THE LEGACY OF CAIN
Part 34: The Midas Touch
A fly wouldn't be something to worry about. It was just a small insect. The most it did was annoy people. However, what worries people are the germs they carry upon their bodies as they land on food. Also, flies would lay their eggs on rotting food, giving birth to maggots (gross). Of course, the fly that had just entered the Hive wasn't a normal fly. It was made completely out of metal.
It was undetectable as it landed on the wall, scanning the main hall. It then spotted someone coming out of the elevator with a yawn. It was Yokoshima. "Huh, this isn't the cafeteria," he mumbled. He then went back around and the fly followed him into the elevator. It landed on his shirt and it stayed there as Yokoshima reached the cafeteria to grab a late night snack. After he was done he went back into the elevator up to the floor where the living quarters were set up. He scratched his butt as he reached his room and entered before crawling into bed. The metal fly remained on him before it crawled over to the back of his neck. The tip of its legs then pierced the skin and remained there.
Tomorrow, chaos would begin.
The following day, outside the base…
"Have you noticed that since this morning Yokoshima's been acting weird?" Shogo asked.
"What do you mean?" Hana asked.
"Well, he's been telling me these random threatening things. Like when I said 'good morning' to him he told me to go to hell and stick a pitch fork up my ass," said Shogo.
Michiru walked over and said, "That's nothing. He told me he was going to bend me over and rape my ass. I dunno if he was joking but I got the hell out of there quickly."
"Hey, what's going on?" Daichi asked as he walked over.
"Yokoshima's been acting weird," Hana, Michiru and Shogo answered together.
"How weird?" Daichi asked.
"He's been randomly threatening us, and his voice keeps changing. It sounds deep whenever he does it," said Shogo.
"Where is he now?" asked Daichi. He then heard something and turned around to see the tank. "Is that our tank? Who's driving it?"
BLAMMO! BOOM!
"RETREAT!"
"Oh crap, oh crap, of crap!"
Michiru, Hana, Daichi and Shogo were running for their lives as they were being chased by the tank.
"YES, RUN! RUN YOU MORONS! RUN IN FEAR!" shouted Yokoshima from within the tank. "EAT MY TANK SHELLS OF DEATH!"
The four NEO-NUMBERS continued to run and fled back into the base before sealing all the entrances.
"What…the…HELL!?" Michiru huffed. "Was that Yokoshima?"
"It looked like him, but it didn't sound like him," said Hana.
"I think he went nuts," observed Shogo.
"Gee, ya think?" Daichi shot back. "Sheila, what's wrong with Yokoshima?"
"I am unsure, but he appears to be showing psychotic rage," reported Sheila.
"Yeah, we realized that when he started blasting us with our own tank!" Daichi snapped. "Where are Doc Magi and Doc Washam?"
"They are away right now."
"Oh…that's just great." He asked Shogo, "Aren't you supposed to be the leader while Shinichi is away?"
"I doubt I can do anything at this point!" Shogo shot back.
BOOM!
The Teleportal came to life and Yuji burst right into the base. He rolled along the ground and got up on one knee before pointing his gun and sword at them.
"FREEZE!" Yuji shouted, "NOBODY MOVE!"
"We're already not moving," said Shogo. "You should've said 'keep doing what you're not doing'."
"Shut up!" Yuji ordered.
"What the hell, man? What's your problem?" Daichi demanded.
"Where the hell is that little fucker?" Yuji growled.
"What are you talking about?" Shogo questioned.
"Have you guys seen a weird looking fly buzzing around?" Yuji asked.
"If you haven't noticed, we're hiding from the tank," Hana answered.
Yuji blinked, "Tank? What tank?"
BOOM!
The base shook from the shell impacting against it. "The tank that's outside!" Daichi yelled.
"Who's driving?" Yuji asked.
"YOKOSHIMA!" the NEO-NUMBERS yelled.
BOOM!
"I WILL FEAST ON YOUR SOULS AND RAPE YOUR CARCASSES!" roared Yokoshima.
"He's outside blasting the base with our own tank," Daichi finished.
"So…it got him," Yuji realized.
"What got him?" Shogo questioned.
"That bastard fly!" Yuji answered.
"A fly?" Michiru stared at Yuji incredulously, "You're looking for a fly with a tank-"
BOOM!
"With a tank out there?"
"That fucking fly is the problem! It's a mechanical fly with some kind of aggressive AI program installed that it can infect people with!" Yuji explained.
"And how do you know that?" Daichi asked.
"Because it got me earlier. I raped Reina and Melanie before Misato found it on the back of my neck. Asura was about to blast it before it took off."
"Are they okay?" Hana asked, concerned over Reina and Melanie.
"Oh, they loved every second of it. They said I haven't been that aggressive with them in months. Even did it in my Transcended form."
"COME OUT AND PLAY, KIDDIES! COME OUT AND PLAY! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
"And right now that little asstard has got Yokoshima. And I think you're the best man to take it out, Shogo," said Yuji.
"I'm not going out there," said Shogo firmly.
"Look, I'll get Yokoshima out of the tank and keep him busy. That way you can get around him and snipe off that little piece of shit that's on his neck."
"How may I assist?" Sheila asked.
"Um…can you keep that thing from firing?" asked Yuji.
Sheila answered, "I will see what I can do. Accessing manual tank controls. Access granted. Shutting down manual controls."
"Did it work?" Michiru asked.
"WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS! WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS! THE FUCKING CANNON DOESN'T WORK!"
"It worked," Hana concluded.
"Sheila, open the door," ordered Shogo.
"Affirmative."
The door slid open and Yuji roared as he came running out, "MY TURN!" He assumed his Transcended Form and leapt onto the top of the tank. He ripped off the hatch and reached inside, pulling Yokoshima out and tossing him to the ground.
Yokoshima, with an insane look in his eyes, declared, "SO, YOU HAVE COME TO CHALLENGE ME!?" In an instant he was donned in his Blue Beetle armor.
"DAMN RIGHT!" Yuji roared back.
"FOOL! I WILL DEFEAT YOU, THEN RAPE YOUR ASS AS I LAUGH AND TAKE OVER THE WORLD! MWAHAHAHAHAHA! WITH THIS BASE I WILL BECOME KING OF THE FUCKING UNIVERSE!"
Yuji roared and slammed into Blue Beetle and started to beat the shit out of him with his fists. He then drove a knee into his forehead before he caught him by the leg and slammed him violently into the ground, leaving a small crater as a result. He then caught him in a headlock and shouted, "VOLCANIC NOOGIEEEEE!" and have him a noogie like no other at incredible speed and heat.
"LET ME GO! DAMN YOU! RELEASE ME!" Blue Beetle struggled.
"SHOGO! NOW!" Yuji ordered.
Zero aimed his stingers but then stiffened. "Oh…I will do it alright." He aimed at Yuji and began firing his needles at him instead, "EAT SHIT, FUDO! YOU DON'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO! I'M MY OWN BOSS!"
Yuji took cover, leaving Blue Beetle as he shouted, "SONUVABITCH! IT'S GOT SHOGO!" He ordered, "Daichi, disorient him!"
Musician came running out and exclaimed, "Here we go!" as he slammed his Cricket Fork down against the ground. He then fired a sonic wave at Zero, stunning him and forcing him to his knees.
Zero blinked in confusion, and felt like he was having a headache, "Huh? What?"
Yuji grimaced. The fly must've jumped to someone else. But whom? He found out when he saw Musician suddenly being pinned to the ground by a spider's web.
Arachnea roared, "FILTHY, FILTHY MALES! YOU SHALL ALL BOW DOWN TO ME!"
"GODAMMIT!" Yuji cursed. "Michiru, keep her busy!"
Carmen jumped at Arachnea and grabbed her, causing them to go tumbling. Yuji ran over to help but then Carmen rose up and started attacking Yuji with her energy scythes. "COME ON, LET'S PLAY! IT'S A FUN GAME!" laughed Carmen maniacally.
Yuji exclaimed, "YEAH, MICHIRU! LET'S PLAY ALL DAY!" He held her by the shoulders and lifted her up, causing her to struggle. He then pulled her into a tight hug. She stiffened and then went limp as she turned back to normal.
"What happened?" she asked, confused. She was being hugged by Yuji.
"Are you okay?" Yuji asked the Mantis Rider.
"Ow…why did you beat me up?" Blue Beetle asked.
"Oh, you got infected by a crazy AI," said Yuji.
"Oh, that make sense."
"Where's the fly now?" asked Arachnea.
Suddenly, the base's weapon systems came online and the NEO-NUMBERS and Yuji were being blasted.
"Sheila, stop!" Blue Beetle ordered.
"IRRADICATE ALL ORGANIC LIFE!" Sheila roared. "ALL OUR BASES ARE BELONG TO US!"
"Dammit, it's got Sheila!" shouted Yuji as he ran to dodge the gunfire. He turned and fired at the guns, blowing them up. Inside the base, the fly realized that Yuji was the stronger and flew out to latch onto the back of his neck. He went stiff as the AI began to infect him.
"Oh no!" Carmen gasped.
"This isn't good," Arachnea voiced out.
"We're gonna die…" whimpered Blue Beetle.
However, Yuji reaction was different than expected, "GOTCHA!" He roared and powered up, "HORRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!" The intense heat fried the mechanical fly and killed it instantly.
"And that was what happened," Yuji finished.
"Wow, that's some story. I'm sorry I missed it," said Shinichi.
"You wouldn't say that if you had our headaches…" groaned Daichi.
"So, any idea who sent it?" Shinichi asked.
"Who else?" Yuji responded.
"Looks like your plan failed," said Gnol as he saw the results of Shiro's experiment. Shiro, the bio-android clone of Shinichi swiveled around on his chair, his fingers put up in a pyramid. He was now sporting an eye-patch over his right eye which had been damaged earlier by Kasai's shotgun. He could've easily repaired it, or maybe he had and the eye-patch was merely decorative. He was wearing a white tuxedo and on his lap was a Persian. He looked like some kind of James Bond villain.
"My plan failed?" Shiro retorted. "Oh, no, no, no. My plan did not fail. You see that was just a test which proves that I can control the NEO-NUMBERS and anyone with my AI-implanted mechanical flies." He held up a jar filled with more of the mechanical insects. "These little bugs are each implanted with an AI that will infect the host and cause them to become aggressive. Since the prototype worked so well I was thinking of letting loose these little babies."
"So, why don't you?" Gnol asked.
"Patience, Gnol," said Shiro as he scratched his cat between the ears.
"And must you really wear that eye-patch?" Gnol asked. "Your eye has been repaired."
"It makes me look cool," Shiro reasoned. Gnol rolled his eyes.
"Whatever. Now, when do we revive my next fragment?" asked Gnol. Shiro turned and tapped the keyboard as the large screen showed a map of the world. Shiro then zoomed in on the next site they would visit, which was a goldmine in the Atacama Desert, Chile. It was where the Head of Metal was sealed.
"Once this Spark Core becomes active then we revive this head," said Shiro as he held up a Spark Core marked with VI, the Roman numeral for six. It had once belonged to Jin Majutsushi, aka Petrifer (#06) of the NUMBERS. "For now let us be patient. We both know they can't break open the seal. Even that Hanyuu girl is incapable of breaking open those seals since she wasn't the one who originally put them. She could only reinforce them. Of course, seals are no problem to me." He still had the Oathbreaker and it was still good for use. It had only gotten stronger since breaking the barrier around the Kusanagi.
The NEO-NUMBERS, Hanyuu, Yuji and Alan had been summoned to the Hive for a special briefing session. Dr. Magi and Dr. Washam had the floor as they sat at the conference table. The large screen showed the images of Gnol Gnauh and Shiro and how they looked the last time. Shiro's images in his human and WHITE 14 forms were shown first as they took up the screen.
"Shiro Juuyon, aka WHITE 14 has acquired a mystical sword known as the Oathbreaker," began Dr. Magi, "He has been using this sword to break open the seals of the Orochi Heads in order to revive them using the Spark Cores. From what Shinichi has gathered, the Oathbreaker gains power for each seal it breaks but in exchange the wielder's life force is used as payment. Therefore, WHITE 14 is using his lifespan as payment."
"That would be good if it weren't for his partner," added Dr. Washam as images of Gnol Gnauh took over the screen. The first set of images showed what he'd looked like during New Year's Day. The second set showed what he looked like when Yuji, Alan and Shinichi had encountered him last. "As you can all see, Gnol's appearance has changed greatly over the past several months. He now sports armor on his shoulders, chest and right arm. According to our research we've determined that whenever an Orochi Head is revived, Gnol gains a piece of armor representing that Orochi Head and gains its abilities. Alan has reported that Gnol has displayed the ability to generate the elements of darkness and ice along with his flames. We can only conclude that he also has access to the elements of water, wind, and lightning."
"So that means he's got 6/8 of his overall power so far," Shinichi said, not liking this information.
The image on the large screen was replaced by a map with two dots, one in a different location. "Only two Orochi Heads remain; one in the Atacama Desert in Chile."
"It's so HOT!" Yokoshima complained as he dragged himself across the desert. "I don't think I can make it. How long have we been trapped in this hellish heat anyway?"
"10 minutes." Shogo deadpanned.
"Really? Because it felt longer," Yokoshima said as the three walked towards an abandoned mineshaft. Ironically, the Metal Head of Greed was laying inside a mineshaft in the Atacama Desert, Chile.
"So the head's in there?" Chiaki asked as Hanyuu nodded.
Yokoshima gulped, fearing there might be bats, as he said, "Err…maybe I should go back..."
"GET IN THERE!" Shogo snapped as he grabbed Yokoshima and dragged him inside. They trekked a long mile until they reached a large gate in the wall with wards on it.
"This is it," said Hanyuu. Pulling out a Shinto ward, Hanyuu closed her eyes as she began to softly chant. Her voice grew louder as the air began shimmering inside the cave. The gate glowed green like an emerald.
"Neat," Yokoshima said.
"It's done," said Hanyuu once she finished before she stuck the wall in her hand to the gate, reinforcing the seal.
"And that's one more down," said Shogo.
"And another is located in Spain, under the Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas in Madrid."
Daichi was disgusted with how the bulls were being treated. It was a cruel sport where the beasts were taunted and tortured for amusement and he was very vocal about it. He couldn't stand being in this place any longer.
"Let's just get this over with," said Daichi.
When night fell, Hanyuu, Chiaki and Daichi went to the bullfighting ring and followed the map. They found an underground tunnel and walked through it until they found another door where the next Orochi Head was sealed. Hanyuu performed the ritual and reinforced the seal.
Afterwards, Hanyuu, Chiaki and Daichi had to make a hasty retreat from Madrid as Daichi had freed all the bulls into the streets.
"It goes without saying that we can't send Daichi," said Dr. Magi, glaring at the Cricket Rider.
"I will not regret my decision for freeing those bulls," said Daichi firmly. "Their treatment was inhumane!"
"Anyway, either one of these could be WHITE 14 and Gnol's next target," said Dr. Washam.
"So, what do you propose we do?" asked Shogo.
"And what about the Spark Cores?" asked Shinichi.
"We all know WHITE 14 is using the Spark Cores as a catalyst to revive the Orochi Heads, but once an Orochi is defeated the Spark Core becomes completely drained of power. However, WHITE 14 broke into the base when the Orochi of Darkness attacked and stole them back. We still don't know why he would want drained Spark Cores," answered Dr. Magi.
Yuji suggested, "Maybe there's something about those Cores only he knows and only we haven't found."
"Well, WHITE 14 currently has three in his possession: #01, #03 and #10," listed Dr. Magi.
"I have Misato's, #04," said Yuji.
"And we currently possess Spark Core #05. For whatever reason WHITE 14 would want them, we cannot let him have them all," said Dr. Magi.
"So, that just leaves Spark Core #06 and Spark Core #12," said Shinichi.
"You're forgetting one," reminded Alan, "Yours, Spark Core #13."
"We still have yet to find those Spark Cores and we can only pinpoint them once they've gone active," said Dr. Magi.
"And the bad news is that once they've gone active it means an Orochi has come to life," added Dr. Washam negatively.
"So, our only solution is to wait until they wake up and destroy them?" questioned Daichi incredulously.
"Well, since I have no idea how to break the seals, it's the only option we have," said Hanyuu.
"This wouldn't have happened if you didn't think of reinforcing them! They were weak already!" Daichi snapped at Hanyuu.
"Lay off her!" Shinichi shot back in Hanyuu's defense, "She did what she thought was right at the time! With the seals weakening, it was only a matter of time before those Orochi Heads woke up like Gnol! She didn't think that WHITE 14 would get a sword that could break the seals!"
"And she's given us information on the Orochi so we can better prepare ourselves," added Chiaki.
"Prepare ourselves? Are you kidding? We have one of them on the loose that's getting stronger, nearly got killed destroying them when the next five woke up, and now there's two more due to come out of resting," scoffed Daichi. "How are we supposed to be prepared?"
"Daichi, you are an asshole," said Yuji.
"What was that?" Daichi rounded up on the Manakyte.
"You are a whining, bitching, asshole," Yuji clarified. "I don't know what Levi sees in you, but all I see right now is an asshole. Do something more productive than complain."
Daichi grumbled and crossed his arms.
"Now that we have that settled, are there anymore questions?" Dr. Magi asked. "Alright, in conclusion, we need to find a way to deal with WHITE 14 and Gnol for good before they awaken the other Orochis." He pointed to the four strongest in the room, "That falls upon Yuji, Alan, Shinichi and Hanyuu."
"Hanyuu?" everyone echoed, looking at Hanyuu.
"I got a readout on her power level and if she wanted to she could easily be the strongest among us," Dr. Magi explained, causing the little goddess to blush.
"I can't disagree with that," admitted Shinichi.
"Well, meeting adjourned," finished Dr. Magi. "Oh, Yuji, could you bring Misato over for a checkup tomorrow? I want to see how the baby's developing."
"OK, I'll tell her," said Yuji. "But can it be later in the evening. Tonight Misato and I have plans."
"What kind of plans?" asked Dr. Washam.
Yuji blanched, "A double-date."
Misato and Yuji were having dinner with another couple at a 5 Star restaurant. It would've been wonderful, if it had been any other couple. Yuji preferred it if was with Rena and Shinichi. At least that wouldn't be so awkward. However, the couple they were having dinner with was none other than his brother Yuri Fudo and the former Witch of Terror Anastasia.
Yuji would rather be anywhere else but here and Misato shared his feelings. However, declining would be like showing weakness, like they were scared of the two people with them. But Misato had good reason to want to avoid Anastasia. True, she owed the Witch of Terror for bringing her back to life after she was destroyed by Shinichi and if it wasn't for her then maybe Misato wouldn't have met Yuji. However, she hated how Anastasia had used her as a hostage before she was finally freed.
As for Yuji he had plenty of reasons to hate the former Witch of Terror. For one she had revived Rosa then killed her in an effort to demoralize Yuji as part of a game. Then, she had another game in Rokkenjima, taking Misato hostage and also reviving Kiba and Lina as her game pieces. Yuji had yet to forgive the Witch of Terror for her sins but since he'd already killed her he had technically enacted his revenge. Still, he didn't feel any sense of satisfaction seeing as his brother saw fit to revive her. At least she no longer possessed her magic.
"Glad you could make it," said Yuri.
"We wouldn't miss it for the world," Yuji lied between his teeth.
"We almost thought you weren't going to come," added Anastasia.
"Oh, we thought about it long and hard," Misato said, eyes narrowed in an icy glare aimed at Anastasia.
"Well, we just wanted to say that we're sorry for any discomfort we caused," said Yuri. "Isn't that right, dear?"
"Yes, I wish to apologize for all my wrongdoings and I hope we can make a new beginning," said Anastasia.
Yuji could've set her on fire right then and there. How dare she make light of her sins? 'Burst into flames! Burst into flames!'
"You both don't like me, I get that," Anastasia added, "And I know it will take very, very, very long time before you both can accept me. However, mark my words, I am trying to live this new life and not waste it. Yuri here has given me a new lease on life."
'I bet,' thought Misato and Yuji at the same time. The two psychos were perfect for each other. Two crazy peas in a fucking pod. Don't like her? That was an understatement. Yuji and Misato absolutely loathed her.
"And we also called you both so we can tell you the good news," said Yuri as he clasped Anastasia's hand. Yuji and Misato were drinking the juice from their glasses.
"I'm pregnant," said Anastasia.
Yuji and Misato performed simultaneous spit takes when they heard. The coughed and sputtered.
"Wha-WHAT!?" exclaimed Yuji.
"D-d-did you say…PREGNANT!?" shrieked Misato.
"Yup, Ana-chan's here is preggers," confirmed Yuri.
Yuji and Misato could only imagine the horror of a child they made being brought into this realm and went as white as ghosts.
Later, Yuji met with Shinichi at a bar and told him the news.
"WHAT!?" Shinichi's eyes were bugging out of his skull. "You're telling me that not only did your psychotic brother revive a psychotic former witch, but now they're expecting a possibly psychotic child?" Shinichi asked after hearing the news.
"Pretty much," Yuji confirmed.
"You know what? I take back whatever mean things I said about you and Misato being together because THIS is way worse!"
Yuji stated, "Well…at least she doesn't look the same as before. That helps a bit."
Shinichi questioned, "Yuji, are you familiar with the Nature VS Nurture theory?"
Yuji nodded, "Yeah, it's just that I try to picture her as a totally different person but when she talks that's when the memories hit me."
Shinichi added, "Imagine them bringing a child into this world and raising him or her with their values and ideals."
Yuji shrugged, "It shouldn't be that bad."
Shinichi cocked an eyebrow. "Not that bad? I still have nightmares from what she did to me in that hotel."
Yuji clarified, "I mean in Yuri's case. We shared the same body up until my late teens. We have the same experiences so he's also as skilled as me at raising kids. In fact, he already has a son with another woman AND he adopted an orphan several years ago."
Shinichi had to give him that. "Guess that's true. Still, I can't help but wonder what kind of kid they'll bring into this world."
Yuji replied, "I'm guessing the kid will be a real firecracker, but I'm not gonna say anymore. Yuri has never talked behind my back so I shouldn't do the same."
"And come to think of it I trust Yuri more than I trust Anastasia," Shinichi mentioned. "At least he'll be able to keep her under control."
"Oh, trust me. When it comes to women he's even more of a player than I am."
Shinichi raised a glass of beer, "Well, a toast to the happy couple, I guess."
"Agreed," said Yuji as he raised his glass and clinked glasses with Shinichi.
"By the way, how did Misato take the news?" Shinichi asked curiously.
"Well…she's perplexed to say the least," admitted Yuji.
The following day, Misato was brought to the Hive for her checkup. Dr. Washam and Dr. Magi were examining her womb and checking on the growth of her baby.
Yuji walked into the examination room and said, "I'm here," before kissing Misato. "How's it going?"
Dr. Washam answered, "Well, we did some blood work and performed some tests. The baby is healthy, if highly abnormal."
Yuji asked worriedly, "How abnormal are we talking?"
"Nothing to worry about. I'm only referring to her genetics," said Dr. Washam.
Yuji punched Dr. Washam jokingly, "Dammit, Wash, don't scare the shit out of me like that. Makin' me think something's wrong."
"Well, would you like to see your child?" asked Dr. Magi.
"Please," Yuji nodded.
The screen showed an ultrasound image of the child inside Misato's womb. "She's already 7 months old in there. She'll be out around the end of October."
"Wonderful," smiled Yuji. "Misato, take a look."
Misato gazed at the screen and started tearing up.
"It's great, right?" asked Yuji.
"Yes, it is," smiled Misato. "I've already died twice and killed so many but this is the first time I've ever made life."
Yuji kissed her, "We made life babe."
"Yes, we did," smiled Misato, flashing her fangs. She then sunk her fangs into his neck.
"Oh, and she'll need more blood than usual to provide sustenance for the baby," added Dr. Washam.
"Man…this feels good no matter how many times you do this," moaned Yuji blissfully.
Dr. Magi noticed someone coming in, "Oh, Yokoshima. Why are you wearing all that garlic?"
Yuji stared at him, "Dude, fucking seriously?"
"Misato's a vampire and I don't want her drinking my blood, OK?" responded Yokoshima.
"Relax, she won't touch you. Well, she might kick you in the nuts if you keep up the bullshit," remarked Yuji.
"And I prefer high quality blood," added Misato. "No low rate garbage for me or my child." She patted her stomach for emphasis.
It was his first moment of peace in a long time, so Alan decided to take his girls somewhere special for a picnic. They were currently sitting on the moon, a large green dome of energy surrounding them so that they could enjoy the moon and the stars. Little Celine and Alice were running around, playing in the tiny craters.
"Ah, isn't this the best?" Alan sighed blissfully as he gazed up at the stars. Earlier the girls had a small game of Rock, Paper, Scissors to see who could have Alan relax with them and Conda had won. Alan was currently resting his head on her lap. They had enjoyed sandwiches and snack foods.
Bishie was curled up and had fallen asleep, the distance from the sun making her a little lethargic. Yami was reading a book in peace and snacking on some taiyaki. Amora was lying back and simply enjoying the stars. Nozomu, whose ears and tail were revealed, was snuggled up with Alan. Lala and Megan were chasing around Celine and Alice, playing with the little girls.
Shiro and Gnol stood in front of an abandoned goldmine in the Atacama Desert of Chile. This was the location of the Head of Metal. Stopping their passage was Hanyuu's reinforced seal, but it didn't hinder them at all.
"A seal? No sweat," said Shiro confidently as he drew the Oathbreaker. He then slashed the sword across the seal, breaking it and allowing him and Gnol passage.
"I can feel it," said Gnol. "It's close, very close."
"Good, that means we're on the right track." Gripped in his hand was Spark Core #06 and it had gone active. It wouldn't be long before it was detected and their enemies came to stop them. However, by then it would already be too late.
Hanyuu instantly felt that one of the seals she had reinforced had just broken. She made haste and activated her com-link, "Sheila, please activate a Teleportal and contact the others."
"Affirmative," Sheila obeyed as the portal opened. The goddess then jumped in and was carried through the tunnel towards the exit which led into the Hive. "Spark Core detected," reported Sheila as the large monitor screen came online showing a map of the world. The blinking dot confirmed Hanyuu's fears as she recognized the location.
"So, they've decided to release the Head of Metal," said Hanyuu in dismay. The Teleportal opened up once more and the NEO-NUMBERS came rushing in.
"It's down this mineshaft," said Shiro as he looked down. He tossed a pebble inside and waited, and waited, and waited until he heard it hit the bottom. "Damn, that's deep!"
"Hurry up!" Gnol ordered.
"OK, OK, chill out grumpy pants," Shiro said as he tossed the Spark Core inside. "This might take awhile."
An explosion of golden light blinded them and both Shiro and Gnol backed away as something began to rise from the depths of the mineshaft.
"RARGH!" the Orochi of Metal roared and his name was Kin-Gnol. Kin-Gnol was 7 feet tall and resembled a Viking decked in gold armor. He was a muscle-bound brute with red hair and a thick red beard. The armor on his shoulders resembled treasure chests and he had gauntlets the size of barrels. He also wore furry boots with steel toes. His helmet sported ox-like horns and he had a pair of battle axes crossed on his back. Hanging from his neck on a chain was a padlock. He let out a loud yawn and looked at both Shiro and Gnol who were smaller compared to his height and girth. "Ello' matey. So, was it you who be awakening me from my sleep?"
Shiro could only cock an eyebrow, "Um…why do you talk like a pirate but look like a Viking?"
"I dunno the answer to that, but I do know that I be wanting…" He put his hand against the wall of the mine, "GOLD!" As soon as he said that the entire wall turned into solid gold. "AND ALL THE GOLD WILL BE MINE!"
"Gnol, I think we found ourselves a living goldmine," grinned Shiro greedily as he examined the gold. It was genuine, according to his scans.
Gnol rolled his eyes. This Orochi represented the aspect of greed so his desire for gold would be immense. Also, the Spark Core used to create this Orochi originated from someone who was greedy and not afraid to take what he wanted. These qualities made Kin-Gnol unstoppable in his pursuit of gold.
The Teleportal opened up and the NEO-NUMBERS with Hanyuu exited in front of the mine. "They were here but they're gone now," Hanyuu said.
"Dammit, we're late!" cursed Musician.
Armadillo noticed something about the sand and scooped it up. He informed the others, "Guys, this sand is made of gold!"
"GOLD!?" they exclaimed. They analyzed the sand with their helmets and even Hanyuu checked Armadillo's claim for herself.
"He's right," Zero confirmed, "It is gold."
"And it's making a trail," said Showa as he pointed ahead. "If we hurry we might just catch up to them!" He activated his Shin-Ride. "Hanyuu-chan, hop on!"
"Sheila, send our bikes," ordered Zero. They were going to need their vehicles to cross this desert.
Kin-Gnol was running across the desert. Shiro and Gnol were both sitting on the golden-armored Viking's shoulders as the Orochi of Metal kept chanting, "Gold, gold, gold, gold!"
Shiro's eyes then lit up and he spoke, "We're being pursued."
"How many?" Gnol asked.
"Nine," Shiro answered. "There are eight cyborgs and one goddess."
"That purple-haired, horned brat," Gnol growled. "No Susano-O?"
"He must be busy saving people on the other side of the globe," said Shiro. "Gnol, would you please do the honors?" Gnol tossed three egg-shaped objects over his shoulders and they burrowed into the sand. "And now we wait."
The sand exploded and the NEO-NUMBERS were suddenly thrown into the air before landing roughly on the desert floor. Groaning, Musician was the first to recover and looked to see what had caused the explosion only to let out a scream, "SNAKES!"
"Those aren't snakes," Carmen corrected, "Those are worms!"
Three gigantic worms had burst out of the ground. They were colored black and had beak-like mouths that opened up into four segments. Inside those mouths were writhing tendrils which resembled snakes, further causing Musician to tremble in terror. Hanyuu and Showa recognized them for what they were.
"They're Darkloids!" Showa identified and he drew the Higurashi no Yaiba.
"So, you be telling me there are heroes coming to stop me?" Kin-Gnol questioned as he stopped in the desert with Gnol and Shiro.
"Pretty much," Shiro confirmed.
"YEARGH!" Kin-Gnol roared, pumping his fists. "GOOD! VERY GOOD! WORTHY FOES TO TEST MY STRENGHTH AGAINST!" He then turned and ran off to where the NEO-NUMBERS were.
"Looks like he has his priorities straight," said Shiro. "Come on, Gnol. Let's go someplace more festive."
"Where?" asked Gnol and Shiro held up a Spark Core marked with the Roman numeral for 12, XII.
"Spain, the home of bullfighting."
The three Deathworm Darkloids proved to be difficult foes to fight. In the desert they had an advantage as they burrowed into the ground and attacked with their tendrils which would wrap around one of them and drag them into the hungry mouths of the Deathworm Darkloids. They used surprise attacks, striking without warning as they ambushed their prey. They lacked visible eyes but were still able to find their prey.
Showa protected Hanyuu as he summoned his Shovel Claw. The tendrils shot out of the ground and he grabbed them before he activated his Drill Extended and shot the drill into the ground. The tendrils were withdrawn and the Deathworm Darkloid shot out of the ground. Zero attacked from the air, firing his needles.
"Daichi, stop shaking!" shouted Slasher, "Stand up and fight!" He jumped and delivered a decapitating blow upon one of the Deathworm Darkloids. Musician was still rooted to the spot in terror.
"Dai, they're worms! Not snakes! Get a hold of yourself!" Meta shouted as he slapped him in the face. He then aimed his gun hand at the Deathworm and fired.
"Ow!" Musician winced and recovered. "Right…worms…not snakes!" Still, the Deathworms' tendrils looked like snakes which triggered his fear. However, he wasn't about to let some overgrown grubs get the better of him again. Quickly assuming Rock-Metal Form, he aimed his guitar and called, "Heavy Metal Vulcan!" and fired a spray of energy bullets with every strum of the strings. The Deathworm screeched and hissed and lunged for Musician but he was prepared. He gripped his guitar by the neck and then swung forward. The blade cut the Darkloid straight down the middle and spilled black blood on him and the sand.
"Damn, these things move quick," Blue Beetle stated in annoyance. One of the Deathworm Darkloids was 'swimming' around in the ground. He fired but kept missing. Suddenly, the tendril-like tongues shot out and grabbed him by the arm. "Let me go!" he shouted. He changed his right hand into a chainsaw and slashed the tendrils to ribbons.
Two of the Deathworm Darkloids shot out of the ground but all of sudden they were instantly killed as two axes flew out of nowhere and struck them in their hands. The two Deathworm Darkloids collapsed, dead, much to Blue Beetle's confusion.
"You did it, Yokoshima," Carmen complimented.
"That wasn't me," said Blue Beetle. Suddenly, explosions erupted all around the NEO-NUMBERS, tossing them into the air. Showa covered Hanyuu's body protectively and then looked to see a figure in the distance. He was clad in gold armor and had cannons on his shoulders. The battle axes then flew out of the Deathworms they had slain and into the hands of the gold-clad figure.
Kin-Gnol made his way to the group and said, "Sorry, but I couldn't let some worms kill such fine trophies."
"Trophies?" Arachnea questioned.
"You lot will make a fine addition to my collection of treasures," King-Gnol said.
"Who the hell are you!?" Musician demanded.
"Who is that?" Showa asked.
"Orochi," Hanyuu answered. Showa's eyes widened.
"GUYS, IT'S THE OROCHI OF METAL!" shouted Showa.
Kin-Gnol roared and fired his cannons again, causing more explosions around the NEO-NUMBERS. He then rushed forward and grabbed the closest by the arm. Blue Beetle felt an odd tingling sensation as his arm turned stiff. The stiffness started to spread along with a golden layer that enveloped him in a matter of seconds. "One fine trophy indeed," Kin-Gnol chuckled as he admired his work.
"Yokoshima!" Slasher screamed as he rushed forward to behead the Orochi of Metal but Kin-Gnol easily blocked Slasher's chainsaws with his axes, sparks flying as the chainsaws tried to cut into the gold-clad Orochi's weapons.
"You're next," said Kin-Gnol as the treasure chests on his shoulders opened up again and he fired cannon blasts at Slasher at close range. Slasher was knocked backwards. Kin-Gnol then leapt and stomped on Slasher, causing him to grunt. He then removed his boot from Slasher's chest and grabbed him by the arm, turning him to gold like he had Blue Beetle.
"CHIAKI-SAN!" Hanyuu screamed in horror.
"Who's next?" Kin-Gnol asked, grinning. A mist surrounded him. "Eh? What this be then?" Carmen walked towards him but she wasn't alone. She was joined by several duplicates. She was in Mirage Form and because of that her illusions became solid. They sprung forward and attacked with their Mantis Scythes, hacking away at Kin-Gnol's which released sparks.
At the same time, Zero was in Fighter Form and firing his missiles into the mist, causing explosions to erupt as they hit their target. Kin-Gnol howled as he was hit by missile fire. He threw one of his battle axes into the air and it hit Zero in the shoulder, cutting into his armor.
Kin-Gnol then swung his arms out, knocking away Carmen and his clones before grabbing one at random. He was lucky enough to grab the real one as all the others faded soon after. She struggled, kicking at Kin-Gnol, but was turned into a gold statue.
"Michiru!" Arachnea shouted out. She ran to assist her friend as Kin-Gnol tossed the solid gold Mantis Rider at the Tarantula Rider. Surprised, Arachnea caught Carmen but screamed as she was blasted by the cannons.
Zero removed the axe and went to assist only to be blasted out of the air by Kin-Gnol's cannons.
"Bah, too easy!" said Kin-Gnol as he dropped Arachnea who'd just turned to gold. He then moved over to Zero but then several ofuda talismans stuck to his chest. "Huh?" He was then zapped by Hanyuu's power as Showa and Musician attacked.
"Take this!" Musician roared, "Hark Rock Spirit!" His fist vibrated and he hurled it into Kin-Gnol's head, breaking one of his helmet's horns.
"Rargh!" Kin-Gnol grabbed his axes and hurled them, striking Musician in the chest. He grabbed Showa's Great Fist and tossed him up before head-butting him through the air, sending him tumbling. Hanyuu tried to throw more ofuda but was sent flying and screaming by Kin-Gnol's cannons.
"Hanyuu!" Showa ran over to Hanyuu and helped her up. "Are you okay?" Her eyes were swirling and she was bleeding from her forehead. "Dammit." He glared at Kin-Gnol and yelled, "You son of a bitch!" He rushed to attack but was thrown back and sent tumbling by Kin-Gnol's cannons.
Meta attacked with a barrage of punches aimed at Kin-Gnol's stomach. But they did nothing but make Kin-Gnol tickled as he chuckled. He raised his arms and brought them down, only missing as Meta zipped away. He then jumped and bent his knees, firing missiles from them which hit Kin-Gnol. He landed and fired his gun hand at Kin-Gnol as the Orochi of Metal charged forward and shoulder-tackled Meta, sending him rolling along the sand.
The treasure chests on Kin-Gnol's shoulders then burst open, revealing multiple cannons this time as he called out, GREEDY BARRAGE!" He fired and bombarded them with his cannons. A series of explosions erupted all around them and when it cleared all but two remained standing. He turned Meta, Zero and Musician to gold and looked up to see Showa and Hanyuu staring at him. Showa stood protectively before Hanyuu.
"See you both later," said Kin-Gnol as his body broke down into gold coins and flew into the air.
"Dammit," Showa cursed. "Hanyuu, take the others back to base," he ordered.
"What?" Hanyuu gawked. Showa activated his wings and took off after Kin-Gnol. "Shinichi, wait!" she shouted but he was too far away. She activated her com-link to call him but was blocked out. "Shinichi…" She offered a prayer for his success.
It wasn't long before Kin-Gnol found a town. Once he was there he started turning anything and everything he could get his hands on into gold. The local authorities attempted to stop him but they too were turned to gold. Resistance was soon over as survivors fled the town for safety, not looking back.
Kin-Gnol was sitting on a mountain of gold when he saw something in the sky. "Oh, what this be then?" he asked as he got a good look at the figure flying towards him. "Aye, it looks to me like a bug."
Showa touched down in front of the pile of gold which he recognized to be innocent people that Kin-Gnol had changed into gold via his Midas Touch ability. "You, turn them back!" Showa ordered.
"Oh, and who be making me? You, boy?" Kin-Gnol asked before laughing. "Arg, that be a good one! Haven't laughed like that in a long time!"
"This isn't a joke!" Showa shouted but Kin-Gnol continued to laugh. "Alright, you leave me no choice!" He activated his Hook Arm and then swung. The cabled stretched and then wrapped around Kin-Gnol before the hook locked into place on the cable. He tugged and pulled Kin-Gnol off his pile of gold and onto ground level. His weight caused the ground to shake.
"That hurts, boy," said Kin-Gnol gruffly. He strained against the cable which broke under his strength. Showa expected this, though. Orochis were certainly strong. "Well, you got my attention!" He removed his double-edged battle axes from his back and gripped them tight. "If it is a fight you be wanting, it is a fight you be getting!" He roared and swung an axe down. Showa dodged as the blade dug deep into the ground.
"Great Fists!" Showa called as he formed his giant metal hands and clapped them together with Kin-Gnol in between but the Orochi of Metal held the two hands apart with his strength and laughed. Showa then saw gold spreading all over his arms and he quickly disassembled the Great Fists, the pieces turning into gold scraps on the ground.
"Whatever I touch turns to gold," said Kin-Gnol. "And I don't even have to touch it! MIDAS BEAM!" He fired a beam of gold energy from his fist and Showa jumped out of the way. The beam hit a building behind him, turning it to solid gold. "See?" Kin-Gnol pointed out after his demonstration.
Showa looked at the building, then back at Kin-Gnol, and then back at all the people who'd been turned to gold statues. "So, that's that's how you did it in such a short time."
"Yes, and you be no different, Kamen Rider."
"Well, if it's gold you want then it's gold you're gonna get!" declared Showa as he transformed into Hinamizawa Guardian Form. Kin-Gnol watched as Showa's armor glowed gold and changed shape. His eyes widened as he saw the golden samurai standing before him.
"Yes! Yes! That's what I be missing! That be the trophy I need for my collection!" declared King-Gnol.
Showa drew the Higurashi no Yaiba and with a shout attacked Kin-Gnol. With a powerful swing he disarmed the Orochi of Metal and swung again only to be met with resistance when Kin-Gnol blocked with one of his barrel-sized gauntlets. He wasn't able to cut through.
WHAM!
Showa was sent flying by a powerful haymaker and flipped through the air before he landed on his feet, stabbing his sword into the ground to stop his unattended flight.
"Heh, you be a tough one, boy," said Kin-Gnol. "It looks like I should take you seriously." A gold aura radiated off Kin-Gnol's body, changing his tanned skin gold like his armor as his eyes glowed red. He started to grow a couple of feet, gaining muscle mass. His armor also began to change as a pair horns stretched out from his back and curled over his shoulders. His broken horn grew back and his teeth became sharp and made of gold. A shawl appeared around his waist and a tail with a spiked ball at the tip grew out from his rear. His fists also gained a layer of silver metal with spiked knuckles.
"Take this!" The treasure chests on his shoulders opened to reveal a pair of cannons. They fired and Showa cried out as the cannonballs hit and exploded, sending him tumbling out of the smoke.
"Itai…" he groaned. He saw a large shadow and looked up to see Kin-Gnol in the air. He rolled out of the way as Kin-Gnol crashed down, leaving a wide crater as a result. Kin-Gnol then threw his battle axes at Showa who deflected them with his sword but the axes continued to spin in a wide arc like a boomerang and returned to Kin-Gnol's hands. He then leapt out of the crater and brought the axes down on Showa. He parried them but the force behind the attack forced Showa onto one knee.
'He's…strong…' Showa realized as he grunted under the strain. 'But I'm…STRONGER!' White circuitry lines appeared along his arms and legs as he forced himself up to his feet and pushed against Kin-Gnol's axes. He balled his right fist and called out, "EXPLOSIVE RYUUSEI PUNCH!" The flaming punch slammed into Kin-Gnol's chest, sending him flying and crashing into a nearby building explosively.
Showa waited and saw Kin-Gnol coming back out of the hole he'd made. The Orochi of Metal cracked his neck and said coldly, "My turn, boy." With incredible speed he was right in front of Showa and knocked him off his feet with a punch but it didn't end there. Kin-Gnol then spun and knocked Showa down with his tail, the spiked ball slamming into the Rider and knocking the wind out of him as he was smashed into the ground.
"Give up, boy!" commanded Kin-Gnol.
"Sorry, but I don't know how!" Showa shot back as his Cho Dai-Shuriken split into blades that shot out and attacked Kin-Gnol from all directions. They continued to fly and sting him like bees, forcing him to stumble back. Showa slipped away and got to his feet. He then leapt into the air, followed by the Cho Dai-Shuriken blades. Kin-Gnol looked up and watched as an aura of power radiated from the Rider as he prepared to finish him.
"GUARDIAN FORCE STRIKE!" roared Showa as he executed his drop kick. The blades of his Cho Dai-Shuriken struck Kin-Gnol first before his attack collided, causing an explosion.
When the smoke cleared, Kin-Gnol was revealed and he had blocked the attack with his palm. "Now, become gold," said Kin-Gnol as he allowed his power to envelop Showa. He tried to struggle but slowly his body began to stiffen until he was nothing more than a solid gold statue.
Kin-Gnol gently put Showa down and clapped his hands together. He danced around the solid gold body of Kamen Rider Showa, cheering, "Yes! Yes! I got a trophy! Hoorah! Yohoho! I have me a trophy, hoorah!" He danced like an idiot around Showa until he noticed that the Spark Core hadn't turned to gold. "Hm, what this be then?" He tapped the Spark Core. "Why didn't this change?" He became annoyed and went, "BAH!" as he kicked down Showa. He then stomped on the Spark Core with his foot. He was trying to break it. He then took his battle axes into his hand and went swinging, striking the Spark Core violently with his axe blades. "Break, damn you! Break!"
Suddenly, a green beam of light smashed into Kin-Gnol and knocked him back several feet from Showa. The impact point was smoking and the confused Orochi of Metal wondered what had attacked him. He was blinded by an intense green light. There was a glowing green sphere of light lowering itself to the ground. When the light faded, it revealed the Sentinel clad in the Bazel Combat armor.
"Ahh, I wager that you be friends with this dumb fool," said Kin-Gnol as he brushed the soot off his armor. "And I wager you be wanting me to return him and the others back to normal."
"Yes," Sentinel answered sternly, arms crossed.
"Well, that be too bad. These be my trophies, my treasures, and I refuse to give them up to anyone. They are mine! All mine! MINE!"
"This guy is nuts, yeesh," commented Bazel as Sentinel frowned. After what this monster did to his brother, there would be no mercy. He quickly dashed forward and punched Kin-Gnol in the gut, causing him to double over and clutch his stomach in pain. Sentinel had left a dent. Sentinel then punched him in the chin, sending him flying. He then used his ring to make a rope and lassoed Kin-Gnol before swinging him down and smashing him to the ground with a violent crash. The ground cracked on impact.
There was silence for a moment before laughter could be heard from Kin-Gnol as he stood up, grinning maniacally, "Yeargh! That's good! You're going to make a fine trophy once I beat you!" He rushed to attack Sentinel again but Sentinel tore his cape off and threw it at Kin-Gnol. The cape landed over the Metal Orochi's face, blinding him, as he yelled, "Hey, who turned off the lights! Blast it! Get this thing off me!"
While Kin-Gnol was distracted with his cape, Sentinel knelt down and inspected Showa's solid gold body. "Ring, can we revive him?"
"Negative," the ring responded. "Life signs are undetectable." Sentinel gritted his teeth. He knew who was to blame and got up. He turned to look at Gnol who managed to toss the offending cape away.
"Take this! GREEDY BARRAGE!" Kin-Gnol revealed his collection of cannons and fired them at Sentinel and bombarded him with multiple blasts. Explosions erupted and Kin-Gnol continued his bombardment while laughing. The smoke cleared and Kin-Gnol's grin as he saw Sentinel still standing, protected by a dome of green energy.
The sun was starting to set, casting an orange glow in the horizon. Two sides stared each other down before closing the gap for battle. They exchanged blows which made a sound similar to thunder during a storm. Each hit was powerful enough to crush bone but neither side was letting up. A cross-counter sent them skidding backwards in opposite directions.
"Looks like you deserve a special treat," said Kin-Gnol as his eyes shone. His horns began to glow. Sentinel, knowing this wasn't a good sign, focused green energy into his fists and got ready for anything.
"MIDAS BEAM!" The horns fired individual beams which met in the centre before combining to form an intense beam of gold energy that flew towards Sentinel. Sentinel reacted and fired his own beam of emerald light. The two energy beams collided and the shockwave blew everything but them away.
"I KNEW YOU WERE STRONG, BOY!" said Kin-Gnol with a laugh, "YOU'LL MAKE AN EXCELLENT TROPHY! I TURNED YOU FRIEND INTO GOLD AND NOW I WILL TURN YOU INTO GOLD!"
Meanwhile, Shinichi was in his mind. He was confused of how he got here but then he was presented with a beautiful sight.
"Nozomu?"
The girl was petite with short, silver hair but she wasn't the wolf girl that was in love with Alan. She had a crescent moon mark on her forehead and wore a black kimono decorated with sparkles.
"Who are you?" Shinichi asked and the girl approached him. When she reached him, he noted that her height only reached his chin. She seemed to be scowling at him but with a blush on his cheeks.
"Be grateful, because not many can say they've kissed a goddess," she said before grabbing the front of his shirt and pulling him down into a rough kiss.
Night had fallen but the town was anything but peaceful as explosions erupted. Kin-Gnol and Sentinel were still fighting with everything they had. Sentinel was motivated by his desire to avenge Showa while Kin-Gnol was driven by his greed and desire to add Sentinel to his collection. The clouds rolled away, revealing the moon. As the light of the moon touched Showa's Spark Core, it began to sparkle before shining brightly as it absorbed the moonbeams.
Meanwhile, Sentinel and Kin-Gnol continued to push more power into their attacks in an attempt to overpower each other and it seemed like Kin-Gnol was winning as he pushed his beam closer and closer towards Sentinel who struggled to push back. The Orochi of Metal grinned and could already imagine putting Sentinel up with the rest of his trophies. However, that was when a red beam of energy joined with Sentinel's and pushed Kin-Gnol's beam back before it could reach the Green Lantern. Eyes wide, Sentinel looked to the source of the red beam and saw that it was coming from…
"Shinichi?" Sentinel asked. Showa's body was sparkling and the red beam was coming from his chest. The sparkles began to fade to reveal Showas in his Trinity Form and firing the crimson beam from his Burst Cannon.
The combined green and red beams shoved Kin-Gnol's Midas Beam right back at him and he was sent flying by an explosive impact that knocked him off his feet. He crashed right into his pile of gold statues which collapsed on top of him. It was like watching a bowling ball knock down pins.
"Come on, little bro," said Showa as he summoned the Higurashi no Yaiba. "Summon Kusanagi, we finish this now."
Sentinel nodded and summoned the Kusanagi no Tsurugi. Kin-Gnol rose to his feet and grabbed the padlock hanging from his neck.
He was enraged because Showa had not gone down and remained a gold statue. He was enraged because Showa had freed himself. He was enraged because a treasure he had claimed was going against him.
"RARGH!" Kin-Gnol roared as he tore the padlock off and broke the chain it hung from before his body radiated with gold light which exploded. The light was blinding and both Rider and Lantern had to shield their eyes as Kin-Gnol began to change shape.
Once the light died down, Kin-Gnol stood in his new form. He was much bigger than before, modeled after a European dragon with shining gold scales, long whiskers, and red eyes as his bat-like wings flapped to show off his intimidating wingspan.
He breathed out golden flames and Showa and Sentinel leapt up to avoid the blast of gold fire. Instead of incinerating anything in their path, the flames turned everything they touched to gold. Landing atop a building, they watched as Kin-Gnol breathed fire on everything in town, turning the buildings into gold.
"This ends here," said Showa as he gripped the Higurashi no Yaiba tightly.
"You're right, we can't let him loose now," said Sentinel.
"Follow my lead," Showa instructed. He ran his fingers up the Higurashi no Yaiba's blade and it shone bright silver.
Sentinel nodded, doing the same and the Kusanagi no Tsurugi became engulfed in red hot flames.
The gold Orochi of Metal spread its wings and started to take off. However, Showa and Sentinel would not allow that and leapt off their perches to finish the job.
"TSUKUYOMI!" Showa called as an image of a crescent moon appeared behind him.
"AMATERASU!" Sentinel called as an image of the blazing sun appeared behind him,
"HISSATSU! TAIYO TO TSUKI GIRI!"
They swung their blades and slashed Kin-Gnol across his body. The gold Orochi let loose a roar as its body began to crack before exploding in a golden fireball. Gold dust rained down on both Sentinel and Showa. Slowly, everything that Kin-Gnol had turned to gold turned back to normal. The townspeople were confused. The two heroes, satisfied with their work, slipped into the darkness but not without picking up the Spark Core.
Flying through the air with Sentinel, Showa was examining the Spark Core. "#06, thought so," said Showa. "I should've known."
"Where did you learn that technique earlier?" asked Sentinel.
"Oh, a goddess paid me a visit in my head and…gave me her blessing," Showa answered. "So, why were you late?" inquired Showa.
"I had to take care of an earthquake in Spain with Yuji," Sentinel answered.
"Spain? Isn't that where the Orochi Head of Earth was sealed?" Showa asked.
"Yeah, about that…" said Sentinel hesitantly.
KAMEN RIDER CHROME: What exactly happened in Spain? Who was that woman who blessed Shinichi in his mind? What will happen next? Answer to these questions and more in the next chapter of Kamen Rider X Green Lantern.