"Is this it?" Dino asked, peering through their binoculars. "Our secret lab under the Bifrost docks was much nicer than this. This ratty dump created a Rangadriver?"
"Does it matter?" Palmer replied, his voice tinged with impatience. "Do you see any sign that someone has broken into it?"
The main research lab for Simensen stood out on the outskirts of Bifrost near the great bridge. While an improvement over downtown, most buildings were still run-down and defaced with graffiti. The lab occupied a modest multistory building converted from an apartment complex. Despite its humble appearance, state-of-the-art modern security systems protected the structure. Security guards milled about, watching the place. From the guard's bored expression, trouble had yet to arrive at the building.
"Everything seems fine." Subtlety wasn't Surtur's style. Dino watched a researcher attach an Uhyre key to some device before wandering from view.
The calm scene made Dino question his instincts about Surtur attacking the place. Still, he wanted to sneak inside and perform some espionage. While better guarded than he'd expected, it only made the situation more fun. Night seemed his best bet if Surtur never showed his fake imitation face.
Dino lay back, knowing he could afford to be patient. Their target would show himself, eventually. If not here, somewhere else—and he'd be ready. He yawned and played around the glove box, searching for an energy bar. A frown creased his face when Dino realized they were out of chocolate ones.
"There's a C-store two blocks away." Dino gave his compatriot a couple of euros. "Get me some chocolate energy bars. You can keep the change."
"I'm not your intern, Rizzo," Palmer said, annoyed, but he relented and left.
While he waited in their stakeout vehicle, movement caught Dino's attention. A fancy limousine parked at the front entrance. A burly man rivaling Doctor Halvorsen's build opened the car door for a familiar face. Dino's hackles rose as Simensen left his vehicle and entered the laboratory. In Ophion Industries' president's right hand was a briefcase marked with a snake. It must be his Rangadriver.
"This is an interesting development." This day just got better. Perhaps he could avenge himself on Simensen for nearly killing him. True, Fenrir had beaten him before, but Dino enjoyed trading blows with her—unlike this slimeball. Time to do some poking about. Maybe their databanks had something Doctor Halvorsen could use?
---
"Well?" Simensen asked his lead scientist, McGuire.
"The new laser cannon is coming along nicely, sir." The scientist led Simensen and his bodyguard toward the weapon testing area. The lab was a buzz with activity as various experiments tested the capabilities of their various projects. They watched as a knife with a glowing edge melted a steel plate into molten slag. One intern's experimental gauntlets allowed him to fold a steel beam like a pretzel. The files Johan had stolen from the little pup's Rangadriver were coming in useful indeed.
"Impressive. But will the final version match the specifications I requested?" Various world powers already showed considerable interest in the weapon's capabilities. Simensen wanted a working prototype completed in three months. With Ymir dying, Ophion Industries was eager to fill its gap in technological development. And unlike Wilson's company, they had no megalomaniacal greed for power.
Not that he didn't relish the power the belt offered him. It screamed to be summoned to his waist and unleash its might on some unsuspecting foe. Simensen found himself unable to part with it, carrying it close wherever he went. Perhaps he'd spar with James once business had concluded.
The 3.0 version of the prototype laser weapon was even more ambitious in scope and power. The intern clutching the device inserted an Uhyre key emblazoned with the symbol of a salamander into a slot in the base. A Vietnam-era tank rolled into the testing area. The intern took aim, fired, and flew off his feet from the sheer ferocity of the weapon's power. When the intern stumbled to his feet, little more than a bubbling pool of steel remained of the demonstration.
"We're still optimizing its design for easy mass production, but we're pleased with the results," McGuire said, puffing out his chest.
"Fine work. Your efforts are most appreciated." Its weight and kickback were considerable, however. In the field, it'd be impractical without a powered suit. Thanks to Fenrir's Rangadriver, they'd have the means to mass-produce such a device.
"Oh, Wilson. You patented nothing about your wonder device, did you? What a pity," Simensen thought. That was the problem with secret projects. With Ymir in such political and legal hot water, they wouldn't have the time or money to challenge Ophion Industries' claim to this technology. While an undeniable genius, Wilson was sadly misguided in his priorities.
The change in his bodyguard's posture caught Simensen's attention—stiffening as he turned and spoke into his earpiece.
"Is there a problem, James?" Simensen asked.
"Security is picking up an intruder," the bodyguard replied, guiding his boss toward a back exit. Rangadriver or not, James vowed to protect his charge. Before Simensen could offer any protest, a far wall exploded. Simensen coughed and wheezed as choking dust and smoke filled the laboratory.
Dust stung Simensen's eyes as he peered through the cloud. He stood tall, refusing to be cowed by some intruder. Despite his bodyguard's protests, Simensen already held his Uhyre key ready.
An imposing figure walked through the shattered drywall, standing two meters tall. A leather jacket covered rippling muscles exposed by a flap in the coat. Dark shades covered the intruder's eyes, but the face was unmistakable.
"Wilson?" Simensen asked, crossing his arms. "What is the meaning of this?"
There'd been plenty of wild rumors about the president of Ymir's possible demise, but it appeared they'd been unfounded. Still, it surprised Simensen that Wilson would attack his company so openly. He'd assumed it'd be the wolf girl out for some mischief. Had he come to steal his rival's company secrets for himself? Unlike Ymir, Ophion Industries had patented all their technology and would prove so in court.
Much to Simensen's confusion, Wilson's gaze passed across Ophion Industries' secret projects and focused on him—specifically, his Rangadriver.
Without a word, Wilson stomped toward him. Security guards rushed into the room, guns raised. They ordered Wilson to freeze, but the Ymir president ignored them. Only his goal seemed to matter to him.
"What is this? Retaliation for what happened at Doctor Halvorsen's manor?" An unexpected pit of dread formed in Simensen's stomach, making him wonder about the wisdom of ignoring his bodyguard's advice to flee to safety.
"No, this is my domain. I flee from no man," Simensen thought.
"Cheeky, putting your hand into a snake's nest." Simensen smirked, eager for battle. "Just pray you don't get bitten, Wilson. Henshin!"
Again, Wilson seemed unbothered by this development, not even activating his own Uhyre key. Simensen hadn't noticed it before, but the bigger man wasn't wearing his Angra Armlet. Wilson had something strapped to his back, but Simensen couldn't determine its purpose from this angle.
Has he lost his senses? Not wanting to attack an unarmed man, Simensen gestured a clawed hand to his guard to apprehend the intruder.
"No, don't let him touch you!" a red-headed, rough-looking man with an eye patch said, stopping the guards flat before touching the intruder.
"Dino Rizzo?" Simensen recognized the man from Halvorsen's manor. Was he here to retrieve his lost, addled president? How had he gotten past their security?
But the guards didn't heed the man's word. The largest of the lab's guards grabbed Wilson's arm, ready to throw him into a restraining armlock. For years to come, the scream would haunt Simensen's nightmares.
Unbothered by flames, Wilson pushed past another guard. Despite weighing well over a hundred kilos, Surtur tossed the burly security guard aside like a small child. Almost nothing remained as his body struck the wall, setting some stray papers on fire. Wilson continued his march toward Simensen, who took an involuntary step back.
Guards opened fire, but the bullets bounced off Wilson's skin like nothing. What the hell was this creature?
"Dammit! Terrorize!" Dino inserted his Uhyre key, changing into his monstrous bear form.
The transformed creature charged, grabbing a nearby table and hurling it toward his mad boss. With inhuman speed, Wilson twisted his body away from the projectile. A table leg knocked off his sunglasses, revealing smoldering, inhuman orange eyes.
"That isn't President Wilson." Dino circled their foe, wary to even approach. "That's Surtur, an AI based on the president!"
Another Ymir screw-up run amok. Simensen's expression hardened, withdrawing his blade, purple energy gathering around its tip. "Then you won't mind if I trash this creature. Everyone, get to safety. I'll handle this. Even you, James."
After a reluctant second, James nodded, guiding the scientists and remaining guards toward a far door. Soon, only the three warriors remained, though Simensen figured his loyal bodyguard was hanging around somewhere close.
An AI? As Simensen circled his opponent, considering the implications of such a statement. How limited was his intelligence? He supposed it didn't matter. Despite not being organic, Jörmungandr's poison would still destroy the creature from within.
Like a predator waiting in ambush, Simensen watched Dino engage their opponent, ready for a moment of vulnerability.
To his credit, the Ymir henchman proved a more capable warrior than Simensen had expected. Ice shredded valuable equipment as the bear monster slashed toward his opponent. While an agile foe, the Fake Wilson couldn't keep up with the onslaught. Simensen's breath caught as ice shards tore holes in Surtur's jacket, revealing metal and circuitry beneath. Seconds later, the wound sealed itself like it hadn't existed.
Nanotech? Never mind, Jörmungandr's poison would counter such an ability. He watched as Surtur used Dino's speed and power against him, a carefully timed judo throw hurling the Ymir henchman through a wall. The Midgard Serpent saw his moment. Despite attacking what Simensen perceived as a blind spot, Surtur slipped aside.
Unperturbed by the failed attack, the Midgard Serpent attacked using his superior speed. Steel struck against steel as Surtur used the item on his back to block the attack. Much to Simensen's astonishment, it was a Rangadriver. It appeared unfinished, with its innards still exposed.
"Look out, you fool!" Dino said, breaking Simensen's momentary surprise. Fingers slipped past Jörmungandr's Rangadriver as Surtur dove toward it. Cursing his sloppiness, Simensen slashed and feinted, hoping to catch his opponent unaware.
Despite his speed, Simensen was unable to land a single blow. With frightening precision, Surtur slipped around his attacks, each as his movement became more predictable to the machine creature.
Prediction algorithm? Without a word passing between the pair of enhanced humans, they attacked at opposite angles. Their combined efforts would be enough to overwhelm the creature's learning algorithm. Spikes of ice shot from Dino's claws. Not playing around, either, Simensen withdrew his Uhyre key and reinserted it into its slot.
"Venom Strike!" A wave of purple energy slashed toward Surtur while ice bombarded him from behind. Surtur slipped back, ice spikes impaling deep inside Surtur's back and torso as he just avoided the Midgard Serpent's signature attack. He'd judged Dino's attacks the least damaging of the two. The machine creature staggered back, stunned. Heedless of the danger, Jörmungandr lunged forward for a killing strike.
Before Simensen could deliver the coup d'état, a hand grabbed Jörmungandr's arm, holding it in place. The blade stopped mere millimeters from Surtur's chest. Simensen cursed, realizing the machine creature had purposely faked weakness to lure him close. Its grip was like iron—immovable. Surtur's inhuman, blazing eyes stared into Simensen's helmet visor, showing no emotion. Yet, he sensed triumph in the creature's body language.
A hand dove toward Simensen, who struggled to wrench free of his bond before Surtur burned him alive. The grip broke, Simensen slipping away unharmed. But killing—or even hurting—him hadn't been Surtur's intention.
A hand touched against Jörmungandr's Rangadriver, grasping it with Surtur's enormous hand. Instead of destroying it as expected, the Fake Wilson's eyes glowed brighter. The contract broke, and Simensen escaped Surtur's range.
"Information acquired," Surtur said in an odd, metallic version of Mark Wilson's voice. "And now, it's complete." He placed a hand against his incomplete Rangadriver, and its gem glowed with a fiery light. Simensen cursed, realizing that the machine creature was fixing the device from the inside with his nanomachines. The casing reformed itself, developing a metallic red sheen. The sword guard extended outward, growing fire-like spikes that glowed orange.
Cursing louder, Simensen charged, but Surtur was already several steps ahead. He dodged under a clumsy sword thrust, scooping a discarded Uhyre key from the broken remains of a table. Its emblem was blank, not yet encoded with any data.
Surtur extended his Uhyre key, and the blank spot on its casing glowed with orange light. When it faded, a flame symbol replaced the empty slot. Surtur entered a battle pose and inserted his Uhyre key into his newly minted Rangadriver. "Henshin!"
Searing pain struck Simensen's vision as Surtur's body blazed with intense light, blinding in its intensity. Charcoal-colored armor appeared around his body, fully plated with cracks exposing what seemed like molten lava beneath. An inhuman helm covered his face, with features that hid almost everything except Surtur's glowing orange eyes. Two long spear-like projections adorned his helmet, curling up like ram's horns.
"Now, I have the power to fulfill my purpose: Ragnarök." The tile beneath Surtur's armored boots melted under his touch. Paper and other flammables caught aflame as he passed. The room became a furnace whose heat choked Simensen even under his armor's protection. "This world and everything within it will burn until only ash remains. So says I, Kamen Rider Surtur, the land's end."
"Never!" Roaring in defiance, ice gathered around Dino's paws, lashing out with razor-sharp claws of ice.
With almost comical ease, the ice claws shattered against Surtur's armor. Dino recoiled in pain as they bounced off Surtur's impossibly hard exterior. Fear entered the normally cocksure Ymir henchman, horrified his attack had been less than useless. He howled in agony as a far wall exploded in chunks of drywall as Dino crashed through it.
"Remarkable," the Fake Wilson said, studying his flexing fingers.
"Bastard. Do you know how much this laboratory costs?" Terror gripped a chokehold on his heart, fighting against the instinct to flee. But he remained firm, reinserting his key into his Rangadriver. "Venom Strike!"
Not waiting for his special attack to hit, Simensen charged forward at full force. With speed that belied his massive frame, Surtur slipped around the incoming wave of energy and intercepted Jörmungandr's fang-shaped sword with his own.
Metal clashed as Simensen slashed toward his foe, trying to overwhelm the creature. Yet, it proved fruitless, as Surtur blocked each blow with almost comical ease. Pain lanced through Simensen's chest as a sudden punch staggered him. The armored monstrosity faced them with both blade and fist, pummeling Simensen senseless. He tried fighting back, but it was like fighting a living flame. Surtur danced around every single counterattack, impossible to touch. A sudden headbutt sent the Midgard Serpent to his knees.
"My turn." Surtur withdrew his Uhyre key and reinserted it into the slot of his Rangadriver. "The End!"
Fire gathered around Surtur's sword, melting the ceiling tiles with its intensity. A wave of fiery destruction blasted past Simensen, just missing him as he scrambled away in terror. He heaved heavy breaths, grateful to be alive. He opened his mouth for a pithy remark—an insult for Surtur's missed attack—but any words died in his throat as he saw the devastation left behind.
Simensen stood stock-still, speechless.
Three entire city blocks were simply gone, a charred, smoking hole the only thing remaining of the once-prosperous business district. Any building not destroyed by the initial impact had either collapsed under the strain of such a powerful blow or caught fire. With a single swing of his blade, Surtur had left a permanent scar on Bifrost City. He had proven he could tear apart this city—no, the world—with his bare hands.
Ragnarök had begun.