Honkai: Star Rail — Kamen Rider!

Hoshigaki Sora undid his transformation, and in that instant, the entire planet resumed its normal operation.

Yet the recent sensation—one where the body was utterly immobile but consciousness remained fully aware—still lingered, leaving shock rippling through countless people on the planet.

Even the data streams within the computers had frozen, unable to flow naturally.

This meant that despite uploading his consciousness, Serus could only helplessly watch as the world came to a standstill.

He stared forward into the halted world, observing as two battling figures fought their way from Zieltworth Tower straight to the outskirts of the city.

This confirmed one thing clearly...

The culprit behind everything was none other than Hoshigaki Sora, whom he had completely underestimated.

A mere ordinary human by any dimensional standard had suddenly revealed this impossible power.

To freeze an entire planet on the physical plane—something achievable only by beings nearing an Emanators level of power…

Which faction does he belong to? Why would he come to Zieltworth?

Serus's thoughts spun rapidly, seeking answers.

Exactly which Aeon's path does Sora follow?

First, he quickly ruled out the Aeon of The Hunt. Lan's Path was far too narrow, driven almost exclusively by revenge.

Though Lan generously empowered mortals who followed this Path, the ability to freeze a planet entirely was beyond even the Aeon of The Hunt.

The Aeon of Destruction, Nanook, was even less likely. The Preservation Aeon Qlipoth only created protective walls, and Xipe, the Aeon of Harmony, gathered others into familial unity…

The only one related to the manipulation of time seemed to be the mythical Aeon, a figure who had never truly been observed—

The Aeon of Finality?!

Within his consciousness, Serus reached what seemed to be the most logical conclusion.

The Aeon of Finality, Terminus.

Rumored to be a being who moved backward through time, the Aeon of Finality was said to be a phantom wandering the cosmos, whispering prophecies destined to be fulfilled.

Those who served this Aeon belonged to two factions—the Omen Vanguards and the Creed Exequy.

These factions represented the arrival of apocalypse and the funeral rites afterward.

Then, Sora must be…

But at that moment, the global freeze lifted entirely, and the previously suspended shockwaves burst forth in a violent explosion!

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!!!

A series of colossal detonations erupted into the air, each accompanied by the anguished groans of collapsing buildings.

In mere seconds, countless explosions tore across the planet!

The shockwaves from Sora's fight against Nokiribi, suddenly freed, raged uncontrollably.

Skyscrapers in Zieltworth trembled like fragile dominoes, glass windows shattering into crystal-like fragments that cascaded down with terrifying clarity, sounding like shattered ice upon hitting the ground.

Even the city's sturdy alloy emblem twisted grotesquely, crushed by immense forces.

Cracks webbed across the formerly glorious Medical Center's facade.

Dust and smoke rose, blotting out the sun and shrouding the city in apocalyptic gloom.

Roads fractured, deep pits appearing everywhere, and the once carefully maintained greenery was reduced to battered remnants.

The previously thriving planet turned to ruins instantly, every piece of debris screaming testimony to the destructive aftermath of the shockwaves.

Yet those shockwaves had been merely leftovers from Sora and Nokiribi's one-sided battle.

The immovable Zieltworth Tower had crumbled entirely, the planet now resembling a world ravaged by apocalypse.

Everything pointed clearly to Sora's true identity.

An Omen Vanguard…!

They worshipped Finality, followed prophecies foretelling apocalypse, and firmly believed they would meet their Aeon when the end arrived.

Thus, if the apocalypse had not yet come, they would personally ensure its arrival.

This was the Omen Vanguards—the heralds of impending doom!

The devastation caused by Sora was undeniable proof. What else could he be, having transformed a perfect planet into apocalyptic ruins?

Through this deduction, Serus also realized another dreadful truth:

The presence of a Harbinger meant Terminus had already placed a prophecy upon this planet.

My planet... is heading toward its Finality?

Impossible—utterly impossible!

Serus refused to believe it. His grand scheme was so close to completion, approaching its most glorious conclusion!

How could a mere Iron Cavalry Knight who emerged from the Void, a mere Pathstrider who'd inherited just a fragment of an Aeon's power—

How could someone like that drag his planet into Finality?!

I am destined to become an Aeon myself!

Serus ramped up his computational cores to maximum, unwilling to accept failure—especially not a failure like this.

But in the end, it's just a prophecy…

The entire planet reignited at that moment, activating its most potent offensive capabilities!

What Serus needed to do now was simple.

I'll surpass the apocalypse! I'll carve a new future for this planet myself!

To achieve this…

All sensory modules on the planet came online simultaneously, quickly pinpointing Sora's location.

Serus was slightly surprised that heavy rain was falling, despite not activating any weather modules—but he quickly dismissed this trivial anomaly.

Weapons primed, ammunition loaded!

At that moment, Sora's figure appeared before Serus's eyes.

I will rebel against apocalypse—I will defy Finality!

Everything must be decided by me, not controlled by your empty prophecy!

Serus directed his entire processing power toward predicting every possible movement from Sora, determined to ensure the latter's annihilation.

You, Omen, will die here!

Instantly, every weapon system fired at once!

But Serus failed to notice a faint, greenish light that took hold of a tiny fraction of its computational resources, transmitting a message elsewhere.

Elsewhere, Argenti, who had been comforting patients at the gathering point, suddenly received a new message.

---

As Sora and Hotaru's conversation concluded, the dark clouds in the sky seemed to have completed their duty and dispersed.

Sunlight spilled down onto Sora and Hotaru, their clothes drenched and sticking tightly after the heavy rain, yet warmth now gently enveloped them.

Perhaps someday soon, I'll be able to enjoy clear, azure skies like this more often, thought Hotaru, who had been fighting the Swarm at the frontlines since birth.

"Hey, are you alright?" Sora asked, checking Hotaru's condition.

Having entered the [Over Evolved] state for the first time, he'd felt overwhelming power reminiscent of his former FangJoker's pinnacle. Precisely because of this, he worried he might have overdone it.

"My body is fine, nothing too serious," Hotaru reassured him. "Your healing was timely. Maybe it's also because they protected me well."

"By the way, these things around you…" Sora gestured toward the metallic hands extending from her. Their defense and intelligence had been extraordinary, capable of directly resisting him even at a disadvantage.

But before he could finish, the distant roar of incoming attacks interrupted him.

Turning toward the horizon, he saw danger approaching, painting the sky with lethal shades.

The attacks streaked toward them like meteors, cold metal glinting ominously, precisely arranged to blanket their surroundings.

Sora's expression grew serious, though his lips curled slightly upward. "Seems someone's gotten impatient."

Clearly, Serus had been monitoring them closely, deciding to attack now that he and Hotaru were recovering.

Hotaru nodded, her heart strangely calm despite the incoming threat. Warmth surged within her, knowing once again, she stood alongside a comrade ready to protect her.

But this time…

Taking out the [Cicada Transformation Device], her eyes hardened with resolve. "Let's fight together."

"Of course!" Sora's lips broke into a confident grin.

Facing the incoming attack, flames engulfed Hotaru's body as Sora twisted the engine at his waist.

Time seemed to pause, as both figures spoke simultaneously:

"[Henshin]!"

'[Heart]!'

'[The Kamen Rider]!'

Fighting alongside a friend, pulling a lost race back from danger's brink.

Passion blazed like wildfire here and now.

Golden brilliance shone fiercely like the sun, matched only by the dark crimson flames beside him.

Turning to Hotaru, Sora smiled warmly, saying:

"Drive with me for a lap…"

"…Friend."

"Mm."

It won't just be one lap.