"I really don't know about that."
Chen Ran shook his head.
He searched his memory again.
Goddess Mu...
This referred to Mu Qingzhu from Jiudu No. 1 High School, who transferred there in her third year of high school and immediately earned the title of school beauty.
In this era of advanced internet, where beauty filters and 'dark arts' were prevalent, Chen Ran had always been dismissive of so-called school beauties.
However, after catching a glimpse of Mu Qingzhu from afar, Chen Ran felt she truly deserved the title.
She was tall and slender, with a delicate waist, her skin as clear and white as jade, and her dark, lustrous hair cascaded naturally over her shoulders...
She seemed to possess an ethereal, transcendent aura.
Like a celestial maiden from the Ninth Heaven.
A single glance left a profound impression.
She was admired by many.
Chen Ran was among them.
This was an appreciation of beauty, not love at first sight. Chen Ran was pragmatic; he believed that love at first sight was, frankly speaking, just lust!
Mu Qingzhu came from Shenjing.
She hailed from a scholarly family with prominent lineage, and her academic performance was excellent.
The reason for her transfer to Jiudu No. 1 High School in her third year remained a mystery.
Numerous speculations circulated privately among the students.
But none had been confirmed!
"It's said that Goddess Mu's body had detected extremely potent Hope Particles when she was thirteen. She was already capable of undergoing the Knight Awakening Ceremony, but for some unknown reason, she waited until she was eighteen to prepare for it,"
Fang Wen continued to share what he knew with Chen Ran.
He indeed knew more than Chen Ran.
Hope Particles arrived with the spatial rifts from other worlds, subtly improving human physical fitness. After years of nurturing, everyone living in this world possessed Hope Particles to varying degrees. The concentration of these particles determined whether one could awaken a Rider Driver!
How powerful a Driver could one awaken?
Awakening at eighteen was the 'experience' accumulated over decades.
This was the case for the vast majority of people.
However, there were always exceptions.
Genius existed.
They possessed a physique that could absorb numerous Hope Particles from a young age. Thus, they didn't need to wait until eighteen; they might successfully awaken at ten, eight, or even earlier.
Mu Qingzhu was one of them.
Fang Wen wanted to say more.
This was his only source of fun.
But before he could speak, he was silenced by their homeroom teacher, Li Tianwang.
"Fang Wen, be quiet. The Awakening Ceremony is about to begin!"
"Oh..."
Fang Wen obediently stopped talking.
Li Tianwang's real name was Li Tian. As the homeroom teacher of Class 25, he held considerable prestige within the class.
School leaders were still delivering speeches on the stage.
It seemed the opening of the Awakening Ceremony would be delayed...
It was the same in his past life.
Chen Ran was already accustomed to it.
While waiting.
He looked at the special Awakening Ground on the stage—
Mysterious golden runes were carved on the ground, and a prism-shaped crystal emitting seven-colored light was embedded within.
That seven-colored crystal was called the 'Hope Crystal,' the very object used for Knight Awakening.
It was named Hope and carried the hope of humanity.
After another half an hour or so.
At the principal's command.
The long-awaited Knight Awakening Ceremony finally commenced.
Students eagerly awaited their awakening.
The direction of their future lives would be defined by this Knight Awakening Ceremony.
The awakening began with Class 3(1).
Then, it proceeded sequentially by class.
There were a total of thirty third-year classes in Jiudu No. 1 High School, each with around fifty students. Chen Ran's class was at the end of the sequence, so they had the opportunity to observe how others awakened.
Regardless of their backgrounds, those participating in the Awakening Ceremony at this moment were essentially the same.
It was their first time, like a young bride stepping into her sedan chair, a maiden's first experience.
"Zhang Rulong, awakened with the Lost Driver, Spider Memory."
"Lin Feng, awakened with the Leo Buckle."
"Fang Xue'er, did not awaken."
......
Students came forward one by one.
To undergo Knight Awakening.
They went up with nervousness and anticipation, and came down with mixed emotions. Those who successfully awakened their Rider Drivers wore expressions of excitement, while those who failed looked troubled and sad, some even shedding tears on the spot.
Chen Ran took a deep breath.
He calmed his mind.
And continued to wait.
"Mu Qingzhu! Awakened with a Kiva-series special Rider, Kivala!"
At this moment, the principal's resonant voice boomed.
A wave of astonishment swept across the large playground.
Everyone was utterly stunned.
"Hiss... Goddess Mu is truly a heaven-blessed prodigy. Kiva-series Riders are not weak!"
"Wuwuwu, please notice me, Goddess. I don't want to struggle anymore."
"Living off women? Your looks aren't even as good as mine. If we're talking about looks, I'll go with Chen Ran from Class 25. That guy's looks are truly amazing, like a protagonist from a novel."
Indeed, Chen Ran was handsome.
With sharp eyebrows and starry eyes, a chiseled profile, and a high nose bridge, he looked like a dashing young man straight out of a novel.
Unfortunately, in this era, students admired strength.
And Chen Ran's academic performance was quite ordinary in school...
"Kivala..."
Chen Ran silently recited the name of this Rider.
In the world of Kamen Rider, female-exclusive Riders were not as numerous as one might imagine.
In the Showa era, the female warrior Tackle appeared.
The first female Rider of the Heisei era originated from Ryuki.
Kamen Rider Femme, also known as Kamen Rider Swan.
Mu Qingzhu's awakened Kamen Rider Kivala originated from the Decade arc, and was also one of them.
Riders like Femme and Kivala, who only appeared on women, were quite rare.
No, no.
The first female Rider of the Heisei era was Shouichi's sister...
Chen Ran's thoughts began to wander.
Mu Qingzhu's awakening caused a huge stir in the school.
The school leaders wore smiles.
This batch of students was good; there were more students awakening Rider Drivers compared to previous years.
Furthermore, with Mu Qingzhu's presence, their bonuses this year would skyrocket!
Mu Qingzhu's awakening as Kivala directly brought the atmosphere at the venue to its peak.
And the reporters were constantly pressing their shutters, fearing they might miss a major scoop!
The Awakening Ceremony of Jiudu No. 1 High School continued.
Soon, it was Chen Ran's class's turn...
......