The morning mist clung low to the roots of ancient trees, swirling in soft trails as the group tread deeper into the Star Dou Forest. The sun, half-veiled by the dense canopy above, cast dancing rays of gold and green across the mossy floor. Birdsong occasionally pierced the quiet, but otherwise, silence reigned—a cautious silence that told of hidden beasts watching from within.
Oscar stood near the rear of the group, quietly nibbling on one of his own recovery sausages, more from nervousness than necessity.
"I, your father, have a big sausage..." he mumbled, the words no longer amusing to him after hours of trekking. This wasn't just a stroll anymore—this was his spirit ring hunt. His third ring. The one that could change his future.
They had been walking for hours now. Spirit beasts came and went—spotted, analyzed, and dismissed. Each time, Zhao Wuji would pause, let Oscar observe from behind him, and with a quiet shake of the head, they would move on.
Tang San walked near the front, eyes always alert. His Blue Silver Grass would occasionally dart out, brushing the underbrush like a sixth sense.
"Nothing suitable again," he muttered as a ten-year-old Wind Wolf scurried off under his gaze.
Zhao Wuji scratched his beard. "Too weak. At Oscar level, we need at least a thousand-year-old beast. Preferably a little stronger but not too much to make sure he do not die from absorbing spirit ring beyond his capabilities and to future-proof his growth."
Oscar, despite his nerves, appreciated the caution. He didn't want to end up with a spirit ring that would hold him back later. Still... the pressure was building.
"Do you think we'll find one soon?" he asked quietly, glancing toward Ma Hongjun, who was tossing embers between his fingers out of boredom.
"If not, we'll return to that Golden-Spotted Mushroom Beast from earlier," Zhu Zhuqing said from her perch in a tree branch overhead. Her voice was soft but steady. "It wasn't ideal, but it's better than nothing."
"Too weak, and not versatile enough," Li Wei replied, his tone precise. He walked alongside Tang San with his hand resting near the Diendriver on his hip, ever alert. "Oscar needs a beast with either mobility enhancement or a unique utility. That mushroom beast's ability was too situational."
Zhao Wuji grunted in agreement. "We will keep searching. We've at least got a supplies for three more days here."
"Just hope the forest's nastier residents don't come looking for us," Xiao Wu said, stretching. Her rabbit ears twitched faintly. "This place is a buffet of danger." Even thought she said that, she did not want the beast to come, seeing spirit beast being always make her uncomfortable. As she is a spirit beast who transformed into a human on reaching 100,000 years of cultivation.
They passed a marsh teeming with toxic fog. Ning Rongrong instinctively held her sleeve to her mouth, but Oscar handed her a detox sausage before she needed it.
"I, your father, have a little sausage." He spoke the incantation with more focus this time. It felt less like a joke and more like invoking a sacred rite. She smiled in thanks.
Zhu Zhuqing suddenly dropped silently from the trees.
"Up ahead. Movement. Something... big."
Everyone froze.
Tang San nodded once and slipped into a crouch, Blue Silver Grass already curling through the forest floor. "Oscar, stay behind me."
The team advanced cautiously, a well-oiled machine honed through shared battles.
They moved past fallen logs and ancient boulders, their path narrowing. Then, at the edge of a small clearing, they saw it: a giant bear-like spirit beast, nearly five meters tall, stripping bark from a tree and devouring the sweet resin beneath.
Zhao Wuji's eyes narrowed. "Ironback Resin Bear. Around 2,000 years old."
Tang San's voice dropped low. "Strong defense. High endurance. But not the right type."
Zhu Zhuqing nodded. "No utility for Oscar."
"Move on, it's also too high in years" Zhao Wuji said. "We don't fight unless we must."
The team retreated silently, not disturbing the beast, its heavy snorts fading behind them.
Li Wei sighed. "Everything's either too specialized... or too dull."
"Kind of like the spirit beast version of a buffet with only tofu," Ma Hongjun muttered. "Where's the phoenix steak?"
Xiao Wu snorted a laugh. "Of course you would say that."
They pressed on.
By mid-afternoon, the light filtering through the trees had shifted to amber. Fatigue crept into their limbs. Even Li Wei, who rarely showed signs of tiring, found himself glancing at the slowly darkening canopy.
"I think we may have to go back soon," Ning Rongrong said as they got deeper into the forest. "We're not going to find better if the forest doesn't want to give it."
Oscar didn't say anything, but the disappointment hung on his face like a shadow.
Just then, a sudden gust of wind swept through the clearing—hot, almost unnaturally so.
Tang San's instincts flared.
"Get down!"
A blur of scarlet and gold streaked through the air, leaving a shimmering trail of flame in its wake. It crashed into the ground ahead, coiling with deadly grace.
A massive serpent—glimmering with crimson-gold scales and lined with crest-like spines running down its back—rose from the underbrush, hissing with power and malice.
Its narrow eyes locked onto them, tongue flickering.
Zhao Wuji's face grew serious.
"Phoenix Tail Crest Serpent. Between 1,300 and 1,800 years. Not quite poisonous but it's restrictions ability among the top. Incredibly fast. Spirit fire compatibility."
Tang San's heart leapt.
"That's perfect for Oscar."
Li Wei stepped forward slightly, fingers tapping the Diendriver. "And dangerous."
The serpent coiled again, its body flexing like a spring.
Zhao Wuji turned back. "Formation! Defensive perimeter! Don't provoke it yet!"
Oscar's mouth had gone dry. This was it—the chance. His spirit ring. But could they actually take this beast?
Li Wei's eyes glinted beneath his bangs. "We're not letting this one go. But we need a plan."
Zhao Wuji nodded. "We'll observe for now. No rash moves."
Tang San whispered, "It's fast, but its tail attacks in arcs. Predictable, if we can map its movement."
"Can we lure it somewhere tighter?" Xiao Wu added. "Restrict its coils?"
"I can do that," Zhu Zhuqing said softly, her eyes already analyzing the terrain. "That thicket to the east. It won't be able to maneuver."
Ma Hongjun lit up with fire, his hands glowing. "And I can keep its attention."
"Don't forget me!" Oscar said, drawing strength from the atmosphere at the moment. "I may not fight, but I'll be ready with support. Healing. Detox."
"Smart," Tang San said. "You'll be our safety net."
Li Wei stepped forward and pulled a card from his belt.
"Let's test it first."
He slid the card into the Diendriver with practiced ease.
[KamenRide: Garren!]
The card activated with a flash, and in an instant, the red with white-armored figure of Kamen Rider Garren appeared beside him, blaster in hand.
The serpent hissed at the sudden summoning.
"Let's see how it reacts to ranged pressure," Li Wei said.
Zhao Wuji grunted. "Get ready, everyone. The next twenty minutes may decide Oscar future."
The serpent lunged forward, and the battle truly began.