"...It actually worked?"
Daichi stared at the card in his hand.
A dusky purple background, the silver-purple form of the Doomsday Beast dominating most of the card's space, giving it an overall cold, metallic hue.
[Based on the story you told me about armor imbued with a monster's power, I extracted all the energy, traits, and data from that Spark Doll and used it to craft this card.]
"Of course you did, X."
What had started as just a half-joking idea a passing 'what if'.
X had somehow turned into reality, forging an electronic card through sheer willpower.
Then again... if he ever got the chance to see Ultimate Zero in person, would X also be able to handcraft a new card on the spot? one that lets him don the Baradhi Shield Armor?
"X, wanna try it out?"
[Naturally!]
Since it already existed, there was no reason not to test it.
And as Daichi often said.
You might not always need power, but you can't afford to not have it.
He pressed the button on top of X Devizer.
In a flash of light that filled the entire room, X materialized standing tall in human size.
"Alright then, let's do this, X!"
Daichi held up the Doomsday Cyber Card and slotted it into the X Devizer screen.
{Cyber Doomsday... Loading!}
Unknown streams of data surged out from the void, swirling around X.
The streams infused into his hands and the timer crystal on his chest, forming a heavy, silver-purple armor around his body.
{Cyber Doomsday Armor — Active!}
"It worked!"
Daichi could see the dark-purple data stream appear in the virtual subspace — proof that the experiment was a success.
[Incredible… A weaponized armor system.]
X examined the suit in awe.
Raising his arms, he noticed the color contrast — one gauntlet matching the silver-gray of the armor, the other a muted black.
The armor itself was a thick, heavy carapace, shaped like the snarling head of an ancient beast. Yet across its face, a massive golden "X" shaped crystal sealed it shut with the core of that cross a pitch-black center, pulsing like the anti-matter core within the Doomsday chest.
[Not only that, but I feel more powerful.]
Of course, this wasn't just armor for protection.
When X extended his hand, that same black energy gathered in his palm, and could be shaped at will.
Swords, spears, bows, guns, polearms… almost every alien weapon he'd ever seen, X could recreate in energy form.
They were only physical manifestations, but fully functional as weapons.
The problem was… X had no idea how to use them.
His fighting style had always relied on close combat: fists and light beams, nothing more.
So while the shape-shifting arsenal was impressive, the dual gauntlets were what really thrilled him.
Even more surprising a pair of massive wings unfolded from his back, their design nearly identical to the Doomsday Beast draconic wings.
They granted an incredible boost to his flight speed.
Yet, the armor's greatest change was within.
X could feel his energy tilt toward raw destruction.
Every punch, every beam — the power was magnified, driven by the Doomsday Beast ruinous destiny itself.
Time passed as Daichi and X continued to analyze the new armor.
Finally, X release the unite with Daichi.
Daichi then dropped onto the couch, exhaling hard.
He'd activated X's dome shield to prevent property damage during the tests, but maintaining that barrier had drained a good amount of energy.
Still, it was worth it.
They'd figured out about eighty percent of the armor's functions.
Though it was a shame they didn't have a proper target to test its full destructive power.
"So, how's the new power X? Feels good?"
[Pretty good.]
X Devizer flickered.
[It's just... so heavy! Like the whole Doomsday Beast itself is sitting on top of me!]
"Then you'd better start working out more, X."
[Working out? Me?]
"Hahaha…"
The two of them chatted as time slipped by.
By the time the sun dipped below the horizon, the skies over Luofu were painted in warm amber.
"It's dinner time already."
Another day, another eternal question.
What's for dinner?
Daichi had tried asking Tingyun and Bailu to join him, but one was busy with caravan matters, and the other had already been dragged home by her guardian.
So tonight, it was just Daichi and X enjoying Luofu's evening streets.
With X Devizer clipped to his belt, Daichi wandered through the Central Starskiff Haven.
If it was food he wanted, the old restaurants in Aurum Alley were always good but for now, he preferred to stroll through the marketplace, watching card games and listening to storytellers.
Tonight's tale was one of Luofu's most beloved — The Chronicles of the Shattered Sword.
As the storyteller vividly described Jingliu's legendary strikes cleaving through the Abundance Abominations, Daichi subconsciously touched X Devizer.
"Hey, X… maybe we should learn how to use a sword. Or some kind of weapon."
After all, X's transcendent weapon form was the Rainbow Blade. If he didn't know how to wield one, what would be the point of unlocking that form someday?
And it wasn't like they could easily find a subterranean warrior here to train them.
[A sword, huh… sounds interesting Daichi. But right now, I'm sensing the presence of a Mara-Struck.]
X's voice turned low, guiding Daichi's gaze toward a particular direction.
Following it, Daichi saw the silhouette of a white-haired woman slowly fading into the distance.