Ace and Yu hear it then, a symphony of chaos. Screams pierce the air, punctuated by explosions and guttural roars unlike anything he's encountered before. Inves, he realises. The bastards sent Inves too. He whips around to face the Mantis Imagin, eyes burning with rage.
"What did you do?" He needs answers, now.
The Imagin smirks, a smug, unsettling expression twisting Mineta's face. "If you hadn't interfered," it hisses, the voice a distorted blend of Mineta's and something far more sinister, "none of this would have happened. Those lives… are on your hands, Kamen Rider."
The words hit Ace like a physical blow. Yu's face contorts with fury. The cost of their interference. The Imagin's taunts twist the knife. This changes everything.
"You son of a—"
Before Yu can finish her sentence, Mineta's body convulses, a horrifying transformation ripping through him. His arms elongate, morphing into razor-sharp mantis claws dripping with a viscous, purple goo. His eyes bulge, becoming large and insect-like, pupils shrinking into pinpricks. His legs bend at impossible angles, contorting into jagged, chitinous limbs. Then, with a wet, tearing sound, translucent insect wings erupt from his back.
That's just like what happened to Puncture. The Imagin is taking over Mineta.
The Mantis Imagin throws back its head and cackles, the sound echoing in the confined hallway. The transformation, now complete, has granted it the power to rip free of Dragreder's coils. Ace and Yu can only stare in stunned horror.
"You think you can stop me, Rider?" The Imagin's voice drips with venom. "This is just the beginning! Now if you excuse me, I have a show to be at. Ta ta!" With a final, mocking bow, the Mantis Imagin launches itself into the air, wings buzzing furiously as it disappears towards the stadium and the pandemonium unfolding there.
"Ace! What do we do?" Yu's voice is laced with panic, her eyes wide with disbelief and fear.
Ace clenches his fists, a surge of resolve hardening his gaze. "We head to the stadium," he says, his voice firm, cutting through the chaos. "Now. We stop that Imagin, and protect those kids. Whatever it takes."
Without another word, Ace sprints toward the exit, Yu hot on his heels, the sounds of destruction and terror echoing in their ears. They have a festival to save.
When they arrived, the U.A. Sports Festival has become a battleground. Screams mix with roars as Inves, monstrous creatures born of a twisted forest, rampage through the stadium. Pro Heroes clash against them, Quirks exploding in bursts of color and force, while the students of Class 1-A bravely join the fray, their training put to a brutal test.
Ace, already transformed into Kamen Rider Ryuki, and Yu, still in her Mt. Lady form, arrive to a scene of utter pandemonium. Ryuki's crimson armor reflects the flickering emergency lights, while Mt. Lady looms large, a titan against a horde of monsters.
"What are those things?!" Yu exclaims, her voice laced with shock. Her eyes widen as she takes in the chaotic scene, the sheer number of Inves overwhelming.
Ace grits his teeth, his mind racing. Inves? Here? In this world? How? He recognizes the creatures instantly — the monstrous foot soldiers of Helheim Forest, a threat he only knew from Kamen Rider Gaim. He tightens his grip on the Dragsaber. He couldn't explain all of this right now, but the priority was to protect the people.
"It does not matter," Ace says, his voice grim. "Right now, we save people."
Ryuki throws himself into the fight, the Dragsaber a blur of silver as it cuts through the Elementary Inves. These were the grunts, cannon fodder for the real threat, but they were still dangerous, their claws and teeth capable of tearing through flesh and bone.
"Dragreder, assist!" Ace commands.
"ROAR!"
With a screeching roar, Dragreder materializes, its serpentine form weaving through the air, blasting fireballs that incinerate clusters of Inves. The dragon's arrival draws the attention of several Pro Heroes, who glance at Ryuki with suspicion, but they are too preoccupied with the immediate threat to confront him.
The Elementary Inves were manageable, but Ace spots Advanced Inves wreaking havoc. A Shika Inves, a monstrous deer with razor-sharp antlers, charges through the crowd, goring anyone in its path. A Seiryu Inves, an azure dragon covered in armored scales, unleashes torrents of blue flame. A Lion Inves, with its feral roar and muscular frame, swats aside Pro Heroes like ragdolls.
"Dragreder, take down the big ones!" Ace shouts. "Focus on the Seiryu, Lion, and Shika!"
Dragreder acknowledges with a roar, diverting its attention to the Advanced Inves, engaging the Seiryu in a mid-air dogfight, trading blasts of fire and energy.
Meanwhile, Ace continues to carve through the Elementary Inves, protecting students and civilians alike. He hears cries for help, the sounds of panic and desperation. He scans the crowd, his heart sinking as he spots a familiar face: Ami, surrounded by a pack of Inves, their claws raised, ready to strike.
Ami!
Ace knows he is too far. He is unable to reach her in time. Fear spikes in his chest.
But just as the Inves are about to pounce, a figure leaps into the fray, a blur of green and purple.
[SMACK] [POW] [KRAKOW]
The figure tackles the Inves, knocking them off balance, creating an opening for Ami to escape. Ace watches in stunned disbelief.
Who is that? Brave guy.
Ryuki, his armored boots pounding against the stadium floor, reaches Ami, his Dragsaber poised to strike. But he pauses, recognizing the familiar kind face.
"Are you okay?" Ace asks, trying to modulate his voice, to sound like a stranger, someone who had never met her.
Ami nods, her eyes wide with fear. "Y-yes, thank you… Kamen Rider."
Ace glances at the student who saved Ami: a teenage boy with messy green hair, muttering to himself, his eyes sparkling with fanboyish glee.
"You! Kid! Get her out of here, NOW!" Ace barks, trying to sound authoritative.
The boy snaps to attention, his eyes widening even further. "Kamen Rider?! Oh my gosh, it's really you! I'm a HUGE fan!"
He's a fan? Seriously? Ace barely acknowledges him, his mind still on Ami's safety and the chaos unfolding.
"Fan later," Ace says, his voice sharp. "This place isn't safe. Take her to safety!"
"Right, yes, of course!" The boy stammers, grabbing Ami's arm. "Come on, ma'am, let's get you somewhere safe!"
The boy leads Ami away, his face flushed with excitement, his muttering growing louder. Ace watches them go, a knot of worry tightening in his stomach. He needs to trust that the kid can get her to safety. He needs to focus on the fight.
But then, a figure lands in front of Ace, a familiar scent washing over him. Mineta, his face twisted into a manic grin, stands before him, his body crackling with energy. The purple spheres on his head pulse with a sinister light.
The elementary Inves seem to gravitate towards Mineta.
[SMACK] [POW] [KRAKOW]
With a series of perfectly timed strikes and maneuvers, Mineta defeats an Elementary Inves. His form is perfect, his movements precise and efficient. He does a somersault in the air and stomps the head of another Inves.
[CHEER]
The crowd erupts into applause, their fear momentarily forgotten.
"MINETA! MINETA! MINETA!"
"Whoa, did you see that?"
"Mineta's got some serious moves now!"
"He's taking out those monsters like it's nothing!"
Pro Heroes, caught up in the moment, nod in approval. Even some of Mineta's classmates, except for Bakugo, cheer him on.
"Go, Mineta! Show them what you're made of!" Uraraka shouts.
"Yeah, Mineta! You can do it!" Kaminari adds.
Even Iida can't help but approve, "Yes, do your best Mineta."
Mineta basks in the adoration, his chest swelling with pride. For the first time in his life, he feels like he is achieving his dream, finally being recognized, finally being admired.
Yes… YES!
In Mineta's mind, Mantis smiles, its voice a silken whisper.
"Excellent work, Mineta. You are a true star. You were always the best."
Mantis looks out and smiles, "Contract complete…"
Then, with a final, satisfied sigh, Mantis detaches completely from Mineta's body. A swirling vortex of emerald energy rips open between them, and the Imagin, its form now fully revealed in all its insectoid glory, dives into the portal, leaving Mineta's body limp and lifeless. The portal snaps shut, the green light vanishing without a trace.
Mineta collapses onto the stadium floor.
"That bastard did it!" Ace growls, his grip on the Dragsaber tightening.
The stadium plunged deeper into pandemonium as the Inves suddenly went berserk, their aggression escalating exponentially. A guttural roar echoed through the stadium, signaling the start of their terrifying transformation.
The Shika Inves underwent a horrifying metamorphosis, the deer-like features contorting into a monstrous visage. Large, branching horns erupted from its head, shoulders, and back, each ablaze with searing orange and blue flames. The deer turned hulking, and the deer-like head grows fiercer—jagged teeth exposed, blue-slit eyes.
The Seiryu Inves roared as its azure scales hardened, its serpentine body elongating and becoming even more serpentine. Blue fire wreathed its jaws, intensifying its draconic features, making it even more destructive. The dragon roared, the blue flames erupted from its maw.
The Lion Inves underwent the most dramatic change, shifting to a massive quadrupedal form. Its already muscular frame expanded, becoming a behemoth of muscle and claws. Its mane thickened, crackling with raw power. The Inves howled, it towered over everyone.
The scene descended into even greater chaos, the transformed Inves unleashing their power with unrestrained ferocity. The U.A. Sports Festival had become a stage for an apocalypse.
***
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Advance chapters are in my P@|r3on - Najicablitz