While Hideo and Mira spoke briefly, trading guesses back and forth, a pair of Mira's clones stood atop one of the vines, stepping on it while others delivered light punches. When they tried cutting it as before, the vine simply regenerated as if nothing had happened. One clone even attempted to pull it out while several others cheered her on.
"You know what? I will call the others to check this," Mira said, stretching her body. "Standing here and groping it for so long is not going to help us figure anything out."
"Probably a good idea," Hideo added. "We cannot do much beca—"
He was cut off mid-sentence as the ground began to shake again, just like before those pesky plants burst from beneath the surface. The vines that had been giving them a headache started to vibrate violently, lashing against the ground.
"Every single time," Mira quipped. "Just when things seem calm, something always happens right after."
"Trust me, Chief, I know the feeling," Hideo sighed, remembering the countless times fate had screwed him over.
As if something were pulling them from below, the vines suddenly retreated into the holes they had come from with alarming speed and force. In the process, they tore open a massive cavity in the ground, the harsh scraping sound of their withdrawal ringing in the air.
Covering her eyes from the dust that followed, Mira moved closer to the massive hole alongside Hideo. Activating his vision, he peered into the depths. Even without night vision, he could make out numerous possible passages branching out below, routes they could potentially use to descend.
He quickly relayed what he saw to Mira. She crouched down, leaning forward to get a better look into the pitch-black abyss before her.
"Anybody there? Hello?" she called out, her voice echoing through the hollow depths.
Glancing back, she gestured toward a few of her summoned clones. Without hesitation, they obeyed and leapt into the hole to assess its depth.
It did not take long before they got their answer.
"Looks like you were right," Mira remarked. "My clones were at least able to identify that a cavern is hidden beneath us."
Hideo and Mira looked at each other. Without even knowing what the other was thinking, they arrived at the same conclusion.
"You thinking what I am thinking?" Hideo asked with a grin.
"Damn right I am," Mira replied.
With a clear opening and unknown possibilities waiting below, exploring it was the obvious next step. The problem was that going in now without proper equipment would be like walking in blind, gambling on whether they would run into something harmless or something deadly.
"Yahallo."
Like a phantom, a woman's voice suddenly cut in as someone tapped Hideo on the shoulder.
Caught off guard, both Hideo and Mira turned, ready for a possible attack. But the moment Hideo recognized her, he let out a relieved sigh.
It was Isadora, in disguise.
"Oh, it is just you," he said. "Do not scare me like that."
Mira tilted her head in confusion, though faint recognition began to surface. She recalled seeing the black-haired woman in the files and in the footage from the incident in Kofu.
"You are the one who is always with him," she said, not quite certain.
With a cheerful peace sign, Isadora grabbed Mira's hand without permission and shook it enthusiastically.
"I am a big fan of yours, Chief!" she said eagerly. "Oh, how rude of me. My name is Ankh, the current partner of the Kamen Rider. I mean partner in fighting the forces of evil, not romantically. I live in Japan. My favorite celebrity is Kim Jong Un. My favorite movie and book is Project Hail Mary. My favorite superhero is Batman. My favorite YouTuber is IamMobo. I also love video games and anime. Oh, you are wondering about my favorite anime? Of course, it is Bible Black—"
The blonde chief of the Second Unit could only stare, lips pressed together, unable to intervene as Isadora blabbered on, spouting one out-of-pocket remark after another. It was the kind of introduction no one should ever make upon first meeting someone.
Then again, thinking back, Mira had experienced worse. The first time she met Yakumo, the woman's opening line had been a shameless request to grope her chest, accompanied by a faint drool.
Grabbing Isadora by the waist, Hideo lifted her up and set her aside before she could continue her endless stream of nonsense.
"What was that for? I was talking to her, you know," Isadora shot him a stinky look.
"You are making her uncomfortable, dumbass," Hideo replied, chopping her lightly on the head.
Mira could only stand there, one eyebrow twitching, as a wry smile formed on her lips while the two bickered back and forth.
"...She sure is energetic, I will give you that," Mira said, glancing at Hideo.
"Sorry about her behavior. I promise I will straighten her out later," Hideo said apologetically.
"Nah, it is fine. People like that tend to make life more interesting. I know that much," she replied with an easy smile.
With the brief yet rather noisy introduction out of the way, Isadora leaned forward and looked down into the hole that Hideo and Mira had been observing.
Hideo glanced around and noticed that Mira's clones were no longer present. He turned to her and asked about it. Mira then explained that maintaining her clones gradually drained her stamina, though it was usually not a major issue since she had plenty in reserve. For now, she had recalled them to conserve energy, considering how long they had already been active.
Even so, she added that if a fight were to break out again, she could summon them back without any real problem.
"Okay, you two." Isadora clapped her hands to get their attention. "Let us head down there if you are up for it."
"So, did you see something?" Hideo asked, crossing his arms.
"Not just something. A big fish. Well, a big plant in this case," Isadora replied with a smirk.
She went on to explain that while Hideo and Mira had been busy defending the gate, she had already spotted a living organism lurking beneath them with her eye. Even she had been surprised. Caverns were nothing new to either her or Hideo, but encountering something alive down there that was not a normal Shuuki was a first.
At first, she had planned to sit back and let them figure things out on their own. But boredom got the better of her, and she ultimately decided to join them. With her vision guiding the way, things would move much faster.
"So, we are really doing some Dora the Explorer-type nonsense," Hideo said, glancing at Mira. "Still thinking of backing out, Chief?"
Mira smirked, pointing at herself with her thumb.
"Me? Never. I have already made up my mind. Whatever monster or Shuuki is hiding down there, I will take care of it," she said with a fierce grin.
Having made their decision, Isadora pulled out a Core Medal from her hand.
"Use this," she said, tossing it upward.
Hideo caught it with both hands and examined the medal.
Without questioning her, he stepped back slightly and swapped it with the hawk. As he scanned it, the colors of the Core Medals began to spin around him.
[𝕃𝕚𝕠𝕟]
[𝕋𝕠𝕣𝕒]
[𝔹𝕒𝕥𝕥𝕒]
Mira watched with curiosity, now seeing it up close. It fascinated her how he could change his appearance so seamlessly. The red helmet was gone, replaced by yellow, his head now resembling a lion's mane.
Once she had seen enough, Isadora jumped in first, followed by Mira, and then Hideo. They landed on solid ground below. The cavern was pitch-black at first, but a few seconds later, something changed.
Light.
Like a living lamp, Hideo's head began to emit a steady glow. The light was warm, almost comforting against the darkness.
"You look funny," Isadora commented, tapping his head and giving it a slight shake.
"Please stop that," Hideo said, swatting her hand away.
Mira stepped toward one of the passageways and leaned in, letting her senses take over as she took in the scent.
"It actually smells good," she said, letting out a soft whistle.
Isadora pointed down a pathway. Hideo moved to the front, alert and steady, while Mira and Isadora trailed behind him in close formation, like ducklings shadowing their guide.
They pressed forward, their footsteps faintly echoing through the underground passage. None of them spoke of it. Whatever lay ahead at the end remained unclear, waiting for them.
========
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While the trio ventured deeper beneath the surface, a very different scene unfolded at the Seventh Unit's dorm. An unexpected guest had arrived.
Tenka herself.
And, of course, she hadn't come alone.
Yachiho stood behind her as usual, composed and observant. Sahara, however, was absent, occupied with something that, quite surprisingly, had nothing to do with sleeping.
Seated comfortably, Tenka lifted her cup and inhaled the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee. Her expression softened in quiet appreciation, utterly unbothered by the watchful gaze of Kyouka across from her. Behind Kyouka stood Yuko and Himari.
Tenka took a sip.
A small, satisfied sound slipped from her lips.
Opening her eyes, she turned her attention to Yuko.
"It's delicious. I'll give you that," Tenka said, a gentle chuckle following close behind. "Your newbie is quite the cutie, Kyou-chin."
At the praise, Yuko scratched the back of her head, unable to hide her shy smile. Pride flickered in her chest, warm and bright. Being complimented was one thing.
But earning those words from a chief?
That made it something else entirely.
"So, what's with the sudden visit, Tenka?" Kyouka asked, a casual smile playing on her lips as she crossed one leg over the other.
Tenka let out a light chuckle, setting her cup gently on the table. "What? Isn't a friend dropping by reason enough?"
"I mean, you're always welcome here," Kyouka replied with a shrug, her arm draping lazily over the backrest. Her gaze sharpened just a touch. "But seriously... is there something?"
Tenka's smile didn't falter.
"There's been an official notice from the government," she said, her tone still warm, though more deliberate now. "I wanted to know if you've seen it."
Kyouka nodded without hesitation. "Yeah. Read the whole thing." She leaned forward slightly, resting her elbow on her knee. "With those Humanoid Shuukis showing up, every squad's expected to coordinate more closely from here on out."
Tenka inclined her head. "That's the essence of it."
Kyouka leaned back again, her composure slipping as she dragged a hand down her face, from her forehead to her mouth, before letting out a long, irritated groan.
"This just piles more headaches on my plate," she muttered. "As if one of those things weren't already enough of a problem."
"Well... you did fight one yourself." Tenka's eyes gleamed with curiosity. "So? What was it like, the Humanoid Shuuki?"
Kyouka met her gaze directly.
"Strong," she said flatly, then shifted in her seat. "What's worse is that it wasn't connected to the Thunder Gods."
At the side, Yachiho's lips curled into a faint, knowing smirk. She idly twirled a strand of her hair before glancing toward Himari, her voice sweet with unmistakable bite.
"I heard from our chief," she began lightly, "that a certain someone lost her itsy-bitsy consciousness... while her poor leader had to handle two powerful enemies alone."
She covered her mouth in mock surprise, though the target of her words was painfully obvious.
Himari's eyes widened, if only for a moment.
Then her gaze fell.
Her fingers curled into tight fists at her sides, nails pressing into her palms as she bit down on her lip. No words came. No defense. Because there wasn't one.
She had left Kyouka alone.
Yachiho noticed.
And she didn't ease up.
"Wow... nothing to say, my dear sister?" Yachiho's smile curved into something colder, edged with quiet cruelty. "You really are a disappointment."
She tilted her head slightly, studying Himari like a flaw she couldn't quite ignore.
"Back then, and even now... you do nothing but drag the Azuma name through the mud."
With a languid motion, Yachiho raised her hand and pointed straight at her.
"So why come crawling back to our home?" she continued, her tone light, almost playful, which only made it sting more. "Go on... come back like the good little girl you're supposed to be."
The room seemed to tighten around those words, the air growing heavier with each passing second.
Before the tension could snap any further, Kyouka cut in.
As if brushing dust off a table, she turned back to Tenka, deliberately steering the conversation away, as though nothing had happened at all.
Himari kept her head lowered, shoulders tense, unwilling to meet anyone's eyes.
Then, suddenly—
A hand wrapped around her wrist.
Himari blinked.
Yuko stood beside her, offering a small, reassuring smile. There was no hesitation in it, no judgment. Just quiet warmth.
Despite now knowing the full story between the two sisters, she didn't waver.
Himari froze for a second... then let out a slow breath. The tightness in her chest eased, just a little. A faint smile returned to her lips.
"Thanks," she whispered.
Yuko beamed. "That's what friends are for."
========
========
As the conversation reached its natural end, Kyouka leaned back, a grin suddenly forming as if she'd just thought of something far more entertaining.
Her gaze flicked to Himari for a brief moment then back to Tenka and Yachiho.
"With this new setup in the defense force," she began, her tone sharpening with interest, "I think it's the perfect time to reassess the strength of our squads."
Her grin widened.
"So, Tenka... why don't we hold a Mato intersquad tournament?"
The words landed like a spark in dry grass.
Everyone froze.
Even Tenka, for once, looked genuinely surprised.
"Ara..." Tenka narrowed her eyes slightly, a slow smile spreading across her face. "That does sound rather interesting, Kyou-chin."
The idea took shape quickly between them. Logistics, approvals, participant counts, match formats. Their discussion flowed with the ease of seasoned leaders already thinking three steps ahead.
Soon after, Tenka rose from her seat.
With a casual motion, she opened a portal back to their dorm, its surface rippling like liquid glass.
But just before stepping through, Yachiho paused.
She glanced back over her shoulder, her eyes locking onto Himari.
"You'd better prepare yourself," she said, her voice laced with amusement. "I won't go easy on you, dear little sister."
A refined, almost aristocratic laugh followed as she turned and walked through the portal.
"See you around," Tenka added with a small wave as the portal closed behind them.
Silence settled over the room.
Heavy.
Lingering.
Kyouka didn't need to look back. She had already felt it building, even before Yachiho's final jab.
Behind her, Himari stood still, head lowered.
But this time, it wasn't shame weighing her down.
Her fists clenched.
Her eyes burned.
A fire had been lit.
And it wasn't going out anytime soon.