A few days had passed since my last visit to Mato and my encounter with those three members of the Defense Force.
I still couldn't help the half smile that crept onto my face whenever I recalled their expressions in that moment.
The trip hadn't been a waste, though—it had provided me with things to remember.
First, the Unique Shuuki I fought back then operated on an entirely different level of power and lethality. It far surpassed even the fused Shuuki, the one formed from multiple bodies merging into a single mass of flesh. Despite its immense size, that abomination had been an easy fight.
It was nothing like the battle I had faced in Kofu.
Second, the Defense Force was far stronger than I had initially believed, based on watching the black-haired girl and the giant blonde in action.
With that in mind, it was safe to assume that the Chiefs were monsters in their own right.
As for my stalker, her name remained a mystery. All I knew for certain was that she possessed the ability to summon Shuuki using cards, an ability I had experienced firsthand that day.
I doubted that was her only power, especially given how wary Isadora was of her. Now that she had begun to make her move, I would need to be far more cautious from here on out.
It was early morning, and I was sitting in an empty playground alongside Isadora, who was casually reading a magazine. We sat side by side on the swings, my jacket pulled tight around me as I stared into the darkness— the sun hadn't risen yet, and the world felt suspended in that quiet, in-between state.
Tomorrow was already New Year's Eve, but strangely, I didn't give a damn. I'd probably just visit a shrine, grab something to eat along the way, greet my dad on a voicemail, and call it a day. Simple. Problem solved.
"Sheesh… didn't expect to see this woman here," Isadora muttered, staring at a specific page in her magazine.
"Who?" I asked.
Instead of answering, she turned toward me and tilted the magazine so I could see it clearly. The page featured a location in Shimane but what stood out wasn't the scenery. It was the green-haired woman pictured there.
"I only see her occasionally in promotional videos on TV, but I didn't know she showed up in magazines like this too," Isadora said, gently rocking her swing back and forth. "Izumo Tenka."
I just stared at the woman in the magazine for a moment before recalling something.
"Oh yeah. If I remember correctly, she voluntarily does those videos. I heard it's because she wants to showcase her hometown," I added. "Still, you're right. I didn't expect her face to show up in this kind of magazine."
Just staring at her in the magazine, I had to admit it.
She was really hot.
No sugarcoating it, not even a little. If Isadora was the embodiment of the word beautiful, then this woman was sexiness incarnate.
"Still, when I was snooping around and checking the Chiefs' current public info," Isadora said, "with the exception of the First Unit Chief, the Defense Force really has a lineup of supermodels as their commanders."
I blinked to that.
"To be honest?" I replied. "Yeah, they really do."
I let out a small breath of amusement. "The Supreme Commander alone practically defines the term japanese beauty."
Despite their attractive appearances, they were the backbone of humanity right now.
The only one I'd actually seen in action was the Supreme Commander and even then, only through recorded footage. As for the others, their true combat prowess was still a mystery to me.
Still, what I had seen was ridiculous enough.
The Supreme Commander had casually kicked away an energy beam and single-handedly crushed a rebelling group of peach users in the west. She could fly too among other things too.
Seriously, how many abilities does that woman even have? At this point, she felt less like a person and more like a Dragon Ball character who somehow got lost in this world.
Women who received peach blessings were already granted a massive boost in power, but the current head honcho of the Defense Force took that concept to an entirely different level.
Wanting to ask something, I looked at Isadora.
"Isadora, can I try—"
"Nope."
"I haven't even said anything yet."
"I'm not making you use a combo yet, Hideo."
Your persistence only made me more curious. I had to know how powerful I could get with one of those combos.
With that said, I just shifted the topic immediately and kept talking to Isadora about random things until the sun began to rise, completely unaware of the mess that awaited me in the upcoming future.
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Isadora and I returned to my apartment after wandering around town for a good hour, having left the playground behind.
I just wanted to laugh every time people I know here saw Isadora and me together. They had already assumed she was my girlfriend, and she just went along with it.
Though, that made it so much easier for me to explain to my landlord that she was just my live-in partner.
To be honest, despite being beautiful, I only see Isadora as a loud best friend who happens to live with me and nothing more.
A best friend who, by coincidence, is a grand wizard at housework.
As soon as I opened the door, Isadora made a beeline for the refrigerator and pulled out five ice creams from freezer.
I gave her a dry look before walking past her and sitting down on my bed. Reaching for the TV remote, I flicked it on, letting whatever was on fill the room as background noise.
"What do you want to eat this morning, Hideo?" Isadora asked, casually munching on an ice cream bar.
"I'll eat anything, honestly," I replied, my eyes glued to the screen, not even reacting to the fact that she was downing ice cream this early in the morning.
At my answer, Isadora turned back toward the fridge. She crouched down and pulled out a pack of ground beef from the bottom drawer, along with a slab of butter she bought recently.
Next, she opened the top cupboard and rummaged around for a moment.
"There you are," she said, pulling out a pack of pasta.
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Isadora POV
I am finally about to use the cast-iron pan I'd made him buy. With an onion and a slab of butter in my hands, I started prepping without hesitation.
"Let's get started!" I said, tapping my shoulder lightly before setting the onion on the cutting board.
Gripping the knife, I sliced through the onion in swift, practiced motions. After that, I cut the butter into the exact sizes I needed, returning the rest to the fridge.
I bent down and opened the cabinet beneath the counter, pulling out the cast-iron pan.
Seriously, this storage had been practically empty just a month ago, before I forced Hideo to stock up on proper kitchen equipment.
Luckily, aside from his salary, his dad also sent him a decent amount of cash twice a month.
With his dad basically living as a traveling camper with disposable income, he decided it was better to just give Hideo money rather than waste it on useless things.
Thanks to that, I could actually equip this sad excuse of a kitchen and make real food.
For Pete's sake, how did this guy survive on nothing but ramen and other unhealthy junk every single morning? I couldn't imagine it.
…Though, to be fair, when I was still travelling with Eiji-san, I barely ate proper meals either.
I survived mostly on popsicles and ice cream like some kind of beast while maintaining a blank face.
A habit I still haven't kicked.
I shook my head, pushing those useless thoughts aside.
With the cast iron now in my grasp, I tilted it slightly, inspecting its weight and balance, then nodded to myself. Being satisfied, and more than a little excited for its first use.
I set the cast-iron pan onto the stove.
After that, I grabbed the ground beef and peeled off the plastic wrapping, placing it beside the chopped onions. Turning on the flame, I let the cast iron heat up slowly. My eyes drifted to the wooden spatula hanging nearby; I reached for it, feeling its familiar weight settle into my grip.
I waited. Just a little longer.
"Time to put it in now, shall we~" I hummed, taking a spoon and scooping up the butter I'd sliced earlier.
The moment it hit the pan, I used my chosen weapon—the spatula—to spread the butter around, swirling it until the surface was fully coated.
Grabbing the ground beef, I tossed it into the cast iron. I pressed down with the spatula, spreading it out and letting it fry for a few minutes, watching as it slowly turned brown. The sizzling filled the kitchen, melting into white noise as I focused.
Once the color looked right, I picked up the cutting board and slid the chopped onions into the skillet.
I stirred them together with the beef for a good minute before adding the garlic cloves and another knob of butter, letting everything fry together for a moment.
"Next is…" I murmured to myself, grabbing two wooden mills and flipping them briefly in midair before seasoning the pan.
"Oh, right—the Italian herbs."
I glanced toward the soy sauce and fish sauce, spotting the Italian herb blend beside them. Grinning, I grabbed the bad boy and sprinkled it into the mix.
After stirring for a moment, I headed back to the fridge and pulled out a plastic container.
"Thankfully, I made this yesterday," I thought as I looked at the chicken stock before returning to the stove.
I popped the lid open and poured it into the pan, already gauging the amount by instinct alone.
Aka, the magic of feeling.
After letting it boil for a moment, I tore open the pasta package and tossed in just the right amount, letting it simmer until it was still firm when bitten.
"What's next again?" I tapped my chin. "Oh, right—heavy cream. Silly me."
After adding the remaining ingredients, I covered the pan with a lid and let it heat up, sprinkling in the grated cheese just before sealing it shut.
"This is bad. I already want to eat it," I muttered, tapping my foot as I stared at the pan. "But the wait will make it more rewarding!"
Too bad I didn't have any parsley on hand—but oh well. It'd still taste good without it.
After an agonizing wait, I turned off the stove and lifted the lid.
The dish I'd been waiting for had finally reached its final form.
Sniffing the air, Hideo perked up. Something smelled amazing—right in my direction. He got up from the bed and looked over.
"A pasta, huh?" he said in an awed voice. "It looks good."
"Get out of here and sit, sho sho," I told him, nudging him toward the table.
He obeyed, taking a seat while I carried the pasta over. Before I set it down, he brought two plates and forks with him.
I placed the dish in the center and sat across from him. We both just stared at it, the steam and aroma teasing us.
Tempting us.
"Time to dig in!" I licked my lips and served myself a portion.
We lifted our forks and took our first bites simultaneously.
"..."
We paused, letting the flavors register.
The pasta was a perfect harmony of flavorsrich, buttery, and savory, with the sweetness of caramelized onions dancing alongside the gentle bite of garlic.
The ground beef was tender and juicy, soaking up the creamy sauce that clung to every strand of pasta, while the Italian herbs added a fragrant, earthy lift.
It melted in the mouth, a comforting warmth spreading with every bite, and the subtle tang of the grated cheese rounded everything out, leaving a lingering, irresistible depth that made it impossible not to savor the taste
The silence lingered for a moment before we both broke into a smile.
"It's delicious!!" we exclaimed in unison.
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Kyouka POV
Current Time: Right after the Commanders Assembly
I turned off the engine, stepped out of my vehicle, and adjusted my hair for a moment before heading toward the dorm. I cracked my neck as I walked, letting out a long, tired sigh.
"I really need a good night's sleep," I muttered under my breath.
Footsteps echoed behind me, and I glanced back. Three familiar faces approached, their expressions urgent and wide-eyed. I raised an eyebrow, puzzled by their frantic demeanor.
Nei, Himari, and Shushu practically collided with me, crowding my path.
"You won't believe this, Chief! Someone fell from the sky while we were guarding a temporary gate earlier!" Shushu blurted out.
"Yes! And then he did—pow pow, boom boom, schwing swhing, bonk bonk the Shuukis!" Nei jumped around for emphasis, though what she was saying barely made sense.
"After that, he killed the giant Shuuki! Pow pow!" Shushu added, nodding like that explained everything.
"Hejustintroducedhimselflikeaweirdoand thenflewofflikehedidnothingAlsowhy was a guyevenabletodothat?" Himari rattled off her words so fast it sounded like she was battling Eminem in a rap duel.
I could only offer a wry smile as all three of them spoke at once, their voices blending into something completely incomprehensible. Raising a hand, I stopped them.
"Hey, slow down. One at a time—if you actually want me to understand what you're trying to say."
I let out a chuckle.
"All right," I continued, trying to reassure them. "We're going to talk, okay? Let me get changed first. I'll also tell you what happened during the meeting."
The three nodded and finally stepped aside, though their expressions still screamed that they were dying to unload everything that had just happened.
I smiled and shook my head before heading to my room.
Once inside, I unbuttoned my uniform and changed into a more comfortable pair of pajamas. Sliding the door open, I made my way to the living room. By the time I sat down, the three of them seemed noticeably calmer.
"Okay," I said, looking directly at Himari, "can you explain what happened? Slowly this time."
Himari nodded and began recounting her side of the story.
Earlier, while I was still at the assembly, a temporary gate had opened. Shushu, Nei, and Himari moved in immediately to secure the area and protect it.
"That's really bad timing," I muttered, frowning as I listened.
Things could have gone wrong. It wasn't that I didn't trust them but I would have felt safer with me being there myself.
Their safety was my top priority. Still, it seemed that things had gone smoothly.
"So what happened next?" I asked.
"When we arrived, we started exterminating the Shuuki," Himari said.
So far, nothing sounded out of the ordinary. They did exactly what they were supposed to do, holding their ground even as fatigue began to creep in.
"When the number of Shuuki started dropping, we thought we could relax for a moment," Himari continued. "But then—according to Nei, more Shuuki appeared out of nowhere. They didn't come from the ground like usual. They just… appeared."
Nei nodded vigorously.
"I thought I was imagining things, but it really happened, Chief!" she said, spreading her hands wide for emphasis.
Shushu then leaned forward and joined the conversation.
"We thought we'd have to push ourselves through another wave," Shushu said. "That's when Nei noticed a light in the sky—something shining and falling straight toward the battlefield."
Aside from the already troubling detail of Shuuki appearing out of nowhere, that descending object grabbed my full attention.
"So what was that about?" I pressed, urging them to continue.
Himari hesitated, her expression turning contemplative, almost uneasy. After a moment, she shook her head.
"You might not believe us, Chief," she said. "When it landed, dust flew everywhere. We had to shield our eyes but when it finally cleared…"
"A guy in a suit was standing on top of a dead Shuuki, striking some ridiculous pose," all three of them said in unison.
...
...
...
Wait a minute.
Wait a goddamn minute.
Is this really going where I think it is?
"Just to be clear," I said, keeping my voice calm despite the alarms going off in my head, "this guy in a suit—what did he look like?"
Nei raised her hand, eager to answer my question.
"Nei remembers it! His suit was a mix of red, yellow, and green," she said.
…Great.
So the worst-case scenario had come true.
But how?
How did that guy end up in Mato? He had already caused enough noise during the mishap in Kofu.
Now he was here too?!
Calm down, Kyouka. Hear them out before jumping to conclusions.
As they continued their story, my expression grew more and more unreadable. By the time they finished describing how he defeated the Shuuki, I had to stop myself from groaning out loud.
"Before he left, he introduced himself as—" Himari began.
"Kamen Rider," I said, rubbing my forehead. "Am I right?"
Himari blinked, clearly confused by how I knew, then nodded.
"How do you know that, Chief?" Shushu asked, her eyes wide with surprise.
I looked at the three of them before answering.
"Truthfully speaking," I said, letting out an irritated groan, "that guy was the main topic of discussion during the Assembly."
I pulled out my phone and sifted through my files for a moment before tapping on one sent by the Supreme Commander. Opening it, a photo of the Kamen Rider filled the screen. I turned the phone toward them.
"Is this the one you saw?" I asked, even though I was already certain of the answer.
The three of them leaned in, stared at the image, then pointed at it almost in unison.
"That's him!"
…Fantastic. Absolutely fantastic.
I had just come back from the meeting, and this guy had shown up in my territory without my knowledge.
Of all places, why did it have to be my jurisdiction? If he wants to fight a Shuuki, Mira's area had just as many as mine.
Letting out a slow breath, I began explaining what the other Chiefs and I had discussed regarding Kamen Rider.
I told them everything: the theories about the possible functions of his suit, the animal motifs it seemed to draw power from, and even the details of his encounter with the Unique Shuuki. I didn't leave out a single thing.
When I finished, Himari tilted her head back and stared at the ceiling.
"Even with the suit… how was a man able to do all of that?" she asked. Despite having heard the explanation, disbelief still colored her voice. "I've never heard of anything like this happening before."
Trust me, Himari—neither have we.
Even the other Chiefs and I are still finding answers. We suspected the suit might be enhanced by peaches, but there was also the existing possibility that it was made from something completely outside our current understanding.
The more pressing question wasn't that.
How was he able to travel here to Mato? Did he use the main gates, a temporary one or was he capable of dimensional travel as well?
Maybe the girl with him could manipulate space too, like Tenka.
"Looks like things are about to get a lot more rowdy here," I muttered, staring up at the ceiling.
Still, if the Supreme Commander ever caught him… may god have mercy on his soul.
I already knew her interest in the Kamen Rider was at an all-time high, even if she never showed it explicitly.