As Kagami saw Tendō, his voice trembled. "Kabuto King?!"
Tendō replied calmly, "Speed up!"
The two clashed fiercely. After a few exchanges, Tendō whispered, "Knight Kick!" His attack landed squarely on the adult insect, which exploded in flames that soared into the sky. White smoke billowed as Kageyama exclaimed in surprise, "We won, Captain Kagami!"
Kagami muttered, "It's Kabuto King!"
Kageyama's expression changed abruptly. He and the other ant soldiers pointed their guns at Tendō. Kageyama demanded, "What's wrong, Kagami? Have you forgotten the order from headquarters?"
Kagami stood frozen in silence. Tendō's face was indifferent. "Are you still confused? I can't stand you. Speed up!" Tendō delivered a punch, sending Kagami staggering back. Kagami did not retaliate but instead said, "I don't want to fight my friends."
The audience in the Three Realms watched the scene unfold with concern.
"Are they really going to fight?"
"It seems like it's unavoidable."
"But I wish they wouldn't!"
"This damned Jet Organization is to blame!"
Tendō's lips curled into a slight smirk. "I am not your friend! My grandmother once said, the meaning of friendship is that the hearts of friends are too immature."
The audience couldn't help but comment.
"Haha, another classic line from Grandma!"
"Yes, Tendō really nails it every time."
"He truly lives up to being the King of Style!"
On the battlefield, Kagami's face darkened. "You called me immature?"
Tendō punched him again. "Immature is immature. If you won't fight seriously, what's the point?"
Kagami hesitated. "Do we really have to fight?"
Tendō's tone remained firm. "I won't hold back."
Realizing there was no other option, Kagami steeled himself. "Knight Stab!" His arm flashed with lightning-like energy as he launched a powerful attack toward Tendō. But Tendō didn't retaliate. Instead, he exposed his body to the blow.
The audience was baffled.
"Is the fight over already?"
"Why didn't Tendō fight back?"
"Didn't he say he'd be serious?"
Kageyama, watching from a distance, shouted excitedly, "Did you win, Kagami?"
Tendō smiled slightly. "You're an interesting guy. The mackerel has been bought; don't waste it. If cooked well, mackerel will be the best dish."
Kagami was silent, his emotions in turmoil. Tendō had claimed he'd fight seriously but chose not to fight back at all.
As Tendō walked away, Kageyama shouted at Kagami, "Why didn't you finish him? After the failure of the Royal Bee, it's the Shadow Team's duty to defeat the Kabuto King! That's headquarters' orders!"
The ant soldiers opened fire on Tendō. But Kagami stepped between him and the bullets.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!" Fire erupted as the bullets hit Kagami. The audience was stunned into silence. No one had expected Kagami to shield Tendō.
"They truly care about each other!"
"Neither wants the other to get hurt."
"Their friendship is so precious!"
In an extraordinary chat group, the discussion heated up.
"Kagami and Tendō are technically enemies now, but look at him protect Tendō!"
"Their friendship is so touching!"
In the battlefield, Kageyama demanded, "Kagami, whose side are you on?"
Kagami hesitated before removing the Royal Bee Transformer. It flew away, leaving Kagami standing in his human form.
Kageyama was shocked. "You're giving up being Royal Bee? Just after gaining its approval?"
Kagami replied softly, "I… I've realized there are more important things. My friendship with Tendō matters more than being a knight for the Jet Organization."
Kageyama's face hardened. "Retreat!"
The audience was deeply moved. Kagami had dreamed of becoming a knight, but he gave it all up for friendship.
The chat group buzzed with admiration.
"Wow, Kagami gave up his dream for Tendō!"
"What a noble gesture!"
"I'm so touched by their bond!"
Meanwhile, in a laboratory, Masato Mishima began an experiment on the Steel King. Shuichi Tansho was chosen as the test subject. The process was brutal, leaving Tansho battered and bloodied. Mishima reported to Riku Kagami, "No one has successfully bonded with the Steel King Transformer yet, but we can't give up."
Riku Kagami remained calm. "Do you know the story of Abraham? To prove his faith, he was willing to sacrifice his son."
The audience was uneasy. "Is Kagami's life in danger?"
Elsewhere, Kagami and Misaki Yuzuki investigated a factory rumored to house alien insects. Misaki left to check on Tansho in the hospital, leaving Kagami to confront a swarm of alien insects. He narrowly escaped with the help of a young boy named Acheng, who had been hiding in an underground shelter.
Acheng told Kagami about the alien insects attacking the factory and turning its workers into monsters. Kagami promised to protect Acheng, but when they tried to escape, they were discovered by the insects. Kagami instructed Acheng to hide while he lured the insects away with a forklift.
As Kagami fought, Kageyama arrived and transformed into Royal Bee, helping drive the insects away. Kagami pleaded with Kageyama to rescue Acheng, but Kageyama dismissed his concerns. "That child is a worm too!"
In the hospital, Kagami argued with Misaki Yuzuki and Shuichi Tansho, determined to save Acheng. But headquarters ordered the factory destroyed, believing it to be infested. The audience was left wondering about the mysterious objects hidden in the factory.
As Kagami wandered the hospital, he encountered Masato Mishima. Mishima remarked, "Tansho is a good man. Do you know why he was injured?"