Izuku then turned around, facing back toward the large open field.
His right hand was still holding on to the softball that he was supposed to throw, but... he used that same digitized aura on the ball...
And the ball began to float by itself beside him!
"Now then..."
He held up his right arm, the same digitized aura enveloped it... before he swiped his right hand wide—!
Rows after rows of small USB-like devices began to materialize in the air! They lined up neatly, suspended in perfect formation, as if waiting for him to make his choice...!
"Hmm~, now what to pick here..."
He skimmed through the hovering selection of Flash Drives, scanning each one as if flipping through a personal wardrobe, searching for the perfect fit for the occasion...
"Ah! This could work!"
Izuku then plucked one of the floating Flash Drives—a blue-colored one!
"And maybe this baby to prime it up!"
Another Flash Drive—this time a gray metallic one!
As soon as he'd made his choice, the other Flash Drives promptly dematerialized—vanishing into thin air, leaving him holding only two in his hands.
Without a moment of hesitation, he clicked the triggers of each Flash Drive simultaneously—!
["CANNON!"]
["METAL!"]
The Flash Drives barked their names—! And without missing a beat, Izuku slammed them into the open slots on both sides of his white Driver—!
["CANNON!"]
["METAL!"]
["PRIMAL FUSION!"]
Shockwaves burst from his body—a strong gust of wind that stirred and scattered the dust all around him!
His classmates felt the sudden jolt of raw energy radiating from Izuku...!
The intense pressure that made their skin prickle and their chests tighten, as though the very air itself was being forced to acknowledge his presence...!
Aizawa too had to shield his eyes as the gust only grew fiercer with each passing second...!
Of course, this was not the end of his theatrics—!
He raised his right arm across his torso, that familiar flourish of his transformation—sweeping motions, ritualistic and deliberate, each gesture gathering his willpower and courage...!
And soon... his forearms crossed in an "X," fists clenched tight, his Driver awaiting—!
"...Henshin!!!"
He brought down both of his thumbs to the triggers of his Driver—!
Light exploded from the belt, a blinding flare that forced everyone to shield their eyes—!
And from within that radiance, his figure began to change.
Dark metal surged across his body like living steel. Metal plates latched onto his chest, arms, and legs—clicking and folding until a solid black armored frame stood in the center of the field.
Then his head snapped forward—!
A helmet formed, morphing around his head with precise, mechanical whirs. Segment by segment, it sealed into place—until the familiar bug-eyed visor blazed crimson, gleaming under the flare of light.
Blue fabric suddenly rippled into existence, snapping outward like a banner in the wind—! A long coattail draped and billowed behind him, flowing regally over his armored frame!
At the same moment, twin golden shoulder pads slammed down, flaring into ornate epaulets—bright, polished symbols of command!
And then... there was the "crown."
A gleaming tricorn hat of metal materialized above his helmet—! Before slamming down and locking into place, the brim catching the sunlight as it gleamed like a commander's crest...!
And when the light finally died... there stood the infamous vigilante, donning the form of a brave soldier...!
However, he wasn't exactly done yet.
Raising his right arm high, light gathered once more—!
And in a burst of digitized energy, he materialized—
A massive, gleaming cannon!
["THE MONARCH OF IRON AND GUNPOWDER!"]
["CANNON EMPEROR!"]
For a brief second—silence.
No one moved, no one spoke.
Even the air itself seemed to halt, as if the world had been caught gawking at the presence of the 'armored vigilante.'
The armored vigilante himself tilted his head, letting the massive cannon rest against his armored forearm. His bug-eyed visor caught the light as he slowly brandished the long barrel, almost testing the weight of it...!
"Hmm~, since you want me to go all out—"
With a sharp motion, he promptly mounted the cannon onto his right shoulder pad! The slot beneath it clamped down to the armor piece with a heavy click, fitting as though it had always belonged there...!
The floating softball from earlier drifted into his grip. He held it steady... before layers of metal folded and clamped around it, encasing it fully—until the ball was completely sealed inside a gleaming cannon shell...!
A compartment beside the cannon slid open automatically—! And without hesitation, he loaded the shell inside, the sound of metal locking in place echoing across the training field!
But... his visor turned back, glowing red eyes fixing on everyone else on the open field.
"Hey guys! I highly advise all of you to cover your ears for this~."
"W-what?" Ochako blinked, confused.
His other classmates were still in a state of disbelief, so much so that some still had their mouths hanging open in shock.
However—
"Oi! You damn extras!" Katsuki barked at them, snapping at least some of them back to reality. "If you fuckers still value your eardrums, then cover your ears already!"
She then turned back toward Izuku, quickly pressing her palms over her ears, and Aizawa-sensei too had already covered his own. So, the rest finally followed suit.
Izuku, watching the whole thing, had a grin etched behind his helmet, finding amusement in their panicked scramble, before then...
He turned back—fully focused.
Izuku then... pushed both protruding triggers of both the Flash Drives, slamming them into his Driver—!
["CANNON EMPEROR! FUSION ACCESS!"]
And then, with quick succession, he pushed both upper triggers of his Driver—!
Three times—!
["ACCESS GRANTED! CANNON EMPEROR ULTIMATE!"]
His device announced loudly—! Warning and startling everyone!
His flowing blue coattail then shredded into many cloths, before turning metallic as they pierced the ground around him... anchoring him in place...!
Then... a tremendous surge of energy began to pour into the massive shoulder cannon as it pulsed with unstable light...!
The barrel glowed hotter and hotter... the very tip burning white as the gathered energy shook violently...!
And then...
"Target Lock—!"
His voice rang out through the chaos—sharp and commanding—as he steadied the massive cannon—!
"—FIRE!!!"
BANG—!!!
The cannon roared—!!!
An earth-shattering blast tore out, so loud it nearly deafened everyone in the area—!
The ground beneath the Kamen Rider cracked apart as shockwaves exploded outward—!
The shot burst forth like a blazing sun, tearing through the air with unstoppable speed—!
It shattered the sound barrier in an instant, a booming trail of destruction following in its wake—!
The very clouds above were blown apart, ripped open by the sheer force—!
And then… before eyes could even follow it… the shot vanished into the heavens.
Izuku, still clad in his armored rider form, turned his bug-eyed visor back to Aizawa.
"Sensei..." he called, voice carrying through the silence, "...how's my score~?"
Aizawa, like everyone present, was still frozen in disbelief… but Izuku's call dragged him out of his stupor.
He reached into his clothes, pulling out his phone, eyes narrowing as he tracked the numbers...
The number climbed… and climbed… and climbed still, before finally—
["Infinity!"]
"...Well done…"
A grin cracked on Aizawa's face.
"...Kamen Rider...!"