[Who are you? Why are you ruining everything!]
Black Cat Mlortha saw someone suddenly interfere and angrily demanded of Divine, who stood before it.
"Me? I'm Divine, a Kamen Rider who hunts your kind."
[Hmph, what era do you think we're in? You're still going on about Kamen Riders? Don't make me laugh. But I don't care if you're a Kamen Rider or a Super Sentai—anyone who tries to stop me from killing that girl is getting killed!]
Black Cat Mlortha pointed at Sonoda Umi, who was sitting on the ground, and glared at Divine with a vicious expression. A trace of murderous intent showed in its eyes.
"Oh? Is that so? I guess I'll have to find out."
Divine charged at Black Cat Mlortha with the Flame Feather Blade in hand, calling out to Silver Phantom as he did.
"Phantom! Get her out of here!"
"Yes, master."
At Divine's command, Silver Phantom picked up Sonoda Umi and started carrying her away. When Black Cat Mlortha saw Silver Phantom trying to take Umi, it rushed to stop them.
[You think you can get away? Not a chance!]
"I'll give that line right back to you!"
Divine suddenly appeared in front of Black Cat Mlortha and swung the Flame Feather Blade down at it.
"Shhk."
[Ugh, damn you! You asked for this! I'll kill you!]
"Bring it on. Let's see which one of us dies!"
The two clashed.
In a park some distance from where Divine and Black Cat Mlortha were fighting, Silver Phantom set Sonoda Umi down.
After Silver Phantom put her down, Sonoda Umi asked,
"Um, Mr. Robot, isn't it dangerous to leave Mr. Divine to fight that monster alone?"
Just being watched by that monster had made her feel as if she were about to die, so she was worried that Divine might not be able to beat it.
"Don't worry. My master is incredibly tough, so he won't go down. Besides—"
"Boom!!!"
Before Silver Phantom could finish speaking, a loud explosion erupted in the distance. Umi's heart leapt into her throat, and Silver Phantom looked uneasily toward the blast. Divine and Black Cat Mlortha were over there.
"Master, young lady, you should hurry home. You don't want your parents to worry."
"But Mr. Divine..."
Umi looked anxiously into the distance.
"Don't worry! I'll go help master. You just need to get home safely. Master had me take you away because he was afraid you'd get hurt, so please go home."
"I understand. I wish you and Mr. Divine good luck in battle, Mr. Robot."
Umi bit her lip and spoke to Silver Phantom.
Silver Phantom transformed back into motorcycle form and spoke up.
"Don't worry. Master and I will both come back safely."
Then he rode off toward the explosion.
Fenrir's Power
"Master!"
By the time Silver Phantom arrived, Divine had already reverted from his armored form. Senba Gari lay injured and unconscious on the ground. But how had things come to this? Let's go back a few minutes.
—Time rewind—
After Silver Phantom took Sonoda Umi away, Divine blocked Black Cat Mlortha from chasing after them, and the two began to fight.
"Clang!"
Black Cat Mlortha charged at Divine. Just as its sharp claws were about to reach him, Divine raised the Flame Feather Blade to block them.
The claws and blade struck sparks against each other, and the two remained locked in a stalemate. Then Divine spoke.
"To be honest, I want to know why you're trying to kill that girl—and those other girls from before."
Black Cat Mlortha gave a wicked chuckle.
[Heh. They deserved it! Not one of those women is any good! Especially that girl just now. She actually rejected me in front of everyone! She humiliated me, so I'm going to kill her!]
"For that reason?!"
[That's right.]
"Hell, I've been running around dealing with you for that pathetic reason! Damn it! I'm so pissed off right now!"
Divine kicked Black Cat Mlortha away, then poured some of his spiritual energy into the Flame Feather Blade and charged straight at it.
[Heh. I'll show you what speed really is!]
"Shhk—"
Divine's vision blurred. Black Cat Mlortha appeared right in front of him and slashed at his chest before he could react. Sparks burst from Divine's chest.
"Ugh! Damn it, I forgot this guy's familiar-type Mlortha was built for speed. That means this guy must be a speed type too—and several times faster than them."
Divine clutched the armored covering over his chest, where three claw marks had appeared. He eyed Black Cat Mlortha warily, thinking to himself.
What am I supposed to do? Wait! I guess I have no choice but to try this.
The next moment, Black Cat Mlortha charged again. This time, Divine was ready. He closed his eyes once more and cleared his mind of all distractions. Then he poured all his spiritual energy into the Flame Feather Blade and inserted its Finisher Card into the guard.
Kill Weapon (Weapon Finisher) Energy Storage Yu Huang Strong Explosion (Exploding Phoenix Flame Feather)
Divine raised the blade, its surface woven with fiery feathers, and quietly waited for the right moment.
"Whoosh—" Three seconds. Black Cat Mlortha had reached Divine.
"Whoosh—" Two seconds. Black Cat Mlortha raised its razor-sharp claws, now wreathed in an ominous black aura. At the same time, Divine swung the Flame Feather Blade, covered in fiery feathers, at it.
"Boom!!!" One second. Black Cat Mlortha's black-aura-covered claws collided with Divine's Exploding Phoenix Flame Feather.
The collision between the two different forces caused a massive explosion where Divine and Black Cat Mlortha stood, engulfing them both.
[Damn it! You win this time, but I won't let you get away with this!]
A moment later, Black Cat Mlortha leapt out of the heart of the explosion, clutching its injured right hand, and fled.
"Master!"
Before long, Silver Phantom arrived nearby and ran over to Senba Gari, who had reverted from his transformed state and was lying there injured and unconscious.
"Phew. Good. He's only drained his spiritual energy."
Data flashed in Silver Phantom's eyes. Then he picked up Senba Gari and headed toward a crowded area.
—Scene change—
[Hey, kid! Kid!]
"Ugh... Huh? Where am I? And who are you?! How did I get here?!"
When Senba Gari opened his eyes, he looked around in confusion. Then he came to his senses—and was startled by the enormous silver-gray wolf standing before him.
[Me? Heh. I'm Fenrir, and this is my world. As for how you got here, I think you somehow stumbled into it while you were unconscious.]
Fenrir bared its sharp teeth.
After listening to Fenrir, Senba Gari looked around. It was a grassland. He and Fenrir were standing on a huge boulder, with a full moon hanging overhead. Then Senba Gari suddenly remembered that Fenrir was one of Divine's locked forms. How could it be here?
As Senba Gari was still thinking, Fenrir's voice suddenly rang in his ears.
[You don't need to wonder. You guessed right. I'm Fenrir, one of the forms of the Beast Soul Driver: the Shadow Moon Soul.]
"The Beast Soul Driver? What's that?"
Senba Gari asked in confusion.
[What the hell? You still don't know the name of the Transformation Belt you've been using this whole time?]
Fenrir stared at the boy, the corner of its mouth twitching.
"Uh, ahaha... Well, no one told me."
[Forget it, kid. Tell me, do you want my power?]
As soon as Fenrir finished speaking, Senba Gari looked at it excitedly.
"I do! Of course I do! I need a lot of power if I'm going to defeat the Mlortha!"
[Oh, is that so? Even if you turn into a Mlortha?!]
Fenrir's next words left Senba Gari stunned.
"Of course! Wait—Mlortha?!"
[That's right! A monster. Do you know why the first Divine sacrificed himself to seal the Mlortha? Because he knew he would turn into one. Do you still want my power, knowing that?]
Fenrir finished speaking and quietly watched Senba Gari.
"...Fenrir, lend me your power!"
[Hmph! I knew you'd—What?!]
Fenrir had expected Senba Gari to give up, but the boy's answer took it by surprise.
"I said, lend me your power!!!"
[Kid, are you sure? Once you turn into a Mlortha—]
"Then I'll fight as a Mlortha!"
Senba Gari interrupted Fenrir before it could finish. Fenrir looked into his determined eyes, its lips curling into a faint smile, then burst out laughing.
[Hahahahahaha! Garuda really did choose well. You're certainly a brave kid! All right, kid. Make good use of my power.]
[Awooooo!]
After speaking, Fenrir howled at the full moon, then transformed into a card bearing the image of a silver-gray wolf.
Senba Gari's vision went dark, and he passed out again.
When Senba Gari opened his eyes once more, the first thing he saw was the ceiling of his room. He realized he had returned to the real world.
"Phantom! Phantom, are you there?"
Senba Gari shouted toward the doorway. The sound of metal against the floor grew closer, and then Silver Phantom's voice rang out.
"Master! You're awake!"
"Yeah. By the way, Phantom, let's get started tonight."
"But master, we can't keep up with the other guy's speed."
"Don't worry. Now that I have this, what do I have to be afraid of?"
Senba Gari looked at the card in his hand and spoke confidently.
Lone Wolf Under the Moon, Shadow of Swift Movement!
That night, on the roof of a building somewhere in Kanda Town, Senba Gari sat on the ground, looking down at the digital map on his computer screen and the shared view from With birds (Flame Sparrow). Silver Phantom's voice came through the Bluetooth earpiece in his ear.
"Master, are you sure the other guy will come back to kill that girl?"
"Of course. That guy must think I'm badly injured and still lying in bed. It only dislocated its arm, and it hates her so much. It'll definitely come after her while it thinks I'm 'badly injured.'"
Senba Gari narrowed his eyes and smiled confidently.
"Oh, as expected of you, master! That's some impressive analysis. But is it really useful to just watch from up there? Will you make it in time?"
"Heh. You're underestimating me, Phantom. While I was fighting it, I secretly stuck a Tracking Talisman on it. The talisman only works once it turns into a Mlortha, though, which is why I had you and With birds keep an eye on her. Though I admit, it's a little rude."
"Oh, I see. But master, I'm afraid we'll have to protect a few more people when the time comes."
"Huh? Why?"
Senba Gari asked in confusion after hearing Silver Phantom's words.
Before you continue