Dust still drifted through the academy corridors.
The blaring alarms mixed with the fading screams of students running farther and farther away. Yet, in the middle of all that chaos, there was one spot that felt unnaturally quiet.
Reindhardt stood still.
In front of him, the massive arm of a Hyonan pushed deeper into the building, tearing through walls and crushing the floor as if they were nothing more than fragile paper.
GRRRAAAAAHHH!!
The monster's roar shook the air itself.
But Reindhardt didn't move back.
He simply exhaled slowly… then slipped one hand into his pocket.
From within, he pulled out an object.
A phone.
At first glance, it looked completely ordinary—nothing more than a standard device. No special markings. No visible enhancements.
But the moment it rested in his palm—
The screen lit up on its own.
A soft bluish-white glow emerged, forming shifting patterns—like living code constantly rearranging itself.
[SYSTEM: LINK ESTABLISHED]
[ARMOR SYNC: READY]
Reindhardt stared at it with a calm, almost bored expression.
"…took you long enough," he muttered.
A faint mechanical voice echoed from the device.
"Unit Reindhardt. Synchronization authorized. Compatibility: 98%."
He raised the phone slightly.
"Begin."
In an instant—
Light erupted from his hand.
SHHHRRRNNNNG!!
Particles of energy burst outward, spiraling around his body at incredible speed. They moved like invisible fragments of metal assembling themselves under precise control.
From his feet upward, armor began to form.
Layer by layer—
Solid.
Dense.
From his legs to his chest, the suit materialized fully—far heavier and more imposing than any ordinary combat gear. It resembled a tokusatsu-style battle suit, but more advanced, more mechanical… alive with power.
Streams of blue and red light flowed across its surface like circulating energy.
Shoulder guards locked into place.
Gauntlets formed around his hands.
Then—
A helmet sealed over his head.
The armor was complete.
—
From the distance, Ranshia, still guiding students to safety, caught a glimpse of the sudden flash.
Her eyes widened.
"…that's him…"
—
Back at the courtyard—
The massive Hyonan crawled forward, crushing everything in its path as it advanced toward him.
But now—
What stood before it was no longer just a student.
Reindhardt raised his hand.
The phone he had been holding—
began to change.
CRRRK—SHHHH!!
The screen shattered into fragments of light.
The body of the device extended, reshaping into a grip.
Energy from the core embedded in his chest surged outward, flowing into his hand and merging with the transforming object.
Within seconds—
A sword was born.
Its blade was long and black, edged with shifting, multicolored light. The same flowing patterns from his armor pulsed along its surface like a heartbeat.
It didn't look heavy.
But the pressure it emitted—
was overwhelming.
The air around it trembled.
Reindhardt gripped the sword with both hands.
"…this feels better," he said casually.
The Hyonan roared and lunged forward.
Its massive arm swung down with brutal force—
PRUUUKKHHH!!!
The courtyard floor shattered on impact.
But—
Reindhardt was already gone.
He had evaded the strike effortlessly.
In a flash, he dashed forward—
Then leapt.
In a single motion, he landed on top of the monster's arm.
Without hesitation—
He swung.
SHHHRAAAKKK!!
One strike.
Clean.
The Hyonan's arm was severed instantly.
Thick green and dark red fluid burst outward, spraying across the battlefield as the creature let out a deafening scream of pain.
From afar, Ranshia froze.
"…one slash?"
Reindhardt landed lightly on the ground.
He flicked his blade to the side, shaking off the blood.
"Low rank," he muttered.
The Hyonan staggered backward, its massive body trembling—
But then—
The severed arm began to regenerate.
Flesh twisted. Bone reformed. The limb slowly grew back as if nothing had happened.
Reindhardt raised his sword again.
His gaze sharpened behind the visor.
"…damn," he muttered.
"Looks like I'll need some help."