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A Rider Kick in Marvel Rewrite Ch 70
🕑 Added 2025-04-15 14:24:11 +0000 UTCThe forensics team swept up the last of the glittering glass shards while uniformed officers secured the apartment. The eerie silence that followed the creature's screech felt heavy, thick with unanswered questions. Detective Yuri Watanabe stood near the boarded-up window frame where the mirror once hung, her gaze distant as she processed the impossible event.
Ace, still clad in his crimson and black Kuuga armor, stood nearby. The unnatural tension slowly eased from his shoulders now that the immediate threat was gone. He watched the officers work, his helmet hiding his troubled expression.
Yuri turned towards him, her voice cutting through the relative quiet. "You called that thing... a Mirror Monster," she stated, less a question and more a prompt for explanation. "What exactly does that mean? It wasn't like the Grongi."
Ace nodded slowly. "It wasn't. That creature, Dispider... it's from a different place entirely. The Mirror World."
Yuri raised an eyebrow. "Mirror World?"
"Yeah," Ace confirmed. "It's... like a parallel dimension. One that exists on the other side of reflective surfaces. Mirrors, windows, even puddles of water." He gestured vaguely towards the now-empty space on the wall. "That's where creatures like Dispider come from. They're native to that world."
He paused, gathering his thoughts. "They're different from the Grongi. They hunt humans, dragging them into the Mirror World... usually to feed on their life energy." The implications hung in the air, adding a chilling layer to the recent disappearances.
Yuri absorbed the information, her detective instincts trying to fit this fantastical explanation into a logical framework. "So, these Mirror Monsters can just... pop out of any reflection?"
"Usually, they need a strong enough reflection, and they often need to be contracted or drawn out," Ace explained, then hesitated. "But... I don't understand how one is here. In this world." His voice held a note of genuine confusion.
Ace's head was spinning, trying to figure out how a Mirror Monster ended up here, in this reality. He knew all about these creatures from watching Kamen Rider Ryuki and the Rider War. The Mirror World—that was Kamen Rider Ryuki's stomping ground, along with the thirteen Riders forced into a brutal battle royale. Each Rider had a deal with a Mirror Monster, using its power to fight inside that reflected dimension. The grand prize? The last Rider standing got a single wish granted. He remembered Shinji Kido, the naive journalist who became Ryuki, who wasn't fighting for a wish, but just to stop the pointless conflict and protect innocent people from both the monsters and the other Riders. That war was a harsh look at desire, right and wrong, and the heavy price of power. But how on earth did one of those monsters manage to cross into this dimension?
Wait a sec... Ace thought, his mind racing. How could a Mirror Monster cross dimensions like this? Unless...
His internal gears clicked. Dai-Shocker.
Of course. It made a twisted kind of sense. Those guys mess with different worlds, different realities. They brought Grongi here, so why not a Mirror Monster? They probably grabbed Dispider from the Ryuki world and chucked it over here, maybe as another way to cause chaos or test him. Yeah, that has to be it. Dai-Shocker's meddling again.
Yuri processed this new, bizarre information. Grongi, Mirror Monsters, parallel dimensions... her job description hadn't exactly covered interdimensional pest control. Still, she focused on the immediate problem. "Okay, Mirror World, Mirror Monster. Got it. The important question is," she looked directly at Kuuga, "can you beat this... Dispider?"
Ace shifted slightly, the sleek plates of his Kuuga armor catching the dim light. "It's... complicated," he admitted, his voice muffled slightly by the helmet. "Dispider isn't like the Grongi I've fought so far. Its strength comes from the Mirror World."
"Meaning?" Yuri pressed, needing clarity amidst the strangeness.
"Meaning in its home turf, the Mirror World, it's much stronger, faster... practically untouchable for me," Ace elaborated. "My best chance, maybe my only chance, is to fight it out here. In our world."
Yuri frowned. "But you said it retreated back into the mirror. How do we get it out here?"
"That's the problem," Ace sighed, a hint of frustration creeping into his tone. "It won't just come out for a stroll. Mirror Monsters typically only cross over when they're hunting. When they sense a target, someone to drag back into their world." He gestured towards the shattered remains on the floor. "Like it tried to do with you."
"So we wait for it to attack someone else?" Yuri asked, the idea clearly unpalatable. That meant more potential victims, more disappearances.
"Or," Ace continued, "we lure it out. But that's risky. And even then..." He trailed off for a moment. "The biggest hurdle is that I can't follow it. I don't have the ability to enter the Mirror World."
Yuri stared at him. "You can transform into... this," she waved a hand at his armored form, "fight monsters from ancient tribes, but you can't step through a mirror?" The question held a touch of incredulity.
"Different powers, different origins," Ace replied simply. "This requires a different kind of system." He shook his head. "If Dispider decides to stay hidden in reflections, hunting from the shadows... there's not much I can do to force a confrontation on my terms."
Yuri let out a quiet sigh, the sound barely audible over the low hum of the police radios outside. Disappointment flickered across her features. An enemy they couldn't easily reach, one that could strike from any reflection and retreat just as quickly. It was a tactical nightmare.
"But there's something else," Ace continued, his tone serious, pulling Yuri's attention back. "Mirror Monsters... they rarely let go once they've targeted someone." He looked pointedly at the spot where the mirror had been, then back at her. "Dispider tried to pull you in. That means it's likely fixated on you now."
The implication was clear. "So, you're saying it will come back for me," Yuri stated, her voice steady.
"It's highly probable," Ace confirmed. "It saw you, it tried to take you. You're marked, in its eyes."
Yuri absorbed this grim piece of information. Instead of fear, a familiar resolve settled in her eyes. She'd faced down mobsters, psychopaths, and now... interdimensional spiders. This was just another threat to neutralize. "Okay," she said, her mind already working. "If it's coming back for me, then we use that."
Ace tilted his head slightly. "Use it how?"
"We set a trap," Yuri declared, her detective mind clicking into gear. "I'll be the bait. We find a location, somewhere where we can control the outcome, and wait. When Dispider makes its move, you take it down."
Ace immediately objected. "That's too dangerous, Detective. You saw how fast that thing was. If it grabs you..."
"What' choice do we have, Rider?" Yuri cut him off, her tone firm but not unkind. "You said yourself you can't go into its world. We can't just wait around for it to pick off more people, hoping you'll be nearby when it happens. This creature is actively hunting. If it's hunting me, then that gives us an edge. We know the target."
She locked eyes with his helmet's visors. "It's the best chance we have. But I can't do it alone. Will you help me?"
Ace remained silent for a moment, studying the unwavering determination in her expression. He hated putting civilians in danger, especially someone who was becoming an ally. But she was right. They were cornered, tactically speaking. Waiting passively wasn't an option, not with lives potentially on the line. And Yuri wasn't just any civilian; she was a police detective, trained and resolute. He saw her resolve, her willingness to put herself on the line for the greater good. It reminded him... of himself. Of the promise he made.
Reluctantly, he gave a sharp nod. "Okay, Detective. I don't like it... but I'll help you. We'll do it your way."
Yuri nodded firmly, her gaze meeting Ace's. “Thank you,” she said, her tone resolute yet genuine. “I appreciate you agreeing to this. I know it’s a risk, but it means a lot.”
Ace simply gave her a slight nod in return, the faint gleam of his helmet catching the light. He didn't need to say anything; his presence and commitment were enough.
Turning her focus to the task at hand, Yuri stepped away, pulling out her phone. She navigated to her contacts, dialing her precinct. As the line connected, she steadied her voice, masking any unease.
“This is Detective Watanabe,” she said briskly. “I need to speak to Captain Stacy immediately. It’s urgent.”
A pause, then a faint voice on the other end. “Detective? Captain Stacy isn’t available right now—”
“Patch me through anyway,” Yuri interrupted firmly. “This can’t wait.”
She glanced back briefly at Ace, still standing near the shattered remnants of the mirror. Though his armor projected an air of unshakable confidence, Yuri knew the battle ahead would require more than just one hero. Having back-up in place, even if untrained for something like this, was non-negotiable.
As the phone line clicked, signaling the transfer, Yuri prepared to explain her plan.
…
Deep within a damp, disused subway tunnel that served as a temporary Grongi gathering point, shadows clung to the crumbling concrete walls. The air hung thick with the scent of decay and ozone. A lean, insectoid Grongi, one tasked with observation, materialized from the darkness, its multifaceted eyes scanning the assembled figures.
“Lady Balva,” the scout rasped, addressing the imposing figure draped in black and adorned with rose tattoos. “Dispider has been found. Kuuga… he fights it now. They plan to draw it out.”
A low murmur rippled through the other Grongi present. Me·Gadra·Ba, the imposing tiger-like Grongi, shifted his weight, claws scraping faintly on the grimy floor. "Let them," Gadra grumbled, his voice a low growl. "Dispider is not of the tribe. It pollutes the Gegel with its presence. If Kuuga eliminates it, the game is purified." Several others nodded in silent agreement, their monstrous forms twitching with shared sentiment. The Gegel was their ritual, their path to power, not some sideshow for creatures from other dimensions.
La·Balva·De’s gaze swept over them, cold and sharp. "Silence," she commanded, her voice cutting through the dissent like glass. "Have you forgotten the Executive's decree so quickly?" She stepped forward, her presence demanding attention. "Dispider will complete its tally. Dai-Shocker has commanded it. Our task," she emphasized, her eyes narrowing, "is the elimination of Kuuga."
Me·Ladya·Ba, the ladybug Grongi, tilted her head, her antennae quivering slightly. "Lady Balva... are we truly bound to follow the whims of these outsiders?" she questioned, her tone laced with a hint of challenge. "Dai-Shocker may have granted us this second chance, but the Gegel... it is sacred to us. It determines our strength, our place. To allow this... thing... to participate, to dictate its success..."
Balva remained impassive, her expression unreadable. "Dai-Shocker's resources are essential," she stated flatly. "Their power allows us to continue. But more importantly," her voice dropped, taking on a resonant, almost fanatical quality, "our purpose remains unchanged. We seek the Ultimate Darkness. The Gegel is merely the path. Whether it is a Grongi who completes the final steps, or this... Dispider... it matters little. Only the result. Only the darkness."
A heavy silence fell over the gathered Grongi. Balva's chilling logic, her unwavering focus on the end goal above all else, left no room for argument. The sanctity of their tradition seemed insignificant compared to the promise of absolute chaos she invoked.
"Now," Balva continued, her gaze sweeping across them once more, "Dispider has its task. We have ours. Prepare yourselves. Find Kuuga. End him."
