Mechanical soldiers marched toward Abydos, led by a colossal Goliath, flanked by countless armed troops moving in rhythmic steps, closing in from multiple angles.
At the forefront, Kaiser Director, a towering cyborg, rode the Goliath. Despite his emotionless face, his panic was evident.
"Damn those black-suited men! After all my cooperation, they cut all ties and pretend I don't exist? Unacceptable!" Kaiser roared.
Flashback: As Kaiser prepared to invade Abydos, a call from the black-suited men came.
"Kaiser Director, our partnership ends here. Forget the deal… and my existence," the voice said.
"Wait! What's this about? You got Takanotsume Hoshino, didn't you? Is it… him? Mash?" Kaiser demanded.
"You catch on quick. Mash Burnedead, Schale's Sensei, wields irrational power. We can't stop him. Please understand," the voice replied.
"You call yourself an adult, scared of a kid? Sure, he's freakishly strong, but take a hostage—" Kaiser began.
"We lost to him. Our irrational schemes met his irrational violence," the voice cut in. "I'm done getting pummeled. Goodbye."
"Wait—!" Click.
Kaiser smashed the device, fury consuming him. "Unforgivable! He crushed my men, slashed years of debt in half, buried me in sand, and severed my ties with my best client! It's all his fault! I was perfect!"
Kaiser snapped, abandoning status and pride, driven to destroy one man: Mash Burnedead.
"For this day, I gathered over 10,000 troops, tanks, and this Goliath. Even if I can't kill him, I'll crush the other students! Hahaha, I should've done this from the start!" Kaiser laughed maniacally.
His soldiers, sensing his madness, reported, "Director, we're entering Abydos' territory."
Kaiser raised his hand to signal the attack. "No one's here? Good. They obeyed the evacuation order. Saves ammo. Come out, Mash Burnedead! I'll end you—"
BOOM!
"What—?" Kaiser froze.
"Report! Trucks and cars fell from nowhere! Rear troops injured! Formation's collapsing!" a soldier screamed.
"Other routes… our units… nearly wiped out! It's him!" Static.
"No way! 5,000 soldiers on the other side, gone so easily?" Kaiser stammered.
Beep.
"What happened? Report—!"
A voice cut through. "This is Mash. Can you hear me, Kaiser Director?"
"You—!" Kaiser growled.
"This is Mash. I just took down most of the rear attackers."
"How?! There were tanks and 5,000 men!" Kaiser shouted.
"This is Mash. Ayane-chan tipped me off, so I rushed in and wiped them out."
"What? How?!"
"This is Mash. Some friends helped. Ever heard of the Gehenna Disciplinary Committee?"
"They… helped you?" Kaiser gasped.
"They figured your schemes might hit Gehenna next. Better to crush you now," Mash said. "I'm thanking Hina-san and the others while they mop up the rest. You're next."
Kaiser, frantic, ordered, "Contact Handyman 68! Get them to—"
Another device buzzed. Aru's voice: "About that job… cancel it."
"What?! You mutts dare—?" Kaiser roared.
"Shut it! Your reckless orders don't compare to Sensei's reliability, even if he's crazy! That's all!" Aru snapped. "Betrayal's normal for outlaws, right? Get ready, Kaiser!" Click.
Handyman 68 had joined Abydos. Kaiser's composure crumbled. "This wasn't supposed to happen! Before he returns, attack—!"
Beep.
"This is… the Abydos Countermeasure Committee!"
"Right now…"
"In front of…"
"You!"
Kaiser's eyes widened. The committee—Hoshino and her team—approached, guns in hand, smiling. Handyman 68 lounged on a vantage point.
"And of course…"
"I'm here too, Kaiser Director," Mash said, crushing a communicator and staring coldly.
"Mash Burnedead!" Kaiser screamed.
"Been a while. Oh, your speech glitch is fixed," Mash noted.
"You dare mock me?!" Kaiser leapt from the Goliath, charging Mash.
"You humiliated me! I'll never forgive—"
Rip!
Mash grabbed Kaiser's suit, tearing it. "Oops. Just metal, so no big deal, right?"
"Suits rip that easily?" Hoshino muttered.
"Nope," Shiroko said.
Slap!
Mash smacked Kaiser's face.
"Ow—huh?" Kaiser stammered.
Slap-slap-slap-slap!
"Arghhh!" Kaiser wailed.
Whack!
"Gahhh!"
"Director!" his soldiers cried.
"Just a slap! That doesn't hurt him?" Serika gasped.
"He punches tanks, so…" Nonomi shrugged.
Kaiser, clutching his face, staggered up. "My cheek…"
"Unforgivable? That's our line. You deceived Shiroko-chan and the others, endangered them, tried to steal their youth and home," Mash said, stepping closer with the Abydos students.
"You're my livestock! Rabbits to be hunted!" Kaiser spat.
"Let's see who's the rabbit," Mash replied.
"We've got plenty to say!" Hoshino added.
"But first, Sensei's got a word."
Mash raised a finger. "All of you…"
He pointed down. "…are going to hell!"
The battle began—a one-sided massacre by Mash's side. Numbers and skill meant nothing against Mash's raw strength, the committee's gunfire, Hoshino's swift attacks, and Handyman's support.
"Hold the line! Stop at least one—!" a soldier yelled, only to be floored.
"Stop that man! Don't let him reach the Director!"
"Die!" An automaton threw a grenade.
Mash kicked it back like a soccer ball. BOOM!
"Kicking a grenade?!" a soldier gasped.
"From behind—!" Another fell to Aru's shot.
"Thanks, Aru-chan," Mash said.
"No problem, Sensei! The Director's in that Goliath!" Aru replied.
"He's too scared to come out," Hoshino noted.
"We'll handle this," Nonomi said.
"Go get him, Sensei!" Aru cheered.
"He's fleeing to the desert!" Serika shouted.
"No escape!" Shiroko vowed.
"Careful! They've got more guards!" Ayane warned.
"No worries. We've got Sensei," Nonomi said. "Let's end this!"
"Charge!" the committee roared.
Mash's team decimated the soldiers. Missiles were punched away, sniper bullets caught and thrown back. Kaiser's forces dwindled.
"We're being overrun!" Kaiser cried.
"Director, they're closing in!" a soldier warned.
"No choice—engage them here!" Kaiser ordered.
The Goliath's gatling guns spun.
"Goliath ahead! Incoming!" Ayane shouted.
"Nonomi-chan, hold on!" Hoshino pulled her.
"Sorry, you two!" Mash grabbed Shiroko and Serika, diving for cover.
The Goliath fired endlessly at their position.
"He's lost it!" Serika yelled.
"He's that desperate," Shiroko said.
"Incoming shell—massive power!" Ayane warned.
"End of the line, Abydos! Mash Burnedead!" Kaiser laughed.
A devastating shell fired from the Goliath's cannon. Mash stepped forward.
Thud!
"He… stopped it?" Kaiser stammered.
"Director! He used a volleyball receive stance! Killed the shell's momentum with his knees!" a soldier reported.
Mash didn't stop there.
Clang!
He spiked the shell upward.
"It's airborne!" Serika gasped.
"No way, Sensei…" Hoshino muttered.
"Probably what you're thinking," Shiroko said.
Mash leapt, striking a perfect volleyball spike pose.
"Hah!" BAM!
The shell rocketed back, smashing the Goliath.
"No way… spiking a shell?!" Kaiser screamed.
BOOM!
The Goliath exploded, flinging Kaiser out. "I… must escape… regroup…!"
"No running, Director," Mash said, blocking his path.
"Mash… Burnedead!" Kaiser groaned, accepting his fate.
"The Abydos Countermeasure Committee… they were a thorn in my side," Kaiser muttered.
"?" Mash tilted his head.
Hoshino and the others arrived, glaring.
"I tried everything to crush them. Yet they clung to their dying school, stubbornly repaying debts, laughing every day despite my torment!" Kaiser spat.
"You were jealous of their joy," Mash said.
"Shut up! They ruined my plans! Years of work!" Kaiser yelled.
"No matter what you threw at us, we didn't break!" Serika shot back.
"Time to pay, Kaiser Director," Hoshino said.
"If you'd given up, Hoshino! If you hadn't come, Mash!" Kaiser drew a hidden pistol and fired at Mash's face.
Crunch!
Mash caught the bullet in his teeth. "Phew, close."
"With his teeth?" Hoshino gaped.
Mash spat the bullet out, stomped the ground, and the shockwave lifted everyone slightly.
"How many people have you crushed? Forced to crawl?" Mash asked.
"Who keeps count?!" Kaiser sneered.
"Then it's time you felt that pain." Mash grabbed him.
Kaiser froze.
Mash leapt skyward, holding Kaiser. As the ground shrank below, he spun Kaiser head-down, gripping his waist.
"Elictoria Spine Magic—"
"Let me go! I won't accept this!" Kaiser screamed.
"—Hell Fall!"
Mash drove Kaiser headfirst into the ground with a piledriver.
"I'm not the rabbit!" Kaiser wailed.
CRASH!
Kaiser lay half-buried, defeated. Mash turned to Hoshino and the others. "Feel better?"
"Absolutely!" they cheered.
Mash nodded, satisfied.
Rumble…
Something stirred underground.
"■■■■—!"