As the Bugster monster took shape and was separated from Otto's body, the ground immediately lit up with the light of a Teleportation Circle, transporting the newly formed Bugster monster and the two Kamen Riders to a coastline.
Then, the Bugster Virus spread out in a special way, and the Game Area was generated, encompassing the monster and the Kamen Riders.
Li Hua and Elena looked curiously at the surrounding environment, which was filled with landscape elements common in various electronic games, such as square blocks and chests.
"These square boxes from the game... are they buff items?" Li Hua asked Dan via the communication system, sounding uncertain.
"That's right. Just like in a game, breaking the square boxes will grant you reward items. Using them will give you a boost in your attribute abilities," Dan replied.
"Hateful humans! How dare you stop me from becoming a complete form!" The Bugster monster, after taking shape, sensed that its connection with the host had been severed. It roared angrily at Li Hua and Elena and immediately fired two energy blasts.
"This Bugster already has considerable intelligence even before reaching its complete form. It seems the erupting Bugster Viruses are indeed getting stronger," Li Hua said to Elena with a slightly serious tone after dodging the attack.
"Didn't we also get upgrade items?" Elena paused slightly, then replied in a relaxed tone.
She took out the Level 3 Game Gashat she had just received.
"Jet Combat"
"Level Up"
Elena immediately activated her Fighter Jet Game Gashat. As the sound effect played, a pixelated game animation screen appeared behind her, from which a cartoon personified fighter jet flew out.
The fighter jet, equipped with a Gatling gun, fired energy bullets to block the energy blasts shot by the monster and circled and flew around Snipe.
As the Game Gashat was inserted into the Gamer Driver, the game fighter jet transformed into armor and weapons, attaching itself to Kamen Rider Snipe.
"Gachan! Level Up! Ba-Bang-Bang! Bang-Ba-Bang! Yow! Bang Bang Shooting! A Gacha! Jet! Jet! In the sky! Jet! Jet! Jet Comba~t!"
"This... the power is so strong." After leveling up to Level 3, Elena felt a clear, all-around boost in her power and couldn't help but exclaim. At this moment, the energy overflowing from Snipe's armor emitted a faint light.
"I'll take care of this Bugster. Let me try out the power of a higher level. You just stand by and cover me," Elena said confidently, sensing the immense power of Level 3 Snipe.
She then aimed at the Bugster and raised her mounted Gatling weapons, unleashing a crazy torrent of fire directly onto the Bugster monster.
The Bugster monster dodged and defended itself, but Snipe's firepower was too dense. The Bugster was eventually struck by the continuous stream of light energy bullets, which burst into dazzling light.
The momentary stun after being hit prevented it from dodging the subsequent barrage, and it was immediately overwhelmed by Elena's even fiercer rain of bullets.
"This firepower is seriously intense. In a word: awesome," Elena laughed wildly as she held the Gatling gun and fired like mad. For some reason, she felt an inexplicable sense of relief and exhilaration in her heart.
"Look out!" Li Hua, who was observing the battle, suddenly shouted.
On one hand, Elena had asked to fight the Bugster monster alone, and on the other, Li Hua was worried about being accidentally hit by Snipe's concentrated fire.
Li Hua was quietly observing from the side, but now, noticing the light and shadow extending along the ground, she immediately alerted Elena.
"What?" Elena was immersed in the joy of the firepower cleansing the area. She paused slightly, confused.
Then, in a flash, the light and shadow on the ground rose up, turning into a giant snake-like monster that crashed into Elena.
Elena was unprepared and was sent flying.
The Bugster monster, no longer suppressed by the firepower, took advantage of Snipe's attack to immediately fire several energy blasts, pressing its advantage.
However, Brave, watching from the side, instantly brandished a sword blast, blocking the energy blasts heading towards Snipe.
"What's going on? Why is there another Bugster monster?" Elena adjusted her state, with light swords jetting from her back, suspending her in mid-air.
She couldn't help but feel confused, looking at the giant snake-like Bugster monster that the Bugster monster was riding.
"Is there a problem with the medical pod at the base that separates the Bugster Virus?" She immediately contacted Dan through the communication channel.
"One virus gives birth to one Bugster," Dan Kuroto replied. "The appearance of two Bugsters is naturally because the patient was infected with two different Bugster Viruses."
"A single person can be infected with two different Bugster Viruses simultaneously?" Elena sounded incredulous.
"It's not impossible. It's quite common for patients to suffer from different diseases at the same time.
We just hadn't encountered this situation before; it doesn't mean it doesn't exist," Li Hua's tone was calm.
Elena nodded and called out to Li Hua, "In that case, let's each take one. You should also try the power of the upgrade Gashat."
Li Hua nodded slightly and pressed the Gashat.
"DoReMiFa Beat"
The sound effect played, and a chibi music robot flew out, transforming into armor that attached to Brave.
"Gachan! Level Up! Taddle meguru! Taddle meguru! Taddle Quest~! A Gacha! Do-Do-DoReMiFa-So-La-Ti-Do! (Yeah! Yeah!) Ok! (This is the beat they ask for!) DoReMiFa Bea~t~! (To the beat! To the beat!)"
A music disc appeared on the right arm, a speaker was added to the left shoulder armor, and an extra layer of armor, similar to a baseball cap, was added to the head.
"How dare you launch such a sneaky sneak attack! I'll show you my power," Elena roared at the Bugster in front of her.
The jet flame from the back of Snipe's fighter jet armor intensified, and she flew into the air, unleashing firepower towards the Bugster.
Brave also continuously slashed out with sword blasts.
The two first forced the humanoid Bugster and the snake-like Bugster under its feet to separate, and then each took on one opponent.
The two Bugsters were forced to split under the attack of Brave and Snipe. Snipe immediately concentrated her fire on the huge snake-like Bugster.
Since a larger target allows Snipe to fully utilize her firepower advantage, Elena directly chose the snake-like Bugster as her opponent.
Li Hua glanced at the music armor attached to Brave, raised the Water and Fire Holy Sword, and slashed at the humanoid Bugster.
However, compared to Snipe's full-power, long-range suppression of the snake-like Bugster, Li Hua felt that her efforts were ineffective, and she was instead being suppressed by the Bugster monster.
"What's going on? Why does it feel like Brave's power hasn't increased much?" Elena even had the leisure to glance at Li Hua's battle and asked through the communication channel.
"After the upgrade, the power has definitely increased significantly, but I feel like I can't fully utilize it. Perhaps I'm using it incorrectly," Li Hua replied while defending against the Bugster.
"Usage method?" Elena was slightly puzzled.
"That's right. Since it's a music Game Gashat, you must use rhythm and melody to release its power," Dan reminded them through the communication channel.
"So, to use a music Game Gashat, you have to know music?
Li, can you sing?" Elena's tone was full of doubt.
Li Hua, however, was very calm: "I think I understand.
You don't necessarily have to be able to sing to play a music game; what's needed is more control over the rhythm. I think I know how to use the power of the Game Gashat now."
After Li Hua grasped the key point, Brave's attacks became strangely rhythmic. The power of Level 3 was genuinely unleashed. After closing the distance, she completely suppressed the Bugster monster with a continuous barrage of attacks.
"Damn it, how can this snake recover? Dan, is there something wrong with your design? How can the Bugster monster consume items to heal its wounds?" Elena suddenly complained.
The snake-like Bugster monster had consumed a treasure chest in the Game Area. Not only were its previous injuries healed, but its size grew further, and its strength also increased, making it difficult for Snipe's firepower to suppress it.
"After all, the items within the Game Area are constructed from the power of the Bugster Virus, so the Bugster monster can naturally consume the items to enhance its power.
Therefore, you must also learn to flexibly use the buff items in the Game Area," Dan instructed again.
"Moreover, the Game Area I designed is absolutely advantageous for you two players. The Bugster monster only absorbs items to restore its wounds.
But you have the Gamer Driver and Game Gashats, allowing you to gain different buffs: defense, strength, speed..."
"Okay, I'll give it a try."
Elena flew up, dodging the Bugster's pounce. She found a block suspended in the air, broke it, and obtained a circular buff item, which immediately fused into Snipe's armor.
"Firepower Enhance" The sound effect played.
"This is...?" Elena clearly felt a powerful force injected into her weapon system.
Then, the Gatling gun in her hand burst into dazzling light. When she tried to fire, it truly was a rain of light bullets, fully covering the Bugster in a downpour of "justice from above."
The snake-like Bugster was immediately half-destroyed by the waterfall of bullets pouring down and lay on the ground, unable to move for a moment.
"Finishing Move!"
With Snipe's final concentrated beam strike, the snake-like Bugster was completely defeated.
Seeing the unfavorable situation, the Bugster monster was tempted to retreat, but being restricted within the Game Area, it was unable to leave and could only fight Brave with all its strength.
"Li, try this." Elena saw that Brave couldn't resolve the Bugster monster in front of her for the time being, so she found another buff coin and threw it to Li Hua.
"Steel Transformation"
After absorbing the item coin, Brave's entire body took on a metallic sheen.
She then directly withstood the Bugster monster's attack, completely unaffected, and charged forward without retreat.
Single strike, single strike, combo, single strike, combo...
After continuously slashing the Bugster monster more than twenty times, she finally unleashed her finishing move, completely defeating the Bugster monster.
"Game Clear!"
After the Bugster monster was defeated, the game-over sound played, and the Game Area faded away, revealing the surrounding real environment.
Then, the Teleportation Circle lit up, and Li Hua and Elena were transported back to the Hospital underground base.
(End of Chapter)