Chapter 2

A Game Where It's Killed or Be Killed

Nothing like a dull Monday morning at school to bore a teenager to death. It was the first class of the day, and time seemed to crawl, as if the universe itself wanted to make the suffering last longer.

"Adachi! Are you spacing out again?!"

The sharp slap of the teacher's hand against the whiteboard jolted the class, a few students yelping in shock. Hajime Adachi, however, didn't even flinch. He had expected it the moment he tuned out and started staring out the window.

"Hajime Adachi!" The teacher's voice grew louder. "I'm talking to you!"

"I was paying attention," Hajime said lazily, resting his chin on his palm. "But all this stuff about solving for x is making me wonder y."

A few chuckles rippled through the class, only serving to fuel the teacher's frustration. "Adachi, one more word out of you, and I swear I'll throw you out before the first period even ends! Focus! This will be on the test!"

"Yes, sensei," Hajime muttered, leaning back in his chair. His gaze flickered toward the board, but his thoughts were elsewhere.

Man, this is so boring. Everything's dull, mundane… repetitive. I could be doing a million other things right now.

Not that he actually had anything better to do.

With a sigh, he pulled out his phone, scrolling through social media—nothing interesting. Out of habit, his fingers reached into the breast pocket of his uniform and pulled out a strange black box, its surface smooth except for the dragon's head emblem embedded on the front.

Ever since then, nothing else has happened.

Hajime had found the box by chance one night and thought—hoped—it would bring some excitement to his life. Like the start of an anime-style adventure. But… nothing.

Inside were strange cards that didn't match any game he knew. He had searched online, found nothing, and eventually shrugged it off.

Maybe someone just dropped it, he had thought.

Still, that night had been anything but normal.

Right. That Noise attack.

It happened across town, causing a huge commotion. A lot of people had died.

And then there was that dream.

"Fight for your desires. Fight for your dreams. Fight the other Kamen Riders and grow strong enough to face me. Only then will you make your dreams a reality."

Hajime could still see the golden figure speaking to him before he woke up in a cold sweat, the deck of cards suddenly in his hand.

Kamen Rider… what is that?

Before he could think further, the bell rang, signaling the end of class.

Lunchtime.

Hajime made his way through the school's quieter wing—the one still undergoing remodeling. Most students avoided it, which made it perfect for his group's usual meetups.

Inside an empty classroom, a few of his classmates were gathered around a table stacked with papers, a radio, and a metal cash box.

"Okay, Furota-san, here's your cut for this game," Kuroiwa said, handing over some yen. "Nice work, by the way. You really dropped the ball like we asked."

The football team captain snatched the money, scowling. "Whatever. The money's good, and I don't care about nationals."

Hajime stepped aside as Furota left, then shut the door behind him. "I take it things went well, Kuroiwa?"

Kuroiwa, a lanky guy with slicked-back blue hair, grinned, flashing a wad of cash. "Yup. Who would've thought the team captain would throw a match for a few bucks? Hilarious."

"Guess we're not the only ones with money problems." Hajime smirked, dropping into a chair and propping his legs on the table. "This gambling business was a good idea after all. Looks like luck's finally on our side."

They discussed upcoming bets, but Hajime's mind drifted. He was saving up to buy something for his little sister, Setsuna. Lately, she'd been into idols, so he figured that'd be a good place to start.

Kuroiwa, on the other hand, had simpler plans—arcade, cigarettes, and slacking off.

Hajime was just about to tell him off when—

A knock at the door.

The room went still.

Kuroiwa narrowed his eyes and cautiously stepped toward the handle. Just as he touched it—

The door was yanked open.

A tall, well-dressed student stood in the doorway, gripping Kuroiwa's collar before he could react.

"So this is where that gambling racket was hiding."

Hajime's heart sank.

Shit… isn't he…

"Yosuke Yagami," Kuroiwa muttered, teeth clenched. "The student council president."

"Turns out your football friend was very cooperative once his scholarship was on the line." Yosuke stepped inside, forcing the underclassmen back. "Hajime Adachi. Hamaguchi Kuroiwa. You're both coming with me to the principal's office."

Cold sweat dripped down Hajime's neck.

'If they take my money, I won't be able to buy Setsuna her gift… I can't let that happen.'

Kuroiwa suddenly lunged forward, wrapping Yosuke in a bear hug. "Run, Adachi!"

"Kuroiwa!"

"Just go! You've got more to lose than me, so go!"

Hajime hesitated—but only for a second.

Then, he bolted.

"Shit, shit, shit—!"

Hajime sprinted through the empty halls of the remodeling wing, heading for the main school building.

He risked a glance back—

Yosuke was gaining on him.

No way! How's he so fast?! I had a head start!

"Stop right there, Adachi!"

Hajime ducked into a crowded hallway, weaving through students. When he reached the stairs, he grabbed a trash can and hurled it behind him.

Yosuke kicked it aside.

The can slammed into Hajime's chest, knocking him to the floor. Before he could scramble up, Yosuke loomed over him, hands on his hips.

"This just isn't my day…" Hajime groaned.

But then, without warning—

He sprang up, fists raised.

"What are you doing?" Yosuke asked flatly.

"I'm gonna fight you." Hajime bounced on his heels, adrenaline surging. "I'm not going down today. Not by you."

Yosuke sighed. "It won't end well for you. But if you insist—"

Hajime swung.

Yosuke caught his fist.

"Oh…"

Panic shot through Hajime. He tried another punch, but Yosuke easily blocked it, countering with a lightning-fast jab. Hajime barely dodged, but the next blows came too fast. He blocked some, but the rest battered his body. A punch to the face sent him stumbling, but he gritted his teeth and threw a desperate hit—landing one solid punch to Yosuke's chest.

Yosuke took a step back, exhaling sharply.

Hajime clutched his nose, feeling the blood trickle down. 'What the hell is this guy's deal?! He fights like a pro!'

Yosuke, meanwhile, assessed him calmly. 'Not bad. No formal training, just raw instinct. A natural brawler.'

But this was over.

Yosuke blurred forward. Hajime barely had time to react before a sharp strike landed at the nape of his neck. His vision blurred, his body went numb—

And he collapsed.

Yosuke exhaled, shaking his head. "Idiot."

Then he pulled out his phone and sent a text.

Got him.

Hajime made his way home, kicking a stray rock down the street with a sour expression. As expected, he'd gotten into serious trouble, but Kuroiwa had taken the bigger hit for him. After all, Hajime was the reason Kuroiwa had managed to rake in a decent amount of money through their gambling ring. That, and because Kuroiwa simply didn't care about school.

Not that Hajime got off easy. His punishment? A week of detention and his latest payday confiscated and returned to the students who had participated in the betting. Fortunately, most of them weren't eager to snitch—only the sore losers who had gambled away their money had run to the teachers.

"Suckers," Hajime muttered under his breath, smirking as he pulled a few folded bills from his sock. "Good thing I stashed some away. At least I can still buy Setsuna something."

He wasn't too mad about getting caught. Bad luck had struck today, which meant his good luck was due for a comeback. That was just how the universe worked, and he was bound to score something big soon.

Hajime Adachi was fifteen years old, with short black hair and a V-shaped fringe that hung between his sharp hazel eyes. Despite his lean, toned frame, he didn't play sports. His strength came from running errands, house chores, and the occasional scuffle—not that he'd ever admit to that last part.

When he finally reached his apartment, he slipped off his shoes and called out, "I'm home."

"Welcome home, dear," his grandmother's voice floated in from the kitchen.

"Haji! You're home!" His younger sister, Setsuna, beamed as she ran up to him. She had short dark brown hair tied up into twin pigtails at the nape of her neck, and bright brown eyes that sparkled with excitement.

"Hey, Setsu." Hajime flopped onto the couch.

His sister frowned and pointed at the fresh bandages on his face. "Did you get in a fight again?"

"What? No, of course not." He waved her off, lying through his teeth. "Anyway, I got some money from my… part-time job. And I wanna get you something special."

"Really?!" Setsuna's eyes lit up. "Then can you buy me Tsubasa's new CD? It just went on sale today!"

"Tsubasa? Who's that?" Hajime raised a brow.

"Huh?! You don't know who she is?!" Setsuna gasped dramatically. "Big bro, do you live under a rock? I thought guys your age were into idols!"

"I am. I'm a fan of Maria Cadenzavna Eve."

"Who?"

"She's a new idol, but she's already getting pretty popular." Hajime smirked. "She's cute and mature—probably, like, twenty or something."

Setsuna giggled. "So you're into older women? Scandalous, Haji."

"Not really. I get the appeal, but I prefer girls my age, thanks. Not that you need to know about my love life." He ruffled her hair before standing up. "Alright, so you want that CD, right?"

"Yup! I really hope I can get into Lydian next year! That way, I can meet Tsubasa in person and get her autograph!"

"Yeah, yeah, dream big, kiddo. I'll go grab your CD—"

Before he could step outside, a firm hand clamped onto his ear.

"Hold it right there, young man."

"Agh! Ma, please! That hurts!" Hajime yelped as his grandmother tugged at his ear with surprising strength.

"Don't think I didn't get a call from your school about what you did!" Kiyoko Adachi scolded.

Setsuna burst into laughter at her brother's expense.

"If you needed money to buy something, you could've just told me," his grandmother sighed, finally letting go.

Hajime rubbed his sore ear. "Look, it's not for me, okay? I just… I wanted to get Setsuna something." His voice softened. "I felt bad about missing her birthday, so I did what I had to do."

Kiyoko folded her arms. "And you thought running a gambling ring was the answer?"

"I know it was stupid," he admitted. "But it's not like I was scamming anyone. We ran fair bets, and I made sure everyone got paid. It was just… business."

His grandmother let out a long sigh. "Hajime, I know you mean well. I see how much you care about your sister. It warms my heart. But you need to take care of yourself, too. You're smart, but you're making reckless choices. If you keep this up, you'll lose your scholarship—and then what?"

"I won't lose it, I promise," Hajime said quickly, his chest tightening at the sight of her worried expression. "I'd never do anything to make life harder for you and Setsuna."

Kiyoko softened, reaching up to pat his head. "You're a good boy, Hajime. Just… be careful. And come straight home, alright?"

"I will. I promise."

As he stepped outside, his grandmother watched him from the doorway, an unease settling deep in her chest.

"Why do I feel like something bad is about to happen?"

Somewhere else, Yosuke and Tsubasa walked from Lydian after he had offered to pick her up.

"You didn't bring your bike today?" Tsubasa inquired, gazing at the sky.

"I had to take it in for repairs," Yosuke responded, yawning. "Very early, in fact. I went to bed late yesterday because of that Noise attack and had to wake up even earlier for this before school started."

"I take it you had a rough day today?"

"This dumb kid at school was caught organizing a gambling ring," he groaned at the memory. "He made me chase him around, and then he started fighting me. It turns out they returned all the money, and a vast majority of people stuck up for them, so the punishment was minimal. It was a long process."

"Sounds like you had something happening today, at least," Tsubasa sighed. "The thing that stands out the most for me was this girl who almost bumped into me and had food all over her face."

"I don't suppose she got nervous from seeing you and asked for an autograph?"

"That's the weird part. She just stood there and didn't say a word. I just kept walking." She shrugged.

"Is that so?" Yosuke trailed off, not having anything else to say.

Ever since the catastrophe two years ago, their relationship had changed. They barely spoke and interacted, each deciding to shoulder their pain alone. Though Yosuke missed the old days and tried his best to at least be friends, Tsubasa didn't seem willing to cooperate.

Suddenly, an explosion was heard a couple of blocks away, prompting the teenagers to rush to the scene. Once they got closer, they noticed that all the ruckus was coming from a bank. The door had been blown off somehow, and the yelling of civilians inside could be heard.

"Is it Noise?" Yosuke got on guard, ready to grab his Advent Deck.

As if to answer his question, a figure emerged from the bank, covered in armor and holding bags of money.

The perpetrator was clad in a black bodysuit covered in grey armor with a red horn protruding from their left shoulder. Their mask resembled the face of a rhino, and to top things off, the belt around their waist had the figure of one.

"A Kamen Rider?!" Tsubasa was in shock.

The police had surrounded the area, guns drawn at the Rider. "Stop right there! Hands on your head and slowly get on your knees!"

"What is this? Are they serious right now?" A masculine voice finally identified the Rider's gender. "They think they can stop me?"

Without a care in the world, the Rider took normal steps, as if he were strolling around town.

"Last chance! Stop right there!"

After realizing he wasn't going to comply, the chief sent the word on his radio, prompting every officer to start shooting at the Rider. The masked man cackled as the bullets bounced off his armor as if they were mere toy guns.

"Let's give them hell." He set the bags on the ground, drawing a card from his Deck and tossing it into his Metalvisor, located on his left shoulder.

Advent: Metalgelas

A humanoid rhinoceros emerged from thin air before charging at a police car, easily throwing it against a building.

"Tsubasa, let me do this," Yosuke turned to her. "You don't need to get involved."

"Fine." Tsubasa relented, folding her arms. "Be careful. He seems strong."

"Right." With that out of the way, Yosuke pulled out his deck and brought it forward, a belt appearing around his waist. "Henshin!"

Sliding the deck into his V Buckle, Kamen Rider Knight appeared. Knight jumped into the air, drawing his card.

Nasty Vent: Sonicbreaker

Darkwing appeared above Knight, releasing a supersonic screech that paralyzed Metalgelas.

Knight landed in front of the police. "Back up! I'll take it from here!"

"Hey, that's—"

"A Kamen Rider. The one who's been defending the city."

"Oh?" The grey Rider mused. "Things just got interesting."

"I'm Kamen Rider Knight. Who are you? And why are you doing this?"

"I am Kamen Rider Gai," Gai introduced himself, hands on his hips. "As for why I'm doing this... because I can, I guess. Do I need reasons other than I have this awesome power?"

"But that's wrong. You shouldn't use your power for something like this," Knight insisted. "It's immoral!"

"Immoral? Says who?"

Knight bit the inside of his cheek. "A Kamen Rider... is supposed to protect people. To defend them and keep them safe."

Gai erupted into a fit of laughter, holding his stomach. "Oh, man. Oh, man! That is the dumbest and most childish thing I've ever heard. What, you're a kid? Thinking the world needs a hero of justice and all that? Grow up a little, will ya? I'm sure you know that the purpose of a Kamen Rider is to fight others and get stronger. That voice in my dream said it before. One of us can get their wish granted."

"That's Kamen Rider Odin." Knight felt a shiver down his spine. "He's the mastermind behind all of this. The Gamemaster. We're just puppets entertaining him. But there is no way a single Rider can beat him. We have to work together to stop him and get our lives back. Please, you have to listen to me! Odin is out of this world. My friend tried fighting him and... he lost his life. There was nothing he could do."

"Odin, you say? I see. Well, now I know who to thank for bestowing me with these sweet powers." Gai splayed his arms. "Be it a god or a demon, he gave me a chance to get what I want. And honestly, I don't care about that wish. All I care about is doing whatever I want and living an easy, wealthy life. But if you want to stop this little game he created, then that makes you my enemy. Sorry, nothing personal, kid."

Strike Vent: Metalhorn

A gauntlet derived from Metalgelas' head appeared on his right arm.

"Wait, I don't want to fight you. I'm not your—" Knight was forced to bend his body backward, avoiding the thrust. "Odin is our enemy! We're his toys!"

"He gave us a chance to do whatever we want," Gai proclaimed, smacking Knight across the head and sending him crashing against a police car.

Knight was about to stand up again, but his body instinctively ducked down, avoiding being pierced by the horn.

Knight rolled away from Gai, who received a round of bullets courtesy of the officers.

"So annoying," Gai groaned, kicking the car toward another, causing them to explode and scattering the flames.

'I have to capture him before he causes more chaos.' Knight thought, drawing his new card and inserting it into his visor. 'If we can stop him and negotiate with him, he could very well help us in stopping this madness.'

Trick Vent: Shadow Illusion

From Knight, a total of eight clones separated from his body.

"I don't think so." Gai activated his card.

Confine Vent

The clones disappeared as quickly as they appeared, leaving Knight flabbergasted. "He canceled out my vent?"

Shock Vent

Metalgelas began stomping on the ground extremely hard, causing the ground to shake as if it were an earthquake. Everyone lost their balance, falling to the floor. Cars flipped, and windows shattered.

"You said your friend died fighting Odin, didn't he?" Gai approached the fallen Knight, who was struggling to get his bearings. "What do you think that makes him? You say Kamen Riders are supposed to be selfless heroes, yet your friend fought Odin to get his wish granted."

"He had no choice!" Knight snapped, finally finding his voice. Gai knelt in front of him. "His girlfriend… our friend… our dear friend died that day to save us from the Noise. He just wanted to get her back…"

"So you get to decide which wishes are just and noble? Is that why you're asking me for help? Because you want to bring your little playmates back?" Gai scoffed. "And what do I gain out of this? You want the wish to make things how they were, right?"

"No… we have to stop Odin to prevent more tragedies like that from happening again," Knight pleaded. "There is no way for us to beat him individually. This isn't a game! Lives are at stake!"

Gai hummed in thought. "Fine. You convinced me."

"Huh?" Knight lifted his head, watching as Gai stood up and offered his left hand. "Seriously?"

"Yeah. You're right. This reminds me of those MMORPGs—sometimes you gotta team up with others to take down a really strong boss," Gai explained, helping Knight to his feet. "Besides, we Kamen Riders gotta stick together."

"Thank you… thank you so much!" Knight bowed, turning his back to Gai. "Let's take you back to the base. I'm sure the Commander—"

Out of the corner of his eye, Knight caught sight of a shop window's reflection—Gai was winding his arm back, preparing to thrust his arm horn straight at his head.

Imyuteus Ame no Habakiri tron...

Heaven's Wrath

Tsubasa's sword expanded to the size of a truck as she brought it down upon Gai. The rhino-themed Rider blocked it with his gauntlet, gritting his teeth as his feet sank into the concrete. With a battle cry, he pushed the sword back, knocking both Tsubasa and Knight several yards away.

"Well, well," Gai chuckled upon noticing Tsubasa standing protectively in front of Knight. "Looks like you weren't alone after all. Was this a setup? Luring me into a trap? And you—" he sneered at Knight. "You got yourself a girlfriend. I'm impressed. But it's pretty lame that she fights your battles for you."

"Just now…" Tsubasa ignored his taunt, furrowing her brow. "Were you about to kill him?"

"Yeah." Gai shrugged nonchalantly. "Like I said, I don't want this game to end. And seeing you on his side made me realize there are more people opposed to it. Tell me… that friend of his and his little girlfriend, they meant a lot to you, didn't they? How sad. They died for nothing. And when that girl died, he probably lost it and challenged the Gamemaster. Ha, how pathetic! Who in their right mind throws their life away for crap like that?"

"Shut up," Tsubasa growled, tightening her grip on her sword.

"Friendship and bonds mean nothing." Gai pressed on, his voice dripping with mockery. "They break so easily. And you're all just kids. Once you graduate high school, you'll forget about everyone you met. Or they'll die, just like those dead kids you mentioned."

"I SAID SHUT UP!" Tsubasa screamed, leaping into the air.

One Thousand Tears

Ame no Habakiri conjured thousands of energy blades, sending them hurtling toward Gai.

Gai tanked the attack with Metalgelas' aid, his armor sustaining only minor damage.

"Impossible!" Tsubasa gasped.

"You shouldn't be surprised. My armor is the strongest." Gai boasted. "I have the best defense and the best piercing. That's right! I'm the best!"

'That attack packed a hell of a punch,' Gai admitted to himself. 'And if Knight starts helping her, this could get troublesome. Plus, they're obviously well-coordinated. Maybe they've got an organization backing them up. If they send reinforcements, I could end up at a disadvantage. Tch, I wanted that money… but oh well.'

"What's he doing?" Knight muttered.

Gai drew a card, snorting once he realized what it was. "It's been fun, but I gotta get going."

"You're not going anywhere," Tsubasa declared, ready to start singing.

Final Vent: Heavy Pressure

Metalgelas landed behind Gai as he jumped into the air, gripping onto its head with his legs and pointing his Metal Horn forward. The humanoid rhino charged at full speed toward the heroes.

Knight leaped in the way, pushing Tsubasa aside before he could be skewered alive. But that was exactly what Gai wanted—he skewered a nearby car instead and continued running, ramming into another and another until he finally crashed into a building, triggering a massive explosion.

"He killed himself?!" Knight was bewildered.

"Unlikely," Tsubasa said, shaking her head. "He said it himself—his armor is tough. He wouldn't die from that. He created the explosion as a distraction. The whole block is on fire. We won't know where he'll come out from. It's pointless to chase him."

"I see…"

Out of nowhere, Tsubasa slapped Knight across the helmet, stunning him before grabbing him by the shoulders.

"What the hell were you thinking?!"

"I—"

"You almost got yourself killed trying to talk that psychopath down! He's a criminal! Look at the bank—who knows how many people got hurt—"

"I know that!" Knight snapped, his voice filled with frustration. "I know that, okay?! But what other choice do I have?!"

Tsubasa was taken aback by the sheer desperation in his voice.

"You, Goro, and I are humanity's only defense against the Noise," he continued. "Just the three of us. And if we fall… humanity—no, the world—ends." His voice wavered as he dropped to his knees. "I'm scared out of my mind. Of losing everything I love. Of watching it all die."

He gritted his teeth, using his visor to push himself back up. "I'm sick of fighting. And now, on top of everything, I have to fight other Kamen Riders when we should be helping each other. I just… I just want all of this to end."

Tsubasa's expression softened. "Yosuke…" she murmured, feeling guilty for yelling at him. "I didn't—"

Their communicators buzzed simultaneously.

Tsubasa quickly answered. "Uncle?"

"I detected another signal similar to Knight's just moments ago. Did…"

"We found another Rider. Calls himself Gai," Tsubasa confirmed. "As we feared, some Riders aren't our allies."

"I see." Genjuro sighed. He had expected as much—some would always be tempted by the wish. But now was not the time to dwell on that.

"There's a problem."

Hajime held his phone up, recording as he and a group of bystanders stood frozen. The air was thick with tension. Moments ago, he had been on his way to buy a CD when he heard a car crash, followed by an explosion and terrified screams.

"What the hell is going on?" someone asked, voice unsteady.

"I don't know... Everyone just started screaming, and now it's dead silent," another muttered.

"Shouldn't we call the police? A car crashed!"

"Wait. Do you hear that?" someone hushed the group.

Footsteps. Slow at first but growing louder. Faster. Then—sprinting. Something was coming.

The first shadowy figures burst around the corner. A group of Noise. Chaos erupted. People shoved and trampled over one another in blind panic. Hajime shoved his phone into his pocket and bolted, weaving through a side alley.

"Gotta find shelter! No, wait—I need to call home!"

His thoughts were cut short as he nearly crashed into someone. "Shit! You scared the hell out of me!"

"I-I'm sorry!" The girl, breathless and wide-eyed, clutched the hand of a small child—probably one of the few lucky enough to have escaped the Noise.

Hajime glanced behind him. No immediate danger, but that wouldn't last. "It's not safe here. Quick intros—I'm Hajime Adachi."

"Hibiki Tachibana," she responded between pants.

Hajime knelt in front of the child. "And you?"

"Y-Yui Kanzaki..."

"Alright, Kanzaki-chan." He turned to Hibiki. "Get her on my back. It'll be faster that way. She won't be able to keep up if we have to haul ass."

Hibiki nodded, helping Yui climb onto Hajime's back. Once she was secured, he gripped her legs. "Okay. Where's the nearest shelter?"

"Pretty far... but we don't have a choice."

They sprinted for the alley's exit, only to skid to a stop. A shallow stream blocked their path, Noise gathering on either side. Worse, the ones they had escaped were closing in.

"Shit." Hajime grabbed Hibiki's arm and leapt into the water, hoisting Yui above his head. "There goes my damn phone... Guess my luck hasn't recovered."

They scrambled onto the opposite bank and kept running. Hajime's breath burned in his lungs.

"We're not gonna make it," he panted.

"Don't say that!" Hibiki slapped his back. "There's an abandoned factory nearby. If we get high ground, we might be safe."

He exhaled sharply, nodding. "Fine. Worth a shot."

Minutes later, they reached the rusting gates, squeezing through. Inside, they raced toward the tallest building with a ladder, but Hajime suddenly stopped.

"Adachi-kun?" Hibiki frowned.

Hajime lowered his gaze, smiling faintly. "I have a little sister. Setsuna. I helped you because... I imagined her in your place."

"What are you saying?"

He walked behind her, shifting Yui onto her back. "They saw us. If we keep running like this, we won't make it. We need to rest to climb that ladder, but they won't give us the time."

Hibiki's eyes widened. "No. No way."

"I'll distract them. No arguments."

"But—"

"I said no buts!" Hajime snapped, before softening. "Sorry. But you need to go. I'll be fine. I can outrun them. Just get to safety." He held out a pinky. "I'll meet you later. Promise."

Hibiki hesitated, then hooked her pinky with his. "Please be safe, Hajime-kun! And call me Hibiki!"

"Duly noted!" He grinned, before sprinting in the opposite direction. "Take care of Yui-chan!"

The Noise scattered, confused by the movement. Hajime clapped and whistled. "Hey! I'm right here! Come get me, you ugly bastards!"

More of them poured in, drawn to his taunts. 'Shit. How many are there?! This isn't normal!'

His legs burned, his vision blurred, but adrenaline pushed him forward. He couldn't help it—he was having the time of his life. The thrill, the rush—it was exhilarating.

Laughing like a madman, he vaulted onto a crate, leapt to a low rooftop, and sprinted across a pipe. But he miscalculated his footing.

"Crap—!"

He crashed to the ground, pain shooting through his skull. Dazed, he pressed against a wall, leaving a streak of blood behind. The Noise closed in.

"Stupid..." He muttered before his voice erupted. "STUPID! STUPID! STUPID!"

The creatures advanced, undeterred. Hajime reached for his phone, then remembered—it was gone.

His fingers brushed against something else. A black box with a red dragon symbol.

"Oh... this thing. Thought I lost it." He pulled out a card from inside—emblazoned with a crimson dragon.

Raising it toward the Noise, he sneered. "Come on, you freaks! Let's see how you like getting smacked in the face with this!"

A pulse of energy surged around his waist. A silver belt materialized, locking in place.

"Whoa—what the hell?!"

A roar split the sky. A red dragon swooped down, unleashing a fireball that incinerated several Noise.

"Holy shit! Did that just come from this card?!"

A slot on the belt matched the shape of the box. With nothing to lose, Hajime shoved it in.

Light erupted around him. The dragon coiled and crashed into him, sending out a shockwave that blasted the Noise away. When the light faded, the school uniform was gone.

In its place, crimson armor gleamed under the dying sunlight. Segmented plating covered his body, and a dragon-headed gauntlet sat on his left arm.

"Huh?! HUUUH?!" Hajime stared at himself. "What the hell is this?! The armor—this belt—wait!" He glanced down, recognizing the Advent Deck at his waist. "No way... That dream was real?!"

The Noise hesitated, wary of the sudden power shift.

A grin stretched across Hajime's face. "Finally, something fun."

He cracked his knuckles and took a stance. "Alright, you ugly bastards. Let's see how you handle someone who can fight back."

His eyes burned with excitement.

"Call me... Dragon Knight!"

And that settles it for chapter 2. This came rather fast but the next one might take a few weeks since I have to rewatch both Symphogear and Ryuki to get more familiar with the feeling of the series. There were two easter eggs in this chapter, so if you got them, do let me know in the reviews. I'll be accepting card ideas since I noticed that some Riders have only a handful of cards. Imperer, for example, only has 3. I added one for Gai today but if you want to support the story with your own card ideas, let me know and I'll give you a shoutout.

What do you think of the new Ryuki? Like him, hate him, want to see more? Same thing for Gai.

As always, if you enjoyed the chapter do let me know in the reviews and leave your favorite and follow. It motivates me to improve and continue the series. Until next time!