I want to become a Kamen Rider

What did she see?

Xiao Qi coughed awkwardly, his chest stained with coffee, his eyes glazed over.

Wu Tina stood in the corner, covering her mouth, her face ashen, as if she had seen a ghost.

Xiaoxue's face was ashen, and her eyes were so cold they could freeze someone to death.

At the heart of the incident, Fan Kang, a transfer student from abroad who was rumored to have gotten in touch with the granddaughter of the school board member and thus could commit various disciplinary violations without being expelled, still maintained a calm expression as if to say, "Did I say anything strange?"

The eerie, timeless silence, coupled with the suffocating shock and oppressive atmosphere, froze Yui Yuigahama's smile on her face, turning it into a comical, bewildered expression. Clutching the cake box, she was stuck, unable to move forward or backward, her mind blank, only able to utter a single syllable:

"……Eh?"

Seeing everyone's reaction, it took Fan Kang a long time to finally realize something, and he added:

“You’ve misunderstood. When I said I wanted to get Oreki Houtarou and Azusagawa Sakuta, I didn’t mean I wanted them in the sense of having a crush on men. It was just in a social sense. I wanted to get close to them, figure out their preferences, make them obedient to me, and then fight to the death according to my orders.”

An even worse version of the original has emerged!

Xiaoxue had already taken out her phone, ready to call the police. Xiaoqi covered her chest, at a loss. Wu Tina looked dazed, as if she had temporarily disconnected from Earth Online.

Yui Yuigahama, who arrived later and was not yet as shocked, managed to glean three key words from Fan Kang's words.

Oreki Houtarou and Azusagawa Sakuta are close.

……

……

To be fair, Fan Kang simply didn't value school life; he wasn't a social terrorist in the true sense. His frequent absences due to the demands of combat and his lack of time to solve problems like a normal high school student often led him to act so outrageously.

Can I submit a request to the Service Club by saying that I want to be friends with Houtarou Oreki and Sakuta Azusagawa?

Of course you can. Besides that, there are more legitimate and appropriate reasons to use, such as developing more Kamen Rider fans, personal grudges, or rivalry in love. But it's not fast enough.

Human nature is to compromise. If you suggest opening the window, people are unwilling; if you suggest demolishing the house, then that's fine.

If you want to be friends with Houtarou Oreki or Sakuta Azusagawa, you'll need to answer why you want to be friends with them, how your friendship is progressing, or show concern or gossip, which will attract unnecessary attention.

But if you say you want to befriend these two high school boys, and then act like you just want to make friends, everyone will breathe a sigh of relief. Oh, what a surprise! It turns out that Fan Kang just wanted to be friends with these two high school boys. They won't care too much about his initial motives.

He spends most of his time outside of school. He only found out from Ms. Toyokawa that Oreki Houtarou and Azusagawa Sakuta are currently studying at Sobu High School. Approaching them rashly would arouse unnecessary vigilance and suspicion. By asking his friend for help, he could not only gather information and get assistance, but also save some time.

That is, it's not so good for a friend's heart.

Fan Kang glanced at Hachiman Hikigaya, who was silently wiping the coffee stains on the table with a paper towel, staring blankly out the window as if pondering "why such an unusual creature appeared in my high school life," while subconsciously shrinking away from him. He thought to himself, "I'll bring this guy some coffee next time."

In addition, there was Nai, whose finger was already hovering above the dial button on her phone, her icy blue eyes filled with unprecedented solemnity and vigilance, regarding him as a dangerous individual.

“Fan Kang, I think you need to explain your intentions clearly and immediately. Otherwise, based on your statement just now, I have good reason to believe that you may commit a crime.”

"Yukinoshita-kun, I'll explain in detail later. For now, I'll put down my phone and not disturb the police."

Even if you actually call those incompetent cops over, they might still have to kowtow to him in terms of contribution.

Later, I'll buy her something with panda or cat patterns as an apology.

Skipping over Tongna's conversation and selectively ignoring Hiiragi Tina, who had temporarily disconnected from Earth Online, Fan Kang turned his gaze to Yui Yuigahama, who had been deep in thought since the beginning.

"Yuigahama-san, you seem to have something to say?"

"...Fan Kang probably needs to talk to Oreki Houtarou and Azusagawa Sakuta, right? If I tell you their information, you probably won't use it for bad purposes."

"of course not."

Fan Kang smiled and spoke with righteous indignation.

He would just train them rigorously, making them into Kamen Riders, and have them fight to the point of exhaustion, just like himself.

Wait, no, if they both die from overwork in the fight, then he won't have to continue dying from overwork!

Shocker and the monsters didn't just grow out of the ground. Before the end of the Veiled Age and the beginning of the Calamity Era when Godzilla frequently appeared, the strength and number of enemies were ultimately limited. In other words, as long as someone took the blame, he could regain his long-lost smile!

It's true, the smile won't disappear, it will just shift.

"I had a feeling that Fan Kang's smile just now was really wicked."

"That's all your imagination."

Yui Yuigahama hesitated for a moment before speaking slowly.

"Hotaro Oreki must be that energy-saving guy from Class B. I think he's active in the Classic Literature Club."

Hiiragi Tina, who was unaware of when the connection was lost and reconnected, added:

"Campus Legend No. 6: The Motionless, Low-Energy Eccentric!"

Why are you so concerned about this campus legend...? Do you want to become a popular figure on campus? If you're willing, then it wouldn't hurt to let you have his position as the leader of the weirdos.

After silently grumbling to himself, Fan Kang pressed on with:

"What about Sakuta Azusagawa?"

"Um, Sakuta Azusagawa, he..."

Perhaps this is why Yui Yuigahama hesitated to speak earlier; what reached Fan Kang's ears was not a friendly message.

"Sakuta Azusagawa has gone missing."

Chapter Twenty-Nine: The Only One

After half an hour.

At the entrance of Zongwu High School, Fan Kang got on Mizutani Migen's small electric scooter.

The small electric vehicle quickly merged into the traffic flow on the main road.

Fan Kang chose this "ride" instead of his own heavy motorcycle for a simple reason: this wasn't a battle requiring roaring engines and high-speed dashes to defeat a specific enemy, but rather a mission that required patiently searching for clues and possibly navigating through streets and alleys to find someone. The electric scooter was small, agile, and more suitable for navigating residential areas.

The driver was a bit noisy.

"Master, Master, Master, you skipped class again."

"Can doing something like Kamen Rider be considered skipping class?"

Fan Kang's rebuttal was righteous and confident; he neither blushed nor showed any veins popping on his forehead.

"Besides, I didn't go to Zongwu High School just to get a high school diploma or to go to university... I had other purposes from the beginning."

"So, it's to get close to high school girls?"

"No, they are male high school students."

“Eh—” Mizutani Migen dragged out the last syllable, making no attempt to hide his disdain, “Master, you really are… well, quite unique.”

The back seat of the small electric scooter was a bit cramped, forcing him to lean forward slightly, his gaze falling precisely on the girl's fair nape. A breeze ruffled her hair, the warm early summer afternoon sun falling on her tied ponytail, a few unruly strands dancing lightly beside her ears, outlining their delicate contours. She wore the uniform of Haneoka Girls' Academy, the hem of her dark blue pleated skirt fluttering slightly in the wind before falling gracefully back down to her shapely calves.

He adjusted his posture, tentatively grabbing the metal armrest on the back of the seat with one hand, while his other hand instinctively supported the girl's shoulder to steady himself. Through the thin summer uniform shirt, he could feel the clear outline of her shoulder blades and the unique suppleness of a young girl.

Sensing his gaze, the girl glanced back at him smugly in the rearview mirror:

"Master, Master, a high school girl who'd skip class to be with you, aren't you tempted?"

"Yes, I'm really tempted, it's very beautiful."

"Varied……!"

He answered frankly, but the girl's reaction could hardly be described as frank.

Her delicate earlobes instantly flushed a thin layer of red, the blush like ink dripping into clear water, quickly spreading along her fair and delicate neck, all the way to the back of her neck hidden by the collar of her uniform. She seemed to be burned by this overly straightforward answer, her hand gripping the handlebars tightening unconsciously, and her slender shoulders stiffening slightly as well.

Fan Kang loudly complained:

"If you're shy, then don't ask that question, you idiot."

"Who's shy? I'm just..."

Her hair moved with the wind, and a few strands clung to the reddened skin on her neck, causing a slightly itchy sensation. She subconsciously shrank her neck, but there was nowhere to hide.

She argued weakly, but couldn't say anything coherent.

"I just……"

Fan Kang sighed.

"Watch where you're going! You idiot!"

"Don't worry, sir, I'm an 'electric scooter rider'!"

Taking this as an opportunity, the girl reverted to her usual cheerful self, turned around, and steadily controlled the handlebars.

As the car drove out of the tree-lined road, the view suddenly opened up. Ahead was a highway winding along the coastline, and the azure sea shimmered in the afternoon sun. The sea breeze, carrying a salty and humid scent, swept over them, dispelling the early summer heat and causing Mizutani Miyuki's skirt and hair to flutter behind her.

In the distance, white seabirds circled low in the sky.

The girl, still with that cheerful expression, suggested, in a tone that suggested they go buy a cup of tea:

"Since you're already tempted, you'll regret it sooner or later if you do nothing. Give it a try; you might just be easy to fool."

"I told you, you've gone down the wrong path in trying to win people over..."

Before he could speak, the girl shouted loudly, drowning him out:

"When I play games, I'm a complete collector!"

"Even in games, there are characters that cannot be romanced."

They sped along the coastal road, some of their words swallowed by the sound of the wind and waves.

On one side of the road are gentle slopes dotted with houses, and on the other side is a wide coastline. Occasionally, young men and women on bicycles ride past from the opposite side, leaving behind a string of crisp bicycle bell sounds.

We are getting closer and closer to the address of the Azusagawa family that we got from Ms. Hiratsuka.

"Then why are unromanceable characters set as unromanceable?"

"That's how the game mechanics work; it has nothing to do with the character's own will."

Fan Kang said calmly.

"I am a decent person and I would not do anything irresponsible."

"Master is the kind of guy who looks serious on the surface, but actually has a more lively inner monologue than anyone else, and often secretly criticizes others in his heart, right?"

"You seem to understand me better and better."

"so……"

He slapped the girl on the back of the head with a chop, forcing her to watch where she was going.

"So practice your boxing skills properly, and don't stray from your original intention. You are the woman who is to become the strongest martial artist and the strongest Kamen Rider. Don't think about using crooked methods to achieve your goal. Rely on your own hands and your own fists to fight for and seize what you want. Martial artists are such creatures. No matter what you want, you can't sit and wait for others to give it to you."

"Love is not everything in life, although it is indeed beautiful, and I have certainly longed for it. No, even now, I still want it."

"But I used to stand still, not moving at all. Now, I must take steps and act for others."

Transforming his sword into a palm, Fan Kang patted the girl's head and then continued to complain:

"Or do you want to hear some nonsense from me like 'After we finish fighting the wars, I'll go back to my hometown and get married'? I don't make promises like that, and besides..."

If falling before dawn means victory, that would be the best news, even if we can't witness the dawn.

What I fear most is that after giving so much, sacrificing so much, and losing so many people, it all comes to nothing in the end, and nothing is changed.

Having witnessed the earth-shattering behemoth, he never expected to solve all the problems by himself. He was simply used to taking the lead and sacrificing himself when faced with problems. This was a habit that most humans would develop in that extremely hopeless and distant future.

"And you have a long future ahead of you, you will encounter more wonderful things and sad things, you will laugh happily and cry sadly, that is the future that belongs to young people."

Fan Kang resorted to lecturing, which had a terrible effect.

"Adults always like to talk about the future, the future, the future, talking about so many things in the future. Does that mean the feelings they have now, in this moment, are all fake?"

"of course not."

Fan Kang smiled and shook his head.

Just because he's back in his youth doesn't mean he can automatically see himself as a teenager, forget the dangers of the world, and enjoy the beauty of the present. Deep down, he's still that silly old man who would strike a knight's kick stance in the face of atomic breath.

Even if it means death.

"But adults have lost the privilege of only talking about the present moment. They have to consider the future, not just their own future, but also the future of others. And those who stand before others, bearing the weight of destiny, must consider the future of everyone."

The small electric scooter, carrying the two people, nimbly turned into a relatively quiet residential street.

The buildings on both sides gradually became old and low, with lush roadside trees casting long shadows. The golden rays of the setting sun were fragmented and scattered on the slightly mottled walls. Mizutani Miyuki slowed down; they had arrived.