Ding! Ding!
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Bonus (1/3)
....
Chapter 21: Rikka's Fierce Loyalty.
....
Because Takarada Rikka went shopping with Namiko and the others after school, she got home later than usual.
But when she entered the shop.
The person sitting there wasn't Kihara.
It was her mother.
"Mom? Where's Kihara?"
"I was about to ask you the same thing," her mother replied casually. "Aren't you two always stuck together? What happened today, did you fight?"
"Of course not!" Rikka shot back, her face instantly flushing red.
Without hesitation, she pulled out her phone and called him.
Beep… beep… beep…
"No answer?"
"…Yeah." She nodded slightly, her brows knitting together.
She knew Kihara wasn't the type to disappear without a reason.
If she couldn't reach him, then there was only one possibility.
He was fighting a monster.
The thought made her heart tighten instantly.
Even though he had been undefeated so far, she couldn't stop herself from worrying.
What if something went wrong?
What if he got hurt?
"Mom, can you watch the shop for a bit? I'm going to check his place!"
"Alright. Be careful on your way."
Rikka grabbed her bag and dashed out the door.
Just as she turned the corner.
A motorcycle suddenly blocked her path.
"…Huh?"
Her eyes widened in shock.
"Isn't this Kihara's bike? Why is it here?!"
The headlights blinked rapidly, flashing a warning signal.
Rikka vaguely remembered that meant something was wrong.
"…Did something happen to Kihara?"
Beep! Beep!
"Ah!"
She jumped in surprise.
"Then where is he?! Why aren't you helping him?!"
Beep beep beep beep beep!!
"I—I don't understand what you're saying!"
she cried, nearly pulling out her phone to translate motorcycle honks.
Her mind was already racing.
Kihara was in danger.
She had to get to him. Now.
Perhaps realizing communication was impossible.
The motorcycle suddenly swung its tail, gently nudging her onto the seat.
The moment she grabbed the handlebars.
It shot forward.
The scenery blurred past her as wind howled in her ears.
Still—
It wasn't fast enough.
Her heart had already flown ahead, racing toward wherever Kihara was.
"Can't you go any faster?!"
Beep!
Even without understanding its "language," she somehow got the message:
Hold on tight.
She gripped the handlebars with all her strength, lowering her body.
"I—I'm ready!"
VROOOOM—!!
The engine roared like a beast.
The speed surged again.
The wind pressed so hard against her face she could barely open her eyes, her heartbeat pounding like thunder.
If I lose my grip… I'm dead.
As the bike began to slow.
Rikka realized.
She was close.
Very close.
But her anxiety turned into hesitation.
What if she rushed in unprepared?
What if she only became a burden again?
Before she could think further.
The motorcycle screeched to a halt.
Under the overpass.
She saw him.
Kihara.
And the sight made her breath stop.
Three monsters were attacking him in perfect coordination, leaving him with no chance to fight back.
He was sent flying again.
Like a punching bag.
After rolling across the ground, he was forced to cancel his transformation.
His clothes hung off him like torn rags.
His exposed skin—
Not a single uninjured patch.
Blood seeped from countless wounds, staining everything.
"—Tch."
Kihara spat out a mouthful of blood.
Grabbing the transformation device, he slammed it back into his belt.
"Round one's over… let's start round two."
He wasn't numb to pain.
Every inch of his body screamed.
Even transforming no longer felt empowering.
It felt like his muscles were being torn apart by the surging photon energy.
Kihara knew one thing clearly.
He wasn't a genius.
If he wanted to grow stronger.
He had to fight at the edge of life and death.
Let pain teach his body how to survive.
"Admirable courage… but your life ends here."
"What a pity, what a pity."
"Your muscles aren't strong enough!"
"…Shut up already."
That was the moment.
Something inside Rikka snapped.
The sight of him, drenched in blood.
Ignited a blazing fury in her chest.
Fear?
Gone.
Hesitation?
Gone.
She twisted the throttle all the way.
The motorcycle roared like a black lightning bolt.
And charged straight into the battlefield.
"GET AWAY FROM Kihara, YOU MONSTERS!!!"
CRASH!
The steel beast slammed into two of the monsters, sending them flying.
With a savage tail swing.
It struck the third mid-air, launching it straight into the river.
"Kihara! Get on!"
Rikka reached out her hand.
But instead of getting on.
He pulled her down behind him, shielding her.
"One of them is really fast. If we try to escape, it might ambush us."
"But your condition—"
"I'm fine."
His voice was steady.
As if he wasn't injured at all.
"Thanks for bringing the bike to me… I'll finish this here."
The three monsters regrouped.
"…His aura changed."
"Because of that human?"
"Your muscles are shining now!"
Kihara didn't waste time talking.
He pressed a few buttons on his device.
Then grabbed the motorcycle's handle and ripped it free.
In his hand—
A crimson blade formed.
The Photon Blood Blade.
At the same time.
The motorcycle transformed.
Right before Rikka's stunned eyes.
It became a humanoid machine armed with a Gatling gun:
Auto Vajin.
Kihara tapped its shoulder twice.
"Stay with Rikka. Provide fire support."
Without waiting for a response.
He charged forward, blade in hand.
RATATATATATATAT—!!
A storm of bullets rained down.
Concrete shattered.
Dust exploded into the air, obscuring everything.
"HEY! I said fire support—not total annihilation! What if you hit me?!"
Kihara cursed under his breath.
He had no idea what kind of AI this thing had.
But it was reckless as hell.
Still—
That overwhelming firepower worked.
The monsters relied heavily on vision.
And now, surrounded by dust and forced to scatter.
Their coordination collapsed.
Their offense weakened.
Their defense faltered.
Like a phantom in the haze—
Kihara moved.
Crimson blade in hand.
And began his hunt.
.....
Thank you for reading.