Marinette continued her enthusiastic tour, pointing out a street performer juggling colorful pins near a quaint cafe. Jazik watched the pins arc through the air, a small part of him appreciating the simple, graceful motion. A shadow, however, fell across them, a cold weight pressing against the cheerful Parisian warmth. Jazik's steps slowed, his body tensing imperceptibly. He felt a familiar cold dread, a subtle, almost silent hum of unease resonating within him. This was a presence he knew too well.
A tall, gaunt man stood before them, his eyes like chips of ice, fixed solely on Jazik. The man's suit, though unremarkable, seemed to absorb the light around him, creating an unnatural pocket of stillness in the bustling street.
"Hey, excuse me," Marinette began, her cheerful tone faltering slightly, "Who are you?"
The man ignored her completely, his gaze unwavering from Jazik's face. A thin, cruel smile stretched across his lips.
"Specimen G-7, found," the man stated, his voice devoid of any warmth. "Your unauthorized excursion ends here."
He produced a Berotha Zetsumerise Key, its polished surface catching the sunlight with a dull glint.
[BEROTHA!]
The man then inserted it into a device that materialized on his waist, a dark buckle with a slot for the key.
[ZETSUMERISE!]
The man's skin began to tear, revealing a metallic structure beneath. Marinette gasped, a small, choked sound of pure shock. Jazik instinctively stepped forward, placing himself between Marinette and the transforming figure. He pushed her gently behind him, his hand firm on her back.
CRACKLE
The Berotha Magia, a corrupted Humagear, functioned as a frontline predator, designed for rapid assassination. Its Zetsumerise Key served as a direct link to G.O.D.'s advanced, interdimensional technology. Once a Humagear succumbed to infection, its safety protocols dissolved, replaced by a singular, overriding directive: to ensure human extinction.
SHREDDING
The man's human form violently peeled away. His skin rippled and tore, exposing emerald-green plating that snaked across his body. A wide, fan-shaped head crest, translucent and yellow-green at the edges, sprouted from his neck, two small antenna-like spikes rising from its top. Glowing red optical sensors ignited beneath a primary visor, giving him an inhuman, predatory stare. Black plating solidified across his torso, reinforced by silver metallic sections on the chest, shoulders, and hips. Rib-like green bands wrapped tightly around his midsection, mimicking an insect's segmented abdomen. His legs elongated, covered by silver greaves and green vertical struts, culminating in three-toed, claw-like metallic boots. Large, green daggers, the Togamarder, formed on his forearms, designed for a reverse-grip combat style. The transformation finished with a sickening, wet finality.
SCREEECH
The Berotha Magia lunged forward, its green daggers, the Togamarder, flashing in the afternoon sun. Jazik reacted with a practiced fluidity, a grim dance of evasion. He pulled Marinette, spinning her behind a fruit stand as the Magia's first swipe carved a deep gouge into the wood where she had stood a moment before. Overripe oranges tumbled to the cobblestones, scattering with soft thuds.
"Run, Marinette!" Jazik yelled, his voice tight with urgency. "Get somewhere safe!"
He pushed her harder, directing her toward a narrow side street as the Magia fixed its glowing red eyes on him. The creature screeched, a sound like grinding metal, and pursued him relentlessly. Jazik sprinted through the labyrinthine Parisian alleys, past startled pedestrians and confused shopkeepers. Each turn, each frantic dash, widened the distance between him and Marinette. He focused solely on drawing the creature away from her, away from any innocent person caught in its destructive path.
SCREEECH
The Magia was fast, faster than he remembered, its segmented legs carrying it with unnatural speed. He ducked under a clothesline, its laundry whipping past his face, as the Magia smashed through it, sending shirts and dresses flying. A dead end appeared abruptly, a solid brick wall rising high above him. He skidded to a halt, trapped in the grimy, quiet space. The Berotha Magia closed in, its sharp Togamarder blades poised, leaving him no room to maneuver. He felt the cold pressure of its presence, the raw, predatory intent. A defiant spark ignited within his chest. He could not run anymore.
His parents had tried to protect him, a desperate, futile effort against overwhelming odds. He remembered the screams, the flashes of light, and the crushing weight of helplessness. He had been so small, so weak, unable to do anything but watch as they fell. Afterward, he was nothing but property, kept in a cage, a specimen for study. Their sacrifice had bought him nothing but prolonged torment. He vowed never to let that happen again.
A tiny, blue Gochizo, the Poppingummy, zipped from his pocket. It soared with surprising speed, slamming into the Berotha Magia's glowing eye-visors.
(°▽°)!
The Magia reeled back with a surprised screech, its daggers momentarily lowered. Several more Gochizos, tiny and round, followed the first, a colorful, determined swarm. They clustered over the Magia's head, their small bodies bouncing and clinging, briefly obscuring its vision. Jazik seized the opportunity, his superhuman strength surging through his limbs. He shoved against the Magia, pushing it off balance with a powerful surge of desperate energy. The creature staggered back, giving him precious space.
A Poppingummy Gochizo, its small face animated with urgent energy, rolled quickly towards Jazik.
( ๑ ˃̵ᴗ˂̵)و < GUMMY! GUMMY!
Jazik understood the silent command. He quickly ripped open the discreet zipper of his jacket, revealing the pulsating blue Gavv organ on his abdomen. He carefully placed the Poppingummy Gochizo into the Gavv's waiting mouth.
[GUMMY!]
The organ began its rhythmic process, its white, blocky teeth gently closing around the Gochizo.
[EAT GUMMY! EAT GUMMY!]
A translucent, nearly fluid candy shell formed around Jazik, enclosing him like a shimmering dome. Multi-colored gummy candies, vibrant pinks, blues, and yellows, burst from his body, swirling around him in a protective, sweet-smelling vortex.
"Henshin!" Jazik shouted, a newfound determination hardening his voice.
The Poppingummy Gochizo inside the Gavv burst open, dissolving into pure energy. The swirling gummy candies rushed into his Gavv, adhering to his form, building the vibrant armor of Kamen Rider Gavv around his body.
[POPPINGUMMY! JUICY!]
The Gavv organ, both a digestive system and a biological transformation device inherent to Granutes, converted the consumed snack into pure energy. This energy manifested Jazik's Kamen Rider form, Poppingummy, with its distinctive gummy armor. This transformation allowed Jazik to harness the inherent power of the Gochizo, providing enhanced physical capabilities and a unique, flexible defense.
The transformation completed with a final, resonant CLANG. Kamen Rider Gavv stood tall; his helmet, a smooth gradient of deep purple and indigo, featured large, pointed ears like a bat's. Oversized, golden-yellow lenses dominated the face, glowing with an internal light. The chest and shoulder armor were segmented into rounded, bulging plates, translucent blue and magenta, giving the impression of multi-flavored gummy. Beneath the colorful armor, a matte dark grey bodysuit showed jagged white geometric patterns on the thighs. A bright yellow band cinched the waist, contrasting sharply with the Gavv Driver, which now formed a large, mechanical blue belt with its signature mouth motif. Silver gloves and boots, matching the white accents on his legs, completed the vibrant, confectionery-themed suit.
The Berotha Magia lunged first, a green blur of armored rage. Its Togamarder blades flashed, carving air with wicked speed. Gavv twisted, his gummy armor stretching and compressing around the impact of the attack. The blades scraped against his side, a sickening THWIP that left a stinging sensation, yet the material absorbed the full kinetic force.
Gavv retaliated with a rapid flurry of punches, his translucent blue fists striking the Magia's chest.
WHUMP
Each impact left a sticky, purple residue on the creature's plating. The Magia staggered backward, momentarily off balance. Gavv seized the chance, pushing off a crumbling brick wall. He rebounded with surprising force, propelling himself forward.
BOING
The momentum sent the Magia skidding across the cobblestones, crashing hard into a stack of discarded wooden crates.
CRUNCH
Splinters and debris exploded outward as the creature impacted the wall with a hollow thud.
The Magia recovered quickly, its glowing red eyes burning with renewed fury. It unleashed a series of rapid slashes, the Togamarder blades tearing into Gavv's blue and magenta chest plate.
RIP
Parts of his gummy armor granularly burst, scattering candy-like particles into the air like shattered stained glass. Gavv winced, a sharp jolt of pain radiating through him, feeling the precise impact despite the armor. The Berotha Magia possessed 8.1 tons of punching power and a devastating 16.0 tons of kicking power, far surpassing Gavv's 1.1-ton punch and 2.5-ton kick. This was a battle of his adaptability and resilience against its brute, focused might.
He quickly reached for his Gochipod, a small storage device clipped to his hip. He pulled out two more Poppingummy Gochizos. He crushed them within his armored hand, then swiftly consumed the sweet, concentrated energy. His Gavv organ pulsed, the damaged sections of his armor visibly self-repaired, the translucent gummy material flowing back into place with a subtle SHLURP sound. The Berotha Magia's combat parameters, optimized for assassination, initially gave it an advantage over Gavv's more balanced and elastic form, forcing Gavv to adapt and utilize his unique regenerative abilities.
Gavv found his hand-to-hand attacks insufficient against the Magia's hard plating. The Gavv organ on his abdomen rippled, and with a wet, mechanical thwip, the Gavvgablade materialized in his hand. The weapon was bright red with a broad, flat blade, its edges translucent like candy. A black track, the Gochispeeder, ran down its center, marked with white chevron arrows, and a pink button sat on the crossguard. He gripped the textured hilt, his stance shifting.
[CLICK]
He pressed the pink button, and the Gavvgablade hummed with a low energy. The Magia shrieked, its Togamarder blades a green blur as they darted forward. Gavv parried with a precise movement of his Gavvgablade, the red blade deflecting the green daggers with a sharp CLANG. Sparks flew, briefly illuminating the grimy alleyway. He quickly slid a small Poppingummy Gochizo along the Gochispeeder track on his blade.
[PUSH ME! PUSH ME! GO!]
The Gochizo launched like a tiny, colorful projectile, striking the Magia squarely between its glowing red optical sensors. The creature recoiled with a surprised SCREECH, its vision momentarily obscured by the impact. Gavv seized the opening, his gummy-armored body moving with enhanced agility. He landed a solid kick to the Magia's chest, sending it stumbling back against the alley wall.
THUD
Suddenly, a blur of red and black spots descended from above. Ladybug, her suit a vibrant crimson adorned with black spots, moved with astonishing grace. Her masked face, framed by dark navy pigtails, conveyed sharp determination. She swung her yo-yo, its spotted cord wrapping around the Magia's legs with practiced ease. The creature lost its balance, collapsing to the ground with a heavy CRUMP.
"Looks like you could use a hand, new guy," Ladybug said, landing lightly beside Gavv. "Who exactly are you, and where did you get that candy sword?"
***
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