Soichi declared, "Working part-time? You won't believe me if I say so!"
Battle Rabbit responded calmly, "Kaneshima knows the true identity of Xue Qian."
The scene shifted, diving into a flashback.
Kaneshima had called Battle Rabbit and revealed, "The person who gave me the order to frame Wanzhang is Xue Qian! And the true identity of Xue Qian is none other than astronaut Ishido Soichi!"
The audience across the three worlds grew tense, their faces reflecting a mix of shock and disbelief.
"No way! Could Soichi really be Xue Qian?!" they murmured nervously.
Eyes glued to the screen, everyone braced themselves for what was about to unfold.
On the screen, the narrative returned to the present. Battle Rabbit sighed, his voice tinged with regret, "I didn't expect you to be Xue Qian."
Soichi, his back turned, remained calm. "Do you have any proof? Perhaps Nabeshima was lying."
Battle Rabbit's tone grew resolute. "I fought today to uncover the truth! Xue Qian has always evaded my attacks effortlessly, as if he knows all my moves. But today, he couldn't counter my Octopus Electric Light form."
Soichi nodded, a faint admiration in his voice. "So that's how it is. You tricked me into letting Misora purify the last 463 energy bottle to confirm whether I'm Xue Qian. Clever move."
Battle Rabbit stared directly at him, unyielding. "You are Xue Qian, aren't you?!"
Xue Qian remained silent.
Battle Rabbit's voice thundered, "Answer me!"
But Soichi merely smiled, saying nothing, and began walking away.
"Hey, stop right there!" Battle Rabbit yelled, chasing after him.
Meanwhile, the audience across the three realms erupted in realization.
"Soichi must be Xue Qian! Otherwise, he would've explained himself instead of walking away."
The shock was palpable. No one had expected the kind and friendly Soichi to be the feared Blood Diver.
The screen exploded with comments:
"What the heck?! I'm floored!"
"I never would've guessed Soichi is Xue Qian!"
"This twist hit me like a truck."
"He disguised himself so well!"
"I'm still trying to process this revelation."
In the extraordinary chat group, the reactions were no less dramatic:
Fu Nina exclaimed, "Oh my god, is Xue Qian really Soichi?!"
Kiana replied, "I'm speechless. He's always seemed so harmless and ordinary!"
Fu Xuan added, "I can't believe it either. He's been with Battle Rabbit and the others for so long."
Kamiri Ayaka sighed, "Zhan Tu and the others will be devastated."
After running for a while, Soichi stopped, panting. "I'm so tired. I'm really getting old."
Battle Rabbit's face darkened. "Why, Soichi? Why you?!"
The betrayal hit hard. Soichi had saved him before and helped him become Kamen Rider Founder. How could he now be revealed as Xue Qian? It made no sense.
Soichi's voice softened. "I have a grand plan. I had no choice."
He clasped his hands together, pleading, "So, can you let me go?"
Battle Rabbit's voice dripped with disdain. "You've got to be kidding."
Soichi's calm demeanor persisted. "Fine. We still need to collect the last two energy bottles."
Battle Rabbit's voice grew grim. "Did you lead me here on purpose?"
Soichi straightened, a slight smile playing on his lips. "Of course. Only when no one else is around can we truly fight."
He then transformed, revealing his true form as Xue Qian. "Yes," he admitted. "I am the Blood Diver."
The audience's lingering hope shattered. Soichi was indeed Xue Qian.
Battle Rabbit wasted no time, transforming into Kamen Rider.
"Octopus, Stove! Best match! Are you ready?! Octopus Electric Light Form!"
The fight commenced. Battle Rabbit hurled a black sphere, knocking Xue Qian to the ground. But Xue Qian retaliated, activating a magic box that emitted a blinding light, forcing Battle Rabbit out of his transformed state and back into his human form.
The audience gasped in shock.
"That magic box can force Kamen Riders back into their human forms? How terrifying!"
Xue Qian grabbed two energy bottles, a triumphant smirk on his face. "With this, my mission is complete. Goodbye."
Battle Rabbit yelled after him, "Stop right there!"
The scene shifted to the coffee shop, where Sayu sat in disbelief. "The boss is Xue Qian?" she murmured, her voice laced with shock and sadness.
She had never imagined that the friendly boss could be the infamous Blood Diver. The disparity was too great.
Wanzhang's expression mirrored her turmoil. "Why is it Soichi?" he muttered. "We've always been together, talking and laughing. How can he be Xue Qian?!"
Battle Rabbit's voice was steady but heavy. "When Nabeshima told me, I didn't want to believe it either. But now, everything makes sense."
Wanzhang's eyes filled with worry. "How do we tell Misora? She'll be heartbroken."
Battle Rabbit sighed. "Telling her now would only cause panic. Let's focus on reclaiming what we've lost."
Across the three worlds, the revelation of Soichi's identity as Xue Qian sent ripples of shock and disbelief. The kind, unassuming man they all thought they knew had been hiding the darkest of secrets. The battle was far from over, and the stakes had never been higher.