I only saw his stock footage transformation on his demo video. I don't think they actually used it in-show.

I think what's more plausible was that his suit looked like there was lass effort put into it than the other riders. That might not on-purpose, but I always assumed he looked like that because either:

A. Easier to move in for Fujita to use with. I kinda like to think this was the same case for Valkyrie's lack of upgrades was so that they didn't have to get into the trouble of making an upgrade for Valkyrie that both looked like and improvement and easier to move in.

B. Ren was going to get another base form down the line anyway, so why bother doing any effort on the first one. Ren's behavior last week's episode makes me hope he's getting one micchy-style.

It’ll only be a matter of time until Ren becomes a Megid like Desast himself.

How many episodes will end the conflict between swordsmen?

It'll either stop shortly after the Yeti is defeated or at least 5 more episodes from now.

We seem to be on the right track with Daishinji taking matters into his own hands this coming episode.

Anybody have a feeling Slash will probably be killed while his sword still remains?

I hate to see that happen.

EDIT: Plus the south better give us new swordsmen & swordswomen!!!!

I personally think Reika is so stupid.
Why? Because she didn't trying to capture Touma.
If she want Kaenken Rekka, why she didn't trying to capture Touma just like how Sophia are being captured by Southern Base?

Because, if we're to believe the smoke is Reika's doing, unlike the Kurayami and Sophia, Touma isn't as defenseless.

That's what she's been trying to do these past two episodes. Use Northern Base to bring in Touma, Rekka, and Saikou.

Plus given it seems like only the swords are important for whatever purposes everyone wants to use them for, it makes sense.

She's playing a slight long con because really, the further this conflict spirals and goes on, there's a good chance that everyone may end up just killing each other and then boom, easy to take the swords with little resistance.

Well I've finally caught up to the show after stopping at episode 5. And I have to say, I'm actually enjoying it more than I thought I would, with episode 15 being my favourite. It's not perfect, like everyone said the pacing isn't the best, and from the current arc, there's probably going to be some misunderstandings, but it's keeping me engaged, more so than Zero One, especially around this point where it had the competition arc where I just wanted to quit the show, at least there's a plot going on.

We also don't know for sure if that smoke actually was her.