David's POV
"Got to admit it, kid, you keep surprising me. So much so that I want you in my crew."
Maine leaned back, taking a swig from his bottle of beer, eyeing me with that familiar approving grin.
"Sorry, choom, but I'm already with a group," I replied, shrugging.
"Yeah, yeah, I know. Just saying."
Maine chuckled, but I could tell he wasn't just saying it—he meant it.
He took another sip, glancing at me before continuing.
"I've heard a lot about your crew. The Cyber Dogs. Word on the street is they're pretty famous in Heywood—especially for how they deal with scavs." He smirked. "Heard they don't just kill them. They torture them to death."
I nodded, remembering the first time I saw it myself.
"Yeah… I saw it firsthand. At first, I was uncomfortable, but after seeing all the victims—people butchered for their cyberware, or just for fun—I started to understand why."
Maine let out a deep laugh.
"Ha! No wonder scavs are keeping their distance from Heywood. They're terrified of getting caught by your crew."
Maine set his beer down and shifted his gaze toward my pistol, the one holstered at my hip.
"Hey, kid, I've been meaning to ask… what's up with you and not killing?"
I pulled out my pistol and stared at it. It wasn't just a regular gun—it was twice as powerful, modified with the best tech.
"You know… I never even held a weapon before I joined the Cyber Dogs," I admitted.
Maine raised an eyebrow.
"Wait… Gloria let you walk around Night City without packing heat?!"
I shook my head.
"No, she didn't. She made sure I was safe, but…" I hesitated, gripping the gun tighter. "Every time I point my gun at someone, I think about her. I tell myself I can kill, but when the moment comes, I just can't."
Maine listened, saying nothing.
"Then 8 told me, 'If you can't shoot to kill, then shoot to disarm.' It wasn't easy at first, but over time, I got used to it. Still, I know the day will come when I won't have a choice."
I raised my pistol and aimed at an empty bottle in the distance—the one we used for target practice.
Bang!
Glass shattered into tiny shards.
"The time will come," I repeated, lowering my gun. "That's what 8 told me."
Maine was silent for a moment, then he let out a deep chuckle.
"Alright, kid, I respect that."
He took another sip from his beer, then smirked at me.
"Now, when are you gonna make a move on Lucy?"
I immediately looked away.
"What the hell are you talking about?"
Maine just grinned wider.
MC's POV - Cyber Dogs Hideout (Weapons Room)
I crossed my arms and looked at David, unimpressed.
"I have no idea why the hell you're asking me for advice."
David rubbed the back of his neck.
"Because you're the most reasonable person I know! I thought you could give me pointers. I saw you going to Lizzie's Bar a couple of times."
I scoffed.
"Wrong. I go there for business, not pleasure." I paused, then added, "Besides, I have a friend there—she's responsible for the martial arts BDs."
David sighed.
"Okay, fine. You don't go for pleasure. But you gotta have experience with girls, right? I mean, you can't still be a—"
I cut him off.
"Virgin? Yeah. I am."
David opened his mouth, then immediately shut it when he saw my expression.
"Don't give me that look," I said flatly. "I'm not ashamed of it, and I'm not desperate enough to pay a stranger for sex. Who knows what kind of diseases they have?"
David made a face.
"Ohh… fair point."
I leaned back against the workbench.
"But I have gone on dates. If you really want advice, it's simple: Just talk to her. Be yourself. Treat her like a person, not a prize. Don't pry into her past—everyone has secrets. Respect them."
David nodded, absorbing my words.
I hesitated, then added, "And don't laugh at her dreams."
David flinched.
I knew why.
I still remembered the ending of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners—how Lucy went to the moon, alone and heartbroken.
I wasn't going to let that happen.
"That's my advice," I said finally. "But honestly, you should talk to V or Misty. Especially Misty—she's been with Jackie for a while. She'll probably give you better advice than I can."
David grinned.
"Thanks, 8. You really helped." He turned to leave. "I gotta go—got a gig with the edgerunners."
I raised an eyebrow.
"You're way too lenient with them. You're doing more gigs than you agreed to."
David shrugged, smirking.
"Not my fault if I finish them quickly."
I folded my arms, giving him a knowing look.
"Uh-huh. You're just doing this to spend more time with Lucy."
David turned red but said nothing as he hurried out.
I just shook my head, amused.
David's POV
Nighttime – Unknown Location
We had just finished the gig and were heading to Afterlife to celebrate when—
"Hey, quiet down," Pilar yells.
We turned to see some guy pissing on top of a crate.
As always, Pilar couldn't help himself, stepping closer to annoy the guy. The rest of the crew kept walking, ignoring his antics, but I stopped to watch—amused.
Then I noticed something.
The guy slowly raised his hand.
A cold chill ran down my spine.
Shit.
Before I even thought about it, my Sandevistan activated.
Time slowed down.
I sprinted forward, tackling Pilar to the ground.
BANG!
A gunshot rang out—followed by a detonating explosion.
Everyone dove for cover.
I rolled off Pilar, my heart racing.
"You good?" I asked.
"That motherfucker tried to kill me!" Pilar gasped, looking pale. "Oh, fuck—"
I twisted my head, locking onto the attacker.
A cybered-up bastard stood there, his arm raised, pointing some kind of implanted launcher right at us.
BANG!
I barely had time to think—I re-engaged my Sandevistan, grabbed Pilar by his jacket, and yanked him away.
BOOM!
An explosion erupted behind us, sending us both flying.
I hit the ground hard, my ears ringing. My vision blurred as I tried to reorient myself.
The edgerunners were already fighting back, unloading everything they had at the bastard.
Through the haze, I spotted Lucy.
She was hiding behind a crate, trying to hack the psycho's cyberware—but it wasn't working.
And the bastard had seen her.
Shit.
He turned toward her, raising his weapon—
BANG!
Lucy barely dodged.
Something snapped inside me.
I ignored the pain, pushed myself up, and charged forward.
Lucy shouted, "David, stop!"
I ignored her.
I engaged my Sandevistan one more time and closed the gap. My pistol was already in my hands, aimed right at his head.
For the briefest moment, I saw my mother's face flash before my eyes—
And then I saw the bastard who wanted to kill my friends.
BANG!
For the first time in my life, I killed someone.
I exhaled sharply.
"Lucy—you okay?"
"I'm fine," she said, her voice shaken.
I sighed in relief, but then I noticed—
Blood.
There was a gash on her forehead.
"Lucy, you're hurt—"
Then my hair stood on end.
A muffled whirring sound.
Danger.
I turned—too late.
The cyberpsycho was still moving. His weapon aimed right at my face.
I had no time to react.
Then—
BOOM!
A massive force smashed into the bastard.
My eyes barely registered **a hammer—no, an axe-hybrid weapon—**slamming into him at insane speed.
In slow motion, I saw his body twist in a V-shape from the impact.
A shockwave blasted through the area.
The cyberpsycho was sent flying, crashing into a metal crate with bone-crushing force.
This time—he was dead.
I turned my head.
The weapon's wielder stood there—calm, unreadable.
8!.
"You okay, David?" he asked.
I let out a shaky breath. He stretched his hand out—I took it, pulling myself up.
"Yeah… thanks to you."
8 tapped the side of his head.
"Focus alerted me. I got the signal when you got blown up."
I gave a weak chuckle. That explained it.
"David, you look like shit," he said flatly, scanning the battlefield. His gaze landed on Pilar.
"Ohh, looks like Pilar's still alive."
"Yeah. Unconscious, but alive. If I hadn't tackled him, his head would've been gone."
8 placed a hand on my shoulder.
"I'm just glad nobody died. Come on, let's check on everyone."
MC's POV
Maine and the crew were already discussing what to do next.
8 and Maine agreed to stay behind, handle the cops, and clean up the mess. The rest of the crew would take Pilar and Lucy to the doc.
"David, take Lucy to Vik." 8 instructed. "It'll take all day if we have the doc check everyone. If your leader lets you, of course."
Maine crossed his arms.
"Vik, huh? Heard about him. Good ripper in Watson." He smirked. "You paying?"
"Of course. Since I suggested it."
Maine glanced at Lucy.
"Fine. Lucy can go with the kid."
"I told you, I'm fine," Lucy muttered, clearly annoyed.
"Just go. End of discussion."
Lucy huffed, clearly unimpressed.
8 tossed something my way.
Keys.
"Take my car. I'll contact Vik, let him know you're coming."
I nodded. "Got it."
MC & Maine - Aftermath
"It's hard to believe you don't have any cyberware," Maine said, shaking his head. "You took down that cyberpsycho in one hit."
"It wasn't me," I corrected. "David killed him."
Maine paused, frowning.
"Yeah… but something's off. That guy should've been dead the first time. How the hell did he still move?"
I exhaled.
"Yeah… that's not normal."
Maine shrugged.
"Doesn't matter. What's done is done."
I didn't respond. Something wasn't right.
Maine's eyes landed on my weapon.
"What the hell is that thing, anyway?" he asked, nodding toward my hammer-axe hybrid. "Looks powerful—but the handle? Kinda weak."
I smirked.
"Don't underestimate it. It's heavier than it looks."
"Yeah? Bullshit."
I placed the weapon on the ground.
"Alright, tough guy—lift it."
Maine grabbed the handle and pulled.
Nothing.
He gritted his teeth, straining, but the weapon didn't budge.
I crossed my arms, watching him struggle and curse.
Maine finally let go, panting.
"Alright, what the fuck?"
I chuckled.
"I just hope David and Lucy get along," I muttered.
Maine smirked.
"Ohh, so you know the kid's got a thing for Lucy."
I grinned.
"Of course. And you knew my intent."
Maine's grin widened.
We both exchanged a knowing look.
Now, it was up to them how their relationship would unfold.
End of Chapter
"I have to admit, using ChatGPT to fix errors has been a great help. But sometimes, it removes key parts of my story or changes what I originally wanted to write. So, to anyone who wants to write—don't rely too much on the program. It's your story.
By the way, I was thinking about fixing the first chapters, but I decided not to. I want to leave them as they are—as a reminder of how I started."