"Your younger brother was killed by a Worm; my older sister was killed the same way." In his words, one could still hear Tsurugi Kamishiro's deep hatred for the Worms. None of it seemed feigned.
Kagami took a deep breath and said, "Our situations are somewhat similar."
"Yes," Tsurugi nodded. "But rest assured, I will destroy every single Worm. I'll avenge your brother along with my sister."
"A while ago, you mentioned the Scorpion Worm. Do you still remember the scene of it attacking you?" Kagami asked him.
"How could I forget? I rushed toward the Worm to protect my sister at the time."
"But..." Tsurugi's mind flashed with painful memories. He then asked Kagami, "Why are you asking this?"
"That's because..." Kagami wanted to tell Tsurugi the truth right here. "The enemy you speak of..."
Just as he was about to speak, he received a phone call from Tadokoro, informing him that Worms had appeared.
"Worms?" Tsurugi's spirits lifted immediately upon hearing this. He followed Kagami to the scene.
Working together, they successfully eliminated all the Worms. Tsurugi now held a much higher opinion of Kagami. He was determined to make him his friend.
"Your display of noble duty and distinguished conduct has moved me."
"Huh?"
"May I call you friend?"
This statement instantly left Kagami speechless. He didn't know how to respond.
"What's wrong, too happy to speak?" Tsurugi said proudly. "The old butler once said that all the wealth in the world is nothing compared to friendship."
"Consider this your fortune for life." Saying this, Tsurugi prepared to leave.
Kagami tried to call out to him, wanting to continue the conversation they hadn't finished.
"My best friend! I will also reach the pinnacle of friendship!"
At that, Kagami was completely exasperated. It was now even harder to tell Tsurugi the truth.
On the other side, Masato Mishima received news about the Hyper Zecter from the laboratory. The experiment was proceeding smoothly.
"Increase security and guard it strictly. We absolutely cannot let them find out," Mishima said, then hung up.
Suddenly, a voice came from right behind him.
"The 'them' you speak of..."
"...does that refer to us?" Rena Mamiya had appeared silently behind Mishima.
"When did you get here?" Mishima asked, shocked.
"It seems you've finally completed it, the Hyper Henshin device," Rena Mamiya looked at Mishima with a half-smile. "But you people are truly pathetic."
"Since Hyper Kabuto has already appeared, it's destined that the Hyper Henshin device will be taken by Kabuto."
This instantly made Mishima's face drop. "Since you know that, then stop him for me."
Rena Mamiya's eyes turned cold, and she warned him, "Watch your tone." She then added, "Then let's make use of that woman."
Her target was Hiyori.
Not long after, Rena Mamiya personally prepared to confront Hiyori. She sent a swarm of Worms to corner Hiyori, who was returning from buying groceries nearby. Her objective was to capture her and use her to threaten Tendo.
Fortunately, Tendo was in the vicinity.
"Hiyori, run!" Tendo alone held back most of the Worms.
"Come to my side. You are a Worm, one of us. I will tell you everything you want to know," Rena Mamiya tried to coax Hiyori.
"I am not your comrade," Hiyori replied. She had already learned everything from Raven, understanding the difference between the invading Worms and the Native Worms.
"In that case, don't blame me for being rough." Rena Mamiya thought Hiyori simply didn't believe her. She mobilized another group of Worms to attack Hiyori, intending to force her to reveal her Native Worm true form so she could see clearly what she was.
"Hiyori!" Tendo, busy fighting two molted Worms on the other side, noticed Hiyori's danger but couldn't intervene in time.
Just then, a crimson figure accelerated onto the scene. Over ten Crimson Smash attacks appeared simultaneously, locking onto the Worms trying to attack Hiyori.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!!!
All those Worms were annihilated in an instant. The person who arrived just in time was, naturally, Raven.
"Did you ask me before trying to hurt her?" Raven, transformed as Faiz, appeared in front of Hiyori.
"Raven!" Hiyori breathed a huge sigh of relief.
"It's you again!" Rena Mamiya glared at Raven through gritted teeth. This was the same person who had ruined her plans last time.
"Do you even know that the person you're protecting is actually a Worm?" Rena Mamiya tried to sow discord.
"What if she is?" Raven looked at her mockingly.
The Pegasus flew in from the sky, unleashing a barrage of fire at the front line.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
A large wave of Worms was hit by the attack. Rena Mamiya had no choice but to retreat.
Just then, Kagami arrived from nearby, having overheard the conversation.
"Tendo, Raven, she's lying, right? There's no way Hiyori could be a Worm." Kagami looked completely disbelieving.
Tendo, however, clenched his fist. The secret he had tried so hard to protect had just been exposed. He looked at Kagami, then at Raven. It was clear that Raven had known about this for a long time, while Kagami had just found out. He started calculating what he should do next.
"What she said is true. I am a Native Worm." Hiyori no longer wanted to hide it. Standing next to Raven, she confessed truthfully to Kagami.
She believed that even if everyone hated her, Raven would stand by her side. His presence made her feel safe.
"How could this be..." Kagami stumbled back a few steps, unable to accept the truth.
"Kagami, since you know this now, I'll have to defeat you." Tendo worried that Kagami would become an unstable factor. The genuine urge to defeat him welled up in his heart.
"Whoa... Wait... Tendo." Kagami, seeing Tendou's reaction, was taken aback.