MHGA Chapter 188: Become Night City's New Legend, Hunters!
"You two came here just to drink milk?" Rogue looked at Kairo Retsu and Himmel, unimpressed. "And those two sacks—those are people, right? Why'd you bring them here?"
"We just got out of a Scav hospital." Kairo tapped the Afterlife bar counter with his finger. "I know justice and compassion aren't exactly the currency around here, but we like doing this kind of thing."
"So we cleaned up the Scavs in that hospital. Sadly, we only managed to save two people." He glanced at the sacks on the floor. "I came here to hire someone. I know you're Night City's top fixer, and helping these two return to normal life is one of the jobs I'm commissioning."
"Coming to Night City to do charity? What, are you some trust-fund brat? Got the luxury to worry about strangers' lives?" someone in the bar scoffed.
Since Rogue hadn't taken the pair inside for a private meeting, the other patrons figured they could butt in too.
"My milk ready yet, Claire?" Kairo said, completely ignoring the jeers.
"Organic food isn't for common folk," Rogue muttered as she glanced at Claire. "That's reserved for the City's elites. Make theirs synthetic milk—add some ginger beer, jujube flavoring, and two spoons of sugar."
"Synthetic milk?" Himmel, former elder-now-young-man from another world, blinked in confusion.
Milk… can be synthesized? People in Night City can't even drink real milk? And only elites have access to it?
"Synthetic's fine. I usually drink yogurt back home anyway," Kairo replied cheerfully. "As long as it settles the stomach and eases a hangover, I don't care what it's made of."
"Soon enough, everyone will be able to order a synthetic milk like this just to unwind." Kairo generously took the glass Claire handed over. "It's a small kindness from us Hunters to all the hot-headed newbies out there."
"You make it sound like you're destined to become a legend," Rogue narrowed her eyes. "You know where most legends in Night City end up?"
"Yeah—buried," Kairo took a sip of the steaming synthetic milk. "But Night City's graveyards aren't big enough for me."
"Hah. Got a mouth on you." Rogue sneered.
But Kairo shot her a look.
What he meant was… even if he died, he could always cart back in on a Hunter cart—Night City's graves really weren't big enough to hold him.
"Let's talk rates. I came to Night City with a quarry in mind," Kairo said, ignoring the mocking glances. "I want to hire someone to track down clues—as many as possible."
"Anyone who brings me intel gets a reward they won't refuse," he swept his eyes across the room. "Target's someone causing widespread power failures and system breakdowns."
"And the reward…"
Kairo placed several small vials of green liquid on the bar counter.
Rogue stared at the bottles he laid out like toys, falling silent before speaking: "You serious? This stuff…"
"No pneumatic injector, no serial number… you're offering mystery meds?" She was starting to wonder if these two men were legitimately insane.
"Pfft. Philistine."
Kairo casually opened one, poured it into his half-full cup of synthetic milk, and swirled it.
"It's sweet, too."
"You hang onto them for now." He downed the mix in one gulp and politely returned the cup to Claire. "Won't be long before the name Monster Hunter echoes throughout Night City."
"As for now," he rubbed his chin, "just think of this as our way of saying hello."
As he spoke, someone had already moved to subtly block the exit to Afterlife.
Apparently, they weren't planning to let Kairo and Himmel leave so easily…
"Claire, remember the name of that hot milk we ordered—call it Granny Felyne's Comfort Drink. Don't forget it," Kairo stood up.
"Well then…"
"See you tomorrow, Night City."
The moment Kairo said that, both he and Himmel vanished from the bar counter.
Rogue, who had kept her cool until now, instinctively checked her cyber-eye—was it hacked?
But no… the scene had really happened. The still-warm empty cup Kairo had drunk from sat on the bar. The green vials were still neatly arranged.
Had one of them actually been a netrunner? Had they fooled every optical implant in the room, projecting fakes while escaping earlier?
"…" Rogue stood up grimly and grabbed the vials.
She needed to prepare. Night City might truly be on the verge of another upheaval.
—
Back at the Hunter's Gathering Hub, Kairo was bouncing on his feet, throwing punches.
"Hell yeah!! That pose-and-vanish routine felt so damn cool! I'm so legendary!"
"This is the first time I've seen a city like that," Himmel remarked after returning. "It seems prosperous, but… it feels strangely lifeless."
"I didn't like it," he shook his head.
"But David lives there—and will keep living there. That's his city, his world," Kairo replied. "He didn't get to choose where he was born."
"There are no Demonkind in that world," Himmel observed. "But that city is far from gentle."
"David'll figure it out. I already have a plan for what he'll do next." Kairo grinned brightly. "The Hunter name's riding on him now!"
"Once the name gets big, we can hire people to track the target. Once we've got a trail, the hunt's on!" Kairo gave a thumbs up. "I still don't know what kind of monster this one is… but if it's messing with electrical systems, it's probably a Thunder-element one!"
"Zinogre? Astalos? Don't tell me it's Rajang?" Kairo muttered. "There are quite a few Thunder monsters. But no worries… our Gathering Hub has a Heavenly Hero now!"
"himmelmon! When someone sends up that SOS flare, you'd better come help, alright?!" Kairo unceremoniously clung to Himmel's leg. "You will back us up, right?!"
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