"Get the suitable candidate for Sasword Zecter ready as soon as possible, too," Riku added.
"Yes, sir." Masato respectfully stepped out.
ZECT had developed many Rider Systems up to this point, but they constantly struggled to find appropriate suitable candidates. This was because the Zecters selected their candidates based entirely on their own will. When they couldn't find suitable people within the organization, they were forced to look towards civilians outside.
The Drake Zecter, for instance, had chosen a makeup artist named Daisuke Kazama out of the masses.
It was truly ridiculous. The Rider Systems were developed by ZECT, yet in the end, apart from TheBee, most of the other Zecters chose candidates from outside the organization. Moreover, these individuals almost all possessed the kind of personality that resisted joining ZECT and being restricted.
…
Meanwhile, after taking Tendo and Yaguruma to the hospital, Arata Kagami sank into confusion. He had believed So Yaguruma could be a replacement for Soji Tendo, but he never expected Yaguruma to fall so far short.
Around this time, Tendo's younger sister, Jyuka Tendo, and Hiyori Kusakabe also rushed to the hospital after hearing the news.
"Is my brother alright?" Jyuka asked, looking at Kagami, who was sitting outside the room with a somber expression.
Kagami gave her a helpless look.
The two then entered the room one after the other.
They found Tendo, who was supposed to be undergoing a medical examination, instead diagnosing the doctor. He appeared to be in good health.
"You have too much stress, which is why your stomach is acting up," Tendo told the female doctor. "Try to live life a little easier from now on."
It could only be described as something only a true "King of Pride" would do: turning the tables and taking the lead even in the hospital.
Seeing this, Jyuka was relieved. Her brother was still her brother. Hiyori, meanwhile, simply rolled her eyes. The man was still so unbearably arrogant.
Kagami was feeling exactly the same. He stood up and walked to the doorway, giving Tendo a speechless look. He had been worried the man might have died, only for him to pull this stunt in the hospital.
"Oh, the check-up is already finished." Tendo walked over.
"Idiot, they were supposed to be examining you," Kagami retorted.
"I have no problems whatsoever," Tendo said casually. "You're making a mountain out of a molehill."
This immediately annoyed Kagami, but before he could speak, Jyuka chastised Tendo first: "Onii-chan, how can you say that? Who else would worry about you like Kagami-nii?"
Hearing his sister speak up, the doting brother Tendo immediately softened.
"Alright, fine. For Kagami's sake, I'll stay the night then."
Kagami smiled with relief at this.
At this, Tendo continued, "Hiyori, go get some midnight snacks."
"Why me?" Hiyori grumbled, though she voiced her dissatisfaction.
"Kagami, you go buy the ingredients." Tendo started his self-centered commanding of those around him once more.
"Eh? Why me?" Kagami looked at Tendo, completely bewildered.
"Yes! Curry! I want curry!" Jyuka bounced up excitedly upon hearing this.
In the end, Kagami had no choice but to comply. He had no idea why he'd agreed.
…
In the outside world, due to the loss of two Riders in quick succession, ZECT's Worm-fighting forces, the ZECTrooper, appeared increasingly powerless, retreating almost at every turn. The remaining members of the Shadow Squad, having lost So Yaguruma as their pillar, were also facing a major crisis.
"This can't go on," Shuichi Tadokoro said with deep worry upon seeing the situation.
TheBee's Rider Bracelet had been stolen, and its suitable candidate, So Yaguruma, was hospitalized. Even Kabuto, the uncontrollable force fighting the Worms, was gone. Relying solely on the ZECTroopers, they were completely defenseless against the Worms, who were easily achieving their full-grown forms.
"We definitely need the power of the Riders," Yuzuki Misaki said, standing on-site and witnessing a squad of ZECTroopers completely wiped out in the distance. She spoke with a heart full of dread.
Yet, they had already lost TheBee as a fighting force, and Kabuto had supposedly been eliminated by TheBee.
At that moment, Raven, carrying two bags of groceries he had just bought, walked over from the distance. He saw the scene unfold.
"It's her."
The last time he met this woman, he had used Time Stop to remove her underwear. He momentarily regretted just discarding the underwear… maybe he could have used it as leverage.
Seeing Yuzuki Misaki hiding alone nearby while the ZECT squad was nearly annihilated, Raven deliberately walked over.
"You are…?" Misaki was startled, but quickly recovered and said, "This place is dangerous! Leave quickly!"
She assumed Raven was just an ordinary civilian.
But then, several Worms in their un-molted Larva state, having finished off a squad of ZECTroopers, noticed Misaki's position. They quickly surrounded her.
"This is bad!"
Misaki hadn't expected this. She grabbed her weapon and frantically fired at the encroaching Larva Worms.
Bang! Bang!
"Run away quickly!" Misaki shouted at Raven, who was still standing there in a daze.
What was wrong with this man? Why was he so indifferent to the situation?
Just as several Larva Worms rushed at him, Raven casually handed his two bags of groceries to Misaki.
"Hold these for me."
She was utterly baffled, but her hands instinctively took the bags.
She then watched Raven walk towards the Worms.
"Are you crazy?!" Misaki yelled from behind. She thought, What a shame for such a handsome man.
It was too late to stop him now. She closed her eyes, unable to watch.
"Annoying bugs."
Raven looked disdainfully at the Larva Worms.
He instantly threw out a vicious roundhouse kick. The powerful, inhuman force immediately sent one Worm flying, smashing it hard against the barrier behind it.
In less than a few seconds, all the un-molted Larva Worms were knocked down. They exploded one after another.
Misaki, who had opened her eyes upon hearing the commotion, was dumbfounded.
"Wha… what just happened?"
The Larva Worms, which ZECTroopers struggled to eliminate even with heavy firepower, had been destroyed by this person using only his bare hands?
"So strong…"
"Misaki, what's going on over there? Retreat immediately!" Shuichi, directing remotely, saw that the red dot representing Misaki on the screen map was still stationary. He shouted in concern.
After all, the ZECTroopers marked on the map had been completely wiped out.