NOVEL NEXT Chapter 2: The mission(2)
---
"Welcome to the first round of the DGP. The academy starts now," the familiar voice of the navigator echoed through the room.
A peculiar glow emanated from the floor, revealing a box positioned in front of every participant, except for the newcomer. Filled with anticipation, they all knelt down and opened the box, retrieving the buckles contained within. Each person examined their buckle with curiosity and intrigue.
Suddenly, the distinctive sound of a Jamato resonated, capturing everyone's attention. As they looked up, the voice of their guide reverberated in the room.
"Eliminate the Delinquent Jamato and defeat the principal. They are located in the school," the lady's voice commanded, her words adding an eerie tension to the atmosphere. The Jamato, sensing the presence of the participants, immediately pointed their weapons at them.
Among the group, Aaron, the black teen, appeared visibly annoyed but chose to remain silent. He inserted his ID core into his buckle and uttered the words, "Henchin." In an instant, a red costume enveloped him, accompanied by the appearance of a peculiar, advanced robotic arm that equipped him with the costume.
As the costume fully enveloped his body, a resounding lion's roar echoed throughout the room. Aaron nonchalantly disregarded the bewildered gazes of the other contestants, including one who muttered about creating a perfect world. Determination gleamed in his eyes as he dashed towards the Jamato, wielding a spear-like weapon and displaying remarkable skill in swiftly dispatching each enemy that crossed his path.
His expertise with the spear was evident, as if he had mastered its use through countless battles. Two participants looked on in shock, unable to fathom how someone could exhibit such remarkable skill during their first time in the game. Suspicion lingered in their minds, questioning the authenticity of Aaron's abilities and the presence of a lion-like element in his transformation.
Not wanting the new comer to get all the credit for the mission that was given to them, the remaining participants decided to transform into their own respective forms. Once their transformations were complete, they noticed the new recruit seemingly goofing around, not taking the situation as seriously as they had expected.
"Jamato," Aaron uttered, tilting his head slightly as he addressed one of the Jamato delinquents. Surprisingly, the Jamato responded with the same word, further baffling the others. Aaron chuckled in response and confessed, "I have no fucking idea what that meant."
While attempting to engage another Jamato, Aaron found himself obstructed by the athlete girl, who appeared annoyed by his actions. Undeterred, he skillfully neutralized every Jamato she attempted to attack, motivated by a petty desire to outshine her.
"Why are you doing this?" the girl exclaimed, her irritation palpable. Aaron simply shrugged, offering no explanation, which only served to further fuel the girl's anger.
"You jack..." she began to say before being forcefully blasted away by a Jamato's attack. She landed a few feet away, fortunately escaping serious injury. As she struggled to get back on her feet, she noticed Aaron smirking down at her.
"You seem to really like eating dirt," he taunted, his words igniting a burning fury within her. She realized that his distraction had led to her getting hit so severely.
Before she could dwell on her frustrations, Aaron casually walked away from her, seemingly heading towards one of the other Kamen Riders, leaving her seething with resentment.
(Time skip)
"Well done, everyone," Tsumuri, the navigator, congratulated the participants. "Going forward, you will all be boarding together." Her statement left the contestants
with a mix of confusion and curiosity.
"Boarding?" Keiwa questioned, his expression reflecting his puzzlement.
"You didn't mention this before," Sae interjected, rising from her position.
"Refusal is not an option," a newcomer interjected, entering the room. The atmosphere grew eerily quiet as all eyes turned towards the newcomer.
"Uwah, the new game master looks as shifty as ever," Keiwa remarked, sizing up the game master's appearance. The game master engaged in some playful antics before removing his costume, revealing his true face and the fact that he wore double-layered glasses.
"Pleasure to meet you all," the game master greeted, radiating an air of joviality. He strolled around the room, fixing his gaze on Keiwa and remarking, "Nice reaction."
His comment, delivered in English, caused Aaron to raise an eyebrow, sensing there might be more to the situation.
"Camera, did you get that?" the game master queried, directing his attention towards the camera present in the room.
"Camera?" Neon queried, perplexed by the mention.
"Yeah, the normal life of Kamen Riders is now part of the show, not just the fighting," the game master explained, causing Aaron to cringe slightly, sensing the encroachment of his personal life.
The game master proceeded to elucidate on the concept of a disaster, an individual who would betray everyone. As soon as those words left his lips, Sae instinctively pointed her finger directly at Aaron, prompting a wry smile to grace his face.
"Getting excited, aren't we? You don't even know my name, yet you accuse me," Aaron responded, his calm demeanor and cryptic smile deepening the air of suspicion within the room.
---
Aaron Marshall