Zhao Wuji's fist smashed down like a mountain, tearing through the lingering smoke from Li Wei, Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun attacks. The shockwave scattered dirt and force alike, forcing the three of them to duck and roll, his visor reflecting the gleam of early sunlight.
'His pressure—it's consistent. Steady. He's not relying on soul abilities; he's just strong. This isn't a man. He's a wall. No wonder they call him the Immovable King.'
To Zhao Wuji, Li Wei's quick steps and summoned Riders were a curiosity—but it is only that. He'd seen flashy tricks before. And none of them had made it through his guard.
Li Wei slid back, Tesla Bands on his wrists glowing faintly blue. His soul power was nearly at half.
Time to push.
[AttackRide: CrossAttack.]
The Diendriver ejected two cards from its side, loading them automatically. Kuuga and Faiz appeared again in bursts of color—red flames for Kuuga, crimson sparks for Faiz. Both took their stances.
"Rider Kick!" Kuuga run toward Zhao Wuji with his right foot igniting with golden energy follow by leaping into the air adding a spin once and then roared "Oryah!" while attacking with Mighty Kick.
Faiz charged, his Photon Blood circuits glowing intensely red as Faiz Pointer mounted on the right leg generates a crimson energy drill. "Crimson Smash."
They struck together, forming an X-shaped burst of energy aimed directly at Zhao Wuji's center. The shock from the combined kick and smash sent up a miniature explosion, flame and light wrapping the Soul Sage in a sphere of kinetic force.
But even before the smoke cleared, the dust trembled.
'He's not down. Not even close.'
Zhao Wuji's figure emerged—cloak torn, boots scorched—but his stance had not faltered. He exhaled deeply, then roared.
"Gravity Surge."
A pulse of dense spirit energy surged from him like a tidal wave. The ground cratered, shoving Li Wei and the Riders backward. Kuuga and Faiz vanished into data stream, spent from their finishing attacks and their durability breaking.
Hongjun recovered first, fire spiraling up from his hands like molten serpents.
"Yo! My turn!"
He slammed his fists together, transforming into his phoenix form. Flames erupted from his body as he launched forward in a spiraling arc.
"Phoenix Flare Bomb!"
He hurled a condensed orb of white-hot flame toward Zhao Wuji's face.
Zhao Wuji lifted one hand.
BOOM.
The fireball exploded mid-air—but not before Zhao Wuji's sleeve burned to cinders. He squinted at Hongjun, for the first time regarding the boy with something close to approval.
"You'll be a real terror in ten years."
Hongjun huffed. "Right now I'm the terror! Thanks vice principal."
Dai Mubai charged in next. His muscles bulged with the White Tiger's blessing, claws extending. His technique:
"White Tiger Violent Light Wave!"
The energy slash burst forward like a blade of light, cutting through the scorched earth. Zhao Wuji blocked it with crossed arms, the impact pushing him back a full meter.
That opening was all Li Wei needed.
'He's open.'
[KamenRide: Blade.]
Another card. Another Rider.
Kamen Rider Blade emerged in a pulse of blue light, rushing in with fluid swordplay. He dashed past Zhao Wuji, slashing three times in a sequence that targeted joints and blind spots. Unlike a full-power Royal Straight Flush, this was a swift barrage of close-quarters strikes using the blay rouzer in its base form.
The cuts landed clean but shallow—still only enough to make Zhao Wuji grunt in irritation.
Blade backflipped and vanished, disappearing in a shimmer of data.
Zhao Wuji clapped his hands together once—BOOM—sending a shockwave outward. Ma Hongjun and Dai Mubai were flung back like dolls.
Li Wei panted. His transformation time was starting to wane.
But one more card. One more trick.
[KamenRide: Kabuto.]
Kabuto appeared in a flash of red lightning, assuming his Clock Up stance. Time warped around them.
"Clock Up."
To Zhao Wuji, Kabuto vanished.
In real-time, Kabuto was a blur, dashing forward, slashing Wuji's back, sides, arms—each cut landing before the last finished.
Zhao Wuji growled, enduring it. He couldn't hit what he couldn't catch.
"Enough games," he muttered. His spirit power surged. Roots of gravity chained the air.
Kabuto leapt, flipped, and performed his finisher midair.
A mechanical voice then sound:
[1][2][3]
"Rider Kick!"
[Rider Kick]
An electrical-arc form in Kabuto kick that landed squarely on Wuji's shoulder, causing the giant to stagger to a knee.
Li Wei didn't waste the opportunity.
[Attack Ride: Illusion.]
Three copies of Diend shimmered into being, all pointing their Diend Drivers forward.
Zhao Wuji tensed, watching for the real one.
All three fired.
Only one is real but the shot that burst out of its was real.
BOOM.
The blast struck Wuji in the chest, toppling him backward.
The field went quiet.
Then Flender clapped.
"Well, as expected of you little monsters."
Zhao Wuji slowly sat up, breathing hard, his face equal parts impressed and irritated.
"You got me," he said simply. "I wasn't holding back—but neither were you."
He stood and dusted himself off. "You pass. Barely."
Dai Mubai coughed from the dirt, grinning despite his bruises. "Barely's better than failing."
Hongjun groaned. "I smell like chicken now."
Oscar peeked from behind his tree. "Is it safe to come out yet?"
Li Wei canceled the transformation. His armor flickered and vanished, revealing his sweat-soaked uniform underneath.
He stared at Zhao Wuji with a neutral expression.
'So that's what a real battle feels like here. And this is only just a spar…'
He exhaled slowly.
'I'm still not strong enough. I used everything… and he's still standing.'
But somewhere beneath the calculation… he smiled.
He was growing. With every clash. Every card. Every breath.
The world of spirit masters wasn't so different from his own. Only the rules had changed.
Now, he just had to master them.