The next few days passed in relative peace.
After Kouga finished another intense sparring session with Durandal, the two made their way back to the dorms together. Inside, the warm aroma of freshly cooked food greeted them — Rita and Mei had already prepared dinner. Since Durandal had been training with him so often lately, Kouga decided to invite her to stay and share the meal as well.
Dinner went by rather quickly, filled with light conversation and the occasional teasing remark from Kiana. Once everyone had eaten their fill, the group began to drift into their usual evening routines. Rita and Durandal stayed behind in the kitchen, chatting quietly with one another while Mei helped Rita wash the dishes.
In the living room, Kiana and Bronya had already started another one of their fierce video game showdowns, their competitive shouts echoing through the dorm. Himeko sat on the couch nearby, beer in hand, watching the two girls with an amused smile.
With nothing else to occupy his time, Kouga joined Himeko on the couch, letting out a small sigh as he relaxed beside her. But before he could get too comfortable, Himeko glanced his way — and casually dropped a bombshell.
"I've decided to take Kiana on a mission."
"I can handle her classroom problems," Kouga insisted, trying to talk Himeko out of the plan. "But don't throw Kiana into some potential death trap just to teach her a lesson."
"We're not going anywhere that's suicidal," Himeko replied, flat and confident. "Besides, you can't babysit her forever."
Kouga hesitated, then gave in with a warning. "Fine. But you two stay safe—or there'll be hell to pay."
Himeko only smirked, beer in hand. "Please. Nothing bad's going to happen while I'm around."
TIME SKIP
A few days later—
It had been some time since Himeko took Kiana on the mission she'd insisted on. Kiana, of course, had been thrilled by the idea and boasted to Mei and Kouga that she'd return "greater and better than ever." Both of them simply wished her good luck before she left.
In Kiana's absence, Himeko's usual classes were taken over by the history teacher, Mr. Nokiavirtanen. During class transitions, without Kiana around to stir up conversation—whether it was teasing Bronya or flirting with the older students—an unusual quiet settled over the trio. The only sounds that accompanied Mei, Bronya, and Kouga as they walked across the cobblestone path were the faint echo of their footsteps and the soft rustle of the evening wind.
"These days have been a bit too quiet, don't you think, Mei?" Kouga finally broke the silence as the trio walked toward their next class.
"Yeah, Kouga-kun," Mei replied with a small sigh. "Without Kiana around, everything feels… oddly calm."
Bronya gave a small nod in agreement, her eyes still focused on her handheld console.
The peace didn't last long. Just as they neared the building, a piercing alarm blared across the campus, so loud that several students clutched their ears in pain. The tranquil air turned violent as wind whipped through the courtyard.
Kouga glanced upward—his eyes widening as the massive hull of the Hyperion airship passed overhead, its engines roaring like thunder. The ship drifted westward, lowering itself carefully until it touched down on the water and docked at its designated platform.
As the alarm finally died out, a tense silence replaced it. Some students cautiously resumed their walks to class, while others stood frozen, whispering to each other in confusion and fear about the sudden arrival of the heavily armed vessel.
Kouga didn't waste time. Spotting Mr. Nokiavirtanen, their history teacher, standing nearby with a grim expression, he hurried over.
"Mr. Nokiavirtanen—what's happening?" Kouga asked sharply.
The teacher turned to him, face pale, eyes heavy with dread. "That alarm is reserved for medical emergencies… It's a signal that someone is returning in critical condition—or worse." He hesitated, his gaze drifting toward the ship. "Considering the Hyperion is captained by Himeko Murata, it's likely that—"
Kouga didn't wait for him to finish. His body tensed, and in an instant, he sprinted off toward the docks.
Kouga burst into the docking building with inhuman speed, startling several staff members and nearly knocking over a few who happened to cross his path. His footsteps echoed sharply against the metal floors as he sprinted through the corridors and up the stairs, taking two, sometimes three steps at a time.
He didn't stop until he reached the top floor, where a luxurious lounge overlooked the lake. From there, an elongated white bridge extended outward, connecting the building to the massive Hyperion that now drifted silently at its berth.
Kouga was about to rush across the bridge when he froze.
Halfway down, a team of doctors and nurses came sprinting toward him, pushing a medical bed surrounded by clattering instruments and urgent voices. His heart seized at the sight. For a terrifying second, he thought it was Kiana lying there—unmoving, hidden beneath layers of bandages and medical sheets.
His body tensed, ready to leap forward—until he caught sight of the girl following right behind the medical team.
Kiana.
Her uniform was torn in several places, her hair a mess, and bruises dotted her arms and cheeks. Despite that, she was still on her feet—alive—but her eyes were wide and filled with distress. She stumbled after the rushing medics, clearly shaken by whatever had happened.
Relief hit Kouga like a wave—but it didn't last. His eyes shifted back to the figure on the stretcher. Whoever that was, they were in critical condition. And judging by the look on Kiana's face, Kouga already had a terrible feeling about who it might be.
Kouga stood silently at the edge of the bridge, his breath caught in his throat as the medical team rushed past him. When they did, he stole a glance at the stretcher—just one, but it was enough to make his stomach twist.
It was Himeko.
Her eyes were closed, her face pale and lifeless. But worse—her skin revealing the gray, decaying flesh —the same corrosion Kouga had seen on the zombies back in Nagazora.
His attention shifted to the frantic sound of running feet. Kiana—her eyes wide and glistening with panic—tried to follow the team, but Kouga reached out and grabbed her wrist.
"Let go! I have to—!" she shouted, trying to pull away, but his grip didn't budge.
"Kiana," Kouga said firmly, his voice steady but heavy with emotion.
She froze at the tone, finally realizing who it was that held her back. When she looked up at him, the tears she'd been holding back finally began to fall.
Kouga met her gaze, his own expression grim. "Kiana," he said again, quieter this time. "What happened?"
Kiana broke down completely, her voice cracking as the words tumbled out between sobs. Kouga didn't say anything—he just stepped forward and pulled her into his arms.
Her face buried against his shoulder, her hands clutching desperately at his jacket as her body trembled. The sound of her crying filled the quiet dock, raw and unrestrained, echoing against the metal walls. Kouga said nothing still—just held her tighter, one hand resting gently on the back of her head as she cried her heart out.
"I-I'm sorry!" Kiana choked between sobs, her voice breaking with guilt. "I was… I was unable to save Aunt Himeko!"
Kouga closed his eyes, the weight of her words hitting him harder than he'd like to admit. He didn't need to hear the details—her tone, her tears, the tremor in her voice told him everything he needed to know.
He tightened his embrace slightly, grounding her as she continued to weep until her cries softened, her voice reduced to broken hiccups. They both sank to their knees, the world narrowing to just the two of them.
When her tears finally began to fade, Kouga exhaled slowly and spoke, his tone low but steady.
"Kiana," he said gently, "you can't blame yourself every time something goes wrong on a mission."
She looked up at him, eyes red and puffy, lips trembling.
He met her gaze with quiet firmness. "We all have limits. There are things we can't reach… and people we can't always save."
Kiana pulled away from Kouga's shoulder, wiping at her tear-streaked face with the back of her hand. Her expression hardened into a frown, though her voice still trembled.
"As the heir of the Kaslana family, I made a promise to my dad—that I'd protect the people dear to me. Shouldn't I—ow!"
She yelped, clutching the fresh bump on her head from Kouga's swift, well-aimed chop.
"Don't you dare start thinking you're the only one allowed to protect others," Kouga scolded, his tone firm but not unkind. Straightening up, he crossed his arms and looked down at her. "There are plenty of people who care about you—me included—so don't reduce yourself to some self-sacrificing fool."
Kiana pouted, rubbing her head as she looked down at her knees, chastened.
Kouga sighed, the edge in his tone softening. He extended a hand to her. "Come on," he said quietly. "Let's go check on Himeko."
Kiana hesitated for a moment before nodding, placing her hand in his as he helped her to her feet.
Kouga and Kiana met up with Mei and the others after class—which he had conveniently skipped—and together they made their way toward the ward. Along the way, Kouga explained what had happened during the mission. Mei was visibly shaken by the news, while Bronya's expression only grew more serious than usual.
When they arrived at the room where Himeko was being treated, the doctors stopped them at the door, refusing to let anyone in close enough to see the extent of her injuries.
Minutes dragged into hours as the group waited in uneasy silence. Eventually, Mei excused herself to head back to the dorm and start dinner. She gave both Kiana and Kouga a warm hug—one they returned with equal sincerity—before leaving with Bronya quietly following behind.
Once they were gone, time seemed to slip by faster. Kiana, exhausted from both the mission and the emotional toll, eventually dozed off against Kouga's shoulder.
A few quiet minutes passed before the sound of approaching footsteps echoed down the hall. Kouga, idly scrolling through his phone to pass the time, looked up to see Mr. Nokianvirtanen approaching. The man wore a green Schicksal jacket draped over his crisp white button-up, his expression calm but purposeful as he came to stand beside them.
"Hope I'm not intruding," Mr. Nokiavirtanen said softly, tilting his head toward Kiana, who was still fast asleep against Kouga's shoulder.
"You're fine, Mr. Nokiavirtanen," Kouga replied, glancing up from his phone. "What brings you here?"
The professor rubbed the back of his neck, a faint, uneasy smile on his face. "Himeko and I… have some history. I just wanted to make sure she's alright."
Kouga gave a quiet nod, letting the man's words sink in. Before he could respond, Kiana suddenly stirred. She jolted upright with a gasp, flinging herself off the bench. Without a word, she shot to her feet and bolted down the hall.
Kouga blinked after her, baffled, before exhaling a long sigh. Probably just a nightmare, he thought, slumping back into the bench.
Mr. Nokiavirtanen cleared his throat, the sound awkward and strained. "Well… I suppose you haven't heard much about her condition either, so I'll take my leave."
Without waiting for a response, he turned and hurried after Kiana, his footsteps echoing down the corridor. Kouga watched him go until the doors at the far end swung shut behind him, then let himself sink deeper into the seat, rubbing his eyes in quiet fatigue.
'Yeah… I should probably do something about this now,' Kouga thought, rising from his seat. In a flash of light, he transformed into Kamen Rider Fourze, the cosmic armor forming around him piece by piece. With a flick of his wrist, he activated the Medical Switch — the module unfolding on his left arm with a low mechanical hum.
Inside the emergency ward, chaos and precision blended into one. The room was sterile white, illuminated by the glow of medical monitors and blue holographic screens projecting Himeko's vitals. The rhythmic beeping of the machines filled the air, punctuated by the low hum of scanners that swept over her body. Wires connected her to a towering diagnostic machine that pulsed faintly with light, like a sleeping beast.
Just as a nurse adjusted a control panel, a shimmer of cosmic energy rippled through the air — and Fourze stepped through the doorway, silent but unmistakable.
"Hey! What are you doing in here?!" one of the scientists shouted, spinning toward the intruder in shock.
Ignoring the cries, Kouga moved with purpose, slipping between the bed and the bulky machine. Himeko lay still, her arm outstretched at her side, skin mottled with the spreading gray rot of the Honkai corruption. He knelt beside her and gently took her wrist.
Without hesitation, the Medical Module flared to life, glowing a soft azure as cosmic energy condensed at the injector's tip. In one smooth motion, Kouga administered the injection — a concentrated burst of celestial light flowing into her veins.
For a tense moment, the monitors spiked. The room filled with alarm tones and murmured confusion. But then, before their eyes, Himeko's corrupted flesh began to heal, color returning to her skin in gentle waves until every trace of decay vanished completely.
The doctors froze. Then, as the monitors stabilized and displayed normal vitals, disbelief gave way to relief.
"She's stabilizing!"
"Look — her pulse is normal!"
"This is… impossible!"
A cheer broke out among the medical team, their excitement overwhelming the sterile quiet of the room. None of them noticed when Fourze straightened, glanced at Himeko one last time, and turned toward the door.
By the time the doctors realized the hero had left, the only sign of him remaining was the faint shimmer of cosmic dust fading in the air as the doors closed behind him.