I’m Kamen Rider.
17: Chapter 17: Surprise, Surprise.
I’m Kamen Rider.
The group once again followed Eous towards the platform.
Soon, they climbed up onto the old metro platform.
“Look, what’s that?” Nicole spotted a red figure at the center of the platform.
As everyone drew closer, they found a figure clad in armor resembling a red beetle.
“Kabuto!” Belle’s exclamation shocked everyone present.
“That Kamen Rider?!” Nicole’s expression turned serious.
Anby had already assumed a combat-ready stance.
“What?!
Kamen Rider!” Billy’s entire being froze in place.
“Kabuto, why are you here?” Belle piloted Eous closer to Kabuto.
“Why?
Am I here?” Buyuan’s tone was flat.
“Isn’t it obvious?
Waiting for you.” Buyuan slowly rose to his feet.
His cold tone gave him an immensely oppressive presence.
“Proxy, watch out!” As Buyuan drew closer, Anby lunged forward, blade cleaving towards Buyuan.
As the former captain of the Silver Squad, her terrifying instincts told her that the man before her was strong.
“Anby!” x3 The electrically charged blade was blocked by Buyuan with the Kunai Blade.
Anby spun around, directly scooped up Eous, and rapidly retreated.
“…” This left Buyuan speechless.
Buyuan simply gazed calmly at Eous.
The azure high-tech compound eyes representing his gaze stared at her.
“Kabuto, Anby didn’t mean any harm.” Belle clearly couldn’t quite believe Kabuto was an enemy, but the tense, bone-rattling situation left her torn.
“Of course I know.” Buyuan chuckled lightly.
“I was just trying to strike a pose.
But Anby’s a little too vigilant.” Buyuan spread his hands, his tone becoming casual and bouncy.
Anby merely stood with her blade ready, not relaxing her guard.
“Come on.
We know each other pretty well, you know~ Anby.” Buyuan casually removed the Zecter from his waist.
The armor dissolved into particles, and a familiar face appeared before everyone.
“Buyuan?!” “What, Anby doesn’t recognize me?” Buyuan waggled his eyebrows at Anby.
Anby clearly hadn’t expected this outcome.
“What?!
Buyuan, you’re Kamen Rider!!” Billy rushed forward at lightning speed into a sliding kneel.
“Please give me your autograph!
You’re my Idol!” Billy produced a pen from who-knew-where.
“Calm down, Billy.
We’re still in a Hollow.” Buyuan speechlessly pushed Billy’s face away.
“What is going on!” Belle and Wise exchanged glances.
Neither had quite recovered.
“I knew there was something familiar about this Kabuto, but the difference in aura was just way too huge!” Belle looked at her brother and offered an awkward explanation.
She had, after all, been the one handling all contact with Kabuto.
“I’m sorry.
I didn’t know it was you.” Anby stepped forward and apologized to Buyuan.
“It’s fine, Anby.
I did it on purpose, actually.
Just wanted to mess with you all.” Buyuan had been purely mischief-driven, seeking amusement.
“Here.
Take the strongbox.
I already took care of that Dullahan.” Buyuan handed the strongbox to Anby.
“Thank you.” Anby passed the strongbox to Nicole.
Nicole immediately clutched it tightly, terrified Buyuan might change his mind.
Then she noticed that not a single person was stepping up to lead the way.
“?” “?” “Buyuan, lead the way?” Belle looked at Buyuan, confused.
“Me?
Are you the Proxy or am I?
If I knew the way, I would’ve brought the strongbox straight to your shop.
Why would I wait for you?” Buyuan looked at Eous, a bit speechless.
“You don’t have a Carrot?
Then how did you get here!” Belle stared at Buyuan in disbelief.
“I’m severely directionally challenged.
I can’t follow a Carrot to find the exit.
So after finding the strongbox, I deleted the Carrot data.” Buyuan explained.
“DELETED!” Belle’s voice suddenly spiked in volume.
“But why!?” “Come on.
PubSec Carrot data.
You think I’d leave it sitting there after using it, just waiting to get caught?” Buyuan made up an excuse on the spot.
He couldn’t let Belle have the data.
Otherwise, how would they get Fairy?
“Proxy, can’t you just lead the way directly?” Nicole looked quizzically at the hopping-mad Eous before her.
“I can’t!
That bastard hacker wiped all my data.
That includes the Crete Hollow data, obviously.” Belle slumped helplessly in her chair.
“What!
I actually get to be in a Hollow with Kamen Rider and turn into an Ethereal!” Billy’s voice was brimming with excitement.
“You mother—!” Buyuan sent Billy flying with a flying kick.
“It’s not hopeless.
The hacker mentioned something about the strongbox containing something like Rosetta data.
Nicole, if you agree to open…” Belle recalled what the hacker had said and quickly spoke up.
“I agree!” Nicole agreed before Belle could even finish.
“No need to explain.
This commission was shady from the start!
Besides, staying alive is way more important.” Nicole crossed her arms, her tone carrying a sharp edge.
“Once this commission’s done, I’m gonna have a nice long talk with the client.” Nicole’s words earned unanimous agreement from both Anby and Billy.
“Then hurry it up.
I need to buy groceries.
And I’m sure everyone wants an explanation from me too.
Why not gather at my place again tonight for dinner?” Buyuan also hurried them along.
“Alright!” Belle immediately got fired up.
She opened the strongbox, took out a storage drive, and plugged it into Eous’s head.
Bzzt bzzt— Accompanied by the sound of electric current, Eous floated up into the air, enveloped in crackling light.
“WTF.
Super Saiya-boo.” Buyuan blurted out.
“Idol!
What’s a Super Saiya-boo?” Billy eagerly crowded closer.
“Stay away from me!” Buyuan wasn’t used to being in close proximity to a robot with no sense of personal boundaries.
Building rapport with this one was kinda uncomfortable.
“Hurry, follow.
Eous seems to be leading the way.” Buyuan signaled for everyone to follow.
Under Eous’s guidance, the group successfully exited the Hollow.
Then, under Nicole’s shocked and envious gaze, Buyuan got into the sports car parked right beside them.
“Damn rich bastard!!” Nicole howled in righteous indignation.
“Alright, let’s head back to the store first.
Belle suddenly went quiet.
Something’s off.” Buyuan buckled Eous in with a seatbelt and shot off with a press of the gas, pulling ahead.
“We’ll follow too.” Nicole didn’t fall behind either, flooring the gas and flying off in pursuit.
In the end, Nicole arrived first.
After all, Buyuan’s license plates were real plates — not like Nicole’s.
By the time Buyuan arrived at the video store, he saw Nicole and the others hurriedly leaving.
Buyuan guessed they’d gone to find a trusted doctor.
“Wise, is Belle’s condition serious?” Although Buyuan already knew what was going on, he still feigned worry and asked.
“Unclear.
Sometimes she twitches for no apparent reason, and she hasn’t woken up yet.” Wise’s expression was worried.
Buyuan and Wise stayed there, watching over her.
Belle would occasionally give a twitch or two.
This went on until Nicole returned with someone — a middle-aged woman in a white coat.
She examined Belle from head to toe, then gently shook her head at the group.
“She’s— She’s not gonna make it!” Buyuan’s expression was exaggerated, laden with grief, as if he might burst into tears the very next second.
“!?” Clearly, this line scared the daylights out of everyone.
“No!
I mean, there’s no problem.
She just suffered a shock.
She’ll wake up after a while.” The doctor’s expression was complicated as she looked at Buyuan like he was an idiot.
Seeing that everything was fine, the Cunning Hares left together with the doctor.
“I want burgers tonight.” Anby walked up to Buyuan and placed her order.
“No problem.
I’ll make a few extra tonight.” Buyuan didn’t refuse.
After all, feeding Anby was the absolute best.
After everyone had left, Wise and Buyuan chatted in the archive room.
Suddenly, the room’s lights began flickering.
The HDD’s screen started flashing nonstop.
Then everything returned to normal.
But a sudden electronic voice gave Wise a start.
“Awaiting user to sign agreement.” “What is this?” Wise was deeply shaken.
“Negative.
It is Fairy, not a ‘this.'” The synthesized female voice answered smoothly.
“Fairy?
You’re an artificial intelligence?” Wise asked further.
“Awaiting master to sign agreement.” Fairy didn’t answer Wise’s question.
“Agreement?
Who’s the master?” Wise continued asking.
“It’s probably Belle.” Buyuan also leaned in and studied the HDD.
It appeared unchanged.
Since the agreement hadn’t been signed yet, the computer wasn’t fully under Fairy’s control.
Just then, the HDD suddenly shut down.
“What happened?” Wise was puzzled.
“Belle’s awake.” Buyuan patted Wise on the shoulder and went over first.
“Belle, how are you feeling?
Anything uncomfortable?” Buyuan’s voice was worried.
“I’m fine.
Just my head feels a little itchy.” Belle held her head, feeling a bit woozy.
“You suddenly passed out earlier.
Scared us all.” Wise added.
“Eh?
I didn’t…
do anything weird, did I?” Belle asked with a hint of lingering fear.
“You kept twitching on and off.
It was actually pretty creepy.” Just thinking about the sporadically twitching Belle from earlier made Buyuan struggle to keep the corner of his mouth down.
“You didn’t take pictures, did you!” Belle started to panic.
“If I’d known you’d be fine, I definitely would’ve snapped a couple.” Buyuan sometimes found Belle’s personality quite exasperating.
“Come over here.
There’s an AI that wants to talk to you.” Buyuan nodded towards the HDD behind Belle.
He led Belle over to the HDD.
Wise stepped forward and turned it on.
“Fairy, the person you wanted is here.” Wise called out.
For a moment, there was no response.
The silence grew somewhat awkward.
Just as Belle was about to ask which of them had brain problems, the archive room’s lights began flickering once more.
Every screen began switching displays.
A pattern resembling an eye — a blue ring with a small blue dot inside — abruptly appeared at the center of the screens.
“I am Type III General-Purpose Integrated AI, development codename Fairy.
It is my pleasure to serve you, my master.” Fairy’s tone towards Belle was respectful.
“Well, since everything is fine, I won’t disturb you two, master and servant, while you get acquainted.
I’m off to buy tonight’s groceries and tidy things up.” Buyuan had a good idea of the plot to come and didn’t plan on staying long.
After walking out of the video store, Buyuan began mulling over what he needed to do in the next couple of days.
With Fairy now in the picture and their main account trashed, the siblings would start taking small jobs.
Buyuan had no interest in that.
Bzzz~ Buyuan checked his phone and saw two messages that had come in at the same time.
Qingyi: Out?
If out, then reply?
Buyuan: 1 Qingyi: Good.
Saves me the trouble of fishing you out.
Buyuan: Eye roll.jpg Then came Ellen’s message.
Sharkie: What were you planning to do in the Hollow?
I had a commission earlier, so I couldn’t help.
But I’m free now.
Damn Fox: No need.
I already took care of it.
Wasn’t anything major.
Mainly just wanted to see Ellen in a maid outfit.
Sharkie: ….
Sharkie: Lumina Square.
Damn Fox: No need!
The experience voucher’s still with me.
I can use it anytime.
A shark Thiren’s high energy expenditure is no joke.
Get back and rest.
You holding up okay?
Want me to come pick you up?
Sharkie: No need.
Corin’s with me.
Corin’s my coworker.
Damn Fox: Good to hear.
Go get some rest then.
Come by my place tomorrow.
Getting ready to release the second song.
Sharkie: Class tomorrow?
Damn Fox: You can’t skip?
It’s Friday.
Skip this one day and you get three days off in a row.
Sharkie: Blank stare.jpg Damn Fox: Kidding.
Come find me Saturday instead.
I’ll skip tomorrow to prep some things.
Sharkie: Mm.
Along the way, Buyuan dropped by to check on Uncle Enzo’s progress, worried it might not be done in time for dinner.
After confirming it’d be finished before mealtime, Buyuan set his mind at ease and went off to buy ingredients.
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