I stood before the mirror, adjusting my necktie as the hiss and sizzle of breakfast drifted in from the kitchen. The sound of cooking filled the room, mixing with the quiet morning air.
At the stove, Isadora moved with practice ease, preparing a fluffy omelette while a mackerel crackled in the pan beside it.
Satisfied with my knot at last, I stepped away from the mirror and lowered myself to the floor beside my bed. Reclining slightly, I reached for the remote and switched on the television, tuning in to the usual news network I followed.
The moment it flickered to life, the screen greeted me with an unexpected headline to start my day.
[Breaking News: Anti-Demon Force's Supreme Commander Dismantles Major Terrorist Threat Hiding in Southeast Asia]
"That came out of nowhere," I said, my voice laced with genuine surprise.
My eyes shifted to the screen. It was a video of a press conference that happened last night.
It is packed with reporters, photographers, journalists, and even Defense Force units standing by in the background.
Yamashiro Ren, the main speaker, sat calmly at the table, answering every question thrown at her with effortless composure. As usual, a few journalists pushed their luck with out of line questions, but the Supreme Commander simply smiled and brushed them off without a single harsh word.
Still, I was certain those reporters needed to watch their mouths.
There was no way I wanted to end up on this woman's bad side, especially knowing just how frighteningly powerful she is. On top of that, she's always seen beside the Prime Minister during major events, both in Japan and abroad.
Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if the higher-ups of our nation let her do whatever she wanted if she asked.
When the news segment about her role in destroying the terrorist group ended, I picked up my phone and started searching for related articles on Gogolo and Coldfox to get more context.
Eventually, I found one written by a reliable Japanese source, so I tapped it open and began reading.
…
…
...
...
I kept going in silence, eyes glued to the screen.
"Now that I'm actually looking into what she did, she really went full hammer time and wiped them off the face of the earth," I muttered, my face twitching slightly as I scrolled down with my thumb.
"Hideo, the food's ready," Isadora called out as she set the plate down on the table.
Hearing her, I got up and took my seat across from her. I picked up my chopsticks, and we began eating together.
"So where are we going tonight?" I asked, lifting an egg to my mouth.
"We'll just head near the Reverse Ogre Gate like last time," Isadora replied between bites of mackerel. "But let's ignore that for now. Did you fully read the news about the fight?"
"What fight?"
"I mean Yamashiro Ren beating those guys calling themselves the Liberation Army."
Ah… that.
Could you even call that a fight? It was so one-sided that the terrorists looked almost pitiful. Their base was utterly demolished in the photos—and that wasn't even counting the casualties within the Liberation Army itself.
"Her title as the Apex of Humanity isn't an exaggeration," I said, imagining the echo of gunfire and the cry of an eagle. "And that's coming straight from the President of the nation of Murica herself."
Isadora smirked.
"Though, judging by the magazines hidden in your closet, her features are basically your ideal type." Isadora glanced at me with a sly grin.
"....."
I froze.
"…Did I strike a nerve?" she teased.
"Okay, just because I like black haired women doesn't mean she's my type," I shot back, pointedly avoiding the question of how she even knew about those magazines.
"Yeah, yeah, sure," she said smugly, wiggling her eyebrows.
Listen to me here, just because the Supreme Commander looks hot and beautiful, and coincidentally has black hair in my favorite hair style, does not mean I'm into her.
She's one hell of a terrifying woman.
Still… I had to admit, that kind of presence was dangerously kinda hot?
"What am I even thinking…?" I muttered under my breath, frowning. This was totally Isadora's fault.
Isadora rested her chin in her palm, closing her eyes thoughtfully.
"Since we're already talking about the women among the Chiefs…" she continued casually.
"Can we please change the subject?" I sighed. I genuinely wanted to drop this.
We had more important things to talk about than ranking the people working in the Defence Force.
But of course, she ignored me.
"If Yamashiro Ren is your type, then purely in terms of looks, Varvara Pilipenko is perfect girlfriend material," Isadora declared proudly with a thumbs-up. "Russian cuties are the best! Highly recommended!"
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Meanwhile, as Isadora and Hideo continued their breakfast, somewhere in Mato, a certain purple haired pervert suddenly let out a sharp sneeze.
"Are you okay?" Kaiko, the vice chief of the 5th Unit, asked curiously as she glanced toward her leader.
Yakumo looked around like an alert cat before giving a slow nod.
"It's nothing… I just felt like someone out there is—" She frowned, scratching the side of her head. "I don't know what it is, but my senses are tingling!"
Kaiko stared at her as if she'd lost her mind before calmly returning to her work.
"Maybe Kyouka and Ten-san are thinking about me?" Yakumo suddenly grinned.
"Yah~~ if they missed me, they should've just said so! I'd give them a service they'd never forget."
"You really need to get your head checked, Chief," Kaiko sighed in visible disappointment.
Inwardly, Kaiko offered a silent apology to Tenka and Kyouka, lamenting that she would never be able to fix Yakumo's loose screw.
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Isadora POV
While Hideo was at work, I found myself walking alone through the afternoon streets of Kofu, wandering without any particular destination in mind. I had decided to stroll simply to clear my thoughts and take in the scenery.
Eventually, I arrived at the district where Hideo had fought the Unique Shuuki. I paused there, studying the area. It still bore the evidence of the battle, but reconstruction was slowly underway.
"Looking back on it… Hideo's really grown used to fighting as a Rider compared to when he first started," I murmured to myself, glancing down at my feet before tilting my head up toward the bright sky. The sunlight forced me to shield my eyes with my hand. "He adapted faster than I expected."
I am not complaining though.
It was better this way. Better for him to adjust quickly rather than struggle. Thankfully, his prior training before becoming a Kamen Rider had helped immensely; getting accustomed to his own body and strength had been a crucial advantage.
My expression hardened.
"…I think it's about time I allow him to try a combo and make him understand exactly why I warned him before," I muttered, lightly kicking a small stone with the tip of my boot. "Still… I'll limit its use to emergencies for now."
With that thought in mind, I continued walking until I reached a crosswalk, stopping beside a small group of people waiting for the pedestrian signal.
Suddenly, I felt someone tug at my arm.
Looking down, I saw a white haired girl staring up at me with sparkling eyes.
Something about her felt familiar.
"It really is Pretty Onee-chan!" she exclaimed with a bright smile.
My breath caught in surprise.
It really was her.
"…Kei-chan?" I asked, then broke into an excited grin.
She puffed her chest proudly and nodded in response.
I simply lifted my hand, and she eagerly slapped it in a high five.
"Hello," the long haired beautiful woman beside her said with a wry smile, gently holding Kei's hand. "It's been a while, Isadora-san."
I turned to her, nodding warmly.
"It's good to see you again, Mayumi-san," I replied with a light chuckle as I greeted Kei's mother.
It really was a strange coincidence to run into them here. The last time I had seen them was during the mishap in Kofu. What surprised me even more was that Kei-chan still remembered me.
"Where are you going?" Mayumi asked, curiosity clear in her voice.
"Well, I don't really have anything to do, so I figured I'd walk around the city without any particular plan," I shrugged, then asked in return, "What about you two?"
Instead of Mayumi, Kei-chan raised her hand enthusiastically.
"Me and Mama are going to a cafe!"
I tilted my head.
"A cafe?"
"Yes! They make really delicious strawberry cake there! It's my favorite!" Kei said, her eyes sparkling.
Now that she mentioned it, I suddenly found myself craving something sweet.
"If you have nothing to do, you can join us," Mayumi offered with a gentle smile. "I'm sure Kei would love your company."
"Are you sure?" I replied calmly, though the glint in my eyes betrayed me.
Mayumi nodded, a trace of amusement appearing on her face after noticing the expression I was making.
Man, just hearing the word sweets was enough to make me forget everything else.
Would I refuse that? Hell no.
When the light turned green, I started walking alongside the mother and daughter duo. It was only then that I realized just how much Kei-chan was a perfect one to one copy of her mother's attractive features. Almost as if her father's genes hadn't even put up a fight.
"Your not with your boyfriend today?" Mayumi asked
"Nah, that guy is at work today" I replied, "We'll probably just meet up later this evening "
"Well, we're on the same boat then, my mast— I mean my husband is busy with his job too" She coughed and corrected herself,
...
Did I hear that right?
I think it's better to ignore that,
everyone has their hobbies they don't want to share
But seriously, what?
Despite the weird turn our conversation had taken, we continued talking normally. Apparently, Mayumi and Kei had just come out of the cinema after watching the sequel to an animated show Kei really loved.
Going out to eat was their last stop before heading home.
"Still, every time I go outside, I really need to keep a close eye on this kid," Mayumi sighed as she gently patted Kei's head. "She randomly wanders off the moment something catches her interest."
"Well, that's how I met her in the first place," I chuckled, saying as I lightly poked Kei's nose.
She let out an adorable, indignant little noise as both her mom and I teased her along the way.
How cute.
When we arrived, we entered a cafe called Café Stella and took our seats inside. The place was fairly quiet. Some customers were working on laptops, while others were groups of girls chatting softly among themselves.
As Kei-chan's mom went to the register to order the cake, I was left behind, sitting face to face with her daughter.
She was holding a small sketchbook, a pencil clutched in her hand.
"What are you drawing?" I asked.
"Onee-chan," she replied as she continued to doodle across the page.
When she finished, she proudly held it up for me to see.
"What do you think?"
"Wow, you're really good," I said, clapping lightly.
"Right? Isn't it pretty?" she said, nodding to herself.
Objectively speaking, it was a complete mess and barely resembled me at all. Subjectively, though, it was a great drawing, it showed her personality. To be honest, I called it a mess, but if this kid were given some proper guidance, she actually had potential.
Coming back from ordering, Mayumi sat beside Kei. Kei showed her mom the drawing and just complimented the kid like I did earlier
Seeing this you know, made what kinda
Jealous?
I don't have a parent of my own, though Eiji-san can be considered my guardian with how he raised me, I don't have my own mother
"I'm curious what it feels like to have a daughter," I blurted out of nowhere. "Is it hard to raise one?"
Mayumi looked at me in surprise.
"Do you plan to have your own family in the future?" she asked.
"Well, if fate allows it," I shrugged, a cheeky smile forming on my lips.
My body won't last that long anyway. I'll just enjoy my days while I still can and help Hideo till he reach the finish line.
Though, that's not something I'd say out loud.
"Having a daughter, huh?" Mayumi leaned forward, resting her elbow on the table, her chin propped on her hand. "Honestly, at the beginning, I was really stressed about how to raise her properly."
She glanced at Kei-chan, who was quietly drawing, and gently patted her head.
"Being a parent is no easy task. You still have your responsibilities as an adult, while also taking care of a little rascal like this," she chuckled.
"I am not a rascal," Kei-chan pouted.
"Yeah, yeah," Mayumi laughed lightly as Kei softly hit her arm in protest.
Then Mayumi looked back at me, her voice softer now, as she began to pour out her thoughts about becoming a parent.
The happiness she felt when Kei was born.
The panic she shared with her husband, not knowing what to do.
Hearing Kei say her first word.
Seeing her walk for the first time—straight into her arms.
Watching her wear her school uniform for the first time, carrying her bag.
Worrying endlessly when Kei got sick for the first time.
Going to her room whenever Kei was scared.
There were so many moments in Mayumi's life that left her exhausted, even overwhelmed. Times when negative thoughts weighed heavily on her.
And yet, every time she went home, all that accumulated tiredness would mysteriously disappear the moment she saw a small bundle of joy crawling across the floor, waiting for her… and welcoming her back.
"To be honest, I'm glad I never ate any Peach at all," Mayumi shook her head. "Otherwise, I wouldn't be living a normal, happy life like I am now."
"So you don't have any abilities, huh?"
"Yup. I'm as normal a human as they come."
Man… hearing this from a parent's perspective really puts things into view.
I really was a pain to deal with, wasn't I?
It's honestly a miracle Eiji-san didn't beat my ass with the amount of trouble and headaches I gave him.
When the staff brought our food and drinks, we took a picture of each other first before finally digging in.
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Entering the dimension of Mato, I stepped inside with Hideo at my side. Looking down at the mess unfolding below us, we saw the Seventh Unit engaged in fierce combat against the army of Shuuki attempting to force their way into Earth through the temporary gate.
"Looks like their chief is with them this time," Hideo said. "And from what I can see, the Shuuki have doubled in number."
"Yeah," I replied, my voice low and heavy.
Hideo turned to me. Even through my mask, he could sense that something was off—that my mood wasn't my usual self.
"Did something happen?"
"It's none of your business," I sighed. Three Core Medals materialized in my hand. "Just go do your thing."
He tilted his head in confusion, then shrugged as he fastened his belt. Taking the medals from my palm, he gave a small nod.
"I'll be going, then."
I returned the nod. "Take care."
Hideo slid the medals into their slots one by one. When the last clicked into place, he grabbed the scanner and leapt forward.
"Henshin!"
[𝕋𝕒𝕜𝕒]
[𝕋𝕠𝕣𝕒]
[𝔹𝕒𝕥𝕥𝕒]
[𝕋𝕒-𝕋𝕠-𝔹𝕒! 𝕋𝕒𝕥𝕠𝕓𝕒 𝕋𝕒-𝕋𝕠-𝔹𝕒!]
Being with my partner taught me something important. Even if I stripped away his power right now—everything he had—if he became the same old Hideo from the past, nothing would truly change.
He would still run headfirst into danger to save people.
He underestimates himself, that bastard. But the moment he sees someone in trouble, that instinct—to act, to protect—becomes the greatest weapon he has.
Alone, he might be afraid.
He might even cry.
But put a child in front of him—crying, begging for help—and you'd be dead wrong to think he would stand aside and do nothing. He would throw away his own life without hesitation if it meant getting that kid out alive.
A trapped warrior in a human body.
Chivalry.
Bravery.
Honesty.
An indomitable will.
Protecting hope and freedom—
for the sake of children's smiles.
You know, I used to think being a Kamen Rider was all about flash—about belts, overwhelming power, and spectacular transformations.
I've been proven wrong more times than I can count.
You don't need a belt.
You don't need absurd power.
You don't need anything that makes you "special."
I was once told that there's no such thing as a fake Kamen Rider. The title itself was created to inspire hope—to remind people that anyone can become the hero others need.
Putting on the mask.
Choosing to stand up for those in danger.
Finding the courage to face impossible odds, even with nothing but the strength of an ordinary human.
If you have those traits—
Then powers be damned.
Fancy suits be damned.
The moment you take up that resolve and save someone…
You are already a Kamen Rider.
To everyone who seeks to threaten the world—
to those who dare raise a hand against humanity itself—
Even if the so-called Apex of Humanity stands before us,
even if countless powerful Peach users become a threat,
even if a god hides within Mato itself—
We will come.
One by one, we will tear down every evil that plagues humanity.
One Rider Kick at a time
[Season 1 End]