"RIDER BEAT"

  "RIDER KICK"

  Both finishing moves hit each other, and a huge explosion occurred.

  "CLOCK OVER"

  Both the Kabuto and Ketaros zecters detach themselves, deforming their hosts into Tendou and Izuna respectively, as the smoke dissipates, Izuna is seen, kunai in her right hand, attempting to stab Tendou in the throat. However Tendou caught it at the st second, and harshly set her arms down.

  "Sorry, Izuna. But you're coming with me this time."

  "S-Sensei..."

  In an instant, Tendou spun Izuna around, and tied her hands using a nearby rope from a ruined stall. The Moryou retreated once again upon seeing Izuna's capture, as Kaede and Shizuko taunted at them in victory. Later on, Izuna was brought to the Momoyodou Teahouse, in which the two clubs interrogate her for who hired her and why does the employer want Izuna to destroy the festival. During all of this however, Izuna didn't reveal her employer's identity, a sign of an immense loyalty once serving a lord, akin to what honorable Samurai and Shinobi would do. During the interrogation however, Shizuko shouted at Izuna at one point, further shutting her down.

  "Shizuko. Look at what you've done."

  "S-Sensei? S-Sorry, I was just really fed up after everything!"

  "Move." Tendou ordered Shizuko casually, before pcing a tray on the table in front of Izuna.

  "T-This is...!"

  "Inarizushi*. Enjoy."

  (*A type of sushi in which the rice is stuffed inside seasoned deep-fried tofu pockets/pouches. Inari is also the name of the fox kami in the Shinto religion.)

  "Sensei!" Both Kaede and Shizuko shouted.

  "Hmm? How are we supposed to get information out of her, if we treat her food?" Pina asked, notebook on the ready.

  "A-Actually, let me note it down too, to become a better dy!" Kaede retracted her harshness, and took out her own notebook.

  "I can't believe it with these two..." Shizuko facepalmed.

  "Eventually we'll get used to it, l-like I did with us three. Right, Tsubaki?"

  "..." Tsubaki didn't respond to Mimori's question, as she slept on her seat after Tendou gave her a serving of Hamo* sushi, which she ate happily before drifting off.

  (*Hamo: Seasonal fish, according to episode 29 of the TV series. It's international name is "Pike Conger")

  "All of you, finish your meals. I'll wait till at least Izuna finished, then I'll talk."

  Tendou then cut off the ropes that bind Izuna's wrists on her back, and watched as she prayed and took a bite out of one of the Inarizushi pieces on her pte.

  "A-Amazing! This is better than the Inarizushi that the locals here make!"

  Izuna then happily ate the rest of the Inarizushi pieces on her pte, and in a manner of seconds, she finished.

  "It's heavenly!"

  "Now that you've eaten in a tea shop, without paying nonetheless... You'll have to walk with me outside."

  "Eh?"

  Kaede and Pina then looked at each other in understanding, as they wrote down what they witnessed on their notebooks. Afterwards, Tendou then took Izuna out of the teahouse, and they walked through the streets, now at peace with the Moryou Gang repelled for the time being, and the festivities resumed.

  "What tofu did you use for the Inarizushi?"

  "Silk-Strained. It's a rarity even here."

  "Oh... and look, Sensei! Dalgona! And that sweet smell... Cotton candy! Oh! Yakisoba! They're selling yakisoba too!"

  "Here you go." Tendou said as he bought Izuna one stick of cotton candy, for dessert.

  "Huh? For Izuna?! Thank you, Sensei!"

  "Even the sugary ingredients used to make these are top notch... As expected of Kivotos." Tendou said as he inspected the cotton candy closer before Izuna took a bite.

  "It really is the best!"

  The two continued on walking until they arrived at a riverside, where Tendou stood still and admiring the view while Izuna sat down, and basked in the festival's peacefulness. The reflection of the festival’s nterns on the water bathed the scene in a warm orange glow.

  "Izuna loves the Hyakkiyako Cherry Blossom Festival so much! I’m so happy I get to enjoy it with you, Sensei!"

  "If so, then that's good. But..."

  "But?"

  "What if it gets cancelled this year?"

  "E-Eh!? W-what do you mean!?"

  "Your client."

  "I-Izuna's client wants to ruin the festival?"

  "Took you long enough to realize."

  "B-But Izuna was simply following the client’s wishes… I was just trying to stop those who were getting in the way of business. But... that’s ruining the festival?!"

  "And you becoming Ketaros, and causing more chaos in Clock Up nearly spearheaded it to canceltion even quicker. So, would you please tell me who your client is?"

  "Izuna’s client is…" Then she shook her head. "A true ninja would never... leak the identity of their client! Izuna could never be a great ninja if she did that! Even Sensei can’t be trusted with that information…!"

  "If that is what you decided, then so be it."

  "Eh?"

  "In case you changed your mind, look toward the sun."

  Izuna then recalled what Tendou said earlier during their fight. "Using the sun as start, pursue your dreams!"

  After pondering for a bit, Izuna excused herself, and walked away from the riverside, after tossing a stone in a manner a ninja would throw a shuriken. Tendou looked to see the stone skipped numerous times across the water, until it successfully nded on the other side.

  "Interesting throw."

  After that, Tendou then looked at the Shittim Chest.

  "Sensei! Wakamo-San has found where she thinks is the culprit's hideout!"

  "Good. Show me where you marked it on the map."

  "As you wish!"

  Tendou then looked at where Arona is pinpointing at the map. An abandoned school building, still in the vicinity of the Hyakkiyako district.

  "Go over to my phone, and send a text to the Inner Discipline Club, Shizuko and Pina."

  "What about Wakamo-San?"

  "I'll call her myself."

  "Got it."

  A few hours ter, Tendou encountered Wakamo hiding away in a shrub in which she observed the building from.

  "Yo."

  "Darling! So, what's the pn?"

  5 seconds ter...

  "Eh? But Darling--!"

  "I already pnned ahead."

  Tendou then expined the pn to Wakamo, who is worried at first, but after a minute, her excitement went through the roof.

  "S-Seriously, Darling!?"

  "Wait until the Inner Discipline Club as well as Pina and Shizuko to arrive, then use it."

  "I will, Darling."

  With that Tendou then emerged from the shrub, and walked into the vicinity of the abandoned building.

  "Halt! Who goes there!?" A tengu mask cd Moryou member called out.

  "Tendou Souji."

  "Tendou... Souji.... Ah! SCHALE's Sensei! Hands in the air!"

  Wakamo watches as Tendou is brought into the abandoned building. Inside are more Moryou members, surprised to see the formidable Kabuto-Sensei of SCHALE was captured so easily, and even more surprised when the Moryou door guard told them that Tendou brought himself in. After a few minutes of walking, Tendou is led into the former principal's office. Inside, he sees a familiar face behind the desk.

  "Yo. Date Meowru, Merchant Guild President."

  "Lay off that name! I am Date Meow-Samune... the one-eyed dragon of the alleys!!"

  "I think I can see why you are named that..." Tendou commented, due to his knowledge of his world's Japanese history, and Meow-Samune's eyepatch-cd face.

  "What do you mean? Anyways, I figured whoever was interfering with our pns had to be quite the tactician. So, you’re the one from SCHALE everyone keeps whispering about?"

  "The one and only. Now, expin to me why you wanted to have the festival cancelled? Was it due to tradition?"

  "Tradition!? HA! Are you referring to the fireworks show and all that nonsense? Don’t be ridiculous! You’re overthinking it. My goal has always been money."

  "Oh? Enlighten me."

  As it turns out, the Festival Operations Department got most of the money from hosting the festivals and such for the name of fun. Meow-Samune however, only wanted the festival to go merely for profits. This of course, disgusted Tendou even though he still had a poker face as he faced Meow-Samune. Then, Tendou asked about Izuna.

  "That brat? She's cheap, but surprisingly tough! It's like having tens and dozens of Moryou on my back! Even moreso with that exo-suit, or whatever it is, that she just got. She did such an excellent job, and all I had to do was humor her little ninja fantasies."

  "You... what? You took advantage of her dream for your own gain…"

  "Dream? Have you lost your mind? You can’t seriously call that child’s dumb fantasies a ‘dream,’ can you?" Meow-Samune chuckled.

  "From what I witnessed, she is a ninja. And a child's fantasy, you say? You're rubbish."

  "What!?"

  "Grandmother said this: The wishes of the children are the future's reality... adults that ugh at such dreams are no longer human. Although in this case, it's even moreso, considering you are a devilish cat."

  "Who are you calling a devilish cat!? I am the one-eyed dragon of the alleys! And you can't seriously believe in such stupidity!"

  "You call it stupid and childish. However, the fact remains that Izuna steadfastly pursued that dream, something which I truly respect."

  Tendou then snapped his fingers, and suddenly, a smoke bomb fell from the ceiling, bursting on impact with the desk. In a short moment, every single Moryou guard in the office are knocked down after a burst of bullets from a Type-100 SMG hit them. When the smoke dissipates, Izuna is revealed, nding on top of the desk, and seemingly shielded Tendou behind her.

  "I-Izuna!? Why did you--"

  "Izuna heard everything. And most importantly, Izuna heard Sensei’s feelings! Now Izuna knows Sensei has always believed in her dream! Things are crystal clear now... Izuna can pursue her dream as long as she stays by Sensei’s side!"

  "What!?" Said a dumbfounded Meow-Samune.

  "Atta-girl, Izuna."

  "Sensei... no, Aruji-Dono!"

  "I got it. Let's bring him in."

  "It won't be that easy. I got dozens of Moryou in my pocket--"

  The sounds of intense gunfight and bsts from a kunaigun is heard outside the office.

  "Say again?"

  "I-I still have more on the way here! They'll clean up your so-called task force!"

  Outside, the Inner Discipline club as well as Shizuko and Pina gunned down the first wave of Moryou that marched out of the abandoned school after spotting them. Alongside them is Kabuto, who is unusually fighting in a violent manner this time, and sometimes even aimed the kunaigun at some of the Moryou's halos, but after consideration, Kabuto fired at their masks instead.

  "Same mask here and there. Have more variety, for crying out loud~" Kabuto said.

  "T-That's not Sensei!" Shizuko said in shock.

  "That manner of speaking... Tamamo-San!?" Pina was also shocked.

  "Let's see... Clock Up~!"

  "CLOCK UP"

  In a matter of seconds, Kabuto wipes out the second wave of Moryou before they can even march out of the building. It was then, when the Ketaros Zecter warped into the vicinity, and burst through the principal's office window, knocked Meow-Samune out cold by ramming him in the back of his head, and finally nded on the brace that Izuna wore on her right wrist.

  "Let's go, Aruji-Dono! Henshin-Nin-Nin!"

  "HENSHIN - CHANGE BEETLE"

  Tendou then lifted Meow-Samune's body as if he is a sack of potatoes, and walked out of the office with Ketaros. Right as they walk out, they came face-to-face with a couple of Moryou members, who remained as a skeleton crew to guard the office.

  "Izuna, you betrayed us!?"

  "Aruji-Dono believed in Izuna's dream! Unlike Date Meow-Samune right there."

  "Tch, what are you peons doing!? Shoot her!"

  Before they can even react, Ketaros swiftly cuts them down, rendering all of them out cold with a single ssh on each member. As she and Tendou walked down the stairs, and onto the ground floor's hallway, they spotted a Moryou member in a Hannya mask approaching them.

  "Aruji-Dono, let me handle her... Rider beat-Nin!"

  "RIDER BEAT"

  Ketaros then readied her kunai, in a reverse grip, before dashing towards the Moryou Hannya member.

  "Nin! Nin! NIIIN!" She delivered 3 attacks with the kunai, the first being a horizontal ssh, the second being a vertical ssh, and the third one is a thrust, in which she also dashed past the Hannya Moryou, who knelt down to the floor, before an explosion occurs.

  "No matter how strong the Moryou is... They aren't a threat to us!"

  Outside, both Shizuko and Pina were attacked from the rear from the reinforcing Moryou who ran all the way from the festival-ridden streets. The duo took cover behind trees, and when they were about to point their weapons toward the Moryou reinforcements...

  "HYPER CLOCK UP"

  In an instant, in their vision, the reinforcements were sent flying towards them, all out cold as they crash onto the grass beneath them.

  "What was that just now...?" Shizuko asked, dumbfounded.

  "I-I can barely see who did it...!"

  Not far behind the duo, a rider with light cyan visor, and armor resembling Kabuto's but modified, is seen. He stared at the duo for a moment, before walking away. Pina turned around, and saw a glimpse of him, but when she took one step forward, he is gone. Shaking her head, she and Shizuko then went to the building to regroup with the Inner Discipline Club, who are now checking up on Izuna, who reverted from being Ketaros after a successful escape. She was surprised that none of them are beating her up for what she did the entire day, however after listening to Tendou's expnation that Meow-Samune maniputed her, they gave her a pass.

  "Ugh... What happened...?" Meow-Samune said as he shook his head, his vision still blurry from the head trauma he got earlier.

  "I got the feeling you were behind this, Merchant Guild President Date Meowru!"

  "It's Date Meow-Samune! Nevermind that, how did you fend off the reinforcements!?"

  "We didn't. Someone else did. It was... Tamamo." Pina said.

  "Mm?" Kabuto tilted her head in curiosity.

  "I saw Tamamo-San walking away earlier. So she took out the reinforcements, and walked away, like a ninja!"

  "Ninja!? Tamamo-San, you're awesome!" Izuna complimented, her eyes having stars in them.

  "But... I was here the entire time."

  The entire hall went silent, as the Kabuto Zecter detached itself from the belt, before Wakamo returned it to Tendou. As they continue to shake down Meow-Samune however, the same figure from before appeared, watching them from the end of the hallway. None noticed. After this, Meow-Samune was arrested, and brought to custody. No more Moryou was able to come to his aid, as the figure from earlier has already swiped most of the members away.

  As Shizuko, Pina and the Inner Discipline Club toasted for their victory with tea, Tendou resumed in his tour throughout the district with Wakamo and Izuna tagging along. Now, they sat down on an observatory overviewing the rest of the district, waiting for the fireworks to start.

  "I still can't believe you're letting her join us..." Wakamo pouted.

  "We look like a family, aren't we?" Izuna asked, giving Wakamo a mischievous grin.

  "On second thought, let's stay like this for a little while."

  "That's the spirit." Tendou said, as he poured the tea he bought from Shizuko into the cups that Wakamo took out from her pack.

  Then, the sounds of a countdown is heard.

  "Oh, the fireworks are about to start." Izuna's ears perked up.

  And when the countdown reaches zero, the holographic fireworks filled the skies over Hyakkiyako, reaching even beyond the huge cherry blossom tree. Despite being projections, the fireworks look incredibly realistic.

  "Whoa! They’re amazing!" Izuna excimed.

  "They're not actual explosives, but impressive to say the least." Tendou said, much to Wakamo's agreement.

  "It feels so nice to enjoy this together, Aruji-Dono... Izuna is sorry for causing so much trouble earlier. Izuna just…"

  "I’m your teacher. I always forgive my students." Tendou gave Izuna a warm smile.

  "Sensei, even after all that, you still… Hehe! That's right! Izuna made a vow to her lord! We’re ninja comrades-in-arms! You’ve always supported Izuna’s dream. Izuna will remain loyal to her lord forever!"

  An image suddenly flickered in Tendou's memory, recalling a blurry image of a ruined Kivotos, and amongst them, is Izuna as Ketaros, burning alive.

  "IZUNA'S SOUL BELONGS TO ARUJI-DONOOOOO---"

  Izuna decred, as she screamed in agony before an explosion occurs, which is when the image burned away.

  "Good girl." Tendou said, snapping out of what he just saw.

  The trio enjoyed the remainder of their time in the festival until it ended, before Izuna excused herself and ran home. As for Tendou and Wakamo, the two went back to SCHALE on the Kabuto Extender. On their way back, standing on top of an overpass bridge, a figure emerges, viewing the Kabuto Extender speeding through the highway. The figure is another rider, cd in yellow armor with bded shoulder ptes, and a helmet resembling a wasp's. On her right hand, is a SIG MPX Submachinegun, adorned with a dragon motif.

  Slowly, 3 more figures, all in maid uniforms appeared behind her as she raised her left fist, which wore a brace on the wrist that has a wasp shaped zecter attached to it.