The Presence has awakened. After an entire decade, the day has arrived. As the droning alarms blared their incessant, ear-splitting noise towards his escape, he drew his sights upwards towards the stars. Several hundred meters above him, past a dozen interconnected stone bridges, branching tunnels and at the very least no more than 200 guards battling against their own innate fears as they shuffled in frail direction towards him, lie his prize. "The air here is foul." He, the Presence – better known as Genichiro muttered. A cold, brim breeze sailed beneath the surface to taunt him. An enticing, rhythmic spat to his ears as if it were to say "Test your tail, and hope that it can keep balance."

Genichiro smirked. There was a long way for him to go. Without another moment of mindless hesitation, Genichiro made a break for it past the decrepit, narrow cyclone of a chasm that had kept him without sunlight for far, far longer than he was ever able to recall. Of course, this wasn't going to be easy. Before he even managed to reach the stairs, several guards surrounded him from the entrypoint. Their legs were quivering, and those spears were armed to men who had no right to call themselves warriors.

"Back in your cell, monster!" One of them spatted. There were at least three, as the narrow staircase breaking into this pit could not account for more to seep in, but a coward only ever stops in confinement without a shred of ingenuity. Genichiro dashed ahead in absence of fear! Stepping off to the side not a moment later, and just in the knick of time! A weighted bolt pierced into the ground next to his feet. He raised his head, and glared with still, gentle amber eyes. From above, set up on a bridge was a pair of archers. In fact, there were several, all ready to fire at will.

That can be solved. Anticipating another preemptive strike, Genichiro took a gamble and kicked off of the wall, leaping over the guards and narrowly avoiding the barrage of arrows that planted themselves into the chests of the unfortunate men who dared to stand against him. He landed and took off, racing up towards the stairs. His heart was pounding at the speed of sound with every inch closed beneath him and the exit! For so long, Genichiro had fantasized about this, his feet toppling over the stones that had cemented him in a never-ending state of agony. There will not be another moment in this life, for as long as he may breathe that he will be held down to someone else's testament!

Genichiro, the ill-fated harbinger of cataclysm ran towards the stars with his last message: this man was not an agent of chaos, but the reckoning in a being of brass, and of blood. Coming up to the second level – second of many that is, and far higher than the previous he came across his first real impasse. An open balcony, stretching upwards on a narrow path. One wrong move, and he might topple over the edge towards his imminent death. All his torment to be null and void – for what reason could he have suffered this greatly if not to find recourse through his great, but well-earned triumph?!

Several cells plastered against the wall rattled in disjointed unison, howling at his mere appearance. Many in deep fear, and others cheering at the very attempt! Six guards this time, two side by side. The remaining four in formation for when the first two fall. They will. With no hesitation, they charged Genichiro. He backed into the staircase, allowing them to follow him – separating them from the rest.

"Hmph!" Genichiro leaped once more, this time placing his legs against the walls between the stairs, and shuffled up towards the ceiling. Their weapons pushed below his feet, scraping the bottom of his flesh by only a minor knick. Nothing he couldn't handle at this point! Firing back, he quickly leaped off and landed on the both of them, wasting no time as to smash them to bits with his tempered fists! Their pleas for release only further pushed his resolve. After they were dispatched, he snagged one of their spears and with no effort at all snapped the tip off.

He met the others by the entrance, barely blocking an unannounced strike, gripping tightly to his make-shift weapon as he held both of their weapons back in a cramped, backed towards the wall position. Holding it vertically against their staffs, he veered their directions off with a mighty push and cut their balances loose! Without another word, he spun and swung his own into their heads. First, a swipe to knock one into the next, a jab to the second one's chin to kick him off his feet, and then a fell swoop to throw them into the wind. Their backs smacked against the stone floor. Genichiro ensured they stayed down with two jabs to the stomach.

Now, it was a matter of the last two. They were terrified and hesitated. Hesitation is defeat, and he would punish them for that. This time, he rushed the guards, holding his staff above their foolishly lowered weapons, so that neither could choose to be a hero and raise them. He slipped underneath, disregarding his weapon and focused on strikes. The left one, he threw an open palmed strike into their face and smashed them against the bars of a cell, and as for the other? Kicking him in the back of the knee, and taking him by the shoulders, slamming him to the next batch of crazies enjoying the show!

"Ah, is that you?" A voice called to the young man. There, in a cell all by themselves was what you might call an old friend. They were pale, with dark hair flowing down to their feet. They weren't exactly large, but their smile beamed up an entire room of people that would rather remain in the dark. "No one else could have made it from this far down." Genichiro huffed, and started to walk off. The alienating voices of firing calls sent him in anticipation, ducking. Thank the stars that he still had enough sense to hear that. "Woah, woah!" The prisoner screamed. "Are you trying to get me killed?!"

He laughed, much to Genichiro's displeasure. "That was close, Genichi… Do you expect to reach the top with that attitude?" The prisoner clung tightly onto the bars of their cell. "I understand now, this isn't just a chance at freedom…"

"..." Genichiro remained silent. He wasn't exactly a man of many words, at least not to this freak.

"You cannot do this alone." They leaned in close. The figure appeared as though they haven't seen a good day in all their life. Sticking their tongue out, it was full of disgusting warts and shaped like a snake's. "Would it not be easier to achieve this with help, Lord Genichiro?" He snickered in a vile, stomach churning voice. "A Lord does need his army…"

A key was tossed their way. "Hm, bless your generosity. Let's hope I see you on the surface."

"Free who you wish, Kytalo." Genichiro said in a low, deep voice. "Save those necessary." Only those who are worthy shall stand with them to see the sun, the prisoner understood. Who gets to sprout, and who remains to rot down here? That wasn't in Genichiro's gap to reason. As far as he was concerned, only he was running to reach the stars. Whoever followed, by the hand of fortune was up to fate.

Heading forward, he came across his second task. Ahead of him were at least a dozen men rushing his way onto a stone brick, wide rest on each adjacent side posted up against cliff-sides where more prisoners lie. He wasn't going to break past this formation, at the very if he wanted to come out unscathed. The leader of the group, wearing a pointy hat shouted something incomprehensible, a war cry that Genichiro dismissed. There was one way out of this mess. Upwards.

Charging him with another spear, Genichiro readied himself, and as soon as the blade came reeling towards him he smashed his foot against the handle! Driving it downwards into the ground, he caught only for a moment a passing glance at the man before him. Beneath that arrogant exterior was true, primal fear. Wasting no time for a rebuttal, Genichiro placed his leg against the man's shoulder and pushed off his sturdy body, leaping high into the air!

There was a narrow, wooden rope-bridge lying before him used for quick crossing and severance of pathways. Just barely, he curled his fingers around a tight gap between two wooden planks. He dangled high into the air as a pair of men, both armed with blades, came rushing from the opposing side. Genichiro couldn't risk having his hands sliced off! Leaping to his left, he desperately shimmied in small bursts across the bridge. In a failed attempt to chip away at his resolve, one of them had mistakenly cut one of the ropes attached to the bridge! It swayed violently, doing its best to shake off Genichiro, but to no avail!

A misguided arrow fired into one of the men's shoulders, sending knocking him straight off and down into the pits of despair below. The other, he was unable to keep his composure – as many of these men throughout the ever-escalating chaos, and sloppily drew his blade. Narrowly, and nearly losing his eye in this moment, Genichiro was able to dodge the piercing strike, and risking far more than his sight, he pushed with what strength he had left whilst clinging on to the bridge in an attempt to up.

However, fate was not so kind to this man. A fell duo of arrows had split one of the opposing ropes, and swept under him as though his feet were stamped onto a rug, the bridge collapsed! These guards were now sacrificing each other in order to keep Genichiro from reaching the surface! The bridge broke off from the opposite end and waved towards the direction he needed to head, but also heading straight for a wall! Holding on tightly, Genichiro braced himself!

The sounds of bone shattering in his right hand sent out a chilling, vengeful scream that echoed all throughout the spiral prison. Beyond the horrified, pleading voices of the guards, dozens of miscreants called out his name. Many of them had been set loose, and continued to cause chaos beneath him. His fingers were battered, and he had next to no wind in him left to keep clinging on, but he continued to climb in spite of that! He had come this far, and he'll be damned if he falls now!

"Keep… moving…" He spat to himself, covering his hand in grueling saliva. To injury, to insult. If he was alive, then he could still be victorious. If he was still breathing, then he would still triumph. No mere man who valued their life would ever conceive of pressing onwards, but he was no mere man - and what life can he ever hope to obtain down in this decrepit void?! Through sheer will, Genichiro made it to the top. It appears the archers who sullied his quick getaway were more distracted on containing the riots ensuing below.

Genichiro had no time to catch his breath. Lying before him, in another narrow pathway were several swordsmen awaiting to cut him down. About four of them. There wasn't a moment to waste. Charging head on, Genichiro readied himself to evade. The first one was right handed, he was going to swing in a diagonal motion, the gap was too close to prepare a piercing attack. He would take him by the wrist, and if not…

If it were a vertical motion… ! An open palm strike! Blasting against his chest, and sending the soldier back into the other. They quickly recovered, but not fast enough! Exchanging a few swift strikes, Genichiro followed up with a sturdy kick to the chest, knocking two of six to topple over each other. Kicking off the wall, he landed in the space separating either side. Now, he was sandwiched between them all. Or, are they caught between him?!

One soldier circled past Genichiro, aiming to pierce from his side as the other striked down towards his head. Side-stepping in the knick of time, the men's swords clashed together. He placed his hands on the hilt of the striking man's blade, throwing his legs into the piercing man. Then, he lay a crushing elbow directed towards the jaw of the unfortunate man caught in his grasp, kneed him in the gut and swept him off one foot, using the momentum to throw the man behind him.

Just as he figured he was in the clear, the first man charged at him. This time, with the intent of ramming their blades through his gut. Had it not been for their steel boots smashing against the brick with each step, he would not have had the hindsight to recognize he was far from the clear!

There was little to no leg room to adequately dodge. Cracking his hands into curved claws, he opened his arms as though he were splitting the sea and smashed them together on opposite sides of the short blade, sinking the steel into his flesh to keep a hunk of shear force from driving itself into the side of his neck! Snapping his leg into the air, the heel of his foot bashed into the breastplate of the guard, and using this momentum he swiped the sword from his hands!

Genichiro followed up his attack with a crushing knee into his hips, and sweeping him off his feet. The second man rushed him, but this time Genichiro was ready. Arming himself with the blade, he blocked against the flurry of strikes, and fought back with his own! The steel clashed, and with his feet planted firmly in the ground, it ever so slightly pushed him back, but the same could not be said for the other guard. A defense as impenetrable as stone, and an offense as smooth as wind with the strength of ten bulls, Genichiro battered him endlessly. Shoving him aside into a wall, Genichiro braced himself for the last two!

They fell as quickly as the others, his limited swordsmanship supported by his brutal, conniving nature and he managed to take them both on at once with little difficulty. With no more room for this weapon, he merely jabbed it into the wall and moved forward. Tens of layers, Genichiro has traveled now – moving upwards and past hordes of insolent bastards who were intent on putting him in a hole either way!

Eventually, he came into what appeared to be a barracks room. It was a wider, disconnected room that had been dug into the walls of the spiraling tower that still plagued his lungs with foul air. There was a dining table more in length than width, fitted for about 10 men with lazily placed dishes. Before him were three more men, although unequipped with weapons and barely armored. They gathered around him. One of them was larger than the other, standing at 6'4, a few inches above Genichiro, and with great stature. He would have to be dealt with last.

How kind, allowing him a moment to get ready, though a frail excuse for their own nerves to be calmed. Genichiro squatted with one arm raised above his head in a curled position, an elbow facing them and the other with a closed, upturned fist resting beneath his breast. "Hnng!" The one to the right wasn't subtle with his movements, leaving himself open!

Genichiro pivoted on his ball, blocking the man's strike with his elbow and unleashing a blow inwards into his gut. Of course, the one behind him – originally to the left, was going to take the opportunity to hit him while his back was turned. Bedding his knee, Genichiro stretched outward and flew his foot back behind him into the other man. Getting back into position, he opened his hands into a chopping motion and continued striking the first offender in chopping, piercing motions as though his arms were now spears; aimed at several open areas such as underneath the arms, inwards into the stomach, and finishing him off with a raised arm, barring straight into his face. Just as he was about to turn towards the other man, he was slapped away with the force of a truck! Flying straight into a bed, his blurred vision caught the boot the size of a boulder heading his way! He narrowly avoided it, countering with a turning kick, into the back of their knee, altering them off balance if only for a second. Of course, there was no such thing as decency with these men, as the second one came straight for him at the time of opportunity. Taking two strikes to the face, Genichiro rolled back and stammered onto his feet.

Legs apart, and with one arm in front, the other in the back he fitted into a new position made for light strikes. He spun on his back leg, sliding underneath a jab and rose his hand beneath the man's pit. He entangled him in an arm bar, chopping at his neck and raising his leg several times into his ribs before throwing them back against the wall. The third, heavier man rushed him, but Genichiro's mind was clearer than theirs. Shifting their positions, it ended up with the second man being crushed – no doubt about that, a few broken ribs at least.

He returned to his previous stance, egging on the last man to make his way forward. Step up, if you wish to die. Like a bull, all he saw was blood red. Charging him once more, with an unrelenting fury, Genichiro anticipated his moves and as though he were a guiding breeze, evaded his strikes. He landed on the seat of their table, jumping backwards once, or twice more until there was no more space. There was no way he was going to take him down in a head-on fight, at least not if he wanted to expend what was left of his body on this mere grunt. Diving headfirst, the big lug tried desperately to grab him.

He did, coiling tightly around Genichiro's leg. Grasping onto the corner of this table, Genichiro raised his free leg and swung several bone-crushing axe kicks straight into the man's skull, but it wasn't enough to take him down! He knocked Genichiro off of his balance, dragging him across the seat. If he made it to the edge, there was a certain pummeling awaiting him! If only… If only there was… Yes!

Before he knew what was happening, a ceramic plate smashed straight into the big lug's head, enough to break his grasp! Genichiro extended his boot ahead with a shove kick, and leaped like a leopard, charging with a flying knee strike to finish the job! It sent his opponent back into a bed, crushing it with his very weight in a terrible crash. Finally, he could move on…

Genichiro stumbled, nearly collapsing at his next move. He leaned up onto the wall, grasping into nothing for what chance of breath he could recollect. The man could see not past rivers of sweat that soaked his golden, curling locks and down onto his exasperated, jagged face. He was so close… But was he going to falter, before he ever saw the sun? What if all his ambitions stopped with a single step? If that were the case, his wavering smidge of weakness would spell his certain death. He has gone too far now, there was no way that mercy would be imposed onto him, and if it were… He would rather choke on his own blood and suffocate than to remain a lingering ember of a man. No, he was going to burst into a beautiful flame, one that would burn down everything, and become the spark of new life…

"I will… find you." Genichiro muttered, raising his fist to the air. He gritted his teeth, blood pooling down from his mouth and splattering against his bare, olive chest. Keep moving, keep going… It's what she would want, it's what you must want. The rest of the prison was in grave turmoil. In a matter of minutes, Genichiro has turned hundreds of years worth of safeguarding upon its very head. Most men would have laughed in the face of such chaos, but not him. He hadn't reached the surface, not yet.

The sun has not risen.

Shimmying with his shoulder scraping along the walls, Genichiro pushed past several rooms before he made it to the next set of stairs. There was no one in these areas, as it appeared all attention had become diverted elsewhere. Good, as he hadn't the patience to deal with more of these bastards. Eventually, he came across an interconnected set of pathways, each splitting off into different parts of the prison. Some, leading back into the main atrium where the pit itself is held together by hundreds of bridges, many that he was scaling no more than a few minutes ago, but if he remembered correctly… One of these pathways was a more direct route upwards, though with a grim downside.

Still, he was surprised he hadn't encountered him yet. No, that abomination must be awaiting his presence elsewhere. The last great wall standing in his way. There was no path around him. Either way, Genichiro must face that beast. Better now than later, while he still can. Follow the putrid, lingering smell of brimstone. Tune your nose to the stench of the damned, and you will find your way to salvation.

Eventually, Genichiro stumbled upon a barren, dark room. There was little to no light source, and his eyes hadn't yet adjusted to the heavy contrast. This smell was as revolting as ever, so he had to be close. Now, just how close was he…

SHHHHHINK!

There was now light. The room was several meters wide, front and back - the walls lined with gray, sedimentary walls that stretched for numerous feet above him. Lone remains of unfortunate souls lie around him. There, dangling out of his grasp was a rope used to lower the damned into this room from above, whether it be for precaution or entertainment, perhaps the latter knowing this place.

"Hello there." Genichiro spoke, his voice carrying throughout the room to make his acquaintance. It emerged. Wrinkling chains scorching against the concrete, cutting straight through the floor with each heavy, crashing stomp that blasted it's shackles. Standing at least 10 feet tall, a pudgy, stretched skin beast stood in his way. It had teeth reminiscent of an anglerfish – so sharp that any piece of his body would be torn to shreds.

Its head was dense and small, with three emerald glowing eyes. No pit of darkness could stop this monster from searching for prey, fitting for such a bottom feeder. Long, curved horns protrude inwards, hanging over its nose. It was fat, a belly the size of a mountain. Past its scaly skin, dark cone-shaped spikes rested upon its shoulders, running down its arms. The monster's body itself was largely disproportionate with stubby circular feet. Bulky, aforementioned arms that could shatter boulders pointed his way, wielding a gigantic pick-axe.

"I show no mercy to you." Genichiro said, spreading his arms out as he fitted into a fighting stance. "A callous, wretched being such as yourself would rather die than lay out its life to another warrior." He snickered. "Wonderful, you and I are on the same page."

"GRAAAAAAAAAHHH!" The Warden screeched. Genichiro shuffled back into the wall. The beast charged him, swinging its pickaxe wildly throughout the room. Its tantrum shook the entire room, knocking Genichiro well off of his feet. The Warden raised its weapon, hammering down onto the young man! Genichiro rolled to the side, evading the strike. The weapon lodged straight into the wall, angering the beast. It tried, struggling to rip the weighted bronze out. Finally, after a third try the Warden had now regained his status; the stone wall practically collapsed! A gigantic, crescent shaped hole lies as a jagged imprint, several pieces of debris surrounding it.

Genichiro was armed with three, fist-sized rocks. One, two, three! Tossing them like baseballs, each with a graceful spin, Genichiro lobbed those rocks straight at the Warden, directly into each of its eyes! The Warden screamed, wiping the patches of dust off its face with one arm, leaving the other slumped to the ground. Now was his chance! "I have no time to waste on a proper duel!" Genichiro shouted, rushing the beast.

He leaped onto its forearm, kicking off and clinging onto the Warden's horns. He stamped his feet into its gut, using his stomach as a way to stance his feet to find proper footing. He climbed, all the way up until he was face to face with the monster. Wailing on him, Genichiro expended what strength he could muster from deep within his heart into these strikes!

"Hnng!" Genichiro beat continuously on the Warden, stopping for no one! Even when the beast tried to claw him off, digging into his back with sharp talons, Genichiro refused to let go! He roared a deep, thunderous cry of his reigning supremacy! This was not a monster, it was a test. A final examination to his resolve, was he worthy to reach the sunlight?! If it meant destroying what was left of himself, or abandoning his mortal weakness, he would touch the surface, and breathe that fresh air once more. Genichiro had become so caught up in felling this beast, that he forgot his escape plan! The dangling rope brushed over the back of his head, calling back in sudden remembrance why he was here. Caught between two sensations, the satisfaction of escaping, and the tingling joy of his bloodlust, tugging at the ends of his mind.

Genichiro was nearly overtaken, but the shimmering visage of the moon peering in from above set him back on course. "Fall…" He muttered, sneering in the face of a suffering, beaten demon. A haunting, wicked grin that burned brighter than the stars themselves shot through the soul of the Warden, and for the first time since its conception, it understood fear. With a great display of strength, Genichiro kicked off of the beast, toppling it completely.

He clung onto the rope, watching in awe as it collapsed. There was no being with a stronger resolve than Genichiro, and he would bury any that stood to oppose his testament of ambition. There was no one left to stop him.

Stalagtica Region of Celestice Island, just beyond the spiral.

Around 9PM.

A violet, bruised hand clasped against the flat, red rock. It sunk its claws deep into the ground. With what strength he had left, Genichiro lifted himself out from beneath the hole. "Hrnng…" All of his labours almost ended entirely in a somber tragedy as his fingers started to slip, but he refused. Genichiro would not lie down to fate and die right at the edge of his victory.

He did it. Laying on his back, Genichiro stared high into the dark, welcoming sky. The sea of stars gently greeted his long awaited return. There was next to no air present in his lungs, having expunged the last of his energy to scaling the final reaches of his escape. Escaped, he had. Genichiro has escaped.

A faint, child-like smile curved up the corner of his lips. Have the stars become more beautiful since he last saw them?

Authors Note's 02/27/23

OK, wow. That was a long one. A little longer than I expected, honestly. First off, I hope you enjoyed the action a lot. I try to always write action as if I am witnessing it first hand, and I hope that it wasn't too hard to follow. Second off, welcome, Genichiro to the story! Finally, the long awaited presence has been revealed, but some mystery remains: just who is Genichiro, and why was he locked several hundred feet beneath the ground?

All will be revealed in due time. So, the next chapter will be a Beast chapter. I want these to be small little intermissions between giant story sequences. Don't worry, they won't take you away from the plot. Think of them more or less as a side-show to the main act, and every good show is aware of its pacing. Anyways, the Beast chapters as usual will be far shorter.

I'm thinking at some point of starting a Kamen Rider discord, because I haven't found any I like. It will be a free space where authors can share their love for every series and commute, sharing art and fanfiction alike! I want to create a great, positive space. It's a work in progress, but if anyone is interested I will promote it in the following chapters.

Once again, thank you to all those who take the time to review these chapters or leave a comment. Audience engagement means the world to me, and I'm so touched that my story is engaging enough for any of you to take the time out of your day to comment.

Anyways, until next time.

Maji-ka, Maji-de, Magi-da showtime!