Honkai: Star Rail — Kamen Rider! [21]

BOOM!

A massive Doomsday Beast slammed into the ground, the impact shaking the earth so violently that no one could keep their footing.

But even after landing, the beast didn't immediately charge. Instead, it slowly turned its head, sweeping its gaze across the humans below.

Its eyes were devoid of emotion—like a person casually noticing a few ants crawling on the floor.

Then, without paying the people any further attention, it locked its focus onto the War Foundry ahead.

ROOAAR!!

The roar thundered out, primal and terrifying. Even the Voidrangers flinched and scattered in fear.

And once again, a brutal display of savage strength unfolded.

Claws slashed, the beast's massive body collided against the earth, and its speed was so unnatural that its size seemed like no hindrance at all. Every movement radiated feral, destructive beauty.

Those claws—sharp enough to rend steel—amplified its ferocity by another level.

Yet, even with that monstrous power, it couldn't break through.

The orange shield that enveloped the Foundry stood like an impenetrable wall. The Doomsday Beast had no way in.

All the group could do was stare in horror at the divine relic capable of planetary annihilation.

What they were truly struggling against now... was fear itself.

"I-It really is... a Doomsday Beast..." someone whispered, gulping hard, unable to believe their eyes.

At first, their planet had been able to mount some resistance against the Antimatter Legion. So long as cleanup was handled properly, Voidranger reinforcements wouldn't be overwhelming.

But everything changed the moment the enemy unleashed a Doomsday Beast.

It was no wonder these creatures were feared across the galaxy, infamous emblems of the Legion's devastation. Its presence alone had tilted the battlefield into total collapse.

Standard attacks barely scratched it.

Even the stronger energy cannons left only shallow marks.

Even the defense systems supplied by the Interastral Peace Corporation barely caused it pain.

And a wound that doesn't kill... only means it'll come back stronger.

Faced with a weapon of interstellar war like this, their planet had no answer.

Civilization crumbled. The planet fell. Only they remained.

"Why... is it here?"

"Wasn't the Doomsday Beast supposed to have left the surface?"

Even whispered, those words echoed the dread weighing on everyone's hearts.

"Stop worrying about that!" a sharp voice snapped them back to reality. "Remember our mission! Hoshigaki Sora is still drawing its attention for us!"

It was Ouja. She faced the group and barked, "I'll plant the final detonator. You all evacuate—now!"

"What?! Captain Ouja, you're—"

"No time for debate!" she cut them off. "I'm the only Pathstrider here. You're all just regular people. If you stay, you'll only get in the way."

"Captain!"

"Relax. I've always been lucky. I'll be fine."

She gave them a confident smile, then issued her final command: "Follow my orders—evacuate!"

The team exchanged helpless glances, but in the end, they clenched their jaws and obeyed.

"Yes, ma'am."

They retreated quietly.

Even the shield didn't bar their way.

"Looks like the barrier only activates when the attack intensity hits a certain threshold."

Ouja observed the pattern and quickly deduced the shield's mechanism.

The Doomsday Beast's attacks clearly exceeded the energy needed to trigger it.

Which meant... she would need to be gone before the bomb detonated.

The bombs powerful enough to destroy the War Foundry had been built using Robin's ship-core—pure propulsion energy now weaponized.

That explosion would easily trigger the barrier.

She had to get out before that happened.

No hesitation. She glanced once at the raging Doomsday Beast, then slipped into action.

Thanks to the beast's presence, most of the Voidrangers had already retreated. All that remained was the War Foundry—the source of their planet's doom.

It wasn't hard for Ouja to find the perfect location for the final detonator—somewhere it could sync all the bombs for simultaneous detonation.

I knew my luck hadn't run out yet. She secured the device and prepared to leave.

That's when she heard voices.

"Tch, this damned thing again," muttered Beckir, eyeing the rampaging beast with irritation.

"Quit whining," replied Harland. "Didn't we already decide what to do about it last time?"

They had. They'd discussed exactly how to deal with an unruly Doomsday Beast.

And the fate of any disobedient creation... was death.

Ouja readied her weapon to take them both out—but a sudden whoosh of wind from above made her look up instinctively.

What she saw turned her blood cold.

More Doomsday Beasts were falling from the skies—descending onto the battlefield, and immediately pouncing on the original one near the Foundry.

The scene transformed into an all-out kaiju brawl.

Four against one. The first beast was quickly overwhelmed.

Its pained roars echoed through the battlefield—and brought Ouja back to her senses.

"Heh... that's what you get for disobedience," Beckir sneered.

But before he could say another word, the cold barrel of a gun pressed against his head.

"Don't move," Ouja growled. "You filth—Annihilation Cult scum."

"Well, well. A survivor," Harland said with a smirk. "What now? Gonna threaten me with him?"

Ouja's eyes narrowed—surprised her intent had been seen through so easily.

"Did you ever stop to think," Beckir said calmly, "why we're still alive?"

She felt something was wrong. That's when the heat hit her.

The two men's human forms began to melt away. Heat shimmered around them, rising from their bodies like flames.

"No, we've never received the Lord's gaze," Beckir continued, "but His afterglow shines upon us now."

They looked at her together—no longer men, but demons of fire and ruin.

"We were drawn to the Path of Destruction by His will."

Ouja instinctively stepped back, her gun barrel already beginning to warp from the heat.

"Didn't think we'd run into another survivor," Harland said, advancing with a grin. "Perfect. I've got a new idea—how about I turn all your little friends into Voidrangers, one by one, while you watch?"

The fire demon closed in. Ouja backed away again—

—right into a solid chest.

?!

"I don't think so."

A figure cloaked in violet stepped in behind her—Hoshigaki Sora.

He smiled at the fiery abominations ahead. "So you're the ones who made this planet weep."

"Weep?" Beckir scoffed. "We're not here to make it cry. We're here to wipe it out."

"I see..."

Sora stepped forward, raising his right hand toward the two cultists. Energy swirled above his palm.

"Then count your sins—in hell."

What they didn't see was his left hand already locking the Memory into place at his belt.

"[JOKER Maximum Drive]!"

"[Rider Punch]!"