In Olympus, there was once a brave, strong, and noble lion in the Nemean Valley. He was named after that valley, and he won every fight he started. He thought himself courageous and powerful, but in truth he just didn't know what fear was.
Zo (narrating): Heracles showed up one day and I challenged him. He got me in a chokehold. I learned what fear really was then. After that battle, the World Representative Zeus enshrined me as the king of beasts among the stars. Yep, that's me. The Transient of Leo, one of the 12 zodiac signs of the Myth at the top of the sky everyone knows about. But I only got this fame and title because I was just stuck up there. I never knew of anything outside the Nemean Valley. I never actually had the courage to challenge something that I feared. I never was brave enough to decide where I would go. At night, I think about how I wanted to redo my regrets and be a real lion, a real king of beasts. I wanted to be somewhere I wanted to be, and be something worth it. And that's how I got summoned to Tokyo.
Zo (narrating): When I was brought to Tokyo, I was brought to this theater in Chiyoda, Yurakucho. That's where I met him. He went by Oz and said it was an alias. He said that was all he had, that he was a fictional being. He was just a folk tale, an urban legend. Not enough to be a Myth. Or at least that's what this white haired girl standing next to him said. This meeting with him was artificially set up by the Yurakucho guild and the East, by her and the Yurakucho guildmaster known as the Urban Legend User. This was an experiment they were doing to culture a Nonexistent Fiction, an urban legend like myself who can't exist as a single entity. "Drag him, wear him, lead him" or some shit. Him being this pussy who apologizes if you yell at him a little. But then Oz told me he wanted to go to the world of stars. It pissed me off that people called him weak. No one knows what courage really is. He's had it to begin with.
Present
Zo: I'LL EAT YOU ALL! (pow)
Demons: REEEEE
MC: Oh my god Oz just kicked all those youkais' asses!
Gorozaemon: Haha, it's like you're someone else. Oh wait, you ARE someone else!
Zo: Yeah! I'm that coward's ideal, the coolest and strongest lion! The great, brave Oz!
Zo (narrating): I remember that time I met Heracles. I didn't have courage back then. Next thing I knew, I was inside Oz. I ran away from the hero. I was planning on coming back out when Oz got away from Heracles...but I didn't. While I hid, he found his courage. He stood up on his own strength. I'm supposed to be his ideal self, the one with the bravery and strength he didn't. But when he becomes his ideal self, what do I do with myself? That's why I stayed inside. I didn't know what my ideal self was. But then...
Zo: He asked me to fight together with him! In that case, I'll rampage as I like, as I am! I'll be me until the day he comes up to the sea of stars and say I'll be his friend! I'll walk that yellow brick road with him! Now bitch, get out of the way!
Demons: AAAAAHHH
Heracles: I see. Nemean Lion, warrior of Leo, you were inside Oz... Well done, comrade in arms!
Zo: STOP CALLING ME THAT
Heracles: Oh...were you afraid of me?
Oz: I don't remember anymore! I'm Oz now!
Heracles: ...okay. I thank you for your help, brave Oz!
Smoky God: *!!*
*Smoky God's Stand faces off against Zo!*
Smoky God: ...this reminds me of that snow lion's younger days when he was my guardian and rivaled me in strength. His power was the embodiment of the void, Śūnyatā. It has the same meaning as one of the three treasures of Buddhism, dharma. And you are the lion deified at the heights of the heavens. I see, that's why you can compete!
MC: It's working!
Smoky God: ...normally you wouldn't be a match for me and my power as World Representative. Asura...no, MC. All I want is to save you from this world of suffering.
MC: I don't hate you, but I decide where I'm going to go.
Smoky God: I see...but still, I cannot step back!
Gorozaemon: Looking good there! Melee, melee! Make my day, people!
MC: Here we go, Smoky God!
BATTLE START (more happens later)
In Tokyo, there are the 23 people who stand at the top of their world's hierarchies. Each of these World Representatives hold their own faiths. And there are Walls that define the border between the mortal world and the next world. A certain myth of one faith says that once the world was one, but the people of the world tried to build a tower and reach unparalleled heights. Divine wrath struck them and split the world, dividing the people, their languages, and their faiths. If you try to cross between the worlds, Walls will appear. They are dragons who surround the world and bite their own tails, different from the lizards (re: dragons) who cut off their own tails. And the 23 Wall System was created to imprison even the Exiles rejected by the majority of the world.
Present
Smoky God: Not yet! I will take you outside reincarnation, to Shangri La my friend!
MC: Plot Sword Activate!
Smoky God (narrating): I know that sword. That was the sword you used to cut yourself away from the world. Its true nature is a lizard/dragon's tail to be detached as a part of yourself to leave. Your sacrifice was necessary to continue my world and its people's existences going. I wanted to save you from the repeating battles and reincarnation, from these walls. But that is the one thing that did not happen. I want to save him from Tokyo, so the thing I truly must do is...
Everyone has been returned to the Theatorium attraction!
Smoky God: !?
Gorozaemon: Wait what why were we all thrown back here? No wait, we were Thwarted. Looks things turned back with that ocean disappearing?
MC: No really what just happened. Smoky God, did you cancel the shift?
Smoky God: No...but as things are now, the other world and Yurakucho are no longer connected.
Gorozaemon: Oh. You lost?
Smoky God: ...unfortunately. I missed out on inviting you to a banquet.
Gorozaemon: Haha, yeah! You don't look that upset though.
Smoky God: ...oh, I see. Is that how I look...?
Gorozaemon: So, what now? We lost, we caused you problems, so you get to demand payback. You want our heads?
MC: ...will you invite me to another party like normal? I still don't trust you, but I want to know more about you.
Smoky God: ...of course. You really are something...
Gorozaemon: I know, right? Heh, now I don't feel like resisting anymore.
Smoky God (narrating): I want to save you, and my feelings are neither false nor changed. But still, I was a resigned spectator...I want to step forward a little bit. I'll do it even if you brush my hand away, if you reject my attempts to help you. I want to make speeches to you, the way I did to Asura within you before. I wish that one day beyond the infinite reincarnations, you will choose to save yourself. I want to be with you and talk about everything there is to talk about as you travel your path.
Present
Smoky God: Thank you, my dear friend MC. I remember now. I wanted to talk to you...just like this. I wanted to talk to you about my thoughts and wishes when you get down to it. That's all. Will you accept my invitations again later? For now, let's go back to the party. I'll arrange for--
Yamasachi: YOU GUYS SOMETHIN'S WRONG WITH JORMUNGANDR
Jormungandr: Urgh. Feels bad man...
Yamasachi: W-what's wrong!?
Jormungandr: Well, I suddenly got my memories back. I'm one of Tokyo's Walls or something.
MC: YOU CAN'T JUST DROP THAT SO CASUALLY!
Jormungandr: I'm now obligated to eliminate everyone in Yurakucho.
Yamasachi: W-what
Jormungandr: Oh wow I can feel myself blacking out by the second. Sorry guys, hope you can deal with me somehow.
Yamasachi: Wait what, hang on!
Heracles: Brother Yamasachi, no! Get away from him!
Yamasachi: WHAT AAAAHH
Jormungandr starts expanding in size!
Jormungandr: SCREEEEE
Gorozaemon: Whoops, this looks bad guys. So Boss, was this planned from the start?
Smoky God: Of course not. This is surprising even me. I mean I might have known about this if I weren't my illusionary self, but maybe...
Yamasachi: W-wait you know somethin'!? What the hell's goin' on!?
Zo: We gotta get outta here first, a lot of somethings are coming!
Wild Sahagins appeared!
Heracles: What!?
MC: I dunno, but we gotta get somewhere where we can talk and think! RETREAT!
Sahagins: HISSSSS
Smoky God: MC! We need to evacuate the guests! This way! We'll talk later, but first we get away from here.
Later
Heracles: Okay we should be fine here. I'll radio in to keep the evacuations going.
MC: Okay we're sorta okay now! Can you explain now? / Jormungandr...
Gorozaemon: Well you saw for yourself with Jormungandr...or that Wall I guess. Someone tried to leave Tokyo, and now he's trying to eliminate everyone in Yurakucho.
Smoky God: ...Jormungandr bears the role of Wall. He is the wall and System that surrounds Tokyo itself.
Gorozaemon: Okay, but why is he here
MC: ...the why can wait. We need to think of what to do now / ...you have any idea why, Smoky God?
(C) Smoky God: I could stand against him if I did. I don't.
Gorozaemon: Well he's a Wall. What I want to know is why he's in the middle of Tokyo.
Smoky God: I don't know why, but Jormungandr is here. He's likely here as the dragon surrounding Tokyo and the Wall System. I don't know why the overworld shift disappeared without my wishing for it and why the situation isn't under control despite that though.
Gorozaemon: Yeah, that's not getting us anywhere. Right now we gotta do something about this interesting awful situation.
Heracles: I understand what's happening...I think. And Gorozaemon, what I want to know isn't the reason.
Yamasachi: Yeah same...so what do we do?
Gorozaemon: Oh, that's easy. He's stuck in his functions.
Heracles: ...meaning, he can't control himself?
Gorozaemon: Basically!
Zo: So what do WE do? He can't listen to us, right?
Gorozaemon: Bingo! Now it's time for my super awesome idea!
MC: ...baaaad feelings
Gorozaemon: WE PUNCH HIM OUT!
Shocked reaction shot!
MC: I knew it!
End of Episode
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