Kamen Rider Byte (Kamen Rider OC)

Into the Rift

Kazuki sat in front of his computer, the dim light of his screen casting a soft glow on his face. After hours of analyzing the data with Patch and Dracode, he had finally found something—a cluster of digital rifts near data centers in a neighboring city. The pattern was too precise to ignore, and it was the first solid lead they'd had in days.

Kazuki immediately called Ren, his heart racing with excitement. "Ren, I think I've found something. There's a significant rift forming around data centers in the neighboring city. It's exactly like we suspected—these V1RUS attacks are targeting places with high concentrations of data."

Ren's voice on the other end was calm but strained. "Kazuki, I'm sorry, but I can't help you right now. I'm swamped with work here, and we're dealing with our own issues at DRIC. You're on your own for this one."

Kazuki sighed, rubbing his temples. "I understand. I'll handle it. Just... be careful on your end, okay?"

"Will do. And Kazuki... watch your back out there. This sounds dangerous."

"Always do," Kazuki replied with a small smile before hanging up.

He glanced at Patch, who appeared on his screen with a concerned expression. "Are you sure about this, Kazuki? If this is a coordinated attack, you could be walking into a trap."

Kazuki nodded, pulling out a simple black mask from his drawer and slipping it into his pocket. "I know, but we can't ignore this lead. I'll be careful. If things go south, I'll make a quick exit."

Dracode floated beside him, his small digital form brimming with excitement. "Just remember, I'm here with you! We can handle anything those V1RUS throw at us!"

Kazuki grabbed his backpack, filled with some basic tools and his Code Driver, and made his way out of the internet café. He boarded a late-night train to the neighboring city, keeping his mind focused on the mission ahead.

When he arrived, the city was quieter than usual, the streets nearly empty as the late hours of the night crept in. He made his way toward the area near the data centers, choosing to lay low at a nearby internet café to avoid drawing attention.

Inside the internet café, Kazuki set up at a computer terminal, his fingers flying over the keyboard as he accessed the local network. Using his skills as a freelance programmer, he hacked into the security system of the nearby data center. His eyes scanned the footage quickly, looking for anything out of the ordinary.

"There," he muttered under his breath as he spotted something on the security feed. In one of the camera views at the back of the data center, a group of security guards were lying on the ground, unconscious.

Patch's voice came through his earpiece. "Kazuki, this looks bad. We need to check it out, but be cautious. Whoever—or whatever—did this might still be there."

Kazuki nodded, slipping the mask over his face to conceal his identity. He quickly left the internet café, moving through the darkened streets toward the data center.

When he arrived at the back entrance, he found the security guards exactly where he had seen them on the footage—sprawled out on the ground, their radios still crackling with static. He knelt beside one of them, checking for a pulse. They were alive but unconscious, likely knocked out by whatever was lurking inside.

Dracode's voice was tense as he hovered beside Kazuki. "This isn't good. We should transform and be ready for anything."

Kazuki nodded, his hand reaching for the Code Driver in his bag. "Agreed. But let's keep quiet for now—no need to alert anyone that we're here."

He slipped the Code Driver around his waist, the familiar weight of it bringing him a sense of comfort. Holding the Dracode Code Bit in his hand, he took a deep breath, preparing for whatever was waiting inside the data center.