Chapter 1: Ambitions
Night City, or better yet, hell hole. Many people know about it, it's always in the news if you live anywhere in the NUSA. It's like Florida on steroids, every weird shit that used to happen there, happens here but a hundred times worse.
Or so you would think so if you used to live in the area in the 1980s. The whole world is a shit hole now, what happens here happens everywhere else both on a big and small scale. There's no escape from this reality, but many would also consider it paradise.
Take Maelstrom as an example, as bad as it may be. All of their members couldn't be happier living in a castle made of shit. They spend their days mostly drugging themselves and watching some hardcore sex on BDs, and occasionally, they go out and kill a bunch of people for money.
That's how life is in Night City, one moment you're trash trying to survive, and in the other, you are another no-name on the coroner's form.
Perhaps, life is meant to be like that. But not for everyone, who would really like this type of life? Living till a ripe old age and dying while smelling of urine... That's not for everyone. Some would rather risk it all to go down in history in a blaze of glory, burning like a phoenix, only to never get past their thirties.
Looking up at the megabuildings from afar, at the city center district, Vincent felt something tugging at his heart. 'So high... so mighty...'
Arasaka was the prime example of using one's assets and skills to build an empire. Every time he looked at it from afar, he would have a sense of foreboding, but also of excitement.
"What are you looking at, mi hijo?"
"Nothing, mama..." Vincent answered as he lowered his head and went back to studying the content of the datapad on his lap.
Catarina looked at the rearview mirror, her eyes were a little bit watery. How could she not understand her own son?
He was, after all, a rough gem just waiting to be polished. Ever since he was born, he had done so many amazing things, he was like a walking treasure trove that would always surprise his family every now and then. Although he was never formally taught anything, his mind was already as nimble as that of a mechanic, and his skills as awe-inducing as that of an engineer. With his bright mind, what kind of future would he envision for himself? Someone like this was destined to take fate into his own hands, be it through the backing of a giant, or through the violent means of a conqueror. After all, there can only be one ruler.
"My little Rey, don't worry, mama won't let you down." Whispering to herself, she refocused on the street.
...
V stepped out of the dimly lit alleyway, his custom-made clothes an interwoven mix of blue and black, punctuated by neon highlights. The jacket he wore hugged his frame, its hood pulled low over his face, shrouding him in shadows.
Bullet shots rang in his ears as he made his way across a small parking lot, the sirens rang in the background followed by the sound of explosions, one no name came out of nowhere and started shooting. Seeing him, the corners of Vincent's mouth curled up slightly. Every move of his was as slow as that of a snail, he could predict his next few actions just from reading the patterns in his movement. A clear dependence on his left leg, the trembling of his right hand that held the pistol, the sweat pouring down the bits and pieces of flesh that weren't chromed yet, the trembling of his yellowish eyes.
As V scanned the member of the Tiger Claws in front of him, he couldn't help but feel a sense of disgust. The man's haphazardly augmented body was a testament to the brutality and disregard for human life that the gang was known for. The yellowish tint in his eyes indicated liver damage, likely caused by the excessive drug use that was common among members of the Tiger Claws. His jerky movements and dependence on his left leg indicated a past injury that hadn't healed properly, or possibly a cheap and poorly installed augmentation. The trembling in his right hand revealed a nervousness and lack of confidence, despite the bravado he was attempting to display with his gun. Overall, the man before him was a walking advertisement for the dangers and depravity of the Night City underworld.
He was ready to ignore that sorry excuse of a thug, but the man seemed to have a death wish.
"Get the fuck out of my way!" He screamed as he prepared to shoot at V.
The moment his finger started pulling at the trigger, the world seemingly slowed down. Almost as if time had been slowed to a crawl, he tilted his head slightly and sighed in his mind. It was funny, really, he wasn't even at the height of his potential, barely even starting, and he could already toy with trash like this as he pleased. "Tsk." He frowned and pulled something from the pocket of his trousers, a small but thick bar, and pointed at the man who wasn't even halfway through his action. With a last smile, he whispered in his mind. 'Bang.'
As if awoken from its slumber, the thick bar on his hand started glowing on several sections and a fraction of a second later, an air bullet was shot. The lack of recoil would have made one mistakenly think of it as weak, but the truth is...
"Agh..." The man choked on his words as the next thing he felt was his torse being dislodged from its legs while being deformed from the sudden heavy impact.
From afar, one of the members of the police force who had been pursuing the gangster that had found an escape route was suddenly rooted on the ground. The flash of blue light ahead caught him unprepared as he witness a scene that made his stomach turn with disgust.
However, life was never so easy, right when it happened, there was also the flash of light and the sound of gunpowder exploding.
Still, when he came back to his senses, he noticed that the one who should have gotten shot at was still walking away normally as if nothing had happened. But how could it be?
When his optic implant scanning function was turned on and aimed at the guy, his face twitched as information started to appear in front of him.
[NCPD DATABASE:
Name: Unknown
Alias: Blue Ghost
Danger Level: 5/10 Stars
Recommendation: Stay away
Criminal Records: Clean
Description: Suspected to be a high-level Edgerunner, despite none of his assignments being known, every single time he was seen in public was because someone had blocked his path. He was never injured in any of his fights, and his high fighting ability is attributed to a top-class military-grade zetatech sandevistan MK.3 implant given his inhuman levels of reflex that can be maintained for long periods of time. All this information is speculation made from analyzing his movement patterns and actions that were caught on camera. Any officer who meets this individual is advised to stay away and pay the reward.
...]
Before he continue reading the file that for some reason lacked a picture of him, the signal was suddenly cut short as the shadow of Vincent's face was no longer visible. Almost as if the clothes on his body could impair the scanning function of his eyes.
Sucking a mouthful of air, he couldn't help but gulp as he looked at the figure disappearing around the corner without even giving him a look. Other Edgerunners would have at least stayed to ensure their payment if they helped the police, but this guy was so dangerous... 'No wonder the description advises to pay him, I wouldn't dare to delay his payment after reading this shit!' Cursing under his breath, he contacted the dispatcher and left without looking back, someone would take the body to the morgue.
Walking down the street with the usual uninterested look on his face, Vincent cleaned the stain of gunpowder that was left on his jacket after that point-blank shot. Although it got dirty, there wasn't even a hole in it. Graphene composites were truly the best type of materials to craft clothing, sigh... so long as it wasn't energy blasts or anti-armor rounds, nothing could get past this beauty.
Those garments of his weren't just for show. They were practical, designed to protect him from the dangers that lurked in the city. Underneath the jacket, he wore a form-fitting bodysuit, made from a blend of high-tech fibers that were both durable and lightweight.
His pants were similarly equipped, with reinforced knee pads and pockets hidden in the seams, each containing a variety of useful gadgets and tools. The boots on his feet were sturdy and rugged, their soles thick and shock-absorbent to help him navigate the rough terrain of the city. And, of course, a special pocket for his trusted Air-buster MK.2.
He wouldn't feel safe without it even though each shot takes ten minutes to charge, otherwise, it's just a fancy but extremely durable baton with loads of electricity ready to fry anyone that came in contact with them. Why them? Well, because it has a sister that lays peacefully on his left leg.
As he walked down those streets filled with people, some curious and others apprehensive of the conflict happening down the road, many of them seemed to take notice of him.
There was something about the way V moved, something dangerous and unpredictable, that made those around him wary. Perhaps it was the way he carried himself, or the subtle hints of weaponry concealed beneath his clothes. Whatever it was, it was clear that he was not to be underestimated.
Ever since he was born, his mind had been working on overdrive. He spent the majority of his time learning things that his family wouldn't even know exists. From material science to weapons engineering, he studied hundreds if not thousands of source materials that could be pirated through various means. He even had access to US classified information on the development of certain types of guns that had never reached anywhere outside of their secret labs.
Sure, everything was theoretical and safe enough that it could still circulate on the streets, but for a mind like his, they were like free giveaways on the path to building pretty much anything.
Walking under the shadows down the street, everywhere he passed people would give way for him. There wasn't any clear reason other than instinctive fear. And he couldn't blame them, he lived some pretty fucked up lives before, some of which sported beings that could make a world like this tremble from the mere mention of their names.
Sure, he didn't accomplish anything in those lives, some times he wouldn't live past twelve years old, still, when you live among the worst type of beings that could exist, you still learn a thing or two on how to be truly evil, not that he was doing anything special, just simulating their disposition through his memory was enough to still fear into weaklings like the ones who live in this world.
Stopping in front of a Newsstand, he looked at some of the newspapers. Some idiot dropped a bomb on the middle of Dubai, it was some corporate war shit involving Arasaka, Militech, and Kang Tao. Thinking about it now, he felt that this world was kind of similar to the one he first came from. After so many years though, he could barely remember a thing about it. He knew it was called Earth though, just not the one he is currently at, maybe the technology just wasn't as good or something.
Shrugging, he continued on his way.
After some walking and taking the maglev public railroad, he stopped in front of a megabuilding with a frown on his face. 'So this is it, huh...'
Tsking, Vincent spat on the ground and entered the building. The inside was much busier compared to the outside. Students wearing suits and dresses walked around with smiles on their faces, some were chatting with their friends while others were busy looking at something in their cyberdeck, be it surfing the net or just reading or talking to someone.
After looking around and following some signs, he arrived at the reception.
A beautiful woman with large blond hair gave him a smile as he approached.
This time, the hood was pulled down, allowing a clear view of his face. There wasn't anything special about it though, he was only above average in terms of look if his pride and opinion were to be trusted. Most would only call in average, but one looks at his face and neck would reveal the existence of a chiseled body. He was young but he frequently worked out, only a strong and prepared body could take on the challenges of this city.
"Welcome, Mr. Vincent. Have you come to formalize the procedures?"
Nodding, Vincent sat down on the sofa opposite her and gave her an uninterested look. "That's right. The payment for the first year has been sent in advance. I came here to sign the last forms and formalize my admittance to Arasaka Academy's Technical Innovations module."
With a smile on her face, the woman nodded and her eyes flashed in a deep light blue color. After about a second, he received a notification on his deck. Bringing up the system's interface, he brought up the e-mail she had just sent him and gave it a quick read, after confirming everything, he added his digital signature and closed the deal.
"Congratulations, Mr. Vincent. With this, you're officially a first-year student at Arasaka Academy. Please note that the terms begin in early February, two uniforms have been dispatched and will be sent to your home. The rules of the academy have been sent with them. So long as you follow the rules and manage to graduate at the end of your module, you'll become a hired personnel in our beloved Arasaka Corporation." The woman flashed him a prideful smile.
"Sure..." Vincent replied, not too interested in her propaganda.
"Mr, you should feel more excited about the prospects, Arasaka is a company with a long history, we went through loads of challenges throughout the year and..."
Slightly irritated, V listened to her bullshit for a while before he stood up saying that had a meeting to attend, forcefully giving his farewell. The receptionist apologized and gave him a somewhat sorrowful goodbye as if she couldn't wait to continue bragging about Arasaka.
Nodding, Vincent shook her hand and left with his mouth twitching. He felt that if he stayed for another minute, she would turn into a propaganda machine, telling him how awesome Arasaka and their services are as well.
As he got out of the reception, he noticed a boy and a woman walking towards him, no, towards the reception. Looking at their clothes and the way they moved, he flinched a little. It seemed that he wasn't the only one that was looking to step up the game.
Walking past them, he only heard the woman call out to the boy beside her before they entered the room.
'Dee? What a trashy name.'
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