Nearly two weeks had passed since the day he met X Wizard. After more than a month of self-adjustment, Isaac had finally gotten used to life in the DC World and had adapted to the interpersonal relationships of his current body.
Now, his days were fulfilling; in deep sleep, his consciousness entered the Geki Dojo to train with the Three Fist Sages, and after waking up, he practiced Beast Fist boxing. During the day, he attended school, and in the afternoon after school, he studied Alchemy with X Wizard.
Around seven in the evening, Isaac, with nothing much to do, was watching TV with his parents. The warm yellow light in the living room cast a unique sense of warmth over the family of three.
A family comedy played on TV. Veronica, Isaac's mother, occasionally chuckled. Kenji, Isaac's father, leaned back on the sofa, looking relaxed, and Isaac sat beside them, his eyes on the screen, but his thoughts had already drifted elsewhere.
The phone in Isaac's hand suddenly vibrated. He quickly looked down to see a message from X Wizard.
Wizard: "Isaac, I've found the hideout of the gang you asked me to investigate. The location has been sent to your phone."
This message made Isaac's heart tighten. Earlier, after classes, he had accidentally overheard a group of gang members discussing their plan to conduct an important transaction involving drugs and firearms tonight at a deserted factory.
As someone with a strong sense of justice, Isaac couldn't turn a blind eye to this.
Moreover, he was now Kamen Rider Gotchard and had inherited the power of Beast-Fist. He should, like his predecessors, become a hero who protects people, which was also his dream.
Although he had initially wanted to directly apprehend these gang members, considering the risk of alerting them, Isaac ultimately suppressed his impulse and chose to inform X Wizard, asking her to help locate their whereabouts, intending to catch them all during their transaction.
"Alright, I'm heading out to shoot some hoops," Isaac announced. He glanced at his parents, still captivated by whatever was on the screen. Hope they buy this. He stood up, trying to project a relaxed vibe. A casual smile felt plastered on his face.
"So late?" Veronica asked, pulling her attention away from the TV. Her forehead creased slightly. "It's almost nighttime."
"It's cool, Mom," Isaac said, grabbing his jacket. "The court's just down the street. I'll be back before you know it."
"Just be careful," Kenji chimed in, not sounding too worried. "Don't stay out too long."
"You got it, Dad." Isaac nodded, a twinge of guilt hitting him. They're good people. He'd grown to genuinely care for them. He knew they'd freak if they knew what he was really up to.
"And come back soon. We don't want to worry," Veronica added, getting up to smooth his collar.
"Promise," Isaac said, squeezing her hand reassuringly before heading for the door, doing his best to look like a regular teenager going out for a game.
The second the door clicked shut behind him, his whole demeanor shifted. The casual act dropped, replaced by a focused intensity. He pulled out his phone, double-checking the address X Wizard sent. Time to clock in.
Back in the living room, Veronica watched the door, a thoughtful expression on her face. "He's been acting kind of strange lately, don't you think?" she murmured.
Kenji wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "He's a teenager, honey. They all get weird. As long as he's safe, that's all that matters."
Outside, Isaac jogged down the street, eyes scanning for a place out of sight. He cut down an alley, making sure no one was around. Finding a relatively secluded corner between two dumpsters, he figured it was good enough.
He checked over his shoulder one last time. Alright, nobody's peeping. He reached inside his jacket, pulling out the Gotchard Driver and the Ride Chemy Cards.
He flipped open the card case, revealing the Steamliner and Hopper1 cards. Time to get to work! With a deep breath, he slotted the cards into the device.
[Hopper1!]
[Steamliner!]
"Henshin!"
The familiar mechanical sounds filled the alley. Energy coursed through him. The transformation sequence began, encasing him in armor.
[STEAMHOPPER!]
With the transformation complete, Kamen Rider Gotchard stood ready. He glanced down at his suit, the metallic sheen reflecting the dim alley lights. "Alright, let's do this."
He pulled out his phone again, pulling up the address X Wizard sent. "Time to go to work!"
National City's West District was a far cry from Isaac's quiet neighborhood. It was the kind of place where streetlights flickered more often than not, and the air always seemed to hum with a nervous energy. Think D.C.'s worst parts, just...more.
Gotchard, Steamhopper Form and all, stood perched on a half-finished building. The night was breezy, whipping his white scarf around like it was trying to escape.
Below, the deserted factory pulsed with a low, thrumming menace. You could almost taste the anticipation of something bad about to go down.
"…Okay, got it. Appreciate the intel, Yamibat."
A little bat, its ears shaped like arrowheads, zipped out of the shadows and chirped at him. Isaac nodded, a grin tugging at his mask. Thanks to Yamibat's recon mission, he had the layout memorized, and he knew exactly where the bad guys were holed up.
Alright, nobody told me that being a hero requires doing so much recon. Still, he'd read enough stories to know better than to just waltz in blindly.
"Time for the hero to make his grand entrance!"
He pumped his fists, bouncing on the balls of his feet like he was about to start a basketball game. Alright, let's get this show on the road.
Taking a breath, Isaac crouched, then launched himself off the roof. He plummeted towards the factory like a freaking missile, the wind screaming in his ears.
Between his own super-powered kick and the sheer force of gravity, he smashed through the factory roof like it was made of cardboard. He crashed down among the gang members in a shower of dust and debris.
"Alright, fellas, time to count your sins—" Isaac started, striking a pose straight out of a detective show. "Wow, so rude! I wasn't finished with my line!"
Before he could even finish his cheesy monologue, the gang members opened fire. The factory erupted in a cacophony of gunfire, and bullets whizzed through the air.