A cold wind swept through the silver arena, its surface woven from endless threads that shimmered like starlight. The sky above had turned to a deep violet, rippling like storm-tossed waters, and from its center… shadows began to fall.
Li Wei's hand tightened around the Diendriver, blue energy pulsing in sync with his heartbeat. His eyes scanned the sky as distorted shapes descended—figures cloaked in darkness, their silhouettes unmistakable.
"Kamen Riders…" he muttered.
But these were not his Riders. They were hollow imitations—twisted, soulless, their visors glowing with a sickly crimson light. Faiz armor flickered like broken circuitry, Blade sword dripped with blackened energy, and Kuuga form was almost unrecognizable, consumed by flickering, corrupted runes.
As the figures landed one by one across the thread-like battlefield, a voice, ancient and distant, echoed around them:
[Trial Four: Corruption seeks to sever your thread. Will you shatter… or weave stronger?]
The air quivered.
"Everyone, battle formation!" Flender's sharp voice cut through the tension. "This isn't like before. These things are built to break you!"
Li Wei was already moving.
"Zhuqing, Yiran—vanguard. Xiao Wu, Rongrong—support each other. I'll handle coordination."
No one questioned the command.
Zhu Zhuqing stepped forward without hesitation, her body a shadow as she vanished from sight. Meng Yiran followed, her Serpent Cane cracking with venom as she surged ahead.
"Already feel like we're being watched," Yiran muttered, her eyes narrowing at the approaching enemies. "Let's make them blink first."
Behind them, Xiao Wu grinned tightly. "Guess that means we're the bait again, Rongrong."
Ning Rongrong drew a deep breath, the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda glowing to life. "I'll keep you alive. Just don't get too reckless."
________________$
The corrupted Riders moved in unnaturally fluid motions—silent, coordinated, and devastatingly efficient. Kuuga twisted form leapt toward Zhu Zhuqing with wild ferocity.
But she was faster.
Zhu Zhuqing slipped beneath the strike, her claws raking across its side, but instead of blood, it bled threads of shadow, vanishing into the wind.
Meng Yiran leapt into the air, spinning her Tongue Blade into five mirrored lashes that struck out like snakes. The corrupted Blade Rider raised its sword to defend, only for one of the blades to pierce through its neck with a burst of violet light.
"Not so tough," she scoffed.
But behind them, more Riders materialized—this time wearing traits stolen from the team.
One sprinted forward with the agile grace of a rabbit, teleporting in short bursts.
Xiao Wu's breath caught. "That's… me?"
Another Rider moved with silent precision, its claws and movement eerily identical to Zhu Zhuqing fighting style.
"What the hell is this?" Yiran growled.
"They're mimicking us," Li Wei said, jaw tight. "They're not just shadows—they're reflections."
______________
As the battle spiraled into chaos, platforms began to collapse, threads snapping underfoot as the battlefield unraveled. The team had to fight while leaping between floating strands, some barely wide enough to stand on.
From above, Flender shouted instructions, but even his voice began to fade under the dimension oppressive hum while handling the one that capable of flight.
Zhao Wuji crushed a shadow Rider beneath his fist, only to have another one reform behind him.
"They don't stop!" he barked.
Liu Erlong, flames blazing around her, torched a Rider copy of herself. "It's like fighting our own regrets."
Rongrong was panting, arms trembling as she kept erecting barriers around Xiao Wu and the others. A Rider cloaked in distorted spirit energy—mirroring her support style—smashed through one.
"You're not strong enough," the shadow whispered in her mind. "You never were."
She staggered.
"I—"
"Rongrong!" Xiao Wu grabbed her arm, grounding her. "We are strong. Together!"
That snapped her out of it. The pagoda pulsed again.
______________
A corrupted Decade emerged—its armor unstable, shifting between forms. It raised a blade of light and surged straight for Li Wei.
"Li Wei!" Zhu Zhuqing shouted.
He raised the Diendriver to block—but the force behind the Rider blade was monstrous. Even with multiple summons active, he was thrown backward, blood on his lips.
The Rider advanced again.
This time, it would kill him.
But the blow never landed.
Zhu Zhuqing was there.
She stepped between them, her claw slicing through the Rider arm just as its blade fell.
"Zhuqing—!" Li Wei's voice cracked.
She grunted, the blade grazing her ribs, cutting deep. Blood stained her dark outfit, but she didn't waver.
Her eyes met his.
Unflinching. Certain.
"You're not alone. Not now. Not ever."
The moment froze.
Li Wei heartbeat pulsed once—then the Diendriver roared with energy.
[BuffRide: Ex-Aid]
A first aid to heal Zhu Zhuqing.
__________________
Rongrong barrier surged to life again while amplifying Zhu Zhuqing strength. Xiao Wu vanished and reappeared mid-air, landing a perfect flying kick into another Rider. Yiran spun with a scream, venom lashing out like a hurricane.
"Time to end this!" Li Wei roared.
He raised a glowing card and insert it into the side slot.
[Final Form Ride: Diend Complete!]
Blue light consumed him as all his summoned Riders fused into a towering, radiant Rider phalanx. His armor transformed—sleek, multicolored, and pulsing with the power of all past forms.
Side by side, he and Zhu Zhuqing sprinted toward the remaining Riders.
"Together?" he asked.
She smiled faintly. "Always."
Zhu Zhuqing's body blurred as she launched into her ultimate soul skill:
Phantom Civet Legion.
Ten shadow clones exploded around the enemies in synchronized bursts.
Li Wei's Diendriver flared with power.
[Final Attack Ride: Diend!]
A massive energy beam ripped through the battlefield, striking the Riders at their core.
The two attacks collided—light and shadow clashing—before erupting into a nova of white and violet flame.
The corrupted Riders shattered like glass.
Silence fell.
The air shimmered as the battlefield began to dissolve, the silver threads gently unraveling into soft golden mist.
And that voice returned, no longer mocking but… reverent.
[Threads woven under pressure do not break… they become legend.]
______________
Zhu Zhuqing clutched her bleeding side, but stood tall as the wound closing even if it slow.
"You're hurt," Li Wei said quietly, stepping beside her.
"I'll live," she replied, voice low, steady. "You're the one who nearly died."
He gave a faint, wry smile. "You're always saving me. I do not want to lose you."
"I don't mind."
Xiao Wu flopped down beside Rongrong and Yiran, sweat and soot clinging to her skin. "I'm going to sleep here. Wake me when the next trial starts."
"You're not that tired," Rongrong muttered, though she leaned against her shoulder.
Meng Yiran cracked her neck. "That was satisfying. Almost fun. If you forget the part where we nearly died."
Li Wei looked over them all—injured, exhausted, but alive. Together. 'We didn't break. We became stronger.'
Ahead, a golden path unfolded, glowing with quiet promise.
The final trial awaited.
And they were ready.