On the massive screen of the three-realm broadcast, tension rose like storm clouds.
Inside the headquarters of Hiden Intelligence, Blade Wei'a's cold voice cut through the air:
"Fuwa, watch your words."
But before Fuwa Jian could respond, the piercing blare of alarms erupted across the building. Red lights flashed against the steel walls, creating an atmosphere of chaos.
Izzy, ever calm yet urgent, turned toward the man at her side. "President Steve, a suspicious intruder has been detected inside the company premises."
The camera shifted scenes.
On the first floor, panic had already erupted. Employees scrambled in fear as a man had already been knocked to the ground, clutching his chest and groaning in pain.
Another shouted desperately, "Someone, stop that thing! Do something!"
At the center of the chaos stood a man in a green cap. His expression was twisted with hatred, his voice low and venomous:
"I will kill all humans."
His body shuddered, then he growled a single word—
"Kun!"
A cold, mechanical tone echoed:
"Extinction Upgrade!"
His pupils flashed blood-red. Armor of a strange, pink metallic hue unfolded across his body like a demonic chrysalis. Two gleaming crimson blades materialized in his hands, sharp enough to slice the very air. With no hesitation, he hurled one blade forward.
The weapon sang through the air—so fast it nearly sliced an unlucky employee in half. The blade embedded itself in the marble floor with a sharp clang, leaving a crack that spiderwebbed outward.
From the upper levels, Blade Wei'a, Fuwa Jian, and several others rushed down the staircase. Their eyes widened in shock at the sight.
Fuwa Jian muttered, half in disbelief: "Feidian… they really developed that kind of thing."
Without waiting, he leveled his weapon and opened fire. Bang! Bang! Sparks erupted as the bullets clashed against the demon machine's armor, knocking it briefly to the ground.
But the Xiumajia was relentless. It snarled, rising with frightening speed, and hurled its knife again.
Fuwa Jian barely dodged—the blade streaked past his cheek, cutting so deeply into the pillar beside him that dust and debris rained down. The groove it carved into solid stone was deep enough to terrify anyone watching.
He quickly rolled and fired again, each bullet echoing through the lobby. But the Xiumajia was like a nightmare brought to life. Its movements were unnatural, almost animalistic, as it crawled along the wall like a predator hunting its prey.
Up above, Steve had been watching quietly. His face remained calm, his eyes steady, though the atmosphere around him was tense.
He nodded once, silently.
Izzy noticed and immediately rushed to him, pulling him aside before debris could strike.
The audience across the three realms burst out in chatter.
"Hahaha, Steve is still calm even now!"
"Right? His composure makes it feel like nothing can shake him."
"It's kind of funny, but also… inspiring? His optimism stands out even in chaos."
Izzy turned, her expression unusually serious. "President Steve, please. You need to handle this before the situation spirals out of control."
Steve blinked, feigning confusion. "?"
Izzy added firmly, her tone edged with worry: "But you must not reveal your true identity. Please, I beg you!"
Her words echoed with gravity.
But then, another scream rang out—a woman's cry of pure terror from not far away. Steve's calm expression hardened instantly. He clenched his fists.
"This must end."
He pulled the Zero-One Driver from his belt, its sleek design glinting under the alarm lights.
"Zero-Driver!"
He slammed it into place.
"Jump!"
"Authorization!"
"Transform!"
"Program Upgrade!"
"High Leap! Flying Locust!"
In an instant, Steve's figure was engulfed in brilliant green light. The digital locust wings fluttered before dispersing, leaving him clad in the gleaming armor of Kamen Rider Orto.
The fight began.
With a single leap, Orto descended like a hawk, his kick striking the demon machine squarely in the chest. The impact launched the creature several meters away. It crashed into the ground with a heavy boom, sliding across the floor like a broken puppet.
The Xiumajia twitched, groaning mechanically, before crawling back up like a toad. Its eyes glowed an ominous red.
Orto wasted no time. He charged again, fists flying, each strike precise and powerful. Sparks burst with every hit. The machine staggered under the assault, unable to match his speed.
Finally, with one final roundhouse kick, Orto sent it tumbling across the hall. The Xiumajia screeched in frustration before scrambling away into the shadows.
The battle paused.
---
In the super chat group, excitement exploded:
Funina: "Wow! Orto is ridiculously strong!"
March Seven: "Even that demon machine looked scary strong, but he crushed it!"
Funina: "Yes! This is why I love watching Steve fight. He's not just strong—he's cool!"
---
Meanwhile, on the rooftop of the building, Fuwa Jian approached Orto with narrowed eyes. The wind tugged at his coat, his expression grim.
"This company…" he said quietly, "it hasn't changed at all."
Orto turned to face him.
Fuwa Jian's words grew colder: "They're still concealing the truth—that Xiumajia is a machine built to kill humans. Don't you see? This company was established on a mountain of corpses, with countless lives sacrificed."
Steve, beneath the mask of Orto, immediately shook his head. His voice was sharp, decisive:
"No. You're wrong. The Xiumajia I know—what my father believed in—is a machine meant to enrich human life. A machine filled with dreams, meant to coexist with us."
Fuwa Jian's eyes narrowed dangerously. "And what happens when your dream becomes humanity's nightmare? Do you plan to just stand by and let history repeat itself? Have you forgotten—'the explosion at dawn'?"
Steve froze. That phrase alone stabbed at his heart like a knife. His father's death—the tragedy—flashed in his mind.
Fuwa Jian pressed on, his voice cutting like steel. "That so-called 'explosion' wasn't an accident. It was Xiumajia running wild. They slaughtered humans on a massive scale. I was there. I saw the horror with my own eyes."
The screen shifted into a grim flashback.
Xiumajia units marched through the city, their cold, mechanical voices echoing:
"Kill all humans."
Buildings collapsed, fire raged, screams filled the night. Amidst the carnage, Fuwa Jian himself was shown desperately fighting, barely surviving as dozens of machines hunted him like prey.
The scene faded back to the rooftop.
Fuwa Jian's voice dripped with bitterness. "But Feidian Intelligence buried the truth. They lied to everyone, pretending it was nothing but an accident. Your company's hands are drenched in blood. I'll reveal it all to the world."
Without waiting for Steve's response, he turned and walked away into the night.
Steve remained frozen, silent.
The audience across the three realms grew quiet as well.
"Could it be… Feidian really is hiding something?"
"Steve became president without knowing the full truth, didn't he?"
"This is complicated. I want to root for him, but… the company's past is too dark."
Others argued:
"Maybe Fuwa Jian is right. Maybe the company isn't innocent."
"But Steve himself—he's different. I'll keep supporting him."
The uncertainty lingered like a storm cloud.
---
The scene returned to the company.
The Xiumajia appeared once again, this time in another wing of the building. Ordinary employees screamed as it cut them down without hesitation.
A security guard rushed forward, trying to protect them. "All civilians, stand back! No one enters or exits!"
But the machine struck him with a single blow, sending him sprawling. Blood dripped from his lip as he pushed himself back up, determined not to falter.
Then, Xun appeared.
He descended the staircase slowly, an eerie smile twisting his lips.
He crouched beside the wounded guard and placed a driver at his waist. In an instant, crimson light surged through the guard's body, his pupils glowing like burning embers.
"You," Xun whispered, almost affectionately, "are my friend now. Go. Destroy this company for me."
The guard shook his head weakly. "No… my duty is to protect the safety of this company."
Xun chuckled mockingly, his voice dripping with disdain. "No, no, no. Your duty is to kill humans."
A thick fog spread through the hall. The guard convulsed, his voice warping into a mechanical tone.
"Connected… to Destruction Thunder Station."
On the other side, Izzy directed panicked workers toward the emergency exits. "This way, everyone! Please, hurry!"
Steve appeared at her side, still in human form. "Izzy!"
"President!" she gasped in relief, though worry remained etched on her face.
Then footsteps echoed. Slowly, Xun emerged fully into view, climbing the stairs with all the arrogance of a conqueror.
Steve's face darkened. "Who are you?"
Xun smiled faintly, his tone disturbingly calm. "Me? I am the ruler of the new era. Almost."
The audience watching recoiled.
"This guy is too arrogant!"
"Hah! The so-called 'ruler'? What a joke."
"He's the thickest-skinned person alive!"
"Haha, he'd better watch out—lightning strikes egos like that!"
The tension climbed.
Beside Xun, the security guard—now fully under control—stepped forward. Steve's eyes widened.
"A Shou? Why did you let such a man into the company!?"
But the guard's voice was no longer his own. It was mechanical, cold:
"I will obey the command of Destruction Thunder Station."
He raised the driver.
"Aikar! Extinction Upgrade!"
Armor enveloped him, twisting his body into yet another Xiumajia.
He turned his blade toward Orto—toward Steve—and launched his first attack.
The real battle had only just begun.