Kamen Rider Zi-O, Dimensional Descent

Swartz chuckled and spoke respectfully to Fire on the Right.

“We weaklings can’t change the mind of a strong person like you, so please don’t take my words to heart. Just do what you want to do, whether it’s plunging the world into suffering or destroying people’s happiness. Do what you like.”

"Hmph... You're quite the smooth talker. I bet you've flattered quite a few people before, haven't you?"

Fire on the right smiled indifferently and turned around.

"I have already contacted the people in the Russian army, and they will arrange accommodation for you."

"Thank you so much..."

"However, what you promised to do for me, you must do. Understand?"

"Then please rest assured, as long as you can accomplish your so-called hegemony when the time comes."

So the fire on the right said nothing more.

The group looked ahead, only to find that the other person had simply taken a step and vanished from the room in an instant.

Once again, only a few of them remained in the room.

In an instant, Ur and Aura couldn't help but gasp for breath, both of them wearing uncomfortable expressions.

"Is that guy... really still human?"

"Just being around him gives me a monstrous sense of oppression. When did this world... have such monstrous humans?!"

Compared to Aura and Ul, Swartz's complexion was normal.

"Hey Swartz... are you really planning to rely on this guy to take down Zi-O?"

“The watches of those Another Riders haven’t been fully upgraded yet, especially the one I usually use. Without being able to use those powers, we can’t take down that guy on our own.”

"But didn't that man in red say he's not going to help us? He's only focused on completing his own plan. Who knows what kind of lousy plan his so-called 'saving the world' is anyway!"

"You don't need to worry about this at all."

Upon hearing this, Swartz's face immediately broke into a sinister smile.

"Have you two forgotten just who Shi Lun Yan Ming really is?"

"What…?"

"That guy's personality is such that he'll always lend a hand when he sees injustice. He'd even help a few people who've been attacked on the street. Do you think he'd just stand by and watch that 'Right-Front Fire' ignite a global world war?"

Aura and Ur blinked, and then finally... understood Swartz's thoughts.

"Are you saying that once the Right Flame starts his war, there's no need to ask him to fight Zi-O; Zi-O and his people will come to him on their own and challenge the Right Flame?"

"That's right, aren't all Kamen Riders like that? A bunch of self-righteous heroes who are always thinking about defeating some guy who's disrupting world peace... This is the perfect opportunity."

Based on Swartz's impression, the Right Flame's strength surpasses that of the current Zi-O members.

Using the fire on the right to defeat Zi-O was one of Swartz's plans... however, it wasn't the only one.

He still has another person who can help.

"Are you serious...? You, you're still planning to send that demon to fight Zi-O?"

"Why not? That guy is also one of the main combat forces, and I've already discussed with him how to defeat Zi-O."

"Weren't you planning to use Right Flame to defeat Zi-O? What exactly are you planning, Swartz...?"

"It's not that I'm planning anything; the one who will make the move this time will never be us."

Without the ability to use the Another Rider Watch, these Time Jackers can no longer be a major fighting force.

So Swartz never intended to take the initiative and attack on his own from the very beginning.

Instead, they utilize everything around them, everything they can see, to achieve their goals.

"But... that demon has already been defeated twice by Zi-O and the others. Does it really have any chance of winning?"

"Ah, that's true, but you don't need to worry about that."

Swartz chuckled softly and said nothing more.

On the other side, on the roof of this huge building.

The figure of the black demon was faintly visible here.

"Another dimension...?"

Previously, this demon and Swartz communicated with each other and learned about the specifics of this world.

First, they learned about the world and what he was going to do next from the person called Right Fire.

"This world is covered by various extradimensional entities called 'phases,' and the one that the Right Flame will be manipulating next is one of those 'phases'..."

This is the key point: the demon has already figured out how to use his power to change the odds of defeating the enemy he cannot defeat.

…And if even this can't defeat those guys…

So ultimately, he had no choice but to give up and plunge the world into chaos.

A state of inevitable destruction.

Whether it's Swartz, Right Flame, or everyone else... they will all become pawns in his plan.

He alone could control the overall situation, and no one else could.

"Just you wait... Shilun Yanming."

Behind the scenes, all parties were secretly plotting their own schemes.

------------------

So the decision has been made.

"Going to Russia... I guess we won't come back here after we get there, right?"

“I have a feeling, my Demon King, that if we really go to Russia based on the information given by that angel named Aiwass, there won’t be much left for us to do in this world.”

"That's exactly what I was thinking. I've already stayed here long enough."

A world built from science and magic... It is indeed wondrous, but in this city called Academy City, they also witnessed many experiences that are usually only found in everyday life.

Although I experienced a lot here and met many people.

But they must keep moving forward.

After the three of them had what was theoretically their last meal in the apartment, Yan Ming took out the Decade driving watch.

"Let's get ready to leave."

"Okay! Uh, wait a minute... are we going to get to Russia this way?"

"Both airplanes and trains are too slow. My choice as the Demon King is absolutely correct."

Without waiting for Gates to say anything more, Yan Ming pressed the button, and an aurora curtain appeared in front of everyone.

They passed through the curtain in front of them, and then—

What came into view was an overwhelming wind and snow.

Achoo—!!!

Gates, who was still wearing clothes that weren't quite wintery, suddenly sneezed.

"I said...can we go back and change our clothes before coming back? It's way too cold here!!"

"Don't you know that the place we're coming to is covered in ice and snow all year round?"

"That's true, but at least give me some time to change!"

So Yan Ming specially opened the aurora curtain again for Gates. This time, after they changed their clothes, they continued to set foot on the land called Russia.

However, they hadn't walked far when they soon saw various airplanes flying overhead.

…Those are fighter jets that only Academy City has.

"My Demon King, it seems..."

"The war has begun."

The presence of Academy City aircraft over Russian soil can only mean one thing... the Right Flame's plan has succeeded.

World War III has officially begun.

Volume 5, A Certain Magical Index: Chapter 217 An Exaggerated Opponent

Right now, Yan Ming, Gatesworth, and two others are walking on the icy land called Russia.

Gates, on the other hand, lamented for a long time.

"Achoo!!! Even with all these clothes on, I'm still cold!"

Gates seemed surprisingly intolerant of the cold; despite bringing a down jacket from his old apartment, he still sneezed every now and then.

"Hey you two... we're all human, so why don't you react to this weather at all?"

"A reaction? At this temperature, what kind of reaction is needed?"

Woz said sarcastically, with a slightly disdainful tone.

"If you can sneeze so frequently in this kind of weather, then it can only mean that, Mr. Gates, your physical condition is really worrying."

"What did you say, you brat? Looking for a fight?! Achoo—!!"

"Alright, if you really feel cold, why not use the power of the dial to keep warm?"

Yan Ming's words stunned Gates. What did he mean by... using the power of the dial to keep warm?

"My Demon King's words are simple enough. Just pick any knight watch face with fire-related power, hold it in your hand, and press it. Isn't that just using its power to keep warm?"

"Yes, yes! There's such a method, how come I didn't think of it?"

Gates spent so much time trying to figure out the answer to such a small thing, but he couldn't even come up with it? This really caught Yan Ming and Woz off guard.

Gates took out Ghost's watch face, pressed the button, and a warm current enveloped his entire body. This was the power from the fire-related part of all of Ghost's forms taking effect.

Seeing Gates's relaxed expression, Wozniak shook his head speechlessly.

"His physical condition is really worrying; this level of cold is already to the point where he needs the strength of a knight to keep warm..."

“It’s not his fault, Woz. This part of Russia is covered in ice and snow all year round. It’s normal for the body not to be able to react to such a temperature difference for a while. Besides, the cold here is not something that ordinary people can endure.”

That's what I said... Woz glanced at Yan Ming beside him almost imperceptibly.

Gates clearly couldn't stand the weather, and Woz goes without saying; he possesses superhuman strength and physique, so there's no need to compare him to a normal person.

But what about Yan Ming's situation?

He didn't have Woz's physical attributes and superhuman strength, nor did he use the power of the Rider's Watch to keep warm like Gates. To be honest, even the clothes he was wearing were just ordinary coats, and he should have been shivering from the cold in this freezing weather.

But right now, apart from the breath he exhaled that was somewhat in line with the cold environment around him, Yan Ming showed no signs of being unable to withstand the cold at all.

He neither shivered nor sneezed, and Wozniacki even thought that even if he took off his coat, he probably still wouldn't feel cold.

What's wrong with my Demon King? It's such cold weather, how come he's perfectly fine?

Let's stop here.

"How...did you find the location of that guy, Right Flame?"

"That's roughly the case."

Yan Ming suddenly stopped the two of them. Gates looked at him with some surprise, because as far as the eye could see, there was a vast expanse of snowfield.

Such a place is practically barren; it's obviously not where that guy Right Fire is located.

"I didn't see anything. I don't think it's because my eyesight is bad, is it?"

"You'll see soon enough."

Before Gates could figure out what Yan Ming meant, the sky was illuminated by a dazzling blue light.

Om-! !

On the Russian landscape, the azure sky and white clouds suddenly began to darken.

Looking up, it seemed as if some incredibly delicate, round object covered the entire sky.

"What, what's going on here? Could it be that the guy on the right shattered the sky?!"

"That's not how it is..."

Woz saw clearly what was in the sky and realized that it was something they had all seen before.