Regardless of Gates' reaction, Tsukuyomi quickly composed herself. As a pseudo-hostess, she didn't have the luxury of slowly processing her emotions.
After Another Agito obtained Agito's Ridewatch, his ability to infect and multiply grew exponentially. No longer did he need to speak—just a flash of light from his body could instantly infect people, transforming them into grotesque creatures with heads resembling Another Agito.
Hundreds of such monsters appeared on the streets. Sougo and the others had no choice but to respond immediately—including Tsukuyomi and Shoichi Tsugami, who were currently unable to transform.
Fortunately, Shoichi pulled some strings and managed to borrow an old set of G3 armor—untouched and unimproved for nearly two decades. Though outdated, it was barely enough to let him lend a hand in battle.
Whenever things turned dire, Tsukuyomi intervened to cover for him, shielding him from danger.
Yet Another Agito was, frankly, a disappointment. Despite gaining Agito's power, he showed no meaningful progress besides his enhanced infection. After a brief clash, the Agito Ridewatch was forcibly separated from him, and he reverted to his monstrous form.
Sougo retrieved the watch and tossed it to Shoichi, enabling him to transform once more—Agito returned in a blaze of golden energy!
"Let's go together!" Sougo shouted with renewed vigor, pulling out his Trinity Ridewatch.
Gates and Woz: "To be honest... we object."
But the overwhelming power of Zi-O Trinity didn't ask for their consent. As tools of the king, Gates and Woz were promptly turned into accessories on Sougo's transformation belt.
[Zi-O Trinity!]
[Zi-O! Geiz! Woz!]
[Trinity Time!]
[The Power of Three!]
[Kamen Rider Zi-O! Geiz! Woz!]
[Tri-ni-ty~]
[Trinity!]
"Surrender before me!" Sougo declared triumphantly. "I am Kamen Rider Zi-O's third-tier form—born of the Demon King and his two retainers, Gates and Woz! The king who shapes the future of time!"
Although he hated this form, Woz—ever the loyal follower—offered his customary praise to keep his position secure.
"Well, that's enough! So embarrassing..." Gates groaned, covering his face.
"How noisy..." Sougo muttered.
"Your friends are hilarious," Shoichi remarked, shaking his head with a smile.
Tsukuyomi: "..."
Please don't associate them with me.
"I won't be outdone either!" Shoichi cried, slamming his belt. His shoulder and arm armor shifted—one side turning crimson, the other blue. Coupled with his golden breastplate, this was his own triple-unity form: Agito Trinity Form.
Still, both were called Trinity, but why did Zi-O Trinity look so... ridiculous in comparison?
"It's a moment worth celebrating!" Woz exclaimed, brimming with excitement.
"Congratulations! Zi-O's third-tier form and Agito's Trinity Form—three plus three equals the power of six Riders!"
"Enough already!" Gates snapped as Woz moved closer to Shoichi. "Don't make it worse by trying to flatter both sides!"
"There's no comparison without contrast..." Woz muttered, quietly stepping back.
Sougo: "…"
Shoichi: "…"
Tsukuyomi: "…"
"Anyway—let's go!" Sougo composed himself and charged into battle.
With Agito's theme music playing in the background, Sougo and Shoichi unleashed their full strength. Armed with the King's Ultimate Sword, a flaming saber, and a dual-wielding halberd, they tore through the enemy ranks in a glorious sweep of light and sound.
Soon, only one trembling, pitiful Another Agito remained.
Shoichi lowered his stance, spreading the twin horns on his head and focusing his strength into his legs.
[Finish Time!]
[Zi-O! Geiz! Woz!]
[Trinity!]
[Time Break! Burst! Explosion!]
Sougo followed suit. The two Riders exchanged a glance, nodded, and leapt into the air simultaneously to deliver their devastating Rider Kicks.
Woz: "Congratulations! That villain's done for!"
Another Agito was flattened like a skateboard beneath their combined strike. In the explosion that followed, the road lay in ruins, scorched and fractured.
Sougo and Shoichi shared a silent nod. As veterans of the Rider wars, no words were necessary—they signaled Tsukuyomi, and the three vanished in perfect synchronicity.
Shoichi left behind the Agito Ridewatch and resumed his culinary journey abroad. A few days later, Sougo found himself drawn into the "Onkaku Oni Incident."
The case revolved around a failed successor to Hibiki who, with Sougo's help, finally inherited the title. Hibiki himself never appeared—it was that dull a story—but Sougo gained the Hibiki Ridewatch from the current successor, who bore an uncanny resemblance to Den-O's "brother-in-law," Yuuto Sakurai.
However, more exciting times were on the horizon. Sougo's first love was about to appear—or so it seemed.
The next enemy: Another Kiva, a female monster obsessed with becoming queen. Due to a past encounter, she mistook Sougo for her first love: a boy she once saw wearing a sailor uniform.
Though most of the chapter led readers to believe she was Sougo's "Sailor Suit Sister," the surprise appearance of Yuri Aso, one of Kiva's heroines, muddied the waters. Seeing her triggered another flashback in Sougo's mind.
So who was his first love really? Perhaps neither. Perhaps it was all misdirection to add emotional depth. And if he had to choose between the two—Yuri or the Queen—surely Yuri, since the Queen's deception was blatant. She had latched onto the "Sailor Suit Sister" identity without a moment's thought, just to manipulate Sougo.
But that's not my problem. I'm not Sougo. Why am I even thinking about this?
As for my first love... uh... I can't remember. Probably some 2D waifu from an anime.
That day, the uncle baked a new batch of desserts. As usual, Tsukuyomi found them too greasy, while Woz devoured everything like a true sweets addict—surprising, given his stern appearance.
As for Ryuga, still suffering dessert fatigue from his time in the Gaim universe, he gave his portion to Ora with the chivalrous excuse:
"All good things should be left to you."
Cue collective heartbreak. The single crowd—Sougo, Gates, Uncle, and the rest—watched in despair, struggling to swallow their desserts.
Thankfully, Ora's impossible-to-fatten body kept Tsukuyomi from banning her junk food. If she ever developed horizontally like Tsukuyomi, Dragon Me would confiscate every sweet in sight.
Still, not everyone was miserable.
Sougo, for instance, was lost in nostalgia.
"This taste... sweet and sour," he muttered. "How should I put it... this is the taste of first love."
CRASH!
PFFFFT!
COUGH!
The room erupted.
Uncle's glasses shattered. Gates spit cake all over Sougo's face. Woz nearly choked to death, saved only by Tsukuyomi's back-patting.
Ora stared with starry eyes, thrilled at this rare scoop about the Demon King's romantic past.
"You've been in love?!" Gates asked, stunned.
"Hmph. Of course I have," Sougo replied coolly, wiping cake from his face with a smug smile.
And thus, a new hierarchy of contempt was born.
"It happened back in elementary school..." Sougo began, clearly about to launch into a long-winded tale.
"You're still talking?!" Gates exclaimed, exasperated.
"Elementary school?! That's way too precocious!" Tsukuyomi added in disbelief.