Unknown Area — City Outskirts
Several Hours Ago — After the Training in the Dream
Memo notes covered the walls.
Different pieces of information were connected by colored lines, forming an increasingly complicated web around the central point of the investigation.
At the center of the wall was a map of Arc City.
Kiana and Fu Hua had spent hours digging through reports, witness accounts, Honkai outbreak locations, and every piece of information they could gather.
At first, none of it seemed connected.
But once all the pieces were placed together—
The answer became clear.
Fu Hua stood with her arms crossed, examining the map.
Fu Hua: "Kiana, when did you realise that someone was behind the Honkai incidents in Arc City?"
Kiana stared at the map.
Her expression became serious.
Kiana: "…I saw a familiar face in a fight against the zombies."
She remembered the woman.
Someone she had rescued only a month ago.
Kiana: "It was a woman I saved last month. I was shocked when I saw her again as a zombie…"
Kiana lowered her gaze.
Kiana: "I once asked you if the Honkai outbreaks in this city were due to "her" waking up inside of me again…"
Fu Hua looked toward her.
Fu Hua: "…And I told you that you weren't to blame. I know that to be a fact since I've been watching you all this time."
Kiana nodded.
Kiana: "Exactly. You said that the Honkai beasts would have spawned around me if "she" were the cause."
Kiana pointed toward the map.
Kiana: "Your words pointed me in the right direction."
She picked up another pin.
Kiana: "The Honkai beasts and zombies are always attracted to high concentrations of Honkai energy."
Kiana began placing pins across the map.
One after another.
Every location where an outbreak had occurred.
Every location where witnesses had reported seeing Honkai beasts.
Every location where zombies had appeared.
Eventually, the pattern became unmistakable.
Kiana: "Look, the locations of every Honkai incident seem to revolve around an epicenter."
Fu Hua followed the lines with her eyes.
They all converged on one location.
Fu Hua: "The industrial facilities of Heliopolis."
Fu Hua looked at Kiana.
A faint smile appeared on her face.
Fu Hua: "Simple yet effective. You astound me, Kiana."
Kiana rubbed the back of her head.
Kiana: "I guess being a drifter means you can't be lazy anymore, and this isn't my first time being homeless."
Fu Hua's expression became serious again.
Fu Hua: "If you are right, then Heliopolis should have the answers we need. We need more concrete evidence."
Kiana glanced toward her.
Kiana: "Is that why you wanted to drag Schicksal into this and have them solve the puzzle for us?"
Fu Hua nodded.
Fu Hua: "Schicksal should be concerned since they're aiding Arc City. That man won't allow others to smear his good name."
Kiana frowned.
Kiana: "Well, I don't trust Schicksal. I don't know what this Rita is up to…"
She looked back at the map.
Kiana: "…Will she pursue the leads we gave her, or will she continue her hunt for me instead?"
Kiana clenched her fist.
Kiana: "I honestly don't care what she does. I'll find out about this myself."
Her eyes hardened.
Kiana: "It may be a trial for her, but it's a trial for me as well."
Fu Hua nodded.
Fu Hua: "It's time for us to look into this, Kiana."
Later
Kiana stood atop one of the buildings overlooking the sprawling Heliopolis complex.
The industrial park was illuminated by countless security lights.
Patrols moved through the grounds.
Security drones scanned the surrounding buildings.
Armed guards stood at checkpoints.
And somewhere beneath all of it—
Kiana knew there was a secret.
Fu Hua stood beside her.
Her eyes followed the movement of the Schicksal forces below.
Fu Hua: "I was right. The Valkyries are on the move."
Kiana smiled faintly.
Kiana: "Very well, now it's our turn."
Kiana turned away from the edge of the building.
Then disappeared into the darkness.
Kiana moved silently between the buildings.
She stayed low, keeping herself hidden from the patrols.
A guard passed only a few metres away.
Kiana waited.
She didn't move.
The guard continued onward.
Once the path was clear, Kiana slipped across the walkway and vanished behind another structure.
Another patrol approached.
She waited again.
Fu Hua: "Be careful and avoid the guards."
Kiana gave a small nod.
She continued deeper into the facility.
The further she went, the heavier the atmosphere became.
There was something wrong with this place.
She could feel it.
Then—
A distant explosion shook the night.
BOOM!
Kiana immediately stopped.
Another followed.
BOOM!
Then came the sounds of gunfire and mechanical weapons.
Kiana quickly moved toward the source.
She reached the edge of a building and looked down.
Her eyes widened.
A massive battle was taking place below.
Valkyries of the Immortal Blades were fighting desperately against waves of zombies and heavily armed mechs.
The night provided the perfect setting for the deadly battle.
Muzzle flashes illuminated the darkness.
Mechanical weapons tore through the streets.
Zombies lurched forward from every direction.
The Valkyries fought back with everything they had.
But the enemy numbers were overwhelming.
One Valkyrie was knocked backward.
Another stumbled as her weapon slipped from her hands.
The entire elite Schicksal unit was slowly being pushed back.
Kiana watched in disbelief.
These were the Immortal Blades.
Yet something was clearly wrong.
Fu Hua: "Something isn't right. These Valkyries appear to be hardly capable of defending themselves."
Fu Hua's eyes narrowed.
Fu Hua: "They appear no stronger than ordinary humans. Be careful, Kiana."
Kiana watched another Valkyrie fall.
Kiana: "They've been heavily wounded. We can't just leave them like this…"
Fu Hua looked toward the facility.
Fu Hua: "We're running out of time, Kiana."
Kiana hesitated.
Kiana: "I know that, but…"
She looked at the wounded Valkyries.
Then at the approaching zombies.
Then at the mechs.
Her decision was made.
The girl would not walk away.
Kiana drew her pistols.
She raised one toward the battlefield.
BANG!
A zombie was struck.
Its head snapped backward.
The entire horde stopped.
Every zombie turned toward Kiana.
The mechs immediately redirected their weapons.
Kiana lowered her pistols.
Hundreds of enemies began rushing toward her.
Fu Hua: "Kiana…"
Kiana touched the fire-colored crystal necklace around her neck.
She closed her eyes.
The necklace suddenly blazed with brilliant orange-red light.
WHOOM!
Two transparent warriors materialized beside her.
One was a green-and-white warrior surrounded by an aura of healing energy.
The other was a terrifying figure clad in armor associated with the undead.
Kamen Rider Zeztz Esprim Recovery.
And—
Kamen Rider Genm Zombie Gamer Level X.
Genm calmly stepped forward.
He looked toward the approaching horde.
Then he pressed the buttons on his belt.
CLICK.
A voice rang through the battlefield.
"CRITICAL DEAD!"
Dark energy immediately spread from beneath Genm's feet.
A massive black aura expanded across the ground.
It swallowed the surrounding zombies.
The mechs.
Everything within its range.
Then—
Hands emerged from the darkness.
One.
Ten.
Hundreds.
They grabbed the zombies and dragged them downward.
The battlefield suddenly became filled with countless dark hands.
Then the ground erupted.
A horde emerged.
But these weren't ordinary zombies.
They were Genm.
Dozens of identical Genm clones appeared from the dark aura.
Data-born copies of the Rider surrounded the enemy.
Kiana's eyes widened.
The clones charged.
WHOOSH!
They tore through the zombies with overwhelming speed.
Zombie against zombie.
The Genm clones ripped through their formation and scattered the horde.
Meanwhile, the clones attacking the mechs began glowing red.
They rushed forward.
Then—
They disappeared directly into the machines.
The mechs suddenly began malfunctioning.
ERROR.
ERROR.
Their systems flickered.
Metal corroded from within.
Their joints seized.
Their weapons stopped functioning.
Then the machines collapsed.
BOOM!
Kiana stared at the battlefield.
The Genm clones continued dismantling the remaining enemies before finally dissolving into dark particles.
Kiana felt a chill run down her spine.
She knew Kouga possessed an enormous number of powers.
But never thought there was something like this, it's quite frightening.
With the immediate threat eliminated, Kiana walked toward the surviving Valkyries.
The wounded Immortal Blades struggled to their feet.
They stared at Kiana.
Fear immediately appeared in their eyes.
They instinctively retreated.
Alvitr: "You're the Herrscher… the Herrscher of the Void! Don't come any closer!"
Kiana stopped.
She lowered her weapons.
Kiana: "I won't hurt you."
The Valkyries remained tense.
None of them were willing to give her their trust.
After everything they had been taught about the Herrscher of the Void, their fear was understandable.
Alvitr slowly lowered her weapon.
Alvitr: "Really… then… thank you…"
Kiana looked over the wounded Valkyries.
Kiana: "What happened? You don't look badly hurt. The Valkyries shouldn't be defeated that easily."
Alvitr struggled to breathe.
Alvitr: "They played dirty… they used some form of gaseous agent…"
She looked down at her trembling hands.
Alvitr: "And my body… I lost my strength before I knew what happened…"
Kiana's expression hardened.
Before Kiana could say anything else, Alvitr remembered something.
Her eyes widened.
She grabbed Kiana's arm despite her lingering fear.
Kiana: "Try not to talk too much. Save your energy and let your friends take you back."
Alvitr shook her head.
Alvitr: "Adjutant Rita… she's still down there… in danger…"
Kiana looked toward the facility.
Kiana: "Look, just take care of yourselves first."
Alvitr tightened her grip.
Alvitr: "Please! You have to help her…"
Kiana stared at her for a moment.
Then she nodded.
Kiana: "Okay. I'll do that."
Before Kiana could leave, Zeztz stepped forward.
The transparent Rider approached the wounded Valkyries.
He raised one hand.
A soft green light began gathering around his palm.
Then—
WHOOSH.
A wave of green energy flowed outward.
It enveloped the wounded Immortal Blades.
Their injuries began healing.
Cuts closed.
Bruises faded.
Their exhausted bodies gradually regained their strength.
The Valkyries stared in disbelief.
Zeztz lowered his hand.
Kiana glanced back at him.
The transparent Rider simply nodded.
Kiana smiled faintly.
Then she turned toward the Heliopolis facility.