Chapter 204: Masked Knight Kaito

When Jiang Xia opened his eyes, Rixia Bu Xi was making breakfast in the kitchen.

Outside the window it was already morning, and Jiang Xia stood by the window.

He hadn't seen the sun for a whole week, and sunlight slanted across the white wall, drawing pictures.

Jiang Xia put on his clothes, fastened the belt around his waist, lightly covered himself with a jacket, slowly went downstairs, and watched Rixia Bu Xi make breakfast.

Rixia Bu Xi didn't ask him where he had been during that week.

Of course, Jiang Xia also didn't explain, as if his brief absence had never existed.

Rixia Bu Xi's personality has undergone some changes now.

Compared to her former expressionless self, she has become a bit more lively; her expression is natural, and her rosy face carries a hint of a smile.

Before Jiang Xia went downstairs, she had already prepared the ingredients to be cooked and was waiting for him to wake up.

The flames on the stove swayed, as if showing her current mood, like dancing flames cheering and swaying in her heart.

Although her attire remained the same old style, it was far better than her previous icy demeanor.

This look is more like her true inner self—lively, vivid, like an angel with wings.

Having finished breakfast, Rixia Bu Xi gently placed the plate in front of Jiang Xia, saying, "It's done; try it and see how it tastes."

Actually, her favorite time is still when the two of them first met.

Sitting on a lawn with a hint of sunshine, a breeze brushed past,

The two people who had just met sat on a patterned mat, holding paintbrushes, to depict the beauty of this world.

But for her now, it's not bad either; as long as he's here, there will always be a chance—just need a little time.

Jiang Xia glanced and saw that these were all the foods he had always liked to eat.

Or rather, during his time living here, he ate them the most—so many times that he himself might never have counted.

That fellow, the Heavenly Dao Chief, always observed his movements, but never expected that the disguise he'd kept up would not fool Rixia Bu Xi.

Perhaps, the time spent eating with them couldn't compare to the time spent staying with her.

"It's really delicious." Jiang Xia took a bite and praised.

Her cooking skills have improved greatly, as if she had gradually acquired a soul.

"Xiao Xi, I'm leaving; I might be busy from now on and won't always come here."

After Jiang Xia finished eating, he said to the busy Rixia Bu Xi in the back kitchen.

A sudden flash of nervousness crossed his mind, but he quickly suppressed it.

Upon hearing the news that Jiang Xia would leave, Rixia Bu Xi's body trembled, but she quickly returned to her usual composure.

She put the washed dishes back on the rack, turned her body, and gently nodded.

Yet an indescribable silence lay between them.

"I'm not not coming back; I just have other things to handle,

I'll still come back at night, so at most I'll come by every few days like Kagami."

"And if I really left, I wouldn't be able to eat such delicious food either."

Jiang Xia looked at Rixia Bu Xi's back and slowly spoke.

It always seems that way—he's always the one who speaks first.

However, this time he merely chose not to continue working here; it doesn't mean he'll leave this place—at least not now.

"So now I'm the manager of this place, and you are now my subordinate, just like Kagami.

I'll treat you the way you treated Kagami, and I won't pay you a salary."

Rixia Bu Xi turned her body, as if confirming something, her eye sockets red, tears blurring her vision.

"Of course, when I first came here I also had no salary." Jiang Xia said with a laugh.

Upon hearing Jiang Xia's definite answer, Rixia Bu Xi also laughed.

Although her eye sockets were still red, her mood had improved considerably.

As long as he doesn't leave, she really doesn't want to eat alone anymore.

"Remember my dinner!" Jiang Xia waved his hand and reminded.

Rixia Bu Xi watched him leave, the watery light shimmering, his back reflected in her eyes.

"Mm."

Jiang Xia walked along the cement-paved avenue, all kinds of people passing by his side.

He crossed the road, headed toward the intersection ahead, and continued forward.

There is a central park and lawn there, with various animal sculptures and people playing in the center.

"No, it's also possible that they're not human..."

Jiang Xia looked at the true faces of the people bustling around him, accompanying each other.

These are people, but their bodies carry a faint non-human scent.

Part of it is from having passed through a certain place, and part is from the central lawn of this park.

Jiang Xia stopped, discerning something, took out a blank book from his pocket, unfolded it, and checked the direction.

Before leaving, he had already looked up Mamiya Reina's approximate movement trajectory and prepared for the power test, deciding what to test.

During this period, through continuous high-intensity work, he finally completed the Hundred Insect Sword.

Although he had undergone various adjustments, using it against Alien Insects was still the first time.

Moreover, it's only a prototype, still needing constant improvements and the addition of an insect instrument interface, so he came here.

Suddenly, Jiang Xia discovered his target.

And it was still moving.

"Did you also discover that I'm a suitable candidate for the Knight? It seems her perceptive ability is also strong."

Jiang Xia had likewise already smelled the Alien Insect's scent, but he discovered Jian Gong Li Na much earlier than she discovered Jiang Xia.

So Jiang Xia could only wait for her, and roughly looked up information about Jian Gong Li Na's Alien Insect form.

The Fiddler crab Alien Insect—look at its shell, it's completely not the same category as a worm, no wonder it possesses strong power.

These Alien Insects with quite high intelligence seem to have already shed their instincts.

It's unclear whether shedding their instincts made them strong, or becoming strong made them shed their instincts.

Just like this Fiddler crab Alien Insect, it is merely mimicry, and did not replace the life of the mimicked target.

Of course, as the mimicked Jian Gong Li Na, she is surely already dead.

No Alien Insect will ultimately spare its mimicry target.

However, the Original Insect seems different; mimicking Tiandao shows no killing intent toward Tiandao.

The reason they fought is entirely due to Rixia Bu Xi.

One wanted to take it away, while the other wouldn't allow it, so the two started fighting.

Even Tashiro Xiu Yi's mimicry targets are people whose lifespans are nearly over, including Li Chuan Da Wu's mimicry, which is the same—all are those about to die.

「I didn't expect an Ability User to come here on their own. 」

Jian Gong Li Na said to Jiang Xia in a tone as cold as an ice cube.

「Of course, I have one matter for you Alien Insects to cooperate with. 」

Jiang Xia seemed not to have heard Jian Gong Li Na's killing intent, and still spoke while maintaining that calm demeanor.

「Then go cooperate in hell! 」

The body of Jian Gong Li Na, dressed in black, instantly began to swell, growing spikelike shells and pincers similar to those of a swimming crab.

It reverted to its original form, a white Fiddler crab Alien Insect.

The two huge white pincers swung toward Jiang Xia's neck.

Its strength is enough to tear steel apart; if it truly landed on a human's neck, the cervical bone would surely break, ending life without any pain.

A scarlet beetle shot from the void and rushed at the Fiddler crab Alien Insect.

Bang!

The powerful impact directly knocked her away, leaving a small scorch mark on the Fiddler crab Alien Insect's shell.

「henshin (transformation)」

Armor with a metallic sheen instantly covered Jiang Xia's body, and this time his pupils revealed were blue.

Kamen Rider Jia Dou, make his entrance.

(End of chapter)