Unlock Kamen Riders in Douluo's Way Ch 52

"Brother Xiaoya and Teacher Su Xuan are safe. The evil soul master has been wiped out by Brother Xiaoya."

After closing the batta candroid, Fang Xin released a long breath, her face still etched with fear. Around her, others mirrored her expression—a collective sigh of relief after surviving a brush with death.

They now understood the danger they'd been in when they'd encountered those corpses. They'd been targeted by the evil soul master, and had Su Xuan not made an excuse to lure them away, their fates would have been grim.

Yet that thought brought a ripple of anger through the teachers. They expressed their displeasure at Su Xuan for undertaking such a dangerous solo mission without authorization. How could they know whom to protect when she, a supposed protector, had willingly put herself in harm’s way?

Tang Wu observed the scene, nudging Xiao San. "Do you think she did it to protect us?" she whispered.

Xiao San sighed, his silence speaking volumes.

"Whoa!! Slow down! Slow down!!"

A voice shattered the tense atmosphere. A crying girl clung precariously to a cluster of mechanical octopuses soaring out of the lava mountain.

Tang Wu's eyes widened. "Hey, isn't that what we rode on before?"

Fang Xin immediately recognized them. "It's Brother Xiaoya's tako candroids!"

Moments later, the tako candroids touched down in front of them, gently depositing their sobbing passenger just a meter above the ground before reverting to their canned forms. The girl landed on her rear with a thump.

"Ouch! That hurt! Couldn’t you be a little gentler...? Oh? Who are you?"

The girl, noticing the group surrounding her, shrank back, her voice laced with timidity.

"That's what we want to know. Why do you have Brother Xiaoya's canned octopus?" Fang Xin asked, gesturing to the neatly arranged cans.

The girl blinked. "So that weirdo's name is Xiaoya."

Fang Xin’s brow furrowed. "Weird?"

As if given an opening to vent, the girl launched into a tirade. "Isn't he a weirdo? What's with your friend? His Martial Soul looks fierce, and he's so irritable! Doesn't know how to treat a girl. Just threw me up in the air! Look, both my knees are bruised!"

Ma Hongjun’s eyes gleamed, a mischievous idea forming in his mind. But before he could crack a lewd grin, Tang Wu cuffed him on the head.

"Fatty, if you keep thinking about that, I'll throw you into the ecological zone myself," she threatened.

He rubbed his head, aggrieved. "How do you know what I'm thinking? Can you read my mind?"

"I…" Tang Wu stammered, unable to articulate her reasons. Her face flushed crimson.

Fang Xin, still trying to make sense of the girl’s words, picked up on something odd. "What did you say? A red lizard?"

"Yeah! A really scary one! It can split people in half with one swipe. As ferocious as a piranha. And... it eats human flesh and drinks human blood! I saw it with my own eyes."

Her description grew increasingly outlandish, and the Shrek party exchanged uneasy glances. The Yin Xiaoya they knew was nothing like the monster she described.

Fang Xin suspected exaggeration. "If he eats human flesh and drinks human blood, why did he help you?"

"Uh... well, he said he was a good guy, and that he'd killed an evil soul master."

The mention of the evil soul master confirmed their suspicions: Yin Xiaoya had been involved. The "red lizard" was likely a new Kamen Rider form. Satisfied with their deduction, they dismissed the girl.

"Alright, you're safe now. Go find your companions."

Hearing about her companions, the girl’s expression soured. "Forget it. They don't care about me. They thought I was slowing them down and left me behind."

Seeing that they had lost interest in her, the girl’s eyes welled up with tears of self-pity. "It's so unfair... No one wants to hear me cry or complain..."

Just then, her stomach growled loudly. The ordeal in the lava mountain had taken its toll, and now that the tension had broken, her hunger surged. She instinctively reached for her satchel, then remembered: bullies had stolen her food, sneering that she wouldn't need it.

Anger ignited her soul power. Spreading her palms, a fragrant sausage materialized in her hand. With a fierce expression, she devoured it.

"Just because I'm a food-type Soul Master doesn't mean I don't need balanced nutrition! One day, I, Astra, will show you all that food-type Soul Masters can't be trifled with!"

"Smells good!"

"Ah! What are you doing?! You scared me!"

Astra jumped as Ma Hongjun suddenly appeared beside her. The fatty stared at the sausage in her hand, his eyes glazed with hunger.

"Is your Martial Soul a sausage? That's awesome! Can... can I have a taste?"

Ma Hongjun swallowed, his stomach rumbling. Since leaving the academy, Yin Xiaoya, with the tacit approval of the teachers, had been strictly controlling his diet. He hadn't tasted oily meat in days. The sudden, intense aroma was pure torture.

It was ecstasy, and he clearly felt the smell of the sausage in Astra's hand, which not only stimulated his taste buds, but also activated the soul power in his body. Not only him, but everyone who had just walked away was also attracted by the smell of her sausage.

"Sister! Do you know what my greatest wish in life is?"

Seeing the desperation in Ma Hongjun’s eyes, Astra recoiled. "What? What is it?"

Ma Hongjun seized her shoulder. "To find someone with a food-type Martial Soul and become their sworn brother!"

"Get away from me, you pervert!" Astra’s face darkened, and she kicked him.

Ma Hongjun crumpled to the ground, clutching his stomach. Fang Xin covered her face, signaling Xiao San and Tang Wu to help the fat man up.

"Fatty, I told you, no oil and water," Tang Wu scolded.

Xiao San nodded. "We're watching you. Master said, if you break the rules, I get your transformation device."

"Why are you always after my transformation device!" Ma Hongjun flailed. "The sausage isn't oily! It won't make me fat! Teachers, everyone! Please, just one bite! Look at it—big and long and smells so good! Pure ecstasy!"

"Alright! Alright! You’re embarrassing yourself," a teacher said. Xiao San and Tang Wu were struggling to contain him, and the adults couldn't stand it any longer. They approached Oscar, offering apologetic smiles.

"Please... wait a moment." Oscar stopped them. "You're his friends. I have nothing to repay, but if you don't mind, try my Martial Soul. Especially under the influence of my first soul skill, it not only satisfies hunger but also heals injuries and restores soul power. And you won't get fat, unless you're already fat."

Astra activated her soul power, a yellow ring swirling around her. "I have a big sausage!" she shouted, then shyly handed over the steaming treats.

"Thanks... pfft…" Tang Wu covered her mouth, tears welling in her eyes as she struggled not to laugh.

Ma Hongjun didn't care about appearances. He devoured the sausage, the savory juices exploding in his mouth, nourishing both his body and his soul power.

"Wow! This is amazing!" Tears streamed down his face. He grabbed Astra’s shoulder again. "From today on, you're my brother... or sister? How old are you?"

"Get lost!" Astra’s face darkened, and she raised her leg.

As the younger students bickered, the teachers tasted the sausages and exchanged surprised glances.

"A food-type Martial Soul can do this?"

"The energy is incredible, and it heals, both inside and out. And that’s just the first soul skill?"

"Her Martial Soul isn't simple. This girl has something special."

"Maybe she should…"

"I think it's worth considering. She said her peers rejected her."

The teachers looked at Astra, now chatting with Fang Xin and the others.

Just then, a group of Soul Master Guild members arrived, alerted to the presence of evil soul masters. They soon learned that the Shrek group had already taken care of the problem.

The leader zeroed in on a key phrase: "Wait! Kamen Rider? Are you talking about the Kamen Rider?"

The Shrek party exchanged glances. They didn’t understand the Guild’s excitement, but they confirmed that Kamen Rider had indeed eliminated the evil soul master.

To their surprise, the Guild leader's skeptical demeanor vanished, replaced by respect.

"If it's that Kamen Rider, it's no surprise. Are you his friends?"

A teacher frowned. "Why do you ask? What are you implying?"

The Guild leader waved his hands. "Don't misunderstand. I'm Liu Zhou, from the local Guild. A few days ago, did you pass a forest blocked off because of evil soul masters?"

The Shrek members nodded.

"That's right! Mr. Kamen Rider eliminated the evil soul master there, and he rescued two disciples of the Sword God Academy. Lord Sword Douluo is here in person." He paused, then continued, "Lord Sword Douluo didn't reveal the savior's identity, but his disciples said that this person claims to be Kamen Rider and asked us to treat him well if we met him."

The Shrek party recalled Yin Xiaoya’s mysterious “hat shopping trip.” They realized he must have been dealing with the evil soul master. And to think, he rescued disciples from the Sword God Academy! The Dean, Chen Xin, was a level 97 Titled Douluo. Even the Pope of the Martial Soul Hall had to show him respect. And his Sword God Academy, despite its small size, boasted a formidable number of swordsmen. Had it not been for its self-imposed rule of non-participation, it would have rivaled the Shrek Noumenon Sect.

Yin Xiaoya had earned significant favor.

"Uh… Where is Mr. Kamen Rider now? Our general association would be honored to have him as a guest."

"My senior is still in the lava mountain range," Ma Hongjun said proudly. "He said he’d be back in a couple of days. If you want to pay your respects to Kamen Rider, you'll have to treat me well too!"

"Are you a Kamen Rider too?" Liuzhou looked confused.

A Shrek teacher pulled the fat man aside. "Ignore him. We'll be in town for a couple of days. When your Mr. Kamen Rider returns, we'll relay your message. Whether he agrees to meet you is his decision, not ours."

"Of course. Please, everyone, all your expenses for the next two days are on the Soul Master Guild."

He personally escorted the Shrek party back to town, Astra tagging along, still bewildered.

Meanwhile, at the Sword God Academy…

"Chen Xin greets the Sect Leader."

The other party hastily intervened. "No, no, Uncle Jian, you don’t have to do that. We agreed there’s no need for such formality."

Chen Xin smiled calmly. "The rules must be observed."

The young man shook his head, then addressed a boy of twelve or thirteen standing behind him. "Longlong, come greet Grandpa Jian."

The boy stepped forward, bowing respectfully. "Ning Longlong greets Grandpa Jian."