Kenji's trip down memory lane ended there. He'd spent a long time mastering the quirks of his unique situation. Carrying a different belt every day would have been a logistical nightmare, but luckily, they were remarkably sentient. Inheriting a trait similar to Kamen Rider Kuuga's Arcle, the belts usually remained in a state of phase-displacement—invisible and intangible. When Kenji willed a transformation, they materialized instantly on his waist. This meant no villain could ever just snatch his belt and leave him helpless. The transformation devices themselves, however, were another story. Kenji hadn't exactly mastered telekinesis yet.
Because of this, the Kabuto Zecter had a major advantage. It might look small and sleek, but if you actually pissed that mechanical beetle off, it could punch a hole through a human torso before a doctor like Houjou Emu could even reach for a scalpel. It was easily the most aggressive transformation device in his arsenal.
"Kenji? You're still here?"
Zhu Yuan's voice pulled him out of his thoughts. He turned to see the officer walking toward him. A spike of pure panic shot through his chest. In his daze, he had wandered out of the bathroom and into the hallway—still clutching the Kabuto Zecter. This thing could not be seen in the light of day. Police officers had a sixth sense for the unusual, and if Zhu Yuan caught a glimpse of this high-tech beetle now, she'd put two and two together the moment a masked Rider showed up on Sixth Street.
Desperate, Kenji looked for an exit strategy. There was a wall in front of him and Zhu Yuan to his side; he couldn't just chuck it. With no other choice, he gritted his teeth, yanked forward the waistband of his athletic pants, and shoved the Zecter straight into his crotch.
Talk about "Hiding Thunder."
"Hello, Officer Zhu Yuan," Kenji said, his expression as stiff as a board.
He cursed his timing. Why did he have to do a "memory kill" flashback inside the PSB? That was supposed to be reserved for the final boss fight.
"You look terrible. Are you sick? Should I take you to the infirmary?"
Zhu Yuan looked genuinely concerned. Kenji was her new junior, a future comrade-in-arms. She reached out to check his temperature, but her tactical gloves made it impossible to feel anything.
"I'm fine! Just... low blood pressure. It happens. Ha... ha..."
Kenji practically jumped backward. This woman was dangerous. She clearly didn't realize how misleading her concerned tone and proximity could be. Kenji reminded himself of the golden rule: Women only slow down your Henshin speed. He wasn't about to fall for the classic "she likes me" delusion.
"If you're sure you're okay, then—"
Zhu Yuan stopped mid-sentence. Her eyes drifted downward, drawn by a sudden, frantic movement. There was a very prominent, very active bulge in the front of Kenji's sweatpants. It was shifting and twitching as if something alive was trying to claw its way out.
Kenji followed her gaze and felt his soul leave his body. The Zecter clearly hated the dark, cramped environment and was desperately burrowing for the light.
"Zhu Yuan, I can explain—"
Before he could utter a single lie, the Kabuto Zecter forced its way partially out of his waistband. A sharp, red metallic horn poked out into the open air. From an outsider's perspective, the visual was... indescribable.
"AAAH!"
Zhu Yuan let out a rare, sharp scream. Before Kenji could blink, her reflexes took over. Her body moved faster than her brain—a high-leg kick fueled by pure adrenaline. Her blue tactical boot blurred toward his head. Kenji had just enough time to catch a glimpse of the tension in her uniform before the world went black.
Kenji woke up staring at a sterile, white ceiling. The sharp scent of disinfectant stung his nose. His head throbbed with the force of a thousand hammers; he'd been kicked, then presumably had a very close encounter with a concrete wall. It was a miracle he was awake at all. He owed it to his "Legendary Tank" constitution. Anyone else would have been in a coma for a week.
High durability was a passive skill for every Kamen Rider. When you regularly trade blows with monsters that can punch with the force of fifty tons, your human form tends to get a bit "sturdy." If he weren't this tough, that kick would have turned him into a permanent fixture of the hallway wall.
"Kenji, you're awake! How do you feel?"
Zhu Yuan was perched on a stool next to the bed, leaning forward with intense worry. Qingyi had visited earlier and left her with a parting thought that was currently haunting her: 'Little Zhu Yuan, if you paralyzed him, you'll have to take care of him for the rest of his life. Congratulations on the new husband.'
It was a classic Qingyi tease, but it had terrified the earnest Zhu Yuan. Her body always acted before her mind—a trait that made her a legendary officer but a bit of a loose cannon in polite society.
"I saw my grandmother," Kenji muttered deliriously. "She was waving at me from across a river."
"Don't go toward the light!"
Zhu Yuan grabbed his hand, squeezing it tight. Even through her gloves, Kenji could feel the soft pressure of her grip. He decided that maybe, just maybe, getting kicked into a coma wasn't a total loss.
After a few minutes, Kenji managed to sit up. His color returned, and Zhu Yuan finally exhaled.
"I am so, so sorry. I thought... I thought you were being a pervert. I reacted without thinking. Please, forgive me."
Zhu Yuan stood and delivered a sharp, ninety-degree bow. Given her figure and the cut of her uniform, the gesture was—unintentionally—more distracting than the apology itself.
"Showing the chest when apologizing... common sense, I guess," Kenji whispered to himself.
"What was that?" Zhu Yuan looked up, confused.
"I said I forgive you!" Kenji said quickly, patting his own head to check for cracks. "See? I told you I was durable. My survival stats are maxed out."
"You... you're really not going to sue? I've already prepared my bank card for the medical bills and compensation."
Zhu Yuan was stunned. If Kenji filed a report, her "Best Young Officer" title would be stripped instantly. She didn't care about the trophy, but she felt she owed him everything for her blunder.
"It's not that serious," Kenji said, waving her off. "Mistakes were made on both sides. I shouldn't have been... uh... hiding strange things in my pants."
Painful as it was, the incident had broken the ice. They were no longer just "Officer and Recruit"; they were now "The Woman Who Kicked the Tank." It was a bond, in a weird way.
"So, what was that thing?" Zhu Yuan asked, her brow furrowing. "It scurried away the moment I brought you to the clinic. It was so fast."
"Oh, that? It was a kitten," Kenji lied, the words falling out of his mouth with practiced ease. "Found it in the bathroom, looked lost. I was trying to carry it out, but it crawled into my clothes right as you walked up."
"A red, metallic-looking... cat?"
Zhu Yuan blinked. Well, New Eridu had weirder things. People lost exotic pets all the time. She let out a long sigh of relief. "I see. I really did misunderstand."
"It's getting late," Kenji said, swinging his legs off the bed. "I should head home. See you tomorrow, Officer."
"Wait!" Zhu Yuan caught his arm. She pulled out her personal phone—not her PSB radio. "Let's exchange contact info. The doctor said you're fine, but just in case you feel dizzy or... worse, later tonight. My phone is on twenty-four hours a day. Please, don't hesitate."
The little version of Kenji in his mind struck a triumphant "Yada-ze!" pose. Zhu Yuan was exactly as he'd predicted: upright, kind, and incredibly easy to read.
"Call me Zhu Yuan when we're off the clock," she added with a warm smile as the numbers synced. "We're the same age, after all. No need for all the formalities."
"Sure thing, Zhu Yuan. Next time, coffee's on me at the shop downstairs from my place."
It was a low-stakes invitation, an inconspicuous "flag" planted for the future.
"Let me drive you home," she suggested, clearly still feeling guilty.
"I've got my own ride," Kenji said.
Zhu Yuan walked him out to the PSB parking lot and watched as he hopped onto a sleek black motorcycle. He pulled on his helmet, gave a casual wave, and roared off into the New Eridu traffic. The "Best Young Officer" watched him go, a small, pensive smile tugging at her lips before she turned back to the station.