Chapter 13: Facing the Fangs
Wait, what… the Force Road what's that?"
"Damn Yatsu listen the Force Road is my Road; it's a combination of the Over Road, Rising Road,and Wing Road. That's why my shadow is a Valkyrie. They were the driving force in any battle that the Norse gods won."
Oushi puzzled looked at Rye,
"Haha so that's what you were using when you beat burst…"
"Yeah you saw that?"
"Hell yeah it was the first time I could see your shadow so of course I paid attention…"
Migazu interrupts the on going conversation,
"Look the Force Road is still going to be there but before something else happens tell everyone what the hell happened for you to end up in the hospital?"
"Oh, that… well when we beat the Thunderbirds and everyone left my ATs activated, they finally opened up and I couldn't use them. So after a few hours I figured I had to go talk to the guy who built them Igami."
"Yeah and like I said Rye came to see me and he tore Tower Pharmaceuticals to pieces doing it, that Force Road ripped the building right up the middle and then Rye popped up."
"I ordered Igami to take the locks off the ATs I knew their had to be some type of system that limited the capabilities on it."
"It was, I had to boost the limiter on the ATs and I also had to boost the R.E.A.D Level to an astounding height, that's part of the reason why Rye can ride three roads at one time."
Souza looked at Igami…
"What do you mean that the R.E.A.D Level affected Rye's Road?"
"Well with the Fang Sub-Regalia the R.E.A.D level was so high that the ATs actually analyzed and read individual aspects of the "Run" Rye was on…"
Oushi looked at Igami then at Rye
"Well if that's the case why isn't the Gaia Road incorporated into his "Run" I was the first one Rye rode against with those ATs."
"Well Oushi when you and Rye ran it was purely for sport there wasn't a thing that really would have motivated Rye to push himself, ask him he would have had no problem with you being team captain."
Oushi looked at Rye…
"Well would you?"
"Nope not at all Oushi actually I was hoping you'd win, but half way through… I saw the Force Road for the first time, and I thought that if I didn't ride it I would have lost it forever and so I guess that's why I won…"
"Yeah Oushi but with the other remaining members of Hashiru Mugen Rye had something at stake and it was because of that, his natural Storm Rider instincts took over and he rode to his fullest capabilities. With Souza Rye put his right to the sky on the line and in doing so he put his mark on the winds and on Souza that also marked the Over Road as a Road that Rye could Ride. With Tsumai Rye put his very "Run" on the line and because of it he faced the Storm and emerged a master of the shock, he could control the lightning and so the ATs marked the Rising Road as another Rye capable Road. And with Yatsu Rye had the safety of his friends to think about and his ability to "Run" was never more important than right then so he took the sky and the Wing Road and in that his power beat Yatsu emerged and the ATs added that road to his list. The ATs themselves are capable of drawing from any Road, that's how we make them… it's the rider that fine tunes the ATs to one specific Run."
"Yeah Igami told me all that when I saw him and he told me another reason why I couldn't fully use the components of my ATs is because the aspects of the three Roads I ride aren't present this limits the functions. But before we could even get into I got a visit from the Thunderbirds, they kidnapped Quan and Lee."
Tsumai looked at the two of them.
"So that's how you got involved… the Thunderbirds snatched you but why?"
Quan took a deep breath
"That Monday at school we got out early so we could get ready for graduation and they were trying to find a way to get Rye his grad package so we volunteered. We get to his house and…
Lee picked up
"Five dudes in ATs snatched us up and we were carried off."
Rye looked at his friends his teeth gritted and his teeth clenched…
"They thought that they'd use you to get to me..."
Rye turned and faced Burst as he and Loki held Quan and Lee.
"Come and get your friends we'll be waiting on our turf…"
The Thunderbirds flew off and just as Rye was about to spring after them Igami held him back…
"What are you going to do Rye?"
"What do you think…? I'm going to rip them in half they made this personal so I'm going to make this… painful!"
"And what happens if you cause your friends pain huh then what… how are you going to fight and keep your friends safe?"
"Well then what do you suggest I do…."
The room at large looked at Rye and Igami as they retold the tale… Tsumai looked at Rye
"So what did you do?"
With the full power of his ATs unlocked Rye caught the Thunderbirds before they could get over the roof of the building. He soared up above them and then…
"FORCE HAMMER!"
Rye lunged down into the fray and broke them apart with the five of them surrounding him Rye delivered a devastating roundhouse to the five of them grabbing his friends he soared safety. Rye let his friends go on the rooftop below and turned to face his opponents… they were gone.
"You who, are you looking for us?"
Rye turned and saw the entire Thunderbirds team there Rye looked at them all and then he looked down at his friends…
"GET THEM OUT OF HERE!"
Quan burst out
"Rye I'm so sorry we ditched you we thought we would teach you a lesson please don't kill us man we're sorry!"
"I didn't mean it like that you idiots I don't care what you said you're still my friends both of you and plus I wasn't talking to them… I was talking to him."
Coming up over the side of the ruined building was Igami Susku!"
The entire room questionably shouted…
"YOU KNOW HOW TO RIDE !"
"Yeah it's an occupational hazard of having my father as well… a father."
Igami landed on the roof's edge and helped Lee and Quan up onto the ledge. Burst stepped forward…
"So what you think these guys can help you?"
"No I'm gonna break your face all by my lonesome."
"You really think you can?"
"I did it once before and that was way back when I was a noob I'm way better now and plus I've got a shadow now
A beautifully armored female warrior emerged behind Rye, she was elegant, she was graceful and she was strong. She supported the world and the weight of the sky on her wings. Her beautiful wings
With that the battle had begun and within moments the entire team save Burst fell to Rye with his power fully unlocked. Then they rose upwards into the sky. Fangs flew and hammers crashed…
"Then it got really weird I had Burst completely beat and just when I was going to end it I got side swiped the attack hit me and I couldn't move. Then I started falling and every time I tried to spin out I got slammed again, so I decided to bail through an office window. Then I as got close to the building I got hammered from all sides every part of me was crushed between someone's ATs then I blacked out and fell."
Migazu looked at Rye,
"So it was the Thunderbirds?"
"NO, the Thunderbirds don't exist anymore we disbanded that team and took their turf."
Souza looked at Rye,
"Then how did they do that to you…"
"They still have a team with its own emblem and everything they aren't the Thunderbirds any more now they are officially the Storm Chasers."
"WHAT, THEIR GOING PUBLIC NOW!"
"That's what Burst told me… but what's more important right now is who attacked me. Yeah I had it out with the Thunderbirds but I had them beat it wasn't until that sixth man showed up that I got my ass handed to me… and I know who did it lets go."
With that Rye was out of bed with his ATs on and he was out the door with the rest of Hashiru Mugen not far behind.
Souza caught up to Rye first,
"Rye where are you going?"
"Shibuya"
The guys took off rocketing through the streets once again headed to the Shibuya district. Darting in between houses and cars as the day wore on they reached a familiar home and with confusion and curiosity reaching its peak the group at large spoke out and Yatsu threw his voice in the air,
"Rye why are we in Shibuya outside of Liam's house."
"Isn't it obvious Liam attacked me…?"
Tsumai looked at Rye in disbelief.
"No Rye there's no way that Liam could do that."
"How are you going to tell me Tsumai…?"
"No I literally mean there's no way he could do that Liam weights like four hundred pounds easy."
"You should listen to your friend… at this point he's all you got."
The voice came from the roof of Liam's house it was rough and scratchy and most of all familiar. Burst and the rest of his five man team leapt off of Liam's roof and into the streets below. Roaring the flames of Rye's rage roared quietly behind his skin.
"Oh look who it is the Storm Chasers, here for another thorough ass beating?"
Each member of Hashiru Mugen looked at the person they had to overcome the last time they fought but now they were stronger each one of them had grown and they were fully prepared for the battle. They rode towards each other preparing to clash and then
[BOOM]
From out of his home emerged a perfectly chiseled Liam his tawny brown shorty hair waving slightly in his eyes. His pale skin slowly filling with color as he walks out of his house, on his feet are a pair of gold colored ATs. Tsumai looked past the Storm Chasers to Liam.
"What the… Liam your ripped I mean really fit."
"Thank you Tsumai I decided a few years ago that it would be best to mimic Buccha and allow my pooled blood and body mass to actually be useful to me… ask Rye he's felt the strength my punches pack."
Rye looked at Liam, then back at the rest of his team,
"Take care of these guys; I'll handle Liam I owe him for Moon Drop Fall…"
Rye broke off from the battle and rode against Liam his ATs activated the two wheels both front and back opened up and his wings spread out on the ground then the high pressurized electromagnetic wind turbine propelled him into the fray.
"FORCE HAMMER"
The pressurized electric wind slams at Liam through the stream of the backdraft. But the hammer doesn't seem to affect Liam it drives into him and he is forced back but he doesn't seem physically damaged in the slightest.
The battle behind Rye dies down temporarily and there is a "Mexican standoff" of sorts with Hashiru Mugen on one side of it and the Storm Chasers on the other side. Then suddenly a massive Fang flies across the battlefield and it rips Burst and his men to pieces. Their blood splatters across the ground and they land to the ground never to move again. Ever head turns towards the point of origin, and then Oushi, Yatsu and Rye all utter one word.
"Raizoa"
He stood there on the roof of a nearby home he was dressed in all black he had on a full bikers suit and it was adorned with Fang and claw like markings and designs he was very well toned he had a muscular build his skin was tanned and brown he had jet black hair slicked to the back coming down into his back and cut jagged at the end his face was fine and in all words beautiful. His nose was sharp long and thin it fit and framed his face his lips were thin like razors. His skin was flawless all except for a scar that ran from the right side of his mouth up to his right ear. He subconsciously ran his finger along it and took of his shades to reveal perfectly rounded black eyes.
Rye looked him and he was speechless, Oushi and Yatsu looked at each other and then at Rye and finally at Raizoa.
He scanned the crowd below him he surveyed the dead bodies, then his eyes fell on two he didn't know one with blue hair and one with white eyes he didn't know either one of them, then he shifted his gaze and there they were,
"Oushi, look at you, you got your legs back. And Yatsu look at you those wings of yours look mighty strong."
His voice was smooth and icy it had a savage air to it like he could kill a man with his words. He looked at Rye and their eyes met.
"Well if it isn't the little baby all grown up, haha!"
His laugh was chilling, right down to the bone; he leapt of the roof and hovered slightly before he touched the ground. Rye leapt back to merge with the rest of his team, they stood there not knowing which way to turn. On one side there was Liam an enemy they never expected and on the other was a cold hearted murderer that only Rye Oushi and Yatsu knew about.
Souza looked around
"How in the hell did he just wipe those guys out like that?'
Yatsu looked at Souza
"You don't know how strong that guy is… he's a monster."
"I didn't mean like that… he's not wearing ATs
Tsumai answered that question,
"Simple Ball-Roller ATs, the bearings can be put into any pair of shoes that's how he could attack but regardless how'd he produce a Fang from those?"
Oushi chimed in…
"Don't you listen that guy is a monster and we all need to get the hell out of here, RIGHT NOW!"
Rye put his hand on Oushi's shoulder, he was shaking violently."
"Rye, you ok?"
"Yeah I don't know why… put I want to rip him apart."
Rye took off and headed towards the mysterious Raizoa but before he could get close Liam bombarded him… they traded blows and then suddenly Tsumai was there.
"Not this time, Bolt Hammer!"
His charge boxes erupted around him and he drove the force into Liam's side, then Souza appeared above him.
"Yeah Rye we're hear for you this time. Aero Hammer!"
The wind force crippled Liam and his was forced to his knees, he couldn't move and then as Souza leapt back from his attack Rye was there and with the force of a freight train he delivered blow directly to Liam's face,
"Force Hammer"
He was thrown back and blew through the front of his own house. The front room collapsed and the steps fell. Meanwhile as Rye Tsumai and Souza were delivering a devastating three man combo Raizoa had made his way over to Burst's dead body and removed his ATs. Oushi and Yatsu turned and faced Raizoa,
"What the hell are you doing here?"
"Calm down Oushi, you remember what happened the last time you and I had an argument. And as its clear for anyone to see I'm cleaning shop."
"Oh yeah that's right I forgot how much of a sick bastard you were."
"Oushi calm the fuck down we can't do this here."
"Yeah Oushi listen to Yatsu…"
"Don't get it twisted Raizoa I want to rip you apart just as bad but we can't do this not now…"
"Why not, because you're not strong enough, haha I should've killed you two… but since I didn't I'll just have to do so now. Liam did you do what I told you to do?"
Liam emerged from the wreckage slightly battered with only a few minor scars on his appearance he took the former Burst's ATs out of Raizoa's outstretched hands and activated his ATs.
"Gold Standard"
His ATs broke apart and began to merge with the ATs he was holding the pieces and bits came together and a new pair of ATs was slowly coming into existence.
Raizoa looked at the group in front of him, he responded to the puzzled looks on each and every single face. Yatsu looked at him and smiled,
"You wanna know why I can't rip you apart Raizoa…
Rye flew over his friends and raged at Raizoa,
"The kid called dibs."
The two of them began a violent exchange of blows massive blows to the face and shattering blows to the body soon there was blood splattered across the ground but none of it was Rye's. After he received a monstrous knee straight into his stomach he was propelled backwards vomiting as he went. His eyes went white and he blacked out momentarily.
"That's who your hopes ride with, the baby… HAHAHAHA damn Yatsu I thought you knew better, oh well."
Liam had finished fusing the two separate pairs of AT into one and handed them to Raizoa. Hashiru Mugen stood helplessly as their team leader was floored and they were thoroughly helpless. The ATs were still a gold color and the metallic black from Bursts ATs accented that greatly. They were sharp and jagged and yet smooth and streamline at the same time. As soon as Raizoa strapped up his new ATs he delivered a fierce attack not to Hashiru Mugen but to Liam. Oushi and company stood there shocked at a pure loss for words.
"Damn, I thought for sure I could sharpen my Fangs."
Then from somewhere off in the background a battle cry rang out from the once defeated Ryoku Hashigaki
"HASHIRU MUGEN…"
"RIDE ON!"
They moved as a single unit as they came up on their target. Yatsu brought up the rear with Rye telling him as much as he could…
"Watch him Rye he's a King, and I mean that, he rides the Fang Road so he's deadly."
"Thanks Yatsu."
As they reached Raizoa he let out a malicious Fang, Souza leapt in front and using the Over Road he managed to suck it in and reduce it somewhat but he was fighting a losing battle then Tsumai ran his ATs into Souza's the resulting charge gave Souza just what he needed to consume the Fang and simultaneously blow out Tsumai's ATs. Knowing that the power was too much Souza flung the Fang backwards into the fray and blew out his own ATs.
"GO RYE!"
[Smack]
Rye clapped hands with his two fallen comrades, Oushi then manipulated the street to form a makeshift ramp that lead up to the Fang, Rye using his Force Road used a counterbalancing force to ride the Fang and propel him skyward, as the wind surrounded him the backdraft dissipated and Yatsu grabbed Rye as the two entered a dive bomb. With out the wind resistance Rye charged a massive collection of force and as Yatsu let him go he rocketed into Raizoa.
"FORCE HAMMER"
The blast area blew Rye back and he skidded to a halt several feet back then out of the smoke came another Fang. As Rye doubled down preparing for the attack Oushi took the full brunt of it ATs first as he flew past Rye,
[Smack]
Clapping his hand Rye road forward as another Fang issued out this time Yatsu took the blow…
"Get em…"
[Smack]
With all of his friends behind him Rye's Shadow erupted behind him that beautiful Valkyrie representing his Road and along with her the Shadows of his entire team… Enveloping his being in the attack making his whole body the hammer he slammed into Raizoa just as he sent a Fang hurdling at Rye. In the impact Rye managed to give Raizoa a decent hook to the face before the explosion erupted around them completely destroying Liam's home and sweeping the corpses of the Thunderbirds up in it as well.
Rye was flung back and he laid there with the rest of his team.
The wreckage fell from the sky the flames danced around the streets, Rye manages to stand and in turn helps his team to its feet, and then over the roaring flames he heard that ice cold chuckling…
"Damn… that was a nice blow… you've grown. So guess what little baby I'm going to let you those traitors and the other two you got with you live, I managed to get my Fangs sharp with that battle."
"Who are you?"
"Very funny well I guess formally I'm the leader of the nationwide AT team, the Storm Chasers."
"No Burst was the…"
"That test tube freak haha, no I'm the leader of the Storm Chasers I created this team to get those bitches at the Trophaeum to come out, we officially run the entire nation of Japan, those worthless pieces of trash were in charge of Tokyo, and through association Kanto. So they had to be eliminated, and that Liam guy knew my biorhythms so he couldn't expect to live long. But Burst failed so now Kanto's up for grabs, hah that's gonna be a fun battle I wonder who's going to take the turf."
"Why are you telling me all of this?"
"Why, because I want to kill you with my own hands and as it stands I have no motive to kill you."
"Oh that's real honorable when did you get like that?"
"Shut up Yatsu I've killed no one without a reason… those five fucked up my team and the fat kid new my run they had to die. But if you're referring to how I handled you two, that's self explanatory you're not dead… yet. What I want from you is a reason to kill you so take Kanto from me. I heard about you baby boy I want to see it for myself… I've got to leave Japan and when I do the Storm Chasers are going off grid that means that Kanto goes back to its former ownership… you grab it for yourself and when I get back challenge me for the rights to Japan. That way your wings will be ready for me to tear them off."
"What… no."
"Fine I'll kill you now…"
He was just about to unleash a devastating Fang when Rye screamed out…
"OKAY, but you answer me one question… you said that Liam knew about your run, and Yatsu says that you ride the Fang Road well that's not the Fang Road what is it?"
"It's a combination Road."
"How can you do that?"
He closed his eyes and laughed,
"HAHAHA, well quite simply I'm a Gravity Child just like you, and like your Force Road I ride more than one Road."
He opened his eyes and there was The Twinkle Eye a cross on his pupil set on his now purple sclera… his shadow stood from behind him, a heavily armored knight wielding two massive blades. Call me the Edge King, I ride the Blade Road."
The sounds of approaching police cut short their conversation Raizoa rode off giving one last order.
"You've got five days… in that time you better run Kanto or else I'll kill you and anyone else that matters to you. See you soon Hashiru Mugen"
With that he was gone and the next words that they heard were…
"FREEZE; PUT YOUR HANDS ABOVE YOUR HEAD!"