Volume 13 Chapter 369 Yamada Maruo, Even So, If It’s Hakuryuu-sensei!!
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
I, Yamada Maruo, and Kujaku sat frozen, our heads buried in our hands as the screen flickered with tension.
”Drop the woman! Now!” a police officer shouted.
The officers who had swarmed the scene leveled their pistols at Kenzaki – currently transformed as Heaven’s Sword. Amidst the standoff, Kenzaki sensed a chilling discord. He shifted his gaze toward Seijo Midara ¹ – the Lewd Saint – who had been assisting with the evacuation a short distance away.
”Ugh… ah… No! Not my memories… anything but those…!” Midara cried out.
Clutching her head with a trembling hand, Seijo Midara looked toward Kenzaki with a face full of agonizing longing.
”Thank… you. I’m… so sorry,” Midara whispered.
Yukishiro Emily-san, the actress portraying the Saint, let tears stream down her face even as she forced a smile. It was a shot that lasted barely five seconds, but it was a masterclass in performance – the kind that forbade the audience from so much as blinking. Kujaku and I could only gasp at the raw expressive power Emily-san was pouring into the role.
”MIDARA!!” Kenzaki yelled.
”AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!”
An abyssal miasma erupted from Seijo Midara, swallowing the light. No way… you’ve got to be kidding me! What the hell is happening?!
”Kyaaa!” a woman screamed.
”Waaaaagh!” a man cried out.
As Seijo Midara ascended toward the heavens, a deluge of lightning scorched the earth. Kujaku’s eyes went wide as he realized the truth.
”Hey, Maruo. Since Kenzaki’s memories were wiped, does that mean the memories of salvation vanished from the Chijo ² he saved, too?” Kujaku asked.
You’re joking… right? After everything they went through? After all those Chijo were finally saved by Kenzaki and the other Drivers to live in peace… you’re telling me even those warm, precious memories were ripped away?! That’s just too cruel!
I checked social media on my phone. The trending tags were a nightmare: #TsukasaSenseiIsGoated, #TheDespairOfTsukasaSensei, #HangInThereHakuryuuSensei, and #EvenSoIfItsHakuryuuSensei.
Dammit! What happened to all the peaceful tags from five minutes ago? Where did #AwashimaSanPregnancyAnnouncement, #CongratsMayuzumiPapa, and #KunkaKunkerGetOffTheBike go?!
”Dammit! Watch out! It’s a Chijo!” a cop yelled.
”All units, weapons hot! You are authorized to fire!” the captain ordered.
”Headquarters! Seijo Midara has manifested! Requesting immediate backup from SYUKUJYO ³ and the JSDF!” a dispatcher radioed.
The officers opened fire on Midara. Stop! Stop it! She’s not the enemy!
”MIDARA!” Kenzaki screamed.
Kenzaki gently set the woman he’d been protecting in a safe spot and sprinted toward the Saint, but a bolt of lightning from the heavens slammed into the ground, cutting him off. I clutched my head in sheer hopelessness. How the hell are they supposed to fix this?!
From the shadows, Kato Iria-san – dressed in her signature Gothic Lolita attire – watched the carnage unfold.
”Why… why isn’t it working? I only wanted to take away everyone’s sad memories… Aaaaaaaah!” Iria-san wailed.
Iria-san writhed in despair. A black, oily mist clung to her, beginning to coalesce into a shape. Eventually, the mass formed a mocking, shadowy visage that wore a jagged smirk.
”Excellent… Seijo Midara,” the shadow hissed. “You were always a half-measure, but now… lost in the despair of forgetting Kenzaki, you shall finally cast aside your reason and awaken as a true Chijo!”
I get it now… Midara always felt like a minor villain, a bit weak for a final boss. But that’s because she was an ally all along. Her true purpose was to keep the Evil God sealed away in the other world. Thinking about her losing the memory of the happy days she spent with Kenzaki – the man who freed her from that lonely burden – it made my heart bleed.
Honestly, I’m more terrified of Tsukasa-sensei, the man who wrote this script, than any monster. How much more does he want to wreck our heads?!
”Shit! Where is SYUKUJYO?!” an officer barked.
”We can’t get through to HQ, sir!” a subordinate replied.
Oh, come on! Did something happen at headquarters too?! Even as I sat there in total despair as a viewer, Kenzaki stood his ground. He stared straight ahead, his unblinking gaze fixed solely on Seijo Midara.
”Midara! Look at me!” Kenzaki commanded.
Taking the brunt of her magical onslaught, Kenzaki forced himself forward, one agonizing step at a time. He’s too cool, Kenzaki Souji… I felt the vast gulf between him and the character I play, Hino Ren. No, that’s not it. Ren isn’t inferior to Kenzaki. The difference is the man inside. Unlike Aqua-san, who pulls every ounce of Kenzaki’s charm to the surface, I haven’t mastered Ren’s soul yet.
”UOOOOOOOOO!” Kenzaki roared.
Kenzaki reached out toward the hand Midara had raised to strike him. The scene mirrored the day he first saved her, overlapping with the finale of the original TV series. It was incredible directing. Midara winced, her body contorting in pain.
”Run… get away…” Midara wheezed.
She diverted her aim at the last second, her lightning shattering the highway supports instead of hitting Kenzaki.
”Guh!” Kenzaki grunted.
Kenzaki plummeted into the abyss as the road collapsed beneath him. Squeezing out the last of her sanity, Midara tore open a rift in space and vanished. A police officer looked down into the lake where Heaven’s Sword had fallen. He didn’t resurface.
”Hey, Maruo. Was that CG?” Kujaku asked.
”Knowing Aqua-san… that was a live stunt,” I replied.
I remember him laughing about it once – how he’d jumped off an abandoned highway in a power suit and legitimately thought he was going to die. The man is insane, but the crew filming him is just as crazy. Our Driver staff is sane, but the Heaven’s Sword crew? Their brains have definitely been fried by Aqua-san’s intensity.
The scene cut to SYUKUJYO HQ – a set I’ve seen more often than my own parents’ faces.
”Commander Tajima! An intruder has stolen classified gear and is fleeing!” an agent reported.
”Dammit! What is happening to this organization?!” Tajima shouted.
I had a bad feeling. A few seconds later, the screen showed Night Shadow tearing away on her bike, pursued by her own comrades.
”Shit! How did it come to this?!” Night Shadow muttered.
Night Shadow glanced at her backpack. It wasn’t just Kenzaki. Everyone had forgotten her, too. A flashback sequence began. She had been cornered as an “intruder” by Commander Tajima and the others. Despite the confusion, she had broken their perimeter, swiping three Driver belts from the vault.
That was when Tajima cornered her.
”Hands up… Misa,” Tajima ordered.
”Commander Tajima…?” Night Shadow asked.
Kujaku and I looked at each other. Did she just call her Misa?
”Misa. Don’t move, just listen,” Tajima said quietly. “Someone has wiped the memory of the Drivers from the world. But… because I was a test subject for the Prototype System rather than a formal Driver, my memories couldn’t be completely purged.”
Yes! I knew it! Kujaku and I exchanged a high-five of pure hype.
”It was a close call. My mind wavered for a second, but I remembered you all,” Tajima continued. “To keep the enemy from catching on, I have to keep playing the part of the amnesiac. Misa… take those belts and find the others. Find Kenzaki. If anyone can fix this hellscape, it’s him. It’s our Heaven’s Sword!”
Tajima turned her back to the security cameras, her face a mask of agony.
”Forgive me, Misa… I’m always forcing the world onto your shoulders,” Tajima whispered. “But in this madness, where we don’t even know who to trust, I’m powerless. Take them and run!”
Abe-san’s acting was sublime. You could practically see the guilt eating Tajima alive. And yet, the way her gun hand never wavered – because she knew the cameras were watching – was terrifyingly professional.
”Misa. I’m firing in ten seconds. Make it look real,” Tajima commanded.
”…” Night Shadow remained silent.
Night Shadow didn’t say a word. But for a split second, as she closed her eyes, I could have sworn I heard her whisper ‘Thank you.’ I got the chills. Abe-san and Kobayakawa-san are on another level. But I know Kobayakawa-san wasn’t always this good. I could see Aqua-san’s shadow behind her performance.
I remember an interview she gave. She said that just being on set with him made her skin prickle with his intensity. His gaze from the director’s chair never let her slack off for a single second. She called herself lucky – because of him, she became a real actor.
”HEN… SHIN!” Night Shadow cried.
Night Shadow deflected Tajima’s bullets with her transformation and smashed through the reinforced wall with the raw power of the Bicorn Beetle.
Back in the present, she arrived at a desolate warehouse and entrusted the stolen belts to three mechanical drones.
”Go! Get these to the others, now!” Night Shadow commanded.
The drones took flight through the shattered roof. Night Shadow hopped back on her bike.
”Kenzaki is one thing, but with Midara going rogue, the Evil God and the other Chijo are going to be a nightmare,” Night Shadow complained. “Dammit… we have zero allies and way too much work to do!”
She roared off into the night. The scene shifted to the city, where Chijo were beginning to riot. Kagami – played by Toa-san – was weaving through the panicked crowds.
”What the hell is going on?!” Kagami shouted.
He was frantically helping people escape when a Chijo spotted him.
”Guh!” Kagami groaned as he dodged.
Kagami dodged a swipe and grabbed a nearby iron pipe to fight back. Incredible. He’s not on Aqua-san’s level yet, but Toa-san is finally doing his own stunts!
”I should have taken Misa-san up on those training sessions!” Kagami yelled.
He got knocked on his ass, but he rolled with the impact and avoided the follow-up. If it were Kenzaki, you’d expect him to win even without the suit, but with Kagami, the audience is on the edge of their seats.
Then, a Butterfly Mask drone arrived with a belt. Perfect timing! After distracting the Chijo, it latched onto Kagami’s waist.
”Butterfly Mask… I’m sorry,” Kagami said. “You’re still mad I let you go, aren’t you? What? You’re not? Just a little sulky? Haha, thanks for coming back for me.”
”Let’s do this, Butterfly Mask! HEN… SHIN!” Kagami shouted.
The Silver Driver, Butterfly Mask. He was a late addition to the roster, but his sleek design and spear-fighting style made him an instant fan favorite. He caught the Chijo’s attack with his spear and delivered a brutal roundhouse kick to her ribs.
”Gyaaah!” the Chijo shrieked.
”Whoops, my bad,” Butterfly Mask said.
Despite his elegant look, Butterfly Mask has a bit of a mean streak with his kicks. The fans online always joke that he picked up “bad habits” from Heaven’s Sword. He closed the distance, spinning the Chijo into a clinch that looked like a figure skating lift – a clear nod to Toa-san’s previous drama. It was beautiful.
”BUTTERFLY EFFECT!” Butterfly Mask shouted.
His finisher – a move that doesn’t destroy the enemy, but slowly reaches into their heart to undo the Chijo transformation. As the girl was healed, the police arrived, guns leveled at him just like they had been with Kenzaki. But then… someone else stepped out of the shadows.
”…Eh?” Kagami gasped.
Kagami froze. It was Yamagishi Ryo-san, playing Ego-Ist. She was supposed to be a normal human now, living a quiet life.
”Stronger… I need to be stronger…” Ego-Ist muttered.
A hollowed-out Ego-Ist slapped a belt onto her waist. Wait… is that the Prototype Heaven’s Sword belt?!
”HEN… SHIN!” Ego-Ist cried.
She was swallowed by a black miasma. Are you serious? A Prototype Heaven’s Sword transformation AND she’s going Chijo? That’s illegal!
”That’s a literal cheat code…” Kagami muttered, speaking for every single person watching the show. She was already the strongest character, and now she had that?
Kagami lured her away from the civilians, leading her into an abandoned district.
”I am… THE STRONGEST!” Ego-Ist screamed.
Butterfly Mask tried to block her blade with his spear, but the power gap was insane. He was sent flying. You can’t beat that without Heaven’s Sword. It felt over. But Kagami didn’t quit.
”If I don’t do it… then who will?!” Kagami roared.
He triggered an Armor Purge, using the sudden burst of speed to drive a point-blank strike into a gap in the Prototype’s plating. Ego-Ist shrieked in pain and retreated. Classic. She and Tora-uma have zero pain tolerance; the moment they get hurt, they bolt.
Kagami collapsed, de-transforming as sirens wailed in the distance.
The scene cut to Tachibana – Mayuzumi-san – in a suit, carrying a backpack. He looked like a successful lawyer, smiling at his watch. He was going home to Tsukiko.
”Who the hell wrote this?” Kujaku groaned.
”There’s only one man sadistic enough,” I replied.
We both prayed to Hakuryuu-sensei to save the characters. In that moment, half the country was praying for Kenzaki, and the other half was praying for Hakuryuu-sensei’s writing to win out over Tsukasa-sensei’s.
A scream pierced the air. Tachibana ran toward it, finding a pregnant woman cowering on the ground. Seeing her, he saw Tsukiko. He rushed to help.
”Are you all right?!” Tachibana asked.
”T-That… over there…” the woman stammered.
Tachibana looked up, and his entire world stopped.
”Tsuki…ko? No… Tora-uma?” Tachibana whispered.
Tsukasa-sensei, I am begging you, just sit still for five minutes! Give them back their happy ending!
”Who… are you?” Tsukiko asked.
Tachibana looked like he’d been shot. Uwaaaaaa! This is too much!
”Tsukiko! It’s me! Tachibana Zanki!” Tachibana pleaded.
”Tachibana… zanki… desuno?” Tsukiko repeated nano.
She clutched her head in pain. Wait, she remembers something!
”Ugh… my head… looking at you makes my head throb!” Tora-uma screamed. “Are YOU my trauma?!”
”No! Tsukiko, listen to me!” Tachibana begged.
She shoved him back with superhuman strength. Tachibana hit the pavement, his glasses flying off. Oh no! Not the glasses!
”Silence! Don’t you dare touch me, human!” Tora-uma roared.
Tachibana led her away to protect the pregnant woman, but the gap between a Chijo executive and a human lawyer was too great. He was battered, bloodied, and backed against a wall. A Lightning Hopper drone appeared with his belt, but he pushed it away.
”No… Tsukiko isn’t the enemy! Wake up! Remember our life together!” Tachibana yelled.
Tachibana stood up, his face a mess of cuts and bruises, staring straight into her eyes. Mayuzumi-san’s acting was incredible – he’s grown so much since the start of the show. He’s truly trying to catch up to his best friend, Aqua-san.
”Guh!” Tora-uma grunted.
Tora-uma suddenly clutched her stomach. Kujaku and I high-fived. The kids! The twins in her womb are trying to stop their mother! That has to be Hakuryuu-sensei’s influence. A tiny sprout of hope in Tsukasa-sensei’s field of despair.
”What are you… why can’t I…” Tora-uma muttered.
Tora-uma opened a portal and fled. Tachibana fell to his knees, screaming and pounding the asphalt in frustration until his voice was drowned out by the rain.
The scene shifted to Kamishiro – Tenga-senpai – sitting alone on a park swing at night. Why does he look so good in these melancholy shots?
”Is this… because I ate Haruka’s pudding without asking ssu?” Kamishiro wondered aloud.
Kujaku and I almost fell off the couch. What?!
A flashback showed him returning to the cafe only to find everyone had forgotten him and were about to call the cops on the “pervert.” He’d fled to the park in a panic. Why is only Kamishiro’s tragedy a comedy?! Give the man a break!
”Maybe they’ll forgive me if I go back now ssu?” Kamishiro sighed.
He jumped off the swing, determined to apologize, only to find himself surrounded by a group of women.
”A male… it’s a male…” they whispered.
It was the Chijo he’d fought before: Shi-Shunki, Yan-de-Rue, Men-Heller… and leading them was Iwanari Nico-san! The legendary suit actor who actually trains Tenga-senpai! A master-vs-student showdown!
But then, another group appeared from the other side. And at the center was…
”Bocchi the World… Kohina Yukari-san!” I shouted.
The internet exploded. Aqua-san’s two seniors – Tenga and Kohina – were finally facing off. But the comments were all: “Tenga-senpai, kick her ass!” “Beat Kohina Yukari!” Poor Kohina-san… she’s as isolated in real life as her character is.
”I don’t know who you are, but… why was I an ally to humans nano?” Kohina asked sadly. “We just want to live in peace nano…”
She transformed. Poison Chalice appeared with a belt.
”Partner… you’re giving me another shot ssu?” Kamishiro asked.
Kamishiro strapped it on. “Let’s go, buddy! HEN… SHIN!”
This was the scene Tenga-senpai said took 100 retakes. It was flawless. He moved with a grace he’d clearly learned from Nico-san, using his bow and blades to fend off the mob. But he wasn’t trying to kill them – he was trying to save them, just like Kenzaki would. He was just too outnumbered.
Then, a bike roared into the park.
”Kamishiro! Get on!” Night Shadow yelled.
”Night Shadow!” Kamishiro replied.
He vaulted onto the back of her bike. Senpai is a legitimate action star now!
The scene cut to a news report by Morikawa-san. Kenzaki was now a wanted man. So were Night Shadow and Kagami. They were fugitives from the world they’d saved.
Finally, we saw the survivors of the bus hijacking from earlier. A little girl – Shii-chan, the one Kohina-san had scouted – ran to her parents. Her father was played by Nyankosky!
”Nyanko-gentleman was hiding his acting debut!” Kujaku laughed.
The girl looked at the news report of Kenzaki.
”That big brother… he saved us,” the girl said softly.
Kujaku and I high-fived. Kids always know the truth!
”Ayumu… do you really believe that?” her father asked. She nodded firmly. “Then I believe him too. If Ayumu says he’s a hero, then he’s a hero.”
Nyankosky, you legend! You’re finally believing in the man your idol Toa-san trusts!
”Here it comes,” Kujaku whispered.
”Yeah. The real fight starts now!” I replied.
We leaned in, eyes glued to the screen. The situation was hopeless, but we knew Kenzaki and the others would find a way. Online, the fans were united: #WakeUpHakuryuuAiko and #OurHakuryuuSensei were taking over the world.
—
Summary:
Maruo and Kujaku watch a tragic broadcast where the heroes are forgotten by the world and forced into fugitive status. A mass amnesia event causes former allies like Seijo Midara and Tsukiko to revert into hostile ‘Chijo’ forms. Despite the despair, pockets of resistance form as Commander Tajima helps Night Shadow escape with the Driver belts to reunite the team.
—
Trivia:
- The hashtags shifting from peaceful to despairing reflect the ‘script’ rivalry between Tsukasa-sensei (tragedy) and Hakuryuu-sensei (hope).
- Nyankosky, a fan-favorite meta-character, makes his acting debut as the father of the girl saved by Kenzaki.
- Tachibana’s unborn twins are actually the ones resisting Tora-uma’s transformation from within.
—
Character Insight:
Maruo feels a sense of professional inferiority compared to Aqua’s performance as Kenzaki, realizing he hasn’t yet ‘mastered the soul’ of his own character, Ren. Meanwhile, Tenga-senpai (Kamishiro) shows significant growth as an action star, performing complex stunts and maintaining a hero’s heart even in a comedic-tragedy setup.
—
Behind the Scenes:
The author leans heavily into ‘Tokusatsu’ (special effects hero) tropes, specifically the ‘dark rider’ and ‘amnesiac hero’ themes common in Kamen Rider series.
—
TL Notes:
Notes:
• Ken – Male. A rehabilitated man working in the mine. The fiancé of Akiyama Sachiko, the organizer of the party or one of the protagonist’s (Aqua’s) mother’s students (ikebana) appeared in Volume 2 Chapter 12. However, their engagement is not yet officially recognized, as the necessary documents have not been signed by all parties involved. Ken-kun behaves inappropriately during the event, attempting to flirt with Kanon and later becoming aggressive, even wielding a replica sword. His actions cause a disturbance, and he is eventually subdued and removed by the security team.
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
Leave a Reply