Everything was normal at St. Freya High—until a scream of pure rage erupted, shaking the academy to its very foundation.
Then came the blizzard.
Snow swirled violently through the courtyards, burying the once-serene campus under ice and frost. In the midst of it, a red-haired woman was sprinting for her life.
"Damn overpowered super-warrior from another universe… and damn this blizzard!" Himeko hissed between clenched teeth, shivering as she pressed her back to one of the marble pillars of St. Freya. Her breath fogged instantly in the frigid air.
She risked a glance around the pillar—only to see a massive chunk of pure ice hurtle through the storm, smashing into the column beside her hiding place and shattering it to dust.
Her eyes darted back to the figure advancing through the snow.
Kouga.
But not in a form she recognized.
His armor gleamed an unnatural purple, the undersuit segmented like scales. The helmet bore the sharp beak of a pteranodon, his shoulders and arms were shaped like the horns of a triceratops, and his legs like the crushing limbs of a tyrannosaurus. With every step, the ground trembled. His visor glowed an ominous green through the blizzard.
Kamen Rider OOO: Putotyra Combo.
"HIMEKO!" Kouga roared, his voice distorted with fury, carried by the storm.
The redhead's blood ran cold. She bolted, boots crunching across the frozen ground.
He followed.
A glowing feather drifted down in front of him, radiating a subtle psychic influence . But the Putotyra Combo—like a beast beyond reason—rejected it outright. Kouga barely noticed its presence, his eyes locked only on his prey.
When another figure appeared to block his path, he didn't even pause.
A seventeen-year-old girl with bluish-purple hair and sharp blue eyes stood in his way. She planted her feet firmly in the snow. "Sorry," she said calmly, "but I cannot let you continue your rampage."
Kouga didn't answer. He didn't need to.
She rushed him, fist striking square against his armored chest—only to recoil in shock as the blow failed to even stagger him.
Kouga grabbed her arm without hesitation and flung her aside. The girl went sailing through the storm, smashing through several buildings before vanishing into the haze of ice and snow.
The Rider turned back toward his target. Himeko was cornered now, the fear plain on her face. There was nowhere left to run.
But then, chains of radiant gold burst from the snowstorm, wrapping around Kouga's limbs and torso. They dug into his armor, glowing brightly as they tried to siphon away his power.
They failed.
Still, the sight was enough to slow him.
The wielder of the chains emerged—Theresa, gripping the Oath of Judah, its massive golden cross gleaming despite the storm. With it, dozens of chains bound Kouga, tethering him like a beast.
Behind her, Kiana stood with worry written across her face, and Bronya watched wide-eyed, clutching her Homu plush to her chest.
"Do you two idiots realize what you've done?!" Theresa snapped, exasperated despite the chaos. "Do you know how much money these buildings cost? Not to mention the students—what will they think when a blizzard suddenly appears out of nowhere?!"
"Hey, it's not my fault—it's his!" Himeko shot back, pointing frantically at Kouga as he strained against the chains.
"Wait—what?" Theresa's eyes widened as she saw cracks forming along the golden bindings. The chains creaked under the impossible pressure, splintering with every heave of Kouga's rage.
With a deafening snap, the Oath of Judah's bindings shattered, fragments of golden light scattering into the storm.
Kouga lunged forward, straight toward Himeko.
But before he could reach her, someone slid into place between them.
Mei.
Her eyes were steady despite the chaos, her hand raised toward him.
"Kouga-kun," she pleaded, her voice trembling with emotion yet firm with resolve. "Please—stop this at once."
Snowflakes still drifted lazily through the courtyard, remnants of the blizzard Kouga had unleashed. The cold air stung the skin of everyone watching, though none of them dared to move, their eyes locked on the boy in violet armor and the girl standing before him.
"Mei, why are you defending her? They put a bomb in you." Kouga's voice cut through the frost like a blade, raw with disbelief.
A heavy silence followed—until Kiana gasped, her voice cracking."Wait… what?!" She looked wildly between Mei, Himeko, and Theresa, searching for denial, for some explanation. None came. The two older women kept their eyes locked on Kouga, their faces stiff, unreadable.
Mei's gaze softened, though her hands trembled at her sides. "I know," she said firmly. Her words carried neither shame nor hesitation.
Kouga's visor dimmed slightly as if reflecting his hesitation. "…But why?" His voice, once sharp, now quivered with hurt. "Why would you take that risk? You're giving them the means to end your life whenever they want."
Mei's shoulders rose with a slow breath. "Because I chose it." She stepped forward, the wind catching her hair like a dark banner. "You've always protected me, Kouga. Always throwing yourself into danger, bleeding for me, fighting until you collapse. And I—" Her voice faltered, her throat tight with years of frustration. "I hated myself for never being able to do the same for you. For Kiana. For anyone."
Kiana's fists clenched at her sides, her nails digging into her palms. She wanted to speak, to scream—but Mei's words rooted her to silence.
"So I made my choice." Mei's tone hardened, a fragile determination glimmering in her tear-brimmed eyes. "If my powers spiral out of control again, if I become a Herrscher who threatens everyone I love… then this failsafe will stop me. Even if it costs me everything."
The weight of her declaration hung in the air like lead. Snow crunched under Kouga's boots as he took a step forward, the fury in his aura dimming, though his fists remained tight.
"…Even if I don't like it," Kouga whispered, his voice raw. "You're asking me to accept that?"
Mei nodded once. "Yes. Please, Kouga. Accept my request, even if you hate it."
The storm that raged around him slowly unraveled, the blizzard clouds parting to reveal a patch of clear blue sky. The air warmed, the snowflakes fading into harmless drizzle. Kouga's armor hissed, steam rising as the purple glow dimmed. He exhaled heavily, his voice low but steady.
"…Fine." His eyes slid to Himeko, sharp and dangerous. "But if the Herrscher ever emerges again, you will call me before you ever touch that trigger."
Himeko's jaw tightened. She placed her hand over her chest, standing straight as if saluting. "I can't. The bomb is set to detonate if her Herrscher powers are active for more than five minutes. That condition is beyond my control."
Kouga's hands twitched at his sides, but Himeko's voice rose—steady, unwavering.
"But I swear, under my honor as a Valkyrie," she declared, her eyes burning with conviction, "that I will do everything in my power to prevent harm from ever befalling Raiden Mei."
The courtyard fell silent again. Only the dripping of melting snow broke the stillness, while Kouga stood frozen between rage, grief, and reluctant trust.