As a weirdo, I like being a Kamen Rider.

Chapter 74 G3-X's First Match

One afternoon, Lin Chen noticed that children from the neighborhood were starting to gather in front of the noodle shop. At first, there were three, then six, the oldest being seven and the youngest four. They hid behind a telephone pole, peeking out to watch him wipe the tables, serve noodles, and clear the dishes. Occasionally, one of the bolder ones would throw a folded paper airplane at his feet.

Sato Yuki was also among the children, clutching a piece of orange-flavored milk candy. Seeing Lin Chen looking over, she blushed, put the candy down on the counter, and quickly ran back to the group of children, peeking out with half her head. Lin Chen picked up the candy, put it in his pocket, and nodded slightly in Yuki's direction. Yuki smiled happily, revealing two small tiger teeth.

For the next two days, the children appeared promptly every evening. Most of the drawings on the paper depicted Lin Chen fighting a monster.

Takuma tossed over an A4 sheet of paper. Lin Chen bent down to pick it up. Besides Lin Chen, the drawing showed a small green figure with three spikes on its back, also throwing punches at a monster. Two giants were holding hands, and next to them, in crooked hiragana, was the caption: "Two big brothers fighting a monster!"

Lin Chen stepped forward and asked when he had seen the little green figure.

"Big brother!" Takuma looked up, his eyes sparkling. "I saw him last night! A big brother who can turn green like a monster! At the garbage dump behind our neighborhood, he chased away a monster, then climbed a tree and ran away! His eyes were red, like a little rabbit's!"

Grandpa Sato came over with a glass of warm water: "The kids are just fooling around. But it's been really unsettling at night lately. I don't let Yuki go downstairs alone. Mrs. Ryota next door said she saw a dark figure loitering downstairs last night and was too scared to sleep all night."

Lin Chen returned the painting to him and gave some candy to the children. Lin Chen's thoughts drifted away. The G3 team hadn't detected any Unknown energy fluctuations for several days, but there were still victims. There was a sense that a storm was brewing.

One evening, a light drizzle was falling. The fine rain enveloped the entire street, the sky was tinged with a gloomy gray, and a cold wind carrying dampness blew through the streets and alleys, bringing a chilly feeling.

Lin Chen was about to go out when he saw Takuma standing alone in front of the noodle shop, holding a small yellow plastic umbrella. His trousers and shoes were wet from the rain and covered in mud.

Upon seeing Lin Chen, he immediately waded through the puddles and ran over, ignoring the snot dripping from his nose and mouth. He looked up at Lin Chen with a worried expression: "Big brother! The adults on the street all say that monsters like to come out on rainy days and will grab and eat children. Will you and that green-clad big brother always protect us?"

Lin Chen squatted down, gently wiped the rain and snot from his face with his sleeve, took the orange-flavored milk candy he was offered, put it casually into his pocket, and then gently rubbed his wet hair with his fingertips.

He didn't speak, nor did he nod deliberately. But Tuozhen seemed to understand his silent agreement, immediately grinning and shouting loudly while holding up the Ultraman toy he was holding, "Big brother promised! Both big brothers will protect us!"

After saying that, he gripped the small umbrella handle tightly, turned around, and ran away, splashing through the puddles. His small figure quickly disappeared into the misty rain.

Lin Chen put on a simple raincoat and stood quietly in the drizzling rain, his gaze fixed on Tuo Zhen's departing figure. He silently followed, escorting the child all the way until he watched the child safely enter his building.

Kana Matsumoto happened to be at the door, presumably about to go out to look for him. Seeing Lin Chen escorting Takuma back, she quickly stepped forward, wanting to invite him inside to take shelter from the rain. Lin Chen simply waved his hand, politely declining the offer, and turned to leave.

Just then, the police communicator at her waist suddenly vibrated, and the screen instantly lit up with a glaring red alarm. Ozawa Sumiko's serious voice came through the radio waves, tinged with a hint of solemnity: "Unknown energy fluctuation detected. Location locked at Lane 3, East of the city. Immediately rendezvous with Hikawa Makoto and launch an attack."

Lin Chen's expression instantly turned serious.

Without further delay, he quickly returned to the noodle shop, pulled out his motorcycle, put on his helmet, twisted the throttle, and sped off into the fine rain towards Lane 3.

At this moment, Lane 3 was completely shrouded in rain.

At 6:09 PM, a light drizzle fell, and the evening breeze, carrying a damp chill, seeped into the deep alley. The three-meter-high concrete walls on both sides were damp with rainwater, and the mottled graffiti on the walls was blurred in the rain and mist, with small streams of water constantly trickling down the base of the walls. The garbage cans at the end of the alley were full of rainwater, and the stench of rotting debris permeated the damp air, making it particularly pungent.

The alleyway was dimly lit and oppressive, with strings of raindrops hanging from the crisscrossing black power lines overhead. Occasionally, a few crows would land on the wires, their hoarse cries amplified by the sound of the rain, adding to the eeriness. The ground was covered in puddles, slippery and muddy, every corner exuding a cold and damp atmosphere—perfect hunting grounds for the aquatic Unknown.

The G3 command transport vehicle slowly stopped at the roadside at the alley entrance.

Hikawa Makoto has donned the G3-X armor and is ready to launch an attack.

Lin Chen also arrived quickly and reported to Xiao Ze that he had reached the target location.

"Listen up, Iceberg," Ozawa's voice, tinged with a slight static from the communicator, was firm and unquestionable. "The target is an Unknown aquatic type that has never been recorded before. Rainy weather will interfere with radar detection and limit the armor's slip resistance and mobility."

"Lin Chen, you stay at the outer perimeter of the alley and keep watch to prevent the target from breaking through and escaping. Remember, no matter what happens inside, you are not allowed to interfere. This time, I want the G3-X to demonstrate its true combat potential in extreme rainy conditions, not your personal show."

"Glacier, received."

Bingchuan Cheng responded in a deep voice, fastened his helmet buckle, picked up the GM-02 beam rifle from his shoulder, and pushed open the car door to step into the rain.

He walked steadily into the depths of the alley, stepping on the slippery ground.

Lin Chen leaned against the patrol car door, letting the drizzle soak his raincoat, his gaze fixed on the deep alley, his fingertips always close to his Orga phone, just in case.

From the quiet end of the alley, a low, hoarse roar suddenly rang out, like the muffled cry of a strange fish in a deep abyss, chilling and piercing, mixed with the sound of rain, making one's scalp tingle.

Under the cover of the rain, a fish-shaped Unknown slowly turned around.

It possessed a humanoid body covered in fine, bluish-gray scales, its muscles taut, exuding the explosive power of a predator; its head was the sharp outline of a fish, with a row of hard dorsal fins rising from the back of its head, and a pair of vertical pupils gleaming with a cold, dark golden light. Its arms were thick and powerful, its knuckles covered with sharp, horny claws, and bony spikes protruding from the back of its fists.

It had just knocked down a trembling middle-aged man in the shadows at the end of the alley. The man was a mental patient recovering in the neighborhood who often muttered to himself that he "could see things that others couldn't"—the police all thought he was crazy, but no one knew that he actually possessed a very faint potential for superpowers.

Having successfully struck, the Fish Venerable prepared to leave. Mission accomplished, target executed, it only needed to await the command for the next trial.

Hikawa Makoto raised his rifle, aimed at the strange man in front of him, and shouted through his helmet's loudspeaker: "Stop! Surrender immediately!"

The Fish Venerable ignored them, leaping forward like a fish skimming the slippery wall, intending to break through by scaling it. His speed was extremely fast.

Iceberg immediately pulled the trigger, and three beams shot towards the base of the wall where it was standing, exploding into pale blue flames. Raindrops were scattered by the shockwave, cutting off its escape route.

Enraged by being blocked, the Fish-King spun around abruptly, letting out a furious growl. It no longer tried to escape—this armored human had become an obstacle and had to be eliminated.

It stomped its legs hard on the ground, the water beneath its feet bursting open with tremendous force, and the entire fish-like shadow rushed straight towards the glacier. The water was split into two white waves by its momentum, carrying a stench that swept towards us.

Hyakusei lowered his center of gravity and barely avoided the head-on impact. But he didn't completely dodge it—the moment the Fish Venerable rushed past him, his right fist swept out in a backhand motion, the thick arm with serrated horny spikes slamming hard into the G3-X's left arm armor.

"clang!!"

The ear-piercing clang of metal echoed through the rain-soaked alley. The Fish Master's punch far exceeded Hikawa Makoto's expectations, leaving a deep white gash on the left arm of the G3-X enhanced armor. Had it not been for the armor upgrade, this punch would have been enough to rip the old G3's arm apart.

Having missed his first strike, Venerable Fish didn't hesitate. He spun halfway around on his left foot, and his right leg swept like a whip towards Hyakusei's ribs. The speed was faster than a punch, and the force was greater.

Hikawa Makoto leaped backward to create distance, steadying himself as he pulled the trigger, firing three beam bullets precisely at the monster's torso. Fish Master dodged to the side, the beam bullets grazing his ribs before exploding into pale blue flames against the wall behind him.

Having missed its close-range attacks twice, the Fish Venerable ceased its reckless advance. It arched its dorsal fin, its scarlet vertical pupils fixed on Iceberg Cheng, and moved slowly, searching for the next opportunity to launch a surprise attack.

The battle reached a stalemate.

The Fish Master fully utilized the advantages of its aquatic nature, gliding nimbly across the puddles and constantly flanking to find an angle to attack.

Every attack was aimed at Hikawa Makoto's vital points: head, throat, and heart.

However, Bingchuan Cheng remained calm and composed, relying on the mobility of the G3-X to nimbly dodge time and time again, never being impatient or agitated, and calmly searching for weaknesses to counterattack.

Lin Chen, standing at the alley entrance, watched the entire scene quietly, his gaze fixed on the movements of the Fish Venerable. His senses were fully activated as he repeatedly confirmed one thing.

Two minutes later, it was confirmed.

Whenever the Fish Venerable throws a punch or turns to kick, its jaw is briefly exposed—there are no fine water scales covering it, only a very thin mucous membrane, and you can vaguely see the bluish-black body fluid pulsating in the blood vessels.

"Glacier," Lin Chen pressed the communicator, his voice extremely low, "under the jaw. About two finger-widths away."

Hikawa Makoto didn't reply. But his eyes changed.

Three minutes and twelve seconds later, the Fish Venerable exerted its power again. It lowered its body, gathered strength in its legs, and the water beneath its feet rippled outwards due to the energy fluctuations. Then, it shot out like a torpedo, its fists striking straight at Bingchuan Cheng's chest.

Bingchuan Cheng did not retreat.

He turned to the side just before the Fish Venerable's fists were about to strike his chest.

The force of the punch grazed past the breastplate, producing a piercing metallic scraping sound. The Fish Venerable's attack missed, and his body lurched forward due to inertia, exposing his jaw.

Bingchuan Cheng brought his right hand together, activating the armor's maximum power to thrust forward. The hand strike precisely pierced the thin mucous membrane beneath his jaw, penetrating his throat.

The fish lord's movements froze instantly.

The massive body staggered back three steps, and spiderweb-like golden cracks quickly appeared on its surface. The cracks started from its throat and spread rapidly throughout its entire body, like glass shattering from within.

A pale blue halo slowly appeared above its head. The halo flickered three times, then, along with its body, transformed into countless golden particles of light, which were slowly dissipated by the drizzle. Only a faint aura of energy remained in place, fading away slowly in the damp air.

The entire standoff lasted three minutes and forty-eight seconds.

Bingchuan Cheng put away his rifle, walked up to Lin Chen, and took off his helmet. Sweat covered his forehead, mingling with the drizzle and dripping down his chin, his eyes bright and burning.

"Mr. Lin Chen, I did it."

Lin Chen nodded slightly, without saying anything more.

At that moment, Ozawa Sumiko's voice, barely containing her excitement, came through the communicator: "The data is amazing! The G3-X's rain resistance, waterproofing, and maneuverability all far exceeded expectations! Hikawa, you fought brilliantly!"

She paused slightly, as if remembering something, but quickly regained her excited tone: "Anyway, you guys come back right now! We're having a barbecue tonight to celebrate!"

"Received!" Bingchuan Cheng replied, his tone full of joy.

The two got into the car together. The patrol car slowly drove away from Lane 3, its headlights piercing the rain as it gradually disappeared into the distance.