Kyouka POV
Am I surprised? Astonished? Amazed? Flabbergasted? Staggered? Stunned? Perhaps even dumbfounded.
Throughout my life, I have met all kinds of people—different personalities, different ambitions, some driven by noble intentions, others by selfish desires. Because of that, I can usually tell when someone is lying. Even the greatest liar in the world, one who can flawlessly mimic authenticity, cannot fool me for long.
There is one thing that cannot simply be imitated or declared at will.
Sincerity.
Hearing him speak those words without a trace of shame, even wearing them with pride, made me realize something.
He was sincere.
Unshakably so.
And truthfully speaking…
I like his goal—protecting children's smiles.
We may walk different paths, but in the end, our roads lead to the same destination: the eradication of every Shuuki existence. An end to the suffering this desolate land of Mato has inflicted upon the world. Countless families have been torn apart because of it.
Before I realized it, my hand was gently patting Nei on the head as those thoughts crossed my mind.
Don't worry, Nei.
You will find your parents. And I will make sure of it.
When he pointed at us and declared that he would save us if we were ever in trouble, my mind went blank.
Was he truly saying that to us? That if we were ever in need, he would come to save us?
I would normally call that boastful. Absurd, even.
It felt cheesy—almost laughable.
But when those words come from someone earnest.
They feel different.
"All right, I'll let you go for now," I said, adjusting the brim of my cap. "At least now I can confirm you don't have any malicious intentions."
"But before that…"
I removed my hat and pressed it against my chest, bowing slightly.
"Allow me to sincerely apologize for how we treated you earlier," I said, putting as much genuine feeling into my voice as possible before placing the hat back on my head.
What surprised me even more was Himari remaining silent throughout the exchange. My dear vice chief might not be eager to get along with the Kamen Rider, but she understands the atmosphere when she sees it.
The Kamen Rider was visibly taken aback, clearly not expecting an apology from me. Then he burst into laughter.
"Don't worry, Chief!" he said, spinning around before striking an absurd pose. "I understand what you did earlier was just precaution and all that. Me being a slippery bastard and such."
He raised a hand toward me.
"But I'll say this—you won't be able to do that again," he added with a laugh. "For now… a truce?"
I looked at his outstretched hand, then at the helmet hiding his expression. With a quiet sigh, a small smile tugged at my lips as I shook my head.
I raised my hand and grasped his firmly.
"Well, is that a challenge?" I shot back, tilting my head slightly. "You'd better make sure I won't be able to catch you next time, Kamen Rider."
After we released our handshake, I placed my hand on the hilt of my katana and drew it from my hip. To answer his resolve with my own, I slammed the sheathed blade into the ground, the tip biting into the earth while my hand remained firm on the hilt.
"You may already know who I am, but I'll introduce myself properly anyway," I said.
Taking a slow breath, my expression turned completely serious.
"My name is Uzen Kyouka, current Chief of the Seventh Unit of the Anti-Demon Force."
"As one of the leading forces—Humanity's Aegis against the Shuukis—my goal is to wipe out every last one of them and put an end to the madness Mato has forced upon us."
"And to protect the lives of people, no matter how small or insignificant they may seem."
There is one thing you and I must never forget.
Human lives are worth more than peace. More than justice.
I will never allow the tragedy of my past to happen again.
As a soldier, I should arrest you. That would be the proper course of action.
But personally… I would rather let you continue on your path, so long as you do not cross the line. An earnest outlier like you is far better off staying free for now than becoming entangled in the political mess surrounding the Defense Force and Mato.
I swear this—
I will become the Supreme Commander.
And when that day comes, I will eradicate every cancer that has taken root on this planet.
"Uhm…"
Nei shifted restlessly at my side.
Curious, I glanced down at my adorable squadmate and let out a soft, questioning hum.
"Is something wrong, Nei?" I asked.
She flinched slightly when I addressed her.
"N-Nothing. I just… want to do something," she said, fidgeting as she looked toward the Kamen Rider.
Noticing her gaze, he tilted his helmeted head.
"Something wrong, kid?"
Nei turned to me instead, silently asking for permission. She gestured for me to lean closer.
When I heard her whisper, I couldn't help but chuckle. I had thought something serious was bothering her—but it was nothing of the sort.
Straightening up, I gestured for her to step forward and gave her a small nod of approval.
Her face lit up instantly, a beaming smile spreading across it as she walked up to the Kamen Rider.
"U-Um, Kamen Rider-san," Nei said, bowing politely. "My name is Nei."
She then raised her hand toward him, looking up expectantly.
It only took a second for him to understand what she wanted. A soft chuckle escaped him.
"Well, if you wanted to do that, you could've just asked, kid," he said lightly. "But can I call you Nei-chan?"
Nei nodded eagerly, her head bobbing up and down.
With an enthusiastic smack, the Kamen Rider and Nei high-fived each other.
The sound echoed faintly in the air. It was simple, harmless, and strangely heartwarming.
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Shikoku POV
Current Location: Elsewhere in Mato
I walked through one of the quieter stretches of Mato, with no particular destination in mind. There was nothing pressing to attend to for now—no immediate duties demanding my presence.
Stretching my arms above my head, I let my gaze wander over the massive spikes and distorted structures that pierced the landscape. The terrain was as bleak as ever, jagged and unnatural, yet strangely beautiful in its own twisted way.
"Kuusetsu is still in her early stage, so she won't be emerging just yet," I murmured, gently stroking the snake coiled around my neck. "We'll need the perfect candidate to serve as her nourishment."
A faint smile tugged at my lips. I licked them absentmindedly, resting a finger against my mouth.
"Those Halflings might be just the right delicacy for her~" I added, my tone laced with quiet anticipation.
Then—
The wind shifted.
It wasn't gradual. It was abrupt. Intentional.
My eyes narrowed as the atmosphere changed in an instant.
Someone is here.
I lifted my gaze to the sky.
Something was falling.
Red feathers drifted down in clusters, descending slowly and gracefully toward the ground. I raised my hand and caught one between my fingers. It was crimson, streaked faintly with green along its edges.
Before me, a red banner was unfurled.
Then another.
And another.
Silk-like cloth cascaded from the elevated structures around us, appearing from nowhere, swaying gently in the altered wind like a stage prepared for a grand entrance.
My smile faded into something sharper.
"Whoever you are," I called out calmly, my voice slicing through the silence. "Come out."
"Well, if you insist."
A woman's voice answered from somewhere above me.
I lifted my gaze.
She was seated atop a large boulder, legs crossed as though she were lounging in her own private garden. Long black hair cascaded down her back, and a mask concealed her face. She wore a black dress that fluttered lightly in the altered wind.
She was looking down at me.
How insolent.
I would have loved to teach her a lesson for such disrespect. But for now, I would tolerate it.
The priority was to talk with her.
The unknown element standing before me—the woman who always accompanied that suited man—was finally face to face with me.
"Yoohoo~ We're always seeing each other from afar, but never this close," she said, her tone dripping with amusement. "Our dear stalker~~"
"What an unruly nickname you've given me, mongrel," I replied smoothly, covering my mouth with my hand in mock elegance. "You should feel honored to even be perceived by a divine being such as myself."
"Wow, I'm terrified," she said flatly. "What if you smite me like that lunatic Zeus? Please forgive me, Goddess-sama~~"
Our laughter rang out almost in unison.
Soft. Light.
Utterly insincere.
Then my smile thinned.
My eyes sharpened.
The air between us grew heavy.
"Stop with that sarcastic tone, you arrogant fool," I said, slowly licking my fingertip. "Or you will meet your demise by my hand."
"Oh? You wanna go, bitch?" she shot back with a laugh—then her expression hardened. "Because I won't back down."
We held each other's gaze in silence.
One second.
Two.
The air thickened, tension coiling between us like a drawn blade waiting to fall.
At last, the masked woman broke it.
"Well, it would be rude if we didn't introduce ourselves, right?" she said lightly.
I let out a small snort at her attempt at civility, but decided to indulge her.
"My name is Shikoku," I declared proudly. "One of the Eight Thunder Gods."
She tilted her head.
"Thunder Gods?"
"To bless your ears and remedy your ignorance," I said, my voice smooth and deliberate. "We are beings destined to bring ruin upon humanity itself. We are divine arbiters of judgment, chosen to cleanse this world of its decay."
A faint smile curved my lips.
"And you stand before one of them."
"Heh. Gods, huh? With how much stalking you've done, are you sure you're not the Eight Voyeurs?" she teased, a low chuckle escaping her lips.
I did not find that amusing.
Careful, mongrel. You are walking on a very thin line.
"I have already given you my name," I said coldly. "What about yours? At least then I will remember what to call the ant I crush."
"Glad you asked, cutie~" she replied playfully.
With a snap of her fingers, she shifted her legs, brushing a strand of hair back into place as though she were on a stage prepared just for her.
"My name is Ankh," she declared. "I represent one of humanity's greatest sins—Greed."
So she truly wasn't human.
Now that I stood this close, I could hear it.
The faint crackle of flames burning somewhere within her. The subtle sound of medals shifting beneath flesh. It was wrong—unnatural—like a container forced into something that was never meant to restrain.
And when I looked deeper—
I froze.
Her soul.
It was in absolute disarray. Fragmented. Chaotic. Twisted in ways that defied reason. It was nothing short of a miracle that she was even capable of existing in this state.
"You really shouldn't stare at people like that, you know~" she chimed, her tone light, almost teasing.
My gaze remained fixed on her.
"What manner of being are you?" I asked, genuine curiosity threading through my voice. "You are… an enigma."
My boiling impatience drained away the moment I took in her form. Curiosity surged in its place, sharp and consuming, spreading through my body like wildfire.
It seemed… I was going to have a very interesting relationship with this particular woman.