Honkai: Star Rail — Kamen Rider! [37]

FangJoker.

A transitional form just before Kamen Rider W's ultimate transformation, and one centered around Philip as the primary axis.

After transformation, its visual contrast—black and white—was stark, jagged armor plating flaring across the body like protruding fangs, radiating raw aggression.

And it wasn't just the appearance—anyone could tell from a glance that the combat style had changed.

After assuming the FangJoker form, Robin immediately noticed how oddly Sora was moving as he charged forward.

He's running like… some kind of wild animal.

That thought alone filled her with unease—especially paired with the words he'd said just moments earlier:

"If I lose control, take me down."

So this form—was unstable.

And instability meant power that couldn't be fully controlled. Power that could hurt not just enemies, but the user too.

Normally, such a state wouldn't be deployed unless properly stabilized. But Sora had chosen to force it—for their sake.

Robin bit her lip, eyes fixed on the figure sprinting ahead. Her emotions tangled into a single name:

Sora.

Black and white fused as he moved through the ruins, weaving like a flash of instinct through twisted wreckage—unstoppable.

He rushed straight for Zulo.

The former Lord Ravager stood unmoving, face unreadable.

"I'm just a fragment of reawakened consciousness," Zulo said flatly. "But even in this form, you cannot defeat me on this battlefield."

Here—on this planet—Zulo was near-invincible.

To him, not even the elite of the Antimatter Legion had been difficult to suppress. Compared to them, Sora's armor—while eye-catching—was hardly a threat.

Even the Doomsday Beast posed more danger. Forged from the planet's own life and infused with a sliver of Nanook's power, its existence had weight.

But this black-and-white humanoid form—despite its wild appearance—was still bound by its form. Still limited.

"Unless you're at Emanator level," Zulo declared, "you won't even scratch me."

He had already calculated the odds. As a former general of the Antimatter Legion, battlefield analysis came as naturally as breathing.

And so, after his judgment, he concluded: Sora's effort was meaningless.

"If you're that eager to die, I'll start with you."

Zulo raised a hand, preparing to unleash gravitational pressure tenfold—enough to crush a body to paste in an instant.

But in the same moment, Sora—midair—sensed it.

He twisted his body.

BOOM!

Compressed air detonated around him with explosive force.

But Sora was already moving again, unshaken, unfazed.

"…What?"

Zulo blinked. That shouldn't have happened.

His gravitational zone had locked onto Sora's trajectory. He shouldn't have dodged that.

And yet—

Now up close, Sora launched into a relentless flurry of attacks.

Fists. Kicks. Knees. Elbows. Claws—

Every part of his body became a weapon. If the armor had a mouth, he would've used his teeth.

Each blow radiated primal fury—untamed, unhindered by human logic. His movements were no longer those of a fighter, but of a beast unleashed.

Unfortunately, all his strikes crashed against an orange energy barrier.

The same kind of shield that had once surrounded the War Foundry—it kept every attack out, unbroken.

But Zulo, watching, was still a little surprised.

"Interesting… but that's all."

With Sora so close, the margin for evasion was gone.

He can't dodge now.

Zulo activated a wide-area gravity field.

But once again—Sora sensed it coming.

He leapt back, fast as lightning.

CRACK!!

Within a five-meter radius centered on Zulo, the ground was flattened.

All rubble crushed. Stone turned to dust.

But Sora? Unscathed.

FangJoker's reflexes were beyond anything Zulo had calculated.

Landing on all fours, Sora sprinted away with terrifying agility, already circling around again.

Zulo fell silent.

The first miss could've been attributed to carelessness.

But the second?

That shouldn't have been possible.

He had felt it—his gravity had caught Sora.

And yet, the boy had slipped free in the blink of an eye.

"…Fascinating," Zulo murmured.

His tone shifted. There was interest now—true curiosity.

Sora hadn't even touched him, yet the sheer unpredictability—the beast-like awareness and explosive tactics—sparked something dormant.

He wanted to see just how far this strange Rider could go.

And that power… it doesn't feel like it's from this world. Feels like… another planet entirely…

From a distance, Robin watched with breath caught in her throat—equal parts awe and fear.

She feared for Sora. And yet she couldn't deny it:

He was dodging Zulo's attacks. Things even the Doomsday Beast couldn't withstand—he slipped through them like water.

But Zulo remained untouched. And this form—how long could Sora hold it?

The answer came quickly.

He moved.

With his right hand—the white side—he tapped the Fang Memory twice.

"[SHOULDER FANG]!"

A curved white blade extended from his shoulder. Sora grabbed it and hurled it forward.

The crescent blade tore through the air, a sharp shriek trailing behind it.

Its path was unpredictable—unnatural. Almost like it was being guided by will.

Zulo narrowed his eyes.

He raised a repulsion field—instantly creating a vacuum around himself.

Air, dust, and debris were repelled. The space around him became a void.

Even with partial power, he could still command this planet's gravity and repulsion forces.

No mere projectile should've made it through—

But then—

Zulo saw it.

The crescent blade pierced the vacuum. It didn't stop. It didn't deflect.

It flew straight toward him.

Impossible.