Shiraishi Shin said, "There are no real ghosts in this world, only people pretending to be them. Simply put, a Monster with invisibility powers is trying to stop you from entering the beauty pageant. If the Student Council cancels the event, every officer on it will be targeted for revenge."
"A Monster? You're saying a Monster caused all this commotion? But why would a Monster do something so pointless?"
Alya believed every word Shiraishi Shin said, because she knew he was a Kamen Rider.
Shiraishi Shin continued, "The Monster was created when a student used a device. It isn't attacking every contestant—only the pretty ones. With your looks, you could be next, so come with me."
"So you're saying I'm beautiful?"
Alya glanced at Shiraishi Shin, secretly pleased, and whispered the question in russian.
"What?"
"I said, so you came here specifically to protect me?"
"Yes."
"Your answer satisfies me. I'll go with you."
The two left side by side. The moment Shiraishi Shin led Alya onto the rooftop, he stepped forward and delivered a fierce kick without a word.
"Ugh!"
A cry of pain rang out, and a chameleon-featured Monster appeared on the ground, clutching its kicked chest.
"This is the Monster that's been attacking the pageant contestants!" Alya hid behind Shiraishi Shin, frightened. She hadn't expected it to find her so soon—thank goodness Shiraishi Shin was here.
She looked at his back and felt a strong sense of safety. Her fear melted away; she had a Kamen Rider protecting her—what was there to be afraid of?
"H-how did you see me?"
The chameleon-like Chameleon Zodiarts stood up in disbelief. He stared across at Shiraishi Shin —this guy wasn't Superman. He could render himself invisible by altering his skin pigments and refracting light, yet Shiraishi Shin had not only seen through it but also kicked him with tremendous force—and he was a Monster now.
Shiraishi Shin was basically a cheater, but he couldn't say that. He produced the buggle driver ii and said, "A small fry like you—how hard could it be to spot you?"
[Click!]
[Kamen Rider Chronicle!]
After the cartridge inserted itself, a giant golden clock appeared overhead. Chameleon Zodiarts stared in shock. Shiraishi Shin glanced back and said softly, "Alya, step back. Watch me defeat him for you."
"Mm."
Alya's heart pounded; she retreated a few steps, cheeks flushed, gazing almost dreamily at Shiraishi Shin's back.
Last time in the rain she hadn't seen clearly, nor recognized him. Now she could watch up close.
"Henshin!"
It was as if she heard Shiraishi Shin chant. Roman numerals from the golden clock dropped rapidly, circling him. He pressed the driver's button, and a green holographic screen flew out beneath the clock.
[Buggle Up!]
[Ten wo Tsukame Rider! (Wow!) Kizame Chronicle! Ima koso Toki wa Kiwamareri! (Wow!)]
Boom!
As the screen snapped shut, green lightning wrapped around Shiraishi Shin. In the next instant he wore an airtight Kamen Rider suit, the visor glowing green, a giant golden clock manifesting behind him.
"What the—!"
Chameleon Zodiarts was startled. This transformation effect was leagues beyond his own. Just watching the flashy sequence made him nervous. Fighting ordinary people was one thing, but pitting himself against a top-tier opponent? Was this some kind of joke?
Gritting his teeth, Chameleon Zodiarts leapt straight off the rooftop. Screams erupted below—students were bound to be walking around, and a Monster dropping from the sky would terrify anyone.
"Hoh, smart move—but you won't get away."
With a thought, Shiraishi Shin turned into data and vanished. Alya rushed to the edge of the roof, gripping the wire fence and looking down.
"M-Monster!"
"Good heavens, it really is a Monster! Lately the Kamen Rider urban legend has been everywhere. I binge-watched the tokusatsu shows—this thing looks just like the Monsters in them."
"Why is a Monster at our school!"
"Run!"
Chameleon Zodiarts's landing caused a commotion. Dozens of students in the plaza saw him; his bizarre appearance screamed Monster.
"Tch!"
He clicked his tongue and activated invisibility, vanishing from sight—but any hit would break the effect.
He cursed his luck. That guy who just transformed had to be a Kamen Rider. Chameleon Zodiarts had attacked the pageant girls because his own girlfriend was competing, and he wanted to clear her path using the Zodiarts Switch given to him by a mysterious man.
As long as the green hills remain, there'll be firewood—better to retreat and survive.
Nice plan, but reality refused to cooperate. Once invisible, the fleeing students couldn't see him and stopped running, question marks practically floating above their heads.
But just one second later, a mass of green data reassembled into Kamen Rider Cronus right in Chameleon Zodiarts's escape path.
Shiraishi Shin stood with hands behind his back. Though Chameleon Zodiarts could turn transparent, he hadn't vanished; the high-speed visual sensors in Shiraishi Shin's visor could still see him.
"Running? Where exactly?"
He delivered a backhand slap. Chameleon Zodiarts flickered into view, spun two and a half times, and hit the ground in a cloud of dust.
"Holy crap—th-th-that's a Kamen Rider, isn't it?"
"A Kamen Rider has appeared at our school!"
"Wow, nothing like the creepy aura of a Monster. That's a Kamen Rider—the one from tokusatsu shows, no, from the urban legends!"
"What's the difference?"
"Duh—he's way cooler! Those shows were shot forty years ago in the Showa era. The real Kamen Rider's design can't be stuck in the past, so the urban-legend version is the real deal."
The students had started to flee, but when Chameleon Zodiarts turned invisible they lingered. Seeing how cool Kamen Rider looked, they even whipped out phones for photos.
Fortune favors the bold—this was a chance to go viral. Snap Kamen Rider, gain followers, become a top influencer—dream big!