On the rooftop, a middle-aged man in a fitted suit stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his face so dark it looked ready to pour rain.
His hair was streaked black and white, and deep furrows carved into his brow.
This was Hiromi Sato, the Tyger Claws' representative in Clouds.
He knew exactly who the attackers were. He had thought Wakako Okada wouldn't raise such a storm over something so small—but he hadn't expected her counterattack to be so direct, so merciless.
The Tyger Claws' reputation had always rested on numbers.
Gang members prowled the streets and highways, their fluorescent tattoos serving as a loud display of force. Childish, maybe, but effective all the same.
But with so many members came problems. They drew in violent, ruthless scum.
These men lived without restraint, committing atrocities that enraged anyone with a conscience. The Tyger Claws' leaders despised these hotheaded thugs, but still had no choice but to rely on them.
In Night City, the gang could cover most of the chaos these men stirred up—but only most.
Compared to real mercenaries, these street bullies who lorded over regular citizens were still just amateurs.
Hiromi cast a discreet glance at the burly figure behind him—Jun Oda.
His direct superior, one of the Tyger Claws' highest leaders. And this whole mess? It had been kicked off by Oda's own trusted lieutenants.
The elevator shuddered to a stop at the rooftop. The broad, heavy figure waved his hand, signaling the men around him to open fire.
Bullets clattered against the elevator's sealed doors.
Hearing the racket above, Arthur and Rebecca quickened their pace.
This floor was dim, cluttered with control consoles—likely the operating hub for Clouds' business facilities.
When they hit a locked door, Arthur simply weighted the Swallow and forced it open, step by step finding the way up.
Three floors in all—though it wasn't clear if this one counted.
Continuing upward, the scenery changed completely.
Smooth, translucent building material gleamed across the space, with carefully placed green plants at the edges.
To the side, a wide terrace stretched into the sky, complete with pool, bar, and every luxury.
The level seemed deserted. Clearly, the gang trusted their stronghold's design, convinced no one could get in except through the elevator.
Arthur and Rebecca slipped inside without hesitation, heading for the source of the gunfire.
They didn't rush to the roof. Instead, they chose to wait quietly at the base of the staircase, ready for careless enemies to wander down.
"Arthur!"
Rebecca popped her head out of a nearby room, waving her small arm to call him over.
"Come quick—I found something good."
Arthur, puzzled, stepped inside.
It was a conference room, furnished with oversized sofas and coffee tables at the center. The far wall was a vast pane of glass.
A small door in the glass opened onto a strip of dark metal roadway stretching outside—likely a private hovercar dock.
Rebecca stood beside a safe taller than Arthur himself.
"Look at this. We might hit the jackpot."
"I thought these things were extinct."
Arthur ran a hand over the surface, feeling its immense weight.
He rubbed his chin, narrowing his eyes.
"Not even bombs could crack this thing…
But don't worry—someone will open it for us soon enough."
His experience told him he was right.
At that moment, the gunfire above began to fade. The elevator doors probably wouldn't hold much longer.
On the rooftop, the Tyger Claws blasted a hole in the doors and shoved a thermobaric grenade inside.
The explosion shook the shaft, and several men rushed to check—only to find nothing.
"Ha!"
Jun Oda laughed, clapping Hiromi Sato on the shoulder.
"See? Nothing happened. Just a show of force.
Wakako Okada isn't dumb enough to start a war with the Tyger Claws over a few women."
"With so many women at Clouds, why provoke Wakako at all?
Sigh... let's hope this doesn't end badly..."
Hiromi's reply was low, heavy, full of worry.
"Boss—"
Nearby, a man who had just finished firing tossed his rifle aside. Hearing the two leaders talk, he swaggered over, head shaking with a cocky grin.
"You've been in Clouds too long—your spine's gone soft.
Next time we play, I'll bring you along."
He closed his eyes, pressing his hands together, his body trembling theatrically.
"That thrill~ Seeing blood, feeling it... really gets the courage flowing."
His face twisted with arrogance, and then he broke into a lewd, savage laugh.
This was the very man who had provoked Wakako—Jun Oda's new favorite. And in front of Hiromi, a senior figure in the gang, he showed no respect at all.
His words even carried the edge of ambition—hinting at taking Hiromi's place.
Ignoring the lunatic, Hiromi Sato turned toward the rooftop ladder, already plotting to switch allegiances, to find a new boss.
That brute was one of the few Tyger Claws leaders with nothing but violence in his head. He wasn't stupid—he'd survived this long for a reason.
But his power came from the gang's mad dogs, and he was trapped by them now.
The security team spread out on alert. Hiromi and Jun Oda retreated indoors, trying to relax after the tension.
But in the darkness, silently, Tyger Claws elites were falling one by one.
In the night, the Swallow's flight was soundless.
Inside the conference room, Hiromi Sato waited with Jun Oda for the hovercar to arrive.
Until—
"Who's there!"
Hiromi shot to his feet, alarm flashing in his eyes at a faint sound beyond the door.
As his words rang out, the door creaked open.
Two figures stood outside—one towering, one small.
"You're... that Cowboy?"
Hiromi stumbled back in panic, tripping over a sofa and falling onto it.
"Strange... you seem to know me."
The brim of the gambler's hat cast Arthur's face in shadow, his raspy voice scraping out of his throat.
Of course Hiromi knew him—the man who had wiped out one of the Tyger Claws' biggest strongholds, and escaped with the loot.
"There must be some mistake. Believe me—we could be friends."
The man's words carried a strange accent, but Arthur understood well enough.
"Friends... I'm always open to that.
But too bad—my friends don't seem to like your kind."
Arthur shrugged, shaking his head, and stepped further into the room.
"This has nothing to do with me, sir.
It's them."
Hiromi scrambled behind the sofa, jabbing a finger at the two men seated there.
The thin, flamboyantly dressed one erupted in fury.
"Bastard!!
You son of a bitch, I'll kill you right here!"
His shrill voice screeched as he grabbed for the revolver at his waist.
Bang!
The shot cracked. His arm went limp, and he collapsed, screaming in pain.
Arthur didn't understand the words spilling out of him, but the expression on his face said enough.
Arthur twirled the massive Prelude revolver between his fingers. His shadow loomed over the man, then a single kick sent him sprawling onto his back.
Arthur slammed his boot down on the man's wailing mouth.
"Shut up."
Only muffled sobs came from beneath his heel.
Arthur glared coldly, grinding his boot harder.
"I know you, friend—you're on the list.
You like violence, don't you? Especially against helpless girls."
The man groaned, choking. Arthur leaned harder.
"And you bark like a dog—loud as hell, but not half as tough."
He lifted his foot slowly. The man's teeth were gone, swallowed with his own blood.
Mouth ruined, he whimpered broken pleas for mercy.
...