The air crackled with anticipation. Momotaros, emboldened by the transformation, surveyed the scene with a wild grin. His crimson armor gleamed in the dim light of the gymnasium, and his grip tightened on the DenGasher, which had already formed into its sword form. He cracked his knuckles and smirked. "It's been a while since I've fought. I'm itching for a fight!" he declared, his voice booming.
"Let me warn you. From beginning to end, I'm always at climax!"
Momotaros slid the four DenGasher pieces, previously attached to the Den-O Belt, clicking them into place in his hands. The sword pulsed with crimson energy. This transformation, a seamless dance of motion and power, was his signature move, a declaration of intent. He raised the DenGasher, the blade catching the gymnasium lights, and grinned ferociously.
The Mantis Imagin snarled, its insectoid eyes narrowing as it prepared to attack. Its vine-like limbs twitched, and a low hiss emanated from its mandibles. The Imagin crouched low, ready to strike with deadly precision.
Momotaros lunged forward, DenGasher whistling through the air, meeting the Mantis Imagin's claws in a shower of sparks.
[CLANG!]
The impact reverberated through the gymnasium, shaking the floor.
"Bring it on, bug-brain!" Momotaros taunted, his grin widening.
The Imagin hissed again, a blur of green and purple as it retaliated with a series of rapid strikes. Momotaros parried each blow, his movements fluid and aggressive. He spun, kicking out and sending the Mantis Imagin skidding across the polished floor, before the Imagin smashed into the wall of the gymnasium.
"Not bad, but can you handle this?" Momotaros roared, charging up the DenGasher.
[WHOOSH!]
Crimson energy swirled around the blade as he unleashed a powerful slash, tearing through the air.
[KRA-KOOM!]
The Imagin barely dodged, the energy blade slicing through a row of lockers behind it. The battle intensified, spilling out of the gymnasium and into the school's hallways. Lockers were smashed and posters ripped as the two combatants tore through the corridors, their fight a whirlwind of destruction.
[CRASH!] [SMASH!]
"This way," Momotaros said, as he could see terrified students hiding in a nearby classroom.
"Hey, kids! Get outta here!" Momotaros bellowed, waving his arm, the sight of them momentarily distracting him.
The students, wide-eyed and trembling, scrambled from their hiding place, their faces etched with terror as they bolted down the hallway.
The Mantis Imagin took advantage of Momotaros's distraction, lunging forward with surprising speed. Its claw slashed across his chest, tearing through his armor.
[SCRITCH!]
"Argh!" Momotaros roared, staggering back, clutching his chest. "Damn bug!"
The Mantis Imagin pressed its advantage, pursuing Momotaros relentlessly, its claws snapping.
Seeing no option to fight inside the school, Momotaros hurled himself through a window.
[SHATTER!]
Glass rained down as he landed outside, the gymnasium was behind him. The cool night air hit his face. The school grounds stretched before him, a field perfect for a showdown. He grinned, seeing the battlefield.
"Now this is more like it!" Momotaros declared, his voice echoing across the empty field.
The Mantis Imagin, unfazed, followed, leaping out of the shattered window. It landed gracefully, its insectoid limbs flexing, its eyes fixed on its prey.
[THUMP!]
"You can't escape your destiny, Kamen Rider," the Mantis Imagin hissed, its voice a grating rasp. "Your interference ends here."
Momotaros smirked, twirling the DenGasher. "Destiny? I make my own destiny! And my destiny is to kick your ass!"
He charged, DenGasher a blur of crimson energy. He brought the sword down on the Mantis Imagin, blow after blow. The Imagin struggled, its movements becoming sluggish as it fought back. Sparks flew, illuminating the darkness.
[CLANG!] [CLANG!] [CLANG!]
Momotaros landed a blow.
[WHACK!]
"Is that all you've got, bug boy?" Momotaros taunted, his eyes ablaze.
The Mantis Imagin growled, its form flickering, struggling to keep up with Momotaros's relentless assault. "I'll show you true power!" the Imagin retorted.
Just as Momotaros prepared to deliver the finishing blow, the Mantis Imagin unleashed a counterattack. It shot out purple balls from its vines.
[POP! POP! POP!]
The spheres landed on Momotaros, sticking to his armor like glue. He tried to brush them off, but they were stubbornly adhesive.
"What the—?!" Momotaros exclaimed, his movements suddenly restricted.
"Surprised? After possessing that brat, I learned I can gain his Quirk and use it with my already innate abilities," the Mantis Imagin hissed, its eyes gleaming with triumph. "Now, you're stuck!"
The Imagin then slashed at Momotaros, his mobility limited by the spheres.
[SCRATCH!]
Momotaros stumbled, the impact sending him skidding across the field. He grunted in pain but quickly regained his footing. This guy's tougher than I thought, Momotaros thought, his grip tightening on the DenGasher.
The Mantis Imagin continued its assault, the thorny whips tearing at Den-O's armor. Momotaros struggled, the adhesive orbs preventing him from dodging effectively.
"Damn it! I can't even move properly!" Momotaros roared, gritting his teeth.
Calm down, Momotaros! Panicking won't help! Ace said in their shared consciousness. Those things are stuck tight. The only way to remove them is for Mantis to touch them directly.
"What?! You serious? So, I can't just rip them off?"
No. The Quirk makes them stick to you, and only he can detach them.
"So that's how it is?" said Momotaros. He eyed the Mantis Imagin, calculating his next move. Gotta get close, huh? He knew he needed to exploit the Imagin's arrogance.
The Mantis Imagin lunged again, claws aimed at Den-O's visor. Momotaros side-stepped, narrowly avoiding the attack, but the restrictive orbs threw off his balance. Now's my chance.
He studied the Imagin, looking for an opening, a moment of vulnerability. As the Mantis Imagin retracted its claws, Momotaros saw it—a brief, unguarded moment.
With a burst of adrenaline, Momotaros charged, DenGasher held low. He feigned a downward strike, drawing the Imagin's attention, then abruptly shifted his momentum, spinning, and kicking out.
[THWACK!]
His armored boot connected with the Mantis Imagin's wrist, sending it stumbling forward, claws flailing. He heard Mantis' voice in his head, confused.
As the Imagin flailed, Momotaros reached out, grabbing the Imagin's claws, and slammed them against the adhesive orbs stuck to his chestplate.
[POP! POP! POP!]
The orbs detached, falling harmlessly to the ground. The Mantis Imagin stumbled back, its eyes wide with disbelief.
"What?!" the Mantis Imagin shrieked.
Momotaros grinned, a triumphant glint in his eyes. "Thanks for the assist, bug brain. Now, it's my turn!"
He lunged, DenGasher raised high, ready to unleash his counterattack. "Time for a real climax!"
The DenGasher came down in a swift arc, impacting the Mantis Imagin square in the chest.
[SLASH!]
The Imagin shrieked, its body convulsing as crimson energy coursed through it. The force of the blow sent it hurtling backwards, crashing into the earth with a resounding thud.
[THUD!]
The Mantis Imagin lay motionless, its limbs twitching, struggling to rise. Momotaros watched, his chest heaving, ready to finish the fight. He adjusted his grip on the DenGasher, his eyes never leaving his opponent.
"Alright, bug boy, time for my Hissatsu attack, Part 4!" Momotaros shouted, his voice filled with determination.
He swiped the Rider Pass across the Den-O Belt, activating his Hissatsu attack.
[Full Charge]
Crimson energy surged through the DenGasher, the blade glowing brighter than ever before. With a mighty yell, Momotaros delivered a devastating slash, cutting through the Mantis Imagin like butter.
[SHING!]
The Imagin exploded in a burst of emerald light, its body disintegrating into ash. Momotaros struck a triumphant pose, DenGasher held high. "That's how it's done!"
Just as Momotaros started to relax, the ashes of the Mantis Imagin began to swirl, gathering into a massive, monstrous form. The particles collided, reformed, and grew in size, obscuring the sky.
A colossal shadow fell upon the school grounds, and Momotaros looked up. The Gigandeath Mantis emerged, towering over the battlefield, its insectoid features now grotesquely exaggerated. Its mandibles were massive, its eyes glowed with malevolent intent, and its limbs were thick, powerful appendages.
Momotaros stared up at the creature, his jaw dropping. "The guy got bigger!" he exclaimed, both annoyed and impressed.
The Gigandeath Mantis screeched, a sound that threatened to shatter the very air, and brought its massive claws crashing down toward Den-O.
Momotaros dodged frantically, rolling to the side as the claws impacted the earth where he had stood only moments before.
[BOOM!]
Craters now marred the school grounds.
We need to get to the DenLiner! Ace urged, his voice frantic in their shared consciousness.
"I agree!" Momotaros yelled back, his eyes darting around, searching for an escape route. The Gigandeath Mantis was too big, too strong. He needed firepower, and fast.
The DenLiner, as if answering their silent plea, materialized, hurtling across the sky, its sleek form cutting through the night. It moved and passed by Momotaros at an angle that it could board it.
With a burst of speed, Momotaros sprinted toward the speeding train, leaping into the open front car just as it aligned with his position.
[THUMP!]
He landed hard, stumbling for a moment before righting himself. Naomi waved cheerfully from the driver's seat. The front car housed the Machine DenBird.
Without hesitation, Momotaros jumped onto the Machine DenBird, revving the engine. The motorcycle roared to life, its headlights cutting through the darkness. He pressed a button on the console, and the DenLiner shuddered as its weapon systems were deployed.
"Alright, let's do this!" Momotaros roared, slamming the accelerator. The DenLiner lurched forward, the Machine DenBird acting as its control mechanism.
The first four cars of the DenLiner pivoted outward, revealing their unique armaments.
The first car showcased the GouCannon. It was a four-barreled laser cannon, each barrel glowing with intense energy. The cannon was designed to look like Momotaro himself, a fierce and determined warrior ready to unleash a barrage of destruction. This cannon was capable of firing powerful beams at both air and ground targets.
The second car featured the Doggy Launcher, shaped like a dog's head, its jaws open in a perpetual bark. From this launcher, a volley of rockets was fired, each one leaving a trail of smoke as it hurtled towards the target. These rockets, affectionately dubbed "Doggy Bark," added an element of both chaos and charm to the DenLiner's arsenal.
The third car, represented the monkey ally, housed the Monkey Bomber. It was capable of launching explosive bombs, usually two at a time.
The fourth and final car, represented the pheasant companion, was equipped with the Birdie Missile battery. The missiles were miniature bird-shaped projectiles with blade-like wings. They streaked through the air with deadly precision.
The Gigandeath Mantis screeched, its massive form lumbering forward, intent on crushing the DenLiner beneath its weight. Momotaros gripped the handlebars of the Machine DenBird, his eyes fixed on the monstrous creature.
"Eat this!" Momotaros yelled, and the Goucannon roared to life.
[KRA-KOOM!]
Four beams of intense energy slammed into the Gigandeath Mantis, staggering the beast but failing to bring it down. The Mantis Imagin retaliated, swiping with its massive claws, forcing Momotaros to swerve the DenLiner to avoid the deadly strikes.
"Doggy Launcher, fire!" Momotaros commanded, and the Doggy Launcher unleashed its volley of rockets.
[WHOOSH!] [BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!]
The rockets struck the Gigandeath Mantis, creating a series of explosions across its armored hide. The explosions disrupted its movements, giving Momotaros a brief respite.
"Monkey Bomber, go!" Momotaros shouted, and the Monkey Bomber launched its payload of explosive bombs.
[THUMP!] [KRA-KOOM!]
The bombs detonated, releasing a wave of concussive force that shook the Gigandeath Mantis. The explosions tore chunks of chitin from its armor, exposing the grotesque flesh beneath.
"Birdie Missile, lock on and fire!" Momotaros yelled, and the Birdie Missile battery unleashed its swarm of projectiles.
[SWISH!] [BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!]
The bird-shaped missiles streaked through the air, striking the Gigandeath Mantis with pinpoint accuracy. Their bladed wings tore through its defenses, causing it to roar in pain and frustration. The combined barrage of the DenLiner's weapon systems was taking its toll, but the Gigandeath Mantis remained standing.
Momotaros knew it was time to end this. "Alright, everyone! Give it all you got!" he yelled.
The GouCannon fired again, its beams cutting through the darkness and striking the monstrous entity. The Doggy Launcher unleashed another barrage of rockets, each one homing in on the Imagin's exposed flesh. The Monkey Bomber launched its bombs, which exploded with even greater force. The Birdie Missile battery unleashed another swarm.
The Gigandeath Mantis roared and swatted away some of the attacks. The creature buckled. Its body was falling apart, its insectoid features dissolving into a mass of fragments. The power of DenLiner's full assault was more than it could withstand.
The air shimmered, and a blinding flash engulfed the school grounds. When the light cleared, the Gigandeath Mantis was gone, reduced to nothing more than drifting embers.
The Machine DenBird slowed to a halt, its engine idling. The weapon systems of the train powered down. Momotaros watched the embers fade away, a triumphant grin spreading across his face. "Yosha! I won!"
***
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Advance chapters are in my P@|r3on - Najicablitz