Saburo Arasaka's ambitions were obvious to many. He craved the power of a ninja and eternal life, all of which perfectly aligned with the needs of Yoroshi-san Pharmaceuticals.
As the largest ninja conglomerate at present, their philosophy seemed completely different from the others; Yoroshi-san Pharmaceuticals developed a vast array of products for ordinary people.
Because of this, they became the sole ninja mega-corporation, wielding powerful biotechnology.
After learning of Saburo Arasaka's situation, they took the initiative to contact him, providing extensive technical support. Research on the Relic chip would have been impossible without their aid.
However, this was merely a superficial collaboration. The true, deeper partnership was hidden within this base, isolated from the outside world—
"Welcome to Yoroshi-san Pharmaceuticals, Schwarzer-san. I am Lee Araki, desu".
"Domo, Schwarzer desu."
Being discovered so soon after entering was expected. Schwarzer made no attempt to conceal her arrival; in fact, she had done it intentionally.
The one who came to greet her was the mad scientist Lee Araki—a true mad scientist, whose appearance was filled with all sorts of stereotypes.
Lee Araki wore a blood-stained physician's coat, his frame gaunt and stooped, his face plastered with a wild and crazed smile.
He practically skipped into view as if seeing Schwarzer was the most exciting thing in the world, the word 'madness' practically carved onto his face.
"For you to grace our base with your presence... it truly makes this humble place shine."
For Lee Araki to utter such a compliment with his crazed expression was unsettlingly bizarre, but he was indeed serious.
His eyes practically glowed as he stared at Schwarzer, as if gazing upon some priceless treasure.
"[Query] What exactly is your base researching? And what stage is Saburo Arasaka's plan at?"
Schwarzer couldn't understand his behavior, so she got straight to the point, asking for the intelligence she needed.
Hearing her words, Lee Araki broke into a satisfied smile, as if he had been waiting for her to ask.
"If you wish to know, then follow me. This will surely be a big surprise!"
The two passed through the outer, camouflaged caves meant for concealment, and soon the surroundings took on a technological feel. Schwarzer saw numerous cultivation tanks, all filled with Yakuza Clones.
Noticing her gaze, Lee Araki proactively began to explain, introducing his company's products.
"These are Type Y-12 Yakuza Clones. They possess strength and skills comparable to top-tier special forces, have no fear, and make for excellent fodder. They're also one of our best-selling products."
"However, due to forced maturation, they only have a lifespan of three years."
The major corporations and even gangs of Night City had all purchased Yakuza Clones to some extent, but they were unaware of the three-year lifespan. Not that many clones managed to live that long anyway.
Gang wars, corporate conflicts, mercenary jobs, and the existence of cyberpsychosis made death in Night City incredibly cheap. Yakuza Clones were just such a consumable.
Utterly uninterested. This was not what Schwarzer came to see. She walked straight ahead.
Beyond the Yakuza Clones were bio-ninjas, mechanically modified ninjas, and all sorts of bizarre combinations of machinery and human bodies...
She showed no reaction; she had long known of their existence. Seeing her lack of interest in any of it, Lee Araki could only hurry to keep up.
He was confident that the final creation would impress Schwarzer. It was a culmination of the most cutting-edge technologies, the fruit of over a decade of cultivation by Arasaka Technology and Yoroshi-san Pharmaceuticals—in his mind, it was the closest thing to a perfect creation!
In the deepest part of the base was a completely separate space. Schwarzer placed her hand on the door and, for some reason, felt a pull.
It was as if something was calling to her. This was the first time Schwarzer had ever felt this way, the first time in over a hundred years...
"?"
Schwarzer froze for a moment. Then, she quickly realized what this meant.
Lee Araki saw her expression shift to excitement. She then forcefully pushed open the multi-ton metal door; the mechanical lock was utterly useless.
What appeared before her was another cultivation tank, but this one was connected to a vast array of instruments. One glance showed it was different from the mass-produced goods and experimental products outside; it was clearly of great importance.
Inside the tank was a young girl of a similar build to her own, about 1.5 meters tall, with long blue hair that trailed to her feet and a halo-like ring above her head.
"How is this possible?! I already checked! No fragments exist in this world!"
The System let out a sharp, explosive cry. It wasn't concerned with the girl in the tank, but with something deeper—the aura of a fragment of Schwarzer's soul emanating from her.
It had already been confirmed that no soul fragments existed in this world, so how did this thing suddenly appear? And why had it gone undetected all this time?
Schwarzer looked at the girl in the tank. It wasn't just the soul fragment that gave her a sense of familiarity; the girl's appearance itself was strikingly familiar.
"Tendo Alice?"
She observed more closely. Whether it was a coincidence or something else, the girl in the cultivation tank looked exactly like a certain 'roomba'.
"Oh? Alice? That's a nice name."
Dr. Lee Araki nodded in agreement and just like that, casually finalized her name—Tendo Alice.
Only then did Schwarzer remember the presence of an outsider and composed herself.
"[Inquiry] When did this project begin, and what materials did you use?"
Her thoughts were a bit chaotic, the overly intense emotions affecting her rationality. But in a way, was this a good thing? Strong emotional fluctuations were conducive to recovering one's humanity.
What concerned her most now was why she could feel a fragment of her own soul within Alice.
"Don't get excited. This is what I told you about before—the 'perfect' creation."
"No forced growth methods were used. We spent over a decade cultivating her, and of course, tens of billions of euros. She is the final, perfect crystal."
Finally seeing Schwarzer show a look of surprise and shock, Lee Araki proudly began to introduce his achievement.
A virtual projection appeared beside him as he spoke, displaying a massive amount of data on Alice. She possessed various powers far exceeding those of humans, powers that even ninjas couldn't match.
As he switched the display, Schwarzer saw it—the materials used to create her, shown in an image.
A crystal-like core—the shattered core of a Machine Ex Machina.
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