As a weirdo, I like being a Kamen Rider

Lin Chen gazed at his silent and forlorn profile, then looked at Ozawa Sumiko, who stood calmly and composedly to the side. The tension that had gripped him for so long began to ease slightly.

As night deepened, the evening breeze grew cooler.

The steam rising from the hot pot slowly dissipated, and the broth in the pot gradually thickened until it was almost empty. In the distance, the city's neon lights went out one by one, the hustle and bustle subsided, and the entire city of Tokyo slowly sank into a tranquil slumber.

Only in the night sky, where countless stars fill the heavens, bright and clear, do they resemble countless gentle eyes, quietly overlooking the earth.

Hikawa Makoto silently began clearing the table, collecting empty cans and plastic food bags one by one and neatly putting them into trash bags. Ozawa Sumiko leaned against the rooftop railing, gazing up at the starry sky, a freshly brewed cup of black coffee in her hand, the wisps of steam rising slowly and blending into the cool night breeze.

Lin Chen slowly walked to her side and also looked up at the deep night sky.

The evening breeze ruffled his hair, carrying the crisp coolness of late autumn, yet it brought him an unprecedented sense of peace.

Having drifted from place to place in the past, working at the Hikari Photo Studio, Sato's noodle shop offered him a moment of peace. And now, these companions fighting side by side are a haven he doesn't want to lose, a place he only wants to quietly protect.

My fingertips quietly tightened around the Orga phone in my pocket, the cold metallic touch was clearly felt, but my thoughts became more and more settled.

If Agito never appears in this world again.

Then I'll go first.

Chapter 70 Rainy Night

At 11 p.m., Tokyo was hit by its heaviest rainstorm since the beginning of autumn.

Large raindrops pounded on the ground, splashing up muddy sprays of water. The crackling sound mingled with the rumbling thunder from the clouds, making one's eardrums vibrate.

A pale bolt of lightning suddenly ripped through the inky night sky, instantly illuminating the white rain curtain and making the outline of the entire city flicker between light and shadow. The water on the road was already above ankle level, and the visibility was less than five meters. There were very few passing vehicles, and only the streetlights cast a blurry halo in the rain and mist.

Lin Chen rode an old motorcycle steadily through the deserted streets.

His waterproof jacket was already soaked through by the torrential rain. The black fabric clung tightly to his body, outlining his tall and neat figure. The wisps of hair on his forehead were wet with rainwater and lay flat against his brow. The icy rainwater dripped down the ends of his hair, slid down his jawline, and into his collar, but it did not make him flinch in the slightest.

He stared ahead, his eyes calm, the motorcycle headlights cutting through the thick rain, leaving two shallow streaks in the flooded road as he weaved through the storm.

He slowly parked his motorcycle under the eaves at the alley entrance, turned off the engine, and looked up to see the familiar warm yellow light of Sato's noodle shop. The light pierced through the misty glass door, standing out prominently in the pouring rain, like a safe haven sheltering him from the storm. This made him, who had been wandering for years and was used to being tense, subconsciously pause, a faint warmth rising in his heart.

Lin Chen thought the old man was just staying up late as usual and that there were no customers in the shop at the moment, so he thought he would quietly push the door open and go in.

But when he gently pushed open the cool glass door, and the chill of the wind and rain rushed into the room, he unexpectedly bumped into two people inside—the old man and Nakamura Yuko. The two occupied a corner, quietly keeping each other company and protecting themselves from the downpour outside the window.

The stove inside the noodle shop was burning brightly, with orange flames dancing gently in the firebox, warming the entire room and instantly dispelling the chill and dampness from Lin Chen's body.

The air was filled with the faint aroma of burning firewood, mixed with the smoky atmosphere unique to noodle shops.

On the table was a chipped enamel basin filled halfway with steaming hot water, and several clean cotton towels were draped beside it.

Genji Sato sat in a wicker chair by the fireplace, wearing reading glasses and holding the day's newspaper. He was getting sleepy, nodding his head occasionally. His eyes were full of gentleness, and his usual competence had faded, replaced by the languor and kindness of an old man.

Yuko Nakamura sat at a small table to the side, with a cup of tea that had long since gone cold in front of her and a ball of yarn in her hand. She didn't start knitting, but just lowered her eyes and stared blankly at the white rain curtain outside the window. Clearly, she too was trapped by this sudden downpour and could not return home. She could only stay here temporarily and take shelter from the rain in the warmth of the noodle shop.

Hearing the door open, the two of them looked up at the same time, their eyes falling on Lin Chen.

Grandpa Sato slowly put down the newspaper in his hand, his tone calm and even, yet revealing unintentional kindness: "You're back. It's raining heavily outside. Warm up first, don't catch a cold." Nakamura Yuko also came to her senses and, seeing Lin Chen's soaked and disheveled appearance, gently reminded him: "There are towels on the table. Wipe yourself down first. The rain is cold, don't get chilled."

As she spoke, she raised her hand and gently pushed the towel in front of him, then lowered her head again to continue fiddling with the yarn in her hands.

Lin Chen nodded slightly, picked up a towel from the table, and simply wiped the rain off his face and hands. He found a spot near the heater and sat down quietly, his gaze fixed on the flickering flames. He didn't initiate conversation, but he didn't appear overly distant either, blending perfectly into the peaceful atmosphere.

The warmth from the heater slowly enveloped him, dispelling the last trace of dampness and cold from his body. He could hear the patter of rain outside the window and the soft rustling of the old man occasionally turning the pages of the newspaper.

Not long after, Grandpa Sato slowly got up and walked slowly into the kitchen. A few minutes later, he brought out a bowl of steaming ginger soup and gently placed it in front of Lin Chen, saying with concern, "Have a sip of ginger soup to warm yourself up and drive away the cold."

Seeing this, Yuko Nakamura got up and poured Lin Chen a glass of warm water. Then she sat back down and quietly watched the rain outside the window. The three of them did not disturb each other, but there was a kind of inexplicable understanding between them, which was warm and peaceful.

Lin Chen picked up the ginger soup bowl, his fingertips touching the warm bowl. The warmth spread from his fingertips to his whole body, dispelling the chill in his bones.

He didn't say much, just quietly drank the ginger soup, his gaze remaining calm.

The three sat around the fireplace in a peaceful and quiet atmosphere. There was no unnecessary conversation, but it wasn't awkward at all; instead, there was a rare sense of comfort.

Mr. Sato picked up the newspaper again, turning a page occasionally, his movements slow and unhurried, his eyes full of leisure.

Yuko Nakamura put away her yarn, picked up the warm water on the table, sipped it slowly, and kept her gaze fixed on the window, as if hoping that the rain would stop soon so that she could start her journey home as soon as possible.

Lin Chen finished his ginger soup, gently placed the empty bowl on the table, and sat quietly, letting the warmth of the heater envelop him, enjoying this moment of peace.

After a long silence, Yuko Nakamura finally couldn't help but speak softly, her tone tinged with a cautious curiosity: "Tatsu-kun, what kind of work are you doing now? Why are you back so late?"

Upon hearing the question, Lin Chen paused slightly. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but then slowly closed it again—it was best not to mention his current work in the G3 team, lest others worry about him.

In the end, he simply shook his head slightly and did not respond.

Grandpa Sato, with his keen insight, immediately saw Lin Chen's reluctance to talk about it and promptly interrupted the brief awkwardness with gentle words: "Everyone has their own difficulties and their own past that they don't want to talk about. If you don't want to talk about it, then don't. There's no need to force yourself." He looked up at Lin Chen: "As long as you're not doing anything bad right now, that's fine."

Her words were tactful enough to defuse Lin Chen's awkwardness without crossing any lines. Nakamura Yuko also realized she had asked the wrong question and quickly changed the subject with a smile, talking about amusing things that happened at the hospital in a light and lively tone.

Mr. Sato occasionally chimed in with a word or two, and the atmosphere returned to peace and warmth, the brief awkwardness quietly dissipating in the atmosphere.

Lin Chen listened to their conversation in silence, occasionally nodding slightly.

The rain gradually subsided, and the booming thunder faded away completely, disappearing into the depths of the clouds, leaving only the pattering of rain gently tapping on the glass door.

Grandpa Sato leaned back in his wicker chair, still holding a newspaper in his hand, nodding his head slowly, his eyes full of fatigue.

Yuko Nakamura put away the water glass on the table, slowly got up, walked to the door, gently pushed the door open a crack, and tentatively looked at the rain outside. A smile appeared on her face—the rain had subsided a lot, and she could finally start her journey home.

He smiled and said goodbye to the two, then opened his umbrella and stepped into the drizzling rain, his figure quickly disappearing at the alley entrance. The house instantly fell silent, save for the crackling of the fireplace flames, mingling with the fading sound of the rain outside the window.

Lin Chen got up without disturbing the drowsy Grandpa Sato, and quietly tidied up the clutter on the table. He stacked the empty ginger soup bowls, took them into the kitchen, carefully washed them with warm water, dried them, and put them away neatly. He then poured out the remaining water from the enamel basin, wrung out the towel, folded it, and put it back in its original place. His movements were slow and efficient, without making a sound.

After tidying up, he walked to the old man's side and gently called out, "Grandpa, the guests have all left. It's time to go back and rest." Grandpa Sato woke up groggily, nodded with sleepy eyes, and let Lin Chen help him up. Lin Chen helped him put on his coat, carefully turned off the heater, extinguished the unnecessary lights in the room, and finally locked the glass door of the noodle shop before helping the old man slowly walk towards his residence.

After settling the old man in, Lin Chen turned and returned to his room. Pushing open the door, he found the room simply furnished, with a clean and tidy tatami mat. He took off his rain-soaked coat, casually draped it over a hanger, and then slowly lay down on the tatami. With a gentle press of his fingertips against his palm, a light blue system panel appeared out of thin air.

Ultimate Evolution System

[Host: Lin Chen]

[Race: Tiger-type Orphnoch (Complete Form+)]

[Body Constitution 74/174]

Agility 65/161

[Mental state: 65/125]

Lifespan: 76 years

Evolution Points: 50

Ability 1: Echo Guardian? Life Anchor

Cost of Ability: Each time you reverse a fatal blow from another, it consumes your own life essence, reducing your lifespan.

Ability 2: Tiger Hunting Domain? Critical Prediction

Cost of ability: It will accelerate the consumption of life essence.

The demon essence he obtained from Hibiki has been fully absorbed over nearly a month. However, it only increased each of his three attributes by 5 points, which is nothing to brag about.

I've been on many missions in the two weeks since I joined the G3 team, but I've only earned 50 evolution points.

Perhaps because Agito didn't appear, Unknown didn't even send out elite-level combat personnel. This was a good thing for him. Without a real Agito, Dark Force probably wouldn't personally intervene, so at least he wouldn't have to fight the highest difficulty dungeons like the Flashlight Warrior.

So there shouldn't be any world-ending crisis in this world, right?

Chapter 71 A Kind Reward

The afternoon sun pierced through the leaves of the plane trees lining the street, casting dappled light spots on the ground.

The residential area was quiet and peaceful on Saturday. There were few pedestrians on the road, and occasionally a bicycle would pass by, its crisp bell ringing softly in the air. Watanabe Miyo walked slowly, carrying a shopping basket filled with freshly bought tomatoes, potatoes, and scallions, planning to go home and cook a simple dinner. The old woman walked with a leisurely pace, softly humming an old tune from decades ago, her life peaceful and undisturbed.

No one expected that danger would strike without warning.

The shadows at the alley entrance shifted abruptly, and a figure rushed out, blocking the old man's path. The person wore a dark coat, and their body twisted violently in an instant, revealing unknown dark gold patterns surging beneath their skin. Their aura changed in the blink of an eye.

In just one second, the human form completely disintegrated, replaced by the ant-like Venerable.

Without any hesitation, Unknown arched his body and, with deadly intent, lunged straight at the defenseless old man.

"what--!"

A gasp shattered the silence. The vegetable basket fell to the ground, scattering fresh fruits and vegetables everywhere.

In that critical moment, a figure rushed in from the other side of the street. It was Lin Chen.

The old man must have been lucky; Lin Chen just happened to be passing by.

He was returning from running errands in the city on his day off, heading back to Sato's noodle shop, when a scream stopped him in his tracks. Without a moment's hesitation, he flashed forward and, just before the Venerable One's claws fell, stepped aside to block the old man.

In his physical form, he neither dodged nor evaded, but instead focused his waist and exerted force, concentrating his right fist to precisely strike the Venerable's chest.

"Bam—"

A muffled thud. The ant-like Venerable was forced back several steps, its ferocious aura momentarily halted, clearly not expecting to be repelled head-on by a human. Completely enraged, it roared and pounced again, its claws slicing through the air with a sharp, tearing sound.

Lin Chen's eyes were calm, his fingertips already touching the Orga phone in his pocket.

"Standing By."

A low, electronic sound flashed through the air. He fastened his phone to his belt.

"Complete."

A torrent of dark golden photons erupted, covering the body in layers of armor with a black base and golden patterns.

The ant-like Venerable was fast, but it was no match for Orga. Lin Chen neither retreated nor dodged, stepping forward to meet the Venerable's attack. As he sidestepped the claws, he gathered power in his right hand and delivered a precise chop to the Venerable's joint. The Venerable's movements faltered, and its power instantly dissipated. Lin Chen then raised his hand, and the Earth Emperor Sword's photon blood energy condensed into a blade of light, piercing straight into the Venerable's body.

Golden particles of light exploded in the sunlight and slowly drifted away.

Almost at the same moment the monster died, the sound of armored footsteps rushing by came from afar. When Hikawa Makoto, dressed in full G3 armor, arrived at the scene, the battle was already over, leaving only a mess and a terrified old man.

"Lin Chen?" Bingchuan Cheng was taken aback and subconsciously connected to the base communication. "Xiao Ze, the target has been eliminated. The civilians are safe and there were no casualties."

On the other end of the communicator, Sumiko Ozawa's voice was calm and clear: "Received. Hand over the evidence at the scene to the local police officers. Mission complete. Dismissed."

Bingchuan Cheng glanced at the chaotic scene and nodded, "Understood." He looked at Lin Chen, "You just happened to be here?"

"Just passing by," Lin Chen replied casually, raising his hand to deactivate his transformation.

The armor dissipated into particles of light, and he returned to his everyday attire, looking at Watanabe Miyo beside him.

The old man's face was still a little pale, but he had gradually calmed down and was bending down to pick up the scattered fruits and vegetables on the ground.