MHGA Chapter 195: We'll Become Legends, Jackie!
"...Huh?"
The nearby Hunters all froze when they heard Kairo Retsu's exchange with Jackie, a bunch of question marks practically floating over their heads.
The Hunter Gang? What the hell was that? Since when did they have something called the Hunter Gang?
Despite their confusion, Kairo and Jackie hit it off instantly—like old friends reunited at light speed.
"I gotta gift you a fine bottle!" Kairo threw an arm over Jackie's shoulder. "One of the Hunters' finest! Rathalos Whiskey! A rare, top-shelf spirit!"
"Come on, let's hit the Afterlife and knock back a few! I've got the bottle with me!"
Just like that, the two had their arms around each other's shoulders and were heading toward the Afterlife bar.
Misty watched Jackie's back with visible concern.
"I'll be back later, Misty. Promise I won't drink too much," Jackie flashed a thumbs-up over his shoulder. "Relax, I'll be careful!"
"Misty-san, we're not bad people." Tanjiro had picked up on Misty's unease. Once Kairo and Jackie were out the door, he turned to reassure her. "We really do just want to be friends with Jackie-san. We're not trying to get him involved in anything dangerous."
Since arriving in Night City, Tanjiro had tried using his "Transparent World" technique to perceive human bodies. But here, he noticed how many people had cybernetic limbs and implants. Misty, at least, had relatively few, so he could clearly see how her pulse and blood flow spiked with anxiety whenever they mentioned interacting with Jackie.
"…Sorry." Misty looked at Tanjiro, her tension easing. For all of Night City's chaos, Tanjiro's words and demeanor made him seem like someone you could trust.
Just then, Kairo poked his head back in from the doorway.
"Hey! I'm going to grab a drink with Jackie. You guys wanna check out the area? Get to know Night City a bit?"
"I'm in!" Rakuro Hizutome responded eagerly. "With all this advanced tech, there's bound to be a ton of interesting stuff!"
"I'll come too," Shirou Emiya said after a brief pause. "But this place… it really gives off a rotten vibe."
"Hey! Take me to drink too!" Joseph Joestar protested. "I want in on this action!"
"Denied!" Kairo shut him down flatly. "Kazuma already ran off. At least one senior Hunter has to stick around and hold down the fort!"
"Relax, if I see any good booze I'll bring you back a bottle. Oh, and David!"
Kairo turned toward the boy still sitting slumped in the corner and gave him a firm thumbs-up.
"David, you're in charge here."
"You're the only one of us who really belongs to Night City. We're counting on you for this one."
"...Yeah."
David looked in Kairo's direction, and something clicked in his mind.
"I get it now. I really do."
"Well then, youngbloods! Your Guildmaster is off for a drink!" Kairo gave a hearty wave. "Catch you all at the canteen later! Hasta luego!"
With that, Kairo turned and followed Jackie toward the Afterlife. But his face gradually turned serious.
"Yo, choom—you look like you've got something heavy on your mind," Jackie commented, having noticed the change in Kairo's demeanor. "Lemme guess… your gang's got some green punks acting up, or you've got a mess you can't clean up?"
Jackie thought back to the group he'd seen earlier. "I'm guessing it's that downcast kid who just got a cyber upgrade. One look at his face and I knew—he's been through something. Just like every other soul in Night City."
"You hit the nail on the head," Kairo scratched his head. "Yeah, it's him. Thing is… he was a student at Arasaka Academy."
"No shit?! Arasaka Academy! I heard graduates from there get fast-tracked into Arasaka Tower. That place is full of corpos' sons and daughters! How the hell did a kid like that end up in your crew?!"
"'Corpo' my ass. He's from a single-parent home," Kairo waved his hand. "Not long ago, he and his mom got into a car crash—right over there on the overpass—during a gang conflict."
"There?" Jackie frowned. "Yeah, I think I remember hearing about a gang shootout over there… Damn. So his mom—?"
"She was in terrible shape. The trauma team that showed up was only there to rescue corporate members. David barely managed to drag her to a hospital himself. And guess where he brought her?"
Kairo's eyes narrowed. "Right into Scav territory."
"Motherf—Those scumbags?!"
Jackie's face twisted in disgust. "Wait, don't tell me…"
"Jackie, we're not gangsters. The 'Hunter Gang'—we founded it today."
Kairo rested his arm across Jackie's shoulder. "Up until now, we were more like a loose Hunting club. But the moment David brought his mom into Scav turf… that's when he walked into our lives."
"We wiped out the Scavs. Every last one."
Kairo exhaled. "We rescued David's mom. She's recovering now."
"But his trauma—that's not something I can fix. You saw his face too. He's the type of kid who's one wrong step away from snapping."
"Honestly, when I saw the things in that Scav hospital—those people who used to be human, now reduced to piles of shredded meat—I was furious."
"This city doesn't need gangs that treat life like trash. And it definitely doesn't need monsters like the Scavs."
"…So what's your play?" Jackie asked, turning serious. "These gangs aren't something you can just take down with good intentions. And telling me all this? What do you expect me to do?"
"I don't roll with gangs anymore."
"I know. And I'm not asking for anything."
Kairo smiled. "I don't hit up new friends for favors. I told you because you're Jackie."
"Just watch, Jackie. We're gonna become legends."
"I want you to witness it—to see with your own eyes."
"We'll become famous across the world, Jackie! Just watch us!"
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