"I see..."
Just outside the vehicle, moments before their departure to Keystone Gate, Hayate and Fate were receiving an explanation from the magicians about the grim fate inflicted upon Index.
"Yes. That's why we can't afford to just sit back and wait for her rescue."
"Right. If we do nothing, that girl will..."
Stiyl and Kanzaki's expressions were serious. For them, there was nothing more to be said. They had resolved that if their explanation wasn't believed, they would resort to more forceful measures.
Even if it meant souring relations between the Church of England and the Bureau, they were prepared to go through with it.
"So Index-chan has that kind of situation... Well, she is the Church of England's trump card, so I guess it's not surprising that there would be some kind of process like that..."
"Even so, something like that..."
Hayate and Fate's expressions showed a mix of outrage and sympathy.
Index's ability as the Index Librorum Prohibitorum was not some kind of supernatural power. It was a result of her unique physical constitution.
She possessed a perfect memory, an ability to instantly remember anything she saw and never forget it. It was with this ability that she had memorized the 103,000 grimoires.
"I heard that even a single grimoire can be dangerous... Does she really have 103,000 of them?"
Stiyl nodded at Fate's question.
Grimoires were "powerful books" that compiled methods for using magic. An ordinary person without magical or religious protection could go insane just from reading one.
That's why the original grimoires were kept under strict lock and key in places like the Vatican and the British Museum, far from public view. The Bureau also managed a few of them.
"Yes. As a consequence, 85% of her brain is occupied by the knowledge of those grimoires. The remaining 15% can only hold memories for a single year. If she exceeds that, she'll die."
"...Before that happens, we have to erase her memories."
Unlike Stiyl, who spoke with a suppressed emotion, Kanzaki spoke as if forcing the words out. If this were an act, Kanzaki would be a great actress.
"That's..."
Fate couldn't find the words. Seeing her reaction, Fate understood many things.
She realized that the two people in front of her had done everything they could to avoid the memory wipe, only to arrive at the conclusion that it was the only option.
"A grimoire, huh..."
Hayate muttered softly.
She herself was the master of a grimoire, the Book of the Night Sky. While the Book of the Night Sky was slightly different from the grimoires managed by magicians, the fact that their fates were twisted by a grimoire was a shared experience. In Hayate's case, it had worked out for the better.
Precisely for that reason, she couldn't stand by and let someone suffer because of a grimoire.
"Hayate, what do you want to do?"
"Well... for now, can I share this with the rest of the team?"
"Yes, that's fine. But we'd prefer it not to be spread too widely."
Stiyl nodded at Hayate's question.
"I know. I'll keep this information within our team. Once we've recaptured Index-chan, we'll prioritize her transport to the ground. Instead of a hospital, we'll hand her over to you two, does that work? Oh, and just in case, I'll have one person from our team, Fate-chan, accompany you."
"I'll return to the church ahead of time to prepare for the ritual. Kanzaki will stay behind alone."
"Understood. I'll also approve of the accompaniment."
With that, their plan was set.
"Alright! Then let's get going! I'll share everything with the team in the vehicle!"
Hayate gave the order, and the vehicle departed.
---------
The battle had begun.
My partner Yo and I were taking on Astarte, while Tatenashi-san was facing off against Kagetane and Eustache.
This was our pre-determined plan. Although an IS could neutralize an AMF, it would be tough for a mage like Tatenashi-san to handle the Rosy-Fingered Rhododactylos, which was equipped with a Godly Wave Drive Formula.
"Yo-san, I'm counting on you!"
"Mm."
As Tatenashi-san swung a lance wrapped in water, water scattered everywhere. It landed at our feet and at Kagetane's and Eustache's feet as well.
Yo was sucked into one of the puddles.
"What...?"
"This is..."
Kagetane and his partner were on alert, but—
"Hey now! You don't have time to be looking away!"
To cut off their thoughts, Tatenashi-san attacked. The water she created with her magic was her greatest weapon. A whip of pliable water swept horizontally towards the two of them.
The water droplets scattered in the air precisely pinpointed the range of Kagetane's repulsive field. Because of this, Tatenashi-san wasn't caught in the force field.
Eustache's armor must have also granted him considerable strength, but his attacks didn't even graze the fluid-like Tatenashi-san. In fact, water wrapped around his axe, slowing its movements.
In the meantime, Yo emerged from a puddle near Index, smoothly secured her, and then disappeared back into the water.
"What a strange ability..."
Kagetane muttered.
I had asked Yo to evacuate Index.
She was taking her to the other side of the bulkhead using her Mirror World ability. For now, Index should be safe.
But until Yo returns, I have to face Astarte alone.
If that's the case, then—
"I'll use speed to confuse them!"
"ACCEL"
I took out the crimson Ride Watch.
"ARMOR TIME!"
"ACCEL! ACCEL!"
The "ACCEL" sound played twice. It might be hard to tell, but the first one was the Gaia Memory sound, and the second was the Ride Watch sound.
I was clad in the same crimson armor with wheels as the original, and the word "ACCEL" was engraved on the mask.
"Yotto!"
The armor I was wearing transformed.
The transformation system from the original Accel was also reproduced on Zi-O.
I revved the throttle and took off with enough force to lift the front wheel.
Immediately after, the fist of the Rosy-Fingered Rhododactylos slammed into the spot where I had just been.
But it didn't hit me. My punches didn't even graze the flat surfaces, walls, or ceilings that I was speeding across.
The Rosy-Fingered Rhododactylos had power and tough defenses, but it lacked speed. It couldn't keep up with Accel.
I got behind it and slashed at it with my Engine Blade.
"Tch...! It's tough...!"
But my attack was deflected, sending sparks flying. Physical attacks were meaningless against a Familiar, which was a pure mass of magical energy.
"FINISH TIME! ACCEL MAXIMUM TIME BREAK!"
The engine's rotation speed increased.
I dodged the arm of the Rosy-Fingered Rhododactylos, which was trying to get me, and closed in on its face.
I spun in the air, leaving a red tire trail, and delivered a spinning back kick—the Accel Glanzer.
The Rosy-Fingered Rhododactylos, which took the kick head-on, fell backward.
It seems I can fight it just fine this way.
I transformed back into a motorcycle and revved the accelerator once again.
---------
The battlefield had reached a stalemate.
Just as Tatenashi had planned, Sho and the others had succeeded in stalling for time. If things continued this way, Kagetane and his group would not be able to break through and would likely be captured by the Bureau. The probability was very high.
The tide of the battle had been all but decided. But there was someone who wasn't pleased with this outcome.
---------
"FORM TIME!"
"TAKA!"
"GATLING!"
After Yo returned, having evacuated Index to the other side of the bulkhead, we fought in a coordinated effort.
As the Build Armor's Hawk Gatling, I flew through the air, raining down a barrage of bullets with the専用 weapon, the Hawk Gatlinger.
Yo also flew, launching fireballs.
But the Rosy-Fingered Rhododactylos simply raised its fist as if it were nothing.
"Looks like our firepower isn't enough..."
I muttered, dodging its fist.
But our goal was only to stall the enemy. The objective was to prolong this stalemate for as long as possible.
However, I was also worried about Index. According to Yo, who had returned, she seemed to be in very bad shape.
Perhaps our time limit was also drawing near.
While I was being attacked, one of Yo's fireballs hit its mark. It exploded upon hitting its back, but it didn't seem to cause any damage.
Astarte's defense was as impenetrable as ever. This was the power of a Familiar. It blocked not only magical attacks but also physical ones. The fact that only vampires could use them explained why they were considered so powerful.
Suddenly,
"—Gah!?"
A tremendous impact struck me. The hawk wings were shredded to pieces, and I was sent plummeting. The impact also undid my transformation, and the Build Watch and Bottles clattered to the ground.
"Sho!?"
"Sho-kun!?"
Seeing me on the ground, Yo and Tatenashi-san screamed. By the time their voices reached my ears, my shaky vision was starting to stabilize.
"What...?"
A question mark appeared in my mind.
Whose attack was that just now? I had completely dodged Astarte's attacks. Eustache shouldn't have had any long-range attack methods. Was it Kagetane, then? Did he find a gap and attack me in the middle of his fight with Tatenashi-san? No matter how strong he is, could he do something like that? And more importantly, Tatenashi-san would never allow it.
But the balance was definitely starting to break.
I hurried to pick up the Build Watch from the ground to transform again.
"BUILD"
"Henshin—"
"Hold on."
"Eh?"
A hand from the side grabbed the arm holding the Build Watch.
"Who... are you...!"
It was a man I had never seen before. His face was mostly hidden by a hood, but his physique and mouth were enough to make that judgment.
The fact that a person was here, that he had intervened in the battle, and that none of us had detected his presence until now.
All these factors indicated that this man was dangerous.
"Sho, get away from him! He's—!"
"Oops."
Yo, who had been charging at me at top speed, was hit directly by a red orb released from the man's finger.
"Yo!!"
"It's fine. I've narrowed the output."
The man was right. Yo, who was hit squarely, was blown back to the opposite wall. But she seemed to be conscious. If he had intended to kill her, that attack would have done it.
The realization made me shudder, but—
"More importantly,"
The man's voice cut off my thoughts.
The man waved his other hand as if doing a magic trick. When he opened his hand again, there was a certain item in his grasp.
"It's no fun to just transform, is it?"
It was the Devil's Trigger.
He brought it close to the Build Watch, and—
"HAZARD ON!"
He activated the Devil's Trigger—the Hazard Trigger. The activated Hazard Trigger was sucked into the Build Watch.
Then, the Build Watch, which had been red and blue, turned into a scorched black.
My awareness was completely focused on that guy. I couldn't care less about the other enemies. The watch he was holding was my greatest enemy.
"Let go...!"
"Calm down. 'Just transform.'"
My body moved regardless of my will. My arm trembled, showing my resistance, but the watch was still inserted into the belt, and—
"Henshin...!"
"RIDER TIME! KAMEN RIDER ZI-O!"
"ARMOR TIME!"
"YABEE! HAZARD!"
Above the transformed Zi-O, a jet-black armor appeared, looking much more stylish than the regular Build Armor.
"A microwave?"
Tatenashi-san let out a comment at the "chin!" sound that played at the end. Her voice sounded a bit absentminded.
The armor was black, not red and blue. It wasn't pitch black, but a dull, scorched black. Only the "Build" characters on the mask remained in the two colors of red and blue. This was proof that the Hazard Form was using the RabbitTank power.
But my entire body broke out in a cold sweat at the fact that I had transformed into this form.
The combo had the original's fatigue effect. In other words, there was a high possibility that it had also inherited the drawbacks.
And the drawback of Hazard was no joke—
"Astarte, do it!"
"Order accepted."
Eustache gave his command.
Me and Yo had been completely outmaneuvered by this mysterious man who had suddenly appeared. During that time, Astarte was free. It was in a state where it could attack anyone.
Would it deliver the finishing blow to Yo, who was still on the ground after being slammed into the wall? Or would it attack Tatenashi-san, who was fighting two opponents, Kagetane and Eustache?
But Astarte turned towards me.
"Don't let him operate the belt! Don't give him an opening!"
"You idiot! What are you saying...!"
I yelled desperately, but there was no way Eustache, the enemy, would listen.
Astarte persistently targeted me.
The Rosy-Fingered Rhododactylos approached me, shaking the ground. It raised its giant arm—and brought it down.
I instantly countered with a punch.
"!?"
I was surprised. It was so apparent that Astarte's expression changed—or so it seemed.
The power of my punch had surpassed the power of the Rosy-Fingered Rhododactylos. The impact of the collision rippled through the air, and the Rosy-Fingered Rhododactylos was flipped backward.
"This is Hazard... no, that's not right!"
I hurriedly tried to undo the transformation.
At that moment,
"'Just keep fighting like that,' he said."
"Ugh!?"
The mysterious man's voice echoed, stopping my arm as I was about to remove the watch.
"Well, good luck."
The man laughed and then disappeared. I wasn't sure if he had teleported or what had happened.
And that wasn't the problem.
Even though he was gone, I couldn't undo the transformation. When I tried, my body rejected it. That meant, just as he said, I had no choice but to keep fighting in this form.
The Rosy-Fingered Rhododactylos got back up. It had been flipped over, but Astarte itself didn't seem to be damaged.
If that's the case, I have to end this battle before that begins.
"Ha!"
I didn't need any fancy abilities. Simple close-quarters combat was enough.
I delivered a heel drop as it was getting up. I repeatedly punched it after forcing it down and then threw it towards Kagetane and Eustache.
I, who was much smaller than the Rosy-Fingered Rhododactylos, was unilaterally attacking it.
"I can't believe it's this strong...!"
Eustache muttered with a resentful expression.
"Alright, I can do this...!"
With the performance of Hazard, I could not only stall for time but also subdue them right here!
"Tatenashi-san! Let's go!"
"...Ugh!?"
It came so suddenly.
A dull headache. It was getting worse and worse.
"Don't rush! Don't forget our objective—"
Tatenashi-san's warning sounded distant.
My consciousness was gradually fading, and I felt as if I was in a dream.
The strength left my body, and I felt as if all my nerves were reconnecting—
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