Chapter 3
Dragon Knight

Meanwhile, in the city, a lavender-haired girl sat inside a McDonald's, absently stirring her drink as she gazed out the window. Dressed in a red dress, a pendant rested against her collarbone, attached to a choker around her neck.

"Yo, Chrissy. You'll never believe this," a teenage boy announced, striding over with a tray loaded with nuggets and fries. His spiky orange hair bounced slightly as he moved. "Some guy forgot to take his sundae, so instead of tossing it, they gave it to me. Talk about a lucky break."

"Oh, yeah?" Chris replied disinterestedly, drumming her fingers on the table. "About time you got here. I was two seconds away from marching up there and making them hurry the hell up. And stop calling me that."

"Which is exactly why I told you to let me handle it."

The boy sitting across from her was lean, dressed in a long green bomber jacket over a fitted black shirt, paired with camouflage cargo pants and brown boots. A padlock dangled from a chain around his neck, complementing his rugged appearance.

"You're the one who followed me here when I never asked you to," Chris accused, glaring at him. "Mind your own damn business next time and don't tag along. What, are you keeping tabs on me?"

"Bit hypocritical of me to do that when we're in the same situation," he retorted smoothly, sliding her mocha frappuccino across the table. "I'm just hanging out with my friend, that's all."

"I'm not your friend, Takeru."

"Fine, my 'acquaintance.' My fellow pawn of fate with no clear path. Or whatever poetic crap you wanna call it." He tore open a ketchup packet, squirting it onto the tray. "Still, though. Not like you had enough cash to eat all this."

"I wasn't planning to, smartass. You're the one who went overboard with nuggets and fries." Chris took a sip of her drink. "I was just gonna get a cheeseburger."

"Yeah, and you can't live off just that. You're a growing girl, gotta eat up. If you're worried about getting fat, don't. I'd bet all that weight just goes straight to your ti—"

"Finish that sentence, and I will personally rip your spine out."

Takeru snapped his mouth shut instantly.

A tense silence fell between them as they focused on their meal. After a while, he pulled out a small green box adorned with a bull symbol, absently turning it in his hands.

Chris raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing? Don't tell me you're planning to transform here?"

"Relax, I'm not some savage trying to dine and dash." He rolled his eyes. "Just thinking. It's been over a year since I got this thing, and no one's ever explained it to me. And that dream I had… vivid as hell. A battle royale between Riders, all for a single wish. That's the only reason Fine keeps me around. She thinks I'll hand my wish over to her."

"And you're not?" Chris narrowed her eyes. "So you were lying back then when you said you'd bring peace?"

"No, I meant what I said." Takeru's tone didn't waver. "It's just… a bit more complicated now. First, I have to fight others who have this same power. And then, I have to fight the one who gave it to us in the first place. Call me crazy, but going up against someone that powerful doesn't exactly sound like a fun time." He leaned back. "I'd rather just chill, do my thing. I'm the muscle of this operation, after all."

"You getting cold feet?"

"What? Hell no." Takeru scoffed. "I'm still a soldier. Duty's duty. I'm just talking out loud. Besides, why would I be afraid when I've got you as my partner? Pretty sure our enemies are the ones who should be scared."

Chris finished her meal, wiping her mouth with a napkin. "If you think I'm gonna fight your battles, you're delusional."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. You're gonna say I butted in and followed you," Takeru recited, already accustomed to her attitude. "So where are you heading next?"

Chris slammed her palm against the table, making a few nearby customers jump. "Did you hear a single word I just said? Mind your own damn business!"

"Okay…" Takeru raised his hands in mock surrender, flashing an easy smile. "Okay. I'll listen to you. This once."

"'This once,' he says." Chris huffed, heading for the exit. "Watch your back, Takeru Sakamoto."

"Aww, you do care about me, Chris Yukine," he called after her with a goofy grin. Watching her leave, he sighed, glancing at his tray. "There goes half my allowance… Oh well. Might as well grab some apple pie too."

"What do you mean you detected Gungnir and the Ryuki deck?!" Yosuke's voice crackled over the communicator as he sprinted through the city streets, Tsubasa keeping pace beside him. "You… you're joking, right?"

"I assure you, we're not," Ryoko's voice came through, grave and unwavering. "Alongside the Noise, two distinct energy signatures just appeared out of thin air. And these waveforms… they're all too familiar."

Tsubasa remained silent, her expression unreadable. "Are the bikes ready?"

"They're prepped and waiting. Keep heading north, and you'll find them. I've already dispatched Goro to rendezvous with you."

"Roger that, ma'am." Yosuke ended the transmission, his gaze flickering toward Tsubasa. "Why now?"

"We'll figure that out when we get there. But…" Tsubasa hesitated, her grip tightening. "It's not them. I want so badly to believe it's them again, but that's impossible. It has to be different people. And we'll find out who."

"All right! Leave it to me!" Hajime, now clad in the Ryuki armor, proclaimed. "Let's see how you do against someone who can fight back!"

The Noise were alerted and rushed after Ryuki at once.

Feeling newfound power swelling within him, Ryuki jumped above one Noise, using it as footing to kick another one away. He saw a bigger one raising its claw and leaped onto its arm before it could crush him. Running up its limb, the dragon Rider kicked it in the eyes, knocking it back.

"Woah... how am I doing all this?" Ryuki pondered, yelping as he lost his balance and fell to the ground. "It feels like this suit is giving me powers. That fall would have normally killed me, but... I survived. In fact, I feel fine."

The Noise he had punched were recovering, seemingly not affected much by his attacks.

"I can punch them without dying now, but it looks like my attacks aren't doing much." Ryuki glanced down at his belt, grabbing one of the cards within it. "Maybe that dragon can help me again."

The card he drew read Sword Vent, with the picture of a sword.

"Cool! Maybe I can cut them up!" He cheerfully said to himself, posing with his card. "Okay, sword, come to me!"

Nothing happened.

Ryuki twisted his arm around, thinking his pose might be the problem, but to no avail. A Noise tackled him while he was distracted, making him crash against a metal pole, bending it upon impact.

"Ow... why didn't it work?" Ryuki tried rubbing his head but realized his helmet made it impossible. "Oh, right. What now then?"

It was then that he noticed the weird gauntlet on his left hand, shaped like a dragon's head. He touched it and accidentally moved the head forward, revealing a compartment within. With nothing to lose, he inserted his card there, and to his surprise, it fit. Pulling the head back, the dragon's eyes shined.

Sword Vent: Dragsaber

A sword projected into his hands, startling him with how sudden it was.

A Noise ran up to him, and with his sword, he instinctively cut it in half, recalling moves he had seen in video games. This time, the Noise evaporated, leaving ashes behind.

"Oh, right. I forgot about Hibiki. I should probably go find her. But won't she freak out after seeing me like this?"

As if life itself answered his question, the same girl he had saved landed a few meters away from him from a considerable height. Though this time, she was wearing a skintight battlesuit with armored parts.

"What the..." Baffled, Ryuki focused his attention on Hibiki, who was still holding onto the little girl from earlier. "How? I mean, what—"

"It's you!" Hibiki beamed when her gaze fell on him. "You saved me!"

"Uh, I guess?" Ryuki rubbed his nape awkwardly. "Not really 'saved' if you're not out of danger. What are you wearing, and when did you even put it on? You didn't have a bag to hide those clothes when we were running."

"Huh?" Hibiki blinked, the voice of the masked person resonating in her head. "Hajime-kun?"

"Oh, right." Ryuki chuckled. "I don't know what's going on either, but I can do this."

"So wait, that time..." Hibiki reminisced about when she was being protected by Akira and Kanade. "It was you?"

"What are you blabbering about?" Ryuki shook his head. "Why are you here? And why do you still have that kid with you? You should have escaped by now. And seriously, literally jumping into this mess... how irresponsible are you?"

Hibiki lunged over in his direction, surprising him. She wound her fist back and threw a punch beside his head, smashing a Noise that was about to attack him into pieces. Ryuki used his right arm to stop her in place, looking behind him.

"You... killed it?"

"I did?" Hibiki took a step back, checking out her armored gauntlet. "Incredible..."

"Cool! Man, you're amazing, Hibiki-san!" Ryuki laughed childishly. "Can you fight alongside me against the Noise?"

"I could, but Yui-chan..." Hibiki said, concerned about the well-being of the girl in her arms.

"I see. Right, if you leave her be, she'd be easy prey, but if you fight with her in your arms, you'll be open to attacks. Not to mention she could get hurt as well. Guess I'll handle this."

"Are you sure? By yourself?"

"Are you kidding? This is so much fun." Ryuki grinned, feeling adrenaline pumping through his veins. Without a care in the world, he rushed toward the Noise. He kicked one away, stabbed another with his sword, then punched one to the ground. Swiftly removing his sword from the dying Noise, he stabbed the one beneath his boot next.

The big green Noise approached him slowly while the others began their attacks. The smaller Noise shot themselves at him. He tried deflecting their attacks with his sword but couldn't stop all of them. His sword was knocked out of his hands.

Stumbling back, Ryuki saw a shadow cast from above—Noise jumping down toward him. His hand struggled to draw a card, still not used to wearing gloves.

A crab-like monster jumped into action, taking the attack instead.

"What is that?" Hibiki pondered, jumping back to a safe distance. "Wait, I recognize that thing..."

"Are you okay?" Kamen Rider Scissors landed next to Ryuki, offering a hand. "I'm sure you must be confused right now, Ryuki, but—"

"Hey, you also have cool armor like mine? That's dope." Ryuki ignored his hand, swiftly getting back on his own feet. "And you called me Ryuki? Why?"

"That's your Kamen Rider name. Mine is Kamen Rider Scissors. For, you know, my pincers."

"So you're a crab?" Ryuki stifled a laugh. "That's lame. And even lamer is the name Ryuki. I was going with... Dragon Knight. But it's whatever, I guess."

'He's so different from Akira-senpai,' Scissors thought before shifting his gaze to Hibiki. "And that's... Wait, you're the girl from back then!"

"And you're one of the heroes who protected me!" Hibiki beamed back. "Thank you so much for that!"

"No problem." Scissors began approaching her. "But why do you have Gungnir? The others aren't going to be happy—"

Before he could finish his sentence, the big Noise swatted him away like a fly, sending him crashing against a water tank.

Ryuki looked up, suddenly realizing how he had forgotten such a big fella. This time, he made sure to draw his card and activate it.

Strike Vent: Dragclaw

Ryuki punched the air, aiming at the creature, firing a sphere of fire that morphed into his contact monster. Dragreder wrapped itself around the Noise before unleashing its fire breath on it and disintegrating it.

Ryuki aimed his gauntlet at a group of Noise, firing a few fireballs that exploded upon impact.

"He's amazing," Hibiki marveled. "I wonder if I can do that too."

Before he could fire another attack, a new Kamen Rider arrived at the scene with his Symphogear companion.

"Tsubasa-senpai and Yosuke-senpai..." Scissors picked himself up from the ground.

"Oh, look. Another one of us." Ryuki grinned. "This keeps getting more fun."

"Stop playing around, or you'll get killed," Knight didn't bother looking behind him.

"We'll take care of this," Tsubasa stated, leaving no room for argument. "You lot just protect that girl."

"What? No!" Ryuki refused, eager to continue fighting. "This just got fun! You can't keep me out of it."

"This isn't a game," Knight sternly chided him, focusing his attention on the Noise. "Let's go."

Tsubasa wasted no time running toward the enemies, unsheathing her katana before it increased in size as she sang.

Blue Flash

Swinging her sword, she created a slash of blue lightning that easily destroyed a group of Noise.

"My turn," Knight declared, drawing his card.

Sword Vent: Winglancer

Knight dashed around the Noise, skewering them with his lance.

"Hey, no fair! Let me in on the action too!" Ryuki fired rapid shots without aiming properly. One nearly hit Tsubasa.

"Hey! Watch where you're aiming!" Tsubasa sneered.

"You're not my mom!" Ryuki snapped.

"This guy..." Tsubasa huffed, already annoyed at him.

"Tch." Knight clicked his tongue, drawing a card.

Tricky Vent: Shadow Illusion

Clones of Knight joined the fray, surrounding the Noise from all sides and forcing them into a tight formation.

Tsubasa saw the opening and didn't hesitate.

A Thousand Falling Tears

With a fierce swing of her Armed Gear, she unleashed a barrage of slashes, a thousand blades raining down upon the bundled Noise. The concentrated attack carved through them with precision, leaving nothing but dissipating ashes in its wake.

As the battlefield fell silent, Tsubasa sheathed her sword with a sharp flick, exhaling softly. "That should take care of it."

Ryuki, meanwhile, let out an exaggerated sigh. "Aww, man! I barely got to do anything."

"You were getting in the way," Knight remarked flatly.

Ryuki crossed his arms. "What? No way! I totally helped."

"You nearly hit me," Tsubasa shot him a glare.

Ryuki laughed nervously, scratching the back of his helmet. "Heh... my bad?"

Knight simply shook his head. "We need to talk."

After a while, several cars arrived, their occupants swiftly moving to clean up the dust left behind by the Noise. Fortunately, Yui was reunited with her mother, and both were asked to keep silent about what had happened.

Hibiki and Hajime, now reverted back to normal, sat together, enjoying a warm cup of hot chocolate.

"Like I said, I don't know what you're talking about," Hajime groaned for what felt like the tenth time. "I wasn't at that concert. I didn't even know Zwei Wing or Tsubasa existed until today."

"But I'm sure I saw you," Hibiki insisted. "You were there that day. And that crab knight too. Tsubasa as well! This is the second time you've all saved me."

"I don't know. I literally just learned I can transform. It couldn't have been me. Maybe there are others who look like me? I don't know, maybe I have an evil twin or something."

"Is that really possible?!"

"Of course not, you dummy!"

"Ahem."

Their conversation was interrupted as Yosuke, Goro, Tsubasa, and several men in black suits stood in front of them.

"You'll have to come with us to the second branch of the Disaster Relief Squad," Tsubasa informed them, her gaze avoiding theirs.

"Huh? Why?" Hibiki asked, confused. A man with brown hair stepped forward, holding two pairs of cuffs. Before she could fully register what was happening, she felt the cold metal snap around her wrists.

"Uh, no," Hajime quickly stood up, backing away from the man. "What are you doing?"

"Shouldn't we give them an explanation for their arrest, Ogawa-san?" Goro asked, scratching his cheek.

"We're taking them into custody," Ogawa replied as if it was the most natural thing in the world. "Is that good enough?"

"No. It's not! I don't have to go anywhere with you people! Neither does she! We literally just saved a kid's life!"

"And we appreciate that, but—"

"Goro, enough," Yosuke cut him off, hands in his pockets as he stepped toward Hajime. "You are a Kamen Rider. I'm sure I don't need to tell you that. That girl is one thing, but we can't have rogue Riders running around. They cause chaos, and people die. I'm not making the same mistake I did with Gai."

"Who the hell is Gai? And I'm not going to hurt anyone. I'm going to kill some Noise, though," Hajime grinned from ear to ear. "These powers are so cool! Finally, something interesting happens to me! I'm like a hero or something, right? I can hardly wait for the fun!"

"Fun?" Yosuke narrowed his eyes, grabbing Hajime by the collar. "This is fun for you? You have no idea what you're saying, you brat!"

"Yosuke-senpai, ple—"

"Why you?" Yosuke seethed, looking at Hajime with disdain. "Why does someone like you have Akira's deck?!"

"Shit… you recognized me?" Hajime chuckled nervously, trying to break free. "I was hoping you wouldn't."

"You… know each other?" Tsubasa raised a brow, confused.

"He's a delinquent in my school," Yosuke answered sharply. "He gets into fights every day, has horrible grades, and even started a gambling ring. Why does someone like you have that deck?! Answer me!"

"I don't have to answer anything." Hajime swatted Yosuke's arm away. "I don't know what you're talking about! I found this deck two years ago when I went out to take out the trash. I heard a voice in my dreams that told me to fight the other Riders to get any wish I want."

"It adds up," Tsubasa murmured, biting her thumb. "Given what we know about the Advent Decks…"

"But why him? Is this Odin's doing?" Yosuke clutched his head as a sharp pain shot through it. "Did he do it just to spite me? No, it doesn't matter." Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his deck. "I'll retrieve the Ryuki Deck now. If we leave him unattended, he'll become a problem. Don't try to run, either. I know your name and face. You'll be targeted by the government. You have two options: hand me that deck or come with us. Otherwise, you'll be persecuted. All Kamen Riders who aren't with us are considered threats to humanity."

"For what?! This is stupid!"

"But he can't give you his Deck, Yosuke-senpai. He's in a contract with his monster!"

"What? Contract?" Hibiki parroted, completely lost.

"He doesn't need to know that, Goro," Yosuke sighed. "Look, how about this? We fight. If you win, you can go, and we won't chase you. But if I win, you're coming with us."

"I did nothing wrong, and I'm not doing what you demand!" Hajime declared, gripping his deck. "But if it's a fight you want, you'll get it!"

"Henshin!"

Both Riders swiped their Decks into their V Buckles, transforming in a flash of light.

"I thought maybe you could help us fight Odin," Knight said, brandishing his Dark Visor as he approached. "But you'd never fight for something that isn't about you."

"Stop talking all high and mighty and fight me!" Ryuki snapped, charging forward with a wild punch.

Knight merely tilted his head, letting the strike sail past before catching Ryuki's leg mid-kick. Using his grip as leverage, he flipped the younger Rider onto his back with a heavy thud. He leaped, visor poised to stab down, but Ryuki rolled away just in time, scrambling to his feet.

He reached for his deck, but Knight was already upon him, backhanding him before he could draw a card.

"Damn it—!" Ryuki tried again, only for Knight to drive his knee into his stomach, sending him staggering.

"He's not even letting him use a card." Goro winced. "That's too much."

"He's hurting him!" Hibiki cried out.

"That boy is reckless, throwing himself at someone far more experienced." Tsubasa's arms remained folded, her gaze sharp. "He's fighting Yosuke, a master of his powers, while he only discovered his today. This was never going to end well."

Ryuki panted, chest rising and falling. Behind him, Knight stalked forward, dragging his rapier along the ground, sparks flying in his wake.

"Weren't you going to fight me?" Knight's voice was cold. "Teach me a lesson, wasn't it?"

"Gimme a break!" Ryuki flipped backward, landing behind Knight. He swung a punch, but Knight moved effortlessly, his visor flashing as he countered with a precise slash across Ryuki's chest.

Yet Ryuki didn't fall.

He gritted his teeth, steadied himself, and lunged.

The sudden aggression caught Knight off guard. Ryuki closed the gap, locking onto his movements. He sidestepped, avoiding a thrust, and retaliated with a kick to Knight's stomach, forcing him back. Without missing a beat, Knight threw a punch—but Ryuki had already seen it coming, blocking with his forearm before delivering a stunning headbutt.

Knight reeled. Ryuki seized the moment, drawing a card and swiping it through his visor.

Sword Vent: Dragsabe

"Finally!" Ryuki grinned, gripping his newly summoned blade. "Now we're talking!"

"How?" Tsubasa's eyes narrowed. "He was getting demolished, but now he's keeping up?"

"He's not keeping up," Ogawa corrected, his gaze steady. "He's learning. He's adapting. Some fighters don't need training—they evolve as they fight. He's figuring out Yosuke's patterns, countering them instinctively. It's not raw skill—it's mimicry, and strategy. And that makes him dangerous."

"Which means Yosuke needs to put him down fast," Tsubasa muttered.

Knight regarded Ryuki with a measured gaze. "You're... good."

He slid a card into his Visor.

Strike Vent: Winglance

A long, sleek lance materialized in his grip. Ryuki swallowed hard.

"Alright, new weapon. Let's see how you—"

Another card appeared in Knight's hand.

Tricky Vent: Shadow Illusion

Eight identical Knights appeared, surrounding Ryuki, each holding a Winglancer.

"Oh, come on! That's not fair!" Ryuki protested.

"Fair?" Knight's voice was cold. "There's no fairness in battle. Only survival."

Two Knights lunged first. Ryuki blocked one strike with his sword, then raised his knee to deflect the other, pushing both back. A third Knight hit him from behind, sending him stumbling into another, who struck him with the hilt of their lance.

Dazed, Ryuki barely had time to react before the Knights began tossing him between them, striking from all sides.

Gritting his teeth, he leaped high, drawing another card and slashing it through his visor.

Strike Vent: Dragclaw

A fiery claw formed over his gauntlet. Without hesitation, he aimed at the ground, unleashing a barrage of fireballs. The Knights scattered—several vanishing into wisps of smoke. Landing, Ryuki raised both arms—one gripping his sword, the other engulfed in flames.

"Come at me!"

"With pleasure."

Knight motioned forward. The remaining clones surged ahead.

Ryuki roared, launching a stream of fire shaped like Dragreder. It consumed the clones instantly, clearing the battlefield in a cloud of dust.

"Just as I thought." Knight's voice cut through the haze. "If left unchecked, you'd become a problem."

"Oh, what, 'cause I actually put up a fight?!" Ryuki panted, scanning for his opponent. "You're just pissed I'm not rolling over!"

Advent: Dragreder

The mighty Dragreder roared to life, sweeping its tail through the smoke. But when the dust settled—Knight was gone.

"Looking for me?"

Ryuki turned sharply, aiming his Dragclaw—but Knight was faster. A single kick sent his arm skyward, throwing off his aim. Before Ryuki could counter, Knight's lance struck again and again, each blow finding its mark.

'He's even faster now!' Ryuki's mind raced, body reeling. He tried to block, but Knight's attacks were relentless. One final strike sent him crashing into the earth, leaving a crater.

Knight tossed his lance aside. His visor glowed.

Final Vent: Flying Lancer

"Don't do it!" Goro shouted. "Yosuke-senpai, you'll kill him!"

Hibiki gasped. "K-Kill?!"

"A Final Vent is a Rider's strongest move," Tsubasa said gravely. "It's meant to end the fight."

Ryuki struggled to rise, exhausted and battered. Above him, a black tornado descended—the form of Knight's finishing move. He squeezed his eyes shut, bracing for the worst.

The attack landed.

An explosion rocked the area. The shockwave sent the onlookers staggering.

When the dust settled, Ryuki found himself... alive. The lance had missed by inches.

"You—" Before he could speak, his transformation dissolved, leaving him breathless and human once more.

"It's over." Knight loomed over him. "You lost. You're coming with us. Like it or not."

Hajime was too stunned to reply. Yosuke grabbed his collar. "I said, got it?!"

"Y-yeah!" Hajime stammered, nodding frantically.

"Good." Knight de-transformed, stepping away. "Ogawa-san. Cuff him."

"Why did you hurt him like that?!" Hibiki demanded. "He's just a person! He's younger than you!"

Yosuke's gaze was ice. "The moment we become Kamen Riders, we stop being people."

Hajime looked up at the moon, reaching toward it. "Here I thought my luck had finally changed… but I was wrong. I'm so damn unlucky."

Somewhere far from there, a group of weary employees toiled away in overtime, their eyes heavy with exhaustion. They knew they'd only get a few hours of sleep before repeating the cycle again the next day.

"Come on, come on! It's up to you whether we leave before midnight or not!" barked a pompous man in an ill-fitted suit. "Ever since the chief vanished along with Amamiya-chan, our workload has doubled!"

"Vice Chief Moshida," a bespectacled man spoke up, adjusting his frames. "I've completed this week's financial report. I'll send it to the boss's email right away."

"Don't bother, Hoshino. Send it to me instead." Moshida waved his hand dismissively before plopping himself onto a female worker's desk. "So, about that extra help you needed with your sales, Morgan-chan?"

The woman—a young foreigner with pale skin, cascading blonde hair, and striking green eyes—shifted uncomfortably. "A-ah, right…"

She noticed his gaze lingering too long on her chest and grew nervous. Before Moshida could press further, his attention shifted to another target. A young man in his early twenties sat at a cluttered desk, balancing a phone between his ear and shoulder while typing furiously with one hand and jotting notes with the other. His short, unkempt black hair and tired gray eyes spoke volumes about his exhaustion. Unlike the others, his blue tie stood out amidst the sea of dull corporate wear.

"Kuwana!" Moshida's voice boomed across the room. "What the hell are you doing?!"

Startled, Kuwana nearly dropped his phone. "Uh… just ordering dinner, sir. Figured I won't make it home in time to cook. Thought I'd grab something. Do you want anything, Morgan-san?"

"Ah, much appreciated, Kuwana-kun." Morgan gave a grateful nod, her voice soft but sincere.

Moshida's eyes darkened at their interaction. He strolled over, grabbing a nearby cup of water. Humming a tune under his breath, he suddenly splashed it in Kuwana's face, soaking his shirt.

"Oops." Moshida smirked. "I must've tripped. So sorry, Kuwana. But hey, at least that woke you up. How about finishing Morgan-chan's paperwork as well? Surely a young, healthy guy fresh out of college has the energy to help a nice woman like her."

Kuwana clenched his jaw, feeling the mockery from his co-workers' amused glances. His knuckles turned white under the desk.

"I'd love to, sir…" he muttered.

"Good." Moshida patted his belly, already turning for the door. "I'll be in my car, 'reviewing' some files the boss sent. Morgan-chan, I'd be more than happy to give you a ride home. You never know how dangerous the streets are..." He licked his lips. "Especially at night, what with the chief's disappearance and all."

His grin widened as he stepped out of the office, the heavy door shutting behind him. He whistled a smug tune while descending the dimly lit stairwell of their small office building. Reaching the parking lot, he dug into his pocket for his car keys.

Then he heard it.

A low, thunderous growl.

Moshida barely had time to turn before something massive and monstrous—a creature resembling a charging rhinoceros—slammed into him with bone-crushing force, pinning him against his car. His scream was cut short.

Back in the office, Kuwana continued typing away, his soaked shirt clinging uncomfortably to his skin.

"Four years of college, and for what? To end up in this dump?" he muttered under his breath. "All I did growing up was study. Study until I nearly went insane. I was supposed to be the best. The elite. And yet… I'm stuck here. A mediocre company with people who don't even have degrees making more than me."

He leaned back in his chair, exhaling sharply. Then, sliding open a drawer, his fingers brushed against something cold and metallic. A small box. He lifted it, studying the symbol of a rhinoceros embossed on its surface.

A slow grin spread across his face.

"Maybe not everything is so bad. I have this, after all" he murmured.

His fingers curled around the box, his expression twisting into something sinister.

"And now, it's time to put it to use again.