Chapter 39: "Shadow" and "Kamen Rider"

"Hello, a self-service barbecue for two, please."

The waitress placed a plate of freshly cut ingredients and five cans of Red Island beer on the table. After a slight bow of courtesy, she turned and left.

The grill in the center of the table was just right, and Alister placed the ingredients on it at a leisurely pace.

There were plenty of ingredients on the plate, including chicken, lamb, seafood, premium pork belly, corn, cauliflower, green peppers, and various vegetables.

"Food is served quickly," Fujitani Nisuke woke up naturally upon hearing the sizzling sound of the barbecue, "Let me see..."

As he examined the ingredients, he picked up his phone and made a payment to the restaurant, although he seemed a bit unfamiliar with the process.

"You're treating me," Alister rested his chin on his hand and sighed lightly, "You're inviting me for barbecue on our first meeting."

"Haha, young man!" Fujitani Nisuke laughed heartily after making the payment, "According to our customs, you'll have to treat me to two more meals later. That's called killing two birds with one stone!"

"Killing two birds with one stone" isn't used like that... Alister chuckled, slightly helpless, "This idiom means achieving two benefits from one action."

"It's okay, it's okay," Fujitani Nisuke picked up a can of Red Island beer, "As long as the meaning gets across, you understand, right?"

With a pop, he opened the beer can.

"That's true..." Alister withdrew his gaze and turned the ingredients on the grill one by one, "Are you in Z Country for business or leisure?"

Fujitani Nisuke took a hearty sip of Red Island beer, let out a long breath, and leisurely replied, "Of course, it's for leisure. If I came to Z Country for business... I would definitely quit my job! Oh... I've already quit."

Alister raised his head upon hearing this and asked with concern, "You quit? Was it because of too much work pressure?"

"Hit the nail on the head," Fujitani Nisuke sighed helplessly, "It was too demanding, way too demanding, I couldn't take it anymore."

"You should have persevered..." Alister flipped a piece of meat on the grill and sprinkled it with cumin, "It's not easy to find a job now."

"Don't worry, after I finish this task, I can pretty much live off the grid," Fujitani Nisuke also placed his ingredients on the grill.

"...Finish this task?" Alister raised an eyebrow, "What are you going to do?"

A Japanese salaryman quitting his job, coming to Z Country, and planning to live off the grid... Alister couldn't fathom what Fujitani Nisuke intended to do.

Rob a bank? That couldn't be it, Japan has banks too...

Noticing Alister's strange gaze, Fujitani Nisuke realized he had slipped up and awkwardly chuckled, avoiding eye contact as he explained, "Ahaha... well, you see... I... I want to debut as an idol!"

"Cough, cough, cough..." Alister almost choked on his food, "What? You want to debut as an idol?"

In a moment of desperation, Fujitani Nisuke crossed his arms and continued to explain with determination, "Indeed... I'm going for a unique concept... an image of stark contrast!"

Alister was left speechless by Fujitani Nisuke's words.

"You see, middle-aged, salaryman, unkept appearance, a failed Japanese man..."

At first, he presented his case logically, but as he continued, he became more despondent, and his voice grew quieter.

Finally, Fujitani Nisuke fell into silence, looking like a broken puppet as he lay on the upholstered sofa, radiating negativity.

Fujitani Nisuke emptied his mind, gazing at the ceiling with exhaustion, and said, "I, I've lived a life of failure..."

The unnecessary sentence-ending particle at the end of his sentence was completely superfluous. Alister, trying to maintain a calm demeanor, took a sip of water and said, "Since you've chosen your goal, you should pursue it steadfastly, although I don't think you'll succeed."

Hearing Alister's words...

"Ah... I, I can't go on..." Fujitani Nisuke sighed as if his soul were dissipating, "If only everyone in this world could just live off the grid..."

The world needs change! Let me be the one to—

And at that moment, the screeching sound of tires reached their ears, and Alister noticed something unusual.

"Two-Introductions, Fujitani Nisuke! Your barbecue is burning! Hey, hey, hey—"

"Ah, ah—barbecue? Whose barbecue? My barbecue!"

Fujitani Nisuke bent back like a spring and quickly picked up a piece of barbecue, then yelled "hot, hot, hot" and took a big sip of beer.

His actions were smooth, as if he had muscle memory.

Later...

"Burp..." Fujitani Nisuke, in high spirits, grabbed a new can of beer and tried to save face, "You have to keep a bit of that burnt taste. That's the only way... you can know you're eating barbecue."

"..." Alister chose not to respond to him.

...

...

"Oh, this is good!" Fujitani Nisuke grabbed one of Alister's grilled shrimps, "I know the taste of the sea!"

"Eat slowly, don't choke," Alister calmly prepared the barbecue, "Be mindful of your image..."

Because of Alister's excellent grilling skills, he was appointed as the exclusive barbecue chef by Fujitani Nisuke.

"This culinary skill, I approve!" Fujitani Nisuke said.

The barbecue sizzled, and then...

There was a brief exclamation from outside. Alister and Fujitani Nisuke turned to look through the glass and saw vehicles blatantly breaking traffic rules and speeding through the city.

"What are they doing, a unique Z Country performance?" Fujitani Nisuke sipped his beer, unperturbed. "It's quite realistic, impressive."

"...I don't think it's a performance," Alister pondered, "Maybe it's a robbery?"

The reckless driving, masked suspects, money flying out of the trunk, and the police car in pursuit... It didn't look staged.

"A robbery?" Fujitani Nisuke sipped his beer. "I thought it was one of those unique Z Country performances..."

"How could there be a robbery performance?" Alister countered, exasperated.

Then, in the next moment.

Fujitani Nisuke suddenly turned back and said seriously, "Hey, Alister."

"What is it?" Alister locked eyes with him.

Are you going to be a hero and stop this robbery? Alister wondered what Fujitani Nisuke intended to do.

However, Fujitani Nisuke's answer was...

"I'm craving a smoke. I'll go to the restroom for a bit, that's it. Bye~"

As he spoke, he got up energetically, waved goodbye, and walked away.

Alister: "..."

Watching Fujitani Nisuke retrieve a pack of cigarettes from his brown coat and head to the restroom, realizing it would take him a while to return...

Alister sighed lightly, shifted his gaze away, finished his lukewarm water, and after explaining to the waitress, "I have something to attend to, don't bring the bill yet"...

He memorized the direction in which the speeding vehicles had disappeared, stood up from his table, and left the restaurant, disappearing into the bustling crowd, activating his shadowy abilities.

"It should take about ten minutes," the "Shadow" said.

...

...

Inside the restroom, he locked the stall door securely.

Fujitani Nisuke, feeling a bit drowsy, sighed and took out his phone, skillfully placing it at his waistband.

"Henshin."

With the deep voice command, there was no discernible change as light blue system data... well, there was no response at all.

"Hmm?" Fujitani Nisuke looked confused as he took the "transformation device" back into his hand.

...He had picked up the wrong item; this wasn't the transformation device.

"Cough, cough..." Fujitani Nisuke honestly put his phone back in his pocket and then, with a serious expression, shattered the void with his hand!

He placed the "Kamen Rider" transformation device at his waist, and a faint A-rank aura emanated from him as he uttered once more:

"Henshin."

Multiple layers of pale blue system data enveloped Fujitani Nisuke, materializing into a magnificent and muscular martial arts armor, black and gold with a long crimson scarf resembling a cape...

—"Rank A, 62nd member"

Kamen Rider makes an entrance!