At the famous racing stadium in town, the motorcycle-based Triske Monster had already created a transparent dome around the stadium, trapping civilians inside in the process. Some managed to escape, thankfully. But there are more civilians trapped inside the dome, particularly racers preparing for a big race in the coming week.
The monster was challenging racers in the area in a death race.
"You got to be kidding me... We would race with that heck of a creature who doesn't even know the rules," one racer commented.
But before the others could agree to that or even retaliate, the trapped individuals saw that the dome released a surge of electricity coming from both the top of the dome and from the ground, as well. In the process, the victim's energy would be drained from them.
"So... no one would race against me, then? Either way, you won't win against me. I'm the fastest racer ever and none of you would be able to beat me to it," the monster gloated before cackling loudly.
"Just because you're a monster doesn't mean you're already the best there is."
The monster stopped cackling almost immediately and turned around to look for the source of those words. When he already found the person who turned out to be a racer who was still wearing his helmet---covering his face from the others, the monster approached the person and stopped just a few feet in front of him.
"Who do you think you are to say that to me, puny human?"
The masked racer could be heard scoffing. "Why? You can't accept that there's someone who's still better than you? I doubt you could beat that person at all. He wasn't called the racing world's Fire of the Fang just for the heck of it."
"Fire of the Fang?"
"He's not talking about...?"
But the monster just laughed sarcastically and faced the masked racer once more. "Fire of the Fang, huh? The nickname's not even that scary to hear. So where's this Fire of the Fang that you're talking about? Let me race with him and I'll prove it to you puny humans that no one can beat me to it."
"Do you think he would waste his time racing with the likes of you?" the masked racer taunted once more.
"Hey, Raisaki! What do you think you're doing?"
"Do you want to get electrocuted?"
"You're putting Hiwara in danger with what you're doing!"
"Then let this monster do it!" the masked racer who soon revealed himself as Raisaki Amuro upon removing the helmet dared with conviction. "That's the only thing it was good at, anyway. If it can't accept the truth that there's always someone better than this monster, it would electrocute anyone who it thinks would get in its way."
"You little---!" Before the monster could even stop itself, it ordered the dome to release surges of electricity to Amuro and several other racers inside.
None of the victims were able to avoid it, therefore electrocuting them and draining their energies. One by one, the affected humans collapsed to the ground. The remaining civilians trapped inside the dome only backed off and cowered in fear before running away from there, even if it was just to hide from that monster.
"Stop right there, Tarean!"
All of those who heard that, including the Triske Monster, turned to the source of it. But they didn't see anyone from that direction and the monster even had to look around wildly just to see the source of that voice. Soon after, the dome slowly showed signs of cracking before fully being destroyed, causing an explosion above the stadium. When the rage of the explosion dissipated, the monster saw five figures holding weapons.
"Ah. So the Seitengers have finally appeared."
As it turned out, it was indeed the Seitengers holding their weapons who appeared before the Triske Monster and the ones who destroyed the dome. But the warriors were surprised to see other people already unconscious and had collapsed to the ground. SeitenWater and SeitenEarth looked around and both of them were able to see a few more people hiding from the monster in some areas of the stadium.
SeitenWind and SeitenLight did what was necessary and approached the still conscious civilians to help them escape together with the affected humans that the Triske Monster attacked.
"Everyone! Run to the exit, okay? You're free now," SeitenLight said to the others.
"If you can, will you help us up carrying the other people that the monster had hurt earlier?" SeitenWind inquired as politely as she could.
Thankfully, some didn't hesitate to help as most of the attacked humans were their fellow racers who didn't want to deal with the Triske Monster. As for the other three Seitengers, they were the ones who dealt with the summoned Gargonema and the creature who soon introduced itself as the Triske Monster Motross.
"Motross? Somehow, I can feel that his name does fit him," SeitenWater couldn't help commenting as he dealt with the Gargonema surrounding him using the Shark Water Spear. Soon after, he began casting his attack as he spun the weapon. "Sacred Water Whirl!"
The spear was surrounded by a blue glow together with a water-like silhouette circling the blade. The spinning of the weapon allowed SeitenWater to cast it towards the Gargonema, destroying them all in that one attack.
"I guess Shuichi-san has to deal with a Triske Monster who does the same thing as he could," SeitenEarth said as he eyed the said red warrior who only replied with a shrug before fending off the Gargonema on his side. He soon charged his Tiger Earth Slasher with Hasureiki and cast his attack using it. "Sacred Earth Crash!"
Soon after, he stabbed his weapon hard at the group of Gargonema on his end and none of the enemies were able to avoid that. SeitenEarth made sure that no Gargonema would survive when he did that.
As for SeitenFire, he cast a fire spell towards the group of Gargonema that he was dealing with as soon as he split his Lion Fire Blade in two, thus forming twin swords. "Sacred Fire Helix!"
The spell was thrown towards the enemy and had even affected Motross when he leaped and spun around for the spell to cover more ground, to make sure that every enemy was dealt with. When SeitenFire landed on the ground, he looked around to check if there were any more civilians in the area. His sight soon landed on one area where he saw something that stiffened him because of shock.
"Amuro?"
When the other two Seitengers heard that, they followed the direction that SeitenFire was looking in and soon approached to confirm his suspicion. To their surprise, it was indeed Amuro who was among the unconscious racers in the area. The said racer's uncle Matsumoto Yushiro was the one helping SeitenWind and SeitenLight in evacuating the other civilians as the man carried Amuro just right after SeitenFire approached the other racer.
"You're kidding, right? Even Amuro got hurt," SeitenWater said as he approached the red warrior.
But that alone was enough for the blue warrior to sense something dangerous towards SeitenFire.
"This isn't good..." SeitenWater muttered as he faced SeitenEarth who just shrugged as if saying that it was something to be expected.
xxxxxx
"Are you sure we should be here, Tennouji-san? We could watch the battle from the lab, you know," Kanako said to Helen as they reached the rooftop of the tallest building near the racing stadium where the Tarean attack was currently happening.
But Helen didn't say anything for a while and Kanako understood the reason why. The said Vessel Support followed the direction where Helen was looking. She was surprised to see the number of victims even from her position.
"Something tells me that one of the Seitengers is about to gain something important from their battle with this Triske Monster," Helen said softly as she faced Kanako.
"What exactly is your purpose in coming to the Mizuhashi mansion?" Kanako bluntly questioned the girl who only eyed her blankly. "You seem to know a lot about the Tareans and the Vessels. It also appears that you're not just a normal Vessel Support to me if you really are one."
Moments later, Helen just smiled that caught Kanako off-guard for a little while before she eyed the stadium once more. "I guess I do give off a suspicious impression to most of you, huh?"
"Well, you can't help it if it was like that. You suddenly appeared to Erika-chan when you haven't even communicated with her for the past years since you two separated."
"You're wrong on that part," Helen immediately reacted. "Erika and I were communicating even after the fire. In fact, she was the one who first reached out to me, especially when Hideoki-san decided to take them in and raise them as his own children."
"Then... why didn't you appear to her if it was like that?"
Helen sighed and looked at the sky for a short while. But even from there, Kanako couldn't help noticing the girl's eyes seemed to have a deep sadness lingering in them.
"I have a different mission, one that keeps me away from home and from my friends most of the time." Soon after, Helen changed the subject of the conversation. "Though the Seitengers are indeed progressing, the worst has yet to come for them."
Kanako frowned at Helen's words, more on the last sentence rather than the sudden change of the topic. "What do you mean?"
"The fast progress of the Seitengers would soon force the Great Shadow Defenders to take actions on their own if this continues," Helen stated gravely.
Of course, Kanako was aware of the Dark Emperor's retainers and their possible abilities if she were to base it on the records she had read ever since she was young. But from the way Helen said those words, it seemed that the records didn't fully state the capabilities of their enemies. If that were the case, then the hard time was yet to come not just for the Seitengers, but to the rest of the people who were supporting the chosen Vessels.
The worst is yet to come...If that was the case, then... Kanako couldn't help thinking of those words over and over before facing the somber-looking Helen eyeing the racing stadium, as if observing the situation from there. This girl...
Just what was the extent of Helen's knowledge with regards to the Vessels and everything related to them? Though she could understand why Itsuki was suspicious of Helen from the start, for some reason Kanako could feel that there was something more than what Helen was telling her about the possible worst scenario that was about to come. But if this girl could help them defeat the enemy in any way at all, then perhaps...