The head protector was already half-broken with its front visor shattered. There were some crackles from the communication radio inside. Riamu tried it on. “Jintsu, just remember our plan and keep your distance from him! We’re coming!”

“...Kanon?”

The inner screen of the visor showed a girl’s concerned face. That was someone he knew. “Riamu?... Oh no....”

“Minna, help!” cried out Zennyo as he struggled to fight the pull. His boots were making tracks on the rubble and there were tension noises from the long slimy organ of taste.

“Jintsu!” called Kanon from the helmet. Her screen was immediately turned off.

The Hydrahead’s fight enticed Durgasaur. Disgusting saliva poured from his overhanging mouth, eager to devour the poor warrior. “It’s time for the Dinosaur Spirit to be digested by someone worthy.”

His efforts were futile. Durgasaur yanked its victim out of balance and the tongue retracted like a released spring. The Hydrahead was dragged across the destroyed apartment site. Along the way, the monster deliberately slammed the warrior against multiple concrete pillars until his resistance diminished. “Guten Appetit!” said Durgasaur as he pulled Jintsu feet-first into his gaping jaws.

Jintsu was fighting for his life as the circular rows of fangs started to grate the outer layer of his sea-dragon armor. The grinding was horrible, but the coming peristaltic slurping of the monster’s throat was worse. He could feel both of his legs being encased in a choking cocoon that left almost no movement possible.

Jintsu gulped. “This is not going to work....”

The young warrior closed his eyes and clenched his fists. He was quick to snap the precious gem from his belt buckle just before Durgasaur’s throat devoured his waist. Slowly, his suit began to crinkle like shards. The armor layer that once protected him from harm dissipated in a pixelated glow. The removal caused his hoodie jacket to be soaked in viscous saliva. He was already gasping for air and his eyes were barely able to see anything as the intense smell disoriented the young teen.

“A mouth causes nothing but trouble!” said Jintsu before throwing his Hydrahead gem away with all of his strength. It was the last thing that he could do before being entirely pulled into the esophagus.

The arrowhead-shaped gem tumbled before wobbling. It abruptly shot back down as a projectile that stabbed Riamu in the chest. There was a flash of light.

The young teen’s body exploded. His clothes turned to shreds. His skin erupted into glowing fragments. A shockwave grew in his heart.

There was a sudden dust storm as debris burst out. Trees swung hard by the unnatural wind. The new Zennyo Hydrahead stood in awe with himself. He looked down at both of his arms which were now cloaked in formidable armor. “I’m transformed....,” mumbled Riamu as he opened and closed his fists.

The monster roared in rage. Durgasaur’s humanoid form gritted his sharp teeth. “Nice trick, boy. But it won’t do any good. I’ll just eat more people tonight!”

The massive gorilla monster charged at the new Zennyo Hydrahead. Riamu wouldn’t have time to dodge it. Durgasaur slammed himself at the half-destroyed danchi apartment. Wasting no time to mince his meal, he pummeled everything around him before the dust settled.

Durgasaur chuckled, then laughed. It was obvious that he had won. Something on his right caught his attention. “You...,” groaned the monster as he looked up at the surviving Zennyo Hydrahead who stood on the edge of the broken apartment’s roof.

Riamu folded his arms. Dual katar daggers appeared in his grip. Their blades reflected the majestic Earth glow in the sky. “Wake from death and return to life...,” mumbled the young warrior while his singular helmet visor blazing with blood-red color.

Durgasaur launched everything he had. The massive arms broke down the walls, the centipede whip split open the floors, and his serpentine tongue shot out to pierce the fading dust at a supersonic speed.

The Hydrahead gracefully swerved to the side before stabbing the end of the tongue onto the concrete using one dagger. In a split second, he dashed on the organ toward Durgasaur while tearing the surface with the other weapon. The monster let out an inaudible howl of pain as black blood seeped out from the gaping wound. The tongue was essentially ripped into two.

The massive arms came and missed Riamu who did a backflip. They instead severed Durgasaur’s tongue with their incredible force. More blood showered the street.

Then Durgasaur launched something at the Hydrahead. The piercing pain on the warrior’s shoulder made him look. It was a dart that glowed brighter before lightning struck him mid-air. One, two, then three until the spike shattered.

The gorilla-like arms came to swat him in the air. Thankfully, the energy shield protected Riamu. Intricate patterns glimmered at the pressure points. It wasn’t enough and Riamu dropped unceremoniously onto the muddy ground.

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The teenager groaned as the communication radio turned back on. “Riamu, is that you? Are you in the Zennyo suit?”

The voice snapped Riamu out of the trance. He was confused with his surroundings and himself. “Uuh, yeah, what just happened?”

“No time to explain. Our priority right now is to kill Durgasaur!”

The monster let out a burst of mocking laughter. “Seems that some of your friend’s juice has started flowing into me. Got some new moves from it. But that’s just a teaser. I want the real thing.”

Still giving short breaths, Riamu saw a disturbance in the monster’s wide stomach. Something was trying to get out. “Is that....”

Kanon just cut right in. “Nobody’s gonna die tonight except Durgasaur, you hear me?”

The Zennyo Hydrahead grunted and nodded. The other katar dagger flew into his grip. “I know this is a team effort. Tell me the plan.”

Durgasaur felt his gorilla stomach churn. He licked his own lips with the severed tongue. He didn’t even care about the spilling black blood that tainted his mask and the overarching canine teeth. The monster rubbed himself in strange arousal. “I never thought that consuming a pitiful boy will be this good. Your powers must have seasoned your meat most beautifully. I can’t wait to have a taste of the full-course meal!”

“Here we go,” Riamu ran at the monster. He slid his way closer like a professional speed skater. After the first gorilla arm failed to crush him, Zennyo Hydrahead taunted Durgasaur by circling him. More attacks were nimbly avoided. The only destruction was done to the wrecked-up street around the crumbled apartment.

“Stay where you are!” groaned his opponent. The monster flipped itself toward Riamu. Instantly, the teenager was under Durgasaur’s massive body. One of the legs kicked him hard on the stomach.

Zennyo Hydrahead was tossed out tumbling. Durgasaur snorted before realizing the deceit. It was a distraction.

Before him, the other four warriors were ready. Their individual weapons―whip sword, drill sword, mace, plus the shield―were combined to form the team cannon held by everyone. The last piece required was Riamu’s. He passed the weapons to his team leader while he crouched to hold up the cannon.

The white Hydrahead installed the katar daggers as the power supply. He aimed right at the monster’s humanoid form. On second thought, the target should be lower. “If it’s not yours, don’t eat it,” he said before pressing the trigger button.

Directed energy cascaded from the muzzle. Durgasaur roared as he was hit by the deadly stream. The dispersed drizzle created an impressive moonbow just above their target.

But the monster held on. Floral energy patterns bloomed out at the point of impact. “He got a shield!” exclaimed the green Hydrahead.

“He’s absorbing more of Jintsu’s powers. We need to power this thing up!” shouted Kanon as the yellow warrior.

“With what? We’re using the maximum power!” rejected the white Hydrahead. Things didn’t look good for the team. The patterns were bulging out as a sign of counter-dominance. The energy attack was being deflected.

“Sound out your doubts, Heroes!” exclaimed Durgasaur with satisfaction. Blobs of disgusting goo bled out of Durgasaur’s armor plates. They reformed themselves into humanoid shapes. Incomplete forms of new minions appeared all over the monster’s body.

Riamu could feel the pull. The team was being pushed back by their adversary. His boot and knee were dragged on the asphalt.

In his fight, Riamu caught a glance of his daggers. There were two of them stacked vertically at the cannon’s back. If only...

“I know what to do but all of you have to trust me!” announced the new warrior. “I’m gonna need my weapon.”

“What?! That’s gonna depower the cannon. We don’t have enough energy remaining to reform it!” protested white Hydrahead.

Riamu turned to yellow Hydrahead for support. “If you don’t want to mourn anyone after tonight, trust me!”

Kanon looked at him for a moment. She gave a nod. “We’re in a tight spot here, Taichou,” said she to the team leader.

“The cannon can’t hold it much longer!” groaned the aquatic Hydrahead. “Whatever plan you have, do it now!”

The white Hydrahead cursed. “Do it!”

Riamu nodded in response. He grabbed his katar daggers. The cannon started to lose power. “Minna, give everything you got!”

“Got it!” replied his friends in unison. The Hydraheads’ costumes glowed. They used auxiliary powers. There will be no second chance.

The Zennyo Hydrahead already leaped. With the dual daggers and while letting out a warcry, he stabbed at the cannon attack’s impact point. With an additional onslaught, the shield collapsed. Durgasaur was fully exposed. The deadly energy simply pierced through his body like a hot knife through butter. A long beam of light lit up the night sky before dissipating.

There was a huge explosion that rocked the apartment district. Cars were toppled, trees were made slanted, and a mushroom cloud could be seen rising from ground zero.

“Riamu-kun!” shouted a feminine voice as one of the warriors rushed between the rubbles. The yellow Hydrahead caught Riamu before he could tumble to the ground. He was severely weakened, barely able to open his eyes.

Through his blurry vision, Riamu could see the Hydrahead open her helmet. The face of a girl whom she just knew today appeared. Almond eyes, bushy eyebrows, and long, jet-black hair unraveled to her shoulders and beyond. She said something, but Riamu couldn’t hear anything.

“I haven’t won anything in a long time....”

Riamu lost consciousness.

As his teammates tried to revive him, the deformed carcass of Durgasaur spilled out its guts. Among the dead centipedes, a membrane cocoon slid out and popped immediately. Jintsu was finally freed although he’s still out cold in a fetal position.