Kamen Rider Spirits Chapter 12: The Stray Thunderbolt Part 2

The Stray Thunderbolt (Part Two) is the twelfth chapter of the Kamen Rider Spirits manga. It is the second and final part of the two part The Stray Thunderbolt story.

Synopsis
As Tobei tells the story of Yuriko Misaki to Kazuya while evading a crazed Eisuke, Shigeru ends up in a fight for his life as he tries to fend off his would be killers. But with the ZX Commando squad's modifications designed to withstand his voltage, can the Warrior of Justice prevail?

Plot
The chapter begins with a flashback to Episode 2 of Kamen Rider Stronger, showing how Yuriko and Shigeru met and became the superhero duo Kamen Rider Stronger and Tackle. Tobei was telling the story of how Yuriko died to Kazuya, only for Eisuke to draw and point a gun at them saying that he was at a meeting for a "test".

Stronger tries to fend off his attackers, using his Electro Punch and Electro Kick, but neither attacks work. A Commando Roid mocks his efforts as an "obsolete model of Black Satan", as they are thirteen specially designed cyborgs who are the final result of thousands of failed test subjects who endured and then died under a battery of scientific tests to produce them. Murasame gets near Yuriko's grave, which angers Stronger as he tells him not to go near it. Murasame observes that the soil has a high concentration of toxic chemicals emerging from it which is killing the plant life, including the flower on the grave, indicating the body of the person buried was poisoned. He asks Stronger if the one who lies at this grave is a Kamen Rider like him, but Stronger replies she isn't and never was. Yuriko was now just a "normal woman" who had fought more than enough to deserve peace. As he tells Murasame this, the cyborgs lunge at him.

Eisuke is holding Tobei and Kazuya at gun point, saying he has had a revelation while shooting at them: that humanity is evil and cannot fight its sinister nature, that justice is pointless. Mikage points out that the organizations they fought have not been truly destroyed and have survived. Mikage then rants humanity thrives when it is in a mentality of survival of the fittest, thus justice is evil and Tobei and Kazuya are "sinners" and once they are dead he will join the organization. Mikage continues to try to kill them as Kazuya tries to fire back with his gun, but Tobei urges Kazuya to get on Tentolaw to escape the crazed madman as Eisuke gets in Kazuya's Jeep to pursue them. Kazuya asks about the bike and as they flee Tobei tells the rest of the story of how Yuriko met her end. As he talks about how she died, Tobei nearly breaks down crying as he drives, saying she deserved better, to be able to get married and have children and a life of her own. As Kazuya fends off Mikage's fire with his gun, Tobei says that Shigeru loved Yuriko. All of this implies that Tobei's actions of withholding the truth of Yuriko's poisoning at her behest, her shocking heroic sacrifice to stop Doctor Kate and Yuriko dying in his arms still haunts him.

The Commando Roid analyze Stronger's stats as they battle him, only for Stronger to surprise attack one of them by activating his Charge Up form and using his Super Electro Drill Kick to destroy the Commando Roid. Just as he is about to attack the rest of them, Murasame sneak attacks behind Stronger and breaks his hand with a punch. Stronger tries to execute another Charged Up Rider Kick by leaping away only to get hit by several Cross Shurikens, including one directly to his right eye. Unbeknownst to Stronger, Murasame had a Focus Bomb planted on his back which detonates, presumably killing the Warrior of Justice as his flaming body falls into the sea. Rain begins to fall and hits Yuriko's flowers on her grave. Murasame orders his men to find the body to confirm Stronger is dead. Going to the gravesite, Tobei skids and falls off Tentolaw as Mikage implores the Commando Roid troops not to interfere with his prey. Murasame says that they have already terminated their target: Shigeru Jo. Horrified he has presumably lost another person he cares about, Tobei tries valiantly to fight off the Commando Roids using Tentolaw, but their enhanced strength block his attacks and he is picked up by the scruff of his collar and starts to be choked to death. Kazuya tries to help but gets caught by one of the Commando Roids.

Just as they are about to be executed, a familiar whistle echoes though the cliffs and Shigeru bursts though the ground on top of a cliff. Shigeru apologizes for being "late" as Tobei cries tears of joy seeing him alive. Despite his injuries, Shigeru transforms into a bloody and damaged Kamen Rider Stronger and gives his trademark serifu: "The heavens call... The earth cries out... The crowds roar... All calling on me to strike back against evil! Now listen up, you villains! I am the Warrior of Justice, KAMEN RIDER... STRONGER!".

While Kazuya and Tachibana worry about Stronger's condition, the underlings of Murasame try to attack only for Stronger to take advantage of the pouring rain and do some minor damage to them using his Electro Thunder attack. The battle is interrupted by Mikage, who tries to shoot Stronger with his gun, ranting about his beliefs. This distracts Stronger long enough for a Commando Roid to impale him with his grapnel arm. As they close in to kill him, Stronger makes a move on one of them that Tobei recognizes: the Ultra Cyclone, the same move that killed Tackle. Stronger knows he has some of the same cyborg components as Yuriko, thus he can do the technique. Tobei pleads Stronger not to use it, but Stronger says that life is full of risks and gambles and "she.. knew that all too well". Stronger then executes a supercharged version of the attack: the Super Electro Ultra Cyclone, which releases a massive surge of electromagnetic energy that rips the Commandos from the inside out while seemingly damaging Stronger even more. As he contemplates what might be his last act, Shigeru thinks of the last time he ever spoke with Yuriko before she died: about his promise to take her somewhere beautiful when the world was at peace. After the energy is released, Tobei and Kazuya are amazed they are still alive, seeing that Tentolaw absorbed most of the damage and shielded them from the shockwave. Meanwhile, a badly injured Mikage staggers into a field holding something and collapses near Needle. Mikage stretches out his hands, revealing the object he is holding is the severed head of Murasame.

At Yuriko's grave, Shigeru is annoyed that his Super-Electronic Dynamo inside his body withstood and contained the internal force of the electromagnetic shockwave. He surmises that maybe he won't die so easily. Tobei runs to him and asks if he is okay and Shigeru says he is but he needs to go with Kazuya now as he made a promise to Yuriko. Tobei realizes what he means, leans over and then cries, seeing that something beautiful had appeared on Yuriko's grave. The chapter ends with an image of Yuriko's flowers, which had finally bloomed in the rain and were now healthy. Above them is the text image of the start of Yuriko's last words to Shigeru that began the promise he made: "One day.. when the world is peaceful..."

Allies

 * Kazuya Taki
 * Tōbei Tachibana

Enemies

 * Commando Roids
 * Eisuke Mikage
 * ZX
 * Needle
 * Doctor Kate (flashback)