Chapter 32: The Pure Love Warrior Is Furious.
....
Just after Kihara was kissed by Akane Shinjo.
She didn't make a move afterward.
The silence stretched.
Right as he couldn't hold back anymore and flipped over, pinning her beneath him.
CRACK—!
The sound of shattering glass echoed through the space.
On the other side of the fractured dream.
Blurry figures appeared.
Rikka Takarada.
And a cloaked monster.
The seal over Kihara's memories within the dream began to collapse.
At the same time—
The restrictions placed by Yukari Yakumo slowly returned.
Everything became clear.
Why had he resisted confessing to Akane in the dream?
Because—
She had never truly opened her heart to him.
She was afraid.
Afraid that he wouldn't accept the real her.
And the one responsible for twisting her heart.
Manipulating her emotions.
Was the puppet master behind everything:
Alexis Kerib.
Before the last fragments of his memory faded again.
Kihara grabbed Akane's hand and pressed it against his chest.
"Akane."
"I'll clear away everything standing between us."
"And when that happens…"
"…be my girlfriend."
With that—
He stood up.
Pulled out the belt and device from his dimensional storage.
And charged toward Rikka without looking back.
"Exceed Charge!"
"—HAAAH!!"
Crimson photon blood surged through the glowing lines of his armor.
Converging into the Faiz pointer on his right leg.
He became a streak of red lightning and delivered a devastating kick straight into the cracked dream barrier.
Everything came back.
He and Rikka had originally been about to enjoy some "exercise" to boost blood circulation and dopamine.
When they were suddenly dragged into the dream by a monster.
And in the dream?
He and Akane, Were interrupted at the exact same moment.
Twice.
For someone who prided himself as a pure love warrior(Or as he defined it: "a warrior who purely loves doing what couples do")
This was unforgivable.
Any guy getting interrupted twice in a row, If he didn't lose it.
Something was seriously wrong with him.
Unfortunately—
The moment Kihara shattered the dream barrier.
The entire dream world collapsed.
Before he could even attack Alexis.
His consciousness snapped back to reality.
At the same time—
As the thick fog dissipated, a black wrist device dropped into his hand.
He recognized it instantly.
The acceleration watch of Kamen Rider Faiz.
It allowed him to enter an accelerated state, moving at light speed for ten seconds.
But—
It came with a heavy burden.
He couldn't use it repeatedly.
Kihara estimated—
After one use, he'd need immediate energy replenishment.
Otherwise—
He might pass out from exhaustion the moment he transformed back.
"…Wait."
A problem.
How am I supposed to eat… while transformed?
After thinking it over—
He came up with only one solution:
Stuff a bunch of candy into his mouth before the fight.
"…Not ideal, but it'll do."
...
Meanwhile—
Back home.
Akane stepped out of her bedroom.
Her expression dim.
Even after swapping places with Rikka in the dream.
Even after spending a full year with Kihara, he still hadn't confessed to her.
The only thing she got was a promise drawn out by physical closeness.
And even that—
Felt hollow.
It was only after that entire year, that she finally realized something.
From the very moment she chose him as the "protagonist" of her story.
She had already fallen for him.
Otherwise—
Why would she choose him at all?
But—
She realized it too late.
He already had Rikka.
And there seemed to be no place left for her.
Akane sniffed hard, forcing back the tears threatening to fall.
For the first time since becoming a "god"—
She experienced what it meant,To want something she couldn't have.
"Mmm… regret and jealousy mixed together…"
A voice echoed lazily.
"Still as delicious as ever."
Alexis Kerib appeared on the secondary monitor.
"Get out!"
Akane exploded instantly—
Grabbing a bag of clay and hurling it at the screen.
"I didn't call you!"
CRASH!
The monitor cracked—
But Alexis remained unaffected.
He had already noticed.
Akane's negative emotions—
Were fading because of Kihara.
That was unacceptable.
Luckily—
Her current mental state was fragile.
Still salvageable.
A sinister red glow spread through the room.
His voice whispered like a demon tempting someone into the abyss:
"Shinjo Akane…"
"You are the god of this world."
"Shouldn't you act more… freely?"
"If you want something…"
"Just take it."
"…No… I can't… Rikka…"
Her resistance lasted only a moment.
Then—
Her expression relaxed.
She nodded.
"You're right."
"From now on…"
"I'll create monsters with everything I have."
"Defeat Kihara—"
"And keep him by my side."
"Exactly."
Alexis's voice dripped with dark satisfaction.
"That's how a god should be."
"I'll support you completely."
Endless malice flowed beneath his cloak—
Deep and bottomless.
And Akane—
Like a ship lured by a siren's song—
Sailed willingly into that sea of darkness.
...
Back at the campsite—
Kihara had already learned Alexis's identity from Rikka.
Their memories of the dream remained intact.
And Alexis's goal was clear:
To devour the entire world.
Which meant—
Akane was likely the key to everything.
After everything he'd experienced—
Even someone as dense as him understood:
Akane, was the "heroine" he had been searching for.
Right now—
More important than defeating Alexis was finding her.
She could already be in danger.
After a quick discussion—
Kihara and Rikka decided:
Return immediately.
Go to Akane's house.
Find her first—
Then figure out how to lure Alexis out and destroy him.
They boarded the train, luggage in hand.
But inside the empty carriage, They found a small girl in a gray-green hoodie.
She paced anxiously in circles.
"No time… no time!"
"…No time for what?"
The girl suddenly rushed forward.
And knocked Kihara to the ground.
Before he could react—
She shoved a pair of headphones onto him.
A calm, gentle melody filled his ears.
At the same moment—
Rikka's body swayed—
As if affected by something unseen and collapsed.
Kihara reacted instantly—
Kicking off the ground—
Sliding beneath her—
And catching her with his own body as a cushion.
The girl ignored Rikka.
She grabbed Kihara's face—
Forcing him to look at her.
Her expression was deadly serious.
"Akane has been completely corrupted by an outside invader."
"You need to find her—now."
"Or this world… has no future."
"…Who are you?"
"I'm a kaiju that originally lived in this world."
"If you want to save her and the girl in your arms."
"Then hurry."
"Look outside."
Kihara turned toward the window and froze.
Buildings—
Reduced to ruins—
Floated in the sky like space debris.
Farther away—
Black storms and lightning tore through the horizon.
The world—
Was already collapsing.
...
Thank you for reading.