Beneath the scorched black plating, Ren groaned in silence. His body felt like it was being roasted alive, the heat inside his armor reaching critical levels. He could barely breathe—sweat drenched him, evaporating faster than tears. With the last sliver of consciousness, he activated the final trump card he had left.
A deep blue glow pulsed from his eyes, like a supernatural heartbeat. "Material Transmutation—Full Release," he whispered.
In an instant, layer by layer, the metal of his armor melted and morphed, peeling away from his body like sheets of mechanical skin. As the final piece dropped, Ren fell to his knees, his body trembling under labored breaths, skin flushed red—on the verge of blistering.
But before he could draw a full breath, his eyes locked onto the crater ahead.
