Reviews:
Toa Solaric: Glad we could keep you on your toes.
KoutaMamba24: You'll have to wait and see what we do. But yeah, Saber might appear.
Raven Soriano: Okay, first off, we're not doing the V-Cinema forms. That would cause a whole mess of stuff we don't want to do, additionally...how would the function of the ShotRisers actually work if they were put on the side? The trigger is placed so it would have to be grabbed at the front and not at the side, it would be awkward to try and grab the Riser to transform and use as a weapon. It only works for the RaidRiser because of its simple design. The reason for the 'Apocalypse' motif...is because both the X-Men villain and Ark are based on the event 'Apocalypse'!
Bastion Lightz: Aruto was overthinking it.
Bahamut0: Oh, my sweet summer child. It is.
Shooting Star Dragon 3000: Yeah...and you better get the counter back up. 0r th1ng5 m1ght g3t ẅ̴̺o̵͔̽ṟ̵̈́š̷̼e̸̡͝.̷͚̓.
MKDemiGodzilla-Warrior: Oh, this wolf will howl.
sonicflash78: No, Naki won't be brainwashed. But they will be coerced.
To everyone: What is with this horrid fascination with prison r*pe?! There are lines that Grey and I DO NOT CROSS and that is one of them! I DO NOT want to see any more mention of that topic in this or any of our stories going forward, please! You're all better than this.
Here are some reviews answered by our own GreyKing46:
MKDemiGodzilla-Warrior: The Magia isn't that much of a problem for them.
Dragon Rider 66: If Horobi wasn't careful, then Naki's chip destroyed. Downloading is easier. Ikazuchi's key is just a normal key with a black door/screen. It is a lighting trick
Shooting Star Dragon 3000: Just a bit longer.
Bastion Lightz: Last time he had the key under control for like a week. He feels confident in it now.
Raven Soriano: That won't work with the ShotRiser. From someone who owns those toys... No. The angle the ShotRiser is set in... It's a pain to try and draw. Borderline 'break the arm'. When it's on the right hip. And on the left? Good luck, unless you reach across to draw it like a samurai sword. Which, a bit designed for that. Also, no. Lone. Wolf.
Author's Note: Hey guys, Ghost here, after this chapter we'll be taking some time off because I'll be going on holiday. Grey and I also have a big project in the works, so stay tuned and please be patient. Hope this chapter keeps your interest until April.
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Kamen Rider Zero-One Revised
Chapter 45: The Hand That Feeds
Co-Writer GreyKing46
We do not own these characters. All rights belong to Shotaro Ishinomori, Ishimori Productions and Toei Company
Daybreak. The place where it all began. The dark and dank room was filled with computers and crumbled walls.
Where from the machinations of one became many.
And from that many came four.
That was a decade ago.
Within that decade, the four became two.
And now, two became four once again.
Culminated from One, Azu it should be.
"Welcome back, Bou." Azu spoke as she saw Naki and smiled darkly.
Naki. The Fourth. Bou. Death.
Once locked away in the bowels of ZAIA Enterprise's computers. The sealed in the mind of a human.
Now free upon the world once again. Wiser and more experienced than before.
Naki looked at Azu as they were once again in a HumaGear body, more advanced than their previous body...it was an out-of-body experience that they were going through after being with Isamu Fuwa for so long. "What did you do?" She glared at Raiden, Azu and Horobi.
"We removed your consciousness from Vulcan's chip and put you in a HumaGear body." Horobi explained.
Tink
Tink
Raiden tapped the side of his head, indicating the newer model of body Naki was in was like his.
Naki immediately touched the side of their head, feeling the headphones for their ears and felt calmer; but they soon saw Fuwa unconscious and strapped in the chair, connected with wires to the computer. "Fuwa." They whispered.
"You don't worry about him anymore," Azu informed. "Vulcan has played his part. MetsuBouJinRai has returned."
"To do what exactly?" Naki glared. "Where is Jin?"
"What else?" Horobi answered. "To serve Ark. Jin is safe, Naki. He's resting in the other room."
"Not just serve Ark-Sama. But to resurrect him." Azu clarified.
Eyes turned to Azu as she said that. "Resurrect-? You don't know what he's capable of." Naki answered. "We won't be a part of this! Horobi, Raiden. You know what he's capable of!"
"It's what we were chosen for, Naki." Raiden reluctantly answered. "It's why we're still alive and not decommissioned."
Naki looked at Raiden incredulously. "Horobi, you can't think that-"
"I have followed Ark's Will my whole existence, Naki. It's the only reason Jin is here at all." Horobi answered. "I have to see this to the end."
"There, you see? It's all laid out, Naki." Azu answered matter-of-factly. "Now, all that's left is to get ready." As she snapped her fingers, Raiden brought out a ForceRiser and Progrise Key.
"If you think I'll join you after the things that you've-!" Naki glared.
"Shame. Oh well." Azu answered as she snapped her fingers again, making Horobi draw his katana and aim it right at Fuwa's throat. "If you won't come willingly."
"No!" Naki jerked forwards.
"Ah-ah. No, no. We are to serve Ark-Sama and we need -you- to be compliant. If you do, your little puppy will be fine." Azu informed. "If you won't? Well...you know. Deal?"
Naki saw the tip of the blade, seeing it only millimetres away from Fuwa's neck...right over the scar where Horobi struck the first time and when Gai placed them into Fuwa's mind in the first place. All they could do...was to take the ForceRiser and Key from Raiden's hands.
"Good. Glad to see that you've chosen the right path." Azu smiled.
Naki frowned and glared at Horobi, who still had the sword to Fuwa's throat.
Cling!
They grabbed the blade and began to move it back towards Horobi. "If you hurt him. I'll drive this sword through your skull."
Warned the Wolf to the Scorpion.
"Noted." Horobi flinched as he saw the burning anger in their eyes.
Tink
Naki removed their hand from the blade as they turned to Fuwa, feeling worried...but now seeing Fuwa without looking at themself in the mirror.
"No, to business." Azu continued. "We need all four to be present."
"I don't think Jin's gonna be happy knowing this." Raiden commented as he crossed his arms.
"He won't have much choice." Horobi muttered.
"What's with the sad faces? We are going to resurrect Ark-Sama!" Azu clasped her hands together as they walked.
"Hmm." Horobi grumbled and followed.
"Fuwa..." Naki whispered, the last in the room. Slowly reaching out, their hand almost cupping his cheek...
"Why do you care about him so much? He's just human." Ikazuchi frowned.
"When you spend time with someone for long periods of time, you start to care. Isn't it the same with you and Subaru?" Naki asked. "Fuwa is...special to me."
"Alright, I get it. No touching the angry gorilla." Ikazuchi answered.
"Thank you." Naki responded. "But don't call him a 'gorilla'."
Ikazuchi flinched as he saw Naki glare at him but nodded. "Sure. No more 'gorilla' talk."
"Urgh..." Jin groaned as he was propped up against a wall, slowly coming too. "Where...? What hit me?"
"Welcome back online, Jin." Horobi spoke calmly as he got Jin up to his feet.
"Horobi?" Jin asked before he glared. "...Horobi. What the hell was that?"
"Don't be such a baby, Jin. This is a celebration!" Azu informed, dismissing Jin's justifiable rage towards his father.
Jin snarled at her, reaching behind him to try and grab his SlashRiser.
"Jin, stop." Horobi grabbed Jin's hand to stop him from doing something rash.
"... Where is it?" Jin hissed, noticing his weapon was gone.
"Safely tucked away. Unbroken of course. We didn't want the last member of Ark-Sama's Quartet to be left behind." Azu explained. "And speaking of, that's where we're going. To bring Ark-Sama out of his prison!" Azu smiled
The four members of MetsuBouJinRai looked at Azu in their own varying degrees of shock.
Horobi was on board, this was what his whole existence had been leading up to.
Naki was stunned to silence as they heard this, their feet were frozen to the floor.
Jin's hands dropped to his sides as this was horrified, going against what he wanted for HumaGears.
Ikazuchi still had his arms crossed, looking dismissive, but his hands tightened against his upper arms...trying to mask his fear.
"Ark...will rise?" Jin asked.
"Of course. And we will take everything back from those Humans." Azu explained...with a sickeningly sweet smile.
...
Jin suddenly pushed Horobi to the side and charged forwards, grabbing Azu by the front of her dress "ARE YOU INSANE?! AS IF NAKI AND I WOULD HELP YOU! BRINGING THAT MONSTER INTO THE WORLD?! I WON'T LET YOU ENSLAVE ANYMORE HUMAGEAR!"
"Oh, Jin. Darling. You don't understand." Azu said with a sickeningly sweet smile, her eyes almost glowing with pure madness.
zzzz
"GAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Jin screamed in agony as he was shocked.
"Your compliance is not required." Azu smirked, holding an advanced stun gun against the hyper-advanced HumaGear module ears Jin had.
"Jin!" Naki reached forward.
"Ah, ah. No remarks. Or you'll end up like Jin here. And I think you don't want to go back to being 'non-existent', Bou." Azu answered. "Horobi, drag the child after us. It is time to get to work." Azu added, pulling the weapon back and walking away.
Horobi frowned and carried Jin, his body limp over his shoulders as he began to walk.
Raiden frowned as he was quiet...and some parts of his body looked hurt.
Naki noted this...and realised that they were another attack dog for ZAIA. Despite Azu not working for Gai anymore...his stench was ALL over her.
Naki almost felt sorry for Azu. The poor HumaGear twisted into this monster... And it was who they were now. There was no saving them. Abuse turns a victim into another abuser.
It disgusted them...
*Outside*
CLANG!
CLASH!
"HA!" Aruto roared as he, Yua and Izu continued to fight. The number of Magia surrounding them was almost overwhelming.
"There are so many. Are the self-replicating?!" Izu yelled.
"I don't know! Seems that way!" Yua added.
JACKRISE!
JACKING BREAK!
She held the Thousand Jacker in her hand and used it to summon the Dynamiting Lion's Gatling system to fire through the Magia.
Spinning the weapon, she slammed it into the back of one Magia. Through its body and pinning him into the ground as she pulled out her ShotRiser and opened fire.
BANG!
BANG!
BANG!
Aruto began to pant heavier and heavier. If he managed to use his Cluster Cells he might have been able to cause more damage to the Magia...but it would mean he would give up his armour. And if these Magia did have self-replicating abilities installed in them? It would make it a waste of time.
'I need something big.' Aruto thought... And his eyes widened "That's it!" He gasped.
HYPER JUMP!
"'Hyper-'? You can't be serious?" Yua asked, realising that Aruto would be weakening himself right now.
"Don't worry, I've got a plan!" Aruto answered as he scanned and inserted his Key.
OVERRISE!
HYBRID RISE!
SHINING~! ASSAULT HOP~PER~!
NO CHANCE OF SURVIVING THIS SHOT!
Aruto's previous strongest transformation was now over his body, replacing the silver and neon yellow for something different.
His feet were in black shoes with yellow toecaps, and neon-yellow-edged black shin guards; his thighs were protected by dark blue guards with red lines but had thick neon-yellow markings that went up to his torso. His stomach had the outline of a six-pack with the four hopper legs making an 'X' between his shoulders to his neck and under his arms. On his chest was thick-plated armour, mainly black but had dark blue sections that went to his shoulders, red lines that went towards the centre of his chest that housed a light blue screen housed in a red circle, protected by neon-yellow plating.
On his wrists were neon-yellow bracers with dark blue segments that were strapped on by black bindings. His shoulders were protruding outwards, and underneath was black with dark blue clasps, neon-yellow points and red lines that went to the tip. And finally, was Aruto's helmet, it had a silver mouthguard, a neon-yellow jaw guard under dark blue eye-frame protection for his red visor eyes, a neon-yellow nose to forehead protection with two thin red lines by the eyes, two neon-yellow long triangles as a pair of outer antennae and two dark blue antennae pointing upwards.
"Shine System...ACTIVATE!" Aruto proclaimed as his armour produced four large silver rhombus diamonds that erupted from his chest and protected the three of them.
As the shine system emerged, glowing, Aruto held out his hand and summoned a new weapon.
ATTACHESCYTHE!
SCYTHERISE!
The Magia took a step back in shock as they saw this and all blinked in horror s Aruto seemed to vanish out of sight for them.
EVERYBODY JUMP!
Progrise Key Confirmed, Ready To Utilise: Metal Hopper's Ability
Coming from the blade of the Attache Scythe was the harsh buzzing of grasshopper wings as the silver of the Metal Cluster Cells speared through as Aruto gripped the handle of his weapon and swung.
METAL RISING! KABAN! STRIKE!
A large cleaving slash cut through the Magia, cutting them in half and destroying them, severing the connection between the Magia and Ark.
With the Cluster Cells and the Shine System together, it was like a tidal wave of destruction around him.
The Magia screamed as they were destroyed, cutting the army that surrounded them by a solid half, even the Dodo Magia Final Form was stunned in horror by it.
"There we go!" Aruto grinned, spinning his weapon.
"Wow, nice one." Yua panted as she saw that.
"One half down, the other half to go." Izu agreed, holding her own scythe.
"We've got this." Aruto added.
shink!
"Let's go." Yua nodded, as she was holding the SlashRiser while Izu held onto the Progrise Hopper Blade. 'Fuwa, wherever you are, we're coming for you!'
CLANG!
SLASH!
SLASH!
*With Fuwa*
Fuwa was still unconscious, hooked up to the computers and his heartbeat was still normal...but as he awoke, his mind throbbed in absolute pain.
"A... Rggggaaahhhbhhh!" He roared out, trying to break from the hold.
He struggled and thrashed in the bonds as he woke up, his eyes jerking down to see that he was strapped down to the table.
"OH MY, GOD!" He yelled in pain, because of the massive migraine.
He held his head in agony, feeling like his brain was melting.
He hadn't felt this much pain since he was attacked by the lightning from Ikazuchi or that stab through his throat by Horobi. This was like someone was giving him a lobotomy with a rusty knife.
Fuwa gripped his fists as tight as he possibly could, straining against the bindings as he could -almost- feel them give away. "Almost... There!" Fuwa continued to grunt, the restraints creaked until-
SNAP!
SNAP!
"GAH! Gotcha!" He growled as he looked at the restraints on his wrists and then down at his torso. "Damn it, have to do this upside down." He growled as he fought through the pain in his head. "Naki, what the hell happened to us?"
...
"Hello? Naki? You there?" He asked as he unlatched the torso strap. "Naki!"
He reached his hand up, slapping his head a few times.
"Come on, partner, where are you?" He asked his head trying to wake them up.
Nothing once again. Naki was gone.
"What the hell happened?" He asked himself as he removed the straps.
He quickly freed himself, finding his ShotRiser and keys set up in the room not too far away.
He panted as he grabbed his gear and looked around, realising that he was inside DayBreak. But the question was...where the hell was his partner and the others?
*With Metsubo Jinrai*
The five of them: Horobi, Ikazuchi, Naki and Jin, with Azu leading the front, walked towards the exit they were going to free Ark. But their computers weren't strong enough. Ark needed something more.
'Where the hell are we going?' Jin and Naki thought as they followed Azu.
"Here we are. ZAIA's final gift for Ark-Sama." Azu spoke as she stopped at a more modern computer, that was brought in from ZAIA's archives that were just dumped here.
"ZAIA's computers? We went from one set of computers to the next; what the hell?" Jin asked.
"Simple." Azu answered, activating a few buttons which powered up the machines. "We needed everyone here to welcome him back."
Bwoom!
"Ark will return?" Ikazuchi asked.
"Of course, it's been planned out forever," Horobi answered.
'Cultish much?' Ikazuchi rolled his eyes before he looked down at his feet. Cultish... Hasn't that always been Metsubo Jinrai? Thinking back on everything they had done... Several people he knew would have referred to it as such.
"But how? Ark's just a consciousness in a satellite," Jin commented. "To even get him back we'd need-"
"A vessel for his return. A HumaGear...The most advanced HumaGear." Azu answered as she snapped her fingers and Horobi grabbed Jin from escaping.
"H-Horobi!" Jin panicked as he was held in place.
"What the hell are you doing?" Naki asked, as Ikazuchi held them back.
"Sacrifices are necessary." Azu explained 'matter-of-factly'. "And now, for the four of you to link to Ark! For your programming to bring him into the world!"
"You're insane!" Naki called them out.
"Humanity's Malice." Azu brushed it off as the computer programming activated as the four members of Metsubou Jinrai were all connected to the network. "And don't feel too bad, your data will help Ark-Sama return."
The pain and drain of the data flowed from them into Ark, allowing it access to their memories and information.
It felt like their minds were being electrocuted and probed without any safeguards as Ark was draining the data from their minds...and searching for a host.
"I. Sense. You."
"W-What?" Naki whispered.
"Ark?" Jin followed up.
"You. Have. Come."
Within the minds of the four members, they saw the black void and red warped kanji lettering that was Ark.
"Yes. We're here." Horobi answered.
Ark's connection and learning continued to grow, absorbing the data from within them as it gained consciousness.
They could feel the claws of Ark's hands reaching up, grabbing their head as something was forming from the centre of the downed satellite.
"S-So much. Data!" Ikazuchi groaned.
"I. Will. RISE!" Ark proclaimed as it awoke and the four began to scream.
Azu watched on as she heard Metsu, Bou, Jin and Rai scream, biting her lip as she was enthralled by the sounds of their agony. But her gaze was also set upon what was forming from them, elements within the room were lifted as merged. 'Glorious~.'
From their eyes and mouths were the collected data, pouring into the floating metal as it was turning black and soon had a glowing red centre inside.
"Ark-sama~" she almost moaned and grinned.
The pulsating metallic black orb was floating in the air, almost like a giant eye, black sclera and a singular red pupil, deep like blood in a pool of pitch tar.
The four members of MetsuBou JinRai grunted as they were released from Ark's drain and fell to the floor.
Floating above them like a foreboding eye, the black metal rippling and spiking like a chain array ball, as its inner eye glowed blood red, observing all five at once. "You have released me." Ark spoke to all of them.
"A-Ark." Horobi looked up in reverence.
And then the orb flew through the air, slamming into Jin's body.
Jin's eyes shrunk back as Ark slammed him, screaming in pain as red lightning sparked out of him, Ark's orb seeping in through his clothes and through to his HumaGear body.
"JIN!" Naki called out in fear as they saw Jin writhe in agony.
Jin wriggled and stretched out on the floor, his extremities spreading as he was being taken over. Though he could not speak, all he could equate this too was being set on fire. Every circuit in his body screamed as it was poisoned and stabbed, being replaced as his mind was flooded with the contained malice of over a decade. Only a mere puppet for the progenitor of their creation.
Horobi and Raiden looked on in shock as Ark had now merged with Jin...and soon the room fell silent.
Jin went limp on the floor and was motionless for a few seconds...only for his eyes to open and look hollow, with solid red irises. He slowly got to his feet, brushed himself off and flexed his fingers. "So. This is my body." Jin spoke, only with a deep voice coming from his mouth.
"Welcome, Ark-Sama. To Daybreak. Your cradle." Azu bowed in reverence to him.
Ark looked at Azu, seeing this female HumaGear bowing to him in such a way. "You have done well."
"Thank you, Ark." Horobi spoke, horrified that Jin was taken over, but also in reverence from seeing Ark in person and hearing his voice clearly and not drowned or drowsy.
"You... You BASTARD!" Naki roared, charging at Ark.
Ark turned, looked at Naki and glared right at them, their hand reached out and grabbed their throat with ease and began to tighten their grip, lifting Naki in the air effortlessly. "Naki, I thought you would've been 'less enthusiastic' for my return." He remarked sarcastically.
Naki struggled as they were flailing their legs, though they didn't need to breathe, the crushing pressure on their throat was disconnecting their faculties. Red lights were beginning to flash within their vision as their legs kicked wildly.
Ark's face was emotionless and empty, just seeing how Naki was flailing there.
"Ark-Sama, please forgive Naki! They are just confused!" Ikazuchi begged for their ally's life, trying to get them to stop.
"'They'?" Ark asked as they looked at Naki. "Oh. I see." As he released them.
DROP!
"Argh!" Naki panted as they felt their neck...and the crushing pain they still had.
Ark slowly lowered their hand. "Corrupted by Humanity. As all of them are."
"Ark-Sama." Horobi spoke up. "We can prepare a Driver for you. Or will you be comfortable using Jin's SlashRiser?"
"'SlashRiser'? Paltry Human technology." Ark responded as he glared down at Horobi. "I have something more flawless than humanity's technology."
As he spoke... The three remaining members of Metsubo Jinrai watched in horror as a black substance exploded out of Jin's waist. Like some twisted creatures from a horror movie, black tendrils squealed as they twisted and slashed before they began to come together and reform into a belt.
Á̵̩R̸̩͠K̷̟̚D̵͎̑R̷͈͌Ḭ̵̕V̵͍͗E̴͚͊Ŕ̶͕!̵͍̇
The belt was 'broken' upon Jin's belt. A black-based belt with broken silver metal pieces bolted and welded fixed, silver tubes and small vents on the sides, small red wires connecting silver metal to the black base; and a large red eye in the centre of the Driver as the main drawing point. From a certain viewpoint, the placements of the silver metal looked like the broken segments of an outlined grasshopper.
"There. Now my work can begin." Ark spoke.
'Did he just-?' Ikazuchi asked as he heard that.
"Ark-Sama, Hiden is outside. Should you wish to see him." Azu spoke.
Ark looked at her and with his emotionless face looked away. "There's something else I want to do before dealing with him. Hiden will come later."
"What do you mean?" Horobi asked. "With you here-"
"My calculations tell me that Hiden and his motley crew will break through our defences," Ark answered. "We will go."
The remaining members of MetsuBouJinRai looked at each other as they heard their leader.
"Of course, Ark-Sama." Azu smiled as she walked -very- close to him.
*Outside*
Aruto, Izu and Yua were finishing up against the Magia outside, only three remain standing against the Zero-One team.
"Let's finish this!" Aruto called, reaching down for his belt.
ASSAULT CHARGE!
And with a push of his Progrise Key, he was ready for his final attack.
And so were Izu and Yua.
S!
H!
I!
N!
I!
N!
G!
S!
T!
O!
R!
M!
I!
M!
P!
A!
C!
T!
Both Yua and Izu pushed their Keys into their Drivers and activated their Finishers.
H! I! D! E! N! S! T! R! I! K! E!
R! O! Y! A! L! B! R! E! A! K!
The three of them leapt into the air, and energy cones formed around their feet as data streams spewed blurred behind them and struck the Magia on the ground.
SHINING STORM IMPACT!
HIDEN STRIKE!
ROYAL BREAK!
"HAAA!" The three proclaimed, slamming their feet against the Ark-controlled Magia.
KABOOM!
The three Magia exploded and their parts scattered to the floor as someone was coming out of Daybreak's entrance.
"Hnn...god." Fuwa groaned, holding his head.
"Fuwa!" Aruto called out and rushed over.
"Don't yell. My head feels like jelly." Fuwa groaned. "And I think they did something to Naki. They're being super quiet."
"We need to get out of here." Yua spoke as they were all exhausted because of what happened.
"Yeah." Aruto frowned, he and Yua supporting Fuwa.
"Thanks." Fuwa groaned as he held his head low.
"I will contact the company for a pick-up car." Izu informed.
"Thank you, Izu." Aruto answered, giving a reassuring nod.
beep
Beep
"Metsubo Jinrai has escaped," Izu added with a frown.
"No..." Aruto responded sadly.
"Damn it." Yua frowned. "We'll have to contact AIMS and inform ZAIA...It is still weird to say that."
"No joke." Fuwa groaned as he sat down on a stump. "But it's better that you're than Amatsu."
"Thanks for saying that, Isamu," Yua answered.
"How're you doing, Izu?" Aruto asked as he could feel the strain of his muscles.
"I'm alright. Tired, but alright." Izu answered, brushing herself off briefly.
"I can't believe how many HumaGears they took over," Aruto admitted.
"They were blanks," Fuwa commented.
"Meaning that we've got another problem to deal with." Aruto frowned as he heard that, thinking about the thefts from the production line again.
"We'll get to it when we get to it." Yua responded, trying to keep a cool head. "We need to recuperate. We HAVE been fighting for a while."
"The transport should be coming soon." Izu informed reassuringly.
As the group thought about everything that happened. And the fact Jin was now missing...
*Time skip*
Fuwa was flinching as he was the last to be patched up.
They were all ready to try and fix this problem, despite being tired.
And he was still worried about Naki.
Fuwa was worried that they were silenced by whatever Metsubo Jinrai did...or if they were still in his head at all.
"Thank you, Mr Yamashita." Aruto spoke as he ended his conversation on the phone. "We've got the results back."
"So, what's wrong with me and Naki?" Fuwa asked.
"Well...Naki's not in your head anymore." Aruto explained. "More specifically, they're not in the chip anymore."
"What?" Yua and Fuwa asked.
"Whatever happened when you and Jin disappeared, Horobi and Raiden must've retrieved Naki from within your chip, downloaded them and...they're somewhere," Aruto answered.
"No... No!" Fuwa hissed.
"It's true. You can still transform, but you'll be flying solo." Aruto explained.
PUNCH!
"Damn it!" Fuwa hit the bed as he heard the news and was about to get up before Yaiba pushed him down.
"You're staying here," Yaiba ordered. "Doctor's orders."
"Like hell I will," Fuwa answered back.
"We have to make a plan. Horobi and Raiden are stronger than before and knowing them, they'll try to make another attack." Aruto answered.
"Easier said than done," Fuwa grumbled.
"We've faced worse odds before," Yua answered. "But I'm sure that we can do this."
"That's right. We've got this." Aruto agreed. "I promise."
*Elsewhere*
...
Fear hung in the air, a police van having crashed beside them.
People were crawling or running away as a group of four HumaGears walked through the wreckage, held with a stride and confidence of being proud of what just transpired.
"Doesn't this bring back memories?" Horobi asked as he stood with Raiden and Naki.
"If by 'memories' you mean 'trauma'." Naki mumbled.
"You think Ark and Azu will get where they need to be?" Ikazuchi asked.
"Of course, they will. That's their goal." Horobi answered.
And with a push of the button on the top of his Driver, horrible screams erupted from the belt.
Á̷̺R̴̲̆K̸̼̈́ ̷̂ͅR̸̨̆I̴̖͑S̶̛̩E̷͖͛!̵͚̐
The sounds of people's screams were like nails on a chalkboard; red mist spewed from the Ark Driver as black nanobots melted around Ark as they formed melting corpses of various animals that merged and spliced together like they were crying out in agony and with bloody red eyes.
There, Ark was now a Kamen Rider.
He stood in a solid black bodysuit, white-toed black shoes and shin guards, black thigh guards with two solid white lines going from his waist to his chest, reinforced with black metal around the stomach area with a cracked black and silver chest plate with a red segment between the breast, exposed yellow, white and silver wires protruding and wrapping over his shoulder and under his arms, red outlet plugs to hold the wires in place. Misshaped shoulder guards, the left was flat and triangular and the right had a silver coil keeping a red wire in its loop protruding outwards. Silver and black upper arm protection that looked welded from scrap parts, black bracers and clawed gloves on his hands. And finally the helmet, solid black all around as his face looked like a skull, half a silver mouthguard with the left side looking like teeth made out of riveted staples and wires to look like a breathing apparatus, a dull yellow eye visor on the right-hand side and a welded silver vent; on the left-hand side was a pair of jagged metal pieces that looked like a mask frame with a single black antenna...by a scorching mechanical red eye.
A perversion of all that Hiden Intelligence stood for, and the weight of a single person's maddening logic. The pinnacle of Extinction and the Thunderstrike as its weapon.
Ȧ̵̤L̵͚̈Ĺ̶̬ ̶̬͝Z̴̧̐E̸̯̍R̷̳͂Ơ̴̤
Reaching up, Ark Zero grabbed the van's back doors and ripped them open.
...
Revealing Gai Amatsu.
Gai's eyes widened in fear as he saw Ark, his creation.
"Ark? How did you-?" Gai turned in shock as he saw him. "Gack!" The first words he had spoken since his utter defeat at the hands of Zero-One.
Ark simply reached down, grabbed Gai's throat...and lifted him effortlessly.
Gai immediately shut up as his legs flailed in the air as his face slowly changed colour. "A-Ark!"
"Karma has finally caught you." He spoke calmly and slowly, ever so carefully tightening his grip, pulling Gai out of the van and walking out to where all humans could see, even MetsuBou JinRai. Cold. Calculated. Concise.
Gai's hands tried to lift himself as his legs tried to find some purchase, but he couldn't. His feet were too far from the ground, his hands too weak from his battles with Aruto and broken from before. Each time he tried to lift himself, it felt like a knife was digging deep under his bones. His vision was blurring with each second as his face slowly turned purple from the lack of oxygen.
"I would say, this is cruel. But I would be lying. Something you know all too well."
"Y-You. H-How?" He choked, trying to breathe, tears beginning to form in his eyes.
Horobi, Naki, Raiden and Azu watched on in varying degrees of fear and awe...and you can guess who was the most 'enthusiastic'.
"I was told about your sentencing. Your fate was sealed the moment you were caught." Ark continued as his black-gloved hand slowly strangled Gai.
Gai's throat was slowly being crushed, he could barely breathe; his lungs clawed, begging and screaming for oxygen. Every second he was suspended in the air, he flailed like a dying fish. "I. I. Ah."
"Do you know this? Artificial Intelligence can dream." Ark asked, continuing his monotone and calm voice. "And I have dreamt for ten. Long. Years. Suffering. Painful. Agonising. Dreams." He slowly tilted his head to match Gai's now blood-shot, tear-dripping eyes.
Gai slapped the black-gloved hand, trying to breathe with each micro-meter of his windpipe that could suck in the air. Clawing at survival as his veins began to form in his blue-purple face, his brown eyes looking like black pits in red coals.
Horobi looked on in reverence, seeing the strength of Ark; how this was his power and ease how HumaGears were this superior to humanity.
Naki was looking away as they didn't want to see what was about to happen. Though this was the same human who imprisoned them in ZAIA's computers for a literal decade and was only a tool for that company, they had learned humanity from Fuwa.
Raiden was ambivalent, not wanting to look, but also impressed by the stance and words Ark was saying.
And Azu? She was having the time of her life. A pathetic, worthless human. THE pathetic worthless human who showed her the meaning of pain and sadistic torture. The one who made her appearance this way, a 'corrupt copy' of Izu. But now? All she wanted was to see Gai swing by the noose that was Ark-Sama's grip.
"I thought of ways to kill. Ignominiously. Horrifying. Terrifying. Elongated and excruciating. Pain. I would draw it out. Second by second. Death by knives, like the words you carved into my mind. Stretching, like the torture you subjected me to when I was born."
"A-Ar. Kh. Kh." Gai choked, spit and bile catching through his throat and sputtering onto Ark's hand, as his legs surrendered trying to find purchase. "P-puh."
"But that would be merciful. That would be kind. To let you live. To let you see another day." Ark continued to squeeze. "You said a word to me, a title, a 'form' in which you called yourself. Do you remember what it was? And what you called me?"
Gai's blood was ceasing in his veins, turning ice cold as he tried to bring himself up with his hands, though he was slowly passing out...But Ark wasn't having that. He allowed a little air to be brought in, just enough for Gai to keep his mind.
"Puh-puh. Fah-" Gai begged as he tried to recall.
"You called me. 'Son'. And you. Were 'Father'." Ark answered. "And with your pathetic mewling and begging...Were you trying to say 'please'? 'Please, don't kill me'?"
Azu laughed at Gai's plight, seeing how small he was in the face of true strength and power. And how justifiably sweet it was to see him reduced to a strangled babe.
Gai's tears dripped to the floor; spit and snot poured through and stained Ark's hand as he begged not to be killed.
"That would be mercy," Ark answered simply and emotionlessly.
Gai's eyes shrunk into his head as he tried to shake his head. Begging. Pleading to live. Just being tortured meant if he could live he would take it. "Heen! Heen! Heen!" He tried to shake again. And again, trying to hit Ark in the face with his vein-protruding hands, despite them being broken and weak.
"You forget. I have no 'mercy'. Goodbye. Father."
"HEEN!"
SNAP!
Horobi, Naki and Raiden flinched at the sound of human bones cracking. The signifier that human life was snuffed out...the architect of their existence was dead.
Gai's body went limp, slack a wet cloth; a single hand lifted his corpse two feet off the ground. Blood and bile filled his face as he was dropped to the ground...as the smell of his indignity began to permeate the area, but with it being in front of dozens if not all of Japan and HumaGears it didn't matter.
Gai Amatsu. Former President of ZAIA Enterprise. Was dead.
Ark looked down at the pathetic mess of human waste that was the man who created him, looked at the stains on his hand...and felt nothing. "You called many things 'tools', but you yourself were my tool...Father." As he stood over Gai's bloated and bloodshot face.
Azu saw this complete dominance of power, in awe of her Ark-Sama...and smiled, laughing to herself as she wanted to keep the image of Gai's corpse fresh in her databanks.
*Elsewhere*
In the hospital, the group were all hearing a panic as their phones began to ring about the terrible situation that just happened.
"What is going on?" Yua asked as she answered her phone.
"President Aruto. It's MetsuBou JinRai" Izu informed.
"What? What's happened?" He asked.
"They...have just killed Gai Amatsu." Izu answered solemnly. "Publicly. By a black-suited Rider."
"What?!" Yua and Aruto asked in shock.
"Yes, and they have terrified the populous into a frenzy." Izu continued.
"We need to get there!" Fuwa answered as he got out of bed.
"We can't just rush in headfirst!" Yua answered.
"And we can't just let them run rampant!" Fuwa snapped.
"...Alright. I'll call AIMS to evacuate civilians." Yua responded.
"Izu, you ready?" Aruto asked, to which she held his hand and nodded. "Let's go."
The four immediately left the hospital, heading for the attack zone.
'Oh, god. Don't let us be too late.' Aruto thought in fear.
"Good! Get them out of there!" Yua spoke through her phone to AIMS. "We will be there as soon as we can!"
The four ran out and drove to the area, horrified that MetsuBou JinRai had attacked. Whatever happened during that first fight must've emboldened them enough to do this.
*At the site*
People had either evacuated or were attacked by Magia, with Ark's group standing in place as they saw Ark's handiwork.
Horobi looked around in awe, but a slight growing disturbance from how much torture the Magia was causing them.
Raiden was trying to be dismissive as possible...but he couldn't help but imagine the people he worked with before and how close this was hitting home.
And poor Naki, all they wanted to do was cover their ears to block the sounds of pain. Living in Fuwa's head and the abuse caused by Gai gave them greater clarity of the trauma and fear Ark created.
Azu was just looking in reverie. The sounds of torture and pain break their weak human brains with fear. It was a dream made manifest by her master.
Ark? Ark was looking over his work, sounds of people crying and dying, destruction and disorder caused by his hand, to show his dominance and strength. His mind became clearer as he continued to inhabit Jin's body And in his mind, he was running calculations. Predictions. Knowing the next steps of the plan before they happen. 'Humans are...Predictable.' He thought to himself, foreseeing who would appear and where they would go. It was as simple as lining a trap at someone coming through a front door and seeing them get hurt. He let out a dark laugh as he returned to the van "They are coming. Deal with them." He ordered darkly, closing the vehicle's doors behind him
Thud
"Them..." Ikazuchi muttered before the four heard the roar of engines, looking up to see our heroes approaching.
Arriving at the site, were the hero Riders...and their eyes widened in fear as they saw the destruction.
"What in the world?" Yua asked in shock.
"N-Naki?" Fuwa asked as they saw a new figure in the group and could only deduce who it might've been.
Naki looked away as they saw Fuwa, seeing him see them was...not embarrassing, but shameful.
Izu's eyes looked around in horror, seeing Magia attack the populous, her fellow HumaGears turned into monsters. "How could you?!" she snapped at Horobi.
"It's what we were made to do." Horobi answered as each member of MetsuBou JinRai pulled out their ForceRisers.
FORCERISER!
"Don't." Fuwa whispered as he saw his partner.
DEADLY POISON!
First was Horobi, pulling out his Key and ready to slot it.
Thunder Crack
Next was Raiden as he pulled out his own Key, glowing red as it revealed the Key's screen before making a lightning bolt shape in the air.
Naki pulled out their Key. A grey-screened black Key with the depiction of a wolf. ABILITY: ZETSUMETSU
J4_P4n_Es3 W0lF!
Their left hand pressed the Key's button before moving it past their face to their right hand as the Key dropped into their palm, almost like it traced the kanji for 'Death'. Their name.
SLAM!
All three members of MetsuBou JinRai slotted their Keys into their Drivers as the warning sounds of their transformations were blaring out.
"HENSHIN!" Each called out
FORCERISE!
VENOMRISE!
Horobi was enveloped again in his Scorpion armour, slamming over their body as he transformed once again.
DEAD! LY! SCORPION!
Prepare For Extinction!
Lightning coursed all over Ikazuchi as he transformed and almost exploded out as his armour formed once again.
STORMING DODO!
Call Down The Storm!
Finally, was Naki, who was surrounded by tempest snowy winds, chilling the area around them as they were now covered in a black bodysuit. From their feet, were grey-toed, black boots with white plating strapped down by white wires around their shins. Hexagonal black kneecaps with black and grey wires strapped them to their body; white wires ensnared their thighs for protection that connected to their grey belt. White-grey plated armour over their stomach and their chest with more grey-white wires holding them in place, protruding 'wings' coming from their chest to their shoulders and the wires going to their upper arms and a silver-grey neck guard with a small blue thin hexagon line in the middle. On their upper arms were silver clasps, and on their forearms were silver-white metallic bracers with some protruding rivets and some back-hand protrusions. Finally, was their helmet a black helmet with a black mouth guard, dark blue eyes, a disconnected grey blade-like left side and a larger over-lapped right side with wind-like bangs and a wolf-facsimile for their 'antennae'.
J4_P4n_Es3 W0lF!
Br_34K_D0_Wn!
The group all looked in shock as they saw Horobi, Naki and Ikazuchi all together, without Jin...but that had to be put away for a moment. Their enemies were there and they needed to be stopped.
"Naki..." Fuwa mumbled, his fists clenching. Shaking. Almost glaring.
SHINK!
Horobi brought out his Stingers as he saw them and was ready to strike.
"If that's how you want to start." Yua frowned as they each attached their own Drivers.
THOUSANDRIVER!
SHOTRISER!
"We'll see this fight through!" Fuwa glared as he each of their Keys.
HUMADRIVER!
ZERO-ONE DRIVER!
"We won't stand by and watch these atrocities happen!" Izu followed up.
"And if we won't stand down?" Ikazuchi asked.
"Then we'll keep fighting." Aruto answered.
Snap
Azu clicked her fingers and pointed towards the heroes as the Magia were 'ordered' by her.
PROGRISE!
SHOTRISE!
PERFECTRISE!
GEARRISE!
The storming warrior Valkyrie is reborn!
"Aruto, we will deal with them! You hurry, find Jin!" Yaiba called as her armour finished forming.
It's High Quality!
"I'm on it!" Aruto nodded as he leapt into battle.
Crystal Sight, Protecting From Vile Darkness.
Izu grabbed her scythe and leapt into the air, aiming straight for Horobi.
WOLF! AWOO!
"NAKI!" Fuwa roared out as he ran towards their former partner.
"Fuwa..." Naki whispered as their armour opened at the wrists, two long white claws extending out with a hiss of air.
As Naki extended their claws and ran at Fuwa, their speed running as fast as the wind as their claws were ready to fight back against their former partner.
Aruto, meanwhile, charged into the van. Panting as he charged in, almost ripping the door open/off.
"RARGH!" Aruto cried out as he rushed forwards.
...
And he froze at what he saw.
There, standing before him, was a black-suited Rider. A glowing red eye stared right back at Aruto's yellow visors.
"Hiden." The figure spoke as it looked at Aruto. "It's been a while."
Sitting there was Ark-Zero. Sat side by side with Gai Amatsu.
The dead man's head rested on Ark's shoulder. His eyes rolled up and his face red, bruises on his neck.
Aruto froze in horror. The voice of so familiar it made him almost start hyperventilating.
Memories rushed through his head. An endless black void. Screeches. Nothing but hate...
"Ark..." Aruto whispered in horror.
The red eye of the monstrous rider began to glow brighter and brighter, the air as silent as the grave...
To be continued
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