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Chapter 22 - Chapter Twenty – Winds of Despair

The city streets shook with every step of the monster. Rubble crumbled from broken buildings, smoke rising like a shroud over the afternoon sun. Yuriko tightened her grip on the Ladybug Guns, standing between Emma, Gia, and the creature. Her breath came sharp and steady—she had already transformed into her Rider's basic form, but the fight had dragged far longer than expected.

"Gia, left!" Yuriko called.

Gia rolled into position, her blaster firing rapid shots that barely dented the monster's armored hide. The beast—an enormous reptilian brute with jagged horns—swung its massive claw, scattering debris across the pavement. Emma darted forward with her blade, but the monster backhanded her with enough force to send her crashing into a parked car.

"Emma!" Gia shouted.

"I'm fine!" Emma winced, pushing herself back up. But her arm trembled, showing she was anything but.

Yuriko clenched her fists. "We can't keep trading blows with it. It's built for endurance. If we don't coordinate, it'll crush us."

She dashed in, slashing with her Rider blade. The monster caught her attack with its claw, growling before swinging her away. Yuriko landed hard, sliding across the asphalt before forcing herself upright. She hated to admit it—she wasn't strong enough alone. Not against something like this.

The Rangers regrouped. Gia glanced at Yuriko. "What's the plan? You're the only one who's actually hurting it."

Yuriko hesitated, then gave a nod. "Fine. I'll strike head-on. You two hit from the sides. We'll sync our timing."

Emma smirked despite her exhaustion. "Finally acting like part of the team."

The monster roared again, stomping toward them. This time, they moved in formation. Yuriko dashed straight at it, her blade glowing as she channeled her Rider energy. The beast lifted its arm to strike, but Gia and Emma attacked from both sides, blasting at its joints. The distraction gave Yuriko the opening she needed.

"Wind Slash!" she shouted, her strike cutting across the monster's chest. Sparks erupted as the creature staggered back, bellowing in rage.

"We're actually doing it!" Emma gasped.

But the battle wasn't over. The monster's body glowed red, its strength surging. It slammed its fists into the ground, knocking all three of them off their feet with a shockwave.

Yuriko gritted her teeth, forcing herself upright. "No more holding back." She activated the Cloud Keychain, her form shifting as silver winds surrounded her. Her armor shimmered, adopting the sleek, flowing designs of her Wind Form. The sudden gusts whipped through the battlefield, clearing smoke and pushing back rubble.

"Alright," Yuriko said firmly, her visor gleaming. "Let's finish this."

She launched herself into the air, propelled by the wind, while Emma and Gia coordinated from below. Together, they hammered the monster with relentless strikes until Yuriko dove down, slicing through it with a spiraling kick powered by gale force.

The monster let out one final roar before exploding into a blaze of light.

The three of them collapsed onto the cracked street, gasping for breath.

Emma wiped sweat from her brow. "That… was way too close."

Gia lowered her blaster. "If we hadn't adapted, we'd be the ones in pieces."

Yuriko nodded silently, still staring at the smoking crater where the monster had been. She had won—but it didn't feel like a victory. Not with the weight pressing on her chest.

"Where are the others?" she asked suddenly.

The girls exchanged a glance. Emma pulled out her morpher, trying to contact Troy's team. Static answered at first. Then finally, a faint voice came through.

"…Emma… Gia… Yuriko…"

"Troy?!" Emma cried. "We just finished off our monster—where are you guys? Did you win?"

Silence. Then Troy's voice returned, weak and strained.

"No… it wasn't the monster. It was… him."

The three froze.

"Him? Who?" Gia demanded.

Yuriko leaned closer, her heart tightening. "Troy, what happened?"

A moment later, she spotted movement down the street. Four battered figures emerged from the smoke. Noah, Jake, and Orion were limping, their suits flickering with damage. Troy was at the front, dragging one leg with his helmet cracked.

Emma and Gia ran to them. "Oh my god, what happened to you?"

They didn't answer right away. They were too exhausted, too broken. Finally, Troy collapsed against a piece of rubble, forcing himself to speak.

"It wasn't… a monster." He pulled off his helmet, his face pale and grim. "It was a Rider. A Kamen Rider."

Yuriko's blood ran cold. "What… did you say?"

Noah groaned, clutching his ribs. "He called himself… Fifteen. Kamen Rider Fifteen."

The name alone carried a weight that settled over them like a storm cloud.

Gia shook her head. "Another Rider? But… Riders fight for justice, don't they? They're supposed to be on our side."

Yuriko clenched her fists, silent.

Troy's voice cracked, his pride shattered. "We transformed into every Ranger we could. We fought with everything we had. But he destroyed us like it was nothing. He didn't even bother finishing us off. Just… left us in the dirt."

Emma covered her mouth in horror. Jake slammed his fist against the ground in frustration.

Yuriko stepped forward, her heart pounding as she remembered Stronger's warning. Not every Rider stood for justice. Some chose a different path. A darker path.

She looked at her teammates—the Rangers, her newfound allies. They had always fought with hope, with courage. But now, that hope was under siege.

"I'll stop him," Yuriko said quietly.

Everyone turned to her.

Her voice grew stronger, filled with unshakable resolve. "Kamen Rider Fifteen may be powerful, but I won't let him crush you. If he's coming for us, then I'll be the one to face him."

For a moment, no one spoke. Then Troy lowered his gaze, ashamed but grateful.

"…Then we'll trust you, Yuriko."

The air grew heavier, the city quiet in the aftermath of two brutal battles. Above them, the sky darkened as if the world itself knew what was coming next.

A Rider who fought for despair had entered the war.

And Yuriko knew—whether she was ready or not—the real battle had only just begun.

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