Higashi-Ikebukuro Central Park.
Rikuo and Tanaka Ninosuke found a bench and sat down, preparing to discuss the specifics.
"Magneto Kai, do you have any clues about what's been targeting you?"
"I don't have specific clues, but it seems to appear only at certain times. Roughly from 5 PM at dusk until around 4 AM in the morning."
"So, you're saying it doesn't appear during the Ouma ga toki, but rather appears during the Ouma ga toki at dusk and disappears during the Ouma ga toki at dawn?"
"It's probably similar to what you said, but why hasn't it attacked?"
"I suspect there are two reasons."
"First, even if an Anomaly is powerful, it must follow established rules and its inherent characteristics. For example, the Corporate Slave Ghost I encountered targeted people like me who often work part-time. As for Slit-Mouthed Woman, she seeks out those she considers beautiful. Although Mutsumi had cards on her, Slit-Mouthed Woman first sought out Soyo. Mutsumi's appearance is more delicate and cute, but Soyo among everyone present best embodies the word 'beauty.'"
"Secondly, Anomalies cannot freely enter and exit 'doors.' Doors represent private territory, which is inviolable under divine blessings. This rule might not be very useful for humans, but as mentioned in the first point, Anomalies must follow established rules. This also explains why there are so many Earthbound Spirits and various pen-spirit and ouija-board rituals in Japanese mythology."
Rikuo felt he had found the correct answer, because if Anomalies could truly move freely, the people of Japan would have long been extinct. Normal methods simply cannot seal Anomalies; all they can do is repel them. Although the Anomalies might have only appeared recently...
'It's an Undead card, an Anomaly activated by it. So, did it only appear after that explosion? Or was it my father's death?'
Rikuo still couldn't determine the exact time the Anomaly appeared. But what he could do now was to seal it as quickly as possible to minimize the impact of the Anomaly.
"After I met you, I really haven't gone out much. If your analysis is correct, then I truly narrowly escaped death."
"So, let me have the Undead card. The things involved with this power are too complex; it's too dangerous for an ordinary person to hold."
"Alright, Kamen Rider-san. I heard about your battle with the Anomaly yesterday. I believe this Undead card can only unleash its true potential in your hands."
Rikuo looked at Tanaka Ninosuke, whose attitude was completely different from last time, and showed his characteristic half-smile.
"Not running this time, Magneto Kai?"
"Not running, not running. I don't want to harm my family and friends because of my chuunibyou."
"That's more like a man. Even if you ran this time, I'm confident I could catch you within 3 seconds. This time, I have no worries."
Rikuo had made second-hand preparations this time. Bringing Tanaka Ninosuke to Higashi-Ikebukuro Central Park was to prevent him from using the power of the 8 of Spades (Allows temporary control over magnetism) to escape immediately without regard. This time, he could easily catch up with the 9 of Spades (Enhances speed), and the trees in the park could also prevent his identity from being exposed.
Of course, if the other party had run away the first time they met at RiNG, not to mention the speed of the 9 of Spades, his sister was still by Rikuo's side.
"Please be lenient, Kamen Rider wouldn't casually attack ordinary people, would he?"
"Of course. We'll first deal with the Anomaly that's bothering you to prevent it from relentlessly pursuing. Although I suspect you might have encountered two different Anomalies, the first one has already been dealt with by me."
Rikuo believed that since Slit-Mouthed Woman appeared in Higashi-Ikebukuro Central Park, this should be her territory, which is why she targeted Tanaka Ninosuke, who had had contact with Rikuo. The second one must have come looking after Slit-Mouthed Woman left.
"As expected of Kamen Rider. Then I'll follow your arrangements."
The two then sat down calmly and did not chat anymore.
Rikuo saw Soyo sending a message asking about the situation, so he replied with an emoji indicating it was resolved.
'Now, we just wait for the Anomaly to come to us. An Anomaly that even Slit-Mouthed Woman could suppress, is probably only around a suit 5. A 6 means its attribute ability won't be weak, and a 7 means Slit-Mouthed Woman couldn't even break its defense.'
Rikuo was thinking about how to quickly defeat his opponent with his current deck. After all, even in a battle with a high probability of overwhelming victory, letting the opponent escape would cause a lot of trouble.
"Oh, right, Magneto Kai. There's one more thing to note: you need to go back and inform the people you know not to touch anything related to the supernatural. This is very likely no longer just a simple game."
"Alright, Kamen Rider. But why do you keep calling me Magneto Kai? Didn't I tell you my name? I only call you Kamen Rider because I don't know your name!"
"It's fine, I'm used to it. My name is Kamiyama Rikuo. As for your name, it sounds too much like a background character, and I feel it would lower my coolness."
"...Is it okay for you to say that to my face?"
...
"Konnichi, Nyamu Nyamu! Hello everyone in the live stream! Today, Nyamuchi-chan has come to Higashi-Ikebukuro Central Park. Does everyone in the live stream know where this is?"
Yuutenji Nyamu greeted the audience in her live stream with her classic opening. Seeing the number of viewers grow and the bullet comments start interacting with her.
"It seems everyone knows! This is where Kamen Rider-san appeared! Today, Nyamuchi-chan will take everyone on a tour here. Maybe we'll run into Kamen Rider? Just kidding!"
Actually, Nyamu didn't believe in any Kamen Rider, thinking he was probably just a streamer like her. Most likely, it was staged to create a hot topic, but who wouldn't want free traffic?
'I don't care if there's a Kamen Rider or not, my account's recent popularity has been declining, and my makeup videos aren't getting many views. If there really is a Kamen Rider, it would be great if he could bring me some traffic.'
For Yuutenji Nyamu, the internet was basically fake, after all, her persona was entirely built by herself bit by bit.
'But the one Kamen Rider defeated was Slit-Mouthed Woman, right? The Slit-Mouthed Woman from urban legends, right? It's better if such scary things don't happen near me. Although I want to earn a lot of money for my parents and my younger siblings, safety is still the most important thing.'
"There are so few people in the park today? Maybe because a terrifying Anomaly appeared yesterday? Nyamuchi-chan is so scared too! Can the family in the live stream send more bullet comments to encourage Nyamuchi-chan?"
Nyamu pretended to be scared, and as she saw more and more encouraging and worried bullet comments in the live stream, she was actually overjoyed.
"Wow! Nyamuchi-chan sees two boys sitting on a bench! Nyamuchi-chan is going to interact with them!"
Nyamu felt that her solo live stream was still too unappealing. Seeing people in the park, she wanted to create some show effect casually.
"Run away? Everyone, don't worry! Nyamuchi-chan is already on her way! Huh? Watch out behind you? What is everyone in the live stream saying? Don't spam! What do you mean something scary is approaching from behind?"
Because Nyamu was holding a selfie stick, she couldn't clearly see her entire phone screen. But the audience in the live stream could see an Anomaly emitting black aura rushing towards her from behind.
Nyamu saw all the bullet comments telling her to run, and she also started to feel uneasy. She turned around and saw an Anomaly over 3 meters tall, with abnormally long legs and proportions distorted to an absurd degree. Its knees were higher than a normal person's waist, its shin bones were like bamboo segments forcibly stretched, and joint after joint protruded under its pale skin, bending unnaturally like an insect's limbs.
"Ah, don't come any closer!"
Yuutenji Nyamu's Kumamoto-accented scream echoed throughout Higashi-Ikebukuro Central Park.
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