Japan, Fuyuki – Singularity F.
In the night ablaze with fire's devastation, the sound of boots striking the shattered ground echoed rhythmically. The figures of Chaldea emerged under the flickering glow, steadily advancing toward their destination: the Ryuudou cave—where the Holy Grail lay sealed.
At the front of the group, Olga Marie walked with folded arms, her expression severe as she kept pace beside Caster Cu Chulainn. The former Lancer-turned-Caster spoke earnestly about strategy, yet mixed into it were his endless philosophies about "future camaraderie" and "the bonds of comrades-in-arms," which only made Olga Marie's face colder while veins threatened to burst in her forehead.
In the middle of the group, Mash and Ritsuka walked side by side. The two girls tilted their heads slightly upward, gazing at a night sky muddied by fire and smoke, quietly conversing as though searching for a sliver of calm amidst the chaos of war.
And at the very back? Kagami.
A tall figure trudged along, both hands rubbing his face with an expression full of indignation and injustice. On that handsome face—stood out the clear imprint of a boot.
Yes, Kagami-sama—the great Kamen Rider Eternal, the man who once kicked down the mythical Medusa, now bore the mark of a shoe across his face.
The cause? Let us rewind merely ten minutes prior:
While the group was preparing to set off, everyone busied themselves gathering supplies and checking intelligence. Meanwhile, Kagami-sama, Chaldea's so-called model employee, had stretched himself lazily beside a window… sound asleep. Olga Marie had sent Mash to wake him up. Yet no matter how many times Mash shook his shoulder, the only thing he muttered drowsily was his trademark line:
"Just five more minutes…"
Over and over again.
That slothfulness was the final drop that broke Director Olga Marie's patience. Unable to endure even another second, she delivered a direct flying kick—sending Kagami crashing down from the second floor straight into the ground.
The impact thundered like the heavens splitting apart!
The earth cracked, dust clouds rose, leaving behind a crater perfectly shaped like a man at the foot of the building.
Even now, should you return to that place, the crater still remains—an eternal monument to Kagami's tragedy.
"Still, Kagami…" Olga Marie crossed her arms, her cold gaze cutting straight toward him at the back of the group. Her voice carried a note of challenge:
"Do you have the confidence to fight Saber?"
Kagami slowly raised his head at that, one hand rubbing his chin with the air of a tactical analyst, though his eyes glinted with a careless, lazy look:
"If nothing unexpected happens, I'm confident I can fight that Saber. But… if things get rough, I'll try to end it as fast as possible. Quick fight, quick win, you got that?"
Cu Chulainn let out a dry chuckle, turned around, arched a brow, his tone half-joking yet half-serious:
"Hah… in that case, let me tell you who that Saber really is. That Saber—happens to be King Arthur, the King of Britain."
"Naruhodo…" Kagami nodded, one hand on his hip as if grasping the point… but before finishing his thought, his eyes suddenly went wide, his whole body jolting as if struck by lightning.
"Wait a sec—!!"
He jabbed a finger straight at Cu Chulainn, his voice cracking high-pitched like he was about to cry:
"You're telling me the Saber I'm about to fight is King Arthur?!"
"Yeah… any problem with that?" Cu Chulainn shrugged nonchalantly.
"Of course there's a problem, a huge damn problem!" Kagami clutched his head, screaming, his light-blond hair a tangled mess. "That Excalibur… according to legend it's the invincible holy sword given by the fae! If it comes down once, ten of my lives wouldn't be enough!"
Ritsuka blinked blankly, tilting their head as if they'd just caught something that didn't add up:
"Wait… but Kagami, aren't you able to recover instantly? Like… immortal?"
A beat of silence.
Kagami blinked, then scratched his cheek with a sheepish grin:
"Ah… right, ha… forgot. I'm immortal. To kill me you'd need to use Xtreme or throw me straight back into Gaia's data sea. Otherwise, no dice."
…
Olga Marie: "…"
One second later, the Chaldea director nearly coughed up blood from sheer rage. Her hands shook, face flushed red from holding back, as if ready to unleash a thunderstorm.
"You—!! Are you brain-damaged or something?!?!!"
Her small fists trembled violently, and it was only a hair's breadth away from her lunging forward to smash Kagami in the face again.
Kagami only folded his arms, his expression indifferent, deliberately provoking:
"Oi oi, calm down, bossu. If you kill me before the fight, who's gonna go up against King Arthur later, huh?"
"You—! Haah…" Olga Marie's voice cracked with frustration, but all that followed was a helpless sigh. She pressed a hand to her forehead, weary eyes betraying a flicker of regret.
"Looks like I really made a mistake… That decision to make you Chaldea's backup Master… utterly foolish."
Kagami didn't bother arguing. He strolled lazily behind the group. Yet, deep within his consciousness, he had already linked into the Gaia Library. Blank streams of data flooded his vision. Each glowing character shimmered with legends and myths.
– Artoria Pendragon… Excalibur… Avalon…
He muttered under his breath, the data-light casting a cold gleam across his distant face. He didn't know how strong this world truly was, so he could only be more cautious than ever.
The group pressed on. Footsteps echoed against scorched earth, ringing through the night. Then suddenly—
"Kagami-san?!" Mash startled as Kagami abruptly surged forward, overtaking everyone, eyes blazing with fierce light.
In that instant, he drew out the Eternal Memory and slammed it into the Lost Driver. A direct transformation.
"Henshin!!"
[Eternal!]
A storm of blue wind and arcs of azure lightning whirled around him. White armor formed, draped with a billowing black cloak. Kagami leaned forward, his cold voice cutting out like a command:
"Mash! Protect Ritsuka!"
"Eh?! What's going on—?!" Mash panicked, but her instincts took over, shield rising in front of Ritsuka.
Olga Marie hadn't even opened her mouth when Kagami flung his Eternal Robe wide. The dark fabric spread into a barrier, walling off the group.
A heartbeat later—
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Dozens of golden energy arrows screamed through the night like a meteor shower, tearing the air apart. Each one carried crushing pressure, slamming into the ground in bursts of dazzling golden light.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The earth quaked violently underfoot. Dust and flames exploded outward. The whole area drowned in a storm of endless detonations.
The group instinctively huddled together. Mash braced her shield, Olga Marie coughed harshly behind her sleeve, choking on smoke. After more than ten pounding heartbeats, the rain of arrows finally ceased.
Through the haze, the silhouette of the black cloak still stood, unmoving, like an iron wall. Kagami slowly turned his head, the blue glow of his visor's Vision burning fiercely.
"W-What… what just—?" Olga Marie stammered, but her words died as Kagami lifted his head.
Atop the ruins of a shattered building, the pale moonlight revealed a strange figure. His armor was a deep, shadowy black, golden patterns writhing like living veins under the glow of crimson fire. At the center of his chestplate blazed a red heart emblem, burning like an undying flame against the darkness of night.
In his hand, the Chalice Arrow trembled faintly, its metallic hum weaving into the night wind like a funeral dirge. His beetle-shaped helmet gleamed with searing red eyes, gaze sharp enough to pierce through every illusion and lie. Silver streaks along his pauldrons caught the light, glittering like falling stars in the storm of night.
There was no mistaking it—this was Kamen Rider Chalice.
The embodiment of primal instinct, of untamed wilderness.
Olga Marie froze, her voice trembling:
"T-That… is that the Archer?"
Kagami stepped forward, his voice low and solemn as he spoke each word through the haze:
"No… He's the same as me. A Kamen Rider."
"Eh?!" Ritsuka's eyes flew wide, almost screaming. "A Kamen Rider?! Like you?! Don't joke with me!!"
Kagami whipped his Eternal Robe wide, the black cloak flaring in the wind with a resounding snap, like the curtain rising on a battlefield. He spun the EternalEdge in his hand, steel flashing, then leveled it straight at the figure atop the roof. His voice was cold, sharp as a blade:
"Joker Undead… Why are you here? I clearly remember… you were sealed away by Kazuma-senpai and Tachibana-senpai."
A mocking laugh rang out above. Chalice lowered the Chalice Arrow bit by bit, his raspy voice dripping menace:
"Hmph… if that's so, then explain this—why are you here? How could the so-called Kamen Rider Eternal end up in this festering graveyard?"
He paused for a breath. The red eyes of his helmet flared dangerously.
"But still… surprising. That brat was right after all. This world… really does have another Rider besides me."
"brat?" Kagami tilted his head, frowning. "Hey, just who's this brats you're talking about? Someone who came from our world too?"
"Hmph! What business is it of yours… never mind, come fight me, Eternal!!"
Chalice roared, a beast's howl splitting the night. The Chalice Arrow drew taut, golden energy arrows bursting forth, ripping through the air like a deadly meteor shower, streaking straight for Kagami.
Unflinching, Kagami reversed his grip on the Eternal Edge, the azure blade gleaming like a hellish blue flame. Powered by the T2 Gaia Memory, he spun the blade into a storm of rapid slashes. The shriek of air and thunderous detonations filled the night as golden arrows clashed against blue arcs, erupting into firestorms and lightning, tearing the ground apart with jagged cracks.
"Hahaha! Is that all you've got, Chalice?! If that's the extent of your strength, how could you ever hope to bring me down?!" Kagami's voice thundered, cold and merciless from behind his helmet, like a death knell.
Chalice instantly closed the distance. The Rouse Absorber flashed as he swiped a Bio Card.
[Bio Plant!]
Dark armor sprouted writhing green tendrils, snaking like a living jungle, lashing out to drain Kagami's life force. The Chalice Arrow split into twin blades, striking down with a wave of green energy that engulfed the ruined street.
Kagami slipped back, his black cloak flaring and obscuring sight. With one motion he jammed the Zone Memory into the Eternal Edge:
[Zone! Maximum Drive!]
Space twisted. Kagami warped in and out around Chalice, each reappearance a flash of blue before vanishing again. Eternal Edge carved into Chalice's purple armor, sparks erupting with each strike. Chalice roared, unleashing the Tornado Card, a cyclone exploding outward and hurling Kagami into a concrete wall, shattering it to rubble.
"You think I'm so easily broken?"
Chalice's crimson eyes flared. He swiped the Mach Card, his speed skyrocketing. His black figure blurred into light, Chalice Arrow shifting back to bow form as he unleashed a barrage of "Arrow" with "Lightning"—golden shafts wreathed in violet thunder, detonating into a battlefield of electric hell.
Kagami chuckled darkly, slamming the Eternal Memory into the Maximum Slots. Blue energy surged and swallowed the storm of lightning.
[Eternal! Maximum Drive!]
He swung the Eternal Edge wide, unleashing a massive azure slash that split the night itself. It collided with the golden arrows in a cataclysmic blast, thunder echoing across the city as smoke and flame billowed skyward.
Through the choking haze, the two Riders clashed in close quarters. Chalice activated the Slash Card, Chalice Arrow splitting into twin swords, his strikes raining down at supersonic speed. Kagami switched Eternal Edge into Trigger Mode, firing round after round of blue energy shots, forcing Chalice to counter with the Reflect Card, bouncing the barrage back. The shock tore buildings apart, collapsing the battlefield as both plunged through the air, still locked in brutal combat.
[Kick Card!]
Chalice spun, unleashing a whirlwind kick powered by Tornado Jaguar, a storm wrapped around his leg crashing down like divine thunder.
At that instant, Kagami warped with Zone, reappearing behind him, Eternal Edge at Chalice's throat.
[Eternal Requiem!]
Blue energy surged, binding Chalice's body as Kagami struck across his chest, the slash forcing a scream of agony as his armor shuddered, on the verge of rupture.
But the Undead's primal instinct refused to yield. Chalice swiped the Wild Card, black-violet light consuming him.
[Wild… Chalice!!]
Black wings tore free. Horns jutted out. His armor twisted into a feral, primal form. Chalice Arrow warped into twin savage blades, unleashing a Wild Slash, golden arcs spiraling with lightning to shred through Eternal Requiem, blasting Kagami hundreds of meters away.
The ground quaked. Dust engulfed everything.
Yet both Riders rose again, immortal figures in fractured armor, breath heavy, eyes still burning with unquenchable fire.
Chalice clenched his teeth, his hoarse voice low but dripping with killing intent:
"It's not over yet… Eternal!!"
Behind his helmet, Kagami smirked. He raised the Eternal Edge high toward the sky, his aura erupting like it could burn the night itself.
"Fine then… Chalice. Let's see—primal instinct, or immortality. Which one will be the last to remain?"
White and black figures collided like crashing meteors. Every clash detonated with earth-shaking booms, shockwaves ripping the ground apart, grinding walls to rubble, hurling steel aside like straw. Blue flames and golden lightning twined together, drowning Fuyuki's night in an inferno of light.
Far off, the Chaldea group struggled against the overwhelming backlash. The earth trembled relentlessly, debris pelting from every direction.
"Oi oi… you've got to be kidding me…" Caster Cu Chulainn leaned on his staff for balance, his mouth twitching as his eyes locked on the Riders. "This… this is already beyond the definition of humanity."
"Truly… terrifying…" Olga Marie shielded her face, wind howling through her hair from the violent surges. Her voice trembled, though she forced a mask of composure. "That kind of fighting… far too brutal…"
"D-Director…!" Ritsuka clung to Mash's arm, trembling uncontrollably. "Shouldn't we… shouldn't we try to stop them…?"
Olga Marie snapped around, her voice shrill, stretched to the breaking point:
"Are you insane?! Charging in now is suicide! The fact we've even survived the aftershocks is already a miracle!"
BOOM!!!
Another collision exploded. The group instantly dropped low, lungs crushed by the pressure, hearts skipping beats under the weight of it. The ground split open into jagged trenches, dust and smoke roiling like thunder tearing apart the sky itself.
On the battlefield, Kagami and Chalice raged on, azure blade and golden arrows flashing in the storm. Every strike carried destruction, every blow cracking the very air, as if reality itself strained to breaking.
And then—
A figure cloaked entirely in black stepped forward, each measured footfall echoing through the chaos. His face was veiled in shadow, but his voice resounded, cutting directly into the minds of those who heard it:
"Chalice… that's enough. We still have work to do. Withdraw."
Chalice halted mid-swing, springing back with a growl, crimson eyes burning with displeasure. Resting the Chalice Arrow across his shoulder, his hoarse voice rasped with irritation:
"Tch… fine! But don't you dare think you can order me around. Remember that."
The cloaked figure gave no reply, only swept his hand. At once, a gray screen shimmered into being, distorted like a static-ridden TV. The air warped, swallowing both Chalice and the shrouded man. In a blink, the two vanished as if they had never existed.
The sight left Kagami frozen. His eyes widened, Eternal Edge thrust toward where the screen had disappeared. His voice broke out in stunned disbelief:
"Son of a—!! That… that was the exact same screen Tsukasa-senpai always used to cross between worlds!!"
As the smoke cleared, Kagami still stood there, Eternal Edge lowered to the ground, black cloak whipping in the wind. The blue eyes behind his visor narrowed, his mind still reeling from what he had witnessed.
"Kagami-san!! Are you okay?!" Mash shouted, rushing over with Ritsuka and Olga Marie. Cu Chulainn also stepped closer, staff glowing faintly in a stance of caution.
Olga Marie stomped her heel against the cracked earth, her face twisted in fury:
"What in the world were you fighting just now?! What the hell are you Riders supposed to be?! And that warped screen—what was it?! Does it have anything to do with this Singularity?!"
Kagami slid the Eternal Edge back at his hip, drew a deep breath, and flicked his cloak. He glanced back at them, his tone still tinged with irritation:
"That… for now, it's something you don't need to know. But one thing's certain—he's not from this world. Don't go poking around, or you'll end up dead before you even realize it."
"You—!!" Olga Marie nearly exploded, but finally exhaled, forcing herself to calm down. "Hmph… fine. I'll investigate this later. Now isn't the time to argue."
Cu Chulainn gave a dry laugh, his sharp eyes sizing Kagami up:
"You fought that guy head-on and still came out standing… I can't tell if you're a monster or just a freak of nature."
"Haha, if you're going to praise me, just say it straight. No need to beat around the bush." Kagami chuckled lightly, brushing dust off his cloak with a wave of his hand.
Olga Marie crossed her arms, inhaled deeply, and issued her command:
"Enough. We can't delay any longer. We move to Mount Ryuudou, as planned. If the Grail really is there, like Caster said… then we need to confirm it and end this Singularity as soon as possible."
"Yes, ma'am!" Mash answered quickly, sticking close to Ritsuka.
The group departed from the ruins, their figures swallowed by the night, leaving only devastation in their wake—the cracks, the collapsed buildings, and the echoes of a storm that had shaken heaven and earth.
Kagami followed last, each step heavy as he glanced toward the horizon where Chalice had vanished. A shadow of unease stirred within him.
"Chalice… who was that man with you? And why… why did he use a screen just like Tsukasa-senpai's…?"
Under the moonlight, Eternal's black cloak rippled, blending with the darkness. Ahead lay the path to Mount Ryuudou—where destiny waited still.