As a weirdo, I like being a Kamen Rider

Deep in the woods, Keiko huddled alone under a tree. A clown-like figure stopped a short distance away on a unicycle. He stared at the solitary Keiko, abandoning his disguise. Gray energy surged around him, revealing his mushroom-shaped Orphnoch form, and he approached Keiko step by step.

Keitaro had just chased her into the woods when, without a second thought, he stepped in front of Keiko, shielding her behind him despite knowing he had no fighting ability whatsoever. He pulled out his phone and quickly dialed Inui Takumi's number for help.

The poisonous mushroom Orphnoch raised its hand and struck him. Keitaro was instantly knocked unconscious and collapsed to the ground. The monster seized the opportunity to grab the terrified Keiko and turned to take her away.

The roar of motorcycles echoed as Qian Qiao arrived at the scene. He reached out and pulled out his Faiz phone, quickly transforming himself.

The strange man, wielding an iron rod, launched a fierce and relentless attack, parrying Faiz's gauntlets and light blades with ferocious force. The close-quarters combat was extremely intense. Inui, with his agile movements, constantly dodged and weaved, avoiding the opponent's brute force and finding an opening to severely injure the Orphnoch. The wounded Orphnoch's fighting strength diminished.

Qian Qiao seized the opportunity, input 555, and activated his ultimate move! The energy of the Crimson Drill gathered and absorbed the Orphnoch, and the Knight Kick broke through the air, hitting the core of the poisonous mushroom Orphnoch. The monster instantly disintegrated and turned into sand.

Before Faiz could even land and steady himself, a long whip covered in sharp thorns suddenly lashed out from the shadows, striking Faiz hard. From the shadows of the forest, Zhuomo Yilang slowly emerged, still holding the Yeats poetry collection in his hands, his expression cold yet tinged with mockery.

“I didn’t expect to see you again, Faiz.” Takuma said, “Perfect, let’s retrieve Faiz’s belt today.”

His body surged with gray light, and he was about to transform into the centipede Orphnoch to attack when his gaze swept across the surrounding forest. Suddenly, he realized that the special little girl, Keiko, whom Murakami had asked him to keep an eye on, was gone. After weighing the pros and cons, he had no choice but to abandon his plan to fight Faiz and quietly disappeared into the shadows.

Inui Takumi got up from the ground, utterly puzzled. He had been on high alert, ready to leave with Keitaro and the child at any moment, never expecting Takuma to suddenly stop. When he came to his senses, he found Keitaro lying unconscious on the ground, but Keiko was nowhere to be seen.

Back at Kikuchi Laundry, a conscious Keitaro huddled alone in a corner, his face filled with dejection and self-reproach. He was deeply worried that the little girl had been kidnapped by the Smart Brain and was in danger. Seeing his dejected state, Inui Takumi and Sonoda Mari felt bad for him as well.

Meanwhile, Keiko, who had narrowly escaped, was washing the red and swollen marks left by the Orphnoch mushroom when she happened to run into Nagata Yuka. Yuka, being kind and gentle, couldn't bear to see the little girl alone and injured, so she took her back to the apartment she shared with Kiba Yuji and Kaidou Naoya and carefully treated her wounds.

Even though she was treated kindly, Keiko remained aloof and taciturn. With nothing to do, she picked up her easel and painted a portrait of Haitang. After finishing, she asked for a 500 yen tip.

Haitang leaned closer to take a look and saw that his reflection in the painting was crooked, ugly, and comical, making him grit his teeth in anger. But looking at the stubborn yet pitiful little devil in front of him, he ultimately didn't lose his temper and could only helplessly go out to exchange money to pay the bill.

Just as Haitang stepped out, Sonoda Mari, who had come to deliver dry-cleaned clothes, arrived at the apartment and immediately spotted Keiko sitting by the window. She promptly took out her phone and dialed Keitaro's number, informing him of Keiko's whereabouts. Not long after, Inui Takumi and Keitaro arrived at the apartment.

Inui and Kiba exchanged a few simple pleasantries, the atmosphere subtly harmonious. Seeing their familiarity, Mari curiously asked, "When did you two become so close?" Both harbored their own secrets, and vaguely brushed it off, refusing to elaborate. Keitaro looked at Yuka with a complex expression.

Mari inadvertently glanced at the full name on the sketchbook—Kurata Keiko—and remembered a missing little girl that her seniors had mentioned in casual conversation when she was working at the hair salon. She tried to ask her something, but Keiko resisted fiercely, snatched the sketchbook, turned around, and ran out of the apartment. Everyone had no choice but to give chase.

Meanwhile, in a park by the street, J was leisurely walking his dog Chuck, but as soon as he untied the leash, Chuck disappeared under a bench. Frustrated, J began searching everywhere and finally found the lost Chuck in another part of the park, where a little girl was holding him in her arms.

The little girl was Keiko Kurata, who had run away from Kiba's place. She happened to find this little guy who was just as helpless as she was.

Upon learning that the burly Black man was the dog's owner, Keiko Kurata returned Chuck to him and asked him to keep a close eye on Chuck so it would never get lost again. Then she left. Watching Keiko Kurata's retreating figure, J seemed lost in thought.

J was interrupted when his personal communicator suddenly rang; it was Murakami Kyoji. The voice on the other end was full of threats: "This is your last chance. You must bring back either the Faiz or the Kaixa Knight's Belt. If you fail, the company will label you a traitor and eliminate you completely. You may not be afraid to die, but you must think of Chuck."

Chuck is J's only source of emotional support and his Achilles' heel. To protect the puppy and save his own life, J has no choice but to continue the mission.

...

On the other side of the street, Inui and his two companions chased after her and finally spotted Keiko, who was making money by drawing portraits at a roadside stall. Keitaro slowed down and gently and patiently persuaded her, finally opening the girl's heart.

The happiest daily routine for Huizi's family used to be hanging clean white clothes to dry at home with her mother—simple yet warm. But a sudden accident destroyed everything. Her mother was severely injured in the accident and suffered amnesia. When she woke up, she had completely forgotten herself and could no longer recognize her.

She deliberately dirtied the white clothes at the laundromat not out of mischief, but because she missed the warm times she spent with her mother.

She set up a portrait stall to earn money, hoping to save up to buy her mother's favorite handbag. Naively, she thought that giving her mother her most cherished gift would awaken her memories and bring back her past happiness. After hearing her story, the three felt deeply sorry for her.

Keitaro immediately and solemnly promised to help her take care of her hospitalized mother and to stay with her while she waited for a miracle to happen.

At the same time, in the top-floor office of Smart Brain, Lin Chen was sitting in his office chair, planning to explore more uses of his Orphino abilities. Suddenly, a knock sounded on the office door.

"Enter."

Snail Orpheus timidly pushed open the door and entered, his posture respectful yet uneasy: "My lord, I have something important to report."

Lin Chen gestured for him to speak directly. Snail Orpheus quickly reported that he had just received a task from his superior. His superior valued him as a newcomer and had specially assigned him an important task, which was an order from the former president, Murakami Kyoji—to collect information on all children who had survived accidents and narrowly escaped death.

Snail Orpheus was unaware of Murakami's purpose, but he had been holding a grudge against the execution order given by the village, so he immediately ran to report to Lin Chen.

Lin Chen frowned slightly upon hearing this: What was Murakami trying to do by suddenly collecting information on dying children? After pondering for a long time without success, Lin Chen instructed the snail Orpheus to carry out the instructions, but also to send him a copy of all the compiled data.

After dismissing Snail Orpheus, Lin Chen summoned Smart Lady and inquired about Murakami and Clover's recent activities. Smart Lady reported that Murakami had only visited Clover Bar once recently, and his whereabouts were simple; however, the Clover members were secretive, and almost no Orpheus dared to approach them, so she couldn't find any specific information about their activities.

Upon hearing this, Lin Chen dismissed her and specifically instructed that all visitors be refused today, and no one was to disturb him without his orders. After the office door was closed tightly, Lin Chen got up, locked the door, and took out the Evolution Memory. However, with only the clue of "a child who survived by a hair's breadth," he was unable to deduce the village's true purpose.

He released his mental energy to scan the entire office, and after confirming that there were no surveillance devices, he directly activated the dimensional barrier, stepped into it, and prepared to explore on his own.

Chapter 198 J goes offline

Feeling sorry for Keiko, Keitaro offered to pay the difference and buy her the handbag. Afterwards, everyone went to the hospital to give the gift to Keiko's mother. Keiko's mother was overjoyed to receive the bag, repeatedly expressing her delight. However, the miracle Keiko had hoped for didn't happen—her mother still hadn't regained any memory and didn't recognize her.

Overwhelmed by despair, Keiko could no longer contain herself. She turned and rushed out of the ward, running away as fast as she could. In the shadows of the hospital corridor, Takuma Ichiro, holding a collection of Yeats' poems, adjusted his glasses and watched Keiko's retreating figure, a glint of cunning flashing in his eyes.

Keiko ran all the way to a quiet, deserted corner of the hospital, leaned against a cold, heavy pillar, and slowly squatted down, hugging her knees and curling up together, silently breaking down and crying. Keitaro followed closely behind, silently squatted down in front of her, gently hugged the sobbing girl, and tenderly comforted her: "Don't be sad, there will definitely be other ways."

Takuma Itsuki, who was flipping through a poetry collection, appeared not far from the two. Keitaro recognized him as Orphnoch, the terrifyingly powerful Orphnoch who had suppressed Inui Takumi a few days ago. His heart tightened instantly, and he immediately took out his phone and dialed Inui Takumi's number.

Zhuomo's eyes were icy as he prepared to abduct Keiko. Just then, a lazy yet mocking voice suddenly rang out: "Oh, Zhuomo, what do you think you're doing? Openly defying the ban and attacking a human?"

Zhuomo suddenly turned his head and saw Lin Chen standing not far away, hands in his pockets, smiling. But beneath that gentle smile was no kindness; instead, a suffocating sense of oppression emanated from him.

Lin Chen stood behind Takuma, his gaze first sweeping over the frightened Keitaro and the huddled-up Keiko behind him. His tone was calm but carried an undeniable sense of pressure: "Let's talk somewhere else. Don't scare ordinary people here."

Zhuomo's fingers tightened around the poetry collection, his eyes filled with apprehension. He knew he was no match for Lin Chen, and a direct confrontation would only bring him humiliation. He could only grit his teeth, snort coldly, and follow Lin Chen to a secluded spot in the back alley of the hospital.

Walking into an empty alley, Zhuomo couldn't hold back any longer and stopped, turning to stare at Lin Chen: "What does the new president mean by this? Did he deliberately block me to establish his authority?"

"Stop playing dumb." Lin Chen leaned against the wall. "Was the village sending you to keep an eye on that little girl? Don't tell me you were just passing by. How could you chase her all the way to a secluded corner of the hospital if you were just passing by?"

His purpose was exposed on the spot, so he decided to stop pretending. He adjusted his glasses and said with a face full of dissatisfaction, "That's right. Although the desertification defect you mentioned does exist and there are treatments, you are still of unknown origin."

"If we find the King of the Orphnochs, we too can break free from our fate of desertification!"

"Wang?" Upon hearing Zhuomo's words, Lin Chen suddenly realized that this was Murakami's purpose.

Zhuomo's face was filled with fervor: "That's right, it's the King! As long as the King appears, not only will our desertification problem be solved, but we Orphnochs will also truly become the masters of this world!"

"Does Murakami think that child might be the King? It's a pity she isn't." Lin Chen shook his head. Although he only knew fragments of the story, he knew that the King resided in a little boy's body.

“I didn’t pursue your provocation with Kageyama Saeko a few days ago, don’t take it for granted.” Lin Chen straightened up, releasing his Orphnoch aura without reservation. “My order is very clear: no more harming humans without cause. I hope you, as Clover members, can abide by it. I’ll let you off this time, but if you dare to disobey my orders again, I don’t mind shuffling the Clover organization.”

He paused, his voice turning colder: "Go back and tell the village chief. I won't stop him from investigating Wang, but don't use ordinary people as guinea pigs, and don't do anything underhanded. If he has any questions, let him come to me himself."

Zhuomo clenched his fists, his anger burning but he dared not vent it. He glared at Lin Chen for a few seconds, finally managing to utter only, "We'll see," before turning and striding quickly out of the alley without even looking back.

Watching Zhuomo leave, Lin Chen didn't take his harsh words to heart.

Lin Chen suddenly sensed a battle taking place not far from the hospital. He snapped out of his thoughts and activated the dimensional barrier.

After receiving Keitaro's communication about the discovery of Orphnoch, Inui Takumi rushed out of the hospital room. Before he could even reach Keitaro's location, a burly black man blocked his way.

Before he could speak, the burly man roared, his body writhing in gray light, and the Orphnoch, the crocodile already killed twice, appeared directly in front of Inui. Inui immediately fastened his Faiz belt while rapidly operating his phone.

"5-5-5!"

"Standing By!"

"Transform!"

"Complete!"

Before Qian Qiao could complete his transformation, the crocodile Orphnoch stomped his foot on the ground, causing the stone slabs to crack, and charged straight at him with a whistling punch.

Qian Qiao instinctively raised his arm to block, and fortunately, the transformation was completed in time. His heavy punch slammed into the wrist guard, and the huge impact surged through his body. Sparks flew past his mask, and he was knocked back, his back slamming heavily against the wall, dust falling down.

Before he could recover, Orphnoch's second punch arrived. The fist grazed the side armor and slammed into the wall, causing half of the brick wall to collapse with a crash. Faiz rolled to the side to dodge and swung a punch in response, but his fist landed on the opponent's chest armor with only a dull thud, as if hitting a steel plate, the shockwave making his knuckles numb.

Orphnoch the Crocodile's fighting rhythm is clumsy yet ferocious, with each strike carrying overwhelming power.

Qian Qiao gritted his teeth and dodged the opponent's sweeping leg, his fingertips rapidly pressing the Faiz phone at his waist. The instant the Enter key was pressed, the Crimson Drill materialized directly in front of the Crocodile Orphnoch, attracting him, and Faiz leaped off the ground, launching a flying kick straight at J's chest.

This time, however, the deadly strike failed to penetrate everything. The crocodile Orphnoch simply raised its arms, crossed them across its chest, and its thick crocodile armor met the drill head-on. A blinding burst of light exploded between the two, the shockwave sending rubble and sand flying everywhere. The crocodile Orphnoch's feet dug two deep furrows in the ground, but it only managed to take half a step back.

Qian Qiao's pupils contracted.

The next second, a powerful punch, accompanied by a gust of wind, slammed into his chest. Faiz was sent flying into the air like a kite with a broken string.

A feeling of weightlessness swept over him, but Qian Qiao's mind remained unusually clear. He raised his hand and drew the gauntlet from his waist, inserting the command memory card into the slot. The charging light spread from his arm armor to the gauntlet. Using the gravitational potential energy of his fall, he twisted his waist and turned around, his fist pointing directly at the figure standing below.

On the ground, J raised his arms, bracing himself for another fatal blow. But out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a little girl and a man walking towards him, carrying their dog Chuck. It was as if he'd remembered something. He'd already used two of his three lives; even if he won, he'd only be sent on other missions, forever trapped in violence. Perhaps he had other options.

He straightened his back, opened his chest covered by armor, and stared at the light fist falling from the sky with his scarlet eyes. He did not dodge or block, as if he had finally unloaded all the burdens he carried.

A dull thud echoed through the alley. The charged punch slammed into J's chest, instantly cracking his hard armor and revealing the muscular black man's figure after the explosion. Just then, the young man and the little girl holding Chuck arrived nearby.

Qian Qiao landed on the ground, looking at the burly black man with a puzzled expression: "Why didn't you block him?" But J didn't answer Qian Qiao. Instead, he looked at the little girl's location and said, "Please continue to take care of it for me, thank you!"

Pale white flames erupted from his body, spreading upwards. His massive form slowly became transparent within the flames, and fine grains of sand scattered in the wind, eventually dissipating into the air.

The wind at the alley entrance slowly died down. Only a pair of black sunglasses remained on the ground, lying quietly among the gravel. A puppy whimpered from the little girl's arms.

After reverting to his original form, Inui looked in the direction of the little girl and asked, "Kitarou, do you know him?" The young man was indeed Keitarou. He and Kurata Keiko had escaped danger after Lin Chen took Takuma away. The two had found their little dog wandering around on their way here, and Kurata Keiko, thinking it had gotten lost again, had taken it with her.

Keita shook his head, but Kurata Keiko nodded: "I've seen him once. I never thought that someone who was so gentle with puppies was a monster." After saying that, she squatted down and put the puppy Chuck on the ground. Chuck ran straight towards the pile of ash, letting out a low whimper.

Shortly after, Keiko Kurata picked Chuck up again and said, "You've lost your family too. From now on, you'll stay with me!"

After the others left, Lin Chen walked to the pile of ashes where J had turned into. Although he didn't know what happened to J in the original story, this guy who had always been very silent was quite different from the other members of the Clover.

A gust of wind blew by, and the last traces left by J disappeared with the wind.

Outside the hospital ward window, Keiko and Keitaro stood on tiptoe, carefully hanging several clean white shirts on the clothesline. This was a new method Keitaro had come up with for Keiko.

A breeze blew, causing the fabric to sway gently, and a faint scent of soap wafted into the ward through the open window.

Inside the hospital room, Keiko's mother, who had been staring blankly at the ceiling, couldn't help but get up and walk to the window when that familiar scent filled her nostrils. She looked towards Keitaro and Keiko, who were hanging clothes to dry. Fragments of memories slowly pieced together in her mind: the small courtyard in the afternoon, the white dress swaying in the wind, the little girl squatting by the clothesline laughing... She couldn't help but murmur to herself, "Keiko?"

Once the memories in her mind were pieced together, she couldn't help but rush out of the ward.

Upon reaching the clothesline, he immediately hugged Keiko, exclaiming, "Keiko, my Keiko!"

"Mom!" Keiko heard her mother call her name again, and tears streamed down her face. Keitaro watched the mother and daughter reunite, scratched his head, and also broke into a simple, honest smile.

Chuck, the little dog who was lying in the laundry basket, couldn't help but bark.

At Bar Clover on the other side, Zhuo Yilang pushed open the door and walked in, his face extremely sour.

Saeko Kageyama, wiping her sake glass, glanced at him and said, "Weren't you supposed to be keeping an eye on that kid the villager asked you to keep an eye on? Why are you back so soon?"

"What bad luck! I ran into that new president. He caught me red-handed and even threatened me, so I had to retreat. And it seems like the new president knows about Wang too." Zhuomo plopped down on a bar stool, looking utterly dejected.

As soon as she finished speaking, Saeko Kageyama's phone vibrated. She answered it and listened for a few seconds, her smile unchanged, before simply replying, "I know," and "I'll handle it," and then hanging up.

"Did Murakami call?" Takuma frowned.

“Yes. Mr. J went to retrieve the Knight's Belt, but the mission failed and he was killed. He asked me to take over and continue the work.” Saeko Kageyama’s tone was flat, as if she were talking about something trivial. “I’ve been feeling a bit bored lately, so this is just a way to pass the time.”

He pondered for a moment, his face full of confusion: "Isn't the new president's job to handle things like recycling belts? Why is Murakami making such a fuss about it?"

Saeko Kageyama chuckled softly, tapping her fingertips lightly on the bar counter: "Nonsense. If the belt falls into the hands of the new president, Murakami will never be able to sit back in the president's position for the rest of his life. This is his last bargaining chip to turn the tables."