Asuka landed on the ground after delivering her finisher. The force of the impact twisted her ankle.
"Ouch!" she cried out, stumbling and crashing into a nearby wall. A cloud of dust rose as she slumped to the ground.
She groaned, pushing chunks of debris off her. "I stopped it..." she mumbled, her voice barely above a whisper.
The exhaustion finally caught up to her, and she flopped back onto the ground, staring up at the smoke-filled sky. "I'm so tired..."
{Daybreak Town}
Jin, smiling wide, skipped into their base with excitement practically bursting from him. "Horobi, Horobi~! Guess what I saw? A cute Kamen Rider!"
Horobi, standing silently by a bank of glowing monitors, turned his head slightly. "Kamen Rider... Zero-One."
Jin tossed the mangled Berotha Zetsumerisekey to Horobi, who caught it effortlessly.
Horobi inserted it into a port connected to a twisted, pulsating server. Wires slithered and locked the key in place.
Jin leaned in, grinning. "She's strong. And kind of funny too."
Horobi's expression remained cold. "She's in our way."
He turned to the core of their base, a massive terminal glowing with an eerie violet light.
"Now, we begin the next phase."
{Back at the Amusement Park}
Asuka sat on a bench near the ruined stage, gently rotating her ankle. The pain still throbbed, but the smile on her face refused to fade.
"I did it..." she whispered, looking around at the battered but standing amusement park. "I actually stopped them..."
Izu approached calmly, carrying the briefcase now closed again. "Asuka-sama."
Asuka looked up at her with a grin. "Izu! We did it! The amusement park is safe! I even made some cool moves, right?"
Izu nodded. "Indeed. Your combat performance was within acceptable parameters for a first transformation." Then she held out a sleek black and yellow smartphone-like device. "This is the RisePhone. It also serves as your official identification... as president of Hiden Intelligence."
Asuka blinked, the smile faltering. "...Wait, what?"
"By accepting the Zero-One Driver," Izu explained, "you have also accepted the terms of Hiden Korenosuke's will. You are now the official and legal president of Hiden Intelligence."
Asuka slowly reached out and took the RisePhone. "I thought you were joking earlier..."
"I am incapable of jokes."
"...Great."
Before she could spiral deeper into the shock of her corporate promotion, a group of children ran up to her, eyes wide with excitement.
"Miss! Miss!" one of them said, pointing up at her. "You were that cool grasshopper superhero, right?!"
"You flew around and kicked that bad guy! BAM!"
"You're a superhero, aren't you?!"
Asuka blinked, stunned for a second, then looked at the kids... and smiled. A small, proud, and honest smile.
"I guess I am," she said, crouching down to their level. "The name's Zero-One!"
The kids cheered, and one little girl gave her a hug.
Izu stood nearby, watching quietly. "President Hiden Asuka... Korenosuke-sama would be proud."
Asuka looked over her shoulder at the remains of the amusement park, then up at the sky. "Grandpa... this isn't exactly how I imagined chasing my dream, but... maybe I can make people laugh and smile this way too."
Police sirens blared as red and blue lights flashed across the ruined amusement park. Ambulances pulled up alongside patrol cars, and paramedics rushed to help the injured. Civilians were being treated, while firefighters worked to put out the last traces of flames.
Amidst the chaos, vines shot forward and gently lifted rubble off a group of trapped civilians.
"Stay calm," said a tall man with bark-like arms. "You're safe now."
It was Kamui Woods, the pro hero, arriving on the scene with his usual calm authority. "Clear the area and get the injured out first," he instructed the officers.
Asuka watched from a distance. She leaned against a lamppost, clutching her shoulder.
"I didn't expect this to be what hero work looked like up close," she mumbled.
Izu stood beside her, unaffected by the noise around them. "Asuka-sama, we must go."
Asuka turned her head slightly. "Go? Where?"
"There is one more matter to attend to today," Izu replied. "Your late grandfather left an important letter. It awaits you at the Hiden estate."
Asuka's expression shifted from surprise to a quiet, uneasy understanding. She gave the amusement park one last look-the flicker of sirens, the kids waving goodbye, and the faint smell of smoke lingering in the air.
"Okay," she said, pushing herself off the post and dusting off her jacket. "Let's go."
~~~~~~
The black car pulled up to a large, elegant estate. Hiden Manor.
Asuka stepped out of the car and stared at the front doors, unmoving.
"This... really takes me back," she muttered under her breath. Her eyes traced the worn cobblestones of the path she used to race down as a child, where her parents once stood smiling at the doorway.
Izu stepped beside her, hands clasped in front of her neatly. "All of your belongings have been transferred here from your apartment. This will now be your primary residence as the president of Hiden Intelligence."
Asuka looked at her, startled. "I didn't say I was staying forever."
"You did not refuse either," Izu replied simply.
With a small sigh, Asuka walked up the steps and through the large double doors that creaked faintly as they opened. Inside, the air was cool and quiet. Everything was polished, preserved-exactly as she remembered it. Her footsteps echoed slightly on the marble floor.
She passed by family photos, old relics of her childhood, and the grand portrait of her grandfather-Hiden Korenosuke-hanging in the main hall. His gentle smile in the frame watched over her, just as he had when she was small.
Izu led her down the hall to a small study. "The letter is inside. He requested you read it here."
Asuka opened the door slowly, stepping into the room. The scent of old paper and cedar greeted her. On the desk sat a single sealed envelope with her name written on it in her grandfather's distinct calligraphy.
She hesitated, then walked over and picked it up. Her hands trembled slightly.
"...I'm home, Grandpa," she whispered. Then she broke the seal and opened the letter.
To my dearest Asuka,
If you are reading this, then I have passed on, and the world has already begun to shift in ways you may not understand yet.
You always had a bright heart. Even as a child, you tried to make people laugh-even me, when I was too busy or too tired. Your dream is beautiful, and I never wished for you to abandon it. But I fear the world will need you to fight for that dream more than ever.
Hiden Intelligence is now yours, not because you are my granddaughter, but because you are the one person who believes in humanity's smile more than anyone else.
You are not alone. Izu will guide you. There are allies to be found, and enemies who must be challenged. Trust your instincts, and never forget your dream.
There's a place where you can grow, where you'll be surrounded by others chasing their dreams, just like you once chased mine-U.A. High School. I've already arranged your application. Consider this my final wish.
I am proud of you. Not as a businessman. But as your grandfather.
- Hiden Korenosuke
Asuka's hands slowly lowered the letter, her eyes misty. "Grandpa..."
Izu stepped forward, her voice soft but precise. "President Korenosuke made all preparations before his passing. You've been officially registered for the U.A. entrance exams."
Asuka blinked. "U.A.? The hero school?"
Izu nodded. "He believed that you needed a place where you could develop both as a Kamen Rider and as a person. A place where your dream and your strength could coexist."
Asuka looked back down at the letter, then out the window where the setting sun painted the estate grounds in gold.
"...I wanted to make people laugh," she murmured. "Now I'm supposed to lead a tech company and become a hero?"
"Correct," Izu said calmly.
Asuka let out a long breath, then gave a crooked smile. "He really did love stacking expectations on me, didn't he?"
"Affirmative."
After a pause, Asuka folded the letter and held it close to her chest.
"...Alright. I'll go."
"Understood. I will finalize your preparation schedule immediately," Izu replied.