Raiden's expression hardened.
The playful spark that once lived in his eyes was gone—replaced by pure focus. Lightning crackled around his body, crawling over his skin like living veins of blue fire. His eyes glowed, bright and electric, flashing with every pulse of power.
In an instant—FLASH.
Raiden vanished.
He reappeared midair, right in front of the armored man, twisting his body and delivering a lightning-charged kick straight into the man's chest armor.
BOOM.
The impact thundered through the building. The armored man was launched backward, smashing into a concrete wall so hard that cracks spiderwebbed across it. Dust and debris rained down.
The man staggered, stunned.
He hadn't expected this.
The man was in shock.
Before he could react—
FLASH.
Raiden appeared again, fist blazing with lightning.
He punched him directly in the face.
The blow was devastating.
The floor beneath them shattered as the armored man crashed down, his body sinking into broken concrete. Raiden didn't stop. He leapt high, spinning through the air, electricity spiraling around his leg.
A spinning lightning kick came down like judgment.
CRASH.
The armored man was driven through multiple floors, collapsing downward in a storm of rubble and dust.
Silence followed.
Raiden landed, breathing heavily. Sparks flickered weakly around him now. His shoulders rose and fell as exhaustion crept in—the cost of using such high output power.
Did I… win? he wondered.
Then—
VRRRRRMMMM.
A deep, mechanical charging sound echoed from below.
Raiden's eyes widened.
A massive energy beam erupted upward.
"—!!"
He dodged just in time as the beam tore straight through the ceiling, ripping through the top of the building and slicing the sky itself. Soldiers nearby froze in horror.
"RETREAT! MOVE BACK!" the commander shouted.
The building began to collapse.
Out of the smoke and chaos, the armored man launched himself forward using his tech boosters. He slammed into Raiden, grabbing him by the neck.
Before Raiden could react, the man ran—dragging him—then smashed him into another building.
Concrete exploded.
Still gripping Raiden's neck with his right hand, the armored man raised his left. Energy gathered in his palm, glowing brighter by the second.
Raiden struggled, clawing at his arm, electricity flickering weakly.
The man laughed—cold and hollow.
"It's over."
Suddenly—
SHRRK.
A crimson-red chain, thin like a needle, pierced straight through his armor.
"What—?!"
Before he could turn—
A massive scythe slashed through the air.
SLASH.
The armored man was sent flying, crashing violently across the ground.
A figure stood there.
White hair. Cold red eyes. No emotion.
He pulled the scythe back and rested it on his shoulder, then calmly placed it on his back.
Raiden stared, stunned.
The man turned and began to walk away without a word.
Raiden froze for a second, trying to process what he had just witnessed.
Then—
"HEY! Wait a minute—where're you going?!"
No response.
Raiden hurried after him. "Hey bro, I'm talking to you!"
"Shut up," the man replied without looking back. "And don't follow me."
"Hey! Don't be that rude," Raiden said. "I just wanted to say—that was amazing. You took him down in one attack."
Silence.
"Come on, man! Say something!"
The white-haired man suddenly stopped. In a blur, he grabbed Raiden by the shirt and pulled him close, eyes burning with quiet rage.
"Listen, you dumbass," he said coldly.
"I didn't forget what you did at the bar. Don't piss me off again… or I swear I'll kill you."
Raiden raised his hands quickly. "Whoa—whoa—hey, chill! I'm sorry, alright? I thought you could help me stop him."
"Tch."
"Well… now you can fuck off."
"Hey! Mind your language," Raiden shot back.
"And what are you gonna do about it?" the man replied.
Raiden didn't answer.
"Exactly," the white-haired man said, turning away again.
He took a step—
Then a broken, distorted voice echoed from behind them.
"It's… not over yet."
Raiden turned sharply.
The battle wasn't finished.
Raiden froze.
The armored man—steel-plated, dented, smoking—was still standing.
His boots scraped against the cracked road as he straightened himself, armor groaning like something alive and angry. Raiden's breath hitched.
"…How?" Raiden muttered, eyes wide. "How is he still standing after that?"
The answer came not in words, but in rage.
The armored man threw his head back and screamed, a raw, animal roar that shook the air. Energy surged through his suit, and with a violent motion he thrust his arm forward.
A massive blast beam erupted.
"MOVE!" Raiden shouted.
Raiden and the scythe-wielding, white-haired man dodged in opposite directions as the beam tore through the street. It didn't stop. It kept going—cars disintegrated, buildings cracked, glass exploded outward. People screamed as the wave of destruction chased them.
Raiden didn't think.
He vanished in a flash.
Lightning ripped across the street as Raiden appeared again and again—grabbing people, yanking them out of harm's way, pushing cars aside, pulling children from the beam's path seconds before it consumed everything behind them. Time blurred. His body screamed in protest.
When it was finally over, the beam faded into smoke and ruin.
Raiden stumbled.
He landed hard, knees buckling, breath ragged. He barely caught himself by gripping a street pole, his chest heaving as lightning flickered weakly around him.
"Hah… hah… hah…"
Nearby, the white-haired man slowly turned, scanning the wreckage—destroyed vehicles, shattered roads, terrified civilians.
"…You've really made a big mess here," he said calmly, his cold eyes locking onto the armored man. A small smirk curved his lips.
"Guess I have to kill you now."
The armored man laughed darkly.
Thin orange, glowing lines began appearing across his armor—along his arms, chest, legs—pulsing like veins as the suit charged.
With a thunderous step, he rushed forward.
The ground crashed beneath each step, concrete shattering as he closed the distance. He swung a massive punch, energy roaring around his fist—
—and missed.
The white-haired man dodged effortlessly.
Another punch. Miss.
Another. Miss.
The armored man unleashed a flurry of blows, but the white-haired man moved like a ghost—twisting, flipping, sliding between attacks. His movements were acrobatic, unpredictable, almost graceful.
Then—
BOOM.
A brutal uppercut smashed straight into the armored man's helmet.
Chains wrapped around the white-haired man's fist, glowing as the impact rang like metal being crushed by a hammer. He followed up instantly—
Punch.
Punch.
Punch.
A barrage slammed into the helmet, denting it deeper with every hit.
He finished with a powerful spinning kick.
The armored man was sent flying, crashing hard into the ground.
The white-haired man leapt high, scythe spinning in his hands. His face was cold, emotionless.
He was aiming for the head.
"STOP!"
Raiden grabbed the scythe mid-swing.
Metal screeched as lightning crackled between them.
The white-haired man's eyes widened. "You idiot! What are you doing?!"
Raiden strained, barely holding the weapon back. "We can't… kill him!"
"What is your problem?!" the man snapped. "Move or he's going to—"
"—OH SHIT!"
The armored man's chest glowed violently.
BOOOOM!
A massive explosion erupted.
At the last second, the white-haired man shoved Raiden out of the way and took the blast head-on.
Both of them were thrown across the street, slamming into the ground with bone-crushing force.
"Ugh—!"
Raiden groaned, rolling onto his side. His eyes snapped wide when he saw the white-haired man.
Half of his body was burned, armor and clothes melted, flesh blackened and smoking.
Raiden scrambled to him. "Hey—hey! Are you okay?!"
The man coughed weakly. "…You alright?"
Raiden's voice shook. "Why did you save me?!"
"…That's how you thank me?" the man muttered faintly.
"But—you could've saved yourself!" Raiden's voice broke, eyes filling with tears.
"Why did you do that…?"
He leaned forward, pressing his forehead against the man's chest, shoulders trembling.
"…Why did you do that…?"
"…Hold on" the man groaned. "Are you crying?"
"N-no! I—I'm not!" Raiden lied badly, sobbing harder.
The man sighed deeply. "You fucking idiot… Do you really think I saved your ass just to die?"
Raiden froze. "W-What?"
"I can regenerate," the man said weakly. "Stop sobbing like a baby and get your head off my chest."
Raiden snapped his head up instantly. "WAIT—so you're… not dying?"
"No. I'm not."
Raiden's face lit up instantly. He wiped his tears frantically.
"That's great! You really had me worried, bro!"
"…Well," the man muttered, eyes half-open, "now you should worry. Because that big bastard is coming straight at us."
Raiden turned.
The armored man was charging.
Raiden grabbed the white-haired man's hand, hoisted him onto his shoulder, and vanished in a flash just as the armored man slammed into the spot they'd been lying.
Punches followed—massive, destructive—but Raiden dodged every one, lightning snapping around his feet.
He jumped backward to create distance. "Are you okay?"
"No," the man hissed. "That fucking hurts."
"Sorry!" Raiden said quickly. "I'll put you somewhere safe. How long till you recover?"
"…An hour."
"That long?!"
"Depends on the injury."
"…Alright," Raiden said firmly. "Then let's go somewhere safe."
Repulsor blasts fired toward them.
Raiden weaved through them effortlessly, grinning despite his exhaustion. "Easy!"
"Stop showing off…" the man muttered dizzily. "You're making my head spin."
"Sorry—just deal with it a little."
Raiden ran straight up the side of a building, wall-cracking under his feet. At the rooftop, he gently lowered the man down.
"Rest. I'll handle him."
The man's eyes fluttered. "The other heroes… still not here?"
"No," Raiden said softly. "Guess they weren't informed."
"…Always," the man smirked faintly.
"…Can you defeat him?" he asked weakly. "He's too powerful."
Raiden smiled. "Of course I will."
The man chuckled. "Maybe you will…"
His eyes closed.
Raiden looked at him for a moment, relieved—then turned.
Below, he spotted a vending machine.
With the last of his strength, Raiden flashed down, barely stopping in front of it. He walked weakly and slowly slammed a button, grabbed a can, and drank it all in one go.
Lightning erupted around him.
Power surged back into his body.
Raiden wiped his mouth, tossed the empty can into the trash without looking—and vanished in a thunderous flash.
The armored man laughed loudly among the crowd.
"WHERE are your so-called heroes?!" he roared. "I can't see them!"
He grabbed a small child by the shirt, lifting him off the ground.
"Tell me, kid," he snarled. "Where are your heroes?"
"NO!" the child's mother screamed, struggling against the people holding her back.
"Please—leave him! He's just a kid!"
"Don't go!" someone shouted. "He'll kill you!"
The armored man's hand began to charge.
"Tell me."
(Scene shifts—
A flash racing through traffic, dodging cars, lightning screaming.)
(Scene returns.)
"WHO'S GOING TO SAVE YOU?!"
His hand pointed straight at the child's face.
The child screamed.
"NOOOO!!!" his mother cried.
CRAAACK!
A massive lightning strike smashed into the armored man's face.
His helmet shattered completely.
He was sent flying, crashing far across the street.
Raiden stood there, holding the child safely in his arms.
The child slowly opened his eyes.
Raiden smiled warmly. "You're alright, buddy."
The child nodded, trembling. "Th-thank you…"
Raiden grinned and gave him a big thumbs-up and gently set him down.
The mother rushed forward, hugging her son tightly, sobbing.
The armored man groaned, blood dripping from his face. He lifted his head, adjusting his broken nose.
His helmet was gone.
A bald man stared up— pale skin, scarred scalp, stitches running across his head, eyes burning with hatred.
Raiden walked toward him.
His cap cast dark shadows over his eyes.
Lightning crawled along his arm as he clenched his fist.
The air itself trembled.