While Tsutsumi and Pyrrha were quietly enjoying their peaceful date inside the small cafe, the calm atmosphere that filled the room was suddenly broken by a heavy metallic sound echoing from somewhere outside.
At first it sounded distant, like something large moving through the street.
Then it came again.
A deep, pounding clang of metal striking pavement, heavy enough that the faint vibrations could be felt through the wooden floor beneath their feet. The sound came again and again in a steady rhythm, each step louder than the last as whatever was making it drew closer.
Tsutsumi paused mid-page while reading, his eyes lifting slightly from the book in his hand. Pyrrha also looked up from her own book, her brows furrowing as she turned her head toward the window beside their table.
"What is that…?" she murmured softly.
Before either of them could stand, a massive shadow suddenly swept across the window.
The next moment, the wall exploded inward.
Glass shattered violently as the front of the cafe was ripped apart by the enormous figure of a military robot crashing straight through the building.
Wood splintered, bricks cracked, and the entire structure shook as the massive machine burst inside, its armored frame tearing through tables, shelves, and counters as if the cafe were made of paper.
Reacting purely on instinct, Tsutsumi moved.
In a single swift motion he grabbed Pyrrha and forced her down toward the ground while throwing himself over her, his arms braced around her shoulders as he used his own body to shield her from the debris raining down around them.
The robot tore through the small cafe in seconds.
Its massive legs crushed tables beneath its weight as it barreled forward, the force of its movement sending books, dishes, and splintered wood flying in every direction. The back wall burst apart just as violently as the front when the machine exited the building, continuing its pursuit through the street without slowing down.
Through the shattered remains of the cafe, Blake and Sun could briefly be seen leaping across the rooftops outside.
The robot continued charging after them, its heavy mechanical footsteps shaking the street as it disappeared down the road.
Inside the cafe, silence slowly returned.
Dust drifted through the air while fragments of wood and glass settled across the floor.
Pyrrha slowly opened her eyes.
For a moment everything was blurry from the dust and shock, but when her vision cleared she immediately saw Tsutsumi leaning over her. His arms were braced against the ground on either side of her, his body positioned protectively above her like a shield.
"Tsutsumi…?" she asked softly, still trying to process what had just happened.
Then her gaze shifted slightly and she saw the broken wooden beam resting across his back.
Her eyes widened instantly.
"Tsutsumi, a-are you okay?" she asked quickly, worry flooding her voice.
He shifted slightly, wincing faintly as the wood creaked.
"I'm fine…" he muttered quietly.
Pyrrha immediately activated her aura, the faint glow of energy strengthening her muscles as she leaned forward and pushed the heavy beam off him. The broken piece of timber slid away and crashed down onto the rubble beside them.
Once it was off him, Tsutsumi slowly pushed himself upright. Dust covered his jacket and hair, and small splinters clung to the fabric as he brushed some of it away. His eyes moved across the ruined cafe around them, taking in the collapsed shelves, shattered tables, and broken walls.
Then suddenly he froze. "Mrs. Chloe!"
The moment the realization hit him, he rushed toward what remained of the cafe counter.
Pyrrha's heart skipped as she realized the same thing. Without hesitation, she ran after him, both of them immediately beginning to push away pieces of the collapsed interior.
Wooden planks, broken bricks, pieces of shelving, everything had to be moved.
Unlike them, ordinary people didn't have their aura unlocked. Without aura, a person couldn't survive something like this.
They worked quickly, lifting and throwing aside debris until Tsutsumi suddenly stopped.
There, partially buried beneath the rubble of the destroyed counter, lay Mrs. Chloe.
"Mrs. Chloe!" Pyrrha called out as both of them dropped to their knees beside her.
The old woman was badly injured.
Blood had already begun soaking through her dress, dark red against the fabric as it slowly spread beneath her. Her breathing was shallow, uneven, each breath sounding weaker than the last.
"…Ts…utsu…mi…"
Her voice was barely louder than a whisper.
Tsutsumi quickly reached forward and took her hand.
"I'm here," he said, his voice tighter than usual. "Don't worry, we'll get you help."
Her tired eyes slowly opened, and when she saw him her expression softened slightly.
"…Py…rrh…a…"
Her gaze shifted weakly toward the red-haired girl kneeling beside him.
For a moment, her eyes widened in faint surprise before a warm, gentle smile spread across her face.
"I'm glad… you are both… safe…"
Tsutsumi clenched his jaw slightly.
"Don't talk like that," he said quietly. "You'll be fine. I'll get help right now-"
"No…"
Her fragile hand suddenly tightened weakly around his palm, stopping him.
She coughed faintly, her breathing growing heavier.
"I… lived… a wonderful life…"
Her voice trembled, each word coming slower than the last.
"I'm happy… that there… is someone… to accompany me… through my… final moments…"
Tsutsumi didn't say anything. He simply held her hand as she spoke.
Her fading gaze shifted toward Pyrrha again. There was kindness in her eyes even now.
"I'm glad… you managed to find someone…"
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
"…cherish her…"
Her breathing slowed further.
"…I'm going… to see my husband now…"
Her eyelids slowly lowered.
And with one final breath, the old woman grew still.
The gentle smile on her face never faded.
For a long moment, neither Tsutsumi nor Pyrrha moved.
Pyrrha felt her chest tighten painfully as she stared at the peaceful expression on the old woman's face. She had only met Mrs. Chloe tonight, had barely spoken more than a few sentences with her, yet the warmth the woman carried made the loss feel far heavier than it should have.
"Tsutsumi…" she whispered softly.
He slowly let go of Mrs. Chloe's hand and leaned back slightly.
His fist tightened quietly at his side.
"I'm going to kill someone." His voice was calm, eerily calm.
Pyrrha turned toward him, but the moment she saw his expression, she froze.
His eyes were empty. There was no anger in those eyes, nor fury.
Just this cold abyss.
Then screams suddenly echoed from outside the ruined cafe.
Both of them turned toward the street.
Through the broken wall they could see chaos spreading through the city.
Masked figures were running through the streets, weapons in their hands as terrified civilians tried to flee. Gunshots rang through the air while several people in black uniforms with white masks chased after unarmed humans.
The emblem on their backs was unmistakable.
"The White Fang…?" Pyrrha said quietly, shock flashing across her face.
Tsutsumi didn't respond. Instead, he raised his hand.
A faint shimmer of energy appeared in the air beside him as two weapons slowly formed from light.
A projection of Miló and Akoúo̱. He turned and placed the spear and shield into Pyrrha's hands.
"Here," he said simply.
She looked down at the weapons in confusion before looking back up at him.
"You go after that robot," he continued calmly. "Call Ren and Nora for support."
His gaze had already shifted toward the group of White Fang members attacking civilians down the street.
"I'll deal with them myself. Then I'll join you."
Before Pyrrha could protest or even respond, Tsutsumi had already turned away and started running.
Straight toward the White Fang forces, spreading violence through the city.
"Henshin."
Kamen Ride: Blade!
A flash of light wrapped around his body as his clothes shifted. Metallic plates locked into place over his form, mixed with blue clothing that formed in an instant.
His hand moved almost immediately, summoning the weapon that appeared naturally with the transformation.
The Blay Rouzer snapped into his grip.
At that exact moment, a White Fang member lunged forward with a raised blade, aiming straight toward a terrified woman and the small child clinging to her arm. The mother had fallen backward while trying to shield her child, and the attacker had clearly intended to finish them both with a single swing.
The blade never reached them.
Tsutsumi's sword intercepted it with precise timing, the metallic clash echoing through the street as sparks flew from the impact. The force of the strike halted the attacker's weapon inches from the child's face.
For a moment, the White Fang member froze in shock.
Tsutsumi's leg shot forward in a powerful kick that struck the attacker square in the side. The impact sent the masked Faunus flying backward several meters before he slammed violently into the pavement and rolled across the street.
Without even glancing back, Tsutsumi stepped forward, positioning himself between the frightened mother and the attackers.
"Run," he said coldly.
The woman didn't hesitate. Grabbing her child tightly, she quickly scrambled to her feet and fled down the street as fast as she could.
More White Fang members turned their attention toward him.
Gunfire erupted almost immediately.
Several rifles fired at once, the sharp cracks of gunshots echoing through the street as bullets tore through the air toward him.
The Blay Rouzer spun through the air in his hand as he stepped forward, the blade flashing repeatedly as it struck the incoming bullets mid-flight. Metal clanged rapidly as sparks burst through the air, every shot deflected with near effortless precision.
The attackers stared in disbelief.
The moment their magazines ran empty, the faint clicking of weapons needing to reload, Tsutsumi surged forward.
Final Kamen Ride: Accel! Trial!
Mid-run, the clothes covering his body suddenly peeled away like dissolving fragments of light, revealing a new form beneath them. The metal plates vanished completely, replaced by a sleek blue leather jacket and pants.
The wind around him seemed to distort.
The Trial Memory appeared in his hand as he placed another card into his driver.
Final Attack Ride: Ac-Ac-Ac-Accel!
He tossed the memory upward.
Then he ran, to the White Fang members watching him, Tsutsumi simply vanished.
What followed could barely be seen by the naked eye.
A blur of blue streaked across the battlefield, faster than any normal human movement could possibly be.
Kicks landed before their owners even realized he had moved. Slashes carved through weapons and bodies alike. Bodies were struck, thrown, cut, and crushed in rapid succession.
The street filled with violent motion.
A White Fang member was kicked hard enough to flip through the air before crashing against a storefront. Another barely managed to raise his weapon before Tsutsumi's blade cut cleanly across his torso. A third tried to run, only for a kick to strike the back of his knee and send him collapsing forward before a follow-up slash ended him instantly.
To anyone watching, it looked like the attackers were being struck by something invisible.
Less than ten seconds passed. Then Tsutsumi stopped moving.
He turned his back toward the fallen group calmly and raised his hand, catching the Trial Memory as it dropped from the air. His thumb pressed down on the stop button, freezing the timer displayed on its surface.
9.6 seconds.
Behind him, the delayed results of his attacks finally appeared.
Cracks of shattered aura echoed through the street.
Several White Fang members collapsed instantly as the protective aura surrounding their bodies broke apart under the accumulated damage. Others who never unlock their aura fell even faster, their bodies giving out the moment the injuries caught up with them.
Blood splattered across the pavement. Bodies collapsed one after another.
The remaining White Fang members nearby stared at the scene in absolute shock. Over ten of their comrades had just been killed. In less than ten seconds.
Tsutsumi slowly turned his head toward them. His cold, empty eyes locked onto them.
With no hesitation, he pulls out another card.
Form Ride: OOO! Gatakiriba Combo!
Golden light burst outward from his body as his form shifted again. His clothes rearranged themselves, forming the green insect-like design of the Gatakiriba Combo.
Then, without warning, he split. From one to two, then two to four, and four to eight.
Within seconds, an entire army of identical clones stood across the street, each holding the same weapons and staring silently at the stunned White Fang attackers.
The clones charged at once.
Panic spread instantly through the enemy ranks.
Moments earlier they had been confident, attacking civilians and firing their weapons freely across the city streets. Now they were facing an overwhelming force they couldn't possibly fight back against.
Blades swung wildly. Gunfire erupted again.
None of it mattered.
The clones moved through them like a storm.
One White Fang member tried to fire his rifle, only for a clone to cut the weapon in half before driving a kick into his legs, knocking him down. Then he drove his foot into their head, pressing the masked faunu's head against the wall and crushing his head and skull.
Another raised a blade to defend himself, but three clones struck at once, overwhelming his guard and cutting him into pieces instantly.
Some tried to run, only to get electrocuted before being sliced in two from the waist.
None of them made it out.
The once chaotic street quickly turned silent again as the final attackers were struck down one by one.
When the last clone disappeared, only one figure remained standing.
Tsutsumi walked forward slowly through the aftermath.
The street had become completely still.
Bodies lay scattered across the pavement, the ground stained dark with blood. Broken weapons and shattered masks littered the area where the White Fang attackers had fallen.
The once busy road was now empty.
Only the quiet sound of Tsutsumi's footsteps echoed through the street as he continued walking forward.
Blood dripped slowly from his hands onto the pavement beneath him.