The scene shifted once more.
Inside the headquarters of Hiden Intelligence, a press conference was being held. The room was crowded with reporters, their pens poised over notepads, cameras flashing with every small movement on stage. The air buzzed with tension—questions had been piling up, and the audience was growing restless.
At the center of the podium stood Jun Fukuzoe, his hands resting calmly on the lectern. Despite the chaos surrounding him, his expression remained collected, almost indifferent.
A reporter raised his hand sharply, unable to hold back anymore. His voice echoed in the hall:
"Is it true that the Humagears have gone out of control?"
Jun Fukuzoe's face did not change. With a calm tone, he answered, "At this stage, there is no specific information available regarding the situation."
That answer only fueled the flames.
The room erupted into noise as the reporters muttered among themselves. Chairs scraped against the floor, and several voices rose above the din. Questions overlapped, accusations flew.
Bang!
One of the reporters slammed his palm against the table, unable to control his anger any longer. "Don't treat us like fools! The data should already be available—why are you hiding it from us?"
The tension escalated. Beside the podium, Fuwa Isamu and Yua Yaiba stood silently, observing the chaos. Their expressions were grim, yet they remained watchful, measuring every word and every reaction.
Jun's assistants tried desperately to calm the audience. "Please, everyone, don't get agitated. Stay calm—"
But then, a clear, confident voice cut through the noise.
"It's true."
The single phrase silenced the entire hall.
Every reporter froze. Heads turned toward the source of the voice.
From the large double doors at the back of the room, a young man walked in.
It was Steve.
But this was not the same Steve the world had seen before.
He wore a sleek black suit, paired with a crisp tie that accentuated his tall frame. His hair, neatly styled, glimmered faintly under the fluorescent lights. His aura was completely different—gone was the clumsy, hesitant young man. In his place stood someone confident, sharp, and undeniably commanding.
The transformation in his demeanor left the entire press room stunned. Even the audience watching through the broadcast across the Three Realms gasped in astonishment.
"Wow… is that really Steve?"
"His temperament feels completely different. He looks like a real president!"
"So handsome! He has this aura of nobility all of a sudden!"
Steve walked to the podium with steady, assured steps. At his side was Izzy, always composed, holding a tablet in her hands.
As Steve reached the stage, Izzy tapped her device. A video was projected on the screen behind him, showing scenes of Humagears being hacked. In the footage, one Humagear declared, "I will obey the command of MetsubouJinrai.net…"
Murmurs filled the room.
Steve's voice, however, rang out firmly, silencing them again. "The truth is this—the real criminals are the terrorists of MetsubouJinrai.net. They hacked into the Humagears, twisting their programming and forcing them to harm humans. The Humagears themselves are not at fault."
He paused, letting his words sink in. His eyes, sharp with conviction, swept across the room.
"I will prove to everyone that Humagears are capable of working in every field. They are not dangerous—they are partners, dream-realizing machines created to help humanity. That is what Hiden Intelligence stands for."
The audience across the Three Realms watched with admiration. None of them had expected Steve to reveal the truth so quickly, nor with such determination. His decisiveness impressed many, overturning their doubts in an instant.
But one reporter, still skeptical, raised a hand. "Excuse me… who exactly are you?"
The entire press room blinked. For a second, silence lingered. Then the irony sank in.
Steve had delivered such a powerful, stirring speech, yet some of the reporters still had no idea who he was. Even the viewers across the Three Realms couldn't help but laugh.
"Haha! He spoke so passionately, but they don't even know his name!"
"This is hilarious!"
Steve, unfazed, gave a small smile.
"Allow me to introduce myself properly. I am Steve Hiden, president of Hiden Intelligence."
"President?!"
Gasps rippled through the reporters. They had finally seen the face of the man who had inherited the mantle of the company. And to their surprise, he was so young—young, handsome, and now radiating authority.
The cameras clicked furiously, capturing this moment.
---
Far away, in another hidden base, Xun and Horobi were having a quiet conversation.
Xun tilted his head curiously. "Is it really fine to leave Zero-One and A.I.M.S. alone? Won't they interfere?"
Horobi's expression remained calm, cold as ever. "It doesn't matter. The Ark's operations are progressing smoothly. Soon, the Ark will be fully restored."
His voice was flat, yet laced with certainty. "What we need now is more combat data. Another Humagear is about to awaken. Once it does, our plan will accelerate."
Xun's eyes gleamed, excitement lighting up his face. "Perfect. I can't wait to see it!"
---
Back at Hiden Intelligence, Fukuzoe Jun narrowed his eyes, watching the live broadcast replay of Steve.
He turned to his secretary, Jesta. "That young president… what exactly is he trying to do, running around every day?"
Jesta adjusted his glasses and replied calmly, "It seems he is personally inspecting Humagear workplaces. His goal is to uncover terrorists from MetsubouJinrai.net."
Jun arched an eyebrow. "And where did he go this time?"
Jesta answered, "He visited True Heart Sushi, a well-known sushi restaurant. The owner has been struggling with back pain and has been searching for an heir. Our company deployed a Humagear there to help. Steve went to oversee the matter himself."
Another executive, a middle-aged man, chimed in, "Vice President, should we intervene?"
Jun smirked, a sly gleam in his eye. "No. Let him handle it. If he successfully signs the contract, it will benefit the company. If he fails, we can use that as an excuse to force him to step down as president. Either way, I win."
His laughter echoed in the office. "Hahahahaha!"
The others joined him, their laughter dripping with arrogance.
---
Meanwhile, chaos erupted in the city streets.
A new type of Humagear, corrupted by MetsubouJinrai.net, appeared in the form of the Arrow Magia. Its transformation was horrifying—white armor covered its body, with two sharp, curved arrow-shaped horns protruding from its head. Its eyes glowed with malicious intent.
"Destroy all humans!" it roared.
With terrifying speed, it unleashed its attack. Explosions rang out, and innocent bystanders screamed as they fled in terror. Some were struck down instantly, collapsing to the ground in pain. Panic swept through the streets.
A.I.M.S. rushed to the scene, weapons at the ready.
Fuwa's expression darkened. "This again… MetsubouJinrai.net won't stop until they've caused complete chaos."
"Transform!"
In a flash of light, he donned his Kamen Rider form, charging straight into battle.
Steve also arrived with Izzy at his side. Without hesitation, he pulled out his new Progrise Key.
"Transform!"
The battle raged. Steve and Fuwa fought valiantly, clashing with the Arrow Magia. The monster, however, proved to be cunning, retreating after a few exchanges, only to reappear later to wreak further havoc.
Soon, more ordinary people were forcibly transformed into Magia, swelling the enemy's ranks. The danger escalated rapidly.
Steve clenched his teeth, his resolve unshaken. He held up his new Progrise Key, its surface gleaming with a deep blue-green light.
"Shark!"
"Authorize!"
"Program rise!"
A surge of energy enveloped him as the key activated.
"Biting Shark!"
Blue and green armor materialized around Steve, sharp fins and streamlined plates wrapping his body like the ocean's predator. His visor glowed with a piercing light, and the aura of raw power radiated from him.
"Sharp teeth, bite nails, chew iron!" the system announced.
Steve's eyes narrowed as he stepped forward. "The only one who can stop you… is me!"
With lightning speed, he dashed toward the Arrow Magia. His strikes were precise, each movement like a shark tearing through its prey.
"Crazy Bite Attack!"
His weapon, shaped like a long blue blade, glimmered as he swung it with ferocity. Sparks erupted as steel clashed, and in one decisive slash, he cut through the Magia.
"Bang!"
The explosion erupted behind him, flames surging into the sky like a nuclear blast. Yet Steve didn't even glance back. He simply stood tall, his figure framed by the inferno.
Fuwa, witnessing the scene, couldn't hold back his astonishment. "That guy… unbelievable!"
The audience across the Three Realms erupted with excitement.
"Steve is so strong!"
"So cool! Every time I see him fight, it makes my blood boil!"
"This is beyond amazing!"
"My heart is racing—I can't take it!"
Steve's new form had left a mark that none would forget.
---
After the battle, Steve proceeded to finalize the contract with True Heart Sushi.
When the news reached Fukuzoe Jun, his face contorted in disbelief.
"What?! He actually managed to sign the contract with them?!"
His subordinates looked equally shocked. Their smug confidence shattered in an instant.
Meanwhile, the audience watching the broadcast laughed with satisfaction.
"Hahaha, Jun got slapped in the face again!"
"Serves him right for underestimating Steve."
---
Later that night, in a dimly lit room, Ren stood before a mysterious figure cloaked in shadows.
His voice was low, conspiratorial. "I've obtained the corporate secrets of Hiden Intelligence. This is the footage recorded after I secretly installed the visual data transmission program into a Humagear. Everyone believes the data for the Progrise Keys was destroyed during the Daybreak explosion… but the truth is, the data still exists, hidden within Hiden Intelligence."
The figure remained silent, but the air grew heavy with foreboding.
The stage was being set for an even greater conflict.
---