"Indeed." Dan nodded slightly. "The Bugster Virus has the ability to materialize virtual, imaginary things into reality. If left unchecked, allowed to spread freely, it would be extremely dangerous."
After a short pause, he continued, "So I used video games as a medium — or rather, as a petri dish — to exert a certain degree of control over the Bugster Virus and gather it in one place.
Based on that, I created the game Gashats. Through them, humans can utilize the virus's power to fight against the various monsters born from the Bugster Virus."
Hearing this, Tony nodded slightly and spoke thoughtfully: "So the game Gashats are created by channeling the Bugster Virus's power through video games. No wonder all the monsters have a strong game-like style, and their Kamen Rider transformations look like characters straight out of a game.
Then the Gamer Driver on their waist must serve as a control system, preventing users from being eroded by the virus like ordinary infected patients."
Dan nodded lightly, showing a hint of helplessness on his face. With a sigh, he said, "It's the only solution we had. To deal with the threat of the Bugster Virus, we must borrow the virus's power itself.
By developing those games, I concentrated the Bugster Virus in one place — but I was also giving the virus an incredibly fertile environment, a perfect medium in which it could grow.
At the same time, high-density concentration of the virus creates stronger strains, which inevitably leads to these powerful monsters that cross over from the game world into reality."
Tony's eyes flickered. "If everything you say about the Bugster Virus is true, then your approach is correct.
Rather than letting the virus spread unchecked, it's far better to gather and contain it, then destroy it.
Yes, the virus may become stronger and produce powerful monsters — but compared to the devastation of uncontrolled spread, the overall harm to humanity is drastically reduced.
And didn't you create the game Gashats and Gamer Drivers, and these two Riders, specifically to combat Bugster monsters?"
"Actually, this is similar to how plagues were handled in ancient times when medical technology was undeveloped and there were no treatments," Li Hua said from the side, narrowing his eyes solemnly. "The only option was isolation — sacrificing a small number of infected individuals to save the majority."
Tony smiled. "At least you two saved two infected people today, didn't you?"
Elena shot him a glance. "That's only what you happened to see. It was coincidence. The Bugster monsters we fight aren't just these two cases."
"If we fail even once, a person disappears from the world — truly disappears, without leaving anything behind," Li Hua said quietly.
......
"But since you want to protect humanity and fight against the Bugster Virus, why not work with the government? Produce more Kamen Riders to battle the virus-born monsters?
Don't tell me the Gamer Driver and game Gashats you created cannot be mass-produced?
Maybe the government could gather top scientists from various fields. They might figure out how to mass-produce them." After a moment of silence, Tony turned to Dan and asked.
"Do you think anyone can become a Kamen Rider just by having a Driver and Gashats?" Dan countered.
"Don't tell me there's some special requirement. You called it a virus— don't tell me the condition to use the Rider System is some kind of virus antibody?" Tony guessed.
Dan smiled and nodded. "You guessed correctly.
Although Gamer Drivers and Gashats aren't easy to make, producing more than two sets isn't the real issue.
The real problem is — even with a Driver acting as a buffer, the power of the Gashats cannot be used by just anyone.
A user must possess certain 'qualifications', undergo adaptation surgery, and have a corresponding antibody that allows them to fully wield a game gashats' power.
Otherwise, anyone who tries to use a Gashat will simply become infected and turn into a Bugster patient."
Of course, whether someone had the "antibodies" or "qualifications" was entirely up to Dan's judgment.
"Then can the antibody be extracted and mass-produced as a vaccine for others?" Tony asked quickly, as if he had found a loophole.
"If only it were that easy. If we could produce an antibody, we could distribute it and fight the virus directly — and the Rider System wouldn't even be necessary.
Although the Bugster Virus shares certain characteristics with conventional viruses, it cannot be defined as a physical substance. In reality, it is completely different.
Currently, no material-level technology can detect or analyze the Bugster Virus at all. The 'antibody' is merely a conceptual element that allows one to control the virus.
And this element is also not a physical substance. It cannot be collected or reproduced. Only special individuals possess it, and it must be awakened through adaptation surgery."
Dan explained his designed lore of the Bugster Virus and the Rider System in thorough detail.
"So it's like a rare blood type — one case in tens of thousands." Tony frowned. "But if that's the case, wouldn't working with the government help find more qualified individuals?"
Dan nodded, then shook his head, and spoke with sympathetic concern: "In theory, yes.
But I created the Rider System to save lives, to fight the virus — not to be used as a weapon in war.
If the U.S. government learned about the Bugster Virus and acquired the Rider System technology, they might weaponize it — or worse, some extremist politicians might use the virus for personal gain."
Tony looked slightly uncomfortable. "Dan… I think you may have some preconceived notions about the United States."
Dan only smiled. "Perhaps. But I won't take that risk. The Rider System must never become a weapon.
If we work with the U.S. government, everything becomes unpredictable.
I believe that some American politicians are responsible individuals… but I also believe many care only about their own interests.
After all, the U.S. government's history doesn't exactly inspire confidence — the Gulf War, the Afghanistan War, the Vietnam War… weren't they all started by the United States?
As the CEO of Stark Industries — once the largest weapons supplier in the U.S. — you should know this better than anyone.
You chose to shut down the weapons division precisely because you saw the cruelty of war and experienced the suffering it brings, didn't you?
If the U.S. government demanded to nationalize your Iron Man armor tech and mass-produce it as a weapon, would you comply?"
"…"
Tony was speechless. He knew very well that many U.S. politicians were indeed unreasonable and unreliable.
After a moment of silence, he said, "Since that's the case, I respect your decision.
I'll help. How should we cover for you? Do you want me to announce publicly that the armor is my invention?"
"No need. Twice now, Bugster monsters appeared beside you in public view. And single-person combat armor like this — you, Tony Stark, are the only one who could've invented it.
As long as we occasionally stay in contact, people with ulterior motives will naturally assume the Riders are connected to you. Just keep your attitude ambiguous. Don't confirm, don't deny."
"I see. In that case, I'll follow your plan."
Tony then asked, "Also, can you give me a Gashats to study? Both times the monsters were destroyed without leaving any remains to analyze."
Although Dan didn't seem like he was lying — and Tony had witnessed the monsters and Riders with his own eyes — he would never give unquestioning trust. Only conclusions proven personally could be believed absolutely.
"Sure. I'll send you a spare later." Dan nodded.
Li Hua and Elena exchanged worried glances but stayed silent.
"I have one last question. How did you first discover the Bugster Virus?" Tony narrowed his eyes sharply.
Dan's expression grew a little serious. "Actually, I wasn't the first to discover the virus. It was a mysterious group known as Foundation X.
When I was designing my new game, I accidentally encountered this strange virus online. At the time, I had no idea what it was capable of.
Shortly after that, a man claiming to be from Foundation X came to me with samples of the initial Bugster Virus and demonstrated its capabilities."
Tony frowned deeply. "Foundation X? What is their background? Could the virus have been created by them?"
"I don't know their origins. After that first encounter, I never saw them again. I searched worldwide, but found no clues.
After all, Genm Corp. is only a game development company — our access to intelligence is limited. Perhaps Stark Industries' intelligence network can find something on this Foundation X."
He shook his head. "But the Bugster Virus doesn't seem like something they could have created. Its nature far surpasses the limits of modern science.
They came to me because they wanted someone capable of manipulating virtual game worlds to find a way to control the virus."
Tony considered this. "Foundation X sounds like a codename — useful for hiding their identity. They probably act only in the shadows, never participating openly in global affairs."
He called out, "Jarvis!"
Jarvis immediately began searching databases, and after a moment reported, "Sir, no information related to 'Foundation X' exists in any database."
Tony raised an eyebrow. "Of course it wouldn't be that easy. Could they be some secret society like the Freemasons?"
"What's with this Foundation X? Why haven't you ever mentioned them before?" Elena asked.
"Because other than that one appearance, I've never found any trace of them," Dan answered with a slightly bitter smile.
Tony glanced at the Driver and Gashats on Li Hua and Elena. "So the Rider System is built from what they provided?"
Dan nodded, then shook his head. "They gave me the initial prototype. I completed and improved it into the Gamer Driver and Gashats."
"So they'd already researched enough to know that using a virtual game world could control the virus."
Dan nodded lightly. "Perhaps because the Bugster Virus lacks physical form, no real-world device can influence it.
But a virtual world, created by video games, can."
"So this Foundation X likely has the same ability to create a Rider System. But what is their goal…" Tony spoke while glancing at Dan, as if testing him.
Dan smiled faintly. "Who knows? Maybe they're like the legendary Rosicrucian scholars, pursuing knowledge and truth.
Or maybe they're ambitious conspirators seeking to expand their influence from the shadows and secretly rule the world."
Tony twitched the corner of his eye. "Rule the world? Isn't that a bit unrealistic? Who nowadays still thinks like that?
Dan simply smiled. "Who knows? Just a hypothesis."
Although Tony didn't believe such an absurd ambition existed, he couldn't help feeling a faint unease.
Dan mentioned Foundation X to set the stage for future developments.
Eventually, as the story progressed, Tony Stark — as Iron Man — would inevitably encounter the Tree of Life Foundation, Shocker, and other organizations Dan had prepared.
Seeing them with his own eyes, going through the events personally, Tony would naturally believe everything.
And in time, when the heroes and villains alike all traced back to Foundation X, they would discover its overwhelming influence — yet be unable to find any trace of it.
Of course, everything Dan told them was true — except for one thing:
Everything had been orchestrated by Dan himself.
Foundation X also served as a setup for future characters who used malfunctioning Drivers.
Knowing the virus was first discovered by Foundation X would make Tony and others — such as Nick Fury and the Avengers — easily conclude that perhaps Dan wasn't the only one capable of making Rider Systems.
"Anyway, I'll send you a Gashat soon. Just don't end up infected while studying it — or Li Hua and Elena might have to save you again." Dan smiled teasingly.
Tony scoffed, "Please. A genius like me wouldn't make such a rookie mistake."
Li Hua warned sternly, "Don't think ordinary methods of preventing infection work on the Bugster Virus. Usual medical measures are useless."
Elena added playfully, "Besides, with how carefree and irresponsible Tony usually is, he'll probably stress other people long before stressing himself. He won't get infected."
Tony's eyes narrowed. "So Bugster Virus infection also depends on mental stress?"
Dan nodded. "The greater the psychological stress, the easier the infection.
Just as stress weakens the immune system for normal viruses, it determines the body's vulnerability to Bugster infection. High stress accelerates outbreak and severity."
Tony suddenly understood something. "Jarvis, notify Pepper. Tell her to stop overworking and relax.
Actually, give her immediate vacation. Whatever she wants to do, let her do it — Stark Tower is still being repaired after the monster attack anyway.
Also, effective immediately: no Stark Industries employee may work excessive hours. Weekends are off limits unless absolutely necessary. Everyone must maintain good mental health."
Dan was speechless. He didn't expect a Bugster Virus crisis to earn Stark Industries' workers a major upgrade in benefits.
"Do you two still have business here?" Tony asked after finishing instructions, wearing a face that clearly meant "Why are you still in my house?"
Li Hua and Elena's expressions darkened, and they silently looked toward Dan.
Dan smiled unconcernedly. "We'll take our leave."
Light flared, a teleportation circle appeared, and the Riders disappeared as Dan cut the connection.
Tony stared at the spot where they vanished, dazed, his gaze deep and contemplative.
(End of Chapter)