The door creaked open. "Morning, Haruto!" Kenta stepped out, his tie slightly crooked, his bag slung over one shoulder.
"You're late."
"You're early," Kenta shot back, smirking.
The two fell into step together, the quiet shuffle of their shoes mixing with the morning chatter of neighbors and distant cars.
As they passed the nearly finished Starbucks, Kenta nodded toward it. "Looks like it'll be open soon. Think they'll remember us after… y'know, the whole devil incident?"
Haruto gave a nervous laugh. "Let's just… not test it."
They reached the school and settled into their usual seats. Haruto's gaze immediately found Airi across the room—her dark hair tipped with white shimmered faintly in the sunlight filtering through the window. She was laughing with her friends, and Haruto felt his chest tighten.
"Dude." Kenta nudged him with his elbow. "You're staring again."
"Am not."
"Are too."
Before Haruto could argue back, a group of bullies sauntered over, grinning in that cruel way only bored kids could.
"Well, well. Look who we've got here," the biggest one sneered, planting a hand on Haruto's desk. "The two losers."
Kenta clenched his fist, ready to grab his Masked Charger belt. "One word from you and I'll—"
"No." Haruto's sharp whisper stopped him cold. "Not here."
"…Tch." Kenta bit his lip.
The bullies made them do stupid errands, tossing papers and laughing when Kenta tripped. Haruto and Kenta bore it quietly, though Kenta's glare could've cut steel.
The door slammed open. The teacher strode in, wearing his usual half-tired, half-serious expression. His presence was enough to send the bullies scurrying back to their seats.
"Alright, everyone, sit down," he said, brushing chalk dust from his hands. "Let's get this over with."
The day rolled by—math, literature, history, all blurred into one dull rhythm. The only spark was Haruto sneaking glances at Airi and Kenta muttering insults at the bullies under his breath.
Then—
The teacher's phone buzzed. He glanced at it, and his face tightened. Elyra's voice came faintly through the line, even though the volume was low:
"Sensei. Emergency. You need to gather everyone. Now."
The teacher pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing. "Fine. Elyra, activate the explosion protocol."
"What—" Haruto started, but the words caught in his throat as a thunderous BOOM shook the building. The classroom lights flickered, the floor trembled, and the sound of crumbling echoed from outside.
The teacher's voice cut through the chaos. "Everyone evacuate! Now!"
Students screamed and rushed for the doors.
Then, his eyes locked on Haruto, Airi, and Kenta. "Not you three. With me. Now."
They hesitated.
"NOW!" he barked.
The three exchanged nervous glances before darting after him, slipping through the panicked crowd as the alarms wailed. The teacher led them down the hall, past shattered windows and smoke, his pace unrelenting.
"W-what's happening?!" Haruto shouted over the chaos.
"Something big," the teacher answered grimly. "And if Elyra's calling it an emergency… it means the king is finally making his move."
The hallway stretched ahead of them, lit by the red glow of emergency sirens. The world they thought was just another school day had crumbled in an instant. And the real fight was only beginning.
The group burst into the lab, still shaken from the explosion that rocked the school. Elyra was waiting, pacing back and forth in front of the glowing monitors.
"There you are!" she said, pointing to the largest screen. "We've got a problem. A big one."
On the monitor, desert sands shifted and rippled as something massive tunneled beneath them. The ground split apart, and an enormous, insectoid creature erupted from the dunes, towering over the battlefield with jagged claws and a writhing stinger. Behind it, an army of sand-forged creatures marched like a living tide.
Haruto's eyes widened. "That… thing…"
Elyra nodded grimly. "Sand King. Straight out of Dota2, and he's leading a swarm across the desert. At this rate, they'll reach Egypt in hours."
Airi clasped her hands together, her voice trembling. "And then Cairo will be destroyed…"
Kenta stepped forward, fire in his eyes. "Then we'll stop him before he gets there."
The teacher crossed his arms, voice low but steady. "Good. Because I've got just the ride for us."
He motioned for them to follow. They descended into the deepest section of the lab, where reinforced steel doors slid open to reveal a massive hangar. Lights flickered on one by one, illuminating a sleek VTOL aircraft—its design futuristic yet brutal, with dual tilt rotors and armored plating that shimmered under the glow.
"Holy…" Haruto breathed. "It's like something out of a sci-fi movie."
Kenta's grin widened. "A Megazord and a jet? Best team ever."
Elyra immediately rolled her eyes. "Touch more grass, nerd."
"Make me."
"Both of you, inside," the teacher cut them off.
As they climbed the ramp, they noticed a drone robot stationed at the cockpit controls, its mechanical fingers dancing smoothly across glowing interfaces.
Airi tilted her head. "Wait, who's flying?"
The teacher smirked. "Meet Pilot Unit-03. More precise than any human."
The robot's head swiveled, mechanical optics glowing blue as it beeped in acknowledgment. The engines roared to life, the hangar shaking with power. The VTOL's wings tilted upward, the turbines spinning fast as the whole craft began to lift.
"Destination: Sahara Desert. Estimated arrival in two hours," the robot announced in a synthetic but oddly calm voice.
The group buckled themselves into their seats as the VTOL soared out of the hangar, breaking through a disguised ceiling hatch and into the darkening sky. The city lights twinkled below them before vanishing into the horizon.
Inside the cabin, tension brewed.
Kenta leaned back, arms crossed. "So what's the plan? Just punch that overgrown scorpion in the face until it stops moving?"
Haruto frowned. "It won't be that easy. Did you see how fast it burrowed through the sand? If it ambushes us underground…"
Elyra chimed in with a smirk. "Guess we'll have to outsmart him. Good thing I'm here."
"Good thing you're annoying," Kenta shot back.
"You love it."
"Do not!"
Airi sighed, smiling faintly despite the situation. "Can you two stop flirting for five minutes? We're heading into a literal warzone."
That shut them both up—at least for a while.
The teacher, sitting with arms folded, finally spoke. "Listen up. This isn't just about stopping Sand King. If he reaches Egypt, thousands of lives will be lost. Failure is not an option."
Everyone went quiet, the weight of his words settling in.
"…So we win," Haruto said finally, determination flickering in his eyes.
The teacher gave a small nod. "Exactly."
The VTOL sliced through the night sky, the desert sands of North Africa drawing closer by the second.
The VTOL's engines thundered as the sands of the Sahara stretched beneath them. Moonlight reflected off the endless desert, but in the distance, a black tide moved—a writhing army of sand-forged monstrosities marching behind their towering leader, Sand King. His massive claws split the dunes like waves, each movement a quake.
Inside the VTOL, a warning alarm blared.
Pilot Unit-03: "Approaching drop zone. Recommend immediate deployment."
The hatch creaked open, a blast of hot desert wind roaring into the cabin. The four Masked Chargers stood side by side with the teacher, their belts already glowing.
The teacher turned, voice sharp. "This is it. The city's behind that army. We cut through them here, or Egypt falls."
Kenta smirked, already gripping his cartridge. "Then let's go out with style."
Haruto nodded, hand tightening on his Seven Samurai cartridge. "Everyone—Charge Up midair. Make it count."
Airi squeezed her belt, her eyes shining with quiet fire. "For the people who'll be crushed if we fail."
Elyra stretched her arms, visor already flashing. "And because blowing things up is fun."
The teacher slammed his Printer Belt cartridge in, his visor shifting through rapid glowing patterns as he roared:
"Masked Charger—Print!"
The five launched themselves out of the hatch, free-falling through the desert sky. Wind tore at them, the army below growing larger by the second. Each of them slammed their cartridges in—
Haruto: "Masked Charger… Seven Samurai!"
Kenta: "Masked Charger… Chainsaw Man!"
Elyra: "Masked Charger… Fate Grand Order! Artoria Pendragon, Saber form!"
Airi: "Masked Charger… Idol!"
Their armors ignited in blinding light as they transformed midair, glowing trails streaking behind them like falling meteors. With a unified shout, they slammed into the ground, sand exploding outward in a shockwave that crushed dozens of Sand King's minions instantly.
The battlefield froze for a moment—before the army shrieked and surged forward.
Kenta revved his chainsaw arm, the motor snarling as he tore into the first wave. "COME ON!" he bellowed, cleaving a sand beast clean in half. Sparks flew as the chainsaw roared, shredding through armored carapaces.
Elyra, now clad in gleaming silver armor with a blue skirt and a shining sword—Excalibur—charged forward with knightly grace. Her blade glowed with golden radiance as she swung in a wide arc, cutting down a line of enemies in one strike. "For Camelot!" she declared, her voice echoing like a true king on the battlefield.
Airi stood her ground, her note cannon glowing with radiant pink. She sang a sharp lyric, the cannon amplifying her voice into a beam that vaporized a dozen creatures at once. "Encore!" she shouted, spinning to launch glowing discs of sound that sliced through enemies like blades.
Haruto cut through the tide with calm precision. Seven glowing samurai specters appeared behind him, mirroring his movements. With each strike of his katana, an echoing slash followed, mowing down swathes of the army. He shouted over the chaos: "Keep pushing forward! Don't let them surround us!"
The teacher shifted constantly, his Printer Belt copying weapons into existence. He drew a massive hammer, smashing a beast into the sand, then instantly swapped to dual pistols, gunning down a swarm climbing from underground. "Adapt. Overwhelm. Don't give them time to breathe!"
The army surged in waves, some leaping, others burrowing from below.
"UNDERGROUND!" Elyra shouted as the sand beneath her rumbled. She raised Excalibur just as claws burst up, blasting golden energy downward and obliterating the ambushers in a flash of light.
"Saved your life," Kenta smirked, carving through another with his chainsaw.
Elyra's visor gleamed as she swung Excalibur, beheading three more. "And I didn't need it."
Meanwhile, Airi was surrounded. A dozen sand warriors closed in, but she clapped her hands together, her cannon glowing brighter. "This stage is mine!" She spun in a circle, unleashing a ring of energy notes that disintegrated the horde around her.
"Idol's got some bite," Haruto called, slicing two more down.
Then the ground shook. A massive stinger slammed into the battlefield, scattering sand. Sand King himself emerged, towering above them, his eyes glowing with malice.
Kenta cursed. "Oh, hell no. He's bigger up close."
Haruto raised his blade. "Doesn't matter. We fight!"
The battle turned brutal. Sand King's claws crashed down, sending shockwaves that hurled the team back. Elyra countered, summoning Excalibur's holy light, slashing upward in a golden arc that cut across Sand King's face, making the beast screech in fury.
"Aghh!" She was swatted back, spiraling, before Haruto leapt and caught her midair, slamming down with his samurai specters absorbing the impact.
"You alright?" Haruto asked.
Elyra groaned, sword glowing faintly. "My pride hurts. Shoot him harder."
The teacher barked, "Focus fire!" He copied Kenta's chainsaw, revving his own as the two tore into one of Sand King's massive legs, sparks and ichor spraying as the monster shrieked.
Airi charged her cannon to maximum, her voice cracking as she screamed lyrics into it, unleashing a massive beam straight at Sand King's chest. The blast tore scales and exoskeleton apart, making the Kaiju reel backward.
"NOW!" Haruto cried, leading his seven samurai spirits in a flurry of slashes at the wounded spot.
The combined force ripped through Sand King's chest, spraying glowing sand-like blood across the desert. The creature roared in agony, flailing wildly. Its stinger whipped down, shattering the ground—forcing the team to scatter.
Elyra, panting, raised Excalibur once more. "He's not going down easy…"
Kenta grinned through the sweat. "Good. I like it hard."
Everyone froze.
"…Wait, not like that!"
Airi giggled despite herself. "Oh my god."
Haruto rolled his eyes. "Focus!"
Sand King screeched again, his army regrouping around him. The fight was far from over.
Sand King roared again, claws slamming into the ground, sandstorms spiraling around him as his army regrouped for another wave.
But Elyra's visor glowed bright, her Saber armor dissolving into crimson light. The silver was replaced with the red cloak of Archer, sleek black armor wrapping her body. A bow materialized in her hands, glowing with impossible heat.
She crouched low, cloak flaring in the desert wind. "Alright… let's try a different approach."
Haruto blinked. "Wait—Archer form? You can switch like that?!"
"Duh," Elyra smirked, pulling back her bow. "I've been saving it."
The bow hummed, transforming into a massive blade-like arrow. Her voice rang like thunder:
"CALADBOLG!"
She loosed it.
The spiral arrow screamed through the air, detonating like a nuclear blast as it tore across the battlefield. The shockwave ripped apart the entire sand army, disintegrating thousands in an instant and leaving only Sand King, who shrieked in fury as the golden sands scattered around him.
"Holy—" Kenta muttered, shielding his eyes. "Remind me never to piss you off."
Airi's visor gleamed with awe. "That was… incredible."
Sand King staggered but charged, claws ripping the desert apart as he lunged at them.
"Fall back!" the teacher barked, copying Elyra's bow with his Printer Belt to cover the retreat.
But Elyra's voice cut through the chaos, steady and resolute. She held her bow low, her visor glowing brighter than ever. Her armor began to fragment, thousands of glowing swords materializing around her in the air.
Haruto froze. "No way… she's going to—"
Elyra's voice grew louder, reciting words older than time itself:
"I am the bone of my sword.
Steel is my body, and fire is my blood.
I have created over a thousand blades.
Unknown to death, nor known to life.
Have withstood pain to create many weapons,
Yet those hands will never hold anything.
So as I pray—Unlimited Blade Works!"
The desert sky tore open, raining countless swords. A crimson reality marble spread outward, warping the battlefield. Sand King howled in terror as swords rained upon him from every direction, piercing his massive body until he was pinned in place like a monstrous insect.
Elyra drew one final blade from the storm. "This is your end."
She leapt forward, drove the sword into Sand King's core—and the colossal Kaiju let out one last ear-splitting roar before collapsing into a mountain of broken sand and ichor.
Silence followed. The battlefield was nothing but scattered sand, broken blades, and the heavy breaths of the Masked Chargers.
One by one, their armors unwound with exhausted clicks and fading lights. Haruto fell back into the sand, groaning. "I… never want to fight in a desert again."
Kenta flopped beside him, sweat dripping. "Same. Too much cardio."
Airi sat gracefully, brushing sand off her hair. "You boys complain too much."
Elyra was still catching her breath, leaning on her bow as it dissolved. Haruto glanced at her with a faint smile. "That was… insane."
Elyra smirked, though her faceplate flickered red with embarrassment. "Well… I am the best, after all."
The VTOL roared overhead, lowering for pickup. The teacher's voice crackled through their comms. "Good work. Now get back in before something else spawns out here."
They boarded the VTOL, collapsing into their seats as the hatch sealed shut. The desert battlefield shrank beneath them. For a moment, it felt like victory.
But then—
ALARM.
The VTOL's monitors lit up red. Elyra straightened instantly. "What now?"
The teacher frowned, pulling up the feed. On the screen, security cameras in the lab flickered. A shadowy figure moved across the footage, holding something glowing.
Haruto's eyes widened. "…That's the lab."
The feed sharpened—and there he was.
The Cartoon Masked Charger, grinning under a distorted, animated visor, holding the stolen DVD in its hand. The one they had nearly died to retrieve.
Kenta slammed his fist against the VTOL wall. "Son of a—He was waiting for us to leave!"
The teacher's voice dropped cold. "We've been played."
Elyra's fists clenched. "…Then the real fight is about to start."
The VTOL touched down in the hangar, the engines humming to a halt. Everyone climbed out, exhausted but alert.
But the moment their boots hit the floor, a sound echoed through the lab—
CLANG! CLASH! BANG!
Kenta froze. "…Uh, you guys hear that?"
Elyra cocked her head, annoyed. "Great. Can't even get five minutes of peace."
They rushed through the steel corridors and burst outside the lab's side gate—only to stop dead in their tracks.
In the moonlit courtyard, two Masked Cartoon Chargers were locked in a brutal duel, their armor identical, cartoonishly exaggerated visors flickering with static. Both wielded weapons resembling blades straight out of Adventure Time, glowing in unnatural hues as they struck and parried at impossible speeds.
Haruto's eyes widened. "Two of them?!"
"They're… fighting each other," Airi muttered, stepping back.
The fight raged on until one of them pulled out a massive Harlequin hammer. With a violent swing, it smashed through the other's helmet. Sparks erupted, and the victim was hurled to the ground, rolling across the dirt.
Her broken visor flickered… then shattered, revealing a pale face beneath.
Long, flowing black hair spilled over her shoulders, and her crimson eyes glowed faintly in the night. Despite the battle damage, her features were sharp, elegant, familiar.
Kenta's jaw dropped. "Wait… isn't that—"
"The detective…" Elyra finished, eyes narrowing. "The city's number one. What the hell is she doing here?"
The woman groaned, too weak to rise.
Before anyone could move, the victorious Cartoon Charger raised its blade for a finishing strike.
But Haruto stepped forward, his katana gleaming in Masked Charger form.
"Not happening."
With a battle cry, he swung with all his strength. His blade clashed against the imposter's weapon, sparks flying, then cut clean through. The Cartoon Charger staggered back, its body glitching violently like corrupted data.
And then—it changed.
The armor warped, textures tearing away until it revealed another form entirely: a smooth white armor, faceless, clean, reminiscent of an assassin from Mirage. A cloak fluttered in the desert wind as the figure stood tall, silent and calculating.
"Another one?!" Airi gasped.
The white-armored Charger dropped a smoke bomb with a hiss. In an instant, the courtyard was swallowed by fog.
Kenta coughed. "I can't see a damn thing!"
Through the haze, the original Cartoon Charger grappled into the night, moving like a twisted cartoon parody of Batman, vanishing across the rooftops with a mocking "whoosh."
By the time the smoke cleared, both enemies were gone.
The group stood frozen, staring at the spot where the two foes disappeared.
Haruto's katana fizzled out of existence, his armor glowing weak before shattering away piece by piece. He fell to one knee, clutching his chest.
"Haruto!" Airi rushed to his side.
"I… I'm fine," he muttered, sweat dripping down his face. "But the system… it's overheated. I can't transform again for a while."
Kenta looked down at his own belt, dead and unresponsive. "Same here… damn it. Cooldown."
"Guess we're all grounded," Elyra muttered, crossing her arms.
The teacher, unusually silent, finally spoke. His voice was sharp, tense. "Inside. Now."
No one argued.
They carried the unconscious detective back into the lab, shutting the doors behind them. The once-bustling base now felt suffocatingly quiet.
Around the main holo-table, they gathered, the detective lying on a cot nearby.
The teacher tapped the table, the desert footage, the Cartoon Charger images, and the Assassin-like figure looping on display.
His eyes narrowed. "Two impostors. One with cartoon physics… another with assassin precision. Whoever they are, they're connected. And now they know our lab exists."
The room fell into silence, the weight of the revelation pressing on them all.
Elyra broke it with a smirk, though her eyes were sharp. "Well… looks like the real game just started."
The holo-table dimmed, leaving only the faint hum of machines filling the silence. Everyone's eyes turned to the unconscious woman resting on the cot.
Haruto finally broke the silence. "So… what do we do with her?"
Airi brushed her hair back nervously. "She's hurt. At the very least, she needs medical care."
"She's tougher than she looks," Elyra muttered, hands on her hips. "But still… that helmet didn't crack easy. Whoever hit her? They weren't playing around."
The teacher's voice cut through, calm but firm.
"We wait. When she wakes up, she's going to have answers. Answers we need."
Kenta leaned forward, frowning. "You think she's really on our side? I mean… she's the city's best detective. What if she's tied up in this mess?"
The teacher shook his head slowly. "Doesn't matter. If she was the imposter, we wouldn't be talking right now. She's Lilith—the one detective that even the underground respects. And if she was impersonated, that means these imposters are bold enough to take the face of someone important."
Haruto's fists clenched. "They took the DVD. If they unlock what's inside…"
The teacher cut him off. "Which is why tomorrow, after school, you'll all meet with her again. She'll know how to track the impostor down. And once we find him—" His eyes darkened, voice low. "—we take the DVD back."
The four nodded, determination flickering in their tired eyes.
Elyra leaned back in her chair, letting out a breath. "Guess tomorrow's going to be fun."
Haruto glanced at Lilith's still form, worry tightening in his chest. He whispered to himself.
"Tomorrow… we'll end this."
The teacher dismissed them. "Get some rest, all of you. Tomorrow, we move."
The teacher finally waved them off.
"Enough planning for tonight. Go home. Clear your heads. Tomorrow, we'll speak with Detective Lilith… and set things right."
Haruto stretched his arms with a tired groan. "Finally… I can feel my legs turning into jelly."
Kenta smirked. "Yeah, maybe because you tried to slice that imposter in half like a shōnen protagonist."
"Shut up," Haruto muttered, though his ears were pink.
Elyra tilted her head, mischief dancing in her eyes. "Aw, don't be shy. I thought it was cool. Very knight-in-shining-armor… totally cheesy, but cool."
"Cheesy!?" Haruto almost tripped over himself. Airi giggled softly, covering her mouth.
"Let's go before she roasts you more," Kenta said, patting Haruto's shoulder as they started walking out of the lab.
The night air was cool, the city faintly glowing with neon signs and the quiet hum of traffic. Elyra stretched, arms behind her head.
"Well, losers, I'll be charging up. Don't miss me too much." She stuck out her tongue and skipped off down her own route, waving her hand without looking back.
The teacher's voice called from behind. "Don't make me drag you, Elyra. Get going, you're already late to bed."
"Yeah, yeah!" she shouted back, laughing as she disappeared into the night.
Airi walked quietly beside Haruto, the two of them slowing down near the crossroad. She glanced at him shyly, then leaned in and pressed a soft kiss against his cheek.
"Goodnight, Haruto." Her voice was gentle but teasing at the same time.
Haruto froze like a statue, his face blazing red. "I-I—wha—?! Y-Yeah, g-goodnight…"
She giggled, giving him a small wave before heading off to her own home. Haruto stood there for a second longer, dazed, until Kenta lightly elbowed him.
"You're about to pass out, Romeo."
"S-Shut up," Haruto muttered, still pink.
Haruto & Kenta heading home
The two continued walking toward their neighborhood.
"You really like her, huh?" Kenta asked casually, stuffing his hands in his pockets.
Haruto stammered. "I-I mean… yeah, but it's not like—she just—shut up, Kenta."
Kenta grinned. "Fine, fine. But man, if Elyra finds out, she's never gonna let you live it down."
"Don't remind me…" Haruto groaned.
They stopped at Kenta's gate.
"Well," Kenta said, "don't oversleep tomorrow. Detective drama's waiting."
"Same to you," Haruto replied. "Night, man."
At Home – Everyone
Haruto: Took a quick shower, then flopped onto the couch. He flipped the TV on, but the only thing he could focus on was Airi's kiss replaying in his head. His cheeks heated again. "Ugh, what am I supposed to do…" he muttered before slowly dozing off with the TV buzzing faintly.
Kenta: Sat with his family on the couch, his little sister rambling about the park trip he missed. His parents asked about school, smiling warmly. Kenta laughed it off, hiding the crazy reality of his day. "Yeah… extra classes," he lied smoothly, while his sister pouted.
Airi: Curled up on the sofa with her parents, watching a horror movie. Every jump scare made her parents flinch, but she just smiled softly, hugging a pillow. Her thoughts, however, weren't on the movie—they were on Haruto.
Elyra: Already passed out in her magnet charging bed back at the lab. A faint blush still colored her cheeks as she dreamed, muttering sleepily, "Kenta… gentleman… hmph…"
The Teacher: Alone in the lab, dozens of tiny drone robots hovered around him as he worked. Sparks flew from the mech's damaged shoulder, and he sighed. "Printer Belt, Mech repairs, DVD thieves, Kaiju… My students… what did I drag them into?" He adjusted his glasses, determination hardening in his gaze.