Seeing the enemy charge so recklessly, Raven remained calm. He gripped the King Rouzer, and the energy for the Royal Straight Flush surged once more.
After passing through the five holographic cards, he reached full charge. With a magnificent, sweeping strike, he cleaved his blade through the enemy.
"ARGH!"
Shijyo felt as if he had been struck by lightning. The Joker's body shattered in a massive explosion, its remains dissolving into raw energy that was promptly devoured and absorbed by Raven.
Just like that, he had effortlessly claimed the power of another Rider World's final boss.
Tsukasa Kadoya and Kazuma Kendate were rooted to the spot, deeply shaken. To Raven, defeating high-level Kaijin was as simple as carving through vegetables.
Yusuke Onodera arrived a moment later, his jaw dropping. He had already transformed into Kamen Rider Kuuga, ready for a fight, only to find that the enemy was already gone.
"What happened?"
It had only been a few minutes. Was it really all over?
Raven turned amidst the fading flames of the explosion, lightly flicking the blade of his sword before vanishing into the settling dust and smoke.
…
Ding!
[Congratulations, Host! Mission Complete!]
[Rewards have been sent to the System Space. Please check them!]
Raven smiled thinly. He reached into the newly opened slots of his System Space and retrieved his prizes.
First, a Dark Decade Violent Emotion card.
Second, a Diendriver, identical in model to Kaito's, but with subtle, high-end variations in the detailing.
Raven quickly tucked the Violent Emotion card into his Ride Booker, focusing his attention on the gun. The black and gold accents were more prominent on this version, making it a perfect aesthetic match for Dark Decade.
According to the system's description, the functionality of this Diendriver differed slightly from Daiki Kaito's. Its raw power as a projectile weapon was significantly higher, and more importantly, it allowed Raven to summon other Riders without needing to be in a transformed state himself.
Storing the weapon back into his space, Raven's smile widened. From now on, Dark Decade would be a "Complete Form" in its own right, possessing the utility of a Summoner and the raw prowess of a Warrior. No weaknesses. No blind spots.
Perhaps this was the true purpose Dai-Shocker had in mind when they originally developed the Diendriver.
In the upstairs living quarters, Natsumi Hikari slowly opened her eyes. She stretched her slender arms high above her head, letting out a long, satisfied yawn.
A second later, she looked down. She realized she was completely exposed, and a dull ache lingered in a certain part of her body.
As her head felt heavy, a flood of memories rushed back.
"I've already... become his," she whispered.
Her expression was a complex kaleidoscope of emotions. She felt a mix of joy and anxiety. Joy, because the barrier between her and Raven had finally been broken; anxiety, because she wasn't sure of Raven's stance.
Was he just playing around, or...
Just as the thought crossed her mind, Raven walked through the door.
"You're awake."
"Where did you go just now?" Natsumi asked.
"I went out for a bit, settled this world's crisis while I was at it. We should be ready to head to the next world soon."
Raven sat naturally on the edge of the bed, reaching out with one arm to pull her into a firm embrace. The sensation made Natsumi feel as if she were in a dream; her heart hammered against her ribs. At this distance, she could feel the radiating warmth of his chest and his overwhelming presence.
She felt herself melting.
Raven looked down, and without another word, he leaned in to capture her lips. After ten intense minutes, they finally pulled apart, breathless and satisfied.
Everything was clear now.
Raven began helping her get dressed. Though Natsumi felt a flush of shyness, she accepted his help happily. After all, she belonged to him now.
"Can you... help me with my black stockings?"
Once her clothes were on, Natsumi sat shyly on the edge of the bed, lifting one fair, flawless leg. She did this intentionally as a "reward" for Raven, knowing full well he had a particular weakness for them.
"My pleasure."
Raven's eyes lit up. He walked over and carefully selected a pair of black over-the-knee stockings. Holding her delicate foot in his hand, he began at the toes, slowly and meticulously smoothing the silk up to the top of her thigh.
It was a mesmerizing process. Once the stockings were perfectly set, Raven helped her step into her white high heels.
A few days later.
The group arrived in the next world: the parallel world of Kamen Rider Faiz.
The following morning, a savory aroma wafted from the studio's kitchen. Someone was using the stove, preparing an entire spread of food.
"You made all this so early?"
Tsukasa, having just woken up, saw the feast on the table and his eyes widened. "Is today some kind of anniversary?"
However, it was Daiki Kaito who stepped out of the kitchen.
"I just wanted to prepare some things you like to eat, Tsukasa."
Tsukasa turned to face him, his eyes narrowing. "Who are you?"
"It seems you've forgotten everything," Daiki Kaito replied, looking as though he had expected nothing less.
At that moment, Natsumi and Raven walked in from the adjoining room, hand-in-hand. For the past few nights, they had been sharing a bed.
"Do we have a guest today?" Natsumi asked, looking at Kaito.
The old man (Eijiro Hikari) and Yusuke Onodera came downstairs as well, both looking confused by Kaito's sudden appearance.
"Tsukasa has been a lot of trouble for you all, hasn't he?" Kaito said. "I am Daiki Kaito."
Seeing that everyone was present, he introduced himself with practiced ease, acting as if he were an old friend who had known Tsukasa for a lifetime.
"Are you a friend of Tsukasa's?" Yusuke asked curiously.
"Yes, we're friends. We've known each other for a very, very long time," Daiki answered politely.
But to Tsukasa's ears, the words sounded loaded. Despite his skepticism, he did feel a nagging sense of familiarity toward the man.
"So, are you traveling through the nine worlds just like us?" Natsumi asked.
"Indeed. In fact, traveling through worlds is my job."
Kaito glanced back at Tsukasa and added, "Tsukasa, you still have a long way to go."
"What did you say?"
"If you're trying to catch up to me, I suggest you give up," Kaito said cryptically.
"Who says I'm trying to catch up?" Tsukasa looked at him with utter disdain.
"I am an existence far beyond your reach, so try not to get in my way," Kaito declared, his voice brimming with confidence.
———————
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