Kamen Rider Zero

Reading 6: Zero vs Chariot

Hamano was confused and her mind in a state of blank. Just moments ago, she was throwing out her anger at the person behind Kamen Rider Zero, Kureno Hiro. She was unhappy and disappointed about his attitude as compared to what she thought a Kamen Rider should be. But then, she was shoved away, followed by hearing a loud thunderclap that shattered the ground she once stood.

Now, appearing in front of them...was a man who landed from the sky via a flying carriage.

"This guy...in front of us...he's dangerous!" Hiro's words caught Hamano's attention as her eyes were on full alert at the stranger's appearance. Regardless of her anger with Hiro, Hamano understood his words and trusted him. After all, he did appear in the nick of time and saved Hamano from breaking into unconsciousness back at Meiji Shrine.

The man was at least a head taller and much larger then Hiro. His eyes were big and tenacious and in his hands held a long whip. It was still hard for Hamano to believe that the whip was the cause of the destruction on the ground. It was unsafe for her, even if she was standing behind the Rider user for she may be caught up in their fight. Retreating her steps, her eyes caught onto Hiro, who was already gripping onto his necklace tightly.

"Henshin!"

"Thou Shalt Summon...Thy Fool!"

In a quick and fluid motion, the Hiro that once stood before her was basked in white light as a circle floats over his body. In his place was now an armored figure in leather black suit. Resting his right palm on his breastplate and the other hand holding on to the wild primitive sword, the man known as Kamen Rider Zero has arrived.

"Kamen Rider, Zero!" He shouted his introduction and without even waiting for any action from the stranger, Zero lunged forward, his blade high over his shoulder.

"Insolent Fool!" The stranger shouted in a deep, excited voice as he too, began to change his appearance. But unlike Zero, he does not wear a belt buckle or even a Rider suit. His entire body was distorted, changing into a menacing figure.

Wearing a white and black headdress now with a naked, gray body (ripped to be exact), the figure resembled closely to a sphinx with a lion face. The whip also changed its shape as well, splitting into two circular-shaped spiked ring.

Although unknown to Hamano, Zero knew that weapon more than anyone else. In those huge burly hands of the Chariot Arcana was a pair of Chakram, a weapon fitting to his long ranged-to-close combat style.

'Clang!'

Metal against metal, huge rain of yellow sparks dances wildly along the edges where both forces have collided. The impact was strong enough to throw both of them back half a step, but their weapons quickly exchanged blows in less than a fraction of second.

Because of his dual-wielding nature, the Chariot was able to use one of his Chakram to deflect the Chalister, while the other one uses the opportunity to cut across Zero's plates. Despite losing some ground, Kureno Hiro refused to back away as he sprinted along the sides and swung his feral-looking blade.

To the eyes of Hamano Itoe, it was like a re-enactment of the Meiji Shrine incident. But even so, there was a stark difference between both parties' strength.

Back when Zero was confronting the Goat-beast, Hamano had an uneasy feeling that Zero could be fighting a pointless match because of the way the Beast portrayed itself in the match. The Beast was confident and even had the time to anticipate and intercept whatever moves that Zero threw.

But this fight was not the same case for the Sphinx-man. Unlike the Goat-beast, the Chariot was giving his best in the fight, raining strikes over strikes at the struggling Rider. The Chariot was merciless with his blows and in fact, he was rather enjoying the onslaught.

'Clang, chink, clang!'

The collision of both parties' strength rang through the air; one louder than the other. Barely grazed by one of the ring-shaped weapon, Zero managed to regain his ground in time to deliver a counter-attack. But it was easily deflected by a twirl of the Chariot's circular blade.

"It's a disgrace that Tower did not bring you back that day. I shall do the honors of cleaning his mess!" The Chariot smirked as he managed to restrict the Chalister's movement by locking the blade in between the gaps of the Chakram.

"Now regret!" The Sphinx Chariot shouted as he swung the other Chakram across the body of Zero.

'Splish!'

It was a clean cut. A deep line was embedded along Zero's chest plate by the prowess of his opponent. Hiro felt extreme nausea and vertigo as his mind almost drove him into a state of shock. Flying through the air with the speed of a fast motorbike, the Kamen Rider sunk himself into the concrete wall, creating a huge blast of hole around him.

'No, it's not over...not now!' Hiro thought to himself as he struggled his way out of the cracked walls which he created. His arms were shaking to the extent that he could barely grip his Chalister properly. He was running out of option. Although he knew he had to be prepared after the encounter with Tower, he never expect himself to face the Chariot in such short notice.

His body had barely recovered from the fight with Tower and he regretted using the 'Canis' on the Minor suit as well. Because of that, it would take some time for him to even use the move again. Driven to the corner, Kureno Hiro could only think of one last option.

That move.

But if he were to use that, his existence may very well be threatened. Sinking the Chalister onto the ground as support, Zero turned his attention to the frightened Hamano who was hiding at a corner observing the fight. He needed to take into consideration of her safety too. And the only solution now was to use that move and retreat. Hiro bit his lips and tried hard to meditate for an alternative.

"I understand now." The Chariot said. Zero was taken aback by the answer. 'Understand...what?', Hiro thought.

"I see the reason that you do not fight properly is because of that girl over there." He pointed his Chakram at Hamano.

"No...this is bad...Hamano! Run!" Zero yelled to the schoolgirl as he pulled his sword up to combat again. Hamano thought that it could all be over now. She could feel the murderous intent flowing out of the Sphinx's words. She wanted to run but she could not. Hamano was too scared to even move. Her legs grew weak as she slid to the floor, staring blankly at the Chakram-holding Spinx.

"So I shall do you the favor of relieving the burden by...eliminating her!" Chariot shouted with vigor as he flicked the twirling Chakram that was around his finger towards her. Hamano's eyes were onto the approaching blade. Soon, she would be sliced away through her neck, she thought.

'Slick!'

"Harrrgh!"

But who knew that before her very eyes, a figure stood there unmoving with his face just centimeters away from hers. His back was fully exposed to the wrath of the Chakram as it stuck deeply onto the back of Kureno Hiro. The Rider suit shatters away from him as blood trailed down from the side of his lips.

Using all the strength he had, Hiro was able to reach out to Hamano in time before the Chariot's attack on her could be granted. And because of his rescue, the Rider armor broke down from the devastating strike, leaving Hiro standing in front of Hamano in his human form.

The Chakram was still perched onto his back.

Hamano could not believe her eyes. She was terrified beyond belief as her mouth gaped open, her body trembling upon the tattered figure of the man that she had just scolded not long ago. This was the second time that he had saved her. Her eyes followed the dripping crimson drops that landed onto the soiled earth.

'Was it because of her that Hiro was hurt this badly?' She thought. If so, she was terribly guilty about the words she had said before. Then she remembered the time where Hiro asked Hikari-san to prevent her from leaving the shop. If she had only listened to him, maybe; just maybe, that Hiro would have won the match without worrying for her safety.

"H-Hiro..." She cried out, tears rolling down her red cheeks.

Instead of blame, Hiro smiled at her, relieved that she was saved. He did it. He managed to save another human.

'I'm glad you're safe...' Hiro said in his mind. Then, rotating his wrist, he ascertained himself that the Chalister was still in his hands.

Now, it was the time for him to use that move.

Channeling all his remaining energy into the Chalister, a faint, dark light lit up along the inscriptions of the blade; a far contrast from the red lights that he would gain from the Voids he slain. Because of that, Hiro could felt something strong forcing out of his heart.

A rampaging beast that was locked in him thrashed about in his mind.

'Not...now!' Hiro tried to control himself as he allowed the dark light to travel its way towards the tip of the Chalister's blade.

When the last light was lit, a strange sound echoed through the wind.

'Grrrrrowllgrrrgrowlgrrrowlgr owl...Arrrrrr-uuuuuuuuuuuu!' The Chalister repeated itself like a broken mixtape, the voice was a far cry from the ancient and wise tone that it once had.

Hamano began to observe changes with Hiro's look as well. His eyes were beginning to dye a deep red with long black vertical lines as his pupil. Fangs were slowly protruding out of his mouth as his hand which held the Chalister glowed a dark aura.

Turning away from Hamano, Kureno Hiro directed his attention at the shocked Chariot as he held the Chalister up diagonally.

"Grrrrrrrrrraaaaaaaggggghhhhh hhhh!" Hiro howled as he swung his blade at the direction of the Chariot. A dark pulse in the shape of a huge, wolf sprouted out of the Chalister as it leaped towards its prey.

There wasn't time for the Chariot to escape as he quickly withdrew the Chakram from Hiro's back to him and using both weapons, he tried to fend off the menacing blow. A huge shock wave pulsed out from the collision.

The Chariot was blinded by the light as he tried to shut his eyes away. He had never expected the Kureno Hiro that he once knew to have this much strength in him. As the light slowly fade away, the Chariot moved his eyes towards the crumbling field.

As expected, they managed to escape without a trace. The Chariot had already knew that during the blinded moment then. He could feel the presence of another figure intruding their fight as that very person took Kureno Hiro and the girl away.

Angry at the thought of letting his target escape, the Chariot turned himself back to the husky human form, his eyes narrowed with gritted teeth.

About 30 minutes later, Hamano was sitting inside one of the rooms of Gothic 109. Lying on the bed beside her chair was Kureno Hiro, sleeping peacefully without a sound. His entire upper body was wrapped with a white bandage.

Hamano was still pretty badly shaken from what she had experienced just now. Because of Hiro's rescue, he was gravely wounded on his back. But then, something happened inside his body as his face changed into someone more terrifying than the Goat-beast or the Sphinx-man as he unleashed a huge blast at his opponent before breaking down into unconsciousness.

But thanks to the sudden appearance of Hikari, they managed to get away from the scene and thus ended up in one of her cafe's V.I.P room. Hikari mentioned about leaving the shop to settle some stuff and advised Hamano to stay in the room until she comes back. Hamano complied to it and even if she did not, she could not find the heart to leave the wounded Hiro alone.

Her mind was etched with the image of his crimson eyes and menacing expression. It was completely not the Hiro she was staring at now. She could not stop blaming herself.

'It was all her fault', she chanted over and over again in her heart. Clutching tightly to her skirt, Hamano could not help but cry out of guilt.

At the same playground that the huge battle took place just moments before was the Chariot sitting on the swing. He still could not except the fact that he lost sight of his prey. His finger dug into his palm as he tightened up his fist so much that he could felt a tint of moisture in between them.

So close, so close was he in completing the mission.

"Ho ho~ you were so close to victory." A voice said in a cheerful tone behind him.

"Do not make me kill you." The Chariot retorted.

"If you like, I can spare you one of my pet Suits." The voice paid no heed to his threat.

"You mean that crappy piece of Fox that Zero killed just now? It would be more of a hindrance to me." He replied, standing up from the swing. "Anyways, I don't need your help, or anyone's."

"Ah, I see. Suit yourself then. But be warned, Chariot-kun,"

The voice caught Chariot's attention, but he refused to meet eyes with the figure.

"I foresee a grave plight in your light." The figure said with a smirk. The Chariot was bothered by the words but that was unusual of his character. But because of the peculiar background of the messenger, he could not help but feel doubts in his heart as he walked away, the whip wrapped around his bleeding palm.

Author's Note:

Awesome! The sense of accomplishment have never felt so incredible!

A huge thank you for all you readers who have supported, favorited, subscribed and reviewed Kamen Rider Zero! I do hope that this chapter has created many questions, as well as anticipation towards the grave situation of Kureno Hiro, as well as the discouraging words said to The Arcana.

Well now, I guess I will need to stop my typing too. Thank you once again for your support and look forward to my next chapter!