Inside the Osamu residence, Ginko is currently resting inside a wooden pod with vines wrapping his body especially the parts where he was injured, it gives an otherworldly feel, together with the room. The entire place seems like it came from a different world, it has an elven aesthetic, concoctions on shelves, tree roots as pillars and the floor is tile. Glowing fruits illuminate the entire room. Haruto is standing next to Akai.
"This place gives me so much fantasy vibes... Just what is this place?" Haruto asked as he look around.
"This is the Elven Apothecary, or at least a replica of it." Akai explained as he walks toward the exit. "Follow me, it's only fair I give an explanation."
Haruto followed after Akai. "When you said elven, you mean actual elves?"
"Indeed, elves are real, so are other creatures you know through fantasy media." He continue to explain. "However, they exist in a place called Asvanheimr, a separate dimension to ours and the entirety of this residence was used to be a sacred ground where that dimension and this meet."
They are walking through a corridor with tall pillars, it has the same feel as a dungeon. They took a turn to an open area, it is a mausoleum with a statue of a warrior with the same armour as Akai's Knight form, it is raising its sword triumphantly. There are four other statues at the side, it is the weapons of each knights, a large sword, a pair of daggers, a long bow and a staff.
"This is the tomb of the first holder of Paladin, Seikaiser." Akai stopped to look up at the statue.
"Paladin... Does that mean he's your ancestor?" Haruto asked.
"You could say my Family is from a different world." Akai walked past the statue to a door at the opposite side of the entrance. "This door leads to Asvanheimr, however, seven years ago it had permanently closed."
"Why is that?" Haruto touches the door.
"I am not sure myself."
Haruto looked back at Akai. "When you said your family is not from this world, does that mean you are not a human?"
Akai scoffed a bit. "I am a human, but not a human of this world." He leaned on the wall. "That said, the Knights fought in that world to end the reign of the Demon King, and 26 years ago my mother's group was finally able to kill the Demon King."
"Wow... That was... Like the most generic fantasy anime these days." Haruto spaced out. "Anyway... I just noticed, there is no statue for Lancer?"
"I am not sure why that was the case. I could guess that Lancer was a later addition, originally there were only five Knights." Akai explained. "Their names were Seikaiser, Daikenzer, Sokaizer, Yuukarizer and Mahoutsukaiser. In our language those name translates to Daybreak, Nightfall, Dayspring, Sunrise and Midnight."
Haruto nods in understanding. "That explains why you know our names... Hold on, what about the colours?"
"What of it?"
"Is there any rhyme or reason on why we have different coloured suit?"
"I don't know, I still think that is very odd." Akai replied and walks to Haruto to hand him a card. "This is a VIP card, this will give you access this underground facility anytime."
Haruto takes the card and noticed that it already has his picture and full name and details. "Wait... When was this made?"
"30 minutes ago when we arrived here." He said.
"That... Was fast..." Haruto was dumbfounded.
Akai tapped Haruto on the shoulder. "Let's go back, Yagami should be at least conscious by now." Akai headed to the exit.
"Uh... Yeah..." Haruto follows behind him. "Just one final question though..."
"What is it?"
"Just how rich are you?" Haruto's eyebrow raised in curiosity. "I mean, I know about the Osamu Group being behind the repairs of the damage caused by Spawns, but you alone seems to have your personal expensive stuffs."
Akai closed his eyes and sighed. "Let's just go, I am not answering that question."
The two return to the Elven Apothecary to check on Ginko, as soon as they entered the room Ginko finally wakes up. Seeing where he is, he panicked and tried to escape.
"Where am I!?" He tries to break the vines but it is too tough.
Akai is just looking at him. "Don't move, you'll mess up the healing process."
"Osamu!?!"
"You don't have to worry too much, that's not going to kill you." He said.
Ginko moves his head around, looking at his surrounding. "Just what is this place?"
"You are under my residence, in a simpler term that you would understand: you're in my basement." Akai sat down on a chair. "Now that you finally realized that you are not winning against Historia, are you now willing to cooperate?"
"Fine... But I'll be the one taking down Historia!"
"Fine by me. Now on to the business." Akai crosses his legs and clears his throat. "I want you to stop engaging in any fight as of now, not until the Knights are complete."
"Why?" Ginko looks at him, annoyed.
"Historia appears in some sort of pattern, if the Spawn is strong or if any of us are around, he's interested fighting something that is capable of destruction." Akai explained. "Although, his true motive is still unknown, all of his appearances only occur when a threat is present."
"Does that mean Historia sees us as threat?" Haruto leaned on a table.
"That is a possibility, yesterday when he fought the Kamen Riders of Yamato Industry, he start to become serious when he realized that Chivalry or whatever his name was did damage to him." Akai closes his eyes. "I can fully acknowledge that Historia does still kill Spawns, however..." He starts biting his thumb.
"Akai...?"
"The fact that the Spirits of the Knights reawaken just to warn me of an impending doom... It means that it is something we cannot ignore." Akai keeps his composure. "Historia is someone we shouldn't put aside, he's an anomaly— someone who should not exist in this world... Kamen Rider Historia... From the old language of Asvanheimr meaning "The Calamitous King that Rules Over Heaven and Hell"."
Haruto thinks for a second. "That's why we need the other Knights, right?"
"Indeed, the Knights work as a group, once everyone accepted their title as a Knight is when we can summon our ultimate weapon." Akai stands up to pull the vines on the wall off to reveal a mural of a warrior tower over armies. "The Great Spirit Seikaiser."
"Seikaiser...? The first Paladin?" Haruto walked over to the wall.
"Yes, but since Mage is still thinking over whether to join or not, her decision will determine whether we will have a hard time fighting or will have the odd put in our favour." Akai turn back and start to head to the exit. "It's getting late."
"Yeah, you're right, I should probably go home." Haruto look at his phone for time.
"You can stay here for the night, we have a guest room on the second floor." Akai said and turns to Ginko. "As for you, stay there to heal back your wounds, you should be fully revitalized by tomorrow afternoon. I'll be sending your parents a message that you will be staying here for a project should they ask."
Haruto and Akai left, Ginko simply clicks his tongue, annoyed. Over the night, Ginko is thinking of how he is completely overwhelmed by Historia in the battle.
At the same time, Kiyomi is on his bed resting with Reika on top of her, she has her arm wrapped around him and her face on his chest.
Kiyomi place his hand on Reika's head. "Don't you think you should go home? You parents might be worried about you."
"Nyo! I want to stay here!" She said in a childish manner as she hug him tighter. "I already texted them anyway that I'll be sleeping here."
"Then you better answer my questions because I wouldn't be able to sleep like this, I haven't got that much answers from you."
Reika rested her chin on his chest, looking at him directly. "Fine..."
"Just how many times had I been reincarnated and why did the belt not choose me on my previous life?"
"This is your 8th incarnation... As for why... I think it's because you had already failed six separate times..." Reika's eyes looks more sad. "I don't really know the details, I just know that you failed saving the six other worlds... And I failed at the 7th..."
"So this is the 7th time I got reincarnated... On the same body but different world."
"Yes, although you are still Kiyomi in the other worlds, there are still difference." She said. "But that's all I know on how your reincarnation works, but the fact that you are slowly regaining your memory means you will become more of the Kiyomi I know."
"I see..." Kiyomi pulls out the Adaptive Diary card and stare at the visual of Historia on it. "Diary..."
The night gets deeper and the two fell asleep on each other's arm. As the night falls, a humanoid monster emerges from the rift in the ocean, it slowly walks the ocean floor to the beach. It has a glowing crystal on its chest that pulses like heartbeat, it looks like a mutated human-animal hybrid, specifically a piranha. It is wearing a belt with eye-like pattern and handles on both side.
The morning soon arrived and they got ready for school, students are walking their way to school. There are a bit of traffic jam due to the road being repaired, Kiyomi and Reika are walking together. Akai passed by on a car, he opened the window and tosses a notebook to Kiyomi and left without saying anything. Kiyomi opened the book and it is notes from the lessons he missed the previous week.
During the lunch time, Kiyomi and Reika are on their way to the Student Council room when Sayuri approached them.
"K-Kamishiro-san...!" She called.
Kiyomi looked at her. "You are... Sakuraba Sayuri, right? What is it?" Reika has glaring eyes on Sayuri.
"There is just something I want to ask you..."
"He's taken, so no—" Kiyomi shoved a melon bread on Reika's mouth.
"Go ahead."
"You are pretty close to Akai-san, right?" Sayuri is a bit embarrassed. "Tell me... What do you think of him as a person, do you believe in him?"
"Believe in what?"
"Believe that he'll be there to help you." She said.
"Why are you asking me that?"
"Well... You two seems like good friends so..."
"Aren't you two too?" He raised an eyebrow.
"We are but... I just want to know what you think of him."
"... To answer your question, yes. He's very reliable, he's annoying sometimes but he's the kind of person that thinks steps ahead." He said. "I don't really know what's the point of this because you two are dating and such so why doubt one another?"
"We are not dating—"
"I know, I'm just joking because aside from me, you are the only other person that hangs out with him the most." Kiyomi and Reika starts to walk away. "You two are closer than we are, so you shouldn't really ask me that. So instead of asking me, ask yourself: why are you doubting him?"
"..."
The two left to the Council Room, Sayuri walked away pondering: why does it seem she is doubting Akai? They are still friends, one that is close enough that people keep gossiping about their relation. As she walk down the school's hallway, she bumps into Akai and one other girl with a short hair, a bit tan, green eyes, she has the armband of student councils. They are carrying stacks of papers.
"Ah, Sayuri." Akai looked down to her, their height difference clearly showing.
The girl next to Akai takes the paper he was holding and bolted away. "Don't worry, Akkun! I'll bring these to the office!" She said as she run with a mischievous smile on her face. "Take your time with her!"
An awkward silence lingers, both are quite, not even making eye contact. To break the silence, Sayuri took a step closer.
"Akai-san, I—"
"You don't have to force yourself if you don't want to." Akai cuts her off. "This is a very dangerous line of work, we can hold ourselves of as for now. Just keep the Emblem with you, just in case you need to protect yourself."
"Akai-san—"
*AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!*
A bloodcurdling scream echoes through the corridor, hearing this, Akai immediately run off to see what was going on. Sayuri was left in the area but she decided to follow soon. As they turn to the corner, there is a Spawn inside, a piranha Spawn with a glowing crystal on its chest. It is holding a student by the neck.
Akai pressed the emergency alarm next to them, a loud siren booms throughout the school, warning everyone that Spawn had entered the vicinity. The monster looks at the two and drops the student it's holding and start sprinting toward them, Akai immediately carry Sayuri on his shoulder and runs away.
Akai is holding the Holy Blade and sends out a signal to the other Knights. Haruto and Shotaro felt the signal while Yui is already on her way, Ginko unfortunately is still healing so despite feeling the signal, he can't move. The Spawn jumps in front of them to stop them on their tracks, they are now face-to-face with the Spawn.
<=/|‡Episode Nine, End‡|\=>