0DISCLAIMER: The following story is based on fanfiction.Kamen Rider Zi-O, and the Kamen Rider series in general are properties of TOEI, TV-Asahi, and Ishinomori Productions. Soul Calibur is property of Project Soul and Bandai Namco. The Witcher series is property of Andrezj Sapkowski and CD Projekt Red. Metroid, Samus Aran, and all likeness are properties of Nintendo. Ultraman Orb, and the Ultra Series in general are property of Tsuburaya Productions and TV-Tokyo.
Ep. 046: Captain Cervantes ~A.D 1586~ [キャプテン・セルバンテス 〜1586年〜/Kyaputen Serubantesu 〜1586-nen〜]
WARNING: This chapter contains body horror and graphic violence. Viewer discretion is advised!
"Welcome back to the stage of history, retold..."
(*Opening: "BIRI × BIRI" by Takanori Nishikawa feat. Shuta Sueyoshi of AAA*)
[~BIRI BIRI YA YA YA~] {x4}
[~We don't stop and move!~]
[~Virtual ja kanjiru wake nai sa tough na risk ga BIRI BIRI Oh Yeah~](I can't feel it in virtual; a tough risk BIRI BIRI Oh Yeah)
[~Jinsei, jiko sekinindashi yaritai dake BIRI BIRI Oh Yeah~](Life, a self-responsibility; doing whatever I want BIRI BIRI Oh Yeah)
[~Don't give it away kando ageyou Rock you!~](Don't give it away Increasing sensitivity Rock you!)
[~Motto surudoku motto tsuyoku Knock you~](More sharply and stronger enough to Knock you)
[~Manzoku sa sete kure yo~](Give me satisfaction!)
[~We don't stop & move! Kanetsu shite ku kogetsuite BIRI BIRI YA YA YA~](We don't stop & move! Heating to get burnt BIRI BIRI YA YA YA)
[~Don't stop & move! Bibirazu Remove omou mama BIRI BIRI YA YA YA~](Don't stop & move! Remove it as you expected BIRI BIRI YA YA YA)
[~Tomarazu Move Hitasura Groove~](Don't move, just groove)
[~Chikaratsukiru made do~](Do not let it run out)
[~Age sugita taion de moetsuki-sou!~](Until the body burns at a temperature so high!)
A.D. 1583
(1583年)
Cervantes de Leon was a pirate captain who struck fear in the hearts of all who sailed the Atlantic.
The moment he laid hands on Soul Edge, its overwhelming power transformed him into a terrible fiend.
However, two great powers opposed him: Sophitia, blessed by the gods, and Taki, a demon-hunting ninja. Together, they defeated Cervantes, destroying part of the sword in the process.
Consumed in hellfire, Cervantes's body was reduced to ash. Though it appeared his ambitions had thus come to an end, it was not to be...
Following Cervantes's downfall, Soul Edge bonded to a young knight named Siegfried, and subsequently transformed him into the Azure Knight, Nightmare. The Azure Knight had unleashed the full power of Soul Edge, resulting in the Evil Seed, that covered the world in darkness.
Moments after the Evil Seed, Nightmare briefly gazed onto Cervantes's slowly-rotting corpse. It seems that Soul Edge had fulfilled its purpose for Cervantes as the cursed sword had chosen its new wielder. The azure-clad dark knight then walked away as he began his path of destruction.
As if Cervantes was supposed to be dead, something is causing him to be reanimated back as an undead fiend.
Days after his sudden resurrection, Cervantes stood on his own ship for too long as if he had no memory of everything that just happened to him. The villagers tried to approach him to see if he's alright.
"The Adrian...", Cervantes was able to remember the ship he commandeered.
The evil pirate begins to at least remember something he had almost forgotten...
("For the longest time, I have been lost in thought... I no longer know...who I am... I've forgotten something important... Yes...that's it...")
A.D. 1586
(1586年)
Three years have passed...
Despite the immense power of his soul, Cervantes found it difficult to recover his full strength after his resurrection. Then, one stormy night, a former crew member who bore a grudge against him attacked...
A former underling of Cervantes appeared before the undead pirate and calls him with his name. Cervantes, to his surprise, starts to remember his name. The sailor doesn't buy his amnesia, as Cervantes could barely remember the people who worked for him at this point. But, Cervantes is not going to waste his time.
"Cut the small talk.", Cervantes dismisses the sailor's questions. "Sounds like you're askin' for a fight. Well, here I am. You do know how to use that sword, do you?"
"Y-Yes, I do!", the crewman replied.
Cervantes takes up his swords and sparred with the sailor. Even though the pirate captain is still in a state of amnesia, he was still able to fight.
And surprisingly, he was able to defeat his crewman effortlessly, much to his terror.
"Heh heh heh! I'm back!", Cervantes laughed evilly. "The roar of the storm! The tide of blood! It was here all along! Heh heh... I owe you one."
The former crew member of Cervantes's ship couldn't help but land on his bottom, grovelling before the dreaded pirate captain.
"Why so afraid? Is it my rage? Was I always so quick to anger?"
Cervantes is already a bloodthirsty psychopath to begin with not just because of his rage. It's because that the instant he first held onto Soul Edge is what drives him with lust for power. In that, he invokes fear and dread against those fooloish enough who would stand against him, even his own crew.
"And what was the creed of the great pirate Captain Cervantes?", he forces the sailor to recite his motto.
"Steal, and then murder...", the crew member answered, while begging for his life. "N-No, please..."
The evil pirate curves as smirk, "Okay. Now this next question is real important. Was I the type of guy to show benevolence toward someone begging for their life?", and he makes no hesitation maiming one of his former shipmates in cold blood.
After that, the last thing Cervantes can do is laugh maniacally in joy after he felt better upon feasting on the soul of his first victim after his resurrection. But, that didn't brought him joy. The undead pirate is still searching what is left of him - his memories.
Although Cervantes's lost memories had begun to return to him, he spent more time thinking about the feel of Soul Edge in his hands than of his time as a pirate. His mind had become a thrall to Soul Edge once more...
Once again, Cervantes's thoughts were on the cursed sword...
"Soul Edge... I feel it... Fragments of Soul Edge are buried in my flesh. The blade...when it shattered... It's power is the only reason I'm not a pile of ash right now. Still... It's not enough!"
Judging by the state of the evil pirate's current appearance, his skin appears to look pale in comparison as if his body was partially rotting, and he appears to bear a scar on his chest, the very part where he was pierced by Taki (specifically, the Taki of this New Timeline). In addition, he has glowing face on his face along with those on his chest.
"This power! This weapon! Neither compare to when Soul Edge belonged to me!", he fiddled on his longsword and pistol sword, the Acheron and Nirvana, respectively. To him, Soul Edge was a perfect weapon, and its destruction what already incurred his wrath. "Soul Edge...I'll make you mine again, no matter what it takes."
Cervantes could sense that the shard of Soul Edge was potent as ever. However, if grasping the sword meant surrendering control of his mind all over again, it would be all for naught.
The evil pirate journeyed on foot while his thoughts were still on the cursed sword. Cervantes recalled that the instant he come to the evil blade, it transformed into two swords to adapt to his use. He recalled that one of the blades was destroyed, and the one that remained is now on the hands of the Azure Knight.
"I feel it... Soul Edge exists...and it's not far.", Cervantes spoke to himself. "But even if I get my hands on it, none of it will matter if I'm reduced to a mere puppet again. I shall become Soul Edge's master! To do that, I need much more power."
Along the way, he was confronted by a female swordsman. The swordsman's skills were pure agility and grace, which trumps against Cervantes's sheer brute force and firepower. Cervantes quickly turned the tables and singlehandedly beaten the warrior in the process.
"Heh heh heh... Yes... Yes...! The more souls I claim, the more my power returns!", Cervantes feasts on the soul of his next victim. But, yet he's not sated. "But it's not enough! I need more than worthless fools! I feel...as though I'm forgetting something important. My memory has yet to fully return... There's something I'm missing..."
The most effective way for Cervantes to restore his power was to claim the most tenacious of souls. And, in Cervantes's experience, there was no tougher soul than that of a pirate who had cut their teeth on the rough seas. With that in mind, he headed for the coastline of Northern Europe.
Cervantes effortlessly took on against a rival pirate crew and feast on their souls the moment he defeats them. In his eyes, mercy was the last thing he would show to his opponents. Even though Soul Edge is not controlling him, Cervantes is already a fearsome monster; complete with that callous, sociopathic nature that adds to his bloodlust even brought out the worst of him.
"They were fine souls, but nothing more.", Cervantes mused after having left a path of carnage in his wake. "I need some even finer. Something's coming back to me... Ngh!"
However, the victory celebration is somehow interrupted when something just came back to the undead pirate's mind...
Cervantes had a sudden flashback of his fateful defeat: the first to destroy the other part of Soul Edge was the holy warrior, Sophitia, under the guidance of the god of blacksmithery, Hephaestus. And worse, the other one who defeated him - Taki.
"As my power returns, so do these blasted memories... Damn this!", the pirate felt in unease the moment he recalled that fateful loss.
Another thing Cervantes had in mind came besides claiming Soul Edge: Revenge.
Cervantes sought souls with the fervor of someone trying to rid themselves of painful memories. Remembering his confrontation with the holy warrior, Sophitia, he decided to pay a visit to her Grecian homeland.
"The gods who watch over that girl are worshiped at a temple around here.", the pirate explored Athens. "Is that what my senses are telling me?"
However, just as Cervantes was expecting an confrontation from Sophitia. He ends up facing a young man from the future: Tokiwa Sougo.
"Are you the one called Cervantes?", asked Sougo.
"Heh heh heh. Shiver me timbers!", Cervantes laughed the moment he is faced by the soon-to-be demon king. "What is a puny little boy have something to do with me?"
*Zikuu-Driver!*
"To stop you, of course!", Sougo replied the moment he dons the Zikuu-Driver and took out the Zi-O Ridewatch.
*(Digital beeping) Zi-O!*
...after activating the Ridewatch, it is set on the right side of the Driver. Sougo unlocks the Driver and poses as he is about to transform.
"Henshin!"
The Zikuu-Driver is spun, as Sougo transforms into Kamen Rider Zi-O. His transformation ends with the katakana for "Rider" (ライダー) branded on his visor.
*(Electronic beat) Rider Time: Kamen Rider Zi-O!*
Before the battle begins, Woz proclaims the arrival of Zi-O into the Grecian lands and to Cervantes.
"Rejoice! The one to inherit all Rider powers, the king of time who will rule over the past and the future. And his name is Kamen Rider Zi-O! This is the moment that my demon king stands before you in this battle!"
Even Cervantes finds Sougo's ambitions of kinghood laughable as he mocks him, "Demon king, you say? What a joke! If that's the case, while I'm here, I may as well help myself."
*Zikan Gilade! Ken!*
Zi-O took out his primary weapon in its usual sword mode, he then clashed with the undead pirate, and an fierce sword battle ensued!
Despite Sougo having possessed the superior arsenal and gear to go against, Cervantes, the tide of the battle is in Cervantes's favor. This is due to the fact that each time Cervantes had devoured the souls of his recent victims, it nourished his strength even further. That means, even in his primitive arsenal in a disadvantage, the fragments of Soul Edge began to increase his power to a tenfold.
"That's weird... Even though I got the superior arsenal, and yet he's too powerful!", said Sougo the moment Cervantes pushes him to the corner.
Moments later, Fubuki arrives on the scene via the Den-Liner she summoned from the Den-O Ridewatch. She told Sougo about the fragments of Soul Edge buried deep into Cervantes's body.
"It's because the remains of Soul Edge inside him made him even stronger!", said Fubuki.
In response, Zi-O takes out the Decade Ridewatch.
*D-D-D-Decade!*
Upon inserting the watch after activation, Sougo spins the Zikuu-Driver...
*[Zikuu-Driver voice] Armor Time!*
Zi-O is surrounded by projections of Rider Cards which then form into the parts of the Decade Armor in a similar vein to Decade's transformation.
*[Decadriver voice] KamenRide! [Ridewatch voice #2] WOW! Decade-Decade! DECADE~!*
*Ride Heisaber!*
Now assuming Decade Armor, the Ride Heisaber is summoned. Sougo turns the weapon's needle to select a Rider's power to use into the weapon.
*Hey, Den-O! Hey, Kabuto!*
While Sougo manages to hold off against Cervantes and select Kabuto on the Heisaber, Zi-O pulls the trigger as his sword is coated with metallic red energy, transforming the blade into a tachyon-charged rhinoceros beetle horn-shaped gradient, invoking Kabuto Hyper Form's Maximum Hyper Typhoon Slash, Zi-O slashes Cervantes with the Heisaber.
*Kabuto Dual Time Break!*
The impact of Zi-O's attack turned the tables. Cervantes had no idea that he's being outmatched at this point. The evil pirate counterattacks as he corkscrew attacks Zi-O. But, Sougo turns things around. He takes out the Ghost Ridewatch he borrowed from Geiz and puts it on the Decade Ridewatch's slot...
*Final Form Time: Gho-Gho-Gho-Ghost!*
Within moments, the Decade Armor's bodysuit changes to that of Kamen Rider Ghost's Grateful Damashii, his right shoulder armor has "Ghost" (ゴースト) and on the chest and left shoulder armor have "Grateful" (グレイトフル) branded both in katakana.
"Do you think your parlor tricks can work against the likes of me, the pirate Captain Cervantes?!", the evil pirate, still confident and composed as ever, boasted.
*Gho-Gho-Gho-GHOST! Final Attack Time Break!*
Zi-O sent out five Parka Ghosts (Goemon, Ryoma, Himiko, Grimm, and Sanzo) to overwhelm Cervantes. Then, the Decade Ridewatch is plugged into the Ride Heisaber's Ridewatch base.
*Finish Time!*
Followed by Sougo rotating the weapon's needle continuously until it declares, "Hey, Kamen Riders!"
*(looping dance music) Hei! Sei! Hei! Sei! Hei! Sei! Hei! Sei! He-He-Hei! Sei~!*
Zi-O presses the Heisaber's trigger...
*D-D-D-Decade! Heisei Riders! Ultimate Time Break!*
...and by doing so, he conjures several cards-like projections to his opponent, before delivering several rainbow-energy coated slashes to Cervantes, giving the undead pirate a taste of overkill.
Moments later, the holy warrior Sophitia witnesses the sudden commotion as Zi-O defeated Cervantes.
"What's going on here?!", the baker's daughter exclaimed, but not before turning her attention at the seemingly dead Cervantes. "That's... But how is he still alive?"
But, to the shock of everyone, Cervantes suddenly reanimates!
"How could he survive that?", Fubuki shook her head, perhaps knowing the fact that the fragments of Soul Edge in Cervantes's body actually sustained his life force.
"Wait, he's immortal?!", Sougo exclaimed.
The moment Cervantes stood up, his eyes were locked on Sophitia with a deathly glare.
"How are you still alive, Cervantes?!", Sophitia said.
"Wasn't it obvious? Revenge! For you and your gods destroyed my beloved prized sword!", Cervantes cackled. "But, that will be at the right time. I must be on my way to find the cursed sword. Once I have it again, you and that insect of a ninja will be next! Mwa ha ha ha!"
Cervantes disappeared in a form of a black smoke, as if he gained the ability to teleport. In fact, Cervantes already discarded his humanity since he first came contact with the cursed sword, and his resurrection already granted him such powers.
"What are we going to do now?", asked Sougo.
Within moments, Taki, Goro and Geiz caught up to Sougo and Fubuki. And to Sophitia's surprise, she once again encounters the alternate counterpart of the person who fought alongside with against the evil pirate. However, Sophitia cannot recall meeting with Geiz, as the latter himself erased her memories, along with her Rothion and Cassandra's back when they first visited in the shrine of the gods.
"Taki, who are these folks with you?", asked the holy warrior.
"I'll explain everything later.", the ninja replied. "Stopping Cervantes is our priority at this moment. For he's going to find the woman whom he seen as the spare vessel for the cursed sword."
"A spare vessel?", Sophitia asked concerned.
"That's right. His own flesh and blood - Ivy, a member of Nightmare's faction."
The fact that the history of the new timeline is similar to the old timeline, Taki has knowledge of everything what will happen. As she was the first to tell Ivy of the new timeline about the truth of her cursed blood, in that it would lead her to Cervantes himself. Though, Taki's actions earlier results in changing the future, it was the only way to draw out Cervantes.
"I told Ivy everything about her cursed lineage; and by doing so, causing the future to change. But, it was the only way that will lead us to Cervantes.", said Taki. "Sophitia, I need your help... Cervantes must be stopped, once and for all."
As Sophitia was the first who encountered and fought Cervantes before (Another) Taki came. The holy warrior accepts the original Taki's offer.
"I accept. May the gods be with us in this battle against Cervantes."
Within moments, Fubuki activates the Den-O Ridewatch to summon the Den-Liner. Taki then wore the Beyondriver on her waist.
"Geiz, may I need your Drive Ridewatch.", Taki asks for the Drive Ridewatch from Geiz.
"What are you planning to do?", he asked.
Taki then receives the Drive Ridewatch from Geiz, she turns its dial and activates the watch. After that, she loads the watch into the Beyondriver.
*Ridewatch Break!*
The Beyondriver's lever is closed, as the Miride Scope then projects from the Drive Ridewatch in what appears to be Kamen Rider Drive's personal sports car, the Tridoron! Even better, it also comes equipped with the Ride Booster Set on both sides of the car.
"No way!", Sougo exclaimed.
"What are you planning to do, Taki? Run Cervantes off the road?!", Goro joked.
"We're heading back to Ivy's last known location.", Taki replied. "I have a feeling that Cervantes is drawing closer to his own daughter."
Sophitia chooses to take the Den-Liner with Fubuki, while Sougo and Geiz stood on the Ride Boosters sides as Taki and Goro take the Tridoron in order to head back to Ivy's last known location.
"I'll drive.", Taki chooses to take the wheel instead of Goro.
"Wait, you can't be serious-", Goro interrupts until Taki reveals to him her driver's license, much to his shock. "Ehhh?! How'd you got your license?!"
The ninja explained, "I took driving school four months ago and passed with flying colors. And, I got my license a week after I finished it."
Though Goro might also have some luxury cars in his collection, and the fact that Taki already got her driver's license sometime her time traveling adventures began. One of the few things that Goro is afraid of is Taki driving frantically like a psycho, or so he imagined.
"Let's just hope you don't wreck this ride...", Goro shrugged awkwardly as he takes the passenger seat.
As the doors are closed, Sougo and Geiz stood into the red and blue Ride Boosters. The Tridoron hovers above thanks to the Ride Boosters acting as wing turbines as the machine flew over to the horizon, heading to Ivy's last known location.
Sometime after he fled the Greek homeland after losing to Zi-O, Cervantes begins to remember something, the pain of the destruction of Soul Edge was the first. The second would be a spare vessel...the child of the cursed sword. It was long before his death, he raped a woman in the Black Tail Inn, and that woman got pregnant, giving birth to a girl. Somehow, the child was left into the doorsteps of an English couple, who would name her Isabella, or Ivy.
As Cervantes was on the verge of remembering something significant, but his memory was still failing him. With the hope of doing so would be the spark to ignite the flame, he decided to visit the place from which Soul Edge's aura had suddenly vanished: Ostrheinsburg Castle...
The evil pirate searched far and wide around the castle, only to find nothing. He was certain that the cursed sword was in this fortress, as he is certain about, by sensing the fragment of Soul Edge drawing nearby closer.
Cervantes had a goal in mind - by fusing the vessel's soul through the fragments in his body, the chances that Cervantes will create an another Soul Edge.
The fragment Cervantes felt is drawing closer, and it's revealed to be none other than his own flesh and blood, Ivy.
Under the cursed sword's rule, a so-called "spare vessel"- an heir to the cursed sword - was created as a precaution. That vessel was Ivy, Cervantes's daughter. On cursed soil, they came face to face for their fated reunion...
This family reunion is anything but a happy one, given the grim look on Ivy's face.
"I never thought you'd soil this place with your presence.", said Ivy.
Cervantes cackled, "Heh heh heh... It's been too long, O daughter of mine!"
"It has...but not I'm not here to catch up.", the heiress of the Valentine household replied dryly before she raises her tone. "I'm here to send you back to Hell!"
"The names of the warriors whose fates were bound to the two swords have been etched into the very fibers of history..."
Ridewatches count:
-Taki:
Ridewatches: 15 (New G7 Icarus, G7 Icarus XYZ EX-Strike Armor, G7 Icarus XYZ Archangel Kerberos, G7 Type-S, Grease, Huntress Creator Gamer, Mach, Drive, Jiraiya, Rewind, Bike, Phone, Disk Animal (x2))
Miridewatches: 3 (Taki, Aqua Mermaid, Jet Phoenix)
Ultra Ridewatches: 6 (Ultraman Orb Specium Zepellion, Ultraman Orb Orb Origin, Ultraman X, Ultraman Zero, Ultraman Zero Beyond, Ultraseven)
-Zi-O: 17 (Zi-O, Build, Ex-Aid, Gaim, Fourze, OOO, W, Decade, Kiva, Kabuto, Hibiki, Blade, Ryuki, Agito, Kuuga, Bike, Phone)
-Geiz: 9 (Geiz, Cross-Z, Genm, Ghost, Wizard, OOO Tajadol Combo, Faiz, Bike, Phone)
-Woz #2:
Miridewatches: 1 (Woz)
-Tsukuyomi: 1 (Phone)
-Fubuki: 4 (Den-O, Fuin, Phone (x2))
-Ray:
Ridewatch: 9 (Rogue, Cronus, Ride-Player, Snipe, Kurokage Trooper, White Wizard, Eternal, Sasword)
Non-Rider Ridewatch: 2 (Engine Bros, RemoCon Bros)
Another Watch: 19 (Another Kuuga, Another Agito, Another Ryuki, Another Faiz, Another Blade, Another Hibiki, Another Kabuto, Another Den-O, Another Kiva, Another Decade, Another W, Another OOO, Another Fourze, Another Wizard, Another Gaim, Another Drive, Another Ghost, Another Ex-Aid, Another Build)
Kaijuwatch: 4 (Demaaga, Galactron (x2), Grigio Bone)
Ultra Ridewatch: 2 (Ultraman Belial, Ultraman Geed Primitive)
On the next episode...
(次回挿話)
The fated encounter between Ivy and Cervantes ensues! With Cervantes gaining the upper hand against his own flesh and blood, Ivy must join forces with the holy warrior Sophitia, as well as Taki and her allies from the future to put an end to the undead pirate's reign of terror once and for all.
Next time on Taki Gaiden, Episode 47: The End of Cervantes ~A.D. 1586~
Author's Note:
Cervantes here in this story is an absolute complete monster and he is much worse than he was already in the game (that even includes the pre-SCVI games). It was mentioned that the woman he raped was the reason Ivy existed. Compared to Nightmare, his actions in both the game and in this story are played very seriously, as his sadism and callousness rivals both the Azure Knight and Astaroth. Even worse, he willingly killed even his own pirate crew just for kicks. In short, he's the Soulcalibur equivalent to Ryuki's resident psychopath and serial killer, Takeshi Asakura.
My thoughts with this weeks episode of Zi-O concerns how Another Woz got the Shinobi Miridewatch, the method is similar to defeating an Another Rider without the corresponding watch. Instead of receiving the watch from the Future Rider, much like with the Heisei Legend Riders, Another Woz simply creates the watch before using it.
Zi-O using Decade Armor Ghost Form (Grateful Damashii) against Cervantes is fitting, as this was the very form Sougo used to defeat Another Ghost, who has the ability to absorb souls like Cervantes himself.
This is the first time Sophitia meets Sougo and Goro, while encountering Geiz might be the second time though, this becomes the first now as Geiz had erased her, Rothion, and Cassandra's memories of their meeting at the end of chapter 8.
Taki using the Drive Ridewatch to summon the Tridoron (with the Ride Booster equipped) along with the reveal that she went to driving school and obtained a driver's license sometime before the story began is a reference to what Chase did in episode 39. Goro has the same reaction as Go when he found out that Taki already got a driver's license all along, though the latter's case when he finds out Chase was taking the driving test.
This is the second time the Tridoron is used by someone other than Drive himself after the end of Drive's battle with the Roidmudes. Samus was the first back in the first Metroid: Kamen Rider Generations before she obtains the Machine TriHunter in Volume 2. Though Taki uses the Ride Striker and Time Mazine as her means of transport, her use of Tridoron is only an alternative means of transport when she activated Drive's Ridewatch on the Beyondriver.
