While Shiraishi Shin and Mahiru were shopping, the automatic doors slid open and four men walked in. The instant they stepped inside, someone screamed and chaos erupted.
The reason was simple: each wore a sinister ski-mask that screamed "criminal," and lately the Shocker Bandits had been raiding supermarkets at random. Videos of their heists were all over the internet, so people recognized them on sight.
"Sh-Shocker Bandits!"
"Run!"
"Forget the groceries—just get out!"
Shoppers bolted in every direction. The masked robbers ignored the fleeing crowd and headed straight for the checkout.
The leader, Nakao Hachiro, wore a white suit over his mask. He tossed a duffel bag onto the counter and drawled, "Fill it. All of it."
"Hey, you—yeah, you. Stop filming."
A stocky masked thug spotted a middle-aged man secretly recording. One punch laid the guy out. When the terrified man scrambled away without a fight, the fat robber grunted in satisfaction and went to grab whatever snacks he wanted.
"Shin, trouble—bandits. One's coming this way."
Shiina Mahiru's voice shook; she'd never been this close to an armed robbery, especially not inside a sealed supermarket.
"They're the Shocker Bandits trending online."
Shiraishi Shin recognized them at a glance. Their outfits never changed; he'd even reposted a video mocking them.
He stayed perfectly calm. "Don't worry. Stay here. I'll get rid of these pests—no one will lay a finger on you."
"Big Brother Shin…"
Mahiru caught his sleeve, shaking her head, begging him not to go.
She didn't know what he was capable of, and in her panic she used the private nickname she only whispered when they were alone.
"Hmm?"
Big Brother Shin?
Why did those words send a delicious shiver over his skin?
He slipped an arm around the frightened girl and ruffled her hair. "Relax. I'm Kamen Rider—scrubs like these are a one-minute job. Wait for me. When we're alone later, keep calling me that."
Mahiru's cheeks flamed, whether from the embrace, the promise, or both.
He released her, his smile vanishing the instant he turned. Cold-eyed, he walked toward the approaching fat robber.
Before the man could snarl a threat, Shin lashed out with a right hook that sent him flying. The fat bandit crashed into a shelf, coughed blood, and lay unconscious.
"What the—! Shigemoto!"
Across the aisle, a skinny green-hooded bandit froze. One punch had knocked out the biggest guy? How hard were those fists?
This was already a weird week—last night they'd trashed a street festival and run into some masked weirdo in a Kamen Rider getup who'd wrecked them.
Today they rob a supermarket and some kid flattens Shigemoto with a single shot?
Sato Daisuke spun around, yelling, "Boss, we've got a problem!"
"Huh?"
Nakao glanced over. A young man with dead-calm eyes strode toward them. He rasped to the cashier, "Keep stuffing the bag," then motioned Sato and the last man, Ito Satoshi, to back him up.
The three stepped forward, but Shin never broke stride, moving at the same measured pace, total control.
Nakao frowned. "He's tough. You two flank; I'll handle him."
Years of street fights had honed the gang leader's danger sense, and right now every instinct screamed.
"Come on, hero—let's see what you've got!" Nakao dropped into a boxer's crouch.
"Hero? No. You scared her."
Shin's eyes flared. He shot forward so fast Nakao barely shifted from offense to defense.
It didn't help. Shin's flying knee smashed through the guard and blasted into Nakao's face, flinging him backward.
With a shriek Nakao shattered the automatic glass doors and slammed onto the pavement outside.
"He can fight too?"
Peeking from behind a shelf, Mahiru clapped a hand over her mouth. She knew he was a sports legend at school, but this? She'd worried for nothing.
"Uh…""B-boss!"
The two remaining bandits gaped. Their undefeated leader—one-shot.
Sato and Ito exchanged a glance, spun, and ran. Wushuang blurred between them, palms slamming their heads into the floor. They went limp, rear ends in the air, out cold.
He dusted off imaginary dirt, spun back with a bright smile.
Mahiru hurried over with their cart, eyes sparkling. "That was amazing! One move each—I didn't know you could fight!"
He flicked his bangs. "Had to show off for the pretty girl. And… what are you supposed to call me?"
She blinked innocently, tilting her head. "Whatever do you mean? I don't remember promising anything."
Shin clutched his chest. "What? I finished them too fast—total loss!"
"No loss. That was heroic." She giggled, then turned to the cashier. "Ring us up, please."
"Y-yes, right away!"
The formerly terrorized cashier scurried over.
Bags in hand, they strolled past the entrance where Nakao lay bleeding from nose and mouth.
Shin ignored him, walking out with Mahiru.
Sirens wailed in the distance. Nakao groaned awake, crawled inside, and roused his three battered underlings for a limping escape.
The fat bandit mumbled, "Boss, that kid was insane…"
Nakao cursed his luck. "Yeah. Next time we see him, we turn the other way."