Splash—!
After disposing of the Berotha Magia, Shiraishi Shin dismissed the Game Field. The instant it vanished, day snapped back to night and the clear sky returned to a torrential downpour.
"It's back to normal. What was that sunshine just now?"
Alisa gasped as the cold rain struck her; the earlier daylight and blue sky had felt like an illusion.
Ignoring her shock, Shiraishi Shin ended his transformation, walked to his bike, and picked up his helmet.
"Hold on—who exactly are you…?"
Alisa hurried to block his path; curiosity burned to know the identity of the man who'd saved her.
But when she saw his handsome face she froze, blinking twice before stammering, "Y-you're… the class rep?"
Alisa's heart lurched—this was Shiraishi Shin, the class president from her own class.
The class rep is a Kamen Rider? Impossible. Am I dreaming?
The Shiraishi Shin she knew was the school's star: top grades, athletic, tall, gorgeous—the perfect idol and her class's president.
He was popular for his sunny, friendly nature; everyone felt warmed by his smile and he could chat with anyone.
Alisa hadn't spoken to him much, but such a brilliant guy naturally drew her interest; good-looking people attract one another.
Yet the Shiraishi Shin before her wore an icy, expressionless look, nothing like the cheerful boy she remembered.
Meeting her gaze, he set the helmet down. "Since you've seen me, I'll have to silence you."
"Eh…?"
Si-silence me?
Her heart lurched; already chilled, she now felt frozen, instinctively stepping back, trembling.
Seeing her fright—and recalling her school nickname "Lonely Princess"—Shiraishi shin couldn't help a teasing grin. "Relax, that was a joke. I'm no villain; I won't kill you for spotting me."
His words and smile loosened the knot in her chest. She puffed her cheeks. "Id-iot! Who jokes like that? You scared me to death!"
He glanced at the easing rain. "Go home, take a hot bath and some medicine so you don't catch cold before class on Monday."
With that he donned his helmet and rode off, leaving Alisa alone in the drizzle.
"I know that without your reminder—hmph."
She stamped her foot, grumbled, then watched his disappearing silhouette. In soft russian she murmured, "Still… thank you for saving me, Class Rep. You looked really cool."
She turned and trotted toward the tram stop. "I'm soaked… what a night."
In the elevator Shiraishi Shin wrung water from his hair—being a Kamen Rider is tough.
Still, this marked the twenty-fifth Monster he'd slain in two months; five more and he'd reach thirty. The System promised a Rider System gacha for every thirty kills.
Cronus is powerful—too powerful; every fight is pure stat-crush, giving no room to show the skills he'd honed for eight years.
With Cronus as backup, he hoped the next draw would yield lower base stats so he could shift from a numbers beast to a technique master.
Valen, maybe?
No, its stats are rock-bottom. Around five tons of striking power would be ideal.
Ding—
The doors opened, revealing a woman whose face and poise screamed wealth and elegance. She shot his drenched figure a look of pure disgust.
Shiraishi Shin merely glanced past her; unlike certain CEOs, he preferred factory-fresh—once unsealed, an item was tainted.
A few steps on he noticed his neighbor's door ajar. Outside stood a cute, long-haired girl looking lost and forlorn.
"Hey, earth to Mahiru?"
He waved a hand before her eyes.
Shiina Mahiru—neighbor, classmate, eighteen like him.
She snapped from her daze, gasping at his soaked state. "Shin! You're drenched!"
"Went out and got caught in the cloudburst. Haven't had dinner either—cold, starving, and helpless," he sighed.
He angled for an invitation; his own cooking barely qualified as edible, whereas her food was heaven.
Once she'd brought him a dish and he'd tasted perfection.
"That's awful; you'll get sick. I have some food left—if you don't mind…
"Not at all; anything hot is great."
"Then go shower and take a preventive pill. I'll call you when it's ready."
"Thanks, Mahiru."
Funny—her advice sounded awfully familiar.
She gave a gentle smile. "Hurry; colds are miserable."
"On it."
He unlocked his door with a fingerprint, waved, and stepped inside.
Mahiru watched till he disappeared, then closed her own door and leaned against it, hands pressed to her chest.
"Big brother Shin…."
She had recognized him the moment she moved in a month ago.
Flashback: age seven, summer camp. Chasing a butterfly, she strayed deep into the woods.
When she lost interest, she realized she was hopelessly lost.
A stone tripped her, bloodied her knee, and she wailed in pain and terror.
(Image Mahiru Shiina)