"Okay, kids! And a one, two, three—let's go!!"
"YESSSS!!"
In front of Hideo stood dozens of children, hopping and dancing as they eagerly mimicked his movements. Thanks to the Lion Core Medal, a warm golden light shone from his head, instantly easing their worries and capturing their attention.
His colorful suit helped as well. To the children, he looked like a living mascot, reminding them of the Mysterious Warriors they watched on television. That alone was enough to make them excited.
Fully suited up, Hideo altered his voice and began the song.
"Come here, come here, come here, come here, Panda!"
"Panda!"
As he led the familiar tune, the children followed with infectious energy.
"Come here, come here, come here, come here..."
Deliberately, he left out the final word and cupped a hand around his ear, turning slightly to the side. The children eagerly supplied the missing piece.
"Usagi!"
"And what comes next?" he asked.
"Koala! Koala!"
"Then let's sing all three!"
"Yes! Yes! Yes! Panda, Usagi, and Koala!"
Laughter erupted from both Hideo and the children. The self-proclaimed Mr. Kamen Rider clapped proudly.
"NOW LET'S MAKE A BENTO!"
He shouted before snapping his fingers.
"How do we do it, kids?"
The children nodded enthusiastically. Using their fingers, they drew squares in the air, followed by gestures of shaping rice balls and making slicing motions.
Off to the side, Isadora paused in her work helping the older ones. She straightened up for a moment to watch her partner's antics, a smile forming beneath her mask as she observed him.
"It's a relief he's back."
The thought crossed Isadora's mind as she watched Hideo entertain the children.
His mental state had worried her ever since the attack began. His erratic behavior and inner turmoil had been painfully obvious to anyone paying attention.
"Seeing those little ones sad and crying might've helped."
She muttered to herself.
Since the attack started, Hideo had been running himself, moving from one place to another to help the missing and stranded. With the shortage of personnel in this area, many people who should have been rescued had been left waiting with potential danger of Shuuki attacks at an all time high.
He had stepped in wherever he could.
Having gathered the children he had brought to safety, he was singing songs and making up dances on the spot, doing whatever he could to distract them from the grim reality unfolding around them.
People in colorful suits were certainly effective at grabbing children's attention.
The smile beneath Isadora's mask gradually faded.
Bringing her gaze upward, she stared at the massive floating vessel hanging in the sky—the source of the chaos that had descended upon the city.
"Those shitty gods."
Her jaw tightened.
She had been completely blindsided.
Never had she considered the possibility that those Thunder-Fucks possessed more assets than they had revealed. Not just Shuuki, but humans—or perhaps former humans—serving under them as well.
Combined with them breaching the outside world through whatever method they had employed and taking advantage of the Shuuki Cards and its potential usage to launch their assault, the attack had caught everyone off guard.
"The question now is where they're hiding."
As she pondered the situation, a theory continued to solidify in her mind.
There was a high probability that at least one Thunder God was directing the operation.
Not all of them, certainly. But one or two being involved directly is possible.
Then there were the individuals aboard the floating vessels.
For the moment, they hadn't done anything particularly noteworthy. They remained stationed on the ships, waiting.
And that uncertainty bothered her more than an outright attack.
********
Moments later
Hideo wasn't the only one entertaining the children anymore. Wearing her black-haired disguise and mask, Isadora had gathered a crowd of kids of her own.
"Okay, which card did you choose?"
"The heart one!"
"You mean this one?"
"Wah! That's the one! How did you get it, Onee-san?!"
She performed simple magic tricks, mostly card tricks and balloon animals she crafted with surprising skill. The balloons themselves had been taken aka "Permanently Borrowed" from a damaged store.
At least they were being used for a good cause.
Watching the children's spirits lift brought a smile to Hideo's face beneath his mask.
He had originally intended to continue his movement through the area. However, every time he noticed a child's gloomy expression or heard someone crying, he found himself turning back. They seemed to draw comfort from mysterious heroes in suits. If his presence could give them even a trace of comfort, then he was willing to embrace the role completely.
"Okay, why don't you go spend some time with Onee-san? Kamen Rider here has something to do."
He gently patted their heads as he spoke.
"Ehhh!"
"You're mean, humph!"
"See you later, Rider-san!"
Receiving nothing but disappointed complaints as they reluctantly let him go, Hideo simply laughed and gave each child a high-five and fist bump before making his way toward the medical personnel.
Nearby, the elderly man he had saved from falling debris was slowly regaining consciousness.
"What's his status?"
Hideo asked, crossing his arms as he turned to the doctor standing beside the stretcher.
The doctor smiled reassuringly before answering.
"Other than acute stress and cardiovascular strain, no critical injuries were found."
Hideo released a quiet breath of relief.
"Thank goodness."
Bidding the doctor a casual farewell, Hideo shifted his attention to a familiar middle-aged man lying on one of the cots.
The man hadn't suffered any major or life-threatening injuries. Even so, the stress and emotional toll of the day's events had clearly caught up with him, despite having been reunited with his daughters.
"You doing okay there?"
Hideo asked in a friendly tone.
The man looked surprised to see him. A wry smile spread across his face while guilt flickered in his expression.
"Honestly? I can't feel my body right now," he admitted with a tired sigh.
Then he smiled faintly.
"Seriously, thank you for saving me earlier."
"Don't mention it."
Hideo waved a dismissive hand, but the man shook his head.
"No, I mean it. I'd never downplay what you did for me and my daughter."
As if summoned by the mention of her, a young girl came running toward them. Her face immediately lit up when she recognized who was standing beside her father.
"It's Kamen Rider!"
She dashed over, clutching a chocolate bar that one of the police officers had given her earlier.
"Good to see you're fully recharged, Riko-chan~~"
"Hehehe!"
Riko grinned happily as Hideo gently patted her head.
********
Flashback
Back when Riko, her dad, and their dog were about to be attacked, Hideo arrived just in the nick of time to protect them.
Landing directly atop one of the Shuuki that had attempted to attack the father-and-daughter pair, Hideo crushed it like a pancake. Instantly, it died the moment its body slammed into the ground.
Without wasting a second, he turned toward the remaining Shuuki charging at him. He clenched his fist, gathering power as a brilliant yellow light enveloped his right hand as he swung it without holding anything back.
The Shuuki closest to him took the full force of the blow. Its chest burst apart from the impact, and its body was launched backward, crashing into the others behind it and sending them flying as well.
Extending the claws from his forearms, Hideo slashed through the empty air. Energy blades shaped like a tiger's claws erupted from the strike, surging forward without pause. They tore through the advancing Shuuki, erasing every trace of them from the face of the planet.
After confirming that the area was finally clear of them, he immediately let his shoulders slump.
"Everything is just so convoluted..."
Physically, he could still keep going.
Mentally, however, it was a different story.
He had been racing across the city, rescuing civilians while killing the endless waves of Shuuki that swarmed the streets. The exhaustion mainly wasn't in his body—it was his mind.
"....."
Silence followed.
His hand slowly curled into a fist.
The memories of how it all began resurfaced against his will. The helpless screams. The desperate cries for help.
Grinding his teeth, Hideo felt an invading frustration clawing at his chest.
Before he could sink any deeper into his world of thoughts yet again, he felt a small hand pat the back of his own.
Blinking, he looked down.
The little girl he had saved was staring at him with sparkling eyes. They practically shimmered with excitement, as though stars themselves were reflected within them. Despite the dirt smeared across her face and the tear stains on her cheeks, her innocence remained untouched.
"I KNEW IT!!! MYSTERIOUS WARRIORS DO EXIST!!"
She beamed from ear to ear before turning toward her father and enthusiastically pointing at Hideo.
"Papa! They're real! I told you they would save me!"
"R-Right..."
The man could only blink.
Even now, he was still trying to process what had happened.
Just moments ago, he had accepted that he and his daughter were about to die. Then, out of nowhere, a stranger clad in a strange suit had descended from the sky and wiped out every Shuuki in sight as if they were nothing more than bugs.
The scene had been so surreal that part of him wondered if his eyes had somehow deceived him.
Scratching the back of his head at the misunderstanding, Hideo looked down at the happiness radiating from the little girl and simply patted her head.
"No use getting angry. What I need right now is to keep a cool head."
He was pissed.
That didn't mean he was going to act irrationally.
...Probably.
"What's your name, kid?"
Hearing his question, the girl mischievously giggled.
"Riko! I am your number one fan, Mysterious Warrior!"
Hideo chuckled inwardly.
"Cute."
Somehow, seeing this little bundle of joy stare at him with such admiration replenished some of his rapidly draining mental energy.
"Too bad, kid. I'm not one of the Mysterious Warriors."
"You're not?"
Riko froze and the expression on her face made it look as though her entire world had just shattered like glass.
Hideo couldn't help laughing at her reaction.
Placing both hands on his hips, he grinned.
Deciding not to be a complete killjoy, he cleared his throat and struck a dramatic pose.
Thrusting his right arm diagonally to the left, he slowly rotated it clockwise.
"Born from the dreams of humanity! My fists and kicks embody hope and courage, protecting the innocent and preserving the smiles of children! No scourge shall remain as long as I stand!"
Without missing a beat, he shifted into an even more absurd pose.
One foot rested atop a piece of rubble while the other remained planted firmly on the ground. One hand pointed dramatically toward the heavens while the other rested on his hip.
"KAMEEEEEEN RIDERRRRRR!!"
Hideo finished with a thumbs-up directed at Riko before nodding proudly to himself.
Flashback End
********
"When I grow up, I'm gonna become a Kamen Rider and defeat all evil!"
Riko proudly nodded to herself, planting her hands on her hips as smug confidence radiated from her tiny frame.
Laughing at her enthusiasm, Hideo nodded along.
"That's a great dream!!"
He thumped his chest three times with his right fist.
"Recite it with me, my disciple Riko!"
"Yes, Master!!"
Standing side by side, both of them suddenly adopted serious expressions.
Several nearby officers, special forces personnel, medics, and civilians turned their attention toward the pair, amused by their antics.
In perfect synchronization, they thrust their right arms diagonally to the left before slowly rotating them clockwise.
"Born from the dreams of humanity! My fists and kicks embody hope and courage!"
Hideo declared proudly.
"Protecting the innocent and preserving the smiles of children! No scourge shall remain as long as I stand!"
Riko recited flawlessly, somehow managing not to trip over a single word.
Then they struck an exaggerated pose reminiscent of the Ginyu Force—Hideo in the back and Riko in the front.
Taking a deep breath, they shouted together—
""KAMEEEEEEN RIDERRRRRR!!""
For a brief moment, the atmosphere lightened. The tension that had gripped the area loosened as exhausted personnel and worried civilians found themselves smiling at the ridiculous yet heartwarming spectacle.
The cheers were directed entirely at Riko, whose face lit up with pride as she basked in the attention.
Clapping as she approached, Isadora stopped behind Hideo and gave him a light tap on the back.
"I think that's enough rest for now, partner."
Seeing her, Hideo nodded.
"Yeah."
His playful demeanor softened as he glanced around the shelter one last time.
"Time to get moving again."
–THUMP
The familiar heartbeat.
It had returned.
"What now..."
Hideo scowled beneath his helmet.
As if answering his sense of foreboding, Isadora slowly lifted her gaze toward the sky. Her pure red eyes gleamed, as though she had been expecting this moment all along.
Far above them, the floating pirate ships finally showed signs of movement.
Then came the drums.
Loud.
Steady.
Their thunderous rhythm echoed across the city, announcing their presence to everyone below.
"Looks like they've stopped watching."
Isadora scoffed.
Running a hand through her black hair, she pushed it back and kept her eyes fixed on the vessels overhead.
"Get ready, partner."
There was an ominous edge to her voice.
A dangerous glint flashed within her crimson eyes.
Below the ships, people gradually noticed the change.
Conversations died down.
The brief moment of peace vanished as uneasy silence spread through the shelter.
"The main party is about to start."
The drums intensified.
–THUMP
–THUMP
–THUMP
The heartbeat in Hideo's chest synchronized with the rhythm echoing from the sky.
Whatever had been aboard those ships had finally decided to make its move.
And he knew the real battle was about to begin.
********
Author's Note:
PG-13 and Family Friendly Manhwas:
1.) Landlady Noona
2.) Draco Knight Commander
3.) Close as Neighbours
4.) A Soaking Summer Vacation
5.) Elf Who Likes to be Humiliated
6.) Someone Stop Her!
7.) Circles (My all-time favorite family-friendly manhwa)
8.) Dirty Talk
9.) Teacher's Effort
10.) With Consent (My Guilty Pleasure)
11.) Secret Class
12.) Sweet Guy
13.) Young Boss
14.) College Life Starts With Clubs
15.) Milf Hunting in Another World
16.) Part Time Job
17.) Sexercise
18.) Miss Mystic (The very first family-friendly manhwa I read)
19.) Silent War
20.) Moby Dick
21.) Young Housemaid
22.) Nagwon Villa
23.) Stepmother Friends
24.) Sex Stopwatch
25.) Thirst
26.) The Hole is Open
27.) Panty Note
28.) Engineering Beauties
29.) Wireless Onahole
30.) From Today, My Favorite
31.) Under One Roof
32.) Brave New World
33.) Cliterary Book Club
34.) A Friend's Girlfriend
35.) My Illustrator
36.) Crime and Punishment
37.) Drunk On You
38.) Teach Me First
39.) I'm a Vampire
40.) Is There an Empty Room?
41.) Private Tutoring in These Trying Times
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