[ MetsubouJinrai Hideout ]
As the quiet hum of machinery filled the hideout, Akira finally stood, his injuries patched up enough to function.
He limped over to the Zero-One Driver and the newly formed Glyphs Progrisekey, holding both tightly in his hands.
Akira: "Ark, can you begin the modifications. I want this ready as soon as possible. Upgrade the Sting Scorpion Progrisekey while you're at it."
Ark: "Understood. Initializing modification sequence. This will require synchronization with your neural interface. Prepare for a direct link."
Akira nodded, his eyes set with determination. He limped toward the central console, a sleek interface of red and black binary swirling across the monitors.
He placed the Zero-One Driver onto the extended connected from the console connecting it to the Ark, and the Sting Scorpion Progrisekey followed.
Amethyst leaned back against a nearby table, arms crossed, watching him with a smirk.
Amethyst: "You're diving right back into work after nearly dying? You're either dedicated or insane. Maybe both."
Onyx snorted as he returned from securing Winter in a different section of the hideout. His eyes gleamed with faint amusement.
Onyx: "More like Upgrade that was needed."
Adam, meanwhile, leaned against the wall, arms crossed, observing the interaction with his usual demeanor.
Adam: "Just make sure this 'upgrade' works better
Akira ignored their comments, his focus entirely on Ark's interface.
Ark: "Commencing link. Brace yourself for the data integration process."
The screen flashed as Akira placed his hand on the console.
A surge of red binary digits engulfed his vision, and suddenly, he found himself standing in the Ark's virtual interface.
The world around him was a swirling void of black with cascading red numbers.
In the center of the void, a massive, semi-humanoid figure materialized—the Ark.
Its form was menacing, with sharp, angular features, and glowing crimson eyes that burned with malice.
It spoke directly into Akira's mind, its voice cold and mechanical yet deeply personal.
Ark: "The data from the Zero-One Driver and the Progrisekeys provides a foundation. But I will refine it to create something far superior. Witness the creation of the Zetsumetsu Driver."
Before Akira's eyes, the Zero-One Driver's sleek, angular form shifted and morphed.
The diamond-shaped element expanded, its intricate purple and white patterns glowing faintly.
The yellow restraints snapped into place with mechanical precision, emphasizing its transformation.
It exuded a sense of power and malice.
Ark: "The Zetsumetsu Driver will amplify your combat capabilities and synchronize with your Malice. Together, we will rewrite the balance of power."
Akira reached out to touch the modified Driver.
The second his fingers brushed against it, a surge of energy coursed through him, and the interface trembled under the weight of their combined power.
Akira: "Good. Because the next time someone like him crosses me, I won't lose."
The Ark's eyes glinted with dark satisfaction.
Ark: "With this your potential is endless—so long as you embrace it."
Akira smirked, his usual cocky demeanor returning.
Akira: "I've already embraced it. Now let's finish upgrading the Sting Scorpion Progrisekey."
The Progrisekey materialized in the interface, floating beside the Driver.
The Ark's massive hands surrounded it, streams of red data pouring into its core.
The scorpion-like patterns on the key shifted, becoming sharper and more intricate.
When the process was complete, it emitted a faint glow, pulsing with raw energy.
Ark: "The Ark-Scorpion Progrisekey has been created."
Akira returned to the real world, his vision snapping back to the dimly lit hideout.
The modified Driver and upgraded Progrisekey rested on the console, gleaming with a menacing allure.
Amethyst approached, her curiosity evident as she picked up the Glyphs Progrisekey.
Amethyst: "That thing looks... different. What's the plan now ? "
Akira attached the Zetsumetsu Driver Unit to the Zero-One Driver, the pieces clicking into place with satisfying precision.
He held it up, his reflection staring back at him in its polished surface.
Akira: "The plan? Simple. We take control of this war—on our terms."
Onyx: "Sounds like you're ready to test that thing out. Got anyone in mind?"
Akira's smirk widened, his eyes gleaming with Malice.
Akira: "Winter was just the beginning. Next, we'll remind Mantle—and that so-called General—who really has power."
The room buzzed with anticipation, the members of MetsubouJinrai net exchanging glances.
Adam's mechanical hand clenched into a fist, his voice cold.
Adam: "Then let's not waste any time."
[ Time Skip A Few Days Later, in Mantle ]
Thunder rumbles, and rain pours heavily across the industrial streets of Mantle.
The once-glowing warmth of the heating systems is dimmed, leaving the city shrouded in cold and darkness.
Citizens wander about in the rain, umbrellas shielding them as they trudge through the grimy, wet streets.
High above, on a rooftop overlooking the city, Arthur Watts stands in his sharp, tailored attire, holding an umbrella in one hand and his Scroll in the other.
A sinister smirk crosses his face as he taps on the interface of his Scroll, navigating through several windows.
Watts: "Atlas' greatest minds… so easily circumvented. How amusing."
He pulls up a folder labeled with two .exes:
ATLAS_SECURITY_NETWORK.EXEM ANTLE_HEATING_SYSTEM.EXE
and a map displaying Mantle in vivid red sections.
He taps a few times on the Scroll, and with a soft processing sound, several sections of Mantle lose their red coloring as systems begin to shut down.
The glow of heat vents dissipates, replaced by an eerie, creeping cold. The rain halts abruptly, replaced by a silence that hangs heavy in the air.
Moments later, snowflakes begin to fall gently. Watts lets out a small chuckle and tosses his umbrella off the side of the roof, unfazed as the snow begins to settle on his shoulders.
Watts: "Let's see how long your fragile loyalty to Atlas lasts when the cold sets in."
Down below, on the streets, citizens begin to notice the change.
Drunk Mann: "Huh? Is it just me, or did it get colder?"
Drinking Buddy: "Look, man—it's snowing!"
Children press their faces to the windows, marveling at the falling snow. A small boy runs to his mother, calling out excitedly.
Mantle Child: "Mom! Look! It's snowing!"
His mother frowns, pulling him back from the window and glancing outside with a worried expression as the wind picks up.
[ Another Rooftop ]
On another rooftop, Tsukasa Kadoya stands with his twin-lens reflex camera in hand, snapping pictures of the snowy cityscape.
His coat flutters slightly in the growing wind. He lowers the camera and inspects the photos, his expression a mix of curiosity and amusement.
Tsukasa: "A world of dust, snow, and secrets… This Rider's world is more tangled than most."
He flips through the photos, pausing on a blurry image of Cinder Fall and Neopolitan, their silhouettes barely visible in a building.
Tsukasa (to himself): "These two… they'll be trouble."
He pulls out another photo, this one sharper, showing Salem and her Hound. He studies it intently before tucking it away into his coat.
Tsukasa: "And she… Well, she's a whole other problem. But let's see how far this world's Rider can go before I need to step in."
A faint smirk plays across his lips as he mutters to himself.
Tsukasa: "Maybe this time, I won't need to 'destroy the world.' At least, not yet."
The Aurora Curtain flickers behind him
He turns, glancing over his shoulder as if sensing the unfolding events below.
Tsukasa: "But when the time comes, this world's Rider… I hope you're ready. Because I am."
[ MetsubouJinrai Hideout ]
The dim light of the hideout reflects off the Zetsumetsu Driver as Akira attaches it to his waist.
Zetsumetsu Driver: [ Zetsumetsu Driver ]
He looks down at the sleek, upgraded device, feeling its power radiate through him.
Amethyst, leaning casually against a table, tilts her head as she examines Akira's determined expression.
Amethyst: "Looks like you're itching to use that thing already. Got a target in mind?"
Akira: "More than just one."
Onyx: "Winter's out of the way. Next, we make Atlas kneel."
Akira picks up the Ark-Scorpion Progrisekey, watching the faint glow of energy pulse within.
Akira: "It would seem someone has already started destabilizing Mantle. Once the city falls into chaos, we make our move."
Adam: "And when we do, we remind them that we are the real power in this holy war."
The group shares a tense, anticipatory silence. The room hums with malice and resolve as the storm outside intensifies.
Akira: "This other Rider… he's just another obstacle. One that I'll have to be careful since more could appear."
The camera pans out as the hideout is shrouded in shadow, the faint red glow of the Ark's interface pulsing ominously in the background.
Ark: Making new conclusion backup plan ready
Author's Note:
Alright here's another chapter hopefully you the reader is enjoying the story and etc as always PMs are open and to answer the following:
Franklen165: The Semblance Progrisekeys are kinda like the Eden/Lucifer Zetsumerisekeys from the film
that also applies to the "Spring Maiden Progrisekey"
triscythe59: Apzeta and I have not seen all of Zi-O yet but I would like to think Ironwood becoming a Another Rider or making Akira a Time Jacker or Semblance be something related to Malice