Kamen Rider is playing the villain in Pretty Cure

From here, one could see the entire Seven-Colored Hill City. At this moment, the city was completely shrouded in deep darkness, hiding all light. The dark castle in the city center just stood there, quietly showing its existence.

I don’t know what Ash was thinking, but Lihua hated this kind of scenery. The small town where she had lived for decades seemed unfamiliar in an instant, and it lacked its former vitality.

"What are you looking at? There's nothing there."

"There's nothing left, so I have to look around more."

Ash's gaze swept across every street and corner, revealing bits and pieces of memories hidden within. For example, the chemical plant where he and Yayoi had met his father, and on the other side of it, the movie theater where he had nearly married the person next to him.

Since when did memories, which were originally only sad, become beautiful?

"Ash...if this night is your last as you said, and it ends with me instead of the other kids, will it be okay?"

Lihua regretted saying this as soon as she said it. Not finding anyone serious, she became restrained and afraid, afraid of getting a positive answer from Ash.

"No, it's important to me to respond to your feelings. After all, we agreed that you'd tell me later, right?" Ash saw through her thoughts and his face curved, revealing his white teeth. "Besides, you look so worried, with your problems written all over your face. It would be hard for me to ignore you, wouldn't it?"

"Ah...!" A blush fell on her face, touched by the "Water Fairy." "Thank you, thank you so much."

"Lihua." Ash released his feet and sat down cross-legged. "Are you still struggling with the outcome of that incident?"

"Yeah." The cheerful expression didn't last long before it fell back to a low state. "Ash back then was truly terrifying... He acted like a killing machine, like he was going to kill us first and then everyone else in sight."

“It’s really, really scary…”

Upon hearing this, Ash nodded. Lihua's inference was actually very similar to the situation at that time.

"So, I was afraid that Ash would hurt us, hurt the other people in Seven-Colored Hill City, and—" As she spoke, Lihua wiped her eyes with her sleeve, immediately soaking the cuff. "If anyone else died in front of me again, I would definitely collapse! So..."

"Back then, I really wanted to strike first against Ash! I'm so sorry!"

"Alright." He held onto Lihua's shoulders, who was kneeling on the ground, to prevent her from bowing her head. "You don't need to apologize to me. Your choice at that time was undoubtedly the right one."

"But it was everyone who saved you back then! I was the only one causing you pain!"

"Listen carefully, although you are warriors of miracles, you don't have to rely on miracles every time." The man held on to the trembling shoulders and did not let go, not letting her ugly expression reveal itself to him.

"Aoki Reika, you possess a stronger sense of responsibility than anyone else among you. You work hard while being equally strict with yourself. At the same time, your gentle heart allows you to care about your companions without showing it. So, when no one else was able to react, you took the initiative to stand in front of me. This is something only you can do."

"You just did what you thought was right. That's right. It's the same as what I taught you. This is the right way."

"But I don't want to do this!"

Many people who have lived for hundreds of years still can't figure out the difference between what is right, what is just, and what should be done, and it is even more confusing for Lihua.

But no matter which one it is, if my "Way" must end with Ash's sacrifice, then it would be too cruel!

Ash understood that as a very serious and rigorous person, once she had someone or something she cared about, she would fall into a deep vortex like she was now. To some extent, she was very similar to himself.

There is no doubt that I am the one who is cared about.

"Lihua, there's no one else here but me. I want you to tell me your true feelings." He pressed her shoulders and slowly relaxed until they were sitting opposite each other. "After all, you've occasionally called me 'Danna' before, right? Or is that fake and I'm being tricked?"

"Gu..." Lihua lowered her head and made a strange sound, which made Ash guess that she was shy. "So cunning..."

She remembered what Ash once said, that it's best not to get too close to him and them. The gap he had created was eventually bridged through everyone's efforts. This was how things should have been.

And at that time, the look in Ash's eyes was as if he had returned to the time when we first met. Ash's eyes didn't care about anything, and they were so cold...that they couldn't accommodate any of us.

"That kind of Ash is so scary! Ugh—"

In order to comfort the crying girl after being completely let go, Ash took the initiative to reach out and hold her in his arms.

"Alright, alright, the beast in me is gone. It's gone, driven away by your efforts."

The man patted the girl's back comfortingly, letting the tears as big as beans wet her clothes on her chest.

Maybe I should be the one to say thank you.

"Now that I think about it, even though Ash was fighting so hard for Miyuki and for us, I couldn't trust him because of my insecurity."

"Now that things have come to this, I wonder how I could have done such a stupid thing..."

"I do not mind."

Rather, the thought that he could occupy a place in her heart and have such exclusive care from her made him feel like he was jumping for joy.

"Besides, nothing has happened yet." Ash cheerfully raised his finger and flicked it on Princess Lihua's forehead behind her bangs. "You want to forgive me painfully? You're not qualified yet, hahaha!"

"Ouch!" He covered his forehead with his hands and glared at Ash with his still red eyes. "This sudden attack hurts, Dana-san!"

"Ah, the name has changed to 'Danna' again. Are you really that happy being with me?"

"Don't say it deliberately..." His fingers unconsciously hooked up the hair pinned to the side of his face and wrapped it around it. Even when the girl turned her head away, she could still see the redness on her face. "You just like teasing me!"

"I don't think it's a prank, and if you keep calling me that, I'll soon be the one getting bothered."

"I don't know, I don't care! Just let it bother you forever...!"

The two of them simultaneously loosened their arms and sat together calmly in this world filled with only darkness.

"Ash, one last word. Can you stay with me for a while longer?"

If this will be the last.

"Okay, what do you want to talk about?"

No one wants to leave regrets.

"Well, for example, about Mom, Dad, and my brother, about Miyuki, about everyone..."

The girl looked up at the sky. Even in the starless night, only the silver moon could be vaguely seen with its stubborn outline hanging behind her.

Just like someone's heart.

"The moonlight tonight is so beautiful."

Chapter 202 Guangmei and the Knight, Betting on the World

After bidding farewell to their families, friends, and important loved ones, the six warriors walked from their respective directions and gathered together under the hazy local line without any prior arrangement.

"Everyone is here."

"You're asking even though you already know the answer. Isn't that natural?" Midorikawa Nao pulled out his Smile makeup kit along with everyone else. Now that he was truly standing before the final battlefield, Nao didn't feel nervous anymore. "Do you think any of us would run away at a time like this?"

"Oh, that's true."

Even without the prophecy, I can guess what you are thinking now.

Walking on the land where reality and illusion meet, she opened and closed the [Evil King Dragon] and inserted it into the belt buckle, letting it emit bursts of low standby sounds. She raised her head and swept all the way from the castle gate to the top of the tower. She reached out and pressed the heavy door, pushing it open with a harsh roar, exposing the hellish scene behind it to the girl without any cover.

"Um, what is this!"

Miyuki, who stepped into the castle first, immediately realized that she had stepped on something strange. When she lifted her foot, she found that a dark and sticky liquid was sticking to the sole of her shoe. These tragic energies, which were once highly concentrated, were the pigments used by the cadres to create barriers, but now they were scattered all over the castle like small ditches everywhere.

"?"

Not only Miyuki, but others felt the wetness coming from their faces. Yayoi raised her hand and ran it across that place, and sure enough, she saw the exact same paint on her fingers.

"It's actually falling like rain, which means—"

"Yes, Piero's plan to collect the tragic energy of the entire world into the book is almost complete."

As soon as Ash finished speaking, as if to confirm his words, countless strange, dark figures with red noses rose from the pool of paint. These clown-like monsters, acting on instinct, immediately turned their attention to the only group of people in the castle who hadn't yet given up hope.

These monsters, born from pure tragic energy, seemed to stretch endlessly in the castle grounds, rushing towards the attackers with a common goal and without saying a word. As guests, Ash and his companions responded in the same simple and direct way.

“Precure Smile Change!”

"Henshin!"

The dark waves quickly drowned out the light, but not long after, an even brighter light burst out with dazzling momentum, directly throwing several monsters into the sky. Led by a knight who wielded a holy sword and killed the enemies in front of him like cutting melons and vegetables, the Pretty Cure with full firepower followed closely behind, constantly opening up the road ahead.

The girls' relentless punches and kicks left invisible afterimages on the monsters. Now, in this final battle, they unleashed their full strength without reservation, their power reaching its peak with conviction! The distorted air and the shattering cracks of air that synced with each punch and kick proved their worth against the enemy!

Another person who has become stronger is Ash. After absorbing those fragments, the fully repaired dark sword Yue'an has become extremely sharp, not to mention that after being fully strengthened, it can even be said to have the ability to predict the future.

Just as Ash was transforming into a human-shaped meat grinder, a monster rushed towards him from behind, aiming at his gap. Ash saw this scene through the prediction of the holy sword, but inexplicably did not react.

Just when the monster was excitedly thinking that it was about to succeed, a fist that was getting bigger and bigger hit its forehead solidly. In an instant, paint exploded in the air and splashed evenly on the people around it.

Ash smiled. As expected, he was really trustworthy.

"The little girls who once knew only romantic fantasies have now become qualified warriors."

"If you say so, it's all thanks to Dana."

After last night's unforgettable Midsummer Night's Dream with Ash—a night spent pouring out their troubles—Lihua, in high spirits, maintained a cheerful expression even during the battle. Then, she clapped her hands, brimming with icy energy, and countless chaotic ice crystals erupted from the ground, piercing the enemy and creating a buffer zone for them.

Lihua's righteous expression combined with what she said now made it difficult to tell whether she was scolding or praising Yaxiu.

Taking advantage of the opportunity given by Lihua, Ash shouted and sent a crescent arc of light through the enemy formation in front of him. The next moment, a row of heads shot up into the sky and turned into a pool of inorganic pigment, clearing a key path for the obstacles in front of him.

"Yeah, I've always only thought about myself, taking it for granted that the world revolves around me." Ash's eyes flashed with nostalgia, reminiscing about a story from a very distant past. "But now, thinking of others as fools is the most foolish thing to do, so."

Of all the friends I've met in the past, as long as they treated me as a friend, do you all want to change or save me?

"Sorry."

Now, I can say this without any psychological pressure, so everyone’s efforts have not been in vain, right?

"Ah...ah? Ah!" Akane, who was standing back to back, releasing flames from her hands to cover everyone's retreat, instinctively agreed. It wasn't until she realized what the man had said that she let out a series of sounds of astonishment, nearly burning her eyebrows. "Did he really say that?"

Is this true? You apologized so decisively, didn't you get upset? Are you...are you really Ash? Could it be someone impersonating you?

"Heh." Perhaps he saw the rude thought in her eyes, and the man forced a mocking smile from the other half of his face.

If you wear a mask for too long, it may no longer be a mask.

"Take advantage of now!" Facing seemingly endless enemies, Yayoi, with her hair standing on end, channeled all her electricity into a continuously jumping lightning chain that electrocuted the monster in front of her until it couldn't help itself. Then, Captain Tsubasa kicked out several gusts of wind with his straight feet to clear the field for everyone, and everyone proudly filed into the depths of the castle.

He stepped into the narrow room where even the lights were not on, and quickly closed the door behind him. This gave him a chance to catch his breath as he was surrounded by people who were more or less injured after rushing over.

She lit a pink holy light from her hand to illuminate everyone, then lowered her head and patted her soft chest, which had changed from A to C, and called a white fur ball out from under her neck.

"Kulu!" Tangtang, who had been hidden by Miyuki's collar all the way here and was almost blushing, finally found a chance to poke her head out and breathe some fresh air. "Finally made it? Great! Next, we have to find Piero and defeat him in one fell swoop--!"

"No, it's not that simple." Ash, who had come forward, didn't rest, but instead raised his hand and pointed his weapon into the darkness. "It's not over yet. If I finally get to make another appearance, there's no reason to just disappear like that."

"So, as a small boss before the closing battle, please come out now."

"Snapped!"

As soon as Ash finished speaking, the candles in the room automatically lit up, illuminating the way ahead of them. The four cadres who had been waiting there for a long time walked down the dark spiral staircase to the front of the candles, staring at these bold invaders with a fierce look.

Chapter 203: Believe in the Future and Promise

"Pah, pah, pah——"

Perhaps to praise Ash for his early prediction, the leading joker clapped his hands and walked up to the front in a four-to-six formation, glancing with satisfaction at the girls' nervousness and seriousness and Ash's seriousness and indifference.

"Why, you want to reminisce with me?"

Ash's provocation received no response. After being resurrected for the second time, the cadres, who only had eyes for Piero, said nothing as they drew their weapons, blocked the Pretty Cure's path and engaged in a silent confrontation with them.

"Let's talk...Ash." Just as they were in a tense standoff, Akane quietly leaned over and whispered to him. "Can't you see the future? Then tell me secretly what will happen next."

"What else can I do? It's as if it wants me to give up. All it shows me is your bad end." Ash tightened the hilt of the sword in his hand and shook his head helplessly after giving this answer.

"Oh, if failure is the only thing... then you don't seem worried about us?"

"Because, compared to the so-called future," Ash couldn't help but laugh as he spoke. "Now, I believe more in your own possibilities."

I believe that you can use your hearts to paint a new story for the future, which is like a blank sheet of paper.

"Well, yes." After hearing his words, Qian's nervousness faded away and her confident smile returned.

"Since you believe me like that, please leave this to us!"

After quietly listening to Ash's seemingly unintentional words, Lihua, with a heavy heart, volunteered to step forward. After her, Akane, Yayoi, and Naoya walked to her side.

"Let us carve out our own future!"

Without saying anything, Ash nodded and took Miyuki's hand and ran towards the stairs in front of them.

Miyuki wanted to say something after hearing this, but closed her mouth instead. Lihua and the others had already made their awareness very clear. For the sake of everyone and to change the predetermined tragic ending, the most important thing now was undoubtedly to defeat Piero and stop his actions.