Bursts of light illuminated the interior of the vehicle as Sawamura Eriri and Kasumigaoka Utaha transformed into Kamen Rider TheBee and Kamen Rider Sasword, respectively.
The data required to operate the suits and weapons of TheBee and Sasword flooded their minds, granting them an instinctive understanding of how to control their new forms.
"There's still Gatack and Drake. Does anyone else want to try?"
Kawashima Toya smiled gently and handed the Drake Zecter to Yukinoshita Yukino.
"Even though you always maintain that cool, aloof demeanor, making people curious about the ice-cold beauty beneath..."
"If you remain too distant, people might be too afraid to approach you."
"Eh?" Yukino stared blankly at the mechanical dragonfly in her hand, unsure whether to refuse or accept.
"Yurine, the Gatack Zecter is yours." Toya handed the final beetle Zecter to Hanazono Yurine. "Keep it safe. It will be useful when necessary."
With all the transformation devices distributed, Toya felt much more relaxed.
The Eastern Pantheon had quietly manifested this Emerald Spire, and there were undoubtedly secrets hidden within.
Dangerous entities might emerge from the interior, so giving the girls the transformation devices beforehand was the best way to ensure their safety.
A few minutes later, unable to suppress her curiosity, Yukino's cool face flushed with a hint of embarrassment.
"Henshin!"
A flash of light appeared, and Kamen Rider Drake stood before them.
Yukino felt the power surging through her body, amazed. "Is this the power of a Kamen Rider?"
"I feel like I could lift a bus."
"Henshin." Yurine stood up silently.
As her voice rang out, Kamen Rider Gatack also manifested.
"Darling, I want a transformation device too!" Nyaruko's eyes went wide with envy upon seeing the others. "Give me one quick! I want to transform!"
"Why do you need a transformation device? You're the incarnation of a Crawling Chaos." Toya pushed Nyaruko away with a look of disdain. "Use your own Kabuto Zecter."
"Besides, these devices are for the safety of normal humans."
"You all have your own supernatural powers. You don't need them."
Hearing Toya's true intention, Yukino felt a warmth in her heart. So these were all to ensure our safety?
I haven't felt this kind of care in a long time.
"Go practice a bit to avoid any mishaps later."
Nyaruko watched enviously as the new Kamen Riders left the vehicle to test their powers.
In the end, she had no choice but to summon the mechanical Kabuto Zecter she had made herself.
"Mechanical Kabuto Zecter, come to me!"
.....
The Summit.
Not long after, the massive convoy arrived at the peak of the mountain range.
The cold wind at the summit blew relentlessly, causing many people, even those dressed in thick clothes, to shiver.
A majestic and atmospheric shrine stood quietly, exuding an aura of flowing time.
The plaque above the temple gates was engraved with the mysterious characters: Emerald Spire.
Toya looked at the Kamen Riders around him and chuckled softly. "Transforming into a Kamen Rider not only keeps you warm but also allows for a quick escape if anything unexpected happens."
"Unless necessary, do not cancel your transformation."
"At least until this trip to the Emerald Spire is over."
He had spent a considerable amount to ensure everyone's safety, so it was best to remind them a few times to avoid uncontrollable situations.
The girls nodded. "Don't worry, Onii-chan."
"It feels great to be a Kamen Rider. I don't even want to transform back."
Toya nodded slightly, leading the group as they waited for the Emerald Spire to open.
HMMMMM—
After waiting for only a few minutes, the Emerald Spire suddenly erupted with prismatic light, shooting out in all directions.
A melodious, clear bell chime rang out slowly.
The excavation team, who had been ready to forcibly breach the entrance, stopped their work, looking at the gates of the Emerald Spire with uncertainty.
DONG—
The bells tolled continuously, one after another. The heavy, majestic gates of the Emerald Spire slowly creaked open, releasing an atmosphere thick with the weight of history.
"It's finally open." Toya's blue eyes were clear and focused as he stared straight into the interior of the Emerald Spire, ready to act at a moment's notice.
Outside the world, the Evil Gods Nyarlathotep and Cthugha also turned their gazes toward this spot.
"That's it?"
After the gates opened, Toya had expected to see shattered divine spires or a long-lost sanctuary.
Instead, the interior of the Emerald Spire was just an ordinary ancient shrine, devoid of anything special.
Even with his Mystic Eyes of Death Perception activated early on, he saw nothing unusual.
The shrine was ancient, possessing an aura that suggested a history spanning unknown eras.
Thin curls of incense drifted through the air, bringing a quiet stillness to the room.
Under normal circumstances, Toya would have admired the setup; it was the perfect kind of old-school minimalism.
But considering he had bought a whole set of transformation devices, a plane, and traveled all the way from Japan for this...
It felt completely underwhelming.
A flicker of doubt crossed Toya's eyes. "Nyaruko, Kuuko, do you sense anything abnormal?"
"No issues at all." Nyaruko and Kuuko were equally incredulous.
The Eastern Pantheon had blinded their perception just to create a normal shrine as a prank?
Toya's eyes flashed with suspicion. "Is there really no problem?"
He refused to believe it was this simple. This was an ancient mythology, after all.
Why would they expend so much effort just to create a wooden temple for people to excavate?
"Those guys has gone crazy, as expected." After triple-checking and finding nothing, Nyaruko completely lost interest.
"Darling, I'm going to go make Kamen Rider transformation devices."
"Today, I'm going to hand-craft the entire Zecter series!"
"I'll go with Nyaruko. Bye!" Kuuko said, chasing after Nyaruko as she left.
"What is this nonsense?" Toya was speechless.
He had spent so much time and effort, only to get nothing in return.
Right now, he felt like a fool.
After feeling depressed for a while, Toya regained his calm and stepped into the Emerald Spire for a tour.
"Since we're here, let's treat it as a vacation."
As he toured the place, he found the interior of the shrine to be very plain and simple. There were no flashy decorations or subtle flexes of status.
The entire palace was built purely from ordinary wood, without any special properties.
"A quiet atmosphere." Toya sighed in his heart.
If this wasn't the work of the Eastern Pantheon, he might have actually liked this environment.
As the tour progressed, Kasugano Sora and the others lost interest, leaving the building one by one to admire the scenery of the mountain instead.
Toya walked calmly through the shrine alone, feeling as if he were back in the heyday of the Emerald Spire, surrounded by countless monks offering incense.
Clack!
The sound of something falling on the ground echoed.
Toya followed the sound into the main hall of the Emerald Spire.
The smooth floor, despite enduring unknown ages, was still clean and spotless, without a speck of dust.
Above the main hall, three sacred statues of the Three Sages stood quietly.
He didn't know if it was an illusion, but Toya felt as though the statues were watching him.
"Just my imagination?" Toya frowned.
Even looking through his Mystic Eyes of Death Perception, the statues showed no changes. They remained ordinary statues.