As a weirdo, I like being a Kamen Rider

Chapter 21 Battle on the Tennis Court

In the afternoon, Lin Chen, dressed in a black uniform, slowly walked along the tree-lined path behind the teaching building, following the predetermined route.

The conflict between Tsukasa Kadoya and Clover in the garden just now was like a pebble thrown into a lake, stirring up ripples in his heart. He knew all too well what Tsukasa Kadoya's arrival meant—this "destroyer" who travels through worlds would be like a heavy hammer, completely shattering the false peace of this academy, tearing apart the carefully woven disguise of the Orphnochs, and the moment the order collapsed would be the opportunity to break the deadlock that he had been waiting for for half a year.

Lin Chen didn't stop walking, his mind rapidly reviewing the current situation: the Earth Emperor's Belt was hidden in the core area underground of the main teaching building, and the defenses were airtight, so a direct assault would be certain death; Onoue Takumi's Faiz was growing faster than expected, making it increasingly difficult to steal monsters, and the accumulation of evolution points could not keep up with the depletion of his lifespan; Lucky Clover's fear of him had never diminished, and Kurosawa treated him as a tool that could be used to the death.

Just as he was planning his next move, the walkie-talkie on his chest suddenly crackled with electrical noise, followed by Kurosawa's voice, which carried an unquestionable commanding tone: "Lin Chen, proceed to the tennis court immediately. A large-scale fluctuation of the Orphino factor has been detected. Prioritize controlling the situation on-site and report back as soon as possible."

"Received." Lin Chen replied in a deep voice, a knowing glint in his eyes as he ended the call. He knew without a doubt that this energy fluctuation was an escalation of the conflict in the garden during the day; he just didn't know which side had struck first.

Without the slightest hesitation, he pushed off with his feet and sprinted towards the tennis court. His agility allowed him to disappear into the shadows of the trees in a flash. In just three minutes, he reached the outer edge of the tennis court and, through a thin layer of wire mesh, could clearly see the tense standoff within.

On the tennis court, two familiar figures confronted a figure clad in pink knight armor. The barcode pattern on the armor was particularly striking, revealing Kamen Rider Decade, Tsukasa Kadoya, who had recently appeared. Lin Chen immediately recognized the two Orphnoch forms—Genda's dragon-type Orphnoch, though vastly different from the one he had previously encountered, which was covered in thick, dark gray scales, had thick limbs, and sharp bone blades on its fists; and Shiro Kin's centipede-type Orphnoch, slender yet sinister, with its segmented limbs gleaming with a cold light, its fingertips wreathed in faint poison, and its vertical pupils fixed intently on Tsukasa Kadoya, filled with murderous intent.

At the corner of the tennis court, Zhu Chuan leaned against the net, still in human form, with a nonchalant smile on his face, like a spectator watching a play, but with a hint of amusement in his eyes.

Lin Chen didn't reveal himself rashly, but instead remained in the shadows, silently observing the situation. He knew that this was Lucky Clover's first attack on Kadoya Tsukasa, and also a test of this outsider who had suddenly barged into the academy. He wondered what role he, this "pawn" urgently dispatched by Kurosawa, would play.

Before Lin Chen could think any further, Genda couldn't contain himself any longer. With a heavy roar, he pushed off with his feet, charging towards Kadoya Tsukasa like a cannonball. His massive fist, carrying immense force, slammed straight into Kadoya Tsukasa's chest. Shiro Kin followed closely behind, his figure blurring as he circled around to Kadoya Tsukasa's side and rear, his fingertips piercing Kadoya Tsukasa's waist with poisoned thorns. The two, one facing forward and the other side, coordinated perfectly, each strike deadly, clearly intending to finish the fight quickly and take down Decade.

Tsukasa Kadoya showed no sign of panic. His footwork was agile, barely dodging Genta's heavy punch while simultaneously sidestepping Jokin's poisoned dart. He immediately engaged the two in combat. The pink armor gleamed in the sunlight, and the sounds of fists colliding and metal clashing echoed across the tennis court. But two fists couldn't fight four hands. Genta's strength was overwhelming, and Jokin's speed was unpredictable. The two attacked in turn, relentlessly pressing forward. Tsukasa Kadoya gradually fell into a disadvantageous position. In a moment of carelessness, Genta kicked him hard in the lower back, causing him to stagger forward.

Lin Chen's gaze sharpened slightly, thinking that Tsukasa Kadoya would be in dire straits. But as soon as he landed, he rolled over and quickly reached for the card box at his waist with his right hand, pulled out a card, and lightly swept it across his belt.

"Kamen Ride! Blade!"

A cold, electronic sound suddenly rang out, and the pink armor vanished instantly, replaced by a silver-white knight's armor. The red compound eyes were particularly striking in the sunlight, and the card-shaped sword at the waist gleamed with a cold metallic light—it was Kamen Rider Blade form.

With the Card Box Sword in hand, Tsukasa Kadoya instantly turned back, charging towards Genda and Jokin with a fierce sword strike aimed directly at their faces. Seeing this, Jokin's eyes flashed with a sinister glint. His Orphic energy surged wildly, and a long, barbed black whip materialized from his fingertips. The whip whip whipped around Tsukasa Kadoya's Card Box Sword, creating a whistling wind and tightly binding it, attempting to restrict his movements.

Genda seized the opportunity and charged forward again, his fist carrying immense power, aiming for Kadoya Tsukasa's head. Kadoya Tsukasa strained his wrist, breaking free from the whip's restraints, and held his Card Box Sword horizontally in front of him, barely catching Genda's heavy punch. The loud clang of metal clashing exploded, causing the surrounding tennis nets to tremble slightly.

Even in Blade form, Tsukasa Kadoya was still struggling to withstand the combined attacks of Genda and Jokin. Genda's power was overwhelming; each collision left Tsukasa's arm numb, while Jokin's whip was vicious and cunning, constantly attacking from various angles, leaving him exhausted. Lin Chen leaned against the shadows, watching the fierce battle unfold, secretly calculating his next move.

Just as Tsukasa Kadoya was once again cornered by the two, he raised his hand again, pulled a card from the card box, and quickly swept it across his belt.

"Attack Ride! Blade·Metal!"

The moment the electronic sound faded, Tsukasa Kadoya's silver-white armor was instantly covered by a layer of golden metallic luster, his aura suddenly intensified, and his defensive power soared. Genda's fist slammed into his chest again, and Shiro's whip lashed his back, but this time, their attacks landed on the metallic armor without leaving a single mark. Instead, they were deflected by the armor's recoil.

Genda's dragon-shaped Orphnoch was so shocked that he took two steps back.

"Heh." Tsukasa Kadoya chuckled softly, a cold glint flashing in his red compound eyes. Seizing the opportunity, he pressed his advantage. Inserting the card, he gripped the card-shaped sword and charged towards Genda like lightning. His sword was fierce, unleashing several consecutive strikes, each landing precisely on Genda's scales, producing a piercing metallic scraping sound as it shattered Genda's defenses layer by layer.

Genda let out a painful roar, trying to resist, but he was firmly suppressed by Kadoya Tsukasa and had no chance to fight back. Kadoya Tsukasa kicked Genda away, threw away the card box sword in his hand, and drew another card, sweeping it in front of his belt.

"Final Attack Ride! BB-Blade!"

The high-pitched electronic sound echoed throughout the tennis court, and the golden metallic luster on Tsukasa Kadoya's body instantly surged. He leaped into the air with the force of thunder and kicked Genda hard in the chest.

The power of the ultimate attack erupted instantly. Genta's body convulsed violently under the energy impact, his thick scales shattered inch by inch, and black blood gushed out. In just a few seconds, he turned into a pile of black ash, which scattered on the tennis court and swayed slightly in the wind.

Looking at the pile of ashes, Lin Chen couldn't help but feel a pang of regret. Genta, as one of the lucky four-leaf clovers, was a genuine high-level Orphnoch. If he had killed him personally, he would have gained a large number of evolution points. But now, he was instantly killed by Kadoya Tsukasa with a single sword strike, without even getting a single evolution point. It was a huge loss.

Just as he was secretly lamenting, a figure slowly walked in from the entrance of the tennis court—it was Momose. He looked at the ashes on the ground, his face expressionless, without even a trace of anger. He simply walked slowly to the ashes, his Orphic energy surging wildly, instantly transforming him into a tiger-type Orphic. Silver-black scales covered his entire body, and a cold glint flashed in his amber vertical pupils. He raised his right hand, and several slender, tubular structures slowly extended from his fingertips, like vines, and pierced into the pile of ashes that Genda had become.

A horrifying scene unfolded.

The black ash, drawn by the tubular structure, began to rapidly coalesce, flowing into Momose's body and then emerging from her fingertips, reforming into Genta's form. In just over ten seconds, Genta reappeared on the tennis court, still in his dragon-type Orphnoch form, but now in his familiar appearance: covered in thick, dark gray scales, with robust limbs, sharp bone blades forming on his fists, and radiating an overwhelming aura of power.

Lin Chen's pupils contracted sharply, his heart churning with shock. He had never imagined that Orphnoch could be resurrected in this way, and even transform. The Lucky Four-Leaf Clover's trump cards were far more numerous than he had imagined, and the secrets of this Smart Brain Academy were far more complex than he had guessed.

Meanwhile, Zhu Chuan, who had been watching the show from the sidelines, also put away his nonchalant smile upon seeing Genta's resurrection and evolution. His Orphic energy surged, and he instantly transformed into a lobster-shaped Orphic. Covered in a dark red carapace, his claws gleamed with a cold light. With a swift movement, he stood in a row with Momose, Genta, and Shirokin. The pressure of the four high-level Orphic intertwined, forming an impenetrable net of pressure that pressed down fiercely on Kadoya Tsukasa.

Kadoya Tsukasa looked at the four people in front of him, a hint of seriousness flashing in his red compound eyes, but he did not back down at all. He gripped the card box sword and assumed a fighting stance.

Just as tensions were running high and another major battle was about to erupt, Momose suddenly looked up and gazed in the direction of the shadows where Lin Chen was hiding. A cold glint flashed in her amber vertical pupils, and she shouted in a deep voice, "Lin Chen, come out!"

Chapter 22 Forced Entry

His voice, carrying the savage pressure of an Orphnoch, exploded across the tennis court, clearly indicating that he had already noticed Lin Chen's presence.

Lin Chen knew he could no longer escape. He slowly stepped out of the shadows, his face expressionless, and bowed slightly to Bai Se, offering no explanation or hesitation.

"Transform, and come with me to take him down." Momose's command was cold and direct, leaving no room for negotiation.

Lin Chen sighed inwardly, having no other choice but to activate the Orphic Factor within his body. Silver-black scales rapidly emerged from his neck and wrists, spreading across his entire body. Sharp claws shot from his fingertips, sharp tiger ears stood erect on his head, and his amber pupils narrowed to slits. An aura of power belonging to a high-level tiger-type Orphic emanated from him. In the blink of an eye, he had transformed into a tiger-type Orphic form like Momose, though his aura was slightly weaker. He also lacked Momose's heavy armor and the fist blades in his hands. This was his initial form.

Without the slightest hesitation, he raised his foot and charged towards Tsukasa Kadoya, his tiger claws carrying a fierce wind, aiming straight for Kadoya's face.

When Tsukasa Kadoya saw Lin Chen suddenly rushing towards him, a clear look of surprise flashed in his red compound eyes. He obviously hadn't expected there to be another high-level tiger-type Orphnoch. He quickly raised his hand and used his Card Box Sword to block Lin Chen's tiger claws, and a crisp metallic clang rang out.

Lin Chen's attacks appeared fierce, with each swing of his tiger claws aimed at Kadoya Tsukasa's vitals. However, he was not actually using his full strength. He deliberately held back three-tenths of his power with every attack. The angle at which his tiger claws landed seemed tricky, but it always left room for dodging. Even the output of his power was precisely controlled so that he could just contend with Kadoya Tsukasa without actually exerting his full strength.

He was just acting, putting on a show of "giving it his all but falling short." He knew very well that Tsukasa Kadoya was the key to breaking the deadlock, and Momose and Lucky Clover were both staring intently at him. He had to appear to be fighting with all his might to dispel their suspicions.

The two exchanged several blows when Lin Chen deliberately created an opening. Kadoya Tsukasa seized the opportunity, raising his sword and striking Lin Chen in the chest. The force wasn't great, but it was enough to send him flying. Lin Chen was propelled backward by the force of the blow, crashing heavily onto the tennis court with a dull thud.

He smoothly withdrew the Orpheus factor within his body, the silver-black scales slowly disappeared, and the tiger ears and claw blades vanished, transforming him back into human form. He lay on the ground, panting heavily, his face pale, and he even deliberately squeezed out a trace of blood from the corner of his mouth, pretending to be exhausted and severely injured, remaining motionless and completely entering "corpse-lying" mode.

Looking at Lin Chen lying on the ground, Momose's amber vertical pupils flashed with intense contempt and anger. She couldn't help but growl, "Useless!"

He no longer bothered with Lin Chen and charged towards Kadoya Tsukasa. The Tiger-type Orphnoch unleashed its full speed, its claws carrying immense power as it unleashed a series of lightning-fast and ruthless strikes at Kadoya Tsukasa. Having just finished a fierce battle with Genda and Shirokin, and then unleashing his ultimate attacks, Kadoya Tsukasa was already nearly exhausted and unable to withstand Momose's onslaught. In just a few moves, Momose's claws slammed into his chest, shattering his armor and forcing him out of his Knight form, where he crashed heavily to the ground.

Just as Momose was about to step forward and deliver the final blow to Kadoya Tsukasa, a crisp bell suddenly rang out from afar, breaking the tense atmosphere on the tennis court.

Momose abruptly stopped, a hint of resentment flashing in her amber vertical pupils, but she still suppressed the Orpheus factor within her and transformed back into human form. Genda, Shirokin, and Shukawa also deactivated their transformations, reverting to their human appearances. The four glanced at Tsukasa Kadoya on the ground, then turned and left without lingering, their steps unhurried, as if the fierce battle just now was nothing more than an insignificant game.

Only after the lucky four-leaf clover had completely disappeared from sight did Lin Chen slowly get up from the ground, pat the dust off his body, wipe the blood from the corner of his mouth, and his complexion instantly returned to normal, showing no trace of the serious injuries and exhaustion he had just suffered.

He didn't even glance at Tsukasa Kadoya on the ground, and walked towards the edge of the tennis court, still with that calm and indifferent expression, as if the battle just now had nothing to do with him.

The scene of him turning away was witnessed by Tsukasa Kadoya, who slowly stood up from the ground.

Tsukasa Kadoya wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, watching Lin Chen's retreating figure with a hint of doubt in his eyes. In truth, he had sensed something was amiss the moment Lin Chen transformed into a tiger-type Orphnoch and charged forward. Lin Chen's attacks appeared incredibly fierce, but the force landing on him felt light and airy, lacking the overwhelming power expected of an Orphnoch. Those seemingly tricky moves were actually deliberately coordinated with his movements, as if they were intentionally holding back.

His sword strike just now didn't use much power at all; it was just a casual slap. Yet, Lin Chen was sent flying as if he had been hit by a heavy hammer. He even deactivated his transformation and lay motionless on the ground. It looked like he was deliberately acting.

Seeing Lin Chen stand up unharmed, dust himself off, and turn to leave, directly confirmed his guess—the fight just now was nothing more than a show put on for Lucky Clover.

"Interesting." Tsukasa Kadoya watched Lin Chen's figure disappear into the shadows of the trees, a playful smile playing on his lips as he murmured to himself.

The Smart Brain Academy, the strange tiger-shaped Orphnoch, and Faiz lurking in the shadows all piqued his interest.

Lin Chen walked out of the tennis court and returned to his patrol route, his fingertips once again rubbing the five-cent coin tucked into his collar. His mind was racing, calculating his next move. Tsukasa Kadoya's appearance had disrupted the school's balance, the Lucky Clover's trump card was being revealed, and Momose's ability to revive and evolve Genda far exceeded his expectations.

Just as his thoughts were racing, the walkie-talkie on his chest crackled again, and Kurosawa's cold voice came through: "Lin Chen, what's the situation at the tennis court? Why did the energy fluctuations suddenly disappear?"

Lin Chen paused slightly, quickly concealing his thoughts, and replied in a deep voice into the walkie-talkie, "Reporting to Captain Kurosawa, it was just a few adults from Clover disciplining an arrogant transfer student. There's nothing unusual, and it's all over now." He deliberately downplayed the incident, portraying a fierce battle between a high-ranking Orphnoch and a knight as a simple student conflict, hoping to gloss over it as quickly as possible and avoid getting too involved with Kurosawa at this moment.

But as soon as he said that, Kurosawa on the other end of the walkie-talkie became clearly interested, and his originally calm tone became more inquisitive: "Clover has made a move? Come to my office for a detailed report."

The order was not to be questioned. Lin Chen sighed inwardly, knowing he couldn't avoid it, and could only reply, "Yes, sir, I'll be there right away." After hanging up the walkie-talkie, he adjusted his expression, suppressed all his thoughts, and turned to walk towards the disciplinary team's office building. His steps were steady, and his face showed no sign of anything unusual.

Pushing open the door to Kurosawa's office, the familiar smell of cigarettes mixed with the cold metallic scent wafted out. Kurosawa was still sitting behind his desk, dressed in a sharp white suit, a lit cigarette between his fingers. Amidst the swirling smoke, his sharp eyes were fixed on Lin Chen, carrying an inscrutable depth.

"Sit." Kurosawa raised his chin, pointed to the chair in front of the table, his voice calm yet carrying an undeniable authority.

Lin Chen sat down as instructed, his back straight, maintaining a respectful posture. He recounted the events on the tennis court in detail, from the cause of the conflict between Tsukasa Kadoya and Lucky Clover, to Genda's death, Momose's revival and evolution into Genda, and then to his transformation to assist in the fight but being overwhelmed and knocked away. However, he omitted all the details about hiding his strength and deliberately acting, portraying himself only as an ordinary high-ranking Orphnoch who lacked strength, tried his best but was powerless.

His tone was calm, his narration was clear and logical, without embellishment or deliberately concealing the core details of the battle, except for his own actual actions.

Kurosawa listened quietly, the cigarette between his fingers burning down to almost nothing, the ash falling softly into the ashtray. He didn't interrupt, but his sharp eyes remained fixed on Lin Chen, as if trying to see through his skin to his innermost thoughts. A brief silence fell over the office after Lin Chen finished speaking, broken only by the crackling of the cigarette.

"An unknown knight, capable of forcing the four members of Clover to join forces, and even killing Genda..." Kurosawa murmured, his fingertips rhythmically tapping the wooden surface of his desk, the tapping sound particularly clear in the quiet office. "It seems that this academy has an interesting guest."

A strange light flashed in his eyes—a mixture of inquiry, wariness, and a barely perceptible calculation. No one knew what he was thinking. Lin Chen sat opposite him, his eyes lowered, feigning respect.

After a moment, seeing that Kurosawa didn't intend to speak again, Lin Chen stood up slightly, bowed, and said, "Captain, I have reported the situation in detail. If there are no further instructions, I will return to my patrol post." He just wanted to leave as soon as possible. Kurosawa's aura was too oppressive, and every second he stayed increased the risk of being seen through.

But just as he finished speaking and was about to turn around, Kurosawa spoke first, breaking the silence in the office. He stopped tapping his fingers on the table, leaned forward slightly, and fixed his gaze on Lin Chen, his tone probing with a hint of playfulness: "Lin Chen, looking at the power of the four-leaf clover and that unknown knight's armor, are you envious?"

Lin Chen's heart skipped a beat, a flicker of surprise crossing his eyes before he quickly concealed it. He looked up, meeting Kurosawa's gaze, his face displaying a perfectly timed expression of hesitation and longing. Feigning being caught off guard, he spoke with a sincere plea: "Your subordinate... is envious. If I could possess the formidable power of Lord Clover, or the formidable armor of a knight, I could certainly serve the academy better, purging those out-of-control Orphnochs and taking down Faiz."

He deliberately linked his desire with serving the academy.

Kurosawa observed the expression on his face, the probing in his eyes gradually fading, replaced by a barely perceptible smile that seemed quite satisfied with the answer. He slowly leaned back in his chair, stubbed out his cigarette, and said in a calm yet authoritative tone, "Since you're envious, then I'll give you a chance. Come to my office alone at midnight tonight, and don't let anyone see you."

Lin Chen was startled, but he maintained a respectful demeanor and quickly bowed, replying, "Yes, Your subordinate obeys." He was filled with doubt. Kurosawa's sudden show of goodwill was too unusual. The midnight meeting must have some complicated arrangements, but he had no room to refuse at the moment.

To his surprise, Kurosawa then added, "You don't need to go on the rest of the patrol today. I'm giving you a day off. Go back and rest well, recharge your energy, and prepare for tonight's events."

The unprecedented holiday, coupled with the secret order at midnight, deepened Lin Chen's suspicions. He suppressed his turbulent thoughts and bowed again: "Thank you, Captain."

Chapter 23 Experiment

The night was as dark as ink, casting a deep silhouette over the outline of Smart Brain Academy. At midnight, Lin Chen walked out of the dormitory building as promised.

Pushing open the door to the disciplinary committee's office building, the lobby was empty, with only the corridor lights on, reflecting off the cold floor tiles. Kurosawa's office door was ajar, letting in a soft light. Lin Chen raised his hand and gently knocked on the door; Kurosawa's voice immediately came from inside: "Come in."

Pushing open the door, Lin Chen entered. Kurosawa was standing in front of the desk, still wearing his sharp white suit, the collar neatly buttoned. When he saw Lin Chen enter, a barely perceptible smile flashed in his eyes, and he raised his hand to gesture for him to follow: "Come with me."

Lin Chen didn't ask any questions, silently following behind Kurosawa, already understanding the situation. From the moment Kurosawa offered him immense power, he had guessed their destination—the underground area of ​​the main teaching building, where the Earth Emperor's Belt was hidden, and also where the academy's most core secret lay. The path beneath their feet gradually veered away from the office area, extending towards the main teaching building.

Upon reaching the entrance to the third basement level, two armed men in black combat uniforms were already waiting. Seeing Kurosawa arrive, they immediately saluted and pushed open the heavy alloy door. Behind the door was the core laboratory Lin Chen had once secretly infiltrated. However, this time, the laboratory was much brighter than before. Dozens of lab technicians in white coats sat at control consoles, their fingers flying across screens displaying complex data streams and energy graphs. Several armed men, armed with specialized rifles, stood guard in various corners of the laboratory, their eyes alert, as if facing a formidable enemy.

In the center of the laboratory, four completely transparent culture vessels stood in a row, with pale blue protective gas flowing slowly within them. Lin Chen's gaze was instantly drawn to them—in the central culture vessel lay the Earth Emperor Orga belt that he had been dreaming of, its dark gold patterns gleaming coldly under the light, surrounded by faint energy fluctuations, exuding a chilling pressure. And in the three culture vessels on either side of it lay three other knight belts.

Lin Chen's pupils contracted slightly as he recognized the origins of the three belts. The first one on the left was the Psyga belt, a deep blue color, with sharp lines that exuded a domineering aura that complemented the Earth Emperor. The first one on the right was the pure black Delta belt, simple in design yet concealing a sharp edge; it was the highly controversial and powerful belt from Kamen Rider 555. The outermost one was a brass belt with simple patterns, exuding a cold, mass-produced feel; it was the belt used by the Leo Riders.

These three belts were ones he had never seen before when he sneaked in last time. Clearly, Kurosawa had hidden the academy's most prized knight belts in this laboratory on the third basement level, with the Earth Emperor being just one of them. Lin Chen suppressed the turmoil in his heart, lowered his eyes, and pretended to be shocked at seeing these belts for the first time, but his eyes were rapidly calculating Kurosawa's intentions.

Kurosawa led Lin Chen to the four belts, stopped, and gently brushed his hand across the glass of the storage pod, his tone slightly seductive: "Haven't you always wanted great power? Lin Chen, this is it. The power of a knight is contained in these belts."

His voice wasn't loud, but it was exceptionally clear in the silent laboratory. Lin Chen's heart skipped a beat, and his fingertips trembled slightly. What he feared most was that Kurosawa would make him try the Earth Emperor's Belt. The image of that horse-type Orphnoch turning into sand instantly after ten seconds of transformation was still vivid in his mind. Even though he was a high-level tiger-type Orphnoch, with a purer origin than the horse type, he wasn't sure if he could withstand the terrifying load of the Earth Emperor's Belt. If the transformation failed, he would be reduced to ashes.

Lin Chen's mind raced through various possible solutions, even preparing to feign compliance and seize the opportunity to escape. However, the course of events completely exceeded his expectations. Kurosawa's gaze swept over the Earth Emperor's Belt in the center without lingering, instead turning to the container on the right that sealed the Delta Belt, and he raised his hand to press the open button on the cultivation vessel.

"Om-"

A pale blue protective aura dispersed, and Kurosawa, gripping the belt, turned and handed it to Lin Chen. "Today, let's test the knight's immense power."

Lin Chen was slightly taken aback, then took the Delta belt. The cool touch came from his fingertips. He pretended to be respectful and said, "Thank you, Captain."

Kurosawa didn't say anything more, turned around and walked towards the other side of the laboratory: "Come with me, I'll take you somewhere so you can try it out first."

Lin Chen, gripping the Delta belt, followed behind Kurosawa and dozens of armed men through the side door of the laboratory, heading deeper underground. After walking for a while, a heavy alloy door appeared before them, inscribed with the words "Fourth Underground Level." Two armed men stepped forward to unlock the door, and the moment they pushed it open, a powerful sense of space rushed towards them.

This is a huge underground plaza, about half the size of a football field, with its ceiling nearly fifteen meters above the ground. Several high-powered searchlights hang in mid-air, illuminating the entire plaza as if it were daytime. The plaza is surrounded by solid concrete walls, covered with countless bullet holes and claw marks, clearly the result of numerous battles.

In the very center of the square, a massive alloy cage stood silently. Inside, a colossal figure paced back and forth restlessly, emitting low growls and radiating powerful Orphic energy fluctuations—it was a lion-type Orphnoch, several times larger than a normal Orphnoch, covered in golden scales, its mane bristling, and its scarlet eyes fixed intently on the outside of the cage, exuding intense killing intent and ferocity, clearly having been imprisoned for a long time.