Kamen Rider SideRide Chronicles: Oscura's Encore
Requiem IV: Witch Hunting Game Part 2
After the end of the first half, the players returned to the lounge. There was a new face as Luz had brought her mother to the DGP lounge.
"Oh, my Titan!" Amity rushed over to see Camila with a bloodstain on her clothes. "Camila, are you OK?!"
"Yes," Camila nodded. "Luz dressed my wound."
"Ms. Noceda, you are not supposed to bring outsiders to the DGP," Tsumuri said disapprovingly. "That is against the rules."
"My Mom got hurt," Luz argued, frowning. "You don't expect me to just leave her, do you?"
"Your mother would not have been in any real danger. After the round ends, she'd be alright," Tsumuri argued.
"I know, but I still wasn't going to leave her," Luz glared, daring Tsumuri to challenge her. "Besides, once the round ends, she won't remember a thing." She regretted not being able to find Vee. Hopefully, her little sister was OK.
"Very well, but you will be penalized for this," Tsumuri said as she tapped her tablet and Luz's Spider Phone pinged. She looked at the screen to see she had lost 10,000 pts. It was a small price to pay to keep her mom safe.
"C'mon, Mom. You need to sit down," Luz said as she led her mom to the red sofa.
"So, this is what you've been doing," Camila said as she saw the lounge. "You're playing this game."
"That's right," Luz nodded.
"The same game your father played."
Luz's eyes narrowed. Her mother had told her that her dad had been a Kamen Rider, a participant in the Desire Grand Prix. She did not understand how her mother could have forgotten that and then suddenly remembered.
"Tsumuri, I need to know something. Was my father a player in the DGP?" Luz questioned.
"How did you learn of this?" Tsumuri asked.
"My mom told me."
"Did she touch your ID Core?"
"I think so."
"I see," Tsumuri nodded. "Touching an ID Core would restore her memories if she somehow witnessed the Desire Grand Prix in the past."
"So, anyone who's been involved in the DGP would have their memories restored if they touch an ID Core?" Luz concluded.
"Correct," Tsumuri confirmed.
"And is it true? Was my dad a player in the Desire Grand Prix?"
"Your father, Manny Noceda, fought so he could wish his cancer away. However, as his cancer progressed, he could no longer continue so he retired from the competition."
"I see," Luz frowned. "So, my dad really was a hero."
"Yes, he was one of the best players in the game and you inherited his spirit."
Luz felt like she wanted to cry. Her father had been doing everything in his power to beat his disease so that he could be with them longer than he was given. And despite the pain and debilitating effects of the treatments he underwent, her father kept fighting, saving lives, and aiding in the defence of the world until his body could not move anymore. The Latina's eyes watered and she rubbed away the tears that were forming.
"Then I better win."
"Everyone, please use this time to rest until we can locate the Boss. It is likely hiding somewhere in the town," Tsumuri told them. "Once it's been found, the game may resume."
"I so need the break," Marco groaned as he massaged his shoulder. "Those Jyamatos were tough."
"Yeah, but you really kicked butt out there," Molly praised, smiling. Marco smiled back.
"I did, and even got this," Marco said as he showed her the Boost Buckle. Sasha saw it too and narrowed her eyes. The Boost Buckle gave anyone who had it a huge advantage.
The other Riders were kind enough to give Luz, Amity, and Camila space. None of them really faulted Luz for bringing her own mother to the lounge. Even with the knowledge that everyone who died in the Jyamar Area would be returned to life, there was no way they could see themselves leaving someone they loved in a dangerous situation like that, especially when they had no way to fight back or protect themselves.
"Mija, are…are you alright?" Camila asked.
"Yeah, I'm alright. Those things can barely hurt me or Amity. We're kinda badass like that," Luz bragged.
Camila shook her head.
"You know what I mean." Luz looked away from her mother for a moment, and Amity frowned, she already knew where this was going. "Mija, this is dangerous. You could get hurt."
"I know, but this is something I have to do. The winner of the Desire Grand Prix gets their wish granted and I need that wish to undo my mistakes."
Camila knew what her daughter meant. Now, she understood why this was important.
"But, Luz. The last time you were a Kamen Rider–"
"¡Mamá!" Luz quickly exclaimed. "¡No digas nada sobre... sobre eso! No necesito que todos sepan que yo era un Kamen Rider. (Don't say anything about…about that! I don't need everyone knowing that I was a Kamen Rider)"
"Bien, pero sé que esto debe ser difícil para ti, mija. Después de todo lo que pasaste, todo ese dolor y sufrimiento, simplemente no quiero que tengas que pasar por eso otra vez. Mi corazón casi se rompe cuando me contaste lo que pasó. No podría soportar ver que eso te suceda ahora que has mejorado.(Fine, but I know this must be hard for you, mija. After everything you went through, all that pain and suffering, I just don't want you to have to go through that all over again. My heart almost broke when you told me what happened. I couldn't bare to see that happen to you now that you've gotten better.)"
Amity reached over and took Camila's left hand, giving a gentle and reassuring squeeze.
"No tienes que preocuparte, Camila. A diferencia de la última vez, estaré allí para ayudar a Luz. Nos cuidamos las espaldas unos a otros, y por más desordenado que parezca, todo lo que pasamos en ese entonces solo nos ha ayudado en esta competencia. Estos poderes no se basan en la magia, por lo que no hay preocupaciones de que algo como lo que sucedió en el Reino Demoníaco suceda aquí. (You don't need to worry, Camila. Unlike last time, I will be there to help Luz. We watch each other's backs, and as messed up as it may sound, everything we went through back then has only helped us in this competition. These powers aren't based in magic, so there's no worries that anything like what happened in the Demon Realm will happen here.)"
"Mientras tenga Amity, mientras nos tengamos el uno al otro, nunca me convertiré en Oscura. No me convertiré en esa mujer oscura nunca más. (So long as I have Amity, as long as we have each other, I will never become Oscura. I will not become that dark woman ever again.)" Luz promised her mom.
Camila carefully moved forward and pressed her forehead against Luz's. She then turned to Amity and did the same for her.
During this touching moment, there was someone among the Riders who saw something different. Sasha had been eavesdropping on their conversation, and while she did not know how to speak Spanish, there were at least two words she could make out from that conversation: 'Kamen Rider'.
'I knew that girl was hiding something. Luz's dad was once a Rider, and then those three switched to Spanish so that we can't understand them. Sneaky, Noceda.'
She briefly glanced at Marco. She didn't want to assume that he knew Spanish but it didn't seem like he was paying attention to the conversation. But when her eyes drifted to Marcy, she noticed that the Taiwanese teen looked slightly shocked. This made Sasha raise an eyebrow.
'No way…Mar-Mar…Does she know what they said? Friggin' trust Marbles to be multilingual.' Sasha glanced back at Luz with a narrowed gaze. 'I will find out what your secret is, Noceda. Why you freak me the hell out, and why you and Blight fight like you've done this all before.'
"Are you hungry, Mom?" Luz asked. "Maybe we can have Mr. Butler make you something."
"We did skip lunch," Camila accepted and Luz picked up the tablet from the coffee table to make an order for her mom. They had a menu but they could also type in some off-menu if they wanted it.
Marco stepped out of the bathroom after doing his business. The young man was going over how he could use the Boost Buckle to win this round of the game. After hearing about how Luz Noceda took out the last Boss Jyamato in the last round, he was excited when he got the Boost Buckle, and was looking forward to unleashing his martial arts prowess with the added power.
The moment he rounded the corner to head back to the lounge area, he ran into Sasha. The blonde teen was leaning up against the wall, her jacket opened and revealing her tank top that was cut just low enough to allow some cleavage to show.
"Hey there, Marco," Sasha smiled and Marco blushed.
A pretty girl was talking to him. That was not to say that Molly was not cute in her own right, but she was super charming. And with how approachable and bubbly she was, Molly felt easy to talk to and get along with. Not so much a romantic partner, at least not for him, but like a best friend.
Now, Sasha Waybright, that was a different story. Let's just say, despite what happened when he saw the three girls exit the training room, it was still a sight to see the blonde teen. He still couldn't get the image of her glistening sweat-drenched body and of course the image of Sasha's sports bra showing through her thin shirt out of his head. So the fact that such a hot girl was even bothering to talk to him, much less address him, was cause for nervousness.
"Oh, uh, h-hi, Sasha," he replied nervously.
"You were really cool out there, saving all those people," Sasha praised, her eyes half-lidded.
The Latino chuckled nervously as he rubbed the back of his head.
"Thanks, it was the right thing to do."
"You know, I find guys like you pretty attractive," Sasha confessed as she leaned forward, smiling flirtatiously. "Running into danger, saving lives, that's what makes a real man."
Marco's face was getting redder. When Sasha leaned forward, it granted the young man a view down Sasha's top, letting him see a little more of her breasts.
"Oh, wow. Really?" he squeaked.
"Yeah, really. So could you do me one tiny, itsy bitsy favour?"
"U-Uh s-sure – I-I mean, depending on what it is and if I can do it, b-but yeah, sure," Marco stammered.
"Cool. Sooo, maybe you could lend me your Boost Buckle for this round?" Sasha asked.
That request momentarily snapped Marco out of his hormone-driven stupor.
"W-Wait, what?! The Boost Buckle! Why?!" Marco asked.
"C'mon, Marco. Let me use it for this round. You've already got a lot of points. Even without it, you're not going to be eliminated," Sasha reasoned.
"Well – I mean – But – Augh! I can't, Sasha! I got the Boost Buckle fair and square! I want to keep everyone safe, but I also want to win, too!" Marco argued. "Besides, aren't you and your friends…uh…t-together?"
Sasha blinked.
"What do you mean?"
"Back in the training room, aren't you guys…y'know…doing things with each other?" Marco said, desperately trying to remain discreet with his language.
Sasha thought back to that moment and realised what he was implying.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Wait, did you and Molly think Anne, Marcy, and I were banging each other in the training room?"
Marco's face became even redder as he nodded his head.
"Oh, man." Sasha moved closer to Marco, making the young man back up against the wall. "But, tell me, did you like the idea of me and my friends getting it on behind closed doors? Did you imagine later on what we were doing to each other?"
"No! No! Nothing like that! I-I'm not a perv like that!" Marco insisted as his back hit the wall.
"Diaz, there's nothing wrong with that. You wouldn't be the first guy to have thought like that about me and my friends. Hell, back in middle school, some boys spread rumours that the three of us were in a relationship, friends-with-benefits or some crap like that. But~"
Sasha moved even closer, placing one hand against the wall next to Marco's head, and bringing her body just a hair's breadth away from making contact with his.
"You'll be happy to know I'm a proud bisexual girl. I play for both teams. And that being said, I can appreciate a guy like you fighting to protect people. Makes a girl feel safe to know they have someone they can depend on. Let me ask you something, Diaz: ever kissed a girl before?" Sasha asked with a husky voice.
Marco gulped.
"N-N-No…" he stammered.
"Hmm, then, how 'bout this? You give me the Boost Buckle, and you can kiss me. I'll even throw in a bonus to sweeten the deal," Sasha offered.
"W-What kind of bonus?" Marco asked, sweating bullets.
Sasha moved her head closer to whisper into his ear.
"You can touch me anywhere you want for ten whole seconds. I'll even count slowly."
Marco's head was spinning. This wasn't happening, it had to be a dream, some dream fabricated by his raging teenage hormones. This couldn't possibly be happening to him, right?
"Uh…j-just to clarify…w-when you said 'anywhere'…d-did you mean anywhere-anywhere?" Marco asked.
Sasha's smile turned a tad devious.
"Breasts, ass, or crotch. Outside my clothes, or inside. Considering we're fighting with our lives on the line, and with the Jyamatos getting tougher as the game goes on, the chances of us dying are going to go up. Don't you think it's better to have gotten your first kiss, or even gotten to second base before that?"
'If he's as dumb as I think he is, he'll take the offer. Or if he's shrewd, he'll bargain for something more intimate. Not sure if I'm willing to go that far, but if worst comes to worst…'
Marco gulped again and finally gave Sasha her answer.
"O-Okay…"
"Oh, Marco, you're such a sweetheart! I knew you were a good guy like that," Sasha smiled sweetly.
"S-So, d-do we kiss now or…?"
Sasha brought up her left hand and wiggled her index finger.
"Nuh-uh, Marco. Payment first, then you get your prize."
Marco reached into his jacket pocket and took out the red chrome-plated Boost Buckle. He then slowly handed it to Sasha, who took the Buckle and placed it in her own jacket pocket.
"Okay, since you held up your end, time for me to hold up mine. Pick a spot to touch and we'll start our little make-out sesh," said Sasha.
Marco looked up and down at Sasha's body, his heart thumping in his chest as his mind frantically tried to decide where his hands should touch. He wasn't brave enough to touch below Sasha's waist, so he opted for something safer, but no less nerve-wracking.
"U-Uh, y-your chest," said Marco.
"Ah, classic choice. You can put those hands under my shirt if you want, or keep them over it. I don't mind either way. Now, pucker up, Diaz."
Marco did as she said, closing his eyes and puckering his lips as he raised his hands and readied them to grope Sasha's chest. However, fate had other plans.
{Would Sasha Waybright and Marco Diaz please return to the lounge?}
"Sorry, Diaz, looks like our time is up," said Sasha.
"B-B-BUT–!"
"Thanks for the Boost Buckle, byeeee~"
Marco watched as Sasha left him in the hallway. The Latino stood there, stunned, and with a twitching right eye.
"Why do I feel like such a total jackass…?"
The Judge Jyamato had retreated to the Gravesfield Historical Society. It knew the Riders would be coming for it but it would be ready. More of its minions would arrive and the Riders would stand no chance against them.
The players normally use the rest time in the middle of a round to relax and come up with a strategy. However, they could not help but feel anxious as well. Despite not being a player, Camila was worried for Luz and Amity since they would be sent out again once the game resumed. While they had lunch, Camila told Luz about what she remembered about Manny's time as a Kamen Rider.
When Sasha returned, Anne noticed her friend's state of dress.
"Uh, Sash?" Anne blushed as she asked, "Were you feeling hot or something?"
"Why do you ask?" Sasha asked.
"Well, you're kinda exposed a bit…"
"Oh, yeah," Sasha said as she looked down at herself. "Worked up quite a sweat after the last fight."
"Oh, O-OK, sure, yeah, duh me," said Anne with a nervous chuckle.
Molly noticed Marco's face bright red when he came back, and for some reason, he was a little hunched over.
"Uh, Marco, you alright there, buddy?" Molly asked.
"Oh, yeah! Fine! Never better!" Marco stated.
"Uh, okay, 'cause you're looking a little–"
"The Boss has been found," Tsumuri informed the players as she brought the map up on the holographic screen. "It's here in the Gravesfield Historical Society."
"Yeah, that checks out," Luz agreed. The society had the recorded history of Gravesfield, including its dark past of witch trials. If the Judge Jyamato was dressed as a judge for a witch trial, then that was where it would be.
"The Boss is now worth 50,000 pts so whoever defeats it will be at the top of the leaderboard," Tsumuri informed them.
"Alright, then let's take this thing down," Penn said resolutely.
"Good luck, Kamen Riders," Tsumuri smiled and the Riders began to head out.
"Amity, Luz, wait," Camila stopped them.
"Mom, we need to go," Luz told her.
"Luz, is this really what you want to do? After everything that happened before, is this really necessary?" Camila asked.
"It is, Mom," Luz resolved. "This is something I have to do."
"Don't worry, Camila," Amity assured Luz's mom. "I'll watch her back."
"You better, Amity," Camila said, kissing her on the cheek. "Protect my baby girl. And both of you, good luck and please be careful."
"Tsumuri, take care of my mom, OK?" Luz asked but there was an edge in her voice.
"Do not worry," Tsumuri assured Luz. "She will be returned home after the end of this round."
The Riders were transported back to Gravesfield. When they arrived at the GHS building, they found it crawling with Witch Hunter Jyamatos.
"Thought we took care of those things," Molly frowned.
"They must've respawned while we were away but they're not doing anything," Anne observed.
"They're the guards," Marcy concluded. "That means the Boss is inside."
"Then let's wipe them out," Sasha ordered as she put on her Beat Buckle.
[Set!]
The Riders all put on their Raise Buckles and performed their transformation poses.
"Henshin!"
[Armed Water!]
[Armed Claw!]
[Armed Hammer!]
[Armed Propeller!]
[Ready, Fight!]
[BEAT!]
[NINJA!]
[MONSTER!]
[ZOMBIE!]
[MAGNUM!]
[READY, FIGHT!]
Armed and ready, the Riders all charged at the Jyamatos, each determined to be the first to reach the Judge Jyamato.
Gato slashed with her Zombie Breaker as Lechuz provided backup with her Magnum Shooter. Her rounds hit the Witch Hunter Jyamatos before they could open fire. As Gato was about to slash at them, Newtonne sped by and struck with her Ninja Dueler.
Soaron swung her Beat Axe, throwing Jyamatos to the ground as Qrok sent them flying with punches. The two fought back-to-back, supporting each other. Strumming her Beat Axe, Soaron fired off elemental attacks left and right.
Clamp seemed to be dancing as he fought the Jyamatos, whacking them with his Raise Hammer while Kata used his karate skills to overpower the Witch Hunter Jyamatos. It did not matter if they had guns, he took them down with ease.
Joy and Tai-Ger fought closely together, beating the Witch Hunter Jyamatos with their weapons. Eyeing the GHS building, Tai-Ger's eyes narrowed in determination. If he beat the Boss, then he would win, save the town and be called a hero!
"Molly, I'm going for the Boss!" Tai-Ger shouted.
"Huh, what?" Joy blinked and saw Tai-Ger run straight for the building. "Penn, wait!"
Tai-Ger, however, ignored her as he hacked and slashed his way through the horde of Jyamatos to make a path for himself.
The Judge Jyamato sat on the bench in a perfect recreation of a courtroom used during the witch trials. It waited patiently for the Riders to arrive. When it heard the commotion outside, it knew that they had shown up. The door swung open and a Witch Hunter Jyamato was thrown into the room before it exploded. Kamen Rider Tai-Ger stood in the doorway, ready to fight.
"OK, Judge! Court is now adjourned!"Tai-Ger claimed, pointing at the Judge Jyamato. Breaking into a run, he leapt into the air and lunged forward to strike the Boss down.
The Judge Jyamato stood up and raised its hands, blasting spores out of the palms of its hands. Tai-Ger's vision was clouded by the spores and then explosions erupted from his armour, causing him to cry out.
Outside the GHS building, the fight was becoming more and more furious as Witch Hunter Jyamatos endlessly spawned.
"There's no end to them!" Joy shouted as she struck them with her Raise Propeller.
"Then we need to work fast!" Kata said.
"Use your Boost Buckle!"
"Eeeeerr…" Kata was starting to sweat under his helmet.
Joy glanced at him, eyeing him curiously.
"Marco, where's your Boost Buckle?"
[Set!]
[Dual On!]
[BEAT & BOOST! READY, FIGHT!]
The crimson Boost Armour was equipped to Soaron's lower body and she broke into a run. Flames burst out of the exhaust pipes attached to her legs to boost her speed. Running up to a group of Jyamatos, she took them out with a combination of fast explosive kicks and swings of her Beat Axe.
"Wait a minute, since when did Sasha have the Boost Buckle? I saw you get it during the last fight," said Joy. "Marco, what happened?"
"Uh…ya see…"
All of a sudden, the GHS building exploded, causing everyone to freeze. They witnessed as a figure was flung out of the burning building before they landed in front of them.
It was Tai-Ger.
"PENN!" Joy ran over to the other Rider to check on him. His armour vanished, revealing he had burns all over his body. "PENN, SPEAK TO ME!"
"I…I don't feel so good…" Penn groaned in pain.
"Penn, just hang on!" Joy cried.
"I…I just wanted to be a hero…" Penn uttered as his ID Core finally cracked.
[Mission Failed!]
Penn's body became covered in red and black static before his body and Desire Driver disintegrated right before their eyes.
Penn Zero/Kamen Rider Tai-Ger [LOSE]
Tsumuri looked sadly at her tablet as Penn's name was crossed out. He was the first Rider in this season to be killed.
"How unfortunate," she sighed.
"What happened?" Camila asked.
"A player was eliminated," Tsumuri answered.
"What do you mean by 'eliminated'?" Camila inquired.
"He was killed in the middle of the game."
"But he was just a child! How could you allow this!?" Camila demanded.
"The players knew the risks when they participated," Tsumuri told her. "We already gave them a chance to back out but they chose to stay. Penn Zero was one of them."
"Where…Where did he go…?" Joy questioned, shocked as she stared at the spot where Penn's body lay before he vanished. What happened to him? He couldn't have died, right? How could he have died? Joy glanced at her fellow Riders. "Hey…g-guys…where did he go? His ID Core just cracked…he didn't…he wasn't that injured…so…so why is he gone…?"
The Judge Jyamato emerged from the burning building and tore off its scorched robes, revealing its body fully. It was a humanoid mushroom creature with robe-like skin covering. When Joy saw it, she knew the monster had killed Penn.
Enraged, Joy rushed at it with her Raise Propeller. Upon seeing her, it blasted her with a spray of explosive spores that sent her crashing to the ground. It was not enough to take her out, but she was sore all over.
Watching a Rider die did shake the remaining players, but Soaron was not intimidated. She just felt even more motivated to take this thing out. She stepped forward as Qrok and Newtonne flanked her. All three Riders burned with the flames of vengeance for what happened to their fellow Rider. Although he was a rival player, they did not wish for death to befall someone in this game because it meant that they would never come back.
"Alright, girls!" Soaron strummed her Beat Axe. "Time to rock!"
The Riders charged as the Witch Hunter Jyamatos regrouped to defend the Judge Jyamato. Kata ran over to Joy to check on her.
"Molls, are you OK?" he asked.
"Penn…" Joy sobbed. "Penn's gone…" She thought this game was fun, ignoring the whole life-or-death thing. But after seeing one of their own die, it finally sunk in how real this was.
"Penn died fighting," Kata said. "He wouldn't want us to give up. We need to avenge him! We need to win this!" He offered her his hand. Joy nodded and took his hand, scooping up Penn's Claw Buckle with her other hand.
The Witch Hunter Jyamatos fired upon the Riders and Clamp immediately went for cover. Lechuz jumped onto the top of a nearby building and converted her weapon to its rifle mode.
[Rifle!]
Looking through her scope, she aimed for the Judge Jyamato and pulled the trigger. The bullet hit its shoulder, causing it to cry out and stagger backwards. She fired again and again, making sure it felt each shot. It needed to pay for what it had done.
She was spotted by several Witch Hunter Jyamatos who opened fire on her. Their bullets flew past her before she jumped off her perch and landed with a roll. They pointed their guns at her but she was a quick shooter as she gunned them down with headshots. Looking around, she found Gato hacking and slashing away at the Jyamatos.
Drawing a spell circle, Gato ensnared a Jyamato with a whip and dragged it over to cut it down. She deflected their bullets with her chainsaw sword then cast another spell to knock them down with columns of rock. Casting another spell, she blasted the Jyamatos with fireballs, letting them have a taste of what they attempted to do with the townspeople.
A group of Jyamatos rolled in a cannon and loaded it. They aimed it at Gato and fired, sending a cannonball flying at her. She noticed it too late and was struck in the chest. Sparks exploded off her as she was sent tumbling, screaming in pain.
"AMITY!" Lechuz screamed and ran to her partner. "Amity, are you OK?!"
"Ugh…" Gato groaned as she sported a huge scorch mark on her chest. "I'm OK, Luz."
Lechuz's eyes flashed purple for a moment and she picked up Gato's Zombie Breaker.
'They hurt the one you love. Make them PAY! Make them SUFFER!'
Lechuz kept her death glare on the Jyamatos near the cannon as she advanced on them while dragging the Zombie Breaker behind her, cutting a groove in the asphalt as sparks ignited from the scrapping metal. As the Witch Hunter Jyamatos began to reload the cannon, they suddenly froze as she got closer to them. It was as if a primal fear had overtaken and paralyzed them. They saw a lone Rider, but at the same time, they saw this great aura surrounding her, with avian wings and glowing eyes that were fixated on them.
With a roar of fury, Lechuz dashed towards the Jyamatos. She slashed them with the Zombie Breaker, cutting down the Jyamatos without mercy. The chainsaw blade spun out as she cut down one horizontally, slicing off its arms in the process.
The second was run through as the chainsaw, well, sawed it down the middle as she yanked upwards with the blade, bisecting its head and shoulders until it looked like a peeled banana.
The third and fourth tried to attack her from behind with a couple of sickles, but Lechuz positioned the Zombie Breaker behind her just in time to block both of the sickle blades from hitting her directly.
Lechuz dropped low and threw a sweeping kick that knocked the two Jyamatos onto their backs. Once down, Lechuz raised her right foot and stomped on the chest of the Jyamato on her right. While she raised the Zombie Breaker with her left arm, she unhooked her Magnum Shooter from her belt with her right hand. She pointed her gun at the one under her foot and began rapidly firing at the monster's head.
At the same time, she brought down the Zombie Breaker directly into the chest of the Jyamato to her left, sawing right through its chest and not stopping. Even when it was starting to grind against the road itself, she kept going. The two creatures wailed in pain as they thrashed about before they both exploded in the only form of mercy they could achieve. The last of them finally had the good sense to flee, but it was already too late. She fired at its feet with her Magnum Shooter, causing it to trip and then she walked over to it.
[TACTICAL BREAK!]
Holding the sword in a reverse grip with both hands, she brought the chainsaw sword down on the creature's back and pushed forward, sawing it up all the way to its head until it exploded. She was not done yet, however, as there was still plenty more to sate her bloodlust.
The Witch Hunter Jyamatos, who had witnessed Lechuz's absolutely brutal slaughter of their kin, all began to cower in fear. Some were even starting to back away as the enraged Rider began moving towards them.
"Go ahead. Get down on your knees and beg for mercy if you want to…IT'LL ONLY MAKE IT EASIER FOR ME TO CUT OFF YOUR HEADS! 'CAUSE THAT'S THE ONLY FORM OF MERCY YOU'RE GOING TO GET FROM ME!" Lechuz bellowed.
They would all pay for hurting Amity, for hurting her mom, and for attacking her home.
The Judge Jyamato found itself being assaulted as Kata charged straight for it. Even without the Boost Buckle, he was still capable of taking on the creature. He threw a roundhouse kick to its head, pushing the monster back before he followed up with a second roundhouse, disorienting the creature further. He then quickly dropped low to the ground to perform a sweeping kick, knocking the Judge Jyamato off its feet and sending it sprawling to the ground.
"THIS IS FOR PENN!" Joy shouted as she dropped down from the air and slashed it with her Raise Propeller once the Judge Jyamato was back on its feet. The blow sent it reeling and it raised its right arm to blast Joy with spores but she spun her Raise Propeller, blowing them back its face as multiple explosions went off around its body. Joy slashed the monster across its chest once, twice, three times before cocking back her left fist and punching the monster right in the face. The Judge Jyamato was sent staggering, its shoulders rising and falling as if it were panting hard.
Kata and Joy were about to resume the attack but fell under the assault of several Witch Hunter Jyamatos that came to their leader's aid. The Judge Jyamato decided to retreat to find a place to hide and recover.
[TACTICAL THUNDER!]
Soaron strummed her Beat Axe furiously, raining lightning bolts on the Witch Hunter Jyamatos, turning them to dust.
"All clear!" Newtonne said as she just finished more of them off. She spotted the Judge Jyamato as it tried to escape. "It's getting away!"
"Then let's take this a-hole out!" Qrok shouted as she pointed at the Judge Jyamato.
The three Riders rushed straight at the Judge Jyamato. It prepared to blast them with its spores but Newtonne was faster as she closed the distance on the monster. With fury in her heart, Newtonne slashed with the Ninja Dueler again and again, tearing sparks from the Judge Jyamato's body.
The creature swung with its arms, trying to strike and knock her back, but Newtonne was too nimble to be hit that easily. And for every strike missed, she punished the Judge Jyamato by counterattacking and slashing it again. She was also tempted to use her 'One Thousand Years of Death' technique on this monster but remembered she was warned against using it. Instead, she backed away before she dragged her blade against its chest. Before completing the strike, she pressed a button on her weapon and made the Ninja Dueler separate.
[Twin Blade!]
The second blade separated from the first, whereupon she caught it with her left hand before completing her slash. Soon after, she followed up with a spinning slash attack that made the monster stumble backwards.
The Judge Jyamato shook its head, growling angrily as it charged in again. But instead of dodging, Newtonne remained still as the monster hit her. Upon contact, her body poofed into a cloud of smoke. That distraction was enough to allow Qrok to smash her fist into the monster's face through the smoke. More sparks flew as the monster backpedalled, but Qrok wasn't about to let it get away that easily. She advanced on the monster, throwing crosses, hooks, and jabs in rapid succession, each hit causing more damage to the monster.
The Judge Jyamato threw its own right hook, but Qrok blocked it with her left forearm before driving her fist into its stomach, causing a shockwave to erupt behind it. Qrok then grabbed that same arm and pinned it to the Jyamato's back, allowing Newtonne to fall from the air and slash down on it as two green energy trails followed in the wake of the slash.
"SASHA, NOW!" Qrok called.
"ON IT!" Soaron yelled.
[Funk Blizzard!]
Soaron strummed the Beat Axe as ice crystals began to form around the bladed edges of the weapon. As the heron-themed Rider charged straight in, Qrok and Newtonne spun around and delivered roundhouse kicks to the Judge Jyamato's gut, pushing it back and causing it to flinch. Qrok and Newtonne then jumped back, allowing Soaron to pass them by as she came in for her attack.
"CHILL OUT!"
[TACTICAL BLIZZARD!]
Soaron's eyes glowed as she swung the Beat Axe, releasing a blast of cryo energy that froze the street, cars, and some of the buildings in front of her, along with the Judge Jyamato who was currently confined in a block of solid ice. The heron-themed Rider did not stop as she used the momentum from the first swing, grabbed the neck of the Beat Axe with both hands and swung once again. The bladed edges of the Beat Axe glowed bright blue as she struck the block of ice containing the Judge Jyamato, shattering the monster's icy prison to pieces and sending it tumbling roughly.
[Revolve On!]
Soaron's body floated in the air as her body rotated, shifting parts until her upper body was covered by the Boost Armour and her lower body was covered by the Beat Armour. As she landed, she twisted the throttle on the Boost Buckle, initiating the finisher.
[BOOST TIME!]
The Bootstriker appeared as it rolled in behind Soaron and transformed into a mechanical heron. It let out a cry and spread its wings as the wheels in its wings turned into speakers. Soaron unhooked the Beat Axe from her belt and played the keys on her Beat Buckle before she began to strum her weapon furiously, blasting the Judge Jyamato with heavy metal. The air around the Judge Jyamato rippled as the heavy metal soundwaves pounded against the monster's body. It tried to focus its mind but found it increasingly difficult as Soaron continued to jam on her Beat Axe. Her song rose in volume as the Judge Jyamato covered its ears to try and block out the sound. It was all futile in the end, as the soundwaves were buffeting it despite its efforts to block them out.
Soaron stopped her sonic assault, seeing that the Judge Jyamato was completely disoriented. The Bootstriker hovered off the ground and flew at Soaron, grabbing her by the shoulders with its talons as their bodies ignited with flames. She then spun her Beat Axe around and around as it ignited before she tossed it high into the air. The Bootstriker launched both itself and Soaron into the air, trailing flames to catch the blazing Beat Axe. Once she caught it, the Booststriker began flying in a loop.
The Boostriker kept going faster and faster, turning at sharp angles as flames trailed behind it. After several passes, it created a giant fireball in the sky with it and Soaron at the centre. The Boostriker cried out as it made one more pass before aiming at the Judge Jyamato and catapulting Soaron right at it, engulfed in the fireball. The heron-themed Rider spun once in midair before stopping and raising her Beat Axe as the flaming sphere around her was absorbed by her weapon until it transformed into an enormous flaming axe blade.
[BOOST BEAT GRAND VICTORY!]
"EAT THIIISSSS!" Soaron yelled as she swung her weapon down.
The Judge Jyamato, after regaining its hearing, heard Soaron's cry. Unfortunately, by then, it was already far too late. The giant flaming axe crashed down upon the plant-based monster, setting off a huge explosion that engulfed the Judge Jyamato and burned it away into ashes. Soaron twirled her Beat Axe around as the flames danced behind her. The eyes of her helmet shined brighter from the shadows cast on her by the burning flames before the Boostriker flew through them and dispersed the flames while giving a mighty screech of victory.
"And that's game over!" Soaron declared as she removed her left hand from the Beat Axe and snapped her fingers.
[MISSION CLEARED!]
With the Judge Jyamato vanquished, the remaining Witch Hunter Jyamatos disintegrated as well.
"How's that, Noceda?" Soaron boasted as Lechuz looked at her silently before she turned away. "Hey, don't ignore me!"
As soon as she tried to chase after Lechuz, the Boost Buckle ejected itself from her Desire Driver, striking her in the face, and knocking her onto her back.
"Son of a – give me a break!"
After the round concluded, the town was restored as all the damage and deaths it experienced were reset. Camila was also sent home with her memories reset so she would not remember anything that happened.
The Riders returned to the Desire Temple where Tsumuri displayed the leaderboard to them.
Sasha Elizabeth Waybright/Kamen Rider Soaron: 132,000 pts.
Amity Blight/Kamen Rider Gato: 78,000 pts.
Marcy Regina Wu/Kamen Rider Newtonne: 65,000 pts.
Luz Nodeca/Kamen Rider Lechuz: 62,000 pts.
Anne Savisa Boonchuy/Kamen Rider Qrok: 60,000 pts.
Marco Ubaldo Diaz/Kamen Rider Kata: 58,000 pts.
Molly McGee/Kamen Rider Joy: 56,000 pts.
Sebastian Krabbs/Kamen Rider Clamp: 55,000 pts.
Penn Zero/Kamen Rider Tai-Ger: 4,9000 pts. (Eliminated)
"It is unfortunate that Penn Zero, Kamen Rider Tai-Ger, was eliminated," Tsumuri said sadly. "Let us have a moment of silence for him."
The remaining Riders hung their heads in silence. Molly shed tears and clenched her fists. After a moment, the Riders gathered together.
"Hey, Molly. Are you OK?" Marcy asked the girl.
"No," Molly replied sadly as she wiped her tears. "This isn't fun anymore."
"It's a life-or-death game, kid," Sasha remarked. "This was bound to happen. He went in alone and got himself killed."
"Sasha," Anne said softly. "Now's not the right time."
"Were you close?" Marcy asked Molly.
"Not really. I was hoping to get to know him during the game," Molly answered. "Now, I'll never get the chance."
"Ms. McGee, if you believe you are unable to continue, I will allow you to withdraw," Tsumuri offered.
"…No." Molly's eyes hardened. "If I just ran away, I'd dishonour Penn's memory. I'm going to fight until the end."
"Good," Tsumuri nodded.
"Hey, man, since I got last place, do I get eliminated?" Sebastian asked.
"Unfortunately, yes," Tsumuri said to him. "While a Rider has been killed in this round, that does not change the rule that the one in last place will be retired from the tournament."
The ID Core vanished from Sebastian's Driver as he sighed.
"Guess this is it for me, man," Sebastian said with a smile. "It was fun while it lasted."
[Retired!]
The rest of the players watched as Sebastian was enveloped in blue energy before he vanished from sight. Now, only seven players remain. Who would be the one to win the Desire Grand Prix?
Who would be crowned the God of Desire?
Dr. Exposition: OK, so much happening in this chapter. A Jyamato attack on Gravesfield, Luz finding out her dad was a player in the DGP, and worst of all the first real casualty of this season of the DGP. Penn Zero dies after trying to fight the Judge Jyamato by himself. And then we have Sebastian who also got himself retired. Here are their wishes:
"I want to become a real hero" - Penn Zero.
"I want to be a universally famous and rich musician" - Sebastian Krabbs.