On this day, David Martinez opened the door to a new world.
Powerful!
Fierce!
"So strong..." Pulling out the connection wire from the chip slot behind his ear, David rolled off the ergonomically designed reclining chair, clenching his fists in excitement.
As expected of Arasaka Academy's paid library—even though he was just a first-year student in the general, undeclared track, the combat chips stored here were leagues above the free or cheap ones David had access to. Clear, precise—the movements and techniques were etched perfectly into his mind.
Damn it!
Those who dared insult his mother—next time he saw that blonde jerk, he'd punch him into orbit... or, well, maybe not.
David glanced at his own flesh-and-blood arm and quickly came down from his high.
Sure, he had a bit of muscle, but how could he possibly go toe-to-toe with that blonde's cybernetic arm? That guy had probably been using the chip he just read long ago.
David was just a beginner. Chips only helped with quick entry—they didn't instantly make you a master. To truly master combat skills, you had to train, build memory and reflexes—or get cyberware, so your strength, stamina, flexibility, and damage resistance met the bar.
Force works both ways.
If you hit someone, it hurts you too.
It all came down to money. The only mods on David were the most basic: a chip slot and a data panel connector.
The chip slot and data panel connector were the most fundamental implants in this world, offering the best cost-performance ratio for most people.
Chip slots typically had two bays: one standard comms chip, always included, and an empty one for plug-in chips.
The data panel connector—complicated to explain in detail, but simply put, it allowed people to read chip contents and project them into their vision, including text conversion and video during comms.
It was the most basic cyberware of 2075.
"Sigh..."
David let out a long breath and checked the time.
5/30.
It was getting late. Time to head back. Hopefully, he'd be hired soon.
Arasaka provided new recruits in combat-related roles with combat suits and weapons. Elite combat personnel even received free combat cyberware upgrades. These were common knowledge in Night City, plastered across every ad.
AI: [Thank you for reading. We look forward to your next visit, David Martinez.]
Hearing the library's AI voice at the exit, David stuffed his hands into his pockets and strolled down the steps. He yanked out a blood-soaked tissue that had been stuffed in his nose all day and tossed it into a trash bin. As he walked, his gaze drifted upward.
To the sky, blocked almost entirely by corporate skyscrapers.
Arasaka Academy was located in the City Center—skyscrapers packed densely together. No matter which way you looked, it was walls of steel and glass. Only through narrow gaps could one glimpse slivers of orange-red sky at sunset.
Unconsciously, David's gaze shifted toward the corporate plaza—to that pitch-black tower.
His mother used to always say she wanted him to climb it. Climb it, and you'd be someone. And now, deep in his heart, that same desire was awakening: climb up, and see what lies above…
Thud thud thud—
"Out of the way!"
"Whoa! Katsuo, what are you doing? Wait up..."
David turned toward the voices and saw none other than Tanaka Katsuo—the very same student who'd saved him earlier that morning—running out of the library, face flushed with excitement and nerves.
"...Dad, really? Commander Vela Adelheid is coming to the academy..."
Tanaka Katsuo dashed past David, sprinting toward the academy landing pad. His pupils glowed orange-red—clearly mid-call. His breathless murmurs carried just enough for David to catch a few words.
"Adelheid... Commander?"
Suddenly, David remembered the woman with the pale golden hair who gave the speech at the entrance ceremony. When she introduced herself—"That's her?" Watching Tanaka Katsuo's fading silhouette, David hesitated for a moment, intrigued.
With a stomp of his foot—alright, go take a look!
Thud thud.
As David jogged from a distance, trailing behind Tanaka Katsuo toward the landing pad—
Vrrrm… Vrrrm…
The roar of vector engines echoed from afar, drawing closer. A hovercar and a ZetaTech heavy-duty unmanned mech unit—an Octant—flew over David's head, then hovered and descended onto the academy's landing pad.
"What a scene." I want that too.
David felt conflicted. Was this what it meant to be a real man? Not quite—he was still timid. But he couldn't help dreaming of it.
He followed along, hanging back with the other Arasaka Academy students to observe from the edge.
The hovercar's landing struts touched down. External armor compartments opened, and two fully armed combat robots were deployed.
Hiss.
The door opened. First to appear were two towering bodyguards—clearly heavily cybernetically modified, with arms that looked like they could punch through walls—and a stocky middle-aged man in a red-and-black Arasaka uniform. Then came that striking figure stepping out of the hovercar.
It was her, no doubt.
David was sure. She was the same woman he had seen from the grandstand that day.
Tanaka Katsuo was approached by the stocky middle-aged man—probably his father—who clapped him on the shoulder and led him to Commander Adelheid. They appeared to be speaking. Too far to hear, but David could see Katsuo standing ramrod straight, visibly excited.
Then, the stocky man stepped aside. Commander Adelheid turned slightly and spoke a few words to Katsuo before walking this way, flanked by the black and white bodyguards.
Katsuo and his father remained in place, bowing deeply at nearly ninety degrees in gratitude.
So this is what a predetermined candidate looks like?
Lowering his head, David felt a bit envious. If only…
He couldn't quite name the emotion that stirred in him. As he prepared to leave the academy and go home, he lifted his head—"Huh?!" He instantly froze, instinctively stepping back.
The black bodyguard was standing right in front of him.
David had no doubt: if he moved the wrong way, that guy would blast a hole through his skull without hesitation.
Then, there were those deep indigo eyes.
"You..."
Commander Adelheid had stopped in her tracks, now just a few paces from him. She looked at him, her expression thoughtful.
Noticing the commotion, Tanaka Katsuo and his father quickly trotted over.
"Supervisor Russell, is something the matter..."
Mohawk, punk hair—it matches the attendance records from Arasaka Academy. You did come to class today, and haven't left yet.
After encouraging Katsuo and offering him a strategic "vision of greatness," Vela had been contemplating how to stage a 'chance encounter.' Now, inwardly, she nodded.
Perfect.
"What happened to your face? And you are... David Martinez, right?"
A glimmer of orange-red flashed across her eyes. Feigning ignorance, Vela pointed at the bruises and abrasions on David's face. "Tanaka Katsuo—he's in your cohort for the 2074 field training cycle, correct? I believe he was on the list of top-performing students submitted by the evaluators."
"Yes. David Martinez is my classmate and teammate. We participated in the border field training together," Katsuo replied quickly.
"What happened to his face?"
"He was... injured by another student."
"Tsk."
Vela's expression didn't change, but she shook her head slightly.
As expected, the world is what's broken. The environment breeds scum—you can't change everything. After her speech, Tanaka Katsuo had been nudged back on track by both her casual advice and his father's push. Without him as class alpha, others would naturally fight to fill the vacuum.
"David Martinez, right?"
Vela turned around, taking a closer look at the young man with a mohawk punk hairstyle, facial bruises, and a golden cross necklace. Still green. And that stance—well, definitely punk. Slouched and nonchalant.
"Stand up straight. Chest out."
Her tone was calm and distant, but David felt a weight behind it that left no room for doubt. He swore he'd never stood so straight in his life.
"Not bad. I reviewed your file. You've got potential. Don't waste it. I hope to see your name on the onboarding list at Arasaka Tower."
Vela gave him a formulaic word of encouragement.
"I... I'll work hard."
David didn't know why his face turned red. He responded instinctively.
As if finishing a casual encounter, Vela gave a faint smile and turned her head. "Tanaka."
"Supervisor Russell," Tanaka responded, stepping forward with a bow.
"The bullying—your student council should do a better job of managing it."
With that, Vela turned and walked deeper into the academy.
"Phew..."
Only when she was gone did Tanaka wipe the cold sweat from his forehead.
As an old corporate hound with keen senses, he was quite good at reading the room.
Just now, he saw it clearly: when Vela heard that the boy—who was listed among the top students—had been bullied, her gaze turned icy cold.
This year, the Security Division was coordinating closely with the academy. Maybe the spoiled brats here didn't realize it, but from Vela's perspective, this was a direct slap in the face to the Security Division.
"Who was it?" Someone dared mess with him?!
Face darkening, Tanaka growled the words from deep in his throat.
This needed to be dealt with immediately!
Commander Russell couldn't make a direct move now, but once she returned from further studies at the University of Tokyo—if this dragged on…
"You, cadet—rest assured. The academy does not mistreat any student who's committed to Arasaka. I'll see that your matter is addressed. Katsuo, take him to get his wounds looked at."
Tanaka addressed David and then his son, before storming off toward the academy's administrative building with a thunderous aura.
Idiots!
Cold violence was one thing, but to let students throw hands on campus—and not even cover it up? And it had to happen in front of a superior during an unexpected visit!
"Martinez, follow me."
Still a little stunned, David felt Katsuo pat him on the shoulder, gesturing for him to head to the medical wing and get treated.
"Oh... okay."
Trailing behind Katsuo Tanaka, David's mind kept looping Vela's words of encouragement. Though they'd sounded routine, they meant everything to him.
Since coming to this wretched school, aside from his mom, every other student, even neighbors, had either mocked or ignored him.
And yet Commander Adelheid—someone that high up—had offered him genuine encouragement. It was the first time in his life something like that had happened.
To die for one who understands you…
David didn't know the saying, but the sentiment resonated all the same.
He made a firm decision.
He would join Arasaka—and serve under Commander Vela Adelheid!