As a weirdo, I like being a Kamen Rider

Lin Chen didn't ask.

He leaned against the corner of the wall, his right hand in his pocket, the cold metal casing of his Didi phone. His senses quietly spread; life within a 500-meter radius flickered like fireflies. In the lower shelter, Sato Yuki's heartbeat was steady and gentle, like a small, warm stove stubbornly shining in the cold underground space—an anchor point Lin Chen had specifically placed for her.

For the next two days, the entire G3 base was on high alert.

On the surface, the lights in the shelter remained steady, and the whispers of children and the soft coughs of the elderly mingled together. But everyone knew that the shadow of the anomaly hung over their heads like a sharp blade, ready to fall at any moment.

Lin Chen took the initiative to take on the task of covert night patrols, his figure moving silently like a shadow.

Inside the base, civilians barely managed to make ends meet.

The food rations have been reduced to two biscuits and 100 ml of warm water per person.

Genji Sato donated the last of the noodle shop's ingredients, Yuko Nakamura used her healing glow to comfort the sick children, and Yuki Sato held crayon drawings of knights and smiling faces, telling stories to each child one by one, using their innocence to dispel their fear.

Hikawa Makoto stayed at the shelter, repeatedly confirming the emergency exits. Hojo Toru led the temporary defense team to reinforce the fortifications, while Omuro Takahiro guarded the radar station, his eyes bloodshot.

Two days later, the G3 transport vehicle was fully modified. Matte black non-metallic armor covered the body, an anti-magnetic shielding coating completely eliminated the possibility of metal manipulation, and it was equipped with run-flat tires and an emergency shield, tripling its defensive strength. However, the moment the equipment was ready, Tokyo had completely changed.

Ryuichi Kurosaki's New Human Alliance, using the most rational and ruthless methods, completed its control over Tokyo.

This former executive director of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries did not choose mindless arson, murder, and looting, but instead seized control of the Metropolitan Police Department and the city government with minimal force.

He personally eliminated the rioters who burned, killed, and looted within the Alliance, leaving only two hundred well-organized high-level Awakened. He executed only twelve armed police officers who resisted, thus dismantling all the remaining forces of the old regime.

Using the management mindset of Mitsubishi executives, he established a cruel hierarchical order in Tokyo: Awakened individuals wore gold badges, enjoyed priority in resource allocation, and lived in the Ginza Fortress; ordinary civilians wore white armbands, worked eight hours a day in exchange for barely enough food to fill their stomachs; and rebels were marked with black and driven to abandoned areas to fend for themselves.

In just two days, the core area of ​​Tokyo was completely under control. Transportation, communication, energy, and supplies were all controlled by the alliance. Kurosaki also obtained all the intelligence on the G3 secret underground base through the Metropolitan Police Department's database.

He was aware of the power of the G3-X armor and the core technology of Sumiko Ozawa. In Kurosaki's view, the G3 base was the last stumbling block to his rule over Tokyo, and it had to be completely removed.

Just as everyone at G3 Base was preparing to continue searching for supplies, all the screens at the base suddenly started displaying static, and the emergency broadcast system emitted a crackling electrical noise. Kurosaki Ryuichi's figure filled the entire screen. He was dressed in a sharp suit and stood on a ten-meter-high metal command platform.

"All personnel at G3 Base, listen up! I'm giving you one hour to respond. First, surrender unconditionally and hand over the complete technical blueprints for the G3-X armor; second, disperse all Awakened refugees within the base and hand over control of the base." Kurosaki's gaze seemed to pierce through the base's defenses, as if looking directly through the screen.

“If you refuse to surrender, I will permanently cut off all supplies to the base, flatten your defenses, and leave no room for retreat.”

In the scene, 527 Awakened Ones are lined up and waiting for orders. The light of flames, rocks, energy and metal intertwine and flicker. The dark mass of people stretches as far as the eye can see, locking onto the direction of the base.

The control room fell into dead silence instantly, and everyone's face turned grim.

Sumiko Ozawa quickly analyzed the situation: "Kurosaki's core objective is G3 technology, not mindless slaughter. He wants absolute control of Tokyo. We still have room to maneuver."

Hikawa Makoto, clutching the G3-X helmet, declared, "Captain Ozawa, I'll guard the main entrance to the base! G3-X will be on full alert. Even if it means being shattered to pieces, we will never let the Allied forces set foot in the shelter!"

Hojo Toru simply loaded his sidearm to show his resolve.

Takahiro Omuro stared intently at the radar screen, his glasses slipping down to his nose without him bothering to push them back up. His hands flew across the keyboard: "The Allied forces have 200 energy signals, divided into four echelons in the east, west, south, and north, and are gradually closing in! The left flank vanguard has begun to move and is 100 meters away from the base!"

Everyone was taking action when Lin Chen suddenly spoke up.

"I can kill them all," Lin Chen said, his words startling. In his view, over 200 Awakened Ones were nothing. The Earth Emperor's Ultimate Kill could instantly vaporize everyone, but slaughter was not the solution. He chose to say it aloud to see what choice Xiao Ze and the others would make.

Everyone was taken aback by Lin Chen's words. But remembering how easily Lin Chen had handled the Unknown, they fell silent for a moment.

"I will stop them, and you can decide their fate in the end."

After speaking, he took out the Earth Emperor's phone from his pocket. The dark gold casing gleamed with a chilling light under the cold glare. With his senses spread out, the auras of the twelve high-level ability users of the Alliance Army could be clearly discerned within 500 meters. Those violent energy fluctuations were like wild beasts that would devour their prey.

He remembered Grandpa Sato's hot soup, Koyuki's innocent smile, and Nakamura Yuko's gentle comfort. Although he didn't like meaningless killing, he wasn't a soft-hearted person either.

Lin Chen walked towards the main entrance of the base, becoming the first and most solid line of defense between the shelter and the enemy.

Almost simultaneously, Takahiro Omuro broke the silence in the control room: "Encirclement complete! The main entrance to the base and the two emergency exits have all been blocked by the Allied forces!"

A high-frequency red alarm blared throughout the base, and a pale blue hemispherical energy barrier suddenly deployed, firmly protecting the base entrance. Blue light flowed across the barrier, resisting external pressure. Automated defense weapons slowly emerged from the walls, their dark muzzles aimed at the approaching Allied forces.

Put aside your surprise at what Lin Chen said for now.

Sumiko Ozawa calmly issued the defense command: "Activate the base's highest defense mode! Fully activate the energy barrier! Automatic weapons on standby!"

The deployment of forces was completed in an instant. Lin Chen stood in the very center of the energy barrier, his Earth Emperor belt fastened, dark golden photon blood slowly flowing through his body, his back to the shelter, facing the dark mass of the Allied forces;

Hikawa Makoto donned his G3-X armor and stood guard at the eastern emergency exit—the last exit of the shelter. He cocked his GM-02 beam rifle and locked his gaze firmly to the flank.

Hojo Toru led the temporary defense team and hid behind the fortifications at the western ventilation shaft, preparing to use street fighting to hold off the enemy; Omuro Takahiro was in the main control room, operating the defensive weapons and keeping track of the enemy's movements in real time; Ozawa Sumiko was in charge of the central command, with the medical team on standby, ready to treat the wounded at any time.

Outside the base, Kurosaki Ryuichi slowly raised his right hand, and the metal fragments around him instantly became sharp as blades. The vanguard of the Allied Forces marched with steady steps, beginning to approach the energy barrier. The acrid smell of flames scorching the air wafted into the base, and the energy beams of the Allied Forces illuminated the night sky, creating a life-or-death standoff with the base's blue barrier.

Inside the shelter, Sato Yuki clutched her crayon drawing tightly, covering her mouth to stifle a sob; Sato Genji gripped his rolling pin, shielding the children; Nakamura Yuko held the hand of an injured civilian, using her meager healing abilities to soothe the panic.

Lin Chen stood before the barrier, the Earth Emperor's belt emitting a faint hum. He gazed at the endless Allied Army before him, and at Kurosaki Ryuichi, who was sneering in the distance, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Chapter 88 The Chaotic Battlefield

A fire-elemental user launched the first attack, flames rising from his palm rushing straight at Lin Chen's face, the intense heat causing distorted ripples in the surrounding air.

Lin Chen didn't dodge, nor did he even make a blocking motion. The flames struck Orga's breastplate, only sending up a string of sparks; the armor's paint remained pristine, without even a single burn mark.

The fire-wielding user's pupils constricted. Before he could stop, Lin Chen had already closed in on him, grabbed his wrist with his right hand, and twisted his waist and abdomen—an over-the-shoulder throw.

He was swung through the air and slammed into the ground, sending debris flying. A short scream was followed by a weak groan. From the moment he was attacked to the moment he fell, it took no more than three seconds.

At the same time, two rock manipulators had already flanked him from the side, raising all four hands simultaneously, and millstone-sized boulders burst from the ground, attacking Lin Chen from both the left and right.

Two massive rocks, with a muffled whooshing sound, blocked out the already faint sunlight overhead.

Lin Chen shifted his feet, lowered his body, and slid out through the gap between the two giant rocks that were about to close.

The two rock manipulators only saw a blur before their target disappeared from the encirclement. The next second, two elbow strikes hit their ribs almost simultaneously.

The moment the elbows touched, the crisp sound of ribs breaking was clearly audible. Before the two could even scream, they curled up on the ground, and the broken stones scattered everywhere.

The formation began to crumble. The sudden collapse of the first few made the awakened ones behind hesitate, but some still refused to believe it.

A wind-elemental awakener suddenly spread his arms wide, and the air around him swirled wildly, drawing in rubble, broken wood, and dust to form a menacing wall of wind blades.

He roared and pushed the storm toward Lin Chen, the wind blades scraping across the ground and tearing out shallow ravines.

Lin Chen didn't avoid the storm. He walked straight in. The wind blades clanged and clattered against the shoulder and chest armor of the Orga armor. The dense impact sound was like a downpour hitting a tin roof, but when it hit the Luna metal, it didn't even leave a shallow mark.

Piercing through the wind barrier, Lin Chen's hand reached out, his five fingers gripping the wind-elemental awakener's neck, and he pressed down. The back of the head hit the ground with a dull thud, and the person instantly lost consciousness. The raging wind barrier dissipated in the next second.

On the other side, the lightning user seized the moment when Lin Chen turned away and unleashed a thick, azure arc of electricity from his palm.

The lightning struck Lin Chen precisely in the back, sparks crackling and exploding, particularly blinding in the dim light.

The impact of the attack caused Lin Chen to pause slightly—just for a moment. He turned around, his scarlet monocular eye locking onto his target. The second arc of electricity from the lightning user was still brewing in his palm, the blue light barely half-lit, when Lin Chen was already in front of him.

An elbow strike aimed straight for the ribs. The lightning user's body arched into a shrimp-like shape, the arc of electricity in his palm snapped out, and he collapsed to the ground, convulsing. The current surged through his body a few times before completely dissipating.

From the moment the first fire-elemental user made their move to the fall of the last lightning-elemental user, only about ten minutes elapsed. More than thirty superpowered individuals lay sprawled on the ground, some clutching their broken arms and groaning softly, others completely unconscious and motionless. Groans, gasps, and the echoing clang of metal mingled together at the base's entrance.

Lin Chen stood in the center of the crowd, and no one dared to approach him. His scarlet single eye calmly swept across the entire scene, looking down on all living beings.

On the command platform atop the ruins, Ryuichi Kurosaki's face was so gloomy it could drip water.

The elite troops he personally selected were the core fighting force of the New Human Alliance. He thought he could easily crush the G3 base, seize the technology of G3-X, and establish his authority, but he never expected to be routed by one person.

"waste!"

Kurosaki cursed under his breath and leaped off the command platform, kicking up a cloud of dust as he landed. He spread his arms, unleashing his metal manipulation abilities. Steel bars on the ground, steel plates from abandoned vehicles, and scattered metal bullets were all drawn to his body, transforming into a sky-covering metal storm. Sharp fragments spun and whistled as they rubbed against the air, pointing directly at Lin Chen.

"What kind of armor is this? The Metropolitan Police Department's records don't mention it." Greed gleamed in Ryuichi Kurosaki's eyes. "It looks far superior to the G3-X! If you hand over the core technology of this armor, you can become my general!"

Lin Chen remained silent, his crimson eye locking onto Kurosaki, photon blood flowing through his armor. He slammed his foot into the ground, his figure shooting towards Kurosaki like an arrow, his right fist slamming directly into the oncoming metal storm.

With a loud bang, the metal fragments shattered like tofu wherever the fist passed.

Kurosaki's expression changed drastically. He pressed down with both hands, and a half-meter-thick alloy steel plate instantly rose from the ground. At the same time, several thumb-thick steel bars coiled around Lin Chen's limbs like venomous snakes, tightly constricting the armor. Even the Luna Metal of the armor's outer shell was affected, attempting to restrict his movements.

The control of the metal was extremely difficult, but Lin Chen was not only relying on the Orga armor, but also on his physique, which was fifteen times stronger than that of an ordinary person. His legs were as steady as Mount Tai, and he was able to withstand the pull of the metal and approach Kurosaki step by step.

With each step, the pebbles on the ground were crushed, and the distance between the two was constantly shrinking.

Kurosaki's face was covered in a fine layer of sweat, showing that he was also struggling.

He frantically unleashed his power, and more metal surged in from all directions, transforming into chains and shields to protect him in the center. But faced with an absolute disparity in strength, these defenses were utterly ineffective.

Lin Chen seized the moment when Kurosaki was fully focused on condensing metal and revealing a weakness, and without the slightest hesitation, he immediately deactivated his transformation.

The armor vanished instantly, and Lin Chen returned to his pure human form.

He tensed the muscles in his right arm, gathering all the strength of a human body, fifteen times its normal strength, into his right fist, and delivered a straight punch that slammed into Kurosaki's chest.

Kurosaki had no time to react, and before he could even form the last layer of metal defense, he was hit solidly by this punch.

With a crack, the faint sound of bones breaking was clearly audible.

He was sent flying backward like a kite with a broken string, soaring a full ten meters before crashing heavily onto the reinforced concrete ruins. Debris tumbled down, burying half of his body. He coughed up a mouthful of blood, his chest wracked with excruciating pain, and his metal manipulation ability instantly ceased, sending metal fragments scattering to the ground around him.

Lin Chen slowly stepped forward, gripping the Earth Emperor's phone again with his right hand, and pressed the transformation command. He prepared to directly annihilate Kurosaki and completely resolve the crisis at the base.

Just as the Orga armor was covering her again, a shrill, violent, and bloodthirsty roar suddenly swept in from all directions.

The roar was sharp and piercing, piercing straight through the battlefield.

Lin Chen paused, his senses instantly detecting dozens of violent life forms surging forth from the ruins at incredible speed, encircling the battlefield.

The first mutated monster broke through the smoke and dust and appeared in sight.

Its entire body was covered in thick black fur, its skin was cracked and oozing black blood, its mouth was split from the corner to the ear, revealing sharp, yellowish fangs, its hands were jet-black, sharp claws, and its pupils were blood-red—exactly the same as the out-of-control mutated monster that Hikawa Makoto had previously described.

Then came the second, the third, the tenth...

The mutated monsters surged forth relentlessly, forming an encirclement that surrounded both the Allied forces and the G3 base. They indiscriminately attacked, roaring as they lunged at the nearest living beings, their claws whipping out gusts of bloody fury.

A League superhuman, unable to dodge in time, was tackled by two monsters, and a scream instantly rang out.

The situation on the battlefield instantly descended into chaos.

Kurosaki struggled to his feet from the ruins, blood trickling from his lips, his face ashen. He had fought these mutated monsters before and knew their terror all too well—a relentless, indiscriminate slaughter. If the infighting continued, he and the people at G3 base would be torn to shreds by these monsters.

Ignoring the excruciating pain in his chest, he shouted urgently at Lin Chen, "Stop! Ceasefire for now!"

"These monsters aren't human anymore! They're mutants! If we keep fighting, we'll just get wiped out! Let's work together to get rid of these monstrous things!"

Lin Chen frowned and didn't immediately agree. He could sense that the number of these monsters was still increasing, and continuing the standoff would indeed put the base in danger.

Inside the control room, Sumiko Ozawa stared intently at the monitor screen, her eyes grave. She immediately made a decision over the loudspeaker, her voice echoing throughout the battlefield: "G3, all personnel, listen up! A temporary ceasefire is agreed upon! Prioritize eliminating the mutated monsters!"

"Hikari, guard the flanks of the base to prevent the monsters from flanking us! Hojo, lead the defense force to block the emergency exits!"

"understand!"

The superpowered individuals in the alliance also changed direction and used their abilities to bombard the attacking monsters. The two sides that were just fighting were now forced to form a temporary alliance.