Special effects: Starting with Ultraman Tiga

Chapter 418 Shotaro's Principles of Conduct: The Zoo Doppelganger Strikes Again

Windy Coast.

Zenkyoji Reiko, along with Shindo and a large group of hotel staff, was having a photoshoot on the beach.

A group of police officers surrounded them, protecting Zenkyoji Reiko and the others.

After gathering all the information, Akiko Narumi immediately approached Ryu Terui and Shun Makura, who were standing on the shore, and greeted them, "Ryu-kun!"

"Yes, Director." Terui Ryu nodded and said.

"Oh, so you're Reiko-san's bodyguard? Thanks for your hard work." Narumi Akiko immediately understood after seeing Zenkyoji Reiko taking photos. Looking around and noticing someone was missing, she asked, "Eh? Where are Detective Bino and Kirihiko?"

"Sudo and the other police officers are keeping an eye on Zenkyoji Toshihide," Terui Ryu explained.

Upon hearing this, Akiko Narumi nodded as if in realization, then looked at Shun Makura, who was leaning out with half his body and staring at Reiko Zenkuji in her swimsuit with a silly grin, and whispered in his ear, "Shun, why aren't you going to the CEO's side?"

"Wow!" Masakura Shun, who was engrossed in watching, was startled by the sound coming from beside him.

"Don't, don't scare me!" Masakura Shun breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing Narumi Akiko, then declared confidently, "Let me make this clear, I only got here because I won seven consecutive rock-paper-scissors matches against Rinno! In other words, I'm a winner in life!"

"As expected, everyone wants to stare at those big, white breasts!" Akiko Narumi looked at the filming location on the coast. Under the sunlight and the azure sea, Reiko Zenkyo's extraordinary sex appeal was even more intense.

"Ugh... It really does have everything it should have... That's not fair."

"If something doesn't exist, it doesn't exist," Masakura Shun mocked.

"This is infuriating!" Akiko Narumi pulled out her green slippers and swiftly smacked Shun Makura on the head.

On the upper of this slipper is written the phrase, "Don't say what you shouldn't say!"

"You perverted detective! I'll report you! I'll report you to the government!" Narumi Akiko repeatedly smacked Makura Shun on the head with her slippers.

"Ouch! Hey, wait a minute, this is official business!" Masakura Shun shouted, rubbing his head.

The commotion on one side also attracted the attention of the filming crew on the other side, who all looked in the direction of the two.

"Have you two had enough? You're disturbing other people's photos," Teruji Ryu said, stopping them.

Just as Terui Ryu intervened to stop the two and shifted his gaze away from Zenkyoji Reiko.

"Waaaaah—" A scream suddenly erupted from the crowd who were filming.

The next moment, the photographer, Shindo, and others next to Zenkyoji Reiko were all thrown away.

Startled by the sudden turn of events, Zenkyoji Reiko turned to look at the sea. A column of water rose from the sea, and the zoo admixture jumped out of the water. It immediately wrapped its snake-like tentacles around Zenkyoji Reiko, preventing the police officers surrounding her from launching an attack.

"Are you planning to pollute the ocean again this time?" the Zoo Doppelganger whispered to Zenkoji Reiko in a low voice.

Zenkyoji Reiko was so frightened that she lost her voice and could only tremble.

"I'll show you the terror of the ocean." After saying that, the zoo hybrid leaped into the sea, dragging Zenkuji Reiko, who was being pulled along by the other end of the tentacle, into the sea as well.

"Hurry up and prepare the motorboat! Be quick!" Terujiro ordered hastily.

"Yes, yes!" Upon hearing Terui Ryu's instructions, Masakura Shun and the others hurriedly rushed to the hotel.

"Chief, contact Philip and Sudo!" After saying that, Terui Ryu started chasing after the two figures that were rushing into the sea. He ran to a rocky beach a little further away, in a blind spot where people on the beach couldn't see him.

Terui Ryu took out the Accel Driver, put it on his waist, and then took out the Accel Memory.

"Accel!"

"Hen...Shin!"

"Accel!"

Terui Ryu twisted the handle of the Accel Driver, and a red light flashed as Terui Ryu, who was rushing towards the sea, transformed into Kamen Rider Accel.

Seeing Accel plunge into the sea, Akiko Narumi frantically pulled out her phone and called Philip.

……

Inside the small house nestled in the mountains.

Looking at the large number of photos and documents neatly arranged in the room, Philip exclaimed in amazement, "Amazing! Was this compiled on an individual basis?"

"These are all materials compiled by my grandfather, Zenkyoji Gizo," Zenkyoji Kasumi said.

Upon hearing this, Philip immediately understood.

So that's what they mean by "messengers of nature"!

"It seems that since his student days, my grandfather's greatest interest has been the study of biology. And this house was built for such a grandfather." Zenkyoji Kasumi looked at the slightly faded photos, a hint of nostalgia in her eyes, and then began to tell Philip.

Even after acquiring the land, Zenkōji Gizō did not stop his biological research.

He knew very well that the Fengdu coast possessed a biodiversity to be proud of, and the richness of the species inhabiting the area was astonishing even when compared to other parts of the country.

Zenkōji Gizō believed that his family should not disturb the local ecological environment while seeking a living. Therefore, he strictly controlled all of his family's agricultural, forestry and fishery businesses to prevent overfishing and other behaviors that damage nature.

However, with the rise of his son, Soji, a reformer, Yoshizo was eventually dethroned from the throne.

After that, Yizang basically locked himself in this house.

"But I liked Grandpa's little house even more. Whenever I was exhausted from my little squabbles with my siblings, Grandpa would always welcome me warmly. In the years before he passed away, he taught me many things—about animals, about birds, and about insects..."

"Wait, wait a minute, Ms. Kasumi, does that mean..."

Zenkyoji Kasumi completely ignored Philip's question and continued, "At my repeated pleas, my father gave me this mountain, this coastline, and this house."

"My father wasn't actually the materialist that people say he is. He was forced to expand the business for the sake of the family's prosperity, and he also had to use some tough measures to control his unrestrained and willful family members."

"Grandpa wasn't unaware of these things either."

At this point, Kasumi Zenkyo's tone turned angry.

"But older brothers and older sisters are different."

"From the very beginning, they've taken these assets for granted, only thinking about how much they'll get. If we hand it over to them, this house, and nature itself, will all be taken away by them!"

"I will absolutely not allow these people to hand over what my grandfather left behind!"

"Ms. Kasumi, do you realize that you just said the same things as the coercer?"

Upon hearing this, Zenkyoji Kasumi also fell silent.

Philip rubbed his temples, piecing together the clues of the whole affair in his mind.

She had no alibi when the attack occurred yesterday; she is also a follower of Zenkyo-ji Yoshizo; and she hates her older siblings who are pushing for the destruction of nature…

All the subtle clues pieced together in Philip's mind a 'truth' that was both unexpected and yet perfectly logical—Kasumi Zenkyoji was Dopant.

But this is too much of a coincidence.

A silent atmosphere permeated the room, which was filled with an old-fashioned scent. Zenkyoji Kasumi stared at Philip with her usual intense gaze, as if waiting for Philip's answer.

Even though all the clues pointed to the girl in front of him, for some reason, Philip didn't believe the "truth".

"I...believe you, Ms. Kasumi," Philip said without hesitation.

Zenkyoji Kasumi's expression immediately became flustered.

"Why? Don't you suspect that I am the culprit?" Zenkyoji Kasumi asked.

"That's certainly a possibility. I feel that motive is more convincing than inheritance or anything like that. But I believe the culprit isn't you," Philip said with a smile.

"Can I ask again... why?" Zenkyoji Kasumi asked, staring at the slightly immature-looking boy in front of her.

"Because you trust me, I must trust you too. Everything must begin with absolute trust in the client; this is Shotaro Sasaki's principle of conduct." Philip looked directly into Kasumi Zenkyo's eyes and said frankly.

Although it's a matter of learning on the spot, this is indeed Shotaro Hidari's own principle.

Seeing Philip's serious gaze, Kasumi Zenkyoji seemed to be admitting defeat, abruptly turning her gaze away, but a smile appeared on her lips.

"You're such a weirdo."

"I don't want you to say that to me," Philip said with a faint smile.

"I genuinely want to find the culprit. I don't believe Grandpa has been resurrected or anything like that. But this culprit's story is so compelling that I can't think of anyone else." Zenkyoji Kasumi's tone was much lighter.

"So that's why you said that. 'If I'm a criminal, please arrest me,' right?" Philip suddenly realized.

Only now did Philip realize that he truly understood Kasumi Zenkyo's request for the first time.

This implies both a desire to stop coercion and a desire to protect the people in the mansion.

However, her real desire was to know the real culprit.

Perhaps she herself hasn't yet sorted out these feelings in her heart.

But isn't it the detectives who see through this and take action?

"I understand, Ms. Kasumi. I will do my best to fulfill your wish," Philip said earnestly.

"Mm." Zenkyoji Kasumi nodded gently, a smile appearing on her face.

Just then, Philip's pocket stag beetle phone rang; it was Narumi Akiko.

"It's me. What's up, Aki-chan?" Philip answered the phone and asked.

"The dopant has appeared! It's that one-person zoo! Miss Reiko is going to be killed!" Akiko Narumi's scream came from the stag beetle phone.

Philip subconsciously looked at Kasumi Zenkyoji.

"Dragon Lord has transformed and is fighting! But if this continues, Miss Reiko will drown!" Akiko Narumi exclaimed, looking at the battle in the sea.

The heavy Accel was not suited for fighting in the water. Although Accel had used the jet boosters on its heels to aim at the Zoo Dopant's position and rush up to stop it, Zenkoji Reiko was still being dragged into the water by the Zoo Dopant moving at full speed.

"I'm coming right away." Philip hung up the phone, then looked at Kasumi Zenkyo and said, "Ms. Kasumi, the dopant has attacked Reiko Zenkyo!"

"Huh?!"

"That way I can prove your alibi! Hurry back to the hotel, understand?" Philip said, and then rushed outside.

"Shotaro-kun!" Kasumi Zenkuji seemed to want to say something, but Philip had already run far away.

Windy Coast.

Accel is being dragged along in the sea by the zoo dopant.

If this continues...

Seeing Zenkyoji Reiko struggling in the seawater, Accel didn't care about anything else. He picked up the engine blade and intended to cut off the tentacles that the Zoo Doppelganger was using to bind Zenkyoji Reiko.

The zoo hybrid noticed Accel's movements, and suddenly huge teeth appeared on its face. It then bit Accel's head and ripped him off its body.

Accel, who had fallen into the sea, desperately reached out toward the zoo doppelganger, trying to grab the tentacles binding Zenkoji Reiko, but to no avail.

At that moment, W arrived at the scene in his heavy-duty speedboat, a weapon of naval warfare, and easily severed the tentacles with his arm blade, causing him to release Zenkuji Reiko.

"Zhaojing, save people first!" Philip said.

Accel nodded and immediately turned around to rush to the rescue.

To prevent the zoo dopant from hindering the rescue operation, W also controlled the tough guy speedboat to launch small torpedoes at the zoo dopant.

"Boom!"

The torpedo exploded in the water, creating a large, surging wave.

The Zoo Dopant burst out of the explosion, and W immediately took control of the Hardman speedboat to chase after it.

W, aboard a rugged speedboat, engages in a fierce battle with the Zoo Doppelganger in the sea.

"Bang!"

The zoo hybrid crashed headfirst into the tough guy speedboat, causing the speedboat to shake violently.

"It'll be bad if we don't take care of him soon," Philip said, supporting the tough guy speedboat.

Whether this ability to violently collide in the water comes from dolphins or sharks, it somehow managed to make the tough speedboat creak and groan.

If he were to continue ramming it, the Tough Guy speedboat would likely disintegrate.

Without the tough speedboat, W would definitely be no match for the zoo in the sea.

"Shotaro, can Maximum do it?" Philip asked.

"Hmm...okay!" Shotaro's reaction was a beat slower than usual.

At that moment, the Zoo Doppelganger flipped over from above and lunged at W.

Seeing the Zoo Doppelganger charging towards them, W quickly flicked the tactical horn on the Fang Memory three times.

"Fang! Maximum Drive!"

The Fang Memory let out a cry, and a huge foot blade appeared at W's ankle. W stomped hard on the Hardman Speedboat, causing his body to spin at high speed.

The seawater was swirled by W's rapidly rotating body, and the zoo dopant's movements were slowed down by the swirling eddies.

"Fang Straizer!"

Philip and Shotaro's voices overlapped, and W unleashed a deadly roundhouse kick at the Zoo Doppelganger.

The zoo hybrid also did its best to get into position, turning its body and lunging towards W with its claws.

W collided with the zoo dopant in the seawater.

In an instant, powerful energy burst forth in the water, causing an effect similar to an explosion.

W was thrown backward by the force of the water flow and immediately lost consciousness.

(End of this chapter)