Alarms rang throughout EL Bank. Countless guards lay unmoving around demolished furniture and shattered walls.

Lady Diamond Hornet grunted once and then fell back into the ruins of a wall, no longer conscious.

Ivan lay against one of the walls, a broken tesla cannon sparking next to him.

And past the smoking turrets and twisted metal gates…

The captain approached a small door to the side of the main vault. He glanced around the room. Armored figures screamed and clutched at their eyes, crying out at invisible terrors. He grinned and reached for the door…

 

THWACK!

 

The door slammed open and a staff struck his head.

 

“I’m coming, I’m coming! Hold your dang horses! If you all want to trap me in some interdimensional prison, I’m at least going to bring some books to read!”

 

Baba Yaga hobbled out of the room, carrying a sack of books.

The captain sighed.

It was always boring when they came willingly.

 

He didn't notice a single crow hiding in the room, holding a letter in its beak...

 

---

 

Dr. Ueda and Vaidehi Dayal were walking through the park when a group of figures hidden under cloaks approached them, surrounding the two women on all sides.

Dr. Ueda frowned and reached for her back pocket when Miss Dayal held up a hand.

 

“They are here for me…isn’t that right?”

 

One of the figures stepped forward, removing his hood. He appeared as a human male…with strangely purple veins and a slight glow to his eyes.

 

“That we are. I’m looking forward to this.”

 

“I’m sure. But a battle here would catch many innocents in the crossfire. Tell me this…if I surrender, will you leave them alone?”

 

The captain sighed.

 

“For now. After that will depend on them.”

 

Miss Dayal smiled and turned to Dr. Ueda.

 

“Then this is the moment I atone.”

 

She stepped forward, spreading her hands out.

The other figures brought their cannon forward as the captain sighed.

 

“How boring…”

 

A beam…

 

a flash of light…

 

And the Destroyer of Ulsan was gone.

 

Dr. Ueda was left gritting her teeth as the figures vanished.

 

A small earthquake shook the entire globe that day.

 

---

 

A woman in a kunoichi outfit cried out as she flew through the air. She crashed into a store front, vanishing in a cloud of dust and debris.

The Scarlet Fox stumbled back out of the hole in the wall, covered in dirt and blood and breathing heavily.

The captain walked towards her down the street, cars honking as they swerved out of the way. He cracked his knuckles.

 

“Finally! I was afraid all you were going to surrender. Still though…”

 

He vanished. Scarlet Fox gasped as he appeared before, lifting her by her neck.

 

“You’re kind of weak. How boring.”

 

Scarlet Fox grit her teeth as she gripped the hand around her neck.

All around her, civilians gasped, and screamed, covering their mouths. And then a young child opened their mouth.

 

“Please win, Scarlet Fox-sensei! You can do this!”

 

Another voice joined in.

 

“You got this, Scarlet Fox-sensei!”

 

And another.

 

“You’re the hope of Japan!”

 

“Beat that guy!”

 

“Get him, Scarlet Fox-sensei!”

 

The captain grinned at her.

 

“Heh, looks like you’re pretty popular. Well then, Scarlet Fox-sensei, go on, beat me.”

 

He began to squeeze his hand. Scarlet Fox grunted…

And then smiled.

 

“I…already…have…”

 

And her fire clone exploded in his face.

The real Scarlet Fox appeared behind the captain in a puff of smoke, a roaring inferno in her hand. She let out a yell as she slammed it into his back, sending him high into the sky with a jet of flame. He shot high into the air, clearing the nearby buildings, and then exploded into a massive ball of fire.

The crowds began to cheer for her. She turned to them, giving them a huge smile.

And then something slammed into her from above, driving her into the sidewalk.

 

“It’s a bit early to celebrate, don’t you think?”

 

He stomped on her once more, causing her to cry out, then reached down and grabbed her face, hauling her up into the air.

He pulled back his other fist, which began to glow with purple light.

The nearby pavement twisted into a spike and shot at the captain. He jumped back, releasing Scarlet Fox.

Otagi Takemoro landed in front of Scarlet Fox-sensei. Meanwhile other shinobi arrived and began to escort the crowds away.

 

“Ugh, I had him…”

 

“That’s what you get for messing around in battle. Leave the theatrics for your shows.”

 

She grimaced as she stood to her feet.

 

“Be careful, this guy hits hard.”

 

Takemoro frowned.

 

“Only if you get hit.”

 

A purple sphere shot into Takemoro and his head exploded…

Only for his rock clone to crumble into dust.

The captain landed back in the street.

 

“You guys are pretty good at running away, I’ll give you that. But well…I’ve met otters that hit harder than you.”

 

Takemoro frowned as his hands flashed. His stone hydra burst from the street, rushing for the man. The captain grinned and leapt back, purple spheres launching into the dragon heads and crushing them into dust. He leapt up as more heads grew and pounced at him.

And then Scarlet Fox appeared above him, her leg raised high into the sky and her body covered in red chakra. She brought her foot down, slamming into his head and sending him crashing into the street.

The stone dragons leapt upon him, biting and wrapping around him.

Other shinobi leapt on the dragon’s necks and placed scrolls on them. The seals lifted off the scrolls and began traveling up the dragons…

 

A surge of purple light blasted from the captain, crushing all the dragon heads into dust. The shinobi leapt out of the way, the seals dispersing into the air.

 

Takemoro grimaced.

 

“Souma, now!”

 

Souma Kiyotake, former leader of the Village Hidden Among the Trees, stood on the side of a nearby skyscraper. He opened his now sharp-edged eyes.

 

“Mirror Prison Jutsu!”

 

And the captain vanished behind distorted mirrors…

The captain glanced around. He swung a fist at one of the mirrors…

Only for his own fist to strike his cheek.

 

“Huh, that’s a neat trick.”

 

His eyes began to glow and he held up a hand covered in light.

 

“Why don’t I try one of my own?”

 

The air began to twist and swirl around one of the mirrors. The world itself spun, as the man’s psionic power twisted the very space around the mirror.

The mirror cracked…and then shattered entirely.

Kiyotake cried out and clutched at his eyes as his jutsu broke, falling from the building. Takemoro rushed to catch him. Scarlet Fox ran towards the man.

 

“Aisae, switch!”

 

She leapt into the air as she was covered in light…

A nine-tailed fox leapt out of the light, followed by balls of fire as it pounced at the man…

Who backhanded it away, purple spheres of light moving to block the balls of fire.

He grinned and cracked his knuckles.

 

“Well, try to entertain me now.”

 

The Three Hopes of Japan vanished that day.

 

---

 

Bob woke up with a start. Alarms were blaring all throughout Nemesis HQ. He quickly grabbed his phone and called the command center.

 

“What is it?”

 

“Bogey incoming, boss! They’re trying to keep quiet but the energy readings are off the chart!”

 

Bob grimaced and rushed out of bed. As he exited the hallway, red smoke swirled in front of him, forming into Sadid.

 

“Bob, they’re coming for her. You need to make a wish, right now.”

 

Bob looked up at the genie, who met his gaze with a serious look in his eyes. Bob nodded and ran for the room with the lamp. As he did, he pressed a button on his gauntlet, sending a signal to Nemesis to gather at his position.

The group arrived just as he grabbed the lamp.

 

“Boss-man, what’s going on?!”

 

“I’m not sure yet, but it’s bad.”

 

“Bad?! How bad?”

 

“This bad.”

 

Bob held up the lamp. Saydaa’s eyes went wide. Sadid rushed over to her and put his hands on her shoulders.

Her eyes began to quiver as she saw the look on his face. He gave her a wry smile.

 

“Saydaa.”

 

“...no…”

 

“I’m going to protect you, no matter what.”

 

“N-No…not when…we just…”

 

“It’ll be alright.”

 

Sadid glanced around at Kiyosuke, Nana, Elise, and then Bob.

 

“Because now, you have a family. A better one than I would ever be.”

 

He handed Saydaa over to the three Nemesis teens, looking them in the eye.

 

“Take care of Saydaa for me. And Saydaa, I love you. Always have, always will. Bob, do it.”

 

Bob nodded as Saydaa cried out, tears starting to flow down her face.

 

“I wish you would protect Saydaa and take the lamp back to its original place.”

 

Sadid grinned…

 

“Wish granted, with pleasure.”

 

“Dad!”

 

And snapped his fingers.

A massive surge of red light shot out from Nemesis HQ, encompassing the entire globe, much like it had before…

And then Sadid and the lamp were gone.

They both reappeared in an ancient ruin on the other side of the world. Sadid heaved a sigh.

 

“Well Samima, guess you were right all along. Always were.”

 

He began to gather his power, the air distorting around him.

 

“But it’s ok now. Our little girl is all grown up…and she has her own family now. And I’ll protect her happiness, just like you would have wanted. So wait for me, ok?”

 

He turned and looked in a certain direction, narrowing his eyes.

 

“...bring it on, whoever you are. Let me show you what happens when you mess with a genie!”

 

---

 

A man flew through the air towards Nemesis HQ when suddenly a voice called out to him.

 

“Target confirmed, but the location has changed. Set course for these coordinates.”

 

“Huh, I guess this one’s a bit more aware than the others. That’s a Class 53B for you. I’m getting a bit excited.”

 

He turned and launched himself in a different direction, leaving Nemesis HQ alone.

 

An ancient ruin vanished that day.

 

Along with most of the surrounding geography.

 

---

 

Back at the HQ, Saydaa sobbed. Kiyosuke, Nana, and Elise wrapped her in a hug, patting her on the back.

Meanwhile, Bob narrowed his eyes, listening as the Nemesis HQ staff fed him all the data they had on the bogey. Finally, he hung up the call.

 

And started to dial a particular number.

 

He was not going to let this one go.