I want to become a Kamen Rider

"He didn't actually show any speed that was faster than me, I think he was, but in actual combat, he made me feel pressured just by his 'momentum'."

"I want to become his apprentice and surpass him."

……

……

Mizutani Migoko's Diary

[Date: 2011, Sunny]

"He's completely stubborn; how can there still be such an old-fashioned man these days?"

"Am I completely lacking in charm?!"

"It doesn't matter anymore. At least he opened the door in the name of righteousness, and he allowed me to learn a little from him."

"Use this as an opportunity to learn from him and surpass him! Mizutani Migoko!"

……

……

[Master's Observation Diary]

[Date: 2011, Rainy]

"Training under that stubborn guy was like being polished on a rock—hard, monotonous, yet faintly radiant. His training methods... were less about martial arts and more about survival. There was no fancy stuff; every movement was solely for 'effectiveness,' precise to the point of being ruthless."

"My uniform was soaked with sweat, and my muscles ached terribly, yet that person could always point out the many flaws in my movements, which I thought were already perfect, with those emotionless eyes."

"The girl became utterly pathetic in front of him, and this guy actually looked at her with disdain and said I was mediocre."

"So what if you lack talent? You lacked talent too, but you still got to where you are today and became incredibly powerful, didn't you?"

"I will become stronger, I will become as strong as you... no, stronger than you!"

……

……

[Master's Observation Diary]

[Date: 2011, Cloudy]

"Today I'm going with my master to deal with the tragedy those guys caused."

"The moment I stepped into the scene, the overwhelming stench of blood and despair in the air almost suffocated me. Twisted metal, mottled dark red, and... the carelessly discarded and trampled remains of lives. I've seen battle, I've seen injuries, but I've never faced this kind of pure, malicious slaughter, done solely for amusement and to flaunt power. My stomach churned, and my hand gripping the weapon trembled uncontrollably."

"Anger? Fear? More than anything... a cold, bone-deep nausea."

"Then I saw my master."

[“It wasn’t like a ‘fight,’ but rather a ‘blocking.’ Faced with that raging, twisted monster, he abandoned all the moves that could be called ‘cool,’ using the most clumsy and ugly methods—rolling, blocking, and even taking the impact with his own body—just to protect the terrified children behind him. His movements became less ‘efficient,’ and when his back slammed heavily against the wall, a muffled groan was clearly audible.”]

"As overwhelmingly powerful as ever, only his usually impeccable clothes were now covered in dust and blood when the battle ended."

"Even when you're exhausted, you force a smile to comfort the children. It's incredibly hard work with no reward, yet you still fight on with unwavering dedication. Is this the Kamen Rider you aspire to be...?"

……

……

[Master's Observation Diary]

[Date: 2011, Sunny]

"Being a Kamen Rider doesn't seem to be an easy job, although I've known that for a long time."

"But I didn't expect this impression to deepen."

"That uncle named Dongdao is just as stupid as Master. Without immense power or a contract with Kyubey, he just threw on a plastic mask and rushed out."

"My master said that even if you put a plastic mask on your face, you won't have any power. Uncle Dongdao is still a Kamen Rider."

"I really don't understand, whether it's that old man or you..."

"My master."

……

……

[Master's Observation Diary]

[Date: 2011, Cloudy]

"Everyone's martial arts path is different. Understanding the life of a grandmaster allows one to better appreciate the grandmaster's martial arts realm and artistic conception during their lifetime."

【"so……"】

"It's never a bad thing to know more!"

……

……

[Master's Observation Diary]

[Date: 2011, Cloudy]

"I want to get closer."

.........

……

[Master's Observation Diary]

[Date: 2011, Sunny]

"I finally realized that my master didn't actually care about me that much."

"This guy, he acts like he's got a deep-seated grudge and is about to save the world, but he's completely averse to exchanging genuine feelings with others. Maybe he just wants the feeling of having people around him every day."

"This will make his life feel a little more lively. But deep down, he's still that bitter, resentful jerk who thinks he has to save the world, therefore has a high opinion of himself, arrogantly believes he's not suited to have too much involvement with others, and is cold to the bone."

"This means he only sees me as an ordinary disciple."

"Ultimately, I became his disciple to learn his martial arts, not for anything else."

"I should train hard, practice diligently, learn all his skills and boxing techniques, and then knock him down with one punch! Then, when this guy is destined to die alone because of his arrogant attitude, I'll jump out and make him regret it."

"I should use him as a stepping stone, a springboard, instead of worrying about how heartbreaking it is to see that stone that seems to hold up the world alone. Mizutani Mitsuhiko, you can do it, keep going!"

"From today onward, I will distance myself from him, sever all ties, and focus more intently on cultivating my martial arts!"

……

The girl was writing furiously at her desk, a hint of pleasure on her face, when she received a phone call.

The phone number is labeled "Master who is impervious to oil and salt."

"I'm hungry."

"coming."

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Initiating a Commission (6K)

At midday, ginkgo leaves sift out fragments of gold.

The midday hustle and bustle of Zongwu High School was somewhat dampened by the midday sun, and the cicadas' chirping wove an invisible net on the roadside trees.

Fan Kang and Tina Hiiragi walked one after the other along the tree-lined path leading to the courtyard, dappled sunlight dancing on them. Tina Hiiragi carried several copies of "Kamen Rider Special Edition" that she had just borrowed from the library; the Showa Riders on the covers stared solemnly ahead.

Fan Kang, who hadn't brought a lunchbox, hung up a brief call a dozen minutes ago. Just when Tina Hiiragi thought he was going to the cafeteria to fight with others for fried noodles and bread, a beautiful parabola accurately flew over the ivy-covered campus wall.

“Swoosh—bang!”

Fan Kang didn't even look up to find the trajectory; he simply raised his right hand with extreme naturalness, as if he had practiced it a thousand times, and steadily caught the flying object—a lunchbox wrapped in a light blue floral cloth and tied with an exquisite bow.

A wisp of warm white steam was rising from the edge of the lid, carrying the enticing aroma of rice and sauce. The bento was still warm!

Hiiragi Tina's eyes widened. She subconsciously stood on tiptoe and craned her neck to look outside the wall, only to realize that she was too short. By the time she reached the corner wall with the gap for peeking out, she only had time to catch a glimpse of a beautiful back that quickly disappeared from sight. The blue and white hair ribbon tied around the girl's head fluttered in the wind like a bluebird taking flight.

"Hey, Minister," Tina Hiiragi said, her curiosity piqued, "was that your girlfriend just now?"

"No."

Fan Kang calmly opened the box.

This bento box is extremely generous, with a braised pork chop standing in the center of the pansy sushi roll, a perfect combination of meat and vegetables, and even the presentation is excellent.

Her urge to complain overwhelmed Tina Hiiragi's fear of the club president, and she loudly complained:

"But they already made you a bento box!!"

Even the bento boxes her mother made for her weren't this pretty, let alone the fact that they were still warm.

The bento box was still warm.

hot!

"They even went to the trouble of climbing over the wall... no, I mean 'throwing' it over the wall to bring it in for you?! And it was a hot bento box! What does that mean? It means they not only waited until your lunch break before cooking, but they also made a special trip over here. This gesture is just... just so incredibly touching! And yet you're still unmoved, Minister? Are you some kind of 100% oblivious light novel protagonist?"

She wore a look of utter disappointment, as if she were the reader who was frustrated by the slow-witted male protagonist.

“Finally, someone shares my complaints,” Fan Kang nodded, looking like he deeply agreed. “Yeah, whether it’s those guys in novels or anime, they’ve already gone to such lengths, why can they pretend not to realize it? It’s simply unbelievable.”

Hiiragi Tina was speechless at his "outsider" attitude and stared at him with wide eyes.

After being stared at for a while, Fan Kangcai added casually, "This is a gift from the disciple to his master."

Hiiragi Tina was clearly not going to be so easily dismissed. She took a step closer, her tone menacing: "Confess honestly, Captain!"

Fan Kang sighed, as if he had no choice but to continue, and began to tell his "carefully" embellished story:

"Now that things have come to this, Minister, I won't hide it from you anymore. I am actually a Kamen Rider from the future. To prevent the world from being destroyed and to protect the future of humanity, I have been fighting desperately. I bear a tragic fate and don't know when I will fall. I cannot accept the feelings of any girl."

"I don't want to hold them back. Let me die alone in a dark corner. Even if my face is full of tears, I will fight on. This is the fate of a knight."

His tone was solemn, and his words were sincere, as if he were performing in a play.

"..." Tina Hiiragi's lips twitched. "You make it sound so real. Captain, do you think you saved the galaxy in your past life to have such a beautiful girl hanging around?"

“Although I didn’t save the galaxy in my past life,” Fan Kang said without changing his expression, “I am saving the Earth in this life.”

Tina Hiiragi rolled her eyes, put her hands on her hips, and glared angrily at Fan Kang's expressionless face: "I feel like you're even worse than those slow-witted male protagonists in light novels! Light novel male protagonists are made to be stupid by the author, but you, Minister..."

She narrowed her eyes, as if she had discovered some secret, "You're definitely doing this on purpose! You're pretending to be stupid!"

Fan Kang repeated himself, his tone flat and even, as if stating an objective fact: "This is a disciple's way of showing respect to his master."

"Alas--!"

Hiiragi Tina gasped dramatically, as if choked by the shameless remark. "Scumbag! Typical scumbag talk! Taking advantage of a girl's feelings! And under the guise of a master and apprentice! Captain, you're so despicable!"

She shook her head, looking heartbroken.

Fan Kang finally stopped, turned his head, and calmly looked at Hiiragi Tina's sullen face. His voice was not loud, but it clearly pierced through the afternoon cicada chirping:

"Hey, Wu Tina, haven't you gotten bolder and more arrogant as we've gotten to know each other better?"

"sorry!!"

Simply by scaring Hiiragi Tina, who was about to interrogate him about his scumbag behavior, back into the purple-haired, socially awkward, short girl form he had first met, Fan Kang realized something was wrong.

In his mind, Tina Hiiragi should be a shy, lonely, and gloomy tokusatsu fan. They had only known each other for a few days, but she was already acting like a stranger in front of him. Sometimes she spoke as if she had known him for many years. So much so that when she saw her apprentice bring him a bento box, she would tease and question him for a long time.

Is this reasonable? No, it's not.

If the roles were reversed, and it was Hiiragi Tina who made him the bento, which was then seen by Mizutani Migen, then Mizutani Migen's actions would be reasonable, as it would fit the personality of his cheap apprentice and his current position. However, it would be quite abnormal for Hiiragi Tina.

Even though they share the same interests and quickly became acquainted, he and she had only known each other for a few days and shouldn't have gotten that close yet.

Wait a minute, thinking about it carefully, could it be that he's the one with the problem?

It seems that whether it's Mizutani Migen, Hiiragi Tina, Takanashi Rikka, or Kashiwazaki Sena and Gokou Ruri, once they get to know each other, they all become more arrogant in front of him and take it for granted that they can boss him around.

Take Mizutani Migen, his cheap apprentice, as an example. When we first met, he was an aloof and unapproachable martial artist, single-mindedly devoted to the Dao, proud and otherworldly. However, his persona collapsed not long after... Well, this example is not worth referring to, because it collapsed too quickly.

No, that's not right. The same thing happened to Rikka Takanashi and Sena Kashiwazaki, but if you think about it carefully, it might not be that he has a problem. Toyokawa and Toka don't have this problem.

Whether it's Mizutani Mikoto, Hiiragi Tina, or Takanashi Rikka, they all share a common characteristic: they have no friends.

This provides a plausible explanation: because they have no friends, they are afraid to interact with strangers; once they make friends, they cherish them immensely; because they are unsure of the appropriate distance in their friendships, they become anxious and insecure.