Chapter 123

The Eighteenth Provocation: It’s Your Fault for Making Me Angry

“Aba—”

With an odd tail sound, Belu was struck simultaneously in the face by both Pretty Cure and Kamen Rider. Like a firework with a trailing light, he flew into the sky.

“It’s you, after all.”

Watching Belu fall from the sky into the river, causing splashes, Ryuuga revealed a ‘just as I thought’ expression behind his mask.

“How did you figure me out?!”

In a sorry state, Belu climbed up from the dock, shaking off seaweed from his head, pointing at Ai with disbelief.

“Could you not ask such obvious questions?” Sliding his hand over Longya’s blade with a clear ‘clang’, Ai despisedly pointed his sword at Belu.

“But I’ll explain it to you considering your foolishness.” Pointing at Ai-chan who still couldn’t believe her fist being raised. “When she talked about that vague thing about you grabbing Ai-chan, the answer was clear—someone wanted to frame you.”

“Considering your previous phone call, anyone could guess, right?”

“Figuring you wouldn’t be too far, I asked the contract beast through mirrors to search the area.” As he spoke, the pitch-black unpaired dragon swam to his side and roared twice on a reflective mirror, as if bragging about its contribution.

After all, hungry contract beasts came out of the Mirror World to eat, their sense for life energy is acute—it could smell even if Belu hid himself.

“So you performed that fight earlier just for my eyesight?!” Belu was instantly exposed. He didn’t think the joker was himself.

Isn’t it agreed that if you want to fight them, you shouldn’t mind ‘small things’?!

He didn’t know that while Ai liked fighting, he didn’t like being used as a tool when there was no gain.

“I told you to stop asking obvious questions.”

Resting the sword against his shoulder plate, Ai focused back on Ai.

“But I am curious, Heart, what did you find out?”

“No.” Facing Ai’s grill visor eyes, Ai shook her head. “I actually found nothing.”

This time, it was Ai’s turn to be puzzled. Found nothing? Then how was she so cooperative?

Seeing the puzzlement underneath Ai’s helm, Ai explained her findings.

This affair had to be traced back to yesterday. Hearing that her childhood friend Rikka had friends she didn’t know about, Ai secretly noted it down. Acting as someone with incredible social skills, she asked around whether someone had seen Rikka with anyone, finally uncovering the incident where Rikka and Ai saved an infant together.

“Therefore, after knowing this, I confirmed that Mr. Ai, who saves infants, would never hurt Ai-chan!”

Relying solely on this, Ai trusted Ai. After watching and cooperating with his actions, she managed to hit Belu out.

“You…” Hearing Ai’s description, Ai was surprised by her initiative despite his wide experience.

Is it true that women who can become Pretty Cure are extraordinary?

“Mr. Ai, you’re definitely not bad!” Eyes twinkling, full of admiration, she approached Ai. “If you can become friends with Rikka, you must be able to become friends with Pretty Cure!”

“But Rikka is my best friend, and I won’t give her to you!”

Ai, uncomfortable with this kind of affection, pushed her away: “One, I only said I wouldn’t disturb her if she didn’t interfere; I didn’t say we’d become friends.”

“Second, don’t talk as if Rikka belongs to you.”

“Nah, it’s nothing.” Ai looked natural. “Isn’t Rikka mine?”

“You two, stop flirting!” Furious, Belu pulled a frightened Ai-chan out. “Don’t move, or she’ll get hurt!”

“Belu, you’re despicable!”

“Ayaa—” Ai-chan seemed like she would cry any moment. Seeing that he hesitated, Belu smirked victoriously.

Someone leaned to look at the black Unmatched Dragon on standby in the mirror behind Belu, and Ai strode aggressively towards him.

“Taking a hostage—that’s quite typical villain behavior.”

Belu immediately pressed Ai-chan back as a shield. “What do you plan to do? Afraid of hurting her?”

“You’re holding her, why should I let you?”

“You’re serious?!”

Realizing this, the baby was dear to Pretty Cure, but not to Ai—who didn’t care.

“Just do it if you can. But I guarantee, before anything happens, you’ll be the one gone first.”

Pointing Longya directly at Belu, Ai’s advancing made Belu tighten his grip on Ai-chan who was crying.

“Uuuwa—”

Just before Ai-chan cried, Ai jumped forward, grabbing Ai’s arm to block him. “Stop! You’ll hurt Ai-chan!”

“Let go, annoying.”

Good job, Heart Cure! Relishing in the sight of Ai stopping Ai, Belu seized the opportunity and fired a ball of horrific energy at both.

“Pretty Cure and Kamen Rider, go to hell together!”

“Dangerous, Mr. Ai!” Before Ai could react, Ai closed her eyes, hugging Ai and shielding him with herself.

“Hey, move! I don’t need…!”

The explosion drowned her voice. Smoke enveloped the figures. Once the smoke cleared, Ai was unharmed, yet Ai’s back was severely injured and revealed hideous scars.

“Why…”

Holding the limp Ai who looked pained, Ai, under Ryuuga’s mask, asked with confusion.

Hadn’t I intended protecting you from harm? Even if you were being considerate, you’re going too far!

“Pretty Cure are all fools…”

Truly, Ai believed she was stupid. With her surprise attack, he, who was always aware of enemies’ movements, was confident in dodging. Her pointless act at taking the hit was deserved pain.

But looking at Ai, he couldn’t comfort himself this way. That doubt plagued him: how could he be rescued by a little girl? This strange feeling ignited an unknown anger in Ai.

“I believed you would find a solution, but I couldn’t ignore Ai-chan possibly getting hurt!”

“Because… no matter if it’s Ai-chan, everyone including you…”

“I want to protect…!”

Seeing Ai lift his head and facing the Kamen Rider’s ghost flame-like eyes dragging a red phantom, Belu was terrified by the killing intent.

H, how, I’m an officer of the Selfish Organization. How, how could I be afraid of a human?

Raising Ai up and leaning her against the wall, Ai checked the card box, picked a card, and casually threw it into the summoning machine.

Though tricked by Belu, he hadn’t planned to kill him directly—the plan was to hold his cards close and extract more “evil thoughts” from the Selfish Organization to fill his dark echo.

Now, a new decision was made.

To vent his anger, someone was going to pay.

“You really made me mad.”

[Advent] (Contract Descend)

Eagerly waiting, the black unmatched dragong lunged out from the mirror, roaring as it bit into the unprotected Belu’s back, ignoring his screams and thrashing him around violently.

[AcceleVent] (Acceleration Descend)

Another card consumed, Ai transformed into godspeed, caught falling Ai-chan, and swiftly returned to Ai’s side. Gently patting Ai-chan’s head and placing her into Ai’s arms.

“Not for long.”

Ai-chan’s tiny eyes shone with tears. She looked up to see Ai leaving, then turned to the weakened Ai.

Despite her infancy and lacking understanding, she knew what she needed to do with her magical power to help Ai.

“Q噼啦帕～!”

The light emitted from behind made Ai turn, catching the sight of Ai-chan’s heart and Ai wrapped in golden light.

“All good,”

“Alright.”