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.
Kochu was breastfeeding her baby while Riri watched when Iori suddenly threw the door open and stormed right in. He was breathing heavily, with anger written all over his face, clenching and unclenching his fists.
"Daddy, what happened? Why do you look mad?" Riri asked. As young as she was, Riri was perceptive enough to know something was bothering her daddy.
"Airen, is something wrong?" Kochu asked worriedly.
"You're not going to believe this," Iori started as he calmed down, barely able to believe it himself. "But Nagata's back."
Both his wife and stepdaughter gasped.
"Naga-niichan's back?" Riri questioned as her eyes lit up. Like everyone else, she had been devastated by his death and had missed him dearly. Hearing that he was alive filled her with joy.
"But how is that possible? Wasn't he dead?" Kochu asked, surprised by the news. It just sounded so unbelievable but her husband had no reason to lie about something so serious.
"I don't know but there's more. Karasu's back too."
Now Kochu looked very concerned when she heard this news. Karasu had betrayed them, attacked their home, made her husband and Nagata into puppets, and killed Enya. Hearing she was back, Kochu held their baby protectively.
Riri used to look up to Karasu like all her big sisters. Then she turned out to be a bad person who tried to hurt her parents. What she had done was unforgivable. Now, she was back and could hurt them all again.
"Don't worry," Iori reassured his wife and child. "She's locked up in the dungeon where she can't hurt anyone." His gaze went to their baby.
Originally, he did not want to have a child with Kochu during these turbulent times and wanted to wait until the war was over. However, the truth was that he was afraid that he might end up playing favorites like his parents. They had valued his brother more than him and he did not want to push Riri aside in favor of his biological child. It just wouldn't be fair to her if he did.
Although, once he learned that his wife was pregnant, he quickly changed his tune as he resolved to keep both her and their soon-to-be-born child safe. They agreed that Kochu would need to avoid the battlefield for the duration of her pregnancy.
He soon realized what it was like dealing with a pregnant wife. Her hormones would cause mood swings and erratic behavior completely without warning. Sometimes she would yell at him, sometimes she would cry, and sometimes she got horny, very, very horny. It took a couple of months before Iori finally got the pattern down.
Then there were her food cravings which made her crave the oddest food combinations and sometimes she would want something she would never eat before like pickled eggs. She once found Chou'un's stash of menma and finished the whole jar. Chou'un had not been happy about that but there was little she could do about it.
Kochu also had to avoid alcohol which would be bad for the baby. She knew this, of course, as she had avoided it when she'd been pregnant with Riri. This was not her first pregnancy, after all. They also saw Kada often to keep track of the baby's development and to make sure that she was healthy.
Meanwhile, Riri prepared herself to be the best big sister she could be, ever. She also helped Iori to take care of her mother. Iori was proud of her but he was also ready to give the baby the attention it needed after its birth. That did not mean he loved Riri any less. Babies just needed more care and attention.
It was not easy since he was inexperienced in dealing with a pregnant wife but he remained by Kochu's side, supporting her during her pregnancy. That meant he spent less time on the battlefield but he was fine with that. His family needed him more anyway.
Then came the day of their baby's birth. It was a month ago and Iori nearly had a heart attack and fainted when Kochu's water suddenly broke.
"Are you the midwife!?" Iori cried as the elderly woman came into the room. Shion was already in bed with a blanket thrown over her. She was sweating all over while holding her husband's hand.
"Yes, I'm the midwife. Now, get out," the midwife commanded, pointing at Iori.
"Hold on, I need to be with my wife!" Iori insisted.
"No, you get out. Right now!" the midwife pointed at Iori then pointed at the door.
"No, you can't make me leave!"
The door slammed shut after Iori was thrown out of the room.
"I can't believe she made me leave!" Iori complained.
Iori hated feeling useless and he also hated being forced to wait. He paced outside the room, waiting for any news. The midwife was busy delivering his and Shion's baby and he was just worried. A lot. What if something went wrong? What if Shion died at childbirth? What if the baby was stillborn?
He hated not knowing what was happening and he needed someone to talk to. So he took out his LockPhone to call his brother.
"Nii-san!" Iori yelled.
"Hello to you too, Iori. What's up?" Ichiro answered.
"Shion's having our baby!"
"Oh, congratulations. Hey, Shamoke, my brother's baby's going to be born!"
"That sounds great, dear!" Shamoke said from off-screen.
"I'm very happy for you, Iori. Wait, why do you look like you're freaking out?"
"Because I am freaking out! The midwife threw me out of the room so I have no idea what's going on and Shion needs me beside her! I need to be beside her so I can witness my baby's birth!"
Iori heard a loud scream coming from inside the room but the door was locked so he could not get in. He could transform and force his way inside but that seemed like a really bad idea and may complicate the birth.
"Iori, listen to me. You called a midwife, right?"
"Yes, I did. She came highly recommended."
"So trust her to take care of your wife and baby. It'll be fine."
"How can you be so sure, Nii-san?"
"Because Shion's strong. She can handle this. Just believe in her, alright?"
"I see the head! Keep pushing!" the midwife shouted.
"AAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" Shion screamed.
"Is she supposed to sound like she's dying!?" Iori panicked.
"Iori, just breathe, ok, little brother? Just breathe. It'll be fine."
Iori closed his eyes and took deep, calming breaths as his brother guided him.
"One last push! Give me one last push!"
"AAAAARRRRGGGGGGGHHH!"
Iori heard Shion's scream and then she went silent before another noise came.
"WAAAAAAAAA!"
It was the sound of a baby's cry.
Iori stepped back from the door as it opened and the midwife looked him in the eye.
"You, go in."
Iori happily went inside and was greeted by the sight of Shion holding a towel-wrapped bundle in her arms. His wife was drenched in sweat, her eyes were wet with tears but she had a satisfied smile on her face. He walked over to her bedside to look at the bundle in his wife's arms.
"Airen, she's beautiful, isn't she?" Shion asked as she showed Iori their new daughter.
"She has your hair, Shion," Iori smiled as he shed tears of joy.
"And your eyes," Shion added. "Do you want to hold her?"
"Can I?" Shion nodded and handed their daughter to Iori who carefully took her in his arms. "Wow, she's so tiny." This was his daughter and he loved her already.
"She also needs a name," Shion reminded.
"How does 'Yomi' sound?" Iori suggested.
"That sounds just perfect," Shion smiled.
"We should call Riri over to meet her new baby sister."
"She's so small!" Riri smiled when she saw her new baby sister for the first time. Yomi was just so tiny and wrapped up in a bundle that she looked like a little doll.
"This is your new baby sister, Yomi," Iori introduced.
"Hi, Yomi. I'm your big sister Riri!"
After Yomi's birth, Iori quickly learned what it was like to be a father to a newborn and it was hard work. As expected, Yomi needed a lot of care and attention. She would wake up crying in the middle of the night and either he or Kochu would have to get up to comfort the baby so she would go back to sleep. Or change a dirty diaper. Or feed her since she was hungry (that was mostly Kochu's job).
It was exhausting.
Did he often wake up cranky? Yes.
Did he often wake up irritable? Yes.
Was he exhausted all the time? Yes.
Did he often feel overwhelmed? Also yes.
But was it all worth it? Hell yeah!
Fortunately, he did not have to go through this wholly new and scary experience by himself since he had Kochu to help him as her experience was truly a blessing. She taught him how to bathe Yomi and how to change her diaper, skills that were important while taking care of a baby.
Each time he held Yomi, every time she smiled, he felt his heart soar with happiness. He couldn't wait for her to grow up so he could teach her everything he knew. She would grow up to become a champion archer like her parents. He swore he would never neglect his daughter as his parents had done to him.
However, he still had his responsibilities and they were in the middle of a war. His greatest hope was to see this war end so he could watch his daughter grow up happily and the first step was to get rid of any possible threats to her life.
"Excuse me, Koi. There's something I need to take care of."
Sangokuden Armored War Gods Saga: End of the Armored War Gods
Written By: Kamen Rider Chrome
Beta Reader/Editor: Busterleader92 & Kamen Rider Goji
Chapter 50: Grudge Match!
Komei was on her way to the dungeon to speak with Karasu. As head strategist of the Shoku Faction, it was her duty to gather information so she could formulate plans and tactics which would give her friends an advantage on the battlefield. She would have done this with her kohai, Hoto, but she and their teacher Suikyo wanted to avoid the war after losing their home in Shoku. They were still living in the city as Suikyo had taken a job as a teacher. Komei regularly went to visit them when she had free time.
Ever since Ryuubi and her generals had obtained Armored War Goddess status, the strategist had been working hard to come up with plans and strategies which incorporated their new powers. From what she had gathered, besides an increase in strength and new weaponry, very little had changed but their new powers opened up new avenues that would allow them to overcome their enemies.
However, right now, Komei had something else to attend to. She wanted to question Karasu not just about her betrayal but also about her actions since then. She also wanted to ask her about what she had been doing in the months since Nagata's death. According to the refugees she had spoken to, the 'Armored War Goddess' had rescued them when the RinJyuKen invaded their homes.
Why, though?
Had she changed?
Did she truly regret what she had done and was trying to atone for her crimes?
Had the guilt from Nagata's death motivated her to do so?
As Komei pondered these questions and neared the dungeon, she overheard Iori speaking with Karasu. She quietly got closer to get a better look, making sure to remain hidden from their view.
"You and me, one-on-one, a fight to the death and no running to Nagata," Iori challenged.
"Very well," Karasu accepted.
Iori unlocked her cell and let her out before he handed her equipment back to her. The two locked eyes as they activated their equipment.
[BUDOU!]
[RINGO!]
"Henshin!"
[HAI~! BUDOU ARMS! RYU, HOU, HA-HA-HA!]
[COME ON! RINGO ARMS! DESIRE FORBIDDEN FRUITS!]
Once they were transformed, Idunn opened up a large Helheim portal and they stepped through before it zipped shut.
"Oh my!" Komei gasped at what she had just witnessed. Panicking, Komei quickly went to warn someone and ran right into Nagata who was on his way to the dungeon to see Karasu. He carried a plate of freshly made meat buns that he was going to share with her. While he had been assured that, even as a prisoner, Karasu would be treated well until her trial, he nevertheless felt that he needed to go check on her. Therefore, until her trial, he would make sure she was properly fed as he would personally make and deliver her food. He did not trust anyone not to try and poison her food and he hated the idea of her eating only bland porridge.
Bland porridge was just the worst.
"Nagata-sama! Hawawawa!"
"Hey, Shuri. What's the matter?"
"There's trouble! It's bad! It's terrible! Hawawawa!"
The two Armored War Gods - Idunn and Ryugen - stood facing each other in Helheim Forest. This was the one place where they could fight uninterrupted as this was a duel to the death.
He swiftly drew his gun and fired at Idunn. In response, Idunn raised her shield and charged as he kept firing. The shots bounced off the Apple Reflecter as she came within striking range before she drew her Sword Bringer and slashed Ryugen across the chest, sending him backpedaling. He slammed against a tree and quickly rolled away as she swung her sword. The blade sliced through the tree and it fell with a crash.
Idunn just wanted to finish this fight quickly. Sadly, Ryugen was not the kind to go down without putting up a fight and so she had to end this without killing him. She needed to show him she had changed and was working on redeeming herself.
That was easier said than done as Ryugen could hold a grudge for a long time and was unforgiving. He hated Idunn for so many reasons. First of all, and most importantly, she had betrayed them. Secondly, but no less important, she had controlled him like a puppet. If there was one thing he hated most in this world, it was being controlled. His parents had tried to control him, Sadako had tried to control him, and he hated them for it. Idunn had also killed Gien and tried to kill them when she attacked Touka Village. She had also left him for dead on that cold mountain, discarding him like trash after she saw no further use for him.
She was going to pay with her life. But his only regret would be only getting to kill her once.
Ryugen kicked Idunn in the chest, knocking her back before he fired, causing her to cry out as sparks burst from her chest. Darting forward, he grabbed her by the throat and chokeslammed her to the ground before he pointed his gun between her wide eyes.
This was it. Karasu Oda would die. She had run away from her punishment long enough and it was long overdue. He would need to spin a story about how she had fled and he had gone after her but he did not doubt that his friends would believe that he did what he had to do for the sake of justice. Even if he had to get his hands dirty to do it.
"Game Over. Now take your shot, bitch!" Ryugen hissed as he was about to shoot her.
Idunn's visor glowed as she burst into black feathers, surprising Ryugen as he lost his grip on her. The feathers coalesced nearby and she kicked Ryugen in the side, sending him tumbling.
Ryugen got back to his feet and fired rapidly but she burst into feathers again before she reappeared behind him and slashed him in the back. He spun around to shoot her but she delivered a furious series of strikes that disarmed him and knocked him to the ground.
Idunn stood over Ryugen with her sword leveled at his face. He stared at the blade, cold sweat beading on his face but he refused to show fear. He would not grant her that satisfaction.
"Go on. Do it. I know you want to," Ryugen dared her.
Idunn glared at Ryugen but her eyes softened.
"No, I don't. If I killed you, everything I've done until now would've been for nothing," Idunn said as she sheathed her sword back into her shield. "So I'll spare your life." She went to offer her hand. Ryugen glared at the offered hand and gritted his teeth.
No, she needed to pay for everything she had done. She was the reason Gien was dead. She was the reason so many people were dead. She was the reason Nagata had died and was now a zombie. She was the reason everything had gone to Hell for the Shoku Faction. They had trusted her and she had stabbed them in the back.
He slapped her hand away and rose up by himself.
"No, I'll be going back after you've paid for everything you've done," Ryugen growled as dark energy rose from his body as his Lockseed changed along with his armor.
[YOMOTSUHEGURI ARMS! MEI, KAI, YOMI, YOMI, YOMI!]
Ryugen-Yomi thrust his Yomiyari at her but she raised her shield, blocking his strike and was pushed back. He furiously attacked her, sending sparks flying as he attempted to break through her guard.
"You betrayed us and you killed Enya! You turned me into a puppet! You left me for dead! And for what!? So you could have Nagata all to yourself!?" Ryugen-Yomi hatefully screamed at her.
What could she say in the face of such accusations? That she did it for love? Just remembering her motives made her sick. That sounded like warped logic now. After she had lost Nagata, she had done a lot of soul-searching and realized that she had been wrong.
Ryugen-Yomi broke through her guard but she dodged by turning into a cluster of feathers again. As she reformed, she knew she stood no chance against Ryugen-Yomi as he was now. She needed more power, she needed her darkness.
She swiped her hand across her faceplate, equipping herself with the Black Mask she had worn as Jam. Once she had it on, dark energy encased Idunn, changing her.
[DARKNESS!]
The skirt she wore lengthened into a waist cape as a cloak made out of black feathers appeared on her. Her silver bodysuit also changed color, becoming pitch black with purple vine-like patterns on it.
This was Armored War Goddess Idunn Forbidden Ringo Arms Darkness Mode, aka Dark Idunn.
Ryugen-Yomi was unimpressed as he whipped out his Budou Ryuhou and fired at Dark Idunn but she vanished as she replaced herself with a cluster of black feathers. All of a sudden, sparks exploded from Ryugen-Yomi's back as Dark Idunn struck him from behind. He spun around to swipe at her but she once again vanished, leaving behind a cluster of black feathers. Ryugen-Yomi fanned the feathers away from his face and scanned his surroundings for his prey.
"Are you afraid to face me!?" Ryugen-Yomi taunted. "Come out from where you're hiding and fight me, you incestuous, treacherous, cowardly bitch!"
Unbeknownst to him, Dark Idunn hovered near the treetops thanks to her Blackwing Cloak while looking down at him. She said nothing as she narrowed her eyes.
For months since Nagata's death, she had worked hard to atone for her sins while avoiding the Alliance. She was a traitor, a wanted woman, a fugitive, but she could not let herself be captured. Without Nagata to defend her, they would have executed her for her crimes.
And now Iori Tokugawa was trying to execute her without even giving her a fair trial. No, she could not allow that. She would end this farce now before she returned to Nagata. She would earn their forgiveness, somehow. However, if she was judged fairly and was to be executed for her crimes, then she would accept her punishment gracefully. She would not accept punishment coming from a vengeful and vindictive person like Iori.
[HAI~! YOMOTSUHEGURI AU LAIT!]
Spotting Dark Idunn, Ryugen-Yomi fired a volley of energy dragons into the air with his gun. Dark Idunn saw them coming and attempted to evade but they chased after her. They managed to catch up and hit her in the back, sending her plummeting to the ground.
Dark Idunn groaned as she picked herself up but she was knocked down by the Kiwi Gekirin which bounced off her to return to Ryugen-Yomi.
"Off with her head," Ryugen-Yomi quoted as he drew his arm back to deliver a decapitating blow.
All of a sudden, a bolt of lightning struck the ground between Dark Idunn and Ryugen-Yomi. Startled, the Underworld Dragon backpedaled. His eyes widened when he saw Ryujin Gaim standing where the lightning bolt had struck with electricity arcing around his body.
Dark Idunn was both relieved and surprised to see him.
"Naga-kun?"
"Are you OK, Kara-chan?"
"I am, now that you're here. How did you know where we were?"
"Someone told me." Ryujin Gaim turned to angrily address Ryugen-Yomi, "Now what the Hell do you think you're doing, Iori?"
"Doing what you should've done and I was about to finish the job before you came along," Ryugen-Yomi spat, livid.
"Iori, she's on our side."
"Just because you say so? So what? You think that just because you've forgiven her then everything is supposed to be OK? Does that mean she doesn't have to answer for what she's done? Fuck that, fuck you and fuck your damn nepotism!"
Responding to his anger and hatred, his Lockseed once more changed to its final form as dark energy erupted from his body. It tainted the air and any Inves that were nearby quickly fled in terror.
[MAKAIRYU ARMS! MAKAI, RYU, MAKAI, RYU, MAKAIRYUGA! HAHAHAHAHAHA!]
Makai Ryugen fired his Makai Ryugahou and blasted Ryujin Gaim with a raging hailstorm of hot flaming bullets. Ryujin Gaim tried to deflect the rapid-fire rounds as he shielded Dark Idunn, but he was being bombarded by Makai Ryugen's insane rapid gunfire.
Nagata understood why Iori was doing this but he was going about it the wrong way. This was not even the first time he had gone behind everyone's backs to take matters into his own hands.
First, he had executed a gang of bandits he had captured without consulting Nagata or giving them a fair trial. Nagata understood why as Iori had found the girls they had kidnapped and used them as sex slaves so he let it go.
Then he had killed Nise, resulting in the birth of the vengeful mogwai Bujin Gaim. That was when his actions had consequences as Bujin Gaim had killed and devoured people, and then took possession of Nagata so he could become more powerful while he killed more people. Nagata had nightmares from the trauma as he remembered what Bujin Gaim had done while in possession of his body. Those poor girls.
There was also that one time when Iori had set the Genesis cultists that they had captured free only so he could kill them himself. This had happened after Nagata's death so he had no knowledge of it but that was another incident to add to the list of things Iori had done behind everyone's back.
And now, Iori was trying to kill Karasu but Nagata could not allow that to happen.
[ICHIGO KUNAI!]
Hundreds of Ichigo Kunai rained down on Makai Ryugen, forcing him to cease fire. With a roar of rage, Makai Ryugen activated his chainsaw and rushed at Ryujin Gaim who blocked the chainsaw blade with his Nobunagun. Sparks flew as the teeth of the chainsaw ground against the rifle's barrel.
"Iori, stop this now!"
"No! I'm done listening to you! She's going to die, right here and now, even if I have to go through you!"
Aiding her cousin, Dark Idunn blasted her dark feathers into Makai Ryugen's face, blinding him and driving him back. She then kicked him in the chest, sending him reeling. Glaring at her, he swung his chainsaw but was blocked by the Nobunagun before Ryujin Gaim drove his foot into his stomach. He then jabbed the muzzle of his Nobunagun into Makai Ryugen's chest and fired, knocking the Underworld Dragon back.
[HINAWA DAIDAI DJ JU!]
Summoning his DJ Gun, Ryujin Gaim fired both his guns at Makai Ryugen, keeping him at bay so he could give his cousin a chance to escape.
"Kara-chan, run!"
"But what about you!?"
"I got this! Now run!"
Dark Idunn refused. He had never abandoned her and she was not about to leave him behind.
"RAAAARRRGGGHHH!" Undaunted, Makai Ryugen roared as he powered through the blasts. They weren't even slowing him down as he closed in on Ryujin Gaim to strike him with his chainsaw.
Sparks exploded as they were locked in fierce combat but Makai Ryugen neglected to watch out for Dark Idunn who slashed him from behind. He spun around to strike her but his chainsaw blade passed through a bunch of dark feathers instead before she reformed and struck him in the chest.
That trick was starting to get old and it frustrated him.
[EMBER CELICA!]
Discarding his rifles, Ryujin Gaim equipped himself with the Ember Celica shotgun gauntlets as he drove his fists into Makai Ryugen's chest and fired a shot that sent him skidding back. Makai Ryugen fired back at him but Ryujin Gaim leaped into the air to avoid the heavy gunfire and flew over Makai Ryugen as he performed what could be best described as a midair upside-down pirouette.
[MYRTENASTER!]
He pointed the rapier at Makai Ryugen to summon a gravity glyph under his feet. All of a sudden, his knees buckled and his legs gave out as he was brought to his knees before he collapsed face down as he made a crater in the ground. Ryujin Gaim, on the other hand, gracefully landed on his feet.
"What...is this!?" Makai Ryugen demanded as he struggled to push himself back up but the glyph prevented him as it held him down by increasing his own weight.
"I've increased the gravity on you. You probably weigh about a ton right now and are unable to move. If you try to get up, you'll only hurt yourself," Ryujin Gaim explained. This was the most peaceful way for him to end this fight without hurting Iori.
"You think...this is over!?" Makai Ryugen spat as he continued to struggle. "We both know you won't kill me, Nagata! When you let me go, I'll just go after her again! You can't protect her forever!"
Ryujin Gaim just sighed. He understood his friend's anger but holding onto a grudge like that was not healthy as it only made things worse.
"Then I'll tell Shion and have her deal with you," Ryujin Gaim threatened, causing Makai Ryugen to go pale before his face turned red in anger.
"How dare you?" Makai Ryugen growled.
"If I can't talk some sense into you, then maybe she can. Knowing her, she'll come up with some pretty creative punishments for you," Ryujin Gaim warned. "Riri might get upset with you too."
Makai Ryugen gritted his teeth and wanted to yell at Ryujin Gaim in defiance but he knew he had lost this round. He did not want anyone to know about this, especially not his wife and daughter. While Kochu would understand, she may not accept him going behind their backs and lying to them. He also did not want Riri to find out and see him as some kind of cold-blooded killer.
Makai Ryugen hated this but he had no choice but to comply.
"...Fine. You win."
Ryujin Gaim smiled. Hopefully, he managed to get through to his friend. However, while seething on the ground, Makai Ryugen decided that if he could not punish Karasu now, then he would make sure she got her punishment later during her trial. He would testify against her in court and claim that she was a dangerous psychopath that needed to be put down for everyone's sake. Since she had betrayed them once before, she could do it again.
"Kara-chan, let's head back," Ryujin Gaim said to his cousin. "And don't worry. I'll tell everyone you did not break out."
"Thank you, Naga-kun," Dark Idunn smiled gratefully at her cousin. It seemed that the situation was resolved, at least for now. She could now sit in her cell and wait for her trial. At least she had Nagata in her corner so she still had hope.
But before they could leave, a grey shimmering wall suddenly rose up in front of them and several silhouettes could be seen through the surface of the wall. Ryujin Gaim recognized this phenomenon and realized what it could only mean.
[LaUnCHer oN!]
Missiles shot out of the wall and hit the ground, setting off explosions that broke Ryujin Gaim's concentration and freed Makai Ryugen from the gravity glyph. Moments later, the shimmering wall collapsed to reveal a small yet frightening army of Majin Riders. Ryujin Gaim recognized Majin Kiva, Majin Kabuto, and Majin Faiz from his earlier encounters with them. Somehow, they had been revived. The rest of them were new but, due to his knowledge of the Kamen Rider series, he recognized which Riders they were based on just by looking at them.
The one responsible for creating the Dimensional Wall had a magenta and white body with a set of black bars that ran diagonally across its chest and left shoulder and another set going vertically over the diagonal bars near its left shoulder, forming a slanted 'X'. It had large horns on both sides of its head with large green eyes. Black vertical bars ran across its face and horns like a barcode. As for accessories, it had linked metal triangles hanging from its belt: Majin Decade.
Next to it stood a humanoid with a half-green and half-black body that had stitches going down its middle: Majin Double.
There was a brute in bulky silver armor with spiked shoulders and a horned helmet with lifeless yellow eyes. It was armed with a massive sword that was equipped with a chainsaw blade in the hilt: Majin Blade.
Next was a draconic warrior in red and gold Chinese armor. It had a dragon's head for a left hand and wielded a massive Chinese saber that was rested on its shoulder: Majin Ryuki.
Standing beside Majin Ryuki was its twin who was clad in black and gold with the dragon head taking the place of the right hand instead as it wielded its Chinese saber in its left hand: Majin Ryuga.
Rotating its shoulders before running its hands along the sides of its head was another monstrous warrior that looked like an astronaut. It had a pointed cone-shaped head, a black face with red eyes, and bat wings at the base of its head with devilish horns. It was the one responsible for the missiles: Majin Fourze.
A purple oni stood alongside them. It had sharp yellow fangs and oni faces on its shoulders. White fabric hovered rigidly above its head, going from under one arm, over its head, and ending under the other arm. It held kanabo-like drumsticks that were covered in spikes: Majin Hibiki.
They saw a Majin Rider clad in a red trench coat with a skull-shaped ruby chestplate and a ring going right through its skull: Majin Wizard.
There was a Majin Rider whose appearance resembled a locust with orange scarves and sharp teeth, and it also bore an uncanny resemblance to the character Another Agito: Majin Agito.
Wielding a pair of daggers and wearing an evil smile was a Majin Rider clad in red armor with wide skirt-like hip armor and red horns sticking out of its eye sockets: Majin Den-O.
There was a chimeric humanoid that had features of a hawk, tiger, and grasshopper. With a red, yellow, and green color scheme, it was almost like it was a walking traffic light: Majin OOO.
And finally, the last Majin Rider was a ten-foot-tall insectoid monster in red and black. It had big red compound eyes, two large stag beetle horns on its head, and jaws filled with razor-sharp teeth: Majin Kuuga.
Majin Decade pointed at the Armored War Gods and clenched its fist, commanding the Majin Riders to crush them. They obeyed and charged at the three Armored War Gods, isolating them to make them easier targets for the Majin Riders.
Karasu Oda's only exposure to Kamen Rider was through her beloved cousin. Whenever she went to visit her cousin, he would put in an episode of Kamen Rider and play it on the TV to watch with her. She had not been interested at first but she gradually came to like it as it allowed her to bond with her beloved cousin.
She never once imagined she would be fighting these monstrous parodies of Kamen Riders in her life. Then again, a lot of unexpected things had happened in her life, which included the death and resurrection of her cousin.
Majin Wizard provided suppressive fire with its magic, throwing fireballs at Dark Idunn that pinned her down as she protected herself with her shield. She opened a portal right under her feet and dropped into it before another portal opened behind Majin Wizard.
[COME ON! RINGO SQUASH!]
She drove her energized sword into Majin Wizard, literally stabbing him in the back, and it exploded.
As soon as she finished Majin Wizard off, Majin Agito came at her to avenge its fellow Majin Rider. It delivered a roundhouse kick to her head, sending her staggering, before attacking her with punches. Turning into a cluster of feathers, Dark Idunn evaded its assault and got some distance between them.
Majin OOO spotted her and lunged at her with its claws. She raised her shield but it latched onto it and bounced off, sending her reeling. Majin Agito soon joined Majin OOO as they attacked Dark Idunn together. She bashed Majin Agito with her shield and went to run Majin OOO through but it took off into the air. Dark Idunn took off after it and the two clashed in the sky, sparks flying furiously as they went back and forth. She soon overpowered the Majin Rider and cut off both its wings, sending it plummeting to the ground.
[COME ON! RINGO AU LAIT!]
Dark Idunn delivered a flying kick as her cloak wrapped around her to form a drill. Her attack hit and Majin OOO exploded into a cluster of Cell Medals.
She scanned her surroundings for Majin Agito when she saw it drop down on her to perform its Rider Kick.
[COME ON! RINGO SPARKING!]
She flew up to intercept and slashed the Majin Rider with her sword before she pinned it to the ground, driving her sword through its chest. It let out a painful howl as it died and disintegrated.
Once she was finished, she went to aid her cousin.
As a fan of the Kamen Rider franchise, it broke Nagata Oda's heart to see his favorite heroes being warped and twisted into these monstrous forms. They took turns attacking him, overwhelming him with their numbers.
Ryujin Gaim blocked Majin Blade's giant Blay Rouzer with his Nobunagun and pushed it back before he was struck by Majin Kiva's Garulu Saber and Majin Den-O's twin daggers. Majin Kabuto also punched him in the face before Majin Hibiki bashed him with its kanabo drumsticks. Finally, Majin Fourze flew in and hit Ryujin Gaim with his Majin Rider Rocket Punch, sending him tumbling.
Ryujin Gaim staggered from the blow and ducked under Majin Hibiki's swing. Using his superspeed, Ryujin Gaim fought back as he summoned his DJ Taiken and Ryujinmaru. He blocked the oni's kanabo drumsticks and then slashed it across the chest. The other Majin Riders charged at him as he executed his finisher.
[SOIYA! RYUJIN FINISH!]
"DAI RYUJIN ZAN!"
Quick as lightning, he struck each of the Majin Riders with his swords as he ran past them before he spun around and hit them with a powerful energy slash, generating a vicious energy dragon which sliced through them, finishing them off all at once.
"Naga-kun, I'm here to help-" Dark Idunn came to help but saw that he was already finished. "Oh, so you've already taken care of them."
"Come on, Kara-chan. We better see if Iori needs our help."
"Must we? He tried to kill us."
"Kara-chan..."
"Fine, whatever you say. Let's go help him."
Makai Ryugen roared as he weaved between Majin Kuuga's fireballs. The monstrous incarnation of the first Heisei Rider was powerful but it lacked the intelligence to make it a significant threat.
Once within striking range, he slashed the Majin Rider across the throat, causing it to stagger while grasping its injury as it made choking noises. Once he had it incapacitated, he grabbed it by its horn and shoved his Makai Ryugahou's Gatling gun down its throat to fill it with red hot energy bullets. As Majin Kuuga went limp with smoke rising out of its jaws, Makai Ryugen released it and landed on the ground before he hit his Cutting Blade.
[HAI~! MAKAIRYU SQUASH!]
Makai Ryugen swung his Makai Ryugahou and threw an energy slash that destroyed Majin Kuuga.
Like Nagata, Iori grew up as a fan of the Kamen Rider series too but could not express it like he could nor was he allowed to waste his money on childish toys. He was expected to behave like a proper son and listen to his parents and not indulge in pointless, childish pursuits. However, they were rarely ever home so they could not stop him from watching it on television. Only his brother ever indulged him and enjoyed watching the series with him while they were younger.
He really missed those days.
Moving to his next target, Makai Ryugen made Majin Faiz scream as he sawed into it with his Makai Ryugahou's chainsaw blade.
[HAI~! MAKAIRYU SQUASH!]
Sending the Majin Rider reeling with a slash, he blasted it with his weapon's Gatling gun, turning it into grey ash with an unforgiving blast of bullets.
Majin Double took its place and delivered a dropkick that knocked Makai Ryugen back. It then delivered a series of roundhouse kicks before sending him sprawling with a back kick to the chest.
[LunA!]
The green half of Majin Double turned yellow and stretched its right arm to use it as a whip. It smacked Makai Ryugen with its extended arm but he grabbed the limb and sawed it off. It screamed as it withdrew its severed limb.
[HAI~! MAKAIRYU AU LAIT!]
Makai Ryugen blasted Majin Double with his flamethrower, engulfing it in flames. While Majin Double was being burned alive, Makai Ryugen ran at it and delivered a devastating energy slash with his chainsaw. Both halves of Majin Double exploded as they were separated.
After defeating Majin Double, Makai Ryugen found himself under attack as he got blasted from behind by fireballs being thrown by Majin Ryuki and Majin Ryuga. Makai Ryugen fired back at them but the dark dragon warrior took the rounds before conjuring a mirror that reflected them at the Underworld Dragon. Majin Ryuki then charged in with his flaming sword and slashed Makai Ryugen across the chest.
Spreading his Makairyu Cloak, it turned into a pair of wings and he flew skyward. The two dragon knight themed Majin Riders fired at him but the fireballs flew by harmlessly as he looked down at them from above.
[HAI~! MAKAIRYU SPARKING!]
Makai Ryugen gathered energy in his chest gems. They glowed brighter and brighter until they reached maximum capacity. Aiming, he fired a massive beam from his chest at the draconic twins like an orbital beam cannon.
"MAKAI BAKURYUHA!"
The beam struck the two Majin Riders, setting off an explosion. When the smoke cleared, only a crater remained where they stood.
"Looks like he doesn't need our help," Dark Idunn remarked as she and Ryujin Gaim came and saw that Makai Ryugen had finished his enemies.
Hearing Dark Idunn's voice, Makai Ryugen leveled his weapon at her. He was so tempted to pull the trigger when Ryujin Gaim stood in his way.
"No, this is no time to be fighting amongst ourselves," Ryujin Gaim said. The two stared each other down, hoping the other would back down.
"Fine," Makai Ryugen clicked his tongue as he reluctantly lowered his weapon.
"C'mon, there's still one more left," Ryujin Gaim said.
The trio regrouped after defeating the Majin Riders to confront Majin Decade who was the only one left. Makai Ryugen sent Dark Idunn a dirty look, wishing that she had been killed in the battle against the Majin Riders. Right now, he was forced to form a truce with her and Ryujin Gaim as they dealt with a common foe.
"Be careful, you two. This guy looks like Decade and he wasn't known as the 'Destroyer of Worlds' for nothing," Ryujin Gaim warned them. Dark Idunn heeded the warning but Makai Ryugen did not care. He just wanted to get this over with so he could get back to giving Dark Idunn the punishment she deserved.
Majin Decade walked up to them with a cocky strut and they attacked it. It blocked Makai Ryugen and Dark Idunn's weapons with its forearms before it knocked them aside with its punches. As Ryujin Gaim came at it, Majin Decade created a blade of dark energy that came out of its right hand. They exchanged slashes and sparks flew as their blades connected but Majin Decade took advantage of an opening and jabbed Ryujin Gaim in the shoulder before it slashed him repeatedly in the chest and knocked him down with a kick.
Dark Idunn came at Majin Decade from behind but he erected a Dimensional Wall which she ran into and she exited out another that rose up in front of Majin Decade. Surprised, she spun around and received a left hook to the face.
Makai Ryugen was next as he swung his chainsaw at Majin Decade who deftly caught the blade in its hand. It was about to drive its energy sword into Makai Ryugen's chest when Ryujin Gaim rammed into it and sent it tumbling away.
Majin Decade rose to its feet and dusted off its hands before it raised a Dimensional Wall. The three Armored War Gods could see the silhouette of a figure in the shimmering surface of the wall and prepared for what else they would have to face when Majin Gaim emerged from it.
"So it is true," Majin Gaim said as he looked at Ryujin Gaim. "When I heard you were alive, Nagata, I almost couldn't believe it so I just had to come see it for myself."
It really was an unexpected yet happy reunion. Now he had the pleasure of fighting Nagata again.
"...Do I know you?" Ryujin Gaim asked.
Majin Gaim blinked. Out of every possible reaction, he had expected anger, outrage, or maybe even fear. He did not expect Nagata to not recognize him.
"It's me! Taiga Shiba! I killed you, remember!?" Majin Gaim angrily reminded him. He may look different from the last time they saw each other since he now wore a suit of organic-looking armor, but Nagata should still recognize him.
Why did Nagata have to always ruin everything?
Makai Ryugen suddenly roared, startling Ryujin Gaim, and opened fire on the Fiend Rider. The instant he did, Majin Decade raised a Dimensional Wall to absorb the rounds and shield its master.
"Iori!?" Ryujin Gaim cried. It was startling for the Demon Dragon to just suddenly go berserk like that but there was a legitimate reason for it.
Iori had a list of people he hated which included his neglectful parents, Sadako Ryoma (now deceased), Karasu Oda (soon to be deceased), and Nagata Oda. Taiga Shiba was just a recent addition to the list and it went all the way back to three weeks ago.
Tribeswomen of the Hu barbarian tribe in Nanban had gone missing. Ichiro's wife, the Hu tribe Chieftain Shamoke, wanted to know why this was happening and who was responsible. So, they decided to set a trap. Since the women who went missing had gone into the jungle alone, they decided to use one of their warriors as bait. Meanwhile, Ichiro and the warriors of the tribe would watch quietly while hidden behind the nearby trees, waiting for the culprit to show themselves.
As the female barbarian pretended to look for fish in the stream, she never let down her guard. However, she failed to notice as something black slithered up behind her in the water. Then all of a sudden, it latched onto her ankle and she was tugged down. She made a splash and screamed as she was dragged away.
"GO! GO! GO!" Ichiro yelled as he and the warriors sprang into action to rescue their friend.
[SODA! SUIKA ENERGY ARMS!]
The helpless girl was being dragged to the edge of the stream. That was when Chulainn acted and fired an energy bolt at the black tentacle that was dragging her away. It hit its mark and the tentacle released the girl before it retracted quickly to its source.
"Let me help you," Chulainn said as he helped the girl up. She shivered in fright. She had never felt so scared and helpless in her life. And she was also angry as something had made her feel this way.
Something stepped into view and the barbarians were ready with their spears. Chulainn stood ready as well, prepared to confront this monster that had taken many of their tribeswomen.
And then he saw Majin Gaim standing before them with a tentacle wiggling behind him.
[SUIKA ENERGY!]
Chulainn fired his Sonic Arrow at Majin Gaim who charged at him. He weaved between the Sonic Volley while deflecting the shots that came too close to hitting him. Closing the distance, the Armored War Devil struck the Wild God of War across the chest with his Toxic Arrow before he had him pinned against a tree. Chulainn kicked Majin Gaim off him before he slashed him across the chest.
"You monster!" Chulainn spat. "What did you do to them?"
"Oh, I had fun with those women and enjoyed them very much," Majin Gaim responded evilly, speaking in a creepy demonic voice.
"What?"
"I fucked them to death!"
The barbarian warriors went to stab Majin Gaim in the back with their spears but his tentacles sprang out from his back to snap their weapons in half. He grabbed the female barbarians and held them aloft as they struggled to free themselves.
"Oh, look! You've got me more toys to play with!" Majin Gaim laughed.
"Let them go!" Chulainn snapped as he slashed Majin Gaim repeatedly in the chest, but he just continued to laugh. Chulainn had to save them from this demon and so he smashed his knee right into the demon's unholy balls.
It was a dirty move yet very effective as Majin Gaim screamed and released his captives.
"YOU SON OF A BITCH!" Majin Gaim roared as he switched his Toxic Arrow for his Blood Drake Tail Sword. "JUST FOR THAT, I'M GOING TO GO UP TO YOUR VILLAGE AND RAPE ALL THOSE BITCHES TO DEATH!"
His energized Blood Drake Tail Sword struck Chulainn and released its buildup of crimson energy which flung the Wild God of War away. He crashed to the ground and was forced out of his transformation. He was injured, defenseless, and unable to get up as Majin Gaim approached him threateningly.
All of a sudden, King Mokaku, Shamu, Mike, and Tora appeared and stood in front of Ichiro, stopping the Kaijin Rider in his tracks.
"Don't hurt him! Go away!" King Mokaku shouted.
"Go away!" her retainers repeated.
"Girls!" Ichiro yelled. "What are you doing!? It's dangerous! You need to run!"
But King Mokaku was not listening. Ichiro was her Onii-sama and she would not let anyone hurt him.
Majin Gaim just stared at them and he clicked his tongue in irritation while putting away his weapon.
"You've killed my mood," he grumbled as he turned and started to walk away. King Mokaku looked relieved. "So I'll just eat you instead."
All of a sudden, a tentacle sprang out from behind Majin Gaim and went over the Nanban Barbarians to spear Ichiro right in the chest. They watched in horror as black slime oozed out of the tentacle to envelop him as he screamed. Mokaku and her retainers tried to pull the tentacle away but it was too slippery.
Ryugen had just arrived to assist his brother when he came across the scene. He witnessed, horrified, as his brother was consumed by the black slime which Majin Gaim absorbed through his tentacle. When Majin Gaim retracted his tentacle, the only thing that remained of Ichiro was his GenesisDriver and Suika Energy Lockseed.
"Thank you for the meal," Majin Gaim condescendingly said to the Nanban Barbarians who were now in shock after witnessing their Big Brother's death.
Ryugen roared as he fired furiously at Majin Gaim. The shots dispersed against his suit as he tore open a portal to leave. Still shooting, Ryugen ran after him to stop him but he was too late as Majin Gaim was already through the threshold before the portal sealed shut.
Ryugen fell to his knees and screamed.
"NII-SAAAAAAN!"
The Nanban Barbarians, Shamoke, and the Hu tribe mourned the loss of their Wild God of War.
And Iori Tokugawa vowed revenge.
The loss of his brother, the only person in their family who supported him emotionally, truly devastated Iori and he hated Majin Gaim since then, just as much as he hated Karasu Oda for her betrayal.
"This is for my brother!" Makai Ryugen screamed as he continued blasting but Majin Gaim barely paid the Demon Dragon any mind. "Don't ignore me, you bastard!" Makai Ryugen roared as he charged straight at Majin Gaim.
"Iori, wait!" Ryujin Gaim shouted.
Makai Ryugen swung his chainsaw but Majin Decade immediately intercepted him and punched him right in the face.
"Take him away. I need to converse with an old friend," Majin Gaim ordered.
Majin Decade obeyed and threw Makai Ryugen into a Dimensional Wall before it too walked through it.
"Iori!" Ryujin Gaim yelled as the Dimensional Wall collapsed. "What did you do to him!?"
"I had him sent elsewhere so he wouldn't get in the way. But don't worry. He has Majin Decade to entertain him. As for you, Nagata, you should've stayed dead. Let's rectify that, shall we?"
Summoning his weapons, Majin Gaim lunged at the two Odas. He fired his Toxic Arrow, prompting them to dodge as the bolts came flying at them. The shots missed their mark, hitting trees instead, which died instantly.
Swinging his Blood Drake Tail Sword, the blade stretched and Majin Gaim used it as a whip to lash them. Dark Idunn screamed as the whip-blade ripped sparks from her body, sending her reeling back. He then swung at Ryujin Gaim who deflected the attack with his Ryujinmaru.
Majin Gaim hit his Cutting Blade and his SengokuDriver played a dark guitar riff.
[BUJIN GAIM SQUASH!]
He fired his Toxic Arrow and swung his Blood Drake Tail Sword, throwing an energy slash that joined the shot, enhancing it. The attack raced toward Ryujin Gaim who quickly countered it.
[SOIYA! RYUJIN BREAK!]
He crossed his DJ Taiken and Ryujinmaru in front of him and took the attack which sent him skidding back several feet before he neutralized it. A blue energy dragon emerged behind him as he separated his swords, sending the roaring energy dragon flying at Majin Gaim. The blue dragon snatched him in its powerful jaws and carried him to Ryujin Gaim who executed his attack.
"DAI RYUJIN RIDER KICK!"
As the blue dragon came within striking range, Ryujin Gaim delivered a jumping roundhouse kick, resulting in a huge explosion.
"You did it, Naga-kun!" Dark Idunn cheered. Finally, the Fiend Rider got what was coming to him and her beloved cousin had avenged his own death.
Ryujin Gaim, however, felt his victory came too easy and he was right when a pair of tentacles burst out of the smoke cloud and struck Ryujin Gaim in the chest, knocking him back. Once the smoke and dust cleared as the embers died, Majin Gaim was revealed, alive and unharmed.
[BUJIN GAIM AU LAIT!]
Majin Gaim swung his Blood Drake Tail Sword and the blade wrapped around Ryujin Gaim, binding his arms to his sides. With his enemy completely helpless, Majin Gaim fired a volley of arrow-like bolts at Ryujin Gaim. However, they never hit their target as a portal opened up in front of him and they vanished into it before the portal closed.
"What-AAARRRGHHH!?" Majin Gaim yelled before he screamed as another portal opened up behind him and returned his Toxic Arrow volley right into his back. While immune to the Toxic Arrow's corrosive effect, Majin Gaim was still susceptible to pain.
Meanwhile, Ryujin Gaim managed to free himself from the Blood Drake Tail Sword as Dark Idunn joined him.
"Thank you, Kara-chan," Ryujin Gaim said appreciatively.
"I won't let him kill you again, Naga-kun," Dark Idunn swore.
"Well, isn't this sweet?" Majin Gaim remarked sarcastically with a terrible sneer. "The two of you made up."
"So what if we did?" Ryujin Gaim retorted.
"Have you already forgotten that she betrayed you, Nagata?" Taiga knew about what Karasu had done. She had betrayed the Shoku Warriors, betrayed her beloved cousin, and had burned all her bridges. He was honestly impressed. Too bad she had to become a bleeding heart and let all that guilt eat her up.
"Kara-chan, be honest with me. Did you really betray us? Did you really betray me?" Ryujin Gaim questioned.
"I..." Dark Idunn started. She could deny the accusation but she needed to own up for what she had done. She could not hide it from him any longer. "Yes."
"And you killed Enya."
Ashamed, Dark Idunn nodded honestly.
"She's also the cause of your death," Majin Gaim reminded. "If you hadn't tried to come to her rescue, then you would not have died in the first place."
Dark Idunn felt even more ashamed after that. She never thought she could feel any lower. After Nagata's death, she had sobered up and thought about the things she had done because of her obsession. It had cost her friends and the love of her life.
She had nobody to blame but herself.
"No, she didn't cause my death," Ryujin Gaim objected. "That was you, Taiga. The both of you."
"But she still betrayed you! She wanted to kill everyone so she could have you all to herself! She made you into her puppet! She killed your comrade! She's the absolute worst!"
"I know and I forgive her."
"...What?"
"Naga-kun, you forgive me?" Dark Idunn asked, dumbfounded.
"I forgive you, Kara-chan," Ryujin Gaim affirmed. "You're family and mom taught me we should never turn our back on family."
"But...but she betrayed you! She turned you into a fucking puppet! She nearly killed your lovers and killed one of your friends! How can you forgive her just like that!?" Majin Gaim roared in outrage, unable to believe what he was hearing. He could not comprehend this. How could Nagata be so absurdly forgiving after everything she had done!? It made no sense! Such a betrayal was unforgivable!
"Yes, all true, but I forgive her. Make no mistake, I won't forget what she did but she honestly regrets everything she's done to us. Since she sincerely wants to become a better person, there's no reason for me to deny her a second chance," Ryujin Gaim answered while glaring coldly at Majin Gaim. "I can't say the same about you, though, Taiga. You don't regret anything you've done at all so you have no business judging Kara-chan."
"Naga-kun..." Dark Idunn was touched by her beloved cousin's words as she wept tears of joy. She was afraid he would hate her but he forgave her.
Majin Gaim just wanted to vomit. This was something Taiga could not understand or accept. He got disowned by his own family for being expelled from his dojo yet Karasu was forgiven after doing so much worse.
How was that fair!?
"Kill them. Kill them all," Bujin Gaim's dark voice whispered in Taiga's head. His eyes flashed red as he glared hatefully at the two Odas.
"Yes, kill them all," Majin Gaim agreed.
[FIENDRIVER!]
Majin Gaim's SengokuDriver was instantly replaced by a new Driver. It resembled the GenesisDriver but it was gold while missing the Concentrate Pod beneath the Drive Bay. The Taotie Lockseed was fixed into the center of the Driver, permanently locked in. Instead of the Seaboll Compressor, it was equipped with a large button switch - the Execution Switch. It was similar to the Eyecon Driver G from Kamen Rider Ghost.
"Henshin," Majin Gaim said as he pressed the Execution Switch which caused the front of the Taotie Lockseed to pop open.
[EYES OPEN UP! TAOTIE: FIEND OF GREED!]
The Dark Aura Beast of Taotie emerged, resembling a demonic ram covered in a thick coat of dark wool. Its mouth opened wide as it roared, revealing rows and rows of razor-sharp teeth. At the same time, Majin Gaim's armor turned into slime before changing shape as the Dark Aura Beast merged with him.
As wicked crimson energy burst from Majin Gaim, the slime covering him morphed and hardened into his new armor. His head crest now had four sharp blade-like horns as tendrils of black hair grew out of his kabuto. A grotesque demonic beast's face with razor-sharp teeth and red tusks emerged from his right sode while gold snake-like skulls with red fangs emerged from where his dou and sode met. At the same time, overlapping bone-white plates grew from his left forearm before darkening to form a thick gauntlet.
This was Omajin Gaim.
Ryujin Gaim was taken aback by this transformation. It was even more terrifying than the Taotie Arms he remembered.
"Let our rematch truly begin," Omajin Gaim declared, both Taiga and Bujin Gaim speaking as one.
"Very well," Ryujin Gaim agreed. Without any further prompting, the two charged at each other with battle cries and weapons drawn.
Ryujin Gaim and Omajin Gaim fought furiously. The former wielded his signature Ryujinmaru while the latter used their Blood Drake Tail Sword. Steel met steel as they crossed blades, sparks erupting between them as the two armored warriors traded blows, their swords clashing back and forth ferociously.
If there was one thing Nagata was thankful for, in regards to his undead state, it was his unlimited stamina. As he could not succumb to fatigue, he could fight nonstop for days, maybe even weeks. He would need that limitless stamina to stand a chance against Omajin Gaim who he felt was stronger than the last time they had fought. Even Omajin Gaim noted how much stronger their rival had become.
"How did you return from the dead?" Omajin Gaim asked as they locked blades.
"Had help. Found a way out," Ryujin Gaim answered as he broke their lock and swung, only to be parried. Omajin Gaim retaliated but was thwarted when Ryujin Gaim caught their blade on the edge of his. "And what about you? Did the parasite make you stronger?"
"PARASITE!?" Omajin Gaim roared angrily, offended by the term. In retaliation, the skeletal snakes on Omajin Gaim's shoulders shot out and sank their fangs into Ryujin Gaim's shoulders. He screamed as Omajin Gaim began to drain his Ki. They were a parasite, after all, and would steal the life force of whatever they could get their hands on.
Ryujin Gaim fell to his knees as Omajin Gaim continued to drain him. He had a flashback of his time in the Cavern of Lost Souls when the Slendermen surrounded them while they drained them of their life energy.
And now, Ryujin Gaim might be on his way back to Purgatory.
"NAGA-KUN!" Dark Idunn sliced the heads off the skeletal snakes, separating both Gaims. Ryujin Gaim nearly collapsed from being drained but Dark Idunn supported him. "Are you OK?"
"Yeah, thanks for the save, Kara-chan. That's two I owe you," Ryujin Gaim replied.
Omajin Gaim fired their Toxic Arrow at them. Quick as lightning, Ryujin Gaim carried Dark Idunn away from the toxic bolt's path. He seemed to have recovered from the Ki drain and was ready to resume the battle with Dark Idunn at his side.
"I'll hit him high and you'll hit him low!" Ryujin Gaim instructed.
"Alright, Naga-kun!" Dark Idunn agreed.
The two Odas charged, fluidly weaving between the Toxic Arrow's bolts as they crossed the distance to reach their target. Fast as lightning and perfectly in sync, Ryujin Gaim and Dark Idunn executed an overwhelming chain of devastating slashes, and the combo terminated with twin thrusts that sent Omajin Gaim tumbling.
"Hey, Nise!" Ryujin Gaim shouted.
"Don't call me that!" Omajin Gaim snapped. That was Bujin Gaim talking.
"You know, I actually saw your human side in the Purgatory. He was trapped in a pit being raped to death by tentacles."
Omajin Gaim roared angrily and lashed out at Ryujin Gaim with their tentacles. Lightning arced around him as he weaved through them to punch Omajin Gaim right in the face. He then went for a slash, but Omajin Gaim blocked only for Ryujin Gaim to punch them in the face again. Omajin Gaim roared and thrust their sword at Ryujin Gaim's chest but he sidestepped the attack and landed a punch that hit Omajin Gaim dead center in the face for the third time. Every time Omajin Gaim tried to land a hit, Ryujin Gaim would punch them in the face.
Taiga glared at Nagata with pure rage. This was just like the day he was kicked out of the dojo after losing to him. His anger had caused him to attack Nagata from behind. He was humiliated when Nagata put him down with a single punch.
Bujin Gaim's voice snapped inside Taiga's mind.
"We will not be beaten!"
Taiga agreed. They would not be beaten. They had become powerful. They had the power of Taotie.
It was time to make use of that.
Omajin Gaim tapped into the power they had absorbed from Ryujin Gaim and red lightning surrounded their body. They aimed the demonic head on his right shoulder at the Odas as it roared and fired a devastating blast that hit them, knocking them down. As they fell, he used his newly acquired super speed to grab Ryujin Gaim and carry him away in a flash.
"Naga-kun!"
Fruits of the Tree, Yggdrasil
FienDriver: The newly crafted transformation devices of the Great Fiends that allow them to assume their Fiend Armor Forms. The Drivers were created by Dai Shi after he implanted his Fiends with the Fiend Lockseeds. The only exception is Taiga who had consumed his Taotie Lockseed himself before Dai Shi granted him his FienDriver. The FienDriver's core is a Fiend Lockseed which is activated by using the Execution Switch that is also used to initiate the finisher. In terms of its physical appearance, it combines aspects of the original GenesisDriver and Ghost Driver G. It comes with two finishers: Execution End and Extinction End.
Majin Riders: Majin Riders are the Rider-like monsters created by Majin Gaim himself. They were grown from the soil of Helheim Forest after Majin Gaim evolved into Omajin Gaim and absorbed the Inves to use their biomass to create them. As Bujin Gaim had possessed Nagata's body before, he too has gained knowledge of the Heisei Riders in order to create these monsters. Just like how Majin Gaim is a demonic version of Gaim, the Majin Riders are twisted and monstrous parodies of the Riders they are based on, possessing the same powers and abilities. Majin Gaim can also replace his Majin Riders by turning people into them.
KRC: Alright, so in this chapter, Iori wanted to personally make Karasu pay for her crimes. While justified in his mind, he still went behind everyone's back. Frankly, it should be illegal for him to break Karasu out just so he could kill her himself. Also, he really should have made sure there was nobody else listening. What screwed him over was Komei eavesdropping before she went and told Nagata what was happening. No doubt, this news would reach his wife and she was going to give him an earful. While Kochu believes Karasu deserves to be punished for her crimes, she also believes in justice. Of course, if things just ended like this, it wouldn't be very exciting now, would it? Hence, I brought in the Majin Riders and Majin Gaim. I based them on the Another Riders from Zi-O. We also learned that Ichiro was killed by Majin Gaim, which affected Iori.
Another thing I wanted to show after this timeskip is how much Karasu has changed. I mean, before Nagata's death, she was the yandere, stalker with a crush and the betrayer. After losing everything, including Nagata, she took up the role of the atoner by helping people in Nagata's memory, following his example since it was what he would've done. I feel like I pretty much fleshed her out and given her a good character arc. Honestly, now that I think of it, isn't she similar to Micchy/Ryugen from Kamen Rider Gaim?
And I know what you're thinking. You might be wondering what happened to Iori after Majin Decade took him away. Well, there's no need to wait. You'll see it happen right here and now.
Majin Decade punched Makai Ryugen repeatedly in the face. Once he regained his bearings, he ducked under a swing before landing a strike with his Makai Ryugahou's chainsaw blade. He went to deliver another strike but Majin Decade kicked the weapon aside before landing a painful kick right into his stomach.
Majin Decade had taken Makai Ryugen to another location in Helheim Forest. He did not know how far he was from the Odas. He could be all the way on the other side of this realm for all he knew.
Makai Ryugen blasted Majin Decade but his rounds disappeared into a Dimensional Wall it raised. It then raised another wall behind Makai Ryugen, hitting him with his own rounds.
Majin Decade's foot glowed as dark energy built up around it and he delivered a roundhouse kick right into Makai Ryugen's head. The force of the blow broke one of his horns and sent him tumbling, violently reverting him to his default Budou Arms. Lucky for him, he managed to survive Majin Decade's kick. Without the protection of his armor, Majin Decade could have broken his neck or kicked his head right off with that attack.
Majin Decade pointed its palm at Ryugen as dark energy crackled around its hand. With how weak he was right now, the blast would surely destroy him. Permanently. As these seemed to be his final moments, he thought about his family as he braced himself.
'Shion, Riri, Yomi...'
"OI-RYAH!"
Zhang Fei suddenly came out of nowhere, catching Majin Decade off guard, and brought her Turtle Breaker down on it. The Majin Rider recoiled from the blow as it bled sparks from her attack.
"Rinrin!?" Ryugen gaped and then he spotted a yellow-clad figure come into the clearing.
"Eat this! Ora, ora, ora, ora, ora!" Ma Chao yelled as she pummeled Majin Decade with multiple roaring punches before she knocked it back with a kick.
"Sui!?"
Missiles hit Majin Decade and exploded, enveloping it in a thick smoke cloud that blinded it.
[HAI~! GUAN YU AU LAIT!]
[HAI~! LU BU AU LAIT!]
Guan Yu and Lu Bu delivered their energy slashes which blew away the smoke surrounding the Majin Rider as they struck it, sending it staggering with gashes on its chest. Majin Decade growled and was about to retaliate when a spear tipped by a unicorn's head burst out of its chest courtesy of Zhao Yun who stood behind it.
"Watch your back," Zhao Yun quipped as she withdrew her weapon. "Touka, finish it!"
[SOIYA! GAIM SQUASH! ORANGE SQUASH!]
Now that it was vulnerable, Armored War Goddess Gaimu leaped at Majin Decade to deliver her Rider Kick. Majin Decade attempted to counter by catching her attack. It tried to tank her finishing move but she powered through and vanquished it with her attack.
The Shoku Armored War Goddesses had come to Ryugen's rescue. His wife was present as well, clad in purple armor as she wore a GenesisDriver instead of a SengokuDriver like all the others. Her Lockseed was also opened like an Energy Lockseed with her name in the core. Her helmet had a green visor across the eyes and an owl-shaped ornament on her brow with its wings spread to form the crest. This purple Armored War Goddess wielded a weapon that resembled a bowgun with two box-shaped missile pods mounted on top.
In this form, she was known as Armored War Goddess Owl Huang Zhong.
"Are you alright, Airen?" Huang Zhong asked as she helped him up to his feet. He appreciated it, grateful for their help. If they had not come in the nick of time, he would've been a goner.
"Yes, Koi," Ryugen confirmed. "How did you find me?"
"We tracked you down with the talking mirror after Shuri told us what happened," Gaimu answered. "Now that we've taken care of that monster, we need to talk."
"Can't it wait?"
"No, it cannot. You went behind our backs and took matters into your own hands. Do you have anything to say for yourself?"
Ryugen looked Gaimu dead in the eye.
"I'll do anything to protect my family. If you want to punish me, fine, but I don't regret doing whatever I have to do to keep the people I love safe."
"Then you leave me no choice, Iori-sama. Until further notice, you are suspended from duty. After we get out of here, you will hand over your equipment."
"Are you serious?" Ryugen could not believe what he was hearing. "You know what, Touka? I get it. You're just afraid to do what needs to be done. Even with all that power and authority, you're soft just like Nagata. Is that the leader you want to be? Do you want to go down in history as a soft cowardly leader who gets her people killed?"
Gaimu was struck by Ryugen's harsh words as everyone went speechless. That was way out of line for him to say.
Huang Zhong gently took his hand and squeezed it.
"Airen, please. Don't fight this."
Ryugen clenched his jaw. Alright, so maybe he went out of line when he broke Karasu out of jail so he could take care of her himself. But she had gotten away before and he could not risk her escaping again.
"Alright, now let's go find Nagata-sama and Idunn," Gaimu commanded. That was when her talking mirror chose to ring and she answered when she saw that the call was coming from Komei. "What is it, Shuri?"
"Nagata-sama just came back," Komei informed her.
Gaimu was relieved to hear that but she had to ask an important question.
"Is Idunn with him?"
"No, she is not. He came back alone."
"He came back alone?"
Ryugen scowled as he heard this.
"Knew it," he growled. "He let her get away."
"Everyone, let's head back," Gaimu ordered. She had a feeling that something terrible must have happened.
