Location: Central Ward, Tokyo
Time: Moments Before The Attack
"So, what if I make the bad guy, Harley Ken, do a backflip and snap the main character's neck at the end? Would that be enough shock value?"
Isadora suggested, snapping her fingers as though it were a brilliant idea.
"Shock value that'll make your readers annihilate you in the comments, sure."
Hideo shrugged.
After finishing their meal at the yakiniku restaurant and leaving, Isadora and Hideo chatted as they walked, simply passing the time. Shifting to another topic, Isadora brought up yet another theory she'd developed after watching a certain movie the previous week.
"You know, Grandpa Joe is the real villain of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory."
Hideo tilted his head after hearing that.
"What are you spouting now, woman?"
"Look at the bigger picture, my friend. He was bedridden for decades, letting Charlie's parents struggle in poverty while taking care of him and the other three oldies. But the moment his grandson gets a Golden Ticket, he magically recovers and starts dancing around just for some freaking chocolate."
"..."
"As a matter of fact, Grandpa Joe is more sketchy than Willy Wonka could ever hope to be."
After humoring Isadora for a little while longer, the pair were about to turn right when something started bothering them.
It was subtle.
Invisible to everyone else.
But Hideo noticed.
"Something isn't right."
A frown crossed his face as he slowly pressed a hand against his chest. An inexplicable unease crawled through him, tightening around his heart like an unseen hand.
"This feeling."
The wind
It felt different than earlier.
"Isadora."
He called out his partner
"Yeah, something feels off."
Isadora turned serious right away.
Noticing the sudden shift in the atmosphere around them, Hideo frowned. He couldn't ignore the gnawing sensation creeping across his body. Beside him, Isadora's blue eyes turned red as she scanned their surroundings, sensing the same disturbance as her partner.
It was an irritating feeling that started after Isadora fused with his soul and one he could never ignore. Every time it surfaced in his consciousness, it served as a warning.
A bad omen.
A sign that something was about to happen.
Suddenly sensing something above, Isadora lifted her gaze toward the sky.
A crack was slowly forming overhead and the frown on her face deepened.
"What the fuck is a boat doing up there?"
Focusing her vision, she peered beyond the fractured space. Inside the sphere that was gradually breaking apart floated a boat. As she looked closer, she spotted several people aboard it. The familiar energy around their necks immediately made her click her tongue in annoyance.
"Where have I seen that—"
Her eyes widened.
The memory struck instantly.
"Those pesky gods again!! Why are they in the outside world?!!"
Realizing the danger, she quickly turned toward Hideo.
"Hideo–"
Before she could finish her warning, the sound of shattering glass made its way through the sky.
The sphere above broke apart completely.
And from the sky, countless identical cards began to fall.
********
Hideo POV
A soft burst of static rang in my ears as light erupted from the cards and Shuukis emerged from them.
Blood.
The first thing I saw was blood.
A flyer distributor had his body torn apart by two Shuukis that had gotten hold of him before anyone could even process what was happening.
Gunfire.
Screams.
Panic.
Cries of terror.
This wasn't the first time I'd witnessed a scene like this.
But unlike the incident in Kofu, this was even more unpredictable.
There was no gate.
Unlike back then, when I managed to save that woman from being killed.
Unlike back then, when no one had died.
—THUMP
My heartbeat became erratic.
Static filled my ears.
My vision flickered like a broken television screen.
My body froze in place, and even Isadora's voice calling out to me became distant, swallowed by silence.
People were dying right before my eyes.
My breathing grew shorter and shorter.
Just moments ago, I had been enjoying myself.
And now, dead bodies were scattered across the ground out of nowhere.
I kept talking about how I was going to save people.
Yet here I was, watching those same people get mercilessly ripped apart like they were nothing.
My head...
The cry of an animal—
No, a beast—
No, it was a dinos—
"HIDEO, GET YOURSELF TOGETHER!!"
A sharp slap struck my cheek.
The static vanished.
My vision cleared.
Reality snapped back into focus.
Isadora stood in front of me, visibly furious as she fought to get my attention. Fortunately, the Shuukis weren't approaching our position because of her presence.
"Now is not the time to daydream, moron!!"
Grabbing me by the collar, she shook me hard enough to rattle my thoughts back into place.
She was understandably royally pissed.
"If you don't want this situation to get even more screwed up, move your ass!"
She shouted at the top of her lungs.
"...Sorry."
I looked at her with regret, and the expression on my face seemed to calm her down slightly.
Taking a deep breath, I steadied myself.
Yeah.
She was right.
The people who had already died...
The people I couldn't save anymore...
That didn't mean I could just stand here feeling sorry for myself while the Shuukis continued their rampage.
Grinding my teeth, I swallowed my frustration.
If I couldn't save the ones who were already gone, then I'd make sure no one else joined them.
I'd let my anger do its job.
And tear those assholes to shreds.
********
"Move!"
"Cover fire!"
Multiple special forces personnel and authorities were beginning to get overwhelmed by the sheer number of Shuukis pouring into the area.
"There's no end to these bastards!"
One of them shouted before summoning a metal bat with her ability and swinging it with all her strength.
A violent explosion followed when an explosive material was struck.
Dust and debris engulfed the area, forcing everyone nearby to cough and shield their eyes.
As the smoke continued to billow behind them, they looked forward and saw the stuff of nightmare unfolding.
Civilians were still running for their lives.
Shuukis crawled over overturned cars and smashed through anything that stood in their path.
"This is becoming a bigger problem by the second."
Clicking their tongues, they prepared to regroup.
Then they heard something.
A sound coming from within the dust cloud.
[𝕋𝕒𝕜𝕒]
[𝕋𝕠𝕣𝕒]
[𝔹𝕒𝕥𝕥𝕒]
[𝕋𝕒-𝕋𝕠-𝔹𝕒! 𝕋𝕒𝕥𝕠𝕓𝕒 𝕋𝕒-𝕋𝕠-𝔹𝕒!]
When the light and jingle faded, the dust slowly cleared.
A lone figure wearing a suit stood amidst the settling haze.
Footsteps echoed through the street.
Ignoring the stares directed at him, he walked forward at a steady pace before stopping between the authorities and the remaining civilians.
"Sorry, but we don't have time for formalities."
Hideo stretched one arm and took a deep preparatory breath.
"I'll take care of them. Please focus on the evacuation."
It took the authorities a moment to recognize him and attempted to ask how he got here in the first place.
By then, Hideo had already moved.
Without waiting for a response, he put considerable distance between himself and the others.
The Shuukis noticed him immediately.
They stared.
"Look at me, you pieces of shit."
Hideo laughed mockingly.
"Tired of me invading your turf, so now you're coming to ours, huh?"
With a powerful step, he planted his feet into the ground.
The already-damaged road cracked beneath him.
Spreading his arms wide, he grinned.
"Bring it on, you useless trash!!"
At the sound of his challenge, every Shuuki turned its attention toward him.
Those standing atop cars.
Those hanging from shattered windows.
Those tearing apart street signs.
None of them took their eyes off him.
Unable to comprehend the taunt yet responding to the provocation nonetheless, they charged at him all at once.
Seeing the horde rush forward, Hideo smirked.
Then he moved.
First a walk.
Then a jog.
Then a full sprint.
The distance between both sides vanished in seconds.
As the first Shuukis reached him, claws extended from his forearms.
The unfortunate creatures at the front were torn apart before they even realized what had happened.
He ran.
He slashed.
He ran.
He killed.
Like a sword piercing through an army, Hideo drove straight into the middle of the horde.
The Shuukis lunged at him one after another.
He answered with ruthless precision.
One lost its head.
Another was cut in half.
A third had his claws driven straight through its head.
"This is payback."
Hideo muttered the words coldly before ripping apart the head of the Shuuki impaled on his claws.
Then he charged deeper into the swarm.
Using the medals Isadora had given him beforehand, Hideo swapped the Core Medals in his belt.
[𝕂𝕒𝕞𝕒𝕜𝕚𝕣𝕚]
[𝕌𝕟𝕒𝕘𝕚]
[ℂ𝕙𝕖𝕖𝕥𝕒𝕙]
Taking advantage of his greatly enhanced speed, Hideo dashed through the battlefield like a streak of lightning. The electric eel's whip lashed out repeatedly, cutting down and stunning dozens of Shuuki in a single sweep. At the same time, destructive green lightning erupted from the crown on his head, tearing through and reducing entire groups to smoldering remains.
Caught up in frenzy, Hideo failed to notice the police officers and special forces personnel watching from afar. Many of them could only rub their eyes in disbelief as the scene unfolded before them.
"The reports really didn't exaggerate about Kamen Rider."
One of the officers twitched before letting out a wry smile. Shaking her head, she turned toward the others.
"Alright, you heard him! Focus on the evacuation!"
"Roger!"
Their morale reinvigorated, the officers quickly resumed their duties. Still, before joining the evacuation effort, one of them glanced back. Silently wishing Hideo good luck before running off.
*******
Surrounded by flowers of countless colors and three tombstones engraved with the emblems of different dinosaurs, a lone woman stood in silence.
Her face and pale complexion closely resembled Isadora's, yet several striking differences set her apart. Long purple hair cascaded down her back, matching her violet eyes and lavender lips. Though her expression remained largely emotionless, a faintly unsettling smile slowly crept across her beautiful features.
"Quite a lot of negative emotions were building up inside OOO earlier."
For a brief moment, she felt a faint call for her and the purple medals. It was weak, almost insignificant, and vanished an instant later like a bubble popping on the surface of water.
"Too bad. It's not time yet."
The eerie smile faded, returning her face to its usual stoic calm.
In the next instant, she vanished.
Without a sound, she reappeared atop one of the tombstones. Her soft fingers gently traced the cold stone's surface, almost as if comforting an old friend. After a moment, she raised her hand and idly rubbed her thumb against her fingers, her violet eyes staring into the distance as though waiting for something only she could see.
********
Having spent the past hour slaughtering Shuukis, Hideo had finally reached a point where he was certain the area was clear of hostiles.
Then he heard a cry for help.
"There!!"
Activating the Hawk Core Medal's ability, his vision sharpened. He quickly spotted a young boy—around middle school age—struggling to push aside a massive chunk of a collapsed wall. Despite pouring all his strength into it, the effort was futile due to the overwhelming size of the debris.
Hideo immediately noticed another presence beneath it.
Someone was trapped.
Arriving at the scene, he saw the boy look up at him in surprise.
"Step aside."
Hideo spoke in a firm tone as he gently moved the boy out of the way.
"Who are y—"
"Sorry, but we'll talk later. The girl underneath is the priority."
The boy tried to continue, but Hideo had already turned his attention to the rubble. Gripping the debris with both hands, he exerted his enhanced strength and effortlessly lifted the massive slab as though it weighed nothing. With a single motion, he tossed it into a nearby empty area.
Beneath it lay an unconscious girl who bore a striking resemblance to the boy.
"Nee-san!!"
The boy's voice cracked as tears welled up in his eyes upon seeing his older twin sister.
Hideo crouched beside her and checked the most important thing first using his two fingers.
Her pulse.
"She's still breathing."
Relief flashed across the boy's face after hearing him.
Without wasting another second, Hideo carefully lifted the girl into a princess carry. Then he glanced over his shoulder at the boy and spoke in a tone that left no room for argument.
"Get on my back. We're getting out of here."
Gulping nervously, the boy nodded. Knowing his sister was alive and that this mysterious stranger in a strange suit had saved her, he quickly complied and climbed onto Hideo's back.
"Hang on tight. It's going to be a bumpy ride."
"O-Okay—AAAAAHHHHHHH!"
The boy barely had time to answer before Hideo burst forward. His yellow legs lit up with energy as he accelerated, a cheetah-like roar accompanying his explosive speed while he dashed through the devastated city.
Spotting a group of Special Forces personnel and medics ahead doing their best to assist the civilians, Hideo immediately picked up his pace and headed toward them.
The soldiers tensed the moment they noticed his approach, instinctively raising their weapons. However, they quickly lowered them when they saw the unconscious girl in his arms and the terrified boy clinging to his back for dear life.
"Please take care of her."
Carefully handing the girl over to the medics, Hideo gave a brief explanation of where and how he had found the siblings. After a few quick questions, the medical staff thanked him and assured him that the girl would receive immediate treatment.
Satisfied, Hideo turned to leave.
The boy's gaze shifted repeatedly between his unconscious sister and Hideo's departing figure. It looked as if he wanted to say something, but the words refused to leave his mouth.
Only after gathering every ounce of courage did he finally call out.
"U-Um, mister!!"
The shout made Hideo stop.
"Hmm?"
Looking back over his shoulder, he tilted his head slightly.
"Something wrong, kid?"
The boy clenched his fists.
"THANK YOU FOR SAVING ME AND MY SISTER!!"
He bowed deeply, his voice filled with sincere gratitude.
Hideo blinked before letting out a casual laugh.
"Don't mention it. Anyone would've done the same thing if they were in my shoes."
He waved dismissively, as if saving lives was nothing worth making a fuss over.
The boy slowly raised his head.
"...Your..."
"Your?"
Hideo raised an eyebrow.
The boy hesitated for a moment before forcing the words out.
"What's your name?"
His voice was much quieter than before, yet Hideo heard it clearly.
For a few seconds, silence lingered between them.
...
....
.....
"My name, huh?"
Hideo rubbed the back of his head thoughtfully.
Then he suddenly grinned.
Giving the boy a thumbs-up, he declared proudly,
"Kamen Rider."
The boy blinked.
"That's my name."
Hideo's grin widened beneath his helmet.
"So you better remember it!"
Laughing carelessly, he turned around and prepared to leave.
The boy looked as though he wanted to say something else, but before he could, Hideo's yellow legs flashed with light.
In the next instant, he was gone.
"...Ka...men...Ri...der..."
The boy repeated the name under his breath.
As he stared at the rapidly disappearing figure, an inexplicable sense of calm settled within his heart.
No matter how much time would pass...
No matter where life took him...
This was a memory he would never forget for the rest of his life.
********
Author's Note:
I have no other excuse for not posting other than the fact that I spent a lot of time reading and catching up on a lot of things, such as:
Web Novel: Advent of Three Calamities
Manga/Manhwa: A Galaxy Next Door, Draco Knight Commander, Moby Dick, Teacher's Effort, The Wolf Falls in Love with the Moon, and Love Quest.
I also went on a two-day island trip with my college buddies and classmates (Our class is locked, so my classmates are the same from first year to fourth year), and I got super drunk there.
I don't remember what happened at midnight. The next thing I knew is I woke up lying on the sand at the beach with a shot glass still in my hand.
I got lazy and had no energy to write during that period last week.
(Potangina, ang daming palang alak na ininom ko. Sumayaw pa ako ng budots kasama ang mga kainuman ko dahil sinapian ako ng masamang espirito after tumalab ang alak sa katawan ko punyeta)