Chapter 80

The city is bustling even at this early hour. Ace, in his Ryuki form, feels a surge of power coursing through him. A jewelry store robbery in progress? Child's play. Ace uses his Advent Card and Drag Saber to effortlessly disarm the thugs. Before they can even blink, Ace ties them up with their own belts.

Next, a purse snatching! Some old lady is screaming, and a punk is running away. Ace sighs. He kicks off the ground and uses his fast running to catch up to the thief. He makes a hook slide and the thief tripped.

"Wallet."

The thief hands over the wallet. Ace returns it to the grateful woman.

Just as he's thinking about maybe grabbing a coffee — because, man, being a hero before school sucks — his phone rings.

"Ace! Where are you?!" Nico's voice screams through the speaker. "Our presentation is in, like, twenty minutes!"

"Crap!" Ace glances at the time. He's so going to be late. "Nico, stall them, okay? I'm almost done here, I promise! I'll be there ASAP."

Ace sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. He needs to wrap things up. Fast.

He makes sure the thief is secure, and then calls the police to report both incidents.

Satisfied that everyone is safe and the authorities are on their way, Ace ducks into a nearby alley. "Time to bail."

He glances around, making sure no one is watching. Then, he steps through a reflective mirror and finds himself in the Mirror World. The familiar desolate landscape stretches before him, a warped reflection of the city. Perfect for a quick commute.

A sleek, futuristic sled materializes before him — the Rideshooter.

Okay, the Rideshooter. It's not exactly a Batmobile, but it's still pretty cool. Think sleek sled, but hovercraft. All aerodynamic curves and smooth lines are made for speed.

He hops on, grips the handles, and the machine roars to life. With a surge of power, the Rideshooter blasts forward, tearing through the eerie silence of the Mirror World. Buildings blur past in distorted streaks of gray and red. The sky above is a perpetual twilight, casting long, unnatural shadows. Ace leans into the turns, expertly navigating the twisted streets. Midtown High, here he comes!

Meanwhile, back in Mr. Harrison's history class, Nico is sweating bullets. "So, Mr. Harrison," she says, her voice a little too high-pitched, "about the Peloponnesian War..." She drags out the word, her mind racing for any way to buy Ace some time. "Was it, like, totally a fair fight? I mean, did anyone cheat?"

Berto chimes in, "Yeah! What kind of weapons did they use? Did they have, like, super-secret Spartan tech we don't know about?"

Mr. Harrison raises an eyebrow. "Well, Ms. Minoru, Mr. Lopez, I appreciate your enthusiasm, but I assure you that neither side had access to 'super-secret Spartan tech.'"

Nico forces a laugh. "Right, right. Super secret. Of course." She glances at the clock, her anxiety spiking. Ace is so dead if he doesn't get here soon.

Berto fakes a cough. "Uh, Mr. Harrison? My laptop is, like, totally not working. Can I, uh, restart it? Maybe that'll help with the presentation?" He gives Mr. Harrison his most innocent look.

Mr. Harrison sighs. "Very well, Mr. Lopez. But please be quick. We don't have all day."

Berto nods, relief flooding his face. "Thanks, Mr. Harrison!" He slams his laptop shut and opens it again, pretending to frantically troubleshoot. Come on, Ace, where are you?!

The classroom door bursts open with a resounding thwack against the wall. Ace stumbles in, breathless, his hair a mess. Mr. Harrison stares, mouth agape.

"Sorry I'm late!" Ace pants, gesturing wildly. "Traffic. Bad. Like, really, really bad."

Nico and Berto exchange a look of pure relief. Nico throws Ace a look that says, "Traffic? Really?"

"Mr. Ukiyo," Mr. Harrison begins, his voice laced with exasperation, "perhaps you could explain your tardiness after the presentation. Assuming, of course, you're prepared."

Ace nods quickly. "Yes, sir. Totally prepared. Ready to go."

He takes his place beside Nico and Berto, who subtly bump fists with him under the table. They quickly launch into their presentation, Ace seamlessly picking up where they left off. He delivers his part flawlessly, his voice confident and his points well-articulated. He may have been battling purse snatchers moments ago, but he's also a pretty good student when he puts his mind to it.

As they wrap up the presentation, Mr. Harrison nods in approval. "Well done, you three. A solid performance, despite Mr. Ukiyo's… unfortunate entrance."

Nico and Berto exhale audibly. The tension in the room dissipates like smoke.

After class, Ace catches up with Nico and Berto at their lockers. "Guys, I am so sorry about that," he says, running a hand through his disheveled hair. "Thanks for covering for me."

Nico waves her hand dismissively. "Don't sweat it, Ace. We've got your back."

Berto grins. "Yeah, it was kinda fun seeing Mr. Harrison squirm. Besides, what else is new? Is this another monster of the week?"

Ace shrugs sheepishly. "Something like that. It was a busy morning. Petty crimes everywhere."

"Wait, petty crimes? What kind?" Berto asks, his eyes widening with excitement. "Like, supervillain petty crimes? Did you use any cool Rider Kicks?"

Ace laughs. "Nah, nothing that exciting. Just your run-of-the-mill robberies and snatchings. You know, the usual."

"Well, I'm glad you're okay, but did you have to go around and be a hero again?" Nico sighs, facepalming.

"Hey, what else can I do? You know I'm going to help people." Ace says.

"I guess." Nico says.

"Ever since that mess with the Hulk and the Abomination," Ace explains, "the city's been a little crazy. People are scared, and some less than reputable types are taking advantage of the situation."

Ace really hopes things will settle down soon, though a part of him doubts it. Ever since coming to this world, things are very chaotic. He sighs. At least his friends are alright and will forgive him soon.

School goes by in a blur, and he focuses on trying to keep his head down. He makes small talks with Nico and Berto. Ace's just so relieved they are starting to forgive him, but there is still a long way to go before his friendship is restored. He knows that.

As the final bell rings, Ace checks his phone. A new message from Yuri.

Meet me at the usual spot.

Ace glances at Nico and Berto, who are waiting for him. "Hey, guys," he says, "I gotta go meet with my… police friend. You know, Yuri."

Nico raises an eyebrow. "Police friend? Is this about the crazy Grongi stuff?"

Ace shrugs, trying to look casual. "Maybe. Just gotta help her out with some… questions."

"Don't get into trouble, Ace," Nico says, her voice laced with concern.

"I'll try not to," Ace promises, offering them a smile. "See you guys later." Then he leaves.

...

The rooftop offers a welcome escape from the crowded hallways of Midtown High. Ace feels the familiar surge of Ryuki's power coursing through him, the V-Buckle snug against his waist. He activates the mirror, slipping into the rooftop that is used as a meeting place with Yuri.

He sees Yuri standing near the edge of the building, the city sprawling out behind her like a concrete jungle. Ace approaches.

"Hey, Kamen Rider," Yuri says, turning to greet him. There's a slight edge to her voice, something he can't quite place. "I wanted you to meet someone."

She gestures to the man standing beside her. He's tall, with a neatly trimmed mustache and a serious expression. He's dressed in a sharp suit, looking every bit the detective. Yuri's partner.

"This is Naoki Koji," Yuri explains. "He's my new partner."

Ace gives Koji a polite nod. "Nice to meet you."

"Likewise," Koji replies, his voice smooth and confident.

Yuri sighs, running a hand through her hair. "Look, Rider, I'm not exactly thrilled about this arrangement, but the brass insisted. With everything that's been happening, they want all the officers to work in pairs. For safety reasons."

Ace frowns, sensing Yuri's unease. She values her independence. She doesn't like working with someone else, let alone being told to work with someone else.

Koji steps forward, extending a hand towards Ace with a smile. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Kamen Rider. Yuri has told me so much about you and I'm really glad that I can work with you. I'm eager to collaborate and put an end to these Grongi!" His eyes gleam with what seems to be genuine enthusiasm. "Together, I think we can clean up this city, especially you."

Yuri doesn't waste any time. She pulls a file from her briefcase and hands it to Ace.

"We've had a string of disappearances lately," she says, her voice tight with concern. "All the victims vanished near mirrors. The M.O. is consistent with the Dispider case. We think we're dealing with another Mirror Monster."

Ace flips through the file, his brow furrowing. Photos of crime scenes flash before his eyes – shattered mirrors, strange residues... The connection is undeniable.

"This is horrible… Don't worry, I can sense them now. Ever since I got this armor, I can sense them like a sixth sense."

Yuri visibly relaxes, a wave of relief washing over her face. "That's… actually a huge advantage," she admits. "Knowing that you can sense the Mirror Monsters is a game-changer."

Koji nods in agreement. "It'll definitely make it easier for us to work with you. Makes this easier to take down this new Mirror Monster."

"Alright," Yuri says, a new determination in her voice. "Let's head to the latest victim's location. See if we can pick up a trail."

Ace nods, a familiar sense of purpose settling over him. He's Kamen Rider. He'll protect this city, no matter what it takes.

With a shared nod, the three of them head towards the stairwell, ready to investigate.

***

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Advance chapters are in my P@|r3on - Najicablitz