17 years before Touma Kamiyama became Saber, the swordsmen of Northern Base all assemble in the chamber of Master Logos for a ceremony recognizing their newest swordsman, Tetsuo Daishinji aka Kamen Rider Slash. Everything seems to be fine, until Hayato Fukamiya, the current Calibur and holder of the Kurayami blade, begins to experience visions of a ruinous future through his sword. These visions continue on for the next two years, eventually leading him to take drastic measures to prevent the future he saw and ultimately leading to the tragedy that sowed the events of Saber.
Tropes:
- All There in the Manual: The special reveals a lot more about Daichi and Hayato's motives, along with bits of lore that weren't really touched on in the series itself.
- Big Bad: Master Logos. While Hayato Fukamiya is The Heavy for the first half, the special mainly focuses on how the Master's manipulations caused the incident 15 years ago and contributed to the events of the series.
- Cruel Mercy: Kamijou sealing Kento inside Kurayami turns out to have been this, as he didn't want to actually kill the son of his best friend.
- Despair Event Horizon: Part of the reason for Hayato falling to Master Logos's temptations was because, no matter how hard he and the other swordsman changed, he kept witnessing the same Bad Future through Kurayami.
- Downer Ending: The special leaves off just at the beginning of the "Betrayal" arc, with 5 of the original 7 Riders dead and the current set of Riders divided, all while Master Logos remarks things are going according to plan.
- Hilarious in Flashback: Kamijou asks Ogami - not yet an Action Dad - if he’s expecting a child, to which the latter states he’d be a terrible father.
- Interquel: The second half of Part 1 takes place during the events of Saber's first arc and leading up to the Betrayal arc, showing more of Daichi's motives throughout different parts of the show and revealing how Reika Shindai and Master Logos were influencing things.
- Manipulative Bastard: Master Logos to a frightening degree. When Hayato confronts him, Master Logos is able to persuade the swordsman that his plans are for the greater good, playing on Hayato's love for his son and desire to protect his friends to sway him into going along with it.
- Poor Communication Kills: The majority of conflict in the special is fueled by Hayato, and later Daichi, insisting on bearing their burdens alone and not going to their friends for help out of fear of needlessly distressing them.
- Prequel: The first half of the special takes place 15-17 years prior to the show itself.
- Protagonist Journey to Villain: Part 1 follows both Daichi and Hayato as the latter becomes driven mad and takes desperate measures to avert the future he saw, while the former goes rogue to find who was responsible for corrupting his former friend.
- Take Up My Sword: A literal case, with Kamijou taking up Hayato's seiken following his demise, in order to use the blade's future sight powers to give insight into what Hayato was trying to accomplish.
- Unwitting Instigator of Doom: Hayato wanted to put an end to the conflict with the Megid and create a new world where his son would be safe and there would be no fighting. His actions in doing so however set free the Megid generals and caused most of his comrades to perish, as well as aiding Master Logos whose true goal was anything but that.
