With his crimson hair fluttering in the wind as if it was burning, and the normal fun mood around him completely gone from his intense facial expression, Yuugo stared at Rush, who howled at him loudly.
And as both looked at each other, Yuugo asked a question with an unchanging expression.
“…Is that really you, Rush? You started an incident that involved this many people?”
“That’s right, I did it. I’ve come far enough that I can do this! I abandoned the weak me you defeated, and was born anew as a strong me!”
“Are you responsible for the missing person cases happening in this city? Did you…?”
“That’s right. They all became nourishment for my power. Without their sacrifices and support, I would have never grown this much. I carry their feelings on my back. Everyone left their hopes… Their lives, with me.”
“Don’t give me that! Do you realize what you’ve done!? You killed people! Your friends even! Doesn’t that hurt your heart at all!?”
“Not a bit. I will become the strongest being in this world. I will beat you along with the one known as a hero, Zenon Ash, and I will become a hero that goes beyond him. I’m not something that can be contained in this academy, my name will be known throughout this vast world as the name of the strongest hero! And wouldn’t they be happy to sacrifice themselves for that purpose?”
Yuugo clenched his fists, as he heard Rush speak without feeling any guilt, or even any hint that he thought what he did was bad at all.
His fists were clenched so tightly that his left fist made noise, as he looked at Rush, who had completely fallen into evil, and warned him with anger in his voice.
“…These words aren’t mine, but they fit you perfectly. A hero fails to be a hero when he attempts to become one. You can’t call yourself a hero when you go around taking lots of people’s lives. ‘Hero’ isn’t just something you wear as a badge.”
“Haha, you say some funny things…! How about this then, we duel, and whoever wins has to accept what the other says? Power is everything in this world. And attaining it takes precedence over anything else. Now that I’ve become strong, I can have everything my way!”
“…You’re completely hopeless. I’m not gonna accept that duel. I’m just going to take you down to protect what matters to me.”
Yuugo held his fist next to his face, clenching it so hard that the cracking of the bones was audible.
He raised his head and pointed his face straight at Rush, as he infused the bracelet on his left arm with magic energy, and shouted.
“Hen… Shin!!”
The red, glittering magic energy, and the ominous, raging magic energy.
They clashed and created an impact, as Yuugo, now equipped with Blaster, swung at Rush, who had transformed into a monster armor beast.
“Fuh… Ah!!”
“Fufufu, hahaha!”
Yuugo’s right fist was infused with magic energy, but much like before, it did not crack the tough crab shell.
He kept on boldly attacking even as the pain coursed through his fists, and ended with a strong kick. But his opponent seemed to have taken no damage, and stood completely calm.
“It doesn’t work! Even Zenon couldn’t crack this defense, and he beat you. Did you think that level of attack would do anything!?”
“Tch…!”
It seemed that much like the last time, it was going to be tough to break through that hard crab shell with fists.
From what Yuugo felt on his fists, he could tell that Rush’s body was several times harder than the crab kaijin he fought before. It would be hard to defeat him even if he landed a clean hit on his face.
Also, the spikes growing from the shell automatically responded to the attacks. All Yuugo did by punching was hurt his fists.
(Those spikes mean I can’t use ‘my style’ kenpo by getting super close. Then what do I do…)
And last time he had Marcos by his side, but now it was a one on one fight.
It seemed like quite the desperate situation, as Rush was on a level several times higher than the man he fought before.
And as Yuugo thought about how to attack an opponent that boasted such sturdy defense, Rush counterattacked.
“I think it’s time I attack too! Are you ready, Yuugo Clay!?”
“…!!”
Rush got close to Yuugo and swung his arm down. Yuugo dodged that swift and sharp attack by dodging to Rush’s side and punching him, but again, the damage was negligible.
Rush ignored Yuugo’s attack and thrust his arm, which Yuugo managed to catch, but it came at the cost of keeping both hands busy.
“Got you! Eat this!!”
“Big brother!!”
He was not moving, and could not use his arms to block. He had no way to deal with the incoming attack.
Rush used that opening to accurately hit Yuugo in the face with his free left arm, which made an unpleasant metallic cracking sound echo all the way where Phi and the others were.
“Take that that that! Try and do something, Yuugo Clay!”
“Yuugo! Kuuh!!”
Yuugo somehow managed to dodge, block, and just generally avoid being hit directly by Rush’s stream of attacks, but… Blaster was being increasingly damaged, and was starting to crack.
Phi figured that it being an old model meant that the metal was not tough enough.
Melt felt frustrated, as she was too busy healing to go help him.
Marcos also felt frustration as he saw his rival struggling, and thought about recovering to somehow join the fight.
“I could’ve added a function to convert the magic energy into an element….! I was wrong in how to strengthen it…!!”
“Yuugo, don’t die…! I’ll go help as soon as I’m done healing, so hang on…!”
“Just wait Yuugo… We’re gonna take it…! Gafuh, gofuh!!”
The despair and sadness was spreading, as the worries Phi and the others felt were also being transmitted to the children behind them.
And… The moment Rush’s attack grazed Yuugo’s head and broke part of his helmet, exposing Yuugo’s face, it seemed the negative emotions filling the area were going to explode.
The children’s cries seemed like a melody of despair, and Rush laughed loudly as he enjoyed the chorus and yelled at Yuugo, who was wearing black metal that could hardly be called armor at that point.
“So? Do you understand now? This is power! This is the difference between you and me! No matter how much you struggle, no matter how much you try, it’s all pointless!! The strong feed on the weak to reach even higher! This is the truth about this world!”
Rush was possessed by the delusions that strength stood above everything else, and seemed drunk on his own power.
Anything would be forgiven for the sake of gaining power. He walked an evil path under that firm conviction, and seemed to be trying to perform the last ritual he needed to part ways with his once weak self.
“Yuugo Clay…! I’ve surpassed you! The me from that day when I lost to you is nowhere to be seen! I’ll kill you… And be born anew!!”
“Big brother…! Big brotheeeer!!”
Sharp, black crab claws drew near Yuugo.
Phi cried and yelled at his brother’s predicament, picturing Rush piercing his chest.
He was going to die. His beloved big brother was about to die before his eyes.
And as he yelled with fear, and was about to take off running without thinking…
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I don’t remember which kamen rider that have their mask broken, I only remember kamen rider garren and the new nigo. Yuugo has yet to use the sword, don’t count your chickens before they hatch, Rush, no wonder his name is rush, he rush ahead.
so far Super Dead Heat Drive, Zangetsu, Rogue, G3 (this started with him), Tycoon, Buster (in the manga).
Reference time!!! Its been a while.
A Rider getting their helmet broken is not that rare but it means either s**t hits the fan or something crazy awesome would happen. It also happens on other Tokusatsu sometimes.