Miko walked out his room and saw Edward not too far away.

“Don, you’re awake.”

Edward immediately greeted him.

His eyes widen slightly when he glimpsed Bloom asleep in Miko’s bed.

However as a professional business man he quickly regained his composure.

“Don, while you were recovering we’ve been carrying out your order to prepare for war.”

“You don’t seem to approve though. Why?”

“As expected of you…”

Edward said before continuing.

“I believe this isn’t the time for us to declare war.”

“Why?”

“There’s a high chance that if we were to start a war with the city we would be crushed in 48 hours.”

Edward shook his head.

“No, you would okay but Exsul wouldn’t be able to keep up with you.”

Miko thought about it for a while.

He gave the order when he was angry, so there’s no denying that his emotion clouded his judgements.

When he thought about it more carefully, Exsul as it is still isn’t strong enough to take on both the Pillars and Syndicate.

Also if he targeted the Pillars alone, there’s no guarantee that the Syndicate won’t take the chance to sweep in and crush both sides.

Vice Versa if he targeted the Syndicate alone.

“Hmm….What do you suggest, Edward?”

“I believe we should wait until the Syndicate and the Pillars begin their war while strengthening ourselves. When the war between the two gets really heated that’s when we intervene and attack both sides with a systematic approach.”

Edward answered.

“I was thinking the same thing. It seems that’s the only choice after all.”

“It’s the most logical choice.”

“But you know, Edward. The logical choice means that anyone can think of it because it’s the most reasonable option.”

“Then do you disagree with my plan?”

Miko shook his head.

“No, we’ll use your plan. However, I’ll carry out a different plan at the same time.”

“A different plan?”

Miko nodded.

“You focus on the logical while I focus on the illogical.”

“…..I don’t know what you’re thinking but I’ll leave it to you.”

Edward said after thinking a while.

“Yup.”

Miko leaned on his door and suddenly remembered something.

“What about Sapphire and the rest of Silver Crow?”

“They’re here. They were searching for Jin Makoto during the tournament, but we quickly picked them up after you defeated Flow and Jun Mizune.”

“And Kaido? I asked for you to search for him before my match with Flow.”

Edward shook his head.

“Kaido vanished from the city like Jin Makoto. I believe that he’s in the Syndicate’s hidden district that you told me about.”

“It’s possible. However if that was true then Kaido sided with the Syndicate which makes him our enemy.”

“You don’t look upset about it though.”

“Of course I’m not. Jin is on the Pillars’ side while Kaido is on the Syndicate’s side. This is the best thing I could’ve hoped for.”

Miko had made it known from the start that he wished to fight both Kaido and Jin. That would only be possible if they were on different sides from him.

Now that they both were, he couldn’t ask for anything better.

“Having Kaido and Jin Makoto as enemies make my head hurts to be honest.”

Edward said with a wry smile.

“Don’t worry, leave them to me.”

Miko said with a laugh.

“Eh?”

His laugh came to a stop when he felt a cold stare on his body.

He turned and saw Tiamat looking at him.

She didn’t say anything and just stared at him.

She then turned around and left.

“……Hey, Edward. Do you think she’s angry? I mean she’s the one who gave me permission.”

Miko said a long while after Tiamat walked away.

“Don, women are contradicting creatures. So even if they allow something, they’ll still get upset when you actually do it. On that note, I prefer not to get caught up in your affairs. So…..”

Edward then quickly left as if fleeing, leaving Miko behind.

“Hey, wait up! Don’t you dare abandon me!”

Miko said as he ran after Edward.

District 1.

This was the District that Miko entered the city through and it was also the district under Jun’s control.

Speaking of Jun, he and Flow were standing in front of the gate leading out of the city.

They were both still clearly injured.

“Well, isn’t it the father and son duo who got their ass kicked in front of the entire city.”

They heard a soft voice coming from behind them and saw Sebas arriving on a stylish hovercraft.

He was dressed more masculinely than he usually would in his black designer suit.

“I wondered who it was, but was only the idiot who got played like a fool and had his District stolen from him. At least I protected my family, you lost everything in one go.”

“What was that?!”

Sebas drew his pink guns and pointed them at Jun.

“Do you want me to finish you off?”

“Ha! Bring it, Drag Queen.”

Jun said as he touched the ring on his finger.

“Geez, could you two not fight everywhere you go?”

A lazy but playful voice came from above.

Jun and Sebas looked up and saw Gear and Luna on a flying metallic disk.

Gear jumped off and confronted them with a smile.

“You guys both got your ass kicked by the same guy. Is there a point in mocking each other?”

“Shut it, Gear. It must be fun to be the only pillar to not be attacked by Miko in anyway?”

Said Jun.

“What can I say? I’m just more careful towards danger than you three. It’s my gift really.”

“Calling your cowardice a talent….You really possess no shame don’t you?”

Said Jun.

“Hey, Gear! I’ve still haven’t forgotten the trouble your brother caused me!”

Sebas suddenly shouted.

“Hey, that’s my brother’s doing. That has nothing to do with me.”

Gear suddenly looked at Flow.

“Besides, compared to what Edward did Jun giving his son the Zodiac Parasite Suit is much worse.”

“What’s wrong with giving my successor the suit? It was mine to begin with.”

Jun replied.

“The suit was given to you to be used in case of an emergency, not to be given to your son. Who I might add still got his ass beat.”

“Funny. The weakest one here is criticizing my son.”

“I’m only speaking the truth.”

“Stop your bickering, the three of you. Remember what we’re here to do.”

Luna finally spoke.

“Hmph. You of all people have no right to tell us what to do Luna.”

Said Sebas.

“Who was it that’s responsible for plunging the city in chaos? Ordering the massacre of innocents, and destroying the 13th district. I should really have you arrested.”

“Hmph. I have no intention of making excuses, but let’s not forget who was it that sent Andre Bernard after Jin Makoto which led to the battle that destroyed the 13th district.”

She said as she looked at Gear.

“I didn’t send Andre. He only went to cleanse the sin you’ve created.”

Gear defended himself.

“Okay, okay. Let’s stop this. Blaming each other isn’t getting us anywhere. Let’s all admit that we all fucked up.”

Said Jun.

“Ha! This coming from the guy who invited a monster into our city. If anyone fucked up it was you Jun!”

Sebas attacked Jun.

“Fuck off, Sebas.”

Jun cursed.

“Hey, they’re coming in.”

The moment Luna said that they all turned their attention to the gate.

And surely they saw a silhouette appear from the gate.

They all straighten up, including Flow, and stood in a straight line.

When the light shining from outside faded, they were able to see the person’s appearance clear.

“?!”

They were all shocked when they saw who it was.

“Princess!”

They all got on their knees and kneeled in unison.

The girl that appeared before them looked nothing more than 9 years old.

She had pink hair, a beautiful face, and golden eyes.

“Your unworthy servants greets Princess Marionette!”

That’s right.

The girl who the Pillars addressed as Princess was none other Bloom’s childhood friend Marionette, also known as The Princess Of MYTH, Mari.

“You may raise.”

Mari said after glancing at the kneeling Pillars.

They obeyed and stood up.

“It’s a great honor for the princess herself to grace her city with her presence.”

Jun quickly said.

“The Kaiser sent me because he was worried about the progression of the experiment.”

Mari answered with indifference.

“There’s also someone I want to see.”

“Someone you wish to meet?”

Sebas asked.

“It’s none of your concern. Just lead me to the experiment site.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

All of the Pillars and Flow then moved tactfully to lead Mari to her desired destination.

While she walked in front of them Mari whispered softly.

“Let’s go see this, Bloom Newgate person that ‘me’ was so obsessed over.”

Below District 4, down in the hidden 0th District that belonged to the Twin Headed Dragon Syndicate.

*Bam!*

“Guh?!”

A man was hit by a heavy blow and sent flying into a wall.

*Bam!*

Another man suffered the same fate.

*Bam!* *Bam!* *Bam!*

Bodies started flying through the air by the dozen.

The one responsible stood emotionlessly in the middle of the platform without a single scratch on him.

He, Kaido, gave off an unapproachable aura.

“See. Quite the monster isn't he?”

The one who said that was Blanche who was watching from the second floor.

Beside him were the Right and Left Fang of the Syndicate, Taiga and Aoi.

They looked down on Kaido who was surrounded by hundreds of bodies.

“Hmm….I admit that he is strong, but is he strong enough to be of use in the war?”

Said Taiga.

“If you want you can test him, Taiga.”

Said Aoi.

“I advise you to not. He’s already pissed off as it is.”

Blanche quickly said.

“Are you saying that he might hurt us?”

Taiga asked.

Blanche shook his head and said seriously-

“He won’t hurt you, he’ll kill you.”

“Oh? You’re saying that even though you don’t know how strong we are?”

Said Aoi.

“No. I’m saying this because I know how strong Kaido is.”

Blanche said with a straight face.

“…..I see. Then I’ll take your word for it.”

Taiga said after thinking for a while.

Kaido stood on the platform and looked at the three of them with emotionless eyes.

On the day of the tournament he received a message from Hana’s phone.

It was a picture of her chained to a metal column.

The picture was accompanied by the message:

“Sorry, but the Syndicate needs your help. To ensure that you comply we've taken a little something for insurance.”

Kaido immediately left the tournament and went to the designated location to be picked up by the Syndicate.

He spent the rest of the time proving his strength to the Syndicate by defeating their best fighters.

To Kaido this wasn’t much, but the fact that he’s been unable to see Hana since he came here has been eating away at him.

He was very close to start rampaging. But if he did that, he would put Hana at risk. Because of this he had no other choice than to bare with the anxiety and anger he was feeling.

“…….”

He looked at the group on the second floor who was spectating his battles and discussing his abilities.

“………”

His eyes were like that of predator patiently waiting to catch his prey.

The beast known as The Chimera was currently bound by chains, but just how long can those chains restrict him?

“Looks like I’ll have to run wild again after so many years.”

He muttered before crushing a head under his feet.

The war was quickly approaching, all that was left was the one who was suppose to kick it off with a bang.