"What did you say?! That chip is fake?" Arasaka Yuto's eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at Danny.
"Yes," Danny said casually, spreading his hands. "Unfortunately, your mission failed."
"Impossible… With that level of protection, how could they slip a fake chip in?" Yuto muttered, slumping into a chair, doubt creeping into his voice. He had risked so much, only to end up with a counterfeit?
"And because you exaggerated your achievements, you'll be fined twenty thousand credits," Danny added with a smile, though his tone was ice-cold.
That was the Arasaka way. No merits for effort, only results. Rewards and punishments—never neutrality.
"Let's go," Leon Black said, standing up. There was nothing more to discuss.
"Wait," Danny called out, stopping him mid-step.
Leon turned his head. "Something else?"
"Where is Lena Fox?"
"She's sick."
"Oh~ When she recovers, have her report to the company. I've got a new assignment for her."
"You can tell me what it is."
"Fine. She's being reassigned to Six Squad. They suffered heavy casualties this time and need replacements," Danny said flatly.
"Let them recruit from Arasaka Academy," Leon replied without hesitation.
"Sorry, this isn't a negotiation. It's a directive," Danny replied coldly as he adjusted his tie, his posture radiating superiority.
Leon stared at him in silence for several seconds before replying in a low voice, "Understood."
He turned and left, never acknowledging the smug whisper that followed—
"Just another dog in a suit."
---
As soon as they stepped out of the building, Lily Cross spoke first. "Captain Leon, we can't just let them take Lena!"
"Exactly! What if they send her to the front lines? Six Squad is a graveyard!"
"They should find their own damn recruits from the Academy. Poaching our team? That's low."
One after another, his team voiced their outrage.
Leon held up a hand to quiet them. "I have a plan. For now, everyone go back and rest."
He didn't explain further, simply turning to leave on his own.
---
Lab Facility.
Leon stood alone in the cold lab, quietly watching Lena Fox suspended inside the healing pod. Her progress bar hovered at eighty percent. She had changed. The petite, cheerful girl he once knew had evolved into a graceful woman, her features now touched by the metallic shimmer of cybernetic enhancements.
Each upgrade made her stronger—and less human.
At times, Leon questioned if he had pushed her too hard. Maybe she chased after him too desperately, afraid of being left behind.
But how could she think that?
Who abandons family?
He pressed his hand gently against the pod's surface, his eyes dark with resolve.
"No one will take you away from me. No one."
---
Border Town.
"Hey Carter! How's life treating you?" a border sentinel called out to the rugged Spartan warrior in the back of the pickup truck.
"Not bad," Carter replied, shifting his weight in his armored suit. "Night City's full of softies. They scream before you even land a punch."
The group burst out laughing.
Today, they'd just taken down Biotech's last operational factory. All that remained now was the headquarters.
Biotech's upper management were furious, flooding the media with condemnations of Military Tech's aggression—but words meant nothing without action.
"Haha! If you want to hear real screaming, try the sex doll dens in Little Chinatown," the sentinel joked.
"Maybe when I get a break~" Carter waved, hopping off the truck as his team followed behind.
---
Military Tech Command Briefing Room.
Back inside, helmets clattered onto tables and chairs scraped across the floor.
"Still nothing?" Carter asked, walking over to Catherine, who was buried in code at her terminal.
"You're not asking for something easy, Boss," Catherine said, spinning in her chair. "You want Arasaka Security elites—not your average punks. If you want miracles, find someone else."
"Now why would I do that?" Carter leaned in and kissed her on the forehead. "You're the treasure of this squad."
"Oh really? This treasure can scream, you know~ Mmm~ ah~" Catherine moaned in exaggerated tones, mimicking a scene from a risqué art film.
"Oh god, stop it. You sound like an old man dying of asthma," grumbled Emil, one of the assault team's top shooters.
"I wasn't screaming for you, was I?" Catherine laughed, crumpling a napkin and tossing it at him.
"Mmm~ So fragrant," Emil sniffed dramatically as it hit his face.
"Alright, clowns, that's enough. Back to work," Carter chuckled.
---
Boom!
A shockwave rattled the room, followed by a chorus of blood-curdling screams outside.
A soldier burst through the door, panic on his face. "MONSTER! THERE'S A MONSTER OUTSIDE!"
No one hesitated. Helmets snapped on. Weapons were drawn.
They rushed outside.
A deformed monstrosity—five meters tall—was ripping through the training camp.
Raw flesh pulsed beneath its skin. Veins bulged unnaturally. Gums were exposed in a grotesque grin. Thick saliva dripped from its mouth and smoked on contact with the ground.
"Genetic mutant?"
Carter's mind raced as Catherine's voice came through his comm.
"Looks like it's infected with an unknown virus. Its cell activity is abnormally high—multiplying out of control."
"It's even bigger now," Emil noted.
"Use high-powered weapons!" Carter ordered, drawing his gold-plated Desert Eagle and charging a round.
Emil opened fire. "Let's say hello."
The monster shielded its face with massive hands, blocking the bullets effortlessly.
"Wait—it's defending itself?" Emil gasped.
"I never said it was dumb," Catherine replied. "If it keeps evolving, it'll be smarter than we are in less than a week."
"Fantastic," Carter muttered, then fired a round straight into its chest. The impact dented the beast's ribcage.
"It can be hurt," Emil said, switching to a heavier rifle and laying down suppressing fire.
The monster roared and turned toward him.
"Now!"
George, the squad's demolition expert, flanked the creature and tossed a high-powered explosive.
Ding-a-ling—BOOM!
The blast obliterated the monster's leg. It crashed to the ground.
Seizing the moment, the entire team focused fire on its exposed head. Emil's rifle, Carter's Desert Eagle, grenades from George—all raining destruction.
The monster finally lay still.
"…I wouldn't get too close if I were you," Catherine warned, watching strange biological signals from her terminal. "It's not dead."
ROOOAAAARRRR!!!
With a monstrous bellow, the creature rose from the rubble. Its wounds closed before their eyes.
"It's regenerating?!"
"Shoot its heart! That's the weak point!" Catherine shouted..
The squad adjusted their aim and opened fire on its chest.
Nearby soldiers added their firepower. Flamethrowers hissed, engulfing the beast in fire.
Oily black liquid oozed from its burning flesh, releasing a choking, poisonous stench.
"Even its stench is toxic?" Catherine muttered, collecting more data. "No doubt now. This is Biotech's parting gift."
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