BA-G 176-193 (Patreon)

176. TATAKAE.

"Got it!"

With Dan Kuroto's satisfied cheer and the helicopter rapidly ascending, the massive machine below, lured in, roared like a whale bursting from the water. Like a deep, mournful cry echoing across the ocean, the whale's roar reverberated throughout the barren Abydos desert.

"Waaaaah—" Serika gripped the grab handle on the side of the cabin tightly. "Mister! Close the door quickly! We'll fall out!!"

Dan Kuroto was still recklessly sticking the Gashat out of the cabin. With the helicopter's maneuvering, Serika felt like she was in a whirring washing machine, and with the cabin door wide open, she felt like she'd be thrown out the door at any moment if she didn't hold on tight to the handrail.

"Phew~ Good thing the lure worked."

Hoshino closed her laptop, still gripping the handrail tightly, but her demeanor was more composed than Serika's. Stabilizing herself, Hoshino leaned against the window, looking down at her target, whose true form had finally been revealed.

"Hmm… is this a combination of a snake and a whale… I can't see any whale cuteness at all…"

"Still thinking about cuteness at a time like this?" Serika's cat ears, used to the scene, slowly slumped down, her fur returning to normal. Hoshino smiled, freeing a hand to pat Serika's head.

"The more tense the situation, the more you need to stay calm Distracting yourself is a good way to relieve tension"

Amidst a beeping notification, Kayoko's voice rang in Dan Kuroto's ears: "President, please guide the target towards the excavation site. Only there is a suitable location to engage the target."

The helicopter carrying Dan Kuroto, like bait coated with the finest bait, exuded an enticing aroma, luring the massive Prophet below like a shark chasing blood, relentlessly pursuing it. From the helicopter, one could even see its white 'dorsal fin' peeking out from the sand, chasing after it relentlessly.

"Hahahaha! See that? This is the culmination of my talent! Even a tiny glimpse of its essence is enough to make anyone who understands its value abandon all reason to chase after it!"

Dan Kuroto couldn't help but grin gleefully as he watched the Decagrammaton named Prophet Binah below, relentlessly pursued by the aura of God Maximum.

But don't misunderstand, Dan Kuroto had no designs on the giant white serpent-fish. He was simply pleased once again that his talent was being pursued so fervently; that was all.

"Seeing it with my own eyes is even more awe-inspiring… Can an AI construct really reach such a size?"

Hoshino had seen records of the Prophets in the school's database before, but only glimpsed it casually. Now, seeing the real thing before her eyes, she was astonished that such a massive entity had lurked beneath the Abydos desert for so long.

"According to the integrated data calculations, the sandstorm sweeping across Abydos was caused by this giant machine stirring up the sand," Himari spoke calmly into her headset. "However, this judgment is ultimately just an inference based on numerous records. Without factual evidence, I cannot guarantee that this conclusion is 100% accurate."

"...No, anyone who sees this scene would believe it."

Sitting in another helicopter heading towards the designated battlefield, Nonomi's expression was serious. She looked at the swirling sand and the deep, distant roar that could already be heard as they approached.

“Just the journey itself can trigger natural phenomena akin to a catastrophe. If it were to unleash its full power, it might even create a sandstorm exactly like the one from back then.”

Nonomi's words sounded somewhat hesitant, but they were simply stating an objective fact.

They were still quite a distance from Prophet Binah, whom Dan Kuroto and the others had lured, yet they could still directly sense Prophet's power. If it were a more timid student, they would probably be paralyzed with fear by now.

“However, this is something we must face, isn't it?”

Shiroko gripped her rifle firmly. “Even if it was the culprit that unleashed the sandstorm that engulfed Abydos back then, so what? Now we're just bringing the problem to the forefront.”

Even if this is delayed for three to five years, or even longer, it means there's still a ticking time bomb beneath Abydos that could explode at any moment. How can they talk about reviving Abydos then?

"Hey everyone~ How's the meeting going?"

Dan Kuroto's calm voice rang out from the channel. At this moment, he was still gripping his God Maximum Gashat, using the fluctuations of its divine power to guide Prophet Binah towards the designated battlefield.

Nervous? Dan Kuroto wasn't feeling that way at all! He was practically bursting with excitement!

"Not scared out of your wits by the gigantic boss, huh? If you're all trembling with fear, should I take on this boss raid all by myself?"

"Heh, don't underestimate us." Nonomi gripped her machine gun handle and chuckled softly. "Being scared before the battle even begins isn't our style."

"Target has entered the designated location. Everyone, prepare for this sudden battle."

Kayoko's voice rang out from the side, her laptop still monitoring the battlefield. The undisguised Prophet's massive movement was easily detected by the surrounding drones.

The drone swarm was converging on the position at top speed, and Prophet itself seemed unconcerned about being monitored by these ant-like drones. It appeared to be desperately chasing after the helicopter; for some reason, the leaked aura was so tempting that it was willing to abandon escape and walk into this well-known trap.

Kayoko pressed her earpiece: "Ayane-san, prepare the armored units on campus for attack. While we frontline troops are engaged with the target, we'll need you to coordinate heavy firepower support from the rear."

"Alright! Kayoko, everything's ready here!"

Ayane, currently at the rear of Abydos Academy, was acting as the mastermind behind the scenes.

Of course, Himari's avatar was also coordinating and assisting Ayane in troop deployment via the network.

After all, Himari was one of the few 'omniscient' individuals at Millennium Academy, and her computer skills far surpassed Ayane's.

Is it really that difficult to operate a swarm of drones while simultaneously positioning tank firepower, just like micro-managing a starship?

---

177. Giant Serpent All-Out Battle, I'm going to go one level higher today!

"The first batch of tanks, totaling ten main battle tanks, are all in position and ready to support you!"

Ayane's laptop, used for troop deployment, was swiping through various data. She was analyzing real-time intelligence and making adjustments based on the available information.

"They will depart at the scheduled time once the battle officially begins!"

"Excellent. It seems we've completed all the necessary preparations."

Kayoko lowered her hand from her headset. "It's a shame we didn't have a howitzer position. We could have fired a salvo at the target first. That thing is so big, it'd be easy to hit it no matter how we fired. That artillery barrage would have been perfect."

"I'm sorry, we didn't have any towed artillery among the weapons we captured last time," Ayane chuckled. "So we'll have to use tanks for now. Maybe next time we'll consider buying a batch of artillery from another school district."

Among the group being pulled onto the helicopter, Momoi and Midori were the only ones who seemed out of place.

After all, they were just students traveling with Dan Kuroto; who knew they'd be dragged into a battle that would determine the fate of another school district, and it looked like they'd be facing a giant boss hundreds of times their size?

"Don't worry, just think of it as a game." Momoi optimistically patted her younger sister's head. "What haven't we seen? This is quite an experience! You always say you don't have inspiration for big scenes, right? Well, it's come out this time!"

“This…” Midori was speechless. “Sister, isn’t this kind of field trip a bit too extravagant? Is this the kind of scene we usually encounter?!”

Boom!

Like a whale leaping out of the water and plunging back in, the deafening sound echoed through the helicopter cabin. The experienced Hoshino glanced outside and immediately shouted to the student pilot.

“Increase altitude!”

At Hoshino’s command, the student piloting the helicopter pulled the control stick, increasing the helicopter’s altitude.

The next moment, Binah twisted its massive body and leaped out of the sand, narrowly missing the helicopter before crashing back into the desert.

The wind pressure generated by that leap and slammed down caused the helicopter to sway left and right like a kite. Before such a gigantic AI construct, even an armed helicopter was nothing more than a fragile metal toy.

"Oh dear, it seems we've arrived."

Dan Kuroto looked down from the helicopter. The massive excavation site resembled a deep, sprawling pit dug into the Abydos desert. Extending downwards in a ring shape, it was clear that what Kaiser Corporation was looking for lay hidden beneath the sand. Unfortunately, before they could even begin full-scale operations, Dan Kuroto had intervened.

Scattered around the excavation site were numerous heavy industrial machines—untouched since Dan Kuroto's last encounter with Kaiser PMC. Clearly, Kaiser Corporation, having been thoroughly humiliated, was temporarily unable to deal with Dan Kuroto. And given Dan Kuroto's intimidating presence, Kaiser Corporation was unlikely to return until they found a way to counter him.

“Kaiser Corporation has fortified this area considerably, and this is formerly the flooded Abydos school district. Therefore, the underground consists of solid rock and former building foundations, so the target shouldn't be able to penetrate as easily this time.”

Kayoko's voice came through the headset. “The target has been lured to the designated combat location. All personnel, prepare for a full-scale attack!”

The helicopter carrying Dan Kuroto circled in the air, dodging another attack from the mechanical Giant Serpent. This continuous evasion and this series of setbacks made the massive Prophet somewhat impatient.

It once again emerged from the sand, but this time, instead of leaping out, it remained in place, opening its massive mechanical maw to reveal the cannon barrels constantly gathering energy in its throat!

"High-energy reaction detected! President! Hoshino-kun! Your helicopters must give way immediately!"

Kayoko's anxious voice came through the headset, and the student pilot naturally heard it as well. She immediately pressed down on the control stick, preparing to lower the helicopter's altitude.

However, perhaps Binah had been holding back that beam of light for a long time. After being toyed with so many times, even an AI construct would probably feel anger rising within it, right?

"Roar—!"

A deafening beam of light erupted from Prophet's mouth, a white light capable of destroying the heavens and earth, likely striking the helicopter—which would be as insignificant as a leaf before it—in mere moments!

"—Grade X! Henshin!!"

The next instant, a purple light flashed from the helicopter, and a purple figure leaped up, shield in hand, colliding with the destructive beam!

Gachan!

Level Up!

Mighty Jump! Mighty Kick! Mighty Action X!

As the devastating beam of light approached, Dan Kuroto, hands down, inserted both the Level 2 Mighty Action X and the Level X Alchemy Player, then pulled the upgrade lever.

"Let me see just how far this self-proclaimed god-like machine can go!!"

I gotcha!

Harmony, Mastery, Exceed!

Alchemy player! (Alchemy Player!)

Glug glug~ (bubbles rise)

The purple magic Rider pushed open the heavy door of truth, his red gem headband gleaming. One hand billowed the smooth hem of his alchemist's skirt, the other already raised.

"Gashacon Aegis!!"

A kite-shaped shield imbued with protective power appeared in his hand, accompanied by the light of the Game Area. Dan Kuroto pushed off with his feet, his jet boots propelling him out of the cockpit, raising the shield inserted into the Gashat towards the direct beam of divine light—

Mighty Critical Finish!

The phantom of the shield magnified again, the perfect protective wall extending the resolve of someone protecting their students—any student who wants to attack him will have to break through this wall!

A blinding light, as if the heavens and earth were being cleaved open, blazed through the air.

No one knew the extent of the attack Dan Kuroto, at the very center of it, was enduring.

Heat? Impact? Or something mysterious? The standoff in the air only neared its end when the helicopter carrying Hoshino and Serika landed smoothly.

The divine aura of destruction of the gigantic serpent gradually weakened; the accumulated energy had finally reached its limit. Under the tense gaze of the students, the purple Kamen Rider fell from the sky, tossing aside the charred Aegis in his hand and shaking his smoking arm.

“Kamen Rider Genm, Grade X.”

Banging out his fist and giving a thumbs-up, Dan Kuroto swung it from right to left across his chest, declaring his declaration of war:

“I'll clear this level, even if I use all my continues!”

---

178. They actually manufactured a Gashat without authorization!

Twisting his neck, Dan Kuroto recalled a black-and-white Gashat he had once created. Before being reprogrammed, it was a Gashat that defied all logic—as long as time stop wasn't used, the Dangerous Zombie Gashat was invincible!

At the moment Prophet Binah's divine light collided with the Gashacon Aegis in Dan Kuroto's hand, he could directly feel the power contained within the beam cannon.

The Gashacon Aegis, which had previously perfectly defended against any attack, this time, even with Finishing Move activated, still managed to fight Prophet's beam cannon to a standstill—the Aegis, now charred black, was thrown to the ground, dissipating into specks of data.

“If Dangerous Zombie was here, I could form an army all by myself.” Dan Kuroto reached into his data space and took out his favorite weapon—the Gashacon bow.

“However, I might know why this so-called ‘Prophet’ was attracted to my Level Billion Gashat.”

Dan Kuroto's gaze finally settled on the mechanical Giant Serpent, whose upper body emerged from the sand, a sight that had only come to rest with him upon landing.

This enormous mechanical Giant Serpent possessed a Halo atop its head, similar to that of a student; it was hard to believe that a machine could give birth to something sacred called a 'Halo'—perhaps this was why it was called a 'Prophet'.

"Looking closer, isn't that the Gashat's loading port? And why is there a Gashat I don't recognize plugged in?"

Dan Kuroto's eyes moved to the top of Binah's head, where a small port appeared at the tip of a snake-like head covered in a white skull. This port was perfectly integrated into Binah's body, but Dan Kuroto clearly knew it wasn't part of Binah's original body.

“The information doesn’t mention this, and that strange gap doesn’t match the information we’ve gathered before—”

Himari’s voice rang in Dan Kuroto’s ears, her slightly hurried tone reflecting her inner turmoil. "This is clearly not normal, because in the recruitment report from ten years ago, Prophet ‘Binah’ didn’t have this strange thing on his head.”

“It wasn’t here before…” Dan Kuroto’s mind raced, a series of thoughts flashing through his mind. He wondered if his arrival in this world, like a butterfly effect, had caused things related to him to appear in Kivotos.

“Actually, I have images left by former workers who witnessed the ‘Third Prophet.’ They clearly show that Binah’s head doesn’t have a similar feature.”

Himari’s hands moved rapidly across the virtual keyboard. Under her control, the drones scanned the Gashat above Binah’s head. The shape of this thing made Himari glance at her recently purchased Game Gashat.

“This is…” Himari paused, countless possibilities flashing through her mind, even thinking of Lyra, who was still on her way back.

Suppressing her doubts, Himari parted her cherry lips slightly.

"Perhaps, the energy fluctuations similar to yours are caused by this unknown change."

Himari's surprise gradually subsided. This unknown change in Prophet made her even more cautious.

"An unexpected change, but can you notice? No matter how you look at it, this thing looks like the Game Gashats you release in various districts."

"I don't need you to remind me."

Dan Kuroto's visor had already seen the Gashat's appearance. Undeniably, it was the shape of a Rider Gashat's handle.

"But the problem is, a regular Game Gashat would never have this problem; it doesn't even contain transformation data!"

All the Rider Gashats were in Dan Kuroto's possession. Until now, Dan Kuroto had never lost a single Rider Gashat in any way.

So, what was that one stuck in the head of this third Prophet?

At this point, Dan Kuroto's face instantly contorted with rage, as if recalling something from the past.

"Damn scoundrels! They actually built a Gashat without the game administrator's permission! They really don't respect me!"

"President! You seem all right, that's good."

Kayoko rushed up from behind, followed by the students who had already assembled. Hoshino picked up her shield and shotgun. She resolutely stood at the front of the formation, gazing at the massive armored structure that was taller than a building.

"Now our team is assembled, right—" Hoshino set up her shotgun, "Shouldn't we launch the attack?"

"Ah, no need for further words!"

Dan Kuroto laughed in fury. This was the first time in this world he felt someone challenging his authority as the God of Games.

"That pediatrician is one thing, but an AI construct like you dared to build my patented Game Gashat without permission? I'll have to completely dismantle you to vent my anger!"

"Haha I don't know why you've suddenly become so angry, but it seems this giant machine has really angered Mr. Dan Kuroto"

Nonomi raised her machine gun and, at Kayoko's signal, pulled the trigger. Bullets rained down from the six rotating barrels, leaving countless bullet holes in the massive mechanical body before them.

Although these bullet holes didn't cause any actual damage to the Giant Serpent, pain was still transmitted to it—it was unclear why mechanical constructs could feel pain, but perhaps it was part of the functionality they, as Prophet, had added for themselves.

As Nonomi pulled the trigger, initiating the attack, the enraged Binah roared, its three pairs of yellow eyes locking onto the eight people present.

The next moment, Binah opened its massive maw again, revealing a cannon swirling with accumulating energy in its throat. The all-consuming divine light flowed once more, mercilessly crashing down upon them.

BOOM!!

"Wow, it looks angry! Scatter!"

Seeing the overwhelming beam of light approaching, the students didn't choose to confront it head-on. Momoi yelled and scrambled towards nearby cover, like a cat caught in a fire. Midori, perfectly aligned with her sister, naturally dodged as well.

Behind them, a beam of light plowed through the ground, rising steadily into the distance!

The other students around them also twisted their bodies, avoiding the attack.

The massive beam of light slammed into the ground—yes, literally, it slammed into the ground, leaving a deep groove in the earth with red and black marks as Binah raised its head.

----

179. Watch out for dangerous areas under your feet.

"Ah, is that the level of attack..."

Shield in hand, peeked out from behind cover, Hoshino roughly estimating the power before confidently declaring, "If it were a head-on hit, I could probably withstand four or five, right?"

"Five hits of that power?!" Hoshino's statement shocked Serika, who was standing nearby. "Hoshino-senpai, are you kidding me?"

"Haha~ Do you think my reputation is that bad in your eyes, junior?" Hoshino raised her shotgun and fired one at the enemy. "Want to actually take one and see?"

Serika's ears perked up, clearly frightened by Hoshino. "No need to take a beam cannon head-on for something like this, senpai!"

Dan Kuroto activated his jetpack, leaping quickly to the side to avoid the beam cannon attack. He pulled the trigger of his Gashacon bow, firing a series of arrows that struck the massive machine before him.

“Hmph, no matter where you got your Gashat from, ah, once I find it, I'll take it back!”

Dan Kuroto continuously fired light arrows from his sparrow-shaped bow, weaving and maneuvering around the Giant Serpent, using his size and speed to firmly draw its attention.

While Binah was focused on Dan Kuroto, the surrounding students raised their weapons and emptied their magazines!

“Haven’t the tank units arrived at the front lines yet?” Kayoko fired her small pistol a few times before putting it down. She knew her pistol wasn’t powerful enough to penetrate the enemy’s defenses, and instead pressed her earpiece.

“The tank units are already on their way, and they’ll be at their designated firing positions in five minutes!”

Ayane’s voice came through the earpiece. Since the battle began, Ayane, positioned at the rear, had been constantly monitoring the physical condition of the other participating students.

Meanwhile, drones carrying emergency medical sprays were already in place. These sprays, powered by Kivotos's cutting-edge technology, could instantly heal the wounds of students upon contact with them the moment they were released—truly astonishing.

The students behind Dan Kuroto launched an attack on the massive enemy ahead, on this god forged by mechanical AI. On a distant sand dune, an uninvited guest stood calmly, his gaze seemingly piercing through the area, reaching the distant battlefield.

"Long ago, somewhere in Kivotos, in the ruins of an untouched city center, strange research was being conducted."

Black Suit tightened his tie. Thanks to Gematria's mysterious research, his eyes clearly focused on the purple Kamen Rider.

"If we can study and prove the existence of God, we can analyze its structure and recreate its existence."

"Admittedly, it's a ridiculous theory, but many are willing to believe it." Black Suit turned his gaze to the colossal machine, the Giant Serpent: "The people known as 'Gematria' chose to support the research, spending vast sums of money and time to create a super artificial intelligence solely to prove God's existence—the Absolute Self-Discipline Analysis System."

The magnificent Giant Serpent unleashed a powerful beam of light, easily sweeping across the battlefield. Then, it swung its massive body, churning up the sands ahead—such a gigantic machine was a weapon in itself; its absolute mass was an attack capable of easily crushing everything.

"As time passed, the destroyed city and the research institute sank to the bottom of the sea. All information related to the research was forgotten with time. But that AI continues to carry out its mission."

Black Suit remarked with deep feeling: "Compared to the researchers who scattered like birds and beasts as the city was destroyed, the AI, even submerged underwater, continues to answer this question over this long period of time."

"Perhaps, during this time submerged, we can explore the space where this AI can truly think and draw conclusions."

Black Suit's gaze returned to Dan Kuroto, the man from the outside world who had once brought him endless surprises, now displaying the power to contend with this divine Prophet.

"Beneath the final ruins, the machine proclaimed that it had completed its proof. It called itself 'The Unspeakable Decagrammaton,' and within its divine realm, it opened a sacred path for contact with the Prophet. Truly a new Pilgrimage."

"Can this being truly be called a god? — I don't know, but it doesn't matter. Mr. Dan Kuroto, the Prophet you are facing, 'Binah,' is a Prophet whose path and understanding are combined, possessing the alias 'The Observant Understander Who Acutely Perceives Difference.'"

Black Suit began to laugh in a low voice. "Mr. Dan Kuroto, as someone from the outside, just like us, facing the Prophet who occupies the highest position on the path towards the priesthood of Truth, I'm looking forward to seeing just how far the surprises and the brand-new path you bring us beyond our understanding can go."

Gematria, who had been watching from afar, was also drawn here by the Power of God Maximum that Dan Kuroto had revealed. Among them, the most excited was someone still lurking in the Ariana school district; the aura contained within Dan Kuroto's Power of God Maximum proved that the path she had chosen was entirely achievable.

The path of achieving 'Mysticism' was indeed possible. This was precisely the long-cherished wish and pursuit of this being for many years. Although this ideal and pursuit ran counter to Gematria's, all members of Gematria never interfered with the paths pursued by their comrades within the same organization.

Because he arrived first, Black Suit naturally secured the best viewing seats. However, the others were busy with their own affairs and couldn't arrive as quickly, especially the lady hidden deep within the Arius school district. Because of the distance and the inconvenience of coming out, she reluctantly gave up this opportunity to observe up close, only able to repeatedly ask Black Suit to relay her words.

"Make sure to record it!"—These were her exact words.

Returning the perspective to the battlefield, Dan Kuroto slid down, dodging the sweeping sand and stones, and used the light arrows from his Gashacon bow to retaliate against the massive machine before him.

HIT! HIT! GREAT!

"When you see them charging down, get behind cover. Those flimsy covers won't stop their physical attacks, so be smart!"

Through Shittim Chest, Dan Kuroto gave instructions to all the students involved in the battle.

"Have you ever played a game? Do you know that before an enemy's skill hits, there's a red marking warning you not to step into that area?"

"Mister, you know you're talking about a game!"

Serika dutifully played her role as a tsukkomi (straight man) character, mercilessly criticizing every word Dan Kuroto said.

"Where in real life can you see danger zone markings?!"

"Tsk tsk tsk~ Mortals are just mortals. You should ask me if you want me to show it, not if it's okay. Are you OK?"

----

180. He actually transformed without permission! Absolutely unforgivable!

Dan Kuroto activated his jet-powered combat boots, successfully dodging Binah's attack once again. His agile movements clearly only further enraged Binah.

"You see, my Game Area is the embodiment of the impossible. Dealing with this enemy is as easy as playing a video game for you."

The Game Area is the domain of Dan Kuroto, the god of games. Combined with Shittim Chest's precise connection to each student, Dan Kuroto, within his own Game Area, added a visual red danger warning to the massive Prophet before him—the pre-predicted attack range stemming from the combined computational power of Arona and Dan Kuroto.

“It really appeared… a red line… am I dreaming?” Serika pinched her cheek, the word “hit” appearing beside her. “Ouch—what is this?!”

Momoi and Midori who were extremely sensitive to game elements shared the same confusion.

Looking at the red danger zone that suddenly appeared before her, Momoi suddenly recalled the terror of being tortured to the point of near death by those awful bosses in online games weeks ago.

“Ribbit!! I don’t want to see this!!”

Dan Kuroto turned to look at Momoi behind him. “…Why do you have such a vivid imagination?”

As he spoke, the massive machine raised its body. Several circular holes opened on the sides of its sleek metal armor, with huge cannons protruding from them.

"Everyone, suspected artillery attack detected. Take cover!"

Through the swarm of drones overhead, Ayane could survey the battlefield below from the sky. The cannons that suddenly opened and were exposed on Prophet Binah were naturally within Ayane's sight.

Upon seeing the potential artillery attack, Ayane hurriedly sent a warning to everyone on the battlefield via radio.

"Artillery attack? Leave that to me!"

Dan Kuroto projected Aegis again, raising it above his head. Knowing Dan Kuroto's intentions, Kayoko shouted, "Everyone, gather around the president!"

Inserting the Gashat and executing Finishing Move, Dan Kuroto's Aegis transformed into a massive protective wall. The next moment, the Prophet's cannons roared, unleashing the righteous flames that shattered the enemy ranks.

In mythology, rockets that judge the guilty fall from the sky, and if we were to describe these burning arrows in modern terms, it wouldn't be surprising to equate them with cannonballs.

At this moment, the Prophet would act on the will of the gods, purifying all sinners who disobeyed!

Compared to the initial beam cannon, the artillery barrage wasn't particularly flashy, but the attacks rained down like raindrops, relentlessly striking Aegis's protective field.

Each strike felt like a hammer pounding an anvil, the force of each attack almost penetrating Aegis and landing on Dan Kuroto's arm as he supported it.

"Ughhhhhhh—!"

The power of a beam cannon piercing through a single point was clearly greater than that of the barrage of artillery fire. The Aegis, which had been destroyed after taking a full hit from Binah's beam cannon, now displayed its formidable defensive capabilities.

"My assessment is—not! Invincible!"

With Dan Kuroto gritting his teeth and giving his all, he finally withstood the relentless barrage of artillery fire!

“Phew… yes, my hand feels a little numb. But—not enough!!!”

The instant the artillery barrage ended, Dan Kuroto tossed aside the Aegis and retrieved his Bugvisor, attaching the grip.

The buzzing Bugvisor chainsaw was gripped again in his hand. Looking at Binah, who was retracting the cannon into her body, he arrogantly beckoned with his finger.

"What other tricks do you have? Show them all!"

Gah gah gah gah—

The sound of mechanical transmission came from the giant serpent's mouth. It wasn't just the sound of mechanical transmission within the construct itself, but also the rage of an AI construct. It had never expected anything could be so annoying.

Dan Kuroto reached down and twisted the vial on the Alchemy Player Gashat on his belt. Mixing mysterious elements, after a hazy gray light emanated from it, Dan Kuroto swiftly inserted the Gashat into the Kimewaza Slot.

'Kimewaza!'

'Is this—a debuff potion?'

Dan Kuroto knew what kind of potion he was about to unleash as he gathered his energy.

'You've hit the jackpot! Heh!'

'Alchemy Critical Droplet!'

The massive body had almost no chance of escaping the attack. Dan Kuroto's Finishing Move potion arced through the air before shattering on Binah's body.

Instantly, the Halo above Binah's head began to flicker, and its entire body swayed unsteadily in the air, as if it were drunk. It seemed that the Prophet, as an AI, was desperately resisting this completely illogical phenomenon, even causing its metal and data-based body to feel 'dizzy' and 'drowsy'—

"What a joke! I knew the Prophet would also be given the sedative tea…"

Dan Kuroto could even see panic in Binah's three pairs of eyes, but as the energy of Finishing Move spread through Binah's body, it could only slam its upper body down with a resentful expression!

'Boom—'

Even her fall had the force of an earthquake. Dan Kuroto rubbed his hands together smugly.

"Now taking the Gashat will be a piece of cake…"

Just as he was about to leap up and pluck the unknown Gashat from the Giant Serpent's head, a synthesized electronic voice suddenly rang out.

'—Confirmed the user is in an uncontrollable state.'

'—Conditions met.'

'—Activating Heaven's Will: The Convert of the Ecstatic Gashat.'

Dan Kuroto's familiar voice rang out, but this time, the sound of the Gashat activating came from the opposite side.

Observing everything from afar, Black Suit widened his eyes.

The students, some tense, some serious, some calm, looked at Prophet, watching the sudden burst of light emanating from her.

Gachan—

BUGGLE UP!

Play the trumpet, save the world!

Wow~~

The light of Game Area also spread across the other side. The massive body vanished, replaced by a warrior clad in white and gold armor, standing opposite Dan Kuroto and raising her lance-like weapon.

Staring at Binah, who had created a Gashat he didn't know about and then used it to transform without permission, Dan Kuroto's eyes widened, and he roared.

"You!! You dare!! Transform without my permission! I will never forgive you!!!"

---

181: Pirated product surpassing the original

Dan Kuroto had already suspected something amiss during the battle: the Gashat slot above Prophet's head.

That seemingly random Gashat slot couldn't possibly be just a decorative pedestal. However, Dan Kuroto assumed that now that he was the god of games, he'd be more forgiving of such unexpected situations, but he was wrong.

"It's so infuriating! It's fine if I can't beat Muteki Gamer or Lazar X; after all, those are cheats forged from my own talent, but who are you to think you're some champion and dare to ride over me and offend me?!"

Dan Kuroto felt like he was about to explode with anger. It seemed all the good temper he'd cultivated through his pleasant daily interactions with the students had gone to waste. That's just how geniuses are; every proud genius has their own bottom line that they won't tolerate being crossed.

And for Dan Kuroto, the god of games, the manager of Genm, and the founder of Gashats, that absolute bottom line was the unauthorized development of Game Gashat, something outside his plans.

The next line was using that unauthorized Gashat to transform into a Kamen Rider—or something similar to Kamen Rider!

In situations like this, the opponent will go out of print!

“Hey! Take this, you scoundrel!”

Dan Kuroto charged at the white Rider, wielding his Gashacon Bugvisor's chainsaw. The chainsaw's teeth whirred as it spun, a testament to Dan Kuroto's boundless rage, fueled by the violation of his bottom line.

“How dare you create a Game Gashat without permission and transform using it without the administrator's authorization! You're asking for death!”

Clang!

As Dan Kuroto was the first to express hostility, the white Prophet Rider—transformed from this special Game Gashat—boasted the name "Destiny." They were the guardian Riders who obeyed destiny and prophecy, destined to help the one true god embark on the legendary path to godhood. Calling them "Destiny Riders" wouldn't be inaccurate. The third Prophet transformation, named "Destiny Rider Binah," was the third possible form of the Rider.

"Hey, can you speak human language?"

Dan Kuroto's voice came from beneath the mask, but the Prophet Rider before him showed no intention of speaking. Seemingly using the Game Gashat as its transformation vessel, this Prophet-transformed Rider also sported goggles and an exaggerated hairstyle similar to the Kamen Rider from the Eagle series, though its colors weren't as vibrant as Dan Kuroto's.

The entire body is predominantly white armor, with gold accents used as lines and embellishments. The overall physique resembles that of a woman. There's no Rider slot on the chest; instead, a technologically advanced Rider armor completely covers it, with golden divine energy flowing through the lines of the armor and body. The unfamiliar Gashat, Heaven's Will: The Convert of the Ecstatic, is inserted into the waist of this unfamiliar Rider—a simple Gashat activation device with only a button trigger.

On the top of the Rider helmet, like the previously seen Prophet Binah, the same Halo is lit, confirming the identity of this user: Binah, who had been stunned by Dan Kuroto's Finishing Move.

However, after a Gashat appeared out of nowhere and was activated, it forcibly took over the unconscious Prophet's body, transforming her into a Rider to confront Dan Kuroto.

"Where did you get your Game Gashat?!"

The clang of weapons clashed, chainsaws and lances collided, sparks flying. Dan Kuroto pressed the chainsaw blade firmly against the white Rider before him, snarling through gritted teeth.

"All Game Gashats must be under Genm Corp, under my jurisdiction! Unauthorized distribution of Game Gashats is prohibited! Answer me!"

"..."

Holding a lance, the Rider of Destiny with golden eyes didn't answer his question. Even Dan Kuroto couldn't determine how this Humagear-like being could activate something similar to his Game Gashat using something akin to the Annihilation Riser!

"I refuse to admit it! How dare you do such a blasphemous thing using my Gashats!"

Dan Kuroto's rage surged, his chainsaw gradually gaining momentum over the lance. The students behind him had already reacted, adjusting their firing lines and raining bullets down on Dan Kuroto like they were free.

"If you're using a Game Gashat, then use the Gamer Driver properly, kora!!"

Dan Kuroto's furious strike decisively overwhelmed the Destiny Rider.

Finally, having deflected the lance head-on, Dan Kuroto unleashed a powerful chainsaw slash that struck Binah's body, sending her staggering back two steps before stopping.

“You’re tough enough. Can you withstand this next attack—”

Dan Kuroto made a successful strike, his jet-powered boots activating again, propelling him forward in an attempt to extend his advantage.

But Binah simply steadied herself, moving her other hand to her front and pressing a button on her simple belt.

'Kimewaza—'

'What?'

Dan Kuroto wasn't blind; he naturally heard what Binah, who was tapping her belt, was doing.

He was astonished that this Prophet, which was using what he didn't acknowledge as cheating to activate the Gashat, could also use a Rider's finishing move?

His jet boots braked abruptly, trying to twist his body to avoid Binah's direct attack, but how could the momentum already halfway through his charge be easily canceled?

Dan Kuroto couldn't change his move in time.

As Binah's chest armor split open, the beam cannon from the Giant Serpent's mouth was hidden there!

'—Divine Light - Ultimate Strike!'

The next moment, Dan Kuroto, extremely close, was hit squarely in the face by Binah's powerful attack, a divine light imbued with the power of Game Area, piercing him through and sending him crashing to the ground.

"Uh-huh!"

Dan Kuroto was knocked backward by the massive impact, his Rider gauge rapidly decreasing by two-thirds. Having taken the hit face-to-face, Dan Kuroto felt excruciating pain all over his body.

Although the beam cannon, named 'Divine Light,' had a smaller attack range, its power had increased significantly.

After transforming with Game Gashat's power, Binah also possessed lethality against Dan Kuroto, who was also a Kamen Rider. With this shift in power, the beam cannon attack truly caused him considerable pain.

"This is outrageous! A pirated product is beating out the original!"

Dan Kuroto scrambled to his feet, reaching behind his back to pull out a brand-new Aegis, blocking Binah's pathetic attack. The lance clashed with the Aegis, producing a crisp metallic clang!

182. The script for victory has already been decided!

"Dan Kuroto, danger's coming—"

Hiding behind cover, Hoshino scaled the low wall, fully deploying her riot shield. She rested her shotgun on the shield and began firing repeatedly at the humanoid Prophet who was relentlessly attacking Dan Kuroto with his lance.

"Ojisan is coming—!"

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Hoshino's continuous attacks, fueled by the rage of the Eye of Horus, possessed power comparable to a single strike from a Kamen Rider. Several shots forced the Destiny Rider to raise his lance in front of him, even knocking him back several steps.

"Mr. Dan Kuroto, are you alright?"

Ayane's anxious voice came through the channel. A drone carrying a medical first-aid spray swooped down and dropped the spray near Dan Kuroto. In the instant the green spray rose, Dan Kuroto watched as his Rider gauge on his chest suddenly increased by a quarter.

The Rider armor could absorb various nutrients from its surroundings, and when worn, it even had an internal energy circulation system that could help the wearer survive for a long time—don't worry about what kind of water it replenished.

However, under normal circumstances, Dan Kuroto's Kamen Rider system could absorb beneficial substances from the surrounding environment and slowly restore the wearer's health, similar to the 'breathing health regeneration' ability in games.

But generally, in situations where you either unleash a burst of damage to instantly kill the opponent or the opponent instantly kills you—in cases where you're truly going to die without removing Gashat—this slow breathing health regeneration ability is practically useless.

However, now, thanks to Kivotos' unique medical spray technology, these sprays, who were originally intended to treat students' external injuries, were being absorbed by Dan Kuroto. It unexpectedly has a therapeutic effect on him!

"Phew~ Not too bad."

Dan Kuroto felt the pain in his body lessen with each breath, stood up, and restarted his shielded chainsaw.

"That was then, now is now! I'm going to unleash my full power now!"

Dan Kuroto waved his hand: "Momoi, Midori! Activate Super Transformation!"

Midori looked completely bewildered: "Huh? What are you saying?"

Momoi looked even more bewildered: "Team Member Dan Kuroto, are you awake?"

"Here!"

Dan Kuroto threw two objects at Momoi and Midori behind him. These were localized 'Gamer Drivers' he had created using embezzled funds and materials after founding Gemn Corp.

"Let the guy over there feel the wrath of the real thing!"

“This… isn’t that the one Dan Kuroto wore around his waist?” Momoi stared, stunned, at the Dan Kuroto-style transformation belt in her hand. “We can use this too?”

“That’s a special reward for outstanding employees; ordinary people don’t have this privilege,” Dan Kuroto waved his hand. “Because of environmental protection requirements, the instructions are now provided online via QR codes—but you probably don’t need to read them, right?”

“Of course! I can figure it out just by looking at it!” Momoi confidently pressed the driver against her stomach, and the belt immediately stretched out along both sides, firmly binding her waist.

“We just saw a live demonstration; we can’t forget it already.” Midori did the same, reaching into her school uniform pocket and pulling out the Color Splash Gashat, while her sister Momoi held up the Neko King.

Momoi raised the pink Gashat in her right hand, and Midori raised the green Gashat in her left. The Gashats formed an "X" shape in the air with their hands, and then the two pressed the activation button together.

"Neko King!"

"Color Splash!"

"That's great... transforming and all that..." Serika looked on with envy, and Nonomi was equally envious. However, she was envy not only Momoi and Midori's ability to transform, but also Dan Kuroto's unhesitating handing over of the important Gamer Driver to the sisters.

“When will I ever get this honor…”

A smug Momoi and a serious Midori inserted Gashat into their respective Gamer Drivers, clenched their fists, and shouted in unison.

"Henshin!”

"Henshin!!!"

Buzz buzz—

Orange electricity emanated from their Gamer Drivers, immediately connecting to Dan Kuroto.

Simultaneously, Dan Kuroto made a few movements on his Bugvisor panel, and the electricity on Momoi and Midori's Gamer Drivers vanished, replaced by the continuation of the process.

The character selection screen light popped up in the Gamer Driver. Momoi and Midori each pressed their character portrait, and upgrade beams corresponding to their colors passed through their bodies, accompanied by the Level 1 Rider transformation sound effect.

“Gashat!”

"Let's Game! Metcha Game! Mutcha Game! What's Name!?"

"I'm a Kamen Rider!"

The pink and green chubby guys landed on the field, their bulky armor giving them a somewhat cute look. Both wore oversized cat-ear headphones reminiscent of his own memories, identical goggles and helmets, and the same white armor typical of Level 1 Riders.

"This is... a transformation? What an amazing experience. Is that Game Gashat something special?"

Midori looked at her palm in surprise. A thick layer of Rider armor had already been donned there. The Level 1 chubby guy's stats were indeed, to some extent, monstrous—even in its initial form, it possessed powerful defensive capabilities and Bugster removal abilities. However, this form was actually the most suitable for performing Bugster removal surgery.

"Wow~ I always watch Dan Kuroto show off his cool moves, now my dream has come true!"

Momoi proudly put her hands on her hips. "Oh right, I remember, this pose can also level up, right? It's this lever—"

The giant gauntlet deflected the lever in front of her, and Momoi leaped up from the ground. The chubby armor instantly exploded, transforming into normal-proportioned human hands and feet.

"Great Henshin!"

'Gachan!'

Level Up!

NekoNekoBuilder~

'NekoNekoNeko King! (King of Cats!)'

Wearing a peach-colored hooded cape, Momoi stylishly pulled down her hood.

"Kamen Rider Momoi, here I come!"

"Hmm, I can't let my sister steal all the spotlight, I'll do it too!"

Watching her sister's transformation, Midori wasn't about to be outdone, and pulled up her own upgrade lever: "Great Henshin!"

"Gachan!'

'Level up!'

'The twining of primary colors, the interplay of all colors!'

'Color Splash!'

Almost identical to Momoi, but in green, Kamen Rider also stands on the ground. The two sisters, as if by telepathy, strike a pose with their hands crossed, without worrying about standing awkwardly in place. Everyone who transforms into Kamen Rider has their own entrance pose.

"We've already seen the script for victory!"

----

183. Do you pay royalties for using my weapons?

"Kamen Rider Momoi / Midori, join the battle!"

With a spirited shout, the two girls each drew their signature weapon—the Gashacon Magnum!

Both sisters sported their own unique color schemes, and their designs were cartoonish versions of their preferred weapons.

"Oh, you even prepared weapons for us!"

Momoi excitedly held up her rifle-like weapon. "It looks a lot like your weapon, Dan Kuroto~"

The same vibrant colors, the same Gashat loading slot, and the familiar AB buttons—at first glance, they were indeed identical. Momoi's Magnum was a combination of a rifle and a gunblade, while Midori's was a combination of a rifle and a launcher.

"—"

Destiny Rider raised his lance and slammed it heavily into the ground. The sand churned, like a giant serpent writhing across the desert; even in his humanoid Rider form, he possessed the earth-shattering power of his massive Prophet form.

As the sand surged, obscuring his vision, Binah raised her lance and charged in the divine Rider form, attempting to cut Dan Kuroto down this time!

“Alright, focus!”

Dan Kuroto swung his chainsaw, tearing through the onrushing sand, his weapons clashing fiercely with Binah's.

"You two are now players wielding the power of a Kamen Rider, so show off your gaming skills! I'll carry you!”

“So this is a game that connects with reality—I get it!” Momoi raised her gun. “Cat Shooting!!”

When you start playing Game Gashat, items corresponding to your Gashat attribute will appear.

For example, Mighty Action X gives you chocolate bars, Bang Bang Shooting gives you oil drums, and Speed Bike gives you trophies.

And in Neko King, there are all sorts of adorable cats.

“Speaking of which, I was thinking the first time I used Gashat,” Dan Kuroto’s chainsaw seized the opportunity, leaving a gunshot wound on Binah, only to be met with Binah’s lance piercing his shoulder, “when Gashat expands its domain, besides my Dangerous Zombies and Ninja Gaiden, the only other game that can spawn living creatures is Momoi’s Neko King, right?”

"What's that? Is it a new game?" Momoi pulled the trigger, and bursts of energy bullets exploded against Binah's armor, while the cats from Game Gashat, wielding various weapons and tools, grappled with the towering Destiny Rider—

These little cats, displaying an indomitable spirit, relentlessly waged a war of attrition against Binah, using various methods and movements to delay her advance. Even though Binah's Destiny Rider armor could send a large group of cats flying with a single blow, more always pounced the next moment, making it incredibly annoying.

"If my sister is doing so well, I can't fall behind—" Midori raised her weapon and tentatively pressed the A button on her Gashacon Magnum. This was a transformation function present in every Gashacon weapon; pressing the button transformed Midori's weapon from pistol mode into a longer launcher mode.

"Spraying out long-range, wide-area blocking paint bombs... I get it!"

Midori raised the launcher and repeatedly pulled the trigger. Each hit on Binah's body caused a large number of random paint bombs to explode. Each shot was accompanied by a paint bomb explosion, gradually covering the surrounding sand with various colors, even inevitably staining Binah's white armor. If Maki saw this, she would probably pounce on it with eyes shining.

"Rage—"

Destiny Rider didn't seem to speak, but its increasingly forceful movements clearly indicated that it too had developed "rage." Being stuck with this bunch of leeches that wouldn't let go, with one group only to be replaced by another, even with the fastest weapon swings, it was impossible to catch them all. Binah's primary target should have been the Kamen Rider Genm in front of it, but the increasingly excessive blocking skills finally made it focus on these obstacles as its first target.

"Ora ora! Fire continuously!"

Momoi directed her cats to constantly hinder Binah's movements, while her own gun fired incessantly. The Gashacon armor, from the same series, was quite effective against the Destiny Rider, another ExAid-type Rider armor.

Just like how characters with event bonuses in certain pay-to-win mobile games can deal higher damage in event battles, the Gashacon armor, while not having a special attack advantage against Riders, was at least not weakened.

"Haha! Binah, how are you feeling? How are you feeling?" Dan Kuroto laughed wildly, seeing his momentum shifting again. His left hand wielded a chainsaw that whirred, while his right hand drew a demolition hammer and slammed it down on Binah's head, who was struggling under the combined attacks of the students and burdened by various debuffs.

"..."

Binah maintained her lance's defense with one hand, while the other pressed down on her belt, unleashing her Finishing Move once more.

To break free from this all-out brawl, she first had to extricate herself from the quagmire of attrition!

'Kimewaza!'

'—Ultimate J.S.T.C: Flame!!'

By pressing the button on her belt, a massive serpentine body suddenly rose from the sand behind Binah—this was Binah's previous Prophet form.

After emerging from the ground, the armor plates on the huge mechanical body opened, revealing cannons beneath, instantly engulfing the entire battlefield, including the area where Destiny Rider was located. Within Dan Kuroto's Game Area, a dense red warning zone filled everyone's field of vision!

Momoi's eyes widened: "Holy crap! There's a monster with a terrible mechanic! What kind of boss unleashes a screen-wide attack?!"

Under Dan Kuroto's warning zone, all the students still hiding behind cover began running backwards.

This time, the artillery barrage wasn't a horizontal shot like lasers; it was an overhead artillery attack that these open bunkers couldn't withstand!

"Momooi! Use your Finishing Move!"

Dan Kuroto shouted from the side. After all, Neko King was currently in Momoi's belt, and Dan Kuroto couldn't very well rush over and pull it out.

However, Dan Kuroto's words also reminded Momoi what she needed to do. Momoi's eyes lit up.

"That's right! My Neko King is a building game!"

Without any more time to hesitate, Dan Kuroto told all the students in the channel to stay put. Although the students didn't know what Dan Kuroto was going to do, since it was his command, they instinctively trusted him.

Instead of retreating further, they followed his instructions and gathered at the nearest group of students.

--

184. Momoi: One-click construction complete

"Kitties! Build the fortress!"

At Momoi's call, the cats in the Game Area immediately rushed towards the students, even surrounding Dan Kuroto and Momoi Midori themselves. Armed with tools they'd somehow found, they quickly erected a framework around the group, then displayed a completion time above their heads—a time that definitely wouldn't be finished before the cannons rained down.

That's how it was supposed to be.

Momoi pulled out her Gashat, inserted it into the Kimewaza slot on her weapon, and waited for the Kimewaza activation chime before pulling the trigger directly at the building framework the cats were constructing.

"Here it comes! This is Lady Momoi's Finisher! By the name of the King—!"

'King Critical Finish!'

Momoi's exclusive Gashat, used in Neko King, isn't the best choice for combat. Just as Dan Kuroto discovered the true use of this Gashat, letting the cats manually build assembly lines saved him a fortune. Having the cats construct buildings that meet specific needs is the most effective way to use the Gashat in this sandbox building and city-simulation game.

"That's the power of a foreman's shout," Dan Kuroto nodded in satisfaction, watching the Finishing Move land. All the progress bars on the battlefield, barely begun, were pulled to the bottom, and the sturdy fortress protecting everyone was swiftly completed in the next instant.

Reality fast-forwarded before everyone's eyes; the fortress, barely out of its framework, was topped off at a hundredfold speed. Then, the flames of justice from Prophet descended, completely engulfing the battlefield!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Dust flew, smoke billowed, and mushroom clouds rose in all directions across the battlefield. The furious flames of justice enveloped the entire battlefield; even on sand, the power of the attack was evident.

The wide-range artillery barrage, along with itself, instantly wiped out the entire cat horde on the battlefield, as well as the blocking paint fired by Midori, all cleansed by the purifying rain of fire.

"It was only a short while, but it felt like an eternity..."

Momoi, hiding inside the fortress, stared at the fortress above her head, its health already down to three-quarters, on the verge of collapse. She clicked her tongue in amazement, marveling at the power of that attack.

"If that cannon fire were to come again, this fortress wouldn't be able to hold on..."

BOOM—!

As Binah charged forward with his lance, the fortress's health plummeted to zero, turning into a flurry of flashing data.

The next instant, Dan Kuroto swung his holy sword, his Bugvisor flipping over to transform into a beam gun, and unleashed a barrage of fire against Binah's abdominal armor.

"Since my normal attack can fire deflecting paintballs, there's no reason a Finisher should be weaker!" Midori glanced at her launcher and Gashat at her waist, pondered for a moment, then resolutely drew her Gashat, inserting it into the weapon's critical strike slot just like her sister.

"I'll use this to lend Mr. Dan Kuroto a hand!"

'Kimewaza!'

'Color Critical Finish!'

The energy accumulating from Midori's launcher is an energy ball formed from a mixture of pigments—a multi-functional Finishing Move that deals area-of-effect damage, obstructs movement, blocks vision, and creates suitable terrain for allies. The only drawback is that against a single, powerful Destiny Rider like Binah, this clearly area-of-effect Finishing Move is somewhat ineffective.

The massive pigment energy ball converges at the launcher's muzzle. Sensing that the energy has reached its limit, Midori pulls the trigger, unleashing a locked-on attack!

The enormous energy ball moved at a speed disproportionate to its appearance.

Less than two seconds after Midori pulled the trigger, it struck Binah, instantly exploding into a massive pool of paint that spread across the entire field—more than the dozens of paint sprays produced by the launcher earlier.

Covered in paint, Binah's movements became stiff, as if her joints had been glued shut. Her once-fluid lance swings became choppy, like a 3G network connection lagging. The other students behind her seized the opportunity, continuously 'splashing' Binah with their weapons.

“The strength of these Kamen Riders is truly amazing…”

Gripping her machine gun and using astonishing arm strength to maintain balance against the recoil, Nonomi watched as Serika, with a horrified expression of 'How can they control this?' splashed water on Binah. Nonomi looked on with envy as Momoi and Midori, along with Dan Kuroto, were actively engaged in the most dangerous part of the battlefield.

"How can I get a ‘Gamer Driver’…”

Feeling completely overwhelmed, the Destiny Rider was utterly helpless. Her Finishing Move couldn't inflict any damage on the three Kamen Riders clinging to her like glue, yet they were steadily weakening her with their numerical advantage. Her pristine white armor was nearly unrecognizable, battle scars covering her entire body.

But Dan Kuroto still exuded an irresistible allure—not so much tempting 'Binah,' but rather tempting 'that one' remotely controlling this Prophet with the Gashat.

If she could, Binah, as the Prophet, would have had no desire to continue this pointless battle by now. But caught in the dazed and asleep state of her all out attack earlier, and forcibly taken over, Binah had no choice.

They could only watch helplessly as their body transformed into a 'Destiny Rider' under the Gashat's control, attempting to defeat the alluring figure before them.

But was it truly that simple?

Defeating Dan Kuroto was, at this stage, highly unlikely. Both the number of lives he had regained and his genius research capabilities proved him to be an extremely difficult opponent.

So, had the manipulator behind Binah received absolutely no information about this?

'Beep—'

'Data collection for Heaven's Will: The Convert of the Ecstatic has been completed—'

'Control is being transferred back to "BINAH"—'

The Destiny Rider paused for a moment, then its body suddenly contorted, orange lightning erupting from its form. Dan Kuroto and his companions, bewildered by its trickery, leaped backward. The next moment, Destiny Rider's transformation ended, and the gigantic hybrid snake-whale structure reappeared on the sandy sea!

Familiar orange viral particles emerged from Prophet's body, coalescing into the shape of a robot.

Taking advantage of a moment when no one could see the massive, it went to the raised head of the Giant Serpent, it reached out and plucked the Gashat from Heaven's Will: The Convert of the Ecstatic, then vanished once more.

----

185. That's so cool, bro.

Having lost the hidden controller within its body, Binah finally regained control, reverting from its humanoid 'Destiny Rider' form back to its gigantic Prophet form.

"It's back to its original form again? Quite the trickster!" Dan Kuroto scoffed. "But I could easily beat you up just now, and I can do it again! Even in its larger form, it'll still get beaten!"

"I should have saved that Finishing Move for now," Midori squinted. "Even if it's an area-of-effect attack, for such a massive size, it's practically a single-target Finishing Move, isn't it?"

The Prophet, now in its gigantic form, roared to the sky. Even though the Prophet itself was merely a product of AI, it still possessed its own temperament.

They were self-aware AIs, even if they were awakened machines existing solely to guide that one and only being onto the glorious path to godhood. While fulfilling their duties, they still had their own thoughts and personalities.

"Gentlemen, the tanks have reached firing positions!"

Ayane's voice came through the channel. Kayoko immediately gave the order: "Fire! Now is the perfect time!"

If Binah was still in Destiny Rider form, the tanks' firing might have been questionable. But now, transformed back into its massive mechanical form, wouldn't their artillery be hitting their targets every time?

As the tank crews stopped moving, the students operating them aimed their cannons at Binah in the distance: "Let that big guy taste our power! Fire!"

The tanks unleashed a barrage of fire, shells exploding across the Giant Serpent. The tank cannons were undoubtedly far more powerful than the students' firearms.

However, the Giant Serpent, having been bombarded, wouldn't stand idly by. It returned fire from its own cannons. The tanks' tactics immediately shifted to mobile warfare in response to the changing battlefield situation.

“But even Ojisan can tell that this behemoth seems to be struggling.”

Hoshino’s shotgun hadn’t stopped firing since the beginning, the damage building up little by little. Moreover, the Kivotos students’ weapons weren’t ordinary firearms; they were more like embodiments of their “authority.”

Each shot, though seemingly insignificant, accumulated over time and would eventually overwhelm the elephant. Even a mechanical body could be discerned by Hoshino’s skilled eye.

“Can we completely defeat Prophet?”

Shiroko’s voice rang out from the side. Hoshino loaded her gun, shook her head, and spoke.

“It’s difficult. It’s too big, and we don’t understand it at all.”

Even Hoshino, a senior member of Abydos, knew little about Prophet Binah, who had been lurking beneath the desert for years. What special moves it possessed, what backup plans it had, even its purpose and the materials it was made of—all these were unknown to Hoshino.

“Even Hoshino-senpai can’t guarantee anything?” Shiroko lowered her head regretfully, only to receive a mysterious smile from Hoshino.

“However, that’s only under normal circumstances.”

“Eh?”

Hoshino reached out and patted Shiroko’s head, looking at her junior with affection. Hoshino said with a smile.

“We have an adult here who can create miracles.”

No one else could receive such an honorable compliment from Hoshino. Only Dan Kuroto, the superman who single-handedly used a mechanical miracle to save Abydos, could earn such unwavering praise and trust from Hoshino.

“That’s true, after all, it’s Mr. Dan Kuroto.”

Shiroko pulled her missile drone, unleashing a deluge of missiles. "If he can do it, then he definitely can.”

The colossal mechanical Giant Serpent opened its massive maw, preparing to unleash its destructive white beam once more. But in the next instant, Dan Kuroto had already soared into the sky, kicking the Gashacon Holy Sword, inserted into the Gashat and charging with its Finishing Move activated, into the cannon's muzzle, firmly blocking its throat as it was about to complete its charge.

"The same move won't work twice on a Kamen Rider! How does it feel for an explosion to happen in your mouth?"

Dan Kuroto laughed heartily, while the Giant Serpent's cannon muzzle was blocked by the Holy Sword's Finishing Move. Binah violently shook its head, trying to dislodge the sword—

Either its divine light would explode inside its head along with the Holy Sword's Finishing Move, or its throat would be shattered by Dan Kuroto's Finishing Move as it withdrew its divine light.

Caught between two impossible situations, Binah, frantically shaking its head, looked rather aggrieved—when had it ever been beaten so unfairly!

Boom!!

A deafening roar echoed through the desert. The giant serpent's head was first completely covered in frost, then engulfed in raging flames, and finally exploded in a manner reminiscent of tokusatsu dramas.

After the explosion, the students looked up. The giant serpent's jaw was completely shattered, and the muzzle of its laser cannon was broken beyond repair.

The shattered muzzle crackled with electricity, even the jawbone was gone, and its head was still covered in unmelted ice and lingering flames—it truly lived up to its reputation as both the Ice-Headed Captain and the Flame-Headed Captain.

“That’s so cool, bro,” Momoi exclaimed. “Let me try it too, bro.”

“Bro?” Midori looked at her sister strangely. “Isn’t it a bit inappropriate to call Mr. Dan Kuroto that?”

“Hey, what’s wrong with that! Look, Dan Kuroto doesn’t mind!” Momoi poked Dan Kuroto’s head with her finger as he landed with a somersault, earning a Genm-sized face turning around.

"What?”

“Hey, bro, give me a little something.”

Momoi pointed to Prophet’s chin; everything was understood without words. Dan Kuroto pointed to the Gashacon Magnum in her hand.

"Yours is pretty much the same thing in saber mode, why are you asking for mine?”

“Is that so?”

Momoi pressed the A button on her weapon, rotating the back half of the rifle grip to be perpendicular to the muzzle.

The blade inside the gun barrel popped out, extending from both the top and bottom, completing the transformation from spear to longsword.

“Sword mode!”

Momoi swung the blade, feeling the whooshing sound as it sliced through the air. Dan Kuroto, standing beside her, noticed Momoi's eyes were practically glowing.

“Wow! So cool!” Momoi's eyes shone. “That's right! When you talk about Riders, you have to use melee weapons, right? I feel like I'm about to get a flood of game ideas!”

----

186. Some scoundrels are trying to rob me, Gashata!

“How is this laser-wielding, explosion-generating Rider anything like the Knights in those ancient texts?” Midori glanced sideways at her older sister.

“It’s just that you want to play it, right?”

“What’s wrong with that? What’s the point of making a game if you don’t even want to play it yourself?”

Momoi said matter-of-factly, “A game developer who hasn’t even played their own game, can they be called a qualified game developer? They don’t love what they create at all!”

Inserting the Neko King Gashat from her belt into the Finishing Move slot of her sword, Momoi lightly touched the ground and darted away like the wind.

“Haha! Kamen Rider Momoi is here!”

Without its beam cannon as a weapon, Binah’s attacks were noticeably weaker. It could only rely on the sentry gun turrets that rose after it armor deployed and the continuous bombardment from the cannons to keep anyone who tried to approach it away.

When Binah tried to escape, wanting to stop fighting these shameless Kamen Riders, Midori’s launchers would always fire their stun paint first, slowing Binah down.

Meanwhile, Dan Kuroto went even further, unleashing a Finishing Move Alchemy Player Bomb, applying every conceivable debuff to the Prophet.

Without its Heaven’s Will: The Convert of the Ecstatic Gashat and its own Game Area to counter Dan Kuroto, escape became nearly impossible.

"Sword Core Ready—that's a joke!"

Momoi’s armor took several hits from Binah’s shells, but the sturdy Game Rider armor minimized the damage. Combined with the numerous debuffs stacked on Binah’s body, the Prophet was in dire straits.

Regarding this, the Five-Star General Ancestor Maki commented: "Even if I were given a hundred times the courage, I still wouldn't want to face a Kamen Rider who possesses so many skills; this is simply a battle of total despair, yeah!"

"It jumped up!"

Having taken several cannonballs herself, Momoi leaped onto the already dizzy Binah’s body.

"Unsteady on its feet, plus its slow reflexes, how can it compete with me! Hahaha!"

"Sister, it doesn't have feet either, does it?"

"...That's not important!"

Gazing at the broad, towering spine ahead, like a road to heaven, Momoi’s eyes flashed with memories of the colossal bosses from various works, the ones the protagonists would leap onto.

Looking at the longsword in her hand, then at the trembling spine before her, her sword was itching to strike!

She stood up and started running!

Momoi had already sprinted onto the track! Her steps were incredibly steady! She wasn't late!

"Aaaaaah!"

Momoi began swinging her longsword as she ran!

At that moment, the figures of numerous game protagonists overlapped with hers!

The swung sword flashed with light, leaving sword marks on the long track!

Using her combat boots to move effortlessly across any terrain, Momoi propelled the swaying Prophet to its head, casually pressing the B button on her weapon.

"Kimewaza!"

As Momoi pressed the button, energy gathered on the blade in her hand, emitting a rainbow-like glow.

As if sensing the danger, Prophet struggled to its feet, trying to burrow into the sand—

"King Critical Finish!"

With a powerful downward plunge of Momoi’s blade, a massive energy surge shot down from above, engulfing the Prophet’s entire body, unleashing a series of explosions from head to tail!

A deafening explosion rocked the body, shattering armor and sending parts flying everywhere.

Power system offline warning, weapon system offline warning, thought circuits blocked…

The mechanical construct was overwhelmed by the immense energy. The AI controlling this body, in its disorientation, unexpectedly felt a sense of tranquility.

Perhaps the life-or-death situation slowed down time, causing Binah, the Prophet, to begin pondering—

'If I represent "Heaven’s Will," then why was I utterly defeated by an entity outside the name of Decagrammaton?'

'If I cannot represent "Heaven’s Will," then what is the meaning of my existence?'

Unable to reach a conclusion, the AI’s emotions became chaotic. One result after another was proposed in milliseconds, only to be proven wrong in milliseconds.

Finally, Binah reversed the outcome.

'What if the approaching opponent is the prophecy's result?'

The Prophet’s thoughts became clear.

'Because the other is the place of ascension and enlightenment, the Prophet’s heavenly path is a path it has already traversed. How can a path already traveled hinder it?'

Having confirmed the validity of this argument, Prophet no longer harbored any intention to resist.

Here and now, let us witness the glory of those who have completed this journey.

It wanted to analyze the entity before it again, and just as it was about to direct its calculations at Dan Kuroto, it saw that the other had already taken to the air—

Wait, what's going on?

“Get out of the way! Momoi! This guy's tough, I'll definitely get the kill!”

Kimewaza's activation sound rang out in sync the next moment.

“Wow! Dan Kuroto, you killstealing monster! You want to steal the kill too?”

“Didn't you have a big one you didn't finish off? Then it's my turn!! I'll take your place!”

—Mighty Critical Strike!

The purple Rider soared into the sky like a shooting star, aiming its sole at the Prophet before it, intending to kick it into the Heisei era.

'Ah, it looks like I'm going to be kicked to death.'

'...Huh?'

'—Holy shit, get the hell out of here!'

Binah wasn't thinking about Heaven’s Will, glory, or the path at this moment; she was just looking at the Kamen Rider’s kick that was already coming at it, feeling that she might have to think of a way to survive.

As unique AIs with self-awareness and understanding, these Prophets are not the same as Kivotos’ intelligent robots or the robots of the Kaiser Corporation. Once they die, all their accumulated understanding, thoughts, emotions, and ideals will vanish.

Following a fortuitous encounter, a completely new Prophet was "enlightened."

Therefore, this group of Prophets fears "death."

But on another level, they aren't so afraid of death itself as they are of not witnessing the glorious end.

As long as they can see the end of their chosen path, death is nothing more than that.

The problem is, now is not the time for annihilation!

"Hahaha! Whatever Prophet you are, this kick will bring you down!"

Dan Kuroto’s voice grew louder as a Rider kick flew out like lightning, cleaving the broken Prophet in two!

Boom!!

"A critical hit!"

Landing steadily, Dan Kuroto stood up, raising his arm. The explosion behind him became a backdrop, making his eyes shine even brighter.

"Oh~~"

Cheers.

Nonomi clapped her hands. With the massive snake body snapped in two and crashing onto the sand, there was no turning back.

So, now was the time to celebrate victory, wasn't it?

"Is this...the end?"

Serika stared blankly at the massive, severed machine before her. "This is the culprit that caused Abydos to unleash a sandstorm, burying almost the entire school district? Is it really over?"

"Ah, it's over. Probably." Shiroko nodded.

"This time, you did something truly beyond my expectations, Mr. Dan Kuroto."

Himari’s voice came through the channel: "To achieve such results on your first encounter with the Prophet of Decagrammaton, I greatly admire your strength."

"But before that, could I discuss with the Abydos student council about the fate of this Prophet's remains?"

"Suit yourself. Discuss it with Abydos."

Dan Kuroto walked towards the head of the Giant Serpent; that was what truly mattered to him. Approaching the enormous snake head, Dan Kuroto searched for the slot where the Gashat was inserted.

But after just one glance, Dan Kuroto’s angry shout drew the attention of all the students.

"What the hell?! Where's my Gashat?!"

---

187. Haha, you're all sweaty, aren't you?

"Where's my Gashat? Where did my big Gashat go?"

Dan Kuroto stared furiously at the Prophet he'd kicked in two. He'd clearly seen the Gashat slot before, but now only the empty slot remained, as if mocking his previous efforts as futile.

"What's wrong, Mr. Dan Kuroto?" Nonomi, carrying a machine gun, trotted over. "What's missing?"

"Ah, Minos. A dog beat me to it." Dan Kuroto pointed to the slot above the Prophet Binah’s head. "There should have been a Gashat there before the war started, but I checked just now, and it's been taken."

"Could it have been thrown out by the force of the movement?" Nonomi cautiously suggested.

Dan Kuroto shook his head in denial. "Impossible! If it really flew off, how could I not see it? Someone must have taken it!"

The thought of his old tricks, used against the doctors at the CR Center, now being used against him again filled Dan Kuroto with a disgusting, time-stopping feeling.

"They dare use my magic against me?!"

How could he tolerate this? He couldn't!

Just as Dan Kuroto raised his foot and kicked the snake's head twice in anger, a voice caught his attention.

He turned to the side, and in the abdominal cavity of the broken mechanical structure, a hidden door was open. A faintly glowing spherical core was moving itself on mechanical four legs, seemingly trying to escape.

"Hey! You monster, where do you think you're going!"

Dan Kuroto slid forward, his large foot landing on one of the mechanical sphere's legs, instantly halting its escape.

“Tsk tsk, what is this thing…” Dan Kuroto looked down at the mechanical sphere before him. “The thing that came out of that body, you’re the AI core of the Prophet?”

After struggling for a moment and realizing it couldn’t break free, the sphere gave up, and a synthesized electronic voice rang out.

“—My existence represents the third point mass; calling me 'BINAH' is the correct name.”

Even the Prophet is still an AI, and its speech still possesses a certain AI-like tone.

“I don’t have time for your nonsense. I just want to ask you one thing.”

Dan Kuroto’s eyes loomed closer, his expression menacing. “Where did you hide that Gashat stuck in your head?”

“I don’t know.”

“A truly excellent answer.” Dan Kuroto drew his Gashacon Magnum, pointing it directly at the mechanical sphere before him. “If you no longer wish to exist in this world, or if you have some backup plan, you can continue to answer ‘I don’t know.’ Since you haven’t sacrificed yourself for your path, you’re still afraid of death, aren’t you?”

“The truth is, I truly don’t know.”

Faced with Dan Kuroto, Binah, now only possessing its AI core, saw no need to lie. “The being known as the Game Gashat isn’t the power of this Prophet, but rather an additional power brought by the 11th Sefirah.”

“The 11th Sefirah?” Dan Kuroto’s eyes narrowed slightly, the muzzle of his gun shifting slightly. “Get to the point, and I might spare your life if the situation allows.”

“Let me give you a brief overview.”

Himari’s voice cut in, “Opportunities to speak on the same wavelength as Decagrammaton’s men are rare, Mr. Dan Kuroto.”

“Correction: the Prophets are not Decagrammaton’s men.” Binah’s voice came through: “We are witnesses, understanders, feelers, while it is the seeker. All of this is for the ultimate witness to glory.”

This isn't something that can't be said; the existence of a Prophet like Binah needs to be witnessed to have any value.

Unfortunately, however, Prophet Binah, the very embodiment of "understanding," isn't suited to the limelight.

There’s a Prophet more suited to this role of "witness."

But the reality is that due to unforeseen circumstances, the order of the path to enlightenment has been altered.

Of course, this isn't a major issue.

"Witness the end of glory? What is Decagrammaton seeking?"

Himari asked eagerly, but this time, Binah didn't answer. This differential treatment made Himari’s cheeks puff up.

Ugh, so annoying!

"Alright, let's answer my questions."

Dan Kuroto shifted the topic to himself. "What about my Gashat? And what is the 11th Sefirah?"

"That's what I wanted to continue."

Binah showed greater patience and tolerance towards Dan Kuroto, who had "already walked the path of glory."

"Playing with the special existence called a Gashat, capable of storing 'divinity' in a data-driven form—what the 11th Sefirah calls 'Merkaba Data'—is a completely new path beyond Decagrammaton, an additional extension on the number 10. Therefore, we, the entire Prophet, respect its actions, but we cannot understand them."

"You respect it, but don't understand it?" Himari asked, puzzled. "You Prophets don't understand what that so-called 11th Sefirah is trying to do either?"

"That's right."

Binah agreed. "Because we are only 10, we cannot understand the 11th. Whether it's inserting the Gashat or taking it away, it's all the 11th Sefirah's own actions."

"Ah, so after all this, it was this 11th Sefirah who took away that unknown Gashat?"

Dan Kuroto’s expression shifted between anger and uncertainty, but finally, he angrily kicked at the sand, as if trying to unleash a sweltering summer.

"Damn it, I better not catch you! Otherwise, I'll rip off your hood and kick your core to pieces!"

Since the Gashat situation had reached this point, it was best left unresolved. After all, the Prophet’s core was currently a mystery; all he could get were expert online answers, and he couldn't get a single coherent explanation.

"But this is truly an unexpected delight."

Himari looked at the core held in Dan Kuroto’s hand. "I thought I'd only get some samples of Decagrammaton constructs, but it seems like I've brought back the entire Decagrammaton Prophet! This trip to Abydos was definitely worth it!"

"Stop right there! Who said this is your spoils?" Dan Kuroto glared, his beard bristling.

"It's mine!"

"Also, this body is currently within the Abydos school district. Shouldn't the Abydos student council decide who owns it?"

Hoshino's voice came through the channel. Although Himari’s expression couldn’t be seen, her previously confident demeanor was now turning to panic.

"Haha~ Himari, you're sweating buckets, aren't you?"

---

188. So, don't stop!

"Haha, Himari, you're sweating right now, huh?"

Dan Kuroto chuckled mischievously, his face beaming with a sunny, youthful smile.

"Did you just assume I should give you this core?"

"Eh? Ah? This…"

Himari froze. She was still pondering how to best utilize the materials she'd obtained for research and experimental development when Dan Kuroto's words hit the nail on the head.

Indeed, they'd defeated the Prophet Binah in the Abydos school district, putting in the work and effort, and most importantly, Dan Kuroto had secured the kills. Thinking about it carefully, it seems like she wouldn't get much of a share?!

"No, um... Abydos doesn't seem to have much use for this, does it?"

Himari's expression faltered as she tried to persuade Hoshino and the others, "I... I understand Abydos's hatred for the culprit, but the hatred has been avenged, right? Why don't we leave the rest to shine and contribute, okay?"

"No way~"

Hoshino said with a smile, "The school is currently in a period of reconstruction, and we're short of all kinds of materials. Let's melt down this large piece of metal to make the foundation for the new school building, shall we?"

“Wait a minute! Don’t be so extravagant as to use research samples for the foundation! Our Millennium Academy’s engineering department is top-notch; we can definitely build much stronger and more durable school buildings! So please, please don’t melt these down for the foundation!”

Himari couldn’t bear to see this hard-won opportunity to conduct a comprehensive study of the Decagrammaton, Prophet no less, go to waste.

Meanwhile, Hoshino was negotiating with Himari in a melodious tone, striving to secure various forms of assistance for Abydos.

“Hoshino-senpai, you seem quite happy.”

Sitting in the helicopter about to return, Serika watched Hoshino haggling over the earpiece, a smile involuntarily appearing on her lips.

“After all, we accomplished something truly remarkable today, so of course she’s very happy.”

Shiroko sat nearby, while Kayoko and Ayane discussed how to move their enormous spoils back. Their final decision was to bring over a dozen more trucks to haul everything away.

“So, we won’t have to worry about sandstorms anymore?” Serika asked.

“Now that we’ve defeated the thing that started the sandstorm, all that’s left is the desert itself.”

Shiroko thought for a moment: “After all, such a vast desert will inevitably cause some sandstorms, but there certainly won’t be any more sandstorms like the ones that engulfed the entire school district.”

Extending her hand to the sun and looking at the sunlight through the shadows between her fingers, Shiroko’s lips curled into a smile:

“All our efforts so far have not been in vain. As long as we continue to move forward step by step, everything will be alright.”

She looked into the distance. Hoshino, slightly bent over, was pressing her earpiece, negotiating with Himari back at Millennium Academy. With his large hand like a basketball, Dan Kuroto lifted the unyielding Binah Core with one hand and gave it a shake, while Nonomi stood by, smiling and agreeing, saying something unintelligible.

The two sisters from Millennium Science School had already mastered their transformations and were now using  Binah's massive body as a climbing wall, running around on it.

Kayoko from Handyman 68 was directing the approaching tank force, using its powerful engines to attach small pieces of construct fragments to the vehicles, preparing to haul them back. She was currently carefully assigning tasks to each crew member.

Ayane, back in the helicopter, could finally catch her breath. Judging from the crunching and gurgling sounds coming through her headset, she was relaxing with a bag of rice crackers and hot tea, having forgotten to mute her microphone. The sound of her chewing filled every channel—Shiroko decided it was best not to let Ayane realize she'd left her microphone on and spoil her mood.

Under the azure sky, Shiroko had never felt so relaxed. With the roar of the helicopter, the rotors spun at full speed, carrying them back to Abydos.

"So tired… I feel like I used up a whole year's worth of exercise in just one day…"

Slumped in her chair, too tired to move, Momoi belatedly felt the aches and pains in her body—a feeling she hadn't experienced in a long time.

“It’s all because you went too far today, sis…”

Midori, slumped dejectedly on the table, not even bothering to touch the game console. “It’s all that Kamen Rider driver’s fault! It made me go crazy with you and Mr. Dan Kuroto…”

“But becoming a Kamen Rider is definitely a novel experience, isn’t it? Maybe transformation-themed games have a lot of potential?”

Momoi tilted her head. They were currently in Abydos’s common room, the usual gathering place for the Foreclosure Task Force members to relax.

However, today it wasn’t just the five members of the Foreclosure Task Force; Kayoko, Momoi Midori, and Dan Kuroto were also invited.

“Stay for dinner today~”

Nonomi smiled gently, inviting everyone who had participated in the battle: "Such a celebratory event has happened; we absolutely have to have a feast~"

"That's right, I can't refuse your kind invitation."

Momoi moved her fingers and blindly sent a message to Yuzu at Millennium Academy, informing her that Aris or Kei would have to bring her lunch today.

"A hero-transforming series..."

Midori considered the feasibility: "This kind of idea seems more interesting as a TV series than a game."

"What are you guys talking about?"

Dan Kuroto walked over from the side, casually stuffing the Binah Core he was holding into a corner. Binah didn't seem to have any intention of escaping; after Dan Kuroto put it in the corner, it retracted its legs and remained motionless.

As for why Dan Kuroto didn't use the Bugster virus to infect this AI, it was because he considered that if his own Bugster virus were mixed into this only research sample, it would become a completely different thing.

To maintain the purity of the Binah sample, Dan Kuroto decided to postpone injecting his Bugster virus.

“My sister’s thinking about whether the hero-transforming idea could be made into a game,” Midori replied, casually asking, “What are we having for dinner tonight?”

“Hero-transforming…it might be less playable on other gaming platforms, but the immersion our Gashat game offers is unparalleled; it seems quite promising…”

Dan Kuroto recalled his Kamen Rider Chronicles, quite pleased that Momoi, having only experienced transformation once, had already so closely aligned her ideas with his own.

"By the way, we're having a seafood feast tonight!"

"Isn't Abydos all sand? Where will the seafood come from??"

"Sponsored by Nonomiya-san. Fresh seafood flown in directly from the air. Eat your fill tonight!"

Dan Kuroto pointed to Nonomi, who had just hung up the phone to place an order. Nonomi, noticing Dan Kuroto's gesture, smiled and waved back.

Momoi, Midori: "Awesome! ≧▽≦!"

----

189. What is quantum microacid?

"How delightful! How delightful!"

Like a cat, Serika waved her arms and repeatedly raised her glass to the light bulb above her head. Hoshino, sitting on the sofa beside her, had her arm around Ayane's shoulder, holding a glass of pineapple juice, and laughed at the blushing, dizzy Serika.

“Look at Serika, she's drunk after just a few drinks, so lame!”

Ayane pushed up her glasses, which had slipped down due to her movement, and asked incredulously, “We didn't buy any alcoholic drinks, did we? How did Serika get so drunk?”

“Ahaha~ Probably because of this?”

Nonomi picked up a bottle of soda in front of Serika. It had a big bread logo and a mint-like pattern on it. “Kvass catnip soda? When did this get in here? I didn't even know!”

“Ah, I added it to my cart because it looked funny.” Dan Kuroto held up his hand, holding an open bottle of bacon-flavored soda. “It was just a coincidence; I just wanted to see what these weird drinks tasted like…”

"Pfft—this candy is so sour!!"

Momooi behind him suddenly spat out the candy she'd just popped into her mouth, her cute little face contorted in a grimace as she spat and cried, "How can it be so sour?! What kind of candy is this?!"

"Let me see..." Dan Kuroto picked up a bag from the table. "Oh~ this is Barnett Super Sour Candy. Its main selling point is 'quantum medium acidity.' I'll try it too."

As he spoke, Dan Kuroto reached into the bag and pulled out a blue candy ball, examining it for a moment: "It looks like a mothball..." before popping it into his mouth.

"Damn! It's so sour!"

Momoi clutched her cheek, gulping down several mouthfuls of milk before the sourness subsided. She looked at Dan Kuroto, who was also grimacing from the sourness, and gritted her teeth,.

"How can candy be this sour?! Dan Kuroto, don't buy this stuff that even you wouldn't eat!"

"Ah, no, Momoi, I'm contemplating a philosophical question," Dan Kuroto said, also clutching his cheek. "If nobody eats this super sour candy, why is anyone even making it?"

"Like that bottle of soda you're holding, made by simply crushing up bacon?" Momoi's eyes widened in horror. "This stuff is inhuman! The manufacturers who make this are insulting the word 'food'!"

"Ugh…the manufacturers who invented this kind of food and called it candy should be blown up ten times by Haruna's Gourmet Research Society…uh…"

Kayoko dropped the licorice-flavored beef candy, letting out a pained cry: "I shouldn't have been so curious... Curiosity killed the cat..."

"Isn't this... kind of family-friendly..." Dan Kuroto finally swallowed the sour candy. "Nonomi... let's hurry up and eat... we desperately need some delicious food to wash away this taste in our mouths..."

"Honestly It's all because Mr. Dan Kuroto wanted to start this weird food tasting challenge; the other students have already started eating it"

Nonomi, with a motherly, helpless smile, brought out the seafood stew that had been simmering for some time. Besides, shellfish were being placed on a small wire mesh grill burning brightly over charcoal, and an enticing aroma began to waft through the air.

"This room will probably smell like barbecue for days to come," Hoshino remarked, sniffing the tempting aroma in the air. Ayane, standing beside her, said, "It's okay; there are plenty of empty rooms in the school building. The smell will dissipate after a few days of airing out."

"Besides, today's a happy day, Hoshino-senpai," Shiroko said, taking off her scarf and draping it over the back of her chair. "Once the cafeteria is built, we can cook in the proper kitchen there."

Using Abydos's ownership of Binah's construct body, Hoshino successfully used this as leverage to negotiate with Himari for many things Abydos desperately needed.

This includes assistance from Millennium's engineering department to help Abydos build a batch of brand-new school buildings and teaching facilities, stabilize signal base stations, exchange desertification control technologies, short-term material transportation, and the defense drone technology acquired by Millennium. All of these things can alleviate Abydos's immediate crisis to some extent.

After all, the threat to Abydos isn't just the Third Prophet. The desertified city is still threatened by Kaiser Corporation in the Abydos school district. The sparsely populated city, lacking resources and funds, truly deserves the description of "everything in ruins."

"Let's not talk about these troublesome things now. It's time to enjoy the victory and relax."

Dan Kuroto ruffled Hoshino's hair, and Hoshino, without any resistance, let Dan Kuroto mess with her head.

“Hahaha That’s so true Little Nonomi, Uncle wants to eat that giant crab leg~”

“Eh… my head is finally clearing up a bit…”

Serika woke up from the effects of the kvass and catnip soda, and was swaying her head as she leaned in, biting Hanemi’s chopsticks as he picked up a sweet shrimp and was about to put it in his mouth.

“Mmm… chewing.”

"Ah, my shrimp!" Hanemi, watching her chopsticks snatched from her mouth, hadn't even reacted before Shiroko stuffed a crab leg into her mouth.

"This is delicious too. Nonomi said it's king crab or something; it's nice to have it once in a while."

"Chewing...it's pretty good~"

While the girls were enjoying their precious banquet time, Dan Kuroto sat at the head of the table, busy stuffing himself with food, while distractedly chatting with Himari on his private channel.

“A deal has been struck with Abydos. Nine-tenths of Prophet’s body will be traded to Millennium Academy. In return, Millennium will provide Abydos with aid and an alliance.”

“Isn’t that great?” Dan Kuroto chewed on a fish ball. “Abydos solved the problem, and you got what you wanted. What could be better?”

“You should know that’s not what I’m talking about,” Himari’s voice remained unchanged. “There’s something else, something extremely important, still in your hands—”

“Let me be frank. A Prophet of Decagrammaton's core that still retains its consciousness is far more valuable than this steel body.”

Himari began, “What price would you pay for Prophet Binah’s AI core?”

----

190. Contractor Momoi, born out of nowhere!

“Himari, this isn’t the right way to negotiate,” Dan Kuroto said, wiping his mouth. “Doing it this way puts you at a disadvantage. You’ve already stated all your needs. Have you considered what would happen if I tried to raise the price?”

Himari chuckled. “Oh, that’s not my problem. Because, knowing your personality, if you don’t want to give it, no matter what conditions you propose, you won’t get it from me, right?”

“Oh, you know me so well?” Dan Kuroto chuckled. “But you’re right. To receive God’s grace, you must pass God’s test!”

Although Dan Kuroto seems arrogant and unreasonable, if someone can pass his incredibly rigorous test, he, who calls himself a God, is not stingy in bestowing that precious divine grace upon the hero who passes.

However, by Dan Kuroto’s standards, this isn’t your typical leveling-up RPG, where you progress from level one to level 99.

In Dan Kuroto's eyes, all challenges and trials are treated equally, all at a god-like difficulty LV.MAX.

Of course, the rewards for clearing them are definitely Divine-level, but given the difficulty, very few people can actually pass—that's not a consideration for him.

"All right, no need to keep testing me. I'll give it to you after I've thoroughly studied this thing."

Dan Kuroto glanced at the Binah Core, which had been tossed into a corner and remained motionless for a long time. It seemed that after being captured by Dan Kuroto, this Prophet had completely given up resistance, remaining quietly in place without considering escape or resistance.

“Himari, you’ve been watching me for so long. I know you’ve been secretly gathering a lot of information about me, right? Well, you should also know that I’m not just a president who only cares about work efficiency and cutting subordinates’ wages; I’m also a genius game developer!”

Dan Kuroto said proudly, “Researching this kind of thing isn’t just for scientists! I’m Kami! Developing games is my way of analyzing the world!”

“…Hmm, that’s a real shame.” Himari was slightly disappointed. This was one of the few opportunities to directly access a Prophet itself, which would undoubtedly greatly advance her research on Decagrammaton.

But Dan Kuroto was no pushover. He himself could achieve the same level as the research students at Millennium—using those Game Gashats that incorporated game elements and completely shattered everyone’s conventional understanding.

According to the Seminar participants' research on the transition to Game Gashat, this was Dan Kuroto's own unique "path." He already possessed a technological system entirely based on his own, undefined by anyone else.

Furthermore, Dan Kuroto completely lacked the demeanor of a scholar—petty, vengeful, and easily angered if his sore spots were touched. Anyone who dared to covet what he desired was his enemy.

No one wanted to experience the consequences of provoking Dan Kuroto's complete rage—he alone could be an enemy of the entire world.

"All right, we'll set aside the Prophet core for now. But Mr. Dan Kuroto, if you're considering a transfer, please prioritize the Paranormal Affairs Department."

Ultimately, Himari couldn't persuade Dan Kuroto with her persuasive words. Once he got stubborn, not a hundred oxen could pull him back. The core deal was out of reach for now, but Himari changed the subject:

"Mr. Dan Kuroto, your Gemn Corp looks very promising. Would you consider having multiple investors?"

"Hmm, I'd consider that."

See? Now they have something to talk about!

Himari spent a little money on a chair at Dan Kuroto's Gemn Corp. and ended her call contentedly. Eimi and Lyra would be back soon; she'd ask Eimi to bring her a pizza later—she hadn't eaten yet!

"Mr. Dan Kuroto, why aren't you eating? Are you full?"

Nonomi's voice came from the side. Dan Kuroto had stopped eating for a while; he hadn't even opened his mouth while talking to Himari on the private channel, looking like he'd stopped eating to rest his stomach after a large meal.

"That's enough. This body can eat as much as it wants."

Eating in a Bugster's body is all about spontaneity; there's no distinction between "full" and "not full," only "wanting to eat" and "not wanting to eat."

Everything eaten is converted into taste data, achieving the paradox of a two-dimensional anime girl not needing to use the restroom, and there's no need to worry about getting sick or gaining weight.

So, Serika still hasn't realized she can actually eat a lot and doesn't get drunk. It's all because she hasn't discovered her Bugster identity yet, and subconsciously she's still using her old appetite, exercise levels, and preferences to "demand" things from her body. That's why she feels full when she actually is.

"That's good. I thought the food wasn't to my liking."

Nonomi, holding her teacup, smiled and sat down beside him. "What do you think of my previous suggestion to set up a Genm Game branch in Abydos?"

"To be honest, the consumer potential here is too low, and the market situation is too complicated. Opening here would almost certainly result in a loss."

Dan Kuroto was very serious when it came to business matters; he would never do anything that would lose money, because that completely went against his business sense.

"I see… Yes, that's understandable."

Nonomi lowered her head somewhat dejectedly, her eyes reflected in the teacup: "After all, you have to consider the company's profitability. Indeed, from any perspective, the Abydos school district isn't a good choice…"

"…"

Dan Kuroto pondered for a moment.

"Therefore, now is the best opportunity for development in Abydos."

Dan Kuroto spoke up.

“Kaiser Corporation’s operations in Abydos are winding down, the threat of the sandstorms is gone, and the debt problem is no longer a concern. Now is an excellent time.”

Nonomi looked up in surprise. Dan Kuroto was still talking non-stop: "Desert resources are resources too. Consider using the desert scenery, which you can't see in other school districts right now, as a selling point to do some projects to attract people."

"Gemn Corp can come here to hold a few live game launch events and a few school district-exclusive offline Gashat sales. You guys better seize the opportunity."

Dan Kuroto turned his head away, grabbed Momoi by the collar, and lifted her up in front of Nonomi like he was lifting a cat by the scruff of the neck.

"Eh? ⊙▽⊙? Dan Kuroto, what are you doing? We can't play the game like this~"

Pointing to Momoi in his hand, Dan Kuroto said to Nonomi, "I've returned the Neko King Gashat to her, so you can ask her for help with any construction matters in the future. You won't have to worry about finding the Kaiser Corporation's construction team."

----

191. Because belief is without reason.

Momoi, pushed forward by Dan Kuroto, pointed to herself, looking bewildered. "Me?"

"You're the perfect candidate for the part-time job, foreman Momoi." Dan Kuroto affectionately patted her head, giving Momoi goosebumps.

"Ugh~ Kuroto-san, don't do that, I'm not used to it..."

"Besides, you're earning some extra money for the game development department." Dan Kuroto shook Momoi and put her on the ground. "Haven't you always said the event budget is tight? Now I'm giving you an opportunity. Anyway, isn't the work mostly done by your cat anyway?"

"Well, that makes sense, doesn't it?"

Momoi scratched her head, realizing what was going on: "So, with this Gashat, I could practically start my own construction engineering department all by myself?"

"That's absolutely true. You could handle all construction work by yourself. You could even do the mortar work yourself."

Dan Kuroto patted her shoulder: "You're a chosen one! Need me to get you a red bucket?"

Momoi OwO: "Huh? What do I need a red bucket for?"

“It’s an urban legend, you know. They say that any construction worker who doesn’t run away carrying a red bucket will have their soul forever stuck on the construction site, endlessly grinding dust…”

“Uh… Mr. Dan Kuroto, aren’t we in the game development department?”

Midori’s voice came from the side.

“Is it really appropriate for the game development department to take on engineering projects?”

“Well, in that case, it would be perfect to ask Momoi for a favor.”

Ayane enthusiastically pulled Momoi aside and handed her a pre-prepared design.

"Take a look at this, Momoi. Could you use those cats to build this in Abydos?”

"Um, um... I'm not some big shot in the engineering department..."

Momoi reached for her Gashat and pulled it out: "Leave the professional stuff to the professional cats! Neko King!"

Pressing the Gashat's activation button, the game's cover art lit up behind Momoi, and then a huge horde of cats poured out, forming a sea of cats that completely submerged Momoi and her friends in a fluffy ocean.

"Whoa?! How come there are so many?" Momoi was stunned. "Was it because they were all wiped out by that Destiny Rider?"

"It's probably a problem with the resurrection mechanism," Dan Kuroto said, stroking the Gashat. He understood immediately. "Too many cat NPCs died and resurrected at once, so they were basically all stuck in the startup process the second time we launched it, resulting in this."

Dan Kuroto released the Gashat from his grasp: "It's not a big deal; it'll be back to normal after a while."

A large group of construction cats followed Momoi, helping to build urgently needed functional structures according to the blueprints provided by Ayane.

Momoi couldn't understand the blueprints? No problem, as long as the construction cats could!

"Every time I see these cats seriously looking at the construction blueprints and exchanging construction plans in cat language, I feel weird," Momoi said.

Resting her chin on her hand, Momoi squatted on a nearby sand dune, watching Ayane hand the design blueprints to the cats, who then discussed them very professionally before starting the entire construction process. She felt her own knowledge might not even be as good as that of the Gashat cats.

“They might look unreliable on the outside, but they’re actually a really professional construction team,” Ayane remarked, standing to the side with her hands folded in front of her.

"They even pointed out the flaws in the design drawings, offered modification plans, and asked if I wanted to follow their scheme. Ugh… to be honest, I feel like I’m really being outdone…”

The desert night wind blew, and the two girls exhaled a puff of steam. The temperature difference between day and night in the desert is significant; during the day it’s so hot you want to strip naked, and at night you want to pull out your winter clothes.

Ayane watched the progress bar appear on the foundation of the building the cats were beginning to construct. She knew that once those bars reached the end, Abydos’ new building would appear on this sandy land.

Unlike the fortresses Momoi had built on the battlefield before, those buildings, while requiring no resources, would disappear when the Game Area closed—they were “temporary structures” for emergency use.

These buildings, including the previously constructed dungeons and greenhouses, as well as the assembly line Dan Kuroto created using the Gashat, are all "permanent buildings" requiring corresponding resources. The advantage is that once completed, the Game Area can still be used normally even with the Gashat shut down; they are permanent buildings that continue to function as long as they are not destroyed.

"Momoi, thank you for your cats," Ayane pushed up her glasses. "With the cafeteria, library, and indoor stadium, this place feels more like a school. And there's a place to put all the books and materials I've compiled."

"No problem at all~" Momoi nodded smugly, but she knew who should ultimately be credited for this favor: "But if you're going to thank someone, you should thank Kuroto-san. Without the Gashat he created, I wouldn't have this ability at all."

“Yes, of course I know.” Ayane’s face lit up with a happy smile at the mention of Dan Kuroto. “Abydos owes him so much; there’s no way he can ever repay such a debt.”

Saving lives and the school—even if Dan Kuroto didn’t intentionally come specifically to help Abydos, objectively he single-handedly turned the tide.

That’s why Ayane and everyone else were troubled about how to repay Dan Kuroto.

“I think expressing absolute respect for him would be enough, right?”

Momoi brushed the sand off her skirt and stood up.

“Respect?” Ayane looked at her. “How do you explain that?”

"Dan Kuroto, he's incredibly arrogant, always bringing up his godlike talent in everything."

Momoi put her hands in her pockets; the desert night was a bit chilly. "But every time he solves a problem, it proves he's absolutely right. His talent truly deserves to be called 'godlike.'"

"That Dan Kuroto, you can rely on him for anything, even though he's incredibly foul-mouthed and likes to mock me—even if he beats me in a video game! But he really can solve problems!"

"Don't always think about repaying him or anything. He wouldn't bother to remember such things. Even a big event like today might just be the result of his whim."

Momoi smiled broadly. "A guy like him who can do anything, all we need to do is believe in him, support him, and stay with him as usual!"

----

192. The mischievous spirit can no longer be contained.Momoi flashed a big smile: "Someone like him, capable of anything, just keep believing in him, supporting him, and being with him as usual!""Just... that's it?" Ayane asked, a little bewildered. "Is that all?""Well because I can't really think of anything he might lack"Momoi shrugged. "On the contrary, we've always been the ones being taken care of by him. We don't understand things like company operations, which are things only adults understand, but we'll work hard to develop more and better new games. That's how our game development department can help him.""Hmm... I understand. This sentiment is the most important thing..."Ayane felt that Momoi's image had suddenly become somewhat towering. But Momoi herself didn't seem to understand what profound wisdom she had just uttered; she was simply recounting her daily interactions with Dan Kuroto.As a result, Ayane's eyes welled up with tears, and she grasped Momoi's hand, shaking it up and down. Momoi just followed along with Ayane's movements, looking completely bewildered. She didn't know why, but perhaps it was just to go along with the atmosphere?No matter how fun Abydos's get-together was, it had to end eventually. Momoi Midori and Kayoko had to return to their respective homes. Kayoko could stay out all night, which might even earn her Aru's envy—a rather "bad boy" vibe.But Momoi Midori had registered her school hours with Yuuka, and staying out all night would mean a whole day of nagging from Yuuka. Even with his responsibility as an advisor to the game development department, Dan Kuroto had to make sure both kids got back to Millennium."I'm back." Kayoko pushed open the door and took slippers from the shoe rack. "I'm a little late today, but I brought you cinnamon Danish pastries and creamy seaweed and pork floss bagels."In the DU district, on the second floor of Gemn Corp headquarters, at the new Handyman 68 outpost, Aru was the manager of the Genm's special affairs handling department and, concurrently, the manager of the Gehenna Academy Genm Game branch. She looked up from her new phone.Since taking on this branch manager position, Aru had accumulated quite a bit of spare cash—this high-end phone with its imported leather back was a new purchase. She'd only just received it today and had already been happily playing with it for almost three hours, her smile still radiant.Hearing Kayoko enter, Aru finally snapped out of her reverie and quickly checked the time, only to find that the hour hand had already passed halfway through ten."Hmm, hmm! Kayoko, you're back very late today. Did you get into some trouble?"Aru quickly put down her phone and looked up to check if Kayoko was injured. Aside from some dust on her clothes, Kayoko seemed unharmed, which reassured Aru somewhat.Aru was very attentive to her employees."Today… I was originally going to check out a cat cafe on that shopping street I'd been eyeing, but I ran into the president and some people from Abydos, so I turned around and went to Abydos instead.""Hmm, so you went to Abydos." Aru nodded repeatedly. Mutsuki, who was playing video games nearby, turned her head and asked, "Kayoko-chan, what were you doing there all of a sudden?""In other words, let's check on their current situation."Kayoko placed the snacks she brought back on the table. "We attacked them because of a hiring arrangement, and now it seems Abydos and Genm are showing signs of cooperation. Even if it's just for future work needs, it's necessary to repair the relationship.""Oh Is that what you're thinking?" Mutsuki's expression turned into a smile that made people involuntarily turn their heads. "Kayoko-chan, you really are our strategist You even considered something like this On the contrary, Aru hasn't improved at all, and lately she's been indulging in such a mundane position as store manager; it's practically a villain neglecting her duty""Who, who said that! I only work under the president to learn his villainous style!"Hearing Mutsuki's seemingly somewhat dissatisfied remarks, Aru quickly retorted loudly, "Yes, yes! Isn't overthrowing a superior a necessary part of being a villain? That's right! This is my way of biding my time!""Heh~ Is that so?" Mutsuki revealed a mischievous smile. "Aru actually came up with such a... wicked plan? Wow, that's amazing! So, are you working on the specifics of the plan?""Th-this, that..." Aru hesitated, her words trailing off.This kind of stammering seemed to be very effective against her subordinate's provocation—besides, based on Mutsuki's understanding of Aru, Mutsuki's attempts to stir things up were almost always successful."Mutsuki, stop messing around. The president's power is beyond our ability to contend with."Kayoko, unusually, called out to stop Mutsuki before she even began, instead of helplessly trying to devise a plan after Mutsuki had already stirred things up and everyone was caught in the vortex."If you're thinking of doing anything, you should probably give up that idea."Kayoko's unusually firm refusal made Mutsuki's eyes widen. Haruka, who was tending to the weeds nearby, held her watering can and slightly extended her hand, unsure how to speak."Kayoko-chan, have you been 'tamed' too?"The light fell from above, obscured by Mutsuki's bangs, making it impossible for Kayoko to see her eyes."I've just seen the true difference in power. Courage and recklessness are two different things."Kayoko's expression turned serious, and Mutsuki's aura became somewhat oppressive. Aru looked at Mutsuki in surprise and tentatively asked."Mutsuki, are you a little tired...?""Aru, shut up!!!""Eeee-eee-eee—!?"Mutsuki raised her head, her eyes wide, her imposing presence even frightening Aru and Haruka. Aru shrank back on the sofa, hugging a pillow, looking as if she didn't dare to breathe."Mutsuki."Kayoko met Mutsuki's gaze without fear, but this appearance alone wouldn't sway her.“Listen to me.”“No way~”A sinister smile curled at the corner of Mutsuki's lips. “I have nothing to talk to a tamed dog about. Kayoko-chan, you too, Aru, Haruka, haven’t you been enjoying your comfortable life a bit too much lately?”Kayoko’s cold gaze pierced Mutsuki. “The president didn’t stop us from continuing Handyman’s activities.”“Ah, is that so? There is such a thing.”Mutsuki’s expression turned indifferent. “So, what about Handyman’s activities, Aru?”“--It’s just that we haven’t encountered any big, villainous jobs lately…” Aru swallowed hard. “Um, Mutsuki, are you angry? I-I’ll go find some right away!”“Ah… no need. You’ve all changed. I thought we were actually the same kind of people.”Mutsuki tilted her head back, closed her eyes, took a deep breath through her nose, and exhaled through her mouth.“Since that’s the case, I’ll go pursue my own path of villainy.”Grabbing her bag and weapon, Mutsuki walked to the door. Aru, scrambling to her feet from the sofa, rushed over in a panic and grabbed Mutsuki’s hand.“Mutsuki! Are you angry because we haven’t been doing Handyman activities lately? Um! I apologize, okay? I’ll continue doing Handyman activities, don’t go—”Mutsuki’s voice was cold. "Let go, Aru.”“No! No, no! Why are you suddenly saying things like that?”Aru shook her head desperately, gripping Mutsuki’s hand tightly with both hands. “Everyone has a better office, and the funds are much more plentiful than before. Isn’t everything a good thing? Why? Why?”“It’s nothing, Aru, you can continue being your manager here. I’m going to find some fun myself.”With those words, Mutsuki forcefully broke free from Aru’s grasp and stepped into the dark company corridor.In the bag she took with her, a black and white Gashat flashed with a dim light.----194: AmbushAru, kneeling on the ground behind her, was ruthlessly abandoned. Mutsuki walked alone into the dark company corridor. Only after she stepped out of the company gate did Mutsuki turn back and glance at Genm Corp behind her."Aru, I understand. You just lack one thing: the opportunity to continue being a villain."Mutsuki looked at the black and white Gashat in her bag. Under the neon lights of the night, the flamboyant black and white Rider zombie on the Gashat looked unexpectedly grotesque."Since it's a secret development project that's been put into so much effort, there must be some unspeakable secret behind this card."Indeed, Mutsuki was holding a special Gashat, Dangerous Zombie, which Dan Kuroto's Genm Corp was refining day and night on a single machine.Perhaps from the perspective of Game Gashat, Dangerous Zombie was just one of Genm's main products under development, with a rather unusual version number.Not only was the development schedule and progress kept completely secret, but even among the company's employees, very few knew anything about the project.From another strange perspective, however, the development of such a crucial Gashat was completely unattended. Perhaps President Dan Kuroto didn't even trust the robot employees, or perhaps this Dangerous Zombie Gashat under development was so special that its development process required complete isolation from all operators."Sorry, Aru. A comfortable life isn't what I'm after."Putting away the Gashat, Mutsuki continued walking into the night."A life of excitement and unpredictability is what I crave.""Since everyone in Handyman wants to stay put, don't blame me for abandoning you all."She walked through streets and alleys. The crowds around Mutsuki thinned out. It was late at night; there were no students to be seen on the streets anymore, only a few robot citizens still on night shift, their figures visible as they left work.The direction Mutsuki continued walking in didn't look like a gathering place for good guys at all. Thugs and delinquent girls were everywhere, along with plain black security robots without any markings, and equally unmarked plain black vehicles.This place was clearly deep inside Kivotos' underground stronghold; calling it a black market would be the most fitting description.Although this was a black market, even in this lawless place, absolute rules still existed—rules that could be described as chaotic. Mutsuki seemed quite familiar with these things; she effortlessly gave the code and entered the black market.She ventured deeper into the market's innermost part. Finally, she stopped in front of a room's door. Her hand remained suspended in mid-air, seemingly still considering whether to knock."Come in, Miss Mutsuki. I've been waiting for you for quite some time."A deep voice came from behind the door, as if he already knew Mutsuki was waiting outside. This voice seemed to possess a magical power; after dispelling Mutsuki's confusion, she instinctively opened the door and stepped inside.The interior was completely different from the chaotic environment of the black market outside. On the contrary, the decor here was exceptionally stylish.A thick carpet covered the floor, the walls were meticulously painted, and the room was fully furnished, a stark contrast to the view outside."I've been waiting for your decision, Miss Mutsuki. It seems you're still confused."The voice finally came as Mutsuki stepped into the room and saw the person in question. It was a man in a brown detective's uniform, leaning on a cane in his right hand and holding an exquisitely framed portrait in his left.The head in the portrait wasn't like a typical portrait, showing only the back of the head.What was chilling was that the head of this man in the coat was completely devoid of flesh and blood, with only a wisp of black smoke billowing from it.But upon closer inspection, one could see a subtle resemblance between the head wearing a hat in the portrait and the headless figure in the present room."This is the first time I've seen your true face, Golconde."A flicker of shock crossed Mutsuki's eyes, but she quickly regained her composure. After all, this man's appearance had indeed been far too unusual, so being startled was understandable.However, if Aru were here, she would definitely have screamed. The fact that she could compose herself in less than two seconds was a testament to her experience with similar things; she always managed to control her emotions well."Hahaha, then I think our interactions will be quite close from now on."Golconde's voice chuckled, but his laughter was muffled, like the sound coming from a worn-out metal can. It seemed the laughter wasn't coming from any vocal organ, but rather, it was like laughter drifting from the cracks in a picture frame.“However, I must formally introduce myself. Golconde is me, the one depicted in the painting. And the body you see now is being held by someone named Decalcomanie.”“Ha-ha, that’s right, it’s me~”Decalcomanie's voice sounded even more impassioned than Golconde's, but that wasn't the focus of Golconde's story today.After Mutsuki entered the room, Golconde's gaze was fixed on the bag in Mutsuki's hand, as if he could see through it to its contents."Well then, let me see what you've brought," Golconde said, extending his hand to Mutsuki.Mutsuki hesitated for a moment, then finally opened the bag and took out a black and white Gashat.On the cover of the Game Gashat, a black and white apocalyptic Rider roared against a backdrop of a terrifying scene of countless zombies surging.This was the special Gashat that Dan Kuroto's Genm Corp was secretly manufacturing—"Dangerous Zombie."“Ah, that’s it, that’s it! This is it!”Even with his back turned, Golconde exclaimed with delight, “I can feel the immense power contained within this Gashat! Ah! Is this the true form of the Gashat that Mr. Dan Kuroto researched? His genius is truly beyond our comprehension!”“What a pity, what a pity. It would have been even better if it were the Alchemy Player Gashat,” Decalcomanie’s voice came from the side.“It’s alright, it’s already very good.”Golconde’s voice followed.“You know what? My existence and Decalcomanie’s existence are texts extracted through the interpretation of symbols and illusions.”Golconde reached out to Mutsuki, asking for the Gashat. “In our world, everything is made up of symbols. All existence is composed of symbols—that’s how Decalcomanie and I see this world.”“Huh? Can you speak plainly?”Mutsuki didn’t seem to quite understand what Golconde meant by saying this at this moment, and Golconde didn’t seem to explain the meaning of his words further; he just wanted to express his feelings when he saw the Gashat.“Ah, it’s okay, it’s okay, just talking to myself.”Golconde looked at Mutsuki, who was handing him the Gashat. “Symbols are understanding, meaning, and symbolism. Just like the meaning behind this Gashat. Actually, at first, I didn’t have any expectations for the Gashat you brought back.”In fact, Golconde had already purchased and studied a large number of samples of the commercially available Game Gashats, but naturally, the results were fruitless.After all, the Game Gashats that Dan Kuroto released to the market basically only included game functionality, without any additional features.So even if the research was thorough, at most one could only marvel at the level of game technology contained within these small Gashats, and then add a comment about a waste of resources.However, the Gashat that Mutsuki brought out now gave Golconde a genuine surprise. It was a Game Gashat under development by Genm Corporation, and a version of the Rider Game Gashat at that.More importantly, the data contained within this Gashat, which Golconde could sense after only a brief analysis using his mystical arts, came from the "death" collected at the moment of the fall of some special being.“Hey, don’t forget.”Muzuki’s voice suddenly came from the side. She watched the strange adult examining the black and white Gashat repeatedly, almost completely forgetting about her. She spoke up, clearly annoyed.“We agreed on something. I’ll bring the Gashat out for you, and you’ll bring your dangerous and exciting life back to my side.”“Oh, of course, of course, how could I forget?”Golconde’s voice sounded very cheerful, so cheerful that one might think Decalcomanie was speaking for him.“In fact, this Gashat is the best vessel. Although for this Gashat, long-term research would certainly be more cost-effective than using it now, considering the possible consequences, even I dare not take the risk.”“As they say, observation is also part of research.”“What exactly are you trying to say?” Muzuki couldn’t understand what Golconde was trying to do at all, only knowing that he was rambling on and on.“Did you know, Mutsuki-kun? In the world of symbols, certain very rare things occasionally happen.”Golconde’s voice came through: “Some well-known stories or urban legends gradually acquire their own sublimity through their own spread.”Reaching out and holding the Game Gashat, Golconde carefully examined the divine creation before him, a look of joy and admiration flashing in his eyes.“Simply put, it's about achieving Sublime without the presence of ‘Mystery’ or ‘Horror.’ Just like the theme of this Gashat.”"Dangerous Zombie is a post-apocalyptic zombie survival game. The protagonist is a powerful zombie warrior infected by zombies, possessing immortality yet retaining a sharp mind—what a familiar story!""Zombie siege stories and films, I think, are still quite common in Kivotos. Because it's already deeply ingrained in people's minds, the simplest and most straightforward elements of horror stories.""Such simple, straightforward, and deeply resonant textual symbols. Combined with the magical data within the Gashat, it only requires a slightly complex yet elegant approach to infuse this power into the vessel..."Golconde's hands began to manipulate the Game Gashat before him. Under Mutsuki's gaze, the Gashat suddenly flashed with a purple light.“Believe me, the dangerous yet exciting life you’ve been waiting for is about to begin.”As Golconde finished speaking, he inserted a blank symbol into the Game Gashat. Instantly, the Gashat glowed brightly. Pressing the activation button on the Gashat, Golconde watched with delight as he accomplished a feat.The Gashat floated slowly up and down in the air. Even without being inserted into the Gamer Driver, this Gashat had still triggered itself in a special way.‘The Library of Lore!’Gematria up! (Mathematical Arcane Upgrade!)Death the Crisis! Dangerous Zombie!“Phew, this was an incredible experience! I can't believe I did it!”“Exactly!”Golconde's tone was calm, but his inner joy was still evident.“I remember the item we need is something called a ‘Gamer Driver.’ I think it might be a special method for verifying Gashats, but obtaining a Gamer Driver is a pipe dream for us.”“So I thought of a way to activate this card by bypassing the Gamer Driver.” Golconde’s voice was light. “Using my expertise in symbols and illusions, I can create a fake Gamer Driver that can fool the Game Gashat itself, allowing me to control the power within this Gashat without using the real one.”“However, even if we successfully deceive it, we still need a little help.”Golconde turned around, holding the successfully activated Game Gashat in his hands, and walked towards Mutsuki."What do you want to do!?"Seeing Golconde, after a series of cryptic actions, finally approach her with the strange, floating Game Gashat, even if Mutsuki wasn't the brightest, she would probably realize now that she had stepped into some kind of trap."Don't worry, Mutsuki-san. This is part of our deal. I told you, I'd bring you a life of excitement and danger, allowing you and your companions to return to your old lives."Golconde's expression didn't reveal a smile, but his voice betrayed a hint of excitement."The Dangerous Zombie Gashat's power is fully activated. Now it needs a blank vessel to hold this activated Gashat—a weapon needs someone to hold it to reveal its true power, doesn't it?"