"Although I really want to have a thrilling, all-out battle with you, now isn't the time."
"My companions have been defeated and lost their forms, reverting back to their original core data. I need to finish this quickly."
Heart looked at Frank, who had transformed into Kamen Rider Accel, and spoke with a hint of regret.
Hearing this, Frank's heart tightened. He focused and prepared himself carefully. From the meaning behind Heart's words, it was clear that a powerful finishing move was about to be used.
"Let me show you the Heavy Acceleration I gained after completing my evolution."
Heart clenched his fist. A far stronger heavy-acceleration spatial force field spread out and enveloped Frank.
"This… how… is that possible?!"
Frank suddenly felt his entire body become incredibly heavy. Even with the ability of the Accel Memory, his movements now became as slow as a snail.
After restricting Frank with the heavy-acceleration field, Heart immediately launched his attack.
Under Heart's assault, Frank had no way to resist and no ability to counterattack.
"I'll lend you a hand."
Just as Frank was about to be completely defeated by Heart's relentless punches, Krim, inside the Drive Belt lying on the ground, suddenly spoke.
Krim controlled the small car model worn on Chaser's wrist. It sped through the air and attached itself to the armor on Frank's arm, releasing a special force field that covered Frank and neutralized the effects of heavy acceleration.
At the critical moment, Frank managed to raise his sword and block Heart's flaming, energy-charged finishing punch.
Seeing that Frank had gained immunity to heavy acceleration, Heart didn't become angry—he was delighted.
Being able to fight freely and enjoy a thrilling battle filled Heart with a strange joy from deep within his heart.
Immediately, he engaged Frank even more fiercely.
Although Frank now had help from the Shift Car controlled by Krim to counter the heavy acceleration, the Accel Memory armor ultimately could not perfectly synchronize with the Drive System's Shift Car.
At best, it allowed Frank to maintain normal combat ability within the heavy-acceleration field, but it was difficult for him to fully utilize the unique abilities of the Accel Memory.
Furthermore, Heart possessed the ability to absorb his opponent's attacks, grow stronger, and counterattack with greater power.
As time went on, Frank fell completely into a disadvantage and could only barely hold off Heart's attacks.
"Not enough… still not enough!"
Heart wildly threw punch after punch, each heavier than the last. Frank had no chance to fight back and could only retreat step by step.
Yet Heart still felt unsatisfied.
Finally, Heart delivered a punch that forced Frank to cancel his transformation.
Even then, Heart still felt the battle hadn't been satisfying enough.
Although Frank had been knocked out of his transformation, he had no intention of surrendering.
Struggling to stand, he raised the Engine Blade and slashed toward Heart.
Heart easily raised his hand and caught the Engine Blade.
His earlier excitement slowly subsided, and he spoke:
"Human, you are a tenacious warrior worthy of respect."
"I look forward to fighting you again."
After speaking, he took the Engine Blade and stuck it into the ground. Then he picked up the unconscious Chaser and prepared to leave.
"002, you're just leaving like that?"
Krim, who had been tense and fearful until now, asked in surprise.
Heart's tone carried a faint trace of joy as he turned back and said:
"During our earlier battle, I suddenly realized something."
"When I fight freely and wholeheartedly, the intense joy I feel is exactly the emotion I've been searching for—the emotion that allows me to evolve."
"And Drive is the opponent who excites me the most."
"So I've decided to spare your life."
"Krim, I hope that the next time we meet, you can bring me an even more intense battle—one that will allow me to feel enough joy."
"Besides, most of my companions have been defeated by you and No. 0 using the Drive System."
"Now it seems the Roidmudes are still not strong enough."
"I need to restore as many of my companions as possible and allow them to evolve."
"Until we achieve Super Evolution and completely surpass humanity."
After saying that, Heart turned and left without looking back.
Along with him, the remaining Roidmudes who had not been defeated by Prototype Drive also disappeared.
Later
After the heavy-acceleration phenomenon disappeared, Nick Fury contacted Tony and rushed to the scene as quickly as possible.
He took away the Drive Belt, hoping to obtain detailed information from Krim about the suddenly appearing Roidmudes.
"So these Roidmudes were special artificial lifeforms created by you and a scientist named Banno."
"Because Banno injected human negative emotions into them in order to promote their evolution, the Roidmudes lost control, killed you, and began attacking humanity."
"That ultimately caused the freezing phenomenon this time."
"And in order to stop them, you injected your consciousness into this belt."
Tony organized the information Krim had explained and spoke to the virtual projection of Krim emitted by the Drive Belt.
"That's right. That's basically the situation."
Krim nodded.
"What exactly is your background?"
"Why can't we find any information about you?"
"And creating something as incredible as the Roidmudes must require the support of a powerful organization behind the scenes."
Standing in front of Tony, Nick Fury asked sharply.
Before this, S.H.I.E.L.D. had not obtained even the slightest clue about experiments involving the Roidmudes.
Moreover, they couldn't find any information about Krim or Banno at all.
That meant the force hiding their identities was capable of completely bypassing S.H.I.E.L.D.'s intelligence network.
And theoretically, no individual could conduct such an experiment silently.
Tony could build Iron Man armor and advanced equipment because he had the massive corporation Stark Industries behind him.
Therefore, who exactly supported the experiment that created the Roidmudes?
"In fact… the Roidmude project and the Drive System are both part of Foundation X's projects."
Krim paused slightly before speaking with a complicated expression.
"Foundation X again!"
Tony couldn't help blurting out when he heard the name.
"You've heard of the Foundation?" Krim looked at Tony in surprise.
Tony's expression shifted uncertainly.
"You could say I've encountered some of Foundation X's other… projects."
"Mr. Krim, what kind of organization is this Foundation X?" Nick Fury asked impatiently.
He hadn't expected to encounter an internal member of this mysterious organization.
Perhaps Krim could reveal valuable intelligence about the secretive group.
Krim thought for a moment before answering under the expectant gazes of Tony and Nick.
"In truth, my understanding of the Foundation is very limited."
"I only know that they seem dedicated to researching and controlling all kinds of special powers and supernatural phenomena in the world."
"They claim their ultimate goal is to explore the fundamental mysteries of the universe."
"The Foundation somehow discovered the research that Banno and I were conducting and approached us proactively."
"They provided all the materials and equipment we needed for our experiments."
"In return, they only asked us to deliver the results of our research."
"They never revealed anything else."
"My interactions with the Foundation were basically limited to them supplying experimental resources. Aside from that, we rarely had any contact."
"So in other words, you were simply researchers and know very little about the Foundation itself."
Nick frowned slightly, staring intensely at Krim.