Honkai: Star Rail — Kamen Rider! [39]

Even though "Triple Crane Wings" was a name Sora had just made up on the spot, the damage it dealt was very real.

He caught the returning spinning blades midair, each one gleaming with a deadly, icy sheen.

Those blades cut through the swirling black mist that made up Zulo's body—leaving behind three deep gashes.

And through the rift, Sora finally caught a glimpse of what lay beneath.

A fragment, beating like a heart.

And now, visibly scarred by his attack.

Zulo's aura wavered sharply, weakening in an instant before stabilizing again.

But he wasn't slow to react.

The earth around them erupted—jagged spires bursting upward like a forest of spears, surging toward Sora.

But Sora's instincts flared. Even before the ground split, he had already leapt into the air.

"You're in the air now," Zulo said coolly. "Let's see how you dodge this."

With nothing to push off of, Sora was a sitting duck—just a target hanging in midair.

Robin and Anna both realized the danger. Their hands clenched tight as they watched the stone spikes soften mid-flight and curve like tendrils, aiming for Sora's vital points.

But—

"[Fang: Arm Fang]."

Crescent blades formed along his arms.

As the spikes closed in, Sora met them with pure instinct.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

Silver arcs slashed through the air as Fang's bladed gauntlets clashed against the living spears. Sparks flew as stone and steel met.

Chunks of rock rained to the ground, but the earth below kept churning—more and more attacks surging upward.

Yet Sora moved with impossible grace, weaving through the barrage like a beast in flight.

Every slash found its mark, deflecting each strike. And he used the rebound force to redirect himself, zigzagging through the assault to avoid being surrounded.

"He's using the enemy's attacks to leap off of?" Robin gasped.

Without the ability to fly, the air is a trap—a place with no footing, no escape.

But Sora had made the impossible possible: using his enemy's attacks as stepping stones.

And to do that required more than just instinct.

It demanded vision. Judgment. Reflexes. Physical prowess.

Fall short in even one, and you'd be impaled before you ever touched the ground.

But not Sora. He danced among death like it was second nature.

Which could only mean…

"His mind's returned!"

Such precise movement was impossible through instinct alone.

Robin's heart swelled with relief—but she buried the emotion deep down, not wanting to distract him.

Zulo, too, realized what had changed.

He could still read primal instinct. Still counter wild patterns.

But now—with intellect back in play—Sora had become unpredictable.

Earlier, Fang had been used like a basic projectile. But with reason guiding instinct?

That was how Sora had pierced his core.

"…Shame you didn't finish it just now," Zulo muttered.

Had Sora struck a little harder, Zulo's hastily constructed body might've collapsed on the spot.

But war had no do-overs. Missed chances were gone forever.

Zulo narrowed his focus, determined to eliminate the threat.

But Sora had already made his move.

"[Fang]!"

"[Metal]!"

Kamen Rider W — FangMetal.

Silver surged across his body, consuming the deep violet.

In this ruined battlefield, he looked like a radiant streak of hope.

Because Sora didn't require a two-person transformation—he only needed to endure the burden of one body, one mind.

And though he still felt a bit dazed, he could hold this form—but not for long.

This would have to be quick.

He triggered Fang again.

This time, the blades didn't form on just one side. Both shoulders and forearms sprouted crescent edges.

And this time—Sora didn't dodge.

He charged.

A silver meteor streaking toward the densest wave of spikes.

"Is he… throwing himself into it?" Zulo frowned. "Fine by me."

From the sidelines, it looked like suicide.

But Sora's intent ran deeper than that.

To most, the field of spikes was a wall of death.

But to FangMetal Sora, they were obstacles to be shattered.

Every movement was fueled by instinct, eyes sharp as razors, locking onto each twitch of the ground.

It was as if he could sense the rhythm of the earth itself—knew where every spike would rise.

Blade met stone.

Every strike cleaved clean through, leaving only rubble.

Sora's pace only increased—his form blurring into a silver bolt.

His burning red eyes surged forward like a vengeful spirit.

Robin, watching, clenched her fists.

He's going to win—!

Shink! Shink!

Two final spikes fell.

Sora broke through—standing before Zulo, just meters away.

Zulo stared at him, stunned.

He… got through.

"Too bad," Zulo sneered. "That was just bait."

The ground surged again—like a tide suddenly reversing.

The terrain collapsed like parting waves, ready to swallow him whole.

In this domain, Zulo was god.

But then—

PING.

A silver light flared from beneath Sora's feet.

Time stopped.

The surging earth froze mid-motion, suspended like a paused video.

Anna looked down, startled.

The light came from the silver bullet at her throat—the royal crest.

It glowed on its own, without her command.

This power…

Zulo's voice twisted with recognition.

"Damn you—Galaxy Rangers again!"

The force that had frozen the battlefield came from the lingering wills of fallen Galaxy Rangers.

They had remained dormant, waiting for this one moment—to intervene.

"A feint is a good tactic," Sora said. "But have you considered what happens after you overextend?"

With a snap, he swapped Memories.

"[Fang]!"

"[Trigger]!"

Kamen Rider W — FangTrigger.

Blue replaced silver, and the armor's jagged spikes retracted.

Without pause, he snapped Fang again.

CLICK CLICK CLICK.

"[Fang! Maximum Drive!]"

Two massive crescent blades grew from his arms like longbow limbs.

He drew them back—pulling light and energy from the very ground.

A gleaming silver arrow formed.

Zulo struggled.

Too late.

The frozen ground bound him in place.

This single hesitation… sealed his fate.

"[Fang Screwdriver!]"

WHOOSH.

The arrow shrieked through the air like a drill—within it, a dinosaur head bared its fangs.

Zulo looked up. For the first time, he reacted.

"You… You're just like the Galaxy Rangers. Disgusting."

RAWR!

The dino-headed arrow bit down, tearing through the black mist and sinking into the fragment at Zulo's core.

CRACK. CRACK. CRACK.

The shard fractured under the pressure.

Sora spoke with a smirk:

"Sorry. If I make you sick, I take that as a compliment."

If causing pain to his enemies meant victory—then let it hurt.

The arrow dissolved.

The fragment clattered to the ground, shattered.

But above, the mist gathered again—Zulo's face reformed one last time.

"…You think it's over?" he said softly. "You've only defeated a sliver of my mind."

"The planet's awakening cannot be stopped. My resurrection is inevitable."

"A final warning—if you take that bullet, you'll only hasten this planet's end."

"As for launching it again?"

He chuckled darkly.

"You really think there's anything left of its power after thousands of years?"

"All I'll say is this—five days from now…"

"Doomsday comes."

But Sora wasn't moved.

He stepped forward until they were face to face.

"Dead men shouldn't keep saying 'mama mia.'"

He raised a finger, gently tapped Zulo's forehead.

"You're just making yourself look cute."

Flick.

The wind from his finger blew the smoke away.

Silence settled over the battlefield.

Sora stood there for a moment—then sighed deeply.

And canceled his transformation.

"Sora!"

Robin and Anna came sprinting toward him.

He turned, trying to lift his arm to wave—

But his body had other plans.

Dizziness surged through him. His limbs trembled.

He was at his limit.

He staggered once, twice—then began to collapse.

But—

He didn't hit the ground.

A massive, gentle shape caught him mid-fall.

He looked up through bleary eyes.

It was the Doomsday Beast—battered, barely standing—but carefully, tenderly helping him sit down.

Such a huge creature… moving so delicately.

Sora blinked.

"…Thanks."

He offered a faint smile—

And slumped against the earth, unconscious.