As a weirdo, I like being a Kamen Rider

The two exchanged casual pleasantries, chatting about the weather and everyday matters. During a break in their conversation, Inui Takumi hesitated for a long time before finally asking, "Kiba, what do you think of Mari?"

Kiba paused slightly upon hearing this, his eyes filled with confusion. He didn't understand why Takumi Inui would suddenly bring this up, but he still answered truthfully, "She's great, kind and straightforward."

"Have you ever thought about taking your relationship with her to the next level?" Qian Qiao stared intently at him.

Kiba stiffened slightly, quickly averting his gaze, his tone tinged with a helpless self-deprecation: "What nonsense are you talking about? Truth is indeed very good, but I am no longer human. I cannot burden her, much less get close to her."

Hearing this reply, Qian Qiao's tense shoulders relaxed, and an indescribable sense of relief welled up in her heart. She murmured softly, "That's good."

Kiba grew increasingly puzzled and pressed him for an explanation. Inui casually brushed it off with a few words. Watching Kiba leave the laundromat, Kusaka slowly emerged from behind a pillar in the shadows, sneering, "At least this Orphnoch knows his place, aware of his monster identity, and hasn't harmed Truth."

The following afternoon, Qian Qiao rode his delivery motorcycle, loaded with washed clothes, to his lodging at the lumberyard. The asphalt road was empty and windless, the wheels making a steady rumble as they rolled over the surface. As he approached a quiet intersection, a thin figure blocked his way.

With his curly hair disheveled and his baby face looking innocent and harmless, the newcomer was none other than Kitasaki. After finalizing the bet among the three, he used the information left behind by Murakami to discover the identity of the Faiz transformation user.

Qian Qiao slammed on the brakes, the tires screeching as they rubbed against the pavement. He frowned and got out of the car: "Why are you stopping me?"

Kitasaki ignored his question and tilted his head to look at Inui Takumi: "You are the Faiz's transformation user?"

Despite being on guard, Qian Qiao still nodded and replied, "It's me. What exactly do you want?"

Upon receiving confirmation, Kitasaki's lips curled into a maniacal smile, his eyes blazing with fighting spirit: "Excellent, it seems I didn't choose the wrong person. Transform now and fight me. If you lose to me, be killed by me, and then hand over the Faiz belt."

Before he finished speaking, he reached out and took out the silver-black Delta belt, fastened it around his waist, and the standby sound effect exploded. Black armor instantly covered his entire body, and silver photon blood flowed through the gaps in the armor. Delta stood in the sunlight, exuding a chilling killing intent.

Upon seeing the belt, Inui's pupils constricted, realizing the newcomer's purpose. Without hesitation, he quickly pulled out Faiz's phone and pressed the transformation code. The silver and red armor materialized, and Faiz stood taut, every nerve stretched to its limit, facing the formidable enemy.

The battle began without warning. Kitasaki, controlling Delta, suddenly charged forward and unleashed a brutal straight punch. Faiz hastily raised his hand to block, and the moment their fists collided, the terrifying force traveled through his armor. Inui's wrist throbbed with pain, and he was forced to stagger backward, his shoes leaving long scratches on the ground.

Delta's performance already surpasses Faiz's, and with the added brute force of Kitasaki's Dragon Orpheus, every strike carries the power to crush everything.

Kitasaki raised his knee and slammed it hard into Faiz's chest and abdominal armor. Inui felt a sweet taste in his throat and groaned. He forcibly activated his acceleration mode, his crimson afterimages darting back and forth, trying to dictate the course of the battle. But Kitasaki, relying solely on his prediction, raised his hand, picked up the Delta Gun, and fired a beam of light that accurately struck Faiz in the back.

Sparks flew from the armor, and Qian Qiao lost his balance due to the force, crashing heavily to the ground.

"How boring, so weak!" Kitasaki couldn't help but speak out of boredom, seeing Faiz so easily defeated. He then prepared to deliver the final blow.

Just as Faiz was about to suffer a fatal blow, a gray-white figure rushed in from afar. Kiba, who happened to be passing by on an errand, witnessed the battle. Without the slightest hesitation, Orphnoch patterns surged around him, and he transformed into a centaur, charging straight at Delta and forcefully deflecting his attack.

"Any more support? As an Orphnoch, you're helping the enemy? Are you a traitor? Might as well attack together? That would save trouble." Kitasaki's tone was languid, but his attacks became increasingly ferocious.

Maofi, with his hooves flying, charged forward at high speed, unleashing a series of sword strikes, using his speed to restrain Kitazaki; Inui Takumi, enduring the pain, struggled to his feet. The two coordinated their attack, but were quickly overwhelmed. Kitazaki swung his hand horizontally, scattering light bullets that exploded in all directions, all striking Maofi. Kiba was in excruciating pain, his body flying backward, directly forced into his transformation.

Immediately afterward, Kitasaki stepped forward and slammed his elbow into Faiz's chest, while simultaneously sweeping his leg horizontally. Faiz's belt came off his body, and his transformation armor dissipated inch by inch, forcibly deactivating his transformation.

Dust and smoke billowed across the road, scattering gravel everywhere. Qian Qiao struggled to her feet, her body aching and weak, her arms covered in scrapes. Mu Chang, standing nearby, steadied herself against a streetlamp, her breathing rapid, her eyes filled with horror.

The two men stared at each other across the smoke and dust, the same thought rising in their minds: Danger!

The afternoon sun slanted across the concrete rooftop, the air thick with the lingering heat of late summer. Lin Chen straightened his suit cuffs, walked slowly to the railing, his gaze sweeping over the entire building across the street, its surface reflecting the sunlight. He turned to look at Hua Xing, who stood in the shadows, and said calmly, "I deliberately arranged to meet in a place like this, on a rooftop in broad daylight. It just doesn't feel like a good omen."

Hanagata didn't reply. He stood with his back to him in the shadow of the eaves, his gaze fixed on the middle floor of the building opposite. His aura was heavy and tense, completely lacking his usual relaxed demeanor. His usually gentle brows were now taut, and even his fingertips unconsciously tightened slightly.

Lin Chen followed his gaze. People were coming and going in the building, the glass curtain wall reflected the dazzling sunlight, and figures moved about on the floors, just like any other normally operating commercial building in the surrounding area.

After a moment of silence, Hanagata slowly spoke, his voice low and heavy: "The King's host is about to appear."

As soon as he finished speaking, the wind around him seemed to quiet down. A faint glint of sharpness flashed in Lin Chen's eyes as he looked back at the seemingly ordinary building.

Chapter 211 Forget it, let the king go to hell.

Hanagata withdrew her gaze from the building across the street, faced Lin Chen with a solemn expression, and said, "The priestess's prophecy is about to come true."

Then his gaze fell back on the distant buildings. "The prophecy indicates that before long, a raging fire will break out in the middle of this building, the flames will engulf the entire floor, and everyone will perish in the inferno."

Lin Chen listened quietly without interrupting.

Hanagata continued, "After the raging fire has burned everything away, only one child will remain, and only he will survive the disaster. This sole survivor carries a special destiny. When the fire is over, the King of Orphnoch, who is hiding in the world, will personally choose this child and infuse his power into him, making him the host of the King."

After saying this, Hanagata turned to look at Lin Chen again, her eyes filled with worry: "This fire is the beginning of the Wang Xianshi incident. The fate of all of us will be completely rewritten because of this surviving child."

After hearing Hanagata fully recount the shrine maiden's prophecy, Lin Chen's expression turned serious, and his previous nonchalant demeanor vanished.

He asked, "How many people are in there?"

"I'm not sure, maybe a few dozen." Hanagata glanced at the figures moving back and forth on the floor, unsure why Lin Chen asked that, but still gave a rough number.

"Hey, President Hanagata, do you think it's worth sacrificing the lives of those dozens of people for the birth of a king?"

Lin Chen rested his hands on the railing, his eyes slightly glazed over. Although he didn't consider himself a good person, the thought of the entire area engulfed in flames, countless innocent people perishing in the inferno, leaving only an orphan boy to bear the fate of a king, immediately filled him with unbearable sorrow.

At the same time, a child's voice suddenly appeared in his mind, pleading with him to save them. Lin Chen's eyes focused instantly, his spiritual power surging forth as he scanned himself. What was going on?! His brows furrowed tightly.

Seeing his expression, Hanagata spoke calmly, "If the king's appearance could save our Orphnoch race, I think it would be worthwhile. But right now, whether the king appears or not doesn't really mean much to me."

Lin Chen temporarily suppressed his chaotic thoughts; dealing with the immediate matter was the priority. His voice deepened: "I don't think it's worth it. Those ordinary people living in the building, those unrelated children, all of them, are going to needlessly sacrifice their lives just to make a so-called king? What's more, that king is a monster."

He had previously stated that his goal was to hunt down the King of Orphnoch and then leave, but now, upon hearing that the King of Birth would have to pay such a heavy price in human lives, his original plan wavered.

Lin Chen turned to Hanagata: "Let's void our agreement. I won't let this fire happen. No matter what the child's final fate may be, all the innocent people in the fire should not die like this."

After hearing Lin Chen's words, Hanagata was stunned: "Why?"

"Why? I want to know why too. Please, just consider it a good deed. President Hanagata, tell me the cause of the fire." Lin Chen faced Hanagata with a serious expression.

...

The backlash from the transformation was tearing at his bones. Kiba clutched his chest as he got up, picked up the Faiz belt that had rolled to the side, and rushed to Takumi Inui's side, supporting the swaying Inui.

He frowned: "How are you? Are you badly injured?"

Qian Qiao was covered in abrasions. He shook his head slightly, his gaze piercing through the swirling dust as he looked at the black Delta armor standing not far away. His eyes were filled with seriousness: "I'm fine. Be careful of the other side."

Just as the two were catching their breath, a gust of air rose from the road behind Delta, and a jet glider sped towards them from a distance. Delta leaped into the air and landed gracefully in the open cockpit.

A childlike, cheerful voice rang out: "Goodbye, you two. Although the match was short, I had a lot of fun. Thank you for warming me up."

As soon as he finished speaking, Kitasaki pressed the missile launch button on the control panel.

Om-!

The jet glider deployed all its bomb bays, unleashing a staggering thirty-two photon missiles that cascaded out in a flurry of white flames, filling the air and locking onto the two men as they hurtled down.

Inui and Kiba's pupils constricted, their faces turning deathly pale. There was no way to escape!

At the critical moment, the silver-gray mech suddenly broke through the air and arrived. The motorized Pegasus autonomously switched to combat robot mode and strode to block in front of the two, its alloy body protecting them tightly.

Missiles rained down on the mech's body, blinding white light engulfing the entire street, followed by deafening explosions. The violent shockwaves, carrying a surge of intense heat, blasted both the man and the robot several meters away, sending them crashing heavily to the ground.

Despite the excruciating pain, Qian Qiao rolled over and got up, rushing to the side of the motorized Pegasus and pressing the reset button.

With a flash of silver light, the massive robot retracted and transformed back into its motorcycle form. Qian Qiao pulled the still dizzy Kiba up, gripped the handlebars, straddled the motorcycle, and the engine roared to life. The wheels skidded and sped away, disappearing around the street corner in an instant.

Kitasaki lowered his eyes and looked in the direction the two had fled, but did not chase after them directly. A pleasant smile appeared on the corner of his mouth beneath his armor.

She murmured to herself, "They escaped... Well, that's good, it makes things more interesting."

...

In the dimly lit corridor, the barnacle Orphno stood silently. Its entire body was covered in barnacle-shaped protrusions of hard skin, with jagged lumps on its shoulders, chest, and abdomen, and dangerous gas bombs hovered around it.

He was sent by someone in the shadows, his goal being to set a great fire here in order to create more children who could become the host of the king.

He slowly walked to the window, raised his hand, and opened his hard-armored palm. From his palm flowed a steady stream of perfectly round, flammable explosive seeds, each hovering before him, gleaming with a dangerous grayish-white light. If these bombs were scattered throughout the corridor, the entire building would be engulfed in flames in an instant.

Barnacle Orphnoch let out a piercing laugh and swung its arm violently, sending dozens of explosive seeds flying in all directions with a strong gust of wind, ready to explode upon landing.

But before the seeds could spread, a thin gray ripple suddenly appeared in mid-air, spreading silently. The ripple swept over each exploding seed, and the originally restless and glowing spheres were swallowed up as if by an invisible giant mouth, dissolving one after another into the gray waves.

Barnacle Orphino's pupils constricted sharply, and he took a half-step back in astonishment. He activated his palm again, continuously spewing out new explosive seeds, but no matter how many he released, gray ripples would appear precisely on time and engulf them all.

Just as they were about to condense the gas bomb again, a cold voice came from the depths of the corridor's shadows, echoing in the enclosed space: "Don't waste your energy."

Barnacle Orpheus froze, abruptly turning to look at the source of the voice. Her bony, lumpy head drooped slightly, her tone wary and angry: "Who are you? How dare you obstruct my actions?"

The shadows slowly parted, and Lin Chen, dressed in a suit, calmly stepped out. His cold gaze fell on the other person, and he spoke slowly and deliberately: "I am Lin Chen, the current president of Smart Brain. I have already given orders that Orphnochs are strictly prohibited from attacking or harming ordinary humans at will. You knew the ban, yet you still dared to set fire here. You have completely disregarded my words."

Barnacle Orpheus let out a low growl from its shoulder and throat, showing no sign of restraint: "I am acting on secret orders from above. Disaster is an inevitable path for the birth of the King's host. This is a major event for the clan, and it is not your place to interfere!"

"You also know about the Wang affair? It seems you're from the village!" Lin Chen frowned, his eyes growing colder.

Gray patterns spread across Lin Chen's skin as he coldly said, "Since that's the case, and you've disobeyed orders, then die."

As soon as he finished speaking, the tiger-shaped Orphnoch took shape, its sharp claws gleaming with a cold light, and the overwhelming sense of oppression locked onto the barnacle Orphnoch in front of it.

Seeing Lin Chen transform into his tiger-like Orpheus, the barnacle Orpheus roared and launched a counterattack. Its barnacle lumps swelled continuously, and spherical bombs filled with flammable gas erupted from its palms one after another, raining down on Lin Chen. The barnacle Orpheus took heavy steps forward, attempting to rely on its brute force—capable of smashing through concrete walls—to engage in close combat and break through the obstruction to complete its arson mission.

But faced with an absolute disparity in strength, all his resistance seemed futile.

Lin Chen merely turned slightly to the side, and with a gentle ripple of gray light, the incoming gas bombs vanished into thin air without even a spark. The barnacle Orpheus, charging towards him, was caught by Lin Chen's casually raised claw, which pressed against its chest. The barnacle's rock-hard hide cracked instantly, fine fissures spreading across its entire body along the clump.

A sharp pain instantly engulfed the barnacle Orpheus, who struggled desperately with his limbs, but Lin Chen's eyes remained unmoved. In just a few seconds, the massive body rapidly burst into blue flames and disintegrated into sand.

As the sandstorm subsided, the corridor returned to silence. The Orpheus patterns on Lin Chen's body slowly faded, restoring his human form. His gaze swept across the empty corridor, completely extinguishing the fire that was about to claim countless lives.

In the shadows, the flower-shaped figure was also hidden in the dim light, and a deep voice slowly rang out: "What you're doing is only treating the symptoms, not the root cause. Today you've stopped one barnacle Orphnoch, but others will follow. The prophecy is set, and the King of the Orphnoch will appear sooner or later. Stopping one arson attack won't change the final fate."

Lin Chen gazed at the ordinary people coming and going in the buildings outside the window, his tone calm: "I know what's going on. But right now, I just want this so-called Mr. Wang to go to hell." He turned his head to look at Hua Xing, a cold glint in his eyes.

"The root of the continuous disasters and innocent deaths all lies with the Orphnochs. Murakami is now secretly inciting his own kind to rebel, and many Orphnochs are wantonly harming humans in order to create more of their own kind. If this is allowed to continue, more tragedies will occur."

Hanagata frowned slightly: "What do you want to do?"

"Isn't the desertification inhibitor about to be completed? By then, the Orphnochs who want to live peacefully and coexist with humans will be able to escape their desertification fate and live a stable life thanks to the inhibitor; but those Orphnochs who follow the old order and are obsessed with power should disappear!"

Hanagata looked at Lin Chen, who had made up his mind, and recalled the prophecy. He couldn't help but think to himself, "Even though the process is different, the ending of destruction is still the same? But this ending is quite good, isn't it?"

Chapter 212 The potion is complete.

Pushing open the door of the hotel where he was temporarily staying, Lin Chen stepped inside and locked the door behind him.

The dimensional barrier unfolded, and a humanoid robot with a completely black body and cold, hard lines appeared out of thin air. Its heavy armor gleamed with a matte, cold light under the indoor lights.

The robot looked at Lin Chen, and a female voice said, "What's wrong? Why did you call me back?"

Lin Chen walked to the window, drew the blackout curtains tightly, turned to look at the robot, and said with a serious expression, "It seems like there's something wrong with my body!" He then told the robot about the strange sounds he had heard from the child during the day.

"Really? You'd like me to give you a thorough checkup?"

“This time, I agree!” After saying that, Lin Chen took out the white evolution memory and placed it in front of the black robot’s chest. A flash of white light appeared, and the light from the robot’s electronic eyes dimmed. At the same time, a gray memory popped out of the robot’s body and was caught by Lin Chen.

The robot then transformed, reverting to the jet glider that Philip had modified. A dimensional barrier flashed, and Lin Chen moved it out of the room.

After doing all this, Lin Chen lay down on the bed, his consciousness entering that pure white space.