Tenka POV
Current Location: Tama River Passage, Japan
Letting out a small yawn as I teleported directly into the yard of a massive mansion. I scanned the surroundings and, at first glance, it seemed no one was outside.
Well, that was what I thought until I spotted a young girl opening the door with a knowing smirk. I smiled and shook my head before walking toward her.
"Yo," the girl greeted me with a cheeky grin. "Still quite irresistible as ever, Tenka."
"Well, I'm honored by your flattery, Tobera-san," I chuckled, pulling out a box of chocolates with a brand name not written in Japanese. "Here, have this as my present~"
They were from Switzerland, and I knew she'd love them. She wasn't particularly picky about sweets, as long as they pleased her palate.
"Don't mind if I do." She laughed, promptly snatching the box from my hands and opening it. Without hesitation, she tossed a piece into her mouth.
She chewed slowly, her face melting into the expression of someone tasting pure bliss.
"This… is… really… delicious," she said in a slow, satisfied tone while I watched in amusement.
I might have said she looked cute at that moment if she isn't easily more than thrice my age.
Appearances truly can be deceiving for those who don't know any better.
"Is Yachiho inside?" I asked.
"Mhm? My granddaughter? Yes, she is," Tobera said, still chewing like a squirrel. "She's working out right now."
As we stepped inside the mansion, Tobera-san and I started chatting along the way about ordinary, everyday things, along with matters related to Mato and our unit.
As the the current head of the Azuma Family and former Supreme Commander herself, she would often, albeit begrudgingly, admit that she saw nothing particularly wrong with the Defense Force under Ren's leadership.
She was still super bitter about being replaced by the current Supreme Commander, though.
"I'm not going to worry about that right now," Tobera said, nodding to herself. "We Azumas will take over the Defense Force like we once did! Just you wait! Muahahahahahahahah!"
"I wish you good luck," I chuckled, covering my mouth with my hand.
The Azumas, Kyou-chin, Mira, and others whose goals I might not even know… they were all hungry for that position, each driven by their own motives.
Luckily, I didn't share that ambition. I'd much rather remain where I am, leading my unit.
Still, stepping through its doors always reminded me of just how vast it was. Even after visiting the Azuma Estate countless times, its sheer size still amazed me. The hallways stretched endlessly, and we were only on the first floor.
"Quite peaceful in here," I commented in an easygoing voice.
Tobera-san scratched her neck at the remark.
"Well, Fubuki and the other brats are on duty, so of course it's dead quiet," she replied in a bored tone, placing both hands behind her head. "Not that I mind. An old-timer like me needs some peace and quiet now and then, without the young'uns popping in."
Her bored expression vanished the moment we stopped in front of the door to their home gym. She lifted her right foot and kicked it open without the slightest concern for who she might disturb.
"Yachiho, I've brought your chief here!!!!" Tobera-san called out while raising her voice.
I glanced around the room.
No one.
The place was completely empty.
"I could've sworn she was here earlier." Tobera-san scratched her head.
"If she's not here…" I murmured, pressing a finger to my lips.
Knowing Yachiho, only one place came to mind where she'd be after a workout.
"Well, you go find my granddaughter. Tenka," Tobera-san shrugged. "I'm heading outside to tend to the flowers."
Tend to them?
More like drain them, but never mind that.
After that, Tobera-san and I went our separate ways. She waved me off, telling me to make myself at home and do whatever I pleased within the mansion
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Descending the staircase, I began to hear gunshots. Each step downward made the sound sharper, louder, echoing through the concrete like a warning drumbeat.
"Bingo," I murmured to the empty air.
Looks like my dear Vice Chief really was in her nest.
Aside from her room, where she would usually linger and stare at the picture of her younger sister, this was the other place she came to cool her head.
Reaching the underground floor, I made my way toward the shooting range. Along the corridor, the displays lining both sides greeted me.
Guns.
Lots of guns.
Rows upon rows of them.
Handguns, rifles, shotguns, even an RPG rested inside the Azuma Estate's armory, most of them owned by Yachiho and entrusted to her care.
Arriving at the spot, I saw her holding a shotgun, firing at a large target resembling a Shuuki down the range.
Without noticing me, Yachiho opened the action and carefully checked the chamber. Satisfied that it was clean, she loaded a shotgun shell before pushing the action closed.
She then flipped the gun upside down, feeding additional ammunition into the magazine tube with practiced ease.
Returning to her task, she resumed shooting while I sat off to the side, quietly watching her work.
For a girl capable of temporarily manipulating time, she certainly had a knack for handling dangerous situations without relying on her abilities.
Right after she finished, she drew a deep breath and set the shotgun down. Stretching her hand slightly, she smiled.
"Well, that felt good!" Yachiho said in a relaxed tone, licking her lips. "Next, time to test that new Glock 34 and the M9—"
"Yahallo, Yachiho~"
I breathed the greeting into her ear with a teasing smile, catching her off guard.
Yachiho's spine tingled. She turned around, then let out a soft sigh of relief when she saw it was only me.
"You scared me, Chief," she said, then quickly shifted to a puzzled tone. "Though, why are you here so early? Weren't you supposed to arrive later?"
"Yup."
I was supposed to pick her up tonight, but my schedule cleared up. I'd invited Kyou-chin to eat at the cafe we talked about. Unfortunately, she's occupied cause a temporary gate appeared near her.
With nothing else demanding my time, I decided to drop by and hang out at the Azuma Estate today.
"Can I borrow one?" I asked, pointing at the selection of pistols.
Yachiho nodded and gave me a thumbs-up.
"Of course! You can even use the machine guns if you want!" she said, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
I let out a wry smile. I appreciated the offer, but I'd much rather stick to handguns.
I picked one that suited my taste and loaded it.
Time slipped by unnoticed as I joined Yachiho in shooting practice. Before we knew it, late afternoon had arrived.
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After a not so quiet dinner with the Azuma Head, I returned to our dorm in Mato without any problems whatsoever.
Immediately after Yachiho and I separated to head to our respective rooms, I felt something vibrate in my pocket.
Picking up my phone, I stared at the caller ID for a brief moment before pressing the answer button.
"You called out of nowhere, Kyou-chin," I said in a familiar voice while raising the phone to my ear.
["Sorry to bother you at this hour."]
"It's no biggie," I assured her, taking a seat at my work table. "Though, is there something wrong for you to call me?"
["Well, I don't know where to start this talk."] Her confused tone showed clearly through the phone. ["Let's just say this isn't going to be a short one."]
Now I was really curious about what she wanted to say for her to sound this way.
"Don't make me wait—just spill it already~~"
["I'll get to that,"] she reassured me. ["Remember that I told you I was going to guard a gate earlier?"]
"Yes, you did mention that."
["Yeah while I was doing that—"]
....
.....
.....
....
...
She was right.
it wasn't going to be a short conversation.
By the time Kyou-chin was halfway through her story, I was already lying on my bed, one arm tucked beneath my head as I listened to her recount everything that had transpired.
So I was right.
The Kamen Rider was the unknown individual who had been moving around Mato, eliminating Shuuki beyond our sight.
But the most interesting part wasn't the fighting.
It wasn't even the fact that he had helped Kyou-chin's unit.
No, it was the absurd confidence with which he declared his goal to them. There wasn't a trace of hesitation. Not a shred of shame. If I had been in Kyou-chin's shoes at that moment, I would have reacted exactly the same way she did.
Speechless.
And yet…
A smile slowly crept onto my lips as I listened to her repeat his words.
So my curiosity about you wasn't in vain after all.
If anything, it only grew stronger now that I know what kind of person you are.
A somewhat naive, idealistic guy who just wants to save people—no matter the cost to himself.
Ending the call with Kyou-chin, I set my phone down and stared at the ceiling before closing my eyes.
Someday, I might be able to meet you.
And when that time comes,
I might not be able to let you go until I satisfy my curiosity, Kamen Rider.
Especially to discover who hides behind that mask of yours.