In Fuuto: Starting as a Kamen Rider 01

Page 41

This chill did not come from the memory itself, but rather from something awakened from the depths of her soul.

It was like a key that forcibly opened the floodgates of her memory, and those deliberately sealed-away images resurfaced.

Everything from the past, like a surging tide, rushed towards her uncontrollably, pounding against the strong defenses she had tried to build.

She remembered that equally gloomy afternoon, the air thick with a sense of oppression.

Her father, Sonozaki Ryubei, sat upright in a high-backed chair, handing her the memory for the first time.

His deep eyes were filled with undisguised expectation, as if he were looking at a meticulously crafted masterpiece.

But beneath that expectation lay a chilling desire for control, enveloping her like a spiderweb.

He bestowed this power upon her, as if he were also branding an indelible mark on her soul, declaring his ownership.

"Saeko, this is the honor of the Sonozaki family, and it is also your responsibility. Don't let me down."

My father's deep voice still echoes in my ears, carrying an unquestionable authority.

At that moment, she was so excited and eager to be recognized that she even ignored the coldness behind the control.

She remembered the moment she first pressed the driver and inserted the forbidden memory into her body, the tearing pleasure she felt.

【Taboo!】

That devastating power, like a flood bursting its banks, permeated every nerve and every cell in her body.

A purple data stream enveloped her, transforming her into the TabooDopant, radiating an awe-inspiring, eerie light.

The world seemed small in her eyes, and all living beings groveled at her feet.

She was briefly intoxicated by the illusion of near omnipotence, indulging in the vanity that power brought.

They believed they possessed the power to dominate everything and could easily annihilate all those who defied them.

What a ridiculous perception, what a superficial kind of power.

She also remembered the man who changed her life, Su Chen, the one who descended before her like a god.

Before him, the power she had once been so proud of, the power that could make countless people tremble, was so vulnerable, like a child's toy.

That seemingly indestructible energy barrier was torn apart by him with ease, as if he were merely brushing away a layer of dust.

The attack, powerful enough to destroy a neighborhood, was like a gentle breeze across water before him, unable to move him even an inch.

She was easily defeated and shattered, along with all her pride and dignity.

That humiliation, that shock, that first glimpse of absolute power, were deeply imprinted on her soul, becoming an indelible warning.

It was that shattering that roused her from the illusion of power and made her begin to see the true nature of this power.

This memory.

It was once her past glory, the pride of Sonozaki Saeko as a young lady, and the capital that allowed her to look down on everyone else.

In retrospect, it is more of a shame from her past, a testament to her blind pursuit of false power, and proof that she was manipulated.

It represents the first half of her life, lived cautiously and precariously under the immense shadow of her father, with every step taken on a pre-planned path.

It represents her mistaken perception of a false power bestowed upon her rather than controlled by herself, a kind of self-destructive dependence.

· ········Requesting flowers···· ······

It was like an invisible thread, tightly wrapped around her, making it hard for her to breathe and preventing her from truly spreading her wings.

On the other hand, forever and ever, she was connected to that man, Sonozaki Ryubei, the shadow she both revered and longed to escape.

As long as this memory remains in my possession.

As long as she still harbors even the slightest illusion or reluctance towards this "gift".

I can never be considered a true "newborn," but will always be a prisoner of the past.

She will always just be a tool, a symbol, a part that can be replaced at any time in the Sonozaki family.

Sonozaki Saeko stared at the purple memory in her palm, as if examining her own twisted past.

Its cold surface reflected her calm yet turbulent eyes, where the confusion of the past was being replaced by solid ice.

The last, barely perceptible lingering affection in his eyes, the last trace of confusion arising from memories, slowly dissipated like morning mist meeting the blazing sun, leaving no trace.

Instead, there was an unprecedented, utterly resolute determination, as hard as steel that had been tempered.

. ..... 0

A courage to sever ties with the past, a determination to embrace the future, and a yearning for new life.

She knew clearly what she should do next, and she had to do it.

She wanted to truly, unreservedly, and without reservation devote herself to her new master.

To truly become the sharpest sword in Su Chen's hand, rather than a fragile ornament.

She had to offer her final and most thorough pledge of allegiance to prove her loyalty and determination.

She had to personally take her "past" and this object that carried too much heavy meaning.

As a relic, it should be completely buried, so that it will never see the light of day again.

Let it, along with those unbearable memories and those false glories, be buried deep in the dust, never to be touched again.

Her breathing became steady and deep, each breath carrying away some of the gloom of the past.

With utmost care and reverence, she placed the forbidden memory into a specially made alloy box that had been prepared beforehand.

The box was lined with thick, shock-absorbing material that gleamed with a cold metallic light, as if to completely seal and isolate all the power and past of this memory.

The box lid closed with a dull, soft click.

It was like the end of an era, and also like a sigh of relief.

She turned around, her gaze sweeping one last time over the magnificent yet cold room, which had once been her prison and her safe haven.

Finally, her gaze turned to the window, to the Sonozaki family mansion still standing in the darkness, that enormous building that she had once looked up to.

There was no lingering attachment, no trace of sadness.

Without a moment's hesitation, without the slightest doubt.

She strode away, determined, from the home she was about to destroy with her own hands; the sound of her high heels clicking on the floor echoed in the empty corridor.

Her figure gradually disappeared into the dimly lit corridor, carrying a sense of resolute determination and rebirth.

The past is dead; the future beckons to her—a future full of both the unknown and the hope.

Chapter 39: Offering the Forbidden, the Queen's Oath, the Princess's Plea for Help, and the Date's Bet

Inside Zero One Technology's core research institute, buried deep underground, the air was slightly cool, with only the low hum of the servers filling the air.

Su Chen's gaze remained focused on the huge holographic screen.

The data stream on the screen was like a galaxy pouring down, containing the secrets of the encrypted memory that Saeko had brought back not long ago.

Meanwhile, the Yark satellite, this cold eye suspended in the sky, is relentlessly tearing apart the "museum's" carefully constructed global funding barriers with terrifying efficiency beyond human comprehension.

Countless hidden accounts, intricate transaction chains—a vast underground financial empire powerful enough to shake the world economy—was gradually revealing its monstrous true form before his eyes.

His expression was as calm as a deep pool, his fingertips occasionally tapping lightly on the virtual keyboard, as if he were merely admiring an insignificant masterpiece that was about to be completed, rather than a world-shaking feat.

The heavy alloy door of the research institute slid open silently.

Sonozaki Saeko stepped in, the sound of her high heels clicking on the ground crisp yet carrying a strange composure, quite different from her usual frivolity.

Her demeanor today was completely different from before.

The arrogance and sharpness of the past have all been subdued, settling into a deep-sea-like silence.

Instead, there is a solemnity akin to that of a pilgrim.

Deep within her eyes burned a heart-stopping flame of devotion, a flame that burned only for one person, entirely directed at the man in the center of the room.

"Owner."

Her voice was slightly lower than usual, but clearer, carrying a subtle, almost imperceptible tremor from the depths of her soul.

She walked straight to Su Chen's lab bench, her steps firm and without the slightest hesitation.

Without the slightest hesitation, without uttering a single superfluous polite word, that was not something she would do now.

She held a metal box, gleaming with a cold metallic luster, in her hands and gently, yet with utmost solemnity, placed it on the cold laboratory table.

The gesture was so devout, as if offering the most precious sacrifice in the world, rather than an ordinary object.

　"180," Su Chen finally looked up from the massive amount of data, turning his gaze from the devastating torrent of information to her.

His gaze fell on Saeko, his eyes filled with a hint of inquiry and a touch of amusement, as if he were watching a carefully choreographed drama.

"What's this."

He spoke, his tone flat, revealing neither joy nor anger, as if he had long anticipated this moment.

"My...past."

Saeko Sonozaki answered in a low voice, each word carrying a heavy weight, crushing everything that had once been.

She extended her slender, fair fingers, her fingertips trembling slightly, and gently knocked open the lock on the alloy box.

"Click."

With a soft click, the box opened, like Pandora's box being unsealed.

A uniquely shaped memory, radiating an unsettling, eerie purple light and possessing a sinister beauty, lay quietly in a soft black velvet cushion.

It was that "forbidden memory" that contained all the glory and sins, brilliance and darkness of the eldest daughter of the Sonozaki family.

It possesses a terrifying power that drives countless people crazy, making them willing to pay any price to pursue it, and it also represents her former identity.

However, the next second.

Saeko Sonozaki's actions were enough to make anyone who knew what this memory represented feel their heart stop and their breath catch in their throat.

She reached out and, with two fingers, as if picking up something filthy, pinched the forbidden memory.

There was no lingering affection in her eyes, but rather a deep sense of disgust and loathing, as if she were some filthy filth, and to look at her even once would be a desecration.

Then, she did something shocking and mind-blowing, something that defied everyone's expectations.