"The Gashacon Magnum. It has pistol and rifle modes, and you can automatically switch between the two modes by pressing the button on it. It also has a Finishing Move slot for use with the Gashat."
Dan Kuroto's simple introduction was as straightforward as mentioning half-price potato chips at the supermarket next door, but it only made the listener more confused. Serika blinked blankly. "Eh? A Magnum... Finishing Move?"
"Yeah... you can't use that function without a Gashat," Dan Kuroto added. "So just think of it as a transforming gun that doesn't need reloading."
"This sounds more and more fantastical..." Serika examined the weapon in her hand. The weapon, called the Gashacon Magnum, looked like a toy. Holding it, Serika wondered if it was just a plastic toy the adult in front of her was using to fool her.
But since it was an adult whom Shiroko had introduced so earnestly, Serika felt a little expectant.
She raised the gun and aimed at the sand dune ahead.
"Let me fire one..."
Boom!
Serika pulled the trigger.
A jolt, even lower than she expected, followed by a bullet of concentrated energy that shot straight out of the muzzle and struck the sand dune ahead. Upon impact, the dune swelled slightly before exploding with a deafening roar, scattering sand everywhere.
"Huh? It really fires?" Serika could hardly believe her eyes. "And the power is incredible!"
"In pistol mode, the Magnum fires energy bullets that explode inside the target. It was originally designed to deal with a different kind of enemy, so its power is naturally greater." Dan Kuroto reached out, took the Magnum from the dazed cat's hand, and pressed the mode switch button.
'Rifle mode!'
The previously folded rifle instantly popped outward, extending further to transform into a more powerful rifle mode. The sniper scope above also activated. Dan Kuroto raised the rifle and fired another shot at the distant sand dune.
'Boom—!!'
The force, like being hit by an RPG rocket, stunned the three girls beside him, as well as the girl on the other end of the drone.
"In rifle mode, although you can't fire in bursts, the weapon's power and range have been significantly improved."
Shoving the Magnum into Serika's hand, Dan Kuroto said smugly. "You think what I'm holding is anything ordinary? How naive!"
"Envious... I want one too."
Shiroko's eyes were filled with obvious envy, her gaze fixed on Serika's Gashacon Magnum. Influenced by a series of events, Shiroko had also begun to crave greater power.
Serika began trying to master this amazing weapon, while Shiroko and Hanemi took the time to resupply and rest. Dan Kuroto, meanwhile, began preparations to head toward the center of the desert.
"Hmm... these helicopters and armored vehicles... seem to be able to connect to each other."
Dan Kuroto was inspecting a fully functional armored vehicle. These robot-driven vehicles appeared to have built-in intelligent control programs, and Dan Kuroto was trying to hack into them using the Bugster virus to remotely control them for fire support.
"These programs are really strange... tsk..."
Dan Kuroto released a portion of the virus, attempting to hack into the tank's control program. Ordinary armored vehicles certainly wouldn't have such a program setting that allows direct control upon hacking, but 80% of Kivotos's residents are intelligent robots.
For the robots' own convenience, direct intelligent ports were naturally provided, allowing them to control the entire vehicle directly using their own programs once they were on board.
And this gave Dan Kuroto the opportunity to manipulate things.
"Very good, so that's how the program works... I completely understand the control method."
Dan Kuroto smiled easily. He had fully grasped the vehicle control program before him. Next, he just needed to apply his experience to control all the vehicles and helicopters single-handedly.
Beep beep beep—
The armored vehicles and tanks under Dan Kuroto's complete control automatically lit up and assembled into formation at his command. He also readily accepted the small combat drones that had not yet been activated.
The armed helicopter squadron spread out in perfect formation around him, providing cover. These dozens of armored vehicles that had miraculously survived Dan Kuroto's mopping-up operation now became perfect reinforcements for everyone.
"What amazing skills, Mr. Dan Kuroto..."
Ayane's voice was filled with amazement. Ayane felt only admiration for Dan Kuroto's ability to single-handedly create an army; it was a powerful method she could never achieve.
"To control such a large armored combat force, even just moving it with one person's calculations, is already quite remarkable. To be able to control each vehicle so perfectly is simply unimaginable."
"Hahaha~ Of course, don't you know who I am?"
Dan Kuroto smiled smugly as a Hind helicopter smoothly landed in front of him. This commotion naturally drew the attention of the others nearby.
"Let's take this and head to the center of the desert."
"Another method we can't understand at all..."
Shiroko was used to Dan Kuroto's frequent acts of defying common sense. The Bugster Hanemi could also do similar things after training, except that her 'bandwidth' was definitely inferior to Dan Kuroto's without any enhancements.
"This... this... this..."
The most shocked person was undoubtedly Serika, who had just witnessed Dan Kuroto's methods.
She stammered for a long time, unable to utter a coherent sentence.
Leaving aside the fact that the countermeasures committee had no opportunity to use such luxurious support as a helicopter, the fact that this helicopter could automatically fly over without anyone in the cockpit was enough to leave Serika speechless.
"Alright, don't be surprised. You'll be surprised later. Go inside and wait."
Dan Kuroto stood at the cabin door, letting his sleeves flutter in the wind whipped up by the helicopter's rotors. He could sense that someone who could not be ignored was using all their strength to rush toward them.
"Hmm... so it was you."
Dan Kuroto felt a sense of unease.
Why had he been reborn into a world completely different from his previous one?
'Was it a miracle summoned by a sufficiently devout prayer that broke down the barrier between worlds?'
Watching the approaching figure, Dan Kuroto understood at a glance that his arrival in this world was directly related to the battered man before him.
No words were needed; Dan Kuroto and the man naturally established a connection, as if they had always known each other.
[Mr. Dan Kuroto... I'm so sorry to have come to see you looking like this.]
"It's alright. So, you're the one who summoned me to this world?"
Dan Kuroto looked at him with considerable interest. "Your abilities are quite powerful; otherwise, you couldn't have accomplished such miracle."
"You flatter me, Mr. Dan Kuroto." He seemed quite embarrassed. "I've seen you on TV for a long time. You look incredibly cool as a Kamen Rider. Unfortunately, my power is still too weak. Besides having the title 'Sensei,' I haven't saved anyone..."
A flicker of sadness crossed his eyes.
"In fact, I failed right from the start."
"Hmph~" Dan Kuroto snorted knowingly. "Looks like you're not from this world either."
"At first, I was just a passerby outside of Kivotos." He forced a smile, but the pain throughout his body forced him to abandon the idea. "But I gradually became drawn to these children."
"I wanted to try to save them, but as you can see, I... failed."
[Reality... is completely different from the game...]
He shed tears of regret, for his recklessness, for the misery of everyone, but not for coming to Kivotos.
"I see." Dan Kuroto stepped closer, meeting his gaze. "So, you found me."
[Yes... if anyone could change all of this, the first person that comes to mind is the dark genius, Dan Kuroto.]
He appears to have expectations of Dan Kuroto, hoping the man before him could reverse this tragedy. It was his understanding of his own powerlessness and his initial recklessness that led to this outcome, that caused his students to show such sorrow.
Therefore, he entrusted his 'hope' to that prayer. And this prayer, transcending dimensional limitations, brought that unknown ''code" into Kivotos. And this power, without a doubt, will derail the trajectory of fate.
"Hmph, I know your resolve. You're exactly like those doctors at the CR Center."
Dan Kuroto looked down at him. "Unfortunately, you're not the 'protagonist.'"
[...]
"However, for showing me this whole new world, you deserve my gratitude in some way."
Dan Kuroto raised his chin. "Do you need me to heal your body?"
[The "mystery" will interfere with any treatment I receive, but I've found a way.] He nodded slightly. [The shackles of the "Seven Laws" have descended upon me; I can no longer interfere with the world's course. Only a powerful being like you, capable of breaking through everything, can reverse this situation. And this experience will surely be useful next time.]
[But now, please give me the strength to walk alongside you.]
He raised his eyes, looking at the dark god.
[Virus or data, whatever can help me stand...]
[I just apologize to Hoshino.]