The knight led Akiba Blue through the ruins of the kingdom, their path illuminated only by scattered torches and the distant glow of burning villages.
"My name is Sir Arvel," the knight introduced solemnly. "I am sworn to defend what remains of this land from the Legion of the Crimson Fang."
Blue, still limping, nodded weakly. "I'm… Akiba Blue. Well, technically, Mitsuki Aoyagi, but—uh… forget it."
Arvel glanced at him with a faint smirk. "Blue it is, then. You fight awkwardly, but your spirit is fierce. That spirit will be tested."
---
The Village Under Siege
The two arrived at a village where terrified survivors huddled together. Children cried, their mothers trying to calm them. Men sharpened whatever crude weapons they could find.
Blue's chest tightened. He wasn't used to this. He wasn't supposed to be here. Akihabara had been silly, bright—even when they fought monsters, it was never this real.
A loud horn echoed across the night. The Crimson Fang had come.
Dozens of armored beasts stormed the fields—grotesque hybrids of demon and soldier, their red eyes glowing in unison.
The villagers trembled. Even Arvel seemed tense.
Blue swallowed hard. His legs wanted to run, but something stronger held him in place. He thought of the little girl he saved, of his friends scattered across worlds.
"I can't… just stand here."
---
Blue in Battle
With a shaky breath, Blue raised his fists. "UNOFFICIAL… BATTLE MODE, ACTIVATE!"
His transformation aura flickered weakly—it wasn't flashy or powerful like the Riders or Sentai he'd admired. But he charged anyway.
He fought clumsily but desperately, striking soldiers with wild punches and spinning kicks. Every impact sent pain up his limbs, but he refused to stop.
"Stay away from them!" he shouted, blocking a blade with his forearm, sparks flying.
The villagers watched in awe. This strange blue warrior, clearly unskilled, fought with everything he had to defend them.
Still, the enemy pressed harder. A massive beast—twice the size of the others—emerged, its weapon a fiery halberd. It swung, striking Blue with devastating force. He crashed into the dirt, suit sparking, his visor nearly shattered.
He couldn't move. His strength was gone.
The monster raised its weapon to finish him.
---
The Power Within
"No…" Blue whispered. His vision blurred. "Not here… not like this…"
Images flashed in his mind. Akiba Red's speeches about passion. Akiba Yellow's laughter. Nyara's determination. Eternal's unyielding defiance.
He remembered the girl he saved. The villagers who now looked to him.
A voice echoed within his chest—not Arvel's, not anyone else's. It was his own.
"Even unofficial heroes… can become real."
His broken visor glowed. His suit blazed with radiant blue light, arcs of energy swirling around him. The aura of parody was gone—replaced by something sharper, stronger, more real.
Arvel gasped. "What is this…?"
Blue staggered to his feet. His suit reformed, armor plating shifting into a sleeker design. His visor became sharper, resembling a knight's helm. A glowing blue crest burned on his chest: Akiba Blue Knight Form.
Blue clenched his fists, power surging through him. "No more running. No more doubting. I am Akiba Blue… and I'll protect them!"
---
The Knight's Duel
The giant beast roared and swung its halberd. Blue met the strike head-on, catching the weapon mid-swing. Sparks exploded as he forced it back with sheer will.
He spun, delivering a roundhouse kick wreathed in blue fire. The monster staggered.
"BLUE KNIGHT STRIKE!!!"
Energy surged into his arm as he delivered a blazing punch straight into the creature's chest. A shockwave erupted, sending flames across the battlefield.
The beast roared one last time before exploding into shards of crimson light.
Silence fell. The villagers cheered, voices rising in hope for the first time in months.
Blue stood tall, chest heaving, his new form flickering but holding strong.
Arvel approached, placing a hand over his heart in salute. "You are no parody, Blue. You are a knight in your own right."
Blue's eyes welled with tears beneath his visor. He clenched his fists tighter. "…Maybe I really can be a hero."
---
To be continued…