Mira POV
Current Location: 10th Unit Headquarters
Stepping out of my transport, I rolled my neck once, easing the stiffness left behind when driving the jeep. For a moment, I simply stood there, gazing up at the building before me. Only after that brief pause did I move, my boots echoing against the ground as I crossed the distance to the front door of the Supreme Commander's abode.
At the main entrance of the headquarters, someone stood perfectly still, a huge grin stretched across her face like a child on Christmas morning. I answered her enthusiasm with a crooked smirk of my own.
"Welcome to the 10th Unit Headquarters, Mira-sama!!" she called out, snapping into an exaggerated salute. "It's an honor to be in your presence today!!"
"Yeah," I replied, returning the greeting in my usual tone.
Ginna was still the same as ever. The moment she saw one of us chiefs, she transformed into a full-blown idol fangirl.
"Are the others already inside?" I asked.
"Only Bell-sama, Yakumo-sama, and Ten-sama have arrived!" Ginna said cheerfully, pulling the door open for me. "Please, make yourself welcome!"
I tapped Ginna lightly on the shoulder as I stepped past her, letting her usher me into the familiar halls of the 10th Unit headquarters. The corridor stretched out ahead of me, every corner and detail instantly recognizable, as if etched into memory.
On my way toward the conference room, I passed several members of the Anti-Demon Force stationed under the Supreme Commander's wing. I exchanged brief nods and greetings along the way.
That said, I might have taken a slight detour.
I had a bad feeling that if I took the shorter route, someone would be waiting to lure me into a trap, patiently setting out bait and watching from the shadows. With Yakumo already on the premises, I was ninety-nine percent certain she was the reason for that unease.
When I arrived at the conference room, I opened the door and stepped inside. Two people were already seated in their respective chairs. One was a woman with blue hair tied into twin pigtails, the other a woman with blonde hair streaked with white at the crown. Notably absent was a certain purple-haired pervert.
"Yo."
Tenka smiled gracefully and gave me a small wave, which I returned with one of my own before taking a seat. My eyes drifted to Bell, who sat slumped in her chair, utterly lifeless. It looked as if her soul was on the verge of drifting away from the land of the living.
"Oh, Mira… hi," Bell greeted weakly.
I tilted my head at her pitiful state.
"What happened to her?" I asked Tenka, genuinely curious.
"Well, the Supreme Commander might have had her 'fun' with her earlier," Tenka replied, letting out a quiet chuckle. "With the bonus of Yakumo ambushing her in the corridor."
Yeah. Taking the long way had definitely been the right call.
The fact that Yakumo was not here only confirmed my instincts. That strange urge to avoid my original route suddenly made perfect sense. Considering how timid Bell was, getting sandwiched between two disasters was more than enough to push her past her mental limit. On one side, the Supreme Commander, a ticking time bomb whenever she took interest in someone. On the other, the undisputed champion of being a shameless pervert in Mato.
Sure, Ren and I were on good terms, even close. We both liked cute things, after all. But that was beside the point.
Still, maybe I would ask her later to let me visit her room for a quick cuddle session with Kanami and Miyabi. Just to decompress.
"Hey, Mira."
Tenka leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table and propping her head on her hands. "I'm curious about the incident in Kofu. You and the Supreme Commander haven't said anything about it yet."
I looked at her for a moment when she brought up the Mato mishap in Yamanashi last week. Then I shrugged and tossed my cap at her, which she caught effortlessly.
"Long story short," I said in a relaxed manner, "someone defeated a Unique Shuuki before I even arrived, and we don't know his real name."
I leaned back slightly.
"I'll just explain more about it later"
"Mmmh~~" Tenka hummed, making no effort to hide the interest sparking in her eyes. She tossed my cap back to me. "I'll hold you to that."
I figured it would be better for you to see the fight firsthand than listen to my explanation, Tenka. This so-called outlier, as the Supreme Commander calls him, sounded like a genuinely interesting fellow.
Honestly, I didn't even have anything negative to say about the guy after hearing how grateful the police were toward him.
That said, I couldn't help frowning when I heard that, after saving a woman from being punched by a Unique Shuuki, he simply introduced himself as Kamen Rider.
…What is that supposed to be? A biker gang? I had never heard of anything like it.
While Tenka and I continued chatting, the door opened. A woman with long, dark-blue hair stepped inside, wearing a smile sharp enough to steal the hearts of young men and leave them bleeding without realizing it.
"Hey~~ you three~~" Fubuki sang as she walked toward her seat, her gaze drifting curiously to Bell. "What happened to her?"
"Yakumo and the Supreme Commander," Tenka and I answered in unison, neither of us bothering to elaborate.
Fubuki chuckled, clearly understanding the moment those two names were mentioned.
"Anyway, thank you for taking such good care of my daughter," she said, turning to Tenka. "Yachiho is… quite a character. As her mother, I'd rather she not bring shame upon the Azuma name."
"No need to worry," Tenka replied with a calm, collected smile. "Yachiho is the best second-in-command I could ask for."
Knowing how the Azuma family handled their own, I couldn't help wondering if their system would ever change should that old fossil Tobera be replaced by Fubuki-san as head.
Then again, with the ability of the current Azuma head practically granting her immortality, that idea might be reaching too far.
It didn't take long for another woman to enter after Fubuki.
No—two women.
One was foreign-looking, with green eyes and blonde hair. Composed and quiet, she merely nodded to us before taking her seat without a word.
Never change, Varvara. Never change.
The other, however, made a wide grin spread across my face. A silver-haired woman with a katana resting at her waist stepped in beside Varvara. I rose from my seat and slowly walked toward her.
She met me with an impassive stare. "Oh? You're approaching me?"
"I can't hit you if I don't get close, idiot," I laughed, and she answered with a smirk.
The moment I stood in front of her, we slammed our foreheads together, locking eyes.
"I'll be the Supreme Commander! You'd better remember that, Mira!" Kyouka declared, her conviction burning hot.
"Huh? Are you drunk?" I shot back. "Of course I'm going to be the next Supreme Commander, Kyouka!"
Tenka and Fubuki only shook their heads, smiling as they watched our usual routine unfold, long past the point of being surprised or affected by it anymore.
Like a hurricane, another one entered the fray. Yakumo entered while pouting
"Why didn't you all go that way?" She huffed while smiling like usual
"Cause we know you're there" Kyouka and I said in unison.
Yakumo instead hopped and put her hand on me and Kyouka's shoulder, poking our cheeks
"Don't be like that to me you two~~" She grinned, poking Kyouka's skin "Your skin is so smooth Kyouka~~"
"Touch any weird place and you will going back to your station with a broken finger," Kyouka said while swatting her hand
"Likewise," I said too and swatted her hand
Kyouka and I just sighed for a moment.
Although we warned her, Yakumo did a quick squeeze on our butt before laughing and dodging me and Kyouka's attempt to catch her
"Muhahhahah it's nice to be young" an old lady laughed, me and Kyouka stared at the new face that arrived
Kyouka and I froze, then slowly turned toward the familiar voice. Our gazes settled on the figure who had just entered the room, her presence immediately claiming the space.
"What are you talking about, Riu-san? You're still young to me. MUAHAHAHA!" I said to the old lady with a grin. "I'm pretty sure you can still kick plenty of ass."
"Don't flatter me, Mira," Riu replied, tapping her shoulder with a weary chuckle. "I don't even know if I'll decide to keep my position next year. I already have someone in mind to take over when the time comes."
"Well, I'll be quite sad when that day arrives," Kyouka said, her tone respectful as she addressed her mentor. "Still, as your disciple, I want you to rest and enjoy the retirement you deserve."
Riu merely shook her head.
"If that happens, I'll just become vice-chief, Kyouka. I'm staying with the Defense Force until the Grim Reaper himself decides to knock on my door," she said, a relaxed grin curling her lips.
Amid the lively exchange, the door suddenly opened. Ginna stepped inside, her usual smile in place. She straightened her posture and cleared her throat.
"Ahem. Attention, all chiefs. The Supreme Commander will be with us shortly. Please take your seats," Ginna announced.
At those words, Bell's ears twitched, a spark of energy returning to her as she gave a small shake. Showing weakness in front of Ren would only provoke THAT side of her. She quickly sat up straight.
Without hesitation, the other chiefs followed suit, taking their assigned seats around the massive rectangular table at the center of the conference room.
I tapped my foot, waiting for the clock to move, each second stretching thin. Then footsteps echoed through the room, and the star of the show finally arrived.
A beautiful woman announced her presence without uttering a single word, commanding attention the moment she crossed the threshold. Purple hair framed her face, violet eyes sharp and observant. Her figure was well defined, accentuated by the formal uniform of the Anti-Demon Force. A red cape draped over her shoulders, its color marking her high rank, and a few noticeable red accessories were woven into her hair, subtle yet unmistakable.
"Looks like everyone is here," Ren said calmly, her smile never fading as she walked to the front of the table. "We'll commence the assembly."
She adjusted her cloak, letting it flutter lightly before taking her seat. Crossing her legs with practiced ease, she settled in as Ginna stood beside her, surveying the chiefs lined up around the table.
"As you already know, a Mato mishap occurred in Yamanashi Prefecture, specifically in the city of Kofu," Ren began, then turned her gaze to her side. "Ginna."
Hearing her name, Ginna immediately stepped forward.
"Yes, Ren-sama!" she replied, swiftly distributing the documents to each of the chiefs.
As they read through the incident reports, the room filled with the quiet rustle of turning pages. For a full minute, no one spoke. The reports detailed how the Shuuki breached the area, how the personnel guarding the gate managed to neutralize it before it could reach deeper into the city. One by one, the chiefs tilted their heads in confusion, all except me.
"Kamen Rider?" The thought surfaced almost simultaneously among them.
Judging by their expressions, Ren let out a faint sigh. "Seeing your faces right now, I can tell you have more questions than answers after reading those reports," she said, her eyes sweeping across the room. "Especially regarding this outlier who calls himself a Kamen Rider."
She snapped her fingers.
The lights in the room dimmed, and a holographic projection flared to life at the center of the table, displaying the image of the unique Shuuki that had appeared during the mishap.
"Wow… that thing's nasty," Yakumo commented with a low whistle. Despite being accustomed to countless grotesque forms of Shuuki, this one easily ranked among the ugliest she had ever seen.
"Now that we're seeing its physical features instead of just reading a description," Kyouka said thoughtfully, "I can understand why firearms were ineffective. Even blessed weapons had little effect." Her eyes traced the projection, taking in the rock-like skin and heavily reinforced body. "It's a genuine relief that no one lost their life in this incident."
Ren simply smiled and nodded before the screen shifted to the next image. Displayed before us was a figure clad in a suit of red, yellow, and green, its chest marked by a large emblem depicting animals: a bird, a tiger, and a grasshopper.
"The individual you're looking at now is the one who killed and neutralized the threat," Ren said, one hand gripping the armrest of her chair while she rested her head against it. "The Kamen Rider, as he calls himself."
Even though I had already seen this figure while compiling the incident report, it was still unsettling. Someone with this level of power was hiding among us, completely beyond our awareness.
"The only intel we've been able to gather so far," Ren continued, "is that the Kamen Rider is male and taller than the average adult Japanese man."
At that, Fubuki raised her hand.
"What are the chances this is a Peach user who can manipulate her body and even her voice to sound like a man?"
"That's a reasonable question," Ren replied calmly. "But for now, we'll proceed under the assumption that this person of interest is male."
With that settled, Ren gestured to Gina. "Play the clip."
The screen shifted again, and a video began to play.
It was footage of the battle between the Kamen Rider and the unique Shuuki. The two were locked in brutal combat, trading blows at close range.
"Riu-san… this is—" Kyouka murmured, eyes fixed on the screen, watching the Shuuki's movements as it engaged.
"Yeah. There's no mistaking it," Riu said grimly. "That Shuuki is using karate."
I frowned. A Shuuki using martial arts? Even a unique one, that made no sense. How could it possibly learn something so refined? I would have voiced the question, if the footage itself hadn't already provided the answer.
Midway through the battle, the chiefs watched as the Kamen Rider's suit changed.
[𝕋𝕒𝕜𝕒]
[𝔾𝕠𝕣𝕚𝕝𝕝𝕒]
[ℤ𝕠𝕦]
The moment the transformation completed, the tide of battle shifted. Without changing his stance alone, the Kamen Rider began visibly damaging the Shuuki, his blows carrying far more weight than before. What had once been a measured, disciplined exchange devolved into a raw, violent fistfight.
As the Shuuki's body began to fail, I watched it get beaten into a pulp, hurled across the battlefield like a rag doll. Then, just as abruptly, the Kamen Rider reverted to his original red, yellow, and green form. He soared into the sky and came down with a devastating kick, striking the Shuuki and ending the fight in a single, decisive blow.
After that, he disappeared, bolting from the scene.
One more detail stood out in the footage.
A woman wearing a mask was present at the site as well. Based on what we could tell, she was presumed to be an accomplice.
"So, what do you think?" Ren asked as the lights returned and the screen went dark.
Despite Tenka's ability to manipulate space, despite a pervert like Yakumo being capable of reducing an entire city to disaster with her wind manipulation, and despite how overwhelmingly powerful each chief was in her own right, a single thought echoed through the minds of everyone present in the room:
What in the actual hell did we just watch?
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Author's Note:
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