Sengoku Ryoma, a brilliant scientist from the World Tree's research division, was the mastermind behind the development of the Lock Seeds and their supporting systems. He was also the creator of both the Sengoku Driver and the more advanced Genesis Driver.
In essence, he was the true leader of the faction that had turned its back on Kureshima Takatora.
"Keep a close eye on those people gathering on the streets!" Ryoma ordered coldly.
Kureshima Takatora took a deep breath, his face dark with frustration. Without another word, he slammed the door behind him, walking out. From inside, he could still hear Sid and Sagara snickering insincerely.
Takatora stormed out of the World Tree Tower, his expression contorted with fury. But once he was far enough and behind the wheel, his features relaxed, regaining a calm, calculating composure.
"That bastard was right," Takatora muttered under his breath.
In truth, it wasn't difficult to figure out who had betrayed them. The lower-ranking staff didn't matter—they lacked the access or influence. The potential traitors had to come from among the higher-ups, and there weren't many of them. All he had to do was test their reactions.
And now, the answer was clear. If it were only Sid or DJ Sagara acting alone, it might be written off as personal ambition. But with Sengoku Ryoma involved, it was obvious—the betrayal stemmed from his camp.
How Takatora would handle this insubordination was a matter for later.
Meanwhile, the Baron team had just suffered a brutal defeat at the hands of Oren. Unlike the other teams who would surrender once overwhelmed, Baron refused to back down, even fighting to the brink of injury. Their fierce resistance had earned them grudging respect—and a fractured rib or two—in exchange for a Phoenix Lock Seed and a rare nod of approval from Oren.
Expelling lines and a ring of combat: "To your admiration—return my healthy body!"
Now, with Baron vanquished, the next—and final—target of Oren was clear: the Ryuga's Gaim.
Sure enough, just as the Gaim dancers were performing a lively routine, Oren stepped onto the stage, cutting through the rhythm like a thunderclap.
"If you're going to use a public stage like this, you'd better submit to proper screening," he sneered.
The current team leader, Mai, stepped forward with a smirk. "Oh? So the so-called screening is just code for 'Can you beat me up?'"
Unlike the others, Mai wasn't afraid of Oren—because he had a certain someone on his side who even Oren wouldn't dare provoke.
"A grown man who doesn't know a thing about dance, bullying teenagers with brute force... Shameful! Just shameful!" he shouted.
"That's right!" another called out.
"If you can't dance, get off the stage already!"
"Greasy old man! Don't block the view of the girls!"
The crowd erupted in protest. Unlike the fangirls of the other teams, Gaim's supporters genuinely loved dancing—and they were fed up with Oren's antics.
Furious, Oren tore off his signature hat, revealing a blinding bald head. He strapped on his belt.
[Durian!]
[Lock On!]
[Durian Arms!]
[MR~DANGEROUS!]
Just as his dual durian maces were about to smash down on the Gaim team, a figure dropped from the stage and caught his wrists—Ryuga himself.
Startled, Oren struggled. But despite exerting every ounce of his strength, he couldn't move a muscle. The hands gripping him weren't flesh and blood—they felt like solid steel.
"Impossible!" Oren gasped.
"You've been getting cocky lately," Ryuga said calmly. "Feels good bullying kids, doesn't it?"
With a slight twist of his hands, Oren's wrists bent outward painfully.
"AAARGH!" Oren cried out, dropping his maces with a loud clang.
"Go ahead," Ryuga turned to the Gaim team. "He just tried to attack you. Get your revenge."
"Huh?" Mai was stunned. Mitchy and a few boys walked over, picked up the fallen maces, and gave Oren's head a few solid taps.
Clang!
Of course, as an Armored Rider, Oren wasn't hurt—but the catharsis was real.
More Gaim members joined in. Soon, it looked like they were performing a comedy sketch, taking turns "knocking on the wooden fish" with delighted grins.
Then, the audience joined in.
"Team Gaim's leader! Can we try too?" someone shouted.
"Absolutely!" Ryuga smiled.
The crowd surged forward, surrounding Oren and beating him like a carnival piñata. Even the Gaim members were pushed out of the way.
"Ryuga, is this... really okay?" Mai asked nervously.
"No worries. I deactivated his transformation before I jumped in. The crowd's safe," Ryuga assured him.
"I'm not talking about the crowd—I mean him," Mai muttered.
Mitchy chuckled. "Sis Mai, don't worry about him. The audience is what matters right now!"
"I know, but what if someone gets carried away...?"
"It's fine. These people aren't criminals. They'll hold back," Ryuga said reassuringly. "Besides, now that we've taken down a target no other team could beat, we're definitely in first place. Let's celebrate—my treat!"
"Oye!"
"Long live Brother Ryuga!"
The team roared in approval, dragging Ryuga and Mai into the party, leaving her no time to dwell on the matter.
Meanwhile, at the base of the World Tree Tower...
"Transform!"
[Melon (Cantaloupe)!]
Kureshima Takatora stared into the massive crack before him. One hand casually in his pocket, the other deftly caught a Lock Seed and clipped it into his belt.
[Lock On!]
[Soiya! Melon Arms!]
[Heaven • Under • Royal • Free!]
Now transformed into Kamen Rider Zangetsu, he stepped through the portal.
The crack stood two stories tall, surrounded by advanced devices engineered to stabilize it. As long as these machines remained intact, the portal wouldn't close on its own.
The World Tree had long been researching the Heim Underworld. It was inefficient to wait for random cracks to appear or to constantly deploy vehicle Lock Seeds. Thus, researchers accessed the underworld directly through this stabilized rift.
Simultaneously, the World Tree kept the portal heavily guarded to prevent public exposure.
But now, Takatora had just received disturbing news: all current Armored Riders had entered the forest.
Enraged, he didn't waste time blaming Sid for distributing Lock Seeds without authorization. First, he had to eject the Riders—if the secret of the Heim Underworld got out, mass panic among the general population was inevitable.
Inside the forest, Takatora quickly neutralized Oren and Ring Fighter, and stopped Castle from hoarding Lock Seeds.
Then, as he confronted the first four Armored Riders, he saw his own younger brother—Kureshima Mitsuzane—strike him down.
Just as the final blow descended, Ryuga blocked it.
"So you're here," Takatora said softly, steel clashing with steel between their twin sabers.
"What's there to say?" Ryuga replied, cooperating with Takatora to fake a fierce battle—though in truth, they spoke in hushed tones amidst the sparks.
"First of all, thank you for the warning," Takatora said. "I've tested the theory several times now. The results are as you predicted. But... I still don't understand—why would they betray me?"
"You don't understand—or you refuse to believe it?"
"…"
"They want the Golden Fruit," Ryuga said bluntly. "You fight to save the world. But not everyone shares your ideals."