Chapter 7: Ninja's True Strength
Fire Nation Forest
In the Fire Nation Forest, Ren and Desast were travelling.
"Hey. Why there are no ramen in this world?! I am hungry!" Desast whined as his stomach growled for hunger.
"Calm down. We were just transported into this world." Ren said.
"My stomach's crying for ramen!" Desast shouted, much annoyance to Ren.
"Will you shuddap!?" Ren shouted in irritation. "Fine. Go now and look for a place where we can eat ramen! Clear?"
"But what about you, my friend?" Desast asked.
"I'll train myself so hard to show that I am very strong with justice!" Ren vowed.
"Fine then. When will you stop being 'justice is strength'? I am leavin'!" Desast said and he left to search ramen.
"That Desast...! Always crave for ramen!" Ren complied and he starts training himself.
As Ren was training himself, a mysterious figure, unbeknownst to Kenzan, watching on him.
Ren noticed it and he turns around but it's nothing around.
"Oh. I am just day dreaming." Ren said and he continued training.
Then, the mysterious figure ran faster towards Ren like a strong wind. Ren noticed again and barely evaded the attack.
"Who the hell are you?!" Ren asked.
"I am the vessel of Yaoguai... Dai Ryoshi Shijisaki. I am looking for the warrior who is stronger than me." The figure introduced himself and brandishes the katana from the crimson scabbard.
Ryoshi is a warrior clad in armor with black, white and crimson colour scheme.
"Vessel? Yeah, time to put my strength into the test!" Ren said and he puts Sarutobi Ninjaden WRB into the Fuusoken Hayate and splits the blade into two, opening the WRB's transformation page on it. "Henshin!"
FUUSOKEN HA~YA~TE!
Ren transforms into Kenzan while charging towards Dai Ryoshi Shijisaki with Fuusoken Hayate in Nitouryu Mode.
Kenzan slashes Ryoshi many times with his Seiken but he dodged.
Ryoshi makes his move by striking Kenzan multiple times but he jumped on his sword before slashing on Ryoshi's chest.
Ryoshi's sword clashes with Kenzan's Fuusoken Hayate.
"I see you're strong but little." Ryoshi commented.
"Of course I am!" Kenzan said.
The two were continuously clashing each other until Ryoshi charges his katana with crimson energy, shouting "Akuma jutsu Chimei Issen! (Demnic Arts Deathly Slash)" then he launched a powerful crescent shaped crimson energy slash at Kenzan, knocking him back with extreme force. Kenzan crashed to the tree that he was forced out of transformation.
Ren was knocked out due to Ryoshi's powerful attack.
Ren shouts in anger as he was defeated. "WHY?! WHY?! WHY I AM NOT THAT MUCH STRONGER?!"
"Nice try, ninja but it seems you're lost. Now, time to execute you." Ryoshi said as he holds the katana and attempts to kill him but then, a green smoke appeared out of nowhere blinded Ryoshi.
As Ryoshi was blinded by the green smoke, the mysterious ninja girl takes Ren away along with his Seiken and a WRB.
When the smoke died out, Ryoshi saw that Ren was gone.
"Oh, that ninja though... He escaped. Next time, I'll give him a terrible punishment..." Ryoshi said and he walked away.
Meanwhile, in the jungles, Ren was unconscious as he was dragged to the village by the very same female green ninja who saved him from Ryoshi.
Ren, then opened his eyes, and noticed a female ninja dragged him to the village. He then runs off in panic.
"Hey! Where are you going?!" The female ninja asked and she chased after Ren.
Ren tried to run away but the female ninja caught him in a swift way like a wind. "Calm down!"
"Calm down?! You are trying to kill me!" Ren said.
"Kill you? No, I am just here to save you from that demon ninja, you moron!" The Female Ninja said as she stood up.
"Who are you?" Ren asked.
"I am Hayashi Midori." The Female Ninja said as she removed her mask. Midori is actually a 23 year old girl which is so cute that Ren started to fall in love with her. "What's your name and which clan do you came from, ninja?"
Ren snapped out of it and said, "I am Akamichi Ren. 20 year old and Ninja of Akamichi Clan."
"Akamichi Clan? Sounds nice." Midori amazed. "Anyway, why did you got beaten by that demon ninja?"
"Ryoshi attacked me and almost killed me but you saved me, thank you." Ren said and his stomach growled in hunger.
"Who's noise that?!" Midori asked as she took out her kunai in caution after she heard a growl.
"Actually, my stomach is growling in hunger." Ren said as his cheeks turned red as a rose.
Then, Midori's stomach started to growl like a lion.
"Uh, who's growling in hunger?" Ren asked.
"Uh... It wasn't me!" Midori said in embarrassment as her cheeks are turning pink as cherry blossom flowers.
"I see, you're hungry too." Ren chuckled. "Shall we eat?"
"Yeah. Come to my village." Midori said and she takes Ren to her village.
At the village, it was full of people living together like a family. The small children were playing like siblings.
Ren and Midori came to meet an old man which the mentor of the clan.
"Sensei." Midori called and the old man came to her.
"Midori, welcome back and and- Who is that boy?" The mentor asked.
"Sensei. Meet Akamichi Ren. He's from Akamichi Clan and he got badly beaten by the demon ninja who's trying to kill him." Midori explained. "Shall allow him to stay our clan?"
"Why?" The mentor asked.
"Because I am lost in the forest. Sensei, will you me to stay here for a while? After that, I can leave if I am in good shape." Ren said.
"Okay, you can stay here." The mentor said.
"Thank you, sensei." Ren bowed with respect.
Meanwhile, Desast came back to the forest and he found that the ramen is found in the shop.
"Ah, at least I've found the ramen in the isolated shop. Gotta tell Ren right now. Perhaps he's starving too." Desast said and he goes to search Ren.
Back with Ren, he and Midori were eating the rice mixed with vegetable curry.
"Hmm! That food is so tasty!" Ren said as he ate the lunch.
"Yeah, thanks to my mother." Midori said.
"Thank you, aunty for giving the food!" Ren thanked Midori's mother.
"You're welcome, Ren." Midori's mom said.
"Hey. Shall we talk?" Midori asked Ren for discussion.
"Yeah." Ren said and the two stood up and walked away for discussion.
At the forest near Midori's village, Mei, Toph, Katara and Reika were searching for the flowers.
"Hey, Reika. Shall we take that flower?" Mei asked as she spotted the red monkey faced flower.
"No. That's a poisonous flower, Dracula's Flower. Watch out as it releases an aroma that reeks of rotting meat when it blooms." Reika cautioned.
Mei distanced in cowardice. "Whoa, gotta be careful."
Then, the four girls heard the conversation.
"Did you hear that?" Toph asked.
"Yeah. Someone's talking." Katara said.
Then, Mei, Reika, Toph and Katara watched Ren and Midori talking each other.
"Is that Ren?" Mei asked.
"Ren, who's he?" Toph asked.
"He's our ex-comrade, Kamen Rider Kenzan and he seeks strength for justice. I don't know his agenda but this is all I know." Mei talked about Ren.
"Your ex-comrade?" Toph asked.
"Long story. Listen what they are saying." Reika said and the girls continued listening the conversation between Ren and Midori.
"So, you gain to strengthen your sense of justice? Why?" Midori asked.
"Before I became Kamen Rider Kenzan, I was trained by Master Kaze. He instilled me under the belief that strength is justice, which was persuasive enough to make me take to heart as I continued fighting." Ren explained about his past.
"Who gave you that Shuriken Sword?" Midori asked.
"That?" Ren asked as he have Fussoken Hayate in his hand. "That's Fuusoken Hayate, given to me from my Master. With this, I will obtain strength to build up my sense of justice."
"Not like that." Midori said.
"Why? You didn't like my belief?" Ren asked.
"Look. Justice doesn't make strength, Ren. You were mistaken." Midori said.
"What?" Ren asked.
"Strength is used to protect people not to obtain justice." Midori said.
"Who taught you about that?" Ren asked.
"My master told to me. Strength alone doesn't bring justice." Midori said. "A desire to protect others is just as important."
"Blah blah blah, whatever." Ren said, ignoring of what Midori's saying. "Anyway, those words are same as my friend Kento."
"I want to ask something. What's your purpose in fighting?" Midori asked.
"I..?" Ren asked in confusion. He doesn't know about his purpose of fighting.
"I believe that figuring out why you fight, who you fight for, are things which are very important." Midori said.
Ren remembers about what Master Kaze said. "Justice cannot be done, without strength!" Words of his master clouded Ren's judgement.
"I think you're wrong!" Ren said. "Proving one's strength though fighting is justice!"
Midori was frustrated and says, "Look! Did you know obession towards 'Strength is justice' ignoring friends and family you cared for?! Justice is more than strength! You just need to be strong enough to protect what you love, when it counts!"
"If you don't like my belief!? Fine then! I am leaving!" Ren said and he walked away with anger.
Midori tried to stop Ren but to no avail. "Ren, wait-! Ah mou!"
The four girls saw in the bushes.
"So, Ren is all about 'Strength is Justice', eh?" Toph asked.
"But he and that girl were like fighting couple." Katara said.
"What did you say, Katara?" Mei asked. "He? That ninja girl? Were the couple? Kenzan has a girlfriend?!"
"Ren has a girlfriend?! Since when did Ren have a girl now?!" Reika asked. "Forget it! Let's inform to our friends!" She then informs the heroes using her Gatrikephone.
Yaoguai's dimension
In the palace of Yaoguai, Ryoshi was fighting the soldiers for his training.
The soldiers surrounded Ryoshi and tried to slash him with their swords but they got beaten by the powerful crimson energy slash launched by him.
Then, Kyoki arrived along with Naga and the Yaoguai Sanbagarasu.
"Ryoshi, did you kill Kenzan?" Kyoki asked.
"No. Someone saved him. I guess that ninja is stronger but not as powerful as me." Ryoshi said.
"This means you didn't kill him. If you won't kill him, then we have a plan." Odoke said and he shows the picture of Midori's village.
"This is the place where that green ninja rested here. Perhaps he is here. Ryoshi, you can call him for a rematch and slice his head off!" Kirifuda said.
"First you and Yaoguai attack the village and within few seconds, that Kenzan will come to save them. Then, attack and finish him." Damashi said.
"Excellent. Let's do this and I'll have a rematch with Kamen Rider Kenzan." Ryoshi agreed before he launched the power slash of crimson energy at the Yaoguai soldiers who attacked him and they got sliced into bloody chunks and pieces.
Avatar's World: Fire Nation Forest
In the Fire Nation Forest, Ren was mad about Midori's words and he sticked to his 'Strength is Justice'.
"That Midori...! She believes that strength is obatined when I protect the ones I love? No way!" Ren said.
"Of course, it is." The female voice said.
"Who said that?!" Ren asked as he turned around to see a spirit of previous Kenzan user: Kagami Amane.
"You... Are you... Am I dreaming?!" Ren gasped in shock as he saw Amane's spirit.
"Yes. I am the first Kamen Rider Kenzan, Kagami Amane." Amane said. "I know your problem."
"What problem?" Ren asked.
"Your mindset about strength and justice. It doesn't work." Amane said.
"Why?! You're against with my master's belief too?!" Ren asked.
"Look Ren. I became Kenzan to protect everyone but you're using the title for obtaining strength and justice. Not good at all." Amane said.
"Then what makes strength, Amane?!" Ren asked.
"Resiliency, Self-Esteem, Love, Faith and most of all, Acceptence. These five qualities makes people stronger not from justice." Amane said.
"Really?" Ren asked.
"Yes, my previous swordsmen carried their burdens to move on and save everyone with these five traits." Amane said and she puts her hands on Ren's shoulders. "I know you can be stronger with these traits. Good luck."
Then, Amane's spirit disappeared.
"Wait, Amane-!" Ren tried to talk with Amane's spirit but failed. He then realizes the strength is not from justice but those five traits: Resiliency, Self-Esteem, Love, Faith and Acceptence. "The strength... is..."
He then sees a smoke from far away place. Ren knew that Midori's village is under attack. "That smoke... NO! Midori and rest of the village are in danger!"
Ren then transforms into Kamen Rider Kenzan and runs to save the village.
As Kenzan ran off, Desast saw him while coming nearby.
"Ren? What's wrong with him? Gotta follow him." Desast said and he follows Kenzan quietly.
In the Midori's village, the villagers were attacked by Ryoshi leading the Yaoguai army.
The Yaoguai injured the villagers with their weapons such as teeth, sword, axe and spear.
"Stop injuring my people!" Midori saw this and she fight the Yaoguai.
Midori is skilled in ninja fighting skills that evaded from attack to attack and she threw the shurikens at the heads of Yaoguai.
"Ninpo: Katana no Jutsu!" She unsheathes the katana, dashing through the Yaoguai demons at high speed and performing a powerful slash before sheathing it back.
The Yaoguai demons were brutally sliced down by Midori's Ninpo attack and they were exploded into multiple pieces
Then, Ryoshi confronts Midori.
"I see. You're a strong ninja. Great. But not greater than me. Where is Kamen Rider Kenzan?" Ryoshi asked.
"Kenzan? You mean Ren?" Midori asked.
"Exactly!" Ryoshi, without any moment, brandishes his katana and fights Midori in a sword fight.
Midori slashes Ryoshi but he blocked every move.
Ryoshi delivers a swift slash to Midori, forcing her to duck under the attack and she strikes him with her kunai.
Ryoshi evaded the move of Midori and delivers a strong flying kick, knocking her back.
"Midori!" The mentor shouted.
"I guess you're weaker like that Green Ninja Rider. The stronger survive and the weak perish..." Ryoshi said and he tries to kill Midori.
Then, Kenzan arrived and defends Midori from Ryoshi.
"You!" Ryoshi said.
"Ren? Is that you?" Midori said.
"Stay away from Midori! And the villagers!" Kenzan said and he strikes Ryoshi.
"Ah, my favourite rival! Shall we have a rematch?" Ryoshi asked.
"Of course! I am ready for anything!" Kenzan said with courage and seriousness.
The two warriors were giving each other a deadly stare before they clashed each other.
Ren strikes Ryoshi multiple times but he evaded like a wind.
Ryoshi launches the multiple crimson energy slashes at Ren but he destroyed them and unleashes the finisher in Fuusoken Hayate in Shuriken Mode by putting Sarutobi Ninjaden into the scanner three times.
SARUTOBI NINJADEN! Nin Ninninīn! Hayate Sokudoku Geki! Nin Ninninīn!
"Shippū Kenbu Kaiten!" Green wind flows into the emblem at the center of the Fuusouken Hayate before Kenzan swings it, launching a large green energy shuriken at Ryoshi, causing an explosion and he was destroyed.
"Yes! I did it!" Kenzan said and he turns back to Midori as the people cheered him. "See! I have defeated him!"
Unfortunately, the victory is short lived as Ryoshi stood up and survived!
The people were shocked to see that Yaoguai's vessel is still alive.
Kenzan saw the people's faces were in shock until he turned around to see Ryoshi survived the attack.
"Seriously?! He's still alive!?" Kenzan asked in shock.
"Akuma jutsu Chimei Issen!" Ryoshi charges up the katana with crimson energy and launches the multiple cresent shaped slashes at Kenzan, knocking him back out of the transformation.
Ren was bloodied and he was fainted. There was no motion from Ren.
The people were horrified to see Ren was defeated.
"REN!" Midori shouted in terror and she ran to help him but she was stopped by Yaoguai Sanbagarasu and the Yaoguai army.
"Hey, girlie. Going to your dear Kenzan? HAHAHHAHAHAH!" Odoke said.
"This is the end of your road!" Kirifuda said and he brandished the brutal looking sickle.
"Ha! Kenzan, looks like you're weak. Your sense of 'Strength of Justice' is completely illogical. My strength is from determination but what about yours? You've lost it. Now, prepare to die!" Ryoshi said and he tries to kill Ren but then he was stopped suddenly.
"What?!" Ryoshi was surprised to see Ren blocked the attack with his Fuusoken Hayate.
"My strength wasn't from justice!" Ren said and he instantly transforms into Kamen Rider Kenzan before he sent him flying to the tree. "My strength is botained through the five qualities!"
The Yaoguai Sanbagarasu were shocked to see Kenzan stood up.
"What?!" The three shouted awkwardly.
"I thought Ryoshi defeated him!" Kirifuda said.
"What are the five qualities?!" Ryoshi asked as he ran to attack Kenzan.
"No. 1: Resiliency!" Kenzan said as he blocked Ryoshi's attack.
"No. 2: Self-Esteem!" Kenzan slashes Ryoshi's chest.
"No. 3: Love!" Kenzan again slashed Ryoshi.
"No. 4: Faith!" Kenzan performs a swift round house against Ryoshi.
"And, lastly... ACCEPTENCE!" Kenzan unleashes the finisher again. "SHIPPU KENBU KAITEN!"
Kenzan summons the green tornado to send Ryoshi hovering in the mid air. Then, he jumps in the air and slices Ryoshi off into two pieces. He lands to ground nicely as the vertically bisected Ryoshi was consumed by the explosion.
The Yaoguai were shocked to see Ryoshi being killed by Kenzan.
"WHAT?!" Yaoguai Sanbagarasu shouted.
"Ryoshi is defeated?!" Odoke asked.
"That means RETREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAATTTTTT!" Kirifuda shouted and those demons with their army cowardly ran away from the village.
Kenzan laughed at Yaoguai running away in cowardly way.
Midori ran to Kenzan and she hugged him tightly.
"Ren, you did it!" Midori said excitedly while hugging Kenzan.
"Ow! I am hurt!" Kenzan said, departing from Midori and cancels his Rider form. "Yeah, I've beaten that Ryoshi though."
Ren and Midori laughed.
"Ren!" Touma's voice shouted as the Riders and Team Avatar arrived in their respective vehicles.
"Are you alright?" Rintaro asked.
"Guys. How did you know that I am here?" Ren asked.
"Reika, Mei, Katara and Toph found you talking with that girl and informed us so we can locate you." Yuri said.
"I see." Ren said.
"So, what's going on here anyway?" Sokka asked and Midori explained everything about her interaction with Ren and how did he saved village from the Yaoguai by defeating Ryoshi.
"Wow! Unbelievable! Ren saved the whole village like a true hero?" Rintaro said.
"We are proud of you!" Ogami said.
Ren turned around to hide his smile. "Oh, it was nothing. Anyway, I am leaving. See ya."
Ren walked away without any word.
"Ren, wait! I want to know about that girl you've interacted with- Ah man! He ran away without a word!" Daishinji said.
"Uh, I forgot to introduce myself. I am Hayashi Midori of Hayashi Clan and a closest friend to Ren." Midori introduced herself.
"Closest friend? More like a girlfriend to Ren, eh?" Mei teased Midori about Ren.
"Screw off!" Midori said before she launched the smoke bombs at Mei and she ran away.
Mei's face was blackened by Midori's smoke bomb while the heroes (except Reika and Ryoga) laughing at Mei's funny moment.
"Wait! I want to talk with you! Just kidding!" Mei tried to call Midori but she's gone.
Reika and Ryoga, however, laughed secretly at Mei's funny moment despite their edgy personalities.
"Why are we laughing, Oni sama?" Reika chuckled.
"Don't know but it's so funny." Ryoga said and the two stopped laughing.
In the forest, Ren was searching for Desast.
"Desast! Where are you?" Ren called for Desast.
Desast came here and he just walked backward, looking for Ren and then the two crashed upon each other.
Ren got jump scared and raised Fuusoken Hayate on Desast.
"Oh, Desast! It's you!" Ren withdraws Fuusoken Hayate, noticing Desast. "You scared me!"
"I was looking for you! Where have you been?" Desast asked.
"Nothing. Just walking around the forest peacefully and..." Ren said.
"Nevermind. I've found a ramen shop in the forest. Come. I am hungry. Let's eat ramen with red ginger together!" Desast said.
"Fine. Let's go." Ren said and the two walked to the ramen shop.
Meanwhile in the Yaoguai's dimension...
The Yaoguai Sanbagarasu informed about Ryoshi's defeat to Kyoki.
"That's how Kenzan killed off our powerful general..." Odoke informed.
"He'll be back for few seconds..." said the lord of Yaoguai.
Then, Ryoshi walked in much surprise to Yaoguai Sanbagarasu.
"Ryoshi?!" Damashi said.
"Surprised?" Denji asked as he walked into the hall, holding a some sort of golden vessel with a green soul inside. "You gotta thank my invention called 'Soul Ichor" in which the deceased souls are collected and revived then put them in the 'Soul Chamber'."
"Awesome! Now those Riders and Benders will not stop us from conquering the worlds!" Odoke said.
"It's not all about conquering the world..." The woman in purple dress as she stepped in. "It's about reviving our Lord of Darkness and Messiah of Destruction: Ma Ryu Oh."
"You're right, my queen Inyoku..." Kyoki stood up from throne... "The more souls we collect from those miserable humanity, the more Ma Ryu Oh moves and revive to spread chaos across the dimensions!"
"LONG LIVE MA RYU OH!" The Yaoguai worshipped at the gigantic statue in a shape of a serpentine dragon.
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A/N: Okay, this is the Ren focused chapter. I gave him some character development and we see more of him in the future chapters and so do the others. In the next episode, Mei will become Kamen Rider Elsa by obtaining Sessouken Fubuki!