Welcome to the Alternate Rider-Verse of Kamen Rider Kabuto.
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Chapter 04: Kamen Rider Kabuto Part 1
Universe 19710403
Year 2006
Above Earth
On the observation deck, the Doom Slayer raised a brow at what he saw. The typically blue planet was now a sickly brown. Hazarding a guess, something caused all the oceans to evaporate or disappear. Turning to the right, he spotted a structure extending from the planet's surface into space. Whatever humans were left, this thing would supposedly help their survival.
"Despite Earth's current condition, human civilization still exists in pockets. There appears to be a space elevator under construction. Judging by the planet's condition, I assume you wish to know the cause."
The Doom Slayer nodded to Vega and started walking to his workshop to get ready. Unless the people were going to colonize the moon, how else would a space elevator help them? Perhaps when all is said and done, and if the surviving people aren't savages, he might give them a parting gift Vega learned about from Universe 19970930.
"Preliminary visuals indicate a large impact crater off the coast of the South American continent. Current information points to an asteroid as the cause of this Earth's cataclysm."
Raising the gem on his gauntlet, the Doom Slayer met a yellow glow. The origin may have changed, but humanity was still under threat. After restocking his warp pack, he made his way to the portal gateway.
"Long-range scanners located a large concentration of tachyon energy near the impact crater. I recommend starting our investigation there."
The Marine rechecked his Doom Blade and shoulder mounts before stretching his arm.
"Opening the portal now."
The blue gateway appeared, and the ex-soldier stepped through.
Earth
Ground Zero
Heavy boots touched down on the glassed surface. Due to the intense heat of the asteroid, the former sea floor melted into what it is now. Evaluating the shape of the landscape, the Slayer could estimate the direction of his objective. Wasting no time, he sprinted forward.
He ran for a few minutes, coming across larger fragments of the predicted meteor. From what his HUD displayed, the extra-terrestrial rock was not the source. He could see the edges of the impact crater over the horizon. With every step, his instincts told him he had been watched for a while. Whoever it was, they were being cautious. Smart of them to do so.
After crossing another hill, he slowed down. A group of people was seemingly passed out on the ground about a hundred meters ahead of him. An abandoned vehicle was left nearby. Scouring his vicinity, there was no one else around. Hell, there didn't seem to be any sign of people since he arrived. This reeked of a trap, but the Slayer paid no mind. If you want the enemy to appear, spring the trap on your terms.
Firm steps made their way to the supposed helpless humans. So far, nothing has happened. Examining the bodies, they looked human. He nudged a woman's arm with his boot, causing a groan to escape her lips. As if on cue, one by one, they awakened from unconsciousness. A few rolled over, opening their eyes to the man before them. A young man crawled against the sand up to the armored man. "Please! Please! You have to help us. We barely escaped, but the Worms will be after us!"
The Slayer gave him a dry look from under his visor. '... Worms?'
Just as the man placed a hand on the Slayer's armor, his helmet's HUD reacted and adjusted. The world around him turned shades of red, orange, and yellow. However, the people around him were depicted as shades of blue. Vega spoke in his helmet. "Slayer, be advised. The beings in front of you are cold-blooded."
Without hesitation, a plasma pistol was pressed against the man's forehead.
"Identify yourself," stated Vega aloud to everyone.
Instead of feeling intimidated, the man just chuckled. "Heh. I figured this wouldn't work. You remind me of those Riders in the East, but no matter. You will be replaced, just like all the rest." The body stepped away and seemed to glow green and morph, growing to about his height.
Intrigued, the Slayer stored his pistol and pulled out his Double Barrel Super Shotgun. The other 'humans' nearby transformed into an insect-like appearance. Their entire bodies were covered in a bright green exoskeleton with a shell over their heads. Long two-prong claws emerged from their wrists.
In seconds, the former lanky human became a discolored reflection of the Slayer. 'Strange. I'm not a full copy. This one isn't entirely human. Alien too?' The poor excuse of a Praetor Suit couldn't match the strange materials of the original. Beneath the copied helmet, its mouth opened to speak, but the memories flooded in. That's when the screams of terror began. All the alien could see around him was fire and brimstone. The sky was blood red, and lava rivers stretched to the horizon. Millenia of anger, pain, and bloodshed encroached on his mind. Unfortunately for him, he was only a mortal. The Worm clenched his head in pain. His cries for help turned distorted. "Stop it!."
A giant round floating creature hovered above him, breathing its toxic flames over him. He could feel hellfire burn his insides. Whispers of temptations and damnation echoed with no end in sight. "Make it stop!" Was this what humans called Hell? A smaller demonic creature clawed at him. Its hands of blood magic created a miasma of cursed poisons and hollowness. He had to get out, but at this point, there was only one way to escape. "Graaaaaa!" His vision returned to reality for a moment, glimpsing down the black barrel of a shotgun at his head. "...Thank… you."
BOOM!
Chunks of alien brain matter exploded and painted those behind him. The Worm's body reverted to a green state like the others before falling dead limp on the ground. Like the previous world, it exploded in a burst of fire and smoke. The Doom Slayer blinked. That was a common occurrence lately, but he wasn't complaining.
Fear welled up within the foreign invaders. What the hell did their brethren copy to cause that? Who is this man? What they did know is that copying him would be a death warrant. The worms took a combat-ready stance, some feeling the molting process on the edge of beginning.
The Shotgun switched out to an eighty-pound chain cannon. With a click of the trigger, the Mobile Turret deployed. One collection of barrels spun and split into four. The M220's rail system rained hell on the first worm in range. Repeating flashes of 15mm Tungsten Slugs pierced through the exoskeleton. He could get used to explosions after every kill.
As if responding to the series of firearms, more Green bodies rose from the sand. In front of them was a Worm with features reminiscent of a spider. "Kill the intruder!"
One of the green Worms leaped at the Slayer from behind. An armored left fist swung out in a blur to a normal human and grabbed the alien by the face. His right hand switched and raised Super Shotgun for another execution, but something strange occurred. Against the demons and Maykrs, he adapted to their lasers and heavenly light. In this case, an object faster than them ran in the corner of his eye and punched at his gun arm. Not expecting the attack, his gun shifted upward, causing him to miss his shot. The Slayer let go of his target and dashed a distance away. He aimed the interruption, revealing it to be the Spider Worm from before.
The Aracnea Worm chuckled. "When will you humans learn that your primitive firearms are too slow for the evolved." Following his lead, the green worms shuttered. Unknown to the Slayer, Worms can molt. The green exoskeletons fell away, transforming into beings similar to the Aracnea Worm but with different insect motifs, such as scorpions, beetles, and mantises. "Go!" Three Worms blurred away and, at faster-than-light speeds, slashed at the Slayer in a flurry. In mortal time, the Worms seemed to teleport across the battlefield instantaneously. All the aliens laughed, waiting for another human to fall by their claws.
After a few seconds, they grew silent. The armored man in front of them didn't seem to flinch from the attacks. He didn't look worse for wear. Instead, they could feel the growing rage emanating from him.
Unfortunately, for a termite worm strayed too close, the Slayer dashed, and an arm blade pierced through his thorax. Within the alien, its metabolism fired up. The world around him slowed to a halt. Now in Clock-up, the Termite smirked through his grimace at his would-be freedom. Claws attempted to pull the blade out of him, only not to budge. The blade cut him, and the attached arm latched on. Looking up, he could see the Slayer's right fist slowly being pulled back. The Worm's panic rose. Like the Riders, this warrior could react to Clock-up, if only slower. Further attempts to escape the predator's maw proved futile, and the alien was reaching his Clock-over limit. "No. No. No. No. No!"
In an instant, the world moved again. "AAAAGH!" The Worm looked down at his abdomen. An armored fist had punched right through him. His yellow bile leaked onto the sand as the limb was wretched. "Impossible…" Once more, a corpse fell and exploded in flames.
The realization had dawned on the Worms. They had underestimated this intruder. All around, they had expected a different result from their Clocked-up sibling. Despite their seeming advantage in speed, this monster in human form was built differently. He was like a wall of muscle, metal, and rage that would not yield easily. This fight had turned into flies combatting a T-Rex. Clocked-up worms had the advantage of dodging and love taps, but all the enemy needed was one to slip up to deliver a killing blow. Self-preservation instincts flared against the Unchained Predator before them. The remaining worms Clocked-Up and scattered, leaving the Slayer alone for now. Their plans here would need to be changed. They hoped that the Japanese branch would continue their ultimate goal.
For the Slayer, rage simmered to annoyance. After storing his weapons, he motioned for Vega.
"Somehow, these Worms can generate tachyons, allowing faster-than-light movement."
That was new. The Slayer cracked his knuckles. This would require the old-fashioned way, and his speed would take some time to adapt. His shoulder-mounted cannons rotated for the cryo grenades and the modified Thermo Blaster.
"I will continue to gather information from the remaining human settlements. The space elevator and these Riders may give us a clue on moving forward."
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