapidly closing the distance between them in a matter of seconds.
“Victory towards what goal?” Hakumen asked, throwing out a slash that Vader quickly blocked. Though he could feel Vader holding his ground, he continued to press forward. After taking a step to maintain his balance, Hakumen shoved against Vader, asking, “What could you hope to achieve by relying on such depravity?”
“My mission is to establish order and bring peace to the galaxy.” Vader responded as he regained his balance, deflecting an oncoming slash from Ookami before parrying a second. With his opponent open, Vader went on the attack, throwing out a series of slashes Hakumen was forced to defend against. “You may see the Empire as evil, but I speak the truth. All of our members are united so that we may bring about order. True order, unlike the Jedi Council. Every decision I’ve ever made has been dedicated to furthering this goal. To serve a far more absolute power that spans the entire galaxy.” Vader declared as his blade collided with Hakumen’s. “That is my reason.”
“You must be joking.” Hakumen said incredulously as he deflected the attack. Unperturbed, Vader swung again, only to strike a familiar blue barrier. “You expect me to believe that a man like you-”
As Hakumen spoke, he grabbed hold of Vader’s outstretched arm.
“-who fights only with his rage and anger-“
Pulling him forward, the silver knight stepped aside and delivered a kick to the back.
“-intends to bring about an era of peace?”
As these words escaped his faceless mask, Hakumen went on the offensive, throwing out a trio of heavy strikes. Each one struck Vader across the back, tearing through the plastoid that protected it and exposing the skin beneath. The feeling of his synthetic skin being exposed to the outside world made Vader feel as if someone had lit his skin ablaze, and in the midst of this pain, Hakumen chose to end his combo. Shoving Ookami forward, the man once known as Jin Kisaragi forced his blade’s hilt to embed itself into his opponent’s back. Vader was sent flying from the final attack, but as he reached the apex of his ascension he regained momentum by performing a front flip. Landing on his feet, Vader turned to face Hakumen.
[Stop music]
The two stared at each other for what felt like an eternity, waiting for the other to make a move. Hakumen studied Vader’s body language and armor, searching for any openings or weak spots he could exploit. Meanwhile, Vader maintained his connection to the Force, using it to sense Hakumen’s intentions. He could both sense and see that Hakumen’s injuries had mostly regenerated by this point, with even the gash in his stomach slowly sealing up. Under most circumstances, the white-clad knight would’ve used this opportunity to attack, but Vader could sense that he wanted an answer. Realizing that neither one of them intended to attack, the Sith Lord quickly broke the silence.
“The dark side and the emotions tied to it are merely a tool, a means to an end.” He explained. “If bringing about peace requires the use of anger and fear, then I will do what is necessary.”
“Fool.” Hakumen spat. Upon hearing this, Vader stared at him in silence. “Attempting to govern your rule through rage and intimidation is a fool’s errand. All you would accomplish is planting seeds of rebellion into the minds of others. Even now, I’ve heard your soldiers discuss the existence of a rebellion.”
“The Rebel Alliance,” Vader said sternly as he pointed at Hakumen, “is nothing more than a minor oversight, one that will soon be corrected once this station is completed. With the rebellion crushed, the Empire’s hold over the galaxy will become absolute, and a new age of peace will begin.”
As he listened to Vader’s explanation, Hakumen clutched Ookami’s hilt, having finally noticed a weak spot in Vader’s armor. Though the action was barely noticeable, it proved enough to elicit a reaction from the Force, giving Vader a chance to see what would come.
“I’m afraid your delusions will only remain as such, Dark One,” Hakumen declared as he lunged forward, “for this battle has already reached its end!”
The leader of the Six Heroes lunged forward, unleashing a powerful slash that would tear through a weak spot on Vader’s side.
“Indeed it has.” Vader responded, a hint of arrogance in his otherwise stoic tone. With nothing more than a push from his arm, a burst of Force energy erupted outward, reversing the White Susano’o’s momentum and sending him hurtling across the room.
With a pained grunt, Hakumen righted himself in midair. Though there was now some distance between them, he could see that Vader still held a firm grip on his lightsaber.
‘It would seem that no matter what I try, this man always has a way to circumvent my efforts. Surely, there must be some way to overcome him!’ Hakumen thought to himself as he hit the ground. After a few seconds of forcing himself to skid to a halt, the hero looked back up just in time to see a familiar lightsaber spinning toward him like a buzzsaw. Rather than worry about this, he simply raised his right arm, once again erecting a red barrier in front of himself. ‘Or perhaps my mistake is in trying to overpower him through physical means.’
“Empty Sky Form…”
As the lightsaber’s blade struck his barrier, Hakumen readjusted his stance, keeping a harder grip on Ookami as he spread his legs. Upon seeing this, the vision that had haunted Vader began to play through his mind once again, but he refused to let this outcome proceed!
With a tug of the Force, Vader pulled his lightsaber back into his grip at blinding speeds, rearming himself as Hakumen rapidly closed the distance between them. Just when it seemed the two were seconds away from colliding, they swung their blades, moving so quickly that they seemed to phase through each other!
“Winter’s Ripos- Urgh!”
Hakumen’s words died halfway as he suddenly doubled over, feeling a massive gash rip across his chest. It took everything he had not to fall to the ground, and judging by the labored breathing coming from behind him, it seemed Vader was in a similar situation. As he turned to meet Vader’s gaze, a feeling of irritation crossed Hakumen. Though his slash had pierced through the Sith’s armor, it seemed the cloth suit beneath had sealed itself shut.
‘Still,’ he figured, ‘the wound I’ve inflicted should give me enough time to trace his memories.’
Seizing his chance, Hakumen began to spread his consciousness through the room, focusing it into a specific target: the mind of Darth Vader. In an instant, he had succeeded in entering the Sith Lord’s subconscious, and with it, he began to trace the Sith Lord’s memories.
He saw a child, one who couldn’t have been more than nine years-old, discuss a dream he had, one where he would come back to his home world of Tattooine and free all of its slaves. He watched the child participate in the Boonta Eve Classic podrace, with his victory causing him to obtain his freedom. The boy then tearfully bid his mother, Shmi Skywalker, farewell before departing with two men, Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Keobi. These men were members of the Jedi, a group responsible for protecting the galaxy from evil. The boy known as Anakin Skywalker matured, training under Obi-Wan for several years. During this time, Anakin would grow in power as he carried out his missions. Ten years later, Anakin would return to Coruscant and be assigned to guard Padmé Amidala, a senator in the Galactic Republic. The two had met when he was nine, and he had harbored romantic feelings for her, something the Jedi did not allow. Despite this, Anakin and Padmé would eventually grow closer, choosing to keep their relationship a secret from the public.
Despite this, Anakin’s life would soon take a dark turn. That night, he was tormented by nightmares of his mother suffering. Concerned, he would travel to Tattooine, only to learn that she had been freed and married to a man named Cliegg Lars. After finding Cliegg, he would learn that Shmi had been abducted by the Tusken Raiders, a race of violent nomads native to Tattooine. Anakin would track down where Shmi had been abducted and free her from her torture, only for her to die in his arms. Hakumen could sense the anger and rage emanating off of Anakin as the Padawan went berserk, slaughtering the Tusken Raiders indiscriminately, followed by horror at his actions as he returned to the woman he loved. He watched as Anakin lost his arm during the battle with the fallen Jedi known as Count Dooku, only to gain a metal prosthetic and marry Padmé. Anakin then took part in the Clone Wars, ascending from Padawan to Jedi Knight, and even training a Padawan of his own. During this time, Anakin would repeatedly confront Dooku, with their battles going either way until their final battle. There, at the request of Chancellor Palpatine, the Jedi Knight would reluctantly take the Sith Lord’s life.
After this, Hakumen watched as the two Jedi returned to Coruscant, where Anakin would learn that Padmé was pregnant. The samurai sensed Anakin’s joy at hearing of Padmé’s pregnancy, followed by fear upon seeing visions of her dying in childbirth, which led to a desperation to keep her alive. This desperation would turn him to Chancellor Palpatine, who preyed upon his desires and slowly corrupted him to the dark side until the old man revealed himself to be the Sith Lord known as Darth Sidious.
Now granted the new name of Darth Vader, Anakin slaughtered all who remained in the Jedi Temple, from the Masters to the children, as well as the Separatist Council, under the belief that he was bringing order to the galaxy. Beneath this, Hakumen could sense feelings of treachery, a plot to overthrow the Chancellor in an attempt to accomplish his goals. He could sense a feeling of joy as he revealed his plans to his wife, followed by his seething hatred and rage upon finding that Obi-Wan had come with her.
With fury overtaking his mind from this supposed betrayal, Vader used the Force to strangle his wife and began fighting his former master throughout Mustafar. Hakumen watched as the battle came to an end on the banks of a lava river, with Obi-Wan slicing off Vader’s legs and left arm. He could hear the sorrow and regret in Obi-Wan’s voice as he lamented Anakin’s fate, Vader’s anger as he roared that he hated his former master, and the agonizing pain of the Sith’s body being lit aflame.
But somehow the mutilated Vader still lived, fueled only by his hatred and willpower. Hakumen watched as the Chancellor- now given the rank of Emperor- oversaw Vader’s treatment and surgery. He could feel Vader’s agonizing pain and rage as the medical droids performed surgery on his burnt flesh, enhancing him with cybernetics and armor. Then, as the surgery finally came to an end, both he and Vader could hear Sidious call out.
“Lord Vader, can you hear me?”
And as the newly constructed Vader rose, Hakumen heard the man speak, his damaged throat and vocal chords replaced by the baritone of his helmet’s vocabulator.
“Yes, Master.” Vader declared, looking over at Sidious. “Where is Padmé? Is she safe? Is she alright?” Vader questioned in concern. The emperor remained silent for a moment, but then he gave his answer.
“It seems, in your anger, you killed her.”
These words caused a feeling of horror and remorse to fall over Vader.
“I… I couldn’t have!” Vader said, horrified. As these words left his mouth, however, he remembered what had happened. He remembered how he had seized her throat with the Force, slowly crushing it in an attempt to silence her. And because of this, he would have to live the rest of his life knowing that in his desperation to save his wife, he had only succeeded in being the one to kill her.
As this realization came to him, Vader tore himself free from his bindings. Each movement he made caused the operating room to violently shake. The Force built up within Vader, and as his rage, his despair, reached its peak, the broken man let out a horrified, remorseful scream.
As this memory came to an end, Hakumen began to witness Vader’s descent into evil. For years, he would carry out the Emperor’s orders, slaughtering any who chose to defy the Empire’s rule. But this supposed loyalty was nothing more than a farce, which would come to light when Vader discovered that Padmé’s child had survived. In an effort to convince him to overthrow the Emperor, Vader would duel his son, Luke, on Cloud City, ultimately ending on a catwalk where he would amputate the younger Skywalker’s right hand.
With Luke now beaten, Vader attempted to sway him to the dark side, promising that together they would be able to end the struggle between the Empire and the Rebels, and bring order to the galaxy. When Luke refused, Vader would reveal his identity as Luke’s father, but the boy would still refuse, instead choosing to throw himself off of the catwalk and into certain death. Despite this, Vader could sense that Luke still lived, and he continued to try and convince his son to join him.
[Stop music]
All of this occurred within the span of a nanosecond, and as he was brought back to reality, Hakumen stared at the man in front of him with a combination of sympathy and disgust. He understood all too well the emotions Anakin had suffered. The guilt of being responsible for the death of the woman you loved, the hatred you felt toward yourself as you realized what your selfish actions had wrought, the desire to atone for your actions…
‘And yet he hasn’t changed.’ Hakumen’s grip tightened on Ookami’s hilt. ‘Even though he intends to overthrow the emperor, he still follows his orders. He still hunts the Jedi, slaughters innocents without a second thought; all to please the man who corrupted him into what he’s become, the one who drove him to kill not just children, but his own wife! Not just that, but he wants his own son to follow in his steps!’
For a brief moment, Hakumen’s body tensed up, seeming to tremble with rage toward the man in front of him. A split-second occurred where Hakumen considered lunging forward and using his anger to strike the Sith Lord down, but he quickly pushed these thoughts from his mind. As his anger left him, Hakumen turned his attention back to Vader, whose own anger seemed almost palpable.
Though Hakumen wasn’t aware of it, Vader had been able to sense him invading his mind. He had felt the samurai searching through his memories, violating the one place he held most sacred. Even if he had been the only one in the room, the Sith Lord could sense the psychic energy trails that were left behind by telepaths, and what he currently felt was converging toward the very man in front of him.
With his anger growing, Vader had begun focusing the Force, using it to enter Hakumen’s mind while it was still clouded with emotion. From there, he began to probe Hakumen’s memories- no, not Hakumen.
As a child, the man before him had been only known as Jin, and he and his siblings had spent their early years confined to the workshop of a man named Relius Clover. After some time, Jin, Ragna, and Saya were freed by a Beastkin named Jubei, who would place them under the care of a woman named Celica A. Mercury. The four would spend some time living in the church, but their tranquility would not last.
One day, the church would be set ablaze, and he could feel… something in his mind, commanding him to kill his own brother. Under its influence, he severed his brother’s arm, and after that…
‘Strange. There seems to be a period where his memories have vanished.’ Vader thought to himself. Noting this oddity, he continued to probe Hakumen’s mind.
As the memories returned, he watched Jin become adopted into the esteemed Kisaragi family, where he would meet Tsubaki Yayoi, who would go on to become his best friend. Their relationship would grow closer over time, with Tsubaki eventually becoming his secretary after the two graduated military academy. Unfortunately, their lives would soon change once Jin learned that his brother still lived.
Spurred on by the corrupting powers of his sword, the Mucro Algescro: Yukianesa, Jin ventured into the city of Kagutsuchi, only to be met with Tsubaki. Despite her attempts to get through to him, Jin’s mind had been too corrupted by Yukianesa’s influence, and he slapped her before heading to the branch’s lower levels. There he would reunite with his brother, attempting to kill him once again, only for Ragna to beat him unconscious. Jin would wake up some time later with Tsubaki next to him, and as they talked, a blazing inferno would suddenly light up, with a familiar girl emerging from within. Jin would be forced to watch as his brother was beaten by Nu-13, a girl who greatly resembled his little sister. When he attempted to intervene, Tsubaki urged him to stop, causing an angered Jin to push her aside, declaring that he didn’t need her as he rushed toward Nu. Unfortunately, he would soon come to regret these words.
The moment he got Nu’s attention, the Murakumo Unit would throw one of her blades in his direction, only for Tsubaki to leap in front of it and take the injury instead. The sight of this was enough to shock Jin out of Yukianesa’s control, but unfortunately, there was nothing he could do. Despite his best efforts to heal her, Tsubaki Yayoi would die in his arms, and he would watch as Nu-13 dragged his brother with her into the Cauldron. Enraged by this, Jin would run after her, intent on making her pay. He would leap through the Cauldron, intent on following them through, but his decision would have unforeseen consequences.
After blacking out, Jin would wake up on a hillside illuminated by moonlight. His mind was a jumbled mess of memories, and he could barely move due to the injuries he’d sustained. For a few moments, it appeared that he was going to die, but then a girl would come across him. This girl, Rachel Alucard, would offer him the chance to become a real hero, and upon accepting, he would spend the next week in her castle regaining his strength. During this time, he would discover that his trip through the Boundary had sent him a century into the past, some time before a creature known as the Black Beast would emerge to threaten the world.
Wanting to stop the beast, Jin would be led by Rachel and her father, Clavis, to the castle’s basement, where he would discover a suit of pristine, white armor. This was the Susano’o Unit, an ancient suit of armor that would grant him immense power at the cost of relinquishing his humanity. With no other choice, Jin would give up his body, inserting his soul inside of the Unit and merging with it. No longer was he Jin Kisarsgi. Now he would be known to the world as Hakumen.
With this newfound strength, Hakumen would set out on a quest to slay the Black Beast, and during this time he would meet five other warriors with the same goal. Together, these warriors- who would later become known as the Six Heroes- led humanity to wage war against the Black Beast. After years of fighting and a number of lives lost, as well as the sacrifice of the Six Heroes member Bloodedge, humanity would eventually defeat the Black Beast, courtesy of a living weapon known as Take-Mikazuchi.
With the Beast defeated, it began to shrink, and Hakumen approached it in order to deal the killing blow. As he drew closer, he recognized that it had reverted back into Ragna, who had survived his trip through the Boundary. As he stared down pitifully at the man who had once been his brother, Hakumen raised his sword and brought it down on Ragna’s head, ending the life of the former Black Beast.
Despite the victory over the Black Beast, peace would not last. Shortly after, Yuki Terumi would betray the rest of the Heroes, murdering Trinity Glassfille and Nine. Hakumen and the only other survivor, Jubei, would confront Terumi, but even with their combined strength, they were unable to overpower him. Seeing no other choice, Hakumen would allow himself and Terumi to be sealed in the Boundary.
Unfortunately, Hakumen’s sacrifice would be in vain, as he was later removed from the Boundary by Kokonoe, the daughter of Jubei and Nine. During this time, he would learn that he had been sealed in the Boundary for 90 years, and that Terumi had escaped. After hearing this, he would go to Kagutsuchi and challenge Ragna the Bloodedge, wishing to not have history repeat itself. Unfortunately, no matter how hard he tried, Hakumen’s wish to kill Ragna would never come to fruition, as even their final battle would be interrupted by Terumi, who would shatter Hakumen’s soul and claim the Susano’o Unit as his own.
With its full power under his command, the revived Susano’o would begin carving a path of destruction, which would only end during a confrontation with Ragna. After Terumi’s death, Hakumen would meet with the ghost of Trinity Glassfille, and the two would agree to throw the Susano’o Unit into the deepest depths of the Boundary, where it would never be found again.
[Stop music]
As this final memory ran through his mind, Vader severed his connection with the Force, bringing him back to reality. At the same time, a groan emerged from Hakumen’s mask.
“So you were able to pierce through my defenses and look into my mind.” Hakumen said aloud as he looked over at Vader. “Whatever you saw, I hope it was worth it. I don’t take such assaults lightly!”
“I could say the same to you. Now,” Anakin’s tone became more furious as he asked, “what did you see?” Though he was briefly surprised that Vader had been able to sense him, this shock soon faded, allowing the samurai to regain his composure and give an answer.
“I’ve seen enough to know the truth behind your past, Vader. Or would you prefer if I addressed you as Anakin?” The sound of his former name caused Vader to tighten his grip on his lightsaber. Realizing this, Hakumen continued.
[Start at 0:48]
“Yes, I know your name. I’ve also seen your years as a slave, your induction into the Jedi Council, your fame during the Clone Wars; and the true reason you’ve embraced these dark powers. You said that every decision you’ve made was to spread peace and order to the galaxy. Tell me, did that include when you murdered Padmé Amidala? Was she just another enemy to you, someone who needed to be silenced because she refused to side with your ideals?”
As Hakumen continued listing these events, Vader’s anger continued to grow at a steady rate, and upon hearing those final questions, he could no longer contain it.
“ENOUGH!”
This singular word erupted from Anakin’s mouth as a powerful roar, letting loose a powerful shockwave that shook their surroundings to their core. TIE fighters went haywire as they exploded into shards of jagged metal, the durasteel floor became ruptured with fissures, and the entire Death Star once again began to shake violently.
Not even Hakumen was safe from its effects, as he found himself blasted away by the force of Vader’s scream. As the enraged cry echoed throughout the Death Star, the hero began to feel something concerning: the Susano’o Unit was struggling to maintain its shape, letting out a chorus of metallic groans. Numerous dents formed across its body and several gashes appeared along the arms, thighs, and stomach. He could even feel the one across his chest starting to split apart even further. But even like this, Hakumen refused to yield!
With a frustrated grunt, the samurai forced himself to descend back onto the ground, his feet kicking a shower of sparks as they tore across the durasteel floors. Once he had come to a stop, Hakumen looked up, only to find himself in shock. In the few seconds it had taken him to return to the ground, Vader had already rushed toward him, his lightsaber becoming a blood red flare as it streaked toward the silver-haired man.
With only a few seconds left to properly react, Hakumen countered by delivering an outward swing, his sword becoming a silver blur as it ascended through the air. The moment their blades collided, a brief flash of light illuminated the room. Sparks flew through the air as the lightsaber ground against Ookami’s steel, its red light illuminating the two men as they stared at each other.
“Anakin Skywalker is dead.” Vader stated angrily. “He perished on Mustafar many years ago, the same as Padmé. And while I regret my role in her death, it is what motivates me to carry out my mission. It is by her memory that I will establish peace through the galaxy.”
“You contradict yourself, Anakin. If you truly were a different man, then why should Padmé’s death mean anything to you? Why react so strongly to his memories, or be so concerned with his failings? Why tell Luke that you’re his father if Anakin is truly dead?” Hakumen pressed, both verbally and physically as he pushed himself to overpower the Sith. His slashes clashed against Vader’s lightsaber, forcing the cyborg to begin dodging and parrying in an attempt to keep up. “You can claim that you have moved on, that your former identity is no more, yet you are only deluding yourself. Your identity as this ‘Dark Lord’ is nothing more than a pitiful refusal to accept the mistakes of your past! Beneath that armor, you are nothing more than a broken man, hiding behind a metal coffin so you can wallow in your past sins!”
As he spoke these final words, Hakumen delivered an overhead chop, moving with such speed and power that Vader was unable to defend against it. Ookami’s blade slashed across the right side of Vader’s helmet, creating a gash that revealed his piercing, yellow eye.
“Are you not the same, Hakumen?” Vader asked, his voice a combination of the vocabulator and his damaged vocal chords.
“What do you mean?”
[Skip to 3:46 if you haven’t already passed it]
“Doesn’t your failure to save Tsubaki still haunt you? Isn’t that why you continue to fight, and why you’ve abandoned your past life, Jin Kisaragi?” Vader responded, putting emphasis on those last words.
“That name no longer holds any meaning for me.” Hakumen responded plainly as his grip tightened on Ookami. With his tone growing harsher, he continued, “And though I still regret my failures, I do not allow them to consume me, as you have!”
“Search your feelings. You know it to be true. Even though you claim to fight to protect the world from evil, your true motivation lies in atoning for your past, attempting to make up for the woman you failed to protect and the brother you were unable to slay. Even now, you’ve chosen to leave your self-imposed prison under the assumption that the dark side is comparable to the monster your brother became.”
“No.” Hakumen stated firmly.
[Stop music]
“My reason for doing this, to reap the sins of this world, is to ensure that the mistakes of the past are not repeated. You speak of spreading peace through the galaxy, yet your actions show only a desire for vengeance and a lust for power. If you truly wished to establish order, then you would’ve deposed Palpatine long ago. Instead, you’ve served under him without question, slaughtering countless lives without batting an eye! To suggest that we are the same would trivialize the deaths brought about during the Dark War. It dismisses the resolve of those who wagered their lives against the Black Beast,” Hakumen widened his stance, readying Ookami to strike, “and I shall not overlook those words!”
As he spoke those final words, Hakumen lunged forward, intent on slicing through Vader. He brought Ookami through the air, but upon bringing it down-
CRUNCH!
[Stop music]
Rather than Darth Vader, or even the floors of the Death Star, Ookami struck a steel-plated floor. Looking up, Hakumen noticed that his surroundings had changed. Instead of the Death Star, he found himself in a different place, one he was all-too familiar with. He stood on a steel floor, staring ahead at a door that lay next to several metal pillars. Some distance away in the middle of the room, there existed a blazing inferno, and suspended above it was a metal structure in the shape of a crest.
‘A Cauldron?’ He thought to himself. ‘No. Something feels… wrong.’
Though the sight in front of him seemed real, the Susano’o Unit’s eyes could sense the fabric of reality shifting with each passing second. Everywhere he looked, this shift seemed to occur, almost as if attempting to obstruct his view.
“So you intend to keep me in a fabricated world? Are you truly that desperate?”
“And who says it’s all a fabrication, Lord Hakumen?” A female voice called out, one that the hero knew too well. Turning around, he found himself facing a beautiful woman with blue eyes and red, back-length hair. She wore a beige shirt with a black collar, and her legs were covered by beige pants with a black waistband. Gray gloves covered her hands, and her feet were obscured by gray boots that contained a golden cross emblem on the front.
“Hmph. So this is the way of the Sith? Lurking in the shadows while you play feeble attempts at mind games?” Hakumen asked aloud.
“Lord Hakumen, this- this is no illusion.” Tsubaki said, sounding somewhat incredulous as she tried to calm him down. Grabbing his hand with her own, she held it closer and smiled. “Do you believe me now?”
“No.” Hakumen stated bluntly, causing Tsubaki to step back in shock. “You are a convincing replica, but there is no reason why Tsubaki Yayoi would be here, of all places.”
“Lord Hakumen, I don’t know what you’ve experienced in the Boundary, but I am real. Do you need more proof before you’ll accept it?” Hakumen remained silent, causing Tsubaki to become crestfallen. “Oh, I see. It seems that whatever happened to you in there may have rattled you, but-“
Before she could even finish her thoughts, Hakumen suddenly turned around, his back facing the major. He scanned the area for any sign of irregularities, but rather than shifting as it had before, the world around him was beginning to solidify, almost as if it was taking the place of the reality he once knew. This was troublesome. If he failed to escape soon, he could very well find himself trapped in this fabricated world.
With this thought in mind, Hakumen brought his sword to his side. His legs tensed up, but before he could rush forward, something shoved him from behind. Quickly recovering, he whirled around, keeping a firm grip on Ookami, but what he saw caused him to briefly falter.
Tsubaki stood before him, both arms extended outward and impaled through the spine by a blade that exited her chest.
[Stop music]
“Tsubaki!” Hakumen called out in horror. Before she could respond, another three blades emerged behind her, with two stabbing through her shoulder blades and the third piercing her stomach. Flecks of blood emerged from Tsubaki’s mouth as the blades suddenly retracted, causing her to collapse onto her knees. Even though he attempted to remind himself that this was nothing more than an illusion, it seemed Hakumen’s body had chosen to act on its own, as he suddenly rushed forward and grabbed Tsubaki, holding her closely as she stared up at him.
“I’m sorry, Lord Hakumen. I just… I just wanted to protect you…” Tsubaki said, her voice cracking as she stared apologetically at the knight. As her voice trailed off, her body went slack, and the light in her eyes began to fade. Seconds later and they would be clouded over entirely, staring at the hero with a request for forgiveness that she would never hear.
[Stop music]
As he stared down at Tsubaki’s corpse, Hakumen began to feel a steady sense of anger welling from within himself. Even though he knew that his surroundings and the people inside were false, it did nothing to quell his growing rage. To be taunted like this, to be reminded of his greatest sin, this was something he refused to allow!
“Enough of these mind games! I know you’re there! Show yourself, Anakin!” Hakumen demanded as he set aside Tsubaki’s corpse. Upon receiving no answer, the leader of the Six Heroes rose back to full height. “Very well. Remain in the shadows as long as you’d like. It doesn’t matter to me. My blade can slice through any illusion, and this world you’ve crafted is no exception!”
As he said this, Hakumen once again lowered his stance, continuing to scan the area for Vader. Before he could strike, however, a silver flash appeared in front of him. With a quick swing of Ookami, the silver projectile imploded, though even with the void in front of him, he could still see the one responsible.
“Oh, you aren’t going anywhere, Susano’o Unit!” A gleeful, mechanical voice continued as the blades’ owner floated out of the shadows. “You’re going to join that nuisance laying on the ground. Then with you out of the way, Nu will have Ragna all to herself!”
[If rooting for Hakumen]
[If rooting for Vader]
[If neutral]
As she spoke, the girl- Nu- floated out from the shadows, revealing her full appearance. She was young, with gray hair done up in a ponytail. Her entire torso was covered by a blue bodysuit, which sported short leggings and sleeves that wrapped around her hands. A metal harness was wrapped around her chest, connected to two massive, blue and white shoulder guards. Running down these shoulder guards were a set of arm guards, which contained a small blade at the wrist. A set of eight blades floated behind her, four of which were still coated in Tsubaki’s blood, and though her visor prevented Hakumen from seeing her eyes, he could sense their manic glee as she stared at him.
“Is this the best you can conjure, Anakin? Some poorly crafted reminders of the mistakes I have already overcome?”
“Oh, Nu assures you, Susano’o Unit, she’s the real thing. Just as real as the girl Nu eliminated. And if that’s not enough to convince you…” Nu’s voice suddenly changed, becoming more lifeless and monotone as she stated, “Initiating combat mode. Deploying petals.”
Back in the real world, Vader, who was now a considerable distance behind Hakumen, began to focus the Force on the surrounding area. Under his telekinetic hold, dozens of discarded blasters, bits of damaged TIE fighters, and other miscellaneous debris were brought into the air; all of them surrounding Hakumen within seconds.
With nothing more than a thought, shards of metal were sent rocketing toward the knight at incredible speeds, but Hakumen proved quick to hack away at them. Each shard Ookami struck became a void, leaving him with more time to defend as they absorbed the next projectile. Quickly realizing his opponent’s strategy, Vader responded by giving a slight tug at the Force, ripping open the Death Star’s durasteel floors and forming them into strips that wrapped tightly around the hero’s limbs.
“What is this?” Hakumen muttered as he felt his legs threaten to give out. He could feel something wrap around him, crafted from a material he had become familiar with during his duel with Vader. His arms strained against the seemingly invisible restraints, but just when he was about to burst free Nu’s petals began to scrape away at his armor, each one leaving a cut. Then, seemingly bored of her opponent’s inability to fight back, she moved on to her next attack.
“Everything…” Nu called out as a red portal appeared in front of her. “Disappear!” She finished as dozens upon dozens of swords rapidly shot out, each one slamming into the Susano’o Unit hard enough that they briefly sent him skidding back.
The volley of blaster bolts continued to pelt Hakumen, their heat creating a volley of smoking holes that tore through the Susano’o Unit’s body, preventing it from truly healing. Sensing his growing pain and anger within the Force, Vader began to slowly leech off of these emotions, feeling his strength start to gradually increase as he drew further upon them.
At the same time, Hakumen let out a roar of effort as he strained against his bonds, tearing himself free with a flex of his muscles. As the bolts continued to hurtle toward him, Hakumen lunged forward, dodging each one as he drew closer to where Nu supposedly was. In response, Vader brought his arm into the air, summoning a solar collector from one of the many destroyed TIE fighters. The jagged piece flew toward Hakumen, aimed to stab through his chest, but it seemed the hero had other ideas.
Just when it was inches away from impaling him through the chest, Hakumen summoned a Zanshin. Nu’s Sickle Storm slammed into the barrier at full-force, causing Hakumen’s knees to buckle, but he refused to let it push him back! Once the barrier faded, the buzzsaw continued forward, only to be intercepted once again as Hakumen swiped his arm through the air. Grabbing it by its jagged edge, he briefly noted its odd texture as he whirled around, hurling it at Nu with all his might!
As the debris flew toward her, Nu responded by leaping through the air, sailing past the returning projectile. Once she’d begun her descent, the Murakumo flipped forward, with all of her blades following her movements. Hakumen responded by throwing out an upward slash, his blade reducing each one to a void. With his opponent now defenseless, Hakumen rushed forward to deliver a finishing blow, but Nu seemed unwilling to let that happen!
Extending an arm forward, a black-and-red sword suddenly appeared in front of her and began sailing toward Hakumen, who quickly blocked it with a Zanshin. As the opposing constructs faded, Nu swung her right arm down, causing Hakumen to turn around and deflect the oncoming blade with an energy-infused kick.
“Opening rift!” Nu declared as two saw blades sprang out of the ground, speeding toward Hakumen’s front and back. Though he seemed to be cornered, Hakumen quickly adapted as he leapt through the air, avoiding their paths and drawing closer to the Murakumo. Descending onto her at breakneck speeds, Hakumen’s grip tightened as he prepared his next attack.
“Tsubaki!” He shouted as he swung his sword, intending to split Nu’s skull in half. While the blade was still in midswing, however, the illusion suddenly leapt back, causing it to hit thin air. Once his feet had hit the ground, Hakumen immediately boosted forward, letting out a cry of “Vanish” as he slammed Ookami’s hilt into her stomach. Nu briefly lurched over, only for her head to snap back as Hakumen slammed into her face with a straight kick. The impact produced an audible CRACK as his clawed foot smashed against her nose, reducing it to a bloody mess. She attempted to cry out in pain, but it became muffled as Hakumen pushed down on her head, slamming it into the ground. The impact produced a crater around her, as well as a sickening CRUNCH as her skull cracked against the metal floor.
Taking his foot off of her, Hakumen looked down at the beaten cyborg. Her weapons had been destroyed, blood was pooling around where she’d hit her head, but it still wasn’t enough! The longer he stared at her, the steadier his anger grew, and he knew there was only one way to extinguish this rage he was feeling.
“And now I shall end your miserable existence once and for all.” Raising his blade through the air, the White Susano’o then declared, “Return from whence you came, Murakumo Unit!”
As he brought the Nox Nyctores down, however, a stray thought ran through Hakumen’s mind.
‘Where did this influx of emotion come from? I know this is all an illusion, yet I’m reacting as if this was real. It’s as if someone else is attempting to interfere with my emotions, twisting them to suit their needs.’ As this realization came to him, Hakumen stopped Ookami at the last possible second, its blade now centimeters away from stabbing through Nu’s neck.
[Stop music]
“No.” He declared, straightening his back as he turned around. Upon seeing this, Nu strained to look over at him, confused by his decision.
“Why the sudden change of heart? You just said you wanted me dead. You aren’t trying to trick Nu, are you?”
“To waste my efforts any further on a mere illusion would be an insult to the strength I was granted.” Hakumen responded.
Beneath his mask, surprise began to show on Vader’s face. How had this man managed to overcome the attempts to manipulate his emotions?
As if in answer to Anakin’s question, a white aura began to surround Hakumen, one that the hero was well familiar with. It was the same power he had used when engaging the Black Beast in battle, the force that had protected him for all those years in the Boundary. This was the Power of Order.
As he watched this white aura surround Hakumen, Vader peered into the Force, seeking to get a closer look. His efforts were met with the sensation of an otherworldly energy, one that didn’t seem to carry any semblance of the light or dark sides of the Force. If anything, this new energy seemed to be perfectly calm and balanced. Under its influence, the dark emotions that Vader had amplified were suddenly quelled, replaced by a surge of willpower that soothed Hakumen’s mental state. It was an anomaly, unlike anything Vader had experienced in the Force.
Seeking answers, the former Jedi attempted to scan Hakumen’s mind, but when he reached out with the Force, something seemed to repel him. It was as if there was a wall separating him from the samurai’s thoughts. Confused, he tried again, this time placing more of his strength into the Force, but to no avail. Realizing it was pointless to continue, Vader began to stalk closer, keeping out of Hakumen’s sight while his lightsaber remained steady at his side.
“Your attempts to read my mind will no longer work, though I suspect you already know as much.” Hakumen said as he felt the Power of Order shield him from Vader. Continuing his search for the Sith Lord, his eyes looked past Vader’s illusions, showing Hakumen his true surroundings. “You can’t hide your presence from me, Anakin. My eyes see beyond the veil you have created, and I know where you intend to strike.”
As he spoke these final words, Vader seemed to materialize behind him, having already brought his lightsaber into the air. Once it began to descend, Hakumen spun around at incredible speeds, raising Ookami in front of himself. Initially, Vader believed that this was supposed to be a counter slash, but it seemed the samurai had chosen to enter a different stance altogether. Ookami had been brought up to his chest, being held in his right hand as his left hand hovered over its blade. Confusion briefly flashed through Vader’s mind when he saw this, and it would soon morph into alarm upon hearing the swordsman’s next words.
“The end has come.”
[Stop music]
With these words, a massive glyph appeared before his body. Too late to realize his mistake, Vader’s lightsaber struck the barrier, and then everything faded to white. He watched as Hakumen, now coated in a black, ink-like energy, brought his sword back. Then, with this same energy coating his sword, Hakumen swung.
“Redemption!”
A slash tore across Vader’s chest, damaging the control panel and causing some sort of brushstroke to fill the air. An overhead diagonal slash followed this, creating another stroke as it struck Vader’s left shoulder and ran down to the forearm. Following this was an outward slash that raked across Vader’s stomach, then an upward slash that tore through his prosthetic arm. Before Vader could even register this, Hakumen had slashed him across the face with Ookami, splitting the helmet in two and creating a visible cut across his face. A sixth slash ripped through Vader’s pauldron, tearing the muscles in his shoulders. From there, Hakumen’s speed only seemed to increase, and within a few nanoseconds he had thrown out fifteen slashes, aiming each one at a spot where Vader would be most vulnerable. Soon Vader’s vision had gone pitch-black, reaching a darkness so great that not even his optical lenses could have adapted to it. He stood there for what felt like an eternity, defenseless and seemingly frozen in place, but then-
SPLASH!
[Stop music]
The darkness suddenly exploded in a splash, dispersing the illusion and allowing color to return to Vader’s vision. The pain of his injuries sent flares of agony across his mind, and he suddenly collapsed onto the ground. Blood flowed from his injuries, coating his armor and skin a deep shade of crimson. The air inside of the Death Star felt like a blaze of fire on his exposed skin, and he let out a pained scream as he continued to be exposed to it. With his mask now damaged beyond repair, the strained, nigh-inaudible sound of Anakin’s voice echoed throughout the Death Star. It sounded as if his lungs were about to give out at any second, which only added to the pain he was experiencing. As he writhed in agony, Vader’s audio enhancers picked up the sound of clawed feet scraping against the Death Star’s floors. This knowledge seemed to dull the pain that wracked his body, and he slowly began to look up at the man who had done this to him.
As Anakin glared at him with those glowing, yellow eyes, Hakumen felt a brief flicker of pity. Once again, he was reminded of his time in the Dark War, this time when he stared down at the Black Beast’s true form. What had once been a fearsome creature, a monster that knew nothing save for rage and destruction, was no more. In its place was a man, one too injured to fight back, too injured to even move. And like with the Beast, there was only one thing left to do.
“So, this is your true form, eh? How pitiful.” Hakumen said in a melancholy tone. “While I cannot forgive your actions, I shall at least do you the honor of laying you to rest.”
Raising Ookami through the air, Hakumen gripped its hilt with both hands. Then, in a solemn voice, he said:
“Farewell, Anakin Skywalker.”
Ookami came down like a guillotine, its blade rushing toward Vader with the intent of severing his head from his body. Just when it seemed the ōdachi was about to slice through Vader’s neck, though, something happened that Hakumen couldn’t have predicted.
[Stop music]
Even though the pain seared through his mind, enough that he could feel himself coming close to blacking out, Vader reached out into the Force. As he struggled to remain concious, Vader began pushing against his opponent’s strength, and just when it seemed Ookami was about to pierce his throat, the blade suddenly came to a halt.
“What?” Hakumen asked, his tone a combination of confusion and frustration as he felt his weapon stop mid-stroke. Its tip was inches from Vader’s throat, but no matter how hard he pushed, the Nox Nyctores refused to budge!
“I’m afraid it isn’t my time just yet.” Vader responded as he reached deeper into the Force, slowly pushing Ookami further away. Once he had pushed it far enough, the Sith Lord could feel his vision starting to blur and fade, but he refused to let Hakumen overpower him!
With rage fueling his fading mind, a powerful roar suddenly tore through the Force, producing a concussive blast that slammed into Hakumen and sent him flying through the Death Star. As he watched his opponent grow more and more distant, Vader, feeling a moment of relief, allowed himself to briefly fall to the ground. Reaching his remaining arm out, the former Jedi grabbed hold of his amputated arm and brought it back up, using the Force to lock its wires and circuitry back in place.
Meanwhile, the feeling of air brushing against his back stirred Hakumen back to reality. While he could feel that the Susano’o Unit’s various gashes and holes had grown in size, this did nothing to dissuade him, as he returned to his feet with a quick backroll. He continued to skid against the ground for several seconds, but then- in a swift, fluid motion- Hakumen repositioned his legs so that they were in opposite positions, letting him rise back to his combative stance.
[If rooting for Vader]
[Start at 1:48]
[If rooting for Hakumen]
At the same time, Vader leapt after him, moving like a blur as he rapidly closed the distance between them. Upon landing in front of the hero, Vader immediately lashed out, delivering a diagonal slash that Hakumen barely managed to parry. Unperturbed, Skywalker threw out another slash, which Hakumen nearly failed to defend against. Noticing this growing weakness, Vader began throwing out more strikes, moving at a faster rate as he began immersing himself in the Force. Each attack caused him to give into it further, until finally, they were fully in sync. This was something Vader had only achieved twice before in his life: a state of total oneness with the Force.
Now under its full influence, Vader’s actions were no longer his own; they were now nothing more than mere extensions of the Force itself. It told him where to strike and in what way he should defend to prevent Hakumen from gaining the advantage. His swings were wild and unpredictable, yet their precision, growing power, and speed forced Hakumen to rely further on his defenses. Each swing of Ookami became an attempt to block or parry Vader’s own, and the interval in which he could create a Zanshin between strikes only seemed to be growing shorter.
‘Very well, Anakin. If you are unwilling to relent, then it seems I will have to gamble with fate.’ Hakumen thought as he suddenly lunged forward, summoning a Zanshin as he raised his left arm. Immediately recognizing his opponent’s tactics, Vader responded by raising his right arm, firing off a Force wave that launched Hakumen into the air.
A nanosecond later, and Vader followed suit, reaching the samurai almost immediately. His arrival was accompanied by a set of furious, destructive strikes to Hakumen’s body, each one moving so quickly that the samurai didn’t even have time to register the attack. By now, Vader’s movements had become so fast that his lightsaber seemed more akin to a blinding symphony of light and destruction. New scars carved themselves into the Susano’o Unit at faster-than-light speeds, and with each one Hakumen could feel his body threaten to fall apart.
As they reached the peak of their ascension, the leader of the Six Heroes brought up his arm, instinctively summoning a Zanshin to protect himself from the strikes. Unfortunately, even this was now struggling to impede Vader! The Sith Lord relentlessly battered against the runic barrier, moving so quickly that Hakumen couldn’t even counter him. All he could do was stand behind the Zanshin, watching helplessly as cracks began to form on its surface. Realizing he would soon find himself truly defenseless, Hakumen brought up his leg, waiting for the Zanshin to disappear. After a few tense seconds, the battered, cracked sigil began to fade in color, and Hakumen immediately went on the attack!
“Burn!” The samurai shouted as he smashed an energy-enhanced foot into Vader’s jaw, sending the Sith flying further through the air. Then, in a blatant defiance of the laws of physics, Hakumen leapt through the air once again, quickly catching up to the helpless cyborg. As he drew closer, Hakumen threw out an underhanded slash, intending to bifurcate Vader while he was still distracted by the pain. Unfortunately, it seemed that in his current state Vader either hadn’t felt the attack or had already recovered, as he was ready to meet Hakumen’s attack. Swinging his lightsaber in an outward arc, Anakin deflected the attack with an almost casual ease. Unperturbed, Hakumen tried again, only to meet the same result.
Raising Ookami through the air, Hakumen threw out a diagonal overhead slash, but it was met with a defensive, underhanded swing from Vader. An outward slash from Vader was met with one of equal strength from Hakumen. A cry of “Tsubaki” escaped from the Susano’o Unit, but the spinning slash would be met with one that rivaled his own power. Unlike seconds ago, this time it seemed that neither one was gaining an advantage over the other, but this would soon change as they once again hit their peaks. Flying past Vader, the white-clad swordsman repositioned himself in midair, now above his adversary and sporting a hand coated in black, ink-like energy.
“Fall!” Hakumen commanded as he swiped at Vader, raking his claws against the former Jedi’s face as the energy-enhanced strike pushed him back to the ground. As he descended through the air, Vader recovered with a quick backflip, landing with a loud THUD that cracked the ground beneath him. Even without the Force informing him of it, he could see in the floor’s reflection that Hakumen was descending on him like a hawk-bat, having already lifted Ookami above his head.
With the Force guiding his movements, Vader leapt out of the way, covering dozens of feet as he allowed the Force to course through his legs. At the same time, Hakumen swung down, only to feel brief confusion when he felt Ookami strike the floor. Looking up, he found himself staring at Vader, with a great distance now between them.
“Your persistence is impressive, Anakin. However…” Hakumen paused for a moment as he brought Ookami to his chest. “I’m afraid no amount of persistence will allow you to withstand this!”
“Like the surface of water, I calm my mind. Let this become mine blade.” As Hakumen chanted these words, an aura of white briefly surrounded his body, similar to when he had manifested the Power of Order. At the same time, Vader could feel the energy growing within Hakumen, and he immediately sensed the knight’s intentions within the Force.
‘So you intend to gamble your life with a single strike?’ Vader scoffed. ‘An unwise decision.’
With all of the Force’s power flowing through him, a single glance at Hakumen informed Anakin of every weakness in the Susano’o Unit’s structure. All it would take was one gesture, and the Unit would be crippled.
“Let evil be perished!” Hakumen declared, bringing the sword to his side as he widened his stance. For a moment, his legs seemed to tense up, and then he rushed forward!
“Empty Sky Form…”
As the White Susano’o closed the distance between them, the world surrounding both men faded into a blank white. Rapidly drawing closer, Hakumen brought his sword through the air, ready to deliver a finishing blow to the Sith Lord. And it was in this same moment that Vader targeted a major weakness in the Susano’o Unit, one located in the chest. This was the gash he had created earlier during their fight, and while it had healed somewhat, there was still enough left for him to exploit it! Focusing the Force into that single area, Vader tightened his grip until-
“Time Kill-“
CRUNCH!
“Aaaaaahhh!” A strangled scream emerged as Hakumen’s chest suddenly caved in, his gash doubling in size as the armor seemed to implode. The pain caused Hakumen to stop short just a few inches from Vader, leaving Ookami to hit thin air and brush against the Death Star floor. In an instant, all of the energy he had placed into that strike vanished, and he felt the overwhelming urge to collapse onto his knees. But even with this drained stamina, Hakumen refused to give in! Though he might have failed to inflict the Time Killer upon Anakin, that didn’t mean this battle was lost!
With a powerful roar, Hakumen charged forward, swinging Ookami with all his might. The blade had barely traveled a foot before Vader again reached out with the Force, pinching his fingers somewhat closer. A metallic CRUNCH rang out, followed by a weakened cry as Hakumen felt his arms become crushed. Without the strength to retain his grip, Ookami flew out of his hands, sailing past Vader and clattering against the Death Star’s floors.
With the hero now defenseless, Vader brought both arms into the air, forcing Hakumen’s body to begin levitating alongside them. Slowly, the cyborg began to close his hands, gradually applying more pressure with the Force. The first thing to go was Hakumen’s right leg, which was crushed like a tin can, with his left leg following suit shortly after. A metallic groan rang out as his right arm began to bend at an unnatural angle, which soon became an audible SNAP as it was dislocated. Seconds later, and the left arm would suffer the same fate, leaving Hakumen truly defenseless. With a small shift of the Force, three dents formed in the Susano’o Unit, with one in his stomach and two on his sides. A strangled groan emerged from Hakumen, which would suddenly die as the Force jerked him backwards, snapping his spine.
As the Susano’o Unit began to go limp, Vader, upon sensing life still inside of the armor, decided that it was time to end this! Slowly, he began to clench his fists, with each movement applying more pressure to the suit. Then, as he fully clenched his fists-
CRUNCH!
[Stop music]
The Susano’o Unit was completely crushed, causing Hakumen to let out a final scream of agony. Once this scream had died off, Vader felt the final flicker of life leave the Unit, and he allowed the dormant suit to fall to the floor.
With the battle now over, Vader deactivated his lightsaber and felt his union with the Force fade, replaced by a wave of exhaustion. Desperate to keep himself from passing out, Vader began channeling the Force through his body, though he knew that he wouldn’t be able to sustain himself for much longer. The blood loss he’d suffered and the damage to his helmet had made sure of that. Fortunately, it seemed he wouldn’t have to worry for much longer, as his damaged eardrums picked up the sound of armored boots marching toward him. Looking toward its direction, he found a small squad of Stormtroopers and Imperial officers marching toward him.
“Lord Vader,” one of the officers said, saluting as the troopers stood at attention, “I’d like to congratulate you on your victory.”
“Your words are appreciated, commander.” Vader responded, the visible strain of his words eliciting concerned looks from his men.
“Do you require any assistance, sir?”
Vader shook his head. “No. I can make it to the medical center myself. As for the intruder,” Vader gestured toward the crushed armor, “dispose of his remains.”
The commander and his men saluted, and as they spread out to perform their duties, Vader began walking toward the medbay. As he did so, the words Hakumen had spoken seemed to rush back to him, like some sort of lingering specter.
“If you truly wished to establish order, then you would’ve deposed Palpatine long ago. Instead, you’ve served under him without question, slaughtering countless lives without batting an eye!”
Was that true? Had he truly allowed himself to become nothing more than the Emperor’s pawn? Had he learned nothing from when Sidious had convinced him to rely more on the dark side, deceiving him until it had cost him everything from his past?
Vader tightened his fist.
‘Perhaps you were right, Jin.’ He thought angrily. ‘For too long, I have allowed myself to be controlled by the Emperor, but that will change soon enough! Once he is overthrown, perhaps…’ he looked down at his clenched prosthetic arm. ‘Perhaps I will finally be able to atone for the sins of my past.’
Brendan’s Versus Battles 
Great fight! Loved the action, the music choices, and the dialogue. My favorite part has to be where they exchanged mind-reads, as well as Vader just straight-up going “lol, nope” before Hakumen could land the Time Killer. Good explanation for the verdict too.
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Thanks! Aside from making sure Hakumen’s dialogue was accurate, the music was the main thing I was worried about while writing this, so it’s good to hear that you liked them!
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Great Job, dude! This was a super fun battle! One of my favorite parts is when Vader began using the environment with the Force to attack Hakumen
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Thanks! Did you have any thoughts on the verdict?
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I thought the verdict was pretty solid on why Vader won.
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Damn man that was great! Definitely worth the wait. Favorite moments had to be when both exchanged mind reads, Hakumen’s Astral Heat, and the finisher.
Keep up the fantastic work!!!
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Thanks!
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