Ace straddles the Trychaser, the hum of its engine a familiar comfort. Musutafu unfolds around him, a city teeming with life unlike anything he has ever seen. A Sunday stroll for the locals, it seems. The café's closed today, Ami insisting he get out and see the sights. So here he is, a Kamen Rider amidst… well, this.
The sidewalks pulse with a colourful array of people. Not just different clothes or hairstyles, but actual differences. Mutant-Type Quirks, Ami called them. A woman walks past, feathered wings sprouting from her back. A kid with lizard eyes and scales peeks into a candy shop. Another person sports what appears to be a shark's head, struggling to eat a soft cream.
Pro Heroes patrol the streets too, their costumes as varied and outlandish as the Quirks on display. He spots a woman in a skin-tight suit adorned with circuit patterns, wires trailing from her gauntlets. A hulking figure strides by, clad in metal armor with what looks like cannons mounted on his shoulders. He gets that heroes are celebrities here, but those costumes are… something else.
Storefronts overflow with merchandise. Keychains, action figures, posters — the whole nine yards. All Might's face beams from almost every display. The guy really is the Symbol of Peace. A kid clutches an All Might action figure, mimicking a punch. So this is the world where heroes are like comic book characters, Ace muses. Then again, I have just been in the MCU, so this world is a bit similar. Just that heroes need to have licenses.
He pulls over, killing the engine. So many people rely on these heroes. The thought of Dai-Shocker invading this place… Ace shakes his head. He might not know this world, but he knows he can't let that happen.
Ace leans against the Trychaser, pulling out his phone. He scrolls through news articles, hero forums, and underground blogs, anything to catch a whiff of Dai-Shocker's presence. Nothing. Just the usual villain attacks, Pro Hero interventions, and the ever-present buzz about U.A. High.
Where are they hiding? Ace wonders. Dai-Shocker's tendrils usually worm their way into everything. In the MCU, they used the Grongi as the Vanguard, while the Mirror Monster came later. Here? He hasn't seen a single monster yet. No Mirror World weirdness, no dinosaur-themed goons terrorizing the streets.
He scratches his chin, What kind of monster would Dai-Shocker send here? Something with a Quirk? Or would they create their own? He needs intel, and fast.
Ace wishes he had someone to turn to, someone who knew this world like the back of their hand. In New York, Yuri and the NYPD always had his back, to search for the Grongi and Mirror Monsters. Here? He is just a face in the crowd. He needs an informant, someone on the inside. Maybe he could ask Ami. She seems to know a lot about the city.
He kicks off from the wall and hops back onto the Trychaser. He guns the engine, weaving through traffic, letting the city's pulse guide him. The ocean breeze hits him as he approaches the coast. He spots a sign: Takoba Municipal Beach Park. He pulls into the parking lot, the Trychaser's tires crunching on the gravel.
Takoba is… a mess. Piles of garbage rise like artificial dunes, a wasteland of discarded appliances, twisted metal, and plastic debris. The beach is almost unrecognizable beneath the layers of trash. It's a scar on the otherwise vibrant cityscape. What happened here? Ace thinks.
Amidst the chaos, a figure stands out. A boy with unruly green hair, hauling a massive bag of trash. He strains under the weight, his face flushed with effort. He pauses, wiping sweat from his brow before plunging back into the junk. Ace recognizes him. Izuku Midoriya. The protagonist. Huh, I am in his world. Guess I should have expected that.
Nearby, a gaunt figure sits on a discarded tire, watching Izuku. He is skeletal, his eyes sunken, his frame frail. Ace doesn't need a second glance to know who that is. All Might. Not the muscle-bound symbol, but the man behind the facade, the hero weakened, yet still watching over his successor.
Ace knows this part of the story. Izuku hasn't gotten One For All yet. He's still toiling away on this beach, preparing himself for the power to come. This is the quiet before the storm, the calm before Izuku's world explodes.
Ace hesitates, his hand hovering over the Trychaser's ignition. A part of him wants to intervene, to offer help, or maybe even a warning. But he resists. This is Izuku's journey, All Might's burden. He has no right to interfere. Not yet, anyway.
He revs the engine, the sound echoing across the trash-strewn beach. He gives Izuku and All Might one last look, a silent nod of respect. Then, he peels out of the parking lot, leaving them to their training.
Maybe our paths will cross someday, Ace thinks. Maybe I'll even get to fight alongside him. But for now, I have my own path to follow. He has a city to protect, a mystery to unravel, and a growing feeling that Dai-Shocker is closer than he thinks.
…
Ace strides out of the convenience store, a cold drink in hand. As he turns, he bumps into a burly construction worker, sending a jolt up his arm.
"Ah, sorry," Ace mumbles, steadying himself.
The construction worker grunts, his face etched with a permanent scowl. "Watch it, kid." He shoves past Ace, not bothering to make eye contact.
Rude, Ace thinks, watching the man stomp away. He glances down at the floor. A small pile of sand. Odd. He hadn't noticed any construction nearby. He looks closer, and a chill runs down his spine. The sand isn't just on the floor; it's seeping from the man's feet, like he is a leaky sandbag.
Wait a minute. This scene looks too familiar.
He crushes his empty can and chucks it into a nearby trash bin. No time to waste. He hangs back, keeping a discreet distance as he tails the construction worker. Time to see what kind of sandstorm this guy is brewing.
Ace hangs back, weaving through the early morning crowd. The construction worker, a man named Kenji, heads towards a nearby construction site, his gait heavy. Ace spots the orange vests and hard hats, then leans against a wall, feigning a phone call.
Kenji trudges onto the site, where a stout man with a clipboard—Tanaka, probably the boss—waves his arms in agitation. "Kenji, you're late again! What's wrong with you? Get over here and start moving these beams!" Tanaka's voice cracks like a whip.
Kenji's face twists, and Ace sees a tremor run through him. "Shut your trap, Tanaka!" he yells. Then, a strange sight—sand begins to pour from Kenji's pores, coating his work boots, his hands, his face. He doubles over, clutching his chest, and collapses.
The sand surges, coalescing into a hulking figure. A muscular torso forms first, followed by thick, powerful legs. Fur sprouts, dark and coarse. The sand solidifies, hardening into a fearsome creature: the Gorilla Imagin. Its eyes blaze with malevolent energy, and it beats its chest, letting out a deafening roar.
Tanaka stumbles back, dropping his clipboard. "W-what is that?!" he stammers, his face white with terror.
The Gorilla Imagin ignores him, smashing a stack of metal beams with a single swipe. It turns its attention to Tanaka, its massive fist cocked back.
An Imagin? Here? Ace curses under his breath.
"Got to stop him!"
The Arcle appears on his waist, and Ace raises his hands. "Henshin!"
A surge of energy courses through him. The Arcle glows, and crimson armor erupts around his body. Black lines trace patterns across the red surface, and the golden horn on his helmet gleams in the morning light.
Ace, now Kuuga in his Mighty Form, leaps into action. He grabs Tanaka, yanking him out of the way just as the Gorilla Imagin's fist slams into the ground, leaving a crater in its wake.
"Stay back!" Kuuga commands, his voice resonating with power. "I'll handle this!"
The Gorilla Imagin stares at Kuuga, a flicker of surprise in its crimson eyes.
"A Kamen Rider?" the Imagin booms, its voice a guttural growl. "What business does one have here?"
Kuuga cracks his knuckles, settling into a fighting stance. "Your rampage ends now. I won't let you hurt anyone."
The Imagin roars again, pounding its chest. "Don't interrupt me! I still have a wish to grant! You will not interfere!"
It charges, a blur of fur and fury. Ace braces himself, ready to meet the Imagin's brute force with his own strength and determination.
***
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Advance chapters are in my P@|r3on - Najicablitz