Infinite Evolution of Kamen Rider

"Tsukasa, are you seriously getting stomped by the old Demon King and still showing up just to bully the new one?"

A familiar voice echoed from above. Tsukasa looked up and saw Ryuga lounging on the ceiling of a tower, Ora nestled comfortably in his arms.

"What nonsense are you spouting?!" Tsukasa barked, exasperated. "I wasn't stomped—he just kicked me, that's all!"

"Oh, I see, just a kick then. So you intended to harass the Little Demon King?" Ryuga smirked.

"You… You're all twisting the truth!" Tsukasa gritted his teeth in frustration as everyone looked at him with amused eyes. He felt like coughing blood.

"But wait, shouldn't you be too weak to even withstand a kick from him?" Ryuga asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Then why don't you try taking a kick from him and see if you survive?" Tsukasa snapped, face darkening.

Seeing how serious Tsukasa looked, Ryuga's amusement faded slightly. Wait… is he not joking? Was it really that close?

"Don't tell me… you triggered the 'King's Absolute Demon Slayer' attack?" Ryuga asked, his tone skeptical.

"What do you think?" Tsukasa scoffed, looking away.

"Damn!" Ryuga was genuinely stunned. "You survived that kick? Are you made of steel?!"

Everyone in the room was in shock. It was well-known that Swartz, who wielded part of the power of the Yaman Gate and half the Demon King's strength, was once kicked into oblivion by Zi-O at his peak. And now, Tsukasa was still walking after a full-powered attack from the Demon King who'd ruled for 50 years?

Of course, deep down, Ryuga had always known that Tsukasa wasn't someone who'd go down that easily—but this unscathed?

"No! I took that move at a cost!" Tsukasa shouted. "I did get injured. But he only let me go after I handed over my Rider Watch to Zio!"

He jabbed a finger at Sougo, who stood there pretending to be innocent. Tsukasa had lent his power to the current Demon King out of respect for the old one.

"Ah, I see!" Ryuga nodded in realization. "So you were embarrassed about it and gave the watch to Gates to hand it over for you?"

Gates: Huh? Why am I the delivery boy now?

"Shut it! Come down here and fight me if you've got the guts!" Tsukasa roared, raising his sword.

"I refuse," Ryuga said flatly. "I just fought the old Demon King, remember? I know exactly how strong he is. And you? You're in no condition to fight me."

Everyone went silent at Ryuga's words. It was shocking enough that Tsukasa survived a kick from the Demon King—but now Ryuga claimed to have fought him?

Whether he won or lost didn't matter—Ryuga was completely unscathed. That said more than enough about his strength.

Tsukasa grunted and lowered his sword. He had sealed half his power into the Decade Watch. Right now, he knew he wouldn't win.

Regardless of how the battle went, facing the Demon King and living to tell the tale was something only a select few could do. Anyone weaker—or with less resolve—would have been reduced to cosmic dust.

Just like Swartz was, in the future.

"Fine! I'm out! You kids carry on!" Tsukasa huffed and disappeared through a dimensional portal with theatrical flair.

"Alright, showtime," Ryuga muttered. He opened a portal back home, fetched a bag of potato chips, and sat back down with Ora, both entering full theater mode.

"…."

Of the remaining Riders, Gates reacted first. Actually, he didn't care what the others were doing—he was still locked in combat against Kachon, a soulless machine.

While Tsukasa and Ryuga were having their banter-fest, poor Gates was getting thoroughly manhandled. Again.

Already losing to Kachon before, he now got slammed back into his human form and rolled over next to Sougo.

Glaring at Sougo, who had been standing off to the side cheering and saying "nice moves," Gates was furious.

Seriously? I'm out here risking my life for you, and you're just back here giving live commentary?!

He grabbed Sougo's collar, ripped off his own Ziku Driver, and slammed it into Sougo's chest.

"Use it, King of Time! Transform!"

"Nani?" Sougo blinked. "You've been against this from the start, and now you're begging me to change? You think this is how transformations work?"

"Do you want the Time Jackers to win? Do you want Tsukuyomi to die?!" Gates shouted, pointing at Tsukuyomi, who was struggling to fend off Kachon.

"But if I use the Driver… I'll become the Demon King again…"

"Didn't you once say you'd become a kind and righteous Demon King? What happened to that ambition? What happened to that courage?"

"If you turn evil, I'll stop you myself!"

"Trust me—I can do it!"

Even Gates didn't believe his own words at that point. His voice had dropped to a whisper.

Yeah, right. Like anyone believes that. Sougo sighed internally. Men really are full of it…

Still, he took the Driver. His… wife(?) had insisted, after all. Refusing now would mean losing face. Or worse: getting slapped.

Sougo strapped on the Driver, pulled out the Zi-O Watch from his pocket, and with a determined smirk—

[Zi-O!]

"So sweet—wait, no. I mean, Henshin!"

[Rider Time!]

[Kamen Rider Zi-O!]

"Behold! The king who commands all Rider powers! The one who transcends time and space!"

"He has returned to the battlefield—the one and only, Kamen Rider Zi-O!"

Woz was nearly in tears. He rushed over to celebrate, completely ignoring that Heure was still holding a spare Driver.

But Sougo didn't miss it. In a flash, he appeared before Heure, snatched the spare Driver, and tossed it back to Gates.

With their power restored, the two launched a furious combo assault, eventually defeating the treacherous Kachon—avenging Gates and leaving Heure wailing in defeat.

No snacks today! How miserable! How pitiful!

Meanwhile, far in the future of 2068, the old Demon King stood once again in his floating palace, watching it all unfold.

"I knew you wouldn't give up your dream," he murmured. "Because you are me."

"Now show me… what kind of future you will choose."

Would Sougo follow his footsteps and save the world alone? Or… would he follow the path Ryuga envisioned—a path that would destroy everything in order to build a world without suffering?

If it was the latter, the young Sougo might be even crueler than the original Demon King. After all, he had once made that decision out of despair.

But Sougo?

He might choose it… out of clarity.