He knew the boy too well to ever think that he would have been capable of such a brutal, ruthless assault as this. Agito and Akane Makishima, they were the ones who would have the drive to do something such as this. They were the ones who would be all too willing to sacrifice the lives of innocent civilians in their quest for revenge. If the reports had been of the Dark Gigantic causing this kind of havoc, then Imakarum would have been willing to give them credence.

But Sho Fukamachi was not a person who would do such things.

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Isis had been returned to her processing-tank, to be infused with the energy that she would need to perform her duties as Chronos' auxiliary Zoalord. The repairs to the Arizona base, while they were proceeding along nicely were also merely cosmetic in nature. Still, the fact remained that nothing else had gone wrong and business at this branch of Chronos was proceeding well.

It was a blessed moment of peace; and Dr. Balkus was grateful for it.

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Waiting for Lord Fried'rich to make the expected report; that Sho Fukamachi had not been involved in the attack at all and that some confused citizen had somehow managed to mistake the Dark Gigantic for his gold counterpart, had become rather tedious. Still, Imakarum had promised Lord Fried'rich that he would lend his support in this endeavor, and if that meant that he would have to stay at Cloud Gate while Lord Fried'rich was likely dealing with one of the Makishimas, then he was going to do just that.

Even if the very idea of doing such bored him out of his skull.

Rising from his seat to pace the length of the room again, Imakarum resisted the urge to contact Lord Fried'rich and request an update. The news would have been useless, even if he had had any inclination to listen to the petty views of humans on what one of the Lords of Chronos was doing. Humans would have not been allowed into the areas where they would be able to see any of the battle between Lord Fried'rich and the Dark Gigantic. There would be some pretext for the restriction, of course. Something the humans would believe and abide by.

Sitting back in his chair and reading over the breeding manifests that he had brought for himself, Imakarum kept his mind open for any contact from Lord Fried'rich. Even a request for assistance; as unlikely as that was.

The Zoanoid models being developed in this Section were fairly standard, nothing particularly notable. There were precious few Hyper Zoanoids being developed, either because sufficiently compatible humans had not been found, or because Lord Fried'rich had not been interested in taking the time for such advanced Zoaforms to be selected and then processed. With the increase in the number and ferocity of the attacks by Guyver III and his counterpart, that would have to change.

Hyper Zoanoids had a far better chance of surviving a battle with a Guyver than Standard Zoanoids. Since Akane never seemed to be the one to wield the power of the Gigantic Dark in combat, instead relying on the weapons that she now carried into battle. They seemed to be merely enhanced versions of the weapons that human soldiers were known to carry with them. Admittedly useful against mere Standard Zoanoids, they would doubtless prove to be useless against the enhanced bodies of Hyper Zoanoids.

Sensing a sudden, powerful energy surge, Imakarum looked up from the breeding manifest and focused his mind. It seemed that Lord Fried'rich had decided to transform; an understandable choice, given the fact that he was most likely facing Agito Makishima's Dark Gigantic. Lord Fried'rich would need all the power he could bring to bear to be able to force Agito Makishima to heel.

Imakarum could feel the distortions and instabilities in the local weather patterns that had been created by Lord Fried'rich's power; as he brought gargantuan lightning bolts crashing down on the head of the Dark Gigantic. Agito Makishima would rue the day he had ever decided to take up arms against Chronos.

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In Washington State, on a low hillside just two miles away from the U.S.A. Third Operations Plant, the main force of the Zeus Thunderbolt resistance group was waiting.

"This is the headquarters of Chronos; their 'Pillars of Heaven'," Akane informed the large group of soldiers that had gathered around her, Agito and Shizu. "Under which you can see their protectorate: the Third Operations Plant."

"Our objective here is the complete and utter destruction of this base!" Agito shouted, his strong voice carrying over the assembled ranks of their soldiers in the same way that Akane's own had. "We will show Chronos the power of the Thunderbolts! Go!"

Their forces charged down the hillside; men on a mission to destroy the Chronos base that stood in front of them. Akane, Agito and Shizu watched as their forces ripped into the defending Zoanoids, scattering them like frightened mice and killing more than a few.

It was quite a thing to witness.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

Imakarum, having long since grown accustomed to the power fluctuations generated by Lord Fried'rich's battle with the Dark Gigantic, was continuing to read up on the Zoanoid models that were being produced by this branch of Chronos. Lord Fried'rich would contact him if there was any need of his presence in the battle. Imakarum was certain of that.

Sitting back in his chair again, Imakarum sensed a brief flash of apprehension from Lord Fried'rich. Standing up and focusing, not wanting to contact his fellow Lord on the chance that he was in a pitched battle and needed all of his concentration, Imakarum sensed that Lord Fried'rich was doing rather well in his battle. There was a distinct air of satisfaction about him; he had not yet won his battle, but Lord Fried'rich seemed truly confident in his ability to do so.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

The reports of the attack on Chronos' Third Operations Plant in Washington state had been rather disquieting, but the reports that the attack had been made by Zoanoids was even more disturbing. The visuals of the attack, with those new Zoanoids crushing the skulls and tearing the limbs of his own Zoanoids, were rather gruesome. Still, there was a very simple way to deal with invading Zoanoids.

And such advanced Zoaforms as these would be very useful to Chronos' goals.

He was currently in the process of mollifying the currant base commander for the Third Operations Plant. The Hyper Zoanoid, who was acting as interim commander for the Third Operations Plant while Shin was trying to ascertain the motives of the three Zoalords who had expressed such an interest in attacking the Gigantic Guyver, was rightfully worried about the group of new and powerful Zoanoids that were attacking the Third Operations Plant.

Still, even if they were somehow resistant to telepathy, these new Zoanoids would not be able to resist his telepathy once it had been amplified by the equipment in the basement. This was what he explained to the interim commander of the Third Operations Plant. And, even now, he was heading toward the basement.

Those foolish, rebellious Zoanoids would not be able to continue their senseless rampage for very much longer.

"Activate the Amplifier!" Dr. Balkus ordered.

The Zoanoids under his command rushed to carry out his orders, and soon the Amplifier was activated and humming. Sitting on the throne in the center of the Generator, Dr. Balkus focused his mind on the attacking Zoanoids. Tapping into their minds was proving to be rather difficult, however.

-So you still think to resist my telepathy, eh? Well not for much longer. You will cease your senseless violence and kneel!-

There was no reaction from the attacking Zoanoids, save for the fact that most of them continued their savage rampage. -I said you will kneel!-

Still nothing, and now Dr. Balkus could sense that there was another presence shielding the minds of these Zoanoids, and presumably commanding them as well. It felt like there was another Zoalord here now; but that was impossible. The Council, of which he was a prominent part, were the only Zoalords in existence, and all of them were loyal to Chronos.

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Fried'rich was honestly shocked at all the destruction that had been caused, not by his own attacks but by Sho Fukamachi. All of this was something that he had believed only Agito or Akane Makishima was capable of doing. But the swathe of destruction that had been carved through his protectorate city was obvious evidence to the contrary.

Even in spite of what Imakarum had said; and now this other had showed up. Aptom; the one who had been causing so much damage to Chronos, literally eating the Zoanoids that they had created. And now he seemed to have allied himself with the Guyver. Although, his latest words did make it seem as if he had no real affection for the Guyver named Sho Fukamachi.

Which made Fried'rich all the more curious as to why this Lost Number was aiding the Guyver at all. It was a strange situation, to be sure, but that was not the foremost thing on Fried'rich's mind at this time. What he was most concerned about was protecting himself and his people from the Gigantic Guyver.

The same Gigantic Guyver that had just told Aptom that he would beat Fried'rich with his bare hands.

"Do not underestimate me, Guyver! I am far stronger than the Zoanoids you have been murdering so callously! I will show you my true power, and you will know the folly of your arrogance!"

Fried'rich fired a powerful blast of electrical energy from the crystal-emitter set into the center of his chest. A blast that, unfortunately, both Aptom and the Gigantic Guyver managed to dodge. Though, in the case of the Gigantic Guyver, not entirely. Fried'rich was gratified that his attack had not gone entirely to waste, and so decided to take further advantage of the situation.

Still, the fact that the boy had managed to wound him rather severely with that gravity-enhanced punch of his - in spite of the fact that most of the force of the blow had been diluted by his own attack - was disconcerting to the Zoalord of Lightning. There was a chance that he would not be able to finish this battle alone. Still, Lord Imakarum had volunteered to act as his backup for this mission. There was a comfort to be found in the presence of the Zoalord of Gravity, even if it was only in potentia.

"You will not escape your crimes so lightly, Guyver," Fried'rich growled, enraged all over again that he had been so easily deceived by Sho Fukamachi's facade of gentleness and docility. "If you continue to attack me, I will electrocute you!"

The Lost Number, Aptom, warned the Gigantic Guyver of his impending attack. Fried'rich was able to sense the boy's retaliatory attack and then to deflect and absorb the infrared laser with the lower half of his right arm. Then he was forced to raise his force-shield quickly to intercept a sudden thrust by the Gigantic Guyver's elongated Vibration Blade. The Gigantic Guyver seemed rather surprised by this action, despite the fact that Fried'rich knew the boy had faced Imakarum and Hikari Mirabilis several times before.

Fried'rich fired his Crystal Laser, shearing off the Vibration Blades on both arms of the Gigantic Guyver. This action provoked the Gigantic into a foolish, reckless charge directly at him. And that gave him the opportunity to reinforce his shield to withstand any further attacks that the Gigantic Guyver might try to launch against him.

Especially given his obviously weakened condition.

When the Gigantic Guyver slammed his fist into Fried'rich's force-shield, the energy of it crackling and sparking against his knuckles, Fried'rich watched as the small orbs on the Gigantic Guyver's knuckles were severely damaged by the energy that had been channeled through them.

"Now you are not only unable to utilize your barrier, but that right arm of yours is useless as well," Fried'rich said, his arms still crossed in front of his chest to maintain the necessary circuit for the force-shield that he was using to defend himself. "In your present condition you will not ever be able to destroy my force-shield, Guyver."

"I may not be able to use my right arm for any attacks, but it still works!" Sho Fukamachi shouted, diving at him with his right fist outstretched as if to strike. "And you can't use your lightning attack if you're busy defending yourself with that barrier!"

The crackle of energy against the Gigantic Guyver's fist as the boy slammed his damaged hand further into Fried'rich's barrier was a disconcerting thing for the Zoalord of Lightning to witness. It was as if the boy had no care for his own physical health anymore.

"I said that you would not be able to destroy my force-shield with your bare hands; and yet you continue to try. Have you no sense? You cannot destroy my force-shield with mere physical attacks!"

"At least- I can try," the Guyver panted, large jets of steam shooting from the facial vents in his helmet. "It's all I can do, after you slaughtered so many innocent people just to lure me here!"

"What?" Fried'rich was taken aback.

The anger that the boy was displaying seemed genuine; more than that, all of the reports on Sho Fukamachi that he had been privileged to read - including the psychological evaluations - indicated that the boy was not one to take the killing of innocent civilians lightly. So perhaps there was more to this situation than Fried'rich had at first suspected. Still, there would be time to find out later, when he was not involved in a struggle for his life.

"I can never forgive you for what you did! I'll kill you with my bare hands if I have to!"

So saying, Sho slammed his fist into Fried'rich's force-shield. And, as Fried'rich watched in horrified astonishment, he tore through it entirely. What was this boy, that he could break a Zoalord's defenses even with as much damage as he had taken?

And what was he, that he could still fight on in spite of his damaged state?

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

Dr. Balkus gritted his teeth in annoyance. These new Zoanoids; still attacking in spite of the fact that he had just commanded them to stop; in spite of the fact that he was Chronos' second most powerful telepath; in spite of the fact that the Amplifier in Chronos Arizona made his telepathic powers strong enough to fully control even a mere human, were thoroughly infuriating him. He had thought briefly of having Isis transported to Washington so that she would be able to participate in the battle, but by the time she arrived, it would more than likely be over. Still, he might perhaps have a use for Chronos' auxiliary Zoalord.

However, there would be time for such things as he was considering after these defiant Zoanoids had been subdued. And subduing them would entail finding out just who was protecting these Zoanoids from his telepathic power. And there had to be someone, Dr. Balkus knew, even Lost Numbers would have been bowing before his will with the amount of power he was using.

Dr. Balkus hissed in frustration, taking firm hold of Isis Mirabilis' mind and forcing her to teleport to his location. Grasping Isis' head firmly in both his hands as she knelt in front of his seat, Dr. Balkus activated her telepathic powers and used them to boost his own. This was something that was possible only because Isis currently had no thoughts, no will, of her own.

That enabled him to use Isis as an extension of the Amplifier; using her telepathic powers to further assault this 'Griselda' who was causing him so much trouble. It almost made Dr. Balkus regret that Isis was eventually going to be restored to consciousness when Lord Alkanphel returned to full health.

Isis was almost more useful this way.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

Fried'rich knew that it was only a matter of time before his barrier collapsed; he knew that his own energy would only hold out for a short time. The Gigantic Guyver, damaged though it was, did not seem to be overly concerned with the damage done to it. Fried'rich now knew that Sho Fukamachi was operating out of a very strong, if misplaced, sense of rage.

Still, when the Gigantic Guyver crashed through his force-shield, and beyond that when the boy managed to knock him over, Fried'rich was shocked. Not so much by the Gigantic Guyver's ferocity, but by the fact that the boy had managed to destroy his force-shield.

But, as the crushing blow slammed into his gut, Fried'rich found that he had no more time to think about things like that. Fried'rich spasmed, feeling more pain than could have come from simply being punched by the weakened Gigantic Guyver. As he gagged, coughing up some of his own blood, Fried'rich realized that this damage had been done a while ago.

It had most likely been when both he and the Gigantic Guyver fired at one another simotainiously. Fried'rich had seen his own lightning bolt connect with the Gigantic Guyver, but he had thought that the boy's retaliatory attack had been deflected. Apparently not.

"I had thought to avoid this," Fried'rich said, coughing as more blood bubbled up in his throat. "Still, I will not resign myself to defeat so easily, Guyver."

"Give up, Purg'stall! You can't win in that state! You might have tried to lure me here with that Hyper Zoanoid disguised as a fake Gigantic, but you're not going to get away with it!"

A fake Gigantic? "That was not any plan of mine," Fried'rich panted, the pain of his injuries starting to make him light-headed.

"Don't lie to me! I know that only Chronos would have the resources to make a Hyper Zoanoid that could imitate the Gigantic! And only Chronos would be evil enough to kill all those innocent people just to lure me out here!"

A Hyper Zoanoid designed to look like the Gigantic Guyver? Then... could this have all been set up to lure the both of us to this place? But why?

When Fried'rich saw Aptom collapse, a rather large hole blown through his torso, Fried'rich wondered just who it was that had come to his aid.

"You seem to be in quite a difficult situation, Brother."

The voice was one that Fried'rich recognized very quickly; it was the voice of Luggnagg De Krumeggnik. What was he doing here? Were he and his three fellow Lords truly here to offer their assistance? And if so, why had they not deigned to show themselves at the beginning rather than the end of this battle?

"Kablarl? Luggnagg? Jabir? Why have you three come here?"

"What kind of silly question is that?" Jabir asked, tilting his head slightly in the manner reminiscent of a bird. "Do you think that you even need ask for help from your fellow Lords after that disaster at Yokohama?"

"I suppose that your assistance would be beneficial-"

"Then the matter is settled," Kablarl said firmly. "Rest yourself, Lord Purg'stall; you've fought bravely, now let us finish this Guyver."

"Listen to me, Guyver Gigantic," Luggnagg said forcefully, pointing at the injured boy. "Now that the three of us have arrived, you have no chance of winning this battle! Prepare to die, Guyver Gigantic!"

Breathing slowly and deeply to take his mind off of his injuries, even as he could feel his body working to heal them, Fried'rich began to see a most unusual sight; the Gigantic Guyver seemed to be struggling with something. It was as if he could no longer hold himself together, or maybe as if he could no loner hold himself upright?

When the armor of the Gigantic literally burst off, reforming into an empty husk and then disappearing inside a cocoon behind the boy who had once been wearing it, Fried'rich was honestly shocked. What had happened, that Sho Fukamachi had not been able to keep control of the Gigantic? Judging by his body language, this was not something that the boy had intended to happen at all.

"Now all that remains is for us to decide how to kill this boy," Kablarl practically cackled.

Aptom, though he was still obviously injured and exhausted by the battle, stepped in front of Sho to protect him. Something that Fried'rich had not been expecting; certainly not with the animosity that the Lost Number had been displaying earlier. It was an odd situation, to be sure.

His fellow Lords obviously thought the same, judging by the expressions on their faces. Of course now that Aptom, injured as he was, was trying to stand in defence of Guyver I things were liable to become more complicated. Aptom and Sho Fukamachi were speaking in low tones to one another, low enough that Fried'rich couldn't hear what they were saying.

"And what do you two think you're doing?" Jabir mocked. "Praying for salvation, maybe?"

"I got your salvation right here, bastard!"

Even as the Lost Number said this, Fried'rich could see that his entire biomass was starting to undergo a startling change. Aptom seemed to be transmuting himself into a massive collection of biomissles.

"They're being created from every part of his body!"

For a moment, Luggnagg sounded as unnerved as Fried'rich himself felt. Then Jabir spoke, his voice calm and assured as it always seemed to be.

"It will be a simple matter to maintain our shields, even with this nuisance assaulting us."

Indeed, all of the missiles at Aptom had created were detonating against the force-shield that his three fellow Lords were maintaining. Fried'rich himself was still too weak from his earlier exertion to be of any use in helping to maintain the shield, but that did not mean that he was blind. He could see Aptom's body slowly coming apart, disintegrating as he used his remaining physical mass to generate a seemingly unending barrage of biological missiles.

Fried'rich could hear the derision in the voices of his fellow Lords as they spoke, but he himself was far more preoccupied with astonishment at the fact that Aptom - one who had seemed to have no real affection for the boy named Sho Fukamachi - would sacrifice his own existence to protect that very person. It did not make any sense at all. When Aptom vanished, his entire physical form consumed by the physical transmutation he had forced on himself, Fried'rich stared in shock at the devastation left behind.

"This is not possible!" Jabir exclaimed. "The missiles were a part of his own body! How could he have escaped while he was firing them at us?! And without leaving a trace behind?!"

Fried'rich suspected that he knew the answer to that, but it was not something that he felt he could explain to the others in his weakened condition. He sensed it when Kablarl left, though, and he wondered what had drawn the other Zoalord away. Guyver I had disappeared by now as well, though Fried'rich had seen him tunneling into the ground and so he knew how the boy had managed to escape.

Time would tell if Aptom was dead or had truly managed to escape somehow.

"I captured Aptom," Kablarl said, as he floated serenely back down to where the three of them were gathered.

Perhaps less time than I thought, Fried'rich mused, catching sight of the stone statue that had once been Aptom.

"It troubles me that we were unable to capture Guyver I," Luggnagg said, looking to the sky despite the fact that Fried'rich had seen Sho escape underground.

Perhaps Luggnagg had not seen that due to all the dust.

"His escape is of very little consequence," Kablarl said calmly, displaying the frozen form of Aptom like a trophy. "We will be able to lure him back with more attractive bait."

Lure him? the way you thought to lure him to this place with a Hyper Zoanoid disguised as the Gigantic? Fried'rich tried very hard not to make any sudden moves, as an abrupt and very unpleasant suspicion burst forth in his mind. Perhaps the Guyver boy was not the only target of their manipulation.

"You would think to use the corpse of someone that boy considers a friend to lure him to his death?" There was no reaction from any of the three. "Would you also think to lure me here as well?!"

This time, the only reaction Fried'rich received was a smirk from Luggnagg. That was not something that reassured him. And then Luggnagg was moving, and firing-

-Imakarum! I need-- but the pain was too much for him to form and transmit the rest of his thought.

He would only have to hope that Imakarum would come...

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

Imakarum stood, swiftly enough that he almost knocked the chair he had been sitting in sprawling across the room. He had been given all of the information that he needed. Lord Fried'rich had been in enough distress that Imakarum was able to track his mental signal and teleport to his location.

When he arrived at the scene, Imakarum saw Lord Fried'rich lying in a pool of his own blood, a large hole blown in his mid-chest area. Lords Shin, Kablarl, Luggnagg and Jabir were gathered around the body, although none of them seemed to be at their best. Imakarum was rather shocked at the sight himself; if it had not been for the fact that Imakarum could sense the fact that Lord Fried'rich was very close to losing his life, Imakarum would have probably been there in shock with his fellow Lords.

"Excuse me," he said calmly, moving to pick up the insensate form of Lord Fried'rich.

"What are you doing, Imakarum?" Lord Shin asked, sounding startled and disapproving in equal measures.

"I'm taking Lord Fried’rich to the Arizona Headquarters. Lord Hamilcal has," here Imakarum paused for a moment, considering his choice of words carefully. "A special treatment that will restore him to full health in a very short time."

"Now Imakarum, there is no need to try and offer false hope to our dear Shin," Jabir said, sounding slightly uncomfortable.

With Lord Fried'rich settled in his arms, Imakarum was eager to be on his way. "It's not false," he muttered absently, as he focused and teleported both himself and his precious cargo to the Arizona Headquarters.

-Lord Hamilcal, bring Isis!- Imakarum called, as he teleported to the Arizona Headquarters. -Lord Fried'rich is badly injured,- Imakarum turned in mid-thought, sensing the arrival of two more Zoalords in the room with him.

"Yes, I sensed that you were in a great deal of distress," Lord Hamilcal said, sounding rather distressed himself. "In any case, this is what Isis was developed for; it is time she proved her worth."

The blank, staring eyes of Isis Mirabilis showed no reaction as Lord Hamilcal moved her into position, taking hold of her hands and setting them down on the sides of Lord Fried'rich's grievous wound. Isis' Zoacrystal, and then her entire body, began to pulse with energy; and as Imakarum stepped forward to watch, the wound began to close.

"His lifesigns are stable," Imakarum said calmly, checking the readings of the monitors he had attached to Lord Fried'rich. "And his wound is healing rather quickly. Good work, Doctor; your creation is performing incredibly well."

"I suspected she would perform as such," Lord Hamilcal said, as Imakarum continued to watch the wound. "I put a great deal of work into this latest creation. It is gratifying to see that the work I put into her is paying off so well."

Imakarum nodded, already more focused on Lord Fried'rich's wound than on anything else. It was strange- the Guyver would have doubtless been facing Lord Fried'rich from the front. But the wound on the chest of the Zoalord of Lightning was very odd; it almost looked like an exit wound. And Lord Fried'rich was not one who would turn his back on any enemy as dangerous as a Guyver.

But the wound was clearly an exit wound. An exit wound on the front of his body. That could only mean- The arrival of another Zoalord temporarily distracted Imakarum from his pondering, and he turned to see that Lord Shin was the one who had distracted him.

"Imakarum I- who is he? And what is he doing to Fried'rich?"

"She is healing his wounds," Imakarum said calmly. "It will take some time for her to restore Lord Fried'rich to full heath, but he will be quite well when she finishes."

"She?"

"Yes," Imakarum nodded, turning to look over his shoulder at Lord Shin as his fellow Lord came to stand at Lord Fried'rich's side with him. "Her name is Isis Mirabilis."

"Mirabilis?" The surprise in Lord Shin's voice was very understandable. "Is she your daughter?"

"In a manner of speaking," Imakarum smiled, gently resting his hand on Isis' left shoulder. "She was Yukari Fukamachi, at one time. But that was before Lady Hikari managed to bring her to Chronos. Now she is Isis Mirabilis, Chronos' youngest Zoalord."