Reviews:
SkyKing01: Glad you like the story. Welcome aboard(unless you've been reading for a while and just reviewed it now). But honestly, for now, I don't think so. I want to keep it with the Riders I have, otherwise, this will never end LOL. But maybe. I do have something planned for later on. But I can't reveal any details.
Tigracho: I will neither confirm nor deny lol. Yeah, I was aiming for that. In a way, Allister respects Fine so much that he straight up said he considered her a mother figure in a way, since she treated him nicely. Then again, he was born and raised in the streets of France struggling to eat a loaf of bread a day, so maybe his definition of affection is slightly different from the others. They're both twisted individuals, so there's that lol. Yeah, it's the fact that she reminded him of that friend, he pretty much took a liking to her. Since he knows of her very questionable background with her relatives back in France. Also, since he's been attending Lydian and interacting with people, in addition to absorbing Goro's powers, he's been developing his ability to feel emotions. So this was his first act of sympathy. By the way, I really like your Hibiki Shem-ha idea. I'll consider it.
HanzoHasashi98: Right. This is kind of like that. Pretty much Hajime vs. Bragard is meant to be like a mid-series epic fight. Goku vs Frieza, Naruto vs Pain, Ichigo vs Ulquiora, Luffy vs Lucci or Doflamingo. Stuff like that.
Akira: Your wish is my command.
Guest: Pues me gusta mucho Terunosuke y Allister, ya que me gusta mucho escribir a cabrones despiadados xD. Takeru y Kuroiwa son divertidos de escribir. Pero mis favoritos diria que son Damian y Chao-Xing, y eso que solo han aparecido en esta temporada.
FlameFireZero X: Looks so sick. The goggles and the light blue are so appealing too.
lordri25may2001: Bragard's death will be ironic, now that I think about it. But above all, very satisfying. You'll see. I mean...Does Carol really have a heart? I think she does in XV but in GX I don't think so. But then again, she's a tragic villain. Honestly, this idea is pretty cool. You and Tigracho have given me the tools I need to spice things up in XV. I'll be honest, I was a little worried since I do know what's going to happen there, but I wanted to make it more...impactful, I suppose. There will also be a final original season after XV, so look forward to that as well. I'm happy you think that, man. Seriously, it means a lot to me as a writer.
Tenzalucard123: Hero landing! The hero always arrives at the last second. There is a lot of drama and a lot of action going on. This will be very busy.
Chapter 71
Lingyun Liang
Thunderous strikes echoed through the strike. Both fighters moved at great speeds, countering each other's attacks in quick succession. The hostages watched in awe, unable to keep up with the fast-paced fight. Chao-Xing held a firm expression, as she was the only one who could react to their speeds.
"Lingyun..."
Ryuki went in for a swing, which Bragard easily parried by planting his sword on the ground. The strike made Ryuki feel a rattling sensation upon strike the hunk of metal, and before he knew it Alternative kicked him in the stomach, launching him against a lightpost. Hajime grabbed onto the post, spinning around before launching himself against Alternative with a dive kick. He blocked his kick with his sword before Ryuki began trying to slash him. He continued to parry, until he smacked the sword out of Ryuki's hands, going for a horizontal swing to slice him in half. Ryuki simply jumped in the air, spinning rapidly before delivering a powerful kick, which Alternative blocked with his forearm. He shoved him away, raising his sword and spewing azure fire from the tip.
"Wow!" Hajime cried, narrowly avoiding the flames by bending his knees. Alternative snapped his fingers, prompting black spikes to emerge from the ground and forcing Ryuki to jump back. He fired more flames in his direction, forcing Ryuki to use one of the spikes to jump in the air to avoid the attack. Alternative surprised him by throwing a car in his direction, sending Ryuki into an office building. He landed on the fourth floor, leaning against the wall.
Black projectiles began firing around him, but none of them seemed to hit their mark.
'He can't see me or detect me.' Ryuki sighed. But then he felt it. He bent his knees, avoiding Alternative's kick from behind.
"Oh? You can sense me?"
Instead of responding, Ryuki backhanded him, but his attack was blocked by Bragard's forearm. Both of them stood staring at each other's masks.
"So far so good, Boy Wonder." Alternative complimented him. Both of them took a step back."You're a lot better than I was expecting. I'm a little surprised."
"Why, thank you." Ryuki couldn't help but respond.
"But you'll never defeat me." And there was the punchline.
"Maybe so." Ryuki grinned, clenching his sword with both hands."But we won't know unless we try!"
"Ohohohoho! No, I already know." Bragard repelled Ryuki out of the building, sending him flying and skidding across the street.
Strike Vent: Psychotic Fireworks
Armed cannons on his shoulders were equipped to Alternative, and he began firing them in unison, making a whistling sound as they homed on Ryuki.
"Shiiiiit!" Ryuki began running in the opposite direction, glancing over his shoulder as the rockets began colliding with everything around him. He jumped in the air, his eyes shooting wide open when he saw a beam of dark energy coming at him.
Guard Vent: Dragshield
Ryuki blocked the attack but was immediately pushed through a building. He couldn't stop, but at least the shield was holding well. Until the explosion went off.
"Hajime!" Setsuna cried out for her brother.
Alternative landed on top of a light post, smiling at his work."Huh?"
Several fireballs emerged from the smoke, forcing Alternative to jump back before swatting them away with his blade.
Ryuki fired flames in the form of Dragreder, which Alternative countered by releasing azure flames from his sword. The flames clashed against each other, beginning a tug-of-war in the middle of the street. However, the azure flames began to consume Ryuki's flames, and soon enough, he had to leap out of the way to avoid being burnt to a cinder.
Alternative raised his hand, lifting another car and hurling it at Ryuki. He acted quickly, slashing it in half to avoid being crushed.
Advent: Dragreder
Dragreder descended from the sky, shooting several fireballs at Alternative.
He drew a card, scanning it through his visor.
Hop Vent
Grasshopper's legs attached themselves to his calves, using them to boost himself into the air to avoid the attack. He then jumped around buildings, before shooting himself toward Ryuki, kicking him in the chest. However, Ryuki persevered through the pain, grabbing his leg and throwing him in the opposite direction.
Booster Vent
Ryuki activated his boosters, chasing after Alternative and going for a kick. He missed his target, as Alternative hopped around again and struck him in the back. He skidded on the street, rolling over and aiming his gauntlet at him, shooting several fireballs in his direction. His speed allowed him to blitz through them, appearing a few meters away from Ryuki and raising his hand toward him."Attract!"
Ryuki felt something pull him forward. He tried resisting, but then the force increased and he was headed toward the Slashdagger. Quick on his feet, he fired several fireballs at random, and all of them homed in on Bragard.
"Huh?"
Bragard clicked his tongue, forced to cancel his attacks after receiving the attacks head-on."You-"
"Come on, it's not that hard." Ryuki landed on his feet, a grin plastered on his face."Your gravity powers attract everything around me, no? So I don't even have to aim when you do that."
"Not bad, human. Not bad." Alternative chuckled."I guess you are not as braindead as I thought you were."
"Yeah? Well, you keep underestimating me." Ryuki quipped."Not hard to surprise you when you expect so little of me."
"I try not to. At least you, honestly." Altneriatve shrugged."By the way, do you know we're related? I'm your ancestor."
"Yeah? Well, I honestly don't give a shit." Ryuki retorted."All I care about is beating you. Doesn't matter what you are. You have to be stopped."
"What a boring reaction." Alternative scoffed."Seriously."
"Sorry. Guess sometimes we don't get what we want." Ryuki shot back.
"Maybe putrid humans like you don't get what you want." He placed a hand over his chest."But I am a Prince. The Ultimate Lifeform. I'm the most powerful being on this entire planet at the moment. So me not getting what I want is...problematic, to say the least."
Ryuki stared over to the giant tower in the distance, then back to Alternative.
"Ah, you noticed the Overall." Alternative smiled."Good. I'm so lucky you came here on your own. Now I don't have to hunt you down. You're the last Rider I need."
"Then go ahead and show me."
Wordlessly, Alternative appeared in front of Ryuki, going for a spiral kick. Ryuki reacted, raising his forearm. However, the force behind the attack was too much for him and he was sent rolling on the street. Before he could recover, Alternative kicked him in the chin, sending him flying toward the sky. He ignited his boosters, trying to get some distance, but Alternative was faster than him. He kicked him toward the ground, using his gravity to increase the pressure and sending Ryuki crashing several yards into the ground.
"Blast...!" Chao-Xing grimaced, clenching her fist."He's faster than Lingyun...!"
Alternative landed on top of a rooftop, sitting down on the edge and crossing his legs."Come on, Boy Wonder. I am expecting far more from a Messiah Candidate. Surely you can do better than that, right?"
Down below, Ryuki groaned, kicking a rock off his body. He sat up in the hole he made, rubbing his helmet.'He's too fast. I haven't been able to tag him at all. He anticipates my movements and I can't react in time to block.'
"On the battlefield, you don't fight to win or for glory or praise. You fight to survive. Use your instincts. Think outside of the box and outsmart your opponent. Create openings. Your opponent won't tell you their weakness. You have to figure that out yourself."
"That's right! Chao-Xing taught me that!" Ryuki nodded to himself, staring at his gauntlet and the sword in his hands."I'll make an opening and strike. I didn't want to use this card just yet..." Ryuki held his sword with his armpit, using his now free hand to draw a new card from his Deck."But I have no choice. Let's do this."
Red Vent: Chaos Gate
He then charged up his gauntlet, creating a condensed fireball and aiming it at the sky before firing it.
Alternative perked up upon noticing the ball of fire coming his way. He didn't expect it to split into several smaller attacks. He began dodging all of them effortlessly. They were annoying more than actually harming him in any way. He noticed a shiny object flying toward him, weaving his head and avoiding the sharp Dragsaber that had been thrown toward him."What are you playing at, Boy Wonder?!"
Final Vent: Flying Rider Kick
Alternative glanced down below, noticing Ryuki flying toward him with his leg out as Dragreder breathed fire behind him, propelling him toward him at high speeds.
"Hah! A valiant effort!" Alternative aimed his left arm toward him."But useless!"
Unbeknownst to Alternative, the Dragsaber was hit by a fireball, shooting it back toward him. He gasped, shifting his gaze behind him and realizing the sword was a few meters away from piercing his head.
"Now! Switch!"
Out of nowhere, Ryuki switched places with the sword, surprising Bragard and delivering the full force of his kick against his cheek. The sword had switched places with him, slashing his torso before he was sent crashing toward the ground, going through several buildings before he stopped.
"He got him!" Setsuna cheered, bouncing in place."He got him!"
"Nice kick!" Wei complimented with a wide smile on his face.
"His attack finally connected!" Kyoko grinned."That's my son!"
"If he can keep that up, he might be able to defeat Bragard," Huan commented.
Chao-Xing couldn't help but smile.'Son of a bitch. He actually took my lessons to heart, huh?'
However, as soon as they felt hope, it vanished. Once an explosion cleared out the building where Bragard was. He walked out of the smoke, cracking his wrist and his neck.
"You're kidding me." Ryuki chuckled nervously, a cold sweat dripping down his neck."I thought that would have done more damage than that."
"You see what I mean?" Alternative smirked."You can't defeat me. Though I am surprised. That move just now...What was it?"
"This!"
Ryuki seemingly moved in an instant, as if he had teleported in front of Alternative. However, Alternative reacted and slapped Ryuki to the ground. He grunted, once again disappearing and appearing above Bragard, thrusting his sword downward.
Bragard stepped aside, causing Ryuki to stab his blade into the ground before he slammed his foot against his face, sending him rolling without his sword."Switch!"
The sword and Ryuki switched places, and as he winded his fist, Alternative delivered two quick jabs to his stomach, prompting him to stagger backward before falling to the ground.
"I see." Alternative hummed in thought, watching as Ryuki struggled to his feet, taking steps back."So you can teleport instantaneously. Instant teleportation, if you will. Reminds me of Ryuga's little portals, except you can do it in an instant. On top of that, you can switch places with an inanimate object. Maybe with a person too, but I have to see for myself. Not a bad ability. But I do hope you have something else up your sleeve. If your opponent can react to the attack, then it's practically useless."
Bragard raised his arms, lifting all the broken debris around him, swirling them around before sending them toward Ryuki as if it were a tornado filled with rocks.
Ryuki started to leap around, using his boosters to enhance his speed. However, some of the rocks were unavoidable, and chose to slash them with his sword or blast them with his Dragclaw.
"Let's up the ante a little, shall we?" Alternative aimed his sword at the debris, spewing blue flames from it and increasing the potency of his attack.
Ryuki tried slashing at a rock, but with the flames, found it difficult to do. He went higher into the air, gasping upon noticing all the rocks surrounding him before they closed in on him. Flames erupted from the rocks, dispersing the debris away. The dragon-themed Rider landed back on the street, taking a deep breath as he scanned his surroundings."Wait...where did he-"
"Got you!"
A black ring bound Ryuki, tightening around his arms and torso and preventing him from moving.
"W-what is this?!" Hajime tried wrestling out, but the ring grew tighter, making him hiss in pain.
"Heh..." Alternative appeared in front of him, hands on his hips."You know, I enjoy some of these new arcade games in the new century. I happen to be quite good at one that I picked up a few years ago."
"What the fuck are you-"
"It's called pinball." Alternative touched his chest, decreasing his gravity to enhance his speed."Let me show you how it's played."
Before Hajime could ask what he meant, he received a kick to the stomach, launching him across the battlefield. He expected to hit a wall, but another kick to his head interrupted his thoughts. Before he knew it, he was being kicked in a triangle by Bragard, who moved at great speeds.
"The point of this game is to continue hitting the ball!" Alternative guffawed boisterously."Don't worry. I am quite proficient at this game. I won't let you hit anything that's not my foot!"
Hajime screamed in pain, planting his feet on the ground and skidding to a halt.
"Oh? The ball is fighting back now?"
He gritted his teeth, hearing Alternative's mocking voice from behind him. He attempted a back kick, but the Prince dodged easily before resuming his little game. This went on for a few seconds before he grew tired, kicking Ryuki into a building and unleashing a volley of missiles from his shoulders. An explosion brought half of the building down, covering the streets with dust.
"Haji!" Setsuna screamed.
"Cover your mouth!" Kyoko forced her handkerchief against her granddaughter's mouth, preventing her from inhaling the dust.
Bragard repelled the smoke from the area, making it possible to breathe without getting sick."Yes...This power is out of this world! I can get even stronger! Let Adam come! Hell, let the whole Bavarian Illuminati come at me! I have no equals!"
Flexing his left arm, Bragard caused the area around him to crack and break apart.
"I am the strongest on the planet."
With a flex of his right arm, the ground lifted from its place, destroying several buildings around the.
"Is...is he...?" Wei was afraid to finish that question.
"He was getting hit pretty hard." Huan swallowed the lump in his throat."And the building fell on him..."
"No! My brother is alive!" Setsuna shook her head."I know he is! He came to save us!"
"But..." Wei lowered his gaze.
"Bragard is...a monster."
The group gasped, rushing to the edge of the cell. Chao-Xing had crawled her way closer to them, leaving a trail of blood behind. Since she couldn't move her arm or legs, she used her chin to crawl her way closer to them.
"Y-you're okay!" Wei beamed upon seeing his sister.
"My tendons are severed...Can't move much and everything hurts. And I'm low on Phonic Gain...But I won't bleed to death, so there's that." Chao-Xing explained, rolling onto her back."We're facing a monster...no, a devil. From the depths of hell itself. His power is unimaginable. If only I...had foreseen this. I paid the price for it. And now, we're all in danger. Bragard has been playing around with us as if we were children.
"Do you think...my brother is...?"
"Heh. Don't sweat it, Xiangling." Chao-Xing shifted her gaze to a nearby convenience store. Ryuki was standing on top. His armor was cracked, and covered in dust."Bragard's not the only one who's been messing around. Lingyun's been toying with him as well."
"He must have flown out of there in the nick of time." Huan surmised."What a fighter..."
"Man...He's good. Too good. I never fought against someone this powerful before. Nothing comes close." Ryuki dusted off his armor."But I can still win. I just can't make any more mistakes. I got this."
He ignited his boosters, flying over to Bragard and standing a few yards in front of him.
"Welcome back." Alternative unfolded his arms."I didn't think there was time to dodge. You surprised me."
"Like I said, not too hard to do since you keep underestimating me."
"Careful, Boy Wonder." Bragard wagged his finger."You're starting to irritate me."
"That makes two of us." He retorted.
This response earned a chuckle from the young Prince."It appears we finally found something we can agree on. I have to warn you, from now on, the gloves are off. How about we finish our little warm-up and start the real battle."
"Fine with me," Ryuki responded, an excited smirk gracing his lips."No more games."
"What...? They were just...warming up?" Wei gawked.
"Hell of a warm-up." Chao-Xing scoffed, but a sense of pride filled her."I guess he took the no relying on that Survive form for everything seriously..."
"Now the real battle begins." Huan narrowed his eyes, grabbing Kyoko's shoulder."We must believe in Lingyun."
"Right." She nodded, clasping her hands."Please..."
"Before we resume our little horror show, let's talk for a bit." Alternative rested his sword on the ground.
"Sure..." Ryuki dropped his guard slightly."What can we possibly talk about?"
"Life in general, I suppose." Alternative chuckled."Sorry. I just never get the chance to enjoy myself like this."
"You don't look like the type who gets into battles often."
"I really am not." The pseudo-Rider nodded."I usually just sit back and enjoy the show. I have been doing it for a long time. The Frontier? The one who helped Nastassja, Dr. Ver, and FIS? All me. I thought that they could pull it off and make things easier for me. Why do things yourself when you can get others to do them for you? But..."
"You changed your mind?"
"I did. If you want something right, do it yourself." Alternative sighed."You may think this is because of my attitude, but I've been this way since I was a little boy. You see, I was a Prince, as you may know. I was blessed with a comfortable life in the royal palace of Ventara. An easy life was...all I ever had. Until I was diagnosed with my disease."
"Disease?" Ryuki arched a brow."What disease."
"At the time, technology was so scarce, it was practically nonexistent. Not even Alchemy could find a proper cure, unlike the plague. I had a terminal disease that shortened my lifespan considerably. I only lived to be 13. That's why my real appearance was that of a 13-year-old."
"But how did you-"
"I didn't." Bragard looked at the sky."The only time I ever lost in my life...was to a disease. I died. Or well, I think it's more appropriate to say the First died."
"What do you mean by the "First"?"
"I am not the original Bragard." Alternative held out two fingers."I am the second. Hence my name: Bragard Second Hyperion."
"So you're just a knockoff of the original." Ryuki grimaced."Ironic. How you looked down on your subordinates when you're not even the real deal yourself."
"Hah! A knockoff?" Alternative scoffed."No. I'm the upgrade. And don't compare me to them. I am powerful. They were not. They served their purpose well. Every single one. Except for Damian, of course. He was always the little rebel. Fought until the end. But just like your cousin...he fell."
"I didn't know Damian well. Or at all, really." Ryuki admitted."I was away during that whole thing. But Chao told me he was a standup guy. Someone who would fight to the end for his family. He loved and protected his wife. His son will carry on his legacy."
"Protect? The bitch is dead. He talked a big game but Garie died anyway. Also, what legacy?" He snorted, hands on his hips."Seriously...Human legacy, pride. It's all nonsense. But hey, you have a way with words. Just like Hazama-dono."
"Hazama-dono...?" Ryuki paled."Why did you...call him that...?"
"I told you before, in a way, we're siblings." Alternative elaborated."We both suffer at the hands of the same man. Contrary to what you may believe, I used to work with Hzama-dono. While he was employed by me, he was also like a...teacher, of sorts. I looked up at him. He taught me a lot of things. I was...surprised that a human could do that. But...He betrayed me. As such, I decided to eradicate your family. To make him suffer."
"And what?!" Ryuki sneered."You're saving him for last?! Since you know where he is."
"Yes. I do." Bragard trailed off."But unfortunately...Not even I can reach him at the moment. Even with my power."
"You...can't?" Hajime was taken aback by the sudden statement.
"Boy Wonder...I trusted your father, and he betrayed me. Because that's what humans do. They make allegiances based on their benefits." Alternative's tone changed, becoming angrier."Humans are disgusting creatures that kill, betray, steal, and deceive. The worst mistake the Gods have made. Look at the world, Boy Wonder. All the countries are at war with each other. Countless wars in the past were caused by greed. Humans need to be purged because they are parasites leeching off the world. They can't even be ruled over."
"..."
"Only I can stand at the top to control these masses." Alternative spayed his hands."I am the Prince! The ruler of this planet! The supreme lord! The strongest and smartest being in existence! Everything belongs to me! The puppets' lives?! They belong to me! I dictate when people live or die!"
"Then if that's the case, I'm the one who will put a stop to you."
"Put a stop?" Alternative chuckled."Why would you do that? I believe humans do it too. Dictatorship. Except, I will rule over a new, perfect species. I will be looked up to as a God and earn more power than you could ever comprehend. My intellect knows no bounds. I created the Decks, after all."
"Funny how that works. I will use this power you created to defeat you." Ryuki shot back, silencing the prince's ramblings.
"I see." Alternative pondered for a moment."Do not misunderstand. I wasn't planning to convince you to sympathize with me. However, I did tell you this because you won't live long enough to tell the tale."
"Don't be so sure." Ryuki drew a card from his Deck, creating a tornado of fire around him."Like you said, the gloves are off. Now I'm going full power so you better do the same!"
"Sure." The fake Rider responded."Show me."
Ryuki's visor changed into his Dragvisorzwei, inserting his Survive Rekka card into the slot.
Survive: Rekka
(Play Revolution - Kamen Rider Ryuki)
The flames engulfed Ryuki, and once they subsided, he was in his Survive form, ready to fight.
"Good. You finally show your true colors, Boy Wonder. I was beginning to get bored." Alternative grabbed his sword, brandishing it in one hand."Let's end this. We'll prove once and for all who is the strongest in this world!"
Ryuki activated the blade mode of his visor, dashing toward Bragard and going for a kick. The grasshopper-themed Rider dodged out of the way, but Ryuki went for a back kick, which was also dodged.
Alternative began thrusting his sword forward, trying to stab Ryuki. But he was able to parry the strikes with his blade, albeit with some difficulty.
'He's not kidding. I can feel his power is even higher than before!' Ryuki struggled to block the attacks, forced to jump back every so often to gain some distance. He went for a kick, but Bragard dodged and leaped out of the way. Ryuki chased after him, mimicking and attempting to stab him with his sword. Unlike himself though, Alternative was fast enough to dodge his attacks, before he swept his legs, dropping Ryuki to the ground.
"Take this!" Ryuki shot an energy beam from his visor, but Alternative blocked it with his forearm. Ryuki then planted his foot against his stomach, using him to propel himself backward, drawing a card.
Alternative smashed his foot against the ground, chasing after Ryuki with determination.
Guard Vent: Dragzweishield
A circular shield, similar to a Spartan shield appeared on Ryuki's right arm, using it to block Alternative's strike. Upon contact, the shield released an explosion of flames launching Alternative into the sky, desoriented.
"I'm not done yet!" Ryuki aimed with his visor, releasing a powerful beam of energy that crashed against Alternative's chest.
The pseudo-Rider grunted, spinning around before landing on top of a bus."You've gotten better."
Booster Vent
Not bothering to reply, Ryuki ignited his boosters, moving at insane speeds toward Alternative. The Prince took a kick to the face, knocking him a few meters away. He tried slashing Ryuki, but his new speed proved harder to land a hit on him. He took off into the air, switching his visor into sword move before blasting himself to the ground.
"Don't get cocky, human!" Alternative drew a card, scanning it in his visor.
Accel Vent
Suddenly, Ryuki slashed the air, and before he could react, Alternative slashed him in the back, causing him to stumble over his feet. He quickly recuperated, ignited his booster, and flew further down the street. Alternative was keeping up with him, however, moving in a blue before he accelerated further, circling around and kicking Ryuki in the face.
The dragon-themed Rider blasted himself into the air before he could crash into a wall, but was unaware of Alternative appearing above him, kicking him down below.
"Shit..." Ryuki grunted, sitting back up.
"That's as fast as you can go, Boy Wonder?" Alternative asked."You're stronger, yes. But what good is that power if you can't even react to me?"
"Who says I'm done?" Ryuki grinned, drawing upon a new ability.
"Is he going to teleport again?" Alternative wondered, watching carefully as Ryuki inserted his card into his visor, only for the visor to open itself again."Huh?"
Strange Vent
Ryuki smirked with confidence upon seeing the new card, closing his visor up again.
Accel Vent
Ryuki dashed toward Alternative, using his boosters to multiply his speed, punching Alternative away. He spun on his heels, activating another card before rushing toward Bragard
Sword Vent: Dragsaber Zwei
A nine-ringed sword manifester in his hands, just as Alternative recuperated and started rushing toward him. Both of them were moving so fast, that none of the spectators were able to keep up. Even Chao-Xing was struggling to watch the fight.
'So, he can copy abilities with that card...' Alternative chuckled.'This will be very interesting. A fight worthy of a prince!'
"Now we're fighting on equal terms! Bring it on, Bragard!"
"Don't you dare think you can ever be an equal to me, human!"
Both Riders began clashing with their blades, moving around in blurs of energy. They were evened up now. Ryuki and Alternative took off into the sky where they began drawing constellations with their powers whenever they moved.
"Got you!" Alternative swung his blade, but Ryuki blocked with his sword and kicked Bragard in the sides. He aimed his right arm, shooting Ryuki away with his gravity before shooting missiles from his shoulder pads.
"Not this time!" Ryuki moved around the missiles easily, closing in on Bragard and delivering several kicks that he was unable to block.
With a hiss, Alternative spewed more flames from his sword, only for Ryuki to counter with a new power.
Nasty Vent: Thunderous Roar
Ryuki took a deep breath before releasing a powerful scream that turned into the roar of a dragon, dispersing the flames and launching Bragard crashing down to the street with the shockwave.
"You little-"
Before he could finish his sentence, he noticed Ryuki flying down toward him as he activated another ability.
Shoot Vent: Meteorbullet
Dragranzer appeared from the skies, charging up a ball of fire and shooting it into the sky. From it, several fireballs began descending to Alternative from all directions.
"Tch!" Alternative countered by conjuring several magic circles, forming a barrier of dark matter to block. To his shock, the barrier began to crack, and he was forced to leap out of the way before it gave in. He used the wall of a building as footing, shooting himself toward Ryuki and kneeing him in the stomach.
"Gah!" Ryuki spat, but he had no time for anything else as Alternative gave him a three-piece combo of punches before raising his leg above his head, and kicking him down to the street. He vanished and appeared in front of him, screaming.
"Repel!"
Ryuki cried out as he was forced into a building, crashing through several desks before breaking through the wall to the other side.
Ignite Vent
Acting quickly on his feet, he ignited his boosters and formed two wings of fire around him, using them to aviate around the building and fly to Alternative. From the wings, several fists of fire were created, stretching over to attack the prince.
The Prince would not have this, and conjured more magic circles, creating fists of dark matter to counter Ryuki's punches. Once he was close, Ryuki's wings disappeared, and the flames clad both his Dragsaber Zwei and his Dragvisorzwei in their blade mode, increasing their range and giving them an aura of flames around them. He began to engage Bragard in close quarters, the sound of blades echoing through the empty streets.
Ryuki jumped back, sending slashes of flames toward Bragard. The prince parried them with his blades, scoffing in indignation. However, the worst had yet to come. Ryuki began spinning around, the flames of his Ignite Vent covering his body and forming a tornado of fire. Alternative slashed at the tornado grunting as he had to put more effort into blocking it. To his surprise, he was overpowered and sent flying backward.
'I can't keep up with just Accel Vent when he's using my ability plus those boosters of his. He's blitzing me!' Alternative's eyes twitched in irritation. His body glowed with a purple aura around him, decreasing his gravity just as Ryuki went after him. Unable to follow his movements, Ryuki felt a punch to the face that knocked him to the ground, skidding several yards away until he was stopped by crashing into a car.
Alternative landed in front of him, brandishing his Slashdagger as he stared down at him.
"Well, well..." Ryuki picked himself off the floor."So you had to decrease your gravity to have an edge over me, huh? Guess you can't take me lightly. Heh. The great Prince was forced to go even higher against a lowly commoner."
"Hmmm." Alternative felt a smile creeping to his face."I suppose I cannot. But now I'm far faster than you. So don't celebrate just yet."
Before he could ask what he meant, Ryuki lost sight of him. Instead, he now felt someone put him in a chokehold from behind, preventing him from breathing. With few choices, he went in for a low blow. Literally. He punched Bragard in his groin, earning a squeal from the Prince that forced him to release his hold on him. He then was bombarded with several fire punches, slashes, and kicks from Ryuki, forcing him to take several steps back.
Fed up with this little display of rebellion, Alternative increased the gravity of his right fist, smacking it against Ryuki's face and knocking him to the ground, breaking part of his helmet.
(Song End)
"Ha..." The prince panted, recuperating from the many blows Ryuki had gotten on him.
The half Liang began standing up again, but with more difficulty than before. He took shallow breaths, not wanting to show Bragard he was beginning to grow fatigued from the many attacks he had received.
"How...how dare you..." Alternative growled, clenching his fists."You lowlife human! You dare touch a Prince like that?! Have you no shame?!"
"There is no honor in a battle to the death." Ryuki responded, attempting to catch his breath."Just survival."
"Hah. You couldn't be more right." Alternative chuckled at his words. He raised his sword in the air, cracking his left wrist."But you're still holding back on me, aren't you? Surely you haven't run out of tricks just yet."
"Yeah, I'm saving some when the situation calls upon them." Ryuki replied."I still have some reserves."
"Yes, I figured. But so have I." Alternative guffawed, grabbing his head."I can't believe you think you're the only one who's been holding back! You humans and your unfounded arrogance! Hilarious!"
"If you got something up your sleeve, then show me!"
"Very well." Alternative nodded."It's been fun. I haven't had this much of a workout in a long time. Not since I last fought Adam. You don't need to worry. I don't plan on letting you die any time soon. That would leave me...unsatisfied."
"You're bluffing." Ryuki felt a cold sweat dripping down his forehead."What could you possibly have planned that you think can give you the advantage?"
"Against Damian, you, and Chao-Xing, I used a mere fraction of my strength." Alternative revealed."Yes...Just about 30% against them...and 50% against your Survive form. No one has ever pushed me this far as to use my 100%. But then again, you are just like Lucine, after all. And you are a Messiah, just like me."
"Y-you're kidding..." Ryuki's eyes widened."Nah, you're lying. There's no way you've only been going half as serious!"
"Well, why don't you find out? From now on, you won't be able to touch me."
(Play Only a Chilling Elegy)
Out of nowhere, the air around them shifted. Ryuki could feel it in his bones. Something had changed after he said those words.'He's...he's bluffing. He's just trying to get me to slip up and get in my head. No way he's-"
He stopped. Alternative had turned around, giving him his back."What...?"
"It's a shame, really. I was expecting a little more from this." Alternative began tapping his foot, staring into space."You, humans, are all just disappointments. No. I guess everyone around me is. But then again, when compared to me, you're all just tiny, brainless ants."
In the blink of an eye, Alternative had somehow moved closer to Ryuki, prompting him to raise his blades in anticipation.
"In the end, humans are all the same. No matter the potential, status, or power. They all become ugly corpses that rot away. But I, on the other hand, will live on for eternity. Controlling everything. Absolute power will be in my hands. I have become the perfect being. My next objective...is to become a God. Oh, and if you think you can stall for time, check this out."
Alternative clapped, summoning various projections around them, showing the battles going on. The Riders against the Alternites. The Divine Disasters of Valhalla against the Goliath Noise, and Hibiki and the girls against Carol.
"Why are you showing me this...?" Ryuki asked, puzzled.
"Because no one is coming to save you." Alternative coldly stated."You can't count on them to come in and save the day. Either you beat me or you die. That simple. No one is coming to your rescue. So if you lose here, everyone dies."
Wordlessly, Alternative rose both of his hands, creating two giant spheres of dark matter, combining them into one.
Ryuki yelped, jumping back in anticipation.
"Survive this."
Envoy of Calamity
"Genocide! And genocide~!" Bragard threw the giant orb, prompting Ryuki to create several huge hands of fire, grabbing the sphere. His feet immediately sunk into the ground as he ignited his boosters, reminiscing of when he tried to stop the space shuttle back when they rescued Professor Nastassja's body.
"FUCK!" Ryuki screamed, enlarging his hands even more and putting all his strength into his Ignite Vent. With a loud battle cry, he managed to lift the sphere of dark matter, tossing it high into the sky before it exploded, sending a shockwave powerful enough to break all the mirrors around them.
"How's...that...?" Ryuki panted, exhausted and unable to hide it anymore.
Alternative appeared in front of him, smacking him in the face and causing him to stagger backward. The young man stabilized himself before he could trip over his feet. He ignited his boosters, his Ignite Vent extinguishing but tightened the grip of his sword, rushing toward Bragard. The Prince ducked, watching everything in slow motion, increasing the gravity of his fist before slamming it against his stomach, leaving a hole in his armor as it cracked under the punch.
"Ugh!" Ryuki's eyes widened, blood pouring down from his mouth, staggering a few feet before he collapsed on his knees, grunting in pain.
"You may have not noticed, but your moves are beginning to slow down considerably." Alternative paced around him leisurely."You've begun to slow down. You did a good job at acting like a big man, but you're about to hit your limit. While I haven't even started yet. I've been tiring you down since the start."
"Shut up!" Ryuki lunged at him, but Bragard vanished from place and reappeared again, slamming his foot against his stomach and launching him in the air. The young boy reached for his Deck, quickly activating a new ability.
Shoot Vent: Dragblaster
A metal cannon was strapped to Ryuki's right arm with Dragranzer's face over the hand and a barrel aimed from the dragon's mouth. He quickly shot a beam of crimson flames, but Alternative slapped the attack away slashing the gauntlet off and delivering several punches to Ryuki's body, finishing by kicking him against a lightpost and knocking it down. Ryuki retaliated by aiming his visor, only for Bragard to lift him in the air with his gravity and toss him against the ground harshly. He leaped over to him, delivering a powerful horizontal kick that Ryuki blocked, but he heard a pop that earned a cry of pain as his shoulder was dislocated. He was sent crashing against a building, but the pain was just beginning. Alternative used his Accel Vent to grab him by the face and ran through several buildings, smashing Ryuki's body through them before he tossed him in the air.
Finally reacting, Ryuki ignited his booster flying in the opposite direction to recuperate, popping his shoulder back in place with a bloodcurdling scream.
"Where are you going? I'm afraid your torment is just beginning."
He gasped, hearing Alternative's voice behind him. He swung his blade, but he was gone.'Oh, no...What if I can't...? What if I can't beat him...?!'
"There are so many horrors I have yet to show you." Alternative descended from the skies, kneeing Ryuki in the back and launching him back to the ground. However, Alternative waited for him and kneed him in the chest before spinning in place, slashing his body with his blade and cutting into his armor before finishing him off by propelling him away.
"Hajime!" Setsuna screamed, horrified.
"H-he's going to die..." Wei shook his head slowly."He's going to die..."
Chao-Xing bit her lip so hard it started to bleed. She shifted her gaze toward the sky, noticing a few thunderclouds in the distance."Please...hurry up...Just a little more..."
Ryuki used his sword to get back on his feet, every inch of his body in pure agony. As he lifted his head, Alternative chopped him on the shoulder back to the ground.
"So that's as far as the Boy Wonder goes, huh?" Alternative shook his head, aiming his hand against his foe."What a disappointment. Repel!"
Ryuki screamed as his body was engulfed in tremendous pressure, immediately causing him to break a hole through the ground. Alternative cackled, firing several black projectiles from his magic circles before speweing fire from his blade for good he decided the hole was deep enough, and he nodded to himself."Perfect. That's finally done. I guess all of them were appetizers, after all. How unfortunate. I couldn't test out my new powers. Oh, well."
(Song End)
He turned on his heels, addressing his captives and Chao-Xing."This is your savior? The one who fell before me? Sure, he got stronger as he fought and he also got your hopes, which in turn made him stronger, but that was ultimately fruitless. He is just a human, after all. And all humans must die."
Chao-Xing sneered, staring at the sky and begging for the clouds to hurry up."God damn it..."
"HE'S ALIVE!" Setsuna screamed in fury."My brother is alive! You're laughing now, but he'll make you sorry!"
"So what? You do realize I can end this fight any time I want, right?" Alternative asked, silencing the girl."You're still alive because I'm allowing it. Because I'm bored. This is a battle for survival for you? For me, this is just a game. Nothing more, nothing less. Now...I believe it's time to end this."
"You don't know my grandson at all." Kyoko spat with all the venom she could muster."You fight to show off your power and superiority. But he fights...he fights to change fate!"
Down below several meters into the ground, Ryuki lay there in between consciousness. His armor was in tatters, and he was covered in bruises. He couldn't lift a finger.
'I can't win...he's too strong. I...Am I really going to lose...?' Ryuki tried opening his eyes, but his eyelids felt too heavy.'But if I do...'
"No one is coming to your rescue. So if you lose here, everyone dies."
"No...I can't let it end like this..." Ryuki stirred from his position, slowly reaching for his Deck."If I lose here, everyone else is going to die...I can't let them down...Please, give me your strength...Your hope. Those who are gone...Kanade-san, Akira-san, Goro-senpai, Ryoko-san, Serena-san, Atticus-san. Those who were betrayed by him...Garie, Micha, Damian, Leiur, Lulu, Zeke and Phara. And for those who are here...who still believe in me...Commander Kazanari, Aoi-san, Sakuya-san, Elfnein-chan, Tobias-kun, Yanagi-san, Captain, Jades-san, Hamaguchi, Seiko, Andreas, Raiden, Wei, Uncle Huan, Hazzy-san, Miku-chan, Chao-Xing, Chris-san, Kirika, Shirabe, Maria-san, Shiori, Yumi, Kuriyo, Tsubasa-san, Mom, Grandma, and you...my sunshine...Hibiki. I will not give up!"
Ryuki opened up his visor, his confidence, and strength renewed upon remembering those he's fighting for."I will not fail them...This is the attack that managed to land a hit on Odin, after all."
Blaze Vent
A pillar of crimson fire erupted from the ground, catching everyone off guard.
"What?!" Alternative jumped back, alerted by the intense heat coming from the flames.
(Play DBZ Dokkan Battle: Super Trunks Active Skill OST)
Author's Note: Yes, I play dokkan lol.
Ryuki shot from the ground, landing on the concrete. His flames were so intense he began to melt away the concrete and metal around him."Bragard!"
"Get him, Haji!" Setsuna cheered.
"You can do it, cousin!" Wei screamed.
"For those who have placed their trust in me! I will not let them down!" Ryuki's flames intensified, his armor completely crimson in color."You can be a thousand...No! A million times stronger than me! It doesn't matter! I won't let you keep getting away with this! We settle this here!"
"Tch!" Alternative growled, clenching his blade."A heroic speech now? How cliche."
'My energy is increasing but it's burning through my reserves incredibly fast.' Ryuki frowned.'This will be my last attack. I won't be able to maintain Survive after this so let's make this count!'
With a scream, Ryuki's power burst with a flick of his wrist, he sent Bragard flying with a blast of scorching fire.
"Blaze Vent! Now!" Ryuki's speed was exponentially multiplied, moving in zigzag in a red blur that not even Bragard himself could react to. He felt a scorching punch to the face that shattered parts of his helmet, launching him across the street. Ryuki immediately shot after him, slamming his knees against his stomach and causing him to bounce off the ground. As he did so, he appeared underneath him and double-kicked him in the back, launching him toward the sky.
"Damn you!" Alternative recuperated, watching Ryuki running circles around him."Boy Wonder!"
He shot a black projectile from his magic circle, but Ryuki disappeared from view and the next thing he knew, the dragon-themed Rider slammed his boot against the prince's face. The pseudo-Rider was once more on his back, taken aback."How?! How did he get this strong?! I can't keep up with him anymore! He surpassed me?! Impossible!"
Final Vent: Dragon Fire Storm
Ryuki flew with Dragranzer, the dragon's power and speed increased by the blaze vent as it began to morph into its bike mode. Ryuki jumped on top of it, Dragranzer's head shooting fire toward the wheels and igniting the whole bike into crimson flames like a comet.
Alternative quickly rose his left arm, focusing his power into his gravity powers."REPEL!"
An invisible force stopped Ryuki's Final Vent, but the Rider persevered, fighting against the gravity that was directed to launch him away.
"Haji!" Setsuna cried.
"Do it! Show them what a hero can do!" Wei also screamed.
"End this nightmare!" Huan yelled."Once and for all!"
"Hajime!" Kyoko closed her eyes, praying to all the Gods for the safety of his grandchild."Please!"
"Forge on!" Chao-Xing scowled."Show him the true power of a Liang! For everyone he's killed!"
"This is nothing!" Alternative bellowed, grabbing his left arm to increase his strength. However, he noticed his feet beginning to sink into the ground as he was slowly being pushed back."T-this is...nothing!"
Ryuki continued screaming, burning through his reserves of energy without regret. By this point, Ryuki was pushing the gravity barrier through several buildings, slowly but surely closing in on Bragard's body.
"T-this is...This is...! This is n-n-nothing!" Alternative repeated as if reassuring himself of his power.
The gap began to close, and his gloves began to catch on fire as the bike got closer and closer to him, overpowering his gravity.
"This...This is-!"
With one final push, Ryuki finally breached through the gravity, completely passing through Alternative and his defenses, desintegrating the left side of his body. Ryuki rode his bike for a few meters before he lost control and fell to the ground. His armor began to flicker repeatedly before he reverted to his regular Ryuki form.
"F-fuck..." Ryuki tried sitting up, but he was almost low on energy."Never fucking...felt so tired in my life...holy shit..."
(Song End)
"W-what...?" Alternative trembled, his head slowly turning to see the damage. His left side was completely gone and was missing part of his left leg."I-impossible...How can I...How?!"
"He did it!" Setsuna beamed, hugging Wei as they both began to dance around.
Huan sighed in relief, as did Kyoko, who placed a hand over her heart.
'He's not dead...But without half his body, he's done for...' Chao-Xing sighed, feeling a weight being lifted off her shoulders.'I can't believe he won...It's...it's finally over...'
Ryuki panted for hair, slowly sitting up and turning to face Bragard, who was too stupefied to say anything."It's...over..."
"I AM THE ULTIMATE BEING!" Alternative screeched, his voice cracking."I can't be beaten like this! Not by a disgusting human! I cannot fall here!"
"Serves you...right..." Ryuki spat.
"I can't...I can't believe it..." Alternative bellowed before his tone returned to normal."I can't believe that you fell for it."
"Huh?"
Alternative chuckled, shaking his head."Are you really so foolish to believe that Damian and Zeke were the only ones with a few aces up their sleeve?"
Before he could ask what he meant, Alternative began to regenerate instantly, bone and muscle reforming as well as his armor. And before they knew it, he was back in top condition. His Deck shined momentarily, making a beeping noise.
"Y-y-y-you're a-"
"A homunculus, yes. So when you punched my crotch earlier, I felt no pain, since I have no reproductive system. I just wanted to make you feel a sense of security before I broke you. Make you think you had a chance." Alternative flexed his new arm."My body is being constantly monitored by the Overall. Besting me will take all you can muster. And even then, my body will continue to be restored and improved upon. All damage I take is absorbed and the Overall corects all mistakes that allowed the injury, making me stronger than the attack that damaged me. You could do that attack again, and I wouldn't even feel it. In simple terms, of course...this means you can't win. No matter how hard you try. Heh."
Ryuki shook his head, completely in shock. He was out of options. Nothing had worked. No more power-ups. No more new abilities. No more reserves he was saving for later. He was all out of tricks.
"But...to think a human could push me so far as to give me such an injury." Alternative sneered."You will pay dearly for your insolence."
"We're doomed..." Wei spoke what was in everyone's minds, falling to his knees."He's a monster...a monster with indomitable power that can dictate everything...Absolute power..."
Even Setsuna, who was supporting Hajime with all her heart, was left speechless, tears glistening in her eyes.
"He's a monster...A fucking monster...Can he even be beaten...?" Chao-Xing's face lost all its color."Or...is Bragard at such a high level that not even a Messiah can touch him now...?"
"Just...what are you...?" Ryuki whimpered, unable to contain a few tears that fell down his cheeks. He felt terrified. All his courage and determination washed away like their hopes of ever winning.
"You are the species. I am the extinction." Alternative began advancing toward him, dragging his sword behind him."I am the hunter and you are the hunted. It's that simple. Now, I think it's time we put an end to our little game, no?"
"No...No, no, no, no!" Ryuki shook his head, losing his cool and jumping to his feet, ignoring his body that screamed in agony for him to stop.
Sword Vent: Dragsaber
"No! No! No!" Ryuki rushed at Bragard, but the prince swung his blade in the blink of an eye, slashing Ryuki's Deck in half. His armor vanished into particles, leaving a crestfallen Hajime behind with a face showing true fear.
And with another swing, Alternative finished the job. Hajime saw the blood splatter. And there was the pain. He looked down, watching as his arms began to fall off his body onto the ground. And then all he could do was scream in agonizing pain.
Back in the Overall, the final orb glowed in red upon receiving Ryuki's energy. Now all orbs were pulsing in power. The Overall was completed.
And we ended things on a cliffhanger for now. Next chapter, we switch over to the girls and the boys fighting their respective battles.