As a weirdo, I like being a Kamen Rider

Just then, Saeko Kageyama suddenly spoke up, asking Murakami to describe the appearance of the opponent's Orpheus form in detail. Murakami frowned and gave a rough description, and then Saeko Kageyama raised her hand and waved it. Golden particles of light gathered in the air and gradually condensed into an insect-shaped figure, the outline of which was exactly the same as Murakami's description.

"What's wrong with this?" Murakami frowned as he looked at the phantom.

Saeko Kageyama's voice carried a hint of solemnity, yet also a sense of understanding: "This is the king's appearance. It seems Murakami just happened to stumble upon the king hunting for food in order to complete his awakening."

The moment those words were spoken, everyone in the room was stunned.

"King?" Takuma was the first to come to his senses, his tone full of disbelief. "The King of Orphnochs? You just said that he can only awaken by eating other Orphnochs?"

“That’s right.” Saeko Kageyama nodded, a mocking smile playing on her lips. “I was wondering why Lin Chen suddenly returned the president’s position to Hanagata. It turns out the King appeared. In the future I came from, this man never dared to confront the King directly, always hiding behind the scenes like a mouse. He’s still just as cowardly in this era.”

Murakami, far from being afraid, listened with increasing intensity, his eyes shining with delight.

He was still worried about how to deal with Lin Chen, but unexpectedly, such a great opportunity fell from the sky.

Since he is the King of the Orphnochs, they, his kin, should naturally stand by his side. If they help the King achieve his awakening, the entire Orphnoch race will surely have a bright future.

“Excellent,” Murakami said, suppressing his excitement. “We’ll go and join the King, help him awaken completely, and create a future that truly belongs to the Orphnochs. But…” He paused, a calculating glint in his eyes. “Going to see the King empty-handed would be too insincere. Before we go to see him, we need to prepare a grand gift for him.”

During their time sharing the apartment, the group saw each other all the time, cooking together in the apartment. Keitaro always subconsciously took extra care of Yuuka.

Today I finally mustered up the courage to approach her again and say that a new dorayaki shop had opened on the street corner, and I wanted to invite her to try it together.

Yuka hesitated at first. She knew her place. But when she looked up and saw Keitaro with his ears red and eyes sparkling, the words of refusal caught in her throat, and she finally nodded gently.

The two strolled slowly along the shopping street. Keitaro was carrying two cups of milk tea he had just bought. He was so nervous that he talked more than usual, sometimes talking about how generous the red bean filling was, and sometimes recounting funny stories from his time at the laundromat. This made Yuka keep a faint smile on her lips.

It was a rare treat to be able to stroll around and soak up the sun like an ordinary person, and she felt much more relaxed.

But this ease didn't last long. As they turned into a slightly off-the-beaten-path alley, the wind suddenly turned cold, and the few pedestrians on the road seemed to sense an inexplicable sense of oppression, quickening their pace to avoid them. Unhurried footsteps came from the end of the alley, and Kageyama Saeko walked out with her arms crossed, an undisguised sneer on her face, her gaze fixed on Yuuka from the moment she appeared.

“It wasn’t easy to find you,” Saeko Kageyama chuckled, taking a step forward as energy emanated from her body. “Come with me. The King is in need of some awakening materials, and an Orphnoch like you would make a perfect gift.”

Keitaro's heart skipped a beat. Without thinking, he stepped in front of Yuka to block her. Although his back was a little stiff, he still forced a smile and asked, "Who are you? What do you want?"

"Human?" Saeko Kageyama raised an eyebrow, as if she had heard the biggest joke in the world. "Get out of my way, or I'll take care of you too."

Twisted, grayish-white patterns rose from her body, and she transformed into the lobster Orphnoch.

She casually swung her pincers, and the shockwave carrying the force of the wind knocked Keitaro to the ground. Keitaro groaned and tried to get up by bracing himself on his arms, but the residual force made his arms numb and he couldn't stand up for a moment.

Chapter 228 Explosive Faiz

As Saeko raised her pincers and turned towards Yuuka behind her, approaching step by step with an undeniable sense of oppression, Yuuka could no longer restrain herself.

She cried out, "No!"

Under Keitaro's watchful gaze, she transformed into a crane-type Orphnoch, her original gentle demeanor fading away, leaving only the resolute determination of a warrior.

Yuka sprang into action and charged straight at Saeko, and the two immediately engaged in combat.

Saeko's pincer attacks were fierce and heavy, each strike carrying the force to shatter bones; Yuuka, on the other hand, used her agile movements to constantly dodge and create distance, while using the sharp blades on the edges of her wings to launch counterattacks when the opportunity arose.

At first, Jiehua was unsettled and her movements were a beat slow. Her left arm armor was torn open by the pincers, and fine dark energy leaked out from it.

But when she caught sight of Keitaro struggling to get up from the ground, her eyes narrowed instantly, and she accelerated to her maximum speed, transforming into a white shadow as she slashed around Saeko repeatedly.

Saeko hadn't expected her to suddenly unleash such speed. She hastily parried several attacks and involuntarily took two steps back to steady herself.

As her fingers traced the scratches on the claws, Saeko's nonchalant mockery vanished completely, replaced by a chilling sense of being offended by someone of lower status.

She had initially thought she could easily take this crane-shaped Orphnoch back, without even using a fraction of her strength. But that attack just now forced her to abandon her underestimation.

"Interesting. It seems you're more valuable than I thought." Saeko's voice turned colder.

She held back, and the instant her toes touched the ground, she lunged forward, her heavy claws carrying the force to smash iron, slamming down towards Jiehua's head. A gust of wind followed, whipping up dust and fallen leaves that flew everywhere.

Yuka instinctively flapped her wings and soared higher, her pure white wings of light unfolding beside her, barely grazing the edge of the claw. Using the momentum of her dive, her wing blades, carrying a sharp energy light, slashed straight at Saeko's shoulder blade, but as Saeko dodged to the side, her right fist had already slammed out.

As the two clashed in close combat, muffled thuds erupted one after another. With her agile movements, Yuka constantly changed positions, and her Wings of Light swung with her movements, unleashing crescent-shaped energy slashes that forced Saeko to use her claws to block.

If its full potential could be realized, the power of these Wings of Light would be enough to pierce through the defenses of an ordinary Orenian, but the timidity inherent in Keika's nature always lingered.

While keeping an eye on Keitaro struggling on the ground, she also felt an instinctive fear of the executive in front of her, causing her attacks to falter slightly, thus weakening the power of her otherwise fierce energy slashes. After several rounds, she not only failed to gain the upper hand, but Saeko gradually figured out her attack rhythm.

Seeing that a direct assault wouldn't work, Saeko snorted and drew her sword from her waist with a reverse grip in her right hand.

The silver-gray blade flashed a cold light in the sunlight, and the next second, a barrage of thrusts poured out like a torrential rain. The blade blocked all of Jiehua's paths of evasion from all directions.

Jiehua could only desperately wave her wings of light, forming a barrier in front of her. The clanging sounds of the collisions were as numerous as popping beans.

Her mind became increasingly chaotic, and her fear made her movements gradually sluggish. Finally, a tiny opening appeared under her ribs, and Saeko's sword pierced directly into the armor on her waist.

Jiehua groaned in pain, her body swaying violently.

She caught a glimpse of Keitaro on the ground, trying to stand up while supporting himself on his arms, his eyes filled with anxiety. Her heart tightened, and she forced herself to suppress her fear, channeling all her energy into the Wings of Light.

With a swing of her arm, a blinding white blade of light swept out with a whistling sound, its power so great that even the air itself was torn open with subtle cracks.

Saeko's pupils contracted slightly, and she quickly crossed her claws to shield herself. The force of the impact caused the grass beneath her feet to sink half an inch, and she was jolted back three steps.

But this was already the limit for Yuuka. After the outburst, she staggered and knelt on the ground, barely able to maintain her transformation.

Saeko suppressed the anger in her chest, giving her no chance to catch her breath.

She moved swiftly, closing in on Yuuka, her heavy pincers slamming into the back of her neck. The light in Yuuka's eyes suddenly faded, her wings of light instantly dissipated, and her body slumped forward, reverting to human form, completely losing consciousness.

Saeko picked up the unconscious girl, glanced coldly at Keitaro who was unable to move not far away, and didn't linger.

The wind along the coast carried a salty, fishy smell, and the waves crashed against the rocks, creating a series of sounds.

Qian Qiao and Muba leaned against the railing side by side, with the white waves surging beneath their feet. They remained silent for a long time before Qian Qiao finally spoke.

"That's just how Kusaka is, he's always talking with a sharp tongue, don't take it to heart." He kicked a small pebble at his feet, his tone indifferent.

Kiba gazed at the distant horizon, sighed softly, and turned to ask, "Has he been through something in the past? Why is he so resistant to the Orphnoch?"

Qian Qiao shook his head, his brows furrowing slightly. "I don't know either. I've tried to subtly ask him several times, but he won't say a word." He paused, his gaze falling on Kiba's face. "But you, you clearly have a medicine that can turn you back into a normal person, why have you been putting it off?"

When he asked this question, Kiba didn't respond for a moment. He recalled Yuka's profile as she would often be lost in thought alone late at night, and Kaidou's stubborn demeanor as she would secretly touch her wrist in a daze.

After a few seconds, he said in a low voice, "Yukika and Kaidou haven't gotten over this yet. I can't just wash my hands of it and leave them here."

After they finished speaking, neither of them said anything more. Only the waves kept crashing against the rocks and the sound of the wind filled their ears.

Suddenly, a mocking laugh came from behind, light yet carrying a chilling undertone: "How rare, human knights and Orphnochs chatting together? Perfect, saves me the trouble of searching for them one by one, I'll take care of them all today."

The two turned around abruptly and saw Kitasaki walking slowly towards them on the path not far away, his hands in his pockets, a nonchalant smile on his baby face, and a flash of gray energy around him, transforming him directly into the demon form of a dragon-shaped Orphnoch.

A flash of gray light appeared in the hotel suite, the dimensional barrier closed, and Lin Chen stepped out, plopped down on the sofa chair by the window, raised his hand to rub his temples, his face full of helplessness.

He made a special trip to another world to find Tsukasa Kadoya to lend a hand, so that he could at least cover up the situation regarding the Time Jackers.

As it turns out, that guy was up to something and stopped going back to the photo studio altogether.

After hearing his purpose, Tsukasa Kadoya, carrying his camera, refused without hesitation, saying that he had an even bigger mess to deal with and couldn't get away. Instead, he advised Lin Chen not to go back and to stay and help him run a few errands.

Lin Chen was naturally unwilling. His side was full of trouble, with the future King of Orphnoch and the Time Jackers emerging. It was impossible for him to leave for an extended period of time.

After arguing for a long time, Tsukasa Kadoya finally gave him a way to deal with the Time Jackers, so it wasn't a complete waste of time.

His thoughts were interrupted when his phone on the table suddenly rang urgently.

Keitaro's name appeared on the screen. He answered the phone, and as he listened to the flustered voice on the other end, his expression gradually darkened.

After hanging up the phone, Lin Chen sat in his chair with a solemn expression. He had guessed that the villagers might go to the future king, but he hadn't expected them to act so quickly, capturing Nagata Yuka as a sacrifice to help the king complete his awakening.

He stood up, and the dimensional barrier unfolded in front of him once again. It was too late to say anything now; he had to get there and rescue the person first.

Smoke and dust, along with rubble, exploded as Faiz and Kiba, who had transformed into a horse-shaped Orphnoch, crashed heavily into the coastal railing, bending and deforming the heavy metal railing on the spot.

Kiba barely managed to prop himself up on the ground, his chest churning with energy, making it difficult for him to even stand.

Kitazaki, in his dragon-like Orphnoch demon form, slowly approached, his presence radiating an oppressive aura that made it hard to breathe. The previous fight was merely a casual way to pass the time for him.

Faiz knelt on one knee, his voice trembling with urgency beneath his helmet, and growled at Kiba beside him, "Hold him off for a bit."

Before he finished speaking, he got up and rushed towards the parking area at the end of the path. Kitasaki raised an eyebrow, wanting to give chase, but since Faiz wasn't his main target, he stopped.

Kiba gritted his teeth and lunged forward, materializing a longsword that tightly bound Kitasaki's steps, creating a gap for Inui to reach the motorized Pegasus.

Qian Qiao rushed to the motorized Pegasus, turned sideways to the rear of the vehicle, and lifted a black box on the back seat, pulling out a silver-gray hard-sided briefcase-like object.

This thing was sent over by Mari's father, Hanagata, after the laundromat was destroyed by Clover and her men a while ago. At the time, he only sent a message saying that it was a reinforcement component for Faiz and could greatly increase the strength of the armor.

Although one misfortune after another has occurred these days, they have never been driven to the brink of despair, so Qianqiao has kept it on the back of the motorcycle and never touched it.

A muffled groan came from behind Kiba, clearly indicating that he was about to succumb to Kitasaki's onslaught. Inui's eyes darkened; now was the time to use this thing.

He carried the object directly to Kiba, who had been knocked to the ground again, and helped him up.

When Kitasaki saw that Faiz had returned, he didn't continue to make a move. He wanted to see what kind of trouble Faiz could cause.

Seeing that the other party had no intention of continuing the attack, Qian Qiao followed the instructions, used his other hand to pull out the Faiz phone from his belt, keeping the flip open, and inserted it directly into the accessory's connector slot.

As the dull thud of the latch engaging subsided, a cold, electronic voice simultaneously sounded:

"Awakening"

Takumi Inui re-entered Faiz's transformation code on the button on the accessory handle.

"Standing By"

Then the entire accessory emitted a blinding red light. Kitazaki was shocked to see this familiar scene, but he still did not make any move, which made him find it interesting.

The camera pans to near-Earth orbit, and Smart Brain's satellite instantly receives the authorization request. The white text "555-2 ACCEPT" flashes on the black screen, and a torrent of photon energy pours down along the signal link.

A surge of red photon blood burst forth from the center of the belt, rushing wildly through the tubes throughout the body.

The basic form of the silver-white armor began to reorganize under the energy surge. The shoulder armor expanded and thickened outward, and the photon circuit of the chest armor was plated with a dazzling golden-red layer. The original silver-red armor was soaked in high-concentration photon blood and gradually transformed into a deep and saturated true red.

The back armor unfolded layer by layer, revealing the prototype of the built-in floating propulsion component. The energy overflowing from its body stirred up the rubble on the ground, forming a faint red aura.

The intense light suddenly exploded and then quickly receded.

Faiz, predominantly crimson with silver trim, stood in place. Its compound eyes were even brighter and more intimidating than in its base form, but the photon veins on its body had turned black, leaving only the one that ran across its chest armor in gold.

Qian Qiao clenched his fist, the power emanating from the heavy armor almost overflowing from it.

Chapter 229 One Against Three

Is this the final equipment sent by Daddy Truth? I didn't expect Faiz to have accessories similar to Kaixa's back then.

Kitasaki, now in the form of the dragon Orphnoch, had an intense fighting spirit in his eyes. His previous battle with Kirihiko's Explosive Kaixa had ended hastily. He accepted that he couldn't defeat Lin Chen, but he didn't believe he couldn't even defeat Kirihiko, one of Lin Chen's subordinates.