Chapter 308: Birth-X

Boom—

When most people were lost in sweet dreams, a tremendous boom suddenly exploded in their ears.

"What's happening?"

"Is it the apocalypse again?"

"Who keeps planting bombs here day after day."

Under the sunlight, amidst the ruins reeking of gunpowder, Ancient Oze raised both hands high.

The buildings on either side creaked, and under Ancient Oze's summoning, the skyscrapers built by humans instantly shattered into countless Cell Coins.

The Cell Coins surged like a rushing river beneath his golden robes, and all the coins streaming out around him were absorbed by Ancient Oze.

Blazing Gold Light blades hovered beside them, their sky‑piercing aura tearing the lazy white clouds on the horizon to shreds, accompanied by the crack of golden lightning around him.

The thunder is the war drum of world conquest!

The cape flares like a banner! The sword light is like heavenly fireworks scattering across the sky!

"President, this is truly a huge trouble."

Yi Da Ming carried a Cell Coin storage canister, grinning as he gazed at Ancient Oze appearing amidst the ruins.

At that moment, a monster with a purple exterior, shoulders jutting outward, and a body completely covered in rough beast hide plummeted from the sky, landing beside Ancient Oze.

"Strange Greed, are there any other enemies?"

The Cell Coins in Yi Da Ming's hand formed perfect arcs in the air, which he slipped into the Birth belt at his waist.

"Henshin! (Transformation)"

A green shield burst forth, enveloping Yi Da Ming's body; mechanical gear covered him, transforming him into Kamen Rider Birth.

"Ming‑kun, your physical condition seems to be holding up well."

"Are you, Doctor?"

Yi Da Ming, just about to launch an attack, froze in surprise, staring at the now utterly inhuman Maki Kiyoto.

Because few know his physical condition, he fights not only for money and dreams, but crucially because there is a bullet lodged in his brain.

It was left over from the battlefield, so he needs a lot of money to cure his fatal illness.

"You seem to have joined Greed's side, what a shame, Doctor."

"You are the designer of Birth, yet now you've become Greed—this truly baffles Yi Da Ming."

"Ming‑kun, you are indeed perfectly suited for Birth; let me help you reach the end of your life ahead of time."

Saying that, Maki Kiyoto's hand now held something resembling a black ballpoint pen.

"Since I am the designer of Birth, I naturally left a countermeasure—I planted a bomb inside Birth; if I press this button, it will explode, as clearly stated in Birth's manual."

"You really are something, Doctor—you thought of this, knowing I never read manuals."

Yi Da Ming looked at the detonator in Maki Kiyoto's hand, sighed, and could only spread his hands helplessly.

"Feel the end of your life, Ming."

Maki Kiyoto pressed the detonator, awaiting the beautiful end to bloom before his eyes.

"Beep beep beep"

A red alert tone sounded on Yi Da Ming's chest, like some kind of alarm.

"Huh?"

After waiting a few seconds, Yi Da Ming, who had closed his eyes awaiting death, opened them in confusion—wasn't there supposed to be a bomb?

Why haven't I exploded yet? Maki Kiyoto incredulously tapped the detonator in his hand—when electronic gear fails, a tap often fixes it.

"Pop!"

Several gunshots rang out, and coin‑like bullets instantly shot from afar toward Maki Kiyoto.

Seeing the unresponsive detonator, Maki Kiyoto's hand burst into purple flame, burning the detonator and also deflecting the coin‑like bullets.

"Sorry, Doctor—I love reading manuals, and I've already removed the bomb listed there."

Hou Teng raised his gun at Maki Kiyoto, and around his waist he wore a belt very similar to Birth, but with side‑mounted gear.

"Nice! Little Hou Teng, truly worthy of being my disciple."

Yi Da Ming gave Hou Teng a thumbs‑up, but he keenly noticed the belt on Hou Teng's waist. "Little Hou Teng, what's that on your waist?"

"Birth‑X—Jiang Xia forged an upgraded version of Birth, working through the night to produce this upgrade."

"Little Hou Teng, I always thought you'd take over my position."

"I thought so too, but Ancient Oze is far too powerful; we need to boost Birth's strength."

Hou Teng placed the newly forged Core Coin into the Birth‑X belt and turned the knob.

"Shrimp! Crab! Scorpion!"

Three purplish‑red Core Coins, accompanied by energy, instantly expanded before Hou Teng, forming; the originally green transparent shield, bolstered by the Core Coins, turned pale blue.

Colored armor, amid a metallic expansion blast, gradually clad Hou Teng's body.

The shoulder pauldrons unfolded, and bands of different‑colored energy covered his whole body.

The crustacean‑type armor was perfectly utilized on Birth‑X, and it can also wield the special powers of the three Core Coins—this is a fruit of modern Alchemical Art.

Just then, amid a faint distortion and scorching sunlight, three figures appeared out of thin air, accompanied by the crimson storm that links heaven and earth.

"Hmm?"

A crimson aura shot skyward, an invisible domain rapidly expanding, instantly causing Ancient Oze's action of absorbing Cell Coins to falter.

"Have you finally arrived? Oze, bearer of my Core Coin."

Feeling the incoming tangible force strike his face, Ancient Oze lowered his arms; his scarlet eyes flared bright, and his flowing golden cloak whipped loudly in the wind.

The golden impact turned to flame, colliding with the crimson blaze; the two explosive forces clashed in the air, producing a huge metallic ringing.

Around them, a sudden burst of explosion erupted, flames shooting heavenward.

"Little Gotou, is this the king's true power from 800 years ago? Birth alone is far too weak."

Yi Da Ming's Birth transformation was blasted away by the two colliding auras, while Gotou, bolstered by the Core Coin, stubbornly held his ground.

"Well, Mr. Yi Da Ming, the gap in strength is indeed considerable."

Gotou, looking through his armor at the figure emerging from the flames, said calmly: "Fortunately, at least one of us is on our side."

Under the bright sunlight, Jiang Xia and the others' faces gradually became clear.

Jiang Xia and Huo Ye Yingsi both wore Oz's belts around their waists.

Anku had already transformed into the body of a bird-type Greed.

"Huo Ye, you and they are responsible for dealing with Dr. Zhenmu; the president leaves it to me."

Jiang Xia stepped before ancient Oz, his tone level as he scanned the surroundings and spoke to them.

"Well, President Hongshang is yours to handle." Huo Ye Yingsi nodded.

The already-transformed Gotou and Yi Da Ming both fixed their gazes on Zhenmu Kiyotoh, seeming ready to strike at the slightest disagreement.

Ancient Oz simply waited consciously, standing in the center of the ruins, watching them.

Like a boss waiting for minions to gather before being defeated, he brimmed with confidence in his current power.

Jiang Xia gazed at ancient Oz, and suddenly three Core Coins appeared in his palm—the original king's union.

The three Core Coins instantly trailed dazzling tails as they shot upward.

That transcendent desire power instantly exploded at the center, the substantiated shockwave expanding outward from Jiang Xia as the epicenter.

Ancient Oz's eyes narrowed; two additional longswords appeared in his hands, and he swung them fiercely at Jiang Xia, the golden shocks merging in midair into a large X that headed straight for the about-to-transform Jiang Xia.

However, facing an attack that could cleave a building in half, Jiang Xia seemed to ignore it entirely.

The scanning ring beside his belt sprang up automatically, sweeping across the area in front of the driver already filled and driven by the Core Coins.

Incomparable power instantly coiled around Jiang Xia in a ring, wrapping his body with three irregular arcs.

Finally, it condensed tightly on his chest, and the dark-gold Knight Armor instantly covered his body.

Beneath ancient Oz's crimson eyes, amidst that dazzling light, a hand clad in the knight's battle attire reached out.

He seized that golden light blade, gave it a light squeeze—crack! —the sound of shattering glass rang out suddenly.

The X-shaped attack directly turned into golden fragments, not even a ripple sounded.

(End of chapter)