The Protective Necklace Takes Effect

Entering Junko Takayama’s house, Hozer received the letter Gon had written.
The letter was very short, with only a few sentences, and the meaning was roughly the same as what Junko Takayama had described.

“Mrs. Takayama, don't worry too much. I’ll contact Mr. Kazama first; maybe Gon has already found him, but just hasn't had the chance to call yet.”
Both of them knew this was self-deception. Daisuke Kazama had Junko Takayama’s phone number; if Gon had truly found him, it was impossible for her not to call immediately.
Regardless, they still had to inform Daisuke Kazama. If Gon wanted to find him, she couldn't avoid him.

While Hozer and Junko Takayama were informing Daisuke Kazama, at a certain park, Gon had changed her previous outfit and was wearing a cold black hat, meeting Hiyori Kusakabe who was out.

“Hiyori-neechan.”

“Gon, where is your mother?”
Hiyori Kusakabe looked around and frowned, saying, “Did you sneak out?”
Gon bit her lip and lowered her head.

“I want to find Daisuke. Can Hiyori-neechan help me?”
Hiyori Kusakabe was silent for a moment and then nodded slightly.

“Thank you, Hiyori-neechan.”
A smile appeared on Gon’s face, causing the usually cold Hiyori Kusakabe to reveal a similar smile.
However, Hiyori Kusakabe did not have Daisuke Kazama’s contact information, so the two girls began to search together.
But as the two walked to a low, deserted arch bridge, a red violin-shaped beetle Worm suddenly jumped out, blocking their path.
Although Hiyori Kusakabe was afraid, she still protected Gon behind her first.
It was just that fear made her legs tremble, making it impossible to move.
At this moment, something unexpected happened to Gon. After staring calmly at the violin beetle Worm for a few seconds, she let out a scream, clutched her head, and sat down, her mouth beginning to repeat a single phrase incessantly.
“Don't kill them... Don't kill them...”

“Gon! Run quickly!”
Gon at this moment seemed to have completely shut out her senses to the outside world, her eyes vacant and her face pale, immersed in fear.
“Don't kill them...”

“Gon!”
Hiyori Kusakabe saw the beetle Worm closing in step by step. She could only hold Gon tightly in her arms, close her eyes, and use her back to shield her.
Tendou, please come quickly!
The violin beetle Worm extended its long whip-like tentacles, swinging them to strike Hiyori Kusakabe.
The sound of wind came from behind her head. Hiyori Kusakabe held Gon tightly, her heart filled with despair.
Right at the critical moment, the tulip necklace on Hiyori Kusakabe’s neck suddenly erupted with a surge of intense light. Golden electricity burst from it, protecting Hiyori Kusakabe and Gon.
The violin beetle Worm swung its long whip against the golden electric barrier and was immediately struck by a heavy blow. Its entire body was wrapped in golden electricity and sent flying, slamming hard into a wall and creating a large hole.

“This is?!”
Hiyori Kusakabe heard the noise and turned her head in a daze, only to see a semi-circular barrier of golden electricity surrounding her and Gon, protecting them within.

“It’s this necklace...”
Hiyori Kusakabe looked down at the necklace on her chest. The stamen of the tulip pendant shimmered with a golden light, clearly extraordinarily sharp, yet it made Hiyori Kusakabe feel incredibly safe and warm at this moment.
So that was why Tendou insisted she wear this necklace at all times.
Right, she had to notify Tendou quickly.
Thinking of this, Hiyori Kusakabe hurriedly took out her mobile phone, preparing to call Tendou Souji.
But before she could even open her contact list, someone arrived even faster than her.
A figure shimmering with both gold and black electricity suddenly appeared outside the golden electric barrier. His body seemed to stagger for a moment before he stood firm.
This back...

“Mr. Hozer?”
Hozer suppressed the discomfort from the wound in his chest and turned to give Hiyori a gentle smile.

“Ah, Hiyori.”

“Why is it you?”
The smile on Hozer’s face stiffened.
No, little girl, I spent so much effort to teleport directly here, and you say that? That’s not very nice.
However, considering the tulip necklace was a gift from Tendou Souji, Hozer also understood why Hiyori Kusakabe had such a question.

“That necklace was made by me.”
A look of surprise flashed in Hiyori Kusakabe’s eyes.

“Sss...”
Hearing the sound from behind, Hozer turned to look at the violin beetle Worm.

“I won't tell you about those things yet. This barrier can protect you; don't move around. Wait for me to deal with it.”
Hop, hop, hop...
The KickHopper Zecter flew into his hand. Hozer raised his hand to lift the hem of his coat, and the Rider Belt appeared.

“Henshin.”
“Clock Up.”
The armor fused, and Hozer directly entered the accelerated state to finish this quickly.
Although the violin beetle Worm also entered a similar accelerated state, facing Hozer, whose wounds had partially recovered, it was simply no match.
Swatting away the incoming long whip, Hozer lunged close and then delivered a series of high roundhouse kicks to its head, sending it flying to the other side of the bridge and causing it to lose its combat capability.
Afterward, the KickHopper Zecter detached from the belt, canceling the transformation, and then directly absorbed the time power, completing the kill.
The entire process was smooth. In Hiyori Kusakabe’s eyes, in less than a minute, an explosion echoed from the other side of the bridge, and Hozer slowly walked out from under the bridge.
Waving his hand to retract the barrier emitted by the tulip necklace, Hozer reached out to Hiyori.
Hiyori Kusakabe was stunned for a moment, then reached out to take Hozer’s hand, using his strength to stand up.

“Is Gon alright?”
Gon was still in a dazed state, and Hozer was a bit worried.
Hiyori Kusakabe glanced carefully at Hozer and said in a low voice, “Gon seems to have remembered something; she should be fine in a moment.”

“Mm, then I’ll call Mrs. Takayama first. Gon running away from home made her worry to death.”
Hiyori Kusakabe noticed at this moment that while Hozer was calling with one hand, his other hand was pressing against his chest the whole time.
Connecting this to Hozer saying the tulip necklace was made by him and his staggering appearance when he first arrived.
Perhaps using this power put a massive burden on his body?
Hiyori Kusakabe, though eccentric, was not self-absorbed. She often watched supernatural anime; otherwise, where would the Spirits in her drawings come from?
So she naturally made these connections.

“Mr. Hozer, are you alright?”
Hiyori Kusakabe carefully pointed at Hozer’s hand pressing against his chest.

“You mean this? It’s not as serious as you think; it’ll be fine in a bit.”

“Oh...”
Hiyori Kusakabe lowered her head, occasionally peeking at Hozer’s chest.
If it were nothing, would he press it for so long? It must be very serious.
In reality, although Hozer’s body was under no small burden, it wasn't too serious; it was just that the discomfort persisted, leading to an unconscious habit.
Seeing Hiyori Kusakabe’s concern, he immediately lowered his hand.
Not long after, Gon regained her senses and looked up. The first thing she said was, “I’ve seen it.”
Hozer was stunned, immediately realizing Gon was talking about the violin beetle Worm.

“You’ve seen it? Where?”

“On the bus. It killed many people.”

“Do you remember anything else?”

“Mama... Mama was beside me then. She held me and told me not to be afraid.”
Recovering memories, but according to what the doctor said... Hozer knelt down and asked softly, “Then do you still...”

“I remember Daisuke.”
Hozer suddenly realized.
The doctor had said that if Gon recovered her previous memories, she would forget everything that happened afterward. In other words, she would forget not only Daisuke Kazama but also him and Hiyori Kusakabe.
But since she wasn't making a fuss, she clearly still remembered them.

“So it’s only a partial recovery of memories.”