Feeling and realizing that the creature they had been fighting was nowhere to be found, Mira released all her tension in a long exhale. She let herself drop to the ground, landing on her backside, her hands bracing her as she steadied her body.
The dust slowly began to clear. From within it, Hideo emerged, waving a hand through the air. He scanned the surroundings for any signs of life before finally lowering his guard. A slow smile spread across his face as he took in the calm silence enveloping them.
"Good riddance. The deed is done," he said with a beam, continuing forward before letting himself fall backward. He hit the ground with a soft thud, staring up at the faint light filtering through the upper reaches of the cavern.
Whether it was Mira pushing her clones without pause or Hideo fighting harder than usual, they were equally exhausted. From defending the gate to battling that stubborn wooden monstrosity, they had more than earned this rest.
"That really drained me," Mira muttered, letting out a shaky breath as she shifted into a more comfortable position. "A bath sounds incredibly tempting right now."
"You just said exactly what I was thinking," Hideo replied, rolling slightly onto his side. "Hey, after all that, we can at least say job well done."
"I guess," Mira said, closing her eyes briefly before opening them again to look at him. "Seeing you in action personally. I have to admit, you didn't disappoint."
"Right back at you, Chief. You're goddamn strong just like Chief Uzen," Hideo shot back, returning her compliment.
They lazily bumped their fists together, knuckles meeting without any real force. A couple of quiet chuckles followed before Mira let herself fall back, stretching out on the ground. She didn't care if she got dirty—her whole body was complaining, and at this point, she couldn't bring herself to care about anything else.
"That aside," she muttered flatly, staring up at the cavern ceiling, "Seriously, these past few weeks have only been one strange thing after another."
She let out a slow breath.
Not a single word she spoke was a lie, nor was there any exaggeration in her claim. Their side was on high alert with the emergence of these new species of Shuukis. These were not the rare Unique Shuuki they occasionally encountered, but something far more alarming, true humanoid Shuukis. One of the Units, and even Kyouka herself, had already faced one, and the encounter had been nothing short of harrowing.
Where once their primary duties revolved around guarding temporary gate openings and rescuing potential victims of Mato mishaps, those priorities were now beginning to shift in the present times.
"Those shitbags who call themselves the Thunder Gods WILL fall," Mira declared, raising her hands in a grasping motion. "The moment of reckoning will crash upon their doors with the full force of a cyclone."
"Can't say I blame you for thinking that," Hideo agreed, his thoughts moving in quiet sync with hers. "With the kind of first impression they've made, it's only natural you and the others would detest them."
No matter what you are, proclaiming the end of humanity and its civilization is bound to provoke defiance and hatred. Whether you present yourself as a divine being or something else entirely, that kind of declaration will always invite resistance.
"Not related, but I just want to ask something," Hideo remarked, casually shifting his toes. "About Chief Yakum— I mean, Chief Ezo."
"Mhm? What brought this up?" Mira arched an eyebrow.
"Nothing major. It's just that when we met before, she said some… for lack of a better term, unique things," Hideo replied, doing his best to keep his tone dry.
"..."
"Uh, Chief? Are you still there?"
At that, Mira's expression shifted as if she had just seen a ghost. She began massaging her forehead, whispering something under her breath that Hideo couldn't quite make out. He could only offer a wry smile at her reaction.
"I don't know what that girl said behind our backs, but on behalf of our dignity as an organization, we apologize for whatever she may have done to you," Mira blurted out in the most remorseful voice she could manage. "Did she grope you? Did she touch you somewhere inappropriate? If she did, tell me everything!!!"
"Woah, woah, Chief, calm down. She didn't touch me or anything," Hideo quickly said, trying to reassure her. "Well, aside from being curious about my suit, but really, she just said some pretty questionable things."
Right off the bat, they went back and forth on the topic, Mira visibly relaxing as the conversation went on. The weight on her shoulders seemed to lift. The way she described Yakumo, almost like a horror story, left Hideo unsure whether to laugh or feel sorry for her.
Mira went on to recount the many times she had been kissed on the cheek or groped. Kyouka, it seemed, was in the same situation, often falling victim to Yakumo's complete disregard for personal space, especially when it came to other women.
"I know I sound like a broken record, but believe me, that woman is a special case. Not every Chief has a loose screw…" Mira trailed off, unable to fully commit to the statement. "Okay, I take that back. Some of them might be a little unhinged, but being a full-blown pervert like Yakumo is a different matter entirely."
"Loud and clear. I'll keep that in mind when dealing with her next time," Hideo said, giving a casual thumbs-up. "Honestly, I can't even imagine what it would look like if she tried something like that with the Supreme Commander."
At that, even Mira couldn't hold back her laughter. She clutched her stomach, tapping the ground as if she had just heard the funniest joke of her life.
"Pal, she might be shameless, but there's no way she'd dare touch the Supreme Commander. Setting aside her position as our head, she could beat the hell out of Yakumo," Mira said with a snicker. "Don't get me wrong, Yakumo is incredibly strong. Even I'm not confident I could beat her in a fight to the death. But the Supreme Commander? She's the worst possible matchup for her. Honestly, for all of us Peach Users."
Mira pushed herself to her feet, stretching her arms as she took a slow, steady breath.
"Now that we're on the topic of the Supreme Commander, let me give you a heads-up," she said, glancing down at Hideo, who was still lying on the ground. "Whatever you do, be very careful about how you act around her if you ever meet her."
She paused for a moment, a thought crossing her mind.
She's coming back here… so that won't be far off now.
Hideo quickly got to his feet, dusting off his suit before looking at Mira in confusion, his whole posture practically demanding an explanation.
"I mean, it's obvious I'd be respectful," he said. "What's the worst that could happen? She seems pretty approachable to me."
"And that, my friend, is exactly why you shouldn't believe everything you see on TV." Mira could only offer a sympathetic look. Being close friends with Ren, she knew all too well how much of a ticking time bomb the Supreme Commander could be if not handled properly, especially with people she was meeting for the first time. She let out a quiet sigh. "...Kyouka's right. May God have mercy on you."
On top of that, Ren had taken a particular interest in the Kamen Rider. The fact that he was a man, not even a Peach User, yet had accomplished what he did in Yamanashi and within Mato, and even saved the members of the Third Unit, only added fuel to the fire of her curiosity.
"Well, it was nice talking with you, Kamen Rider. But I think it's time we get out of this hellhole," Mira said with a chuckle, flashing a toothy grin at Hideo.
"Same here. I had a good time too, Chief Kamiunten. Well, except for that part where we had to fight that woody thing and that gigantic plant," Hideo replied.
Raising her fist once more, Mira looked at him with a casual but genuine smile, silently offering the gesture.
"You may not be a member of the Defense Force, but I'm damn sure going to treat you like a comrade from now on," she declared. "Let's wipe out those bastards threatening innocent lives."
"Yeah," Hideo answered, smiling sincerely behind his mask.
Their fists met one last time, sealing a bond Hideo never expected.
========
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Looking down from one of the cavern's upper passages, the suspicious figure—visible only to Isadora—watched with quiet amusement. Despite everything, the being she had been working on had been treated kindly by those who wandered into the hidden cavern she tended.
"Jajajajaja… my experiment was a complete failure," the masked stranger cackled, clapping her hands. "But in exchange, I gained quite a lot from it."
She let out another hearty laugh before abruptly stopping, her demeanor shifting as she turned away.
"Shikoku-nee was right. These mortals cannot be underestimated," she thought, a faint chuckle escaping her lips as her gaze drifted back to Mira and Hideo chatting below. "What a shame my creation awakened prematurely. Otherwise, it would have given them a much harder time."
It had only been meant for research. At the same time, she had hoped to enhance and accelerate the awakening of her elder sister, Kuusetsu, who still rested within her egg, by feeding her the finest sustenance available.
It seemed they would have to follow the original plan to leave everything to Shikoku and Jouryuu to make use of those Halflings as nourishment for her awakening.
"This body is rather uncomfortable," she muttered, glancing back as she prepared to leave.
To her surprise, someone was already there.
A black-haired woman, wearing a mask much like her own, stood in her path, blocking the exit.
It was Isadora, tilting her head slightly as she wagged a finger.
"Wow, I didn't expect to get caught," the robed woman said, feigning panic as she raised both hands.
"I'll admit, you're a difficult one to track," Isadora replied coolly. "Not many could find you without an exceptional sense of smell or sight."
Neither of them moved. The tension in the air thickened as Isadora crossed her arms, standing her ground.
"Just tell me who you are and why you are here," she said, her voice carrying a quiet threat, devoid of patience for deception. "At the very least, I won't burn you alive if you answer that much."
The masked woman laughed again, light and playful. Isadora only narrowed her eyes, studying the figure before her. Something about her felt… weird. And then she saw it—an ominous, curse-like energy embedded deep within the woman's neck.
"Quite rude of me, Ms. Isadora," the masked woman said, placing a hand over her chest as she gave an elegant bow. "My name is Jaku'un. It's a pleasure to finally meet the woman Shikoku-nee speaks of so fondly."
"So you're someone close to that cunt, huh?" Isadora shot back, not bothering to filter her words. She wasn't surprised that this woman, Jaku'un, knew her name if she was connected to Shikoku.
"Why yes, of course I am close to my sister. We are siblings, after all," Jaku'un replied with a casual chuckle, not a trace of panic in her voice.
"So let me guess. You're one of the Thunder Gods?"
"Amazing. You figured it out already~"
"Anyone with a decent brain could guess that if they knew about the eight of you."
Isadora let out a quiet snicker at her own remark.
"Oh, right. Your other question. How impolite of me," Jaku'un continued, pulling out a small bottle filled with a green fluid. "I was merely testing something I created and poured it onto a dead tree and I want to check its results. I promise, it wasn't my intention to make that thing… or perhaps it was. Muhahahahaha!"
Her laughter rang out before abruptly cutting off. The tattoo on her neck began to glow, violet lightning crackling across her body.
"I'm afraid I don't have time to entertain you," Jaku'un jeered. "Until next time."
The masked figure burst into manic laughter before her body suddenly went limp, as if life itself had been severed. In the next instant, it ignited, burning from within. The charred remains collapsed in on themselves.
Isadora didn't flinch.
Without a word, she summoned an inferno in her palm and hurled it forward, reducing what remained into nothing but drifting ash.
"Wherever your real body is, expect the same fate as the vessel you used here," Isadora muttered with a snicker, having known from the very beginning that it was nothing more than a puppet.
With that, she cast the matter aside. There was no point lingering on it any longer.
In one swift motion, she leapt forward, making her way to reunite with Hideo and Mira.
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Author's Note:
So, I feel like shit because I've had a stomachache, so I'm not in the right mindset to write. Is this chapter atleast okay?
Fuck, maybe drinking one liter of cold chocolate drink in one sitting and eating a bunch of KitKat and Toblerone was a huge blunder.
Would I do it again if given the chance? HELL FUCKING YEAHH