As a weirdo, I like being a Kamen Rider.

Just as the claws were about to strike, a strange power suddenly surged from the depths of his body—warm, yet with a devastating ferocity, like a beast that had been dormant for fifteen years finally breaking free of its shackles, flowing through his bloodstream.

In an instant, the sharp pain in my forehead and shoulders dissipated, replaced by an unprecedented feeling of fullness, as if I had inexhaustible strength, and even my blurry vision became clear.

Lin Chen clearly felt the dramatic changes in his body: his bones creaked, his muscles tensed and expanded, silver-black scales slowly emerged from under his skin, his fingertips transformed into sharp claws, his ears became sharp like a tiger's, and even his pupils turned amber, exuding a wild majesty.

More importantly, his mind was clearer than ever before. The power that had been so violent it was about to tear his body apart was now firmly grasped in his palm. He could clearly see even the sound of leaves falling ten meters away and the trajectory of the wind at the alley entrance. This was the simultaneous awakening of his physical body, speed, and consciousness. The three were intertwined, which prevented him from being overwhelmed by this sudden power.

A primal wildness surged from the depths of his heart, and he couldn't help but let out a roar—not a human voice, but a deep tiger's roar. The powerful sound wave shook the surrounding air slightly, and the fallen leaves on the ground tumbled and scattered in the wind.

The leopard-shaped Orphnoch was startled by this sudden change and took two steps back. Its blood-red eyes were filled with vigilance and astonishment. It could hardly believe that the dying human in front of it had transformed into one of its own kind.

[Ding! Host's life is in danger, survival instinct exceeds threshold - Ultimate Evolution System awakens, binding successful!]

The cold, mechanical voice exploded in his mind. Before Lin Chen could process it, the roar of the leopard-shaped Orphnoch approached again, its sharp claws sweeping towards his head with a powerful gust of wind, its killing intent fully revealed.

With his life hanging in the balance, he could only rely on instinct to unleash the power within his body and raise his hand to block.

"clang!"

A crisp, metallic clang rang out as the two sharp claws clashed violently, sparks flying. His physique granted him formidable defense, which withstood the deadly claw strike. His agility enabled him to precisely lock onto the opponent's point of attack, while his absolute control over his mental energy allowed him to concentrate all his strength into the parrying claw blades, wasting not a single ounce of it.

The powerful impact spread outwards, and the leopard-shaped Orphnoch was forced to retreat repeatedly, its eyes filled with disbelief—this newly awakened Orphnoch could actually control its power to such an extent.

Lin Chen slowly got up from the ground, supporting himself on the ground. The violent power within his body had become more orderly due to the system's binding. He could clearly sense the simultaneous improvement of his three core abilities: physical strength, agility, and sharpness of mind. The three were interlinked, and without any one of them, he would not be able to control the power of this tiger-shaped Orphnoch.

He looked down at his hands, silver-black scales covering sharp claws, stained with his own blood, yet he felt no fear. Only one thought occupied his mind: kill it, and live.

Enraged, the leopard-like Orphnoch roared and charged again, its claws aimed straight for his heart, each strike deadly. Lin Chen pushed off with his feet, his agility granting him extreme speed that made him a blur, barely dodging the attack. Using the momentum of his turn, he concentrated all the power his body possessed into his fist and slammed it hard into its chest.

"Bang!"

Under immense force, the leopard-shaped Orphnoch was instantly sent flying backward, crashing heavily into the alley wall. The wall was dented, and black blood gushed from its mouth, splattering onto the wall in a particularly glaring way.

Lin Chen pressed forward relentlessly, his amber pupils cold and devoid of warmth. His mental energy, extending to sense every movement of his opponent, precisely predicted even the slightest muscle contractions and the direction of its next attack.

The leopard-shaped Orphnoch struggled to its feet, its eyes filled with fear, yet it still made a final desperate attack. The moment it pounced, Lin Chen deftly dodged to the side, simultaneously raising his hand, his tiger claws slashing fiercely across its throat with a chilling force.

"Sizzle—"

The long wound split open, and black blood gushed out, splattering all over Lin Chen. The leopard-shaped Orphnoch let out a final, mournful roar, its body swayed, and it collapsed heavily to the ground. After struggling a few times, it turned into a pile of black ash, which was blown away by the evening breeze and vanished without a trace.

[Ding! Defeat a common-level monster (leopard-type Orphnoch), gaining 10 evolution points.]

Current panel:

Constitution 72/72 (average human average 5): Physical strength, physical defense, wound healing speed

Agility 78/78 (average human 5): movement speed, neural reaction speed, and dexterity

Spirit 55/55 (average human 5): Sensory range, body control, mental defense

Lifespan: 16 years, Evolution Points: 10

[Note: The three attributes complement each other and jointly determine the host's overall combat strength. A weakness in any single attribute will limit the upper limit of overall strength.]

The system notification sounded in his mind again. Lin Chen breathed a sigh of relief. His tense nerves relaxed, but the fatigue in his body and the dull pain from his wounds instantly overwhelmed him, making him sway and almost fall again.

He didn't have time to examine the details of the panel; at that moment, he had only one thought: to leave this place and go back to his rented room.

The violent power within him slowly subsided, the silver-black scales gradually disappeared, and the sharp claws transformed back into human hands. Only the wounds on his forehead and shoulder continued to bleed and sting. He straightened up, leaning against the wall, brushed off the dust and ashes, pressed his hand against his bleeding shoulder, and staggered towards the alley entrance.

The dim yellow light of the streetlamp fell on him, casting a long shadow. Though his steps were unsteady, his eyes were more determined than ever—he had survived, he had regained his strength, and the hope of returning home seemed to be one step closer.

But he didn't notice that in the shadows around the corner of the alley, a cold gaze was fixed on his staggering back.