I want to become a Kamen Rider

She abruptly lowered her head to cover her reddened eyes, and when she raised her head again, only an unprecedented determination remained in her purple eyes.

She reached out, not to choke him, but to firmly and solemnly grasp the minister's hand:

"This time, I will hold onto this hand no matter what."

"I would have preferred that when that woman was groping me, you would have just attacked her directly and used 100,000 volts on her."

"I already said it was just an accident, I didn't realize what was happening! Besides, I'm not Pikachu."

"That splashing water?"

"At least change it to a fire-breathing dragon."

They chatted and joked as usual, but a long, long time had passed. For the girl, it was half a year, but for him, it was much longer.

It's been so long that I've almost forgotten it, yet I dare not forget it.

With a light cough, the boy steered the conversation back on track, shamelessly skipping the potentially unfavorable first half and middle half, leaving only the last small part.

"I only found out later that Lady Toyokawa could see me because she was wearing a green stone given to her by her friend, Tama."

"What kind of green stone is so amazing? And the 'Catching Adulterer Plus'... I mean, is it really possible for an ordinary person to find such an amazing stone?"

"...She almost took my stone with her."

Unable to express his suffering, Fan Kang opened his mouth, but didn't know where to begin.

Seeing his hesitant expression, after so long, Hiiragi Tina finally showed some understanding and changed the subject for him.

"So many exciting stories from before, are you planning to skip them all, Minister?"

"Let's talk about it another time. After all, we're Kamen Riders, so we should definitely tell the Kamen Rider story first. It's fun for others to form bands, become detectives, or run hotels, but nothing beats the excitement of being a Kamen Rider... Speaking of which, being a Kamen Rider in that world, I really witnessed a lot of touching scenes."

The memories never end; perhaps that's just human nature.

"A estranged father and son reconcile, rival brothers embrace again, the stubbornness of self-righteousness supports the self-judgment of an outsider, and a sincere friendship born from misunderstanding triumphs over an absurd love at first sight..."

He was about to continue counting on his fingers when Tina Hiiragi covered his mouth.

The purple-haired girl flashed a "kind" smile and lightly swung her small fist:

"If you keep me in suspense for so long and don't tell me anything, it really makes me want to kill you, Minister."

In the past, a single chop would have been enough to subdue her, and he could have continued to ride roughshod over Hiiragi Tina. But times have changed. When you're under someone's roof, you have to bow your head first. Anyway, it's only temporary.

For now, we should remain patient and wait for the right moment to act.

"Which story would you like to hear first, Wu Tina? This is the last one for today."

"Let's talk about the battle that the minister mentioned earlier, the one involving Lady Toyokawa."

"The story begins after I almost lost the stone, when I came up with the idea that 'if Kou can go, so can I,' and with Mrs. Toyokawa's help, I turned the tables and stole a lot of stones from Takamatsu Tōya..."

The boy spoke with a smug look on his face, the sunlight shining on him, making him smile broadly.

The girl might think he was smug about winning, but actually, it was because he saw her puffed-up face.

However, there were aspects of her that he didn't know.

The short, purple-haired woman took a deep breath and placed her hands on his shoulders, having to stand on tiptoe to do so because of the height difference.

"Hey, Minister, before we begin, I have something very important to tell you."

The boy in front of her was loved, admired, worshipped, hated, slandered, and loathed by many people. He was a hero, which was only natural, but she didn't like this sense of entitlement.

It took her a very, very long time to finally realize it.

It wasn't because he was more handsome or stronger than others. She never liked the hero Kuuga; that was just an ideal. The one she liked and loved was the only boy on the second floor of Soubu High School who would reach out to her.

Despite this guy being talkative, arrogant, and fond of stealing her comics, she also had something she needed to tell him.

"Minister, you're strong, stronger than anyone else, and I know that better than anyone. I believe that even if I don't come to help you in the end, you'll definitely find a way to overcome this difficulty. To others, Sora is such a cool hero. But to me, the minister is that complaining minister, that minister who stole my comics. So, there's something I must make you understand..."

She has never had confidence.

Perhaps in other worlds, Tina Hiiragi would become a very powerful person like the club president in this world, but in this world, Tina Hiiragi is just a silly girl who can't make friends, likes Kamen Rider, and doesn't know how to refuse when a shady shopkeeper tries to sell her something while she's engrossed in old magazines at a used goods store.

She lacked Mizutani Migen's perseverance and hard work, Eleanor's illustrious family background, and the time traveler's enthusiasm and sincerity. She was just a clumsy, short girl who could be found anywhere, but she also possessed something that she believed she could not lose to anyone.

It's because of the boy in front of me.

It was the flame he lit himself.

The clumsy, silly girl stood on tiptoe.

"Your strength should not be a reason for you to fight alone. Rely on me more. As long as I am by your side, I will never let you fight alone!"

Is this considered a confession?

She silenced him with a kiss once again.

Not with your hands.

For a long time, the lips are divided.

she says.

"—It's a confession."

Chapter 105 [Memories: The Name of Emptiness]

The sky seemed to have been ripped open with a huge wound, and torrential rain poured down. The icy rain washed over the silent cemetery, and also over the blue-haired woman standing there.

She stood there, her black mourning clothes soaked through by the rain, clinging to her full yet slender frame. Water droplets slid down her pale blue hair like silent tears.

Her gaze pierced through the thick rain curtain, fixed intently on the figure not far away.

The woman, now a widow, looked at her husband.

This sentence is not grammatically incorrect. Her husband is indeed dead, but the figure before her is from another world, not resembling her deceased husband, but rather being him.

The only pity is that he didn't stop for her.

Her blue hair was wet with rain. She gazed at him adoringly, trying to find the shadow of that person, but found that the one in front of her was more determined and more like a hero, rather than the rogue who belonged only to her.

"Aren't we all of the same in terms of nature?"

"Yes, we're all the same. So I'm actually just a shameless person who wants to hook up with a rich woman without having to work hard. I don't want to work, I don't want to fight, I don't want to put in any effort."

"But you are the hardest-working one I've ever met. You're nothing like my scoundrel."

The widow opened her palm, and there were rows of stones.

They appeared exceptionally moist in the cold rain.

“These are the last treasures of the lamps, take them as you wish. She said… they want to go with you.”

The boy thanked him and accepted the gift with a smile.

As the rain pattered on his face, she couldn't really tell whether he was crying or laughing.

Even if you don't remember me, I still want to ask, do you really have to go? Fight that kind of thing? Is there really any chance of winning?

It was just an ordinary stone that brushed against countless other things that had a illustrious reputation in various worlds and universes. Its luster faded, and little by little, everything that had been staked on was barely scrapped away and reforged, allowing it to be recast once again.

That is his past, and his future.

"You said you became a Kamen Rider to end the tragedies of others, but what about the tragedies of your own life?"

"..."

"Having lost the past and the future, what do you have left to pay for it?"

"..."

Silence. Only the relentless sound of the torrential rain.

He lowered his head slightly, and raindrops gathered into a thin stream, dripping from his chin.

He couldn't answer any of the widow's questions.

However, when it came to the last question, I finally managed to muster up a little courage.

"My scoundrel husband only showed courage once in his life, to protect me and his loved ones. And what are you fighting for now?"

He slowly raised his head, meeting Lady Toyokawa's probing gaze. Rain washed over his face, erasing his previous blurred expression, leaving behind an almost transparent pallor and a calm that burned to its extreme.

"For the same reason."

The boy finally managed a smile at her.

"It's also to protect what I love."

He raised his hand, his fingers tracing a line in the rain, with a sense of declaration:

He pointed to Mrs. Toyokawa in front of him—the woman who had helped him in this world and who carried the shadow of Miss Toyokawa.

He pointed to the earth beneath his feet, the ground where he stood, murmuring in the downpour.

He pointed to the entire scarred planet that was faintly visible in the rain.

Finally, he raised his arm sharply, with resolute force, pointing beyond the torrential rain and overcast sky, towards that indescribable terror.

People point to the sky, to the gods, and also to beyond the heavens.

His voice suddenly rose, carrying a penetrating force that seemed to tear through the rain curtain; every word felt like it was burning.

"I will not only defeat the gods, I will also live... I will go back and protect my loved ones."

Dark flames coiled around his body.

He and she exchanged one last glance.

"I have become weak and helpless, lost my past, and ruined my future. In the end, all I can offer my loved ones is..."

He didn't linger.

"--Now."

With a stomp of the foot, what shattered was not the ground, but the heavy air and the pouring rain.

He was not standing on solid ground; the void was scorched and distorted by the dark flames. In this way, he treaded on invisible steps, facing the torrential rain, and headed towards the dark sky, step by step, against the current.

The man, who had lost both past and future, climbed the steps, yet his movements were anything but slow. From a distance, a burning, jet-black meteor could be seen rushing against the torrential rain towards the high sky, where dark clouds loomed and thunder rumbled.

The pitch-black flames tore through the thick rain clouds and darkness, then illuminated the entire sky.

……

……

Beyond this world.

The true center of the Milky Way, the place where stars were first born.

"Those lights that were once too dazzling and pierced the universe, after burning themselves out and collapsing into silence, their final echoes and proofs converge here in another form—eternal 'death'."

It is also the last piece of evidence left behind by a supernova after it has burned out.

Here, the world is distorted and destroyed, and one's sense of direction is completely stripped away. Even black holes, powerful enough to crush stars and all things, are nothing more than mountainous mounds here, collectively forming this literal graveyard of stars.

Gravity is so strong that even a god would not be qualified to dismantle what is contrary to it.

"I wonder if this place is worthy to be your final resting place?"

The armored deity stood in what astronomically is known as the "Star Nest," gazing at the dark warrior and awaiting his reply.

"This place is nice, but I still have so much to say, so many people to meet, and I don't want to die here."

The ancient warrior responded with a mocking tone, seemingly oblivious to the group of allies standing beside him.

The god pondered for a moment, confirming that there was only one person on the other side and no other reinforcements. He then slowly spoke, and at the same time, the crimson gemstone embedded in his right gauntlet began to glow.

"Instead of fighting to the death, you actually have another path to choose: Kuuga, which is to join us."

"Man does not associate with monsters; God does not rank with mortals; and monsters... will certainly not walk with gods!"

Seeing the black-clad warrior resolutely refuse, the golden god hesitated no longer. Brilliant light condensed in his hand, and something that was less a beam of light or a pillar of light than a torrent of light surged forth.

The arrogant, dark-skinned warrior simply spread his palms, neither retreating nor yielding, letting the torrent wash over him, step by step going against the current, resisting the pull of gravity, and advancing to his side.

The golden god brought his arms together, sneered, and raised his fist.

"You don't actually think that the glory of another world can be brought to this one, do you, the man who once stood at the end of the long road?"

"Glory is worthless..."