"Where's my uncle?" Sougo asked. After arriving in 9-5 Do with Ora, he quickly realized something was off—only Gates and Tsukuyomi were home, casually eating instant noodles.
"He got dragged off by the four Den-O imagins to repair the Time Train," Gates grumbled.
After being spoiled by Sougo uncle's gourmet cooking, Gates found it difficult to stomach something as basic as instant noodles.
Ssshhhlrp~ Tsukuyomi slurped a large mouthful with a satisfied expression.
Gates sighed. "..."
"What's wrong?" Tsukuyomi looked puzzled at his annoyed stare.
Sougo blinked. "Wait... Did you say Den-O? That means Sougo is about to get the Super Den-O Ridewatch!"
"The Chou Den-O Ridewatch? What's that?" Gates asked.
Sougo paused, then held up his thumb and index finger with a tiny gap between them. "It's just a little bit more powerful than Oma Zi-O."
"…Just a little?" Tsukuyomi raised an eyebrow.
"If it were only that much stronger, do you think we'd still have hope of defeating Oma Zi-O?" Gates added, suddenly hopeful.
Sougo smirked. "No, no, no. When something's this small... it usually holds the power of a whole universe."
"..."
Gates, who had just gotten excited, was immediately deflated. Silently, he picked up his chopsticks, but just as he was about to eat, a glowing light enveloped him, transforming him into a Ridewatch—and he vanished.
"My noodles!" Gates' voice echoed as he disappeared.
Tsukuyomi: "…"
Ora: "…"
Sougo: "…"
Aboard the Time Train
"Let's go!" Sougo ordered, charging forward.
"Go your sister!" Gates yelled as he materialized mid-bite, still holding his chopsticks. "I'm still eating!"
"Ah! I-I didn't mean to call you that—sorry!" Sougo flailed, immediately apologizing.
"Mr. Gates, focus. The enemy is the Another Den-O," Woz reminded him.
"Hmph." Gates clicked his tongue, but accepted Sougo's apology and turned toward the enemy. "Another Den-O again?"
"Yeah, because His Majesty didn't get a Ridewatch last time he fought Den-O, so we're revisiting it now~" Another Den-O replied cheerfully.
Just as they were about to engage, another train—visibly different from the Time Train—roared past, and two figures leapt off.
"Tokigawa Sougo!" shouted a man in a green jacket. "You're the Demon King!"
"Huh? Aren't you Kiriya Kyosuke?" Sougo pointed in confusion. He remembered this man as the sound-based Oni Rider they encountered earlier.
"Who? Never heard of him," the man replied flatly.
"Oh... amnesia?" Sougo tilted his head.
"I came here to stop you from creating the worst future imaginable!" the man declared, producing a belt and strapping it on.
"Transform!"
[Altair Form!]
"Just so you know... I'm very strong."
"That's Kamen Rider Zeronos—Yuto Sakurai!" Woz declared.
"A Kamen Rider who guards time?" Sougo repeated.
"Tetsu! You know what to do!" Yuto barked.
"Of course!" the Imagin behind him—Tetsu—fired off energy bullets with finger guns, covering Yuto's charge at Sougo.
"Nice one, go get him!" Tetsu cheered, apparently acting as both cover and cheerleader.
Behind them, Another Den-O blinked in confusion. "What the hell is happening…?"
"Forget it! While they're distracted, I'll hijack the Time Train!"
"No way!" Sougo shouted, shifting his attention. Yuto followed suit, recognizing the danger.
Just as Another Den-O reached the train, both Riders struck him simultaneously.
"Ugh! You set me up!" the villain cried, reverting to human form.
"It's pointless." Ur appeared from thin air and touched the human contractor with his staff. Both vanished.
That Night — Zi-O's Hideout
"You did a great job with the shiitake mushroom feast, Tetsu," Sougo said, impressed. "Uncle is still repairing the 'tram-shaped watch,' so this meal was all thanks to you!"
Yuto twitched at the table. He stared daggers at the mushrooms.
Tetsu, you know I hate shiitake mushrooms! You did this on purpose!
"Haha!" Tetsu scratched his head, feigning innocence. "Come on, Yuto, you should eat too!"
Yuto: Glares harder.
"Are you from the future, like Gates?" Sougo asked curiously.
"No. I've just seen the future," Yuto replied seriously.
"Then you saw His Majesty creating a hopeless future?" Woz asked.
Yuto nodded grimly. "Yes. You become Oma Zi-O and destroy the world."
Clatter! Tsukuyomi's chopsticks dropped to the floor.
"Ah! Sorry!" She bent down quickly to pick them up, her face conflicted.
"That won't happen," Gates said firmly. "I'm his retainer now. If he tries it, I'll stop him."
"And if he gains a power stronger than Oma Zi-O?"
"…Stronger? Like this much?" Gates mimicked Sougo's earlier gesture.
Sougo's eyes widened. "Wait… Gates, you know about this?"
"Yeah. Sougo told me and Tsukuyomi you'll get that form soon," Gates said bluntly.
"And you're not afraid?" Yuto was stunned.
"Why would I be?" Gates scoffed. "If the gap between us and Oma Zi-O is already a universe, then this new power's just… another universe away."
Sougo: That's not the point, Gates!
"Anyway, I'll defeat Tokigawa Sougo no matter what!"
Yuto couldn't take it anymore. "You people are insane! I'm going to eat something before dealing with this madness."
He stormed out, dragging Tetsu with him.
Later That Night
"Oof!" Gates stumbled as a red phantom suddenly rushed into him, sending a shock through his body.
"Gates? Are you okay?" Tsukuyomi asked.
A strange voice came from Gates' mouth. "It's me!"
"Mo…Momotaros?" Sougo recognized the voice from their encounter in a parallel world.
"Yes! The Time Train repairs are almost done, so I came to help punch that fake Den-O in the face!"
"Let's go!" shouted Gates—now possessed by Momotaros—as he charged off.
"Wait! Gates!" Tsukuyomi cried, running after him.
Knowing Another Den-O's goal was to steal the Time Train, the possessed Gates and Tsukuyomi intercepted him en route.
"Stop right there, you knockoff!"
"Gates, you're acting strange!" Tsukuyomi yelled.
"I told you, I'm Momotaros! Get the name right!"
"Clam?!"
Another Den-O snarled. "Out of my way, or I'll crush you both!"
"Perfect! Come at me!"
A Fierce Battle Ensues
Eventually, Momotaros retrieved the Geiz and Revive Ridewatches from Gates' body and held them out.
"Hey, how do you use these again?"
"Ah—like this!" Tsukuyomi grabbed them, activated the system, and inserted them into the driver.
[Geiz!]
[Geiz Revive!]
[Goretsu!]
She turned the driver and shoved Gates forward.
"Transform!"
[RE-VI-VE! Goretsu!]
"So this is it, huh?"
"I'm fired up!"
Momotaros raised the Zikan Jaclaw, mistaking it for a regular sword and grabbed the blade.
"AH! HOT!!"
Turns out—chainsaws are not for grabbing.
Blowing on his scorched hand, he marched forward in Gates' body with an awkward, exaggerated strut.
Even Tsukuyomi had to admit—this version of Gates moved like he didn't recognize his own limbs.