I had to look up some information about this chapter, since it involves bits from Danganronpa Zero, a light novel I haven't even read. Something else I should mention. One of my reviews liked how Juzo became an original Kamen Rider. Well, quick confession, while the concept behind Kamen Rider Core is original, the name is not, coming from one of the OOO movies. Here, the new Rider introduced is the opposite, original name with powers seen in Kamen Rider canon before. Disclaimer: I don't own Kamen Rider, Danganronpa, or Super Sentai.
Chapter 21: The First Mirror, Agency, and the Crushed Medal
The Kamen Riders were currently a serious situation. Ibuki had been the next Ultimate to be targeted by the Armored Riders, yet there was no sign of either them or the Despair made using her. To top it all off, even the Candroids couldn't locate them. "They're clearly planning something massive," Fuyuhiko noted, "Unless the Despair is active, it can't drain the Cell Medals. But where on Earth could they be right now?" "Perhaps I can shed some light on this situation," came a voice from the same room. The group turned to a young man their age. "Hi there, Yuto Kamishiro, Ultimate Secret Agent."
"It's been a while since we've met," Junko noted as noticed G entering the amphitheater where she and Mukuro were setting up a new plan. G noted the Musician's Despair in the corner, doing nothing but practicing its guitar. "You do remember that if the Despair is not active, it will not consume Medals." "Oh we remember," Mukuro replied, slapping G on the back, "And that's the point." "If the Despair isn't running around it won't attract attention from the Kamen Riders," Junko explained, "This one's combat abilities are lacking, you see."
"But like it's host, it's a great a musician," Mukuro said as she sat on a bench, "But it only plays screeching death metal music. The torment it'll cause because of the concert we have planned can help it run through quite a good chunk of its energy, if not all of it." G nodded. "What of the one setting all this up?" "I'm almost finished," Junko noted. G looked concerned. "I scanned the region before approaching, and there were three humans. If you are the one setting up the equipment, who is the third human?" The two sisters looked at each other, also concerned.
Back at the academy, Yuto got out his notebook and relayed what he had learned. "I overheard your suspicions regarding Junko Enoshima. Before you ask, my talent involves my complete lack of presence unless I actively want someone to notice me, or some machine or other picks up my vital signs. Back on topic, I tracked down Junko to her place of residence and from there began observation, confirming her identity as Armored Rider Dark and discovering her sister, Mukuro Ikusaba, as Armored Rider Fenrir. Their current plans involve setting things up so they can make Hope's Peak Academy the epicenter of the apocalypse."
"Yeah, Junko's been bugging me about the process behind a few neurosurgery proceeders I invented," Yasuke noted, "Groundbreaking stuff, but with disastrous consequences if used for the wrong reasons. Right now, the process is a closely guarded secret." "So where do the Black Medals and these Despair monsters come in?," Fuyuhiko asked. "Experimentation," Yuto explained, "Junko is testing what effects these creatures could have on the human psyche, slowly refining the process of potentially reverse-engineering Yasuke's neurosurgery."
"And Foundation X is backing them," Hajime noted. Yuto nodded. "They've sent a mysterious agent known only as G to monitor them, as well as provide whatever they need for their experiments. As for what they get out of it... Not only can they research Hajime's O Medals, but I believe they may have plans to use Junko's scheme for their own ends, modified to suit their purpose. I'm still checking with my network for details." "Do you know where they are now?," Fuyuhiko asked. "An old amphitheater in the local park," Yuto replied, "They intend to use the current Despair to hold a concert. Since it's made from Ibuki, you can guess the intended outcome."
The roar of several Ridevendors got the trio's attention. "Looks like whoever was spying on us gave away our location," G noted. He then became confused. Hajime, Fuyuhiko, and Juzo were there, but there were four Ridevendors. "Where is the fourth Rider?" "Right here," came Yuto's voice, now visible to the others since he had spoken up, "And if you want to keep your eyes one me, let me make it easier." "Sis," Junko said, "Second location." Mukuro nodded before they got out their drivers. "Henge!" "Sasori! Kani! Ebi! Sa-San-Ibi!"
"Henge?," Yuto asked, confused, "Not henshin?" "Must be more of Dark's idea of differentiating us," Fuyuhiko nodded, "Yuto, ready for your first fight?" Yuto smiled. "I've been waiting for a chance like this to stand out." They each got out their own Drivers. "Henshin!" "Volcancer! Scissors!" "Style: Avian!" "Skull!" "Taka! Tora! Batta! Ta-To-Ba! Tatoba, Ta-To-Ba!" The newly created Kamen Rider chuckled. "Let me introduce myself. Kamen Rider Mirror, holding powers not seen since the time of Ryuki." "Lots of power there," Dark admitted. She took out a Cell Medal, then crushed it in her hand before throwing the pieces in front of her.
The various pieces each spawned a Trash Yummy. "So that's how she does it," OOO noted, "Guys, we need area attacks." He swapped his Medals for the task. "Taka! Unagi! Batta!" As he lashed out against the Trash, G opened fire. Mirror quickly moved in, slotting a card from his Card Deck into the Visor on his left arm. "Guard Vent!" The card generated the Shell Defense, a shield similar to a crab carapace, which Mirror used to block the shots. Meanwhile, Skull held up a new Gaia Memory. "Let's give this one a try." "Skull! Crystal!" Now coated in a crystal-like substance, Skull punched the ground hard enough to conjure crystal spires that destroyed several Trash.
Core looked at his belt. "Maybe this one," he said as he spun the Driver. "Style: Marine!" He was now shifted to a blue armor, his gloves having fins on them and his cloak having a killer whale motif. In this form he found himself able to generate water attacks capable of destroying several Trash. Dark quickly moved in to attack Mirror, who slotted another card. "Strike Vent!" Now having a large crab claw called the Scissors Pincer on his right hand, he easily blocked Dark's attack and struck back. "Crab against crab," Mirror quipped, "Your odds aren't so good.
OOO jumped across the amphitheater as Fenrir shot at him, giving the Despair time to flee. "Oh no you don't," OOO said as he swapped out his Medals. "Taka! Kujaku! Batta!" This summoned his Kujaku shield, which Fenrir learned could also fire energy orbs as an offensive attack. Unfortunately, it looked like Fenrir was able to buy to time for the Despair to escape, also leaving herself. Meanwhile, Dark got blasted back by Mirror's attack. He slotted yet another card. "Advent!" The card summoned a humanoid crab monster, which barreled through several Trash, destroying them.
"Mirror!," Core called out, "Let's finish this mob!" He charged his belt, while Skull slotted his Skull Memory into his Skull Magnum, and Mirror slotted another card. "Skull! Maximum Drive!" "Final Vent!" Dark grabbed G and leapt out of the way as the three attacks launched, Core making a chopping motion with his arm as a killer whale's image appeared, and Mirror launched himself off Volcancer's claws and somersaulting into the Trash. "Whale Tsunami!" "Skull Punisher!" "Scissors Attack!" The three attacks destroyed the mob of Trash, but there was no sign of the Armored Riders, G, or the Musician's Despair. "Yuto," Hajime said as the four Riders canceled their transformations, "Are there any other places to hold a concert in the city?"
With Yuto and Yasuke firmly on each others' side, Yasuke saw no reason to kill Yuto, allowing the Ultimate Secret Agent to survive until the time of The Tragedy. Yuto's skills proved handy in finding out the movements of Ultimate Despair and the Warriors of Hope, and his capabilities as Kamen Rider Mirror let him destroy hundreds of Monokuma bots. With the Tragedy ended, Yuto seemed to disappear again, but he would show up every once in a while, having officially become a freelance secret agent working to preserve the world's newfound peace.
To be continued...
By now, I've corrected a mistake, and wrote out a change of fate for Yasuke. You know, sooner or later these will add up, big time. Read and review.