When Tatsuya finally came to his senses, a disorienting haze enveloped him, pulling him from the depths of unconsciousness. His surroundings emerged slowly, revealing that he was submerged in a viscous green liquid, both alien and beyond unsettling. The thick substance floated around him, slightly obscuring any clear view beyond the confines of his glass enclosure. Panic surged through him as he realized he was encased within transparent walls that shimmered ominously, refracting the light in a way that made the world outside appear warped.
As he instinctively tried to scream for help, his voice was nothing more than a muffled echo, suppressed by the sterile brown oxygen mask firmly strapped to his face. The mask felt suffocating, a reminder of his helplessness. His wide eyes peered through his foggy glasses, darting around in a frantic search for escape, but despair quickly settled in as he discovered the cold, unyielding restraints binding his arms and legs, cruelly anchoring him within the glass rectangle. Every ounce of his body fought against the restraints, but they were merciless, robbing him of any chance to move.
Turning his head to the right, Tatsuya caught sight of several men clad in white hazmat suits, their expressions obscured behind visors and gas masks, rendering them almost ghostly. They observed him intently, as if he were an animal in a containment unit. One of them scribbled notes on a clipboard, while the others fiddled with various instruments emitting soft beeps and whirs, their purpose shrouded in mystery. Anxiety twisted in Tatsuya's gut as each sound heightened his sense of foreboding.
Out of the corner of his eye, a flash of pink darted past, drawing his attention like a moth to a flame. It was Blood Stalk, the enigmatic figure shrouded in shadow and menace. He moved with an uncanny grace, placing a chair with theatrical flair beside Tatsuya's enclosure before performing a dramatic twist as he settled into his seat. With his legs crossed casually and his upper body tilted slightly as if in a state of relaxed contemplation, Blood Stalk embodied an eerie nonchalance, as if he were about to sip tea and smoke a cigarette in a cozy café rather than preside over something so dire.
"What do you intend on doing with him?"
The deep voice of Night Rouge sounded out, the other sinister Rider affiliated with Faust was also present. He lounged several meters away, seated upon a comfy leather chair that seemed almost regal in its design, one that he treated like a throne. His chin rested pensively on his hand, you could only see his helmet visor but his eyes gleaming with a mix of curiosity and malicious delight underneath.
Blood Stalk's gaze shifted from the pitiful sight of Tatsuya—struggling, desperate, and drowning in confusion—behind him to Night Rouge.
"A test..."
The change in his demeanor when he responded was palpable; his playful aura shifted into something more serious, a dark glimmer of purpose igniting in the presence he brought to the room.
"...To see if I've found someone worth my time," he replied, the weight of his words hanging ominously in the air.
...
"Done!"
Back at the lab at Café Nascita, the atmosphere buzzed with excitement as Sento marveled at his latest creation. Gleaming under the warm lights, it was a freshly finished sword he had meticulously crafted for the new ninja setup he was eager to incorporate into his growing arsenal of Build forms.
Meanwhile, in a more relaxed corner of the lab, Ryuga lay sprawled out on the bed, blissfully unaware of the world around him as he slumbered. Misora, on the other hand, was diligently brushing her teeth, her back turned toward the excitable scientist as she focused on her morning routine.
Curious about Sento's excited declaration, she turned her neck slightly to glance over her shoulder, just in time to see him lift the new accessory high above his head, a triumphant grin spreading across his face.
"I'll call it..."
Sento paused for dramatic effect, his eyes sparkling with enthusiasm as he caught Misora's gaze. He tapped each one of the four distinct sections of the sword blade with a cleaning brush, polishing the new weapon with the kind of care that reflected his passion and dedication.
"...The 4-Panel Ninja Sword! This clever, beautiful, vibrant, and equally powerful weapon is designed for the Comic-Ninja form that Build can transform into. It features four different ninjutsu comic panels, each of which can be activated based on how many times the trigger is pressed..."
He playfully wiggled his eyebrows up and down at Misora while she continued brushing, her attentive eyes locked onto him without blinking. The minty toothpaste foam bubbled around her mouth as she moved the toothbrush back and forth, casting an amused glance at Sento. He pointed at the trigger on the handle of his striking purple and yellow weapon, clearly proud to showcase his ingenious new toy.
"Okay, you've convinced me to explain more about what this beauty can do..."
Misora turned fully to face him, rolling her eyes in a theatrical manner before tilting her head, attempting her best to look unimpressed despite the intrigue in her eyes.
"One trigger press activates: The Clone Technique! Hit it twice, and you unleash the 'Fire Release Technique.' Three times activates the 'Wind Release Technique.' And finally, with four clicks, the legendary 'Ninja Art of Camouflage Technique!' You see, the pen may actually be mightier than the sword. Unless the pen is the sword!" Sento exclaimed, his enthusiasm rolling off of him in waves as he snapped his fingers and pointed toward the manga-like illustrations depicting each technique, a detailed and vivid design adorning each section of the 4-Panel Sword.
"Mhhm, wut-eber yew sayh," Misora replied, her words slurring slightly through a mouthful of toothpaste.
Sento bounced up from his seated position with the sword in hand and began to stride toward Misora, swinging the blade up and down in an exaggerated, playful manner as if preparing for an epic showdown.
"Can't wait to test it out!" he declared, his eyes shining with anticipation.
As he reached her, Sento took an exaggerated horizontal swing above her head, just enough to elicit a startled reaction.
"Eeek!" Misora's startled scream sent a spray of toothpaste flying as she ducked instinctively, spilling her mouthful of brush, paste, and spit in a comical display. "Watch it!" she exclaimed, even though the blade hadn't been anywhere near her head.
"So dramatic..." Sento teased, the wide grin spreading on his face as he thoroughly enjoyed Misora's reaction.
Bing!
The sudden notification sound broke the light-hearted atmosphere.
"...Look who's talking..." Misora narrowed her eyes at Sento, then marched purposefully toward the computer, her 'Miitan' persona having just received a message.
Sento cast a curious glance her way for a brief moment, but a somewhat mischievous gleam overcame his previously excited smile as he turned his attention to the sleeping Ryuga. An idea formed, and he began to creep toward him with an exaggerated stealthiness.
"I wanna test it... wanna test!" he mumbled, his excitement bubbling over as he got closer.
He lowered the blade's tip near the back of Ryuga's head, all set to make his move.
"...Test it on me, and there'll be hell to pay," Ryuga's voice emerged from the face of the pillow.
Surprised, Sento pulled the blade back and scrunched his nose in disappointment. "Aww man, you're awake?"
At that moment, Misora opened her message, and her eyes widened for a fleeting moment before settling back into their usual calm demeanor.
"I saw a Smash! It was headed in the direction of the Touto Institute of Advanced Matter Physics!"
She looked up, urgency creeping into her voice as she called to Sento. "Got a tip on a Smash... It's headed toward that lab you work at, apparently."
Squeak! Squeak! Squeak!
Sento's sneakers squeaked against the floor as he rapidly closed the distance to Misora, moving with such speed that it sounded as though a basketball game had just begun in a gymnasium.
He positioned himself behind her, peering over her shoulder at the incoming message while resting his 4-Panel Ninja Sword casually on his shoulder.
Misora took a few steps back to give Sento space to get a good look. "Maybe it's after Pandora's Box?" she suggested, raising her eyebrows in curiosity.
Ryuga, having finally settled into a sitting position cross-legged on the bed, sighed thoughtfully. "Hhhmm, if so, then the owner was right about keeping the panels here..."
Sento moved the items and various devices covering the workbenches until he spotted and grabbed his Driver, he swiftly donned his trench coat that had been draped over one of the chairs, making a beeline toward the staircase with a sense of urgency.
Ryuga rolled toward the end of the bed, now facing Sento as he strode by. "Why don't you just let the government's special forces handle it?" he inquired, his brow furrowed with concern.
Sento paused, momentarily considering Ryuga's words before turning slightly to acknowledge him.
"You can't really transform and fight with them around," Ryuga pointed out, crossing his arms.
Turning on his heels, Sento resumed his path towards the exit, his voice lowering as he replied, "Yeah... I think I'll just check it out for a bit then."
Misora waved at Sento's retreating back as he climbed the stairs. "Have a safe trip," she called, her voice mixing reassurance with worry.
Ryuga squinted, his mind racing with curiosity and a plethora of unanswered questions. Turning to Misora, he posed a thought-provoking question, "Hey. If you manage to beat a Smash... what do you think happens if you don't take its essence?"
Misora pondered his question for a few moments, rolling the possibilities around in her mind. "Well... if it lives, it might go back to their base, maybe?" she speculated, her tone thoughtful. "I'm not really sure, Sento usually makes sure that doesn't happen."
"I see, fair 'nuff."
Ryuga laid back down on the bed, resting his head against the pillow, flipping over to lie on his side and turning away from Misora. A few new ideas began to whirl through his mind, leaving him deep in thought.
"Their base, huh?"