The man compared her to his information and thought to himself, "This is the Mafia heiress the mob boss said to kidnap. Anyone could have done this job, yet they sent me. What a pain."
Despite his complaints, he didn't plan to dawdle. He wanted to finish the job quickly and head back.
Suddenly, his body shifted, transforming from a human form directly into a terrifying Monster.
Besides his role as a mob enforcer, he had a hidden identity: Scarab Orphnoch.
(Image Scarab Orphnoch)
Half a month ago, he had been transported to this unfamiliar world by a sudden black hole. He discovered there were no others of his kind here. Lacking an identity, he was recruited by a mob boss who took an interest in his abilities, becoming his enforcer.
Scarab Orphnoch watched his target walking ahead at a normal pace and quickened his steps to follow.
However, when he was less than three meters away, a handsome man with a cold, sharp gaze suddenly stepped out from behind a tree on the left, blocking his path.
Scarab Orphnoch immediately halted, never expecting someone to stand in his way. Shouldn't a weak creature like a human flee in terror upon seeing his Monster form? Why did he look so completely unfazed?
Sensing an extraordinary aura from the man, Scarab Orphnoch asked, "Who are you?"
"Hmm?"
Chitoge Kirisaki, walking ahead, wasn't deaf. She hadn't seen anyone else just now, and it was so quiet here that the sudden sound of voices made her instinctively turn back to look.
"Class Monitor?"
When she saw that familiar back and school uniform, she recognized him instantly. She was just confused as to why Shiraishi Shin was here, so close to her, and standing with his back to her as if talking to someone.
Hearing the girl call him from behind, Shiraishi Shin said without turning his head, "Stay right there. Don't come over."
This caused Chitoge Kirisaki, who had intended to walk over, to stop in her tracks. What was wrong? It was the first time she had heard Shiraishi Shin speak with such a sharp tone; it was completely different from before.
The opponent continued to ask, "You still haven't said who you are."
Shiraishi Shin looked at the somewhat dull-witted Scarab Orphnoch and said, "Didn't you hear her call me 'Class Monitor'? I should be asking you who you are. What is a Monster doing following my classmate? Do you have an ulterior motive, or is this just a random killing?"
Scarab Orphnoch didn't play the riddler and answered honestly, "A mob boss sent me to kidnap the Mafia heiress. If you step aside, I can act like I never saw you."
Although the man before him was human, his instincts signaled a trace of danger. He had been in this strange world for over a week and knew that this society contained not only Monsters like himself but also Kamen Riders. To avoid unnecessary trouble, he wanted Shiraishi Shin to step aside so they could mind their own business.
"Ulterior motive? Random killing? Kid... Kidnapping?!"
As the person involved, Chitoge Kirisaki was shocked. However, because Shiraishi Shin was blocking her from the front, she couldn't see the person opposite him.
So, she took a few steps to the left. When she saw the Monster opposite them, she was immediately startled. Another Monster! What kind of bad luck had she brought upon herself since coming to Japan? Why was it always Monsters!
"You mean you're willing to let me go? Unfortunately, I'm not willing to let you go yet."
As he spoke, Shiraishi Shin pulled out the buggle driver II with his left hand and the Chronicle Gashat with his right.
He had played as Eternal several times before; this time, he was switching back to the stat-Monster, Cronus.
[Click!]
[Kamen Rider Chronicle!]
"Henshin."
He released the Gashat, letting it automatically slide into the slot of the driver. Instantly, a massive golden clock manifested, hanging over Shiraishi Shin's head.
When his left hand pressed the red button on the driver, a green screen flew out from the driver's display to above his head, and golden Roman numerals fell before him.
Seeing this, Scarab Orphnoch decisively attacked with his weapon, a rapier. However, Shiraishi Shin was invincible during his transformation. The tip of the sword struck the center of the arranged Roman numerals and could not penetrate at all; the attacker was even shaken back several steps.
[Ten wo Tsukame Rider! (Wow!) Kizame Chronicle! Ima koso Toki wa Kiwamareri! (Wow!)]
Boom!
The green screen above his head slammed down, and blue lightning covered his entire body. In the next second, the massive golden clock stood behind him before slowly dissipating.
In the sky, white snowflakes—completely out of place for the season—began to fall continuously. Although it didn't snow in the original series, as the god of time, if he could make it rain, he could make it snow.
"Ka... Kamen Rider Cronus!!!"
Standing behind Shiraishi Shin, Chitoge Kirisaki's eyes widened in complete disbelief. Though she only saw his back, that black and green design was unmistakably Kamen Rider Cronus.
If it were just Kamen Rider Cronus appearing here, she wouldn't be this shocked. The problem was that she had just witnessed her Class Monitor, Shiraishi Shin, transform into Kamen Rider Cronus. That was what made it so hard to believe.
"The Class Monitor is actually a Kamen Rider? No wonder his voice sounded familiar on the first day of school. This... this... this..."
Chitoge Kirisaki's heart was filled with overwhelming shock. She had been saved by Cronus twice, but she never knew his real name or face.
Over the past few days, during the quiet of the night, she had fantasized about his appearance based on his youthful and cool voice. She had even substituted Shiraishi Shin's face into her dreams because their voices were so similar.
Recalling those dreams after waking up had made her feel embarrassed for a long time. But now, seeing Shiraishi Shin transform into the Kamen Rider with her own eyes, it all matched. Everything finally clicked.
Shiraishi Shin extended his right hand and beckoned the Scarab Orphnoch forward, taunting, "Now, struggle with all your might."
Scarab Orphnoch snorted coldly, "So you're a Kamen Rider. Hmph, no wonder you dare to meddle in this. But so what if you're a Kamen Rider? My sword is no less sharp!"
After his tough talk, Scarab Orphnoch charged with his sword, thrusting it straight toward Shiraishi Shin's face.
Clang—
Shiraishi Shin kept his left hand behind his back and caught the tip of the rapier between two fingers of his right hand. No matter how much force Scarab Orphnoch applied, he couldn't push it an inch further.
"Nani!"
Scarab Orphnoch cried out in surprise. He tried to pull the sword out from between Shiraishi Shin's fingers, but it remained motionless. From this single move, he knew he had bitten off more than he could chew.
The snow continued to fall, coating the ground in a thin layer of moisture.
Shiraishi Shin looked at the sword tip before him and said sarcastically, "Indeed, the sword is sharp. It's just that the one using it is a bit lacking."
With that, the moment he released his fingers, he flicked the blade. The rapier instantly shattered into pieces on the spot. The residual force traveled back into Scarab Orphnoch's body, causing him to drop the hilt as his arms throbbed with numbing pain.