MHGA Chapter 186: Welcome to Night City!
"Wahoo!!!"
On the streets of Night City, Joseph executed a slick drift and parked the stolen car near David's apartment.
"We're here!" Joseph said, face glowing with satisfaction. "Told you there's no way I'm some 'Vehicle Killer' or whatever the Guildmaster keeps saying. Look, didn't I just safely deliver everyone?"
David didn't quite understand what this "Vehicle Killer" was supposed to be… but he did get the feeling he'd narrowly escaped death.
"Joseph, thanks for coming back with me." David stepped out of the car. "I… I need to head upstairs and figure out how to explain the cyberware situation…"
All of the cyberware on both David and Gloria had been forcibly rejected by their bodies thanks to the Recovery Medicine. David now felt like someone who'd gone out without an ID or phone… he couldn't even be identified by scanners anymore.
Even getting into his own home was going to be a problem… and the cyberware situation would need another solution…
"I'll help you!"
Joseph stood up from the driver's seat, clutching the cash he'd stolen from the gang punks earlier, which had come with the car keys. He struck a classic Joestar pose and declared: "Your next line is—'I can't trouble you with so much…'"
"I can't trouble you with so mu—huh?" David froze, realizing Joseph had just predicted his next words.
Without skipping a beat, Joseph grabbed David and started dragging him toward the building. "Come on! What're you even hesitating for?! The Guildmaster said it—once you're part of the Gathering Hub, we're bros! So quit stalling!"
David was a little moved by those words.
But they'd only made it thirty-some meters from the car when—a massive explosion rang out behind them.
They turned in sync.
The car Joseph had just driven so enthusiastically? Now it was engulfed in flames and blowing up spectacularly…
"Joseph… you just said something about a… Vehicle Killer?" David's face went stiff.
If they'd been just a little slower, they might've been caught in that explosion.
"That's all superstition! Total nonsense!" Joseph cried in panic. "There's no way I'm that so-called Vehicle Killer the Guildmaster mentioned!"
"Uh-huh… got it…" David nodded slowly—but in his heart, he resolved:
Unless absolutely necessary, he would never share a vehicle with Joseph again.
With Hermit Purple's help, they quickly bypassed David's home's security lock. David laid Gloria on the bed to rest.
"..."
David rummaged through his things and found Gloria's old clothes. Just like what he'd seen in Edgerunners, he found a military-grade cyberware component sewn into the lining:
Sandevistan.
This very piece was what had led him to meet Maine and the others… and become part of Maine's crew—an Edgerunner.
"Hey hey, what are you zoning out for?" Joseph waved a hand in front of David's face. "Why are you staring at that fake spine?"
"Joseph… Hunters… even if they die, they can come back, right?" David stared at the Sandevistan in his hand.
"What are you planning?" Joseph asked. He could already guess, but he asked anyway. "Have you really decided?"
"You could still choose to live a normal life, you know!" Joseph continued. "The Guildmaster's a good guy. Even if you wanted to settle down in Night City, I'm sure he'd help you out…"
"A normal life, and then what?" David looked at the cyberware in his hand. "You saw what it's like out there—the gangs don't care about anyone's lives. And even I…"
He remembered his future self in Edgerunners, coldly shooting an innocent mother.
He had once had the potential to become that kind of person.
"And besides… right now…"
He closed his eyes—and saw the glowing figure on the Gathering Hub's dining hall screen. The girl with fluorescent colors, so Night City-like in her style.
"I can't just ignore the future anymore."
"Whoa-ho~" Joseph flashed that mysterious Joestar grin. "Falling for someone just from seeing the future? You're pretty pure-hearted!"
"I—I'm not!" David shot back defensively. "There's a ton of people I need to save! Who says I'm into Lucy?!"
"I never said her name~" Joseph teased. "But since you've made up your mind, I bet the Guildmaster'll be thrilled to help you!"
"You got a good ripperdoc, right?" Joseph asked. "Then let's go get that time-stopping spine installed!"
"It's Sandevistan!" David barked back stiffly, then turned to look at Gloria resting peacefully. He bent down and gave her a gentle hug.
"Mom… I'm sorry…"
"I'll make something of myself—by other means."
With his farewell said, David held the Sandevistan tight, determination blazing in his eyes.
"Let's go to the ripperdoc. The one I trust most."
"Gotcha! Let's move!" Joseph followed close behind, sending an update about the situation to Kairo Retsu through the Gathering Hub's communication system.
Meanwhile, at the Scavenger Clinic…
Kairo and Himmel had finished clearing out every last Scav inside.
Himmel's strength was far beyond what Kairo had expected. The weapons from 2077 hadn't even left a scratch on his clothing.
Kairo, on the other hand… had taken a few extra pounds of punishment. Bullets embedded all over his body.
The Hunter's durable body prevented serious injury—but it still hurt like hell.
Gritting his teeth, he chugged Recovery Medicine and dug out the bullets. That's when Joseph's message came through.
"David made up his mind?" Kairo perked up. "That's great! But… going to install cyberware, huh…"
Kairo scratched his head.
Cyberware in Night City could definitely assist Hunters…
But there was one small problem.
Recovery Medicine tended to forcibly eject cyberware.
Still, he couldn't help laughing when he saw Joseph's note about David being stubborn about Lucy.
"Man, say what you want—he's got a real stiff upper lip!" Kairo laughed and shared the story with Himmel.
"Good for him," Himmel replied. "David's brave… I could stand to learn from him."
"As adults! We can't just sit by and do nothing when the kid wants to go after a girl!" Kairo said righteously. "We've gotta back David up!"
"This Night City…" Kairo's eyes gleamed. "It's about time it got a real legend."
"Know where all the legends come from?"
"From Afterlife's drink menu! And from under every single one of V's guns!"
"Just punching the ground could kill eighty thousand a day!"
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