{In the Northern Base—}
The mysterious blonde girl lay unconscious, her body marked by a strange, unnatural wound. Sophia stood over her with a grave expression.
Sophia: "This injury… it's no ordinary wound. It was inflicted by Kirigirisu Megid. Unless he is defeated, it may never heal."
Rin clenched her fists. Artoria stepped forward.
Sophia: "But the world itself is beginning to unravel. The Megid's influence is spreading faster than expected… it may already be too late."
Artoria: "No. I refuse to believe that."
Sophia turned to her. "Even with good intentions, recklessness can cost you everything. Being brave is not the same as being careless."
Artoria: "Hope exists beyond our resolution. We won't give up—not when there's still time."
Sophia's eyes widened at the familiar words.
Sophia: "...Those words…"
{Within the Megid's Book World}
A rift opens, and Artoria and Rin leap through, landing in a warped version of the city now swallowed by the Megid's domain. Towering pages drift through the sky like debris.
Rin: "In the name of Nagare, the Sword of Currents... I will keep this world free from harm's reach!"
Lion Senki!
Artoria: "I will save both the city—and its people!"
Brave Dragon!
Both swordswomen draw their Sacred Blades from the Swordriver in unison.
Rekka Battou!
Nagare Battou!
Both: "Henshin!"
Flames swirl around Artoria, forming her crimson armor. Torrents of water spiral around Rin.
Brave Dragon!
Lion Senki!
Rin takes out her Gatrikephone and it turns into a four-wheeler, Rin hops on, gripping the handles tightly.
Ride Gatriker!
Artoria activates her Diagospeedy Ride Book, inserting it into her Swordriver. A mechanical growl echoes as the pages flip open.
Start Up the Roar!
Diago Speedy~!
From a burst of flames, a crimson Honda CRF450L emerges, roaring, and wreathed in fire. Artoria leaps onto the bike.
Rin: "Let's ride!"
Artoria: "Okay!"
Both Riders accelerate forward—blue streaks of water and red trails of fire tearing through the corrupted world. A swarm of ant-like Megid are blocking their path. Rin's Gatriker-mounted mini guns fired, mowing down the front lines. Artoria rides straight into the fray, slashing sideways with Rekka.
They enter a long, narrow tunnel, ants crawling along the walls and ceiling. The swarm thickens.
Artoria: "There's no end to them!"
Rin: "Then we cut through!"
Bursts of water and fire slice through the tunnel's chaos. Bursting out from the other end, both Riders leap over a broken highway bridge, bikes flying through the air. As they land, the Kirigirisu Megid swoops down with a shrill, mocking laugh.
Kirigirisu Megid: "I'll turn you two into a part of our book too!"
The beast dives, narrowly missing them—its bladed arms slicing into the road, sending up sparks causing Artoria and Rin skid to a stop.
Rin: "No doubt—that one's commanding the ants."
Artoria's eyes widen. "Wait… the story. It's the Ant and the Grasshopper! That grasshopper… it's protecting the ants!"
Flashes of her earlier encounter return.
Artoria: "Rin! Find the shining ant! She's the Queen—they're all coming from her!"
Rin: "Got it. I'll locate her. You hold off the giant grasshopper."
Kirigirisu Megid (snarling): "Like I'd let you escape!"
The Megid dives again, this time targeting Rin. She swerves and launches off a ramp, diving off the highway.
Artoria intercepts, Rekka igniting. With a burning arc, she slashes the Megid mid-flight, knocking it off course.
Artoria: "You'll have to face me first!"
She revs her bike, flames trailing behind her as she chases after the Kirigirisu Megid, sword in one hand, focused and unwavering.
Rin barrels through the twisting landscape, water splashing from her tires as she runs over ants. Her eyes lock on the Queen Ari Megid.
Rin: "There you are!"
The Queen lets out a distorted hiss and summons a fresh swarm of ant-shaped Shimi, crawling from glowing cracks in the ground. They skitter toward Rin with shrieks and acid-dripping mandibles.
Rin grips her sword tightly, her eyes narrowing and sheathes it into her driver. She presses the trigger on Nagare.
FINAL PAGE!
The Brace Lion on Rin's chest glows releasing a powerful beam of water bursts from the sword, surging toward the Queen.
The stream connects, enveloping the Queen Ari Megid in a bubble of high-pressure water, suspending her in midair. The Brace Lion on Rin's chest roars to life, glowing with cresting energy.
Rin: "Let's end this!"
She revs the Gatriker, launching herself upward off the vehicle—spinning through the air, water spiraling around her leg.
One Volume Strike: Water!
Leo Cascade!
Rin: "Haaaaah!!"
She descends with a rider kick powered by swirling torrents, smashing through the Queen Ari Megid with a surge of explosive pressure. A massive burst of water explodes outward, obliterating the queen and scattering the remaining Shimi.
Rin lands cleanly back on her Gatriker, skidding to a graceful stop as the remnants of the enemy vanish into mist.
Floating down before her is a newly freed Wonder Ride Book, Rin picks it up, reading aloud: "Jackun to Domamenoki."
She examines the cover, her expression darkening.
Rin: "So that's how they were doing it... This is a stolen Wonder Ride Book."
Just then, Artoria arrives, skidding to a stop beside Rin on her motorcycle.
Artoria: "Did you defeat the Queen Ant?"
Rin silently holds up the glowing Wonder Ride Book with a knowing smile.
Rin: "Take a guess. Watch and learn—Wonder Ride Books aren't just for transformations."
She taps the book against the tip of Suiseiken Nagare.
Jack and the Beanstalk! Hmm, hmm...
Rin channels energy into a single precise slash.
Flash Learning!
A wave of green bean-shaped projectiles flies from her sword, slamming into the Kirigirisu Megid in mid-air, catching it off-guard and interrupting its flight pattern.
Artoria (shocked): "Our Sacred Swords can... learn?!"
She dismounts her bike as Rin tosses it to her.
Rin: "Please. Give it a try."
Artoria: "I'll give it a shot!"
She slides the Rekka sword back into the driver, then closes her Brave Dragon Ride Book in the right slot and inserts Jackun to Domamenoki into the left slot.
Rin (quickly): "Wait! It's too early for you to use two Volumes!"
Artoria finds herself within a burning library, surrounded by spiraling flames and magical vines. Both books—Brave Dragon and Jackun to Domamenoki—float behind her as she draws Rekka from the driver. The books spring open, energy pulsing outward.
Unleash the Flame!
A red dragon coils around her, roaring into the air. At the same time, emerald vines twist around her arm and leg, blooming and tightening like armor. A burst of light explodes from the transformation.
Wonder Rider!
Dragon!
Jack and the Beanstalk!
Rin (softly): "She actually did it…"
The blade equipped with two attributes will be honed!
Artoria: "Whoa… This is pretty cool."
She then begins shooting green bean-like projectiles at the ground.
Rin: "You idiot what are you doing?!" Rin yells at Artoria. "Stop messing around! There's no point in attacking the ground! Aim above!" She starts aggressively pointing up the sky.
Artoria: "Relax Rin-san! I got this." Artoria waves the older girl off. "It's fine this way!"
A giant astral projection of a green book appears on the ground in the place Artoria was shooting at and a giant beanstalk sprouts from it going high into the sky.
Rin: "Wait... what?"
Artoria mounts Diagospeedy, racing up the twisting beanstalk as both Rin and the Megid watch in disbelief.
Artoria: "You're not getting away!" She accelerates up the vine highway, chasing the startled Kirigirisu Megid.
She closes in and slashes Rekka, flames roaring. The Megid crashes back mid-air.
Kirigirisu Megid (growling): "It's too late! The book is nearly complete!"
Artoria stands on the beanstalk, wind swirling around her as she slams Rekka back into the driver.
Artoria: "I don't think so. I'll be the one to write how this story ends!"
She hits the trigger—both Wonder Ride Books begin flipping rapidly.
Final Page!
Dragon! Jack and the Beanstalk!
One Volume Strike: F-F-Fire!
"Flaming Dragon Crushing Kick!"
After taking to the air, Artoria binds the Megid in a beanstalk-like vine as she descends to deliver a fire-enhanced kick.
Once she hits the target, large green book-like constructs and a red fiery construct resembling Kaenken Rekka are projected. Artoria then descends further, not only increasing the power of the kick, but also making the sword projection pierce through the book projections.
She lands on one knee as a fiery explosion happens behind her. She then catches a blue Wonder Ride Book.
Artoria (reading): "Peter Fantasista..."
Meanwhile, Rin is riding across the battlefield on Gatriker, finishing the stragglers.
Rin (gritting her teeth): "With my swordsman's pride on the line..." She stands tall on her four-wheeler. "I will keep the balance of the world!"
She draws her blade once more.
Final Page!
Unsheath the Current!
One Volume Slash: Water!
Rin: "Hydro Stream!"
A torrent slices through the last wave of monsters. She skids to a stylish halt beside Artoria, both breathing steady.
Rin: "Looks like we did it. Good work, newbie."
Artoria (holds up Peter Fantasista): "Looks like it."
Elsewhere, at the location where the Riders found her, the blonde-haired nun from earlier awakens.
Nun (blinking): "Wait... Where am I? Oh, right! I was on my way to the church I got reassigned to!"
She grabs her suitcase and starts running off into the city, completely unaware of what just transpired.
Back at the Occult Research Club, everyone had just returned from their own missions.
Rin, arms folded, leaned slightly toward Artoria, a smug expression on her face.
Rin: "So? You gonna say it?"
Artoria (smiling): "Right. Thank you for everything today... Rin-san."
Rin's grin widened with pride.
Rin: "There we go. From now on, you're officially under my wing."
Morgan stepped forward and pats Artoria's hair softly.
Morgan: "Looks like you had fun."
Artoria (beaming): "I did! We saved part of Kuoh Town today. I learned a lot from Rin-san too!"
Rin (smirking): "She did really well for a newbie. But there's still a lot she can learn from me."
Morgan: "That's good to hear. You're already making your mark."
Issei (gawking): "H-huh!? You saved a whole city already!? No fair! How is she that strong already?!"
He pouted and slumped onto the couch.
As Rin turned to take her leave, the air in the room felt off—and suddenly, a young man with messy blond hair, clad in Black, floated in atop a flying carpet.
???: "Hey, Artoria. Long time no see." He offered a confident, playful smile.
Artoria (blinking): "Who?!"