Cursed Blade—Shusui.
Wado Ichimonji.
The Twin Nameless Blades.
All accounted for—except one.
The Unregistered Katana X.
Neo rubbed his temple, remembering where it was. Right, back at the Edgerunner base. He'd left it in his room, thinking nothing of it.
Back then, he hadn't really thought about any connection between the katana and the Relic chip. He'd treated it like just another piece of exotic steel—a collector's blade, sealed and dull-edged, with no real cutting power.
He chuckled to himself. "Damn, guess I was being a bit of an idiot there."
Shaking his head, Neo lifted the second layer of the relic case. As the latch clicked open, a burst of cold vapor spilled out like the breath of a cryogenic vault.
When the mist cleared, something lay within—something grotesque and priceless.
Adam Smasher's brain.
Neo's lips curved into a cold grin. "Adam Smasher… I could kill you ten thousand times, and it still wouldn't be enough."
He'd dreamed of this moment since the day he first woke up in this chrome-and-sin nightmare—this fusion of Cyberpunk 2077 and Edgerunners 2076. From the very first day he'd set foot in Night City, that thought had burned in the back of his skull: I'll destroy you, Smasher. Slowly, and completely.
A thousand deaths wouldn't be enough.
A thousand cuts wouldn't be enough.
But when the time finally came—when he struck down the city's living executioner—Neo realized something strange.
Adam Smasher wasn't even human anymore. More than ninety percent of his body had been replaced by chrome. What remained of the man was barely ten percent flesh—some neural tissue, a few biological fragments clinging to the ghost of a soul.
And that ten percent… wasn't enough to feel.
How could someone who'd given up his humanity possibly suffer the pain Neo had intended for him?
No, that wouldn't do. Neo was a man who kept his word. When he said he'd kill someone ten thousand times, he meant ten thousand. When he said slowly, he meant slowly.
So in that final strike, he hadn't crushed what little of Smasher's true body remained.
He'd taken it—whole.
And in Night City, where money could buy the impossible, a living brain meant endless possibilities.
Neo gazed down at the preserved organ, faintly pulsing within its cryo-field. "What do you think, Smasher? Don't tell me you're not enjoying the view."
He smiled darkly. The orange cat, curled nearby, flicked its tail and blinked, as if sensing its owner's satisfaction.
...
By the time Jackie Welles finally woke, the city outside had turned gold with dusk. The fiery sunset painted his room like a slow-burning blaze.
"Ugh…" Jackie rubbed his eyes and stumbled out of bed, still half-drunk. He found Neo in the garage, standing beside a sleek, obsidian-black motorcycle.
"My Skyline," Jackie said proudly, slapping the bike's side.
Neo tilted his head. "When did you buy this?"
Jackie grinned. "Couple weeks back. Cost a bit, sure, but worth every eddie. Big engine, loud roar, turns heads wherever I go."
Neo raised an eyebrow. "You didn't take a loan, did you?"
"Loan? Nah." Jackie waved it off. "She cost about 140K eddies, 160K after mods. But I've got it covered."
Neo nodded slightly. "Good. Means I won't feel guilty buying my own ride."
Jackie blinked. "You like this one? You can take her for a spin, bro. Keys are on the table."
Neo smiled faintly. "This bike's yours, Jackie. I've got my eyes on something else."
Jackie's grin widened. "You serious? Heh, now that we're legends in this city, yeah, we gotta start looking the part. You need a beast of a machine—something worthy of the man who beat Adam Smasher!"
Neo chuckled. "ARCH Nazare."
Jackie's mouth fell open. "...You serious?"
He groaned. "Damn it! The ARCH Nazare? That's even pricier than my Skyline! I wanted one too, but they told me it's limited edition—only one left in all of Night City. Still sitting unsold, I heard."
He sighed dramatically, then laughed. "But yeah, it suits you. Fast, sleek, dangerous—just like you. The city's last Nazare for the city's newest legend."
Neo said nothing, just smirked.
Jackie stretched and yawned. "Speaking of legends, it's about dinner time. You're coming with me to my mom's, choom."
Neo blinked. "Your mom's?"
Jackie was already brushing his teeth in the bathroom. "Yeah. She called last night before the job, remember? Said she was worried about me. Now that we're done, and we're back in Heywood—it's only right to drop by. You'll come, right? Ma's cooking is top tier."
Neo nodded. "Alright."
...
A short while later, the two of them left the apartment—Neo carrying the orange cat, Jackie hauling groceries from the market. They walked through the worn concrete maze of Heywood's housing blocks until they reached a small, old apartment complex.
Jackie grinned as he knocked. "Ma! Your son's home! Open up, yeah?"
Footsteps shuffled inside. Then the door creaked open to reveal Mrs. Welles—warm eyes, silver-streaked hair, and that unmistakable motherly energy that no amount of Night City grime could dim.
"Jackie!" she exclaimed, relief flooding her face.
Jackie held up the groceries awkwardly. "Can't hug you, Ma—hands full. But hey, got someone to introduce. This is the guy I told you about—my brother, V."
Neo smiled politely. "Just call me Neo, Mrs. Welles."
Her gaze softened instantly. "Jackie's had many friends, but none he's ever brought home. That says enough. Come in, both of you."
The apartment was small, modest, but spotless. The faint scent of spices drifted from the kitchen. Pictures of Jackie and his mother lined the walls—moments frozen from a time before the world got so cold.
Jackie dropped the bags on the counter. "You chill, bro. I'll help Ma with dinner."
Soon, the sounds of sizzling oil, clinking pans, and cheerful bickering filled the kitchen. Mrs. Welles's voice rose and fell in playful scolding, while Jackie responded with boyish laughter.
Neo smiled faintly at the warmth of it all. The orange cat sprawled in his lap, switching positions lazily.
"You feeling a little out of place too, huh?" Neo whispered.
The cat blinked.
"Yeah. Me too," he muttered. "Sitting here while they cook—it doesn't feel right, does it?"
"Meow?"
Neo chuckled. "Exactly. Guess I'll lend a hand."
He set the cat gently on the rug. "Don't climb the counters, alright? I'll bring you something nice later."
Then he walked toward the kitchen.
Both Jackie and Mrs. Welles turned around at once.
"What are you doing in here?" they said in perfect unison. "Go sit down! Dinner's almost ready!"
Neo smiled. "Actually, I was thinking of showing you something special."
He rolled up his sleeves, stepping closer to the stove.
"Let me cook you something japanese," he said. "A little taste of home."
The kitchen fell silent for a moment.
Then Mrs. Welles smiled, eyes lighting up.
"Well then," she said warmly, handing him an apron, "let's see what this legend can do."