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Kamen Rider Denrai
仮面ライダー伝来
Kamen Raidā Denrai
First Chapter: Legend of the Kamen Riders
第一章:仮面ライダーの伝説
Dai Isshō: Kamen Raidā no Densetsu
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<< OST >>
“Ohma Zi-O” | オーマジオウ
Composer: Toshihiko Sahashi
Album: 仮面ライダージオウ TV オリジナル サウンド トラック
An unknown date.
不明な日付。
Fumeina hidzuke.
An unknown time.
未知の時間。
Michi no jikan.
A golden world, deserted of almost all of the many life forms that once populated its lush fields. The life forms that continue to linger remain fearful of the ‘plague’ that had washed upon the land, of a man in a suit of pure darkness who froze the world in a single moment of time, trapped without escape, trapped without any semblance of hope for victory. At a specific set of co-ordinates in this world, in the middle of a barren field — sand decorating its ground as far as the eye could see — laid a single statue.
Made out of rough marble, it was carved intricately and ornately in an otherworldly design. A grand statue that stood on top of a mountain, towering over everything from every angle, as if imposing its domination over the rest of the world. Carved into the statue was a man — in an appearance that can be described as unassuming, or harmless — in what appeared to be a transformation pose of some kind, very similar to that of the Kamen Riders seen in fiction.
Behind the man was the statue of the suit of darkness that froze the world, clad in black and white robes, a mystical sheen glimmering from its armour even in a place where light could not hit it directly. Surrounding the man were several other armoured figures, standing in multiple different poses that could be easily described as more transformation poses assumed by other Kamen Riders.
And in front of this elusive statue, on the highest mountain of rock that loomed over the ground beneath it, a figure steps forth, the ground beneath his feet trembling. Decorating his outfit… its outfit, are the same robes that form the suit of darkness, its ornate black and white hues providing a stunning contrast that pierces through the hazy dawn that arises on the barren world.
On the statue behind him, a plaque is etched on a place where the words could so-easily be read, etched ornately and painfully intricately.
— Advent of the Lightning God of Darkness —
— 闇の雷神降臨 —
— Yami no Raijin Kōrin —
<< The Man who Brought Peace to the Past and the Future >>
《過去と未来に平和をもたらした男》
<< Kako to Mirai ni Heiwa o Motarashita Otoko >>
And so he gazes on the barren lands once more, as multiple masked figures stand against him, each of them adopting fighting stances. Each of the masked figures carried with them a different design, standing out from the rest of the group, as they wielded what appeared to be swords and firearms of all kinds. Leading the ragtag group of rebels that seek to defeat the God of Darkness are two other individuals, masked in armour — crimson and navy, and purple and maroon — rushing forth at blinding speed.
However, as the group of masked figures charges forth, ready to strike down the God of Darkness with their own hands, the target in question simply raises his hand, summoning golden runes as clouds of lightning struck downwards, attacking most of the group of armoured heroes — Kamen Riders — sending them out of the transformations and crashing into the far distance. However, those that either endured the initial onslaught of attacks or dodged the clouds of lightning continued to charge forth, almost as if unfazed by the God’s unholy attacks.
And so as he steps forwards, ever-so-eager to take on the rebels who dare think they can challenge him and stop his reign on this peaceful world, he raises his hand once more, as the clouds of lightning become bigger, summoning multiple armoured figures — streaks of pink, blue, orange and red among the many colours that decorate their robes — that descend from the heavens, striking down this group and sending them flying. And while their fight could be said to be an attempt at peace, it is but a mere futile one.
Sending all of them crushing back onto the ground, cancelling their transformations, the man, the evil God, steps forth, letting out a grunt that spoke volumes of his lack of amusement at their so-claimed strength, before he finally began to speak, in a voice of such a deep tone, very unlike any potential man’s natural voice.
“To think that you fools could ever think you could stand against the God of Lightning. You fools could never defeat me.”
「稲妻の神に立ち向かえるなんて、愚か者が考えるなんて。愚か者どもは、決して私を倒すことができませんでした。」
‘Inazuma no kami ni tachimukaeru nante, orokamono ga kangaeru nante. Orokamono-domo wa, kesshite watashi o taosu koto ga dekimasendeshita.’
“And do you know why?”
「で、なんでかわかる?」
‘De, nande ka wakaru?’
“For I am the one who has brought peace to this world, and you shall not be even of the slightest inconvenience to my destiny.”
「この世界に平和をもたらしたのは私であり、お前は私の運命に少しでも迷惑をかけることはありません。」
‘Kono sekai ni heiwa o motarashita no wa watashideari, omae wa watashinounmei ni sukoshi demo meiwaku o kakeru koto wa arimasen.’
And so, the God of Darkness lets out a satisfied grunt, before raising his hand up high, releasing a wave of black and white that emanates an energetic aura, summoning forth the clouds of lightning of the infinite moments earlier, alongside the armoured figures that He has summoned, sending them downward and preparing to strike down the humans that even remotely dare to challenge his reign—
October 30, 2022.
2022年10月30日。
2022-nen 10-tsuki 30-nichi.
02:19.
2時19分。
2-ji 19-fun.
A man wakes up, clutching the shirt that covers his chest as he stares into the void in front of him, only to be greeted by the sight of the table that he uses for his studies. A sweat rolls down his forehead, as he blinks rapidly, breathing in and out in short gasps that feel akin to that of a man waking up from a panic attack. Struggling to make out the furniture in the room that he was in, he barely was able to make out a few words, voicing out his thoughts in a shaky tone.
“Wh- what was that dr- dream—?” He asks to himself, as he barely finds himself the composure to calm down after what he assumed was either a dream… or potentially even a nightmare.
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<< OP >>
“YoiYoi Kokon” | 宵々古今
Artist: REOL
Album: Σ
—— O ——
The legend of the Kamen Riders. The legendary masked heroes who transform with the aid of mysterious Drivers, fighting against evil of all kind in the name of the future, coexistence, and peace.
仮面ライダーの伝説。謎のドライバーの助けを借りて変身し、未来、共存、平和の名のもとにあらゆる悪と戦う伝説の覆面英雄。
Surely, in every part of the world, there is at least one derivation of the man who fights in the name of justice, and Kamen Rider is no different — a legend that has continued to live on in people’s hearts, helping to create a new generation of people who believe in its ideals.
きっと世界のどこにでも、正義の名の下に戦う男の派生が少なくとも一つは存在し、仮面ライダーも例外ではありません。その理想を信じる人々の世代。
From the man who carved the beginnings of the Reiwa Era’s new legacy, Aruto Hiden (飛電 或人, Hiden Aruto) — elected as the CEO of Hiden Intelligence and later Hiden Manufacturing — who fights alongside his secretary, Izu, against the rogue splinter cell of terrorist robots, MetsubouJinrai.net, transforming using the Hiden Zero-One Driver — later temporarily the Metsuboujinrai Forceriser and Hiden Zero-Two Driver — and Progrisekeys, and donning the mantle of Kamen Rider Zero-One (仮面ライダーゼロワン, Kamen Raidā Zerowan) in order to ensure the peaceful co-existence of humans and Humagears; to the novelist and swordsman, Touma Kamiyama (神山 飛羽真, Kamiyāmā Tōmā) — member of the Sword of Logos’ Northern Base — who fights against the elusive Megid, who seek to create their own new world, transforming using the Seiken Swordriver, Kaenken Rekka — later the Haouken Xross Saber — and Wonder Ride Books, and donning the mantle of Kamen Rider Saber (仮面ライダーセイバー, Kamen Raidā Seibā) in order to ensure peace and decide the fate of the world’s story.
To a man and his inner demon, Ikki Igarashi (五十嵐 一輝, Igarashi Ikki) and Vice (バイス, Baisu), chosen by the government agency known as Fenix to fight against the Deadmans — who seek to revive their master, Giff, and bring upon the end of the world — transforming using the Revice Driver and Vistamps, and donning the mantle as Kamen Rider Revi (仮面ライダーリバイ, Kamen Raidā Ribai) and Kamen Rider Vice (仮面ライダーバイス, Kamen Raidā Baisu) respectively; to the Star of the Stars of the Stars, Ace Ukiyo (浮世 英寿, Ukiyo Ēsu) — undefeated champion of the Desire Grand Prix — who joins the game to fight against the Jyamato and discover answers to his questions, transforming using the Desire Driver and Raise Buckles, and donning the mantle of Kamen Rider Geats (仮面ライダーギーツ, Kamen Raidā Gītsu).
And still, even if this tale of heroes is ultimately one of fiction, originating from the imaginations of a mangaka whose name lives on in the annals of history, its values are not to be taken lightly, its legacy eventually receiving second life in the hands of the many people influenced by its stories.
それでもなお、この英雄の物語は最終的にフィクションの一つであり、その名が歴史の年代記に生き続ける漫画家の想像力に由来するとしても、その価値は軽視されるべきではなく、その遺産は最終的に手に第二の命を与えられますその物語に影響を受けた多くの人々の。
From cosplay to fan-fiction, to video reviews to drawings, these are merely some of the infinite stories that have carved their own identities… and so, good continues to slay and vanquish evil even in a world where the Masked Hero is merely but a concept.
コスプレからファン フィクション、ビデオ レビュー、ドローイングまで、これらは独自のアイデンティティを刻んだ無限の物語の一部にすぎません…そして、仮面のヒーローがただの世界でさえも、善は悪を殺し続け、打ち負かし続けています。概念。
Of the warrior who fights, against all odds, for the safety of the world and its people…
世界と人々の安全のために、あらゆる困難に立ち向かう戦士の…
—— O ——
Come on in, peace has become
らっしゃいな平は成り
Rasshaina heiwa nari
Time has arrived, a righteous, reverie all through night
時が来た正しい夢現夜もすがら
Toki ga kita tadashii yume utsutsu yomosugara
To undergo change, there shan't be consternation
変わりゆくことに恐れなし
Kawari yuku koto ni osorenashi
To be gulled, without escape, I sternly refuse!
のっぴきならないのは御免
Noppikinaranai no wa gomen
Sing the little girls' nurseries; and you all will allure
手毬唄歌い 君達が誘う
Temari utautai kimitachi ga sasou
Even as the villain lures the back of my hair; I shall move forward
悪人に後ろ髪を惹かれても進むべきなり
Yananjiu ni ushirogami wo hikarete mo susumu bekinari
Crazes then fades, should this world be so lamented
流行り廃りの憂き世なら
Hayari sutari no uki yonara
The trusted one, is told, to be only, you!
信ずる者はただ、君だけと
Shinzuru mono wa tada, kimi dake to
Rage in dances and jeers, drown in drinks and songs!
れ騒げや呑めや歌えや
Odore sawageya nome ya utae ya
Matters to ponder about, are amiss
案ずることなどないな
Anzuru koto nado nai na
This world, mortal's world, ruefully cursed
此の世人の世は恨めしい
Kono yo hito no yo wa urameshii
Rings, the winter sandals but, endeared
雪駄はちゃらちゃら愛し
Setta wa chara chara kamashi
We cling on, blinded, cuts thousand-fold
縋って眩んで満身創痍で
Sugatte kurande manshin sooi de
Sore, sore, sore, sore!
それそれそれそれ
Sore sore sore sore
Should you bewail the current, embellish the past, even so
今を嘆いて昔を粧しても
Ima wo nageite mukashi wo mekashite mo
Your spirit within torrents the rivers of tears
君の心の内流る涙川
Kimi no kokoro no uchi nagareru namidagawa
That's just unbearable, wherever should you lie
それじゃ敵わん何処にいても
Sore ja kanawan doko ni ite mo
To be brought, is you, to the ever-turning stage
めくるめく舞台に君を連れて
Mekurumeku butai ni kimi wo tsurete
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Episode One: Awaken, the Hero of Time
第一挿話:目覚めよ、時の勇者
Dai Ichisōwa: Mezameyo, Toki no Yūsha
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October 30, 2022.
2022年10月30日。
2022-nen 10-tsuki 30-nichi.
06:30.
6時30分。
6-ji 30-fun.
It was another Sunday, like every other Sunday that had previously come before it. As a young boy began to whir to life, his eyes groggily and drowsy, he barely managed to push one of the many buttons of the red alarm clock — currently ringing too loud for his tastes — located on the nightstand next to him, before he began to get out of bed, slumping and falling onto the ground in the process, much to his own annoyance.
Dragging himself to his study table, he pushed himself up, groaning as he looked at the time displayed on the alarm clock in the process. Re-evaluating his choice of wake-up time, a flash suddenly struck him as he remembered why he’d set his alarm so early, as he forced himself to get up. He looked at his reflection in the mirror located on his desk; much to his dismay, his entire face was very much in a state of disarray.
Walking in the direction of the cupboard that was located on the other side of the small room, he swung its doors open, before picking out a light grey jacket and a black shirt — both of them hiding and barely peeking from edge of the array of clothes. Grabbing his toiletries at the same time, he proceeded to head out of his dorm room, planning to walk in the direction of the communal bathrooms.
At the same time, five other people were in various stages of whatever they were doing early in the morning; one girl was currently frantically running in the direction of the communal bathrooms on her floor, her hair flowing as gracefully as a metal bar in the wind; two other girls cleaning up their room meticulously, preparing their outfits for the day; and two boys were currently frantically scribbling notes down from the laptop screens in front of them.
06:47.
6時47分。
6-ji 47-fun.
As the boy finally finished his wake-up routine, having not only taken his shower, but also now donned in the outfit that he had picked up minutes earlier, he made final preparations to head out, grabbing his small sling bag in the process. Shoving into it his most important belongings, he once again headed out, putting on his shoes, turning off the light switch, and locking the door behind him.
Walking away from the vicinity of the male dormitories, he walking in the direction of the academy’s cafeteria, having felt his own stomach rumble ever-so-slightly with a craving for edible food, much to his own embarrassment. Immediately, at the sound of rumbling, he picked up speed, arriving at the cafeteria after a brief sprint.
He was greeted by an almost-empty room, before he quickly grabbed his breakfast, taking a set at one of the many tables in an emptier corner of the cafeteria. Pulling out his mobile phone, he decided to browse through the Kamen Rider Fan Fiction Wiki, mostly checking through any articles and series that seemed remotely of entertainment value — that Battle Warriors one seemed to be interesting.
06:54.
6時54分。
6-ji 54-fun.
Stepping out of the cafeteria, stomach now full, he walked in the direction of the academy’s entrance, very much regretting his choice of clothing, especially considering how hot it was beginning to get. Feeling beads of sweat trail down his face, he decided to suck it up, continuing his walk. Browsing through a few more articles, he eventually arrived at the main entrance of the academy.
It definitely wasn’t much when compared to the other parts of the academy. A simple large iron gate that could be opened and closed to let vehicles of various sizes in, and a small bus stop which stood on the side of the road leading into the city. And the latter was the target of the boy, as he took a seat, changing the display on his phone to watch the newest episode of Kamen Rider Geats.
And as he finished watching the newest episode of Geats, he decided that he was going to leave his discussions of the episode for later, seeing the new forms debuting in the episode; Geats Monster Form, Na-Go Armed Propeller, Buffa Armed Drill Zombie and Zombie Armed Drill. Suddenly, he felt a pair of hands covering his eyes, causing him to pause his video. Confused, he pushed the other figure’s hands off of him.
“Yo know, I was going to say something about how it wasn’t going to catch me off-guard, but how’d you end up here?” The boy enquired, his eyes widening a little as he turned around to greet the other figure.
“Hah, I finally got you, Rai! I made plans with Mei to follow along, and she said it was okay with her!” The girl chirped back in response, a look of victory flashing all over her face.
“Without telling the rest of the group?” The boy, Raiden Shoumi (小見 雷電, Shoumi Raiden), responded, trying his best attempt to stifle a giggle, only to no avail.
“Boo, you no fun.” The girl, Aiko Fujiwara (藤原 愛幸, Fujiwara Aikō), pouted even more, poking her tongue out at the other in the process. “Why did Ace have to win the newest round of the DGP anyways? And why is the next episode coming out in two weeks?”
“Beats me—” Raiden shrugged, as he closed the video on his phone, having finished watching the newest episode of Geats. “Surprised you’ve already watched the episode as well.”
“Well, I had to kill the time somehow while walking.”
And after waiting for what felt like a few minutes in silence, the two ended up beginning their discussion on the newest episode of Geats anyways, much to Raiden’s own chagrin.
“Come on, you can’t be serious.” Aiko retorted, pouting at the words that Raiden had uttered.
“Hey, at least it was a guarantee at this point that Ace was going to win. Not only have they severely hinted as his skills, but he’s the main protagonist after all.” Raiden simply responded.
“Yeah, but couldn’t have they at least given Neon or Michinaga a victory so that it would have been different? That would have been much more fun.” Aiko continue to pout, though much less than she had been minutes earlier.
“I’m pretty sure he’s either going to win the next game, or something is going to happen that’s so wild that nobody knows what’s going to happen next. It’s Takahashi after all, he’s lampshaded it enough,” Raiden chuckled. “They’ve already set up the next arc with Beat, Punk Jack and those two new Riders, so it’s not like it’s going to be all too bad, right?” Raiden shrugged, recalling the forms in the magazines.
“Except what, somehow Tycoon’s not there and instead we got bootleg old man and pumpkin man using Ninja now—”
“Something something isn’t he getting a super form eventually or something, I don’t exactly remember? Either how, we have fan-fiction to solve that anyways. Besides, aren’t you the writer kind of girl anyways?”
“I’m not going to write fan-fiction if I can’t be bothered to write it. Besides, wasn’t there that one fan-fiction someone made of Geats where they added something world to it, or whatever, I don’t even know—”
“Oh, you mean that one,” Raiden responded, pulling out his phone and opening back the website which was opened to ‘Hasbro’s Battle Warriors’, showing changed names for some of the suits which were previously in Geats; Kitsune, Bovine and Freezer were definitely weird choices for Rider names.
Suddenly, the two were interrupted by the sound of five people arriving on the scene, part of a larger group of people who were planning to take the bus into the city just like Raiden and Aiko. Raiden peeked over his phone screen, seeing two of the three girls in the group acting lovey-dovey, holding hands cheerily and romantically.
“So,” Raiden asked one of the two boys from the group of four, discreetly gesturing to the two girls, “How long, Ryo?”
“The usual.” One of the two boys — Ryotaro Rakuyama (楽山 涼太郎, Rakuyama Ryōtarō) — responded, making a mockingly disgusted expression at the two girls.
“We get it, you get no bitches.” The third girl of the group — Mei Mizuhara (水原 芽依, Mizuhara Mei) — teasingly responded, quick to jump at the chance of an insult. The girl poked her tongue out at Raiden, much to the chagrin of the boy himself.
“Oh, frick you—” Raiden responded in a very obvious and exaggerated sarcastic tone, being careful not to swear in the process. The group continued to wait for the bus to arrive, before Raiden then added, turning to the other boy of the group that had arrived. “Oh yeah, Shun. What’s the plan for today?”
“Wait, didn’t we talk about this on WhatsApp the other day?” The other boy of the group — Shun Sakamoto (坂本 駿, Sakamoto Shun) — asked in confusion, his head tilting to the side a little. Attempting to recall the conversation the group had, he then added, turning to Mei, “Also, you could have told us that Aiko was going to follow us as well. At least we could have planned.”
“I just wanted it to be a surprise, if you don’t mind,” Mei responded, giving a very smug grin in the process. “Also did you forget that when we tried to discuss plans, it ultimately lead to Chloe and Kanon going back to flirting outrageously in the group chat?”
The aforementioned individuals — Chloe Kudo (工藤 クロエ, Kudō Kuroe) and Kanon Kiyohara (清原 花音, Kiyohara Kanon) — attempted to speak up, before Mei then quickly added onto her previous sentence, “No offence to the two of you though.”
“Anyhow,” Shun quickly interrupted, getting back onto the matter at hand, “We go into the city, look around, buy some stuff depending on whether we have the mood to or not, grab something to eat, and then come back before ‘you know what I’m talking about.”
“Aye!” Raiden cheered in agreement.
“Aye.” Aiko added, a little softer than Raiden.
“Aye!” Mei went back to her cheerful scream.
“Aye.” Both Chloe and Kanon uttered in perfect synchronisation, much to the amusement of the rest of the group.
“Uh… aye?” Ryotaro responded, a heavy hint of confusion and amusement laced in his tone.
“Good.” Shun capped off the argument with an aura of finality, before the group went back to waiting for the bus once again. Both Raiden and Aiko continued discussing about the newest episode of Geats, arguing over whether Tycoon deserved to die or why Geats kept getting more new forms than the rest of the Riders, before they were interrupted by the sound of the bus arriving on the scene, engine roaring at full blast.
Riding the bus to the train station, Raiden idly looked out of the window, watching the vehicles and scenery passing by.
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12:05.
12時5分。
12-ji 5-fun.
As the group continued to wander through the city streets, walking down old alleyways and admiring the cityscape, Chloe and Kanon ultimately found themselves severely panting, gasping for air. The two girls were very much under-equipped for what Shun had planned; somehow, even Shun himself was struggling to keep up.
In fact, Raiden and Aiko were far ahead of the rest of the group, with Shun and Mei barely able to catch up. Ryotaro was falling behind, while Chloe and Kanon were knackered.
“You’d. Think that by now, we’d at least have found somewhere to rest,” Ryotaro complained, gasping for air repeatedly in the process. “We’re tired.”
“We’re almost there, Ryo,” Shun retorted in response to Ryotaro’s words, before Raiden was quick to retort, jumping into the fray.
“Hold up, you told us that we were going to, in your words, ‘look around’. Your words, on the dot, not mine. You didn’t imply a flipping marathon in the city.” Raiden panted for air, the exhaustion from the walk taking a toll on his breathing — it was definitely heavier than before, even if just slightly more.
“Fair.”
“At this rate, let’s go find somewhere to eat, refill our stomachs, then we can continue walking and go back home. The sun is also getting pretty hot and I’m very much burning in my own sweat.” Raiden added, a unanimous agreement emerging between the group.
Immediately, they headed in the direction of the nearby shopping centre, their destination determined by the bright banner light that proudly showed off the name of the mall in front of them. Stepping into the confines of the shopping centre, they were immediately greeted by the cold, air-conditioned air, causing some of them — particularly Mei — to shiver a little.
Raiden could feel his legs beginning to give away, as the group searched for somewhere to eat. Finding a nearby fast food joint, they hunkered down for the next few minutes, ordering food in the process. Raiden obviously helped (mainly because Mei forced him to and he didn’t have much a choice) to bring the food to the table, as both Chloe and Kanon felt like they were melting into their chairs somehow…
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14:25.
14時25分。
14-ji 25-fun.
The day had passed by relatively harmless after that. After having rested in the mall for what felt like eternity, they walked through the mall, looking for anything that seemed to be interesting. There definitely seemed to be at least something that piqued their interest, whether it be the toy store that both Raiden and Aiko immediately took a peek through, or the doll store that Chloe and Kanon visited.
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
Another thing that happened was that Raiden had found Kamen Rider merch in the aforementioned toy store, comprising mostly of too-expensive DX belts and trinkets, and the slightly-cheaper and more affordable figurines. Picking out one that he hadn’t gotten before, he fished out roughly 1,100 yen from his wallet, paying for a Kamen Rider Revi Rex Genome figure. It didn’t hurt to expand his collection after all…
As they rode the bus, having finished their trip not just around the city, but in the mall as well, Raiden found himself almost falling asleep, deciding to idly browse through his phone in the meanwhile. After all, there was a certain odd charm to browsing Kamen Rider fan-fictions on the unofficial Fandom website to begin with.
However, as the group arrived in the confines of their university, Hikari Daigaku, things suddenly began to take a turn for the worse, as a mysterious barrier suddenly began to materialise, trapping the group within the confines of the university. Everything happened in a flash, so quickly in fact that the group was unable to process what was going on until it was too late.
“What in the hell?!” Raiden screamed in sheer confusion, a facial expression that was shared by both Ryotaro and Shun. “What in the fr—”
“I’m trying to destroy whatever is not letting me go through,” Mei responded, attempting to slam on the barrier with her fists to the best of her abilities, only to no avail. “But it’s not working! It’s almost like it’s made out of diamond or something!”
“I have no clue what to do…” Raiden responded, before the group’s train of thought was interrupted by the sounds of screams coming from the other parts of the university, not too far from where the group was. “We have to go find the rest of the people, there must be a way out!”
Aiko noted that Raiden had immediately taken charge, uncharacteristic of the boy considering he was one to shy away from leadership duties. And she was left to ponder briefly, as Raiden led the group in an attempt to find an exit.
The group briefly recalling an emergency entrance that was normally open to the public, the group rushed in the direction of the emergency exit. Around them, the barrier that separated them from the outside began to darken, almost as if being covered by a black veil of some kind. Something which should have not been possible even in the slightest.
Arriving at where the emergency exit should have been, they were suddenly met with the sight of the gate suddenly slamming shut right in front of their eyes, much to Raiden’s shock. He remembered the emergency protocol that had been put in place by the university; it shouldn’t have been possible to close the door even in the slightest. Not helping things was the loud sound that resulted from the gate crashing into the ground, causing Mei to jump a little.
“Great… what now?!” Aiko uttered, reeling in horror as the black veil consumed the barrier even more, cloaking the entire university in shadow.
As darkness consumed the university compound in shadow, a few rays of light illuminated small parts of the area, coming from not just the group’s mobile phones, but a few other phones. Raiden took this as a sign, rushing in the direction of any potential other groups, hoping that there would be an answer as to what was going on.
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In another part of the university, consisting of an old guardhouse which had become abandoned after a few years, completely shrouded in darkness, the shadows on the walls began to morph, distorting and twisting in various ways — the space around it was also affected by the mysterious goop-like shadows, twisting in entirely different directions.
The goop fell onto the ground, oozing like black tar, as from the shadow-like goo, mysterious monstrous-like creatures began to form, each of them releasing a very low rumble-like voice as they exited the confines of the guardhouse. Looking around, almost as if searching for prey to hunt, one of the monstrous-like shadow beings would turn their eyes in the direction of one of the nearby buildings, having sensed a potential victim.
In the building the monster had laid its eyes upon, a female student ran through the hallways, scrambling to find an exit. Unfortunately for her, the building had turned into a maze, as she scrambled through its hallways, searching for the exit. With every turn she made, it was almost if the building had warped around her, trapping her in a labyrinth with no way out.
Suddenly, one of the shadow monsters that had been created moments earlier emerged from one of the walls, chasing after the girl. More of the shadow-like monsters also began to emerge from the darkness, chasing after the girl. However, after she realised that she wasn’t going to get out of this easily, she resorted with rapidly striking the monsters with hits and punches to the best of her abilities.
Utilising the karate training she’d picked up over the years, she rapidly sent strikes in the direction of the monsters, sending them reeling into the walls of the building. Attempting to make a break for it, she was suddenly halted in her tracks by one of the shadow monsters turning back into its blob-like state, consuming the girl as she screamed in pain, attempting to get out.
And as she was consumed by the blob, it hardened, only to form into a different type of monstrous being, standing amid the hallways of the building. The monstrous being simply stepped forwards, breaking the illusions of the hallway as it stepped out of the building, summoning multiple more shadow-like monsters in order to attack whoever was in its vicinity.
This monster… was the Karateshou Monstrum (空手匠モンストラム, Karateshō Monsutoramu).
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As the Monstrum began its attack, its voice reduced to a deep guttural roar that seemed to maintain the traits of the host that it had horrifyingly consumed mere moments earlier, it stepped outside, using its shadow-like monsters to attack whoever was in its vicinity. Thankfully, as some of the nearby university students and staff saw the monsters, they immediately fled for their lives, searching for a place where they could not be reached.
From afar, Raiden witnessed the attack that was unfolding, and having briefly split from the group in an attempt to find anything useful, found himself reeling in horror from the monstrosities that were unfolding in front of him. Immediately, he turned around, running back to the rest of the group as fast as his legs could allow him.
Reuniting with his friends, he managed to get out of the radius of the monster’s vision, as he entered a panicked flurry, trying to get the words out.
“So, uhh, I saw a… m-m-m—” Raiden attempted to speak out, his words reduced to nothing more than a frightened stutter.
“Monster?” Aiko attempted to finish Raiden’s sentence, trying to figure out what he was trying to say. However, she immediately bit her tongue, some of the shadow-like monsters materialising from the shadows the buildings casted onto the ground even with a lack of light.
As they found themselves surrounded, the shadow-like monsters beginning to close in on them, they huddled together into one defencive position, attempting to figure out what was the best next plan of action to do. However, both Mei and Aiko were able to barely enter a fighting stance, the former suddenly retaliating the attacks of a monster who attempted to attack her.
The monster sent reeling from the flurry of punches and kicks it had received, the rest of the group turned to look at Mei and Aiko, before the other shadow-like monsters that had surrounded them charged in to attack.
“Right, new plan. With this change of plan, we attack.” Raiden muttered, his tone almost sounding like sheer overconfidence.
“Don’t get cocky.” Both Mei and Aiko retorted in rapid sucession.
“…I know.”
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With their best attempts at pushing back the horde of shadow-like monsters, they were able to get enough leeway to break free from the monsters that had surrounded them, grabbing any makeshift weapons that they could somewhat use against them.
Shun blindly struck at the two shadow monsters in front of him, using a broken glass bottle as a blunt weapon. Admittedly, while very much ineffective, it seemed to be doing some form of damage to the shadow monsters, sending them reeling a little and stunning them for a moment. It gave Shun just enough confidence to continue attacking, hoping for the best that the bottle wouldn’t suddenly decide to break.
Ryotaro, meanwhile, had somehow managed to grab a branch from a nearby tree, using it to the best of his abilities; admittedly, the damage dealt was measly, however. He wasn’t repelling the monsters so much as sweeping them away with his branch. However, Mei jumped in to assist, using her own martial arts training to attack them with a flurry of round kicks, punches and kiais.
Chloe and Kanon had managed to stumble onto more proper weapons; Chloe found a baseball bat from the nearby sports centre, while Kanon grabbed an unused ventilation pipe. Using their limited strength, they struck and bashed at the monsters in front of them, as if using their bodies as balls in a game of makeshift baseball.
Both Raiden and Aiko, however, were forced to flee, unable to find any proper weapons they could use. Sure, they could use whatever furniture they happened to stumble upon, but the planks of wood quickly broke without a second thought, even more ineffective compared to the branch that Ryotaro had used. Unfortunately, being forced to attack meant that they were completely caught off-course and unprepared for the Monstrum suddenly charging in their direction.
Raiden realised too late what was going on, as a black limb slammed in his chest, causing him to hack out blood and air from his throat, before the mysterious attacker suddenly jumped into the air, crashing into the ground in front of him. While Aiko was able to get to safety, Raiden wasn’t as lucky, being sent flying into a nearby wall, much to her horror. A dust cloud surrounded him, as Aiko struggled to get to Raiden’s location, the rubble forming multiple hurdles.
“Wh-who… in the hell… are you…? Raiden called out weakly, struggling as he attempted to figure out what the… thing in front of him was.
The dust cloud quickly cleared up, as Raiden was finally able to discern the outline of the monster in front of him. Unfortunately, it was because the monster was rapidly charging in his direction, sending him crashing into the same wall that he had crashed into mere moments earlier from the sheer wind pressure the monster’s movements were forming.
The Monstrum roared loudly, before Raiden’s eyes widened.
“That voice… it can’t be,” Raiden instinctively recognised the second voice that was a little quieter than the first. “Sakura?!”
The monster, however, did not respond, as it dashed in Raiden’s direction, extending its hand upwards in a manner that indicated that the it was preparing to attack. With how weak Raiden’s body, he was unable to make any attempt at blocking the monster’s attack, almost as if accepting the death that was about to befall upon him. And so the monster swooped in for the killing blow, until…
----------------------------------------
<< OST >>
“Time Jacker 2” | タイムジャッカー 2
Composer: Toshihiko Sahashi
Album: 仮面ライダージオウ TV オリジナル サウンド トラック
A bright light radiated from a specific point in space where the monster attempted to strike down the unarmed warrior, sending it flying as it crashed into a nearby building. At the same time, the brilliant light formed multiple rays, each of them providing enough force to form cracks in the black veil, but also temporarily blinding whoever had been unfortunate enough to leave their eyes uncovered in the process; that included not just the Monstrum who’d barely managed to get up, but also Aiko and Mei, who’d rushed in Raiden’s direction in what they presumed was a vain attempt to save him.
As the rest of their small group forcibly covered their eyes from the sudden change in luminosity, the light began to die down, though a wave of black and blue energy was released from the source point, revealing a mysterious pattern of stars and lightning that was currently serving as a barrier around… Raiden, who was barely standing on his two feet, his facial expressions washed with shock and surprise.
And while he was barely alive, able to vaguely discern the weird… entity in front of him, he found himself frozen, unable to move even an inch. It’d almost felt like he’d bore witness to a Biblically-accurate angel, all things considered. However, a voice called out to him from within the barrier, as he looked forwards, discerning… something within the crackling mass of static electricity and blinding stars. Reaching into the stars, the voice — female in nature, almost like Vernage (ベルナージュ, Berunāju) — became louder and louder, almost ear-piercing to an extent.
“Go beyond the stars, and reach out into the infinite! For that is where you will find hope, for that is where you find the source of eternal peace!”
「星を越え、無限へと手を伸ばせ!そこに希望があり、永遠の平和の源があるからです!」
And he grasped the phantom in front of him, as the barrier dissipated within an instant, a golden light taking its place and bathing the soon-to-be warrior. Feeling himself strengthened to the point of being able to stand up, he continued to reach out to the item in front of him subconsciously, having barely noticed the white orb of light hovering in front of him. The orb of light began to crackle sparks that resembled stars, as the winds around him began to kick up, before the orb emitted a small humming noise — almost like static of some kind — as it began to change shape.
The item that formed from the orb of light seemed to be a… belt of some kind. Raiden’s mind began to conjure images of the Desire Driver and Ziku-Driver, very similar to the object in front of him. The belt, the Driver, had a bizarrely ornate design, very much akin to the images in his head; in the middle of it, a lone emblem was stamped onto the front panel, resembling a ornately-designed broadsword of some kind.
And as he grabbed it, the golden light that was currently bathing it changed forms, turning into a cloud of black and blue that sent down multiple streaks of lightning, crashing around Raiden and sending the ground upwards, the earth beginning to change form as well, much to his confusion. The debris turning into two solid masses, they changed forms, turning into orbs of light before properly materialising into the items in question.
Two trinkets… of some kind? Like how the mysterious Driver in his hand bared similarities to the Desire Driver, these… weird devices bared similarities to the Raise Buckles that he was accustomed to seeing the Riders of the Desire Grand Prix use to fight. For a moment, Raiden felt unsure, confused and utterly terrified. In the span of a second, images flashed in his mind; from the dream he had of the man in black and white who destroyed the world, to the first transformation of Sougo Tokiwa (常磐 ソウゴ, Tokiwa Sōgo) that saw him become Kamen Rider Zi-O (仮面ライダージオウ, Kamen Raidā Jiō), to the ending of the Desire Grand Prix that saw the destruction of the city.
However, the terror in his head was replaced by a feverish expression that formed from the golden light’s influence, washing over him as he properly stood up, barely noticing the cracks on the black veil in the corner of his field of vision. Looking at the mysterious Driver, the weird object in his hand, he turned to the two trinkets in front of him, shrugging off his pain and grabbing them with his free hand. As he did so, the barrier of lightning and stars that had protected him moments earlier returned once more, crackling to life like a protective barrier.
Looking at his waist, he closed his eyes, taking a deep breath as he suspended his disbelief for the first time in his life, weakly holding the Driver to his waist, hoping that it would do something… anything. And somehow, indeed it did, as a navy blue belt strap began to emerge from the sides of the Driver, wrapping around his waist and tightening just enough, very akin to the belt buckles he’d seen in the various Kamen Rider series he’d watched over the past ten years.
Genkai Driver!
限界ドライバー!
Genkai Doraibā!
The Driver finishing its tightening process, it whirred to life in a hopeful tone that sent waves of sound that pierced through the darkness of the area covered by the veil, forming multiple more cracks in the veil that let through even more light, rays of sunlight beginning to illuminate just enough of the university to allow vision for those who couldn’t see properly. Raiden maintained his posture, as he looked at the Driver, noticing that the slots on the sides of the Genkai Driver seemed to match up with the way the back of the trinkets seemed to be designed.
Taking his chance, he held the two transformation trinkets in his hands, preparing to do what his instinct was telling to do. All the while, the Monstrum had got up once again, its twisted female voice roaring in anger as it attempted to charge in the direction of the Rider preparing to transform. Unfortunately for it, because of the barrier that was protecting Raiden, the mass of electricity crackled in anger, sending it reeling and onto the ground, paralysing it for long enough.
The same voice that called out to Raiden moments earlier called once more — the female voice turning into something more male in nature, very evocative of Ace Ukiyo’s words towards Keiwa Sakurai (桜井 景和, Sakurai Keiwa) and Neon Kurama (鞍馬 祢音, Kurama Neon) — making a plea in a voice that sounded desperate, as if he were looking towards her last and most desperate source of hope.
“Don’t worry about the past. There is only the future to look forwards to. Even when the dinosaurs fell, the world was able to recover, after all.”
「過去を気にするな。楽しみにしている未来しか。恐竜が滅びた時でさえ、世界は回復できたのだから。」
“So fight, fight for what you believe in. Fight for what is right. End the story of the past, and write the story of the future.”
「だから戦え、自分の信じるもののために戦え。正しいことのために戦え。過去の物語を終わらせ、未来の物語を書きなさい。」
“And then, at that instant, you shall be reborn once more, o hero of the other world.”
「そして、その瞬間、あなたは再び生まれ変わる、異世界の勇者よ。」
With the confidence given from that voice, Raiden stared down the Monstrum that was struggling to break free of its paralysis, as a dust storm began to kick up. All the while, blood continued to trickle from his mouth by the second, bits of it dripping onto the floor. Following his gut instinct, he inserted the two transformation trinkets into their respective slots; inserting the yellow lightning-themed transformation trinket into the right side of the Driver, and the black terracotta-themed transformation trinket into the left side of the Driver.
The barrier around him began to crackle even more, as sparks began to angrily attack the Monstrum that had dared to attack Raiden moments earlier.
Folklore of the ancients! Storm of the Thunder Beast!
古代人の伝承民間!雷獣の嵐!
Kodaibito no denshō minkan! Raijū no arashi!
The Driver continued to whir, a standby tune beginning to play and the gears within the transformation device clicking and rotating, as Raiden stood in the middle of the dust storm, preparing to transform. In his head, images of each of the previous Kamen Riders’ transformations echoed out their words, the same word being said that gave him even more confidence to push forth, before he called it out himself.
“Henshin!”
Activating the two devices, he slammed his left hand into the yellow lightning-themed transformation trinket, activating what appeared to be a copper-coloured lightning rod of some kind as a few sparks were released, while he pulled what appeared to be a spear-like object on the black terracotta-themed transformation trinket with his right hand, letting it slam into the side closest to the Driver with a powerful and loud thud. With the activation of both transformation trinkets, the gears in the Driver continued to whir, potentially whirring even more than before.
The barrier around him began to change colour, as the stars and lightning began to change from white and yellow to jet black and neon blue respectively. And from the barrier around Raiden, it produced a stream of stars that began to turn into pieces of armour, much to his surprise.
Hero of once upon a time! Warrior of the future line! Kamen Rider~ Denrai!
昔の傑士!将来系の戦士!仮面ライダーデンライ!
Mukashi no kesshi! Shōrai-kei no senshi! Kamen Raidā~ Denrai!
The dust storm began to die down, as blue and black lights whirred to life, forming an under-suit on Raiden — who was still staring down the Monstrum — that covered his entire outfit. The pieces of armour that formed from the stream of stars began to attach onto the top half of the under-suit — as Raiden found himself with an aura of familiarity with the way the suit was designed — before locking on with mechanisms so intricate that even Raiden himself was confused.
The barrier around him then produced a stream of sparks that began to change shape, forming into more pieces of armour that locked onto the bottom half of the under-suit. At the same time, many of the pieces of armour that had manifested from the stream of stars hovered over his face, in a manner that was not too distant to the way Iron Man’s Mark 3 armour formed. Taking a deep breath, he let out a kiai that released a gust of wind that pushed the dust on the ground outward.
And at his command, the helmet pieces began to lock around his head, as he kept still just long enough for the pieces to finish intricately locking together. Beneath the visor, a HUD began to form, multiple statistics making themselves known to the Rider. Raiden was confused for a moment, before he suddenly found himself able to comprehend the information that was being displayed, much to his surprise.
Raiden also found himself unable to feel his injuries from minutes earlier — something he chalked down to the capabilities of the suit — as the voice once again called out to him, its voice changing tone into something a little deeper, very evocative of the speeches Woz (ウォズ, Wozu) would give for his overlord with every new transformation Sougo gained throughout his tenure as Zi-O.
“Now fight. For the future of the world. For the fate of the world. For the fate of the ancient warriors who’ve fallen. And for the fate of the uncertain future set in stone.”
「さあ戦え。世界の未来のために。世界の運命のために。倒れた古代の戦士の運命のために。そして、不確かな未来の運命のために。」
“For you are now the one who inherits the legacy of the Kamen Riders, the warrior who will give birth to a new path. And for this, rejoice. This is your moment.”
「仮面ライダーの遺志を継ぎ、新たな道を切り拓く戦士、あなた。そして、このために、喜んで。これがあなたの瞬間。」
“Do it with justice. And may fortune favour the brave.”
「正義をもってやれ。そして勇者に幸運が訪れますように。」
Raiden felt a lump form in his throat, hearing the words muttered by the voice that called out to him, before he decided to shrug it off, readying himself for the more… pressing matter that was currently in the process of rearing his ugly head.
“Kamen Rider Denrai… AncientStorm Form!” Raiden screamed, a voice modulator changing his tone just enough that he couldn’t be caught out as the same person to those who were unaware. “That is who I am!”
Kamen Rider Denrai (仮面ライダーデンライ, Kamen Raidā Denrai), AncientStorm Form (エンシェントストームフォーム, EnshentoSutōmu Fōmu).
He is the warrior from beyond the stars, the hero of crackling lightning who fights for not just the fate of the fallen ancients, but also for the uncertain future… and everything in between. And so he dashes forwards, taking a step into the future as the barrier of stars and sparks dies down, the Monstrum — now slightly weakened from the flurry of attacks moments earlier — charging towards the Rider.
From afar, as Aiko finally managed to recover from her temporarily blindness, she observed the state of the battlefield while hiding behind a nearby building, seeing Raiden’s transformed state. Her eyes widened upon seeing the suit of armour that donned her friend, her jaw dropping a little. “Rai-chan… transformed into a Kamen Rider?”
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<< OST >>
“Woz’s Plan” | ウォズの画策
Composer: Toshihiko Sahashi
Album: 仮面ライダージオウ TV オリジナル サウンド トラック
The two combatants continued to duke it out, as the Karateshou Monstrum made a (vain) attempt to strike at the Rider. However, he was able to quickly parry the blow, pushing its arms to the side before executing an attack of its own, a powerful punch causing the Monstrum to be sent flying.
The monster, of course, quickly recovered from the attack as it always did — slamming its fists into the ground and tanking the recoil — before it executed a powerful kiai, calling for reinforcements from the shadow monsters that had been attacking the rest of the group.
One by one, in a flurry of powered punches and kicks, the Rider was able to defeat the shadow monsters with each second that ticked by, sending them crashing into the ground below him. However, as the shadows began to vanish, they left behind multiple people — people the Rider suspected had been turned into the shadow people he was fighting.
Shocked, Raiden realised his fatal mistake — his eyes beneath the mask widening in the process — as he rushed to grab as many of the fainted humans as possible. However, Aiko and Mei, leading the rest of the group, were quick to intervene, getting the unconscious university students and staff and getting them to safety.
“Rai, you focus on what you do best!” Mei stated to Denrai, as he looked at her worriedly — admittedly, it was a reaction that he was sure she wasn’t able to see because of his mask.
“Weren’t you… the one who was also teasing me about my addiction to Rider?” Denrai recalled in a mix of fondness and confusion, remembering multiple moments in the past where she’d teased him over his love for Kamen Rider.
“No time for banter, you two!” Aiko butted into the middle of the conversation, standing in the middle of the two individuals, before turning to Denrai. “And we’re going to have a… long talk about this between the two of us once you’re done with your fight.”
“Yeah. I guess we should.” Raiden smiled faintly beneath the mask, before he focused on the matter on hand, the monster that was continuing to call in for reinforcements.
“Don’t die on me.” Mei stated, as Denrai turned around to face the Karateshou Monstrum.
“Don’t die on us.” Chloe then added, a sentiment echoed by Kanon as well.
“…I know.”
Charging back into battle, Denrai continued to punch and kick the shadow-like creatures rapidly, beginning to thin down their numbers in a manner of minutes. At this rate, he was very much thankful that the Monstrum had decided to funnel all of the shadow monsters towards the Rider; it did, after all, help him rescue whoever had been turned into the shadow monsters.
However, it unfortunately left him open to a punch by the Karateshou Monstrum, causing him to be sent upwards, crashing into the first-floor wall of another building, falling through the concrete and landing on the ground floor in the process. Groaning a little, the Rider got up, as the Monstrum jumped into the skies, preparing to execute what was a powerful kick.
Denrai, having noticed it in the nick of time, barely managed to dodge the attack, just enough to counter it with his own kick, sending the Monstrum reeling a little.
“Then…” Raiden muttered beneath the mask, preparing to charge in the direction of the Monstrum. “Let’s end this properly. So…”
Looking down at his Driver briefly, Denrai slammed his left hand into the yellow lightning-themed transformation trinket once more, activating the copper-coloured lightning rod and emitting a few sparks, as he also pulled the spear-like object on the black terracotta-themed transformation trinket with his right hand, letting it slam into the side closest to the Driver with a powerful and loud thud. With the activation of both transformation trinkets, the gears in the Driver whirred to life again, charging up for a finisher.
Black and blue electricity emanated from the Driver, before beginning to consume the Rider’s body — almost like a virus of some kind — eventually channelling into the Rider’s right leg. His boots now empowered, a different standby tune began to play, denoting the attack that was about to follow.
Densho~ Shorai! Genkai Break!
伝承・将来!限界突破!
Denshō~ Shōrai! Genkai Toppa!
“Give me your strength… Revice. Live. Jeanne. Demons!” Raiden muttered to himself, closing his eyes for a brief moment. “Give me the strength to pierce through the past, and march into the future…”
Swooping his leg around, images began to flash in his mind again; from Kamen Rider Demons (仮面ライダーデモンズ, Kamen Raidā Demonzu)’ Spider Demons Finish, to Kamen Rider Jeanne (仮面ライダージャンヌ, Kamen Raidā Jannu)’s Cobra Stamping Smash, to Kamen Rider Live (仮面ライダーライブ, Kamen Raidā Raibu)’s Bat Justice Finish, to Kamen Rider Revi (仮面ライダーリバイ, Kamen Raidā Ribai)’s and Kamen Rider Vice (仮面ライダーバイス, Kamen Raidā Baisu)’s Rex Stamping Finish. Denrai then took into the air, his leg crackling to the brim with blue and black electricity, before the Monstrum, becoming aware of the Rider’s next tactic, attempted to block the kick, raising its foot into the air as it retaliated with a roundhouse kick of its own.
However, in the few seconds that it took the Monstrum to do the roundhouse kick, Denrai had swiftly descended onto the monster, his right leg colliding with the aura for what felt like ten to fifteen seconds, the Rider attempting to break though. However, he was finally successful in his endeavours, slamming into the Monstrum’s chest as it sent it falling onto the ground. And as Denrai jumped off, landing on the ground, the Monstrum would then explode into a spectacle of fire and sparks, rubble flying from the impact point.
Around the Rider, the veil that had cracks formed into its walls finally shattered, black glass fragments falling onto the ground before dissipating into the wind. The light that had been let through almost blinded the Rider for a moment, though his suit was able to thankfully adapt swift enough. However, his attention was drawn towards the impact point, rescuing the host of the Monstrum from the wreckage. His eyes furrowed upon noticing who it seemed to be; Sakura Igarashi (五十嵐 さくら, Igarashi Sakura), his junior…
Carrying Sakura out of the wreckage to the best of his limited strengths and abilities, he was able to pass her to Mei and the rest of the group, trusting them with bringing her to the relevant authorities. After all, even if Raiden had the safety of Denrai’s voice modulator system integrated into the suit, he didn’t want to be questioned something that could potentially compromise his identity.
As Aiko reunited with Raiden, the latter’s transformation dissipated, the suit unable to sustain not just the user’s personal injuries, but also the damage taken from the fight. Thankfully, Raiden had been able to pass Sakura to Mei, so as she brought her to the paramedics, Raiden sat down on a nearby bench that hadn’t been broken, deep in thought.
“Sakura-chan was… that monster?” Aiko asked, staring at Mei as she walked into the distance.
“Yeah, though I suspect… something—” Raiden started to mention, before he fell unconscious, collapsing onto the ground as the Genkai Driver around his waist dissipated into the winds…
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22:25.
22時25分。
22-ji 25-fun.
Attack on Local University, Mysterious Figure Fights this Monster?
地方大学襲撃 謎の人物がこの怪物と戦う?
“Welcome back. On tonight’s news, a mysterious attack has just taken place at Hikari Daigaku, a local university not too far from Tokyo. While we do not have any direct evidence of the events that have taken place, because of the presence of a mysterious black veil that covered the entire university, we have been able to obtain photographs of the wreckage that has resulted of this mysterious attack.”
“According to eye-witnesses who were around at the scene, a mysterious monster with colours ‘consisting of black, brown and green’ suddenly attacked, causing damage to the university. At the same time time, a mysterious blue and black figure came to the rescue, fighting the monster and defeating it. Our sources have claimed that this figure calls himself the Kamen Rider, based on what he has said.”
“While it is likely that this is not just hearsay, what does this mean? Tune in for tomorrow’s news, where we analyse the events of this attack, and what the mysterious Kamen Rider has to do with it…”
<< OST >>
“Zi-O Prologue” | ジオウ プロローグ
Composer: Toshihiko Sahashi
Album: 仮面ライダージオウ TV オリジナル サウンド トラック
The television screen displaying the news turned off, closing with a brief click, as a mysterious figure stepped onto the balcony of the small alcove that he dwelt in, pushing the door open with another soft click. And stepping out, he watched the night skies, the view from the alcove overlooking Hikari Daigaku, alongside a small part of the city centre.
The male figure in question pulled out a pair of binoculars, as he watched a specific part of Hikari Daigaku, noticing a group of five students walking in front of the cafeteria. A small smile began to creep up his face, before he pulled out what appeared to be a book of some kind, decorated on its cover with a silver watch strap alongside various numbers. Its title was laid bare, written out in a cursive variation of kanji.
Future Advent Calendar
未来降臨暦
Mirai Kōrin-reki
And as his book opened to reveal the first page, text began to mysteriously appear on its pages, the male figure simply reciting what has been written with a now-massive smile on his face.
“Rejoice! The one to inherit all Rider powers, the hero who will carve the past and the future, and lead a new path! Truly, this will be the moment Kamen Rider Denrai is born!”
「祝え!全てのライダーの力を受け継ぎ、過去と未来を切り拓き、新たな道を拓く英雄!まさに、仮面ライダーデンライが誕生する瞬間だ!」
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<< ED >>
“Haru no Tonari” | はるのとなり
Artist: Eri Sasaki
Album: Colon
Blowing in the gentle breeze
そよ風に吹かれて
Soyokaze ni fukarete
Let’s go home
お家に帰ろう
Ouchi ni kaerō
Although I wanted to watch
夕陽が沈むまで
Yūhi ga shizumu made
Till the sun sets
眺めてたかったけど
Nagametetakatta kedo
I’m running past your back
走る君の背中
Hashiru kimi no senaka
As I gently surpass you
そっと追い越したら
Sotto oikoshitara
You waved your hand and smiled at me
手を振りながら微笑んで
Te o furinagara hohoende
And my heart melted
心まで綻んだ
Kokoro made hokoronda
While swaying
揺られながら
Yurarenagara
I felt pleasantly tired
心地よい疲れが
Kokochiyoi tsukare ga
Even if it makes me feel sleepy
眠くなっても
Nemuku natte mo
I want to stay awake, just like this.
起きてたいこのまま
Okitetai kono mama
“I’m home”
「ただいま」
"Tadaima"
Have a good night sleep
ゆっくりおやすみ
Yukkuri oyasumi
A little lonely and warm
少し寂しくて暖かい
Sukoshi sabishikute atatakai
End of the journey
旅の終わり
Tabi no owari
Lalalala (Ho-hooo) Lalala (Oh yeahhhh)
ラララララ (Ho-hooo) ラララララ (Oh yeahhhh)
Rararara (Ho-hooo) Rararara (Oh yeahhhh)
I’ll come to see you again
また会いにゆくよ
Mata ai ni ikuyo
(Ho-hooo) Lalalala
(Ho-hooo) ラララララ
(Ho-hooo) Rararara
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Episode Two: Vanquish Evil, and Live Brightly
第二挿話:悪を退け、明るく生きる
Dai Nisōwa: Aku o Doke, Akaruku Ikiru
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