I want to become a Kamen Rider

The incoming light spots began to melt the faceplate, the armor skeleton peeled off layer by layer in the particle stream, and he leaped up stepping on the ruins of the overturned tower, the steel bars bending into burning arches under his feet.

He struck a knight's kick pose towards the giant beast, just like the knight from the very beginning.

Just like the figure we first saw on television...

"Air! Retreat coordinates sent!" the squad leader screamed into his headset.

"I will complete the mission."

He cut off communication, leaped up, and plunged into the gaping maw of the incoming wave.

It was so close, just a little bit more.

The blue-white light stream of atomic breath burned scorch marks on his retina. Fan Kang felt the armor lining fusing with his skin. Going against the atomic breath, he sacrificed his teammates. The opportunity he had finally managed to seize was almost gone.

Just as it was about to be swallowed by the stream of light, a hand with a bare alloy skeleton pierced through the flesh.

"You're a zombie..."

"What are you saying? We are heroes, both of us are."

As he said this, the dead fish-eyed man who was always alone, with his gums showing on the corroded half of his face and his intact right eye reflecting the dark gold patterns of Kuuga's ultimate form, pushed forward.

Kuuga twisted his waist in the particle stream, and the trajectory of his Knight Kick drew an acute angle that defied the laws of physics.

“Now…” Hachiman’s breathing mask was cracked, “…how would my hero record be rated?”

In the midst of the radioactive dust explosion, he gave a thumbs-up to the dying man:

"Full marks."

.........

……

What is the world like after death?

After smelling the disinfectant, I hesitantly opened my eyes. The white bedding and the environment resembled a hospital ward, with the setting sun burning bright red outside the window.

Then, the man stretched out his hand, only to find to his surprise that it was not his own palm, which was covered with calluses and scars from swords, but was as white as jade and as slender as a scallion.

The mirror by the bed reflected his younger self, and most importantly, when he propped himself up—the belt that should have been shattered in the explosion was now perfectly fastened over his hospital gown.

A crimson spirit stone was embedded in the center of the silver belt.

Looking out the window, I saw a constant flow of people, peace still prevailed, and there were no monsters. I fiddled with the radio in the cabinet, only to hear garbage news like "Toyokawa Group suffers investment losses of 168 billion yen, Sobu High School is about to recruit students, and the band's Chiba tour has ended," which had no nutritional value whatsoever.

Speaking of which, Soubu High School seems to be the school that dead fish-eyed high school attended.

It was only at this moment that he suddenly realized how far back in time he had traveled back to the "past".

Just as the man, or rather the boy, was about to rejoice at the newfound life, a white, ringed beast leaped onto the windowsill.

White, cat-shaped, as white as a rabbit, with golden rings on its two long ears. He recognized it, even after many years.

"Sign a contract with me and become a Kamen Rider," said the creature that called itself Kyubey.

With their clumsy rhetoric and charmingly deceptive appearance, these guys haven't improved at all, even years later.

"The world is in crisis and needs heroes to step forward."

"Khubi simply said."

"Okay."

He readily agreed without the slightest hesitation.

"If this life is still of use and can help others in some way, then take it."

Chapter One: Light in the Darkness

No matter how the seasons change, some things will never change.

Looking out from the escalator leading up the mall, Hachiman Hikigaya can see cherry blossoms beginning to fade.

However, the branches reaching towards the sky, the sturdy trunk that seems to be gathering strength and waiting for its opportunity, and the roots that are deeply embedded in the ground still exist.

From cherry trees in full bloom to cherry trees with new leaves sprouting now, even if the appearance has changed, the essence remains the same.

Perhaps, human nature is the same.

As a child, watching the DVDs of "Kamen Rider Kuuga," Hachiman wanted to become Kamen Rider Kuuga; as he grew older, Hachiman wanted to make friends, but now he finds that neither of these wishes can be fulfilled.

His desire to become a Kamen Rider was ridiculed; he was told that Kamen Riders didn't exist.

Entering high school, a brand new beginning, integrating into the group, making friends, the original plan was shattered by a moment of impulse when he rushed into the road to save a dog.

That's alright. As the famous writer Zhou Shuren once said, cattle and sheep travel in herds, while wild beasts always roam alone.

Hachiman should just be a fierce beast, Awoo... Oh no, what should Hachiman Beast be called?

"Brother, look! That blade of grass can even grow on the wall!"

The mechanical hum of the escalator sounded like the flapping of the wings of some giant insect. Hachiman Hikigaya stared blankly at the metal steps beneath his feet, which were constantly splitting and healing. His sister Komachi's voice broke the reverie in his mind.

Following the direction of Komachi's finger, there was indeed a weed growing on the wall above, deeply embedded in the cracks of the concrete—it was so stubborn, even though there wasn't even any decent soil.

"It's a plant-based version of Hachiman, able to survive even in places with no nutrients."

"Huh? Brother is saying disgusting things again?"

Even Komachi's disgusted face is super cute.

Yes, he has the cutest little sister in the world, so it's not a big deal that he doesn't have any friends. He can grow strong by absorbing his sister's power every day, just like the plant version of Hachiman on his head.

Despite not having made any friends, Hachiman can still stroll hand-in-hand with girls at the Chiba shopping mall on weekends, because he has a younger sister!

Taking the elevator to the third floor, the public television was showing the latest Kamen Rider series. Komachi, who had watched Kuuga with him when they were kids, jokingly said:

"If an unidentified life form really appears, will my brother transform?"

“I’ll call the police first, then hide in a trash can,” Hachiman Hikigaya continued, “and tell the police the criminal is hiding in the NHK studio.”

The excessive fragrance from the cosmetics counter overwhelmed his sense of smell, so he retreated to the fire hydrant, carrying the increasingly swollen paper bag.

"Brother, do you think cherry blossom pink or orange soda color makes your skin look fairer?"

"I suggest using livid violet, to complement your attempted murder of your brother."

"The correct answer is 'Komachi looks cute no matter what she wears!'" The lively Komachi tugged at his sleeve and pressed him in front of the makeup mirror with the force of a forensic doctor dragging a corpse. "As punishment, brother has to try on hand cream!"

"Humans' obsession with limited editions is terrifying." The vain Komachi twisted out and then put back the sample lipstick. "It's like how my brother always says, 'Consumerism is a trap and I will never buy it,' but he still secretly puts the limited edition strawberry pudding into the shopping basket when he goes to checkout."

“This is the result of social domestication.” He shook off the excess rose essence from his hand. “Just like pigeons in a cage will reflexively peck at the feed switch, an older brother will also be driven by the curse of blood ties to become a human shopping cart.”

Arriving at the clothing counter, Gentle Komachi pulled a mint green scarf from behind her back and wrapped it around his neck, the tassels of the yarn brushing against his chin: "Look! Doesn't it look just like the color scheme of the obi belts in those light novels these days?"

"If you're referring to the book jacket of 'How to Peacefully Coexist with Your Teenage Sister,' I suggest using a prison fence pattern."

The brother and sister playfully bicker and tease each other while shopping together—this is Hachiman Hikigaya's blissful time.

Komachi Hikigaya is the cutest creature in the world, so much so that he wanted to abandon Buddhism and start the Komachi Cult. The world's three major religions... are certainly qualified to be his rivals.

If time could stand still at this moment, that would be wonderful, but the tragedy of fate often lies here.

For a fleeting moment, the entire shopping mall trembled.

The ceiling-mounted advertising screen flickered with static, and the sweet voice of the female announcer was mixed with wails: "...Introducing you...buzz...today's special offer...ahhhhhh...no..."

The screams from the crowd erupted a beat late, as if someone had suddenly turned up the volume of the world.

"Monster! It's a monster!"

"Mother--"

"Get out of the way, you idiot!"

"Help, help..."

A business professional in a suit knocked over a stroller and ran away, the baby's cries mingling with the snapping of high heels. He crouched in the corner, protecting Komachi, and saw three "humanoid beings" crawl out of the elevator shaft—if they could still be called human.

Their torsos were wrapped in rubbery suits similar to racing suits, their helmet visors glowed red like surveillance cameras, and their elbows were twisted in reverse, resembling insect arthropods.

Whether it was a terrorist attack by people dressed as Shocker monsters or a fantasy coming to life, the discussion became meaningless after one of the monsters snapped an innocent passerby's neck with one hand.

“Shocker Monster…” Komachi, her eyes covered, huddled in his arms, trembling, “exactly the same as the expensive soft vinyl toys that my brother secretly collected behind Mom’s back…”

“Now is not the time to discuss my room decorations.” Hachiman Hikigaya pulled out his phone, the signal bars disappearing like a cookie being gnawed on. “I suggest you forget what you just said, especially the part about the price of the soft vinyl toys.”

Hachiman Hikigaya didn't know where he got the courage to not panic and even have the energy to complain, but he knew that he was holding his most important little sister in his arms.

Even if you're terrified, you have to squeeze out courage from your tattered, withered heart. Even if you have to crawl on the ground, screaming and wailing, you have to wait until you're sure Komachi is safe before you do anything else.

Don't underestimate Chiba's sister complex!

"Today's limited-time special offer—" the strange voice scraped against my eardrums, "buy one human brains, get one free."

The crowd erupted in even louder screams.

A mother pushing a stroller bumped into a potted plant, causing the orange tree to collapse with a crash, and artificial oranges rolled to her feet. Hachiman Hikigaya picked one up and weighed it in his hand; it was as light as an empty hope.

"Brother, should we run away?" Komachi's fingernails dug into his palm.

Hachiman Hikigaya looked around.

escape?

The escalator has stopped operating, and the emergency exit indicator light has been broken.

The locust-like monster swung its mantis-like forelimbs, and the Starbucks counter split in two. Splattered coffee beans traced parabolas in the air, and a customer huddled under the counter, still covered in milk foam, perfectly replicated a close-up of the face in the famous painting "The Scream."

Hachiman Hikigaya anxiously searched for an escape route, then his eyes met those of the locust's compound eyes that were flashing red.

"Komachi, squat down!"

The sickle cleaved through the pillars where they had previously hidden, sending concrete debris flying everywhere.

"Hey you gloomy guy over there, your despair smells like expired yogurt." This guy's head tilt angle is exactly the same as in the TV series; there should be a limit to plagiarism.

"I'm so sorry, my life's shelf life is only as short as a convenience store rice ball."

He mustered his last bit of courage and swung the fire extinguisher at hand, smashing it against its knee joint.

The clanging of metal made his hand go numb, the fire extinguisher was dented, but the strange man only staggered half a step.

'Komachi... I hope we can be siblings again in our next life.'

The moment the sharp sound of a blade cutting through the air approached the center of his brow, almost all the lights in the entire shopping mall went out.

Darkness filled the space like asphalt, perhaps a revolving lantern before death. The screams were paused, leaving only the crackling of short-circuited electronic devices echoing in the ears.

He heard Komachi's desperate sobs, and he also heard some kind of vibration coming from above—like the roar of a heavy vehicle crushing steel plates, or like the aftershocks of an ancient temple bell in the snowy night.

A beam of golden light cleaved through the darkness.

The light was neither the stark white of a fire emergency light nor the gaudy neon of a promotional screen; rather, it was as if someone had sealed a firefly caught on a summer night in their childhood into amber, and then suddenly released it after twenty years.

The figure in the center of the light knelt down and landed. The gold patterns on the black armor were deeply engraved, and the faint light flowing in the compound eyes reminded people of the snow noise of an old CRT television. It was Kuuga, as if he had stepped out of his childhood memories. Every detail was exactly the same as in his memories, even the angle of the inlaid spirit stone on his belt was exactly the same.

The locust monster's scythe struck Kuuga's left shoulder, the exploding sparks illuminating the mother and daughter huddled in the corner. The girl clutched the charred, curled left ear of her rabbit doll tightly to her chest.

In the darkness, the knight stood in front of him.

Like a star in the long night.

Chapter Two: No One Dies

The screaming stopped.

That figure standing in the darkness was too conspicuous. With most of the lighting equipment destroyed, Kuuga's standing figure was the only light.

It's unclear who started the shouting first. It could have been the instinct of a drowning person grasping at a straw, or perhaps it was simply that the incredibly familiar figure, as if stepping out of the past, naturally inspired a greater sense of trust.

No one saw him as a new oddball, and shouts naturally arose.

"Go for it, Kamen Rider!"

"Defeat them, Kuuga!"

"I knew Kamen Rider was real..."

"Don't lose!"