The night sky of Blüdhaven was a canvas painted in shadow. Only the faint glow of neon signs and the distant hum of cargo ships cut through the silence of the coast. Perched on his Hardboilder, Ryotaro adjusted the Frog Pod on his wrist, letting the recorded voices from the police department echo softly in his ear.
"We need to warn them about the new superhero in this city… But this will not change even if he is Superman… except if he is Batman."
The mocking laughter of the police chief replayed again.
Ryotaro narrowed his eyes beneath the black mask.
"…So that's how they see me. A nuisance. A threat to their little games."
[Host should not be surprised. Corruption thrives where power goes unchecked.]
"I know that already, System. But it's one thing to know it, another to hear it." He exhaled slowly. "If they're already laughing, that means I've gotten their attention. Good. Now it's time to keep it."
He revved the Hardboilder, the deep growl of its engine echoing in the alleyway before silencing it again. Tonight was not about speed. Tonight was about shadows. And later they are going to learn more.
Stacks of cargo containers loomed like towering gravestones, each marked with fading paint and rust. The salty air carried whispers of waves slamming against steel hulls.
On the far side of the docks, two groups were locked in heated conversation. Ryotaro crouched on a high container, his Denden Sensor glowing faint orange as it scanned for spectral anomalies.
"…Payment is late again. Russia doesn't tolerate delays."
The man's voice was heavy with an accent, his suit straining against his muscular frame. Across from him, a smaller gang boss in a leather jacket spat on the ground.
"You'll get your shipment tomorrow. We had interference last time. Some masked idiot crashed our trade."
Ryotaro smirked under his mask.
"Guess I made quite the impression."
But the Russian boss's next words made his blood chill.
"That's why we brought… them."
From the shadows, two figures stepped forward. They weren't human.
One was hunched, its arms like serrated blades fused with pale muscle. The other's skin shimmered unnaturally, bending the light around it. Both radiated the unmistakable aura of Gaia Memories.
[Warning. Hostile Dopant signatures detected.]
"So the Ultra Dai Shocker really are planting seeds here." Ryotaro's hand hovered over the Joker Memory at his belt. "Guess my mission just got harder."
Ryotaro whispered, "Stag, Spider, Bat—full deploy."
His Memory Gadgets scattered from his coat, morphing into their reconnaissance forms. The Spider scuttled along the containers, projecting silent feed into his visor. The Bat circled overhead, mapping escape routes. The Stag locked onto the shimmering Dopant, pinging its location even as it flickered in and out of visibility.
"Perfect."
He stood, clicked the Joker Memory, and slammed it into the Lost Driver.
"JOKER!"
A surge of black energy engulfed him, the armored form of Kamen Rider Joker manifesting under the moonlight.
The gangsters froze.
"It's him!"
The Russian boss snarled. "Kill him."
The blade-armed Dopant shrieked, charging across the dock with terrifying speed. Joker didn't hesitate. He leapt forward, meeting the slash with a brutal kick that sent shockwaves through the metal container beneath them. Sparks lit the night.
"Tch—fast, but predictable." Ryotaro twisted, slamming his elbow into the Dopant's jaw, then swept its legs out in one clean motion.
But before he could follow through, his visor flashed red.
[Host, behind you!]
The shimmering Dopant emerged, claws raking through the air. Joker barely ducked, feeling the distortion ripple past his helmet.
"Invisible ones are always the most annoying." He triggered the Stag Memory, sending a red beam that locked onto the Dopant's cloaked outline. "Got you."
He struck with a roundhouse kick, connecting with its chest and forcing the creature visible for an instant before it rolled back into the shadows.
The gangsters scrambled, some firing useless pistols, others fleeing toward the docked ship. Ryotaro ignored them. His mission was clear: neutralize the Dopants.
[Host, your Recovery count remains at 8. Would you like to engage with full power?]
"No." Ryotaro tightened his fists. "I can't blow my cover yet. Batman might not be here, but the moment I showed him too much, he'll notice. I'll do this the hard way."
[Acknowledged.]
The blade-armed Dopant lunged again, aiming to cleave Joker in two. Ryotaro caught its strike with both hands, sparks flying as metal scraped against reinforced armor. He growled, pivoted his stance, and slammed his knee into its gut. The Dopant gagged, stumbling back.
At the same time, the invisible Dopant tried to ambush from the side—but the Spider Memory shot a webline, pulling at its leg just long enough for Joker to twist and deliver a devastating side kick.
"Two against one, huh? Not fair for you guys." He cracked his knuckles. "I've got backup too."
Inside the dim-lit office of the police chief, cigarette smoke curled toward the ceiling.
"You're telling me Masked bastard is fighting at the docks right now?" the chief barked into the phone.
"Yes, sir," an officer whispered nervously. "Reports say… monsters are there too."
The chief slammed his fist on the desk. "Damn it. If the public sees this, the entire city will panic. Keep the reporters away. No leaks. Do you hear me?"
The officer hesitated. "…What if we can't cover it up?"
The chief sneered. "Then we'll blame the Masked bastard. Monsters don't exist—only vigilantes who destroy property."
Unbeknownst to him, a tiny Frog Pod clung to the underside of his desk, recording every word.
The battle intensified. Containers toppled like dominoes under the force of strikes and explosions. Joker weaved between both Dopants, fists flying like pistons. He struck the blade-armed one with a crushing uppercut, then spun to deliver a kick to the invisible Dopant mid-phase.
But both enemies adapted quickly. The blade Dopant grew spikes along its arms, extending its reach. The invisible one flickered faster, nearly impossible to track.
Ryotaro's breathing grew heavier. His armor was scratched, his body aching.
"System… status."
[Damage sustained: 34%. Stamina: dropping. Recommendation: activate Recovery.]
"Not yet." He staggered, then steadied his stance. "I can win this. I have to."
The Joker Memory pulsed at his waist, as if answering his resolve. Purple-black energy surged through his limbs, amplifying his strikes.
"Joker… Maximum Drive!"
He dashed forward, fists glowing with raw power. A barrage of punches hammered into the blade Dopant, shattering its spikes and launching it across the dock into a cargo crate. It collapsed, reverting to a human form unconscious under debris.
The invisible Dopant hissed, panicked. It tried to retreat—but Joker was faster. The Stag locked onto it again, and Ryotaro unleashed a final Rider Kick. His foot connected, energy detonating in a purple arc that tore the cloak apart. The Dopant screamed before collapsing into human form as well.
Silence fell. Only the sound of waves and the distant cries of retreating gangsters remained.
Joker stood tall, chest heaving. "…That's two down."
*********
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