Thanks for the invitation. I'm in Type-Moon, inheriting the legacy of Zi-O.

"No!" However, upon hearing Hong Du's thoughts, Nian Zhuo slapped his shoulders with both hands, his trembling voice revealing his fear. "Du... listen to me, you absolutely cannot... absolutely cannot fight that guy!"

"...Are you afraid?" Opening one eye, Hongdu looked at Nianzhuo, who was even trembling slightly. "Why? Because I will lose? Or—because I will die?"

"..." Without saying much, Nian Zhuo also realized that his hands were gripping Hong Du's shoulders tightly, as if his bones had been removed. His hands slid off Hong Du's shoulders. "...You will die."

"...Is he really that strong? Strong enough to scare you like this?" Once upon a time, he had seen the boy named Nencho in the vision brought by Tsukasa Kadoya. At that time, he was full of vigor and could even face the world-renowned hero Hercules alone. However, the dejected appearance of the man in front of him made it difficult for him to associate him with that boy.

"You don't understand, Xiaodu, you don't understand." Nianzhuo knelt down in front of him, holding her head in her hands.

That demon, that demon, that devil who pierced his own chest with a single blow.

That bastard, that bastard, that bastard who crushed his own driver so easily.

"Hongdu, Xiaodu... we can't win." Shaking her head, the fear of being crushed was still vivid in her mind. "So, please, don't fight him anymore, we can't win..."

"I...I don't want to see any more friends leave in front of me..." Slumped dejectedly to the ground, a heavy, oppressive atmosphere enveloped Nianzhuo. "I can't win, I can't win, I can't win..."

"...Hmph, is that so?" With her eyes closed, Kurenai sighed and nodded.

The next moment, Nianzhuo's collar was suddenly lifted up by the boy in front of him.

"Ugh—!" Then, what greeted Nianzhuo was a heavy punch that landed directly on his cheek.

"Pfft!" Nian Zhuo's body flew backward and rolled several times on the ground.

"What are you doing, Xiaodu!" Feeling the pain on his face, Nianzhuo quickly covered his cheek and got up from the ground. "Why did you hit me?!"

"Look at the state you're in! Nianzhuo!" However, Nianzhuo's question was drowned out by Hongdu's even louder voice, "Look at the state you're in!"

"What is that fear of yours! And what is that expression on your face!" Pointing at Nianzhuo's face, Hongdu's face turned red, and even strange marks crept onto his cheeks. "Can your fear save them? Can that expression defeat that guy!"

"No way! How can I entrust my power to you in this state!" Raising her leg, she kicked Nianzhuo in the shoulder, watching Nianzhuo's figure fall again. The anger in Hongdu's eyes was almost uncontrollable. "It's just one failure, the sacrifice of a senior, and your warrior's heart has withered away!"

"That flame! That declaration! Have they all vanished into thin air now?!"

"You really have disappointed me, Nianzhuo!"

"...But what can I do?! What can I do?!" Nian Zhuo's hands trembled, and his whole body shook. Just thinking about that guy filled him with uncontrollable fear. "I can't beat that guy! No matter what, I can't win right now!"

"My power, my watch face, my driver—that guy destroyed them all!" The fear of losing his power rendered him unable to fight, and his remaining fighting spirit gradually vanished with Ryotaro's sacrifice. "I simply... how could I possibly defeat that guy in my current state..."

"You think I don't want to win?! If I could, you think I wouldn't want to fight alongside Ryotaro?!"

"But I... have no way to fight..."

He was just trying to escape. Nian Zhuo had already realized what he was doing the moment he saw that blurry dial.

The fear of power is only one aspect; at a deeper level is... his fear of losing loved ones.

Tamamo-no-Mae, Sakata Kintoki, Mordred...

These comrades who were fighting side by side just a moment ago were turned to ashes in that guy's hands the next moment.

As long as I keep fighting that guy, how many of my loved ones will I have to sacrifice before I win...?

If only, if only I give up all of this...

If I'm willing to die at that guy's hands...

In that case, they will also...

"Just because you lost the Zi-O Watch, you're saying you can't fight anymore?" Wataru's voice calmed down as he looked at Nencho and slowly said, "Nencho, I have a question for you."

"What sustains you in this battle—the Zi-O watch, or your own heart?"

"Is that even a question? Of course, it's my heart!" Raising his head, Nianzhuo looked at Hongdu slowly approaching through his blurred vision and said matter-of-factly, "Power, that power also comes from the thoughts in my heart. I want to become Oma-san's subject, so that power is in my hands."

“Is that so? Your ambition is to become a subject…” Hongdu walked up to Nianzhuo and slowly squatted down.

He extended his index finger and touched Nianzhuo's chest.

"So, since it is your heart that guides you in this battle, do you know why you lost, Nianzhuo?" Hongdu said slowly, emphasizing each word, as he gazed into Nianzhuo's bewildered eyes.

"Because...because that guy is stronger than me? And has lived longer than me?"

"Neither. It's that your heart is far weaker than that guy's, Nianzhuo." Touching Nianzhuo's chest, Hongdu felt the other's heartbeat. "You've already lost in terms of heart. So how could you possibly win against that monster in terms of strength?"

"How could this be... My heart is definitely not inferior to anyone's!" My own thoughts and my own heart are incredibly firm, how could they be inferior to that beast that covets power?

"Although I'm very reluctant to admit it, that guy, like Oma Zi-O, inherited the power of all the Riders." Looking into Nencho's eyes, Wataru's voice seemed to echo directly in Nencho's mind.

“Then, Nianzhuo, answer me.”

"After you inherited the power of all the Riders, is your ambition merely to become a subject of Oma Zi-O? Is that all?"

“…………” Nian Zhuo hesitated as he imagined that future.

I had fantasized about that kind of future, but what seemed like an incredibly wonderful future to my past self now seems somewhat ironic.

"That guy has obtained the power of all the knights and is going to become a beast that destroys the world."

"You will gain the power of all knights in the future, but you only want to become an ordinary subject."

"See?" Hongdu spread his hands out flat, like a scale tilting to one side. "This is what they call the gap."

"Do you understand, Nianzhuo?" He pressed Nianzhuo's head down with both hands, forcing him to look at him. "Only those who are also kings can stand beside the king."

"As for the subjects, they can only stand at the closest yet furthest distance from the king, watching his back."

"Similarly... as a king?" Nianzhuo stared blankly at Hongdu's eyes, which were gradually brightening.

"Think about it, Nianzhuo." Hongdu's voice seemed to carry a certain magic, echoing in Nianzhuo's ears. "Do you want to stand behind her, or stand shoulder to shoulder with her and become a man worthy of her?"

“…I, I want to—” The image of that girl appeared in my mind.

"Nianzhuo, are you willing to face this world with me?" He reached out his hand to her.

“…I want to stand by your side.” Nian Zhuo reached out his hand and held it tightly in his mind’s eye.

Nian Zhuo slowly got up from the ground.

"So, what is your answer—?" Hongdu looked at Nianzhuo, who had stood up from the ground, and waited for his answer.

“I’ve made up my mind—” Nian Zhuo opened his eyes.

"I will become someone who walks alongside Oma-san!"

"I will never be content with the position of a subject! I will become... become someone worthy of her! The true Nianzhuo!"

Just imagining himself hiding behind Miss Omo and watching her receding figure made Nianzhu feel a heavy feeling in his chest.

A subject cannot understand a king; only a fellow king can.

So I—

"Not only to become a king who can stand shoulder to shoulder with her, but also to become... an emperor who can lead everyone into the future!" In Nianzhuo's hands and in Nianzhuo's heart, a spark ignited from the embers that had burned out.

The king is aloof and misunderstood, and can only lead the country forward by his own strength.

But the emperor was different.

The emperor is not alone; behind him are the people.

The people watched his retreating figure, trying to fathom the emperor's thoughts, and walked alongside him.

Therefore, Nianzhuo should become an emperor who can lead everyone forward, rather than a king who walks alone!

The flame in my heart gradually reignited, and the light in my hands grew ever brighter.

"That's right! That's the look! That's the lion's gaze! That's the burning flame's gaze!" Dark red light gathered in his hand as Hongdu looked at Nianzhuo, who had mustered his courage. "That's right! Nianzhuo, only now are you qualified to inherit my power!"

He tossed the dark red disc to Nianzhuo, watching as the other caught it with a somewhat flustered expression.

"Take it, the power of Kamen Rider Kiva is now yours."

“But I… don’t have a driver or a watch face right now…” Nianzhuo looked at Xiaodu in front of him with some distress, staring at the Kiva watch face lying in his hand.

"If you don't have these two, then what's on the ground?" Xiao Du pointed to the ground with a half-smile, drawing Nian Zhuo's attention.

Then, Nianzhuo's gaze froze.

Lying on the ground was a time-space driver and a pale gold watch face.

“This is…” He quickly picked up the driver and the dial, and Nian Zhuo turned the pale gold dial.

The image still features Zio's head, but it has a slightly different look.

Nian Zhuo sensed a faint connection between himself and the watch face in his hand.

"This is your power, Nianzhuo." Patting Nianzhuo on the shoulder, Hongdu turned and walked towards his throne.

"Congratulations, Nianzhuo."

"You are the twenty-first Heisei Rider, Kamen Rider Zi-O."

“…This, this is my power?!” Staring blankly at the watch face in his hand, Nianzhuo gazed at Hongdu, who was already sitting on the throne.

I've been recognized. That joy alone is enough to wash away all the sadness.

“That’s right.” Hongdu nodded. “Congratulations, Nianzhuo, your inner calling has been answered.”

He looked up at the huge, dark bat-like shape that had suddenly appeared on the roof.

"...They've finally arrived," he muttered to himself.

Nianzhuo seemed to sense something as well, and looked up to see the huge black bat shadow that appeared above the palace.

"Xiao Du, it's that guy!" That familiar feeling was unmistakable! Nian Zhuo rushed to Hong Du's side. "Quick! If we leave now!"

“No, Nianzhuo, I want to stay here.” However, Hongdu was no longer wearing the suit he had worn when he was talking to Nianzhuo, but a noble robe.

"I am the king of the Yalan tribe, the king of the night, Kiva. Where can I fight if I leave here?" Hongdu placed his hand on Nianzhuo's, and with a wave of his hand, another door opened behind him. "So, go back, Nianzhuo. You have been transformed."

"No! I can't leave! I have my own power now! Aren't I the twenty-first Heisei Rider? Now I will fight alongside you!" Looking at the watch in his hand, Nian Zhuo was about to press the button.

"No!" Hongdu stopped him anxiously, shaking his head at Nianzhuo's unwilling look. "It's alright, Nianzhuo."

"The most important thing is not the beginning, not the process, but the end."

"As long as you win in the end, then all our sacrifices will be worthwhile."

"If you rush into battle now, you'll only accelerate that guy's advance."

"Therefore, we entrust our hopes to you, to the future you who has grown up."

"You're the one to defeat him." As the shadow above the ceiling grew ever deeper, Hongdu pushed Nianzhuo toward the portal.

"Go, Nianzhuo, remember your fighting spirit now. Then, ignite your heart."