"You should have followed Swartz's instructions to create a Strange Rider. You wanted to overwrite Build's history. So—what was the result?"
"The result is that the King of this era has obtained Build's Ride Watch!"
"And just as Ora suspected, is it that the old demon king has arrived to stop you now?"
"No," Ryuga replied calmly. "He's still comfortably watching from the future."
"Then why hasn't he interfered with you 'changing history'?"
"Because what you're doing right now is part of the correct timeline—you're helping Zi-O become the King of All Demons."
Ryuga laid it out, step by step, to the bewildered Ur and Ora.
"What?!" Both of them looked at him in disbelief. "How can that be?!"
"Why is it impossible?" Ryuga countered. "If you think anything I said is wrong, go ahead—point it out."
Silence fell between them.
Ryuga didn't care. He went on spoiling events freely, as if revealing secrets gave him joy. After holding back for so long in Build's world, it felt exhilarating to finally let loose.
"Now that we've covered Zi-O, let's talk about Swartz."
"He already knew everything we just discussed," Ryuga said, interrupting Ur before he could speak. "His goal is for Zi-O to become the Demon King—not to support him, but to let him gather all that power… and then steal it for himself to become king."
"And once he's done using the two of you—he'll discard you."
"You still don't get it, do you? The power of Time Stop within you—it didn't awaken naturally. It was secretly implanted by Swartz before he even summoned you!"
That was why Ryuga had no interest in absorbing their time-based powers. They were essentially on loan—never truly theirs. Swartz could reclaim them at any moment. And they were too limited to be useful in his own evolution.
Back when Ryuga absorbed Pandora's Box's power, it took countless black and white Full Bottles before he could truly master cosmic and spatial energy.
Now, with control over those forces—plus the Blood Tribe's devouring talent—he had forged a vortex of energy within himself. Like a black hole, it consumed everything to make him stronger.
That's why the power of time didn't impress him anymore. Without even transforming into his Black Hole form, he could suppress it.
His system panel reflected this evolution—his talent had upgraded into something greater, which he personally named: [Infinite Devour].
It was an evolution, not a replacement, so all previous abilities were retained.
Watching Ur and Ora still reeling from the revelations, Ryuga said calmly, "You don't need to rush into fighting Swartz. You're not his match. Just follow his instructions for now. It won't hurt you."
"Just protect yourselves. Don't overreach. And most importantly—don't provoke Zi-O."
"But we've already been making enemies for him. How could we not provoke him?" Ora argued.
"You weren't listening during my lecture," Ryuga flicked her forehead lightly. "I told you—you're giving him Ride Watches. As long as you don't cross the line—like hurting his friends or killing innocents—he won't care what you do to him."
"Then how long are we supposed to help that bastard Swartz?" Ur asked, clearly disgusted. "What if he betrays us?"
"Relax. At least until Zi-O collects all the main Heisei Riders' powers, Swartz won't make a move. Even if something happens, I'll step in."
"Why are you helping us?" Ur narrowed his eyes.
Ryuga smirked. "Don't misunderstand. I'm not helping you. I'm helping Ora, who helped me. You're just… collateral."
Ur: Must you be so blunt? Can't you show a little tact?
"Who said I belong to you?! Go to hell!" Ora shouted, clearly flustered. Then she bit him again.
What followed was another scene unfit for children.
Ur: I've had to endure more dog food than any single man should.
"You didn't bite me on purpose again, did you?" Ryuga looked genuinely puzzled.
"Go away!" Ora muttered, voice weak. She didn't want to talk anymore.
Ur had already walked off, having reached his limit for public affection. The time stop had also been lifted, and now several singles were eyeing the couple with envy and bitterness.
"Well then, it's your turn next, Ur. Time to find a target." Ryuga said, standing up and instantly teleporting away with Ora in tow.
"Ghosts?!" Several nearby pedestrians saw them vanish into thin air and fainted on the spot.
2016
Ryuga and Ora descended from a Time-Space Machine that looked suspiciously like Kamen Rider Kiva's Castle Doran.
"Why does your time machine look like Doran Castle?" Ryuga asked curiously.
Ora, still brooding over the man who had taken her first kiss—twice—ignored him and walked on in silence.
Wait… Can it still be called a first kiss if it happened twice?
As they approached their destination, Ora raised her hand and brushed her hair aside. Instantly, time stopped.
She returned to her usual cold, elegant self—like a queen stepping onto the battlefield. Ryuga nodded with approval.
But then he remembered his notebook—the list of future goals. Among them were a queen, a princess, a witch, and a goddess.
The queen was gentle. The goddess, a little naïve. But the princess? Spoiled and proud—definitely bound to clash with Ora.
Nothing's happened yet, and I'm already stressed.
At that moment, Ora had reached her target: a man standing beside an ambulance.
Time was frozen. Only he and Ora could move.
"What's going on?!" the man gasped in horror. "Who are you?!"
"You don't need to know that," Ora replied coldly. "I'm here with one piece of bad news—and one very good one."
She looked at the boy lying on the stretcher inside the ambulance—the man's son.
"Bad news: This child's heart won't last much longer."
The man's eyes widened in terror.
"But," Ora continued, "if you form a contract with me, you can save him."
"That's the super good news. So… what's your choice?"
A devilish smile curled on her lips.
"I'll do it!" the man shouted through gritted teeth, eyes locked on his suffering child.
"Excellent."
Ora pulled out a blank black Ride Watch.
[Ex-Aid!]
She pressed the button on top. The device responded to the man's inner psyche and transformed into a glowing purple Ride Watch. A distorted Ex-Aid face emerged on the display.
After confirming its alignment, Ora pressed the watch into the man's chest. In a flash of purple light, he transformed into a monstrous parody of Kamen Rider Ex-Aid—an Another Rider.
"From today onward…" Ora declared, "you are Another Ex-Aid."