Kamen Rider is playing the villain in Pretty Cure

In fact, she has always had constant self-doubt about what she was going to do. Even after receiving Ash's "encouragement" in the end, she still did not dare to look back, because she was afraid that once she did so, her heart would not be able to bear such a price.

But she has to believe in herself.

That's right, as long as it's for this goal, even if I have to hurt others... or be the bad guy - I don't care!

"Could it be that Ai Aida isn't the right person to be a mother... Then this time I'll choose Hoshizora Miyuki. If that doesn't work, then Ainoe, Haruno Haruka, or even Hanasaki Rei will do! No matter who it is, there's always a possibility, there's always a possibility—"

From this house on, the entire world began to shrink and dissolve with her obsession, as if time and space were reversing. And in this place where time was flowing backward, Ash walked up behind her as she muttered frantically—for the first time, with the same rough movement as before, he grabbed her collar and pulled her up from the ground.

"What is it—"

Baomei, who was struggling subconsciously and hadn't realized what was happening, looked up and saw an expression in front of her that was as angry as her own.

"To insult your own mother so casually—grit your teeth!"

"Snapped!"

The resounding slap echoed with the pain, and the world around them, which was receding, seemed to have paused and faded into a stagnation. When the girl, whose ears were buzzing, covered her painful cheek in disbelief and turned to face it again, she seemed to have no idea what had happened.

"You, you actually hit me." The accumulated tears immediately burst out from his eyes filled with grievance. "It hurts, it really hurts!"

As someone who could potentially become Ash's daughter in the future, she's not a weakling, either in her memories or in the setting. Even when they fought side by side in the Poker Kingdom, she lived up to her reputation by enduring the physical pain of battle with remarkable fortitude.

But this time, the pain that echoed from her face was not just simple pain, but more like a pain that made her eyes red and her nose sore, and even made her feel the bitterness surging from deep within her body.

"I'm your father! If I don't beat you, who will?!"

Treating children with silent violence is how my father used to express his anger towards me when I didn't respond. I hate that and don't want to be that kind of person.

But sometimes, it turns out that a person cannot actually decide his own future.

"And the mother who gave birth to you isn't a toy on a shelf. Whether she exists or not, you were painstakingly born by her in your future. So stop spouting such nonsense!"

For someone who had "killed his mother twice", such words from Ash were simply a hellish joke.

But he said it anyway.

"..." Ash, glaring at him like that, thought he was about to be punched in the face by an angry fist. But in the end, with tears streaming down her face and her head turned away, she finally hid her tears and stumbled back a few steps as Ash's hand loosened, falling to her knees. "I'm sorry... Mom! But I'm really scared. What if I'm not even them..."

Now it makes sense why she never used scientific testing methods like paternity testing, because she was afraid that if it wasn't anyone, she would really not know what to do.

"But I don't even know who I should truly apologize to." As the tears dripping onto the ground gradually dried, the girl, now weeping no more, sneered in a self-deprecating manner that was very typical of Ash. "I, the non-physical me, pulled from the future timeline by capturing and blending possible information, simply wanted to go from having nothing to at least having something..."

"I just want to get back from the negative number to at least zero!"

I just... want a home!

"Is something like this also not allowed?!"

"No one has the right to stop others from choosing their own way of life." The hand that had previously slapped the girl in the face now transformed into gentle comfort behind her trembling back. "However, the premise of one's freedom is that one cannot hinder the freedom of others."

I'm sorry, your father is no longer in the state of hanging out freely and having fun outside. The actual burden he has to carry is as high as a mountain.

"You know what the situation is like right now. There are people working hard for the world in many places we can't see or see!"

"Apart from my family, it doesn't matter to anyone else, right?!"

"You're not that kind of person, are you?"

Hearing Ash's fiery assertion, she froze just as she was about to explode.

Why...can you be so sure?

"Whether it's fake or doesn't exist, everyone has their own opinions on this matter, but I believe what I saw with my own eyes." After helping her up, Ash wiped the tears from her eyes, forcing a smile and pointing to his own eyes. "Remember? Back in the Poker Kingdom, when we fought side by side as father and daughter, and you said my encouragement gave you the motivation to do all this?"

"But haven't I seen something from you?"

Although what you did is essentially equivalent to being an accomplice to the destruction of the world, your own nature is that of a bright little girl who is too gentle and kind, just like Mana and the others... Otherwise, why would you accompany us to save those people who claim that they have nothing to do with you?

"You're the kind of child any parent would want to have—well-behaved, kind, and responsible. But you suddenly ran into this embarrassing situation and didn't know what to do. You were tricked."

So I am sure that you must have regretted your actions countless times in your heart now.

The girl couldn't respond directly because she admitted in her heart that he was right about everything he said.

"But this has nothing to do with you. You haven't experienced being left with nothing like I have!" Her wandering gaze fell on the pile of dust on the ground, and she immediately snapped back to her gnashing resistance, pushing away Ash's outstretched hand. "So what if I'm kind? Do you even understand what I'd sacrifice for a day like this!"

As long as it's for my family, I can become a very bad person!

"I won't say I know exactly what you've been through or what you've felt to get to this point. But I know it must be tough."

"But Baomei, I also want to tell you something. In the first half of my life, I was always thinking about myself, so I made many mistakes."

Even though, as she said, it was just a name borrowed from someone else, Ash was still willing to call her that.

"For fun, I can play with the world in front of me at will, even if it hurts my friends."

When I ran away from home with the system, I seemed to be about her age, right?

"I can hurt others wantonly to get what I want, even if it causes pain to those who love me."

And now I am no longer a child.

"If I hadn't met so many rare friends who helped me along the way without holding grudges, if I hadn't just happened to meet them who were willing to embrace and warm me with love, I would have long since become as meaningless as Dust and Kaler... No, I'd be even more clownish than them."

"so--"

When Ash once again revealed his past self-proclaimed fatherhood, he was clearly at a loss but still wanted to show the gentleness and reliability of an elder. The girl wanted to maintain a resistant expression and her heart was like the fading world around her, with cracks gradually spreading outward like a spider web.

"Dad, I am a man who has done many absurd things and made many mistakes in the past."

This time, he is not a father but a man who becomes a father.

"That's why, no matter what, I don't want you to repeat the mistakes I made in the past."

Once again, he took the initiative to hug the daughter in front of him who was not his daughter.

"dad..."

The girl who was embraced like this looked at the person in front of her at a loss, as if she didn't know how to react... No, she seemed to know.

"So please, Baomei... give Dad a chance to atone for his sins."

It seemed that the small hand that was holding his arm also exerted a little more force accordingly.

Chapter 262: The only thing I can do is...

"Dad... me too, I've been on the wrong path since the beginning..."

Listening to Ash's heartfelt words, she also thought about the truth that would remain after all the outer shells were removed. Even if I could truly get Ash to accept this with everyone else, and create a beautiful family and future where everyone accepted me, the people who smiled at me wouldn't be my real parents anymore.

Because even the smile itself will become something that loses its own existence like a programmed computer program, let alone represent happiness.

Why, I, who clearly long for family and love, have forgotten such a basic thing...

"What should I do? I really made a big mistake..."

If I hadn't been dragged here in the first place, if I had thought more carefully about the cause and effect and hadn't agreed to do this with Kaler, if I had paid more attention and considered other people's thoughts.

"If I could accept myself from the beginning... Dad, is my existence itself a mistake?"

The girl's helpless words were cut short by the man's tight embrace. Choking again, she stretched out her hands, seemingly trying to reach around from behind, but couldn't. After a few frantic struggles in the air, her helpless hands finally found their way around and rested on the man's shoulders.

"There are many reasons to blame, but you are not one of them, because people cannot choose their own birth. It is the fault of mom and dad."

Between her moving lips, she quietly asked him a question.

"Well, can I blame you?"

At a time like this, can I rely on my dad a little more?

"Ah."

The girl, whose golden hair had lost some of its luster, said nothing, but hugged Ash even tighter after receiving this answer.

"[~]"

Although it cannot be seen, one can vaguely feel it, as if a warmer embrace is gently embracing the two of them from behind with the same tenderness.

It hadn't even been ten minutes since their argument and reunion, but the two of them felt like a long, long time had passed amidst this lingering warmth...

"But it's time to get going."

As I said before, both you and I still have unfinished business.

The dried tear marks on her cheeks were wiped away, making her red eyes more obvious. When the girl raised her head again with these eyes, she turned back into the "Baomei" he knew.

"Don't forget, Baomei. No matter what happened in the past, you are no longer alone now."

Thanks to them, I've finally realized that even if there's no natural connection, sometimes it's not that difficult for two strangers to become a family. All it takes is two people.

"Thank you... But there's something I have to do alone."

As if to engrave this warmth into her body, the girl focused her mind again and tried to unleash the power given to her by Him to the maximum extent possible.

"Yeah, it's something only I can do."

The extremely pure light shone from her hand again, but this time the brightness was reflected on the man's face for a completely different purpose from last time.

"Kacha."

The world that had been stagnant and faded since Ash's palm strike began to flow again.

"Kacha——!"

The world that had regained its light did not continue to flow backwards. When the collapsed and disintegrated things split apart along with the world itself with the sound of shattering, a faint light began to shine in from outside towards the feet of the two people, looking like a sign that an egg was about to crack.

Everything is very different now.

So, my future daughter is a little god, isn't she? Looking at this earth-shattering scene, Ash, finally able to breathe a sigh of relief, couldn't help but think a little off the cuff.

--------

"Inspired Skill—" His fists blazed with energy, ready to unleash. Seeing the opponent immediately put on defense, Kale tilted his head. This, however, made Yaxiu's heart tighten, because even through the helmet, she could see the opponent's smirk!

Oops, it's too late to change direction now -

"Unfortunately, it wasn't a Beast Fist." As expected, it wasn't a head-on Beast Fist attack. The Ranger, who had teleported behind her, swung a punch wrapped in a ghostly, dark aura. The two pairs of wings on her lower back were instantly broken, and Yasu fell downward. "It was a Phantom Beast Fist."

Only a patchwork monster like him can make the conflicting forces switch and connect seamlessly.

"The combined might of the entire team, known simply as World Caesar's power." Kale casually pulled up his cape as he passed over a figure in front of him that resembled a fully-formed Caesar, but lacked the same radiant breastplate. He deflected a powerful blast from the Echo Angel lying on the ground, then returned the way he'd come. "In terms of magnitude, it's far more powerful than the Pretty Cure you have there."

"I'm sorry... I'm a girl, so I'm not interested in those childish arguments that boys are so keen on."

Even while falling, he did not forget to stack up several layers of light shields in front of Ayumi, and narrowly avoided the counterattack in front of the girl at the last moment.

"Hey~ I also think the comparison game is a bit boring, but calling this a childish quarrel is really too much."

She caught a glimmer of light from the corner of her eye, and without even looking, she saw the hand raised to the side grab her neck as she almost succeeded in the back attack, in front of Puka's incredulous eyes.

"Puka!"

Oops, I can’t grow new wings for the time being!

"Puka—" On the other side of her head, the pure white girl's neck was being strangled. Her rabbit-like screams became even more painful and hoarse under the excessive pressure. "Let me go!"

Although she had awakened her latent transformation abilities in response to the aura she sensed, and as a spirit clone separated from Prim, the Puka Angel possessed the same purifying power and supreme combat prowess as Guangmei, she had ultimately only mastered this body for a short time, and the vast gap in combat experience prevented her from fully unleashing her true strength against the seasoned Kale.

"Under special circumstances, you'd be quite formidable, but in terms of pure combat power, there's still a significant gap between you and your original form, right?" Kaler continued to increase his strength, raising the geargun at his waist. "That's a shame. I specifically activated my power to revive a powerful opponent so closely connected to Ash, but somehow it didn't work on her."

"Apparently, I really want to meet her once, as someone who has endured similar pain."

Seeing the gun gradually pointing at him, the struggling Puka's eyes were filled with fear and despair, but more importantly, unwillingness.

No... I can't do much to help you guys. I obviously still want to continue to be with Ash, but I haven't had the experience of being in love with Ash like everyone else!

So, how could I fall here!

'let me'

Then, a voice that she was very familiar with sounded from the bottom of her heart, just as she wished.

"Puka, get out of my way and let me do it."

Chapter 263: Resurrection! Supreme! Resurrection!

"Who are you?"

"I am you, you are me... This is how he described it, using a line from a game he likes to play."

"Can you save the one I love?"

Of course, Puka remembered, knowing exactly who this voice, which sounded exactly like her own, belonged to. She had thought she would never hear her voice again.