The command center was still buzzing with energy after Stronger's sudden arrival. The Rangers circled him cautiously, whispering among themselves, while Yuriko stood firmly before him, gripping the Ladybug Gun with both hands.
There was a question burning in her chest, one she could no longer hold back.
"Stronger," Yuriko began softly, "when we found the box… before these keychains appeared, I saw someone. A man in golden armor. His power was… terrifying. I've never seen anything like it. Gosei didn't recognize him either."
The Rangers leaned in, their curiosity piqued.
Stronger stiffened. For the first time since appearing, his confidence seemed to falter. Sparks crackled faintly off his armor, not from power—but tension.
"You saw him?" he asked, his tone grave.
Yuriko nodded. "Yes. Who is he?"
Stronger lowered his head slightly, his voice dropping. "That man… is no ordinary Rider. He is known as Kamen Rider Ohma Zi-O."
The name seemed to hang in the air like a storm cloud.
Emma frowned. "Ohma… Zi-O? What kind of Rider is that?"
Stronger's gaze swept across the group, his tone becoming heavy, deliberate. "Not a Rider who fights for justice. Ohma Zi-O is a king… a tyrant. In one possible future, he becomes the ruler of all Riders, wielding every single one of their powers. His strength is absolute. Entire armies fall before him, worlds bow to his rule. To stand against him is to face despair itself."
The Rangers' faces went pale. Even Troy, who was usually unshaken, looked unsettled.
"He sounds unstoppable," Noah whispered.
Stronger gave a grim nod. "That's because he is. Ohma Zi-O embodies the power of every Rider who has ever existed and ever will exist. He is the ultimate culmination of their strength… and their curse."
Yuriko's hands tightened around the gun. "So… he's evil?"
Stronger hesitated. "Yes… and no. The truth of Ohma Zi-O is complicated. He is not born evil—he is the future of one Rider, twisted by destiny, fear, and the weight of infinite power. Some say he rules because he believes it is the only way to prevent greater chaos. Others believe he is nothing more than a conqueror."
Gia crossed her arms, her brow furrowed. "So let me get this straight—there's some golden Rider king out there with god-like power, and you're saying he might not be purely evil, but he is dangerous enough to crush entire worlds?"
"Exactly," Stronger said firmly. "And if he has appeared here, even as a shadow or vision, it means something catastrophic is approaching. The lines of fate are shifting."
Yuriko's heart pounded. She remembered the piercing glare of the golden Rider, the aura of inevitability he carried. It hadn't felt like meeting a villain—it felt like meeting a storm, one that couldn't be avoided.
"But… why me?" she whispered. "Why show himself to me? I'm not a Rider like you."
Stronger looked at her gently, the electricity dancing around his armor softening. "Yuriko… you are more than you believe. You are tied to the Riders, not just through those keychains, but through your spirit. Perhaps he appeared because you are the bridge between Riders and Rangers. Or perhaps…" His voice grew low. "Perhaps your choices will determine if his future comes to pass."
The Rangers froze.
"Wait," Jake said slowly, "are you saying Yuriko could be connected to whether this Ohma Zi-O guy rises or not?"
Stronger did not answer immediately. Instead, he turned toward the glowing box, his sparks crackling in unease. "What I am saying… is that destiny is not set in stone. If Ohma Zi-O truly appears in your world, then the battle to decide the Riders' future has already begun."
The room fell silent.
Yuriko looked down at her hands, trembling slightly as she held the Ladybug Gun. Could it be true? Could her fate be tied to a being like Ohma Zi-O?
Finally, Stronger placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Do not lose hope. Even if Ohma Zi-O is inevitable in one future, that does not mean it must be this one. And remember—no Rider, no king, no tyrant… can stand forever against the will of those who fight together."
Yuriko lifted her gaze, her resolve slowly returning. The Rangers nodded firmly, rallying around her.
But far beyond the stars, in the shadows of time itself, golden eyes watched. A deep, resonant voice echoed like thunder.
"So… they speak my name. Let them. Soon, all will kneel before Ohma Zi-O."