Seito University Hospital, CR Headquarters
"Ah, Hiiro, Kiriya, welcome back… huh?"
As usual, Asuna greeted them, but her expression stiffened when she saw another person besides them, Nico.
"Just to introduce you, this is…"
"Nico-chan!? What are you doing here!?"
"Hi, Asuna-san…"
"You know each other."
"Yeah, we met a couple of years ago…"
"I see… well, that's not important."
Hiiro sat down in a chair and started talking.
"So you are Nico Hanaya… why would a mere student who is not a doctor have a Gamer Driver and a Gashat… I demand an explanation."
"That's…"
"Let me explain."
"Mr. President."
When Nico was about to say something, Masamune appeared.
"I am the one who made her a Kamen Rider, to be honest."
"What did you say… why would you do that!?"
As a doctor, Hiiro couldn't understand Masamune, who used a kid without a doctor's license as a Kamen Rider.
"I asked him to do it, what do you have to say about it?" Nico said to Hiiro.
"…Is that right?"
"Yes, I would never force my power on someone who doesn't want it, she wanted it and I gave her the power of a Kamen Rider after understanding her talent."
"Her talent?"
"She, Nico Hanaya, is a world-class pro gamer with an income of a hundred million per year." Kiriya explained to Hiiro, who was wondering what was going on.
"That's what I'm saying, Hiiro-sensei. Kamen Rider is a powerful force against the Bugster and the devil, but they are few in number. She's a genius at games, and I think she'll be as good as the two of you. Of course, I've told the Ministry of Health and WHO about this."
"Now you can't complain about that, can you?" Following Masamune's words, Nico said to Hiiro.
"If you've talked to the Ministry of Health…"
"…It's true, and our CR has just been established, so we're in need of manpower… and it's also true that this girl has the ability to call herself a genius gamer."
If the Ministry of Health approved it, both Asuna and Kiriya began to think about it.
"But…"
However, being an adult, Hiiro was not convinced that putting a child in danger, even if it was a decision made by the Ministry of Health, was a good idea.
"Speaking of which, President, why are you here today?"
Asuna wondered why Masamune, who was usually at his office, came to CR.
"Ah, I am actually here to give Nico-kun a Level 3 Gashat."
He took out a Gashat from his bag and handed it to Nico.
"This is… Jet Combat?"
"As expected from the Genius Gamer to know about something like this…"
The Gashat that Masamune gave to Nico is Jet Combat, an aerial shooting game where the user controls a fighter jet.
"I give you this Gashat, use it to your advantage."
"I know, I'll definitely—"
"…I just can't accept that a young kid can become a Kamen Rider." Hiiro said.
"Ha? I'm 18, but I'm at least prepared! And I'm the Genius Gamer—"
"This is not a game! This is an operation! A person without medical license is not allowed to transform into a Kamen Rider!"
"Doctor's license, you say…? What does a doctor who couldn't save a life during Zero Day know!?"
"Ah, wait, Nico-chan!"
With that, Nico barged out of CR, ignoring Asuna's calls.
"Sorry, Hiiro, but Nico-chan has a lot on her mind…"
"I see… if that's the case, she shouldn't be a Rider, especially when she fights for personal reasons, no thank you."
"Wait, Hiiro…"
"I've got an operation to do, so I'll leave the examination to you."
"I've done my job and I'm heading back."
Masamune and Hiiro left the CR together.
Examination Room
"Where am I…?"
"You're awake, Tsuchiya-san?" Asuna asked the patient, a construction worker named Tsuchiya.
"What… why am I here?"
"Please listen to me calmly, you've been infected with a new type of virus called the Bugster Virus."
"Bugster… a new type of virus… am I possibly…"
As the patient said weakly, he become transparent.
"Don't worry, we have experts in this field, and we will definitely cure your illness."
"I… I see…"
Perhaps relieved for the moment, the patient's appearance returned to normal.
"The game disease progresses depending on the stress level of the infected person, have you experienced any stress lately?"
"Stress… huh…?"
"Yes."
"…My daughter is currently ill and in Kuoh General Hospital."
"Hospitalized…?"
"Yes, according to the doctor, it's called pancreatic cancer and she doesn't have much time left to live… if there's one thing that stresses me out, it's that."
"I understand… thank you for your cooperation." Asuna said to the worker.
"Pancreatic cancer, huh…" Kiriya, on the other hand, muttered and left the examination room.
In front of the operating room
After successfully completing the surgery as usual, Hiiro went to the cafeteria to have some cakes.
"Hiiro!"
"Father."
"That was another great surgery today! As expected of my son!"
"That's normal."
Hiiro lightly brushed his father, Haima's, words as usual.
"Father, I have a question."
"What is it? I'll listen to anything my son asks."
"Do you know someone named Nico Hanaya?"
To be honest, it's Hiiro's policy to not involve himself with patients and strangers, but she's a Kamen Rider, and she said something about what does a doctor who couldn't save lives during Zero Day know. It stuck with him.
"Nico Hanaya-chan… she's Taiga-kun's younger sister, Hiiro, how do you know her?"
"Taiga…?"
Archive Room
"Taiga Hanaya… huh…" Hiiro muttered, and looked for the material about the man named Taiga Hanaya.
"So this is it… Taiga Hanaya… former radiologist at the Seito University Hospital… from the looks of his record, he's a good radiologist…"
Hiiro is a surgeon, so he is not that specialized in radiology, but from the data he had seen, he knew that this person, Taiga, is a very good doctor.
"However, one year after Zero Day two years ago, he suffered from an infection caused by the Bugster Virus, which kills him despite his best efforts to treat it… This is…"
Hiiro stopped moving the mouse when he saw a certain image. There was a picture of a Bugster that appeared to have been separated from Taiga Hanaya on a surveillance camera, and it looked just like that Graphite Bugster that they fought at the factory the other day.
"So, she become a Kamen Rider to get revenge on the Bugster who killed her brother…"
"You can tell just from that…?"
"! Examiner, when did you get here!?"
He was shocked to see that Kiriya had entered the room without him noticing.
"Just now, Prodigy, I heard you are here, and I'd like to ask you a favor."
"What is it?"
"You know that game disease is caused by stress, right?"
"Of course I do. It's in the top-secret files of the Ministry of Health."
"So, I found out the cause of the stress in that game disease patient who came in today, and I'd like to ask you a favor."
"Actually, it's my policy not to involve with the patients' business, but judging by your mood, it sounds like I'm the only one who can do it… so make it quick."
"Alright."
He then told Hiiro what he had just heard from the patient in the examination room.
10 minutes later
"I see, the patient's daughter has a pancreatic cancer…"
"Yeah, and I heard that she's currently in Kuoh General Hospital in neighboring city, but they can't seem to do anything about it."
"Kuoh General Hospital? That hospital isn't that good, I think it's mediocre at best?"
"Yeah, so I thought I'd see what I could do, so I used my contacts to get the patient's daughter's medical records and CT images, and I'd like to hear your opinion."
"All right."
One hour later
Hiiro finished reading all the documents.
"Pancreatic cancer, Stage 3… in a normal hospital, surgery would be out of scope."
"So, what do you think, Prodigy?"
"There's nothing I cannot cut."
"I've been waiting for you to say that!" Kiriya laughed at Hiiro who answered so immediately.
"But I need my father's permission for a transfer."
"Aah, I'll take care of that. If you're a genius at surgery, I'm a genius at deception."
With that, Kiriya left the room.
CR Examination Room
While Asuna was examining the patient, the door suddenly opened and in walked the director with tears streaming down his face, Kiriya holding back a laugh, and Hiiro looking a little dumbfounded at his father.
"Director!? What's wrong with you, you're crying so much…"
"Ooh, you've been through a lot, Tsuchiya-san!"
"Y-yes?"
"I heard everything! Your daughter is suffering from Stage 3 pancreatic cancer and has only a few days left to live. I heard that you've been working rainy days, windy days, and even typhoon days to earn money for treatment and medicine for her sake. I, Haima Kagami, as a doctor, no! As a father myself, I was moved!"
He wiped his dripping tears with a towel as he spoke to Tsuchiya.
"What exactly did you tell him, Examiner?"
"Well, I added a little spice to the truth… but I never thought the director would be so fragile…"
On the other hand, Kiriya and Hiiro are whispering to each other, pulling back a little.
"Please! Please rest assured! Our hospital has a super doctor who can fix any disease, please rest assured! Hiiro!" Haima called and introduced Hiiro to Tsuchiya.
"This young doctor is the one?"
"Yes, he's my son, and although he's young, he's the ultimate weapon of our hospital, capable of performing many difficult operations and fixing diseases that are thought to be incurable, and he will definitely be able to cure your daughter."
"Are you sure… my daughter will be cured? The doctor at Kuoh General Hospital says the cure is…"
"Your daughter's condition is certainly ineligible for surgery but I'm sure I can cure her."
"Are you sure about that?"
"There's nothing I can't cut."
The man who was thinking of his daughter said only one sentence, but that sentence was a sincere gratitude.
"Thank you, doctor, please take care of my daughter." Tsuchiya bowed deeply as he said to Hiiro.