I do not own Classroom of the Elite and Kamen Rider Ryuki, which are copyrighted works by Shougo Kinugasa and Shotaro Ishinomori respectively.
Chapter 1 – First Blood
In a world built upon bargains and societies of egocentric people, the capacity for the greediness of mankind can never be fulfilled as humanity will always strive to benefit themselves for the better. But how much sins will one person commit to become the pinnacle of the winners? For an ordinary high school student like Kiyotaka Ayanokoji, his answer was indefinite with no sympathy. Because to him, humanity was simply a mask of deceptive façade which conceals the true nature of individuals. With complete disregard for human life, Kiyotaka preferred the ideal of isolation, a trait attributed to his stoic and monotonous personality. Despite his peculiar views on humanity and friendship, however, Kiyotaka's decision at enrolling in the advanced nurturing high school may prove otherwise. Unbeknownst to the others, Kiyotaka has always craved for freedom, a state that never applies to him in his youth. In fact, it was safe to assume that the openness life style offered by the institution is what attracts Kiyotaka in the first place.
The first day of the new school hasn't been quite sailing smoothly for Kiyotaka when he learns the lateness of the bus as opposed to the usual punctual schedule, much to the dismay of the students waiting at the bus stop. But for Kiyotaka himself, the absence of the bus didn't seem to be disturbing him, as he has anticipated its arrival beforehand, knowing that the transportation system of this country won't disappoint him on his first day in the new school. As boredom began to fill the atmosphere, Kiyotaka casually take his phone out of his pocket and checks for any messages or news that might be of interest to him, hoping to pass time by educating himself with noteworthy information, unlike the two male students sitting beside him, who indulge themselves in the fantasy world of video games.
Whilst the selection of the news on his phone weren't captivating enough to be praised by the critical mindset of Kiyotaka as he scrolls through the seemingly endless list, one particular news item does causes him to raise an eyebrow, which is unusual, considering the extreme difficulty in pleasing Kiyotaka Ayanokoji himself, not to mention the dull and monotonous personality he retains further impedes the attempt. With his eyesight completely fixated on this intriguing news topic, Kiyotaka begin reading its content, even though he's not quite certain of the reason he is drawn to this news article.
"Looks like a series of missing person cases are on the raise," Kiyotaka scanned his eyes on every line of the paragraph, "Interesting, it says here for every victim they found, a mirror is always present at the scene of crime. I wonder if our bus driver has gone missing as well?"
Kiyotaka stared into the endless horizon illuminated by the strong sunlight at the end of the road, his eyes gazing for any signs of the bus. But apart from the passer-by of a few cars, the designated bus cannot be found anywhere. At this moment, Kiyotaka could already perceive the impatience in the other students as seen through grunts of annoyance; one black-haired girl in particular emphasises her anger further by making a harsh remark.
"This is getting ridiculous. If this country wants to foster young people, how can they even take the first step when their transport system is a joke itself?"
Kiyotaka turned his head towards the source of the voice where he finds himself facing an attractive looking girl who appears to be attending the same school as him, as noted by the identical uniform worn by her. Under normal circumstances, Kiyotaka wouldn't directly seek out a relationship with the opposite gender, but perhaps it is her breathtaking beauty that captivates his attention as he sneakily moves himself closer to the girl. Like Kiyotaka himself, the girl shared the same emotionless and stoic expression as him, with the exception of exhibiting a certain degree of impatience, as opposed to his own calm and patient manner. A novel can be seen being held in the girl's hand, suggesting her enthusiastic engagement in reading, which is something that has been occurring for the past 10 minutes ever since Kiyotaka arrives at the bus stop.
"I can understand the frustration of being late on your first day," Kiyotaka promptly said to the girl, "But I don't think a flawed transport system has anything to do with a country's ability to nurture youngsters."
"If you are trying to make me feel better, then it's not going to work." The girl replied coldly without turning her face away from her book.
Kiyotaka was rather surprised by the emotionless response from the girl, but he displays no changes in emotions as his interest in the girl grows wider.
"You don't seem to be the kind of person that wants to socialise with other people." Kiyotaka remarked.
"Is that a problem for you?"
"No, but wouldn't it be nice to have friends?"
"Friendship only serves as the obstacle to my goals." The girl stared at Kiyotaka with an annoyed look, "Now if you excuse me, please step away from me, I need some personal space of my own."
Sensing the immediate rejection, Kiyotaka immediately complied with her request as he slowly moves away from the girl, distancing themselves. Unbeknownst to him, the contract monster Darkwing has appeared on the glass panel behind Kiyotaka, watching his every movement with its glowing red eyes of fury. Despite its appearance being blinded by the refraction of the sunlight, the faint outline of the creature reveals its enormously abnormal size, an indication that the creature is an unnatural creation. Needless to say, the wings of Darkwing are large enough to encapsulate an average young adult like Kiyotaka himself, if one is to compare their sizes.
"It's about god damn time!" A student with long blonde hair snarled upon seeing the arrival of the bus, in which Darkwing vanishes from the commotion in response.
"I'm really sorry for the delay," The bus driver bowed deeply in an apologetic manner, "There has been an explosion near the highway entrance from last night, so I have to take the longer route. As a gesture of condolences, all bus fares will be exempted for today."
"An explosion in the middle of the road? This could get very interesting." Kiyotaka thought as he and the rest of the students enter the bus.
Coincidently, the seat in which Kiyotaka has chosen was positioned oppositely of the back haired girl. But having learnt of her anti-social behaviour, Kiyotaka decides not to initiate another conversation, despite the fact that he often take several glances at her momentarily, hinting the retainment of his interests in her. Like the emotionless and discoloured personality of Kiyotaka, the atmosphere throughout the entire journey had been engulfed in the dead silence, with not a single word being spoken.
However, the quietness was soon shattered by the sudden emission of ringing sounds in Kiyotaka's head. It somewhat resembled the jingling of Christmas bells, yet the lack of rhythm and harmony create an irritation for Kiyotaka. Shaken by the peculiar noise, he begins searching for the source of disturbance by looking around his surroundings, but apart from the distinct chatter of the other students and the sound of fried chips being consumed, there is absolutely nothing on the scene that might have suggested the source of the irritating sound. Kiyotaka then turned his head towards the girl he spoke with earlier to see if the ringing sounds has affected her as well. Strangely, the girl simply retained her silence as she continues to read her novel.
Unfortunately, the attempt at suppressing the ringing sound with loud music being played through earphones didn't seem to have improved the situation in any aspect; it is as though as the sound has been moulded within Kiyotaka's mind. Kiyotaka softly grunted with annoyance as he drops his head, hoping to distract himself from the ringing sound by forming new memories in his head. But thankfully, the ringing sound soon dissipated into nothingness when the bus abruptly arrives at the destination. Needless to say, apart from the harsh remarks he received from the black-haired girl, the irritating ringing sounds are enough to call this day strange.
"Am I imagining things?" Kiyotaka scratched his head, confused by the strange phenomenon. But he quickly brushed it off his mind as he steps out of the bus.
Kiyotaka was rather surprised by the abundant size of his new school which resides in front of his eyesight. He briefly lingered around the main entrance as he examines the architectural style of the building. From what he had observed so far, the appearance of this new school shared no distinctive differences from the other educational institutions, other than the fact that the facility is built upon an island, which completely isolates itself from the metropolitan area with only a bridge serving as the pathway of traversing.
"So this is my new school," Kiyotaka thought, "It looks like the government has really made an effort in funding all this."
Kiyotaka's thought was then abruptly interrupted by the presence of the black-haired girl he met earlier at the bus stop. She stood atop the stairs with a face of dislike staring at Kiyotaka in which the latter becomes slightly stunned by the awkward tension.
"Hey you," The black-haired girl spoke, "I noticed that you are staring at me on the bus, why is that?"
Facing such conundrum, Kiyotaka knew it would be foolish to reveal the fact that he has been hearing weird noises like the ringing sounds earlier, not to mention that even Kiyotaka himself has doubts of the legitimacy of the phenomenon which occurred on the bus. Kiyotaka was almost certain that he is experiencing hallucinations, probably from the lack of sleep last night, yet the ringing sounds yield surrealism, a feeling that strikes deep into his mind.
"Oh, I'm sorry," Kiyotaka began, attempting to formulate the most appropriate explanation for his behaviour, "I couldn't help notice, but you look really beautiful."
"That's quite a compliment," A small yet barely visible smile appeared on the black-haired girl's face, "But don't even think about getting friendly with me just because I appreciate what you said." The black-haired girl finished with a stern look before departing the scene.
"I guess this is my first time trying to make a proper conversation with a girl," Kiyotaka pondered as he stares at the back of the black-haired girl, "But does that count as flirting?"
Kiyotaka carried the compelling thought with him into the school hall where the opening ceremony is being held. The greeting speech made by the president of the student council Manabu Horikita is rather intriguing in terms of wording, but not amusing enough to keep Kiyotaka's ears open during the entire session, as he has heard the same types of speeches like this throughout his life to the extent where he couldn't tell the difference between each one. Despite having to endure the boredom, Kiyotaka was enlightened by the presence of the black-haired girl who happens to be sitting next to him.
"Could this be another coincidence?" Kiyotaka thought as he slightly nudged his head towards the black-haired girl, hoping not to attract her attention.
Kiyotaka released a small sigh as he continues to listen to the supposedly inspiring speech which lasts for another 15 minutes before the bell finally rings, lifting the burden of anxiety off Kiyotaka as he strolls his way to his designated class of 1D. Kiyotaka gradually began to accept the unresolved fact that hallucination is not the culprit, but the irritating sensation he experienced earlier on the bus is something not to be reckoned with.
With no viable solution to the ringing sounds, Kiyotaka decided to attend his first class before heading to the infirmary for a complete body check. Just like any other typical high school classes, sounds of cheerful laughter and occasional profanities can be heard echoing throughout the entire room. Kiyotaka's eyes then grew wider by the sight of the black-haired girl. Perhaps it was fate that brings them together, as it has become apparent that Kiyotaka is destined to be seated next to her.
"An annoying coincidence." The black-haired girl remarked after noticing the presence of Kiyotaka.
"I'm surprised that you said all these things to someone you just met today." Kiyotaka responded bluntly.
"I just prefer to be left alone, that's all." The black-haired girl gently stroked her hair before continuing, "But I should let you know that you are the first person to ever compliment on my appearance."
"I'm not surprised, given how you have no friends to do that for you." Kiyotaka suddenly lighten up his tone when a thought struck his mind, "Hey, didn't you say that you despise friendship back at the bus stop? So in this case, why did you take the initiative by talking to me?"
"That's…" The black-haired girl became stunned by the debatable question proposed by Kiyotaka, but she immediately resolved the tension by counterattacking with her own explanation. "Look, just because I started this conversation doesn't mean I want to be friends with you. It's not like I want to stay silent forever. We can talk if necessary, but not on personal topics."
"I'm glad to hear that, but you should at least tell me your name. It would be awkward to study with someone that you don't even know for the next three years."
The black-haired girl stared at Kiyotaka with a cold look for a few seconds before introducing herself.
"It's Suzune Horikita." Suzune replied bluntly.
"Horikita? Like the guy that spoke earlier at the school hall?" Kiyotaka asked.
Suzune proceeded to ignore the query from Kiyotaka as she turns her face away. The exchange of the two students' eyesight was then interrupted by a leader-like voice, attracting the attention of the entire class.
"Guys! Can I have your attention please!" A male blonde hair student spoke in an outstanding tone, "We should go around the room and introduce ourselves, just so we can get familiar with each other. The teacher isn't here yet, so we might as well. Does that sound okay to you?"
"Sure! I would love to!" A female student exclaimed excitedly.
"That sounds like fun!"
"Of course, how else are we supposed to get acquainted?"
"All right, I guess I'll go first!" The blonde hair student cleared his throat before continuing, "My name is Yosuke Hirata, but you can just call me Yosuke. I'm a huge fan of sports, and I'm going to try out for the school's soccer team. So yeah, nice to meet you all."
"I'll go next!" A female beige-coloured hair student exclaimed as soon as Yosuke drops his voice, "Hi! My name is Kikyo Kushida! My goal is to become friends with everyone in this school! And that includes you guys, of course! So if you are going out, please consider me, thank you!"
"Next up, how about you?" Yosuke gestured his hand towards Kiyotaka, in which he immediately becomes the centre of the spotlight. Having zero experiences in speaking in front of audiences, Kiyotaka slowly stands up from his chair with his mind hesitant on formulating the perfect introduction. Either way, Kiyotaka knew for the sake of his reputation, he has to at least tell everyone his name.
"Oh, um…" Kiyotaka stuttered, "My name is Kiyotaka Ayanokoji, and I…"
The introduction was suddenly interrupted by the return of the ominous ringing sound in Kiyotaka's head. At this moment, he realised that whatever is causing the irritating sound must be taken care of, otherwise he will suffer psychological breakdown for the next three years, listening to nothing but the sound of torture. Just then, his eyes caught a glimpse of a figure which causes his eyes to open widely with shock. Kiyotaka was almost certain that his eyesight is deceiving him, but he witnesses what it appears to be a giant spider on the reflection of the classroom window on his left side. The size of the creature was unrealistically big, but Kiyotaka has ascertained that this creature must be the culprit, given how the ringing sound has gradually increases in amplitude.
The giant spider then turned its fangs at Kiyotaka as it slowly moves closer to him. Kiyotaka stared at the creature with both shock and fear where he retreats himself to the corner of the classroom, knocking over his chair in the process.
"Hey, are you all right?" Yosuke asked, alerted by the sound of the chair collapsing on the floor.
"It's okay if you are nervous," Kikyo reassured Kiyotaka by placing her hand on his shoulder, "We can go over the introduction after class."
"No, it's just that…" Kiyotaka muttered inaudible words before dashing out of the classroom, causing a huge stir to the students presented in the room.
"Wait, Kiyotaka! Don't go!" Yosuke shouted.
"Do you think he's going to be alright?" Kikyo asked worriedly after Kiyotaka disappears.
"I don't know, but I can already tell this guy is a chicken! He can't even introduce himself properly!" A red-haired student with a basketball gripped firmly in his hand replied.
Suzune simply remained silent, not wanting to entangle herself in any incidents unrelated to her. However, she was rather surprised to see the cowardice side of Kiyotaka under his monotonous personality. Putting that aside, Suzune and the others immediately refocused on the learning when the teacher walks into the room.
"I'm Sae Chabashira, the homeroom teacher for class 1D," The teacher promptly introduced herself with a stern look, "In this school, you will not change classes, ever. For the next three years I'll be responsible for you until your graduation." Sae then scanned her eyes around the classroom when the empty table next to Suzune catches her attention.
"Does anyone know the name of the student that's supposed to be seated at that table?" Sae pointed her fingers at the only empty table in the room.
"Oh, that would be Kiyotaka Ayanokoji," Kikyo replied, "But he just left the room for no reason."
Yosuke raised his hand. "Sensei, do you want me to go look for…"
"No." Sae interrupted with a stoic expression, "We'll continue the class without him, it's his own loss for not coming back."
While Kiyotaka has always been a non-believer in supernatural phenomenon, the combination of the ringing sounds and the giant spider creature he witnessed are enough to convince him otherwise. From what he has deduced from that incident, the ringing sounds probably serve as a type of warning for the presence of that creature, but Kiyotaka is puzzled by the fact that the creature is completely invisible to the other students, not to mention that the ringing sound is oblivious to them as well.
"So it looks like I'm the only one capable of sensing that creature," Kiyotaka thought carefully, "But what purpose does it serve?"
Without a satisfying answer, Kiyotaka walked into the male toilet to wash his face, hoping to take his mind off those peculiar events. The feeling of water being splashed on his face is truly refreshing, but the rejuvenation has failed to remove the disturbing memories of his. Kiyotaka idly stared at his own reflection on the bathroom mirror whilst contemplating the meaning of the ringing sounds.
"Oh well, it's time to return to the class, the teacher has probably arrived." Kiyotaka released a small sigh as he makes his way to the exit.
Just then, Kiyotaka felt a small lump in his left pocket, which surprised him, given how the pocket on his pants has remained empty throughout the entire day. He never did once recall putting anything inside, let alone his own hands. With extreme caution, Kiyotaka softly inserted his hand into the left pocket and pulled out a black rectangular shaped object.
The object appeared to be a card deck holder, as noted by a number of cards pre-inserted in the slot. One distinguishable and noticeable feature of this object, however, is the engraving of a gold-coloured bat symbol embedded on the surface of the object. To be more precise, the object was better known as the advent deck.
"What's this?" Kiyotaka flipped the object back and forth, dumbfounded by the mysterious nature of the advent deck, "I don't remember having this thing when I pack my bag this morning."
Kiyotaka then fiddled with the advent deck where he notices a number of cards inserted within the slot of the object.
"So this thing holds these cards," Kiyotaka carefully pulled a random card out in which the word 'Darkwing' is written on it. "Hmmm, these cards look like one of those collectables in games. I better not waste my time playing with them. I still have classes to attend, after all."
Just before he could place the advent deck back into his pocket, a strong luminous white light suddenly emits from the object, blinding the eyes of Kiyotaka as the light engulfs him completely. He then disappeared without a trace, like water vaporising in the air.
It didn't take long for Kiyotaka to realise that the mysterious light has somehow brings him 'back' to the same toilet he was in before, with the only difference being a strange dark blue armour cladded around his body.
"Eh? What happened to me?" Kiyotaka looked at his own hands and chest with utter shock, confused and frightened by the unexpected transformation. Kiyotaka then turned his head towards the bathroom mirror to get a better overview of his armour. Like the gold-coloured bat symbol on the card deck holder which is now embedded in the centre of his belt, the helmet of his armour shares a striking similarity to a bat as noted by the two bat-like ears extruded on each side of his head. Attached on the side of his belt is a bat-themed rapier presumably used as the primary weapon of attack for the user. Unbeknownst to him, Kiyotaka Ayanokoji has transformed into Kamen Rider Knight, the portmanteau of a European knight and a bat.
"What is this armour?" Kiyotaka, now assuming the identity as Kamen Rider Knight, stared at his own clenched fists with incomprehensible thoughts, too shocked to absorb the reality placed in front of him.
Before he could further examine his armour though, the sound of a loud explosion erupts in Knight's ears. Thanks to the enhanced hearing granted by the armour, Knight is able to locate source of the explosion where he finds himself facing the giant spider creature he witnesses back in the classroom, strolling along the basketball field. The giant spider creature then fired sticky webbings from its mouth upon discovering the presence of Kamen Rider Knight, in which the latter dodged with ease as he conceals himself behind a column.
"This is just great," Knight thought in a disapproving tone whilst taking a small peek at his opponent, "I have classes to attend, and yet here I am, stuck in this strange armour with a giant spider trying to kill me. Is my day going to be any better?"
Just then, Knight noticed the advent deck embedded on his belt, which is the same object he found in his pocket earlier. Floods of familiar memories began to rush towards his mind as he pulls a card out of the advent deck, in which the slot on his rapier automatically opens in response, revealing an empty slot presumably for the insertion of the card in his hand.
"I see, so that's how the cards work." Knight began to understand the fundamental functionalities of his arsenal as he promptly inserts the card into the empty slot on his rapier. A deep monotonous voice was announced shortly after.
'NASTY VENT'
Knight stared in amaze as Darkwing flies towards the giant spider creature, in which a devastating sonic screech is unleashed from the mouth of the contract monster, causing its opponent to shriek in pain to the extent where the legs of the creature begin to crumble. With the giant spider creature began to lose focus from the aftermath of the sonic attack, Knight knows this is the perfect chance for him to initiate his final attack.
"All right, let's see what other cards I have here." Knight promptly pulled another card from the advent deck and inserts it into his rapier. The distinctively same monotonous voice was emitted from the device.
'FINAL VENT'
Knight ran toward his opponent with Darkwing clamping its feet on the back of its master, forming a cape in which Knight consequently leaps high in the air, with his cape wrapping himself in a cyclonic shape as both the rider and Darkwing descend toward the giant spider creature in the form of a spinning cloth-like drill which mercilessly impales their opponent, obliterating the creature itself to pieces of debris followed by an explosion.
Despite having gained victory over his first battle, Knight retains his vigilant state as he proceeds to scan his surroundings for any unexpected ambushes. Strangely enough, from the moment he transformed into Kamen Rider Knight, there has been no single sign of any living persons, apart from himself and the recently defeated creature. But to make matters more interesting, all the letters and words that can be seen within his eyesight were written backwards. At this moment, Knight realised that this isn't the school he used to know. He hated to admit, but all the evidences shown around him suggest the undeniable fact that he is in fact, trapped in a parallel universe, or an alternate dimension. Putting all that aside, Knight was more interested in his armour and the power it contains. The giant spider creature, Darkwing, and this alternate dimension, they were all phenomenon deemed non-existent by science. But Knight had seen it all with his own eyes, even though he wants to reject their existence.
"This power…" Knight stared at his own armour, "It's definitely something."
With no moments to spare, Knight began to search for the exit to escape this isolated dimension. Thanks to his high intellect and quick thinking though, it didn't take long for him to learn the method of traversing between the mirror world and the real world.
"This is definitely not a dream," Kiyotaka stared at the advent deck gripped in the palm of his hand with disbelief upon re-entering the real world, "But that battle almost feels like a simulation. Was that monster even real?"
With numerous unanswered questions in his head, Kiyotaka decides to prioritise classes over the unexplainable events that took place in the mirror world as he makes his way back to the classroom, hoping that his absence won't upset or enrage the teacher, given how the battle only lasted for approximately 10 minutes, a relatively short time for an experienced fighter like Kiyotaka himself. A sigh of relief can be heard from Kiyotaka as he opens the door to his class. Just as he has anticipated, he is immediately greeted by the harsh tone from Sae Chabashira.
"You are late," Sae folded her arms with a disappointed look, "Where have you been?"
"It's obvious no one is going to believe the fact that I battled a monster in an alternate dimension," Kiyotaka thought, "I might as well make up an excuse."
"I'm sorry for being late, sensei," Kiyotaka bowed slightly in an apologetic manner, "but I was in the toilet."
"Toilet? Haha, what a pathetic excuse," Sae almost wanted to laugh, but she continues to retain her seriousness, "That's what they all like to say to their teachers. Tell me, what were you really doing in the toilet?"
"The things you would do when you go to the toilet." Kiyotaka replied sarcastically with a barely visible smile. Unexpectedly, his response instantly triggered hoards of laughter, in which Sae becomes slightly embarrassed from the words of Kiyotaka.
"Whatever, just get back to your own seat." Sae spoke in an unamused tone, pointing her fingers toward the empty table next to Suzune.
"It's my first day at the new school and I have already formed an uneased relationship with my teacher. Was that battle really worth it?" Kiyotaka fell into a deep thought while he casually fiddled with the advent deck stowed in the pocket with his fingers.
"Yosuke Hirata," Sae turned her attention to Yosuke as soon as Kiyotaka sits himself down, "Would you mind giving Ayanokoji a spare copy of the school rulebook as well as a brief explanation of the private points after the class?"
"Yeah sure." Yosuke replied concisely.
What it appeared to be an endless class session eventually meets its end by the deafening noise of the school bell. Knowing that Yosuke would be expecting him, Kiyotaka briefly lingers around the doorway. Then true to his prediction of Yousuke's leadership potential, Kiyotaka soon found himself facing the sincere smile of Yosuke, who has arrived in the nick of the time.
"What's up, Kiyotaka-kun," said Yosuke cheerfully, "Listen, I want to apologise for making you speak in front of the crowd, I never realised that you are the shy type."
"Well, I suppose I am one." Kiyotaka replied bluntly.
"But were you really in the toilet like what you told Chabashira sensei? I know some students tend to miss out classes, so could you be one of them?"
"I was in the toilet, that's an undeniable fact." Kiyotaka replied emotionlessly.
"Relax, buddy! I believe in you!" Yosuke gently patted Kiyotaka on the shoulder, "But anyway, you should take this, it's the school rulebook. Have a look at it when you return to your dormitory." Yosuke proceeded to give Kiyotaka a thin booklet.
"Thanks," Kiyotaka randomly scrolled through the rulebook, "I also heard the sensei mentioning about the private points, I suppose you can fill me in with that as well?"
"Of course, the private points are actually money specifically used for this school. We all have been given 100,000 points, or 100,000 yen to be exact, since 1 point is equal to 1 yen." Yosuke held up the screen on his phone, which precisely displays the number 100,000.
"Hirata-kun," Kiyotaka looked at the screen on his phone, "Are you sure that each one of us is given the exact same amount?"
"I'm pretty sure that's what Chabashira sensei said, but why?" Yosuke sensed the confusion in Kiyotaka.
"Well, it seems I have been given an extra 200 points," Kiyotaka promptly turned the screen of his phone towards Yosuke, in which the latter become surprised by the numerical value shown, which reads '100,200'.
"That's unbelievable…" Yosuke gasped at the number, "I honest have no idea why this happened. Maybe it's a miscalculation in the school system, I guess?" Yosuke shrugged his shoulder before he lightens up his tone, "But hey, you should be thankful that you got extra points on your first day! But I'll keep it a secret though, just in case someone got jealous!"
"Who's going to be jealous?" Yosuke winced in fear by a female voice which belongs to a blonde hair girl standing behind him.
"Oh hey, Kei-chan! How are you?" Yosuke awkward waved his hand at the female student.
"I see that you have met my boyfriend," The female student grabbed Yosuke's hand, "Kiyotaka Ayanokoji, isn't it? It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Kei Karuizawa."
"Pleased to meet you too." Kiyotaka returned the favour with a small smile.
"Yosuke-chan," Kei stared at Yosuke with an innocent doll face, "You do love me, right?"
"Of course I do, Kei-chan!" Yosuke replied with a worried look, fearing that her girlfriend might have already found out about the secret between him and Kiyotaka.
"Then tell me, why did you say that someone will become jealous? Are you really being serious about our relationship?"
"You are overthinking things, Kei-chan," Yosuke chuckled at the tantrum being thrown by her girlfriend, "I was actually joking with Ayanokoji-kun. But I can assure you, I will never backstab you."
"Oh! You were sharing a joke with Ayanokoji-chan? Why didn't you say so! Come on, share the humour with me! I wanna know what's the joke about!"
"Eh…" Yosuke stuttered, uncertain of the correct response, "Sorry Kei-chan, but I'm supposed to keep it a secret. It's a promise between me and Ayanokoji-kun."
Before Kei could reprimand Yosuke, Kiyotaka rescued him from the stranded tension. "It was nothing in particular, it's just the fact that I received an extra 200 points for no reason and Hirata-kun thinks someone might get jealous of that."
"Really?" Kei stared at Yosuke with a puzzled look, "200 points is so little, why would anyone be jealous of that? But I will be surprised if you have been given 200,000 points instead, Ayanokoji-chan."
"It's true that 200 yen is small," Kiyotaka thought, "But still, I find it odd that out of the entire school, I'm the only person that has been given extra points, even though I haven't participated in any activities that might have rewarded me points."
"Anyway," Kei continued, "I'm heading to the café with Yosuke, so we'll see you around, bye!"
Kiyotaka idly watched Yosuke and Kei as they disappear in the distance. He then walked in the opposite direction towards the convenience store, where once again, he is sighted by the anti-social girl, Suzune.
"I'm surprised that you made it back to class." Suzune coldly remarked at Kiyotaka's presence whilst continuing her shopping.
"It's not something that I'm proud of though." Kiyotaka replied just before a question struck his head, "Hey, just a quick question. Were you by any chance, given extra points for no reason?"
"No, why?" Suzune seemingly became interested in Kiyotaka's question as she turns her head towards him.
"Oh, it's nothing, don't worry."
"This school has a strict basis on points allocation," Suzune ignored Kiyotaka's response, "There's no way you would be given free points according to what you have told me."
"That's true…" Kiyotaka began to ponder the mysterious origin of the extra 200 points. "Wow, it seems girls need more things than boys." Kiyotaka became slightly intrigued by the number of items in Suzune's shopping basket.
"Could you not look at people's items without permission?" Suzune promptly moved her shopping basket away from Kiyotaka.
"But these brands are generic, I thought girls would be more selective on the type of shampoos they use."
"We all have to save up points because there's no telling when we will run out of money, and for your information, not every girl is fashionable."
"Well then, it's a miracle that you have healthy skin if you have been using cheap products for all these years." Kiyotaka said jokily.
"Excuse me?" Suzune became slightly enraged from Kiyotaka's sarcasm, "I don't like the way you said that."
"It's just a joke, no need to be so harsh about it." Kiyotaka looked at the unamused face on Suzune before realising the uselessness of spreading humour around someone like Suzune Horikita herself, "But Horikita-kun, do you ever plan to get marry in the future?"
"Don't you think that question is too personal?" Suzune gave Kiyotaka a dark look.
"I know, but are you willing to spend the rest of your life alone, with no friends?"
"I can live with that." Suzune replied confidently.
"Well, I think you will change your mind about that pretty soon."
"What are you trying to pull here?" Suzune could sense a deeper meaning in Kiyotaka's words.
"Nothing." Kiyotaka replied in a simplistic tone.
"You are weird," Suzune walked to the cashier in which Kiyotaka follows behind, "You aren't very good at picking conversational topics."
"Really? I thought we were doing fine just now."
"I told you before, don't try to get friendly with me." Suzune gave Kiyotaka a stern look before leaving the convenience store, "Now if you excuse me, I'm heading back to the dormitory."
"Nice, I'm going back as well." Said Kiyotaka as he follows Suzune quietly from behind.
"Do you really have to follow me around? It's getting annoying."
"You do realise that we live under the same roof, right?"
"Yes, it's quite unfortunate that I have to look at your face every morning for the next three years."
Kiyotaka paused for a brief moment before speaking again. "You know, from what I have seen so far, humour doesn't seem to exist in your life, nor have you ever smiled or laughed since I met you."
"I do smile on occasion," Suzune retained her coldness as she speaks, "But not around people like you."
"That makes me wonder how you lived through your childhood with no friends." Kiyotaka remarked.
"We'll part ways from here," said Suzune as they arrived at the reception of the student dormitory, "I'll see you tomorrow."
Without speaking a single word, Kiyotaka promptly picked up his room keys and enters the elevator. After having endured a restless day, Kiyotaka swiftly jumped on the bed in his room with his sweaty clothes still intact. He stared at the white ceiling briefly with a blank sense of purpose before taking out the advent deck that is stowed in his pocket.
"Now come to think of it," Kiyotaka held the advent deck high in the air with his head resting on the pillow, his eyes staring at the golden coloured bat symbol, "The only significant activity I have ever undertaken since my arrival at this school is the battle with that giant spider creature."
Kiyotaka turned his head sideways as he continues to ponder the true nature of the mysterious object in his hand. Suddenly, an idea struck his head as he promptly places his phone next to the advent deck on his bed, its screen displaying his private points.
Kiyotaka looked back and forth at the phone and the advent deck with an analytical mindset, "If my theory holds true, then this card deck holder must be some sort of reward system linked to my private points. That can probably explain the origin of those extra points I received. Eh, if the school really did make this, then I've got to admit, that's a pretty cool way to earn points."
"But still," Kiyotaka walked to the balcony, his eyes gazing at the horizon illuminated by the sunset, "There's no way to tell if my theory is correct until I get the chance to battle another one of those monsters."
After having absorbed too much information in a single day, Kiyotaka decides to relax himself as he drifts off to sleep, with his phone clutched tightly in his hand. But just then, the ominous ringing sounds made its grand return.
"It's here." Kiyotaka knew the moment of revelation has arrived as he springs out of his bed and runs outside the dormitory, eager to know the whereabouts of the new unknown mirror monster with his eyes scanning around the surroundings like a detective. And then he saw it. At the administration building, the reflection of the mirror monster Zebraskull Iron can be visibly seen on a glass pane.
"Perfect. Now's my chance to see what this card deck holder is really about."
After having ensured that are no witnesses or surveillance cameras presented around his surroundings, Kiyotaka swiftly take the advent deck out of his pocket. As he stretched his arm with the object intact in his grip, a silver belt is conjured from the thin air, clamping itself on Kiyotaka's waist.
"Henshin!" Kiyotaka shouted as he inserts the advent deck into the empty slot on his belt, in which the same armour he was equipped with when he battled the giant spider creature instantly covers his entire body, transforming Kiyotaka into Kamen Rider Knight once more.
*Cue 'A Boundless Life' song*
With the rapier gripped firmly in his hand, Knight dashes toward the glass pane where Zebraskull Iron is last seen. However, the over-confidence he attained from the battle with the giant spider creature has revealed his vulnerability as Zebraskull Iron ambushes him with a kick to the chest, causing Knight to collapse on the ground with pain.
"Ah! That hurts like hell! This is definitely not a simulation after all…" Knight cursed under his breath as he struggles to balance his weakened body. Surprised by the immense strength possessed by his opponent, Knight pulls out a card from the advent deck and inserts it into the rapier.
'SWORD VENT'
A sword-like lance was instantly conjured out of the mid air in which Knight responsively grabs hold of its handle. With the piercing edge of the lance pointed towards Zebraskull Iron, Knight initiates his attack by charging at his opponent at full speed. Zebraskull Iron simply shrugged off the upcoming assault as it leaps high into the air at superhuman speed, landing gracefully behind the back of Knight. Then in a split second, Zebraskull Iron stretched its right foot as it strikes hard at the unsuspecting Knight, once again sending him into the barrage of pain with the brute force slamming Knight on the rough concrete surface with heavy impact. With his fists clenched in anger, Knight adapted the same tactic of direct assault on his opponent, but only to meet his defeat with a stab to the chest by a hidden blade on the arm of Zebraskull Iron.
Fortunately for Knight, the impaled blade narrowly missed his heart, but the resulting pain is too unbearable as Knight collapses on the ground like a lifeless ragdoll, seemingly succumbs to the fate of death. Surprised by the defeat of its opponent, Zebraskull Iron cautiously nudged the lifeless body of Knight before turning away its own attention.
Unbeknownst to Zebraskull Iron, Knight barely managed to save his lifeforce as he sneakily moves his hand to the advent deck, where he inserts another card into his rapier, all being done under the guise of death.
'SWARM VENT'
Hordes of miniature Darkwing began to form a circular shaped swarm, engulfing Zebraskull Iron completely like a tornado chasing after its victims. With his opponent completely distracted by the storm of bat screeches and his strength fully recovered, Knight promptly stabs his lance into the chest of the disoriented Zebraskull Iron.
"Looks like I won now." Knight remarked at his own victory as Zebraskull Iron explodes with a deafening scream. He then briefly stared at the debris of his opponent before departing the mirror world.
True to his prediction, Kiyotaka immediately noticed the change in his private points indicated by the increase of an additional 200 points, which is evidently gained from the defeat of Zebraskull Iron.
"It's just what I have expected," Kiyotaka smiled at the substantial increase, "The battle with those monsters is really rewarding."
Having gained a new prospective purpose in his life, Kiyotaka makes his way back to the dormitory with a satisfying smile.
Kamen Rider Knight never had a swarm vent card, I simply made it up for the sake of this story. Stay tune for my next chapter, and don't forget to leave reviews, because the more reviews I receive, the more spoilers I might reveal.