Chapter 253: Mantis Yummy

Hand over the Core Coin.

Mantis Yummy's eyes saw the red Core Coin held in Huo Ye Yingsi's hand.

Although no Insect-type Core Coin was found, any Core Coin still has value.

"Another monster has shown up." Huo Ye Yingsi muttered.

What's going on today? Could it be because tomorrow's underwear got burned? Looking at Huo Ye Yingsi's appearance, Mantis Yummy stopped talking nonsense; to them, humans are insignificant, no different from livestock.

Two hands gripping short blades spread apart, and a sharp blade light extended between them; this move's power could even chop steel into pieces.

This is the power of an ordinary Yummy, relying solely on bodily strength; against humans without special equipment, it's like a tiger versus a goat.

A flock of sheep could never match a tiger.

The blade light capable of cutting steel followed Mantis Yummy's motion, shooting straight at Huo Ye Yingsi.

Relying solely on human neural reflexes, one couldn't even react.

The gap between humans and Yummies is truly enormous.

Humans who obtain a Core Coin are destined to be targeted by such monsters.

Let alone Huo Ye Yingsi, who harbors enormous desire.

Overpowering desire and the monster that is the embodiment of desire also attract each other.

In Huo Ye Yingsi's eyes, that fierce blade light seemed to suddenly slow down.

However, this is not some superpower; it's when a human is on the brink of death, the body produces an illusion of resistance, and the brain attempts this way to boost the body's survivability.

"Clang!"

As the world slowed, several metallic clashing sounds exploded in Huo Ye Yingsi's ears; flames and wind blades collided, ultimately canceling each other out in the blast.

The arm he had just regarded as a monster's now had its skin covered in wisps of green smoke.

"You're Anku!"

Mantis Yummy looked at this familiar power and judged.

"Stop, this is my Core Coin."

Anku's tone hinted at fatigue; blocking Mantis Yummy's attack just now had consumed many of his ordinary coins.

Before collecting nine Core Coins, their attacks or defenses require consuming ordinary coins.

The more Core Coins one has, the less they consume, and simultaneously their strength grows stronger.

But Anku now has only his right hand left, and just a single Core Coin—truly his weakest moment.

Even his ability to produce his own Yummy has been lost; he is merely a blank slate with a little strength.

"Hand it over."

Mantis Yummy inherited the consciousness of the Insect-type Greeed; the name Greeed comes from greedy desire.

As the foremost of desire, how could it possibly pass up the chance to obtain a Core Coin?

Moreover, Anku had been involved with the original King eight hundred years ago; now is the perfect opportunity to beat a dog that's fallen in the water.

"Bang bang bang!"

Mantis Yummy now treats Anku as a target, unleashing a barrage of strikes that hit his body without missing a beat.

Beside him, Huo Ye Yingsi watched Anku being brutalized; the scene of it just having saved him flashed in his mind, and he instantly resolved.

He wouldn't stand by idly; if he could get there, he would surely reach out a helping hand.

"Stop, let it go!"

Huo Ye Yingsi grabbed Mantis Yummy from behind, then shouted at the Anku knocked aside: "Now's your chance—run!"

But it's obvious; the power gap is too great.

Huo Ye Yingsi was directly flung into the air by Mantis Yummy.

"Is that guy an idiot?"

Anku, lying on the ground, watched Huo Ye Yingsi get knocked down.

Unconsciously, he began to analyze whether choosing him would be a gain or a loss.

"No, now I can only rely on him."

When he came to, he realized it wasn't just the Core Coin that had been taken.

Just as the Insect Yummy continued preparing to strike Anku, several bullets shot out rapidly from its back, accompanied by the sound of sirens.

"Humans really are a nuisance."

Mantis Yummy casually swung, and the sharp blade instantly sliced the front of the police car.

Sparks flew; the police car instantly lost control and crashed into a nearby pillar.

Inside were two people: a middle-aged bald man, and another who looked like a freshly graduated young police officer.

The middle-aged bald officer was fine—he had merely been frightened into passing out.

But the young police officer had a trickle of blood at the corner of his mouth and collapsed straight to the ground, passing out.

"Next up is you."

Mantis Yummy looked at the struggling-to-stand Huo Ye Yingsi, and in its insect-like compound eyes a glint of killing intent appeared.

The third strike aimed straight at Huo Ye Yingsi's head, then slanted down from the shoulder to the hip, intending to take his life directly.

Instantly, splendid sparks burst forth from the monster's crimson skin, like exploding fireworks of fire trees and silver flowers.

Sparks erupted on Anku's arm; this long-range blade lodged directly in his palm. "Anku, are you trying to help humanity?"

Mantis Yummy let out a scornful chuckle; humans are merely food.

Anku ignored Mantis Yummy; humans and Greeed—perhaps he actually prefers humans, who knows?

"What's your name?" Anku asked.

"Huo Ye Yingsi."

At this moment he seemed to realize something important was about to happen; looking at the monster's arm before him, he spoke his name.

"Yingsi, I admire you; let me tell you how you can be saved," Anku said.

This is absolutely a high‑stakes gamble; win and all goes well, lose and the whole family feasts.

"Finally starting?"

Watching the OOO Driver's unsealing, Jiang Xia leaned on a nearby rack, a gold‑rimmed Core Coin jumping in his palm.

The first transformation of Kamen Rider OOO must not be missed.

"Yingsi, to be saved you must defeat this guy,"

Anku took out two different Core Coins and handed them to Huo Ye Yingsi.

"Insert the three coins here, and you will gain power."

Anku pointed to Huo Ye Yingsi's waist‑mounted Driver and said.

"Don't be fooled by Anku; whoever uses that thing won't have a good ending," the Mantis Yummy said urgently.

It inherited the memories of the Insect‑type Greeed, understanding that this thing is the pinnacle of Alchemical Art, and moreover the power of the king, the power of the King of Desires.

"As long as I can lend a hand, the outcome doesn't matter."

Looking at the Core Coin in his hand, Huo Ye Yingsi unhesitatingly inserted it into his belt.

The moment the scanner on his waist lit up, Kamen Rider OOO appeared again, having crossed 800 years of time.

"TakaToraBatta (Eagle, Tiger, Locust)"

"Ta-To-BaTaToBaTa-To-Ba (Big mop~big mop~big mop)"

"What was that music just now? It sounds pretty nice."

Huo Ye Yingsi muttered, looking at the three different‑colored armors covering his body.

"What an idiot," Anku thought.

"Never mind the song; this is Ouz. See how strong Ouz's power is—you'll know once you fight."

"Eh."

Huo Ye Yingsi saw the Mantis Yummy lunging at him and instinctively raised both arms to block.

To his surprise, the tremendous force that had just flung him away had now vanished without a trace.

Huo Ye Yingsi keenly sensed Ouz's fighting method; the tiger emblem on his chest flashed instantly.

Golden tiger claws, accompanied by a radiant golden light, sprang from his arms.

With just a light swing, that invincible tiger claw shattered the armor that even bullets could not pierce, meeting no resistance.

The golden giant claw mark was accompanied by a tinkling sound, and ordinary coins engraved with insect patterns rained down from the huge wound onto the ground.

And they rolled outward; one ordinary coin happened to roll beside Jiang Xia, who promptly picked it up.

"That guy, when was he there?"

Beside him, Anku only then realized there was also a stranger human standing here, watching the show.

"Core Coin, why does this human have a Core Coin in his hand?" Anku exclaimed in surprise.

Anku instantly saw the Core Coin in Jiang Xia's palm; its pattern and design felt strangely familiar—indeed it was a Core Coin.

"Clang!"

A sharp blade flash instantly struck Huo Ye Yingsi's body; the powerful impact caused blue Electric Arcs to spark on Ouz's body, accompanied by scorching black smoke.

After seeing this, Anku could only first deal with Yingsi's situation.

The Ouz system had just been used, still a bit unstable; it needed other Core Coins swapped in to avoid falling apart.

"Yingsi, swap the middle coin for this one."

Anku spat out the Mantis Core Coin from within his body and then threw it toward Yingsi.

That's enough; the Mantis Core Coin is far stronger than the Yummy.

According to its judgment, victory would be easy.

At the moment Anku threw the coin, Jiang Xia flicked his finger; the gold‑rimmed Core Coin in his palm shot out, striking the airborne Mantis Core Coin aside and flying straight into Huo Ye Yingsi's hand.

"What is this? A bird? But it doesn't really look like one."

Huo Ye Yingsi looked at the splendidly unusual Core Coin in his hand, clearly not of the same type as the others.

He also felt an abnormal scorching, throbbing qi flowing from his palm throughout his body, as if his whole self had become light.

"If we're swapping coins, mine's still better," Jiang Xia said with a faint smile.

"What kind of person are you, exactly?"

Anku watched his thrown coin be deflected, then immediately flew to Jiang Xia's side and demanded.

(End of chapter)