The late morning sun cast long shadows across the training field behind Shrek Academy. A breeze rolled gently across the grass, the air crisp with the scent of dew and faint traces of spirit energy. Standing at the center of the field, Li Wei folded his arms, his Diendriver holstered at his side. His gaze swept across the four familiar figures before him—Xiao Wu, Zhu Zhuqing, Ning Rongrong, and Meng Yiran. They stood in formation, eyes focused, spirit energy already faintly circulating. Their clothes bore signs of rigorous use, faded at the edges—a testament to the month of hard training in his absence.
"You've all trained without me for the past month," Li Wei said, his tone calm but probing. "Now, show me how far you've come and how strong you guys now."
Behind them, Zhao Wuji stood silently with his arms crossed, nodding slightly. He had agreed to let Li Wei testing them—alone, without interference.
Li Wei took a step forward. "All four of you, come at me together. Treat it like a real battle. I won't go easy on you."
Zhu Zhuqing eyes narrowed. Xiao Wu lips curved into a competitive smile. Ning Rongrong clasped her hands in front of her chest, the light of her martial spirit already blooming. Meng Yiran spun her serpent cane with a faint hiss of wind.
At its center, Li Wei stood calmly, one hand resting on the hilt of his Diendriver holstered at his hip. His sharp eyes scanned his four opponents — Xiao Wu, Zhu Zhuqing, Ning Rongrong, and Meng Yiran — each one focused and ready.
Zhao Wuji stood on the sidelines, arms crossed. "Li Wei," he said, voice booming across the grounds, "since you wanted to test how far they've come, then go all out. Show them what it means to fight a high-ranking Soul King. And you four," his gaze swept across the girls, "treat this as a real battle. Use what you've learned this month."
Li Wei gave a nod, then raised his Diendriver.
"This isn't about overwhelming you," he called. "I want to see your coordination, how you cover for each other, how you've grown." He narrowed his gaze. "Come at me seriously."
"Understood!" the four girls chorused, spreading out into formation.
Ning Rongrong stood furthest back, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda raised and glowing. Xiao Wu flanked the left. Zhu Zhuqing, the right. Meng Yiran took point, twirling her Serpent Cane in a slow spiral.
Li Wei pulled out a card.
[KamenRide: Diend.]
He inserted it into the slot and fired.
A shimmer of blue armor enveloped him as Kamen Rider Diend appeared, blaster ready. Yet unlike the last time he summoned this form, he didn't transform — he stood at the center while the aura of Diend pulsed around him.
"Let's begin."
Meng Yiran struck first, five copies of her Serpent Cane forming in midair and shooting toward Li Wei like spears. He took a sidestep, then raised his Diendriver.
[AttackRide: Barrier.]
A green-blue dome snapped into place around him. The canes clanged against it, sparks flying.
Behind the distraction, Zhu Zhuqing had vanished — a blur that split into ten silhouettes. Her third-ring technique: Phantom Civet Legion.
"They're fast," Li Wei muttered.
He aimed to test them individually, not to overpower them. So instead of attacking, he raised another card.
[KamenRide: Ryuki!]
A crimson Rider surged forward through the card light — summoned— wielding a curved Drag Saber. The clones of Zhu Zhuqing swarmed him.
As expected, she used her army to test the summoned Rider reactions — a clever move.
Each clone exploded in dark bursts of shadow energy when struck down.
"A counter-trap," Li Wei observed, shielding his eyes from the flickering detonations.
Xiao Wu used the chaos. She warped behind him — Teleportation — and struck with Waist Bow, aiming a rabbit-style kick at his neck.
Li Wei ducked, barely avoiding it.
"Charm."
A pink glow radiated from Xiao Wu's eyes. His movement slowed for a heartbeat. She flipped over his back, striking again — but this time, Zhu Zhuqing joined in with the real body.
Two blows from two angles.
Li Wei fired upward.
[AttackRide: Illusion.]
Two afterimages sprang up, one intercepting Zhu Zhuqing, the other absorbing Xiao Wu's strike.
Zhu Zhuqing blinked in surprise. "He isn't countering... just watching."
Behind them, Ning Rongrong Martial spirit Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda flared.
"Treasure Earth Barrier!"
A shimmering dome spread over her teammates. Strength and agility auras shone faintly on each.
Meng Yiran reappeared, sweeping her cane in a spiral.
"Soulfang Venom!"
Dark threads of venom webbed outward, coating the battlefield in a ghostly net. Anything touched would be paralyzed for ten seconds.
"Good coordination," Li Wei muttered.
But he wouldn't be caught so easily.
[BuffRide: Faiz!]
A red card shimmered and fired — hitting Li Wei shoulder. A faint red glow coursed through him.
Speed and precision boosted.
He vanished forward, weaving between the venom threads with narrow precision. His afterimages zipped between Zhu Zhuqing clones, drawing them out.
[BuffRide: Build!]
Blue energy surged — his armor pulsed with elemental resistance.
Meng Yiran's venom laced whip cracked toward him. It scraped his shoulder — the Build Buff reducing its erosive power.
Xiao Wu lunged again, only for her to stumble — a summoned W Rider intercepted her mid-dash with a sweeping kick.
"Good reaction," Li Wei muttered, watching how Ning Rongrong raised the barrier again — shielding Zhu Zhuqing just as a clone was about to explode.
Li Wei raised his Diendriver.
[Final FormRide: Ryuki — Dragreder.]
The summoned Ryuki transform into his Dragreder — a flaming serpentine dragon charging through Zhu Zhuqing clone army in a burst of red flame.
Clones detonated across the field.
Meng Yiran clicked her tongue. "Don't let up!"
[BuffRide: Zero-One!]
A tactical overlay shimmered over Li Wei's eyes. Predictive markers painted the battlefield.
"Xiao Wu's angle is 23 degrees… Zhu Zhuqing is flanking again…"
He preemptively stepped left — avoiding a triple-timing strike from all sides.
His Diendriver rotated as he insert the card into the side slot.
[KamenRide: Gaim!]
A Rider clad in fruit-armor emerged, sword blazing with elemental fire.
Zhu Zhuqing real self clashed with it — parrying. But she was slower now — clearly burning stamina.
[BuffRide: Ex-Aid.]
Healing pulses flared across Li Wei.
"Your stamina isn't infinite," he said to them, raising his voice.
"But you've shown coordination."
Meng Yiran reappeared behind him — Cane coated in venom.
"Got you—"
[AttackRide: Barrier!]
The shield flared up again. The venom web bounced off.
Li Wei turned. "If that had been a real battle, you'd be dead."
Meng Yiran eyes widened.
"...But your instinct to strike while the others harassed me? That is correct."
He lowered his gun.
The field was scorched, dotted with shallow craters from Zhu Zhuqing exploding clones. Xiao Wu panted beside Ning Rongrong, who still kept her barrier up, though it flickered.
Meng Yiran rested her cane against her shoulder, sweat dripping down her temple.
Zhao Wuji nodded from the side. "That's enough."
Li Wei looked at them. "You didn't win." He smiled. "But I'm impressed."
"You worked together, covered weaknesses, pressed opportunities. That's what I wanted to see."
He holstered his Diendriver.
"Next time, you might just push me harder."