As a weirdo, I like being a Kamen Rider.

Lin Chen's Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and a fierce glint surged in his amber eyes: "What do you want to do to me?"

"It's very simple." Kurosawa chuckled. "Either you obey and become a member of the academy's fighting force, and we'll protect you, provide you with resources, and even help you slow down the desertification; or you'll be treated as an out-of-control sample and completely turned to ash in the back mountain."

He paused, deliberately emphasizing his words:

"Don't even think about resisting. In this academy, there are devices specifically designed to suppress you Orphnochs, there are others stronger than you, and there are three ironclad rules that no one can break."

"First, it is forbidden to reveal one's true form in front of human students, and it is forbidden to kill without cause."

"Secondly, private fights and challenges to the authority of the college administrators are prohibited."

"Third, all actions must be carried out under orders, especially the mission to hunt down Kamen Rider Faiz, in which you must cooperate unconditionally."

Lin Chen's expression changed slightly.

Faiz... His current goal is also to find Faiz, which is related to his subsequent plans. The absence of Kikuchi Laundry proves that this is not the Kamen Rider Faiz world that he knows somewhat, but Kamen Rider is still the protagonist.

Kurosawa seemed to read his mind: "You don't need to answer now. You'll make your choice once you've seen the 'Lucky Four-Leaf Clover'."

After saying that, he whispered a few instructions into the walkie-talkie.

Not long after, four figures slowly emerged from the shadows of the teaching building.

The leading boy wore an academy uniform, had light-colored hair, and sharp, tiger-like eyes. He exuded a similar yet more flamboyant aura to Lin Chen—he was also a tiger-type Orphnoch. Behind him were three others, each with a distinct aura: one was sinister and venomous, one was as hard as armor, and one was as arrogant as a pincer. Their auras intertwined, forming an impenetrable net of oppression that directly enveloped Lin Chen.

This is the lucky four-leaf clover.

Lin Chen subconsciously tensed his body, the dormant Orpheus factor within him stirring slightly. Even though he was restrained by handcuffs, the wildness in his bones remained unyielding. Tiger ears on his head almost emerged, and the tips of his claws trembled slightly inside his sleeves.

Momose stopped and looked Lin Chen up and down, her gaze lingering for a moment on the handcuffs on his wrists before returning to his face, her tone filled with undisguised arrogance:

"The wild high-ranking tiger species that Kurosawa mentioned, is it you?"

Lin Chen did not answer, but simply stared back coldly.

This level, even slightly provocative, gaze instantly enraged Orphnoch, the centipede within the four-leaf clover. He stepped forward, a faint gray light emanating from his body, and venomous thorns appeared at his fingertips: "Your senior is asking you a question, don't you understand?"

"Step back," Momose said calmly.

Centipede Orphnoch reluctantly withdrew its hand, but still stared at Lin Chen with a sinister look, as if it were examining a toy that could be disassembled at any time.

Momose walked up to Lin Chen, unleashing her shared Tiger Power without reservation, attempting to completely crush this wild fellow with her aura: "Wild guy, I don't care how rampant you are outside, but here you have to abide by the rules. In this academy, human students are a disguise; the Orphnochs are the true beings. And the four of us are the rules here."

"Kurosawa should have told you: two paths. Obey, or die."

Lin Chen felt the pressure from the other party and sneered inwardly.

Although both are tiger-type, this Momose in front of him is more like a domesticated beast. He looks imposing, but lacks the ruthlessness honed by wild species on the brink of death. If there were no handcuffs or special attack weapons, he was confident that he could severely injure his opponent within ten moves in a one-on-one fight.

But now, he is at the mercy of others.

"What if I don't choose either?" Lin Chen asked slowly, his voice low and slightly hoarse.

The members of the Clover were all taken aback, clearly not expecting a prisoner to be so defiant.

Momose's smile gradually faded, and her eyes turned completely cold: "It seems that wild species really don't know what respect is."

He raised his hand in greeting.

Two men in black immediately stepped forward, grabbed Lin Chen's arms, and tried to drag him towards the back mountain. The area was densely wooded and filled with a foul atmosphere; it was the academy's secret location for dealing with out-of-control Orphnochs, and once dragged in, there was almost no chance of coming out alive.

Lin Chen exerted his strength instantly.

The suppressed Orpheus factor surged wildly within him, tearing at the wound on his back with excruciating pain, but he paid no heed. His muscles tensed abruptly, and the silver-black scales on his shoulders and back burst forth from the earth once more, gleaming with a cold luster in the sunlight. Tiger ears emerged from the ground, amber pupils narrowed to slits, and a suppressed tiger roar erupted from his chest.

"roar--"

It wasn't deafening, but it carried the unique soul-intimidating power of a high-level species.

The man in black nearby turned pale and froze instantly. Momose and the others also frowned slightly, feeling a primal and violent aura wash over them, far more ferocious than that of an ordinary Orphnoch.

"Hmm?" A hint of surprise flashed in Momose's eyes. "To be able to unleash such pressure while handcuffed... truly a rare individual among high-ranking individuals."

Lobster Orphnoch frowned and said, "Senior, we can't hold back. We have to suppress him directly, or something unexpected might happen."

Long Ophiono stepped forward directly, his heavy gauntlets already visible, ready to forcibly subdue him.

Lin Chen knew he couldn't linger in the fight; if the four opponents joined forces, coupled with their special attack weapons, he would have no chance of winning. He suddenly broke free from the restraints of the two men in black, his tiger claws sweeping out, the blades slicing through the air, aimed straight at Momose's face.

He's gambling.

They were betting that the other side wouldn't be willing to destroy a high-level combatant like that.

Momose's pupils contracted sharply, not expecting this wild tiger to dare attack him directly. He hastily raised his hand to block, his arm instantly covered in tiger-shaped scales.

"clang--"

The sound of metal clashing was jarring.

Momose was jolted back three steps, a shallow claw mark appearing on the scales of his arm, and his Orpheus energy surged within him. He stared at Lin Chen in astonishment, unable to believe that the other party still possessed such brute strength even when suppressed.

"Stop him!" Momose shouted in a low voice.

The centipede Orphnoch immediately attacked, its venomous stinger, infused with paralyzing toxins, aimed at Lin Chen's side. Lin Chen dodged to the side, his claws colliding with the stinger's. The toxins seeped slightly through the impact, causing a tingling sensation on half of his body.

Just then, Kurosawa, who was not far away, raised his hand and a short gun appeared in his hand. The muzzle of the gun glowed with a ghostly blue light that was used to attack Orphnoch.

"Don't move." Kurosawa said calmly. "If you move again, I'll cripple your mobility and make you spend the rest of your life lying on the lab table."

Lin Chen paused.

He could feel the terrifying suppressive force emanating from that gun. If he were hit, his Orpheus factor would be completely disrupted, at best accelerating his sandification, and at worst directly causing him to lose his transformation ability.

The lucky four-leaf clover seized the opportunity to encircle them, with four forces exerting pressure simultaneously.

Lin Chen leaned against the wall and looked around.

With a four-leaf clover in front, Kurosawa and his special attack weapons behind, and several armed men in black all around, their escape route was completely blocked.

Momose approached slowly, her face once again displaying a smile of absolute control: "Quite the wildness, quite the power. Too bad you've chosen the wrong place. Now, I'll give you one last chance."

"Join us, follow orders, hunt down Faiz, and clean up the runaway species on campus. You can remain free and move around within the academy."

"Or, refuse."

Momose raised her hand and pointed to the depths of the back mountain: "That's where you'll be buried."

Lin Chen was panting heavily, cold sweat mixed with blood seeping from his back.

He knew he had no choice.

To resist meant instant annihilation. There was no chance to even struggle, let alone find the King of the Orphnochs, or a way to prolong life; returning home became an unattainable dream.

The light in his amber eyes flickered, his wildness gradually subsiding, but not completely extinguished, only sinking into the depths, like a lurking beast.

"I promise you," Lin Chen said slowly.

The tense atmosphere around them instantly relaxed.

Momose nodded in satisfaction: "Very good. Remember your choice, and don't try anything funny. In this academy, there is only one outcome for any betrayal."

He gestured to Kurosawa: "Remove his handcuffs and arrange temporary accommodation for him. He's not allowed to approach the restricted area behind the mountain; he's not allowed to enter or leave the human teaching area without permission; and you must respond immediately if Faiz appears."

"As for the other rules, someone will tell you about them gradually."

Kurosawa waved his hand, and the man in black stepped forward and unlocked the alloy handcuffs on Lin Chen's wrists.

As soon as the cold restraints disappeared, Lin Chen instantly felt a long-lost power flow back, but he was still weak, and the numbness in his back lingered. He moved his wrists, and the scales and tiger ears slowly disappeared, transforming him back into a human, though his face remained pale.

"Come with me," a man in black said coldly.

Lin Chen did not resist and silently followed behind, crossing the main road of the campus.

Along the way, he saw many students in uniforms walking by in twos and threes, chatting and laughing, no different from ordinary human high school students. But he could clearly distinguish that some of them carried a faint Orpheus aura, but they were hidden very well, their aura almost completely concealed.

Their gazes toward Lin Chen were filled with curiosity, distance, and even a hint of barely perceptible fear.

Clearly, they all knew that the person Kurosawa personally brought back was no ordinary person.

The man in black led him to a secluded dormitory building behind the teaching building and opened a secluded single room: "You will stay here for now. You are not allowed to leave this building without permission, and you are not allowed to contact other students privately. Meals will be delivered to you, and someone will give you a briefing on the basic rules."

"Also, a word of caution. Don't even think about running away. The campus is surrounded by a special Orphnoch-made security net. If you touch it, you'll be instantly subdued. The Lucky Clover team will arrive within ten minutes."

The door closed and was locked.