The chamber cracked and shuddered under the weight of unleashed power.
Tsukasa struck first. A cascade of blazing flame surged toward Dravokh, followed by a jagged wall of stone, and a slicing arc of wind. Each elemental attack tore through the space — but missed.
Dravokh was already gone.
A blur. A crimson streak. A streak of motion faster than thought.
Tsukasa barely managed to cross his arms as a clawed fist slammed into his side, sending him crashing through a stone pillar. Debris rained down.
Lira's breath hitched.
"Tsukasa!"
"Tch. Not bad for a mortal," Dravokh taunted, his voice a sneer that echoed from everywhere at once. "But you're too slow, outsider."
Another strike. Then another.
Every time Tsukasa tried to raise his magic, Dravokh's speed cut him off — closing the distance before a spell could fully form, forcing Tsukasa on the defensive.
A burning gash split across Tsukasa's shoulder, then another across his chestplate. The air reeked of burnt metal and blood.
Lira's heart twisted. She could hardly track the demon's movements — it was like watching lightning made flesh.
Tsukasa's breathing grew heavier. He knew it. Wizard's magic wasn't fast enough to land a hit on something this quick. He needed a different approach.
His hand shot down to the Decadriver.
"Alright, guess I'll pick a faster dance partner."
With a snap of his fingers, Tsukasa drew another card from his belt. His eyes burned with focus as he slipped it into the Decadriver.
"Change Beetle!"
A loud click echoed as the card slid into place, and the device flashed with an intense green glow. A golden beetle, symbolizing the power of the change, was marked across the driver. Tsukasa's voice rang out as he activated the transformation:
"Kamen Ride: Kabuto!"
A sudden burst of scarlet light exploded out, engulfing Tsukasa as the energy formed the new armor around him. The intricate plating of red, silver, and black materialized around his body in a seamless flow. The Decadriver locked into place, and the distinctive, mechanical ticking of clockwork filled the air, echoing through the chamber.
His helmet formed last, an imposing, sleek design with sharp horns arching upward and glowing gold accents beneath. As Tsukasa stood tall, the weight of his new form settled with a strange sense of finality. He had become something more than just a man.
Dravokh sneered from the shadows, his molten eyes narrowing.
"Hmph. A new trick? Won't matter."
Tsukasa's voice was calm and low, his body already crackling with the build-up of power.
"Clock Up."
With the word, Tsukasa's form blurred, the air distorting around him as his movements accelerated to impossible speeds. To Lira, everything stopped — or rather, it seemed like reality itself fractured and slowed to an agonizing crawl. Her heart raced in sync with the distortion of time around her.
Within the slowed world, Tsukasa and Dravokh collided, like two lightning bolts striking each other in mid-air. The demon was fast, but Tsukasa moved with a cold precision that matched his new form. Their blows met in a shower of sparks, their speed cracking the very air between them.
Tsukasa's eyes narrowed behind the Kabuto helm. His enhanced perception allowed him to track Dravokh's every movement. A punch was dodged, then a quick kick connected — a resounding thud as it hit Dravokh's chest, sending the demon stumbling backward for the first time.
"Wha—?!" Dravokh's molten gold eyes widened.
"You… you can move in Clockspace?!?"
Tsukasa slid into a ready stance, smirking under the Kabuto helm.
"Told you. You're not the only one who's fast."
The battle ignited once more — but now the odds had shifted.
Dravokh snarled, his eyes glowing brighter as he snapped his claws and vanished once again, this time too fast for Tsukasa to follow. The chamber trembled with the power of their duel as Dravokh reappeared, this time just inches away, his claws slashing downward.
Tsukasa twisted in mid-air, just barely avoiding the strike, but Dravokh's follow-up was merciless. A massive fist sent him flying, smashing through the wall and into another pillar.
Lira's heart pounded. She could see Tsukasa struggling. This wasn't just about speed anymore — it was about outlasting the sheer ferocity of a demon that fed on speed, chaos, and power.
"No…" Lira whispered. "Please… You can't lose now."
Tsukasa staggered to his feet. Blood streaked down his armor, and his breathing was shallow. His body felt heavy under the weight of the battle. He could hear Dravokh's mocking laughter reverberating through the hall.
"Is that it, outsider?" Dravokh taunted. "This is the extent of your power?"
But Tsukasa's eyes narrowed, the ticking of his clockwork armor intensifying.
"I'm not finished yet."
"Clock Up."
In an instant, the world cracked once more as Tsukasa moved, his movements impossibly fast. His form blurred as he closed the distance between himself and Dravokh.
"No way!" Dravokh roared, his speed struggling to match Tsukasa's now. "This is impossible! You're nothing but a mortal!"
"I told you…" Tsukasa's voice was cool under the mask. "I'm not just a mortal."
The final exchange was brutal, as Tsukasa weaved through Dravokh's claws with terrifying precision. With every movement, Tsukasa's strikes became faster, harder, and more accurate.
And in a final moment of perfect synchronization, Tsukasa unleashed his finishing move.
"Rider Kick!"
The chamber exploded with the sheer force of Tsukasa's speed. A glowing streak of crimson and gold tore through the air, and Dravokh barely had time to react before the force of the kick slammed into his chest.
The impact shook the walls, and Dravokh's body flew back in a shower of infernal energy, crumpling into the far wall.
For a moment, everything stood still.
And then the demon, once so powerful, began to crumble — his body disintegrating into the air like ashes.
Lira could hardly believe it. Tsukasa had done it. He had defeated a demon of impossible speed.
But even in victory, Tsukasa didn't let his guard down. His breath was still heavy, his body battered, and he stood with the quiet intensity of someone who had just survived an impossible battle.
Lira's heart leapt into her throat, and a small, but powerful feeling ignited inside her. She wasn't just watching a fight anymore. She was witnessing something beyond her comprehension.
She was seeing a force of nature.
The oppressive silence of the aftermath seemed to stretch endlessly as Elara, Lumi, and the High Priest moved swiftly through the ruined corridors. The destruction of the chamber felt as if it had swallowed all hope, leaving only a sense of unease hanging heavy in the air.
"Where could they be?" Elara's voice was tense, her eyes scanning every shadowed corner as they advanced through the wreckage. Her steps were quick but deliberate, each one echoing through the stillness. She couldn't shake the nagging feeling that something wasn't right. They had lost Tsukasa and Lira for too long.
Lumi walked beside her, her hands clasped tightly in front of her, her usual calm demeanor now cracked with concern. "The battle... it left no trace of them," she said softly. "I'm sure they're still alive, but—"
"But we have no idea where they are," Elara finished for her, glancing over her shoulder at the High Priest, who was trailing behind them, his expression grim. His knowledge of ancient rituals and magic was vast, but even he was at a loss in this moment.
The High Priest's robes whispered softly as he walked, his brow furrowed in deep thought. He had seen many things in his long life, but the power Tsukasa wielded, and the destruction they had just witnessed, were unlike anything he had encountered before.
"We must find them quickly," the High Priest said, his voice low and urgent. "The forces at play here are far more dangerous than we first realized. Lira, especially... She is not prepared for what she may face in the wake of this."
Elara's gaze hardened. "I know. Tsukasa might be a force of nature, but even he can't take on everything alone. We need to find them before—"
Before the words could leave her mouth, they all froze.
A faint sound reached their ears — a voice.
"Lira?"
The three of them exchanged glances, and Lumi's face softened with recognition. "That's Lira's voice," she whispered urgently.
They followed the sound, their steps becoming faster as the path twisted through the crumbling ruins. As they approached the source, they found her at last — standing in the center of a shattered room, her hands pressed against the stone floor, as though searching for something.
"Lira!" Lumi called, rushing to her side. "What are you doing here? Where's Tsukasa?"
Lira looked up, her face pale and streaked with dirt and sweat, her eyes wide with a mix of awe and fear. "I… I found him," she breathed, her voice shaking. "Tsukasa—he's alive, but… He's not the same."
The High Priest stepped forward, his expression serious as he looked at her. "What do you mean? Is he injured?"
Lira shook her head, her hands trembling. "No. He's... changed. There's something different about him. After the battle with Dravokh, something in his power—it's overwhelming. I've never seen anything like it. It's like he's... more than human."
Lumi's brow furrowed. "More than human?"
Lira nodded, her eyes distant as if she were still trying to comprehend what had happened. "Yes. He moved faster than I could track, even after everything. And the power in his eyes—it was like nothing I've ever felt before. He's not just a man anymore. He's something... else."
Elara exchanged a glance with Lumi and the High Priest. "We need to find him. If what you're saying is true, we can't afford to wait any longer."
The High Priest nodded solemnly. "I will lead you. There is an ancient ritual I can perform to trace his aura. It will give us a clear path to him. But we must hurry. His power, if left unchecked, could draw dangerous attention."
They all nodded in agreement, the urgency mounting as they prepared to leave the chamber.