— Balisha Government Hospital · Outside —
Night hung low over the hospital.
Red emergency lights flashed rhythmically, staining the concrete in crimson.
With a thunderous punch, Zhong Rider sent the monster flying.
The creature tumbled across the ground, crashing beyond the hospital perimeter.
"Go! Get outta here!"
Zhong Rider shouted.
The monster slammed into the pavement, screeching as it struggled back to its feet.
The next second—
It spread its arms wide.
Star energy surged violently as it began absorbing the Sagittarius constellation power from the surrounding crowd.
Light twisted.
Star patterns crawled across its body.
Evolution—complete.
Then—
Something even more horrifying happened.
The monster put on CHIN YI XIN's Driver.
Zhong Rider froze.
"なに!?
What the hell?!"
A card formed in the monster's hand.
"Trans—form!"
Blinding starlight erupted.
GALACTIC BOW—
A radiant bow of the stars appeared.
The Sagittarius Monster took shape.
Arrows rained down like a storm.
"Holy—!"
Zhong Rider rolled desperately, barely avoiding the barrage.
As he scrambled up, something caught his eye—
Inside his belt's card slot…
A new card.
He pulled it out.
"…Transforming like this isn't cool enough."
He paused.
"…Alright. Let's go with—divine cool."
HOLY ADVENT!
GUANYIN HOLY!
Light faded.
Zhong Rider stared.
A flower vase.
Just… a harmless-looking vase.
"…What is this?"
He sighed.
"Whatever!"
He plucked a small leaf from the vase and flicked it lightly.
Water droplets scattered through the air.
The instant they touched the monster—
"AAAAAH—!!"
The creature screamed, staggering backward.
Panicked, it turned and fled.
"Oi! Come back here, rookie!"
Zhong Rider laughed.
He released his transformation.
— Hospital Room —
Suddenly—
The heart monitor went berserk.
"EI! EI! EI!"
The doctor shouted.
"Patient's heart rate is spiking rapidly!"
— Constellation Base —
TEOH KUI burst in.
He grabbed MANG GA LIN, who was curled up in the corner, and yanked him to his feet.
"WHY DIDN'T YOU COME?!"
TEOH KUI roared.
"What was I supposed to do…"
MANG GA LIN whispered.
"I'm the one who got Yi Xin hurt."
TEOH KUI slammed his fist into the wall.
"DO YOU KNOW—
she almost died out there?!
She almost died on the operating table too!!"
He snapped the Stars Driver onto MANG GA LIN's waist.
BAM!
A punch smashed into his face.
Constellation cards scattered across the floor.
TEOH KUI grabbed the Gemini Card and jammed it into the Driver.
"STARS RIDER!"
Another punch.
He transformed as well—
ZHONG RIDER.
BAM!
The third blow knocked MANG GA LIN to the ground.
Blood spilled from the corner of his mouth.
"You're not—!"
TEOH KUI shouted.
"You're not in love with Yi Xin?!"
That sentence—
Struck like lightning.
Zhong Rider raised his sword and swung without hesitation.
At that instant—
STARS UP! STARS RIDER!
Forced transformation.
Stars Rider caught the blade barehanded.
He countered—
punch after punch.
"I really do love her!"
Stars Rider roared.
"But when I saw her fall—
I realized…
my power couldn't protect her!"
Zhong Rider shouted, swinging again.
ZHONG KUI SWORD!
Stars Rider clenched his teeth.
"GE—GE—GE—GEMINI!"
Two swords—
Collided head-on.
BOOOOM!!
The explosion sent both flying.
Light faded.
Both Riders dropped to one knee.
Silence.
"…You think,"
TEOH KUI said quietly,
"that your power didn't protect her—
that it actually hurt her instead."
MANG GA LIN broke down completely, collapsing to the floor in tears.
"From the moment you transformed,"
TEOH KUI continued,
"you became a hero who protects the world,
the constellations—
and Yi Xin."
"Getting injured…
even dying—
that's a path we chose the moment we stepped into this fight."
— Alarm —
The siren blared again.
TEOH KUI stood up and extended his hand.
"Ga Lin."
MANG GA LIN looked up.
His eyes slowly steadied.
He took the hand.
— Destroyer Park —
The monster rampaged freely.
Motor engines roared.
"I'll fight—
for the world!"
"For the constellations!"
"And for Yi Xin!"
Both Riders fastened their Drivers.
"STARS RIDER!"
"ZHONG KUI TRANSFORM DRIVER!"
"Transform!"
"STARS UP! GEMINI!"
"ZHONG KUI HOLY!"
"We'll defeat evil—together!"
Zhong Rider declared.
"OK!"
Stars Rider replied.
The battle exploded.
The Sagittarius Monster evolved repeatedly—
Level One.
Level Two.
Level Three.
"You're just—LOSERS!"
it mocked.
Zhong Rider smirked.
He drew a card.
HOLY ADVENT!
NEZHA HOLY!
Golden-red light detonated.
Fire-Tipped Spear.
Cosmic Ribbon.
Universe Ring.
Wind-Fire Wheels.
Nezha Holy Rider descended.
"Our fate—"
Zhong Rider roared,
"is decided by us—
not by heaven!"
Divine weapons rained down.
Stars Rider pulled his Driver.
"STARS UP!"
Gemini—Ascended.
The two Riders unleashed a relentless assault.
The monster reached for the Driver—
Stars Rider seized its arm.
"This belongs to the one I love!"
He tore the Driver free by force.
Zhong Rider slammed the final switch.
RIDER MAXNI ATTACK KICK!
—Ultimate Flying Kick—
BOOOOOOM!!!
The monster shattered.
Starlight faded.
Both Riders reverted to human form.
The night wind passed quietly.
"…At last,"
Stars Rider whispered.