Haruka stood in his new Kabuto Masked Form, the bulky armor gleaming under the dim light of the chamber.
Astra raised an eyebrow, her expression a mix of amusement and condescension. "A new suit? Really? You think this changes anything?"
"Worth a shot," Haruka quipped, his voice slightly muffled by the helmet's design.
She lunged forward, her fist cutting through the air with incredible speed. Most opponents would have been instantly pulverized, but Haruka had other plans. Instead of dodging, he positioned himself squarely, using the armor's robust structure to his advantage.
The punch connected, but instead of sending Haruka flying, the impact dispersed across the armor's angular surfaces. Haruka leaned into the blow, his weight and the armor's design absorbing and redirecting Astra's tremendous force.
"Huh," Haruka said, almost conversationally. "Not bad."
Astra looked momentarily surprised, her punch having less effect than she anticipated.
Haruka's Kabuto Masked Form stood in stark contrast to Astra's sleek Kryptonian physique. The armor resembled a bulky, mechanical pupa - all hard angles and defensive plating designed to absorb and deflect massive impacts. While the form sacrificed mobility and offensive capabilities, it transformed Haruka into a walking tank.
"Not exactly the most stylish outfit," Astra remarked, her lips curling into a slight smirk.
Haruka's helmet tilted slightly. "Functionality over fashion," he responded, pulling out the Kunaigun - a versatile weapon with three distinct modes: gun, axe, and kunai.
The Kunaigun shifted smoothly into gun mode, its mechanical parts clicking and whirring. Haruka fired a rapid succession of shots, each projectile designed to push back rather than penetrate. The weapon's unique engineering meant each shot carried significant kinetic force.
Astra raised an eyebrow, deflecting most shots with precise movements. "Is this supposed to impress me?"
"Nope," Haruka said. "Just keeping you busy."
The Kunaigun shifted again, this time into axe mode. Haruka swung with calculated precision, forcing Astra to retreat and defend.
Astra's annoyance grew with each passing moment. Her punches, once calculated, now carried a raw, unfiltered fury. Haruka could see the shift in her body language - the tightening of her jaw, the narrowing of her eyes.
"Getting tired?" Haruka quipped, dodging her first few strikes with a mix of mechanical precision and street-smart reflexes.
But Astra was faster than he anticipated. Her fist came in like a meteor, too quick for even his enhanced senses. The punch connected with devastating force, sending Haruka flying across the room. He crashed through a table, wood splintering around him.
Rolling to his feet, Haruka barely had time to process the impact before Astra's eyes began to glow an intense, threatening red. Laser vision - a classic Kryptonian move.
"Oh, come on," Haruka muttered.
The first laser blast scorched the wall behind him as he dove sideways. Furniture disintegrated, walls crumbled, and the room transformed into a war zone with each passing second. Haruka zigzagged, using whatever cover remained, his movements a blur of survival and desperation.
Chunks of concrete and melted furniture rained down around him as Astra's heat vision continued its relentless assault. Each blast came closer than the last, the heat so intense Haruka could feel his skin prickling even through the Kabuto armor.
"You're gonna need to redecorate after this," he shouted, hoping to mask his growing concern with a quip.
Haruka's Kunaigun fired rapidly, the bullets pinging against Astra's invulnerable skin. Each shot left nothing more than microscopic scratches that instantly healed. Astra's lips curled into a dismissive smirk.
"It is going to take more than a mere toy to defeat me," she declared, her voice laden with contempt.
Haruka, recognizing the futility of his current approach, nodded in agreement. His hand moved deliberately to the Kabuto Zecter at his waist. With a determined push of the horn, electric sparks began to travel across his armor. The mechanical segments started to vibrate and detach.
"Cast Off!" Haruka shouted.
[Cast Off]
The armor exploded outward in a dramatic burst of energy, revealing a sleek red undersuit. Large blue eyes gleamed from the newly transformed form, and a beetle-like horn rose from his chest, extending up to complete the transformation. The Rider Form of Kabuto now stood before Astra, which resembles a Japanese rhinoceros beetle. Kabuto's Rider Form is the sleeker and more offensive-based form.
Astra's laughter echoed through the chamber, a sharp, derisive sound that cut through the tension. "You think shedding that bulky armor will make a difference?" she taunted, her Kryptonian muscles coiling with predatory anticipation.
Haruka's posture shifted, a confident smirk playing beneath his beetle-like helmet. "I've got a few tricks up my sleeve," he responded, his voice steady and controlled.
His hand moved deliberately to the sides of his belt. "Clock Up!" he declared, pressing the activation points.
[Clock Up]
The world around Haruka transformed. Time itself seemed to slow, compressing as tachyon particles began circulating in a complex dance around his form. From an external perspective, nothing appeared to change. But for Haruka, the environment became a near-frozen tableau, movement reduced to glacial increments.
The scientific principle behind Clock Up altered the user's perception of time, not actual speed. Tachyon particles compressed around Haruka's suit, creating temporal compression. Astra remained frozen, her muscles tensed and expression mocking, a statue to be navigated or engaged with surgical precision.
In the compressed temporal space of Clock Up, Haruka moved like a precision instrument. His armored form blurred against the static background, each movement calculated and swift. Astra, suspended in near-stillness, presented a perfect target.
Haruka's first strike landed with mechanical precision—a sharp jab to Astra's midsection. Before she could even register the impact, he followed with a rapid series of punches. Left, right, center—each blow calculated to maximize disorientation.
The Kabuto Zecter hummed with energy, amplifying Haruka's strikes. His beetle-like armor gleamed under the fluorescent lights, a metallic predator unleashing a calculated assault.
With a final, powerful kick, Haruka launched Astra towards the staircase. Her body arced through the air, a trajectory mapped by his tactical calculations.
[Clock Over]
Time snapped back to normal. Astra crashed into the staircase, the sudden barrage of impacts hitting her simultaneously. The concrete cracked under her weight, dust billowing around her crumpled form.
Astra wiped the blood from her chin, her eyes blazing with a mix of pain and fury. What the hell just happened? One moment she was standing, the next she was getting pummeled by this upstart Kamen Rider. The concrete around her crumbled, dust swirling like a misty veil.
"Impressive," she muttered, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "But not impressive enough."
Haruka stood confidently, the Kabuto Zecter's mechanical beetle gleaming on his belt. "You won't be able to keep up with me anymore," he said, a hint of cockiness in his tone. "Not in this form."
Before Astra could retort, Haruka activated Clock Up again. The world around them blurred—colors smearing like wet paint, sound compressing into a distant hum.
In an instant, Haruka was everywhere and nowhere. Punches rained down on Astra from impossible angles. Left, right, above, behind—each strike precise, each movement a calculated dance of mechanical precision. The Kabuto Zecter hummed with energy, amplifying every blow.
Astra tried to block, to anticipate, but Haruka was moving faster than her Kryptonian reflexes could track. It was like fighting a ghost—a mechanical, beetle-shaped ghost with an attitude.
A rapid-fire series of strikes sent her stumbling backward. Punch to the jaw. Kick to the ribs. A spinning backhand that snapped her head to the side. Each hit landed accurately thanks to the Kabuto Zecter's incredible Clock Up ability.
Haruka watched as Astra crashed to the ground, her Kryptonian body momentarily stunned by the relentless assault. Dust and concrete debris swirled around her fallen form. The Kabuto Zecter's mechanical beetle gleamed on his belt, its red and silver surface reflecting the harsh lighting of the battle-worn environment.
"Surrender now," Haruka commanded, his voice steady and confident. "We don't have to make this worse than it already is."
Astra's lips curled into a smirk, a defiant glint in her eyes despite the obvious damage she had sustained. Her gaze seemed to hold a secret, a hint of something more than mere defeat.
Before Haruka could react, something slammed into him with tremendous force. He crashed through the wall, concrete and metal fragments exploding around him. The impact was sudden, violent.
Disoriented, Haruka pushed himself up from the rubble, shaking off the dust and debris. His vision cleared, revealing a floating figure above him.
"What the hell?" he muttered.
The figure was unmistakable. Kara hovered menacingly, her posture rigid, her eyes cold and unfamiliar.
"Kara?" Haruka's voice carried a mix of confusion and disbelief.
///
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