We do not own Koihime Musou or Kamen Rider Gaim. They belong to their respective creators. We just thought this idea would be fun and decided to give it a try. If you like it then that's great. If you don't then we tried. Anyway, come along and let's see what you think.
KRC: Here's part two of the three-part season finale. You better brace yourself, because this is where the action starts as the Riders make a tough decision. This will be when they accept their destiny as Kamen Riders.
The reviews I received for the previous chapter commented on how emotional it was. Well, guess the last chapter showed more depth as we looked into the lives of the Armored War Gods in their own world. Also, exploring their feelings of how they've been taken away from the people they love.
Sangokuden Armored War Gods Saga: Destiny of the Armored War Gods
Co-Written By: Ten-Faced Paladin and Kamen Rider Chrome
Chapter 14: Choosing our Destiny
Nagata was sitting alone on a bench in the school's courtyard and having lunch. However, he just didn't have much of an appetite as he poked at his lunch. He was deep in thought. Talking with his mom had helped him. Her advice was for him to choose the best path. However, he was thinking of a way to get on that path.
They had been sent to Ancient China once before, so there was a possibility of doing it again. There just had to be. However, Nagata was no closer to figuring out a way since his talk with his mother. He was so deep in thought he didn't register Tenmaru-sensei's presence until she spoke.
"Is something wrong, Nagata-kun?" Tenmaru-sensei asked kindly.
"Ah, Tenmaru-sensei," Nagata responded. Ran Tenmaru was Nagata's history teacher and quite a popular teacher at school. All the boys thought she looked like a model with her curves. She was the one who got him interested in the history of the Three Kingdoms era and also Japan's feudal era.
"You weren't paying much attention during class. You always loved my lessons but you were spacing out," she remarked as she sat down next to him. "Is something wrong?" she repeated her earlier question.
"It's nothing," he said as he poked at his lunch.
"Your mind seems elsewhere," she observed. Nagata let out a sigh. There was no way to pull the wool over her eyes.
"Tenmaru-sensei, can I ask you a question?" he asked.
"Sure."
"Let's just say you accidentally ended up someplace else where you meet new people, forming bonds and experiencing adventure. You get attached to that place and the people you've met. Then, all of a sudden, you somehow end up back where you came from, unable to return to them," he told her. "Could you move on after all that?"
Tenmaru-sensei replied, pondering, "…That's…an intriguing question."
Nagata sighed, "So, what do you think I should do?"
Tenmaru-sensei asked, "Do you care for these people?" His expression spoke volumes and he nodded. "If I were in your position then I'd find a way to go back. If you really wanted to see them again, maybe a miracle can happen that would reunite them with you."
"A miracle, huh?" He wondered if miracles did exist. "But the problem is…some dangerous force separated me from them so I can't go back. I can only imagine what's happening to them right now without me there."
"Nagata-kun, from all the years I spent, I learnt one thing that is clear; every encounter you have is not a coincidence but destiny."
"Destiny?"
"Yes. Long ago, I lived a very harsh life. Everywhere I went there was one problem after another. Anger, hatred, fighting and even loss. I thought that was all this world had until…I met him." She smiled fondly at a certain memory. "He was a ravishing man and he helped me stand up when all hope was lost." Nagata was entranced by the story. "I fell in love with him. For the next few years, we had wonderful adventures and I followed him every step of the way. But on that day, he met his end."
"I'm sorry, Sensei." Nagata didn't know his teacher had that kind of past. It sounded harsh and tragic.
"I wanted to spend more time with him. I wanted to use any alternative to see him again but those alternatives require a sacrifice that I'm sure he wouldn't want me to make."
"Sacrifice?" Nagata was puzzled, but thinking carefully, he assumed that she must have had a breakdown.
"I'm sure he would want me to move on with my life. So, Nagata-kun, what do you wish to do?" Hearing this put Nagata into deep thought. Back when he first arrived in the era of the Three Kingdoms, he only wanted to find a way back home but as time passed by, he had grown accustomed to that world. The decisions were tough. Could he just pretend that it was nothing?
His mother had told him he needed to decide on his own path. The best path possible would be a decision only he could make. There were consequences, sure, but some sacrifices were necessary in face of the consequences depending on his choice.
'Sorry, Mom, Dad, Zweiss...' Nagata whispered as he closed his eyes, "I want to go back." He stood up, his eyes opening with clear resolve, "I want to be with them!" He raised his voice, "I WANT TO GO BACK TO THEM! I WANT TO SEE THEM AGAIN!" Tenmaru-sensei smiled as she witnessed that spark inside Nagata's eyes light up once again. He thanked her, "Thank you, Sensei."
He had made his decision, but there was still so much to do. As Nagata went on his way, Ran Tenmaru smiled before she looked up at the sky, "He is truly destined for great things. I guess your blood is strong in this one, huh, Nobunaga-sama?" Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out a metal medallion with the symbol of the Oda Clan on it.
After living like a shut-in for several days, Iori finally decided to get out of the house if for no better reason than to keep his mind occupied and to get some fresh air. As he walked, he found a toy store and entered. Inside, Iori could see many families, with parents buying toys for their children. Seeing the children's smiles made him smile but also sad at the same time. The sight reminded him of Kochu and Riri. He wondered just how they were doing with his absence.
He remembered promising to always be there for them, but now thanks to the Armored War Devils he could not keep that promise. He felt sorrow and rage. Sorrow because he was taken from the only real family that really mattered to him and rage at the Genesis Riders for being the cause of it. He clenched his eyes shut as tears began to well up in his eyes.
Maybe he should go and visit the museum again. Even if it was just false hope, he could at least see if everything turned out OK for everyone. He had his doubts, but he still needed confirmation. He exited the toy store and went towards the museum. It wasn't far from the toy store.
Haru was going on a jog. He didn't have any route set and was just going in whatever direction he wanted. Personally, he preferred to enjoy the scenery. He hadn't even planned on stopping in front of the museum to take a break.
Looking up at the building, Haru had the urge to go inside to see the exhibit again. Now, normally, Haru would never consider a museum as anything special. However, that fateful field trip had changed him and he decided to just follow his gut and go into the museum to check it out, at least for one last time.
Meanwhile, Hideyoshi and Kenshin were in their private hangout. A very messy hangout. It was a big empty room with a pile of junk in one corner. Hideyoshi was sitting on the couch, doing his homework while Kenshin was lying back on the hood of a broken down car. He was picking up random pieces of junk and throwing them around.
"I can't stand it!" Kenshin angrily threw a can at a crate.
"And my concentration is now broken," Hideyoshi quipped as he stopped doing his homework.
"Sorry, man," apologized the black-haired teen. "I'm just so frustrated."
"I understand that, but throwing a fit is not going to make things better," Hideyoshi stated. He had accepted that they would never be able to go back. However, Kenshin couldn't accept that. Just being back here, where everything was so dull, didn't sit well for him. They had left behind a life of adventure just for this modern dullsville.
"We need to find a way back," Kenshin informed him.
"And how do you suppose we do that?" Hideyoshi questioned his compatriot.
Kenshin thought about it for a while before he got a light bulb in his head, "The museum! Maybe it has something that we can use to get back."
"Kenshin, the odds of finding something from that place to return to Yue-hime is astronomical."
"It's still worth a shot." Kenshin put all his stuff back into his backpack. "You coming or not?"
"Well….since I'm getting tired from doing this homework anyway and someone has to keep an eye on you. Why not?"
"Hey, it's been awhile, hasn't it?" Mitsuki asked as he stood before a trio of gravestones. Two were for his parents while the third was for his sister.
Mitsuki didn't remember his mother very clearly. She had died giving birth to Karin. Back then, he had been almost three years old. He remembered his dad coming home with baby Karin but then his mother wouldn't be coming back. He didn't understand back then but he did in time. The funeral had been heartbreaking but Mitsuki needed to stay strong. He still had his family and a little sister to look after.
It had not been easy growing up for Mitsuki. Some of the kids made fun of him for not having a mom. Instead of crying about it like a pathetic weakling, he lashed out violently and beat up the kids. He got into trouble and his dad had been called. Mitsuki had not regretted it. In fact, he felt proud for standing up for himself. Those kids never made fun of him again.
He helped to raise his little sister. He would look after her after she started school. Once middle school started for him, Karin had to look after herself. Like him, she had a fiery spirit and didn't take crap from anyone. She had a sharp tongue and even sharper wit as well as a very mean kick.
Then one day she got really sick. Their dad had to work overtime to afford the medical bills. Even Mitsuki took a part-time job at a flower shop so he could make his own money and offer some for the medical bills.
Then his dad got fired, his sister died, and finally his dad followed after drinking too much.
Mitsuki ended up alone after that, bitter and angry. Chitoge's involvement in his life had helped him somewhat, but it wasn't the same. She had offered to take him in, but he had declined. He would always return to the same apartment, all alone. His life then changed when he ended up in Ancient China and joined up with Sousou. He wasn't alone anymore. Now, back in Tokyo, he was alone once again.
"I need to get back to them," Mitsuki swore. There was only one place which held any clues. He had to go back to the museum. There had to be something there.
After school, Marcus decided to go for a walk and maybe check out the local library for some inspiration. When he went inside, he bumped into someone he hadn't seen in a while.
"Monsieur Diable Blanc?" Marcus asked.
"Huh?" Masataka responded. He had come to the library to do some research.
"Fancy meeting you here! Bonjour!" Marcus greeted.
"Yeah, I'm surprised to see you too," admitted Masataka. He considered telling them about what he had learnt. Sadly, none of them had thought of exchanging contact information. It was just fortunate that Masataka bumped into Marcus.
"What brings you here to the library?" Marcus asked.
"Just doing some research."
"Ah, the same. I was hoping to find some inspiration."
Masataka considered telling Marcus about what he had learnt. It could be bad to fill the half-Frenchman with false hope, but right now hope was all they had.
"Hey, Marcus-san. There's something I need to tell you." Masataka then told Marcus about his discovery from the other day and Marcus' eyes went wide after his explanation.
"Really, you mean…" Marcus gasped.
"I believe so," Masataka confirmed.
"Hallelujah!" Marcus shouted to the ceiling before grabbing Masataka's collar and kissing both his cheeks. "Thank you Monsieur! You've made me REALLY happy and filled me with HOPE!" Although uplifting, the other customers looked at them oddly and with a bit of annoyance.
"Hey...not here! Anyway, we need to find the others."
"I believe that wouldn't be a problem." Marcus pointed at the window. Masataka looked outside and saw Nagata heading in the direction of the museum.
"Now that's oddly convenient," quipped Masataka.
"Well, what are we waiting for? Allons-y!"
Nagata had gone home to do something before he went straight back to the museum where it all began to find Iori there looking at the Three Kingdoms exhibit.
"Iori, you're here too?" Nagata asked.
"Nagata?" Iori noticed his fellow Armored War God. He hadn't seen him since they were all brought back to Tokyo.
"Nostalgic, isn't it?" Nagata asked as he looked at the weapons on display. Kanu's Green Dragon Crescent Blade and Chouhi's Viper Spear caused his heart to ache.
"Yeah..." Iori sighed as he gazed at Kochu's bow. He could feel his heart breaking as it was a cruel reminder that he would never see his wife and stepdaughter ever again. "We'll never see them again, will we?"
"I want to say that we will, but that would be lying," confessed Nagata. Honestly, they didn't even know how they were sent to that place so how could they go back?
"How do you think they're doing?" Iori asked.
"If the RinJyuKen and Genesis Riders weren't there then I say things would be OK, that history would run its course. But..." He gazed at Chouhi's Viper Spear, Kanu's Green Dragon Crescent Blade and Ryuubi's Ryujin Claw. "I can't guarantee that. I wanna go back. I need to go back to help them."
"You're not the only one who feels that way, Oda," a familiar voice spoke as several others entered the exhibit area.
"Why are you guys here?" Nagata asked, spotting Mitsuki. He was joined by Haru, Marcus, Kenshin, Hideyoshi and Masataka.
"Got nothing better to do," confessed Mitsuki.
"I was just jogging when I came here," added Haru.
"I just felt like coming," stated Masataka.
"Just wanted to see the exhibit here for the last time," spoke Marcus.
"We were just in the area," Hideyoshi claimed, indicating himself and Kenshin.
"Well, it's good to see you guys," Nagata smiled. They probably missed the Three Kingdoms Era and the people they left behind too. Iori looked at them all curiously. This was a very odd coincidence. Why were they gathered here now? In fact, another question came to mind.
"Hey, have you guys ever wondered why we ended up being sent to the Three Kingdoms Era in the first place?" Iori asked them.
"It never really occurred to me," admitted Kenshin.
"Speak for yourself, Kenshin," remarked Hideyoshi.
"Actually, I've asked myself that question before," spoke Masataka. "Why the eight of us specifically? Also, why were we carrying our SengokuDrivers and Lockseeds on that day? If you think about it, it's just too much of a coincidence."
"Actually, my SengokuDriver didn't belong to me. I picked it up when a child dropped it, just as that thief was committing his crime," Marcus interjected.
Ignoring Marcus, Mitsuki asked Masataka, "What are you saying?"
"Call me crazy, but I think fate or whatever mysterious force is what brought us together on that day. Perhaps we were subconsciously nudged to be at the right place and right time to be sent to the era of the Three Kingdoms," Masataka explained.
"Destiny was calling us?" Kenshin questioned skeptically.
"As crazy as that sounds, it does sound like the only explanation," agreed Hideyoshi.
Masataka continued, "It still doesn't change the fact that we had SengokuDrivers and Lockseeds which magically became real once we were sent to that world. I know it sounds like a silly plot device from a fanfiction, but what if we were destined to be the Kamen Riders of that world?"
"I remember tackling the thief and he dropped that mirror. We were all in range when that light engulfed us. That's probably the same magic that made us into real Riders," Mitsuki recalled.
"Well, I don't think breaking another ancient mirror is going to help us get back, though," countered Hideyoshi. It would probably get them arrested for destroying museum property.
"But there is a chance we could go back," Masataka spoke. Everyone's attention was on him. "I met the curator, Hayashi-san, and he told me that the legend of the Armored War Gods has been recorded by Shokatsuryou Komei."
"Shuri?" Nagata and Iori questioned.
"I don't think our story is over quite yet. I have a feeling there's more we need to do and the answers we seek are right here. I think that, even today, we are gathered here for a reason. Perhaps we are meant to find a way to go back," Masataka said hopefully.
"So, how are we supposed to do that?" Kenshin asked.
"Oui, tell us," insisted Marcus.
"Wait, I thought we went into an alternate version of Ancient China. That is why the guys of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms were girls," Hideyoshi pointed out.
"Perhaps the timelines are lining themselves up," Masataka suggested. It may not make sense, but the scroll written by Komei, which spoke of the Armored War Gods, told him that it was possible. Two separate timelines were merging.
They took a moment to process all this in silence. Was it possible for two different timelines to line up? Were they the reason for it happening? Would history be rewritten? Had it already been rewritten? Was the original story told with women but was instead changed to fit the view that men should be in charge?
"So, you boys decided to come. I've been waiting for you." There stood Chosen, dressed in a pink business suit. The sight of the man surprised Nagata, Mitsuki, Masataka, Iori and Marcus. They were actually relieved to see him fully dressed and not in that horrendous thong. Though, does his suit have to be pink?
"Chosen!? What are you doing here!?" Nagata cried. "Better yet, how are you here!?"
"Who's this guy?" Haru asked, pointing at Chosen.
"We met him once before. He gave us the power to become giants," Marcus explained.
"I think I heard about that," recalled Haru. "That was big news. Weren't Go and Gi fighting over gold or something?"
"We were, but it was a trap set by the RinJyuKen," Mitsuki scowled in remembrance. He hated being made a fool of.
"So, Chosen-san, how can you be here?" Iori asked. If there was anything or anyone that could give them hope, it would be Chosen. Even if the man was odd, he had given them a miracle once before. Maybe he could deliver another miracle to them today.
"Come with me," Chosen instructed as he stepped out of the exhibit.
"Should we?" Hideyoshi asked, unsure.
"Guy seems fishy," Kenshin answered. They watched as Iori, Marcus, Mitsuki, Nagata and Masataka followed. Haru also tagged along.
"Well, not like we have anything more to lose," said Hideyoshi as he adjusted his glasses before following the group. Kenshin shrugged and went with the group as well. They stepped out of the museum and Chosen stood before them.
"It is time," Chosen said.
"Time for what?" Nagata asked. He got his answer in the most unexpected manner.
"You'll find out in 3...2...Now!"
"Unstoppable strength is the path to power! Invincible Body! RinJyu Shark-Ken! Sharkie Chan!"
"Deadly skill is the path to power! Destructive Technique! RinJyu Bat-Ken! Bat-Li!"
"Dead emotion is the path to power! Black Heart! RinJyu Elephant-Ken! Elehung Kam Po!"
"Explosive emotion is the path to power! Heart of Darkness! RinJyu Gorilla-Ken! Gorrie Yen!"
"Killing style is the path to power! Devilish Technique! RinJyu Penguin-Ken! Michelle Peng!"
"God-like strength is the path to power! Supreme Power! RinJyu Gazelle-Ken! Pyon Biao!"
"In everything, there is power to take! Eternal Might! RinJyu Felis-Ken! Sha-Fu!"
Nagata and the other Riders gaped as the seven Beastmen advanced towards them. They all looked like RinJyuKen versions of the Kensei from the Gekirangers series. People screamed in panic and fled as the Kenma began launching Rinki into the air, generally causing destruction and mayhem with their attacks. More people were just standing and gawking, wondering if they were somehow on the set of a new film of some kind. Lots of sentai and tokusatsu shows were filmed in places around Tokyo so it wasn't unusual to think they had stumbled onto one...right?
"What the hell is this?" Mitsuki frowned. "How can they exist here? They shouldn't be anything but costumes or something right?"
"It seems Ukitsu decided to send some insurance to make sure you boys stayed away," Chosen frowned, eyeing the approaching Kensei-turned-Kenma. "Well, it fits into what I came here to do anyway."
"Do?" asked Hideyoshi. "Do what?!"
"Offer you boys a choice," Chosen turned to the group of eight Riders. "Just say the word and I can send you boys back to your homes and send these seven away. However, you'll have to give up on ever being the Armored War Gods of the other world again. You'd be stuck here living the lives you left behind. Lives that could let you all be successful and not have to worry about things like war, famine, leading provinces, and the struggles of the Three Kingdoms. History will just play itself out there despite some of the changes you guys have made."
"And what's the other choice?" demanded Iori.
"You transform and fight these guys," Chosen pointed to the seven Kenma. "But if you do, you'll get drawn back into the world of the Three Kingdoms and like the other choice, there's no coming back to your modern world."
"So we stay, but never go back or we go, but can't come back," Marcus frowned. "Well that's just a fabulous choice."
"Choices which can change worlds are never easy," Chosen shook his head. "I'm sorry to have to push you guys but you'll have to decide pretty quickly before these seven crush you all."
"But how can we fight without our Drivers?" asked Hideyoshi. Chosen smiled and snapped his fingers. In a flash, the SengokuDrivers appeared and were strapped to their waists. "How!?"
"And you also have your Lockseeds," Chosen informed them. "So, what will it be?"
"I've made my choice," Nagata stepped forward. "I've got a woman who loves me, kids who look up to me, friends who'd run through Heaven and Earth for me. A whole province is relying on me! I'm not turning my back on them!"
[ORANGE!]
Iori stepped up, "I'm a married man with a little one who needs her father just as much as she does her mother. I made a promise to be the father and husband both my special ladies need! I'm never turning my back on them!"
[BUDOU!]
"Heh!" Mitsuki smirked. "You expect me to come back to all this brown-nosing and backstabbing in corporate Japan when I could be back home helping to change the world and doing what I do best? You're kidding, right?"
[BANANA!]
"I'm not going to stay," Hideyoshi shook his head. "There's a little princess back there who needs her knights to look out for her. You'd have to kill me to keep me from going back!"
[DONGURI!]
"Heh! I can't die or take a break yet! I still gotta get Ren-chan on a date!" Kenshin grinned.
[MATSUBOKKURI!]
"I swore loyalty to Sonsaku-sama, her family and her court. I am a man of my word," Masataka stated with a determined expression, taking his own place.
[MELON!]
"I finally found a place where I belong and people who appreciate me for who I am, not because of grades or proper looks," Haru shook his head. "I can't go back to how it was now."
[KURUMI!]
"And stay here in this drab bore-hole when a whole world of adventure and excitement is waiting? I don't think so!" Marcus laughed, stepping forward with the others.
[DURIAN!]
One by one, each of the Arms Armor Parts lowered from the portals to Helheim, causing more people to stop and watch in awe.
"Henshin!" the eight young men called out as they loaded their Lockseeds into their SengokuDrivers and pushed down the Cutting Blades.
[LOCK ON!]
[SOIYA! ORANGE ARMS! HANAMICHI ON STAGE!]
[HAI~! BUDOU ARMS! RYU, HOU, HA-HA-HA!]
[COME ON! BANANA ARMS! KNIGHT OF SPEAR!]
[SOIYA! MATSUBOKKURI ARMS! ICHIGEKI IN THE SHADOW!]
[SOIYA! MELON ARMS! TENKA GOMEN!]
[COME ON! DONGURI ARMS! NEVER GIVE UP!]
[KURUMI ARMS! MISTER KNUCKLEMAN!]
[DURIAN ARMS! MISTER DANGEROUS!]
"The choice has been made," Chosen nodded as each of the Riders transformed. "No regrets?"
"None!" the united Armored War Gods declared.
"Then do as you will," the man smiled. "Ukitsu's power is preventing me from taking anything back. It's focused in those seven. Take them down and you'll all return to the other world."
"You heard the man! Let's take them down!" Gaim ordered. "This is our stage now!" Brandishing their weapons, the eight Armored War Gods charged at the seven advancing Kenma to decide their destiny.
"Decide your fate, Armored War Gods," Chosen smiled.
Baron delivered a series of strikes but Gorrie shrugged them off and laughed. The Kenma grabbed him, spun him around and threw him at a nearby building. He was smashed right through the wall and debris littered him. Groaning, Baron picked himself up and saw that Gorrie had let himself in through the hole he had made.
Gorrie pounded his chest furiously as he stormed towards Baron. Baron raised his Banaspear to block only to be immediately disarmed. Then, Gorrie followed up with an uppercut that sent the Knight of Spear flying. Baron landed with a crash and groaned.
"He's...strong..." Baron groaned but then he added, "But I'm stronger." Fortunately, he was not without options.
[MANGO!]
The Helheim portal opened and the Mango Arms Armor Part descended. Quickly switching Lockseed, Baron pushed down the Cutting Blade to perform his Arms Change.
[LOCK ON! COME ON! MANGO ARMS! FIGHT OF HAMMER!]
He changed just in time as Gorrie came charging at him. Baron thrust his Mango Punisher forward and buried it into Gorrie's gut. With a loud roar, Baron pushed forward, running towards the exit and dragging Gorrie with him before he sent the gorilla-man tumbling with a swing of his weapon.
Knuckle was in the middle of fighting the Kenma Elehung, who was so unlike his Kensei counterpart. He was strong, and used that power to block Knuckle's punches. Now Knuckle found himself being lifted up by Elehung by his arms. The elephant-man smashed Knuckle repeatedly on the pavement, swinging him over his head, back and forth. Knuckle grunted with each blow before he was raised against over Elehung's head. He was being held by his neck and legs.
"I will break you!" Elehung shouted before he smashed Knuckle over his knee like how Bane broke Batman's back. Knuckle yelled as his back was slammed down on Elehung's knee before the elephant Kenma tossed him away.
"Ugh..." Knuckle groaned. The good news: his armor absorbed the blow. The bad news: his body still felt the blow. "Now I know how Batman feels..." Knuckle groaned. He picked himself up, his back sore, but still able to fight as he entered his boxing stance. Elehung summoned his meteor hammer and then hurled it at Knuckle. He ducked and dashed towards Elehung. Once close enough, he began to execute a barrage of punches focused on Elehung's stomach. Instead of cries of pain, Knuckle heard laughter. He stopped and looked up at Elehung's amused face.
"That tickled," laughed Elehung before he smacked Knuckle aside with his trunk. Knuckle recovered but received the heavy end of the meteor hammer directly in the face. He then received it again, and again, and again. It was a good thing he was wearing a helmet, or else he would end up with a broken nose and a concussion right about now.
Zangetsu threw his shield but amazingly, the penguin Kenma jumped, grabbed the Melon Defender in mid-air and threw it back at him. Zangetsu caught it and Michelle capitalized on the moment to strike. She soared through the air and hit Zangetsu with a kick, sending him stumbling backwards.
"Ara, has the White Devil become a total weakling?" Michelle amused herself as she taunted him.
"Do not celebrate just yet," Zangetsu glared at her. "Those who are overconfident will suffer a painful demise."
"Are you sure? Because at this rate the one who will face their demise first is you," Michelle giggled sinisterly. She then charged forward and began to attack with swift punches and kicks. Zangetsu blocked with his Melon Defender and retaliated with his Musou Saber once he found an opening. However, she was able to avoid his strikes before landing her own which hit him in the chest. She performed a roundhouse kick to his head, causing him to stumble and then launched him backwards with a snap kick.
Both Gaim and Sha-Fu were fighting furiously and ferociously as they exchanged blows. Despite fighting only with claws, Sha-Fu was quite formidable and able to exchange blows with Gaim who was armed with his Daidaimaru and Musou Saber. Sparks flew as the two clashed as Gaim glared at him.
"You guys are a disgrace to the real Kensei!" spat Gaim.
"Hah, we are what they could've been if they only gave into the darkness!" the evil Sha-Fu shot back as he slashed Gaim across the chest with Rinki energy claws. He then moved with the agility of a cat and swiped at Gaim repeatedly, causing sparks to fly. He then went and aimed for Gaim's back, but the orange Rider ducked and then spun, slashing at Sha-Fu. Sha-Fu screamed as he went tumbling.
Gaim joined his Daidaimaru and Musou Saber together and the orange blade of the Daidaimaru glowed. He then swung, sending a blade of orange energy to hit the Kenma. However, Sha-Fu countered with an energy claw which continued to fly towards Gaim. It violently struck Gaim in the chest and sent him flying.
"Little cub, you're 1,000 years too early if you think you can beat me," Sha-Fu snickered.
"We'll...see..." Gaim grunted as he picked himself up, using his combined weapon to support himself. He gripped it tight and charged at Sha-Fu. Sha-Fu grinned and put his hands behind his back as Gaim attacked. The Rider slashed, swung and swiped at him, but Sha-Fu bobbed and weaved, dodging and avoiding Gaim's attack. He then spotted an opening and exploited it. He poked Gaim's chest with a single finger but there was enough force behind that single poke to send Gaim flying and screaming before he smashed into a wall.
"Like I said, 1,000 years too early," Sha-Fu repeated himself with a dark chuckle.
Sparks flew as Bravo and Bat-Li exchanged blows. The bat-man was landing serious strikes with his war fans, sparks flying when they hit Bravo. Bravo returned the favor with his Duri Noko. However, his blows were blocked before Bat-Li threw a blast of wind that sent him flying backwards.
"HYAH!" Bat-Li threw his war fans which sliced through the air. They sliced into Bravo repeatedly as they flew about, swift and sharp, and he cried out as sparks erupted from his armor. Bat-Li then swooped in and caught his fans before performing a bicycle kick that sent Bravo backpedalling. A heel kick knocked Bravo down and Bat-Li dove down to finish the job. He grabbed Bravo and dragged him along the road before smashing him into a wall.
Swooping upwards, Bat-Li began circling around. Bravo grunted and cursed before picking himself up. He followed Bat-Li's flying pattern. He couldn't simply use his Au Lait Function as he may accidentally hit the buildings and he didn't want to cause unnecessary property damage. He needed to wait for an opening.
Bat-Li swooped down and Bravo smiled, "NOW!"
[DURIAN AU LAIT!]
He sent a giant energized sphere that resembled a durian flying at Bat-Li. However, Bat-Li used his Rinki to sharpen his war fans. He sliced the sphere to pieces and then he sliced into Bravo, causing him to scream.
Kurokage and Gridon were both fighting Sharkie Chan together. Unlike the cheerful shark-man who mentored Jan in the ways of Shark-Ken, this Kenma version of him was vicious and bloodthirsty. Kurokage was jabbing at him with his Kagematsu as Gridon pounded on him with his Donkachi.
"Annoying pests," the Kenma Sharkie snarled as he focused his Dark Rinki through his twin sabers. With a swipe, he launched energy blades shaped like shark fins which struck both nut Riders explosively. They were thrown into the air and landed on a couple of cars. Sharkie Chan then attacked the cars, causing them to explode and sent the Dynamic Duo soaring again.
"OH SHIIIIT!" Kurokage screamed as they were sent flying. The two landed near an alley. Recovering, the two retreated into the alley
"Dude, got a plan?" Kurokage asked.
"Just one," Gridon answered before he charged at Sharkie with a loud battle cry. He then slammed his hammer down on Sharkie's snout. Instead of yelling in pain, he snarled in anger, and Gridon grimaced. "Crap." Gridon then felt the sword striking him as sparks exploded from his armor.
"You can be my dinner," Sharkie licked his lips and teeth. He slashed Gridon repeatedly with his twin swords before landing a kick that smashed him against a car. "Time to become my dinner!" Sharkie crossed his swords as he charged them up with Rinki.
"Not on my watch, fish breath!" Kurokage shouted as he jumped onto the car's roof and then vaulted off. "HII-YAAAAAAAH!" He pushed down his Cutting Blade once in range.
[SOIYA! MATSUBOKKURI SQUASH!]
The tip of his Kagematsu hit Sharkie's chest and sent him backpedalling.
"Buddy, you OK?" Kurokage asked as he helped Gridon to his feet.
"A bit sore, but I can still fight," Gridon assured.
"Come on. Let's filet him and make shark fin soup out of him. Then, we can go and see Yue-sama," Kurokage told him.
"Ah, right," Gridon said. "For Yue-hime."
Pyon was in the middle of menacing a pair of children he had found. The two were huddled together in fright as he loomed over them threateningly. As he was about to grab them, he was suddenly shot in the face by purple energy bullets. He yelled out in outrage before he was kicked in the chest by Ryugen.
"Go now!" Ryugen told the two children and they fled for safety. Ryugen dashed over towards Pyon who saw him coming. The antelope-man was quicker as he leapt over Ryugen's shots before he kneed the green Rider with his knee. Ryugen recoiled painfully and Pyon grabbed his shoulders before kneeing him repeatedly in the stomach. Ryugen doubled over and Pyon performed a kick that sent him flying skyward. Ryugen screamed as he got higher and higher before he started to plummet. Pyon performed a spin kick and once more sent Ryugen soaring.
Ichiro had followed Iori to the museum. He was worried about him. When he arrived, he first saw his brother leave the museum with a group led by a man in pink. Then, he saw monsters appear out of thin air. If that wasn't shocking enough, he had witnessed his brother and the other young men transform into Kamen Riders.
Ichiro Tokugawa jaw dropped in shock as he witnessed what amounted to his little brother and a bunch of his friends fight monsters that would have looked perfect for a Super Sentai series. However, it was anything but fake. Actual blows were landing and the boys were yelling in pain and retaliating just as harshly. There were no flashy martial arts attacks, but an actual fight where lives were on the line.
"Iori…" Ichiro watched his little brother fire on the gazelle-like monster, but the beast just leaped out of the way with ease before kicking him in the face with enough force to take him off his feet.
Ichiro reached into his pocket and pulled out the ink painting his brother would stare at for hours on end since he returned. It was a picture of a woman in a violet dress and on her lap was a small girl. Even if ink paintings could be exaggerated, Ichiro could tell the woman was absolutely beautiful and the girl was as cute as a button. Iori said they were his wife and stepdaughter. Ichiro didn't know what to make of it, but hearing the strange stripping man and then seeing all the weirdness, Ichiro had to wonder if there was something to it.
Another savage kick caused Ryugen to scream in pain as he was launched back again. Ichiro winced and his big brother instincts began to go into overdrive. He had to do something!
"Wait," he wondered. "The show said the Riders had some kind of upgrades, right?" Ichiro looked around and spotted an otaku store. Quickly getting an idea, he ran to the store and opened the door. Fortunately the clerks and owner had already made a run for it.
Racing through the aisles, Ichiro found what he was looking for. The display for all the Kamen Rider merchandise. Tossing several boxes aside, he found the ones he was looking for. The Legend Rider Lockseeds. According to the show and merchandising, the Legend Rider Lockseeds contained the power of the Kamen Riders preceding Gaim.
Ichiro tore the boxes open and picked up his stolen goods. Ichiro quickly ran for the exit. He winced when an explosion went off and he heard screams before the armored forms of the Kamen Riders came sailing from the source, all smoldering from being struck. Their armors flashed and vanished.
"Fuck!" Mitsuki cursed. "These guys are killing us here!"
"Well, they are Kenma now," Nagata grunted. "Stands to reason they'd be better than the others and on a whole other level."
"Iori!" Ichiro shouted. The Riders turned to see Ichiro approaching, his arms laden down with items that he had stolen from the toy store. Approaching the Riders, he dropped the Legend Rider Lockseeds at their feet.
"Onii-san, what are you doing here?!" Iori gasped.
"I...I don't know what's going on...but you guys somehow became real Kamen Rider," Ichiro shook his head. "I don't know if these will help but…"
"Toys? You expect us to win with toys?" Mitsuki frowned at the sight of the Legend Rider Lockseeds.
"Well, our Drivers and Lockseeds used to be toys before magic made them real," Kenshin reasoned. Picking up a Legend Rider Lockseed which depicted Den-O, it flashed before turning from plastic to metal. "Whoa...it works!"
"It must be because of our SengokuDrivers. The same enchantment will effect anything that is related," Nagata theorized, picking up the Wizard Lockseed. It flashed before turning into a more durable material. "Guess we can use them after all!"
"Hm. Lucky break," Mitsuki picked up the OOO Lockseed.
"Appreciated," said Masataka as he picked up the Fourze Lockseed.
"Move over for me! And I call dibs on this lovely pink one!" Marcus announced, taking the Decade Lockseed.
"Double for me then," Iori nodded. Hideyoshi picked up the Kabuto Lockseed while Haru picked up the Kiva Lockseed, the items becoming real in a flash of light.
Nagata nodded and turned to his comrades before he spoke, "Well, what are we waiting for? These creeps aren't going to beat themselves and we've all got special ladies to go home to!"
"Agreed," Iori nodded.
"Hn," Mitsuki huffed.
"Just try to keep me away!" Marcus cheered.
"For Go!" Masataka barked.
"Hope Yue-hime isn't too worried about us," Hideyoshi sighed.
"This is gonna be so badass!" Kenshin grinned.
"Let's kick some butt!" agreed Haru.
The Legend Rider Lockseeds were unlocked together.
[WIZARD!]
[DOUBLE!]
[OOO!]
[DECADE!]
[FOURZE!]
[KABUTO!]
[DEN-O!]
[KIVA!]
The eight Riders stared down at the smug Kenma and placed their new Lockseeds into the Drive Bays of their SengokuDrivers before securing them onto the Lock On Arms.
[LOCK ON!]
Together, they hit the Cutting Blades, causing their Lockseeds to be cut open. The cores revealed illustrations of the Riders' belts while the backside of the lids showed images of their signature items.
[SOIYA!]
[COME ON!]
[HAI~!]
Above them, the portals to Helheim opened which dropped new Legend Rider Arms Armor Parts based off of the Legend Rider Lockseeds. The Armor Parts resembled the helmets of the Riders each Lockseed represented. They dropped on the Armored War Gods, covering their heads and materializing the Pre-Arms suits, before opening and folding onto their bodies to form their armors.
[WIZARD ARMS! SHABADOOBIE SHOWTIME!]
[OOO ARMS! TATOBA! TA-TO-BA!]
[DOUBLE ARMS! CYCLONE-JOKER! HA-HA-HA!]
[FOURZE ARMS! SEISHUN SWITCH ON!]
[DEN-O ARMS! IZA, CLIMAX!]
[KABUTO ARMS! TEN NO MICHI MY WAY!]
[KIVA ARMS! KING OF VAMPIRE!]
[DECADE ARMS! HAKAISHA ON THE ROAD!]
In the case of the Kiva, Wizard, Den-O, Decade and Kabuto Arms, the eyes split apart and folded onto the Riders' shoulders to form shoulder armor as the top parts folded onto the Riders' back and the front folded in to form the chestplates. As for the Double, OOO and Fourze Arms, the upper half of the giant head-like Armor Parts along with the eyes folded onto the back while the sides became shoulder armor and the front folded to become the chestplates as well. Each Rider wore a different visor corresponding to the Rider Arms they wore. They each gained a signature Arms Weapon as well, except for Knuckle who lacked one.
"This is gonna rock," Kurokage grinned, gripping the DenGasher Sword Mode. His visor was now colored red and split down the middle. Standing next to him was Gridon who was in Kabuto Arms, complete with a horn jutting upwards.
"Everyone, let's show these guys why the legend of the Kamen Riders is unmatched by evil," ordered Gaim. "Armored War Gods, it's showtime!"
"You just wanted to say that, didn't you?" asked Baron.
"Ikuze, ikuze, ikuze!" shouted Kurokage. The Armored War Gods charged, choosing their targets and engaged them. They were now fighting for the sake of their place in the world. Chosen watched with a smile as the Riders fought in the battle to choose their own destiny. Ichiro also watched, upset with himself for allowing his brother to risk his life but mostly proud that his brother was trying to find a place for himself in the world.
None of them seemed to realize that a news chopper had arrived at the scene and the camera managed to capture their entire transformation. Right now, the entire battle was being broadcasted live.
"We are now in the city and at the scene where a battle is taking place! Earlier, it was believed to be a publicity stunt by Toei! However, real damage was being inflicted on nearby buildings! These monsters, however, are now being confronted by who I believe to be teenagers! I almost can't believe what I am seeing, but these young men had just transformed into the popular TV superheroes known as Kamen Riders!"
"And here's your order," Yang delivered a bowl of noodles to a customer. The customer was watching the news on his iPad. When she glanced over and saw her son on the screen, she shamelessly ripped the device from the customer's hands to check that she wasn't seeing things.
"Hey!" the customer snapped but Yang didn't hear him. She was speechless as she stared at the screen.
"...Nagata?" she whispered. She then yelled out for her husband, "Honey, you better come out and see this! Right now!"
Ichika and Charlotte had been watching TV together when an emergency newsflash came on. When they saw why it was on, their eyes bulged from their eyes.
"Marky!?" exclaimed Charlotte.
"No way..." spoke Ichika in disbelief.
Chitoge was off duty and drinking beer after a shower. She was drying her hair as she entered her living room. She turned on the TV and it showed the news. As she sipped her beer, she saw Mitsuki on TV transform into Baron OOO Arms. Her eyes went wide and she spat out the beer she had been drinking.
Chitoge coughed and stared at the screen in disbelief, "Since when did he become a Henshin Hero!?"
Ayumi had fainted in her living room when she witnessed Haru become Knuckle Kiva Arms on TV. Once she regained consciousness, she would probably track him down and demand an explanation from him.
Nagata's friends were at a fast food restaurant grabbing a bite to eat. At the time, Taro was watching videos online when he received an urgent e-mail message telling him to go on the news website for a live stream.
When he did, his eyes bugged out of his skull as he could only stare in disbelief, "NAGATA!"
"Huh?" Daigo and Takashi moved over to see what got Taro to yell like that. They all saw on the tablet's screen that it was their friend Nagata. However, then it became something else entirely as Nagata transformed right before their eyes.
"Nagata, what the-how did you-Huh!?" Taro couldn't form a coherent sentence. No one could blame him. He had just witnessed Nagata transform into Kamen Rider Gaim Wizard Arms.
"No way! Nagata just turned into a Kamen Rider! This has got to be the most awesome thing ever!" Daigo geeked out as he rooted for the Riders taking on the Kenma.
"Of all time," Takashi added in awe. Man, he watched too much of that machinima series.
The battle began anew as the Armored War Gods, now wielding the power of the Legendary Riders, confronted the alternate Kenma with renewed determination. As the Riders in their new Legend Rider Arms battled the Kenma, someone was watching the fight from atop of a building. She giggled in amusement as she eyed Gaim fighting. She knew who he was.
"Nobunaga-sama, your blood really is strong in this one," spoke Ran Tenmaru, holding the Oda Clan medallion to her chest.
Gridon was armed with the Kabuto Kunai Gun and used its Axe Mode against Sharkie. He hacked and slashed at Sharkie who retaliated with his own twin swords. Gridon crashed against Sharkie, both of them grunting as they pushed against each other.
"You can't beat me!" the shark-man grunted. "My body...is too strong!"
"Oh, then how about the both of us take you out?" challenged Gridon as he struck the Cutting Blade twice.
[COME ON! KABUTO AU LAIT! CLOCK UP!]
Gridon suddenly moved at hyper speed. As his body accelerated, the world around him seemed to slow down. It was like time had frozen. However, he paid it no mind as he struck at Sharkie repeatedly with his Kabuto Kunai Gun Axe Mode before his Clock Up timed out.
[CLOCK OVER!]
"Kenshin!" Gridon called.
"Yosh! This is my climax right here!"
[SOIYA! DEN-O SQUASH! FULL CHARGE!]
"This is my Hissatsu Attack! Kurokage Version!" Kurokage declared.
Gridon punched Sharkie in the face to get some distance before he leapt into the air. While in midair, he pushed the Cutting Blade down, thrice.
[COME ON! KABUTO SPARKING! RIDER KICK!]
At the same time, the blade from Kurokage's DenGasher detached as he swung his weapon. The DenGasher's blade cut through Sharkie before Gridon's Rider Kick struck Sharkie in the chest. Sharkie unleashed a scream before exploding. Kurokage shouldered his DenGasher as Gridon pointed to the air like Souji Tendou.
Knuckle and Elehung ran parallel to each other. Knuckle only had his fists while Elehung used the meteor hammer he always carried into battle. Elehung swung his meteor hammer, but Knuckle kept knocking it aside or dodging his attacks. Elehung grunted in agitation before using his attack to smash a parked car at Knuckle. The Armored War God of the En Clan grunted and dove to the side, hiding behind a parked bus. He panted for a few moments before the hammer that the evil Elehung used to smashed through next to his head. Elehung withdrew his weapon, leaving a hole in the side of the bus.
"Shit!" Knuckle hissed. Glancing through the hole, he spotted Elehung swinging his hammer with a smug grin. He was also standing on a closed street. "Oh ho?" Knuckle stood up and leapt onto the bus' roof before hitting his Cutting Blade three times.
[KIVA SPARKING! GARULU!]
A howl was heard as the Garulu Saber appeared in his hand. He leapt off the bus and landed several brutal slashes upon Elehung.
[BASSHAA!]
The Basshaa Magnum appeared in his other hand and he fired several pressurized water bullets directly into Elehung's face, blinding him.
[DOGGA!]
The sword and gun vanished and were replaced by the Dogga Hammer. Knuckle roared as he bashed Elehung with the mighty war hammer before knocking him backwards with a brutal swing. Elehung ended up landing in an alley. Knuckle dropped the Dogga Hammer and hit the Cutting Blade again.
[KIVA SQUASH! WAKE UP!]
"Nothing personal but eat this!" Knuckle yelled as he leapt into the air and performed the Darkness Moon Break. Elehung yelled and tried to roll around the attack, but soon discovered that he had been boxed in.
"NOOOOOOO!" Elehung screamed before the attack struck him, causing him to explode with Kiva's symbol hanging in the air, ending his wretched life as a Kenma.
"Heh!" Knuckle laughed. "I always figured he was the dumbest of the bunch."
"Hup!" Bravo leaped over Bat-Li's attack, the both of them performing a deadly dance. They slashed at each other, striking with quick attacks. Both had speed on their side and natural techniques. Once more, they crashed against one another, holding each other's weapons at bay with their own.
"You lack technique! You will never win against me!" Bat-Li growled.
"Oh? And you lack grace and serenity!" Bravo taunted back. "Your GekiJyuKen counterpart was so much more artistic."
"Hmph! Art has no place in battle!"
"That is where we disagree."
The two kicked off one another before Bat-Li took to the sky, preparing one of his deadly Ringi to use on Bravo.
"Oh, non non, Monsieur Chauvre-Souris," Bravo wagged a finger at him. "Never leave yourself open to an enemy attack!"
"Damn it! Who the hell are you?!"
"An artist that's just passing through! Please remember that!"
Bravo turned his Ride Booker into its Gun Mode and prepared to finish this fight. Bat-Li quickly launched his Night Reaper Blade attack, cutting down everything in his path but Bravo merely dove out of the way. Landing on his back, he hit the Cutting Blade of his belt before taking aim.
[DECADE SQUASH! FINAL ATTACK RIDE: DE-DE-DE-DECADE!]
Taking aim, a line of holographic cards appeared between him and Bat-Li. The Kenma blinked at the odd sight before he realized what it was. It was too late for him though as Bravo released the shot, sending the blast through the line of cards, allowing it to grow in size and power before it was able to strike Bat-Li.
Bat-Li exploded in a fiery haze, leaving Bravo to stand up and begin dusting himself off.
"A fine performance."
Zangetsu squared off with Michelle, swiping and striking hard at one another with either her flipper-like chops or with Zangetsu's Musou Saber. Zangetsu was no slouch in battle, but Michelle was master at the art despite her somewhat silly basis for a JyuKen. She was just as deadly as the others and was more than happy to show it off.
A particularly brutal chop got him across the face, causing him to stumble back from the blow.
"Give up! Ukitsu decreed you eight shall die! You may as well accept it!" the evil Penguin-Ken user sniffed.
"Yeah right," Zangetsu growled. Michelle huffed and attacked, but Zangetsu disregarded technique and used the Rocket Module to launch him at Michelle with a punch. He struck Michelle in the chest before running the path and crashing into a wall, knocking the wind out of the penguin-woman. She elbowed and chopped him in the back, bringing blasts of sparks but Zangetsu didn't falter.
One particularly hard strike to his spin caused him to grunt, but he smashed her chest with his shoulder again to stun her so he could do his next move.
[SOIYA! FOURZE SQUASH! LIMIT BREAK!]
"Uchuu...KITTAAAAAAA!"
The Rocket Module took off with Zangetsu and he performed Fourze's finisher called the Rider Rocket Drill Kick. The Drill Module formed around his extended foot before he smashed into Michelle Peng and pierced her with the Drill Module. The evil Michelle Peng was obliterated in the blast, leaving only her opponent behind. Emerging from the flames was Zangetsu, brushing some soot off of his shoulder before he turned to see how his comrades were doing.
Ryugen grunted as Pyon kicked him again and again, but with his new Double Arms he was able to avoid Pyon's kick. Pyon certainly got a surprise when he couldn't land his kick to send his opponent flying for once and instead he got shot in the chest for his trouble.
"You...you hurt me!" he gasped, touching the bleeding wound on his torso.
"I'm gonna do a lot more than that!" Ryugen announced, taking aim at the Gazelle-Ken user and firing several shots.
Pyon leaped out of the way, dodging the strikes as he aimed for another devastating kick, "NO ONE HURTS ME! MY BODY IS THE STRONGEST OF THEM ALL! I'M INVINCIBLE!" He went around behind Ryugen and kicked him with even more force, planting the Kamen Rider into a wall. He then leaped over to him before pressing his forearm into his throat. "I'm going to enjoy making you pay for this!"
Rather than tremble or cough, Ryugen snorted, "I'm sure."
Pyon felt something press into his abdomen and his eyes widened before several shots from the Trigger Magnum pierced his gut, causing him to stumble back with a cry of pain. Ryugen stood up, watching as Pyon grunted and warbled from the pain.
"You're so used to using your Rinki to toughen your body, you forgot what it's like to feel real pain, haven't you?" he asked, watching Pyon snarl at him. "Well, let me give you a refresher!" He hit his Cutting Blade.
[HAI~! DOUBLE SQUASH! MAXIMUM DRIVE!]
Ryugen took aim and pulled the trigger. He released multiple blasts of energy that curved in the air before locking onto Pyon. Pyon, too stunned by his own pain, couldn't dodge it in time and the attack struck him. His body exploded in a haze of fire.
"Now, count up your crimes in Hell," Ryugen stated as he pointed at the flames.
"RAAAH!" Gorrie smashed his fists against Baron, who used his shoulder to take the worst of the blow before. Baron elbowed him in the gut before landing a kick in his face and knocking him back.
"Game's changed now," Baron commented. "You're gonna have to take me seriously if you want to win this one."
Gorrie made an unintelligible noise before he smashed the ground, causing debris and other pieces of destroyed property to fly up. As it came down, he punched at the pieces and shot them towards Baron like bullets. Baron winced, but activated the inherent properties of his new armor. Flashing green, he dodged the attacks with a jump before coming down on Gorrie to slash him with the Medajalibur's blade.
"You drew a bad lot this time. I'm way too fast for a monkey like you," Baron smirked before dipping out of the way of Gorrie's backhand.
Gorrie yelled, preparing another Ringi, but Baron was on him in a flash before slashing him several times. He finished with another kick to the face which launched Gorrie several feet onto his back with a grunt.
"I guess there's something to be said for using skill against power," Baron nodded. "I'll have to look into that on my Crimson Guard when I return."
[COME ON! OOO SQUASH! SCANNING CHARGE!]
"SEI-YAAAH!" The Medajalibur glowed and Baron slashed the air. Gorrie was bisected at the waist before he erupted, causing a large explosion. The flames burned out quickly, but the Kenma was gone.
"Heh! Easy pickings," Baron snorted.
Gaim and Sha-Fu leaped at each other, clashing hard during each exchange. Sha-Fu was easily the most powerful of the seven Kenma and it showed in his fighting style. Felis-Ken wasn't based on any one feline, but based on the traits of all felines making it a stronger style than the average JyuKen.
Both of them landed on the ground before turning to strike, stopping when their weapons were aimed at one another. Gaim saw Sha-Fu's fist in front of his visor while the WizardSwordGun was pointed directly between Sha-Fu's eyes.
"Oh? It seems we're at a stalemate now," Sha-Fu chuckled.
"Perhaps," Gaim admitted. "Don't suppose I can convince you to give up and leave?"
"Ha! The RinJyuKen never leaves the field of battle until the enemy is crushed!"
"I didn't think so." Gaim drew his arm for a slash only for Sha-Fu to dodge out of the way instantly. The Kenma then struck Gaim across the face, sending him tumbling, but Gaim recovered quickly to switch his weapon to Gun Mode and fire. Sha-Fu leapt into the air to dodge and Gaim took this chance.
"Now! The finale!"
[SOIYA! WIZARD SQUASH! CHOINE, SAIKO!]
Gaim leapt up and performed a flying kick, speeding through the magic circles before he smashed straight through Sha-Fu. The Felis-Ken user screamed before Gaim burst through him, causing an explosion. Gaim landed on the ground before standing up, looking at where the former Kenma's remains burned up.
Looking around, Gaim saw his friends all approaching, having won their battles with the alternate Kenma. As they came together, their Legend Rider Arms flashed and vanished alongside with their suits.
Before they could speak, clapping caught their attention and they spotted Chosen walking towards them. He seemed pleased with the results of what had happened. For some reason, he had also lost his shirt.
"Now then, everyone," Chosen spoke to the Riders, "Now that you've made your decision, it's time for you all to go back."
He raised his hands into the air and a bright light erupted into the sky. It hovered in the air and didn't seem to affect anything. Several of the Riders wondered how they were supposed to reach it before they began to glow as well.
"Guess this is it. This is the last time we'll see this place," Nagata remarked sadly with some regret. He asked his fellow Armored War Gods, "So, guys. Any regrets?"
"Not one," Mitsuki shook his head.
"Not really," Masataka denied.
"Nope," Kenshin answered.
"I'm good," Hideyoshi agreed.
"Of course not!" Marcus huffed as it was obvious.
"I've said my goodbyes," Iori nodded.
"Then I guess we're ready to go," Nagata nodded.
As the portal of light started to draw in the Riders as they began to rise towards it, Ichiro ran to the Riders, "Iori!" He reached up and grabbed his brother's hand as he was floating upwards.
"Onii-san, let me go," Iori requested. "Please."
"Just tell me one thing, Iori," Ichiro started and then asked, "In that other world, are you happy?"
Iori smiled and nodded, "Yes." How could he not be happy? He had Kochu (Shion) and Riri.
"That's all I needed to hear," Ichiro smiled back as he let Iori go.
"Tell Okaasan and Otousan that I love them. They may not have been the best parents but I still love them," said Iori. "Sayonara, Onii-san!" Iori waved before he started to fade away. The Riders all vanished into the light. Once they were all gone, the glowing portal vanished. Oddly, even Chosen was gone although he hadn't entered the portal himself.
Fruits of the Tree, Yggdrasil
Legend Rider Lockseeds: Originally toys, but in the hands of the Armored War Gods they become powerful weapons. Each Lockseed contains the power which corresponds to the Legendary Heisei Rider which they depict. So far, eight of these Lockseeds were used by the Armored War Gods to fight the Kenma.
Wizard Arms: The user is armed with the WizardSwordGun and becomes more magical and acrobatic.
Decade Arms: The user is armed with the Ride Booker and gain's Decade's ability to access the powers and weapons of other Riders.
Kabuto Arms: The user is armed with the Kabuto Kunai Gun and able to perform Clock Up.
Den-O Arms: The user is given the power of Kamen Rider Den-O Sword Form and is armed with the DenGasher which can be configured into different modes. The default mode for the DenGasher is a sword.
Kiva Arms: The user is given the power of Kamen Rider Kiva and is the only Arms that has no Arms Weapon.
Fourze Arms: The user is armed with Fourze Base States' power and the Rocket Module.
Double Arms: The user is armed with Double Cyclone-Joker's power and the Trigger Magnum.
OOO Arms: The user is armed with Kamen Rider OOO TaToBa Combo's power and the Medajalibur.
TFP: And the battle of the ages closes! The Armored War Gods have made their choice and are on their way back home. What about back in the Three Kingdoms? What has been happening since the boys vanished? The conclusion to season three is coming soon!
KRC: The guys are gonna be returning. Also, the original idea was for the guys to all gain Jimber Arms. However, I realized how redundant that would be so I switched it up so they used Legend Rider Lockseeds. Considering where they were, it wasn't impossible for them to gain the Legend Rider Lockseeds.
Oh, and a post A/N scene
Before Nagata had gone back to the museum, he had left a letter for his parents to find on his desk. The message he had written went as followed:
Dear Mom and Dad,
You both raised me to be a responsible young adult and I'll always be grateful for that. However, I can't stay. Not anymore. There is someplace I need to be and you can't come with me.
I'm sorry. It's not you guys. It's just, well, I never really had a sense of purpose before I went to the museum. You know how I always wanted to be some kind of hero. Blame my love of Kamen Rider for that. I just didn't feel I could be who I really wanted to be if I stayed in the city. It's just, I had to go. I needed to go. This place I went to, I found what I've been missing all my life.
Oh, and I never told you this, but I know I was adopted. I overheard you both talking about it when I was younger. I'm actually your nephew and you adopted me after my real parents were killed in an accident. It was probably a miracle that I survived while sitting in the back seat. I barely remember them, but it doesn't matter. You guys are my parents and I'm going to miss you both.
I'm sorry I couldn't tell you this in person. I knew you wouldn't have let me go. However, this is something I have to do. I don't know if I'll ever come back or not, but always know that I will always remember the good times we had.
Love, your son
Nagata Oda
And at the bottom of the letter, if one looked closely, were a few smudges. These were tears that fell from his eyes as he wrote this letter.