Soon after, in a private room at Afterlife.
A woman dressed in yellow arrived at the entrance. She looked older, with several visible cybernetic enhancements across her face and chest.
The moment she appeared, Andre quickly nodded and smiled.
"Rogue, I've brought this big shot."
"I'll remember you, Andre. If you ever need help, try contacting me. I'll owe you one," Rogue replied emotionlessly.
Andre immediately nodded.
"No problem, no problem. There'll be plenty of opportunities. I'll leave the private room to you two."
"Mm. Go on."
Rogue waved him away, and Andre promptly left.
Meanwhile, Rogue walked over to Axel, stopped beside the table with her hands on her hips, and asked,
"What would you like to drink?"
"Whiskey is fine."
"No problem."
As soon as she answered, someone brought over a bottle and several glasses. Rogue grabbed the bottle before the subordinate could leave.
"Leave it here. You can go."
After dismissing them, she turned back to Axel.
"Is this room private enough? If not, there are more secluded ones in the back."
"Don't be ridiculous. I'm not here to sleep with you, so why would I need something more private?"
Axel laughed and waved a hand dismissively.
Rogue paused slightly, confusion flickering across her face.
After a moment, she nodded and placed a glass before him.
Sitting beside Axel, she crossed her legs and poured him a drink.
"I expected you to act more like a corporate executive, but you're actually closer to Yorinobu Arasaka. Corporate types usually don't talk like that, unless they're rebellious rich kids. So how about we toast to freedom with this first drink?"
She raised her glass and looked at him provocatively.
Axel grinned and emptied his drink in a single swallow.
Setting the glass down, he said,
"Don't you get tired of testing people?
Rebellious rich kid, freedom, all that nonsense. You think I'm another Yorinobu Arasaka, don't you?"
"What else would you be?"
Rogue finished her drink and poured him another.
"I've rarely met someone like you who's completely original, especially without a biochip.
Very few people can refuse implants. Someone without a chip who still looks as healthy as you is even rarer."
She turned her head and slowly looked him over.
After a moment, she shook her head.
"And your face is untouched too. No modifications.
Good genes really are a blessing. Wealth helps too.
But even then, why come out here to make a living? Why come to my establishment?
Honestly, I suspect the only reason you sought me out is because I'm one of the few names people in your family might occasionally mention."
She scoffed and drained her glass.
Axel immediately understood.
In Rogue's eyes, he had become another runaway heir from one of the megacorporations, a second Yorinobu.
Considering he lacked even a biochip slot, it was a reasonable conclusion.
Chuckling, Axel took a sip of whiskey and casually draped an arm over her shoulder.
Before he could speak, Rogue shrugged him off.
Grabbing his wrist, she looked at him with amusement.
"I'm old enough to be your grandmother, kid. If you have needs, I can find someone else for you."
"But they're not the Queen of Afterlife."
Rogue frowned.
A second later, she reached behind her back.
Click.
The unmistakable sound of a weapon being readied echoed through the room.
The muzzle of a pistol pressed firmly against Axel's chin.
Holding it there, Rogue sighed.
"This gun is called Arrogance.
I'd rather you not die because of it.
I've dealt with plenty of trouble in my life. I don't like it, but I stopped fearing it a long time ago.
So can we talk properly now?
Whoever you are, wherever you came from, whatever your background might be, you came to me for a reason.
Tell me what you want, and get used to how I communicate."
"Hmph."
As Rogue spoke, Axel's right hand moved slightly.
The next moment, Arrogance was in his hand.
Rogue froze.
She stared blankly at her now-empty hand.
As one of Night City's living legends, someone who had crossed paths with Adam Smasher multiple times and survived, she knew exactly how to hold a weapon.
Carelessness was not how she had lived this long.
Yet somehow, her pistol had vanished and appeared in Axel's hand.
Swallowing hard, Rogue's eyes glowed red.
Her optics scanned him instantly.
She could see his skeleton.
She could see his muscles.
She could see every detail of his body.
What she could not find was any sign of a Sandevistan.
Without neural acceleration, how could anyone move that fast?
Could he really be some classified experiment?
Unable to hold back, she asked,
"Are you from some secret corporate lab or something?"
"Huh?"
Axel pouted.
"Why do I have to be that?
My name is Axel, Axel of Downton Manor.
A pleasure to meet you, Queen of Afterlife."
Chuckling, he raised Arrogance.
Then he inverted the pistol and aimed the muzzle directly at his own eye.
Turning slightly, he made sure Rogue could clearly see the position.
Maintaining the pose, he smiled.
"Queen of Afterlife.
That's a beautiful title.
Honestly, Afterlife would even make a great corporation name.
Afterlife Corporation sounds far better than Arasaka Corporation.
I like it.
Which means I'm going to have to inconvenience you.
Let's make a bet.
If your gun can't kill me, then Afterlife belongs to me.
I want my legend to begin with becoming the King of Afterlife.
So tell me, Rogue.
Will you grant my wish?"
He nodded politely.
Then he began pulling the trigger.
Across from him, Rogue was completely stunned.
She had met plenty of madmen.
She had never met one like this.
Trying to seize control of Afterlife in front of its owner was already insane.
Actually pulling the trigger on himself made it even worse.
She lunged forward.
"You idiot! Arrogance has been heavily modified. It hits like an armor-piercing autocannon. You..."
Bang!
The gun fired.
Rogue immediately recorded everything she saw.
In her enhanced perception, the bullet exploded from the muzzle and slammed directly into Axel's pupil.
Then came a metallic clang.
The bullet ricocheted upward and embedded itself in the ceiling.
Inside her accelerated vision, Rogue watched the projectile strike Axel's eye.
His lens compressed slightly under the impact.
Only slightly.
The bullet then bounced away.
Not deflected.
Not scraped.
Bounced.
His eyeball was literally harder than the special alloy round.
The realization sent a chill down her spine.
Outside the room, the gunshot triggered an immediate response.
Armed personnel rushed over and surrounded the area.
Moments later, heavily armed mercenaries stormed into the private room and aimed their weapons at Axel.
Then they stopped.
Instead of a firefight, they found Axel apparently trying to shoot himself.
The group leader blinked.
"Rogue, what's going on?"
"Nothing, damn it! Get out!"
Rogue roared.
The mercenaries immediately retreated.
She snatched Arrogance back from Axel.
Without hesitation, she fired at the metal liquor table.
Bang!
The bullet punched straight through the reinforced metal.
Taking a deep breath, Rogue stared at Axel.
"Who exactly are you?"
Axel chuckled.
Then he stood up.
Removing his shirt, he tossed it aside.
Bare-chested, he spread his arms.
"As you can see, Rogue.
I am the King of Afterlife."
Several mercenaries who had been leaving turned around at those words.
Axel smiled at them.
"Of course, if you prefer, you can imagine me as something else.
A runaway teenager.
An alien from Alpha Centauri.
Whatever helps.
The point is, I like the title Afterlife.
I like this bar.
And I like this city.
What I don't like is Arasaka.
So I'll use the name of Afterlife to crush Arasaka's grip on Night City.
Then I'll make every corporation, including Militech, kneel before me."
With that declaration, Axel walked out of the private room.
Every eye in Afterlife followed him.
He strode through the crowd and sat down at the bar.
Grabbing a drink from a nearby woman, he raised the glass high.
"Good evening, everyone.
I'm Axel, the future King of Afterlife.
I envy every single one of you.
Because today, you're witnessing the birth of a legend.
My existence is destined to become one.
Since it's my first day here, a massacre would be boring.
Let's play a game instead.
I'll sit right here and won't move.
Attack me however you want.
Bullets, grenades, electricity, fire, biological weapons, anything.
You're free to try.
This is my wager with all of you.
If I win, kneel and call me King.
And when you lose, your reward will arrive as well.
A new corporation is rising.
I'll carry the name Afterlife to the top of Night City.
Our enemies are Arasaka, Militech, Zetatech, Kang Tao, Biotechnica, Night Corp, and even the NUSA government.
I'll lead you in tearing down every corporate giant you hate.
I'll lead you to burn Arasaka Tower to the ground.
And I'll make Night City truly ours.
So what are you waiting for?
Shoot.
Come on.
Try to kill me.
Let my legend spread throughout this city, you trash!"
He drained the glass and smashed it onto the floor.
The instant it shattered, gunfire erupted.
Most people in Afterlife worked with Rogue, but she wasn't their master.
Shouting quickly spread through the bar.
"I've never seen an idiot this arrogant!"
"Where did this cyberpsycho come from?"
"Die already!"
"King of Afterlife? Screw you!"
At least fifteen firearms opened fire simultaneously.
Many spectators eagerly anticipated seeing Axel ripped apart.
Instead, he casually leaned against the bar and called out to the bartender hiding behind the counter.
"Throw me a bottle.
I need something stronger.
With this pathetic firepower, I'm about to fall asleep."
He tapped the bar contemptuously.
At the same time, countless bullets slammed into his body.
Every single one ricocheted.
Several stray rounds bounced into the crowd, sending people crashing to the floor with cries of pain.
Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!
The sound of metal striking something even harder echoed throughout the bar.
Gradually, the gunfire died.
Many people began swallowing nervously.
Then suddenly...
Whoosh!
A small black object flew through the air and landed directly in Axel's hand.
"Damn it! Which idiot threw a grenade inside my establishment?!"
Rogue shouted as she pushed through the crowd, staring at Axel anxiously.
The next moment...
Boom!
The grenade exploded.
===
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