Sora stood atop the gleaming silver spaceship, his figure utterly minuscule against the boundless void of space.
Yet, contrasted with the shining vessel beneath him, he was strikingly conspicuous.
Armor shaped like a roaring dragon emanated an unruly aura, fiery patterns etched upon its surface never seeming to fade.
This was Kamen Rider Cross-Z.
And the moment he transformed, Sora immediately felt a restless surge within himself.
It was the [Idealistic Power] within him, melding seamlessly with the abilities this form granted.
In this instant, the Hazard Level truly became a "Danger Level."
Furthermore, the original side-effects associated with it vanished entirely upon merging, now becoming purely a strength-amplifying ability for Sora alone.
This represented his bond with his predecessors—a foundation upon which he could survive in this perilous universe.
Now, he intended to use that bond to protect even more people.
Clenching his fist, blue flames ignited brightly.
Even here, in the vacuum of space—devoid of oxygen, devoid of combustion—this utterly impossible flame appeared!
Yet sadly, Spider didn't find this at all noteworthy.
Although Sora had assumed a flashy new form, Spider sensed no meaningful change.
After all, it couldn't sense any power of Paths from him, only the fleeting magnetic distortion at the moment of transformation.
That tiny ripple of energy alone was far from enough to harm it.
To say nothing of the enormous difference in their sizes:
Spider towered dozens of meters high, its grotesque body of organic flesh and cold metal radiating deadly menace.
Its spindly, blade-tipped limbs could effortlessly slice through meteorites, pierce multiple alloys without resistance.
And Sora?
Barely two meters tall, standing before Spider, he was as insignificant as a speck of dust.
His weapon? Merely the flames burning upon his fists.
And that spaceship behind him?
Spider could shred it into fragments within moments if it wanted.
In fact, a much sturdier warship had already met the same fate in its hands—reduced to floating space debris.
Size advantage? Absolutely, overwhelmingly in its favor!
Attack methods? Spider's arsenal was far superior compared to a fist that simply ignited.
Adding to this the insignificant spaceship, incapable of even scratching it…
Victory belonged unquestionably to Spider!
"You wanted to die in a new form? Unfortunately for you…"
Spider opened its massive mouth, revealing countless rotating blades like a grinder.
"In the end, you'll become nothing more than cosmic dust after I've drained every last bit of your energy."
Sora was already trapped—his ending preordained!
Space garbage was his ultimate fate!
No more meaningless chatter—this troublesome pest should simply be erased immediately!
Spider grew impatient. Since it knew this insignificant thing before it was responsible for slaughtering its entire crew, waiting even another second was a disgrace to itself.
Ka-ka-ka!
Countless sharp limbs quietly spread open in the silent darkness of space, swiftly weaving a net of death that noiselessly surrounded Sora.
Not even the slightest sound escaped; Spider's actions were swift and utterly silent!
The gleaming blade-tips resembled distant stars shimmering coldly.
Yet these weren't stars heralding hope—they were harbingers of death!
"Die! All the energy in your body will become my nourishment, allowing me to become stronger still!"
Spider struck with astonishing speed, countless spikes aiming precisely for Sora's vital points.
Not only did Spider wish Sora dead—it intended to ensure he died in agony.
It would let him taste the unbearable pain of being torn apart. Only this could soothe Spider's rage and humiliation.
Yet at the exact moment Spider's attack launched, Sora moved!
His flaming fist blazed fiercely, tracing a fiery trail through the emptiness of space.
And then, suddenly, as if the entire cosmos held its breath—
Silence.
Yes, absolute silence. Suffocating silence, as though on the eve of a catastrophic storm, or perhaps akin to the quiet emptiness at the birth of the universe itself.
Silence was common in space, yet this deafening quiet did not belong on the frontline of a fierce battle!
For such silence on the battlefield signaled the impending arrival of a tremendous storm…
And this omen of the coming storm had already manifested clearly on the planet below.
Clouds scattered instantly, revealing a clear blue sky through which sunlight now poured unhindered—allowing all to witness the looming shadow in space.
BOOM—!!!
A deafening explosion thundered, shattering the former silence.
At the concert venue, startled people looked upwards in surprise. High above, they spotted the shadowy form of the Spider in space.
And right at this moment, hopeful accompaniment music began to gently play from the stage.
One after another, blazing fireflies seemed to answer the music's call, soaring skyward from the ground.
Across the planet, every remaining inhabitant, including those attending the concert, witnessed these meteors soaring upward against gravity.
Anyone seeing this scene would surely never forget it for the rest of their lives.
"Is this your prepared opening ceremony?" Robin asked, astonished, watching the luminous figures charging bravely into space.
"You could say that. After all, Sora instructed us to make sure the planet was safe before joining him."
"You…" Robin saw no sign that Unkyō intended to leave. Curiously, she asked, "Aren't you going as well?"
"I have something more important to do." Unkyō gently held the pristine cicada device in her hands. "And that's ensuring your performance proceeds undisturbed."
"Now get out there, Miss Idol. The stage is yours!"
So, it's my turn now?
Fully dressed and ready, Robin smiled softly.
Then let's begin!
♪Birds are born with no shackles♪
♪Then what fetters my fate?♪
♪Blown away, the white petals♪
♪Leave me trapped in the cage♪
The crowd's attention shifted from the heavens back to the girl softly singing upon the stage.
Her clear voice penetrated everyone's hearts, quickly dissipating their earlier panic.
And in that calm, they finally remembered the true meaning behind the commotion in space above.
"Go, Sora-oniichan!!!"
"You too, Robin-oneesan!!"
The children's innocent cheers immediately connected everyone present, echoing the hopeful heart of Robin's gentle singing:
Facing tomorrow with courage and hope.
But just then, the backdrop behind Robin suddenly shifted to show the unfolding scene in space!
Unkyō adjusted her glasses, a confident grin briefly flickering across her lips.
It wasn't as if they'd been doing nothing all this time, after all…
...
Back in space, as the scene zoomed closer, ripples of blue flame expanded outward alongside powerful shockwaves.
Countless metallic fragments scattered visibly—shattered remains of Spider's mechanical limbs.
And the cause was unmistakably that tiny figure moving swiftly and decisively in space.
With every punch Sora threw, another limb shattered instantaneously, filling the cosmos with more trash.
The limbs previously believed invincible lost all toughness before Sora's overwhelming might!
Spider, whose eyes could capture even the slightest movements, clearly saw each horrifying moment unfold:
Its limbs twisted, buckled, and exploded, crushed into countless fragments as if struck by an invisible hammer.
Witnessing this scene threw Spider into an even more frenzied state!
"You little—!"
Instantly, countless attacks encircled Sora completely, leaving no gap uncovered. Each strike carried pure murderous intent!
Yet against this onslaught, the flames upon Sora's fist only burned brighter!
A punch—!
Immediately, endless cracking echoed around Spider's colossal form.
Each crack mocked Spider's earlier confidence.
Those limb tips, once gleaming like distant stars, shattered as easily as glass, scattering helplessly across space.
Every metal piece adorning Spider's monstrous limbs fractured simultaneously, leaving only flimsy organic tissue barely holding them together.
Such a bloody sight—yet all on the planet below watched intently, captivated by Robin's song, their eyes never leaving the unfolding battle.
As the screen gradually zoomed even closer, all present clearly saw the figure proudly standing atop the spaceship's bow.
"How… how is this possible…?" Spider stammered in disbelief, utterly blindsided by events unfolding far beyond its comprehension!
This was merely an ordinary punch! When Sora threw that punch, Spider hadn't felt the power of any Path!
In other words, he'd used no external strength, no mysterious power—just pure brute force that effortlessly crushed Spider's deadly limbs!
Was this brute strength from a Leviathan?!
Fear overwhelmed Spider completely. In this moment, it finally realized an absolute truth:
The opponent before it was anything but ordinary!
Yet before Spider could gather itself, Sora once again charged forward.
His attack never paused. Each punch, blazing with intensifying flames, continued ruthlessly forward!
Spider's massive form, suddenly cumbersome, shuddered helplessly. Its prideful limbs, capable of tearing apart ships and halting entire planets, now seemed laughably fragile.
Every proud boast, every self-assured advantage, crumbled utterly under Sora's unstoppable punch.
Robin's gentle song faded away quietly at that moment, replaced smoothly by a melody resonating pure hope.
It was the opening notes of "Sway to My Beat in Cosmos," a song about carrying hope bravely even while drifting through the endless, lonely cosmos.
Despair had passed; now hope should arrive. And after hope, a perfect tomorrow awaited!
Thus, Robin once again raised her voice in song.
Unfortunately, when a woman starts singing, Spider's luck inevitably runs out—because in the very next instant, Spider realized something had gone terribly wrong!
Normally, encountering such a formidable being would warrant immediate retreat. Spider remembered clearly the three ironclad rules of Galactic Pirates. But this time, it had foolishly charged directly into confrontation—and now found itself kicking against a steel plate!
Could this guy have been deliberately sent by IPC to target me?
This sudden suspicion surged into Spider's mind, along with an overwhelming urge to retreat.
As long as there was life, hope still existed. If it couldn't defeat this enemy now, then running away was the obvious next move.
As for dignity?
Simply surviving longer in the galaxy was the truest dignity of a Galactic Pirate!
To lose your life chasing a hollow concept of pride was the real disgrace.
Dignity? That's long since stopped mattering!
Survival itself is the greatest dignity a pirate can have!
Confirming this retreat strategy, Spider swung its few remaining limbs abruptly.
The massive web capable of destabilizing entire planetary magnetic fields was hurled directly toward Sora and his ship.
The enormous net darkened the sky, seemingly able to crush and annihilate everything it covered.
But Spider didn't wait—it immediately turned tail to flee, fully aware that the web alone wouldn't hold its foe back.
Sure enough, exactly as Spider had feared, dazzling white figures streaked across space, swiftly intercepting and blocking the web!
"Whoa—!!" The sudden dramatic twist filled the audience with excitement and wonder. Even the children stared wide-eyed at the incredible scene unfolding on the giant screen behind Robin.
"You're nothing but a spider, and you're causing trouble here?"
The web, which normally spelled disaster for starships due to its chaotic energy disruption—potentially triggering catastrophic engine explosions—was instead halted in mid-flight by those blazing, determined figures.
Their fiery spirit ignited the web itself, turning it into bright fuel that lit up the darkness of space.
Spider felt a jolt of panic, realizing it had completely forgotten about these pesky mosquitoes!
"You damned insects…!"
♪World so high, let me show♪
"Leave this mess to us. Cleaning up space garbage seems like good exercise," Hotaru confidently declared, burning away more strands of the web and carving a path forward for Sora.
"Thanks," Sora replied sincerely.
"What are you thanking us for? Just make sure to thoroughly clean up that bastard."
With that, Hotaru and the others resumed dismantling the net, enabling Sora and his ship to close rapidly on Spider.
♪Now hear my declaration...♪
Robin's song soared gracefully towards its climax. Her closed eyes gently opened as she glanced back toward the projection behind her.
However, right as she prepared to continue singing, an entirely unexpected melody suddenly interrupted her.
Eh?!
This strange music threw Robin completely off balance. It didn't match her style at all—in fact, it sounded oddly like…
"…Some kind of electronic music?!" Robin blurted in surprise, glancing suspiciously at the screen behind her.
Who the heck turned this on?
Onscreen, Spider's escape route had been decisively cut off. With nearly all its legs destroyed, its once intimidating fifty-meter body had shrunk drastically, losing more than a fifth of its original size. The shattered stumps of its limbs now looked pitifully tiny.
Fear consumed Spider's heart. Why did this tiny being possess such overwhelming strength?!
Stay away!
Spider frantically scurried away with its remaining legs, desperately fleeing through space. But it was futile—even with all its limbs intact, it couldn't hope to outrun Sora's Starship Solaris.
Stay away!!
Sora stood firmly atop his ship, hand gripping tightly onto the driver's lever. Precisely at this moment, the electronic prelude ended abruptly, replaced by a woman's voice singing clearly and passionately.
Through the Synesthesia Beacon, the song was fully translated and understood by all present.
The title of this song was…
Robin suddenly froze, eyes widening in disbelief.
What the heck is "Be The One"?!
♫I walk alone, it doesn't matter for how long♫
♫I'll keep going, wherever these footprints will lead me I believe it's destiny♫
Shake it! Shake it! Crazy! Shake it!
Metallic, hammering beats rang fiercely through space as the driver emitted dazzling azure light—a galaxy-like brilliance powerful enough to dispel any fear, yet simultaneously striking terror into Spider's heart.
Don't come any closer!!
Spider frantically wished it could leap straight into the Path of Trailblaze itself—then it could immediately warp away and escape! Sadly, even if the Aeon of Trailblaze had been alive, it wouldn't bother saving such a worthless insect.
"ORAORAORA—!!"
♫An endless road, but I know that you're strong and bold♫
♫Somewhere out there waiting for me with a smile that shines like gold♫
♫There you will...♫
Blazing flames erupted from Sora's fist, quickly coalescing into a majestic blue dragon looming proudly behind him. The dragon's eyes regarded Spider with unmasked disdain.
'[READY, GO!]'
'[DRAGONIC FINISH!]'
The dragon opened its mighty jaws, breathing forth intense flames enveloping Sora completely.
Sora burst forward like a comet, gathering the brilliant flames around his right foot.
'[RIDER KICK!]'
♫Be The One! Be The One! All right!♫
♫I don't wanna give it up, fighting for tomorrow♫
♫Be The Light! Be The Light! All right!♫
A radiant blue meteor streaked visibly across space, leaving a blazing trail so intense it could clearly be seen even during the planet's daytime.
Below, excitement surged among the growing audience. Astonished gazes turned skyward, captivated by the blazing streak above.
Unkyō sensed something amiss and turned around, surprised to discover the previously sparse venue now filled with local residents who had gathered without her noticing. Previously trapped in despair, they'd been drawn out of their homes by the spectacle overhead.
The impassioned female voice continued ringing out in triumph, declaring hope and strength:
♫Love is strong and it'll always find a way!♫
♫Reaching out your hand, just take it closer to your heart!♫
♫Never lose the fire, and hold on to what you believe!♫
♫Be The One, Be The Light!♫
♫Message from my heart, I'll send it to you!♫
This thrilling high note propelled the atmosphere to its absolute peak.
Yet in stark contrast to this peak of emotion, the concert venue itself fell strangely silent, everyone staring breathlessly at the screen above.
BOOM—!
A colossal explosion erupted brilliantly in space, like a fiery bloom lighting up the eternal night, momentarily overshadowing even the bright blue sky of the planet below.
With the blast, the broadcast abruptly flickered out into static, the music cut off, leaving the audience frantic and anxious.
It felt like their emotions, having nearly peaked, had been suddenly cut short—like a show rudely interrupting with a cliffhanger.
But just then, softly yet firmly, the song resumed:
♪There's nothing more important than the life you hold♪
♪Just remember you've gotta go and keep on moving forward so you make the most of everyday♪
♪The strength you've built, the kindness that you've learned to grow♪
♪All together makes your soul a better, brighter light, I know♪
♪There you will...♪
A completely different voice continued the song—a voice that every listener instantly recognized as belonging to Robin herself.
Yet instead of her usual gentle melodies, Robin passionately belted out this rock-like anthem, disregarding how out-of-place it was for her style. Her voice poured forth intense emotion that resonated deeply with all who heard it.
All eyes slowly focused back onto Robin, seeing clearly now the bright green glow illuminating her eyes. She clutched her microphone tightly, as if she no longer cared about her vocal cords, determinedly continuing to sing.
Through Harmonization, she understood intimately the song's source and meaning. That powerful connection allowed her to sustain and elevate the emotional climax even higher!
♪Be The One! Be The One!♪
♪We will keep on looking for a way, night will always turn to day!♪
♪Be The Light! Be The Light!♪
♪We will take our past and share it with our future!♪
♪Living in the moment, everything's a miracle!♪
♪Shining like the sun and beaming like the moonlight!♪
♪Be The One, Be The Light!♪
♪Message to my heart, I won't let it go!♪
Though the song wasn't remotely her usual style, Robin sang it now with a smile brighter than any she'd ever shown before. She deeply understood the power and symbolism behind these words.
The Harmonization clearly conveyed to her the heart now burning passionately, the unyielding flames of hope:
Never give up—the future is sure to come.
♪Be the one, Be the one!♪
♪We will make all your sight!♪
♪You'll be the one!♪
♪Be the light, Be the light!♪
♪We'll take darkness into brightness yeah!♪
♪Leading you into the light!♪
♪Be the light!♪
♪Oh you will be alive!♪
♪Be the one, Be the one!♪
♪You will be the one!♪
The venue's atmosphere reached a passionate crescendo alongside her voice. Just as she sensed the next line would conclude the song, the static-filled screen behind her abruptly regained its signal.
In perfect unison, Sora and Robin shouted out the final lyric:
"…We'll make a way!!"
What an idiotic thought that was.
Yet maybe, just this once, that idiot deserved some genuine rest and relaxation.
Robin wiped sweat from her brow, watching the silver glow gently descending from the sky.
"Looks like I might need to request more songs from him in the future."
After all, this one had been rather good.