As a weirdo, I like being a Kamen Rider.

The four followed behind Asumu, continuing along the path.

As they approached the destination Asumu had mentioned, the thin mist in the forest gradually dissipated, the light gradually brightened, and the damp and chilly atmosphere was replaced by a warm breeze.

Before long, a clear stream appeared before them.

The stream flowed gently, revealing clearly visible pebbles at the bottom. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, dappling the water's surface. The oppressive and eerie atmosphere of the dense forest vanished, replaced by a tranquil and serene mountain landscape.

Beside the stream, a gray-blue tent stood quietly, its canvas clean and tidy, showing that the owner had taken great care of it. Outside the tent was a simple wooden table and two small stools, on which sat a tea set, the teapot still steaming slightly.

Clearly, the tent's owner is someone who truly understands and enjoys life.

Not far away, a comfortable deck chair sits by the stream, and a somewhat robust figure lies on it, a hat covering his entire face, motionless, as if taking a leisurely afternoon nap.

Asumu walked to the recliner, gently shook the armrest, and called out in a clear voice, "Master Hibiki! Wake up! We have guests!"

Hibiki, still lounging on the recliner, didn't get up immediately. With his hat covering his face, he lazily waved his hand, his tone full of impatience at being woken up: "How many times have I told you? I won't see anyone. Tell them to leave quickly and not disturb my sleep."

"Master! The guest is right next to us!" Asumu said.

Upon hearing this, Hibiki finally moved.

He slowly turned his head, gently removed his hat slightly, and his face, clad in sunglasses, turned slightly towards Lin Chen and the others. He glanced at them casually at first, but when his gaze landed on Tsukasa Kadoya, he paused, as if he had discovered something interesting.

"Oh?" Hibiki chuckled, his previous languid expression vanishing instantly as he shifted from a reclining position to a sitting posture. "Isn't that pink kimono worn by the legendary masters of Sound Strike?"

Seeing the Hibiki sit up, Lin Chen was even more surprised than before.

Previously, he had only sensed the middle-aged man's abundant life energy from a distance. Now, upon closer inspection, he realized that Hibiki's life energy was even stronger than his own in human form!

"Sound Martial Arts?" Hikari Natsumi blinked, her face full of confusion, and asked softly, "What is Sound Martial Arts?"

Asumu spoke, "The Way of Sound Strike is a martial art that uses clear sound to destroy the Demonic Net!"

Then he began to explain it to everyone in a serious manner.

Lin Chen stood aside, listening quietly.

Martial Arts? Practice?

The power system of this world is completely different from that of other Kamen Rider worlds he knows.

In almost every world, knights are either modified or mutated non-human beings, or warriors who rely on technological equipment. But in this world, knights are pure humans who grow stronger step by step through daily martial arts training, eventually gaining the power to fight against monsters.

Without relying on external forces or mutations, one can achieve combat strength comparable to or even surpassing that of a knight solely through one's own cultivation.

It's important to know that his physical attributes have reached 63 points, more than twelve times that of an ordinary human. His physical strength and life force have long surpassed the limits of ordinary people. Yet, Hibiki, through pure human cultivation, has reached such a level, even surpassing him. This is enough to prove the terrifying nature of the Sound Strike Path.

Unique, so very unique.

A burning desire flashed in Lin Chen's eyes.

On the other hand, Tsukasa Kadoya didn't care about the specific origin and core of Sound Strike. He only grasped one key word throughout the whole process—Sound Strike Master.

"A Grandmaster?" Tsukasa Kadoya was still somewhat uncertain.

Hibiki had already stood up from the recliner, jogged to the wooden table, picked up the teapot, poured himself a cup of tea, tilted his head back and took a sip to relieve the dryness in his mouth after just waking up. Hearing this, he nodded lightly: "That's right, only a master of the Sound Strike Dao can wear this robe, it can't be faked."

Upon seeing that Hibiki had confirmed his identity as a Taoist priest, Tsukasa Kadoya instantly perked up, and the corners of his mouth involuntarily turned up.

"What is a grandmaster?" Yusuke Onodera scratched his head, looking at Tsukasa Kadoya with a blank expression.

Kadoya Tsukasa immediately saw an opportunity to show off. With a smirk, he stepped on the bluestone next to him, stood firmly on the other foot, pointed his right hand to the sky, and made an exaggerated and cool gesture. He then solemnly explained to Onodera, "Master is a teacher who is of a higher status than a teacher."

Onodera was still confused. He gestured for Kadoya Tsukasa to continue explaining, but Kadoya Tsukasa seemed lost in his own world and stopped answering.

Just then, Asumu, who was retrieving her sound disc from the stream nearby, ran back, her face full of anxiety, and shouted to Hibiki, "Hibiki-sensei! The demon has appeared!"

"Alright." Hibiki nodded, but the next second, instead of taking a step towards the demon, he turned to look at Tsukasa Kadoya, bowed slightly, and said with a hint of cunning, "Then please act immediately, Master."

After saying that, Hibiki turned around and took a few quick steps to the side of the recliner. He lay down on it, put his straw hat back over his face, and looked like he was about to go back to sleep. His movements were smooth and efficient.

"Master Hibiki, aren't you going?!" Asumu complained.

Hibiki's voice came from under the straw hat, lazy and dismissive, "I'm busy sleeping."

Looking at Hibiki sprawled back on the recliner, Tsukasa Kadoya couldn't help but remark, "So, there are useless Riders out there too!"

Despite his teasing, Tsukasa Kadoya didn't actually refuse. He turned and walked towards the direction of the demon, with Natsumi Hikari and Yusuke Onodera immediately following.

Asumu felt sullen seeing Hibiki's listless state and walked alone into the depths of the forest.

In a short while, the once bustling stream was left with only Lin Chen and Xiang Gui on the recliner.

Lin Chen did not move.

The sound attack technique that Asumu just described, and the life energy of Hibiki that far exceeded his own, gave him a new idea.

If one could learn the cultivation method of the Sound Strike Dao and steadily improve one's physical attributes, it would be far more worthwhile than killing a few demonic monsters now.

Hibiki, sitting on the recliner, seemed to realize that someone was still there, and his previously steady breathing paused.

After about half a minute, he finally took off his straw hat impatiently, frowned at Lin Chen, and said in a somewhat impatient tone, "Hey kid, they've all left, why are you still here? What are you doing here?"

Lin Chen raised his eyes, looking calmly at Hibiki, his tone firm and without any beating around the bush: "Mr. Hibiki, I wish to become your disciple and learn the cultivation methods of the Sound Strike Dao."

"Huh?" Hibiki was stunned for a moment, as if he had heard something unbelievable. He looked Lin Chen up and down, his eyes full of surprise.

He could clearly sense that Lin Chen's aura far surpassed that of ordinary people, and his physical attributes were almost no less than those of a disciple of the Sound Strike Path who had cultivated for ten years.

This kind of person actually wants to become my disciple and learn the art of sound striking?

Hibiki frowned, pulled his straw hat back over his face, and coldly refused, "No interest. I don't take on apprentices. You can leave."

Lin Chen did not leave.

He turned and walked to the small stool next to him, silently picked up the stool, and sat down three meters away from the recliner. He sat quietly without saying a word, just watching the ghost on the recliner.

Time passed by, second by second.

Sunlight slowly moves through the gaps in the leaves, the stream flows gently, and the aroma of tea gradually fades.

Lin Chen stood motionless like a statue, his gaze calmly fixed on Xiang Gui, showing no sign of anxiety or giving up.

The ghost on the recliner could initially pretend not to care, but being stared at while sleeping by a living person made him feel very uncomfortable.

The feeling is like having someone standing next to you while you're sleeping, staring intently at you. Even with your eyes closed, you can feel that gaze, making it impossible to fall asleep.

Ten minutes, twenty minutes, half an hour...

Hibiki finally reached his breaking point.

He abruptly ripped off his straw hat, sat up, scratched his hair in frustration, and asked irritably, "What do you want? I've already said I don't take disciples! Why do you insist on bothering me? Why do you have to learn the Sound Strike Dao?"

He was genuinely curious.

It doesn't make sense for someone with a strong physique and strange strength to insist on learning the Way of Sound Strike.

Lin Chen met Hibiki's gaze without any concealment, his tone calm and sincere: "To become stronger."

"Get stronger?" Hibiki raised an eyebrow and pressed, "Why do you want to get stronger?"

"To survive." Lin Chen's voice was soft, yet it carried a seriousness etched into his very bones. "I've seen too much death, too much helplessness. Only by becoming stronger can I survive."

"Just to survive? No other reason?" Hibiki's eyes deepened as he stared intently into Lin Chen's eyes, as if trying to see through his heart.

Lin Chen remained silent for a moment, carefully recalling his past experiences.

Survive, find your way home, that's all.

He slowly shook his head: "There's nothing else."

Hibiki looked into his clear yet resolute eyes and suddenly felt a jolt in his heart.

Such a simple desire.

It's just to survive.

But he knew all too well that the simpler one's desires, the easier it is to be consumed by them.

He thought of himself, who had also been like this, recklessly cultivating and fighting with all his might in order to become stronger and slay demons, and had become lost in power, allowing the ghost to take advantage of his weakness.

For some inexplicable reason, Hibiki's initially firm refusal suddenly softened.

He remained silent for a long time, looking into Lin Chen's calm yet persistent eyes, and then let out a long sigh.

"That's enough."

Hibiki slowly stood up, casually tossing his straw hat onto the recliner, his figure exuding a calm composure born of experience.

"I can teach you."

Lin Chen's eyes suddenly lit up, and a ripple finally appeared on his previously calm face.

"But—" Hibiki changed the subject, staring sharply at him, "I won't teach you the methods of Sound Strike first. Come with me."

After saying that, Xiang Gui didn't turn around, but walked straight into the depths of the dense forest.

Lin Chen immediately stood up and quickly followed.

The two walked one after the other into the depths of the dense forest where the mist had not yet completely dissipated.