Unlock Kamen Riders in Douluo's Way Ch 63

Yin Xiaoya, standing at the edge of Yandi Mountain's crater, stared into the fiery abyss. This wasn't just any volcano; it was a super volcano, owing its name – Yandi Mountain – to the powerful entity residing within. The peak soared over 5,000 meters, defying the typical altitude-temperature relationship. A scorching heat permeated the entire mountain, turning it a vibrant, angry red. Only soul beasts with the most extreme fire affinities could survive in this hellish landscape.

For nearly a century, human soul masters had avoided this place. The closer one got to Yandi Mountain, the stronger and rarer the soul beasts became. Approaching the mountainsides was already beyond the capabilities of most, and even groups of Title Douluo would find it exceedingly difficult to ascend, given the sheer number and power of the soul beasts lurking there.

[Discover the soul beast that can unlock the burning form of Agito… discover the soul beast that can unlock Dragreder… discover the soul beast that can unlock the Armed Hibiki form of Hibiki… discover…]

"Okay, Xiaoman, stop listing them off. I don't have the strength to deal with them right now."

[Indeed, all these spirit beasts require the host to subdue them by virtue of their strength.]

The system, Xiaoman, constantly chimed in with new discoveries, each more tempting than the last. It left Yin Xiaoya feeling a frustrating mix of excitement and helplessness.

The problem was clear: these powerful soul beasts resided close to Yandi Mountain, placing them outside the sphere of influence of the Ghost-Faced Griffin King and Azure Phoenix King. While the overlords were formidable, they weren't in charge here. Getting their help to subdue these newly discovered soul beasts was out of the question.

Yin Xiaoya had naively assumed that with Emperor Yan's invitation and the overlords' guidance, their journey would be smooth and unhindered. Instead, as they approached the mountain's summit, a massive fire tornado materialized before them, blocking their path. Moments later, a hulking figure emerged from the swirling flames.

It was an enormous beetle, its body a canvas of golden hues interlaced with vibrant red stripes. It resembled a triangular stag beetle magnified to gargantuan proportions. Its sharp, terrifying mandibles opened and closed slightly, expelling bursts of high-temperature air.

Gazing at it, Yin Xiaoya couldn't shake the feeling that he was staring at the ultimate form of Beetlemon from Digimon. Except this creature was bigger, and the carapace that armored its body glowed with even more heat.

[Host! It's the Jin'e Red Stag Beetle! It is a soul beast suitable for unlocking Kamen Rider Kuuga. This one can unlock all forms of Kuuga from his growing form to the amazing mighty form at one time. Or you can unlock Kuuga's black ultimate form separately.]

The Jin'e Red Stag Beetle—when the system Xiaoman had first come online, this soul beast had been her prime example, the most suitable choice for unlocking Kamen Rider Kuuga. Seeing it now, in the flesh (or rather, carapace), was truly astonishing. Its very presence exuded an aura of hostility.

The Ghost-Faced Griffin King and Azure Phoenix King, brought to a halt, shifted uneasily.

"What's the meaning of this? Dung Beetle?" Azure Phoenix King asked.

"Get out of my way," the beetle retorted.

The Jin'e Red Stag Beetle completely ignored the two overlords, its crimson eyes fixed on Yin Xiaoya, perched atop the Ghost-Faced Griffin King.

"Humans are forbidden to pass."

Azure Phoenix King, with an air of exasperated resignation, spread her wings and said, "This dead bug is acting up again."

The Ghost-Faced Griffin King sighed, explaining to Yin Xiaoya, "This one claims to be Emperor Yan's most loyal servant, fiercely independent and unyielding. He considers himself Emperor Yan's gatekeeper. Anyone who approaches must undergo his scrutiny. I swear, there's something wrong with his brain; why can't he be reasonable? If it weren't for the fact that his cultivation is similar to ours, we'd suspect his spiritual intelligence was incomplete."

"The cultivation is about the same as yours? Does that mean it's one of the five overlords?" Yin Xiaoya asked.

"It?" The Ghost-Faced Griffin King scoffed. "Those 'five overlords'—that's a title your human society invented, though I find it rather appealing. This one isn't among them. The five overlords each lead powerful tribes, while this fellow is a lone wolf. So, while his strength is comparable, he can't be called an overlord. Besides, he wasn't originally a resident of the Lava Mountains."

"Ah? It's not a soul beast born in a lava mountain?"

"This one hails from the Valley of Ten Thousand Insects, a paradise for insect-type soul beasts. While Emperor Yan evolved from the Red Jade Silkworm, which is also an insect, the Red Jade Silkworm prefers flames. No Red Jade Silkworm has ever been born in the Valley of Ten Thousand Insects. I have no idea what drew him here."

"So, it's not a flame-attributed soul beast? Wouldn't it cultivate very slowly here?" Yin Xiaoya asked.

The Ghost-Faced Griffin King shook his head. "Many insects in the Valley of Ten Thousand Insects lack specific elemental attributes. This one is exceptional among them. It can adapt its abilities to different environments, placing itself in a state that allows it to thrive, even evolving the elemental attributes of its surroundings. Therefore, environmental factors don't hinder its cultivation."

So that's how it is, Yin Xiaoya thought. Just like what Xiaoman said. The Jin'e Red Stag Beetle was indeed similar to Kuuga, possessing attributes that could shift based on its needs. No wonder it was so well-suited for unlocking that Rider.

At this point, trying to reason with the Jin'e Red Stag Beetle would be futile. They were wasting Emperor Yan's time standing around like fools.

"You can stay out of this. It's none of your business whether I have bad intentions. I advise you to not stand in my way, or you will suffer the consequences."

However, the beetle remained unmoved, stating flatly, "Humans harbor ill intentions and must not approach Emperor Yan. As its gatekeeper, I bear absolute responsibility for its safety."

Ugh. Yin Xiaoya was starting to understand the frustration that Yu Xiaogang often felt with others.

Blue flames danced around the restless Azure Phoenix King. The Ghost-Faced Griffin King stepped forward, saying to her, "Forget it. There's no reasoning with him. Let's go around."

But as they attempted to skirt the beetle, the Jin'e Red Stag Beetle instantly materialized in front of them. This time, even the normally even-tempered Ghost-Faced Griffin King lost his patience.

"Hey! Dung Beetle! Do you really think we're pushovers?"

As he spoke, the soul power of the three parties surged forth, colliding violently in the air.

The earlier clashes between the Ghost-Faced Griffin King and Azure Phoenix King had been enough to make the entire lava mountain tremble. Now, with the addition of the Jin'e Red Stag Beetle, and on Yandi Mountain itself, the commotion intensified dramatically.

Yin Xiaoya clearly felt the surrounding temperature spike. Looking down, he saw the mountain turning an even deeper shade of red. Bursts of roaring echoed from above, and he looked up to see magma spewing from the crater.

Perhaps concerned that the three were about to cause significant damage, Emperor Yan, who had remained silent within the mountain, finally intervened.

"Ommmmm…"

Accompanied by a deep humming, a gentle wave of soul power emanated from the mountain, effortlessly suppressing the commotion and abruptly forcing back the soul power of the three combatants.

"Red Armor, let them pass," an ethereal voice ordered.

It was a command from Emperor Yan. But before the Ghost-Faced Griffin King and Azure Phoenix King could express their relief, the Jin'e Red Stag Beetle stubbornly refused.

"I am sorry, Emperor Yan, but I will not allow a human to see you."

The operation felt very confusing. Wasn't this guy supposed to be Emperor Yan's biggest fan? What kind of fan disregards what their idol is saying? How was he supposed to deal with this?

"..."

Emperor Yan, clearly taken aback by the beetle's defiance, sighed wearily.

"If you continue to defy me, I will come out myself."

"No!" The Jin'e Red Stag Beetle became visibly agitated.

Yin Xiaoya found the reaction odd. It wasn't panic, but an almost fearful tension, as if something terrible would occur if Emperor Yan were to emerge.

"Very well," Emperor Yan continued. "In that case, let them enter. Do you truly believe that a human, who isn't even a soul master, poses a threat to me?"

"But Yandi, you…" The Jin'e Red Stag Beetle sounded desperate, his gaze toward Yin Xiaoya growing even more hostile. "I am willing to compromise and let him pass, but he must rely on his own strength to reach you. Emperor Yan, you cannot lift the Extreme Sky Flame Curtain for him. I will monitor him closely, and if he fails to proceed on his own, I will throw him out immediately."

Extreme Sky Flame Curtain? What the heck was that? Judging by the expressions of the Ghost-Faced Griffin King and Azure Phoenix King, it wasn't anything to scoff at.

"Bug! Don't push your luck! Believe it or not, I'll toss you off this mountain right now!" Azure Phoenix King yelled.

However, Emperor Yan's next words surprised them all.

"Very well, human, try to proceed on your own. You have already proven your inner strength by withstanding Cang Huang's Negative Heart Flame. Now, let me witness the limits of your physical body. If you succeed, I will command the Jin'e Red Stag Beetle to grant you one of your desires."

The Jin'e Red Stag Beetle, having received Emperor Yan's approval, readily agreed. "Okay! If he truly succeeds, I will grant him even ten of his desires."

"Did you hear that? It will grant your request. Well, I am waiting for you below, human."

With those words, Emperor Yan's voice faded, and the Jin'e Red Stag Beetle stepped aside. The Ghost-Faced Griffin King and Azure Phoenix King, however, remained wary.

"Boy, I recall you saying that you can withstand high temperatures. To what extent?" Azure Phoenix King asked.

Faced with the question, Yin Xiaoya hesitated. He didn't have a clear answer. He turned to Xiaoman for guidance.

[Based on the host's current Kamen Rider forms, the temperature resistance ranges as follows: Skull: 1,000 degrees; Amazon Alpha: 2,000 degrees; Meteor: 5,000 degrees.]

Yin Xiaoya responded honestly, "I can withstand temperatures up to 5,000 degrees."

"Hmph," the Jin'e Red Stag Beetle scoffed. "5,000 degrees? You call that a high temperature?"

The Ghost-Faced Griffin King and Azure Phoenix King exchanged grim glances.

"Boy, if you're limited to 5,000 degrees, you'll never pass through the Extreme Sky Flame Curtain. It lies beneath the magma layer, a mere meter thick, but its temperature reaches 10 million degrees. Even I can only withstand it for half a second using all my power. While enough to pass through, it would leave me utterly drained."

What? 10 million degrees? If such a thing existed, surely the entire volcano would have been vaporized!

The Ghost-Faced Griffin King continued, "The Extreme Sky Flame Curtain's temperature isn't noticeable until you touch it. Under normal circumstances, we can only enter after Emperor Yan lifts it. Also, a powerful restriction prevents spatial abilities from functioning within the curtain, rendering teleportation useless."

With the Ghost-Faced Griffin King's explanation, Yin Xiaoya felt lost. The Dragon Phantom in his body was partially unlocked, granting him a certain degree of magical ability. He had considered using his teleportation ring to bypass the danger, but this Extreme Sky Flame Curtain seemed insurmountable, even isolating space itself.

Yin Xiaoya was starting to feel frustrated. He had come to help, but instead, he was blocked in this ridiculous way. Even if he wanted the Red Jade Silkworm, this was too much to risk. He might as well give up.

"Ok?"

While pondering this, Yin Xiaoya was suddenly struck by a realization. He touched his chest, feeling a warm, soft presence through his clothes.

"Could it be…"

Yin Xiaoya glanced at the smug Jin'e Red Stag Beetle, then recalled Emperor Yan's earlier words. If he was right, the beetle had been tricked by Emperor Yan.

"Okay! No problem. I'll proceed on my own."

Hearing his sudden agreement, the Ghost-Faced Griffin King and Azure Phoenix King were surprised.

"Boy, are you sure you're alright?" the Ghost-Faced Griffin King asked.

Yin Xiaoya patted the griffin's feathers, then leaped towards the fiery abyss.

"Don't worry," he said, "As a Kamen Rider, I have plenty of tricks up my sleeve."

As he spoke, he jumped towards the volcanic crater.

With three Kamen Rider forms at his disposal, Yin Xiaoya had long surpassed the limitations of an ordinary human. Plus, he wore the Wizardriver around his waist. Even in its deactivated state, the magic power of the Dragon Phantom provided a subtle boost. The harsh environment at the summit barely fazed him.

Soon, he stood at the edge of the pass, where magma splashed all around. Were it not for what he knew, Yin Xiaoya would never have believed it was a crater. What kind of crater was so vast that its opposite rim was out of sight?

[The pass of Yandi Mountain is irregular and elliptical, with a maximum width of about four kilometers and a shortest width of three kilometers. The temperature of the uppermost magma is about 900 degrees, and the temperature increases as you go down. At the same time, the thickness of the magma will become more and more viscous, so it will become more and more difficult to move forward. The suggestion is that the host reduces consumption by switching between Rider forms.]

Xiaoman provided a detailed scan, along with a plan for navigating the dangerous terrain. The gist was to start with a form with lower heat resistance, switching to more resistant forms as the temperature and magma viscosity increased.

The three soul beasts had gathered beside him.

"Human, it's not too late to turn back. I'm telling you, your endurance won't be enough to even make it through the magma layer above, let alone the Extreme Sky Flame Curtain. The temperature at the bottom of the magma layer reaches 8,000 degrees, and after a depth of about one meter, the viscosity becomes like soil. It's impossible."

Yin Xiaoya glanced sideways, a hidden smile playing on his lips. He didn't respond, instead conveying his intentions with actions.

With a flash of light, the Wizardriver vanished, replaced by the crimson Lost Driver. In his hand appeared the Skull Memory, emblazoned with its iconic S-shaped skull.

[SKULL!]

"A Kamen Rider never says 'I can't do it.' So, keep your eyes peeled. Henshin!"

He inserted the memory into the driver and activated it.

[SKULL!]

As the transformation sequence began, a cascade of Gaia Memory fragments erupted from the belt, enveloping Yin Xiaoya.

The S-shaped mark on the forehead ignited with a brilliant purple light, as did the jet-black compound eyes. The wind scarf around his neck fluttered gently in the hot wind.

Kamen Rider Skull had arrived.