The following day, Ora used the electronic notebook near White Wozzi to lure Heure, who had become an Alien Rider. Under the combined force of Sougo and Gates, Woz successfully extracted the Kikai Ride Watch from the corrupted being.
From there, things progressed rapidly. For every Second-Order King, there existed a corresponding Rider Watch. The Another Riders were swiftly defeated, and Woz managed to synthesize three Future Rider Watches into a single hourglass-like Revive Watch, which he handed over to Gates.
Naturally, the three original watches still existed independently. What Woz created was a new resurrection watch—a construct of pure energy formed from the combined timelines.
However, upon receiving it, Gates immediately realized the new watch wasn't yet functional. The Revive Watch remained gray and inert. With no other choice, he pocketed it for the time being, pondering the cryptic words Ryuga had left him: "An Another Rider is still a Rider."
He didn't need to think long.
Just days later, they received news that the hosts of former Another Riders were suffering mysterious accidents. Soon after, they encountered a new threat—someone who could wield the powers of multiple Another Riders. A dark figure emerged: the Another Zi-O, "Sour Rider" Kakogawa Hiryu.
Initially, Hiryu disguised himself in various Another Rider forms. But those facades proved no match for Sougo's Second-Order form or Gates. After several defeats, Hiryu finally revealed his true power—transforming directly into an Another Zi-O before their eyes.
"This… this is…!" Sougo and Gates stared in shock at the engraved "Zi-O" face of the monstrous figure before them.
At that moment, Gates recalled Ryuga's words once again.
"It looks like you've figured it out," Ryuga said, stepping beside him. They both turned to watch Sougo, now completely suppressed by Hiryu's overwhelming power. "See for yourself. An Alien First-Order King can overpower Zi-O's Second-Order form."
"If he ever evolves into a Second-Order Another Zi-O… none of you will be able to stop him."
"Look at how many people he's already attacked. You know he's not the type who brings peace."
"Clearly, this Sougo isn't the Demon King you feared—but if the Another Zi-O defeats him, that path may become reality."
"If you don't stop him now, what kind of future do you think awaits this world?"
"I won't let that future happen!" Gates clenched his fists as calculations flashed through his mind:
Demon King = King of Evil
King of Evil = King of Time
Another Rider = Rider
Another King of Time = King of Time
Therefore… the Demon King = Another King of Time.
The true requirement for activating the Revive Watch was not power—it was resolve.
The resolve to defeat the Demon King.
With that determination burning in his chest, Gates drew out the Revive Watch. A brilliant light erupted. The once-inactive timepiece was suddenly filled with vivid color, shining brightly.
[ZikuDriver!]
[Geiz!]
[GeizRevive! Goretsu (Strong)!]
"Henshin!"
[Re-Vi-Ve! Goretsu! Goretsu!]
Thus emerged Kamen Rider GeizRevive Goretsu, Gates' powerful revived form!
[Zikan Jaclaw!]
As Gates unleashed the Rob Light Wheel—folding time into savage claws that ripped through the battlefield—Ryuga smiled in satisfaction, turning away.
There was no need to watch further. Although the Revive form carried "minor" side effects—since it achieved immense power by compressing his own time and damaging his body—Gates would adapt. It was not something the Another Zi-O could compete with.
While Zi-O's Second-Order form suffered from mysterious, illogical weakening against Hiryu, GeizRevive was unaffected.
Still, Sougo and the others couldn't kill Kakogawa Hiryu—not yet. He would live for now. Ryuga took this as his cue to leave for a while. He'd already told Ora he would be away for a few days—an excuse to "digest" the massive Rider energy he'd absorbed recently, and finally passed the "adorably chaotic threshold," so she didn't suspect anything.
Kaiwu World — Forest of the Helheim Underworld
In a strange forest filled with glowing mist and eerie, mutated fruit, Ryuga stepped out of a portal. The moment he set foot on the soil, he heard a sharp crack beneath his feet. He had stepped on something.
Looking down, he saw it: an early-version transformation belt from the Gaim Rider series—Sengoku Driver.
"Looks like I've arrived at the start of the plot. Good… the timing is precise." Ryuga nodded, picking up the driver.
Using the Rider power from Gaim's timeline, Ryuga had entered one of its parallel worlds. Guided by instinct, he had chosen this point in time deliberately.
"Yuya…"
"System, replace Yuya Sumii's existence with mine," Ryuga commanded.
It was a strange system—its only function was replacing people's existence in timelines, and it provided no feedback. He waited quietly, knowing that the reactions of others would reveal the outcome. If it failed, he would proceed with Plan B: eliminate "Silly Orange" Kouta Kazuraba and take his place.
"Ryuga!"
The sudden change in name confirmed success. The system had worked.
Everyone who once remembered "Yuya Sumii" now remembered Ryuga instead.
Even the camera footage of Yuya becoming an Inves after eating Helheim's fruit had vanished from history. After all, he had never eaten the fruit.
"Ryuga! Are you alright?" Two familiar figures rushed toward him—one was the heroine Mai Takatsukasa, the other, Kouta Kazuraba. Mai immediately grabbed Ryuga's arm with concern.
"Huh?" Ryuga blinked, taking in their worried faces. Did I pick too good of a host?
If not for Yuya's tragic fate, he might have been the real protagonist—winning the girl and the future.
Unfortunately, Yuya had been tempted by Helheim's fruit, turned into a monster, and was ultimately destroyed by Kouta, who took his belt—and his girl.
A truly tragic fate.
"Ryuga? Are you okay?" Mai waved a hand in front of his face.
"I'm fine… wait! Kouta—don't eat that!" Ryuga snapped out of it and saw Kouta holding a glowing Helheim fruit to his lips.
Startled, Kouta froze. "Huh? What's wrong?"
"I just saw a lesser Inves eat that exact fruit and instantly evolve into a powerful monster. These fruits are dangerous—don't eat them!"
Kouta's eyes widened in horror. He threw the fruit aside and clutched his chest. "Thanks for the warning…"
Just then, an upper-class Inves appeared in the mist. Pale green and monstrous, it resembled the White Tiger Inves from early episodes of the original series.
"Run!" Ryuga shouted, grabbing Mai's hand and bolting toward the forest exit.
Although he was strong enough to defeat the creature barehanded, Ryuga had no intention of doing so.
After all, this was supposed to be a vacation.