The courtyard of Shrek Academy, rough and raw like the world outside its gates, stood still for a moment. Dust settled underfoot. The air carried the weight of anticipation.
Across from Zhao Wuji, three stood side-by-side: Dai Mubai with his battle stance taut and eager, Ma Hongjun with lazy defiance curling around his fiery spirit, and Li Wei—quiet, unreadable, and still.
'I know that look,' Zhao Wuji thought as his gaze landed on Li Wei. 'The kind that doesn't bark, but bites hard. The type who keeps his cards hidden until they bury you in them.'
Flender's voice rang out. "Begin."
The word was still echoing when Dai Mubai launched forward. His White Tiger spirit erupted around him in a flash of golden light, claws sharpened, muscles bulging.
'Fast,' Zhao Wuji noted, stepping into a defensive stance. 'But predictable.'
He caught Mubai's claw strike on his forearm, absorbing the force with the stability of a boulder. "You'll need more than that."
Zhao Wuji twisted and countered with a backhand blow. Mubai barely blocked it, the impact pushing him back several meters.
At the same moment, Ma Hongjun let loose his spirit power. Flames erupted from his hands, a stream of fiery feathers arcing toward their target.
Li Wei didn't move to assist.
Not yet.
Zhao Wuji took the flame head-on. The fire licked at his body, but his robust defense—backed by years of battles and layers of soul power—shrugged it off. With a low roar, he stamped down, sending a shockwave that dispersed the fire mid-air.
"You think that'll burn me?" he called out.
Ma Hongjun grinned. "Just warming up!"
And then, Li Wei moved.
One smooth motion. The Diendriver materialized in his hand with a flicker of light. He slid a card into the slot.
[KAMEN RIDE: DIEND!]
A burst of teal light surged upward as Li Wei shot the Diendriver into the sky. The glowing construct shattered midair into geometric fragments, surrounding him in a cocoon of digital energy. In the next breath, it reformed around his body.
Metal-blue armor, cyan lines pulsing faintly. The helmet gleamed, eyes glowing an otherworldly hue. He had become Kamen Rider Diend.
From Zhao Wuji's eyes, the shift was immediate. 'That pressure… it's not spirit power. It's something else.'
Diend raised his weapon and took a stance. No flourish. No announcement.
'Now,' Li Wei thought, 'Let's peel back the curtain.'
He slid another card.
[ATTACK RIDE: BLAST!]
A rapid-fire barrage of blue energy bolts exploded from the Diendriver. Zhao Wuji crossed his arms, bracing himself as the shots slammed into his defenses. Sparks flew, each impact lighting up the yard.
Ma Hongjun seized the moment, leaping high and twisting midair. Flames surged around him as he descended.
Phoenix Firewheel!
A spinning wheel of fire crashed down toward Zhao Wuji. With a grunt, the Soul Sage raised his arms and tanked the hit, the heat singing his coat but not his skin.
'They're coordinated… not bad,' Zhao Wuji admitted.
Dai Mubai returned to the fray, flanking Wuji and delivering a charged punch, his soul rings glowing.
Wuji met it with his palm. The force cracked the ground beneath them.
"Now!" Li Wei barked.
He slid a second card.
[ATTACK RIDE: CROSS ATTACK!]
Two more cards shimmered into his hand.
[KAMEN RIDE: KUUGA!]
[KAMEN RIDE: FAIZ!]
From twin portals of digital light, two Kamen Riders materialized—Kuuga in his Mighty Form, and Faiz in crimson and black.
Zhao Wuji's brows twitched. 'What in the world… is he summoning allies with his martial soul?!'
Kuuga charged first, delivering a flying kick crackling with red energy. Faiz followed up with a sharp pivot, activating his Exceed Charge.
Faiz Edge!
A crimson line of energy arced through the air, slashing toward Zhao Wuji from the side.
Even for a Soul Saint, this was a pressure.
Zhao Wuji roared, releasing his full aura. The field trembled. Soul rings surged around him like planets. As all seven soul ring appear behind Zhao Wuji.
With one sweep of his arm, he shattered Kuuga's kick with brute force. But Faiz's attack grazed his side—just enough to leave a mark.
'Interesting,' Li Wei noted. 'The summons aren't durable, but their finishers land clean if timed right.'
As the two Riders vanished, their purpose served, Li Wei stepped forward.
He ducked under a sweeping fist from Wuji, drove his elbow up into the man's ribs, then slid away, fast as a gust.
Tesla Bands online, his HUD whispered.
He triggered his speed enhancement—his movement blurred, shifting between positions like a skipping record.
Zhao Wuji swung at where Li Wei had been.
Too late.
Li Wei was behind him.
[ATTACK RIDE: INVISIBLE.]
He vanished. Zhao Wuji spun around—but there was nothing.
Until a strike came from behind. Then another from the side. Then silence.
Zhao Wuji raised his aura like a shield and unleashed a shockwave.
The invisible figure reappeared mid-air. Li Wei landed in a crouch.
'Good reflexes,' he admitted. 'But predictable patterns won't beat me twice.'
Dai Mubai surged again, claws extended. This time, Zhao Wuji allowed the hit—then caught Mubai's arm mid-swing and slammed him into the ground.
Ma Hongjun roared, fire cloaking him as he dove with reckless abandon.
Phoenix Explosion!
The blast forced Wuji back a step. Just one.
'Close,' Wuji thought, panting. 'They're wearing me down bit by bit. But I've still got more in the tank.'
Li Wei saw the tremor in Wuji's stance.
Now.
He slotted one more card.
[ATTACK RIDE: BARRIER.]
A shimmering blue shield surrounded him.
He stepped in to cover Hongjun and Mubai as they regrouped.
"Get ready," he said, voice modulated through the Diend armor.
Mubai spat blood and stood. "You've got one more trick, right?"
Li Wei didn't answer.
He slid his last card.
[ATTACK RIDE: ILLUSION.]
Two copies of Diend shimmered into being, mimicking his stance.
Zhao Wuji narrowed his eyes. "I don't care how many of you there are."
He lunged.
One Diend moved left.
One backward.
The real one fired.
A direct hit to Wuji's shoulder.
The Soul Saint staggered. His aura flared—and then shrank. Controlled now. Focused.
'He's serious.'
The earth cracked as Wuji leapt forward.
Mubai and Hongjun rushed in from the flanks.
Li Wei stood firm.
Diend's armor hummed. The HUD glowed.
'This… this is what I came here for,' he thought. 'A world where strength is forged through fire and will. Let them see. Let them all see.'
He raised the Diendriver.
Final shot.
Three voices echoed in sync:
"Shrek… doesn't break."
Zhao Wuji met them head-on, laughing.
And the courtyard erupted.